Monday, April 30, 2012

Mining Monday: Mother's Day Ideas

In an attempt to be ready for Mother's Day ahead of time this year (Whitt's birthday is often the same weekend and after yesterday, you KNOW I'm ready for that this year!!) I thought a few hours minutes spent considering my options via Pinterest the Internet would be rationalized well spent.

I went out in search of some things I could make and others that I might purchase (seeing as I will probably WAIT, despite my best intentions!).

So here are my thoughts... for now!  OH... do you have other ideas?  I'm adding a Linky Tool at the bottom where we can all ADD more over time, good idea, eh?

Let's start with a lovely free printable via Amy at A Profittable Life.  You can download it in a variety of colors!  Thanks, Amy!!



How about some yummy vanilla sugar and spice shower gel and lotion?  Oh... wait this is for MOM, not me!  Haha!!

Having lots of fabric scraps, this Mother's Day journal might be just the thing.  They used ribbon for the decoration, but a bit of creativity here might just be perfect!


I ran across this perfect stamp at Hobby Lobby's website.  It's $8.99, but there was a 40% coupon at the top of the page.... :o)
I could also see doing this yourself on a card or a white plate with those special markers you "cook" and seal it in!  Muahahaha!



What would Mother's Day be without some ideas with flowers?  Here is a super sweet vase I saw at Makes and Takes!  My oldest grandson and I were outside yesterday and we found some dainty flowers that would be perfect with this!!




Happy creating and link me ideas below that YOU have!!
Carrie

Here's a Linky Tool to add YOUR ideas!

Sunday, April 29, 2012

A year of Date Nights... DON'T TELL!!

Good morning, friends!

I saw this idea on Pinterest for an anniversary gift of a year of date nights. I thought to my self, "Self...this would be a great idea for Whitt!" In a couple short months (just 1 1/2 after our 29th anniversary) we become "empty nesters" with our youngest heading out to college.

So, I am working on the concept of this for hubbster (SHHHH.... DON'T TELL HIM!!!)

Here's my thoughts for the year's worth:

June - Country Spirits Restaurant, Henniker (the only one on Earth) NH - We've had quite a few of our anniversary dinners there, so I thought it was a good place to start.  For this one, I'll tuck the cash in for dinner and perhaps a copy of the menu.

www.countryspirithenniker.com

July - PERFECT time for a canoeing/fishing/picnic date!  I thought I'd make up a little card with a picnic basket on it ... a little canoe... maybe a fish?  This is one of our favorite places to go:


August - Field hockey starts up, youngest heads off to college and we'll need to have some fun!  How about Chucksters Mini Golf (Chichester, NH - just outside of Concord on Rt 4) and Newick's for some seafood? I think this envelope will be a picture from the website for the mini-golf and then the cash for dinner?

September - Time for Whitt to head back to school ... one of his favorite meals (aside from Newick's Fisherman's platter) is Chinese, so let's toss in Lee's Mt. Fuji in Peterborough?  I've already got a gift card for this one, so that's what I'll tuck inside!  I think tickets to the Peterborough Theater would be a great addition to this one!




October - My stress level will be up as the end of the field hockey season approaches and he'll be looking down the the barrel of the beginning of his 31st season of coaching wrestling, so I am thinking something relaxing?  How about a home "spa" date?  Oh boy, doesn't that sound fun??

I found a GREAT set up at Love Actually, a super fun site with ideas for romance on a budget.  Works for me!!
http://loveactually-blog.blogspot.com/2009/03/spa-night.html

November - Wrestling will be in full swing and he'll be dealing with NOT having a daughter or daughter-in-law as a manager.... hmmm.... let's try the Brazillian steakhouse in Manchester, Gauchos Churrascaria!!  You can get a gift certificate on-line, so that will be perfect!  This place is said to be a carnivore's delight... right up his alley!


December - It's holiday time.... how about something not too expensive?  Let's do a movie night, IN!  A movie we'd enjoy and then goodies as if we'd gone to the theater?  Our fountain of ideas at Love Actually has a plan!


January - It tends to be a wee bit nippy here in NH right about then.  Our weeknights and Saturdays are spent at basketball games/practice and wrestling meets, that leaves Sundays.  Hmmm...  can't really take off for more than an evening, as we need to keep the pellet stove going...  How about Mile Away Restaurant in Milford?  They are open Sunday's from 1-7pm.  This will be one of our most expensive meals.  We've only been once, quite a few years ago, when someone (one of our teams all chipped in for a gift certificate) gave us the night out.  The food is amazing and you REALLY need reservations!  Perfect!

February - It's Valentine's Day, folks!  YAY!!  I am thinking this will be a romantic date.  Let's just say, snuggling by the fire... dinner....and we'll leave the details to everyone's imagination, shall we? 

March - Time for an overnight!!  We'll both have finished our winter seasons and we've always talked about getting away when wrestling ended... so... this is the perfect time!  Let's see... how about Portland, Maine?    They have GREAT seafood and fun things to do, being a museum lover myself...  OR there's York, Maine and the Anchorage Inn. I found that you can actually book the Anchorage Inn now!


