Hats to China update...

i just remembered i forgot to post these pictures... back in october i sent allllllllll the hats you sweeties sent for some little kiddo's in china.  i included a note and a camera, crossed my fingers and hoped we'd get some pictures.  christmas came and went and no pictures... and then a couple months ago i got a package in the mail, it was the camera!  i rushed the pictures to the store to get them developed because apparently it's still 1991 over here!  seriously, how long has it been since you've developed pictures at a store?  anyway, i got the pictures back and to be honest, they really weren't that great.  :(  i'm so glad they sent some, but the orphanage we sent to the previous year spoiled us by taking a ton of photo's with lots and lots of little kids.  the hats are for the kids though, so i'm just glad the package arrived and that their little melons are being kept warm!  

so, here are the pictures i did receive:

awwww!!!  

thanks to everyone that sent hats AND donated $$.  the donation this year cost just over $85 to ship to china!  WOW!!  i'll take hats and donations anytime (see the tab at the top of the blog) but i start the official collection in late summer....

10 Random Things Friday...

i can NOT believe today is friday! this week went soooooo fast for me, i think my mind is still back on monday!

1. darling was a peacock for halloween, i did a terrible, horrible, no good job of taking photo's.  i hope it's nice this weekend so i can put the outfit back on and get some good pictures for her album!

2. we took her trick or treating 2 places, she did not want to go, she hates to say "trick or treat".... we took her to the AA group meeting place (we know a wonderful man that is 1 year sober-yeah!) and the family tavern (we know the owners), true story.

3. our pumpkin for the disney theme contest at school- Cinderella's Carriage.

4. we went to my cousin's fabulous wedding in washington DC this past weekend, it was wonderful!  she and her now husband dated 11 years.  her parents dated 3 days... yes, DAYS!

5. the shoes i wore to my cousin's wedding 

(steve madden)

6. the missoni shoes i got for HALF OFF!!

7. anyone else get sucked into kim's wedding?  i spent more time watching that carnival than it lasted.  who else thinks she did the right thing by cutting bait now?  that dude was a freak and has the maturity level of a 14 year old!

8. clearance halloween decoration...$1!

(and the star was made by #10)

9. the last of the hats...

they will all leave for China today!!!

thank you again for everyone's generous donations of hats and $.  i will be including a camera, so let's hope we get pictures again this year!!!

10. it's this gals' birthday today

go wish her a Happy Birthday at:

http://viewsbychris.blogspot.com/

have a GREAT weekend!!  i'm headed to the post office :)

Before and After Home Decorating and Hot Pink LOVE!

remember how I was painting this gorgeous pattern on my bedroom wall?  well, i want to show you the before and after.

BEFORE:

 AFTER:

yeah...i got off track, the pattern got crooked and i got psycho. i'm trying to talk the mister into painting over it and snapping a chalk line, i haven't totally given up because it looks SOOOOOO cool when it's done!!

 here's another before and after.

 my repurposed, repainted junk for my  wall...

BEFORE:

 AFTER:

yeah...another project that turn a hard right turn.  our living space is a "great room" (that in my opinion is NOT so great) and the "living" portion of the room is really not very big and this book case was crampin' my style, so i moved it. yep, me! i know it looks stupid in this picture but it's just made me realize i need a nice vertical piece of sumpin', sumpin' on the wall.... Ooooo, maybe pinterest has a good idea for me!! (you may notice my trim still is NOT up... the mister has been busy reading the entire "left behind" series and getting himself in shape. obviously, he is not overly concerned with my interior design dreams!).

 ok, now, here is my before mantel look and... oh, wait.... what's that?  patricia heaton ?  Oh, wait, not patricia...are those new chairs? new HOT PINK zebra print chairs? why, yes they are-thank you for noticing!!!!!!!!!

 ok, so how can i even get irritated at the mister for not putting up the trim when he lets us girls put HOT PINK ZEBRA CHAIRS in the living room!?!?!?!  you may (or may not) remember my last chair love that fell through. the orchid pink and tan chairs at tj maxx that i waited to go on sale and then missed out on.  well, when i saw these babies at marshalls last week i knew i better snag them because the orchid pink ones are gone, gone, gone... never to be seen again (except in someones yard sale in 5 years that i'll miss out on too).

