Cantaloupe Corner : Ink free t-shirts

Slowing Down Time

2012-01-27T05:37:00.000-08:00

Time is a funny thing. One day you are blogging along daily about the ups and downs of life, contributing to the world of useful and useless knowledge. Then baby number three comes along and you and your computer decide you can't be friends anymore. So your blog goes unnoticed and you forget about it for a while. Out of sight, out of mind.
You've been there, right?

Well, baby number 3 is now 8 whole months old and he is chubby, happy, and full of life! I call him my little ray of sunshine because that is exactly what he is. He fills my whole heart and soul with happiness. He has big blue eyes and the longest eyelashes I have ever seen. (Why do the boys always get the long eyelashes?)

So I've been a little bit distracted by all the cuteness. The chubby baby thighs and cheeks, slobbery kisses, and baby giggles. He's way too much fun!
With every child I hang on to the baby days a little bit more. With my first I wanted to see how fast he could sit up, crawl, and walk. I felt like it was a race with the other babies his age. I wanted to prove my baby was the smartest. It's sounds so silly now. My second son was very colicky so I wished away the first 3-4 months, hanging onto my sanity and spending a lot of time bouncing him to sleep on my giant exercise ball. (Which, by the way, is a must have for putting baby to sleep in the first few months, especially a colicky baby. It really did save my life and my sanity.) Pretty soon he was running around at the park with his brother and before I knew it he was 2 years old and we were talking about having another one. Time is a funny thing.
I started Cantaloupe Corner when my second son was only 6 months old. And having 2 kids and a business made time fly by at light speed. Then came along baby number 3 and now weeks go by in the blink of an eye. Then months, then years. Whoa! Slow down!!!
What I'm saying is my goals this year don't focus so much on "lose weight", or "watch less TV". This year I am making a daily effort to enjoy the amazingly blessed life I have. I want to spend more time cuddling with my babies, reading them books, and teaching them about life. More time kissing my husband and spoiling him. Less time yelling, and less time being stressed out about things that don't matter.
That's right, I'm going to slow down time. That's my new years resolution.
So you may or may not see daily blog posts about all the fun things we do around here but that's ok. I will still be doing what I love. (I really do love designing and printing t-shirts.) And I will share as much of my projects, and useful and useless information, as my new found time will allow.

This is going to be the best year ever!

A momentous occasion

2012-01-18T21:08:00.000-08:00

We did it!! We just hit a milestone that I am extremely excited about. We just made our 1000th sale from our Cantaloupe Corner Etsy shop!

It has been thrilling watching that number climb daily, One or two sales at a time. It makes me feel all nostalgic thinking back on my very first sales. I hadn't even learned how to screen print yet. I was individually stencilling every shirt. And I loved it! Every sale from 1 to 1000 has been just as exciting as the one before it.

I just wanted to leave a simple THANKS to all of our customers who have helped us to build my little business and making it what it is today. I still think of Cantaloupe Corner as my playtime. I enjoy creating and printing shirts, and interacting with all of you. I have met some amazing people along the way. The best part has been everything I have learned! I have learned that selling t-shirts isn't about selling cheap, or spouting out sales and links anywhere I can. It's about really listening and caring about my customers. I get so excited when I get emails from you telling me about the great train birthday party you are putting together, or about how much your child loves tractors or ninjas. I have been able to meet so many moms that are just like me.
So thanks for teaching me more about myself and what a girl from a small town in Arizona can do. It's amazing what a dream, some ambition, and a little time can do.

Now on to 2000!

And, BTW, there is a coupon code waiting for you on our Facebook page. (Yippee!) The coupon code is good through this Saturday 1/21/12

Photo Card

2011-12-07T14:41:00.001-08:00

Classic Damask Frame Christmas

Click here to browse our Christmas photo card designs.

View the entire collection of cards.

NEW! Custom BIG NAME Bath Towels

2011-11-14T08:53:00.001-08:00

The best part about being the boss of this company is that I get to do whatever I want, including stepping out of the norm and making something new to add to our collection of t-shirts and bodysuits. Who doesn't love new stuff?

Our newest item is unlike anything you have seen! And my two biggest fans really love them!(my kids, of course.) Especially because Ryan's is orange and he is kind of obsessed with all things orange right now.

They are personalized BIG NAME Bath Towels!

These towels are completely unique because there is no scratchy ink, paint, or embroidery to scuff up your beautiful skin. They are extra gentle on our children's delicate skin. They are ink-free printed just like our Toddler Shirts and the result is spectacular!

Your name, last name, child's name. . . or whatever you would love to see on your custom towel is printed in LARGE letters across the long side of the towel. It kinda makes you feel like a super hero when you get out of the shower.

The towels are fluffy and soft and 100% cotton.
These personalized towels make great gifts for Christmas, birthdays, weddings, housewarming. . . and just because.

Click over to our Cantaloupe Corner Etsy Shop to see what colors we have available.

I would love to hear what you think about our newest addition.

New Toddler Birthday Shirt!

2011-11-04T15:22:00.000-07:00

We L-O-V-E birthdays around here.

Ok, Everyone loves birthdays, not just us. We just like being able to dress your kids up in the cutest birthday shirts for their big day! I love looking back at pictures of my kids with their special birthday shirts and not having to guess which birthday it was, and it makes the day feel even more special when they can show everyone how old they are.

I made this design originally for Ryan, my 3 year old. I embellished upon the ink-free idea and added a cool vintage-style layered applique. I love is so much I wanted to make it available for you too!

Check out this new fun tee in our Etsy Shop to see what colors, sizes, and numbers are available.

This adorable birthay tee will look better with each wash and it is all 100% cotton and, like always, has no ink or paint. The shirts are the highest quality available and they are super snuggly soft.

Come on over, baby!

2011-11-01T10:56:00.000-07:00

Our Cantaloupe Corner Etsy Shop is up and running and you can drop by and get some Christmas shopping done.

(I like to get my shopping done long before the crazyness of the big day. Saves a ton of stress. And less stress = happy mom. )

And if you need a little discount to help you out (because everyone can use a little boost this time of year) enter code URGRAND to enjoy 15% off through Novemeber 13th!

And the best part. . .

All of our newest ink-free t-shirt designs are hanging out over there. Just waiting for someone like you to keep them company. Because they are cool like that.

There's great stuff for your little Ninja, Robot, Dinosaur and Truck lovers. And our newest Pro-Life bodysuit is there too.

I'm so happy to be back!

A (not so) scary Halloween message.

2011-10-31T10:23:00.000-07:00

I'm pretty darn excited for tomorrow. Tomorrow I open Cantaloupe Corner on Etsy and post all of our newest designs for everyone to see! It's a momentous occasion and if I were you I wouldn't miss it!

I have one more design to show off and the subject matter is very close to my heart. I have been anticipating the launch of this new design for over a year and it is finally ready!

The subject of our newest design is Pro-Life.

I have had the privilege to hold 3 of my own precious little miracles only seconds after they were born. I have looked into their eyes and each time I am taken back by the eyes that are looking back at me. They aren't just little eyes but they are gateways to little souls. They are little people. Little, tiny, helpless, adorable, innocent people that need someone like me to take care of them until they are able to care for themselves.

The only difference between a baby in the womb and a baby in a mother's arms, and a child running through the back yard is TIME. The child is the same person through the whole process.

I will never be able to understand how a mother can abort a baby for her own convenience. From the second she makes the decision to have unprotected sex (or if protection fails) and that baby is conceived, God gives her a gift that is more precious that anything in the world. Whether it is an accident or not, a baby is special. That sweet precious baby should be able to live and enjoy life, not be snuffed out due to embarrassment or so the mother can have a more convenient lifestyle.

It's only 9 months.

For any mother out there that thinks they can't put that sweet little infant up for adoption instead: It's only 9 months out of an entire lifetime. And that 9 months is a small sacrifice for that baby and also for that mother who is not able to have children of her own. I have seen MIRACLES in lives of my friends because of those mothers that chose to have their babies and give the greatest gift to a barren mother. It touches the lives of more that just her. It touches her family and friends and enriches the lives of everyone who will get to know that precious child throughout his or her life.

I have had close friends that were adopted as babies and they are immensely grateful that they were given a good life, and even more grateful for the simple gift from their birth mother to let them live.

This is my baby. He is now 5 months old and he has the same little nose, hands, cheeks, eyes, etc. that you see in this ultrasound picture. He was given to me to raise, protect, lead, and guide.

He is a ray of sunshine in my life. My life would never be complete without any of my 3 special, unique, little boys.

It is with this little boy in mind, and my strong believe in the sanctity of life, that I introduce our newest Cantaloupe Corner product.

It is simple, and sweet, and focuses on the positive. All of us who are alive today can thank our mothers for choosing to let us live!

(This onesie is available today on our Facebook page, and will be available tomorrow in our Cantaloupe Corner Etsy shop. )

I don't know about you but I am really grateful that my mommy chose life :)

I hope everyone has a great Halloween! Take those precious kids out trick-or-treating and be thankful that they are alive and that they fill your heart with so much love!

My kids' costumes: Wall-e and a baby owl

2011-10-28T21:57:00.000-07:00

I say this every day but I'll say it again. Time is flying by!

Halloween is on Monday and I just barely finished my boys' costumes right in the nick of time. We will be spending the weekend with family so it was getting down to the wire. But they are done! And I'm pooped.

I'll show you my favorite one first. This is Ryan wearing his Wall-e Costume. He has had his heart set on being Wall-e for weeks and I kept hoping he would change his mind because i had no idea how I would pull it off. 2 days ago I realized he was serious about being Wall-e and no other costume would do. I just happened to have a box in the right size and we picked up some spray paint at Wal-Mart. Some painting, cutting, glueing later and we had Wall-e. Since I waited unil the last moment I left out the Wall-e hands and wheels. But Ryan LOVES his costume and I am happy because he is happy.

And this is my adorable little owl:

Man, I love this kid.

I crocheted his owl beenie, which will come in handy in the cold winter too.

For the body of his costume I sewed felt "feathers" onto a long sleeved onesie and attached wings to the sleeves. I wanted to keep it soft and small so he doesn't look like he is being swallowed up by his costume. I always feel bad for those kids that their parents dress them up as oversize pumpkins or big fluffy mosters. Their eyes say "please save me from this embarrassing outfit my mom is making me wear!"

I have one more costume I made for my 5 year old that I just finished tonight so I'll post pictures from our Halloween party when we get back.

Sneak Peek - New ink-free designs!

2011-10-25T11:30:00.000-07:00

After spending hours designing, printing, picture taking, editing, blah blah blah. . . I am so excited to bring you some of our brand new ink-free designs. Here is a sneak peek of 2 of my favorites!!!

Do you want to see? Are you excited as me???

NINJAS!!!

If you want to see these and more new designs, head over to our Cantaloupe Corner Facebook page! "Like" us on Facebook and you can buy our new designs before the rest of the world even gets to see them!

(I really really love our Facebook Fans! Not that all of our fans aren't great. It's just that they pushed that little "like" button and that makes me feel special.) Plus, you will get all our our latest and greatest news and see all of our new stuff first! And all of the cool kids are doing it.

Our new designs will be available in our Cantaloupe Corner Etsy shop on Nov. 1st. But if you just can't wait until then. . . you know where to go.

And there is more good stuff coming soon! Including an epic new item!

I wish I could tell you more but I just can't.

Feeling a little red today.

2011-10-21T10:07:00.000-07:00

I got a "wild hair" this last weekend and dyed my hair red! (Ok, I got a whole head full of wild hairs.) Really RED! Red Red Red!

I have this amazing sister-in-law that does my hair for me. She took me with her to CosmoProf so I could pick out the color. I was really nervous to go so bright but I needed a change and I haven't change my hair color in a while.
Back in the day, when I was in high school and college I had my hair every color from platinum blonde (which I LOVED) to dark brown. I must have been missing my wild side becuase wow this color is vibrant! But I am loving it.

I realize this has nothing to do with t-shirts, or that fact that I will be opening our Cantaloupe Corner Etsy shop on November 1st (YAAAAY, I'm so excited!). My next post will be all about that. And a preview is coming your way!
And BTW, if you haven't already done it yet, join our Cantaloupe Corner Facebook page to be the first to see and purchase our brand spankin' new designs!!!

I heart Harry Potter

2011-10-06T21:47:00.000-07:00

I admit it. I am a super dork when it comes to Harry Potter.

I secretly hope and owl brings my Hogwarts letter.I want to be Hermione and fight bad guys with the wave of my magic wand.

When I was little I used to dream about how amazing it would be to wave a magic wand and make things happen. In elementary school I used to check out magic books from the library and practice making pennies "disappear" or other cheesy tricks. Harry Potter brings out that kid in me. I love it.

Now the very last HP movie is on it's way to DVD (on 11/11/11) and will soon be in my collection! I'm so sad that this was the last movie. *tear* It's the end of an era.

I am now involving my kids in my fascination with HP.

For all of you non-Harry Potter nerds, these are the magic words Harry says to open the Marauder's Map to see where everyone is in Hogwarts. "I solemly swear I'm up to no good."

I may have to put this on a t-shirt for my second son, the mischief maker.

And to close the map, so nosey teachers can't see what you are up to, you simply say "mischief managed."

Perfectly magical.

And I have to mention that whenever me and my hubby have the boys in bed and we are in the mood for a good movie, 9 out of 10 times I will pick out one of our Harry Potter movies. I watch them over and over and I can't get enough.
What other story gives you loyal friendships, combining against evil, fighting for what is right and good? With all the junk out there on TV these days it's great to find a story with real values.

But we still argue about who Harry should have ended up with. Hermione or Ginny?

Three-year-old birthday tee!

2011-09-25T23:13:00.001-07:00

This is Ryan. He is my second son and he just celebrated his 3rd birthday!!! (WOO HOO!)

It’s become a tradition for me to make a new shirt for each birthday boy, just because I can, and it’s fun!

Last year he wore “Choo Choo I’m 2!”

This year I tried something new and added a layered #3 applique for a vintage-ish look. His favorite color is orange so we chose and orange 3. I love how it turned out and he loves it too. It has quickly been added to his list of favorite shirts, which is hard to do since he wears orange shirts every day. no joke.

I’m glad he is broadening his horizons with a little bit of navy blue.

--Since I trust your opinions I wanted to see if you would like to see his layered applique birthday shirt in my shop when I reopen. Yea or nay?

I can make this shirt with any number on it, as long as your boy or girl can fit into our Cantaloupe Corner sizes (currently 12m to 6T toddler t-shirt sizes).

Here’s my birthday boy: He’s about 7 months old in this pic.

This cute little guy has been my model since he was just a baby:

Time flies. I can’t even believe this is the same kid! And I can’t believe I have had my own business for almost 3 years!

I’m going to let you in on a little secret: I just ordered a bunch of new blank tees! What does that mean? Cantaloupe Corner will soon be open for business again! Keep watching for more details to come.

This is Epic!

2011-08-25T23:54:00.000-07:00

I'm the proud mommy of a Kindergartener!
Simon is just finishing his 3rd week in school and he is loving every second. He comes home happy and exhausted every day. Every day he has new stories and lots of new questions. I am so proud of him and his endless ambition to learn everything he can!

I had so much fun making Simon new t-shirts to wear to school. Since I knew I wasn't going to be selling these I didn't have to be completely original in my designs. In fact, one of my favorite shirts I finished was a copy-cat of a great shirt I found at Nordstrom.com

Excuse the wrinkles. I had to grab these from my son's clothes pile and snap shots before the baby woke up. I think the wrinkles add to the vintage look. don't you?

