Finding myself on Pinterest

Uhm, so yeah, hi!  If you are here from Pinterest, welcome.  I'm sort of in shock here.

I'm not a very good blogger.  I enjoy messing around on here, and I have lots of ideas of things to share, but rarely find the time.  I happened to do a post on my solution for my jewelry, and holy cow, it somehow started getting pinned.

So I apologize for the not so pretty pictures on that post.  I work with the tools I have.  Since this blog brings in less than $100 a year in advertising and book club posts, I don't have the time and money to devote to pretty pictures and expensive equipment.  But I enjoy sharing and I will continue to do so.

And I'm still in shock.  I feel like hunching my shoulders and blushing and kicking the dirt in embarrassment :)

DIY - Jewelry Holder

In the last few years, I've developed a fondness for accessories...purses, shoes and jewelry. They can really make an outfit, and generally (with the exception of shoes) size doesn't really matter. I have quite a few shoes, although compared to many closets I've seen on House Hunters, I don't have many at all...lol. I have a dozen or so purses. But I have a ton of jewelry. I have a few pieces of nice, expensive jewelry that I keep in a jewelry armoire. But my day to day jewelry needed a better organization system. It was too big to add to the armoire, and not accessible enough. So, I decided to create my own system.

First, we found these great door pulls and hanging bars from Ikea (OMG, I love Ikea. Really, it's a sickness.)

Then, I purchased a length of board from a home improvement center and had my husband cut it down to 6 inch strips, and he drilled the appropriate holes for the handles to attach.  He even fixed the back so the screws would be flush on the back.  If I wasn't so impatient, he would have added strips to the back so that they could hang flush on the wall.  But I'm impatient and didn't want to wait more days.

After all the items were together, I painted all the wood.  It was easier to paint than to try and match it, and it was cheap wood, so I don't feel too bad about painting it. 

Hmmm, just let me take a moment here to mourn the loss of my cheap Iraqi docking station.  Sadly, it was no match for my son...sigh.

Anyway, these are for my room as well as my daughters room.  I love the colors here...so cheerful!  Once the paint was dry, I simply screwed the pulls on, and added a hanger on the back.  I also chose to add ribbon to make it cuter, as you can see in the after pics below.




For the earring holder, I used an idea I found somewhere using Mr. Google.  I'm sorry I forgot to book mark the site, but there were lots of them out there anyway.  I simply put screen over the glass of a picture frame, and a piece of scrapbook paper behind it.  You could also put fabric back there.  Then simply slip the earrings through the holes of the screen.  I hang my post earrings through a piece of ribbon below. 

I love this system.  My jewelry is always accesible and visible now, and it looks pretty as well!

Too much...

I am on complete overload.  Our friend was buried today, and Thursday another member of our guard family will be laid to rest.  She had not been deployed with my husband, but was still a part of the Signal Corp and worked with many of these soldiers.  These people are way to young to leave us, and the shockwaves are buffeting us all.  To go to a war zone for a year and have no major injuries or loss of life, and to come home and experience two in a month is insane.  I dread opening my military email, or hearing my husband answer the phone to a co-worker, worried that it's another call.  And I'm trying to comfort him when I don't have the words to say.  I know that time will begin to heal, but I see it taking some time. 

In the meantime, we have taken on a huge endeavor to update our basement family/craft room.  Paint and moving furniture has been therapeutic, and I'm trying to ignore the complete disaster my house is at this time.  I guess I should try to finish putting clothes away tonight, seeing as how I still have my suitcase from Disney lying on my floor with clothing still in it.

Good night all. 

sewing like a maniac

So, the plan for this evening was to come home, have some dinner, and do a little straightening.

Instead I spent it working on PB's Maypole costume.  Since they informed us tonight that we had to have costumes done by Friday morning for yearbook pics.  Good thing I was prepared and had it all cut out.  But it's going to be so cute...and she will look darling in it!

Thankful that it's (almost) completed

It's been a busy year here at Casa Lang.  I decided that I was going to spend more time in the real world and less in the virtual world, and I was going to get some projects done around the house.  And hoo boy, have I been going strong on that!

In January, I painted my powder room.  It's a lovely shade of green that makes me think "Ahhhh Spring" every time I walk in there.  I'm going to begin utilizing my husbands skill of hiding in the bathroom just to be soothed.  PB and I agreed that this green would be perfect for the bottom portion of her bedroom wall, so late in February we cleaned out her bedroom and went to work.  She also has the wood border that needed to be painted and stamped, so we took care of that as well.  Thank goodness for snow days...it took 4 days to paint, stamp, and clean/reorganize this room.  I was really tired of her room by the time we completed it.

You can see more pics in my Flickr Feed.

