Ugh, sometimes it's so confusing!!

I've wanted to give chinamommy an update for a LONG time and I don't mean just changing the background!  I want to use all those cute fonts and I want the set up to be different, but... I am elderly in the world of computers and technology!  I got a wonderful book:

I went to this site and got FREE FONTS (that are adorable!)

Kevin and Amanda's awesome blog!!

I got this big girl camera

made this cute strap

read tons of how-to's, tried to get my pictures loaded onto my mac, and freaked out because LOUD bagpipe "music" was playing on the tv in the background.

So instead of giving the blog a make-over, I made a Bento for Darling.

 this is ONLY the 1st little one I've put together, so as I gather more supplies (cause you know I WILL!)

I hope they'll be a bit more spectacular!

Oh yeah... the blog make-over!

Everything is just so hard for me to figure out and there are some fabulous tutorials out there but I just need to devote an entire day (week??) to doing NOTHING but learning this stuff!  I'm going to keep plugging away because I really do want to make this blog bigger, better, and, of course, CUTER!

Stayed tuned next week and I'll show you how to make this:

IF you're interested, go grab these supplies this weekend:

TP rolls, foil, small dish, wire cutters, thick wire, black felt (small amount for eyes/mouth), liquid starch and cheesecloth!

(and a can of white spray paint is really going to help!  after doing the 1st one last night, I'm thinking this will make things a LOT easier.)

See you next week with the how-to!

yes, it's true

My brother is going to have a painting at ArtPrize also... well, he says he is.  You know those "artist types"...

Here is a link, you can check him out and see his "unfinished" painting.

 www.artprize.org

You'll need to go to the above link and then find browse artists and type in the name:

John Myers

or maybe this link will work for you... it wouldn't for me as I was typing this in, but give it a try

www.artprize.org/artists/public-profile/1653

 I know, I know... it's amazing!

but just think... that's in his mind!

beautiful and scary at the same time.

He was conceived under a full moon after my parents both consumed large amounts of chili, what can they say?

Art prize and the bloated carcass of....well, of something!

The 2nd Annual ArtPrize is headed to Grand Rapids, MI again this year!!

Sept 22-Oct 10

A group at my Church has a huge painting in this years contest.

Our church is very involved with:

(link below)

20liters.org

This is a group helping people in Rwanda get clean drinking water.

Did you know 1 in 8 people do not have access to clean water? 

If you're going to be in GR for this event, head down to the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum and see this HUGE painting...

It's in the reflecting pool... you CAN'T miss it!

Head over to their website

thewaterprize.com

We parked and walked through the downtown people watching and taking pictures.  As we were headed over the bridge I was snapping some pictures of the downtown.

Pretty hun?

Well, let me tell you, if you've got a crowd of 1,000 people and one dudes (cause it's always a dude, right ladies?) got his pants unzipped, I'M going to notice.  So... as I'm taking pictures I notice there is 1 spot in the Grand River that catches all the trash AND...

a bloated.....something or others?!

Unfortunately (or thankfully for some people), the head never bobbed to the top, so I wasn't sure if it was a dog or just a fryer chicken.

Whatever it was, the hair (feathers? fur?) had been brushed clean away.

And seriously, who is the %*#&%$ that is throwing plastic bottles in the river? Grrr!

Apparently I wasn't the only one that noticed 

So all, in all it was a GREAT day downtown!!

Bubble Tea

Rascals Races

and ART!!

After a fabulous day of art and bloated dead stuff the ragweed sought revenge on me... I spent the night with my head feeling like it was going to explode, but the memory of that carcass kept me going!

Happy Tuesday!!!

So you wanna be a parent?

Haha, doesn't that sounds like a sex ed book for young adults?

Wait... where was I going with this?..

Oh yeah: I got an email the other day from the agency I used when I adopted my daughter.

  

They have lots of kids (in China) getting ready to turn 14.  Do you know what that means in China?  It means you are NO longer available for adoption, it means you don't get a mama, it means you probably don't have anyone that REALLY loves you.

I am NOT a tender heart, I'm just not, but...

get me talking about the children of China and I am a weeping, sobbing mess!

  Darling and I pray every day and night for these kids and that we might be able to adopt again!

So, China may not be for you.... a teenager may not be either, but...

if not you, who?

This isn't a guilt trip, adoption is NOT for everyone, but... 

just think about it!

