What's in a photo?

Don't you just want to go! It is so beautiful. His name is Scott Ruitenbeek and he is, I hope, becoming a professional. I mean, just look at a few of what I personally love.

Camping is always better around a fire, don't you think? It calms me. Like my own personal hypnotic relaxer.

I love black and whites, don't you. This one just seems like it is the starter to a western or even horror. I can't dicide. My mind keeps bouncing back and forth. Maybe I should write a story combining the two.

It is sad that the Provo Tabernacle burned but what a great way to capture it. It looks like it could be from a castle or even from a 20's mobster movie. The inspiration is endless.

This one is just fun. Can you imagin having to fill that barn? All the hard work. It must have been very rewarding at the end of the day, having finished.

There are more pic's of coarse but these are some of my faves. I had to share them. I am planning on printing some and putting them in my home. For me a good picture is a great excape from the everyday stresses. You can get lost in a photo. You can find inspiration. You can find peace.

Mario Party!

What kind of party do you give your soon to be 5 year old boy? A Mario Brothers party, du. It turned out great. From the decor to the games, all the kids had a great time.

Lets start with the cake. My sister is the go-to gal for me when it comes to cakes and she made this great cube. it was 4 layers of carrot cake, filled with a cheese cake pudding. It represents the cube that Mario hits in the game, and what should come out? The mushroom that makes you grow of coarse. I made this mushroom a plush so that my son could keep it and play with it. The cake was an 8x8x8 cake so you can imagine how big this mushroom is. I used a pattern from my other sister for the mushroom and I think it turned out great.

Goodies!! I think it is far better to send kids home with treats than with a bag of small toys that they will break and loose before the night is over. So here is what I did.

We have everything you can get out of a Block in Mario.
Stars, Coins, Fire, Ice, Mini Mushrooms and even yoshi Eggs (which would have dots but they kept rubbing off)
Stars - Sugar cookies with maple frosting
Coins - Chocolate coins from winco (thank you bulk section)
Fire Balls - Popcorn candy balls cherry flavor with strawberry sour straws
Ice Balls - Blue Raspberry with blue raspberry jelly bellies
Mini Mushrooms - Lemon mini cupcakes with peppermint blue frosting (it works great together)
Yoshi Egg - Chocolate Cake balls with white candy coating (though the candy coating sweats so the green dots rubbed off)

What would you put all this wonderfulness in you ask? Well, a cube of coarse.

I got some boxes from our local florist. (my mom) These boxes are 4x4x6. The florist uses them for customers who take home arrangements in vases. I added a few lines and each kid got a box of sugar to take home and torment their parents with.

We also had simple but great decorations.

Boo Balloons and streamers were all it took to top off this great party, or maybe it was the hours the kids spent playing Mario. Who knows.

What's for Dinner? Meatball Soup!!

I was wondering what to make for dinner and as always I waited until the last minute to get to cooking. I looked online and unfortunately I didn't have all the ingredients to make any of the meatball soups that I found (which always happens), so I made my own and I was thrilled with it so much that I had to share. I hope you will try it and love it as much as I did.

Ingredients
   8 cups of water
   7 chicken bouillon cubes(you could use 8 cups chicken broth instead of the water and bouillon, but I  didn't have any)
    1 can tomato paste, 6oz (or are they 8oz)
    2 carrots, thinly sliced
    1/2 a sweet onion, thinly sliced and chopped
    1 celery stalk, thinly sliced
    1/4 of a cabbage,chopped to the size of egg noodles (helps to hide it from the kids)
    1 small zucchini, sliced in to match sticks
    12 to 16 Italian turkey meatballs
    a couple hand fulls of egg noodles
    salt, pepper and garlic to taste


Directions
    Put the water, tomato paste and bouillon in a pot set to med-high heat.
    Now start your chopping of the vegetables and add to the water as you go. Your water will come to a boil eventually but keep adding as you go starting with the harder veggies and ending with the softer ones, that way they all cook right.
   While you are chopping, your water will come to a boil. When it does add the frozen meatballs.
    After all your veggies and meatballs are in let it simmer for about 15 minutes.
   Add the noodles and cook for 7 minutes.
   Salt, pepper and garlic to taste during the cooking.
   Done!!

Serve with buttered multi-grain bread and enjoy, I know we did.
  

Quick Little Practice

I am venturing into the world of felt. Sure, I used felt as a kid, but it has been a while. So I thought I would share what I made. A cover for my iPod. I usually use a hair band to keep my ear buds and my iPod together, but as I was looking online for crafty inspiration I came across a lot of mp3 covers. So I made this. I had previously purchased a few different colors of felt 8x11's for .39 each. Using some felt flowers that I got through Stampin-up, embroidery thread, buttons and a few small beads I set to work.

I used a 1 1/2 inch button and some elastic for the closure, because, lets face it, everyone likes a big button.

I then placed my felt flowers and, depending on size, I used a button or a bead as the center. I then practiced my patience and began stitching.

And stitching. It took a few hours for me to finish (over a two day span) but I am very happy with the result. Now I think I will make one for my cell phone and maybe my Nook. Though I think I will stick to all stitching with my next project.

If you are going to attempt this your self, a note of caution. be very careful with your stitching. With the cheaper craft felt (which I used) once you make a hole there is no going back. Not to mention if you try to pull out your stitching you may make the hole bigger. I wanted to do a button hole instead of elastic for the closure but as I just said...I made a hole. But I think it turned out great and it would be a great project for young kids as well.

Car Clutter Solved!!

Every time I get in the car my kids bring toys, which I make them leave in the car as I am running my errands. Well as you can guess, my car is cluttered with small toys and books. So, what did I do...I made something to fix my problem.

A bag that goes over the back of the seat in front. I am sure you have seen these before. I know I have, but I love to personalize it. The fabric, the size and even the pockets are all the way I want them. I always find things that others make and think of all the changes that I would make to it. So why not make one from scratch? When I saw this fabric I knew what I was going to make...now if only my boys will use it.

The superhero/comic print was perfect for my boys. Now to make one for my little girl...when she needs it.

It has buttons so that it can be easily removed, yet it is large enough to just slip off. The bag is a good size for most kids books and it has 2 pockets for the random pen or flashlight. I just love these things. I don't know if I will make them to sell...maybe who knows.

It is always fun and rewarding to me to find a need, fill it and have fun doing it.