Sunday, October 30, 2011

Happy Halloween!!!

What a fun time we've had this weekend...
 And today... so much more to look forward to!
Greetings from Mario, Lady Morgan, and Luigi!

Thursday, October 27, 2011

Heartfelt Balance l Handmade Life -- Sit and Relax Weekend Hop!

Here I am again -- I wasn't consistent last week because the children and I had so much going on!  But I am going to make an effort this time around!  JOIN ME!!!
Michelle is so fun to get to know -- so visit her blog!  This week's co-host is Gratefully Growing in Grace.

 Sit and Relax Weekend Hop

This weekend is busy, so I am off now!  Have a great weekend everyone!!!  Happy early Halloween!!!

Tuesday, October 25, 2011

Halloween LOVE

The children are getting more excited about the upcoming holiday... (Is it just me or has the month flown by?!)  So here are some more fun things to keep you busy:

1) The Mother Huddle  --   Printable Halloween Theater 
My youngest has been into puppets this month so he is going to LOVE this project!
Printable Halloween Finger Puppet Theater

2)  Art Projects for Kids  -- Funky Witch Feet
I love the vibrant colors!


3) Make and Takes -- Cute Little Q-Tip Spiders:
Frankly, I don't think all spiders *need* to be scary!  Aren't these adorable?!


4)  Now to warm your tummies... after all the above activities!
Katherine's Corner -- Meatless Monday Pumpkin Soup:
Licking my lips as I type this in the middle of the night!



Have fun!

Sunday, October 23, 2011

Fall Harvest Festival

My daughter's school had their Harvest Festival today and it was busy!  The parents have been working so hard the last couple of months to put this event together.  Therefore, I am happy to report that the weather was beautiful, the children all had a great time, and although I did not sell a lot of pendants, I met many wonderful people who grabbed my business cards and will contact me to put together some pendants as gifts for the holiday!  I am so excited to get this going, as Christmas is creeping up!  Eeeek!  For those of you visiting my blog because you grabbed my cards, welcome!!!!  I will be posting photos of my pendants on the sidebar this week.  (sorry!)

Melinda came to sell her lovely handmade beaded jewelry with me.  Even Astrid came to support us!   Aren't they THE best?!  (what did I tell you... I am very lucky to have such wonderful friends!)

At the end of the day... Mel and I finally grabbed a picture together.  It was fun and I am glad she was there by my side.  I look forward to many more festivals and boutiques.  I have a few new items that I am working on that were a big hit today.  More pictures to come!
Table decorations courtesy of my dear friend, Matt.  Matt, you know how I feel about you.  You are awesome and I thank you for your continued support.  You helped put this beautiful table together for me and it definitely did not go unnoticed by numerous customers.  (Sorry, we had started cleaning up when I realized we did not take a picture... so the table looks a bit uneven and empty, especially on the right hand corner!)

And Matt, thank you for spending your afternoon shopping with me AND helping me create this beautiful setting in your backyard a week before the festival!





Thursday, October 20, 2011

Liebster Award




Thanks to Kelly... Remember Kelly of Billehime, Party of Four?  well, we've become pretty good bloggy friends. She's a great mom.  Her children are beautiful.  She's a fantastic friend/neighbor.  (Gabby would know what I mean by that!)  She recently awarded me this award!  :)


The Criteria: The Liebster Blog Award is meant to showcase bloggers who have fewer than 200 followers. This is all done in the spirit of pay-it-forward.
The Rules: You must mention and link to the person who awarded you the Liebster, and mention 5 other blogs with fewer than 200 followers you think worthy of the Liebster.
I would like to pass this award onto: (in no particular order!)
1)


2)
Gr8day2save

3)
Hoo Goes Where? | Up Up and Away!

4)
Please Take My Button

 and

5)
Not So Silent Mommy

Have a great day everyone!!!!

Tuesday, October 18, 2011

Our Family Photo

... in Carmel!  It was a beautiful day!  (and the children were somewhat cooperative)


Have a great week!!!  Daughter and I are getting our stuff ready to sell at her school's harvest festival!  We are both very excited!  :) 

Monday, October 17, 2011

Friday, October 14, 2011

Meet Another Blog I follow



Meet Kathy Barbro.  I don't know her personally.  I've never commented on her blog.  But I love what she does on her blog.  She is an amazing art teacher and I love her ideas!  My children and I do A LOT of art... It's my way of relieving stress during the week when they have so much going on.  So we often take a break and do something that allows them to be a bit "unstructured."  I'm not a fan of structure... but I do often need routine in order to get through the day.  But art... art is so personal.  I don't care what my 3 do, as long as they are having fun and we can laugh about the process.

 
She has some great projects for all seasons.  She uses a variety of medium.  She provides specific instructions.  What more can you ask for?!
Fall is here!


She is taking part in an amazing project right now... I wish I had time to sew!!!


