Arbitrary Skinny Drink Pattern

One of life's happy accidents.

Skinny drinks made a pattern with themselves. Yay.

DIY Stargazing Box for Baby

I saw this idea all over Pinterest so I gave it a shot. It took about 15 minutes to make and has been a fun activity for Archer. All in all...worth it.

I simply took a big cardboard box, laid it on its side, poked holes and shoved led lights in there. I felt like it was a little blinding so I taped some dark blue tissue paper over the lights. Love it!

DIY Baby Shakers

Found some old sprinkles bottles and decided to make some "noise makers" for Archer....added glitter cause I couldn't help it. Baby should be supervised while playing with these.

I hot glued the lids down for obvious reasons.

In retrospect, they seem a bit girly...so this could be fun for a girl's tea party or play kitchen. 

Veggie Dinner

Roasted Sweet Potato with Spaghetti Squash, Steamed Green Beans and Honey Glazed Garlic Carrots

Stamping Onesies

I carved some stamps last month and decided to try them out on some white t-shirt onesies for Archer.

I'm using Fabric Printing Ink.

"arrow stamped onesie"

Beginning the envelope onesie....tried to be official with the ruler on this one.

 I think they turned out fun! I'll heat set them by putting them in the dryer before washing them. 

This ink takes about 24 hours to fully dry. 

Safari Hat Adventure

"Adventures in The Safari Hat"

Part One: To be read in the voice of Steve Erwin

Featuring: Archer

................…......................................

The key to a good Safari is a great breakfast of pulverized squash and breastmilk. 

Once that's out of the way, then you take a good power nap. 

Now it's time to dawn that new Safari hat and be on your way.

You'll start by noticing a wild creature on your right called a Millie June. A majestic creature but deadly if you mention the words 'dog park'.

Now I wonder why type of mammal we'll discover as we trek through these open fields...

If you look to your left, you'll see a pack of wild giraffe. If we get close enough, I might can wrestle one to the ground. 

Ahh, mate! I got one by the hooves! 

Wild giraffe is delicious this time of year.

That was filling. Let's see what else we can spot out here, mate.

Got me another one! The ears are the best part! 

It's really not a crime, they are abundant down here in these parts. Trying to thin out the herd.

Really. It's fine. 

Moving on. I bet we can see some wild grass snakes over there.

Shhhhh...here comes one.

Got one! Don't worry I won't eat it.

They're not as good as giraffe meat.

Well, mate, that just about does it for our great safari adventure. Thanks for joining us and don't forget to tip your driver. 

Dyeing Eggs and So Much More...

Hey fellow artistic/crafty/holiday loving moms out there...or dads.

I decided to dye Easter eggs for my sleeping 5 month old today because now it finally seems appropriate. Been doing this super fun Easter tradition for years, all started by my mother. We used to draw on the eggs with crayons first then dip them in different colors. There was always the egg with your name on it...the 'I Love So-and-So egg", the spring flowers drawn better than everyone by mom egg, etc. 

Well this year as I was browsing Pinterest I came across lots of ambitious ideas and settled on the plain and simple rubber bands and just dyed eggs. No frills.

I also learned that you can use food coloring instead of those cheap little tablets so I thought I'd try that this time around. 

Don't these guys look cute? Like gnomes or something. Anyways...

I used this chart for mixing colors but soon went rogue and created my own versions. You can find yourself a better version on Pinterest...but you get the gist.

Here's my notes...

Okay so I'll quickly admit how fun this is...I even felt a little guilty that I was having so much fun while Archer was asleep, but he's 5 months old...it's not like he would actually enjoy this...is what I kept telling myself.

First I boiled some eggs....don't make my 7 year old mistake when I just grabbed some raw eggs out of the fridge one year and started dying those. Poor cousin Leah never saw it coming when she threw those eggs in her beautiful Easter basket that year. Yeah...boil the eggs first.

I tried setting the eggs out to get them room temp for a few hours but I still ended up with some cracked eggs. Oh well. I'm not a perfectionist.

So everyone is raving about how great using a whisk is for dipping your eggs...I am not convinced. Maybe for little kiddos this would be good, but an old fashioned spoon was my tool of choice. Or my fingers which now look zombie-esqué.

