Sun, Sand Dunes, Quads, Family and Friends

The Pacific Ocean at Florence, Oregon. Doesn't that white sand and clear blue sky look beautiful. (Who needs the tropics? Well, other than it is only about 70 degrees outside here.)

Spending time at the Oregon coast is a family tradition. We usually stay at Florence, which is on the central Oregon coast, and camp on the sand which makes it nice to just jump on your quads and take off riding on the dunes. It is a huge area designated for motorized vehicles to enjoy playing in the sand. You will see four wheel drive trucks and jeeps, dune buggies, four wheelers, motorcycles and every other imaginable toy to play in or on.

Here is my hubby with grandson Spencer on the beach.

Hubby again with grandson Matthew. Matthew talked grandpa into letting him ride his Banshee (aka, FAST BIKE). He has been riding quads since he was three and now that he is nine he likes new challenges. Fortunately for his mom and grandma's sanity grandpa only let him ride it with strict supervision. Needless to say this was the highlight of the trip for him, and grandpa was pretty proud too.

My daughter Tasha and son Dustin are chillin' just waiting to get our ride started.

Out for a day ride left to right, back row: Jim (hubby), Jason (son-in-law), Tasha (daughter), Dustin (son)

Front row: Spencer, Matthew (grandsons)

All of the bikes lined up.

Another angle of the bikes

Yep, that's this old grandma on a quad.

Wow, that helmet really emphasizes my fat cheeks, they are all squishy.

It's hard to tell from this photo but the drop off to this lake is like 200 ft. down to it from where we are.


Here is Dustin riding down to it...

...and then coming back up. This kind of riding makes me crazy. It is very hard to watch but these guys think nothing of it. I guess someone has to worry so I take that honor. Some things are better if I just don't know about them.

Thank Heaven For Little Girls

My daughter-in-law, Randy, came to my house for a day of crafting last Saturday and was inspired to make something for her baby's room. She is due in September to have a baby girl, which will be either grand baby number 7 or 8, you see, both of my sons wives are expecting babies on the same day, don't ask me to explain that one. We are getting a girl and a boy and are very excited.

Anyway, I thought that Randy did a great job. She designed and made the whole thing herself. You can see some more of her handiwork at her blog. She is also a very talented artist so be sure and browse around and check out some of her many talents.

Garage Sale Goodies

I hit a few sales this week-end and found some treasures.

Here is a brand new set of cookie cutters from Panpered Chef I got for $2

I found another cute little soup tureen. I am now up to six tureens. $1.50
I love this rustic wood carrier. Not real fond of the hearts though, maybe I will have to find something to put over them. I paid .50 for it.
I found this metal basket...I can see something Christmasy in it. It was .75
Lastly is this mail holder. There is some spray paint and scrapbook paper in it's future, I can just feel it. I paid $2 for it but it is in almost new condition, very clean.
I love garage sale season!!!!!

Head on over to Southern Hospitality (RHODA'S BLOG) for some thrifty treasures party.

Do You Doodle?

I glanced over at my desk calendar and saw all of these doodles and realized that I sub-consciously doodle while talking on the phone. Does anyone else do that? The funny thing is, I will just start out with a line or circle and then just start adding to it not even planning what it might be.

Hmmmmm, I wonder if doodles are like dreams, they take on a shape and meaning of their own with no rhyme nor reason.
I wonder if there are "doodle interpreters"? What would my doodles say about me?

What about you, do you doodle?

The Art Gallery

I found a really cute idea on a blog (unfortunately I can't remember where I saw it, if you know where it was please let me know so I can give credit for the inspiration). I had recently found this cute Amy Butler scrapbook paper and fell in love with it and new I had to find some way to use it. The title is in french which interpreted means "The Art Gallery".

Don't you think it would be adorable with some child's work of art displayed here?

Sorry about my lack of photography skills, the lighting just wouldn't
cooperate.

I am joining the party at:

CHARM PACKS FROM MODA

I thought I would pass on a really great idea for making you own crafts, quilts and flowers with already cut fabrics. My friend Christine sells these fabric packs from her web site called Fabrically Delicious.

I love them because;

1.) They are pre-cut into 5" squares.

2.) The guess work of matching fabrics is done for you.

3.) They are great sizes for cutting out flowers.