If someone told you they loved you at night, if they gave you presents at Christmas and loved you when you were super ugly (hello, we were ALL ugly in jr. high- let me grab that picture of me with Tom Selleck moustaches for eyebrows and I'll be right back...), then maybe it IS for you!

Do you know you can contact GWCA and get an informational packet for free...

no strings attached!

I can't imagine my precious girl being left behind and I know there are so many kids still waiting.

Just a thought...

also:

a little plug about my BABY HAT DRIVE 

  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.

***I must have the hats IN my hands BY Oct 31, 2010***

(my 1st hat showed up yesterday!! Thanks "K"!)

any questions- please feel free to email me!!

It's Friday, otherwise known as: "the end of my freedom till Monday"

1st off, I LOVE my family: the Mister is awesome (yeah all you readers that know him...go ahead and tell him I said that!!) my daughter is fabulous, but... How much do I love a quiet house M-F??....  

I'm sure in a few weeks I'll be wandering around the house with tears streaming down my face missing those two like crazy, (when it's just the dog and I in the middle of a snowy Michigan winter...) Oh heck, who am I kidding!!  I'm kind of a hermit down in my studio!!

and...

speaking of studio, I REALLY need to get down there!  I can tell you I've spent so much time on the computer that the underside of my right wrist is SORE from rubbing against the edge of the desk as I move the mouse around!! 

 Now that's SAD!

I found a GREAT website with the BEST free fonts and you know anything "computery" get my brain in a scramble, so although, I can download them, I can't use them... Hmmm, kind of like how I can take a picture with the new camera 

but I can't get the pictures into the computer!!

Grrrrr!!

Hey, if you're a "font freak" head on over to this gals blog and grab them

FREE!!!!!

Fabulous Free Fonts!!!! click right HERE!!

Have a great weekend, I hope to do something "blog worthy" that doesn't involve a trip to the ER!

What I wore today...and other, better stuff!

Ok, so it was yesterday, but still!

You know how all those cute YOUNG bloggers in their vintage dresses like to post their outfits on their blogs and outfit remix sites?

Well, not wanting to be left out, I thought I'd join in...

Don't hate...

Oh yeah, then I have to give a run down of where I got everything: Shirt- TJ Maxx.  It's one of those running shirts that wick the wetness off of you, I wore it in 04 when I adopted my daughter from the sauna known as China.  Pants: Meijer, terry cloth and too short and WAY too wide.  Sexy, I know!

 I decided I'd better just post Darling's outfits, cause even if I don't wear them, I must say: I can pick them!!

Jeggings!!

(Target: head to toe)

I'm going to live vicariously through her outfits...

This year I'm going to stick to my goal of taking pictures of what SHE wears all year!  I know I love to see what I wore as a kid in the 70's!

Ok, so you know how I never finish what I start and I always have 1,000 projects and 999 problems with said project?!  Well, I watched the video on how to use my sewing/embroidery machine and I FIXED the issue I was having and look what I got done!!!

(please note improved outfit today!!)

Yes, my friends, it went from this

to this

note: fancy stitching

Now, don't get all excited, it's not me, it's the machine!

The sewing machine I have is smarter then you and I combined and it cost more than my car (although that might not be saying much...).

It is beyond me and I do NOT deserve to have this machine, but I do...long story.

Off to the dentist...will my $25,000 smile ever be done?

Where did yesterday go?

Yesterday was my 1st day of freedom and I swear it went by in the blink of an eye!  

Today I promised myself I would exercise with my Just Dance Wii "game", don't ya know, the remote thingy won't work!  Last week I signed up for a running club and promptly got an email message that the leader was having "scheduling conflicts" so I shouldn't show up unless they got back in touch with me!  Is it my lot in life to die of heart disease?  Good grief, I don't like to exercise that much as it is, let alone with road blocks!!

Today I have plans, big plans!  I am going to watch the video so I can thread my bobbin, 

I am going to sew my camera strap re-do 

AND I am going to get some more things cut out for my 2nd etsy store: papercutsarecute.

and, hang with this little guy...

(and YES, the Mister IS going to get that window trim put up soon...)

Have a great day and check back tomorrow!

PS: the new camera... I now am using it, but do you think I can import those picture into my mac??... NOPE! and I've spent a LOT of time trying, emailing for help, and reading...

