Fun and EZ Valentine's Day Treat Bag-Bear Hugs

Happy Thursday! 

It's almost the weekend again! Hurray :)

This past weekend was beautiful here in the Dallas area and we took full advantage of it by being mostly outside.

I cannot believe it is almost February ((YIKES))

and with that fabulous month of love and friendship comes many CRAFTS!

Yay I have my mojo back!

I've been thinking of what to do for my little guy's Valentine's this year. Last year he and I dipped some Chinese fortune cookies in chocolate and sprinkles, put them in mini-take out boxes and he took them into his classmates.

So C-U-T-E and fun to make :)

This year I thought I'd make it even easier so both he and I can make them together. These are "Bear Hugs" treat bags.

Here's what you'll need:

Chocolate Teddy Grahams (cookies)

Cinnamon or Chocolaty Chip Teddy Grahams (cookies)

Bags of gummy bears

ziploc sandwich bags

cardstock

stapler

First you go to my link and download the free printable treat topper bag. I have made several different kinds. My little guy wanted as little pink as possible (understandably) and so I made his with a tan background. I also made some with pink and red backgrounds if you have girls. And I even took the friendship label off them if you prefer them to just read 

"Bear Hugs"

Get it? Teddy  (grahams) Bear Hugs?

Simply stuff some of the above ingredients into each baggie (you choose how much to give each kid) then zip it closed.

Take the printable you want. Print it onto cardstock (they print 2 to a sheet of 8.5 X 11), cut them out and fold in half.

Then simply staple the topper to the bag and that's it!

You can embellish with a pretty bow on the corner if you wish :) 

                                                                         The Back

Again, mine is a boy and he opted to NOT put anything "girlie on it please" (hee hee, he cracks me up)

So there you have it!

Simple, easy, inexpensive.

It sure beats giving them a bunch of candy ;)

Here are the links:

Girl's Pink Baggie Topper

Red Friendship Topper 

Baggie Topper Brown 

Pink "Bear Hugs" Topper 

Have a great week!

Patty

Linking up to these fabulous parties:

What I've Been Up To

First off did you know that Google friend connect is going away? If you didn't then I'd suggest you start following this blog on my facebook page and subscribe to this blog via email so you don't miss out on any posts. I'm kinda in a panic mode because I follow A LOT of blogs and it's fun going to my reader page and perusing all of them and choosing the ones I want to read now and the ones I'd like to read later. I will have to be doing a lot of email subscribing pretty darn soon, I tell you what!

So anywho, I've been real busy with this photography business that my craftin' has taken kinda a back burner.

I am not happy about that. I have SO many projects that I have in mid air and many more that I need to complete before Valentine's Day.

I still need to finish off my son's bedroom that I started last year Part 1 Here

Part 2

Part 3

I also have to finish off my little guy's room 

Seen Here

and continue with the never ending saga of the game room!

Now this last one, maybe a little bit of a challenge because I have been thinking of converting the space into a home photo studio!

That's right! Crazy girl that I am, I want to put some of my equipment in there so I can do some of my photo shoots but at the same time be able to put it away (safely) so that it can be used by my family. 

Dilemmas, dilemmas. 

So stay tuned for that big job. 

And remember I do this all on a dime. 

I re-purpose and reuse and my hubby builds/refinishes most of our furniture.

But in the meantime, I leave you with a few photos I've taken of some of my clients

To see some more of my work and to subscribe to my photography blog go here>>Photo Blog

I will be posting some online classes on how to take a good picture with any camera this week.

You won't want to miss it!

Have a great week!

Patty

Treasure Huntin'

Well super Monday to everyone!

Haven't had a chance to blog as of late but I have sooo many

cool pics to show you of a couple of great places to go 

treasure huntin'

You know I love a good bargain and my love 

for all things vintage has now spread to my sons who now go with me to find some treasures. 

Now, we don't always go to buy, sometimes we just 

go to look :)

It's thrill of finding something old and getting

a story out of it!

First up is Treasure Spotters

you can find them on facebook here.

There's this group of junk and vintage dealers who are selling anything from upcycled dressers to well...old bicycles!

So cool! Join them on facebook for frequent updates on their next shows!

Here's a few photos of what they had two weeks ago:

Cool vintage high chair and a sled!

Hey this bike almost looks like mine :)

look at that gorgeous green piece!!

 This little desk almost came home with me:)

Now, I don't know if this is for sale or not, but I was just swooning when I saw it!

And this skull is just plain cool!

Next, is this other cool place called Frisco Mercantile.

It is an indoor shop with many different booths and let me tell you I didn't want to leave!

From really fancy, schmanzy, to oh so shabby and real

antique pieces! 

You've got to check it out.

