A Headband Holder

Remember my dilemma with the girl's headbands? Well a few weeks after that post I read about a solution in Family Fun. Turns out an oatmeal container is just the right size! The mom in Family Fun covered her's with purple duct tape. But I don't have any colored duct tape and it's kind of expensive (for a DIY low $ project). So I decided to use a roll of contact paper that I've had since making another gift (picture magnet boards made from cookie sheets).

My holder is far from perfect (lots of bubbles) but for now it's doing the job. I do not know how well this will hold up, but so far I really like it! You can also fill the inside of the container with pony tail holders and such if you like.

Supplies:
Large oatmeal container
Contact paper (I bought mine at Target)
Scissors
Patience (I don't like contact paper!)




To make it:
Cut a piece of paper to fit with some overlap at side and bottom

Cut off a small strip of backing and start your paper, making sure the top is as straight as possible.



Cover container.

Repeat if necessary (I had to do two rounds to cover well)

Cut 1 inch (approximate) tabs on bottom over hang and press down to container





Our headband organization (if you can call it that) before.



Our new headband holder




Cuties with their headbands!

I think I'm in trouble...

I remember perfecting my Dad's signature. Not to be sneaky, but he would tell me to just sign stuff if he was in the middle of something. I always tried to copy my mom's signature but it was way too neat and perfect. Well, Amelia brought home her school work folder for the last time today, and decided to sign it for me to be helpful. It's not going back to school tomorrow. I was a little surprised at how well she did. She has trouble printing letters still, but I guess she's a decent copy cat! She even followed the date pattern. I think I'm going to need to be on my toes in her teen years :)

Let's Help Our Daughters Out

I seem to be on a roll lately airing my opinions, so I'll just keep the ball rolling!

Amelia said something to me the other day that was disturbing. She asked, "Why do girls wear their bra and underwear to the swimming pool?" Sorry for the graphic pictures, but this is why my daughter is confused...







Seriously ladies, it's time to set a good example for our kids. I know I'm on the very conservative side of the dress code world, but I think we can all cover up a little more. I know this type of discussion is usually targeted at women with the reason that men can't help but look at all that skin. But what about our girls? What about my daughter? What about yours?

I own a bikini. I wear it at my sister's pool and my pool when it's just us girls. Even I like to get some sun on my china-doll white belly. But I have made it a very clear dress code with my girls, no bikinis around boys- even if you are 6 and 2. It has to start sometime and somewhere. I am not naive enough to think that the day will come when Amelia pitches a royal fit about her swimsuit. And you know why she will? Because everyone else is wearing bikinis, including her friends' mothers. And who can blame her for wanting to fit in? I can't and won't, but that doesn't mean I'll budge.

The Lord made each of us beautifully and wonderfully. That doesn't mean we should be showing the world. I don't think we should wear a conservative suit just because we want to hide our imperfections. We should love our bodies enough to respect them and the Lord. And yes, it's hard to find a cute conservative suit, but it can be done. Promise, I've done it. At the end of last season I paid $25 for a $180 suit from Macy's, and it's adorable.

Please do not take this post as judgment. It's meant as a challenge. To challenge us to think about what the world is telling us is OK and acceptable. If you wear a bikini I will still love you, just don't snicker at my swim skirt. I like it!

I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful,
I know that full well.
Psalm 139: 14

Homemade Baby Book

Some friends of ours are getting ready to have their first baby. One thing I learned along the way having my own kids is that I did not record my memories of their first years like I wanted to. I was too tired! So I decided to make a "simple" baby book as a gift for our friends. My hope is that it will be an easy to finish, fun, and complete "scrapbook" when their little one turns 1.

How I made it....

1. Covered 2 pieces of thick cardboard with decorative paper for the front and back cover, and picked out 14 peices of thick cardstock to act as the interior pages.

2. Cut interior pages to size, just 1/8 of an inch smaller than the covers.

3. Used my friend's binding machine to make it into a book (really cool!)

4. Completed each of the 14 pages as follows:
Page 1: The Day You Were Born
Pages 2-13: By month August 2010 to July 2011
Page 14: Happy 1st Birthday

What's on a page?
Each page has a 4.75 by 6.5 inch envelope glued on it. Before I glued it down, I sealed it and then cut open the right edge. This let's the new mom add a 4x6 picture on top of the envelope and journal on a card tucked inside of the envelope.

Here are a few pictures. Wish I had thought of this 6 years ago!

June 2011 Page, photo will be glued a little over the top embellishment, but can slide right under the bottom one.



Showing the journaling card that was tucked inside the envelope. I pre-printed the words "Amazing things you did this month..." And then cut out each one with a little tab so it would stick out of the envelope. Then I embellished each one.



The final "Happy 1st Birthday" page.

A Wall? Really???

Before I start.... this is a little bit of a rant for me on illegal immigrants. So if you don't want to indulge me I don't blame you!

First let me start by saying that I love Mexico, it's people, culture, language, food, etc. I have worked in Mexico, I have volunteered in Mexico, but I have never vacationed in Mexico- ummm this is a problem.

Anyway, I am SICK of the ridiculous fight over this issue. I know that the solution to the "problem" will have to have many facets, but I think the main approach should be this:

FINE THE COMPANIES THAT HIRE ILLEGAL WORKERS.

Did I say that loud enough? :) It's simple supply and demand. If there is no demand for the work there will be little supply. This is supposed to be happening already, but I know from first hand experience the system is broken. Companies are "firing" workers and re-hiring them or finding them work somewhere else. Ugh.

Illegals working here not only hurt our economy they are ruining the families they left at home. The landscape of Mexican culture is changing because the men are missing. I have read books about this- it's not just my theory. They need to go home, home to their wives, children, and communities. If we continue to employ them they WILL NOT leave.

Normally I don't rant about something unless I'm going to do something about it, but I honestly feel fairly hog tied on this one. I don't know who to contact (that will actually listen) or where to start that would make a difference. So this post is just a rant. But I hope next time you are in a situation that you might be giving work to illegals you will consider the impact on EVERYONE- not just Americans, but Mexicans as well.