Love having art hands again. 

Anyways...I did attempt the lace-wrapped egg but it didn't do much. 

Here's my Roy G. Biv eggs...which brings me to the "more part" of this post. If you're not using this Easter tradition as a color theory lesson for your kids, you're missing out on a golden opportunity. If you aren't an art teacher, then just experiment with color mixing and discover with your kiddos. Soooo fun and educational for everyone.

The color theory lesson doesn't have to stop there. Before you just pour out all that beautiful dye...you can experiment with mixing the dyes together...try to make intermediate colors like blue-green or yellow-orange. 

Then I realized that my failed lace egg produced a beautifully dyed piece of lace...so I cut several strips and put them in each color. Now I have rainbow lace! Yay!

Sooo many fun things to do with this dye! 

Finally, when you're done exploring the colors...use them as watercolors! Duh! I'm kicking myself for never thinking of this before. Obvi.

 So many things you can do with this painted paper rather than just letting it be a painting. You can make paper bows, do a paper weaving, weave a basket...the list goes on and on. 

So I hope you explore your dyes a little more this year and see what color experiments you and yours can hatch. (Pun intended.)

A Day in the Life of Staying at Home with a 5 Month Old

Just for fun and to document history, I thought it would be interesting to record everything I do today with regards to staying at home with my 5 month old son. I've been fortunate enough to take a year off of work to be at home with my sweet boy and I'm so thankful for this time...but let's not kid ourselves, it's a tough job. I have the highest respect for stay at home moms.

7:00 am Wake up with baby being sweet and teething...cooing and trying to wake me up. 

7:15 am Try to close my eyes a little more but baby is ready to get up.

7:16 am Change diaper (also changed him at 4am)

7:20 am Play on living room blanket with baby...practice standing up and sitting up. 

7:30 am Realize hubby took all the coffee this morning so I start a fresh pot. Go scrub toilet since people are coming over later.

7:35 am Put cloth diapers in the dryer. 

7:38 am Let dogs outside. Play with baby and kitty on the floor...pour a cup of coffee and forget to drink it for another 10 minutes.

7:45am Nurse baby.

7:50am Drink a sip of warm coffee. 

     Play with baby on floor.

8:15am Let dogs in and wipe off muddy paws.

8:22am Change wet diaper. 

8:30am Nurse tired baby...on and off ...he's now fighting a nap.

8:37am Put baby in crib since he's acting like he's not tired...go pluck eyebrows.

8:40am Pick up whiny baby. Bounce around nursery.

8:46 am Rock baby to sleep....

8:52am Lay him in crib for morning nap. 

....finally drink coffee! Cold now.

9:00am Heat up yesterday's leftover omelett and eat breakfast. 

....catch up on MSNBC commentary regarding Ben Carson endorsing Trump.

9:27am Baby wakes up and nurses.

 9:34am Retrieved clean diapers from dryer and put dirty diapers in washer for rinse cycle. Folded clean ones.

9:39am Change wet diaper. 

...Get baby dressed in today's outfit. 

9:46am Put baby in bouncy seat in bathroom so I can take a shower. 

9:58am Nurse baby after shower...not that hungry just needed some comforting cause I was out of reach for a whole ten minutes...

10:04 am Trying to get ready...get super tangled hair brushed and dried...make up on...

10:16am baby is ready to be picked up

Tummy time on the bed while I get dressed

10:18am Let dog outside.

Put baby in sling and attempt to go outside only to realize it's misting...come back in and do wash cycle on diapers.

10:26am Read a book with baby

Watch dogs wrestle...free entertainment! 

10:32am Change wet diaper...naked tummy time in the nursery...

10:36am Get baby back in cloth diaper and let him hang out on changing table cause he seems to be enjoying himself 

10:40am Move back into living room...nurse baby.

10:45am Rock baby...lay him in crib so I can tidy up the house.

10:55am Pick up fussy baby.

Put baby in sling and go rinse diapers.

Try to lay down with baby...he's not tired enough to nap yet...back to the living room for playtime.

Baby spits up everywhere...go clean toys and baby.

11:11am Realizing I'm getting hungry...decide to make a salad...baby in bouncy seat.

