2014 Pinterest Challenge - Today I Have Loved You

This is a 2-for-1 Pinterest Challenge post! You're welcome.

In case you haven't noticed, I am a little behind on my Pinterest crafts this month...3 weeks to be exact.  I completed 2 crafts today that I am going to share!  

First things first - some background information - The Hubby and I have known each other a loooooonnnnnngggggg time. We were in the same kindergarden class, started dating when we were 15, dated for 7 years before we got married, and have been married for 4 1/2 wonderful crazy sometimes-long make-me-pull-my-hair-out years.  

We almost always do something for Valentine's Day, but this year we went to Florida to visit my parents over the Valentine's holiday. We had a great time, perfect weather, delicious food, and we even managed to miss the 18+ inches that fell in our neighborhood back at home.  The Hubby and I also took a trip to Orlando to go the Wizarding World of Harry Potter (and left Little Lady with my parents - how rude of us!).  With all that being said, Valentine's Day came and went while we were traveling.

Enter - today's crafts:

The supplies:

Sharpies, pencil, scissors, yes - a nail file - I was too lazy to go upstairs and get the ruler,
 cardstock, stencil set

Step 1: Draw lines using nail file and pencil

Step 2: Test out awesome stencils

Step 3: Erase penciled stencil and re-do using desired Sharpie color

Final project: 

A card for The Hubby waiting for him when he got home from work.

I used a Date Duration Calculator to figure out the exact number of days.  

Craft #2:

Same supplies as above

Step 1: Trace Little Lady's hands (you might not be able to tell, but that is what the picture below reveals)

Step 2: Cut out hand prints

Step 3: Glue hands together using another piece of cardstock to reveal...

Little Lady's Valentine's Day card to Daddy!

I am pretty happy with the way they both turned out!

For those of you who have never traced a child's hand (this was me before today), it is very difficult!  As with most Pinterest projects I've chosen, I begin regretting my decision at some point.  Today that moment occurred while I attempted to hold Little Lady down to trace her hand.  Fortunately I have a very patient child and I was able to sing a little song to get her in the hand-tracing mood.  

On another note, I am pretty much in love with stencils now.  I wouldn't say I have worst handwriting, but I definitely don't have the best.  Stencils are the perfect solution and I intend to use them again! - says the village idiot 

Giving Groovebook a Go

I love Shark Tank - the ABC TV show that highlights entrepreneurs seeking an investment from multi-millionaire "sharks".  

I just recently became a fan of the show, but it has quickly become one of my favorites.  I love seeing people's ingenuity and hearing the back and forth talk of business deals.  

I have also become what I fondly call a Shark Tank Consumer - buying several products immediately after they are featured on the show.  Some of these include Scrub Daddy, and PSI Acupressure Bands.

Several months ago a product was featured that I thought was brilliant, so of course I downloaded the app while watching the show, and let it sit on my iPhone unused for a few months.  

This particular product is the Groovebook. 

For a $2.99 subscription each month, I can upload 100 pictures from my iPhone and Groovebook will mail me the pictures in a Groovebook every 30 days.  

I have so many pictures on my phone that never get printed or used for anything other than Facebook or Photo Stream! Now I get 100 pictures mailed to me every month for only $2.99 (that includes the price of the photos and the shipping)!  I plan on putting some in the Little Lady's photo album, and giving many more to family. At any time I can cancel the subscription...which I might be doing in 6 months or so when I have 600 pictures! - says the village idiot 

Potty Training Step by Step

Step 1: Sit on potty

Step 2: Smile for photo op

Step 3: Read book

Step 4: Get stuck in potty and cry

Step 5: Continue to cry and attempt escape until rescue

I think we've got potty training covered wouldn't you say?! - says the village idiot 

The Ultimate Mommy Fail Saga Continues

The Ultimate Mommy Fail saga continues.

After losing Little Lady's lovey at the mall, and ordering a new one right when I got home, I thought I had successfully handled the fail, but no, more surprises are always arriving.

This surprised arrived by mail a couple days later.  

Little Lady's new lovey arrived, except he looked different.  Some might even say he looked angry.  And by "some", I mean me. 

Does anyone else notice that he looks angry??? Please say it isn't just me.  

I tried to look past it.  I tried to picture him as the cuddly, friendly lovey we lost, but I couldn't do it.  I couldn't get past his angry eyes and frowning beak.  Little Lady didn't love him either.  

What's a mama to do now?? 

Well, I sent an email to the company is what I did. I calmly explained that I had ordered this penguin for my daughter, and I may have used the words "very dissatisfied with product" and "poorly made" and maybe even thrown in "looks angry"...I stated that I had always liked this company's products, but that I wouldn't be ordering online anymore.  I also asked if there was anything they could do, such as send me a friendlier penguin free of charge...The Hubby thought I was crazy for asking, and my friends laughed that my email was probably printed and hung on a break room bulletin board but it was worth a shot!

