Make over Monday continues!!

I am so excited about my new addition to my blog!! I LOVE the weekend and Mondays are always so unwanted and hectic so I am thrilled to share some fun!! This crafty piece was inspired mainly by another amazing women, blogger, DIYr extrordanar Miss Momma! Click here for her amazing tutorial on her pom-pom necklace!! I LOVE LOVE LOVE how this turned out and WILL be making these for all my sister's birthday!! (shh....;})

First I cut out 5 small circles ~1.5-2 inches (I used a fabric glue bottle and drew around it 5 x) I then made a larger circle since I wanted to add something else besides pom-poms to this but still wasn't sure!! Using the felt circles as templates I cut out the same size circles out of fabric, I found the colors I needed in the remnant pile at the fabric store, ANY fabric will work I also used left over satin from the flowers for extra color. I used ~8-10 fabric circles per felt circle

Taking a fabric circle fold it up and hot glue the tip

Then place it on the felt circle, I don't think it matters where you start, I started in the middle the edge where ever.. I think I got the best results when I started in the middle but doesn't REALLY make a difference!!

It will flare out just keep adding until you can't see the felt anymore. I also trimmed some of the fabric circles once I was finished just to make it more even..as you can see my circles are NOT perfect! (either are my nails! wow need a manicure!!) continue with all 5 pieces of felt. You can use the same color and fabric for all 5 or switch it up! That is what is fun about this!!

Then lay your finished pop-poms on another piece of felt, it must be big enough of a piece for the full finished necklace

I wasn't sure how I wanted the finished piece to look so I played with it for awhile

I finally decided on fabric flower (an extra piece I had and just wrapped it around itself ) and a satin flower I had made for the girls hair. I also found 2 old strands of pearls I NEVER wear so I added those to the necklace and FELL IN LOVE! =)

To secure the necklace hot glue each end to the back of a pom pom first, then glue it onto the larger felt, make sure that you have placement of the pom-poms or any additional pieces first since the necklace will obviously need to glued to each end pieces...ok so confusing sounding BUT SO easy! For example..since the satin flower was the end of one side I glued one end of the pearls to that felt back and then the opposite end of the pearls to the grey pom pom on the opposite side...got it?

The pop pom with the glue with be attached to the pearls and then glued to the felt on top of the other pom poms

**important make sure if you are using multiple types of flowers to put close enough together so no felt shows through unless you like the felt showing. Then once all felt backings of flowers and pom-poms are glued to large felt piece cut around the flowers

viola! so fun! I also liked this possibility!

But wanted a splash of color! Well everyone loved the necklace and I do believe it came together nicely!

Manic Monday Makeovers!!

So I thought I would try something new this week! My brother was married this weekend to an amazing gal who I am so super excited to call my sister!! ANYhoo I have been trying to find some accessories for this event for awhile and wasn't able SOO I figured hey why don't I just DIY it?!!

SOoo that inspired my "Manic Monday Makeovers!" And it's Monday and not Thursday or Friday since this last week was just super crazy busy with the wedding and Mondays need a little more fun! I posted the links for these lovely crafts of Facebook but I will post them again here and add the pictures of what I did how they turned out! LOVE em!! I found this tutorial at Jones Designs Company, she is an amazing person and her blog is fabulous!! I am sure I will make these in EVERY color for EVERY birthday gift! Thanks for the GREAT tutorial! Here is her link

I started with some polyester satin in silver, some buttons, beads, a candle, scissors, needle and thread..

I cut out 3 squares I used a 3 inch, 2-2.5 inch and 1.5 inch square, then round the edges.. I also used a 4 inch square for several to add more petals..

Then hold the edges up to the candle and the fabric will melt inwards looking like a flower petal..beautiful

Place all the petals together I used three here...

Sew the petals together

Then sew on beads or buttons I used both and I loved them all! I then cut out two round pieces of felt and hot glued 1 piece of felt to the back of flower then measured the small elastic to Miss M's head and hot glued the elastic to the bottom of the felt and then hot glued the 2nd piece of felt over the elastic..

wahlaa...smooch! My baby niece modeling the finished product! I also hot glued them to a small alligator clips for the older girls! And Little Man E got a boutineer! ENJOY!! I also made myself a headband I just measured my own head and did it the same way as little Baby B's!!

Waiting for Patience

As I am sitting on the computer I have a full view of the mountains of furniture waiting for me to glue, sand, stain, paint, stain... FINISH!! Feeling slightly overwhelmed - and excited - about this new adventure for me. I had a tad of a setback this weekend and became easily frustrated about the decision I LEAPED into head first!!

I have ALWAYS been impulsive! I leap before I look, I fall in love with a new idea and HAVE TO DO IT NOW, regardless of anything. Hey, at 18 years old, I said I wanna go to Europe.... ok.. lets go... I have become smarter... more thoughtful, to some degree. =) I am truly excited and have wonderful advocators in my life pushing and encouraging me!!!

Today I am sitting down and making small obtainable goals to help me reach my END goal! I feel good about my impulsive leap of faith in myself and I will not let myself down!!

...no any advice on patience with children!!! whole new post!!!

Sunshine makes it all better!

We woke up today to a beaUtiful day here in Portsmouth!! The birds singing and the SUN shining! And BEST of all it is WARM. I have always been amazed at the ability of sunshine. I am a sun LOVER and find winter drab and depressing!! Last night I went to bed feeling blah...and dare I say - depressed- or uninspired ...refused to push myself to get out of bed a o'dark 30 just because I didn't want too....So today I am going to go outside and the sunshine work it's magic!! Perhaps a little outdoor painting is just what I need to finish up my newest project!!

COLOR...

Piece of furniture

INSPIRATION...

WONDERFUL giveaway from Holly Mathis Interiors...whom I just love she is amazing! On her site she is giving away an amazing necklace from Starfish jewelry.....awesome, engraved, little wonders..... check it out...

Flat Stanley Adventures

Us here in the Jackson household LOVE getting mail!! Don't you?!! and lately we have been getting ALOT of super fun VALENTINEs mail!! we ESPEcially love it if mail comes from our family- even more so if it came all the way from California!!! our cousin K read the Flat Stanley book in school, and as a school project she made flat K and sent her out for adventures!! My little man E was TRILLED to take her out! .....................pausing for a moment to enjoy the quiet blissfulness of 6am without kids..................... ok Im back!

So we took her to the Norfolk zoo for story time yesterday, we especially loved the red pandas out playing! then our favorite bagel and coffee store....and TARGET!! Thanks K for sending her to US!! we will take her on plenty of adventures in the Olde Towne-Portsmouth-VA-East Coast- place we live!!

We miss our California family!! - and our WV family too!!

I think she will be going to some thrift and paint stores with us today!:)

Any thoughts on adventures we should take her on??

Well I here little Miss M calling for...Ami?? hmmm not sure I like that!! Well off to start the day!! have a wonderful day!

I may open a twitter account today in the name of my new business so follow along!!

Fabric stores make my heart go ..pitter.. patter

I LOVE fabric! I could spend hours just walking through wondering, wow HOW can I use this, I MUST have this!! So actually having projects that require me to go into a fabric store are my FAVOrite kind. The furniture I envision - eventually - selling are bright, colorful and funky pieces! I left the fabric store beaming with excitement from some amazing fabrics I found...stay tuned!! Do you have any favorite fabrics? or fabric stores???

I am up at an ungodly hour to enjoy some peace and quiet ....well not quite so peaceful as Mr. Hubs is doing P90x in the room next to me...while I enjoy a brownie heart and cup of joe!:) BUT there are no mommy....mom...screams...and I can sit and type and enjoy some ME time! We have decided as a couple we are going to get up at o'dark 30 to start our day productively ...me bloggins Mr. H workouts! I will let you know if I make it through the day! :)

Hope everyone had a wonderful Valentine's Day! Us over here at JJ sure did!!

Refurbishing....

The Jackson household had a wonderful weekend! Full of friends, fun and SANDING!! Since I have left working to stay home full time with my kids I have needed some kind of creative outlet. I have tried several things but felt blah about every endeavor! So I took a break and focused on some DIY home improvements! I tried my hand at window treatments and then decided we needed more color in our neutral home!! So....I started painting!! I have sanded painted and distressed now almost every piece of furniture I possibly can in my house!! Some of my earliest projects...SCARY!! BUT I am learning and LOVING the process!

