kauai kumquat marmalade

I didn't know I like kumquats.  But that was because I never had them freshly picked from the tree.  And maybe that is how it is with a lot of foods... best fresh.  

 I always feel so lucky when I get a chance to do silly things like make jelly with fresh fruit.  So wholesome, so productive.  Wash them, half them, pop out the little seeds, chop em in the blender, boil them with (a ton) of sugar, add pectin...

 And there you have it, beautiful marmalade.  As fresh as it gets.  We had some in a smoothie.  Added a touch of "elegance" as my mom kept saying.

Maybe the best part of this whole jelly thing is hanging with friends and family and "talking story" while we make it.  I love having this jelly to share with friends and family.  Although, maybe I shouldn't have been so generous with my lilikoi jelly last time.  I am seriously in love with that stuff and ours is all gone.  Haha, some parent I am.  "Kids, don't share too much.  You'll be sad when you can't say that you have some delicious jelly and no one else does."  I love trying new things and learning new things.  And I'm grateful that island life is giving me lots of that.  

make make make

I love doing this kind of stuff.  Seems like with three kids, all of the sudden I don't have the energy or focus to make as much as I used to.  So I better keep track of what I do accomplish.  You know, because sometimes I forget that I actually got something done. 

I was asked to come up with a way for the women at church to have some sort of extrinsic reward for reading their scriptures.  Because the intrinsic reward is supposed to be a given, right? It's just nice to have a little motivational push every now and then... is what we were thinking.

These were the specifications... use these jars and use sort of a gold theme.  

This is what I came up with:

So, since 2012 is year of recording for me, I will do my best to record what I make.  And some days it feels like I should record that I made my bed.  Because lately that seems to be quite the accomplishment in my book. 

crafty again... painted onesies

We are back on the mainland (as they/we call it) for the summer.  Already a week has flown by and I am afraid this summer is going to be one of the fastest ever.  We only have two months and these two months are jam packed.  

A while back on a warm night (that was obviously in Kauai since we haven't had any of those here, yet) I went to get baby's pajamas and thought a onesie would be just about right for the temperature.  I totally fell in love with his squishy legs showing and ever since then I have put him in just a onesie as much as the weather will allow.  

And since I just can't seem to let things be, I followed this handy dandy tutorial by Simply Modern Mom and decorated his little t-shirt.  He was actually lucky to get these.  What usually happens is that I make things for other people and then run out of steam to make stuff for my own kids.  

My friend just had a baby named Max so I made one with Max just like this one.  I felt bad for my Max so I made him one, too.  

Now, I think my favorite outfit for the little guy is a just a simple onesie.  I get to see his squishy yummy legs, I can be creative without being committal (it's just a matter of weeks before they grow out of it or stain it), and if you see him in one that means that the weather is just perfect.

every once in a while i get a great idea: giant white board

I spent a lot of time wishing I didn't do things.  Just the way I am.  But sometimes I come up with something that I am really glad I did.  It's time I share...

We came to the island two weeks before Eva's birthday.  I was trying to think of something that would make it special and make up for the fact that she would be away from friends, family, and any toys that didn't make the nine suitcase cut.

I actually planned ahead on this one.

Back when I was getting my teaching degree, I remember some experienced elementary teachers giving us some pointers on how to come up with teaching materials on a very very small budget (insert speech on how it is dumb how little that budget is).  One of the ideas was to go to Home Depot and get what they call shower wall and cut it up into small boards to make a small white board for each student.  Fact is, white boards are fun for kids and it makes math, spelling, writing all that more exciting.  So I thought, if small is good, big is better, right?  

I figured we would have hardly any toys and lots of blank wall space and so I started thinking...

I made sure there was a Home Depot in Kauai.  Then I made three dry erase markers out of old socks and packed a set of markers that I have had since my teaching days.  

A few days before Eva's birthday we went to Home Depot and picked up the shower wall.  They knew what I was talking about but turns out it is called white panel board.  Thrifty white panel board, even better.  We also picked up some things to put around the edges.  It was right by the board.  It took two of those.  

Karl and the Home Depot guy loading it in our 1998 mini van.  It was a miracle, like the van was built to carry thrifty white panel board.  See that gecko?  Cute, huh?  Don't get attached.  I'll tell you why later.

