2 Clever Blog

Virtual Shopping

Think::

This winter weather is just making me crawl the walls.  I managed to finish the girls Valentine Advent calendars but did not manage to take a photo to show you in time to make one for little Think.

Tonight Mr. Pink took the girls to the big indoor water slides and I ventured out to the mall to make final Christmas returns.  I don't know if you know this about me but every year I dislike mall shopping more and more, it just seems so overwhelming.    Any who I thought I would share with you some of the finds I found on my mall journey this evening.

This photo does no justice to the beauty of this kids swim suit.  It is white eyelet spandex, I know who has heard of such a fabric?  You just must see it if you have a Janie & Jack store in your area.  It has four rows of ruffles on the bum on the back.  It is darling.  Did you know Janie and Jack go up to a size 7 & 8 on-line.  I didn't buy it but am still debating.

 
Crate and Barrel had this awesome heart in heart pancake mold.  you will have to click here since I can't borrow the photo off of their site.  (C&B I love you so much I am still giving you free advertising)

Hannah Anderson had a wicked sale rounder in their store and I found this Thermalite jacket (not that you need coats where you live -Lucky!) for only $20.00 (regularly $98) and a size 10-12 dress for $12.00 for my oldest pink. She is not a fan of the color pink but agreed to wear it to church but not school.
You should check out their clearance spot on their site.  They also have a darling eyelet white dress in their new spring line if any eavesdroppers a good beach photo dress.

I was also able to drool over the new Vera Bradley fabrics at one of the stores in the mall.  This is my new favorite pattern , Hope Garden.  This is their new small lunch bag, so if you ever want a savvy lunch bag this is it.  (I don't suggest buying one for the little unless you strap it to her waist.  Ours got stolen at school last year)  Vera made a new laptop bag that is AMAZING and on my new wish list.

I love charm bracelets, love love love them.  For my birthday my parents gave me one of the new Brighton Charm bracelet with a charm for all the states I have lived in.  Too bad for them I have lived in 10 states so it was an expensive birthday present.  Good for them that they don't make a charm for Montana or North Dakota - what?  people in Montana and North Dakota wear Brighton jewelry too, all 300 of them.  So I am anxiously waiting for those 2 states to be released.  I went into Brighton to pick up my watch that was getting a new battery and had to share it with you.  I don't think it I had when we lived by each other but I have now had it for 4 years and I just love it.

Anyway nothing too exciting but just surviving the winter.

Mall Rat
Pink::

Little Think's Valentines

Hi Pink ::

Hope you are hanging in there with all the weather back there!

I have a decision to make. Little Think wants to do the same Valentines she did last year for preschool, this year for her Kindergarten class. They were cute and very "her". Got the idea originally from my Idea Binders out of an old Family Fun magazine. But I altered it to fit Little Think and her undying devotion to cats.

It is a little cat mouth you put around a sucker so when you are eating it you look like a cat. (or a dog, alligator, dinosaur, pirate, whatever you can think up)

Original and not to hard to make right? But you know me. I have "Idea ADHD" and can't focus if I've done it before. The thrill of the hunt is gone. Do I make my life easy and do this again? I mean, I've got all the supplies, the templates, everything. (I may add a third whisker and a round mouth part on the bottom to make it a little more cat-like.) But I'm afraid I will falter with the boredom. Or do I do what I usually do and start from scratch on something new and thrilling that will happily consume my entire week next week?

{sigh}

I'm trying to figure out where my word2word "now" fits in with all this.

Any advice? :: Think

(And no, Mr. Think, if you are reading this, you can't give your 2 cents.
I already know what you will say!)

Free is oh so fabulous!

Pink :: I know it's not Tuesday...

But something in a conversation we had recently made me think that you didn't know about the FREE, yes I said FREE, free music that iTunes gives away every week starting Tuesdays. If you go to the iTunes store and scroll down a bit, there is a section called "Free on iTunes". Every Tuesday there are 2 or 3 new songs. Some are not exactly my musical taste but some are fun to have, especially for workouts. I love being introduced to new artists that I would never find on my own. They also occasionally have music videos, tv shows and movie featurettes. I have downloaded several children's shows that Little Think likes to watch on my ipod when we travel. Even if you don't have an ipod you can still listen and/or watch them on your computer. It is now part of my routine to check it out every week. Last week there was the most creative music video I have seen in a long time. (Not that I watch many music vidoes these days.) "Her Morning Elegance" by Ore Lavie. Kind of depressing song but great clever video. You can see a preview of it if you look it up.

I do so love Apple :: Think

::::::EDIT:: Found a link to the entire "Her Morning Elegance" video on youtube here.

Word2Word :: Give2You

Hi our Eavesdropping friends::

Can we just say, We think you are wonderful!  Thank you for encouraging us on our little creative adventure in blog land and thanks for telling all your friends about us, (sharing creative sites is always a clever thing 2 do)

 Don't you love our new word2word rings from Pamela Susan

So, to again thank you we have an awesome give-2-you today from Pamela Susan, Fine Jewelry Artist.

You can go shopping at her store all dressed up or in your pajamas and 24 hours a day, click here to enter into her store. 

The give-2-you starts today and ends of course on next Tuesday (Feb 3rd) at 2:00 pm EST.  Entering is just so simple, leave a comment and tell us,  if you had to use one word 2 sum up last year what would it be (you don't have to tells us why but we all love a good story so feel free if you would like to)  Then tell us a word you have chosen to guide you this year.

