Cardboard Squares into Simple Stencils

I thought I would put together this little blog while I am waiting for my son to wake up from his nap. As you guys know I am a crafter and right now I am prepping fat quarters and felt for some new projects. Well I got a nice little surprise/idea from a fat quarter. Depending on where you buy your actual fat quarters (not making them) they sometimes will come with a piece of cardboard. Now I use to throw them away and then I decided to start keeping them because they were firm but not to firm where I could not cut through to them. So as I said I started saving them for a use that was yet unknown to me. Well the one thing that I do not like to purchase is stencils, they are often so expensive and I just have a hard time finding what I need with the craft stores in my area and buying them online it is hard for me to judge the actual size (even though they give you the measurements).

Now I am not an expert with making my own stencils and I am sure this idea is not new. However, I can do basic shapes and petals to the size that I want and need! So far I have done a couple of petals, circles, and of course squares. I plan on doing some hearts and some other neat shapes that are simple. I am sure you can make a more complicated stencil but for what I need them for simple is always better! The thing I like is these cardboard stencils cost nothing to make (besides when I initially purchased the fat quarters!). So that is a win for me! I am always about cutting corners where I can and this seems to be a very effective way!

Here is the cardboard insert from on of the fat quarters I have purchased. Just by typing in a search sites for "free shape images" or "free simple shape images" (is what I typed). I was able to find things like these examples!

I am so excited to use these stencils for my craft projects that I need to use simple shapes for!

DIY: Cleaner Wipes

I posted earlier this month about making your own cleaner wipes. I will admit I was not sure if this would even work wile I was making them. I did end up altering the recipe to make them to my liking. I am very much still experimenting with this concept.


The Things You will Need

A package of baby wipes in the hard container (I used the unscented Target brand because they were buy one get one for a dollar)
A cleaner of your choice (I made two different types but both are a multi-surface cleaner)
At least 24 hour to soak -my recommendation

The original recipe called for about 3-4oz of cleaner and letting them soak all  the way through. Well the problem is that amount of cleaner to me did not go all the way through like I thought it was suppose to. The color of my cleaners were orange and yellow so it was pretty clear where the cleaner went and did not go. So I added more and flipped around the wipes through the 24 hour soak period to make sure the wipes are thoroughly infused with the cleaner. Now I think I did poor a little too much in one of them but for me it is not a really big deal. The key is to let them soak and let the cleaner work its way through the wipes.

Now I will admit this this not the ultimate cheapest method or greenest. However, it is still pretty cheap. I made everything for under $5 dollars and I have barely gone through the wipes and we do use them! Now I am not all about being completely green but I am not even sure I am even part green (I have a few specs) but the next time I make these wipes I am going to use the green solution of multipurpose cleaners (it has some of the same components as my laundry soap). So this will not be a greener solution but will go down in cost as well. Again I am still experimenting with this process but wanted to share what I have gotten done so far!

Have any of you done this? I wonder what you would do differently or how you would tweak the recipe to work for you?

Sometimes You Just Have To Go With The Flow... What is Going On With Us?

Things have been crazy in my household for several months. One of the most frustrating things in the world is just not knowing and you hope and pray that everything will work out the way it is suppose too. I am married to a wonderful man for almost 9 years. He serves his country as an infantryman and has been on the frontlines several times. However, this is the first time in his career where I think he feels honestly lost and with no answers. After my husband returned from his last deployment he decided it was time to do something called a "B-billet" it is basically a certain type job for about three years. My husband has always had his heart set on doing embassy duty. Well he had all his paper work in and had a slot for school several months down the road in the mean time he was doing another short school. A few days into his school he suffered from a heat stroke and had to be medically dropped from the course which did disqualify for the time being for his B-billet school. He made a full recovery and came to terms with embassy duty was not likely going to happen so like a good Marine he went for another B-billet this time an instructor for the School of Infantry. He got selected for the school and we were headed to the West coast. However, while physical training or aka PT he hurt his knee while running. I am not sure if I ever saw him so much pain before and like a lot of other Marines he pushed it in the back of his head to he finally agreed to see his medical officer. They sent him for an MRI and to see a specialist because nothing showed in the initial x-ray. However, because of this MRI he was suppose to be on a medical hold until the results but because of a huge miscommunication his orders got canceled and he once again had no idea what to do. We finally got the results from his MRI and come to find out he has a lot of fraying in his knee. So hopefully physical therapy will help after a month if the pain  has not gone away he will see a knee surgeon and see what they recommend (hopefully, no surgery!). However, in the meantime the Unit in which he was temporary moved too decided they wanted to keep him around (he is suppose to go back to his Line unit sometime in August). He was not really happy with this choice because he would lose his option for a B-billet he said. However, after a couple of nights he took on a great attitude with all the crap that has gone on and was accepting of what the next plan was. Well today he found out that he will be not getting orders and the only thing he knows for sure is he will stay there until August (which is good because our 2nd child is due in August). When he told me today while I was bringing him dinner he let it slip that he wish he never had his heat stroke. My heart just broke for him. The one thing you have to understand about my husband in the 12 years of service this is the first time his physical health has ever hindered him from his goals in the Marine Corp. I know he feels lost maybe even a little hurt and for once I do not want to do. I wish I could take his pain away and make everything right but everything is out of my hands. I can tell him every day that he is a good Marine (which he is a damn fine Marine) and just go with the flow and let things work themselves out. However, right now the only thing I can do is hope and pray that everything will work out the way it is suppose to. I told him the bright side because the last plan was not working out it puts him back inline for a B-billet after his knee heels. Which I know put a smile on his face even just for a moment but thing is I cannot make this B-billet happen as I stated above everything is out of my hands. I just want him to know that he is awesome husband and he makes me a better person just being with him. I am so glad that we get a long and hardly argue if that and he wants only the best for me. However, I just want him to know that I want only the best for him and I will always stand by his side! I love you Carebear!

