Whimsical ME

Project alert!

Wow ... like my friend Selena said,

I'm on FIRE!

haha.

Well, I've had this project in mind for a while now and finally completed it today.  It does still needs to be hung up but that is Adam's job (lucky for me).

I saw this and it was $250 bucks (that was the discounted price) and I thought, HECK I can do this!

 

So, Adam measured the spot for it and we decided we needed a 32x32 piece ... we got 2 pieces out of the plank and with the other I made the piece for Nadya's room.

I primed it with Krylon spray-primer and then used 1 can of black krylon spray paint in Satin.  I did about 3-4 coats of the black.  AND then I got a hold of a girl that cut out some vinyl for me.  I was a total vinyl virgin and she had to explain it to me step-by-step AND I am sure glad because it was difficult (in that it required A LOT of patience).

Breakdown.

Wood = $15

Spray Paint = $4

Vinyl = $14

random other things I used from my house :  painters tape, quilters ruler, quilters mat, pencil, knife, measuring tape

total = $33

Just in case you want to accomplish this project here's how I placed the vinyl.

 

Step 1.

Kayci cut the vinyl at 28x28 so I had to measure 2 inches in from the edge of the board.  I drew a straight line on all sides of the board ... those were my guides to where I would place the vinyl down.

Step 2

Thankfully, I own a transparent quilters ruler because that made things easier when I had to place the sides of the letters alongside the straight line.  In case that you don't have one of these awesome rulers, Kayci had recommended a leveler/laser.

Step 3

Once I had everything measured out, I made sure everything was put down with painters tape.

step 4

I pressed firmly on the transfer tape and made sure that the vinyl adhered to it and taped it lightly back.

step 5

I tore the blue paper to get it out of the way in order to pull back the transfer paper onto the board.

step 6

Press firmly on the transfer paper to adhere the vinyl onto the board.  For some reason this was the step that required the most patience and determination to get it done.  I also learned a few tricks.

step 7

One of the tricks I learned was to rip the transfer tape down while also pressing firmly onto the vinyl which worked faster and better for me.

YAY!

(for some reason I had the transfer paper peel some paint of the board ... so it needs a little touch up and I still need to erase the pencil marks)

Doesn't it look FANTASTIC?

 

Finished project alert

Feels pretty awesome when you finish something, yes it does!

So, I printed this picture of Nadya at a 16x20 and it turned out to be too small ... not good!  So, how did I solve that problem?

I (adam, did) bought a square plank of wood ... we were able to get 2, 32x32 pieces with a left over piece that I used as a straight edge for this project.

I used my beloved Krylon spray paint, 2 different colors.  I had to prime this puppy first because the lighter pink wouldn't show very well and I only had 1 can.  After I primed it with 2 coats it was good to go.  After 2 coats of the lighter pink -- I eyeballed (yes, i did) the stripes!  I did just 1 coat of the darker pink so that it looked a little distressed.

Voila!

Better Right?

this makes me smile

Every time I walk by this room ... it makes me STOP and LOVE my family a little more.  I might just do this to ALL of the walls in my home!!  So many pictures that I wanted to print HUGE ... I have the wall that is going up my stairs that needs a little LOVE!

Now, YOU gotta go and PRINT something really BIG and show me!

Week in My Life 2010 | Day 7

What a wonderful week!

So glad I was able to document my life as it is today.  As I take a peek back when I started this 2 years ago, I'm amazed at the changes that happen so quickly.  So easily do some of those memories fade.  Reminds me of the times we watch videos of when Nyomi was barely talking ... and how different her voice sounded and didn't realize the change because it happened so gradually.

HALLOWEEN was FABULOUS!

So fun to relive my childhood through their little happy faces.

She really enjoys shoving her fists in her mouth.

I love how she stares at her hands.

First time she goes for her feet.

Kids sleeping in.

Adam sleeping in ... see there to the right.

Dylan practicing his DASH moves.

Found some candy organized ... just incase you thought my kids were being messy, like I did, until I looked a little closer.

Found this beauty at TJ MAXX homegoods.  Such pretty looking things at this store.

US as the INCREDIBLES.

Now, the kids keep coming up with ideas for next year, like:

food (Dylan=pickle, Nyomi=milk, Mommy=Grapes ... etc)

and I forget the other recommendations.

 

How many years do we have to be able to dress-up with our kids without them being embarrassed by us?  2-5 yrs?

Adam quickly carved this pumpkin ... so quick ... that I didn't manage to get some photos, because I was busy setting up the camera for our family photo.

Our next door neighbors.  First house to trick-or-treat this night.

As soon as Dylan's pumpkin started to get heavy he was ready to go home.  Adam took him home to relax and pass out candy, while I did some more trick-or-treating with my little girl.

Dylan was hilarious when he passed out candy.  He made sure each person took 1 and when they tried to take more ... he would sternly say, "Take JUST 1."  

OKAY

this is the deal with this picture.

Dylan LOVES to stick his bottom up in the air

AND

asks the victim to "smell his stinky bottom".

YUP,

that's my boy.

He also asks us "smell my stinky feet" or "smell my stinky hand".

We watched Batman Returns (the one with Catwoman).

AND

Dylan was out!

Week in My Life 2010 | Day 6

Getting into the candy stash early in the morning, but instead of getting angry, I took a picture.

Headed over to Hobby Lobby and saw these cute things.

I think I want this bird, but have to find a spot for it first.

Tamale from El Pollo Loco.

Dance PARTY!!!

Where did this come from?

Opening Adam's memories from his childhood.

