Sorta kinda but not exactly...

So I know I said I wanted to work on the window frame BUUUTTT...this little thing called Tropical Storm Debby put a little kabosh on anything that requires outdoor painting.  Sooo, we moved on to the next thing on my "to Do" list which was this amazing wreath. 

So, as usual, things on paper don't extactly turn out the same in real life!  I did the best I could with supplies I already had on hand (minus the wreath base and "buttons") and here is the process:

Hobby Lobby only had the straw and the styrofoam and the styrofoam was like 3x the price, so straw it was.

I already had all the fabrics from my dear friend Lisa's shower (thanks Lisa & Joshua!) so I began by cutting the strips - approx 14x6 inches. Depending on the size of the wreath you may need more or less than me - I think I used eight of the burlap and eight of the gingham.  You could also use more or less depending on how wide you cut them.  This is where the "kinda sorta but not exactly" comes in - it is a personal thing - a trial and error - make it up as you go!

The tutorial I read said to cover the wreath - I did that but I don't really think it was necessary.  All I had in patriotic basics was a blue sheer and the hot glue didn't really hold as well as I would have liked.

To ruffle the burlap, I just used one of the strings, about the 6th one down and pulled.  Easy enough.  For the gingham of course I had to use my machine but that wasn't tough at all.

I just glued down one ruffle, then the next and so on.

When I had 75% of the wreath covered I begin the "cool" part - denim!  I had an old pair of jeans that didnt fit David and had been waiting to use them for something cool.  I cut the front leg on one side (that was all I needed) and saved the rest of the pants for a later craft.

I cut the leg in three strips and began wrapping and glueing.  I wrapped until I felt things looked tidy and secure and all "seams" were covered up.

Lastly, I glued on the sparkly silver buttons for the stars and it's now on my front door! I love it and am so grateful to Ms. Debby for providing a rain filled to day to do nothing but craft:)

  NOTE*** - Glue guns can be hazardous to your health!!! Use with great caution and don't be a knuckle head and touch the glue just after applying.  It results in wretched burns on fingertips and other body parts (I won't tell you where else I have a burn in order to uphold my crafty reputation!)

I want to desperately keep up current here - the trouble is I have a problem posting without a picture.  Not sure why but I figure it's the visual part I enjoy most about people's blogs - a close second to the true, honest emotional content that is often shared.  Working hard to be a better "sharer" of my emotions.

So the pics around here lately are not too existent - reason being is they are all kinda the same - pool, lake, pool, lake, see the trend... alot of fun, just not alot of variety in the way the pics would look. 

So I thought, what could I share?? The things I want to be doing but it's too hot to be doing them outside and well, let's face it, that's where we've been ALOT! Pool, lake, pool, lake, oh and the soccer field for camp this week.  And Braden went to VBS with his friend. 

But truth is, there's is this old window I have had since I don't know, like 8-9 years!  It looks like this in it's condition but the coolest thing is it still has it's original handle for pushing up and pulling down - even the rope going through it! (Don't be jealous!) I want to put pics in it but the glass is broken so I decided it will hold things like some "chicken" wire (or poultry caging as they called it officially, I like chicken wire better, don't you?) and maybe a magnet board or a chalk board.

Anyway, this is what I want to be doing today but instead we will be going to the chiropractor (bicycling for 15 miles has a way of putting a "kink" in the neck and shoulders), and a birthday party for my great-niece Lillian followed by one last night of VBS and youth for the kiddos - whew!  Tomorrow is "free" so hopefully I can post what I did with my frame on Monday?? Now if that's not accountability I don't know what is - put it out there for the world so you have to get it out of the garage - hubby will be super happy!

A First Time for Everything...

So Dr. Seuss says there's a first time for everything! I had one of those moments recently when I made meringue - I know - Martha oughta look out:) Not really, cause Martha never had three kids and a laundry room that explodes exactly once every 1.5 days! 

However, I saw on pinterest this really cute idea for "mini lemon meringue pies" and Father's Day was just the occasion I needed (as if I really needed and occasion) to bring on the lemon!  Oh, and I discovered for the first time in 38 years (egh hum - cough) that lemon meringue pie is my mom's favorite - how do you know that about your own mother???

Anyway, the meringue was not gritty - it baked well and the pies were a hit!  Super excited about that:)  Just baked them in cupcake liners so each person had a decent size but not too much. 

David told us during our Saturday evening Father's Day celebration that there was only one thing he thought he would get really excited about but he wouldn't say what in case I had totally missed the target.  But guess what??? I listen, I pay attention - and I hit that target - DEAD ON!!! A nice bike for the road.  We took our first ride together last night and it was sooo fun - no kids (to keep out of the traffice), just me and him and the open road (not exactly cause my heart rate stayed pretty due to dodging cars and traffic lights).  It was a fun activity I hope to have many more of. 

 And a card I made for my dad.  I had big plans for David but he really doesn't care about the cards so much so my dad's took precedence (as well as dinner being prepared for us all) so this one went to my lovely Alfredo.

So I don't live in a modern house like this one - but the turquoise is where we are headed! I am getting a bit excited.  I have chosen the color - its' not quite this saturated because it will be ALOT on on all these walls - slight understatement:) But I am loving the idea and hoping the translation is as good on the walls as it is in my head - ha! We all know how that can turn out sometimes.

I tell myself that southern and seaside are sorta the same when it comes to choosing colors and since I have a lovely pool in the backyard the color will be great.  See how the logic runs around here? But then I say to myself, "Self, its' your house, and if you like it, it will be perfect!" Again, after rationalizing with three kids all day, I'm an easy win!

A Clean Frige (and a Layout!)

So the summer is here! Which means I have a bit more time to do what I might want to do and I wanted to scrap:) I usually do everything in order but I occasionally go off track and here is what happens - a crazy lifestyle layout that has nothing to do with anything else.

When we were forced to buy a new refrigerator - I had to clean off all the stuff that accumulates on the outside - you probably don't have anything hanging on your frige but boy mine sure does - wink, wink:)  Obviously these things held some sentimental value or they wouldn't have been on the fridge - so who wants to to throw them away - not a scrapper!  So I made a layout - it's kinda an assortment of random parts of our lives, people we know and love, etc.  A little peek into our daily life.

What's on your fridge? I'd love to see it!

p.s. - Some of these things had been there since 2006!

Soooo, I know it has been a LOOONNNGGG time since I have blogged and I hope that I can get back in the swing again now that school is out.  Here's hoping!

We did have a major event recently and I though I usually blog in chronilogical order I am going to disregard that OCD behavior and celebrate my little man's birthday - YEP, he turned EIGHT on Memorial Day. 

We celebrated by taking a trip to Tampa and visiting WINTER (the dolphin from the movie "The Dolphin Tale" and then Busch Gardens.  It was super HOT but alot of fun.  We had fun company because we went with Aunt Melissa, "Nana", and Taylor and Tori.  Here is one silly picture from that day - will post more later on that.  Here silly boy climbed inside a hippo statue and then almost couldn't get out!

Here is the FABULOUS Mrs. Register whom we love with all our hearts.  We will be so sad to move on next year but she has certainly made a lasting impression and he is in LOVE with her!

 We did celebrate with a small, very casual, party with a few friends.  Nothing elaborate just cake and snacks and a ton of fun in the water.

Dearest Braden,

I love you more than words could ever say! You are an amazing and quite extraordinary boy.  You have a zest for life that is hard to beat and you love to learn about anything and everything.  You worried you would be eaten by a predator because you wore a black shirt and polar bears have black skin and clear fur but you didn't have the clear fur so you could be eaten.  You soak up every thing you are taught.  You have a great heart towards the Lord and your depth of spiritual thought is often astounding to those who know you - please keep the Lord first always!  I am so blessed to call you mine and I pray I take care of you in a way that will nurture all your fabulous qualities.