This week is Teacher Appreciation Week at my kid’s school. Some of the moms coordinated a snack delivery for each day. I volunteered for yesterday and then reality hit…I am not a cook. I came across all kinds of cute snack ideas online. They would have each taken me a very long time and still…
Category Archives: be creative {DIY}
I feel like I say “please pick that up” 5oo times a day. I know it can’t possibly be that many times, but it sure feels like it. We’ve needed a new plan…intervention, if you will. We’ve tried chore charts before, but they just have not worked in our family. I needed something smaller that…
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Looks like you have a lot going on getting ready, this was a really quick DIY craft I made for my kiddos and I know your boys would love, just wanted to share it with you: http://www.ramblingsfromutopia.com/2012/04/diy-pool-noodle-race-track.html
I know the exact “depleted” feeling you feel. I can say, that it will be over soon, and in no time you will be holding your little one!
This is cute! We use magnets on the fridge. I wonder if this would work better though.
I love this simple (and useful!) project. Though, in full disclosure, I’m probably a sucker for anything with really adorable little clothespins. But still.
Also, I’m sorry to hear that you’ve been feeling depleted, but I understand. Not in an “I’ve been there” sort of way, but in the, “I read your blog all the time and understand that this must be a crazy tough time for you as a mother with a child so far away” kind of way. I sure hope you have happy news to share soon. 
Where to start? 1. As long as your kiddos are not crawling on tables at restaurants, you have nothing to worry about. Our homes should be a safe place to “do life.” And, at your house… a lot of life is done on your craft/dinner/meeting table! 2. It’s an ongoing battle for us “creatives.” I read the BEST quote by C.S.Lweis yesterday.. “Art allows us to find ourselves and loose ourselves all at the same time.” Isn’t that great!? I’m just like you, though… If I feel lost, it’s hard to be productive creatively. I just repaint… over and over. It’s obnoxious. 3. Keep faith in His timing. It is perfect. (Just not “fast enough” sometimes.;) But, perfect.
This felt like a little blast from the past…I thought for sure you were making a revival of the handy hand-painted clothes pin! Back in the 80s (??? – I was a little-ish kid) my mom, along with a handful of ladies from church, hand-painted standard size clothes pins much like the one with the teensy flowers for chip clips and some with magnets for clipping things onto the fridge! I made some, too, but just slopped florescent pink paint on them. My mom still uses them today!!! Ha!
btw – they sold them at craft fairs and you can bet they sold like hotcakes…he, he!!!
Nevermind for the kids, I need one of those for myself. Getting my own chores done in my own house is a great daily battle.
Totally okay for you to feel that way – let those feelings happen. You are totally justified in having this season of wanting your baby home and not wanting to focus on some other things! The creative times will return. This is just a season and then baby girl will be with you for the rest of your life. Thinking about you
oh chores…ugh. what a battle! i love your clipboard idea – very cute.
O gosh. I might have to make these just to use those cute clothes pins!!!
Good news, we love you blog crafts or not. I love hearing about your progress toward getting your WHOLE family together! On a side note, you should check out the dry erase crayons. Your kids might like those for your lists.
These are fun, and would be perfect for everyone in my house. We all have very short attention spans. I hope everyday I go thru my google reader that there will be a post about you getting your letter. A special little girl is gong to be a part of a family. Kids belong on tables and counter tops. I still sit on the counters at my parents house, and I am 36.
Girl- sometimes I realize that my son is sitting on the table while we’re eating dinner! Our table is our work table, our art table, our sewing table, our homeschool table, our game table, our dinner table. Usually everything just gets shoved to one end by dinner time so we can eat. All that to say- I hear ya on bottoms on the table! And the depleted feeling- I get that. Our adoption process is now reaching one and half years! Sometimes I am so ok with God’s timing. Sometimes I am so not ok! That’s when I call my case worker and say things like “I just needed to hear your voice. To remember that we are actually working towards something here.” I’m sure she just loves that, but she is always very sweet and encouraging! Hang in there.
The Lord is so good because the kiddos will be learning about RESPONSIBILITY in church this month and the craft we are doing this month in church ties hand in hand with this. And it wasn’t even planned that way! How awesome is that!
I think God is giving you this time to reset your limits, recharge, and regroup. Giving up extraneous things is difficult…we want to do everything and be everything we can. I love that you are able to keep it simple with your kids. Keeping it simple for you too can be a blessing. You are about to change the dynamic in your house, heart, and family. It struck me that you said that you’ve never had a 2 year old without also having a baby around…treasure this time and the adjustment to something different will start to feel better. You’ll soon be adjusting to something new again. It is a year of transition for you and sometimes that brings with it low levels of motivation, bits of depression, and changes what brings us joy. Being kind to yourself is a good place to begin. Sending you prayers.
