PHOTOGRAPHY

Hello FRIENDS!!! I just wanted to let you all know that I have decided to dive in head first into my photography... I have sales and giveaways going on NOW... so help a sista out and go check out my BRAND NEW PHOTOGRAPHY BLOG and follow me on FACEBOOK. Tell your friends, and I will love ya forever! This is the perfect time of year to have family portraits taken! Thank you!!! Questions, coments, rude remarks are all welcome... I am just starting out after all. Advice will all be taken with a grain of salt, so shoot me strait!

revamping shoes

I have been super jealous of all the cute shoes that I have been noticing. I am a shoe collector... so my husband says, so instead of going out and spending money on new shoes, I decided to look through my closet and revamp a few pair that I don't really wear anymore for one reason or another.

This particular pair was a velvety material, and I love the shape, but it was forest green. I hardly ever wear them just because the don't match anything I own.


I used acrylic paint and painted the velvet... and if any of you have ever gotten acrylic paint on fabric you know it is NEVER coming off... then I got some zebra fabric and modgpodged it onto the wooden platform. TADA!!!

super cute trendy heels... I love it!

BACKPACK

So first I cut out all my pieces. I ended up with some scraps, which I made into pockets... You can do pockets wherever you want... or not at all... but things tend to get lost in the bottom of backpacks, so I would recommend some pockets.





I started with the exterior back. I padded it with the batting to make it more comfortable, and to give the backpack some structure. In order to hold the batting in place I sewed an "S"... the first initial of the little girl this backpack is for. You could do crisscross lines... whatever you want.







Then I sewed the pocket onto the front. I basically just took two scraps that were the same size and sewed them (right sides together) left a little space so I could turn them right side out and then sewed around three sides. (this way the inside of the pocket looks finished too.)

Now next I would recommend sewing the straps. I did not take pictures of this process... sorry. just do right sides together with the batting on top of one of the "wrong sides" sew down both sides. then turn right side out. the batting should end up between the two layers of fabric. Then sew a straight line down the middle. I measured an existing backpack's straps with the person I was making it for wearing it... to ensure the proper length... You could also make the straps wider if you wanted to.

now the sides were the trickiest part for me. I simply pinned the long strip at each end, then eyeballed the middle of the strip and the middle of the backpack... then I pinned it. I continued to do that all the way down. You have to repeat the process for both sides of each strip. I didn't really worry about making mine line up perfectly, but it did kind of work itself out. Then I sewed on the bottom. DON"T FORGE TO PUT IN YOUR STRAPS!!! The corners are a little messy, but you are never going to see that because it will be on the inside, so don't stress it.

I sewed the lining the exact same way, just straight sides, instead of gathered.

Sew right sides together on the top flap also, leaving the flat side open. Insert one side of the magnetic closure, then sew the top flap to the top back of the backpack. DON'T FORGET THE STRAPS AND THE HANGING STRAP!!

Next I took a piece of scrap fabric and sewed it on the front in the middle about 2" from the top edge. Then I made two button holes in it. Then I sewed a long piece of fabric (for tying it shut) onto the seam that connects the side to the back. (I did this on both sides.) parallel with the button holes. I brought the strings around and put them through the button holes. Then I sewed the lining to the backpack around the top (right sides together) leaving a gap to turn it all right side out. Then I did a straight stitch all the way around the top to secure it and close the gap.

To finish it off I added a few rosettes to the top flap.

I am so not the best at tutorials... sorry, but if you have any sewing skills whatsoever, you can definitely make this... it is not hard... but it is a little time consuming. =) happy crafting!

Kindergarten Graduation

I can hardly believe my sweet little Chantel is already big enough to graduate from Kindergarten!

I am so proud of her. We have had a really fun year.



She LOVED her teacher Mrs. Cowley, and she excelled in everything she was taught.

Daddy couldn't be prouder of his baby girl!

Chantel is our little social butterfly. She made tons of friends in school and She loves to be "hanging out"...

I made some of my very best friends in kindergarten.

And we are lucky enough to live close to family, so she gets to go to school with several of her cousins.

I'm sure it will seem like a blink of an eye and she will be graduating from high school. I am so proud of you baby girl! mommy loves you forever~

Easter

First and foremost, these pictures are totally out of order (*no you're out of order... lol... always wanted to say that.) But bear with me.

Our Easter tradition is a bit different from most people's...

We get together with Mitch's mom, dad, brothers, sisters, and kids, and go easter egg 'hunting'.

We draw cute little faces on the eggs... all 15 dozen of them... and tape strings to about 10 dozen.

Then we hang them in the trees and scatter them on the ground.

Then the kids line up and take turns blowing them to smitherines! It has about as much to do with the resurection of Christ as any other crazy Easter tradition, and we like it.

