Wednesday’s Wreath…a GIVEAWAY!
Funny, the inspiration you can find in the clearance sale bins at Michael’s! Tulle on sale, in a color I haven’t used before…some pretty pink buttons, a piece of pink felt, left over blue fabric, and some wavy blue sparkle yarn (also on clearance). Put it all together around a wreath form and voila:
With a few sheer pink ribbons throughout:
Blue felt too:
And no, it goes with NONE of our home decor. It’s too foo-foo for Dear Daughter, and I’ll be lucky to get the buttons I’ve chosen as “filler” back from the toddler in order to finish this pretty take on a blue mood.
Eureka!
A giveaway! Yeppers, I want to guarantee that this blue/pink/tulle combo goes to a blue/pink/tulle loving home! Leave a comment on this blog post (or at Kindergarten’s 3 R’s, same post) by next Wednesday, May 5, and I’ll draw the winning name to be posted on Saturday!
I’ll post another photo once the wreath is completed- you know, after I sneak the buttons away from the toddler during his nap!~
Furniture Fan…Fanatic?
The post-wide yard sale was a success yesterday, at least in our neck of the woods. We sold enough functional-but-no-longer-for-us furniture (the bookcases with glass doors, the pink wingback recliner, our daughter’s computer desk, two televisions and vcr’s… a kitchen cabinet, a dryer in need of a new heating element, the toddler’s bed, some area rugs and runners), some kitchen odds and ends (single glasses, mugs, pots with no lids, lids with no pots-heh heh heh, no, they didn’t match!- the toddler’s old plastic Playtex bottles, baby spoons), clothes (toddler, adult, teen), home decor (some of my handmade seasonal wreaths, tchotchkes I didn’t want to try to renew/refurbish), toys, books, and magazines. It was rather funny, all of my British Home and Gardens and Country Living style magazines sold while my husbands biker-type mags didn’t. Yard saling ladies know what to avoid, apparently!
I’m not sure we lightened our load significantly however. For you non-military family readers, soldiers and their families have a weight limit on their household items based on the soldier’s rank. My husband’s promotion in October added a thousand pounds to our allowance, but I’m guessing we’ll still be close. While in the Bordertown, our daughter got a new double bed and two new chests of drawers, the toddler upgraded to a twin bed, I purchased a desk and bookcase set for my cubby, and the family gave me a kitchen cart/island for Christmas. Dear Husband added a bookcase to his study and our kitchen microwave is huge compared to our old one. We’ll see.
It was very easy for me to NOT go yard saling yesterday! Though the weight limit has consistently asserted itself in the back of my mind for the past five years, I also know we’re moving back to the land of antique malls, thrift stores, and hidden treasures this summer! My husband and I have decided that we are willing to spend the next two years searching for just the right pieces for our home: “real” barrister bookcases, complete with leaded glass panes in the doors
,
an overstuffed low-backed leather chair
,
drop leaf tables
,
a new desk for our daughter
,
and various styles of storage furniture~ file drawers
,
map chests
,
card catalog drawers…
Yes, the weight limit will be blown off its doors when my husband retires!
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Of course, I’ll also be on the look-out for “vintage bling” so I can make photo frames like Cupid’s Charm …
Michelle at Scribbit posted a delicious sounding French Onion Soup recipe that just might become my post-furniture-shopping-trip-treat…
…and if I stumble across one of these, I will in fact NOT buy it, though I certainly will try it!
(Nes)quik to Candy Container
Dear Daughter is getting on the plane this afternoon to fly to Vegas (family wedding) and wanted a “cute candy container” to transport her pecan/rolo/pretzel nummies on board. We are a family that does reuse and recycle, though not as much as we could (moving every other year has that effect, though what we don’t take with us, we donate), but we are indeed, making an effort.
Case in point: our toddler loves “bunny milk,” and the empty containers left over each time he finishes either the chocolate or strawberry powders (sometimes we mix them!) are perfect storage containers for pens/pencils/markers or any other bits and bobs I have in my craft area. The bright yellow plastic certainly makes for cheery projects!
Here’s the clean container wrapped in pretty paper:
Floral ribbon to cover the edge of the paper:
Paper cut to fit the lid:
Chipboard letters that spell “candy”:
Some sparkle, photo corners, and the hint to “enjoy:”
Empty:
But even better FULL:
Num!
