Watch Out For Tween Trainers

Tweens.........my my how they can TRAIN us to jump through hoops for them if we are not careful!
Then when we are sufficiently trained to please them in every possible way, (by now they are 18 and so pleased at our abilities to perform) we go out into the world and do our tricks and embarrass ourselves HORRIBLY!

Not me of course, I knew better.

This past weekend My dh and I went to my dd's college orientation program. Teens and parents in separate lectures and Q&A sessions of course! Kids learning stuff they don't think Mom knows,....... and parents being warned about stuff they should not let the teen know, they know. lol

Anyway, some of the "well trained" parents spoke up and asked questions that were very entertaining to the rest of us (smarter parents), and made complete fools of themselves!

"Do you have a laundry service I can get for my son?" NO

"Do you notify me if my daughters grades start to fall?" NO

"How many classes can they miss before they get in trouble?"

NO one cares if they miss class

"What time do the boys have to be out of the girls dorms?"

No one cares about this.

"What time are -'lights off"?

No time, in fact some students stay up all night

"I think the AC units next to the window are too noisy for my son to be able to sleep?"

He'll get use to it.

We smuggly giggled! along with many others. I'm sorry but did they think college was CAMP SUNSHINE! People...People... you must prepare your teens to face a real world where they set the time for chores and work ...and sleep(maybe) and deal with aggravation and ...and.. and the opposite sex in their dorms ........at night OMG!

Here's one of my mantras TEACH TWEENS TO DO THEIR OWN LAUNDRY !

Read this very funny post about learning when you are being duped at verybusymomwith4

Evaluate tween behavior and attitude at A Parents Guide to The Teens Brain

And beware all you helicopter parents college is a NO Fly Zone ............ LOL

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Dress Up Doll Clones

Ok so it's time for a grumpy post and here's whats causing it:

Barbie and Bratz dolls. In all the Barbie videos every character has the same barbie body and face shape. The whole video line should be called the "Barbie Clone Zone " It makes no sense. You can add variety to the female form and still have them all meet the "10" standard our crazy society thinks is ideal . Look at any professional cheerleader squad - there's a variety of women's shapes and faces. Mattel thinks the only difference between women is their clothes and hairstyles! I loved Midge, remember her, Barbies BFF( apparently not forever she is no longer made)- she had freckles and a rounder face, a normal person "look".

I can't comment on the Bratz doll stories or videos because their facial design is so extreme with make-up they look like ugly caricatures of prostitutes. So abnormal looking I can't get past my first impression to learn anything more about them. I did see an ad of a movie coming out about them - all I can say is YUK!
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Is there a line of commercial dolls with variations in face and body shapes? Maybe not but these two just drive me crazy because of the "perfect body" image that makes girls think they are lacking in their appearance. I urge Moms to avoid these dolls and find something better for their dds to enjoy. How about dolls of real people and videos of real women? Think of any?

Mother's Day Gift Ideas

I'm cheap I admit it. It's partly because I'm craft wise and want to make things of better quality than I see in the stores. Also because I can't stand to see people who shop as a pastime when they don't need anything. I hate materialistic people who buy designer purses and clothes, expensive jewelry, fake nails and hair extensions, ............ such a waste of money. Women can be pretty and happy without this over priced crap. I'm a sales shopper and I buy quality things but not designer s_ _ _. Any way I saw this commercial where the women says "What gift should I get my Mom on Mothers' Day? She has everything and says she doesn't want anything?" Then she proceeds to shop anyway. Hmmmmm..........how about doing what she asks. STOP THE SHOPPING LADIES ! If your Mom truly is loaded with all the comforts of style and home then skip the boring Mother's day gift and find another way to celebrate with her. Try just spending time with her, take her to lunch, have her over for a meal and relaxation, go to a chic flick together, a concert, a play ...........you get my point. Mom will remember the fun and laughter you share way more than one more duplicate standard"Mother's day gift" item to put in the closet or jewelry box.

If after all my rambling you still have to buy Mom a gift .....here's one she'll always remember!

The Power of the Pissed Off Parents of Tweens

I refer you to a post about Abercrombie and Fitch donating $10 million to a childrens hospital to get their name on the building. So Sioux Me. Be sure to read all the posts' comments ( maybe 10) and learn that the hospital ,"due to 3,000 peoples complaints" has reconsidered naming the ER after the questionable company. Thank goodness big corporations (in this case a hospital) can be pressured by negative media attention brought on by Moms writing and complaining, to reconsider a dumb decision. Why couldn't they have told them "NO" in the first place? Are they that desparate for donations? Won't another organization that is "pro" healthy role models and clothing step up with some $$$? Will I add my usual sarcastic humor to this post....................NO! this is serious business and our letters accomplished a goal. Go add your letter to the 3,000- the more the better. Mail Campaign

Party Hardy People !

IT'S TIME TO PARRRRRR............TY!!!!!!!!!!!!

IT'S TIME TO PAAAAAR..................TY !!!!!!!!!!!!

OH YEAH ...................................OH YEAH...............................
I'm joining in to the most fun event happening anywhere on the web and it's ONLY for WOMEN!!! Women who blog or just like to read blogs. What makes a great party ??
FOOD AND LAUGHTER RIGHT ! Well I can't serve up food but I can serve up some laughs
Are you ready. I know this video is a blatant ad for my doll craft kits but ignore that (or not) and just keep your eye on the doll on the far right she's a little, how should I put it ................................................................... PSYCHO............................................
and ABSOLUTELY CRAZY

FIRST, go to my music player on the far right and down, down, down and "pause" the sound or it will play during the video,.............very annoying..........so do that first and come back.