"Leaving a long personal history for generations may seem daunting.  Consider leaving behind just one piece of paper that tells your life story going from word:2:word"

                                                                                                                 K. Buchanan

Pamela Susan is so generous by giving away 1 of her handmade Inspiration Rings to two lucky winners.  So leave a comment and then tell all your friends. She also has an amazing blog with a wonderful Valentine project.

We can't wait to hear your stories and your words
Think & Pink::

A little bit about Pamela Susan.  My love for art and originality comes from my mother, Susan, who is my
greatest inspiration. At an early age, I worked by my mother’s side on a
variety of handcrafted projects- making soap, spinning yarn, and throwing
pots on the wheel- to name a few. In addition, I was introduced to the art
of jewelry, which has remained a love of mine. As a mother of two daughters,
designing jewelry allows me to stay grounded as an individual. But most
importantly, I love sharing my creations with them and others!

Each piece of jewelry is handcrafted with a beautiful array of precious
and/or semi-precious gemstones, cultured freshwater pearls and precious
metals. There are rarely two alike!  I work closely with distributors to
ensure high quality products, and I purchase some of my gemstones directly
from a close friend who is a gem miner. This allows me to handpick some of
the finest gemstones before they go on the market.

When creating jewelry, my goal is to have an end product that is chic,
sophisticated, and fun. The greatest satisfaction I receive from my work
comes from making people smile. There is no better compliment!

I hope you enjoy my jewelry, and thanks for visiting! 

Think's Word2Word

Pink :: You always inspire me.

I have known about your "words" the last few years and had mulled over selecting one too. I could just never commit to one word. I would think of a word, then the next day I wouldn't like it anymore so I would choose another, not like it, so on and so forth. So I love this idea of going word2word from year to year. I don't have to pick the perfect word. Just a temporary word to borrow for a little while.

I love your word "Virtue". It says so many things with its 6 little letters. It is a beautiful word, heavy with meaning. That last statement in your quote is something I would love to become as well. A woman of quiet dignity and inner strength. Wow. Reminds me of my idol : My Mother. As much as I wanted to copy your word, I filed it away for another year and struggled to come up with one of my own.

My word2word is not as pretty as yours. It is a word used a lot in the English language. It is short and to the point. Almost brusk. It can be demanding. It can be exasperating. But it works for me.

My word is:

Told you it wasn't fancy. But it is just the word I need right now.

I am a perfectionist. Most don't realize what a debilitating disease that can be. I don't do things unless I think I can do them perfectly. I can't just tidy up my bathroom. I wait until I have time to take apart the faucets and clean them with Qtips, scrub the floor on my hands and knees, etc. which I never, of course, have time to do (who does?) so I don't do any of it. 

I wait for the perfect time to start. "Once my house is organized, I will have people over for dinner"

I wait for an even better, more clever idea to come to me. That's why no Christmas card since '05.

I wait for a deadline to force me into action.

I wait around doing unimportant stuff avoiding what I know I really should be doing.

I wait until tomorrow.

This is why I need "now".

I need to do it now. Not tomorrow. Not after I get the perfect this or that. Now.
I need to live in the now. Now is where I am. Now will never come again.
What am I doing right now?

Do what's right.
Do it right.
Do it right now.
-Barry Forbes-

Thanks for the push to do this, Pink.
I'm looking forward to living word2word right now.

 I can't wait to share the Give2You starting tomorrow :: Think

Word 2 Word

Think::

Well, here it is another year.  Time to reflect on last year dream of hopes for this year ( I know most people do this the first week of January but I just finished Christmas recovery last week so I don't get going on goal setting until the last week of January)
It is time for me to jump to my new word.  Every year I go from "word 2 word" and I hope to live a long time so that I can get a lot in because I always learn so much when I do.

In 2007 I picked the word "stretch".  That January I leaned down to try to touch my toes and could not.  I even took a photo of it.  It was depressing.  The winter months are always hard for me, I seem to be so easily down on myself.  So I decided that year to stretch myself physically and emotionally to do things a bit out of my comfort zone.  That year I

• stop biting my nails after 36 years.  That was a miracle and I have not gone back.  Yea Me!
• I trained and ran a marathon. - starting from scratch.  I had never run in my life before so this was a HUGE stretch. 
• I threw a party in my small home and got over the fact it was not big enough to hold everyone and would never be clean and perfect enough

Having that word in the back of my mind was just what I needed to keep pushing myself a little each day.

In 2008 I picked the word Pace and even came up with a quote to go along with it. 

"If you are not moving at a snails Pace, then you are not moving at all" 

After finishing the marathon I felt like I had no more valid reasons to sit on the couch, yet I continued to sit on the couch.  I tried to not get too overwhelmed with what I wanted to do and what I could physically do.  Pace seemed like the perfect word to teach me to not get too overwhelmed, you know me I often do.  I loved this word last year.  I ran two marathons that year (remember I used the word run lightly) a month apart.  Writing that sure does not seem like a "Pace" thing to do, but during each race I wanted to give up.  Telling myself that it was just one foot in front of the other, and slowing pacing myself is what got me to finish.  I had a lot going on last year and that word seemed to help me slowly get through everything I had to do but most importantly enjoy it on the way.

This year the word I chose is Virtue.  Last October I heard this description of Virtue and I knew I had to consider it as my word.  Read this you will love it.