Show and Share Thursday: We Went for a Walk
Spring has sprung here in the Bordertown, so the toddler and I decided to take a walk today, enjoying the foliage, flowers, colors, and textures:
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* Here are some details of our local desert foliage, thanks to El Paso Water Utilities.
* A Plant Hardiness Zone Map for those of you with greener thumbs than mine…
* Martha provides how-to’s for making pressed plant cards…
* Casa Sugar suggests making your own aphid spray to keep the pests at bay and your plants thriving…
* Paper-and-String made “disguises” for her Happy Trees!
* Crayola has a cute craft idea for spring or May Day bouquets (kindergartners LOVE to dress up and sneak through the school to leave these on classroom doors- and the dress-up factor helps me in some sneakiness of my own: May 1 is the day I photograph my students for their end-of-the-year certificates!)
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Where flowers bloom so does hope.
- Lady Bird Johnson, Public Roads: Where Flowers Bloom
Playing with Pastel Pretties
Don’t mind me, I’m playing with Flickr…
Finding photos of girlie, sparkly, pastel-ey, crafty, and architectural stuff has been a fun activity during the toddler’s nap this afternoon. Much more fun than, oh, laundry…
1. Botanical Faerie Banner *SOLD*, 2. Pretty pastel mobiles 1, 3. Pretty Pastels, 4. sidewalk chalk, 5. Thrifted/Revamped Flower Pot, 6. Los Sultans, 7. Pretty pastels, 8. Rainbow Baby Blanket, 9. Show your buttons Sunday!, 10. gorgeous ribbons, 11. Vintage Pastel Pot Holder, 12. Untitled
I Want to Collect…
1. Cookie and Count, 2. Hooper’s Store, 3. The Robinsons, 4. Sesame Street Sign
I had this toy when I was a child, along with a Fisher Price house, the boat, the hospital… I don’t recall having the schoolhouse, but I’m thinking I’ll add “Vintage Fisher Price” people to my wish-list for Christmas!
Er, uh, I mean wouldn’t this toy be GREAT for my kindergarten classroom?
Tick Tock *Click* It’s…
* Cream Puffs in Venice posts a recipe for Baked Tortiglioni with Cream and Pancetta
* Bugs Bunny should hop over for Carrot Souffle in Laura Rebecca’s Kitchen
* Maggie Crawford of Tangerine Studio illustrates puppy love like no other (kitty love too, but the dogs are my favorite!). Here’s her blog…
* Tammy describes how to make “wonky fabric…”
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Wish me luck, I have a phone interview Monday afternoon for a teaching position!
Seen on Sunday
“Wed tain Mommy, wed tain!”
“Boo-boo cykul Mommy, boo-boo cykul…” (a friend’s bike was hit by a driverless car this morning- the bike’s rear fender is toast, and the paintjob is scratched, but our friend is fine! Yes, I typed “driverless…”)
And Miss Laurie from Laurie’s Charming Designs entered me into a drawing for one of her paper flowers! It arrived just in time to join me in reading the newest Somerset Life, that just so happens to feature Laurie’s beautiful birds (pages 70-73):
Take a look at the beautiful handpainted envelope! Thanks so much Laurie, I’m enjoying reading about your “soft perches” and will find a special place for my beautiful flower!
Show and Share Thursday: Playing Dress Up
Happy Thursday!
As a little girl, I loved to play dress-up. My mother, being a teacher, allowed me to take lick-and-stick foil stars out of her desk whenever I wanted to be Wonder Woman- after all, bracelets and headband/tiaras weren’t *really* like Wonder Woman’s unless they had stars on them! I loved looking through her high school yearbooks, because they had full-page photos of Homecoming and Prom royalty, decked out in crowns, robes, formal dresses, gloves, and dyed-to-match shoes. Each Christmas I had a new holiday dress, each Easter too. They usually twirled.
My first prom was in an Eskimo village at the top of the world, and surprisingly, I was invited to attend even though I was only in the eighth grade. I attended many more proms throughout high school, and dabbled in pageantry as well, so I had a steady fix of satin, rustley tulle, high heels, and sparkly jewelry to wear.