Please do not go to Candee Crafts and try to order Bi-Polar Betsy. It's a joke people!! I've had four people try to find her and then send me an email wondering why they can't find her in the list of available craft kits..



HOPE YOU HAD A GOOD LAUGH THERE'S PLENTY MORE HERE --Browse around

Walking Art ???????????

Here's the art that seems to be ALIVE !!!!!!!

Devil Doll

I want to tell you about a really strange little girl I had at one of my doll craft parties a few years ago. The craft I teach allows the kids a wide range of design choices and I realy like observing some of the crazy things they make. I get ideas from the very imaginative girls and I enjoy encouraging some of the timid creators. I've seen fake fur made into earrings, 14 sequins adorning a 2" by 2" skirt and pom poms pushed down a dress top to make boobs on a flat chested rag doll.





In addition to the fabrics and trims, I bring the usual tools, scissors, glue, markers............... and some toothpicks to unplug the glue bottles when needed. This one adorable little child, after observing me using a toothpick to clear a clogged glue tip, was inspired by the little pointed stick to make devil horns on her doll. She broke a toothpick into two precise equal pieces and glued them to the dolls forehead. She chose a full length solid red dress and left it completely void of any trim. The hair was red and she drew fangs for the teeth, and added yellow eyes. Mean while her peers are all making "barbie look a likes"!



The other mothers and myself chuckled at first but as her work became more intense and specific we began glancing at each other and wondering if we should intervene and try to guide her away from her gothic style. I joked with her a bit but she was determined to make a "demon doll". She even took a chenille stem and made a pitchfork for the little creature.



When her mother came to pick her up she greeted her with enthusiasm and when she bent down to give her child a hug, everything suddenly began to make sense,............................... as I noticed two pointy tips peeking out from her overly teased up hairdo.........................Just Kidding ...................................



There never was an explantion for the devil doll. The girls mother looked puzzled and just shrugged as they left the party. The moms all concurred with furrowed brows that it was a very "weird doll". At first I thought well......................maybe a counselor could be in the near future .............or a priest...........................but then I decided the result could actually be some thing great ,..................................maybe this kid is the next Julie Taymor or Edith Head and she'll be working with Stephen Speilberg when he directs "Star Wars Episode XL---The Nanoscience behind Luke Skywalkers Invisable Walker" Ha-Ha

Optimus Prime Was Yummy !!

Here's the Transformer Cake I made for my grandsons' party a few weeks ago. Pretty cool if I say so myself. What's really funny is the ridiculous amount of time I spent on it and then people just "ATE IT". I knew people would eat it but I kept fussing over it and picking at it and redoing parts. WHY?...........Because I'm a perfectionist or............................... as "they" ( every celebrity with a talk show) say I've got a little OCD............. Thats Obsessive Compulsive Disorder , in case you live under a rock. Yes,................. I waste lots of time making sure things are "just so" .........Like books on a table must be spaced "just so" and pantry shelves are organized "just so" and I cut tiny threads off the edges of placemats ......and yada yada

But I catch myself being OCD and then I go out of my way to leave a messy table or certain area all cattywompus. And then everytime I walk by the spot I say to myself "Seeeeee........that pile of junk doesn't bother me!" Anybody else do this ? Is it normal to be a little abnormal if you see the abnormal behavior and make sure you throw a little normal behavior in the middle somewhere? I think it's OK. Remember that book "I'm OK, You're OK"?..................Focus

So I learned when I made the cake , how to make the icing colors bright and bold because the last transformer cake I made in 1985, for my son, the guy was pastel pink and pastel blue. Not too intimidating for a robot. Instead of food coloring there are icing dyes that are gels and powders and you get very bright colors without diluting the icing with liquid food color. They are sold at Michaels and AC Moore. They even have character sets of colors like "Scooby Do" and "Dora the Explorer" and "NASCAR" colors. I have to keep that in mind for my hubby Jim - he is a NASCAR MANIAC to put it nicely

Anyway no glue guns were used in the making of the cake so no toxins were ingested ...................although the gel dye was some kind of chemical I'm sure......YUK!

Follow the Yellow Brick Road

They were a prop in my daughters marching band show last season!!! Here they are by Dorothy's House on the 40 yard line. When I volunteered to make them I thought it would take me a day or two but it took a week . The legs are shaped chicken wire covered with a light weight canvas and striped with black duct tape that wouldn't stay stuck so I had to glue it all on .They had to be rain proof. The feet and ankles are pieces of swim noodles and some quilt batting. The heels are a laundry basket. The size 88 EEEEs went all the way to a FL state championship and now we are sneaking them from yard to yard at night through all the parent volunteers homes (and of course blogging about it) So far 21 families have been "Ruby Slippered"!!!!!!!! & several dogs have been totally "freaked out" when making their morning rounds! We sure are getting a laugh from these. Last night we all met at City Hall where our kids were honored by the mayor for winning the state title. Of course the Ruby Slippers appeared, while waiting outside, and we had to explain them to the local police and security guard who said they just wanted to be sure they weren't a BOMB!!!!!!!

Who wears shoes this big?

Well here I go with my first post and I thought you'd geta kick out of seeing the largest craft project I ever made with my glue gun, chicken wire, pool noodles (I use these alot !!), laundry basket, fabric and wire. Guess what it is? I know you know they are giant witch shoes but guess what I made them for?..............................................................

I'll tell you tomorrow. They are sitting on a marimba for transporting, but that is definitely a clue !!!

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