New Green Mama

TeamUp Thursday- Flare

2010-03-11T08:49:00.002-06:00

This week Cara and I chose flare as our theme. Both of us had beautiful, sunny weather this weekend so it was perfect. I love that Cara captured the sun coming through the window. I don't think I have one window in my house that gets that much light even on the sunniest of days.

Yes, my children are in their bathing suits. You can read more about that here if you missed it. It was not entirely warm enough for bathing suits, but oh well. It was well into the 70's at least. If it is rainy and gloomy where you are today, hopefully this will brighten your day.

Visit Megan for more Team-Up Thursday.

Buttercup Bag

2010-03-09T08:55:00.005-06:00

I have been wanting to make this purse by Made by Rae for at least a year now. Mitch and I had date night on Saturday night so I had to have a new purse. I really wanted to make myself a new top, but there was not enough time for that. I knew I could get the purse finished pretty fast. I think I just needed to do something crafty and for myself. The majority of last week I spent my crafting time working on a wholesale order.

I really like how the purse turned out. I did not do a magnetic closure because I did not have one and did not want to make a run to the store. It really needs one though. I will definitely make another one. It comes together really easily and is so adaptable. I want to make a ruffly one next. Oh the possibilities.......

Happy Crafty Tuesday everyone.

Bathing Suit Weather Already?

2010-03-08T09:21:00.005-06:00

Well, it's not quite bathing suit weather yet, but it was gorgeous outside this weekend. We planned a trip over Spring Break so I bought the kids new bathing suits last week. Harper has been sleeping in hers every night. She wore it under her clothes all day yesterday waiting for an opportunity to strip down to just her bathing suit. Finally when Mitch decided to wash the cars, I told her she could run around in just her bathing suit. Miller quickly followed suit.

I am choosing this last shot as my Best Shot this week. It gives me hope that Spring is really right around the corner.

Team Up Thursday- Lunch

2010-03-04T08:40:00.002-06:00

This week Cara and I chose Lunch as our theme. I say that we chose the theme, but in actuality Cara's son chose for us. She asked him what he thought our theme should be for this week and he said lunch. So there you go.

I went to the grocery store on Sunday. In an attempt to clean out some leftovers to make room for the fresh food, I set out a bunch of random foods for lunch. I couldn't resist taking a photo of the bright, colorful fruit bowl. Doesn't Cara's photo of the sushi roll look so yummy? Mmmmm.

Visit Megan's for more Team-Up Thursday.

Zippy Art Purse Tutorial

2010-03-02T07:00:00.001-06:00

I spent all week working on this tutorial. It is 15 pages long and very detailed. I made two more this weekend with a couple of different variatons. The most time consuming part is cutting out all the pieces. Once that is done, it goes pretty fast. I have some more ideas for boys and also additional uses for the purse, but have not had time to work on those ideas-YET! I might eventually expand the tutorial and offer it in my shop, but for now it's free. I would love to hear your feedback if you decide to make one or if the instructions are unclear. Click on the link below to view the pdf.

Zippy Art Purse Tutorial

Self Portraits

2010-02-25T08:00:00.002-06:00

This week's theme for Team-Up Thursday was Self Portraits. It's been awhile since I have taken any photos of myself so I was actually looking forward to the challenge. Since the weather was so nice on Saturday, I ventured outside with my remote and tripod and shot away. I tried various locations and poses. I felt like I was taking Senior pictures all over again. Then I jumped off this log 1 million times. Ok, maybe it was less than that, but I did work up a good sweat. I finally got one shot of me in the air without my fat roll hanging out of my sweater. I swear I tried jumping and not making that crazy open mouth face and I just couldn't do it. Maybe one day if I am feeling brave I will post some of my outtakes. They are pretty hilarious. Now look at Cara's gorgeous photo. I love the softness of the photo and how the light highlights her face. Quite a contrast from mine. Don't you think?

Since I took a gazillion photos, I will share the runner-ups. They aren't as fun. My son actually asked me why I looked so mad. Hopefully that means I don't always have this look on my face.

See there's a little smile.

Now that I look at this photo again I do look like I am giving the camera the stink eye.

Since I am sharing photos I have to show you some of the kids. They were very intrigued with my photo session and decided I needed to take photos of them as well. I was going to wait and make a whole separate post for these photos, but thought they would go better all together.

There was a photo that I took of myself where I was leaning my head back, but I couldn't bring myself to post that photo. You can look at this one instead.

