SueBooBadoos

What's a Birthday without Cake?

2011-06-28T19:48:00.000-07:00

Canada Day is just a few days away!!

Every year a large group of family and friends celebrate Canada Day with a huge BBQ at my sister's followed by an amazing fireworks show put on by our husbands:) This year we are expecting close to 60 people and tons of great food.I'm not sure what I'm making to take yet but my Mother always makes her Canadian Flag cake she found at KraftCanada.Com which is one of my favourites.

It's super easy and delicious so I thought I'd share the link because you can't have a birthday without cake :)

Happy 144th Birthday CANADA!!!!!!

Father's Day Craft : Dad Rocks

2011-06-06T06:24:00.000-07:00

With Father's Day fast approaching, the girls and I are getting ready to make something special for Daddy. Over the past few months I've come across so many amazing craft ideas for Daddy's special day.
I've always loved handmade gifts from my girls over any store bought gift.
The thoughtfulness and love that they put into their creation always brings a little tear to my eye. So I wanted to make sure whatever the girls made that it would be personalized. I remembered seeing a Dad Rocks Paperweight at Crafts by Amanda and quickly became inspired.

Crafts by Amanda does have a tutorial but I had my own salt dough recipe and thought I'd put my own little spin on it.
You most likely have everything you need to make this craft in or around your home already.

What you'll need
2 cup flour
1 cup salt ( I used sea salt because it was all I had hopefully it works out for me..lol)
3/4 cup water
some pretty rocks or decorative stones
cookie sheet

The Peach and I went out to find and collect some rocks. She pointed them out to me and I of course had to pick them out of the dirt because as she informed me "Bugs poop on those Mommy!!" so it's up to you but we washed our rocks first to avoid any bug poopage on Daddy's gift.

Mix your salt and water so the salt can dissolve a little and then add your flour. If your dough is too sticky you can add a little more flour.

You can also use food colouring or glitter to spice it up a bit.
The Peach of course chose lots of pink glitter for hers.

We rolled our dough into a big ball then just smooshed it on the cookie sheet and shaped it. We decided we'd like to add the Peach's hand print so she just pressed her hand into the dough and we filled her print with stones. We then pressed our stones firmly into the dough to spell "Daddy Rocks".

We baked ours for just over 2 hours at 250 degrees

We did have a small amount of dough left which is ok because this dough can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for about a week.

Here is the finished product :)

This is a super fun and easy craft for anyone looking to surprise their Daddy with a homemade gift on his special day.

2011-06-05T20:32:00.000-07:00

WooHoo!!!!
I'm so excited :) Thank you Canadian Moms!!

Thanks for taking the time to visit, mention and nominate my little piece of the blogiverse.
Just starting out in the world of blogging can be a little overwhelming sometimes. I have a million post ideas running through my head at any given moment but sometimes find it hard to find the time to post them or wonder hmmm will anybody even read this?.
Each day I learn a little more about how to improve my blog and the importance in taking some time for myself to jot it all down. As a beginner blogger I want to thank you again Canadian Moms for the extra inspiration I needed to keep plugging away :)

If you haven't had a chance to check out Canadian Moms Online Community I suggest you pop on over and have a look.
Canadian Moms is a fantastic place to meet new friends , find Canadian friendly giveaways, contests, some fantastic Canadian blogs and so much more.

Toilet Paper Roll Art

2011-05-24T05:38:00.000-07:00

My girls and I have crafted with toilet paper/paper towel rolls for many years but have never made such beautiful recycled wall art. When I came across this tutorial from Handmade Mamas my creative wheel started to turn. I just wish I hadn't donated my stash of toilet paper rolls to my daughter's classroom a few weeks ago. So it looks like my T.P wall art will have to wait a few more weeks until I've replenished my materials...lol
I am a huge fan of recycled crafting and working with whatever you have on hand at the time so over the next few posts Recycled Craft Ideas will be our theme :)
Check out some other Toilet Paper roll wall art I found.

This au natural wreath from Creative Jewish Mom

This is a Fabulous T.P Roll Family Tree from No Dime Design

So Save the Planet, Save your money and Craft it up with some Recyclable Materials.

