FRAME MAKEOVER

I picked up this picture at a yard sale last summer. 

Isn't it lovely? 

What? 

You don't think so either?

Well maybe about 1985 it was lovely but not in 2011.

I actually bought it because I really liked the metal thingies on the corners.

After removing the picture and painting the frame I felt like it improved it by about 75%.

The next step was to find something unique to put in it.

I saw this saying recently and loved it.

I inserted scrapbook paper in the frame and put the vinyl right on the paper.

Now I am 100% satisfied.

I have been home bound this week because of snow.   Tomorrow I MUST GET OUT AND GO SOMEWHERE, CABIN FEVER HAS SET IN!

Have a great weekend.

HOP ON OVER

For some Easter fun, that is.  I actually used the vinyl that I cut with my Silhouette as a stencil to create these cutsie blocks.
Adding the glitter was the crowning touch, it just made them sparkle, (duh, glitter does actually sparkle, I just couldn't come up with a good adjective to describe how cute the glitter made them).

Here you can see the beige vinyl I used as the stencil.  I then painted the areas the colors I wanted and let it dry.

 Then I just peeled up the vinyl.

 It actually peeled up pretty well.

 I love how crisp the lines are. 

After I got all of the vinyl peeled I just painted Elmers Glue-All glue onto the designs and sprinkled with crystal fine glitter by Martha Stewart.

These photo's do not do these justice.  They are so stinkin' cute.

Thanks Shannon for the inspiration.

Joining up with these linky parties:

SIGNS OF SPRING

The crocuses are ready to put forth flowers.  They will be the first to bloom.

The daffodils won't be far behind the crocuses.  Look at those tight buds, they can't wait, and neither can I.

The tulips are being very brave poking their little heads out.  Also the bleeding hearts (shoots on the right side of the photo) are showing some bravery as well.

Another little patch of daffodils.

Can you tell I am anxious for Spring to arrive?   Unfortunately the weather is calling for snow and lower than normal temps. over the next few days, I am hoping these little gun jumpers are hearty enough to stand it.

ONE GREAT KID!

Let me introduce you to one GREAT kid. 

This is Matthew, my grandson.  He has been riding quads since he was three years old.  This last summer he got to ride Grandpa's Banshee quad for the first time, he was so excited and thrilled to get to ride it by himself.

 He is a really smart young man, he is currently reading the fourth Harry Potter book. 

He wrestled for the first time this year and is making wonderful progress, each meet he gets better and better.

 He is also a great cousin, he is holding his baby cousin Dawson, (how many nine year old boys would want to hold a baby?). 

Matthew is also my game player, we have one particular game he and I play all the time.  It is Skip-Bo with a twist, we call it Turbo Skip-Bo.  We have tweaked it so that we play continuously until our piles are gone, not stopping to take turns, just full on and fast.
He is also a great Banana Grams player.  He can come up with some great words, frontier for one.  He did get one of the words wrong just because I told him it was right, I looked it up later and I was wrong.  The word was forfeit which I said was right as he had it at 'forfit'.

I love this guy, he is one awesome kid in my never to be humble opinion.  Any grandma would be proud  to have him as a grandson, I just happen to be that lucky Grandma.

FEBRUARY CRAFTY LADIES

Beginning in January I invited several people to join me once a month to have a craft night.

Last night these CRAFTY LADIES came to my house for our February craft, which was making their choice of two different canvases.

This is one of the LADIES applying the vinyl to her canvas.

Wendi was the first one finished with her project.  She had just come from her Zumba class (you go girl!) and didn't want to be in the picture so I took this shot from behind her with just part of her showing.

She is an amazing crafter, she was the last one to get there and the first one finished.

Lauren was the next to get hers done.  Doesn't she look so proud?

 Doreen admiring her completed canvas.  She was so excited about how hers turned out.

Melanie didn't even want to be in this photo so she just peeked out around her finished canvas.

(Photo quality is terrible but this is the only shot I got of her with her project.)

We had lots of fun and even more laughter.   What was even better, most of these gals had never met but by the end of the night there were stories being shared like they had been friends for years.  Yep, there is something about crafty ladies that just feels so comfortable.

Randy, my daughter-in-law, was going to make one but she ended up with a very tired baby that wanted to just go home and go to bed so she didn't get hers completed.

Thanks for the fun Ladies, I look forward to next month!

BLOG POST SHOUT OUT

Once in a while I come across a blog post that just speaks to me.

This one spoke loudly from the blog,

 Sweet Pea Home.

I love this look, kind of tone on tone with browns, beige and white.

She has a lot more photo's of her collection. 

Check it out here.

