tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25058269519063891582024-03-17T07:55:46.728-05:00Erin's Creative EnergyThis is my outlet to show off all my creative energy. Please enjoy what I love to do and feel free to leave comments.Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12528509012363694158noreply@blogger.comBlogger460125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2505826951906389158.post-32609698295781494502016-07-03T11:11:00.000-05:002016-07-03T11:11:25.526-05:00Shooting ColtonThis is what it is like to shoot my son Colton. It's frustrating, but in the middle of it all I usually end up with at least one decent photo and lots of funny ones.<br />
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<br />Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12528509012363694158noreply@blogger.com46tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2505826951906389158.post-59720302287868033732014-04-15T06:00:00.000-05:002014-04-15T06:00:05.912-05:00Grand Canyon WestMy husband and I got to experience our very first kid free vacation ever...yup, EVER! It was long overdue and we went to Las Vegas. Now, I've been to Vegas before and enjoyed my time there, but what I really wanted to do was cross off a line item on my bucket list and see the Grand Canyon! <br />
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And it was AH-MAY-ZING!!! We took a tour bus down to Grand Canyon West which is located on the Haulapai Indian Reservation. Before we got there, we got to do a very quick stop off at the Hoover Dam.<br />
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They no longer let you tour inside the dam, so a quick stop satisfied me. The thing that surprised me is just how low the water is. Hoping for rain to relieve the drought out west. <br />
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Once we got onto the Hualapai Reservation, we hopped onto a shuttle to take us out to Eagle Point. Can you see why it's called Eagle Point?<br />
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Eagle Point is also the home to the incredible Skywalk Bridge.<br />
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Now, my husband and I freaked many other tourists out. We ventured close to the edge (I took the photo above while straddling a crack in the canyon) and jumped on the Skywalk. To the Greek lady, I'm sorry my husband made you cry and to the group of Chinese ladies, you made my husband's day. He freaked them out, then they wanted photos with him. I wonder what they told their friends about the crazy blonde guy? <br />
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When you go out onto the Skywalk, you can't bring anything with you. They have camera men there to take a bunch of photos for you that you can purchase. They give them all to you on a thumb drive with many of the souvenir photos that they use for their postcards like the one below.<br />
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We lived it up and our camera man was having fun too. This photo was his idea. One of many fun and crazy ones. <br />
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We even did push ups while looking down at the canyon bottom, because, why not!<br />
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We also got to walk through examples of different styles of Native American dwellings and even got to meet some Hualapai dancers.<br />
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After Eagle Point and the Skywalk, we took a shuttle out to Guano Point for lunch and more Canyon viewing.<br />
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That is the best view I have ever experienced while eating any meal. It made a cafeteria style meal feel and taste so much better than what I am sure it was. After lunch I went and sat on a small boulder at the edge of the Canyon to meditate and just breathe it all in. <br />
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Guano point was just gorgeous. It was surrounded on three sides by the canyon and you could even hike up to the top of the Ant Hill for a better view. I took this panorama half way up the Ant Hill.<br />
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I even took a great photo which put into perspective just how small we really are in comparison to the Grand Canyon. <br />
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I took the above photo from half way up the Ant Hill and my husband on the edge of the Grand Canyon. Best Captain Morgan pose I have seen!<br />
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Wishing that this trail was open, I would have loved to have been able to walk down part of the Canyon. <br />
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I would (in a heart beat) head back to the Grand Canyon, even though I did dream of jumping out and flying over the Canyon for many nights. It was an amazing and freeing feeling but also completely freaked me out at the same time. I don't think I have had dreams that vivid before. <br />
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I have two regrets while visiting the Grand Canyon: I couldn't see the sun rise or set while there and that I didn't have more time there. Since we took the shuttle, we ended up with just over 4 hours there and it went so quickly.<br />
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If I go back, which rim do you suggest I see next? Is it worth hiking all the way down and camping? Have you ever rafted the canyon? I honestly want to try it all!Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12528509012363694158noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2505826951906389158.post-19222130133118914252014-04-09T12:22:00.001-05:002014-04-09T12:22:10.023-05:00Preschool Class Craft #4: Dollhouse Chair<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Just like every year I try and find something innovative that I can build as the auction craft for my son's preschool class. I wish I could take full credit for this idea, but I used <a href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/112670441/childrens-chair-modern-house-from-the?ref=shop_home_active_22" target="_blank">this photo</a> as a jumping off point to make my version of a dollhouse chair.<br />
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Thankfully while making this, it only took one time and I am happy with the results. I even made a template, because my son wants me to make him one.<br />
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We didn't end up winning it in the auction, I conceded the bidding war, so I need to make another one for Colton. <br />
