Vintage Creations

I Spy Box

2013-03-11T07:52:00.001-07:00

Last Spring I came across this darling knife box, buried in a garage of an estate sale I attended. It was the perfect thing to display some of the little bits and pieces I've aquired, picking my way through western PA. I hung the box in my kitchen near our table. The kids and I love to play of game of "I Spy" as we sit together at the table.

The Treasure Jar

2013-02-27T15:07:00.001-08:00

When I was a kid, most Sunday nights were spent at my Great Grandma Luke's house. As all the adults sat visiting in the living room, us kids snuck quietly away to the best part of the house; the basement. What fun I had there with my cousins! At the top of the stairs sat " The Treasure Jar", the most coveted possession my grandma owned. I'm not sure when or why she made it, but it contained bits and pieces of her life, all perfectly pressed onto a paper mache covered vase. After exploring the depths of the cellar, us cousins resurfaced to the top of the stairs. I was filled with awe as we sat looking at all the unique treasures contained both outside and within the jar. Each piece of broken jewelry or other memento had a story to tell. As we sat listening to our parents talking and laughing, I gazed at the intriguing, magical jar. I would imagine amazing stories about all the bits and pieces as we took turns reaching in and pulling out each treasure one by one, laying them down carefully beside it. When I became an adult, I discovered that we were not the first generation to have such a great adoration for the jar. When my sweet Grandma Luke left this world in 1999, the treasure jar was by far the most desired item to be inherited. There wasn't a single person who didn't think the jar should be theirs. A drawing was finally held between the first generation of grandchildren. My uncle Val was elated to receive the jar that had become, in our eyes, the most valuable treasure in all the world.

In the late 80's, the treasure jar had inspired my mom to make an heirloom of her own. Collecting bits and pieces she had tucked away from my childhood, along with other artifacts from years past, she created a magical jar for future generations to marvel over. I've begged and pleaded these past few years to be it's guardian and protector, but she has yet to relinquish her treasure jar. Maybe someday...

...meanwhile; I gather, collect, and stash my children's memorabilia and gems of bygone eras to adhere to a jar of my own, in hopes that a future mind will be filled with wonder and awe. A family tradition is born!

Another Project

2011-09-26T19:23:00.000-07:00

I know the last thing I should be doing right now is starting another project. I haven't even finished writing my bias tape tutorial that I was planning to post last week. My house is a wreck, and I have at least 10 unfinished projects that I promised John I would finish before diving in to anything new.

But I have two good excuses for starting this project. Wait, now that I think about it, there are three. First, my son, Little john is having same day surgery Wednesday, at Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh. I will be sitting in a waiting room all day, and there is no way I can sit still that long with idle hands! I have to have something to work on to pass the time. Second, this project will be a gift for my mom's birthday (December 5th). It will take a while, so I need to get started soon. And third, I found the perfect thing to use to make it, today at Target. And it was on clearance for $4.74.

Here's a sneak peak. Bet you can't guess what it will be...

... stay tuned... (it's nothing earth shattering...but still fun to guess)

Kooky, Spooky, Sock Bats

2011-09-21T07:22:00.000-07:00

Two nights ago, Aidan stayed up late watching me finish making this bat sock doll for him. I have never seen him so excited! He designed the face and picked out the fabric for the legs. Then he helped me by stuffing the legs (and decided to do the wings too). When it was finished he was literally giddy, clapping and hooting. Who would have thought? I should have been making him sock animals all along, instead of buying him "boy" toys. He slept with it tucked under his arm all night. Then he insisted on taking it to school yesterday to show it off to all his friends.

Last night I finished Eliza's bat doll for her. She was excited and slept with it too. But I have to say, her enthusiasm was not quite as extreme as Adain's! This was a fun little project to get us all in the Fall spirit. Can you believe Halloween is just around the corner? Heather Bailey (my idol) has a free pattern for this little Betty Boo Sock Doll. You can download it here: http://heatherbailey.typepad.com/files/bettyboobat.pdf

Bias Tape 101: What is it? What is it good for?

2011-09-19T11:27:00.000-07:00

What is it?
Bias tape is your best friend, if you don't like finishing edges. Bias tape, also known as bias binding; is a narrow strip of fabric that has been cut on the bias of the fabric. In other words, it is cut at a 45 degree angle from the selvedge edge of the fabric. It is then folded in to the center, so there are no raw edges. There are two types of bias tape, single fold and double fold. Double fold bias tape is simply bias tape that has been folded in half. This is the most popular type of bias tape, and what I like to use on most everything I sew.
Bias tape has been gaining in popularity lately, but it is not a new notion. It has been around for a long, long, time. At least as far back as the late 1800's. Bias tape has been available to purchase commercial since 1917, when it was first marketed by Wm. E. Wright & Sons, the same company that carries this wonderful invention to sewers everywhere today.