The NEXT DAY I received an email reply apologizing for my disappointment in the order, and a note that they were sending me a hand chosen "friendlier" penguin free of charge! 

3 days later, Little Lady's SECOND, friendlier replacement lovey arrived.  I have coined him the name "The Understudy." She's seems to have taken to The Understudy a little better, and for now, Angry Lovey is hidden in her closet just in case we need him.  

**For anyone wondering - the company we ordered The Understudy from is Aurora, sold through The Animal Kingdom company.  Overall, I would highly recommend their products, and because of this experience, I would highly recommend their customer service as well! - says the village idiot  

2014 Pinterest Challenge - It's Not The Worst Thing I've Ever Seen

I've been avoiding this craft all week, and waiting until the very last minute to complete, frankly because I anticipated it would be my first fail of the 2014 Pinterest Challenge.  But alas, today during Little Lady's nap time, I had to bite the bullet and attempt it - The Burlap Wreath

My supplies:

My thoughts while assembling this picture: "How the heck is that going to turn into a wreath?!?!?!"  But I pressed on.  

Step 1: Weave the burlap through the wire base

Step 1a: After I took this picture, I realized I actually had to measure out how much burlap I needed because I could not shove this entire roll through the wire slats.

Let me also clarify - the tutorial I read while meandering the isles of Michael's said I would need 2 yards of burlap for this project...the smallest batch of burlap I could find was 10 yards.  In the shopping cart it went.  What I'm trying to say here is, you might see more burlap projects in the future...I digress

Step 2: Wind the burlap in and out of all the wire slats, looping each section, and fluffing it out to desired size.  

Step 2a: Halfway through, I came to the conclusion that I did not cut enough burlap.

Step 3: Cut more burlap. Repeat step 2. 

Step 4: Gaze in awe at what you just created:

My thoughts while taking this picture: "It's not the worst thing I've ever seen."  

The reason The Hubby keeps letting me go to Michael's nice thing about a burlap wreath is that I can undo the burlap at any time and repurpose the burlap for its original use as a bag for potatoes start over.  I can also add flowers and other lovely things for the different seasons.  

I didn't take a picture of this wreath hanging on our front door because I don't think our neighbors are ready for its beauty yet.  I wouldn't want to make them feel bad or anything for their lack of creativity and Pinterest skills.  In time friends, in time - says the village idiot 

2014 Pinterest Challenge - Week 4

The fun continues with wine corks!

This craft was actually a lot harder than I anticipated - as is most crafts I see on Pinterest that look easy and are actually excruciating difficult to execute.  

I started with all my supplies:

And yes, the cutting board was crucial.

I had to viciously saw each cork in half - 

Like so: 

Any ideas what I could be creating?...

Getting closer?...

Wine cork magnets!! 

Amazing, I know.  Don't everyone go scrambling out to the liquor store at once now. 

I had originally planned on cutting four corks to make the magnets but then I realized that each cork makes two magnets, and eight "2 Buck Chuck" wine corks was a little too many for our fridge.

(For those that are not lucky enough to live by a Trader Joe's, "2 Buck Chuck" is the wine sold exclusively by Trader Joe's for around $3.00).  Quite a deal for tasty wine.  Trader Joe's actually is not allowed to sell wine in Maryland, so a family member who lives in Virginia buys it for us and smuggles brings it across the Maryland border.

You're welcome Trader Joe's for free advertising, and all my fellow Pinterest crafters out there - this was a very simple craft for those that don't value your fingertips.  Cut carefully! - says the village idiot   

What to read, What to read

I love to read.  I love to read all types of books but memoirs are my favorites.   I recently finished a book that I really enjoyed – The Power of a Praying Parent by Stormie Omartian.

In this book, Omartian breaks down why we need to pray for our children, how to pray for them, and what specifically we can pray for. 

I wouldn’t consider myself a prayer warrior as some people are described.  I certainly believe in the power of prayer, but to be completely transparent, I don’t always turn to the Lord as my first response to the happenings of life.  After being a mom to Little Lady for about 15 months now (+9 months if you consider when she was cooking inside), I find myself turning to the Lord much more often because I am so blatantly aware how everything is out of my control.  There are so many things I hope and pray for Little Lady, and this book helped me learn why praying for your child is so important, at any age, and what specifically we can ask God for – everything from physical protection from harm, to attracting Godly friends, and identifying her God-given gifts and talents.

Omartian also explained that every summer when her family takes a vacation to the beach, she spends some time each morning alone with the Lord, creating a Master Prayer List for each of her children that she then uses for the next year.  Some prayers never change from year to year, but some are brought to the forefront of her prayer list for a particular year, depending on what her children are going through.  I felt very challenged by this and as I made my way through the pages of the book, I created my own Master Prayer List for Little Lady.  I am in the process of typing it up, printing it, laminating (because who doesn’t LOVE to laminate), and putting it somewhere that I can see everyday.

I can’t wait to see what the Lord has in store for Little Lady, and I am so thankful I am blessed to be her mom and pray for her everyday – says the village idiot.