It took me a long time to figure out what I wanted for a mobile in Baby Lee's nursery. I wanted something handmade, but I couldn't make up my mind. Then, I stumbled upon this blog. There was a tutorial video and everything (I'm a visual learner!)...the blog is in Spanish, but the video is in English.
I went to Michael's...bought scrapbook paper, string, and paper brads. I spent a total of $7. Then my sweet husband hung it in the nursery. Now that it's up, I can't wait for Baby Lee to see it.

A very special friend of mine will be celebrating a birthday in the next couple of days. I sent her birthday present several weeks ago....due to the fact that I would rather be VERY early, than late. My brain doesn't work well these days (Thanks Baby Lee!), so while I was thinking about her, I mailed her gift. She opened it already, so I can post it.

Happy Early Birthday "Lawah"!!! I hope you enjoy your hand made stationery.

Here's a birthday card, our family will be sending out next month. :)

Here's an idea for a graduation card. This one was sent to a special senior in my life. :)

This week, I attended my first MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) meeting. I had so much fun! We participated in a gift exchange (hand made or $5 store bought), and I brought this set of stationery as my gift.

I'm been brainstorming ideas of what to do with all the glass jars I have in my pantry. Here's a cute idea for Valentine's day. Courtesy of Pinterest.

Here's a little sneak peek at my next craft project! I have tons of glass jars in my pantry and I'm putting them to good use. But you'll have to wait! :)

Our family gave a lot of gift cards as presents this year. I am a HUGE fan of gift cards (and donations in honor of others) as gifts. The main gift cards we buy are Starbucks and Shell gas cards. Gas is a necessity if you have a car and gas is so expensive. And well, I guess when we give Starbucks gift cards we are just feeding others addictions. My husband loves coffee and I love tea, so there's nothing wrong with a little pick me up (everyday!)
I have posted a project similar to this one before on my blog. It was a letter project. You can use that same card sleeve to put gift cards in. You can find the template for it at Creature Comforts Blog.

Enjoy the project and get creative. Everyone loves a homemade gift... especially if there's a little something extra inside.

I got this idea from Pinterest (I'm addicted!). [I can't find the exact link for this idea, but I didn't come up with it.... but I still LOVE it!] I gave this as a birthday gift to my husband, but I think it would be great for Christmas too.
The idea is that each month, a date night is planned. Items such as gift cards or money is placed in each envelope for each month. I know it has helped us budget better with date nights. I buy a gift card at the beginning of the month to wherever we would like go or do. Then I place it in the envelope and forget about it until my husband says, "Let's go on a date." Ideas: Movies, Dinner, Go Karts (we're doing that soon), Ice Cream. Free Things: Picnic at the park, Movie Night at home, etc.

My Dad celebrated a birthday last weekend. And in honor of his love for old cars, especially VW Beetles (He restored one when I was younger), I hand made his birthday card. I will probably never make another one like it. His comment, "Hey, that was a pretty good little drawing you did!" LOL! Thanks Dad!

I have a friend whose husband is deployed. I thought I would make her a gift to help the months pass a little quicker.
I read Tour of Duty:Preparing Our Hearts for Deployment several months ago. In this book, the author explains how with small children, it helps for them to have a visual countdown of when their family member will return home. A common example being a candy jar. Each day the child will take one piece of candy out. The remaining pieces will be the number of days left to wait.  However, I am all about equal opportunities. You don't have to be a child to have a candy jar! If my husband was deployed, you can bet money that I would have one of these.... for me!

This Christmas, don't forget about those that won't be able to spend Christmas with their loved ones because of their service to our country. Show them a little extra love this Christmas season!

I have a friend who LOVES coffee! I found this cute idea and graphic at eighteen25. I changed it a little because the Starbucks giftcard was for a graduation, not a thank you present. But I loved the idea so much, I had to use it!
Gift cards make great Christmas presents! And fun paper/holders make them even better. :)

I love our home. It's spacious, nice, and I can paint walls any color I would like (something I didn't have in our last home). However, there is one little space that drives me crazy!!! The wall dividing our dining room from our living room and kitchen has a thermostat on it. The thermostat is off-centered, boxy, and an eye sore. I'm sure I would feel differently if it wasn't seen by everyone who comes into our home.

