Headband On!

By popular demand, I am posting a pic with the headband on. I love my readers! :)

Sweetie Pies

Knitted Headband

I've been at it! Here's a headband I made for a gift. And...I totally love the Basketweave Headband pattern for it over at Carissa Knits. I just might make some for myself! I haven't worn a headband in forever. Yay for headbands!

Tribble/Scrubbie

I couldn't resist posting this pic...this is a raw photo; I didn't tinker with it in any photo editing program. My camera is just that cheap! But...I totally love it!

I Want to Read! (Really! I do!)

I love going to the library. Actually, the whole family does, including the hubby! I'm in a couple of book clubs, and The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein is one of the books I'm to be reading. I also discovered that I really like Jodi Picoult, and found House Rules on the New Shelf (my favorite shelf in the library right now, because there is always a perfect variety...I come home with all kinds of interesting stuff). But...I rarely get through them cover to cover like I wish I could. Perhaps, it's because I'm too busy making these beaded bookmarks! Cause...this is my most recent one (didn't I just post about one I made...)!

Gemstone Stitch Markers

I found these neat beads and made a set of stitch markers for a gift. And I thought they were so awesome that I made another set to put on my ArtFire account. I love the colors...but I may be partial to that turquoise color from being raised in New Mexico.

A Bookmark and a Key Chain

Remember that new yarn...well, here are a couple of projects using it! A fern lace bookmark -- pattern from Beep Beep. And a key chain using the thumb part of these Andalus Mittens (I used the new yarn with a purple yarn)-- pattern by Hedda Knits, found on Ravelry.

Beaded Bookmarks

These are so simple and fun to make! 

They are great gifts, too.

Mickey Mouse is on my iPod Touch???

I came around the corner and the little pirate had gotten a hold of my iPod. "Mommy! I'm watching Mickey Mouse!"

I seriously had no idea Mickey Mouse was on my iPod...kids these days seriously creep me out with how they can navigate all this tech stuff. Insane -- in a good way...for now! My brother says he's smart. And my mom says she didn't know her iPod could do so many things until she watched him use hers. Cool, cool!

Now he's watching Bubblefish. I didn't know fish could burp!

Homemade Natural Deodorant Update 2

Real quick: So...duh to me...I should have stored the product in plastic...because now it's fairly solid in that plastic little tube and initially I couldn't get it out this morning...not even to try to dig some out with my finger -- clear glass obviously radiates a lot more heat than cloudy plastic. But...perhaps it's still a good thing...I banged it on the counter upside down a few times to shove the product to the top...it is actually a nice texture to squeeze a pea size ball into my hand for application (sort of like a toothpaste texture). It is now being stored upside down.

And my husband just might even give it a try! He gave me his empty deodorant stick today...yay...time to go wash and fill it up and see how it works...and how he likes/dislikes it.

Homemade Natural Deodorant Update

So...I woke up stink-free this morning! That certainly is a rare thing in the summertime. I'm overjoyed! Our upstairs gets incredibly warm in summer...the heat just goes up there and stays up there (nice in winter, not so nice in summer). As you can imagine, the coconut oil used to make this deodorant (coconut oil, cornstarch and baking soda) becomes liquidy and separated in the heat. I found a fix for that.

I found this little bottle that I had left over from something in the past and put some of the well-mixed deodorant in there. Then, I put the jar in the refrigerator for safe keeping (and it'll probably then take on a more solid form, too...but putting deodorant on in the kitchen...kind of weirds me out).

Now, I can just shake this little bottle, squeeze a pea size out into each hand and apply on the pits! Awesome! :) I love being so inventive...and stink-free!

Oh! And I forgot to mention...any leftover product on my hand...I can just rub the rest into my hands like lotion...or on my little pirate's sweaty stinky feet...I wonder if that would work! :)

New Yarn! New Fun!

Homemade Hygiene Products

I made some homemade natural deodorant (coconut oil, cornstarch and baking soda...I added some essential oils though, but those aren't necessary) and prepared my showers with no-poo hair care.

