Friday, March 30, 2012

Fun Fridays: Crafties for the Kiddies

Space Blob Bob - Courtesy of http://www.makeandtakes.com/googley-eyed-green-blobs

Outer space is awesome. Outer space themed crafts.....even awesomer! I found this craft idea on the very cool website www.makeandtakes.com. It was featured in the book "Make Yourself a Monster" by Kathy Ross. Even though it was created for Halloween, I think it would work any time for space themed birthday parties or even just a really fun, rainy afternoon.  Check out the make and takes website for supplies and steps. You could also substitute the corn syrup for green jello and use white chocolate circles to make this craft a delightful, edible treat.

Love, Bean

Tuesday, March 27, 2012

Tuesday's Crafty Adventure: DIY Reversible Yoga Mat

Well my friends, winter is finally over! The sun is out, birds are singing and everything is a-okay. In a spring- inspired bout of cleaning this past week, I decided to line the shelves in our pantry with some of that kitchen shelf liner stuff (does this stuff have a name?). I was pretty excited with the results and that got me thinking...hey man, this stuff is pretty neato. It almost feels like a ......yoga mat!



And thus, this project came into fruition.











This project is pretty easy-peasy. Warm up your glue gun, unroll one of the kitchen shelf liner things (seriously ....what do you call this stuff?) and lie it pattern side down. Next unroll the other shelf liner and place pattern side up. Do your best to line up the two shelf liners and start gluing. You can always cut any excess off (step three). Ta da! You have created your very own unique, reversible yoga mat for about 12 bucks!

Just a note: This is a pretty thin yoga mat. You may want to add extra layers for more cushioning. Also, it can be a little slippy. If you find you need more traction, you could always place the second layer pattern side up. It won't be as pretty though!


Love, Bean

New Name, New Focus

Hey Friends! Spring is here....or it was briefly and then decided to go away (minus 11 today? what the?). Anyway, I decided to do some spring cleaning on my blog. I realized that I was having way too few "crafty adventures" and posting too much "hey...look at what is going on in my life" stuff. And seriously, my life is just not that exciting to blog about all the time (alllllthough if you are interested, I do intend to start another blog about my daily adventures very soon.....just sayin'). So, in the spirit of Spring and change and renewal, I intend to refocus this blog and post more of the crafty stuff; current projects, great ideas, cool stuff on Etsy....that type of thing. If you have any ideas for the blog, please let me know!

Monday, March 19, 2012

Monday Morning Inspiration....


I found this while out for a walk this weekend.........sometimes you need a reminder.

Friday, March 16, 2012

Songs for Spring....



The weather has been absolutely beautiful here; bright, warm and easy days that have everyone talking about spring and dreaming of summer. Here are a few songs that will add a spring to your step...

Who Loves the Sun -Hafdis Huld
Seeds - Hey Rosetta!
Thistle and Weeds - Mumford and Sons
Bird Song - The Wailin' Jennys
Early in the Morning, I'll Come Calling- James Vincent McMorrow
Bright Morning Stars - The Wailin' Jennys
Kite Song - Rosie Thomas 

Feel free to add your own suggestions to this list. Enjoy your weekend!

Thursday, March 8, 2012

This is fun...



I had a crummy morning. Luckily, I read  Jessica Jones' fabulous blog How About Orange and stumbled upon La Photocabine. Nothing like taking silly pictures in a virtual photobooth to cheer up a not so stellar start to the day. Hours of time wasting fun! Check it out!

Tuesday, March 6, 2012

On My To Read List....

Here are a  few titles that have piqued my interest. What's on your to read list?  


The Dirty Life: On Farming, Food, and Love
The Dirty Life

Handmade Market Place

Book Cover:  Down to Earth
Down to Earth: A Guide to Simple Living 












                                                       

Monday, March 5, 2012

A New Sunday Ritual....










      Being organized – I love it! Nothing gets me more excited than seeing glossy pictures of perfectly organized closets and drawers with tiny compartments in magazines. At the risk of sounding really boring and singular, let me clarify and say that there are quite a few things that get me more excited, but organization is pretty awesome in my books.
     Unfortunately, I seem to not be so good at applying organization to my everyday life. I lose my bills, I can’t find a pair of matching socks to save my life, and I always end up throwing out food that has spoiled before we have had a chance to eat it.
       In an effort to become more organized, I’ve come up with a new Sunday ritual that should help the week run a little more smoothly. I work late almost every night this week, so I decided to prepare almost all our meals for the week ahead. Seriously, I have never cooked so much in my entire life! I chopped, stirred, baked, sautéed and, after three hours, I ended up with a  yummy three cheese eggplant bake, veggie chili, roasted sweet potato hummus (from Sarah B.’s blog My New Roots – check  it out!), Popeye smoothies (mango, banana and spinach) and dinner for the evening which was pork chops with toasted sesame winter slaw (also from Sarah’s blog.....I love her). After a quick clean of the house and taking out the garbage, I was ready for the week ahead!
      
P.S. - I added some sweet thrift store finds to my walls and baker's rack/bar. More on these later...

Sunday, March 4, 2012

Happy Sunday...Spend It With The Ones You Love!


     Ahhhhh! It has been way to long since I have posted anything and I am really and truly sorry. Sometimes life just turns into a giant ball of craziness, where all you can do is sleep (little) eat (poorly) and try to make it through.

    Currently, I am trying to juggle about four different jobs, which is challenging but also kind of fun. Sometimes I have many hours a week; sometimes I have some spare time to myself. The problem is, as I open my eyes first thing in the morning, I often panic and scramble my brains trying to think where I need to be and what I need to do that day. A little more organization should solve this problem and lead to (hopefully) a more peaceful morning.

        As mentioned in my last post, the hubs lost his grandmother last week.  Adding to this sadness, his grandfather on the other side of his family also passed away a few days later. We spent last week with his family, honoring the lives of these good people. We both learned a lot about his grandfather – he was a leader, worked to bring nature and faith to his community, and loved little people. His life truly was an example for others.  

     The past week has really impressed upon me the importance of family and making time to spend with those you love. Often, we get so caught up in work and other duties that we forget to set aside a few hours or days to go visit. Weeks turn into months before you realize that you have not connected for so long. With family being spread throughout the province and the country, this is a tricky thing to accomplish but I intend to make a greater effort. Anyway, that’s all from me. I hope you have a beautiful Sunday wherever you are .....hopefully spending it with the ones you love.