Snowflakes and Dragonflies

This Year's Plants

2013-05-19T12:26:00.001-05:00

My wonderful mother was here for the weekend and she and I hit the greenhouses – if you are in SE Kansas and want quality plants, I highly recommend TLC Greenhouse at LaHarpe and Arnold Greenhouse just west of LeRoy. Their prices are a little higher than you’ll pay at Wally World but the plants are so much nicer – healthier.

I seldom have a solid plan when I head to the greenhouses. I just pick and choose as I go and although it does take a while for me to decide – I usually come up with some unique combinations.

Here’s what I did in planters for the front of the house.

A rusty bottom bucket with holes had found new life on the front deck.

And this old stand washtub was just begging for plants

Sweet potato vines, vinca, Swedish Ivy - I can hardly wait for these to take off

I have one barrel that gets exactly zero direct sunlight - begoinas always do very well here.

And the back yard . . . . .

Bright pink geraniums in an old strainer basket

More pink in one of my old washtubs with some brides veil trailing over the sides

Some pretty purple in an old graniteware pot on the patio table

And my favorite this year - more pink with wandering jew, airplane plants and asparagus fern.

The Kid's Tree

2012-11-29T07:00:00.000-06:00

From kindergarten through fifth grade my girls made Christmas ornaments at school. I love them all. Someday when they have homes and family’s of their own I’ll think about letting them have their ornaments. Until then they are mine and will be displayed each year on what I call the Kid’s Tree.

It’s a 3” artificial tree that I purchased several years ago. I use LED white lights and it gets the honor of holding these precious handmade ornaments.

Adorable items made by my little ladies.

Reindeer

Gingerbread Men

Stars

Photo Ornaments

Kudos to all the teachers over the years - they had some great ideas!

It’s a very special tree to me, I think I prefer it to the big family tree; it must be the mom in me.

Craft Stick Snowflake

2012-11-26T07:00:00.000-06:00

I saw a great project on Pinterest the other day using craft sticks to make a snowflake. I thought to myself “I can do this”. And I did.

I started by cutting 24 craft sticks in half and then glued them together to make an approximate 90 degree angle – nothing exact going on here.

Then I took a quarter – I couldn’t find the washers out in the garage and I don’t have any wooden discs on hand – and started gluing.

Then I glued some more.

I had one tiny freak out moment when the photographer (my eldest daughter) informed me that I had hot glued my rings. Emeralds and hot glue are not a good mix.

Then I glued a little more until I got the balanced look I desired.

I was going to paint and glitter it up but I decided it looked good “natural” against my blue living room wall.

Black Friday 2012

2012-11-23T17:56:00.000-06:00

It’s Black Friday – anyone want to guess what I did today? Shopping? No freaking way – I have zero desire to fight the crowds for “bargains” in the middle of the night or early morning. This lady enjoys sleeping at night and getting to sleep past 6:30 a.m. on a Friday is pure luxury. So instead of shopping I started Christmas decorating. I decided that this year less is more. Simple and uncluttered. I think I used about one-third of the decorations we own.

I decided to go with a Christmas tree theme this year. Trees I’ve collected, trees we’ve made, funky trees, traditional trees. Some made of glass, others of paper, some covered with ribbon and others with glitter.

I also went with a few pine cones I picked up at Marshall’s in early November during a half price sale. I mixed them up with some ornaments in a couple of antiques boxes. I love the look.

I also changed out the pillows in the living room.

And put together a quick centerpiece for the dining room table.

Our oldest daughter wrapped gifts for her friends.

I can hardly wait until we go pick our tree this weekend!

Bracelets for Me!

2012-10-28T15:59:00.000-05:00

I love the trend of layering bracelets. I can't go too overboard though because I type a lot at my day job and too many bracelets just don't work. Bangles don't cut it either - they are too noisy and don't stay put. I started looking online - department stores, Etsy and lots of other sites and I found several I liked. The problem was the price and how long it would take to get some of the Etsy products to me - up to 3 weeks in some cases. Therefore I decided to make my own.

