This Headband’s on an Etsy Treasury

Tags

accessories, Etsy, flower, handmade, hate, headband, love, ooak, theHighPlainsKnitter, treasury, yellow

Won't be Happy "Til I Hate You Headband

My “Won’t Be Happy ‘Til I Hate You” headband was added to an etsy treasury curated by TheHighPlainsKnitter.

The treasury may be seen here:

http://www.etsy.com/treasury_list_west.php?room_id=61645.

It can be purchased on etsy or at my site http://www.allenandgrace.com.

Check out the other wonderful etsy shops & sellers that made it on the treasury!

Are the Sexy Muffins Ready Yet?

Tags

5 year old, baking, cartoon, daughter, funny, kids, muffin, sense of humor, sexy, strawberry

I don’t know why it won’t go away, but I’m having an ever-increasing problem. My 5-yr old daughter Maddie is fascinated with saying the word “sexy.” She uses it for everything. She uses it to make her siblings laugh. She explains that she got it from a cartoon and when asked “Maddie, do you even know what that word means, she replies, “beautiful, lovely or nice.”

She walks around the house saying this is sexy or that is sexy. Initially I thought it was funny and fighting back laughter, I asked her to stop.

Sometimes she’ll just come up to me and say “Hey, sexxxxy mama!”

Maddie’s my “funny” child, the one everyone says “has been here before” or describes as “a little old lady.”

I know that this is just another of her phases and it will too pass as the others did. It just doesn’t seem to be waning as quickly as I’d like. If she’s not saying “Mom, you’re hot,” she’s asking, with her brilliant eyes smiling and her cheek dimpled, “Mom, are the sexy muffins ready yet?” I know she’s just trying to see my reaction. I try desperately to hold in all my amusement.

Her sense of humor seems so much bigger than she. She has us all looking at things in ways we never before did and everytime I bake muffins (which is often in our house), I smile inside thinking just how sexy these strawberry muffins really are.

Won’t Be Happy ‘Til I Hate You

Tags

black, Etsy, flower, grace, happy, hate, heartache, heartbreak, love, man, ooak, poem, Poetry, rose, woman, yellow

Won’t be Happy “Til I Hate You Headband

This is a new headband in my collection called “Won’t Be Happy ’til I Hate You” after the following poem.  I pulled it from my archives, but reading it even today pulls up the memories that inspired it’s creation.   I hope you enjoy!

Baby, I’m trying to save you
From breaking my heart.
It makes you happy to see me cry.
Why, oh God why?

My pain makes you strong.
Why do you keep doing me wrong?
Boy, you keep doing whatever you want to
You just don’t care. Do you?

Just trying to give you a doting love,
That most men would desire.
But you keep piercing my heart &
Dousing it with fire.

Keep this up and I’ll hate you.
I’m warning you boy.
If you keep this up,
Nothing’s coming your way but bad luck.

You keep grinding my heart in a mill.
I can’t help but love you still.
It makes you happy to see me cry.
Why, oh God why?

Honey, other men would stand in a mile-long line,
Just to be the sweat on my thigh.
Why does my heart want only you,
When you keep splitting it in two?

Look at me-
I’m broken in a million pieces &
Still you haunt all my dreams.
It’s getting clearer to me,
So very clear to me,
You won’t be happy ’til I hate you.
***

Where Did All the Queens Go?

Tags

accessories, art, beaded, Etsy, gold, grace, handmade, headband, heaven, lady, mixed media, poem, Poetry, queen, red, rose, sisters, women

My Poem on Headband

I’ve just listed this new headband.  I’m really excited about it.  It combines two of my passions.  Creating things and writing.  This headband is dedicated to all the queens and royal women out there. This headband has verses from one of my poems called “Where Did All the Queens Go?”

This headband can be purchased in my etsy shop.  Here’s the entire poem:

Hello my sisters.

It’s good to see you well.

The beauty sparkles in your eyes,

More than any words can tell.

Such a pleasure knowing you &

calling you my sister.

God created you from my heart,

In his infinite, loving wisdom.

To every strange woman on the street,

I send out well-wishes,

offering her my pillar of support,

In lieu of jealousy & venom.

The bountiful pedestal of true womanhood,

As grand &  coveted as heaven,

Together, we must tend to, embrace & nurture,

Before it is captured by oblivion.

They ask, where did all the queens go?

There, there  and there.

As radiant as heaven’s gold,

Your light shines everywhere.

***

I hope all the queens out there enjoyed the poem, which was written a few years ago.  But I still like it.  I also hope that you really like the headband.

Red Satin Rose Headband/Brooch

I just added some new items to my Etsy shop.  This sweet headband is one of those items. 

The flower petals were cut by hand and sewn by hand.  The rosette sits off to the side of the head.  It’s really lovely.  IRed too much?  Just convo me for additional colors or if you’d like this as a brooch!

FAM Etsy Team

Tags

Etsy

I am proud to announce that I am now a member of FAM Etsy Team.  FAM stands for Fabulous Artistic Moms.  I look forward to getting to know all the wonderful moms there.

The Party’s Over

Tags

balloons, Barbie, birthday, cake, chocolate cake, cinco de Mayo, doll, gifts, green-eyed monster, headband, jealousy, kid, locket, love, May, party, sewing, sibling rivalry, Strawberry Shortcake, velvet cake

Well, I can safely say that I made it through our May Birthdays Bonanza.  My baby girl’s birthday was on May 3rd.  My middle girl’s birthday was on Cinco de Mayo (May 5th) and my sweetie’s birthday was just a couple of days ago (May 12th).  It was fun and oh so exhausting. 

