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no david.

May 6, 2011 Filed in crafts & art

i am trying out some art projects relating to our favorite books.

we love david shannon's books.

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Ds
he is a fabulous artist!

the idea of the project was to read the two David books we have 
"no david!"  and  "David gets in trouble"  
then the kids would draw a picture of themselves getting in trouble for something THEY would do or have done.

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they didn't quite get what i was saying but it still tured out ok.

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they basically copied a page from the book instead.
i was thinking they would be a little more original.
and i chose these books because the art is a little messy and not perfect….as encouragement.
i wanted them to see that it's ok to just have a triangle nose or funny shaped hands.
the picture isn't ruined when things aren't perfect. 

we drew with pencil.
then filled in some oil pastel.
then watercolored.
then added black detail when it was dry.

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sean's work…..eating all the cookies.

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first annie drew herself just standing there crying.
then she didn't like it and threw it away.

then decided to copy the picture exactly.
she did pretty well at that!
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talby drew herself having to eat brocolli.
this is pretty realistic.

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i think we will keep trying the book ideas.
it is fun to see how other artists work and their materials.

craft thursday has been slow going for awhile.
it's because of tired mommy.

because annie asks to make something almost everyday.

see why i am tired???

 

happy friday.

 

add a comment

בגדי מעצבים - Nice painting draws by every one. It is very beautiful. Please keep it up because the internet needs someone like you spreading the word. Thanks for sharing this paintings.

Cheyenne - This is AMAZING! I popped onto your blog and only had a couple of minutes before bed to check things out…and I’ve just sat and sat here. I love every single thing about your blog!! Thanks for sharing some of your life!

Gabby - What a cool idea! Might have my kids do this on a hot summer day when we need to burn some energy 🙂 We too love the No David books. Thanks for sharing!

Mique - David Shannon is my ALL TIME FAVE (yes I’m yelling at you). He is the best! I love Alice the Fairy. We have almost all of his books. And I love this idea- I need to do it with my kids. Thanks Meg!

Heather - Amazing!! What a great idea.

ranee - Umm. yeah, those are pretty amazing. apparently al lyou kids are going to grow up and be artists!

Rach - First of all… yummy header!!! Mmmmm jelly beans.
Second of all… I used your colorful summer list idea to make our house to do list. It is a daunting list but the colorful nature of it makes me smile and being able to cross things off the list is so rewarding.
And lastly… do only 3 of the kids now participate in craft days and art projects?

gina - I LOVE how all of your art takes place RIGHT in the middle of your rooms….;no worries. 🙂
Great work!! Sometimes “copy” work is good for learning a new technique – all of your kids are very talented. 🙂

Dina - Love love LOVE this idea!!!! and we love love LOVE the David books! Thanks! We’ll be copying you soon:-) …

Renee - Meg,
I have been homeschooling, but just a couple of months ago the kids began attending a private school (we moved). Any way, I am going to be teaching art at their school next year and we have emphasized this subject at home, too. I believe this aspect of learning to draw (Charlotte Mason called it a “picture study”) where kids try to re-draw a piece of art is equally as important as drawing something original. They are learning great techniques! These pieces of artwork really are beautiful! Some of my favorite things that my children have created were picture studies. My son tried to recreate the Mona Lisa when he was in third grade and I still have it framed. So fun. Love that you make time for these activities!!

Dana @ Bungalow'56 - I always enjoy your tutorials Megan, we’ve tried a few…..and loving the new header too!
Dana

Carol S - You’re creating some real talented artists Meg! These pictures are sensational. Treasure these moments even if they’re not always (very rarely) easy. Good things never come easy. I really thing you’re going to have one of these three end up with an art type career.

Jenny B. - This is great!!! I Love the combination of the oil pastels and watercolors.

Kat - Your kids drawings are fantastic, particularly Annie for her age, wow!!
Love all the crafty and creative things you do.
I really need to do some of this with my kids.

Tracy Fisher - That was fabulous. I loved it.
Tracy Fisher

amy jupin - forgot to mention earlier…no mention of your boyfriend, george clooney’s 50th bday today??!! he will not be pleased. 🙂

se7en - Oh your kids are so clever!!! I love their art!!! Brilliant work!!!

Phoenix_Rising - I LOVE THIS!!! Great idea and great results!!!!

Carly Winborne - no way! i have never heard of these books, first of all. so i’m sitting here looking at this post and halfway paying attention to what my little girl is unloading from her backpack (kindergarten). she looks up, sees a picture from this book and says, “hey, we read that today in music.” i am shocked! what timing! i’ll need to go find these books to add to our library! aside from that, i’m loving your blog, daily. seriously, you’re one of three families i check every single day. (i mean that in a very non-stalkerish sort of way.) that, plus you and i have the same birthday! 🙂

Amanda F. - Very cute! Their drawings are spot on to the artist’s in the book.

Charlene @ Adventures In Mommy Land - Great Job!
I can totally relate to being asked everyday about doing an art project, my youngest, Nathan (5 years old) asks me everyday too. Sometimes it’s hard to think of something to do…I use books alot for inspiration.
I think for me it’s running around all day, doing errands, cleaning and whatnot and then the kids come home from school and all the rush that goes with that, plus ball games or practices, etc….Yep, totally makes for a tired mom (I have a big family too, 6 kids, so I know exactly how tiring it can be).

Libby - There’s a book you should check out for these book craft ideas. It’s called Beautiful Oops by Barney Saltzberg. It’s a cute book that makes you look at mistakes, like drips or stains or ripped paper, as an opportunity to make a great piece of art. It’s a fun little book and would make an excellent craft project!

Alyssa - Those are pretty amazing artist you have…They are awesome work!!

amy jupin - WOW! these are soooo good!
very impressed with the kiddos are this one. 🙂

Flower Patch Farmgirl - This is such a good idea! My favorite is the No, VID!DA! 🙂

melanie - my kiddo just came home with a school art project where they had to draw what kind of “wild thing” they would be from “Where The Wild Things Are.” I love it and will be framing it. have you tried something like that with your kids?
p.s. i love love love your blog; thank you for blogging. also your story a few weeks ago about getting preggers and your hubby choosing you and this life totally made me bawl my eyes out bc it hit a little too close to home (though i had a different ending). anyway, sweet mama, just wanted to say thanks.

Karen Gerstenberger - We love those books – especially fun when you have a son named David!

Valerie @ Chateau A La Mode - Hi Meg, just had to say that my son, Spencer, so loved that book, No David. He wanted me to read it to him every single night when he was little. The book finally fell apart. He still talks about it every so often. He just turned 19…boohoo.

Kate @ Songs Kate Sang - Very, very fun idea! I love this!
I hope you have a wonderful, wonderful Mother’s Day!
It’s ok to be tired. Sometimes we just wear ourselves out a bit 🙂

Julia - Wow! Copying or imitating is a great way to learn.

tara pollard pakosta - they all did a fabulous job, but Annie’s is spectacular being she is sooooo young! they are all true little artists though! I would frame these! LOVE THEM!
tara

Sandy - All of the pictures are wonderful, but I was especially impressed with Annie’s considering her age. Way to raise up creative & artistic children!!

merlin - I think there is a profound message in Talby’s, for me at least, given the sorry state of our world and all of its suffering, look at her plate, she is faced with something that looks like she has to take on the world! Her subconcious (?) has her having to manage the world, not just some broccoli. Talby, I don’t want to either!

Sarah @ this farm familys life - Cute idea and Annie is a good drawer for her age!

Jennifer DeLosSantos - Love it! When I was teaching, we read the “David” books while we were setting up our classroom rules. Their pictures are SO good! Have you done any Eric Carle type art? He was one of my favorite classroom artists/authors.

arlene - We also have a robin’s nest on our back door. She built it in my grapevine wreath….perfectly. There are three beautiful blue eggs in it. Will she be able to stay long enough to hatch them as we go in and out the door? I hope so.

Leah - Wow, your children are quite the artists! I’m so impressed. And I love this idea. So creative! Love the new header too. Happy Mother’s Day!

happygirl - You have some talent kids in your house. No wonder you are tired. This was a great idea. I love your creativity.

Jennifer - I love David Shannon’s books! The kids really did an amazing job with their art work. What a great kid-friendly, art idea. 🙂
Happy {early} Mama’s day!

andiejaye - me likey. i appreciate projects that have a literary base. it’s a nice expansion on what they’ve read.

jen - I LOVE it, books are my favorite, children’s art is my favorite, oil pastels, paints, and pencils are my favorite! hahaha Happy Friday!

Tiffany - Annie nailed it (for 5, wow) And your kids will treasure this time and talent you give of yourself, it is an inspiration to me. Keep up the good work Tired Mommy.

sarah - Sean is a pretty awesome artist! I love how you inspire your kids creativity!!

Katie - I kind of get burned out too of our little craft tuesdays (inspired by you). We did really well in the summer and fall and through Christmas. I think I totally crafted out for Christmas. So I took a break for mid winter and spring. Hopefully we will get started again in June.
*We did make our own boats and then try and float them…that was pretty fun and sciency!

angela - Good Grief! Your kids are AMAZING!

Juli - I see. No, I know. I am exhausted too.
I think I deserve the super-sized box of DOVE chocolates this Mother’s Day. Oh, and a yard full of flowers and that rose arbor I’ve been eyeing. A trip somewhere without the kids might even be order. Couple that with my husband rubbing my feet, yeah, I might make it ’til next Mother’s Day then! 😉

Penny - Great drawings. They are all really good. I am impressed! Annie’s is great! I love Talby’s colors and I like that Sean changed the cake to cookies. Very good! I love children’s art. I have some of my favorites of my girls hanging in the hallway. My girls are 23, 20 and 17 now. But I sitll love to look at what they did when they were 7 or 8. I want to make them sit with me and do crafts still, but they are normally too busy. I miss those crafty days. My 23 year old comes over on Sunday’s, she has started knitting and she brings that. Maybe she could teach me!

Holly - Brian just finished reading “No David” for school. We have been trying to incorporate projects with our books also.

Hoosier at Heart - It just can’t get any cuter tha that! I want to roll back time to when my kids were little and then be you!

Beth - one of my favorite books is A Bad Case of the Stipes–it’s SO cute! And our family loves lima beans, too. I’m amazed, your kids are incredible artists–I’m not sure I could copy Shannon’s seemingly easy drawings–impressive!
i’m hoping to implement a form of craft thursdays here at our house this summer as well. thanks for always sharing yourself in this beautiful blog!
beth

Kim - We love using books as inspiration for art here too! So fun.

Terrie - Should I be embarrassed that your kids can draw better than me? I can only do stick figures…barely! LOVE your crafts!

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winner & eggs & SUMMER

April 26, 2011 Filed in crafts & art,photography,special

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i put off dying eggs until the last minute.
i wanted sunshine and to do it outside…..and to do it all by myself….if i’m being honest.
but kids like to dye eggs too so i had to share.

we had to do it inside.
in the kitchen.
and i just tried my very best to relax about DYE right next to all my white cabinets.
not sure if i succeeded.

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our packets of colors was strange.
we ended up with green…greener….blue….and peach eggs.
not the prettiest set but still fun to make.

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i can breath easier now.
it’s done for the year.

and i have lots of hard boiled eggs to eat.
yum.

 

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SUMMER magazine is coming out in a few weeks!
i am dying to see it.

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you can purchase your own copy ONLY at the website….they are not sold in stores.

click here to order your copy.

you should order one today because they will be mailing out SOON.
so exciting!
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it’s going to be FULL of really pretty pictures i am sure of it.

NieNie and Cjane and tricia foley and…….me?…………….gulp.

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would you like to win your own copy??

leave me a comment telling me: what is the best part of your summer?

 

 

add a comment

Stephanie - Hi there – not leaving a comment for the book – commenting on your egg decorating!
Do you raise chickens for eggs? (I noticed the brown eggs!) We do and we color brown eggs every year! I love the rich, darker coloring that we always get! They look much country-er! (If that is a word!) Here is how we get better coloring – we don’t use the store bought kits!
All I did was bring water to almost boiling, while that is warming, in coffee cups (1 for each color) pour about 1/2″ – 1″ of vinegar, when water is hot, pour into cups until about 1″ from top (depending on how big your cups are) Then I used the paste food coloring. I used 1/2 a baby spoon full and mixed until it was all the way dissolved. And VIOLA! Let your eggs sit and soak for a little bit and the colors will amaze you!! If you check out my blog – http://www.alittlebitathisnthat.blogspot.com – I have an Easter egg swag that I made out of colored brown eggs! Thanks for letting me share!

s - lazy late afternoons at the lake that turn into evening and we still haven’t left for home or eaten dinner and instead we eat goldfish and pretzels and watch the golden light fade before packing up and heading home for showers, baths and bed.

Emily - My best part of summer is going on vacation to the beach! I’d love to win a copy of this beautiful book.

Courtney M - Best part of summer in 3 words: flip-flops, s’mores, sun!

regina - the best part of summer is EVERYTHING!!! lighting bugs, lying on a blanket and looking up at the stars, lots of movie nights on the back porch, swimming at anytime, cookouts, bonfires (yes we have them in the summer), playing outside and totally forgetting about dinner until its 8:00, going out on the lake, lying on the porch reading a book, though this year it will be a nook:)…i could keep going on and on:)

Lynn - I just wanted to tell you that you have totally inspired me to start taking my photography more seriously. Your gorgeous pictures take my breath away. I bought an SLR and am still learning but I’m really excited and just wanted to say thanks! 🙂

Roberta - How exciting. The book looks awesome. My favorite part of summer is having the kids home with me and not having to have any set schedule. Sleeping late, day trips, ahhhh, can’t wait!

mandy sadler - Best part of summer is no school and we are moving!!! Thanks for the chance…

Jane - the best part of summer is eating the home grown veggies from the garden, my favourites are tomatoes and basil – yum! I would love to win this magazine cos in Australia we’re heading into winter so it Wouk give me lots of lovelies to look forward to!!

Jennie - most definitely the pool!

Cherie T - Stepping into a cold pool on a hot day.

Kerstie - Best part of summer, out door movie nights with the neighborhood.
Kerstie

Vonda - I can’t believe that I forgot to say the best part of summer is when my sister that lives in Florida comes to visit us with her family!!!! That is way up on the top of my list! Up there with having the kiddos home!:)

Caroline - family talent shows on the patio
going to the beach as a family
BLTs with fresh basil
being at the neighborhood pool
no early bus
no rigid schedules
catching lightning bugs with my kids

Lin - Naps outside.

Julie - Frozen lemonade and sandal tan lines

Christy - The best part of summer is eating almost all of our meals outdoors and not feeling guilty if supper isn’t served before 8. There’s too much great stuff going on to get to it before then!

Kristen - many things but. . .first on my mind is staying up late and sleeping in without that alarm clock!

Karen - Aaahhh! The best part of summer……. running outside in bare feet, feeling a cool breeze blow through your light cotton dress, having a cold glass of white wine on a patio on a sultry, hot, humid evening, getting “caught” by a sprinkler on a neighbourhood stroll, watching the sun set on an endless expanse of beach, slurping a popsicle that is melting quicker than you can eat it, al fresco breakfasts in your backyard, lazy no plan days (hopefully lots of them!) and of course, gardening! flowers, vegetables, berries, all there for the taking and enjoying. Oh summer, hurry up and arrive!

Rachael B - The best part of my summer is going to hawaii to visit my brother whom is a missionary. He is only in hawaii for a short while every year resting and training before his next big outreach 🙂 this summer i am lucky enough to be seeing him for a whole month!

Karen - Cross-country road trips to visit family!

holly - the best part of summer is the beach. i know you live a really long way from the beach, but i used to live far too. now i live close. i don’t live close to barns and thrift stores, though!

Lori - The best part of my summer is when the house is a mess, laundry is piled high, beds are unmaid and toys on the floor…the kids and I can forget it all and go outside! Sunshine can fix just about anything. Bring on the sprinkler and freezer pops!

