whatever

make and takes

i met Marie, the author of Make and Takes for Kids when i was SNAP.

how cool that she turned her blog into a book?!!

today i get to give one away to one of YOU!

you know that i looooove making crafts with my kids.
love it!
love letting them get messy.
love making crafts right alongside them.
love it all.

Make and Takes for Kids offers 50 projects to make with kids centered around holidays or seasons.
 

The ideas are unique and simple to produce and thoughtfully constructed and designed. 

Each craft requires little prep, few supplies and almost everything can be readily found at home or the craft store.

Crafting isn’t just playtime; there’s a purpose to all the gluing, cutting, and coloring!
 

If you’re a parent, teacher, or caregiver looking to enhance the time you spend with young children, Make and Takes for Kids makes it easy to have fun crafting with kids.

doesn't it look like a fun book?!!

it would make a great mother's day gift for some mamas in your life!

you can find it on amazon, walmart, barnes and noble and wiley.com

tell me your favorite craft supply in the comments to be entered to win Marie's book!

mine is paint.
watercolor paint.
but i bet you already knew that....

 

 

piano and blue lilies.

my girls had their piano recital last night.



we curled hair...painted toenails....and had annie's favorite dinner....noodles with red sauce.  :)

we drove the 10 minutes to the church and i thought "wow they are quiet"
as we turned into town annie said quietly "i am really nervous"  and talby said "I know! me too!"
oh....duh.
that's why they were quiet.
i reminded them that the other parents were there to watch their child and they were only really playing for me and dad and Nana.  and we certainly didn't care if they messed up on their songs.  we recalled the Arthur episode where he thought he'd messed up his entire song and no one else even noticed.  

they played a duet first of Yankee Doodle.

then annie was next to play solo.  
she couldn't find her page and she seemed about one second from a break down but her teacher hopped up to
help her out.  
you may remember annie's first recital experience.    
As long as there were no tears i was going to feel it was a success.



they each played their own songs.  
they did great!
i know they were SO nervous but they did a really good job.



i know they are glad it's over and they get a month off from practicing now.
Marissa was a wonderful teacher this year!
My girls never complained about piano once....that tells me a lot.

then off to Mcdonalds for recital Mcflurries.  :)

craig took the girls home to get them to bed and i came to the craft house waiting for some friends.
i sewed curtains while i waited.
and at 10:45 they finally rolled into town knocking on my door.

the blue lilies were coming through kansas and i begged them to stay overnight with me.
it was much to short.
but at least i sent them on their way with some Drubers donuts in their tummies.
i could have used at least another day to just talk and hang out.
at least.
it's just too short!

are you on their photo schedule?  
you should be?!!

wendy + tyler and their absolutely wonderful kiddos travel the entire world taking family photos.
SERIOUSLY.
and they will most likely come somewhere near you.
i mean come on....i am in NoWhere Kansas and they've been here!!!
:)

they were on their way to a GoPro workshop they are hosting in Washington DC!
i think they may have a spot left if you can make it there!
you should do it.
i have been and i thought it was THE BEST.  
i learned so much and it was a total blast!
i went to GoPro in San Diego and a reunion GoPro in Utah.  and pics here. and pics here too.
 
AND they took our pictures in chicago and here in kansas! 

how is that for a lot of links?!!!

thank you blue lilies for coming and buying my donut!  :) 

 

my hair appointment got rescheduled for today.
i bet i can actually make dinner in the the crock pot.
i am planning on doing yard work this afternoon.
and probably a little more spray painting.  

 

what about you...what are you up to today?

 

SNAP...a small recap.

i took no photos of people.
it's probably a nervous thing....right?
all the pictures in this post are of things i saw this weekend and have nothing to do with my words because that is the only option here!

well... as almost all nerve wracking, fear of the unknown situations are....everything was fine.
like all of YOU knew it would be.
it was me who was doubting. 

 
i really don't like being the new girl.
the one that no one knows....or in this case the one who knows no one else.
i was walking into a weird and new experience for me.
but it was GREAT!
everyone was SUPER nice and kind and friendly.


