Bracelets

I am not normally a crafty person. But occasionally I find something I enjoy. When I lived in San Diego all of my friends had baby girls. They all wore the cutest bracelets. I thought it was such a cute way to say "I am a girl!" I was thrilled when I finally had my own girl. One of the first things I wanted to get for her was one of those adorable bracelets. Especially since dressing my bald baby in pink and putting a big flower on her head wasn't enough to stop the question, "Is it a boy or a girl?"

I searched and finally I bought one and then was given and even better one. I realized, "Hey, I can do this!" Now its been a year, and after lots of searching, shopping, practicing, trying new things and asking a great friend for help (thanks Leah!) I figured it out! I have decided to share my "talent" (which really doesn't count, because anyone could make these if you had enough desire) and make a little extra money.

For those of you who have been around me, you've seen the many variations of bracelets that Mackenzie wears. With the plan to make and sell them I have upgraded to much better quality beads and clasps. They are beautiful. I plan to have a bunch on hand if you want to pick one up or I will take special orders as well. The infant ones can be simple or I can add more colors or charms.

I will also make "Big Sister" bracelets to match or just bigger ones for older girls...any age.

I can make ones to match an outfit or a holiday:

Or for a special occasion:

The beads are beautiful "Cat's Eye" glass beads in various colors. I use small, oval trigger or "lobster" clasps (as shown on the pink and white bracelet above) and closed jump rings. Satisfaction guaranteed! If for some reason it breaks or doesn't fit, send/bring back the pieces and I will give you a new one. The infant ones range from $10-$12 and the bigger ones from $12 to $15, depending on the beads and charms you choose. I will give a discount for additional bracelets purchased together.

These are great for gifts...especially for the person who is having their 3rd girl and you want to give them something "different" or even for that first daughter that you want to treat as a princess. Mackenzie has worn one since she was only a few months old. She always has it on and rarely notices its there; unless we tell her how pretty she is...she loves that!

Email me and let me know what you want: tiffyj@byu.net

Vonage

You know me...when I find a product that I think is great...I have to share.

Now, I can't say that I love the Vonage phone system. We do have a few issues with dropped calls and no service. But not enough to override the $25 a month fee for unlimited everything.

The thing that I love about it though, I just discovered (after two years). I can forward my home calls to my cell phone. Now, I know you are thinking, big deal. But the cool part is that I can have the call ring simultaneously to my home phone and my cell phone. That means that if you call my home phone when I am home, I can answer that phone. But if you call my home phone when I am in the car, I will answer it on my cell phone.

This makes it really easy to get a hold of me, if I am reachable). Call my home phone and I will get the call even if I am not home. The reason this works so great for me is that I leave my cell phone in the car (otherwise I forget to bring it with me when I leave). If you call my cell phone and I am not in the car I won't answer. Before, if you called my home phone and I wasn't home, I wouldn't answer (duh!). And then you would have to try my cell phone. Now I can give out one number, you can call that one number and if I don't answer its because I am not available, for whatever reason. Cool, huh?!

Pay it Forward

You may have seen this on other blogs - you sign up to receive something homemade or crafty, and then you pay it forward by doing the same thing for 3 people who sign up to do it on your blog.
So here’s how it works:~Be one of the first 3 people to leave a comment on this post and I will send you a handmade gift sometime in the next 3 month (feel free to pick your own time limit).

~You get to pay it forward as well by doing the same thing for 3 people on your blog.~Once you leave a comment telling me that you want to participate, you need to make a pay it forward post on your blog within one day.

So, anyone game? You can be a friend, family member, or even a random visitor to this blog. Just as long as you’re willing to pay it forward, you are eligible to participate!

(Note: some examples of homemade gifts...baby bracelets, headbands, baked goods (if you live close by), cards, scrapbooked pages, blankets, crocheted hats...whatever it is that you make).

Happy Valentine's Day

These are a couple pictures of our Love Day morning: the boys opening presents, Mackenzie feeding her new baby, pink heart-shaped pancakes with red rasberry jam (and pink milk), and Dane's gift to me (a paper bracelet that says BMF...any guesses what it stands for? Hint: Brice's said BBF, Dan's said BDF and Mackenzie's said BSF).

Dress Up

Mackenzie likes to do everything that her big brothers do...especially Brice, who is really into superhero costumes right now. She brings me costumes and grunts at me until I put them on. Then she runs around just like her brothers. I think the combination of the costume with her cute girlie outfit is great!




Then the other day the boys were at school and she was digging through my drawers...she loves to empty them onto my floor. Well this time she found something she wanted to wear. The first picture is how I found her. I thought I would help her put on the pretty "dress". So, at what age can I start buying her princess dresses??



I love that she is a bit of a tomboy, having two older brothers. She is tough! But I think its great that she can be a little girlie. She is already gets excited about pretty dresses and shoes. She is so proud when I tell her how pretty she is.

The other day we were looking at shoes at Target. I found some pink ballet slippers and tried them on her. When I took them off and put her other shoes back on she screamed, jumped off my lap, grabbed the ballet slippers and ran away. Then she sat back down, took off her shoe and tried to put the pretty ballet slipper back on. Ugh! What am I in for? Adorable, yet so stubborn!

Women's Eyes Only

Okay, not that there are many guys who actually read my blog but this is just a warning...you probably don't want to read this blog.

So, I have finished breast-feeding Mackenzie. She is 14 months old and really couldn't care less. After breastfeeding three babies for a year each my "girls" are not what they used to be (not that they were much to begin with). I have always been self-conscious about them anyway so NOW I really am. So began the search for the perfect bra!

I had a "water bra" from Victoria's Secret when I got married. I tried that one again and just felt incredibly fake. I have a couple other ones from there but they just don't fit anymore. I hate spending a ton of money on bras but, as I am sure many of you would agree, Victoria's Secret really does have the best bras. I got some money for Christmas and decided that once every three years or so was reasonable for spending that kind of money on something so necessary. So, I headed to the closest Victoria's Secret. I tried on 20 bras, at least. When you go there they have a whole box of bras in your size...all the different styles they carry. It came down to two...pretty easily actually, all the rest looked horrible.

And the winner of the "Best Bra" award is...

Biofit: Bra Personalized Lift and Shape

It really is a great bra!! If anyone is shopping for that perfect bra to do whatever it is you need done with your "girls" you should really check this one out!! It has different features depending on your cup size. It gave me just what I need, plus its comfortable. It accentuates what I have (takes what's left and puts it where it SHOULD be) without a ton of padding to make me look fake. In fact, before I told Dan that I had it on, he noticed :0)

So that next part of my bra search was getting the best price. I bought the one I tried on at the store (even though it wasn't on sale) because the girl helping me said that it would not be on sale online either (even though it was during the Semi-Annual Bra sale). But I decided to check for myself. I paid $45 plus tax in the store. When I got home I went online and found that it was, indeed, on sale. After some searching and trying different combinations of online coupon codes I was able to get the same bra for $25! I got an additional couple of things (including another bra) and my total, plus shipping was less than what I paid in the store for that one bra. I am a bargain shopper!

Sorry to those of you who think this may be too much personal information. But I have to share when I find a great new product that makes my life better! Now I have a new reason to be self-conscious, if any of my readers check out the effect of my new Biofit bra. Sorry, no before and after picture for those who I don't see often. That's definitely too much info!