tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22704376877405953682024-02-06T18:36:38.342-08:00 Acrylic FishA Mama's Creative SpaceKimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14199364289679324999noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2270437687740595368.post-39238963668703822142020-08-19T17:10:00.001-07:002020-08-19T17:13:03.217-07:00Reintroduction Hello! Welcome to my blog!<br />
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I guess I should tell you a little bit about myself. My name is Kim. I'm 37 and I live in Utah
with my husband and 2 amazing boys. I'm a stay at home mom keeping busy with my
children especially during this pandemic. I'm a painter, a crafter, a miniature
haunted house maker, as well as someone who occasionally makes-over furniture.
My husband works in video production and is one of the most creative people i
know, aside from my son who builds the most amazing lego creations. My other son is a wizard at making messes which tends to come with his age.<br />
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I started this blog in 2012 as a way to share my
projects and hopefully spread some laughter. Eventually I became too busy as I
was trying to figure out how to juggle life. But now I am feeling passionate
again and I'm ready to resurrect the blog that i created so many years ago. I
always have a project going and would love to show you how you can do these
projects too! I have linked up this blog with my youtube channel were I put time lapses and further instruction on how I do my projects. Feel free to visit there to see what else I'm up to.<br />
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<a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWmDG3cfhNRdRXWHkxKLk-A" target="_blank"><span style="color: #a64d79;">Acrylic Fish on Youtube </span></a><br />
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I hope you enjoy looking around and hopefully find something you are excited to try! Creativity brings me happiness and I encourage all to find it in their lives too.<br />
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“Creativity is contagious. Pass it on.” — Albert Einstein
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Kimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14199364289679324999noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2270437687740595368.post-10608760092270761042014-07-22T03:34:00.000-07:002015-04-15T16:44:14.897-07:00DIY Ball Toss Game<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Make a ball toss game! Here's the tutorial...</b></span></div>
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(Btw this thing ended up being about 5'5" and AWESOME)</div>
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<b><u>You will need:</u></b></div>
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5 large boxes (I used 4 lrg 1 med. I wouldnt recommend it)</div>
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4 White Poster Boards</div>
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Pencil</div>
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Scissors</div>
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Exacto-knife</div>
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Duct Tape</div>
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Hot Glue Gun</div>
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Paint</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6GruVhUihwrdD9Mo9Yt7-ML720j3HVx-er0Dzhrl7POr1QwL-H3n_Dwfo3JO6BXAFpCJ9vlzhuuKBaqKT6X7CgwunZJCw49_WPjF74LvGBGxUF28UDfMGXXa26AkcaC-wF_fxuNJ-MKkn/s1600/step+1+ball+toss.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6GruVhUihwrdD9Mo9Yt7-ML720j3HVx-er0Dzhrl7POr1QwL-H3n_Dwfo3JO6BXAFpCJ9vlzhuuKBaqKT6X7CgwunZJCw49_WPjF74LvGBGxUF28UDfMGXXa26AkcaC-wF_fxuNJ-MKkn/s1600/step+1+ball+toss.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a><br />
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<b><u>Step 1: </u></b></div>
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A.) With ONE of the large boxes, lay it flat and cut it at the creases on each side so you have two flat square pieces like this one. These pieces are going to be your slanted bottoms inside the game and your "scrap board". </div>
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B.) Fold the other boxes so they are up and ready to be used (like a normal box). </div>
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C.) Set one of the boxes on top of each square piece (from step A) and draw a line following the bottom edge of the box going the whole length of the square. This line is going to show you how wide the inside of the box is. Though the width should match the inside of the box, the length should me much longer so that the only way it fits inside the box is on a slant. <b>Make sure it is correct before you cut!</b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvCN69ToVATiPmn4pfijojiLDlRrbknjoCJSug7k3gkwB6cuUFwNiqyiG-4onoHU0xpuhFCFwt9aBMx8pLsxwhp39eZk_MNbtlSF5OceszvaWl31jUGKJ4fDIrxDlxcq_QT1wTo-l4hFe3/s1600/step+2+ball+toss.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvCN69ToVATiPmn4pfijojiLDlRrbknjoCJSug7k3gkwB6cuUFwNiqyiG-4onoHU0xpuhFCFwt9aBMx8pLsxwhp39eZk_MNbtlSF5OceszvaWl31jUGKJ4fDIrxDlxcq_QT1wTo-l4hFe3/s1600/step+2+ball+toss.jpg" height="400" width="372" /></a><br />
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<b><u>Step 2:</u></b></div>
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A.) Your piece should look like this. It is the width of the inside of the box, and the length is longer so when you slide it down inside the box it has to sit on a slant. If it is right, continue on and do the same with the second square piece.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTTRstoVpt_s3mKpu60h2m615uewHfb6FWahgwCWA8amQOfag3lbwKO_CZo8oH9-jK5__VzLwZYvCsYONobTe_hyTt9QPXvOPQI4kP5ATXouIlte-R12rpP0rtUbm7DzpJupfnYws4_lL1/s1600/step+3+ball+toss.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTTRstoVpt_s3mKpu60h2m615uewHfb6FWahgwCWA8amQOfag3lbwKO_CZo8oH9-jK5__VzLwZYvCsYONobTe_hyTt9QPXvOPQI4kP5ATXouIlte-R12rpP0rtUbm7DzpJupfnYws4_lL1/s1600/step+3+ball+toss.jpg" height="400" width="302" /></a></div>
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<b><u>Step 3:</u></b></div>
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A.) Cut some of your scrap board so that it goes the whole length of the "slant board". </div>
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B.)There will be creases in both pieces of board where it was originally meant to fold. Make sure these folding creases arent on top of each other when you glue the smaller board down onto the bigger board. The reason we do this is to build up the strength of the "slant board" so it wont bend or fold once inside the ball toss game. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik2NfiiX45Y4Jnb9042U7l5E1vKX8k4phNh6BT-LXGIq6ew7dRBGOMUD97DgFf3FCtndWJzwtSQ4JAwt2chRBiU8qcpGYZVbPyU7c7qxk-7ax9D6GkejZIHwBWOJk414SBWMaUCu8zkQZG/s1600/step+4+ball+toss.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik2NfiiX45Y4Jnb9042U7l5E1vKX8k4phNh6BT-LXGIq6ew7dRBGOMUD97DgFf3FCtndWJzwtSQ4JAwt2chRBiU8qcpGYZVbPyU7c7qxk-7ax9D6GkejZIHwBWOJk414SBWMaUCu8zkQZG/s1600/step+4+ball+toss.jpg" height="246" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b><u>Step 4:</u></b></div>
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A.) Put the slant board down into one of the boxes. Hot glue it or duct tape the edges.</div>
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B.) Once fitting correctly do the same with the other slant board in a second box. </div>
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C.) Draw a big "X" on the front of the box where the bottom end of the slant board is. This is going to be the front of your game. The slant board will help bounce the balls towards the front so they are easy to fish out of the bottom.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXdbfK3k9DvyYw0gfctDGILGPFpugHXuy0OtvYv6h0oobCz3Sc16E9HsQ-Ihrm9pRwUWVvxNW74VoV0Ya4Mx_XiTL4F7rSVklmRHgAPh5yX_flZ9olAhrd-F7GI-qKlMLKg3f3w2JXZrjF/s1600/step+5+ball+toss.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXdbfK3k9DvyYw0gfctDGILGPFpugHXuy0OtvYv6h0oobCz3Sc16E9HsQ-Ihrm9pRwUWVvxNW74VoV0Ya4Mx_XiTL4F7rSVklmRHgAPh5yX_flZ9olAhrd-F7GI-qKlMLKg3f3w2JXZrjF/s1600/step+5+ball+toss.jpg" height="400" width="331" /></a></div>
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<b><u>Step 5:</u></b></div>
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A.) On All of your boxes duct tape the flaps up to the boxes are taller, strong and secure.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrjDHSxEgy3irgv2HLIA8VIeTIQDWqEwGfUckg5jl-tIfMZAQCDOnBeMDm3VDqEFbNZ0PClJEreBkZBzZFVFFju-O-QqVECSqMKLqUYx7eCsy7xX8Xy_8gJ3G6-N9zeFbCVil3yvRWN5ae/s1600/step+6+ball+toss.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrjDHSxEgy3irgv2HLIA8VIeTIQDWqEwGfUckg5jl-tIfMZAQCDOnBeMDm3VDqEFbNZ0PClJEreBkZBzZFVFFju-O-QqVECSqMKLqUYx7eCsy7xX8Xy_8gJ3G6-N9zeFbCVil3yvRWN5ae/s1600/step+6+ball+toss.jpg" height="640" width="392" /></a></div>
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<b><u>Step 6: </u></b></div>
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A.) On the two bottom boxes that have slant boards in them, cut shallow slits in two corners. Using your scrap board cut out 4 pieces that will go down in each slit.</div>
