Children's Artwork

     The day before yesterday, my daughter appeared in my doorway with a frown holding up a folded poster that she had neglected to bring out and share from her backpack. I asked her what that was, prompting her to be quick about it because we were rushing out the door. She unfolded the crinkled mess and explained that it was her entry for the Sight is Beautiful contest and sadly informed me that she had not won. She was quite dissatisfied with her failed attempt. She had put so much thought and effort into it. There were days of coming home from school and hearing her talk about what she might draw and "today I outlined it in permanent marker!" Or this kid is drawing a rainbow or that kid is drawing a shark. And "today I colored it all in and I finished it!" Much enthusiasm from my 7 year old with such high hopes of winning the coveted first prize ribbon. After turning it in, days passed and then weeks. The folded poster came home with her on the Friday and slept in her backpack until that rushed Monday morning. Oh dear, I thought, she is such a darling. When she finally shared with me her artwork of what she thought was most beautiful, I thought I would cry. Silently hushing up the tears, not to confuse her with my emotions, I smiled as big as I could and told her how much I loved it. I truly did. I loved it! It was an endearing expression of her heart and of a very touching subject of family. The most beautiful thing to her was her family. Us, her family. The everyday chaotic, crazy, loving, amusing and sometimes peaceful family. It wasn't rainbows or butterflies...it was her family.

    She saw my happy face and responded with a rather large toothless grin that carried into her eyes. She hugged me and I placed her poster onto my dresser, where other special artworks collect. Later that day I decided to frame it. It needed to be framed, shared as our family portrait. So, I mounted it in a large wooden frame with a mat that I glitterized for this very special artwork. I set it in our family room above our piano and waited for her to notice it when she came home that day. She quietly noticed her artwork and I saw her sitting on the floor staring up at it. I told her how lovely I thought it was and how special it made us all feel. I love artwork because it's a true expression of an individual. It's the uniqueness that makes it so appealing. I love how the boys are all similiar and so are the girls. How she put perspective into the picture with the height of the flowers trailing off into infinity and how our family is linked into that line. I think she truly understands what it means to have a family forever. I am thankful for her and her dear sweet spirit. Aloha.

~Christie

2011 Top 10 and My Favorites

    Well it has almost been one year since I began this little blog. Before this I had never blogged before. It has been a definite adventure of learning and fun. There are two things that I really like about the blog world. One, the creative chronicling of my own projects throughout the year. Two, viewing the creative blog world out there through ingeniously creative minds. I love the uniqueness of it all. It truly is a fantastic way to get to know the world. That being said, I will share with you the top 10 all time viewed posts on my blog and some of my most favorites.{Click on a Pic and it'll take you to the post.}

1. Preschool Fun

2. Summer Headbands

3. Firework Dresses

4. Organization in a Flash

5. Fabric Flower Headbands

6. Patriotic Pom Pom Sparklers

7. Printable: Christmas

8. Strawberry Pinata

9. Thanksgiving Subway Art

10. Christmas Advent Calendar

Here are some of my 2011 favorites.

Looking forward to a fun creative 

Happy New Year! 

Much Aloha to you and yours! Mahalo.

~Christie

 

Tis the Season

My husband made this Christmas star for our ward Nativity. He's so creative and exact. He cut out the eight pointed star from foam board. Then spray painted it silver. Once it was completely dry, he glittered the design in silver and adhered the star to a black painted dowel. It is very glimmery when the light hits it.  We also made up some graham cracker gingerbread houses. So simple.

     Graham crackers, candies and royal icing. I didn't have meringue powder and omitted it from the recipe. I didn't use egg whites either, just powdered sugar, vanilla, and milk. It held the houses together really well. The kids had a good time designing and decorating their own confectioneries. It was a nice evening.I have still yet to do my baking and final touches on Christmas. Hopefully this week will be both fun and productive. 
Happy Holidays.

~Christie

View from the Pacific

  I saw the full lunar eclipse this morning over the Pacific. It was beautiful. It was a super clear night sky and you could see a zillion bright stars. Many shooting stars across the sky also. {Not to mention quite chilly outside!} The moon is like a kajillion miles away. These are the best photos I could get of it. Now I can say that I have seen a total solar eclipse and a total lunar eclipse. Awesome!

 

 View from our telescope. The yellowed image is the moon and the silver image is the telescope mirror plate.

When viewed through the telescope you can actually see the shadow of the sun on the moon. It's quite something special 

and quite luminous.

