Chevron and Turquoise and Owls, Oh My!

It's times like this when I begin to wonder if I'm really related to my sisters..... How is it possible that they (and my mom) are sewing geniuses when I can't sew a straight line? I kid you not! I'm super awesome at using the ripper to unstitch every single thread that I've EVER sewn. Then I re-sew, then I re-rip it out, til there's very little fabric left that is unscathed. It's beyond ridiculous. I'm beginning to think that I'm allergic to sewing....

Fortunately, I have very generous sisters/mom who feel sorry for my pathetic skillz and make me super awesome/ insanely cool gifts. This happy package came in the mail today & I couldn't be more thrilled to receive such an outrageously fun gift from my lil' sista Mandy! Get ready for the pics peeps. Put down your diet cokes (so you don't choke with crazy excitement), steady yourselves (so you don't fall off your chairs) and hold on to your socks, cause I'm about to fill your screen with some chevron happiness!



Squeal! Doesn't this little corner just make you happy? Who knew all it needed was turquoise chevron to make it purrrty? Let's take a closer look at the quilt my loverly sis made.... (big sigh, followed by huge smile) I mean first turquoise, but then she edged it with a fun chartreuse folks! S. T. O. P. IT! It's too good.....






As if that didn't make your heart pitter patter enough...... then come the owls!

Who00 (get it? Whoo Whoo? My jokes bring down the house with 2nd graders!) needs a boring backside of the quilt when you can have these funky little creatures to smile at! I'm super sorry Mandy I opened my birthday gift way early, but I can't possibly put it away and pretend I didn't see it! I'm just too happy! Love is not a strong enough description. More like stalker obsessed with my quilt! Don't be surprised if I find a way to wear it as an accessory. I'm thinking wrapping it around like a sweater adding a skinny yellow belt and finishing it off with ruffly flats..... perfect!

I'm linking to these fabulosa sites:
Blue Cricket -sorry can't find her button

Pinterest Project

I did it folks. I actually made something I pinned. Can you believe it? Maybe pinterest is more than just eye candy? I actually made this project back in December, but it was missing something. I needed a Spring-ier wreath on my front door so decided to pull this out from the closet. It's still missing something, can't decide what it is though. Maybe you can help? What does it need?

Needs some flair huh? Little too boring for me. I'm thinking pom poms or a banner or more flowers. My door is quite tall and wreath holders never hang at the right level. My little sister taught me this trick and maybe it's obvious to you, but in case you're as blonde as me, hang your wreath with ribbon! I used 3 flush thumb tacks at the top of the door and folded the ribbon before tacking it down. That way there were no raw edges rubbing. There's no ugly ribbon strands on the other side of the door. It was so simple- not sure why I hadn't thought of that years ago! Plus- those 3M sticky holders were gumming up my door and always falling off. Since my door was recently painted- I couldn't have that!

I'm pretty sure my pinterest to actual project completion ratio is now 1 to 813. Not too shabby! :)

smashing ideas

I promise I'm not getting paid for this. Haven't you heard? I do everything for free. That's what stay at home mom means.... Have you seen these yet? Smash books from K & Co. I first saw this video about a 8 months ago and have been waiting patiently for their arrival! I mean technically you could use a note book- we've probably all done that. But something about pretty packaging and double sided glue/pen all-in-one makes me love this! I feel like I'm missing out on all the funny, quirky things my children say or do. I'm too busy cleaning up after them or planning the next fun thing to do to really enjoy them. So for Easter I bought myself a smash book. And little smasheroos to go with it. That's my word, not theirs. I'm trying to keep it in the car, cause basically, that's where I live. Instead of handing back my phone to the kids to play with in the car, I can hand them this book. (handy for older kids obviously) To write about what they did that day. Or to doodle. Or to write me love notes. (What? I can pretend can't I?) Instead of dreaming on pinterest while waiting for piano lessons, or gymnastics or dr appts, I can pull out this smash book and write what funny thing my 3 yr old said that day. I feel so desperate to capture these memories, so I'm sucker for any product that is cutely wrapped that can help me. I keep hearing from older mom's "they just grow up too fast!", "enjoy every moment!" or "I just miss them being so little." But I tend to hear this as I'm checking out at the grocery store, signing/paying one handed, while football tucking my toddler under my arm as he tries to escape. And obviously, he's kicking and screaming. (Your kid's never done that have they?) It's hard to enjoy them while they're on the floor screaming (while people are trying to decide if you're the parent or a kidnapper) (Really, a kidnapper? You think someone really wants to take this kid at this point lady?) laying across the door opening of the grocery store only to have grown adults step over him/her to get inside. (This has never happened to ya either huh?) Or hiding inbetween pallets at Costco where only 3ft and under can get and you're trying to coax them out in your overly sweet-in-public mommy voice but internally you're cursing.... (still lying to yourself or are ya ready to admit it with me peeps?) I know these moments are going to pass and hopefully I will forget all the bad ones and only remember how they called juice "motorcycle juice" or chick-fila "chick-o-lay". Yes, please help me forget the embarrassment of 1-4pm church with a napless 3yr old. Let me only write down and remember the cuteness. Every single hand blowing kiss & wave, every compliment they've ever given me, or a friend has given me about them. Let me only remember the picked dandelions and the roly poly friends and worms found in pockets as I do laundry. Smash book, you could be a mother's best friend...... the kind of friends that only remember your best days and tend to not mention your less-than-flattering days.
>Here's a few ideas I found:

both images found here:

It's perfect for all the ticket stubbs and sweet notes, random photos, that usually get jumbled and torn in my purse. I found mine at Super Target. The Super-est place on Earth. They might as well just take 50% of our income directly out of our pay checks. Well, maybe split it with Costco..... It was next to the scrapbook stickers! But I believe its at Craft Stores too. Happy Smashing!