A flock of cranes

We started a little paper crane project here at our house the other day.

Paper cranes for Japan

After I published that post, I thought to myself  '.....maybe I should have tried to make one of those first?'

The next day, I purchased a pack of origami paper, checked out quite a few origami books from the library (none of which had instructions for the crane), watched the you tube video AND printed instructions from the Internet....whew.  I felt like I needed to be able to make one myself (that at least resembled a crane) if I was going to convince my boys that it wasn't too difficult.

You'd think we'd have an army of them by now.
Nope.

Instead, I fretted over it a bit (because that's what I do), and then started talking to other moms.
And wouldn't you just know it, the second mom I told said "cranes....like....the little origami ones right....we make those all the time..."

Then, she went over to her daughter's backpack, ripped out a piece of notebook paper (first mistake, didn't actually need origami paper.  Could have used up the ridiculous stack of unused scrapbook paper in the closet) and away she went!!!  Just like that!!! No video, no instructions, just.....a little white crane with blue pin-stripes!

He even has a little beard...

After that, we were on a roll...

Joe made a couple,

pretty good huh?

Ethan's first attempt is a very dignified dark brown.

His friend Kayla has been sending some home with him.  Hers are all very pretty.  Her mom made the pin-striped fellow.

Turns out paper cranes are great to make when you're procrastinating.  Y'know, say you were supposed to be outside sanding the bedroom furniture you are determined to turn very dark brown instead of honey colored.....

Then you have a serious flock on your hands...

So.....what do you do to help you procrastinate?

I'm pretty sure I hear someone playing angry birds in the other room right now.....

Thanks for stopping by,
Lizy B

*Just a little update!
As of March 31 Studentsrebuild.org has received 21,451 paper cranes, raising $42,902!
http://studentsrebuild.org/

Where on earth do you find all that stuff!!!!

So I've heard those words a time or two....

'There's a cookie cutter shaped like that!!!!'   Yup, there sure is! (don't tell but I probably have two)

'Where do you buy these things!?'  Well, let me tell you...

If you want to shop online,

Karen's cookies is great.  She has everything you can think of, cutters, sugars, flavorings, ingredients, packaging and more.  One of the best features however, are the tutorials

https://www.karenscookies.net/Cookie-Decorating-Tutorials_

Need a sugar cookie recipe-she has one!
Royal Icing recipe-she has one (or a few)!
Need 'I have all these cutters now what the heck do I do with them' advice-that's there too!

If you're in Orange County and like more of a roaming the aisles 'oooh-what's that!' experience,

ABC Cake Decorating Shoppe and Bakery is a fun place to visit.

I stopped in the other day to pick up a few things....

Need a cookie cutter?

I think you just may find what you need!

Some sanding sugar, edible cookie/cupcake decoration?

What else did I need that day?

Oh yeah...more colors!

That's just the tip of the iceberg.

They have cake pans, cake boards, cake boxes.  You can rent shaped pans.

They also have a full-service bakery (I have tasted the fabulous samples...Yum!)

Oh and classes!!  All different kinds!  And just so much more, too much to list.

So, that's where I get all that crazy stuff falling out of my kitchen cabinets.....

Happy Shopping!

Lizy B

Play Ball!

A few days ago I asked for cookie ideas.

Decisions, decisions.....help!

My cousin Cyndi suggested Baseball Cookies!

When I started this blog I promised myself I'd post all my cookie pictures, whether I liked them or not.
These are not my favorites. But, in the spirit of teamwork (I realize that's completely irrelevant to baking cookies by yourself...) and 'you win some, you lose some'...

Here they are!

Jack-Jack is my little guy's nickname.  Last season Ethan's baseball team gave him his own jersey with his nickname and '00' for the number.

He was so very proud and was convinced the team couldn't play if he wasn't there...

Ethan is Big Easy...

One of his coaches (and our good friend)  gave him that nickname a few years ago and it stuck...

It pretty much sums up Ethan's outlook on life...'its all good'.

Have a great day,

Thanks for stopping by!

Lizy B

My flower girl!!!!

Went on a field trip today!!!

First Jack and I stopped at Miss Christy's classroom at the High School!
I planned to get really cute pictures of Jack delivering a box of sunshine and there would be lots of smiling and hugs....

Not so much...

Apparently Jack is afraid of the wild species of teenager than runs rampant on High School Campuses.

So we just dropped off our box and were on our way to.....

My Flower Girl!!!!

(Please excuse the awful picture taking.  Have not yet started lessons with my photo guru....Steve.)

Its really cute, all outdoors the way flowers should be.  Feels like walking into someone's lovely garden..

Lisa has the most beautiful hand tied bouquets.  

This was Jack's favorite (mine too!)  and it came home with us!!!

It smells lovely and it feels just a little more like springtime....

Not to mention that Jack fell a little bit in love, he hasn't stopped talking about 

'Miss Lisa, the pretty flower lady'.