I love this idea for my own kids! currently we have a little poster with 4 pictures in the bathroom that they call “my 4 things” 1. brush teeth 2. make bed 3. brush hair 4. get dressed. Now that they are reading I would love something like this because its a little more pleasing to the eyes. I tried to pin but can’t. Did you prevent pictures from being “pinable” or is that something wrong with Pintrest?
Firecraker is a model baby. SQUEE! She’s so cute!
I obviously need one of those charts for myself. Starting with “write thank you notes.” Love just reading about your family and seeing the pics just as much as the DIY! Actually maybe more becaues let’s face it, I only look at DIYs. Haha.
Praying for you this day: that the waiting would be rest and peace. I love seeing you prioritize what you find truly important and to be real about the transition. And yes…we are also revamping how to get 5 boys on the chore wagon more efficiently!
Ashley, did you make your table? I love it! We are about to move into a new house and are searching for the perfect table. I love yours. Can you tell me more about it?
First, I love your blog and pray blessings over your family. I have 3 boys and a girl and we are just getting ready to start the adoption process. You inspire, bring hope, shed light, and amaze! Rest in our almighty Father-as hard as it is-His timing is perfect! I know easier said than done…. “The Lord is my strength and my song” Exodus 15:2
Chore charts haven’t worked for my kiddos either. But I like this – the ability for them to carry it around with them – maybe it might be fun enough to work!
I say a kitchen table with out little bum’s sitting on them is a wasted table! That’s what they are meant for in my book. To sit on, eat on, gather around!
you are doing the right thing by cutting back. our little guy was placed with us a year ago and the transition was tough on all of us. adoption is both amazingly beautiful but at times can be hard and quite the adjustment. i’m praying for you.
She is just the cutest little model!
My sister adopted from Ethiopia and the wait was an absolute roller coaster! It is such a hard thing to wait for all the process to happen. So completely out of your control! So excited for your family though!
I’m new enough to your blog that I’m not sure if you share your kids names, but I am dying to know what the initials stand for. I love hearing what others choose to name their children. haha! No worries though since you may have chosen to not share.
I could use one of those for myself =)
THis is awesome! Definantly saving this for my future projects when my kids get older. Adore.
Sweet. I have literally been searching high and low for some chore chart options for our preschoolers and have found nothing that was a) functional for 3 kids and b) cute. Thank you so much for this timely idea. The clipboard idea looks like fun – I will certainly be using this as a jumping off point! Maybe hanging hooks and drilling holes to hang them so they have a “home”, too….ooh the possibilities are endless! Thanks, Ashley!
My kids are on the table all the time. Only the cool moms let their kids on the table . I just did some lists for my kids as well. It seems that I have one child that is just like my mom and takes forever to get ready to anywhere. It drives me nuts and I hate being late. I use a binder and those clear sheets. They can use dry erase markers to check or cross things off. I love your daily ones though, genius!
Super easy. Nothing fancy. On one section of our stairwell, I tacked cork flooring tiles to the wall. I use thumbtacks to pin random things my kids say to that wall. I decided to dress up my thumbtacks a little bit. Nothing overboard, I wanted it to be very subtle. One craft supply I recommend…
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wow. You score higher than Indiana Jones on a Lego motorcycle. It must feel really good to be that loved!
I love this idea. Such sweet visible reminders to have around the house.
uh that last scrap of paper – MELT MY HEART. how adorable! also, if you have the time (ha ha ha) what are some of your inexpensive sources for the washi / decorative tape. i’ve looked several times and i must be going to all the pricy places still. i never do bite the bullet and buy some because i can’t get over paying so much for tape. if i found some deals though – i would be ALL ABOUT IT! the pins turned out great!
such a cute idea! i write all the funny sayings of my son in a jurnal. when he’s much older, i plan on giving it to him as a present. i also love to go back and reread the funny things he say! have a great day!
The Indiana Jones line made my morning 
What are some source for cute decorative tape? I always see it on blogs and would love to get some!
Love this idea by the way:)
oh my goodness-you are loved more than legos and Indiana Jones, in any combination of the two! I LOVE that! You will cherish those notecards and your journals so much over the years! I did baby books for the first year but am horrible about keeping journals for the kids and writing down what they say. I would much rather have things that they say and do recorded than a baby book. You’re doing good! 
the tack thing is cute but I think your little boy’s quote stole the show… and my heart!
