Self-Improvement Saturday - Summer Sanity?

Today is the first Saturday after the last day of school for the year. Today there were parental trips to the store and Home Depot for home improvement projects, there was some cleaning and I updated the back deck furniture a bit. 

The kids spent the majority of their day on Minecraft. Trust me it won't be this way for long. Tomorrow is Father's Day and we have a few things planned. Then starting on Monday, they will have their summer nanny for 5 hours a day and they are not allowed any computers during her time with them. 

My self-improvement Saturday is looking for and preparing to try out a few ideas for keeping my sanity (and maybe theirs) during the dog days of summer. 

The Peaceful Mom (at http://www.thepeacefulmom.com) offers up a Summer Sanity Daily Planner to keep track of daily activities such as personal care, daily duties (chores), enrichment (say what?) and entertainment. 

Over at Simple Mom's blog, she has a list of 200+ summertime activities for bored kids. I may be referring to this (or print it out and post it on the fridge) often. Check out the list: http://thesimplemom.com/2007/05/27/200-summertime-ideas-for-bored-kids/. A few of the suggestions include: 

• write in your journal
• find an ant colony and spill some food and watch what happens
• play charades
• make up a story by drawing pictures
• draw a cartoon strip
• make a map of your bedroom, house or neighborhood
• call a friend
• cut pictures from old magazines and write a story
  *** and don't forget taking photos & crafting *** 
  
  
  Last but not least is the idea of giving your kids a daily checklist (similar to the first idea but different). 
  
  
  I may not be Catholic, or anywhere near it, but over on the Catholic Mom blog, Jennifer Fitz has some thoughts and suggestions on allowing for screen time but within a reasonable schedule, including things that also need to get done and other activities as well. 
  
  
  Since screen time, particularly computer use, is an issue in our home, I am thinking of trying something similar. First I need to see just when the kids wake up on their own in the next week or so. I have to make sure I am ready to go to work by 10:00 a.m. 4 days a week. I want to plan some fun family activities on my days off. I want to add a couple of daily chores to the kids weekly ones. I would like to have my own version of a sanity schedule in place by a week from today ... 
  
  
  and somewhere in this schedule I hope to have time to do my Etsy activities and some down time too. Right now that down time includes watching "New Tricks". 
  
  
  Wishing you a sane and wonderful summer!
  
  
  Ciao for now, 
  Mama Zuzi

Thankful Thursday - The End of School

It is Thursday and there is just one day left of this school year. Amazing. 

Today I am thankful for all the teacher's and school personnel who help my children and honestly all children every day -- to learn, to grow, to become who they are meant to be.

And in that spirit, I am going to share my process in making yesterday's wonderful tutorial which I am making for my kids' teachers and the school secretaries. 

Thanks again to Design Mom for the terrific idea and tutorial which you can find here:

 

And now without further ado, is my version (it was fun): 

1. Printed out the templates

2. I colored mine. 

3. Cut 'em out. 

4. Score & fold where indicated.

5. I glued the side tab first. 

6. I used the glue bottle to hold the bottom tabs together when I glued them. 

 

7. Fill with goodies. 

 

8. Ready for gifting on the last day of school! 

Ciao for now, 

Mama Zuzi

Missed Mama Monday

OK so I missed Mama Monday. I had my reasons. But I'm making up for it now. AND there will be a Tutorial Tuesday today (Tuesday) -- just a tad bit later today. 

So yesterday was Mama Monday. Getting the kids ready and myself, making some breakfast and doing our routine when suddenly my daughter says, "Mom! Today is the Astoria Trip!" It doesn't sink in at first. In a few beats however, we both realize that she was supposed to be at school on a bus AN HOUR AGO! Has anyone else read the Mama End of Year Rant that has been all over the internet!? This is one of those moments. "... you expect me on June 3rd to get my kid to school an hour early and on a Monday no less after the weekend and with NO REMINDER! Ain't gonna happen! Oy. In May maybe or October, but not in June!"

