2 Clever Blog

Polka dots

Think::

We spent 5 hours at the pool today and I am loving our new polka dotted towels. Just need to monogram them all and we are set for the summer.

Pink::

Check!

Pink ::

Figured out how to make a pin wheel out of pencil:
Check!





Made 60+ pinwheel kits for all the Kindergarteners:
Check!






Made aprons for all 3 K teachers for kids to sign:
Check!






Unpackaged 60+ Bucket Hats for kids to wear, decorate, and sign:
Check!
Swore I would never order awful, cheap, ugly bucket hats
from Oriental Trading again:
Double Check!






Ground up 5 or 6 (I lost count) packages of Oreos to look like dirt:
Check!

Happy my rarely used Cuisinart justified its exisitance today:
Double Check!


Printed off questions about teachers for end of year gift:
Check!

Somehow managed to lose my camera's lens cap in the 5 minutes
while I took these quick photos:
Check!

Realize how happy I will be at 3pm when this is all over for the year:
 Triple Check!

I'll let you know how it goes.... :: Think

Grocery Blaster

Dear Think ::

Hi girl.  My grocery store is getting a serious makeover. The are staying open while they continue to remodel the entire store.  The bad news is that everything is on a new shelf every week but the good news is that we are getting in a lot of new and different products that I have not seen before.  Like this Batter Blaster.  It is pancake batter in a spray can.  This would be so perfect for camping!  It was $5.99 a can and buying cool things to write about on our blog just to try them are NOT in Mr. Pink's budget plan for me - so I opted for a photo (yea iPhone)  But I do love promoting new ideas and products so give them some love and check out their website and darling jingle.

I also was thrilled to finally come up with the idea to grow my own cilantro.  I am constantly running to the store to just buy cilantro since we make this yummy rice recipe  every week!  It is straight from the Shenandoah Valley!  (the cilantro not the recipe)

Here is the rice recipe.

3 c water
4 t chicken bouillon
4 t garlic –minced
½ bunch cilantro
1 can green chilies—or equivalent fresh
¾ t salt
1 T butter
½ onion
3 c rice

Blend cilantro, green chilies and onion together in food processor. Bring water to a boil and add all ingredients, simmer covered 30 minutes.

Have a great Thursday

Pink ::

Having a Ball

Dear Think ::

Last Saturday I had 2 hours to kill in a neighborhood while my little pink was at a awesome birthday party.  I was lucky to find a garage sale with it being Memorial Day weekend.

I found 13 blue glass Ball Mason Jars.  The woman wanted $26.00 for them all but I offered $10.00 and she took it. 

My intention for these were purely practical.  I know I have told you every year how I make these gumball jars for teachers, bus drivers, librarians, cross guards and any other wonderful person who has made an impact in my daughters life at school.  

I buy a box of bubble gum at Sams club fill up glass canning jars and then put tags that say

"Thanks for Chewsing to teach at Hillrise Elementary. 
My little Pink had a Ball this year"

They are fast, easy and cheap.  Ribbon and tags make silly gumballs seem somewhat cool.

So after I brought home the beautiful blue glass jars on Saturday I put them outside until I was going to clean them out.  Well, I woke up this morning to my beautiful blue rain collectors.  (look how much it rained last night)  They looked so beautiful sitting on my deck, I now don't know if I can give them away.  How beautiful would they all be holding my ribbons and doo dads?

I am in a dilemma.  Do I use them for gum ball jars or are they much cooler than I am giving them credit for??
Seriously Think, what would you do?  I still have 2 weeks left of school so I have time to find more bottles.

Pink ::

I've Got Soul... I mean, SOLE.

Pink ::

Hope you had a great Memorial Day.
Look what my 2 Clever Mom sent me this week.
(Please ignore my non-pedicured toes....yikes! At least I am not making you look at my nasty heels. Double yikes back there.)

Cute, no? But here is why they are 2 Clever...

It's even on the bottom!

Isn't that hilarious! She said she just had to sent them to me.
Click here to check out Think! Shoe Company.
They are quite comfy!

:: Think

Memorial Day

Invitation

Dear Think::

Happy Memorial Day Eve.  Last night we went to the dress rehearsal of the National Memorial Day Concert.  (the dress rehearsal is much less crowded and other don't mind my squirmy little pinks running around)  It is on the lawn right in front of the Capitol.  There are many famous faces who come out along with tears from almost everyone watching
I seriously thought Mr. Pink (the non cryer) was going to start crying when

 

Colm Wilkinson came out to sing, "Bring Him Home" from Les Miserables.  It was incredible.

