{Photo By: Maria Alexandra Photography}

I'm not a picky eater... really... I'll eat just about anything you put in front of me and go back for seconds. One time while I was living in Chile, we were camping in the foothills of the Andes ... and not wanting to be seen as the wimpy "gringa" I ate the coagulated sheep's blood with lemon and cilantro (a chilean delicacy I guess or... a cruel joke to initiate the naive foreigner:):) ) Anyway, I sucked that blood jiggler down with pride... consequently I also spent the following 3 months knowing what it actually feels like to have your guts turned inside out ... it wasn't pretty... at all! While I lost a ton of weight, it's definitely not a diet plan approved by the FDA, and proof that you shouldn't just eat anything someone puts in front of you.



My boys... (including my husband)... are just the opposite. Picky isn't even a strong enough word to describe whatever it is they are. Sawyer has to sniff everything and has turned down cakes, and cookies and candy many times because he's not sure about how it feels on his fingers. I realize autism has a huge role to play in the pickiness of two of my men... but what's my hubby's excuse? And why in the H-E-Double Hockey Sticks won't my youngest eat anything but fruit roll ups and pretzels? That's rhetorical... I don't really want your advice:) I know what you're thinking... be the boss!!! make him!!! But I'm lazy and don't want a fight and have about 15 other excuses if you want to check back with me later:):)



Here's the thing, along with loving a hot loaf of "fresh at 5" from safeway, or anything with butter or heavy whipping cream in it... I do in fact also LOVE veggies.. I love salads and chicken and beats and chard and leeks and so many other really heathy foods... BUT... I HATE ... I mean I HATE(!!!) making them just for myself. My husband won't eat green and never has to my knowledge. Sawyer has actually thrown up just from seeing peas in a bowl by his plate (not even joking)... the little boys are just stubborn ... and I am the worst of all... I am the L word... L-A-Z-Y!!





I can admit it... I start the day off with great intentions... and so many times the only things I eat until 5 pm are bites I steal from the boys. They are scarred by their thieving mother's attempts to help them "finish" and all to often ask me to stay away from their food... poor kids:):) AND it's not because I'm soo crazy busy I just don't have time to eat a real meal... but because mama's too lazy to go throw some pre-washed lettuce in a bowl or slap a piece of turkey on some bread. It's that bad. If I'm hungry I grab whatever's fastest and easiest... which translates into "CRAP" off of my kids plates, and then I like to gorge myself with dinner because I realize I am freeken starving...

{3}While your jewelry box is drying, get your fabric of choice ready. Cut your fabric to fit your cardboard backing. Don't forget to leave enough material on all sides to glue down on the reverse side.

{4}Using a hot glue gun, run glue down the edges of the reverse side. Immediately pull the fabric tight and press it down onto the hot glue.

{5}Once your Shadow box is dry screw the hinges back on and place your fabric backing inside the box. You're ready to put your jewelry in!!!!

{6}This design is created to lay on a flat surface vs hanging it on a wall, so display options are unlimited! For those with a lot of jewelry, find shadow boxes that will stack (in a pyramid shape) giving each type of jewelry it's own box and create a pyramid of color!



To donate and be entered into the giveaway, click here: http://maryandnathanthew.blogspot.com/

     I always walk through stores like Pier1 or even Target and all the cute pillows are like 20-30 dollars!!!  Who can afford that when you know they are gonna get ruined by the kids or the dog or my husband, plus you need at least 2 and $40 is an investment!!. Recently I have converted my house into a Shabby chic kindof style. The best part of this is, it can be shabby!!!  As in not perfect, a little lopsided, mix and matched!!!

     Which means I can sew and my lines don't have to be totally straight and it wont matter!!! How great is that.  I'm a fast sewer (because I have no time or patience to take my time), I don't have time to cut straight lines or use those annoying pins.. I just wing it! I'm not kidding!! If you look really close at the lines on the pillow they are not straight. and it doesnt matter. yay! But recently after walking through Pier1 I found these napkins for $2.97 each and a bag of Polly-fill for $3.00 so for a total of about $7.00 I made this fabulous shabby white pillow.  So for that price if it only lasts a few months, I'm fine with that!!            

                                                       And here is how you can do it!

Step 2: Lay out the napkins good side out on both sides. 

I wanted the cute trim on the outside to show, 

so I sewed them on the good sides out 

instead of the conventional inside out

Step 3: Sew the entire 3 edges of the napkin fabric, 

leaving about an inch for the trim to not be sewn

*Leave about 6 inches unsewn so you can stuff your pillow

We are so jazzed that Mindy is giving away this adorable pillow that she showed us how to make!  Simply "like" her Pretty in Paint FB page and of course Earth Monkeys too then come back and "comment" below...a winner will be chosen at random!  Oh Oh Pick me!!!!



And one last thing...please take a quick second and click the "about 2011" link to the right and vote for Earth Monkeys...it's easy and we need every vote!  Thanks friends!!!!