I am here!

My silly daughter hates it when the flash on the camera goes off so, she has taken to close her eyes when I take pics of her. I made this dress out of 4 t-shirts and since I took this pic, I added another layer of stripes at the bottom of the dress. It is really cute and she loves it.

Here is my sweet nephew and my daughter (don't look at the mess behind, and yes I really do do her hair, she just pulled out the bow and made a huge mess in her room while I was making lunch in the kitchen, has that ever happened to you??)in another t-shirt dress I made out of 2 old shirts, she has added her older sisters skirt to go underneath to add a little something more. Silly girl.

Ok, so recently I have been following The Lettered Cottage website. I love it!! Anywho, I love antiques and refurbishing old stuff to look awesome and new!! So, I took myself and 4 small kiddos to the local flea market (did I say I was by myself with 4 small kids, yep, I know crazy huh!) and found these 2 suitcases and the large trunk. Which I totally love. I wish I had hardwood floors, that will be for the next house checklist.

Sorry about the lack there of, of posts. I have started school and my hubby took my laptop to Utah with him. Of coarse my whole life is on here so, I had no way of posting because I do not remember anything. Here are some new posts, I hope you enjoy.

Right now I am doing a few hundred things at once, I am stripping my tabletop and staining it a dark color, I am painting and antiquing a dresser/desk thing, and I am writing essays for school, and taking care of three kids because it is spring break, AHHHHHHHh!!!

BUTTERFLIES INC. Garage sale find

Yeah, you need to guess how much I spent on this puppy. Well, it has plans. When I bought it it was a light wood color, since then I have painted it white. And added different hardware, and we have been using it for our Tv and dvds. Well, since I will be making our entertainment center, on a later date. I am going to tranform it back into a dresser, armoire for Jayden. It is goin to be super cute stay tuned for updates.

BUTTERFLIES INC. Old shirts= new dresses

Here are some old shirts, but soon they will be an eclectic dress. I am too excited to start it hopefully I will get it all cut up tonight after I do my Yoga ball ab drilling workout! Have fun Ya'll!

Stars are awesome!

My little handsome man was Star of the Week, a few weeks back and here is the treat we made.
Nothing like rice crispies on a stick.

Make your rice crispies then cut into shape, we choose stars.

Place on wax paper.

Melt chocolate chips in small bowl. 30 seconds stir, another 30 seconds stir.
Dip one end of lollipop stick in melted chocolate and insert chocolate side into bottom of shape(star).





How about a basket full of these delicious treats? Yummy!

ORGANIZATION: Hall Closet Nightmare...

Finished, well almost.

We all have one and this one was my nightmare, I took a picture before I tackled the closet but could not find it on my laptop, seeing that I took it a LONG time ago, thinking that I would get to it before now, well, life happens. Anywho, it looked a lot worse than this and it is still not finished. I need to add a few personal touches like painting the buckets and finding cute baskets instead of the plastic tubs on the top shelf for my scrapbooking, and Aerobic teaching stuff. Hope you get some cute tips.



I placed all of our crayons in one bucket and markers in the other. Future plans to paint the buckets black or sage green or some cool color.
In the plastic storage shelving I put shapes in one, paints and stamps in one, and crafts like: felt, pipe cleaners, and cotton balls, etc..

This basket is full of future gifts and cards for friends birthdays.


Congratulations Naomi.
Oh, why thank you.

Piece o' cake Piece o' Pie!

Tip of the day!

So, you know when you are totally making dinner one minute and you put your pot on the stove and let the water and contents boil, then the Shiz hits the fan and one child needs you to wipe their hiney one is crying for you to hold them for who knows what the reason why and the other is "DEMANDING" help with there homework and yelling that if that said person does not get help now that said person will die and never recover, because, well just because, that said person says. And then you remembered that you have started the pot of boiling contents on the stove... during/after you have just finished wiping, while carrying, while helping do homework and it is going all over the place, and you think to yourself (you insert your thoughts) why does it have to boil over..... well, scroll down and I will tell you what stops it, or helps it not too!! I know you love me and you are welcome.
Here is the pot of boiling goods about ready to boil all over my nice clean stove top.

Here is the heaven sent BAMBOO spoon that for some reason stops the volcanic boiling mess all over the stove top.

TIP: BAMBOO ROCKS!!! stick any bamboo utensil you have and it should stop the volcanic eruption of boiling goods from covering the top of your stove top.

Yah, I rock, I know. You are all welcome.

