here goes the dirty dirty - part 1

this post is the first of a few posts on getting organized.  it also involves letting you see how un-organized i can be. i think it's a "libra thing".  at least that's what i am blaming it on.  some of my posts on this subject are down right embarrassing.  but the good thing is... i am not the only one who lives this way.  and no... i don't mean forcing my husband to see my clutter.  i mean YOU.  the un-organized.  admit it... there is an area of you home that you ignore.  where the crap just falls.  an area that houses lids to tupperware bowls you no longer have.  it's time to do something.  some of my make-overs took only 15 minutes.  one of them took an entire day and then some.  here is the first of a few. (p.s. you are fixin to know way more about me than you need to know)

project numero uno:  under the vanity (my side, not his)

before... stuffed-o-rama

 plates?  for soap of course!  and all that cotton needs help!

 do i really need all this stuff?

 first step... pull it all out.  then separate in to three piles

use, don't use and belongs somewhere else.

 the "to-go" stuff... don't need, been in there too long... pile.

 things that belong in a pile elsewhere in the house

 carefully placing back.

 keeping only what i USE  (key word here)

after

less often stuff in the back, more often stuff in the front.

geez the under the vanity took 15 minutes and a trash can.  and wow does it feel better!

Autumn Trees

not sure why i called this post "autumn"... i never call it autumn.  around here.. it's fall.  that's all. 

at the day care yesterday we celebrated a bit of fall colors by making our own trees.  i drew the tree frames on white construction paper with a brown magic marker.   then tore one red, one orange, and one yellow piece of construction paper in to small pieces and divided them, putting a bit of each color in separate bowls and included a glue stick in each. 

first, the kids and i, talked about what was going on outside.  about all the trees changing and the colors and the season.  then they got to dab the glue sticks and paste the colored bits of paper on to their trees.  they much enjoyed it and they turned out very pretty!

simple. easy. effective.

Bellbuckle 2012

What a gorgeous day to have spent craft-fairing in Bellbuckle, Tennessee this past Saturday!  This is an annual trip that various members of my family have been making for years upon years.  And this year, although I didn't buy much, proved to have plenty to go around.  And by plenty I do mean the kettle crack corn!  And I don't care! 

We stopped by our favorite Phillip's General Store.  I got to eat turnip greens, white beans and cornbread from my favorite food booth.  We saw familiar booths, racked up on ideas and made sure to stay away from tacky ribbon.  Five of us went and five of us came home with our bellies full our feet tired.  Well worth it... yet again.

current book crush

while toting a large bag of books back in to the library about six weeks ago, i noticed, in passing, a small group of colorfully spined books on the top shelf of a row of fiction books.  i am not completely familiar with where all the different types of books are in this branch of the library yet.  i do know where the antique and decorating, children's, cookbooks and hunting books can be found.  also i recently have strolled through the dvd section and have fallen in love with taxi once again, seasons one and two.  i am still working on season three. 

back to the green, yellow and red group.  after i handed my books in, i took a trip back to the aisle i had passed and somehow picked up the first of three in a series, and read the back.  it turned out that they are mystery novels, which i am very fond of.  nothing will keep my nose in a book better than suspense.  i truly loved the first book, by alan bradley, the sweetness at the bottom of the pie.  i finished it and only had to renew it once.  i wanted to move directly on to the second in the series but alas my library didn't have it.  it is currently being transported to my closest branch just for me.  in the mean time, i check out the third book, a red herring without mustard.  i couldn't really get in to it at first, feeling like i was missing something by skipping the second book.  as i got to the second or third chapter, i was sucked in. 

Scenes From My 39th

huh... thirty nine whole birthdays down.  i have seen thirty eight summers so far.  my thirty ninth will be the best.  i have a whole new batch of things to look forward to and there's only one way to find out what they might be.  shoot, this time last year i had no idea i would be running my own day care and not be stuck behind a desk anymore.  i had a great birthday and am very proud to be a libra!

 i hung out with friends

 was surprised with flowers

 added bananas to the birthday cake snack

 made my favorite craft

 picked up library books

had an awesome pizza supper with family followed by

hot fudge cake!