 that tv stand needs moved so i can center these chairs, the mister is dreaming of an over-the-fireplace flat screen which may not be the loveliest idea, but again...he has PINK chairs in his living room, i'll cut him some slack!

 so now i'm collecting my pieces so this room can finally come together in all its funky, colorful glory...

i'm going to repaint the trim around my mirror, get new lights and pull this mantel together.  my beautiful orchid will prob. be dead by then, but for now i'm basking in its beauty!

for my interior design friends (and i KNOW you're reading!), feel free to give any tips or advice you'd like, except telling me i need to start wearing a bump-it and move to jersey with my hot pink zebra chairs!

❤Baby Hat Drive update tomorrow!!!❤

 it's NOT too late to get in on the donation! just hit the donate button above, every cent goes to hats/postage. only have $1 to give?  that's fine!! every dollar helps!

❤❤❤

Happy Tuesday

Free Happy Feelings

trust me, when you participate in this hat drive in ANY way, you WILL receive a free happy feeling!!

i just want to give you an update on our 2nd annual hat drive for the kids in China.  i received 2 packages of hats recently, 1 from south carolina and the other all the way from ireland!! and then an adorable little hat from a friend here in town.

this year the hats will be going to the kids at the Chengdu City Children's Welfare Center.

all (new) hats will be accepted, handmade or store bought- the kids don't care a bit and are sooooooo happy to have a nice warm hat of their very own!

Remember last years kiddo's?

 if you'd rather just donate some $$ feel free to do that at the top with the paypal button. even $1 helps!!

thank you so much to those that have already donated and for the rest of you...there is still time!!!!! i'm taking hats and donations until 10/31.  feel free to contact me at: chinamommy_04@yahoo.com if you have any questions.

why, hello there!

contrary to what i thought friday, i did not die!  the mister spent a week in MT hunting elk, the only thing he came home with was one of his cabin mates cold.  guess who he shared it with?  i swear now that i am home, i am safe in my little bleachy world but whenever the mister or darling come home they bring germs that promptly attack my weak immune system! hack, hack-sneeze, sneeze! saturday i was able to sit upright, sunday i could cut fabric squares, sunday night i could crochet, and monday i did a little bit of stitching.  it's GOOD to be back!  i thought i would share with you what's on etsy now and available HERE: chinamommy

 oh and this guy.... the ink bled overnight-boo!!  NOT in the shop after all....i'm going to have to do a little more trial and error with the shrinky plastic!  dang, i loved this one!

and then something a little different....a double sided halloween pendant!

side 2

ok, i'm off to have coffee with a friend from high school!!  someone i don't think i've seen since...cough, cough....1987!!! 

(ps: hats are rolling in and it's not too late for you to join the hat drive!! see information above in the hat donation tab and come back tomorrow to see what's here so far!) 

10 Random Things Friday...

Oh geeesh, i have so much to get done today!!!....

1. i am off to the mall to pick up my packet for the Koman Race for the Cure. 5k tomorrow morning at 8:30.  i love to run these races. what's not to love about waking up at 6 on a saturday, eating a power bar, having the nervous poops, worrying about having to pee (just a little bit) while you run, and race t-shirts! 

2. i watched the movie "As Good As It Gets" yesterday and could NOT quit laughing!! the movie quotes from this movie are PRICELESS!

~ You're a disgrace to depression.~

  ~ You people who talk in metaphors oughta shampoo my crotch.~

                              ~ I'm drowning here, and you're describing the water!~

       ~ Come on in, and try not to ruin everything by being you.~

           ~ I can't do this without you. I'm afraid he might pull the stiff one-eye on me.~

If you haven't seen this movie, get it! but don't watch it with your kids!

3. for $3.74 i changed this (lame table) from this:

 to this:

 4. can you believe i took this picture? i <3 it!!

5. does this happen to you?

 we have this basket right outside our door (in the garage) and seriously, who has time to dig thru that mess to find 2 that match?  ok, i have the time, so perhaps the question should have been "who is too lazy to dig thru this mess to find 2 matching flip flops?"

6. i love these boots

am i too old for these? i think so!

 i LOVE this color! (below)

i believe these are more age appropriate than boots #1.

