Category Archives: Updates

Mommy-writer creates Ericka the Puppy to help kids deal with bullying

Updates

I originally “met” the fabulously funny and totally real Mom through Facebook. She is one of the mom pages I actually get on Facebook to read. I guess she’s too funny to limit herself to the 140 characters that usually appeal to me.
 
 So it came as a surprise that as well as being a mom and generally funny person, she had written a children’s book! In her spare time, for her daughter. #mindblown
 
 Really. I can barely manage surfing Pinterest and herding my cats {kids} and making the occasional but totally awesome craft.
 
 Some of my posts (actually none come to mind right now) have links that I might get a couple of pennies for your click. This is NOT one of those. If she has a link on her site and gets an additional couple of pennies for you buying the book directly from her, yay for her! I say that but where is her site? I dunno …
 Here’s a link to her awesome books though! And you can find her on Facebook too.
 
 Ericka the Puppy and other books by Chasity Conley
 
 Ciao bellas.

Subtle upcycle of a beautiful shirt

Updates

Hi all!
 
 This top is in a really nice stretch fabric and I like the stripes and colours. Someone gave it to me in a bag of 80’s women’s business wear. Turns out most of the bag had some serious sun stain issues.
 
 

 I’ll really have to post a closeup of the collar. And, as you can see, I wasn’t planning on posting this upcycle until I was into the project so you can already see where I cut the collar off and lowered the neckline.
 
 Super simple change since the lines, fabric and fit are pretty much perfect already!
 


I removed the collar and cuffs and used a double-folded bias tape to edge the cuts.
 
 


Super stylin’ brand new shirt for the grand cost of 10 minutes.
 
 Let me know what you think and if you want to see more of the projects coming from the MostlyMommies workshops!

Games my kids play

Updates, ,

And I don’t mean the online ones this time!

When I started this site, it was for my oldest daughter to have a page with links to all her favorite games. She’s 14 now. She doesn’t need a page with links, all her favorite games are inside my head!
Today I found out that she has a low thyroid level and that medication to supplement her thyroid will address some of the issues she’s struggled with. The lethargy, strange appetite – phew! Once that’s addressed though, what reason will she have not to eat what I make, I ask you?

Seriously, I resisted adding this to her next meal…

MostlyMommy

Lucy Ball – Artisan, Mommy and all around good people.

Artist Moms, Updates, ,

You may know her already as the creative force here at My Life As Lucille.

I’ve “known” her for about a year. She is one of those fabulously complex people no one can ever know completely – that and, oh yeah, I met her through Twitter and wouldn’t recognize her if she walked by me on the street.

It’s amusing to me how her creations and my own cross paths and intersect but are never anything alike.

Her latest line, this super cool typewriter key jewelry, is charming (pun intended) and you have your own input as well as the artist’s. Ever feel like you were born in the wrong era? Ever want something that you know the true meaning of but it’s not so “out there” that no one else enjoys the unique quality?

This is your chance.

Her etsy store, for your perusing and purchasing pleasure is here: My Life As Lucille

CONGRATS on your app! @tomhanks My friends told me I should s... on Twitpic

 

Update: still lovin’ the heck out of you!

For Shawna, yeah you’re THAT special! ;)

Updates

This banner will take you to an awesome site with quick shipping and an amazing selection. If you don’t like it when you get it, at these prices, just sell it on your buy and sell page!
ROSE DRESS: Unique to You

Of course, we can’t forget the fab site I sent earlier – TBDress

 

Save up to 75% off Maxi Dresses at TBDress.com

Maybe I should send you some of the ones I like best? Seriously though, if you decide you’d like me to make you a dress, custom fit etc – you let me know because I was not kidding when I said “I’m in”!

I’ll let you know when I update this page for you – what else do you shop for online?

The MostlyMommies approach to online promotion and networking

Updates,

Hi Mommies!

Here is a question for you – do you know when I launched MostlyMommies? 2001! That’s right, the site is now over 13 years old. I know because my oldest daughter, who I first created the games page for, is over 14 now! Yikes. Times drags, time flies.

There’s an internet history site and I looked at my first attempts at creating the site and the community. I learned so much then and I’m still learning. My goal has never changed. I want to promote my crafty endeavors, other Mommies’ creations and, continue to do what most of the moms who arrive here are looking for – finding and reviewing the best online educational games, websites and apps for toddlers, preschoolers and kids. At anytime, if you’re here browsing the site and your wee one jumps up on you wanting entertainment, click on the Games link and you’re sure to find something fun and educational to play.