My husband’s wasn’t nearly as taxing as the girl’ celebration.  My husband, a very sensible man, doesn’t thrive on a great deal of fanfare.  He didn’t want a cake, to my children’s shock and constantly-voiced dismay.  So, here’s the rundown on gifts.

Initially Madison, my now 5 year old, wanted a crown.  Well on the morning of her birthday, she announced that she had changed her mind.  I guess she has already realized that it’s a girl’s prerogative to do that.  She now wanted a Strawberry Shortcake, which they all have, but I guess nothing’s like getting a new one of something you “love so so much.”  So, I leave the house on that Sunday morning and run to the store to scramble and find anything bearing Strawberry Shortcake.  I go to Wal-Mart.  All I could get my hands on were panties and a coloring book.  We usually get everyone a gift so no one will feel left out.  However, this time I strayed a little from the norm.

I didn’t match every gift tit for tat.  I did however, in addition to the Strawberry stuff, buy Madison a heart-shaped locket, which also had 3 sweet silver rings.  I thought I could suggest to her that she choose one and give the other 2 to her sisters.  Thankfully she was fine with this.  She really appreciated the decorations and said, “This is soooo, sooo special,” twirling around the house.  She loved every gift, especially the headbands I made for her.  I’ll post photos of those soon.  The only thing that she wasn’t pleased with was her birthday cake- a red velvet one.  She’s never been big on cake, but I thought “hey let’s give this a try.”  She, did however love the ice cream.  She was really happy all day. I know because she kept telling me.  I was just so happy that she was happy and all was going relatively well. My mother and my sister and brother came over.  The kids ran around the house having fun.  I let them make more noise than I ever had.  My mom kept saying, “It’s okay, them making all that noise?”  to which I replied, “It’s her birthday and everyone’s so happy.”

Now, Cinco de Mayo rolls around and my darling Taylor is now 7 years old.  It seems like she was just born.  Time flies by so fast.  Birthday time always brings a little trepidation in our house.  Although I hate to admit it, my girls, usually Taylor finds something to feel upset about, a little jealous about.  And I was really hoping we could forego this and just be grateful for all God had done for us.

Well, while the little green-eyed monster tried to rear its head, I didn’t have much trouble keeping it in check, with a quiet, gentle, “be nice.  Let’s all be happy to celebrate Madison’s day.”

Okay, per her birthday present request, my husband bought Taylor a Barbie doll named Nikki.  Taylor loves that name.  She has a few dolls named Nikki and she knows exactly who’s who and where she got them.  Forewarned by my husband, who said, “Now you know everything you do for Madison you have to make sure you do it for Taylor.  She’ll be counting every balloon and making notes on every streamer.”  Knowing he was right, I made headbands for Taylor as well.  I made certain that I took down the decorations from Madison’s birthday and did them fresh just for Taylor’s big day.

So, we wake up and start the celebration early because my husband has to go out.  As Taylor’s opening her gifts, I notice that Madison just has this solemn expression on her face.  For a moment, I think she’s just sleepy, but then I realize that she’s upset.  And I think, “oh no.” She’s upset that she didn’t get a Barbie too.  She’s upset that dad bought a small little chocolate cake just for Taylor and cucpcakes for the rest of us.  She’s just unhappy and wants us all to know how much.  She says “I don’t want cupcakes.”  All day long she only wants bites of Taylor’s “yummy cake.  “My cake wasn’t this good.”  Taylor shares with everyone, but it soon becomes a problem when Madison doesn’t want small bites, she wants whatever is left of the cake.  All I keep thinking is “You were just sooo happy the other day.  This is not my sweet Maddie behaving like this.  I’ve never had this problem out of her.  She’s always been so level-headed, even telling taylor in previous years, “Don’t be upset. Today is my birthday, but we’ll all celebrate yours in a couple of days. I’ll share my gifts with you.”

Well by day’s end, all seemed to be smoothed over.  The disagreements faded away and everyone played in harmony. My daughter Alex and son Jonah were really great through all of this.  The only thing my sweet Alex said was, “Mom could you do all this [decorations- balloons, streams, banners] when it’s my birthday?”  To which I reassured, “Of course.”  My son was happy with the party favors- metallic sunglasses.  He’s such a superstar.

I love my children, who are just the sweetest people this side of heaven.  However, I do realize that there’s always something to keep your eye on, stay vigilant about, or nip in the bud.  When you’re raising four children you want them to love each other whole-heartedly, cheer for each other, be happy when the others are happy and feel one another’s sadness- and try to make it better.

The parties are over.  I’ve learned so much about what to do and what not to do when celebrating such close-in-proximity birthdays. All in all the birthday celebrations were successful.  Everyone was happy.  I’ve got the photos and hugs to prove it.  And if anyone’s interested, there’s still some red velvet cake left.

beautiful Rendezvous Headband

Rendezvous

I just added this beautiful headband to my etsy shop.  I’m so happy with how it turned out.  I decided to call it “Rendezvous” because the fabric from which it’s made is also called “Rendezvouss” – a scrumptious vintage cotton fabric.

I think it’s really pretty.

Check it out at the store !

My First Etsy Sale

Heart of Grace Headband

I love this headband and I was sooo pleased that someone else loved it as well.  It’s made of black eyelet fabric, satin and lace.  It’s sweet and sassy.  I’ll be making  loading more this week!

Very Cool Etsy Teams

I am happy to announce that I am now a member of the following etsy teams: SHE etsy team, Georgia Etsy team and Etsymom team.

I look forward to getting to know all the wonderful, talented artists and plan to post some of their beautiful and inspiring work.

Thank you all for welcoming me!