Easter Slap Bracelets

Hello friends! Oh how I have missed my "regular" life. I have been gone FOREVER because of a commitment to create the Yearbook for my kids school. I had no idea what I had gotten myself into. I will write more about it later, but for now, I want to show you an idea for a cute Easter treat. Well, according to my daughter this couldn't be a treat. She thinks a treat is something you eat. Isn't a pedicure a treat? Let's just say we have agreed to disagree.

I found these adorable slap bracelets in the Easter section at WalMart:


They have several different styles with different wording. I lead an AWANA group at church on Wednesday night and I wanted something to give the boys for Easter. Something besides candy. Trust me, those boys have enough energy without candy in their systems! :)

These jumped out at me because of their great colors for boys and the word "Awesome." When I was in High School we always sang a song in church about our Awesome God. As I have gotten older, I have become more aware of just how AWESOME my God truly is.

I thought with a little added touch, these would be perfect for the boys. I used my word processor and created a tag to staple to the top of the package. I would usually make them more detailed, but I was in a hurry...and lets get real...they are boys. 5 and 6 year old boys. They don't care about the package, I do. So this time I kept it simple.

Look how personal the little added touch makes these:



The possibilities for these bracelets are endless. To begin with, they are 97 cents...just think what a great score they would be after Easter! To save for another time, you could open the package and remove the bunny paper. You would never know they were from Easter! Your added paper could say anything: "Thanks for being an AWESOME friend." "1st Graders are AWESOME." I love an easy, inexpensive treat that is so versatile. They would make great party favors to pass out at school for a birthday instead of cupcakes that have been outlawed at our school.



I will definitely be on the lookout for the sales after Easter!

Yearbook Project

I just wanted to say "Hi!" and let you know that all is well here. Except for the fact that I might just pull out all my hair! I am in the final weeks of creating the Yearbook for our school. Have you ever thought...WHY in the world did I say I would do that?

Yep...that is me right about now. Don't get me wrong, I do enjoy creating photo books. However, there is a HUGE difference between a photo book for friends or family and one for the ENTIRE school.

After sitting at the computer for hours and hours today, I was just about to fall into bed...and I realized I hadn't written anything on here. So bear with me...

I did get a package in the mail with the keyhole hardware for my desk project. Yippee!! I got the keyholes put onto the drawers...they look so cute! I just didn't get them photographed. I'll get them posted as soon as I can tread water with my Yearbook project.

Schoolwork Storage Bins

I am still sitting on pins and needles waiting for my special order hardware to arrive so I can finish my desk. I am starting to think my mailman reads my blog and finds it funny to watch me suffer. Ok, I know he doesn't and he is too nice to torture me...I just want to finish my project!

While I am waiting, I thought I would show you another project that I did to help keep us organized around here. We live in a small place. Maybe small isn't the word...teeny tiny is better. So I am always trying to figure out the best way to store things and keep our clutter contained.

This Christmas I became obsessed with having an old sled to hang on my wall. It all started when a friend had one up in her house. Oh...I wanted one so badly. Unfortunately, Southern California is not exactly oozing with antique sleds...or sleds at all. I have bought sleds when we go to the mountains to play in the snow. There are even a few types to choose from. But they are certainly not something you would ever want to display on your wall.

On a trip to Home Goods I found a good alternative. It is not a real sled, but a wooden toboggan looking piece that has metal shelves on it. I love it! Cute and functional...just what you need in a tiny house. I also loved that I would easily be able to detach the shelves to use year round. And I found the perfect place to attach them...


...right on the side of my bookshelf where I store art stuff. They fit perfectly. Great storage and it is using what was unusable space. I added numbers cut from vinyl on my Cricut.


Each of us has our own bin with our own number. I knew it would be a great place to put magazines or school papers, but I had no idea how easily the kids would start putting their things in there. It is amazing. How come they can get their things into this bin but can't figure out that their dirty clothes go in the hamper?? One of life's great mysteries.

Craigslist Desk Drawer Transformation

I am waiting...not so patiently...by my mailbox every day. Every day. EVERY day. I ordered some hardware for my desk...and well...I am starting to get very impatient. I want to finish the desk!!

Here is where my project is now...


I am loving it. Not as much as my daughter is though...she LOVES it!

Just look at these knobs...


Could they possibly be any cuter?

I know something that could be cuter. Check this out...


Yes, those are giant holes in the drawers. They are not cute. They are ugly. Ugly and frustrating. I want to finish the project. I found the perfect solution...I just need it to arrive in the mail. Aaah!


Please Mr. Mailman...make my day tomorrow and bring me my much awaited mail!

Craigslist Desk Transformation

Apparently my Craigslist desk had undergone a few cosmetic changes before it came into my hands. Just take a look at the inside edges...


Knowing what I was planning on doing with it...and how much sanding it would take to get rid of the multiple shades of blue...I kept thinking...WHY didn't you stop with the white? WHY didn't you stop with the white?

Oh well. So I had a bit of sanding to do. It wouldn't kill me...right? It turns out my sanding was a much easier job than I had anticipated. I was having trouble with my old sander, so I knew it was time to bite the bullet and purchase a new one. I wanted a cheap one, but the one I decided on at Home Depot was out of stock. WHAT? Do you not understand that when I finally come to a decision of what I am going to do, that I am READY at that very minute? That minute! To my surprise, Home Depot offered to upgrade me to the next model since they didn't have their product in stock. A better model at the lower price? I was sold!

