It's Monday and I have no fancy title...

It seems like it's been a long time since I've posted...

With the end of school coming the 11th I've made more of an appearance at the school.  Acting like I'm one of the parents that is fully participating.  We've had the class picnic, field day, and an open house at Darlings new school.

Field day was actually a LOT of fun...

Poor little thing and her tiny legs!  Look how much taller those girls are.  Don't worry, I don't let her give me the sad story, I've always been SUPER short too.

the "long" jump or better yet, just "the jump".

It's been busier than usual for us.  I don't know people with 3+ kids do it, really, I don't!

Saturday morning we went to a really trashy auction that was to raise $ for a local VA, OH girls, how I would have LOVED to take pictures of the "customers"!  I don't know about you, but I have a hard time approaching a woman with 4 teeth and a coon skin cap and asking for her picture.

Darling got an awesome piano keyboard that has some ghetto DJ feature and the keys say "dude", "get up", "oooooh yeahhhh" (in a total porno voice) and a variety of other fun, yet annoying words and sounds.  The Mister got a smoker and a yard tool thingy that puts holes in the yard and spreads grass seeds... Heck, I don't know what you do with either of those things.  I got to hold an Amish baby that was a twin... it was free and the most fun part of the auction!  Just so you know, there is nothing more or less interesting about an Amish baby, it's just a regular baby.  I know how you people that don't live around Amish are all star struck by them!

That night we went downtown for our Festival of the Arts celebration.  I LOVE these things, I love how the freaks (and I say that in the most loving way!!) come out of the woodwork! 

Don't be jealous of our sexy ladies in their TWILIGHT t-shirts!

The Mister said next year he's just taking a lawn chair and will be people watching all day!

Lets just say Darling was in rare form!

The sun was WAY too hot, the sunscreen hurt, her foot was broken, the crowd was too crowded, her legs hurt, there were rocks in her flip flops... Oh boy, don't you LOVE when you try to do something fun with your kid and they have NOTHING good to say??  Well, we had a little "Come to Jesus" chat and some food and then things started to turn around!

they had sculpture making for kids and now this beauty is on my mantel!

a pin-wheel (made at the art museum) is not a bad way to end the day when you're 6!

and the best way to end the day...

2 nights of going to bed at 7:30 can't hurt either!

Hope you had a great weekend!

I have laundry to do and groceries to get and a post office run (thanks to a sale in my etsy shop: http://www.etsy.com/shop/papercutsarecute/). 

 I hope I have tomorrow to work on my crochet and my chandelier...

Happy day friends!

and...

a little plug about my BABY HAT DRIVE 

As most of you know, my daughter was adopted from China and I left a little piece of my heart there.  I'm collecting hats to keep the children and babies warm in the winter.  Many live in orphanages that are without heat.

1. make a baby hat, toddler hat, or kid sized hat (you can take the non-crafty way out and buy one if you must)

2. email me at: chinamommy_04@yahoo.com for my address.

3. I'll take care of shipping them to CHINA next fall.

any questions- please feel free to email me!!

Crochet skirts!!

I have some images from my childhood that are burnt into my memory... the time we went camping in a pimp van, and my 6'1" dad slept down the middle of the floor while my mom drove around the campground so she could run the A/C at 3 in the morning... the time we went to a 7-11in California and saw a microwave for the 1st time... the time I smashed my finger in the hatchback of a Pinto... but perhaps one of the most memorable memories is a pair of baby blue crochet pants.  I'm happy to report that I was NOT the one wearing them, nor was anyone in my family.  My best friend and I were in girl scouts, it was an eclectic bunch to say the least (and be the nicest).  I don't want to be cruel, so I'll go easy on my story.  Our leader, though wonderfully nice, really was quite tacky.  We made quilts of old polyester pants, no lie!  One evening as we were wrapping up another night in the moldy basement of the local library, our moms started filing in to pick us up.  Now, we had 2 of the sweetest girls ever in our troop, sisters in fact, and they were 2 of the 3 kids from a local family.  Let's just leave it at - they were the family everyone in town knew, perhaps missing a couple sandwiches from their picnic, if you know what i'm sayin'?!... So their mom shows up and is sporting some BABY BLUE crocheted pants.  Now remember gals, I was born in 1969 and was in 5th grade at this time- WAY before Madonna, Brittany and Christina were shakin' their money makers and showin everyone what their Mama gave 'em.  Sooooo, when this Mom shows up in her baby blue's and her big ol' white granny panty's are showing between the stitches, I thought I was gonna DIE!  That mental picture is stamped so strongly in my brain it's like it was yesterday!  The granny pantie's scarred me and that's why I will only be wearing a thong under my crocheted skirt when I pick Darling up from social activities!!

