Pin Tested, Pinkie Approved - DIY softener sheet

Looky there!  I made that button thingy.  Yeehaw!

I know, I know.  It's not groundbreaking or perfect or even done right but I still dids it!  Yeehaw again.

This might be a new segment here on Pinkie and The Bean but we'll see.  I hate to commit to anything.  But since I do spend countless hours scanning Pinterest for crap I'd like to attempt to make one day, I figured on the rare occasion that I actually do find myself getting off the couch and making something, I should post it up.  Fair warning though, I am no Pintester!  Miss Sonja has it going on over there on her blog and she is the Queen of testing out pins.  She makes me laugh out loud many, many times.  So if you think you'll see that kind of work here on this blog, you will be wrong.  I am but a mere stealer copier tester wanna-be.

But I have actually recently tried out a pin I found and let me tell you, this is a good one.  Good.  Good. Good.  And 'tres ease-A!  (That's French for "you can do it too".)

This pin is amazeballs.  Yeah, I'm probably too old to be using that phrase but it is stuck in my head and will not self evict.  This is a pin for DIY laundry softener sheet.

Pin Tested, Pinkie Approved.  This idea was shared by Heather at That Crazy Family.  In her post, she talks about "no more dryer sheets" and says this idea caused her to say goodbye to dryer sheets and fabric softeners.  If you visit her page, you will see that some judgey folks posted comments correcting Heather on these statements.  I like to call these people the Internet Literal Dumbass Society or ILDS for short.  You know those type of folks.  The ones that scour the web not really looking for ways to boost others up.  Instead they devise ways to make themselves feel superior to others.  Just read the first few comments and you will see the type of people I am talking about.

"You said the sky was blue.  You are wrong.  It is actually Cerulean.  And now because I've wasted my time by replying to you ONLINE so everyone can see it, I am far superior than you and I deserve all the world's riches!"

Yeah, THOSE people.

Anyhoo.  If you use Heather's method, you can do away with having to buy dryer sheets - if you actually already buy dryer sheets.  You do still need to buy a sheet or rag, towel, cloth diaper, snot rag, something and a bottle of fabric softener.  Or if you have a stack of old towels, diapers, snot rags on hand like I do, you are already ahead of the curve.

You simply pour some fabric softener into a bowl.  (I used a bucket.  Go me!)  Put the fabric of your choosing into the bowl/bucket and make sure the liquid covers the fabric.  Then step away.

For three days.

Yeah, three days.  This isn't one of those speedy cleaning challenges, ummkay.  Then after three days, wring out the fabric softener and hang the fabric up to dry.

You're done. You can take a nap now.

(See.  I told you this was an awesome pin cause there is time for napping built in!)

The next time you dry clothes, just throw the fabric softener-soaked fabric into your dryer.  No more BOXES of dryer sheets.  (Is that good enough for you, Literal Queens???)

Now just to answer some questions you might have like other commenters had on Heather's blog,

1) I used a piece of fabric that is a cross between a cloth diaper and a t-shirt.  It was some work rag my husband had and never used.  That type of fabric has not left any fuzzies on any of our dark clothing.

2) I have had ZERO static cling.

3)  I recently made this sheet so I can't really say how long it will last.  The post says 40-50 loads.  I have used it for about 15-20 loads and so far, it still smells fine and so do the clothes once they are dry.

4) If you have an issue with fabric softener chemicals sitting on your skin all day, you won't be using fabric softener, dryer sheets, or whatnot to begin with, and probably won't even waste your crunchy goodness time reading anything about DIY dryer sheets. If you are a member of ILDS and even though you don't use them, it makes you feel better to let everyone else in the world know you won't be getting cancer from said fabric softener but I will, please feel free to leave one of your heartwarming comments below.  I'll pay about as much attention to it as I do figuring the complex analysis of toe jam quantification.

There you go.  That's my pin testing post for the day.  Even if you aren't a member of the ILDS, please feel free to leave me a comment telling me how funny I am, how much of a great blogger I am, how wonderful my sock monkey looks sitting on my desk.  Anything wonderful will do.  Go on.  You know you want to.

So I can stamp this one Pin Tested - Pinkie Approved!

We see Sight Words! includes a freebie!

Bean and her class have started learning the Dolch sight words.  They recently switched to Dolch from the Fry list.  No clue why.  I'm sure some of you probably aren't as in the dark as I am and understand the difference but I don't.

We have printed out some seasonal words and have those taped up all over the house.  Bean can tell you what each word is but I am not sure if that is because she really knows the word or is reading the pictures that are next to each word.

Today we should receive her very first progress report and part of that report shows how many sight words she can recognize.  I thought I would create our own cards for the PrePrimer list and put those up as well.

I used PicMonkey to create these cards.  This is my first attempt at creating my own printable and in honor of that, I thought I would share the cards here.  This is a PDF file and all you have to do is click the link, save the file to your own computer and then print them out.  I use cardstock for ours for a little bit sturdier card.  I used a free graphic set made by Graphics From the Pond and found on her TpT site.

  

Dolch PrePrimer Sight Word Cards

*Linking up to these parties:

Family Fun Friday @HappyandBlessedHome.com
Inspiration in Progress +Clippie Dips
Too Cute Tuesdays +Funky PolkaDot Giraffe
Take a Look Tuesday @Sugar Bee Crafts
Pretty Wednesday @Free Pretty Things for You 
HappyandBlessedHome.com
The Mommy Club @Crystal and Co.

Bentos Gone Bad

Now that we are official school goers, every day we are faced with the decision of "eat at school or take a lunch".  I always had to eat at school.  Well, each new school year I would start off with a brand new lunch box but after being faced with BORING sandwich after sandwich for a couple of weeks, those lunch boxes would usually turn into crayon carrying cases or Barbie squats.  I do still have a fondness though for my Pigs in Space lunch box.  I think that one was my favorite.

If anyone can figure out how old I am by this visual reference, KEEP IT TO YOURSELF!

Nowadays, the hot new trend isn't what's on the outside of the lunch box but what's on the INSIDE.  I'm speaking of all the cutesy lunches made by really fabulous Martha-Stewart emulating moms.  You've seen them probably on Pinterest or heard one of your own children talking about them.  These cute, "themed" lunches are usually called Bentos.  If you want to know more thrilling details about bentos, click that link and you can read it for yourself.  I'm too busy making lunches to school you all right now but here are some examples of Bento lunches.  Disclaimer:  I DID NOT MAKE A SINGLE ONE OF THESE.  THAT SHOULD BE OBVIOUS.

Aren't they cute?  Some are too cute to eat.  They do look like they take some time though, don't they?

I thought since I am a crafty gal I should be able to make a cute lunch here and there, right?  I mean, if I can figure out how to make a smiley face on an IHOP pancake, I oughta be able to figure out how to fancy up a sandwich, right?

Right?  Is this thing on?

So...in my crafty gal - bento preparation mode, I picked up some dolphin cutter-outter things at the grocery store.  It looks like this one.

It lets you make two dolphins PLUS a heart.  Sweet, huh?

I set out all of my ingredients - cutting board, cookie cutter, bread, butter (in the South we pronounce that "buttah") knife, soy butter (cause a classmate is allergic to the hard stuff), and jelly.

I slathered the soy butter and jelly all over our 100% whole wheat bread.  This bread was in a couple of years ago but now I hear that these gluten-free folks don't think it's the bomb any more.  I'm am so 2008.  Sorry.

Then I grabbed the dolphin cutter and steadied it over the sandwich...steady...steady...steady.

And this is what I got.

What in the hell is that?

That ain't cute.

That heart looks due for a bypass and those dolphins look like, well, I can't even come up with what they look like.

Martha would be so disappointed.  So would Japan.  I wonder if there is a Japanese-version Martha Stewart?

I don't know but she'd be disappointed in my Bento skillz too.

It shouldn't be rocket surgery or nothing like that, should it?  I mean, it's just press and lift, right?  Should I have gone to Georgia Tech to figure out how to make a shaped sandwich?  That would never happen anyways but you get the picture.  (Go Dawgs!)

So, sadly, the lesson here today folks is that bentos aren't always cute and warm and fuzzy.  If they are fuzzy, don't eat them.  That's probably not the best choice you could make in a day.  But sometimes bentos go bad at the hands of inexperienced moms who just want our lunches to be cute, too.

It's okay though cause I also picked up a castle-shaped cutter.  I wonder what kind of crappy sandwich I can make with that one.

Under construction

You might have noticed that things look a little different around here.  I wanted a new look to our blog in hopes that it might spark some inspiration to write again.  Also, Bean is getting older and has really outgrown the drawing of her from our old header.

I tried my hand at redesigning everything myself.  I added a new background, changed the layout from 3 to 2 columns in hopes of making the posts easier to read, and designed a new header.  I used the MyMemories Digital Scrapbooking software and a kit from Lindsay Jane called Outdoor Play.

Use Code STMMMS98980 for $10 off the software!

I think it turned out cute but I do see things I would like to tweak.  But it's pretty good for the first try.

I also need to update my right hand side bar so ignore all of that for the time being.  Hopefully, I can get all the coding fixed shortly and it will look very pretty.

First Day of Kindergarten or Yep, I Cried

As my Facebook status read this morning, “Yep, I cried.”  Why?  Because today was Bean’s first day of Kindergarten!  So begins her road to regular school.

We attended orientation yesterday so we could all meet her new teacher and tour the school.  It’s such a big school for my little baby to go to.  Yes, I understand she’s NOT a baby.  I am reminded of that every day.  But she is my baby and this is a whole new world to her (and to us).  It’s a new school, new teachers, new classmates.  No one from her preschool is going to this school with her.

She was a little nervous about that.  She has alternated between excited, nervous, curious, and scared.  She was always excited to wear her new clothes but not so excited to leave her preschool teacher.  She was nervous because no one else that she knew goes there.  She said to me last night as we tucked her in “Mommy, what if no one sits with me at lunch?”

I teared up.  These are the things that scare me so much.  I want her to make lots of friends and to be accepted and to feel comfortable at her new school.  I would absolutely hate it if when I pick her up tonight she says she hated it and doesn’t want to go back.

So my first thought was to try and make a joke ‘cause, you know, that’s what I do.  I almost said to her “well that will just mean you can fart and no one will say a word”.  I chose instead to tell her that I really doubted that would happen and that I thought her whole class would probably sit together at lunch.  I hope, hope, hope that’s true.

She has been curious, too, which I loved to see.  During orientation, we took her into the school library.  She looked at Hubz and said “you mean they don’t have to drive you to the library?” And she was of course very curious about the playgrounds, too.

And she’s also been scared a little.  “What if I forget my teacher’s name?”, “what if I can’t reach something?”, “what if you forget to pick me up?”.  What?  That one has never happened!  I just want that on the record.  And I’ll admit I have been scared, too.  What if she can’t find her classroom after she gets off the bus?  What if she gets hungry during After School?  What if?  What if?

Again, she’s my baby.  I’m her momma.  I’m supposed to protect her.  I’m Mama Bear.  But I do know that every cub has to go out into the world one day on their own.  So I will try to loosen up and let her go because I know that this is just one step in her journey to her own life completely separate from any I set up for her, any I sign her up for, and any I plan for her.  It’s just one step and I’ve got to chill out and let her make it and pray that she finds her footing - on her own.

Did I make you cry?  Did I make you tear up?  Hopefully these pictures will help to make those teary eyes dry up.  They almost did for me.

*We used this printable from LittleMonkeyPrintables.

Long time no see.

It’s been a long time since we’ve posted here.  We’ve been through some ups and some downs along the way.  Sometimes you just don’t want to share and other days you want to shout things from the rooftops.  I’ve been in a non-sharing mode, I suppose.

But while I have not been inspired, it does not mean that there haven’t been inspiring things that have happened along the way.

Bean attended a Girl Scout Princess Party and now wants to be a Girl Scout.  Not sure if she realizes that doesn’t make her a princess or not...

We started enjoying the warmer weather.

I turned my hair pink.

Bean turned her hair pink.

Hubz and I celebrated our 9th wedding anniversary at Callaway Gardens.

We saw foxes!

One of the best pictures of Bean was ever taken.

We made teacher gifts.

Bean graduated from Pre-K.

And she danced in her first ballet recital.

So we had a lot going on.  While some of it was very stressful, it all made memories.

I’m still not sure if I want to continue this blog, revamp it, or stop altogether.  I guess I need to find my next passion and see what happens.  I would still like to spruce up the design of this blog but I am so afraid of losing everything.  I have reached out to some people but haven’t had much luck.

Maybe inspiration will strike and get me out of this funk.  I sure hope so.

Summer is supposed to be relaxing.  Soon we will have to start gearing up for the first day of real, honest-to-gosh school at a real honest-to-gosh school.  This is mindboggling because, as I have said a million and one times already, Bean is still my baby and in my mind she is still a little infant.

Anyhoo...right now we are just trying to remember to slow down and enjoy each day.

Pinterest Projects - Bunny Eggs

This year Bean's class will have an Easter party and egg hunt.  All the students had to bring in filled eggs for the egg hunt.  I found this adorable idea one day on Pinterest and thought it would be a great activity for us to do.

Look at how cute those ribbon eggs are.  These are the creation of Christina from I Gotta Create!

I pulled together my supplies but realized I didn't have any wired ribbon that would work.  Everything I had was either really wide or for a different holiday.  Christina also made these chenille eared ones and I had some pink chenille that I thought would work.  But nope, the chenille I had was too fat to go through the holes in the eggs.

What we did have on hand was plain old white pipe cleaners.  Fine.  Not as flashy but fine.  Whatever.  (Can you notice the slightest crafting disappointment there?)

We cut the pipe cleaners in half and ran them through the holes.  Hubz actually helped us and this was his job.  Bean had said that she wanted us to do this "as a family".  Hubz put on a smile and started making bunny ears.  Isn't he a good Daddy?

I hot glued on the eyes and the tails.  My fingers are still recovering.  They'll be fine as soon as the crusty wears off.

Bean made the bunny faces.  She is getting to be a pro at making faces on our crafts.

So here's our version of the bunny eggs.

Look at that one being all cheeky!

Some of them needed some added washi tape to help keep their pants up.

They didn't turn out as crafty cute as the ones Christina made but Bean was very proud of them.  She thought the bunny ears and tails were the cutest.