And we delivered a little sunshine to her too!!!!

www.myflowergirl.com

So good to see you Lisa!  We'll be back soon!

(Jack is blowing you kisses on the computer.....the boy is not subtle...)

Love ya!

Lizy B

Here's one more shot of the cookies for all the bakers out there....

Paper cranes for Japan

I was reading another of my favorite blogs last night,

Chronicles of a Country Girl (amazing photography!)

and read her recent post 1000 Cranes for Japan.

(waiting while you click over and read her great post about all the paper cranes being made all over the world for relief efforts in Japan.....take your time, I'll wait...)

Welcome Back!

While this sparked my interest for a few reasons,  mostly I think its a great relief effort for kids to participate in.

Ethan is my older son, he's ten. (that's Jack on the right)

He's a great kid, a typical boy in so many ways, loving and happy 90% of the time.  Not only is his glass half-full, he's sure its going to be filled right up again any second.

Love that kid something awful.

But ten seems to be a curious age.  All of a sudden...he realized that homework is a serious thing, and studying leads to good grades, and teachers become grumpy when you talk a lot....hmm.

Along with all that, he has become more aware of the suffering in the world.  He can certainly empathize with a disaster that involves earthquakes (we're here in sunny southern California, atop the San Andreas fault-line), and has been curious about ways to help people on the other side of the world.

Back to the paper cranes....Students Rebuild http://studentsrebuild.org/japan/ has partnered with
DoSomething.org and is making paper cranes to trigger a donation to Architecture for Humanity (to be used in Japan).  The Bezos Family Foundation will be donating $2 for each crane received.  The goal is 100,000 cranes which will then be woven into an art exhibit and gifted to the youth of Japan.

Origami for cash.....one paper crane for $2.00.  Kids can do that!  Kids can do that a lot!!!
You can either send them directly

Students Rebuild
1700 7th Avenue
STE 116 # 145
Seattle, WA 98101

or (if you have over 50) email them

info@studentsrebuild.org

and they will send you a self-addressed box to mail them in.

Both Chronicles of a Country Girl and Students Rebuild have links to you tube videos showing how to make the cranes....

Its such a simple thing, even if you only send one, and a great way for our kids to feel like they can help.

Gotta run!  I'm off to Michael's to pick up some origami paper!  Now where did I put this week's coupon...

Love to all,
Lizy B

Knock-Knock....Anyone gnome?

I know, I know....bad joke.  At least I crack myself up....

I'm just about done with a great big batch of lovely flowers....but I thought they looked a little lonely....

The last time I ordered from Karen's Cookies

http://www.karenscookies.net/

I picked out an adorable little garden gnome cookie cutter.
(okay so maybe its a Christmas elf who was 50% off)

I was sure it would be one those cutters I buy but never use because gnomes have faces and I'm scared to do those.  Not sure why,  just sure they're going to look all wonky.

But, in the spirit of my very brave friend and her new shop, I decided to go for it!

Here's a little planning sketch, along with a happy little caterpillar....

And then all the colors, outlining and flooding, all ready to go...

Why is it that mixing the colors ALWAYS takes forever....really would like to be quicker at that.

And here are all the happy little gnomes...

I hate to play favorites but....these were my favorites..

Pretty happy with them, I wish my photography was better.

Hmmmm.....

Maybe I know someone that might be able to give me a few (or a thousand) tips....

Who do I know that is a fabulous photographer, and a great friend, and is kind enough to help a girl out  with her so-so photos.....

(stay tuned)

Love to all!!

Lizy B

Bring on the blooms!!!! (for a very special lady)

Flower cookies it is!!!

Just heard the best news!

But first, a few words about a very fabulous lady...

I have this girlfriend....we'll call her....Lisa (that is her name after all).

Lisa is....Lisa is sunshine.  I can't say that I've ever seen her without a smile, a kind word, an encouraging story....
Even if you catch her on a day full of frustrations, you know that after she tells you her troubles, she will be listing her blessings.

For quite a few years Lisa has worked in the finance industry (and is great at it).
And when you first meet her that seems to make perfect sense.
She is very organized and professional...

When you get to know her, you realize there is much more going on.

This girl has climbed Mt. Whitney....on an anniversary trip with her husband....BY CHOICE!
(as in....island/spa/mountain...island/spa/mountain...which to choose...Mountain!)

Regularly takes 20 mile bike rides....

Runs....really far....

Will spend entire weekends cheering for her kids by the side of the pool while they win races and water polo matches.

Encouraged her husband to leave the world of finance and follow his dreams to become the world's greatest weatherman.....no that's not right....he got his second B.S., then masters, and is now a Dr. and will save the world's energy problems.
(but also gets the southern O.C. weather right every time http://sprinklersornot.com )

I could go on and on...but really, she's just lovely, and we're all lucky to know her.

AND....

She just bought a flower shop!!!!