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To incorporate the kids into the build, I thumb printed each kid in the preschool class.<br />
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I turned their thumb prints into Christmas lights that went along the roof line.<br />
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I love how it turned out. For the short period of time that we had it, Colton used it as a chair to watch TV, a secret hide out for his super heroes and shot pigs out of the windows with his angry birds. I can't even imagine all the possibilities that a child could come up with to use this awesome chair for.<br />
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If you want to check out all the other auction crafts that I have done while my kids were in preschool, click on the links below. <br />
<a href="http://erinscreative.blogspot.com/2011/03/preschool-class-craft-part-5.html" target="_blank"><br /></a>
<a href="http://erinscreative.blogspot.com/2011/03/preschool-class-craft-part-5.html" target="_blank">Preschool Class Craft #1: Garden Planter Bench</a><br />
<a href="http://erinscreative.blogspot.com/2012/04/read-me-short-story-about-bookcase.html" target="_blank">Preschool Class Craft #2: Read Me Bookcase</a><br />
<a href="http://erinscreative.blogspot.com/2013/02/preschool-class-craft-3-very-preschool.html" target="_blank">Preschool Class Craft #3: A Pirate's Chest</a><br />
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Only one year left of doing class auction crafts!Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12528509012363694158noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2505826951906389158.post-87420673101513249772014-04-02T07:30:00.000-05:002014-04-02T07:30:01.326-05:00Radio Silence InterruptedI haven't intentionally been ignoring the blog, but life happens. Actually, a lot of life happens. In the little over a month that I have been gone, we have had family visit, gone to visit some family, spring break, kid free Vegas vacation, death in the family, general craziness, spring sports, cub scouts, etc. <br />
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With all that has been going on, I just haven't been into it. I lost the groove I was operating in and now that spring has sprung here in Texas, I am starting to get back into my groove. This means I am going to try and not neglect the blog. I have lots of things I want to share, but need to do a lot of editing of photos. <br />
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On my hiatus, I also evaluated why I blog. I do it because I want to document all my creative endeavors. I don't want to use the blog as a major source of income, however, if you want to purchase through my <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Steal-Like-Artist-Things-Creative/dp/0761169253/ref=as_li_tf_cw?&linkCode=waf&tag=erinscrea-20" target="_blank">Amazon affiliate link</a>, I would appreciate it. I think I have made a whole $60 so far! It went towards purchasing more creative stuff to fuel my habit. I also really enjoy connecting with other people, so come follow me on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/erinscreative?ref=hl" target="_blank">Facebook</a> and I promise I will start posting there too.<br />
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I want to share with you a peek at the best part of the kid free vacation, the west rim of the Grand Canyon.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6EuueVyra6GmZ6L08KKu9BK5ow63YTtsHWvd4jqO-YrmybEWs_JP9DLHdYNt1QhaZg7OpVKxCQKUZdZS3s1xISFC_PzS6ZxQ7KhsaLwGY-cs45YMBskSqDn3Z40Hz3xVXQKIk-ReS-s4/s1600/pano-animation.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6EuueVyra6GmZ6L08KKu9BK5ow63YTtsHWvd4jqO-YrmybEWs_JP9DLHdYNt1QhaZg7OpVKxCQKUZdZS3s1xISFC_PzS6ZxQ7KhsaLwGY-cs45YMBskSqDn3Z40Hz3xVXQKIk-ReS-s4/s1600/pano-animation.gif" height="424" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This was standing on the Ant Hill looking out onto Guano Point. </td></tr>
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Don't worry, there will be a lot more photos of the Grand Canyon to come, among some photos of a few crafts and my newest creation that was auctioned off at the preschool. <br />
<br />Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12528509012363694158noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2505826951906389158.post-2448716282099614642014-02-14T00:40:00.000-06:002014-02-14T00:40:18.636-06:00Happy Valentine's DayToday I will be hanging out with kids at Valentine's parties and am very happy to say that I managed to help pull off some penguin valentines for Maben. <br />
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Maben is seriously obsessed with penguins and I now know more about penguins than I ever cared to know. However, his enthusiasm and passion for penguins makes me more than happy to listen about them and figure out how to make them into a valentine, because no one makes penguin valentines. (I checked) Colton picked Justice League ones from the grocery store. (Happy dance, cause this girl is short on time) <br />
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The penguin is compiled of just some shapes cut from my Cricut and some sticky eyes. We also attached some penguins to the valentine, because they were left over from Maben's penguin themed summer birthday.<br />
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I had to scour the internet for a cute saying I could use on the back of the card and finally found gold.<br />
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These were printed out on 2x2 inch labels and then stamped with the penguin stamp. <br />
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They are all packed up and ready to deliver to Maben's classmates tomorrow. I hope his friends love them. <br />
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I hope you all have a wonderful Valentine's day today! Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12528509012363694158noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2505826951906389158.post-91009632021757253122014-02-03T13:04:00.000-06:002014-02-03T13:04:02.277-06:00Winner WinnerI am so proud of my munchkin. Maben won the Pinewood Derby and was awarded the 1st place trophy for the Tiger Den. <br />
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I am proud, not because he won first place, but because of how he treated his fellow scouts and the amount of work he put into his car. <br />