 (side note:  dont you think this couch could not be more perfect for the craft house????)


i had FUN roommates.
we laughed the entire time.
it was such wonderful girl time for me.
lindsey, jeannett and maggie were even better than i hoped.  

the entire conference was done so well.
we were entertained....spoiled....and taught.
i was so impressed with all of it.
i looooved the Queen Bee Market! 
it was my first time to get to see so many of these handmade products that i love online....in person!







my session was with jeannett and ethan and moderated by amy.
i felt like it was just right.
i spoke from my heart.  
and as always....i cried.
only in the beginning.
it was a relief to be actually speaking the words i had been going over in my head for weeks...months.
to get them OUT and not have to worry about messing up any more.



speaking them out loud brought my passion alive again.
fanned the flame.
getting to share what is deep in my heart felt awesome...like it was stuck inside and then released!

God sent so many women to give me words of encouragement all weekend.
they were all so kind and gushingly sweet.
it was humbling.
they made me feel so good all day long.

i got to meet blogger friends in real life...
mique, kami,  tauwni, jess, andrea, heather, alissa, patty and kim to name a few.

the sponsors were generous!
our swag bags were extreme.
this was about a quarter of the loot...seriously...they rocked it.



so....my thoughts on what i got out of the conference.

1. it was a wonderful break from the everyday of mommyhood.

2. meeting bloggers is awesome.

3. speaking makes me nervous and yet i really LOVE doing it.

4. girlfriends are such good medicine.

5. i was reminded again of what i am in this corner of the internet....and i like it.
    i first realized it first when i was in Atlanta for the coca-cola social media conference surrounded by big
    bloggers filled with business mindsets and big goals and plans for their blogs.
    at the end of the day....i just want to glorify God.
    in my words, in my photos, in my home, in my relationships and definitely on my blog....every day.
    and that is a work in progress.
    it's a journey.
    i still mess up a lot.  
    i still react poorly sometimes often....i am normal.
    but i am here in to serve God with JOY and do my best every day to let His Light shine through me.

i loved SNAP.
it was awesome to be asked to be a part of it!
they know how to throw a party!

hey....how about if YOU were at SNAP and you took your picture with me....send it to me!
i have no photos of you or me.
it will make a great post.  :)
pleeeease.

thanks!

 

a little lisa....

ahhhh...... Lisa Leonard ....i just LOVE her shop!!

she has a beautiful selection of jewelry & gifts making it easy to pick something perfect for the special person in your life....even if that special person is you!!


 
you could shop today for Mother's Day!
the mothers in your life would be so in love anything from Lisa!

today Lisa is letting me giveaway TWO gift certificates!
to be entered you need to sign up for her newletter .....that's it!

it's on the bottom right corner of her shops front page.
it will take you about 8 seconds...maybe 9.

then shop around.
find your favorite items.....then shop for your mom....your sister....your friends.....
:)

then make sure you leave a comment here that you signed up to receive lisa's newsletter.

and i will pick TWO winners later this week!

thanks LISA!!

(and surely you read her blog don't you?  well if you don't yet...YOU SHOULD!!  it's lovely.) 

 

 

let's start this off right.....

with a giveaway.

:)

i met pam garrison at silver bella....way back when....when was that? 2009?
she taught one of the workshops and i introduced myself.
i think that was it.

well i have clicked in on her blog over the years....always checking what she is making because she is a beautiful artist that is always inspiring.

then i noticed a picture going around pinterest.
and it linked over to her blog as a page in her art journal.
i asked her if she sold it in her shop and if she didn't she should because everyone loves it on pinterest
that means they would love to buy it.... me included!

look what just showed up in my mailbox!!

 
she said "thanks for the encouragement! i made them into prints!"

and she sent me an extra to giveaway to ONE OF YOU!

leave a comment to win this print of You Are Loved.

it's so pretty.


 
i love the detail...i love to draw and this is just my style.
i really want to drop everything right now and start drawing!

and what else did she send me???


 
a little sister sledge....  i got all my sisters with me...yeahhhh....get up everybody and SING!
(i used to listen to that over and over...on a tape)

i love the colors in this one.

 
and a big print of Love Lives Here.


 

 

aren't they all so pretty?!
they are printed on heavy paper that looks like she watercolored it just for you.

go see her shop and find one just for you.

and don't forget to leave a comment to win an 11x14 print of "You Are Loved" for YOU.

thank you PAM!

i can't wait to hang them up!

 

couldn't wait to share.....

i love them.

the family and the pictures.

Blue Lily is my favorite.

:)

go check out their schedule for 2012 and GET ON IT!!!  (it's on the right sidebar of their blog)

wendy + tyler you are super amazing.
i hope someday you come back and STAY for awhile.
or at least eat dinner with us!!!

thank you for these memories!!

 

(ps....on my computer the photos look FABULOUS...in typepad...not so much...bleh...whatever)