And for just over $20, Eva got a giant white board for her birthday.  The ideal kind of present to me, no batteries, uses her imagination, isn't a big plastic eyesore...

She woke up on her birthday, saw it, and got started right away.

I would love to mount it, but we are in a month to month rental and so it's not worth it right now.  Eva just bought a big set of dry erase markers at Costco for $10 to use on the board.  

I do feel a pang of guilt every time I see the board because when we first got it, I was moving it   to get to just the right position to project  movie onto it.  After the movie, we moved it back to see that I totally squished a little gecko into the wall.  So sad, right?  

The giant white board, easy on the budget (ahem, if we had one), useful, and encourages creativity, and weeks later is still being played with (because we all know that isn't always the case with a lot of birthday gifts), this one was a winner.

sentimental samuel cheers up

Remember how sad Samuel was about his preschool year ending?  Here are are few things that helped him cheer up...

We made a special book for each of his teachers.  

I thought this would be simple.  Chip board, mod podge, paper, pictures... easy right?  Three hours later I was so mad I started the messy project.   Oh well.  They got done, he was happy, the teachers were happy.

The idea of having a party for his class got Samuel really excited. Every day he would ask how many days until his party.  (Thanks for the pizza picnic idea, Lindsay!).

I will admit that I had a lot of fun making the invitations and decorations.  I seriously love this kind of stuff.  I do it realizing that the kids don't really care.  And still I love it.  Eva loves it, too.  She wanted to help make the invitations so bad.  She fell asleep on my craft room floor waiting for me to finish those (dang) books so she could help me with them.  Karl ended up carrying her to her bed.  She woke up hours later all excited to help only to find that I finished them.  It was the middle of the night by the time I got to them and I just couldn't get myself to wake her.  I felt so bad.  Tears.  She was so so sad.  

Pizza, popcorn, tiny cupcakes, fruits, veggies, citric punch, water... if you know me, you know I was holding back.  I have a hard time keeping things simple.  

Eva did get to help this time.  She helped with the cupcakes and made this sign that I love.  

There were bubbles (google taught me that empty can make cool bubbles) and fishing.

And sand.  I forgot why I didn't fill the sandbox last year.  When I was finding sand tracked through the house and in pockets in the laundry room, I remembered why.  Oh well, I just have to keep telling myself it is worth it because they love it so much.

This made me wish that we had some summer birthdays.  All of ours are in the cold, dreary months.   If we want a party outside, it has to be just because.  

He loved it.  Want to know a sad secret?  None of his friends from preschool could come.  And apparently none of their phones work to let me know that.  But I was prepared for this, since I knew this might happen because I didn't have any of their contact info and many of the moms work (so they can afford a phone that works).  I just called a few of my friends (because I'm lucky that my phone works) and in no time we had a yard and house full of kids eating popcorn and pizza.  Want to know a happy secret?  Samuel had a blast anyway.   So did Eva, and so did I.  There was enough pizza left that my family stopped by that evening and had dinner.  It was a party day.  Love party days.  Need to have more of them.

a new room

Finally done.  After all that planning, buying, and making.  So much making.  

At first I was just going to change out her quilt (which I spent so much time and money making thinking that she would love it forever).  But one thing led to another and I ended up changing everything.  Seriously, everything.  Her room wasn't working anyway.

It all started with my friend telling me that the pillows would go well with PB Kids Brooke bedding.  So I was going to get that.  But I couldn't get totally excited about it. 

Now I am realizing that this long decision process, though it consumed me for weeks, is probably quite boring for everyone else.  So I will try to cut to the facts.  

The room paint is Blue Bonnet (as in the margarine of choice of the 1980's) by Benjamin Moore.  Tried a few samples and looked around and after figuring out what I didn't want, I came to this color.  After painting (well, Karl painting) basically every room in this house, I think whatever the color, Benjamin Moore is my favorite brand.  