A Bipolar Mom and Daily Life! : Never Enough Time (BP Related) and a Couple of Thi...

A Bipolar Mom and Daily Life! : Never Enough Time (BP Related) and a Couple of Thi...: When you are a busy Mom (whether you work or are a SAHM) it seems like there is never enough time.  I feel like this a lot and then it can b...

Never Enough Time (BP Related) and a Couple of Things I Do About It!

When you are a busy Mom (whether you work or are a SAHM) it seems like there is never enough time.  I feel like this a lot and then it can become overwhelming (the joys of Bipolar) and then I have to stop and make sure my moods are okay because the last thing I would ever want is to go into a down or up. However, do I learn from becoming overwhelmed? The answer is not really and the cycle that repeats itself time and time again. I try numerous things to help this like schedules and routines but to be honest only a few have stuck (but I keep trying them). A huge problem when you suffer from Bipolar Disorder is that your brain cannot tell what is okay to hold off of and what is needed to be don. I give you an example/experiment I was told to try a couple of years ago by a counselor.

I was told to write a list that consisted of two columns "A" and "B". Column A is for what I considered that needed to get done on a priority basis while column B was for things that I thought could be held off on a day or two. Can you see where this going? My column "A" list was extremely long and not likely to be completed in a 24 hour period (if you did not sleep). However, like I stated my brain just really does not know the difference! Now I cannot personally do an "A" and "B" list because then everything would be always on the priority column. With having a hard time not knowing when to stop or distinguish what is an actual priority I have devised my own style of list that has been working for a couple of years now. What I use is a spiral notebook (usually a 3 subject or more) and this is my things-to-do list book. I write down things that I need to do to include appointments to needing to wash my windows. The only difference is that instead of making it a daily list I give myself a block of time. Usually it is a week to two period. I love doing this because I can write and organize what I need to get done in that "time span". For some reason me just seeing the dates makes me feel less overwhelmed and tend to manage my time a lot better. I also mark things off once they are completed and I just love seeing those marks!  The key for me is to make sure I stay focused on it because if I do not, I feel like there is just not enough time in the day and then I become overwhelmed.

Another thing I do is stayed focused on my son (and when my daughter gets here). This is not any kind of list or what not but my personal goal to be a great mom. I know if I do not care for myself then I am no good to my family and for me that is worse then feeling like my bipolar disorder has taken over (which thankfully has never happened and I plan to keep it that way!). I know I was put on this Earth to take care of my family!

There are numerous articles and research that suggest someone who is bipolar like me needs to keep routines in able to help their disorder. I do agree with this completely but unless you actually suffer from the disorder you may not realize how hard it is can be for someone. One of the best things that someone can do that suffers from the disorder is a sleep schedule (which is my next goal). Just for the same reason that you give your kids a bed time is the same reason you need a bed time. So many adults whether they suffer from the disorder or not take sleep for granted. Most studies suggest that the average adult needs 7-9 hours asleep a night. When you are bipolar you tend to sleep less or way over the recommended amount of sleep which disturbs the body's natural rhythm. So I am hoping to find a schedule that works for me and that I can feel rested (I know I am 5 months pregnant so it may be a little harder). The key like to most goals is to stick to it. I have discovered the longer you stick to something the more natural it becomes.  

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A Bipolar Mom and Daily Life! : Meet Hooty! My Crochet Owl Plushie!

A Bipolar Mom and Daily Life! : Meet Hooty! My Crochet Owl Plushie!: So I finished my crochet owl this morning! I got most of him done last night and put on the finishing touches this morning (no clue why I am...