Painted Water Color

I'm a little behind in posting this.  Back in November I particpated in the Gift Exchange that Craftaholics Anonymous put together.  This is what I sent to Mandy.

I cut out some embossed paper to make the cross and glued it to something similar to card stock.  I used greens and blacks water colors and painted this:

Where I partied this week:

http://betweennapsontheporch.blogspot.com/

http://craftskeepmesane.blogspot.com/

My little girl has skills

Watching her show off her skills makes me so proud.

 

Sneak Peak

How many projects can one have going on at the same time? 

:)

Right now I have started 3.5 projects.  I say .5 because I have one idea laid out but I have not actually started it yet.

Here is a sneak peak of what is going on at my house right now.

World's Greatest Hot Chocolate

When your back yard looks like this...

(and yes, this is my back yard.)

You might want a little of this...

My friend Dennis shared with me a Hot Chocolate recipe about a year ago and I now make it all the time.  I have even given it as Christmas gifts. 

Here are the ingredients:

I picked up all these at the dreaded store Walmart.

All you do is find a really big bowl or a brown paper bag works too, mix together a large can of hot cocoa mix, a large can of coffee creamer, half a box of dry milk, and half a bag of powdered sugar.    Now, just get yourself a cup of hot water and add about 1/3 cup of mix.  Give it a good stir and enjoy!

You can add more or less of the dry milk or powdered sugar depending on how sweet you would like your hot chocolate.  I make it all different ways because honestly, I cannot always remember the exact ingredients unless I get out my recipe and who always has time for that? 

Thrifty Thursday

So many of you out there love great finds just like I do.  How great of a rush is it when you find something that you have been looking for at DIRT CHEAP prices?  I have this great little shop here in my hometown that has stuff dirt cheap.  I can get 10 books for $1.00 all the time.  So if I ever need a few hardback books, I go there.  From time to time they have a back room with all kinds of stuff that is 5 items for $1.00. 

I stopped by this store this week and look what I found...for next to nothing I might add.

I found this cheese dome for $1.00 and this huge fork for only $0.50!!

Grand Total $1.50




Isn't she lovely?  A nice small size and in good condition.  Just needs a little cleaning and sprucing up.

 



Since I just add a fork & spoon canvas,  I thought this fit nicely into the new "theme" in my kitchen.

 

Have anyone of you been doign ZUMBA too?

I have and I have so much fun doing it!

I don't get to go to an actual class.

I have been playing the DVD's in my living room. 

My family laughs at me as they walk through the room.

But I don't care.

I am burning calories and having fun at the same time.

What a bargain.

Give it a try.

You might love it too.

ZUMBA!!



Does Anyone Notice Besides Me?

How is it possible that I can change things around in my house and no one notices? 

The only way my sweetie notices is if I tell him.  I have had this new picture hanging in our kitchen for about a week and dh didn't realize it till I told him. 

The only reason he noticed these lamps were because there was light in the room.

Does anyone else live with someone like this?  :) 

The Painted Studio: Dresser Drawers Redo

When others are inspired by your ideas, that is a cool thing.

Rhonda over at Dollar Craft stores posted a list of 52 Awesome Low Budget Craft Projects.

My Dresser Drawers Redo was #28 on the list.  :)

Happy Sunday

Vinyl Tile

My mom got me this pretty tile for Christmas.  It has a happy home in my living room. 

Looking at it everyday make me wish I had a cricut of my own. 

I know I could do so many wonderful things with it.  :) 

Spoon & Fork Canvas

 Over the summer I started a small kitchen redo project.  I painted my kitchen RED and stopped there.  I wanted to hang stuff on the walls but I have been slow to do so.  I don't want to just throw something on the walls.  I want to put something up that I really love.  I had spotted some spoon and fork canvas that I really loved.  I thought maybe I could paint one but never really got around to it. 

So....last night as I go to my local Family Dollar store to grab some laundry detergent as I push my cart through the store my eye spies a very pretty spoon and fork canvas!!!  Not only is it beautiful and a good size but it is only $10!!  Did you read that?  TEN DOLLARS I SAID.

The details of the spoon and fork are wonderful.  Behind them is one of my favorite bible verses

Joshua 24:15

"As for me and my house we will serve the Lord".

The canvas is actually two canvas but they were stapled together and I left them that way.

They measure 20 x 25.  I think that is a good size.

 Here is a picture of my kitchen.  I have hung up drop cloths for curtains, painted the walls red, and hung a few items on the wall.  The things I want to change here are the chair cushions and I'm looking for a vintage black phone.  I will change and add things to this breakfast nook as I find things I love.  For now, I am really happy with my new canvas.

I am in Love!

I now have the prettiest dining room suite.  It once belonged to my husbands great grandmother.  It has wonderful details and is very lovely.  I am told it is about 80 years old.  I am just smitten with it.  Here are some of my "before" pictures I wanted to share with you.  It does need some cleaning and freshening up. 

The color of the wood is beautiful and I love the details of the doors on the buffet.

The captain chair.  See the dust all over it?

The simple details of the chairs are quit lovely.

The table has been sitting in grandpa's house for some time.  There has been a doily table cloth on it and you can still see the pattern after the table cloth was taken off.

Isn't she marvelous?  What a Buffet.

Confessions

I must admit that my house is not what I would want it to be.




Now, don’t get me wrong. I LOVE my house. Mainly, the square footage is what I love…it has plenty of room for my family to spread out in. My kids can run around like crazy sit and play games without disturbing anyone. My oldest daughter has her own apartment suite upstairs. (Okay, it’s not really a suite but we do kid her about how much room she has upstairs.) I can actually say we have rooms in our house we don’t use that much.



With all that being said, there are only about 2 maybe 3 rooms in my house that I love. This year, 2011, I plan on making a few more rooms something special.



I love looking at blogs and seeing what other people are doing with their homes. You guys are my inspiration.

Merry Christmas

I know I have been gone for a while but I plan to be back after the first of the year posting again!

I hope your family has a very Merry Christmas.

Distress Ink :)

So many of you crafters out there have been using this stuff.

Some of you distress the edges of paper, use it to as paint, and for stamping.

All kinds of things.

 This past weekend I went here

and purchased some of my very own distress ink.

Sweet!  That makes me happy.  :)

Thanksgiving Dressing

Thanksgiving is a wonderful Holiday...my favorite to be exact. 

For the last 12 years, I have spent most of this day in my mother-in-laws kitchen.  We cook most of the morning, eat, veg out, and play games the rest of the day. 

She is a wonderful cook and she has taught me many things.  One of those things being how to make fantastic dressing!  Now granted, I have never made it all by myself.  I feel much better with her over my shoulder telling me what to do and that way I know I won't mess it up.

This is her mother's recipe and it is wonderful.

corn bread / old bread / biscuits
2 eggs
onion
celery
butter
(2 tsp) sage
(2 Tbs) salt & pepper
apple (peeled & chopped)
chicken or turkey broth

Chop onion and celery, and saute in butter in a small pan until tender. Mix all the ingredients and then add the broth until it is nice and juicy. You can add meat at this point if you would like. Bake in the oven at 400 for 10-20 minutes.

Happy Thanksgiving