The Ever So Crafty Mom -My blog is moving!

Yes, again, SORRY! But, this should be the last time!  I now have my own domain! www.theeversocraftymom.com AND a new look!

What you need to know-
There will be two changes. The first is simply the domain. You will now find me at www.theeversocraftymom.com

The second thing that will happen (although you will only notice it when you come to my blog) is that the look of the layout will be changing.  I am going to be switching from blogspot to wordpress in the next few months and the basic layout and look will change.( It will be the SAME domain www.theeversocraftymom.com).

I am super excited about working with wordpress.  When it is finished and activated you will find quite an update to the look, as well as a much easier navigation and LOTS more fun stuff for all you crafty and fun loving people! :D

Also, I would love to keep in touch via facebook, twitter & instagram! Come find me!
facebook - facebook.com/eversocraftymom or search The Ever So Crafty Mom
twitter @eversocraftymom
Instagram @theeversocraftymom

How To Make Your Own Printables! FREE!

You've seen printables everywhere. If you have photoshop (I should say, if you have it and know how to navigate the designing aspects of photoshop) then you can make yourself pretty much whatever kind of printable and design you like.  But, if you are like me, and don't own photoshop, then you have to get creative, and you wont have quite so many options. But, you can still make yourself some fun and lovely printables, and I'm going to show you how!

I do most of my design work through a site called picmonkey. There is a lot you can do for free. If you want to get full use of all their features then you do pay a little, but it is very inexpensive.

Here are a few examples of some very simple party printables that I did in under 5 minutes (each) using the free features. 

These are fun for snack or goodie bags.

They also have some cute things to make printables for boys.

Here is how to make your very own!

First, go to www.picmonkey.com

You will see that you have two options, you can 'edit a photo', or 'create a collage'.

If you want to add text to a picture, simply go to 'Edit a Photo' and upload the picture you want to work on.  Once it is on the site you will see all of your options for editing on the left side of the screen.

THE PHOTO EDITING ICONS
Click on the first icon to crop, rotate, re-size etc.
The Second to add an effect to the whole picture.
The Third icon allows you to do detail touch-ups, like teeth whitening and removing blemishes.
The Fourth is where you add text boxes. You can add as many as you like.
The Fifth is where you get shapes, labels and graphics.
The sixth allows you to add a border or frame to your picture.
The Seventh lets you change the texture.
and the Eighth lets you create a theme.

Now, if you want to completely use their graphics and create something new, go back to the main page and lick 'Create a Collage'.

There will be a default collage setting, but you can change that by clicking on the second icon and going through their options, or, you can scroll over that default collage and click the little "x" that is inside of each photo box (in the right corner) to delete some of the areas.  In a like manner you can add more pictures by dragging a picture next to one of the existing boxes and dropping it there (it will take up half the space of the box next to it).

If you scroll over the lines in the collage you will see that you can change the size of any box to suite your needs.

Back to the icons

THE COLLAGE EDITING ICONS
So, the first one is where you download the pictures you want to use in your collage.
And the second one is where you can choose a collage style.
The Third one has an assortment of swatches that can become the background to your collage.
And the Fourth one changes the color of the background (don't have to use a swatch at all), and the shape of the photo boxes (you can round the edges).

If you want to use a plain white background, don't do a thing to the collage. Simply add your photos and go ahead to the photo editing.  Likewise, if you want just a plain white surface to edit with graphics, then simply click 'create a collage' and then go straight to photo editing (don't even worry about sizing it here unless you want a specific size they offer).

To get to the Photo Editor from the Collage:
You will notice these options at the top of the collage page.

'Open' 'Save' 'Share' 'Edit' 'Auto fill' 'Clear All'

Cick 'Edit'. This will take you from the collage section, to the photo editing section.
You will see that you have a clean white board to begin your work.  You can re-size (first icon), add text (Fourth icon), place graphics (Fifth icon), or do whatever you like from here, and when you are done, simply save it to where you want it on your computer,
and Whala! You have your very own printables (or anything else you want to use it for!)

Hope this helps some of you busy budgeting mamas!  I know it can be frustrating to either not know how to make these fun things, or not have the means to buy them! I'm budgeting too!
Hopefully this will help some of you out!
If anything doesn't make sense or you need some additional help feel free to ask in the comments!
Enjoy!

The Best Food Blogs -Take#1

I have two favorite food blogs that I think are THE BEST and are always my go-to when I want to look up a recipe.  If I don't find what I need on these THEN I will start searching other blogs through google.  I have tried several recipes from both of these and have LOVED all of them.

The Pioneer Woman

She has a new cookbook too!

My favorites from her site so far:

Beef Fajitas 

(Tried this one with and without the sugar and we like it better without)

Shrimp Scampi 

 ( I tweaked it to make it closer to how my mom makes it ;-) But very good!)