The best thing about it is that I didn't have to go out and buy containers or ingredients to make these "products;" I had everything on hand. I'm so incredibly excited! And I probably can't put it into words like Amy does over at Angry Chicken.

But, I can say, that I definitely haven't smelled bad for the past half day since I used my new homemade deodorant. And if this were any other day, as some of you can probably testify, I would stink horribly...even though I put on my natural deodorant bought from the store. Thanks, Hubby, for putting up with my stink. I don't know how you did it! But, I think that little problem is solved...indefinitely. Hopefully, indefinitely. I'm so relieved that I think I've finally found something that will actually work, is environmentally friendly, and isn't prone to giving women breast cancer. I feel so ALIVE and not so afraid to get too close to people now. (I truly am sorry to any of you out there who had to put up with my stinky armpits! It sure is a bit embarrassing...but in the long run...I preferred to stink even after applying an over-the-counter natural deodorant opposed to using a product that research shows could lead to breast cancer...I'm trying to avoid breast cancer like the plague.)

Lovely Colors

I love the colors of this kitchen towel. I want to use it as inspiration for a future project.

Sharpie Contest

In middle school I got in trouble for drawing on myself. I was told I'd get ink poisoning, which could lead to death.*  So, instead of drawing on myself, I drew on my shoes, and on my folders and binders. I drew on my desk, but quickly stopped doing that, because the teachers disliked the "graffiti" and I disliked having to wash away my doodles. So, instead of drawing on the desk, I drew on my spelling tests. In high school, I got in trouble for alternating a t-shirt with scissors and safety pins. But, easily got away with drawing on my jeans with Sharpie...as long as it wasn't on my skin or other people's property, I could get away with drawing just about anywhere. And Sharpie's became a huge part of my life, because they write on just about anything and can be removed from most surfaces with nail polish remover. They come in so many sizes, shapes, and colors these days, too. My supply is slowly running out, so when I came across this contest, I thought, "Perfect! Perhaps I have a chance to reload!"

My entry: Doodled fingernails, coated with clearish nail polish.

My little pirate who is currently laying in bed with color (courtesy of himself) all over his face, hands, arms, and legs says, "Your fingers are so pretty."

* As a parent now...I think I am slowly realizing that my parents told me anything they didn't like or didn't want me to do would end up killing me somehow. I believed them...and probably still do for the most part.

Raw(e) - This Week

I took this photo over the weekend, and have been dying to get it posted here for this week's Raw(e) at Sailor and Co.

I'm starting to get "orders" for hats, which has been really exciting. One of my mom-friends is having a baby girl soon and requested to have a little red hat so she can attach a big flower to it. She really emphasized the small part...but I think I went too small. It barely fit a grapefruit. And in the photo, that is a three-year old pirate palming it. Hehe...yeah...I'm pretty sure that it's too small for a newborn.

I can't remember how small or big baby heads are. :( So...I'm making another one a bit bigger, and I think I'm right on target now. If you know somebody who has a baby or even a baby doll with a head the size of a grapefruit, get in touch...this one pictured could be yours! :)

Having Fun at Oma & Opa's House

We're on vacation this week for a big birthday bash! In the meantime, we're keeping quite entertained.

Fruit Trees?

I think we have an apple tree! I'm no expert...but this little thing sure does look like an itty bitty apple in the making.

I took a closer look at all of our trees...we definitely have a few mulberry trees (but I'm totally grossed out to even try those...looks like the birds licked all of them). And I think there are pear trees, too! Yum...I hope! The trees need desperate pruning, so who knows how yuck the fruit is going to be.

Ravelry Mitten Exchange Group Game

I'm playing BINGO with my Ravelry Mitten Exchange Group. Ravelry is awesome! If you're knitter or crocheter...come find me!!! :)

I feel inclined to host a game of some sort on my blog...hmmm...what game could we play?

