Teapots & Robots

More Baby Love! (handmade baby shower ideas)

2011-08-24T13:30:00.000-07:00

As I began looking back on some of my older posts, I realized that most of them are about baby showers! It's crazy, but crazy good! What a blessing to be able to take part in the celebration of so many wonderful little blessings!

I love a good celebration...and if I get to throw it and decorate for it, then I am one happy lady!

I had a lot of fun putting together this baby shower for several reasons. As I said above, I love to throw parties and celebrate. But I REALLY love when I have the honor of celebrating the anticipated arrival of one of my own niece's and nephew's....in this case, my sweet little nephew. It was so much fun to do this for my sister in law and what made it even sweeter.....I got to plan and put this baby shower together with my mom.

So the decor of this shower was based around these cute little bird napkins that I stumbled upon at Pier 1. My mom made the adorable diaper cake and then took it a step further by cutting out the little birds from one of the napkins and giving them cute little bird legs using colored tooth picks! That diaper cake is seriously cute!

The personalized initials on the mason jar vases.....can you guess what they are made from? Caramel latte anyone?
I used coffee sleeves from Starbucks! Before anyone gets the wrong idea, let me point out that I paid for every one of them. I have been saving my coffee sleeves when I get to treat myself to their yummy coffee because I realized that when turned inside out, they have this wonderful texture and natural look to them. They are perfect for many of my crazy, crafty ideas!

I added a few more coffee sleeves in the mix to make some cute "sweet baby" vases for our coffee bar area. We had a brunch shower so our menu consisted of: mini muffins, fresh fruit, various kinds of bagels and cream cheese, spinach quiche, and of course, cupcakes! We had a coffee bar area complete with flavored creamer and dark chocolate flavored stir sticks. And we also had ice water and fruit infused iced tea.

I love making things that can be used as decoration but can also be sent home with your guest of honor as a little extra gift too! I simply bought a chipboard "E" from Hobby Lobby and traced it onto some fun scrapbook paper. Then I cut it out and using Mod Podge, applied it to my chip board letter. Next, I applied another thin layer of Mod Podge on top to seal it. And last, I used my hot glue gun (i love my glue gun!) to add a ribbon to the back. It would be cute just hanging on the wall, but I had this frame with no glass (because it got broken) just lying around and thought it would look great showcasing the letter "E"!

Don't you just love those little birds?! And by "those little birds", I mean, all of those cute little birds that you see on everything these days! I am such a sucker for them!
Okay, so here we have some homemade banners, which I really enjoy making. For these, I used the natural note cards from Hobby Lobby. They come in a package of 50 with 50 envelopes too. The already have a crease in the middle of them to fold for making a card. However, I use this crease as a guide to cut them in half and use them to make these banners. I basically layer them with different colors and patterns of scrapbook papers. I used alphabet stamps to stamp out "celebrate" and "baby ethan." Then I used my stamp pad to "dirty" up the edges of my paper, punched holes in the top corners and added some ribbon. Voila!

And last but not least, use special items as part of your decor anytime you can.

Make it personal...which makes it special.

History and Home Decor

2011-07-08T12:06:00.000-07:00

I am back! I have been out of touch with the blogging world since last fall!!! But I have an amazing baby boy to show for it. Our family is now grown to a family of 6 and we are quite busy these days. So, this is actually an old post that I had written right before taking my break from blogging but never posted it. Hope you enjoy and come back for more!

Strange title I know, but my brain is not functioning at optimal performance this morning so all I could think of were the facts behind this post rather than a catchy little phrase. So, let's get to it!

About a week ago, my husband walked through the front door with a look of excitement and accomplishment about him. He held a rather large bag in his hand. As he began to open the bag, the excitement was suddenly mixed with hesitancy...which made me a bit nervous too.

He opened the bag and pulled out a ginormous map. He was so excited about his find, which I could totally appreciate. I often come home with that same look of excitement and accomplishment, only I am usually towing some random item from a yard sale, flea market, or end clearance isle of Target.

I'll be honest, my first thought was, "what in the world are we going to do with this? and surely he does not expect me to cover every wall in the living room with this 24ft long map?!"
These first thoughts would also be the reason for his look of hesitancy.

But as he began to explain what the map was, I began to get excited too and quickly realized that this was something that needed to be displayed. Suddenly, the perfect place popped into my head and hours later, my accent wall/wall of history was born.

We measured and cut the map into three separate strips. Then my amazingly talented and crafty husband cut some trim and painted it to frame out our map. There is a spot in the top corner where the map does not match up and we plan to type out a scripture, have it printed and place it there. I just love the finished product. Not to mention that I could literally stare at this wall for hours and still not have read and taken in a fourth of the information on it. It is amazing!

The map is a time line of the life of Jesus Christ. It begins with Adam and Eve. It later parallels His life with other historical events going on in the world at that time. It is so amazing and I love that I can look at any time I want. Someone put a lot of work into making this.

If you would like one of your own, I believe my husband found it at CBO, Christian Book Outlet for a mere $25. It is really nicely made with thick, quality paper.

So, this whole project costs us a total of $25! We used wood we already had from previous projects to cut and make the trim. We used black paint we already had as well.

Hope this inspires you to think outside the box when decorating your home. It is truly a lot of fun and most of the time, much more affordable....for me anyway.

More Baby Shower Fun

2010-10-14T13:39:00.000-07:00

Yes, I do know a lot of people having babies. And yes, I do LOVE to throw a shower, party, celebration...you name it!
Okay, now that I have answered any immediate questions, let me show you a fun and non-traditional way to shower and bless a mommy to be.

Surprise her with a gift card tree! I have much better photos of the tree, but my blog for some reason wants to all of the sudden upload only the photos I really wanted to share, the complete wrong direction!

So, here's the rundown:
I bought a flower pot.
I used floral foam inside the pot and arranged some actual tree branches that I collected and spray painted white.
Then I covered that with some decorative filler.
An invitation was sent out to family and friends to participate and bless the couple with a gift card tree. I chose two preferred locations: Target and Walmart. This will help ensure that no matter how much or little each card is for, they will have a good amount of money total to buy what they need.
I gave instructions for people to send the gift cards to me by a specified date.
Then, as the gift cards came flooding in, I punched holes in the envelopes and attached them with coordinating ribbons.
I topped it off with a little wooden sign.
Easy Peasy!

This is an especially good idea when your mommy to be is expecting her third, fourth, fifth child.....you get the point. Also a great option when your mommy to be is not finding out the sex of the baby.

Do you see the tall diaper cake on the table too? A friend of mine made this as a gift to the expecting couple, also serving as super cute decor!

A simple and cute decoration consisting of scrapbook paper, chip board letter, ribbon, diapers and clothes pins. It says "You are loved."

Another super cute and simple decoration done by one of my many talented friends are these bottles spelling out Baby Wood. The little jars are actually old baby food jars. Too cute!

And check out this cake! I wish I could say that I made it, but alas, I cannot. This is definitely not an area that I am gifted in, with talent or patience!

Yet another one of my talented friends made this cake. The best and most amazing part: this was her first attempt at making a fondant cake!

It was so cute! She actually made little baby feet and hands out of the fondant.

So there you have it!

I actually got this idea when my brother and his wife were surprised with a gift card tree while expecting their third child. Their friend simply sent out invitations and then surprised them with it at their house. What a great surprise uh!

They were so blessed by this and I just thought it was the best idea and alternative to a traditional baby shower. Often people do not throw showers after the first and second child, but I am a firm believer in celebrating each new life because they are all such a blessing!

The friend we surprised is expecting her third and they do not know the sex of the baby either. They have some things from their other two children and from friends who have passed down things to them, but they will still need diapers, wipes and other baby essentials. And of course, it is always fun to be able to buy something special for the new addition to the family.

So now when that sweet baby arrives, they can go shop for what they need and for a few things that they simply cannot resist. ;)

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins

2010-09-30T13:59:00.000-07:00

You may begin to notice the word pumpkin used often in my posts in the coming weeks and months, so consider this your warning. I can't help myself, I love pumpkins!

I love them sitting on my porch next to potted mums. I love the cute little mini pumpkins displayed as the center piece for my table. I love the pumpkin latte from Starbucks. I love the pumpkin scones from Starbucks too. (oh, am I ever glad that we found the deal on a treadmill in the classifieds-just in time!)
I love pumpkin bread, pumpkin muffins, and even pumpkin in my chili! Don't judge me. I'll share some recipes on this crazy stuff and you'll love it. ;)
I also love taking the kids to the pumpkin patch and I even love the color orange that pumpkins so beautifully display.

Did I mention that I love pumpkins?

Okay, moving on to the whole reason that you probably even clicked on my blog today.....
introducing the best fall muffin recipe ever!

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins

Ingredients:

8 ounces of cream cheese (i use the low-fat)

3 eggs

2 1/2 cups sugar

2 1/2 cups flour (I use 3/4 cup wheat and the rest unbleached all purpose flour)

1/4 cup chopped pecans

3 T butter, melted

2 1/2 t cinnamon

1/2 t salt

2 t baking powder

1/4 t baking soda

1 1/4 cups solid packed pumpkin

1/3 cup veg. oil (i use applesauce instead)

1/2 t vanilla extract

*I also add in 2 T wheat germ

Instructions:

Heat oven to 375 degress. You'll need two 12 cup muffin tins.

Mix cream cheese, 1 egg, and 3 T sugar in small bowl. Set aside.

Toss 5 T sugar, 1/2 cup unbleached flour, pecans, butter, and 1/2 t cinnamon in medium bowl. Set aside.

Combine the remaining sugar, flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon in large bowl.

Lightly beat the remaining eggs, pumpkin, oil (applesauce) and vanilla in medium bowl.

Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and add the pumpkin mix to it. Mix with fork.

Spoon mix into pans. Place 2 t of cream cheese mix in the center of each cup and then fill with the remaining batter. Sprinkle some of the pecan mix on top of each muffin and bake for about 20-25 minutes.

Voila!

It makes a lot so either host a get together or freeze some for a ready made breakfast sometime!

You're welcome.

Apples and Smores

2010-09-29T12:49:00.000-07:00

Oh, how I love Fall! All throughout the summer, I find myself at random moments day dreaming about the day when my cardigan and I will be reunited while sitting outside in the cool, crisp air sipping my morning coffee and nibbling on a piece of pumpkin bread. (okay, okay...devouring my pumpkin bread)
To say that Fall weather makes me happy is a gross understatement.

So, what I have I done this week to celebrate the beginning of this joyful season?

Smores baby! That's right, we got a fire going in our fire pit and indulged in some good ole' marshmallow roasting and smores. Or mushroom roasting.....if you're my 3 yr old son.

And this was just the icing on the cake because before we roasted "mushrooms", we enjoyed a bowl of chili and some homemade cornbread too!

Why stop there when you can also make Apple Cinnamon muffins for breakfast too? I love when I get to bake in my kitchen and then actually enjoy a taste of what I made without breaking a sweat!

Nothing screams Fall any louder to me than a pot of chili, cornbread, smores and baked apple goodness. So, I'll share the wealth! ;)

My Chili Recipe:

Ground Turkey
Vegetable Juice (one bottle)
1 large can of diced tomatoes
2 cans of black beans
1 can of pinto beans
1 can of kidney beans
minced garlic
chopped green onions
salt/pepper
parsley
chili powder
1 packet of chili seasoning

-Brown your meat; season with salt, pepper, garlic, parsley and chili powder.
-Add your vegetable juice, diced tomatoes, onions, beans and chili seasoning to a large pot; adding meat when it is cooked.
-bring to a boil and then cover and let simmer on low until ready to eat.
-Enjoy a bowl, topped with a dollop of sour cream and some shredded cheese.

*I have been known to throw in things like shredded carrots and other veggies into my chili too, but this is the basic recipe.

Sweet Corn Bread

1 1/4 cup yellow cornmeal
3/4 cup all purpose flour or whole wheat flour (I use 1/2 cup wheat and 1/4 cup all purpose)
1/3 cup sugar
4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
1 1/4 cup milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil (I use applesauce instead)

-Preheat oven to 425. Grease a loaf pan or an 8in square pan.
-mix dry ingredients.
-mix eggs, milk and oil (applesauce)
-add the two mixtures together and pour into pan.
-bake for 25 min or until toothpick comes out of center clean.

This is so yummy that you don't even need chili or soup to eat it!

Apple Cinnamon Muffins

1/2 cup sugar
1 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour (you can also use 1 cup all purpose and 1/2 cup wheat)
2 tablespoons oats
1-2 tablespoons wheat germ
1 egg
1 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 apple- peeled and chopped
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon sugar

-Preheat oven to 375. Grease your muffin pan or line with muffin cups.
-mix together your dry ingredients.
-mix together your eggs, applesauce, vanilla, butter and chopped apples.
-add the two mixtures together and pour into muffin cups.
-sprinkle some sugar atop each one and bake for 15-20 minutes.

So delicious!
Soon, very soon, I'll share my Cream Cheese Pumpkin Muffin recipe too and you will L-O-V-E me for it!
But for now....
Enjoy!

My love for all things Vintage...

2010-09-24T12:44:00.000-07:00

...could very easily get out of control, especially when I am given the wonderful gift of hours without children to roam around in flea markets and antique stores!

We recently took a little family trip to spend the weekend with my in-laws. It was right after my birthday and so they watched all three kiddos while my husband and I went to their cute little downtown and rummaged through flea markets...my favorite thing to do! It has been so long since I have gotten to do this and it was so much fun! But I had to practice MUCH restraint because I LOVE most all things old and vintage.

I had to look away and quickly walk past two very cool old, vintage chairs because I have no place to put them at all and they were priced so well too! I did it though. I walked away. I did good if I must say so myself.

I even walked away from the many vintage and oh so cool dishes and coffee mugs, only after gazing at them and trying to figure out a way to rearrange all of my kitchen cabinets to fit all of the old dishes and mugs that I already have! But I did it. I walked away.

I did not, however, walk away from the two metal boxes that were priced at only $2 each. I was totally excited about these boxes because they are practical and metal which meant I could paint them whatever I wanted. I am a sucker for organizational and storage options that look cute and fun. I love a pretty and practical piece!

I painted them and next I will cover the inside with some funky paper and modge podge.

I also couldn't resist this fun sign that is not old but meant to look that way. It made my husband and I both laugh and I knew it would be a fun addition to our dining room/kitchen. It makes me smile.

I added some stamped embellishment to the corners, because well, I can't seem to just leave things alone.

And my last but most favorite treasure of the weekend is a vintage coffee table that my mother in law scored at an estate sale. She couldn't find a place for it in her own home and so she offered it to us. I, of course, did not walk away from a cool vintage table, especially when it is free!

Okay, don't freak out. The table started out as just the wood color but was in pretty bad shape. I had a specific vision in my head for what I wanted this to look like in the end and was just hoping it worked. I started by spray painting random places on the table with these two colors. Then when that dried, I rubbed candle wax on only the painted places.

Next, I painted the table black. Then I took a rag and rubbed the places where I had applied the candle wax. The candle wax prevents your top coat of paint from sticking, allowing the color beneath to show through. The candle wax also helps to give the finished product a very smooth and finished look.

I also took sandpaper and sanded the edges and various other places to really give it that distressed look.
So what do you think of my re-purposed table? I have wanted a bench in our entry way for a long time but never could find one that I liked and could also afford....very exciting!

Always think outside the box. There are so many ways to make a piece your very own and completely transform it into something you love and can use!

So, to summarize:
*Drink Coffee
*Buy lots of spray paint to keep on hand (because those little cans are magical!)
*And think outside the box. You don't have to have a lot of money to achieve the look you want.

Happy Friday!!!!

Birthdays, Birth, and Giveaways!

2010-09-17T11:03:00.000-07:00

I am now officially in my 30's, as in I am no longer simply 30, but am now 31.

I had such a great day filled with many sweet birthday wishes and treats from some very special people in my life. I feel so blessed to be so loved.

We celebrated over a mound of fresh sushi with a few close friends. My husband has become quite the sushi rollin' man! Later, we enjoyed a homemade carrot cake (made by a dear friend) and coffee while talking some major trash during a card game of Monopoly. All of this actually took place last weekend and last night the family and I went out to eat and played yet another game with friends. It is a running joke in my family that my birthday always last a week......i have no idea what they are talking about.