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Maben told everyone, "Great job," after each race. He complemented a few of his fellow scouts on how cool their car was. I am proud of all the scouts in our den on how well they handled the entire experience. They all had a great time and kept amazing positive attitudes.<br />
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Some of the races were closer than others and at the end of the day, Maben held the top time for the entire pack. Looks like garage day next year might be at our house so we can help out other kids. Actually the night of check-in (the day before the race) I spent over an hour grinding weight out of a kid's car who was overweight. The weights were glued inside the car and thankfully I brought my <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005JRJE7Y/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B005JRJE7Y&linkCode=as2&tag=erinscrea-20" target="_blank">Dremel kit</a> <span style="font-size: x-small;">(affiliate link)</span> with grinding tips to help out. I am so grateful that I could help ensure that all the kids that showed up could race. I got lots of hugs and high fives in return for helping the kids out. <br />
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If you are looking into making a fast car, we had bought <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003AXSCKE/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B003AXSCKE&linkCode=as2&tag=erinscrea-20" target="_blank">this book</a> <span style="font-size: x-small;">(affiliate link)</span> with some tips and tricks. Keep in mind that there are rules and regulations in place, so please get the list of rules from your pack before implementing any of the secrets listed in the book. There were a few that were against the rules. <br />
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The one thing that I learned, the gym in which he hold our pack meetings is not good for lighting. Next year for better photos I am going to be bringing a few spot lights and my better flash. The first photo was taken outside my house, but all the others were in the gym. <br />
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I can't wait for next year. It's such a fun event and I had a blast building <a href="http://erinscreative.blogspot.com/2014/01/for-your-laughing-pleasure.html" target="_blank">my car</a>. I need to think of something fun and creative that I can make. Good thing I have lots of time to think about it.Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12528509012363694158noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2505826951906389158.post-86800964442761578682014-01-27T13:36:00.000-06:002014-01-27T13:36:03.789-06:00For Your Laughing Pleasure<div style="text-align: center;">
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This is my Cozy Coupe Pinewood Derby car. </div>
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<br />If you at all wondered how my car did...watch the video below.</div>
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<object width="320" height="266" class="BLOGGER-youtube-video" classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0" data-thumbnail-src="https://ytimg.googleusercontent.com/vi/romJX_E3a9k/0.jpg"><param name="movie" value="https://www.youtube.com/v/romJX_E3a9k?version=3&f=user_uploads&c=google-webdrive-0&app=youtube_gdata" /><param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF" /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><embed width="320" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/v/romJX_E3a9k?version=3&f=user_uploads&c=google-webdrive-0&app=youtube_gdata" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object></div>
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By the way, in the rules there was no height restriction. I'm sure there will be for next year. My car did register a time since the front end did cross the finish line before making an abrupt stop and flying backwards.</div>
Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12528509012363694158noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2505826951906389158.post-56274834495745026012014-01-25T01:43:00.002-06:002014-01-25T01:43:35.802-06:00Pinewood Derby: Stars and StripesThe last car to show off is Maben's car. I'm so very proud of all the hard work he put into it.<br />
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After studying several different designs from a book, Maben drew out his design on graph paper and my husband assisted Maben is using the bandsaw to cut it out. Actually, Maben had a hand in almost every stage of the build.<br />
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My husband also taught Maben a very important lesson: Slow is smooth and smooth is fast. <br />
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Here's hoping that all his hard work pays off and he does well. <br />
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And here's Maben at check-in. Very proud of his car and eager for some racing. I'll let you know how it goes.<br />
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And if you missed my car, or Colton's you can see them <a href="http://erinscreative.blogspot.com/2014/01/pinewood-derby-cozy-coupe.html" target="_blank">here</a> and <a href="http://erinscreative.blogspot.com/2014/01/pinewood-derby-bad-piggies.html" target="_blank">here</a>.Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12528509012363694158noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2505826951906389158.post-55635137295716121752014-01-24T10:56:00.000-06:002014-01-24T10:56:06.545-06:00Pinewood Derby: Cozy CoupeFor my car, I wanted to do something creative. I honestly don't care if I win any races. I like to challenge myself creatively. I looked all over Pinterest and the internet for car ideas and wanted to pick something I hadn't seen done yet. <br />
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While sitting in the backyard watching the kids play, I looked over and saw one of two Cozy Coupe cars and it hit me. I wanted to make America's #1 selling car; the Cozy Coupe.<br />
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It was not an easy build. There was a lot of cutting apart, gluing pieces back together and sanding some of those areas was really difficult, but I am ecstatic with the end result.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6Tsx5QgpVg0-_Rc7yuJBYBehKjy3s__Ls1HSS10foSkxjRiEK6mqKsiMfMIJh6p2criTWCG3Yu-JwZg5_NT_f7fOuvk2e7DCTBew42AF8Letdfji8BlKzldConqaFMTBqfkG4st3WoQU/s1600/IMGP4686a+sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6Tsx5QgpVg0-_Rc7yuJBYBehKjy3s__Ls1HSS10foSkxjRiEK6mqKsiMfMIJh6p2criTWCG3Yu-JwZg5_NT_f7fOuvk2e7DCTBew42AF8Letdfji8BlKzldConqaFMTBqfkG4st3WoQU/s1600/IMGP4686a+sm.jpg" height="640" width="424" /></a></div>