Regular view.

~Christie

Castastrophe! Broken stoneware.

      I have had this Pampered Chef muffin stoneware pan for 11 years. It busted in half. I was so upset that I couldn't comment on it.I didn't yell or pass blame...it was my fault. I set it in the sink and as I moved away it slipped and split in half. On the bright side my son said, "Well, at least it broke clean in half and not on the cups. I guess you could still use it." I was so disappointed.You might say that it's just a pan. But, it's a $36 pan...one that has aged 11 years. Beautiful stoneware, even heating and easy to clean. Oh well. {So not happy about it!}

~Christie

Happy Thanksgiving

           My dear daughter drew this sidewalk chalk masterpiece. She has a good sense of humor. I love to watch my children through their creativity. They are so imaginatively inventive. I look back on my many years of motherhood and remember all of the special moments I have shared with them. Their endless questions, boundless energy and  laughter fill my memories of our family. My husband has always been a constant and my best friend. We embarked on this crazy thing called parenthood together more than a decade and a half ago. We are still learning and growing together. For this I am thankful for his love and giving spirit. I have so many things to be thankful for. I feel so blessed. May your holiday be filled with special moments, laughter and good food! 

~Christie

Sew Fun

    My older daughter recently had a birthday. She was super excited for her day to arrive. It began beautifully...her attitude was simply radiant and her list of the days fun was long. She got to spend time with every one in the family and ended the day with a yummy birthday dinner, that included shrimp and a slice of pink birthday cake. She received some very lovely gifts that all made her the perfect best birthday ever. But, I had to share one from her grandparents that will bring many fun days of creating and sewing by mom's side. Too cute.

{I wish my sewing machine was a Hello Kitty. :)}

~Christie

Ugh!

Getting ready for the holidays? 

      Maybe you share the same frustration and anxiety as Snoopy and I. It's a hectic, crazy, most wonderful time of the year! I'm still thinking..."I haven't even eaten all of my Halloween candy!" Ugh! Bringing some humor to the situation I think it is safe to say that the holidays are upon us. May your pre-holiday crafting time be productive and full of joy!

Happy crafting!

~Christie

Conference Crochet

 I thought I'd share some personal thoughts 
and my projects from this weekend with you. 

I had an opportunity to sit and crochet this past weekend while listening to 

General Conference. 

There were so many wonderful

messages shared.

 At times I laughed, then cried, pondered and definitely touched by the spirit.  

I also felt blessed to be able to share this time with my family.

 For those who may not be familiar with General Conference I will illuminate. General Conference is a time where we as Latter-day Saints come together twice a year to listen to our prophet and leaders for guidance and inspiration.

 It is a great time to ponder about the purpose of life and finding joy 

in the journey of it.

I loved the messages that were shared. Listening to the testimonies and inspiring thoughts renewed my spirit. 

Relating with the experiences shared and broadening my perspective of what is most necessary in my life. It reaffirmed the knowledge of the great love our Heavenly Father has for each one of us. That we matter most to Him, that he is ready to bless us if we but turn to him in righteousness. I love the simplicity of the gospel of Jesus Christ and the joy that it does bring into my life. I am thankful for the blessing of family and for the calling of Mother. I hope that I may continue to learn and grow in every capacity and to have courage to never give up. I truly feel blessed and loved by my Heavenly Father. I have so many things to be thankful for. 
My prayer is to not let those moments that matter most pass me by. 
That I may serve my Heavenly Father by serving others. 
To grow in faith and knowledge. 
To gain a better understanding of my purpose here on earth and 
to share my testimony with others. 
For I know that God lives and that 
Jesus is the Christ, the Savior of all mankind.

(P.S. This one was my own design. Luv it!)

~Christie

Stuck in a Moment

Sometimes life throws us too many lemons 

and we've run out of sugar.

We get stuck in that moment...

We must remember that 
in the eternal perspective of things...
it's just a moment.
 Everyone's gotta have some U2.
Here's to a great weekend! 

~Christie

Summer Enjoyment

     What have I been up to? I have been enjoying my summer. Working on projects, playing with the kids, watching movies, visiting with family and ever cleaning up after all of our summer fun. I've also been preparing for the upcoming school year, in which the four will be doing school at home. Indeed, it has been busy!