I got my inspiration from several sites online and was able to duplicate several of them almost exactly. I don't like the sliding knot type bracelets so all of mine have lobster claw closures. I found the charms, dangles and slides at craft stores and some came from my stash. The single and double strand bracelets were super easy - the multi strand and I had issues.

The three below I wear as single, double or all three one once.

This one is my favorite - a doubles stranded brown cord with sterling textured slides.

This one is my least favorite - I had issued with it and it turned out a bit bulky and I wish there was a bit more bling to it.

October Flea Market Finds

2012-10-14T16:18:00.002-05:00

The first Friday of October, my mom, sister and I took off for flea markets in the West Bottoms in KcMo. Lots of walking, stair climbing and shops! If you are in the KC area the first full weekend of the month and you enjoy browsing the flea markets and shops - head to the West Bottoms. Be prepared for some great finds and a lot of people.

Here's a little gem I picked up during our October visit. This wonderful little tool box - metal with a little rust and great character.

The perfect size to go in front of the TV in our living room. Short enough so it doesn't block any of the screen plus the length doesn't cover the receiver part for the remote control. I added popcorn, candles and pumpkins for a great fall look.

It's also nice to find things close to home. I found these great vintage bobbins at a local shop just this weekend. Seven of them with great old thread - blues, creams, browns and burgundy.

I've got the perfect spot for them.

sharing with: http://boogieboardcottage.blogspot.com/2012/10/welcome-to-94th-masterpiece-monday.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed:
http://www.linda-coastalcharm.blogspot.com/ http://www.blackberryvine.blogspot.com/
http://www.savvysouthernstyle.net/ http://www.thethriftyhome.com/

Fall is in the Air

2012-10-07T12:21:00.000-05:00

Highs in the 60's - Lows in the 40's. We're getting closer to the season I love best - WINTER! But for now I'm just waiting for the first good freeze, as fall allergy season is in full swing. I put away some of my summer decor over the weekend and purchased some pumpkins and gourds to place around the house.

I made another mini pumpkin wreath like I did last year. I like this year's much better.

I also got out a large candle holder and some popcorn for the dining room table. A large plastic charger plate from the dollar store and some gourds and I ended up with a nice center piece without breaking the bank.

I did a new project from some $1 wine bottle coolers I got from Hobby Lobby. Some construction paper and my Silhouette and I ended up with something cute. The mini pumpkin on the candle holder just adds a bit more fall to the room. I need to add a little more to this, but I just don't know what to add.

I also took the remaining mini pumpkins and gourds and placed them in a granite ware berry bucket. So very easy and it will last until Thanksgiving.

Sharing with: http://www.savvysouthernstyle.net/2012/10/wow-us-wednesdays-87.html
http://www.thethriftyhome.com/2012/10/158th-penny-pinching-party.html
http://twosucculentsisters.blogspot.com/2012/09/thirty-days-of-pumpkins.html

Sunday Afternoon

2012-09-23T19:38:00.000-05:00

Sunday afternoons here at our house are usually clean the house day and laundry day. Today was a little different. We spent about 2 1/2 hours in the ER.

Skateboard 1 - Jorie zero.

She broke for sure one bone in her foot and the doctor said he wouldn't be surprised if the radiologist comes back and says she's broken more. We were sent home in a splint and with a script for some good pain meds. Monday we call the doctor to schedule her actual cast.

Wish us luck, it's going to be along six weeks.

Bacon Pancakes

2012-09-03T11:33:00.000-05:00

Pancakes. A weekend staple at our house. I’ve been making them from scratch for a good 20 years and the whole family likes them. I’ve changed it up by using whole-wheat flour, adding chocolate chips and once I tried blueberries (I was the only one who liked the blueberry). I was inspired by pinterest where they used a full strip of bacon and poured the batter over it. Today, I used bacon bits.