11:19am Made big beautiful salad but accepting harsh reality that eating said salad will have to happen later cause baby is fussy and presumably ready to sleep now.

11:21am Rock and nurse baby...dogs start wrestling again and distract almost asleep baby. Ugh.

11:27am Now I'm starving, dreaming about that salad ...still nursing baby...trying to fall asleep for his second nap. Sound Sleeper app is at full blast trying to tune out these dogs. 

11:33am Baby asleep in crib...finally me and that salad get together.

11:55am Baby wakes up...most likely because of whining dog who will now be exiled to her cage...

Nurse baby...now he's awake...go put cloth diapers in the dryer.

Let dog outside...again.

12:06pm Change diaper.

12:15pm Read some books on blanket...

12:20pm Baby spit up...changed outfit and another wet diaper.

12:33pm Prep work space for private art lesson...student running a little late...baby is acting tired. 

12:50pm Private Art Lesson started 

student's mom played with baby while I taught lesson.

2:00 Art lesson ended...changed diaper and it wasn't wet! Miracle!

2:10 Nursed baby to sleep...got him in crib.

2:16pm Eating a snack and watching Portlandia.

2:25pm Filled an etsy order...

2:39pm Baby woke up...ugh...supposed to be sleeping a couple of hours during this nap. Bummer.

2:50pm Put baby in swing to try and lull him back to sleep....getting jewelry making station set back up. 

2:55pm Baby is done with swing...pick him up to soothe him. Rock in nursery...

Playing in book nook.

Getting hounded by Millie....wanting something...

3:17pm Let the dogs out...finally getting some fresh air..kick ball around for Millie but she slips in the wet grass and gets embarrassed so she doesn't want to play  anymore. 

3:27pm Change diaper.

3:31pm Try to nurse, but baby would rather chew on shirt.

Come into living room to stack blocks...

Use amazing "nose frida" tool to extricate boogers from baby's nose. (Sadly one of my favorite things to do.)

Stare at Millie for awhile...

Now trying tummy time...started to get fussy. Definitely getting ready for another nap.

3:51pm Nurse baby. Play toys in book nook.

4:13pm Change baby's outfit...short sleeves seemed too cold. Trying out the swing to see if he will fall asleep. Nope. 

4:19 Carrying baby around the house to get sleepy. Hubby calls and is on his way home...picking up dinner...yay!

#thaiphooket

4:37pm Baby finally falls asleep! Yesssss!...now to delicately transition him from my shoulder to his bed.

Decide our bed will be easier than crib...smart move. 

4:41pm Freedom! Gonna watch Bob's Burgers instead of working on jewelry. 

5:00pm Decide I should probably make some earrings...can watch tv later. Getting really hungry though. 

5:09pm Baby wakes up...nurse him. 

5:18pm Baby falls asleep nursing...hubby is home with dinner! Yay.

5:26pm Baby wakes up again...hubby gets him. Daddy changes diaper. I eat while daddy holds baby.

5:48 pm Daddy's turn to eat...playing with baby on blanket.

Millie holding the baby....awww.

6:03pm Daddy takes over again...

6:20pm Holding baby, playing on blanket.

6:33pm Friends come by to hang out for a minute.

7:00pm Hubby leaves to go do a friend thing.

7:10pm Friend holds baby for a minute. 

7:30pm Baby falls asleep in my arms while talking to friends. 

8:02pm Baby wakes up...

8:25pm Friends leave, change diaper.

Let dogs out...

8:32pm Nurse baby...bedtime

8:53pm Spit up...outfit change.

9:00pm Baby seems hungry and wants to nurse...almost asleep then gets second wind.

9:18pm Took funny videos of baby who is not at all tired. Watching CNN about Trump rallies getting canceled because of protestors and excessive violence. 

9:30pm Go make a low carb dessert treat...bring baby to kitchen.

9:40pm Baby spit up...get him cleaned up..change my shirt. 

9:50pm Baby wants to nurse...but not for long.

10:00pm move into nursery to rock baby...

10:11pm Changed diaper.

10:15pm Bounced baby around the bedroom...finally just laid him down in the bed.

10:26pm Baby fell asleep!