Sometimes it's ok to be a follower

Wednesday, October 29, 2014

Wake Up Wednesday Linky Party



               Welcome to the 40th week of 

 Wake Up Wednesday "Linky" 
************************************************************

Before we party this week I wanted to 
remind everyone that Sew Crafty Angel is Hosting a 
HUGE CHRISTMAS EVENT GIVEAWAY 
$1650 Paypal Cash
starts this upcoming Friday at one minute after midnight 
on October 31st  (Nov 1st).
Make sure you come by and enter.

Tuesday, October 28, 2014

Adopted Furbabies Inspired Art Journal Spread

I am an animal lover.
I have bought food for my dog when I had none,
 I have patted a mangy head with a bare hand.
I have hugged those that are vicious because they're afraid.
 I have fallen in love a thousand times,
...and I have cried into the fur of a lifeless 
body more times than I could bare.
I am an animal lover, my home is never quiet,
my wallet is always empty,
but my heart is always full.

~unknown

I love this quote. It rings so true to me. 

Recently, I have rescued a handful of new fur-kids.
I am truly smitten with them, but I have faced loads of stereotyped negativity for giving them a forever home.
I really don't understand the idea that some lives matter less than others.
I know that saving one animal won't change the world, but it changes the world for that one animal. Seems like you were given the ability to change a life, why waste it. 

I am an animal lover.
If you asked me what type of animal person I am...
I'd tell you I'm a cat person. There isn't a kitty in this world that I wouldn't drop to my knees and cuddle.

If you asked me who my best friend is...
I'd tell you it's my dog. We have a special bond and we are together nearly 24/7. She's always happy, always makes me smile, always there when I need a shoulder to cry on, she's my buddy.

If you asked me who my most social and well trained pet is...
I'd tell you it's my new handful of fancy rats.

Yes, I did say rats,
Fancy Rats.
This is where the negativity usually begins. I'm not expecting to change anybody's perception, and not really expecting anyone to agree with me. So far, no one has supported me in my decision to rescue them. Honestly, I'm okay with that. I too, had a bit of fear lurking in the back corners of my brain when I first came upon them, but they were in need and I'm not capable of turning my back and forgetting.

In the past several weeks they've have taught me so much about respecting animals.
They are so incredibly sweet and beyond smart.
I easily litter box trained them, they take food so softly and gentle, they come when I call them, and my most special one will run up and kiss you like a dog would. He'll lick your hands or your cheek, it's so cute.  
They all love to snuggle and will sit in your lap endlessly to get petted. 
I have zero fear of aggression from them. They'll let you give them baths, groom them, check their teeth...and not even a squeak out of them. Actually, something kinda interesting; they purr. It's very similar to when a kitty is happy. Sometimes they get so into it their eyes bug out and kind of wobble. It's one of the funniest and most adorable things I've ever seen.

They are not the evil pests that I feared.
They are just like any other animal.
They want to be loved and feel safe.

I love my new fur babies, and I'm okay with being just a little bit different.
This is just who I am, and I except that. I'm not perfect but I have a good heart.

I want to share some fun Halloween photos I took of the new little guys. 
We were having so much fun bonding and picture taking.
I've also have an art journal work in progress inspired by them.

If you are truly afraid / phobic of fancy rats, I understand. 
You may want to skip the following pictures, as I don't wish to give anyone bad dreams tonight. 
And if you can't look it's okay, I can't stand looking at pictures of spiders or sharks; I shudder every time.











This is Thor. He is my heart rat. He is so curious about everything. He spends most of the day on my shoulder then running down my arm to inspect everything he can get his little paws on. When I draw hes sits on my wrist and watches every move I make. He just like being included in everything.





Jax, my snuggler. Loves to cuddle and will except lovins from anybody. He's my biggest guy and I got a really good laugh watching how determined he was to squish is butt into this fish aquarium prop. 





Loki, super sweet little baby and so tiny. He was 5 weeks old when I took this picture. He will start purring almost the moment you touch him. He's just a very content happy little guy.





Jasper, my smallest and palest addition. Loki's brother and also 5 weeks at the time of the photo. He loves to hide in the collar of your shirt. Nothing but his little nose sticking out. 

I have three more adorable cuties, but they came a few days after these photos. I'm not sure if abused is the right term for their previous situation but they all came to me in different states of suffering. But a lot of love, bit of vet visits, some medicine and some dental work and they are all very happy and adjusting well to actually being wanted and loved. I'll have photos of them soon.

