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Thursday, July 30, 2009

My Girls Are Here!!!

I've got my girls here! sorry no bloggin for a couple of days while we party till the cows come home! or something like that! ...in the meantime taking care of Lauren (aka: the vessel that is growing my grandchild) but you can be sure we are going to hit up some garage sales, and shop and eat out and watch movies and MAKE THINGS.

Wednesday, July 29, 2009

Wednesday Wisdom


I used to love watching Kitty Bartholomew's show on HGTV (ah the good old days before all the real estate shows). She used to always end by say


"It's not what you don't have. It's what you do with what you do have!"


That's something I firmly believe in!

Monday, July 27, 2009

Creating a Framed Earring Picture

I've been collecting frames for just "the right use". This weekend I finally found some metal meshing for a dollar. (instead of having to pay 8dollars at home depot for a MUCH larger amount than I would ever need.
Tools & items needed:
hollow frame, ruler, wire cutter, electric staple gun, (or strong staple gun), exacto knife, roll of small wire mesh, foam backing board, fabric or paper if you wish
measure the inside of the frame from the back. This is the measurement you will cut out of the wire mesh. There should be a lip you can staple into (where the glass of the frame sat)
with the wire cutters cut out the amount you will need. You will staple this onto the back side of the frame so make sure there is room on the lip for the staples not to show.
Stapeling on the back side of the frame, I used an electric stapler to keep the wire mesh in place. You don't have to use an electric one, it just goes faster.
Measure the outside of the frame for the foam board. This frame actually had a recessed area (lip) to staple the foam board. You can always staple it to the total outline diameter of the frame if there is no lip.
Measure out the foam board and using a ruler and exacto knife cut. (exacto knife so you don't bend the board when you cut...like scissors would do). Or you could use a heavy card board. You can cover the foam board with fabric or paper (using modge podge or paper glue or adhesive spray). It just so happened that my foam board was gold.
staple the foam board into place and that is that. Much easier that I thought. Within 1 hour I had a fun earring holder. If I find some S hooks, I can hang necklaces too.

Sunday, July 26, 2009

I love yard sales

disclaimer: I live in a small town where 65% of the population is over 65. There are a LOT of yard sales ...reasons: downsizing/death/moving/to make friends. Most garage/yard/estate sales are on Friday, I can only go on Sat

Kieri & I had fun at the sales this week: $1.00 for 2 bundles of spoons&knives for craft project, cheap paint brushes for 25cents, a LARGE partylite 3 wick Vanilla candle for only 2dollars, travel coffee mug 1.00 black satin fabric for 25cents and... 4 hooded baby towels for $3.00.

Brand new in box popcorn popper $5.00, 6 little jars for 1.00, autumn fabric for 25cents, cool tray for keys 1.00.

box of corn 1.00(I'm ready for fall)

and this was from the free box: spools of ribbons, Cinnamon sticks, bag of ribbons 2 bags petals, Christmas greenery, FREE

Saturday, July 25, 2009

Food Fun Friday- a day late-bread machine bread

So today we'll have Food Fun Friday, since we had fun with food today..
I do not have a bread machine -
Kieri found a bread machine at a garage sale for $10.00 -nearly new!
So SHE MADE US BREAD yum yum.. and that is fun for us.. with food.
nearly new machine
after 4 hours, smells wonderful
dumped out quickly... smelling wonderful
nice and brown..? too crispy? what does the inside look like?
yum

Wednesday, July 22, 2009

Lisa's Craft Class

SO MUCH FUN
we had our second craft class... This time we made bulletin boards.
so many colors
and so many cute ideas
here's Megan's before..
and after
the Harry Potter Board
this one was framed
and the cute red & zig zag and buttons
aren't we a fun creative group!