"Virtue begins in the heart and in the mind.  It is an accumulation of thousands of small decisions and actions.  Virtue is a word we don’t hear often in today’s society, but the Latin root word virtus means strength. Virtuous women possess a quiet dignity and inner strength. " 
Elaine S. Dalton

my favorite part is "thousands of small decisions" - those little things we do, really do make a difference.  I want to bring the word Virtue back to this century as a common phrase.  I want to do little things that over the long haul will make a difference.  Saving my money, reading and watching books and media that keep my on my toes not watching someone trip over theirs, not be easily offended,  keep my chin up when I stay in bed went to put in under the covers, write more thank you notes, drink more water to keep me healthy, floss my teeth, be fast to forgive and somehow gain "Quiet dignity" - I have no idea how to do that one. 

I welcome this year with my new word and finding creative ways to demonstrate my word too. 

****Thanks Eavesdropping Alisha for sharing this incredible quote with me today.

"There is nothing in all this world as magnificent as virtue.  It glows without tarnish.  It is precious and beautiful.  It cannot be bought or sold.  It is the fruit of self-mastery."  Gordon B. Hinckley

I can't wait to hear your "word 2 word" for 2009.

Pink::

Dear Evesdroppers::

We have a wonderful give-2-you (remember we always have 2 winners) that you can enter by sharing your 2009 "word 2 word" that starts tomorrow.  So see you in the morning!!

::Think & Pink::

Reasons 2 Celebrate: Jan. 26th - February 2nd

Pink :: Where did last week go?

I didn't even get to half of what I wanted/needed to get done. Not to mention that I didn't make it to Goodwill for Thrift Week. Oh well. Here's to the new week!

National Cross County Skiing Week (hard to celebrate this in Texas)
National Handwriting Analysis Week (not sure I want to know...)
National Meat Week (Mr. Think is planning to celebrate throughly)

26th :: National Peanut Brittle Day

27th :: National Chocolate Cake Day
            (I going to Michelle's site for this right now)

28th :: Daisy Day (Going to make our Martha Daisy Craft)

28th :: National Kazoo Day
             (hmmm...I may have to make it Kazoo hour instead of day)

28th :: National Blueberry Pancake Day (pancakes for dinner...right on!)

29th :: Carnation Day (I love any excuse to buy flowers)

29th :: National Puzzle Day

29th :: National Corn Chip Day (eating Fritos while we do a puzzle. cool.)

30th :: National Croissant Day (ooh la la)

31st :: Backward Day (Little Think will LOVE this)

1st :: National Baked Alaska Day (how hard is this to make?)

2nd :: National Heavenly Hash Day
           (Like I need an excuse for ice cream)

My goal to eat healthy will suffer this week :: Think

Superman is having a birthday, I guess I should make dinner

 

Think::

Today is Mr. Pink's birthday and we are having a Sookerman (as littlest Pink likes to say) Party. It is fun to finally have a boy themed party around here.

Since it is Sunday and his birthday, I really feel the need to make a nice dinner.  So I ran straight to one of my favorite items in my home.  A few years ago the author of Chez Moi sent me one of her custom recipe boxes chock full of some of her favorites.  I have never made anything from here that is not just wonderful!  Today I am making the Zesty Lemon Chicken, Winter Salad and Broccoli with blue cheese. 

Michelle, is a brilliant chef and has a knack for collecting great recipes.  Wouldn't you love to have one of these boxes in your home too?  Well, the good news is you can.

She has a new (ok new to me) wonderful website with some her finest recipes.  The beauty of her new site is that it is categorized  by ingredients as well as dishes.  This way if you have a bunch of spinach in your house and want a recipe to use it up you just click Spinach and voila!

Let me know what you think of her new site
Pink::

Thanks Michelle,I think you are just 2clever and I am exited to have these to add to my darling pink recipe box!

 

Valentine Planning

Think::

I feel the winter blues getting me down, which makes me so happy that Valentines is just around the corner.  I swear these Holidays are what get me through when it is freezing outside.  We had our class planning meeting for the Valentines party (if feels so good to be ahead of the game on something!)

Here are some Class ideas that we are doing and things I have done in the past that you might want to use.

My first thing is that while you are on the food side of Wal-mart pick up any red packaged food to make a Valentine lunch on the 13th (as the kids won't be going to school on Saturday).  I always buy boxes of those Little Debbie pink heart snack cakes, I swear they sell out every year.  Red Pringles, red Jello, red apple, lots of Hershey Kisses, Red ribbon on everything.  Things like radishes and tomatoes are always fun to put in too (even though I don't know any kids who would eat either for lunch at school)


Every year I make a Valentines apron for the teacher with some simple iron ons that I print off my computer  (should we do a Eavesdropping tutorial on this or does everyone know how to do this?Nora thinking of you!)  I have the teacher put it on at the beginning of the party and then during the party all the kids sign it.  The apron is from Sam's Club.  They are sold in their restaurant supply section for $9.99 for 3 aprons. 
You can also dye them and take a dish towel fold it in half and sew pockets like this.
These were the ones I made for all you great friends that threw me that she she baby shower 5 years ago.
These aprons were dyed in tan and yellow Rit dye combo, ribbon sewn on the ties, wool felt appliqued on the front to monogram and pink covered buttons added to the top. These aprons are inexpensive and a great teacher gift

 
Next is one of the best class party games that I have ever done.  Eating donuts off of string (or cute polka dot ribbon in this case)  we did this for Halloween and the kids went nuts.  You could get the darling mini donuts from Krispy Kreme (24 for $6.99) and it is the perfect size.  Seriously if you are looking for a game idea this is a winner.