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So, what do you think? What other famous cars would you want to see recreated as a Pinewood Derby Car? I have a few more years of doing this and appreciate the suggestions. <br />
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Stay tuned tomorrow for Maben's car. If you missed Colton's car that I posted yesterday, <a href="http://erinscreative.blogspot.com/2014/01/pinewood-derby-bad-piggies.html" target="_blank">click here</a>.Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12528509012363694158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2505826951906389158.post-9586694843474207122014-01-23T14:55:00.000-06:002014-01-23T14:55:06.857-06:00Pinewood Derby: Bad PiggiesOur whole house has been busy, busy, busy working on pinewood derby cars. Each of my boys and myself have cars. Today I am unveiling Colton's car. <br />
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Colton loves Bad Piggies and so we decided that we could make a car reflecting that.<br />
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Colton had a hand in helping build his car. We used the scroll saw together and he helped with the drill press as well.</div>
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The eggs is a spray painted small Easter egg and the pig is from one of the Knex sets. So I didn't ruin the pig with glue, I glued a small lego 2x2 plate that it would snap into.</div>
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To cover up the drilling in the back (to reduce weight), I painted, "Krak," on the back. For those of you who don't play Bad Piggies, "Krak" is what appears right after you blow up a TNT box. </div>
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Colton loves his car and can't wait to race it this weekend.</div>
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Do I have any followers that are Cub Scouts parents? I would love to read about what your kiddos did. Stay tuned tomorrow and Saturday to see mine and Maben's cars.</div>
Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12528509012363694158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2505826951906389158.post-89433199884343322902014-01-20T06:30:00.000-06:002014-01-20T06:30:02.521-06:00Custom Cufflink BoxI have partially shown off my husband's awesome Christmas gift that I built, but haven't shared much else. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwElgaWwASmKjwnhyFZyF32t6qf9lszY905qJdS2al1qOz5082r87d0eNKYD7XRexj9ojc2H3qhZQ7ZOA-3DxMO5swjmPmDm7ihVh1yNWZ84MkkszYQp0l2uwtzg26G45ot84DHsgx8rU/s1600/IMGP4407a+sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwElgaWwASmKjwnhyFZyF32t6qf9lszY905qJdS2al1qOz5082r87d0eNKYD7XRexj9ojc2H3qhZQ7ZOA-3DxMO5swjmPmDm7ihVh1yNWZ84MkkszYQp0l2uwtzg26G45ot84DHsgx8rU/s1600/IMGP4407a+sm.jpg" height="424" width="640" /></a></div>
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My husband works in the business world and at times wears cufflinks. It's not easy to find a good looking jewelry box for a guy that is under a couple hundred dollars. I set myself up with the task to build him a box (my first box ever) to house some of his cufflinks.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8LvYTik-hKWPoqph6KBemlnBxOYFTXkRqWYglVWfbNHAikvoAv1lYF45oMRONMADshks3YSv92iNa3KFKPAFkqPdxCdGKEVQfiQH0gSR9gZflJP6UIVyTWKsO4CkwlMvdCvim9zHRiEI/s1600/IMGP4403a+sq+sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8LvYTik-hKWPoqph6KBemlnBxOYFTXkRqWYglVWfbNHAikvoAv1lYF45oMRONMADshks3YSv92iNa3KFKPAFkqPdxCdGKEVQfiQH0gSR9gZflJP6UIVyTWKsO4CkwlMvdCvim9zHRiEI/s1600/IMGP4403a+sq+sm.jpg" height="640" width="640" /></a></div>
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The top, bottom, front and back are birdseye maple and the sides are bloodwood. I also burned a small blue jay feather in the top for decoration and as a nod to how awesomely supportive my husband is in all my creative pursuits. He has shown off my <a href="http://erinscreative.blogspot.com/2013/04/experimenting.html" target="_blank">blue jay</a> and <a href="http://erinscreative.blogspot.com/2013/09/build-me-up.html" target="_blank">feather</a> burnings to so many people, he's my number one fan and supporter. <br />
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I didn't follow any plans for this piece as I couldn't find one that suited what I wanted to do. I had to custom build the insert where they cufflinks sit. I used wooden dowels, wrapped foam around them and adhered crushed velvet on top. <br />
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I am extremely happy with how this turned out and my husband loves it! I learned quite a great deal just from figuring it all out as I went. I think I learn best that way. <br />
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So, did anyone else make any awesome Christmas presents this year? Comment below and include a link, I would love to see them!Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12528509012363694158noreply@blogger.com84tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2505826951906389158.post-37646828173847071012014-01-16T06:30:00.000-06:002014-01-16T06:30:04.136-06:00...And I'm BackI didn't mean to take a holiday hiatus from the blog, but it happened. Now that the kids are back in school and we are all finally healthy, I will have the time and energy to pour back into the blog. <br />
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So, what have I been up to?<br />
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Aside from the normal holiday chaos of Thanksgiving and Christmas as well as everyone in the house getting sick (myself twice within two weeks), I built my husband an amazing gift this year for Christmas.<br />
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The kids and I took a day at the zoo with friends and did the WHOLE Houston zoo! That takes over 5 hours...it was a long but enjoyable day. <br />
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And I have been playing with one of my new toys, the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002NUP0D2/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B002NUP0D2&linkCode=as2&tag=erinscrea-20" target="_blank">Fuji Instax</a>. Loving it! Best photo I have ever taken of my dog, Doozer. <br />
