Make your own distressed frame chalkboard!

I have been wanting to make one of these for sometime, but with our move coming up very soon, I knew I would have to have it to make my new place feel more "fun."

So we searched for a frame that was the right size.  I would have wanted something a little more detailed/ornate... and even a little bigger... but for the price, I had to go ahead and try it.  If I find one later that I like better, I will give this one to Chaserbug :)

Keep in mind that I did not say to "let dry" between each paint step, but consider that a given.  And follow the directions for "preparing" your chalkboard for use.

And after I was done, I really really want to find more things to make into chalkboards!

I guess it wasn't too bad?!?

Dan & I can't wait to hang it up!  And Chase can't wait to draw on it :)  Win-Win for everyone!

Now go Chase some Dreams!

Tiger Handprint {projects}{family}

So to celebrate the big LSU game coming up this weekend, Chase wanted to paint a tiger!

We decided to make it a handprint tiger (because I love how it makes the memory of how big their little hands are).

I didn't have a couple things, so we improvised.

Cardboard and white felt

I didn't have a canvas, so we made one

I used a cardboard photo envelope I had lying around
Folded it in half and used my trusty gluegun to glue
the edges together

I used some white felt to wrap around the cardboard 

Glue the edges around the back 

There you go~ fabric canvas (since we are using fabric
paint, this worked out perfect)

Tigers are orange... well, we don't have orange paint...
so mix it up with food coloring
(Chase's hand is a little orange now though)

Here is my little artist waiting to paint his hand 

Here is his tiger print (I added the head and face)

Add LSU and a purple ribbon to hang

Hang and enjoy

This project took the place of Chase's footprint ghost.  And he is loving it!

He keeps telling me that he "made Mike"

Anyway~ geaux Tigers!!!

Chase's Booboo {family}

Chase has a Booboo.  No, it is not an injury of any type.  It is actually one of the best things a kid could have~ a really awesome and fun aunt!

Lauren is a special person in my life, she is my baby sister and one of my best friends!  And I could not have chosen a better person to be my son's godmother.

Lauren & Chase meeting for the first time

Chase is actually really lucky to have her, because she is 17 and F~U~N!  He just adores her :)  Which makes my heart smile.

Lauren & Chase in a staring contest

Lauren and I have quite a few years between us and her and Chase have almost the same amount of time between them, which makes me certain that they will grow up and develop a very special bond (much like Lauren & I's).  And to know that my son will have a buddy, confidante, secret keeper, cheerleader, and problem solver (other than mommy & daddy) as he grows up is so comforting.  

Being goofy together

Lauren is a good kid by the way~ always knows that family comes first.  And with that, she has allowed us to be a part of the special days during a teenager's life~ you know, those memory maker days.  Like Homecoming!

Lauren's Homecoming 2009

Lauren's Homecoming 2010

So as I am sitting here thinking about Lauren & Chase's relationship, I am having fond memories flood my mind.  Today happens to be Halloween and I know she will make time to be there for Chase~ to be a part of his memories of his childhood.  She is always there for the things that matter~ the birthdays, the holidays and even just the regular ole just-hanging-out days.

My point is just to share the fact that my baby sister is a special person, full of love and light.  I am grateful for her friendship with me... and even MORE thankful for her friendship with my son.

Sisters by chance, Friends by choice

Love you Kiddo/Booboo!

Oh and if you were wondering, Chase calls her Booboo and here is the reason~ when she was little I called her Lulu (for Lauren)... and she chose that for Chase to call her (instead of Nanny, since she is his godmother).  Well, as most kids do, they make up their own names and Lulu became Booboo.

Geaux LSU Tigers

So my family is a huge LSU fan!  Both Daniel & I graduated from LSU, we live in Tiger Country, we bleed purple and gold, we cheer (even when we are losing) and we stay till the end of the game.

Anyway~ the LSU vs Bama game is coming up and we are getting amped up!

So here ya go!

Our tigers have got their eye on the enemy!!!

My first wallet {projects}

This was a fun project!  And I can't wait to make some more :)

This is the tutorial I used.  I did some things differently and didn't have the heavier weight fabric handy, but I still love my wallet.  Definitely learned some things though :)

The best part is that it matches my work bag that I made yesterday!

My cute little wallet!

Back side

Check me out~ I have a $20 (rare occurrence)!

Fold

And it matches my new work bag!!!

Surgery & Back to Work {ash}

So~ I've been back at work for about 3 weeks now.

I have mixed feelings about it, of course.  I LOVED being home with my little doodlebug, but am loving being back with my work family (they really are like family).

I am finding that my hands and arms are definitely hurting more, but I am hoping that will soon pass.

So for a little history~ I had carpal tunnel & cubital tunnel (aka ulnar nerve entrapment).  I am a little young to have it, so bad, in both arms... but...

Anyway, I had to have surgery on both hands and elbows (if you want to know what they do, here you go carpal tunnel surgery or cubital tunnel surgery).  I did get some pictures from surgery (which the nurse in me LOVES), but I won't post those, as to not gross people out.

***To all my nurse friends, I have no idea what their problem 

is when I pull them out at the dinner table ;)***

Okay: so here are some pictures:

This is about 2 weeks post op
Pretty bruised up

This was about 4 weeks after surgery

And now, almost 10 weeks post op

My hands are looking pretty good now.

It has been a long recovery (not allowed to pick up anything over 1 pound for 8 weeks)!  Yeah, try that with a toddler!

And I am definitely still having some serious post-op pain.  As for the symptoms I was having that caused me to have surgery, one arm is so much better.  The other one is questionable... and it worries me.

I am still having serious numbness and my arm hurts a lot.  But I go back to the doctor in two weeks~ so hopefully he will have something to tell me.

Anyway... it has been a long road and I realize I still have a long way to go, but I am hopeful that things are getting better and I will get full use of my hands and arms soon :)

Guitar Shirt {family}{projects}

My nephew, Brody, is going to be a rockstar for Halloween.  His mommy was going to let him carry his guitar... but really, who is going to end up carrying it?  Mommy!

So I decided to make him a guitar shirt!  All he has to do is raise his arm and strum away.  Talk about the ultimate air guitar (all geeks are gonna be geeked!).

I am testing out the idea by making one for Chase first.  B-man's will be green!

Supplies:
- long sleeve shirt
- guitar fabric
- fret board fabric
- neck fabric
- black thread
- black buttons
- interfacing

I looked up an electric guitar graphic and came up with this one:

I picked gray for Chase's shirt

Here is my cut out guitar body shape and fret board

These were the big pack of buttons for $1.37 @ Walmart
I picked out three of the same, but I'm sure three different
ones would look cute too :)

Applique fret board onto guitar body
Place buttons where you would like them
And hand sew them onto guitar body

 Of course I did not take pictures of the rest of the steps!  But here goes:

~ Applique your guitar body onto shirt front
~ Cut out neck from fabric (be sure and use interfacing on this~ just makes it easier)
~ Applique guitar neck onto shirt (start at guitar and run over onto left sleeve)~ this was a little tricky, but worth the fight
~ Use a thick stitch and sew straight lines from your buttons, down the guitar body (my guitar neck was black, so I didn't worry about going down the neck~ if you choose a different color~ go all the way down)

Now to get my (as cooperative as a 2 year old gets) to model his new shirt.

See~ isn't it cute?  Yeah~ I know
you can't really see it...

Needed some help from Daddy~ sorry for blurriness;
he was acting wild!

Here we go!  Rock on buddy!

Oh cool~ he just noticed it.

See how the neck goes up the arm?

My cutie pie!