Here is the original tee from Nordstrom:

You can find this tee Here.

I learned a new technique to get the vintage style ink-printing on dark colors. It worked really well and it left the shirt so soft, almost like there was no ink at all. I used the same technique on 2 other shirts as well. It's. . . EPIC!
I'll post those shirts as soon as I get caught up on my pile of laundry, a.k.a Mount Washmore.

{ a little madness }

2011-08-13T10:04:00.000-07:00

Things at our house can be described in one word: madness.

All of you moms with 3 or more kids, you have my respect. This mommy business is tough. But the madness is great too! We are enjoying every minute of time with our new (now 2 month old) baby. We are at the stage right now that we can venture out into public for short bursts of time without him crying inconsolably. There is no calming down this child when he is hungry. And he is hungry all the time. This week we took him in for his 2 month checkup and he weighed in at a hefty 15 pounds! Yes, this kid likes to eat.

Since we are still trying to get our family on a schedule, which includes our oldest going to kindergarten (wow, is he that old already?), we will be pushing back our re-opening to sometime late this fall or early winter. I have new ideas in the works, and new designs that are sooooo close to being finished. I need a clone so I can get all my biz stuff done and make sure my mommy stuff gets done too. So for now I choose the most important of the two. Once I can effectively juggle being the best mom I can with running a happy business I will re-open my shop with new goodies inside! And I have new tutorials in the works too!

Until then, I will enjoy this madness.

Pancake scribbler - drawing with pancake batter

2011-07-23T22:18:00.000-07:00

"What do you want for breakfast?"

I ask my kids this every morning. Usually I get a blank stare or an "I don't know."

Sometimes they will get creative and invent a new type of pancake batter, or smoothie. Sometimes they request chocolate cake waffles, or just cake.

This time they requested "pancakes in different shapes."

I don't know about you but I am not a pancake artist. My pancake talents stretch as far as Mickey Mouse ears.

But this time I had a Great Idea!!! Instead of pouring on the pancakes, Squirt 'em on!

I had an extra mustard container hanging around my house. You can pick these up at the dollar store.

I snipped the top to make the opening large enough for the thick batter and funnelled in my batter.

It worked like a charm!

Now I can make whatever shapes I want, as long as they are flippable.

I thought about writing "good morning" but soon realized that I would need an extra wide spatula to flip such words. I settled with the more convenient "Hi" pancake for my hubby.

I made the boys letter pancakes and they ate them up and asked for more. And with my picky eaters, that's saying something!

S for Simon.

Simple, quick, cheap, and fun! You have to try this!

{ watching the parade }

2011-07-19T12:11:00.000-07:00

I'm working on some new projects to add to my blog. In the meantime, here are some pics of my boys in their 4th of July tees and handmade cargo shorts.

We spent our holiday in my hometown here in Arizona. The largest fire in Arizona's history just blazed through our beautiful forests and nearly destroyed our little town. But still, only weeks after a full evacuation, our town was buzzing with life as the population boomed for the small town celebrations.

I am so grateful for our little hometown and the firefighters who saved it. It gives even more meaning to the saying on my boys' tees.

Happy Independence Day!

2011-07-02T22:20:00.000-07:00

I am enjoying my favorite time of year in my hometown in the White Mountains of Arizona. The air is cool and fresh and the population of this small town is going through the annual 4th of July boom.
To make things even more fun, I also celebrated my 10 year high school reunion! I always wanted to show up to my class reunion looking better than when I was 18. Thin, fit, successful, rich, with super powers.
In reality, I'm 15 pounds heavier than normal because I just had a baby, my body is stretched and wrinkled, and my successful career consists of changing diapers and wiping up spit up (It's not glamorous but I love it!)
The reunion that I have dreaded for the last 10 years turned out to be not so bad. I actually had a great time seeing old friends that I have lost contact with, and others that I "see" on facebook everyday. I had to drag my hubby came with me, and since he graduated from the same small high school (my graduating class was only about 170 students) he met up with some of his long lost buddies too. Good times.

All I'm trying to say is that I love this small town and the people who live here.

Monday is Independence Day and since I am a t-shirt making kind of woman I decided to throw together some new 4th of July shirts for my older boys. I thought you might like to see what my kids will be sporting to enjoy the festivities of this weekend.

Land of the Free
Because of the Brave

(It's much easier to read in person, I promise.)
The eagle and stars are printed with dye remover and the words are in white and silver ink.

I added a star silhouette on the backside.

Enjoy your 4th of July Celebrations!

I'm feel so blessed to be a citizen of such spectacular country!

God Bless the USA!

I'm a new mommy again!

2011-06-06T15:15:00.000-07:00

Little Mason has arrived!

He was born on May 25th.

I am so happy to have him here with us.

I did his first newborn photoshoot when he was 6 days old.

This was my first attempt at newborn pictures.

I now have a whole new world of respect for newborn photographers! It is definitely not easy.

Welcome to our family little Mason!

Any day now. . .

2011-05-20T15:51:00.000-07:00

It feels strange being away from this blog for so long. I wanted to leave an update so that anyone who follows our blog can know that I'm still alive (and still pregnant.) I'm at 38 1/2 weeks and I'm hoping this baby will arrive any day now! I'm at that beloved point in pregnancy when everyone starts saying "you look like you are about to pop!"

No, that's not a watermelon under my shirt. . . or a beach ball. (I guess I do look like I'm about to pop!)

My boys were comparing bellies with me.

I love my family more than anything in the whole entire world and I am thrilled to meet our new addition.

If all goes as planned I will be enduced on Tuesday night and he should arrive on Wednesday! Wish us luck as our tribe of 4 becomes a tribe of 5.

Bring on the adventure!

Code word. . .

2011-04-29T10:22:00.000-07:00

The Royal Wedding, the Shuttle Launch (which is now delayed. boo! ), NFL Picks, and all the other big news stories are flooding the airwaves today!
What a fabulous day for a special sale! While you are surfing the net and reading up on the latest gossip about Prince William, take a minute to drop by Cantaloupe Corner and use your special 25% discount code.

Use code FRUITY25 to get 25% off you purchase today and tomorrow!

Get your child a high quality, ink-free tee for 25% off!! That's sounds like good news to me!

This is the best deal of the year on our premium quality shirts! In fact, it's the best deal we have ever had!

The 25% off coupon is good for today and tomorrow only, April 29th and 30th. Tomorrow will be the last day to shop for the spring/summer season so if you need a shirt for a birthday party, baby shower, or just for running around in the summer sun, get your orders in now!

Thursday - MORE Deals of the Day!!!

2011-04-28T07:01:00.000-07:00

I didn't get to post yesterday's sales on our blog so lucky for you I'm leaving them on sale today! I also added a few more to the list of deals! Like all sales, these won't last long. In fact, today is the last day to pick these up for such amazing prices!

Today's Deals of the Day are:

Speedy the Argyle Turtle - Ink-free toddler tee

Chandelier Chic - Ink-free baby bodysuit

World Revolves Around Me - Ink-free toddler tee

Argyle Skulls - Ink-Free toddler tee

Brightest Crayon in the Box - Ink-free toddler girl shirt

It's Thursday already. Time is flying by. We are only accepting orders through Saturday so get over to our Cantaloupe Corner Etsy shop and do some shopping!

Tuesday - Deals of the Day!

2011-04-26T08:54:00.000-07:00

Today's deals are up in our Etsy Shop! Today we have 3 more of my favorite things on sale. The sale is for today only so snatch these up while you can!

Also, FYI, we are completely sold out of orange t-shirt in size 2. If you have a little tyke that wears that size we still have 5 other fun colors to choose from. Thanks!

Now, without further ado. . .

Today's sales are:

Olivia Owl - Ink-Free Baby Bodysuit

ROCK - Toddler Girl's Shirt

Tough Cookie - Ink Free Toddler T-shirt

6 Days!

2011-04-25T07:01:00.000-07:00

Time is flying by!
We only have 6 more days left to take orders! 6 Days!

I am so syked about this week!
I will have daily deals instead of weekly deals and I will also be sneaking in Cantaloupe Corner sales codes into this blog and facebook so keep watching so you don't miss a thing!

What are today's deals?

Small Fry - Ink Free Bodysuit

Definition of a Boy - Ink-Free Toddler T-shirt

Chandlier Chic- Toddler Girl's Tee

Beat It - Ink-Free Iron-on Applique

Our t-shirts, and girls shirts are selling out FAST! So get over to Cantaloupe Corner and pick up one for your baby, toddler, or preschooler, before they are gone!

MARCO. . .

2011-04-22T08:49:00.000-07:00

. . .POLO!

My li'l bro asked me to make him some shirts and he brought me a challenge I hadn't tried yet: Polo shirts!

I didn't want them to look like bowling shirts, which is easy to do when you are printing on polo shirts. Me and my hubby brainstormed and this is what we came up with:

Just to give you some background on why we chose these designs: My brother is taking heavy equipment courses through NAVIT right now in school and he gets to drive big trucks and tractors. He absolutely loves it! He wanted me to incorporate tractors into one of the shirts.

The red shirt was inspired by his nick-name "Crash". He has had some bad luck in the last few years and has had broken bones, been hit by a car (ouch!) and he was in a car accident too.
He has a great sense of humor about his luck and sometimes calls himself the "crash-test-dummy." lol.

I wrapped the side designs around the side of the shirt for a unique look.

I just sent these to him and I'm happy to report that he "loooooooves" his new polos!

Now I want to make some for my boys too!

Inked Tote Winner!!!

2011-04-21T20:19:00.000-07:00

Thanks to everyone who entered our Inked Tote Giveaway!

Our lucky ducky winner is:

Holly!

Congratulations!!
We will contact you via email, please reply by Sunday April 24th.

Thank you so much! I love giving aways free stuff! I need to to it more often. Thanks again everyone!

Beware! The Dangers of Artificial Food Dyes

2011-04-19T08:40:00.000-07:00

Brightly colored candies, drinks, baked goods, cereals and much more adorn all of our local store shelves. They call out to us, "Eat me! I'm bright, sweet, and flavorful!"

Are children are growing up believing that cheese is naturally bright orange, strawberries are ruby red, and raspberries are. . . blue?

But what is really in those colorful treats?

Most often these colors are the result of artificial food dyes. And you will be surprised how often they are used in everyday foods and drinks. Take a minute or two to look through your pantry or cupboards and see how often Reds, Yellows and Blues are added to your favorite foods.
Are you shocked?
I was!

The Washington Post's article titled "The rainbow of food dyes in our grocery aisles has a dark side" (March 25 2011), stated:
" Artificial dyes aren’t just making your Yoplait Light Red Raspberry yogurt blush and your Kraft Macaroni and Cheese glow in the dark. They are causing behavioral problems and disrupting children’s attention, according to a growing number of scientific studies."

"Beyond the behavioral problems and cancer risks, the greatest hazard that dyes pose for children may also be the most obvious: They draw kids away from nutritious foods and toward brightly colored processed products that are high in calories but low in nutrients, such as fruit-flavored drinks and snack foods. Those types of foods are a major force in America's obesity epidemic."

Here is a list of conditions that have possible links to food dyes:
1. Cancer, including brain tumors
2. Allergies, asthma, and sensitivities
3. Behavioral issues, hyperactivity, and ADHD
4. Decreased cognitive function, lowered IQ

Behavior problems? Cancer? Lower IQ? From food dyes!? REALLY!?

Really!

The British government has recently funded 2 major studies that have concluded that food dyes cause behavior problems, even in children who had previously showed no behaviour issues.

Since these studies, Health officials in the UK have urged manufacturers to discontinue use of the 6 commonly used food dyes, including Red 40, Yellow 5 and Yellow 6 (some of the dyes used in the studies.)

Here are some examples of what these food dyes are known to do:
-"Red # 40, which is the most widely used dye, may accelerate the appearance of immune-system tumors in mice, while also triggering hyperactivity in children.

-Blue # 2, used in candies, beverages, pet foods and more, was linked to brain tumors.

-And Yellow 5, used in baked goods, candies, cereal and more, may not only be contaminated with several cancer-causing chemicals, but it's also linked to hyperactivity, hypersensitivity and other behavioral effects in children." (Dr. Mercola "The Dark Side of the Rainbow of Food Dyes Being Used to Color Your Food ")

This is scary news, considering the fact that these food dyes are so widely used in everyday products.

Unfortunately, the United States' FDA has chosen not to choose sides on this issue yet.
Their stance on the matter is:
"FDA concludes that a causal relationship between exposure to color additives and hyperactivity in children in the general population has not been established."

It would be a huge ordeal if they come out to warn the population about the dangers of these food dyes. (My guess is that they are biding their time to avoid angry food manufacturers who would be forced to change their recipes. And more importantly,to avoid ANGRY PARENTS!)

Since the studies were conducted in the United Kingdom, many manufacturers who use artificial colors now put a warning label on their packages that says: "may have an adverse effect on activity and attention in children." And many manufacturers have changed their recipes and discontinued the use of artificial dyes all together.

But what is food without color? Bland, and boring?
Removing artificial dyes from our food isn't the end of color! There are many natural dyes that are safe and effective. For instance, USA made Strawberry Nutri-gran bars contain Red #40, while the ones made in the UK use natural colors, such as beetroot red, anatto, and paprika extract.
In fact, most branches of Wal-Mart, Coca-Cola, and Mars in the UK have eliminated all artificial colors, the preservative sodium benzoate, and aspartame from their products!
(This almost makes me want to move there!)

Since most of us aren't living in the UK, how do we avoid these dangerous additives?
The best advice is to try and avoid processed foods. They are the main contributor to artificial colors and preservatives in our diets. And on top of this, they are low in vitamins and minerals too. Choose fresh or even frozen foods whenever you can and ALWAYS check the labels!

Finding your inspiration

2011-04-16T08:02:00.000-07:00

Like writer's block, sometimes your creativity can go into a slump. Sometimes the creative juices refuse to flow.
What do you do when this happens?

Here's what I do.

I remember back to that first day that I said to myself "You are pretty good at this. You should start a business!"
I think about how I felt, and how I knew I couldn't fail. I had so many ideas that I had written down and so many more waiting to burst out of my brain.
Where did I put that notebook anyway? Ah, there it is.
Then I look through the pages and remember how much fun it was coming up with ideas and building my projects. Not work, just fun.

Now I remember why I started doing this. It's fun!!

Take a step back and look at the big picture. Money is nice but freedom is countless times better! I love how creating makes me feel free. I love when someone really enjoys and appreciates my designs!

Now that I'm feeling better about myself it is easier to move on to the next part of the creative process: Inspiration!

What inspires you?

I have 2 little boys (soon to be 3!) and they are the most inspiring part of my life. It really shows in my work because, as you can tell, Cantaloupe Corner is chalk full of little boy's designs. Trains, crayons, robots, guitars. . .
So many of my designs are inspired by the things that my boys love or sometimes it is what I see when I look at them. Add that to my more-than-slightly cheesy sense of humor and you get clever sayings and fun designs.
I am also inspired by nature, anything vintage, music, and random everyday stuff.

Think about the things that make you really happy, or really curious, or things that create other strong emotions.
Inspiration comes when you allow those feelings to rise to the surface and you give them direction.