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B.) Make sure the slits and scrap board have the same depth measurements so they fit nicely.</div>
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C.) These will act as little ledges to keep the top boxes from sliding or falling into the bottom boxes.</div>
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<b><u>Step 7:</u></b></div>
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A.) Tape the outside edges of the scrap board down.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRLBcmyQ_BMs1a3a9hHR7llqF4DXl-SUdkMa4AO5RdsP96rR15WmLGFqmfgoZSfdg3uksU-DBe1ax9gHbpH4dB3VOOqngZER_Gcf_LAPF0ock-oQlRcYWNZW3OV-w6Afe9pes8FnFGwF3V/s1600/step+8+ball+toss.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRLBcmyQ_BMs1a3a9hHR7llqF4DXl-SUdkMa4AO5RdsP96rR15WmLGFqmfgoZSfdg3uksU-DBe1ax9gHbpH4dB3VOOqngZER_Gcf_LAPF0ock-oQlRcYWNZW3OV-w6Afe9pes8FnFGwF3V/s1600/step+8+ball+toss.jpg" height="640" width="420" /></a></div>
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<b><u>Step 8:</u></b></div>
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A.) Put the top boxes upside down and on top of the bottom boxes. (I used a medium box on one upper corner. It makes it more complicated and I dont recommend it. Use all the same sized boxes.)</div>
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B.) Tape the top and bottom boxes together. Make sure the "X" marks are both facing you and on outside of the bottom boxes. </div>
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C.) Tape the two columns of boxes together at the bottom, middle and top. Dont put the tape anywhere you think you will be cutting holes.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkfyieVjbbvUcMyzZhUMXSVFTkg1-gA-4uytuouq_nezpDhPmUHBi6certddYXQu32_q1flSFIA8SZg_WX2kwr_qcd68-scRjW-OJam6bLz-UhjH3QsP136MxAOiPLltIedPGLJqp29A03/s1600/step+9+ball+toss.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkfyieVjbbvUcMyzZhUMXSVFTkg1-gA-4uytuouq_nezpDhPmUHBi6certddYXQu32_q1flSFIA8SZg_WX2kwr_qcd68-scRjW-OJam6bLz-UhjH3QsP136MxAOiPLltIedPGLJqp29A03/s1600/step+9+ball+toss.jpg" height="640" width="470" /></a></div>
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<b><u>Step 9:</u></b></div>
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A.) Tape two poster boards together with the tape only on the back of the poster board so you wont have to paint over it. Use the hot glue gun to glue the front flap of the poster board down on top of the other poster board. The goal is to make it seem like its one giant poster board. It will make it a lot easier to draw and paint on.</div>
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B.) Repeat to poster board on other side.</div>
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C.) Tape the poster boards to the tops of the boxes. Trim to make sure it fits and then tape together on the back of the poster boards so they become like one giant poster board. </div>
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D.) Draw a line in pencil on the poster board where the boxes are taped together vertically and horizontally. When you are drawing your pictures you'll want to avoid placing a hole anywhere on these lines.</div>
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E.) Using a generous amount, hot glue the edges of the poster boards down to the edges of the boxes.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUif-bahvE2Au4mnn0AkqR2dVB9fiZH0RCAY0-S9Ahw5V8S55ekkNBgrKOlHJbKKiq8fbrmqnaOa1WCPPCXCUZwjIuIdj09KU9mYqPfWl7eXjayqSTcvx1xG-vHGDXCKj9Qiw8Om4AMM4e/s1600/step+10+ball+toss.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUif-bahvE2Au4mnn0AkqR2dVB9fiZH0RCAY0-S9Ahw5V8S55ekkNBgrKOlHJbKKiq8fbrmqnaOa1WCPPCXCUZwjIuIdj09KU9mYqPfWl7eXjayqSTcvx1xG-vHGDXCKj9Qiw8Om4AMM4e/s1600/step+10+ball+toss.jpg" height="640" width="358" /></a></div>
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<b><u>Step 10:</u></b></div>
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A.) Draw the front of your ball toss game. Use a theme or just make holes with points assigned to each hole. Just remember the bigger the hole the easier it will be, so make it appropriate for the skill level of whoever will be playing.</div>
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B.) Also dont forget to plan for holes at the bottom to retrieve the ball.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitEZyF8c5ANQqmR4AQOEknoolpATZF51JDsOVxXvyj3_Vcc4Zq_P6przSMAIpIN9sq6GG0mPm7ZwcUAk81_DVyfJtE1lh0ELnOQy1hkJJLpRb0NpODosKnEYOTqzgmD57JnZq7Ad2F-Vmv/s1600/step+11+ball+toss.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitEZyF8c5ANQqmR4AQOEknoolpATZF51JDsOVxXvyj3_Vcc4Zq_P6przSMAIpIN9sq6GG0mPm7ZwcUAk81_DVyfJtE1lh0ELnOQy1hkJJLpRb0NpODosKnEYOTqzgmD57JnZq7Ad2F-Vmv/s1600/step+11+ball+toss.jpg" height="640" width="358" /></a></div>
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<b><u>Step 11:</u></b></div>
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A.) Outline your drawings once you're happy with it.</div>
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B.) Using an exacto-knife cut out the holes.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKRCsMKd3VWPBv-ElYJlsDAvD-5U8ULtFzTkypMyNbMBN3BIDaB_Q6PgAQVvrc64BJtaSlu5P1E-Qj41YBoDWmHbKqcXN7VSMtSG2bGYxIGhwtvZLvy70Gw7pKF66slXyQdY24Z-GnKmgu/s1600/step+12+ball+toss.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKRCsMKd3VWPBv-ElYJlsDAvD-5U8ULtFzTkypMyNbMBN3BIDaB_Q6PgAQVvrc64BJtaSlu5P1E-Qj41YBoDWmHbKqcXN7VSMtSG2bGYxIGhwtvZLvy70Gw7pKF66slXyQdY24Z-GnKmgu/s1600/step+12+ball+toss.jpg" height="640" width="358" /></a></div>
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<b><u>Step 12:</u></b></div>
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A.) Paint and let dry.</div>
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ENJOY!!</div>
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<br />Kimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14199364289679324999noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2270437687740595368.post-19286569991061632912014-07-22T02:01:00.002-07:002020-08-19T17:39:46.940-07:00Baby's First Birthday Party!! My son's birthday was a few weeks ago and since it was going to be my first rodeo at this type of thing I really wanted things to go as smoothly as possible. I have a lot of nephews and nieces and there were a few of my friends and their kids that I wanted to invite so the attendance list was HUGE. Of the 31 that were invited 25 showed. That is a lot of people for me and probably a bit overboard for a first birthday, but who cares right? I dont think there's a rule book on first birthdays... Is there?<br />
If you're like me you may have an enormous Pinterest collection of projects you only dream of doing. Well no more! I made some of the decorations I pinned a while ago and used them for the party. I also wanted to be able to focus more on my child and taking pictures rather than sort of conducting the activities and whatnot, so I thought what better way than to set up activity booths and let the kids just go at it? I think it went pretty well. Here's what I did...<br />
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(By the way, I was running super late and didnt get to take pictures prior to everyone arriving, so these pictures were taken after the party was over and things were a little messy...)<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><u>Front Door</u></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5OfsXDm7ZXkx4yu6z3ZkExictoeNKVpd1j7z5IzppzxFVRtxdl85NHSW-X5dAweGANw43_GspUtQWWCzXAjI-aO37v89wzJ7jJLjgUV_vcZxsHmQ6KnU1n9GyId8WMCBmEhl8HiYXUv4Q/s1600/kh.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5OfsXDm7ZXkx4yu6z3ZkExictoeNKVpd1j7z5IzppzxFVRtxdl85NHSW-X5dAweGANw43_GspUtQWWCzXAjI-aO37v89wzJ7jJLjgUV_vcZxsHmQ6KnU1n9GyId8WMCBmEhl8HiYXUv4Q/s1600/kh.jpg" width="265" /></a></div>
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Had arrows leading all the way to the backyard. BAM! Didn't have to answer the door.</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><u>Table Decorations</u></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzDv-ZIVHnZ_9YUqc1FSJSlSsMYX8ODig8cLHpPaobuJyNNhY0Tz0-Djk_PAdY9dyzpjTrdrKYNWt4U-qIkB7ASYLq9ts4wFcbKIVo3bktOcR9TaJiTmUtN6hEbk6fN6k0QPRpZWqD2UW_/s1600/unnamed+%25284%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="245" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzDv-ZIVHnZ_9YUqc1FSJSlSsMYX8ODig8cLHpPaobuJyNNhY0Tz0-Djk_PAdY9dyzpjTrdrKYNWt4U-qIkB7ASYLq9ts4wFcbKIVo3bktOcR9TaJiTmUtN6hEbk6fN6k0QPRpZWqD2UW_/s1600/unnamed+%25284%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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This was the first thing you saw once outside. It was also covered in food and rainbow cupcakes but like I said these pictures were taken after the party ended. I saw that geometrical banner here <a href="http://sparkyandmarie.com/crafty-ideas-paper-garland" target="_blank">sparkyandmarie.com</a> and fell in love with it! I made mine out of felt sewn together so it could be reused for years to come. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0Ochdzq92S_rC6d0vG4PEOfD_m8kFihGajgE3sRVQfW6pz7iHuMNH8vof8h46ncMAIgh0SA9KacJkPLvRo3YKuDsZNt7Ree-wUx7ltMBfkoJiGHhhJfn445R97YuGDGZgS7VjNV8jAM_x/s1600/unnamed+%25285%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0Ochdzq92S_rC6d0vG4PEOfD_m8kFihGajgE3sRVQfW6pz7iHuMNH8vof8h46ncMAIgh0SA9KacJkPLvRo3YKuDsZNt7Ree-wUx7ltMBfkoJiGHhhJfn445R97YuGDGZgS7VjNV8jAM_x/s1600/unnamed+%25285%2529.jpg" width="312" /></a></div>