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So, I am back! Going to try and keep strong...so long as I can keep sickness out of the house. Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12528509012363694158noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2505826951906389158.post-45831704719796097562013-11-27T13:55:00.000-06:002013-11-27T21:40:58.994-06:00My Christmas WishlistEvery year my husband asks for my Christmas Wishlist and here is this year's list. Did any of this stuff make your Christmas Wishlist? Please tell me what is on your list! <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGVFUNiOtitzTjguJ4JYexVEyTB1uykcEfbLSKfBtGo0_VXJfpqOgDEEiHE_Mqqa2QzU-wlHSvwL_pPm4ibwmh3CKKj0zcFpi0n5mOZyAdYUqICusFh8rsmtIH_zjwQfgwH48p4Rx612k/s1600/christmas+wishlist+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGVFUNiOtitzTjguJ4JYexVEyTB1uykcEfbLSKfBtGo0_VXJfpqOgDEEiHE_Mqqa2QzU-wlHSvwL_pPm4ibwmh3CKKj0zcFpi0n5mOZyAdYUqICusFh8rsmtIH_zjwQfgwH48p4Rx612k/s1600/christmas+wishlist+copy.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">All links to Amazon are affiliate links.</span></td></tr>
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1. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00702O1JC/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B00702O1JC&linkCode=as2&tag=erinscrea-20" target="_blank">Umbrella Ring Dish</a><br />
2. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002YOVF90/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B002YOVF90&linkCode=as2&tag=erinscrea-20" target="_blank">Fuji Instax Camera and Film</a><br />
3. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004S8F7QM/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B004S8F7QM&linkCode=as2&tag=erinscrea-20" target="_blank">Cards Against Humanity Game</a> (Not to be played around children)<br />
4. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1933615567/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1933615567&linkCode=as2&tag=erinscrea-20" target="_blank">America's Test Kitchen Healthy Family Cookbook</a><br />
5. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00006IUWM/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B00006IUWM&linkCode=as2&tag=erinscrea-20" target="_blank">Presto Electric Knife Sharpener</a><br />
6. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000WEKNYW/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B000WEKNYW&linkCode=as2&tag=erinscrea-20" target="_blank">Weber Grill Light</a><br />
7. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/144032025X/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=144032025X&linkCode=as2&tag=erinscrea-20" target="_blank">An Illustrated Journey by: Danny Gregory</a><br />
8. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1454704004/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1454704004&linkCode=as2&tag=erinscrea-20" target="_blank">Creative Lettering by: Jenny Doh</a><br />
9. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00CY1E5D6/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B00CY1E5D6&linkCode=as2&tag=erinscrea-20" target="_blank">Wrapables Silver Lining Washi Tape Set</a><br />
10. <a href="http://www.hmns.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=393&Itemid=411" target="_blank">Family Membership to Houston Museum of Natural Science (HMNS)</a><br />
11. <a href="http://www.beautifly.net/index.htm" target="_blank">Butterfly Art by Todd McKamy</a> (can be purchased through artist or at HMNS store)<br />
12. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002EZRQBU/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B002EZRQBU&linkCode=as2&tag=erinscrea-20" target="_blank">Singer Rolled Hem Foot </a><br />
<br />Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12528509012363694158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2505826951906389158.post-59656298473786908102013-11-25T06:30:00.000-06:002013-11-25T06:30:01.901-06:00DIY Hat RackWhen we enter into the Holiday Spiral, I realize that we have too much stuff and not enough organization. My husband and I never grew up knowing how to organize too much as we moved a lot. When you move a lot, you get to go through your things and throw out/donate/garage sale anything you don't want to move/forgot you had/or had no recollection of where it came from. I have lived in over 20 different houses/apartments, so being in the same house for over 6 years, the clutter is starting to take over and I am on a mission to get rid of quite a bit and organize the areas that are driving me crazy. Our front closet it one of them, which is why I made this.<br />
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I can't take credit for this idea. My grandfather started making these probably before I was even born. He had quite a few in his house and we had some growing up. Why I haven't made them before now, I cannot say, but feel like an idiot for not doing it sooner. My husband and I both have quite a few hats we refuse to part with and most were all hanging out at the top of the hall closet. They needed to be organized and not take up a lot of space.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM-aW12MoM3RpdZM3fII1s_Y7ydGnEt-zaA4gFFnZzqWW1SYrIZO6PPPtNPfNHSkowwQKMk4B9JClMB4GeZglf_GNIzEqqQUc86U1yZjVl3kQ9y82oIUZm91mG90nUEyciquwRcBia_QQ/s1600/IMGP4188a+sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM-aW12MoM3RpdZM3fII1s_Y7ydGnEt-zaA4gFFnZzqWW1SYrIZO6PPPtNPfNHSkowwQKMk4B9JClMB4GeZglf_GNIzEqqQUc86U1yZjVl3kQ9y82oIUZm91mG90nUEyciquwRcBia_QQ/s640/IMGP4188a+sm.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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You will need a board, the one I used was a 1/2x2x36, wooden clothes pins and wood glue. That's it. I had all of these around the house so it made this project FREE! Who doesn't love a free project that helps organize your house?<br />
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You will need to sand your board. I sanded mine down to 120 grit.<br />
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Apply glue to the back of a clothes pin.<br />
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Press it onto your board making sure it is centered.<br />
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I was able to put 8 clothes pins on a 3 foot board. My spacing was 1 1/2 inches at the top and bottom, then 1 inch between each clothes pin.<br />
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Let the glue dry, then screw this to the wall and you have an easy and very cheap (or free) way to calm the clutter of hats that couldn't have been living in just my closet...right? <br />
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Now I just need about 4 or 5 more of these. Not kidding, we like our hats around here.<br />