PIECE O' CAKE PIECE O' PIE

Teacher Valentine

Found here for the awesome idea
http://www.skiptomylou.org/2008/02/08/how-does-your-garden-grow/ Thanks!!
Ok, so I could not find my camera last night when I was making the Dum-Dum flowers in a small pot. So, here is a picture of where I got the idea for the flowers.
The flowers turned out fantastic and then I painted a clay pot white, and placed shredded white paper in the bottom and a styrofoam square to hold the "flowers" in place and then cover with more white shredded paper (the paper is bought at Walmart, Micheals, it is a basket filler) It turned out really cute I wish I could have found my camera. To show you all.

Bread anyone? anyone?

Did I forget to mention that it was Nomi-made bread,(aka homemade bread), yummy.

Ok, so how many of us want to know how to make bread and have it taste so delicious that you made it one minute and have no idea where it went the next?
Well, I did. So, one night I went to Enrichment night, my first one ever and SO glad I went, (it is for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, www.lds.org ) (it is an activity night ladies do about once a month to be enriched...really I think it is to get out of the house and be FREE..just kidding..hehe..) They were teaching on how to make yummy white bread and what is cool about this you can easily make wheat bread out of it too, yeah! Ok, so here are some pictures and the recipe is at the end …


Yummy Nomi made bread, slathered in butter. Not suggested for the hips, or bottom or even you tummy, but let me tell you it is sooooooooooooooo good, for you!
Here are the essential ingredients minus the water and secret ingredient.
THE "SECRET" ingredient
" The yeast shall rise..."
Add some flour.
A little of the sugar..
Add salt.
Add Oil.
Add secret ingredient
Add water.
After covering with Plastic Saran Wrap let it rise until it is double in size, about 2 hours.
While you wait this is the best time to…
Get your “Drink On” in this case for me it is Coke, it should be Diet I know.
Punch it down.
Let it rise again. PS I totally forgot to take a picture of when it was double in size, so here is what it looks like for the 2nd rise.
Place equal parts of dough in greased bread pans and let rise for a 3rd time for about 30min.
Bake at 350 F for 30 minutes and cool on rack, then....
ENJOY!!

PIECE O’ CAKE, PIECE O’ PIE

PS I halved this recipe that is why it only made two loaves of bread, this recipe makes four loaves of bread.

Fool Proof Bread recipe
YEAST MIXTURE
1 TBSP yeast
1 TBSP sugar
1 cup warm water ( baby bottle warm)
Mix in small bowl and set aside to double

10 cups flour
½ cup sugar
1 TBSP salt
1 TBSP Wheat Gluten (secret ingredient,shhh)
½ cup oil
3 cup warm water (little warmer than baby bottle water)
Mix together
Add Yeast mixture.
Mix thoroughly together.
TIP! Spray bowl with PAM or Cooking oil then place dough in bowl .
Cover with plastic saran wrap and set in warm area.
Let rise 2 hours or double in size
Punch down let rise again 30 minutes to 1 hour.
Form dough in 4 equal sizes for bread pan.
Grease bread pans generously.
Place dough in pan.
Let rise 3rd time for 30 min
Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 30 min. or until it sounds hollow when tapped on the top of the loaf.
Let cool in pan for 5-10min.
Take out of pan and cool on cooling rack.
You may place in bread bags while still warm, to keep it soft
Bread freezes well.

10 days Until Valentines Day!

So, love is in the air! So here are a couple ideas I have what about you??
For you and your love...
1. Candlelight dinner and a movie
2. Treasure hunt to gift
3. Night out on the town,dinner, dancing,hiking, etc...

For your kiddos
1. Cut out a heart or daisy flower and stick Dum Dum lolipop in the center.
2.

BUTTERFLIES INC. Knock off Anthropologie Necklace

A closer look at the knock off Anthropologie necklace..


"Oh, My, where did you get that necklace? It is so smokin' awesomely beautiful."
Me-- "Oh, you know, I just made it in my (so called) spare time."


I love jewelry, but if you know me, I hardly where my wedding ring. I totally love my husband, I just don't like to wear jewelry of any sort. So, this year I am going to be better and wear my ring and try out some jewelry, we will see how long I last. I will probably be in and out.
But!! I came across the beautiful and fun necklace I found at a local blog that found it at one of my favorite stores, ANTHROPOLOGIE. Man I love that store, a little pricey so we will be making some knock offs. Imagine the look for pennies on the dollar. Oh, this blog (below) has how to make it. She did an amazing job at explaining how to put it all together and what you need. I totally forgot to take pics along the way, else I would have explained it, but here is her tutorial:
http://infarrantlycreative.blogspot.com/2009/11/how-to-make-bonheur-necklace.html
OH, I changed mine up a little bit, I used multicolored pearl beads, and regular white tulle and some silky off white matrial that I already had. So, the necklace actually costed me less than $3 to make.

Enjoy being beautiful.

