I thank God everyday for giving me such a wonderful mother……
……and for letting me venture out on my own to try and be the same to Boo:
Happy Mothers Day to all of you! Much love from the LBB family!
Just another WordPress site
I thank God everyday for giving me such a wonderful mother……
……and for letting me venture out on my own to try and be the same to Boo:
Happy Mothers Day to all of you! Much love from the LBB family!
I’ve hit a new low on my blog tonight with this. This cute little thing…..
…..keeps trying to punk me. Seriously. I don’t know why we have so many poo issues around this house….but now they include the dog as well. Anyways, every time I go to take a shower, Diesel leaves me little bombs right outside. And then…….he walks up to the glass to taunt me. He smiles.
I don’t know what’s more embarrassing, that my dog started pooping in the house……or that Mr. LBB and I have a duck-themed bath mat in our bathroom. At least I can be thankful that he’s only 2.5 lbs and not a Great Dane.
A new Booism for tonight too:
Boo: This looks just like Frozen Planet.
Me: It is…it’s behind the scenes on how they did it.
Boo: How they FROZE the planet?! Cool!
Me: No…just how they filmed the show.
…..makes you stronger. I love this video.
Choose Joy.
My friend Staci sent me this photo from this afternoon: Coach Ditka and his wife Diane wearing Choose Joy bracelets and ETS bracelets. Totally made my night. Thank you so much Mike and Diane!
P.S. Elaine’s blog is the first thing I read every morning….I would read it at night but I go to bed too early. Make sure to check out her story. There is so much to be thankful for.
First, thank you to those that alerted me that I was breaking a Facebook rule by having my website address in my cover photo! I could have had my Facebook page deleted for this violation. Scary! So, as a part of my Getting Down To Business small business series I decided to provide a summary of Facebook rules for pages.
I’ve taken what I feel are key points* (the rules that are broken most often) from Facebook’s terms and conditions for PAGES and condensed them into more simple terms.
*Please note: as always I recommend that you read the Facebook terms and conditions in full and make your own determination!



Make sure to check out the rest of the small business series below!
I have 2,294 photos on my phone. I think it is time to print a few. Scrolling through I found a few of my favorites:
Diesel struggling to carry a hamburger.
A creepy doll photo that Boo took.
Mr. LBB and Boo at her favorite dinner place: Islands.
A jelly donut.
Boo and I last summer.
A cloud shaped like a whale.
Grumpy Boo.
A few places you can have Instagram photos printed:
1. Printsagram lets you print your 4″x4″ photos onto shirts, mini prints, or in a mini book.
2. Use the free app PostalPix to order pics straight from your phone!
3. Instagoodies will turn your Instagram photos into cute little stickers!
4. With Postagram you can send a postcard with your Instagram photo on it.
5. Stickygram makes magnets from your square photos!
Any favorites I’ve missed?
Get to know the elusive Mr. LBB! He finally agreed to an interview….
So Mr. LBB, do you like being called Mr. LBB?
I have no opinion. Sorry.
Well, we are off to a great start. What exactly do you do for a living?
I co-own a business called SC Industrial that does drilling, blasting, excavation and rock mitigation. We also build and remodel high end homes and clean waste-2-energy power plants using explosives. Basically, we hang off mountains and blow sh*@#t up.
That sounds dangerous. What does Ashley think about that?
Let’s just say that every time I leave for a job site I get the question “is your life insurance in check?” If I’m dealing with explosives it’s usually “when’s the last time you increased your life insurance.” But in reality, my job is actually safer than many industrial-based jobs.
What do you like best about your job?
It lets me be an intellectual behind a desk and also work with my hands in the field. It’s the best of both worlds. Boo loves hanging out with the guys. She tells people that our company “moves mountains……like Armageddon.”
“Uncle ” Walker explaining unicorns and space:
Our friend “Uncle” Chris even has a tattoo of her:
Do you have any tattoos?
No. But maybe one day.
How do you help around the house?
I do everything……except for brush Boo’s hair.
Does Ashley have any responsibilities around the house?
Yes, but she finds ways to get someone else to do it. I don’t care how she gets it done….as long as it’s done. She does do all the grocery shopping though. I can’t stand the grocery store. It’s paralysis by over analysis……I get stuck when there is more than one choice.
Do you craft?
No way. I’ll make stuff out of wood though if Ashley asks. I’m more of a lawn and garden guy.
Do you decorate?
I have no opinion on decor except that it’s comfortable.
What’s the worst DIY project Ashley’s done?
The pillows on our couch….she never finished them. And they’ve been there for 2 years.
How do you feel about Lisa mooching food from your fridge and eating all your leftovers?
I didn’t know. I’m pissed now. Actually, we’ll call it even….I borrowed an extension ladder from her house recently.
What’s your favorite project Ashley’s ever done?
The Sinclair Gas Station painting. My great grandfather owned a Sinclair Gas Station. It now hangs in my office.
Do you read the blog everyday?
About every other day. I try to be supportive of everything Lil Blue Boo.
Do you have a favorite post?
Are you there, God? and maybe the one where Ashley talked to the horse telepathically.
Have you ever written a post for the blog?
Yes, the day after she woke up in ICU. Lisa was getting a tons of emails and we needed to say something. It’s called An Update from Brett.
Does anything ever surprise you about the blog?
The love and generosity that people have for someone they’ve never met in person. We do everything we can to pass it on. I try to read every comment….but it’s gotten a lot harder lately!
How do you feel about Ashley sharing so much personal stuff on the blog?
Well Ashley strategically keeps me out of it……I’m actually a very private person. All my friends will laugh at that comment because I’m an open book to them…..but only to those that I know and trust.