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Maybe you have seen all those freaking adorable chalkboard birthday signs all over pinterest? I LOVE those things! I didn't have a giant chalkboard nor did I want to pay for one (because lets be honest, I hate spending money.) so I bought a black poster board, a silver metallic marker and used some jelly pens to make my own. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMAbMDBvktO2yp9zHF6Mtw5277EQxhL7vE6CC2eISFdFAGYGkkefWmr7L9X5Lz8PbHhHrIaRigTMvKHBpV2aoGzC6pKBmR9ib5WSP_FpM8oOUsE3LyIiehBaFg1cdsOOUQq0p5zOHD2_yN/s1600/unnamed+%25283%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMAbMDBvktO2yp9zHF6Mtw5277EQxhL7vE6CC2eISFdFAGYGkkefWmr7L9X5Lz8PbHhHrIaRigTMvKHBpV2aoGzC6pKBmR9ib5WSP_FpM8oOUsE3LyIiehBaFg1cdsOOUQq0p5zOHD2_yN/s1600/unnamed+%25283%2529.jpg" width="339" /></a></div>
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I mixed two ideas here for a centerpiece. It cracks me up!!!</div>
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That little party hat. Ha!!</div>
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Here's where I got this... </div>
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<span style="color: #a64d79;">Baby faces </span><span style="color: #a64d79;">- <a href="http://craftgawker.com/post/2012/11/30/41393/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #a64d79;">www.craftgawker.com</span></a></span></div>
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<span style="color: #a64d79;">Gumball birthday jar</span><span style="color: #a64d79;">- <a href="http://www.jacolynmurphy.com/search?updated-max=2012-03-27T05:30:00-07:00&max-results=7" target="_blank"><span style="color: #a64d79;">www.jacolynmurphy.com</span></a></span></div>
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<u><span style="font-size: large;">Directions To The Bathroom</span></u></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb8LNHX1C4iF1NMdw0t-4bggseKPrqlMVhXtUDBHFeQ4PmdNP9MPj_SmDEbjjioNHKZncd2Ip3NFQILnIpBkpYIWDNZ6p-tUljWoV66cPTrbQF0jSSjny-lqTjrPKawHnk3I6U6tT6WcXx/s1600/lfghj.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb8LNHX1C4iF1NMdw0t-4bggseKPrqlMVhXtUDBHFeQ4PmdNP9MPj_SmDEbjjioNHKZncd2Ip3NFQILnIpBkpYIWDNZ6p-tUljWoV66cPTrbQF0jSSjny-lqTjrPKawHnk3I6U6tT6WcXx/s1600/lfghj.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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BAM! I didn't have to show anyone where the bathroom was.</div>
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I had arrows leading all the way to the bathroom. </div>
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It was easy for kids and adults! :-D</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Activity Stations</span></div>
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<u><span style="font-size: large;">The Coloring Station</span></u></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjQRzQVtpvNzvUO0p0O7VysScNz_yoZ0SlMZlkhpaXGTortHDAN2bTUHQxHzl4uh0OmK-fIlMY9hTV_j2wRkqOAx-YtQDRgZtJk9ZBetbR-mBqJazNEwhiDZ9V-sSRv86NkGgtZOAk3Ka3/s1600/jhdffjfgh.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjQRzQVtpvNzvUO0p0O7VysScNz_yoZ0SlMZlkhpaXGTortHDAN2bTUHQxHzl4uh0OmK-fIlMY9hTV_j2wRkqOAx-YtQDRgZtJk9ZBetbR-mBqJazNEwhiDZ9V-sSRv86NkGgtZOAk3Ka3/s1600/jhdffjfgh.jpg" width="310" /></a></div>
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I set up a little picnic table with a cute polka dot tablecloth from the dollar store, a basket of crayons (also from the dollar store) and a basket of alphabet coloring pages i found online. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtxyIOmOZlMQgJN5ICGF5p6jNCPmLOu0YxbNHg_ajVwl48bEIaNFDajtDCbDAtEh6LIIMsfhyPKSVqDhfx8ZusumyzjgYBXlNRH31OvfJQP5zpRuiZi8RVKzMmr8WYd-PbbmbfYv8fppg1/s1600/unnamed+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="331" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtxyIOmOZlMQgJN5ICGF5p6jNCPmLOu0YxbNHg_ajVwl48bEIaNFDajtDCbDAtEh6LIIMsfhyPKSVqDhfx8ZusumyzjgYBXlNRH31OvfJQP5zpRuiZi8RVKzMmr8WYd-PbbmbfYv8fppg1/s1600/unnamed+%25282%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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I found the animal pictures for the signs online and colored them. Then I pasted them to some blue or orange poster board. My hope was that everyone would color a page at some point for an alphabet book I would put together and laminate at Lakeshore learning. I only got a handful of pages so Ill be doing a lot of coloring in my near future. A fine excuse to be a kid again, even for a little while.</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><u>The Bubble Station</u></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwVSDWKOa057kyX9HBpk6RUOPU-Wf3-uwb6ubAIAiY862ubcFvCA5RT1u3ZXq3fcf27-wM_7xqu5jNk1M3h9zwC3vh2giGdb1J_FeLeGfrWm45T4Fltq7mfuF8ta2waTWhrnhx4Rxh6HuB/s1600/uyfy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwVSDWKOa057kyX9HBpk6RUOPU-Wf3-uwb6ubAIAiY862ubcFvCA5RT1u3ZXq3fcf27-wM_7xqu5jNk1M3h9zwC3vh2giGdb1J_FeLeGfrWm45T4Fltq7mfuF8ta2waTWhrnhx4Rxh6HuB/s1600/uyfy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Man, what a terrible picture. Sorry ya'll. </div>
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I had a few bubble containers on the table. Baby C loves bubbles. :-)</div>
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Table cloth and small bubbles from Dollar Tree.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE1rroscx5_THq1_5pZ2LyIm5MuDEnAJTysfNzVXwbhfjtMtDMglGrmwfYiHggYZ9IvGF6BPOMENn8YbB2wC-MmZ29Tuax-bD7QxBHtekW3I5GFx5nikdzbnaARMO5nDfxCn93GgstnQnx/s1600/unnamed+%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="231" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE1rroscx5_THq1_5pZ2LyIm5MuDEnAJTysfNzVXwbhfjtMtDMglGrmwfYiHggYZ9IvGF6BPOMENn8YbB2wC-MmZ29Tuax-bD7QxBHtekW3I5GFx5nikdzbnaARMO5nDfxCn93GgstnQnx/s1600/unnamed+%25281%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><u>The Photo Booth</u></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsRaCtNN6r-t2KafDpyTgYWDNHcOqsaJDMW96vj8sI7ZutFz2O41tCMiIL68cyRh6f67ph7YPjE_RJWlawM1MIxSW2jADIHAsCc1gbnUWHNTMMAyW8rdtYkRR03fwmSvkwzbTukb8Y2gLi/s1600/kufg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsRaCtNN6r-t2KafDpyTgYWDNHcOqsaJDMW96vj8sI7ZutFz2O41tCMiIL68cyRh6f67ph7YPjE_RJWlawM1MIxSW2jADIHAsCc1gbnUWHNTMMAyW8rdtYkRR03fwmSvkwzbTukb8Y2gLi/s1600/kufg.jpg" width="356" /></a></div>
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And again, terrible pictures. Sorry! </div>
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This was the photo booth. I hung the sign from some wind chimes in the tree, wrapped streamers around the trunk for the kids to stand in front of for a simple backdrop and got a bunch of animal photo props (they were actually on clearance at Michaels for 89 cents). We took pictures of the kids and emailed them to the parents.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuS_FQ3bWg0CuDgVPyXPzUE1yn6PRCNgE4oBhJK-QeOY1bHfvqkrUIK6x7j0SFGD9vYscM71U0kpkbRltSX3_fjPugxEwejVklTfFwgWcXQOfrJ_EQZGuWj9RynMiQv5LPAZ9szRQLtH5t/s1600/kfh.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="277" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuS_FQ3bWg0CuDgVPyXPzUE1yn6PRCNgE4oBhJK-QeOY1bHfvqkrUIK6x7j0SFGD9vYscM71U0kpkbRltSX3_fjPugxEwejVklTfFwgWcXQOfrJ_EQZGuWj9RynMiQv5LPAZ9szRQLtH5t/s1600/kfh.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<u><span style="font-size: large;">Trampoline Station</span></u></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3zCZOAEBCuS2tEkcSfrM1uvGVzquTPvSt-sx8WAhjyJeyGyDfNXIwiRHPbdBwtID3dU-cGT0_zG-1XqanqH_4XmrJOKkXsg6g7q8mM8F7IqEYoS0oGdLQcFyfSx_zOGZWkzbN2GaSI6uT/s1600/jhfkjh.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="243" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3zCZOAEBCuS2tEkcSfrM1uvGVzquTPvSt-sx8WAhjyJeyGyDfNXIwiRHPbdBwtID3dU-cGT0_zG-1XqanqH_4XmrJOKkXsg6g7q8mM8F7IqEYoS0oGdLQcFyfSx_zOGZWkzbN2GaSI6uT/s1600/jhfkjh.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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I just slapped this on one of the legs of the trampoline.</div>
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<u><span style="font-size: large;">Ball Toss Station</span></u></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2Xw9vZbrpHEA8knFFZhDP0H7mNjw4lVVD4oSFZZeKWKwVq66VCl_x_-CsNbzrt4p5faZVw-wgwzAYkKxpZpAAEy5vU1Ewxlz-Ts_8CuFmjPNlE5vxKlYwwmS7uO3LZp_rNqY5rMyCPICk/s1600/mjgf.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2Xw9vZbrpHEA8knFFZhDP0H7mNjw4lVVD4oSFZZeKWKwVq66VCl_x_-CsNbzrt4p5faZVw-wgwzAYkKxpZpAAEy5vU1Ewxlz-Ts_8CuFmjPNlE5vxKlYwwmS7uO3LZp_rNqY5rMyCPICk/s1600/mjgf.jpg" width="376" /></a></div>
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I made this ball toss a couple weeks before the party. Obviously Calvin isn't able to really play with it properly, but he likes watching/ following the older kids. He also liked putting the ball in the turtle. </div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I put the ball toss tutorial in the next post... Enjoy!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><u>High Chair and Smash Cake</u></span></div>
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I made this really simple high chair sign on the computer. I made two smash cakes. One was super healthy, made of mainly bananas and applesauce, and the other was a traditional white confetti cake in case the healthy one didnt work out. Guess what. It didnt. It wouldn't really solidify for some reason so I gave him the other. He loved that cake, obviously! </div>
