17 months old

16 months old: Caught red handed playing with Mama's plant!

Elizabeth was 17 months old on the 29th. Time has just been flying and my baby is now this running, loving, silly, whining, screaming toddler. I've been having to tell her "No" to basically everything. I feel so bad. I've been trying to find other ways of saying "No" as " That's not for Bean!" or " OUCH! THAT WILL GIVE YOU AN OWIE!" She's finally starting to get the point but I've had to get down at her level and let her know I'm being serious. Of course, I'm the only one ( or feel like it at least) that is saying "no" to her! Frank says she's too cute to discipline and the grandparents keep saying " Grandparent's are here to spoil! " Oye.

She's so smart and so fun to teach. She actually understands what people have to say to her - SO BIZARRE.

Anyways. Not much has really changed here at the Steele household. Still living on Camano in my crappy home. It's been raining ALL week so we've been stuck inside. I think it's maybe caused a bit of cabin fever in myself. I'm so lonely and depressed, it's really stupid and pathetic. Don't get me wrong, I love being home with my girl, but even a trip to the grocery store at this point would make me happy. I just want to get out of the house!

DIY MAGNET PARTY FAVORS

 I can't believe I didn't blog about these already! I made these for Elizabeth's 1st birthday party... a little over 5 months ago.  I think I actually wrote about them but wasn't doing "tutorials" yet. So here it is! They're candy filled baby jars with the lid made into a picture fridge magnet! 

I did get the idea from My Pinterest. Not going to take credit even though I'd love to! They were

really fun to make. I DID make some of my own little crafty changes to make them more personal, which I will explain below! 

SUPPLIES NEEDED

- Baby food jars
- Resin
- Cellophane "Basket" wrap
- Hemp, string, ( anything you can tie with)
- Hot glue
- Ribbon

- Cardstock
- "Thank-you" stamp ( Optional)
- Scissors
-Ruler ( Optional)
- Personalized photo ( Optional)
- Circle cut out (Optional) 

- Magnets or a magnet strip
- M&M's or a candy of your choosing ( The best part!)

STEP 1

I started off making the lids as I assumed it was going to take the longest. I've never used resin before and was terrified. I ended up letting my husband mix and pour it in...mistake #1. I should've just read the directions and did it myself. I had scanned the directions on the resin box and it had said it could take 1-3 days to dry but that's all I got before handing it off to my husband who I had ASSUMED read the directions for himself. It resulted in resin ALL over my cookie sheet and lids that never dried fully. They still looked fine but guests couldn't keep the lids as long as they wanted too. READ THE DIRECTIONS ON YOUR RESIN BOX!!! 

Anyways, the tutorial I was reading had put a "thank-you" inside their lids, I had decided instead to put Bean's face as it was HER 1st birthday party favors! All our guests were family and friends who love her to the moon and back so I knew it wasn't being creepy. :3

After the resin was poured, I made sure to put the cookie sheet up on top of the fridge where Bean and the furry kids couldn't reach. Keep it up high till they're dry!

STEP 2

Get your hot glue gun and ribbon out! Measure the circumference of the baby jar you're using and cut out ribbon to size. Glue on. You don't have to use glue on the entire thing of ribbon, just a dot at the ends will work! 

If you're thinking " Wow, her kid sure did eat a lot of baby food!" you're wrong! None of these were mine! Bean was a boob and snack girl till 12 months! My Grandma had called me asking if I could think of anything to do with them. Her poor cat, who is a million years old, had been instructed by the vet to eat nothing but baby food as it's pureed and good for his old tummy. I of course accepted and glad I did as they turned out to be awesome party favors! 

STEP 3

Say thank you! It's pretty obvious I didn't use a circle stamp cutter thing to cut out the cardstock for the thankyou piece.  YOU can totally do it if the un-perfect circle bothers you.

I already had a thank you stamp and ink from years ago so decided to use it and save time. If I had more time I would of wrote it myself.

I glued them onto where the ends of the ribbon met each other so you don't see any cut ribbon on the jar.

STEP 4 ( A few days later)

Now it's time to grab your lids after they've dried and glue on the magnets to the back! The baby jar lids are metal so the magnets already stuck well but I still used a bit of hot glue to adhere them with so they wouldn't fall off. 

STEP 5

Grab your candy of choice and fill the jars! I chose M&M's cause, who doesn't like M&M's?! They're also  colorful and fill the jar nicely. Jellybeans would work nicely too. I did think about color coordinating them so that each jar would have only 1 color M&M but I didn't have the patience or money for that.