Action shots...

Glamour shots.....

Lovely, huh?

Hey Mom. Is my head in the shot? Very clever way of making sure his sister isn't getting all the attention, right?

Thanks Megan and Melody for making us take Self Portraits this week. It was fun!!

Jump on over to Team-Up Thursday at Megan's blog.

Bowie Nature Park

2010-02-24T09:00:00.002-06:00

Here's some more photos from our outing at Bowie Nature Center.

Art Purse

2010-02-23T09:13:00.003-06:00

I did absolutely no sewing last week. The weather was gorgeous this weekend so there was no craftiness going on at our house this weekend either. Yesterday afternoon some sort of crafty bug hit me and I decided to make an art kit for a birthday party we are going to this weekend. I finished it up last night so I actually have something to show for Crafty Tuesday.

Birthday presents for the kid's classmates are always a challenge for me. I don't know the kids very well. I don't want to just buy them junk, but I also don't want to invest too much time into making something. I have been thinking about this little art purse for awhile, but have not been able to sort it all out until yesterday afternoon. I sat down and drew out a plan then did some measuring and it all fell into place. It is the perfect size for a toddler. The pocket is just big enough for a 5 x 7 notebook.

I took pictures and jotted down measurements so that I can make a tutorial. Plus we just received another invitation today for another birthday party. So I think I will make at least a couple more to work out any kinks and make sure I have good photos.

Happy Crafty Tuesday everyone!!!

Best Shot Monday- Gathering

2010-02-22T10:00:00.003-06:00

We had incredibly awesome weather this weekend. The sun was shining and the temperatures creeped into the mid 60's. We took advantage of the unseasonably warm weather and headed to Bowie Nature Park. The Cottons joined us, which made it even more fun. It felt good to be able to shoot some photos outside and it's always nice to have different subjects to photograph. This little stinker literally runs away from me when she sees me coming with the camera. She has the most gorgeous eyes, but usually refuses to look at me. I managed to convince her to let me photograph her collection of pine cones though.

I took tons of shots over the weekend, but for some reason these two together are my favorites. I loved how she collected all sorts of little things as we hiked. Her pockets were full and so were her hands. It was the perfect way to spend Saturday morning.

Tracey hosts Best Shot Monday every week.

Team Up Thursday- Shadows

2010-02-18T08:00:00.001-06:00

Man, oh man. This week's theme was a hard one for me. It has been so dreary and cold lately. The sun only comes out in little spurts. Nothing inside was inspiring me. So a photo of what life has been like around here seemed appropriate (my photo is on the bottom). I love Cara's shot and she has a good story to go along with it, which makes it even more fun. She is in a conference room at work in front of a projector.

Visit Megan for more Team Up Thursday photos.

Butter & Herb Gnocchi with White Beans

2010-02-17T08:00:00.001-06:00

This is one of my favorite comfort foods. It is not one of the healthiest meals I cook, but oh so good. It has also become a go to recipe for when I am in a hurry or don't have any fresh ingredients on hand. I adapted it from a Real Simple recipe. The original recipe calls for 2 lbs of gnocchi, which is 2 packages of the shelf stable gnocchi you find in the pasta section. That just seemed like a lot to me. Plus I wanted to add some protein so that it would be a complete meal for me. So I added the white beans and reduced the amount of gnocchi. I know they sell gnocchi in the frozen section at Whole Foods, which I am going to try next time I make it. I usually use the shelf stable kind. If you are feeling really ambitious, you can also make them from scratch.

Butter & Herb Gnocchi with White Beans

Ingredients
1 lb gnocchi
1 15 oz can of cannellini beans drained and rinsed well
3-4 tablespoons unsalted butter (you could also use a butter alternative like Earth Balance)
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
kosher salt and black pepper
1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped (you can use fresh parsley instead for a milder flavor or any fresh herb really)
1/4 cup sliced chives

Directions
Cook the gnocchi according to the package directions. Reserve 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid, drain the gnocchi, and return them to the pot along with the beans.
Add the butter, mustard, the reserved cooking water, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and toss until the butter has melted. Fold in the basil and chives.

Serve it with a side salad or sauteed spinach and you're done.

Happy Birthday Grammie

2010-02-16T09:12:00.004-06:00

I am a day late because Grammie's birthday was actually yesterday, but we had a snow day yesterday and I was all out of sorts. This snow is driving me CRAZY!!! Anway, we celebrated my mother-in-law's birthday on Saturday. My husband and his sister planned a surprise dinner for her with some of her friends at a local pizza place.