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For the final touch I wrapped streamers around all of the beams under the upper deck.</div>
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So that's that! This was BC's first birthday party. We had fun, ate some burgers, smashed some cake! Dont forget to check out my ball toss tutorial in the next post!</div>
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Have a great week and watch </div>
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<a href="https://youtu.be/t5jw3T3Jy70" target="_blank"><span style="color: #a64d79;">Kristen Bell's Birthday Surprise Meltdown</span></a></div>
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and </div>
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<a href="http://youtu.be/to7uIG8KYhg" target="_blank"><span style="color: #a64d79;">Adorable Little Ladies Rockin Out!</span></a></div>
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<br />Kimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14199364289679324999noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2270437687740595368.post-904056482068675732014-06-02T22:51:00.000-07:002020-08-20T14:08:38.398-07:00DIY Tiger Invitations & Template Download<br />
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My little baby bean is turning <span style="font-size: large;">ONE! </span>Where does the time go? I wish he would stay a baby a bit longer, but I'm excited to see all of his new accomplishments and to watch him grow. Sigh.</div>
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I really wanted to get some cute invitations printed for his first birthday party and I had my eye on these adorable ones that looked like it was written on chalkboard. They were "supposed to be" 99 cents each and since I was only getting a few of them I thought "Great! They're perfect!" I was all ready to check out on the website but the price changed because I wasn't ordering a mass quantity. So I changed my order to 15 hoping it would help. It didn't. It wanted me to pay $45 for 15 cards though I only really needed 8. I was sooo disappointed and honestly just not willing to pay that amount just for invitations. Plus im cheap! I wont say which website it was because I don't like dragging names through the dirt and because I have gotten things from them before and everything turned out great.</div>
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I looked at a lot of other websites and either i couldn't find anything i liked or the prices weren't much better so I thought "Fine! I'll just make my own and show you birthday card businesses that I don't need you!" You know, cuz in my head they'll feel the blow of my not following through with my purchase and hopefully lose sleep over it. That'll show em! </div>
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The lil' Booger loves animals so I tried finding a template online to make animal invitations for his animal partaaayyyyy!... I couldnt find one. So because I have to make everything more difficult I decided to make my own... </div>
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I love how they turned out so I thought I'd share the template I made with you. FREE! You know I love "free". There are three templates so make sure you get all three. Just click the link below and it will take yo to the free downloads. When you print, make sure they each fill the whole page of a standard sheet of paper. Here's the link...</div>
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<span style="color: #b45f06;"><a href="https://sites.google.com/site/acrylicfish/home" target="_blank">FREE DIY Tiger Invitation Template</a></span></div>
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As long as you aren't making 20 of these and you use a hot glue gun for most of it, it shouldnt take too long. I set up an assembly line for myself to help it go smoother. Here's what you'll need...</div>
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<b><u>Cardstock</u></b></div>
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Orange</div>
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light orange</div>
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white</div>
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black</div>
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blue</div>
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gray</div>
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red</div>
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orange pattern</div>
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blue pattern</div>
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<b>Hot glue gun</b></div>
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<b>Elmers glue</b></div>
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<b>Wallet size pictures</b></div>
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<b>Envelopes</b></div>
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#1. After you have printed off the templates, trace and cut out the pieces, get ready for assembly. Start with the big mouth piece. Using the hot glue gun, apply the teeth and nose. After getting all the big mouth pieces together move on. Assemble all the bottom lips and eyes. Then set all aside.</div>
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#2. Cut the orange sheets following the template. Make sure you dont cut the ears completely off. They are suppose to poke up when you fold it. Once they are all cut, fold them all according to the template. Cut the blue patterned paper slightly smaller than the orange so it will fit nicely inside when everything is all folded.</div>
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#3. Once everything is folded, glue the blue patterned paper inside using elmers glue. Dont get glue on the ears. Set aside to dry.</div>
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#4. Cut gray insert cards. Dont cut the bite marks out yet. </div>
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#5. Cut wallet pictures to desired size then glue on blue and white boarders. I had to use hot glue on this and it actually didnt hurt the pictures at all. </div>
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#6. Glue printed writing on gray insert with elmers glue. Fill out with your own info. If you like you can type up your own version on microsoft word. </div>
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#7. Glue picture with boarder and the number 1 to gray insert card. Once everything on the gray insert card has dried, cut out the bite marks while trying to avoid clipping any letters off the typed pieces.</div>
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#8. Finally, using the hot glue gun, attach all the facial features to the front of the orange card. See pictures and template guidelines for help on placement of the pieces. Now you're done!!! You can put the inserts inside the tigers mouth and get them ready to send off!</div>
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Yay!!</div>
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A lot of effort, I know. But they are pretty cute, inexpensive and fun!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp3uS8mYf-zRAWBImjpr1QjeNrfzM-440MNOvKV-2INdxk8TTF_ru-xzUulrH5-lphH8qGEUdjj71zSJnBul6kMinKyWEFTVJjxYtKX9hfD_wkOe78SXyZEKoE9UWNH5gJ4BQb3XWN5fN6/s1600/unnamed+(13).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="318" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp3uS8mYf-zRAWBImjpr1QjeNrfzM-440MNOvKV-2INdxk8TTF_ru-xzUulrH5-lphH8qGEUdjj71zSJnBul6kMinKyWEFTVJjxYtKX9hfD_wkOe78SXyZEKoE9UWNH5gJ4BQb3XWN5fN6/s1600/unnamed+(13).jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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(The print out is different so you can fill in your own information)</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjggSkoh7gtE6Gn6oogAxInM_TAv2CWlNPAE5WdPKymgd0IkTySYTY9o-SxIb0lWpb5y13HKBCUePYn9tEtaLw2h8LYnZl8ke3E9dMnnGBvzHu9piNduENWiP5chiRpfj3BMFM47hDFv7kk/s1600/unnamed+%252812%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="346" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjggSkoh7gtE6Gn6oogAxInM_TAv2CWlNPAE5WdPKymgd0IkTySYTY9o-SxIb0lWpb5y13HKBCUePYn9tEtaLw2h8LYnZl8ke3E9dMnnGBvzHu9piNduENWiP5chiRpfj3BMFM47hDFv7kk/s1600/unnamed+%252812%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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I hope you enjoy these invitations for your wild child!</div>
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Party on Garth! </div>
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And stay happy!<br />
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My greatest blessing<br />
My pride and joy<br />
My Love <3<br />
Baby C<br />
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Kimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14199364289679324999noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2270437687740595368.post-35411227619007049802014-02-11T02:40:00.000-08:002020-08-19T17:25:21.310-07:00Sensory Bottles and Rainbows My sons favorite toys right now are an empty Pepsi bottle and a pocket mirror. Maybe if I'm lucky he'll grow to be an inexpensive 1920s ragamuffin rolling a hoop down the road with a stick, but something tells me he'll be more like his dad and be nuts about technology. The Pepsi bottle got me thinking about some sensory bottles I had seen a while back and figured now would be a great time to make him some while he's enjoying the simpler things in life. <br />
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We took a little family trip to the Dollar Tree to get some little things to use for the bottles and found some great stuff! They had little bags of plastic frogs, lizards, bugs, pom pom balls, confetti, Mickey Mouse and Monsters Inc figurines, plastic alaphabet letters, beads, the options are amazing. I call that a "Dollar Store Score!" Here's what I did with my Friday night...<br />
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When making sensory bottles here are some things to keep in mind...</div>
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1. Will this bottle be too big or heavy for my child? The first bottle I filled with water and all sorts of colorful things to look at. I absolutely love this bottle but realized this is too heavy for him to lift. He will have to just push it around on the floor. Another concern I have about this bottle is if it's standing upright and falls over into his ankle or shin how that is going to feel. I'll have to monitor him with this one because it is a bigger bottle and heavy. </div>
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2. Will these objects fit inside the hole of the bottle? Some of these things I didn't check so I ended up having to cut the spikes off the back of the stegosaurus to get him to fit. Poor Spikey. </div>
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3. If this bottle is for the car, how much damage would it do if it were to become a projectile in the event of a crash? Heaven forbid anyone ever crash their car but it unfortunately happens. I wanted to have a bottle for the car and/or diaper bag and I knew I couldn't put a lot of weight in it for this reason.</div>
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4. Though super glue sometimes seems like the best way to seal something closed, a hot glue gun is going to be your best bet in this case. Seal it really well so it wont leak or come unsealed and baby wont get to the little things inside. </div>
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Here we go...</div>
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I like to call this one "Party In a Bottle" because is looks like your birthday puked, scooped it up and put it in a bottle to preserve the awesome memories of the crazy party you had. Here's what's inside...</div>
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pom pom balls</div>
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plastic alphabet letters</div>
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curled ribbon</div>
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plastic beads</div>
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confetti</div>
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shimmer glitter</div>
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larger glitter</div>
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I call this the rainbow bottle for obvious reasons. I saw someone do this once and thought it was awesome. Its just crayon shavings in water! How friggin pretty is that? <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje7PuvmjO6aSoUCVmCkv65hOp4c7qTy9s33P98lecHLN0xMe4Agoaa9YMivMk7nJPEBY_PMUShvPk9zTPkIYYRp11Dwn7EN3UHkDaRZJYb1nrkguAdiEzjGrtPKXdRz1RbEZ0OKv_PwyhW/s1600/i+spy+final.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje7PuvmjO6aSoUCVmCkv65hOp4c7qTy9s33P98lecHLN0xMe4Agoaa9YMivMk7nJPEBY_PMUShvPk9zTPkIYYRp11Dwn7EN3UHkDaRZJYb1nrkguAdiEzjGrtPKXdRz1RbEZ0OKv_PwyhW/s1600/i+spy+final.jpg" /></a></div>
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I put all the little items in and then filled the bottle about halfway with rainbow rice which is totally optional. You can use plain uncooked white rice, but if you want rainbow rice the directions are at the end of this post. Before putting all the items in the bottle, I took pictures of all the items in groups on different patterned scrapbook papers. That way I can laminate them and keep them as "challenge sheets" when baby C gets older. Here's an example of the challenge sheets...<br />
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For the car and diaper bag I made a baby version of the I spy bottle...</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_7vupFL0R-ykPqxno913_0HOCt2RdCU-uyplVXk6NJyjIs9aKz-TMiU7noTSbJxKNDlnGapZshyphenhyphenxI6PfSy4gJznCRhnpyrPN3nfN5Oje7E1L8v86CbyiN1_cIoylsjGGsdMQFnHULDSfh/s1600/baby+i+spy+final.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_7vupFL0R-ykPqxno913_0HOCt2RdCU-uyplVXk6NJyjIs9aKz-TMiU7noTSbJxKNDlnGapZshyphenhyphenxI6PfSy4gJznCRhnpyrPN3nfN5Oje7E1L8v86CbyiN1_cIoylsjGGsdMQFnHULDSfh/s1600/baby+i+spy+final.jpg" /></a></div>
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Its pretty much like the I Spy bottle but with a lot less rice so the objects are a lot easier to see. The bottle is also smaller so its easier to pick up and baby C likes to shake it like a rattle. Inside I used...</div>
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Plastic animals</div>
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curled ribbon</div>
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glitter</div>
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plastic alphabet letters</div>
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foam shapes</div>
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beads</div>
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pom pom balls</div>
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rainbow rice</div>
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confetti</div>
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For the bug bottle I wanted it to feel almost like when you were a kid and caught a bug and put it in a bottle with dirt and a leafy twig for its home and you'd just watch it and gave it a name and it was the pet that your mom hated was in the house......... yeah. </div>
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In the bottom I put a little bit of the rainbow rice, some beads, a few real stones, a coin and a silver star. I also put a fake branch in there and just two plastic bugs so they would have room to move around and easily be seen. He actually really likes this one a lot.</div>
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I am really happy with the way these turned out. I think they're pretty cute. And baby C likes them too. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDvCVRHuH4XfrHfR4-FLDXTxlGaFjrnjrd2cBsRaWx9KgX7-TJpUa3l-Owxag4pzr3tfmZ55IjI_LFq3OSCzLNAZPh8f4TPMbUw4WChNg-EOhI5Vc8I4eAzgC5U03bw0YlLaTVJj-Ccl15/s1600/calvin+with+bottle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="313" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDvCVRHuH4XfrHfR4-FLDXTxlGaFjrnjrd2cBsRaWx9KgX7-TJpUa3l-Owxag4pzr3tfmZ55IjI_LFq3OSCzLNAZPh8f4TPMbUw4WChNg-EOhI5Vc8I4eAzgC5U03bw0YlLaTVJj-Ccl15/s1600/calvin+with+bottle.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Awwwww He's the perfect blog model! He gets his good looks and charm from his daddy, and any awkwardness he develops later in life will be from me.</div>
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Here's the rainbow rice.</div>
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I made more than enough rice so I could have some for future projects if I needed it. Here's the "recipe" I used...</div>
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1. For one cup of uncooked rice put 2 Tbp rubbing alcohol and some drops of food coloring in a ziplock bag. </div>
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2. Mix well and then add the rice. Mix by squishing the bag all around with your hands.</div>
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3. I wanted to make a lot so I did 3 cups of rice per bag.</div>
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4. Lay out paper towels on a flat surface and spread out your rice. </div>
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5. Break it up a bit with your fingers so the air can flow nicely to rice underneath. Don't pack it down.</div>
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6. About 15 minutes later break it up again with your fingers. </div>
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7. It only takes 30 minutes to an hour to dry. </div>
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Tada!! </div>
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And now I leave you with a little flashback I feel is appropriate. Just click the link below. </div>
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<a href="https://youtu.be/Y65K5Ej8eOc" target="_blank">All this rainbow talk makes me feel like a little kid again</a> </div>
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Kimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14199364289679324999noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2270437687740595368.post-16063874445708708702012-09-20T20:01:00.003-07:002020-08-19T17:57:47.764-07:00Let It Go, Be Happy, Blanch Some Veggies.I'd like to start this post with a Weekly Challenge! This week do something for someone, even a complete stranger because we all need help. We ALL need help. Help someone because you may be the answer to that persons prayers. Love those who despise you. Love those who persecute you. There's too much hate in this world so lets LOVE each other. Let love fill up your life and let go of all that hate and I promise your life will be BETTER. I promise you will be HAPPIER. I promise better things will come your way. And you will be a better person because of it.<br />
