tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-72405880215011590382024-03-13T10:55:02.014-06:00DIY kinda girlHeatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06345017129849718843noreply@blogger.comBlogger192125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7240588021501159038.post-8224724009250156002016-11-06T18:33:00.001-07:002016-11-06T18:33:52.901-07:00SeasonsI've been busy since my last post, to say the least. So many projects, so many changes. The biggest change for me is that I have gone back to school. I'm studying Graphic Design and Photography. I'm so excited about it! But that also means that being away from blogging isn't just a temporary thing. My life and my interests and ambitions are taking me in another direction. After such a long lull in posting, I doubt I have much of a readership left, but I wanted to post this nonetheless. I am excited to be working towards launching my new business and website, hopefully in late spring. I'll definitely post about that when it comes. But this is the end of this blog. I'll never take it down, it's too precious to me, but I won't be actively posting. I'll always be a DIYer, I'm the DIY Kinda Girl, after all! But blogging about that aspect of my life is no longer where I want to spend my time.<br />
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As a final project send off, I thought I post this little video of the fireplace we completed in March. One of my favorite projects yet!<br />
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Love to you all!Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06345017129849718843noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7240588021501159038.post-60764458463868608802014-11-21T15:40:00.002-07:002015-08-30T19:56:37.004-06:00Still alive. Just really nauseous.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL03yydWyqSXpKjE_kEm54EaPZ52iohPDnsU0VNeBxFlDPAgkCozj_uAvctE_RQjz7Iyvl82OrFJiJNHcDJZECG9txf-vgx4YFWDCP2CAH0sAiRZtKUccyLvLDbM2yCdWWEEmLE_8yqXTK/s1600/Baby+%234+crop2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="277" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL03yydWyqSXpKjE_kEm54EaPZ52iohPDnsU0VNeBxFlDPAgkCozj_uAvctE_RQjz7Iyvl82OrFJiJNHcDJZECG9txf-vgx4YFWDCP2CAH0sAiRZtKUccyLvLDbM2yCdWWEEmLE_8yqXTK/s1600/Baby+%234+crop2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
Yep, here's the reason I've been absent so long. Pregnancy for me equals lots and lots of nausea. Which obviously impedes my ability to function. I WILL be back. I WILL! And actually, this is baby #4, our grand finale. The last time my life will come to a screeching halt due to pregnancy. Of course, once pregnancy is over, then I will have a newborn baby to keep my life halted.... :) And after that, four kids! :) But at some point, I hope we will settle into a routine, and I will feel like myself again! Here's hoping! :)Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06345017129849718843noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7240588021501159038.post-55333849896556001472014-08-09T11:03:00.000-06:002014-08-11T14:14:18.975-06:00Latest Digiscrap LayoutsStill trying to get back in the groove! So here's another simple post for you...some of my most recent digiscrap. Hopefully next week I'll be blogging my sister's baby shower and my son's birthday party....<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3qa25UWqY1tV-db7IGi_GKjFdOcp_BJWsyN-m7xdY4wH7iQwZifIAi9_Y_snJbOqLQ-9tu-sy6GLJXn05e46bVEKH4mxDWdQwx702siNpSmwPxS5ED6-BdZ3K-Wg_CpI5HH3ywTv1nUZV/s1600/Grandma-Ipson.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3qa25UWqY1tV-db7IGi_GKjFdOcp_BJWsyN-m7xdY4wH7iQwZifIAi9_Y_snJbOqLQ-9tu-sy6GLJXn05e46bVEKH4mxDWdQwx702siNpSmwPxS5ED6-BdZ3K-Wg_CpI5HH3ywTv1nUZV/s1600/Grandma-Ipson.jpg" height="640" width="640" /></a></div>
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Template: <a href="http://pixelsandcompany.com/" target="_blank">Pixels&Co</a> April Template Challenge</div>
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Kit: <a href="http://pixelsandcompany.com/shop/Day-after-Day.html" target="_blank">Day After Day</a> by <a href="http://pixelsandcompany.com/shop/Sabrina-s-Creations/" target="_blank">Sabrina's Creations</a></div>
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Fonts: <a href="http://www.dafont.com/telegraphem.font" target="_blank">Telegraphem </a>(with Mommyish gold style), <a href="http://www.creatingkeepsakes.com/articles/CK_free_fonts" target="_blank">CK Becky</a>, <a href="http://www.fontyukle.net/en/LD+Shelly+Print.ttf" target="_blank">LD Shelli Print</a>, <a href="http://www.scrapandpapershop.com/product/ck-font-design-flip-serif/personal-use-fonts" target="_blank">CK Flip Serif</a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyrlyYFO3HGSt9eJ8yJ6rkrnbUy2efBoWdJ18SWfjUPgiUr3Ja_mDvewfA4M1DIooBJ50p9O2PNW3KoTOvpv7y8OXyyi-QGyTEjJ1a5QxPDiPJJItBz9LorsyHNhJjDVxKNIpEFkZ2s67m/s1600/Sleep-Tight.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyrlyYFO3HGSt9eJ8yJ6rkrnbUy2efBoWdJ18SWfjUPgiUr3Ja_mDvewfA4M1DIooBJ50p9O2PNW3KoTOvpv7y8OXyyi-QGyTEjJ1a5QxPDiPJJItBz9LorsyHNhJjDVxKNIpEFkZ2s67m/s1600/Sleep-Tight.jpg" height="640" width="640" /></a></div>
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Template: <a href="http://the-lilypad.com/store/view_all.php?manufacturerid=132" target="_blank">Stolen Moments</a> April Template Challenge</div>
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Kit: <a href="http://the-lilypad.com/store/reflection.html" target="_blank">Reflection </a>by <a href="http://the-lilypad.com/store/view_all.php?manufacturerid=132" target="_blank">Stolen Moments</a></div>
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Fonts: <a href="http://www.dafont.com/a-gentle-touch.font" target="_blank">A Gentle Touch</a> (with Mommyish acrylic style), <a href="http://www.creatingkeepsakes.com/articles/CK_March_April_Free_Fonts" target="_blank">CK Emily</a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0hcpHUsQPkWT0-sAoYieh1_gJHX0WPmCLT9sxcEi9uWLTqVchwLR32J2vTBxhxOfjdTMwc47S3Q6YXN3-x4Ank3vWZZZVRaUKsYyM593Cdn_2bis8qxZF04R0ZGygnIxsLQOzlO4pjKzi/s1600/Ava's-First-Bath-at-Home-Jan-13.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0hcpHUsQPkWT0-sAoYieh1_gJHX0WPmCLT9sxcEi9uWLTqVchwLR32J2vTBxhxOfjdTMwc47S3Q6YXN3-x4Ank3vWZZZVRaUKsYyM593Cdn_2bis8qxZF04R0ZGygnIxsLQOzlO4pjKzi/s1600/Ava's-First-Bath-at-Home-Jan-13.jpg" height="640" width="640" /></a></div>
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Template: Cluster by <a href="http://byakdesigns.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">AK Designs</a></div>
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Kit: <a href="http://scraporchard.com/market/little-days-Scrapbook-Kit.html" target="_blank">Little Days</a> by <a href="http://scraporchard.com/market/ForeverJoy-Designs/" target="_blank">Forever Joy Designs</a></div>
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Alpha: Basic Black by <a href="http://the-lilypad.com/store/view_all.php?manufacturerid=132" target="_blank">Stolen Moments Design</a></div>
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Font: <a href="http://www.dafont.com/penelope-anne.font" target="_blank">Penelope Anne</a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwJiON_DSGpPM_QHYNK8DucqYOhIq4Kb0SRRrldQ_8TpWEBzfO2iUSVqdhyphenhyphenVGiZhoMNQyqvo2fIgg-V2M_Ouu_vDy9sz2fdoeRBZSKa1R541vIoS44EvniuYIGWmF4ZThxvlR3i_3DBtuV/s1600/Sleeping-Angel-Feb-13.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwJiON_DSGpPM_QHYNK8DucqYOhIq4Kb0SRRrldQ_8TpWEBzfO2iUSVqdhyphenhyphenVGiZhoMNQyqvo2fIgg-V2M_Ouu_vDy9sz2fdoeRBZSKa1R541vIoS44EvniuYIGWmF4ZThxvlR3i_3DBtuV/s1600/Sleeping-Angel-Feb-13.jpg" height="640" width="640" /></a></div>
Template: <a href="http://christalyscrap.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Christaly</a><br />
Kit: MY OWN DESIGN! Hoping to get a shop open at some point...<br />
Fonts: <a href="http://www.dafont.com/lemondrop.font" target="_blank">Lemondrop</a>, <a href="http://www.dafont.com/pacifico.font" target="_blank">Pacifico</a>, <a href="http://www.dafont.com/loved-by-the-king.font" target="_blank">Loved by the King</a></div>
Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06345017129849718843noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7240588021501159038.post-31560291656739220372014-07-25T08:43:00.000-06:002014-08-12T09:00:47.724-06:00This Month's Reads - July '14<a data-pin-color="red" data-pin-config="beside" data-pin-do="buttonPin" href="https://www.pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fdiykindagirl.blogspot.com%2F2014%2F07%2Fthis-months-reads-july-14.html&media=http%3A%2F%2Fws-na.amazon-adsystem.com%2Fwidgets%2Fq%3F_encoding%3DUTF8%26ASIN%3D1400068916%26Format%3D_SL250_%26ID%3DAsinImage%26MarketPlace%3DUS%26ServiceVersion%3D20070822%26WS%3D1%26tag%3Ddiykindagirl-20&description=DIY%20Kinda%20Girl%3A%20This%20Months%20Reads%20-%20July%2014"><img src="//assets.pinterest.com/images/pidgets/pinit_fg_en_rect_red_20.png" /></a><br />
Well...I've decided to cut back from my weekly reading post to once a month. Last Friday of every month, I'll post the highlights from that month's reading. All in my efforts to keep blogging fun and realistic for me. So here's my favorites from July.<br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0452298385/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0452298385&linkCode=as2&tag=diykindagirl-20" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=0452298385&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=diykindagirl-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=diykindagirl-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0452298385" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0452298385/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0452298385&linkCode=as2&tag=diykindagirl-20">Blackberry Winter by Sarah Jio</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=diykindagirl-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0452298385" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.31999969482422px;">Seattle, 1933. Single mother Vera Ray kisses her three-year-old son, Daniel, goodnight and departs to work the night-shift at a local hotel. She emerges to discover that a May-Day snow has blanketed the city, and that her son has vanished. Outside, she finds his beloved teddy bear lying face-down on an icy street, the snow covering up any trace of his tracks, or the perpetrator's.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.31999969482422px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.31999969482422px;">Seattle, 2010. Seattle Herald reporter Claire Aldridge, assigned to cover the May 1 "blackberry winter" storm and its twin, learns of the unsolved abduction and vows to unearth the truth. In the process, she finds that she and Vera may be linked in unexpected ways...</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.31999969482422px;">Lovely. Interesting. Tragic. Well worth reading.</span><br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1400068916/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1400068916&linkCode=as2&tag=diykindagirl-20" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=1400068916&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=diykindagirl-20" /></a><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.31999969482422px;"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=diykindagirl-20&l=as2&o=1&a=1400068916" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.31999969482422px;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1400068916/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1400068916&linkCode=as2&tag=diykindagirl-20">The Thieves of Manhattan by Adam Langer</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=diykindagirl-20&l=as2&o=1&a=1400068916" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.31999969482422px;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The famously false memoirs of James Frey may be yesterday’s news, but as this funny riff reminds us, literary fakes are as old as literature itself. Ian Minot is an aspiring writer who labors over short stories that seem destined to remain unread. His beautiful Romanian girlfriend, Anya Petrescu, finds success more easily—and leaves Ian for Blade Markham, a bloviating ex-gangbanger whose “so-called memoir” is a best-seller. When Ian is approached by ex-editor Jed Roth, who wants Ian to publish Jed’s pulpy tale of book theft and murder as a memoir, then renounce it, it’s a chance for both of them to get revenge: Jed on his former employer, and Ian on the world. Although Langer may be too cute for some (he employs made-up slang in which a penis is a portnoy), he does an engaging job with the hall-of-mirrors plot. And if readers can predict that the book they’re reading is the one that Ian ends up writing, they’ll never guess the ending. Just when you want a surprising twist, Langer delivers several.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.31999969482422px;">Okay, I loved this. How many books are you laughing and smiling about as you finish? I'm not even sure what to say about it, except that it was a delight...clever, snarky, and just...fun. Also thoroughly enjoyed the literary references (there's a glossary in the back to help you out on those you don't know or aren't obvious).</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.31999969482422px;">And now for my usual parental warning, so to speak: some language.</span><br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1941145140/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1941145140&linkCode=as2&tag=diykindagirl-20" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=1941145140&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=diykindagirl-20" /></a><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.31999969482422px;"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=diykindagirl-20&l=as2&o=1&a=1941145140" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.31999969482422px;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1941145140/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1941145140&linkCode=as2&tag=diykindagirl-20">The Fortune Cafe by Julie Wright, Melanie Jacobson and Heather B. Moore</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=diykindagirl-20&l=as2&o=1&a=1941145140" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.31999969482422px;">The Fortune Café </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.31999969482422px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.31999969482422px;">A Tangerine Street Romance </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.31999969482422px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.31999969482422px;">(a novel in three parts) </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.31999969482422px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.31999969482422px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.31999969482422px;">Welcome to Tangerine Street </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.31999969482422px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.31999969482422px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.31999969482422px;">Tangerine Street is a must-see tourist stop with a colorful mix of one-of-a-kind boutiques, unique restaurants, eclectic museums, quaint bookstores, and exclusive bed-and-breakfasts. The Fortune Café, situated in the middle of this charming collection of shops and cafés on Tangerine Street, is a Chinese restaurant unlike any other because, well, to be honest, the fortunes found in the cookies all come true… </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.31999969482422px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.31999969482422px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.31999969482422px;">MIS-FORTUNE: Emma, a waitress at The Fortune Café will do anything to avoid opening a fortune cookie. Each fortune is rumored to somehow magically come true. Being a girl grounded in reality, she doesn’t have time for that kind of nonsense. But when trying to prevent a food fight at the café, Emma accidentally cracks open a fortune cookie: “Look around, love is trying to catch you.” If there is one thing that Harrison, her former best friend in high school is good at, it’s catching her unaware. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.31999969482422px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.31999969482422px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.31999969482422px;">LOVE, NOT LUCK: Lucy has always been lucky . . . until her parents meet her fiancé’s parents at a disastrous lunch at The Fortune Café, and she breaks her lucky jade necklace. Even worse, her fortune cookie reveals that “True love is for the brave, not the lucky.” How is she supposed to read that? She’s always considered it lucky how she met her fiancé. But after breaking her necklace, Lucy’s luck takes a dive. And when her fiancé dumps her, the only person she can turn to is Carter, the unluckiest guy she knows. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.31999969482422px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.31999969482422px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.31999969482422px;">TAKEOUT: Stella is content in her new life of taking over her mom’s jewelry shop. No more boyfriend to worry about, and as long as she stays busy, she doesn’t have to dwell on her non-existent love life. When Evan comes into the shop with his young daughter, Stella is charmed. But she is reluctant to complicate her straightforward life, so when she reads her fortune after ordering takeout from The Fortune Café, she completely ignores it. After all, how can a fortune as vague as “Do the thing you fear and love is certain,” apply to her?</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.31999969482422px;">Cute, fun, light-hearted reading. Thoroughly enjoyed it.</span><br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0515154695/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0515154695&linkCode=as2&tag=diykindagirl-20" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=0515154695&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=diykindagirl-20" /></a><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.31999969482422px;"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=diykindagirl-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0515154695" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.31999969482422px;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0515154695/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0515154695&linkCode=as2&tag=diykindagirl-20">While We Were Watching Downton Abbey by Wendy Wax</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=diykindagirl-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0515154695" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.31999969482422px;">When the concierge of The Alexander, a historic Atlanta apartment building, invites his fellow residents to join him for weekly screenings of </span><em style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.31999969482422px;">Downton Abbey,</em><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.31999969482422px;"> four very different people find themselves connecting with the addictive drama, and—even more unexpectedly—with each other…</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.31999969482422px;" /><strong style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.31999969482422px;">Samantha Davis</strong><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.31999969482422px;"> married young and for the wrong reason: the security of old Atlanta money—for herself and for her orphaned brother and sister. She never expected her marriage to be complicated by love and compromised by a shattering family betrayal.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.31999969482422px;" /><strong style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.31999969482422px;">Claire Walke</strong><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.31999969482422px;">r is now an empty nester and struggling author who left her home in the suburbs for the old world charm of The Alexander, and for a new and productive life. But she soon wonders if clinging to old dreams can be more destructive than having no dreams at all.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.31999969482422px;" /><strong style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.31999969482422px;">And then there’s Brooke MacKenzie</strong><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.31999969482422px;">, a woman in constant battle with her faithless ex-husband. She’s just starting to realize that it’s time to take a deep breath and come to terms with the fact that her life is not the fairy tale she thought it would be.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.31999969482422px;" /><strong style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.31999969482422px;">For Samantha, Claire, Brooke—and Edward,</strong><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.31999969482422px;"> who arranges the weekly gatherings—it will be a season of surprises as they forge a bond that will sustain them through some of life’s hardest moments—all of it reflected in the unfolding drama, comedy, and convergent lives of </span><em style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.31999969482422px;">Downton Abbey.</em></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.31999969482422px;">Delightful. An ode to friendships and how they can be found in surprising places.</span><br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/147782006X/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=147782006X&linkCode=as2&tag=diykindagirl-20" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=147782006X&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=diykindagirl-20" /></a><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.31999969482422px;"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=diykindagirl-20&l=as2&o=1&a=147782006X" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.31999969482422px;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/147782006X/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=147782006X&linkCode=as2&tag=diykindagirl-20">Killing Ruby Rose by Jessie Humphries</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=diykindagirl-20&l=as2&o=1&a=147782006X" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.31999969482422px;">In sunny Southern California, seventeen-year-old Ruby Rose is known for her killer looks and her killer SAT scores. But ever since her dad, an LAPD SWAT sergeant, died, she's also got a few killer secrets.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.31999969482422px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.31999969482422px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.31999969482422px;">To cope, Ruby has been trying to stay focused on school (the top spot in her class is on the line) and spending time with friends (her Jimmy Choos and Manolo Blahniks are nothing if not loyal). But after six months of therapy and pathetic parenting by her mom, the District Attorney, Ruby decides to pick up where her dad left off and starts going after the bad guys herself.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.31999969482422px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.31999969482422px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.31999969482422px;">When Ruby ends up killing a murderer to save his intended victim, she discovers that she's gone from being the huntress to the hunted. There's a sick mastermind at play, and he has Ruby in his sights. Ruby must discover who's using her to implement twisted justice before she ends up swapping Valentino red for prison orange.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.31999969482422px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.31999969482422px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.31999969482422px;">With a gun named Smith, a talent for martial arts, and a boyfriend with eyes to die for, Ruby is ready to face the worst. And if a girl's forced to kill, won't the guilt sit more easily in a pair of Prada peep-toe pumps?</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.31999969482422px;">Loved this. Sassy irreverent heroine. Lots of snark and wit. Fun. I'll continue on in the series.</span></div>
Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06345017129849718843noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7240588021501159038.post-45672660906644905642014-07-21T09:49:00.001-06:002014-07-23T08:58:51.750-06:00Oh Hello Card Swap<a data-pin-color="red" data-pin-config="beside" data-pin-do="buttonPin" href="https://www.pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fdiykindagirl.blogspot.com%2F2014%2F07%2Foh-hello-card-swap.html&media=http%3A%2F%2F4.bp.blogspot.com%2F-z13H46sdpzo%2FU800JbObj2I%2FAAAAAAAAG-8%2FMNrGGHa1Tkg%2Fs1600%2FCard%2BSwap.jpg&description=DIY%20Kinda%20Girl%3A%20Oh%20Hello%20Card%20Swap"><img src="//assets.pinterest.com/images/pidgets/pinit_fg_en_rect_red_20.png" /></a><br />
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Oh Hello. How fitting. Hello again. I'm trying to get my blogging mojo back! So I'm starting with something relatively simple. A card swap!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2ZjCTwYS_QLWr92zqpuohBZecpZm8Y5BbdsykDu9qFodEG1tNu0aEc5LAtQ3IbBfdmGN_oFz9vxivZP-Hs8p31haedYIlS0XbRtWgzcPP4sNfd5MWLUM3p34TKzgfxrcGe6OipgFo1xrV/s1600/Card+Swap.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2ZjCTwYS_QLWr92zqpuohBZecpZm8Y5BbdsykDu9qFodEG1tNu0aEc5LAtQ3IbBfdmGN_oFz9vxivZP-Hs8p31haedYIlS0XbRtWgzcPP4sNfd5MWLUM3p34TKzgfxrcGe6OipgFo1xrV/s1600/Card+Swap.jpg" height="508" width="640" /></a></div>
Stamps: <a href="http://www.stampinup.com/ECWeb/ProductDetails.aspx?productID=130665" target="_blank">Oh Hello</a> (now only available in digital format) and <a href="http://www.stampinup.com/ECWeb/ProductDetails.aspx?productID=130517" target="_blank">Gorgeous Grunge</a><br />
Paper: <a href="http://www.stampinup.com/ECWeb/ProductDetails.aspx?productID=120953" target="_blank">Crumb Cake</a> and <a href="http://www.stampinup.com/ECWeb/ProductDetails.aspx?productID=101650" target="_blank">Very Vanilla</a> cardstock; <a href="http://www.stampinup.com/ECWeb/ProductDetails.aspx?productID=133465" target="_blank">This and That Epic Day Designer Series Paper</a> (now only available in digital format bundle)<br />
Ink: Gumball Green (retired),<a href="http://www.stampinup.com/ECWeb/ProductDetails.aspx?productID=126944" target="_blank"> Daffodil Delight </a>and <a href="http://www.stampinup.com/ECWeb/ProductDetails.aspx?productID=126983" target="_blank">Calypso Coral</a><br />
Embellishments:<a href="http://www.stampinup.com/ECWeb/ProductDetails.aspx?productID=104199" target="_blank"> </a><a href="http://www.stampinup.com/ECWeb/ProductDetails.aspx?productID=104332" target="_blank">Snail</a><br />
Tools: <a href="http://www.stampinup.com/ECWeb/ProductDetails.aspx?productID=113439" target="_blank">Big Shot</a>, <a href="http://www.stampinup.com/ECWeb/ProductDetails.aspx?productID=129381" target="_blank">Ovals Collection Framelits Die</a>,<a href="http://www.stampinup.com/ECWeb/ProductDetails.aspx?productID=132173" target="_blank"> Banners Framelits Die</a>, <a href="http://www.stampinup.com/ECWeb/ProductDetails.aspx?productID=127749" target="_blank">Chevron Textured Impressions Embossing Folder</a><br />
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<span style="color: #2c2121; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: xx-small; line-height: 16px;">Linking up here:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: xx-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #2c2121; line-height: 16px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; line-height: 18px;">{M} <a href="http://twiggstudios.blogspot.com/" style="color: #a2b0bd; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Twigg Studios</a>-</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; line-height: 18px;"><a href="http://www.skiptomylou.org/" style="color: #4f6199; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Skip to My Lou</a>-<a href="http://thediyshowoff.blogspot.com/" style="color: #4f6199; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">The DIY Showoff</a>-<a href="http://madincrafts.blogspot.com/" style="color: #4f6199; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Mad in Crafts</a>-<a href="http://marvelouslymessy.blogspot.com/" style="color: #4f6199; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Marvelously Messy</a>-<a href="http://makingtheworldcuter.com/" style="color: #a2b0bd; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Making the World Cuter</a>-<a href="http://sewcando.blogspot.com/" style="color: #a2b0bd; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Sew Can Do</a>- <a href="http://www.creatingreallyawesomefreethings.com/" style="color: #a2b0bd; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">C.R.A.F.T.</a>-<a href="http://www.craftskeepmesane.blogspot.com/" style="color: #a2b0bd; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"> Keeping It Simple</a>-<a href="http://jembellish.blogspot.com/" style="color: #a2b0bd; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Creating My Way to Success</a>-<a href="http://allthingsfee.blogspot.com/" style="color: #a2b0bd; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">All Things Fee</a>-<a href="http://craftomaniac.blogspot.com/" style="color: #a2b0bd; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Craft-o-Maniac</a>-<a href="http://boogieboardcottage.blogspot.com/" style="color: #a2b0bd; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Boogieboard Cottage</a>-<a href="http://www.ishouldbemoppingthefloor.com/" style="color: #a2b0bd; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">I Should Be Mopping the Floor</a></span></span></span><span style="color: #660000; 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Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06345017129849718843noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7240588021501159038.post-19677829797291633852014-06-05T19:14:00.000-06:002014-06-05T19:14:20.426-06:00So remember when I used to blog?It's been busy around here, and my motivation has been lacking. That's not to say I don't have things to blog. I do. Just haven't gotten around to the work of blogging it! And now school is out, so there is even less time available for me to blog. You know, that whole three kids six and under thing.<br />