And the highlight of my day was our doctor visit where we got to see our sweet baby on the ultrasound. We took our two boys with us and they were so excited! We found out that we are officially having another baby boy! We are very excited and mu husband pointed out that now our little girl will always have a brother to protect her; two older ones and then when they leave the house, she'll now have a younger one too. I LOVE that idea!

So, I am 31 now....big deal. I have never been one to enjoy or care about numbers anyway.
A very wise and (and quite spunky) queen once told me that you are only as old as you feel. This very same queen traveled abroad seeing the world at the young age of 78 and on. She often broke out into dance, for no apparent reason...other than the fact that she is queen and can do as she pleases. Also, she is just fun like that. She is my grandmother...just so know the relation, but really she is referred to as "Queenie."

Now, what better way to celebrate a birthday than with a giveaway! Not just one, but two!

A few months ago, I stumbled across a super fun blog that is now a very favorite of mine, Under The Sycamore. She is hosting a very special giveaway from a very special little shop, Foster Kade Designs.
You'll have to go read today's post on her blog.....it is a MUST READ. All I can tell you is that it involves babies, adoption, and lots of love! So, go now and take a minute to read the post and enter her giveaway. Then go shop all of the really cute accessories at Foster Kade Designs!

Now, if you want in on this giveaway too (as in mine) then you really do have to go check out Foster Kade Designs and leave me a comment telling me about your favorite item in their shop! I will close this giveaway at midnight on Monday, Sept. 20th. Oh, and the winner will receive a custom Alphabet Art piece, designed and created just for them and then sent to them via email in the form of a digital file. Pretty cool, uh!

What are you waiting for!

Blog Sale Part ll and a Giveaway!

2010-09-13T14:01:00.000-07:00

okay guys and gals, first things first. If you are joining us for the first time, then read here for the Blog Sale details.
First, we'll start with the pieces from Part 1 of the Blog Sale that are still available and better yet, let's reduce the already crazy reduced prices..just for fun. :)
Think Christmas gifts everyone! This will be the last chance for the first set of items from first Blog Sale post.

2 Altered Art Boxes- $8.00 for both

2 Handmade Keepsake Boxes-$8.00

Handmade Sterling Silver "Free To Fly" necklace- $12.50

Handmade Glass and Sterling Silver necklace- $10.00

Handmade and Hand stamped Dragonfly Glass and Sterling Silver necklace- $10.00

"Dance Like You Don't Care" Alphabet Art- 8 1/2 X 11 frame- $12.00

Blog Sale Part ll-

Hand Made Sterling Silver Swirl Necklace- $8.00

Hand Stamped Vintage Brass "tree of life" necklace- $8.00

"It's A Crazy Good Life" Alphabet Art Story Frame- $12.00

"FUN" Alphabet Art Wooden Sign (Pop Art Black Board Series)- $15.00

As posted before, if you are interested in purchasing any of the items above, leave me a comment with the item you wish to buy and your email. I will set up a listing in my Etsy shop with the price listed above and notify via email. If you are local, then you do not have to pay shipping and we can arrange pick-up.

Oh, and once you purchase an item, your name will go into a drawing to win a custom alphabet art image!

Happy Shopping!

Blog Sale-Update and a Giveaway!

2010-09-07T18:57:00.000-07:00

If you are wondering what this Blog Sale is, you can read the first post here.

Here is an update because three pieces have sold! YAY! :)

And, here is a new and fun twist to my Blog Sale. Are you ready?

Everyone who makes a purchase from my Blog Sale (part 1 or part 2) will have their name entered into a drawing to win their very own custom Alphabet Art!

The winner will be able to custom order their alphabet art and have it sent to them via email (as a jpeg file) with a photo release. This means the winner will have the flexibility of printing whatever size photo they want and however many they want, whenever they want! Pretty cool prize uh?

Oh and one more thing, if you tell a friend about this post and they make a purchase, please tell your friend to let me know that in the comments because you will get an extra entry for passing along my blog! :)
I just love giveaways!

Here is how it will work:
If you see an item that you like listed below, then leave me a comment saying that you want it and your email address. Then, I will add that listing (with the price listed here plus shipping) to my Etsy shop (because it is still sitting out there, empty) so that you can pay easily online. If you are local, then we can arrange something so that you do not have to pay shipping.

Alrighty then, here we go!

Altered Art Boxes, Galore!

This listing is for both of the boxes shown above. The fun "unpredictable" box has "beauty is everywhere" written around the sides of it and is covered on the inside as well.
The Journey box says "moving forward" on the side and "no looking back" on the back of the box. There is a tie closure on the side of the box and the inside is also painted and covered as well. All handmade. These are great to use for jewelry, cards/stationary and also add a fun pop of color sitting on your shelves. They also make great gifts. $10.00

Baby Keepsake Boxes

This listing is for both boxes shown above. These are also hand made. They make great baby gifts for keepsake boxes. $10.00

Dance Like You Don't Care- Alphabet Art

This is an 8 1/2 x 11 frame. Original photography by Teapots and Robots (me). Hand stamped, matted and framed. $15.00

~~LOVE Alphabet Art Story frame~~ sold

This frame is ready for your photos! The middle photo- LOVE alphabet art. It says live LOVE life.
$12.00

~~PEACE Alphabet Art~~ sold

This is an 8x10 framed alphabet art spelling Peace. I love the pop of color in this one. $12.00

BE Alphabet Art

This is an 8x10 framed alphabet art. It says BE and then below the alphabet art, it says: "...happy loving thankful creative strong able alive giving willing caring flexible...be who you were created to be...be being filled." $8.50

Hand Stamped Sterling Jewelry

Free to Fly: this is a sterling silver hand stamped piece. The dragonfly has been hand crafted from sterling silver wire and embellished with swarvoski crystals. The ball chain that it hangs from is sterling silver plated.
$15.00

~~Laugh...Louder~~ Sold

One side is hand stamped with "laugh" and the other with "louder." This piece is also sterling silver and hand stamped. It hangs on a sterling silver plated ball chain necklace.
$15.00

Aqua Glass & Silver Piece

This piece has also been hand crafted. The aqua colored glass has been wrapped in sterling silver wire. The ends of the cotton ribbon necklace have also been wrapped in sterling silver wire and complete with sterling silver toggle clasp. $12.00

Dragonfly Necklace

This piece features a hand stamped dragonfly on a blue glass pendant. The pendant has been wrapped in sterling silver wire and hangs from a black, choker style vintage ribbon. The ends of the necklace are also wrapped in sterling silver wire and complete with a sterling silver toggle clasp.
$12.00

So there ya have it my blogging friends! Help me make room for this baby and get some truly unique pieces at WAY discounted prices too!

Blog Sale (Teapots & Robots originals)

2010-09-07T12:43:00.000-07:00

I am not really sure if Blog Sale is the right terminology or not, but I'm gonna go with it anyway.

Okay, so if you read my blog, then you know that I recently decided to give up selling my jewelry, alphabet art and other creations on Etsy so that I could have more time and more of myself to devote to my family.
This decision has already been a blessing in many ways and I am excited to see what the Lord has in store.

So, what happened to all of the merchandise that I had listed in my Etsy shop then? I know you are all frantically wondering how you can get your hands on it, right? Okay, so that may be a long shot.....a REALLY long shot, but for that one or two people out there that really would like to know, this post is for you. :)

I have contemplated just keeping it all and saving it for gifts here and there, but as I am attempting to make space for baby #4, I am quickly realizing that keeping it all is not the best option. So.......
....drum roll please....
I am having a Blog Sale!
I thought it would be a lot more fun to offer some of my pieces to all of you at some really great discounted prices!

Here is how it will work:
If you see an item that you like listed below, then leave me a comment saying that you want it and your email address. Then, I will add that listing (with the price listed here plus shipping) to my Etsy shop (because it is still sitting out there, empty) so that you can pay easily online. If you are local, then we can arrange something so that you do not have to pay shipping.

Alrighty then, here we go!

Altered Art Boxes, Galore!

This listing is for both boxes shown above. These are also hand made. They make great baby gifts for keepsake boxes. $10.00

Dance Like You Don't Care- Alphabet Art

This is an 8 1/2 x 11 frame. Original photography by Teapots and Robots (me). Hand stamped, matted and framed. $15.00

~~LOVE Alphabet Art Story frame~~ sold

This frame is ready for your photos! The middle photo- LOVE alphabet art. It says live LOVE life.
$12.00

~~PEACE Alphabet Art~~ sold

This is an 8x10 framed alphabet art spelling Peace. I love the pop of color in this one. $12.00

BE Alphabet Art

Our First Day of School

2010-09-02T11:35:00.001-07:00

We survived our first day of home schooling yesterday, now only 165 more days to go!
Whew.

Really, it is just Kindergarten but with that comes change, excitement, and challenges.

Our day to day has never really been scheduled. I mean, sure we get up and eat breakfast around the same time every day, we eat lunch and take naps around the same time every day and we even eat dinner around the same time every day. Aside from that, the kids and I have not really been on any kind of schedule. We have gone and done and played as we wanted and as time and moods allowed.

As of yesterday, that is all changing. My oldest is now in Kindergarten and so have begun our journey of home schooling. It is going to be a long journey and pretty much life as we know it from here on out as we plan to home school all of our children for quite some time.

I am sure we will tweak this schedule as we get into a groove, but here it is for now.

Living Life...day by day.

*Our Schedule*

6am- wake up, time with the Lord

6:30am- work out and shower

7:30am- make coffee and milk cups

7:30- Kids are awake:

-bathroom and brush teeth

-kids dressed

8:30-9am-breakfast

9:30am- 11am- School

11am-12:00- Outside play

12:30- Lunch

1:00- 3pm- nap time

3:00-3:45- Story time/flash cards, etc (Monday-Wed)

*3:00-3:45- craft time (Tuesday and Thursday)

4-5pm- Free play in their rooms or outside (while I prepare dinner)

Friday- Free Day!!! (field trips or play dates)

As you can see, there is some time in between some of these slots not accounted for because I was unsure of how things would actually go so I wanted to leave myself some room.

Believe it or not, I really stressed myself out trying to figure out a schedule. I am sure this is partially due to me just being me and then throw in the plate of indecisive with a side of crazy (remember that post) and well, you've got yourself a mess!

Scheduling aside, our first day was a success...could've been better but also could've been worse. I am looking forward to enjoying this time with them. I am quite certain that I will be learning some valuable lessons as well, like patience.

Here he is, my big boy. He insisted on wearing his backpack for the long walk to school from his bedroom to the kitchen table. No arguments here...it was pretty cute and he was excited.

And of course little brother is doing school too, because he does everything his big brother does! I think he was the most excited, especially when I gave him his own special notebook and crayons for school too.

There was no way baby girl was going to be left out of this adventure. She was also thrilled about her special school notebook and crayon box too.

And I am pretty excited too....about this curriculum that is! After looking at MANY home school curriculum's out there, My Father's World is what we decided upon. As you have probably guessed by the name, it is a biblically based curriculum, which is what we really wanted. It is really pretty great as it combines the best of Charlotte Mason, classical education, and unit studies with a biblical overview and international focus. I could go on and on about it myself, but if you're interested, you should check it out yourself at www.mfwbooks.com.

The first ten days is an introduction lesson on Creation. The first day they learned about how God created the light and called the light, day and the dark, night. We are doing some really fun hands on things to go along with this lesson which I will sure in the days to come.

Do you home school your children? If so, what curriculum do you use? How does your daily schedule look? Any tips from any home school veterans out there for some newbies like me?! Bring it on! :)

Indecisive With a Side of Crazy...

2010-09-01T11:32:00.000-07:00

What is it about pregnancy that turns a perfectly organized woman who knows what she wants into a pile of mush that cannot make the most basic of decisions?

I know, I know...it's the hormones right. But seriously, people should not underestimate the power of these hormones! They are crazy! I mean, anything that can turn a simple dinner decision of chicken vs. potato soup into a hormonal tornado of emotion and even tears is dangerous people!

In all honesty, I have never really been the same since my first pregnancy five years ago. Maybe that has something to do with the fact that I have been pregnant six times in the last five years. Maybe. I'm not really sure though. (I can't decide)

I hope that someday in the future my sanity will return and I will once again be united with that organized, clear thinking woman that I once knew, but for now, I am listening and learning.

The first step for me in my journey of actually listening is removing some of the things on my piled high plate, which is hard because everything on my plate is very tasty and brings me great satisfaction.
Warning: Prepare yourself because those of you who actually read my blog will think for a moment that you are experiencing deja vous.

Okay (deep breathe), I am officially unclenching my fist and letting go of my art business, Teapots & Robots. I know, I said something very similar to this a few months ago, but that was simply a break, this is long term.
I took that break for a short while and then recently started back again because I had really missed it, but have been questioning that decision ever since. I have felt a lot of conviction about my decision and have struggled with what to do. After much prayer, I woke up yesterday morning knowing what I had to do.
Throughout the course of the day, the Lord so graciously confirmed that through a post on one of my favorite blogs to read, a friend's devotion that she emailed me, and good solid advice and encouragement from my husband.
There is absolutely nothing wrong with spending time doing something you love and being a full time stay at home wife and mother...if you can do it all and do it all well and to the glory of God. I am sure there are some women out there that can do it. But for me, all of this extra stuff has become a distraction and has hindered me from being the wife and mother God has called me to be. I was no longer simply loving being home with my children...that had somehow become not enough.
I have held so tightly to it because I felt as though it was one of the only "me" things I had left. The Lord very gently and mercifully (because he sure didn't have to be gentle with me) has shown me that not only was there a lot of pride wrapped up into all of this, but I was also using this for fulfillment in areas of my life as well as a way to sort of define "me."
I am so incredibly blessed to be able to stay home and be a full time wife and support to my husband as well as a full time mother and teacher to my three children (soon to be four). My joy and satisfaction should come from Jesus Christ alone, but also from the amazing role He has placed me in. It is an honor and I have been missing it by not fully embracing it and enjoying it.

So, what exactly does this mean for Teapots & Robots? Well, it means that I will no longer be operating a business under that name. I will no longer be selling my creations and pieces.
However, I will still be creating them when I have time. Long before Teapots & Robots was born, I was creating for friends and family and truth be told, I enjoyed doing that far more than selling them.

What does this mean for this blog? Well, it means good news for all of you! I hope it is anyway.
As I have time to create, I will now be posting tutorials on how to create these things yourself. I will share all of the little tips and secrets that I have utilized in creating my pieces and all for FREE! I am very excited about this and know that I will have much more fun sharing them with you than trying to sell them to you. :)
I will also be posting about everyday life as a mother of four. I'll share with you our adventures in homeschooling as we just started that for the first time today! I'll share photos, recipes, party/shower hosting tips & decor, home decor ideas, DIY projects/tutorials, and much much more! Just plain fun stuff without any pressure! ;)

I hope you're excited about our new adventure and I certainly hope that you'll join me in it.

p.s. for my friends/ former customers, you can still contact me if you would like to purchase a creation and if I have the time, I would be happy to still work with you.

Celebrating Life (Baby Shower Decor!!!)

2010-08-29T19:27:00.000-07:00

As promised, I am here to share some more baby shower decor with you.

I had the honor of hosting a baby shower for my sister in law over the weekend in celebration of their first baby, a sweet baby girl. I had so much fun preparing for this shower and with the help of another sister in law, the shower was a success.

I am a sucker for anything with cute little birds on it.....and luckily, my sister in law is loving them too right now.

and this is what my table looks like when I am working on a project.

and one of the cutest cakes that I have ever seen (and quite tasty too)! The cake was made by my friend Kelly of Taart Art. I simply showed her the shower invitations and this is what she created. Perfection!

My fabulous sister in law, Ashley, hand painted this canvas for our mommy to be to hang in the nursery. She is so very talented! You can find more of her art and even order your own through her website, The Busy Brush.
Have I mentioned how blessed I am to be surrounded by so many wonderful sister in laws? Because I am!

The banners you see were made by me and are so simple and fun. I love the personal touch that handmade decorations add to a celebration. They obviously take more time than simply going to the store and purchasing party decor, but they mean so much more!

I had an empty space on the counter and thought I'd utilize our chalkboard once again to display one of the cute maternity photos we took of her and a simple message.

