Thursday, February 23, 2012

Patches!

It all started about a year ago when my Creative Guy wore through the knee on a pair of his jeans...I couldn't just patch them...that just not my style so I googled it, checked out One Pretty Thing (one of my favourite spots and dug around until I found this tutorial and fixed up his jeans!

Then, late in the year there was another pair with a hole...with this post as inspiration. This 'repair' really upset the Creative Baby...he just hated me touching these jeans!
And most recently the monster jeans! There are a number of tutorials for this one but this is the one I used.
 I think these are the most favourite yet! My Creative Guy wore these one day then the flame jeans the next...I suggested that he might not wear holey jeans so often and he replied that they are his coolest ones! I don't remember ever being happy about my mother patching my jeans...

So glad I can make him happy!

Enjoy!
Heather

Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Creative Chefs!

Every once in awhile someone asks for something a little different...and this was for sure one of those times! This birthday girl has known me pretty much since she was born, she is a regular at our Creative Camps and loves getting her hands dirty. She asked for something a little different and I do think that we delivered on that request!

We started by making tortillas from scratch...I found the recipe here.
 They rolled them, we fried them up...
 And made pinwheels! (Note: I made these later for my family and when you are doing all the rolling, they are a lot of work but totally worth it!)
 Next up? Cupcakes!!!
I love the decorating part!
 The birthday girl and her goodies!  I wanted to do something a little different for this party...a little twist! So I shared the spaghetti and meatball cupcakes with the birthday girl's mom and she was just as excited about those cupcakes as I was...perfect for a co-ed party!
 And her guests! What a fun time I had with these kids!
I think I am pretty lucky to have such a fun job! We are counting down the days until March Break and our fun camps we have planned then!

Enjoy!
Heather

Monday, February 20, 2012

Mr. Roboto...

So...my Creative Kids have been feeling a little left out. It seems my work schedule along with Mr CB's schedule has been more than they can handle!  To combat this we planned a Robot Day...which turned into a Robot weekend as it took a whole day just to make our shirts!

These shirts were done in phases with freezer paper stenciling, puff paint, and button sewing.

I knew this was a hit when Mr. CB came home and got THAT look on his face. You see, there is a certain reaction that I strive for...I love to get a reaction, doesn't everyone?
 And here is the Creative Princess' tee...she also put a battery cover on the back along with buttons to open and close the cover.
I love the Creative Guy's fuel gage...
 And the Creative Baby (I know he's not really a baby...any suggestions for another nickname?). He and I had some creative differences but in the end we came together.
 These shirts were fun to make with the kids and they have worn them fresh out of the wash every time since they finished them! The kids at school love pushing their buttons too! I hope they aren't too distracting!

On Sunday we watched Robots and enjoyed a Robot Meal with classics such as...
 The ever-important....
 And what would we do without...
 And a little bit of lubricant...
 And of course my favourite...
These things are important to the Creative Kids...with St. Patrick's Day just around the corner, I know they won't have to wait so long for the next time!

Enjoy!
Heather

Sunday, February 19, 2012

Happy Heart Day!

Valentine's Day was pretty crazy here...there were heart cupcakes to bake...
 And decorate!
 I know, not my usual style but I have been sick!
 Pancakes to bake...
Valentine's to share...
Then there was my time at Community Living, the doctors and finally a hockey game! Mr. CB ordered me some pizza and we snuggled in for a late dinner and some Glee. We don't really celebrate Valentine's Day here so it was all good...

Hope your heart day was great!

Enjoy!
Heather

Friday, February 10, 2012

Get your heart covered!

We don't really celebrate Valentine's Day around here but I do like using it as a crafting opportunity! So...last week we made wreaths at Community Living...they were fun!

First we dyed cupcake liners with tea...
and food colouring!
Then we prettied up some super-heavy cardstock (it's the cardboard that comes in my 12x12 scrapbook paper packages), we taped on arrows and we got gluing!
This was the fun part! Watching the wreaths come alive with the cupcake liners...
Everyone had their own interpretation of the activity (I love that!)
And worked really hard to get their hearts covered...
Isn't this gorgeous?
So fun right?
I'm not going to lie...drying the liners was tricky. Want to know what happened in the end? Someone put them in the dryer! It was way faster than the oven!!! We dyed 100s of them and ran out in the end as we had 10+ people working on these wreaths.
The fun never stops around here!

Enjoy!
Heather

Wednesday, February 08, 2012

Let's Talk - A Mental Health Break

You know...when I posted my first installment of Let's Talk a whole year ago, I thought it was going to be a monthly post for me. But then life happened. I mean I can't seem to keep up with everything no matter how I organize myself. And then there is the inspiration. You see...I told you a bit of my story last year and how I feel about creativity and mental health and I was kind of at a loss of where to go from there...until just the other day.

I was with a friend...her daughter is about 12 we'll call her Jill. Jill was with her friend Nancy. Nancy was telling us that her father is on a new job site, he is working at a mental hospital (he is a contractor of some sort). This is when they started making jokes about being crazy and how he would find space for Jill when the hospital was ready if her mother liked.

I sat there and I found myself becoming internally inflamed...I wanted to say something angry, something that would make the girls uncomfortable, but I stayed quiet. But what I really wanted to say was "The Creative Kids' Uncle lived there for 6 months."

I thought. And I told Mr. CB. And I thought. Then I realized that I could have said something  but not something angry...something accepting, something informative, something that might cause them to think the next time they are in a situation that they might make fun of a population with a stigma.

 Want to know what made me angry? I grew up visiting 2 South...the place everyone made fun of at my school. The Creative Kids don't know much about their uncle's mental health but they do know that he is different and we love him anyway. But I know, having grown up listening to jokes about the hospital ward that my father was in and out of for much of my childhood how much it hurt.  It really HURT. A LOT.

No one really told me that there was anything wrong with my dad...I just knew...we knew when he was off his meds, we knew when to stay out of his way, we didn't know anyone else with a father like ours. A father who was okay one day but not so okay another day. A father who talked about people who probably weren't. A father who was paranoid. A father who spent much time in 2 South.

A father who was strong. A father who rose to the occasion. A father who loved his family even if we couldn't always see that. A father who believed in his children. A father who pulled himself together when his son needed him most. A father that I am so very proud of. You see, when my brother was diagnosed with bipolar disorder it was our father who became one of his most important support people.

There are 2 sides to every story...especially mine. The side of mine where I was terrified, embarrassed and uncomfortable and the side where I came to see who my father really was and I became accepting, proud and comfortable with who he really was. My only regret is it took me a long time to travel that path. I am thankful that I arrived there just in time. A month before he died. One month. Now I can love my father with no shame, guilt or regrets.

The stigma ends here.
Heather
xo

Monday, February 06, 2012

Decorate my life...

My cousin came and took photos of the kids for Mr. CB's birthday on a brisk November day...I promised her I would pay her but never quite got to it...but knowing her birthday was just around the corner I started planning a cake for her instead...

She is gorgeous, a lifeguard and super kind...her prom dress was a mermaid style dress...that dress became my inspiration along with Tina's Cakery Cake. So beautiful.
 I had a lot of fun making this cake...sweet and simple.
 And that was followed by the Pupcakes found here...these were requested by a friend who's son LOVES dogs! And because I am an antagonist...I sent her daughter home as a cat! I had a spare set of ears and tail hanging around and felt like sharing...what can I say?
I hope you all had a great weekend! I sure did!

Enjoy!
Heather

Friday, February 03, 2012

Cupcakes Please!

I am so excited that I have the opportunity to spend Tuesday Mornings at Community Living...every week we do something different...Last week we made cupcakes!

But not just any cupcakes...
 Cupcakes with hearts in them!
 Then we whipped up some Maraschino Cherry Icing!
 And made these sweet cupcakes!
 And we decorated them! See the pink hearts peaking out of the vanilla cupcakes?
 Then we got out the candy...
 And boxed them up!
 All the cupcakes were different and SO fun!
Enjoy!
Heather

Wednesday, February 01, 2012

Pyjama Fun!

I know, it has been ages and I don't really know what to tell you...except I haven't gone anywhere, I've been busy though!  Maybe I'll tell you about that another day...today, let's check out a party we had here on the weekend!

The request? A PJ party!

We started with cupcakes!
 Next we painted personalized PJ bags!
 Here's the big reveal!
 Then we made bath bombs (sorry, my hands must have been full - no photos of that!)

Finally, let's eat!
 PS No gifts were required at this party...the birthday girl requested everyone bring PJs to share with someone else. All these pjs are going to Community Care!
One by one...we can make someone else's day brighter. It doesn't take much, just a spark.

Enjoy!
Heather