The other game that I do every Halloween but you could do for any holiday is the Marshmallow swap game.  For Valentines buy red crazy straws and you could use the heart marshmallows.  Each kid gets the same amount of marshmallow and when you say go they have to move the marshmallows from the plate to the cup by sucking them to the straw and dropping them to the cup.  This is a huge hit for any age.  I have done this one since Kindergarten and it is now 4th grade.  Then you pick the top 3 kids and have them do a final competition.  The beauty of this game is that there is complete silence!
the other game is the Conversation hearts - chopsticks game.  I do this every year too.  Although the photo was second grade when I found Jawbreaker hearts for super cheap and used these.  I buy 5-6 bags of conversation hearts.  I put them on the ground on a few plates and say go.  You see how many they can pick up using chopsticks.  My little Pink has always had someone in her class who only eats with chopsticks at home and it is so fun to watch them beat all the kids royally. 
(This and the marshmallow game often need a reminder that they can not eat any of the candies or marshmallows)

This year we are doing something a little different for the 4th graders.  Some have expressed they are getting too old for Valentines.  I say too bad you are never too old for Valentines, but to redirect the attention off of them we are forgoing any Valentine treat bags and encouraging the children to donate money for someone else.  One of Mr. Pink's patients (young 2o year old) lost all his sight while serving in Iraq and is currently back in the hospital.  Most of our activities for the party will include making Valentines for him.  Since he can not see now, hearing is key for him.  I couldn't think of anything better than for the kids and parents to go in on buying him the biggest, fattest iTunes gift card we can.  Until Valentines we will have a camouflage jar on the teachers desk for the kids to donate too.  This keeps the kids from thinking it is all about lovey-dovey stuff.  I strongly encouraging using any class party on helping those in the area in need.

If you have any questions about where to find anything I talked about let me know. 

Love,
Pink::

Walmart Wanderings Part 2: The Other Side

Pink :: What is The Other Side you may ask?

When we go to Walmart, Little Think always asks if we are doing the Food Side, the Other Side or Both. If we are doing the Other Side it means all the "fun" non food stuff.  That way she knows how long we are going to be in there.  She doesn't have to ask when we go on a Target Trek. She knows that is always a long visit. Gotta check out the deals on every endcap!!

Found these fun cardboard mailboxes there for $4. Bought one for each of us in the family. Going to talk about showing love everyday not just on Valentines Day and have us write notes to each other for at least a month or two about what we love about each other. Going to hang them on the walls outside our bedrooms. I think hanging them sideways with ribbon and two of those 3M removable hook thingy's will work.

Little Think has been going through Christmas withdrawls. That's way we are doing all those Reasons 2 Celebrate. But she keeps asking about when Valentines Day is so I wanted to to a quick countdown for her. But I am still recovering from all the Christmas Countdowns we had. (I think I need to stop buying them. Took us an hour everyday to do them all...)  I wanted something that would go in her room and she could do herself. Found this box of 24 plastic hearts that were kind pf cute for $5. Picked out the best 14 of them, added real ribbon and will put them in a bowl. Every morning starting the 1st she can hang one on this white IKEA tree. Simple, childproof and under $10 total. And I didn't have to make anything! Kinda nice for a change - it is actually done and ready to go. I still have a Christmas and Halloween countdown half-finished on my desk so I didn't need a Valentines one too.  They had plain red ones too that would be darling with rub on numbers and black/white check ribbon if I was doing it for me and not a six year old.

I also have been looking for an excuse for to buy this giant pompom kit. Going to hang them over my table in the kitchen for February.

Didn't buy these but I really wanted too. Striped snowcone cups! Gotta come up with a reason to get these before they are gone...

This is for Carlo and any other Eavesdropper Daisy Scout Moms. Look at this cute Martha kit for daisy necklace, pin, barrette, ring and ponytail holders. Love it. Little Think will be stylin' for her next meeting.

Will Wander again soon I'm sure :: Think

And the 2clever winners are....

Click graphic above to start movie of actual, real, honest-to-goodness, drawing.

The 2 winners of our 100th Post Give 2 You are ::

Eavesdropper #21 :: Mary Elizabeth

Eavesdropper #118 :: Carrie W.

We will be contacting you lucky winners to get the needed info.
Please keep us all updated as to what fun things you do with your 100 yards of ribbon.

(Tell us what you think of our awesome experimental movie! We know it's kind of backwards and cut off but not bad for a first try, right?)

Think & Pink

Snowy Homework

Think:

I just had to share with you 5 year old Pink's homework that was due today.  They sent them home with the blank canvas of a snowman to go home and decorate, by themselves!
These kind of projects are killer for me.  You know me, I want to take over and sew the guy a tipple pleat skirt with my pleater foot attachment, along with embroider little eyes and nose at the top.
I let her do everything!!  Even adding the band-aid to the side, since it got hurt in her backpack on the way home.
I was pretty proud when she found the mini cupcake paper liner and folded it in half and said "Hey mom look it is a fan!"
It was then I stood up in the kitchen and did the Tiger Woods celebration move (right arm in air, then pull it down close to body, fingers in a fist) Yep, she has got the clever bug too.  If I could pass on anything to my little pinks it would be to see a spatula in the kitchen and then find a new creative use for it.

Proud Mom
Pink::

Speaking of Twinkies...

Pink :: Did you see my post last year?

This was on my personal blog last year. Thought I'd toss it on here as a reminder for you to add regular size Twinkies to your grocery list for next month. This photo is from my Idea Binders*. Not sure what magazine it's from but it was a few years ago. I do it for Little Think every year. Simple and easy. Twinkies cut on an angle with fresh raspberries and watered down seedless raspberry jam. Elevates a Twinkie to gourmet.

(Did you know the name Twinkies came from the inventor driving past a billboard for Twinkle Toe Shoe Company?)

