Magic

My sister asked me if I could make a magic wand. I wasn't really sure if I could, but how fun to try!

Wandering around the craft store I found various wood pieces, candle holders, spools, spindles and envisioned a way to put together a pretty cool wand.

I had to use my Dremel to widen the insides of the spools to make the pieces fit, but I liked the snug assembly as I think it gives it more sturdiness. Then I used some permanent glue to secure all the pieces. I finished it off with a coat of dark brown paint, a dry brushing of black, and some flecks of gold. I sanded parts of it and kept adding until it looked how I wanted it.

My latest craft project

A neighbor of mine makes these super cute Holiday themed shelf sitters out of hard back books, and I wanted to make one that could stay up the whole year round.

To start, you need 3 hard back books of various sizes. I got mine from the library book sale awhile back to use as photography props for my jewelry, and hadn't used them recently. My neighbor says she gets hers mostly at thrift stores like the D.I.

Next, you need vinyl of different colors, transfer tape, and it's REALLY helpful to have a computer program so that you can control the size and layout of your cuts. I used the Cricut Design Studio. I think they are beta testing a free online version of it.

Just paint the books different colors, cut the vinyl in different colors and apply using the transfer tape. My neighbor embellishes her shelf sitters with a large bow, spray glitter, and floral picks. Since I wanted mine to be an all-year decoration, I decided to cut out a fleur-de-lis and apply it to the top book. Hot glue all the books together and you have a unique decoration for your home.

Warning: If your kids are bookworms like mine, you may be asked several times WHY you are painting a book.

Jazber Creates (hide your glue guns)

Amber and I have been friends for a couple of years now (our daughters became BFFs in Kindergarten). I make jewelry for her and she takes stunning family photos for me. We have a super fun time. Lately, we have been on a craft kick and I just wanted to share some of our combined efforts/ideas


I think it started in July when she told me one night that she needed a "craft night" I gave her options from the craft supplies in my closet and she chose bows. I put bows together and she hot glued them to the clippies, and I think we made 20+ bows.



In September, I had a customer ask me if I could make 250 pendants for a Women's Retreat. I told her I couldn't because I'm a one woman company. She asked me to think about it. Then I told Amber about it, and she suggested that she would help and we could split the profits. I designed the image, printed and covered them, then Amber cut and pasted all of them into the bezels. I was astonished how quickly we got them done, and how well we work together.


In the middle of September, Amber found this idea on Pinterest for little wooden squares, painted with chalk paint and hung as a menu board.

One night, I went with her to Hobby Lobby. As she was collecting all of the necessary items to make these boards, I realized that it would be cheaper to buy an actual chalk board (not to mention it would save me from chalkboard paint fumes). So we bought one (using a 40% off coupon). She painted it and showed me where she wanted the words, and I got out the Cricut.

Next, she found this Halloween wreath (also on Pinterest). She wanted us to make it, but I thought it needed a little more "umph" to it.

So while I was at Hobby Lobby buying ribbon, I found the tulle on sale and made the wreath in the photo above for her.

End of September, first of October, it was time for "Wow Wednesday" a little craft night for the ladies in my church. I was in charge of finding another craft to add to our list. My friend, Suzi, had made me a Family Home Evening board a few years ago, and everyone admired it and wanted it. So I made a version of it, and gave the sample/prototype to Amber. (After I personalized it with her family photo)

Amber wanted Halloween decorations in her home. I only decorate for Christmas. Amber found the ghost idea on Pinterest (shocker) and made it with her kids. I got the Cricut Design Studio, and used it to make her a Boo/Spider sign. Didn't they turn out cute?

Then, last week, Amber said she needed a place to hang her keys. I had a plaque. I had hooks. AND, I had my Cricut (and some really neat transfer tape).

Now what will we make next?

An example of my strange sense of humor

Last week I received my order of ceramic beads from Oriental Trading. In the box was a catalog of all of their "stuff". I love their small items for parties, but otherwise they are disposable.

Savannah took up the catalog and hunted through it the way we used to pour over the huge Sears catalogs. She found rubber duckies dressed as ninjas. She pointed them out to me & I told her I was not going to order ninja duckies.

Savannah then told me she did not want me to order the duckies. She was just planning her imaginary ninja ducky army.

Today, I was shopping for party favors for Libby's party. I didn't find ninja duckies, but I did find Halloween themed duckies & small plastic ninjas. So what did I do? I purchased them, brought them home, and then hid 6 duckies & 12 ninjas all around Savannah's room.

Whose ninja/ducky army is it now?

R is for...

...Road trips and Refinishing.



since the end of April, this is what my life has been full of.

weekend of May 1st - road trip to Cali to see my baby brother get married

1st stop- Santa Monica beach (windy but fun)

My baby brother Parker and his bride Teresa


My older sister Serena, Me, and my younger sister Corianne

The pier at Venice Beach

weekend of May 15 - road trip to AZ to see my best friend get married

Kristen Otto Hall and the Malstroms

Being the silly family that we are; we enjoy making dam jokes.

Stop over at Lake Powell for a rest from driving.

Memorial Day weekend - went to some garage sales and found this vanity for $20 and this mini-hutch for $10

Savannah loves makeup (and the color red) so I thought a red vanity would be perfect.
I never bought my girls a play kitchen, and since this looked like a kitchen to me (complete with dish rack) I decided to use it in the playroom.

weekend of June 12th - road trip to Mesquite to visit with family

the Malstrom children chillin at the pool with Dad.

The hotel pool even had a water slide.

last weekend - found this cabinet for $20 (it needed so much work that it took me 2 days)

So, what have you been up to?

The case of the missing Pop-tarts

Warning: I'm about to show you the depth of my insanity.

So Saturday I went to the grocery store for something I had forgotten. As happens everyone once in awhile, a box of Pop-Tarts caught my eye & whispered, "I taste really yummy...you want me." And so I bought them, put them in a sack, brought them home, & plopped the sack on the counter.

Later that night Tyson's friend came over to watch a basketball game. When I'd had enough of trying to work my word puzzles in spite of the squeaking shoes, crowd jeers, & inane repetitive crap spewing forth from the TV; I headed upstairs.

On the way up, I glanced at the table & saw my Pop-Tarts. Open. With only 2 packages in it.

Anyone with small children will identify with my next thought: "Who opened (and ate) MY Pop-Tarts?" I told Tyson that one of HIS children had eaten my special treat. (They are always HIS children when they are bad -- even though I have vivid memories of each birth)

The next morning, I asked Ty to go get me a Pop-Tart (before the kids eat them all). He came back & told me I was hallucinating. Not only were the Pop-Tarts all there, & in the pantry; they were unopened!

So now I have 2 realities to choose from: either I hallucinated the whole thing, or a hobo must live in my basement, ate my Pop-Tarts, didn't want to get caught, so went to the store (it is open 24 hours) while we slept & bought more.

I have to say I was leaning toward the second one.

Then I had an idea! What if Tyson's friend had brought over an open box of Pop-Tarts (for who knows why) & took them with him when he left? I told Tyson my brilliant alternative & declared that I would text his friend & ask. Ty replied with, "He's gonna think you're a lunatic."

But I texted anyway, & his friend answered yes. I was redeemed! I was not crazy! I even related the whole funny story to a friend at church while Tyson stood behind her shaking his head.

After church, Tyson & my own 3 innocent children started laughing at me. It turns out that his friend had NOT brought over the Pop-Tarts....Tyson had just texted him asking him to play along. And my kids knew about it!

So now I'm not just hallucinating. I'm gullible....and hallucinating. Yay. Go team.

Lately...

Payton was "Joseph Barbera" in the Wax Museum. It was extremely hard to find the one biography on him and then I had to read it TO Payton because it was obviously written for adults. Payton was super happy though, because one teacher told him that in the 10 years the school had been doing the Wax Museum, he was the first one to pick Joseph Barbera.

Payton as Joseph Barbera

Easter was a lot of fun this year. Since it was on the same day as General Conference, I took the kids' Easter pics the Sunday before. Savannah was not too happy that morning, and has decided not to show her teeth. Payton and Libby were game for Mom's funny poses and laughing at all my tricks. I love pictures where they are making their actual happy faces (which are not the cutest, but I like them best)

The Saturday before Easter we were invited to a family Easter Egg Hunt by Tyson's aunt. It was a lot of fun, and my kids really enjoyed it. They haven't had a family egg hunt for 5 years, and we were so happy that we were invited.