With my new "Ryobi RS290 Orbital Sander" in hand I headed home to get started. And let me tell you...that little sucker has power! It whipped off the ugly coats of blue with no problem! It was amazing.

The plan in my mind did not include blue. Not one ounce of this desk was going to remain blue. That is now how things turned out. See this?


I couldn't bring myself to sand it off. I love a piece with history. Something that had its own life before it came into mine. I could just imagine Cammie Jeff sitting around in July 2001 painting her furniture to give it an updated look. Something she deemed to be a little bit cooler.

My first thought was 2001? That wasn't very long ago. And then it hit me. She painted this in the summer of 2001...July 2001...before 9/11...before the world changed. Before everything as we knew it here in the US changed. I could imagine her sitting at this desk and pondering life...where was our country headed...would we ever be the same again...would she ever feel safe again? And I knew...Cammie Jeff would remain on the inside of our little desk.

Now I know you haven't been able to see into the inside of the desk...cause it looks like a dark cave in the photo. It actually did look like a dark cave, and not just in the photo. The inside portion of the desk was painted black.


Now don't get me wrong, I love black furniture...but it wasn't black. Electric blue with white drawers and a black inside...well, it just wasn't cute. Besides, there are all kinds of little drawer cubbies inside there...and they are ADORABLE. Trust me. Take a really good look at that black cave. Adorable little cubbies that can't be seen. What good is that?

I took a can of Rust-Oleum Ultra Cover 2x Primer and gave it a good spray. INSTANTLY I was in love! It was beeeautiful. Probably more so since it looked like I would be able to paint right over the black and not be forced to try and sand in those adorable little cubbies! I gave a coat of primer to the entire piece and let it dry. I could see it. I could see the vision from my head taking shape right before my eyes. I followed it up with two coats of Rust-Oleum Ultra Cover 2x Heirloom White Satin...my favorite. Just look how pretty it was...


Just a peak for you. At this point the drawers weren't done...but I couldn't resist the photo. See how cute those drawers are??

And just a teaser of what is coming next...


Aren't these the cutest knobs you have ever seen? Michaels craft store...you have swept me off my feet once again.

Craigslist Desk

Hi! I hope you have all been having a great week. I spent a few days in Disneyland with my family...which is why I have been MIA. Despite the massive amounts of construction going on around there, we had a great time.

I have been itching to show you all the latest project I have been working on. Take a look:


I love it! Ok, I know it doesn't look like much here, but just wait until I get my hands on it.

My kids have been sharing a room for the past 3 years. Part of living at the beach is having less space. It has been a trade off, but we have loved being here. My daughter has been dreaming and planning a room of her own. She even has a board on Pinterest for her new room! She's a girl after my own heart! One of the things she hoped to have in her new room was a desk like mine. So when I found this piece on Craigslist I knew it would be perfect. The price was perfect too...FREE! Hmmm...now maybe you think this desk is looking cuter!

Not only was the outside a mess, but the inside was a mess too:


Don't worry, I did say hello to the 80's for you.

This has been a bit of a time consuming project, but it was definitely an act of love. I am waiting on a few pieces I special ordered, so you are going to have to see this reveal in bits and pieces. I hope you find it to be worth the wait!

I thought Valentine's Day was over...

I am happy to say I have taken down all of my Valentine decorations. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE Valentine's Day. It is one of my favorite holidays. I know a lot of people think it is a marketing gimmick, just a reason to get us to spend money. I don't agree. I think there is nothing more important than taking time to show others how much we love them. Do I think Valentine's Day is the only time to do this? Of course not. But it allows me to stop and consciously take time to show love.

Not to mention...I am raising a little boy. A little boy that I want to grow up and be unafraid to show love. A little boy that I pray will grow up to shower his wife and kids with love and affection all year...not just on Valentine's Day. The little boy who sees how valuable Valentine's Day is while he is young, will take that lesson with him when grows and one day begins his own family.

How do I know the traditions we share will follow him? Experience. My Dad used to give my brother and I a heart shaped box of Conversation Hearts every year for Valentine's Day. Every year. Nothing made me feel more loved than that box of candy hearts. Is it my favorite candy? Nope. But to this day, I still feel very loved when I see a Conversation Heart. Thanks for the lesson in love Dad!

So, the decorations are down and I secretly tossed out the leftover Valentine candy. (Yes I know, I am a terribly mean Mom.) I thought Valentine's Day was over. Until this...


Meet "Bob." I was working on a couple painting projects in the yard and my daughter asked if she could make us a snack. This isn't an unusual request. One of the ways she shows her love is by creating something for the rest of us in the kitchen. It is very sweet. However, when she brought out the snack tray, she was not alone.

I was greeted by "Bob."

"Welcome to Chateau de Brion." The name alone made me giggle. How many times do Mom's hear "What are we having for dinner?" My answer to that question is often...Chateaubriand for Two. Not that I am a gourmet chef or that my kids would be happy to eat it...I just know it is an answer that will make them laugh. I love to hear my kids laugh.

Let me tell you, nothing says you have arrived at a fancy restaurant like a tray of grapes & almonds...and a waiter named Bob.

I think "Chateau de Brion" and "Bob" are proof that the lessons of love are being learned. Today I definitely felt the love!

XOXOXO to my Chef and "Bob." I love you guys!