Wednesday, June 29, 2011

Firework Centerpeice Tutorial

Just found another blog over at "Being creative to keep my sanity" 
(Love the name of the blog)
with the same sort of idea that I just posted from Martha Stewart's blog. 
Here it is also just for a different little take on the project. 
I will try to snap a pic or two of my own with Haylee's assistance to show also.


Here's the link for this crafty idea:



Martha Stewart Style - Easy to Make Patriotic Decorations

Cute and simple ideas for patriotic decorations 

that I found on Martha Stewart's Blog::


Martha used vellum, to make her Pom Poms out of.
I had construction paper handy and used a plastic paper cutter 
board to make 1/8" strip cuts as she did.

Turned out really cute. Scrapbook paper stock would have been super 
since it's colored on both sides but this workedgreat for letting my 
lil' Bug assist with the safe slicing of the paper. :)

I have been on the look out for all sorts of useful tools for Haylee to do 
different kinds of painting with also. On this same site, Martha uses a round 
brush that she barely tips into the paint and it makes the most adorable 
resemblence of a firework pattern. Gonna have to give that a try.

Happy Craftin'


Here is the link:


Tuesday, June 28, 2011

Pinterest: What Is It, Anyway?

Reposted from: between naps on the porch blog

If you would like an invite, let me 
know and I will get you one.  :)
You can find me as hayleesnanny on pinterest.com   
I am totally lovin' this site!!



"I first read about Pinterest at Young House Love when Sherry shared her love for pinning and discovering new things to share. Her enthusiasm prompted me to check it out.

How to describe Pinterest. Well, you know how you drive to the store, buy an expensive design magazine for $7, come home, start reading it and (if you're lucky) you find a picture or two that's worth saving in an inspiration folder. All for $7. Gulp.

Well, imagine finding 25 or 50 or 100 pictures of the kitchen of your dreams. For FREE. And imagine having a place to save (Pin) them all so when you get ready to renovate that kitchen (or bathroom or laundry room) your inspiration pics are all gathered together in one place for easy reference. You'll also find links to a gazillion fabulous recipes, gardening ideas and craft projects, too. You can even add (Pin) pictures, recipes, etc from your blog or computer that you would love to share with the Pinterest Community! :)

Oh, and did I mention all your friends are already there, hanging out, sipping coffee, pinning and just waiting for you to come join in? :) You don't have to be a Blogger or have a Blog to join, either. It's open to anyone who loves to share and swap great ideas and inspiration.

What's Being Pinned?:
Here's a minuscule example of just some of the wonderful
ideas you'll find waiting at Pinterest:

You'll find links to crafts you can make like this adorable tea wreath
Wouldn't it make a great hostess gift or a nice welcome gift for a new neighbor?



You'll find inspiration for outdoor dining.



Discover neat little tricks, like this one: Just add a marble to your baking pan to create heart shaped muffins.




Summertime! Learn how to make Blueberry Mint Lemonade.



I've started a board where I'm collecting ideas for a future Butler's Pantry/Laundry Room. My laundry room needs a renovation big time and I'd love to make it a Butler's Pantry, too.



Love the flooring in this butler's pantry I found at Pinterest.


How to Join:
Pinterest has two ways for you to join in.

1. You can request an invite, which apparently from what I've read can take a while to receive. I guess they are having trouble keeping up with the number of requests they are getting for invites.

2. Or, you can be invited to join by a friend. I was invited by a friend (thanks, Joan!) and was up and pinning right away. :)


If you would like an invite to join in the fun at Pinterest, leave a comment on this post along with your e-mail address. Or, to keep your e-mail address private, you can send your e-mail address to me at betweennapsontheporchatgmail.com (replace at with an @). I'll drop over to the Pinterest site and send an invite your way. I'm not sure why Pinterest does it this way, but in any case, I'll invite as many folks as it will let me. :)



Be sure to check your Spam Filter because your invite might get stuck there. If you leave a comment or send me an e-mail and don't get your invite by the end of the day, e-mail me again and I'll resend it. Update: I think I've sent out 150 invites today! lol So far, it's still allowing me to invite! Gonna be a lot of happy pinning going on!


Once you join the Pinterest Club/Community, click HERE to Follow me and I'll stop by and Follow you right back! I can't wait to see what you love and find fascinating, delicious, intriguing, awesome, fantabulous and priceless at Pinterest!

Oh, and if you see any laundry room/butler's pantries combinations, please let me know! I'll pin those babies to my Butler's Pantry Inspiration Board for future reference. :)

Metamorphosis Monday:
To see the journey of my home office from 'little boy's room' to an up-and-running work space, just scroll on down for yesterday's Metamorphosis Monday. Lots of wonderful Before and Afters are linked up for your inspiration!





"

The Smell of Rain

 *  Less than a month ago, the temperatures were such 
 that you could have the doors and windows open with maybe 
the assistance of the attic fan to pull in a little more 
of the vivacious spring air.
That was only after suffering thru many trips to the storm 
shelter for tornado warning after tornado warning. At times I even think the weather radio got confused and named the same towns over and over not knowing which ones had warnings already.
We were extremely lucky in our immediate area.  Others in Joplin, MO and several areas around us were not nearly as lucky and we still think of the victims each passing day and say a little prayer that just maybe they can rebuild their lives and get back to a somewhat normal life soon.  And for the ones that lost family and friends in the storms, a prayer that they can 
continue to remember the sweet moments of time with the 
person they lost and for their pain to ease and guide 
the thru life a little safer.  