We always go out to Pacoon Springs, it is about 45 minutes up the road from our house. My SIL bought a bunch of dime store gold fish and turned them loose in the springs... they are now about 6 inches long, and having babies! It is pretty cool!

Annie got to go on her very first 4-wheeler ride. She loved it! =) daddy was so proud.

Annie's Blessing

We did it! FINALLY! Mitch got to bless Annie! It was certainly short and sweet, but it was one of the most sincere and tender blessings I have ever attended. He did such a great job, and I know how nervous he was, so that adds to how impressed I am! It is customary, I guess, for the parents to bear their testimony after their baby is blessed. I was sitting there stewing over what I should say, when the words to this poem jumped into my mind.

THY WILL By: Lynnette Brinkerhoff

A strange sort of people,

us mortals, we are.

We pray to thee father,

then we wish on a star?

We beg thee for rain Lord,

Oh, and please fix the truck.

Then we whine and complain,

as we drive through the muck.

Please bless our loved ones,

and those who are sick.

Too bad. I'm too busy.

WHEN WILL IT CLICK???

Thanks for the kids lord,

we love them, we do!

WHAT? another one?

What's wrong with you??

God has the plan folks,

and we DON'T know best!

So open your ears,

and give that mouth a rest!

Yes, you were right lord,

you knew all along.

Thank goodness, at least

I'll admit when I'm wrong.

I am your servant lord,

show me the way.

What can I do,

for another today?

I borrowed a pen from my mother in law and jotted it down. I figured it exactly what I was feeling, so it qualified as a testimony. =)

We had a little luncheon after Sacrament meeting, and I wanted to share a couple of recipes that I made for it.

CHICKEN WONTON SALAD

1 pkg (3 stocks?) of Romain hearts (chopped bite size)

1-2 chicken breasts (I prefer to grill mine) cubed

1/2 pkg deep fried wontons

Dressing:

1/2 C olive oil

4 TBSP vinegar (I usually use apple cider, or rice)

2 1/2 TBSP sugar

1 tsp black pepper

1 tsp salt

toss everything together RIGHT before serving.

COCONUT CUPCAKES

1pkg white cake mix

1 pkg coconut pudding mix

3/4 C milk

2 Eggs

1 C sour cream

1/3 C oil

Make sure to watch them closely in the oven, you want them barely done. Mine took 20 min.

Buttercream Frosting

1C butter

(don't soften it too much... 1/2 hour sitting on the counter is about right)

3C powdered sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

1-3 TBSP cream

(just enough to make spreadable)

Toast a little bit of coconut for a garnish

IT IS DIVINE!

I put together a little slide show for all of you who couldn't make it. I was horrible at taking pictures, and alot of the wonderful family who was there is not included in the slide show, But I still love them, and I'm sorry I didn't get pictures of everyone. =(

Thank you to the ones that were there, in body and spirit! {get better JoDee... We love you!} I love all you guys, really, and I so appreciate your support... click HERE now to check out the slideshow.

Zipper Flower Tutorial...

O.k. kids... first things first you will need a zipper. All zippers are not created equally. I prefer the zippers with the metal teeth, simply because they add dimension to the finished flower. Now, zippers can be relatively expensive. for this particular flower I used a 22 inch zipper. (1 zipper makes 2 flowers generally) (the longer the zipper the more petals your finished flower will have)a 22 inch zipper at JoAnns is about $8... which makes it about $4 per flower... now to me, that is alot. So.... I go to the thrift store. I buy jackets with long metal zippers, for about $4. That makes each flower about $2... MUCH BETTER! (this involves cutting out the zipper, but i just get my seam ripper, and it is done in seconds.) It is also important to note that colored zippers are sometimes more expensive, unless you purchase them in the "jacket" form... =) *I recently discovered that tent zippers generally have metal teeth... talk about a goldmine! ;)

O.k so get a needle and thread. (make sure you use strong thread) Weave it in and out like so.. all the way to the end.

Just kidding, cut off about 2 inches or so (this will be used to make your center), and then sew to the end. Then you just cinch the thread up tight. This will cause the zipper to twist, kind of like a whirlpool slide.

Once the zipper is cinched up tight just stitch a few stitches at the end of the zipper to keep it from unraveling. Then start arranging the flower. layer each loop on top of the next until you get something like this. Then start stitching randomly, just to tack down each petal. (make sure you are using matching thread. =) Also, if you have to go over the teeth, make sure your thread falls perfectly BETWEEN them, because they are metal, and sort of sharp, they will cut your thread, and then your flower will fall apart. *trust me on this one. ;)

Then just twist up that little piece you cut off earlier. stitch it so it looks like this.

