Blogger Award

Man, I feel like Cinderella with all of this blog housekeeping (get it? Because Cinderella had to clean all of the time? ehhhh??? Anybody.....)

Guess who got her first blog award? I'll give you a clue. She is weird, and likes to take pictures of herself. Don't know? I'll give you one more clue...her name rhymes with Whammy. Still don't know? Alright, last clue...she is....meeeeeeee. 

That's right! I got my first blogging award. And what's crazy is that I got it from THREE different people (How I bamboozled three people into giving me a "stylish" blogger award I'll never know. Super weird blogger maybe...) So thank you to Debbi from Diamond Grove, Iowa Farmer's Wife, and Erin from A girl and her Craft Box!

So the rules of the game are this: 

- Tell 8 random things about yourself

- Pay it forward to 8 bloggers you recently found

- Contact those bloggers to let them know about the award

Alright, tighten your seatbelts, because here are 8 things about me...

1. I have man feet. Size 11. The only cheap shoe store that regularly carries my shoe size is Payless, AND all of their shoes look like orthopedic shoes, or are high heels (come on Payless…if my feet are huge, do you honestly think I need high heels? I’m already 5’11…)

2. I ate an entire box of Milk Duds yesterday. My husband so nicely informed me that according to the nutritional facts it was ¼ of my daily calorie intake…good thing it tasted so delicious.

 

3. I used to be in “Improv Club” in highschool. I was one of the few token girls, but I held my own. Unfortunately, my sense of humor has only gone downhill… like a train.... full of bricks.... in Alaska.... SEE?!

4. I didn’t really get into crocheting until about 6 months ago. Up until that point I only knew how to crochet “scallops” around blankets. How did I learn? Youtube.

5. When I was in 8th grade, I made flash cards out of my mom’s old Mary Kay business cards with the names and faces of everyone in my grade. I studied them every night until I knew everyone's name by heart. I think it may have creeped people out when I knew their names... I thought it would make me popular. It didn’t.

6. My husband and I met in a Modern Dance class. He took it to impress a girl. I took it because I didn’t want to buy dance shoes.

7. During college, I spent the summers working over by Zion National Park. I took people on ATV tours, shotgun shooting, paintballing, zip-lining, rock climbing, fishing, and I even did archery. The tan line on my feet would last clear until the next summer.

8. I have a deep love and gratitude for my Savior. He has always stood in my corner during my hardest times. I will forever be grateful for his sacrifice for me. 

Now to pay it forward to my blog crushes

1. Nichelle at Vintage Wanna Bee - She has such a cute blog! Love it

2. Shauna at My Mix of Six - Shauna is this amazing mom that does amazing things and makes it look easy. I hope to be like her someday!

3. Jill at Meet the Dubiens - Jill's photos are beautiful, and she has fantastic projects to do with her kids. Plus, she has a "Fun Food Friday" that'll make you wish you were a kid again!

4. Lucy at Trey and Lucy - Lucy's blog is darling! Her pictures are so fun, and she has great tutorials! I absolutely LOVE it!

5. Caitlin at Sisters in the Kitchen - The design on this blog is fabulous. AND she did it on her own!! Plus there are tons of great recipes to try out!

6. Cher from Love Actually - Cher has tons of great ideas for continuing to date in your marriage. It is my go-to place for "romantic" ideas for my husband 

7. Liz from Ucreate with Kids - Liz and I were friends in college and she is HILARIOUS! I love all of her great projects for kids!

8. Jenn from A Home in the Making - Jenn is in the process of transforming their home! She is a great decorator, and it is fun to see all of the things she comes up with!

Blog Makeover!

Remember that time I said I was going to wait until I had sold at least 10 things in my Etsy shop before I would get a blog makeover?

I'm not so good at waiting

SO I DID IT MYSELF!!

This was one of those empowering moments

where I was able to do something

that I didn't think I could.

It took pretty much all day, but I can confidently say a couple things

1. I now know, and can manually change the html code that allows you to center an object

2. I understand what people mean when they say "layers" in Photoshop

3. I can create my own header using Photoshop AND install it myself

4. I know how to mess around with the blogger template, including fonts!

5. I now know how to add that little text underneath a button that allows you to "grab" it!

So sorry for all those who tried to get onto my site yesterday...it changed by the minute

Let me know what you think, and if you have any questions :)

Don't forget to "grab" my cute new button

<a border="0" href="http://youseriouslymadethat.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1210.photobucket.com/albums/cc413/cstruiksma/Button.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket" /></a>" />

100 Follower Giveaway Winner!!

I know you are all dying to know who won the 100 Follower Giveaway.

