Connect with Ceci LaBarge

Oh, I appreciate him...and his mad skills

2009-06-24T13:00:00.002-04:00

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Ceci

Frederick Meijer Gardens

2009-06-19T11:07:00.001-04:00

The last video from our day trip to GR

I am Laura Ingalls Wilder!

2009-06-18T10:00:00.002-04:00

This week my friend Tami gave me a recipe for homemade laundry soap. I thought I'd give it a whirl and it was so much fun I actually made a triple batch! I have a bunch of pictures too, but my usb port in the mac is kaput or something. Anyway, I'll throw some pictures up next week...you would have been so proud!

Here's the recipe...

1 bar of Fels Naptha soap. (found next to the Ivory Soap).
1/2 cup of Mule Team Borax
1/2 cup of Arm and Hammer washing soda (found next to the Borax). By the way, it's not Arm and Hammer laundry detergent, it looks like a big box of the Arm and Hammer baking soda.

You chop up the Fels Naptha and put it through your food processor to turn it into a powder. Since I don't have a food processor, I grated it with a cheese grater and then put it through the blender, along with the borax and washing soda.

It smells really good and it should only cost about 3 cents a load.

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Ceci

Thrilling video of the kids at Calder Plaza

2009-06-17T11:23:00.002-04:00

Enter here for a chance to win your own trip to Grand Rapids!

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Ceci

Explore Magnificent Michigan...

2009-06-16T07:45:00.004-04:00

This summer, JQ99 is giving away a series of day trips to different places in Michigan. The on air staff's families are going to the different places with their families. The idea is to inspire families that there are so many fun things to do in Michigan. Last weekend, our family went to the John Ball Zoo, Calder Plaza, and Frederick Meijer Gardens. We did have a really great time. Some fun things we did at the zoo...

Enter here for details on a fun getaway to Grand Rapids...

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Ceci

The orange wall...

2009-06-08T09:45:00.003-04:00

Dave and I finally got the vinyl decal installed, and remember those old frames ? They have a new lease on life. I'm kind of addicted to the high gloss spray paint these days.

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Ceci

Remember our kitchen makeover contest?

2009-06-04T21:44:00.000-04:00

This fall JQ teamed up with Westshore Interior Visions and Northgate Appliance for a kitchen makeover. In this Parade of Homes season, you can count on Northgate Appliance to hook you up with the best appliances around! Check out Sara's amazing makeover...

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Ceci

What is it about these ads that make me want to cry?

2009-06-03T10:17:00.001-04:00

Everything old is new again

2009-06-01T08:52:00.004-04:00

When I was a kid, we spent tons of time at Tunnel Park and the highlight was running down the sand dune. It can be weird sometimes seeing your kids do the exact same thing you did as a kid.

The inevitable mouth full of sand at the end of the run!

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Ceci

My new favorite thing

2009-05-20T09:32:00.003-04:00

I have been wanting these jars with the chalkboard labels for a while now. It's such a dumb thing really, I mean, you can obviously tell whats inside a glass jar...but they are so dang cute! I picked mine up at Pier 1 Imports, and I've seen them at World Market too. Here is a tip I learned while "researching" these online, if you don't want the label to smear every time you get almonds out of it, write the label with a paint pen, instead of chalk, which is what I did.

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Ceci

What will these be?

2009-05-19T08:41:00.002-04:00

Ten years ago, I thought these were really cool. Um, not so much anymore. I have been revamping them...what will they be?

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Ceci

Instead of brown...I went with orange, and I love it!

2009-05-14T07:45:00.000-04:00

The boring large wall going up the stairs. It was white.

KABAM! Let's throw some orange up there.

I am so glad I called in the experts for this one! You know I love a good do-it-yourself project, but trying to paint this mammoth wall is not something I could figure out how to do well. Enter Keith from Fresh Coats. Trust me. Call him. Today. 616-283-4177.
He's coming back to install a vinyl graphic on this wall next week. He does everything, wallpapering, wallpaper removal, minor drywall repair. He'll even paint your furniture. Bright tangerine orange if ya like! Sorry, I don't have much left over:)

More on the orange wall project soon!

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Ceci

The brown blob.

2009-05-13T08:54:00.002-04:00

Last year, when Westshore Interior Visions re did my kitchen, I went with brown countertops and brown crown molding above the cabinets. I thought then that I would paint this wall and the wall going up my stairs brown. So I painted a few samples of my favorite browns on the wall. That was a year ago. I have lived with these brown blobs ever since and finally it drove me to insanity.

Stay tuned for what I actually ended up doing with these walls!

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Ceci

Sunday...

2009-05-11T09:34:00.003-04:00

Piper was dedicated on Sunday. Here's my Mom holding her awaiting the big event. I love my Mom. Happy Mothers Day. That gift is coming when I recover from this weekend!

Saturday night...

2009-05-11T09:30:00.004-04:00

W got the Birthday Banner done just in time for Mallory's birthday, thanks to a late night sewing adventure at my Moms last week! She wanted "black cake with black frosting." And, she looooves her new scooter, especially the basket where she stores her favorite birthday treasures.

Saturday...

2009-05-11T09:19:00.005-04:00

Here we are in the Tulip Time parade on Saturday. Mandy and I with all the kiddos. 2 minutes into riding down 8th street, Mallory goes, "I can't wave any more. My arm and my body is tired!" Which we got to hear the entire length of the parade! Our kids turned out to be much more popular than Mandy and myself...these kids know every other kid in town!

Friday Night...

2009-05-11T09:12:00.003-04:00

Friday night we celebrated Mallory's birthday with a family bonfire. The girls stayed up til something like 11:30, which would prove really interesting the next day.

Talky with the Tech Embassy guys

2009-05-08T13:09:00.003-04:00

It's 5:30 am...

2009-05-08T06:22:00.002-04:00

Project update

2009-05-04T09:08:00.005-04:00

Yesterday, Ellie and I were back at it with the "Happy Birthday" banner. We printed the letters from my computer and glued them onto a sturdy file folder so they'd be thicker when we traced them onto the fabric. (I also used Stitch Witchery to fuse the pink polka dot fabric onto some heavy lining, to make the letters even sturdier when we cut them out, thanks to my Moms advice.)

Now we just need to sew them to the triangles and get them hung on a rope. We need to finish it this week though, because Mallory turns 4 on Saturday!

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Ceci

My buddy Meaghan and I this morning.

2009-05-01T12:38:00.002-04:00

She may not be able to see, but she loves to come "feel" the radio. She always brightens our day. And brings chocolates, which is extra nice:)

Anyone see themselves?

2009-05-01T11:57:00.002-04:00

Girls night out at Crown Motors was a raging success! Anyone spot themselves?

Rebuttal Talky

2009-05-01T10:48:00.002-04:00

Wednesday Talky

2009-04-29T11:39:00.002-04:00

She hates real food.

2009-04-28T10:26:00.003-04:00

Every time I try to feed her rice cereal, she purses her lips and wont eat it! Oh well...I guess on number 3 you just stop caring!

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Ceci