Summerstead

Long Hot Summer

noreply@blogger.com (SUMMERSTEAD) — Tue, 22 May 2012 11:15:00 +0000

Long Hot Summer by Keith Urban

May Photo Fun List

noreply@blogger.com (SUMMERSTEAD) — Tue, 01 May 2012 05:01:00 +0000

May Photo Fun:

Candles

Flowers

Mom

Last Day of School*

Flag

If school in your area doesn't get out till next month, take a picture of Your Choice!

Rose Colored Glasses

noreply@blogger.com (SUMMERSTEAD) — Fri, 13 Apr 2012 13:21:00 +0000

I know I've said before that I like to keep things happy and positive here, but sometimes an explanation is needed/deserved, and explanations aren't always pretty.

February and March were crazy busy with scout stuff. Awesome's Cub Scout Pack hosted the District Pinewood Derby, and I was the planning committee chair. The week after the Derby, Bug's Boy Scout Troop hosted the District Spring Camporee. While I wasn't in on a lot of the planning, I volunteered at the campout.

As far as I could tell, my marriage, while not perfect, was pretty good. Everybody seemed happy, and we were making plans to go to the Omaha Zoo for Awesome's birthday. Other than a camera, going to the zoo with just the 4 of us was the only thing he wanted. We've never gone anywhere other than Wal-mart as just our little family. We're always with grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins, or it was just the boys and I. It has been impossible to get Jeremy to go do any kind of family activity with us. We FINALLY got him to agree to come to the zoo. It's just the 4 of us. The boys and I have been so excited! There won't be any computers, phones, or TV's to distract anybody, and we actually get to spend quality time together as a family.

Last night, after the boys went to bed, J dropped a bomb. The big "D". I am devastated. When you get married, it's for life. If something isn't working right, you fix it. Especially when kids are involved. Up until last night, I thought my husband and I were in agreement on that. Apparently, I was wrong. He said he's going to file soon. Before school gets out (last day is May 17th). I don't understand why he's in such a hurry, and the possible reasons that are creeping into my head are breaking my heart even more.

Ah...Rose colored glasses...where are you when I need you most?

So...

noreply@blogger.com (SUMMERSTEAD) — Thu, 12 Apr 2012 04:03:00 +0000

I'm still here. Been going through some things lately. I'll try to get some pictures posted soon (but not from the February photo list - those somehow got erased). I''m just kin a state of numbness right now.

I'll be back soon with a happier post. G'night.

April Photo Fun List

noreply@blogger.com (SUMMERSTEAD) — Sun, 01 Apr 2012 05:01:00 +0000

April Photo Fun List:

Eggs

Puddles

Umbrella

Something Easter related

Something Yellow

March Photo Fun List

noreply@blogger.com (SUMMERSTEAD) — Thu, 01 Mar 2012 06:01:00 +0000

March Photo Fun List:

A Lucky Charm

Favorite Dr. Seuss Book

A Bad Habit

First Hint of Spring

Something Green

I'll be sharing my February photos soon!

Who put [that] on the wall?

noreply@blogger.com (SUMMERSTEAD) — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 16:30:00 +0000

Recently, someone who knows me (and my family) pretty well read this little space of mine for the first time. I was told that, for the most part, this blog only represents the June Cleaver/Leave it to Beaver part of my life. I don't often share the conversations we have here at home, or the things that are said and sung by Bug and Awesome.

Here's the truth. I have a husband who may or may not be going through an early midlife crisis. In many ways, he's a teenager trapped in an almost 36-year-old man's body. Awesome is just like his dad. Bug is a little more reserved, but he's also an 11-year-old boy who has taught me more than I ever wanted to know!

It's been a challenge, and I have found that many times, it's just best to let things go. I have taught the boys what kind of behavior is expected in public, and what kind of behavior will absolutely not be tolerated anywhere. They are respectful of my wishes, but they have enough of their dad in them, that they are going to (and do) push the boundaries as much as possible at home.

Working on that darn math homework.