Chicken Parmigiana 

Firecracker Shrimp

(This is a great one to make ahead of time)

 And now for the

 BEST CINNAMON ROLLS EVER!

These are amazing! This recipe makes A LOT though, so either plan on having some friends over, freezing some, or giving some away. Warning: If you share them plan on making some new best friends and being loved for life.

Another food blog I love;

Our Best Bites

I absolutely love their bread recipes. I'm going to share my top 3 (although their other recipes look awesome too)

Pizza & Breadsticks

French Bread, Hoagies and Buns

Quick and Easy Garlic-Parmesan Rolls

(great with pre-made rollsor your favorite bread roll recipe)

I've also been checking out some Master Chef recipes lately. Watching the show makes me want to cook (and eat).

What are your favorite food blogs?

A few pictures from this past weekend..

Find your spot, stop, and breathe!

I've been in a brain freeze the past week. Just too much going on inside my head and I haven't been able to organize it all.  I have projects that I want to do for myself, projects around the apartment, and projects for my almost 5 month old. There's cleaning and organizing from kitchen to my bedroom closet that I need to do, boxes that still need to be unpacked and sorted through, and then there is the  slightly overwhelming task of learning HTML & CSS that I have undertaken. 

I love my carseat canopy cover I bought(left), but it is a little too warm for the TX heat and I decided to make a summer one(fabrics on right). Will show finished project & tutorial soon!

  With all of these I have been finding it hard to remember to sit down and just enjoy my blog. Blogging might seem like one more thing on my list, something to put aside and maybe allow myself one less thing to worry about, but, in the stress of everything else, I have found that it is a terrific outlet.  I love being a stay-at-home-mom (Ok, I beyond love it, I feel like I'm the luckiest girl in the world being able to be a stay-at-home-mom) and I love all my little tasks and duties, OK, maybe I don't love dishes and laundry, but I really do love having a clean apartment.  But, with having a sanguine/choleric temperament I just have to get out sometimes, and, instead of actually going out and driving somewhere everyday, I can save the money on gas and the temptation of shopping and simply sit on my sofa with a cup of tea or coffee and unwind a bit by writing on my blog.  

My blogging buddy- Aja (pronounced like Asia)

  Now I wouldn't say that the learning HTML & CSS part is exactly relaxing...I would actually say that that part it is down right frustrating.  No, the fun and relaxing part about blogging is that it makes me sit down and collect my thoughts. Even if I make myself sit for just a few minutes it helps all the ideas that have been buzzing in my head to start to untangle and I can begin to put them into some kind of order. Sometimes I simply create a bunch of titles for future blog posts from the ideas that are swirling around in my head. Even if I've only had 10 minutes to work on something and then the baby starts crying (which has been the story of late with her teething) I can start into my tasks again feeling just a little bit refreshed and just a little bit more sane. It's like a mini-meditation, only on the corporal needs instead of spiritual.   Both are important!

On a regular day at home if I don't get my morning prayers in it will bug me all day and I won't feel settled or at peace until I say them. Just one rosary and a spiritual communion. That is all I need to feel like I can do anything...cause hey, I then have Mary the Mother of God and Christ in my corner...watch out dust and laundry, you shall be conquered! (or, something)

Besides the Indulgences attached to the Rosary, Our Lady revealed to St. Dominic and Blessed Alan de la Roche additional benefits for those who devoutly pray the Rosary.  Our Lady's 15 Promises for those who pray the Rosary

  Even if I don't get all the cleaning done, or I sleep in and have to get ready to leave for some reason and I don't have time to get my prayers in, I try to make myself remember to say one or all of the following throughout the day, "Jesus, meek and humble of heart, make my heart like unto thine.", "Jesus, I trust in you.", "Jesus and Mary I love you, save souls.".  

  Whenever I am frazzled or frustrated I try to pull out one of these. I just say it silently to myself. I know I have a temper at times and I know that these have held back my anger and made me more reasonable more than once.  Just give it to God, ALL OF IT, all of life. I know I can't do it all and if I try it will end in tears, but, if I give it all to God then I know he will fill in all the areas where I fall short.

Couldn't resist. :-)

I have realized, especially in this past week or so, that I need to allow myself this little outlet of blogging. I've been pushing it aside in order to accomplish more of my other projects, but, I've been feeling the need to stop and breathe.  I stopped in the middle of some sorting to write this post. I feel so much better already!

I am a new mom, haven't been at it long, my daughter is just 4 1/2 months old, but I know that I need to form habits now that I will be grateful for later, especially as our family grows. I have a tendency to over do it. Over plan, over think, and overwhelm myself. That's the story of my life, and I need to learn to balance (do you ever figure that balance out?).  I have found that blogging is my spot, it's where I sort my ideas and organize my thoughts. So I'm making a new commitment.  I'm going to be a better blogger! I want to improve my writing, share my love of crafts, baking, etc. and the joy that I find in practicing my faith. And, with all of that, I hope to encourage other young mothers, bloggers, ladies,..all souls in whatever way I can through this blog as well.

If you are a young wife and mother and want to know what to get from this post...find your spot to take some time to breathe, and shoot out a little prayer to heaven out of love now and then, not just prayers of need. Start the hunt for balance now, I will be hunting for it with you! Know that you are not alone in your daily struggles, and what you are doing, as long as you do it with love, is enough.

From one of my favorites, Fulton Sheen.

Have a good week! God bless!

Great Bloggers Offering Fantastic Giveaway!

Two Thirds Hazel is having a blog advice giveaway!!!

I have just been introduced to this adorable blog and am so excited about this giveaway!

 If you are not sure if it is a big deal, let me share with you why this is such an amazing opportunity!

Do you have a blog of your own and been wanting to make it grow but don't know where to turn next? Are  you a brand new blogger and in need of some guidance? Do you want to start making money from blogging but don't know where to begin?

All you need to do to enter is check out the participating bloggers, see what awesome package they’re offering as a prize, and get to entering the Rafflecopter (<--click and scroll to the end of the post). And the best part about this giveaway?

THERE WILL BE FIVE WINNERS!

Each randomly selected winner will be paired up with three of the participating bloggers as well as with Erin from Two Thirds Hazel.

Therefore each winner will receive four separate blog advice prizes! they're splitting up the prizes so that one winner isn’t bombarded with sixteen different sets of opinions and sixteen different sets of ideas on advice. Fantastic, right?! I mean this just means that more of us have an opportunity to work with and learn from these women.

So, there you have it! And here we go!!!

Here are the sixteen ladies who have teamed up to put together the “Blog Advice Giveaway”.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Erin at Two Thirds Hazel

What you’ll win: Each of the five winners will be able to email Erin at any point until the end of eternity (like farther than to infinity and beyond) to ask questions and seek advice.

Brandi at Mama Laughlin

Brandi is offering a phone call or email where you will receive tips from her on how to grow your blog using the social media form of Pinterest.

Ashley at The Shine Project

You will receive a back and forth Q&A session with Ashley via email providing you with the answers you’ve been looking for on anything blog related.

 

Mandy at House of Rose

Your blog will be reviewed by Mandy (and her husband!) via recorded screen capture video and then they will offer tips on how you can improve. Check out an example of this one of a kind opportunity here.

Erin at Living In Yellow

Erin is offering a one hour blogging consultation (done via video chat or phone call) which will provide you with Q&A, tips and advice.

Whitney at I Wore Yoga Pants

Whitney will provide you with a back and forth Q&A session giving you the answers you’ve been looking for on anything blog related.

Katie at Keep Calm & Carry On

“Prefer the phone? Let’s chat! What about a fun Skype session? Sure! Or a good ole email is fine by me too! Sky is the limit. Well, I guess in this case-technology is. I will take a thorough look at your blog and do my best to answer any questions!”

Raven at Don’t Quote the Raven

You will receive a Q&A session via email.  Anything you ask, Raven will answer…in detail!

Aunie at Aunie Sauce

You will receive a Q&A email session with advice catered to your blog providing you with a ton of advice and numerous tips to help you grow.

Taylor at The Daily Tay

Taylor will visit and review your blog, providing you with an email containing advice customary to you and your blog.

Stephanie at Beautiful Mess

Receive a three-post editing session: Pick three of your upcoming blog posts. Send your drafts to Stephanie for her to proofread, edit and make suggestions as to how you can easily make your writing more personable, appealing, humorous and overall, just more fun to read!

Shanna at Because Shanna Said So

Shanna will answer your top five questions whether this be anything from sponsorships, social media, tips to grow and/or how to monetize your blog.

Niki at Glossy Blonde

Two weeks of email consulting during which Niki will answer any questions you have about blogging and/or building your brand.

Chelsea at Olive and Ivy

An email with personalized advice and tips catered directly to your blog, or a Skype session, or a back and forth Q&A session, etc. Whichever you prefer!  If you are unsure of what to ask a blog critique can also be given.

Jessica at Jessica Who

 With Jessica you will receive a Q&A session via unlimited emails. Yes, you read that right…unlimited!

Michelle at The Vintage Apple

You will receive a back and forth Q&A session with Michelle via email providing you with the answers you’ve been looking for on anything blog related so that you have the knowledge and tools to grow.

There is less than a day left to enter! So get in your entries now!!!
Good luck!