I have been doing "research" this past few weeks (aka ogling at some AMAZING blogs) and keeping the idea on the back burner so someday when we move to my "farm":)..sustainable of course~! I will be READY for my project! Weellll.....I have an amazing neighbor/friend who has continued to be my motivator and support! She called me one day last week and said you have to come meet me!! She had stumbled upon a local lady who...well long story short this lady HAD to sell/get rid of a huge warehouse of solid wood antique furniture!!! So I packed down the truck and my little roller skate and have LOADED our 100 year old row house with furniture!!

As I start this new schizo calling I have been amazed at how much talent I am surrounded by! My brother-in-law, and both of my neighbors have provided to be extraordinary resources! And I can't fail to mention my ambassador of kwan, my paramour, my best friend my husband! (trying to think of a cleaver nickname.....any thoughts!) AnyWHO this affair is off and running! I am hoping to eventually have a new blog or just rename my current one, not yet sure the details...but stay tuned LOTS coming!

New Changes

Well life has an amazing way of putting you RIGHT where you need to be! I LOVE our neighborhood I have developed such wonderful/lasting friendships here! Last night I met with several other mothers and we discussed homeschool and our plans, curriculum ideas and social networking for our little people! The possibilities of this coming year, while still are frightening our getting me super excited too!! Eli is starting to ask when he is going to go to school at home and have "adventures"

I am also starting to dabble a little into some things for me and mental soul well being! I will have more to share on that soon!

To Homeschool or not too...

that is the current Jackson dilemma. Unfortunately we have moved to a WONDERFUL neighborhood and Love it here BUT also a horrible school district!! We have tossed the idea of home school vs private for sometime now, and are pretty certain we will home school Eli for now. Our goal is to home school until 3rd grade and reevaluate the situation. I know gasp...BUT we are also fortunate enough to be in an area with amazing opportunities for homeschooling, even a sports league..but what about the social aspect you ask...well we will be apart of a group and will be able to participate in classes that are taught by teachers through this organization...I KNOW I can't protect my children from every BAD thing they come across in life but I am going to try and provide the most secure and well rounded environment for my family...and you know I won't know until we try it out!! We are super excited and anxious about this change but I know it is the best for our family at this time!! So any of you home school moms out there an advise would be wonderful!! I think we are going to try the Charlotte Mason curriculum anyone used this? If not what curriculum do you use?!!

Monthly goals

Monthly goals for February

1. stick to my weekly budget

2. cancel cable - more activities with the kids

3. workout 5 days/week

4. plan meals and stick to the plan

5. Tell Chris daily how much I love him

6. be patient

Reality

So life if hard...life is AMAZING....life is dull...life IS...These past few months I have been fortunate to spend at home with my children. I LOVE being a mother I love being home..BUT it makes me crazy some days too! The reality of being home is a difficult, sometimes thankless job that never ends. I expected when I started my "new career" that my house would be spotless my children would be so well behaved because I would be patient and kind and we would speak in loving tones to each other. I would be frugal but fashionable our house would smell of homemade bread and love would gush out the sides. HAHA HA!!!HA I am still laughing at this image I have in my mind!! While there is plenty of love to go around in our house we still argue and my children continue to have trouble sharing and I can't seem to be frugal or fashionable!! BUT I love it and it's chaos...most days. =)

Now marriage...luckily I chose the right guy!! It's amazing how hard it is to show how much you love and appreciate your best friend. I have found myself taking him for granted, not expressing my true feelings DAILY...marriage is hard and without daily reminders we slowly loose connection. The only thing Chris truly asks for is for me to allow him to work out at home when he gets home from work. He doesn't want to go out with the boys, he doesn't want an expensive sports car, he doesn't WANT anything he is CONTENT with us with his life.

Content that is my new word. I am content my life is full ...but why is it so hard to feel it everyday? and I can tell you I have EVERY excuse known.."i'm tired, Mia didn't sleep, i don't feel comfortable in my clothes today, the weather stinks, I miss my family, the kids are soo difficult today....blah blah blah...NOT ANYMORE...I am going to stop the complaining stop the whining and JUST BE HAPPY!! I am going to date my husband I am going to patient and accepting of children. I know I am human and I know I am going to have bad days but I am not going to allow myself excuses. I am going to stick to my budget, I am going to MAKE and stick to my monthly goals!! I am going to be happy and content with the choice I made to take a time out from my career to be with my children, for ME and MY family this is what we want and are willing to make the sacrifices that come with that.