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Now watch this awesome music video by OK GO...</div>
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<a href="http://youtu.be/UJKythlXAIY" target="_blank">LET IT GO</a></div>
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On to today's project...<br />
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I have been trying to think of ways to make my life a little easier and less hectic. I really like to cook and usually make dinner almost every night, but sometimes I'm just too tired. I remembered seeing a blog where this woman would spend a few hours ever couple of weeks making ALL the meals at once and freezing them so she could just pull them out later and throw them in the crockpot or oven. It seemed to be a little much for me to process at the time so I decided to start out slow. Here's what I did.....<br />
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1.) Buy lots of freezer bags as well as regular ziplock bags to use for things that stay in the fridge.<br />
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2.) Go to your favorite grocery store and find out what day of the week the meat is on sale. For us it is mondays so we took advantage of all the meat in the sale section. We got steak and chicken and it was cheap!<br />
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4.) Signed up for digital coupons on our loyalty card at Smiths. Keep an eye out for the sales and try to match them with the digital coupons that pop up on their website so you can save more.<br />
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3.) We stocked up on fresh veggies and fruit. Don't worry about getting too many veggies because I'm going to show you how to make them last.<br />
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Here's what I did...<br />
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1.) Throw the chicken in the oven and bake until it is cooked all the way through.</div>
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2.) Find you some onion choppin' glasses because you're going to be chopping LOTS of onions while the chicken cooks... Swimming goggles would have been a great option. I looked completely idiotic so Im not posting the picture, but this worked perfectly!! I cut up about 8 onions and a bundle of green onions and didn't shed a single tear.<br />
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*IMPORTANT TIP- Do NOT take your onion choppin' glasses off until you have taken the chicken out of the oven and have left the kitchen! Those onions are STRONG and linger like you're trying to get the last guests to go home so you can clean up after the party.</div>
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3.) Once you are able to step in the kitchen again, take that big bowl of the onions you just chopped (not the green onions) and a measuring cup and start scooping the onions into small ziplock baggies. One cup of onions in each little baggie. Trust me this is going to be convenient when you need them for future recipes. Label each baggie with the date and put them all in a big freezer ziplock bag. Then label the freezer bag. Also, I read that you can freeze onions without blanching them, so thats what I did. (We will get to the blanching later).</div>
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4.) Sometimes I like to save food containers and reuse them....after washing them of course. I had an old parmesan cheese container and saw someone on pinterest put their chopped green onions in one, so that's what I used it for. Labeled it of course and stuck it in the freezer.</div>
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5.) When the chicken had cooled off, I shredded it, put it in a freezer bag, labeled it with the date I bought and froze it, and threw that in the freezer as well. This was soooo nice to have for any recipe we wanted to add some chicken to. Just throw some in a pan and heat it up (I dont use microwaves) and put it in with whatever recipe you're fixing.</div>
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6.) With the tortillas I left a small stack in a ziplock bag in the fridge for fast and easy use. The rest I put in a freezer bag and stored in the freezer until i needed them. Then I pulled them out to defrost in the fridge till I was ready to use them. (Sorry the picture is so bad)</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgALOYbElIlhssDaSN0aGXsBYh_KRR9NYS6uHlxRVCtZAgPJWEFniTEagsRaQsa2yIq1l4HhIgAi6QxSh8BNVZp2FNK_AG8tnuEhpJnSnDchrjdQphyTeTgR_0TaJuZP5Wge6plUlQukvBE/s1600/download+(1).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgALOYbElIlhssDaSN0aGXsBYh_KRR9NYS6uHlxRVCtZAgPJWEFniTEagsRaQsa2yIq1l4HhIgAi6QxSh8BNVZp2FNK_AG8tnuEhpJnSnDchrjdQphyTeTgR_0TaJuZP5Wge6plUlQukvBE/s640/download+(1).jpg" width="297" /></a></div>
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7.) I washed and dried the fruits and veggies and used the regular ziplock bags to store them in the fridge. The freshness lasted much longer than it would have if I had left them in the plastic bags I brought them home in. </div>
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**I later read to leave the onions outside of any sealed bags so they stay dry (unless freezing them), so ignore the onions in this picture.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPt_R2E8Y_tXHjvPiuUyVYkBG7c3vMCM9KrXbDHWAdhLwv5oHrdTROzxUTUXsVLLif8OHYjXDNsnIxh8FJB0GaUQ4ABjbtsG-C_wMObSroaUYzUhKjwxgHzUEpJN5L-9VrxHcVQvJvIiJ3/s1600/20120827_194454.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPt_R2E8Y_tXHjvPiuUyVYkBG7c3vMCM9KrXbDHWAdhLwv5oHrdTROzxUTUXsVLLif8OHYjXDNsnIxh8FJB0GaUQ4ABjbtsG-C_wMObSroaUYzUhKjwxgHzUEpJN5L-9VrxHcVQvJvIiJ3/s640/20120827_194454.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Here comes the blanching...Ready??<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPot6czKooh61_oNHnjc2adSXbkJ10oqKNRCzbBYJKVnm79iDsZmsYlC86OboGui5BIgOGkWJCVh9dEDnwdUrnYT-R_MJxBYMLjKlx1vbfNQ2VttGL53EyoqtC5yyvbfyFe77XFFKQmkxZ/s1600/squints.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPot6czKooh61_oNHnjc2adSXbkJ10oqKNRCzbBYJKVnm79iDsZmsYlC86OboGui5BIgOGkWJCVh9dEDnwdUrnYT-R_MJxBYMLjKlx1vbfNQ2VttGL53EyoqtC5yyvbfyFe77XFFKQmkxZ/s640/squints.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Okay, maybe not forever, but for a really really really long time!.... I love Squints by the way. If you don't know who he is, then you must have lived in the mountains away from civilization and caught squirrels to eat and talked to trees and wore shoes made of leaves... or you just never saw the movie.<br />
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Have you ever heard of blanching? Yeah, me neither. UNTIL NOW! It's a lot of work, but I'm telling you it's worth it...</div>
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Blanching is a must for almost all veggies before freezing them. If you blanch them first, they will last MUCH MUCH longer in your freezer. Click the link below to find answers to all your blanching questions...</div>
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<span style="color: orange; font-size: large;"> <a href="http://nchfp.uga.edu/how/freeze/blanching.html" target="_blank">How To Blanch Veggies Before Freezing Them</a></span><br />
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Here's another link on blanching times...<br />
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<span style="color: orange; font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.ochef.com/617.htm" target="_blank">More Blanching Times</a></span><br />
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* Though it seems there's a bit of a disagreement between different blanching sites whether or not onions need to be blanched, I will tell you that I didn't blanch mine and they were completely fine till the very end, and they were in my freezer for a few months.</div>
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<span style="text-align: left;">*BLANCHING TIP- Do NOT over or under blanch your veggies. If you do it will be worse than not blanching at all. Just make sure you time them. If you put your veggies into boiling water and the boiling stops, then start times from the moment the water begins boiling again.Follow the blanching times because they differ depending on the veggie. As soon as you remove them from the boiling water, submerge completely in ice water for the exact time it took to boil them. Make sure the water stays cold. Add ice to water as needed.</span></div>
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*Also remember when freezing food, that <b><u>moisture is the enemy</u></b>. After blanching make sure you remove any extra moisture. NO I don't mean dehydrate the food before you freeze it! I mean to either pat dry with paper towels or leave out to air dry before putting in the freezer bag. Trust me, your veggies will last longer. </div>