...some mixed berry hot tea, iced with orange slices....because it looked pretty. ;)

the coffee station with my latest flea market find from one of my favorite places to go, The Junk Queen. I don't get to go to places like this much anymore so I was so thrilled when I found this set of vintage mugs during my two hours of treasure hunting with my mom a few weekends ago.

a gift card/money tree served as the center piece of the gift table.

More personal touches and a cute little jar full of tags filled out by the guests.

They have not quite decided on a name yet. No, they are not naming her Peanut. However, throughout the pregnancy, the baby has been referred to as "peanut" so I ran with that and added some more personal touches to the shower! These were displayed in the living room.

Check out that chocolate goodness! It is Chocolate Chip Banana Bread and it is SOOOOO good! This is one of my friend's many yummy homemade baked treats. Check out her site Kim's Healthy Creations, where you can order her mixes. They come packaged cutely and ready for gifting too!

And....one of my gifts to my sister in law was these irresistibly cute handmade baby shoes! My friend Rachel makes these and is currently in the process of setting up her Etsy shop so that everyone can enjoy them!
Check out her shop here.
Yes, yes, I have some very talented friends. And yes, I am being very generous in sharing them with you! ;)

Hope you enjoyed the photos of the shower and as always, I hope they have inspired you!

Check back soon because I will be posting the details of the shower, the DIY projects that provided the decorations, and even the yummy recipes too-your very own baby shower kit! ;)

DIY Baby Shower Decor & More....

2010-08-23T13:36:00.000-07:00

....to come, very soon!
But for now, just a simple and cheery....

Hope you're having a fabulous Monday!!!
Check back for more DIY baby shower decor ideas later this week and some exciting news about some beautifully unique pieces from Nepal!

For now, if you're reading, leave me some comment love! I really do LOVE to hear from you. :)
Happy Monday!

Etsy, Ebay, & Curry!

2010-08-20T11:54:00.000-07:00

Etsy, Ebay & Curry; three things that I thoroughly enjoy! It sounds random, but I promise there is purpose behind the title of this post.

Let me begin with Etsy. Have I mentioned that I LOVE Etsy? Because I do!
It is a one stop shopping trip of hundreds and hundreds of handmade creations by so many talented people from around the world. And it can all be done while sitting in a comfy chair and sipping on a cup of coffee! I likey.... A LOT! ;)

So, there's my Etsy spill and here's my own personal Etsy ad. After a much needed break from things, I am now back and slowly adding items to my Etsy shop again, Teapots and Robots. And even better than that, I have new prices that I think you'll love! I will also be adding some completely new items in the coming month that I hope you'll love. I would so appreciate if you took a minute to take a peek at my shop. If you like what you see, then pass it along to some friends and please let me know what you think in the comments. I love to hear from you! :)

Now, moving onto Ebay. I am very new to the whole Ebay scene, but since the local store where I sold many of my pieces had to close their doors (sniff sniff), I took home several pieces with me. I don't have the time to seek out other local stores and I don't have the room in my house to store everything, especially when I am itching to make more! So, I listed some of my older inventory on Ebay and I think you'll like those prices too. But hurry because the bidding ends in just 20 hours! Check it out here. If you would like to view all of the items I have listed on Ebay, simply the click the "see other items" link on the right of the page.

And last, but certainly not least, let's talk about some delicious curry! Do you have a love for curry and Indian food in general like me? Have you ever tried it?

As I am typing this, I am finishing my delicious meal, Alu Methi, a traditional Indian dish made with Potatoes (Alu) and Fenugreek (Methi), served over rice and a side of flat bread. Delicious!!!

If you are local, I have the perfect solution for you, Grace For Nepal.

Grace for Nepal is a ministry that was started by one man whom had visited Nepal on a mission trip and has never been the same since. God burdened his heart for the orphans in Nepal in a BIG way.

When he returned to the states, his heart and thoughts were still in Nepal with those children. He wanted so badly to help them in some way and then God called Him to do just that. This man is Steve. Steve is just a man but he serves the Almighty God and God is using this ministry to provide for and bless the orphans in Nepal.

Steve is an amazing cook and specifically cooks some really tasty Indian and Thai dishes, and did so long before his first trip to Nepal.
As he thought and prayed about what he could do to help these children, God gave him an idea and so it all began; a website created, menus printed, and curry cooking! You can place your order for some delicious curry; Steak, Chicken, & Vegetarian (to name a few) complete with rice and homemade flat bread for a mere $6 donation and......it will be delivered to you for lunch on Friday! What a deal! You can enjoy a delicious meal for only $6 while helping to provide food for the orphans in Nepal!

Please take a minute to go check out the website and read a little more about this amazing ministry, Grace For Nepal.

If you are not local, then there is still something you can do to help.
All of the work that goes into this ministry is done by Steve and a team of volunteers. They come together every Thursday evening and prepare and cook everything, sometimes until the late evening and early morning hours. Then on Friday morning, more volunteers help Steve heat and package all of the orders and deliver them.

The monetary expense of this ministry is provided by these same people and donations that have been made by many others. God is in control and is providing and blessing this ministry. This is also a way that you can be apart of it. Every penny that is not spent on actual supplies is sent to the orphans in Nepal; four to five dollars of the $6 you pay for a meal is sent to Nepal.

And in the months to come, there will be another new and exciting way to help these children, through this same ministry! Soon, you will be able to order some very unique items imported from Nepal and a portion of those proceeds will also be sent directly to help these children. More on that to come.

For now, go check it out: www.gracefornepal.org

A Little DIY Chalkboard Love (& Baby Love)

2010-08-19T11:36:00.000-07:00

So, I have a confession to make. I am a little obsessed with chalkboard paint. I often see things around my house that I think, "Ohhh, that would look great painted with chalkboard paint!"

It is so fun and so fitting to my personality!

Let's take a quick look at me:

I am a list maker
I love for things to look pretty, but also need them to serve a purpose.
I am always looking for ways to make my house more fun for my ever growing family.
I love black. YES, I said it! I have finally come to terms with it after realizing that for years 1/2 of my closet has been a sea of black as well as many furniture pieces in my home!
I love black, but that love is conditional. It has to be paired with a POP of color.

So, chalkboard paint is THE answer....or so it seems so in my head.
( I do have to talk myself down a lot) ;)

Take a look at two fun, easy and inexpensive ways chalkboard paint has reinvented some old pieces:

Let's address the old school desk first. This was actually given to us from the sweet couple that we bought our house from. I love old pieces and I knew I could do something with it.
I painted the base of it red and then made the top into a chalkboard for the kids!
They have sat at this table to eat, work their wooden puzzles and to draw with chalk.....multipurpose!

Now, for the easel sitting atop the old desk. I found this at a garage sale a while back for $3. It's original purpose was to sit on the floor and hold books, magazines, etc. But when I saw it, it screamed "ART EASEL FOR THE KIDS!"
So, I painted the front and back with chalkboard paint and then applied some cute paper and Mod Podge to the sides. They have thoroughly enjoyed it.

You can find a can of chalk board paint at Hobby Lobby or home improvement stores like Lowe's. Don't be fooled by the small can and the price because my one can has been used for probably 15 projects already and I still have quite a bit left. A little goes a long way.

Other fun ways to use it:

paint the fronts of cabinets or wooden bins and label them with chalk.
Make your own chalkboard with a simple piece of wood and paint
Go BIG & BOLD and paint a wall with it or the bottom half of the wall for your kids
Paint a flower pot or just a small square on the pot and then leave a "happy birthday" message and fill the pot with flowers

There are so many ways to have fun with this stuff!
Have you used chalkboard paint for something fun and decorative before? Then leave me a comment and share! I'd love to hear all about it. :)

*********************************************************************************
Now, for some baby love.
Here's a sneak peak of a mini photo session with my sister-in-law. She is expecting her first baby and she is the most beautiful lil' mama!

and then, I had some fun on the computer...a little prego pop art, if you will. ;)

This baby girl is going to be so beautiful and so loved!

Cupcakes Everywhere

2010-08-16T11:45:00.000-07:00

We just celebrated my baby girl turning 2 yrs old and what better way to celebrate than with LOTS of cupcakes!
I love planning for and decorating for the kid's birthday parties. It is so much fun for me to be able to do this for them and it also gives me an excuse to make some fun things too!

I don't go out and spend a lot of money on decorations and party favors because, well, I don't think it is necessary. I think you can throw a really cute and fun party without breaking the bank. It may take a little more time on your part, but it is worth it and all of those handmade touches make it so personal and special.

I started my creating with these...

The base of the invitations are recycled note cards cut in half. I bought a pack of 50 (complete with envelopes) at Hobby Lobby for $6.99. I used my 40% off coupon that Hobby Lobby so generously offers on their website sometimes and really scored on these because I used them for the invitations and some decoration.
I printed these on my computer and then layered them and secured them with a brad.

I also used these note cards for this...

I used an old vintage white sheet with a little bit of detail on the ends for the table cloth.

I found a fabulous cupcake frosting recipe, which I will share with you momentarily. Keep reading because you're going to want to write this one down. ;)

I used the scrap pieces from my cute paper and cut them into strips to wrap the spoons inside the napkins in style.

A simple note on our chalkboard easel to add to the decor. And the bucket sitting beside has the treats for kiddos to go home with.
I used the same paper from the invitations and made cones, secured with tape and a cupcake sticker. Then I filled them some candy, cupcake stickers and a homemade bracelet kit.
The bracelet kit was so simple. I had bought a bag of alphabet beads a while back and then I bought a bag of glow in the dark beads specifically for this. I used the small snack size zip lock bags and filled them with each the beads to spell out their name, a handful of glow in the dark beads, and a strip of elastic bead string.

In the living room, I placed two small tables together for her gifts and strung another homemade banner above it that reads "It's Your Day."
And we, of course, had balloons everywhere...hanging from the ceiling fans and on lying on the floor so the kids could play with them.

So, there it is, our fun little cupcake celebration!
I hope maybe this inspired you a bit and gave you hope that you can throw a fun and cute party without going into debt!
I am sure that you have seen many parties that looked better than this one, but I love things simple, special and personal. I also really try my best to spend our money wisely.
If you have any party ideas that are affordable and creative, please fill us in by leaving a comment and/or your blog or website. I love to see what others have done and this is also why I share what I have done.

I hope you enjoyed it!

Oh, one more thing....

...because she's just too cute and she makes me smile. :)

*********************************************************************************
Cupcake Frosting Recipe

-2 sticks of butter (room temp)
cream the butter til smooth
-1/2 or 3/4 bag of powdered sugar
-teaspoon of vanilla
-add milk, about a teaspoon at a time
*then fold in a container of cool whip (thawed)

I got so many compliments on the taste of this frosting and the consistency was thick and fluffy, perfect for cupcakes!
Caution: it makes A LOT!

It's a Happy Day!

2010-08-13T11:27:00.000-07:00

Two years ago today we held our sweet baby girl in our arms for the first time...

It was love at first sight...

from those beautiful baby blue eyes...

to her sweetness...

and that contagious smile that lights up the room.

Not to mention all of the laughter she brings to us with her silliness!

She is loved.....by all.

Happy Birthday Baby Girl.... you are loved beyond words.

Kool-Aid, Peanut Butter & Play-doh!

2010-07-29T13:31:00.000-07:00

It's summer time and ideally, my three children would spend every waking moment outside, but it is HOT people! We have truly had some of the hottest days that I can remember this year. So when my children protest about my lovely suggestions for outside play....well, some days, I really cannot blame them nor do I feel right about forcing the issue, because it is HOT!
Did I mention that it's HOT?

Solution: Fun, Hands-on craft projects, specifically those that require them to get their hands dirty, because those are just more fun.

I have been fortunate enough to run across some really great blogs lately and they just so happened to be blogs that feature a lot of DIY projects and craft ideas for children. LUCKY ME!

So what do I do?
-make a list of projects I want to do with the kids
-make a supply list for the store
-MAKE IT HAPPEN!

Oh and last but not least, I take lots of pictures for keepsake and then I share the goods with you!

First up: Kool-aid Play-doh (courtesy of Pink and Green Mama's blog)

Here is what you will need:
-cup of flour
-1/2 cup salt
-3 tablespoons of oil

-1 small pkg of kool-aid
-1 cup of boiling water

Instructions:
mix dry ingredients- add oil and water-stir well-knead on wax paper

*I followed this recipe exactly and it did not work for me so I added more flour and kneaded it in my hands in the bowl until it became play-doh consistency.

This recipe made enough for my three children to each have a decent amount to play with. I was unaware that we were low on salt so we were only able to a cherry red batch this time around, but next time we will have a grape purple, tropical blue, lemonade yellow, and pink lemonade pink!

Two things I really love about this recipe:
1. It is homemade so when my 2 yr old decides she wants to taste it (because she will), it is totally safe!
2. It is way better than other plain homemade play-doh recipes because it is brightly colored and it smells REALLY good too!

The kids really enjoyed this. It is definitely a keeper!

Now for the REALLY fun play-doh recipe....Peanut Butter Play-doh!

Why is this one not just fun, but REALLY fun? Because you can eat it too!

A friend of mine introduced us to this super recipe last year and we broke it out again this past week.

Oh, and we used m&m's for things like eyes....and just because they are awesome!

And some celery for antlers, grass, and anything else you can image. Also some raisins, a healthier (although less tasty) option to m&m's. ;)

Here is what you will need:
-1 cup non-fat dry milk
-1/2 cup peanut butter
-1/4 cup honey

Mix it all together and you have (some rather tasty) Peanut Butter Play-doh!
*this recipe also made enough for my three children to play.

So, grab your pen, make a supply list, get your hands dirty and enjoy a hot summer day inside creating with your kids! :)

*a few other blogs I have found recently and love:

Ashley Ann Under the Sycamore- now I am being really nice to share this one because I absolutely love it and truthfully am fighting the urge to be stingy and keep it all to myself. Shameful, isn't it?

Our Hart Beat- another great one

A Little Bit Funky- love her style!

Grab a cup of coffee and enjoy. :)

Not Me

2010-07-27T11:03:00.000-07:00

In the spirit of honesty, let me share some things that I did not do this past week....

I did not drop two plates full of food in the middle of Golden Corral while on vacation.

I did not have a pregnancy induced breakdown in the middle of Golden Corral.

I did not sob uncontrollably when the sweet lady looking on offered to help me or when my husband shockingly asked, "what's wrong?"

I did not allow my children to eat 2 donuts each 2 mornings in a row.

I did not use baby powder in my hair to mask the oil that only comes from not getting to shower for 2 days. I mean, who does that? Gross!

I did not day dream about a massive Dr. Pepper filled with crushed ice, because that would be shameful.

I did not feed my children cheerios, dried cranberries, and banana for dinner the other night because they were not hungry enough for dinner and I was too tired to fix it. Super mom's like me simply don't do things like that.

I did not consume 3 servings of Twizzler's at 9pm. No way.

I did not pretend to be asleep when my 3 yr old got out of bed in the wee hours of the morning to ask if they could play in their room....for the third time!

I did not do any of these things....Nope. Not me. ;)

So, what things have you NOT done lately?

Banana Laffy Taffy and Root Beer

2010-07-26T12:25:00.000-07:00

....equals, ROAD TRIP baby!
Confused? Well, you shouldn't be. These two delicious treats are awesome for the road!

As far back as I can remember, when we would go somewhere, my mom and I would always buy banana laffy taffy when we stopped at a gas station. So now, when we go on a road trip, banana laffy taffy always comes to mind. :) Sadly, we did not meet on this trip. Although an easier to chew, Twizzler did make an appearance and the kids were happy!

This past weekend we took our first ever little family vacation. We have gone on trips in the car to see out of town family and friends, but we have never gone anywhere with just our family for the purpose of vacation fun.

So, we headed to Branson, Mo for two nights with the sole purpose of spending the day at Silver Dollar City. It was the last weekend of Kid's Fest at the park and thanks to a wonderful friend of mine, we were able to get the whole family in for only $45! For those of you familiar with SDC and the prices, you understand what a steal that is! It would normally cost our family about $250 to get in for just one day.

Trusty and delicious Starbucks. Junk food. Movies on the laptop. Happy family.

The kids had a lot of "first's" on this trip. First time to ever stay in a hotel room, which they were super excited about!

First time to ride a roller coaster, which they LOVED!