Happy Birthday Grammie!!!

I made her a purse and wallet for her birthday. The purse is made to wear across her shoulder and sit on her hip. I used this tutorial for the wallet. The fabric that I used on the wallet is the same fabric I used for the back of the purse. My husband was nice enough to snap some photos for me before he wrapped it.

Happy Crafty Tuesday everyone.

Girls Night Out- Goddess and the Moon

2010-02-15T07:36:00.004-06:00

Here are a few shots from this month's GNO. We had our cards read at the Goddess and the Moon. It was definitely a fun and memorable night out. Thanks girls!!

Team Up Thursday- Time

2010-02-11T08:59:00.003-06:00

Cara and I chose time this week as our theme. I had so many different ideas, but ultimately went with the traditional. The photo I took (on the left) is the face of a grandfather clock that was given to me by my grandmother. I've always loved this clock so it is a bit sentimental to me. I love Cara's take on the theme. I think the photos fit together, but are so different.

If you have some extra time today, head over to Megan's to see some more creative themes.

T-Shirt Dress and Travel Purse

2010-02-09T09:43:00.004-06:00

I finally set aside a little time to do some personal sewing. Goodwill had their monthly 50% off sale so I set out early Saturday morning to do some thrifting. I came home with 3 bags full of clothes for a grand total of $63. Can't beat that. I found a jacket and a Gap t-shirt for me. I scored a dress, skirt, and top for Harper. For Miller I found a Cars t-shirt, 2 pair of pants, and 2 cute short sleeved button down shirts. Mitch got a brand new Brooks Brother shirt. Then I racked up on t-shirts so that I can make Harper some comfy play dresses or skirts for the summer. Plus three wool sweaters for cozies.

Mitch took the kids to the park so that I could sew. So I made a dress for Harper. I used three different t-shirts. The main shirt was from Children's Place and was a little too big, but I was able to still use the existing neckline so that eliminated a little work.

I am not sure what's going on here. I think Miller was a little jealous that I was not photgraphing him.

The turquoise shirt that I used matched the main shirt perfectly and it had manager on the sleeve. So I used it for the sleeves.

Then on Sunday afternoon I made myself a little travel purse. Not that I have plans to go anywhere, but you never know. It will be perfect for a quick trip to the store or when I just want to carry a couple of things with me.

This was my first attempt at a magnetic closure. It is a little wonky, but good practice. There's a pocket on the outside. I used this tutorial as a guideline.

I added a little pocket inside.

It was really nice to finish a couple of things for us.

Happy Crafty Tuesday everyone.

Team Up Thursday- Green

2010-02-04T08:43:00.004-06:00

Cara and I are teaming up for Team Up Thursday over at Mental Inventory. I am so excited to join in the fun. Cara is so talented and having a partner will keep me motivated each week. This week we chose Green as our theme.

If you want to see some seriously talented ladies, head on over to Mental Inventory.

Sledding

2010-02-03T09:03:00.002-06:00

The combination of snow and ice that we received over the weekend was perfect for sledding.

Don't you love the pink gloves? I guess that is what happens when you have an older sister. He doesn't seem to mind though.

They would zoom down the driveway, across the street and into the neighbors front yard.

Each time Miller would say, "Let's do it again."

So they would do it again.

Look at those smiles.

Wheeee......

The view from the top of the driveway.

I had to stand guard at the bottom of the driveway to make sure no cars were coming. This is what our road looked like.

We still have some snow lingering around, but the roads are clear and the kids are back in school. I can honestly say I am not too sad to see it go. A couple of days is all I need.

Finally a Shop Update

2010-02-02T10:08:00.004-06:00

You would think since I was snowed in all weekend that I would have found some time to do a little sewing. Well, that was not the case. I finished up my last wholesale order at the end of last week and did not think about sewing until last night. I did manage to make a couple of things for my etsy shop last night. I should be done updating it by the end of the day. Here's a sneak peak.

It seems that being snowed in makes me want to cook rather than sew. While we were home this weekend we made homemade pretzels, larabars, and baked artichoke dip. Yum. The kids went bonkers over the larabars and they tasted just like the store bought ones. I will definitely be making those again.

Happy Crafty Tuesday everyone.

