A week of Strep Throat

Three of my four kids and I are just getting over strep. Its been a long week. I haven't managed to get anything done, but everyone is back to school tomorrow. I hate when they're sick, especially in the winter. We've been stuck inside for way too long, can't wait to get everyone back outside, and to be able to go to the park again! We are all getting on each other's nerves being cooped up, especially with the 5 and 6 yr old, they have so much energy and they need to be able to run. Come on, Spring!!

Tomorrow is March 1, the start of the South Side St. Paddy's month. Everyone in my neighborhood (South Side of Chicago) is Irish, and they get to be twice as irish about this time of year. Our parade is one of the biggest in the USA and it started out as just a couple of floats. The entire South side (and even the North Siders) come out (except me!) I know, I stink LOL

I know my kids though, and by the time we found parking and walked the 8 blocks to the parade, they would be crying to go home. I don't understand the draw of standing outside FREEZING brrrrrr especially since there are so many drunken adults, its hard to see anything. We usually have a few people over and play board games, and have Corn Beef & Cabbage, way more fun!! (Except the corn beef part, blecchh) LOL

I do have to admit though, I LOVE Irish Music. When I was forced to listen to it as a kid, I couldn't stand it, but somewhere along the line, I guess it grew on me. We even went to see an Irish band last week, The Larkin Brothers. They are in their 20's and 30's and they play traditional irish music, plus some of their own. They are soooo good :D We've seen them like 11 or so times, if you ever have the chance to see them (and you like Irish music) they are so fun. They are also very entertaining, they're like a bunch of lunatics on the stage, great fun. My kids even like them. My three boys are really into the guitar :)

I have no pictures to share today, need to get to work! Great day to all in blogland!

Last of the birthdays, and free day!!

Dancin' like a fool! I have the house to myself for 3 hours!!!! I am going to turn on some inspiring music, get all my stuff out, and just create. Bliss!

I should have my studio back soon, the snow is melting (Hurray!)and it will be great to work in peace with a bit of space again.

If you haven't seen Jenny's (The Polka Dot Pixie) beautiful fairy, you have to go over and have a look. She is so talented, and this fairy is unbelieveable! Truly unique, and wonderful.

Update: My friend just called and said "How did you get three hours to yourself?? And what inspirational music??" ROFL OK, it was Janis Joplin, not Mozart :p

Have to add this too...My cousin Liz has been making fabulous purses and diaper bags at her etsy ElizabethGwenOrignls.etsy.com and now she is making skirts. I was so impressed I had to share. This is her daughter, the gorgeous Lorelai, modeling Liz's fabulous skirt

Working, waiting for paint to dry!

Waiting is half the battle, LOL. I just made a "cake" with one of my hats on top, but I have to wait for it to dry before I can do anything else. I finished a piece I've been working on for like a week! She is Justa Goil


Back to school for the kids tomorrow, and I have to clean my house!!

Cake, balloons, and a tired Girl

Its over!! She had a lovely time opening gifts, and Daddy even took her ice skating for the first time! This is the bday girl and her cousins, and her cake :) Back to work tomorrow!

Valentine's Day

The snow day was fun. It took me 2 hours to shovel my back yard, and we made some great big piles to slide down. The only sad part was we had to postpone the party, because I didn't want anyone to have to drag their kidlets out today, so it will be next Weds. Tomorrow is her real birthday, and we're having the family over for Princess Cake, so she didn't mind too much.

My son Brendan is so funny. He went out to shovel for some of the older ladies in the neighborhood, and decided that a wig was warmer than a hat. I think he may be channelling Jack Osbourne! Or the fellow Chris Sligh from American Idol

          

Glittery texts by bigoo.ws

Its almost Party Time!

Wednesday is the big party, and we're nearly there. Just a few last minute threads to tie up.

We have a birthday tomorrow for my brother (at my house) then dd's kid party Weds. then family on Thurs, and then I can get back to business. I have a little cutie that I'm working on, and she needs a body! I have another hat to finish, and I can't wait. I love working so much, it's such a joy, and so relaxing, and soothing... :D

Annalise and I whipped this up yesterday in honor of her birthday, it was so fun to do!

