Where have you been?!?!

How the summer has gotten away from me. Look at me still acting like it's summer as I am unpacking my Halloween decorations. We have had a busy and fun summer that has just flown by. I have LOTS of Craftiness and recipe goodness to share and fun updates on A and a, don't worry. I will be posting in hyper-mode here soon! Sorry for the delay in posts.

Deja Vu

Big A loves his little sister. He calls her sweetheart, kisses the top of her head and if anyone one is bothering her he yells "Leave my SIS-ter ALONE! He however has very little patience with her and her baby ways. I saw this in the paper last weekend and had a Major Deja Vu feeling! 

First Birthday "Little a"

     A few months ago a friend of mine thru this thoroughly overly elaborate first birthday party for her little girl. She made all kinds of decorations (lots of etsy inspiration), everything went with the theme. It was amazing but I thought over the top for a family party and a baby that would never remember...fast forward a couple of months and I innocently go to the party store to pick up plates and napkins for Little a's Birthday. I find these adorable lady bug "First Birthday" plates and napkins, perfect, not pink, not princess, SO cute and Little a's bathing suit happens to be lady bug, perfect, perfect!  

    Next thing you know I am trolling pinterest for "lady bug" party ideas and making tissue paper poms at midnight. Oh yes there was customized water bottle and chocolate labels, birthday posters and yes the tissue poms (which by the way, pretty easy to make!). I did however create everything but the plates and napkins myself. I ended up with a crazy, overly elaborate first birthday party for my little girl and you know what? I am so glad I did it. Will she ever remember, no. But there will be pictures in her scrapbook.
 
         Happy birthday my little lady bug.

Little a: The First 12 Months



The Cake: after a failed attempt at fondant....

 

The poms

 

Farmers Market

Last Weekend we visited the Wasatch Front Farmers Market held every Saturday at Gardner Village. It was so much fun, Definitely more "Market" than farmers, but to be fair not much is currently ripe in Utah right now (I'm looking forward to August!). It was a great time, The kids had a BLAST, and I did get some excellent cherries.  

Big A getting a glitter "Tattoo"

Too Cool, "Just like "Pa""!!

The "Train" around the market.

Pony Ride around the Market

Yee Haw Cowboy!

Little a, chilling in the shade

AMAZING Strawberry Vinaigrette

I LOVE the Strawberry Vinaigrette at a local "Gourmet" sandwich shop, Zupa's. Jeff is not a big fan so I don't get there too often. So I decided to take matters into my own hands. Here is a Recipe for a VERY easy Strawberry Vinaigrette that tastes exactly like Zupa's. Try it out!

Ingredients:

• 1 cup red wine vinegar
• 1 cup canola oil
• 4 strawberries (Hulled and chopped)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup sugar

Directions:

1. Mix the strawberries, salt, sugar, and vinegar. Blend well in a blender.
2. While blending slowly add in all of the oil, blending until smooth.
3. Makes about 2 1/2 cups

Arts Festival



All stamped and in the fest



 Jeff and I have gone to the Utah Arts Fest as long as we've been togther. We used to stroll hand in hand enjoing the art. Now we spend more than half the time in the kids yard and hurry thru the "boring" art part. How times change. We all had a great time and had to pry Alexander from the Kids "Art Yard," He must take after his Daddy!

At the "Mad Hatter" tent with his creation



"Balancing" art and fun!!




Enjoying the day






Listening to the kids sing-along



Adding his mark at the kids yard



Our budding artist





 

Word Art Canvas - a tutorial

I don't know about you but I love all the new "Word Art" canvases that are popping up everywhere. What I don't like is the prices, I found one with a cute "grandma's house" saying that I loved for $35! YIKES!! I knew I could make it much, much cheaper and in the colors/ designs that were perfect. What do you know, using stuff I had around the house (Less than $5 if you were to buy everything) I created a canvas word art that worked out perfectly.

Check out the step-by-step and make one yourself!

 (Finally a fun and easy way to display all those fun quotes you see!)

I started out with a blank 5x7 canvas in a nasty green that I got on the cheap sometime
 (color doesn't matter because it will all be covered)

Apply a layer of Mod Podge all over the canvas

Add scrapbook paper, wrapping paper, any type of paper in a pattern you like to the front and once again Mod Podge the whole thing, Now let it completely dry (overnight is best if you can stand the wait)



Now create your saying with vinyl stickers or a paper cutting tool and adhesive vinyl, Once again the color doesn't matter as this will be covered
 (I used my cricut with the gypsy...if you need help with this shoot me an email!)



Now carefully stick your saying on your dry mod podged papered canvas

Next Spray paint the entire canvas (sides, top, over the lettering, the whole thing)
then let the whole thing completely dry (again?!?! sigh!)
*I used hammered brown spray paint*

Now carefully peel up the vinyl (your paper will show thru underneath)

Voila!
Fun (cheap) word art!