It's a Colorful Life Challenge-

THIS BLOG HOP ENDS SUNDAY, JUNE 7, 2010. THE NEXT COLOR WILL ALSO BE ANNOUNCED THAT DAY ON THE NEXT BLOG HOP.

Every week, I will present a new color in my blog and it will be your job to contribute a photo of that color.  I will collect all the photos and put them together in a collage.  And at the end of the summer, we will have a very colorful piece of art! At the end of the challenge,

 I will also pick 1 participant to win a print of the art piece, mounted on 1 inch thick wood frame.

This challenge is hosted by Creative Flair.  Be sure to follow to get the update as we go through the colors this summer.

I decided to do this in blog hop format so that others can easily participate in the challenge and we can all view the blogs participating. Don't worry if you don't have a blog, you can still enter. To put this blog hop link on your page, click on the button above. I find it easier to copy the code if I press Ctrl. A and right click at the same time. Then copy and paste any of this blog into your blog so everyone else can see the links.Be sure that my link is included so I know who is participating and I can follow their blogs too. Simple!

I picked BLUE this week and could not decide which photo to use so I am using both..  So, just send on over any photo with the major color in the photo being blue and I will show off a few here and on my Facebook page every week,  So, get your cameras out and send over those photos.  You can find my Facebook page at: http://www.facebook.com/creativeflairart

3-2-1...Blastoff!!!

We are leaving for our semi- annual trip to Baja soon.  The boys just love this place.  It is paradise for them.  They run up and down the beach, swim, fish, eat fish tacos, build sandcastles and sand tracks for their cars; we really have to drag them away.

One of the things they always look forward to is shooting off rockets. This is my younger son's rocket.  He wanted lots of color so he could find it in the bushes. Smart boy.

My older son, of course, picks the really big rocket.  Complete with animal graphics.  But that wasn't good enough.  He had to have me paint teeth and eyes on the side too.  "Now it looks like a tiger", he says.

So now with their rockets ready, they are all set to go.  They can't wait!

The Paper Wreath

This was posted on The Lovely Paper Blog and I LOVE it!  Can't wait to make one for the new house. As some of you know, I rotate my front door wreath throughout the entire year.  Check out the blog for the full tutorial.

PF Chang's Lettuce Wraps

This recipe originally came from Hon, What's for Dinner.  Please visit her blog for more ideas!

I don't know why I have never made these before, because they were delicious. I think they are my new favorite
ground beef/turkey recipe. They tasted just like the ones at PF Changs! Not to mention... very healthy.
pf changs lettuce wraps
10 whole lettuce leafs (iceberg or bib lettuce)
1 lb ground turkey/hamburger (pf changs uses ground chicken)
1 white onion chopped
2tbsp garlic minced
1 small can water chesnuts chopped
3 green onions sliced thin
1/4 cup hoisin sauce ( I didn't have any so I made it, see below for substitution)
1 tbsp soy sauce
2tbsp rice vinegar
1tbsp chili paste (or red pepper flakes, hot sauce, ect.)
1 tbsp sesame oil (I used vegetable)
Home made Hoisin
5 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp peanut butter or bean curd paste (yeah, because everyone has that lying around!)
1 tsp garlic powder
1tbsp honey
1 tsp pepper
1 tsp hot sauce
Cook the ground meat until browned. Add onion, garlic, soy sauce, vinegar, chili paste, until onion is soft. Then add
the rest of the ingredients, cook until green onions begin to wilt.
Serve in lettuce, like it is the tortilla to your taco!

Girly Summer Swap @ dot...dot...dot...

I am loving the Girly Summer theme ... flip flops, accessories, books, martini/wine glasses, lotions and more! Anything cute and fabulous to enjoy in the sunshine!

The gift limit is $25 (not including shipping).

Packages are to be mailed no later than June 14th.

To sign up:

Head on over to dot...dot...dot... and pick up the info to put on your blog.

Let the fun begin!

My Sweet Boy

My sweet boy had his first day of summer vacation today and spent the day hanging with mom.  Unfortunately, I have the worst headache today from this head cold.  I tried to make the best of it and he was very sweet to understand.

As we ran our errands this morning, and stopping for some of his favorite hot chocolate, I began telling him about when he was younger ( only 4 short years ago) when he would chat away and of all the words he mispronounced through his toddler vocabulary.  We laughed about it and it made me think of all the little things he does now that one day I will look back on and will make me smile.  So I have thought of a quick little list of the five that always make me smile.