The curtains were inspired by these curtains by Urban Outfitters.  Like a fool, I thought, "I can do that."  The question I will ask myself next time is, "But do I want to do that?"  Miles of sewing, hours and hours of sewing.  I could have hemmed all those pants, mended all those clothes, finished every item in my "unfinished objects" box.  But, instead I sewed a billion ruffles.  But when I see them hanging in her room, I don't resent all that work.  They are so sweet.

The bed.  I love that bed.  I saw it at IKEA a few months ago on clearance for $89 and I didn't buy it.  She didn't need a new bed.  But then again, she didn't really need any of this, right?  So what the hey, I went and got it.  I felt like it was meant to be when I went and they still had 6 left.  The room isn't very big and the bed takes up a lot of the space but we have come to love having room for three in there.  It is perfect for bedtime stories. 

So, I was going to get all of the Brooke bedding but it was really the sheets that I loved the most.  So, I used them as my inspiration.  They were my first, I changed my mind every other day.  Like the bed, I wasn't sure that I needed to spend that much money on something that she didn't really need.  But then I went to Down East and they had the fitted sheet and the pillow cases for about a third of the price I would have paid at PB Kids.  Someone had them on hold, and I asked what would happen to the sheets if they didn't pick them up.  I had them take down my name and number and asked them to call me if the original holder person didn't get them.  I watched my phone around closing time and felt so lucky when they called me.  I am kind of embarrassed to put in writing my obsession, but I am sure that I am not alone.  

I paired my lovely find with a flat sheet that I got at IKEA on clearance for about $3.  It was perfect.  Not too matchy matchy and a good contrast with the white cover.

The cover.  White for a 7 year old?  Well, I already had it and I wasn't using it.  I actually got it in this crazy sale at Down East where they let you fill a garbage bag for $25.  I got SO SO SO much stuff into my bag.  Duvets, sheets, shower curtains, baby quilts...  All with flaws but perfect for my projects.  So this duvet had a monogram on it.  I just covered it up with my own.  

The cost?  About 75 cents for the blue ric rac.  My friend gave me the fabric and my mom crocheted the letters.


I toyed around with a lot of colors, but the oranges and aquas and grays are what I kept going back to.  I am worried it is another phase of mine.  Like the pink and brown one that I went through.  Time will tell.  I did a lot of white.  I love white.  I will always love white.  White is my favorite.  It might not be my favorite when I see the first inevitable stain.

The orange pillows I just brought up from the guest room since they weren't getting the attention they needed.  I made those a while ago.  The yellow pillow cases are from that fabulous garbage bag.

The bed skirt was inspired by PB Kids  fancy one that sells for $179.  I used a curtain panel from the thrift store, $1.99, $4 worth of tulle and ribbon from my collection.  Makes me smile.

I redid the lamp by painting the shade orange and hotglueing flowers and gems all over.  Kind of like this one but $88 cheaper. 

This is her little reading nook.  I made cushions for those storages benches that we have had since our Chicago days.  The benches also help her get on her, now much taller, bed.  I brought in the little rug from the living room since we never really used it.  

Some of the little details make a big impact.  

I can't remember which blog I got the jar idea from but I know I didn't make it up.  

Eva made these little critters with Model Magic.  Love that stuff.

Eva loves to make stuff.  Her old desk was not working.  I was hoping it would.  I used it when I was little.  But looking back, it didn't work for me, either.  You had to lift the work surface to get anything from inside the desk.  It ended up just being a place to stash stuff.  
She needed a better work space.  

We had a long piece of melamine from the previous owners of this house.  Karl cut it to the right size.  He also cut this paper organizer thing (that my dad didn't want anymore) to be the same height as some plastic drawer things (that I have had since I was in college).  I wanted the storage to be vertical so nothing would get stacked and lost.  Now, she has a place for her colored paper, her special notes, origami and stuff like that.  We spaced out the three things and put the wood over it.  Then I made a skirt to hide all the repurposed storage by cutting up a fitted sheet (again, thank you giant garbage bag) and and added a strip of cute fabric on the bottom and some ribbon at the top.  Karl also made the little shelf things so Eva could store stuff on her desk but keep her work space clear.  Total cost:  $0.  Don't you love that?


I did buy the little storage jars for markers, crayons, erasers, notebooks, candy, etc.  There were on sale, 6 of them for $10.  I also got those aqua colored pots.  They were $2 each at Down East.   