Ice, Ice Baby

2010-02-01T10:30:00.003-06:00

As forecasted we were slammed with snow and ice on Friday. Which meant we spent the weekend at home playing in the snow. It also meant more macrotherapy for me. Ice is almost as fun to photograph as raindrops.

my rosemary bush

some ice flare

my car

The snow was so hard that I could stand on it without my feet sinking in.

Mmmmm

So what did you do this weekend?

Another Week in Crafts

2010-01-26T09:12:00.002-06:00

I finished my last wholesale order that was looming over my head last week. Then wouldn't you know it another one came in. Which is not a bad thing, but it does not leave much time for other crafts. I have really been wanting to do some personal sewing. This last order will bring everyone locally current so I think it will buy me some time. I still want to update the Etsy shop before Valentine's Day, but we will just have to see.

I did manage to complete a taggie blanket that has been on my to do list for months. Now I just need to ship it out.

I also made myself ear warmers from the turtleneck of one of my thrifted sweaters. I have been wanting to make myself a hat, but haven't been able to decide on a design. I had this turtleneck piece laying around so I threw it together really fast. I know you can't tell much from the photo, but you get the idea.

I also made another owl last week. I used the same sweater for both the owl and the ear warmers.

Happy Crafty Tuesday everyone!!

Much Needed Fresh Air

2010-01-25T09:44:00.003-06:00

On Saturday morning we decided to head out to the park to get some much needed fresh air. I grabbed my macro lens and decided it would be nice to try to get some nature shots. It has been awhile since I have used it and I was needing some macrotherapy. Of course, about 6 shots in my battery died. I did have a spare one in my purse in the car, but I didn't fell like going all the way back to the car. I did get a couple of shots that I liked though.

You know I can't resist those raindrops.

I love the fairy in one hand and the horse in the other.

I am chosing this as my best shot this week. There's just something interesting about it. I love the richness of the colors too.

Visit Tracey for more Best Shot Monday.

Super Simple Gadget Pouch Tutorial

2010-01-21T15:02:00.004-06:00

Here is the tutorial I promised earlier in the week. For those of you who have been sewing for awhile, this tutorial might be pretty self explanatory. But for those of you who are wanting to learn how to sew or are just beginning, this is a perfect little project. I wanted to share it because it is a great gift idea and can be completed in a short amount of time. This is the same pattern that I use for the ones that I sell at a store here locally. It is the perfect size for an iphone, itouch or small point and shoot camera. So easy and so versatile....can't beat that. You can even handsew the pouch using a blanket stitch and not even use a sewing machine.

This is the first time I have created a pdf for a tutorial so let me know what you think.

Super Simple Gadget Pouch Tutorial

One More Down

2010-01-19T08:00:00.000-06:00

This week I finished one more wholesale order and I am halfway through with my last order. These orders are ones that I was not able to finish before Christmas and they have been looming over my head for a month now. So I am beyond happy to have them finished. Now hopefully I will have time to update the Etsy shop before Valentine's day. I am also working on a tutorial for a REALLY easy gadget pouch like the ones that are pictured above. I plan to have that posted by the end of the week.

Here's some craftiness from Harper that I thought I would show you.

Two of her friends have birthdays this week so she decided to make them cards using some of my die cut recycled cardboard pieces. I thought they turned out well. We still need to stamp the names on the front and write a message inside. I have been trying to figure out what to do with these pieces. Now I am thinking make your own card sets might be a good idea. What do you think?

Happy Crafty Tuesday everyone.

Monster Jam 2010

2010-01-18T09:26:00.002-06:00

We took the kids to the Monster Jam on Friday night. The things we do for our kids I tell ya!! It was very entertaining and I think the kids enjoyed the event.

There was a party in the pit before the show and the kids got to see the trucks up close.

Somehow we convinced Grammie & G-Pa to go with us.

We put on our ear protection because those trucks are VERY loud.

Grabbed some cotton candy because a Monster Truck show is not complete without it.

Then watched the show.

I am not sure what Miller is doing here, but don't you love the hat? It came with the extremely overpriced cotton candy.

Happy Monday everyone. I hope you had a wonderful weekend.

Back in Action

2010-01-12T09:53:00.002-06:00

I am officially back into the swing of things, well mostly. I am still having some motivation issues, but I was able to get one wholesale order done this week plus a couple of custom owls and a penguin. Not too bad. I am also brainstorming about Valentine's Day, but I am not sure if I will have time to get much together. We will just have to see.

Happy Crafty Tuesday everyone.