And now for the artsy stuff.
This is an art journal page work in progress.
It's dedicated to my new family members. 
Two of my unpictured ratties have dumbo ears, so I had to draw big adorable ears.
And the cuddlebug on the left would be holding Thor. This is where he is most commonly trying to explore from.








Love this Cuddlebug. Definitely going to ink her up and make her a digi soon.

Hugs,
Anna

Tuesday, October 21, 2014

Wake Up Wednesday Linky Party



               Welcome to the 39th week of 

 Wake Up Wednesday "Linky" 


We are so excited to have you all party with us.
Thank you so much to all those who participate in our party.
Last week we had  406 awesome linkups!   

 Wake Up and be happy, get excited and have fun with us! 
We want to be inspired, entertained, laugh and have a good time!

 The hop is hosted and posted on these different blogs

Your link will appear on the blogs of


This weeks 
Featured Bloggers

The Easiest Princess Anna Inspired Cape

Ruffles And Rain Boots

Simple FROZEN Inspired Princess Anna Cape
This might come as a surprise to you, but it’s cold and rainy a lot here in Seattle in the fall and winter months. Newsflash, right? Anyway, it’s cold and rainy and fleece is cheap, so I am making some accessories for the munchkin’s dress up costumes. Whether trick-or-treating for Halloween or just traipsing about Disney (or the grocery) in the fall or winter, our happy-go-lucky little Princess Anna will be prepared with a caplet to accompany her Princess Anna dress up apron.


Chicken Bacon & Avocado Ranch Flatbread Pizza

I Thee Cook

Here is another super simple easy weeknight meal that your family will surely love. I have been on this easy dinner kick lately. Everyone loves pizza right? We only have one free weeknight in our house this school year so fast and easy dinner ideas are a must. I refuse to succumb to the drive through.  I just wont do it! 



Use what you already have.
Use colorful items as accents.
Add items from the great outdoors.
Use candles. Lots of candles.
Get creative and use different colors, textures and shapes.
Add a little silver or gold spray paint for some glam.
Vary heights and layer.


DIY Garden Tic Tac Toe Game
My boys LOVE playing Tic Tac Toe! Whenever my 8 year old gets a scrap of paper, it’s instantly filled with tic tac toe grids and he’s asking all of us if we want to play. On our road trip this past summer we came across a garden tic tac toe game at the Montana Zoo and I absolutely loved the idea and knew it was one DIY project that I had to make! It wasn’t too hard to make, either, but I didn’t have any motivation to work on the project once I bought the supplies until the weather finally started cooling down here in Phoenix so we could set up our garden tic tac toe game outdoors and try it out.



This Mama Loves

Kids and adults alike will gobble up these delicious and friendly Frankenstein frozen banana pops. A yummy after school treat or a sweet addition to your Halloween party.   They are so simple to put together that the kids can help from start to finish making it not only a great snack but a super fun activity to do together (you can also convince yourself that they are healthy since its fresh fruit).  If you want to lighten up this snack you can probably use yogurt in place of  white chocolate to coat your bananas. This recipe makes 8 small pops but can easily be doubled or tripled

A Scary Halloween

H and I took a little drive today to see the Halloween yard decor ......eek......I'm gonna have night mares tonight!   Who thinks I should have took a selfie with this guy!   


New Lil' Book Caddy

I found this little wooden caddy awhile back and painted it yellow.   I didn't like the results and decided to paint it a mint color.  I absolutely love this color right now and happened to score this quart for a dollar at Home Depot awhile back.  I actually would like to paint my daughter's room this color and accent her room with pink and yellow hues



How many times in your spiritual walk have you found yourself needing guidance or wish you had someone that you trust to talk about a problem you were having?  Over the last few years, I’ve become more intentional about reading and studying the Bible and I’ve became very interested in what it takes to be a Titus 2 and Proverbs 31 woman.


Soft & Chewy Peanut Butter Cookies

It’s finally here, my favorite season of the year, Fall! I love the cooler temperatures and the changing colors of the leaves during this time, not to mention it’s football season..Yaay! 
And while everyone else is making everything pumpkin and apple right now, I’m off in another direction, marching to the beat of a different drummer, going towards….wait for it…..peanut butter! Ah yes, the creaminess and peanutty deliciousness of peanut butter. 


Nanaimo Bars, and Some Canada Love

  Last year I shared a recipe for my favourite cheesecake, from my favourite Victoria restaurant.  It is truly the best cheesecake I've ever eaten.  Just like these Nanaimo Bars are among the best bars I've ever had.  They've always been one of my favourite sweet treats, and coincidentally also come from Vancouver Island.  Nanaimo, obviously. 