Flower Girl in Dana Point
www.myflowergirl.com

Congratulations Flower Girl!!!!!
You will absolutely succeed, and be fabulous...just because you are you!!

Now Bring on the Flowers!!!!!

Lizy B

Decisions, decisions.....help!

I promised myself I'd bake a lot more often so I'd have lots pretty pictures to post here.

So I spent the morning in the kitchen and made 4 (yes 4) batches of sugar cookie dough.

Which now looks like this.....

But now.....what the heck should I make?

I clearly missed the boat for St. Patrick's Day....whoops.

A little early for Easter, but I could try a few things out....

Any ideas, thoughts, need a little help.....

Hello.....tap-tap......anyone out there......

You never know.....there just might be a cookie or two in it for you.....



Lizy B.

....now back to those princess cookies!

I had so much fun making princess cookies for Paige!!!

My dough was all rolled out and ready to go...

And then I searched until I found some cutters that were princessy....

And then I realized.....I have boys....what the heck do these princesses look like anyway?

Pretty sure they don't have light sabers.....but I think there might be some sort of wand....

So off to google I went and then tried to sketch some ideas.  

Paige definitely said Snow White was her favorite, so she would have to come to this little cookie party...

She'll have some apples in case she needs a snack.

Sleeping Beauty's fun to have around, although she's not very good company (always falling asleep).

Maybe if she has a few magic wands the fairy godmothers can wake her up!

You can't have a party without Cinderella!  She's the official party princess!  Never does know when to go home.....

And enough shoes that if she loses a few, she'll be okay.....

Some cutting, baking, cooling, color mixing.....and a bunch of waiting.....

and the girls were partially dressed.

Snow White couldn't find her skirt....

Sleeping Beauty couldn't find hers either!  (maybe Cinderella has them)

Anyone need a glass slipper in a child's size three?

And finally.....

They were finished!!!!

Just waiting to go out the door!

Thanks for inviting us to your birthday Paige!!!

We all had such a good time!

Have you read this yet?

I just finished the most fabulous book!!
The Help by Kathryn Stockett.


Recommended to me by my fabulous friend Chris.
Because she's the one who told me about it, I was able to imagine her sitting with me as I read it.

Every time Minny said "Oh Law!" I heard her giggle.

When Miss Skeeter was sitting in the pantry with the door shut on the telephone, Chris was right outside the door.

When Miss Aibileen picked up Mae Mobley and squeezed her, she had the same look of love on her face as Chris does when she hugs her girls.

It's a very serious story about civil rights, set among some very frivolous ladies. 

.....I'll never be able to bake a chocolate cream pie again....

Thanks Chris!  I loved every word!

Blogging is hard!

So maybe the actual typing isn't hard, but there are a whole lot of decisions to make in a very short amount of time!

Do I want a background, or not.

Do I pay for one, or not.  (big thanks to shabbyblogs.com)

Now I need a header!  Oh my.

I have to choose a font!  (another big thanks to kevinandamanda.com)

How the heck do I do that!

Thankfully...I'm a nerdy girl and I love all things techie.  The more buttons to push the better.

But still, it sounds so simple....'I'm just going to blog now...'
(can you hear the computer fairies laughing at that.... 'suuuuuure you are lady')

This is officially my new blog home.
Cheers, clink-clink, sip the champagne.....
Still unpacking the photo files and renaming things...

Princess, princess, anyone have a princess?

I have boys.

Two of them, three if you count my husband.

 Although I have luckily never found frogs in pockets or dead bugs in shoes (mentally knocking on wood) they are very boyish.  I have army toys, cars, trucks, rocket ships, enough clone troopers to save tatooine and enough legos to remodel my house...again.

They are fabulously fun, and extraordinarily loving.  So glad I have boys!  I have even learned to love baseball (little league style).

Although......then I pass the pink aisle in target and my heart goes pitter-patter.....

I do have a remedy for this.  Her name is Paige.  If you threw Tinkerbell, Pippi Longstocking and Laura Ingalls in your kitchen aid mixer and whirled them up you'd get....Paige.  Or Paigey as my 4 year old says-he loves her lots.

Blonde ringlets, the world's biggest blue eyes and smile, and enough spunk to keep up with any boy you throw at her.  The fact that her mother is my best friend in the world has absolutely nothing to do with it.

So....Paige is turning 5.
And I have permission to make her 'fancy cookies'.
And then just to make me love her even more....she picks a Disney princess party.

Oh my goodness gracious.  Pinkness!!!!!!!

Can you hear the wheels turning in my head?  They are very loud, must need more coffee.

Snow white, apples, crowns, Sleeping beauty, magic wands, crowns, Cinderella, glass slippers, more crowns!!!!

No pictures yet...don't want to spoil the surprise.

But....um Miss C....are you out there....tap-tap...I may have gone a little overboard on the cookies....
Are 6 baking sheets full of cookies too many for a small family get together?
(see you soon)