Last week, I heard Bug say, "Who put the penis on the wall?" I groaned, rolled my eyes up looking for some help, and went into the living room prepared to see some of Awesome's artwork drawn on the wall. (*Awesome loves to draw, but his artwork has been known to look a little like what he was intending to draw, and a lot like something else entirely.) I couldn't see anything, until Bug pointed it out to me. I'm assuming that it was just a greasy handprint, but it did look a lot like boy parts.

Playing on dad's new ion drum set for Rock Band 3...and being a dork.

Since that day, Awesome has turned Bug's question into a song, and can often be heard singing (and giggling), "Who put the penis on the wall?" Unfortunately, the tune is quite catchy, and I sometimes find the song going through my head as I'm doing housework.

Welcome to my world.

Time to Be Honest...

noreply@blogger.com (SUMMERSTEAD) — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 12:39:00 +0000

Me: Honey, you know I love you, right?

J: (silence, but I get a look that says, "What on earth have you done now?")

Me: I've been keeping a secret from you...

J: (rolls his eyes)

Me: If the opportunity presented itself, I can't say with 100% certainty that I wouldn't cheat on you with Eddie Vedder.

J: (sighs)

Me: (I give him a look that says that I totally understand that even though he's straight as an arrow, he might not be able guarantee he wouldn't do the same.)

J: (rolls eyes again)

Me: And Johnny Depp.

J: (sighs and rolls his eyes)
Check your email. (Because I love you, and I, too, love Eddie and Johnny as much as you do.)

Well, maybe he didn't actually say the part in parenthesis out loud, but I'm pretty sure he was thinking it.

And, this is what was in my inbox. One of my favorite videos. Ever.

I don't know how that stage was strong enough to hold all that awesomeness, but I sure am glad it was.

Who Rescued Who?

noreply@blogger.com (SUMMERSTEAD) — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 02:15:00 +0000

As far as I know, there is only 1 No Kill Animal shelter in central Nebraska. Start Over Rover Yesterday was a 24-hour fundraiser, and I was there till about 11pm last night. We got lots of donations and there were several adoptions. SOR is a non-profit organization that relies solely on the generosity of volunteers and donations. Even with all the love we received, there is still a ways to go. If you have an extra couple of bucks you'd like to put to good use, hop on over here and click on the PayPal DONATE button!

This is Rex, my parents' dog. He was relinquished to SOR by an older couple who just couldn't take care of him. He was well loved and taken care of by the Volunteer staff at SOR until he found his forever home with mom and dad.

Disclaimer: There is another shelter that claims to be no kill, but it's not. We won't get into that right now, though.

Also, that Autogate Road watermark you see on the pictures? That's mine, too. You can see some of my random photography here.

Board and Batten Coat Hooks

noreply@blogger.com (SUMMERSTEAD) — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 18:01:00 +0000

My husband informed me that he wants a coat rack by the front door. A free standing coat rack. I nearly laughed in his face.

A free standing coat rack? In our house? He clearly forgot who he's living with. It would be used not only for hanging our coats and hats, but also as a toy, a weapon, and it'd be the perfect sized chew toy for Bernie (our St. Bernard, whose real name is Odin). I imagine that a few windows would be taken out, and our interior walls would have a few windows put in.

Before he could go pick out something horrendous, I got busy and made this:

First, I marked off the area where I wanted the B&B, and painted the wall in that area.

The wood was VERY hard, so I pre-drilled the holes. Since I was using finishing nails to attach the 1/2 x 2s, I drilled 3 tiny holes in each board. On the 1/2 x 4, I laid out the hooks where I wanted them, and marked the screw holes to attach the hooks to the wood. After drilling those holes, and using the hooks as a guide, I drilled a 3rd hole centered below each set of the hooks' holes.

I measured 4 feet up from the top of the baseboards, centered, and leveled the 1/2 x 4, and screwed it into place. On each end, I attached the rosettes. I know I should have used finishing nails on those, but I didn't. I was worried about being able to see the nails too well, so I used carpet tape!

I then nailed one 1/2 x 2 on each end, just under the rosettes.

With the third, I centered it under where the middle hook was going to go, and put it there. I screwed in the hooks, and I was done!

