MidMichigan Mom: March 2015

Saturday, March 28, 2015

I Made It Myself Hero will be NEXT WEEK

Boy, oh boy, are you guys in for a treat these next few weeks! I hope that these Craft Heroes inspire you to do something bold. I know I'm pumped!

Um, but with Spring Break, a house full of fighting children and a migraine that will not go away…I'm saving the next hero for NEXT week. I need a little more time to get all of her pictures in order. Yes, she is THAT awesome and has done even more crafts that I have!

So with that, I will take some Tylenol, crawl up into a ball and see you in a few days when my next few projects are done.

In the mean time, feel free to brush up on past heroes.

Meet More Craft Heroes

3/21/15
3/14/15

3/7/15

2/28/15

2/21/15

Wednesday, March 25, 2015

#WordlessWednesday

It's amazing how a picture can invoke a certain emotion, command your undivided attention or portray a story…

one image…

so much power.

So when I read about WordlessWednesday from Cindie, a blogger friend

from Moments Big and Small, I knew I wanted to jump in on the fun.

The concept is to post a picture and let it tell the story. I noticed that some bloggers cheat a little, and give a short explanation of the picture.

I feel that takes away from the purpose, so none of that will be offered here.

Let the fun begin….drum roll please…here is my first picture for Wordless Wednesday.

Sunday, March 22, 2015

The Beauty of Butterflies in Bloom

I have always been attracted to the beautiful colors of a butterfly. I have never gone as far as to learn all of the specie names…essentially, if it looks like a butterfly, I'm a fan.

Midland has once again seduced me. Every year a "Butterflies in Bloom" exhibit is offered at Dow Gardens. From late Feb to Mid April, THOUSANDS of butterflies fly freely in their conservatory…and it is breathtaking.

There's more! Click HERE »

Saturday, March 21, 2015

I Made It Myself Hero: Meet Brittany J.

Meet Brittany J!!!

This week's Made It Myself Hero has managed to make me hungry and a little jealous at the same time. What on earth am I talking about? When you scroll down to the cake you will understand. *sigh* I'm still on my diet. Life is not fair sometimes.

There's more! Click HERE »

Tuesday, March 17, 2015

Aaron's Gifts From Home - Midland Non-Profit Organization

Now that the snow is finally melting, Midland is growing on me and the weather is not the only reason why. For a town that lacks a military installation nearby, it seems to be EXTREMELY veteran friendly. The Home Depot has veteran parking spots, a local college offers a Veteran to BSN program (only offered through 20 colleges in the NATION), there is a Veteran Memorial park nearby, and so much more.

Those are all great…but I am proud to claim that MY town is where Aaron's Gifts From Home is headquartered.

Aaron's Gifts From Home is a non-profit organization that sends care packages to deployed military of all branches. It was established 3 years ago in loving memory of HN Aaron Ullom who was killed in action in 2011. He loved getting mail and goodies from home…and would even request some for his friends. Yes folks. There are military members who are sometimes FORGOTTEN when they deploy. It happens…and it shouldn't.

What. a. shame.

Aaron's family continues to send care packages because they know what a positive impact it has on the men and women who are deployed…and I was so honored to be a part of it last Sunday.

Volunteers of every background gathered together to package over 100 boxes and we were done in a heartbeat. It was obvious that they had streamlined the process by doing it a time or two (or twenty). It was very organized with packing assembly lines in different rooms. Spirits were high and laughter was heard everywhere. Also, the donations from the local community were fantastic.

Job well done Midland! I hope this organization continues to get the support, funding and volunteers that it needs. One thing is certain, Aaron's Gifts From Home will continue to receive support from me, my family and hopefully my friends.

Would you like to request a package for yourself or a loved one? Request one on their site HERE.

Not local but want to give a tax deductible donation?

Click HERE to support their mission. They accept most major credit cards via a SECURE site.

Are you local? Volunteer! Donate food and hygiene items!

They are always in need of unopened, travel sized items such as lotion, chap stick, tooth paste, shampoo, conditioner, body wash, soap, mouth wash, or baby wipes.

For a complete list of all items click HERE.

To keep in touch with Aaron's Gifts From Home, their website is http://www.aaronsgiftsfromhome.com

Make sure to "LIKE" their Facebook page
.

Also, keep your eyes open, they will be offering COFFEE MUGS SOON!!!!

Filled with goodies
and waiting to be shipped!

They send gender specific
hygiene items for females

Custom Decor N More - Midland Local Business

I am a huge fan of vinyl decor. I love how it can be customized - any saying, font, color, design - you get the picture. There is a downfall though...if it's stuck to the wall, it's not moving e.v.e.r. I was bummed when I had to abandon my vinyl art to move to Midland. I am determined to never make the same mistake again!

I am crafty sometimes...but I know my limitations. I do not possess the skill nor the means for vinyl art. Maybe someday someone will surprise me with a Cricut…ahem until that day comes I will rely on the professionals.

Custom Decor N More is a family operated small business in Midland. They ARE the professionals. And I know first hand that they go out of their way to make their clients happy.

I had a vision of a whimsical family tree with birds representing each member of my family…with the intention of adding to it as my children got married and had THEIR children. Jessica asked me questions throughout the design process to make sure she knew what I wanted. They sent me pictures with options that I could choose from. It was so much fun!

Close up of Vinyl Art (LOVE!)

I had a large beautiful oak mirror that was collecting dust in my basement, the PERFECT canvas for my family tree (which saved me money too, woot woot). Once all of the details were decided, they sent me a final mock up for approval before they cut the vinyl.

I had such a pleasant experience working with Jessica from Custom Decor N More…and as you can see my family tree is gorgeous…and most importantly portable! What's great to know is that they are currently training their son, Michael into the family business. Selfishly, I am thrilled to hear this because it means that I will be able to buy more of the same birds as my family expands…yay!

Each yellow bird represents a member of my family =)

Thank you Custom Decor N More for helping me see my vision come to life. We absolutely love how it turned out.

If you would like custom vinyl art designed JUST FOR YOU contact Custom Decor N More on their website or via (make sure to LIKE their while you are at it). You won't regret it…and if you want to borrow my family tree with birds go ahead…just make sure to mention Lyn sent you!

It fits right in with my traditional decor. Don't you agree?

Once you are done designing your personalized project, I would LOVE if you share the outcome by commenting below. Have fun! Design on ya'll!

$10 Challenge

My best blogger friend Kelly from Stories of a Life Homemade and I have decided to spice up our craft life a bit. How you ask? How about a $10 thrift store challenge?!? We each bought $10 of goodies from the thrift store (it's a miracle that we only ran into each other ONCE) then swapped. The other person then repurposes the items into a new, fresh and functional treasure.

I was up for the challenge…and I thought Kelly liked me...until I got my items! LOL, kidding! She does! But I have a major case of crafter's block if there is such a thing.

I'm hoping that sharing this with you will motivate me to get to work! Remember, $10, trash to treasure. Here we go…

Fleece tassles

A clay bowl thingy with holes

A fabric belt in a cool print

Yarn? It reminds me of my parents' couch from the 80s, lol

A Martha Stewart Sign, she DOESN'T live here BTW

Baseball pants and

Fish net stockings, WELL then!

Paper ribbon

and an oval frame with art. I have plans for the frame! Not so much the art.

There it is folks! My challenge. Stay tuned for what I make of these wonderful items and make sure to visit Kelly's Blog to see what she does with her challenge too! We will keep you posted!

Sunday, March 15, 2015

Primitive Egg Decor

Welcome to my second post dedicated to prim Easter decor!

I am slowly adding to my Easter centerpiece and taking you along for the ride.

If you missed the Jute Carrot tutorial check it out HERE.

After the carrots, my focus went to eggs. Above you will see three "varieties" of eggs. Here's how you can get the look too.

The eggs were purchased from a dollar store, in 3 different sizes, plenty for crafts and a future egg hunt for my kiddos.

I prepped all of the eggs the same before decorating them.

First, separate the top and bottom by cutting the little strip of plastic that holds them together.

I also trimmed the excess plastic around the seam using a sharp detailing knife.

These eggs are prepped and ready for their Primitive transformation!