First time to ride a ride of any kind...and just as I thought, our little one has no fear and wanted "MORE!"

(yes, they are simply jumping frogs but she is not even 2yrs old and don't be fooled, those frogs had some kick to them!)

First time to ride a water ride....

Um...I'm pretty sure they LOVED it. I mean, how cool are these guys?

First time to ride the tea cups....and possibly the last for some. Older brother doesn't appear to handle the spinning in circles....he's like his daddy in so many ways. The ride began with daddy in the tea cup but when he quickly remembered that he doesn't do the whole spinning thing, I came to the rescue and was actually quite eager to ride a ride myself. Although, I soon questioned my thinking when I quickly remembered that I am pregnant and dizzy sometimes from just standing up....UH-OH!

First time to eat pizza in bed, followed by Mike and Ike's and Twizzler's while watching a movie. Sorry no photos of this because we were all too hungry to pause from stuffing our faces to take any!

It was a long but super fun day at the park. The kids had a blast which made it ALL worth while!
(and by ALL, I mean the flat tire and 9pm dinner our first night there...but we won't talk about that.) ;)

It was so much fun to watch them truly having fun doing all of these new things. I am so thankful for this weekend of fun, rides, laughing, cuddling, junk food and SMILES!

What fun trip have you gone on with your kids or are planning? And what is your road trip junk food of choice?

Finally!

2010-07-12T12:53:00.000-07:00

After 12 weeks of pure exhaustion, I FINALLY feel a little taste of energy and motivation again! YAY! So what am I going to do with this precious gift?

Aside from tackling the ever growing mountain of dirty clothes that is taking over my laundry room (so much for trying to make that a happy, cheerful room), I am going to get busy creating again! I am so excited!

I have birthday parties and baby showers that I am currently planning and making things for, but as soon as I get those under control, I will (hopefully) finish some projects that were started a really long time ago!

On that note, my sister in law is expecting her first baby, a little girl! I am so very excited about throwing her shower....way too many ideas swimming circles in my brain right now! And my baby girl will soon be turning two years old! I simply cannot believe it. I am planning a cute little cupcake party for her. I love parties!
(more details and photos of that to come)

This is a corner in my art/craft room. This room has been a long process and is still not finished, but we're getting there. The goal for this room: the art/craft room, where I create and sometimes my children create, but I want it to be a really fun and inspiring room that we can all be in together if need be. This room will also serve as a guest room too.

Right now, this shelf houses all of the children's school materials and few bins of tissue paper and ribbon and such for me. There are some vintage children's encyclopedia's, building blocks, My Father's World curriculum and a few fun pieces like the old Festival of Praise Record that I scored and my little light blue volkswagon bug.
I love this corner of my room for two reasons: it is organized and the colors are so vibrant and fun. It truly makes me happy when I look at it!

Now, for any of my friends that I have fooled into thinking that every nook and cranny in my home is organized.....Dun Dun D-U-N..............................

You obviously have not looked into the craft room and more importantly, the craft closet! I try to keep it straight and organized but when I am working on something and I quickly have to clean up because the kids are awake.....things go flying everywhere!

One of these days, I'll have one of those super sweet desks that are made for people like me. You know, the one's that have all of the shallow drawers and slots for your pretty papers and such! I am pretty certain that will be a while though considering that I'll either have to build it myself or get lucky and find something at a garage sale or flea market....because those babies are expensive!

And one more snapshot for you....one of the reasons for my craft closet chaos and the emotional roller coaster I sometimes ride on...

My little Josie...wearing an old outfit of mine and talking on her fisher price phone. You'd never know by looking at this sweet photo that only minutes before and after it was taken was she terrorizing her older brothers and eating food off of the floor.
But did you look at her? She's so stinkin' cute!

Happy Monday friends!
What are some things that make you happy?

It's Raining, It's Pooring....

2010-07-09T12:30:00.000-07:00

....but not the least bit boring!

Gotta love those empty toilet paper rolls!

The boys made "robots." I am completely aware that they look more like a reindeer with lots of antlers dressed in a silver dress, but they say they are robots, then by all means, they ARE robots! So, meet "Robot-man" and "Inspector."
Josie made a little pink puppy dog named Tutu.
They had fun creating and aside from the screaming fit from a certain baby girl that wanted badly to rub glue stick all over everything....I had fun too.

Then, something that no crafting should be without...

...and looking at this very empty jar, apparently we should ~~start going without~~ go to the store and buy more delicious, mini M&M's!

Last, but not least, a simple little DIY project for YOU!

I picked up these canvas bags on a clearance isle at Walmart for .99 cents each and knew, especially for that price, that I could find something to do with them!
So, I looked through my bag of iron-on's and got to work making some fun errand bags to hang next to the front door. These will help keep us more organized and hopefully make getting out the door to run errands faster and more efficient!
We have one for our library books and videos, "Love to Read." I can simply deposit the books and dvd's that need returning in the bag when we are done and when library day comes, we can simply grab our bag on the way out.
Then, we have one that can be used for anything, "Living Life." We may put toys or snacks in here for a little road trip...who knows! But isn't it cute? ;)

And lastly, we have our grocery bag, "Live Organic." Now, of course, groceries for a growing family of 5 will not all fit in this little bag, but my coupon's will! I plan to keep any and all coupons that our family will use in this bag and then on my way out, I can toss my wallet in too and I'm off.

Not to mention, they look quite cute hanging by the front door and I am a sucker for things looking cute and fun!

Go grab you some cheap canvas bags and have fun! Hobby Lobby also carries these.
I am off to sneak in a quick shower while my kiddos are napping before I begin preparing for painting and making sugar cookies when they all awake!
(yes, I know it is afternoon and I am just now showering....it's not my preference, I assure you.)

Happy Friday!!!!!!

Au Naturel Anyone?

2010-07-08T12:27:00.000-07:00

It's Thursday and I am 12 weeks pregnant with baby #4, so what better day to discuss child birth!

Now, before I began this topic, let me give you a little bit of history about me and child birth. I have been pregnant 6 times now and have given birth to 3 beautiful babies. My first pregnancy, I went about a week and a half past my due date, was having some high blood pressure problems and so then was induced. Everything progressed pretty quickly, especially for the first time. I had an epidural, pushed for 2 hours and welcomed our baby boy into the world.

My second pregnancy, I also went about week past my due date and he was already fairly large, so I was induced again. I, again, had an epidural and only pushed two times and welcomed our second little baby boy into the world.

And my third pregnancy, I had prayed that I would go into labor on my own and not be late, so that we could experience that frantic moment of excitement, "Oh my goodness, I think this is it!" and rush off to the hospital. God was so gracious to answer that prayer and about a week and a half before my due date, it was time. I pushed 1 time and our little baby girl was here! Oh, and again, I had an epidural.

So, now that you have a summary of my child birth history, let me tell you what I think about it.

Since I began having children, I have been surrounded primarily around women who are passionate about natural child birth. So needless to say, I have been a bit of the minority. So many times, when people are passionate about something, their passion is conveyed in a manner that makes others feel judged or less adequate if they do not agree. Now, I am sure I have been misunderstood many a times throughout life when I have expressed my passion for something too. It is not intentional, but it does happen.

What I have realized lately is that I have this sort of rebellion against natural child birth now because of this. When I verbally confessed that to a friend, it sounded most ridiculous simply because it was one of those "DUH!" moments. I had just not seen it or had not been willing to admit it. My attitude has been one of, "I don't have to prove myself to anyone by not having an epidural or having my baby at home!"

I realize, of course, that a rebellious spirit is not of the Lord and is something that I need not have. But let me also say this. It is God who gives life and it is God who takes it away....and Him alone. He gives some the desire and the gifting to be a doctor and He uses those people for His glory. You are not glorifying God anymore or any less by having your baby at home or in the hospital. God may lead you to do one or the other and by being obedient to His calling, you are glorifying Him.

Okay, moving on....

I know many people have problems with the epidurals and the doctors and the hospitals, etc. But I quite enjoyed the relief that the epidural provided and shamefully, we have my opinion of that on camera! Right after the bliss that the epidural kicked in during my first delivery, my husband pointed the camera at me and asked this question, "So, what do you think of people who don't get epidurals?"

Now, before I tell you my answer, you have to put the story and my position into perspective. I was in a lot of pain, first child birth and then this wonderful man entered the room and worked his magic and voila! No more pain! I was feeling very happy at the moment and could not have at all related to anyone against the gift I had just been given! Okay, here it goes....don't judge me.

I quickly answered with, "They are morons."
I know, it sounds harsh...it is harsh, but I was in the moment!

Now, with my first pregnancy, I did read the Bradley Method book (trying my best to look past the TMI photographs and obviously outdated styles) I was quite interested in this. The idea of it was appealing to me. But when it was all said and done, I liked my doctor. I looked forward to my visits and seeing the baby on the ultrasound. We had prayed about and I was at peace with my decision.

Now, we have been blessed again with the miracle of life and I never questioned how we would do this. I mean, why fix something if it isn't broken, right? (ok, so I know the saying normally says, 'if it ain't broken, but I just couldn't do it)

I have given birth in the hospital 3 times and we had very pleasant experiences all 3 times. Why would we do it any other way?

For now, I will end my two cents there and ask you to answer this question: What are your thoughts on Au Naturel child birth vs. with pain relief, doctors, etc? How did you deliver your babies?

I will say this, the path we choose will be solely dependent on the Lord's leading and NOT man's wisdom. I am simply curious what others think.

No Longer The Baby...

2010-07-07T07:17:00.000-07:00

Our little Josie will soon be turning 2 yrs old and I am not quite sure how that happened or where the time went. I really dislike that feeling. :(
Moving onto the point of this particular post...we had discussed moving her big girl bed into her room around her second birthday, keeping her crib in there as well, just so she could get used to the idea. We did this with our first child (only much earlier because he had a baby brother coming soon) and it seemed to work wonderfully.
However I began to question her room transformation simply because she's the baby and why not keep it that way as long as I can this time? Right?
Well, with the lovely surprise and news of another baby on the way, my question was answered.

Before...

Ah.....look at how little she is.
*deep breathe*
This was the very beginning. I later added some hand painted tree branches and birds on her wall as well as a few birds and butterflies floating from her ceiling.

After...

She is still sleeping in her crib for now, but she loves her new big girl bed and room! As I was doing things, she kept saying in a high pitched, excited voice "Pretty mama, pretty!"

I saw these tissue paper pom pom's on a new favorite blog of mine. She had them in her little girls room and I just knew that was what I wanted in mine too! She was kind enough to list some fabulous etsy shops that make and sell them, but for anyone who knows me......guess what I did?
I couldn't resist. I googled how to make them and it was so easy!!! I will definitely be making some more very soon!

Okay, don't look too closely at the crib...it's need a bit of touching up with some white paint. It's been through a lot.....3 babies! I'll get to that later.
If we find out that we are having another baby girl (which I am really hoping for) then the room will stay just like this....maybe with a few more touches here and there simply because I can't help myself.

And a simple little banner that I made that says "love u." I then found these great little butterflies at a local store that I love, The Kitchen Store. I added a few of these flying beauties in random places around the room.

Despite the title of this post....she'll always be my baby...just like the other three! ;)
Hope you're inspired!

A Fresh Start

2010-07-06T20:35:00.000-07:00

After a little break from the world of blogging and Etsy, I have come to two conclusions. First, I not only really enjoy the creative outlet that both blogging and Etsy provide for me, but I also kind of need it. I don't need it like I need Jesus or food and water, but I need it as a sort of release. Does that make sense?

The second thing I realized was quite an eye opener for me. I have always been a very organized person and somewhat scheduled. I always have a plan of some kind. My 5 yr old son helped me see that I am no longer this person. I simply like the idea of her.

He has been asking me lately...daily, "so, what is the plan for today?" After about 4 days in a row of this, I was getting a bit annoyed. I finally replied with, "Buddy, mommy doesn't have a plan anymore."

And then and there is where it hit me.....and it hit me hard! Wait a second, I don't have a plan anymore. I don't. I absolutely do not have a plan. I'll admit, panic began to set in a little bit. But I quickly reassured myself just as I had done for my 5yr old by explaining, "It's okay to not have a plan. Just enjoy the moment."

Just enjoy the moment.....huh, now that's an idea?

So, friends I am going to embrace blogging and Etsy once again and enjoy the moment. But I am also going to try to tap into that organized, planned gal and put myself on a schedule. Let's face it, I am a stay at home mother of three children 5 yrs old and younger with number four on the way....I've got to get back to my scheduling roots!

So....let's start fresh by meeting the whole crew!

This is "Stone Man" He is my 5 year old, my first born, sweet, tender- hearted, typical bossy older sibling and the one who constantly makes me look within.....because he is so much like me. He is our song writer, story teller and resident break dancer.

Meet "A. Vox" a.k.a. "Fiery Voice"
When we named him, we were thinking "fiery voice" as in "on fire telling people about Jesus" or "talented singer"......not so much, just plain LOUD! We clearly didn't think that through. However, we would not have him any other way. Also, very sweet and affectionate, but with a heaping cup full of rough and tough, loves to try and beat up daddy, bug exploring, 110% silly 3yr old BOY!

Introducing "Joyful Josie"
This is our baby girl. She has literally been the baby as the youngest of the three. I cannot believe that she will soon be turning 2yrs old. She truly thinks she is a princess. Can you tell? She sports her tiara and every necklace she has almost on a daily basis, and the best part about her is that she is ALWAYS wearing a great big smile too! She is overflowing with joy and gives wonderful hugs!
But don't be too fulled by that charming smile because she'll play in the potty water or steal one of the boys toys the minute you take your eyes off of her.

And last but certainly not least, our newest little blessing. We are looking forward to welcoming baby #4 into the world and into our family.

Oh and I absolutely cannot forget the man of the house that holds it all together.....my amazing husband and best friend, who will not be shown here today. I'd love to really, but he's not the most excited about his pictures being plastered all over my blog! Plus, I am not sure that you could handle it.....the pure awesomeness, that is. ;)

So. now you've met the family that I am so blessed to be apart of.
As I blog about life, my hope is that you will laugh, be encouraged, be inspired to create, dig deep within, embrace life and mostly, that all of this will point you to Christ because He is absolutely the reason for it ALL.

Enjoy!

It's Not Good Bye...

2010-05-26T20:03:00.000-07:00

...just see ya later. Maybe much later, but later none the less.

I am not quite sure how some people do it and by "it" I mean be a wife, mother, home school teacher, ministry, garden, make everything from scratch after they have ground their own grain and then have the time to blog about it too. Really and truly, I am baffled by this sometimes. I guess I do know that it can be done because I have been doing it, kind of anyway. I am a stay at home wife and mother of three small children (5yrs, 3.5yrs, and 21mo). I have a passion and love to creating things and have been selling my creations under Teapots and Robots since last October. So, it can be done, but for me, in this season of life, I am not doing it well.

The conclusion I have come to is this: I can do lots of things because truthfully, this is how I am wired. I apparently like my plate to be really full all of the time but what I have come to realize is that I don't know how to stop my plate for overflowing and making a big mess!

I am a "yes" person. I don't like to tell people no when I am asked to do something because I want to do it all. I truly love to serve others and really want to do most everything that I am asked to do. And I really do love to do so many things. I really don't think I am super woman at all, but one might think that I do when looking at my to do lists, schedule and daily duties for the week. Oh, the to do lists.....I love a good list but what good is even the best of list when it causes stress and frustration? As the stay at home wife and mother of the house, I set the tone for our house. If I am stressed or frustrated, my family will feel it too.

So, I have painfully realized that I simply cannot do it all and do it well...and that is ok. My love for art and creating is still very real, but my love for husband and children is so much bigger and cannot even be compared. I don't care who you are, when we put too much on our plates, something or someone usually suffers from it.

I can honestly say that I feel almost like a weight has lifted even as I am typing this. So, friends, I am taking a long break from the world of blogging and etsy. I'll still be creating but not creating to sell. My nights and small bits of spare time will be consumed with family, friends, reading, and preparing for another day that I get the opportunity to enjoy my kids....and maybe I might even get to bed before midnight too. ;)

So, see you later.

I'm Not...

