Photo of the Week

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It wasn't necessarily any special.  Maybe it was just the way the light seemed to fill everything so I could see things very clearly.  Maybe it was my vantage point.  The girls and I normally sit right beside each other to eat, but on this particular morning, I decided to sit across from her...and she was so small.

She has seemed so small to me lately.  Last night when she crawled into my bed and I wrapped my arms around her...she was so small.  When her feet rested against my legs to listen to music and read a story together...she was so small.  When she came to me and whispered, "I have a secret...I love you," she seemed so small.

I forget because I'm constantly in a state of amazement at how smart, talented and kind she is.  It's because of this that the tiny whispers of "I'm scared, mommy" throw me off and make me remember, she's still just a baby.  My little baby who wraps her arms around me so tight during the day, and at night, just lies in my arms in complete trust.  She's just a baby.

Until next time...

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The Hollie Rogue

McDougall Photography

The Long Road to China

Not so Spooky Spooktacular Pumpkins!

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Okay, so maybe they aren't very spooky...but they were fun; as fun could be!

What you will need in addition to the photo's list:

White pen, chalk or crayon

brown crayon

Exacto knife and a good blade

scissors

Office stapler and staples

First, draw a pumpkin.  If you are going to make multiple, staple that picture to a number of pages of the same paper.  (We used orange construction paper) and then cut out with a pair of scissors.  Now you have a bunch of pumpkins!

Draw in the lines with white pen, chalk or crayon, then color the stem with a brown crayon.  You can even go back over the white lines with the brown crayon.

Picture doesn't show that step...but you get my drift.)

Next, take some squares of black construction paper and draw some scary, funny, or happy teeth.  I found that using an Exacto knife was the best route for this step.  I was able to get some really funky teeth with the Exacto blade....and it went so much faster than scissors.

You could do the same as with the pumpkins to get multiples of the same mouth.  That would save time. too.

Next, cut a strip of black construction paper and cut out triangles with your scissors all the way down the strip.  They don't need to be perfect and you don't have to just do triangles.  

Next, present all the pieces, get a pumpkin for yourself and let the fun begin!

If you want to add some more fun, add some glitter, halloween stickers, and maybe even some cutout spiders!  You can do so much with this craft.

Oh what fun they are!  If you don't feel comfortable with your drawing skills or don't have any fake fall leaves, I've created three printables which can be cut out.  All you would need then are the buttons and glue.

Spooktacular Pumpkin Printout

Spooktacular Faces Printout

Spooktacular Leaves Printout

I hope you have as much fun as we did making this craft.  Here are a few shots of what G and I created (I really only made one).

Poor guy...

I like the eyebrows on this fella.

Enjoy and until next time...

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Guest Post at My Mommy Manual

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Hi there!  Today I'm so honored to have the chance to guest post over My Mommy Manual.

Zen Mommy, Suzanne, (and trust me, this amazing woman is so zen) and Practical Mommy, Ria, write amazing posts catering to all things mommy.  My Mommy Manual encourages support and love.  Whenever I read My Mommy Manual, I come away feeling as if I've learned a lesson in serenity, in gratitude.

Whether it be a look at loving boundries for our children, finding that confident inner voice as a mother or even an honest and heartfelt look at loss, My Mommy Manual is just the place for a healthy dose self love.

So, Suzanne asked me to write a guest post about crafts and connecting with your children, I panicked, because all I could think about was...crayons...

Hop on over to My Mommy Manual to read about "The Crayon Connection".  And while you are there, give MMM a good read and see why I love My Mommy Manual so much.

Until next time...

Bella's Blossoms Winner

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Congratulations entrant #4 - Sherra Fritz 

Please send me your contact information so Robin at Bella’s Blossoms can get in touch with you to create your custom blossoms…

That’s right, CUSTOM.  She has a multitude of colors to choose from and you get to choose how your three blossoms will look.

Thank you to everyone for entering and I’ve got the giveaway bug now so Momma C Designs will definitely be hosting more giveaways.

Congratulations again Sherra!

Until next time...

This giveaway was sponsored by Bella's Blossoms and the winner was chosen through Random.org

Photo of The Week

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Pumpkins! 

Oh, pumpkins.  Pumpkins, pumpkins, pumpkins.  I love the word, pumpkins.  Grace does too because that is all I’ve heard this past week since telling her we were going to go to the pumpkin patch on Mr. MCD’s day off.

Every day it was, “Are we going to the pumpkin patch?  Oh no!  I’ve got to go get dressed, we don’t want to be late!”

She would run off in a frenzy gathering any and all clothing she could find.  One day she even brought me a hair tie and a bow and asked me to put her hair up so she could play in the pumpkin patch.

So when the moment finally came for us to leave, I was a little worried that the pumpkin patch might not live up to the hype of the week.  We’ve made maps to the pumpkin patch, talked about it endlessly, made drawings of what the carvings should look like (I should have taken pictures of those…there wouldn’t be any pumpkin left!).  It’s been a big deal around here.

When we were a little ways away, I saw the pumpkin patch…and it was dry.  Ohio was hit pretty hard by this year’s heat and it showed.  The ground was so cracked and dusty and everything was so withered.  But, we were not disappointed!

Bella's Blossoms Free Giveaway!

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**Giveaway is now closed**

What an exciting day!

Today, I have the pleasure of introducing our newest sponsor of Momma C Designs and I am hosting my very first Giveaway! 

And today's sponsored giveaway comes to us from...

My dear friend, Robin, over at Bella's Blossoms is giving away not one, not two, but THREE of her amazing crocheted blossoms.  These are so cute and look great as a stand-alone hair accessory or on one of her crocheted hats.