I thought of a plan to "fix" this. No, didn't move the thermostat. I just covered it up....with MAIL. I LOVE getting mail, and I keep cards and letters that are sent to me. There is something special about words written on paper... I just can't explain it.

I bought an ugly canvas with a beautiful frame at a thrift store a couple of months ago (I'll have to post the before picture later). It has been patiently sitting in our garage until I figured out what I wanted to do with it.

Here it is!!!!
Old frame, picture wire, and clothes pins. Love it! And that's a wedding invitation covering up the ugly thermostat.

A couple of weeks ago, we celebrated my husband's birthday....and he LOVES Captain America. His birthday present as homemade by yours truly. I was so worried he wouldn't like or just say he liked it because he's my husband. lol! Needless to say, he LOVED it! His response, "I think this is one of the coolest things you've ever made." That made me happy!
Here's a look at his present - a Distressed Captain America Shield:


We celebrated with a casual party at the park:
The handsome birthday boy!
What a funny sight to see! LOL! Like owner, like dog!

"Happy Birthday Rhia!"- Sang to the tune of  "Happy Birthday Jesus!".... don't ask why?!

Today is one of my very dear friend's birthdays. She is so special to me. We made it all the way through undergrad and grad school together. Without her, I don't think I would have graduated- seriously! We live way too far apart now. Maybe one day we will live in the same state! How wonderful would that be?!?!?!?

Her and her husband just bought a new house, so I thought I would make some things for her office (she has a fabulous business called rhiDESIGN). She is so creative and I love to receive hand made things from her, so I decided to make her something. What was I thinking? I found an inspiration picture on Pinterest.

My turned out nothing like this. What went wrong? lol! Maybe next time, I should just send her a 30X40 canvas. SIKE!

But, there is a tradition that Rhia and I have... for every holiday, we give crosses. I'm really not sure how that started either. LOL! Anyways, I made her one.
I wouldn't be who I am today without my sweet friend Rhia! Rhia, thanks for being such an inspiration to me. You are blessing to the Lee family (as well as Zak and Juneau). Thank you for being an example of a godly woman in my life. Continue to be obedient to His calling!
I love you and I miss you sooooooo much!

I made this card for my friend that is deployed. I found the fun templates on Creature Comforts Blog.... but added a little more love to it! Check out the blog and make something for someone you care about!

One of my best friends just got her first "Big Girl Job!" LOL! I am so proud of her. She is a physician's assistant in New Orleans.... a great one at that! I always tell her I'm thankful she uses the side of the brain that I don't. We are alike in a lot of ways.... except how we think. She's left brained and I'm right brained.... the picture below will give a better explanation (Visual and Non-verbal is characteristic of right-brained people). LOL!




My only request: Give this Box Top to a kid in your youth group (who collects them for their school) or save it and give it to me later. I'm a Box Top FANATIC! I will buy the more expensive item, just because it has a Box Top on it. I collect them for a 5th grader that is close to our family. My husband even joins in on it. When he goes to the store with me (or I send him alone), he can never remember the brand of things we get, so he looks for the Box Tops. LOL! Yeah, we're pretty crazy!
Alisha, I'm so proud of you! Enjoy your goodies!

Here's a sneak peek at a project I will post next week! I'm sure the suspense is killing you.

I found these cute bag toppers over at Beth Proudfoot's blog (It Is What It Is). I sent my friend in Germany some more home-made-with-love cookies and I used this bag topper to make it fun! Click the link to her blog for directions on how to put this together! :)

I have a friend who is a high school teacher. She is a FABULOUS teacher, I might add! This is her second year teaching, so I thought I would make her a little something for the start of a new year.

When I was visiting her last year, several of her students showed up to class without a pencil (I couldn't believe it. Who shows up to class without a pencil?!?!??!). I saw some back-to-school printables at eighteen25 and I thought they were perfect for my friend's gift.


Another little bonus for my friend! I couldn't resist! LOL!