2010-05-18T12:35:00.000-07:00

I'm not the clothes I'm wearing
I'm not a photograph
I'm not the car I drive

I'm not the money I make
I'm not the things I lack
I'm not the songs I write

I'm not the house I live in
I'm not the man I love
I'm not the mistakes that I carry

I'm not the food that I don't eat
I'm not what I'm above
I'm not my scars and my history

...I am loved and I am free
I believe, help my unbelief

True Things- song written by J.J. Heller

This is a new favorite cd of mine and this song, I love.

So many of us let everything else in our lives and in this world define who we are rather than our Creator himself. It is true that without Him, Jesus Christ, I am nothing. But with Him, I am free, forgiven, saved, redeemed, loved....made in His image.

When we let everything else define who we are...we lose sight of who we are in Christ, therefore losing sight of who Christ is too.

So, what are "you not?"

I am not:

I'm not the scars and sins of my past
I'm not the size of clothes I wear
I'm not the friends that I love

I'm not the girl in the magazine
I'm not the food that I eat
or the food I don't eat

I'm not the things that I make
I'm not the photographs I take
I'm not the things that I lack

I'm not what people say I am
I'm not the girl I see sometimes

I'm not living a life without purpose

I'm not anything without Jesus.

You give it a try. It's wonderful to see who God has made you to be....and sometimes we can only see that when we clear away all of the things that we are not.

"For those who live according to the flesh, set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the spirit is life and peace." - Romans 8:5-6

"I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by the faith in the son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me." Galatians 2:20

"Praise the Lord, all nations! Extol him, all peoples! For great is his steadfast love toward us, and the faithfulness of the Lord endures forever. Praise the Lord!" Psalm 117

Green Thumbs...

2010-05-12T11:20:00.000-07:00

...from the sound of it, not something that is usually desirable, but in this case...

...I am so hoping that my thumbs are green!

We tried our hand at a garden for the first time last year and it was mildly successful, but so much fun! We are hoping for VERY successful this year.

My husband built these great garden boxes after reading about square foot gardening. They are perfect for someone with minimal space in their back yard or even no back yard at all! There are many advantages to gardening this way- check it out for yourself. It is easy and fun.

We started with two boxes last year and have graduated to four this year. And I cannot forget to mention our newest addition: the Topsy Turvey! Yes, it is the "As Seen On Tv" gardening device. Here is a little hint as to why we chose to try these this year...

...yes, because of this guy's enthusiasm standing in front of an actual As Seen On TV store. (for my own sake and the privacy of the individual shown, I am not allowed to tell you my husband's name)

Moving on....we are trying out a couple of tomato plants in these and I am quite curious to see if it works. My husband built a frame for them to hang from and if nothing else...it looks pretty. ;)

What do you think?

I'll let you know how we do! In the meantime, if anyone has any all natural ways to prevent bugs and fungus from attacking our garden, please do share! I would especially love to know of some ideas that you have actually used and been successful with.

Spring Cleaning Sale......

2010-04-24T21:48:00.000-07:00

It's that time of year to do a little bit of cleaning and this time, I am cleaning out my inventory to make room for new creations and new, exciting business news!
So, if you like a good sale and hand made creations, head on over to my site at www.teapotsandrobots16.etsy.com. Just click on the SALE section to the right of the page and you'll find a variety of listings: jewelry, alphabet art photography, altered journals, etc. I might even be adding more!
If you're not in the market for anything new yourself, please pass it along!

Mother's Day....

2010-04-15T13:33:00.000-07:00

As Mother's Day is quickly approaching, I have been thinking back to when I was a child and remembering all of the things my mother did for me, the immense patience she had with me, and all of the times that I did not show her the love and appreciation that she deserved.

I never fully understood the amount of love that a mother has for her children until I became a mother myself. I was never as understanding and patient with my parents as I needed to be or should've been until I had a child of my own that I loved so dearly that I could not even put that love into words. It was not until I held my children for the first time that I understood that well of crazy emotions that they make you feel: love beyond words, indescribable joy, fear of failing, immense longing to be the best mother that you can be for them....

So, as I think back to all of the ways my mother cared for me, loved me, played with me, talked with me, listened to me, held me, provided for me.....I feel so completely blessed to be her daughter. I only hope and pray that my children feel that kind of love from me.

i love you mom.

*********************************************************************************
In honor of Mother's Day, I have listed several new hand stamped necklaces: sterling silver, copper and brass!
I love these necklaces because they are meaningful, beautiful, and great reminders of the love and blessings in our lives and.....it is a gift that will be worn and cherished for years to come!
They are never out dated because you can add more tags as your family grows!

Here is my new Sterling Copper Brass Oh My necklace with Sterling Silver, Copper, and Aged Brass.

I have one of these myself and I wear it almost daily! Mine has "est. 2000" (my wedding date) on one pendant, "I am loved" on another and three small initial tags with the initials of all of my children.
There are so many different ways to play and create with these!

This is the new Copper Swirl that has been wrapped in sterling silver wire complete with sterling initial tag and green crystal.

This is one of my personal favorites! I love the mix of the wood and I love the hand stamped message: "to love and be loved is to feel the sun from both sides"
I have recently added the sterling silver pendant in the middle so this necklace can also be personalized!

And "U and Me Makes Three"
This is a fun necklace for the expecting mother to be. You can add another tag that reads "makes three" and then later you can add dates and names.

There are lots more: check them out here.

LIFE...living, loving, embracing...

2010-04-14T11:28:00.000-07:00

So, you see by now from my last post and my new header, that I am all about embracing life right now!

By the way, what do you think about the new title/header? Do you like?

Ok, back to it. As I said before, I have not perfected this, nor will I probably ever perfect it, but I am learning as I go and my hope and my prayer is that I will embrace a little more every day.

As I have been learning these things, I have had a custom order or two with the word "life" requested! Crazy uh!

What do you think? If you like what you see and would like to have one of your own or place a custom order for you or a friend, check out my site and let me know!

For now, go embrace the life you've been given....now!

If you have little ones, change the nastiest of diapers and be thankful you have a baby to change and the means to have clean diapers and wipes.

As you are cleaning your house or doing laundry, be thankful that you have dishes to wash, even better, that you have food to place on those dishes! Be thankful that you have clothes that need washing and that you have the means to wash them.

When you're having one of those days where you drop everything you pick up, embrace it, laugh it off!

If you don't get everything done on your list or you are not even close and you're already half into your day, toss that list aside and embrace the fact that you cannot do everything! It is freeing to know that you cannot physically doing it all. Embrace that and rather than spend your day running around stressed and crazy trying to check off everything on your list, simply enjoy the moment.

If it starts raining as your walking out of the store, embrace it like my child does and see an opportunity to play!

There is always a purpose and there is always a silver lining.

I am learning....why not learn with me...

Embracing Life...

2010-04-13T11:59:00.000-07:00

...this is something I am learning to do. Notice, I said learning, meaning I do not have it perfected.

Life: 1 a : the quality that distinguishes a vital and functional being from a dead body
-an organismic state characterized by capacity for metabolism, growth, reaction to stimuli, and reproduction
2 a : the sequence of physical and mental experiences that make up the existence of an individual
-the period from birth to death
: a way or manner of living
-an animating and shaping force or principle
: an opportunity for continued viability
: God

There are so many definitions and so much meaning to this one simple word and yet, this simple word has had me thinking a lot lately.

Over the course of the last year, there have been many things and circumstances surrounding this word and the full depth of it. I have experienced what felt like the simple definition, the period from birth to death. This is a very basic definition of life as it does not capture the fullness that it can be.

I have joyfully experienced the creation of new life twice in the last six months.

I have painfully experienced the loss of life twice in the last six months.

I have reflected a lot upon my past and the experiences that I have allowed to shape who I am.

I have seen a small glimpse of what life would be like without God in it...and it is lifeless.

I have seen with much sadness what life in the physical sense can and will bring for some of us as I have watched my father suffer great illness for almost 11 years now and more recently, my dear, sweet grandmother lose all of her precious memories and slowly lose her physical abilities.

I have watched with much joy the little lives grow and flourish in my three precious children.

I have felt so much love and blessing from the Lord upon my life and from the people in my life.

I have realized that I am often awaiting something to happen or change and in the meantime, I am not really living. Instead, I am simply going through the motions of life and relying upon this "something" to give me the change that I think I need and to make things better.

The point is that during those times, I am looking to the future, to another day that I apparently expect to have rather than living out the life that I have been given now.

I realized how completely arrogant and ignorant it was for me to expect to have tomorrow. I have not been promised tomorrow. Why I am waiting for tomorrow to truly live and do the things that I have been called to do today?

For me, my answer is this: to always be looking upward and not forward, and outward not inward. The only way to make it through this life is to constantly be looking to God. He is my joy, my strength, the source of my life. If I am constantly looking forward to the days to come, then I am most likely not living the life I have been called to live now and am probably trying to do it all in my own strength...which is impossible.

About looking outward and not inward: if we shift out focus to seeking ways to love, serve, minister to and bless others then we will be more aware of the people and needs around us than always focusing on ourselves.

Joh 3:16 "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life."

God has so mercifully and graciously opened my eyes once again to the life that He has given me, the life that I have in Him and it is NOT a life without purpose but rather an abundant life filled with purpose and opportunity to love people and glorify the very God that has breathed life into me!

I have experienced so much joy in my life and have SO many reasons to be joyful every day of my life, but somewhere along the way, amidst the trials, I had lost that joy.

"Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness." James 1:2-3

I am certain that I will still experience suffering of some kind in life, but will this suffering be in vain or will I allow it to be used for good?

I am certain that just because I have seen this once again that things will not all of the sudden be perfect and easy all of the time, but will I embrace everything in my life and thank God for every last drop of it knowing that there is purpose in ALL of it?

YES!!! YES!!!! YES!!!

I will, by the grace of God, awake each morning and choose to embrace life and enjoy every bit of it!
I will not just aimlessly walk through this life, but will walk in the strength, joy and abundant life that God has given me.

I know there are so many hurting and enduring trials and suffering right this very moment. If this is you and you are reading this, my prayer is that God would be your strength. If you do not know Him as your Lord and Savior, then my prayer is that He would reveal himself to you, open your eyes to sin, grant you repentance and that you would know Him, trust Him and joyfully serve Him as you live out your new life with great purpose.

I can say with all confidence and assurance the God will give those who love Him rest and peace. If you had told me six months ago that I would endure the loss of two babies, I would've said "I can't do that."

And here I am now and I can say that it was hard and I grieved and I still experience sadness over that loss at times, but I have an unspeakable peace about all of it. This peace is the peace that only comes from God. I know and believe with all of my heart that He has purpose in ALL things and that He will use them to the good of those who love Him and to His glory.

If God uses my trials, my times if suffering to minister, bless and even save just one person, then I say, "praise God for that trial." And if I never have the privaledge of knowing this, then I still say "praise God for that trial" because I trust Him and He is worthy to be praised regardless of our present circumstances.

By the grace of God, embrace the life that you have been given today....every last drop.

Live now.

It's Party Time!

2010-04-07T15:10:00.000-07:00

This is a homemade chocolate cake that I made for my mom's birthday a couple of weeks ago and oh my, was it ever delicious! I added a packet of Starbuck's VIA coffee, not because it needed it, but because we LOVE coffee around here!
I bought the cake mix from my friends business, Kim's Healthy Creations. She is quite the baker and she is really, really good at making delicious homemade treats that you absolutely cannot resist!

What is that cute little sign in the middle of the cake? Well, let me show you!

You can find a variety of colors and words in my Etsy shop, Teapots and Robots.

These are also really cute atop a cupcake, tucked inside your napkin rings for a splash of color and fun at your table, attached to a gift, stuck inside a potted plant or bouquet of flowers...there are so many different ways to accessorize with these!
And the best part- they are affordable too. I am selling these for $3 each or you can choose a set of three for only $7. Check it out here .

MORE CAKE FUN!!!!

My oldest son just turned 5 years old and we celebrated with a Pirate Party! It was so much fun to do this for him. I always surprise my kids with what their party will be and I decorate during their nap time so when they awake, they awake to the beginning of their party! He was so excited this year which makes all of it so worth it!

This cake was meant to be a pirate map. I chose to use mini M&M's to decorate rather than icing because it is easier (and cake decor is not my gifting!) and every kid loves M&M's! I put some mini sweedish fish in the water areas and used black licorice to mark the spot "X." Toss some gold coins around the tray and you have a very kid friendly pirate cake!

We blew up blue balloons (ok, my husband blew up the balloons) and tied blue ribbon to each one and then taped them to the fan and ceiling above the table. It was supposed to be kind of like the ocean, but really it just made the decorations more festive.

An old metal ice bucket is filled with ice and piled high with Capri Sun drinks, complete with a pirate flag. I placed their party favors: pirate hats and eye patches around the table at each seat to also serve as decoration. Their are chocolate filled gold coins sprinkled about the table too.

Don't forget the large amounts of candy!!! We don't usually keep much candy or sugary sweets around our house so birthday parties are always extra special for that reason. That is the day that we let them really indulge! So, what better for the pirate theme than a silver platter of sweedish fish gummies and black licorice twizzlers.
And this was my favorite part about this party....

I took the cardboard box that our wipes came in and wrapped it with craft paper. Oh, I did cut 3 of the flaps on the top and then used a small piece to tape to the back flap to make it long enough to tuck into the front and close. Then, I drew a lock on it (using gold and black markers). I used gold glitter glue to make the stripes down the top and front. Lastly, I took a brown ink pad and dirtied it up a bit to make it look more like a treasure box that had either been around for a long time or buried.

What is a treasure box without a treasure!? It's NO fun! So, I filled with chocolate gold coins, plastic gold beaded necklaces, ring pops, candy necklaces, little telescopes that I found at the party supply place and gold wrapped peanut butter cups!

Now that my treasure was ready to be found, I cut a small piece of the craft paper and drew a little map of our back yard with an X marking the spot I would hide the box. I used the brown stamp pad again and then rolled the map up and tied it with a small piece of brown raffia.

They found it!!!!

My husband helped divide the treasure into each of their loot bags (brown paper bags with their names on them) so everyone got something. They had such a blast with this!

A few other little things we did to really bring home the pirate theme:

We had a large cardboard box that I slapped some duct tape for the stripes, used my markers to draw a lock and my trusty stamp pad again and voila! You have a treasure box for all of the birthday boy's treasures (birthday presents)

Hope you enjoyed my birthday party ideas! You can always go to a party supply store and buy all that you need, but why would you when you can make it for more than half of the price! And....most all of our decorations were recyclable too!

So, party it up!

Sunshine On My Shoulder Makes Me Happy....

2010-04-06T20:39:00.000-07:00

....and fresh, spring flowers in my house are simply the cherry on top!

I am thoroughly enjoying this beautiful spring weather! I love the cool mornings, the heat of the sun in the afternoon, and the cool evenings. I love that every day there is something new in bloom and I absolutely love the sound of the birds chirping in the early morning hours.

My nose and head don't love all of the pretty things in bloom as much which is why I don't often just cut off a branch of the beautiful blooming trees and flowers around me. I would love to because I am surrounded by them, but the lovely aroma that comes with them makes me sneeze like a crazy woman!

So, my solution is this: I treat myself to the small $4 spring bouquets of daisies at the store because fresh flowers really do brighten my day.
And then I love to display them in fun ways, like making several smaller bouquets like these...

I saved the glass bottles from a few delicious natural creme sodas, peeled off the labels and washed them for this sole purpose and I just love it! What a great way to reuse and re-purpose these! We have a long dining room table so I thought three would look best, but one bottle standing alone is quite cute too.

Because I had to trim these down, there were a few short stems from the smaller yellow daisies that I bunched together and placed into two smaller glass bottles for my bathroom counter and bedroom. I told you, I love fresh flowers in my house!

I got the four pack of creme sodas on clearance at Kroger for $2.49 and the flowers for $4...so all of this for under $7!

What ways do you brighten up your home for spring? Do any of your spring decor ideas involve recycling and re-purposing? If they do, I would love to know- comment it up people! ;)

Oh, and Happy Spring!

Did Someone Say Sushi....Dessert?

2010-04-06T07:46:00.000-07:00

We love sushi at our house! Actually, this has become something my husband and I do together as an in-home date night. I make the sushi rice, feed our kiddos, he rolls the sushi, and then we get the kids ready for bed, say our goodnight prayers with them, hugs and kisses all around, and then we head to the dining room and sit down to a quiet meal together. This is truly a treat-sushi and quiet time alone together!