Heather Earl - Best part is spending time with my kids at the beach, vacation bible school, summer reading program, the beach, and of course fourth of july cookout! LOVE summer!

Linda B - That my husband, the college professor, has a more relaxed schedule.

Gretchen - Best part of summer: Lazy Days with my kids, Swimsuits,Late nights playing outside, Visiting my Aunt and Uncles Cabin, Pond swiming, fishing, Fresh veggies from our garden, FLIP-FLOPS!, Slowed down schedule and more time as a family. Thanks for all your inspiration.

Amy Moon - The best part of summer is that sense of endless possibilities. Instead of, “Is your homework done, did you do your reading, you need WHAT for class tomorrow?” I get to say, “What should we do today?” And then the next day I get to do that again.
Oh…and gardening. I love my garden…almost as much as my kids! Hundreds of homegrown tomatoes baby!

Vonda - The best part of summer is definitely having the kids home! No schedules, staying up late and sleeping in, swimming, barbecueing, and taking our 30 pound pug for a walk. I love the flowers and the long days too! We live across from a campground and they have movie night on Saturday nights-so fun! It is definitely my favorite season!:)

Kim Howell - three girls in the pool non stop for 3 months!!

Alice H - I like taking the majority of my vacation days and being with my kids ALL day. And the swimming pool. And the smell of sunscreen. And the lake with friends.

virginia - the sunshine!

jennifer - Summer is…going barefoot everyday…sunshine…homemade ice cream…swimming…wildflowers…visiting on the front porch…and napping in a hammock!

Tammy Sabourin - The prospect of seeing our extended family while on vacation! We live very far away from them, so cherish any opportunity and this summer looks like it will work for all of us. 🙂

carrie - Taking the girls to the beach 🙂

Staci - SLEEPING IN!!!!!!!!!! Thanks Megan!!!!

Emily - The best part of summer is having garden fresh tomatoes growing in my backyard!

deborah@applesinwonderland - best part about summer? that it needs to be celebrated everyday. because we know it goes too fast. and the beach and cooking outside and lightening bugs and bonfires and flip-flops and vine ripened tomatoes and peaches and grass between your toes and sunshine and no school and (well, that’s probably enough).

Anne - I love not having anywhere that we “have” to be during the summer! Our school year is jam packed with scheduled activities, so it’s such a relief to “chill” during the summer months. 🙂

Jeannie P - Hands down, the best part of summer is having my kids home every minute of the day!

Rachel Newswanger - The birds sing’in, the sunshine & NO school schedule to keep up with!

erica - the endless sunny days without an agenda – just me and my 3 lil ones:)

Ruth H. - The best part of my summer is the FREEDOM. I get to have my kids with me all day long, and our schedule is (mostly) wide open. We get to decide what we do all day. I love having my kids to myself!

julie - the best part of my summer is that i get to be a stay at home mom for 9 weeks. i’m a teacher! wahooo!!

Jenny B. - The best part of summer for me is NO SCHOOL! I’m a teacher, and my summer break starts next Friday! Woo-Hoo!

Annie - my favorite part of summer is sleeping with the windows open..listening to the crickets and the cool breeze blowing on my face after a long hot day!!

Whitney R - Grilling, kids with me, swimming, porch swinging, bike riding, lazy days!

Terrie - Best part of summer is the beautiful flowers that I like to plant, then I can spend days outside taking pics…may not happen this year! I’m having so much fun in my new craft room, that I may never go outside!!
BTW, as I was going through the Jan. ’11 issue of Creating Keepsakes…I saw a perfect layout title for your girls and their boots…These boots are made for splashing! You would have great pics to make that a cute page! You may have already done a page like that…but had to think of you when I saw it!

Jennifer Roehl - Lazy days with my family cause we’ll be staying home a lot this summer! We’re adopting baby #3 in June!

Mary - The best part is traveling “home” to Kansas. I’ve lived in Colorado for 20 years, but Kansas is still “home”. This year on my way from my in-laws to my parents home, I will be stopping in Marion at that fabulous antique place you blogged about! Oh, my boys will hate it but I can’t wait….

Rachel B. - Love summer evenings! My husband and I sneak ice cream and sit outside after the kids go to bed!

Sally - Congratulations! How exciting that you work continues to be recoginzed.
My favorite part of summer is hanging out at my Dad’s lake house in the adirondack mountains. It’s so nice to wear a sweatshirt in the summer…ahh! And a huge bonus to be with family since we live out-of-state.

Julie - My husband is a school teacher and I’m a SAHM, so we take the summer off and travel with our two children!

Jennifer - Not having to get up early and get the kids off to school, lazy days, going to CA to visit family and friends… the list goes on!

Ann R. - Spending time with the family, not so much rushing, no homework, no schedule, the beach and lemonade stands!

Kari - Spending the entire day with my almost two year old little lady…running, biking, reading, sunning, singing, swimming…I can hardly wait!

jodi - the best part of the summer is living near my mom (who lives at the beach) after living 1000 miles away for 15 years… my mom rocks!
jodi in pa

amy jupin - i am flipping out excited for you with this whole summer thing!
i’m freakin out!!
but let’s be honest here…the best part of summer isn’t the beach or lemonade or hammocks. the best part is NO HOMEWORK!
🙂

Janelle - I live in the Virgin Islands – every day is summer! My least favorite months are actually June through September because of the threat of hurricanes. But the best thing about living in a year long summer? Wearing shorts & flip flops all the time!

Melanie - Best part of summer…cookouts with the family, sitting on the patio late into the night with a glass of wine, leaving the bedroom window open while I sleep and hearing the frogs croaking, going to my niece’s baseball games, working in my garden, being barefoot, eating ice cream, swimming in a cold pool on an exceptionally hot day.

Robin - where to start….flip flops and bare feet, sunshine and late nights, BBQ and lemonade…I could go on and on and on and on…

ShelbyP - Hmm, I love pool time, being out in the sun, random trips to the library and evening BBQs with friends!

EllenVR - pool, Freddie’s frozen custard, friends, horseshoes…and if I’m lucky lots of the lake

Margo - The best parts of my summer are bbq’s, ball games, and adult beverages on the patio with good friends.

Karen A. - Best part of my summer is spending 5 weeks on a lake in the Adirondacks with my four girls (age 2-10)- with my sister-in-law, our 4 nephews (age 3-11), and my inlaws – and being able to go to Camp of the Woods which is just on the other side of the lake from us. Second best thing is jumping off the dock into the lake after a run! 🙂

Joanna - The best part of my summer is not being cold.

Mrs. - Summer…sticky hands holding drippy popsicles while watching an orange sunset in the cool, green, fresh cut grass.

elizabeth highsmith - mcdonalds ice cream cones-they are the best fun a dollar can buy-i once thought i’d keep a record of how many i consume in a summer-then i realized i can’t count that high!

Stacey - Summer= pretty much no schedule and lots of lazy days!

Stacy - I do not work in the summer so I get to spend everyday with my son. We read, go to the library and find a lot of free stuff to do!

Meredith - I love bare feet in the summer!!!!

courtney - my favorite activity of summer is sitting on the porch with my husband watching our three little ones jump around in the sprinkler. it makes the grass and sunscreen covered kitchen floor ever so worth it!

Linda War Bonnet - The best part of summer….weekly concerts in the park!!!

cheryl - my husband, who is a school teacher, being home for the summer with us!

Nicole Q. - Don’t know if I can only list one . . . oh so many favorites . . . the pool would rank up at the top!!!

phyllis - I love EVERYTHING about summer – especially the yummy summer fruit!

merlin - letting go
and letting time
have its way
never looking at a clock

Kelli - Definitely the farmer’s market in our little town! Then coming home and figuring out a yummy dinner with my finds!

Rebecca L. - Since I love summer so much I can’t decide:
1. long sunshinie days
2. watermelon!
3. that shadow that falls across everything in the evening when the sun is at that perfect spot.
4. sweet corn
5. swimming
6. grilled ANYTHING…mmm.
7. porch swings/ hammocks/ lawn chairs
8. Popsicles with the juice dripping down to your elbows.
9. flip flops!
10. This summer means my FIRST ANNIVERSARY and I can’t wait to celebrate with my favorite man!

alaina - My favorite part of summer is all my children under one roof (2 are in college)and living at the softball field watching them play!!! I just get all giddy thinking of having my kids home once again and just being together…that is bliss (until the dishes need to be done!)

maribeth - a sno cone on a hot summer day . . . so yummy!

Rachel - Honestly, the best part of summer for me is not working. I’m a teacher and I’m not gonna lie…I love my summer vacation! Last summer I went to Italy and France and was gone for nearly the entire two months. It was awesome. I can’t afford to do that again this summer, plus I have to finish my masters degree. But still…no work. Ahhhh.

Lizz - It would have to be making Art outside with some brand new kiddos! Oh, and eating frozen yogurt!!

Jen - the best part of summer is sitting on the stoop in a cool summer breeze, sipping lemonade watching the kids play & relaxing.

Debbie - The best part of summer is knowing that I do not have to drop my child off at a babysitter’s house. I get to stay home with her and go to the zoo and take painting classes and play at the beach in the sand and blow bubbles and whatever we want.

Courtney Henson - The best part of my summer is roasting marshmallows over the fire pit in the backyard at night..twinkle lights on and the atmosphere just perfect and lounging on the hammock soaking up the warm rays of sunshine while my kids play in the backyard!

Tanya - My favorite part of summer is going to the beach, whether it be nearby or while on vacation. Love it! This year will be bittersweet as it is the last summer before my daughter starts school, so we will certainly make the best of the last few months before big school start

Lori - lazy mornings with the kids…NO MAKING SCHOOL LUNCHES…coming and going as we please (for the most part:))…

susie - savoring a slower pace of life with my family…heaven

Suzanne D - grilling out and spending time with my family!!

robyn - our camping trip to glacier national park in montana! the kids talk about it all winter long 🙂

stacie - right now i want summer so badly that i must say sunshine, all my babies in the nest together, ice cream, outdoor fires, grilled dinners, carefree time, margaritas and camps for the kids!

Lacey - finially going to the beach! we didn’t get to go at all last year because of the oil spill. Can’t wait to stick my toes in the sand and relax while the kids splash and play.

Penny - Being off work all summer!! Spending time with my girls, reading on the deck, cooking out, sitting around the fire pit roasting marshmallows. Oh so many things I just can’t pick one favorite!
This summer we will have a litter of Goldendoodle puppies to raise, too!!

shelley - the most wonderful part of summer is the long days. Little Jude and stay outside late and watch the sun go down while we play out on the deck with chalk and his water table.

Heather - The cottage. Slipping into the lake for the first time every summer is golden. When I wake up early and head down to the dock in time to catch the sun coming over the trees and the mist rising off the water I know we are not alone.

Jennifer G. - The best part of summer…….beach, beach, beach. Love the salty smell, kids and their sand castles, and sounds of the waves crashing over and over! Oh and a margarita in there somewhere!

Tami Hiebert - My son just saw this and said, “You should say the best part of your summer is when your kids don’t fight!” Pretty good answer!

Laura Gentle - Sitting in my swing hung from a hundred year old oak tree with a good book; roasting marshmallows in the fire pit and making smores with exotic candy bars and homemade cookies; fishing at the lake all day and then cooking a fish feast for dinner with coleslaw, hushpuppies and cheese grits; chasing fireflies with my one and only child makes me most happy. Smiling just thinking about it!

carly - cookouts, lighting bugs and sidewalk chalk with my kids!!!

Denise - The best part of summer is when my family comes to visit!

Erin T. - Our family vacation in the Outerbanks! I am so looking forward to lounging around at the pool and the beach, playing with my littles and studying photography/taking lots of pictures!

Danielle - Going to the beach with my kids, barbecues and eating outside. Making s’mores outside by the fire. And SUN, glorious SUN!!! We don’t get a whole lot of it in WA.

Heidi - I LOVE lazy mornings!

Jenna - Not working, going to the lake as much as possible, and pretty much everything else. Summer is the BEST.

Carrie Haywood - The past two summers I have been VERY pregnant and delivered babies (June 2009 and August 2010) so usually it’s having my new, beautiful bundle of joy here with me.. but this year my best part of summer will be spending time with them, showing them new, fun things.. can’t wait to take them swimming!! 🙂

Eli - Best part of summer: sitting on the dock, for hours and hours, with nothing more important to do.

Dani - I love that I don’t have to rush around at night with my kids. They can stay up later if they want to. Dinner is not a rush to finish so baths can be taken. Summer time is much more laid back for us. I also LOVE to take my kids camping.

Jennifer - The best part about summer is having my kids home and working and playing together!

Jenny - Being outside all day, no structure, kids running around the yard, sprinklers, pools, splashing, bubbles, margarita evenings, sand boxes, kids who smell like sunblock, the beach, frozen pops (any kind), music on the patio, cold food, sundresses, friends…friends…and more friends, water guns, swingsets, sticky kid fingers, art projects outside, bikes, gardens…we live in South Carolina where it become sticky hot and humid…so, I cannot leave out the amazing feeling of coming inside and showering and hanging out with my hubby after an amazing fun filled super hot day. Bring on the Summer!

jennibell - Best part of summer. . .days at the pool with the kids!!! And BBQs.

alise - best part of summer is having no schedule and going to the beach, flip flops and eating outside!!!
thanks for the chance to win….

Rebecca - Caprese salad with fresh mozzarella and tomatoes and basil picked from my garden. Drizzle with olive oil and balsamic–best lunch ever!

Rebecca - Fun Fridays! As a reward for good behavior and cooperation all week, we have a swimming/play date with friends. We meet after lunch at a friends house (who has a pool), the boys swim and play and have snacks and moms have frozen margaritas or lemonades with vodka. Good for the kids, GREAT for the mamas!

Alicia @ La Famille - Best part of summer: flip-flops, skirts, NO coats!

se7en - Oh we are headed into winter over here and we have had three days of rain after months of not a drop and I tell you first hand the BEST thing about summer is so much less laundry!!! T-shirt and shorts all round compared to jeans, shirts, sweaters, jackets, hats, socks… I could go on about the laundry but I am trying to embrace the cold – failing dismally!!! I love summer and wish it was always summer!!!

jennifer - Sleeping in and stuffing as much fun as possible into those too short 8 weeks!

Kathy - We homeschool and ar always together and can technically MAKE time for things. BUT there is something about warm Summer evenings and bright sunny days that just feel like you have been given time. The pressures melt away and fun extra things get done without guilt.

Stacey - The best part of summer is the lazy, fun days with BOTH of my kids at home! Love it!

nicki - I’m in NP school, so the BEST is the 3 weeks in August that we have off before the fall semester! Lots more time with family & friends instead of the books! 🙂

Camm Taylor - No schedules…going with the flow….sandy toes at the beach….ice cold beer on a hot night….summer storms….so much! LOVE summer!

Chantelle - My birthday!!!! Usually a trip to the nail salon, a sip of sweet red wine, a relaxing walk on the beach and/or a stress-free visit to the local bookstore, topped off by a hearty meal with my fam! BRING IT!!!

Mel - The kids being home from school. . . and if I had to be honest, I would add that my second favorite part is when the kids go back when summer winds down!! Is that bad?

Sandra K - The best thing about summer – where to start?!
– Lots and lots of time with lots of friends at our awesome community pool
– Diet cokes and soft pretzels at that pool
– Grilling out!
– Awesome produce from my li’l garden or the farmer’s market, especially tomatoes and sweet corn!
– Sno-cones
– S’mores in the backyard
– Dining outside!
– No school and more time with my kids

Sarah - Man you must have a lot of followers…look at all those comments! My fav part of summer is the pool and the color my skin soaks in from the sun. I miss the sun. Someday…

Tracy - I love to spend time with my family outside….going to the pool, grilling outside, going fishing, going to the park, riding bike, the zoo, and playing golf….love it all!

Mindy Harris - Of course I’d love to win my own copy!
The best part of summer is family vacations, freshly mowed grass and the scent thereof, and catching fireflies.
And swimming.
And watermelon.
And laying out in the sun (but only for 10 mins).