It's Week 3 of the "We Are Canadian Blog Hop"

2011-04-04T11:49:00.000-07:00

There are some really amazing Canadian Bloggers out there who blog about many different topics such as Going Green, Family Matters, Special needs children, Product reviews and even the occasional giveaway. So if you'd like to follow some of these fantastic blogs please check out the "We are Canadian Blog Hop"

Valentine's Day Bubbles

2011-02-04T09:49:00.000-08:00

I'm always looking for easy craft tutorials for any occasion but with Valentine's Day right around the corner I've been focusing mainly on crafts me and the girls can make together for the holiday. I've made homemade bubbles before and raided my recycle bin for jars to fancy up but Christy from glitter to gumdrops has taken this craft up a notch. Her heart shaped bubble wands with charms are exactly what this craft needed to make the Perfect Valentine's Day Gift.
How Cute our these?
For the How to Instructions head over to Glitter and Gumdrops here

Valentine Kiss Jars

2011-01-24T06:49:00.000-08:00

While searching for more inexpensive Valentine crafts I came across these Valentine Kiss jars from Trey and Lucy

I love the simplicity of this craft and how you can personalize it. I've always been someone who appreciates a personalized gift more than a store bought gift.

So start saving those jars and bottles because your family and friends would love a personalize hug or kiss jar (I know I would)

I'm Back and Inspired !!

2011-01-21T07:02:00.000-08:00

I know I've been M.I.A for quite some time and I apologize for that. The Holidays were beyond busy for me (craft shows, family, travel etc).
I've been itching for some new craft ideas and with Valentine's Day just around the corner I've been searching the net for a lil inspiration. I've found some amazing craft projects and tutorials so I thought I'd post one today.
Vellum covered pictures are an extremely easy and inexpensive craft.
I found a great step by step tutorial at Craft Envy along with so many other fabulous craft ideas.

I love the look and sophistication of this simple craft.
I made one of my girls with the phrase "All Because two people fell in love" and it turned out absolutley gorgeous and will be picking myself up some more vellum this weekend so I can make some more of these :)

Too Cute Spider Clip Tutorial

2010-10-12T11:30:00.000-07:00

I am not a fan of spiders and it's not very often you see one that you would consider cute. But these Spider Clips from Jilly Beanz Thingz are the cutest!!!

I love them and with Halloween just around the corner I thought I'd share the link to Jilly Beanz Tutorial here

My Blogging Hiatus

2010-10-05T05:51:00.000-07:00

I apologize for my lack of posts lately. I was preparing for my first craft show :)
Diaper Cakes,Tutu's, fairy wands and lots of headbands and clips kept me very busy.
The show was a success and I've been invited to participate in a bunch more over the next few months (woohoo!!!!)

I promise I will have a tutorial for something or other up soon :)

Blogmania 2010 is soo much fun! Check it out!!

2010-09-16T05:55:00.000-07:00

Only Hours left in the biggest and most fun blog hop giveaway I've ever been a part of. If you entered every single one that would be a total of $38000 in prizes. As I'm a Canadian there were quite a few U.S only giveaways so I couldn't enter but the prizes being given on the blogs I could enter more than made up for that. I'd really like to say Wow and Thank you to all the blogs that participated in Blogmania 2010. You all did a Phenomenal job and the prize packs were just amazing. I wish everyone who has entered any of these giveaways the best of luck and I'm soooo excited for the next few days as winners are notified *crosses fingers and toes*

BLOGMANIA 2010 giveaway link list can be found here

Good Luck!!

