A Little Laugh for your Lunch Break

Google is an awesome, awesome thing.  I mean really - you can Google anything.  It's how one of my very best friends "researches" potential suitors and how any project for the Bugs begins.  And I'm sure we've all Googled (see, so awesome it's a verb now!) ourselves. 

Remember how I told you in this post that I had been saving stuff for this blog before it even existed?  I dont' remember where I heard or saw this initially (if you know, let me know) but this is another gem pulled from that list.  And it cracks me up every time!

Go to Google and type in “Last I heard, your name was”.  You don't have to click on individual list, just look at the funny little bits and bobs listed under each link.  Here are mine:

Last I heard, Keri was…


A millionaire’s daughter
At a Lauper concert in Clearwater
Wanting to hear what Hank had to say
Living in Austin
My last orchid in full bloom
Wasn’t just tempted, she was downright seduced
Yelling, “Uh oh, legs not so good”
Surprised that Mick wasn’t at the dance
Speechless
Another woman at the piano
Received a masters degree from the Colorado School of Mines
Remained behind the scenes for the most part of 2004
A sharp shooter at D&B with sledge and c2
On her way
On National Public Radio and was truly mesmerized
Doing lots of cooking today
Still Running for a Reason!
Not an aspiring actress
Clearing up the confusion about the earlier leak
Fortunate enough to back up local Gospel artists
Investigating an attic with Penny and Robert
Dressed in that blue mini dress
Making peace with one of her rivals last week
Elated

Now...one of these is true...can you guess which one?!  Have a funny list of your own?  Let me know!

Sunday Snippet

If you're wondering how we keep The Bugs in line in the PDST household...

{create this} Sweet Gum Ball Flowers

When we were looking to buy our first home, which we did in May of 2009!, we wanted something with character, plenty of space, hard wood floors and preferably updated bathrooms and kitchen.  However, landscaping and the yard were not really a big deal.  We got lucky because the previous owners added an island with crepe myrtles and shrubs, a milkweed plant in front of the porch (hello monarch butterflies!) and my absolute favorite:  a gardenia tree to the left of the front porch.  What I didn't expect was the sweet gum tree.  It is pretty cool and very full when it's in bloom.  And also?  It produces these kooky, crazy sweet gum balls, which, let me tell you, are a JOY to step on with bare feet.

 
But they are just a little funky (not to mention, courtesy of Mother Nature!) and there was just something about them that made me want to craft.  And craft, I did.  Come join me!

Supplies:  sweet gum balls (if you don't have a tree nearby, stick around, you might just find a sweet way to get some in your future!), bamboo skewers, craft/hot glue, styrofoam or something to hold your flowers standing up in, spray paint

These could not be simpler (look, it's a numbered list!  yay!):

1.  Carefully gather sweet gum balls (with shoes on!).
2.  Put them in a zipper-close bag and shake the heck out of 'em (there are little seeds inside that will fall all over)
3.  I used The Saint's wire .cutters to snip the pointy end of the bamboo skewers off at various lengths.
4.  Add a dab of glue into one of the holes on the sweet gum ball and insert skewer. Place 'flower' in styrofoam or a bucket full of sand or something so it can dry.  Here are my sweet gums on a stick:



5.  Spray paint your heart out and let dry.  My makeshift spray painting station:

The Saint would ask that you not look too closely at our lawn - he's doing yard work this weekend :)

Don't forget to spray the ends after you pull them out of the styrofoam

6.  Put in a fun container!  Or more than one fun container!

The best part?  You never have to water these flowers, but you may want to dust occasionally.  :)

This project was shared at all the blogs on my Link page!

{create this} "So Lucky" Frame Trio

Valentines' Day is over, Presidents' Day is here but will be gone in less than 24 hours, so that means it is time to move onto to St. Patrick's Day and all things green and shamrock!  And in our household, it's also time to update the three frames that are parked next to our front door. 

And now...details, close ups and step-by-step directions!!

Supplies:  various green scraps, St. Patrick's Day postcards and shamrock strips from The Graphics Fairy, kraft cardstock, letter stickers, pen, heart punch and green/white ribbons.

First, the fun part!  Punching hearts for 15 shamrocks:

Three hearts = shamrock

Punched from the vintage-y goodness from The Graphics Fairy - LOVE the words!

