Saturday Shopping

I went shopping this past Saturday with my friends Nancy and Tara.
Thank you both for a wonderful couple of hours.
With all the fun we had you would have thought we were out and about all morning - but just a couple of hours and loads of fun AND crafty inspiration.

I love it when you can purchase from other crafters things you know you would never make - like the wool broach I bought for my mom for her birthday - or the hand painted pitcher which was an upcycle.  Both wonderful items that I would never do .... but the pin cushions in the glass "jar" well THAT was totally doable.

After browsing through and purchasing a few items at Market Day we hit the downtown Salvation Army.  The main purpose was to find glassware to convert to a pincushion we had seen from one seller at Market Day.  Here are my main two purchases.

The top photo just shows the two items.








The bottom photo are both items matched up with a sweater from my sewing stash.

Then it was time to start measuring and sewing.  I cut out circle pieces -- and a section of sleeve from an old long-sleeved t-shirt to make the main body of the pin cushing.  A few dried beans in to the bottom of each glass "jar" for extra weight.  Some fiber-fill I had on hand (I swear it's so old it's probably considered vintage) and then some fabric glue around the edges of the sweater to hold it in.

The top photo show the circle pieces cut out and ready to go -- the bottom photo I'm sewing the portion of t-shirt sleeve to the pincushion top.

VIOLA!  Here are the finished pincushions!

Mom got the blue one.
I have the green one ... green is one of my fav colors but I would have kept either one.... I gave her the choice -- well -- after I had given her the blue one -- I asked if she would rather have the green.  What a good mom -- she kept the blue.


Aren't they cute?!

internet ... blog ... crafty inspirations

Well, I'm back at trying my blog.  My goal is to be a bit more realistic.  Start off by updating my blog once a week on Wednesdays and then see if I can't work my way up to twice a week - adding in a Saturday or a Sunday blog. 

Speaking of Sunday - last Sunday I was up before the rest of my sun-burned family and hit my craft room to try out something I had found when bloghopping the internet.  I found this project over at Cinnaberry Suite and I think my little version turned out just dandy! 

here is the link to Cinnaberry Suite's blog and this project.
 http://cinnaberry-suite.blogspot.com/2010/06/im-supposed-to-be-guest-posting-this.html

 I did not have an old book that I wished to use -- I'm already displaying most of my old books.  So, I took a small book that I didn't want to get rid of, used craft paper to make a book cover; stamped some images on the craft paper.  I had a narsty looking blue metal frame -- tossed the frame and kept the easel and glass.  A little ribbon and tulle and a stamped, distressed tag and viola!  The snapshot of my husband's parents on their wedding day is much more lovingly displayed. 

I love this look!  My photo collage is showing the front view (bottom and top - I couldn't get it all in to one view) then a partial side view showing the book and the back view.  I only used a bit of adhesive to attache the easel to the book cover -- just to ensure there was no slippage.  My arm is absolutely sore from patting myself on the back over how well this turned out!  Bad me!  I know. 

Worn Out

Thank goodness it's almost time for bed -- I'm just plain worn out!

I tell my girlfriends I'm still trying to figure out the BALANCE in my life.  Annoying isn't it - that you keep going on and on like the energizer bunny yet you don't feel that peppy! 

I did attend a class at work today - one that discussed achieving your healthy weight which I totally need to work on.  Anyhow, I made some changes in the recent past and did well, it's time to get back on track and think more about what ONE change I can make and stick with.

So here is to saying good-bye to bad habits and hello to making changes -- at least ONE change - one step at a time in order to climb the mountain.

Clean House

[singing] "Who's got a clean house?"
I will -- after today because it is cleaning lady day!!  Yeah!!!

No, I do not clean before the cleaning lady comes, but YES, I do pick up my own messes.  I want her to do the things I hate to do such as dust, scrub floors and do the bathrooms.  I don't expect her to know where I want a book that has been left out or put away the mess I made in the dining room.

I am still such a newbie at this blog thing that I did not take before or after pictures [yet].  My dining room was a mess.  I do mean a mess!  I had stuff everywhere, mostly craft room overflow as my craft room is attached to the dining room.  I decided that I had better do something about that before our house is cleaned today.

I have removed all but a few things that do not belong in the dining room.  The items still left on one chair are a few pictures and easels I use for photos.  I'm going to move more items around in the next few weeks so those I could handle.  She will just have to clean around those.  I've decided it is time to freshen up my dining room a bit so I will take a before photo and then do an after of how I have rearranged knick knacks and other items to just give it a bit of a new look.  I'm thinking of redoing quite a few of my window treatments around the house too (and keep in mind, none of mine are very expensive).

Enough babbling!  The coffee is done and I am dying for a cup! 

Conversations with Myself

As I was scrap booking yesterday I was patting myself on the back thinking - 'wow!  other then your monthly scrap club purchases* you have done a great job using up the paper and supplies you already have!'  And to further my self-righteousness I was giving myself mental high fives and pats on the back.

Oh how the mighty must fall!!!!!  I'm taking my daughter to the mall today.  Temptation is lurking ... the Archivers store is calling my name.  The sweet siren's song of paper and scrap booking supplies.  I'm already planning on caving and buying paper!  Oh - the lack of self control!  I seriously am feeling myself getting giddy at the thought of spending time - practically unlimited time - in the store!!  (Remember, I'll be dropping off my daughter and then going to pick her up or meet her after a bit -- I do not have to supervise every moment).

Yes, I'm eating my words.  My own conversation has done me in.  {sigh}  Oh well.  I really am quite giddy with anticipation!!

* I receive a paper pack and stamps every month as Close to My Heart consultants can/do promote a monthly special.  So technically I'm still buying paper.  (ahh -- I am weak, I admit it!)

Christmas in July (Holiday Happenings)

Happy Birthday United States!!  Here's hoping everyone is having a great Independence Day.  I'm afraid that we will not be seeing fireworks tonight.  The day has been wet and rainy and the radar does not show that it will be clearing up anytime soon.

I am working on my latest obsession, scrapbooking.  I have completed the 3 page layout I showed in my post from yesterday and am working on another 3 pages -- all still from the 4th of July last year.  I am bound and determined to get caught up.

Of course, being so obsessed with my scrapbooking is leaving me little time for my other crafting and I must say that at times I do feel I'm being a bit maniacal about it.  Bwah-hahahahah [my evil laugh] - I just cannot get enough.  However, I will have to move on to something else and soon.  I have a dead spot coming up soon.  Let me explain.  I have this lovely little pre-lit evergreen tree I purchased a number of years ago at Target -- for the purpose of having a smaller Christmas tree because we do have to celebrate Christmas at odd times.  I now decorate the tree for different seasons and occasions.  It is currently decorated for the Independence Day Holiday.

My holiday tree unlit and lit.

I will now have to get up off of my dead, lazy bum and figure something out for the rest of the summer.  I really do not have anything until I start to decorate for fall.  How I have managed to not get a summer theme going all these years I have no idea.  I do have some ideas on what to make and yes I am going to make something.  I have enough craft supplies to feed a small army of crafters ... OK I really don't but it sounds good.  Either way, only a few more days and the 4th of July holiday items will have to come down.  I really do like this tree.

Parade Day!

Yeah!  It's Parade Day!  The town we live in is known for its Fourth of July/Independence Day parade.  The parade is being held today.  Fireworks will go off as normal, tomorrow on the 4th.

And being RIGHT ON TOP OF THINGS guess what I have been working on?  Yup, I've been working on scrapbooking my photos from last years parade!! 

ta da!  the first photo for my blog!  It's still a work in progress.  I was working on it last night, but after a long long LONG pre-holiday day at work and then coming home and the house being a tad bit warm, it was hard to stay focused.  Then once I started making the pizza and then eating the pizza all hope of finishing the layout was lost.

Today, I'll have my camera fired up and ready to take more pics which I will hopefully get into a scrapbook sooner (is sooner a real word) then these pics.  We'll be going with the same crowd too.   -- My nieces and their fams, my brother & his wife and then her (my sis-in-laws) sister and husband and my step-son, wife and grandson will be joining us.  Yeah!  my grandson's first Independence day parade. 

OK the coffee is done and I am in desperate need of some.  I have very little down time this morning and will have to get my lazy bum (see previous post) moving if I want to get the occupants in my home to the parade route on time.  Ta-ta!

Lazy Bum

I was a lazy bum last night and did nothing but sit on my lazy bum.
OK -- maybe I did one or two things but seriously, in our life, that is the life of a busy woman to say you just sat on your bum and did nothing means you didn't spend your evening hours being frantic about other stuff. 

It was actually quite nice to just not do anything.  I think of everything that I need to get done or that I should be doing and while the nothing is or was a burning issue, it's not likely that I'll just sit around tonight. 

But really, isn't that what summer is supposed to be all about?  The chance or the expectation of just doing nothing?  I do feel a bit guilty but I'm working on that [the NOT feeling guilty].  I'm sure once I get my first cup of coffee in and figure a bit more out about this whole blogging thing that I will feel less guilty.  Oh yes, that means that I'm going to work on getting a few pictures taken for future posts -- one which I've already started composing and another that has been formulating in my mind since before I started this little piece of cyberspace.

Hello World!

Me: "I'd like to start a blog."
Friend: "You should? When?"
Me: "I don't know!"

Goal - start a blog. OK that's too general, Start a blog soon. Start a blog by July 1st.

OMG! It's July 1st and I'm not ready to start a blog.

However, I think I just need to jump in and get going. So, as programmers do when writing their first line of code: Hello World!
I'm entering blog-land. I know what I'm getting in to. I have a number of favorite blogs that I regularly follow. Hopefully mine too will be a reflection of who I am and where I'm at with my life.

So - hello to you all. I hope to be seeing more of you and soon.