Piece O' Cake, Piece O' Pie

BUTTERFLIES INC. Flower/watch?

A new look from a dead ol' watch



Here is my flower bracelet. I love it. I thought it to be to big, but said "Bring it" Anywho, here is how I did it.

Step 1. Find old watch, I stole this one from my hubby, I hope he didn't mind.
Step 2. Hot glue any flower of choice and add a little embelishment onto it
(a littlebling, bling never hurt anyone)
Step 3. You have a new beautiful Bracelet.

Where I got my idea www.rufflesandstuff.com

PS my flower was made from the wedding petals you throw at weddings or lye them on a table at receptions. The brand name is Modern Romance Precious Petals they are found at Micheals, and probably any ol' craft store. They come in a clear box. I got mine on clearance for $2.99 he orignal price was $5.99 and there are still tons of petals left, for a new creation waiting to happen I am sure.

Have a great day!

WHO ME?? Exercise...

Here is my cute little two year old standing in the snow not sure what in the world everyone is sooo excited about. Snow in Tennesee??


Ok, so to the world I am now held accountable for shaping up and exercising at the least 5 time a week, for at least 20 minutes. I am destined to gain some serious tonage (is that a word? well, it is now) by April 2010. Can I do it, Yes we can!! Ok, so you noticed the we part, well that is where you come in YOU have to help me from baking goods and eating them. And YOU need to ask everyonce in awhile (so I can tell you the truth) that I had no chocolate that day. Sound good, yeah, me too. So, call me, email me, or comment, I usually do not workout really hard for the first year after I have a little one, because of the slight lack of sleep and that I would rather sleep than do anything. But now that I am hitting on and in the
2nd year of my little ones life, it is time to really get grooving and tone away.

You too can join in! would love to hear from you all.

To come. I am going to post my workouts on my blog under WHO ME?? They will be short segements that you can follow and do yourself to get some "tonage" happenin'.

Talk to you soon,

BUTTERFLIES INC. Contact Eye case

Start with a plain case.

Hot Glue some way cute buttons on, I chose greenish brown, hense the color of my eyes on some days.


Have you ever had the "ah is this my contact eye case or my husbands?" Well, I have. So, I decided to add some buttons. Well, my hubby came home and started to laugh and say " are you taking this craft thing a little too far?" I said " no of coarse not, silly. Now, I know I am putting on my contacts without being totally grossed out that I put your contacts in my beautiful eyes."

PS make sure you put two different buttons on that way you know which one is Left and which is Right.

BUTTERFLIES INC. Vintage skirt is getting a makeover.

Okay people, there is nothing like having an image in your head and it not turning out quite like you had planned. So, here is the skirt I have made. I will be taking off the lace and adding a new row of the black chiffon gathered. Well, hope you all like it. I will give an update after I am down unpicking the lace off. It might take a day or two, ahhhh!
Have fun!

BUTTERFLIES INC. Felt Flower Tutorial

Start out by cutting 2 of the felt in flower shape. Then cut out 1 batting in smaller shape.

Sew all three pieces together

For the Stem use pipe cleaner and green felt

Sew stem at the base of the flower. Back stitch acouple of time to make it secure.

Tadah!! The beautiful flower!


Here is how I made the Flowers for the Felt house step by step. I hope your little ones are enjoying there felt playhouses. All three of my kiddos are loving the felt playhouse. They take off the food from the garden and pretend to make dinner and all sorts of other funny things. I am so glad I had made this, this was the best
$30 I have ever spent and honestly it only took me 4 or so interupted hours (mind you) to make the playhouse.


To come.... Vintage skirt, Anthropologie inspired necklace.

BUTTERFLIES INC. Little Saucer Chair Makeover

Sorry, didn't get a pic of the chair before I started to take it over, but you get the idea. Cut it at the seams

Naked chair (aka frame)

Lay the padding/(old chair seat) on desired new fabric and batting, cut around old chair seat.

After you have sewn the new chair together by lining up sides, you need to be able to connect the chair to the frame. You can make a rectangle about 4" wide and your desired length. Fold in half and sew. Turn outside right. You will need 8 total. Then sew on one side for buttons one side for button holes. Or you can use velcro.

And there you have it a cute new seat that you can take off and wash when your little one spills RED juice all over it.
My sweet neighbor gave my little daughter this cute chair, well, juice got to it and well, you can not wash it, so I made a new cover. So, the next time you are garage saling it or at your local thrift store, and think that is a cute chair, but hello nasty cushion. Make a new one! Happy sewing!
PS my inspiration came from one of my favorite sites http://makeitandloveit.blogspot.com/2009/11/recovering-kids-saucer-chair.html
Thanks so much Ashley!