Because of such an overly active imagination of Miss Mother Nature, our lakes and rivers and streams present, even today, challenges for the ones living near them as they overflow.

But a quick reminder where we live - Arkansas.  
Hot, dry, humid weather was soon to set in. About 2 weeks before actual Summer season was to begin (which was on June 21st), the humidity and high temps kicked in and started kicking our booties!!

I don't think we have had one single day below mid 90's with an overdose of humidity to go along with it.  Shewww!  Going outside to even walk to the car is making me think I better take an extra minute or two in the shower and cool off while I can.  Cause drying off when I get out is a joke.  By the time of leaving the bathroom being somewhat ready, I'm tempted to go back and jump in the cool shower.   Ugggg!  And guess what - it's only the latter part of June. Our hot months around here are late July and all of August.  Oh dear!  

Yeah Yeah . . . being the lovely age to be sweating it out
during menopause years, and having lots of extra layers of insulation on, only adds to the problem.  And I know, I know,
if I could . . . . . . .!
We will save that subject for another time and doesn't
really help me out much today!  :P

But back to the good stuff - we got a very nice surprise today.  

The weatherman was even a bit surprised that it worked out
so well, a little air disturbance huffed and puffed itself into
a very nice cloudy, rainy day. 

Today is one of those days that takes you back to so many times when you are little and wonder what that sweet smell is just before it rains.  There is absolutely NOTHING like it.  There are all sorts of so called scents that promise to smell like rain.  PLEASE!!  Don't even try to convince me that they can bottle the real thing.  You know, the smell you get when it's hot and dry and just as the clouds barely arrive, you can smell it, taste it, almost feel the freshness of the first raindrops approaching.  And even if you don't want to be getting wet, the thought and smell of the rain has you pause just long enough to enjoy it until those first raindrops land.  Then and only then - you
run like crazy cause you certainly don't want the doo to
turn to goo. 

Today was definitely a nice one to be inside, sitting at my desk, (at least when Haylee allows it) and peaking out at the rain falling just outside the window making it a little more tolerable to rework and reinstall my computer for the 3rd time.  Yes, the 3rd time worked to be the charm for me to get my computer back to it's lovely annoying self.  :)

Haylee goes to school (daycare) 2 days a week and is home 3 days with me (and my mom) and we call home days - Nanny days.  I love my Nanny days with my lil Bug.  I try to come up with some sort of silly crafty thing to do along with working on a preschool workbook with her.  She can say and write all of her abc's and is actually beginning to put some together here and there and at least identify a lot of words.  

The lil Bug is amazing even though, just like all kids, she is going on 5 thinking it's 25.  
The mouth is getting her into lots of little spells of needing
a break to go sit in her room for a couple of minutes when 
the mouth runs faster than she can get by with. 

Signing off for the evening.  Have a fab one!  :)


Butterfly Jungle: Fireworks T-Shirts

Ran across this fantastic idea for t-shirts of all sorts

from the blog of: The Butterfly Jungle.

Can't wait to try this one!!

Butterfly Jungle: Fireworks T-Shirts

Firecracker Party Favors for the 4th of July from Bowdabra

Haylee and I are definitely gonna 
have to make a few of these. 

So cute !!!!

Here's the link:



Saturday, June 25, 2011

Summer Play Inspiration - Play with Rocks: "
This week's topic for Share & Play on our Facebook page was summer fun playing with rocks. There were many great suggestions how to turn this everyday, everywhere available natural item in creative ways to make playtime with toddlers more interesting and fun. Today, we'll share these ideas with all of you here so you can take a look and recreate some of these ideas at home with your own toddlers!

Painting rocks can turn them to:

Little works of art (suggested by Planetpals.com)

Nursery rhyme prompts (idea shared by Red Ted Art)

Ghost stones (shared by Red Ted Art)

Pet stones (idea shared by Paint Cut Paste)

Little ladybugs (shared by Mom to 2 Posh Divas)

Blarney stones for St.Patric's day (shared by Paint Cut Paste)

Stones turned little gifts, usable objects or everyday treasures ideas:

Tissue rock paperweight (idea by Planetpals.com)

Stone plant markers (idea by Red Ted Art)

Thumbprint rock magnets (shared by Paint Cut Paste)

Rock picture holders (idea by Paint Cut Paste)

For more summer play inspiration check out earlier round up posts with play ideas with natural mediums:

We'll have new topic:
Share & Play - Twigs & Branches!
"

Ice Pop Holders [Monster Popsicle Snuggies]

Such a FAB fun idea for the little ones (and us big kids too) :)

Ice Pop Holders [Monster Popsicle Snuggies]: "



Monster Popsicle Snuggies from Crafty Soccer Mom




Read All About It
Head over to Babbble and give Be Different, Act Normal a thumbs up!


"