Pamper Gifts to Grow Codes

2010-09-01T07:32:00.000-07:00

Thanks to Freebies 4 Mom here are some new pampers codes. 45 points in total :)

HangOn2Summer20 (20 points)
CAREFORNEWBORNS (10 points)
GTG5FREEPTS0810 (5 points, expires September 10)
GTGCOUPONPOINTS (10 points)

Gifts to Grow brings you a sweepstakes every mom will love - you could win a year's worth of Pampers diapers AND wipes! To enter go here

More Yummy on a stick

2010-07-16T07:18:00.000-07:00

Ok here's one more( there will probably be more to come) because I'm addicted to quick, easy stick food to keep my little ones happy. They'll eat anything in lollipop form ...lol. My daughter informed me the night before her last day of school that she needed me to make something for her class party and that she didn't want the usual cupcakes or cookies. We had already made the cinnamon buns on a stick for part of her teachers Thank you gift so she decided we needed something different for her friends. Looking through my cupboards I realized I didn't really have alot of baking supplies (Lots of cake mixes but that's about it). I did have marshmallows, chocolate chips, graham cracker crumbs and sprinkles. Everything you need to make smores.
So why not try Smores on a stick?
It's super easy and there are probably tons of walkthroughs online but I thought I'd post mine anyway.

Ingredients
1 bag of lrg marshmallows
semi-sweet or milk chocolate chips (I used semi-sweet but really wished I had used milk chocolate)
Graham cracker crumbs (I bought them already crushed)
lollipop sticks
sprinkles, coconut, peanuts (be creative)

Insert stick into the flat end of the marshmallow (not the more rounded end) and twist the stick until it's secure in the middle of the marshmallow. I went a little crazy at first and impaled a few defenseless marshies so we put them out of their misery and ate them while we prepared the rest.

Melt your chocolate. I used my trusty pyrex measuring cup and melted the chocolate in 30 second increments in the microwave stirring each time. You can use your double boiler if you want.
Dip your marshmallows into the chocolate and then roll them in the graham cracker crumbs ( I added my sprinkles into my graham cracker crumbs) .

I used a piece of styrofoam and stuck the sticks in ( which I found easier than a plate or wax paper and it didn't flaw my chocolate). See how crazy easy these were?
Anyway hope you enjoy :)

I'm Back!!

2010-07-05T21:14:00.000-07:00

So I've been on a technical hiatus of sorts. My Computer was not co-operating with me but it seems everything is running smoothly now.
So as I've mentioned before, I love food on a stick so when i came across Pizza on a stick I got really excited and thought I'd share it with you.

Doesn't that look Yummy?
Check it out at Artisan Bread in Five here

Earth Moved under my Feet

2010-06-23T11:34:00.000-07:00

Ok so it's been a little while since I posted, I'm working on so many projects and haven't finished any yet to blog about :) Other than my crafting nothing much exciting or unusual happens around here Until Today. Just before 2 pm I was sitting on a chair on my front porch talking on the phone when my porch shifted side to side almost knocking me off my chair. I was like WTF and started looking for my husband who I had assumed had come home early from work and was shaking the porch to get my attention or scare me (he does stuff like that often lol.) My girlfriend on the phone asked what had happened and I told her it felt like someone shook the porch and tried to knock me off my chair and she told me I was a Crazy person. Then the other line beeped through. It was a friends daughter asking if my house was shaking, then my Mom called, then my Husband( who was about an hour away). Turns out the Ottawa area had a confirmed 5.5 Earthquake and tremors were felt all over Ontario, New York and Michigan. It looks like there was no severe damage done. I'm not even sure I would have felt it much if I had been up doing something instead of sitting on my ass chatting on the phone..lol so to my pal Tammy I say HAH! I'm not Crazy!! I'm just Lazy :)

Have any of you felt an Earthquake before ?

WOW!!! Amazing Fabric Flowers

2010-06-10T10:45:00.000-07:00

I can't get over just how many talented creative crafters there are out there. I came across these GORGEOUS long stemmed fabric flowers at Multi-purpose wings. Anj is definatley very talented and even shares her tutorial here.
I have not yet bonded well with my sewing machine but will be adding this project to my future to do list :)

Follow me I'm Canadian

2010-06-09T06:55:00.000-07:00

Follow Me, I'm Canadian! The Great Canadian Link Exchange! (June 9, 2010)

Welcome to Follow Me, I'm Canadian! The Great Canadian Link Exchange, a hop for all Canadians to network every Wednesday!