Playing the Harmonica that was sent from Pops that used to be Adam's when he was younger.

Organizing Nadya's room again to fit in a new/old piece of furniture.

They were "pinky-swearing" that they'd share their candy.

Our visitors for Cookies and Ice Cream.

They played video games, of course!

AND

there were tears

of course!

Noticed that Max would suck in his cheeks when things go really intense.

April showed me a bunch of cute blogs that I have to look through again.

AND

we watched Food, Inc

OMGoodness, if you haven't watched it, do.

Dylan conked out on the couch after they left.

Week in My Life 2010 | Day 5

Phew... it was Busy!

Can't believe I did it again this year.  Completed my 7 days.

 

FRIDAY:

This is the outfit of the day.

The candy she was allowed to take with her lunch.

LAUNDRY, just 1 load.

The bottle LIED, it turned out GREEN!

Dylan's school Halloween party.  Dylan and his cousin Ella.

Look what I got from craigslist.  Work out began this morning!

We watched a movie and ate some popcorn.

Playtime with my boy.

Well, the battle doesn't seem fair, does it?

Making rice crispy treats for Heather's Halloween party!

Week in My life 2010 | Day 4

Today was busy.   Busy mending little hearts.  By the days end I had HAD it and I was ready to lash out at anything ... especially Adam.  He'll tell you.

Went searching for a thrift store with April and when we finally found it ... it was GONE.  So sad.  So I made myself feel worse by going to get my favorite Chicken Biscuit sandwich from Chick fil-A.

Cleaning got interrupted by my little Nadya being fussy.  She wanted me to hold her ... so I did.

BUT

not before I got some photos.

So, I cuddled and soothed until she fell asleep ... and then had to pick-up Dylan from school.

AND

when we came home we had lunch, read books and I cleaned up some more while I danced to the new Rihanna song (that one can really get me moving).

School really gets him tired sometimes.  I felt bad when I had to wake him up.

He's not a very "happy" riser.

So, here I was again trying to mend his little heart.

Watching his favorite movie "Ghostbusters".  

She did her homework REALLY fast to be able to attend a Trunk-or-Treat this evening.

Getting into character.

 

 

Week in My Life 2010 | Day 3

Trying not to take the same pictures of my everyday, but that is hard to do with a 3 month old ... I'm basically always cleaning, feeding, changing diapers, homework, driving

BUT,

It's all in a days work and I wouldn't have it any other way.

Week in My Life 2010 | Day 2

I was like a zombie when Nadya woke up at 2:30 am for her feeding.  She did go to bed early and couldn't blame her.  It just didn't feel good when I had gone to bed at midnight.

So here's a glimpse into my Tuesday.

Her wake-up smile.

ugh, I'm so embarrassed by my room ... but it will get done soon.  AND it will be beautiful!

Unpacking Adam's suitcase.

Dylan always opening the fridge ... always!

If you know Dylan, YOU know that he LOVES his sunglasses.  All sunglasses and he wears them very proudly like he should.

Miss Kim LOVES, LOVES Halloween and goes all out.

If you are a nurse, especially in a the maternity ward ... COULD you PLEASE get me some more of t these pacifiers, with a cherry on top????  She only uses these and refuses any others.  Darn!

Feel so good to be showered.  And while I showered Little Miss fell asleep in her bouncer cause she was refusing her crib this time.

Meeting Adam for lunch at El Pollo Loco.  My friend has just recently turned me onto it and I LOVE it!

I just LOVE this picture because it is a sincere photo of how he looked at Nadya ... pure joy in his expression.  AND he's super handsome :)

Dylan decided to wear his Halloweenie socks to school and I thought it was so darn cute!

This picture gave me an idea.

Carpool pick-up.

Piano lessons.

Watching Glee, but then it was bedtime ... so Glee had to wait.

Adam looking over some Halo Reach techniques that he printed off.

Adam texting inappropriate messages to his co-worker that teased him about being at Joes BBQ last night.

I worked on Nadya's Halloween costume.  It turned out so cute!

 

Week In My Life 2010 | Day 1

The day started at 4:30 am, when Adam told me he had just fed Nadya and that he was going to work.  Luckily, I was able to fall back to sleep until 7:05 am ... not to the early start I had hoped for.  And this is how the day went.  I will not do a lot of explaining tonight, since I'm a little tired.

...

We went to Walmart to look for a red onsie ... to transform it to her costume for Halloween.  Found one, but I have work to do.

The only picture I will appear in today.  I will switch cameras each day now, so that I can document me in the photos as well.

Went to Party City to buy Dylan's costume, but it turned out they didn't have it there ... or anywhere as it turns out.

After Michaels and the Post Office we were home at 10:22am and I started to look for costumes online.  Nothing good.  Will have to do with what we have at home. 

Dylan has a fascination with smelling and kissing Nadya's feet.

The things that need to go upstairs ... never-ending story of having 2 floors.

Thank goodness for my little guy who makes ME relax and enjoy a movie with him.

He mostly always takes a nap on our way to pick-up Nyomi from carpool.

Nyomi always saves something from her lunch to eat on her way home.

Loving the gray skies.

Adam was not feeling well.  He took a trip to St. Louis this weekend to visit his old neighborhood and house (his parents are moving to CO.).  He's not feeling too well now.  Apart from the flying and driving ... he's very allergic to cats ... and it's taking him a bit to come out of it this time.  Poor guy.

After they were put down to bed, Dylan did his nightly ritual of trying to get out of going to bed.  He told me that his finger hurt.  He also told me that Daddy had pinched his finger.... hm.