Leave of absents { just for a little bit}

Eight weeks since I have posted last.

Eight weeks { all } spent in bed!

Eight weeks of doctor appointments.

Eight weeks and just now leaving the house again.

Eight weeks of { no } crafting, scrap booking, sewing, or even bow making.

But 13 weeks along!

It's been a bumpy road, but it always worth it!

Excepting the end of May 2012.

{ Summer Series }

For my summer series today I am going to feature the month of

{May}

This month was a lot of fun!

Looking back I can't believe I did all of this.

We started off the month with a little trip to see Hoover Dam.

I know not the funnest places.

But we had watched a PBS special on Hoover Dam that really sparked our interest!

We were disappointed on the information available there. The PBS special had so much more.

We were grateful on the other hand for watching it and then going to see it.

Like this statue it represents all the men who had died making the great dam.

When it was first made the whole thing was shine like his feet. As time and the elements have passed by it has worn the statue to this grayish green stone color.

But the feet remain shinny from all the visitors who pass by touching his feet almost symbolic like thanking them who have given up their life.

We had several celebrations this month

I had helped a friend paint her master bed room

which oddly enough I never snapped a photo of.

But I'm sure I'll get a chance to since we have done all of these projects at her home.

This stencil is my favorite!

This resided on one side of the kitchen just next to there table.

We had completed one of her little girls rooms last year

Complete with clouds on the ceiling.

I had a request for an American Doll hat.

This little girl was so cute.

She was picking out her yarn and flower colors so carefully taking into consideration the seasons, outfits, and what she likes.

I made a hat for the doll and through in an extra hair accessory for her as well

since that is what the American Doll is all about, right?!

We had several different family members come over for different weekends.

The nephews love the slip'n slide and some cookies.

While the nieces enjoyed butterflies and sleepovers.

We took a family trip to the mountains to cool off.

It was a little to cold with snow still on the ground!

May all rolled up into one

{ Summer Series }

Okay if you have followed me for longer then a year now

You have come to realize during the summer

I drop off the face of the Earth!

Yes, this is true!

Once April hits it gets very busy around here!

Easter dresses, babies, weddings, kids are home for the summer

(not that the summer starts in April,

but by the time I have a minuet their out for summer holiday already)

vacations, family, holidays, birthdays...the list could go on forever!

So to keep you in the know I'm going to start a

{ Summer Series }

I'll post what went on during those summer months.

I like to picture you coming over for dinner and each of us sharing our summer stories.

This is what I do with my personal friends so why not you too!

{ Sorry }

Now that every one has figured I have dropped off the face of the planet.

{Sorry!}

I had major issues with our internet.

Now that is taken care of,

{ Phew }

I am ready to share again!

I am so excited for the fall/winter

and to share what I have done over the summer.

Please stop by some time, bring your friends.

I might just surprise you *wink* :)

Home Bound

School is in session and the little ones are sleeping!

I am finally able to get a schedule in place again.

{ phew!}

Boy, have we been busy this summer.

Honestly I am so sick of traveling that

I have cut all commitments off for the next two months!

This girl is {home bound!}

We have been doing and going so much

that I'm a little scared and over whelmed

when I think about all the photos that I have accumulated this summer.

Let alone organize, edit, file, and scrapbook them all.

But this one is my {fav} of what I have made this summer...

Chocolate frosting and all, yum!

It smelt so {heavenly!}

Consistent

I'm some of you were thinking

"Oh but you were doing to good keeping your goal of consistent writing"

I agree

I was doing good!

Then I got super sick!

I was in bed for three day's straight!

Man, I HATE being sick!

(and most of my friends have noticed when I get sick, I REALLY get sick)

But I'm feeling better now

Just slowly getting my strength back.

{ Chines Take Out }

Last Thursday I helped plan an activity for all the women in my church.

It was focused on { Relationship }

We had a counselor come speak

followed by speed friend-ing.

(similar concept of speed dating but

with the idea to make new friends instead)

After we made { Date Night To Go }

to take home to our husbands, families,

whom ever we might want to share a "date"

{aka: activity} with.

This little Chinese to go box is filled with fortune cookies.

Each fortune cookie is filled with an inexpensive date.

{ all of them $20. and under and most of them were free }

I can't wait to do some of them with my hubby and family.

I thought it was so clever!

We finished the activity with

{2 chocolate fondue fountains }

(white and milk chocolate)

strawberries, cake, cookies, bananas, pretzels...

It was so much fun and the activity was a huge success!

And this is my First Tutorial!

For the tutorial please look under my {Tutorials} section up above.

Try it out and let me know what you think.

