Getting Crafty With It Part 2

I put together this arts & crafts bucket list back in July before things got all crazy.  However, despite the craziness, we have been able to mark a few things off our list.  Check out my progress below.

1-Sharpie Mugs: Moo and I both made mugs for Halloween. Check them out here.

2-Hearts Paint Chip Wall Art: Still have to round up the supplies for this one, but we should be able to knock it out in an hour or two.

3-Beaded T-shirt Necklace: We'll probably spend this to have a Christmas theme and mark it off the list next month. 

4-Hand Rolled Puffy Beads Bracelets: Can't wait to get started on this one.  It's another simple craft.  If you're doing it with toddlers, just roll their beads larger and make sure they eat any of the dough.

5-DIY Melted Beads Accessories : Post coming soon on this one.  We did ours a little bit different, but Moo had a blast!  Sadly, JJ had to sit this one our because he wanted to eat the beads. Definitely recommend this craft for kids 4 or older with adult supervision.

Source: Pinterest

6-Scrap Fabrics Tutu:  I'm hoping to get a start on this in the next week or so.  Moo's birthday will be here in two weeks!

7-Hand Imprints With Homemade Playdough: I still have to mount these onto some of kind backing and get them framed.  And I have to do JJ's.  Moo and I had fun making ours a few months ago though.  Check out the post on how we made it here.

8-Finger Painting: Moo has fingered panted several times.  However, in the move her paintings got wet.  So, we'll be doing some Christmas theme finger painting next month.

9-Decorative Flower Pots

Source: Pinterst

10-Wooden Strips Mat

11-Crochet American Flag Throw: This project is on hold too.  I'm working on a Christmas blanket instead.

12-Chunky Baby Blanket

13-Crocheted Cell Phone Case: Haven't decided on what colors I want to use.  And I'm thinking about going with a different pattern.

Source: Pinterest

14-Multicolored Poncho: I think that I'm going in a different direction in terms of the actual style, but I could probably mark this off the list before the New Year. We'll see.

15-Crocheted Bolero: Ok, so I started on Moo's but then ran out of the specialty yarn I was using for it.  I haven't been able to find the yarn in the stores.  I'm in the process seeing if I can find yarn to match one or two of the colors in the specialty yarn to finish it up.  At any rate, this project probably won't be completed until after the new year.

Did you make an arts & crafts bucket list?  How's your progress coming along?

Getting Crafty With It

Summer break might be coming to a close, but here in the YUMMommy household we've been bitten by the arts & crafts bug!  It all started when Moo saw one of those parenting tip/idea segments on the Disney Channel.  I don't recall the craft they were making, but I do recall her asking "Mommy, can we do a craft?"  I like to think of myself as a pretty crafty person.  After all I used to teach an art class and I'm pretty mean on the crochet hooks!

So, I look to Pinterest in search of some ideas for some diy crafts that we could do as a family as well as some that I could do on my own.  And what was suppose to be one to three crafts has now morphed into an arts & crafts bucket list.  See what we'll be making before the end of 2013!

1-Sharpie Mugs (I think this will be a great craft for us to try around Christmas.)

2-Hearts Paint Chip Wall Art (The kids' will be using the their first name initials for theirs.)

3-Beaded T-shirt Necklace  (Moo is going to love this one.  She's all about beads and scissors.)

4-Hand Rolled Puffy Beads Bracelets

5-DIY Melted Beads Accessories 

Source: Pinterest

6-Scrap Fabrics Tutu (Making one of these for Moo's upcoming 5th birthday!)

7-Hand Imprints With Homemade Playdough

8-Finger Painting

9-Decorative Flower Pots

Source: Pinterst

10-Wooden Strips Mat (Looking forward to making this when we move.)

11-Crochet American Flag Throw (This will be perfect for next year's July 4th.)

12-Chunky Baby Blanket

13-Crocheted Cell Phone Case (No more scratched screens to due to keys & other stuff.)

Source: Pinterest

14-Multicolored Poncho

15-Crocheted Bolero (Making one for me & one for Moo.)

Well, we're off to get started making some head way on this list.  I'll be posting about the first craft we're marking off our list this weekend.  It's fun, simple and very easy and inexpensive to make!

Thankful Thursday

I'm so thankful that things on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and the blogs are getting back to normal.  Phew!  The holidays are coming up and we should be updating our statuses and posting about cheery things.  I for one am looking forward to Thanksgiving this year.  I'm thankful that I'll be spending it with my husband.

This will be the first Thanksgiving where it'll just be us and the kids.  Change happens and we're rolling with it.  The most important thing is that my honey won't be without his family like he has been these past four Thanksgivings.  We'll get to watch the parades and rattle pots together! LOL

I'm thankful that it was warm enough for the kids and I to get out in the yard and play this afternoon.  They really needed to burn off some pent up energy.  I was in such awe of the beautiful scenery around us.  Like not to get all preachy but it's amazing to see that God made views so gorgeous.

View from my front yard

I've been working on a blanket and I'm thankful that it is coming along well.  It was originally suppose to be listed in Moo's Closet, but Moo has become very attached to it.  She keeps asking me if I'm done with 'her' blanket every five minutes.  When I told her yesterday that it wasn't for her, she started crying a bit.  So, since most of the items in my shop are made to order, I'll just use this blanket at a display model and list it as made to order as well.

Great color combo huh?

I'm also thankful for the surprise check I got on Tuesday!  It felt a little like Christmas and my birthday.

What are you thankful for this week?

Year of the AstroBrights

This post brought to you by Astrobrights Papers by Neenah Paper. All opinions are 100% mine.

With summer vacation coming to close for many of us (kids & adults), it's time to focus on the next 9 months ahead.  For our children that means going back to school.  For us grown ups that means getting back to business with business.   As this 2012-2013 year jumps off, I want to urge you all to make this the year of the AstroBrights!

I was first introduced to AstroBrights papers about two years ago.  I was in my mom's office and just so happened to be looking for some nice paper to print a flyer on.  There on her desk was a shiny, new, unopened pack of AstroBrights. (True story!)  It was calling my name.  I answered and have been hooked ever since.

So, what makes AstroBrights different from other brands?  I would say quality.  This stuff is top of the line.  I have had inicidents where I've printed a report with a pie chart or table graph only to discover that ink has bled through and the paper is all wrinkled and wet.  None of that with this brand.

Did I mention AstroBrights comes in 23 colors?  23 bright, bold, vivid colors to be exact. I'm talking about hot pink, neon grean, deep blues, warm yellows and more.  Whether your son/daughter is looking to decorate his/her science project display or you want spruce up some business brochures, AstroBrights has got you covered!  They "believe ideas are important, thoughts aren't shy and we are not afraid to stand out from the crowd."

You can make sure that your kids are covered and stand out from the crowd by entering the "Give a Bright Year" sweepstakes.  You can help your child's (or any) elementary school win $30,000 in school supplies and cash prizes.  It's really simple to enter.

1. Visit and 'Like' AstroBrights on Facebook.
2. Click on the "Sweepstakes" tab.
3. Click on the "Go to App" button and fill out the entry form.

Looking for even more AstroBrights goodness?  Join their family-friendly "Make Something AstroBright" design challenges.  I encourage you all to put down the cell phones, computers and remotes and get the family together for some crafting and bonding time.  You can share your projects through pictures and videos for a chance to win AstroBright paper and other cool prizes.   Don't forget to use the hashtag #GoAstroBrights if you decide to share them via Twitter or Pinterest.  Happy crafting!

How does your family prepare for going back to school/work?