The amazing part of the concert was at the end when they play each song from each branch of the military and have those who have served or are serving stand up.  With Mr. Pink serving in the Army I always get a little teary when this happens.

The concert also tells stories and has photos from Walther Reed Army medical center that are touching and great for my girls to see more about where their Dad works.

So click here to check your locals listings to tape or watch the memorial concert.  (I think it will be on a few times over the next few days on PBS)

Off to watch the sun set at the  Iwo Jima memorial and overlook at the flags at Arlington.  How much am I going to miss this city when we move?

Pink::

Memorial

Think::
I am sitting on the lawn of the capitol at the memorial day concert. All I can say is.... Amazing!
Pink::

Chalk it Up...

Pink :: Look how early I am posting today!

It's just because Mr. Think is involved with this one. And it's actually an Accidental Idea.

We had a large expanse of wall above some countertops our kitchen. We were going to do some open shelves but since we are moving soonish we decided to look for a less expensive option that would still look good. I thought a chalkboard was always a nice thing in a kitchen. So I waited until Micheal's had a great sale on their frames and got a simple 30" x 44" black frame. (not just 40% but 55% off — Score!) We had a spray can of black chalkboard paint hanging around from another project we never made. (Another Score!) Mr. Think mentioned that we had some Bead Board we bought when we thought about doing our 1/2 bath. (Perfect!) We were going to use the other side, the flat side without the grooves for our chalkboard.

But wait!

Why not use the groove side?

 

(Super Duper Score!)

Now we have a chalkboard with lines to make it easier to write on! I love how it adds some pattern and texture to my modern kitchen and how easy it is to make lists on my "lined paper". I am using that chalk paint pen I love at Halloween instead of regular chalk since I think the regular stuff would accumulate in all the grooves and look kinda messy pretty quick.

Don't you love it when you are accidentally clever? :: Think

Travel Tip

Pink ::

Ran out of time and/or good light to do the post I wanted to do today so I went trolling through my iPhoto archive and found these recent shots of my "loot" from our Maui Trip in March and thought I'd share this Travel Tip.

Every place we travel that is a "big deal" to us we try and pick up a Christmas Ornament that represents that trip. I love pulling out the ornaments at Christmas and pulling out the memories of the trip at the same time. I find a spot to write the year so I will always remember when it was that we went and prevent future discussions/arguments while decorating the tree.

Here is the ornament we found this trip. It's a real orchid hand-dipped in epoxy that we bought from the artist who dipped it. Isn't it gorgeous!!! I will always remember the smell and colors of Maui when I see this. Will be especially nice when we are cold and snowy in December.

The other thing we try to find (we are not always successful) is a Nativity set representative of the area. Sometimes they are hard to find but usually if you look hard you can find them. I know I will always put them out at Christmas. No matter how my Christmas decorating themes may change from year to year, house to house, the Nativities I have collected will always have a place.

The one I found on our last day in Ka'anapali was perfect. Small (the people are only 3-4 inches), came in it's own box, was locally made from local materials, and was under $100. It makes me so happy to see it.  Great details.

Actually, my favorite thing about all this is that Mr. Think and I decided to do this tradition years ago. I love how it is understood what we are looking for and that we will purchase them when found. No begging or pleading to purchase on my part. I love that he is looking for the perfect ornament and perfect Nativity right along with me and he sometimes has a better eye than I have in finding them.

Can't wait for our next big trip!

Do you do this too? :: Think

Oh Yes!!!.....Oh No!

Pink :: Today's post is a free-form poem. (Ahem.)

Oh Yes!!!.....Oh No!
by Think

Graeter's.
The best ice cream in the world.
Oprah even says so.

Made only in Ohio.
Suddenly at my local Kroger.
In Texas.
Shock. Elation.
Dancing in the aisle.
Tears of Joy.

Yes, worth the $4.99 for a pint.
Blackberry Chocolate Chip, in particular.

Mass Consumption.

Swimsuit? What swimsuit?
My hips curse thee.
Farewell, diet...... farewell.

(FYI, it's also a good antidote for PMS) :: Think

Is this cheating?

Pink :: Sorry I didn't call today

Not sure where the day went. I'll try and catch you tomorrow.

