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Bleach Stencils Tutorial

Bleach stencils are nothing new, you can find tutorials all over the internet, but I thought I would post one with my latest projects my latest projects. :)

These are easy and fun to do, older kids can help. :) Be sure to wear old yucky clothes that you don't mind getting bleached if you make a mistake. 

Step 1: Choose a stencil- There are several places online to find stencils- here are a few of my favorites Deviantart search stencils, http://www.spraypaintstencils.com/, Threadbanger, share a stencil or you can just google what stencils you want- there are some good ones. If you are ambitious you can make your own stencil in photoshop.

What you'll need: Bleach

                            Spray bottle

                             Thin plastic (from packaging)

                              stencil

                              magic marker

                              Shirt

Step 2: Trace your stencil onto the thin platic (you can you paper as well, but if you want to make more than 1 of something, plastic works better)

Step 3: Cut out the image- the more detailed your stencil the longer this will take. You can use an exacto knife, but I just use scissors for better control. ( I need more practice with X-acto knives- my hand cramps up)

Step 4: Position the stencil where you want it on the shirt. Use plastic or cardboard inside the shirt to prevent bleed through and spray with the bleach. Allow a few minutes for the the bleach to react before removing your stencil.

Step 5: Immediately put the shirt in a cold sink or rinse will cold water to set the bleach. I like to run the garment though the washer on cold afterward as well.

That's it! :) Easy huh?

Stroller Face Lift!

I was given our EvenFlo stroller by a dear friend before Hudson was born, and it was twice loved at the time. Hudson loved it and Lincoln rode in his carseat in it last summer, but now that weather is nicer and Lincoln's cruising in it, I thought it deserved a make-over!

Here are the Before Pictures- I have been working on it all morning, and it is already looking much nicer. I am waiting on some liquid stitch to dry before I post the Afters- but I think you'll be impressed. (My sewing skills are not the best, but I enjoy sewing when I am not being graded, so I can sew fine for myself- I wouldn't go into BUSINESS, but I am ok with mediocre.)
After!

It snowed this morning! (give away)

  Yes, April is almost over, but it is still snowing here in Wyoming- and in honor of this never ending winter, my good friend and blogger, Amanda Wolz is doing a give away of her FABULOUS crochet hats-

There are 3 ways to enter/win:
1.  "Follow" her blog http://bloominbeautiesbowtique.blogspot.com2.  "Like" us at http://www.facebook.com/bloominbeauties
3.  Refer your friends to the facebook page by posting a comment, and linking back to us!

Random.org will decide the first 2 winners, while the person who refers the most will win the last.

*Winners will be able to pick a crocheted hat (any size/color), or any other merchandise worth up to $20*

*Giveaway ends Wednesday, April 27th 2011*

Click this link for more information!

Never ending winter Give-away!

Chalkboard T-shirts

Since moving to Wyoming this January, I haven't had a chance to play with my brand new Cricut machine until today- So I decided to do some freezer paper stencils which are so easy with an electronic cutting machine. The other day I came across some clearance chalkboard paint for 72 cents and thought, why not try making a shirt with it? I was a little dubious of the results, but I gave it a try.... And got some terrific results! :) I am quite pleased with how they turned out! :)

The baby's shirt wipes clean every time I pick him up and he drools a fair amount, so in hindsight, I am not sure a baby shirt is a great idea- but it's cute and it matches his big brother. Plus it cost next to nothing to make, so I am not worried about it! I made the pants too, out of an old shirt I had that I no longer wear.
Easiest pants to make ever! I got the instructions from here- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qNBmfHlWD6I . Easy peasy- and Lincoln is LOOOONG and skinny so either his pants fall off his bum or they are high-watered. These seem to be really comfy and they fit.
So there you have it. These are my two greatest creations! (The boys, not the shirts)

Leprechaun Trap!

This was an easy craft that Hudson and I put together with the stuff we had laying around the house.

Here's what you need:

An empty jam jar

Toothpicks

Drinking Straws

Ribbon

glue stick

paper

Green felt

acrylic paint

Gold curling ribbon

We cut up the felt and put it in the jam jar to pad the leprechaun's fall. Hudson didn't want him to get hurt. You could use crumpled strips of paper for this if you wanted... We glued the ribbons on so it looked like the end of the rainbow and put curled bits of gold ribbon inside- to trick the leprechaun into thinking it was REAL gold- because we KNOW that leprechauns love gold! We also glued signs on the trap to reassure him that it wasn't a trap, just in case. We needed a ladder for him to get in, so we poked toothpicks through two drinking straws (was easier than I thought, they just slide right through the plastic) and painted it blue. Later today, Hudson will look inside and there will be a Gold one dollar coin inside- left behind by the craft little spirte that got away!