1- The way he will all of a sudden start freak dancing (ANYWHERE) and yell out "Break It Down".

2- In all seriousness, refers to his little brother as Little Rat.  I really do think he means it as an affectionate term. He will say, " You want to go play outside, come on you little rat".

3- Every one of the many dimples around his mouth when he really smiles.

4- How he ALWAYS has a song in his head and is forever singing.  We will sing the same song over and over again until someone tells him to stop. Then he'll change all the lyrics by changing the vowels in the words.

5- The fact that at 6 years old, he has slept with a stuffed animal since the time he was a few months old.  I can still see him rubbing the Pooh bear around in circles on his cheek like when he was 9 months old.

Love you little man!

Post - It Thought #1

Tuesday Tag- Along

This weeks Tuesday Tag-Along is hosted by Twee Poppets.

Here's how it works:

Create a new Tuesday Tag-Along blog post. Include the Tuesday Tag-Along button by copying the code on the top of Twee Poppets blog. (You are also welcome to copy and paste these instructions in their entirety, or any portion of this Tuesday Tag-Along blog post!)

Add your blog name and the URL of your TTA post to the MckLinky below.
Follow the hostess blog listed in the first spot; they will follow you back! (Note: If you want Creative Flair to follow you back, you MUST leave her a comment saying that you are a new follower and leave a link to your blog!)

If you can, please go through the blogs, following ones that interest you. If you can, please follow 3 blogs. This is not mandatory, but it will help ensure that everyone who signs up gets a few new followers!
Follow as many other blogs as you want. The more you follow, the more that will follow you back! Be sure to tell them that you're following from Tuesday Tag-Along! You may also want to leave a link to your blog so they can return your follow more easily.

When you get a new follower through Tuesday Tag-Along, be sure to follow them back! It's just common courtesy. :)

The weekly Tuesday Tag-Along MckLinky opens every Monday night at 8:59pm Pacific Standard Time (that's 11:59pm Eastern Standard Time), and the TTA blog post will be posted well in advance of that time. The MckLinky will be open to add your blog until 11:59pm Tuesday night. You then have all week long to visit blogs and return follows!

There is a new list every week. The link you enter one week will not carry over to the next week's MckLinky. Please link up again each week to join in the fun!

Children's Museum of Phoenix

The other day I decided to take my boys to the Children's Museum here in Phoenix.  They just opened up their new climber and the boys have been waiting months to climb on this thing. Well, let me tell you, it is quite the contraption.  Multi levels of climbing tubes, hanging sculptures and even a bathtub with angel wings suspended in mid air. 

This exhibit is sure to be on their list of favorites.  The others include the Noodle Forest, PVC racecars, and these tubes that are filled with forced air and spit out silk scarves.


It is PURE craziness in this place.  A wonderful learning experience filled with an array of noises, textures and visual overdrive.  A place where children carry around large styrofoam ice cream cones and pretend to eat them.  And where stuffed tarantulas ride a conveyor belt only to be flung halfway across the room by a rotating fan.  By the way, you can only discover this spectacle if you go through the Noodle Forest, which houses the best over-sized leather chair to watch people duck tarantulas and play in the noodles.  The noodles make the best environment for Hide n' Seek.  


If you live in the area or ever visit, be sure to put this on your list.It is sure to be a hit with kids of ALL ages.

It's a Colorful Life Challenge-White

THIS BLOG HOP ENDS SUNDAY, MAY 30, 2010. THE NEXT COLOR WILL ALSO BE ANNOUNCED THAT DAY ON THE NEXT BLOG HOP.

 

I was thinking about a fun little challenge to play with everyone earlier this afternoon. It would be great to create a "community" art piece and it would make a great summer project.  Every week, I will present a new color in my blog and it will be your job to contribute a photo of that color.  I will collect all the photos and put them together in a collage.  And at the end of the summer, we will have a very colorful piece of art! At the end of the challenge,

 I will also pick 1 participant to win a print of the art piece, mounted on 1 inch thick wood frame.

This challenge is hosted by Creative Flair.  Be sure to follow to get the update as we go through the colors this summer.
I decided to do this in blog hop format so that others can easily participate in the challenge and we can all view the blogs participating. Don't worry if you don't have a blog, you can still enter. To put this blog hop link on your page, simply copy and paste the code above. I find it easier if I press Ctrl. A and right click at the same time. Then copy and paste this into your blog so everyone else can see the links. Simple!