I’m developing the site’s other goal of networking and co-promoting each other. I am happy to feature other mom’s work here and in return, they contribute to the community by teaching, sharing or even letting me know about games I can add to the kids’ section. What do you think? Maybe a points system where your page is promoted for a certain number of points and points are earned by posting resources for other moms?

I have a new Mommy friend that I met, collaborating online, and I will be featuring her creations first. Who is next?

 

ToonGoggles App Videos for kids

Updates

The kids’ app available that is getting the most play around here right now is ToonGoggles. It’s similar to Netflix but with only kids shows!
We dove in, my 11 month old, my 10 year old and I and tried an episode of Gloria’s House. What can I say, the description spoke to me!

The free access is limited to three episodes of each show but once you’re hooked on one show, monthly access is very reasonable!
Download the iOS (iPod, iPhone, iPad) version here.

Download the Android version here.

Or if you want to see a demo before you download it click here. But since the basic version is free, just give it a try! My kids like it, I bet yours will too.
Mostly Mommy

Rainbow cake! A special birthday cake for a wonderful daughter.

Updates

Check out this birthday cake I made!
I did originally see this idea on Pinterest but much to my surprise when I went to make it … It was only pictures, no recipe. And I saw cola in the picture – does anyone know if you can use cola in a cake recipe? I don’t. Hahaha … Here is the original Pinterest post so that the original idea creator gets credit.

Since I had no recipe to work with, I just followed Betty’s instructions. You know… Betty Crocker? Lol! Are those not the cutest measuring cups?
I used a white cake mix and after making the batter according to the instructions, I separated it into 6 bowls. I know the rainbow is 7 but I couldn’t futz around with the difference between indigo and violet – purple people, it’s a colour! 🙂


Once it was separated, I coloured each bowl of batter with food colouring. Mmmmmm. Funny, last night my daughter told me the way to remember the order of the rainbow – “Roy G Biv” red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet”. Phew. Keep in mind I melded the indigo and violet… So the four basic food colourings were fine and I mixed yellow and red to make orange and red and blue to make purple.

Don’t those bowls of batter look amazing?
After the colours are ready, take a spoon and put an equal amount into each cake pan. I didn’t have the two round cake pans so I used three heart shaped ones. It was two large spoon scoops per pan in my case. So, two scoops of red into each pan… Then on top of that, two scoops of orange, then on top of that two yellow spoonfuls… It starts to spread out.

After I had emptied each bowl into the pans in their order, I tapped the pans to flatten the batter.

Since I used three pans I kept them in a little less time, monitoring it as I went – somewhere between the 18 minutes for cupcakes and the 25 minutes for two cake pans. And voila! Cool for ten minutes and then pop them out to cool completely before icing.

I have this awesome cake leveller that I saw at the dollar store. My husband loves kitchen gadgets and has always made cakes so I bought it. Today I will use it! Hahaha. The original recipe called for white icing but my daughter is a chocolate fan so… Chocolate icing it is! I will post the picture with icing after but I just couldn’t wait to share this with you!

Alright it is now the morning after the birthday celebration and I can post some “finished product” pictures so you can see exactly how fabulous this turned out!
I think next time I will try two or three colours and do stripes because the rainbow effect was a little lost in the three layers. But I will definitely be doing this for future cakes of all sorts – school bake sales lookout!!


Yes, it’s a cheese knife but this way I don’t need to remind everyone to smile for the camera! 😉


Love the colours!

Wish I could get a picture of

Updates

My husband and a mover-guy are in the balcony, lowering our sofa down to the ground from the second floor. It’s the first snow storm of the year and everything is covered in snow! Not to mention, our flat (apartment) is the second floor of a heritage house here and the floors are slanty … Seriously slanty. Anything round, including the wheels on our son’s high chair, will roll to the middle of the house. (Unfortunately, “anything” also includes cat vomit … Ewww)
So it’s very dicey right now, with two men and a large leather couch that came in by the balcony but during less inclement weather, on a balcony seemingly designed to dump you off into the street. I’m just trying to stay out of the way and entertain the baby … I want to be involved but there’s barely enough room for one person, never mind three!
Tag me #sittingonmyhands
But – here is a picture I took from our window this morning, showing what we woke up to, having decided today was packing the Uhaul day and tomorrow is the drive out of town day.


Mostly Mommy