Sara M. - Going to the beach on Lake Michigan!

Amy - Swimming in ponds, swimming in lakes, swimming in rivers, swimming in streams! I live in New England so the summer months are the only time I get to swim outside and it is FANTASTIC!!!!!!!!!!!

Jacqui - the warmth of the sun on my face and the endless hours outside:)

Trena - I mean…under the stars!

Tanya H - Every summer since before we had kids (oldest is 9) my husband has run a scout camp in the summer. It can be fun but even when we all live there with him Daddy-time is precious, hard to come by and impossible to have his full attention. This year, he doesn’t have a camp assigment and we are all so excited we can hardly stand it! 😀 We’re gonna have some actual FAMILY time instead of just mommmy-kid time!

Trena - the best part of summer for me…not having to pack school lunches…Just kidding…campfires with my family in the yard until the stars! ♥

Shanna - This summer will be special because I’m having a baby!!!!!!!

Alisa - I grew up in Kansas, but I moved away just before I turned 16 in 1986 – and I’ve never been back. For me summer is the blue open sky in Kansas, a yellow sunflower taller than yourself, the taste of a limeaide, the smell of chlorine in my hair, and the feel of a swimsuit dry the minute you step out of a pool. I now have a family of my own and live in Europe – but I sometimes miss the feeling of those long summers in Kansas, and wish my kids could someday feel it too.

Juli - I’ve already pre-ordered my copy (thanks for original heads-up) but I’d love to win a copy for my friend, Amanda! The best part of THIS coming summer, in particular, is that my husband is taking off the semester from his Master’s program so that he can play with us! I am GIDDY!

Donna - Best part of summer……wearing flip flops everyday, and having some time off work to spend with my favorite people….my family 🙂

Michelle - The best part of summer is our annual family reunion week – and this year will be even better ’cause my cousin and I will have our firstborns with us. There hasn’t been a baby in the family in 26 years!

Simies - Best part of my summer is be with my family. Relax at home or by the sea in Italy 🙂

erin - time spent on, in, or by the water….pool, lake, ocean…i’ll take all three!

dawn - Last year we were without our own home, we lived in MANY different places. This summer will be a treat. No moving, no suitcases, our own home/space/stuff… That time really reminded me how little you truly need and how good it feels to just have your own little place in the world. 🙂

Meredith Salmon - I can’t wait to get it. When I first started my job 4 years ago, Tricia Foley was still working here. She would not know me, but she is very creative and has tons of great ideas and takes great pictures, just like you Meg. Congrats!!!!

Robyn - The beach and warm sunshine!!!

Kirsten J - Best part of summer (you mean those 3 or 4 weeks we get here in Seattle?) would be waking up, taking an early walk and then watering my flowers after I get back. Yep, happens about 1/2 dozen times every summer….and, why, yes, I am bitter about where I live lately….

rosemarie - sunshine and swimming in the pool with kids….

sara @ it's good to be queen - oh i really want to win!! the best part of summer is having a cookout with friends and sitting outside for hours talking and laughing while the kids play. can’t wait!

colleen - best part of summer…it’s NOT winter or spring (not very nice here)!!!!! and i’m a teacher…so days to stay at home with MY kids and enjoy the sun…what’s not to love?

Kasey - The best part of my summer this year is going to be having my second baby!

Ana G - The best part of summer for me is the beach! Even though we live in the Pacific NW, where the water is chilly, and the beaches are mostly rocky, my kids LOVE playing in the water and I LOVE hanging on the beach. Looking forward to it! 🙂

Jenni Carlisle - Yeah for Melissa…better yet YEAH for SERGEY!!!! Best part of Summer for me is that I’m a homeschool/stay at home Mom, so I just get to BE with my kids. For years as a working Mom I battled feeling guilty only getting a week off, now I get them the whole summer! Love it!

Kelly O. - the best part of my summer is the twinkly lights on in the backyard and me and my laptop on the porch just listening to the crickets

Katie Sellers - Summer is just more relaxed. This summer my favorite part will be vacationing all over Florida with my kids. It is a stay-cation for us, but we will be starting Key West, moving on to Marco Island and then up to the Destin panhandle! Can’t wait!

LeAnne - blueberries eaten straight off of the tree!

Jes - Our summers consist of a lot of family outdoor fun activities: bike riding, sidewalk chalk, bike riding, swimming, bike riding, fishing, yes we do a lot of bike riding. Most of all, just the relaxing moments Summer brings. The kids can stay up later (not going to bed with the sun up), evening walks, fishing for a whole day! I love summer!

Kirsten P - Sitting on the deck reading a book while listening to the wind rustle the leaves of the cottonwood trees – 25 of them! Walking along the shore of a Great Lake. Enjoying the flowers of summer.

Lori - Best part of summer….the relaxed schedule and atmosphere – we get together with friends more often, even on a weeknight when we have to go to work the next day. And all that fresh produce! Love summer…

Tracie - Not having to force my daughter out of bed in the morning, that’s the best part. We all love to sleep in during the summer, and drink lots and lots of iced tea!

TonyaElise - Summer clothes! So much more fun than winter – sandals, tanks, sun dresses…yea!

Lelia - Having no schedule to stick to so I can spend extra time with the kiddos!! =)

Kimberly Au - Love my summers! One of the reasons I became a teacher was so that I could still enjoy my WI summers to the fullest, now with my own kids. Simple things like going to the wading pool, zoo and concerts in the park. This summer is especially exciting as we are expecting our third baby in just a few weeks!

Jessica R - The best part of summer is fresh, homemade ice-cream!! Something sweet to beat the heat!

AshleyAnn - Days full of nothing but being at home together. Being at home.
It is so stinkin’ cool that you are in that magazine…smart move on their part!

Leslie - The best part of summer is the warm nights so we can “camp” in the backyard. We bbq, roast marshmellows, play board games, run around with flash lights and leave ALL electronic devices (cell phones, etc.) in the house.

Jennifer - My very FAVORITE – early mornings alone with my coffee and the hose, soaking the hydrangeas, followed by breakfast topped with ripe strawberries, and then turning on the sprinkler and watching the children turn their swing set/fort into a water land while I sit across the yard and sip iced tea with my camera and a good magazine in hand. Does it get any better?

Laura in LA - Abundant sunshine, sprinklers, tomatoes, peas, blueberries!!! Ahhh, can’t wait.

Maureen Troop - I just love having my kids home and we can decide each day what we WANT to do, not what HAS to be done! I love the relaxed pace and time together!

Southern Gal - The part when we can all get away to the beach as a family. Sit in my beach chair, toes in the water and a good book in my hand with kids playing in the surf. Absolute favorite.

Terri Upton - The best part of summer is the relaxed and carefree feeling.

Jes - best part of the summer is our July vacation by the beach with my family, especially dinner for the whole 15 of us at Aunt Carrie’s Restaurant (Narragansett RI)

cindy - Checking off things from our summer fun list…esp. craft friday which was inspired by you! 🙂

Sarah Vincent - This summer will be a little different because I am joining team “Stay Home Mom” so this year I am really looking forward to the whole Summer with my two kiddos!!

Molly - the best part of summer is being home with my two girls! i absolutely love it! i count down to summer every year like a kid i am a teacher, so really it’s not that different!:)

Sarah - The pool! And the lake! 🙂

julia - That looks like a whole lot of egg salad {I didn’t even do the whole dye-ing egg thing this year…not my fave thing to do}.

Rebecca - My favorite part of summer is the sunshine and the WARMTH. After a roller coaster spring, that is what I am ready for!
Thanks for the giveaway!

Melissa Lynch - Slowing down..no running to dance, gymnastics, chior..just enjoying each other at night instead of homework? bedtime?

Amy - ALL of summer is awesome. Sun dresses, flip flops, swimsuits, warm lakes, longer days, running thru sprinklers, SWIMMING, picnics, kid-filled front & back yards, star gazing, SWIMMING, water skiing, warm sand between the toes, cute little chubby bodies w/ tan lines…… And having my oldest home from school w/ us. (1st grade, & his first year to be in all day. *sigh*)

april - just chilling with my three lovelies at the beach~ living so close to lake michigan has advantages. we do a summer beach tour to hit our favs. st. joe, south haven, and warren dunes…just to name a few~~oh i wish it was summer now!

Beth Ann - Best part of summer? Lots of days with no schedules and lots of activities to pick from! Lots of evenings around a fire pit with the kids running around outside playing with friends. And after 9 straight days of clouds and rain – SUNSHINE!!!

shiela - camping in our backyard…our 5 yr old daughter getting all excited about doing car wash with her daddy…playdates with friends at church…both of our kids birthday are in the summer…vacation, vacation!!!

merran tatum - eating watermelon and playing outside…and candle-lit outdoor dinners with the hubs. love.

Amanda - Hmmmm, there are so many things to love about summer…..sunshine, warm weather, swimming, sleeping in, being outside, hanging with my girls……I love it all 🙂

Angela Atkins - Fun days with my kids with lots of sunshine and blue skies.

Jen - The SUN!!!!

Jody - Dusk..I love running around outside w kiddos, catching fire flies & watching sun set w our fire pit goin’ w smores!! So fun.

Amanda F. - I love EVERYTHING about summer. The weather, the fruit, the flowers, gardening, kids home from school, traveling, open windows, bug noises, frog noises, lawnmower noises, everything.
We’ve recently moved to California and I am looking forward to a whole new summer experience.

Jen - A more relaxed schedule and all the time I spend watching the kids play softball/baseball. Really, the entertainment value of little kids playing ball is amazing!!

Patricia - I love everything about summer … but right now the thing I’m most looking forward to is no school, no homework, no helping the kids study for tests, no projects, no papers, and no book bags strewn all over the place! Just being honest :o)

rachel p - Being outside with my 2 little boys!! They are so tired of being indoors, and I’m so tired of playing in MUD PUDDLES 😉 We’re all ready for sunshine and bathing suits and lightning bugs and bellies stained from popsicles!

Gale - Best part of summer in Kansas…. hmmmmmm…. not the heat…. not having to shovel snow comes to mind.. LOL!! Seriously, love just hanging out, being lazy, being light at 8:30pm, grilling, wearing my Toms, drinking margaritas on the deck… what’s not to like? 🙂

Nicky Simmons - easy… floating on the lake with a cold beer in my hand!

Jenny K - Eating outside. At home or a restaurant on a sidewalk or better yet a deck overlooking the ocean!

Kim Barlow - The best part of summer for me is more FREEDOM!!! No more practices, No more games, no more 1.5 hour commute each way (for school drop offs and then to work), no more homework battles, no more packing of lunches and the laundry is a LOT lighter! WOOT WOOT!! And most IMPORTANTLY more chances to be bask in the SUNSHINE with friends and family!! I LOVE SUMMERTIME!!!

Amy - Being home with my kids and eating lunch on the back patio!

Dana Banana - Living at the pool!! (hope you and your fam will join me there!)

Susanna - No carpool, bare feet(and painting little toenails funky colors) and family meals outside!

Sarah @ Handbags*N*Pigtails - Best part of summer? Visiting my parents cottage on a small lake about an hour away.They’ve had it for 35 years and its nothing fancy but its RELAXING to be there and wake up to hear the water outside your bedroom window.
Their taxes keep drastically increasing each year and theyre not sure how long they’ll be able to keep the cottage so each summer that we have there is a gift!

Su@The Intentional Home - best part of summer. . is less tight of a schedule. . do not have to get up at certain time, do not have to get in car and drop kids off and pick kids up. . .thanks for the opportunity to win a copy of the magazine. . .

jeana - I’ve asked for this for my birthday! I would love to win! My summer favorite? Reading outside in a hammock while the kids are playing.

jayne Barbour - best part of summer is not having to be anywhere and just enjoying the lazy days!

Jill @ Cora Anne Designs - Best part about summer…hmm…only one??? How about lots of time spent outdoors with awesome neighbors, family and friends!!

Alyssa - EVERYTHING! But for this summer it will have to be being pregnant with our new little life 🙂 Due in September! It has been a ball so far and I know the TX heat will be very unforgiving but I cant wait to be outside and with family toting a little baby in my belly!
xoxo

Laurie Schmotzer - The best part of summer…not setting the alarm!

Molly Pearce - The best part of summer for me is when all the children I teach every Sunday and Wednesday night at church get of school for summer! This means, movie parties, bible study outside, vacation bible school, swim parties and my all time favorite thing to do with them is to have a kick off to summer lock in at church!! So much fun!!!
~Molly P

amosclutchpedal - My husband is a teacher with a very busy schedule, so summertime with him is the best!

Valerie Alexander - Flip flops, sunkissed skin, highlighted hair, swimming, I could go on…. Come on Summer!!

Kate - Every year (or at least almost) we head back to my home town, right on the beaches of Lake Michigan. We play in the sand and the surf and watch the sun go down. We ride rollercoasters. We eat ice cream from the ice cream stand I used to visit as a kid. We go for dune rides. We have bonfires. We drink beer and listen to my uncle play banjo. It’s always a great week.

Trish - I’m gonna be honest here:
I like having my kids around, but I LOVE when they go to camp. They usually go on different weeks, so I have only one home at a time, and I cherish that one on one time with them. Plus I know that the other kid is at a wonderful camp having the time of their life!
Oh, my other favorite part of summer is when we get to leave Alaska in late July, early August, in search of REAL summer weather! I love a week or two of 90 degrees!

Courtney - to name just one is impossible…fresh cut grass, watermelon dripping off your elbows, fireflies, candle light suppers on the back porch…I love summer!

Tammy - Aw, fun in the sun, picnics & homegrown tomatoes….yum!
Thanks for a the great giveaway once again!

Laura Phelps - The BEST part of summer for me? Putting on my bathing suit and wearing it in public! I LOVE that!
Oh wait…
that’s my biggest nightmare!
I suppose it is the carefree timelessness of every day…
no schedules
no lunches to pack
no homework
LOTS of BBQ’s and chalk filled driveways and ice cream cones and cold beer at 3pm
I LOVE it..
for about 2 weeks
then I want to shoot myself in the head

amac - Where I live it’s always summer more or less. But during the hottest months (110+) my favorite thing is mangoes. They are in season, they are CHEAP, they are delicious!!! They’re almost good enough to make me forget that it’s so HOT! Thanks for the chance to win 🙂

Tami C. - No set schedule and my mom’s pool. Love it.

Beth K. in CO - There are so many things that I love about summer! Swim lessons, softball games, vacation Bible school, trips to the mountains, it staying lighter outside so there is more play time, BBQs, picnics, flip flops, going to the pool. I should probably stop here, but there are so many more to list. 🙂

jodi @ back40life - time outside, time at the pool and big family vacations…those are the best!

Karen Giddings - Best part of summer . . . not as many “have to’s”. 😀

Kate @ Songs Kate Sang - The very best part of my summer… swimming with the kids. So fun.

Rebecca - The best part of summer is long days off with the kids, and late nights up with the Mr.!

Deb Meyers - Best: kids home. Long days. tanned legs and faces.
deb meyers

Karen - The best part for me is the warmth & the sunshine!

Happygirl02 - EVERYTHING!!! The sun, the breeze, the long days, catching fireflies, bbq’s, s’mores, gardening, my kids, fresh cut grass, flowers, not having to wear shoes…. the list never ends!

Toni - Summer night bbqs and Dodger games with friends! Oh, and late night walks with my husband and my beagle.

Laurie Kauffman - I love s’mores in the backyard and laying on the lawnchairs looking at the stars and counting lightning bugs.

georgia - The best bit is going for late night dog walks and watching the sun set 🙂

Courtney Walsh - I totally love that your house is referred to as “The Fun House” lol 🙂 How awesome is that?
Best part of my summer…? Um. Probably going home and spending a week with my sister. But this is the first summer where I havent’ been in Illinois so we’ll see…maybe Colorado will surprise me. 🙂

Sandy W - Dinners on the pontoon boat with my husband and son are most definitely the best part of my summer. I can’t wait! It is still cold and rainy here in Michigan.