Sources, Costs, & Notes:
1/2 x 4 (3 feet long) - Menards, $3
1/2 x 2 (4 feet long) - Menards, $3 each
3-1/2 Rosettes - Menards $3 each
Hooks - Walmart, $2.27 each
Paint Color - Muslin by Color Place (Light Base, Formula: C-2, T-4, L-8)

You could easily make this cheaper. The wood I used was a higher grade and well sanded wood because they had it in the perfect size that I was looking for when doing this small project. If I had done a larger area, I would have used either MDF or lower quality 1x4s and 1x2s. Also, the only rosettes available in the size I needed were in wood. MDF versions are cheaper.

Grab-N-Go Cereal

noreply@blogger.com (SUMMERSTEAD) — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 15:32:00 +0000

We throw away sooooooo much cereal. Every single day, at least 1/2 - 1 Cup of cereal gets thrown away. It drives me nuts! The boys tend to fill their bowls so full of cereal that there's hardly any room for milk! My constant nagging of, "Start out with just a little - you can always get a little more" hasn't gotten through their thick skulls, so I've been tempted to just stop buying cereal all together.

This morning, Awesome asked me to explain the nutrition facts to him. As I was explaining everything, an idea came to me, and as soon as the boys were dropped off at the bus, I got busy.

I poured 1 cup of cereal into Snack Size Ziploc bags, and put them in a basket (big thanks to my grandma for her ca-ra-zay basket collection!).

Now, the boys can just grab a baggie with the right amount of cereal for their bowls, and if we all oversleep (it has happened, and more than I'd like to admit!), they can just grab a baggie on the way out the door!

February Photo Fun List

noreply@blogger.com (SUMMERSTEAD) — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 06:01:00 +0000

Here is your February Photo Fun List:

Someone you love

Valentines

Favorite Gadget

Pajamas

Something Purple, Green, and/or Gold

January 2012 Photo Fun

noreply@blogger.com (SUMMERSTEAD) — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 15:22:00 +0000

Hi all! I have a new way for you to follow me! Follow my blog with Bloglovin

Before I share my Photo Fun photos with you, I want to address a couple of questions I received about my NEW monthly photo fun event...

1. No, you do NOT need to take a picture of each category. You can do as many or as few as you want.

2. No, you do not need a fancy schmancy SLR camera. I don't (yet!). This isn't a contest, this is a chance to learn about, play with, and get to know your camera.

3. You can interpret the different categories any way you want. You can edit your photos a little, a lot, or not at all. Just have fun and be creative!

Here are my photos from January 2012:

Stacks of Sweaters

Bowls of Soup

Cups of Hot Cocoa

Something Blue

Your Choice

I'd love to see what you've all come up with! Link up below (open till February 7), grab a button from my sidebar, and check back tomorrow for February's list!

Love Letters

noreply@blogger.com (SUMMERSTEAD) — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 12:25:00 +0000

All last week, Kindra hosted her 2nd annual Be Mine Bonanza. If you missed it, you really should check it out! It was seven days of talented ladies showing off some wonderful Valentine's Day inspired crafts. Tuesday was my turn to show off what I made. Focusing more on the romance of Valentine's Day, this is what I came up with...

Last year, I showed you how to make some pillow forms and pillow covers. This time, I decided to do something a little different. Thinking of the kinds of things I love (simplicity, all things vintage, history) and things that I don't particularly care for (lots of heartsy stuff), I came up with some wall art that is inspired by old letters, including a letter my great-grandpa wrote to my great-grandma during WWI.

Today, I'm going to show you how I created both versions above.

For the one on the left, you will need:

12x12 Scrapbooking Frame

12x12 Scrapbooking Paper

8x11 Scrapbooking Paper or Printer Paper

Tape

Xacto Knife & self healing mat

Ruler

Pencil

Printer

Embellishments

First, if your frame is black (like mine), but you want it a different color (like I did), just spray paint it. Decide on a poem or song that you like. I chose Etta James' "At Last" because that was the first song my husband and I danced to. Below, you'll find some links to PDF's for At Last, What A Wonderful World, I'll Be Seeing You, It Had To Be You, As Time Goes By, and It's Been A Long Long Time. Or type and print your own (font and template info found below). I printed mine on some textured card stock, and I love the way it turned out.

Take your 12x12 scrapbooking paper, measure and mark lines 2-3 inches from each side. I did mine at 2 inches, but I wish I would have gone with 2.5 or 3 inches.