How did you really feel when Ashley got on the roof that day following chemo?
It was a testament to how truly impatient Ashley is.
When has Lil Blue Boo popped up in your life unexpectedly?
Playing Battle of the Sexes one time the question was “What is a fabric with small pastoral scenes on it?” I knew the answer: toile. I’ve never lived it down.
What’s it like every day at the LBB headquarters?
If I’m lucky enough I get to spend about 30 minutes there during the work day. I come home for lunch and eat lunch with the gals in the office. It’s my comic relief. There’s always a ton of energy. But, they always forget to buy me lunch when they get takeout and I’m left with Boo’s mini frozen pizzas.
Do you help with ideas?
Any idea I have is quickly shot down. There is a lot of eye rolling.
How do you deal with all the craft crap laying around?
It looks like Michael’s Craft Store threw up in my house.
What do you do when your wife wants to buy something new for the business?
I say “yes ma’am.” I’ve learned to not have an opinion on things that don’t really matter to me.
What’s your least favorite thing about Lil Blue Boo?
It never stops. Never. Even when she’s on vacation or relaxing on the beach…..she’s thinking about what she’s going to make. She’s always been a craftaholic…..now she just has a license to do it.
What’s your favorite thing about Lil Blue Boo?
It’s really the best thing that ever happened to us….mostly because it gives Ashley a place to funnel all her energy. If she can’t create she’s kind of a drag (laughs)…..
What’s your biggest pet peeve?
In the evening, every TV in the house is monopolized by either my wife’s addiction to reality TV or my daughter’s VeggieTales. Although now Boo is starting to be interested in Holmes on Holmes and Yard Crashers which I love to watch too.
Oh, and Ashley never cleans a dish…..they pile up in the sink every single day. There are also cups of drinking water all over the house because she forgets where she puts them.
Do you buy into the Choose Joy thing?
Yes. Except for when someone questions my integrity……or when the IRS is incompetent. Here’s my soapbox moment: the IRS is the only institution in America where you are guilty until proven innocent.
Have you ever done a coffee enema?
Yes, I’ll try anything she wants me to…..once.
Have you ever designed a dress?
Once…all I did was pick out the fabrics.
Oh how cute…..you must be so proud. Did anyone buy it?
Yes.
Any parting words of wisdom today?
Peace out. Choose Joy.
We are going to start having Mr. LBB as a periodic contributor on the blog….talking about marriage, being a dad, cancer and other topics! If you have something you’d like to ask him or want him to address just leave it in the comments!
I had the pleasure of finally meeting Marie of Make and Takes at CHA this year and I got to see her again at Snap. She is so sweet and oh so crafty! I absolutely love her new book Make and Takes for Kids. The projects are amazing and the photos by A Little Sussy are beautiful. Boo loves taking the book to bed with her at night and she flips through the pretty pages until she finally falls asleep
written by Marie LeBaron and photography by A Little Sussy
A little about Make and Takes for Kids:
Highlighting the best of each month of the year, Make and Takes for Kids offers 50 projects to make with kids, each centered around an upcoming holiday or season. The ideas are unique and simple to produce, and each project is thoughtfully constructed and designed to create an ideal environment and setting for crafting. Each craft requires little preparation, few supplies, and almost everything can be readily found at home or at a local craft supply store. The book is available at all major book stores and online at Barnes and Noble, Amazon.com, Walmart.com, Wiley.com
Make and Takes for Kids would make the perfect gift for Mother’s day, teacher appreciation, or for those who’s kids love to craft and need more ideas! It’s a great way to unplug and have some one-on-one family time connecting with your kids, and encouraging creativity in your little ones.
THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED.
Would you like to win a copy of Make and Takes for Kids!? Just leave a comment and let us know what your favorite craft supply is! We will pick a winner 5/14/12. International shipping restrictions may apply.
Mr. LBB can’t watch TV for the next hour….unless he wants to watch one of the following: Mad Men, My Big Fat American Gypsy Wedding, Tardy for the Wedding or River Monsters. The DVR’s are tied up.
A question on my tutorial from earlier today: “Is this really a good use of valuable time? Please reply if possible.”
I’ve thought about it a while and decided that art journaling might not be that great use of valuable time…..BUT all this recorded TV is DEFINITELY going to be.
Especially the gypsy wedding…..but don’t spoil it for me….I’m only as far as the rhinestone boots (and the fact that no one RSVP’s to a gypsy wedding?)
I love making art journals using composition books but old books are another great way to make a journal….and it’s a great way to recycle old books!
Since I add layers of paint and collage, the first thing I do is thin out the book. If the pages are sewn in I just pull out a few pages from each section….if the pages are glued to the binding I use a razor blade to cut them out.
This is the thinned out book:
To make the pages I start anywhere in the book and put pieces of wax paper under each page I’ll be working with:
I coat the pages with gesso (a primer you can purchase in the paint section of the craft or art supply store):
Once both pages have been coated with one of two coats I let them dry:
Then I add some color using craft paints:
When I am doing a lot of coats I will pull out the hair dryer to speed along the process:
I usually add another coat of gesso…..
….and before it dries I’ll blot it with a paper towel so that the color will show through:
I add bits of old paper to the page using clean medium or mod podge:
To make sure my collage pieces are flat I use a brayer with some was paper sandwiched in between:
Here’s what the pages look like before I’ve added any text:
I like to use large font stamps to add some decoration:
The bicycle stamp was one I found in the dollar bin at Micheal’s:
Sometimes I just leave the pages as is….or add journal text later!
Now a few random pages from my journal…..
Read more journaling posts here!
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