 

happy birthday to me

First Royal Subject

Well folks, I did it.  My first photo shoot.  I normally do not take pictures of people.  Unless they aren't looking most of the time.  I have had friends ask me to take pictures of their kids and even weddings at the Sleepin Bear.  But I just don't do it.  Until now... apparently.

My sister asked if I would take my nephew's senior pictures.  She... having all faith in me.  I remembered her asking me but didn't set a date or time to do it.  I needed inspiration, which is how I work.  So, this past Saturday, I was looking a a new library book on the front porch of our home when I looked up.  It was an overcast, Fall day.  Nice colors.  Not too hot.  Not sunny therefore casting unwanted shadows.  I was instantly inspired.  I called my sister, no answer, then called my nephew.  Luckily he was at home with about and hour and a half to kill.  I said to him "come over with a quick couple of changes of shirt and your baseball bat."  And he did.

Nice looking fella huh.  Not bad pics either... for my first time.  These were a few of my favorites.  We took them at our creek and the barn next door. 

I gotta be me... facebook free

I have mixed feelings about Facebook and it's advantages and disadvantages for me... not for you.  You can do what you want and so can I. 

I logged back on to FB after being logged off for three years.  Maybe I am just not mature enough to be there.  I get mixed feelings, good and bad, when people post things about their private lives and when I, myself, post things about my life, which didn't happen often.  My main point of logging back on was to promote my new child care business.  However, as I don't feel that I have obtained any business off my FB business page, I also find myself logging on to see what everyone is up to rather than posting business items. 

To be frank, I just don't care, and I hate to turn this in to a negative post but I know I am not the only person that feels this way.  The people that are most important in my life I remain in contact with  and the people that I rarely see will find me much more interested in what's "going on" in their lives because I will be genuinely interested when I see their smiling face... in person.  Just like the good ole days. 

I know I didn't have to log on to Facebook.  I could have let it lie dormant and ignored everyone.  This way is more polite.  I hope my friends will still check in on this here blog of mine to see what I've been doing and cooking because that is what my blog is for. 

There we go.  My opinion and reasoning for breaking up with FB.  See you when I see you pals!

 

that's me on the left ;)

i've been loved on!

it feels good to get a lil attention, don't it! 

 today, a product that my lovin husband builds for me to share with others has been

featured on A Little Etsy Love

 

how sweet!

 

our bathtub shelf is featured and i am tickled to death

 

thanks for lovin on me A Little Etsy Love!

 

 

 

 

 

Mr. Refrigerator Pumpkin Head

*** UPDATE*** This item is available for purchase at my Etsy shop! 
https://www.etsy.com/listing/111304813/mr-halloween-refrigerator-pumpkin-head


I love when my ideas come to life!  I was talking to my sister outside a couple of days ago and this one hit me.  And I just couldn't wait to invent!

 

This Halloween craft took only minutes to make.  You will need freezer paper, orange and brown craft paint, scissors, tape, black card stock and self adhesive magnets found in the craft section at WalMart.  That's it!

 

First you tear a good size piece of freezer paper.  On the papery side (not the slick side) draw out a pumpkin shape.  It doesn't matter how good you can draw.  It can be just a circle and a stem. 

 

 

Next, mix a few drops of craft paint with a tablespoon of water in a small bowl or egg carton.  Paint your pumpkin, on the paper side, and allow it to dry.  I like to make craft paint in to water color paint.  It goes further and it creates a different effect when you trace lines darker and lighter inside.  don't forget to paint the stem with watered down brown!  When your pumpkin is dry cut it out and put masking tape, rolled up, around the edges on the back and hang on the refrigerator.

 

 

Draw or trace shapes on the card stock and cut out.  Cut your magnets down to size, peel the back off the magnet and stick them to your shapes.

 

That's it!  You have created your own Mr. Pumpkin Head!  Congrats!

This craft helps kids identify shapes as well as parts of the face!  Learning while having fun is just the best!