This is from: Stitch'n Bitch Crochet The Happy Hooker  by Debbie Stoller.

When I saw this skirt, "Violet Beauregard" by Heather Dixon;  I knew I HAD to make it!!  

When she mentioned it was only the 3rd project she had attempted, I KNEW I could do it too!

I started searching for this exact yarn, but wasn't having any luck.  It's cotton and I could only find these colors in acrylic....Ewww!  I'm somewhat of a fiber snob- the thought of wearing a plastic/acrylic skirt gave me the creeps!

I found some cotton yarn at Hobby Lobby, not the exact colors, which makes me sad, but if you know me at all, you know I want to dive straight in and am not going to look for months.

I know it looks black in my picture, but the main part of the skirt is going to be deep plum.

The accent colors are the light plum and lavender.

Last night I got the 1st round down, which was a beast!  I know, I know... my life is so hard working on this skirt... but speaking crochet, it WAS a rough round.  Now that I have that 1st row, the rest will go easy (thankfully, because I probably would just give up if it was all that hard, sad, but true.).

THEN, I got online to check out the "Crochet Today" site (cause I'm officially a crochet nerd!).

http://www.crochettoday.com/patterns/

Oh, who is in ❤LOVE❤ with this "Boardwalk Skirt?!?

So now I am stalking Joann's till the magazine comes in!!  The Mister was nice enough to sign me up for 2 years of this magazine, after I sold him on the benefits of subscribing instead of paying rack price for magazines!!

Any other crochet or knit geeks out there? (and I say that in the NICEST way possible!)  I'd love to hear what you're working on!!

I haven't forgotten about the chandelier, but this is the week before the last week of school and it's full of game days and picnics and field days and stuff that cuts into my craft time, so... it's in the studio and it's being worked on, but, of course, it's not done...

Happy Day gals! and don't forget....

a little plug about my BABY HAT DRIVE 

As most of you know, my daughter was adopted from China and I left a little piece of my heart there.  I'm collecting hats to keep the children and babies warm in the winter.  Many live in orphanages that are without heat.

1. make a baby hat, toddler hat, or kid sized hat (you can take the non-crafty way out and buy one if you must)

2. email me at: chinamommy_04@yahoo.com for my address.

3. I'll take care of shipping them to CHINA next fall.

any questions- please feel free to email me!!

Getin' my craft on...

 I've felt like CRAP for days, thanks to the cottonwood trees shedding their fluffy goodness all over West Michigan!  This stuff is EVERYWHERE and at times, literally looks like it's snowing.

Yesterday I was at the dentist in the morning havin' a little work done.  I got the "buttons" off my teeth, those are the little bumps that made my invisalign braces work.  She got them off by grinding them off... Yumm, I had that delicious burnt tooth smell/taste in my mouth all day!  I had molds made for my retainers, that was especially fun because my nose is ornamental only!  I get very little air in this honker on a good day let alone after a week of insane pollen counts.  Yes, I did drool, thank you for asking!

I came home, set the timer on the stove and slept until it was time to get Darling from the bus stop.

Today... much better!

I'm hoping I can finish some of my started projects:

The Chandelier (from Brassy Apple)

So far, I only have a few of them gems added....

I really hope to finish this today...

Here's a sneak peak at another project I'm working on...

(Owls Mel!!)

I also made a teeny tiny terrarium!

I need to craft it up a bit...

Want to know how to make your own??

It's an easy one, super kid friendly (as long as they don't eat the charcoal!)

1. get a jar with a lid (you can make open terrarium's also, but I had this cute little jar)

2. cover the bottom with pebbles or sand

3. layer the pebbles with charcoal bits - you can find these at any garden center, it will keep the stink out!

4. layer in some spaghnum moss (oops, I forgot this in mine)

5. potting soil

6. moss

7. mist with some water

With a closed terrarium, you DO need to open the lid at some point to get some air moving.

I just pulled up a little piece of moss from our yard.  If you want some REALLY good directions check this guy out:

 Terrarium Man!!

http://www.stormthecastle.com/terrarium/index.htm/

His site is FULL of all kinds of ideas and advice!

Did I mention while working on my chandelier and terrarium, I'm also crocheting a skirt?!

Yes, I AM nuts!

I'll be back tomorrow with to show you whats up with THE SKIRT!!

