Holy Summer Batman!

Seriously- no excuse for being MIA for a long time. I am sure the two people (hey Kara and Michelle) that follow my blog have been missing me. Okay, well maybe the excuse that I am currently growing a human being inside of me might count as an excuse. That's right. Baby Phillips due February 1st. Mr. P and I are very excited and finally have hit that second trimester where my energy is coming back. I actually swept and mopped (enough dog hair to form a small terrier) from our downstairs last night. I have only really done 1 project this whole summer (gasp!) and it was changing our bedding, doing lots of spray painting (this is my excuse if our kid comes out wonky), and making a headboard. Besides that I have been sleeping and napping. The end.

Something fun to do will be that I am going to tell you 20 secrets- ready, get set, go!
20. Knitting scares me. It truly does. Counting, tying, big loops, little loops... its creepy.
19. I am obsessed with cheap Bic pens. I have a whole jar upstairs and a whole jar downstairs. I get really mad when I cannot locate a cheap Bic pen. They are the best.
18. My favorite week is the week before school starts and I listen to loud music and make my classroom totally cute. My least favorite week is the actual first week of school. It is too hot to think- let alone learn, and the kids need lots of training!
17. I love to watch Jane Austen movies. I have probably watched Sense and Sensibility at least 100 times and Pride and Prejudice too. I have read each book once. I must say the movies are easier to follow.
16. I should read my Bible more... less chick lit- more Scripture.
15. I became super self-conscious about upper arm jingle when I saw it randomly flap this past school year when I wrote on the board... messed me up big time.
14. I count Mr. P's gray hairs when he sleeps (current count-18).
13. I still worry about my childhood dog, Hershey. He lives at my parents house and is 14. I will breakdown when he dies.
12. I just learned to sew this past year and am getting much better. I made a whole baby quilt. By myself. Which is only slightly lopsided. And has a few holes.
11. I am terrified to become old and "out of the loop". AKA my grandma who thinks texting and emailing are exactly the same thing.
10. I am a constant worrier. Big things, little things, worry about it all.
9. I don't doo much on my blog because I don't like my camera. Give me $400 and I'll get a new one.
8. I love having good friends, but lose patience with ones that are too hard to maintain.
7. I wish I didn't tell Mr. P little fibs "what this vase? Totally got it for Christmas- duh!" (As I scrape off the HomeGoods tag.
6. Always wished I had an orange tabby cat- but I am allergic and everyone I know hates cats.
5. Will always remember my mom telling me, "Go to school. Do something for yourself. No one can ever take that away from you." Am proud of my degree... not the student loan payment, but the degree.
4. Also remember my mom telling me, "High school is overrated. Let's play hooky tomorrow and go shop." MMm... ok!
3. Has really good friends. Friends from childhood, friends from college, friends that know every secret, and friends that you don't talk to for a month- but its like you never left off.
2. I still play with my American Girl dolls. True story. My parents gave them to me (read: said you are grown up and married- you store them) about 2 years ago. About every 2 months I get them out, brush their hair, and enjoy them. Not creepy. Totally sentimental.
1. I am excited. About the next phase of life. Being a mom. It will be great.

Life, Liberty, and Love

I loved this wreath from the minute I saw it. I love most everything on Tatertots and Jello and if I could just quit my pesky job, tutoring on the side, running our house, and the 90 million other things I could make some of it. Anyway- I saved this project for a time when I knew I could squeeze it onto the project calendar... and I finally did it!

I decided this year to decorate at the beginning of May for Memorial Day, Independence Day, and Labor Day all in one. That way I am not switching between summer decorations and holidays. Plus, I love Patriotic stuff. I followed Jen's tutorial, but went for a little less burlap since I had such a big wreath frame. I also opted for a lighter burlap and used a patriotic paisley bandana for the fabric pieces.

I also used the words life, liberty, and love- because that is what America means to me!

Definitely love the end result and it was a perfect end of the school year project... I sat on my couch and cut circles while watching a mindless movie!

P.S. I know you are a bit jealous of my Uncle Sam. I became a bit obsessed when I saw him at my mom and dad's... let's just say my mom had to repurchase one for herself!

Two Cuties in Tutu's

Well my good friend Karen just welcomed their second sweet little girl into their family. Big sister Jadyn now has little sister Ziara. (Zee-are-ah). I know... I needed help pronouncing that one too! (just kidding Karen). Karen and I have been friends for over 10 years. She was my manager at Old Navy, my first real job. I love her. I love her kids. She has spunk.

I had hoped to plan Karen a little "Sprinkle" to welcome in her newest addition, but with her working a gajillion hours (true time span people) right up until her water broke, it didn't happen. Instead I worked on two applique outfits for the biggie and the lil girl.

Aren't they cute? I used my Cricut to cut out the letters for both on fabric using the Schoolbook cartridge. I then ironed it on mirror-image style to the wonder under and sewed it on. I had red and light blue tulle and I thought the black and white polka dot material made a great contrast. I used the basic concept from Joy's Hope to do the tutu part.

Here is Jadyn, proudly modeling her tutu shirt. I am told she loves it dearly and likes to dance around in it. I am anxiously awaiting her first recital. :)

So cute huh? Isn't she yummy? She still has some room to grow into it- but last I heard she has been growing lots!

These were SUPER easy and fun to make. I am glad the girls enjoy them. Congrats Karen and Darren! I love you guys and am so happy to see your family grow with God's great blessings!