I had a partial bag of Oscar Meyer bacon bits and simply sprinkled the bacon bits in the batter. It took a little longer to cook the pancake completely. You can add as much or little bacon as you want.

Usually when I change things up a bit, I am met with a little resistance. Today all it took was butter and syrup and they dug in with no hesitation. Thumbs up from the family!

Here’s the recipe I use for my pancakes

Pancakes

1 egg

1 cup flour

¾ cup + 2 tbs. Milk

1 tbs. white sugar

2 tbs. vegetable oil

1 tbs. baking powder

¼ tsp. salt

In a bowl, beat the egg until fluffy. Add remaining ingredients and beat until combined and there are no lumps. Cook on a 350-degree griddle until golden brown. Serve warm.

Since my kids are teenagers, I usually double the recipe so there is enough for everyone. Leftovers, if there are any, reheat really well. Enjoy!

Got a new . . .

2012-08-02T16:33:00.000-05:00

Hair color and cut. Yeah not the most exciting thing to blog about - but it's too hot to do anything else. My wonderful colorist/stylist, Stephanie, did a great job! She always knows how to get the results I want. She gets a 10 (again) for today's appointment. I'm only showing the back today, I'm to hot and sweaty (103 degrees today) for the front!

Bacon Cheeseburger Egg Rolls

2012-07-08T12:14:00.000-05:00

I tried a recipe from Pinterest over the weekend – Bacon Cheese Burger Egg Rolls. They were so good! And easy to make.

Here's what I used: Hamburger, cheddar cheese, bacon bits, and egg roll wrappers.

I started by browning one pound of lean hamburger and draining off the fat. I even went so far as to rinse the hamburger with cool water in a colander.

While the hamburger was browning, combined one cup of shredded cheddar cheese and one package of bacon bits in a large bowl. You can cook and crumble your own bacon, but I was looking for quick and easy the day I made these.

Once the hamburger is done, add it to the bacon and cheese, stir to combine.

Next, fill each egg roll with 1/8 cup of the mixture. Moisten the edges of the egg roll and fold. (You can add onions, peppers, pickle relish or whatever hamburger topper you like to the mix.) The recipe I was following said I’d get 12 egg rolls, I actually ended up with 15. Place the egg rolls on a cookie sheet lightly sprayed with non stick cooking spray. Bake at 400 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes.

Be careful, these dudes are HOT! and stay hot for several minutes. Serve with condiments of choice. We used ketchup, mustard and BBQ sauce.

Here’s the recipe I followed:

Ingredients:
12 egg roll wrappers

1 lb. ground beef

6-8 slices bacon

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Directions:

1. Cook bacon until crispy and set aside on paper towel to cool. Crumble.

2. Brown ground beef in same pan. Drain.

3. Combine cooked bacon, ground beef, and shredded cheese in a medium bowl. (Add in your favorite burger toppings if you are not cooking for a picky eater.)

4. Lay out egg roll wrappers on a clean dry surface.

5. Spoon approx. 2 TBSP meat filling onto each egg roll wrapper.

6. Moisten edges with water and fold according to package directions.

7. Lay rolled egg rolls onto a greased cooking sheet and spray with Pam.

8. Cook at 400˚F for 10 – 12 minutes.

9. Dip into ketchup or ketchup/mustard blend.

These got good reviews from the family - every one liked them.  I'm ready to y to try these again but with ham and cheese. Or taco meat. Or sloppy joe. Or maybe even a sausage pizza mixture.  Maybe sprinkle the tops with some cheese or garlic salt. The possibilities are endless . . . .

JULY 14, 2012 UPDATE!!

I made these today with sausage, pizza sauce and some mozzarella cheese. Yum! Yum! Yum!