Curses!

I know every family has their own set of issues, trials, problems what-have-you....but just for a second I'd like to complain. We feel cursed. Here's a short, interesting timeline:

August 1996--married (yay!)
April 1998--kid #1 (yay!)
August 1998--Jasmine's father diagnosed with terminal cancer
February 1999--Jasmine's father dies
August 2000-- Second kid born (yay!)
March 01?--Tyson's mom diagnosed with Hepatitis C
July 2001--Jasmine's mother killed in a single-car accident along with 2 others
September 2003--3rd kid born (yay!!)
May 2004--move.
May 2004--Tyson's Mom diagnosed with cancer
September 2005--Tyson's Mom dies
--here we notice an alarming trend of parents dying after we have kids. Jasmine decides no more kids--
early 2006---slight mental breakdown
September 2007--Tyson's maternal grandmother dies.
January 2009 -- Jasmine's maternal grandmother dies
February 2010-- Tyson's maternal grandfather dies.

Now here we think that because we have no more parents or grandparents, we should be death-free for a little while at least.

Nope.
March 2010--Tyson's uncle dies.
This sucks.

so Cool...

Just found the most awesome widget EVER>>>

Let me know if you want to add it to your blog instead of my button and I will send you the code. I'm sure there are tools like this all over the internet, but as I never spend time enough on the computer to look for them...I was WAY excited to find this one. :)

Things that I know for sure Libby loves me more than...

1. "A cheese sandwich"

2. "Purple"

and...
3. "the smell of fishsticks"

I'm really feeling the love. ;)

A new favorite

I heard this quote in a talk on Sunday & I love it:

"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond imagination. It is our light more than our darkness which scares us. We ask ourselves who are we to be brilliant, beautiful, talented, and fabulous. But honestly, who are you to not be so?

You are a child of God, small games do not work in this world. For those around us to feel peace, it is not example to make ourselves small. We were born to express the glory of God that lives in us. It is not in some of us, it is in all of us. While we allow our light to shine, we unconsciously give permission for others to do the same. When we liberate ourselves from our own fears, simply our presence may liberate others."

- Marianne Williamson in Return to Love: Reflections on a Course in Miracles

In a giveaway

I found the cutest capes through Tyson's cousin's blog. (you may have seen the button on my sidebar), and the cute girl that runs the blog/shop was just finishing a giveaway. She had mentioned that she wanted to do another one, so I asked if I could be involved.

And so, I am part of a giveaway that is truly great!! She has posted 6 different giveaways for everyday (mine started Thursday), and you get up to four entries in each.

My giveaway is for one free set of jewelry (does NOT have to match)

that means:

One bracelet

One necklace

and One pair of earrings

of the winner's choice

http://thedressupdrawer.blogspot.com/2010/01/4-jia-girls-best-friend-jasmine-over-at.html

So be sure to hop on over and check it out....enter for mine and any other's you see that might catch your eye....but hurry....Monday's giveaways are probably closed, and mine closed February 2nd at midnight!!

Starving Artists

Savannah wants to be a makeup artist (and author):

Payton wants to be a comic book author/illustrator

And Libby?....she wants to be a rockstar.

Savannah's newest Poem

The 6th graders have been learning about different forms of poetry. Their last assignment was their choice. So here's what Savannah wrote:


Someone's coming through the chimney


One night, December 24th to be exact
My brother and I were dreaming of someone fat,
We heard a thump so we raced down the stairs,
Then we hid behind some chairs.
Then we got ready to pounce.
We were going to catch Santa, who would flail and flounce.
We heard a stomp and then a sneeze,
My brother and I were very pleased.
We leaped and with a ferocious cry,
We caught Santa, my brother and I.
We lifted the net to take a peek,
But it was just our dad, so now we're grounded for a week.


Ha ha....tell that one to your kids on Christmas Eve. :)

We love us some Christmas Lights!!

Just as I was cursing my camera for taking pitiful pics, we went to Temple Square for FHE and got some pretty decent shots of some VERY COOL lights!