Embroidery Hoop Love

This is a really simple project I made using a few craft items I had lying around! 

• Embroidery Hoop
• Scrapbook Paper
• Metallic Paper (I used a sheet of Duck Tape they sell at Micheals)
• Square Letters
• Duck Cloth
• Heart Cutter

I placed Duck Cloth over an embroidery hoop. Then using all the little hearts I had cut out, I  hand sewed them one by one going across the fabric. Then I glued my letters on the cloth. It's a quick project to make when you have a few extra scraps and hoops around. 

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Favorite Children's Books

Now that we have a child in the house we are obsessed with collecting all our favorite childhood books. Both my husband and I love to read and that is something we want to pass along to our children. So I was thinking about the books that stood out to me the most. The ones I would read at home or the ones the teachers at school would read to the class. I picked 5 books and one book of poems that kids of all ages love! 

The Monster at the End of the Book - Sesame Street

How can you not love Grover and his fear of a certain "monster" at the end of the book. At every turn of the page you bring Grover one step closer to the end of the book. This book is wonderful because you feel like Grover is interacting with you, yelling, pleading, begging you to DO NOT TURN THE PAGE! My brother and I would read this book over and over until we had it memorized. Does Grover encounter the Monster at the end of the book? The results will make you smile... and Grover too! 

Harry and the Terrible Whatzit by Dick Gackenbach

"When his mother goes to the cellar and doesn't return right away, Harry shoves aside his fears to search for her and confronts the terrible two-headed Whatzit." I seriously think I checked this book out of the library every time for a year! We bought this recently and when I read it, I still was in love with it! The illustrations are awesome and you'll love the encounter Harry has with the Whatzit! 

Miss Nelson is Missing!  by Harry Allard 

"The kids in Room 207 take advantage of their teacher's good nature until she disappears and they are faced with a substitute." When Miss Nelson has enough of her class, her "substitute" steps in and makes the kids' life miserable! When I first heard the story I too, along with the kids kept wondering... where did Miss Nelson go? 

Caps for Sale by Esphyr Slobodkina*

"Caps for Sale is a timeless classic, in print for over fifty years, and beloved by generations of readers. This easy-to-read story about a peddler and a band of mischievous monkeys is filled with warmth, humor, and simplicity."
Who doesn't love a story about a cap peddler trying to get his caps back from a bunch of monkeys?! Rumor has though that more recent printings of this book have slight alterations. If you can, buy one of the first editions. 

Miss Piggle-Wiggle series by Betty MacDonald


"Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle lives in an upside-down house and smells like cookies. She was even married to a pirate once. Most of all, she knows everything about children. She can cure them of any ailment. Patsy hates baths. Hubert never puts anything away. Allen eats v-e-r-y slowly. Mrs Piggle-Wiggle has a treatment for all of them." 
I fell in love with Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle in the first grade when my teacher used to read her stories right before lunch. Mrs. Piggle Wiggle always finds ways to help children without them even realizing they are being helped. 

Where the Sidewalk Ends by Shel Silverstein
Who could forget, Sarah Cynthia Sylvia Stout who would not take the garbage out??? That poem along with so many others were my favorites growing up. Little witty poems about unforgettable characters and funny rhymes! And along with this book there is also A Light in the Attic which is equally amusing! 

Knit Cloche Hat

I was going through some old blog posts and I discovered this hat that I had posted about three years ago! I'm pretty sure this is one of the last things I have knitted, besides a few scarves here and there. 
Knitting  is so therapeutic and calming, and it makes me wonder why I ever stopped? I'm thinking about having a weekly blog segment about knitting along with tutorials and tips. But along with all the other projects I would like to work on (and chasing a baby around!), I don't know how much time I will devote to this. Something I would definitely like to try though... 

This Knit Cloche Hat Pattern I found at Zakka Life and it's by far one of my favorites to use! 

Knit Cloche Pattern

Easy to make Flower Embellishment I added.

Me... three years ago! :)

Gratitude Journal

Source

Now that it is a new year, I think that also means time for new attitudes or should I say new Gratitudes. I don't think of myself as an ungrateful person, but I do think I am not as grateful as I should be. That is why I think starting a Gratitude Journal would be perfect for me. 

