chip it.

Doing a little Pinterest surfing this morning, I saw this new feature that Sherwin Williams offers called ChipIt. Basically it takes any photo of your own or from the internet and pulls the most prominent colors from the photo to create your own unique chip card of paint colors. 

Take this photo of Reagan for example.

I uploaded the pic and voila! Paint colors that Sherwin Williams already has...these are NOT fake colors with made up names. These are REAL paint colors you can find in the store! Isn't that so cool. In my version, I can actually see five more colors in addition to these five. Once you get the app you will see what I am talking about.

Cool, huh!?! No I am not being paid by Sherwin Williams to say that. I just think it's REALLY neat!

Try it out for yourself!...I have already like a million times. ;  )

cooling off in this red hot summer!

It's just plain H.O.T. outside, so I definitely don't want to feel that way inside.

I decided to take my blood red master bath from hot to cool. Excuse the awful pic quality -my iPhone doesn't have a flash. AND excuse the mess! I am cleaning out other areas of the house, and for some reason it all ends up in my bathroom before I figure out what to do with it.

SOOOO, anyway...I started this morning with this...

And ended the day with this!

This is after THREE coats of primer. I didn't stutter. It took three to cover it up. I don't know why in the world I wanted a red bathroom. Let alone blood red.

I hope to show you soon the finished color on the walls. I also plan to accessorize with items I score at the upcoming World's Longest Yard Sale! Yippeee!!! I want this bath to be my mommy sanctuary and spa. And, once JT gets home, I'll let him share it with me. ;  )

Have a great Friday night!!!

project day.

Tomorrow I am taking a day off from work. To take a nap? No. To lay out and get a tan? I wish! To relax, sip tea and read? Not this motivated mama!

I am taking the day off just to work on projects!

What do I have on my list you ask?

1. Repair part of our porch screen that the cat ripped.

2. Finish the mystery project I mentioned in this post.

3. Prime my bathroom walls! I want to see NO MORE RED at the end of the day.

4. Any other little projects that come up as I go. I am JUST like my dad when it comes to starting a project and getting distracted by twenty other little projects!

I'll post pics tomorrow as the day goes on.

an all-American T-shirt tutorial.

I couldn't leave Easton out of the festivities when making shirts for the 4th. This was an idea that I kind of actually thought of myself...can't give you complete credit this time Pinterest....even though if I searched enough I probably could find this done by someone somewhere already.

This is going to be the easiest tutorial you've ever heard for making a modern DIY shirt for a little boy. Please note: I KNOW this doesn't include Alaska and Hawaii, but it's just what I did. You'll get over it. ;  )

Here's the final result! My handsome man!

Supplies:
Thread (color depends on fabric you choose for the map)
A T-shirt in your child's size
A bandana (or whatever festive fabric you choose)
Applique letters that spell out U S A.

1. Print out an image of a map of the United States that is proportionate to the T-shirt you are using, cut out.
2. Trace the United States map onto the bandana, cut out.
3. Position where you want the map on the shirt and attach with straight pins.
4. Sew around the edges, about a 1/8 inch in from the edge. I went over this about two times so my edge would show up more. It probably could have used a few more times.
5. Sew on (or in my case, iron-on) the applique letters.
6. I washed the shirt at this point so the edges of the map would fray.
7. You're done!

Isn't he a cutie? My little All-American boy. Love him!

a "stars and stripes" T-shirt tutorial.

It's a tradtion for me to make the kiddos a shirt, dress, some kind of patriotic outfit for the 4th of July. Right behind Christmas, it's my favorite holiday. Why? Because it's full of good food, family, fun, and fireworks!

So, I did a little Pinterest research and found an idea for what I could make for the girls. I found a photo, no tutorial though, and just winged it. It's a modern take on a flag.

This is how it turned out. Cute huh!?!

Since the pic on Pinterest didn't have a tutorial, I'll give you a quick one. I didn't take photos of the step-by- step because it's just that darn easy.