Anyway, enough of my excuses. I'll be back.Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06345017129849718843noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7240588021501159038.post-21035273065026686382014-04-11T05:00:00.000-06:002014-04-11T05:00:00.801-06:00This Week's Read 4/11<br />
I actually read a book this week, people. Things have been so chaotic around here with my cataclysmic month of disease....reading just hasn't happened. But this week, I read a book! Only one, since I'm throwing my sister's baby shower tomorrow (and with our cataclysmic month of disease, I was not on top of my game and have had to prepare everything in the space of one week!), but hopefully next week I'll be back to my normal reading habits! (P.S. stay tuned for a post about the shower!)<br />
Anyway! The book!<br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0764210483/ref=as_li_tf_il?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0764210483&linkCode=as2&tag=diykindagirl-20" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=0764210483&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=diykindagirl-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=diykindagirl-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0764210483" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0764210483/ref=as_li_tf_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0764210483&linkCode=as2&tag=diykindagirl-20">Rebellious Heart by Jody Hedlund</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=diykindagirl-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0764210483" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br />
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I am a sucker for historical fiction with some romance, so when I saw this on the new arrivals display at our local library, I grabbed it. And I REALLY enjoyed it. Set in 1763 in Massachusetts, it follows a young woman and an young lawyer. At the end of the book, I discovered it was loosely based on John and Abigail Adams courtship. There isn't a lot recorded about that time in their lives, but the author took what there was and then made up the rest. I've always been interested in that period of history, and especially in Abigail Adams, so it was fun to read the afterword (including what really happened and what she made up to fill in the blank spaces). I liked this book so well, it's going on my Paperback Swap request wishlist!</div>
Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06345017129849718843noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7240588021501159038.post-12822331733244936152014-04-06T14:52:00.003-06:002014-04-06T14:52:44.947-06:00It's been awhile, hasn't it?If I hadn't already scheduled posts, there would have been nothing the last few weeks! Man, it's been a <span style="font-family: inherit;">rough month + in our house. Can I just tell you? In the last five or six weeks:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;">I had a 3 day sore throat/runny nose thing.</span><br style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;">Then a week of really horrible insomnia.</span><br style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;">Then my son and my baby got sick with a cold.</span><br style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;">Then my husband and I got the cold.</span><br style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;">And I didn't get better. Discovered I had a sinus infection.</span><br style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;">Found out my baby had a double ear infection.</span><br style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;">Husband's sore throat came back with a vengeance, and the nurse at his work told him his throat is cov</span><span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: white; display: inline; line-height: 18px;">ered in blisters.<br />Then on Sunday baby threw up repeatedly for about 5 hours and then couldn't eat for another day.<br />And then I broke out in hives, a reaction to one of my sinus infection meds.<br />Next, my daughter went through the whole throw up routine.<br />And yesterday, I went through the throw up routine.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: white; display: inline; line-height: 18px;">Today I'm feeling better and so far am keeping my breakfast down! Anyway, I'm really really REALLY hoping and praying this is the last of it. March was definitely a lost cause for productivity. Here's to April being better!</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: white; display: inline; line-height: 18px;">The one thing I did manage to do is some digiscrappin'....so I thought I'd post some of my latest layouts.</span></span><br />
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Template: Cornelia Designs (retired designer)</div>
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Kit: <a href="http://www.stolenmomentsdesign.com/shop/set-me-free.html" target="_blank">Set Me Free</a> and <a href="http://www.stolenmomentsdesign.com/shop/blackbird.html" target="_blank">Blackbird</a> by <a href="http://www.stolenmomentsdesign.com/" target="_blank">Stolen Moments</a></div>
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Fonts: <a href="https://www.scrapandpapershop.com/product/ck-font-design-stylishblack/CK_Fonts" target="_blank">CK Stylish Black</a>, <a href="http://www.ffonts.net/Claudia-Jean.font" target="_blank">Claudia Jean</a>, <a href="http://www.dafont.com/walkway.font" target="_blank">Walkway Black</a>, <a href="http://www.scrapandpapershop.com/product/ck-font-design-margaret/creating-keepsakes-digital-fonts" target="_blank">CK Margaret</a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp20tGaF2SJVtHJuPh0syKCCTKJT4MfYcSZu0gd9_Za4FF6nCQxuFOs9e9g66N6tG-CC2fayYoKOb3ZkVDOmsyjbRmI4ueparPA8ZNk1b-PBV4Hsyp3CyQi9N0n-QBFv9c94MwW9ktXEQp/s1600/Susie-Princess-Box-Jan-13.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp20tGaF2SJVtHJuPh0syKCCTKJT4MfYcSZu0gd9_Za4FF6nCQxuFOs9e9g66N6tG-CC2fayYoKOb3ZkVDOmsyjbRmI4ueparPA8ZNk1b-PBV4Hsyp3CyQi9N0n-QBFv9c94MwW9ktXEQp/s1600/Susie-Princess-Box-Jan-13.jpg" height="640" width="640" /></a></div>
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Template: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/AkizoDesigns" target="_blank">Akizo Designs</a> (basically just for the scalloped frame)</div>
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Kit: <a href="http://pixelsandcompany.com/shop/Aflutter-Kit.html" target="_blank">Aflutter </a>by <a href="http://pixelsandcompany.com/shop/Laura-Passage/" target="_blank">Wishing Well Creations</a></div>
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Fonts: <a href="http://www.kevinandamanda.com/fonts/freescrapbookfonts/only-by-request/" target="_blank">Only by Request</a> (with Mommyish Acrylic Style), <a href="http://www.dafont.com/penelope-anne.font" target="_blank">Penelope Anne</a>, <a href="http://misstiina.com/fonts/mtf-you-are/" target="_blank">MTF You Are</a></div>
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Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06345017129849718843noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7240588021501159038.post-10182688905799869342014-04-01T05:00:00.000-06:002014-04-01T05:00:01.810-06:00Digiscrap Tuesday Tip: Light Direction for ShadowsOkay guys, now that you have an idea how to get a layout going, this is EXTREMELY important. Light source and shadows. Let me show you an example of the importance of shadows:<br />
<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/AVvXsEjTDB4ATYS-ADcTUGnhsT8iqN8WfdQmqv048VN07dilB41Ub7VVdeZXg3JAv18lPf-CjkV1iWkBuPDz17vgOuz9YlKN4iJBVlaK9ma2a37EJrFXhGNOhDVZH0QYD4tU7DPvHSIpYbmr70Vp/s1600/My-artist-Sept-2013-no-shadows-example.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTDB4ATYS-ADcTUGnhsT8iqN8WfdQmqv048VN07dilB41Ub7VVdeZXg3JAv18lPf-CjkV1iWkBuPDz17vgOuz9YlKN4iJBVlaK9ma2a37EJrFXhGNOhDVZH0QYD4tU7DPvHSIpYbmr70Vp/s1600/My-artist-Sept-2013-no-shadows-example.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">No shadows</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPvRJ-Sat8ugbHX4kdOUH6ANe7lLrVClXzJOin1vSA-WU_1QCDqTK7_w_p2xlQgMq_c_9D-MqvDQZWys6kC1MDwtexbAkRTnp5XI27lBDZ4kehPQ1MUIq9-3M_9EYC_yPT9TWZ4nABm5TU/s1600/My-artist-Sept-2013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPvRJ-Sat8ugbHX4kdOUH6ANe7lLrVClXzJOin1vSA-WU_1QCDqTK7_w_p2xlQgMq_c_9D-MqvDQZWys6kC1MDwtexbAkRTnp5XI27lBDZ4kehPQ1MUIq9-3M_9EYC_yPT9TWZ4nABm5TU/s1600/My-artist-Sept-2013.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">With shadows! So much better!</td></tr>
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Shadows make a huge difference in creating depth for realistic layouts. They are a MUST. I kid you not. A MUST!!! AND it is extremely important that every drop shadow cast in the same direction. <a href="http://blueflombingo.com/2013/shadows-make-me-twitchy/" target="_blank">This</a> is a great run-down on light sources from <a href="http://the-lilypad.com/store/Karah-Fredricks/" target="_blank">Karah Fredricks of The Lily-Pad</a>. Take a look, and hopefully that helps you understand what I mean. Next week, I'll be back with some info on creating those shadows.<br />
<br />Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06345017129849718843noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7240588021501159038.post-64966711458281769422014-03-25T05:00:00.000-06:002014-03-25T05:00:02.641-06:00Digiscrap Tuesday Tip: Design Tips for LayoutsI have something super helpful for you today! This comes from Suzy Q Scraps (you can find her shop at <a href="http://shop.scrapbookgraphics.com/SuzyQ-Scraps/" target="_blank">Scrapbookgraphics</a>). She put together an eye-pleasing graphic of 10 design tips for visually pleasing layouts, and then goes on to explain each point and shows examples. Find it <a href="http://suzyqscraps.com/2013/02/06/10-design-tips-for-visually-pleasing-scrapbook-pages/" target="_blank">here</a>.<br />
Remember to pin from her and not from me!!!<br />
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Okay, so again, I must admit that I rarely scrap without a template<span style="font-size: xx-small;"> (kinda lazy, plus then half the creative work is done for me...really helpful if I've having a block of sorts!)</span>, so the first few steps of this are taken care of for me (as long as I'm using a quality template, that is). But the next few are always a concern. It can be daunting, especially when you are first starting, to look at all those tips. It still kinda is, and I've been doing digi 6 years and paper scrapbooking for 8 years before that! I liked Suzy's tip at the end: pick one at a time and focus on understanding and mastering that, and move on. <span style="font-size: large;">Remember, the most important thing here is that you are recording your story, those moments that make up a life. </span>Don't worry about doing everything perfectly. Just try to improve a little here and a little there, and over time, you will grow as a digiscrapper.<br />
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I'll be back with your next tip on Tuesday.Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06345017129849718843noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7240588021501159038.post-60792010568035022352014-03-19T12:53:00.001-06:002014-03-19T12:54:47.648-06:00Latest Baby Shoes<a data-pin-color="red" data-pin-config="beside" data-pin-do="buttonPin" href="https://www.pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fdiykindagirl.blogspot.com%2F2014%2F03%2Flatest-baby-shoes.html&media=http%3A%2F%2F2.bp.blogspot.com%2F-qr_29HTnu0I%2FUynnTp6PSuI%2FAAAAAAAAE9E%2FwhaC6TtcjJQ%2Fs1600%2FDIY%2BKinda%2BGirl-Baby%2BShoes2.jpg&description=DIY%20Kinda%20Girl%3A%20Latest%20Baby%20Shoes"><img src="//assets.pinterest.com/images/pidgets/pinit_fg_en_rect_red_20.png" /></a><br />
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I just can't get enough of these. I was actually pondering opening a shop to sell them, but I frankly don't have the time right now. Something about the whole three children ages 6 and under..... :)<br />
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Anyway. Here's the latest, all made from free patterns:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1d2HSZZAPSOCIxhv1yxJwNngGU8uNx1fFmgrn-ohrEe1P0LDkgKF6_2ymPYfTfafo7R_UI10I6VX9bP8XYwZKft8W8-fUp0qrVvzcziOmNhCBAJJDjjkc4sj9J66wlJx6Co8LlIQB8xFW/s1600/DIY+Kinda+Girl-Baby+Shoes5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1d2HSZZAPSOCIxhv1yxJwNngGU8uNx1fFmgrn-ohrEe1P0LDkgKF6_2ymPYfTfafo7R_UI10I6VX9bP8XYwZKft8W8-fUp0qrVvzcziOmNhCBAJJDjjkc4sj9J66wlJx6Co8LlIQB8xFW/s1600/DIY+Kinda+Girl-Baby+Shoes5.jpg" height="640" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix3D8V2JIot4FYf7FXOfvEKsvzma_S6LWUuILAZXOsA38WwvNfsDk0t9baYS4fWuEJnONglb4ou3W_VHfj1STQV_IGCm_M9MCSqVMM3Ara2BJoLdVHQed6iWtPTZUtUa73ZreVIYY4BfN0/s1600/DIY+Kinda+Girl-Baby+Shoes2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix3D8V2JIot4FYf7FXOfvEKsvzma_S6LWUuILAZXOsA38WwvNfsDk0t9baYS4fWuEJnONglb4ou3W_VHfj1STQV_IGCm_M9MCSqVMM3Ara2BJoLdVHQed6iWtPTZUtUa73ZreVIYY4BfN0/s1600/DIY+Kinda+Girl-Baby+Shoes2.jpg" height="640" width="640" /></a></div>
These darlings just might be my current favorite. They were made from a free pattern found <a href="http://www.purlbee.com/the-purl-bee/2011/12/6/mollys-sketchbook-felt-baby-shoes.html" target="_blank">here</a>, but adapted quite a bit. Fabric from <a href="http://www.joann.com/" target="_blank">JoAnn</a>, buttons from my stash.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjzxVVdOT_HW4Y_P5IigJqtmph2V8RFiw3fDw5bmwA7IwkIXkc2sFn8-eQrngBp97azvCPj7b0W06FUgo8jv1C8hGQiOHg0VP_euOYTnMz_xh_yxpUjkoBjJyXLOHLP0X8ttCLfM8Eo1kX/s1600/DIY+Kinda+Girl-Baby+Shoes3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjzxVVdOT_HW4Y_P5IigJqtmph2V8RFiw3fDw5bmwA7IwkIXkc2sFn8-eQrngBp97azvCPj7b0W06FUgo8jv1C8hGQiOHg0VP_euOYTnMz_xh_yxpUjkoBjJyXLOHLP0X8ttCLfM8Eo1kX/s1600/DIY+Kinda+Girl-Baby+Shoes3.jpg" height="640" width="640" /></a></div>
Everyone needs a pair of Mary Janes! Free pattern found <a href="http://taoofcraft.typepad.com/taoofcraft/2010/07/here-is-how-i-made-themsupplies14-yard-of-heavy-home-dec-cotton-or-quilters-weight-cotton-fabric14-yard-lining-fabric-2.html" target="_blank">here</a>. Adapted in that I did not make a velcro strap; I just used fold over elastic instead. More comfy and more likely to stay on! Fabric from <a href="http://www.joann.com/" target="_blank">JoAnn</a>, fold over elastic from <a href="http://www.theribbonretreat.com/" target="_blank">The Ribbon Retreat</a>.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMasB6ZWgZt3ZP3TrYXIKRt6xJjGhZLEQnuQe6A0ShVvn5yptTBrmauKiClBxiblDnCuei-ZLuyNZGHTbtu5EgElc-uBCOFnFfB8dDeyPc_XkgSa15itTmQa0MzVYOLzdwy37pkNJa-Y9d/s1600/DIY+Kinda+Girl-Baby+Shoes4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMasB6ZWgZt3ZP3TrYXIKRt6xJjGhZLEQnuQe6A0ShVvn5yptTBrmauKiClBxiblDnCuei-ZLuyNZGHTbtu5EgElc-uBCOFnFfB8dDeyPc_XkgSa15itTmQa0MzVYOLzdwy37pkNJa-Y9d/s1600/DIY+Kinda+Girl-Baby+Shoes4.jpg" height="640" width="640" /></a></div>
