Freezer Paper Stencils Tutorial

I posted awhile back about my friend Sarah at Rum Tum Crafts gifting me with shirts she made with Freezer Paper Stencil designs. I loved the look and easy idea, so I finally took the time to try it out last night.

I bought a couple 100% cotton American Apparel shirts on Amazon.com, picked up some freezer paper at the grocery store and a few fabric paints at WalMart. Shirts & Supplies: $20.

I did a clip art search for images and decided on an elephant profile, since we like elephants in this house. I also pulled a kitty cat image from the Robeez Coloring Pages to match her shoes. I printed the images on regular paper to scale for her shirts, but I read you can run the freezer paper directly thru most printers (print on the matt side.) I just taped the design behind the freezer paper then used an Exacto knife to cut out the image.

I put the freezer paper, shiny side down on the front of the shirt. I put a second piece of freezer paper in between the shirt layers to prevent the paint bleeding through and ironed it all in place with my iron on the cotton setting.



Then I used a brush to paint in the image. I used Polymark flat fabric paints because they came in a big selection of colors and are only 95 cents a bottle.





After the paint dried, about an hour, I pulled the paper off to check it out.




I left them to finish drying overnight, then turned the shirts inside out, backed the image with a dry paper towel, and ironed the shirt to heat set the image. Done and ready to wear!



It was just as fun and easy to do as Sarah said it would be! I'm already thinking of other designs and colors to use to make more. The boys really like them, too, and asked for mom to make them shirts.

Snail Mail, Email and Blogs

As per my annual tradition, I have just completed writing my Christmas cards and they will go in the mail tomorrow. :) Yet again, this is not the year for them to arrive before Christmas. Hope you think they were worth the wait!

Also, if you are someone that I began emailing with since 2006 or you are someone that changed your email address since 2006, I need your current email address. Doug wiped out the hard drive on my computer this past weekend without backing up my email address book. The last back up I could find was from when I moved my emailing from the office computer to our home computer in 06. If you drop me a line, I'll get you added back in. I guess the plus side of this is that I got rid of a lot of random addresses that I didn't need.

Another blogger update, I hope you followed along and kept little Esther in your prayers this week. Her heart repair surgery went well and she is on the mend! Yay, Esther! Last week at church, Sean and I went into the private chapel to light a candle and pray for Esther. He repeated after me, "God, please make Esther's heart all better. Amen!" Then we sang "Happy Birthday, Esther's Heart" and blew out the candle. Who could resist such a sweet request from such a sweet boy?!

Christmas Photo Album

Not only did my mom drop the hint that I need to update, but even Doug asked why I haven't yet! Sorry! I feel like I am still in Christmas recovery mode. Rather than posting loads of details, I will post loads of pics. We had a fabulous time with both sides of our family. The kids were spoiled rotten as usual. Food was wonderful, company was fun. I even got to have a girls shopping day with my mom and sister, plus a movie date to see Marley & Me. (Miss Ella Roo came along, of course.)

Oh, and thanks to my blogging comments, I got a sewing machine for Christmas! Woo hoo! I am eager to start learning how to sew. Okay, on with the show.

All three kiddos just love their Santa gifts. Good job, old man!
Santa brought Ella a jumpy, exercising thing.


Santa left Sean a box full of wonderful Wiggles stuff: Captain Feathersword, a Wiggles V-Smile game and a Wiggles DVD.


Santa brought what Aidan asked for, a Playstation 2.


Ella gave her "Super" big brothers something special, custom capes.




Nana and Papa gave Sean a V-Smile Motion toy. He loves to try to play it, but doesn't quite have it figured out yet.


Ella needed some napping breaks.


Grandpa and Gramma decided to torture me encouraged Sean's musical passion with this keyboard/karaoke machine.


Doug's brother, Curt, gave Aidan his MOST.FAVORITE.GIFT. ever. Yes, we are bad parents, we let our 6 year old play a game for adults. I have no excuse for why we do.


Eleanor got her first doll, from Nana. Nana said she couldn't resist because it looks like E, with the blond hair and blue eyes. Nana also got her the pink Bumbo chair. Luckily, Ella's big thighs still squeeze in there.


Of course, they got more than this, but I don't want to bore everyone! Let's just say we are very blessed to have so many people that love us and love to see our family happy.