West Coast Mama

holland-in-his-sling
Just eight days shy of his second birthday, Holland took a spill off of the couch and broke a bone.
We had spent one night in our new home, I was upstairs in the kitchen putting the kids dinner together, and I heard a thump and some crying. I had left both children on the couch, watching a television show, innocent enough. But toddlers are not predictable. In fact, they are quite the opposite.


Cocktail: Candy Corn Pain Killer

We were playing around with pumpkin puree making two different kinds of pumpkin cocktails and this one was AMAZING! We started off with the intentions of using rum (traditional Pain Killer ingredient), which was great but not something I would rave about. We had some candy corn infused vodka remaining and substituted the rum with the infused vodka, the end result was FALL heaven. I hope you enjoy this Candy Corn Pain Killer Cocktail!



DIY Photo Collage Letters

A few weekends ago was spent celebrating with my friend that will be moving away to San Diego.  So today I am sharing this personalized gift that a friend and I made for her.  We wanted to make something that represented SLC and also all the fun times we had together with our group of girlfriends.  So being that we live in Salt Lake City, we decided to get some wood blocks that say SLC and put a photo collage of all the fun times we had together in with the girls!


Valentia Even Glow Serum - 6
I tested the Valentia Even Glow Serum by applying the product to my freshly washed face (using my regular cleansing products) once a day at bedtime – without moisturizer – over a period of a few weeks so I could see if I noticed a difference in the appearance and texture of my skin.



a house tour & a love story

The Honeycomb Home

mirror over fire place
I have an amazing home tour to share with you today!  This house belongs to my husband’s cousin, Cindy.  Cindy was gracious enough to have my daughter and I over to photograph her home and share her story with us. I called this A House Tour and A Love Story because to Cindy and her husband, Gary, creating this home was a labor of love. Wait until you see what they did with the place with an eye for design & an ultimate DIY attitude!


Stone Cottage Sweet Tea

Stone Cottage Adventures
Everyone who drinks my sweet tea always says, "How do you make sweet tea?  I love this!"  Here is the recipe: 


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Link up your funny stories, DIY posts, crafts, decorating, fashion, makeup, health & fitness, recipes, mommy moments -- anything at all, as long as it is family-friendly.


Please visit some other bloggers and make some new friends and say hello to old friends..
  • Please leave me a comment , I love to hear from you.
  • Please Link to your family friendly post 
  • I'd love for you to grab my party button for your blog party site but it's totally optional
  • Please No adult content blogs
  • Please do not add links to shops or selling websites (they will be deleted from the party)
  • Giveaways are always welcome.. Add your giveaways to Sew Crafty Angel's Pinterest Community Giveaway Board too.  
Adding your link to this blog hop gives Sew Crafty Angel permission to share your posts and pictures via social media and as features on Sew Crafty Angel And Co-Hosts.  Note- All features on Sew Crafty Angel And Co-Hosts will be linked back to the original source .Social media features are linked back to the linky party.

Tuesday, October 14, 2014

Wake Up Wednesday Linky Party



               Welcome to the 38th week of 

 Wake Up Wednesday "Linky" 


25 Blogs  -  1 Party
 Giveaway


We are so excited to have you all party with us.
Thank you so much to all those who participate in our party.
Last week we had  337 awesome linkups!   

 Wake Up and be happy, get excited and have fun with us! 
We want to be inspired, entertained, laugh and have a good time!

 The hop is hosted and posted on these different blogs

Your link will appear on the blogs of


This weeks 
Featured Bloggers


... and a Denim Shirt Cushion Cover

I randomly found a denim shirt in my fabric stash.... probably bought from a charity shop 'just incase'! I'm glad I did buy it though, as it meant I had something to upcycle into a cushion cover!



In my last post, I shared Part 1 of my Fall/Halloween Decor in our Living Room.
Please Click HERE if you missed it!




halloween spooky pumpkin carvings
This year why not try  give your jack-o’-lantern a new groove with these unique pumpkin carving ideas and designs.



Easy Taco Pizza



Burlap & Lace Garland

 
As much as I LOVE this time of year, for some reason I’ve never really gotten into decorating for it. But, this year’s a little bit different! As a new blogger, I find myself getting swept away by the excitement and beauty of this Fall decor that’s surrounding me. 




