Friendship Bracelets

Here's a fun blast from the past.  Only the coolest of the cool kids wore these bracelets.  {probably just I wore them...and I wasn't cool...but I felt cool...and isn't that what counts after all?}

I wanted a fun summer project for the kids so we looked up how to make these.  I do NOT recommend teaching this to your kids unless they are quick to catch on and are capable of tying knots without help.  If not....don't do it!  For the love of all humanity---choose wisely.  It will only drive you crazy---and I speak from experience.  The fun "happy-mommy-loves-to-craft-with-happy-kiddies" turns into "mommy's-head-blowing-off-and-senseless-screaming."  

Anywee--here's a great tutorial on how to tie them.  (why reinvent the wheel, right?! There's no way I can take tutorial pics for this one!  Plus, this one has a video!)  I used tape on my table because pinning just makes the bracelts twist and turn.  I did one tape at the top and then I used another piece of tape across the middle of the bracelet as it got longer - and just moved the tape down further - to keep it from twisting and moving.

My eldest was the only one who could manage this project - and he's doing a 2-color (4-strand) small bracelet.  If, for some reason you have to unpick anything, a straight pin works wonderfully.

My kids love these, actually.  Bracelets are all the rage right now and these are custom made.  And so the tradtion continues....my kids are now the coolest of the cool.  

Berrylicious Baby Shower

If I had to be honest and pick my ultimate dream job, I don't know whether it would be photographing beautiful food on beautiful dishes or planning baby showers/kid parties.  Not that my kids EVER get great parties, let's be honest here, but I'd do it as a dream job.  {I think my first two kids got a couple of rockin' parties, but after a while, they just become painful}

SO...Kadie and I have been working on a shower theme for my beautiful, ADORABLE sister-in-law and what could be more perfect right now than strawberries?!  {gasp!!!}  No pink rubber duckies or diaper pins here - we're going straight-up classy, sophisticated, and sweet! {oh, and no weird, miniature naked babies swimming in the punch, either...???...who does that?!}

Here's some of my inspiration so far!  The cute napkin below is something Kadie brought back from her vacay.  {she was gone so long I almost died}  It's the inspiration that spurred on this baby shower idea. 

...mmmmm....how beautiful is a basket of berries?!

The invites are almost done!  I took my file to Staples and had them printed - I TOTALLY pushed the easy button and it worked!!!  haha.  They look much better laser printed than on my home printer.

Yes, ladies, that is machine stitched.  AND...the name tag/jam jar stickers are from Wal-Mart!  ???  Who would have thought?!  They match my invites perfectly.  I'll  have to take back some of the horrible things I've said about Wal-Mart.

The best part?!  I went to one of many of our antique stores here and LOOK at the eye candy I found!  I'm in love with all of it - I haven't even put it away yet because I just want to look at it.  I have an illness, I know.

...mmmm....berries again.  I could never tire of them.  In a pink dish even?!  It's all so overwhelming.

SO - the planning will continue but here's a little taste of the fun so far.  I don't know what I'm more excited about - the baby shower or getting to snuggle a new little family member!!!  Ahh--life really is good.

**For my strawberry invitations, I used a digital scrapbooking mini kit called "Strawberry Patch" from Designer Digitals.

Our Upcoming Super Saturday...

First, let me explain that our ward over here is so precious and unique for you girls out West - there aren't a lot of active sisters, so our group is on the small side, and we don't have many crafters.  There is interest in crafts, but there aren't crafters, so everything we do has to be fairly quick and easy.  A lot of what we're doing you have already seen on my blog, so they won't be new to you, but most of my ladies don't even know I have a blog, so this will all be new to them!  We might do another one of these craft days this Fall with Christmas/Holiday items, but for now, we're sticking with simple, quick, and easy.  ALL of these ideas can be used as inexpensive gift ideas during the Holiday season, though.

Here is a link to our Super Saturday plans with pictures of each project.  I don't have blog links up on that site simply because we're already going to be making the projects, but below is a list of links with their tutorials except the earrings.  My girl, Kadie, does those and I don't have a tutorial on them.  I think my favorite part of the day is that we're going to have an awesome luncheon: Build-your-own-gourmet-sandwich bar complete with grilling option and Kadie's homemade French bread!  We're going to have the works - smoked turkey, cucumbers, sprouts, lettuce, tomato, artichokes, pesto, and whatever else is heaven on a sandwich.

(I will also have a couple of quilts to tie, as well as a "scrapbook / misc." craft table up and running for the ladies who want to bring their own projects to work on.)

AND...what's my motto?  "It's All In the Details" So, for each project there will be printed instructions, supply lists, and recipes for each person, on half-sheet-size cardstock, and a little folder for the ladies to keep them in.  I'll show you when I'm done with them.  This way, they can always go home and make more without having to remember what exactly we did. {gasp!}

Scrabble Tile Necklace Pendant Tutorial
Etched Jar Tutorial (yes, you can use vinyl lettering!  or stickers. but they come off.)
Crochet Scarf Tutorial
Cafe Napkin to Apron - (get a napkin, throw THIS waistband on it)
Dry Erase Board Tutorial - here's mine (below).  I love it so much already.

Flower Clips - May Enrichment

F.Y.I. - I've posted the flower clippy tute for those of you who are TOTALLY RAD and can't wait to make one. May your blossoms be bloomy.

Okay, so I'm in charge of Home, Family and Personal Enrichment for our ward and I'm always on the hunt for fun things to do with my ladies. For those of you who like to see what others are up to, or if you're in the same boat as I am, I'll share the scoop for our May activity.

To begin with, I wanted a specific theme called "Flourish, Flower, and Bear Good Fruit" based on this talk. We've got some gardening experts whom I'm going to tap into so they can share their pearls of knowledge with those of us (prob'ly just me) who are gardenally-challenged. Then, I'm going to have someone present some garden fresh recipes with samples for us to get some new, summery recipe ideas. (It's always the simplest thing that someone will come up with that will make my brain spark!) For our activity portion we're making these gorgeous flower adornments, and then we're having dirt cake for dessert! How fun is that?! I'm excited because, like I've said maybe a million times, I'M SICK OF WINTER AND GRAYNESS! Horray for May!