Now I'm not sure if this is cheating on my "a post every day" pledge but I'm going to do it anyway.
You know I have a personal blog.
A personal blog that I PAY for. (I love you Typepad)
A personal blog that I have not posted to since NOVEMBER!!!
Yeah that one.
Brilliant I know. So much for being financially frugal. Paying for something that I don't use. Sounds just like my gym membership. Ha! I guess I have this "fantasy me" that really does things like post my family's wonderful memories for extended family members and exercises to keep in shape.

Oh well. I digress.

Still awake? Okay, so today in my email I start getting emails that people were posting comments on that blog. For a post I did in August. I checked my stats and my visitor count was sky high. What the?? Checked around and found out Tip Junkie had used my Meet the Teacher idea on her blog post about gifts for teachers and linked to mine. So funny. I am totally flattered she thought the idea worthy of notice but it was such a surprise that people were looking at my little lost forlorn blog. I wished I could have spruced the place up a bit. Changed the NOVEMBER header at least.

So I figured I should repost it here too for those looking for Teacher Ideas.  Remember this?

From my blog, and I quote:

It's just a bunch of #2 pencils around a Crystal Light canister thingy {you could use a OJ can too}. We used 3 white rubberbands to hold them in place and a piece of cardboard taped on the bottom to hold them up. You could glue them on but I like the idea of the teacher being able to use the pencils for her class when the flowers fade away. The flowers were beautiful. But I did not know that these particular red sunflowers where dyed red. The water was so pink and turned everything pink. So glad I used a disposable vase. Just thought I'd let you know if you plan on using them in a clear vase. You have to like pink & red together. {i'm personally not a huge fan}

Thanks Tip Junkie for making my original idea even better! Had not thought of it as being just as great for the last day of school as the first day.

Oh, here's another thing I just gave Little Think's teacher for Teacher Appreciation Week.

Mrs. Spitzer's Garden by Edith Pattou Illustrated by Tricia Tusa.

Darling book about a kindergarten teacher who gets a packet of seeds from the principal at the beginning of the year and how she helps each little plant to grow.

"Some of the plants grow quickly, pushing upward, eager, impatient. Some grow more slowly, unfolding themselves bit by bit...A few are like wildflowers and will grow anywhere you put the. And some need gentle care, a special watching-over."

Does that not sound like a Kindergarten Teacher?

I found this book at a discount book seller for $2.50 months ago. Amazon has it here. But the best part is, after I bought it, I read the dust jacket about the author. She wrote this for her daughter's Kindergarten teacher. A teacher At my elementary school that I went to growing up in Ohio. What are the odds of that? Originally I wanted to design a seed packet with Little Think's face on it to put in as a bookplate but I ran out of time.

Boy, this is a long, rambling post. Must be the Diet Dr. P that I consumed while watching "Taken" earlier this evening. My heart is just pounding after that movie. Little Think is NEVER traveling to Europe!!!

I'll stop talking now. It's 11:59 CT. :: Think

Card Ka-boom!

Pink :: Day 2 (I'm in just under the wire tonight!)

I was in charge of putting together gift baskets for a fundraiser event at Little Think's Elementary School a few weeks ago. Each grade was to donate items for 2 gift baskets and then people bid on them in a silent auction. Other grades did baskets with Art Supplies or Family Game Night stuff or Movie Night stuff.

We have a hip hair dresser mom in Little Think's kindergarten who was willing to donate lots of good stuff so we did a spa basket full of hair products, candles, pedicure kits, soaps, loofahs, etc. We got a ton of donations. (Some were a little scary...as in dusty stuff from the back of people's linen closet...yikes!)  I didn't think I could find a basket to fit it all but I went to my Goodwill and for $2.99 I found this GINORMOUS basket. Seriously it was at least 2.5 feet wide! I could not believe my luck. Weighed about 50 pounds filled up....

But what I really wanted to show you was the Gift Card basket we did.

I asked people to donate any kind of gift card in any amount.
Ended up with Target, Sonic, iTunes, Movie Theaters, Restaurants etc.
Really pretty good stuff.

To make it pretty I glued some green floral foam in the bottom of a black square basket someone donated.

(See the foam down in there? Not a great shot but you get the idea.)

Then I used some Floral Wire and threaded some Circle Paper Clips on that I had around the house to make clips to hold the cards above the foam.

Then I tucked in tissue paper in reds, oranges, and yellows covering the foam and poking up like the cards were exploding out of the basket. (Michael's has a warm tissue pack that was perfect.) I called it "Card Kaboom" and it went at the auction for a ton of money. (Yay school!)