HOSTED BY: Tanya of Little Village Naturals and Kat of Kat's Confessions creators of Canadian Moms-An online community for Canadian Moms and We Are Canadian- An online community for creative Canadians.

WHEN: Wednesdays

WHAT LINKS: Blogs, Websites, Facebook Fan Page, Twitter, Shops, and/or MySpace.

RULES:
1. Follow only those that you would like to. Please Do Not leave comments asking for others to follow you back. Let that be the choice of the individual you followed.

2. Please indicate what the link is associated with. (example: Kat's Confessions-Blog, KatsConfessions-Twitter etc.)
You may leave the links for all of your sites, and profiles.

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Add your link to the Mcklinky. Don't forget to tell us what the link is for.

2. Follow those you would like to follow. (Don't forget the Follow Me, I'm Canadian blog!) :)

3. If you would like to post about the hop feel free to grab a button for your post or sidebar. You may also copy and paste this post for your blog and grab the code for the list of links.

4. Have a fantastic time meeting fellow Canadians!

We are very excited that you have joined us today and look forward to seeing you Wednesdays for Follow Me, I'm Canadian!

Thanks for joining in on the fun,
Tanya and Kat

A Beautiful Memorial

2010-05-26T09:28:00.000-07:00

After the death of my daughter Cooper I was broken, lost and forever changed. I felt like someone had put their fist through my chest and tore my heart out. Parents are just NOT SUPPOSE to outlive their children. An unknown author once wrote: "When you lose your parent, you lose your past. When you lose your child, you lose your future." I felt I had no future without her and my dreams shattered. I found comfort from other Mommies of Angels. These women are truly amazing and although every person grieves differently each one of these women had a part to play in my return to sanity.In fear that Cooper could possibly be forgotten by others or in fact never known by others I found different ways to Honour her(My Badoo), Music, memorial video on you tube here ,pictures. The world had to know about this perfect lil girl who was here for only a short time but had touched so many. One day I recieved a message from another Bereaved Mother who had seen Cooper's video on Youtube and who had recently lost her son Christian. She asked if she could write Cooper's name in the sand for me. She wrote Cooper's name in the sand at sunset at Burns Beach off the coast of Western Australia. A Beautiful place for a Beautiful spirit.

This small gesture meant the world to me. Carly's selflessness and thoughtfulness truly touched my heart and the photograph is stunning. Although the pain of not having Cooper here to hold will always be there, this photo will always make me smile. Carly Dudley is truly an amazing soul. Cooper's name was one of the first names she wrote in the sand and since then Carly has written over 7000 names and although it's heartbreaking to know that this number will forever grow it's comforting to know that these pictures may bring a smile to the face of a bereaved parent who possibly never thought they could ever smile again.

To read about Carly's story or to make a name request please visit namesinthesand
Carly also draws love hearts in the sand for miscarried or terminated pregnancies.

Carly's personal blog can be found here

I want to thank you Carly for making me smile you are a remarkable woman :)

I'm a Slacker

2010-05-25T06:23:00.000-07:00

I know I've been slacking on the posting and I apologize. I did go away for the holiday long weekend and thought it best not to post that( I don't want to be one of those people who come home to a house minus all their valuables).I have a few projects underway( a couple of redos) that I'm very excited about and I am still working on putting together the tutorial for the hanging letters. Due to technical difficulties (or the fact that my husband's camera is possessed)I've had a hard time getting all the pictures together.I'm hoping to have atleast one project and the tutorial done this week..:)

We're Obsessed !! Hanging Letter Art

2010-05-16T12:50:00.000-07:00

I received a phone call from my gf Kara that she was godmother at a christening on Sunday and that we had to get together and brain storm something crafty to gift. Which means Saturday afternoon we were scrambling (which is what we do best) to put something together for little Emily:) We decided on a sterling silver bracelet so we definately needed to craft some sort of jewelry box..lol..and that wasn't enough so we decided on making Hanging Baby Name Art.( Which for our first time turned out pretty awesome) I love love love them and Both Kara and I are quite proud of ourselves. I know there are a huge amount of tutorials on making these letters but I've never written one before so I think I will post a tutorial tomorrow once I go through all of the pictures :)

Here's how Kara's cute little Jewelry box turned out

My new Toy :)

2010-05-15T21:16:00.000-07:00

For Mothers Day I got a Pink Journey Cricut Expression Machine!! (Woohoo)

Although I had never used one before I wanted one so badly and couldn't wait to try it out. My husband and Boo were both just as excited for me to open it (although my husband will never admit it). They had both had several turns on it before I even got close to being able to touch it. I haven't done alot of paper crafting but with my new cricut the possibilities are endless.