For those of you who haven't read the rant, here it is: Worst End of School Year Mom Ever. It is definitely worth a read!

Back at our house, it is just a good thing I had made a sale in the Etsy shop to keep me in good spirits. I scrambled to find a babysitter and once that was set, head off to my office. 

As to my Mama studio, let's just say it is a major mess after fulfilling these adorable orders: 

Three of these are on their way to California and I'm delivering one to an sweet 3rd grader today! The last one should head to it's new home soon. While these are looking good, my studio is looking like this: 

As you can imagine, I'll be doing a little cleaning and reorganizing this afternoon before I get to work on my order for Quinn (soccer sign) and my latest (first really) wedding sign! More later today. Happy Tutorial Tuesday! 

Oh I almost forgot... There are only 3 days left to get your name in the Birthday Blog Comment Contest! It is easy peasy to enter. Just comment on any post in my blog (anonymous is easiest but you'll need to add your name into the body of the post or I won't know who you are) and then share that post anywhere... Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest - you choose! I'll be picking winners on my birthday - this Friday! So get to it! I just know you are a winner - I can feel it.

Mama Zuzi

Anyone think I just might start seeing scrabble tiles in my sleep? 

It's Self Improvement Saturday: 10 ways to lift your mood

I've been thinking since yesterday just the heck what to post on Self Improvement Saturday (today)! At first I thought I'll do something such as write a few pages in my novel and let people know I did it. I still might do that but honestly it's pretty boring to anyone but me. And so I decided to make a list! 

In this case, I'm going to give out some ideas on Self-Improvement Saturdays probably most of the time. You can take 'em or leave 'em. You can save them or share them...whatever floats your boat.

As someone who has struggled for years with bouts of depression, I am often trying to figure out how to improve my mood. All of us have our ups and downs. And to be honest, while I'm feeling down for those folks affected by the awful Oklahoma (and other states) tornadoes in the last little while, it is hard to be in anything but a good mood in Portland, Oregon today as it is our 2nd sunny warm-ish day in a row! It is just beautiful out. 

But back to the task at hand, which is: 

10 ways to lift your mood* 

1. Get outside:  If it is sunny and warm, all the better but even a good walk in the rain could improve your mood -- just don't stay in bed all day. 
2. Treat yourself: to a treat. Head for your nearest Baskin & Robbins or DQ, or make some cookies. If sweets aren't your thing, have something that is. 
3. Play some music: Preferably loud. Find some tunes that remind you of middle or high school or any good time of your life. Or just turn up your favorite radio station. 
4. Reread your favorite book: or go find a new one. For me it would be "A Room with A View."
5. Watch some TV: Get out of bed and on to the couch. Find a great TV series (on Netflix, Hulu or at the video store) to immerse yourself in for awhile to get out of your own thoughts and worries. I have had great days enjoying episode after episode of "Doc Martin," "Psych," "The West Wing," "Without a Trace" and "Golden Girls." 
6. Hang with animals:  Snuggle up with your favorite cat or take your pooch to the dog park. If you don't have your own pets, try to visit a friend who does.
   
7. Take yourself to the movie: I have often done this one for my own birthday when everyone is working and I've taken the day off. Go see what you want, when you want and enjoy!
8. Play: It isn't just for kids. Get on your bike, skateboard or lace up some skates. Better yet head for the local park and swing on the swings -- with abandon!
9. Smile: Whether you feel like it or not and no matter what you are doing, even if it is just hanging out in bed playing on the computer. It tricks your brain into thinking you are happier than you are. Fake it 'til you make it ;-)  
10. Sing: Probably not "Swing Low Sweet Chariot."  Go for something upbeat and even a little quirky. Some of my favorites are Christmas carols any time of the year (especially in Summer) and things like "Come On, Get Happy" by the Partridge Family and "Walking on Sunshine" by Katrina & the Waves!