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1.) I read that you can use shredded carrots as filler in meals to make more of something you have less of. For example... meatloaf. You can also use them in carrot cake. I shredded all my carrots and blanched them by boiling them for a short time and then dunked them in ice water for the same amount of time. Then I let them lay flat on paper towels till they had dried enough before putting them in the freezer bag. Remember that moisture is the enemy and the less we have in our freezer bags, the better. This actually worked well with a pasta dish i make. I like to make veggie pasta (You know. The fun colored pene pasta made of different veggies?) with stewed tomatoes, sauteed onions, sauteed shredded carrots, steamed broccoli and a little bit of parmesean cheese. I know it sounds kinda weird, but it was actually really good. My husband even likes it!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGip0hNP8U6OcQffcDZnGi15K5UQv5o3Di5QBzGul36vZbfAVCJ9LLTTNHaGznVOalfCHRUCMZ_xgWdTgIRQUix5Mc5cYRWid1GXcEqrBVfu2KrHIDdwqlCKwj0Tzjo2EY6xoVQ1os0IBO/s1600/20120827_193836.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGip0hNP8U6OcQffcDZnGi15K5UQv5o3Di5QBzGul36vZbfAVCJ9LLTTNHaGznVOalfCHRUCMZ_xgWdTgIRQUix5Mc5cYRWid1GXcEqrBVfu2KrHIDdwqlCKwj0Tzjo2EY6xoVQ1os0IBO/s640/20120827_193836.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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2.) I also decided to blanch the broccoli. I cut it up into medium pieces. Of course I cut the florets and I also cut down the stem about half way. You get a lot more out of it that way. Let this air dry also, and don't forget to label the bag. (This is a terrible picture)</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzYMHAREOz4VJrYZUXbTCoII5dVhpk0OwMFRITCx51LzIMN9cu7VhbY25PkOn6mvp8bI1PRscoUmnL_g76wbDFrGsdNrEv1NBWKx7SRxRtZOrVkJ0soF9w059QCV8-jWK3GY2tOmW3ykCb/s1600/download+(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzYMHAREOz4VJrYZUXbTCoII5dVhpk0OwMFRITCx51LzIMN9cu7VhbY25PkOn6mvp8bI1PRscoUmnL_g76wbDFrGsdNrEv1NBWKx7SRxRtZOrVkJ0soF9w059QCV8-jWK3GY2tOmW3ykCb/s640/download+(2).jpg" width="298" /></a></div>
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Wanna see what my freezer???</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinQyx4lJnP21YoJEDicjwnBRGcKesjsbHM1SFxAVcrejqDoJ281sfIeg5n-g8nB2w5LuufR3HCaLUD2v6CjllLIB6B07n6q5FuTHPmEexMwKFZUHIyXB8oDZAn-ASvhROMqhHxZAfvC-n7/s1600/20120827_200134.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinQyx4lJnP21YoJEDicjwnBRGcKesjsbHM1SFxAVcrejqDoJ281sfIeg5n-g8nB2w5LuufR3HCaLUD2v6CjllLIB6B07n6q5FuTHPmEexMwKFZUHIyXB8oDZAn-ASvhROMqhHxZAfvC-n7/s640/20120827_200134.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Its pretty bare but mama, I love organization! :-D</div>
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I'm telling you a couple hours of doing this with our new groceries really did make my life easier. I would just throw some onions and chicken into a pan to heat them up and toss them into a cheese quesadilla. Green beans or Broccoli in your pasta with a can or two of stewed tomatoes! Everything pre-cut or cooked and meals are snappy now. I loved this and I think I'm going to continue doing it, as well as experiment with complete freezer/crock pot meals. I'll post about that another time.</div>
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HERE ARE A COUPLE MORE TIPS: </div>
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* Brown Sugar Bricks-- I Hate when your brown sugar turns into a brick! It's impossible to measure for recipes and breaking it up takes too long. Here's what you do...</div>
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Put all of the brown sugar in a ziplock bag and throw a piece of bread in there. Seal it up and let it sit a couple of hours. Go back to check on it. The brown sugar will have sucked up all the moisture from the bread and be soft again. Remove the dried up bread, squeeze out the air from the bag and seal. It will stay soft and usable. If it hardens up again, repeat these steps. (See the bread in there?)</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTyRYGqGxGp-KZPlEkOrOnjVumRv2qv4zCQg7AXM-eY0qb79jXewIFhDpr4ga37-2okU6pO-0VG_eYWPjUro297mF1cwBWPPKESmCn0-agGj_Nd8MaSY9hyqumUhUjjskM3QAkypR6g7Ux/s1600/20120827_200242.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTyRYGqGxGp-KZPlEkOrOnjVumRv2qv4zCQg7AXM-eY0qb79jXewIFhDpr4ga37-2okU6pO-0VG_eYWPjUro297mF1cwBWPPKESmCn0-agGj_Nd8MaSY9hyqumUhUjjskM3QAkypR6g7Ux/s640/20120827_200242.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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* Medicine Filing Cabinet-- I can never find the medicine I'm looking for, and when you don't feel good you don't really want to spend a lot of time looking. I usually just give up. So i thought I would take this little basket I had lying around and the extra baggies and make a "Medicine Filing Basket" to go in the cabinet. I gathered up all the medicine for colds and put them in a Ziplock bag and labeled the top by the seal. I did the same for Acid Reflux, Allergies, Nausea, Headaches, etc... Then I put them all in the basket so I could search through the labels on tops of the bags and pull out the one I was looking for. I LOVE IT!!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhQ-Rt0JM96FN2Yok1eh7CswRt8h8Ks4cnWOS5prp7A1KwxL9lmYyJqFh28nqVVTUPCxITq_ZWZFKKW9F2WkbQfcpqDmqwN6JhkPHh_DIJV6alSBUxC1nImMwhXVSxhsccB42tvcIF4etq/s1600/184110_10151136301304660_696567393_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhQ-Rt0JM96FN2Yok1eh7CswRt8h8Ks4cnWOS5prp7A1KwxL9lmYyJqFh28nqVVTUPCxITq_ZWZFKKW9F2WkbQfcpqDmqwN6JhkPHh_DIJV6alSBUxC1nImMwhXVSxhsccB42tvcIF4etq/s640/184110_10151136301304660_696567393_n.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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Sometimes I think I go overboard with the organization, but then I remember that I know where everything is! :-) Totally worth it.</div>
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Thanks for reading! STAY HAPPY!!!!</div>
Kimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14199364289679324999noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2270437687740595368.post-78740236376578421442012-08-24T20:05:00.001-07:002015-04-15T15:24:17.547-07:00JESSICA"S 30 DAY CHALLENGEWow 2 posts in one day! I actually forgot to mention that I have accepted a 30 day challenge my friend posted on her blog. It's a challenge to do (or do not) do something for 30 days. It can be anything really. I chose to take one picture a day, because I have friends who have done this and really enjoyed it. Plus, I love taking pictures and feel I don't do enough of it.<br />
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So why don't you do something (or don't do something) for 30 days too! It's a great challenge! Here's my opinions why...<br />
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1.) I have heard it takes 21 days to break a habit. You can choose to not do something for 21 days, for example... "I will not smoke for 21 days". Now THAT is a great goal! Smoking is terrible for you. If you can stop smoking for 21 days, why not go 30 days? Why not push yourself a little further? Can you see how BIG of an accomplishment that would be? That is something to really be proud of, and one nasty habit that would do you good to kick to the "nasty habit curb" your neighbors have been complaining about. No one wants to look at your filthy lungs. Sick. (You can do it. Trust me.)<br />
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<span style="color: orange;"><a href="http://www.cancer.org/healthy/stayawayfromtobacco/guidetoquittingsmoking/guide-to-quitting-smoking-benefits" target="_blank"><span style="color: orange;">Click HERE for a Kick In The Pants (Benefits of Quiting Smoking)</span></a></span></div>
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2.) I have also heard it takes 21 days to make a habit. It's healthy habit time! "I will run everyday for 21 days." That is also a great habit to form! I don't know about any of you, but I wish I were a runner. I hate running. I hate it! I know it would be so good for me, so maybe this is a challenge I should take after this one.<br />
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3.) If you chose to do something everyday for 30 days, imagine what you would have to show for those 30 days. It doesn't matter if it is 30 crunches everyday, walk on a different trail everyday, take a picture everyday, or do something you have never done before everyday... Any of these goals would be beneficial to you. Your 2 pack stomach may develop into a 3 pack! Or you may take some really beautiful pictures you may have never taken before! Besides, if you don't take the 30 day challenge we both know you will just sit on the couch creating a permanent butt imprint that everyone will see when they come over and they will all whisper behind your back about how you are such a couch potato. And I know you don't want that.<br />
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So think about it. Think about what you want to do, and read this blog...</div>
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<span style="color: lime; font-size: large;"><b> <a href="http://buttontobeans.blogspot.com/2012/08/challenge-30-daysto-whatever-you-choose.html" target="_blank">Jessica's 30 Day Challenge on buttonstobeans.blogspot.com</a></b></span></div>