SHARING WITH: http://www.iheartnaptime.net/ http://www.niftythriftythings.com/    http://www.linda-coastalcharm.blogspot.com/ http://savvysouthernstyle.blogspot.com/    http://www.thethriftyhome.com/ http://goodrecipesonline.com/ http://www.theshabbycreekcottage.com/2012/07/transformation-thursday-no-160.html

Spring Planters

2012-04-18T20:19:00.000-05:00

Although I'm more of a cold weather/winter type person, I do enjoy spring also. This year I decided to look for some different planters for my flowers. I already have several granitware pieces that I use but I'm wanting to get away from the clay pots and the newer looking stuff. I've already used a vintage chicken feeder as a planter for some violas earlier this spring and was on the watch for other items to used as planters.

I found this white porcelain chamber pot in the back of a flea market. It is missing the handle and has a chip around rim in the back but it's a good size and it has great crackle in the finish.

I also found this nice old galvanized bucket, it's got some great character. It's bottom is rusty and has a few holes (pre-made drain holes). But it looks so good with the plant in it.

For less than $20.00 I found two planters that fit the vintage rustic look I'm after. Neither one is perfect but that's fine with me. It's nice to re purpose items that have finished their primary use.

Sharing with:

http://www.theshabbycreekcottage.com/2012/04/transformation-thursday-no-148.html
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http://savvysouthernstyle.blogspot.com/2012/04/wow-us-wednesdays-63.html

Flea Market Finds

2012-04-14T15:59:00.002-05:00

Over Easter weekend, I hit the one and only flea market/antique shop in the small town where I grew up. They had some nice things, some expensive things and two little gems that came home with me.

I love the Sunshine Biscuit tin even though it's not perfect. The chippy paint and rust just add character, I'm thinking of maybe some thyme planted in it or a low growing succulent.

I also grabbed this cast iron finial. It was just sitting on a shelf just waiting for me to take it home. It's wonderfully rusty and goes nicely in the living room with some of the other rustic items.

Sharing with

http://linda-coastalcharm.blogspot.com/2012/04/nifty-thrifty-tuesday-no110.html

My Sister's Front Porch

2012-04-09T20:55:00.000-05:00

I got to go home home for the Easter holiday. Home is where I live, home home is where I grew up and where the rest of my family still lives in North Central Kansas.

Anyhow, when we got to my sister's house I was amazed at her front porch. Take a look:

I have no idea where she got that great door, all I know is that I am in love with it.

I could totally sit out here and read

I need to get with the program - her porch looks so much better than mine.

sharing with: http://www.linda-coastalcharm.blogspot.com/
http://savvysouthernstyle.blogspot.com/2012/04/wow-us-wednesdays-61.html
http://thriftydecorating-nikkiw.blogspot.com/2012/04/thrifty-thursday-55.html
http://commonground-debrasvintagedesigns.blogspot.com/
http://shabbynest.blogspot.com/
http://iamonly1woman.blogspot.com/
http://funkyjunkinteriors.blogspot.com/

Chicken Feeder Planter

2012-03-24T16:47:00.003-05:00

When Bryan and I were out prowling the local flea markets and antique shops recently, we stumbled across a booth with this gem in it.

An old galvanized chicken feeder galvanized with a hinged wire top. It’s about 48” long and 7” wide and has some rust. We all know that rust just adds character. The price was right, so it came home.

We hit Wally World this weekend and I grabbed a flat of purple violas and a bag of potting soil.

A bit later and here’s the result.

Bryan had some plastic that he attached to the feeder to keep it up off the table. He also drilled several holes in the bottom for good drainage.

I think I have a new favorite planter in my back yard!

LINKING WITH:

http://craftomaniac.blogspot.com/2012/03/craft-o-maniac-monday-with-canvas-corp.html
http://www.craftyconfessions.com/
http://www.blackberryvine.blogspot.com/
http://asoutherndaydreamer.blogspot.com/
http://savvysouthernstyle.blogspot.com/

Valentine Vignette

2012-01-29T16:41:00.000-06:00

Wow, have things been busy around here. Not much time for crafting and I really haven’t been in the mood lately. I did take the time to throw together a quick vignette for the dining room table.