Have a great day everyone out in blogland!!

Thursday Time

Today Annalise (dd) and I made place cards/party favors for next week, it was a mighty mess of glitter and paper, but we managed to make it through LOL They turned out cute, and she's happy with them. Every day she asks me "how many more days?" :D

My friend Donna and I are doing the art thing together, we started making our cupcakes a while back, and it was great when we were able to work outside, can't wait to get back out there!!

Here are a couple of our creations, they are ornaments and I actually have them hanging all over my house. We've tried all different materials, and pretty much found the ones that we like best. The hilarious part is that we both have husbands and kids who now every time we bake, ask first "Can we eat this, or is it fake?" LOL Usually the better it looks, the more likely that its fake. I have a garage full of chocolates and petit fours, and my actual food never looks as good as the stuff we can add acrylic too :)

While we were creating at the table today, my older boys were listening to music. They really like SUM 41, and my 6 year old (Liam) has been picking up some of their taste. He was lip synching tonight, and the faces that he was making were hilarious, He looked like a little toothless James Hetfield ROFL DH plays the drums, and the three boys are into guitar, but Liam is quite an artist, esp. for his age. He is really shy, but when he gets a little older, he will definatley be taking drawing lessons.

Where does the time go?

I can't believe its Weds. already!! DD's party is a week from today, and I guess I'd better start planning. I'm just going to make a bunch of party favors and ribbons for games, and hopefully we'll all just have a blast, dd is so excited :D Two lovely moms have volunteered to stay and help (yay!) I think it will be great, we'll have one adult for every few kids. I am probably more excited than my dd is. Parties are just so great, and I know that these memories will be ones that she shares with her own children some day.

I can't wait for the thaw and to be back in the studio, everyone here has such bad cabin fever. Chicago is the only home I've ever known, and I love it, but the only thing that I would change is our weather. I love rain, and a slight chill (the Irish part of me) The frigid freeze though that's going on right now, well, it SUCKS. :)

I am having so much fun checking out everyone's goodies, I hope no one minds if I add their blog to my page. I feel like a kid in a candy store, I can't wait to look around some more.

Tuesday Tuesday Tuesday!

Baby its Cold Outside!! Its a good day to stay in and do some papier mache! I finished a piece last night at my kitchen table, man do I miss my studio!!!!

Granted, my studio is a table, an art cart and a few cabinets in my garage, but its so nice to not have to put everything away all the time LOL I really am going to try to figure out how to comment today, at least to go say hi to some of the http://glitterANDgrunge.com artists!!

Here is my newest dude, I just love him. I totally go crazy for cupcakes, frosting, parties, streamers, confetti, celebrations, and he is so ready for all of the above!!

Well, we're officially on board at Glitter and Grunge! That is so exciting, because I am in awe of the other artist's work on there!!!!!

Today my youngest is at school, and I need to make her birthday party invites before she gets home. She would like to have a princess party, and she is just like her mother, a little over the top, so I'm going to look around and see what kind of things I can transform (cheaply!) into a Magical Kingdom.

On her first birthday, four years ago, we had a formal tea. I know nobody has formal teas, but I have three boys, and when I finally got my girl, I wanted sparkles, and lace, and ribbons, and all that cool girly stuff. She wore this awesome little pink tulle dress, and I found a bunch of top hats at the dollar store. Everyone really got into it, our blue collar Grandpa's put on fancy suits for their favorite Princess, and all the ladies donned our formalest (ROFL is that a word?) bridesmaids gowns (the foofier the better!) We had tea pots and cups and saucers all over the house for decoration, and we draped some lace panel curtains around the place.

We made her a pink and white castle cake, and the turrets were frosted ice cream cones, and the birthday girl grabbed one right off the cake :) Gosh, I can't believe it goes by so fast!!

This year, we will be having around 14 kids, all 5 and under, and I have to think of some activities. We might make wands and swords...(with tons of glitter of course!) I told my hubby last night that Annalise wanted to have a party. He seemed all for it when he realized that he would be at work during the kids' party. (Wimp!)