However, last night we tried a little something different and special for the kids. The evening started with the usual sushi night routine of me making the sushi rice, making something for the kids to eat.....but this time while he rolled the sushi, I made some special sushi dessert for the kids to enjoy while we ate. Yes, I did indeed say sushi dessert.

Introducing......my peeps...

.....Peepsushi, that is! (courtesy of www.seriouseats.com)

Aren't they so fun! And the best part, they are SO easy and contain no raw food! ;)

All you need is:

A box of Rice Crispy Treats
A box of Fruit Roll-ups
A box of Peeps

You simply cut the heads off of the peeps....it's okay, they won't feel a thing.
Cut your rice crispy treats into small squares
Unroll the fruit roll up and cut it into strips
and....voila! Peepsushi!

You can also make these into rolls as well and you can use whatever color peeps you'd like to make a really bright and colorful display! My kids loved this!
Check out what they did over at Serious Eats- they did several different types of Peepsushi:
http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2010/03/peeps-recipes-how-to-make-peepshi-sushi-rice-krispies-treats-easter.html?ref=carousel?source=thekitchn
Happy kiddos and......

.....happy parents! :)

I Heart Faces is hosting a really fun Photo Story with Desserts this week, so head on over for some truly delicious photos and recipes!

Birthdays, Spring Decor, Life, & Loss

2010-04-05T18:31:00.000-07:00

I have taken a bit of break from my blog lately. As much as I thoroughly enjoy it, a break at times is much needed.

So, after this break, I have MUCH to share.............but not right now. Right now, I have a bed, some reading and some sleeping to do!

But soon, VERY SOON, I will be sharing some fun things as well as some deep things with you.

Oh, I almost forgot! My etsy shop is being featured at a wonderfully fun blog A Soft Place To Land. Oh, did I mention that I am giving away something too! Go check it out at www.asoftplace.net.

Until then, choose to be joyful, choose to enjoy the life you've been given.....now.

HAPPY FRIDAY!

2010-03-12T10:01:00.000-08:00

And what better way to celebrate the weekend than with a SALE!

25% off ALL Alphabet Art Orders from my online shop!
www.teapotsandrobots16.etsy.com

For the past several months, I have had the great privaledge of having my handmade pieces for sale in a local shop, Downtown Just T's-N. I have been blessed to have this outlet and have done quite well because of all of the local people who have purchased my pieces. A HUGE thank you to all who have been supportive of my business venture and have loved my creations enough to make them their own! That is such an honor and truly makes me smile. :) Thank you.
Sadly, my favorite local store will soon be closing their doors at both locations. :( So, if you are local, go shop there now while you still can!

So....I will be doing my best to begin promoting my online shop. This sale is just the beginning. :)
I have also adjusted some of my jewelry prices. The one benefit of the sad news for you is that I can now make my prices more affordable to everyone as I will not be paying anyone else myself.

I am looking to make my first sale in my online Etsy shop, so the first order I receive will have a nice surprise!!! Trust me...you'll like it.

If you are not interested in purchasing right now, please remember me for future gifts and tell your friends. If you're an artist with a handmade business, please let me know. I love to promote and support other artists too!

More Fresh Spring Recipes....

2010-03-11T08:02:00.000-08:00

....I have another delicious recipe to share!
My mother-in-law recently stayed with us and during her stay, she prepared the most delicious salad! I am definitely a fan of fresh spinach leaf salads, especially those that incorporate pecans and mandarin oranges, but this specific combination was a new one for me.....and it is soooo yummy!

Try it yourself! I think I'll call it Spring Delight!

Ingredients:

Fresh Spinach Leaves
Cooked Chicken- chopped
Mandarin Oranges
Chopped Pecans
Creamy Poppy seed Dressing

Simply place a bed of spinach in your bowl and layer with the rest of the ingredients!
If it sounds suspect to you.....try it anyway! I think you'll be pleasantly surprised!

Looks yummy doesn't it!

And to top it off, I'll share one of my favorite smoothie recipes too! It's really more like a dessert!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Goodness!

Ingredients:
Chocolate Rice Milk
2 T natural Peanut Butter
1 Banana
Ice
Protein Powder (optional)

Blend it up and enjoy!

The Warmth of the Sun......

2010-03-07T15:49:00.000-08:00

......blue skies, and the crisp cool breeze always bring about cravings for fresh, healthy dishes.
So, in celebration of the beautiful spring like weather we have enjoyed the past two days, I am going to share a fabulously delicious and healthy recipe with you!

Are you ready?

Citrus Baked Tilapia

This is a delicious and very healthy dish that we enjoy quite often at our house, especially in the spring & summer months.

Ingredients:
Tilapia Fillets (we buy a large box of frozen fillets-more affordable)
mandarin oranges
Fresh lemon and lime
minced garlic
tumeric
fresh cilantro
*butter/margarine (we use Smart Balance)
Salt and pepper to taste

Thaw your tilapia if frozen and then place them in a glass baking dish. You can line them, even overlapping them a bit to fit more fillets.
Pour the juice from the oranges over the fish and then add the oranges. Squeeze fresh lemon and lime juice over the fish. Add your minced garlic. Add your freshly chopped cilantro. Sprinkle fish with tumeric and salt and pepper and then place a dab of butter/margarine on each fillet.
Bake at 375 degrees for about 10-15 minutes depending on your oven.

YUMMY! I often serve this with quinoa or rice and freshly steamed carrots. Grilled corn on the cob is a nice side for this as well.
ENJOY!

Happy Spring to you....from me! :)

And The Winner is.......

2010-03-06T12:21:00.000-08:00

......Amy D.!!!!!
Congratulations on your custom, handmade hat from Maria's Boutique! Go check out her shop for some really fun handmade hats and they are affordable too!

A big thank you to all of the fabulous & talented Etsy artisans that participated: PacoKeco, Hello Ladies,IMGirl, and Maria's Boutique! And thank you to all of you as well. I appreciate your participation and would like to give each one of you who joined in the giveaway fun a 15% discount off anything purchased from my online store, Teapots and Robots.
And in the spirit of contests......whoever makes the first purchase will receive 20% off and a free greeting card from my shop.

Ok, blogger friends, this ends my first Fantastic Favorites Giveaway series, but not to worry, I already have 4 more Etsy shops lined up for another one! You can look for that sometime in April.

In the meantime, check back often for some DIY decorating tips and projects.

Another Fantastic Giveaway!!!

2010-02-25T21:31:00.000-08:00

Happy, Happy Friday to you!!!
And what better way to end the week and celebrate the weekend than another great giveaway!!!

Remember this precious little girl.....

....I mean HAT...do you remember this sweet little hat? ;)

I am absolutely in love with this sweet girl.....I mean HAT!
So sorry, but she is just so cute....
ok, I am done.....

Back to the hat! I adore these little hats from Maria's Boutique. I seize every opportunity to place this cute little hat on my little girl. She loves it too! She actually brings it to me so I'll put it on her and she wears it around the house!

Well, guess what? One very lucky winner will be able to custom order their very own hat! Now, that is fantastic!

Enter now because the contest closes at midnight on Tuesday, March 2nd!

To enter:

Follow this blog

go check out her store and then leave a comment on this post telling me what your favorite thing in the store is.

Want multiple entries to increase your chances?

Facebook about this giveaway and let us know you did it in the comment.
"Heart" Maria's Boutique etsy shop and let us know in the comments
"Heart" Teapots and Robots etsy shop and let us know in the comments

Thinking....

2010-02-25T14:36:00.000-08:00

So, I have been doing a lot of thinking lately....not "craft" thinking or "project" thinking and not even "diaper" thinking....that's just become second nature!

I have been thinking on the people and things that I love.

*ok, I realize that this is typically the kind of post that you would've seen about 2 weeks ago....but come on, we shouldn't just focus and celebrate love one day out of the year!
....sorry, got side tracked....

Moving on....I am overwhelmed some days...most days lately, with how very blessed I am. Now, I don't say that in a bragging kind of way at all...not in the least bit actually, because I am completely unworthy of the life that I live. You see, everything in my life, good and bad, comes from God. He has been so merciful and gracious to me: merciful to forgive me and save me from my sin and gracious to love and bless me when I don't deserve it.

I am overwhelmed as I sit and watch my children play sometimes......"they are mine", I think to myself. They are precious blessings that truly love me unconditionally and never fail at making me laugh.
I was overcome with joyful tears the other night when my four year old son asked if he could pray for me.

I am overwhelmed when I think on my husband: a man who loves the Lord and his family with all his heart. I am overwhelmed when I think of the amazing father He is to our children.

I am overwhelmed when I look around at our cozy little home...because we have a home, a warm place to sleep.

I am overwhelmed when we sit down to the table 3 times a day for a good meal.

I am overwhelmed when we go to take warm showers and baths and open our drawers and cabinets to always find soap, clean towels, and toothpaste.

I am overwhelmed that we can have clean water to drink at the simple turn of a knob.

I could go on and on about the many blessings in my life that I am thankful for.

My question is this: Do we really and truly understand how blessed we are?

I am going to go out on a limb here and assume that most everyone who is reading this ( like most of America) has a home that shelters them from the weather, has food in their pantry to eat, has clothes to wear, and even has the ability to obtain the things that they just simply want, but don't need.

*now let me say this, it is okay to have nice things and even fun things....but are we truly thankful for them or do we still complain and grumble about what we have or still want? Do we give what we do have to people around us in need?

My hope is this: that you will think on these things, that you will ask yourself these hard questions, that you'll be honest about your answers, and that you'll find a way or an outlet to give to people around you in need.

Check out City of Hope....if you are local, this is great ministry to get involved with...if you are not local, check them out anyway and be inspired to do the same in your own community.

There are a lot of ways to reach out as far as Haiti with your giving right now. Check out Hearts for Haiti- an Etsy shop that hundreds of Etsy Artists have donated their pieces to and 100% of the proceeds go to help the people of Haiti. This is just one of thousands of ways to give to Haiti.
There is also Hope for Haiti.

Gospel for Asia is another organization to give to. These people truly bless me. Their organization is amazing! Check them out here.

Take some time to look into these and/or other ways to give what you have been blessed with.

There are people in need all around us, every day and we will see them if we just simply take the time to look.

I pray that God would help me to slow down, to look outside my own life, and take the time to give whatever it is of myself or the things in my life that I can.

I hope you are blessed today....and that you are a blessing to someone else.

IMGirl Vintage Dominoes Winner!!!

2010-02-24T12:17:00.000-08:00

....the new owner of this fabulous Vintage Domino set is........ Steph!!!!! Congratulations!!!

I will be contacting you soon for delivery information-ENJOY!

And as promised, there is a little something for the most diligent and eager to win this fun set! As with our last drawing, if there were more than one that entered the most times, I placed them in a separate drawing.

Our lovely, talented Kim of IMGirl would like to give Hillcrest Cottage a coupon for 25% off any purchase from her shop!

Congratulations!!!!!

**********************************************************************************

Alright friends, check back again this Friday for the last drawing of this series, featuring

One lucky winner will be able to custom order their very own hat!!!! Come back Friday!!

Fantastic Favorite's Giveaway....

2010-02-18T21:20:00.000-08:00

Alrighty friends, it's Friday!!! And we all know what that means- it's time for another fantastic giveaway!!!

Can you say Vintage. Dominoes. Super cool. Incredibly creative. Simply beautiful. Handmade fun!!!!????

Now, do you remember this from my IMGirl feature? Isn't it great! This is a piece from her vintage domino series. This is one of the Vintage Domino desk sets. Most everyone who has a desk/office job likes to make the place they spend most of their day look fun, right? And most everyone scribbles on paper or messes with something while talking on the phone too, right? Well, this is the solution to both!

Of course, they are so fabulous that they would look great simply displayed on a shelf at home too.

IMGirl is going to give one lucky winner this exact set shown above!!!

To enter:

Follow this blog

go check out her store and then leave a comment on this post telling me what your favorite thing in the store is.

Want multiple entries to increase your chances?

Grab our button & post about your Favorites on your own blog and leave another comment with a link to your post.
Facebook about this giveaway and let us know you did it in the comment.
"Heart" IMGirl's etsy shop and let us know in the comments
"Heart" Teapots and Robots etsy shop and let us know in the comments
Follow her blog too!

Now hurry and enter and spread the word! This giveaway closes at midnight on Tuesday, Feb23rd.

*Hint* there might be a little something something in it for the person with the most entries this time too. ;)

Blissful Afternoon...

2010-02-18T13:52:00.001-08:00

bliss (bls)- 1. Extreme Happiness.

Need I say more?

Ok, so I am assuming that you all know what you're looking at, but maybe not, so I am happy to expound upon my new treat!

This is an Italian Stovetop Espresso Maker...and it's PINK! Isn't it so incredibly cute!?

I found this at one of my favorites places to shop, TJ Maxx and just had to purchase it for a dear friend of mine who also loves and appreciates a good, strong cup of coffee....then I decided to treat myself too!

I was so excited to enjoy a cup of espresso this afternoon. I tucked my kiddos into bed for their naps, ground some coffee, prepared my new pink friend for a tasty brew, broke out the cherry almond dark chocolate my husband got me and placed it on my favorite vintage dishes (thank you sunny!) and waited......

and waited...........and waited...............

took a little peek under the lid....no coffee?

No way! Called a friend to ask for some tips, but alas, her husband is the espresso maker in their house!

Googled it...still not much help....so I tried again.

Oh, the excitement when I began to smell some strong coffee..I quickly turned off the stove and with the biggest grin, poured my ~~espresso~~ sludge into my cute cup.......ah man! This isn't right....

Can you guess what I did next?

Well, I did what any coffee lover and mother of three small children would do at 3 o'clock in the afternoon anxiously awaiting her espresso, naptime treat.....

I pulled out my strainer and put that baby to excellent use!

Voila! Where there is a will, there is a way my friend!

Yummy, espresso and dark chocolate.........finally. :)

*so does anyone have any tips for me on making a better cup of espresso? Because apparently I need them! Coffee grounds in your espresso is not generally the preferred way to drink. ;) HELP!

*********************************************************************************

Don't forget to check back in the morning to enter to win this fabulous Vintage Art handmade goodness:

**********************************************************************************
A little bit of goodness to share:
While having breakfast with my kids this morning, I was asked to read a story. So, I began reading in their favorite book (The Jesus Storybook Bible) and sometimes it amazes me how much the children's bible actually speaks to me!
In a story about Saul/Paul, this is what I read: "You don't have to be good at being good for God to love you. You just have to believe what Jesus has done and follow him. Because it is not about trying; it is about trusting. It's not about rules;it's about grace: God's free gift-that cost him everything."

We Have A Winner....

2010-02-17T19:59:00.000-08:00

.....of PacoKeco's fabulous papery goodness!

And that winner is Denise of Clearlake Creations!!!
Denise, you'll be contacted soon about receiving your goodies! Congratulations and Enjoy! :)
**********************************************************************************

Now, I mentioned in the last post that there might be a little something something in it for the person with the most entries....remember...
Well, there were three participants that each had three entries so we placed all three in a drawing of their own. Wow- I just said three a lot!

So, Marla, you can treat yourself or someone else to 25% off any Alphabet Art order from my shop, Teapots and Robots. I'll be emailing you a coupon so you can use the discount when and if you so choose or you can pass it on to a friend.

YAY- I just love giveaway's! They are so much fun!
Speaking of which, check back here again Friday for yet another awesome giveaway...this week's prize will be from IMGirl!

In the meantime, go shop PacoKeco's fun paper goodies and treat yourself to some very creative and affordable fun!

Fantastic Favorite's Giveaway....

2010-02-11T20:02:00.000-08:00

....continues with our second giveaway!
If your joining us for the first time, take a few minutes to read here and you'll feel caught up and totally informed about my new favorite things! You'll miss out if you don't do a little clickity-click to see all of the fabulous finds....but either way, we're giving something too cool for words away!
well, actually, there are words.....

...french words to be exact...

...and a little time....

...more words (aren't these fun!)

...topped off with this totally cute pink and brown mailing label/tag set!

Oh, how I love some tags from my new friend over at PacoKeco Scribbles! Talk about one very sweet and talented gal! She is generously giving one very lucky Teapots and Robots follower a set of each of the tags you see here!