And an old favorite, the faux Robeez pattern, found <a href="http://www.greatturtle.com/stardustshoes/clothshoe.pdf" target="_blank">here</a>. Thin grey <span style="text-align: center;">leather from </span><a href="http://www.brettunsvillage.com/leather/scrap/scraps.htm" style="text-align: center;" target="_blank">Brettuns Village</a>, lining and yo-yo fabric from <a href="http://www.joann.com/" target="_blank">JoAnn</a>.<br />
<br />Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06345017129849718843noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7240588021501159038.post-8712944083040612602014-03-18T05:00:00.000-06:002014-03-18T08:07:32.219-06:00Digiscrap Tuesday Tip: Working with Layers<div style="text-align: center;">
Okay, folks, this is a long time coming. I know. I'm sorry. I just haven't had the time to put together tutorials myself, so what I'm going to do is every Tuesday spotlight helpful tutorials I've found. These will all be tutorials using Photoshop Elements (or Photoshop), because I frankly think it is the only way to go! And if you are going to pin,<span style="font-size: large;"> PLEASE PIN FROM THE ORIGINAL SOURCE AND NOT FROM ME.</span></div>
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This is a great resource! <a href="http://www.bigpictureclasses.com/digitemplate.php" target="_blank">A free online class</a> from Steph of the Daily Digi. So great. She has a supply list so you know exactly what you need and provides you with the other digital supplies for the layout. Highly recommend starting here.<br />
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Another option is a tutorial from the great Ali Edwards. In<a href="http://aliedwards.com/2010/01/scrapbooking-with-your-computer-creating-layouts-with-layered-templates-video-tutorial.html" target="_blank"> this video</a>, she shows how to use a layered template in Photoshop (written step by step instructions can be found <a href="http://aliedwards.com/2008/07/hybriddigital-scrapbooking-working-with-layered-templates.html" target="_blank">here</a>). She offers a free template (link found below the template photo) to use as she shows you step-by-step.<br />
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This is a terrific place to start. You don't always have to use templates to scrap (though I almost always do!), but this video will give you an understanding of how layers work, so you can create your own layouts in the future.</div>
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I'll be back next week with another tip!<br />
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<a href="http://diykindagirl.blogspot.com/2011/06/getting-started-with-digital.html" target="_blank">Here's the first post if you missed it.</a></div>
Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06345017129849718843noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7240588021501159038.post-44509846261244616612014-03-14T05:00:00.000-06:002014-04-06T12:56:09.943-06:00This Week's Reads 3/14<div>
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Guess what, guys. It's my birthday. Yep. It's today. Somehow it seems to get less and less exciting every year. Are you curious? I'll indulge your curiosity. 31. No turning back now, eh? Most definitely in my 30's. But that is an entirely different topic for another day.</div>
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So reading! I read a lot this week. I had sick kids who wanted Mommy with them at all times (like 2-3 foot radius...seriously), so I read in the interim moments between fetching snacks and pillows and tissues, etc. Nothing too deep. I did NOT have the brain power for that this week. So lots of entertaining romances! Here's a few:</div>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1475043740/ref=as_li_tf_il?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1475043740&linkCode=as2&tag=diykindagirl-20" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=1475043740&Format=_SL160_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=diykindagirl-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=diykindagirl-20&l=as2&o=1&a=1475043740" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /></div>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1475043740/ref=as_li_tf_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1475043740&linkCode=as2&tag=diykindagirl-20">Running Barefoot by Amy Harmon</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=diykindagirl-20&l=as2&o=1&a=1475043740" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /></div>
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You know those light romances that are a fun read, you're entertained, you finish, and then you never think of them again? This was NOT one of them. This is a love story that stays with you. I loved this one. It's complex and truly moving. You should read it. Really. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007VT7JN4/ref=as_li_tf_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B007VT7JN4&linkCode=as2&tag=diykindagirl-20">(The Kindle version is only $3.99!)</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=diykindagirl-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B007VT7JN4" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0802728383/ref=as_li_tf_il?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0802728383&linkCode=as2&tag=diykindagirl-20" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=0802728383&Format=_SL160_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=diykindagirl-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=diykindagirl-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0802728383" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0802728383/ref=as_li_tf_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0802728383&linkCode=as2&tag=diykindagirl-20">Taste Test by Kelly Fiore</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=diykindagirl-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0802728383" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br />
Meh. It was a Kindle Daily Deal, and it was about food. So I bought it. Wish I hadn't. It's Young Adult fiction, and that definitely showed. Lots of drama. But hey, if that's your cuppa tea......<br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00AHH12HG/ref=as_li_tf_il?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B00AHH12HG&linkCode=as2&tag=diykindagirl-20" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B00AHH12HG&Format=_SL160_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=diykindagirl-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=diykindagirl-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B00AHH12HG" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00AHH12HG/ref=as_li_tf_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B00AHH12HG&linkCode=as2&tag=diykindagirl-20">Hailey's Comments by Kristy Tate</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=diykindagirl-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B00AHH12HG" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /></div>
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This was a Kindle freebie, and despite its unfortunate cover, I really enjoyed it! Part romance, part mystery. Set on an island in Puget Sound, which appeals to me as I was born in Seattle. A fun read. And not totally forgettable, though not in the same league as <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1475043740/ref=as_li_tf_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1475043740&linkCode=as2&tag=diykindagirl-20">Running Barefoot</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=diykindagirl-20&l=as2&o=1&a=1475043740" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />.</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Affiliate links, y'all!</span></div>
Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06345017129849718843noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7240588021501159038.post-67807501654308192242014-03-07T05:00:00.000-07:002014-03-07T09:43:02.535-07:00This Week's Reads 3/7<a data-pin-color="red" data-pin-config="beside" data-pin-do="buttonPin" href="https://www.pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fdiykindagirl.blogspot.com%2F2014%2F03%2Fthis-weeks-reads-37.html&media=http%3A%2F%2Fws-na.amazon-adsystem.com%2Fwidgets%2Fq%3F_encoding%3DUTF8%26ASIN%3D1590516796%26Format%3D_SL160_%26ID%3DAsinImage%26MarketPlace%3DUS%26ServiceVersion%3D20070822%26WS%3D1%26tag%3Ddiykindagirl-20&description=DIY%20Kinda%20Girl%3A%20This%20Weeks%20Reads%203%2F7"><img src="//assets.pinterest.com/images/pidgets/pinit_fg_en_rect_red_20.png" /></a><br />
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Let me just tell you, I am exhausted. I've spent the week removing the dirt from my old garden box (a big long one, 25 x 2 feet), raking through it by hand to remove all the weeds and grass roots that grew in when I basically abandoned it two years ago (I blame pregnancy and a newborn), and digging out the sod where my new garden boxes are going (two 4 X 6 foot boxes. Same square footage, better configuration for my yard). I still need to built a rough sieve from chicken wire and the wood from the old box to sift the dirt through as I fill the boxes up. Lots of work. Moral of the story: don't let your garden boxes get horrifyingly overgrown.<br />
ANY-way, my point is I didn't have a lot of reading time again this week. Only one book to report on.<br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1590516796/ref=as_li_tf_il?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1590516796&linkCode=as2&tag=diykindagirl-20" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=1590516796&Format=_SL160_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=diykindagirl-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=diykindagirl-20&l=as2&o=1&a=1590516796" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1590516796/ref=as_li_tf_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1590516796&linkCode=as2&tag=diykindagirl-20">This House is Haunted by John Boyne</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=diykindagirl-20&l=as2&o=1&a=1590516796" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br />
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You know those books that upon reading the last page and closing, you said "Wow," out loud? (Or maybe I just do that.) This was one of those. Spoiler alert: it's about a haunting. ;) It started out sounding a little Jane Eyre-ish...a governess heading off, almost on a whim, to an unknown and mysterious place. The similarity mostly ended there however. I really enjoyed this. Captivating. So interesting it may cause you to ignore your children. And the ending! Wow. :) Worth reading!</div>
Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06345017129849718843noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7240588021501159038.post-76377864404211597902014-03-04T12:27:00.003-07:002014-03-04T12:27:33.091-07:00Things have sure been busy around here...I've been a little negligent in my blogging. But that's because I've been diving headfirst into digiscrap again. I love it so. I'm even dabbling with designing again, so hopefully I'll have another freebie kit for you at the end of the month. In the meantime, here are some of my most recent layouts:<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif4gqeEJ_8IbRV1LZKg5_d3AB-CFl8tzuPC71LQ2Q06AmWpxtvZTKSIAk-NVgt5huA8mAenoprRIAzNDfyYxQ9oXZOP-QOupdhIPTTcokcKjxabdlCtcR_khdfxMZNiFepK25k0KPjdYrF/s1600/Ava-Anne-Dec-2012.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif4gqeEJ_8IbRV1LZKg5_d3AB-CFl8tzuPC71LQ2Q06AmWpxtvZTKSIAk-NVgt5huA8mAenoprRIAzNDfyYxQ9oXZOP-QOupdhIPTTcokcKjxabdlCtcR_khdfxMZNiFepK25k0KPjdYrF/s1600/Ava-Anne-Dec-2012.jpg" height="640" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNcj1t5tPp4TrUgSCdCjAy4SferKBuxUW8SvXG_zLDVZ-t10Yfx9eAVZcrWPlpsf90fDETL5wSvY3NbCqIOE_UnCypeq8_k9pwW60UAqsvifq5HmG5CYhyphenhyphenLFtnWEiScvsHUujFfNmRXrQu/s1600/College-Roomies-Dec-2013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNcj1t5tPp4TrUgSCdCjAy4SferKBuxUW8SvXG_zLDVZ-t10Yfx9eAVZcrWPlpsf90fDETL5wSvY3NbCqIOE_UnCypeq8_k9pwW60UAqsvifq5HmG5CYhyphenhyphenLFtnWEiScvsHUujFfNmRXrQu/s1600/College-Roomies-Dec-2013.jpg" height="640" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi3xxmGTZlsu-LMjSR-9kTwMQLasHt3JgqKLynf31YqdUbtw9XAVNVEkpWlb9hrWNYJxXgRSb2KlvYiawUPs21gYypJXAXlZDjP9c5QKi6xX0dHlMvxyaFcNbqQ2zM0C1rdo2emTT_RFqt/s1600/Slow-Morning-Jan-14.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi3xxmGTZlsu-LMjSR-9kTwMQLasHt3JgqKLynf31YqdUbtw9XAVNVEkpWlb9hrWNYJxXgRSb2KlvYiawUPs21gYypJXAXlZDjP9c5QKi6xX0dHlMvxyaFcNbqQ2zM0C1rdo2emTT_RFqt/s1600/Slow-Morning-Jan-14.jpg" height="640" width="640" /></a></div>
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Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06345017129849718843noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7240588021501159038.post-2608458653254514852014-02-28T11:44:00.000-07:002014-03-04T13:07:46.379-07:00Top Reads of All Time - February<br />
Let's just pretend, yet again, that this post went up on Friday like it was supposed to!<br />
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<img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=diykindagirl-20&l=as2&o=1&a=059035342X" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/059035342X/ref=as_li_tf_il?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=059035342X&linkCode=as2&tag=diykindagirl-20" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=059035342X&Format=_SL160_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=diykindagirl-20" /></a><span style="color: #0000ee;"><u><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=diykindagirl-20&l=as2&o=1&a=059035342X" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /></u></span><br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/059035342X/ref=as_li_tf_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=059035342X&linkCode=as2&tag=diykindagirl-20">Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=diykindagirl-20&l=as2&o=1&a=059035342X" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br />
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Sorry for the haters out there, but I loved this series. I got into it a little late in the game...borrowed my little brother's books whenever I was home from college. Loved it then, love it now. Classic.<br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0425253287/ref=as_li_tf_il?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0425253287&linkCode=as2&tag=diykindagirl-20" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=0425253287&Format=_SL160_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=diykindagirl-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=diykindagirl-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0425253287" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0425253287/ref=as_li_tf_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0425253287&linkCode=as2&tag=diykindagirl-20">The Anatomist's Wife by Anna Lee Huber</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=diykindagirl-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0425253287" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /></div>
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The first of another terrific series. SO good. Mysterious and historical and a little bit romantic. J'adore.<br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0553277537/ref=as_li_tf_il?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0553277537&linkCode=as2&tag=diykindagirl-20" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=0553277537&Format=_SL160_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=diykindagirl-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=diykindagirl-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0553277537" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0553277537/ref=as_li_tf_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0553277537&linkCode=as2&tag=diykindagirl-20">Dandelion Wine by Ray Bradbury</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=diykindagirl-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0553277537" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br />
This is such a lovely book. I like to read at the the beginning of the summer, just to prep myself to enjoy everything about the season...and to try to do it with the wonder of a kid.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Affiliate links, y'all!</span></div>
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Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06345017129849718843noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7240588021501159038.post-26998728327551750342014-02-26T05:00:00.000-07:002014-02-28T08:12:16.540-07:00Princess Party<a data-pin-color="red" data-pin-config="beside" data-pin-do="buttonPin" href="https://www.pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fdiykindagirl.blogspot.com%2F2014%2F02%2Fprincess-party.html&media=http%3A%2F%2F3.bp.blogspot.com%2F-D69SE65_Oto%2FUwt3PVn-AeI%2FAAAAAAAAE4Y%2FzwFHqC6rF0w%2Fs1600%2FDIY%2BKinda%2BGirl-Princess%2BParty13.jpg&description=DIY%20Kinda%20Girl%3A%20Simple%20Princess%20Party"><img src="//assets.pinterest.com/images/pidgets/pinit_fg_en_rect_red_20.png" /></a><br />
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My little girl is turning four. Sigh. Growing up so fast! And of course, what does a four year old little girl want? A Princess Party!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja5Kzh44sA1EmT34IxXs4sUZWXZa6KiUN157QNgvUhCBqSjHHloReAF8_QuHhacVGPEwPowicApqhL5VqOTOWRIPL1yzcMeQYzEtZBV1oVlBfwnv5yDYGE-HcV5DiCXNLxBsgQke_68Yjb/s1600/DIY+Kinda+Girl-Princess+Party13.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja5Kzh44sA1EmT34IxXs4sUZWXZa6KiUN157QNgvUhCBqSjHHloReAF8_QuHhacVGPEwPowicApqhL5VqOTOWRIPL1yzcMeQYzEtZBV1oVlBfwnv5yDYGE-HcV5DiCXNLxBsgQke_68Yjb/s1600/DIY+Kinda+Girl-Princess+Party13.jpg" height="640" width="640" /></a></div>
I don't believe in elaborate birthday parties for kids. As mentioned when I posted about <a href="http://diykindagirl.blogspot.com/2013/08/lego-par-tay.html" target="_blank">my son's Lego Party</a>, my policy is cute, fun and SIMPLE. So that's what I aimed for with this party. (Though I will admit that simple can be relative...this may not seem simple to everyone!)<br />
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<b>Food</b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBx3hd-hVpC7BCP6kX85ohCfNLy1QAzVjfDaCLaxfh1aPO-IQw_Gd0lxecaLnezrWmip4GpvoOvibgLN1agRGsbC8YmNQgc5MkURg11bbKa0ARt8IvLqjrj-536sMT2Wftpe4aFeiLDAKZ/s1600/DIY+Kinda+Girl-Princess+Party10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBx3hd-hVpC7BCP6kX85ohCfNLy1QAzVjfDaCLaxfh1aPO-IQw_Gd0lxecaLnezrWmip4GpvoOvibgLN1agRGsbC8YmNQgc5MkURg11bbKa0ARt8IvLqjrj-536sMT2Wftpe4aFeiLDAKZ/s1600/DIY+Kinda+Girl-Princess+Party10.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
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Pizza, Cupcakes and <a href="http://diykindagirl.blogspot.com/2014/02/diy-food-edition-apple-ginger-sparkler.html" target="_blank">Apple Ginger Sparkler</a></div>
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<b>Decorating Crowns</b></div>
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Simple. Exactly what it sounds like. The kids did this while they waited for their face painting turn.<br />
Crowns (Michaels), Stickers, Foam Stickers and Glitter Glue (DollarTree), Monograms (cut from Stampin' Up! glitter paper using my Silhouette, Victorian font for girls, AdLib BT for boys), and some crayons<br />
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<b>Face Painting</b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX4em0UspACkINygPx3WV7PAzS97f2xaIEiO1w0w4x_HpD6Q5JOnMXcEkZ5EFt1oPY0QmDbDda9vUKjFGlSHH3c8adriEYPYTHU66F7REozPOitLEpCpCg6j2_FCGRnREKCss7N4Skg0G2/s1600/DIY+Kinda+Girl-Princess+Party1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX4em0UspACkINygPx3WV7PAzS97f2xaIEiO1w0w4x_HpD6Q5JOnMXcEkZ5EFt1oPY0QmDbDda9vUKjFGlSHH3c8adriEYPYTHU66F7REozPOitLEpCpCg6j2_FCGRnREKCss7N4Skg0G2/s1600/DIY+Kinda+Girl-Princess+Party1.jpg" height="458" width="640" /></a></div>
Man, I am no pro at face painting. But it was good enough for the kids! Mostly butterflies. A couple flowers. And then for the two boys in the mix, a frog with a bowtie and the Batman symbol. :)<br />
Face Painting Kit (Michael's)<br />
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<b>Pin the Crown on the Princess</b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSvAKS-t1MAYZjfZK8jGZqX13o4RclDc0tsh4MXXKRuS4a2qVsMz1BSStnp3PQxkAVMCwj0setohEvdCUg90HUOxBqhR1gXWVlYgC9eo7hDOzFS2jERqdpPsBarFoGLALOrQ44rMnQAZ5n/s1600/DIY+Kinda+Girl-Princess+Party7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSvAKS-t1MAYZjfZK8jGZqX13o4RclDc0tsh4MXXKRuS4a2qVsMz1BSStnp3PQxkAVMCwj0setohEvdCUg90HUOxBqhR1gXWVlYgC9eo7hDOzFS2jERqdpPsBarFoGLALOrQ44rMnQAZ5n/s1600/DIY+Kinda+Girl-Princess+Party7.jpg" height="540" width="640" /></a></div>
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I just blew up a picture of Sleeping Beauty in Photoshop, then worked a little magic to remove her crown. Then I printed it out in sections and pieced it together (not well, might I add...made some mistakes in proportion when I printed. Oh well). And printed and cut out a crown for each little munchikin to "pin" on the princess. Just used a length of sheet (leftover from making the fabric banners for <a href="http://diykindagirl.blogspot.com/search/label/B%26H%20wedding" target="_blank">the B&H wedding</a>) as a blindfold.</div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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<b>Kiss the Frog</b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnve7iXO3OU-s4h0F2GInTGWNusg6nsWy4HsF30C-8kLLLNySzcxRs6xRHHipJ1Fe7nY7JNABSxwPn8kqcuusO2A_Gs3t42QCg1NUoG1tiSamONkT2gGrQSo4dw5k3yCylDGRlnlizzYHN/s1600/DIY+Kinda+Girl-Princess+Party5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnve7iXO3OU-s4h0F2GInTGWNusg6nsWy4HsF30C-8kLLLNySzcxRs6xRHHipJ1Fe7nY7JNABSxwPn8kqcuusO2A_Gs3t42QCg1NUoG1tiSamONkT2gGrQSo4dw5k3yCylDGRlnlizzYHN/s1600/DIY+Kinda+Girl-Princess+Party5.jpg" height="640" width="564" /></a></div>
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My version was not nearly as beautiful as <a href="http://amomwithalessonplan.com/princess-party-game-kiss-the-frog/" target="_blank">my inspiration</a>, but not too bad, considering I used a box knife, packing tape, butcher paper and two Costco diaper boxes! The lip shaped bean bags I made using pink felt and my serger, then filled with rice rather than beans.</div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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<b>The Missing Slipper</b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGrKXYfDxvhE5e1qo87dUOL9EmMQnyFlhxEXn87Ur8DBuazsOSPcBLXPjdBAd_gnKvBX5aiV7UbOHEUlrkkgeMTDOhoEfOI8iKeU9Xg3aDDVkWVUkJ8lZ49zlHWpve8hNnehPfnUWI7CRX/s1600/DIY+Kinda+Girl-Princess+Party4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGrKXYfDxvhE5e1qo87dUOL9EmMQnyFlhxEXn87Ur8DBuazsOSPcBLXPjdBAd_gnKvBX5aiV7UbOHEUlrkkgeMTDOhoEfOI8iKeU9Xg3aDDVkWVUkJ8lZ49zlHWpve8hNnehPfnUWI7CRX/s1600/DIY+Kinda+Girl-Princess+Party4.jpg" height="400" width="640" /></a></div>
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This game I also <a href="http://amomwithalessonplan.com/princess-party-missing-slipper-game-and-royal-crown-activity/" target="_blank">borrowed</a>. So easy. I picked up the pair of heels (they even look like glass slippers) from a local thrift store. Then at the party I hid one and told the kids "Oh no! Cinderella has lost her glass slipper! Go find it!" Cue 9 3-4 year olds running through my basement, looking for a shoe. :) This was actually the favorite, they asked to play this over and over.</div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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<b>Favors</b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoKml41pH_NPcwTnxyUCMuMmNzxs8aiwI1oL5yyM7_oHAfzf_rL-bCNuYPKUC2Rs1JH0-NFZwPUJ-X-nhevp-HV-qpMVEO5LbH2onHOFXGLKzOlMNZF4B4BSJtkw-Vo5K8Okbzu_RrnI33/s1600/DIY+Kinda+Girl-Princess+Party11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoKml41pH_NPcwTnxyUCMuMmNzxs8aiwI1oL5yyM7_oHAfzf_rL-bCNuYPKUC2Rs1JH0-NFZwPUJ-X-nhevp-HV-qpMVEO5LbH2onHOFXGLKzOlMNZF4B4BSJtkw-Vo5K8Okbzu_RrnI33/s1600/DIY+Kinda+Girl-Princess+Party11.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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Princess treat bags (<a href="http://www.dollartree.com/party-supplies/gift-wrap-bags-accessories/Princess-Hearts-Cello-Loot-Bags-20-ct-Packs/574c590c590p300433/index.pro?method=search" target="_blank">DollarTree</a>), Princess Crayons (<a href="http://www.dollartree.com/office-school/Crayons-Markers/8-ct-Boxes-of-Licensed-Character-Crayons-3-ct-Packs/610c926c926p343811/index.pro" target="_blank">DollarTree</a>), Princess Stickers (<a href="http://www.zurchers.com/disney-princess-sticker-value-pack-350-ct.html" target="_blank">Zurchers</a>), Princess Notebooks (<a href="http://www.zurchers.com/disney-princess-notepads-12-ct.html" target="_blank">Zurchers</a>), Bracelet (<a href="http://www.dollartree.com/toys/costumes-dress-up/Dress-Up-Princess-Bangles-14-ct-Packs/629c634c634p325175/index.pro?method=search" target="_blank">DollarTree</a>), Ring (Zurchers), Wand (<a href="http://www.zurchers.com/princess-party-metallic-wand-1-ct.html" target="_blank">Zurchers</a>), Candy bracelet (I got at Zurchers but the packaging said<a href="http://www.orientaltrading.com/stretchable-candy-bracelets-with-princess-charm-a2-70_3592-12-1.fltr?Ntt=candy%20bracelet" target="_blank"> Oriental Trading</a>), misc. candy.<br />
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When I put my daughter to bed that night, I asked her what her favorite part of the party was. She ended up listing everything, and then giggling as she realized that said, "I liked all of it!" :) I think it was a hit.<br />
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Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06345017129849718843noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7240588021501159038.post-9214019982057015052014-02-25T05:00:00.000-07:002014-04-06T13:03:55.570-06:00DIY Food Edition: Apple Ginger Sparkler<a data-pin-color="red" data-pin-config="beside" data-pin-do="buttonPin" href="https://www.pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fdiykindagirl.blogspot.com%2F2014%2F02%2Fdiy-food-edition-apple-ginger-sparkler.html&media=http%3A%2F%2F2.bp.blogspot.com%2F-T8JAvpzk0ZI%2FUwt3kFpC30I%2FAAAAAAAAE4g%2F8kiSVxJenOc%2Fs1600%2FDIY%2BKinda%2BGirl-Apple%2BGinger%2BSparkler.jpg&description=DIY%20Kinda%20Girl%3A%20Food%20Edition%3A%20Apple%20Ginger%20Sparkler"><img src="//assets.pinterest.com/images/pidgets/pinit_fg_en_rect_red_20.png" /></a><br />
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Here is another of the recipes I'll be posting from <a href="http://diykindagirl.blogspot.com/2014/02/baby-shower-for-c.html" target="_blank">my sister-in-law's baby shower!</a> This is a great SUPER easy non-alcoholic party drink.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif5YvkXHJ3AtO28vnJlwGqsqdmUPmvKvZFSmSLzCNWJujYPVrcx37OE3KD-hOwimoNZ_qZNPzzrZTF9KFSIkHdq2c7J_V351PH-6ZP6OxrnwmQSmoWj-I8CTs_-AjcqgjxEZ7jBLLnO0i2/s1600/DIY+Kinda+Girl-Apple+Ginger+Sparkler.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif5YvkXHJ3AtO28vnJlwGqsqdmUPmvKvZFSmSLzCNWJujYPVrcx37OE3KD-hOwimoNZ_qZNPzzrZTF9KFSIkHdq2c7J_V351PH-6ZP6OxrnwmQSmoWj-I8CTs_-AjcqgjxEZ7jBLLnO0i2/s1600/DIY+Kinda+Girl-Apple+Ginger+Sparkler.jpg" height="640" width="640" /></a></div>
Apple Ginger Sparkler<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">adapted from <a href="http://www.marthastewart.com/318331/apple-ginger-sparklers?center" target="_blank">Martha Stewart</a></span><br />
<br />
2 2 L bottles of club soda<br />
2 apple juice concentrates (frozen section)<br />
1 1/2 C ginger syrup<br />
<br />
Let the apple concentrate thaw, then mix all three ingredients together. Makes a little over a gallon and a half.Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06345017129849718843noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7240588021501159038.post-80341167229000269622014-02-24T08:52:00.001-07:002014-02-24T09:20:57.139-07:00DIY Household Tip: Cleaning Grout, OxiClean vs. Woolite<a data-pin-color="red" data-pin-config="beside" data-pin-do="buttonPin" href="https://www.pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fdiykindagirl.blogspot.com%2F2014%2F02%2Fdiy-household-tip-cleaning-grout.html&media=https%3A%2F%2Fimages-blogger-opensocial.googleusercontent.com%2Fgadgets%2Fproxy%3Furl%3Dhttp%3A%2F%2F3.bp.blogspot.com%2F-aCFd7PeUMhU%2FUwtsXrADRUI%2FAAAAAAAAE4I%2FFmhwJ1P15WA%2Fs1600%2FDIY%2BKinda%2BGirl-Cleaning%2BGrout7.jpg%26container%3Dblogger%26gadget%3Da%26rewriteMime%3Dimage%2F*&description=DIY%20Kinda%20Girl%3A%20Household%20Tip%3A%20Cleaning%20Grout%2C%20OxiClean%20vs.%20Woolite"><img src="//assets.pinterest.com/images/pidgets/pinit_fg_en_rect_red_20.png" /></a><br />
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So here's that gross story I promised a week or two ago. I accidently discovered that the grout in my kitchen and dining IS NOT DARK BROWN. It's actually a light creamy beige! Disgusting, no?! And in our three years of living here, I've had two crawling babies all over that floor!!!!<br />
<br />
Clearly something had to be done. So based on things I'd seen on Pinterest in the past (but never pinned!), I decided to give Woolite and OxiClean a whirl. Here's my thoughts:<br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpLtMfKOLSfMmiA5nicFtW_og88Y95UaLxe_iF1sN09KzI2DarhSyjYJO24o5m0VJCVKxQw_yf8pcYOrXNAdp9upZjH_MSFMD3Ipaeq2ZmZrnmYBABq3kvx0iFt9qRZLmPTNhAkWqwqm8X/s1600/DIY+Kinda+Girl-Cleaning+Grout1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpLtMfKOLSfMmiA5nicFtW_og88Y95UaLxe_iF1sN09KzI2DarhSyjYJO24o5m0VJCVKxQw_yf8pcYOrXNAdp9upZjH_MSFMD3Ipaeq2ZmZrnmYBABq3kvx0iFt9qRZLmPTNhAkWqwqm8X/s1600/DIY+Kinda+Girl-Cleaning+Grout1.jpg" height="640" width="426" /></a></div>
Woolite:<br />
Pros<br />
Convenient and Easy to Use<br />
Cons<br />
Stinks<br />
Requires a lot of hard scrubbing still<br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiha5tTJYBoOCfLqxp1V-BBgJAIGaelVpW_s_tXYQB15i2MHL09UVbB40IiYNX6qOt5RUrBY1eeqYutix8Ca1JvtfVM6Ic_7y__Y1VXhyphenhyphenQE9NETsQRKoziEvv_PxIu4KgXHITI8-Zm6n9M9/s1600/DIY+Kinda+Girl-Cleaning+Grout8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiha5tTJYBoOCfLqxp1V-BBgJAIGaelVpW_s_tXYQB15i2MHL09UVbB40IiYNX6qOt5RUrBY1eeqYutix8Ca1JvtfVM6Ic_7y__Y1VXhyphenhyphenQE9NETsQRKoziEvv_PxIu4KgXHITI8-Zm6n9M9/s1600/DIY+Kinda+Girl-Cleaning+Grout8.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
OxiClean:<br />
Pros<br />
Really effective<br />
Requires less scrubbing<br />
Cons<br />
Messy<br />
Leaves a white residue<br />
<br />
My overall winner, hands down, was OxiClean. I thought it got my tile and grout much cleaner with less effort. I ended up doing my entire floor with it, even over the areas I'd already done with the Woolite.<br />
<br />
Here's my method:<br />
You need gloves, a bucket, something to stir with, OxiClean, a scrub brush, an old toothbrush, old towels, a mop (not a steam mop), and the hottest water you can get from your faucet.<br />
<br />
Step One: Run the water in your sink until it reaches its hottest point. Meanwhile, put a scoop of OxiClean into your bucket. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCwFrj-B3ugEW_RrSrgkdPkMUWXZrIApb6Ih4T8B8BZcw6UNz9Kgkn0U7_XNPGeY0T9HgofUNrpg42G_Dns_7Qu5qsHFZqXYmLvUsfE96D5Ngs6pkO8WRfoIyRXW4THWdL8ipcT_Q7PWIF/s1600/DIY+Kinda+Girl-Cleaning+Grout5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCwFrj-B3ugEW_RrSrgkdPkMUWXZrIApb6Ih4T8B8BZcw6UNz9Kgkn0U7_XNPGeY0T9HgofUNrpg42G_Dns_7Qu5qsHFZqXYmLvUsfE96D5Ngs6pkO8WRfoIyRXW4THWdL8ipcT_Q7PWIF/s1600/DIY+Kinda+Girl-Cleaning+Grout5.jpg" height="444" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">(Why yes that is my lens cap in my hand....)</td></tr>
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Then cover the OxiClean with about an inch to an inch and a half of hot water. STIR AND STIR AND STIR until it is mostly dissolved (that grainy sound you hear as you stir will be gone).<br />
<br />
Step Two: If you haven't already, put your gloves on. Then slowly pour out the water/OxiClean mixture over your tile (about a 4-5 foot square area), and smooth it around with your gloved hands, making sure to spread it evenly (and not too thin, hence the 4-5 foot square area).<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnNivaMkBdP6Cf3ERY5PurrtJ65HtXXi_52qZMAgmsZ6dz82_fhz1VHpjQt5AkgGNYVNTdD6UArdCPWOiKYRLEg29RbaeyyufeCKajeLSQknWyOycQx_ktCyJB_zAlJGh9ZkvCdk1IUmme/s1600/DIY+Kinda+Girl-Cleaning+Grout4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnNivaMkBdP6Cf3ERY5PurrtJ65HtXXi_52qZMAgmsZ6dz82_fhz1VHpjQt5AkgGNYVNTdD6UArdCPWOiKYRLEg29RbaeyyufeCKajeLSQknWyOycQx_ktCyJB_zAlJGh9ZkvCdk1IUmme/s1600/DIY+Kinda+Girl-Cleaning+Grout4.jpg" height="356" width="640" /></a></div>
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Step Three: Let it sit for 30 minutes.<br />
<br />
Step Four: Fill your bucket with clean hot water. Come back to your OxiClean spot with your gloves, bucket, old toothbrush and scrub brush. Start scrubbing! My experience was (with this much gross dirt!) that it almost flaked off as I scrubbed. (I also scrubbed every inch of my tile because it is textured and dirt had settled into the crevices.) Rinse your brushes out in the clean hot water as needed, and replace that water as needed as well. Once you've scrubbed it all up, wipe up all that dirty water residue with the old towels.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcng2aeyhOYHlaTQIABdSbMQdxliIi-FXb1yHPxnhgbto9LWn0gM7xLxVaao2xf27GbS14nflW2tCvOLztbcsRMwcA71RxJgF7Ptsq-tqOuH3gN8zpOgPGW6eOFShob6liTxlHZ1UVlYWp/s1600/DIY+Kinda+Girl-Cleaning+Grout2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcng2aeyhOYHlaTQIABdSbMQdxliIi-FXb1yHPxnhgbto9LWn0gM7xLxVaao2xf27GbS14nflW2tCvOLztbcsRMwcA71RxJgF7Ptsq-tqOuH3gN8zpOgPGW6eOFShob6liTxlHZ1UVlYWp/s1600/DIY+Kinda+Girl-Cleaning+Grout2.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Before</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhigpXhfT4V9xo5e5W5xe3YUpcjSDz5QI6x3YUqcSQzGOhLl6-0LqNqqBCHPJqC4ePAlUVw1NLKEPNfpOW99zkCdSc9XVBC861o1L-YE_RbWXPpftJKH1O7BFMXd_bwqz3xcAM94Bpd_wis/s1600/DIY+Kinda+Girl-Cleaning+Grout3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhigpXhfT4V9xo5e5W5xe3YUpcjSDz5QI6x3YUqcSQzGOhLl6-0LqNqqBCHPJqC4ePAlUVw1NLKEPNfpOW99zkCdSc9XVBC861o1L-YE_RbWXPpftJKH1O7BFMXd_bwqz3xcAM94Bpd_wis/s1600/DIY+Kinda+Girl-Cleaning+Grout3.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">After</td></tr>
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Step Five: Fill your bucket with clean hot water again. Get your (hopefully) clean mop, and mop that area with the clean hot water. (I did try a steam mop first, and it didn't work well at all.) This will hopefully remove most of the white residue the OxiClean leaves behind.<br />
<br />
Step Six: Dry with an old towel.<br />
<br />
Step Seven: Move to another 4-5 foot square area. Repeat and repeat until your floor is clean.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvlPtCMqWRp8k1rpGu9OJ87zjO5VKzawck95gynZQMQKV2gWzTImRZrnLvsOP6NpqnW8UAsHi7PO2yYkpBBMCpAotQEpGAMIVvfjMLokWHHQDX-0O3BPOAeR22JE0OjLOkCUoUdV7EhEbc/s1600/DIY+Kinda+Girl-Cleaning+Grout6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvlPtCMqWRp8k1rpGu9OJ87zjO5VKzawck95gynZQMQKV2gWzTImRZrnLvsOP6NpqnW8UAsHi7PO2yYkpBBMCpAotQEpGAMIVvfjMLokWHHQDX-0O3BPOAeR22JE0OjLOkCUoUdV7EhEbc/s1600/DIY+Kinda+Girl-Cleaning+Grout6.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One last dirty patch</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Step Eight: Just for good measure, to make sure that white residue is gone, I did another all over hot water mop job, and then followed it up with the towel dry.<br />
<br />
And now my floor is gloriously clean!!!! It was A LOT of work, but definitely worth it.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
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Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06345017129849718843noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7240588021501159038.post-57178270678052064662014-02-21T14:21:00.000-07:002014-04-06T13:04:09.657-06:00DIY Food Edition: Crepe Bites<a data-pin-color="red" data-pin-config="beside" data-pin-do="buttonPin" href="https://www.pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fdiykindagirl.blogspot.com%2F2014%2F02%2Fdiy-food-edition-crepe-bites.html&media=http%3A%2F%2F2.bp.blogspot.com%2F-BM3FNWTPPk4%2FUwfAboWPFnI%2FAAAAAAAAE2s%2F9YfDBrC1l84%2Fs1600%2FDIY%2BKinda%2BGirl-Crepe%2BBites.jpg&description=DIY%20Kinda%20Girl%20Food%20Edition%3A%20Crepe%20Bites"><img src="//assets.pinterest.com/images/pidgets/pinit_fg_en_rect_red_20.png" /></a><br />
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Okay, ladies and gents, here's the first of the recipes I promised from <a href="http://diykindagirl.blogspot.com/2014/02/baby-shower-for-c.html" target="_blank">the baby shower I threw</a>. More coming!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUBAgsKvlptBL6jVw5FsgbLK2oCuydXWOilRTlp9QFpGL-F1mKdqauUKLTWAzp2dEzFbiUhsNHsDL3RidtmVA4MEkFHcPL0KTioUs_YbZed9l9txdE3FKnpMauWcpu7ToUbQOKdFr6Vs9l/s1600/DIY+Kinda+Girl-Crepe+Bites.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUBAgsKvlptBL6jVw5FsgbLK2oCuydXWOilRTlp9QFpGL-F1mKdqauUKLTWAzp2dEzFbiUhsNHsDL3RidtmVA4MEkFHcPL0KTioUs_YbZed9l9txdE3FKnpMauWcpu7ToUbQOKdFr6Vs9l/s1600/DIY+Kinda+Girl-Crepe+Bites.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
Crepe Bites<br />
<br />
Crepes<br />
1 C flour<br />
1/4 tsp baking powder<br />
1 tsp salt<br />
1 1/4 C milk<br />
1 egg<br />
1 Tbsp melted butter<br />
<br />
Fruit<br />
Blackberries<br />
Strawberries, hulled and halved<br />
Kiwi, skin removed, quartered and then halved<br />
<br />
Nutella<br />
<br />
Bamboo skewers, cut in half (I used my Cutco kitchen shears)<br />
<br />
Mix together the ingredients for the crepes. Warm a pan to medium heat and lightly grease it, then put in about a 1/4 cup, moving the pan around to evenly coat. Cook for about 30 to 45 seconds on medium heat, until you can see that the edges are cooked, then flip and cook for another 30 to 35 seconds. <br />
<br />
While crepes are still warm, use a silicone spatula to spread the Nutella over the crepe in an even layer. Not too thick, or it will ooze out, but not so thin that you won't be able to taste it! Then roll them up and slice into 1 to 1 1/2 inch sections.<br />
<br />
Take your skewers and slide the pointy end through a piece of kiwi, then a piece of crepe, a blackberry, another piece of crepe and then finish it off with a strawberry half. And there you have it! A delicious elegant deconstructed crepe. Enjoy!<br />
<br />
<br />
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color: #4f6199; font-size: x-small; line-height: 18px;" target="_blank">Cherished Bliss</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #660000; font-size: xx-small; line-height: 18px;">-</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: xx-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #660000; line-height: 18px;"><a href="http://thebrambleberrycottage.blogspot.com/" style="color: #4f6199;" target="_blank">The Brambleberry Cottage</a>-<a href="http://bec4-beyondthepicketfence.blogspot.com/" style="color: #a2b0bd;" target="_blank">Beyond the Picket Fence</a>-<a href="http://www.aglimpseinsideblog.com/" style="color: #a2b0bd;" target="_blank">A Glimpse Inside</a>-<a href="http://www.domestically-speaking.com/" style="color: #a2b0bd;" target="_blank">Domestically Speaking {paint only}</a>-<a href="http://www.acreativeprincess.blogspot.com/" style="color: #a2b0bd;" target="_blank">A Creative Princess</a></span></span><span style="color: #660000; font-size: xx-small; line-height: 18px;">-</span><a href="http://www.myrepurposedlife.com/" style="color: #4f6199; font-size: x-small; line-height: 18px;" target="_blank">My Repurposed Life</a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: inherit; font-size: xx-small; line-height: 18px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: inherit; font-size: xx-small; line-height: 18px;">{F} </span><a href="http://todayscreativeblog.net/" style="background-color: white; color: #4f6199; font-size: x-small; line-height: 18px;" target="_blank">Today's Creative Blog</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #660000; font-size: xx-small; line-height: 18px;">-</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: inherit; font-size: xx-small; line-height: 18px;"><a href="http://thirtyhandmadedays.com/" style="color: #4f6199;" target="_blank">Thirty Handmade Days</a>-<a href="http://romantichome.blogspot.com/" style="color: #4f6199;" target="_blank">Romantic Home</a>-<a href="http://www.remodelaholic.com/" style="color: #4f6199;" target="_blank">Remodelaholic</a>-<a href="http://shabbynest.blogspot.com/" style="color: #4f6199;" target="_blank">Shabby Nest</a>-<a href="http://www.lovelycraftyhome.com/" style="color: #4f6199;" target="_blank">Lovely Crafty Home</a>-<a href="http://www.whipperberry.com/" style="color: #4f6199;" target="_blank">WhipperBerry</a>-<a href="http://www.atthepicketfence.com/" style="color: #4f6199;" target="_blank">At the Picket Fence</a>-<a href="http://www.findingfabulousblog.com/" style="color: #4f6199;" target="_blank">Finding Fabulous</a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: inherit; font-size: xx-small; line-height: 18px;">-<a href="http://delicateconstruction.blogspot.com/" style="color: #4f6199;" target="_blank">delicate CONSTRUCTION</a>-<a href="http://naptimecrafters.blogspot.com/" style="color: #4f6199;" target="_blank">Naptime Crafters</a>-<a href="http://chiconashoestringdecorating.blogspot.com/" style="color: #a2b0bd;" target="_blank">Chic on a Shoestring Budget Decorating</a>-<a href="http://www.fingerprintsonthefridge.com/" style="color: #a2b0bd;" target="_blank">Fingerprints on the Fridge</a>-<a href="http://www.504main.com/" style="color: #a2b0bd;" target="_blank">504 Main</a>-<a href="http://frenchcountrycottage.blogspot.com/" style="color: #a2b0bd;" target="_blank">French Country Cottage</a>-<a href="http://www.trulylovelyblog.com/" style="color: #a2b0bd;" target="_blank">Truly Lovely</a>-<a href="http://missmustardseed.com/" style="color: #a2b0bd;" target="_blank">Miss Mustard Seed {furniture only}</a>-<a href="http://www.simplysweethome.com/" style="color: #a2b0bd;" target="_blank">Simply Sweet Home</a>-<a href="http://craftionary.blogspot.com/" style="color: #a2b0bd;" target="_blank">Craftionary</a>-<a href="http://oneartmama.blogspot.com/" style="color: #a2b0bd;" target="_blank">One Artsy Mama</a></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #660000; font-size: xx-small; line-height: 18px;">-</span><span id="goog_742894786" style="color: #660000; font-size: xx-small; line-height: 18px;"></span><a href="http://www.lilluna.com/" style="color: #4f6199; font-size: x-small; line-height: 18px;" target="_blank">Lil' Luna</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #660000; font-size: xx-small; line-height: 18px;">-</span><a href="http://www.thirtysixthavenue.com/" style="color: #4f6199; font-size: x-small; line-height: 18px;" target="_blank">The 36th Avenue</a><span style="color: #660000; font-family: inherit; font-size: xx-small; line-height: 18px;"> {S} </span><a href="http://reasonstoskipthehousework.com/" style="background-color: white; color: #4f6199; font-size: x-small; line-height: 18px;" target="_blank">Reasons to Skip the Housework</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #660000; font-size: xx-small; line-height: 18px;">-</span><a href="http://funkyjunkinteriors.blogspot.com/" style="color: #4f6199; font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small; line-height: 18px;" target="_blank">Funky Junk Interior</a></div>
Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06345017129849718843noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7240588021501159038.post-8098094173474512572014-02-21T12:49:00.000-07:002014-02-22T13:01:31.575-07:00This Week's Reads 2/21<a data-pin-color="red" data-pin-config="beside" data-pin-do="buttonPin" href="https://www.pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fdiykindagirl.blogspot.com%2F2014%2F02%2Fthis-weeks-reads-221.html&media=https%3A%2F%2Fimages-blogger-opensocial.googleusercontent.com%2Fgadgets%2Fproxy%3Furl%3Dhttp%3A%2F%2Fws-na.amazon-adsystem.com%2Fwidgets%2Fq%3F_encoding%3DUTF8%26ASIN%3D1599558971%26Format%3D_SL160_%26ID%3DAsinImage%26MarketPlace%3DUS%26ServiceVersion%3D20070822%26WS%3D1%26tag%3Ddiykindagirl-20%26container%3Dblogger%26gadget%3Da%26rewriteMime%3Dimage%2F*&description=DIY%20Kinda%20Girl%3A%20This%20Weeks%20Reads%202%2F21"><img src="//assets.pinterest.com/images/pidgets/pinit_fg_en_rect_red_20.png" /></a><br />
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This was supposed to go up yesterday....oh well! Let's just pretend the date on the post is actually the date it went up, shall we?<br />