Rosita - The best part of summer is the flowers, all the flowers.

karen - flip flops 🙂

Lori - My favorite parts are eating fresh veggies from my garden, yard sales, late night thunderstorms, watching my girls set up their own lemonade/fresh veggies stand.:) Lori

Jen - The best part about summer is that almost everything finally slows down.

Leslie - Hands down being with my kids!!!! After eing sooo inspired by your blog….we are going to start a craft Thursday. I have three boys 15, 14 and almost 10. We just bought the supplies to make the raindow plates with the streamers :} Before I blink my kids will be grown so I am cherishing every moment!Annnd I am holding onto my hat cause my 15 year old is driving. Thanks for being so inspiring :}}}}

Ruth Elder - We moved into a new-to-us house before Christmas. this summer I get to plant flowers in the front yard and the kids will be home to help me put up a picket fence. I’ve never had one before!

julie h - being home with my kids…baby 2 is due in june!

Amy Swanson - Best part of summer: Driving to my parents house with the kids for weekends. They have property where we can fish, ride ATV’s, and swim. Plus my dad makes a big breakfast every morning and my mom does our laundry. Heavenly!

Valerie @ Chateau a La Mode - Best part of summer?…..The long summer nights. BBQs, eating outside, late night walks. Maybe that’s more than one. Oh well, hope it’s me 🙂

Shawnie - The best part of summer is spending time at the lake!

juliana whisman - Eating grilled food outside & hours at the pool!

Megan - The best part for me is not having a schedule – we can go to the pool, stay home, or go on a trip whenever!

jen smith - sleeping in, lazy days, swimming. i love summer!

Amy - The best part is getting to spend time with my 3 year old son. This summer will be even better as we welcome boy/girl twins into our home!

Jen H. - The best part of summer for me is having my hubby home since he is a teacher. We go camping with our girls and it is such a fun and relaxing time!!!! 🙂

Jermaine D. - Gardening!

Becki G. - Sleeping late every day.

Sarah - I already ordered my copy and can’t wait! I would love to win one for my mom though….
Best part of summer…kids, sprinklers, the pool, sun, bright blue skies, sweet iced sun tea, picnics, ice cream socials…..and if we’re lucky on vacaation, the beach!

Benay - Relaxing and having the kids around. Taking family trips. Going to the pool. We live in a big city in Brazil which empties out during the summer because Brazilians get a month off and usually spend it at the beach. So living in a somewhat less crowded city during the summer is really nice.

shelly - the best part of summer is…nothing! doing Nothing at all, sitting by/on a lake…watching parades in camp chairs…..laying out, looking at the stars…..I’m ready for it to be here Now!

ingrid - garden bursting with veggies and blooms!

Wendy - Sleeping in, late dinners outside by the pool, visiting family, enjoying the outdoors, going to the beach….. so many things to look forward to. 🙂

Roxane - My garden, the smell of fresh cut grass, the sound of the sprinklers going, the pool, corn on the cob, snow cones and yummy fruit!

Jennifer - Those are weird colors for easter eggs! We still haven’t done ours. 🙂 We will…eventually.
My favorite part of the summer is not having homework and school. My girls still do dance but that is twice a week only. I love the freedom and lack of a schedule!

Donna - No homework!

mandy friend - my favorite part of summer? going to the Rogue River, rafting, otterpops by the dozens, our cabin, campingi could go on…i’ve never won a darn thing-PLEASE:)

Pippa - The best part of summer for me is, this may sound crazy, but it’s not having to worry about homework, don’t have to make lunch, don’t have to get my daughter to school – I always feel such a relief – like a vacation. Of course, love love love going to the beach too!!!!

lynette - The best part of summer is getting to just “be” with my kids. Not having to do school or anything that we really do not want to. The best part of this summer will be meeting our fourth baby girl.

Wendy - The kids being off school & the warm weather

Janet Biernacki - warm sunshine, flower bed and pots full, easier days.

Talia - Oh, so many things…strawberries, farm stands, trips to the farmers market, impromptu wine parties on the porch w/neighbors, the easy attitude and spirit of summer. All of it is just blissful!

Elizabeth - The best part of my summer..is taking off the nail polish from the summer before..off my toenails and putting on a new color!!!! How bad is that??????

Hayley - The best part of my summer is usually making roadtrips to visit family, especially to Oregon. But this year, the best part will be moving back home from a year abroad in Germany…I’m so excited to see my family and friends!!!

Kerry - The best part of my summer is wearing flip flops and painting my toes bright, happy colours 🙂

tam - honestly, (this sounds horrible) but the best part of summer is no homework for the kids! Do you ever get tired of dealing with the homework battles?

Jena - The best part of my summer is having my two girls (9 & 6) with me, all day long, every day! It doesn’t matter if we are going somewhere fun or staying home in pjs all day. I love and cherish every moment I spend with them! Thanks for the chance to win! selphishgirl@aol.com

Katie - best part of summer: parks and picnics, relaxed days, being together as a family!

Sy, Shaunna & The Boys - eating all of our meals outside on the patio, staying up late, and movies played outside on the side of the house. summer is heaven around here!

Sy, Shaunna & The Boys - eating all of our meals outside on the patio, staying up late, and movies played outside on the side of the house. summer is heaven around here!

Aimee - The best part of summer is the road trips. I LOVE road trips and we usually take at least one big or small road trip. Getting to sleep in is a close second though and this year the best part will probably be the pool we are planning to get.

Vicki - Okay…are you ready…this is earth shattering stuff. The best part of summer is when my hot mocha….becomes an iced mocha. That’s right. It isn’t the fresh veggies from the garden, or the kids playing in the sprinkler, warm nights sleeping with the windows open. Nope. It’s all about the COFFEE!

Danielle H. - The best part of summer is vacation with family, late summer nights grilling and eating smores, and no rushing around trying to get here and there by a certain time!

Lisa - What is there NOT to like about summer? I love having my kids home (but so ready for them to go back to school by the end). I love being outside at the river and watching my kids run and play. I love camping. I love being tan. I love having no set schedule. I love swimming. I love having outside BBQ’s. Oh I could go on and on! 🙂

ajdked - No school for the kids, eating on the patio, water balloons, ice cream, strawberry shortcake, flip flops, shorts, cooking on the grill, etc. I LOVE SUMMER, it’s my favorite season!

Julie - The best part(s) sleeping in, enjoying the sunshine, watching my garden grow and more time with my son.

Sarah - The part of summer we most look forward to is heading out to WA State for a few weeks to spend time with my husband’s family. They live on the sound with views of Mt. Rainier…we are on the beach constantly and catch up on a years worth of happenings…wonderful memories that seem like a fairy tale to this midwestern girl!

Marla S. - Lazy days filled with tan skin, bare feet, sno cones, good books, Sonic drinks, watermelon, and riding around in the mom van with the windows down and the music blaring!

Tiffany - my favorite part of summer is longer days. luv them. luv the sunlight and how it makes me happier.

Heidi Bohrer - No homework!!

Jess - I love summer…love being in the sunshine, love gardening, and love backyard bbqs! 🙂

Jennifer - that’s easy…flip flops and watermelon!

Kim - I can’t wait for summer to be here! Fun with the kids, exploring a city still new to us, walks, bike rides, parks, a trip to the cottage, chickens….yep! I think we’re getting a couple of chickens in our very tiny backyard….oh and letting the kids decorate their tree house that really isn’t in a tree…

kathleen - the pool, the pool, the pool!! I have a large family like you, and there is nothing better than spending the day at the pool having fun, then coming home to a light yummy dinner (no baths cause goodness you got clean in the pool, right?), everyone’s sunkissed and happily tired. It’s the pool, definitely. I can’t wait!

Jenn Shock - The best part of this coming summer is trying to make baby #2 😉 And this is my last summer break as a college student! I’ll have my degree in Art Education by the end of the year! Woo!

Teresa - The best part about summer is getting up early on a Saturday morning, making a cup of coffee and going to the farmers market to buy local, fresh produce and flowers.

Karen R. - The best part of summer for me is hands down having my kids home and with me every day. I cherish the endless days of time with them and start really longing for that about this time every year!

colleen - The BEACH! We get to go for at least 2 separate weeks! I have to add: farmers market tomatoes, peaches and corn; picking blueberries right off of my bush for breakfast, sunkissed noses on my husband and kids, lemonade stands, smores over the firepit, lots of friends over for dinner, the smell after rain on a hot summer’s day…. it is my FAVORITE season!

Tere - being off work for a good chunk of time, planning our “to do” list with the kids and sleeping in, even if it’s not on the list…..can’t wait to see the magazine

Leigh - home grown tomatoes

Heather R. - Got my “Summer” coming…can’t wait to see it, either. Our girls dyed the eggs at the table inside. Blue got knocked over a couple times. But we are done for a year, too. 🙂 We had Easter ham/hard boiled egg salad…yum!

Jen - BEING TAN! Cook outs, being outside & I get to take high schoolers away to hear all about their Creator! Nothing better. I LOVE SUMMER!

Jodi @ The Un-Soccermom Blog - the best part of summer are lazy saturdays, hanging out by the pool, talking w/ my daughter about her week, about what’s to come, and now more than ever, her future. :o)

Mallory - The best part of summer are the entire days spent at the beach. Oh, and all that delicious summer food!

Ashley Crenshaw - Summer rocks! I love being able to throw my child outside, turn on the sprinklers, sip fresh lemonade, camping in the backyard(!!!), BBQ’s… man if only I could tan. I love summer!

Kristi - I love sitting on my patio and soaking up the sun!

april - The best part of summer is the trips to the beach with my kids…I cant wait!!!
april
xoxo

April - I love taking my kids to the beach. They have such a blast and it creates great summer memories. 🙂

Amber - Warm breezes, slower schedules, soaking in all the warm sunshine, fresh vegetables from the garden and our first big family road trip….to Wisconsin.

erin j - Limeades during Sonic’s happy hour. I’m miles upon miles from a Sonic though so I’m going to have to figure something else out for this year.

Whitney Benson - my hubby is a teacher so the best part is having him home to help w/ our 3 kids!

Michelle - love afternoons by the pool w/ my family to cool off from the hot houston summer.

Katy Stone - sno cones. and homemade ice cream. and swimming until the sun goes down. most of all, doing all of those things w/ the ones you love! 🙂

Melissa Morrill - popsicles on the front porch in the evenings……yum.

Lisa - Is SUNSHINE!!! We have been so beaten with rain and storms, that sunshine is all I can think about! And lots of fun times outside with friends and family! 🙂

Sara W - Afternoons sitting by the pool while my boys swim,family walks in the evening and fresh garden produce.

Jill jackson - Being able to sleep in.

BriBedell - The part of my summer are my teo little ladies birthdays! Ya, planning some big stuff for them already 🙂

mimi b. - lazy mornings, coffee on the porch, my babies sleeping in, scary movie night-EVERY NIGHT YAH!, all the doors open and kids playing ball in the street, laughter wafting in from outside and millions of water balloons popped all over the drive-way and yard. Oh yeah, and sticky popsicles….I can’t wait to have my kids home again ( of course by July, I will be counting the days until school starts ; )

Katie P. - This summer, it will be spending the longer days with my little girl. She will be 1 yr. old in June. She is AHHHH-mazing!! I love being in the yard and weeding- anything. I love all of it really!!

Jessi - Lots of family/pool/beach/ice cream time!

Melissa - Shut the front door!!!!! I won?!?!?! Woo-hoo!!!!! I’m super excited!!!!!
My favorite part of summer is watermelon and hours spent by the pool. Sun-kissed cheeks and flip-flops. Ok, now I’m praying for summer!!

Miss Emily - The best part of summer is melons, pineapple, blueberries, strawberrys, particularly watermelons. giving me shivers now though, here is aus we’re heading back to winter 🙁

stephanie - Sitting on our porch. Watching kids play. Cookouts. VBS. Way too many things to pick just one. : )

Shawna - Best part of summer…kids are more relaxed, no homework!

Krista W. - The very best part of summer is how free we can be! WE have been known to go swimming way past bedtime, or jump in the car for an unexpected vacation, friends dropping by and being able to stay to the wee hours of the night because no one has to go to school in the morning! OR maybe just sleeping in and waking up to a sun kissed house! 🙂
~We LOVE SUMMER~

Michelle - Lazy days and garage sales 🙂

carolyn - warm sunshine! xo

Four Flights - not having to wake up to an alarm clock! and mint lemonade

Tegan M. - Best part of summer is having so much daylight still left when I finally leave work in the evenings. 🙂

Jessica Shibley - I live at a camp and I love it all! Camping, canoeing, crafts…. 🙂

Kelly - As a teacher I used to love the freedom of no schedules that summer brought. Now as a stay at home mama I am looking forward to this summer of moving into our first house and watching my baby boy learn to walk and explore and be able to play in our yard and grilling out in the evenings and enjoying our new sunroom (& I’m hoping to get a hammock!) Kelly

Cori - Lazy hot days where the kids are in and out of the pool all day. I have a book to read and dinner is made at the grill w/ paper everything.Ending w/toasted marshmellows and a hunt for lightning bugs. It doesn’t happen like this all the time but when it does it so good.

Shar - the best part of this summer will be a visit from my daughter and 2 grandsons from Tennessee. They didn’t get to come last year. We will spend fun times at the beach, etc. And, I get to see both of my children together. a rare occurence for us.
And, i really love that the traffic is lighter for driving to work each day. i know, boring, but time is precious!

Jenny Joy - The best part of summer is a warm, lazy evening catching fireflies in a mason jar… and then promptly releasing them all at once so the air is filled with sparkly lights. I <3 summer!

happygirl - Best part of summer – NO SCHOOL. I work at a college and there are NO STUDENTS around to use the gym equipment, pool, live in the dorm rooms over my office, take my parking spot illegally. I LOVE SUMMER!!

Stacy - I love having my son home from school. Lazy summer days, homemade ice cream, fire works, grilling, sorry but I could go on and on. This summer we will be adding to our family so that will be very exciting. Our little girl is due in August.

debbie - No schedules, zinnias and flip-flops!

Rebecca - Meg- There is a recipe I LOVE that calls for hard boiled eggs (only 2 but hey, it’s a start!) it’s Paula Dean’s chicken pot pie recipe
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/paula-deen/hurry-up-chicken-pot-pie-recipe/index.html
I think your family would love it, since we love all your recipes so much!!!!
Have a great day!
Love you to pieces!
Rebecca

Debbie Smallie - Everything! My husband and I are both home all summer with our four kids and we are schedule free!

elma - The best part of summer is spending time with my sweet babies and just taking it easy and no rushing:) I just love staying home and enjoying life with the littles:)

julie - Today, as I am home with a sick kid, I am longing for warmer days to throw all the windows open and let the fresh summer breeze blow all the stinky germs away. Unless, of course, the wind is blowing just right….err, wrong….and the stank of the pig farm down the road fills my home. Then, I would have to say burying my head in my vintage floral sheets freshly dried in the sunshine. Mmmmmm!

mel - this year the best part of my summer will be when we go to the coast with my husband’s family. his parents rented a beach house for the week in south padre. can’t wait to play in the water, relax on the beach and collect sea shells!

Tammy - enjoying schedule free days! with 4 kids, those are hard to come by during the year!

FeFe - The best part of summer is the fact that me kids are home everyday! We’re free from the bondage of the school schedule!!!

Betsy - No schedule! Lazy days or adventurous days depending only on our morning mood.

Amber P - I live in northeast Ohio where we have on average 52 sunny days a year, so the best thing about summer for me is SUNSHINE! And I love summer clothes and gardening!

Liz @ Perfect Chaos - The best part of summer is sleeping in and not having a schedule. Love it!

Dana @ Bungalow'56 - Best part of summer? Sangria : )
Dana

Alisa - Since I am a teacher, it is definitely the “NO SCHOOL” factor!

Bernice - The best part of my summer? Lazy summer days when all my stresses and worries can just blow away in the warm breeze.

Shanda - It’s been a long winter in Wisconsin. My favorite part of the summer is flip flops. No more coats, snow pants, boots, hats and mittens.

