Oops!

So, it has been FOR-E-VER (think Smalls in The Sandlot for the correct pronunciation)...and I have been a little out of the crafting mode for a while.  Not totally, but enough that I didn't find time to post anything I made because if I made it, it was so quick and easy, it wouldn't have been much of a post anyways.

We have been busy.  Two boys and two baseball teams, post season play that led up to a 4 day break before starting football, and now we are about half way through football season for both teams.  Already signed E up for basketball, and A's wrestling season starts days after football ends.  And in between all that, I am trying to continue to run, work full time, and, oh yeah, run a household, all while being a good wife too. And the thing is, I LOVE IT!!  Totally love it.  Even if there are days I wonder why in H-E-double hockey sticks I would ever sign up to be a dreaded stepmom with all that stigma and instantaneous "you have got to be a good parent NOW because you don't get a learning curve" responsibility. And there are days that I look at my friends, and their little families that don't have a "mom" issue because they are the mom.  And there is not a "whose day/time" it is issue, because it is their child with their husband, and so there is no shared time, at least not officially or legally.  And I am tad bit jealous.  Jealous that they get all the moments with the child or children they love so much; jealous that they get all those moments to learn what being a good parent is while their child is too young to remember all the little oops moments when you figure out a different way would be a better way;  jealous that they get the hateful discontent and can know that their children are not leaving and going somewhere else where they get undermined and trash talked; and mostly jealous that they get all the love and hugs without fear of it hurting someone else's feelings or a sense of obligation because you are the stepmom and they have to...

And despite all this, I get up each day, and make it to the games, the practices, the after school pick ups, the last minute homework, and all the other "mom" things, not because I get some recognition from it, but because I love those boys, and I love their dad, and I wouldn't trade it for the world.

I know this isn't a craft post, but I figure every once and a while, we all just need to take a moment to feel grateful, and today is my day.  I am grateful for this life despite all the little things I wish were different.  And I am grateful for all the people in it, because none of it would be the same without each of them here!  And my oops isn't from forgetting to write, it is because lately, I had forgotten how lucky I was.

Crafty Table

Long time, no chat, My Chickadees!  Happy 2012!!

I know I have been MIA lately, but the holidays were busy and I just didn’t have time to get on the blog!!

But I do have a super cute and easy craft that we can all use- a personalize craft table!!

So, I had been using my countertops and sometimes even my dining room table (shame on me, since it was so nice and pretty and new!), but there were times I wanted to set up somewhere else or I didn’t want to have to pack everything up to make dinner.  And then it hit me one night while I was wrapping Christmas presents on my floor- hoping the dogs didn’t step on the gift wrap or presents- that I needed a craft table.

So, off I went to my favorite $100 store, Target, to see what they had (it is my $100 store because I never feel like I can leave unless I have spent at least $100, all on stuff I didn't know I HAD to have!).  I found a table for $30, and I really liked it, but I felt like I was going to mess it up almost immediately with my glue, and glitter and all things “Christmasy”. 

And then it hit me- COVER THE TABLE.  And not in a table cloth, but something with some stick to it.  So, I got me some contact paper.  I picked the black & white printed pattern, but they had a bunch of different options, so it would be totally customizable! 

I decided to give it a white border around it, to give it a polished look. ;o)  So first, I covered it with white contact paper.

Then, I gave it a “cutout” of the black and white pattern.  The contact paper was pretty easy to use- just peel and stick, and if you mess up, you can just peel and re-stick!

Here is my finished table!

Happy Crafting Chickadees!