Mini Oreo Cheesecake

from Titi Crafty

I learned the bease for a cheesecake recipe from my mom when I was a teen and I hadn’t changed it  a bit.



ORGANIZE OCTOBER | ADVENTURES IN…
CLEARING OUT THE BEAUTY STASH
from AM to PM Blog

Doing a full-on beauty stash clear-out after neglecting it for a while is pretty grim.   It’s really not pretty.

What do you look for in a friend?

from Penny A. Zeller

I recently watched the movie Mom’s Night Out for the second time. I love this movie and highly recommend it. One of my favorite things is the friendship between Allyson and Izzy. They’ve been best friends since grade school, and while they have totally different 0personalities, they can rely on each other no matter what. Even when Allyson has a major meltdown, Izzy is still her best friend, cheering her on…and being there for Allyson through thick and thin.



Olaf Dress Up Costume

from  Ruffles And Rain Boots

I wasn’t going to make a FROZEN inspired Olaf dress up apron until some friends of ours suggested that all of our kids go together as the cast of FROZEN for Halloween this year (thanks Ang and Kris!). Because I’ve already made FROZEN inspired Princess Anna and Queen Elsa costumes, the only one left was this little cutie. When sketching out this Olaf costume, I designed it while keeping a certain young man in mind. That adorable, precocious little flirt of a fellow has a sensory processing disorder so whatever I designed couldn’t have a hood or anything on his face because he doesn’t like that.


HONEY SPICE STREUSEL MUFFINS

from  Annie's Noms
Honey Spice Streusel Muffins | Annie's Noms - These Honey Spice Streusel Muffins are just perfect for your breakfast! Soft, sweet and spicy with the added crunch of a streusel topping. Yoghurt makes these muffins tender and soft, whilst the honey sweetens and adds a tang which is perfectly complimented by the spices; an Autumnal taste sensation!
These Honey Spice Streusel Muffins are just perfect for your breakfast! Soft, sweet and spicy with the added crunch of a streusel topping. Yoghurt makes these muffins tender and soft, whilst the honey sweetens and adds a tang which is perfectly complimented by the spices; an Autumnal taste sensation!


How to Have a Backyard Scavenger Hunt with FREE Printable
from My Big Fat Happy Life
We have done scavenger hunts in a couple different ways 1) creating a chart with photos and words on the computer (see below for a FREE printable) or 2) hand drawing the pictures of the items and writing out the word.  For older children you could just write out a list of items to find.  I also like the idea of re-enforcing numbers by having S find 5 rocks or 8 leaves.



There are lots of items I would consider absolutely essential as a mom, but honestly there’s only one item I can’t go 20 minutes without and that’s my phone. And it’s not because I’m playing Candy Crush or posting pictures on Facebook. It’s because of the collection of free apps I’ve gathered that tell me what to do, when to do it, and how to do it. Ones that calm my baby, put him to sleep, then calm me. And ones that tell me what’s going on outside the world of baby. And for those moments when I do have time to post on Facebook, it makes the process possible (and fun).



Turn Coke tins into Beautiful Candle Votives

from Let's Make It Lovely

Be it Diwali or Christmas, this is a perfect craft for the coming up holiday season. Wouldn't it make a lovely gift for friends or family? Or how about just adding a little accent decor piece to any corner in your home? All you need to do is save some soft drink tins and get started. Before I begin on how I did it, let me tell you my inspiration for this one came from these Brass Candle holders when I was searching google images for Diwali decor ideas. Let's get started.

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You can enter our Rafflecopter Giveaway




a Rafflecopter giveaway

%%%%%%%%%%%%%

Link up your funny stories, DIY posts, crafts, decorating, fashion, makeup, health & fitness, recipes, mommy moments -- anything at all, as long as it is family-friendly.


Please visit some other bloggers and make some new friends and say hello to old friends..
  • Please leave me a comment , I love to hear from you.
  • Please Link to your family friendly post 
  • I'd love for you to grab my party button for your blog party site but it's totally optional
  • Please No adult content blogs
  • Please do not add links to shops or selling websites (they will be deleted from the party)
  • Giveaways are always welcome.. Add your giveaways to Sew Crafty Angel's Pinterest Community Giveaway Board too.  
Adding your link to this blog hop gives Sew Crafty Angel permission to share your posts and pictures via social media and as features on Sew Crafty Angel And Co-Hosts.  Note- All features on Sew Crafty Angel And Co-Hosts will be linked back to the original source .Social media features are linked back to the linky party.