Supplies:

Dark blue and white polka-dot extra-wide ribbon

Red ric-rac (or white if you use a red shirt)

White T-shirt in your child's size

Red thread

Dark blue thread

That's it!

1. Cut (1)- four inch piece of ric-rac and (3)- 5 inch pieces. Note: these measurements were used simply because they were proportionate to the shirt size I used (24 months). You may have to make yours a little smaller or larger depending on your shirt. Gently and quickly wave a lighter over the ends to seal.

2. Position the ric-rac pieces centered on the shirt, with the ends lining up on the right, the first one (the shorter piece) about 2-3 inches below the neckline. Space them a "ric-rac" width apart. Temporarily attach with straight pins. Note: the shorter piece is at the top so that you don't see it coming out from the side of the bow.

3. Sew, with the red thread, straight down the center of each ric-rac piece.

4. Tie a bow from the ribbon that is proportionate to your shirt and the ric-rac "stripes." Bascially, don't have your bow too large or too small. Seal off ends with a lighter.

5. Hand sew the bow onto your shirt, angled in the corner. I also sewed the left end piece of the bow down because I burned one of my ric-rac ends and wanted to hide it. You don't have to do that though!

Your shirt is done! I paired Reagan's shirt with a red bow and a pairt of white shoes, and a cute tulle skirt I found at Walmart for only $5.

Sew simple and so adorable!

Doesn't hurt to have a gorgeous model to show it off!

Stay tuned for my next tutorial. It's even less steps than this one. I made a shirt for Easton that is "all-American!"

it's "dog"-gone hot here!

So I'm staying inside and working on a few projects. Any guesses on what I'm gonna convert this sweet little stool into? Well, I'll throw you a "bone"...

whew.

It finally hit. And it's 6 p.m.!

6 weeks.

That's how long it's been since my kids have seen their daddy. Every day they are asking more and more about when daddy is coming home or telling me that they love and miss their daddy. I thought it would get easier as more time went on, but it's getting harder.

I made sure that I taped a lot of videos of him with the kids before he left. That way I could show them and they would remember what a fun-loving and caring daddy he is to them. I think it also is a good tool for me to remind them that he will be coming home soon.

This is one of my favorites that I made on my phone. It's just a simple moment of what a special person and playmate he is to the three of them.

I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened so you may know what is the hope of His calling.~Ephesians 1:18

blackmail.

I promised Brooklyn that one day, when she's a teenager, I will use this photo to my advantage....lol! ; )

No one looks cuter picking her nose while covered in spaghetti!

1.5 years of pure bliss.

While we were on vacation, Brookie Page turned 18 months. That's a year and a half. Yep. I can count. 

Isn't she just beautiful?

Today I took her for her 18-month well-check. 

Here's her stats:

Height - 33 1/4 inches

Weight - 24 lbs. 8.5 oz.

Eating - everything in sight! She loves fruits, veggies, meats, basically anything you put in front of her!

Bottles - NO MORE! I didn't bring them on vacation with us and haven't given her (or Reagan) a bottle for almost two weeks now. They both still beg for one at night, but I am holding out. 

Paci - loves them! Not sure how I'll figure out how to take these away from her AND Reagan.

Screams for - chocolate icecream. We gave it to her several times on vacation and she would scream if I took her icecream cone away to lick the drips. Watch out!

Says - all kinds of things. She's starting to put two word phrases together... Thank you. Morning Mommy. Give me. Bless you. Pizza please. 

Gets into - EVERYTHING! AND she's a climber...something I never dealt with for Easton and Reagan.

Melts my heart - when she comes over and gives me a hug or a kiss out of the blue, when she seems genuinely excited to see me when I get home, and when she knows she's doing something mischievious but turns to look at me with that "I-know-you-know-I-am-up-to-something" grin.

