Buggie and Jellybean: February 2010

Thursday, February 25, 2010

I rather be getting a root canal...

oh wait thats what I was getting!

{got to love the blueblockers they give to wear, should have worn my Raybands for the coolness factor..}
Moral of these pictures people, FLOSS!

Now I am off to try to take some Motrin without drooling all over myself.

{Got to love modern medicine.}

Wednesday, February 24, 2010

What's for Dinner Wednesday.

I want to apologize up front for the lack of photos to go with this post. I feel like I am missing my right arm, I have missed place my battery charger for my camera!

Ok back to dinner.

Mashed Potatoes Stuffed Chicken Breast w/ Oven Roasted Broccoli.

Ingredints:

4 Chicken Breast {bone in with skin}

Mash Potatoes {I normally use a package of the Idaho Baby Reds}

1 Lemon

2 Tbsp Butter

2 Tbsp of Parsley

1 Package of Broccoli

Olive Oil {for drizzling}

Salt and Pepper

Preheat the oven to 375. Cook the mash potatoes, add grated peel from the lemon. Take your chicken breast and separate the skin from the breast {simply stick your fingers between them}. Take the mash potatoes and stuff it under the skin, fill them up {you can get a good amount in there}. Place in a baking dish skin side up. Drizzle with olive oil and the season the salt and pepper. Bake for 45 mins.

Take the chicken out of the dish. Add the butter, lemon juice from the lemon, and parsley to the baking dish. Stir as the butter melts. Then drizzle the mixture over the chicken as you plate it.

Take the broccoli and spread it out over a lined baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper {I normally toss with my hands.} Bake for around 15-20 mins at 375, just until the broccoli gets crispy brown {this is my families favorite way to eat broccoli}!

Enjoy!

Packaging pt. 2 {Blog take over Happy Find}

{I recently made a purchase from Happy Find. When I sent a message to Venus that this was a gift and if she would not mind putting a little note inside, she went above and beyond. Once the package made its way to my cousin, Melissa of Punkin Threads, she was just as thrilled about the packaging as I had been. So this got me thinking, I should ask Venus and see if she would do a package tutorial. And by fate she had be pondering doing one for her blog! So here is part 2. of a genius packaging tutorial. Enjoy my friends Venus is a true artisan!}

Hello sweet friends! It's Venus from Happy Find just poppin' in with Buggie and Jellybean to say hello and talk about packaging. BUT before I get started, let me just tell you how cute is this blog?Okay, first of all, my youngest daughter (yes, daughter) is all into action figures, robots, karate, shooting (and that's a whole 'nother story) and seeing your hubby's transformer is seriously peaking my interest. Can't wait to see the room! And this brings me to the whole point of blogging... I am never ceased of amazement of all the talent that's out there. Connecting with others... being inspired ... and learning new things on a daily basis is just awesome. So thank you Amy for having me and thank YOU, all of you out there for doing what you do!

***

Al-righty then, on to packaging!

In my post over at Happy Find, I mentioned using various mediums for your packaging. Recycle-reuse is my main focus. Use what you already have, whether it be brown paper bags, grocery bags, construction paper, pages from a magazines, etc. The options are endless. Be resourceful and get creative!

So with that in mind, let's jump into our first packaging idea:

Got scraps? If you sew, chances are you got scraps. Here I have left over scraps from a thrift find pillowcase.

Take measurements of your product, cut two pieces of fabric (make sure to add extra for seam allowance), place the pieces right sides facing each other and sew three of the four sides. You are basically making a pouch.

Turn it inside out and wallah! Rather than finishing the opening edge, I just used my scallop pinking shears to prevent any fraying.

Use a ribbon or even a strip of fabric scrap to tie shut. Cost: zilch.

***

Here's another idea:

Got magazines?

Check out this tutorial for paper gift bags. Follow the instructions and you can make your own paper gift bags for almost anything!

To add a little flavor, I folded the top over, punched holes and slipped a strip fabric scrap to close it.

Fun-fun-fun!

Here's another alternative....

Make your own stickers, using white labels.

Take a label, cut it down to size. Use pinking shears for the edge .

Stamp it up! Draw! Whatever you fancy!

Slap that baby on!

Cute, ay?

***

Ready for ONE more?

***

Okay Amy, I think you might fancy this one!

Say you have a product that a tube would be a better solution for your packaging. Check this out...

My daughters kept their old calendars. I like using old calendars because for one, it's thick like cardstock paper, two, it has a beautiful print on it and three,

RECYCLE-RECYCLE-RECYCLE!!!

Cut out a page. Clean up the edges.

