More Spring Break Fun!

I saw this super easy idea on Pinterest and the kids really seemed to have making their own crayon art.  The pin came from the blog Whatever...

I had a bunch of boxes of crayons that I bought for .20 a box before school started and I had some canvas on hand so we were set.

We just used and 8x10 canvas and a box of 24 crayons fit perfect.

I hot glued the crayons on and gave the kids the heat gun

and here's what they made.

and Ta Da!

Vivianna, Mallory, Olivia and Jace with their crayon art.

Beautiful, fun, easy and cheap!

Oh yeah!

Having Fun on Spring Break

I have been meaning to try to make our PlayDough for a long time. 

Jace LOVES playing with playdough and I needed to think of something for the kids to do since they ended up with 13 days off of school for spring break. 

So the Jace, Mallory and 2 of my grandaughters, Vivianna and Olivia got busy.

  The kids did the measuring and picked out the colors they wanted and I cooked it. 

 It literally takes 5 minutes to make a batch of playdough. 

Quick, easy, no mess and fun....that's what I like!

I got the recipe off of Pinterest and it was posted by

Musing From a Stay at Home Mom.

Thanks Erika for the recipe and for a few minutes of my time

 and hours of fun for the kids!

One Year Ago......

I was lucky and never had anyone in my family die when I was a child.  I was able to grow up and have so many good times with my parents and grandparents. 

Papa passed away about 25 years ago and Nana just 7 months ago.  So many wonderful memories and they both are constantly in my thoughts.  I wish I would have had more time with them when they were alive, but I treasure the times we had and am so thankful that Nana and Papa were in my life.

My Granny was such a wonderful lady and I think of her often.  I feel sad about her passing, but part of me feels like her passing was a blessing because her memory was gone and there was a sadness about her being in the state she was in.  I wish I would have been old enough to have had her teach me some of her quilting skills, but I do have some of her quilts and wonderful memories of her.

When my grandparents passed on I thought my heart would never heal.  There hasn't been a day in the past 10 years that I haven't thought about them.  So many things that I do or see during the day remind me of Grandpa and Grandma.

Then my Daddy died 1 year ago today and my heart was not only broken, but left with a huge hole.  I miss him so much.  I think about him all the time.  Sometimes I see him in my dreams and he is with Grandpa and Grandma and I get so sad if someone wakes me up.  My dreams of him are so real.  I feel like he is still with me and I would give anything to be sitting around Grandpa and Grandma's kitchen table talking with them all.  Daddy was just to young to be gone (71).  It all happened to fast and I wasn't ready.  I love my Daddy so much and I hope he knows how much he was loved by all of his family.

Thanks for all of the wonderful memories Daddy, Grandpa, Grandma, Nana and Papa.  I love you all,  pray for your souls and that you are resting in peace. 

Rag Rugs and Plastic Rugs

I finished 4 rugs last week in the hopes of clearing out some of my craft stuff...

and then Earl and I went to the thrift store.

I got some more beautiful sheets to fill my drawers with until I get to crocheting another rug.

I think my craft stuff is like doing dishes or laundry.....

it's never ending....

But,

definitely more fun!!

Sorry for the poor picture quality, It's been cloudy here and the lighting is terrible for photos.

This is a rug out of sheets. 

This pretty blue rug is also out of sheets and I fringed the sides with strips of sheets.

 This bag is made out of white plastic Wal-Mart, Target, Dollar Tree, etc...... bags.

It takes several hundred bags to make one rug, but a great way to use my neighbors bags who don't use cloth shopping bags.  So after I bum bags off my neighbors I cut the bags into strips, connect them together and roll the plastic strips into balls.

I crochet the strips of bags with cotton crochet thread

for extra color and strength.

I made this rug for our bathroom floor.  It is out of Hannaford bags and the blue cotton thread.

It really looks so much prettier than I thought it would and works great for standing on when we get out of the shower.

Hee! Hee! Hee!

I saw this picture on Pinterest on it made me laugh so I had to share it.

Check out the tattoos on the two end ones.

Hee!  Hee!  Hee!

A Big Box of Goodies

Earl's niece, Shyra, was so sweet and dropped this big box off goodies off to me last week.

It is packed full of scrapbook supplies, ribbons, fabric, fabric scraps, thread, stickers, etc......

THANK YOU SHYRA!

Here are some baskets that I made out of some of the fabric scraps

and some cute little carrots too.

I've had so much fun playing with all the goodies!

Thanks Shyra so much for sharing with me and for a nice visit!

Grandbaby #14 is Going to Be a Girl!!

Congratulations to my son Chad and his wife Jenn and of course, Chad, Jr. on the news that their new baby is going to be a girl!!  Whoo-Hoo!  Now we'll have 5 grandaughters and 9 grandsons. 

Yes we are blessed!

:( Sad Face :( No internet for a while :(

I haven't had internet for several weeks now and won't for several more.  Boo-Hoo!  What did we ever do before we had internet???  I feel like I'm on a deserted island!

Getting Creative on a Budget

Jace got invited to a little girl at schools birthday party this weekend.

So, I got busy sewing.

 I made her a tic-tac-toe fabric board and felt X & O pieces

 a lined bag to put the game & pieces in

 and a fleece boa style scarf and two hair pom-poms for her ponytail.

 I bought 1 yard of fleece and was able to get 2 scarves

(one for a child and one for a toddler)

8 larger hair pompoms

&

8 medium hair pompoms.

Not to bad for a piece of fabric that cost me $4.54!

I also made some things for a Peppermint Pixie swap I was in.



 I had the doll pieces already and I just added pipe cleaners for the body,

a felt dress, a crocheted shawl with a matching hat and

I crocheted the legs and added little pompoms for shoes.

I also added little candycanes for the pixies wings.

Not to bad for things I had on hand.

Then I made a mitten ornament out of felt and added a plastic candy cane.

I also made a candy cane matchbox ornament

and some goodies for the inside that I had on hand.

I painted some clothespins & homemade peppermint bark.

I've been trying to become more frugal and creative at the same time.

I think I did pretty good!

Feeling the Need to Swap this Year?

Val from YarniGras is hosting a Year of Enchantment Swap for the 3rd year. 

If you'd like to join our group go to her swapping blog and check it out. 

Family Time at Jace's School

Yesterday we went to Jace's classroom for 15 minutes of Family Time.

The kids asked questions and we showed them

pictures of our family.

Mallory and I made this mitten garland as a gift for the class.

the pictures aren't to whoopy but there are mittens,

 beads, felt circles and snowballs that spell out winter.

We also made some mini pumpkin muffins for the class,

but they had to wait until snack time to eat them :(

Mallory and Ezie were counting on having one!

Oh well, I made some for them for after school :)

Thanks Jace for bringing us to school to share things about our family!

Whoa! Slow Down!

Whoa! 

Stop the Clock!

photo from coloribus.com

 I need some more time before Christmas to finish all of my projects.

  So let's just stop the clock and give me an extra day or two

 so I can finish without being totally stressed. 

Sound good to you?

Now to get busy!

Pretty Prim Dresses

Since my girls don't wear dresses anymore

and these are really easy

I made some

dresses to hang in a room or use as an ornament.

They are about 6 or so inches tall.

This dress I crocheted a color and cuffs onto the dress and then crocheted a little hand muff. 

 It has beads for buttons and the hanger is a cinnamon stick with a piece of jute tied to it.

I also grunged the dress with a mixture of coffee and spices.

I think it's so cute and it smells yummy too!

This dress a gathered the ends of the sleeves, crocheted a collar and grunged it.

Simple but sweet!

On this dress I added some lace and a ribbon and grunged her up good.

I have some more I made that I added bloomers to.

I had fun making these.

I could just be creative and have fun with them.

I hope you enjoyed seeing my little grungy prim dresses!

I Look Mad Cool Today!

"I Look MAD Cool today!"

That's what my Jace said after we fixed his hair.

He's been practicing with water on getting this look

and so this morning we put gel in it and I helped him spike it

and now he looks mad cool!

He also has his KU Sweatshirt,

his favorite jeans and shoes on so that really made the look.

I love having such a happy guy!

of course....

I don't think he was looking mad cool for me,

but for

his love.....

Angelina.

Oh boy,

I'm not ready for this yet!!

Slow down Jace!

My Movie Review....a little outdated!

Last night I half heartily started watching the movie Julie & Julia.  I really didn't think I'd like it....why you might ask...I don't know, I just didn't.

I LOVED the movie.  It was so inspirational, heart warming and even educational. 

 I could so relate with Julie

and learned a lot about Julia Childs. 

Loved, loved, loved it!!

I feel so inspired today!!

******************************************************

I also watched Seven Pounds with Will Smith.

I thought it would be good with Will Smith in it.....

and then it started.

I was kinda confused and glad I didn't save the movie to watch with the kids

But then,

OMG!  It was so good!!

Once I got into it and understood what was going on

I LOVED it!

So much emotion and love.

I couldn't even imagine what I would do if I was in the same situation as Tim was in the movie.  I have thought about that many times and I think I would just curl up and die.  Such a good movie!

*********************************************************

I've been dying to read a Harlan Coben or Kevin O'Brien book,

but we're without a car again and I can't get to the library.

Hopefully, we'll get it back soon

until then

I hope there are some more decent movies on tv!!

A New Craft Room?? I Think So!

I've never been in the attic of the house we live in now. 

I know it has some leaks and a broken window and

I've never really had much of a desire to look up there.

BUT,

I finally went up to take a peak

and I discovered my new craft room!

It's definitely going to take a lot of work!



I think my sewing machine would fit great right under these two windows



The ceiling is only about 5 feet in the middle

which is perfect for me!

I have both sides of the attic to put my tubs and bins

full of crafty stuff. 

I can't wait to get started.

Since we rent and we're broke it's not going to be the nicest makeover

but, I think I can make it quite doable

with lots of elbow grease and lots of love!

I'm so excited to get started....

and to get my craft stuff all in one spot and not

in the living room, dining room, hallways, closets and any other place I can find in the house to stash it!

Look Hoots Wearing the New Hat I Made

I made this Owl hat yesterday

 from a pattern I purchased from http://www.crazysockscrochet.com/

and I think Ezie looks pretty darn cute in it!

Zombie Doll Swap

Val from Yarni Gras had a Zombie Doll Swap that I joined. 

It was so much fun and got me started on a doll kick again.

My partner was Susan from Shabby and Frills and this is her very first doll.

Can you believe it?!?!?

I think she did such a fantastic job and this doll!

Here is the rest of the goodies that she sent me. 

 Candy, a pumpkin scrubbie, 2 Halloween dishcloths, tissues,

a mummy ornament and a wooden pumpkin container. 

I made out great!!

Here's what I sent to Susan.

A Zombie trick or treater

 and when you remove the costume there is an Annie Doll.

I also made a banner out of a quilt block



and then made her a twashi, a matchbox ornament,

and a little bag to put it all in.

Thanks Val for hosting the swap and

Thank you Susan for a wonderful time swapping

 and I LOVE my doll you sent!

I Have to Get My Brag On!

My brother Danny,

Officially,

Daniel J. Wescott, PhD.

Associate Professor

Director, Forensic Anthropology Center

Department of Anthropology

Texas State University

Danny became the Director of the Forensic Anthropology Center

 at Texas State University at the beginning of this school year.

I am so proud of him!

Congratulations Danny on your new job!

This is a cast iron coffin that was found in Missouri.

Danny is a practicing Forensic Anthropologist, a researcher, teacher, etc.....

he also runs a "body farm"

"The Forensic Anthropology Research Facility (FARF) is a 26-acre outdoor human decomposition research laboratory at Texas State’s Freeman Ranch. The FARF serves as a resource for forensic anthropology students, as well as state and national law enforcement agencies. Research into questions relating to time since death, the postmortem interval and decomposition rates for human remains under various topographical and climate conditions are conducted at FARF. Freeman Ranch also houses the associated on-site FARF laboratory that includes a decomposition processing suite, cold storage facilities, and teaching and conference rooms."    http://www.txstate.edu/anthropology/facts/

So if you want to donate your body to science, now you'll know who to call!

I can't even to begin to understand all of the things that he does

all I know is he is really smart, good at what he does,

and my favorite little brother!

We're all so proud of you Danny!!

Here are some links for some of the recent media regarding Danny, the "body farm" and Texas State University

http://haysfreepress.com/archives/24774

http://smmercury.com/47938/grant-to-help-develop-method-for-determining-skeletal-age-at-death/

 http://txstate.academia.edu/DanielWescott

http://www.txstate.edu/anthropology/facts/



My 50th Birthday in Maine

I turned 50 last month, but my family celebrated with me in July.  My mom and 5 siblings and I all met in Kennebunkport, Maine for 3 of the most wonderful and relaxing days of my life!

I couldn't have asked for a better group to celebrate with and I've never been to the ocean before so that was a double win for me. 

I could really live near the ocean. 

The sun...the water

It is so beautiful!

 This is me, my sister Stacey, my brother Mike, my sister Robyn, my Momma

my sister Cathy and my brother Danny.

 Stacey found a bottle of wine when she went to Australia called "Four Sisters" wine so she bought it and brought it along for the celebration.

 Mike and me at the beach.  I haven't worn a swimming suit in over 15 years.  It felt so nice to be out in the sun and of course I had to buy a yellow bucket so I could play on the beach and collect sea shells.

We drank wine in the evenings, played games and drank more wine. 

We had so much fun playing the games and talking. 

 I guess I talk to much when I drink and keep everyone up all night.

  My bad! 

 I got a little sunburned....to put it mildly. 

My poor boobies hurt for a week!

 We got silly in the gift shop. 

 I found some party sunglasses and a birthday party hat.

and I LOVED the morning walks on the beach.

I had such a wonderful time

and can't wait for my brother Danny to turn 50

so me, mom and my sibling can all get together again

 and see what adventure we go on!