Where's the Advertisement

The craft fair Saturday was a good experience

to build upon.

I will admit it was the smallest event possible!

It was a fund raiser for a high school marching band.

Located on the last street in town,

just in front of the rail road tracks,

out in the middle of nowhere!

There was

No signage

No fliers

No band members?

(what?)

I mean where was every one?

Luckily their was a lot of other vendors

who stopped by and did a little bit of shopping.

Which in turn made it worth my while. :)

I got to expose my name more and meet new people

all while chatting with my friends.

Over all good experience!

I had two of my friends split a booth with me.

One makes these beautiful quilts

and the other make little flower bows.

Here is a small peak at my section of the booth.

Honestly, I forgot to take a picture before we started take down.

This was what was left by the time I remembered.

What I should do is take a picture after set up.

Then you could see all of it.

I'll save that for next time.

First Ever Craft Fair

The last two days have been crazy around here!

But at the moment I am preparing for my

First Ever Craft Fair

for tomorrow!

Okay so it's not going to be a huge one.

An to be honest I'm actually quite nervous because

I am running so low on my inventory.

I have done lots of home parties before

which { I love } to do!

Here is how it went down,

My friend had invited me to share a booth with her.

She had some other girls sharing too.

Naturally I thought oh my stash is good enough to share with two other people.

Don't want to crowd them out.

But they all bailed on her.

What's a girl to do?!

So just a quick post to day and I'm off

to tie some more bows to fill up more space.

{and hopefully make more sells*wink :) }

Wish me luck!

{ All Before 9:30 a.m. }

I started my day at

5:30 a.m.

{ and no I am not a morning person, just ask my husband }

6:00

I exercised with my hubby

7:00

My Little { No.2 } woke up

{ and a bit fussy too, all stuffy, cold, and grouchy }

7:15

Off to Wally World to pick up some underwear for Little { No.2 }

{ yes we are potty training today }

8:00

Started work

{ I am a stay at home mom but that doesn't mean I don't work,

I actually have several jobs at home }

today I am baby-sitting a 4month old and a 3 year old

8:15

Got the run down on the kiddies who I will be watching today

8:20

Introducing the new panties to Little { No.2 }

8:30

Melt down from Miss { No.1 }

{because she doesn't have Rupunzle panties too }

8:40

Laundry, breakfast, and 4month old fussing

{ After I got breakfast all ready nobody wanted it :(

8:50

Potty time

{ no luck }

9:00

Put 4 month old down for nap.

9:05

Clean the toilets, really good!

9:10

First accident

{ poop in the panties, I hate that! }

9:12

After my Little { No.2 } is all clean.

I turn my back to put her panties in the laundry and

I find her splashing in the toilet!

9:13

Give her a bath in the sink

9:15

I left the water running so she could play in it

{ she loves that }

And oopsie elbow to the faucet and hot water running

screaming Little { No.2 }

9:17

Little sunggle to make it all better

9:18

fighting between Miss { No.1 } and 3 year old

Time out for 3 year old

9:19

Finish getting Miss { No.1 } dressed and ready for the day

Little { No.2 } all dry, clean, dressed, and happy again

9:20

Resuming disinfecting the toilet

9:21

Get 3 year old out of time out

Talk about it and hugs all a round.

9:22

Go back to finish the toilet and I find

Little { No.2 } drinking the water from the toilet

with a little itty bitty spray bottle cap.

{ She was having a delightful time, until I freaked out in disgust. }

To my benefit I had already cloroxed the bowl.

9:23

Cleaning up, again.

Wash the hands, wash the face, soap up all over.

9:25

Finish up to the toilet

and call it quits!

***sigh***

Do you ever had days like this?

My New Goals

Yes, posting

has been put on the bottom

of my priority list the last month.

But good news!

I have done a lot of thinking about

what I would like my shop and this blog

to be about.

No more sticking to strict bow only content!

Yes, I will keep my family anonymous.

(I'm paranoid like that)

Yes, I will post about all of my projects.

&

Yes, I will be realistic with myself.

My new goal

To show you me

To try and post regularly

(this may mean once a week, the key here is consistency)

&

To be informative

(I LOVE blogs that have great crafts and tutorials,

so why not love my own blog)

With that said I have a load of content I have been dyeing to share.

Plus my first tutorial on it's way.

So make sure you check back weekly

Because that's my new goal, we will achieve this together!

{ Three } Spring Collections

Okay they are finally here!

Here a just a peak

at { three } of my spring collections.

(They should be available in the shop in tomorrow.)

Tulip Collection

I don't think theses photos do the colors justice.

It's the perfect pink and green!