Ok, so we all know you want these, so here is what you need to do:

To enter:

Follow this blog

go check out her store and then leave a comment on this post telling me what your favorite thing in the store is.

Want multiple entries to increase your chances?

Grab our button & post about your Favorites on your own blog and leave another comment with a link to your post.
Facebook about this giveaway and let us know you did it in the comment.
"Heart" PacoKeco's etsy shop and let us know in the comments
"Heart" Teapots and Robots etsy shop and let us know in the comments

This contest will close at midnight on Tuesday, Feb 16th.

Now go get busy- enter for your chance to win and spread the word for more chances to win!

*Hint* there might be a little something something in it for the person with the most entries this time.

And The Winner Is......

2010-02-10T12:34:00.000-08:00

...remember these fun coaster from Hello Ladies....

.....well, now Amy can enjoy them!!!Congratulations Amy- you are our first winner!!!!

I will be contacting you soon! :)

And for a little fun surprise...I went ahead and took the liberty of drawing a second name from this giveaway. Why?

Because I really wanted to treat one of you to some Organic Dark Mint Chocolate!

So, Waterrose you can look forward to receiving some wonderful dark chocolate in the mail soon! :)

***************************************************************************

Check back Friday for another Fantastic Favorite's Giveaway! You will NOT want to miss out on entering this one, I promise!

For now, go show the gals at Hello Ladies some love for their generous participation in our Fantastic Favorite's Giveaway! Thank you Ladies!!!!

Favorites Giveaway!!!!

2010-02-05T13:25:00.000-08:00

What a wonderful way to end the week and begin the weekend.....with a fabulous giveaway!!!!

I am so excited to share with you a few of "My New Favorite Things!" And it just so happens that I found most of them through my new favorite site...ETSY! I love Etsy! Etsy is a world of very talented people who have a love for buying, selling and supporting handmade products!

I have been so thrilled to join the Etsy team with my new shop and have been very fortunate to meet and do business with some really great and talented people already. So, today, I would love so much to share a few of My New Favorite Things with you. I have 6 wonderful things to share with you and 5 of which, you will have a chance to win!

So without further ado....in no particular order, here they are!

Meet Polly Danger, a wonderfully talented, crafty girl out of LA. She makes the cutest little wallets I have ever seen! I have had the pleasure of chatting back and forth with her and doing business with her and both were a delight. :)

I recently treated myself to one of her mini wallets....did I mention how incredibly fun they are?! I was going to just post a photo from her shop, but I got my very own in the mail today!!! I am so excited to have it and to share with you!

this is how I got it- packaged all cute and with a fun little iron-on bird from the fabric I chose!

Isn't it great!

and practical too!! Look at those pockets! What I love even more about this is the size. This is one of her mini wallets. I love that it is small enough to grab and go and to even put in my pocket. I don't get to carry a purse much anymore, but rather a large diaper bag full of essentials for three toddlers! So...this is cute, stylish, will hold my essentials and can go in my pocket or my bag!And, they are totally affordable!

You know you want one now.......

Go check out her shop at www.PollyDanger.etsy.com

Another delightful, talented gal that I have had the pleasure of chatting with and doing business with! She creates her super fun tags out of Canada....which is too bad, because she seems like the kind of gal that I would love to sip a cup of coffee with.

Her shop is full of some of My New Favorite Things- tags, cards, and handmade paper embellishments. I haven't seen anything that I do not absolutely adore!

She made some custom tags for my products that I am very excited about! I was seriously like a little kid at Christmas when my package of PacoKeco goodies arrived in the mail!

You have to see her shop!!! And keep reading, because she has so generously joined us for the giveaway and I want to get you hooked on PacoKeco scribbles!!!

These fun Pocket Perks are just a sampling of her giveaway package!

Go browse her shop and fall in love- www.pacokeco.etsy.com

And yet another talented lady, but this one is near and dear to my heart. The woman behind the beautiful creations of IM Girl is my mom! Any ounce of creativity that I have is not only a gift from God, but has been passed onto me from my beautiful mom.

One of my new Favorite Things is my gorgeous, unique skeleton key necklace.

I got to choose what I wanted the tag to say, so mine says "Chosen." The lampwork bead is made directly onto the key. Isn't this gorgeous! I just love it!

The keys hang from a velvet necklace while swarovski crystals dangle beside them. Truly a one-of-a-kind piece!

Did I mention that IM Girl also does amazing things to vintage dominoes?!! These are apart her desk set series. You can have a piece of art on your desk and something to mess with while on work calls!

Do you love it?! Well, check back because IM Girl is giving this one away!!!

If you are local, you can see her pieces in person at the Just T-s-N Downtown store.
Or check out her shop www.IMGirl.etsy.com
And guess what- IM Girl is participating in the giveaway too!!!

More local, talented girls!!! I found these girls on Etsy just recently and what a fun bunch of girls they seem to be! They have a great shop with lots of variety!

Check out my soon to be ring!

Isn't it fun!

These girls have some great customer service too! They were quick to respond to my question and quick to offer to take this ring apart and resize it for me!!! WOW!

Here is a sampling of some of their great variety! They make and sell these fabulous coaster sets too!

....could this be a giveaway prize too? You'll have to wait and see..... ;)

check out their fun shop at www.HelloLadies.etsy.com. And stop by their blog too- helloladies09.blogspot.com

And more Favorites!!! The adorable little crocheted hats from Maria's Boutique are definitely one of My New Favorite Things!!! My little girl was given one of these for Christmas and we love it!!!

Adorable right!!!?

You can custom order these- right down to the colors in the flower! I love it!

Our talented, crocheting friend wants one of you to create your very own hat too! Keep reading!

And don't let the day pass by without checking out her shop www.mariamatson.etsy.com

I'll say it again- what a fantastic way to end the week and start the weekend...with these new finds and favorites! My hope is that you'll fall in love with these things too!

Creative, Unique, fun, beautiful handmade creations by some truly wonderful ladies.

Oh, I almost forgot....

shopping handmade and Etsy just got even better!!!! A perfect pair to your shopping is My New Favorite chocolate indulgence..... Endangered Species, All Natural, Dark Mint Chocolate squares!

Oh my goodness- are they ever good! I especially love it paired with a good, strong cup of coffee.

And in an effort to make your Etsy shopping even more enjoyable (which would be hard to do, but I'll try) I want to provide one of you with some of this delicious chocolate too!

So, are you ready for the giveaway details now?

I thought so. Here's the scoop.

Fantastic Favorites Giveaway!!!!!!

One giveaway a week- giving you plenty of time to enter, spread the word and get more entries for yourself!

But keep checking back or you'll miss out on a chance to win the rest of these fabulous pieces!!!

We'll kick this thing off with...........................drum roll please....................................................

The lovely gals of Hello Ladies would like for you to enjoy a set of their super fun coasters....these to be exact!

Ok, so we all know you want these, so here is what you need to do:

To enter:

Follow this blog

go check out their store and then leave a comment on this post telling me what your favorite thing in their store is.

Want multiple entries to increase your chances?

Grab our button & post about your Favorites on your own blog and leave another comment with a link to your post.
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GO! GO! Spread the word, post, leave comments and win, win, win!!!!!!

***the contest ends at midnight on Tuesday, Feb 9th!

*******ETSY WARNING*******

Please use and view Etsy shops with extreme caution as it can very easily become an addiction!

Ok, I feel better now. I did my part, I warned you.

"Not Me" Monday!

2010-02-01T13:12:00.000-08:00

This is my first time to participate in this and I think it is too much fun! What a great and humorous way to humble ourselves and reveal to the rest of the world that we are NOT superwoman and that we mess up often! As for me, without the direction, strength, and continual grace and mercy of the Lord, I wouldn't be accomplishing anything worth anything!

Head on over to http://www.mycharmingkids.net/ & read more of these and simply check out mckmama's super fun blog!

Ok, so Saturday when my family and I headed outdoors to make an awesome snowman and play, I did not apparently forget how to roll a ball of snow into a round base for good ole' frosty. I also did not then proceed to trip over that large, lumpy snowball while running away from my husband pelting me with snowballs! And I definitely did not raise up and almost knock myself out on a large piece of wood while talking trash and making snowballs to retaliate with. Nope, not me at all...I mean how incredibly lame and clumsy would that be........

.......uh, yeah.....so glad that was not me.

I also did not restart the same load of laundry in the washing machine for the third time this morning. That would be an incredibly, shameful waste of water and energy! Which also means that I did not press start on the drier again either....

There are so many things that I have not done that joining these gals for "Not Me Monday" should never be a problem for me! ;)

Happy Monday!!!!

My Day In Pictures....

2010-01-31T12:20:00.000-08:00

....head on over for more fun snow pics at www.homemakerchronicles.com , a blog that is great fun and you'll want to be apart of!

For now, here's a look into our day! (well, it was yesterday to be exact)

isn't winter scenery beautiful! I love it!

nothing like some freshly fallen snow!

some karate chop action.....

hiding from the snowballs!

just being cute.....

...and our new winter friend. :)

Did you get a snow day? How did you spend it?

***********************************************************************************

Check back next week because I will be posting about some of my new favorite products and then............

..................there will be a giveaway!!!!

Homemaker Moments

2010-01-29T12:34:00.000-08:00

My friend, Angie over at Homemaker Chronicles, has what is called Homemaker Maker Moments every Friday on her blog. I am really excited about the new idea behind this and can't wait to see the shape it takes on! Head on over to her blog to read more about it.

Pro 12:4 An excellent wife is the crown of her husband, but she who brings shame is like rottenness in his bones.

Today's question: what does it mean to be the crown of our husband?

First, let me share a little something from a sweet gift from my husband on Valentines Day last year.

Happy is the husband of a good wife; the number of his days will be doubled.
A loyal wife brings joy to her husband, and he will complete his years in peace.
A good wife is a great blessing; she will be granted among the blessings of the man who fears the Lord.
Whether rich or poor, his heart is content, and at all times his face is cheerful.

A wife's charm delights her husband, and her skill puts flesh on his bones.
A silent wife is a gift from the Lord, and nothing is so precious as her self-discipline.
A modest wife adds charm to charm, and no scales can weigh the value of her chastity.
Like the sun rising in the heights of the Lord,
so is the beauty of a good wife in her well-ordered home.

(taken from an old hebrew book)

I think this is an absolutely beautiful picture of a wife whom fears and loves the Lord and loves her husband. Now, if we all achieved this look all of the time, then we would be perfect and in no need of Jesus Christ. And well, since Jesus Christ is the only perfect one, then that is not possible.
However, I believe this can and should be desire of a believing wives heart.

There are certain things that God expects a wife to be and desire. We are to love our husband and our children, we are to be self-controlled, kind and submissive......see Titus 2.
We are to love, respect and submit to our husbands the head of our home/family and the covering that God has placed us under. See also Ephesians 5.

Now,there are also ways for us to be our husband's crown that will not be so clearly laid out and will not look like other wives, because it will be specific to our husbands. Vicky worded this so well in her comment on the Homemaker Chronicles post. Check it out here.

What I love is this: God knew that I would marry my husband before I did! And check this out, God even made me for my husband. He has given me everything I need to be the wife to my husband that will please my husband, but also bring God glory...and God's glory is the ultimate purpose behind ALL of it!

So, as a child of God, as a sinner that has been saved, forgiven and redeemed by the blood of Jesus Christ, I can rest assured that I AM the perfect wife for MY husband. I can look only to Christ and the word of God for guidance and direction in this area and not at what other wives are doing. We are certainly to set an example with our lives, but if I looked at other wives as my standard and not the word of God, then I am only going to be discouraged and fail.

I am out of time on here......meaning I need to do some laundry before nap time is over!!! Be on the lookout for some great discussion and topics at Homemaker Chronicles every Friday.

Today is the day....

2010-01-29T11:48:00.000-08:00

....that the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it!!!!

It may be bitterly cold, but isn't it beautiful?

A few of the things that I thoroughly enjoy on days like these:

a cup of good, hot coffee and some homemade muffins!!! These are pumpkin, cream cheese muffins!! (you can find the recipe on my other blog: www.enjoyinghiscreation.blogspot.com)

okay, okay, this really is not specific to this day at all......I love sushi everyday and all day long!!!!

.....hummmm....i wonder if we have everything we need in the house to make some...?

take pictures of my kids playing in the ice and snow, while my hands freeze!

pop some popcorn....

...and grab a blanket, gather my family and snuggle in for a good movie.

Enjoy your snow day, your Friday, be careful, & stay warm!!!

Check back Monday for: A Few of My New Favorite Things!

I'll be posting about some new great products that I love and want to share with you!! I'll provide their websites so you can fall in love with them too!

A Little Bit of Thursday Love....

2010-01-28T07:17:00.000-08:00

......it's in the air!
Valentine's Day is quickly approaching and I love romance and all sweet and thoughtful ways of expressing your love to that special someone.......................
but.....................I do totally run the other direction away from "cheese-ville!"

I like genuine, original, thoughtful, one-of-a-kind, and even funny expressions!

Now, I am not a high maintenance gal. I would be thrilled with a love note written on a napkin and left on the counter for me by my husband. I prefer hand picked flowers or simple daisies vs. expensive store bought roses any day! I am all about different, original and the thought put into it.

Speaking of different......would you like to see some of the cards that I have listed in my Etsy shop?
If not, click off of this screen immediately!!!!!!!!! Do not proceed further unless you are prepared to be blown away!!!
....Okay, okay, blown away is pretty excessive, but come on, you can't blame a girl for trying, can you?

The card with the dinosaur cracks me up every time because this was not at all staged....we'll not by me anyway. I rounded the corner to the boys playing and as soon as I saw it, I thought, "now that is one crazy guy.......that I need to photograph!" ;) The card says "You and I..." on the front bottom corner and on the inside, "...we're one of a kind."

I mean, come on, a power ranger guy, a dinosaur and a fisher price blood pressure cuff......!

These are photographs of some great old, classic cars! The first one says "Classic. dependable. loyal." on the front and "...a real beauty." on the inside.
The second one says "Some things never grow old." on the front and blank inside.

The first one in this photo is an artistic shot of a guitar and it says "you rock." on the front and blank inside. The second one is a photo of trees with a pink hue and a watercolor feel with "i love you" simply written on the tree trunk.

A little bit of Alphabet Pop Art Photography......goes a long way. ;) This is blank on the inside for your own personal love note.

If you like what you see, you can go to Just T's N Downtown store and purchase these in person or you can simply go to www.teapotsandrobots16.etsy.com and purchase them online with either your credit card or paypal account.

Right now through Feb 14th, with every Alphabet Photography purchase, you receive a free card of your choice and your Alphabet Art will come packaged nice and pretty for your sweetheart!

Also, join many Etsy businesses (myself included) in helping the people of Haiti. With every Alphabet Art purchase on my site, 25% will go to Hope for Haiti. So, if my shop doesn't do it for you, there are MANY Etsy shops that are generously donating to help Haiti. Check them out.

So, buy handmade, get unique gifts/items, support other artists, and help send money to help the people of Haiti. Sounds like a win, win to me!

So, go shop Etsy! You can even shop specifically to support local artists by searching by location or searching by AREtsy, which is a team of Arkansas Etisans.

Happy Shopping!

And spread some Thursday love today!

Exciting New Arrivals......

2010-01-26T13:27:00.000-08:00

.....okay, so it is exciting to me anyway! ;)

Check out the photos below to see the exciting new arrivals to Teapots and Robots!
(as always, click the photos to view them larger)

Yes, that's right- JEWELRY!!!! But not just any ole' jewelry- hand stamped and completely hand crafted sterling silver jewelry! And guess what!? You can custom order these too!!

You can order multiple charms on one necklace with your children's names, initials, or any other word or phrase of your choice!

There's more....keep looking.....

.....and more....

The pieces above are Teapots & Robots Originals. They are solid sterling silver and completely handcrafted, from the pendant to the clasp!

Thanks for taking a peek at my new additions!!! I am having too much fun with all of it!!

If you like what you see, all of these pieces are now at the Just T's-N Downtown store in Conway....so go check out the store and look for the silver tree!

I will be posting custom prices very soon, but if you are interested in custom ordering before I get them out here, you can email me at teapotsandrobots@gmail.com.

Thinking Back...