I apologize for the poor quality photo - not a good day for taking pictures!

With your Xacto knife (or scissors), cut the middle out. Take your printed song, center it (it's okay if the words on the edges don't completely show), and tape it in place. If you have a little bit hanging over the bottom, just cut it off. Add any embellishments, attach your paper to the frame backing, and pop it all into the frame.

For the frame on the right, you will need:

11x14 frame with 8x10 mat

18" Baker's twine

Heat & Bond

Fabric

Paper, ruler, scissors, and pencil for making template

First, you will need to pick out your song that you want, then print and frame it like you would a picture. I printed mine on plain white cardstock.

Now, the no-sew mini bunting. Cut a piece of paper at 1x3 inches. Then, mark the half way points on each side, and draw a diamond shape using the halfway marks as a guide, and cut the diamond out.

Next, cut (5) 1x3 strips of Heat & Bond. Iron the shiny/non-papery side of the Heat & Bond strips to the wrong side of your fabric(s) and cut them out.

Then, trace the diamond onto the papery-side of the Heat & Bond, and cut out your shapes. If you want scalloped edges like mine, you'll need to use pinking shears or a pinking rotary blade. With wrong sides together, fold your fabric diamonds in half, and iron the bottom half. Slip on to your baker's twine, and iron the rest. I spaced my mini pennants about 1/2 inch apart. Since the bunting is light enough, you can just tape it to the back of your frame.

I've already printed out the lyrics to some of my (and my family's) favorite songs that I plan to periodically switch out. I'll also change the background & embellishments in the first frame, and the bunting on the second one to fit the song and/or season!

Sources, Costs, and Notes:

For the printed song in the first frame, I used the "Justify" alignment, and knocked the margins down to .5. You may also have to adjust the header and footer (I set mine at .3)

Font - Jane Austen, free from dafont.com

12x12 Frame - Hobby Lobby, $19.99

12x12 Paper - Hobby Lobby, 59¢

8x11 Paper - Hobby Lobby, 39¢

11x14 Frame with mat - Walmart, $14

Baker's Twine - Bella Creationz, $8.95/160 yards

Fabric - my personal stash

Heat & Bond - Hobby Lobby, about $3/yard, I think
At Last - Vertical Horizontal
What A Wonderful World - Vertical Horizontal
I'll Be Seeing You - Vertical Horizontal
It Had To Be You - Vertical Horizontal
As Time Goes By - Vertical Horizontal
It's Been A Long, Long Time - Vertical Horizontal

Thanks again, Kindra for hosting this event, and inviting me to be a part of it! And, thanks to all of you for checking out this lil tutorial o' mine!

Guess Where I Am

noreply@blogger.com (SUMMERSTEAD) — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 12:07:00 +0000

As I mentioned yesterday, I'm hanging out over at Kindra's today, sharing with everyone how I made these:

Come on over and say "HI!" While you're there, prepare to be inspired by all of this year's participants!

Be Mine Bonanza

noreply@blogger.com (SUMMERSTEAD) — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 15:07:00 +0000

Oh, my! Things have been ca-ra-zy around here! So much to do, with almost no time to do it. Have you ever had one of those days where it feels like every time you turn around, you have another thing piled on your plate? That's been the last few months for me.

A big thanks to all of you who emailed to let me know my feedburner sign up wasn't working. I think it's fixed, now, and I signed up those of you who sent me emails asking me to do so. You should have received an email authorizing your subscription (or should receive one soon).

Between my plate being piled up through the roof, and trying to fix this whole feedburner thing, I have dropped the ball, and almost forgot to let you all know about a great event going on this week. It's Kindra's 2nd Annual Be Mine Bonanza!

It started yesterday with Kindra's tutorial for some great Sweetheart Ornaments. I'm thinking it's time to dig out my mirror spray paint and some spare frames, and dig through my craft supplies to see if I have any little mirrors in my stash!

Today, Christina shared how she made an adorable Throw Pillow. Considering my ongoing addiction to cute pillows, I probably should have bypassed this post. As it is, I'll be going through my fabrics today, and since I won't be able to decide on just one, there's a good chance that my mom, sis-in-law, and nieces will also be finding a version of this pillow in their homes/rooms!