Next, I cut 3 6" x 6" squares of kraft paper to fit in my frames.  I laid out the shamrocks and the "so lucky" letter stickers:

Almost done!  I adhered the shamrocks and "stitched" around each one with a black pen and added a simple stem:

The finished product!  I slipped these in my frames and tied on a few coordinating ribbons. 

This project was shared at all the blogs on my Link page!

{create this} Sweets in the City baby shower, cupcake toppers & buffet labels

My friend Val is throwing a baby shower for her younger sister, Betsy.  She was awesome enough to offer me the option to make the invitations "if I wanted".  OF COURSE I wanted!!

Betsy has the most fabulous taste and is decorating the nursery with DwellStudio's Skyline collection which served as my inspiration.  

Swoon!

Since the baby shower is going to be a dessert extravaganza...Sweets in the City was perfect!

This is the before...

And let the assembling begin...

And the after...

Some of my favorite things yet!!

Some close ups...

the little buildings...

little house inside...

buffet cards for labeling all the divine treats...these would also make great place cards

cupcake toppers - LOVE the little mini van!

100 mini buildings, 125 teeny tiny windows, 4 hand cut vehicles and too much cute for words! 

Are you sweet on these?  Tell me what you think!
 

This project or recipe was shared at all the blogs on my Link page!  Go take a peek ... they rock!

Rugby*: Bringing Couples Together Everywhere

This past weekend, The Saint and I were spending some quality time together (which most of the time = watching TV after The Bugs have trounced off to bed).  I know, we're soooo romantic.  Anyway, The Saint has an unusually high pain tolerance when it comes to watching TV with me.  If it's not food, ghost hunting, home/decorating or high quality reality tv (if there is such a thing), I get a little ... irritable, shall we say.  But Saturday evening, I can only assume that there was a sports drought because The Saint and I decided to watch rugby.

Some key points I gleaned from watching "Sevens":

That's a rugby term for....um, seven minutes?  Seven players?  Something.  Whatever.  Let's continue, shall we?

The ball is an odd concoction of a football and a basketball.  It is somewhat football shaped but larger and without the sharp points.  And bouncy!  And must be always moving.  (Sounds like I could be talking about the Little Bug, ha ha!)

The players - or 'pliers' or 'play-as' if you have an accent like the announcers -are quite fit.  I mean FIT. And they wear those stretchy jersey shirts.  A sponsor of one of the teams was "ABS" so it was prominently displayed on their uniform shirts.  Thank you for labeling them so clearly for your American viewers; I wasn't quite sure what all those ripples were under their shirts!  I was beginning to warm up to rugby...

At some point in the game (match?  1/2?  whatever.), there is a huddle type thing with three 'pliers' from each team with their arms slung over each others' shoulders.  The referee (ump?  judge? whatever.) leans down and says, "Touch.  Pause. Engage."  LOVED it.  I kept saying it the rest of the night.  Brushing my teeth:  "touch, pause, engage".  Petting Awesome:  "touch, pause, engage".  Who knew rugby had such fun catch phrases!?

I am not going to lie - rugby is a pretty rough sport.  I don't usually like to watch MMA for that very reason.  Seeing someone's arm almost break is a little barbairic - oh, my delicate sensibilities.  But these 'play-as' just plow into whoever has the ball.  With no pads at all.  And at full speed.  And just keep going until the ball is turned loose.  Plow, push, repeat.  It is full on crazy.  But like a car crash:  couldn't.look.away.

Do you remember during the Olympics (hmm, World Cup?  Hold on...yes.  World Cup.  Thank you ,Google.) World Cup that horrendous humming and droning of those horn things?  Rugby, too.  Not nearly as deafening or prominent, but every now and then you would hear one of those whiny horns.  The Saint and I kept imitating it periodically.  And also randomly saying 'play-as'.  And we found it hilarious.  Yes, we are quite intellectual.  Why do you ask? 

That is it.  Absolutely every little detail that I can wrangle and squeeze from my brain about rugby.  Aren't you so glad you stopped by?!

*Disclaimer:  I'm pretty sure there are rules somewhere about someone with my complete inexperience and utter lack of athletic ability writing about rugby.  Sports bloggers everywhere would probably hang their heads in shame.  But they're not here and we are and since I make the rules, the writing about rugby can proceed!

Happy Heart Day, My Bugs!

Valentine's Day morning in three pictures:

1. "We love you so much, we  never want to LEGO"
2. Heart-felt if not quite heart-shaped pancakes
3. "You Rock-et" Valentines for class mates

Hope your day is love-ly!