Take a look at some of her creations.  She doesn't just do blossoms. Check out all of her amazing products for sale at Bella's Blossoms.

I am thrilled to have Bella’s Blossoms as a sponsor and can’t wait to showcase more of the amazing goodies that come from such a talented woman.

If you would like a chance to win three beautiful crocheted blossoms, here's how to enter...

♥  Leave a comment telling me how you express your creativity   ♥

♥  And if you are an eager beaver, be sure to like our Facebook pages  ♥

FB Momma C Designs

FB Bella’s Blossoms

You have until 12pm Sunday, October 14th to enter.  I'll announce the winner on Monday.

Good luck and Until next time...

Crocheted Butterfly Beanie

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Now, isn't that pretty?  I am in love with this little hat.  It looks so cute! Plus, the butterfly part is so perfect and I can add little embellishments to it making it very versatile.

I don't crochet.  I've had a set of crochet hooks for years, and never broke the package.  But last week, I made this beanie, with the help of my good friend, Robin.  She's a pro and was very helpful.

Even though this was my first time crocheting a hat and only my second or third time crocheting at all, this hat turned out AMAZING!! 

Below is the butterfly beanie without embellishments.

Then you add some sunlight and a cute little clip....and a cute little head...

And VOILA!  Gorgeousness.

This hat makes me smile, and only took me two hours to make.  I could have actually made it in less time, but babies need tending to.  ♥

Pretty hats and dirty shirts from playing in the mud...my kind of girl....oh, and a little nose action as well.

And why not some ears too?

G wore the hat to our Church's Fall Festival and a friend of mine asked me to make one for her little 11-week old lady.  So, I guess I did a pretty good job!

Unfortunately, I can't lay claim to the pattern...I wouldn't even know where to begin to make a crochet pattern.  The lovely lady over at Vallieskids made it and provides the pattern as well.  She even makes a matching butterfly hat for a doll.

I've included the pattern below, but please hop on over to Vallie's by clicking on the link below.  If you are interested in crocheting and knitting, she has a ton of great patterns.

And just a little note, Vallieskids calls for worsted weight yarn and a J hook.  I used a bulky yarn and the J hook.  It fits both of my children perfectly (3 years and 1 year - see the hat on Claire here) ...I guess Claire bear has a big head!  However, the pattern can easily be made to fit by simply adding or subtracting stitches in the beginning.

Vallieskids Butterfly Hat Pattern

Rnd 1) ch3, 11dc in 3rd ch from hook (11dc) sl st to top of first dc (now and through out),

Rnd 2) ch2, (does not count as dc now and through out) 2dc in each st around, sl st to top of first dc

Rnd 3) ch 2 * 2dc in first st, 1dc in next st around, repeat from * around slip st to join

Rnd 4) ch2, *2dc in first st, dc in next 2dc , repeat from * around, join

Rnd 5) ch2, * 2dc in first st, dc in next 3dc , repeat from * around, join

Rnd 6) ch2, dc in same st and each st around

Rnd 7 and 8) Repeat rnd 6

Rnd 9) ch2, dc in same st, dc in next 21 sts, ch10, skip next 9 sts, dc in next st and in each st accross, slip st to join

Rnd 10) ch2, dc in same st and in next 21 sts, ch 10, skip 10 chains, dc in next dc and in each remaining dc, slip st to join

Rnd 11 and 12) Repeat rnd 10

Rnd 13) ch1, sc in same st and in next 21 sts, ch5, sc over all ch 10's by bunching together and into 5th dc of the 9 skipped dc on row 9, ch5, sc in next dc and in each dc around slip stitch to join, fasten off.

Until next time...

Photo of The Week

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Look at those two.  It doesn't get much cuter than that. 

That's baby boy Ben and Jubbles the Claire...see what I did there...

I love two babies together.  They are always so fascinated with one another.  From the moment these two met they have been lovey doveys.  Claire used to crawl onto Ben when he was still back bound and would kick her legs up and down behind her with excitement.  She loved to give him kisses.  

When Ben was just starting to move around, he got her back.  He would grab her and kiss her.  He even kind of tackled her a couple times.  He would just pin her and give this amazingly huge smile.  I've never seen anything like this kids smile.

And this visit was no different except for the fact that they haven't seen each other in a while and a lot has changed.  Claire walks very well and Ben is just starting to.  Claire would squeal with excitement when Ben would get going and he was so gentle when would touch her face and hair.

They played and played together.  At one point I caught a stare down and then a giggle.  They were so sweet together.  

I already had my photo of the week post written and ready but when my friend and her boys decided to crash my afternoon...YAY!...the pictures I got were just too much for me to pass up.

That's right...boys.  We had four little kiddos running around.  Grace, Claire, Jake and Ben...and I think Ben took his very first solo steps to mommy!  That was exciting.

And even though this is the "Photo" of the week...I can't help but share a few others from our visit...

Jake, smiling.  He's so active and busy...

Claire and Ben playing on the computer... 

Jake and Grace playing in the dirt and having an absolute blast.  At one point they were sitting right next to each other working together to fill a bucket and quietly talking to each other.  So cute.

Look at that cuteness!

Oh, that smile.  It just kills me.  And boy does he loves his Momma!

Everyone played together so nicely.  It was so much fun.

A little platter of our finest meats and cheeses.  Jake kept feeding Claire and it was very serious work.  He kept saying, "Care like cheese....I do too."

Such a fun afternoon.  It was definitely the icing on the cake for my day.  

Thank you Jen for sharing your friendship and your family with mine. ♥ 

Until next time...

Linked up to... 

The Hollie Rogue

McDougall Photography

The Long Road to China