Oh, and one of the greatest gifts this holiday: Sean took communion at Christmas Eve service! He ate all of the wafer that was given to him and was so pleased with himself. He rubbed his tummy and said "Yum Yum Yum!" Spectacular! Then on Saturday he stole Aunt Tanya's chair from her at dinner and nibbled on the cheese on her cheeseburger, dipped fries in ketchup & sucked it off, and ate 3 grapes (chewed them even!) Amazing amazing amazing!

Merry Christmas!

Today was a Good Day

After the stress frenzy day yesterday, that only had brief moments of all kids and mom living in harmony, today went much better. Isn't that how it works? Just when you are ready to pull your hair out and run for the hills, you get a drooly sweet kiss on the cheek from your baby, a wonderfully detailed drawing of your family from your kindergartner or a hysterically acted out scene from your preschooler and suddenly you realize why you love being a mom so much.

Sean slept in until 7:35 today, so I missed my little 6 am "alarm" and got some extra zzz's. Ella slept in while I snuggled in the big bed with the boys, then took them down for breakfast. Aidan helped me with dishes after Doug went to work. When Ella woke up, Aidan entertained her nicely while I put away laundry and cleaned up the playroom. I gave Ella and Sean baths, got Aidan to take a shower. Got a shower myself! Sorted through outgrown kids' clothing. Changed bedding on a bed for my mom to use. Did laundry. All before noon!

Ella got to model some new fluffy mail:



My mom arrived at lunch time and helped me take Sean to get his first pair of glasses. He looks absolutely adorable in them. I couldn't get him to make a nice smile for the camera, so this will have to do for today. Please excuse the messy face, he just ate and was zoning out on a movie. His skin is horribly chapped from his cold and the weather. He has done a terrific job keeping them on! I am so shocked and happy about that.


Doug took Aidan to the office with him this afternoon, so Sean took a nice long nap and so did Ella. Mom and I watched a movie and I got laundry folded & put away. I made quesadillas for dinner, then Mom and I did the grocery shopping for Christmas dinner. She treated everyone to DQ. Aidan had some difficulties settling down and behaving after that, so we had a rough patch before bed. Now everyone is sleeping but me- the little mouse at the keyboard. I'm heading to bed soon.

Thanks for the moral support on my last post. Tonight I am thinking maybe I can make it until school starts....

2 weeks of Vacation?

Oi.

So far I have decided:

1. I am a potty training failure.
2. No one will ever be allowed to give my kids nerf guns or any thing of the sort again.
3. Ella is going to kill her brothers with ear shattering screams if she does not get to nap for the next 2 weeks.
4. Doug is going to divorce me if I don't get to shower for 2 weeks.
5. Playdo is not a food group.

It's nice to know that the reality of SAHM-ing is shared with others. Check out this very true to life account at Princess Nebraska.

Esther Jeanne Needs Us

I want to call attention to one of the "new" blogs I follow. Having been in the cloth diaper community (yes, it's a lot like the Down syndrome community) for a few years, I had heard of Snap-EZ Diapers long ago. While I had spent time in their online shop, I hadn't really gotten to know the family that makes them.

Until September 20, 2008.

That's when Snap-EZ owner, Ruth, gave birth to her 11th child, Esther. At her birth, they discovered that Esther has Down syndrome.Esther's birth was pretty rough and she had some complications right away so a notice was posted in the diaper forums that Ruth and Esther needed our prayers and support. I've been a loyal reader since then and have tried to offer encouragement.

Ruth has been amazing. She has never once expressed concerns about Esther having Down syndrome and how that might influence her life. Instead, her focus has been on Esther. Caring for her, nursing her, protecting her and loving her. As far as I know (which is just through what she blogs), Ruth hasn't had connection with Down syndrome support groups or started therapy for Esther. They have had to put all of their energy in her health. Getting her out of NICU, working on her feedings, and now they are facing another challenge: open heart surgery.

Through this all, Ruth has had to shuttle back and forth to the Children's Hospital (2 hours from her home) and try to keep the rest of her family cared for. Esther has been in the hospital more than she's been out since her birth. She is in the hospital again this week and very sick. Her heart repair is scheduled for Monday if she is well enough. It sounds like once her heart is repaired a lot of her other health problems should improve or resolve.

I will be thinking of her this weekend and her family. Ruth's family will be traveling this weekend to her area, as, sadly, Ruth's uncle passed away this week and the funeral is next week. I hope for safe travel for her family, peace for them as they mourn, and strength for them as they rally together in support of Esther. Please keep them in your thoughts and prayers as well.