Draw/Paint a Peacock!

Something fun for kids and adults from a great website: Art Projects for Kids - Classroom Tested Art Projects for K-5 and Beyond. It's like "Are you smarter than a 5th grader"...but replace smarter with craftier?!

P.S. Did I mention it's educational too? Wowzers.

Life without Oprah

Who am I kidding...I thought I'd go without posting a note about the Oprah & her show finale. I like Oprah and her messages about living your best life, etc. etc. I didn't know she was 30 when she started her tv career as we know it. It makes me feel like there's still hope for me as I'll be 33 this summer. I feel like I'm still trying to figure out what to do with my career. I wouldn't say I obsess about it (as much) but I really care about what I'm going to do with my life once our kids get a bit older and I return to work.

I have struggled trying to negotiate the family/work dynamic. Each woman is different. I wasn't ready to commit to returning to work and placing our daughter in daycare after my maternity leave. I am happy for each and every woman who finds the right family/work balance for her. Lord knows it's not easy. Although I did work part time for different employers I think of those jobs as filler gigs...not forever gigs.  In the meantime, these thoughts are drifting through the back of my head...like dandelion fluff on a windy day...


Honestly, I've had days where I feel like I'm being punished by the working world for not returning to work right after my maternity leave (and  P.S. all the "mothering is the hardest job in the world" rhetoric doesn't do much to make me feel any better). Some days I wonder why I spent all those years in university, was it a waste of time, money and effort? No, I don't think so... I just (still) feel confused. One positive thing that I've learned is that it doesn't do me any good minimizing how I feel or apologizing for feeling the way I do. I think we all feel things for a reason.


I don't want to be Oprah, or in her particular position, but did you know she's worth an estimated 2 billion dollars? I'm just saying. I know, it's inconceivable. From her website & her love letter to her fans,


"When I came here, I was about to turn 30 years old. I didn't have a vision or a lot of great expectations... I just wanted to do a good job and cause no harm...Two years later, when we went national, I remember at the time, Roger King told me that one station manager said that he'd rather put a potato in a chair in his market than have a big black girl with a funny name. (wonder how that felt? doubt it wasn't the last time she encountered adversity...)


What I knew for sure from this experience with you is that we are all called. Everybody has a calling, and your real job in life is to figure out what that is and get about the business of doing it. Every time we have seen a person on this stage who is a success in their life, they spoke of the job, and they spoke of the juice that they receive from doing what they knew they were meant to be doing. We saw it in the volunteers who rocked abandoned babies in Atlanta. We saw it with those lovely pie ladies from Cape Cod making those delicious potpies. ... We saw it every time Tina Turner, Celine, Bocelli or Lady Gaga lit up the stage with their passion. Because that is what a calling is. It lights you up and it lets you know that you are exactly where you're supposed to be, doing exactly what you're supposed to be doing. And that is what I want for all of you and hope that you will take from this show. To live from the heart of yourself. You have to make a living; I understand that. But you also have to know what sparks the light in you so that you, in your own way, can illuminate the world."


I'm grateful for the women in my life who have endured my chatter on this subject and just want to say thanks for reading. I hope that I find whatever it is I'm looking for and I hope the same for you (We Can Do It).

Make a Gutter Garden

I wanted a raised planting bed garden this year. Is it going to happen? Me thinks not (basement reno comes first)...but that doesn't mean I have to sacrifice growing my own lettuce in the meantime. I was thinking of dressing up one exterior wall of our garage with shallow planters. The garage wall isn't precious (ie. if I wreck it a bit it's not big deal)... This Gutter Garden is something I could attach to the wall (right now I have don't have a place to hang it but I do like the idea of hanging a garden)...from here.

Butterscotch Brownies

These Butterscotch Brownies from Better Homes and Gardens look wayyyyy toooooo gooood!

Embroidery 101

I like the idea of personalizing things with embroidery...especially white pillow cases.

Here's a cute blog with a simple backstitching tutorial...why not? Happy weekend :)

Dr. Seuss + Red Velvet Cupcakes (!?)

If you like Dr. Seuss and cupcakes look no further...here are some hilarious Thing 1 and Thing 2 cupcakes for the making. Easy, funny, unique and (I'm thinking) delicious! Nothing like cupcakes and a good laugh, all at the same time!

Take note: the blog says to serve these cupcakes asap/wait until the last minute to add the cotton candy to avoid a melty mess...

Play Kitchen - Made by a Dad

I love blogs by guys (well, some of them anyways)...here's one of them.


I like this play kitchen. I don't know what the budget may have been but since this guy's subheading is:


"Ramblings of a bald man and his mod pad. And stuff. And getting it on the cheep. And sometimes maybe ladies. Who knows?"


I'm guessing it didn't cost a mint. Just some creativity and time.

This quote from the blog is hilarious: "Claire's pretty into it. Not really in the traditional way I guess, but more in the "Let's-rip-off-the-sink-and-drop-food-down-the-hole-and-retrieve-it-from-the-cabinet" sort of way. Sometimes she puts her fancy lady attire in the kitchen. I'd like she'll still be doing the same thing in about 25 years."

Soap Action Figures

I came across this craft and thought...my husband would think this is SO cool!!

I think this is a good craft that dads and kids can do together. Not that it would  mean less work for you (set it up for your husband to tackle, collect all tools and ingredients, print out instructions, possibly simplify instructions, probably clean up afterwards, provide a snack, etc., etc.) but I think it could make a really cute set of photos and some priceless memories. From here.

3D Wall Displays

This would be cute for a children's room (as noted in the tutorial, a boys room could have planes/whatever) or even for a kitchen (elaborate felt hens and chicks?)...

From here.

Sunny Side Up Pin Cushion

This Sunny Side Up Pin Cushion is darn cute and could even be easily transformed into bean bags. Imagine a whole assortment of food shaped bean bags? Like a pork chop?! Ha ha ha! What kid/adult doesn't love those bean bag tossing games? And P.S. they'd just look cute in a bowl on the kitchen table or even under the couch when you move it to vacuum.

The tutorial for this super cute pin cushion can be found here.
P.S. Happy Mother's Day to all the moms out there :)

What are you doing this summer?

I'm a sucker for lists. I'll admit though, that in a flurry of pregnancy hormones and tiredness I took my latest set of Honeydew lists, tore them up and tossed them out.

What is a Honeydew list? It's a cute way of saying: Honey Do This and Honey Do That. Did the list work? Yes, yes it did. But let's be honest. Not even a working list can sustain the wrath of a pregnant, tired and moody woman! Nobody, and nothing else, was harmed in the ripping of the lists and I actually felt better for doing it!

Anywho, I digress... a list is a great reminder to make my good intentions a reality. The list need not be long, complicated or definite. Checking off something here and there feels great and keeps the home-fires burning when it comes to getting "it" done.

P.S. Lists don't have to be all about work. Here's a great idea for a Summer Must-Do List from Giver's Log. Summer is short (at least in Winnipeg...it snowed this year on May 1 - but that's another story) so let's take advantage of getting some fun things done. I like that the onus on making the list isn't all up to one person (Mom) and that it's colourful enough to hang somewhere where everyone can see it and remind each other about what's really important - enjoying our lives! We Can Do It! 

Repurpose a glass jar - a simple gift.

I love this idea. What a nice way to make use of a glass jar, a hair pin and some flowers.

From Skip to My Lou.