*If nothing is working and you are still feeling persistently down and seriously depressed, you may need to talk to a therapist or medical doctor and/or get medication. If for any reason you are considering harming yourself or someone else, call 911, visit any emergency room or call 1-800-273-TALK (8255) for help right away. 

You matter. Please take care of yourself! 

Now go and enjoy the day! 

Mama Zuzi

Prep work

Prepping a canvas this week. I can't wait to continue the process but need the paint to be completely dry. Having to stop myself from going out to purchase tons of supplies. 

The creative process certainly is a mysterious thing, especially as an artistic person who is also the parent to two kids, a 4th and a 7th grader. Between periods of single parenting (when my husband travels on business), working with the kids to do their chores and their homework, shuttling them to and from play dates and other activities, it is hard to have the quiet time needed just to be silent and hear the voice of inspiration. I'm having to figure out other ways to get energized and get the creative juices flowing. 

I did notice that seeing what other artists are doing at the Sidestreet Gallery show last week was an inspiration. So many great ideas out there that have never occurred to me. They may or may not be anything I need to pursue, but they get ideas flowing nonetheless.

What gets your creativity flowing? 

PS - if you are following along, I still haven't managed to go get a frame for and hang up my daughter's flower picture. My current excuse is that I may not be able to control myself  and may come home with bags and bags of goodies! Could be fun but expensive! 

Sunday, Sunday

It is a fairly typical Sunday around here. We all take a while to wake up and get productive. Some wake up by fiddling around on Facebook while drinking their iced coffee, some play on their ipods, some a little t.v. or computer game. 

Shortly, I will have to get out of my pajamas and really start the day. There's breakfast to be made and eaten, kitchen cleaning to do, grocery list making and then shopping, gerbil cage cleaning and a room to be painted. 

And somewhere in the midst of all that, I'll be finding the time to finish up these two lovely magnets so I can get them to their owners this week. Then maybe next weekend I'll make a few more with various photos from the shop. Is there a particular photo from the Mama Picture This shop that you'd like to see turned into a magnet? 


I do take special orders! 









And while we are chatting... it is back to school time for so many kids and whether they are off to a great year or struggling a bit, check out the "Route Cool" card in the shop. I'm thinking I might give one to kids in my life to encourage them to have a great 1st semester this year! Classic yellow school bus headed for a terrific school year! The kid is cool, school is cool... you name it is a fun bit of educational inspiration!

Happy Sunday y'all! Hope to hear from you soon!

Fun in the summer time

Summer fun.

To most of us those words bring up images of running around our neighborhood with friends, sleeping in, Popsicles, the ice cream truck and swimming! 

As Summer weather has finally arrived in the great Northwest, we decided to go ahead and put up our inflatable pool. It is the first place I look for my daughter from now until I know she is in a school classroom. She is a water baby for sure.

Unfortunately she wants someone in there with her at all times and often she wants it to be me. Yesterday I was off the hook because I was at my office working all day. Tuesday (my other day off this week) I got a short respite in the morning while we waited for the clouds to burn off. I had hoped to be working on my Etsy shop orders during that time but the right magnet parts have not arrived and the prints were still a work in progress. Instead I made scones - real ones - the kind that are even triangular in shape!

Ready to go into the oven

Ready to eat!

Chocolate chip scones were quite a hit, especially with the sprinkled sugar on top. They looked so good, I even had to have one -- which added 300 calories to my daily count! Two bouts with the treadmill to work that off!

By the time we had mixed, baked and eaten our scones, it was warm and sunny outside and time to get in the pool. I bought a wee bit more time by taking a trip to purchase pool toys and of course ended up in the pool for much of the afternoon. 

The good news for today is that my beautiful prints have arrived thanks to the hard work of Thomas Webb! You really must check out his incredible paintings and prints at http://www.etsy.com/shop/Webbitup! 

