DIY: New Obsession #5638247

I love putting Big C and Baby C in matching shirts, but I don't like having to spend time looking for the ones that I want, spending the $$$ and then waiting for them to be delivered.  I decided I would try to make my own shirts.  I wanted shirts for them to wear during the holidays that were cute, but also comfortable.    I first made a "test" shirt for Baby C...a zebra L.

 Since that shirt was successful, on to the Halloween shirts.    Matching pumpkins with zebra bats, along with their initials, of course!

Halloween...SUCCESS! On to Thanksgiving shirts!  I created a Thankful turkey with color feathers and a zebra print pilgrim hat, wich of course, their initials.

For their Christmas shirts, I kept it simple, just ornaments with their initials on them.

Making the shirts have been so cost efficient and fun!  I decided to make Big C's shirt for his 4th ...gulp...birthday.  He choose his own birthday them and colors...here is a hint of his birthday theme!

DIY: Christmas Card Holder

Each year, we seem to get more and more holiday cards and I love it...you know my slightly odd obsession with getting mail.  I always feel bad because I haven't had a good way to display the cards without spending a lot of money.  I decided, this was the year! I'm displaying my holiday cards and I'm not going to break the bank to do it!  After some google searches of Christmas cards, I pieced together a few ideas and to the Dollar Store I went!    I came back with 3 items costing, you guessed, it $3!  All I bought was: festive ribbon, snowflake ornaments (3 for $1), and a box of paper clips.

I got out my trusty hot glue gun...

I cut the ribbon into 3 strips and folded one end which I then put a dot of glue on...

The snowflake was added..

Then I sorted out my paper clips to the ones that matched and slid them on the ribbon.

And...TAAADAAA!   I had an extra ribbon that I used to hang it with on the back of our front door, that way when ever anyone enters or exits our house, they are greeted not only by me, but all of our our family and friends!

Ok, so ...I have faith that these Christmas card holders won't be bare for long!

Happy Birthday Sis!

Happy Birthday to YOU!!

Happy Birthday to You!!
Happy Birthday to my amazing SISTER!!

Happy Birthday to YOU!!!!!

Happy Birthday Grammy!!

Sunday was this beautiful and amazing woman's birthday...

Grammy is the best role model for a mother, teacher, friend, and etc. that a woman could ask for. She showers her whole family with love and makes everyone feel so special. We were so happy to be able to make her feel as special on her birthday as she makes us feel year round!

The Grandkids LOVE spending any time with Grammy. One of their favorite things to do is snuggle on the couch under blankets and watch movies with popcorn. Now....they will get to do it in style!

Everything always tastes better when Grammy makes it...popcorn included! Each of the grandkids will be able to match Grammy with their own popcorn buckets for those special movie nights!

Happy Birthday Grammy!!! We love, love, love you!!!!

Butterfly Bow Holder

I had so much fun making Baby C's bow holder that I offered to make one for a friend of mine. Her daughter is getting her "big girl" room and every little girl needs a place to put her bows! I asked for a little bit of the fabric that will be in her room to match the bow holder to that.

The fabric has butterflies, dragonflies, and lightening bugs on it. I found this adorable butterfly that matched the fabric perfectly!


A little bling was the perfect touch for this little princess!



I got the most adorable voice mail from the 'big girl' thanking me for her bow holder!

We'd Like to Welcome to Our Family...

Our 2 new pets! (Did you think I was going to say I was pregnant again?! GOTCHA! Haha!) I have been waiting for these to come for almost a month!! A teacher friend of mine had gotten them for her classroom and thought that Big C would love them.

They arrived from South Carolina on Monday....

Packaged tightly to survive their long trip... (the suspense is eating at you now huh?)

Big C got their home ready for them by putting in the live and decorative rock...(Baby C wanted to eat the rock, so she was being entertained elsewhere)

He added a little bit of character to them with the big rock and the bamboo stick for oxygen...



While we waited for their body temperatures to get familiar with the new water, we pondered names...we needed only two... (OH, you think you know, but you have no idea...)

Big C and the new pets see eye to eye on their new names...


Big C and Baby C are the proud new owners of 2 African Dwarf Aquatic Frogs!


Welcome to our family Sir Hops-A-Lot and Sir Goofs A-Lot!



I was hoping that they would have a 'southern drawl' to their ribbits, however with them being completely submerged under water, they never make a peep...or I guess in this case...a croak.

Baby C wanted to test their swimming ability by beating on their habitat, so once again, she had to be entertained elsewhere....at least she didn't try to eat them!

Happy Birthday to ME!!

Today is my 28th birthday. While the day has just begun, I already feel so special today. It all started with the first sound I heard this morning...my wonderful husband wishing me a happy birthday! Followed by my daughter giving me a huge smile and babbling away and my son sleepily wishing me a happy birthday. Next, it has been followed by text messages and Facebook messages that make me feel so very much loved and blessed to have so many wonderful people in my life. THANK YOU ALL FOR MAKING ME FEEL SPECIAL !!

Starbucks also made me feel special this morning as I stopped for my free birthday coffee and treated myself to a new mug and birthday cake pop!

I choose the mug because you can write on it, bake, and it stays on it permanently. I thought what a wonderful way to remember my 28th birthday! I'm going to have my family write on it for me and that way every time I use it, I will be surrounded by their memories and love. (A great gift idea for any hot drink lover!) Of course, I enjoyed both right away when I got to my room at school!


Oh the joys of teaching in an elementary school on your birthday....yes, I will be wearing this all day!

Today, I feel like a 28 year old rock star all because of you! Thank you!!

"Whatch Gonna Do With Dem Bows?"

I'ma gonna....

clip 'em on...

this here bow holder...

I made!

(I'm making one for a friend too to match her daughter's room...LOVE IT!)

Baby Shower Gift Idea

Not only did I have prom last Saturday, I also attended a baby shower earlier in the day...and got my hair highlighted, but who cares 'bout that! I love that people register for gifts, it makes so much easier to get them exactly what they want/need/think they need. However, it kinda takes away a little of the surprise and personal touch. A while ago, I decided to a basket of bath items as my staple 'baby shower' gift.





In every basket, I try to include these things:

• basket to hold the items that will match either nursery or bathroom


• cute hooded towel


• matching wash cloths


• HUGE bottle of baby lotion and baby wash


• Desitin


• Baby Q-tips


• Wipes or diapers


• cute BIG bow

I also try to incorporate a little personal touch from my family. Almost every gift that I give has a tie/reference to basketball. This gift was no exception. I actually found a rubber ducky decked out in basketball gear and carrying.....what else...but I basketball! Not only was it basketball themed...but it completely went with the idea of items for the bath. (You put this duck in the bath and the sensors on the bottom tell you if the water is too hot.)

This gift looks like the giver spent mucho dinero right? WRONG!! I spent the same amount of money on this as I would if I bought one of the bigger single items. I even found a great deal on the wipes...a package of 5 for $7! I bought two packages just for myself...well...not for me...for Big C...you know what I mean!