So here they are!

Winner #1: Contratulations Erica

 ericaj said...

i blogged about your amazing giveaway

http://chrisandericajenkins.blogspot.com/2011/01/you-made-that-giveaway.html

Winner # 2: Congratulations Brooke!!

Brooke said...

I love the things you make. So cute! I was following via google reader but I'm an official follower now too. :D

Winner # 3: Congratulations Jenny!!

Jenny said...

Cami, I'm one of your loyal followers, and let me tell you have TALENT! Keep crafting and I'll keep following :)

Just email me your first, second and third choice

and don't forget to let me know where I should send them :)

Rainbow Fish Luminary

I'm busy today making this:

Over Here:

Check it out for the full tutorial

And while I'm at it, let me just make a plug for Ucreate With Kids. It is this amazing site packed to the brim with fun activities and crafts to do with your children. Working at the YMCA, this is my first "go-to" place when planning out projects for my kiddos. One of the BEST resources around!!

Check it out! I swear you will love it!

Double Flower Headband Pattern

I have been waiting ALL WEEK to show you this...

Isn't it Beautiful!?

I am so proud of this little headband that I could just do a flip...well, probably not a flip. I never was any good at gymnastics.

The flower and bands are my own patterns

and since I LOVE all of you so much

I'm going to share it with all of you

(Sharing is caring, right?)

The "Lucy" Headband Pattern

Difficulty: Easy - Medium

Time: 30 minutes

Fun-ness: How could it not be?

Materials:

Yarn (any kind)

Crochet Hook - Size H

Yarn Needle

Ribbon

Scissors

Glue Gun

**The following instructions are based on the assumption that you already know the basics of crocheting. If you are trying it for the first time, here is a good video to help you with the basics as you follow the tutorial. 

ch: Chain

sk st: Skip Stitch

sl st: Slip Stitch

sc: Single Crochet

hdc: Half Double Crochet

dc: Double Crochet

Headband: Check out my TUTORIAL from November. It takes you step by step on how to create your headband :)

Big Flower: 

Round 1: ch 4 and sl st to join and form a small circle

Round 2: ch 2 and sc 9 times into center of circle.

Round 3: ch 2, skip the first sc, and sl st into 2nd worked sc. ch 2, sk st and sl st into next. Continue until you have 5 ch spaces (sl st to join)

Round 4: Into 1st worked ch space, sl st, sc, hdc, dc, hdc, s, sl st. Complete this round of stitches into each of the remaining ch spaces. Tie off to finish.

Small Flower:

Round 1: ch 4 and sl st to join and form a small circle

Round 2: ch 2 and sc 9 times into center of circle.

Round 3: ch 2, skip the first sc, and sl st into 2nd worked sc. ch 2, sk st and sl st into next. Continue until you have 5 ch spaces (sl st to join)

Round 4: Into 1st worked ch space, sl st, hdc, dc, hdc, sl st. Complete this round of stitches into each of the remaining ch spaces. Tie off to finish.

Putting it all Together

Using hot glue, attach the flowers where you like them on the headband. 

Done and Done!

Alright, so you want the headband, but you don't have time to make one yourself

That's okay, because I actually have a few that I am 

Selling on Etsy!

This is my FIRST experience selling anything on Etsy, so I am 

excited and nervous and hopeful. 

My husband told me that if I can sell 10 headbands, I can get a Blog Makeover (which would be amazing!)

So help a girl out! 

Go HERE for my Shop

Hair Clips from Shabby Shack Creations!

Do you know that feeling when you open your mail box

and you find something fun?

This last week, when I opened my mailbox, I found some of the cutest clips I've ever seen

EVER

You think mine are cute? Wait until you check out these: 

My new bloggy friend Amanda from 

Shabby Shack Creations 

sent me a few clips in the mail, and I LOVE LOVE LOVE them

She is so crafty, and the clips are both beautiful and awesome quality.

The average price of her clips? 

Five Bucks.

Yep. 

That's it. 

You can shut your jaw now. 

Let me just say that I have this site bookmarked and bolded. 

Check it out!

Show your blogger love by FOLLOWING her site

**For the record, this post is purely out of my love for this high quality product. Because when I see a good product, I will tell the world...**

L-O-V-E Blocks

I can not claim to have made these

My mom won them at BUNKO, 

which is a game that makes absolutely no sense to me when she tries to explain it...

all that I know is that it is like gambling...for moms. 

But they look pretty easy, and seeing as I just got a new Cricut for Christmas (Like I've said many times, my mom is the bees knees), I may just have to make a few more sets.