Another busy week, so I only read one book.<br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1599558971/ref=as_li_tf_il?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1599558971&linkCode=as2&tag=diykindagirl-20" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=1599558971&Format=_SL160_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=diykindagirl-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=diykindagirl-20&l=as2&o=1&a=1599558971" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1599558971/ref=as_li_tf_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1599558971&linkCode=as2&tag=diykindagirl-20">My Loving Vigil Keeping by Carla Kelly</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=diykindagirl-20&l=as2&o=1&a=1599558971" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br />
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This was a really emotional book for me. And captivating. Which is why I found myself at 5 o' clock in the morning sitting in my family, the world dark outside, sobbing my heart out. <span style="font-size: xx-small;"> (I suppose I should explain that I have insomnia issues and never sleep through the night...and I typically get up to have a snack, so I started reading at around 3 AM....) </span>Anyway, this is a good book. It is set in a mining camp in central Utah in late 1899 and early 1900. The tragic part of the story is that on May 1st 1900, that mining camp experienced what the worst disaster to that point in history: somewhere between 200 and 246 men and boys were killed. The novel covers the months leading up to the mine disaster and a couple days immediately following. I got attached to these characters, and then many of them died, leaving behind wives and children. But what's more of course, is that this really happened. So tragic. But such a good read.</div>
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It is a LDS novel, but the cultural references aren't so many that it would be hard to understand if you aren't a Mormon.</div>
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Definitely worth reading.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Those are affiliate links, just FYI, folks!</span></div>
Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06345017129849718843noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7240588021501159038.post-56188026960789056562014-02-14T05:00:00.000-07:002014-02-14T10:11:32.378-07:00This Week's Reads 2/14<a data-pin-color="red" data-pin-config="beside" data-pin-do="buttonPin" href="https://www.pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fdiykindagirl.blogspot.com%2F2014%2F02%2Fthis-weeks-reads-214.html&media=http%3A%2F%2Fws-na.amazon-adsystem.com%2Fwidgets%2Fq%3F_encoding%3DUTF8%26ASIN%3D1608611450%26Format%3D_SL160_%26ID%3DAsinImage%26MarketPlace%3DUS%26ServiceVersion%3D20070822%26WS%3D1%26tag%3Ddiykindagirl-20&description=DIY%20Kinda%20Girl%3A%20This%20Weeks%20Reads%202%2F14"><img src="//assets.pinterest.com/images/pidgets/pinit_fg_en_rect_red_20.png" /></a><br />
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Happy V-day, everyone! Any great plans? We went out last night to a restaurant from my Urbanspoon wishlist (<a href="http://www.pagoslc.com/" target="_blank">Pago</a>...I had the artisan cheese plate and the lamb sweetbreads...there are no words.....you should go if you're local) and tonight I'm makin' my husband some down-home NON fancy food. :) Ribs with okra and asparagus. He'll love it.<br />
Anyway, hope your V-day (or Singles Awareness Day) is lovely!<br />
Confession: I hardly read this week. I spent most of my free time digiscrappin', which I'll post next week. So I have only one book to share.<br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1608611450/ref=as_li_tf_il?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1608611450&linkCode=as2&tag=diykindagirl-20" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=1608611450&Format=_SL160_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=diykindagirl-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=diykindagirl-20&l=as2&o=1&a=1608611450" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1608611450/ref=as_li_tf_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1608611450&linkCode=as2&tag=diykindagirl-20">The Orchard by Krista Lynne Jensen</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=diykindagirl-20&l=as2&o=1&a=1608611450" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br />
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I was in the mood for a little romance, so I picked this off the shelf at the library. I was a little disappointed when a few pages in, I discovered it was Austen fan fiction, a modern retelling of <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00AVXVQGI/ref=as_li_tf_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B00AVXVQGI&linkCode=as2&tag=diykindagirl-20">Persuasion</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=diykindagirl-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B00AVXVQGI" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />. I mean, don't get me wrong, I enjoy Austen fan fiction. Well, GOOD Austen fan fiction. It's just this time around I didn't really want to read a story that I already know the entire plot and outcome! :)</div>
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That being said, it was a good one. Worth reading if you need something light!<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Amazon Affiliate links, just FYI, folks!</span></div>
Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06345017129849718843noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7240588021501159038.post-8173951744284330452014-02-07T03:49:00.000-07:002014-02-07T11:41:21.662-07:00This Week's Reads 2/7<a data-pin-color="red" data-pin-config="beside" data-pin-do="buttonPin" href="https://www.pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fdiykindagirl.blogspot.com%2F2014%2F02%2Fthis-weeks-reads-27_7.html&media=http%3A%2F%2Fws-na.amazon-adsystem.com%2Fwidgets%2Fq%3F_encoding%3DUTF8%26ASIN%3D1599951835%26Format%3D_SL160_%26ID%3DAsinImage%26MarketPlace%3DUS%26ServiceVersion%3D20070822%26WS%3D1%26tag%3Ddiykindagirl-20&description=DIY%20Kinda%20Girl%3A%20This%20Weeks%20Reads%202%2F7"><img src="//assets.pinterest.com/images/pidgets/pinit_fg_en_rect_red_20.png" /></a><br />
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Where did my week go?! We've been in recovery mode from a busy busy weekend of having family in town...trying to restore order from shambles in my house and get back to actually cooking dinner! My best reading time (nap time!) has been occupied by, well, a nap! :)<br />
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<img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=diykindagirl-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0451415493" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0451415493/ref=as_li_tf_il?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0451415493&linkCode=as2&tag=diykindagirl-20" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=0451415493&Format=_SL160_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=diykindagirl-20" /></a><span style="color: #0000ee;"><u><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=diykindagirl-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0451415493" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /></u></span><br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0451415493/ref=as_li_tf_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0451415493&linkCode=as2&tag=diykindagirl-20">Seed No Evil by Kate Collins</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=diykindagirl-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0451415493" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br />
Finished up the Flower Shop mystery series...well, at least all that my library has! The latest, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0451415507/ref=as_li_tf_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0451415507&linkCode=as2&tag=diykindagirl-20">Throw in the Trowel</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=diykindagirl-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0451415507" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /> was published literally just a few days ago. I may have to break down and buy the book brand new....<br />
Anyway, I enjoyed this one because (spoiler alert) our beloved heroine Abby married the man of her dreams. And I love that the series doesn't end here! I think that would be the instinct of many authors, to wind things up with a wedding. But life goes on! :)<br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1599951835/ref=as_li_tf_il?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1599951835&linkCode=as2&tag=diykindagirl-20" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=1599951835&Format=_SL160_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=diykindagirl-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=diykindagirl-20&l=as2&o=1&a=1599951835" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=diykindagirl-20&l=as2&o=1&a=1599951835" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1599951835/ref=as_li_tf_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1599951835&linkCode=as2&tag=diykindagirl-20">How to Be a Hepburn in a Hilton World by Jordan Christy</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=diykindagirl-20&l=as2&o=1&a=1599951835" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br />
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This has been an interesting read. It's been different than I expected. I (a 31 year old stay at home momma of three little ones) am not the target audience (I'm thinking high school and college age girls). Also, it is, in the author's words, a guidebook. I'd call it more self-help. :) I do love most of the advice she gives; however, her characterization of "Stupid Girls" rubs me the wrong way. I mean, don't misunderstand me, I'm not excusing the actions of those "Stupid Girls," but that's just it. I'd rather refer to them as "Girls Who Do Stupid Things." The author is pretty harsh in her descriptions of these girls. They are people too. People who are doing incredibly stupid things and who no one should want to emulate, but people nonetheless. Anyway, let me step off my soapbox now.<br />
The book is full of pop culture references that are already dated (published in 2009), but it's easy to do a little find and replace in your head of the examples given with those that are more current...there's always someone doing something stupid in a highly publicized way!<br />
Overall, I enjoyed it. If my lucky number comes up on Paperback Swap, I'll get myself a copy...to save for my girls to read when they're older.<br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00HFD5OEM/ref=as_li_tf_il?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B00HFD5OEM&linkCode=as2&tag=diykindagirl-20" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B00HFD5OEM&Format=_SL160_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=diykindagirl-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=diykindagirl-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B00HFD5OEM" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br />
And last but not least, I have to give a shout-out on a special deal happening right now for Nooks and Kindles. The authors of a 7 book box set of CLEAN romances are selling it for NINETY-NINE cents right now, in an attempt to make it on the romance best seller list and get some recognition for clean romance instead of the typical bodice busting novels at the top of the list. I fully support this endeavor. :) You can find them <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00HFD5OEM/ref=as_li_tf_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B00HFD5OEM&linkCode=as2&tag=diykindagirl-20">here</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=diykindagirl-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B00HFD5OEM" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /> for the Kindle and <a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/romance-through-the-ages-7-book-romance-novel-box-set-amy-harmon/1118427500?ean=2940148133278" target="_blank">here</a> for the Nook.</div>
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P.S....I just found out I won a giveaway for book two of one of my ALL TIME favorite series! I've blogged both number <a href="http://diykindagirl.blogspot.com/2013/11/this-weeks-reads-118.html" target="_blank">one</a> and <a href="http://diykindagirl.blogspot.com/2013/11/this-weeks-read-1122.html" target="_blank">two</a> in recent months, but let me just say again. If you haven't read <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0425253287/ref=as_li_tf_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0425253287&linkCode=as2&tag=diykindagirl-20">The Anatomist's Wife</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=diykindagirl-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0425253287" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /> and <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0425253783/ref=as_li_tf_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0425253783&linkCode=as2&tag=diykindagirl-20">Mortal Arts</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=diykindagirl-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0425253783" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /> by Anna Lee Huber, YOU SHOULD!!!!</div>
Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06345017129849718843noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7240588021501159038.post-43497967092940495332014-02-04T20:55:00.001-07:002014-08-24T16:55:47.908-06:00Baby shower for C<div>
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Okay guys, can I just tell you HOW EXCITED I am to be an Auntie?! Between the two of us, my husband and I have 6 younger siblings, but because we got married young (22! and every year it seems younger!) and none of them did, we have had the ONLY kids on both sides of the family. Until now! We've had three siblings get married in the last year and half (<a href="http://diykindagirl.blogspot.com/search/label/M%26M%20wedding" target="_blank">M&M</a>, <a href="http://diykindagirl.blogspot.com/search/label/B%26H%20wedding" target="_blank">B&H</a>, <a href="http://diykindagirl.blogspot.com/search/label/A%26B%20wedding" target="_blank">A&B</a>) and now we're getting a niece!!!! I've waited so long!!!</div>
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So anyway, all of my husband's family was in town over the weekend because his sister came home from her mission for <a href="http://mormon.org/" target="_blank">our church</a>. Couldn't miss the opportunity to throw a baby shower for my first niece!</div>
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I went with a coral and teal color scheme. Coral because that was one of the wedding colors<a href="http://diykindagirl.blogspot.com/search/label/B%26H%20wedding" target="_blank"> B&H</a> used, so I had decorations I could use from the wedding! Teal because I used my great-grandmother's china, which has a teal border around the edge.</div>