This past weekend, I tackled Monster's room.  It was time for him toget the big boy room, and it about killed me.  There was a Nascar wallpaper border at the top and the walls were gray.  That border took me 5 hours to remove...it was literally shredding as it peeled off.  Then the trim out took forever.  I finally finished it Monday night, and I love the colors and the new bookshelf and bench (and bedding) but I'm glad it's done for now.

Ignore the messiness....I took this right after he crawled out of bed today.  There's still more to go to finish his room.  Daddy is painting one (small) wall with camo, and the closet and main doors have to be painted.  We need to create the e center/desk on one wall.  And posters/pictures have to be found and hung.  But so far, I like it.  And he loves the colors on the wall.

So that's where I've been.  I'm tired, and this is a busy week.  But the smile and contented sigh he gave the first night he slept in there made it worthwhile.  Meanwhile, I'm done painting until at least May.  DDS is coming home in a couple of weeks for his mid tour 2 week leave, and I have some tidying to do before he gets home.

And a new Etsy store to start stocking...more on that to come!

Handmade childrens gifts becoming extinct?

On February 10, 2009 the Consumer Products Safety Improvement Act will be in effect.  This legislation will require third party testing for children's toys, clothing, etc.  Go here and read what it entails (they say it much better than I ever could.) 

I'm not normally an activist type, but this touches very close to home.  I've written to my legislators, I've signed the petitions, I've voted. Other places for more information include Etsy, Cool Mom Picks, and a gallery of endagered items at Endangered Whimsy. 

Please, take a moment to vote (voting ends at 5 pm EST Jan 15th...go now!), to email your legislators, whatever it takes.  This must not go into effect without changes being made to the act. 

Thrifty Christmas

The Monster is spending the night with his cousin tonight, so PB is getting some one on one mama time. That doesn't happen so much anymore, so it's nice. We're going to work on finishing up the ornaments for Daddy's unit.

I have so many projects to work on in the next couple of weeks. I'm really relying on my craftiness for Christmas this year. My list of things to make is long, and I've started to make a dent, but wow am I going to be busy for the next month.

I have 9 fleece blankets and matching pillows to make. (I have 6 cut and 5 tied.) I have coasters to make, a few aprons, Christmas Cards to finish, calendars to complete, a knight's tunic to make, pj bottoms, Chef's hats and apron sets for the kids, a couple of purses to put together...and who knows what else.

I also have to coordinate the shopping for both Monster's birthday in two weeks, and Christmas for the kids. I have to mail out DDS' package this week. This is all in addition to the usual work, housework, and activity schedule. Time for sleep...who needs that?

I'm off to spend some quality time with my girl.

busy, busy, so dreadfully busy

So how was your Black Friday? Did you hit the sales? This is the first year in 6 that I didn't go out and get the majority of the shopping done. 6 years ago, I was pregnant with the Monster, and knew he was coming in the next 2 weeks. We had a place for the other two kidlins to hang while we shopped, so off we went. Not at 4 am, more like 8 am...I am not a glutton for punishment.

This year, I am broke. Deployment is exepensive..all that extra money? It doesn't come until next month, and the hubs has been spending it already. So I have to go get a few things for Monsters birthday next weekend, but Christmas shopping is going to have to wait until closer to Christmas.

However, I did hit Joann Fabrics for their sale this morning. I bought over $400 worth of material and supplies for $120 and I have presents for more than 10 people...good presents. So that's what I've been doing all day. Sewing. I'm getting kind of tired of looking at material now. Luckily my mom has been around helping me out.

There are two sweet little kidlins in my bed, sound asleep. I think I'm about to go join them.

Feeling crafty?

I found this site through a series of clicks from somewhere, but I've found I love it.  You Can Make This is a fun site with lots of great ideas, some free and some part of inexpensive download e-books.  They've offered a free doll skirt pattern, in return they just ask that you make one or more to donate to Toys for Tots.  Because after all, what fun is a doll that you can't change?  Check it out. 

What a good day

Monster went to spend some one on one time with Nana last night, so I took the girls to Olive Garden for dinner. It was a very nice time, but I was soooooo tired. I came home, laid down to read and fell asleep. I woke up a few minutes before 10 and went to tell them to go to bed, and they were already in PJ's and climbing into bed. DDS had drill, so he came home around 10:30, gave them hugs and kisses and off to dream land they went.

This morning, the girls and I joined my mom and took a short little roadtrip to the larger city near us. We went to Interior Alternatives...this is the Waverly material outlet. I LOVE this place. Great prices on nice material. We also went to the much larger Jo-Ann's and to a quilt shop up there. Lunch at Red Robin (we had never been before. Not bad.) and then home in the afternoon, it was all very nice. The girls were pleasant and didn't fight until we were almost home. We picked up some great deals on material, and now I'm itching to sew.

I want to start an Etsy store. I have an account, but don't know that I want my shop to just be mamalang. I know it's my user name on a lot of sites, but I think I need something different over there. I'll have to think about it. Any ideas?