{create this} 4 ideas to reuse Crystal Light containers

Now, I know that there is some debate about artificial sweeteners and such, but I want to come clean:  I am a Crystal Light drinker.  "My name is Keri and I have been drinking Crystal Light for 8 years now..."  Recently, it was buy one, get one free (score!!).  I immediately stocked up and started brainstorming how I could use these:

So, through a loose interpretation of "upcycling" - the practice of converting waste materials into products of greater value - today, I give you 4 ways that make it easy to be green!

First Aid Kit

Supplies:  printed pharmacy label and old French pharmacy label, letters/letter stickers/pen foam brush, Modge Podge, adhesive

Print French pharmacy label on cardstock (mine was about 5" x 8") and adhere to the container. 
I used a basic scrapbook adhesive since I was going to cover it with Mod Podge.

Brush on several coats of Mod Podge letting the coats dry in between applications.  The ink ran a tiny bit when I was Mod Podging.  I was fine with it - I think it gives it a little character.

I used the other pharmacy label for the lid (should've printed it a tad bit bigger) - secure with adhesive

I used these fun little letters, but you could handwrite "first aid" or use mini letter stickers, too.  Now, Mod Podge the label and letters.  P.S. If you know anyone in the medical field, request a pair of these tweezer things (I'm sure there is a proper name, ha!) - they are AWESOME for crafting!

Now fill:  I added hand sanitizer, fever/pain reducer for kids and adults, antibiotic ointment, anti-itch cream, bandaids and a moist towelette.

See?!  It all fits!  Since I also teach CPR, throw in a breathing barrier and a set of gloves and you are ready!

Valentine Goody Holder

Supplies:  scrapbook paper/card stock (I used a vintage Valentine paper from Paper Studio), foam brush, Mod Podge, embroidery floss, red cardstock, black pen, metal tag, adhesive

Crop your paper and adhere to the container and the lid. Add several coats of Mod Podge as described above.

I hand cut a heart similar to one of the hearts on the paper and adhered it to the tag. 

Then, I tied it onto the goody holder with simple embroidery floss.  These would make quick and easy teacher or coworker gifts!

Travelin' Toothbrush Holder

Supplies:  printed Japanese toothbrushes (love these!  So cool to frame in a bathroom!), black letter stickers, adhesive

I adhered the toothbrush graphic to the container and added the contents with black letter stickers - easy breezy!  I haven't Mod Podged/sealed this one yet - I am going to see if I can find another option that doesn't smear the ink..

This one is perfect for a trip to Grandma's, camp or a sleepover.  Since it is plastic and the lid fits tightly, a damp toothbrush is no big deal. 

'Knot ' Your Average Gift Container

Supplies:  9 or 10 12" pieces of ribbon, ric rac, trim, etc. in various widths, textures and tones, buttons, craft glue

Tie the ribbons around the container and knot.

I added coordinating buttons on the lid and glued them in.  See - there are my funky tweezers again!  Love them!

The finished product!  This would be great to put movie tickets or a gift card in or create your own manicure kit with a cute emory file, nail polish, cuticle cream, etc.  Also an easy craft to make at a party - instant favors!

Bonus Ideas!!
Or maybe I ran out of containers, ha!

1.  Roadtrip Busy Kit:  Cover the outside with a map, post cards, travel related brochures, etc.   Inside, stash some travel bingo cards, colored pencils, make your own Mad Lib, a list of major checkpoints along the way and a treat/snack.  You will have one happy traveler!

2.  Backback Buddy:  Cover with scrapbook paper, a child's drawing, lined notebook paper or snag a worksheet or extra copy from the classroom.  This is the perfect carrier for pencils, pens and markers.  Or an afternoon snack of pretzels or trail mix.  Or if you're the Little Bug, it also makes an awesome keeper of treasures!

3.  Party Favors:  Cover with coordinating wrapping paper or even an extra party napkin (think Star Wars, Barbie, Dora, etc.), Mod Podge, add stickers or personalize with letter stickers.  Fill with a signed thank you card, bouncy balls, bubbles, candy, stickers...any fun party stuff!

Okay, I am thoroughly exhausted and crafted out!  I would love to hear what you think and let me know if you embark on your own upcycling adventure!  Happy Friday!

This project or recipe was shared at all the blogs on my Link page!  Go take a peek ... they rock!

The Fiction Project: Meet Sadie Cooper

I may not have mentioned it, but... oh wait!  Yes I did. 