Flip over your paper with the right side facing down (oops, I didn't take the right shot). Place your product on top and center. Make sure you have plenty of allowance on the top and bottom of the piece.

Gently roll the paper and product into a roll.

Using an adhesive glue roller, glue the edge,

and continue to roll to the edge. Gently press along the edge to make sure there is contact with the glue and paper.

Again, make sure you have space between the edge of the tube and the product.

Now fold down one side of the opening like so. Repeat on the other side. As you are folding the sides, you want to shape the closing in a "U" shape, creating what looks like horns (don't worry... nothing devilish going on here!). There's a method to my madness. You'll see...

So the ends of the tube should look like this.

See?

Here, I'm using twine. You can use ribbon, rope, etc...

Take the twine and wrap it around the tube, going vertically along the front side of the tube.

Cross over the back side like so and bring the twine around horizontally.

Tie in the front.

If you have a business card, punch a hole in the corner and thread it through the twine.

And there you have your very own custom tube! Remember the "horns" on the top and bottom? It keeps the twine in place. See... I'm not completely nutty... just a smidge!

***

I can't stress enough how important packaging is in any retail business. You put love and effort to your product... protect it and make it stand out with the right packaging!

I have a few more ideas over here. Take a look!

{I recently made a purchase from Happy Find, who I found through this posting. When I sent a message to Venus that this was a gift and if she would not mind putting a little note inside, she went above and beyond. Once the package made its way to my cousin, Melissa, she was just as thrilled about the packaging as I had been. So this got me thinking, I should ask Venus and see if she would do a package tutorial. And by fate she had be pondering doing one for her blog! So here is part 2. of a wonderful packaging tutorial. Enjoy my friends!}

***

It's been fun hanging out here...

take care and

HAPPY CRAFTING!!!

Monday, February 22, 2010

And the purchase has been made {my stroller decision.}

I did it.

I made the commitment.

I have lost sleep over this decision.

But I made the purchase.

And here it is...

I am super excited. This Joovy Ergo Caboose, in my opinion is my perfect solution. Getting a double stroller has been by far the hardest thing to do. Buggie can sit or stand and it has a sunshade on her section! Plus it comes with a carseat adaptor. I did have to get some additional accessories {got the appletree seats}, bummer.

I can not wait to test this baby out when it gets here. I will be sure to share how she handles.

PS sorry for all the links, but thought it was easier then added a whole bunch of images.

I have been itching...

too share pictures of Jellybeans room.

But since I have not finished up with all the final touches, I have been resisting.

AGH! It is driving me crazy.

So here is a very LITTLE taste...

Hubby was beyond excited to share some of his treasured toys from childhoods past.

One of his original Transformers that has found his own perch in Bean's robot themed room.

I ♥ faces - Week 8 "Hands on fun."

Perfect Day + Perfect Shell = Perfect Memories.

I can not wait until our upcoming trip to our beach house for some major shell hunting

sessions with my Buggie. I just love her froggie boots smiling up at me in this photo.

Go check out more "Hands on Fun." over at I ♥ Faces.

Friday, February 19, 2010

I am a Barbie girl...

well not really {I was never really into Barbie, I was more a cabbage patch type of girl}. But my Buggie sure is. If I were to create a "Barbie world" for her it sure would include some of these goodies...

1. Kartell Barbie Louis & Lou Lou Ghost Chair

2. Jonathan Adler Happy Chic Set

3. Housewife Barbie Necklace by Venus Flytrap Jewels

4. She's a Barbie Girl Print by Attackoframpage

5. Barbie Room by Pottery Barn

Wednesday, February 17, 2010

Happy Anniversary to Me Padres...

{They went to a Polo match on Valentines Day, they are so cute}

My parents are on one of their monthly trips to South Africa. As I feel a day behind on everything, it is only right that I post a happy anniversary posting a day late!

Happy Anniversary to my wonderful parents.

Thank you for sharing your love with each other over these past years.

Thank you for showing us how to make it work.

Thank you for all that you do for each other and for us.

We love you.

{Oh looks so relaxing...}

Footloose...{with a few things to mention}

This is how I spent my morning, snugly in bed with my babies. Jellybean is all about his feet {his jammies had lions on the feet} and Buggie with her feet all over me {she does this A LOT}.

Any who just wanted to say I have a couple of things to bring to my blog in the pipe line for the upcoming week {REALLY REALLY excited about these!}. And also a couple of projects I am working on to blog about. I just need to find the time, I can not complain but True Love Found is keeping me VERY busy these days, 30 sales this month alone. I wish I could add about three hours to my day, oh and grow an extra set of arms {oh that would be weird!}

So stay tuned...