Bow Party at Belly Buttons Boutique

I'm so excited about my upcoming bow party at an adorable local boutique. I will have a table set up in the corner of the store and will make custom made-to-match bows for people as they shop in the boutique. It should be fun and I'm hoping it will be good for my Etsy store, as well. The picture here is the flyer that Belly Buttons had done for the one day event (the MAIN event is the one day photography special--I just got lucky enough to be asked to be a part of it). I think it turned out super cute. If you want to read it more clearly, click on the photo, and you should be able to see a larger version.

"Sparkle in My Heart" Onesie/Bloomers Set

I've decided that I need to change my seems-to-be-latest-phrasing from "my new favorite project" to "my favorite project today", because, I've just realized, that my favorite project seems to be the one I'm working on at the moment.

That being said, This set IS my favorite new project. Isn't it so sweet with the chenille heart, crystal centered bows, and pastel edged organza ruffles on the booty! I truly did make this set for the sparkle in my heart, my Molly Claire.

Because it was so much fun, though, I did put it in my Etsy store, as well. I guess we'll see of others love it as much as I do!

Glass Pendants

These glass pendants are one of my new favorite projects and here's why:

• Anyone can wear them! Depending on the background and chain/ribbon, they can look fun or elegant for grown-ups and can also look super cute for little girls


• Possibilities are ENDLESS. Have a favorite flower, painting, sports team, or photo? If I have digital access to it, it can be made into a pendant.


• Farkles! (Sparkles will forever be farkles to me thanks my Princess Grace) Glitter and crystals are great way to sass them up and make them farkle in the light. :)
  

I'm still looking for the perfect black and white photo of my girls to make a photo version...someting sweet and vintage-y, I'm thinking. When I find it, I'll make it...and post it. Oh, and they're in my Etsy store, as well.

From the Mouths of Babes

Every Sunday Grace looks forward to "Children's Time" at church. We can usually count on her to be good while listening to the lesson and usually even to participate in the discussion...as she did today. Today's lesson was about "praying without ceasing" and that led to a discussion of all the different times and ways to pray and how every way is good. During the "time to pray" portion Ms. Cathy asked the children to share times they think are good times to pray. Ms. Cathy looked at Grace (who was sitting right next to her) when she asked this question. Without hesitation, Grace answered, "at bedtime" and then she paused and said a little louder "and sometimes when my daddy is driving!". Needless to say, there was a roar of laughter (which, of course, made Grace quite proud) and I got the kind of teary giggles that are hard to control once they start.

Now, in my husbands defense, I do think this came from a place that, of course, the rest of the congregation does not know. I THINK (I need to ask her!) that she was LIKELY thinking of the tense time recently during the ice storm when we prayed in the car after fleeing the house while trees and power lines were LITERALLY falling all around us. That little nugget of information, though, Grace chose to keep to herself this morning. :)

It's true! Here's the proof...

For those of you who haven't seen it and don't believe it, here's the proof. Sweet, little smiley Molly Claire does cry. In fact, she can throw a fit to compete with best of them. Bless that baby; I do adore her!

Caterpillars or Rainbows?

Caterpillars or rainbows? That's my question for today. It is on my mind because when I headed in to Wal-Mart to get a few things, I had caterpillars when I arrived, but, somehow, when I left, my caterpillars had become rainbows. Confused? let me explain. So, my husband blessed me with a trip to Wal-Mart sans kids. I know the moms out there understand the freedom and glory that lies in that store when you are there alone...you wander the aisles, ALL the aisles, pick up things you need, things you don't need, and things you might need some day (zebra ribbon for me this day). And...you (or maybe just me) think, "hmmm, I REALLY need to get my eyebrows waxed (they were beginning to look a little too caterpillar-y)...maybe I'll just get them done here while I don't have kids with me; afterall, an eyebrow wax is an eyebrow wax, right?" So, I checked out and headed to the front of the store where the "stylist" was even kind enough to let me park my cart IN the salon. She then led me to the sink where the caterpillar metamorphosis began. She waxed, and plucked, and waxed, and trimmed (this was a first!), and waxed, and plucked some more. She worked on my eyebrows till my lower back ached and the back of my head was asleep (from resting on the sink). Finally, she said, "looks good!", and handed me the mirror. I gasped...my caterpillars had become rainbows--perfect half circles that are the same thickness from one side to the other. Sure, rainbows are great...but not on your face...unless you're a clown. Sooo, on the way home I periodically checked in the rearview mirror hoping that perhaps it wasn't really that bad, that maybe the redness was just accentuating the rainbows, and decided to see what my dear Brandon would say when I got home. Well, I walked in and he snickered and exclaimed that it wasn't really that bad, that I "just look surprised", followed by more giggles. Sweet, sweet man. Sooo, the moral of the story, DON'T let a kidless afternoon at Wal-Mart lead you to the salon to have your eyebrows waxed by a girl with purple hair who is chatting with the transvestite hairdresser in the next booth...unless, that is, you're okay with trading caterpillars for rainbows. :)

Happy Birthday, Mermaid Grace!

Okay, so Gracie Beth Benish's birthday was just a little over a week ago, but I decided that a 5th birthday is still blog worthy even if it is a little late. After all, "My Busy B's" wasn't even born until a few days ago. Grace really wanted a swimming party (who DOESN'T want a swimming party in February?!), so the obvious theme for a princess loving birthday girl's swim party was "Under the Sea". I made a mermaid cake, fishy cupcakes, and we munched on goldfish and fruit snacks then headed to the pool! The Jones Center rocks! It has an indoor pool with a big water slide AND a kiddie section with a waterfall...and it's FREE! Can't beat that! She had a blast...quite possibly the best party yet. Yes, we did Chuck E Cheese last year and, no, we will NEVER do that again. :)