Did I mention that we'd be going RIGHT BY the Kittery Outlets?  Oh... gee whiz... what a shame!  The good news is that he LOVES the Trading Post, so all good!


April - This is time to dive into softball.  It will also be the first time in over 15 years that one of our children WON'T be playing softball or baseball!  WOW!  (that is unless youngest DD finds her way out on to the field in college...)  Bri will still be coaching, so that makes some evenings tough, BUT as we don't have a daughter playing, we don't have to worry about the whole picking them up off the bus, soooo.... I could snag him and head for a night out.  Let's see... where might we find ourselves?  Based on this year's schedule: Keene, Goffstown, Milford, Hollis and Manchester.  LOTS of options there!  If we could pick a Friday night, we could turn it into a movie night and dinner.... guess I'll have to leave that one a bit more open!  I'll find a way!  :o)

May - This would be the last of the year's dates.  It also happens to be his birthday month.  I am thinking something TOTALLY different!  How about Mohegan Sun or Foxwoods in CT?  I've never actually been to any sort of gambling place... but we could really step "outside the box" with this one!   The food options are from one extreme to another and there's always shows to see!  If it were this May, we could see Trans Siberian Orchestra!!  OMG!! 


Of course if I could find an opportunity for him to see Billy Joel at any point, whatever else I have planned would be RIGHT OUT the window!  I checked though, and am not seeing any concert dates anywhere.  :o)

Anyone else have ideas that might be fun?  I WILL be reporting on the success, starting in June, of my idea.  Who knows - may start a whole new trend for us!  

Enjoy the day and your own date nights!
Carrie

Friday, April 27, 2012

Monkey Bread - YUM!!

In need of a sugar fix, I grabbed the package of biscuits from the frig and went about making Monkey Bread to fill the need.  It's soooo easy!  Have you tried it?

This is the recipe right off the Pillsbury package.  Oh, and BTW, did you know THEY have a Pinterest page??  It includes recipes (can't beat that) and a board of Dough Boy pictures!!

Doesn't that just make you want to poke him??

Here's what you need:

3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 tsp ground cinnamon
4 cans  (7.5 oz) refrigerated biscuits
1/2 cup butter or margarine, melted
3/4 cup packed brown sugar

1.  Grease or spray a 12 cup bundt cake pan.
2. Mix sugar and cinnamon in a 1 gallon bag (I used a ziplock). Cut each biscuit into quarters.  Shake quarters in bag to coat; place in pan.  Mix butter and brown sugar and pour over biscuit pieces.
3. Bake at 350 for 40-45 minutes or until golden brown.  Cook 5 minutes.  Turn upside down. Serve warm.

12 servings

Seriously, it is so easy and SOOO GOOD!  Here's the result:



... sweet, sticky, sugary goodness!  Yup ... and 15 seconds or so in the microwave in the morning the next day (if there is any left) makes them yummy, too!

Have a delish day!
Carrie

Thursday, April 26, 2012

Pretty Pillows: More Ideas for 1 yd or less fabric

I saw a lovely pillow on Pinterest and it sent me searching for more GREAT pillow ideas to share!

Have a peek and see what you think!

Gathered heart pillow by V and Co
This is a wonderful tutorial that will motivate you to find some red and white fabric!  Can't wait to try it out!


Gwenny Penny has a totally different look here:
The color and the fabric are wonderful - soooo different from the one above!


This is from my new favorite site, sew4home!
These are a perfect use for some of the gorgeous fabrics I picked up, don't you think?



How about this one?  Pillows made from sweaters?  How fun this tutorial by Brassy Apple is:


Here's one from Martha Stewart's site, always a fountain of ideas there!  This project uses some painting/printing methods. That wouldn't work with the fabrics I just got... BUT we KNOW I have more that would work just fine!


The last one I want to share this morning is in honor of the fact our oldest daughter is leaving home to take a job out of state.  She's daddy's girl - a pillow made from his shirt might just be perfect!  <3
Check this out at Ducks in a Row:


Have a wonderful weekend, everyone!
Carrie

PS.  If you haven't stopped by to leave your opinions on what you'd like me to write about, check out this posting.  If you click on it, a page opens with a place to check mark any that interest you.  You submit and that's it!  Seriously, 15 seconds!!

Wednesday, April 25, 2012

Wordless Wednesday: Packing Up

One last set of pictures from my daughter's leaving - the packing up, the heading out and the arriving. 

Car #1

Car #2

Heading out - waving bye...

The new home

Pre-unpacking... house in background
It was a wonderful trip - nice dinner out with the "kids" - back home.... what's 7 hours, right?
Quilty hugs,
Carrie

Tuesday, April 24, 2012

Advice for my daughter/s...

As a family, we crossed one of those milestones yesterday.... one that mirrors the "roots and wings" saying.  It was wings we gave her.  We headed 500 miles out of New England, through New York and across Pennsylvania to deposit our oldest daughter to experience the next stage in her life.


