Monday, November 30, 2015

weekend adventures blue holler

Another awesome weekend of four wheeling!  This past weekend, me, Shaun, Scotty and Wolverine went on a little adventure.  The Scotty being our 1987 camper and the Wolverine being our "off roader".  We met up with a couple of handfuls of friends, some staying the day and some staying the day and night, and had a ball! 
 
Friday's ride was great.  We got to Kentucky, which Blue Holler is right past Bowling Green... kinda sorta... we took about thirty minutes to set up camp while everyone got their rides unloaded.  At forty minutes or so we hit the trails.  We had a lot of good riding on about twelve hundred acres.  The sites are beautiful and of natural wonder and awesomeness.  My new favorite hang out "Sand Cave" just amazes me.  We spent a bit of time each time we stopped there just hanging out and talking and watching people try to climb the steep part.  There is a slight waterfall that Shaun made sure to go under every time we went there to rinse off our windshield.  I sat and imagined the heck of a waterfall that created this valley and cave how every many hundreds of years ago and of the American Indians who probably camped there.  Too cool.  We made it through the day without anybody getting hurt and without too many repairs.
 
Our second day was a bit different.  As compared to my sleeveless shirt and light hoodie on Friday I was in full rain suit on Saturday.  It rained on us the whole day, start to finish.  I think it rained all day at home too.  It was a steady, light rain that wasn't unbearable but it sure made for some fun riding.  I have no pictures from Saturday because of the mud and cameras don't mix thing.  It is amazing how different the trails are from one day to the next.  Fun regardless of which but I'll take mud over dust if it's up to me.  We came home to our campers and Shaun and I had steaks and potatoes.  Food tastes so much better after a day of four wheeling. 
 
It was pretty muddy and some people got stuck but it's all part of the fun and I wouldn't want to four wheel with anybody else but this group of fellas.  They take care of each other like butter and have fun while they're at it.  Not just these guys... there's a whole bunch of them and some of them couldn't go so don't get your feelings hurt.  (like they read this!!ha!!)  Makes me proud to be one of them.
 

The dirt up there is literally like sand.  I kept wiping my hands when they would get wet because the sand felt like Go-Jo.  Free exfoliation! 






Our old Arctic Kitty.





Trust me... it got a lot soupier muddy than this outside our camper door.

Our weekend neighbors.


Our muddy jeans from the night ride.  I told her "my jeans look like I slid down a hill" and she said "mine do too!"
 
Oh and I made a video of my hair swooshing en route.
Yes... I do smile like this the whole time.
Not just when my hair swooshes. 
 
 
 and another.  Then my battery was pretty dead.
 
Well if that don't half make you sea sick!
 
 
We had a blast... I hope that's plain to see!

Friday, November 27, 2015

oh those favorite jeans

I have had several great loves when it comes to blue jeans.  I once was stuck hard on a pair of Fossil jeans that I bought in Florida.  So much that when they plum wore through I found a couple more pairs over a couple of years on ebay and bought them too.  I still find myself looking for them.  When I find a favorite, fits-just-right pair of jeans I wear them to death.  I wear holes in the butt, by the back pockets, fray the bottoms... you name it.  My heart and soul jeans usually wind up in my sewing room stash to be used somewhere, someday with much love and care.  I recently patch the quilt on our bed made from an old pair of jeans that I recently broke through.
 
Funny thing, I even have a pair of jeans that I call my "rainy day jeans" because every time I wear them it tends to rain.  Maybe I can sense the need for comfort in the storm.  They are so holey.  Holes everywhere... crotch, butt, knees, you name it.  I will only wear them if I'm at home (duh) and if no one is supposed to come over but these are some of the best times too because they make me feel so good.
 
 
I have been noticing pictures of jeans on people that remind me of myself lately.  Easy solves like I have one new pair of jeans that I thrifted for two bucks but they are a little too long.  Not for the old me who used to wear four to six inch heels... perfect for that.  But everyday.. too long.  I'm long legged anyway but I found this picture of Rachel Ashwell's jeans and have decided to just trim them off and let them fray by themselves.  I mean why the hell not?  They were two bucks for crying out loud.  Who cares?!
Post 2
Picture found HERE.
 
 
And when they are just a tad on the short side (which most medium or regular length jeans are on me) simply let the hem out and there you will have your extra inch or more!  WaaLaa!!!  It's hard to tell unless you zoom in on this picture.  The video on the blog post (click the pic or the link below) shows a good close up of the hem or non-hem but I can't screen shot.  Or if I can I don't know how.
 “I use my knife everyday to cut hay bales open or to fix some fencing. I carry it as a tool, but it's also for self-defense. I might walk up to the gas station and some guy might try to throw me in his car.”
Picture found HERE.
 
