Sorry For The Hiatus...

I know that it's been a while since my last post, but things have been busy with school and even more so now that I have a work study position there.  Anywho, some of the things that I have been up to in my infrequent spare time mostly involve figuring out things to keep my almost two year old occupied.  I came up with a few ideas:

1. Homemade Finger Paint

1/3 cup corn starch

2 tbsp. sugar

2 cups water

1/4 cup dish soap

food coloring

In a sauce pan mix together corn starch and sugar.  Slowly mix in water.  On medium heat cook until mixture turns into an opaque gel.  Remove from heat and let cool completely.  Once cool, add in dish soap.  Distribute into cups or containers and add desired colors.  The soap helps prevent it from staining things (hands, body, carpet and furniture).

Crayon Meltdown

Because I have a toddler and she loves to color I used to have a nice box of 120 crayons.  After a month or two of her having free reign of the box, I was left with 80 million fragments of what used to be.  Instead of being wasteful and throwing them away, I decided to melt them down and make new ones.  Ones that she couldn't simply step on and break and easier for her to hold.

Take a muffin tin and line it with aluminum baking cups.  Take off all wrappings and snap them into tiny pieces.  Fill the cups 3/4 of the way full.  Bake at 200 until crayons have completely dissolved, somewhere between 10-20 min.  Let cool for a few hours or overnight.  Remove from the muffin tin and tear away the aluminum.  You have just made reconstituted toddler friendly crayons.

Super Neat DIY

Microwave Cart into a Play Kitchen

"Blanket" Stitch Afghan

This is a super easy pattern for crocheting an afghan.  It takes all of three stitches.  1 single crochet and 2 double crochet.

For this type of afghan, a J/10 hook should be used

Here's the one I'm currently working on in Turquoise and Lavender

Dawn's Completed Crochet Frog

"Frankie" Frog

Dawn's Frog

I've never crochted anything "complex" so I've decided to make a frog for my cousin...

Today has been an exciting, yet rough day.  We decided to start potty training Hadley as well as moving her to a toddler bed.  So far, she's used the potty twice today and the toddler bed has been better than I anticipated.  I know that the next few days are going to be rough ones, but I remain optimistic.

After we first set it up

Coin Purse & Make-up/Pencil Bag for Sarah

Coin Purse Lining

View of Coin Purse & Lining

Make-up/Pencil Case #1

Make-up/Pencil Case #2

Purse for Nikki

The hardware and lining came from this purse

Deconstructed the old one to get the measurements for the new pieces

Halfway through assembling the new pieces

New hardware has been put on

Inside View

Finished Product

Camo Pencil Case/ Make-up Bag

View of Zipper

Inside View

I've been a stay-at-home mom since the middle of December.  Aside from the earning money part, it's been the best time of my life.  I've been able to spend every day with my incredible daughter, Hadley.  While at times, a break would be nice, knowing that I start back to the working world in June is bittersweet.  My husband is going on summer vacation on May 4th, a month exactly after, I start my new job.  It would be so great if small people were allowed at work with you...

Purse Tutorial

I just remembered that I forgot to share the tutorial that I used for the purse that I made. 

2 Hour or Less Purse

Enjoy!!

Craft Ideas

Being that I like to post crafty things as I come across them, here are some from the past few days:

1. "Hard Boiled" Jello Eggs

2. Bunny Sachets

3. Reindeer Inspired Treats For Kids

4. Knit Frog

Most, if not all of these, I will be attempting in the very near future...

Project Purse

Cut Out of Outside

Inside With Pocket

Outside Sewn Together

Lining Attached With Button Loop

Inside View #1

Completed Purse

Close Up of Button and Button Loop

Inside Completed View

Today, we said goodbye to a music legend.  Levon Helm, Drummer/Singer for the group "The Band" left our world today and the cancer that he had been fighting since the 90's.

"Just Another Whistle Stop"

[Intro:]
To all concerned dead or alive
The locomotive will arrive
Bringin' souls from all around,
They'll be bound for higher ground.
Look out, stranger, it's comin' through
With plenty of room for me and you.
And it's just another whistle stop
If you don't quit till we reach the top
I'd be much obliged to you

Odd man out,
You know that's the rule.
You can scream and you can shout,
But they'll only call you a crazy fool.
Pay no mind to what they say
When they're 'bitter they talk that way

I seen a young boy on the run
And I seen other children havin' fun.
A police siren flashing light,
I wonder who went down tonight.
People, people, where do you go
before you believe in what you know ?
It's just another whistle stop,
If you don't quit till we reach the top
I'd be much obliged to you.

When the trolley is clean out of reach,
A certain lesson it will teach.
To grind your ax until it's dull,
You've got to get it in your skull.
Tell the people all across the sea
Don't turn your back because it's free.
It's just another whistle stop,
If you don't quit till we reach the top
I'd, I'd be much obliged to you.

And it's odd man out,
You know that's the rule.
You can scream and you can shout,
But they'll only call you a crazy fool.
Pay no mind to what you read,
There's one way home that's guaranteed.

Came across this posting on Craigslist. Really made me stop and think...

adorable woman in my house - m4w (valley)

---

Date: 2012-04-03, 11:15AM EDT
Reply to: ngfhj-2937797647@pers.craigslist.org

---

You're that adorable lady that lives in my house. I'm the guy you live with. We've been together for a few years and lately we've been missing a connection.

I don't know what happened. Our feelings have changed for each other and I think both of us want out. I used to wonder if we could get back to where we were but lately I just see that as a huge step back. We're not right for each other. We're good people, just not good together. Our lives are going to be old and stale before one of us has the courage to take that first step away from the other.

I feel trapped. I think you do too. What's worse is that we're used to feeling this way... people will tolerate the unimagineable when they're used to it. You're wonderful. I don't tell you that enough. In fact, there's a lot we don't tell the each other. I've become so calloused and resentful and yet I still remember how much I love and respect you. I don't know why I'm so afraid to let go, but sooner or later we're both going to forget the love and respect and all we'll remember is the pain and the anger.

I know what to do, but I'm afraid to do it... and I'm even more afraid that you'll do it. I don't know how to let you go but I know I have to before I waste all that brilliant light and life you're so full of. I'm sorry it got this far. I'm sorry for all the things I wasn't and all the things I am. I'm sorry I held on when I should have let go.

I'll see you tonight, I always do. What's it going to take for me to stop coming home?

• Location: valley
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PostingID: 2937797647

It's really rather hard to believe that Hadley is 18 months old today.  You really don't realize just how quickly time passes until you become a parent.  Happy Half Birthday, My Dearest!

The experiment to make my own laundry detergent worked out rather well.  I may need to adjust it to add in some oxyclean, otherwise, it did get the desired effect for half the cost of store bought detergent.

Everything you need to make your detergent

Fels Naptha when grated up has a resemblance of cheddar cheese

This is what the end result should look like