Tomorrow is my turn (so be sure to check it out!), and the rest of the week looks a little like this:

Wednesday - Tiffany

Thursday - Sarah

Friday - Michelle

Saturday - Gwen

I have never really decorated for Valentine's Day because I'm not too big on the hearts-y, pastel-y stuff, but the tutorials that were posted during last year's Be Mine Bonanza have not only inspired me, but they've made me look forward to decorating for Valentine's Day! I can't wait to see what the rest of this week brings!

What's for Dinner?

noreply@blogger.com (SUMMERSTEAD) — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 16:44:00 +0000

Every weekday, between 4:00-5:30, I hear "What's for dinner?" at least 6 times (more on weekends). Keep in mind there are only 4 of us who live here, and I almost never have to ask myself this question. So, yeah. Because everybody thinks they're starving all the time, and nobody listens, I have to answer the same question a minimum of half a dozen times in an hour. I'm hoping that since we can all read, I will not longer have to answer, "What's for Dinner?" Instead, I'll get a workout as I constantly point to our new menu board!

I used the same, super easy method that I used for my Perpetual Calendar and the boys' Chore Charts.

Supplies Needed:
10x13 Frame
2 sheets 12x12 scrapbooking paper
Printer & Printer paper
Scissors
Dry Erase Marker
Glue/Double stick tape
Regular scotch tape
Ruler & pencil (or paper cutter with ruler if you have one)

Cut the "header" paper (the green paper I used behind the M-E-N-U letters) so that it measures 3 x 10 inches.

Cut the body paper so that it measures 10 x 10½ inches.

Print and cut your letters.

Take the back off your frame, and lay your body paper in the frame so it butts up against the bottom. Then lay the header paper in so it butts up against the top of the frame. Tape the 2 pieces of paper together where they overlap. Mine overlapped about ½ an inch.

Take the papers out of the frame, and attach your letters. Pop it back in the frame, attach the back of the frame, and you're done!

Sources, Notes, & Costs:
Frame - Walmart, $5
Scrapbooking Paper - Hobby Lobby 59¢ each (I got them on sale for 1/2 off)

To download and print a PDF with the letters I used, click here. The smaller letters are 1 inch circles, so if you have a punch that size, it'll make it go a lot faster!

**I think I fixed the PDF link so you don't have to log in or create an account in order to be able to us it. Sorry for the inconvenience!**

January Photo Fun List

noreply@blogger.com (SUMMERSTEAD) — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 06:01:00 +0000

HAPPY 2012!
Looking through my pictures from 2011, I realized that I didn't take nearly as many as usual. We tend to ignore the everyday details, and I've decided I'm done ignoring the little things. Sometimes those are the things that bring back the best memories.

Without further ado, here is the January Photo Fun List:

Stacks of Sweaters

Bowls of Soup

Cups of Hot Cocoa

Something Blue

Your Choice

I'll be posting my photos on January 31st. Please feel free to link up!

Photo Fun

noreply@blogger.com (SUMMERSTEAD) — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 06:01:00 +0000

Hope everyone had a very Merry Christmas! I had a really hard time getting into the Christmas spirit this year, and haven't been in much of a posting mood. This month has just been one of those "blah" months.

Before I tell you about my photo fun, I do have a small PSA for you all...If you keep guns in your house, please, Please, PLEASE don't be a dumbass and leave a loaded gun laying around where your young children can get to it. The hubby's aunt lost her 5-year-old grandbaby on December 23rd due to this kind of carelessness.

Now, onto our regularly scheduled program:
Every year, I think about doing the 365 Photo Challenge, but it never seems to work out. I get busy, or I have a creative block, or I just forget. For 2012, I'm going to try something new, and I invite you all to join me!

The first day of every month, I will post a list of 5 things to take pictures of during the month. On the last day, I will share with you my photos, and there will be an area for you to link up to yours, as well. The link will be open for one week, and at the end of that week (depending on the amount of participation), I will pick one photo from each category for a spotlight.

You don't have to be a professional or have any fancy/expensive photo editing software. You don't even have to have a DSLR. The only reasons for this exercise are:
1. Become more familiar and comfortable with my camera
2. Practice taking different kinds of shots and improving my photography skills
3. Have fun!