4.) They are very reasonably priced at $5.00 plus shipping for 37 squares.

Be sure and check out her site for other fabric packs. She also has some of her finished projects posted on her blog so you can see how incredibly cute this fabric is.

More Flowers and a Tutorial

I had a commenter request that I do a tutorial on how I make flowers. This particular flower is made from a strip of cotton fabric 2"x22". I actually ripped the fabric instead of cutting with scissors because I wanted a frayed edge. Listed below are the steps I used.1. Cut or rip a piece of fabric 2"x22".

2. Pull threads from the edges to give it a frayed look.

3. Fold fabric in half, lengthwise, with wrong sides together and press with an iron.

4. Take a needle and thread and make a running stitch along the folded edge.

5. I used black thread so you could see the stitches better in the photo's.

6. Beginning at the end with the needle begin pulling the thread so that the fabric begins to gather. Pull and arrange the fabric into a spiral, creating a flower.

7. Take needle and thread (which should still be attached on the back side) and make a few stitches in the center of the flower to hold the layers in place.

8. Pull and arrange the flower until you get it the way you want it to be.

9. I glued a bead in the center of the flower. You could also finish it off with a covered button or a simple small button.

I plan on using these flowers to embellish signs for my bazaar but you could glue a small circle of felt on the back to give it a finished look. Adding a pin bracket to the felt would give you a nice broach to wear on a sweater or blouse. Gluing several flowers onto a headband would also be another way to use the flowers.

Here are a few others I made too.

These were made using the rolled rose technique.


The blue one was made the same as the green flower.

I glued a small bead that looks like a fresh water pearl in the center of this one.

Head on over to Kara's blog or her Look What I Made Party.

Subway (Christmas) Art

I know it is July but making things for Christmas is what I need to do now so that when November comes I am not scrambling to get holiday items made (click here to see a slide show from last years bazaar).

Besides...I have fallen in love with subway art and wanted to make something using that technique.

(I am aware that 'donkey' looks like it is sloping upward to the right, I plan on fixing that)

I am joining some linky parties with this project. Check them out, there are some very creative and talented people out in blogland.

Get your craft on Thursday

Strut your stuff Thursday

Just A Girl, Show and Share Day

Just Another Day In Paradise Christmas In July Linky Party

Tatertots and Jello Subway Art Party

My Random Wednesday

With no inspiration in sight as to what to blog about I thought I would just do something random.

I made some more washer necklaces...

a new picture frame...
and some more flowers for embellishing some projects I have coming up.

AND EVEN MORE RANDOMNESS:

Some posies...
My newly put together fountain, (the birds are enjoying taking baths and sips of water from it. Oh ya, my 4 year old grandson thought it was a drinking fountain and took some sips too).flowers planted in one of my urn planters that I used for a fall decoration (here) last year.

LOOK AT THESE BABIES...AHHHHH!!!

• Check out what showed up at my daughter's house just in time for the Fourth Of July!
  
  

I came across directions on You Tube for these adorable fabric flowers and knew it was something I had to try. I got the fabric from my sweet friend Christine from Christine's Favorite Things. She has a web site called FABRICALLY DELICIOUS where she sells all kinds of cut fabrics ready for quilting or other crafting projects. There are some adorable fabrics to choose from. These flowers were cut from 'Charm Packs', (pre-cut 5" squares of fabric), this one is called Basket of Flowers by Mary Engelbreit. Here is a close up of the one on the left...
... and this is a close up of the one on the right.

Now I need to make something cute that needs embellishments so I can use these flowers
I also got another sign finished for my bazaar inventory.

Additions To Craft Bazaar Inventory

I have slowly been working on adding to my bazaar inventory. Lately I have fallen in love with making washer necklaces, they are so easy and fun to make. I'm not sure if you can see the finish on this or not but I have discovered something called Paper Glaze by Aleene's.
It gives a thick layer over the top of the paper. I must say that I was pleased with how this product works.

(No I have not been paid to promote this product. I just couldn't find the Mod Podge Dimensional Magic at either of the craft stores near me.)

I found a tutorial on a blog called Crafts Keep Me Sane on how to make a necklace using several washers. You can check her out here.
Here I have added extra beads and a charm.

I also started working on some Christmas items for the bazaar too. I know it's kind of hard to think about Christmas with the Fourth of July in just three days.