*Idea Binders :: 3-Ring Binders that I use to store any ideas that I like. I have over 30 binders for various topics. I tear out pages from magazines, print off from the internet, etc. and put them in page protectors. Makes my addiction to magazines easier to handle. I'll have to show you my "library" someday.

2Twinkie posts in one day. Gotta be a record :: Think

What I "dig" about you!

 

Hi Think::

Valentines day is just right around the corner, that is if you are crazy and have to make all your kids Valentines yourself.  (one year I just want to buy that box for $2.99 and be done with it)

So, I thought I would share this great idea that my friend Sonja, shared with me a few years ago.  She has her girls write one special thing about each kid in their class on their Valentines.  I thought this was brilliant and is a great way to teach our kids to look for the good in others.

Then I realized that Valentines is just not for kids.  The past few years I have sent Valentines to my friends and it has made me feel so great and not focused so much on what my Valentine is doing for me but what I am doing for the ones I love.

Above is a sample card that can be made along with a little bag of treats and a plastic shovel.  Get it what I "dig" about you. 

I purchased the shovels from here(Iparty) for $.40 each, but I just saw them today at Michaels for $.59 each and they say in white lettering what "I dig about you".  Mark my words, they will sell out of these so buy them now.  Iparty sold out of these one year when I wanted to make these, so if you see them get them!!!  Here is another photo of how to package them.

So here is a few things I dig about you!

• that you stay after a movie to watch/read the credits because you like looking at fonts
• you always seem to own a pair of Mary Jane's
• your hands could model for Harry Winston
• you actually play the boxed board games with kids and not just look at them on the shelf
• your Valentine is the most important person in your life.

Happy Valentineing
Pink::

: : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : :

Pink :: Just had to add this idea to this post

One of Little Think's grandmothers send her a full size plastic toy shovel. (See them at dollar stores all the time.) She just slapped an address sticker on the shovel part and sent it straight through the mail. No box. No nothin'. I'm sure the post office loved it. She wrote the "I dig you" with a sharpie right on the shovel too. Little Think thought it was hilarious and used it in our yard until it fell apart.

I'm loving the idea to personalize your valentines too. So personal. Which is what I dig about you Pink! Your remember things about people. You get to know everything about a person which makes them feel important and loved. You have no fear of asking questions. And then you listen to the answers. You show love so easily.

I dig it :: Think

Walmart Wanderings Part 1: Food Side

Pink :: So glad you had a great trip!

Since I can't compete with your Goodwill, here are some finds I found at Walmart a few days ago.

Bite Size Mini Saltines. I love saltines. Eat entire sleeves at one sitting. Such salty goodness. And I love anything mini. Can I tell you how cute they looked in my tomato soup? And I know these will come in handy at my next tea party with Little Think. A dab of strawberry jam would be charming.

The Diet gods are smiling on me. They know I have little or no self control. Takes me back to my lunches as a kid when there was a Twinkie for dessert. I usually only got one or two out of a box because my mom would eat the rest. Like Mother, like daughter....

I am hyperventilating over this next one. Found them on the cake decoration aisle which is by the craft supplies so not technically on the Food Side of Walmart but we are not being technical, right?

JUMBO CONFETTI SPRINKLES!!!!!

On anything they would be cute, of course. I mean come on - they are huge! But I am thinking one sprinkle on the center of  a homemade frosted mini cupcake and PRESTO....

A mini ripoff of expen$ive Sprinkles Cupcake. (Scream!)

(The real Sprinkes Cupcakes are oh so yummy. Lucky to have a store here by me. Have you had one?) How cute would a set of 4 of these mini ripoffs in a box be for Valentines gifts for friends. I am swooning just thinking about it. I was going to make some to show you but then I would eat them all...

But here are some cute mini cupcakes I just made for Little Think's Investiture into Girl Scouts as a Daisy Scout.

Not the best shot of them. They were already wrapped in Saranwrap when I remembered to document them. And I dumped half of them on the floor so I had to use my practice ones. (note the spastic one upper right) The Daisy Scout uniforms are blue so that's why the blue background. Little Think was not happy that the blue was not the same shade as the uniform but I have a limit of how much food color I'm willing to use. :) The center is a yellow m&m. I seriously used all canned frosting. Even the piped petals were out of the Betty Crocker squeese tubes with the extra tip set. Pretty painless that way. I made mass quatities of regular size cupcakes with sunflowers on top for a church event last year. Used mini oreos for the bumpy black center and piped lots of yellow petals and green leaves. Even had the teenage girls help make them. Pretty foolproof. Can't find the picture of those right now. (seriously need to organize my iphoto)

stay tuned for part 2 : the other side

It's no New York City but still pretty fun :: Think

I was in the wrong city on inaguration day

 

Dear Think::

Yesterday I spent the day in New York City. It was as great as it could be in freezing weather with my three little pinks!  We were able to hit the American Girl Doll store, lunch at Serendipity 3 and a indulgent visit
at Dylan's Candy Bar (Ralph Laurens daughter's candy store)
you must go, it has candy embedded steps.  My little pink's love it.

if you ever go to Serendipity 3 order the "A Summer Bries" 

 

 we watched Inauguration Highlights from the Cab.
We did pretty great for only having 3 hours.  It felt as empty as New York City could feel because everyone was probably in our town watching the Inauguration live.

Now I have got to unpack  from our long weekend.

Pink::

Inauguration Tradition

Pink :: You are so lucky to be in D.C.

I know you are out of town for the actual festivities today but I am so envious of all the things your family has experienced since living there in the thick of things. Your girls will have a greater understanding of how this country works from having spent time there. All the sights and events you have dragged them to and documented will be such wonderful memories for them.