I picked up this great beaded placemat at Home Goods in early January and the pail at a dollar store somewhere. I try to keep some neutral colored scent free candles on hand, it takes so little to dress them up – a little sparkly ribbon and a straight pin is all I used this time. It wasn’t quite tall enough so I used one of my small graniteware bowls as a prop.

I also used a small candleholder and filled it with some red glitter hearts and a strand of small gold beads. It all came together nicely considering it only took a few minutes.

Button Candle

2012-01-17T13:51:00.004-06:00

I was over on Pinterest the other day and saw this cute candle with buttons that my sister had pinned. It was a cream colored candle with cream buttons. So cute. I decided I needed one so off to Wally World I went.

I found a cream colored candle – warm vanilla crème scented (it smells like cake) and some brown toned buttons. I also picked up a brown candle holder on closeout.

I love the different tones of the buttons - browns, creams, grays and a few with hints of blue.

This was one of the easiest projects I’ve ever done. I just hot glued the buttons around the base of the candle in layers. Jorie told me where she thought I needed more buttons and that was it.

Easy, cheap, simple and I love how it looks.

LINKING WITH:

http://www.linda-coastalcharm.blogspot.com/
http://www.thestuffofsuccess.com/2012/01/success-u-wednesday-linkup-party-21.html
http://savvysouthernstyle.blogspot.com/
http://www.thethriftyhome.com/2012/01/121st-penny-pinching-party.html

Happy New Year - a little late . . .

2012-01-08T16:16:00.001-06:00

First and foremost, I want to wish all of you a Happy New Year. I know I'm late - what can I say - I've been busy! I haven't even had time to do any crafts. I hope to get back in the swing of things here shortly. I have some ideas for Valentine's Day that I'm really wanting to try.

All the Christmas decorations have been put up since the day after Christmas, the kids went back to school and everyone is in good health (knock on wood). We went from blue and silver glitter to this:

Simple - easy - clutter free. I love my ladder - my father-in-law gives me a hard time about it but I don't care. I think it looks great.

From a Christmas tree forest

to this

I redid the old window a few months ago. I like this version better - it's so simple.

Jadyn and I also redid the window area in the dining room

She also thought simple would be better.

She also decided the plant needed to go into this bird cage. She was reading my mind!

Christmas Tree Forest

2011-12-17T14:35:00.000-06:00

I love Christmas trees – they are so festive! We did our own little forest this year on top of our antique cabinet. Some are store bought and others are home-made. All are wonderful!

Mr. Manly Man even made one! He went with a more traditional look – it took him a long time but he did a darn good job.

I did the red one with the great silver garland

Our youngest daughter completed the black one with the lime green snowflakes. The cone with the reindeer is just a sheet of scrapbook paper.

Here’s a couple of the store bought ones that I adore:

The silver one is absolutely gorgeous – all the swirls.

And this one is just plain fun! Bright green glitter and little branches going everywhere! It's a tree that's having a bad hair day!

What’s not to love?

Vintage Bulbs

2011-12-14T07:00:00.001-06:00

So by now you’ve all seen my Christmas light bulb projects, glittered and frosted. There were a few extra goodies in that box of old light bulbs, something I’d not seen before. Older light bulbs with ridges. There were around 10 or 12 of these pretty little things.

They ended up in a small hurricane along with a few smaller bulbs that were in the same box.

I love decorating with stuff I find around the house, plus the price was right!

Ski Bunny Fingernails

2011-12-13T07:00:00.002-06:00

It’s time to get a little girly. It’s Christmas fingernail time! Over the summer I found Sally Hansen nail polish strips. Sometimes I want something a little more than just one color – a little more sparkle or even a pattern. I think they are marketed for a gal a bit younger than I and some of them are a little too bold/wild for my taste. However, I found this great patterned one at Target over the weekend. It’s called Ski Bunny. To me it looks more like poinsettias.

I know, only three fingers? My pinky on my left hand is really short - I couldn't get it in the shot.

When I’ve previously used these, they lasted for about 10 days – I hope these do the same because I’ve got a very busy week ahead!

