Cinco De Mayo Origami Sombrero

Here is a printable to make a cute origami sombrero for Cinco de Mayo! I think the're just the right size to go on a bottle top, imagine a bin of these on ice. Ole´!

• Sombrero Printable

There is a very well-done video on You Tube of how to fold the origami sombrero. It only takes about 6 folds.

Still to do today:

• Put up the printable paper for Free Paper Friday
• Wrap up the coursework for my Illustrator 102 class.
• It's Friday, so I hope we can relax a bit this evening! 

Sofa?

I'm thinking about this washable sofa in the Sactionals series from Lovesac. It's embarrasing for me to discuss the condition of our current sofas. The dog next door finds and brings home these gaint, dinosaur bones that are about 2 feet long-- we don't know where she gets them but there's enough to share and our dogs love them. They chew the bones, greedily, slobberily, on the furnitiure. That's just one thing that has happened to our couches, but that's descriptive enough, don't you think?

I've tried training the dogs, but a good friend once spoke a mighty truth, "You can't punish your children without punsishing youself." And she doesn't even have dogs! I put mousetraps on the furniture but only ended up snapping my own fingers, and it is impossible to play goalie in front of the couches all day long with three (sadly two since about a year ago) loving dogs. But all of this is beside the point. My husband loves having the dogs next to us, and so do I.

The Sactionals are completey machine washable, every upholstered part, and it seems they are built in such a way that it is reasonable to take the covers on and off. I've heard of washable covers where it is nearly impossible to get them back on. The parts rearrange into all kinds of configurations, which is also great (all photos are of the same sofa, pieces rearranged), but the configuration I'm most interested in is the one in which the couches are clean.

What do you think?

Cute D.I.Y. Kitchen Cabinet Organizers

While reorganizing the kitchen cabinets over the past couple of days (what amazing discoveries! We have microwave cheese corn!) I realized I needed something to organize the various packets that we keep on hand -- numerous flavors of Kool Aid (staple beverage), gravey mixes, crock pot starters, Tuna Salad creations...where does this stuff go?

Well, I've started a drawer in my studio where I stash useful recyclables -- things I like the shape of and think might come in handy later. And, there sat a couple of coffee cans. I wiped out the inside and covered them with a couple of Cute and Useful papers. It took two sheets of 8.5x11 to get around each can so at the seams I used some orange electrical tape, cut straight and taped straight. It's fine. I bet washi tape would be nice, too. It was a very quick project, and there they are...cutening up my cupboards. 

Left to do today...

1. Still need to mail my sister garlands. Dang.
2. Still need to work on my Band program. Dang. But this sounds worse than it is. All the other stuff on my list I got done! (Except the nap).
3. I'm also going to start on my free paper for Friday today, and work on my Illustrator 102 class. And watch the rest of an episde of Downton Abbey (Heart).

I do not heart Smash. Cannot believe there could possibly be that much back-crap going on, while they're trying to put on a show, people! All the sweetness, any tenderness that was in the storyline, seems like almost all of it has gone. Too bad.

Make a Mother's Day Garland

This Mother's Day Garland is easy to make, and it's cute! (As you can see).

Supplies: Printable (scroll down), patterned paper (choose from any of mine on the right), circle gift tag template, solid paper, scissors, 1.5 inch circle punch, glue, baker's twine, needle.

1. Trace circles on patterned and solid paper
2. Cut circles out with scissors and punch letters with hole punch
3. Arrange the circles how you like them and glue together. Vary some that have two cut circles, and some that have just one of the larger or smaller circle. 
4. Glue everything together
5. Use yor needle to poke holes before you start threading
6. Thread the garland togehter
7. If you want to mail it, fold accordion style and use a pretty envelope liner.

You can choose from 4 printables. 3 of them also have "sister" in them, so they are useful for your sister-sister, or your visiting teaching sisters -- for all my fellow Mormons out there :)

• Forgiving Mother (my husband came up with this one)
• Hello sister/mother
• Loving sister/mother
• Super sister/mother

 

To do still today:

• Mail my sister garlands
• Visit my neighbor
• Take Cub Scouts on hike 
• Take Drew to mutual this evening
• Eat Lunch
• Work on concert program for my 380th Army Band
• Maybe watch yesterday's episode of Smash
• Make deposit for Pottery class the scouts are doing Thursday
• Take nap :)

 It's too much, isn't it? Well, root for me! Maybe I'll get it done.

Roasted Peeps

This seems somehow wrong, but do you know what is delicious? Roasted Peeps is deliecious. Oh my gosh. Put a stick in the Peep, hang it over a campfire...the sugar on the outside carmelizes, the inside gets almost frothy. Put this in your mouth with, say, chocolate bunny ears and you are in heaven. Close your eyes and chew. Nothing else in the world matters. 

I've been marketing this roasted Peep idea since Drew went fishing last weekend. I got no support. The Peeps went camping, the Peeps came home. But, that's OK, (and I really mean it) MORE FOR ME! Saturday night, a handful of Drew's friends came over to rake leaves and earn money for High Adventure this summer. We built a campfire in the front yard when the sun went down. Mmmm...roasted Peeps...and some salty hot dogs.

So there it is, my contribution for Monday.

Also to do today, since the last two Peeps are missing (Why?!? Where?!?)

1. Make "hello sister" garland for my sister and the sisters I visit teach
2. Mail same
3. Maybe go to the garden center and get flowers for window boxes
4. Touch up the paint on the hanging baskets Emily and I painted Saturday 
5. For heavens sake, make progress on Illustrator 102 from Nicole's Classes.

See you tomorrow!