I love the idea that we came up with the last week to do with our families to mark today's occasion. I am going to make it a tradition we will do every four years. We will write a Thank You note to the outgoing (or re-elected) President expressing gratitude for his service to our country. And then a Welcome to your New Home card for the incoming President and their family. We will wish them well in the days to come and let them know they are in our prayers. And this will be done whether we agree with their politics or not. Because being the President of the United States cannot be an easy job — for them or for their families.  They seem to age right before my eyes with all the stress. So anyone willing to do the job deserves a "Good Luck" and a "Thank You" along with our prayers. We are each going to write our own note at our house. Little Think will no doubt draw President Bush and President Obama a nice patriotic cat picture as well.

 Probably getting teary with all the pomp & circumstance on my TV :: Think

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Dear Eavesdroppers ::

If you are signed up in our 2Clever Club to get Eavesdropper Emails, you will get a copy (at least we hope it works) of the personalized cards for President Bush and President Obama shown in the photo above to print out. (The Bushs are walking away with Barney their dog and The Obamas put up pink poka dot curtains in the East Wing for their girls) Plus the addresses of where to send them. It was a little tricky to track down an address for President Bush's new home. (Lucky Think lives where she does) Print out as many as your family needs. Thanks in advance for always being cool and giving us credit if you pass the email, the ideas or the artwork along to a friend.

If you would like to sign up, click the icon on the upper right sidebar. You will get the next Email we send out in a few weeks.

Becoming email savvy one day at a time:: Think & Pink

Happy Martin Luther King Jr. Day

Pink ::

Remember when we were visiting you last June and I took this photo of my family's feet on the spot he gave that speech? I'm going to love putting this out in my home every January. Thanks again for the great trip. Hope you are having a wonderful holiday!

:: Think

The best seat in the house

Hey Think::

What to hear one of my clever Inauguration ideas?  Last Thursday I went into D.C. all by myself.  It was clever double duty because I was by myself (no kids)  and I went before the masses came in.  We are currently in Conneticut enjoying the most beautiful snow fall I have ever seen (seriously it looks like glitter) and will miss all the inaguration festivities.  I just couldn't stand leaving town until I went to see everything all  set up.  Don't you love my GPS photo of heading off the George Washington Parkway.  (here is another clever idea, make a little photo journal of happy visits punched into your GPS)

It was bitter cold but totally worth it.  Here is a photo in front of the National Archives with stands step up for the parade route. 

There were porta potties everywhere!

I could not believe how much security I saw as well.  Many of these K-9 cars with barking dogs inside.  I figure with as much security as I saw there was probably twice as many undercover.

The Newseum is one of my favorite new museums, it will be hoping this weekend.  I loved this large banner out front

There were gates everywhere getting ready to set up.  

Signs were everywhere to prepare for parking.

The last photo I took was the best seat in the house.  A park 

So, I can't believe I will miss all the festivities but just wanted to share with you what the town was looking like for the big day on Tuesday.

Back to making snowballs

Pink::

Reasons 2 Celebrate: Jan. 19th - 26th

Pink ::

It's National Thrift Week!!!
(Maybe we should post our all time favorite Goodwill finds this week? Or ways we are thrifty? ya in?)

19th :: National Popcorn Day (wondering how many kinds can I eat in one day)

20th :: Basketball Day
             (never been my sport of choice but might do a round of H-O-R-S-E)

20th :: National Buttercrunch Day (I hear a Butterfinger bar calling my name)

20th :: Penguin Awareness Day
             (going to watch March of the Penguins at home
             or go see Madagascar 2 again. Very funny.)

21st :: National Hugging Day
            (this is actually a copyrighted day by a Reverend in Michigan.
            Can you copyright a hug?)

21st :: Squirrel Appreciation Day
            (a little tough since we had those squirrels in our attic. Did I tell you 
            about the one that chewed a hole into my bathroom ceiling and
            watched me shower?)

22nd :: National Blonde Brownie Day

23rd :: National Pie Day (I know you can make pie)

23rd :: National Rhubarb Pie Day (my dad loved rhubarb. i've never tasted it.)

23rd :: National Handwriting Day - It is John Hancock's Birthday.
             (I think I'll practice my Junior High bubble lettering)

24th :: National Peanut Butter Day (watch out for salmonella!)

24th :: Compliment Day (Pink, you are 2 clever! ...I'm starting early)

25th :: Dinner Party Day
            (Does regular Sunday dinner count? Maybe we will eat it by candle light.)

25th :: Opposite Day
            (seriously? could not find any "official" info on this but thought it so funny.)

25th :: Observe the Weather Day

26th :: National Peanut Brittle Day (I need a good recipe)

Party on :: Think

15 minutes and less than $15.00

 

****I Forgot to show you these set of 8 plates I got too, perfect for Kentucky Derby celebrating.  plates .79 cents -  mugs 59 cents.  Are they not darling?

Think::

I am always thrilled when I get to the girls school 15 minutes early to pick them up because that means I can run into Goodwill to do a fast swoop to see if I can find anything.

Here is what I wanted to buy, but knew I had no room for them.

This awesome yellow couch with bees!  It as $60 (I would have offered less, but still bought it as $60)  If had just 3 more feet in my house I would buy this!

 
This with new knobs and a refinished counter --- ahhh!!  $40.00

So what I did buy...