Vintage Ornaments

2011-12-11T18:35:00.001-06:00

I’m kind of on a vintage kick this year for my Christmas decorations. Not everything is old but all of it is fabulous! Today, I’m sharing fabulous vintage ornaments! I must say - I can hardly wait to find more - I adore the hunt!

At the November Bottoms Up flea market I found several great vintage Christmas ornaments, each were $1.00 or less – what a bargain! Someday I hope to be able to add some of the ornaments from my grandparents to my collection. (Mom - that's a direct hint!) I’d been eying this great silver display thingy for the last few years – this year I decided it was time for it to come home. I think it's going to be used year round - I can just see it with some wonderful glittery hearts - but that still a way off, for now back to Christmas!

I found several different styles of ornaments, ridged, swirled, striped and my favorite the frosted bells. I love them!

Jingle Bell Trees

2011-12-05T07:00:00.002-06:00

My mom was down over the weekend – we were in Kansas City all day Friday (two thumbs up for the West Bottoms) and got lots of Christmas shopping done. Saturday we hung out and did the Wal-Mart thing and Sunday – I talked her into some crafties.

We started by making some glitter frosted Christmas light bulbs. Then we moved on to jingle bell trees.

We used the springs from and old chair cushion I salvaged over the summer. We strung bright red jingle bells onto the springs

and used a dab of hot glue to keep them from sliding.

Next we stars out of scrapbook paper and glued them to the top of the springs.

I think she had fun crafting and she did a good job. It’s the first time she’s done crafty thing with me.

linking with: http://savvysouthernstyle.blogspot.com/2011/12/wow-us-wednesdays-43.html

Glitter Christmas Light Bulbs take 2

2011-11-30T07:00:00.005-06:00

Earlier I shared with you my technique for making glittered Christmas light bulbs. As promised – here are the results of the one’s that we used white glitter on.

We used red, green and white bulbs for this project and some gorgeous white medium glitter. The white glitter didn’t cover the bulbs completely – they look frosted.

Theses frosted bulbs became the centerpiece for our dining room table.

I put inexpensive red Styrofoam beads in the bottom of a hurricane and topped them off with the frosted bulbs. I purchased the peppermint place mat from Pier 1 and I’ve had the hurricane for several years. I love how this turned out – it looks great and didn’t break the bank!

Just a quick follow up to answer a couple of questions: I don't know what would happen if you were to put these back on the light strings and light them up. I don't even know if these are "good" lights - they had been in a box since we moved into our home 13 years ago

linking with: http://savvysouthernstyle.blogspot.com/2011/12/wow-us-wednesdays-43.html

Glittered Christmas Light Bulbs

2011-11-26T13:24:00.005-06:00

When we moved into our house 13 years ago, the old owner left several items behind: lots of furniture, Halloween decorations and a box of old style Christmas light bulbs. Several months ago I pinned some great glitter bulbs over on Pinterest and when I saw that box of miscellaneous old bulbs I decided to make them. Even my two teenage daughters got involved.

We started with a layer of waxed paper on the table, mod podge, and glitter. I started with blue and white glitter, then my youngest got out the purples – good call on her part!

We simply painted the bulbs with mod podge

sprinkled them with glitter

and set them on a sheet of waxed paper to dry

I also used some glitter snowflake stickers and just randomly placed them on some white bulbs.

They look great with the blue glittered bulbs.

Soon I’ll show you how the purple glittered bulbs and the white glittered bulbs turned out.

Just a quick follow up to answer a couple of questions: I don't know what would happen if you were to put these back on the light strings and light them up. I don't even know if these are "good" lights - they had been in a box since we moved into our home 13 years ago.
LINKING WITH: http://boogieboardcottage.blogspot.com/2011/11/welcome-to-48th-masterpiece-monday.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+blogspot%2FSTQkK+%28Boogieboard+Cottage%29

http://savvysouthernstyle.blogspot.com/2011/11/wow-us-wednesdays-42.html