HAPPY 1ST BIRTHDAY ELIANA!!!!

Today is my baby Ellie's 1st birthday! I cant believe she is 1 already!

How about some pics :)

Eliana Marie born Novemeber 30, 2008 at 12:16 pm via nasty emergency c-section.

(sorry no delivery photos, they were not to kind to us taking them because of the emergency situation.)

Eliana Marie November 30, 2009 happy and healthy!

We've have had a couple birthday celebrations for her already.

A couple weekends ago we had a coffee/brunch/b-day party for Ellie with my mom, her sisters, and one of my cousins.  We ate Julie's make ahead brunch bake made with spinach, artichokes, and mozzarella cheese.  It was DIVINE!!!  For desert I made pumpkin cupcakes with maple cream cheese frosting from Smitten Kitchen.

The frosting......

OMG!

 I sat on my couch eating it while I watched Twilight gearing up to see New Moon the next day.

Her second bday celebration was on Turkey Day with the In Law side.  It was fun.  She just had a regular Thanksgiving dinner and store bought chocolate cake with white icing.

Today, for desert, we are having pumpkin pie with graham cracker crust, and banana chocolate chip cupcakes from Cupcake Love.  YUMMY!!!!

Project 320.

My friend Julie sent me the best email!

She and some of her friends are hosting the most meaningful giveaways

EVER!!

The giveaway week is scheduled to run December 14th-18th with the winners announced on the 21st.


There will be 10 bundles to be won. Each entry will cost you $10. The $10 will be donated to Charity:Water

10 bundles
It will only take 50 comments a bundle

To equal $5,000.

$5,000 fully funds a well.

A well that can save 500 lives.

Change an entire village.

Forever.
(took straight from Julie's email)

I am happy to say that I will be donating some stuff(don't know what yet) to the bundles.

If you would like to donate to the bundles send me an email and I will forward you on to Julie

:)

Have a Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!!!!!

Recessionista.

I LOVE Recessionista!!! 

 Heres a bit of info:

"A Recessionista is one who, despite an economic downturn, evokes the creative power and continues to look like a million bucks while only spending a few. She can endure burden and misfortune that accompany a poor economy. Refusing to go without, she searches the sales, frequents the discount stores and always leaves with her head held high and a smile across her face, knowing she found some incredible deals. In other words, she proudly follows the motto, "When life gives you lemons, make lemonade."

We, at Recessionista, believe that a woman should never be forced to compromise quality or style due to a slumping economy. Likewise, we believe that a woman should never overpay.

One savvy shopper's transition to Recessionista sparked an idea - an idea now known as the Recessionista Party. Imagine an exclusive gathering with other fellow recessionistas to shop the same authentic name brands found at fancy department stores and discount stores alike. Without the costly overhead found with large stores, the prices go way down and the savings stay in your purse.

Dread shopping? Hate the malls? Well, Recessionista is your dream come true. We believe in a low-key, laid back atmosphere - with an upscale twist - and enough jaw-dropping priced merchandise to keep you coming back for more. Invite your friends, put up your feet and let us do the work by bringing the store to you.

Whatever your style or preference, we're confident you'll love Recessionista - where savvy shopping is always a party!"

Recessionista parties, online parties, weekly specials, GIVEAWAYS......




YAY!!!

Want a to win a 100% genuine Coach bag?  Then head on over to Recessionista and enter.

I also have the button over on my left sidebar. :)

Roadkill Rescue Party.

Its that time again!! Its the Roadkill Rescue party over at Infarrantly Creative.

Remember my medicine cabinet revamp? If not here's the before and after pics.

Before:


After:

I was not 100% pleased with the mirror over the couch. It was too small for the space but I did not have anywhere else to hang it so I just left it there.

A couple weeks after that I found another medicine cabinet in someone else's trash.
They must have been original to the houses in the neighborhood.

SO

I took the second medicine cabinet and removed the frame. I took a cork board that I already had, covered it in a pretty fabric and hot glued the frame to it.
This is how it turned out.

THEN

I had the idea to paint the mirror of the original medicine cabinet with chalkboard paint and hang them both above my daughter's desk.

BUT

I was out shopping and found some dry erase vinyl on clearance and decided to just use that instead.
This is how it turned out.



As you can see from the pink dry erase marker stains on of the bottom of the frame, this project was a hit with the kids.

Here is how they look side by side above the desk.

We LOVE them!

So there you have it.
2 old medicine cabinets found in someone's trash turned into classic looking cork and dry erase boards for my daughters to use.

Scarf Alongs.

The holidays are coming up REAL fast.

Want to give handmade this year?

If so then join the fun going on right now over at Joys Hope and Cookie Mondays.

Julie is a hosting a "beginner" scarf along for all those new-to-sewing mamas out there

while Heather is hosting an "honor student" scarf along for us more experienced mamas ;)

you can find buttons for both Joy's Hope and Cookie Mondays on my

<------------

left sidebar.

Which one will I be doing?

Both!!!!

Happy sewing!!!

Just $10.

Did you know that



or that



or that

Does this make you sad or angry?

Does this make you want to hop on a plane and fly to Africa and do everything you can to help those less fortunate than you?

Unfortunately, for most of us, that is unrealistic. But there is something you can do to help.

Donate just $10 and you can give someone in Africa clean drinking water for 10 full years.

100% of your donation will directly fund freshwater projects in developing nations.

Yesterday I was thankful that I could provide my kids with clean drinking water.

Today I am thankful that I can help provide it for someone else.

Thank you Julie for passing this on to me.

Halloween. Better late than never.

Since my husband took possession of the camera to document his last days of work I have not been able to upload any photos for my blog and lets face it, a blog post without pics is usually B-O-R-I-N-G.

So, very belated, here are a couple pics of the girls on Halloween night.

Isabela-
she does not always smile or even look at the camera-
she is a vampire witch.

Olivia-
she poses on command then demands to see the pic right away-
she's a regular witch.

Eliana-
always cute-
she was a ladybug but hated wearing the costume
SO
I gave her a sucker and all was good in the 'hood.

And here are 2 Sienna Dresses that I made for the girls to wear to school the day before Halloween. They were a hit!! Thanks Ashley for creating such a cool recycled dress pattern!!!

Sorry there are no action shots. My kids were very uncooperative that day. Their blood was flowing with pure sugar, LOL

Vegetarian Taco Salad.

I LOVE taco salad. Heres my delicious recipe for a vegetarian version.

Ingredients:
1 package of boca crumbles
1 small onion, diced
frozen corn- as much as you like
1/4 C salsa
1 can diced tomatoes
1 can black beans
1 package of taco seasoning(or whaever spices you use to season tacos)
aztec taco salad shells

Prepare taco shells as directed on the package.

In a skillet roast your corn in a little bit of coconut oil(or whatever oil you like to use). Next, add in onion and Boca burger and cook until the Boca is browned. Add in salsa, taco seasoning, black beans, and canned tomatoes. Simmer until the mixture is warm and thick.

scoop Boca mixture into shells add some shredded lettuce and top with cheese, guacamole, and sour cream.

Enjoy!

Busy. Busy. Busy.

I have been a busy bee these past few weeks trying to get my life in order so until I have something exciting to blog about.......

Hop on over to Joy's Hope and join in on the scarf along. It will be tons of fun for both beginner and experienced sewers alike. I have the button on my left sidebar. I ordered my fabric yesterday and I'm so excited to get started!!

Also have you seen this blog yet? I just won something! Don't know what it is yet because it is a surprise. Recessionista is awesome!!

Also check out So you think you're crafty?
Cool contests, cool stuff, cool ideas.

Until I have something better to say

See ya later alligator!

Handmade.

Tis the season for gift giving and what better way to show someone you care than by giving a handmade gift.

On my left hand side bar I added, and will be adding, buttons for various sew alongs.

These are perfect for me because, lets face it, Im not a very creative crafter, I thrive on others ideas.

For the next several weeks I will be participating in these events and I will be doing some giveaways here with some of my favorite things.

Stay tuned!!!

Fall Trees.

I took these pics the 1st day I left my house after being sick. I love when the leaves change!

And here's me today, happy, because it is actually sunny and warm.

A great break from the dark, gloomy, rainy October we had.