Have a great day and don't forget...

a little plug about my BABY HAT DRIVE 

As most of you know, my daughter was adopted from China and I left a little piece of my heart there.  I'm collecting hats to keep the children and babies warm in the winter.  Many live in orphanages that are without heat.

1. make a baby hat, toddler hat, or kid sized hat (you can take the non-crafty way out and buy one if you must)

2. email me at: chinamommy_04@yahoo.com for my address.

3. I'll take care of shipping them to CHINA next fall.

any questions- please feel free to email me!!

I'm back in black...

I feel like I need to recap since I've been gone so long, but in truth, nothing interesting happened.

Friday, Darling & I went to see Shrek 3-D, it was good.

Saturday.... I'm literally sitting here thinking what DID we do Saturday?!  Ummm, I remember Costco and getting pictures developed and begging the Mister for ANOTHER new pair of glasses because they have Betesy Johnson frames and they are TOO CUTE!  

Oh wait then there was the Avocado burger... Oh yeah- the boat!!  Ok, it's all coming back to me now!  We went to see friends that have a boat over on Lake Michigan!

The weather was gorgeous and we had a great time!

Yes, that IS the sparkle star boob suit!  

Then we did the family picnic that we do once a month with the Mister's family on Sunday.

Monday we took Darling for a bike ride on the paved path.  She just learned to ride a 2 wheel bike so the paved path is a good place to practice.

For the record, I had nothing to do with this outfit:

I thought the turquoise shoes were a nice touch!

There she goes...

My allergies have been HORRIBLE!  The cottonwood looks like snow falling...

Achooooo!!!

As Darling left for school today she said "well, it looks like someone sure has laundry to do" and she wasn't kidding!  I better get right on that!  I've already been to the dentist this morning and I'll fill you in on that later... brother!

Anyway if you're a new reader, I'm usually more entertaining, lets blame it on the fact that I feel like crap and am not feeling like entertaining anyone at the moment...

and because it's been a while....

a little plug about my BABY HAT DRIVE 

As most of you know, my daughter was adopted from China and I left a little piece of my heart there.  I'm collecting hats to keep the children and babies warm in the winter.  Many live in orphanages that are without heat.

1. make a baby hat, toddler hat, or kid sized hat (you can take the non-crafty way out and buy one if you must)

2. email me at: chinamommy_04@yahoo.com for my address.

3. I'll take care of shipping them to CHINA next fall.

any questions- please feel free to email me!!

Don't cry for me fellow bloggers....

Sung to the tune of:

"Don't Cry for me Argentina"
(you know you just went back and tried it, I DID!).

Girls, let me tell you... my allergies are KICKIN MY BUTT!

Snot is pouring down my face, my head feels like someone threw a brick at my face, I'm grouchy and I just want to sleep but I can't quit sneezing (think in reps of 12-15!)...

attractive, I know!

Yesterday I worked on my "chandelier" after my drugs had kicked in... let me show you what I've done so far... I'm finding it rather fetching if i do say so myself!
My little assistant, Rambo

She's helping me take my $1 store baskets over to get painted!

I chose French Lilac paint because it's going in my studio.

I've got them all wired together and hope to finish it up today...

Here is the one "Brassy Apple" did for her daughter's room!!

Click on the link below for ALL the detailed directions!
http://brassyapple.blogspot.com/2010/05/diy-chandeliertutorial.html/
I like to think I'm pretty crafty, but who in the world see's these baskets at the $1 store and thinks:
CHANDELIER!?
I got mine at a store called "Dollar Tree".  Honestly, I've never really been into $1 stores, but I've been introduced to some of their benefits lately!  I just don't like to shop places where I'm pretty sure someone in a foreign country is cranking out this crap for .30 a week!


Even in my weakened condition (I know, "give you a break", right?!) I listed some things on ebay (my seller name is: chinesebabydoll).  If you're into rubber stamping (or just general craft collecting like the rest of us), check them out:

http://cgi.ebay.com/Stampin-Up-Bitty-Birthday-4-stamps-Never-been-used-/170491820145?cmd=ViewItem&pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item27b21ab871#ht_500wt_1154/

http://cgi.ebay.com/Stampin-Up-Expressive-Flexible-Phrases-Never-been-used-/170491813529?cmd=ViewItem&pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item27b21a9e99#ht_500wt_1154/

http://cgi.ebay.com/Clear-Winter-Holiday-Stamps-Autumn-Leaves-BRAND-NEW-/170491830018?cmd=ViewItem&pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item27b21adf02#ht_500wt_1039/

http://cgi.ebay.com/Stampin-Up-Classic-Alphabet-56-stamps-Never-been-used-/170491815534?cmd=ViewItem&pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item27b21aa66e#ht_500wt_1154/

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=170491832651&ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT#ht_500wt_1154/

http://cgi.ebay.com/Stampin-Up-Polka-Dot-Punches-4-stamps-Never-been-used-/170491821513?cmd=ViewItem&pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item27b21abdc9#ht_500wt_1154/

http://cgi.ebay.com/Stampin-Up-Perfect-Princess-7-stamps-Never-been-used-/170491818121?cmd=ViewItem&pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item27b21ab089#ht_500wt_1154/

http://cgi.ebay.com/Stampin-Up-Simple-Shapes-10-stamps-only-3-ever-used-/170491825209?cmd=ViewItem&pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item27b21acc39#ht_500wt_1154/

Most of them haven't been used, most are "Stampin' Up" brand and they all start at .99! I'm my very own $1 store right now!!
Happy Sneezing!
and...

a little plug about my BABY HAT DRIVE 

As most of you know, my daughter was adopted from China and I left a little piece of my heart there.  I'm collecting hats to keep the children and babies warm in the winter.  Many live in orphanages that are without heat.

1. make a baby hat, toddler hat, or kid sized hat (you can take the non-crafty way out and buy one if you must)

2. email me at: chinamommy_04@yahoo.com for my address.

3. I'll take care of shipping them to CHINA next fall.

any questions- please feel free to email me!!

Sneezin', snottin',snortin', and shoppin'...

Months back my local weather guy, Bill, was kind enough to inform me that this would be the worst allergy season in centuries, or decades...a long stinkin' time!  He was NOT joking!  So pretty much I was trapped inside all winter and now...I'm staying in my plastic bubble till that white cottonwood crap stops blowing ALL OVER!  I keep telling the Mister I "NEED" to move to Hawaii- no calls have been make to shipping companies as of last night.  I just went to Walgreens to get my asthma med- did you see me?  The one with the red puffy eyes and nose?  Anyway, my asthma med was $361 (it's IS for 3 months, but still!), yes, three HUNDRED sixty one dollars!  Thankfully, my husband is on board with me continuing to breath!  While there, I saw an 80 year old couple getting into a baby blue PINTO!  I was going to snap a picture but some plumber in the mini van next to them was deep in conversation (and I felt weird just snapping a picture of them).  Perhaps he was warning them not to get hit in the rear- weren't Pinto's the ones that blew up when that happened?

Since I won't be leaving the house for a while, I've been cruising 

 this vortex, known as the internet and found this:

Beyond the Rack

http://www.beyondtherack.com/member/invite/B189B585/

I have more to say, but I'm working on a movie for Jamie Lee Curtis...

REALLY Jamie Lee, you wanna see my poo?

Jamie Lee Curtis, although I love her children's books and she's a fellow adoptive mama, she bugs me! 

This woman is BEGGING me daily from the television to make a movie about my digestive system!

Really Jamie?? 'cause girl, you KNOW i would!!

If I eat her yogurt, I'm going to poop everyday in the easiest way!  Hey Jamie, perhaps it's TMI, but just because YOU are the one bringing it up... I'm all good in the potty dept, but... 

IF you really want that movie, you wouldn't have to twist my arm to hard...

Remember, I'm the girl with the

I ❤ to Fart

shirt!
I would like to add...
what happened to my cute, glittery blog about crafts and etsy love?
I find it hard to stay on topic... NO, really???!!!!
Don't worry, I will continue to sprinkle glitter amongst my poo stories and don't worry friends, IF I make that Activia movie I will only make Jamie Lee Curtis watch it (while tied to a toilet in Mobile, Alabama... the one in the front yard of that guy I saw on Hoarders last week).
Speaking of Hoarders... do you watch this show?
It makes my husband CRAZY to watch it!  Want to know why?
This is our garage:

We're going to paint it this summer...

Yeah, no hoarding with this guy!
If you haven't seen this show, put on a wife beater, grab a bag of chips, move the stack of magazines from 1984 off the sofa and click this link:
http://www.aetv.com/hoarders/index.jsp/

Don't forget HOARDERS has a Memorial Day Marathon starting at 8 AM!
You know where I'll be!
Off to the $1 store, I'm thinking of making a chandelier out of wire pots... more later, or maybe not- you know how i am!
and...

a little plug about my BABY HAT DRIVE 

As most of you know, my daughter was adopted from China and I left a little piece of my heart there.  I'm collecting hats to keep the children and babies warm in the winter.  Many live in orphanages that are without heat.

1. make a baby hat, toddler hat, or kid sized hat (you can take the non-crafty way out and buy one if you must)

2. email me at: chinamommy_04@yahoo.com for my address.

3. I'll take care of shipping them to CHINA next fall.

any questions- please feel free to email me!!

A wet t-shirt contest at Church is never a good idea...

My darling daughter was baptized yesterday, this is a big deal.  She's 6, she gets it.  When she was 2 1/2 or 3, I remember her calling to me from the back seat of the car.  "Mama, Mama... I have Jesus in my heart and it feels like angel's wings".  Out of the mouth of babes!

Yep, that's me on the right in my basketball shorts and grey shirt (or is it gray?).  I was going to wear my "I ❤ to Fart" shirt, but it's white and they warned us at the informational meeting that "due to INTENSE lighting, white clothing is NOT advised!"  Whewww...

They baptize the little kids 1st, which is nice... can you imagine how cold and DIRTY the water would be by the end?  You know me and my germ "issues"!  

We go to a big church....a huge church.  You may have heard of it, you may have heard of our pastor, Rob Bell.  I went over to youtube to grab one of his video's... boy, is there a LOT of hatin' goin' on out there!  Everyone has something to say, everyone wants to pick everything apart.  I think Rob is one of the few that gets the truth, but that's my opinion...

Anyway, give him a watch if you'd like.

After all the baptizing and lunch, it was time to get down to some good summer fun, because believe it or not... the sun is out in Michigan!!

 Whoo-hooo!  I'm going to enjoy it the next 2 weeks before the snow starts flying again! ha!

(those are shark holograms on her goggles- she doesn't have weird neon green eyes!)

and again...

a little plug about my BABY HAT DRIVE 

As most of you know, my daughter was adopted from China and I left a little piece of my heart there.  I'm collecting hats to keep the children and babies warm in the winter.  Many live in orphanages that are without heat.

1. make a baby hat, toddler hat, or kid sized hat (you can take the non-crafty way out and buy one if you must)

2. email me at: chinamommy_04@yahoo.com for my address.

3. I'll take care of shipping them to CHINA next fall.

any questions- please feel free to email me!!

Can you buy a new brain at Costco?

Yikes...

Everyone is cranky here...well, not the Mister but darling daughter and I seem to be and did i mention my back window is down on my car and i can't get it up (that's what she said) and it's raining?!  Let's move onto breaking news, I have!

Poor Bret Michaels

he can't cut a break with his health, he's back in the hospital with a hole in his heart and a warning stroke.

Lindsay Lohan

is back in the USA but they aren't putting her in jail....what?  I know I'd be there trying to choke down a bologna sandwich while keeping Big Bertha's hands off me!

It's raining here and I need to go buy shower cleaner which I should have got yesterday.  Speaking of yesterday... I went to Target and got some black basketball shorts for myself 'cause i'm 4' 11 3/4" & the Piston's won't quit calling.  Plus I grabbed this...

is it a top? is it a dress? 

It's Iike the El Camino of shirts!

I then went to Costco to get Darlings school pictures printed.  I bought the CD which comes with a copyright release so I can print my own.  Oh they (the pictures) are too funny... the pose, the look on her face, the fact that her glasses are sliding down her nose! I couldn't help myself, I got an 11X14.

Anyway- I go into Costco and make my pictures, then I have to go out to get a cart, then I have to go out and get my coupon book, so I've just come in 3 times to the same store.  I shop, I check out, I remember I didn't pick up my pictures, I go in AGAIN.  The old guy at the door thinks I want him... He's over 50, I might!  The word on the street is, I have a thing for older men!  It all started in 4th grade with a little show called:

Magnum PI!!!!!!!!!!!

Mmmmm... delish!!!!

Come on Michigan girls... the Detroit hat?!

You're Welcome!!

So, after I got the pictures at Costco I remember I never got what I REALLY needed at Target, so I go back.  I've been to Target twice and Costco 4 times (plus their gas station once) and I didn't get any shower cleaner.

I hope you have a GREAT weekend- How could you not after that post?  It has celebrities, fashion, a darling girl, and an El Camino... is there anything more?  I think NOT!

a little plug about my BABY HAT DRIVE 

As most of you know, my daughter was adopted from China and I left a little piece of my heart there.  I'm collecting hats to keep the children and babies warm in the winter.  Many live in orphanages that are without heat.

1. make a baby hat, toddler hat, or kid sized hat (you can take the non-crafty way out and buy one if you must)

2. email me at: chinamommy_04@yahoo.com for my address.

3. I'll take care of shipping them to CHINA next fall.

any questions- please feel free to email me!!