1) Paper Mache Painted Egg

Paper mache ….again? I can't help myself, it's fun and messy and CHEAP! If you have never done paper mache before, I explain it in a little more detail in another post here.

The small egg on the left is my favorite because it was done by my very prissy three-year-old. She finished one and had to wash her hands immediately. She started calling my craft "yucky mache". LOVE her!

Once it is dry, grab the paint of your choice to add color. Latex or Acrylic paints can be used. I used my left over Latex oops paint from Home Depot. I thinned it with a few drops of water first.

Paint, let dry and you are done!

2) Book Page Egg

I used the same paper mache concept except used pages torn from the Twilight series Breaking Dawn. For those of you gasping in disgust, I found a copy for 30 cents at the thrift store, it doesn't symbolize any dislike for the series (actually liked it).

FYI, my future paper mache projects will be made using torn pages from my military CDC's (Career Development Course). The AF killed a tree printing out the 10 volumes for me…multiple times. Don't ask me why I still have them, maybe it's the secret hoarder in me.

The pages from Breaking Dawn were very bleached, new looking. I aged them a bit by staining with coffee.

3) Palm Leaf Eggs

I wanted to incorporate SOME color into my Easter centerpiece…and I took inspiration from Palm Sunday. I have a palm tree in my home so I used REAL leaves but fake would probably be easier to work with. Did you get a lot of palm leaves from church? This can also be a project for that as well.

Prep your eggs as you would for paper mache. I used green eggs…but since the eggs were completely covered, it doesn't really matter. I trimmed the these from the bottom leaf of my tree because it was due to be trimmed off anyway.

I started gluing from the middle all around the egg then glued the top. I wrapped one around the middle because I had extra leaves to use.

As it ages and dries the color will soften but I love how it brings an accent of color to the decor without overpowering it. What do you think?

Do you have other ways to decorate Plastic Easter eggs that you would like to share? Comment below with you pictures or links. Decorate on ya'll!

Saturday, March 14, 2015

I Made It Myself Hero: Meet Casey G.

It's time for a new Made it Myself Hero…

meet Casey G!

Like Julien D, Casey is also active duty military. She is proudly serving our country as an Officer Recruiter for the United States Marines.

This lady works LONGGG hours and still finds time to participate in her local Team RWB in addition to spending time with her family (including a horse of a dog).

So what does she do when she is not running a 5K, shoveling snow or recruiting leaders of the elite? She's making HANDMADE gifts to celebrate a friend's accomplishments!

Handmade. gifts. are. the. best! Don't you think?

It shows that she put a lot of love and thought into showing her support. Don't get me wrong…ordering flowers or an edible creation are wonderful too…but a personalized treat with your favorite colors and candies are ohhhh sooooo sweet.

What an adorable Candy Cake, Casey!! Your dedication to your country and your friends has earned you this week's Made It Myself Hero!!!

Congratulations!

Peeps, you don't have to be a hardcore or professional crafter to be a Made It Myself Hero… you just need the passion and heart for it…and maybe a few pictures.

If you would like to nominate the next craft super star email me .

Nominate on ya'll.

Meet More Craft Heroes

3/21/15
3/14/15

3/7/15

2/28/15

2/21/15

Friday, March 13, 2015

One Box…Too Many Possibilities

I found this cute wooden box at my local thrift store for under $4. I immediately thought to myself, Jewelry box…as if I needed ANOTHER!

I don't even wear a lot of jewelry so who knows what I was thinking. I threw a few other ideas around but could not decide…

So I'm letting my friends on my decide!

What will they vote on? What would YOU like to see?

I'll make the final decision based on the votes on Tuesday, March 17th.

Come back to see what it becomes!
Vote on ya'll!

Monday, March 9, 2015

I am exploding with excitement to announce that I will be writing a few posts on organizations that stand for causes that are near and dear to my heart.

Standy-by for a post next week on Aaron's Gifts From Home. They are a non-profit organization that ships care packages directly to deployed military personnel. They meet monthly…and will be packing 130 this month! If you know a deployed member and would like to request a care package, please click their link and request directly from their site.