 
 
And this.... this is what I have decided to do from now on.  I will say that it is hard to patch the butt of jeans.  When the rip comes from the back pocket and goes to the center crack.  Tough stitching because you constantly sit and bend and when the jean is wore through it's a hard fix.  But when it's holes anywhere else... this gal here has the plan!!

I also like her quote on the interview...
"I like wrinkles in my face and on my shirt."
 
http://stylelikeu.com/profiles-2/closets/mary-randolph-carter/
Picture found HERE.

Thursday, November 26, 2015

days of our day care Barbie Style!

Seriously... I don't know what's wrong with me!  Here it is Thanksgiving week and my mind here at the day care is no where near Thanksgiving minded.  In turn, we aren't doing squat as far as Thanksgiving and turkey crafts and such.  Booo! Oh now... we have talked about it and said all month long what we are each thankful for every day at lunchtime and our thankful tree overfloweth!  I guess it's all in what you fill their heads with.  Makes me feel a little bad but I figure they'll get enough on Thanksgiving... on Thanksgiving... which is today so... Happy Thanksgiving! 
 
 I've had Barbies on the brain for a while (yea since like birth until now!).  I was a big Barbie girl growing up.  We would spend our summer days making Barbie houses out of anything and everything.  Since a couple of the girls here at the day care are getting a little bit older I figured it was time to bite the Barbie shoe.  I wasn't really into searching out a fancy Barbie house so I have tossed a couple of ideas around as to where in the dc it should be and such.  I came up with leftover pieces of shelving in my office (pack rat my foot... I use this stuff eventually!) and last Saturday I went to Lowes to get some shelf brackets.  There's a nook in the back bedroom, the room I used to call the big kid room but haven't used it in forever except for ones who need to nap in the pack and play.  So I decided the nook is where the Barbie house would be.  I had Shaun cut down one of the pieces of wood because it was too wide and today little Joe helped me use the drill to screw in the brackets and shelves.  Sorry no pictures... I was too determined and excited as were they. 
 
I already knew that I was going to use some vintage contact paper for wallpaper.  Good flowered stuff that can simply be pulled off if and when the shelves serve a different purpose.  And last Saturday I went to my Mom's and dug out my Barbie furniture and accessories... and Barbies.  So today, by ten o'clock, there were two thrilled kids playing in our new Barbie nook!!! Not including me!  I took the liberty of soaking and washing the old clothes I dug out.  Some made by my Mom.  I foresee myself making things for this Barbie house from here on out.  I have it on my list to buy another roll of contact paper for the bottom floor.  I didn't have as much as I thought I had. 



The bottom floor will soon have wallpaper.  I gotta cover that hardware up.
And I wish the top shelf went all the way across but maybe we will have stairs there one day.










I remember which one's Mom made and which ones came on which Barbie and the ones I got that came in a set like this skirt here.  It came with a yellow sleeveless top.

Ahhh the memories.  I don't know that baby with the braid though.  That must have been my nieces'.

I added the tension rod with a valance.  I thought it gave it a bit of a finished look.
You know I am dying to hang some white twinkle lights in there too!

I went through the play food, kitchen stuff and accessories and handed them over.

I wanted a cut out chandelier here but wound up not wanting to cut out that much detail. 
Drawing lights on the chalkboard contact paper worked just as well.
I'm thinking of how to make some kitchen cabinets and an oven.  Maybe a refrigerator!
 
 
 Happy Thanksgiving again!  I feel so united and together again now that my Barbie stuff is here.  An odd feeling.  I know I'm too old and big to set up and play Barbies (by myself that is) but as long as I have the option... who would be the wiser?!?  I would have given some fingernails for a Barbie nook!  Me and Mandy from up the street would have never left it!  I guess we kinda did.  We had the area behind the bar downstairs.  But I remember building houses everywhere... even in the garage one time!  Ah the memories.  I'm not finished with this one.  My brain is all a-buzz with ideas.  The kids aren't going to know what hit them! 

BTW Joe said not to tell Shaun he played with the Barbies. 
So I'd be grateful if you kept this to yourself! 
 

Wednesday, November 25, 2015

bulbous blooms

I tell you what... the flower child that I am sure did enjoy the bulbous (or tuberous) begonias on the porch this year.  Our porch, on three sides of our house, extends ten feet out from the house and is covered by our roof so direct sunshine all day does not happen for my flowers.  This is where the bulb type begonias came in very handy and beautifully because they are shade lovers.  Direct sunlight will actually burn the leaves and bloom.  I had one pot at the top of the front steps and wound up having to move it back out of so much light. 
 
Here it is November 20th (when I typed this post) and all of my begonias are still blooming.  I need to take them in and over winter the bulbs but I just hate to when they are still so pretty.  They are under the porch cover so frost can't get to them and yellow them on out.  I may set them on the front steps tonight to get the process rolling.  I've heard that you don't want the bulbs out during a hard freeze and that we will have tomorrow night with temperatures dipping into the twenties.  Ick!
 
I had such good luck with these easy plants that I looked online for another source and found it pretty quick.  I don't know why I had a problem finding tuberous begonias back when I was on the hunt for them.  I reckon I was just looking in the wrong places.  I bought some today, that will ship to me in the Spring, to add to my collection.  I got two new kinds of begonias, a beautiful new to me caladium and a bag of bulbous dahlias to try.  I have a set of caladium bulbs that I have set out for the last three years.  They are what got me started with the "bringing in the bulbs" movement that I seem to have.  But hey... why buy new sets of flowers to plant every year when you can just pull out the same bulbs from year to year?  They are beautiful and so easy to care for.
 
These are the ones I just bought from edenbrothers.com.
 
Apricot Lace Begonia
Begonia Bulbs (On Top) - Apricot Lace
 
Picotee Begonia
Begonia Bulbs (Picotee) - White & Pink
 
White Queen Caladium
Caladium Bulbs - White Queen
 
Dahlia Bulbs Gallery Mix
Dahlia Bulbs - Gallery Mix
 
 
That's about all I can spend on flowers for next year but I'm pretty happy. 
 
 
Aren't these gorgeous too...
 
Dahlias Bridal Bouquet
Dahlia Bulbs - Bridal Bouquet Dinnerplate Mix
 
 
Dahlias Rembrandt Mix
Dahlia Bulbs - Rembrandt Mix
 
 
Dahlia Bulbs Choc
Dahlia Bulbs Choc
 
 
Hosta White Feather
Hostas - White Feather
How gorgeous!
 
Hosta Fire and Ice
Hostas - Fire & Ice
I can just see these in pots at the bottom of our steps.
 
Calla Lily Bulbs Black and White Mix
Calla Lily Bulbs - Black & White Mix
Golly these are gorgeous!  I am in love.
 
 
 
You can find these and other Spring planting bulbs from edenbrothers HERE.

Tuesday, November 24, 2015

home decor

I am beginning to get the hint that copper is the new thing in home décor.  Maybe you knew this already.  It is shiny and bright and seems to add s little something to a simple shelf or cool morning... don't you think?  You know they make metallic spray paint in copper.  Oh I am seeing Christmas tree glitz in copper already! 
 
 
http://whipperberry.com/2015/11/copper-basket-styled-x3.html
 
 
 
Meet Your New Best DIY Friend: Copper Spray Paint:
Found on apartment therapy.
 
 
Copper Desk Magazine Holder | more christmas present ideas at @blogandthecity:
Found on pinterest but I wonder what my old modge podge boxes would look like spray painted with some of this!
 
 
Hot Cocoa 5 Small
Now isn't that a pretty mug of hot chocolate?
Found on freepeopleblog
 
 
Copper... isn't it pretty?

Monday, November 23, 2015

Image Inspiration

 
 
 
 
I stared at this picture for a good ninety seconds before I stopped and thought "what exactly has caught my eye?"  Then realizing I was daydreaming about the lengthy plant on the shelf.  I thought of how I could rig up a hefty, chunk of a shelf in my eating area and let one of my three vined out plants chill out and grow in there.  Although there isn't much sun I don't think this type of plant really cares.  I have one growing in a Coke bottle with water only in it that's over a year old.  I also really like the fur draped over the bench.  I thought of a brown fur blanket that might look nice draped somewhere for the winter but then thought about how much the cat would like it too and how it would turn blonde after him laying on it.  He thinks every change is in his favor.
Picture snagged from THIS post on Apartment Therapy dot com.
 
 
And also on the same post...
Exactly what is that spot in the very middle of the photo of leafy deliciousness?? Not the carpet bag, which I find semi-equally delicious, but the plant in the wooden boxes growing wild.  How does one achieve this?  OK and I super love the whole feel of the house.  You must go see the whole post.  There is a black metal shelf in one photo that I like and also the lamp stand wooden box next to it.
HERE is the post again.


http://www.delightfully-tacky.com/2014/01/our-home-bedroom-tour.html
I really like when cake stands are used in decorating.  I've got one on my kitchen table right now with pumpkins on it and will probably change out the pumpkins to bottle brush trees very shortly.  This one here may be a cheese stand.  It looks a bit smaller but oh so cute.  They are also good to use when there are things that you don't want touched or to get dusty. 
Found on delightfully-tacky.com
 
 
I've been a big fan of Find It Games ever since my old neighbor brought hers over one day.  Here I found a DIY that is brilliant for making your own.  I never even thought about it!
http://activaproducts.com/blogs/projects/51960196-colored-sand-find-and-seek-party-jars
Found on ActiviaProducts.com
or click the picture above for the direct link to the tutorial.
This could be a fun game or take home gift for a baby shower!