Customer Appreciation Pic: Criminally Cute

How darling is this little lady. I think it's such a fun idea, instead of fighting for a cutesy face to go with the flow. Her mama got the clever poster idea from Tomkat Studio. I know sometimes a stink face is all I can get out of the naughties when I try to get their pics. I love love love the cowboy hat, boots and a holster paired with my little Classic Retro Ruffler. I never would have thought to do that on my own but it's so stinking darling. As always keep 'em coming customer pics totally make my day!

Tutorial: Get the Hipstamatic Look

(inside flap)

As some of you may know my husband is a musician. He just released the first album for a new project Dani Lion . Our friend Lauren who also is a crafty lady is an amazingly talented singer and together they make awesome music.

(my favorite songs are number 1 and 6)

The problem was that all the pics we wanted to use but one were taken with the hipstamatic app. So to get the same feel I found these photoshop actions that let you apply that hipstamatic look to any picture. This gal's got loads of lenses, treatments and is really helpful. I'm not getting any thing for saying this I'm just a happy customer. Any ways I fiddled around with a bunch of different lenses and treatments in photoshop until I got it close. Sometimes I had to go back in the history to get what I wanted.

I made this front cover that actually matches the feel of the other pictures.

From this straight out of the camera shot. Cool huh?

Any ways while I'm at it here's what the actual CD looks like but you know a circle.

And here's the back cover. Hope you like it, if you like the music you can "like" their facebook page here.

Giveaway: Winner's Choice

(new watermelon bottoms)

Hi all I'm partnering with Mom's Shopping Engine and offering a pair of my regular ruffle diaper covers, winner's choice of size and color. If I'm seeing things correctly it looks like there are less than 10 people who have entered so your odds are really really good. Get all the giveaway info here. Giveaway closes next Monday.

What's for Dinner: Week 88

(some of the spread at Girls Night)

So the musicmaker and I are both feeling like giant piggies. While Mel was in town we ate out a lot and had loads of junk at home. Hopefully we can clean things up a bit (especially lunches and late night munching)

Day	Main Meal	Goals (Veggies, Whole Grain, Fish)
Sunday	Fancy Ramen	Grains and nuts: granola bars, ww pasta Veggies: carrots, lettuce Fish: Shrimp and fish
Monday	Taco Salad
Tuesday	Seafood Jambalaya
Wednesday	Eat out
Thursday	Campanelli
Friday	Homemade Pizza
Saturday	2nd of July BBQ

Tutorial: Quick Envelope Pillow Case

Last week I scored a bunch of pillows 2 for 6$ and I thought it would be fun to have some pretty pillows. These were so easy to make that I made an entire pillow case while talking to my MIL about the father's day lunch plans (it was only a 10 minute conversation) nice right? Any ways, ever since I made these six I've been envisioning many more pillow cases in my future, you know say for all the holidays, parties, seasons. The next WILL be Harry Potter themed eeek I'm so excited I just need to find a second to make them. Any ways. Here's how I did it. Let me know in the comments if you have any questions.

 What You Need

•  Pillow form (I used a 17" pillow)
• Fabric (half a yard will do for pillows 18" and smaller)

What To Do

1.  Cut the fabric. For a 17" pillow you need a piece of fabric 17X38 inches big. For other sized pillows you need the fabric to be the size of the pillow side (in my case 17") by the side times 2 plus 4 more inches. So for mine it was 17" by (17X2)+4
2. Finish the short edges of the fabric.
3. Fold one side under and hem. This is for the side of the fabric that will show on the outside.
4. Fold the fabric in on both ends (right side of the fabric inside) so that there is a square the size of the pillow in the middle. For mine this means that I folded each end in 10.5". There should be a couple of inches of overlap. Iron or pin in place.
5. Sew across the top and bottom. 
6. Flip inside out and stuff the pillow into the pillow case.

Yup it was that quick. Don't blame me if you end up making a stack of them, I know I couldn't stop myself.

Pottermore The Owls are Gathering

I'm a huge fan, currently in possession of 12 tickets for the movie next month so as the countdown to J.K. Rowling's big announcement approaches I find myself all giddy and anxious. Like the first day of school. Many think it's going to be a revamped awesome website Pottermore but I really really hope that it's new books. I've said all along. I want her to milk it for everything it's got. I won't ever call her a sellout or any of those other mean things people call authors just for helping such a wonderful thing keep living on a little longer for me.

So I know there are other Potter fans out there, what are your theories?

I don't have any backed theories on what it is but I'd love it to be a spin off series like the Bean books (Ender's Shawdow, etc.) by Orson Scott Card. Or really any wizarding world books would put me through the moon. Maybe somethint like How Rick Riordan is doing the Egyptian and Greek Mythology series, different kids same fun. Oh how I hope it's new books!

Naughty Time: Hide and Seek

Where on earth could they be?

What's for Dinner: Week 87

 (Lasagna as if you couldn't have guessed)

Holy smokes I spent all day cooking yesterday. We had our anniversary party it was loads of fun but less than half the people who said they were coming came. yikes so we've got lots of leftovers and since we um don't eat leftovers I'm hoping some of it will freeze okay (I'm trying it with multiple homemade pizzas, cheesey jalapeno rolls and eclair cake that I cut up all cute and portioned out) and I'll be trying to use lots of the meat as ingredients in other stuff (lots of rib meat). It was fun though and we had a blast with all the people that came and the food turned out really yummy. Hopefully I'll have some party posts up soon.

Day	Main Meal	Goals (Veggies, Whole Grain, Fish)
Sunday	Thai BBQ Chicken and sticky rice	Grains and nuts: granola bars, ww pasta Veggies: carrots, lettuce Fish:
Monday	Lasagna and salad
Tuesday	Fancy Ramen
Wednesday	Mac and Cheese
Thursday	Red Iguana (yup it's that good that Mel wants it again before she has to go home)
Friday	Fish and Salad
Saturday	Dinner at Linda's with the Ladies

Gardening: The Plan 2011

So my garden is in. These pictures are a few weeks old so things look a tad different. First off all the marigolds are dead either eaten by something or accidentally decapitated by L's (naughty niece #2) shoe. And there is a fire pit in the middle of the big black patch. We've got dreams of putting down some stone tiles or rocks and then some chairs so it'll be a nice cozy sitting area

Here's what I planted

"The Garden" i.e. the patch to the left in the pictures

•  3 Tomato plants (I think riesentraube and a sauce variety but these are hand-me-downs so I'm not sure)
• 1 Tomatillo
• 2 jalapenos (both dead)
• Bell Pepper (planted seeds but no life visible)
• marigolds (all look dead
• contender beans (planted about 8 and see 1-2 sprouts)
• edemama (planted about 8 and see 1 really little sprout)
• yellow wax beans (planted about 8 and see no sign of life)
• Zucchinni
• Crookneck Squash
• Acorn Squash (dead)
• Scallop Squash (planted seeds and I don't see anything)

Back by the fence

• mini jackolanterns (planted seeds and don't see anything)
• Casper (planted seed and see a little sprout)
• watermelon (seeds, no life yet)

Along the side fence

• corn (seeds planted seeing some sprouts)
• contender beans, edemama, yellow wax beans (seeds planted seeing some sprouts but not sure which ones)

Did you plant a garden this year or plan to? What did you plant. I need to get another acorn squash and jalapeno so I might as well pick up other goodies if you have any other good ideas.

Party Planning: Garden Party Colors

I know I said I was going to do a yellow and gray theme for my party/backyard summer decorations but I went to the fabric store to pick up some stuff and I really wasn't feeling any of the gray and yellow prints. Then I saw the brown funky floral one (second from the bottom) fell in love and next think you know I was walking out with all of these. Yeah we already knew I had a fabric buying problem (see here. I'm really excited about these fabrics now lets see if I'll actually get anything made before the party this saturday ;) Hopefully these with a few I had on hand will become table cloths buntings and pillow covers.

Customer Appreciation Pic: The Bambini

So seriously customer appreciation pics are one of my favorite things ever so when I saw a few of these left in my feedback and even more posted to the RaeGun Facebook page yesterday I was so excited.

Her mama also the awesome photographer had me tweak my Cotton Candy Retro Ruffler so that it went with their party color scheme. I just think this party looks so stinking fun and the party girl is just so adorable. I am in love with her shows and hair bows, way too cute! See more pictures on the facebook page and visit Bambini photograpny here.

As always if you have pics of your little ones in my gear I'd love to see them feel free to message them to me or just post them to the facebook page.

What's for Dinner: Week 87

( Testing out the fire pit)

It's party week and my college roommate will be in town for a weeks so fun times are in store and hopefully lots of yummy food to go along with them.

Day	Main Meal	Goals (Veggies, Whole Grain, Fish)
Sunday	Hot Dogs and Hobo Potatoes (testing out the fire pit)	Grains and nuts: granola bars, ww pasta Veggies: green beans, carrots, lettuce Fish: shrimp scallops fish
Monday	Seafood Mac and Cheese
Tuesday	Dinner at In-Laws
Wednesday	jambalaya
Thursday	Red Iguana
Friday	Not sure
Saturday	Party

Pinned It and What's Your Favorite Lovey Dovey Song?

 (fabric flags stiffened with elmer's glue from Oh Happy Day)

Even though it's quite a bit after the fact we're having an anniversary party next week. Here are a few ideas I'm throwing around for decorating and eating and such. I think I'm going to go with a yellow and gray theme with some of the stuff intended for long term patio/backyard use. I ahem haven't actually started making anything or settled on a menu yeah I know only a week a way I probably should have more things decided upon, I guess that's what I'll be doing this weekend. If you have any ideas I'd love to hear them.

(lemonade bar from Kojo Designs)

I love the idea of having a lemonade bar. How fun and cute would that be. I'm thinking berries, mint and watermellon puree.

(vegan smores from Vegan Lunchbox)

Also I've been trying to convince the musicmaker into getting a fire pit so that we can roast hot dogs and marshmallows to make 'smores. We've got some vegan friends so I'm excited to try out this vegan smore recipe (if I have time to find/make vegan marshmallows) in addition to good old traditional smores.

(summer rolls by Fuss Free Cooking)

I've got the wrappers and I'm going to experiment with these this weekend. I'm thinking traditional (shrimp, pork, rice noodles, lettuce, carrots, cilantro) and vegetarian (asparagus, tofu, carrots, lettuce, rice noodles, cilantro) and of course my peanut sauce. Let me know if you have any ideas or suggestions for stuffing.

 (pennant flags and tissue poofs by katelandersevents)

Also if I have time I want to put together a lovey dovey play list. I'll need 4-5 hours of songs and I'm running out of ideas if you can think of any love songs -super obvious, old, new, super unusual, whatever- I'd love you to leave a comment because I need a lot more songs. Thanks in advance! A

Treasury Love: Life's A Hoot

Loving this Owl treasury curated by TheTrendyTotShop. One of my new boy outfits (look at me and all this boy stuff lately, and you all thought I couldn't do it ;). To see these items upclose and more from these talent artist click here.

Show and Tell: Baby Shower Gifts

I love baby showers. I try to make something new and special so it's always fun to be forced to come up with something unique for my friends. A lot of times the best part is that I can make stuff that's fun to make you know ONE of that I really wouldn't want to make many over and over (and over) again for the shop.

These are two things I made for my friend's baby to come Max. I just used my favorite overall pattern and made some hippos out of scraps with my iron-on technique.

Also the mama mentioned thinking zebras were cute so of course I needed to make a zebra outfit. This one I am happy to make many of. It's not like the overalls are hard, they're actually faster and less time consuming than my retro rufflers I sell loads of but for some reason I have a brain block on the overalls so for now those are just for friends I love that much ;)

What's for Dinner: Week 86

( Balsamic Roast from a couple weeks ago)

I kinda was bad about actually buying the supplies to make last weeks meals so I only stuck to about half of the plan. I'm low on grocery money (I think we get paid this week) so I went through our freezers and cupboards before I planned this week so I could make sure I had everything on hand. I think I'm going to try and do that every week. I cleared a shelf in our fridge for "this week stuff" so we'll see how that goes.

Have you guys made anything interesting lately? I'd love some new ideas.

Day	Main Meal	Goals (Veggies, Whole Grain, Fish)
Sunday	Quiche with potatoes and Kielbasa	Grains and nuts: Sandwich, granola bars, ww pasta Veggies: green beans Fish:
Monday	Pork Costelleta Garlic Mashed Potatoes and Green Beans
Tuesday	Carnitas Corn and Jalapeno Pasta (an experiment)
Wednesday	Out
Thursday	Tacos
Friday	Panko Chicken and Curry Potato Spring Rolls
Saturday	Not sure yet

Recipe: Guava And Cheese Empanadas

I'm using the term empanda loosely since I'm being a cheater and using frozen puff pastry but they are so stinking good and easy hopefully you won't mind. We had something of this feel at a Purivian restaurant that closed down and ever since then I've been wanting to try to make my own. These aren't sweetened like a breakfast cream cheese pastry but they aren't crazy salty either. I think of them as plain yummy. We had them with tomato soup for dinner earlier this week but I think they'd be really tasty as an afternoon snack. You can easily double the recipe for more.

What you need

• 1 sheet puff pastry thawed
• whipped cream cheese (about 9 tsp)
• 1/4 C shredded cheese (we used a taco mix) I used 9 small pinches
• guava preserves or jelly (I used about 5 tsp)

What to do

1. Cut the puff pastry into 9 squares
2. Roll out each square with a rolling pin so they are slightly bigger.
3. Put a pinch of shredded cheese, a tsp of cream cheese and half a tsp of guava jelly on each square.
4. Fold over and press closed with the ends of a fork to seal.
5. Bake at 400 F for until nicely browned (12-18 minutes)

Hope you like it. We gobbled ours up fast so I'm glad I only used one sheet since 9 for the two of us was plenty.