Martha Stewart, eat your heart out

I saw these cute little guys on some random craft page, all done and cute and ready to go.  For 4 each.  No joke.  

We wanted 40 of them for girl child's Valentines.  Since I'm not to keen on spending 160 on little love notes for 5 and 6 year olds, we decided to make our own.  Here's how.  

Go to the fabric store.  Buy 6 inch cuts of your choice of felt colors.  Our felt was 72 inches wide, giving us 13-14 'cookies' per color.  Also buy floral wire, medium gauge and ribbon, about 1/4 inch wide.  If you do not have a hot glue gun, buy one of those two.  They are a white trash crafting essential.  Go home.

Trace a 5-6 inch circle in the felt.  We used a lid.  Cut out the felt.  Girl child did most of the cutting.  Cut the ribbon just shorter then the felt, cut the wire just shorter than the ribbon.  Seal the ribbon by passing the cut ends over a small flame for a second.  Make a small line of glue in the center of the circle.  While it is hot, press the wire into the glue.  Then quickly press the ribbon into the glue.

We put fortunes in ours.  Girl child typed 8 different ones, I copied them 'till we had enough and then she cut them out and signed them.  Put the fortune in the middle, on top of the wire.

Fold the circle in half, facing the flat edge towards you and then pinch to make a cookie.

Repeat.  For an eternity.  Or an hour or so.  It is actually not a difficult project.  Plus it is cute, and it is reusable.  I like to think of all girl child's classmates using these in their play kitchens.  Even if they throw them away, I was only out about 5.00 and two hours, which were spent chatting with my kiddo and having fun.

Proof the first born is awesome

me- what you wanna do for your b-day
f.b.- idk... maybe just hang out... u no
me- np
f.b.- ya... just nothin boring
me- well you are almost 14.  im not sure i can be quite that exciting.  i mean im too old to tp a house with
f.b. - naaaw.  llol
me- you wanna do something?  like dinner or bowling or knocking over a liquor store?
f.b.- the last two? girl child likes to bowl still ryte
me- we can totally bowl, but im not sure shes up for knocking over liquor stores
f.b.- nah idts.  lol then the first two
me- maybe she can be the getaway driver
f.b.- totally
me- on her trike.  sweeeeet
f.b.- i call shot gun
me- where is shot gun on a trike?
f.b.- uhm.... does hers have the little basket on the back
me- nope. . . . it doesn't even have pedals or a chain anymore
f.b.- ooo
me- yeah, its gonna be rough
f.b.- i guess we'll walk?
me- hmm.  but hey, its your b-day
f.b.- totally...wait i should get to drive the trike 
me- well then whose gonna do the knocking over 
f.b.- ...ill get off to help 
me- good plan 
f.b.- yep~! 
me- but whose gonna keep the trike running  
f.b.- uhm........ill push it  
me- it's good to think these things out in advance 
f.b.- for sure

Being happy about this does not make me a horrible person.

The ex has dumped her husband, again. Which makes me so very happy, again. He is an ass, an idiot and a loser. I hate him. I always have. He is the first borns supposed father and I cannot even begin to describe all the ways he is not good enough for her, or the ex or air really.

She is laughing though. She is glad, she is empowered. He hit her when they were together the first time. No one should hit a woman. I tried to beat him but the husband pulled me off him. He wasn't strong enough to stop me, but the husband was. Sad for us all. After that I wasn't really allowed in the same zip code as him. He avoided me like the plague, he drove the ex and I apart with hateful words and petty drama.

I understood the whole living straight thing, that's my life too, but I was able to maintain my life and still make room for her. So now he is gone, and she is on the phone more, laughing and sounding more at peace than I have heard her in years. Which makes my heart light. I keep waiting for the other shoe to drop, but even with all its pitfalls, I am optimistic for my estranged family.

Oh, and the first born, my emo-punk rock girl, bought a dress. One she liked all on her own. It has a big bow. I love her. I am also so looking forward to taking her shopping. "Cause did I tell you? The ex is sending her to me for spring break. Of her own volition. Over her birthday.

Did you hear that, I get the first born for her birthday. Let's all dance.