Christmas Sign Project

A sign we just finished! Yes, the stars really light up! :)



Our finished sign!

And...The sign while it was in the making...



And...Here is the finished product!

I Feel Like a Kid on Christmas Morning!

There's something about seeing the photos I've taken after they've been printed that makes me feel like a kid on Christmas morning! :)
This post is also in the Members Area!

My First Quilt Making Project

As I started on this, my first quilt (made out of my Mom's fabric/clothing) one evening, earlier this week, I noticed a piece of red fabric was in my Mom's sewing machine. Justin and I was trying to think of what the red fabric was that my Mom was sewing, and we think we finally figured it out. Our family held a Christmas gift drive to help local kids in need, and Mom sewed the stockings for those kids! It's only a piece of fabric, but again, it's another part of Mom that will go in her (now my) sewing box.

My progress on the quilt so far...

A Part of Mom

Practicing quilting with scrap fabric. 
The other day I was really wanting to call my Mom and have a conversation with her...just to talk to her. After all it's pretty much became a daily routine for us to talk on the phone at least once daily. It occurred to me at that same instant that I couldn't call Mom though. She's gone from this Earth, no more phone conversations.

A few days or so later I became really motivated to start on a quilt. The quilt is going to have Mom's fabric/clothing as the squares/patchwork. It makes it even more special to be using Mom's sewing machine. I'm just now learning to quilt, but I'm determined and motivated to learn...with my Mom's machine and some motivation this quilt is going to be so very special. This quilt is going to contain at least a part of my Mom from some of the things she loved!

The New Keyboard Stand!

I asked Justin and the kids to get me this for Christmas!  :)

Sock Snowmen!

Here are the snowmen we made out of socks.  :)   From left to right: Breann's snowman, mine, Justin's, and Troy's.  



More Photos are in the Members Area!

My New Hobby...

When I was a kid, I started piano lessons for a short time. I am happy to say that I have now started practicing on my keyboard again. Lovin' it! :)

My Camera...

One of the best pass times I have...capturing moments and turning them into memories!  :) 

Flower Gardening 2013

Gardening 2013

We've started over the past week...  :)

Photography Assignment: Blurred Background

This was a photography assignment I had this week with one of the photography courses I am doing online.  It is of a clear subject (the coffee cup) with a blurred background.

Bow Tutorial

A lot of people have asked how I make my bows out of wrapping paper when I do my gift wrapping.  So...I decided to put together this tutorial.

Things You Will Need:

• Wrapping paper (usually needs to match the wrapping paper that your gift is wrapped in).
• Tape
• Scissors
• Something shaped like a circle in the size that you want the bow (for example a cereal bowl)

Directions:

Step 1: Using the circle shaped object of choice (for example a cereal bowl), trace five circles on the bottom side of the wrapping paper.


Step 2: Cut out the five circles.


Step 3: Cut seven straight lines on the circles (making flaps/strips, as shown below).


Step 4: Make cone shapes of each of the flaps you just cut (as shown below).  Tip: I also go ahead and tear my tape that I use for the bows prior to making the bows, and just stick them to the edge of something, that way it is easy to grab the tape and keep going.  For this you will need 39 strips altogether (35 strips for the cone shapes, and 4 other strips, which you will be shown for what later in this tutorial).




Step 5: This is where the other 4 strips of tape come in!  Fold together each of the strips of tape and put a strip of tape on the inside of each of the now complete circles (for only four of the circles).  Note: One of the completed circles will not need tape on the inside.


Step 6: Stack the circles ontop of each other (as shown below).  The circle without tape on the inside will go ontop.  Be sure to press down on the inside of each of the circles to make sure they stick together good plus they seem to close in on the bow better.


Step 7: Fold together a piece of tape and stick the bow to your gift and you're all done!

A Fun Fall Day!

A fun day at home, making snacks (a veggie bar and "Snickers Caramel Apple Salad"), and making forts!

Our dog, Bo was put up in the building for a bit, because he kept knocking the kids fort over, but once they let him back outside, he was happy to do it again, and then play with a soccer ball ontop of it!

More Photos are in the Members Area!

Breanns 12th Birthday Party!

Today, I celebrate the 12th year of my daughter!  One more year and she will be a teenager, it is so hard to believe she is 12 years old!! 

We celebrated Breann's birthday this past weekend with an owl themed birthday party.  My mom, my husband, and I made the cake.  We had such a great time at the party with family and friends!

    More Photos are in the Members Area!

My First Fondant Cake: Bird and Tree Cake

I took Food Service when I was in high school and did some cakes then, but never did things such as cakes with fondant, as they usually were with regular icing.  Well...I have REALLY been wanting to try cakes with fondant.  So I decided I would try a cake last night to see how it turned out. 

This was my very first cake with fondant, and I even had my husband to help me with this one.  It is a tree with birds and flowers.  I really am happy with how this cake turned out!!  :-)

Flower Gardening 2012

Well, we have been super busy as of lately, but we wanted to set out some nice flowers, from the potted plants hanging on the porch to lilies (which I absolutely love, they are so beautiful), to hibiscus...everything is so pretty outside right now with all of the colors from the flowers we planted.

Anyhow, we did a lot of flower planting this weekend and my husband decided to take a few pictures of the lilies...here is what he came up with...


 And...we, of course, had to include a photo of our American Bulldog, Bo (who was also enjoying this past weekend's weather).

My New Project...

I started a project awhile back...and I do mean awhile when I say "awhile back" on TRYING to teach myself to crochet a blanket, which I never really got that far on and it is still a work in progress (as now I THINK I know how to really crochet a blanket as I found out about a week or two ago that a friend that I have known since elementary school has known how to crochet for around five years and is showing me how).

Anyhow...since the first blanket I tried to teach myself to do is still a work in progress as it was HAS to be a complete do-over...LOL (and I've started on it...just not made a whole lot of progress with it since I am working on this one) and the blanket was originally going to be for my daughter.  Breann has decided she wants different colors so I thought I would post my progress up with this one...updated favorite colors and all!

So here we go...my progress so far!

Updates from Snow Town

LOL...that should be where we live's second name...Snow Town...after all, that seems all that it knows how to do around here.

Another view out our window (includes snow):

And...my update from snow town today includes my most recent project.  I recently have taken up

I'm SO Excited!!

Justin and I have made the building of our house kinda' an ongoing project...for the most part it is finished and has been for a little over a year or two (and yes, we built our own house), but...there are a few things that are still left to do...the trim, etc.  We chose when we bought this place to not be forever in debt...we decided we would buy the materials to build the place as we could and we've stuck to it!!

And...guess what?!?  We now have the trim and are in the process of putting it up!!  :)