Jennifer O'Steen - I didn’t realize until after a very long winter what my favorite part of summer is. i absolutely LOVE when everything outside around me is green! Green trees mean cookouts, pool time, fireflies, and happy people 🙂

Erin - Getting to spend 3 months with my girls. No work, all play!

alyssa - flowers, grilling, being outside, fruit salad, flip flops!

sarah - best part of summer is being outside, naps in the shade, riding my bright orange vespa, and fun trips!!

Katie g - Grilling out, going to the park with the kids, and taking walks after dinner!

Stephanie - I am a teacher, so the best part of summer for me is that I am home and on vacation with my kids all summer! I am genuinely as excited as they are to be home and have them home! No schedules, no stress just relaxed family time:)

Hannah DeVries - A break from teaching! 🙂

Sharla - Oh wow, the pictures look amazing. My favorite part of summer is heading to the pool with the family when I get off of work!

jill - The best part of summer is having my husband home with the boys and I. Two whole months of FAMILY!

Jennifer - Long days are the best part of my summer. More time to spend outside playing with my dirty, sweaty kids! 🙂

Lydia - The best part of summer is spending all day in a canoe with my very “tan-able” husband while I slather on the whole bottle of sunblock to keep from looking like a lobster!! 🙂

Nichole R - I love the lazy summer days with my kids!
Lunch on the grass, bike riding, water balloons, Popsicles!
Ahhh! I can’t wait for the sunshine!! Bring it on!!

Megan - Just the possibility to do something or nothing…..and eating breakfast on the back patio before the kids wake up, just me and the sounds of the neighborhood.

jessica guidi - The Swarms of Dragonfly fluttering above our pool, the fire pit making smores with the kids both young and old,old time amusement park at the boardwalk, and free summer movies outside at the lake. Water balloon fights, surfing, sleeping in, staying up late, drive in movies, Britt’s Doughnuts and letting my girls enjoy having a true childhood.

MaryLea @ pink and green mama - Holy Cow!!! That’s awesome Meg — you’re a decorating rock star and I always make my hubby look at cute pictures of your house (on your blog, don’t worry, we’re not stalking you….yet!)
Summer plans = gardening, hammock time, playing with the girls outside, three weddings, and a much anticipated trip to the beach the last week of summer.

Allison - The best part of my summer is always getting outside, whether I’m hiking, gardening, or just lying around. I love the hot weather, especially now that I’ve moved to Colorado and it’s hot and dry.

Lindsey@ Piecefully Home - um, that’s hard. i don’t like summer. (y’all can stop throwing your flip flops and beach towels at me) the mosquitoes are brutal, the humidity and 100+ heat is a killer, the worry of copperheads where we live intensifies. we do year round schools so my kids are in school during the summer. so i guess the best part of summer is knowing fall is around the corner. 🙂 but i still really would love to win the magazine!

Sarah Osborn - I love spending more time as a family…going to the pool with my kids, more time in the evening to do family things, vacation…..

Maria - After all the rain we’ve had…it will be spending many hours just enjoying the SUN!

Whitney S - Sunshine, lazy weekends and a general feeling of being relaxed. Oh- and my favorite- swimming! (Plus my wedding is this summer, so even more to be excited about!)

Trista - No homework, and family time outside in the evening almost every night.

rkokes - grilling out and playing with the kids outside!

Ann Griffin - The best part about summer is spending all day outside with my 2 year old – blowing bubbles, swimming, taking naps in the hammock

ashley jensen - Grilling out and eating on our back porch, half naked toddler running through the sprinkler, teaching our daughter how to swim in the river, Big Splash (water park), laying on a blanket in our back yard just hanging out.

Jessica - The best part for me is being able to relax on the back porch reading a book, walking barefoot in the grass, and my husband grilling!

Kate - Homemade salsa! (Just one of the many things I love about my favorite season)

Jules - Aww..that’s a hard one…I love summer…would have to say the no-schedule-ness and the warmth of the SUN! and flowers! And flip flops…corn on the cob! my patio! camping!

Sandy - Being outside in the beautiful sunshine!

Tracy - Staying up late!

Janelle - Oh…would love a copy. I actually love my boys baseball games…sitting on the sidelines with my little girls…having drinks and snacks…and then bringing them all home dirty and tired and getting them smelling good before reading books and going to bed 🙂

Lee Ann - The best part is LESS rain and MORE sunshine here in the PNW. We’re so tired of rain!
And I wondered if you could die brown eggs. I haven’t bought eggs in 9 months because we have chickens – which lay all brown eggs. So I bought white ones to die 🙂

JulianneB - Sleeping in and the taking naps by the pool and then everyone falling asleep early after swimming….notice the theme…I think I need to catch up on my rest

Christine - Back porch grilling, front porch snoozing, fresh veggies straight from the garden, and going to the beach. This year will be the first year our adopted son and our first biological son will go to the beach. I absolutely CANNOT wait!

Alissa - So many things! But most of all being outside with the kids, wearing flip flops, and hanging out on the sandbar by the river:))

Catriona - Long, warm, sunny days giving you extra energy for summer holiday fun: picnics, berry-picking, paddling in rivers, chalk pictures on the ground. And I wouldn’t say no to a glass of chilled Rosé at the end of it, either…

Anna Marie - Getting to spend time with my daughter outside in the sun! But this year the best is going to be our new baby girl joining us at the beginning of June. Yay!!!

Chaos-Jamie - Lazy evenings on the back porch….ahhhh, summer….

Julie K - The best part of our summer? Hands down the beach, camping, and no structure!! Would love to see your spread!

Necole - Best part of my summer is going to my parents house with the kids. We love getting to be on the lake?

Laura - The best part of summer is finding a place to curl up outside, with toes in the sun and a breeze to keep you cool. Cloud shapes, lightning bugs, and long days are the best.

Lindsay - Sooooo many great things I love about summer. I’ll go with spending time outdoors because many of the things I love to do are done outdoors! Thanks for the chance to win! 🙂

Christy Mandin - Grilling out in the backyard garden while the kids play in the water. It has taken over this year. But, perhaps the 44 heirloom tomato plants will provide some shade! Haha!

Trish - best part of summer… are the lazy days, and the warm breeze off of the lake.

Stephanie A. - spending time with my kids…….camping, visiting zoo’s, laying in the green grass, blowing bubbles, trips to the library, bike rides, sidewalk chalk art and the warm summer breeze 🙂

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giant squids

April 7, 2011 Filed in crafts & art

craft thursday!
woo-hoo.

this was a BIG craft…..to go along with the title of the book that was our inspiration.

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i love the illustrations in this book I’m the Biggest Thing in the Ocean.

very cute and simple.

annie can read it by herself and SHE suggested we make a giant squid for craft thursday.
it took some thought but we did it.

i thought it would be fun (and artsy) to use painted paper like collage artists often do (eric carle….lois ehlert)
instead of construction paper….but that would work great too!
and you could complete this project in one sitting if you did.
we chose to paint paper one day.
and make the squid another.

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they each painted FOUR sheets of white paper the color(s) they wanted their squid to be.

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when this painted paper was dry we took TWO of the sheets and made a squid head with the full sheet.
confused?
we made them 3D.
one full sheet was the front and one full sheet was the back.

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they drew the pointy elongated shape on one and traced it to the other.
then they glued them together at the side egdes only.
no glue in the middle.
no glue at the bottom.

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we use our low temp glue guns because it drys so quick….regular glue will work….just takes longer to dry.

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we stuff the head with tissue paper (newspaper would have been perfect but ours was gone in the recycle)
it just needs a few sheets to make it puffy and 3D.

the other TWO sheets of remaining painted paper get cut into 10 strips for the “legs”.
annie used wavy edge scissors and it looked awesome….very realistic detail.

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glue them to the inside of the squid head…so that they hang down….like a squid!

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we used white egg cartons for the eye balls.
hot glued them low on the head and wide set.

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black sharpie for the eye ball.
sean used big black buttons for his eyes.

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AND THEN….we cut strips of bubble wrap and glued them to the legs to make the suction cups!  🙂

i glued a sheet of tissue paper to the bottom of the inside of the body to hide the legs and stuffing.

soooo cute!

big project but they loved it.
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the hair….the snaggley loose tooth that she won’t pull out…..the red sonic slushy upper lip…..oh my.
she is such a six year old.

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we love them all.
i hung them with string above our computer area.
they are so silly.

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and for an extra special motivational treat…..

ANNIE will now read the book “i’m the BIGGEST thing in the OCEAN” for you.

 

 

happy crafting.

 

add a comment

Hugo Arnold - These are super cute and creative! Can I have one of those? =) And that little girl’s wiggly tooth is super adorable! Well, your kids seemed to enjoy getting a little crafty. My two kids love arts and crafting too!

Amanda - Oh my! Those squids are totally adorable!
I run Fun Family Crafts, a site similar in nature to Craftgawker and Spotlight, but different in that it’s a library of craft tutorials geared only at kids. I would love it if you’d stop by and submit this to be featured! (I link to you, I don’t post your tutorial on the site) Feel free to submit as many kid friendly craft tutorials as you like! http://funfamilycrafts.com/

lindsay - i work at a daycare and this months theme is under the sea. we read the book then made these yesterday/today in the infant room. i put the paint on the paper and let them have at it. it was a GIANT mess, but hey, that fits with the book, right? the squids are so super cute. thanks for the idea!

MaryLea @ pink and green mama - OMGosh!! These are freakin’ awesome. I love it when the kiddos get all crafty and make fun stuff. So wish we lived closer so we could hang out for crafty play date goodness. xoxo ML

Jenny B. - Love the video!! I like how you put the text over it telling us about the sandwich making. 🙂 Fun project! I’m thinking about doing “craft Thursdays” this summer… maybe… I don’t know… the mess kinda scares me. We’ll see! 🙂 You inspire me, as always.

danielle - loveeeeeeeeeeeeee these books! we have them 🙂 got them at the annual book sale for like $1 each! love the craft too, looks super fun!

merran tatum - seriously. i adore her. awesome job, annie!

Wendy - My 5 yr. old came running as soon as Annie started reading … and she was fascinated! When Annie finished, she said “Mom – she did a really good job”. Thanks for sharing 🙂

Juli - Licking the finger…that is just too much! Could that kid get any cuter?!

Genephur - LOVE that you, too read Twig with your children……Wonderous book!—and adorable craft idea!

Laura - THIS IS AWESOMEEEE!!! The project & Annie’s video are so great! Can’t wait to try it!

Staci - Awesome!!! So totally fantastic!!! And I love the way Annie licks her little finger to turn the page 😉 SO stinkin cute!!!!

carissa... brown eyed fox - “shhhhhhhhh”… loved that part!
i need to pinch her cheeks! :O)
and i heard you!!!!!!
ha!!!!!
just said that in precious comment… and look… i heard you!
so funny!
you sure make me smile!
:O)

Taiya - That is quite fantastic! Love it!

Anne R. - Your Annie is beyond ADOREable & the licking of her finger to turn some of the pages was just over-the-top CUTE! Thanks for sharing. Fantastic craft, too!!! L-O-V-E your blog. It’s da bomb!!

Anne R. - Your Annie is beyond ADOREable & the licking of her finger to turn some of the pages was just over-the-top CUTE! Thanks for sharing. Fantastic craft, too!!! L-O-V-E your blog. It’s da bomb!!

Alice H - That is such a cute idea! I wish I had more time (and money) to do crafts with my kids.
The loose tooth that she won’t pull…my 12 year old just had one of those and when she went to the Dentist, they pulled it. It had been loose for about 2 months. Anyways, she ended up having some gum damage from that loose tooth. Weird, huh!

Stephanie - This is so cute! I am seriously wondering if I can do this with my 20 first graders… big project but they would be so great hanging all over my classroom!! You are so creative~ you should make a craft book:) Love hearing Annie’s sweet voice, she is a great reader!!

Charlene @ Adventures In Mommy Land - That is a super cute craft!! We just made an octopus using bubble wrap for the “legs”. Maybe we’ll try this one sometime this summer. Oh and we LOVE that book too, it’s one of our faves!
Thanks for sharing!!

Sarah - So adorable!

cassie o - so precious how she kept licking her finger to turn the page
thanks for sharing 🙂

Gemma @ Musings of a gem - Really love them…especially Annies…so colourful!
Gemma x

Ali - Oh, I could watch her read for hours. Why did I never video my own children at that stage?

karen - very sweet…love your video’s!

Julie - I love that book!
And I loved watching Annie read it! And, now I want to make a craft with bubble wrap!

LAURA PHELPS - the squids AND the kids are so big
how did that happen???!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Kimberly Dial - Love the squids … every one of them! Your children are such cuties and Annie’s reading …. spectacular. Thanks for sharing!

katie - oh man. i almost didn’t watch that video and i’m SO glad i did.
i cannot even handle that Annie was licking her finger before she turned the pages. so incredibly cute.

Lori - The finger-licking page turning is toooo much 🙂 Such a big girl!

mandy - love!!!

Sarah @ Handbags*N*Pigtails - You are a fleepin awesome momma. I cant wait to meet you @ BlogSugar in September! Can we do a crafty project together when we meet?:)
xo,
Sarah

Beth - Oh my goodness!!! Annie reading that book was toooooooo good. Loved her licking her fingers to turn the page (I’m guessing maybe her mommy does that???). And that snaggle tooth — has it come out yet?? She wiggled it at me when she came to art on Tuesday and I do NOT do well with loose teeth!! When I was secretary Edna and I always said NO NO NO we do NOT do teeth 🙂 That project is also the BOMB. You are the best mom ever.

Heather R. - She did finger lickin’ good. Too cute. LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the squids! Great job. 🙂

amy jupin - i love everything about this post.
annie’s voice.
hearing yours.
seeing more cuteness hanging over the computer.
everything.
ben is laying on your pillow next to me.
just so you know. 🙂
miss you.
hugs.

Wendy - THose are really cute!!
I have to ask, incase you know – any idea why I’m getting so much traffic from you? I had almost 200 visits that list you as source. But I can’t figure out why?

Angela Atkins - My two year old daughter loves it. So we are going to watch it again. Probably a lot.

Kathryn - 1) A PERFECT snack for this activity would have been the deep fat fried and glazed squid ‘donuts’ from Drubers!

Marla Rae - how fun. i am going to put this book on the list of books i want to get my grandson and then of course make a squid to go with it! WOW MEG YOU ARE A GREAT MOM! the sound on my computer doesn’t work but i will listen to annie at my office tomorrow! way to go you guys!!

se7en - I just love your giant squids – awesome!!!

Callie - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M3ylcwm0xR8
i think annie would appreciate this video! my kindergarten students loved it!

Leslie - I love seeing your crafty Thursday goodies – you are so creative. What a cute video – I love how she licked her finger to turn the page – lol!! And she reads so quietly until the attention turns to Waffle and then her big voice comes out – love it!

Penny - Meg,
Your home looks and “sounds” like a wonderful place to be! I love Waffle getting in on the action. And the music in the background. I hope I was as good a mom, mine are 23, 20, 17. It’s funny how I wish I could transport myself back for a day and relive the wonderful times with little ones. Cherish, I know you do!!
Annie,
You did a great job reading that book. You are an awesome reader. I love how you used your imagination for the pages without words. Keep up the good work!
Miss Penny

Happygirl02 - um, how cute is she licking her finger like an old librarian?! Adorable. Thanks for sharing.

Toni :O) - Okay, by far one of my most favorite videos! How adorable is her finger licking and then Waffle (he has HAIR!)coming by and swishing his tail into the book…so hilarious! What a great craft project, you truly are a terrific mother and extremely creative. Such a beautiful family!

Amy L. Weber - YAY ANNIE!!
I’m a 1st grade reading teacher from South Dakota, (can you find it on a map?) and LOVED your reading! You are doing so many things that good readers do: going back and re-reading, checking your pictures, using great expression, and fixing it up when notice something! Wow! Those are great strategies! Way to go!
Amy

kelli - too cute!! i love how annie licks her finger then doesn’t really use that finger to turn the page 🙂

Kimberlee J. - My librarian from school used to lick her finger like that. I remember practicing licking my finger to turn the pages to be just like her. 🙂
Annie rocks at reading.