I got this idea from Cassie over at her blog Primitive and Proper. She made some super cute gratitude journals that were very inspiring. 

I looked around my house for things I already I had on hand to make a journal.

 I had a journal I had never used, but I didn't like the cover. So I took the cover off and turned it around! 

For Christmas I got some coveted Cath Kidston Washi Tape. And I also had some peel and stick glitter letters laying around. 

I placed strips of washi tape over the journal until it completely covered the journal. Then I added the stickers. 

Very simple, yet something that will have an impact in my life everyday. 

There is always something to be grateful for in life! 

Rejoice Always, Pray Continually,
Give Thanks in All Circumstances.  1 Thessalonians 5: 16-18

Supplies used:

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Valentine's Banner *

*this is a re-post to get us in the Lovey Dovey spirit*

I said I would get crafty, so I got crafty! My original plan was to make a banner that said, Happy Valentine's Day, but that got a little long, Sooo... I shortened it to LOVE. And truthfully that is all I need. It was really quite simple. I learned how to make the Rosettes from this tutorial here.

What you will need:

Scrap booking paper sheets

Felt sheets (i used hot pink with glitter on it)

tissue paper

pipe cleaner

glitter letter stickers (i used Martha Stewart's from Michael's)

paper punch

ribbon

Make the rosettes from the tutorial using scrap booking paper of your choice.

• Take strips of tissue and glue them together to create a paper tassel.
• Cut out a circle of Felt and then glue pipe cleaner around felt circle.
• Cut out a smaller circle of scrap paper and stick glitter letter to smaller paper circle.
• Glue smaller paper circle to felt circle.
• Put hot glue all over the back of the felt circle, attach tissue paper tassel and quickly stick on the front of your rosette.
• Punch two small holes on the top of each rosette and string ribbon through all the rosettes.

Simple and easy!

Remember: Mind the Glue Gun!

Love Banner at my Wedding! 

Happy New Year!

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Happy New Year!! 

Chocolate Peanut Butter Sandwiches

Recently we were invited to dinner and I offered to bring a dessert. Well of course I headed over to my Pinterest "Treats" board for some yummy-licious goodies!

I found this amazing recipe from the Picky Palate's Blog for Chocolate Peanut Butter Sandwiches. She got the idea from something similar they serve at Disneyland. 

These sandwiches are SO easy to make!! And you only need 3 ingredients. You read that right, THREE! ingredients! Huzzah! 

Okay Ready?

1. 3 Cups Chocolate for melting (like chocolate chips, I used Hershey's Chocolate Chips)
2. 12 Graham Crackers Squares
3. 2 Cups of Peanut Butter

If you want to thin out the chocolate you can add some shortening or vegetable oil. I used a dash of vegetable oil so the chocolate would be extra smooth & silky. Also have a small cookie sheet ready that is lined with wax or parchment paper. This is essential because this recipe, although DELICIOUS, it is a bit sticky and melty. And you will need to keep these cool, either in the fridge or freezer.

Step one: 

Melt your chocolate according to package directions... low heat is the key! No burnt chocolate. UGH.

Once your chocolate is melted, take your 12 Graham Cracker squares and dip them one at a time into the chocolate. Place them on your wax paper lined cookie sheet and then put them in the freeze to quickly harden them up. 

Step 2.  Once your chocolate is set, remove the pan from the freezer and spread the Peanut Butter on each cracker. The amount you spread on there depends solely on how peanut buttery you want these to be! Once that step is done, pop them back in the freezer for about 10 minutes until PB is firm. While the PB is firming up, turn the heat off of your chocolate and let your chocolate thicken. (But not harden! big difference!)

Step 3. Messy Messy Messy. With a spoon poor and smooth the chocolate over the PB crackers. Coat the top and each side until covered. Once they are all covered, put them back in the freezer so the chocolate can get firm. It doesn't really matter if your chocolate squares are perfect right now, because you can break them into squares once they harden.

Step 4. When your chocolate is firm, take the last of the chocolate and drizzle over the top with a spoon. It doesn't need to be fancy, just have fun. Because these sandwiches are gooey, keep them in the fridge or freezer until you are ready to eat them. They are oh so good!!! 

Chocolate Peanut Buttery Goodness!! 

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