Make sure to subscribe (look on the right) so that you don't miss out! Volunteer on ya'll!

Portraits by Reba - Midland Local Business

A parent can never have enough pictures of their child…especially as the family grows and you start to slack with the second child, third child and so on. Unfortunately that is the case with me. I only seem to remember the camera when they are doing something hysterical…and now I have plenty of blackmail material. Their future spouse will be highly amused…heh-heh.

On a serious note, I really do need more pictures…and to find the charger for my camera. This is where scheduling a professional photographer is a MUST once or twice a year. It FORCES you to set aside a time to take pictures while your precious ones are still young.

Our most recent photo session was for the youngest of the bunch, little miss Kaitlyn. She is my mini me…except maybe a little more feisty (ahem). We met the oh-so-talented Reba from Portraits by Reba for some shots.

What a great experience! In the dead of winter, Reba had an indoor setup so we were all very comfortable and ready to smile...well sort of. Kaitlyn missed her nap this day (of course), which meant her listening/obeying skills were slim…but Reba was extremely patient and somehow still managed to capture some adorable moments.

See the picture up top? Here is the shot behind the camera!

There is my son who came along to "help" with Kaitlyn.

I think he secretly wanted to get in on the fun.

She's quick too! She caught this impromptu moment. Those are my goofy kids!

See that face? It says I need a nap… or ice cream. Oh! Like those necklaces? Guess what? I MADE THEM MYSELF. =) They coordinated a wardrobe change that I forgot to bring. Kaitlyn really liked that Mommy made her jewelry so I let her wear them for this shot.

Reba currently services Saginaw, Midland and Bay City. She offers indoor and outdoor sessions for Maternity, Newborn, Family…you name it! For more information on pricing visit her site HERE. Make sure to book with her early because Spring is approaching and her calendar will be packed!

----> And don't forget to tell her Lyn from I'd Rather Make It Myself sent you! <----

Also check out Portraits by Reba's to see her portfolio (and for more pics of Kaitlyn).

Reba, thank you for the beautiful shots of my little girl! You made her shoot very easy and fun. We look forward to booking more with you in the future!!

Spring is here! Go out and celebrate everyone!

Sunday, March 8, 2015

Shamrocks & Shenanigans fun

Believe it or not this craft-a-holic has OTHER hobbies. I run… but prefer to participate when my nose hairs won't freeze. I registered for the Shamrocks and Shenanigans 5K run before the holidays. I thought the snow and cold would be dissipating in March. HAHA, silly me.

Look at all of the goodies you receive: a sexy t-shirt, a magnet, a Conor O'Neils Pub glass, a finisher's medal and lots of memories of men in kilts and green tutus!

This was my first 5K where there was a Finishers' Medal and what a beauty she is!

Despite the cold, the hills (lots and LOTS of em) and the Michigan pot holes, I would definitely run this race again. They even offer a Kid's Bash and a Kid's 1K run. If you are in the Ann Arbor, MI area and are looking to get your kids excited about running, this race is a good start. All kid participants get a t-shirt, a medal (different from adult, but a medal indeed) and ICE CREAM!!!! Parents are also allowed to run with their kids… or chase them, whatever works. I will try to convince my kiddos to participate next year. I am forever looking for excuses to steal them away from the TV =)

I was a little shocked that most of the runners ran straight to the pub post race (it was before 10 am) but to each their own. If you want to catch a glimpse at the post race shenanigans check out #shamrocksandshenanigans.

Out of a 10, this race gets a 6. CONS: The course was painful with several turns, pot holes and HILLS, not just little inclines…but inclines that I would be scared to ride a bike down. The post race area (near the finish line) seemed like an afterthought.

PROS: The goodies!! Cute race t-shirt (compared to most that I have received). The pub glass is VERY cool and I can go on for days about the medal. The atmosphere. Everyone is in great spirits but they may have been drunk already. There was a man playing the bag pipes and kilts and tutus galore.

Hope you enjoy my take on the Ann Arbor Shamrocks and Shenanigans race! If you ran this race, please comment how it was for you! Standby for more feedback on races. I love running in these things almost as much as crafting…almost. Race on ya'll!

Tabs