She created  this beautiful mural to raise funds for Project HOPE Art which provides basic needs to Haitian orphans.  You can purchase this mural for $10.  More info here.



The children and I enjoyed this project:



and this:



and a winter wouldn't be the same without doing this project!  The book is pretty wonderful too!



How cute is this for Mother's day?  (I wish I knew about this while the children were still eating from the baby food jars!)




I think Kathy is pretty amazing.  Well, she's  a teacher, and I think teachers are pretty amazing.  I'm partial to that career choice!  :)  I think teaching is a VERY difficult career/profession.  It's not for everyone... even though I have heard plenty of people tell me that they could teach if they wanted to... Sure, go for it!  I would give them 30 minutes and then they would be running out of the building screaming!  It's thanks to good teachers that make teaching "look" easy.  But let me tell you something, teaching is not easy.  It takes a special person... I miss teaching, but now my children are my students and I want to focus on them.    Kathy, you do not know me and I only know you through your blog.  But I think you are wonderful for all the wonderful things you do.  I hope you don't mind that I am bragging about you... as if you were a close friend of mine!  :)

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I wrote to Kathy and this is what she had to say:

Hi Stephanie,

I love having my work shared, thank you so much for writing such nice things about me.

I appreciate your taking time out to write, and I wish you much success with your blog too.

Take care,

Kathy 



Thursday, October 13, 2011

Jack-O-Lantern Luminaries

Some jars from around the house, cut up tissue papers, watered down glue, paint brushes, black contact paper/vinyl sheet... and battery operated votives from the Dollar store.  Voila!  Now, go and make some for your front porch!

Tuesday, October 11, 2011

HOPE

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month.  I made this last year and will wear it this month.  This year, I am going to donate 50% of the sales from this pendant to the Susan G. Komen Foundation.  Let me know if you would like to purchase one.  It is $20 -- the pink birthstone is my gift to you for your support.  :)  I can add a 16" sterling silver cable chain (not pictured, the one pictured is a gift from my hubby's grandmother -- NOT for sale!) for an additional $10.  Contact me!  (use the contact me side bar on my blog or comment down below)
Tell a friend! Tell ALL your friends!!!  OR you can donate directly.  If you do, please let me know and I will make you a pendant for your support!

Thank you... for supporting this amazing foundation and for helping them find a cure.
A few facts for you to read. READ!  EDUCATE yourselves and those you love.

Monday, October 10, 2011

A princess for the day

(outside of our house!)
We attended the Renaissance Faire yesterday -- she wore this beautiful gown that Corinna bought for her (thank you Aunt Corinna!!!) and received many compliments and bows from complete strangers!  She was in heaven!  (She's counting down the days until Halloween when she can wear this again!)


Thursday, October 6, 2011

Sit and Relax Weekend Blog Hop





This is a no rules hop.  If you're unfamiliar with what a blog hop is, you link your blog's URL and your blog name on the "linky."  Then, you have fun visiting new blogs and catching up with old friends.  Try to stop by and visit everyone on the linky.  The key word here being "try".  Try to also read each person's blog and make meaningful comments. 


Want to join?  Go here, stay for awhile, visit Michelle's blog, and then sign up!  

Blog Friends you NEED to meet!

I am fortunate to have met some amazing women while blogging and hopping around.  Some I discovered on my own while reading one blog which them led me to another blog and so on and so forth.

I will post a new blog friend once a week...

My first blog friend is Veronica.


I found her a few years ago (2008?) while visiting another site.  Her blog name (Of Mice and Ramen) caught my attention and then her posts, such as this recent one, pulled me in!

She posts about her life, her children, and some amazing things she finds on the internet.  I don't know how she finds them but I'm so happy she does!  She has shown some amazing things on her blog!

Check this out, for instance.  But really, you just have to visit her blog to fully appreciate some of these pictures below that I am posting.  You need to read the story behind this.
This post was very emotional for me:


Dear Photograph,
Dad is gone…but the strength of his arms will always be around us.
Holly 






Dear Photograph,
I hope I’ve made my dad proud.
Ryan 



And this post was fun!  I don't know how she finds these artists -- they are so talented!!!!


This one too!  How fun are these to look at!!!


I thought of my dear friend, Tony, from high school.  He doesn't read my blog, but I thought of him regardless.  Tony loved Calvin and Hobbes (he named his dog Hobbes!).


This was a fun one too.  You think the Queen appreciated this?!  Hee hee.  Kind of nice to see her in a casual "hat."




This was amazing.  I'm not a fan of smoking or people who smokes (as long as they keep their distance, I'm fine!)... but wow, what a creative artist to come up with this!



My favorite, of course!

How cute is this?!



And I will leave you with this!   Eeeewwww!!!!  I love the color of the dish, but oh, my.... Can I eat it?  No way!!!!




Thank you Veronica, for having such a lovely blog that keeps me coming back... daily!!!!  Now, don't you all want to stop on by her blog and check her out?!  (And read her most recent family vacation to Europe?)