I can't show you the other side of the plates because they are a birthday gift for one of our eavesdroppers but the back is almost just as cool.  They seem really old and incredible.  $2.10 for all of them

This cool $.79 cent vase will be a house warming gift for our family this weekend who just moved into a new home.  Not sure if she reads this, but even knowing I only paid $.79 cents, the vase is still really cool.  It had 2 gas receipts rolled up inside from 2001, I had hoped it was money.  Which is if was I would have returned to Goodwill.

As I type the littles are going crazy with a few packs from this amazing score.  $1.99 for 75 Cinderella trading cards.  Who knew they made Cinderella Trading cards.


 These were $.99 cents a bag.  I have no idea what I will do with them but I could not just leave them there to be used to hold curtains or whatever they are supposed to be for, they have a more creative destiny in my house.  Any ideas?

The last thing is this Pottery Barn (I swear it is band new) bumper pad for $4.00.  I am not sure what it will become but I am may sew some of these on some white t-shirts for the girls, put some in a frame, make some spring bags.  Not sure but I this just had to come home with me.

Pretty good finds for 15 minutes and less than $15.00

Now I am off to wrap the vase to make it look worth more than 79 cents.

Happy Day
Pink::

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What a haul Pink!::

My Goodwill never has furniture like that in it. I'm dying to see the front of that plate since the back is so inspiring. Charming vase. The trading cards made me pine away for my long lost Charlie's Angels Trading Cards I had. Sniff! And I'm loving the tshirt idea on the bumpers. Could do that with lots of stuff.

The curtain rings are cracking me up because my mom used those as frames for her grandchildren years ago. She painted them and wrote their birthdates and weights and then put their newborn photos inside. She then hung them with ribbon from a piece of wide ribbon.

Other ideas::

You could also make a cute banner with them with letters inside. Paint them red and spell out Happy Valentines Day. 

Have your girls paint them fun colors and make a fun ring toss game for a birthday gift.

Or use them to hang up scarves in your closet.

Or glue them randomly on top of each other to make funky modern wall art.

Glue a photo or picture on a little art canvas and then glue the ring on painted the same color as the canvas background to make a cute framed art for a child's room.

Glue them together in a grid for a cute trivet.

Wrap them in fuzzy pipe cleaners or fluffy trim, put paper behind and use as gift tags on presents.

Shrink down your littles artwork and use the rings as frames with a magnet for your fridge.


I'll add more if I think of anything else...

Jealous as always ::Think

Target Sale Alert

Run, Pink,  Run! ::

TARGET SALE!!!

I know this is bad timing with the Budget Beast, but see if you can use your Spend Lite application to give you a tiny bit of spending money. All of Target's leftover Christmas toys are on sale today! Some are up to 75% off!!! I filled my basket with gifts for birthday parties and "rain day I'm bored" stuff.  It was flying off the shelf so HURRY!

(Target should give us a commission. What is this, like the second conversation in a week about them? Sheesh!)

Trying to figure out where to store my purchases :: Think

Ooops! We forgot to tell you....

Sorry Eavesdroppers::

On our 100th Post Give-2-You we forgot to mention when it would be over.

Ooops!

Please leave your "I'm 2 clever" comment or tell your friends to get theirs in by
2'sday (aka Tueday) January 20th at 2pm Eastern Time. We will select our 2 winners of 100 yards of ribbon then.

Thank you so much. You all are 2 kind. (was that 2 too much?)

:: Think & Pink

100th Post - Give-2-You!

Photo of Think covered in just a sampling of some of the ribbon you could win

Hello Eavesdroppers:: (we are assigning you the cool color of orange)

This is our 100th post.  Wow, we didn't quit something we started.

How could we not do a "give-2-you"  to all of you who are so kind to us and come back everyday to hear what we have to say as well as send us nice emails.  (we love those by the way)

So, we decided to do a give away of 100 yards of ribbon in honor of our 1ooth post.  This is not just any kind of ribbon  - this is luscious, wide, polka dotted, stripped, checked and much more, kind of ribbon.  It will be every color shape and size you can imagine and lots of it.

But, really how could we only do one give-2-you when our whole blog centers around the number 2.  So we made an executive decision this morning in our pj's on ichat, that all of our give-2-you's (and yes they will be awesome and many) will always have 2 winners, now you don't see that every day.

So, to enter in this wonderful give-2-you all you have to do is leave a comment below {if this is your first time just click the word comment} and type you are 2clever, don't forget to leave your email address so we can give you the good news when you win.  What? you say.  Yes just type the words

(Your name) is 2clever

example below using the other girl names I would have  used if I would have had 4 more girls
Margaret is 2Clever
Frances is 2Clever
Martha is 2Clever
Louise is 2Clever

But if you say, "well I am not clever". We disagree by the mere fact you are reading this blog and signing up to have a chance to win 100 yards of FREE ribbon sent to your doorstep - You ARE 2clever.  Now don't be shy, leave a message and tell your friends so they can win too!

Happy Day!::!
Think & Pink
proving that 2 heads really are better than one

Hi Think::

In the past month I have found a new meal that I can't get enough of. It is the Indonesian Peanut Saute from Noodles & Company
which contains -
Broccoli, carrots, cabbage, Asian sprouts, cilantro, crushed peanuts, sesame seeds, lime and rice noodles.

If you register with Noodles & Company they will give you a buy one get one free deal coupon as well as a free dinner on your Birthday. Too bad I signed up the day after. I will say they have a darling website and I love their yellow straws and so does my littlest pink, who loves yellow. They even have chopsticks there if you are brave to try them, I never do but just may next time.

I talked to the manager today who helped me design my own dish which I will try next time.  I am going to have him use half the pasta noodles and then add more Asian sprouts so that it will uber healthy and more crunchy.  He was so nice as he was experimenting in the back while I was eating.