Go for a walk. Take a small note pad with you. Use your senses to touch, see, hear, and smell the world around you. Write down the things that make you feel alive inside.
This is a way to dig deep into yourself and find out who you really are.
Keep this notebook with you in your purse or bag. Look back on your inspirations often and add to them everyday.

-Last night the color of the sunset was so beautiful! I think I want to make something in that esquisite color.
-My kids were acting like they were robots today and their favorite robot line is simply "I am a Robot". I wonder if a 2 year old can do the Robot dance.
- I need to find a good cause to donate some of my time and money too. Who is it and what can I do to help?

The best art comes from that place deep inside your heart. If you are passionate about what you do, people will feel that passion. They can sense it. Don't create what you think the world wants from you. Create what you really are. Each item you create, whether it's t-shirts, sculptures, jewelry, or baby bibs, should have a little bit of you in it.

When you feel in a slump, look back on all of this inspiration. Often you have great ideas or inspired words that you have written down but haven't done anything with. Get started!

Need a kick in the pants to get you going?
Once you have an inspired creative idea you have roughly 90 seconds to WRITE IT DOWN! If you let this 90 seconds go by and don't take any initiative on your idea it will soon be gone, never to return again. You never know when your million dollar idea will come.

Some of my best t-shirt ideas came to me at 5:00 a.m. I keep a notebook at my bedside so I can write down my favorite ideas as soon as they come.

So even if you are still feeling like you are in a creative pigeon hole, don't fret! Sometimes your brain just needs a break. Soon you will be writing down new, fresh ideas.

But my best advice is to just keep at it. Often a slump can lead to good things! It helps you to look back and see what you have done and look forward to what you will be. Sometimes it leads you in a new direction. Follow your heart and your inspiration and they will never lead you wrong.

P.S. Don't forget to join our Inked Tote Giveaway!

{ Etsy-versary } Inked Tote Giveaway!

2011-04-15T10:11:00.000-07:00

We are celebrating!
Why?
Because we just had our 2nd Cantaloupe Corner Etsy Anniversary!

I couldn't be happier with the success of our little shop! I'm a stay-at-home mom waiting for baby #3 and I get to be a business owner too! And not only do I have a business but it is growing! I am so deeply grateful that I have been so immensely blessed over the past 2 years.

I am grateful for the changes that have brought us this far. I hesitantly switched to a new t-shirt brand almost a year ago. The prices were higher but the quality of these shirts was 100 times better than the previous brand. As a customer, I want to receive the best for my money, and that is what I want to offer to all of my customers. We offer the absolute highest quality toddler t-shirts available. And on top of that, they will always look great because there is no ink to fade, crack, or stick.

The best part is letting my own little boys help me with designs and model t-shirts for me. They love being involved in the business process. My 4-year-old even sets up his own "business" from time to time, selling things like rocks, pictures, and holiday decorations (I'm his best customer).
I can't think of a better way to teach them about earning money than to let them see how hard I work on my own business.

Giveaway time!

Ok, enough of the boring stuff. I want to invite all of you to celebrate our 2 year anniversary with us!

I haven't done a giveaway in a loooong time and it is high time I thank my customers/blog readers/fans by giving some free stuff to y'all!

How about a cute, springy, versatile, one-of-a-kind INKED TOTE!!!
(I am in love with these totes right now. I take them with me everywhere!)

Want it?

This tote is our Birds and Trees design on navy. I have embellished it with pretty white lace. So simple and so pretty.

HOW TO ENTER:

1. Click on over to Cantaloupe Corner and leave a comment with your favorite item.
2. Follow our blog.
3. "Like" Cantaloupe Corner on Facebook.
4. Tell your friends! Post this giveaway on Facebook, Twitter, or your own Blog.

Thank you to everyone who has helped us along this 2 year adventure! I'm having the time of my life!
We will have another giveaway next week too! Betcha can't wait to see what it is!

Giveaway will end on Wednesday April 20th @ 12 noon, Arizona time. Winner will be announced on Thursday April 21st.

THANKS!

Spring Cleaning - Step #1

2011-04-14T06:30:00.000-07:00

It's that time of year again.
Can you feel it in the air?

I've been feeling it for a while now. Not only have my maternal nesting instincts kicked in but it has felt like spring here for over a month. We have even enjoyed temperatures dangerously close to the triple digit mark. yikes! (Did I say enjoyed? I meant tolerated.)

I have busily been moving from room to room decluttering and cleaning. I still have a looooong way to go. As we all know, the house is never clean enough for an expecting mother. (BTW, only 6.5 weeks to go, and counting!! eee!)

Roll up your sleeves and apply some elbow grease because we are digging into some SPRING CLEANING!

Step #1: Declutter and Simplify

Declutter
I'm kind of a pack rat and decluttering can be emotionally traumatic for me. I don't like to do it, but I can't tell you how good I feel when it is done. Freedom!!!!

One room at a time, go through your drawers, cupboards, boxes, totes, bookcases, etc. and sort anything you aren't using into 2 piles: DONATE and THROW AWAY.

Keep in mind that the things you keep should be of value to you. If it doesn't mean anything to you and you aren't using it, get rid of it! Donate any nicer items that someone else would be able to use or enjoy.

REALLY think about it's value to you.
-Does it have sentimental value?
-Are you currently using it?
-Will you for sure be using it in the near future, or when it is in season?
-Does it add to the beauty and function of your life and home?

If it doesn't qualify for any of these, it is much better to get it out of your house.

Last week I took an SUV full of old clothes, books, toys, linens, blankets, decorations, etc. to Deseret Industries (D.I.). If you don't know about D.I., they are a thrift store set up by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day-Saints. It works just like Goodwill. They take donations and use the store as a way to offer job training and employment for those in need.
I choose to donate rather than to hold a garage sale because I love the feeling that my nicer items are really helping my community. And it saves me the work of sorting, pricing, and spending a day in the blazing sun.

-Take your "Donate" pile to the thrift store within a week of sorting to make sure it doesn't get forgotten or stuffed in the garage or spare room. (We've all done it.)

-Take care of your trash as quickly as possible also. If you don't have room in the garbage for bigger items, set up a pick up day with your local sanitation program, or find a friend with a truck and head to the landfill. Just get that stuff out of your house ASAP.

SIMPLIFY:
Don't let those "hot spots" get cluttered up again. If you find places in your home where things tend to pile up, come up with an organization solution.
-Do you need a wastebasket to catch incoming junk mail?
-A mail sorter?
-Somewhere to hang coats and backpack, or store shoes?
-Maybe a basket for keys, and other items that we drop as soon as we come through the door?
-A filing system for bills and important papers, or coupons?

Take care of these problems now before they return to the terrible, menacing piles that they were before.

Whatever the area is, think "simplify, simplify, simplify."

Once the clutter is gone, take a deep breath. You just tackled the hardest part of Spring Cleaning!

Spring cleaning isn't just about spotless floors and clean cupboards.When you simplify your home you are also simplifying your life. Clutter in your home = Clutter in your life. Declutter your home and you will feel more organized and less stressed.
When you feel at peace with your surroundings you will find more happiness and peace in your life also.

I'm going through the life/home decluttering process too. The more "stuff" I can let go of in my home the better I feel. It really is a weight off my shoulders.

My new favorite quote is "Simplicity is the greatest form of sophistication." (Thomas S. Monson)

Now that you are feeling lighter and more organized, we can start deep cleaning!

News - Due Dates and Such

2011-04-12T15:42:00.000-07:00

So. . .
We are expecting a baby!

I'm sure all of you knew that by now, but the due date is coming up, and fast!
Little baby Mason will be here in approximately 7 weeks! Can you believe it?!!
There is so much to be done and so little time remaining.

Me and my new recruit, a.k.a. my amazing husband, have been working hard to keep up with the business that has been coming in. I am way beyond thrilled with how busy Cantaloupe Corner has been! We are t-shirt printing maniacs!

I've been having way too much fun with all of this, but it is time to be a responsible mommy and start thinking about the new addition that is coming our way. He needs some cute clothes made and some projects finished for his room and. . . well, I have so many things I want to make for him.

We have finally decided on a maternity leave date. Our last day of business will be April 30th. After April 30th we will only be taking special requests so please get your orders in before then so you can get your birthday shirts, gifts, and summer tees in time.

I don't know yet how long we will have the shop closed, but my adorable hubby has volunteered to help me get the shop up and running as soon as possible after the baby is born. I'm not sure how crazy it will be around here with 3 kids (eeek!) I can't believe we are going to have 3 boys! This place is going to be a mad house. Please pray that I can keep my sanity.

We have some great new ideas and fabulous new designs we are working on to introduce when we come back. I've been holding on to some of my FAVORITE designs yet! You are not going to want to miss it!

In the mean time I will still be posting the latest and greatest from our adventures here on the blog. I have some more exciting nutritional tips and tutorials coming.

Only 18 days left! So get your orders in now!

If you have a birthday boy or girl that will need a t-shirt this summer, please get your order in so I can make them. Thanks!!

Choo Choo I'm 2! T-shirt

Distressed Number Birthday T-shirt

Personalized Distressed Name T-shirt

See more ink-free designs in our Cantaloupe Corner shop.

Be afraid of your. . . deodorant?

2011-04-11T13:52:00.000-07:00

Be afraid. . . . Be very afraid!

Your deodorant may make you less stinky, but do you really know what that stuff is that you are spreading onto your skin?

My husband has been telling me for sometime that he doesn't trust deodorants. He heard that some of the ingredients could be dangerous cancer causers. I didn't doubt him for a moment, but I was very curious what those evil ingredients could be. \

Here is the list of 7 ingredients they found to avoid when choosing a deodorant:
Aluminum chlorohydrate, aluminum zirconium tetrachlorohydrex gly or any aluminum compounds. Aluminum is absorbed through the skin and accumulates in the body. It has been suggested that there is an association between aluminum and Alzheimer’s disease.

Parabens (methyl, ethyl, propyl, benzyl and butyl), are all derived from toluene, a toxic petrochemical derivative. Toluene is toxic if swallowed or inhaled. It is also harmful in contact with the skin. There is some evidence that repeated exposure to toluene may cause reproductive harm. Since 2000, 13 research studies have shown that various types of parabens act like estrogen in animals and in tissue culture. Estrogen is known to drive the growth of cancerous cells.

Triclosan is a skin irritant and may cause contact dermatitis. It may kill healthy bacteria as well as harmful bacteria. It may contain carcinogenic contaminants. It is stored in body fat and is classified as a pesticide by the FDA.

Talc is classified as a carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer if it contains asbestiform fibers. The quantity of asbestiform fibers in cosmetic grade talc is unregulated. If talc is listed on the label, there is no way of knowing whether or not it contains asbestiform fibers.

Propylene glycol absorbs quickly through the skin and is a penetration enhancers. It may cause delayed allergic reactions. NIOSH says propylene glycol is a neurotoxin and may cause kidney or liver damage. The EPA says it’s not fully investigated for carcinogenic potential.

Silica is a skin irritant. It may be contaminated with crystalline quartz, which is a carcinogen.

Steareth-n (n may be any number like say 100), may be vegetable derived but is reacted with ethylene oxide (ethoxylated), a known human carcinogen.

Did you notice how many times the word "carcinogen" was mentioned? Carcinogens are cancer causers. They should be avoided like the plague.

If you can't just go pick up your favorite stick of Secret, or Degree, what do you do?

There are deodorants available with natural ingredients like vegetable glycerin bases, with natural preservatives. These are a much better alternative. They may not smell like "glistening waterfall" but if they keep you from spreading carcinogens onto your body, it's totally worth it.

The Wellness Wisdom Hiway listed some recipes for homemade deodorants!

The simplest recipe was simply to use Apple Cider Vinegar! It balances the ph of your underarms which will prevent the odor causing bacteria from growing in the first place. Check out the other homemade deodorant recipes HERE

You don't have to be smelly to be healthy!

Happiness is : a positive thought

2011-04-09T06:31:00.000-07:00

How are you feeling right this moment?

Tired?
Joyful?
Lonely?
Excited?
Overwhelmed?
Confused?
Bored?
Happy?
Stressed?
Hopeful?

We have so many things going on in our lives. And there are so many emotions we are going through, sometimes all at the same time. It is exhausting!

Now take those emotions you are feeling and focus in on only the positive ones. Focus on the JOY, HAPPINESS, EXCITED, LOVING and PEACEFUL feelings. They may not be the strongest emotion you are feeling right now but empty the others out of your head, even if just for a minute. Find a smidgen of happiness amidst the chaos of life. And make that feeling grow until it fills you up.

Think of someone you love, something you love to do, or a place that makes you feel happy.
Your children, your spouse or significant other, your favorite sport, hobby, or project, or maybe a tropical island, or your home town.
Really feel the good emotions in your heart.

Now how are you feeling?

Positive thought are extraordinarily powerful. Just one or two positive thoughts can help you let go of the negative emotions and replace them with real, happy emotions.

One of my favorite quotes is "There is no reality, only perception." This means that your world exists through your eyes. The way you see your world is what is real to you. So why not add some more happiness to your world by letting go of negative thoughts and holding on to positive thoughts. The only thing in life that you can completely control is your thoughts. Take advantage of that and make those thoughts the best they can be.

When you wake up in the morning, what is the first thing you think of?
The first thing I usually think is,
"It is waaaay to early for me to be up!"
"I have soooo much to do today. I don't think I can get it all done."
"Why does my husband get to sleep in when I'm pregnant and I have to get up and feed the kids?"
"My back hurts and I don't want to be pregnant any more!"
(boo hoo)

So naturally I wake up grouchy. I make myself the victim of my circumstances. (Who wants to come visit me first thing in the morning? anyone?)

This week I have tried to control my emotions and thoughts from the start of the day. It's not easy to do. In fact, it is one of the hardest things I have ever attempted. My brain has been programmed to think negative thoughts first thing in the morning.
So I force myself to take a deep breath and think things like
" I can't wait to take my kids to do _________ today!",
"I love myself and my family because _________"
"I am going to be a better person today because __________"
"I am going to be a really good wife today and let my husband sleep in so he will have a better day at work."
"I am going to be happy today because I deserve to be happy!"
etc.

Has it made a difference?

Y-E-S!!!

Not only do I wake up feeling better, but the feeling carries over to my kids and husband too! I have noticed that the kids don't fight as much, I have more patience, my husband volunteers to help with breakfast, the cluttered house doesn't seem like such a pig sty, and we all enjoy being together so much more.
It has been a noticeable change. I can't believe I have been depriving me and my family of this much happiness all because I wanted to play the victim. How selfish of me.

Because it has been such a great experience, I want to invite all of you to try it too. All you have to do is think positive thoughts from the moment you wake up in the morning. I would love to hear how it goes for you!

A positive thought is a seed that when nurtured can grow into real happiness!
Plant more positive thoughts in your head and your life will become a happier place to live.

10 reasons not to buy ink-printed clothing

2011-04-08T06:30:00.000-07:00

Top 10 Reasons Not to buy ink-printed clothing.

1. Plastisol inks, the most popular t-shirt printing inks, often need to be cleaned up using chemicals. Water based inks can require chemical clean ups if they dry onto the silkscreen, or other tools during printing. Ink-free printing involves only soap and water clean up. Ink-free is the environmentally friendly choice.

2. Plastisol and Water Based inks are considered to be hazardous chemicals in their uncured state. They must be disposed of as such according to local regulations.