She spent the last few weeks packing up her world here in New Hampshire.  She filled tubs, suitcases and boxes, which have sat waiting in our living room since then.  The living room is empty now.  So is part of our house and part of our lives.



It's one of those times that you KNOW it's the right thing, but that doesn't make the ache it leaves any less.  There will be plenty of texting, phoning and BTW... Skype!  Yup - I'll be learning to use that little camera to keep her informed about the things she's had to leave behind: the world of sports that she's been such a part of, her nephews who'll be growing a mile a minute, the weather in New Hampshire and all the little things we take for granted each day.

She went off 5 years ago to go to school out there.  She alone chose the direction of her life - she's chosen it once again.  We are proud of her and the young woman she's become, proud yet sad to see her fly the nest.

I found these words from another mom to share with her and with you, my friends, mothers of girls AND boys...
 
A Mother's Advice to Her Daughter 
Be strong.  
Be intelligent.  
Smile. 
Know that beauty has everything to do with how you feel about yourself and nothing to do with looks or other people's opinions.
Never do anything just because everyone else is if you believe it's wrong.
Always be true to yourself.
Expect the best from life and that's what you'll get.
Learn from your mistakes and failures.
Believe in magic and wish on stars.
Love and trust and be compassionate.
Make faces.
Play in mud puddles.
Take bubble baths.
Turn off all the lights and watch lightning storms.
Dance, laugh, cry, and sing when you want to.
Read everything you can get your hands on.
Stand up for what is right especially if you stand alone.
Don't allow yourself or people around you to tolerate prejudices of any kind.
Don't be afraid to try something new.
Do something daring at least once a week.
Run through snow drifts.
Spin in circles and roll down hills.
Pet puppies, hold kittens, and talk to babies.
Take afternoon naps.
Stay up to watch the sunrise.
Never apologize for being a woman or for being yourself.
Never forget that I love you more than any other person in the world, no matter how far apart we are you will always be my daughter.


If you can read that last line without crying, more power to you... I can't!

Hugs to my dearest Kel and to you all,
Carrie

Sunday, April 22, 2012

Earth Day - Without Art, it's EH!

In honor of Earth Day, I scrounged around a bit to see what creative ideas were out there.  Here's what I found, enjoy!

From The Lovely Dept., a beautiful watercolor illustration she did - hop over and you can down load it!

How about some yummy marshmallow pops?  Find out how at the Decorated Cookie!


I LOVE Modern Parents, Messy Kids!  Its such a fun website!  Here are some printables for recycling.


Planet Blue has some wonderful ideas and this perfect picture for Earth Day:

**I know... it wouldn't rotate very well in that shape, but it's soooo cool!

Let's wrap it up with an Earth Day party... notes for next year or ideas you can use today?  Worth a look!  Tip Junkie is a "go to" site for all things fun!





I hope your Sunday/Earth Day/What-ever-day-you-read-this-day is wonderful!

Chat soon,
Carrie

Saturday, April 21, 2012

Planning Posting... What would YOU like to read about?

Good morning, friends and co-creators!

As I thought about today it occurred to me that I would really like to know what you, my friends, readers and co-creators would like to read about! I can write about a multitude of things and will, but I am curious what interests YOU!


I popped into Survey Monkey this morning, made up an account and viola - I have a 15 second survey for you to do to help me out and give me some guidance as to what you enjoy.

Click on the link below and it will take you to a one question survey where you just click on the options that interest you and submit!


Click here to take survey

Thanks so much!
Carrie

Friday, April 20, 2012

Tutorial Link: How to make a photo collage

I ran across this wonderful post on Blogging with Amy this morning on how to make a photo collage.

I zipped over to ipiccy.com, like she said, followed her directions and whipped up a WONDERFUL collage for someone special (can't put the details here yet!!)  It REALLY is easy to do!!

Here is her page:


It is SO MUCH FUN!!  I have a feeling I'm going to be addicted to this!

Here is VERY quick example of some of my projects:

I kid you not, folks!  Head over to Amy's blog and check this out!!

Enjoy!
Carrie

PS.  If you try one and post it, add a link to it below in the Linky Party!  We'd love to see!

Thursday, April 19, 2012

So these two Pins walk into a bar...

For some reason, I just had these silly Pinterest jokes running through my head this morning and I thought you might get a chuckle out of them.


When you see these plastered all over the Internet in a few weeks, remember you saw them HERE first!  :o)


How about this one, in honor of John Lennon?


Let's get your "Dr. Seuss on!"


Let's see how many we can think of!!  Post your ideas below!  I've got some more funnies already!  Muahahaha!

Quilty hugs,
Carrie

Wednesday, April 18, 2012

Wordless Wednesday - photos of my world - 4/18/12

Good morning, all!

Spring is definitely here, finally.  Here are some signs:

My little plants are progressing - their getting their second leaves.

Love the telephoto lens.  This beauty was singing a wonderful song.

Who doesn't love the splash of color a forsythia adds?
What do you consider signs of spring where you are?

Have a wonderful day,
Carrie