Loving the fruits of my labor (or showing love through manual labor)

As I think I mentioned, I painted the kids bathroom last week while they were gone. I LOOOOOVVVVVEEEE the results.  I actually don't mind using it now.   

This is when I was painting the bottom of the shelf my hubby built.  I put this up so you can see a better representation of the colors.

Here you can see the whole shelving unit.  It's a sailboat.  Isn't it cute?

And this, this is one of my favorite parts. 

I'm very happy with the color selection.  I went to the store on a whim and picked a yellow.  Thank goodness it turned out.  The blue we had from Bug's room.  It all came together so nicely, and all the kidlins love it. 

Happy Love Thursday. (on Friday)

I'm loving these!

I found a really cute tea towel the other day at Target, so I decided to find something to make out of it for Bug. Quickly it hit me...a tote bag. So I perused several other stores and found a cute towel for PB as well...and ended up making a matching one for her friend.

A little monkey business on this one for Bug.

And pretty turquoise and green butterflies for PB.

Of course, then I had to figure out something for the Monster...and a tote bag, it's not so manly. So I found some of his daddy's ACU material and threw together a little drawstring bag for him.

They were all a big hit. I'm seriously considering starting an Etsy shop with bags. I've re-discovered my love of bags, and in that, my ability and love for creating them.

Happy Love Thursday.

I made it!

Karisma is our wonderful Fun Monday Host this week, and she has a long task for us...

I think the title pretty much says it all, but for those of you who may still be wondering, I would like to see or hear about things you have made with your own two hands (or feet, Im not fussy!) We all have different talents and abilities, maybe you like to sew or knit, chisel or sculpt, draw or paint? Whatever your talent is, please share it with us this week.
Da Rules.....
Well there are not any really! But you know, we all know that you made your kids so lets NOT choose them this time. (After all you did not make them with your hands or feet did you?)
And for those of you who are freaking out because you make "everything" with your hands, how about you just choose a few of your favourites!)
Those of you who are freaking out because "You never make things with your hands". Get off your lazy butt and make something! You have four days.....now get to it! (You could always bake a cake!) The possibilities are endless!

I've posted some items that I've made before. I'm always making things. I have a top secret item that I've just begun. I'm actually thinking about getting some items together in the next few weeks and starting an Etsy store. If I sell stuff, I can buy more craft stuff and make more things.

This weekend I "made" some flower arrangements on my porch.

Small post with flowers

My Mom made the potty seat. It was my idea to make it a flower pot though.

I'll have pictures in a few days o my newest creation. That's all I ca say about it right now.

Go visit all the Fun Monday participants.

And 2 down

Now the apron is done. I'll be posting pics soon. It turned out pretty cute, but I'm tired and heading off to bed.

A stitch in time

I took my mom to a quilt show in Lancaster, PA today. It was a good time. A ton of vendors and an overload of great fabric. There were some really gorgeous quilts. Mom took some pictures, and I'll post them in a few days. Now I'm tired, and I'm going to spend some time with my kids and hubby. Night all!

I'm mamalang, and I'm a...

fabric addict. I love fabric. I love the possibilities. I love the colors and the textures, the designs. I love home made crafty things. I really don't love our local chain fabric store, or the fact that to get to a decent fabric store I have to travel over an hour away. I guess I need to find a supplier...teehee.

Done, but not finished

So today was my last quilting class. And my hanging isn't finished. And all that's left is the scary part...the marking it for hand-quilting. (also the binding, but that's easy.)

I'm ready for my next project now. I want to make quilts for the kids. I think PB will be first, as hers will be the easiest to choose I think. Bright colors, girly prints, maybe some butterflies on it.

I'm sad that the class is over. It was a very good experience, and the women in the class with me were fun. We may actually be going to a quilt show as a group at the end of March...that will be fun!

So someday, I'll post pics of the finished product...whenever I get it done.

Fabric mecca

I'm a fabric addict. I love fabric. And I've recently found my mecca...The Interior Alternatives. It's an outlet for F. Schumaker fabrics...Waverly, Laura Ashley...walls and walls of bolts of fabrics. I seriously wanted to move in. I didn't buy much this time, but I'm sure I'll be back soon.

Happy Valentine's Day

I can't remember every really hating this holiday. It isn't my favorite, but I've always had my family or good friends, and I realized early on that they were what mattered most.

I try to show my family how much I love and appreciate them every day...but I still can't help getting caught up a little in the shmoopiness of Valentine's Day.

I love this song...It's how I feel about my husband...and I hope that my kids understand that I do take them the way they are.

Valentine's Day Goodies

I made the one on the left for the ladies that work for me. The one on the right is for my StampinUp Demonstrator, and one for me. I love them, they turned out so cute! And very inexpensive.