All things crafty

Normally this blog pokes a little humor at the Phillips ranch.  I am sorry to say this post is going to disappoint.  I promised my friend Shelley (not to be confused with my sister Shelley), I would post some of my latest crafts minus all the knitting blunders!!!  OK, I did just catch Mia standing on the coffee table.  I asked her what she was doing and she instantly laid down and said "I'm sleeping".  This kid is sly - possibly more so than her brother?!?  But he has broken me in well, she will need to do better than this.

Before I continue I must say none of the ideas are mine.  Colors, patterns, sizes - yes.




A set of You're a Hoot cards



A stationary set - so far just the holder and the bookmarks

A Bowl of spring paper balls - seems silly but it perks things up a bit

Alphabet Letter Board - for a nursery

Sab's robot valentines.  The one has been maimed for a minute!  The body is a hershey minature wrapped in paper.

Little Owl Notebook

I'm really into owls.  Seems crazy considering birds freak me out.  Traumatic incident from my childhood!  I couldn't find a picture of the counting book I made.  I might make another one to use up the scraps.  Well, this is it Shelley.  I keep thinking I'll open an etsy shop but I need the time to produce.  My dad said "Are you going to hire employees."  See where my imagination comes from?

BFF's

I spend my day with two two-year olds (give or take a few months each way).  No, Mia does not have a long lost twin and we certainly didn't adopt another child for the zoo.  Here she is -

For those of you who know Curt - you are suddenly wondering how this pooch entered our house.  I'm not sure, other than a long drive to Richmond's Pets Mart (she is from a rescue league) with an anxious Sab (Sab anxious really?).

So back in PA I have a friend named Amy who owns two labs. (Amy, are you reading this?)  Amy would talk about her dog Sadie who had anxiety disorders.  I would laugh hysterically because Amy would just shake her head as she talked about it.  This dog would even eat through her cage.  Well, London is not that bad, but she was offered Prozac today by the vet!!!  I felt bad making my dog a pill pusher so the vet said no worries, it comes in a handy doggy treat!  Skittish is the word we use to describe London.

We named her after Sab's heart throb London Tipton on Zac and Cody.  Originally Sab wanted to call her Sweetie.  Curt said no way in you know where is he yelling out Cutie on campus!  So Mia felt like calling the dog Ruff Ruff.  No dice Mia.  So London came about.  Her original name was Paula?!? 

My day consists of a lot of talk concerning bathroom habits and sharing food.  This can be a bit much but look at why I put up with it -

London  - where u are (yes, she says it a little backwards)- is the very first phrase out of this child's mouth each morning.  This poor creature is so patient.  Mia often dresses her up with hats or her beloved goggles.  When London is missing I know to look on the couch underneath a mountain of pillows. 

Yes, they are in there together and happily so.  I'll take this dog, her skittishness and prozac.  Mia is saying Bye, Byeeeee, Night, Night.

Embarrassed by the Love of Goggles

My sister (one of the talented duo) knitted Mia a matching sweater and hat for Christmas.  Beautiful, not a mistake anywhere!  How this is possible I don't know. I mean sure neither of them is as witty as I am, but who can have it all?

Behold the set  . .

Now on Christmas Eve in our family we open gifts from each other.  It's a wonderful time and the kids (all 5) are bouncing off the walls.  It will be a sad day when this ends.  My thought is that mine will bounce for a long time.  Anyway, I was helping Mia open her gifts and we came across the matching set.  Of course I was pleased and my sister until this point didn't know if it would fit or not?  We begged Mia to try it on.  No, she said.  All the pleases and promises of unicorns - she still said NO.
So we arrive home and I'm unpacking - travelling Santa is A LOT of work.  Mia discovers the hat.  Pwetty hat she says.  Yes, now would be the time - five hrs away!  At the very same time she discovers a pair of safety goggles.  Why we have safety goggles just sitting around, I don't know.  Curt and I rarely weld?!?

Three days pass and Mia continues to wear the hat and goggles everywhere except for night night time and tubby.  Curt at this point is begging for me to stop the insanity.  We were at a store one day and Mia is happily singing with her outfit on.  At this point I am no longer embarrassed because Sab wore a pair of swim goggles on his head for an entire month (sported the look everyday at daycare) - didn't matter if we were swimming or not.  The salesclerk asked me in all seriousness if I was anticipating an accident or an eye problem.  Really?  I answered No, just ready for life surprises.

All good things must come to an end.  Mia is wearing the coat at appropriate times and occasionally the hat when needed!  I consider this her first foray into dressing herself.  Please pray for her teenage years.

Here she is in PJ's, apparel and new shopping cart.

Look how pleased she is, little bit of attitude there?!?

When It Rains . .

I have been a bad, bad blogger . .  lazy -  So now I have so much to say.

The tooth fairy came to our house!  It was her very first visit and she was nervous, so she conned the Mr. of the house into busting out his fairy wings.  The original fairy, Santa, Easter Bunny, queen of every occasion is very, very clumsy.  Hard to believe I know!  So Curt crept into Sab's room with the $1.50 (thought maybe there has been inflation since my time?!?) and voila I have a baby tooth in my lingerie drawer!

We have waited and waited  . . . for so long - I was beginning to think his photo would be featured on the National Enquirer with all of his original baby teeth.  He was so nonchalant about it.  Let me remind you that this child makes me apply a band aid to every paper cut, nick, scrape, even bruise - yet he ripped the tooth right out of his mouth  . . . AT SCHOOL!  I wasn't even there for moral support nor did I think the day after discovering its status of looseness that it would be gone.  He arrived home from carpool with a gap in his teeth carrying a Ziploc bag with a teeny tiny tooth and the date/time written on the outside.  His courage was discussed at the PTO meeting later that evening.

So one more step, one more apron string snapped.  Don't get me wrong most days I think Aggghh - you drive me crazy.  But sometimes I think of that song (country of course) where the artist is singing about the pitter patter of feet not being magic, but those days are gone.  The song continues to talk about weddings, old age, grandchildren - it is a little depressing.  Here is my toothless wonder -

Look at that space!!  The tooth to the left is also loose!