My Lil Peach enjoys the box more than anything else, Hopefully she'll hang out in there for a bit so I can play with my new toy :)

Willow Handmade

2010-05-04T05:22:00.000-07:00

Willow Handmade is a new home business specializing in handmade creations for your everyday needs.Stephanie makes the cutest enviromentally friendly snack packs and totes.

Not to mention these Adorable Baby Booties :)

You can check out Stephanie's blog here at Diary of a Sewaholic or her new Etsy store here.
She is also offering her Facebook Fans a Giveaway with an additional embroidered surprise if they reach 100 fans.
Check out Willow Handmade's Facebook Page here

I heart food on a stick !!!

2010-04-27T06:08:00.000-07:00

These are so cute!! Going to try these for B's next bake sale.
And the mug? I've got to get out this week and get me some chalkboard paint..lol
endless possibilities is all I have to say.

Head over to From Glitter to Gumdrops for a great step by step and whip up a bunch of these for someone special :)

Yum Yum!!

2010-04-23T08:14:00.000-07:00

what's better than cheesecake??? Strawberries stuffed with cheesecake!!!I can not wait to try these. Chris's Birthday is next weekend and having a little get together for him. I think I'll whip some of these up. For a great step by step go here to Hope studios an amazing blog full of lots of great ideas :)

My First Blog Entry

2010-04-21T12:23:00.000-07:00

Ok so this is my first official post on my brand new blog as I'm a blogger newbie. *applause please*

After losing my daughter Cooper (My Badoo) 2 years ago I shut myself off from the rest of the world, and probably would have stayed there if it wasn't for a friend who one day called me and told me it was time to get out of my jammies and meet her outside (Thanks Michelle!!). Although I think pajamas are everyday attire and would wear them just about anywhere it was time to brush my hair and put on something that wasn't flannel and had a zipper instead of drawstrings . I realized that I needed to pull myself together for my family. They needed me now more than ever. In an attempt to regain as much of my sanity as possible and be able to get through each day I began looking for ways to keep myself busy. It began with a baby shower for a friend...I was asked to make a diaper cake as I had made one for my sister a year earlier, even though all things baby would send me in to a puddle of tears I agreed. My thought was every baby should be celebrated and being a part of that would do me some good. The cake turned out great and the admiration of my friends and family was really helping. As more requests came for diaper cakes I started getting excited. I was making something special to celebrate something even more special. I began making so many diaper cakes it was hard to keep up at first and then got the idea of selling them and donating some of the money to the Hospital that tried so hard to save my little girl. It gave me a sense of purpose.

I do love making Diaper cakes but became a tad bored and started thinking Hmmm.. what else can I make..This is where my Addiction began!!!!
One of my favourite things to do is read and follow blogs (especially craft blogs). There are so many interesting and wonderfully talented bloggers out there. And with many step by step tutorials my addiction grew. I have a craft to-do list in my head so big I think it might blow up, so I thought I'd start my own blog to express some of these thoughts and share any great tutorials I come across. Maybe I'll make one myself one of these days :)

Please Bear with me I'm new to blogging and am just getting the hang of it..

Shannon

2010-04-21T11:46:00.000-07:00

My Beautiful Badoo

Another bereaved Mother contacted me after seeing Cooper's video on youtube(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MWaK_Ee4fTE) and wanted to do something special...She wrote Cooper's name in the sand at sunset at Burns Beach off the coast of Western Australia. A Beautiful Place for a Beautiful Spirit....