Facebook Page

Here's a little tour of the place :)

 I just fell in love with these trunks and the round suitcases!!

 I just had to take a pic of this cute toy truck ;)

 And my little guy found this cool Ms. PacMan vintage machine that was for sale! How cool would that be to have in a real "game room" oh to dream....

Ok. The guys had to drag me out of this back area.
It is just chock full of really old vintage stuff! From old theater lights, to real antique workbenches and letter presses, gosh I could go on and on. You just have to go take a look. The stuff in this area ain't cheap. But if you are into decorating with the "real" stuff. This is your place!
 

Old Workbench

And last, but not least, this cute ride on (??) metal, vintage pony. I just fell in love with his cute face. He would look fab in a nursery don't you think. It's about 2 feet high.
What about you? 
Did you go exploring this past week?
I'd love to hear about the places in your town where you find your treasures.
Post a comment with your links :)
Have a great week!!
Patty

Going Away!! { For Fun }

A big part of growing up is learning to go away from your parents. I remember when I was about 9 years old I was sent to California on a cross country trip to stay with my great grandparents.

It was scary yet fun.

I got to travel on a plane by myself for the very first time.

I remember landing at LAX and getting scared because I didn't see anybody I recognized.

Then finally feeling relieved when I saw my sweet grandparents. I remember the feeling of being alone and in charge. I made some new friends on the plane and in California too.

Nowadays, we as parents have to be a little too over-protective sometimes of our little ones and with good reason.

But lately I've had some things on my mind in regards to sending my little guy to camp this summer.

First because I always wished I had that opportunity as a child and second because I think it would be a great time for him! 

He's been to Twilight Camp last year but it's a daily camp and he knows all the kids there.

I'm talking about a "real" camp where he gets to sleep over and make new friends. He will be 10 years old this summer in fact. He's very sociable and outgoing, but I am debating whether he'll experience homesickness??

I was approached by the sweet people over at Camp Huawni to check out their camp and perhaps send one of my kiddos there.

And to tell you the truth the more I check into it the more I am getting to like the idea of sending my little guy there!

We'll be attending a mixer party next month to meet some of the campers that will be returning there and getting some more info for us.

I'll let you know what I find out.

It looks very promising and it's in a very nice part of East Texas which I am familiar with.

The little guy is excited to meet some of the kids and counselors and learn more about this camp.

In the meantime I have put up a link on the right hand side bar if you want to check it out yourself.

Or just click on this link below:

Camp Huawni

 What about you? Did you go away to camp as a kid? And if so, how old were you? Did you enjoy it?

I'd love to hear your comments.

Have a great rest of the week!

And don't forget to come back tomorrow when I post all the cool junk I spotted over at McKinney's Treasure Spotters market!

2012 Changes Not Resolutions

I decided this year I wasn't going to make a list of resolutions or goals. 

It humbled me last year when I had that brain hemorrhage and I learned a valuable lesson: 

that we are never in charge, God is.

Hence the title of this post.

I have several changes I would like to have done to my life starting this Summer. 

Yes, I am putting a timeline on my changes because if I don't then it will never happen. 

It's good to have deadlines :)

As I lay down to go to sleep each night I pray.

I ask my Father in Heaven, humbly, to give me these things that my heart so desires.

He is in charge.

Not I.

You will be seeing many changes to my blog and therefore to my life as time goes by.

I'll post them as they happen.

I don't like to get ahead of myself.

One thing I can write about is my photography business.

I started it officially last November and boy did it take off!!

You can see my work on my website {here}

and you can see more of my photos including my nature and architectural photos on my photography blog {here}

 My beautiful boy on a cool, crisp day. We were hiking in the woods.

 The hubby and I

 My boys walking in the woods

 

I know that everything happens for a reason.

I love that God is in charge of my life and not me.

If I was in charge I would continually screw up.

Another very important decision we reached as a family, is that next Fall we'll be homeschooling my little guy.

See, I told you. Lots of changes.

Hopefully the photography business and...other things will allow us the flexibility to tend to our family obligations with more vigor and less hurried-ness.

The best thing is that we make these decisions as a family.

First we consult with the Lord. By we, I mean my husband and I.

We pray about it. 

Then we discuss it and lay out different plans. Different scenarios. And then we let the "chips fall where they may".

So to speak.

What kind of changes would you like to have in your life this year?

This month?

This week?

Today?

Patty

 

Pinterest Love and Project Follow Through

I think I have mentioned before how much I obsess  love Pinterest. I am one of those people that actually will go ahead and try a craft just to prove to myself that I am not wasting time by pinning projects, ideas and dreams up on those darned boards!

Well, a few weeks ago I dragged my husband into this obsession....err....love.

He, like me, loves DIY projects. And a good challenge.

So when I showed him this: