modern family

Friday, May 27, 2011

Educational Art Prints for the Modern Family - 20% off!

Thank you, thank you, thank you to all my readers! You guys have been so great to me this past year and I just wanted to let you know how much I appreciate your support! It has been quite a while since my last blog post and I just wanted to let you guys in on what's been happening. After a few months of blogging on Modern Family, 5-7 days a week, I became completely burned out! I was staying up late every night until anywhere from midnight to 2 in the morning preparing for and typing in the next day's post and started to feel like my priorities were not in line. I wasn't spending enough time with the boys and the time I did spend with them was not quality because I was too exhausted to sing, dance and play.

I decided to take a break for awhile and rejuvenate, but I never fully regained my enthusiasm for the magazine. I kept pushing back my return, dreading the late nights and little sleep. While I knew that the magazine wasn't right for me, I also missed the blog community and following others just wasn't cutting it anymore. Besides that, I needed to find a creative outlet that included my love for the boys, passion for interior design and background in elementary education. And so, Pop Heart Press was born!

Pop Heart Press is a line of custom educational art prints for the modern family. I design colorful art prints that are designed to engage children in learning, introduce shapes, colors, animals, geography, numbers & letters, and pretty your house!
Here are some samples!

I've also decided to take up blogging once again, but this time, not as hard core. Maybe 1-3 days a week. You can find my new blog at www.popheartpress.blogspot.com and my new website at www.popheartpress.com.

As a special thank you to all of the followers of Modern Family Magazine, I am giving a special coupon code worth 20% off of your entire purchase at my shop. You can check out all of my art at www.popheartpress.etsy.com. When you check out, just type in the coupon code "ModernFamilyMagazine".

Thank you guys again for all of your support! You'll never know how much it means to me!

Friday, October 15, 2010

Friday Funny

Thursday, October 14, 2010

Mad For Plaid

There is nothing like plaid to make a room so cozy! I love plaid mixed with florals and solids, layered in to complement textures such as leather and cashmere, and, most of all, in unexpected places! This fall I'm keeping it simple and classic by warming up with plaid!

Unexpected Places!

Wednesday, October 13, 2010

What's Happening? Wednesday

Lunch and Lecture Series

October 14, 2010 11:30 am - 12:30 pm

Petroleum Museum

Midland, Texas

A fun and educational lunch hour with friends! Join us as we listen to Dr. Bobby Weaver discuss “Oil Field Trash: Life and Labor in Texas Oil Fields, 1901-1960”. Admission is FREE. Dessert and drink provided, bring a brown bag lunch.
Sponsored by the Hahl Proctor Charitable Trust.

High School Football
October 14 & 15, 2010 7:30 & 8 pm
Midland, Odessa, Abilene, Grapevine, Texas

* Midland High School will play Odessa High School at Ratliff Stadium in Odessa at 7:30 pm. Go out and root for your team!

* The Midland Lee Rebels will take on Abilene High School at home at 8:00. Midland ISD Executive Director of Athletics Todd Howey announced rather than playing as scheduled on Friday, October 15, both Midland Lee and Abilene High have agreed to move the game to Thursday night to accommodate ESPN2, which will broadcast the District 3-5A contest at 8 p.m. October 14 from Grande Communications Stadium. A-1 will be selling t-shirts at the Lee junior high and freshman games. This will be the first time Lee has been on national television since 2004. Come out, it's this Thursday!!!

* Permian High School will travel to Abilene to play Abilene Cooper at the Shotwell Stadium. Hit the road and cheer for the Bronchos! Game starts at 7:30.

* Trinity High School will play El Paso Immanuel at home this week. Kick off is at 7:30. Go out and support your team!

* Midland Christian High School will travel to play the Faith Christian Lions in Grapevine. Be there at 7:30 to cheer on those Mustangs!

Children's Storytime

October 16, 2010 10:30 am

Barnes & Noble

Midland, Texas

Let's have fun and read some of your old time favorites: The Three Little Pigs and Goldilocks and The Three Bears. Join the smiles and the grins at your favorite Bookstore Storytime.

All About Women Expo

October 16-17, 2010 11:30 am - 1 pm

Horseshoe Arena

Midland, Texas

Silver Spur Trade Shows is pleased to announce the first annual All About Women Expo, featuring a huge variety of vendors displaying products and services of value to today’s women. There is something for everyone! Gifts & Accessories, Makeup Makeovers, Demos for cooking and beauty, Travel and Leisure, Starting Home Businesses, Apparel and Fashion, Fashion Shows, Things to Do, Workshops & Speakers, Door Prizes both days, Family FUN, Hobbies, Décor & Crafts, Booth Giveaways, Health and Wellness Tips, Cosmetics & Beauty, Shopping, And MUCH MORE . . .

Superhero Tuesday

October 19, 2010 4 pm

Barnes & Noble

Midland, Texas

Superhero Tuesday is for all our friends. Storytime, crafts and fun for all. Be your favorite superhero or learn about some new ones. Topics will vary with special guest speakers and readers.

Game Night

October 19, 2010 6:30 pm

Barnes & Noble

Midland, Texas

Join all your friends for an evening set a side for games in the Cafe. Every month we will feature a new game for your enjoyment.

Children's Storytime
October 19 & 20, 2010
10 am (Tues. & Wed.) 2 pm (Tues.)
Midland Public Library
Midland, Texas

Every Tuesday and Wednesday, children of all ages are invited to read with us at storytime and participate in a craft afterwards. Come join us!

Children's Storytime

October 20, 2010 10:30 am

Barnes & Noble

Midland, Texas

Every Wednesday, we set aside time for our toddler and preschool friends for a storytime, craft and snack. Please join us.

Midland Community Theatre presents

Escanaba in da Moonlight

October 1-16, 2010
7:30 pm - Thurs, 8 pm - Fri and Sat, 2 pm - Sun

Davis Theatre I
2000 W. Wadley
Midland, Texas

At 43 years old, Reuben is the last member of the Soady clan never to bag a buck during the family's annual deer hunting pilgrimage to their ramschackle deer camp. Nicknamed the "Buckless Yooper", Reuben is desperate to escape his past misfortune and make this hunting season count. Encountering mystical powers and other strange escapades round out this hysterical journey set in Michigan's Upper Peninsula.

Recommended for those 12 and up due to language and adult situations.

For ticket sales click here. If this play is sold out, call the box office at 432.570.4111 an hour before curtain call to be placed on a special waiting list.
Not everyone shows up for their reservation,
so you have a good chance of getting in!

Bootcamp in the Park
September 13 - October 22, 2010
8:30 - 9:30 am MWF, 5:30 - 6:30 am TTh
Midland, Texas

Get in shape, meet new friends and best of all, it's FREE! A 6 week program sponsored by the city of Midland

Monday/Wednesday/Friday 8:30-9:30 am
Memorial Stadium Cuthbert & North N

Tuesday/Thursday 5:30-6:30am
Golf Course Rd. Church 3500 Golf Course Rd

Tuesday, October 12, 2010

Tuesday Tutorial-Universe Costume

A few years back, inbetween my teaching and graphic design careers, I took a position as a governess to three beautiful children, Caitlin(4), Ryan(2), and Stephen(2 weeks). I absolutely loved my job! I find that it's incredibly rare for people take such pride and have such enjoyment in their professions. I look back on the year I was with them fondly, grateful for the experience and honored to have been a part of their lives.

One of my favorite memories from my time with them, is the Halloween that I offered to create their costumes. At the time, I didn't know how to sew and had never created anything wearable, but that did not discourage me from wanting to make them outfits that were creative, playful and, above all, innovative. When asked, Caitlin told me that she would love to be a ballerina. I knew that sewing a leotard and tutu would be far too difficult and time consuming for me to figure out in a few weeks time, however I still wanted to make her wish come true. So we opted to buy the pieces from a local market. I think it turned out great. She was the beautiful ballerina she had imagined herself to be, and I managed to save myself some stress!

Ryan, only two years old at the time, did not have a preference for his costume. After asking his mom what ideas she had in mind, we ended up agreeing on a Lego outfit. This was actually really easy to make and easy on my wallet! I used an old, empty diaper box for the body, spray painted it red, cut holes for the arms and inserts, and stuck velcro on the back seam for an easy open and close. The red inserts are actually disposable plastic cups I had left over from a party. I think he looked fantastic! He was definitely the cutest one in his school parade, but the costume turned out to be quite uncomfortable for him and impossible to sit in. Thank goodness I dressed him in a red shirt and pants underneath so he could slip the costume off immediately after the parade!

My absolute favorite costume, however, was Stephen's! I think he was around 4 months at the time, and I was given complete say over the theme and construction of the design. I wanted to come up with something that had never been done before, something amazing! I decided to make him the universe. What's more grand that that!? It really turned out better than I could have imagined, especially since I did not own, nor know how to use, a sewing machine! Here are the instructions on how to make the cutest costume on the block!

How to Make a Universe Costume

What You Will Need:

black onesie

black tights

star rhinestones

multicolored felt

fabric glue

3D fabric paint

scissors