    Although, I really don't know where the time has gone. One day seems to fade into the next until a week has gone by and time just seems to roll on...like a marble at the top of a run.  There is no stopping it, I have tried, and yet the trick seems to be...make the most of every moment. Which sounds simple...it really does...but life has a funny way of making the run a bit bumpy. And more often than not... it's what it is...eventful. I guess it's what makes it so exciting, you never know what tomorrow will bring. Some things you can count on and others will knock you right off your feet!  

    Unfortunately, our summer vacation is coming to a quick close. The time has been spent and memories made. I'd love to say I've had ample time to relax and kick back my feet. Read the stack of summer reading by my bedside, have the sand between my toes everyday and float away in the aqua turquoise letting the warm breeze and current take me away.

     But, ahem.....back to reality....that's just it...REALITY. And so, as I watch my children play and swim I smile at the joy they bring to my heart. This crazy beautiful life filled with family is more than I could ever want.                                                                           
                                                                                            ~Christie

                                                         

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 

4th of July Fun

 We spent the holiday swimming in the ocean,

spending time with family, eating yummy food 

and watching the fireworks together.

It's a Purple Sweet Potato kind of day

  Yes, they really are that beautiful purplish color. Purple sweet potatoes are a fave.

In Hawaii we like to boil them, slice them and eat them cold. Yum. Just one of my local favorites. 

If you haven't tried a purple sweet potato, then you are missing out. 

Unfortunately, I took this picture awhile ago and I have no purple sweet potatoes today. 

  Of course I did have to pick the day to go to the beach when the

Portuguese man o war jellies came in to play. 

Although, they didn't seem to bother the sea turtles at all. 

And of course on the day it's supposed to snow on our mountaintops, 

which is really strange since it is June. 

But, it was a nice day for a picnic at the beach and a trip to the library. 

  Surprised of course by some fresh ahi and aku from my brother in law. Thanks bro.

In which, I guess today has become a fish kind of day. Which isn't too bad at all. :)

Washing Day

Today I am line drying some material for 

upcoming projects.

I sometimes neglect the importance of prewashing fabrics. 

Especially if the sewing project is something that will need to be washed in the future.

My pet peeve: Putting the washed fabric in the dryer and the threads tangling up. 

Does anyone know how to prevent that one?

The Taste of Sunshine

  I have some really nice neighbors who like to share their tangerines with us. I thank them with a baked treat and they thank us again with more tangerines, like..... a lot!!!

  This has been going on for a couple of years now and I have to tell you, I am very delighted that they share these delectable rays of sunshine. I mean, just look at that color. Irresistible. Sunshine for those winter blahs. In the past, other than simply divine freshly squeezed tangerine juice, they have made a most absolute scrumptiously sweet tangerine glazed ham.  I think that maybe some tangerine jelly, tangerine bars, or tangerine meringue pie just might be in order. Today all votes going for freshly squeezed organically sweet tangerine juice. Delish.

Humor me, if you will...

  You may very well laugh at this little confession I am about to share with you. Whether it be out of humor or absurdity, well, that is for you to decide. I have a  little secret in which I have been keeping for over a decade. I am now ready to share it. It begins like this.
  For the past decade or so my family and I have gone to the public library at least twice a month to borrow monstrous amounts of books. We average at about 25 to 30 books in a visit. Of course, I foster my family's love of books and reading and I am more than happy to let them borrow to their hearts content. But, when those books arrive home and topple out of the library bag one cannot help to notice the dirt and grime that have come along with them. Upon inspection there may be unidentifiable marks of grime and goo in which you could only use your imagination to figure out what in the world it just might be. You think it may be dirt, food, oily grime, maybe a boogie?!!! Eek, eek, eek.
  So, this is my little secret. My secret community service. For the last decade or so I have been cleaning ALL of the books we borrow!!!! hahaha....yes, laugh if you may, but... it is true. My love for books has extended to this point. My tools of the trade include and organic spray cleaner, paper towels, and sometimes it even needs the amazing power of a magic eraser. Now, now, now...don't you worry...I am not that eccentric. I do NOT clean the pages. I only clean the book covers and I am very careful in doing so. But, I have to admit...that is a lot of books!

  Okay, so now that you know this about me you can rest easy to know that at least someone cares enough to clean the library books, even if the service goes unnoticed. And even though there are those times when I feel a bit embarrassed to borrow monstrous loads of books, in which the librarian has to individually scan, I smile. Because I am serving my community in a small but helpful way. And, I am relieved when the librarian sees the look on my face and knowingly says, " Don't worry about it. Books are our business." :)