Saturday, March 10, 2012

It's Which-Craft

We were walking through Target one day, and while passing the aisle full of markers and stickers and stuff, Oliver spotted something "shiny!!!" They were pipe cleaners, and about a foot down were some beads. Of course the two go together! So we got a bag of each for $2 and went home to design. Oliver made some bracelets and mostly strung beads and had fun wiping them off. He enjoyed making all kinds of crazy requests for me to make, so the elementary art teacher in me came out. Oh fun times!!


 Spider...note the red eyes and silver fangs :) Oliver picked the colors.
 Butterfly. This thing is STURDY and can never be taken apart. My first creation.
 Owl. I was bored the next day while Oliver ate lunch. These things are addicting! I actually had to use my brain and think several steps ahead to only use 2-3 pipe cleaners, and get the beads to line up. Useless problem-solving can be invigorating sometimes!
 Za's candy cane creation. Simple yet effective.


















It happened after I had Oliver, and it's happened again. I'm having a love affair with jewelry. My jewelry box isn't really designed for more than about 5 short necklaces and 8 rings, and maybe some dangly earrings if you're not using all the necklace hooks. Soooo, my necklaces, ear rings, and such have been in piled up messes in tiny boxes jammed into my jewelry box. HARD to find anything in there, and although I don't get expensive stuff, it's disappointing when it all gets tangled up and sometimes even broken...even after being careful. Being in the crafty mood today, Oliver, Ian, and I went to Hobby Lobby, found this gorgeous giant frame for 50% off, and some pretty and thin fabric for 30% off, and came home and put them together. 
TaDa!!

For $22, and 30 minutes, I have an earring holder! Love :)



Skin (and hair) Deep



Yeah, it's a random post, but these are my current favorite beauty products that are my "go-to's."

Hair:
If I need hairspray, it's the Matrix Biolage since you don't need much to set the style...but then it can still move and goes back in place...Weird, but a love! My sister-in-law introduced me to it the morning of my wedding when she was styling my hair for me. Been using it ever since!

I'm not admitting to coloring my hair, but IF I did...and had been doing so every month for a good 5 years, my hair would have become straw...a telltale sign of the damage of dye. Ok, so that WAS my hair, and it LITERALLY turned apple green one day...I RAN to a professional. She fixed it and told me to use Biosilk every single day on my damp hair. After a good month, my hair was like conditioned straw, and after 6, the new growth was GORGEOUS and the old was as good as it was every going to get. Now, 7 years later, I still use it daily, am back to coloring my own hair for the past 2 years (to save money) and even with the daily assault of blow dryer and flat iron, my hair is soft and, dare I say, "silky!"

Skin:
PROACTIV! That's all. Been using it for, oh, 15 years now, and I believe it is the only reason I don't have all the wrinkles my sweet Granny had at my age. It's funny that when I tell people I use it, they ALWAYS examine my face, look at me sideways and exclaim, "but you don't need it!" Um yes I do, cause I break out EASILY, and I wouldn't use it if it didn't work...so it's a good thing it LOOKS like I don't need it. That's a sign it's doing its job, yes?

Sheer cover powder. Oh yeah. Nothing else covers like it, don't need a liquid or cream foundation since this stuff hides dark circles and redness with just a swipe of powder. AND it's so light you don't feel it. LOVE this stuff. Only took me 17 years to find it.

I have eyelashes, but they like to hide. The tips are blonde and with nothing on them, I have to LITERALLY convince people that, no, I'm not sick...yes I AM tired, but not as tired as I apparently look. So, about 5 years ago, I asked my then high-school-student-cousin which mascara the "make-up-girls" wore. I (correctly) assumed that a bunch of 15-16 year old girls would know better than anyone since they are most like to try every single brand known to woman, in the name of peer pressure. SOOOOO why not use their vast knowledge? CoverGirl in the orange bottle. It's AWESOME. I've got full, non-clumpy, long eyelashes, and it NEVER smears. ever. If anything, it'll kind of flake off, but I never look like a raccoon. This is the only mascara that works this way for me!

Aquaphor. It's just awesome. Especially on dry feet. Especially in summer during flip-flop weather. No cracked heels!

Yep, I suppose it's a shallow post, but I felt the need to talk about something totally random. This will do :)

Some more pictures

In my last post, Oliver was my little monkey. Well, Ian has the same hat in his size...had to add the obligatory banana which he chewed on very happily.


Very pleased!

Oliver teaching his little brother the magic that is the MagnaDoodle...and Ian totally engrossed with his big brother's every word

Oliver wanted to use the camera, so here's a cute picture he took of Ian doing some "tummy time" - He's got an eye, dontcha think?

My three guys working on an alphabet puzzle. Nich just got off the night shift and is about 63 seconds from passing out...

While applying my make up one morning before heading off to storytime at the library, Oliver became inspired. He wanted to do my make up...but thankfully Za offered her face as his palette.  Aren't they gorgeous?? I think, definitely!

Sweetness!!

Za said she needed to capture this moment of "multi-tasking mom" as I hold Ian and help Oliver cut his nails on our rocking chair. I love these moments!

Bath time!! It's amazing at 3 months old, he fills up the whole thing!

Best brothers EVER!!!


Chillin' in big bro's bed...contemplating his next move...