When I became a kindergarten teacher, it was natural to continue to play dress up! Fairy Tale Dress Up Day was enjoyed annually in my classroom, and I always made sure to wear a twirly dress and sparkly crown. When my husband and I met, I had no idea that my love of taffeta, Gunne Sax, and evening handbags would serve me well as a military “significant other,” a future (and present) military spouse.
No, I’ll never have a reason to archive my favorite gowns, but for now, I just can’t bear to part with these:
My “Zorro” gown was what I wore to my first Military Police Ball in Alaska…it swishes, it rustles, it sparkles, it’s gorgeous…
This is my Gunne Sax treasure- all lace, pearl buttons, ribbons…I wore it to a Christmas/Holiday Ball:
Details, details, details…
of these…
I could have danced…all night…
**As for the gowns that I CAN part with, they’ll be on Ebay this week**
Even fully decked out in a fancy gown, pretty jewelry, and possibly a tiara, I know I’m only pretending to be a fairy godmother. After listening to last night’s Democratic debate, I agree with Tara: just because a person wears a little flag pin on his or her lapel doesn’t make that person truly patriotic. Patriotism isn’t what you wear, it’s what you do. And yes, could we please stop dumbing down the debate questions?
“I was going to write that patriotism does not require wearing a silly cheap plastic flag pin bought from Wal-Mart and made in China. I don’t care if you drape your front lawn in flags and wear a flag pin every waking moment, if you aren’t doing something to establish a dialogue and change the downwards spiral in America, you’re part of the problem.
Patriotism is questioning what’s happening in your country. Patriotism is being a soldier trying to stay alive amidst terrible conditions in a war fought under false pretenses. Patriotism involves the families who struggle to pay bills while their husband or wife is in Iraq or returning soldiers who have serious injuries, yet must fight to get the proper medical care they need. Patriotism is those who fight for the underdog and try to protect the Constitution and our civil liberties. Patriotism is shining attention on critical issues affecting us all, such as global warming and human rights. Patriotism involves helping insure a better future for our children and their children, by keeping informed about issues that impact our lives. Patriotism is thinking for ourselves. It is not accepting blindly what someone else tells you to do - that’s fascism.”
Tara Bradford, Paris Parfait
Wonderful Stuff Wednesday
Click away my dears, click away:
The 167th Carnival of Education is up and running at The CEA Blog (Columbus Education Association), and heh heh, they saved the best for last (KIDDING!), “Flipping a card…it’s on this blogger’s pet peeve list.” Yep, that would be my Popsicle Stick post! I’m looking forward to reading the other entries this week!
Num. Num. Oh my goodness…. *****NUM*****
- Copycat Macaroni Grill’s Reeses Peanut Butter Cake, thanks to The Secret Recipe Blog
- Cream Puffs in Venice makes us an offer (a recipe) we can’t refuse: Cannoli Cake
- Scribbit reminded me of a cake an old friend used to make for me when I was down in the dumps, “Dump Cake“
- Cakespy took inspiration from dessert-favorite Carrot Cake and created broccoli, sugar snap pea, radish, parsnip, and even brussel sprout cupcakes!
Crafting and Creativity
- I’m inspired to take a Trip Around the World while crafting in my own home, thanks to Lisa at Celebrate Creativity In All Its Forms, and all I need is fabric, thread, a sewing machine, and a rotary cutter!
- Inspired Ideas, volume 1, number 2 offers a tutorial on how to make Friendship Pins
- CasaSugar shows us how to make a self watering recycled vase (these would be terrific for classrooms as well!)
- Vicki at This Art That Makes Me Happy teaches us how to make a paper ruffle
Several!
- Laurie makes the old new again (with the help of hand-crafted fine-feathered-friends) at Laurie’s Charming Designs
- Visual Voice offers terrific photos documenting the fine art of bell pulling…
- Have you checked out Blogtations yet? Quotes from blogs, and today my favorite is this: “Everyone knows that, if you want to give a child an exciting horticultural experience, have them plant a bean seed—because they sprout in a week and are a hardy plant. Not here. My garden is the kiss of death to a seed which millions of kindergartners have successfully sprouted before they ever learned how to read.” Whine Country
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