Easter with the family

Getting ready.

 

 

Preparing for the Easter egg hunt.

 

 

Company arrives...

 

Easter egg toes

 

A gift from mom. 

 

Relaxing on the deck in the sunshine!

 

 

 

Jonny made a fabulous dessert.

huckleberry pie in mason jars!

wonderful!

 

 

 

 

 

Yukon Golds and Daffodils...

I don't know why I've been so into St. Patrick's day this year.

Maybe its just to have something to blog about.

or maybe because my granddaughter loves anything Irish.

I sometimes need inspiration to cook a fine meal.

 

 

On Saturday I cooked my FIRST corned beef.

not my last.

I served it with baked Yukon Golds and green beans.

It smelled like hot dogs cooking all day.

hmmm, that can't be good.

 

the best part was Sunday morning...

corned beef hash.

Even better than I hoped!

Phil is not Irish.

 I was appalled when we went to fetch the catsup to put on his!

I said "don't you dare!"

 

He was appalled when I put fried eggs on top of mine!

We each enjoyed our plate.

 

 

Easter is only two weeks away!

 

Hippopotamus Teeth

George Washington's Birthday

I heard on the news this morning that he didn't really have wooden teeth - they were made from hippo bones. hmmm. They must have just looked like wood.

I think I've posted this postcard in years past, but I can't resist.  This year I looked at the other side of the postcard too.  It was written in 1912; sent from Olympia; to "my friend Leila".

This year I am also looking at the lovely leaves and cherries - I wonder if I can paint them.

I went to my favorite thrift store this week and bought two aeropostal t-shirts.

 

I confess I bought them because of the images on the front.

 

Especially the feathers - I am going to make some rubber stamps, using those as inspiration.

I'll also wear the t-shirts, likely under layers of sweaters and raincoats!

 

My valentine roses have held up beautifully.

This is what they looked like one week later.

 

The top one is our desktop wallpaper for now.

 

Inspiration everywhere

hurry up and craft ...

 I've always waited until after Thanksgiving,

yes, even until December 1st to start thinking about decorations, gifts, food for the holidays.

Until this year. 

 

Now I'm remembering how stressed and overwhelmed I get.

I have so many ideas of fun things to do and make...

and then I don't have enough time.

 

I started today!  November 12. My new "start" date.

 

 

I am putting together a care package for Walker.  I like to send a box of food for him to snack through over the 5 day Thanksgiving Holiday.  He and his roommates are totally capable of buying and cooking food for themselves.  This is for me. 

 

This is the first year they have a Christmas tree in their apartment too.

In fact, it is already up and glowing cheerfully in their apartment.

So, I wanted to send a couple of things for the tree too.

 

The above banner is vintage music paper, attached to baker's twine.

I figure it can go on the tree, or over a window or doorway.

 

 

I also covered these little glass balls with vintage music paper and dictionary paper, and added a sprinkling of "Stickles". This was an experimental project.  Each one I made I learned a little better way to do it.  I found the older and more fragile the paper the better.  And if the paper wasn't very fragile, crumpling it first helped a lot.  I tore it into small pieces, and adhered it with mod podge. I bought the balls at Goodwill. You can see the two I haven't done yet at the back - red.

 

I'm pretty happy with the way they came out and I think I'll do some larger ones for our tree.  Maybe one with a map on it. (by the way I got the idea from Pinterest) I liked how this egg carton fits them perfectly. I think that will be a good way to ship them and might make the boys laugh when they see them.

 

 

 I also started on decorating little tins to send gifts to the Minnesota grandchildren in. And I am working on the above shabby Christmas journal for a gift - Its almost ready to put the cover on. (in the style of the "Remains of the Day" journal class I took from Dispatch from LA.

 

 

Since we had an extra day this weekend, we even got a chance to go to Barnes and Noble this morning for coffee, and to get a new magazine full of MORE ideas.

 

Phase 1 of my Holiday plan is well underway.

 

The Fourth of July

July 4th

Independence Day!

fun

sunny

wonderful food 

horseshoes

birthday celebration

garden tour

family time

The Twelfth Day of Christmas...

The Twelfth Day of Christmas - January 6. I think its time to take down the rest of the Holiday decorations and pack stuff away in the attic for next year. I still have a December Journal to finish up, but mostly it is time to turn my attention to other things.

I spent the day with Wyatt, and a little time with Tori too. Came home and made my Enchilada Casserole - comfort food at its best! Long time after dinner, in front of the fire, we roasted a few marshmallows...talk about a big bite of childhood! ummmmm! The fire was so hot it only took a few seconds before they started to smoke and swell. We didn't even need the graham crackers and Hershey bars...

Even though Christmas is over, I am still enjoying my gifts.
All the above books were gifts I bought with Amazon gift cards. Thank you! You know who you are! I'm reading the Marisa de los Santos book now. Very good, almost as good as marshmallows.

and I'm continuing with my "Jump Start" online class. The last couple haven't been "how-to's" but rather messages of inspiration, so I don't really have anything to show for them. But the above I made from Day 2, a blogger from Spain! She made ATG's out of toilet paper! She had some tools I don't have, but I figured out a way to do it with what I have on hand. It consists of tp, a rubber stamp (the fern), glimmer mist, clear embossing powder, and my own words and image (the words came from a copy of Treasure Island that I am recycling). I don't know if I'll ever do any more like this, but it was fun and interesting to do.