The Little Pirate Mini Photo Shoot

The little pirate got a hold of the camera. I managed to smile just in time for one.

I'm carrying my box of markers in attempt to make something really cool using the rain. (It didn't turn out so cool...I'm not even going to bother blogging about it.

Apparently, the little pirate was interested in what I was doing. But, really...what I was doing was so lame and disappointing.

Beaded Rings

I made these stitch markers just the other day.

My cousin saw them and wondered if the round one was a ring. I suppose it could be! So...I was busy this weekend making some beaded rings in her favorite colors, purple and black.

And I treated myself to one for Mother's Day!

I probably should be pulling weeds out of my garden instead...

Spiral For a Notepad

Over a month ago I sent this picture to my good friend over at Dos Gatos Design.

I told her how wonky and unstable the spiral on the notepad was. (Some neat little shop in Santa Fe, New Mexico makes and sells these. You would think they would put a sticker with their name on the inside...but, no. However, they are kind enough to put instructions on how to refill...something that is only too logical for me to do without instructions. Oh well! My husband says the world doesn't revolve around me, so I guess I'll just let it go...and the makers of these awesome license plate notepads will go unnamed.)

About a month ago, I got this in the mail.

AWESOME!!! But, as you may or may not know...I was so unruly busy during April, that I only just now, today, got around to trying out the spiral.

And viola! It's a perfect fit and perfectly sturdy! I especially like the way she curled the end of the wire. :) Nice touch!

Stitch Marker Making Obsession

So...I think I found a new obsession (which isn't very difficult for me to do). I'm just very intrigued by so many things, that it's hard for me to fine tune.

I made some more stitch markers. Fun stuff!

A Nasty Pan

I got this pan in a packet of 30+ kitchen pieces when I moved away for college. I still use most of those pieces to this day. But this pan...it just won't come clean anymore (I've washed it 4 times, 2 by hand and 2 in the dishwasher, and it seems that food is still flaking off of it...grosses me out).

I'm fine just chucking it...but maybe there is something I can do with it - home recycle, or something like that. A birdbath? A water dish for the dog? Wait...we don't have a dog. A water dish for the...squirrels, possums, field mice...(I would mention the cat, but he just likes drinking out of the toilet...nasty cat)? A make-shift bell hanging outside the door (along with a stick) to help call in the boys and girls for dinner time?

What do you think? I'd love to hear your ideas for this! What would you do with it?

Quick, Last-Minute Mother's Day Gift Idea & Free Printable

Supplies

- double sided tape (or glue...or whatever works)
- cool foam, in your choice of colors
- scissors
- photo or drawing
- magnet

Instructions

1. With one color of cool foam, cut out a flower shape. (You know! It doesn't even have to be cool foam. It could be construction paper, or magazine pages...or whatever is flat and colorful!)
2. With another color of cool foam, cut out 3 large tongue depressor shapes.
3. Put double-sided tape on the tongue depressor shapes and let your child place them on the back...in whatever way he/she wants to.

My little pirate decided to line them up. But, it's quite okay of your child has those long shapes going every which direction!
4. Color the front side.

5. Put double-sided tape on the back of the photo/drawing, allow child to place it on the front of the flower, wherever his/her little heart desires.

6. My little pirate inserted a step here. Color some more. (In a friendly and calm voice, I said, "Stay away from the picture; color only on the yellow and green." Then, made sure he agreed, which he did...even when sporadically poking dots onto the flower.)

7. Put double-sided tape on the back of a business size magnet you ripped off from a company (or..I mean peel the backing off of a business size magnet, cut to size), and let your child place it on the back.
8. Wrap and give to Mother's Day people. :) For their fridge...or wherever it "sticks."

Variation
For Mother's Day people that live out of town (i.e. grandmas), make a printable one you can e-mail to them, so they can print, cut and place from their own home.

SUPER Last-Minute -- Freebie

You can click here to download and print this pdf from your own home and just tape/paste your own photo or drawing over the white area! (Should I be copyrighting my free printable?)