An Overdue Update...

Whoa. It's definitely been a while. A really long while... I'm going to be as brief as possible in my update here, attempting to fill in the gaps over the past several years...

So six years ago, I posted this update about my engagement to the mr.

Then I was busy moving, planning our wedding, and starting another school year at a new school. And just as the wedding was about to happen (3 weeks prior), D got in a boating accident, ripping his foot down the middle. After a week in the hospital and nine months of recovery, we finally got married!

Following the wedding, we spent our honeymoon in beautiful St. Lucia.

After returning from our honeymoon, I completed my first triathlon...

Then I packed up my classroom (again), traveled to Aruba and Curacao...

And then packed up the whole house. We moved across the country to D's first active duty station with the U.S. Navy (road trip!).

We so enjoyed our year in Virginia, with lots of road trips and visits to historical sites! We even celebrated Thanksgiving at Jamestown!



Then we packed up the house yet again for our move to D's next assignment... GUAM!!! That's right. We moved overseas. It's been quite the adventure.



We've traveled to Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong, Japan, and visited family back in the states. For our final year here, we plan to visit South Korea and Taiwan!



After two more years teaching middle school science, I decided to move down to elementary and am now teaching fifth grade.

That pretty much covers it! Well, some of it. Happy crafting... and teaching, moving, and traveling!

Gender Reveal!!!

No. I'm NOT pregnant. But most of my friends are or have been recently. Seriously. I'm at THAT age. So when our friends Justin & Ashley decided to do a gender reveal party, and asked me to help design it, I was pretty excited. Ashley picked the chalkboard theme and shades of blue and pink, and I sort of went to town. Literally. I designed far more stuff than is pictured. Overboard is probably a good word to describe what I did. Below are some of the paper party goods I designed... invite, banner, wives tales, sex voting board, diaper message sign, drink signs, water balloon toss sign, silly string reveal sign, and silly string labels.

Then to reveal the gender, J & A had a circle of friends spray silly string on them in the color designating the gender. By the way, there is a LOT of silly string in each of those small cans. They were covered in string when we were done. And the gender is...

IT'S A GIRL!!!

I'm SO excited for them! And now to start making bows... And tutus...

Happy Crafting!!!

Happy Happy Happy Birthday

This one's for your extra happy birthday wishing. That didn't make sense. But you know what I mean.

So much happy! Happy Crafting!

A FAN{TACHE}TIC BIRTHDAY

I saw this idea on Pinteres (of course!), and couldn't resist...

Mustache fun for all ages! Happy Crafting!

Cheers!

I LOVE my Cheers to You stamp set from Stampin Up! Especially for use in making cards for my girls! I just wish there was a wine glass...

Happy Crafting!

Birthday Cupcakes

I'm SO behind on my posts. But you all have probably lowered your expectations of me by now, knowing that I often don't post for up to a year or more at a time. So here are a couple birthday cards from the Create A Cupcake stamp set from Stampin Up. Don't they look tasty?!

Happy Crafting!

Super Bowl!

As per my usual, I made themed desserts to match a themed party. And I'm weeks late posting about it.

Chocolate Cupcakes with Chocolate Ganache Frosting and White Chocolate Laces

Chocolate Covered Strawberries with White Chocolate Laces

I will warn you, piping the white chocolate gets super tricky because it'll harden in your piping bag. So I would melt and use only maybe 1/2 cup max at a time. Also, if you're not lazy like I was, make a small batch of buttercream frosting to pipe the laces on the cupcakes. Good luck and enjoy!

Go Team! And Happy Crafting!

Cookie Gift Bags

I've been MIA lately, as I just haven't done much crafting worth posting. But that changes now. Today I am giving away leftover cookies to our neighbors (they think I'm just super thoughtful, but really, I'm getting rid of them so I don't eat them all myself... because I will eat them ALL). Not only does this give me an excuse to craft, but it also gives me a chance to talk to other humans for a bit. YAY!

To Make: stamp bottom of brown paper bag with desired stamp, fill with cookies (leaving bottom fold that keeps the bag flat folded, so it's still mostly flat), fold over flap, cut to desired length with fun scissors, hole punch in center of flap, insert and tie ribbon.

Happy Crafting!

DIY Pencil Vase

I found this idea somewhere on Pinterest (as usual), and decided to make one for a colleague for her birthday...

1. Start with an emptied and cleaned can, and a box of about 30 unsharpened pencils. Use a hot glue gun to adhere one pencil at a time around the can. Note: mine ended up a little crooked, so if I were to do this again, I'd probably use a level and draw some lines on the can ahead of time to use as a guide.

 

2. Just keep gluing. Just keep gluing. (Finding Nemo, anyone?)

3. And viola! I added a black ribbon, filled the can with water, and arranged some flowers.

Happy Crafting!

O-Fish-Ally

At school, we've been doing the secret pal thing. (Think secret Santa, but for extended time.) Well yesterday was the big reveal, and I wanted to give my secret pal (the one giving gifts to me) something to say thanks...

"You're o-fish-ally the best! I'm so glad we're in the same school!"

I found two separate ideas on Pinterest (obviously) and put them together. And I ate the rest of the Swedish Fish that didn't fit. Win: Win.

Happy Crafting!

Valentine's Day 2014

...because what's Valentine's Day without a mushy valentine card?!

Happy Valentine's Day and Happy Crafting!

Fleece Tie Blanket

So we've all seen these... They're super easy, no-sew blankets... I FINALLY made one with the help from Jan, my soon-to-be-mother-in-law (STBMIL). She's been cutting and sewing up a storm, making 125 Days for Girls kits (whoa!), and getting much of the flannel donated. In the mix of all the flannel, there was some soft fleece, perfect for a baby blanket. So we decided to make that knotted blanket we've all seen so much...

We followed this tutorial on wikiHow.

1. Cut your top and bottom fleece to the same size.

2. Cut a 4" square from each corner.

3. Cut strips 1" wide and 4" long all the way around your fleece pieces.

4. Tie a knot (2 times to stay securely) with a strip from each layer (top and bottom).

5. Keep tying knots all the way around the blanket.

6. Snuggle up and enjoy!

A huge thanks to Jan for providing all the materials needed for this project, as well as taking the pictures! Such cute and snuggly fun!

Happy Crafting!

It's a Mario Party!

I helped the fiancé of a friend of my fiancé's (whoa. did you follow that?!) throw a Mario themed birthday party... And it was so much fun! I made all the paper products (banner, labels), as well as the marshmallow pops. Of course, I bombarded my co-planner with ideas found on Pinterest. I clearly need children... But not yet. :)

The fiancé and I were Mario and Peach, and the birthday boy and his fiancé we Bowser and Peach. And that's the whole crew above... We're acting out our characters, if you didn't figure that out. ;)

Wahoo! Happy Crafting!