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Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12528509012363694158noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2505826951906389158.post-70433505476167810002013-11-19T16:45:00.000-06:002013-11-19T16:45:37.909-06:00Build Like A GirlOkay, when I grew up NONE of the girl toys were exclusively pink. It disturbs me what the toy aisle for little girls look like. My Cabbage Patch doll didn't have an ounce of pink on her. I also grew up playing a lot of boy toys, building, destroying, inventing, etc. I think it's important to encourage our children to use their imagination. I have found that my oldest son is so obsessed with how his Lego kits go together, he won't take them apart to build anything else with them. It upsets me that he won't use his imagination to stray from the obvious, he's going to get a big box of Legos for Christmas without any instructions.<br />
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So, when I stumbled across this commercial (not getting paid for this at all) I had to share it. I'm glad to see that there are toys that are being marketed towards girls that encourage building and engineering. I don't have any girls, but I am probably going to keep some of these toys in mind when my two new little baby nieces are old enough for them. I might even have to get one for my niece who is seven. <br />
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I also wish this came in my size! Take note <a href="http://www.goldieblox.com/" target="_blank">GoldieBlox</a>! Moms who teach their children to build would like this sweatshirt in their size!!!<br />
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<a href="http://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0178/6531/products/Hoodie-2_large.jpg?v=1384535923" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0178/6531/products/Hoodie-2_large.jpg?v=1384535923" width="320" /></a><a href="http://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0178/6531/products/Hoodie-3_large.jpg?v=1384458309" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0178/6531/products/Hoodie-3_large.jpg?v=1384458309" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12528509012363694158noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2505826951906389158.post-43022117344968345912013-11-15T00:11:00.000-06:002013-11-15T00:12:28.154-06:00Our First Scouting Camp OutI have a very, very cute Tiger scout. He's so proud of his uniform and insists that he even has to wear the thick wool boot socks, even when it's warm out.<br />
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Maben is a legacy. Matt made it all the way, he earned his Eagle Scout. Something that he is very proud of. It's something that we hope both of our boys will accomplish.<br />
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Now, this isn't our first camping trip as a family, <a href="http://erinscreative.blogspot.com/2013/07/colorado-vacation-camping.html" target="_blank">Colorado</a> was. But, this was our first cub scout camp out! The weather was amazing and the park was great. We camped out at <a href="http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/state-parks/buescher" target="_blank">Buescher State Park</a>. It was very nice. Tent pads, bathrooms with electricity, showers and hot water (I felt pampered). There is also a small lake that we could fish at.<br />
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Maben was very excited to go fishing and since the last time we went, it was a bust, we had to go again. I was very proud of my little scout. He learned how to bait his own hook, not well, but it's progress. He can cast very well and managed to catch a small fish on his own and reel it in! <br />
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He caught this little thing. Isn't this super cute? I also took the opportunity to explain why there are fishing regulations and couldn't eat this little thing. It needed to go back in the lake and grow into a bigger fish.<br />
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There was also pumpkin carving. I actually let Maben use the little saw all by himself after a little instruction on how to use it.<br />
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I was super nervous watching. I have been teaching Maben knife safety and how to even begin cutting things in the kitchen. He did great! <br />
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This was also his first time cleaning out a pumpkin. Just days (seriously, days before) he looked at me with a horrified face when I was cleaning out our pumpkins for Halloween. Oh well.<br />
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This is Maben's proud creation. He drew the pattern himself and cut most of it out (the top and eyes). The little cheap pumpkin saw started to bend so we asked me to do the mouth so it wouldn't break. It broke anyways.<br />
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Colton didn't want anything to do with the pumpkins other than telling me he wanted me to carve a t-rex.<br />
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He loved it! I am pretty proud of my t-rex. I didn't even have cell service to look up a photo of one before drawing it out.<br />
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While this has been the first camp out with scouts, it won't be our last. It was a lot of great fun and we look forward to doing it again in the spring.<br />
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And one last photo, since I realized (and this always happens) as we were leaving that I wasn't in a single photo, I had to get one with my little scout. Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12528509012363694158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2505826951906389158.post-9751207572723089072013-11-11T03:00:00.000-06:002013-11-11T03:00:02.654-06:00Thank You VeteransI want to extend a "Thank You" to all the Veteran's out there. Those no longer serving, still serving or paid the ultimate price, you live in my heart. I can't even begin to put down into the proper words what it means to be a part of Military life. With my time as an Army wife, I do know one thing for certain; I will always have the utmost respect for the men and women who choose to wear a uniform. <b>Thank You</b> from the bottom of my heart. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My husband sitting on his tank, OIF 2003.</td></tr>
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If you would like to read the absolute most beautiful piece I have seen written about Veteran's day, please grab a box of tissues and check this out, "<a href="http://cooper-smith.com/blog/veterans-day-2013" target="_blank">Veteran's Day 2013 - Let Us Not Forget.</a>"<br />