My long, long...LONG weekend

Ok, not "long" as in bad, but let's just say "it was time for school".  I LOVE LOVE LOVE my daughter, but she was ready, I was ready and today is a good day!  Monday we decided to head out to Lake Michigan because we heard there were some GIANT waves and I wanted to see if I could be rescued by a helicopter and make the 11 O'clock news!

1st off: see how Darling is dressed?  1. hat, 2. hooded sweatshirt, 3. jeans... guess what? It was CHILLY, really chilly...

but do you see this?:

a lady in a bikini with a surfboard!

 the water WAS warmer than the air, which is fine if you plan on staying IN the water.

I found this pill and sold it to a hooker

Now this guy may have made the 11 O'clock news.

this is him walking along the EDGE (NOT THE main walk out to the lighthouse) with his 2 VERY young boys.  It's wet, it's slippery and the waves were totally crashing up along here... 

Can you even believe what a chance people are willing to take with their kids?  To the right (ON the walk) is Mom, I couldn't believe she was letting her idiot husband take her babies onto that ledge!!!

a little piece of "art" carved into the boardwalk.

We walked out to the lighthouse, watched some fisherman, walked on the beach and had a stranger take a picture of the 3 of us with my new camera (after we figured out that I didn't have it turned on).  

Suddenly Darling had to go potty-go figure.

We didn't have shoes (we left them in the truck)...

Yep:

public bathroom at the beach with no shoes!

1 toilet was FULL 

the stall Darling chose had a pantie liner stuck to the floor

wet toilet paper

sand all over

EXTREME grossness

So gross, even I didn't take pictures (yes, I know.... You're welcome!!).

I was beyond grossed out, I'm still shivering just thinking about it.

Headed home and saw this

No, not the camper... the GARAGE!!  

Can you say "Hoarder"?  The Mister even turned around so I could see it (and take a picture).  I would guess the inside of his home wasn't much better and who wants to bet that trailer is being used as a storage unit?!

Then as we drove up the road to our drive we saw our "Friendly" neighbors place

Nice, hun?

and then TODAY at 8:05 this little sweetie headed off to 2nd grade!

No, I didn't pick the outfit.  She's been dying to wear this shirt that says "Pick me, Pick me".  Out of all the adorable new outfits, she wanted the t-shirt.

Her face?

Well, I had this weird email a while back that "someone" was searching for me.  They wouldn't tell me who unless I joined their group, but by the 3 clues they gave me I knew just who it was.

It made me a little paranoid that perhaps she (yes, it's a she) was trying to keep tabs on me or spy on us.

It's not someone dangerous, just someone that is nosy and nasty and has no business being in my business, so I think I'll just keep my sweetie's face for us right now...

Ok, school has started and that means it's time for this girl to get to her studio and start makin' some stuff!

Have a great day!!

Eeeeek, how cute is this?? and... it can be YOURS!

You know about my OpenSky Boutique, right?  

NO?  WHAT??

Well, girl, get yourself to the top of this page and click on the tab above (that says: OpenSky Boutique) and see what hand picked (by yours truly) goodies I've  found for YOU!

I'd like to introduce my *NEWEST picks**

from:

Island Girl Bags

Slouch Bag in PINK!!

$35

Girls Night Out Criss Cross Bag

$15

Fabric headbands

$6!!

17 oz travel mug

$20

I happen to know this gal PERSONALLY and let me tell you, her products are made from gorgeous fabrics, professionally sewn and are the greatest of quality!

I even overheard a woman at TARGET (no lie) telling a friend about "Island Girl Bags" and how wonderful they are!!

You will ❤LOVE❤ LOVE❤ LOVE❤ all of her products.

**I am having a shopping cart issue with my OpenSky goodies, so be patient,  I hope to have it fixed in the next 7 years**  Just kidding, it will be fixed this next week!  IF you MUST have one of these items (besides the cute pink purse) NOW, let me know & I'll help you out!  

Baby Hat Drive for children in China...

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.  There are so many wonderful children that will live their entire lives in orphanages (well, until they are teens and no longer available for adoption or care...).  I'm collecting hats to send to an orphanage in China 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 (or more) 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.  I must have them in my hands NO later than Oct 31, 2010!!

any questions- please feel free to email me!!

ㄅㄆㄇㄈㄉㄊㄋㄌㄍㄎㄏㄓㄔㄕㄜㄞㄢ