She follows - usually no one. She's her own little independent self, but she sure does love her big sis!

Happy year and a half Brookie Page! It's been pure bliss to have you as our wonderfully made daughter.

You are altogether beautiful, my love; there is no flaw in you.~Song of Solomon 4:7

"brace"s for impact!

Don't laugh. At 30, I am getting BRACES! Yes, I said that right. Braces! I should've gotten them at 16, but almost 15 years later, I have finally given in.

I know my teeth aren't that crooked, but I feel like I should take care of it now because as I get older, my teeth will just get more crooked. Kapish?

So in a few short weeks, my teeth will look something like this...

Obviously that's not my mouth or face, but you get the point, right?

the beach!

I haven't posted in over a week because we've been on vacation! At the beach! Amelia Island! Fernandina! Yea!

I'll let this video do all the talking for what a fun time we had! Minus Johnathan. :  (

Enjoy!


Put your face in the sunlight...the LORD will shine over you.~Isaiah 60:1-2

toes.

I painted mine and Reagan's toes today; Brooklyn wouldn't sit still enough for me to do hers.

Don't the colors suit us? They're our favorites!

Rea Rea.

I posted this video on Facebook, but wanted to post it here too for all my family and friends not on Facebook... I seriously don't blame you for not. 

Introducing, the next Hip-Hop sensation... Rea Rea... and her "special song!" (aptly named because she says "special song" over and over.)

She's got some good moves huh?! She gets those from me. ;  )


Gracious words are like a honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and health to the body. ~Proverbs 16:24

blueberries.

I picked blueberries today. In the rain might I add. There weren't too many to pick because the birds beat me to them.

The girls and I enjoyed eating them, and Easton just kept saying "ewww gross." He's not much of a fruit eater...just more for the girls and I.

I love enjoying the simple pleasures in life. Happy Sunday.

we've got game!

I'm at the Braves game today. We are tailgating and having a blast. Gooo Braves!

operation "toy reduction."

It's underway. I'm commencing operation "toy reduction." The toys are taking over our house!

I know some would say, "well, that just
means you're blessed with lots of children who play with the toys." While that is very true, what is very false about it is thinking you need lots of stuff to feel blessed.

It's to the point in our house that the kids don't play with certain toys because a) they don't even realize what they have and b) they can't even get to them because there are so many.

One bag down, many to go!

attempt #2.

Tonight was my attempt #2 of taking the kids somewhere by myself.

We decided on the Waffle House for dinner to surprise my wonderful father-in-law/the kids Daddy-O, who cooked us a yummy meal of bacon, cheese eggs, toast, hash browns and a grilled cheese.

The kids did great and minded me too!

What should I try for attempt #3?

fore!!!

Or should I say, "four," - the number of balls I actually hit more than 10 feet away. ; )

Got to spend my lunch break hitting a bucket of balls with my bestie Amanda. It was a great stress reliever because we talked and joked and laughed the entire time!

These are pics of us in our "official" golf stance. Don't we look so cute?

We plan to do it once a week. I hope she holds me to that plan!

Back to work now!

my "pics" for editing pics!

I have recently discovered a couple of online photo editing tools/software that are perfect for all my photo editing needs! ;  ) I wanted to share them with you too, because they are FREE! And, so easy to use.

The first is http://www.pixlr.com/. It's similar to PhotoShop with all it's functionalities and capabilities, but to me it's easier to figure out. The coolest feature to me is that it can create a color pallette for you from every color in your photo. If you want to know how, just send me a message.

The second one is http://www.picmonkey.com/. This one is free also, and is very much like the former http://www.picnic.com/ that Google decided to cease from existence. It's SUPER easy and has really neat features like giving your subjects a spray tan, lip tint, mascara, etc. and it also has pre-set effects like giving your photo a vintage feel or adding a texture to it. So many neat things you can do with your photos on this software.

Be sure to check them out, and let me know how well/easy they work for you!