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Also, I wanted to let you know something that you can do to express your gratitude to our servicemen and women. You can send them a card this holiday season. The Red Cross is once again organizing the event, "<a href="http://www.redcross.org/support/get-involved/holiday-mail-for-heroes" target="_blank">Holiday Mail for Heroes.</a>" I urge you to go to the link and check out the details. If you have any non-family photo Holiday cards, gather them up and send them to our troops.<br />
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Have you ever wondered why Veteran's Day is on November 11th? You can <a href="http://www.va.gov/opa/vetsday/vetdayhistory.asp" target="_blank">click here</a> to find the answer to that question with an overview of the history of Veteran's Day.Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12528509012363694158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2505826951906389158.post-68025646234360743662013-11-07T10:31:00.001-06:002013-11-07T10:31:52.339-06:00Art at Vintage ParkI am so super excited to announce that I have donated two pieces for auction to help support the <a href="http://www.twrcwildlifecenter.org/" target="_blank">Texas Wildlife Rehabilitation Center in Houston</a>. It's a really awesome event called Art at Vintage Park. <br />
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The <a href="http://www.twrcwildlifecenter.org/" target="_blank">TWRC</a> is a really cool place that rehabs injured wild animals in the Houston area. So, that bird that has a broken wing hopping around the yard, yup, they take them and nurse them back to health in hopes of releasing them back into the wild. If they cannot, they might use the animal as an educational animal to teach people/children about local wildlife. I have heard that they also do an amazing summer camp for kids. <br />
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So, when presented with the opportunity I did two pieces to donate. The first one is called, "Backyard Birding." These are three feathers that I found in my yard. <br />
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I'm not 100% sure what the feather on the left is, I am guessing either a dove or mockingbird, the center feather is a blue jay and the one on the right is a cardinal.<br />
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I used the same technique that I have been developing where I am woodburning and painting with wood dyes. <br />
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"Backyard Birding," is on a raised basswood panel that is 12x12 inches. I love it and hope you do too. <br />
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The next piece I donated is, "Blue Morpho Butterfly." <br />
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This piece is an 8x8 inch woodburning on a curly maple panel and framed. <br />
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I love curly maple. It gives such a cool illusion. If you have never seen/worked with it, I highly recommend it.<br />
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So, if you are in the Houston area and want to help out a good cause while buying some cool artwork, stop on by Vintage Park this Saturday night. I know I will be there! If you come, please come introduce yourself.Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12528509012363694158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2505826951906389158.post-91935708926627649972013-11-06T06:00:00.000-06:002013-11-06T06:00:00.151-06:00October Best<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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October was all about the kiddos. It was also a very crazy month for me. I have a feeling the death spiral into Christmas is going to be a rough one this year. The calendar seems to fill up more and more with each month. I do feel like I am finally getting my feet underneath me and am making some forward momentum.<br />
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Top: (left) Maben riding the little carousel at Chuck E. Cheese, (center) Colton riding his first pony at a friend's birthday party, (right) Maben worked hard at his school fundraiser and earned this spikey inflatable helmet.<br />
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Bottom: (left) Colton's birthday photo, (center) The kids didn't give me much for Halloween photos, (right) Colton riding his bicycle for the first time!Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12528509012363694158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2505826951906389158.post-66215290223176849662013-10-29T06:00:00.000-05:002013-10-29T06:00:03.340-05:002nd Place!I shared this over on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/erinscreative" target="_blank">Facebook</a> last week, but need to share it here too. I got second place and am more than ecstatic about that, especially after seeing the company I was competing against. So, here are the top three finishers in the contest over at <a href="http://houston.jerrysartaramastores.com/" target="_blank">Jerry's Artarama Houston</a>.<br />
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1st Place - Brad Letney<br />
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2nd Place - Yours truly - Erin Morey<br />
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3rd Place - Janice Smith<br />
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A big thanks to the crew over at Jerry's for putting on a great contest and show. A big congrats to my fellow winners. It was great to meet many of the contestants and I was so excited that my family was able to accompany me to the show. <br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Photos are all courtesy of Jerry's Artarama Houston. </span>Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12528509012363694158noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2505826951906389158.post-13351217554057115362013-10-17T06:30:00.000-05:002013-10-17T06:30:01.243-05:00Wish Me LuckI have entered one of my newest pyrography/wood dyed pieces into an art contest being held by my local <a href="http://houston.jerrysartaramastores.com/" target="_blank">Jerry's Artarama</a> store. I was so excited to make the cut and my piece will be on display and this weekend I will find out if I place!!!<br />
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This is a red-bellied woodpecker on the side of a tree trunk. It's quite large, 16x20 inches. Below is a close up view of the feathers so you can see just how much detail I put into it.<br />