First list goes up January 1 - hope to see you there!

70 Years

noreply@blogger.com (SUMMERSTEAD) — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 15:06:00 +0000

Always Remember

via

Simple Tree Skirt Tutorial

noreply@blogger.com (SUMMERSTEAD) — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 20:14:00 +0000

Thanksgiving is only days away, which means Christmas is right around the corner! Every year, I go in search of the perfect tree skirt for our tree. I want something pretty, but really busy, and I want it to be reasonably priced. I've never been able to find a tree skirt that fit all three criteria, so I decided to make my own.

*I have actually added a really cute pleated trim since this picture was taken. I'll get a new picture taken soon. It just adds an extra bit of prettiness!*

This tutorial is for a tree skirt that measures about 36” in diameter. For mine, I decided to use only a single layer of fabric, but I’ll include instructions for a skirt with a top, batting, and underside.

Materials:
1 1/8 - 2¼ yards fabric, pre-washed
If you want a different fabric for the top and bottom of the skirt, you’ll need about 1 1/8 yards of each fabric.
1 Fat Quarter, pre-washed OR 3½ yards bias tape
Coordinating Thread
Batting (optional)
Pencil
String
Ruler & Yard stick

Instructions:
1. Fold your fabric in half, right sides together. Then fold in half again.

2. From the folded corner, measure out 18” along each side, and a few spots between the two sides. Make a mark at each spot.

3. Tie your string to your pencil. Place your pencil on one of your marks, then pull the string to the corner.
Hold the string in the corner while you draw the lines from dot to dot. I found it is easier to make short dashes instead of one long line.

4. Cut along your line through all four layers.

5. We have an artificial tree, so my inner circle is only 1¼” diameter. (If you have a real tree, you will want to make yours larger. Just measure the diameter of your trunk and divide that in half to figure how far from the corner you need to measure for the inner circle.) From the corner, measure out about ¾” and make your marks.

6. Draw your lines to connect the dots.

7. Cut out the inner circle, then unfold your skirt half way.

8. Slip your scissors between the two layers, and cut along one folded edge from the outside to the inner circle.

9. If you want to add any kind of embellishments, appliqués, reverse appliqués, etc to the top of your skirt, now is the time to do it.

If you’re just doing a single layer, skip to #12.

10. This is a quick and easy way to cut the batting (you can also use old towels, mattress pads, etc) and backing fabric. Lay the backing fabric right side down. Layer the batting and top of tree skirt, and pin together.

11. Using the skirt top as your pattern, simply cut around it through the batting and backing fabric.

You can go here to find a tutorial I posted a while back on how to get several yards of bias tape from just one fat quarter.

12. Once you have your bias tape ready, all you have to do is sew it along the rough edges, and you’re done!

Rolling In The Deep

noreply@blogger.com (SUMMERSTEAD) — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 12:17:00 +0000

Rolling In The Deep by Adele

Thank You

noreply@blogger.com (SUMMERSTEAD) — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 12:56:00 +0000

Thank you, Veterans.

Your courage, strength, and sacrifice mean more than you will ever know.

LMFAO

noreply@blogger.com (SUMMERSTEAD) — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 11:29:00 +0000

After seeing a certain commercial a few times, this song was downloaded and quickly put on to 2 MP3 players here. It gets played many mornings before school - it's a great energizer for a couple of boys who would rather sleep in!

Party Rock Anthem by LMFAO

This is such a fun song that really gets into your head, so I decided to look a little for some other songs by these guys. While browsing YouTube, I came across a video that makes me want to wash my eyes out. It's a fun, silly song called "Sexy and I Know It". I immediately thought of Right Said Fred and their goofiness, so I checked it out. Um, yeah. It left me a little speechless. And, of course, when something leaves me slightly disturbed, I have to show my husband. Poor guy. The video is full of guys in speedos "flinging their junk all over the place" (hubby's extremely accurate description).

Day 31 - A Thought to Ponder

noreply@blogger.com (SUMMERSTEAD) — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 11:30:00 +0000

"You have to make peace with yourself.

The key is to find the harmony in what you have."

Naomi Watts