3. Inks may contain lead. American made inks are lead-free but lead is still found in inks purchased overseas.
For example, HERE is a site that has recalled items, some containing lead in the screen printing ink.

4. You cannot iron a plastisol screen printed design, or many water based ink designs. The ink will melt and smear.

5. The design can also stick to itself or another item if it is put into a hot dryer or exposed to other forms of heat.

6. Over time, the ink will wear and break down, causing cracks in the design. This always happens to my favorite t-shirts.

7. Also, due to wear, the ink will fade over time. Ink-free shirts will look just as good wash after wash. There is nothing on them to fade of wear out.

8. The hand, or thickness and touch, of the ink design can be thick and sticky, or even scratchy. Even when water based inks are used you can still feel the design on the shirt. In contrast, ink-free printed shirts leave nothing but soft fabric for your fingers to touch.

9. The CPSIA (Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act) 2008, requires that children's items must be lead free. If a company cannot prove that an item is lead free it must be tested by a third party. This drives up costs for children's ink-printed clothing.
Because we don't use ink, there is no concern about lead. And we can keep our costs down while still providing the highest quality toddler t-shirts available anywhere!

10. Everyone owns ink-printed clothing. There are so many screen printers out there that print using the same ol' inks. Be unique and choose something ink-free!

Easter Projects - Idea Roundup!

2011-04-07T07:21:00.000-07:00

Need an Easter Project?

Here's a handful of fun, colorful, Easter ideas that will make you DIY till you're dizzy.

Enjoy!

Ruffled Easter Egg Tee from Positively Splendid

Bowtie Tutorial from papernstitch

Spring Wreath tutorial from Stone Gable

Craft Thread Eggs by Craftberry Bush

Peeps Rice Krispy Pops by Love from the Oven

Easter Silouettes by k.i.s.s.

Marshmallow Bunny Plushie by Dandelions and Lace

Bunny Easter Buckets by Positively Splendid

Peeps Bunny Bunting by Rae at MADE (found on V and Co. blog)

{ Rainbow Krispies }

2011-04-06T06:30:00.000-07:00

I posted thisrecipe for Rainbow Rice Krispy Treats a while back. With spring and Easter in the air I thought they would brighten things up around here! They make a yummy after school snack or a fun anytime treat.
And they would be so cute at an Easter Party!

I made these happy rainbow krispy treats for my son's preschool class last week.
They were learning about rainbows :)
They are so vibrant, colorful, and rainbow-licious!

Rainbow Krispies:

You are going to be making 4 small batches of treats (it is faster than it sounds.)

For each small batch:

1 1/2 Tbs. Butter,

5-8 drops of food coloring (Blue, Green, Yellow, Red)

1/2 of a 10.5 oz bag of mini marshmallows

3 cups of Rice Krispies

1. Melt the butter in a pot over med/low heat.

2. Add food coloring to desired color. I added between 5-8 drops of color per batch. Blue, Green, Yellow, Red.

3. Add mini marshmallows to butter and stir until melted.

4. Remove from heat.

5. Add rice krispies and stir until well combined.

6. Pour mix into a large buttered casserole dish or roasting pan.

Use buttered spatula to press the krispies down.

7. Wash your pan or use a new pan to avoid mixing colors.

8. Repeat this process for the next 3 layers.

Let set until completely cooled and hardened.

Cut into squares and enjoy!

P.S. mmmmm, they are soooo good!

Vitamin D - A Sunshine Solution

2011-04-05T13:57:00.000-07:00

This stuff is a big deal!

We have been hearing a lot about the importance of Vitamin D lately. Doctors and Scientist are discovering that it effects us waaay more than we once thought.

WHAT HAPPENS IF YOU DON'T GET ENOUGH?
30-80% of our population is deficient!
Vitamin D deficiency has been long known to cause Rickets, a disease that makes bones soft and weak. Deficiancy can also possibly lead to heart disease, chronic pain, Fibromyalgia, hypertension, arthritis, depression, inflammatory bowel disease, obesity, PMS, Crohns Disease, cancer, MS and other autoimmune diseases, athsma, and even cancer.
The Vitamin D Council states that Vitamin D deficiency can also cause stroke, osteoporosis, muscle weakness, muscle wasting and birth defects.

WHAT IS VITAMIN D ANYWAYS?
It's more than just a vitamin. It is a "prohormone" that your body produces from cholesterol. It influences at least 200 of your genes, but could influence as many as 3,000! It aids in the absorption of calcium and helps form strong bones. And it goes much farther beyond that to help repair your body at a cellular level (referenced here.)

Vitamin D is also a mega- immune system booster. It is very effective in preventing colds and the flu.

And even more amazing, it is being used to treat cancer! According to Dr. Mercola, there are over 800 studies showing it's effectiveness against cancer.

Read more about the benefits and studies on Dr. Mercola's site.

MY STORY:
I started learning about Vitamin D when my sister, who was living in Iowa, wasn't feeling well and couldn't get over the feeling that something was wrong. So got her vitamin levels tested. When the tests came back the results showed that her Vitamin D levels were very low. So she found a great supplement and immediately started to feel better. She even started her kids on daily dosages and she saw something marvelous happen. Her kids never got sick!

I was astounded when she told me about all of this. My kids had been fighting colds off and on for 3 months and I was desperate for a solution. Once I got them on Vitamin D supplements the colds quickly went away and never came back! I am a true believer in the power of this vitamin!

WHERE DO YOU GET VITAMIN D?
Sunshine is our main source of obtaining our daily dosage of Vitamin D but people in this sedentary, electronic-driven age bolt from their home to their car to their desk jobs, where they spend the day under florescent lights. And when the day is over it is straight back to their car and into their house.

The skin produces 10,000 IU of vitamin D in response to 20-30 mins of sunlight. This is 50 times the amount the US government recommends!

Yes, I am guilty of spending days locked inside. I often choose to spend any free time I have on my laptop in my dark living room. I have to force myself to enjoy the benefits of the miraculous sunshine that lies only steps away from my door. But what an incredible difference it makes when I sit outside in the glorious Arizona sunshine. It does more than boost immunity, it is a mood booster as well.

Low levels of Vitamin D can be also found in foods such as:
•Fish (preferably wild caught)
•Cod liver oil
•Mushrooms
•Liver
•Eggs (preferably from free-range chickens)

WHAT ABOUT SUNSCREEN?
We are also a sunscreen-loving society, and for good cause. We all want to look young and fight off the dangers of skin cancer. But to boost your Vitamin D levels, skip the sunscreen for the first 10-15 minutes and just enjoy the miracle that your skin is. Your skin actually MAKES this vitamin! No supplements needed. But if you will be outside for more than 15-30 minutes protect your skin with a good sun block.

Most regions have seasons that make it near impossible to sit in the sun. I live in Arizona where the summers are blazing hot and 15 minutes outside would practically make you pass out. Others live in freezing cold regions where winters don't allow anyone to leave their homes for more than a few minutes and even then they are covered from head to toe. In any case, it is good idea to have your doctor test your vitamin levels and if you are low or deficient in Vitamin D ask about supplements. There are plenty available over the counter, and doctors can also provide a Vitamin D shot.
So many of us are lacking this important vitamin so it wouldn't hurt to get tested.

Spring is here and the weather is getting warm. Get outside and enjoy the sun!
A little Vitamin D will make you feel a whole lot better, and keep you healthy for life!

Other References:
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2010/09/06/vitamin-d-linked-to-cancer-and-autoimmune-disease-genes.aspx

http://www.webmd.com/diet/vitamin-d-deficiency

http://tdathletesedge.wordpress.com/2010/08/11/vitamin-d/

Creativity comes in many forms.

2011-04-02T08:03:00.000-07:00

Sometimes it's hard to look at the bright side when your 2-year-old finds your makeup and smears your favorite mascara and eyeliner all over his cute little face.

But I imagine that he is a budding artist and he is using his face as a canvas. At least that keeps me from yelling.

Our 4 year old is becoming quite the imaginitive builder. He LOVES his legos and this week he built himself a MONSTER TRAIN (monster truck/train hybrid) with big wheels and a "real" boiler filled with hot water. I just wish that filling the "boiler" didn't involve flooding the bathroom counters and floor. :)

No matter what form it comes in, I'm amazed and inspired by their creativity!

But I still get really nervous when the house goes quiet. . .

What kinds of mischief/creativity do your kids get into?

Cereal Killers! The scoop on breakfast cereals

2011-03-31T06:47:00.000-07:00

With the childhood obesity rate at a staggering high, we need to take a step back and find out what we are feeding our children to cause such a preventable epidemic.

One of the many dietary culprits is breakfast cereal.

It may taste Grrrrrreat! but it is FILLED with sugary sugar.

This isn't a big surprise. We've tasted the "fun" cereals with the cute cartoon character on the box. You can taste the piles of sugar. Spoon fulls of it. Some have as much or more sugar than a bowl of ice cream!. We wouldn't dream of giving our kids ice cream or cake for breakfast, right?

In fact, Cocoa Puffs and Cap'n Crunch contain 44% sugar by weight, and Honey Smacks contains a whopping 56% sugar by weight!!!

Do you want to see where your favorite cereal stands on the sugar scale? click HERE for an expanded list.

Kellogg's and other top breakfast cereal companies spend loads of money every year on advertisements to convince parents that cereal is a healthy breakfast. Don't listen to them!!!
A diet that is high in sugar is anything but healthy!

No matter how fun and tasty they look, don't add sugar cereals to your shopping cart. Always check the labels to see just how much sugar is in each serving, and how big the servings are. 11 grams of sugars = approx.1 teaspoon. Try to find cereals that contain less than a teaspoon of sugar per serving, and always check the serving size.

Cocoa Krispies has about 3 Tablespoons of sugar per serving. And that is for a serving of about 3/4 cup. Who eats just 3/4 cup of cereal?

According to Cereal FACTS (Food Advertising to Children and Teens Score), 10 worst breakfast cereals based on nutrition score are:

Kellogg - Corn Pops (or Pops) - Chocolate Peanut Butter
Quaker - Cap'n Crunch - w/ Crunchberries
Kellogg - Special K - Chocolatey Delight
Kellogg - Special K - Blueberry
General Mills - Reese's Puffs
General Mills - Fiber One - Caramel Delight
Kellogg - Cocoa Krispies - Choconilla
General Mills - Golden Grahams
General Mills - Cinnamon Toast Crunch
Kellogg - Corn Pops

I can't believe that two of the so-called "healthy" Special K cereals made it on this list! Shocking!

So your family LOVES cereal. What do you do? How do you choose a cereal that is good for them?
Dr. Sears from "The Doctors" has a list of helpful tips on his site AskDrSears.com

With this amount of sugar being fed to our children every day, it's no wonder there is a childhood obesity epidemic. And not only are they getting sugar for breakfast but the more sugar they eat the more they want.
It becomes a viscous cycle.

We, as parents, need to intervene and regulate the amount of sugar that our children are eating for their health's sake. High sugar diets have been said to cause type 2 diabetes, obesity, hyperactivity in children, and sugar can suppress your immune system and break down your defenses against infectious diseases.

As a teenager, remember my dad trying convince me that sugar cereals weren't all they were cracked up to be. He told me that even though the box said it was a good source of iron, the iron wasn't in a form our bodies could absorb. He poured a box of some sweet sugar- laden cereal onto a cookie sheet and ran a strong magnet over it. Sure enough, there were iron shavings in our cereal.
I wish I could remember the name of the cereal because it was a total waste of money and I never want to make the mistake of buying it.

Instead of feeding them bowl fulls of processed grains and sugar, choose something healthier for your child's breakfast.

Here are some options:

Eggs. Scrambled or fried, boiled or poached, Eggs are very high in protein and omega-3 fatty acids. If you are feeling more adventurous, try a delicious veggie omelet.
Whole Wheat Pancakes: Preferably made with fresh wheat flour . Add some peanut butter on top for a brain boosting dose of protein. Another great pancake topper is low-sugar yogurt and fruit. Your kids will love this healthy option.
Oatmeal. Not the sugary stuff in the little paper packages, (even though my kids love those.) Make it from scratch, using natural sweeteners, like honey or agave nectar, and fresh or frozen fruit. Oatmeal is full of soluble fiber so it's good for your heart and your digestive system.
Smoothies- We love ours with Soymilk, frozen and fresh fruit and, scoop of low-sugar protein powder, and spinach. This is a great way to get a nutrient boost first thing in the morning.
Fresh Fruit - Fruit is easy on your digestive system and it is full of nutrients. Pair it with protein rich foods like eggs or peanut butter wheat toast to keep your child going strong all morning long.

Cute Packaging Ideas and green burritos

2011-03-30T06:06:00.000-07:00

Packing is a great way to add some flair and personality to your orders. Of everything I have ordered on Etsy, I would much rather order again from the crafters who add that something extra to make me feel special.

When you are selling handmade you have to make your products stand out from something that your customer can buy on Amazon or Wal-Mart.

There are so many options to make your packages unique. And it doesn't have to be pricey boxes or bags. HERE are some videos of simple ways to pack your items using things you might have on hand or find at the thrift store.

And how cute are these ideas?

(found here)

The possibilities go as far as your imagination can reach!

BE CREATIVE.

-Try wrapping your product in old music sheets, kid's book pages, or cringled brown paper. Or make your own boxes (see video below) out of whatever fun paper you have on hand.

-Add a cute tag or tie with some ribbon, rafia, or chunky yarn or packaging string.

-Hand stamped paper also makes fantastic gift wrap.

-Keep scraps of ribbon and use them to tie bows or tie tags on your packages.

-If your products are pretty and colorful, pack them in clear bags!

How to make a paper box:

'round here, one of my favorite sights is this:

Neat little packages (a.k.a. green burritos) all wrapped up and ready to be mailed out.

I love them so.

I put a little extra time into wrapping each t-shirt so my customers get a little gift to open when they get their package in the mail.

I also stick a Cantaloupe Corner Sticker on the back of each envelope so my customers know right away that their shirts have arrived!

How do you spiff up your packages?

My new favorite photography toy!

2011-03-29T06:20:00.000-07:00

I've had my semi-fancy Canon Rebel XT camera for almost 2 years now and I still have no idea how to unleash all of it's awesome capabilities. I'm a wanna-be photographer who hasn't had the extra time yet to take a good photography class. I have learned a ton from library books, websites, and photography blogs but there is always truck loads more information I want to cram into my brain.

One item that kept popping up all over the web labeled as a great tool and an inexpensive way to amp up your pics is this baby: a 50mm Canon lens.

It's a small lens that packs a big punch!

After drooling over it for a long time I finally bought mine! At only about $120 it's an investment that won't empty your pockets.
I just got mine in the mail last week. Holy monkeys! I can't tell you how excited I am to use this lens for my next Cantaloupe Corner photo shoot! It creates that nice blurry background that takes a picture from amatuer to professional in a single click.
My hubby thinks I'm a little crazy. The first time I tried out my lens I got so excited and started spouting out photography vocab like "aperature" and "ISO", words that I barely understand myself. I was seriously excited about the f1.8 aperature!
Here are a few random shots taken with the new lens.

I am sooooo digging the blurry backgrounds.

This is Zues, he is our loyal mini Schnauzer. He loves to pose for photo ops.

They say that a good camera (or lense) is like an artist's paintbrush. Having a good camera doesn't make you a fantastic photographer but it can definately make a difference.

Now to practice with my new paintbrush!

The Non-Quilter's Baby Quilt.

2011-03-28T06:32:00.000-07:00

I'm not a quilter.

There. I said it!

I don't really like to quilt, and I probably never will. Any project that takes me longer than a day usually gets set aside and forgotten about. I don't particularly like blistered fingers from tying or hand stitching a quilt. ugh.

But, I do make quilts for each of my babies before they are born. This is my 3rd baby and my quilts are actually improving!

Imagine that!

Practice really does make a difference.

For our baby, who will be here in May, I made a funky owl quilt. (I love all of the cute trendy owl stuff that's out there in craft land right now!)

I call this one the non-quilter's quilt because none of it was done by hand and the hardest part of the whole thing was the edges. No intricate pieces, no hand stitching! That's my kind of quilt.

The quilt top is just some big ol' patchwork squares, orange borders and owl appliques. Easy peasy.

I machine stitched the layers together with some simple outlining.

I wanted to learn how to do the triangle edges because that what my mom and grandma always did on their fancy quilts. It's not as hard as it looks but it does take some time.

If you want to give it a shot, HERE is the tutorial for the triangle edges.

If I can do it, so can you!

The quilt colors even match Mason's lamp and shelves!

I can't wait till he gets here so I can hold him and wrap him up in his cuddly quilt! Hurry baby!

There are only 9 weeks left until my due date! I am so excited/anxious/nervous.
3 kids is going to be an adventure all it's own.

Cardboard Boxes and Rain Puddles

2011-03-26T06:37:00.000-07:00

They are cool, fun, and cheap, and much more exciting than whatever was inside when you got home from the store.

They are race cars, rockets, trains, houses, and lemonade stands.

You can't deny the attraction between kids and cardboard boxes.

Contents: Hours of creative entertainment.

Remember being this small and fitting so comfortably into such a cramped little space?

Refrigerator boxes are the best but any big box will do.

It is so fun having kids at this stage. Imaginations run wild around here.

We also love the rain. Here in AZ rain only comes a few times a year. It makes me giddy to smell the rain in the air.
The kids love to run in the rain and jump in the puddles. The puddles may be (really) small but they are still boy magnets.

Ahh, the simple joys of being a kid.

Happy Saturday!

Frayed Train T-shirt - with Tutorial

2011-03-25T06:00:00.000-07:00

Here's a great project for your little train lovin' boy.

TUTORIAL:

What do you need?

Train Template - Engine and 6 cars
Fabric Scraps
Pencil
Fabric marking pen
Wonder Under (iron on fabric adhesive)
Scissors
Lots of Buttons

1. Trace your patterns onto the Wonder Under iron on adhesive.

2. Cut them out.

3. Iron each piece onto the wrong side of different scraps of fabric. I used canvas and heavy cotton fabrics that fray well.

4. Cut out each piece about 1/4 inch outside of the Wonder Under border.

5. Turn over your freshly cut train pieces and use your pattern to draw the train shape on the right side of the fabric using a washable or disappearing ink. I love my "Mark-B-Gone" marker for these types of projects. For dark fabrics you can use a white colored pencil or chalk.

6. Arrange your train on the t-shirt and iron it down according to the manufacturer's directions.

Continue onto the back of the t-shirt.

7. With contrasting thread, sew around each train car on the line you marked earlier. I made the mistake of using matching thread and i had to go back and re-sew the train edges so you could make out the train shape.

8. Fray it. Use your fingers or a nylon brush to gently fray the edges. Be careful not to rough up the t-shirt. Of you can throw it in the washing machine and let it work it's magic.

9. Make your freezer paper stencil. I used my handy-dandy craft cutter to cut this one. Iron it onto your shirt on low heat.

10. PAINT! (the best part!) I used screenprinting ink but you can also find textile paints at your local craft store.

11. Collect your buttons. 15 small buttons and 1 large button. This is a good way to use up some of those buttons that have sitting around in your craft supplies.

12. Sew on your wheels.

That's it! And now you have a one of a kind Frayed Train tee for your "Trainiac".

We just linked up to the fabulous I Am Momma Hear Me Roar Blog. Cheri is hosting "Let's Hear it for the Boys" shirt contest!
If you need some crafty ideas you NEED to check it out! There are so many amazing entries already!

Our Favorite Children's Books

2011-03-24T07:18:00.000-07:00

At our house we are firm believers in reading to our kids everyday. We have an entire bookcase FULL of kids books (most of which live life on the floor, thanks to our mischevious 2-year-old). My boys and I have some favorites that have become tattered with constant page turning.

These are a handful our very favorite books in our home library:

Chicka-Chicka-Boom-Boom
A great alphabet teaching rhyme book that is fun to read and fun to sing!

The Cat in the Hat
Classic Dr. Suess. We are big Dr. Suess fans around here and this story about a mischevious cat is one of his best!

Big Truck Book
The perfect boy book. All about trucks, tractors, and other big trucks! This book has been read at our house so many times the boardbook pages have been taped up again and again. I think it's time for a replacement.

Thomas and the Shooting Star
My boys LOVE trains. So naturally they adore Thomas the Train books. This one is my personal favorite. It is a great bedtime story about Thomas searching for a shooting star that will teach him how to fall asleep.
The Very Hungry Caterpillar
With bright colors and a simple storyline, this book is my all time favorite. A caterpillar eating ice cream and pickles! I just love it! It is also a great way to teach your kids simple numbers and counting.
Tikki Tikki Tembo
A tale of 2 Chinese brothers. The first born son was given a great, long, respectable name, and the second son was given a short name. One day the first son falls into the well and his brother struggles to find help to save him all due to his long name. A cute story that is fun to read aloud.
Oh My Oh My Oh Dinosaurs!
I love all of Sadra Boynton's books. My boys memorized these simple opposites in a snap.

Dog's Noisy Day
This book has had a major impact on my kids. I started reading it to both of my son's when they were about 3 months old. The colors and shapes are simple and bright. Perfect for the short attention spans of babies and toddlers. This book was written to read aloud. With "ruffs" and "moos" and dog trying to crow like a rooster, you and your kids will love reading this silly book!

Click, Clack, Moo: Cows That Type
The cows stole the typwriter and they are sending messges to the farmer! What do they want? Electric blankets of course. This is another great book to read aloud!

Underwear Dos and Don'ts
I had to add this book in because my 2 year old has gotten attached to it. He doesn't wear underwear yet but he loves the simple pictures and bright colors that are typical of Todd Parr's books. This one is just plain silly!

We are always looking for new books to read. What are your favorite kid's books?

Get them to eat more of the good stuff

2011-03-23T06:49:00.000-07:00

Fruits and Veggies = Nutritious and Delicious

Sometimes it takes some convincing (ok, a lot of convincing) for your kids and spouse to agree with you on them being "delicious".

I have a few tips that have worked for my family, I hope they work for yours too!

1. Make it easily accessible!
My mother used to keep all of the fruits and veggies in bags in the bottom drawer of the fridge. To find what we wanted we would have to search through the bags and hope to find something good. It was enough work that we would usually skim past the veggie drawer and go straight for the cold cereal and milk.

Now I keep the fruit out on the counter top where we see them everyday and they disappear 5X faster!
When we are hungry, a banana, orange, peach, or tomato is the first thing to catch our eye when we walk into the kitchen. And they look so pretty sitting in a basket or on a decorative plate.
Keep your veggies in plain view in the refrigerator,so when you open it up they will be the first things you grab.

2. Prep it!
I find that I often leave my veggies in the fridge for days and days because they aren't ready to be eaten right when I want them. They need to be washed, cut, or peeled. A few minutes of prep time can make those veggies into a ready-to-eat snack. When you bring your fruits and veggies home, wash them and get them ready to eat.

Cut up your carrots into carrot sticks, peel and slice cucumbers, make some celery sticks to munch on.

Some should be washed right before eating to prevent premature rotting, such as berries and some leafy greens.
Wait to cut up fruits like apples, peaches, pears, bananas, pineapples or any other fruit that will brown. It's best to cut these right before you eat them.

4. Freeze it!
If you are worried that your family won't eat all of the fruits and veggies you buy, freeze them. Many can be easily frozen and used later for dinners or smoothies, or just to snack on.

HERE is a list of veggies that freeze well, and how to freeze them.

I love freezing fresh berries, peaches and mangoes! mmmm.
Which leads me to my next tip:

3. Smoooooothies!

Since I have been pregnant I have fallen in love with smoothies. They taste great and you get lots of nutrition out of them. Break out your blender (or your handy dandy Ninja mixer), add your favorite frozen and fresh fruits, some milk, a little bit of juice, and ice. Blend away!
Here's a secret ingredient: spinach. Sounds really gross but if you add 5-10 spinach leaves to your smoothie you won't even be able to taste it. Spinach adds extra nutrition and fiber which will help you feel satisfied longer too.
Even my kids will drink spinach smoothies! (But they thought I was CRAZY the first time I made it.)

4. Keep at it!
Many fruits and veggies have an acquired taste and your child won't like them the first time. Keep trying different foods and re-introduce foods often to see if your child will eat them. Be prepared to hear "I don't like this!" over and over. There will always be some foods that they will never like but give your children a chance to get used to new foods before you completely give up.
I got my oldest to eat carrots this way. After 2 years of trying, he finally will eat carrots! And now he loves them as a healthy snack. VICTORY!

There are also cookbooks filled with recipes about sneaking fruits and veggies. I personally don't try to hide anything in my kids' food. I want them to know that what they are eating is good for them. I think this will help them to choose better options for themselves when they are older.
But if it takes being sneaky to get those healthy foods into your children's mouths then do it! Keep them healthy and happy!

Favorite Things : The best lotion ever!

2011-03-22T09:58:00.000-07:00

I have so many things that I use everyday that I LUHUV so much I want to share, from things in my home to my favorite products, pretty much anything.

And Today's lucky item is. . .

Burt Bees Milk and Honey Lotion.

I have tried so many lotions and I kinda like some and hate others. I never love any of them.

The ones I kinda like are usually full of extra "stuff" that I know isn't good for my skin.

I love all of the Burt Bee's products I've tried so I didn't hesitate to to try their lotions.

This bottle of goodness is 99% natural, smells yummy, and it works wonders on dry hands and elbows. No greasy,sticky mess. Just pure, natural, skin lovin' moisturizers.

It smells so good on my boys too. And it quenches my 2-year-old's desert dry, exzema prone skin.

The price is about $8 for a 6 oz bottle. I don't like to pay a lot for lotions and this was near the top of my price range, but I promise you it is worth every one of those dollars!

Natural, non-greasy, good smelling, and it really works!

"Choo Choo" Birthday Boys comin' through!

2011-03-21T08:25:00.000-07:00

Happy Monday!

Last week I got a fun picture from some of our happy customers in Wisconsin. They are so stinkin' cute I had to share the pic. I made their adorable little boy a "Choo Choo I'm 2" shirt for his birthday. And the best part is that it was his dad's birthday too! Woo! Double the presents and double the celebration!
(And what's even better? That sweet baby girl shares a birthday with her mom too! What great birthday gifts!)

I made his dad a matching "Choo Choo I'm 37!" tee to match.

Don't they look amazing!?

(and check out the TV ad it the backgroud. Great timing. ha ha!)

Happy birthday to both of you! Thanks for letting us be a part of the celebration!

If you have pictures of your little one in their Cantaloupe Corner t-shirt we would LOVE to see it! You can send us pictures through our Etsy shop HERE, or you can email them to me HERE.

Enjoy your Monday!

{ Counting my blessings }

2011-03-19T18:39:00.000-07:00

Maybe it's just the pregnancy hormones, or the fact that I just pulled out all my teeny-tiny little newborn clothes out of the garage (oh my goodness! they are so cute!), but I am feeling overwhelmed with emotions today.

Above everything else in my life I am so incredibly thankful to be a mother.

My baby is 2 1/2 years old now and I am so amazed at how much change a little time can make. He is so smart, and curious, and mischievous. He jabbers all day long about important things like train cars and sippy cups.

I am so thankful for him.

My oldest is 4 1/2 and he is a know-it-all who always has to be right. It drives him crazy when I have to correct him. He also adores his little brother. He is kind, smart, and about 80% of the time he is really obedient. He cares so much about his friends and family, and he loves helping anyone he can.

I am so thankful for him.

In the past 4 1/2 years I have learned more about myself than at any other time in my life. Motherhood has taught me how little patience I have and how far I can go before I can feel my sanity slipping away. . . . .
or maybe it's already gone.

But far beyond that, Motherhood has taught me how strong I can be and how much love one person can feel.

With each day that passes I see my babies grow and learn and become independent. They are my best friends.

I am so thankful for them.

I am counting my blessings today because we get to welcome another sweet little one into our home in 2 months. I am afraid, No, I am TERRIFIED of how hard it is going to be. But if I have learned one thing about being a mom it is that the benefits far outweigh all of the hard stuff.

I can't wait to hold him.

New stuff alert!

2011-03-18T12:34:00.000-07:00

Introducing. . .
our newest members of Cantaloupe Corner:

2 new t-shirts that are personalized and unique!

Personalized Distressed Name Tee

Do to the overwhelming request for name-only custom t-shirts, you can now purchase them through our Etsy shop! This shirt has you child's name down the side in distressed lettering. These tees are different than any other personalized tees out there!

Distressed Number Tee

This tee will be a hit at your child's birthday party! You choose the number, color, and size.

And there's more new fun stuff!

I just added more inked totes to our Etsy Shop. These will be the last ones available for a while. Each one is one-of-a-kind.

The prices on these bags are slashed right now so I can clear some space for our new baby to come!

Inked Tote - Birds and Trees

Inked Tote - Shabby Chandelier Chic

Once these totes are gone, they are GONE.

Whitening without Bleach

2011-03-18T07:03:00.000-07:00

I have a really hard time using chlorine bleach in my house.

It is amazing for killing all kinds of bacteria and viruses and it cleans like a champ but the label clearly states that it is corrosive and dangerous. Even the fumes can be harmful.

"If you’ve ever read the warning label on a bottle of Clorox, you know that chlorine—even when diluted—is hazardous: it may damage eyes and skin, and in high concentrations its’ vapors may aggravate heart and respiratory conditions. The EPA admits that chlorine causes eye, nose, and stomach problems. What you may not know is that chlorine has actually been used as a weapon of war: in WWI both sides employed chlorine gas to destroy soldiers’ respiratory organs and immobilize them with fits of coughing. More recently Iraqi insurgents have detonated chlorine tankers and used chlorine in car bombs." (source: http://hbmag.com/harmful-if-swallowed/)

When I was in college I spilled a whole bottle of bleach on my dorm room floor, and half of it soaked into my jeans. So I stuck my jeans in the shower and poured bleach over the rest of them. They looked really cool and vintage, but they only lasted about 2 weeks longer. The fabric had been corroded so much that soon my jeans sported holes in the knees, then the thighs. They were falling to pieces.
And FYI, The dorm floor had to be replaced, which I unhappily paid for.

When I started printing t-shirts I was using bleach to create my designs. After about 5-6 washes I noticed my shirts getting tiny holes where I had bleached them. The bleach was eating my beautiful shirts!
I scoured the internet trying to find out why this was happening. I had washed the shirts in hot water, which is supposed to neutralize the bleach. Obviously that was doing nothing.
And if it doesn't wash out in hot water that means it stays in our clothes and sits on our skin every time we wear those bleached clothes or sleep on those bleached sheets.

And have you ever poured bleach on wood? Artists and woodworkers use it to make the wood look old, like barn wood. It it ages wood that fast just think of what it is doing when it worn next to your skin all day long.

Bottom line, chlorine bleach is corrosive. It is hard on your clothes and it doesn't wash out in hot water. Why do we use it?

We like whiter whites!

There are other options out there:

WHITENING WITHOUT BLEACH

For your LAUNDRY:

1. Hydrogen Peroxide. It is a great whitener and it is also a fantastic disinfectant. It is inexpensive and available everywhere. Peroxide is especially effective on blood stains.

2. Lemon juice and sunshine. Soak your whites in hot water with lemon slices or add 1/4 to 1/2 cup of lemon juice to your wash and hang them out to dry. Use the powers of nature to whiten!

3. White Vinegar. I use this stuff all over my house. Washing fruits and veggies, cleaning soap scum, and in the laundry. Vinegar has a strong smell but it actually makes a great laundry deodorizer! Seriously!! The acid levels of vinegar make it a great disinfecting deodorizer and it will loosen the oils and soap residue from your whites that make them look grey and grungy. Add 1/2 a cup to your regular wash.

6. Baking soda. Add about 1/2 cup to your wash for impressive whitening and deodorizing POWER!

5. Laundry boosters. My favorite is Oxi-Clean. It gives your detergent some extra oomph to get them as clean as they can be.

There are still some instances where I have found that only bleach gets the job done, but it isn't good for our clothes or for us if we are being exposed to it constantly. If you want to live a healthy and clean life, save the bleach for emergencies.

POW! - Boxer Bot T-shirt (w/ Tutorial)

2011-03-17T06:30:00.000-07:00

Rock 'em and Sock 'em!

This is the "Bad Guy Fighting Robot!" a.k.a. Boxer Bot

I make so many screen printed tees, it's fun to mix it up and make some extra special shirts for my own bad-guy fighting boys!

TUTORIAL:

Here's what you need;

T-shirt

Robot Pattern

knit fabric: Green, Red, Blue (I used old t-shirts, I have a lot of them lying around.)

Wonder Under

1/2 inch White grosgrain ribbon

Felt scraps : Orange, White, and Black

1. Print and Cut out your Boxer Bot pattern. It probably won't be on girly pink paper like mine.

2. Trace your Boxer Bot onto Wunder Under. Make sure you trace the gloves upside down. You can see in the next pic that I forgot and I had to make a whole new pair of gloves. :o(

3. Cut out your wonder under pieces and iron them onto the wrong side of your fabric. If you are using knits, they should be the same on both sides. It makes life easy that way.

4. Cut 'em out.

5. Trace your "Pow!" and your Robot's eyes mouth and eyebrows on Felt and cut out.

7.Arrange Boxer Bot on the t-shirt. Cut arms and legs from grosgrain ribbon. Tuck the ribbon under the knit peices when you iron them on.

8. Once you are happy with your bot, iron him in place, tucking the ribbon under the appliques before you iron.

9. Sew down ribbon arms and legs. One line down the middle should hold it well.

10. Using a contrasting thread, sew around the outside of the star and robot appliques. Make sure to stitch inside the gloves where the lines are drawn.

11. To hold the felt in place, use a glue stick. Apply it to the back of the felt words and stick them in place.

12. Do the same thing with the eyes and mouth. (Wait to glue the pupils and eyebrows until after the white parts are sewn.) Warning: This might make your glue hairy.

13. Stitch the felt into place. I stitched down the middle of the letters in the word POW! . . .

And stitch around the outsides of the eyes and mouth. Then add the pupils and eyebrows, stitch them down the middle with black thread.

14. Get out your embroidery thread and add some mean teeth.

And whatever else you want.

DONE!

POW!!!

Budgeting 101

2011-03-16T07:41:00.000-07:00

I'm starting at the very beginning because I am a slacker when it comes to budgeting, but to get out of debt you HAVE to set up a working budget!!

1. Get your spouse on board.
It may not be easy but if only one of you is following the budget you will get nowhere. . . fast.
My hubby took a little convicing. Life can sometimes seem happier if you hide your head in the sand.
I promise you life is better when you can see where you are going.

2. Make a list of your expenses.
Mortgage, car payment, insurance, groceries, medical expeses, savings, donations. . .
Where does your money go?

3. Split your list into bills you pay each month and bills you pay periodically (every other month, once or twice a year). Figure out how much you pay per year and divide this # by 12.

4. Don't forget to add in other annual expeses such as Christmas, birthdays, car and home maintenance, etc. Make your best guess. Then add up these expeses and divide them by 12.

5. Next, figure out how much money you make. What is your true monthly income. If your income isn't a steady salary, take a look back at your previous paychecks and make your best guess.

6. Stand back and take a look at where you stand. The optimal budget would be perfectly balanced. You would have $0 left over when all is said and done. This isn't easy to do.
If you are spending more than you make, take a hard look at your expenses and see where you can cut back. If you have extra money left over, apply that money to your debts!
If your debts are paid, apply that money to a savings account or investment. (yay!)

7. Now that you have your budget written out, stick to it!
If you are going to make a purchase, make sure it is in your budget. If it isn't, don't buy it, or find a way to move things around in your budget so that it fits.
-This has been the hardest part for us. We tend to be Saturday impulse shoppers. And we are magnets for clearance sections of our favorite stores.
One piece of advice that we are learning to follow: Just because it is on sale doesn't mean you should buy it! You may be saving 80% on that pretty new dish set, or new shoes but if you don't need dishes or shoes you aren't saving anything.

Sugar addiction.

2011-03-15T06:00:00.000-07:00

Sugar, sugar, sugar, sugar, sugar, sugar, SUGAR!!!

There is SOOOO much sugar in our food it makes me cringe!

Read your labels. Corn Syrup, Sugar (a.k.a. Sucrose), Fructose and Glucose are in practically everything.

It may be tasty, but it is no good for our waistlines, or any other parts.

I was surprised to find added sugar it in everyday items like:

Peanut Butter
Bread,
Canned corn,
Spaghetti sauce,
Dried cranberries,
Canned meats,
Condiments such as ketchup, relish, and BBQ sauce
Crackers
French fries and other fast foods

These are just a few of the items that the manufacturers sneak sugars into. No wonder society has an obesity problem!

And did you know that sugar can also be addictive?

Scientist have debated for years over whether of not sugar can really be an addictive substance but more and more evidence is showing that it is true.

Dr Charles Raison, A Mental Health Expert and psychiatrist said "Scientific studies suggest that eating activates the same brain areas that are the primary targets of drugs of abuse, and foods high in sugar, fat and certain carbohydrates are especially likely to stimulate our brain in ways that can become addictive."

Throughout history, sugar was a rare substance enjoyed by the rich. It was a painstaking process to make the sugar from either sugar cane or sugar beets, which made the resulting product very expensive.
Today, with our technology, sugar is easily made and easy to find. It's everywhere!

In fact, Soda, which is packed with corn syrup, is the #2 item purchased at grocery stores, second only to milk! And it is the single highest source of calories here in the USA! (I almost fainted when I read this.) What are we doing to ourselves?

The more we eat the more we want. And binge sugar eating also has withdrawal symptoms,just like a drug.

Sugar as also been found to contribute to: tooth decay, gum disease, type 2 diabetes, osteoporosis, heart disease, and some auto-immune diseases. And the most shocking : It is even linked to Chronic Depression.
And there is more. See Dr. Mercola's "76 Additional Ways Sugar Can Ruin Your Health" for a huge amount of health detriments caused by sugar.

If you have some extra time, this video is extremely informative and well worth watching. It's called Sugar: The Bitter Truth.

I have personally felt some of the effects of sugar addiction. It may not be as strong as a tobacco or heroine addiction but the more sugar I ate, the more I wanted. I would try to stop my binge sugar eating by throwing out all of the sweets in my house and staying away from them at the store, but I would find myself scouring the shelves of my pantry and fridge for anything sweet! I wouldn't rest until I found the frozen half bag of chocolate chips at the bottom of the deep freeze.

If you are feeling that "I need sweets" feeling, try reaching for natural sugars instead. Grab a banana, peach, or other type of sweet fruit. Stay away from anything with high fructose corn syrup or sugar.

The more sugar you eat the more you will want, so slowly take the sugar our of your diet. Because the less you eat, the less you will crave. It may be very difficult to go cold turkey so make it a gradual and permanent change.

As with any addiction, a sugar addiction is difficult to overcome, but your body will thank you! You will feel better, live longer, and be stronger, emotionally and physically!

Bedroom Makeover - Painting Horizontal Stripes

2011-03-14T09:09:00.000-07:00

We just switched our boys room with our guest room so our boys could have more space. Before we moved all of the furniture in we decided it was time to PAINT!

BEFORE:

We went a little crazy at the paint store and bought some exotic colors. Actually, my hubby had nothing to do with the color choices, he left me alone at the paint counter. . . All alone.

We walked out of the store with:

Lime Green, Overall Blue, and Cocoa Brown.

AFTER:

We had planned on painting horizontal stripes in the boy's new room but neither of us had done it before. So we combined our knowledge and man power and attacked the walls at full force. It took us ALL day, sun-up to sun-down, but we love it so much! And the boys think it's super cool.

Here's how we painted the horizontal stripes:

We started by marking the general area of the blue stripes and haphazardly painting 3 coats of blue.

Once the blue was dry we used 2 inch Scotch-Blue Painters Tape to mask off 2 straight lines around the room. It took me 3 tries to get the lines absolutely straight. My advice: don't use a laser level, measure down from the ceiling or up from the floor. Use a yardstick to mark straight lines with a pencil and then tape.

Next, we painted over the blue painters tape with one more coat of blue paint. This is to ensure that the tape seals to the wall and that any leaks underneath the tape will be blue, so they will match the stripe.

Once the blue was dry, we painted the top and bottom areas of the wall green. It took 2-3 coats of quality paint to get really good coverage.

Finally, we painted the chocolate brown stripe in the middle. Make sure you keep on eye on your tape lines so you don't paint into the green areas.

After about 20 minutes, you can GENTLY peel off the painter's tape.

We made the mistake of putting the tape on before the blue paint was completely dry. When we started to peel up the tape, blue paint bits started to come up too.

If you have some areas that need to be touched up, use a straight edge, like a putty knife and a small paintbrush to fix any spots that may have smudged, leaked, or peeled.

Painting stripes takes much more time that painting one solid color but it is definitely worth the extra effort.

Happiness is. . . Passion

2011-03-12T12:48:00.000-08:00

There are times when I want to stand on my soap box and scream at the top of my lungs to all of the people out there that are missing out on LIFE.

You know who I'm talking about:
The young guy that sits in his cubicle all day trying to make it to 5 'o clock just so he can race home and sit in front of the TV and watch his favorite reality or crime scene shows. Every day is the same thing. Work, TV, sleep, repeat. He never moves up in the company because he is comfortable with his life. Not happy, just comfortable.

Or maybe it's the girl who is waiting tables only because she doesn't feel like she is worth enough to get a better job. She would love to go back to school to be a nurse. She is a good people person afterall. But she has heard it is hard to get into the local nursing program. So she keeps going back to the same old smelly restaraunt job, day after day. Maybe she'll try school next year.

Or the old grey haired man that has been working at the same tedious, boring job for as long as he can remember. Not because he likes what he does, but because it is comfortable. Safe. He hangs up pictures of Cancun and Fiji in his office but he knows he will never go. How could he miss that much work? Besides, he wouldn't really enjoy it anyways. right?

I have close friends/family that live like this. They watch the days tick by and hope that happiness will find them.

I'm sorry, but happiness doesn't just walk around knocking on people's doors. Happiness is a journey. An adventure!

On the other end of the spectrum there are the happiest people I know. They enjoy their jobs, even if they aren't making any money. They are thankful to be alive. They are full of PASSION!

Passion is a very personal feeling that comes when you find something that makes your life truly worth living. It can come from your children, your job, your hobby, a good cause, your business, or religion, or many other places. It is a feeling so strong you can't lock it up inside, you would EXPLODE.

Do you feel it?

What side of the spectrum are you on?

I have a dear friend that has just turned her life around just by throwing away the apathy and taking control of her happiness. She is a brilliant woman who I have always looked up to. An engineer making good money. But she felt stuck and depressed. So she made some goals to join a gym, lose weight, and she found more productive uses for her extra time and money! Talk about an amazing woman!! She is inspiring. She radiates happiness and it is contagious!

If you are feeling apathetic about life, find something to be passionate about.
Pick up a new hobby. Take a class. Go somewhere you have always wanted to go. Start up a new business. Make a new friend. HELP SOMEONE.

I am very blessed to be passionate about my job, motherhood, my beliefs, and my hobbies. In fact, I've been told I am overly-passionate sometimes. I get so caught up in hobbies, books, and other fantastically interesting things that I devote waaay too much time to them. (But it's totally worth it!)

I'll climb up on my soap box one more time and yell out, "WAKE UP! Don't spend another day wasting your life away! Life is so short and there is so much love and happiness out there to share! Find something that makes your life worth living!!!"

Ok, I'm done. I feel much better.

Thanks for listening.

I think I'll go read a book about gardening. I've always wanted to be a good gardener.

We be Jammin'- {blackberry style} recipes included

2011-03-11T06:00:00.000-08:00

I'm a sucker for a good deal. Especially when it is on something healthy too!
I hit the blackberry jackpot at the farmer's market and got some of these babies for a steal.

These are one of my favorite food. And they are jam-packed with nutrients, namely anti-oxidants. That amazing stuff that helps prevent cancer! Tasty cancer-fighting ninjas!

They are also high in manganese and vitamin C, and high in fiber.

But they don't last forever. They are best eaten raw but if they are getting ripe you can freeze them and throw them into your favorite smoothie. I also LOVE blackberry muffins.

Here is my recipe for blackberry muffins:

1 3/4 cups All purpose flour (or wheat flour)

1/2 cup sugar

2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1 beaten egg

3/4 cup milk

2 TBS oil

1 cup mashed blackberries, (frozen, then thawed)

1. Grease muffin tin and preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2. In a medium sized bowl, combine dry ingredients: flour, sugar, baking powder, salt.

3. In a separate small bowl, beat egg, add milk and mix well.

4. Add egg mixture to flour mixture and stir until just combined.

5. Fold in mashed blackberries. This will turn the patter a lovely purple color.

6. Spoon batter into 12 prepared muffin cups, 2/3 full

7. Bake at 400 degrees for 18-20 minutes. Serve warm.

And when you have too many blackberries to make a batch of muffins, you make JAM!

Blackberry Jam

4 cups raw mashed blackberries (mash in layers with a potato masher, don't use a food processor or blender for this part.)

6 cups sugar

2 tablespoons lemon juice (more or less, depending on how sweet your berries are)

1 package powdered fruit pectin.

1. Mash berries and pour into a large pot.

2. Slowly stir in fruit pectin, a little at a time. Then add lemon juice.

3. Bring mixture to a boil over high heat.

4. Add sugar all at once.

5. Bring mixture back to a full boil, and let boil for 1 minute.

6. Remove from heat and ladle into clean, hot, 8oz jars. Leave 1/4 space at the top.

7. Wipe the rims, add lids (according to directions), and place in hot water bath canner, be sure water is 1 inch above the jars.

8. Process in canner for 10 minutes.

9. Remove from canner. Let set for 12 hours.

There are also ways to make Sugar-free jam, using fruit juice, honey, or Splenda.

