Mum Is Not a Money Tree

I do not pretend to be a great financial expert.  I'm not even a good financial expert.  The fact is that I love to shop!  That being said, I’m not entirely devoid of financial sense.  I understand the value of money and I also understand the value of not having any.

Call it what you want: savings, nest egg, retirement, rainy day fund, my-jalopy-broke-down-on-the-side-of-the-interstate fund, orthodontia savings, or whatever you want.  Either way, there is great value in learning how to handle your money.

I’d like to be able to teach my daughter financial responsibility while she’s young.  Hopefully she’ll have better sense than I did when I first moved away from home.  (Crazy credit card companies…who gives so much credit to someone with so much risk?  No wonder the banks needed a bail out!!)

There are a couple of things I want to teach my daughter in this process, so I built boards (with age appropriate tasks) to help illustrate my point:

Lesson #1: How much you are willing to work will determine how much money you make.

  

In my opinion, even paid jobs are voluntary.  You don’t actually have to go to work, right?  But, if you don’t go to work you shouldn’t expect to get paid.  There is a cause and effect in play here.  You go to work, you do a good job, and you get paid.  The more money you want to make, the more you’ll have to work.  This lesson is so important.  Money doesn’t just appear - you have to work for it.

Each chore has a dollar amount (or cents right now) and as each person in our little family completes a task they can move them under their name.  At the end of the week the totals are added up.  I added myself to set an example, although I don't get paid.  ;-)  Our chart is in the kitchen, so its easy for everyone to access.

Lesson #2: Some things are required to be done simply because you are alive, you do not get paid to do these things.

I think this is an invaluable lesson to learn.  You shouldn’t expect to be paid for certain tasks, like eating your dinner, brushing teeth, or picking up after yourself.  These are basic expectations of living and being respectful to other people.  Learning this lesson means accepting that things need to be done even though there is no monetary payment for doing them.

Each of these tasks are daily requirements.  At the end of the day we check to see what we've done, and make sure we complete the rest.  My kiddo loves to move these on her own; this chart is in her room.

Lesson #3: If you want something that costs more money than what you have now, you have to save; optimal word being, “want”.

 

This is pretty self-explanatory, yet so many people fail to understand it.  If you don’t have the money right now, in your pocket, to get something, then you better start saving.  That does not mean stealing it.  That does not mean going into debt for it.  That does not mean that your parents will get it for you (Grandparents are a different story).  How much money you put aside is up to you, but that directly effects how long it will take for you to get what you want.

There are, of course, many more lessons about money that I’d like her to learn; but she’s only one.  So I’ll give her a break...for now.  :-)

I love these charts because the chores can change as my child grows up, I just have to make difference magnets.  Also, the cookie sheets and magnet glass came from the dollar store.  Cheap cookie sheets, as long as they are magnetic, are the best!!

 As a side note: make sure that before you make these choir charts that you do not need the cookie sheets.  I did not do this and spent about 20 minutes looking for my cookie sheet before realizing that it was now hanging on my wall.  What a blonde moment…

Happy Thoughts

I’m truly blessed.  I have the ability to work from home.  However, that doesn’t make my job any less stressful -

– Okay, I’m lying...  Being able to roll out of bed and work for several hours in my pajamas does help a bit with the stress; as does the ability to avoid D.C. traffic AND the joy of looking out my window and seeing nothing but fields and mountains.  As I’m writing this I’m finding a lot more than just one thing to be happy about.

Which in turn makes me very happy!

 Anyways, I’m going through this color phase where I want colorful, bright, happy things around my house.  I want my home to be a place where people can’t help but feel happy, artistic, loved, and just comfortable in their own skin.

This is my wall directly above the dining table:

I loved building this, and it makes me so supremely happy to see pictures of my family.  BONUS: It’s right next to my office desk, so I get to remind myself everyday why I’m dealing with all the work stress.

It is VERY easy to build.  I scavenged every yard sale I passed for weeks looking for old picture frames for super cheap, most of them were $.25 a pop.  I found a couple at the Goodwill in town, but had more luck at yard sales.  I bought two colors of craft paint at the Hobby Lobby for about $.59 per bottle.  I then spent the better part of two days on the porch painting several coats on each picture frame, starting with one coat of while paint (that I already had).  The yellow required more coats than the teal, which was a little frustrating, but patience is a virtue!

Then, my secret to nomadic wall decorating, I smacked a Velcro Command Strip on the back of each frame and popped it up on the wall.  Ta-dah!

Embroidering Is Not My Friend (Sneak Peek)

I love, LOVE, these quiet book patterns.