Allowance with training wheels...

We have had this magnetic chore chart from Mellisa and Doug for a little while, but Hudson would just play with it- but I wanted to use it. He's five now and started showing an interest in paying tithing, but without any income, how do we teach it? I wanted to start giving him an allowance, but was not sure if he was ready for it- so I came up with this system.

For every magnet "sticker" he will get 1 "Bean" (which is a glass jewel thingy from the craft isle at Wal Mart). Beans have value- and can earn 7 a day from doing his chores- things that he's expected to do anyway- but if he does them on his own or the first time he gets a sticker. On saturday morning we trade all the stickers for beans that he gets to put in his jar. (We are going to decorate it) He can trade the beans at any time for these rewards that we discussed together and decided on.
He will have to learn that if he wants a new video game- he'll need to save the beans. He can get 49 beans a week- which is worth about $5 - but he doesn't just get the $5 unless he trades the beans for it- which he probably won't do. And if he has a time out for any reason he'll lose 5 beans. We already had this happen this week and he figured out really quickly that he doesn't want that to happen...

So we'll try this for a while and see how it works. I think the best part is that he's excited about it- he got to choose the rewards and the consequences- so he feels invested.

Scripture journals

I bought my sunday school kids composition notebooks to use a scripture journals- I will offer jolly rancher bribes to bring scriptures- (Flame me if you want, but it worked for me at age 12)- and each week I will give them a quote or a handout to paste in the journal- and a topic to write about if they want to. (Extra jolly ranchers if they bring the journal with them each week too.) I am trying to make sunday school engaging and interesting and giving them tools that will help them through the difficult teen years. I even bought my own little easel :) My lesson on sunday will ROCK! I will post further soon.

New Calling

I've been called and set apart as a SUNDAY SCHOOL TEACHER! I am looking forward to teaching the 12 year old sunday school class, and I want to do the best job possible. I am always online looking at fun blogs about LDS lesson helps. www.sugardoodle.net is one of my favorites as The Idea door... but ALAS! They deal mostly with Primary or Young Women or Relief Society. What mention there is of Sunday school is about the main sunday school, and it turns out that I get to teach about Latter day prophets- so there isn't much about this particular class.

But I am creative and I am bound and determined to make it fun and interesting for these kids who are coming out of primary.

So- Maybe I will have to make my OWN fun blog posts to help the other sunday school teachers like me out there. Stay Tuned.

Ward Scripture 2011

Here in Gillette, our ward memorizes a scripture every year. I think this is a great idea- and so I have decided to post the scripture somewhere in my house where I can see it every day and maybe it will help me to memorize it. Please excuse my messy handwriting. Once I have memorized it, maybe I will swap it out for a new one. :)

New Place- New Year

We're here in our new town and I would post pictures of our new apartment, but... it's still full of boxes. I find that we're so worn out from just getting here that I haven't been terribly motivated to unpack. Also- I threw out my back and lifting boxes really hurts- heck- lifting Lincoln hurts. So I have just been taking it easy for the last few days.

I like our new Ward. I have already been asked to speak in Sacrament meeting on the 23rd.

I LOVE being a stay at home mom- but I didn't remember it being this LONELY. I think part of the problem is that Jason has been working CRAZY LONG hours. He leaves at 4:30 am and gets back at 8:00 or so. Last night he didn't get back until 9:30. The overtime money won't be so bad, but I do miss him and it's been hard for Hudson to only get a few minutes here and there with him. We can't even call because out at the mine there is no cell phone reception. The other thing that makes it difficult is that we are using only one car at the moment as Jason's corolla isn't starting. (TOO cold!) and so we've been confined to the apartment grounds for the most part. Jason will probably buy a truck or something soon, as he's made more in the last week than the both of us combined made in the last few months... We'll be paying off student loans and stuff too.

But I am eager to get the house put in place and start to decorate using the cute ideas I see online- and I excited to start posting more often too. :) Since I have ALL day long- I am hoping to make this blog what I pictured it being when I started it. :)