Anyhow, I am participating in The Fiction Project.  I seriously want to put "EEEK" after every time I type that, but I have to be confident that I am going to kill this!  

After a lot of hand wringing and brainstorming and mulling, I decided that I am writing a collection of short stories from the first person perspective of a fictional main character:  Sadie Cooper.  She might be based loosely on me {cough, cough} and she likes lists!  Can you imagine?!  So, I thought it would be nice of me to introduce her to you.  Be nice; she's a little nervous. 

If I had to wager a guess, I would guess that most people do not find me terribly memorable.

I sing decently and often.
I am not especially sophisticated with my tastes in music, fashion or reading material.
My favorite color is red. And some days orange. Or gray. And I always spell gray with an ‘a’.
Two cups of coffee a day; cream only.
I have recently embraced my naturally curly hair.
I like to dance but don’t do it well.

I hate socks.
I can recite the 50 states in alphabetical order.
I can’t remember jokes or card tricks.
I prefer salty snacks to sweet and my favorite ice cream flavor is peppermint.
I don’t like really loud music or movies.
I smoked menthol cigarettes for a few weeks in middle school.
I love Brendan Frasier movies.
I don’t have a ‘good winter coat’.
Careers I have aspired to: cheerleader, marine biologist, FBI forensic scientist, teacher.
My mom found my name in a newspaper article.
I don’t have my ears pierced.

See? Nothing especially earth-shattering, mind-blowing, jaw-dropping or any other hyphenated adjective.

In school, I was in ‘Gifted’ classes. And aside from my IQ and the unusual ability to generate ridiculous amounts of static electricity, I didn’t really feel particularly gifted. Until I discovered my unexplainable capacity for remembering trivial and obscure moments in my life in striking detail.

And so, here you have it. The greatest story ever told: The Remarkable Memory of Sadie Cooper. Or: Life Lessons Learned from People I Really Didn’t Know, Inanimate Objects and Unlikely Sources.

I’m Sadie.

Sooo...what do you think?  Would you want to read the rest?  Does she sound like anyone you know?  ;) 

Oh, and just so you know, I'm holding my breath until someone comments. 

Casual Observations of a Serious Party Girl

Now, I love a good party.  Love to attend them, plan them (full theme ahead!  ha!), host them, make things for them...therefore, I do consider myself a fairly serious party girl.  Hmmm, is that an oxymoron?  Discuss amongst yourselves... 

So, from my highly authoritative, completely objective and perhaps a wee bit sarcastic point of view, please find a few casual observations after a weekend of Super Bowl parties:

• If you volunteer to bring the deviled eggs, allow me to share a secret, a little hard boiled math, if you will:
• Take the number of expected guests, multiply by 3, add another 25% just to be safe and throw in a few more.  Thankyouverymuch.  
• While it may seem counterproductive to an enjoyable afternoon gathering, having children at a party may not be such a bad idea.  I can always come up with something to say to someone I have just met, am now standing next to awkwardly and have already forgotten their name. 
• "She is so stinkin' cute!" 
• "He looks just like you!" 
• "How many deviled eggs did that kid just take?!?"  (Just kidding on that last one.  Sort of.)
• Having the ex-girlfriend (how we got to know you, super nice and fun) and the current girlfriend (also super nice and fun) at the same event is rarely a good idea.  For them, for us.  Trust me. 
• However, anything with chocolate and sprinkles?  ALWAYS a good idea.
• However, agreeing to make 2 batches of chocolate-covered cookie bites (recipe with pictures coming soon!) with a little over an hour until party time?  ALSO not a good idea!
• The National Anthem on national TV during the biggest football game of the year is sort of a big deal.  Sigh.  
• And finally, because you put up with all the lists and exclamation points (and the above snarky comment), I will share with you The Ugliest but Most Fantastic Tasting Party Dip Ever :
• one jar of pesto
• one tub of gorgonzola cheese crumbles
• stir
• slather on any crispety crunchety cracker-y type thing
• repeat, repeat, repeat

For better or worse, Steelers or Packers, botched anthem or not, this was a pretty darn delicious weekend!  How was yours? 

{create this} - 3 Valentine ideas using a vintage bank note

Welcome to Fin de Friday ... my way of wrapping up the week and heading into the weekend with a crafty somethingorother that you can make to impress your friends, coworkers and this week...your kids' classmates!  BONUS:  you get to be the cool mom or dad!