But I was really thinking that this would be a great thing to do for teachers at the end of the year too. Ask class members to bring in gift cards and make a tag that says something like

"Thanks For Blowing Our Minds This Year!"
 "We Think You're The Bomb!"
"Our Brains are Exploding Because of You"
"This Year was an Educational Explosion!"

(or something WAY better than those lines....its late and my brain is already in bed. Maybe I'll think of better ones tomorrow. Maybe.)

Another way would be to attach the gift cards to scrapbook paper flower shapes and poke them out of a vase or garden pot. "Thanks for helping us grow" or "We are blooming because of you!" etc, etc, etc.

Anyway you get the idea.
I think it is just a great way to give a gift from a large group of people that you have no creative control over. (did that sound design snobby?)

I'm off to bed! :: Think

Getting Back on the Horse

Pink ::  Okay. I've been becoming a bad blogger.

Life is crazy but when is it not???? I mean really???
So I'm jumping back on the blogging "horse" with a goal to post everyday this week.

There.
I said it for all to see.

So here goes Day 1:

This might be my "dishwasher post" but I just got it in the mail and am IN LOVE.
Have you heard of Serena & Lily?

Everyone probably has but I got their catalog a week or so ago.

It is my dream life.

2 friends making beautiful things for home & family.
They even sell the paint to go with the bed linens.

Their Sausalito Basket on page 38 makes my heart hurt.

And the Gypsy Tote on p.45 oh-la-la.

Mr. Think even noticed it on the desk and looked through it admiringly.

So have you had heard of it? Have I been under a rock? Has anyone ordered anything from them?

Click Here for the website : www.serenaandlily.com

One down, six to go.
I promise I've got some good stuff to share....

:: Think

Build and Strike

 

Think ::

guess what I am doing tonight?
Sleeping on a island on the Potomac River!  (with 40 teenagers)

Our youth group has a planned a leadership training camp out.  The youth have been in charge of planning everything.  I am over 8 youth and our group is called build and strike.

We are in charge of setting it all up and taking it all down.  I had thought the term was a scouting term but I have not met one scout who has ever heard of it.  I love the way it sounds - build and strike!

So for my team I made them all hats to wear. 

$1.00 store hats
I printed the little logo on thin cotton fabric that I had ironed onto Freezer paper.
Ran it through my printer.
Then took off the freezer paper and ironed on fuse a web.
Cut around each oval.
Ironed it on the hat.
Easy and Cheap.  and 2clever I might add.

Should be a fun and exhausting weekend!

Pink ::

not just a vase

 

Think::

today on my Goodwill visit I found the most perfect paintbrush container.  Since we have a constant painting project going on with one of us 4 girls, we have decided to just leave the brushes out all the time in the kitchen.  They were in a small 3" cup but now they have a new $1.99, amber, glass home. 

Do you love it?

Pink::

Poppy!

Dear Think::

Well we are enjoying our trip and have had a great weekend in Marvelous Missouri.  I discovered one of my favorite downtown centers.  As a Midwest gal maybe you have been there.  It is is Columbia Missouri just blocks from the University of Missouri.  The streets are full of character, great food, vintage shops and one little shop that had me lured in by the just the name on the door. 

Poppy

Here is the awesome story of this great place.  The owner Barb grew up in California watching her mom volunteer at a museum help fill the gift shop with wonderful California artisans. When Barb moved to Columbia Missouri, 30 years ago  she enjoyed getting samplings of her Mom's finds in the mail.  She decided to open a shop downtown to bring the California artisans to the wonderful people of Missouri.  After time she decided to open it to artisans from all over the country  - she was a woman ahead of her time building a store that was like a Etsy live.  (seriously it was like walking through the pages of Etsy)

I so enjoyed walking through every corner of her large downtown space. When I felt like I had seen everything I would turn around to find another corner full of treasures. 
While I was in there I saw three types of customers:

1.  a Mom bringing her 5 year old in to pick out a birthday party gift for her friend
2.  a mom of a college student who was in town for graduation that asked specifically for a artist from Oregon to buy some more of her work
3.  a young man buying a Graduation gift for his girlfriend

I thought it was so telling of how this community loves her shop.  I asked Barb if she just loves coming into work.  She told me two different times "There is not a day that I don't LOVE coming in here" 
On the counter was the above hot pad from one of her Poppy Artists that had just come in and was getting tagged to go on the floor.  This hot pad was just "2 Clever!"

