joy in a dollar bin

Lookie what I found in the $1 bins at Target!!!

Ally's bucket is actually hot pink, but you get the idea. Designs were already on there, just added the names with my sassy lil machine (Silhouette SD). 

JOYFULLY LINKING UP HERE:

picniking joy

Have you been to PICNIK?

PICNIK is a *FREE* online photo editing site. For a photography novice like me, who hasn't dropped the chunk o'change on Photoshop, it gives me just enough ability to do little creative effects that I want to do. Look at the photos below...

-- BEFORE --

-- AFTER --

(1960's "vintage" with rounded corners & soft focus)

See?? Just enough...My sweet niece loves purple. Happy Birthday to her!

disney, vinyl, & chores..oh joy!

Guess who's getting excited around here?

My hubby and I celebrated our 15th Wedding Anniversary in June and decided it was about time to take our lil munchkins to DisneyWorld.  I tried & tried to come up with some creative way to tell them and just put too much pressure on myself.  So, we all sat down to 'family movie night' with a surprise dvd and instead just popped in the DVD planning guide and went from there.  Their reactions were a bit delayed and sporatic, but definitely became more excited as they watched the dvd.  The lil princess and I will have breakfast one morning while there with all the Disney princesses and she can talk of nothing else.  I know that we will have such a wonderful time, but BOY is there a lot of planning and preparation involved.  Here are some of the projects I've been working on...

"Treasure" Buckets - Many of our friends have suggested buying lil trinkets, gifts, or toys for the kids PRIOR to the trip, then surprising them with some little souvenir each day INSTEAD of buying the over-priced treasures inside the park.  Shopping? No problem! These are the buckets I'll take to put their treasures in each day. I also like to make little goody bags for long road trips & fill them with snacks, gum, & bottled water or juice. These will come in handy for that as well.

We've also been well-advised to bring water bottles inside the park.  Why not have some personalized ones for me & my old man? The kids have some character themed water bottles that I've already purchased, so had to "Disney-up" some for us.

I realize that the kids will still want to take a little spending money, so here's a new system we've instituted in our house for getting paid for chores and so far, they are knocking each other down to see who can do the next chore around here:

The system is easy. The large jar holds the marbles & each time they do a job, they drop one in.  We just started this morning, so that's why they're pretty much empty.  We haven't come up w/a dollar amount for EACH marble or set of marbles, but they don't seem to care about that yet.  Also, when one of them does something...uhm...less than favorable, a marble can be put BACK into the large jar. 

I read the article in an issue of Family Fun magazine YEARS ago and it just stuck with me.  There are lots of variations out there, just google "chore jar with marbles" and take off! One of my favorite blogs Living Locurto, even offers a free printable for the reward jar! Also, you can find lots of ideas on PINTEREST!!! I just can't say enough about it.  As I've been typing this blog entry, my 4 year old has made up her bed BY HERSELF for the first time AND cleaned her room.  No joke...it's spotless! Let's hope the enthusiasm continues.  Have a blessed day!

Joyfully linking up here:

joyful preschooler

Aaaaaand she's OFF! This little one could not WAIT for preschool to start! With her brothers already having been in school for a month, she was counting the days. Really - we made a paper chain & she tore off a link for every day leading up to her first day.  I only wish my middle schooler could be this happy about school...ha!

I made her shirt with the heat transfer material on my Silhouette SD.  Lovin this sassy lil machine!

And this "simple skirt" is my new FAVORITE and NECESSARY quick pattern.

Found it here. Banged out 3 whole outfits in about 2 hours this weekend...BAM!

There she is....off to make new friends and learn new things.  I expect any day now she'll be setting up her classroom with all her dolls & teaching them too!

My husband calls these "bribery" but I call them "Happy First Day of School" treats :)

Also made with my Silhouette SD using the adhesive vinyl found here.

joy with vinyl crafting

Having a little fun with my sassy Silhouette...think I'll name her "Sassy."  We have so much fun!

Here are those notebook cases made by Sterilite that I first posted here. Got them at Walmart and couldn't WAIT to "sassy" them up with some vinyl!

Also discovered these little pencil case pretties at Dollar Tree.

The notebook case above and the pencil case below are a gift from my daughter to her friend, Evelyn.  We'll throw in a cute new journal, coloring book, and a box of crayons...VOILA...birthday gifting the JOY way!

 My son's teacher requested some hand sanitizer.  So...maybe she didn't request the GI-NORMOUS size and didn't expect it to be personalized, but...why not??

Also, I first blogged about Sally Henson's "Salon Effects" Nail Strips here. Well, I finally got around to doing mine & my 4 year old daughter's toesies....can you get over the adorable-ness????

PEDICURED PIGGIES!!

My daughter's tiny toesies were a little more difficult, plus the filing made her squirm because she said it tickled.  I told her she should get used to it, because this is just what we girls do :)

Look at the variety of styles they carry.  Hmmm...which ones do you like best?

JOY-fully linking up here:

back to school with my silhouette sd

Back to school stuff - Again, love me some Dollar Tree!

See how the bottom compartment comes off for a snack or storage? So smart!

Found these babies at Target for only $4 and when I saw the blank space on back...couldn't resist!