Playing with Fonts and making my own art

So I have been redoing a few of the art pieces around our house.  I have long wanted one of those Keep Calm and Carry On Signs but think they have become too commonplace.  I finally created one that I like and I think applies directly to my life with 3 boys, a husband and grandfather in the house.

It looks pretty good in the living room and may make me laugh instead of cry sometimes....seems like a good one.

I also redid our flower picture that goes above the fireplace and created a  Family Rules Poster surrounded by family pictures

Here are our family rules

and the finished product

The boys and I have been saying the rules as a prayer every morning.  It helps us all remember and remind each other how to behave during the day.

Oh my....wow

So I'm not sure where to start this post, so I will start at the beginning.....

For Orson's birthday we were invited to go down to Lake Havasu and meet up with Matt's parents and his brother and sister-in-law. We were really excited and got all sorts of stuff together, in fact I even made party favors using the materials from my monthly

craft challenge

for Orson's cousings....a party hat with wooden beads as tassels, a knitted balls with a cow bells in them and a thank you card with Orson's hand print on them...and the best part was that the hat turned into a party favor bag.

Anyways, we were really excited to go, seeing family is always such a fun way to spend a long weekend and Matt had planned a great off-roading return trip through Death Valley.
So we left Thursday night, after checking the weather and figuring out that we would make it through the pass before the snow started (although we did buy chains just incase) because Orson is a much better road tripper when he is asleep ;)
Well, things didn't go exactly as planned....around midnight we made it up to the pass and were just fixing to make a stop and reasses the roads (we saw someone in the median and even though it was dry out and the temp was above freezing, we were a little worried) when a 22 year old kid in his dad's ford f350 lost control on the other side of the road, flew across the median and hit us head on. It was the scariest, most horrifing moment in my life so far....as I saw the truck fly towards us, I knew that one or all of us would be dead as a result....The miricle is that we are not. Orson walked away without a scratch....I am covered from head to foot in brusies and have a spranged ankle (this will heal) and Matt is alive but in the hospital with a smashed hip and knee....

Orson at the hospital (he has been such a supertrooper):

Some pictures of the cars:

My side of the car

Matt's side

His car (and yes he walked away):

I can't believe that we are still here....so many miricles and angels were/are with us...I have much more to write but I needed to start to get this out.

To end, we can never ever say Thanks enough for all the support, prayers, love and aid from family and friends....We will be saying Thank You to all of you for the rest of our lives.

Boo Boo Monster

This month I was inspired by my little adventurer to create the Boo Boo Monster with the supplies sent to be by Christy's Craft Challenge. I was going to make a lovely little butterfly but then my son (who at 8 months thinks he can fly) entered into the world of climbing...and falling. So instead I wanted to create something we could stuff with an ice pack and give to him to play with in the hopes of getting something cold on all those bumps and bruises.

A lot of the supplies when into the internals like the foam to pad the head and wood bits for the ears. The cloth was used to cover the ears and to make little rings on the edges and the beads and cool thread for the face.

Orson, sporting his split lip, and his new friend.

June Craft Challenge

Well, I had a hard time getting into the craft challenge this month. The wedding themed supplies just didn't inspire me (I like lots of color, plain white is not my thing) but the entire point of joining into the challenge for the entire year was to give me one thing a month that I would accomplish outside of being a wife and a new mom....so I sat down this evening and bit the bullet (with the help of my husband). After taking one look at the supplies, Matt decided that I should make a "tacky snow globe" and I turned that into an inside-out snow globe. What started out as a tacky snow globe actually turned into a rather nice looking home made winter wedding invitation. Which, I guess is the entire point of why I wanted to subscribe to this challenge, to prove that I do have a brain that can come up with original ideas still ;) Without further ado...here is my challenge project:

May Craft Challenge Project is DONE!!!

I finished my May Craft Challenge last Friday and now that the weekend is over and Orson is sleeping! I thought I would finish up writing about it on my blog :) For this challenge I took all of the materials that Christie sent us and decided to combine them with some of my mother's day memories. So I dried my mother's day bouquet, took a print of Orson's foot and my favorite picture from the day of Orson and I and added them into the materials to use. With all of that to work with I decided to make a Mom's Day Memory Hanger to put in my closet. Now everytime I walk in to find an outfit (which happens all the time since I have to change multiple times throughout the day thanks to Orson's spit-up habits :) or to get the laundry, I smell and see my first Mother's Day. Here are pictures of the final craft:



You can also read about the process in these last few blogs:
http://kimandmattewalt.blogspot.com/2009/05/craft-challenge.html
http://kimandmattewalt.blogspot.com/2009/05/my-first-mothers-day-and-craft.html

Don't forget to go to Christie's Craft page (the botton is on the left) to vote on the 28th or 29th and vote for your favorite project (it better be mine!).

Craft Challenge

Well I am getting closer to having my Christie's Craft Challenge project done....can you guess what it is yet?

I've managed to use the blue material, flower paper and buttons, so far. Now I just need to work in the flowers, flower wire and leaves.

It has been so nice to take a break from being mommy and use my crafty powers to create. Thanks again Anne :)

My First Mothers Day and the Craft Challenge Project

This has been a very interesting week....for some reason Matt and I have just been a little off (not with each other, just in general). I think the main reason is that Orson is teething, as in my gums are swollen and hurt and nothing and I mean nothing will make me happier while they feel like this. He has taken to making the highest pitch squeals he can, sobbing uncontrollably when those don't help and then trying to smile and play in between. Its all been a little wearing on the mommy nerves since nothing is worse then not being able to comfort your baby when he hurts.

Luckily I have some fond memories from Sunday to reflect on when all else fails! Matt and Orson did a wonderful job of making me feel special this Sunday, they made me pancakes for breakfast (fresh flowers on the table), took me "window" shopping at multiple garden centers, took me hiking, surprised me with dessert at the Dessert Diner in the middle of the day and then cuddled with me after mass in the evening. I felt like the most loved mom in the world. And as if all that wasn't enough, Matt got my wedding and engagement ring re sized and he added a sapphire and diamond to my wedding band for Orson (the other 4 diamonds and sapphires were put in over time by my Dad standing for each of the kids my mom had)!!! I'm so excited to be able to wear them again, as they haven't fit since around October of last year. To top the day off, Matt had read my previous post and just before I feel asleep he combed his fingers through my hair and held me....the day was priceless.




So I decided that I really wanted to make something to help me always remember how special the day was and luckily, my sister bought me a subscription to Christie's Craft Challenge for my birthday. I had been toying with multiple ideas ever since I received the packet and last night I decided to take everything that Christie sent and multiple memories from Sunday and combine them together. See if you can figure out what I'm going to make: