What We ate Wednesday, has moved...

Today's What We Ate Wednesday is over on Yellow Heart Art the blog.

See Leonora {below} is moving into new digs this week and I am helping a sista out with a little guest post...

Hop on over and enjoy!

_______________________

And do not forget to enter to win a knit circle scarf of your choice in color, HERE.

I would pick yellow...

Guest Interview w/ Pencils and Daisies {plus a little discount code!}

As some of you might have figured out from reading my blog I am a little wishie washie about things. So when it came down to me picking a new look for my blog I was ALL OVER THE PLACE.

Then I had an idea, to see if Amanda from Pencils and Daisies could do portraits of the kiddies for my banner. You see Amanda draws, then watercolors portraits, and can digitally scan them for you to use online. AH-MAZING.

I just got the originals in the mail last week and they are hanging at my desk so I can stare at them...

So today we get to know Amanda a little more...

- Tell us a little bit about yourself and Pencils and Daisies:

Hello! I'm Amanda - owner and operator (that sounds so official!) of Pencils & Daisies. Growing up in small town Illinois, I migrated to Arizona when I was 14 and lovingly called it home for ten years. I suppose I've always been a Midwestern girl at heart, because I somehow made my way back here and currently reside in Chicago with my husband and our two animals.

My shop name comes from a Shel Silverstein poem "If the World Was Crazy" (Where the Sidewalk Ends); the whimsical nature of the poem matches my outlook on creating and the world in general. If you can't take things lightly and have a good laugh every day, then you're doing something wrong! Having my own shop has been something I've been dreaming up for awhile now...and when I was presented the opportunity to spend my days creating - I grabbed it! There you'll find custom illustrations and a few vintage items...but currently I'm working on a big plan to expand Pencils & Daisies, so look for changes at the beginning of the new year!

{Also, my photo is totally silly but I'm sort of obsessed with mustaches (I may even have a tattoo of one...shh!) and have way too many Polaroids. This combines both of those loves. <3}

Describe a typical day in Amandaland {ha that has a nice ring to it!}

My days are a strange mix of what we'll call day job, dream job, and real life (errands, etc). I wake up early to hang out with (other peoples!) kiddos before dropping them off at their classrooms and heading to part two of my day. Part two of my day is filled with dream job (illustrating! sewing! etsy! all around craftiness!) and real life (errands! dishes! swiffer-ing!). Once two o'clock rolls around, you'll find me back at Helen C. Peirce Elementary to hang out with the same little kiddos until their parents pick them up at six. Then I'm back home to eat, relax with the mister, and work a little more on dream job...or just watch a lot of tv. ;)

Are you always drawing or doodling?

YES. For as long as I can remember, that's all I've been doing. I've stopped carrying a sketchbook, because it doesn't get any use, but I doodle on everything else that's around. I tend to discard sketchbooks soon after I start them...I'm more of a "get an idea, get it going" type of person. I can't really have a sketchbook of ideas lying around, because they'll never get done! I love to find that great idea, and start on the actual piece right away...somehow it just works better for me that way - to get it all out when the inspiration hits instead of saving it for later between closed pages.

What drives your creativity?

Situations that are unexpected, whimsical, hilarious, or just plain ridiculous are the ones that drive my creativity the most. As I mentioned before, I think it's important to not take yourself, or situations, too seriously. When I was in school, my professors drove home the "art must have meaning" message...which personally, I never bought into. I can respect that, but I think you can also make something beautiful or appealing without having a deep meaning behind it. Being around those that are able to accept or mirror this lightheartedness are the most inspiring to me; sometimes the simplest (or silliest) of conversations with friends or family have sparked the creative flame most of all. Inspiration is usually out there and offered in ways you would least expect...and that surprise is what makes it amazingly fun.

What is your BIGGEST guilty pleasure?

Oh, definitely the amount of TV that I watch...I should probably work on getting Pencils & Daisies situated rather than watching twelve episodes of Daria every day. ;)

Where do you want to see your and your shop in a year?

In a year, I hope to see Pencils & Daisies become my only job (don't get me wrong...I love working with kiddos, but I love drawing more!). It's been a dream of mine for a long while to be able to work from home on what I love most. I'm in the process of really getting my long term business plan down, and hopefully I can keep the current momentum and inspiration going to make it a reality!

Amanda wants to offer Buggie and Jellybean readers a discount code, perfect for right before the holidays. I mean come on what Grandparent would not love a portrait of the grandbabies for the holidays?!

I'd like to offer a 15% off coupon code for Pencils & Daisies for the month of October to all Buggie & Jellybean readers! Just enter code "BUGGIEANDJELLYBEAN" at check out to receive 15% off your order (not including shipping, sorry!) for the whole month of October.

You can found me at:

Etsy: http://www.etsy.com/shop/pencilsanddaisies

Blog: http://amandawoodford.blogspot.com/

Thanks Amanda for the interview, the discount code, and most of all making my dream come true with my blog!! YOU ROCK.

------------

Do not forget to enter for your chance to win a knit scarf of your choice in color, here.

Prairie Hen Knit Scarf Giveaway. {Sep 26th thru Oct 2nd}

Happy Monday!

I have no Pinterest Party Project today, boo.

But I do have a great giveaway from a super de duper friend of my mine.

See when I say friend I mean a IRL {in real life} friend.

Not just a friendship made over the internet that has not hope of making it to the real life realm. Even though we met through blogging, twitter, and IG, it turns out we live in the same city. And share A LOT of the same interest and tastes, its kind of freaky...

Like when we showed up for a little date and we both were wearing mouse ears, we called it an "unintentional nerd alert". It was pretty funny getting out of the car and seeing her turn around in the parking lot.

Another reason I love Sara so much, is she is one talented chickadoo.

She is so patient and has taught me how to crochet!

Our littles get along too, which makes life that much more fun. Do not tell Sara, but I think Lilly and Bean might have a future romance together, thats if I have any say in it!

Sara has a cute shop on Etsy, Prairie Hen. Where she sells her crocheted and knit goodies.

Like these yummy cowls...

And these versatile circle scarfs...

Sara would like to give one lucky duck a circle scarf of their color choice!

Here is how to enter:

- Go off to Prairie Hen and mark it as a fav, then come back and like us know what color you would pick "when" you win!

For extra entries {one per option below}:

- Skip on over to Prairie Hen the blog and become a follower, I would highly recommend it since Sara shares her products there before they go in the shop and special offers and discounts.

- Tweet about this giveaway, if you want you can just copy this "Check out the awesome giveaway from @the_prairie_hen for a knit scarf of your choice, its AH_MAZING! http://buggieandjellybean.blogspot.com/2011/09/prairie-hen-knit-scarf-giveaway-sep.html"

This giveaway is open to US residents only.

Will close on Oct 2nd at midnight Eastern

Random.org will pick our winner.

I love me some good texting.

So recently I got unlimited text messaging.

I know I know I know, geez, it was like I was living in 2009 with my 1000 texts a month

BUT not any more, its 2011 everyday!

Which means I can have the most AMAZING conversations with my girls and

the best part I can copy them and share them here!

And just a heads up for those who do not have iphones, my comments are in the green bubbles.

This conversation was with my bud Sara.

It was the day Missoni came out at Target.

We were just a little ticked at the Ebay vultures...

{Just want to throw out there that neither one of us condone violence, mkay.}

The other day I sent my homegirl Leonora this picture of Bean, and one of his daily antics.

And here is the text message thread that ensued...

Nothing like scaring your friends that have yet to venture down the path of parenthood.

HAHAHAHA.

Happy weekend!

Halloween garland with a side of bats.

Yesterday I did a little more Halloween decorating,

you do realize that Oct 1 is NEXT weekend, right?

I made a fabric garland with scraps I had laying around.

I would show you step by step of this, but lets be honest me showing you how to cut strips of fabric and tie it to a piece of yarn does not constitute a tutorial. Just remember you are going to need more fabric strips then you think.

The other thing I did was download these bats. Trace them on some card stock and stick them on the wall, again not much in the form of a tute.

I love looking back and seeing what the kiddies looked like last year at Halloween.

It was a super easy, watch TV while you tie DIY. With what I think is a fun impact to our enterway.

Pinterest Project Party {Witch Art and Glow Stick Surprise}

When I saw this project on Pinterest, I honestly could not stop thinking of all the

holidays I could do it for.

And Halloween was first up on the list.

{Santa came from my Christmas board.}

First Hubs went to Lowes for me and a board cut to 3 x 3 feet. And after a quick date with the spray can I had my work surface.

I found the center and then laid painters tape down. Then using the tape I made a grid, and traced the tape.

I placed a small nail in the center.

And using a piece of string, made a circle around the board.

I made the grid on my image and then drew it out on my board.

Once it was all drawn out, I started painting. This part makes me happy, I love to paint.

And here she is all ready for October. I did add a little glow in the dark paint to the windows on the houses...

Oh and one other easy but super fun project we did was one from my Must Make board.

Glow sticks in the bath tub!

The best part is Target has 2 for a $1 in their $ bins!!! The kids LOVED it and asked if we can do it again soon....

Happy pinning and making!

Twig and Berries {we play with food}

Made this lunch plate for Bean the other day.

And when I shared it on Instagram, it got some rave reviews.

So I wanted to share how EASY it is to make this super fun lunch.

Here is what I named "Twig and Berries"

When I make a fun plate, it usually starts with what I want to make then, comes the search of the pantry and fridge for supplies.

What I used for this was:

- tortilla wrap

- peanut butter

- banana

- blueberries

- stick pretzels

- space goldfish

- in the picture above I used strawberries for the wings but you will see below the second time I made it I used spinach.

- eyeball candy {yes I have these in my pantry, just for food fun plates, I got them at Target}

Make you tortilla and fold in half. Then cut in half again, kitchen scissors are my best friend. Then use them to shape you birds...

The stars in the space goldfish make the BEST beaks.

Then pile some pretzels and blueberries for the nest.

So easy.

So fun.

Play with your food, you will not regret it!