That being said, this Halloween quiet book has much more embroidering required that my previous project.  Not that I mind…however, I’m trying to do this while on the phone at work.  I suppose some greater being is telling me to stop multitasking on two unrelated tasks, but what can I say?  I’m too excited to want to stop working on this book!

Between stabbing myself numerous times and plucking bad stiches out, here is what it looks like:

Can’t you just see the cuteness?  I can’t wait to post the entire book!

Winter Wonder Quiet Book

One of the things I love is finding a pattern that can be customized and altered if desired.  You know what I mean.  I hate having things that look exactly like the person sitting next to me.  Not to confuse that with coveting after what they have; I’m a severe coveter of clothes, crafts, skills, etc.  Hi, my name is Katharine and I’m a coveter…

Anyways, I just want me stuff to look original.  The trouble is I’m too busy to create my own design…not to mention I lack the confidence to want to try it.  One of these days I’ll give it a try, but until that day I rely on other people’s hard work.  Now, you could steal someone’s idea or you can buy their pattern for a steal.  Shelley’s patterns are just that.  One pattern, hundreds of unique possibilities!  You could make a different book for each kid, or make them for baby shower gifts.  Totally my idea, but take it and run!

I started with Shelley’s kit.  I found this the best way to test it out without having to spend an hour at the fabric store finding the perfect patterns.  Yes, I would spend at least an hour going back and forth until each piece matched perfectly.  I’m like that.  The kit came with everything needed, but not cut.  So I started by tracing out the pattern pieces and cutting everything out.  I like to have everything ready so I can just dive in.

I then spent about 30 minutes mixing and matching the cotton rectangles to the background patterns until I liked the way all the different pieces looked together.  I take into consideration the color of the felt that will go on it, and the color of the pieces on the opposite page.

Once I figured out how I wanted it I laid all the pieces together in a storybook pattern so I wouldn’t forget what I decided on.  I then took each rectangle and using a washable fabric pen I traced out the page titles.

I then got to work sewing. I used my knit foot because it hops and I wanted to be sure I didn’t screw up the multiple layers.  One of the things I hate doing is switching my thread repeatedly.  So I started off with brown and sewed everything together that I could before I switched to another color.

First the backgrounds got sewed to the felt pages:

  

Next I sewed on the rectangles, following the design of Shelley’s pattern.

Then I took the felt add-ons and pinned them into place.  I sewed the pieces that used brown thread, leaving the other colors just pinned until I was ready to change out my thread.

Once all the brown seams were sewn I pulled everything off the table and plopped in front of the TV.  Okay, I also did some of this next step while on a conference call at work.  I took brown floss and embroidered the page titles that would be brown (based on the color of the rectangle I used on that page).  I skipped the snowman parts page, but I’ll tell you why later.

After all the brown embroidery was done I switched my thread on my machine to cream and did the same steps as above, but sewing all the cream seams.  That included some embellishments, like the snowflakes.

Okay, time to admit my mistake.  I have a bad habit of skipping steps; I don’t know if that’s because I skip it when I read, or I forgot, or I just think it isn’t a required step.  No matter what the reason, it always messes me up.  I didn’t read the instructions very well on the pattern and I sewed the snowman part’s rectangle onto the page before tracing the title onto it.  The pocket, as you can see below, is too dark for the words (in my opinion).  So I improvised and pinned the paper onto the fabric, embroidered through the paper, and then carefully torn the paper away.

I did the same thing for the red thread, until all the pieces were sewn onto each page.  I added some buttons here and there for fun…just adding my own little something.  Once everything for each page is done I sewed the back-to-back pages together.  Using a damp washcloth I blotted away the blue pen marks, and voila!

Click here to order this pattern!  I'd love to see what fabric you use!



Staying Quiet at Church

Does anyone else have trouble keeping their child quietly occupied while at church?  My little one is so active, that sitting still for an hour is just too much to ask, let alone being quiet for that entire time.  As much as I enjoy running around the church halls with her, I could do that at home in my pajamas.  :-)

Needless to say, I’m always on the lookout for something to keep her busy and quiet, without limiting her ability to express herself.  One of the Moms in our ward made her little boy a quiet book with all these undersea activities.  I LOVE this idea!  Of course, I don’t have the time or patience to design a book, shop for all the individual pieces needed for the book, and then put it all together to boot.   So, like any other sane person, I took to Etsy.

Of course, if you go to Etsy right now and search Quiet Book you’ll pull up a plethora of options, ranging from $9.00 to $180.00!  Totally not an option for me…$180?!  If you keep looking you will find the sweetest Quiet Book patterns by Shelley Wallace.  But it just keeps getting better, Shelley is a woman after my own heart…she sells the kits to go with her patterns!!  You know I’m all over this; seriously who has time to go ask Hancock’s to cut a bazillion little pieces of fabric, felt, and ribbon?