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<br />Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12528509012363694158noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2505826951906389158.post-25418046638329079842013-10-09T07:30:00.000-05:002013-10-09T07:30:04.485-05:00Birthday BoysSo while I am playing catch up, I need to post about birthdays, the good, the bad and the ugliest cake ever!<br />
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I kid you not about the cake. My husband mentioned that a coworker told him about how our local grocery store had a tank cake. With my husband being a former tanker in the Army, I had to go check it out and order it for him if it was up to my standards. I saw the photo in the book and thought it looked pretty awesome. I ordered it and I will let the photo below speak for itself. <br />
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<br />I am no longer disappointed in HEB. <br />
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I was the day I picked up that cake. I even spoke with the bakery manager about this atrocity. She tried to defend it. Big mistake, Big, HUGE! (can you guess the movie reference there?) That's why I made the above photo collage and then posted it on their Facebook page. Since it was a custom order, I had to buy the cake (they originally gave me half off), but couldn't remake it. Normally this bakery knocks out stellar looking cakes, not for my husband though. I blame his bad luck for this. At least we could laugh, along with all my friends on facebook about this disaster. I later spoke with the store manager, laughed pretty heartily with her about it and then I spoke with another manager from the store who oversees that area and they refunded my money. <br />
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Happy birthday hunny! I hope next years cake is not a repeat performance in ugliness.<br />
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So, I started with the bad and ugly, now onto the good! <br />
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My littlest turned 4. Colton was so excited that he woke me up at 5:30am! He crawled into bed with me and said,<br />
"Wake up mommy, it's my birthday!" <br />
"Go back to bed, it's still night night time." <br />
"Can I watch TV?" <br />
"No, go back to bed." <br />
"<i>But it's my birthday!</i>"<br />
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My little monster, really hammed it up all day long. He told strangers all about his birthday, teachers, the car that pulled up next to us at a stop light. He also wanted to look nice on his birthday, so I let him pick out a new shirt. The handsome little man has my taste is obnoxiously printed shirts. He chose that one for his birthday shirt. LOVE IT!<br />
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It's hard to believe just how fast he is growing up. I look at this photo and can't believe he is only 4 with that chiseled little jaw line. <br />
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Happy Birthday Colton. I hope four brings you a lot of happiness, a lot of interests and crave for knowledge, lots of silly moments and a whole lot of fun. Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12528509012363694158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2505826951906389158.post-5642592159426304272013-10-08T07:30:00.000-05:002013-10-08T07:30:06.634-05:00September BestWow, this past few weeks has just kicked me in the keister! Butted heads with my son's elementary school over some safety issues, traveling husband, birthdays, and I ended up sick with strep throat and a sinus infection. I haven't had strep since I was 10! Seriously! BTW, I had my tonsils out at 10 and they both grew back to full size. I will gladly get them yanked again so I don't have to go through the hell of having them swell to the size of golf balls. Thankful no one else in the house caught what I had. <br />
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Top: (left) Colton attempted to give his hair a mohawk while wet (right) A self photo that I really like of me<br />
Bottom: (left) Maben doing an awesome job in his very first soccer game (center) My blooming succulent (right) Colton's first day of schoolErinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12528509012363694158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2505826951906389158.post-54619000358707217122013-09-28T11:56:00.000-05:002013-09-28T11:56:40.553-05:00SucculentsDid you know that they bloom? It's a stupid question, because I never even thought about it until one of mine did. Okay, maybe the question isn't stupid, but I definitely suffer lapses in thought.<br />
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They are a huge trend in home decorating and I have never seen one in bloom. I just kind thought they grew slowly like cactus and didn't really do a whole lot. They are quite beautiful all on their own. <br />
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One of mine went completely wild and crazy and I just let it go to see what it would do. It grew a tentacle about 12 inches, long and bloomed! <br />
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He wrapped himself all the way around Prince Charming (a party lite candle holder) and produced some pretty cool flowers. <br />
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The kids have also taken a liking to sticking found feathers from the yard in where some of the succulents died off. Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12528509012363694158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2505826951906389158.post-34457443828188043012013-09-23T17:09:00.001-05:002013-09-23T17:09:46.700-05:00Shout Out for Katie Wilson<div style="text-align: left;">
Katie Wilson is my amazingly talented cousin. She is a singer and songwriter, absolutely gorgeous and one of the nicest people you could ever meet. I am so jealous of her voice, I can't sing to save my life. I am happy to say that she has lots going for her and momentum is just picking up. If you life country music, take a listen and maybe download a song or two of hers.</div>
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Here are links to her <a href="http://www.facebook.com/katiewilsonofficial" target="_blank">Facebook</a>, <a href="http://www.katiewilsoncountry.com/" target="_blank">Website</a> and <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/backwoods-barbie-ep/id711528051" target="_blank">iTunes</a>. Check her out and let me know what you think! </div>
Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12528509012363694158noreply@blogger.com0