I have forewarned the girl that I will get in the pool but once because I will be working on Etsy orders and packaging, including a trip to the post office and possibly a store for crafty supplies. Soon this pile of gorgeous prints will be cards, canvases, necklaces, magnets and more.

Stay tuned!

So many prints, so much "making" fun to be had!

The sun will come out tomorrow, bet your bottom dollar that tomorrow... there'll be school! 

 

A Mid Summer's Night Dream

July 14, 2011

This is what our pool looks like with no one in it. It has looked this way multiple days this summer as the temperatures dip into the 60's and 70's. Some would envy us. Others snicker under their breath about what summer looks like in the NW. We just wait and figure out another way to enjoy ourselves until the temps rise again - should be in a couple of days! Not to worry as it doesn't take much to get my water baby girl back in the water! The boy, however, is another story.

Airing our clean laundry

Add caption

School's Out for Summer Blog!

School's out for summer. In an attempt to make the most of our summer adventure this go-around, we've decided to "take over" the Mama Picture This blog (at least temporarily) and present: The Kids Summer Blog! 

Each day you may see 1, 2 or even 3 photos. The girl's choice, the boy's or even mine once in a while. We are going to try to illustrate what we are up to and have a little more fun by doing it. 

And so, here we go... 

First full day of Summer Break... 

The boy was playing with friends and is now home but fighting with a nasty head cold. Poor guy. As you can imagine, he's not really into the spirit of this thing - yet. The girl and I had a girls' night last night and hung out together (including for a nap and an awards ceremony) 

Mickey Mouse Peanut Butter Pancake Sandwich

Mickey Mouse Peanut Butter Pancake Sandwich, 
  

It's gonna taste so good it makes me feel rich. 
  

Mama's silly rhyming typing is not a glitch, 

It's true, for lunch today I'm having... 

a Mickey Mouse shaped 
peanut butter pancake sandwich!

Featured on the Heart Handmade Blog!

I am so honored and excited to have been featured on this wonderful blog, Heart Handmade. Thank you to it's author, Mandie! She rocks! 

I hope you will check out the feature on me and Mama Picture This (there are a few interesting tidbits about me and my life that you may not already know) and the rest of her blog as well! Spread the word. Share with others! 

Crafting rocks!

Best, 

Mama Zuzi

Tuesday, April 19, 2011

2nd grade homework

A special just for you...The Blog Photo 4x4!

For all of you who check out this blog, I've added a special to my Etsy Shop. I'm calling it the Blog Photo 4x4. The most exciting part is that it is YOUR choice. Just go to the shop and look for the Blog Photo 4x4 listing. When you purchase, just make sure to include the dates the 4 photos you want were posted to this blog (and a brief description) that you want in your 4x4 mini card set. If you don't want 4 different cards, pick 2 and get 2 of each (or) just pick 1 and get 4 of that! Just for you and the over 12,000 times my blog has been visited!

Happy Feet, Happy Day!

My day was made today when someone purchased 2 of my "Happy Feet" cards from the Etsy Shop! Did a little sleuthing and figured out it was Stacey from Positively Kids ... a great organization I found on Facebook that is working on videos to help young kids become positive for life. If you have a young kid, you should check them out!

Positively Kids

Give the girl a cookbook, and she makes chicken nuggets

One nice thing about my office is that people leave perfectly good items they don't want in the break room for others to have. Today when I went in to get my coffee, I came out with that along with a Kids Cookbook. 

Lucky for me, being Spring Break and all, the girl is looking for projects (but truth be told this particular girl is ALWAYS looking for projects... even minutes before bed!!!). She started to look through the book for dinners she could make and voila tonight she is making Golden Chicken nuggets. The beauty of this book is that basically there are 3 steps to every recipe! 

I admit we helped a bit. Dad thawed the chicken. I did the last bits of chicken cutting and rolling the nuggets in the fried onion mixture, but the rest was all our girl! It may not be boeuf bourguignon but it is a start. Next up... how to get my boy to cook something other than microwave popcorn!

Crazy Hair Day