I brought home with me this sweet locket from Clara Beau'.


Even though I bought it for myself she gift wrapped it for me to show me how darling the gift wrap is.
Every detail was put the tissue, box and poppy that went on top.

Since I know that you and I know a lot of talented artists out there (many of them are our Eavesdroppers) I asked her how she finds and picks new artists.  She said she is open to any new artist and just needs an email with a photo.

So if anyone reading is looking for a wonderful place to sell their creations or has a friend that needs an avenue to start her business send Barb an email with a photo of what you make and tell her 2clever sent you. 
 barb@poppyarts.com

If you are ever in Columbia stop by and say hello to the staff at Poppy.  If you never make it to Columbia you visit Poppy in your pj's in your own home 24 hours a day.  Poppy Website Here

Pink::

This was my favorite piece in the shop.  Click here you will love it!!

Again?

Think::

Would you believe I am off on an airplane again? We should have started a travel blog with as much travel as you and I have done on the last 6 months.

I hope you have a wonderful Mothers Day.

Pink::

My Favorite Flower

Pink ::

Still going crazy here with the plans to move. Gifts and cards to be mailed are still sitting on my desk. Oh well. But in honor of Mother's Day I thought I'd share my favorite flower. (Which I know is a favorite of yours because you are the one that told me about "Endless Summer".)

I LOVE Hydrangeas.
Love them.
Any excuse I can come up with to buy some I do.

One reason that I love them is you only have to buy one stem and you have a "huge" arrangement already. Most of the time I just plop them in my glass salad bowl with some aquarium gravel like this.

But another favorite is to buy one white and another smaller one in a color. Then I put the smaller one in the middle of the white one like this. Totally modern chic and under $10 bucks .

I did this for my Book Group when they come to my house last summer. But I think it would be great for a baby shower in pink or blue or for a wedding brunch in the bride's colors.

I've been trying to grow some in my backyard. Especially after you told me about the "Endless Summer" variety that bloom from Spring to Fall. Click here for their website. I don't think they are in the right spot in my yard because my blooms are kind of puny.  I really, really want a green thumb. But my thumb is a sickly yellow I fear. *Sigh*

While I was look for these photos in my never ending archive I found this shot of my living room that I took after my Book Group left that night. (Hence the extra seagrass chairs squeezed in and the poor indoor at night lighting.) Thought you might want to see it. I don't think it's been that clean or organized since!

Happy Mother's Day!!! :: Think

Best part of your day.

Unless you won the lottery today, I promise you watching the creativity of this video will be the best part of your day!!

Etsy site.

A good piece of cheese will make anyone a believer

Think::

Here is the reason my kids believe in Santa.

Every time I take my three little girls to the grocery store they always want me to buy these pieces of fake cheese hanging in the cereal isle.  They are squishy cheese with disgusting looking white rats with red eyes.  They are $3.99 each.  I always tell them that would be $12.00 on FAKE cheese!  No way am I ever buying those and beg them to stop asking.

Then this year in their stockings Santa gave each of them the fake cheese with red eyed rats.  They have played with their cheese and rats everyday since December.  They love them! (I still think they are totally gross)

The other day when me and my oldest pink and I were in the grocery store, we saw the fake cheese and she said to me "Mom isn't it funny that Santa gave us the cheese after you told us you would never buy them.  That is the reason I know you can't be Santa"

Aha!  it worked.
Just in case you are not lucky enough to find these in the cereal isle of your grocery store (ha!)  you can buy them here

Pink::

Wonderful Weekend

Pink::

I'm sitting waiting for my flight home this afternoon. Thought I'd test out a phone post too. It was soooooo great to see you. A hug from you is just what I needed. Thanks for buying me my first mint brownie ever at our lunch. And meeting your freshmen roomates was something I had wanted to do for a long time. (No wonder you had more fun than I did.) I had a great time with my Mom and sisters too. Aren't these flowers amazing? Saw them while heading to the Art Competition Show. Feeling oh so cleverly inspired after this trip!

Yes, I will remember to pat the plane :: think

Minty fresh.

Think::

I am on my home just sitting on the plane. I am loving this new typepad application where I can post anywhere any time.
it was so great to see you. Thanks for the bag of goodies and thanks for shaing a mint brownie with me. They are my absolute favorite.
Have a safe flight home, don't forget to give the plane a good luck rub.

Pink::

May Wallpaper

Pink :: Here's the computer wallpaper for May to load when you get home.

:: Think