Now Returning to Regular Blogging

Well. I took a 'lil break from the world of blogging. It was all due to the following:

*my emo birthday

*girl's trip to California for a Kindergarten Conference

*yard saling

*spending some time with Mr. P

*being superbusy with church stuff

*listening to this weirdo

(disclaimer: it is total weirdness, but a new obsession)

*making baby shower gifts

*trying to make birthday gifts (craftastrophe people)

*being lazy

However, on the uplook, next week is Spring Break- so I am excited to get LOTS of things done and to do a fun overnighter with some girl friends and seeing the Mr. P a little more than usual.

Well... I am alive. And will be tuning in next week to show off my cool chair birthday present and some good Easter projects.

26 today

Well- today I turned 26. This is the first year I have really noticed and felt older.

I would like to almost forget today happened.

It is not often that I let myself get sad or down, but today I was feeling it.

Another friend is having a baby.

One of many; ready to take that step and be a mom.

I am jealous.

When we first got married, I laughed it off- we were too young.

Then I felt a tiny pang of jealousy.

Now it is a full out, stab in the heart, overpowering sadness.

But are we ready?

Days like today when I am feeling mad, upset, and alone?
When we argue over who should take out the trash or feed the dogs?

Maybe not.

So, I feel old... steps behind the rest of the world and where I always envisioned myself.

Kara brightened my day with my favorite form of caffeine.
Michelle overdid and bought me my beloved bee stuff from Hobby Lobby so I can throw a cool picnic. And carbs for lunch (oh how I miss thee!)
My cute kindergarteners threw me a (not at all... they blabbed) surprise party, complete with cards, gifts, a BEE themed cake ( I have an obsession), a dozen roses, and squeals of laughter.

But at the end of the day- I still don't like 26.

Salvation Saturday

No- this post is not related to Jarrod... they are all about the Salvation Army spree me, Michelle, and Kara went on this past Saturday. We hit up three Salvation Army stores, one Goodwill, and the DI (Deseret Industries). I walked away with these cheap and awesome purchases-

This lovely chair- $4 at Salvation Army

This grease-spackled spice rack-$1 at Salvation Army

This kidsy lamp-$3 at Goodwill (don't be jealous of our Chuckit)

The chair was very scary. Even though I bought it Salvation Army, it had two old stickers from DI on it- so I think someone tried to redo it once but lost the nerve. The person that put it in this lovely form needed to learn a few redo tips- such as: sand off old paint before repainting, don't use hot glue to reupholster! Here is Sergeant Sausage, my crafting partner, checking my progress from inside the house, always the helper!

To redo- I did this:

1. Cleaned the entire chair with Comet.

2. Used a fine sandpaper block to sand off the many scary layers of paint and varnish

3. rewiped off all of the surfaces

4. Primed the entire chair with Rustoleum spray primer (from Home Depot)

5. Spray painted the entire chair with flat black spray paint

6. Reupholstered the seat cushion with black and white damask fabric

7. Added black cord to the entire edges of the cushion

8. Redrilled the cushion into place

And finally- stepped back to admire what a bad-A I am!

I know what you are thinking- is that trim I see on that cushion... it's true!

I also scrubbed the spice rack with Comet to remove at least 20 years of cooking grease off of it, primed with spray paint primer, and then spray painted.

Now it is a cute little thread holder with two drawers for my bobbins (one new unused ones and one with thread on them!)

For the lamp redo, I decided I wanted it to match my chair with both fabric and colors. I liked how the original shade had two colors and ric-rac so I decided to copy that look with a more grown up approach.

I primed and spray painted black.

For the shade I did the same process as with my sister's lamp- but did a black strip of home upholstery on the top and the damask upholstery on the bottom. I spray adhesived them on one at a time, folded for the back crease, and hot glued the tops and bottoms the best I could. I then hot glued ric-rac around where the two fabrics meet.

Total Chair Cost: ($4 chair, $3 fabric, $2 trim, about $2 worth of primer and paint) Total $11

Total Thread Rack Cost: ($1 spice rack, about $.50 primer and paint) Total $1.50

Total Lamp Cost: ($3 lamp, about $2 worth of fabric, $1 ric-rac, and $.50 primer and paint) Total $6.50

Overall- some rocking good deals and LOTS of fun hunting for them and redoing them!

Don't worry--- I still have lots more projects remaining to show off!

52 Things I Love About Jarrod Cards

Well- its true. I love Mr. P. With Valentine's Day right around the corner I have been thinking about what to do.

I remember that when we first got married my Mom told me that your husband is either a romantic man or a man you try to make romantic for the rest of your life together. After the first year of realizing I was experiencing some unrealistic expectations I decided to stop trying to make Mr. P into something he wasn't.

However, I can't help that I like to use Valentine's Day, his birthday, our anniversary, and other holidays to show Mr.P how much I love him.

I saw on Tatertots and Jello her playing card Valentine coupons and thought they were SUPER cute- but unrealistic for Mr. P. He would throw them in a drawer and never use them. So, I decided to use playing cards and the same idea to do 52 things I love about him on playing cards. Which, after I explained my idea to her, Michelle told me she saw them somewhere on some blog- but here is my version of the cards that once I googled I found here.

Some of my favorites include:
How cute our kids will be
Your Nice Butt
How easy it was to say yes to you and the rest of our life

I hope you enjoy and maybe found a cute idea for your man!

P.S. Today I got this from one of my kindergarteners--


Do you think they got ideas from my classroom decorations? Hehe :) In my defense: Mr. P does bare a striking resemblance to Edward!