I picked WHITE this week for my poor friends in Lake Tahoe, as it is STILL snowing there.  So, just send on over any photo with the major color in the photo being white and I will show off a few on my Facebook page and blog every week,  So, get your cameras out and send over those photos.  You can find my Facebook page at: http://www.facebook.com/creativeflairart





This photo was taken by Frauke Avent

This photo was taken by Bobbi   

This photo taken by Bob McGinley  

 This photo was taken by my 6 year old son.

By Gary Warren Niebuhr  

Slip 'n' Slide

Ohhhh, the slip 'n slide...

I bought this contraption a couple of days ago.  The boys had so much fun, in fact, so much that the elder who played for about 2 hours was sore for a few days from lifting himself up off the ground.  And this kid is in good shape! He is known to "Drop and gimmie 10 " without being told.

Is this not the greatest invention ever??? The weather here is in the 90's and I was very tempted to join them.  And now writing this, I think "why not"?? What makes you as an adult think that the slip n'slide is now off limits? Wouldn't they love for mommy to race them down the track?

Tomorrow, I think I'll join them.

Common Courtesy

Is it just me, or have more people lost the ability to simply be courteous to others.

  First, let me set the mood.  Mornings are MY time to get things done.  The kids are in school and my time is very limited.  I appreciate when I do have a chance to peruse over book and/or magazines.  So today, I have that opportunity and I have a very specific book in mind.  My latest interest in mixed media has sparked this outing and I am determined to find something.  Enter the oblivious nitwit.

As I enter the craft section, I marvel at the empty aisle and smile knowing I am free to browse as I choose.  Then the nitwit walks over behind me, re-shelves a few books, goes to get more books and re-shelves those right next to me.  Understandable.  Then, she comes over at my hip level, right in front of me, and puts 2 books on the shelf.  No excuse me. No I'm sorry.  I think, "O.K"  Then, she continues, not re-shelving, simply pushing books around, "straightening them" and now I think, " Really?  Is that truly necessary?

How does a person think that this is ok behavior.  This area couldn't possibly be straightened later.  What about the area about 3 feet to my right.  That area didn't need tending to?  It made me wonder what other values this poor women is missing.  Courtesy is one value I will be sure to teach my boys.

Hairbows Galore

I finally have decided to write a post on a guest artisan and have found the perfect gal to write the first one.  This gal makes the CUTEST hair accessories! Not to mention they would look fabulous on the hair bow holders that I make.  If you have a little girl, niece or little munchkin friend, you simply must check out this Etsy shop.  

These are Dana's products from her Livie Lu Boutique.  I asked Dana a few questions to get to know a little bit about her. Be sure to take a peek at her shop and become a fan of her Facebook page. 

 

How did you get started making hair accessories?

My little girl Olivia was born in 07, and being the 'girly girl' that I am, I wanted to accessorize her from the start!  I began buying bows, clips and headbands and after checking them out, realized that I could probably make them myself.  So after much trial and error and reading a few tutorials, I got better and better.  By trade I'm a dental hygienist and feel that my attention to detail helps me make a nice, even and pretty bow!  I also love putting different colors, textures and styles together.  Now I'm really enjoying finding new items and branching out to making headbands and painting wall letters.

Why did you start selling on Etsy?
Etsy was recommended to me by a fellow crafter and I feel it's a simple way to have your own business and get your name out there.  I sell more of my items locally and through my facebook fan page, but I like maintaining my etsy page and supporting other artists.  Many of my supplies I purchase through other etsians.






What do you do in your spare time?  

I work part time as a dental hygienist, and have a 2 year old daughter, so that keeps me busy.  Most evenings I watch some tv or make my accessories.  My husband and I love to travel, especially to tropical locations that have great offshore and inshore fishing.  I also like taking walks with my family and my Boxer, Molly.
 www.LivieLuBoutique.etsy.com
www.facebook.com/LivieLuBoutique    

  

Summertime Sangria

1 Bottle of red wine
1 Lemon cut into wedges
1 Orange cut into wedges
2 Tbsp sugar
1 Shot brandy (optional)
 2 Cups ginger ale or club soda

Pour wine in the pitcher and squeeze the juice wedges from the lemon and orange into the wine. Toss in the fruit wedges (leaving out seeds if possible) and add sugar and brandy, if using. Chill overnight. Add ginger ale or club soda just before serving.