*elamomma

No more paper towels!

I read an article that was about a lady making her kitchen "paperless" and I was intrigued because we blow thru paper towels like water and the cost adds up!

Here is the article - "how to create a paperless kitchen" and I am GOING FOR IT! I bought 2 bunches of towels(16 total towels total) from target for about $8 all together.

I usually buy the big bundle of paper towels for about $13. So we are already saving! I am going to collect a bit more over time, but it will not compare to what I usually pay for paper towels twice a month. The article explains basically the method I am gonna go for. I have had them for about a week and it has worked quite well, I am pleasantly surprised!

By the way: the article is from a new site I discovered and have been enjoying- simplemom

First time antiquing

So my husband went out of town for the week and I always seem to do some big project while he is gone to keep myself busy so the time goes by faster. Last time I painted our whole kitchen a different color. This time it wasn't so dramatic, but still a descent endeavor. A wonderful friend came over to help and showed me how to antique a bookcase I have! She and I painted it cream first and then went over it with this amazing teal that I LOVE. After she left I waited for it to dry, got my kiddos from school, made dinner and then got crazy and FINISHED the whole bookcase!

I roughed up the paint with sandpaper then added a few stencils in gold.

Then I HAD to cover up the back of the bookcase. I was trying to think of what I had that I could use so I wouldn't have to go purchase anything else! So we have 2 copies of a story that our family adores- The Chronicles of Narnia. So I Modge Podged the pages of our cheaper version to cover the back. Fun and easy!

I am pretty excited about how it turned out:)

Thank you Gretchen for introducing me to the world of antiquing!

i love my flip!

so i got a FLIP camera for Christmas and i love it!! I recorded today- uploaded to my computer and made this simple little move/video in 20 minutes! So fun:)
This is us ice skating today!

the pine cone elves turned into pine cone angels

So I went to the craft store to buy supplies and came home and we started making our pine cone elves and they turned into angels. Which I like much better:) Elly and Lucy both made one and I am quite pleased to have these for my tree every year! We also made a star and the girls wrote whatever Christmas saying they wanted.

They are so cute.

by el

by lu

Our simple homemade Christmas cards

just want to show off my girls art:)

A few homemade Christmas decorations

My girls love crafts. So for the first few days of their Christmas vacation I got a few supplies to make some decorations I could keep for each year.

Christmas Village- the houses are $1 birdhouses from Joann's that we just painted facing backwards!