MOTHER DAUGHTER TIME

One of my favorite things to do is to go visit at my daughters house and help her do mini makeovers.  It is something we do occasionally to help get a new look going when things get blah!  She comes to my house and does the same thing.  It is so nice to get someone elses ideas.  We rarely buy anything new, we just rearrange what we've got.  We pull things from all over the house to make these changes.

Here is Maria up pulling things down that have been up since they built their house five years ago.  She was getting that ho hum, blah feeling about her kitchen. 

(Bad photo, the settings on my camera were not set right but this is the only picture I have of the before.)

This is what we came up with for this area.  The chicken picture was taken from the dining room, the apples used to be in a large jar on the upper shelf but we stacked them on a wire pedestal thingy then added some cookbooks (you can't see them behind her) and a cute chicken feeder made from a Mason jar.

On the upper left ledge she added a crock and an old butter churn she got from her husband's grandmother. 

The wooden horse was a nice touch, it was something that Maria's great-grandmother gave her.

Overall, I think she was happy with the results.

(Photo courtesy of her son goofing around with my camera.)

FOLLOW FRIDAY 40 AND OVER

TODAY I AM JOINING THE FOLLOW FRIDAY BLOG HOP.  DO YOU WANT TO FOLLOW ALONG?  JUST HEAD ON OVER TO NEVER GROWING OLD AND LINK UP, IT'S FUN.

FEELING KINDA RANDOM

Talk about randomness, I am not even sure anyone cares what I'm doing but I thought I would throw it out there.

I went to book club yesterday, the book was A Far Country by Daniel Mason. I started reading it but just couldn't get into it.  Judging by what the others said who did read it I don't feel so bad.  Very depressing. (I just go for the pizza anyway, LOL!)

I am currently reading In The Still of the Night by Ann Rule.  She is a true crime writer about crimes mostly in the Pacific Northwest.  This particular book is about a "suicide" that happened in a small town, just north of where I live, in 1998.  Lots of twists and turns and very familiar places that she talks about.  One place the "suicide" victim (Ronda Reynolds) lived at one time is on the same road my daughter lives on now, although Maria didn't live there then.

I am teaching a class at church tonight on how to make candy bouquets for Valentine's day.  I have to have one already made up for a centerpiece and the supplies to show how I made it.

I am taking a class in Portland on Saturday on how to use the Silhouette.  There is sooooooooooo much I don't have a clue how to do with it.

Hubby and I are supposed to go to a sweetheart dinner on Saturday night at church but it looks like he will probably have to work.  Boo Hoo!

I really need to do some cleaning and organizing in my craft room but I just keep finding other things to do.

Has anyone else been watching the current reality shows?  I watched the new Paula Abdul dancing show, Live To Dance.  The young couple that won are amazing but I thought there were others that were better.

And what about American Idol?  I think I am liking the new judges, not necessarily the foul mouth of Steven Tyler though.  Thank goodness for BLEEPS.

So, that is a bit of randomness for ya.

What is happening randomly in your life?

KEEP CALM...

...AND CARRY ON

Tammy was the one that suggested this for one of the trays.  She and I were one the same page, I thought this pinkish/lavender tray needed something for a queen or princess too.

Tammy, contact me so I can get some vinyl made for you. connie_hall57@yahoo.com

I have one more tray to go and one more person to make some vinyl for.  Stay tuned.

ANOTHER TRAY, ANOTHER WINNER

I posted about some cute trays (here) and asked for suggestions on what I should do with them.  I even sweetened the pot and said I would make some free custom vinyl for the person who's suggestions I used.

Jessica won the first go 'round.

I am happy to announce that Cherie's suggestion was the next one I did.

She encouraged me to put one of my favorite quotes on one.

Cherie, contact me and I will get some vinyl made for you.
connie_hall57@yahoo.com

I'VE GOT EGG ON MY FACE...

...And on my lips,

 and over my tongue,

and in my teeth, 

and down my throat,

and 'splashing' into my stomach,

AND FOREVER ON MY HIPS AND THIGHS.

But Man O Man are these eggs GOOD!

I'm just sayin'!

ONE OF THE WINNERS IS...

Remember when I posted about these?

I had some great suggestions and ideas on what to do with these four trays.

Here is one idea I have used so far from JESSICA.  She had some great ideas that I pulled from to create this grandchildren photo holder.
I will be putting this with a framed photo collage.

Jessica, email me and we can come up with something in vinyl for you.

STAY TUNED...MORE TRAYS TO COME USING EVEN MORE SUGGESTIONS.

Linky party fun:

This little guy is the reason I am two days late announcing a winner for the vinyl.   He was visiting at Grandma and Grandpa's house for a week and Grandma didn't get 'diddly squat' done.  But that is ok 'cause he was so much fun!