Thank you, Cactus Cuties.

*****

If it’s blurry, go here and click on “watch in high quality.”

~Martha has some terrific patriotic craft videos…

~Michelle at Scribbit shares a great nature walk idea!

~You know how to melt down broken bits of crayon to make new multi-colored cakes, but check out these recycled crayon SHAPES shared at Haute*Nature- wow!

~You still  have time to make your own 4th of July banner- take a peek at Candice’s for some inspiration…

~Or adapt this project from Fancy Pants…instead of making fairies, dress up your subjects in red, white, and blue to make your own Yankee Doodle Dandies!

*****

What are your plans for the 4th of July?  I’ll bet you dollars to doughnuts that I’ll still be unpacking and getting the house settled, but perhaps we’ll stop to cook on the grill, enjoy some potato salad, and watch fireworks later in the evening.

As a young child, I could never picture that it was actually human beings rolling around, portraying these characters:

…and I admit, they kind of freaked me out! Thanks, Mummenschanz.

*****

~Ez at Creature Comforts posts a DIY Paper Flowers Tutorial

~The heat has obviously gotten to me, because this ice cream lamp is looking pretty cute!

*****

Feeling patriotic?

1. Wonder Woman, 2. Flag Crochet, 3. crafting 365, day 146, 4. US Flag, 5. Happy 4th Banner, 6. Homage to Betsy Ross, 7. crafting 365/ Day 82, 8. **4** atc 4th of July PaTRioTiC FaiRy aRt CaRd, 9. Yankee Doodle Sandy

But there have been a few hiccups along the way, one of which will mean that I won’t be back to blogging until July 9 or so. The family and I would certainly appreciate some good vibes sent our way as we navigate the mine field of misrepresentation by rental property managers…cough cough.

Thanks for reading and for continuing to visit during my absence from the blog- I hope to be back soon!

There was an old lady who swallowed a fly.
I dunno why she swallowed that fly,
Perhaps she’ll die.

There was an old lady who swallowed a spider,
That wriggled and jiggled and wiggled inside her.
She swallowed the spider to catch the fly.
But I dunno why she swallowed that fly -
Perhaps she’ll die.

There was an old lady who swallowed a bird;
How absurd, to swallow a bird!
She swallowed the bird to catch the spider
That wriggled and jiggled and wiggled inside her.
She swallowed the spider to catch the fly.
But I dunno why she swallowed that fly -
Perhaps she’ll die

There was an old lady who swallowed a cat.
Imagine that, she swallowed a cat.
She swallowed the cat to catch the bird …
She swallowed the bird to catch the spider
That wriggled and jiggled and wiggled inside her.
She swallowed the spider to catch the fly.
But I dunno why she swallowed that fly
Perhaps she’ll die

There was an old lady who swallowed a dog.
What a hog! To swallow a dog!
She swallowed the dog to catch the cat…
She swallowed the cat to catch the bird …
She swallowed the bird to catch the spider
That wriggled and jiggled and wiggled inside her.
She swallowed the spider to catch the fly.
But I dunno why she swallowed that fly
Perhaps she’ll die.

There was an old lady who swallowed a goat.
Just opened her throat and swallowed a goat!
She swallowed the goat to catch the dog …
She swallowed the dog to catch the cat.
She swallowed the cat to catch the bird …
She swallowed the bird to catch the spider
That wriggled and jiggled and wiggled inside her.
She swallowed the spider to catch the fly.
But I dunno why she swallowed that fly
Perhaps she’ll die.

There was an old lady who swallowed a cow.
I don’t know how she swallowed a cow!
She swallowed the cow to catch the goat… She swallowed the goat to catch the dog…
She swallowed the dog to catch the cat…
She swallowed the cat to catch the bird …
She swallowed the bird to catch the spider
That wriggled and jiggled and wiggled inside her.
She swallowed the spider to catch the fly.
But I dunno why she swallowed that fly
Perhaps she’ll die.

There was an old lady who swallowed a horse -
She’s dead, of course.

*****

Don’t forget to look for these when you visit the library or bookstore:

*****
What are some of your favorite “versions?” Dear Daughter is crushed I haven’t included anything by Hilary Duff…*sigh*…I just couldn’t do it. My iPod will be shuffling through music from the 70’s, 80’s and 90’s…new John Mayer, Jason Mraz, Goldfrapp, with Journey/Steve Perry as my usual reliable motivator. Of course America will keep me in the driving groove:

But we will not miss the wind, the heat, and the dirt:

If all has gone according to plan this week, today is the day we begin our drive OUT of El Paso, Texas, toward our new home in Kansas.

Gracias Marty:

(Enjoy the fashion!)

Diana Ross and the Supremes, Where Did Our Love Go

Tommy James, Crimson and Clover

ABBA, Dancing Queen

Seals and Crofts, Summer Breeze

Mom let me listen to the good stuff!

Before leaving the Bordertown, I wanted to finish up one last craft, a wedding gift.  Alex’s family rented rooms to my husband years ago when he was stationed in Germany, and we met up with her (and met Aaron) quite by accident a few months ago here in Texas.  Alex and Aaron are both soldiers, Alex in the German Army, Aaron in the U.S. Army, and both are into Harleys, like my husband.  Yes, it was the motorcycles that brought us full circle, but we have enjoyed the humor, company, friendship, and German COOKING ever since we were reunited.  Perhaps we can convince them to honeymoon in Oz!

Alex’s bike is black, Aaron’s is burgundy/red.  It was fairly simple to figure out a color scheme for their collage:

Figuring out the layers took a little time, trying this configuration, that arrangement, shaking my head, maneuvering each element into the spot that worked:

A pretty bow, a little heart charm:

Arranging the photos (black and white seemed to work best):

Black velvet ribbon for the trim:

Ta da!

Since I caught Alex and Aaron playing up and down the aisles of Hobby Lobby one weekend (seriously!), I’m thinking they just might like the gift.  If not, they’ll certainly enjoy the gift CARD TO HL!

(By the way, I used a 12X12 chipboard square for the base, decorative papers, a chipboard heart, burgundy Scrabble Tiles, ribbon, a small heart charm, brown photo corners, black brads, black velvet, and lots of hot glue for this project.  Not pictured is the metal stand I purchased to prop the collage against so Alex and Aaron can display it wherever they like.)

*****

~We’re still packing, I’m sure. By now I might be in need of Five Tips for Tranquility (thanks to WishStudio Blogzine)…

~ So it’s not yet Christmas in July, but Mom, if you need ideas for what we’d like for Christmas in DECEMBER, how about some of this guy’s knitted creatures?  Here’s his products page…

~Candice is making me wish my crafting goodies were unpacked by July 4!

*****

If all is going according to plan, we’ll watch the movers load up the semi tomorrow, and we’ll be relaxing in the hotel, getting a good night’s rest so we can start the drive to Oz on Saturday morning.  Thanks for any good thoughts you mentally send our way!