The Art of Giving.....

May no gift be too small to give,

nor too simple to receive,

which is wrapped in thoughtfulness,

and tied with love.

L.O. Baird

Hill of Calvary Tutorial and Mustard Seeds

This grass garden features the hill where Jesus was hung on the cross and a small tomb where he was buried and rose again. It makes a very symbolic centerpiece for your Easter table and it an incredible teaching tool for your little sprout.

http://mustardseeds.typepad.com/my_weblog/2010/03/tutorial-hill-of-calvary.html

I have recently found the blog Mustard Seeds and to say the least.... I would HIGHLY recommend any mother or grandmother to add this to their list of daily blogs. I am amazed constantly of her teachings of the Lord to her children. Creativity and love is written all over her heart as she uses simple ways of showing her children the ways of the Bible.

Crepe Paper Rose Tutorial...

The rose is so precious!

Do you want to learn how to make it?

Jump over to Linda Albrecht's blog to get your directions!

http://lindaalbrecht.typepad.com/simple_things/2010/02/the-rose-2.html

Getting in the MOOD for my trick or treaters....

Yes, I am in the mood for Halloween! I love having the neighborhood children, plus others from surrounding neighborhoods (last year around 125), visit my home! I love to see the creativity of the costumes, how well mannered the children are (Yes, most are awesome), hear the remarks on our decorations (we try to add something different every year for the children) and well, I just love to visit!!! Everyone seems so happy!

Today I started putting out a few things and re-using some of my other things to create a couple of vignettes. I think you can be scary and yet it be a little humorous~ Don't you just love the vintage clocks mixed in with everything else?I really wanted to mix some of my blackbirds in.... Michael's on sale!

I try to buy everything in these dark, vintage looking colors!

I will also use these at Thanksgiving!

I put stickers (Michael's) on a few candles and glass jars!

I love rocks, so I filled a couple of the jars with little tiny rocks!

I love the Bingo card tucked in my glass jar!

The Stickers are Martha Stewart! I don't know if I can stand to take them off after Halloween!

Monster Spider climbing out of my vase!

I hope this has inspired you to get ready for Fall!!

I have to go now and start thinking about my Goody Bags!

As one kid asked last year~ "My Grandfather said this is the house that made the best Goody Bags? Is HE right?" with a great big grin on his face! And as I pulled out the decorated liquor bag (yes, I use the long liquor bags for treats~ CHEAP) he had to say my favorite word....

WOW!!!!

Gifts to Encourage!

Some of the treats I left in my kids book bags and

lockers to encourage them through their days!

Have you ever been so overwhelmed by everything that you get out of your "groove" totally? Well, that is where I am at...... "Groove less" and Lost! I have had so much going on the last couple of months that somewhere I lost ME! I have not been able to do a piece of art since I arrived home from my ART RETREAT! (Isn't that a hoot... go somewhere and be so inspired and come home to tired to react on your inspiration!). Hopefully this is the week to pull myself back together, get back into my daily routine! Because of this lack of enthusiasm or whatever is causing my "rut" I am listing some of my favorite encouragements hoping to be inspired, encouraged and at the same time offering you ideas to encourage others! LOL

7-UP: 'Seven up-lifting' thoughts for a good week!
Angel: Thanks for being such an 'angel'!
Apple Cider/Wassail mix: A little something to spice up a cold winter day!
Basket of Bath Items: When you feel like a basket case, take a break, and slow your pace!
Bath salts: Some days can be a strain on your body and your brain, so when you feel stressed, a hot bath is best, it truly will help keep you sane!
Bubble Gum or Bubble bath: May your day bubble over with fun!
Cupcakes or Cake: You take the 'cake' _______. We think you're first rate!
Candle: Thanks for letting your light shine!
Cinnamon Rolls: Here's a sweet treat 'rolled up' with warm wishes!
Donut: 'Donut' you know we love you?
Gummy Bears: You're 'beary' special!
Jolly Ranchers: Have a Jolly day!
Kool-aid (with pitcher): Thanks for being a 'kool-aid' when things were tough!
Life Savers: You've been a life saver!
Loaf of Bread:
For being there when you were 'kneaded',
for 'rising' to the occasion, large or small.
For never 'loafing' on the job and
Helping others 'heel' through it all.
No matter how you slice it, you are an amazing person. Thank you for all you do!
Measuring Cups or Spoons: Wishing you a joy beyond measure! (Great Wedding gift topper)
Nuts: I'm nuts about you!
Oven mitt filled with treats: I have to ad-mitt, you're a great neighbor (friend, teacher)!
Pasta and spaghetti sauce: Have a pasta-tively easy dinner tonight!
Peanut Brittle: It doesn't matter how you break it, you're the greatest!
Pencil and Notepad: Just a note of Thanks!
Pie: No matter how you slice it, you're a great dish!
Popcorn or Caramel Corn: Just 'popped' by to wish you well!
Popcorn Balls: Hope you have a ball!
Rice Krispie Treats: Snap, Crackle, Pop! I think you're tops!
Root Beer: We're 'root-ing' for you to have a great day!
Salsa and tortilla chips: Have a hot and spicy day!
Snicker's bar: When I am around you I snicker!
Soda: Pop, pop, fizz, fizz. Oh what a great dad you is! (Fun for Father's day)
Soup: You're Souper!
Sparklers: I love to see your sparkling smile, it makes me want to smile!
Swedish Fish: Catch the spirit!
Sweet Treat: Wishing you a day filled with sweetness!
Sweet Treat: You're so sweet. Having you as a friend (neighbor) is a real treat!
Whopper: Hope you have a 'whopper' of a day!

Jelly Bean Flower Vase...

For both of my showers, I made a Pink and White Jelly Bean flower vase. This is so easy and it really gives your table setting a big "bang"!

To make it all you have to do is get two vases, one being a little smaller than the other. I purchased mine at the great store.... Hobby Lobby! You insert the smaller one into the larger one at the store to make sure that you have room for Jelly Beans to go all around it. If it is shorter don't worry, you can put Jelly Beans in the bottom to lift it up. When you get home place the vases into position inside one another adding Jelly Beans in the bottom to make sure that the lip of both of the vases are close to being at the same level. After this you want to fill Jelly Beans in between the two vases all the way to the top! I am sure that you can do this with other types of candy easy, I just like the Jelly Bean idea and it has lasted for four weeks in great condition!

For one shower I was able to cut and use the snowballs from my garden. My last shower the peonies were blooming beautifully in my garden and the dark pink and white worked well!

I hope you try this idea.... Simple and Beautiful!

Tea-Dyeing your fabric....

I love the vintage look..... If it looks old, it will catch my attention. When I use fabric for my projects, so many times I find it necessary to tea-dye it before I use it. Here I am getting ready to make a rag garland and another rag corsage. This is a very easy process.

Supplies:

*Your fabric (make sure that it is a fabric that will hold the tea-dye such as any cotton or muslin)

*2-3 tea bags (depends on how large your pot is and how much fabric you are dyeing) I use LIPTON tea for the simple fact that a good Southern Sweet Tea is made with LIPTON.... And this girl loves Sweet Tea!!!

*Large pot filled with water.

Bring water to a boil, add tea bags and fabric!

Let the fabric set in the pot absorbing the tea for as long as you want. Of course the longer it sits the darker it will be.

Let the rags drain and then put the rags in a good area to dry.

I wish this was tea - dyed!!! Hmmmm...... I will be making a tea-dyed flower tonight!This is the threads that I pulled from the muslin....

Any ideas on what to do with it????

Rag Flower Tutorial...

Directions to make a Rag Flower~
First you have to make the ribbon from the cotton fabric that you want to use.

Cut a very small slit into the fabric in the direction you

will be shredding the fabric about 1" wide to 2" wide.

Fabric will only rip in one direction and that is your yardage length.

Rip a long piece of fabric that is between 36" and 48" long.

This is what you will end up with, a long strip with thread hanging from it.