Jennifer - You Rock!!!
In your spare time (HAHA!!!) would you tell me what your desk is made out of? We’re wanting to pull some kind of desk/workspace area together and I don’t have an extra 3 grand lying around to order the ones from Ballard that I super want and I’d love to figure out some other creative, re-purpose-y way to do it.

Esther Dee - Meg, I totally admire you as a mom so much. I love how you let your children engage in so many art projects regardless of the messes, art is such a great way for children to express themselves. I meet so many mommies and they say to me oh I can’t have them do this or that because of the paint mess. I was just like you when my children were small, now I do it with my grandchildren. Keep it up, honey!!!

Routhie - Love the background music. Gave it a Masterpiece Theatre feel. 🙂

Regina - Very, very, oh-so-very CUTE! Now, I wonder if I can talk my 12 and 16 year-olds into making giant squids with me too?! Wish me luck…

sarah - I love that she licks her finger to turn the page! too cute

Lisa - Good job coming up with a plan for crafting squid! They are so cute. That reminds me of the year I had to figure out how to make a pink seal costume for my three year old. Oh my.
My little girl said as I watched the video “She’s a good reader!”

Juli - Oh, she is so cute! I wish I’d thought to videotape my kids back when they were learning to read. Ah, well….
There’s always videotaping the grandkids. Someday.

Steph at Modern Parents Messy Kids - Those turned out so great!
I also wanted to thank you for featuring my Paint Chip Egg Garland tutorial.
Your site was one of the first blogs I ever followed. Then I had my daughter and lost track of the blogging world for a while. I’m so glad to have found you again – your site is full of lovely inspiration!

amanda - So cute! 🙂

adrienne - yea annie!!! cute cute! love the giant craft

Cindy B - Thanks for sharing. Love the craft and the bonus read by Annie. TOOO Cute!

Jemm - So cute-I hadn’t heard about that book. I miss having younger ones to read picture books to. My baby is turning 10 tomorrow-yikes!

Sandy - Love that book and loved Annie reading it!

Shayne - The squids are cute, but Annie’s reading was AWESOME!

Meghan - Now those are awesome!

Jes - I sense we will have squid hanging in our home soon too!
What a great story, and I especially liked her own words at the end!

happygirl - So cute. Painted paper. What a GREAT idea.

Tracie - We discovered this book at the last school book sale and we LOVE it. It is great. What a fun craft!

Whitney S - Oh my goodness, I love it! I cannot wait to have children so I can make fun things like this with them! My mom is a teacher so I have always been into fun book crafts- love them!

Nicole Q. - Super cute!

Jen Brandt - Love, love, love it and totally stealing the idea. Thanks!

Christy - Love it!! Love the finger licking AND hearing your voice. Just like the other commenters, not what I was expecting:)

Christy - What a GREAT craft! Love it! My son has this book too & we love it. I think my son & I will have to make one of these too. Great job, love all of the squids!

Lindsay - Finally hearing your voice is wild! Like the previous comments, I had a different voice for you in my head.
She is a doll reading that so confidently.

Jen - lalalalala… Love it my favorite part was the finger lick when she turned the first page… hahaha Hi Waffle…

rachel / cr.e.at.e - annie’s paint job is BEAUTIFUL! LOVE the eyes & bubble wrap accents! cute video – love the commotion in the background. 😉 p.s. your voice doesn’t sound like it does when i read your posts. 😉 i think because you kind of look like one of my friends, i gave you her voice, too. not the same! you’re less raspy than i imagined! HA HA HA! i’ll have to tweak my meg-reading voice!

sharron - i love how she she licks her finger before turning the pages!!! she is a doll!
love the squids too and that you hung them above the computer area!
happy crafty thursday!

Lisa - Oh my goodness! That video was so great. Love how Annie was licking her finger to turn the pages at the beginning. So cute. And the background noise and the “word commentary” made me laugh!

Lauren - I love that she licks her finger before she turns the pages! How sweet, Miss Annie. You are a pro-reader! Way to go!

Holly - those look like a lot of fun! I have a kindergartener and I love hearing him read!

Kari - You are such a fun and creative mom! I sure wish I was more crafty. Thanks for sharing your projects.

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friday.

March 25, 2011 Filed in crafts & art,family fun,sports

our craft thursday this week has March Madness theme to it.

i found these big paper mache letters at Joann's for $3.00 each on sale.

(how great is the NEW joann's in wichita?! awesome.)

i grabbed the KU paint colors and we had the glitter at home already.
my kids get excited about new sponge brushes too.

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sean and talby painted the K.
annie and i painted the U.

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it took a few coats to get it covered fully.
then when it was dry we painted the front side with glue.

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then covered it in glitter.

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FANCY.

we also made posters for our windows (just like when i was a cheerleader!)
we made signs to hold during the games.
and we filled out our brackets.
according to our scoring annie is winning so far.

tonight we are going to watch the game together as a family.

i will fight my urge to get up and do other things while it's on….it's hard to sit still and just watch.
but i will do it.

i think.

ROCK —————————————–
CHALK —————————————
JAYHAWK ———————————–

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🙂

—————————————————————————————————————————

vintage pearl gift certificate WINNER!!!

I would get the angel wing with my husband's name on it. Sadly, he passed away a year ago, and I know he is watching over my son and I. He is forever in my heart, and I know God put him in my life for a reason. I know I will see him again, and it will be a sweet reunion.

Posted by: Gretchen P | 03/22/2011 at 07:58 PM

————————————————————————————————————————–

gretchen…….send me your info and i will pass it onto erin at the vintage pearl!

 

 

add a comment

Kelly - I have a small cheer girl with big cheer dreams. KU is on her radar which delights me as it is just close enough to be away from home. She would love to know about your cheer experience. ~Kelly
unDeniably Domestic

Dawn - Great craft. Now we are Iowa Hawk fans but I loved your craft. Good idea.

Brooke - I am so sorry that you haven’t even had a chance to talk about your sad jayhawk loss. I am wondering if I could borrow your letters and turn them into UK for the Wildcats 🙂 My sweetest friends are Jayhawks…and we always joke because they live in LExington, KY….home of UK. We always talk about how their letters are confused. But through the years, they have turned me into a jayhawk lover (behind the cats)….so I was so sad to see them go out of the tournament to VCU. Hope your kids are not too bummed!
I am SO BUMMED, I missed your store opening, like so many others, I am sure. I am so sad :). I had my eye on a heather bailey/polka dot pillow for so long!! Maybe next time! Happy week to you!

christine - Hubby and I were just in San Antonio for our 10th anniversary & the KU people were everywhere! There was a section of the Riverwalk that was sectioned off with large KU Alumni Association welcome banners and all that. It was fun, festive and reminded me of you 🙂

Kirsten P - So glad you and your family got to enjoy the cool glittery KU letters with a win on Friday!! So sad they lost today.

Candy - Love those! I need to make some of those before the game tomorrow! ROCK CHALK!!

Lisa - Super cute! I bought a couple of those letters awhile back. Love them!

Staci - I love this so much 🙂

Elizabeth - Adorable, but we would need U N C — go Tar Heels! 🙂

the whyte house - the kids and i were out east this week and noticed they had opened the new joann’s. i told my husband that the store looked huge and he said, “greeeeattt”. haha.

Courtney Walsh - These turned out so cute!!! 🙂

Kat - Gretchen sounds like a very deserving winner! Enjoy Gretchen!

Teresa - Goooo Jayhawks!!! Love the letters!

Jamie - That looks so pretty on the computer, but I REALLY Want to know if it looks like that for real?

Sally - That is awesome that Gretchen won!

Kelly - Those letters look GREAT! Kelly

marta - i am so doing this. i love glitter. i love letters. i love getting crafty. thank you. p.s. i appreciate the guest post so much. you are a new and likely forever favorite. xo.

Allison - Rock Chalk!
(And April, or anyone else who is wondering, “Rock Chalk Jayhawk!” is a cheer for KU. “Rock chalk” refers to the particular limestone that is prevalent in western and central Kansas… if you drive through Kansas, you’ll see limestone post rock fences lining the fields.)

sherry - Love this. I am also a Kansas native, living in Seattle, I think I need to represent :). Rock Chalk!! Looking good so far!!

Stephanie - Here in Tucson we are U of A fans all the way… maybe our teams will meet up for the championship game!!! Love the letters though:)
Can’t wait for your etsy shop to open so I can order that cute rainbow shirt that Annie is wearing (or the jacket) LOVE IT!!

Heather - Rooooock….Chaaaaaalk….Jay….Haaaaawk…K……U…..!
Rock Chalk JayHawk – KU!
Love. Love. Love. The letters! Awesome! I have glitter envy.

Margo - I saw all of your posters in the windows this week – they are great! I love your KU glitter letters as well – ROCK CHALK JAYHAWK!!!

Danielle - Love Annie’s shirt!

Molly - ROOOOOOOOOOOCKKKKKKKK CHALLLLLLLKKKK JAYYYYYYHAWWWWWWKKKK! I might just have to make letters like that, but I really want a glitter covered Jayhawk!

Amanda - seriously??? are you TRYING to dare me to stop reading your blog?!??! Because I can’t handle this kind of stuff. I tried so hard not to hear you actually saying that chant as it was typed out – but it was SOOOO hard, and SOOOO annoying!!!
I guess you may be awesome enough I can look past this.

Tracy Fisher - First, your winner was so meant to be! What a touching story. And second, Go Jayhawks! They are on my bracket too. I figured that if I can’t win (the tv remote, that is)… then I should join them (yes, I had my 10 yr old help me out with my picks and I am beating the whole family).
Tracy Fisher

karen - i love glitter!! love the letters!
it makes me cringe a bit when i see it being poured like that. i know it’s weird…when my 3 year old uses it…i keep saying ‘don’t waste it’!
I know I know…i got to get over it!

Tricia - This Mizzou alum will be rooting for Kansas tonight! Just don’t tell anyone! 🙂

Sarah@this farm family's life - LOVE IT! I’ll be watching tonight also.

Sharla - I agree with Catie 🙂 – but this KSU fan will be watching tonight’s game with my brother, who is a big KU fan. . . .

Mindy Harris - gretchen’s comment is making me cry!!
i’m a k-state alum but i still read your blog. 🙂

Brianna - KU is playing U of R! This city of Richmond is going nuts with two of our hometown teams in the Sweet 16! Go Spiders! Sounds like so much fun to be watching the game together 🙂

deedrap - Hey Meg- a friend of mine sent this to me…thought the Duerksen’s might enjoy it!!! Rock Chalk!!!
http://www.theatlantic.com/culture/archive/2011/03/march-madness-if-you-root-against-kansas-you-root-against-america/72991/

Molly - Very cute!!! We are hopeing KU wins…but only because we cheer for the Big 12 when our team is out (….and they have been out for awhile). We are hopeful they get back into the big dance real soon! We are {huge} Iowa State fans:) Have a great night!!

MommaH - As the one other KU fan couple at church: ROCK CHALK!!!

Terrie Galle - Dear Megan…I’ve LoVeD all of your posts..up til now…bet you can’t guess why! I still love ya though!! Sincerely…a kSu fan 🙂 You’re laughing right?! Cause…I like to keep you laughing! It’s what I do best 🙂

Jemm - I was so bummed I didn’t win, then I read Gretchen’s comment and felt like a dork. So glad she won and God bless.
As far as THE game goes…stinkin’ Jayhawks. But I’ll be cheering for them tonight anyway. I’m just still smarting over the Wildcat’s loss, I’m an Wildcat alum after all! Cute letters 😉

pam - Love the letters….Rock Chalk Jayhawks! One of my roommates in college was the baby Jay mascot. I used to go into a storage room at the arena to help her get into her outfit. I still remember the size 20 something men’s B-ball shoes laying around in there. Thankfully when I was in college in the 70’s it was not as hard to get tickets for the games and we won a lot then too. I can never walk away from our boys when they’re on….they do some amazing passes and slam dunks….just don’t want to miss any of it.

emily anderson - rock chalk! i have a hard time watching the games though—i get all funky and nervous.
lol.

Kate - LOVE IT! Rock Chalk!

Nancy - Love the sparkle and the team spirit. I lived in Witchita from 1999-2000. A brief stint but I loved it none the less. So glad there is a new rockin’ Joann’s. Congrats.

ashley jensen - Hmmm…I noticed a shirt change on Annie in the pictures. We only watch the Superbowl. The letters would be cute for anything though!

april - they are sparkly!!! But what in the heck is rock chalk jayhawk??? I dont get it??? Please help!
april

Tonya - I’m so glad Gretchen won the vintage pearl gc!
We’ll be watching the Hawks tonight…you just might hear us cheering! ROCK CHALK JAYHAWK…KU!!!

Kimberlee J. - Love the KU letters so much I’m thinking of doing some for myself….KJ.
Too much?
Yay for Gretchen!

heather - yay for gretchen!!
God loves you and your son Gretchen. He loves you both so very much.
xoxo

Jodi - Fancy letters for sure!
We are not BBall fans… Soccer is our sport! :o)

Dana Banana - Lovin that you made signs to hold up during the game!

catie - the letters sure are cute, but i’d rather add an S and paint them purple and white! GO CATS! 🙂
and, YES, the new joann’s is FANTASTIC!! i’m going there after work tonight!

Beth - Love those letters…ok I am going do this with Lexi and will share one day..not sure when we will but we are…this looks like lots of fun for the both of us! We will have to have a “U” in ours also…UGA Rocks!
Oh so happy that Gretchen won! I don’t even know who she is but oh so happy!
Have a great weekend!

Karen Gerstenberger - Those letters turned out great! Since Gonzaga (the men’s team) is no longer in the running, I will root for your team.

Leah - Can your kids to SDSU for my Aztecs? I know they lost yesterday, but those letters are awesome!

Jenny Joy - I can’t think of a better way to commemorate Gretchen’s husband! 🙂
And ROCK CHALK! We’ll be watching, too.

Courtney - so great i totally need these!!!
ROCK CHALK BABY!

sara @ it's good to be queen - love it! so fun. you’re a good mama. my husband hasn’t lived in kansas in 14 years but he is a through and through jayhawk fan. he puts them to win on his bracket every. single. year.

tasha roe - love me some KU and some “fancy letters”
glitter makes everything better!

Meredith Salmon - So glad that Gretchen won. She deserves it. God bless to Gretchen and her son.

Amanda - LOVE IT! 🙂 Rock chalk!

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crafty

March 16, 2011 Filed in crafts & art

our third year of the junk sculptures.
here are links to previous projects….

2009……..…2008……….…..we were inspired by ms. kristin's junk scultures.

i just start saving little things i find on the floor or in the car or on the sidewalk.
i save corks from wine bottles, bottle caps, mentos gum containers and throw them all in a box.
and finally when we have a free day and i can handle a giant messy craft…..

we build.

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they just started.
everyone had their own glue gun.
i give them no instructions other than "be creative.  do whatever you want"

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we decided it looked like Times Square.
then i googled times square so they could get more ideas and so annie could see what it was.

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mustache break.

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i am aware that it looks like a big pile of trash…..because it is.
but to the creator…..the artist…..it has shape and meaning.
they see billboards on the sides of sky scrapers…..air conditioners on rooftops…..doors…..tunnels….statues.

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it's a fun project.
next year we will definitely be doing personal junk robots.
i think they would enjoy making something of their own…..not having to "share the vision" with their siblings.

i guess i should start saving things again.

currently Times Square is on top of waffle's kennel….a perfect fit.
quite fancy.

all the craft thursday projects are here.

 

 

add a comment

Erin - oh man i love this! so starting this tradition in our family! thanks!

Fran Gospodarek - Megan, I think this is a marvelous idea and helps create creativity! Although I currently don’t have something in mind, I am constantly saving various things so one day I can create something different. I like to think of it as recycling, too.

kristine - it totally looks like time square. you could take great photos of it and frame it. i love that you do this craft. and so fun for annie to get to hot glue!!