Your house is amazing, even your push pins are cute!
I have written down and saved funny things our kids say. We recently got chalkboard markers and we have been writing funny sayings on that, then I take a picture of it when it gets full and we erase it. Love the tacks!
[...] love this idea for dressing up your push pins for your bulletin board (@ Under the [...]
I LOVE this idea! I just started acquiring decorative tape. I have three rolls!
I’ve been looking for some fun tacks for my new corkboard and can’t believe I didn’t think of this – perfect!
You right is so easy, and I like it
Your stairs look great! Did I miss the post when and how you completed this project. Have to check the archives.
My youngest was adopted from China at 2.5 years old, and I often wonder about her early years. But, what comforts me is a line from one of Steven C. Chapman’s songs (can’t remember which one but from 5 or 6 years ago), “like a raindrop that falls into the ocean, what once was is lost in what will be”. I will always wonder about the time before she became a part of our family, but it doesn’t matter as much as the fact that she’s with us now and forever, and we have many wonderful days ahead together! Your day will come also and the Lord will bless your family more than you can imagine. I look forward to hearing more about her when she arrives!
Ok, some others have already asked this but I would also love to know where you purchase your tape. Such a versatile craft supply! Also, just have to say I LOVE and am so inspired by how much your house is a reflection of your family. I don’t know why that seems like a novel concept but in a world where it seems like the goal is to keep up with the “Jones’s” and have every room in your house look like something out of a magazine (not that your house doesn’t look like that), the steps you take and the thought you put into designing your space to reflect your family is so refreshing. It is a blessing to me to know what a blessing this will be to your kiddos when they leave your “roof” and look back and think about that. Love it!
What a nice and simple idea! I love it!
Perfect cheery thumbtacks! I love this! I just bought all the supplies to make some fabric covered ones….maybe next week.
super cute idea!
How easy and fun is that!?!? I’ve been seeing decorative tape everywhere lately but have yet to pick some up. I might just have to now
Love the push pins! And love the idea of keeping the notecards on the board! I too keep journals for all my girls but don’t do scrapbooks..but I LOVE writing down what they say, so I might try this! Thanks for your great ideas.
I’m not sure if you thought about it, but you keep this amazing blog full of more memories and wonderful little moments than most of us will every manage to record. I think you should totally give yourself some credit there and let go of any guilt of unrecorded milestones elsewhere
love these push pins so much!!!
by AshleyAnn
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Dawn - What an adorable idea. Thanks for sharing it!
ranee - cute and simple! i love it!!
Molly @ mixedmolly - Great teacher gift, but also adaptable to so many other parties! They would make cute favors at a wedding or baby shower.
Bella - So cute!! Great idea
Elizabeth - I’m a teacher and wish someone would do something so cute for me! Lucky teachers at your school!!
Laura - These are adorable! Like Molly said, perfect or showers or weddings!
But wint o green? Where did regular old wintergreen go?
Alice H - Cute!! Do all the big kids love your little ones?? Whenever I take Colton to Zack or Emilee’s school, all the students gush over him! And then I get reprimanded when I don’t bring him. LOL!
ashlee - I love these!! I think teachers appreciate anything that says you care:)
Chantelle - I’m a teacher too and have never recieved anything like this. Might have to do something like this for our staff this week “teacher appreciation week!”
Elizabeth - super cute Ashley! pretty packaging makes *everything* a bit sweeter. smile!
Kate @ Songs Kate Sang - Very cute! I AGREE!
Suzanne - what a cute idea! i love the packaging!
Anna - such a cute idea!!!
Amy at Fig Milkshakes - Oh wow – I thought they were small from the first picture, but they’re BIG, judging by the rest of the pics. Now I am formulating ideas – thanks so much!
ko - Such a great idea! Love the color of paper and extra trimmings!
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Treva Super - I like the word “wonky.” You stole my heart with “wonky!”
RobyGiup - Cute idea!
Sandra Short - Very neat idea, going to try this for the grandkids to give to their teachers!
Amy - Great idea for school nurses..you’ve been a lifesaver for me this year!!
Pam - You always are so clever!!! Not to mention you have the cutest kids!
Shelby - These are so fun to make! Just finished them up for my 2 year old’s preschool teachers! Thanks for such a cute and easy idea!
Julianna - Thanks I’m copying you right now!