"Love at Home" Wall Art DIY

You would think I'm having a baby in two weeks with all my craftiness lately.  I have definitely caught the decorating bug.  I had seen all the pins on Pinterest for printing enlargements at Staples as an "engineer print" for under five dollars and thought to do lyrics to a favorite hymn instead.  Every Sunday I am always inspired by a hymn's lyrics and always declare it my favorite hymn!  Well at least for that week anyway;)  I chose Love at Home and printed it off from lds.org under the music section.  I am so happy with how it turned out...

I used a wood board that was sitting in my garage and told the guy at Staples its measurements.  The gentleman at Staples did the math for me so it would fit.  I used modge podge to attach it and that was it!  When I first started with the modge podge I thought something went terribly wrong with all the folds and creases but once it dried flat it looked awesome.  I ran out of modge podge and used elmers glue mixed with equal parts water instead (which is much cheaper).  Daryl drilled a small hole in the wood on the backside to hang on the wall with.  Don't you just love it when a project turns out as planned!

Fall Getaway

My friend Lauren invited me to come with her to North Bend for a quick trip.  We both wanted to see the fall leaves on the drive to Seattle which we saw along with a lot of snow!  We spent the night at the church camp site at Ensign Ranch.  We were both worried how our two little ones would sleep but they slept through the night with no problems!  Big bonus.

The first day we stopped at my favorite bakery in Yakima for lunch, did two hikes, and ate out for dinner that night.  

The next morning we woke up to snow so we shopped at the outlet mall in North Bend and ate lunch.  The girls were pretty tired so we headed back that afternoon.  I loved every minute of our trip which included girl talk for a full 24 hours!  It was a nice getaway.

Fall + Trees = HAPPY MAMA

Me and Jane

Lauren and I

Deer!  They were eating the grass in front of our cabin

Both our girls are named Jane.  Which is fun because Evelyn also has a really good friend named Evelyn too.

This picture doesn't do justice but it was beautiful!

They wanted to stop at every quarter ride which felt like every five feet.  We let them get on each one without putting in a quarter and they thought it was awesome!  Every time I pulled out the camera my Jane would not look though.

The drive home-- I loved the snow capped trees

And they're out!  True Story.  We were parked outside the outlet mall and Lauren was getting out the strollers but had to take a couple hiking backpacks out first when the lady parked next to us rolled down her window and asked what kind of car we were driving.  Lauren told her what kind of car it was followed by the lady saying "wow, that thing has crazy trunk space."  When I got out of the car to help my friend I couldn't stop laughing!  I couldn't believe how much stuff she had pulled out!  It was like a magic trunk that had fit everything.  I think I would of asked what kind of car it was too after seeing someone pull out a boat load of baby carriers and strollers.  Lauren assured the lady it was just her mad packing skills:)

Grandpa Jones

It always seems like a good idea to wave at everyone so they look at the camera except that my kids always wave back!

My Dad was able to stop and visit with us for a day after his business trip in Seattle.  While he was here he replaced a toilet and the front door lock.  Thank goodness for Dads!  We ate lunch and went to the park.  It was a chilly fall day, but he got to see and play with ALL his grandchildren!

giving Bella loves

playing trains--Jane's favorite activity

Goodbye Grandpa!  We love you!

Disney on Ice

Disney on Ice was wonderful!  Not only did my girls LOVE it but I was even entranced with all the costumes, dazzling lights, and all the Disney magic.  This was called the "Dare to Dream" tour and began with Mickey and Minnie introducing the stories of Princess and the Frog, then Cinderella, and ended with Tangled.  There were specifically neat and different things about each act that I don't know if I could have picked a favorite.  I did love the scene of Cinderella dancing with her prince to the song "so this is love."  The skating and song was beautifully placed together and you could feel the love in that love story.  The best part of the event was listening to cousins and friends giggle and sing/clap along to their favorite songs.  I always have good intentions of taking a group picture of the group all together but with everything going on it seems to be a little too much.  We enjoyed the show with Grandma Harvey and Grandma Kelly.  Aunt Jessica, Georgia, and Bella.  Aunt Melissa, Eliza, and Miriam.  My friend Melinda and her daughter Alyssa.  Great night.  I realized I don't have any pictures of Jane at the show but she was completely entranced clapping and pointing to everything.  I think she liked the horse Maximus the most.

PRINCESS AND THE FROG

CINDERELLA

TANGLED

Boxwood Wreath DIY

I have been envying boxwood wreaths for a while now and finally decided to make one that I could pull out for Christmas and spring.  I wanted three small wreaths to go along my staircase and did all three for under $20!  The cheapest preserved boxwood wreath I could find on amazon was $20 for one.

Here is what I came up with...

All items I purchased from Hobby Lobby:

three small twig wreaths:  $1.50 each (after 50% off this week--all floral sale)

two boxwood branches in greenery aisle:  $6 each (after 50% off this week--all floral sale)

red ribbon:  $2 (used my 50% off coupon for one item)

Items already on hand:

zip ties--I used two-three white zip ties for each wreath

hot glue gun

sharp scissors or something that cuts floral wire

Step 1:  First cut a long strip of greenery and wrap around wreath then secure with zip tie.  Repeat for the other side and secure with zip tie.  You will need to use every branch of your boxwood greenery so make sure to equal it out.  

Step 2:  Use your hot glue gun to make your zip tied leaves to lay down the way you want.  I try to glue leaves over the zip ties. 

Step 3:  Take small pieces of greenery and fill in the gaps.  Hot glue one leaf at end of small branch to stay put.  This is the longest step.

Same steps apply if you want to make one big boxwood wreath.  Just use a bigger twig wreath and more zip ties.

After making these I wasn't ready to store them in the closet for Christmas so I changed up the ribbon...

I put the third wreath outside on a shepherds hook...I think I might end up moving it elsewhere...

and now I have some boxwood wreaths!

Chalkboard Lettering DIY

I was so excited when I found a tutorial on how to tansfer printed letters onto a chalkboard.  After attempting the tutorial and being successful I can't wait to keep trying other quotes or images now.  I was trying to use materials on hand and only had thick sidewalk chalk which made my letters look not as defined but there are chalk pen/markers that I am wanting to buy now for future chalk projects.

my finished project

Here is the blog with the tutorial that I used:
http://mysweetsavannah.blogspot.com/2012/10/chalkboard-wall-lettering-diy.html

I skipped the step of going to kinkos to blow up the image like in the tutorial.  Instead I opened my image in photoshop and enlarged it to fit on four standard pieces of computer paper, printed them on four pieces of paper, then puzzled them together with tape to trace.  The possibilities are endless on what you can trace!  I can't wait to keep switching it up!

Fast Fall Fun

jumping off the straw bails

Evelyn has more cousins here now!  Kai and Jessica are back for PA rotations until they graduate in the spring.  Evelyn asks me everyday how many days until she sees her cousin Georgia again.  Her weeks seem to now run on the next upcoming Georgia day.;)  Below are pictures in no particular order of our days this fall through pictures.

"Swing Sandwich"

combing little sisters hair

fall leaves

Dad had to try on the fire suit proceeded by Evelyn asking the firefighter 10 very serious questions about fires.

meet Jane's friend Jane both equipped with curls!

a concert put on by these lovely ladies...mostly Justin Bieber songs

 Evelyn and Georgia

 Evelyn and Jane riding the roller coaster

Frog hopper--the girls loved it!  and Daryl.

Grandma with her two oldest grandbabies!

love this picture!  On the hunt for the perfect pumpkin.

weighing the pumpkins

wagon ride compliments of Uncle Kai

"I'm five and I dress myself"

My baby holding a baby  (Baby Cora)

very rare moment of Jane fallen asleep on Daryl's lap.  She only falls asleep in her bed.

cousins!  Jane, Evelyn, and Georgia