Jill - Oh, and I just read the comment from one of your readers suggesting that you spray paint the whole thing one color. I like that idea too!!
So inspired…can’t wait for “Camp”

Jill - Oh, I am so excited to see this project!! Every year, we have our grand-kids come to “camp” and this will be a great project for the oldest. I was a little worried about the glue guns, but it seems as though your kids are handling them just fine!!! And…I have PLENTY of junk!!!
Thanks for the inspiration!!

Anna - The Duerksens rock!
Spray paint the whole thing with primer and then a solid color. Then you will really be able to see the shape. If you do, I wanna see it. Can I please come over for craft day? I will be really good and not burn myself or spill anything…promise.

deb meyers - These remind me of the “LookAlike” books and puzzles. Have you ever seen? Love.
so fun, Meg
http://www.amazon.com/Look-Alikes-More-You-Look-See/dp/0316713481/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1300370633&sr=1-1
deb meyers

wendy, NJ - This is so why I LOVE your blog! You are the best mommy ever…What do you do with it though when the novelty wears off?

nicole @ deliajude - what do you do with this project later…like 6 months form now or even next week? Just curious.

Katie - I love that they worked together.

chasity - hurray for trash art…a favorite around here too!
love their creativity!!!!

Beth - You are such a cool mom! I love that you just let them go at it — that is the best thing to let anyone do! Just have fun and create. I had so much fun with kindergartners recently, giving them each a plate with 6 colors of paint on it — they could paint however they wanted and mix the colors! They were in heaven, seriously!! They loved it. And on another note, Sean’s moustache reminded me of a little tidbit of information I (re)learned today while teaching about facial proportion — that little indentation under your nose and above your lip? It’s called the philtrum. You needed to know that, right?

Talysa - Such a fabulous idea! Thanks for sharing!

april's craft nest - super fun!!! one day when my son is old enough we’d love to try this! i have junk!

Vera - Awesome! I started collecting junk when y’all did this last year… but someone kept throwing my junk away!!

Michele Renee - Turn in that Box Top!
My kids would love this–but Hubs would have a nervous breakdown.

sandy toe - That is super fun…you would be a perfect home schooler
sandy toe

BELLE PHELPS - I love the crafts you do. My favorite were the bird houses. Tell Talby I say hi!
BELLE

kristin - love it. and YOU will love that we are about to make a RAINBOW JUNK sculpture.
: )

Diana - They’re learning and having loads of fun no matter what they’re doing with these things… and that’s what counts. Think I’ll go build my own Times Square out of junk. =)
♥

crystalbeutler - Super fun idea! My kids would have loved this! You genius you. 😛

Ali @ HuYoung Heaven - I love how you encourage their creativity! That’s something I really hope to foster in my daughter….when she’s just a tad older than 5 months. Is 5 months too young too start building junk sculptures?

Hannah - Hello Meg, I have only just discovered your blog – through your guest post on Marta Writes. I am captivated! Your creativity is so very inspiring, as is your love for Jesus : )
I love the colour, passion and photography that you have put into your blog – thankyou for sharing your gifts and skills with the world. I will most definitely be stopping by again!

Erin Leigh - This is so fun Meg. Can I be your kids for a day?!?!?

se7en - Oh I have been reading and loving your blog so long that I knew what this post was before I opened it!!! Totally love the art work!!! Why have I never thought of giving my kids a glue gun to play with … like hello!!! They would love it!!!

Lindsay - I LOVE that you encourage such creativity with your kids! It will have such a long-lasting impact- when they are working on projects much later in life, they will have the ability to draw on their imagination and see things in new ways- such a gift you are giving them!

Janene - Such a fun mom!! saving all that junk would drive me bonkers: )

Stefanie Arnold - alright, show of hands… who says she wins MOM OF THE YEAR award for this one? My kids would adore you. Which means I need to let them do this one soon 🙂
Loved these pictures. The concentration on your girl’s faces was priceless.

Lauren - My kids would love this. I wonder if I could get them to use up all those worthless McDonald’s toys they have, maybe create some kind of scene with them…

Marcella - Great that you did this with your children- I dream of doing trash art too and then worry that I’d be at a loss of where to display it…
BTW,to the commenter on glue guns in kiddos’ hands, there are low temp glue guns available, if the heat issue worries you.

Valerie @ Chateau A La Mode - You’re a fun mommy!

Anne @ Baking Me - What a fun idea! I love the Times Square creation, it is so cool 🙂

Courtney Walsh - I was just going to ask the same question Shauna asked. I do all kinds of projects with my kids and then am at a loss for what to do with them!!!

Shauna - What happens to the Junk Sculptures after theyve been created?

danielle - so fun! you are supa mama.

mel @ the larson lingo - this is so fun! you have the best ideas! my oldest would love this….she is a hoarder 🙂

hannah - wonderful idea, looks like y’all had great fun!
thanks for sharing!
love your blog!! xo

Ali - SO SO awesome!!! I definitely want to start doing this with my kids 😉

Jill - So it’s a post on a craft project and I’m going a little deep here but you said this about it:
i am aware that it looks like a big pile of trash…..because it is.
but to the creator…..the artist…..it has shape and meaning.
It just struck me. We often feel like/’look like/act like a big pile of trash but to our Creator we have shape and meaning. A good thing to remember. 🙂

Sarah @ Handbags*N*Pigtails - This is one of the reasons I love your blog so much Meg. My parents never did stuff like this with me so, sadly, I have to learn how to entertain my kids, let them be creative,etc… It just doesnt come naturally to me to let them do stuff like this. And they LOVE to be creative! Thanks for sharing:)
XO,
Sarah

elissa - ok, this is a super cool idea and a fun way to use all the little broken and leftover bits from toys and games… however, what on earth do you DO with it after it’s done and everyone is done looking at it and taking pictures? do you just chuck it then?

Penny - I truly believe that fostering the imagiantion and curiosity of a child is the best gift you can give them, besides our love of course! You are doing an awesome job of this. And I am glad Waffle gets to guard “Times Square”.

candace - LOVE it…..i think this may be what originally drew me to your blog. well, and the shaving cream. and the peonies. and your kitchen.
it is incredible you are teaching them to see the beauty in what they create.

Jen Brandt - I do believe you’re up for Mother of the Year. Very cool, creative project! And! What happy childhood memories.

Shauna - One year when I was in high school I found an old vase and glued a bunch of “junk” to it (including my old retainer! Ha!), spray painted it gold and gave it to my mom for her birthday. It was fun to make and she loved it. Or at least she said she did! 🙂

Staci - You’re so awesome 🙂 I am sooo not as fun as you 🙁 My kids would be burning themselves with the hotglue gun and then I’d want to throw it away about a day later ;( I soooo need to lighten up 🙂

happygirl - By the look on the artists’ faces, this looks like SERIOUS art. Thank goodness for the mustache break. I love that you have ideas to engage your children’s hands and minds. It a credit to your mothering skills. Fun, fun and more fun.

Kiki Craig - What do you do with the sculptures after a week or two? Toss them?

karen - This is so fun!
Talby always looks so concentrated when she is crafting. Very sweet.

Jen - I am very impressed. You are such a good mom. Just the thought of saving all that junk for a year gives me HIVES!! And then the thought of glue guns in the hands of my sweet offspring gives me hives on top of those hives!

Katie - What a fun way to get them to create! I love it!

Valentina - This is soo cool! Remind me the Heidelberg Project.

Amy - I am dying to know where your blue sofa came from. I have had a sofa like that in my mind but haven’t actually seen one for sale. Help!

Gemma @ Musings of a gem - Hi!
Love the junk building : ) It reminds me of that game…Rabbids go home or something or other!
Gemma x

ashley jensen - HA, the telephone!! Looks like you have a bubble boy there too! I love it.

deborah@applesinwonderland - my youngest is saving all rolls–toilet paper, paper towel and wrapping. he has big plans. it will be spectacular. he assures me. i believe. what’s not to believe? have to say you have some impressive junk. and mustaches are all the rage–what a BEAST!!!!! 🙂

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thursday.

February 17, 2011 Filed in crafts & art,just the two of us

as in craft thursday.

i looked through the deep space sparkle website looking for something colorful.
i found it.

remember this book?

A-color-of-his-own-leo-lionni-cover

 
its cute.
and colorful.

we read the book and then we made our own chameleons.

first we drew a big chameloen….then outlined it with sharpie or oil pastel (but right now we are out of oil pastels)

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after it was drawn….it was time to paint.
we used our favorite watercolors.

each of them made their chameleon have "a color of his own"….all colors.

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after they dried completely we cut them out and glued them to construction paper….makes them POP!

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this project made me really happy.
happy to see smiley chameleons with curly tails….good stuff.

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and last but not least…..danielle asked me to participate in her february series of "love stories".
if you'd like to see our really lovely wedding pic in 1994……
you can read it here.   

 

 


add a comment

Lauren - Your love story is amazing, Meg! The fact that your love story started so young and is still going this many years later (and is stronger), well, that is just inspiring 😉 Thanks so much for sharing with us!

Michelle - Wow, we have very similar stories. Your words are so well put. My hubby and I just celebrated 14 years of marriage last week. We have been together since I was a Sophmore, he was, and is still, my only boyfriend. I found out I was pregnant in August after I graduated high school. I was 17. A painfully sad time in my life. Such a change of plans in our lives, and my parents not supporting our marriage- they didn’t even attend our wedding, its nothing short of a miracle that we are still together and loving each other more today than ever. We have in a sense grown up together, and changed in so many ways, God has definitely kept us together through it all.
Anyhow, I just wanted you to know, that I have loved your blog since the day I found it. I appreciate your honesty, and am glad to hear someone else say the things I feel. Raising kids, a daughter who in so many ways is more like my sister because of our ages, is tough. Your blog is such a happy place, even on the bad days their is a rainbow around somewhere 🙂

Vonda - Meg you and your family are awesome. I don’t know if there is a perfect love story. I think some sound that way, but we all have things we go through…some things we think we would change, and then we look at what we have and smile! 🙂

Val - Your response to JR’s comment was perfect. It’s what I would expect…I love your blog. Live life happy…that’s what it’s all about…can’t let those that aren’t get you down. Thanks for the happy reads.

Val - Hi Meg,
I tried to email you, but I can’t get it to work! I had a question about your Africa pictures. I was hoping you wouldn’t mind if I used some of them for a school presentation on malnutrition in Africa. I will have a resource page with your blog name to credit the pictures to you’re okay with me using some of them.
Thanks! Please email me back if you are okay with it!
(P.S. I’ve been a loyal blog reader for over a year and love it!)

Sugar Mama - Meg, We have even more in common now than I ever thought before. I read your “love story” and mine is about the same except I got pregnant while in highschool. It was scary… and not what I ever expected for my life at the time.
And the chameleons? Love them!

Susan Freeman - John Rambo came to my blog too and left an ugly comment. I posted about it today. I hope that you will come to visit my blog and read my post in praise of American Women. This is my first time to your blog and I am glad that I found you, despite the fact that it was under such distasteful circumstances. Your post is so charming and what great fish your kids created!! Love your blog and will return often.
Love,
Susan and Bentley
xxoo

Karen - Meg;
I have been reading your posts for a few months now, and you are great because I can always count on you for a lift in spirit and a reminder of how great life really is. That is such a gift that you have to be able to inspire so many people in that way.
I just read your love story, and I found it so touching and real and beautiful. Thankyou for sharing something so personal. I guess that’s why I read your blog. You give us all yourself. Thanks.

Heather R. - Love the pictures. Rainbow chameleons make me happy, too. 🙂

Lisa - Ok, now have to go read your love story, sound wonderful.
p.s. I got a comment on my blog once that was rude and nasty, only unfortunatley it wasn’t a spammer, it was my EX husband!! lol!!! notice emphasis on the “EX”!! He and Mr. Rambo would probably love each other, hehe!!
Thanks for always putting a smile on my face, I never miss a post from you 🙂

Carol S - Darn, those turned out cute! I must be too old to know that kids book though. Hungry Hungry Caterpillar I recall which was similarly colorful?

jen - Yep. You got spammed Meg.

Jilly - Leo Lionni and Eric Carle are favorites at our casa…even though they are all teenagers!

amanda - Ladies, don’t you get it? John Rambo is using classic reverse psychology. Now none of us “American women” can stop thinking about him and with a name like “Rambo” you know he must be a hottie! jk, I get comments like that a lot in the “spam”, though they are mostly about owning my own business or finding a mail order bride, none quite as interesting as Mr.Rambo, aka, Rocky 1,2,3,4,5 and 6. 🙂

nic - make that irresisIble. spelling, shmelling.

nic - ah, art projects like these make my heart sing. (do you paint alongside your kids? because i would totally be making my own curly-tailed chameleon right here. irresistable.)

Valerie @ Chateau A La Mode - I love your love story. God is good isn’t He!

alyssa - wow. I loved your love story. you did so good! so honest. so God-honoring. I think you should repost it here.

sara's art house - LOVE the chameleons!!!! I will def copy this..

merlin - Now, this is a craft that I might be able to do (if you provide the chameleon template), so perhaps you could add it to your list of craft projects for the crafting weekend.
Maybe you could have a crafting weekend just for the non-crafty readers, I read through the 800+ comments and was relieved to know I am not the only one.
Yes, your mission could be to gather the lost and uncrafty souls and encourage us, the others already know how 🙂 We NEED you.

Courtney Walsh - Do you ever almost dip your paintbrush in your coffee instead of the paint water?
I noticed the coffee cup right in the thick of it and remembered the time I did just that. lol 🙂
Love these!! They are sooo cute!

Lauren - Meg your love story brought tears to my eyes.
Thank you for sharing what God can do even through the tough…not so pretty….situations in our lives.

Aimee - Rambo seems like a spammer…I doubt he’s even read your blog. Twerp. 😉
Thank you for sharing your love story…I love hearing it, especially because it’s not “typical.”

Laura Phelps - I’m doing this project RIGHT NOW
seriously
now
after I make some coffee

Holly Cox - Hey Meg….
If you ever actually speak with John Rambo, not that you’d want to, You can tell him that I said {{really loud}}:
SOME MYSTERIES SOLVE THEMSELVES!
If he’s ever experienced any of his complaints about American Women, his attitude makes it very clear as to why he would have been treated that way. 🙂 Just a thought!
<3 Holly C.

Juliann - Megan – awesome love story! You did a great job sharing that; being vulnerable and honest. YOU ARE GREAT!!
also, I would love to see a guest post by Mr. Duerksen to John Rambo as to why American women are great 🙂

Lorie S. - I just saw your blog yesterday and am in love with it. I am so inspired. I sometimes get down on myself for being a stay at home mom and do I really make a difference??? And the answer is YES!!!!! What would happen to our homes if there wasn’t the mom to hold it together. I look forward to ready tomorrow.

Emily Zimmerman - Hi Meg!!! Love love love your blog!!! When I saw your post about not being able to host 870 people for a craft weekend, I thought you were exaggerating. Then I scrolled down and saw 871 comments on your post!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WOW!!!! You are so loved!!!!!

Phebe Roberts - Hi Meg,
Don’t know if you remember me but I was the one who forwarded the vid. Asian pineapple cutting! 🙂 Anyways, just wanted to share what you and lovely fam. inspired my 5yo son to accomplish this morning. You can see it here http://blossombucket.blogspot.com/2011/02/inspired-to-paint.html
Thanks a zillion + some

Janine - This is a great idea. And it’s educational too since it goes along with reading a book. I may do something like this next week when I have to watch my nieces & nephew.
I enjoyed reading your love story. So sweet.
Oh and the John Rambo thing – what strange spam! I missed it yesterday.

Lori in Iowa - Wow. It was refreshing to read such an honest and inspiring love story. My own love story has a twisted road but at the end was something amazing.
Thanks for the honesty.

Heather - Love the chameleons! Love your love story! Love your blog! John Rambo has some major issues, but it was great laugh. Wonder where he meets his American women for him to have those views!!?