***

I achieved my goal of posting every day in December, through January 6. Sometimes it was hard to come up with something blog-worthy. I hope my future posts will have lots more art and projects as that is what I am really burning to do right now.

The eleventh day of Christmas...

Random posting of random events in my life...never a dull moment.

Have you ever seen the Weinermobile in person? I did! I was sitting in my office, behind my bulletproof glass window, and what should drive by in the parking lot next door? (The Twin Star CU parking lot). Yes! The Weinermobile! What was it doing there? Was it lost? Is there a convention in town? It made me hungry for a nice grilled hot dog with mustard!!!

Rainier has three restaurants. This is one of them. I ate lunch here with Vicki today. Philly Cheese steak Sandwiches. Delicious! I could only eat half of mine.

I gave the other half to Walker - he remembered that Philly Cheese Steak Sandwiches are one thing they do make well at the school cafeteria!

Vicki gave me these wineglasses. She made them. Aren't they great? The stems are glass candle holders; the cups are mason jars. Walker and I had a Cranberry juice toast with them. We loved the feel and the heft of the glasses. Walker especially liked the one with the measure on the side, so you can keep track of how much you drink! Thanks Vicki! Unique and adorable!

And I made a dramatic change in my outward appearance today. Lightened up and foiled. I'm still getting used to it, but my 9 year old granddaughter LOVES it! I haven't heard any negative responses yet. I'm just shocked when I look in the mirror! I'm very fragile. Don't say anything bad!

***

Did you do anything dramatic or random today?

P.S. See my new BLOG LOOK? I love it! a surprise from my daughter.

The Tenth Day of Christmas

Wandering around Hillsdale campus...

at night...
during football season...

The football bus - excuse me, its a "coach",

equipped with movie screens...very comfy.

I don't think this is Hillsdale, it must be at one of the away games.

Walker's neighborhood - one block from school.

Nothing but deciduous trees.

College Baptist - W likes to attend.

***

I've really enjoyed getting to see pictures of some of these things I've only heard about. I also like to get pictures like this in more than one place, just in case.

Ninth Day of Christmas

Just sharing stuff: A peek at Walker's apartment building in Michigan...

His apartment is upstairs.

In the winter...
The back of it in the Spring...

bicycles...

The second installment in my "Jump Start" on line class was very interesting. Posted by a woman in Spain! She talked a bit (sub-titles, as she spoke in Spanish), showed photos of a family vacation "the North of Spain" on the ocean apparently. Beautiful and colorful. Those were her inspiration for an ATC she demonstrated. Her blog was in Spanish too, but with an English translation alongside. The demo looked promising, starting out with folded tp, but used more tools than I own. Still, I enjoyed it and can't wait to see what tomorrow has to offer.

The Seventh Day of Christmas...

A Happy New Year to you!

The best thing that happened in 2011 was my two grandbabies: Adrielle and Wyatt. They are both so adorable lovable and cute! I have had so much fun with them. Two trips to Minnesota this year! A first, but not a last!

Today was a working day - packing up the ornaments and decorations. a bittersweet time. The living room seems kinda dark now. I'll rearrange stuff tomorrow, and maybe buy a bouquet of red and white flowers. Tomorrow I'll go out and buy myself a nice coffee with my Starbucks gift card and see what the outside world looks like again.

The Sixth Day of Christmas

Good-bye 2011

OK, Six geese a laying is not creating any inspiration for me. I did make a nice breakfast this morning with six jumbo chicken eggs that did make me think of goose eggs! I made a kind of fake fritatta with sausages and hash browns and scrambled eggs all together with salsa and cheese on top. It must have been good because there was not a crumb leftover.

***

Last night we three went to a movie together...Hugo... We really enjoyed it! We've been wanting to go with Walker, but this was the first time we have all been available. I guess it's been around for a while because we could only find it in one theater, and in 3D. We loved every minute of it. The story, the effects, the scenery. It took place in a train station! It had lobsters! What a movie. Phil has already promised to buy it when it comes out in BluRay.

***

And, I am reading the most fabulous book now! This is one I bought for myself with my Amazon Gift Card credits (the first of five to arrive). It is THE GUERNSEY LITERARY AND POTATO PEEL PIE SOCIETY. It was published in 2008 and I think I've had it in the back of my mind to read since about then. I was at one of those parties where they are trying to get you to buy an anti-aging device, and one of the ladies raved about the book. It takes place just after the end of World War 2 and is a series of letters. I am torn between not wanting to put it down, and wanting to make it last. It is better than dessert!

Today we are staying home. My mom and dad are coming over for dessert later and we will probably have a quiet evening of playing board games and eating and watching old movies. Next time I post will be 2012.

How do you celebrate?