The bulletin boards were from my sister's DI pile.  Many of our favorites come from that pile.  One used to have red and blue stars painted on it and the other, pink flowers.  I Mod Podged orange paper on the frame (because I had paper in the perfect color but not paint) and cover it in the gray fabric.  Eva chose that fabric.  She has great taste.  My mom crocheted the white trim for me.  I got the inspiration for these boards from this blog, she's got decorating skills. 


The mirror I bought about 4 years ago just because I loved it (and sometimes when I find a super deal I think that it was meant to be mine, remember?).   It is a Land of Nod mirror.  They want $99 for it.  But, once again, I got mine at Down East for $25.  I couldn't have found a more perfect mirror for this spot. 

We made Eva stay out of her room for 4 days to do the room.  She was so cute and didn't even peek.  I was worried that she would miss her old stuff.  She likes new stuff, but has a hard time parting with old stuff.  Like me.  

She loves the room.  She wouldn't wait to sleep in her bed.  She started making stuff right away.  Clothes for her Webkinz, a drawing to hang up on her board...  That is what a wanted, a space for her that would inspire her creativit, not hinder.  So glad.

And now I know why I would never be a professional seamstress or decorator.  This took so much time, work and mental space.  But for Eva, it was totally worth it.

afterthought:  If only I could put this much effort into decorating my front room or my master bedroom.  But it seems like there are too many limits when you do those rooms.  I freeze up and no ideas flow at all.  It ends up being boring and super neutral.  LIttle girl rooms have no boundaries.  I love it.  

cookies and countdowns and christmas crafts

Saw these snowflakes in a store last year.

With the help of this tutorial I got my own this year.

Also did these ornaments for the kitchen. Realized that I love hanging things from ceiling and Karl hates hitting his head on them every time he passes. Didn't even cross this shorty's mind.

Got the idea from this awesome blog.

This year Karl decorated the gingerbread house with the kids while I made the advent calendar with friends. Let's just say that he should be the one in charge of the gingerbread house from now on. He is way better at it. When I was in charge it did not look this good for sure. Two years ago I let the kids just put a huge smiley face on the front and we called it good.

Went to a cookie exchange. Spent way too much time making a bajillion of these cuties. Karl and the kids liked them. Me, not so much. Nothing like spending HOURS baking cookies only to find out you don't like them, right? Cuter to look at...

Also make these advent calendars with friends. Was fun just to talk to be creative.

I love that Christmas means more stuff to make. Except when I procrastinate. Like right now.

liver for lulu

My earliest memory of Lizzie was when I was in high school. She was in fifth grade.

She was telling us how she only liked older guys. She would not go out with anyone younger than sixth grade. Spunky, hilarious, and apparently mature beyond her age.

Fast forward to now. Years later. A cute wife and sweet mommy of two adorable kids. Picture perfect, right?

But now her sweet little girl needs help. She's fighting Alpha 1 Anitrypsin Deficiency, a genetic disorder that causes liver and lung failure.

And now, after three weeks in the hospital, she has H1N1.

Read about this sweet girl, London, aka Lulu here.

Of course, things like this cost a lot of money. You can read about how you can help with the "Liver for Lulu" fund on that blog, too.

Cyd, Lizzie's sister (and one of my favorite friends ever) asked if I would make some onesies for the cause.

I still like my birds, so I stuck with them. I also tried out the ruffle butt onesie from this tutorial. Besides ironing them all before I took pictures, there are a few things I would do differently but isn't that how crafting goes?

On each onesie I put a little birdie on the back and a little, blue "liver for lulu" sign wherever it fit in.

I am still trying to create a "brand" for myself. That day, I liked, "cyi made." I came up with a logo and put a little label on the back of each one. But I still can't decide. I am so indecisive. I need more feedback.

These ones have been sold but If you want me to make you one with the two birds in a cage, I would love to. If you need it for a baby boy, I can make it in black, too. I have sizes 0-3 mo., 6-9 mo., and 12 mo.

For $15, I will make it, wrap it up cute, and send it to you, and all of the money will go to help sweet, tiny, Baby Lulu.