7. i love this!!!

find it (and other good stuff) here:

snottub

8.

most amazing cupcake EVEAH!

source (it's in DUTCH)

9. cute tutorial from a glove!!

cute, hun?

source: motherbabyearth

10. HAT DRIVE for the kids in China!!

I will be collecting $$ (donate button on TOP left of this blog-ALL $$ goes to hats!) AND hats: handmade or store bought winter hats (NEW only please!!) until 10-31-11

please, please, please consider donating! even a $1 is appreciated!!

Have a great weekend!!

Hand painted wallpaper adventure!

let me start with the fact that i have done NOTHING for days... Ok, i've got Darling on and off the bus and i have used the bathroom but other than that a big fat NOTHIN'!  i haven't even had any coffee because i have no 1/2 and 1/2 and i'm too lazy to go to the store!! yesterday i was feeling like such a slug that i pulled a ladder inside and got started on a PURE CRAZY project: hand painted wallpaper!  

Source: jonesdesigncompany

the picture above is from the lady who is kind enough to show you how to do this AND give you a free template.  she did all 4 walls of her office with double lines...i'm just doing a single line because i know myself and myself is a slacker!

So, here's what i've got going on...

you do NOT even want to know how long that took me!  i'm only doing the wall behind our bed-there is NO WAY i could do all our walls and it would be too much!  i'm going to use silver paint to paint the design, i think it will be nice with this lamp

(next up: i need to revamp the little side table i got from my gram)

so, needless to say, i will be spending many hours on my nice green ladder.... it's one of those projects you can't just leave, it's a little obvious and it's too late to turn back now!

**don't forget: the countdown for the baby hat drive is coming FAST**

see all the information in the tab above or just hit the donate button at the top- every $1 helps!

10 Random Things Friday...

Ummm, i gotsta, gotsta hurry and i should have done this (post) last night but i didn't because a new episode of "First 48" was on and if you know anything about me, you know i LOVE me some police 

drama!!!! 

Ok....

1. This is why i need to get busy:

("trash", so i don't try to eat out of it, i guess?!)

 i can hardly stand to show these, it is OUT OF CONTROL!  i'm in a downward spiral with photo's. i have soooooooooooo many and i just can't keep them in a box. at this point i am sooooooooo behind that i am going NUTS trying to get them in albums. i have given up doing the xtra fancy pages but i'm a little psycho about making sure they are in date order.  there are stacks and stacks and stacks of pages waiting to go into albums.  as much anxiety as this causes me, i know most would encourage me to just give it up- but it is NOT happening, i'm in too deep!

(paper only- you know, so i don't put "trash" in it!)

2. I'm going to start this book (in LARGE print edition! cause i'm 42 now)

 after i finish this.

3. i put food coloring (1 drop) in my soap to make it fancy and match my kitchen.  i'll let you know if my hands are blue by the end of the month.

4. i'm giving this mascara a try-it says "AVEC volume boosting complex" and because i am a marketing person's dream and believe EVERYTHING they put on packaging... i bought it!

(it's by Rimmel London)

5. The Mister is getting ready for a BIG hunting trip... have ya ever seen so much camo?

6. from my yard

7. i've got this long skinny laundry room, it needs glamified! here is the before, the after is still in my head.  the walls are chocolate brown, i'm going to try and think around that because i HATE to paint and the mister wasn't keen on hot pink walls...

8. one of the projects in that sewing book of kids clothes. i want to dress like this, so therefore, Darling is going to. shut up, i know i can't sew, but in my mind i can and that's where it counts, right?

9 have i mentioned my awesome friend Chris who drew this picture of my daughter (when she was 3 at an Easter egg hunt-my daughter, NOT Chris).  i need to get it framed, it's a goal before the end of this year!

 let's look a little closer, because it is awesome!

10. PLEASE take a look at the above tab, the one about the kids hat drive. if you would facebook, blog or twitter this information, i will LOVE you forever!!

(this photo is from last years hat drive. the poor little one in the front isn't so happy about being in a baby pile!)

i'd also like to announce which orphanage will be receiving the hats this year:

Chengdu City Children's Welfare Center.

IF you have ANY questions about this hat drive, please email me!!

chinamommy_04@yahoo.com