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<b>Invitation</b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY1vn3sPtGZ6tlkhXGSh_VUqHBfNjjEngkhB5DXxWYh1PUyyT1z-HsF8NQSy3CyptUq1I9jlxh9waK22DS3F3oLD9Y4AYtDReMSeRQ058qzLVtpLUur2n2jleOQUz65L93G2drv77oBgRB/s1600/Hannah+shower+invite+blog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY1vn3sPtGZ6tlkhXGSh_VUqHBfNjjEngkhB5DXxWYh1PUyyT1z-HsF8NQSy3CyptUq1I9jlxh9waK22DS3F3oLD9Y4AYtDReMSeRQ058qzLVtpLUur2n2jleOQUz65L93G2drv77oBgRB/s1600/Hannah+shower+invite+blog.jpg" height="640" width="430" /></a></div>
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Designed in Photoshop. Hot Air Balloon from the digiscrap kit By the Light of the Moon by Etc. by Danyale</div>
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<b>Decorations</b></div>
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My favorite part from the <a href="http://diykindagirl.blogspot.com/search/label/B%26H%20wedding" target="_blank">B&H wedding</a> was the fabric banners I sewed, and I've used them a few times since. They are so festive and fun.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWT3okn2xJt3n5yL3kmA1aWOmnfRmph5dqg7NOWdQQSY9l33uxbXVh6ZawvZYCjBuXzxSA6X3pFPZoJJAtz_76NG-HvP3wSguEU-EfFQTDxo7ZaiE5pCZRdj1EAb1jq4re9iNxRI8Ie3Z4/s1600/DIY+Kinda+Girl-Baby+Shower.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWT3okn2xJt3n5yL3kmA1aWOmnfRmph5dqg7NOWdQQSY9l33uxbXVh6ZawvZYCjBuXzxSA6X3pFPZoJJAtz_76NG-HvP3wSguEU-EfFQTDxo7ZaiE5pCZRdj1EAb1jq4re9iNxRI8Ie3Z4/s1600/DIY+Kinda+Girl-Baby+Shower.jpg" height="374" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1EDO3jNu62gAHudZrAMLy60sF97-96y0AnnUkd1UsCy29VCAHxx4ilm6qH93NlVsIAPIWSeGpHTLBqtpFpmVPn78I1-mJyoiEOzTff-TThOB-Le3F1NnttNpUFJuDpZ1BUmAu5Qf1ztsj/s1600/DIY+Kinda+Girl-Baby+Shower3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1EDO3jNu62gAHudZrAMLy60sF97-96y0AnnUkd1UsCy29VCAHxx4ilm6qH93NlVsIAPIWSeGpHTLBqtpFpmVPn78I1-mJyoiEOzTff-TThOB-Le3F1NnttNpUFJuDpZ1BUmAu5Qf1ztsj/s1600/DIY+Kinda+Girl-Baby+Shower3.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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I also used <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLgrNDPAFa4z6M4JohxOP3DsAKJXN6edLvga0VmGrFSHEFQFkBdzKFNqLyN2S51CiJ2OH5ZQ8oeKq6ocjYOq1CU7H5VzcY6m1d-FATIX-VpMn2GINO1x6yC9mSgCp_9akUWq8SswSd_GAs/s320/diykindagirl-B%2526H+Wedding+%252829%2529.jpg" target="_blank">the flowers from the centerpieces</a>, added a few in teal, and hung them from the ceiling using fishing line.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJmzI_SKYmQbe0oSftr-bdAMbfiN8wbJzFaSpGYDzYLPq-WujrsTHLeKdi5vGT0a8zQ4Vo9SGdX0REemwHSYU2_4pW2HFq7WvPzs6H_KtR1b2zXLdy___IpUuWLI7kOY1WWZcWfEdMwVgc/s1600/DIY+Kinda+Girl-Baby+Shower4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJmzI_SKYmQbe0oSftr-bdAMbfiN8wbJzFaSpGYDzYLPq-WujrsTHLeKdi5vGT0a8zQ4Vo9SGdX0REemwHSYU2_4pW2HFq7WvPzs6H_KtR1b2zXLdy___IpUuWLI7kOY1WWZcWfEdMwVgc/s1600/DIY+Kinda+Girl-Baby+Shower4.jpg" height="640" width="522" /></a></div>
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Last but not least, I hung teal balloons with fishing line. Used the marble trick (stick a marble inside before blowing up and tying off, thanks Hungry Hungry Hippos) so they would hang down straight.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI4BpwaG_7QVfRRe_LKTkT0sBB_YXRCcMKF4O-AvNndpuuYCglrq2dPaf0s0gIboyNhm-0l0CgKMhF3iy_iOvN2tBKInqLeKgusFjyVJFhZSbItZtXN0AQMq51AfLhAIIcogswFZp6rC8r/s1600/DIY+Kinda+Girl-Baby+Shower2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI4BpwaG_7QVfRRe_LKTkT0sBB_YXRCcMKF4O-AvNndpuuYCglrq2dPaf0s0gIboyNhm-0l0CgKMhF3iy_iOvN2tBKInqLeKgusFjyVJFhZSbItZtXN0AQMq51AfLhAIIcogswFZp6rC8r/s1600/DIY+Kinda+Girl-Baby+Shower2.jpg" height="388" width="640" /></a></div>
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<b>Food</b></div>
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We all know that's what this is really about, right? Everybody comes hoping for great food! And rumor has it...I delivered. :)</div>
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The menu</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Savory:</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Antipasto kabobs (recipe coming!)</div>
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<a href="http://myrealfoodfamily.wordpress.com/2013/03/30/simple-cucumber-snacks/" target="_blank">Cucumber boats</a></div>
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Chicken Salad on croissants</div>
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Veggie Tray</div>
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Sweet:</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://diykindagirl.blogspot.com/2014/02/diy-food-edition-crepe-bites.html" target="_blank">Crepe bites</a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.goodlifeeats.com/2011/05/ricotta-cheesecake-and-fruit-lollipops.html" target="_blank">Cheesecake pops</a></div>
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Mint brownies (recipe coming!)</div>
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<a href="http://mediterranealicious.com/2013/11/10/chocolate-bites-with-pomegranate-seeds-and-fresh-pistachios/" target="_blank">Pistachio & Pomegranate Dark Chocolates</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/articles/mix-and-match-chocolate-bark.html" target="_blank">Cherry & Almond White Chocolates</a></div>
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Drinks:</div>
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Coconut Limeade (recipe coming!)</div>
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<a href="http://diykindagirl.blogspot.com/2014/02/diy-food-edition-apple-ginger-sparkler.html" target="_blank">Apple Ginger Sparkler</a></div>
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<b>Entertainment/Games</b></div>
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I am not big on cheesy games. So it's always interesting trying to find something fun and cute but doesn't trigger my gag reflex. Here's what I came up with:</div>
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As the guests arrived, they each gave Mom some advice</div>
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and wrote a birthday wish for baby, to be opened on her birthday at that age.</div>
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With food, each guest took an ice cube with a little plastic baby frozen into it. Once the ice melted and the baby was free, they had to shout "My water broke!" The first few people won a prize.</div>
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After we finished eating, we played the Name Game. Ahead of time, I looked up the meaning of the names of all those attending. Then each guest wrote down a guess at the meanings of all those names. I found that most of them didn't even know the meaning of their own names! But I told them to get creative in their guesses, because they could get a point for a correct answer AND the momma to be would give a point for her favorite WRONG answer. This turned out to be a hit! Everyone really enjoyed it.</div>
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Then we moved onto opening presents. Before each present, I asked a question, and kept tally of points.</div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Questions:</span></div>
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<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">Who
came the furthest to be here?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">Who
has the most kids?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">Who
has lived in the most different states?
Cities?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">Who
had the longest labor? The shortest?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">Who
has the most siblings? The least?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">Who
has known mother to be the longest?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">Whose
birthday is closest to the due date?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">Whose
birthplace is closest to where the baby will be born?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">Who
has had braces….the longest?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">Who is the shortest?
The tallest?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">Who has the biggest feet?
Smallest?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></span></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"> At the end of presents, the winners got to pick a prize.</span></div>
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<b>Prizes</b></div>
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There were two kinds of prizes. Body wash (thank you B&BW semi-annual sale!) and a loofah with a tag that said "From our shower to yours!"</div>
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And a pedicure kit with either nail polish or a foot repair cream with a tag that said "You nailed it!"</div>
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<b>Favors</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
As a thank you for coming, each guest got a little bag of my famous homemade honey caramel popcorn.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn-6AMuEVMM3h3CptIOf8la1pA9YyvGIQeryXHH34IgzQMbA0zlLM8lsTefK_bOWE_IODISdoto_YUGA_FjMAzAbAQSFtbAkSsICpBssTllBLCLzgKEECLCZ2y_Q4g9J3Ny_knE-O1ODxo/s1600/DIY+Kinda+Girl-Baby+Shower26.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn-6AMuEVMM3h3CptIOf8la1pA9YyvGIQeryXHH34IgzQMbA0zlLM8lsTefK_bOWE_IODISdoto_YUGA_FjMAzAbAQSFtbAkSsICpBssTllBLCLzgKEECLCZ2y_Q4g9J3Ny_knE-O1ODxo/s1600/DIY+Kinda+Girl-Baby+Shower26.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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And that's that! I don't get the chance to have parties like this or make food like that very often! So this was a lot of fun for me.</div>
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I'll be back later to tell you a gross story. Stay tuned. :)</div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #2c2121; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: xx-small; line-height: 16px;">Linking up here:</span></div>
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Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06345017129849718843noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7240588021501159038.post-82701339240831329412014-02-03T08:53:00.003-07:002014-02-03T08:53:35.413-07:003 year House-iversary!<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/AVvXsEg6JzwC79Gn5vt2VSqY9kG9hdSKuOBip9yzRcoRGcO4yZqggOpQBub6P8xlUqENKk_X-3454gYeAoax3tdoq1s_v2GXlODmbjgS_cNlBcGVQHgdCKh6nsxHKxkStdQsM-4XxghERwUONkXt/s1600/DIY+Kinda+Girl-House-iversary.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6JzwC79Gn5vt2VSqY9kG9hdSKuOBip9yzRcoRGcO4yZqggOpQBub6P8xlUqENKk_X-3454gYeAoax3tdoq1s_v2GXlODmbjgS_cNlBcGVQHgdCKh6nsxHKxkStdQsM-4XxghERwUONkXt/s1600/DIY+Kinda+Girl-House-iversary.jpg" height="380" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My house right before the sun came over the mountains this morning</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-size: large;">3 years.</span></div>
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This is officially the longest we have spent in any one place since we've been married. It's actually been kind of a strange feeling. I can feel a little itch to move on to a new adventure. But we are settled, so I need to seek for new adventures right here at home! That's another story for another day, however, so back to the House-iversary!</div>
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We didn't get as much accomplished this year as I would have liked. Let's just say I greatly underestimated the amount of crazy a third child would introduce into my life. :)</div>
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In the last year, we:</div>
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Planted two shade trees and four fruit trees in our backyard (Autumn Blaze maples, a Granny Smith, a Honeycrisp, a Bing and a Rainier).</div>
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Built <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1jmEkfe8psj-sxB8zZT79jKTQtR47qbSEEH_vw-KateyFR_-Dn6zZalDd0M7OE3kclCwI-pEhxZv71fG-m8bl2V468v-NquaqaldgdgRb96PCID5CtVM90QekCS4K_D5ixtY6g7IvbMv3/s640/sandbox-apr-2013.jpg" target="_blank">a big sandbox </a>and the base of the rest of our play structure</div>
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Built a closet organizer in our closet</div>
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<a href="http://diykindagirl.blogspot.com/2013/09/what-im-reading-this-week-920.html" target="_blank">Cleaned out the spare bedroom that was acting as a storage room and made it into a guest room</a></div>
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And....that's it. But let's not forget folks, I did have a new baby. And I did lots of non-house related projects, including two weddings!!! (<a href="http://diykindagirl.blogspot.com/search/label/B%26H%20wedding" target="_blank">B&H</a> and <a href="http://diykindagirl.blogspot.com/search/label/A%26B%20wedding" target="_blank">A&B</a>)</div>
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Hopefully this year will be better. I have a mountain of goals, but in the hope of keeping them realistic, here is what I really want done this year:</div>
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Build wall cabinets for bathrooms</div>
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Build jewelry cabinet for my room</div>
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Take out part of one pantry and build a desk</div>
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Pantry organization</div>
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Finish building and installing upper cabinets in my craft room!!!</div>
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Install french door on my craft room (gotta keep my wily 13 month old out!)</div>
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Paint the basement</div>
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Paint the guest room</div>
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Build two headboards</div>
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Build two nightstands</div>
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Sew curtains for each bedroom</div>
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Add deck, playhouse and slide to the sandbox/play structure base</div>
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Plant peach trees</div>
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Plant lilac bushes</div>
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Rip out shrubs that I hate in the front yard</div>
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That is kind of a lot, huh. Ah well, better to aim for the stars and miss than aim for a cow pie and hit it. Wish me luck!!!!</div>
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And I'll be back later in the week with the baby shower I threw over the weekend, so y'all come on back, ya hear? ;)</div>
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Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06345017129849718843noreply@blogger.com