Then just stitch it to the flower and voila! You my crafty little friend, have just created a zipper flower. =)... now just attach a clip or a pin or sew it to your favorite hat, or shirt, and you will be looking FINE! Now hurry and go find a zipper!!!

Happy 27th!!

age 1 week

On March 29th at 10:00 a.m. Mrs. Johnson was at her sister Launa's house getting ready to make some curtains. When the pains started. Mrs. Johnson could not be more thrilled, because she was already 2 weeks overdue. Not to mention the fact that she had gestational diabetes and had gained over 100 pounds since becoming pregnant. Luckily it was a Saturday and Mr. Johnson was at home. Mrs. Johnson promptly left Launa's house and headed for home about 10 minutes away. Mr. and Mrs. Johnson left their 7 children at home with Martha, the eldest girl in charge. They had to go to Panguich, which is about an hour from Orderville. Lynnette made her appearance approximately an hour after they arrived, 2:05 in the afternoon. Mrs. Johnson had Lynnette with NO PAIN MEDICINE. (remember that it is important for later, none, nada, not even a Tylenol.) As soon as Lynnette was born, the nurses whisked her away to get cleaned up, and make sure everything was functioning correctly, so Mrs. Johnson didn't get to see her baby right away. A little while later Mrs. Johnson overheard the nurses talking about "the biggest baby they had ever seen!" Mrs. Johnson knew that her friend Mrs. Franklin was in the hospital having a baby also. Mrs. Johnson thought, "OH poor Rhonda! She went and had the biggest baby those nurses have ever seen!" A few minutes later the nurses brought little old 12 pound 4 ounce Lynnette in to see her mommy. (remember the NO PAIN MEDS... um yeah.) Mrs. Johnson looked at the baby that the nurses had just handed her. She was painfully fat... BRIGHT red, and she had bent pinkie fingers... but she was still perfect. Her baby was the record breaking fatty pants, not Rhonda's! Baby Lynnette had a blood disorder, that was causing the extreme redness. (Nobody seems to be able to recall the name of the disorder.) Thankfully one of the doctors in Panguich knew how to treat the blood disorder, otherwise baby Lynnette would have had to go to a special hospital to get the treatment she needed. The procedure involved taking out some of the blood and replacing in with fluids and medication that would thin the blood and relieve the immense pressure on Lynnette's heart. The doctors had to repeat the procedure every 2 hours for 2 days (48 hrs). Mrs. Johnson would just get Lynnette nursed and settled back down, and they would come in to get her... She had to listen to her poor little baby scream for about 1/2 hour, then they would bring the fat sobbing little thing back, and they would do it over, and over and over again. In those days they didn't know how to do a pic line yet, apparently, because they had to poke every single time in order to do the transfusion. After Three days in the hospital mommy and baby were both ready to go home. Mrs Johnson had one little problem though, she had brought a 0-3 month outfit to bring the baby home... and well, it wouldn't fit! So Mr. Johnson brought a 3-6 month outfit... it was a TIGHT squeeze, but they got it on her!

age 1 age 3

age 4

age 5

age 8

age ??

Age 16 (spoiled rotten with a trip to Hawaii to see my sister and swim with dolphins!)

Age 18

Fast forward 27 years. Why, why, why am I the one getting presents????? Thank you mommy, for giving birth to me, Thank you for loving me, and being such a great mom. I think all the birthday gifts should go to my mom, because she went through an awful lot to get me here, and I could never thank her enough. P.S. I am really not fat, I just never lost my baby weight ;)

Elder Brinkerhoff

I am so proud of my husband. He is a wonderful man, always has been. But recently he decided to, in the words of my Aunt Shanna, "get his shit together." Today he was given the Melchezedic Priesthood, and ordained to the office of an Elder. =)

He is going to bless Annie, which I am super thrilled about. (Mitch's Brother... apparently not so thrilled.) lol...

His mom was so cute, There were a few family members that were running late, she looked at the stake representative and said, "do you think we could wait 5 more minutes, I mean we've been waiting our entire lives for this, so what's a few more minutes." it was adorable.

I am proud of Mitch because his kids have such a wonderful example to look up to.

Drayden gets baptized in May... and now... Mitch gets to do it. =)

I am so excited for my husband and the great things that are going to happen to our family because of the choices he is making. Some people looked down on me because I married a divorced smoker. I never ever saw him as that. He has always been the man of my dreams, I knew his potential. I am happy that he waited until he was ready, nobody forced him, and that is the only way that it will ever work. I love you baby, and I will always be behind you, nomatter what. (unless you pass gas, and then I think I will opt to be in front of you, if thats ok.)

and my favorite picture of the day... Miss Annie talking to Grampa Brink. I love the look on her little face, she is in absolute awe...