Do you have a Noodles & Co near you?

Pink::

The Budget Beast

Dear Pink ::

Yes, we too at the Think Household are trying to address the Budget Beast. Other than staying home and not buying things we are really trying to eat out less. When we renovated our kitchen last year we got in a very bad habit of eating out. And even when the kitchen was finished we still ate out A LOT. (I didn't want to mess up my fabulous kitchen of course, duh) So this January I pulled out a book my mother lent me awhile ago. Hopefully after reading this post she won't want it back. (Sorry Mom!) It's called Managing Your Meals by Winnifred C. Jardine.

She lists menus for every meal for an entire year.

And then she has the shopping lists for that week.

The back is full of the recipes. The meals are nothing fancy, but they are, according to the author, nutritious and economical. I figure they are much better than our eating out has been. I am not much of a planner but so far this has really inspired me to cook at home. I use the menus as a guide and change things out that we like or that I have a recipe for that I have wanted to try. It is just a great jumping off point. (I am also using my 99¢ iphone app "Shopper" and am loving it. It can sort my list by the aisles in my grocery store. I can email a shopping list with pictures to Mr. Think on his way home from work. I keep lists going for all my favorite stores. So awesome)

After I have sang the praises of this book, it is actually out of print. Bummer. But there are a few copies at Amazon and half.com. Keep a look out at Goodwill too. I saw one there once and I am kicking myself that I didn't pick it up. Or maybe an eavesdropper has a similar book they can share with us. 

Taming the Budget Beast one meal at a time :: Think

Dear Think::

Hey, is it just the Nation's Capital or is your grocery store selling darling inaugural candy too?

Pink::

:::::::::::

Dear Eavesdroppers,

This would be a great time to click the 2clever email link (it is in the upper right hand corner) and sign up.  Tell your friends, you won't regret it!  It is free and we have a fun gift coming your way for inaugration day - it is pretty amazing!

Think & Pink

Reasons 2 Celebrate: Jan. 12th - 19th

Pink::

Here are few thing 2 celebrate this week.

National Book Week (good excuse to sit and read while my laundry piles up)
National Bowling Week (we are going for our family night activity this week)
National Pizza Week (i think we celebrate this every week...)

12th :: Today is National Marzipan Day (always wanted to learn to make this)
13th :: National Peach Melba Day
14th :: National Hot Pastrami Sandwich Day
            (mr. think plans on celebrating big time. me not so much.)
15th :: National Strawberry Ice Cream Day (adding this to my shopping list today)
16th :: National Fig Newton Day (these too)
17th :: World Religion Day
18th :: Winnie the Pooh Day
             (i'm excited! reading the books and eating little smakerels of honey)
18th :: Is also Thesaurus Day.  (be very wordy)
19th :: National Popcorn Day (i'm partial to the white cheddar kind lately)

Little Think asks every morning "what day it is today?"
She needed something to replace her countdown to her birthday and Christmas.

Always looking for an excuse to party :: Think

Spend Lite

Dear Think::

Would you like to please help me understand how I am supposed to stick to Mr. Pink's new years budget when Tar'je comes out with and end cap like this???  I am not sure if it is possible.  Please make a little visit to this part of the store this week and imagine me drooling all over ever single piece!  I was brave and did not buy one thing, but am still dreaming about the pink, scalloped damask plates, yes you hear me right, - they were Pink, they were damask and they were scalloped.

I did add the free apple application of Spend Lite to my new iphone in hopes that will help. 

Hey want to do a new post about our favorite Apple Applications - I will start making my list and put it in the draft folder.

Any advice on what you to do to spend lite other than never leave the house?

Pink::
Vice President of money management at Casa Pink

All Better Bandaids

Pink :: Can you Hear Me? Can you really???

Finally. I am back in civilization. My internet modem went out for the last week. It would work, then stop. Work, then stop. I would set up to have a tech come out then cancel the appointment because it was working. For the last few months I feel like I spent more time on the phone with my Internet Provider than talking with my own Mr. Think. They had me picked up a new modem. They had me stop using my Airport because they said that was the problem.  But finally I had them come out. They ended up rewiring my entire house! Felt so bad for the guy crawling around in my scary attic. He said I had probably been having problems for months. Hallalujah! I thought I was going crazy. Or my computer was going to die. Or worse yet, my computer skills were failing me. Trying to post for the last while was painful because everything was so erratic.

And how horrible that this happened over your birthday!!! I couldn't even post a tribute to your wonderfulness. I tried to post a poetic "Ode to Pink" from my phone but couldn't remember how to post it and I lost all that I wrote. I might try and recreate it when the painful memories of my frustration at that moment fade.

But it's all better now. I feel like a new woman.
( A woman who realizes she is addicted to the internet...)

Do you like my photo of my Scooby bandaged modem? Little Think thought it was hilarious. Speaking of bandaids did I ever send you a package Ed Emberley's Dr. Doodles bandages?

It's a kit of solid color bandaids and markers and he gives his classic instructions of how to draw around the bandaids to make art. Little Think loves it. I use it only for the more serious injuries that need distraction.

(This is of her fire ant bite artwork. A cat of course. Look how swollen her foot is. Those ants are vicious!!!) I love Ed Emberley's stuff. His website is great. I can waste lots of time there. I have quite a few of his learn to draw books. And his children's book "Go Away Big Green Monster" is a hit around our house. I couldn't find a store that sells the band aid kit anymore but someone on ebay is here. But I think you can do this with any band aids and washable markers. It dries up injury tears pretty quick.

 Hoping for no more internet boo boos :: Think