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Here are my first week of pictures.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisvr_ZEb1K-dxcoY4RXsrZ9eOvWISaVcnGhOy-sDGRCd8vfaUlp1jMaVcmNu4urT7reD9DKmPu0pH2j7uoNOPloQsRMtkDpdbWrqj5wmop5yQjg8ATI0SBuxIUV7dDOFC01qu-Za1wvdH5/s1600/on+my+walk.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisvr_ZEb1K-dxcoY4RXsrZ9eOvWISaVcnGhOy-sDGRCd8vfaUlp1jMaVcmNu4urT7reD9DKmPu0pH2j7uoNOPloQsRMtkDpdbWrqj5wmop5yQjg8ATI0SBuxIUV7dDOFC01qu-Za1wvdH5/s640/on+my+walk.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">#1 - Walk To School</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0hN76RMnGeStxBEfYVL5NNtVhbvhqK0YfPoNeQ9Oe4kHxFuNQYTiP216EMTX0cBFosJGK0YkmFT6jG_Y3G_j_VweizwxQlIdvmp3fEpHIdrEM0CImkO4yCwt_gi0S0uRBEzsyJU6rPxST/s1600/mannequin+alley.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0hN76RMnGeStxBEfYVL5NNtVhbvhqK0YfPoNeQ9Oe4kHxFuNQYTiP216EMTX0cBFosJGK0YkmFT6jG_Y3G_j_VweizwxQlIdvmp3fEpHIdrEM0CImkO4yCwt_gi0S0uRBEzsyJU6rPxST/s640/mannequin+alley.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">#2 - Mannequin Alley</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqU_k_37zr5qr_shTWksHIG6XOSgIoTztBNgMHGKId2qZnOMfvlOh8PMqPXwe7CIyn7EH5LE4pLTmm-O01eAiYEX3Nn7KduspNzVXvHTqCY2SLRGcWM_jcdhKZP0DkQ_7_9ajmTne0iWRN/s1600/time+flies.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqU_k_37zr5qr_shTWksHIG6XOSgIoTztBNgMHGKId2qZnOMfvlOh8PMqPXwe7CIyn7EH5LE4pLTmm-O01eAiYEX3Nn7KduspNzVXvHTqCY2SLRGcWM_jcdhKZP0DkQ_7_9ajmTne0iWRN/s640/time+flies.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">#3- Time Flies</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">#4 - Lunch Date</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">#5 - Temple Square</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">#6 - Purdies</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">#7 - Self</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0OH_AjzqkADRUjFGqsSxNpHcsfylI0a4O-bBjEqDNhorLSVMj8qG74jxkUzZhqRyT5LiytvRW7D6KM5UYbIsrJLzawUyiFo4npXuhq17dq41UqeS2SejQO3IOwwCzE99tTExa-bHB1a05/s1600/longest+day.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0OH_AjzqkADRUjFGqsSxNpHcsfylI0a4O-bBjEqDNhorLSVMj8qG74jxkUzZhqRyT5LiytvRW7D6KM5UYbIsrJLzawUyiFo4npXuhq17dq41UqeS2SejQO3IOwwCzE99tTExa-bHB1a05/s640/longest+day.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">#8 - Longest Day </span></div>
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Those are my first 8 photos. I hope you like them :-) I really like using effects on my photos. I think it makes them more appropriate for what I am feeling in the moment. I'll post some more later, and I promise I will have another project for you soon. I can be such a slacker. I'll have to throw an anti-slacker 30 day challenge into the mix too.<br />
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Till next time, stay happy!! And if you got them blues then watch this video... <a href="http://youtu.be/QwjGytOVVQA" target="_blank">Son House- "Death Letter"</a><br />
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I love this song!!</div>
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Kimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14199364289679324999noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2270437687740595368.post-46625648254564137402012-08-03T18:44:00.003-07:002020-08-19T18:12:46.219-07:00Journal Promp Jar Today has been quite the lazy day. My back is giving me grief so i am taking it easy. However, relaxing isn't an easy thing for me personally. I can't watch tv for long periods of time because i start looking around the room thinking of things i should be doing instead of watching tv. Sounds great, yeah? "How productive of her!" No! I mean it is a great joy of mine to cross things off a to do list. The downside is that I tend to get carried away with organization, cleaning and just getting things done around the house. I will spend an hour organizing papers, or just cleaning one little room in our apartment. I try to accomplish too much and i end up hurting my back yet again. Then i am incapable of doing much the next day.<br />
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This is the reason i have done nothing today. So, I am forced to take some time to do the things that keep me sane. I am trying to get back into my art and writing. It has been a huge void in my life that i have ignored for a couple of years now, but i know that if i let it back into my life my happiness will grow 2 sizes and then i will have to buy it some fat pants.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHHGUuhm9Dh0NrRIA9rbizjZqo5zWMUyBSJgpRY4-KhuVMUdhHvcbYo0sV5jPk9ELCIU-Em_4ghFIvMZ1TeODNMcSHV7OSUCxdwebgV8El5HT5owfDnck_BTXC1cqA7O_SzroUIVpB2rde/s1600/283525_10150278133589660_166603_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHHGUuhm9Dh0NrRIA9rbizjZqo5zWMUyBSJgpRY4-KhuVMUdhHvcbYo0sV5jPk9ELCIU-Em_4ghFIvMZ1TeODNMcSHV7OSUCxdwebgV8El5HT5owfDnck_BTXC1cqA7O_SzroUIVpB2rde/s320/283525_10150278133589660_166603_n.jpg" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEJ0mKii31QAapF1Ij9kwmOnhPk0f247BhufC0RSByXX_zsu5Z3FhqGGSO-q4-g1_22nJl2k4hAOJB304G68_Zzol4DmKPdthywC-Wlttr3FmTBWmF6RxqNPGkaGDC3eGts7bHryBLn_I5/s1600/226005_10150278133944660_2008966_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEJ0mKii31QAapF1Ij9kwmOnhPk0f247BhufC0RSByXX_zsu5Z3FhqGGSO-q4-g1_22nJl2k4hAOJB304G68_Zzol4DmKPdthywC-Wlttr3FmTBWmF6RxqNPGkaGDC3eGts7bHryBLn_I5/s320/226005_10150278133944660_2008966_n.jpg" width="240" /></a><span style="clear: left; display: inline !important; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;">This is my journal prompt jar. I made it a while ago, but like most of my projects it has been pushed aside and left to fend for itself in the dark craft closet. Poor guy. So today i have rescued it and I'm going to do a little writing. Prompt Jars are excellent inspiration for writers or people who just like journaling. Here's what you do...</span><br />
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<span style="clear: left; display: inline !important; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;">1.) Grab a mason jar. If you dont have a jar, you can use a box. </span><br />
<span style="clear: left; display: inline !important; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;">2.) Decorate it however you want! Like your Valentines Day boxes they made you decorate in elementary. Ah, to be young again!!</span><br />
<span style="clear: left; display: inline !important; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;">3.) Find some age appropriate journal prompts online and print them out. Here's a link to some great prompts...<span style="color: #c27ba0;"><a href="http://www.davidrm.com/thejournal/tjresources-exercises.php" target="_blank">FREE JOURNAL PROMPTS JUST FOR YOU!!!</a> </span></span><br />
<span style="clear: left; display: inline !important; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"> </span><span style="clear: left; display: inline !important; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;">4.) Cut the prompts into strips, fold them up and put them in the prompt jar/box. </span><br />
<span style="clear: left; display: inline !important; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;">5.) When you want to write, pick a prompt at random (NO PEEKING! I'll know if you peek.) and write about it till your little heart gives out... or until your hand cramps and you just can't take it anymore.</span><br />
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<span style="clear: left; display: inline !important; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;">There are different kinds of prompts depending on your writing preference. For example, the daily journal keeper may like prompts that ask questions like "What is you favorite childhood memory?" or "What do you hope to accomplish in the next 5 years?" </span><span style="clear: left; display: inline !important; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"> Writers who prefer poetry or short stories would probably like the prompts that are simply made up of an interesting sentence, topic, saying, or even just one word for you to elaborate on. For example... "His hair was like an orange shag rug..." or "public libraries" or "...thick as thieves..." or "ragamuffin"... i love saying that word.</span><span style="clear: left; display: inline !important; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"> I like to tape the prompt at the top of the page in my journal. </span><br />
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Have fun with this! Work that creativity till it sweats! Also i want to send you off with a challenge... Are you ready? I want you to hug 5 times a day for one week. Thats a grand total of 35 hugs. You can do it!! I dont care who you hug. It can be your mom, your dog, a friend, or even the bum on the corner. 5 Hugs a day or I'll find you. (Im kidding. Im kidding)So get out there and hug some people because after all, hugs are free!<b> </b>If not for the love of your fellow human beings, then do it for your health. Check out some health benefits of hugging here </div>
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-------><span style="color: lime;"><a href="https://www.wellandgood.com/benefits-hugging/" target="_blank">HUGS ARE FREEEEE!!!</a></span></div>
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Till next time, stay happy!</div>
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Kimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14199364289679324999noreply@blogger.com1