I’m in love with this, Shelley Wallace Designs is my new favorite Etsy store, and you must go visit it.  Seriously.  Now. Go.

Stay tuned for pictures of these Quite Books!

A Little Rant Regarding School Lunches

Do you have kids that go to public school?  My daughter is only one, but she goes to a preschool in our town.  One that provides lunch.  I can't begin to explain the reaction I had when I reviewed the school lunch menu.

First, my daughter has wheat and dairy allergies.  Which automatically removed half of the things from the menu.  Lucky us.  Here's why I say that; below is a week's lunch  menu:

Monday
Breakfast: Cereal, toast, juice
Lunch: Chicken Nuggets, white rice & gravy, green beans (from a can), fruit, milk
Snack: Popsicles

Tuesday
Breakfast: Cereal, toast, juice
Lunch: Meatloaf, mashed potatoes & gravy, corn, fruit, milk
Snack: S’more Mix, juice

Wednesday
Breakfast: Scrambled eggs, toast, juice
Lunch: Sack lunch
Snack: Rice Krispy treats, juice

Thursday
Breakfast: Cereal, toast, juice
Lunch: Quesadillas, refried beans, corn, fruit, milk
Snack: Cupcakes, milk

Friday
Breakfast: Cereal, toast, juice
Lunch: Cheesy noodles, green beans, fruit, milk
Snack: Snack mix, juice

So, at this point if you're telling yourself that nothing seems wrong with this menu, you should do your kids a favor and read on.

The American Heart Association recently announced that "Today, about one in three American kids and teens is overweight or obese, nearly triple the rate in 1963." (2012)  Childhood obesity leads to health problems such as high blood pressure, diabetes, cholesterol problems, depression, low self-esteem, and early death rates.  Who wants to invite those problems into their children's lives?  I'm not an expert on this topic, and I won't pretend to know everything that is causing this dramatic, and alarming, increase.  However, I am a mom and I can easily see the differences in the way kids behave now versus just 30 years ago.  When I look at my daughter I consider the following things:

Processed foods vs. Whole foods

Juice vs. Water

Indoor play vs. Outdoor play

Electronics play vs. Imagination play

The idea is to always have things weigh in on the right side instead of the left.  The more the left weighs the higher the chances of my child be obese.  These are simple things to account for, in my opinion; but it all starts with me.  As her parent I have to lead by example and teach her how to make healthy choices.  If I have no control over my own eating, how can I expect my daughter to learn control?  Therefore I also consider the following things in regards to me and the way I run our home:

Processed foods bought vs. Whole foods bought

Eating out vs. Eating in

TV on vs. TV off

Time spent on computer vs. Time spent on the floor*

*I’d like to explain this theory a little more.  I have this idea that the more time I spend on the floor playing with my daughter the healthier she will be.  Imagine how you might feel if your parent(s) were always paying more attention to the TV or computer than to playing with you.  Social development is a key player in physical and mental health, so I always try to make sure my computer is off while my daughter is awake.  It helps me resist the temptation to jump on FaceBook or Totsy.  :-)

Okay, so I may have digressed a bit.  Going back to school lunch; it’s atrocious!  White rice and gravy?  What nutritional value is in that?  Needless to say I was shocked.  I’m lucky that I have an excuse to bring my daughter’s own lunch, but I would have done this regardless of her dietary needs.  So this is my version of the Monday’s meal:

Breakfast: Puffed rice cereal with dried plum bits, milk (dairy free)
Lunch: Grilled chicken (olive oil, salt, and pepper), brown rice with yellow carrots, green beans (from the school), water
Snack: applesauce

Guess what, she ate it all too.  Now that’s Mum Made!

References

Childhood Obesity (2012) American Heart Association. Web site: http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/GettingHealthy/WeightManagement/Obesity/Childhood-Obesity_UCM_304347_Article.jsp



Headband Holder

If you have a little girl like mine then you have one very girly little girl.  There was a point in time when her headbands were overtaking her dresser, the wall, the floor...you get the picture.  So here was my solution:

The magic of it: it's an old oatmeal container covered in batting and a fat quarter.  The lid pops off to hold even more headbands.  We love this!

Business in the Front...Party in the Back!

I made a dress several months back for my daughter, which we loved, that gave me the idea for this skirt.  Do we love?  Yes, we do!  I've helped a girlfriend make one for herself using a black base with purple and yellow ruffles.  Too cute.

Business in the Front.

Party in the Back!

More to come on this skirt.  I'm thinking white, teal, and yellow in some combination.  Will post pictures of the work in progress if anyone would like to attempt this.  :-)