I have been searching for these two colors for quite awhile,

and I feel like I have finally found the

perfect { little girl } pink and green.

Sweet Little Lamb Collection

I really like how the this print can be worn longer then Easter.

The hot pink adds a nice touch

that can be carried into summers wardrobe.

Egg Hunt Collection

This is my personal { FAVORITE } collection!

I absolutely love all the colors.

Maybe it's the little girl in me

that keeps me from growing out of the

all things pink and frilly stage

But this little cutie below is my hands down Favorite Easter Bow!

All little girlie's close to me will be sporting this one all month!

I mean who doesn't { Love Chocolate & Bunnies }

polka dots and pink stripes right?!

Thread

So my friends cousin is have this great give away

I sooo want to win!

It's here.

And what I would do with all of that thread?

{ make petti-skirts for you all! }

You know you could enter and

if you win give them to me so we both can have petti-skirts.

It's not the fabric that kills me on making those darling skirts

It's all that thread I have to buy.

On the cheap end of the scale it's $10.00 a spool!

Times that by four for my surger

man it's a killer

So lets all cross our fingers for me!

And I promise pictures are coming tomorrow!

Time Flies

A whole week without a post?!

Well all that means is...

I have been very busy making

{ new bows }

I have several Easter themed bows

and a few spring bows.

I'm excited to share them with you all.

All I need to do is take a few photos.

With the right props and staging

they will be ready to post.

Shipments

I have been planning and ordering

{ ribbon }

for the previous two weeks

for April's bows.

An

I just got two shipments in

{ today! }

I am so excited!

They are even cuter in person

then online!

Chocolate Bunnies and Little Orange Carrots

soon to come!

20 Members so Far :)

I am so EXCITED we have

{ 20 members }

in our quilt blocks for charity group!

Hooray!

I am going to explain a little more of how this is going to work.

People all over, make a quilt block

and then send it to myself or Nichol (my friend. )

We are asking people to make just one.

They are welcome to make more if they like.

{ Lets face it most of us (who quilt)

usually have one block that we made and it never looked right

or we didn't need it in our quilt.

And most of them are just laying around in our stash taking up space.

You now found a great home for that one block! }

So they will send us their one block, unused fabric, or batting.

Whatever they wish to donate.

Once we have enough supplies

Nichol and I have a local group of ladies already set up.

who then together will assemble them, sew, tie, bind, whatever we need them to do.

Once that is finished we will then package them up

and send it to the

Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints Humanitarian Aide Services.

Who will then add their stuff to it and ship it over to help those who need it.

{ Doesn't this just give you warm fuzzies all over?!

I know I feel good being apart of this! }

Quilt Blocks for Charity

The Disasters around the world affect us all.

Tugging at our hearts strings!

Watching the terrible tragedies happen so far away.

Making us all wonder "how can I make a difference"?

I just came from a conference where we watched a video.

We heard the stories of a young sisters life

who had been impacted 10 years ago from a similar disaster.

She talked about how grateful she was to receive humanitarian aide

full of all the basic necessities that she no longer had.

{ soap, tooth paste, tooth brush, }

We were told that the great need right now is

{ twin size quilts }

for Japan.

My friend and I belong to this GREAT organization.

We have decided to reach out to those of you who would like to help but don't know how.

We have started this group called "Quilt Blocks for Charity"

This group is where we will make quilts and blocks for charity.

All quilt blocks, quilts, batting, fabric and time will be donated.

This is a great place to start spreading the warmth around the world.

We have started a flickr group for everyone to be contact with each other.

For guidelines, what other items are needed, and where they go

click HERE to learn about it.

So lets get started and spread the word!

( the bold italics are all of the links)

{ Your Golden Ticket }

In honor of my {Product Review } at

Your Golden Ticket

I am doing not one but { 5 }

Give Aways

You have to play by her rules.

Also, I am giving you all a coupon code for

{ 20% off }

all items in my shop

just type in

GOLDENTICKET32111

at check out.

Have fun and good luck!

Give Away Number { 1 }

Give away closed Thanks

{ Clear Blue Skies Collection }

Clear blue skies, soft warm breezes

the relaxation that comes from a lazy day

watching the clouds go by.

You will be reminded of those care free days

every time your little girl wears these bows.

How cute your little girls will look

all with coordinating hair bows.

One lucky winner will receive

One boutique bow

&

One little basic bow

All clips have alligator teeth to grip your little ones hair

without velco, bobby pins, or elastics.

A Retail Value of $ 6.00

All at no cost for you!

Head over to

{ Your Golden Ticket }

to enter.

Good Luck!