This site is also great for first time "jammers".

Happy Jammin'!

Hoo Hoo's cute? { Baby's room owl wall art }

2011-03-10T07:00:00.000-08:00

Here's a super simple project I made for our baby's owl room.

Owl Wall Art

1 Canvas + Painters Tape + Paint + vinyl owls = Cute baby wall decor

1. Paint your canvas white.

2. Once it is dry, tape off across the middle horizontally and vertically. Make sure it sticks down tight.

3. Paint each quadrant whatever colors match your babies room.

4. Once they are dry, carefully remove the tape. Touch up if needed.

5. Add your vinyl stickers.

Hang it up!

It doesn't get easier than this. Change up the paint colors and stickers to match your baby's room.
Have fun craftin'

Bottled Water vs. Tap Water

2011-03-09T06:36:00.000-08:00

We live in the desert where good water is hard to find, unless you buy bottled water or a fancy schmancy water filter.
Sometimes when I stand in line at the Wal-Mart checkout I see folks with carts packed to the brim with CASES of bottled water.

I've been there.

We used to be the ones loading up our carts with H2O. But in our defense, we did one thing differently. We would use the bottles and then we would refill them a couple of times before we would throw them out. But we still threw them out. Cart loads of them! Some of them destined for the dump; Others off to a recycling facility to be made into new bottles. At least I think that is where they go. . .

-I have learned a little bit about water since those days. The first piece of incredible information I came across is that most of that "mountain spring" bottled water from some exotic land is really just tap water. (GASP!) And not even great tap water!

-The second tidbit of amazing information is that most of those recycled bottles don't end up at your neighborhood recycling plant. And they usually don't get made into new bottles. So where do they go?

Here is a fun and informative video that tells the whole story about bottled water. It will make you think twice before you grab that $2.00 bottle of glacial spring water from the Alps.

So the moral of the story is: Buy one good bottle and refill it.
And depending on where you live, your tap water may be healthier and better tasting that the stuff in the bottle with a mountain on it.

We absolutely love these convenient BPA Free Camelbak bottles.

They cost about $13 each and they are worth every penny. And just think how much money you save by filling up your new bottle at home. Cha Ching!

Strive to be debt free.

2011-03-08T08:00:00.000-08:00

A prison is something that holds you captive.
It can be made of cement and iron bars, or it can be a vice like drugs, pornography, or debt.

I don't want to be a hypocrite, I am currently in debt. We are still paying for our car and we have 2 credit cards that we still owe on. But compared to where we were a few years ago our position has vastly improved! We are slowly, and steadily digging ourselves our of our debt prison.

Society today convinces us that debt is a necessity to get where we want to be in life. If you want a nice car you have to have a car payment for the next 3-6 years. If you want a nice house you get a 30 year mortgage. Almost every department store has it's own buy now pay later plan. It's an instant gratification world out there.
And we fall for it.

The credit card companies are making billions of dollars off of interest and fees just so we can have that pair of shoes a month earlier than we would have if we paid cash.

I was thinking today about happiness and what would make me a happier person. Paying off my debts was at the top of the list. In the last 2 years I have paid off 3 credit cards! (happy dance) There is NOTHING that compares to the feeling of sending in that last payment! I can't wait until we can send in the last payment on our car and our last 2 cards.

When I had my oldest son we went from a 2 income household down to 1 income. Our biggest mistake was not preparing ourselves for the change. We talked about it all the time but we never sat down and prepared a budget for just one salary. Old habits die hard and it took all of our savings and some credit card debt before we finally adjusted to our new life.

I read a popular book that has helped more than anything else. It is Dave Ramsey's "Total Money Makeover". The concepts are simple and straightforward. Don't buy what you can't afford. But sometimes it takes hearing the stuff you already know out of the mouth of an expert to make it really sink in.

If you have debt you want to get rid of, you have to read this book!

I'm planning on paying off the rest of our debts withing the next 2 years (hopefully sooner) and knock down our debt prison walls for good! We no longer use our credit cards and we haven't missed them even a little bit. We can do this!

Being debt free = happiness!

All Patched Up - DIY Designer Boy's Jeans Tutorial

2011-03-07T08:13:00.000-08:00

All Patched UP - Boy's Designer Jeans Tutorial
What you need:

Jeans
Sand paper
scrap denim
Wonder-under (or other lightweight iron-on fabric adhesive)
Sewing machine
Embroidery thread and needle
Anything else you want!

If you are doing this for girl's jeans you can always add appliques, gems, ruffles, or tons of other fun stuff. I like to keep it simple for my boy's jeans. This is also great for hand-me-downs that need a pick-me-up.

Step One: Rough 'em up.
Use your sandpaper to distress the parts of the jeans that would normally get the most wear. Use care with the knee area though. The knees are usually the first part to wear out on their own. Rough up the front and back pockets and you can even choose some spots to wear all the way through to give them an authentic vintage look. The sandpaper will make a more dramatic effect on darker demin.

Step Two: Patch it.

Draw the desired size and shape of your denim patches onto the smooth side of your Wonder-Under.Cut them out and figure out how you want them on your jeans. (The oval shaped one will be going on the inside of my jeans.)

Iron the wonder-under onto the denim fabric according to the manufacturer's directions.

Cut them out, peel off the backing..

and iron them onto your jeans. I like to do some on the inside too reinforce the areas where I have done the most distressing or where I have sanded all the way through the denim.

Sew on your patches to secure them into place. You can also use decorative stitching to add more oomph! I will be using embroidery stitching for most of mine. I used my machine for the inside patch. What a cool vintage effect!

I love playing around with fabrics patches too. Try using canvas or other sturdy fabrics.

Step 3: Stitch it.
Be creative and add some simple embroidery stitches.

I used a blanket stitch around 2 of the patches and a simple straight embroidery stitch for the third.

And X's across the pockets. I love the orange and yellow. It's so happy, not to mention that orange is Ryan's favorite color! He's going to love these.

A little color can add a lot of fun to some boring jeans. Or you can use neutral colors if you want to make sure your child's new jeans match his wardrobe, and his Cantaloupe Corner shirts, of course. Black, tan, grey, navy, or white.

That's it.
Now your kid has the cutest pair of designer jeans out there. Designed by you!

Go show 'em off!

(P.S. The "Super Hero" Shirt can be found HERE )

Sunshine Saturday - Say Thanks!

2011-03-05T07:00:00.000-08:00

I was reading this post on I Am Momma - Hear Me Roar this week and it gave me the kick in the pants I needed to set up a new goal for myself. I want to spread more sunshine!

She challenged her readers to leave a note for a restaurant server last week, and this week's challenge is to call up someone you haven't talked to in a while. Those little rays of sunshine can light up someones life!

My new goal is to give a thank you card at least once per week. Maybe to the sweet girl at the doctor's office that always takes the time to ask how I'm feeling, or maybe to my amazing sister that babysits my kids, or to a fellow shop owner who has inspired me.

When I am the receiver of a simple thank you note it changes my perspective on my day. My burdens seem a little lighter, my boy's don't drive me as crazy, and the feeling is contagious throughout the entire house. All from a simple thank you.

I received a few notes this week from thankful customers and each one made me feel like a million bucks! Now I want to pass that feeling on to everyone!

And, I want to say thank you to everyone who reads this blog and to everyone who supports Cantaloupe Corner! Thank you for spreading your sunshine with us!

Simple Photo Tips for your Etsy Shop

2011-03-04T06:29:00.000-08:00

The most intimidating part of opening an Etsy shop was pulling up Etsy's front page and seeing the GORGEOUS pictures that grace the front page. Wow! I thought that everyone must have hired a pro photographer because my pictures looked absolutely nothing like theirs.

Without the budget for a pro, I picked up some books at the library and checked out some photography articles on Etsy. And I realized that (surprise!) most of the artists actually do their own pictures too!

But all I had was a puny little camera. Not one of those fancy things with the big ol' lens that you see real photographers with.

Turns out, all you need is a decent camera and a little bit of know how. Sure the big fancy cameras are nice but your camera is just a tool. It is like an artist's paintbrush. Just owning a nice camera doesn't make you a great photographer. You just need to know how to use what you have.

I am no professional, but I have learned a few tips and tricks that have vastly improved my Etsy shop photos. Hopefully these will help someone out there that is having the same problems I did.

Tip#1:
The best tip I have learned thus far is use natural light whenever possible. PLEASE, don't use your camera's flash! It messes with the colors and shadows and always makes the photo look dark and dingy. Take your items outside or near a window and use the power of the sun! Also, try to avoid direct afternoon sunlight as it creates harsh shadows and can sometimes mess with the photo colors. I take pictures out on my covered porch in the mornings between 8 to 10.

Tip #2:
Keep it simple. Don't clutter up your backdrop. Your customers' first impression is going to be from a small thumbnail photo of your amazing item. They need to be able to see it clearly and know what it is. I stick to all white backdrops when I am photographing just my t-shirts or onesies. A sheet of white foamboard is perfect! Just don't let little sticky fingers find your favorite white backdrop.
I have also seen some beautiful photos with simple patterns and props in the background, like this one from jacaranda designs.

Tip #3:
If you are selling an item that someone will wear, modeled shots are fantastic to have. When I am shopping for my boys, I want to see how something is going to fit them before I even think about buying it. Find a model and backdrop, and some natural light and take some action shots of your items. If you are photographing children, get down on their level. Make sure the modeled item can be seen clearly in the photo.

Tip #4:
EDIT! Edit! EDIT!
The greatest part about digital photography is that you can take as many pictures as you want, keep the good ones and delete the bad ones.
Take your favorite shots and put them into a photo editing program such as Photoshop. I don't have "Photoshop" but I use 3 different programs to get the exact image I want.
1.Google's free editor is called Picasa. It has limited editing features but most of the stuff you really need to do can be done in this easy to use program. I use this program to crop, straighten, brighten, and saturate the colors in my photos.
2. If you want to take it a step farther, try http://www.picnik.com/ . This is also free to use and has lots of simple editing settings to make your pictures look amazing.
3. And the last program that I use is GIMP. This is an amazing FREE photo editing program that has many of the capabilities of Photoshop. It takes some time to get to know the program because it is so versatile but it is totally worth it. This program is great for major photo editing and creating images such as shop banners and avatars.

My normal everyday photo edits include cropping and playing with the exposure and contrast in my photos. These simple things can turn a "sorta good" photo into a "wow!" photo.

Before:

After:

Before:

After:

Happy photo snapping!

See more great photo articles in Etsy's Guide to Photography.

{ White vs. Wheat } Why wheat is. . . NEAT!

2011-03-03T11:54:00.000-08:00

Do you stand in the bread isle at the grocery store and stare at the hundreds of bags of bread wondering which one you should pick? They all tout their nutritional value on the labels. "Made with Whole Grain", "Enriched with Iron", " High Fiber", "No Corn Syrup". (did you even know that most breads have corn syrup in them? ugh.)

When I would find myslef lost in the bread isle I would usually end up grabbing what ever bread was on sale because I didn't know what the difference was between the 99 cent loaf of white or wheat bread and the $5 loaf of "whole grain" bread.
Once I started learning to read the labels I found all kinds of additives, sweeteners, preservatives and other stuff that I really don't want to be eating or feeding to my family. So I took on the task of learning to bake my own.
And when it came to making my own bread I started by choosing whatever recipe sounded the tastiest and easiest. I LOVE sweet white rolls, but I know that wheat bread is supposed to be healthier, right?
Yes, but why?

Wheat is sometimes called the "staff of life". A person can survive off of the nutrients found in the amazing wheat berries.

We hear a lot of health advice these days that tells us to increase our intake of whole grains. Great advice. But when it comes to wheat, what is best?

White flour comes from wheat, right?

Yes.

So why have we been warned about eating white flour?

White flour is significantly different than freshly ground wheat flour. It has been processed and bleached, which is why it is white and not brown. Most of the nutritional value and fiber was sapped away in the processing. In fact, so much of the nutrition is missing that their are government regulations that require a minimal amount of the nutrients Thiamin, Niacin, B1, B2, Folic Acid, and Iron to be added back into the flour!
If you want to learn more about what happens to our flour when it is processed, here is a very informative website.

Here is freshly ground wheat flour (made from white wheat):

And compare that lovely flour to the all-purpouse baking flour we buy at the store:

And if you could touch it and smell it you would notice an even BIGGER difference in these two flours.

If wheat flour is so much more healthy, why does everyone use white flour?

Shelf Life. Wheat flour contains oils that go rancid over a short period of time. These oils are removed from white flour when the wheat bran and wheat germ are removed, which makes the flour last much much longer. This is why it is so popular for commercial baking. White flour can be bought in bulk and stored for long periods of time.
Even many of the "wheat" breads we buy at the store are made from white flour mixed with just enough wheat flour to make the bread look brown. Some bread makers even add caramel coloring! Seriously!

To read more about the great stuff found in fresh wheat flour, check out this website.

I have seen wheat flour sold at the grocery store. Is it as healthy as freshly ground wheat flour?

Not quite. Often times much of the oils are removed from the wheat flour found in stores to prolong the shelf life. And if you do find 100% freshly ground wheat flour available to in your store you still can't be sure how long it has been sitting. The longer it sits, the more nutrition it loses. I highly recommend buying the wheat flour over white flour but if you have the choice, go fresh!

How can I get freshly ground flour at home?

There are many types of grain mills available. Some are electric and some are hand crank powered.
I don't have my own yet but I am borrowing my MIL's electric mill. I just have to turn it on, pour in the wheat, and in about a minute I have beautiful, fragrant, wheat flour. If you are in the market for a grinder, do some research to find out which is best for your needs. Ebay also has a lot of options for great prices.
Or, you can ask your friends and family if they have one you can borrow.

Here's the mill I'm using:
It's called the Whisper Mill.

What can I do whith my fresh wheat flour?

Wherever you use white flour, you can substitute your wheat flour. I use it mostly for pancakes, muffins, pizza crust, and breads. I am AMAZED at the difference in taste! My kids absolutely love the whole wheat bread. And I feel like a good mom because I know they are getting more nutrition and fiber from the "real" bread.

And if you aren't a pro bread maker, don't worry! There are tons of places out there that can give you tips on how to make your bread the right way. I use a bread machine to mix my dough. I got my brand new machine for $3.00 at Salvation Army. Best purchase ever!

Here are my 2 favorite bread recipes. I use them so much I can barely read my printed recipe cards. Thank goodness they are still available online.

Just replace the bread flour with your fresh wheat flour.

Honey Wheat Bread

Amish White Bread

mmmmm. You will never want to go back to plain ol' white bread again.

Happy living!

2011-03-02T12:35:00.000-08:00

Have I ever mentioned that I lalalove what I do?

I do!

I am a Stay-at-Home/ Work-at-Home-mom and I have the unfathomable privilege of getting to use my creative side every day! YAAAY!

I have been thinking a lot about where I want to go with my business and my blog. I will be closing up shop for maternity leave at the end of April but I am planning on keeping the blog up and running.
Cantaloupe Corner has been successful because my customers (yes you!) appreciate high quality clothing free of harsh chemicals and inks. I try my best to live life with your children's mental and physical well-being at heart, and that starts at home with my own children.

At our house, we like to live as "clean" as we can. I don't mean that my house is clean. No, I still step on matchbox cars and Thomas trains every single day, my floor is always sprinkled with sand from the sandbox, and my sink is rarely empty. To me, living clean is keeping the hazardous, cancer causing junk, and anything morally or emotionally degrading away from our home and away from my kids. I believe that when God made the earth he put everything here that we need to be healthy, strong and HAPPY!

Along with more craft tutorials and fun stuff, I want to include my own tips and tricks and new things I learn about living clean and happy while staying on budget.

I have already included my Fruit and Veggie Wash recipe. It is a great way to start kicking out much of the pesticides and gunk that lurk on your foods.

My tip for today is: SMILE!
Did you know that even if you are having a horrible day, smiling releases endorphines that will help you start feeling better as soon as the edges of your mouth start to turn up.

Try it.

Feeling better already?

Baby's Room Lamp Re-vamp

2011-03-01T10:01:00.000-08:00

Remember the Drum Light I made out of stuff I found around my house?

This one:

With our new baby coming, it's time to de-girlify his room/my office so we can eventually turn it into his nursery.

That pretty lamp got a make-over and became THIS:

Bye Bye girly. Hello boy!

I removed the floral fabric and replaced it with a funky patchwork of the same fabrics I will be using throughout his room. I also shortened it a bit by cutting the side wires shorter. Then added some equally funky ribbon trim to finish it off.
Do you want to build your own? Find the tutorial Here

The room looks completely different from when I had my pretty lamp hanging up. The striped wall paper is gone and cantaloupe orange paint has taken it's place. I can't even begin to describe how much I love the color!

And did you notice the shelf?

I stripped the fabric off of my girly shelves and recovered them to match the room. Each shelf only took about 15 minutes to do! It's a simple way to hide an ugly shelf or add some extra color and texture to your room. See the Fabric Covered Shelf tutorial here to make one of your own.

Feeling Fruity? Cleaning your fruits and veggies.

2011-02-25T09:12:00.000-08:00

We try to eat healthy here. We shop at the farmer's market constantly and we always keep our fruit basket full of fresh fruits and our crisper full of veggies. I haven't converted over to organic only but if I could afford the crazy expensive prices of organic food I would definitely buy only organic.

My boys LOVE love LOVE fruit! I have to hide cartons of berries behind the milk in the fridge so little sticky hands don't find them. They also love bananas, oranges, mangoes, pineapples, melons. . . basically every type of fruit they have tried. And I also crave fruit constantly when I'm pregnant.

But, I'm a mom, and I worry. I know that if I don't buy organic fruits and veggies I am exposing my family to ugly things like pesticides. ahhh!
How can we eat healthy, fresh foods without worrying so much about the stuff that is on our food?

Wash it!

I often catch my 2 year old sneaking grapes or strawberries from the fridge when he thinks I'm not looking. (Sorry son, I've got eyes in the back of my head, remember?)
I cringe when I think about what icky pesticides, waxes, chemicals, bacteria, (not to mention other peoples' fingerprints) that reside on the skin of my freshly purchased produce.

eeeww!

How to wash off the "icky stuff":
Mamma always said to wash before you eat. She was right!
There are produce cleaners out there, such as Fit, that can help clean off some of the "stuff", but even better than that is something that everyone has in their kitchen: Vinegar!
It's cheap and convenient and works the better than anything else I have found.

You should always wash your fruits and veggies, whether you will be eating the skin or cutting through it, to prevent contamination. Here's a quick and easy recipe for the perfect fruit and veggie cleaner:

Fruit and Veggie Wash:
3 Cups Water
1 Cup Vinegar

Pour into a spray bottle and spray your fruits and veggies. Let sit for a few minutes and rinse well. The acid in the vinegar is very effective at killing bacteria, removing pesticides, and removing food grade waxes and oils. Bye Bye fingerprints!

You can also pour the mixture into a bowl and soak your fruits and veggies. I recommend this for berries, especially strawberries, which contain high amounts of pesticides. This is also great for broccoli.

Apples also contain very high amounts of pesticides, so if you will be eating the skins, wash wash wash!

{ Brightest Crayons } What you wear = who you are

2011-02-24T11:55:00.000-08:00

Remember a few years ago when you walked into a store in the mall, like say. . . American Eagle, or Aeropostale, and all of their graphic tees had some type of beer, drug, or strip club reference?
I do.
Yuck!

I am happy to report that many, many of those derogatory tees are being replaced by real art and humor.

I know that these stores I listed are for teenagers/adults but I still don't agree with 14 year old's walking around in Jack Daniels t-shirts or "Bobby Joe's Gentleman's Club" tees. Thank you to all of the graphic designers/screenprinters that decided that these shirts are distasteful!

How can our children feel good about themselves when they are dressed in clothing with rude comments or other all-around bad messages?

What you wear reflects how you feel about yourself. We, as parents, know this.
I strive to stay away from the morally questionable whenever I create any of our t-shirt designs. But I have to say that it is easy when it comes to dressing cute little preschoolers, toddlers and babies!

One of the designs my boys get the most compliments on is our "Brightest Crayon in the Box" tee.

This is one of the first Cantaloupe Corner designs every made. I loved that the message is uplifting and makes my son feel "bright". I think he is such a smart boy and it was so fun to create a shirt to let him know how I feel about him.

We need to let our kids know that we think they are cute, smart, funny, clever, and so much fun! As their parents, we need to help them develop a love for themselves. That is why I try so hard to keep our t-shirt messages upbeat, fun, and uplifting.

You child can be a Super Hero, a Monkey, a Train Engineer (my son's favorite), or a handsome Little Mister.

I believe that what your child wears reflects how you feel about them. You dressed them, right? (OK, not always, my youngest insists that he wears the same 3 shirts every day. But I buy/make those shirts for him.)

Keep it fun. Keep it clever. And Always keep it on the "bright" side.

Chocolate Chip TOUGH!

2011-02-14T13:42:00.000-08:00

Today feels like a chocolate-licious day. It's Valentines Day, a day of flowers and chocolates and treats of all kinds. I'm very partial to chocolate.
In fact, our house smells like chocolate cookies, mmmm. We are cooking up goodies for our Valentines.

Today just feels like the right day to introduce our rich, chocolate brown t-shirts with a new design!

Chocolate chip cookie anyone?

Tough Cookie

Here is the inspiration for this design:

My fearless 2-year-old. Nothing crumbles this cookie. He is rough and tough! Bumps and bruises don't even phase him. I am sure that most of this comes with being the second child and having to fight big brother for everything.

Whatever the reason, he really is one "Tough Cookie".

The Tough Cookie shirt is now available in our Etsy Shop. And now you can get it on yummy, kid friendly, chocolate brown.

New Colors!

2011-02-12T21:22:00.000-08:00

I am happy to post that we are adding some more color to our line!

Yes sir-ee, we love our boy's tees and we wanted to bring in a new boy color!
I just barely got our new shipment of BROWN toddler t-shirts!! Excited?? Me too!!!

My 4 year old has made this "I Heart Trains" shirt his new favorite. He wears it every time it is clean.

And the best part is that it takes a lot to make a brown shirt look dirty, and that means a lot to mother of 2 (almost 3) little boys. Definitely mother approved.

As of today, all of our boy's tee designs are now available on brown shirts.

And if that isn't enough excitement for today, we have a new onesie color too!

Watch for our new NAVY BLUE onesies, popping up at Cantaloupe Corner.

We're Open!

2011-02-01T08:57:00.000-08:00

Our Shop is officially open for business! Check out all of our ink-free Cantaloupe Corner designs at http://www.cantaloupecorner.etsy.com/

Here's a new tee to celebrate!

Bubble Dots - First Birthday Shirt

Simple, fun, and bubbly! Perfect for pictures and parties.
Find this new design here.

Personalize your shirt by adding your the birthday kid's name on the back. Add this item to your cart with your shirt.

Happy Grand Re-Opening.

Watch for sales coming today and yet another new design coming next week!

Yipee!

Countdown. 5. . .4. . .3. . .2. . .1. . .

2011-01-31T07:38:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow is the big day! Our Grand re-opening!

Our shop doors open tomorrow and they will stay open from February to April!!!

(eeee! I'm so excited!!!)

Watch for weekly deals and stock up on quality tees for summer.

And. . .

to make it even more fun. . .

We have NEW DESIGNS!!!

Aw yeah!!

Do you have a SUPER HERO living at your house?

I do.

2 of them.

Villians beware!

If your kid likes to beat up bad guys in the name of justice, you can get him his own Super Hero tee!

We also will be introducing a new birthday shirt tomorrow!

Stay tuned for more action!

Mission Organization

2011-01-24T14:16:00.000-08:00

It looks like pack-rat city here in my house. I am a stuff collector, and sadly it is starting to show.

Every corner is cluttered, every cupboard is filled.

I make up excuses daily to myself on why I need to keep things:

" I need the extra tote full of fabric because if my hubby loses his job and we are poor I can make my kids clothes out of it!"

(Except that the extra fabric is made up of hideous polyester, and 1970's plaids, mixed with baby fabrics that have gone out of style long long ago.
I would hand wash my kids jeans and t-shirts every day before making them wear anything made out of that scratchy stuff.)

"I need 15 wooden spoons because we have a lot of company and extra serving spoons are always handy to have."

(Ok, I only have 6, but you get the picture. They are superfluous, and I need space more than I need extra spoons. )

"I need to keep 20 train drawings from my 4 year old that all look the same."

(Why? I don't know.)

So. . .

My mission for 2011 is to SIMPLIFY!

Life is going to get WAY more complicated this May when baby #3 comes so I'm starting right now to cut the clutter out of my life.

So far I have said goodbye to an SUV full of stuff. I had it packed to the brim with everything, clothes, toys, paintings, magazines, electronics, and furniture! I sent it all off to Deseret Industries, a local Thrift Store.
My boys were so willing to give away old toys when I told them that we were giving them away so another little boy play with them.

I also gave away my beloved elliptical trainer. You know, the one I promised I would run on every day. . . and it got used for. . . um. . . 2 months. *tear* I will miss you.

And I am gutting out my office/studio to make room for the new kid. I can't wait to decorate. The orange walls are going to be a blast to work with!

I didn't realize just how much space Cantaloupe Corner takes up in my house until I took on the project of re-organizing it all, and moving most of it out of the office. Whew, I really am a pack-rat.

Anyways, after all of that rambling, I want to invite you to join me in my 2011 goal to simplify. Start with the physical things. Clean out the clutter in our homes and then we can move on to de-cluttering our time.

I can't wait to find myself under all of this stuff! I feel a thousand pounds lighter already!

nifty gifts

2011-01-09T07:13:00.000-08:00

Just to prove I haven't been a lazy bum, I have some projects to share that I made for my family members for Christmas!

A frilly box of friendly flowers for a few of my favorite females.

This apron I created for my niece who is budding pastry chef. I even created my own pattern. I love how it turned out, especially the cute fabrics! I think I may have to make a bigger one for me!

I am so happy to have little girls to sew for since I am going to be even more outnumbered by boys soon.

This was my favorite project. I adore my craft cutter and I get muy excited when I get to break it out and use it for vinyl. (It usually gets used for cutting t-shirt stencils.) Monograms are everywhere right now, why not on a cookie jar?
mmmm, chocolate.

The rest of my projects somehow escaped my bad photography skills before they were wrapped up and sent off. I also made some cute tees for my teenage niece as well as a FAT stuffed elf shelf-sitter for my Mother-in-Law.

I love the holidays but I am so glad that they are over. I am pooped.

Next project: turning my office/studio into an office/baby boy's room.
Wish me luck.
I'm already in over my head.

It's a. . . .

2011-01-04T07:13:00.000-08:00

Christmas is over, the New Year has arrived and I am super psyched about 2011!

The most amazing thing has happened this past couple of weeks. With my extra time usually used on the computer or printing and packing orders I have actually been able to clean my house! And even better than that, I have been able to hang out with my sweet little munchkins! Oh, lucky LUCKY ME!!!!

We have 2 fun, rambunctious little boys, ages 4 and 2. And as many of you know, we have a baby on the way too! Yesterday was the all important ultrasound to find out the gender of our next little sweetheart.

We are having a. . . . .

BOY!!!!

Ha haha hahaha. If I wasn't already laying down I would have fallen over when they told me. I was absolutely convinced that this was a girl.
I was dreaming about making hair bows, tutus, fluffy dresses, and all the other girly stuff. I was soooo ready for a girl. *sigh*

But. . .
I'm not in charge.

I must be doing an OK job raising my boys because God is trusting me with another son! After a few ours of complete shock, (but only a few minutes of dissapointment) I am so excited about our little boy!

I am packing, moving, shuffling all of my shop supplies and furniture to make room for our baby. He will be residing in my office. Once the dust settles and I figure out where I'm going to put everything I will re-open once more before my new baby boy arrives!!

Blessings come in all shapes and sizes and my greatest blessing for 2011 will be here in May!

Happy New Year everyone! I hope your year is filled with love and joy!

Date Changes

2010-12-10T15:37:00.000-08:00

I'm changing our closing date for Christmas break.

I originally was going to close up shop on the 15th but now the last day I am taking new orders will be on Dec. 12th.

At this wonderful time of the year, I have a sister getting married next weekend (yeah!) and a list of a zillion presents I get to make (or buy) for Christmas.

Also, my new bedtime has become 8:00, since I fall asleep on the couch at that time every night. And now my few precious hours of work time while the kids are alseep are gone.

So, rather than over-stress myself, which is easy to do when I'm prego, I decided to close up early.

I am planning on opening the Cantaloupe Corner Etsy shop again the beginning of February.

I will still be available for occasional custom orders via email.

I hope everyone has their Christmas shopping almost wrapped up (bad pun, I know). And for those of you that still need something for those cute little toddlers and preschoolers on your list, stop by our shop today through Monday and use code THANKU10 for 10% off your order!!

I hope you all have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Preggers Christmas Wishes

2010-12-02T14:50:00.000-08:00

Sing it with me!
"It's the most wonderful time of the year!"

That was lovely!

I feel like a lucky duck being pregnant at this most festive time. I get to indulge in all of the yummy treats and goodies I want because if the baby wants it, who am I to stand in the way? Right?

I also found some other non-edible goodies that I have added to this years preggers wish list.

#1:

An adorable tee from KSS Maternity

And BTW this is only one of my favorites. They have a mother-load of funny and sweet maternity tees and funny daddy-to-be tees too!

#2:

This sweet birds nest necklace by one of my favorite Etsy sellers: Jacaranda Designs

It says "I'm a mom" in a sophisticated way, without screaming it.

And I love that there are three "eggs" since this will be my third child.

#3:

Growing Belly Rub by Wild Root Botanicals

'nuff said.

#4:

Cute Cardigan to keep me and baby warm during these chilly months. This one is by Old Navy.

#5:

Holiday OPI nail polish to spiff up my tired tooties. A little bit of glitter can lift a girls spirits.

#6:

Hair Cut!

This is me.

ok, this is what I feel like. I have unruly curly hair that could use some taming. Thinning shears please?!

#7:

And the last thing on my prego Christmas list is FOOD, and LOTS of it!

This weeks cravings include: lemons, limes, Chili Lime Ramen noodles, hot chocolate, Marshmallow Mateys, green grapes, and hawaiian pizza. mmmm.

(most of these I ONLY eat when prego. I mean, Ramon noodles? ewww! On a normal day that would make me gag. but today. . . .mmmm.)

If you brought me any of the above listed items today, you would be my best friend. seriously.