2010-01-21T13:36:00.000-08:00

...to Fridays.
When I was a little girl, I was fortunate enough to live across the street from one of my grandma's; the one I like to refer to as "my crazy grandma."
Okay, wait. Before you judge me, she knows I call her this and she LOVES it! (as well as the attention it brings) ;)
For the record, she is not actually "crazy" as in clinically crazy. Not at all. She is crazy as in "crazy fun!" I called her "my crazy grandma" because she would always do fun and crazy things like dance for us in her driveway as we would pull away from her house or make up silly little stories and not only tell them but act them out for us! She danced around the house, played tricks on my grandpa, told us funny jokes (and sometimes jokes that a child shouldn't be told!), she made up silly songs that she would then sing to me and teach me.....the list goes on and on. So, she was "my crazy grandma" and she still is just as spunky today. I am just not fortunate enough to live across the street from her now.
Back to Fridays.....
For a period of time, my grandparents lived in a condo (before purchasing their home) with no washer and dryer. Every Friday my grandma and I would go to the laundry mat to wash clothes and then.....we would head over to the ice cream parlor for two root beer floats! Those Fridays with her are some of my fondest memories.

I will never forget them. I will always cherish them. And root beer floats will always remind me of "my crazy grandma" and a sweeter time.

I hope so much to be able to create such sweet moments in life with my own children that they will hold onto and love for the rest of their lives.

Here's to wishing you a wonderfully sweet Friday

...every day is an opportunity to create memories such as these....

HELP FOR HAITI

2010-01-18T18:25:00.000-08:00

Like so many others around the world right now, my heart breaks for the people of Haiti and for the devastation they are enduring. I feel so very helpless and want so badly to help in some way.

I believe in the power of prayer and more importantly, I believe in God the Creator whom I pray to so I trust and believe that He hears my prayers for these people. And so I will continue to pray for the people in Haiti.

I also believe that God blesses his children so that we can give to and bless others around us.

So, starting today, for every piece of Alphabet Art that is purchased from my online store, 25% will go to Haiti. You can shop at www.etsy.com/shop/teapotsandrobots16
The amount seems so small in comparison to what they need, but I know and believe that every little bit helps and if people around the world are giving what they have to give, then all of the "little bits" add up quickly.

Last but not least, pray for these people and let this be a reminder to us all that only God knows the number of our days. We may not have tomorrow, so let us purposefully live our lives and not hesitate to show love to the people God has placed in them.

Announcement!

2010-01-03T11:52:00.001-08:00

Attention: My new online store can now be found at : http://www.etsy.com/shop/teapotsandrobots16
This will be to the benefit of my customers as it is MUCH easier to shop around and you can quickly purchase items directly from my site using Paypal or any of the major credit cards.
I know......VERY exciting!!!! :)

My other site will be available until Jan 19th. Please save the new site info and pass it along!

Thank you so much and Have a Happy New Year!!!

The Winning Prize...

2009-12-28T11:28:00.000-08:00

....remember the giveaway at the beginning of this month? Well, here is what the winner requested for her personalized Alphabet Art:

And here are a few custom orders for Christmas:

I hope so much that the recipients of all of these Alphabet Art pieces were thoroughly pleased! :)

Merry Christmas!

2009-12-23T12:27:00.000-08:00

A Truly Unique Family Tree...

2009-12-16T11:13:00.000-08:00

I have finally finished a project that I, personally, was pretty excited about.
If you are local, then you can take a peak at it in the Downtown Just T's-N store.

Here it is:

*Click on the photos for a closer look.

You can display this piece of art with or without photos. The metal photo slots add a nice design to the branches all by themselves.

Or you can add your very own family photos to create a truly, one-of-a-kind Family Tree.

And even better, you can custom order your own Family Tree and I will make it from beginning to end with your design requests! You can also add more photo slots. (the tree shown above has 8)

Contact me for pricing and details if you are interested.

More New Alphabet Art and Photography Prints

New Pieces!

2009-12-09T13:33:00.000-08:00

Just wanted to share some new things with you. And remember, I can and would love to create most anything you have in mind! There are a world of options for the Alphabet Art and Black Boards as well as the boxes and greeting cards!

This box was created specially as a thank you for a woman I know. It was totally inspired by her wonderful cancer free news!

(click on the images to get a closer look)

I decorated a binder for a friend recently and before I knew it, her daughter had an order in for one too! Here it is. This was just fun to do for her. :)

I also added a butterfly and tag with a verse inside as well as some decorated dividers.

New Alphabet Art available to buy! These are already created so can be purchased without the custom fee.

If you are placing an order for Christmas, I am accepting orders until Dec 15th. So, hurry fast, only 6 days left!

If you are local, head on over to Just T's-N Downtown store for some great gift ideas! There are many wonderfully fun things there to look at and buy.

I also have a lot more variety of items there too- ranging from journals, greeting cards, Alphabet Art, boxes, "express yourself" banners, and more!

My Favorite Time of The Year....

2009-12-07T09:48:00.000-08:00

....is upon us...Christmas!

I am truly like a little kid this time of year. I just love it! I love that we get to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. I love sharing that with my family, my children and everyone else!
I love the joy that this season brings. I love the decorations, the lights, the music.... I love baking Christmas goodies. I love giving gifts and baked goods! I love it all!!!

Our house is all decorated now so I thought I would share some photos with you all. I am sure that there are MANY out there with better decorating ideas and skills than me but I always love seeing other people's houses and decor ideas. So here are a few of mine. Maybe these will inspire you with some decorating. Enjoy!

My tree is done in red, silver and black and white ornaments and snowflakes! You'll find snowflakes throughout the whole house because I love them! We have a small tree in the built-in's in our dining room too! I can't help myself so end up decorating every room with something!

I love placing ornamental balls in glass dishes and vases throughout the house for some festive splashes of color! I even hang them with ribbon from the lights in the bathroom and across the curtain rods in the bedrooms.

I spray painted some branches and planters silver for the front porch. I also placed some red and silver balls in the planter too! I have some large ornamental balls hanging from the front porch with ribbon at varying lengths.

I also used some of the silver branches in a vase inside the house.

And rather than hanging stockings in the living room with the tree, I hung them in everyone's room.

So, if you haven't decorated already... turn on some Christmas music, brew some coffee, throw some sugar cookies in the oven.......and decorate! :)

Custom Order

2009-12-06T13:44:00.000-08:00

I am so thankful to be able to do this, because I absolutely LOVE it! What a blessing it is for me to create fun pieces of art for others and even more, what an honor to have it hanging on someone's wall. :)

Here is a custom order I received recently.

She specifically requested that one of the letters be made pink as well as the background paper.

This is an 8x10 photo and frame. You can purchase these for $22.00 and personalize with a name, phrase, etc. Personalization and photo options (such as B&W, sepia, full color, splash of color, etc) are included in the $22 charge. If you have any specific requests such as this order, then it is an additional $10 charge.

You can also purchase an 11x14 size which will come matted for $32.00.

There are MANY, MANY more options available to you when ordering your very own Alphabet Art- so go check them out at www.teapotsandrobots.com. Click on "Shop Our Products" and please do not hesitate to email me with any questions you may have. And one more thing- have fun with it! :)

GIVEAWAY!!!!!!!!!

2009-11-27T18:52:00.000-08:00

Ok, this is something you are going to want to read!!!!!
As my friend worded it best- a giveaway that you don't even have to leave your couch for!!!!

Check out www.homemakerchronicles.com for a fabulous Custom Alphabet Art giveaway by............you guessed it, ME! :)

Here is a sample of what you could win!

She gives you MANY different ways to enter your name multiple times!

Enter now until midnight on Monday, Dec 1st.

So, GO NOW and check her site at www.homemakerchronicles.com- read the details, enter your name and pass this information along for more entries!

More Fun Baby Shower Ideas!

2009-11-23T21:03:00.000-08:00

What I love to do when throwing a baby shower is to think about the mommy-to-be and what she loves. Baby showers don't have to be all pastels and teddy bears. What does your mommy-to-be like? Take the answers to that question and plan your party to truly shower her and the baby with love- knowing that there was this kind of thought put into says SO much!

Here are some photos from a baby shower I co-hosted recently. We had such a fun time throwing this very non-traditional shower for our friend!

We had mini corn dogs, stove-popped pumpkin spice popcorn, butter popcorn, cupcakes, apple slices and homemade caramel, glass jar full of skittles, mounds and baby ruth's scattered about the table, a wagon full of iced pepsi and cokes.......not your typical shower food, but our mommy-to-be loved it and that's what matters!

Once again, I hope this inspires you to think outside the box and get creative!!! :)

Check Out This Great Giveaway......

2009-11-23T20:49:00.000-08:00

If you haven't already, check out a great blog, Homemaker Chronicles for fun reads, recipes, photos and tips on....well, everything! ;)
Homemaker Chronicles is hosting a giveaway right now for a great cookbook in honor of her grandmother! I love it!
So, go to: http://www.homemakerchronicles.com/blog/archives/2987 and read the details on how to enter. She even gives you options to enter multiple times- check it out!

SPECIAL OFFER!!!

2009-11-18T10:24:00.000-08:00

20% OFF any Alphabet Art order!!!!!!
Now through Dec. 5th- offer applies only to orders placed online.

So, take advantage now! Check out the site and contact me with any questions you might have at livingdesignlovinglife@teapotsandrobots.com or simply fill out the contact form on the site.
www.teapotsandrobots.com

These make great Christmas gifts!!!

Personalized, Unique Christmas Gifts......

2009-11-09T13:44:00.001-08:00

.....find them at Just T's N Downtown in Conway,AR! You can also order them at www.teapotsandrobots.com. We will ship anywhere in the United States.

Most of the creations you will see in the store or on this site can be personalized- such as: cork boards, Alphabet Art Photography (a variety of framing options), the Alphabet Art wooden wall hangings, altered art boxes, cards. etc.
If you see a photo on my site or blog that you really like and think may look great in a larger size hanging on your wall- just ask! Let that be the rule- have an idea or a question- JUST ASK. :)

Here are a few more photos of some of my items displayed in the store and in those photos, you'll see a few of the other GREAT items that Just T's-N Downtown has to offer. They have some really fun, beautiful and different items that you WILL love! I just know it!

items by teapots and robots in these photos: "Enjoy" Alphabet Art framed, bicycle prints, boxes, wooden sign, "BE" wooden plaque, Tree wooden plaque, and the "Faith" Alphabet Art framed.

There are so many fun ways to custom order these! You can choose from a couple of different paint colors for the wood. You can choose what you want the photos to spell out. You can choose black and white photos, sepia photos, colored "pop-art" photos....... too fun! I have added beaded wire hangers on a few of these for another splash of color and design too.

Thank you for stopping by and taking a look!

If you are interested in ordering for a Christmas gift- you will need to have your order placed no later than Dec 7th.

New Stuff- Finished-Store Opening Soon!

2009-11-04T22:12:00.000-08:00

I have finally finished my MANY projects! I wanted to share with you a few of them and a sneak peak into the items that you'll have to see in the store if you want them! ;)

THIS SUNDAY- Nov. 8th- is the downtown Christmas Open House- check it out if you're local- Just T's-N. They have so many fun products and are featuring a few other local artists and designers too.

This set was actually a baby gift for a friend of mine.

Purposeful Art-style and function (they are cork boards)

SNEAK PEAK
A few of the items you will see in the store this weekend:

Lots more-but this is all you get for now! ;)
If you see something you like- leave me a comment-I'd love to know what you think!

Also, if you really like something you see- shoot me an email at livingdesignlovinglife@teapotsandrobots.com-you can custom order!

Girls Night Recycle Party!!!!

2009-11-04T21:46:00.000-08:00

Ok, so I am pretty excited to share this post with you because it was so much fun! My hope is that you'll read it, get excited and inspired and plan one of your own!

I had read about the idea of Recycle Parties a while back and LOVED it! A couple of weeks ago, I hosted my own and it was a success!

Well, if you call about 10 women leaving my house with new (new to them anyway) clothes, shoes, jewelry, candles, frames, bags, children's clothes, etc.... a success, then it WAS a success indeed!! Not to mention, that we all got to watch everyone else get excited about our things- so FUN!

You want to throw your own, don't you!?
I knew it!
You want details?
I thought so.

The point of these parties is to not waste, but reuse, recycle, our unwanted and gently used items. I think that whoever came up with this idea is a genius!
So, if you'd like, you can go the extra mile and make your whole party "green." Don't use paper plates, cups, napkins and cutlery....pull out the real deal!

Decide on a few categories of items that you want to include in this party. For example: Only women's clothing and accessories and children's clothing or home decor and clothing....etc...
Choose a date
Send an evite to your friends (they are cute and save paper) Make sure that you note the specifi\
c categories of items they can bring and that all items need to be gently used, good condition and working!
Start looking around your house, in your closets, your garage, etc for things that you don't use anymore
And PARTY with some treats, coffee and the cheapest and most fun shopping trip ever!

As each guest arrived- they were handed a "swap token" for each item they brought. So, if they brought 20 items, they received 20 "swap tokens." This was a great way to keep things organized and fair, but I think in our future recycle parties, we will leave this out. My friends and I all agreed that we didn't care how many items people brought and/or left with. Afterall, nobody wanted to take any of their own things home with them anyway! In fact, a few sneaky ladies left some of their items at my house. You know who you are! ;)
Moving on....

I had tables set up so as people arrived, we placed their stuff out on the tables. One table had candles, home decor, etc while another had clothes and jewelry. You get the idea.

Once everyone arrived, we drew numbers to determine the order of shopping. Two shoppers went at a time. Which again, I think in the future, we will start out like this, but once everyone has shopped a few times, we will open the floor to everyone at once.....FREE FOR ALL! It just takes too much time to only have two shopping at a time. I mean, we're women, we can be pretty indecisive shoppers! I know I am!

I asked everyone to bring a tasty fall treat. So while others were shopping, the rest of us were enjoying pumpkin bread, scones, muffins, coffee, cider and hot cocoa!
It was SO much fun watching people get excited about things that had maybe lost their excitement to you. It was also great to walk away with jeans, cute shirts, jewelry, clothes for my little girl, photo albums........and all FREE!!!!
Seriously- girl time, pumpkin bread, coffee, free cute stuff = HUGE SUCCESS!

In fact, we all agreed that we want to have a recycle party every 6 months- so once in the spring and once in the fall.
Check out a few photos from the evening....and get out your calendar and begin planning your own!

A One, A Two, A One-Two-Three......

2009-11-04T21:16:00.001-08:00

Just another project to share- this one is actually for my own house! ;) It hangs in my children's bathroom and they were actually pretty excited when they saw their new decor.

Unfinished store bought numbers, some paint, and sealer! :) Give it a try!

The Night Owls....

2009-10-28T19:05:00.000-07:00

....and I are partying it up lately!
I actually thought to myself yesterday, "why am I so tired?" And then I immediately was struck with a "Duh" moment!

Maybe because I have hosted two parties in the span of 4 days (I'll post more about these later), trying to get back into my photography business and am booking sessions, working on art projects (A LOT of projects) till wee hours of the morning in an attempt to finish so they all make it in the store for the open house...all of this on top of my first priority as a stay-at-home wife and mother to three small children!!!! Yikes!

So, uh, yeah.....tired much?!

Tired for now...yes. But it is just for a short season as I prepare and get these things up and running. God has blessed me with these two business opportunities, doing things that I absolutely LOVE to do!
And, did I mention that I am excited!! :)

I can't wait to share some of the things I have been working on, but you'll have to either come to the open house or look to see photos on here afterward. Oh, the suspense! (if anyone is even reading this! HA!)

*********************************************************************************
Interested in a fun night with your friends, getting rid of some things and going home with some fun items that are "new" to you?
Well, check back in the next couple of days to learn more about the Recycle Party I hosted recently! It was such a blast!

Alphabet Art Photography

2009-10-28T19:03:00.000-07:00

THE Store.....

2009-10-25T19:46:00.001-07:00

.....is "Just T's- N!"
I have loved this store for years and so I feel so very honored to have the opportunity to sell some of my creations there....and I am SO excited!

They are planning on opening the doors for the first time during the Downtown Christmas Open House. So, for all of you who are local, come on out and take a look on Nov. 8th between 1 and 5pm!

There are going to be some really great art pieces and just some really fun and unique gift items in this store- you have to check it out!