STEP 6

Cut out cellophane wrap for your size baby jar. Place the lid with picture size UP and wrap the jar up. Tie together with your string or hemp or whatever you have! I chose hemp cause it ties nicely!

REPEAT till all jars are finished! 

So even though my resin never did fully harden ( some did, some didn't. ) I still got a ton of compliments on them and people we're happy with their candy! I also had fun making them. It's going to be hard to top for Elizabeth's 2nd birthday but I know I'll think of something!

If you're curious who did Elizabeth's amazing birthday cake it was Rochelle with Rochelle's Cakes! She made Frank & I's wedding cake and we were so happy with it we asked her to do Bean's as well! 

Button Sweater Hanger

SUPPLIES NEEDED

- Acrylic paint
- Buttons
- Hot glue or something stronger than just Elmer's.
- Wood

I  innocently bought this adorable teddy bear wood piece at our local dollar store. After bringing it home, my husband started to laugh and had to point out where the hanger was conveniently placed. Men...sigh. I bought it for Elizabeth, who is 1! She isn't going to notice. Anyways, I had no idea what I wanted to do with it but knew I could figure out something!

 It came wood colored and chipped; which I didn't mind since I kind of like the whole "rustic" look. It was only a $1, you get what you pay for. I painted it white, but I knew it needed more, but I had no idea what. It then sat on my craft table for months. After sitting there for weeks upon weeks my Bucket of Buttons I've had since 18 ended up sitting next to it and I thought " HAI! I COULD PERSONALIZE THIS FOR THE BEAN!" 

I thought about painting the buttons pink, to make it more girly but decided not to. It makes it more unisex with the multi colors and what if Frank and I have a boy in our future?! ..And name him something with an 'E"?! I could REUSE IT! 

I then adhered the buttons in an "E" shape, ...for Elizabeth, with E-6000 glue. Hot glue I'm sure would've worked just as well and they're just buttons, but I was far too lazy to get my glue gun out , plug it in, etc. 

I let it dry overnight and WA LA! Bean now has somewhere to hang 1 of her million sweaters...and it's cute! 

16 Months Old

Hey Frandz,

So, Elizabeth is now 16 months old. 16 freaking months old. A lot of people have been asking how old she is when we're out and about and I never know if I should say " 16 months" or "1".

I usually end up going " She's 16 months..so 1..."
Then of course I get this look like  " Yes, you idiot, I know what 16 months means." or " Why didn't you just say 1?!"
Sigh. I've been feeling so ridiculously, socially awkward lately. I think being at stay at home Mama for over a year now has really done a number on my brain. I'm literally a STAY. AT. HOME. Mom. As of the past year and a half, Frank and I have been basically working with 1 car. So we he goes to work, that means I'm actually stuck at home - unless of course Bean and I decide to take a walk to my parents ( which usually ends up being every day, ha ha).  We do have 2 cars, and I try to work 1 day a week so Frank had been taking my scary 20 year old car I've had since I was 16. I refuse to drive it anymore because the tires are really on the verge of POPPING off and are actually FRAYING from being so old. It's time we just sell it to pick and pull or something. I no longer let Frank drive it anymore either.

dfgjkdfhgkjdfh < My brain.

Here is Bean from a few days ago. Rocking her new tutu from Aunt Jo & "N00B" shirt from Aunt Sophie. I never have to buy her clothes - it's awesome.

From this morning - my poor bebegir.

Yesterday, Bean fell down a step at my parent's home and face planted the gravel outside. I feel so bad. On top of having a cold for over a week now, she now has all these horrible scrapes ON HER FACE. I refuse to take her out in public now. Snot running down her nose and huge owies on her face - people will think I'm a horrible parent. I know I'm not, but I can't help what people will think and I KNOW there will be that one stupid, person who will have the balls to say something such as " Why weren't you watching her?! " Or something rather. I just don't want to deal with it.

We had a baby shower to go today but I really just don't think either of us will be up for it. Specially one where I know 2 out of 20 people.

I'm usually so overprotective - I just didn't get to Bean in time for this current situation. I guess I learned my lesson!

Today, the sun is out, again! It has been all week. It feels so nice. Hopefully I will get some more weeding done and some vitamin D while I do it. 

Floyd enjoying the last bits of sun yesterday.