Paula Montalvo - Meg, John obviously hasn’t read your blog AT ALL. If he did he would realize that you are a great Wife, Mother, Cook, and cute to boot! In a nutshell……….He’s off his bloody rocker!!! It was a good laugh though at how nutty people can be. Love the chameleons and the great rainbow colors! Blessings <3 Paula

happygirl - Thanks for not deleting the “funny” comment. I LOVE the colors. They really brightened my day today. And I needed some brightening. <3

Leah - I loved your love story! And you know what? It’s REAL. Real life. Sometimes I think there’s too much romatic fantasy out there. And those couples who have that, end up not working out (not all … just some). What works is what’s real. Like your story. Thank you!

Candy - Meg-I just read your love story and it brought tears to my eyes. I can see the love in your eyes and your husbands. It is such a sweet thing. I love how God can take something, that at the time, we feel, will destroy us, and make it something awesome and wonderful! Thank you for sharing your story, it spoke to my heart.

Terrie - Megan – Love your chameleons!! Wish I was one of your kids!! Or you had been my mom!! I LOVE crafts! I also LoVeD your LOVE story!!! I had tears for you…for what you didn’t have and tears for me…because I was a child of such a beginning…only my mom wasn’t like you. I didn’t get to do crafts, she barely let me in the kitchen…unless it was to do the dishes. I was told I wasn’t wanted…so I applaud you & Craig…for making a family centered on HIM. Your story blesses me like you will never know. I love that the two of you chose LOVE & family even when it was hard! I LOVE our God & that HE has BLESSED your family! I too am Blessed beyond measure…only through Him have I been able to overcome and be a better mother than the example I had. You, Meg, are a wonderful example to your readers!

Jen - Awesome book! My daughter’s preschool teacher asks that in lieu of bringing treats for the students, each child provide a book for the classroom on his/her birthday. My daughter chose this book and we are just about to order it. I will have to have her do this craft as well (she will LOVE it)… gearing up for her *rainbow* birthday party. Yahoo for rainbows!

Karen Gerstenberger - This posting (about your marriage) is one of the many reasons I love your blog…you are REAL about life and REAL about God. Thank you for being MEG, every day, and not putting on airs or trying to be someone else. The world needs MEG – God clearly saw that and made you! May His love continue to bless you and your family. xoxox

Heather - I went and read your story and came back to say IT IS AWESOME all that God can accomplish when we give ourselves and our relationships to Him! It makes me think of “At the Foot of the Cross”, when we sing “now I can trade these ashes in for beauty”. I LOVE that. I feel like I’m still learning that, every day. Thanks for sharing the testimony of your marriage. 🙂

lauren - i personally am just really hoping his real name is john rambo. because that would pretty much make my day. 🙂

Lisa - Beautiful story! Thanks for sharing.

Gevay - Love the crafts! Your love story is beautiful God is amazing and faithful! Thanks for sharing it.

Danielle - Bwahahaha! What do you want to bet John just got dumped by an American woman:)

sara @ it's good to be queen - love this fun colorful craft. How the heck do your water colors stay so nice and clean??? is it because you have girls? or do you wipe them out each time? after one use, ours look crazy…colors mixed, paint all over the whole container, etc.
okay, now i’m off to find john rambo’s comment and read your love story….

Amy - Just read your love story…truly heartfelt. A romantic proposal does not necessarily lead to a healthy marriage. To me a, good marriage is built on love, respect, tenacity, and faith. It isn’t important how you got there. I very much enjoy your blog and appreciate your story. Happy Thursday to you!!

Sarah @ Handbags*N*Pigtails - Ah Fooey on “John Rambo.” This is obviously a person who’s got some issues.
I love your crafty Thursdays. You’ve inspired me to get more involved with my girls, make a mess, and not worry about it! Kids are meant to be kids not perfect robots. And you know what? Im having fun letting loose right along with them. Who knew Id been missing out for so long?;)
XO

Lori H - John Rambo’s comment has appeared in another blog I read, Jen On the Edge. He obviously has too much time on his hands, and thinks any one of us cares! 🙂

Ashley - Some people just like to spam perfectly wonderful blogs. He did give a good crack up to so many, though.
Love the chameleons! I’ll try it here this weekend (or even while trying to cook tonight.)
Off to read your love story!

Angie M - Love your story. Thank you for sharing. I find it hard to share my stories. One day……

RLG - I’ve seen that same post (by John Rambo) on another blog.
Don’t take it personally. Some people are just freaks.
xoxo

Flower Patch Farmgirl - I got the same comment yesterday! ???
I like this project.
I like the title even more.

Elissa - john rambo is …….yup….somethin. i like “jerusalem’s” response though. made me laugh. as always, love your your blog and the stuff you share….

Kate @ Songs Kate Sang - Oh my heavens. I remember a while ago when you were answering questions, posted your wedding pic and mentioned that you would share your story some day.
Wow. Meg, you are truly beautiful. Thank you so very much for sharing your story. Really. Your family is beautiful.
Our God is so amazing.

Hannah - megan-love your story! i have a slightly similar one…except my guy didn’t stay..and THAT was absolutely god’s blessing…and so is my daughter…we met my husband when she was only one and he adopted her…as she used to say…”we found daddy together…god sent him to us” 🙂
god’s forgiveness is amazing! 🙂

BULLYMAMA - I think the title of your blog is the perfect response to his comment “Whatever”!! Clearly it had nothing to do with you as you don’t even fit into any of the catagories he listed…bizarre and his post was at 3 something a.m. one only can imagine what else was going on with him at hour!!

karen - I think Rambo dude wants to boycott American women because they have already done so with him. HA! Good Riddance!
Great chameleons!
I bought some water colours yesterday..but found no doilies. The hunt is on.

Patty - What great looking chameleons! I just want to know one thing: how do you keep the watercolor pans so darn clean? Thanks for linking.
Patty (Deep Space Sparkle)

Shana - oh! you tricked me with your crazy title for this post!
darn crafts.
but – they are very cute & your story is awesome.

Sarah - thank you fore sharing your love story…a needed reminder that God takes our messes and makes them beautiful. We ALL make bad choices (even as 30-somethings)…the consequences are rarely easy to walk through…only our God could take even them and use them for HIS glory. He is such a GOOD GOD!

Joy - Oh Meg, that was a beautiful love story. Love is hard. You did a good job!

Gabrielle - Meg, I started following your blog when I found its link on We Are the Friesens (I’m a friend and former co-worker of Sarah’s). I too enjoy your crafts, family stories, and sense of humor – but your love story was what made me actually drop you a note. It is wonderful on every level.

Juli - “John Rambo” is most likely the pseudonym of a person who’s a little…unhinged. Why don’t you just take that rant off your “Comments” list? It has nothing to do with your lovely blog, or your lovely self, or any of the lovely women you know.

Heather - I had to go back to read John Rambo’s comment. You know what I have to say about that?
(wait for it…)
Whatever!

Tiffany - Meg Said: God took our two little broken lives that we dedicated to HIM and made beauty from the ugliness we began with.
And Tiffany’s heart just stopped. I got so choked up in it. What a beautiful story. Im gonna ask my husband to read it too.

Karen H. - Snort! Laughing at Hoosier at Heart’s comment!!!

Tiffany - Really John Rambo. Really. Ur readers really rock though, right. I’m off to read ur luv story 🙂

Karina - I sure hope John isn’t coming to Canada any time soon.
Beautiful chameleons! The colours are so uplifting.

Jessica - I just read the John Rambo comment. Bahahahahahaha…totally cracking up right now.
Did I ever tell you that you are my favorite blogger?
Well, you are.
🙂
Have a great day!

purejoy - oh my gosh. i feel like i owe you an apology. i’m pretty much sure that is my brother bob, masquerading as john rambo. that is exactly the kind of rant he makes. completely unrelated to any kind of context to a situation.
my brother, i’m afraid, is john rambo. i don’t know how he found your blog. seriously… does he just blog hop and paste his “thoughts” in every one he comes across??
on another note, completely captivated by your creative prompts and your childrens’ willingness to participate. what a fun activity. makes me want to make my own!

Dawn - Love the chameleon craft! I’ll have to do that with my kids on their next snow day, since I’m sure there is bound to be more!

Katie Sellers - Thanks for sharing your love story!

pam - I love to start my days with your COLORFUL world. So thankful you know the One who redeems all our messes….we all have them. The Duerksen love story may not have started as you wished but I think it’s beautiful up to this point…
As for John…thank God American women are safe!

Lydia S - I read your love story. It made me cry… at work…
I love reading your blog and I’ve never commented before, but I just want you to know that I feel like we are friends (albeit one sided). I just got married this year, and we don’t have any kids yet, but someday I hope I can be as great a mom as you! Laundry piles and all! Thanks for all that you share.
And I really do hope you do a craft weekend. I would be there and we could be real-life friends!

Tracey @7294cottageway.blogspot - Love that project!

Jenny Logan - Those chameleons are adorable!
I loved your love story! You can tell how much you love your husband & family. It made me smile. =)

colleen - Sweet Meg, i lovely love your love story 🙂 Immediately thought of Revelation 21:5 “He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said “Write this down for these words are trustworthy and true.” Isn’t it just like our precious Lord to make our ugly,sinful,dead mistakes; new? Thanks for “writing it down!” you blessed me this morning!

Shannon - Sounds to me like John is doing American women a favor!

Erin Ward - Love it! And love that book. Might have to steal that idea for my classroom. 🙂

Ginny - I just read your love story and it touched me and gives me hope because it reveals the same feelings I have. Just 3 years ago I never would have guessed I would be with a one year old and married. I also have longed for the romantic proposal the lavish wedding that took months and months to plan. All the excitement that builds up with the planning. But at the same time I am happy where I am and what it has brought me and know that God has had his hand on my little family and has brought us and will bring us wherever we are meant to go. Before I felt alone in my feelings because I don’t know any who has felt the same, so to read your story made me not feel so alone. I just wanted to say Thank you. 🙂

Hoosier at Heart - Hmmmmmmmmmmmm, I wonder what John looks like. I’m too afrid to check out his blog. I am happy that you left his comment there for everyone to read and didn’t delete it, what a hoot! Gotta go now, it’s getting late and I need to go get fat and cheat on my husband.

Beth @ Dirty laundry - Hi Meg,
I LOVE your blog. I am constantly inpired by you. I finally decided to try one of your crafts and blogged about it here:
http://wolfepack129.blogspot.com/2011/02/feeling-crafty-yet-grumpy.html
I love the chameleons! I’ve been thinking about doing a craft based on The Very Hungry Caterpillar, which would involve doing a lot of finger painting, letting the fingerpainted pics dry, then cutting apart pieces of them and gluing them together to make a picture. I bet you could do this (I will probably get to it sometime next winter…)
Beth

Beth from odd girl out. - First, John Rambo is an arse.
Second, those chameleons are awesome.
The end.

julie f. - Megan,
You wrote your love story amazingly! What a testament to God and how he has used a “broken” situation and redeemed it into something SO beautiful. You have a beautiful family and God-honoring marriage. Thank you for that example!!

Alysa - what i LOVED was lori in iowa’s comment after Rambo’s comment. too hilarious.
oh, and the cameleon’s – great, fun, easy project. we might pull that book off the shelf and do that today … after all, it’s thurdsay. =)

Shivaun - We should probably warn those foreign girls about Mr. Rambo.

Jenny Joy - I love the chameleons! What a fun project! 🙂

Nicolle W. - I LOVE that craft. I love that book! Don’t worry, I have seen that John Rambo comment on numerous blogs. Weirdo! 🙂

CathyC - Your love story is fantastic!
(I actually think “John Rambo” is probably a 20 something yr old GIRL. Very wordy and female-ish. I don’t know any REAL MEN that would waste their time).
Cathy

Nicole Q. - Fun simple craft . . . i can do this! have a happy thursday – we are seeing amazing temps this week ; I’m loving it!

Peggyrice@gmail.com - Oh, John Rambo;) Have you heard of Chris Lee, the shirtless Congressman? I say we American women start our own boycott of delirious, ridiculous, aging men. Cheers.

melissa rice - How hillarious that He is posting on a womens blog that defies everything he just stated. Meg is creative slender beautiful inside and out adores her family of, ahem, 5!!! Is silly and romantic with her husband and cooks!!!! Geez. I laughed anyhow…

deborah@applesinwonderland - i just posted after poor poor john rambo. i had no idea your “whatever” blog was also a place to find a wife. awesome, meg. you really do it all:)
the gaggle of chameleons, or herd or school or litter…are way cool, too.

Jennifer in VA - Love the chameleons, too busy with school and sports to do Craft thursdays with my kids now – but I’m seeing this as a summer thing for our Summer fun list!
And John?, wow! no. words. But a good laugh – is he real? Or your husband and/or brother’s alter ego, playing a joke on you?

Lindsay - Love these! And I’m sorry, you’ve probably addressed this somewhere along the way before, but are your kids ALWAYS so willing to participate in a craft with you? I’m so jealous, I clearly messed up big time at some point during my son’s 7 years of life!!! 🙂

danielle - what the what is that comment by john rambo?
and happy to have your pretty self over on my blog today. yeehaw 🙂

Kelly - OK John Rambo, boycott American women in favor of what? Mail order Russian brides? Too funny! At least his comment made for an early morning laugh:-)
LOVE the chameleons, by the way.

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paper cuts

February 12, 2011 Filed in awesome bloggers,crafts & art

IMG_8167_2

how cool is this?!

have you seen lori danelle's work?

she is an artist.
she is a paper cutter.

such delicate work….i am so impressed.

IMG_8163

she made this artwork from a tiny finger print from me.
and one from craig.

the time it must take to create such detailed work is incredible.

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i can't wait to find the perfect spot for this in our home.
 
it tells a story.

it is a combination of who we were from the beginning to who we are now….out of paper….in art.

it's lovely. 

go check out lori's shop and blog.

she is an artist and blogger that i am so happy to know.

add a comment

Jenn - that is pretty fantastic! (in both senses of the word) just wow.

taniawillis - the link is broken for me. wah!

Dawn Burke - Love it !
Dawn

Sarah @ Handbags*N*Pigtails - I have to agree with the two comments above. Im sure its an amazing piece of art and Ive definitely never seen anything like it but Id never be able to afford one either.
I cant wait to see where you put it:)

Gemma - So lovely but very expensive (but I imagine it takes time to make it!)
Gemma x

Georgia - This is so lovely! – very pricey though – ouch on the purse!
Incredible work though, an amazing artist!
xx

Transparent Mama - People are just so crafty. I am always amazed since I craft deficient.

Tracy Fisher - So awesome!!!
Tracy Fisher

Mel - Hey!! Your names rhyme!! I love it. : ) Happy Valentines!

Leigh - Lori’s work is amazing and she’s an amazing person in real life too! I was lucky enough to meet her at Blissdom and I love that we live in the same town.

Heather @ Cookie Mondays - I never thought about how that rhymed 🙂 Too cute!

danielle - love her work!

Anne @ Baking Me - That is really cool. I love art work that has such great personal meaning behind it. So creative!

Jen Joy - That is the coolest, most unique thing I’ve seen in the blogsphere in ages! So awesome!!!

Kelly - wow! Kelly

linda anderson - wow!! incredible!! original, heartfelt, cool, conversation piece, amazing…i could go on and on…

Cory - OH my I am SO obsessed with these! They’re amazing!

Sandy - That is so cool!

Jill - very cool! what a unique piece of art. that must have taken FOREVER to make.

DANETT - This is so cute. I love it!

Hannah - i love that! what a great wedding anniversary gift that would be!

Hannah - i love that! what a great wedding anniversary gift that would be!

Southern Gal - What an original idea! Love it.

happygirl - Wow. Can you tell us the size of the piece? I’ve never seen anything like this.

Janine - I think that is going to be my anniversary present to my husband this year. So cool. Now to get his fingerprints without him freaking out!

Holly - very cool!

pam - WOW…that is amazing

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