Clean up the excess thread on the strip by just lightly pulling the excess thread.

Suggestion~ Don't throw away this excess thread.... As I was doing this I had projects from "trashy" thread pop into my head. You know me, I can't seem to throw anything away.You will end up with a very clean, frayed edge strip of material.Take one edge and fold into itself like a triangle. Keep folding.

This will be the center of your flower.

Take a knotted thread doubled over and secure your center.Now you will take the same needle and thread to make a running stitch at the bottom of the strip all the way down to the end.
Pull the fabric back onto itself holding the string.

You will end up with a gathered strip of fabric like this:At this point you want to twirl your fabric around the center, you will be forming a flower.

While you are doing this, your needle and thread are still attached.

When you have finished twirling it around the center, you will use your needled and thread and sew the bottom so that it will all stay attached.

Take a 2" to 3" chipboard circle and hotglue the bottom of the flower really good to the chipboard round. Attach embellishments to the flower, such as the center.

To finish off your pin, attach a pinback to the chipboard!

Note to Self~ Remember the other day when the Church board said the following....

The God who mapped out our FUTURE is the same God who is handling our PRESENT!

Let's make the Birdie's Nest & The Secret Item....

Some of you got it right~ YOU are SO GOOD!!!

CUPCAKE LINER & SPRAY ADHESIVE

Cupcake Liner helps the nest to go back into shape after all the shredding is on.

Spray adhesive is the best thing that I could find to adhere

the shredding to the cupcake holder. Place cupcake liner upside down onto scrap plastic surface that you can throw away use. Spray with adhesive really well and start putting shredding onto to cover entire cupcake holder. Then pick up liner and start pressing shredding to liner to adhere. You may have to add more shredding if needed. Turn over and do the same. If you want a thicker nest, repeat steps.
Pressing shredding ( use any type of shredding that you wish) onto cupcake liner.
Place onto plastic and put Styrofoam ball or other small ball into middle.

Form shredded nest around ball. All adhesive should be covered so it should not stick to ball.

The cupcake liner helps the nest go back to a cupcake shape. Cupcake Shape!!! Or rather

MY BIRDIES NEST!!

At this point you can hot glue brown shredded paper into bottom for nesting.

Hints~ Add fibers to nesting for added interest!

Happy Nesting!!

Handmade Nest for Birdie~ Can you guess what I used?

photo by Chase Adams I want to challenge you a little today....

PROBLEM: Yesterday I needed a birdnest to fit a particular bowl. I could not find one in my house and I could not find an old one in the woods that I could get to.

SOLUTION: Make one.

YOUR CHALLENGE: I used two different papers on this nest~ a newspaper and a brown craft paper. I also used two other items~ One to bond everything and one as a base.

Can you guess these two items?

Tomorrow I will show you how I make the Birdies Nest!

Goodwill Re-do for $2.00 and a Little Birdie....

Little Birdie~ I purchased these cute little birdies at Hobby Lobby on sale for $1.50! Great Price! But I just didn't like the color~ No problem for me~ Just change it!

Tim Holtz Alcohol Ink and a cotton pad for the base. A little brown ink from an ink pad using a make up wedge to high light some edges and a charcoal pencil for fine details. To finish a coat of spray varnish! YEAH ~ A new little birdie to fly and perch onto one of my projects. Finished Birdie
Birdie birdie before my handiwork.....

Cheese Tray from Goodwill for $1.19! Great Buy!!!!

Apply Scrapbook Paper.......

Sand Edges of Tray and Paint Easter Eggs.....

To make speckles on Eggs, Use Toothbrush with brown paint and flick....To finish eggs I sprayed with Spray Varnish.

For me to get the paint finish that I wanted, I painted the tray four different colors of my choice and then sanded the tray. This made the tray look old and used. I then hit the edges with an ink pad to give it more of an antique look. To finish, I gave it a coat of Satin Varnish.

Bottom of Tray....

Tray with nest and eggs!!

Oh So Sweet!

My finished Goodwill Project!

How about this for about a $2.00 project??

I think Birdie wants to sit by it!