little things i love

Recent Posts

    • spooky signage

      I don’t know how it went so fast but another year has flown by, and I’m back around to the start of my absolutely favorite time of year and crafting season. From Halloween to Christmas, I’m full of project ideas and in the perfect mood to curl up in my house cozy and crafting. This time last year my friend Stacy and I began our obsession with making banners, and we started with our awesome Trick or Treat Halloween banner. Stacy even inspired a few more of her friends to join in, and she hosted a craft night for them a couple of weeks ago. We both had fun coaching but, of course, needed our own new project to tackle.

      This BOO sign idea was at our Ben Franklin Crafts store. We “Modge Podged” Halloween papers on each of three wooden plaques and stained the rims of the plaques black by sponging on stamping ink. We used more Modge Podge (I love this stuff!) to attach the die cut letters and seal the top, and then we hot-glued on some cool embellishments. Getting the plaques – strung together with ribbon – to hang straight down is a little tricky, but the finished project is the perfect size for a door. The creative wheels are spinning, and I’ve got several more fun Halloween projects in mind (not to mention a Greek Goddess and a Cindy Lou Who costume to work on for my girlies). Now I just need to carve out a bit of time from my busy life to get busy crafting, and I’ll be a happy girl!

    • the little sister

      Today I was reminded of how wonderful my daughter Sophie is and what a special place she has in our family as the little sister. Soph is sweet, shy, smart and silly; she’s a pistol, a crack-up, a kook, an actress, a troublemaker and a cuddler. She loves music and jokes and books and drawing. She loves her big sister Bella with all her heart, and her role as Bella’s little sister defines them both. We love the movie “White Christmas,” and when Rosemary Clooney and Vera-Ellen start in on, “Sisters, sisters, there were never such devoted sisters” my girls can’t help but sing along.

      Sophie has a hard road sometimes, not always able to keep up or do everything as well. She’s had to spend a lot of time watching and waiting while Bella leads the way. But give her time, because I know that one day there are so many things she will be able to do even better. In our family, we read the picture book Big Sister, Little Sister by LeUyen Pham, a little sister herself. Sophie’s favorite part is the end when it says: “My sister is very good at being the Big Sister. But I’ll always be better than her at being a Little Sister.”

      Yes it’s a tough job to be the little sister, but Sophie’s a perfect one to do it. And she has a big sister that loves her more than anything; to have someone like that in your corner has to feel comforting and empowering. I just know that spunky, beautiful, amazing little sister Sophie will change the world – and lucky me, I get to watch.