Wednesday Wisdom

Success is always temporary. When all is said and done, the only thing you'll have left is your character.
Vince Gill

Monday, July 20, 2009

I love yard sales

Not too many good yard sales, as the Lavender Festival was on and there were tens of thousands of people in town.!
Friday:
I did find another bulletin board for my class tuesday (on dollar) and a bunny planter for my mother for ten cents and a basket of... you guessed it Christmas orniments for fifty cents... and ONE DOLLAR FOR A ROLL OF QUILT BATTING~~~~ and on Sat I found this so cute (unique) caraf for FREE, and..... yep Christmas orniments... for FREE and then great old aqua BALL canning jars for fifty cents each! (to add to my collection)

Sunday, July 19, 2009

Kieri is Here!!!!!

yea!! I've got kieri home for a month!!! (and Lauren comes to visit in 2 weeks)

Friday, July 17, 2009

Lavender Festival

I come from the land of Pumpkins (Half Moon Bay, CA) but now I find myself surrounded with lavender fields……… hence the LAVENDER FESTIVAL.
Once a year our little town is over-run with tourists who come to smell the calming sent of lavender. Lots of tourists!
This weekend is Lavender Festival and the town is overcrowded with people wanting a little relaxation time, scrumptious food, sun sun sun and of course shopping for the perfect lavender inspired “thingie”.
I myself attend the street fair, but so far haven’t been to any of the 10 farm tours that feature a “unique” food & music program. Since I live here I can go to any of the farms that are open all summer long and get my smell of lavender and herbs so I’m not about to pay $15.00 and ride buses around to the fields to contend with the hoards of tourists.
I’ll just sit out in my own lavender field and meditate… about which garage sale I will hit up in the morning.
But I will always have a fondness for pumpkins!

Food Fun Friday-Creamy Chicken and Mushroom Pasta



Looking for an easy dish... that tastes great? You've come to the right place.




Creamy Chicken and Mushroom Pasta
In your slow cooker, dump: (I love to use that word in recipes!)
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp lemon pepper
1 tsp. garlic powder
6 skinless boneless chicken breast halves
10 oz. cream of mushroom (or chicken) soup
8 oz. sour cream
1/2 cup cooking white wine or chicken broth


1/2 # fresh mushrooms, sliced
Stir it all together right in your slow cooker. Yes, it's messy, and if that bothers you, stir it in a separate bowl first.
Cover and cook on high 5 hours, or on high 1 hour and then on low 5-7 hours.
I serve this over egg noodles or penne pasta.
Even the kids who think mushrooms are disgusting eat them in this dish.

Wednesday, July 15, 2009

Look What I made

I made this really cute bag. It was a kit at Joanns, I didn't even have to cut out these little squares... AND it was on sale!! now I'm ready for picnic's (already used it for plates & stuff) and... wait? what is that in the background.........
OH YEAH, ITS MY NEW CAR................ KIA SORENTO

here's mine, on a hill so it doesn't show well... I feel like a princess, or queen or something regal! Just wait till I put my vinyl cling on the back window.. ohyeah!

Wednesday Wisdom


Monday, July 13, 2009

I love Yard Sales

disclaimer: I live in a small town where 65% of the population is over 65. There are a LOT of yard sales ...reasons: downsizing/death/moving/to make friends. Most garage/yard/estate sales are on Friday, I can only go on Sat.

This weeks finds:
We love the old insulators (green/blue THE best) These were STILL attached to the poles(short) got um for the unbelievable price of $1.00 a piece.
Yep... someone around here is having a baby, I got all these (3 boy outfits, 2 girl outfits) for $1.00 a piece, BRAND NEW WITH TAGS. and socks, and bibs and girl slippers!! Oh yea, we don't know what our sweet grandbaby is yet.
A coach Purse for $10.00! unbelievable, and dishes and an assortment of stuff... everything you see here for $20.00.
I can't WAIT for KIERI and LAUREN to get HERE and GO to the SALES.

Sunday, July 12, 2009

89th Birthday Party

Grandma/Mom Kathrine was 89 years old! It was a great family get together! Lots of fun, family and food! Here's the Birthday girl.
Kathrine and her younger brother Clark, he's 87 and HE DROVE DOWN BY HIMSELF.--- that's over an hour in SEATTLE traffic!!!!!
more people and fun, ah I mean FOOD:
And Grandma and her twins!