With Valentine's Day fast approaching, I thought it only fitting to post a few love inspired crafts and projects.  Today:  Bankin' on Love! 

I found this awesome vintage love certificate, courtesy of The Graphics Fairy and knew I just had to use it.  I love the "bank of true love" and "state of matrimony" - this girl is a sucker for a good pun!  So, go, download it...I'll wait.  Back?  Let's continue...

Now, I did have to tweak it a little for these projects.  And since I don't have any fancy program, I just used good ol' Microsoft Word.  Inserted picture from file, rotated it, adjusted the size to about 3.15 inches x 8 inches, expanded the borders of the document a little and I could fit two of these certificates on a page.  Phew - that hurt my brain!  Now, print to your heart's desire.  (Side note:  It was fun to print these; I felt a little like a counterfeiter.  Hey, this cautious rule-follower has gotta get her kicks somewhere!)

And the fun part...gather your supplies:

Certificates, stapler and candy. 
I also grabbed buttons, ribbon and a hole punch

I made three super easy projects using these certificates and look how fancy:  the steps in pictures!!

Matchbook Valentines

Make a small fold at the bottom and then fold the rest of the certificate to just tuck under the small fold...a la matchbook

 

Staple in a fun size bag of candy, temporary tattoos, stickers...any little treat

And...DECORATE!  I used little punched hearts and Valentine-y buttons.  Write a little love note on the inside flap or have your child sign it and DONE!

Valentine Treat Pockets

Fold the certificate in half and turn so the fold is at the bottom

I stapled little punched hearts on either side of the pocket so
all the goodies will stay inside

And FILL!  I had candy on hand, but you could add pencils, stickers or other fun stuff.  Use letter stickers to personalize the pockets for a class treat!

LOVE Ticket Book

This is the easiest project - punch a hole and tie several certificates together with Valentine-y ribbons.  You can give it to your love with tickets for "One 1/2 hour foot rub" or have your kids surprise mom with "Breakfast in bed" or my personal favorite:  "Retail Therapy - No Questions Asked"

Happy Friday and happy crafting!  I am off to make 40+ matchbook valentines for The Bugs...why, why do I have to be so ambitious!?  ;)

This project or recipe was shared at all the blogs on my Link page!  Go take a peek ... they rock!

First Things First

I am still on my crusade to blog more and some days, I won't lie to you, I draw an absolute blank.  I can't think of funny things the Bugs have said or anything really interesting to go on and on and on about.  I haven't had the time to research and put together a new list of favorite things.  Basically?  Serious, debilitating blog writer's block! 

BUT

While driving to work today, jamming out to Bruno Mars, I mean pondering and in deep contemplative thought...it came to me!  Today is February 1st!  How about a list of my 'firsts'?!  (Minds out of gutters, ahem, thank you.)  And let the enlightening begin....

My wildly entertaining  & completely fasciniating firsts and 1sts

• grade teacher:  Mrs. Pitts (ironically NOT the pits, so nice!)
• phone number I can remember:  436-2119
• concert I went to:  Lee Greenwood & Trishia Yearwood (sad.  i know.)
• cassette:  Born in the USA



REOW!

• car: 1990 Totoya Celica
• pet: Spooky the Hamster (7 year old self: Crazy zombie rodents?!)
• job: summer receptionist at an insurance agency (bonus: cute guy at the bagel store next door!)
• TV crush: Zack Morris on Saved by the Bell  




Hair gel and huge cell phones - hello late 80s!


• real crush, boyfriend & kiss:  Jason Holmes  (funny story:  another kid in our Gifted class slid me an index card with something like, "Guess who likes you?" with a couple names and check boxes.  Lo and behold, there was a check next to Jason's name and much stammering and blushing did ensue.)
  
• fad I remember:  those curly shoestring things that you stretched through the shoestring holes and twisted together...hmmm...wait here...





These!  Do you remember these?!

• ticket:  wrong way down a one way street  (taking a boy home.  go figure.)


• tattoo:  right foot (first and only...so far)


• date with The Saint:  excluding our first blind date, first romantic date was dinner and a movie (Good Will Hunting) and he had my afore-mentioned car washed...oh, I did like those apples!


• born:  the bigger Bug, all 5 lbs 6 oz of him, named after the last name of a TV family

Okay, now it's your turn?  Any 'firsts' I should add?  Jog any memories?  Funny 'firsts' you remember?