What is it good for?
What isn't it good for, might be a better question! It is good for EVERYTHING! I first started using bias tape to bind quilts. Then I really came to love and appreciate it when I started sewing aprons a few years. A good apron always uses plenty of bias tape! It can be used on dresses, skirts, just about any clothing item, as well as tablecloths, hot pads, and other hand made items.

One thing that makes it so useful, is that it can curve and move easily around the fabric, because of the way it is cut. Not only is it great for hemming and edging, but it is very decorative as well. A nice contrasting bias tape gives a great vintage feel to anything you sew. It can be used to hide raw edges or it can be used purely as decoration. It's like ribbon or rick rack, only better!

Where do I get it?
Are you convinced yet that you must try bias tape? You now have two options; run down to your local fabric store and purchase a couple of packages. Or, make your own. It's really not that hard, but it is a bit time consuming, especially if this is your first time. If you are making an apron for your best friend's birthday tomorrow, you should probably just go buy some for now, and try making your own later.

If you choose to buy it, you can starting playing with it right away. However, the selection will be limited. Also, commercial bias tape usually has a high polyester content, so it's a bit stiffer, and just doesn't have as much of a vintage look and feel. The biggest advantage to making your own is that you can make it from any fabric, cotton, silk, rayon, linen, anything. It will match perfectly with all your sewing projects. And you can make it in a variety of sizes. Now you all want to go make some, right?

The Dresser that Broke the Husband's Back

2011-09-14T18:50:00.000-07:00

Have you ever had a dream about someone and woke up so angry because of something they did in a unconscious realm? I do it all the time. I wake up glaring at my innocent husband. When he asks what he's done to upset me so much, I reply, "Oh, you know what you've done!"

This morning, John called me from work, to let me know that he has never, in our entire marriage, been so angry at me, as he was when he woke from an early morning dream. "Wow! What did I do?" I asked. In my mind I'm thinking did it involve infidelity? Criminal activity? He's not one to get angry easily, so I knew it must be something really bad. He answered, "You just kept bringing more, and more furniture in the house! I told you I didn't want any more furniture, and you wouldn't listen. You just kept hauling in dresser after dresser! Then you got all kinds of people to help you bring them in! It was so awful!"

Hmmm... What a weird dream! I wonder what it could possibly mean? ...Well, I guess we'll never know!

By the way, anyone need a dresser? I picked up the cutest one last weekend. It's in my garage and I just don't know where to put it!

Ooh, La, La Spa Party

2011-09-09T11:12:00.000-07:00

I promise, this is the last post I'll write about Eliza's 6th birthday party! I just wanted to post of few pictures of how the party all came together and some of the party action itself. Although the idea was pampering and relaxation, I have to say this was the least relaxing spa that I've ever been to!

* Quick tip: If you are thinking of having a party similar to this, keep the number of guests to a minimum and make sure you invite all the moms to stay. Painting 6 girls nails by yourself could really turn into a nightmare!

Ooh, La, La Cake

2011-09-07T14:30:00.000-07:00

For Eliza's party, I made a simple layered cake. It was pink, of course. Butterflies and a monogramed "E" helped to make it extra fancy.

I also thought I would try making a few cake pops. My sisters have been raving about how good cake bites taste, and how pretty they turn out. If you are wondering what cake bites, or cake pops are, do a google search. They are everywhere! A cake pop is simply a cake bite on a sucker stick. I wish my sister, Allison, could have been here to whip up a few for the party. She would have done a much better job than I did. But it was fun to experiment anyway. I'll have to try them again, when I am not so rushed.

Making basic cake bites are pretty simple. Of course there are all kinds of gourmet, fancy recipes you can find on the internet, too.

To make the basic version,

*you simply bake a cake (from a box) just as directed.

*After it cools, destroy it! (break it up into small pieces) (this part is fun, the kids can help!)

* Then using your mixer, beat it into little crumbs.

*When the cake has been reduced to rubble, mix in a can of ready made frosting. I used a whole can but I think a little less would have been better.

*When it is all mixed up, put it in the freezer to chill for a bit. Then, roll into small balls and refreeze for at least 2 hours.

*After the balls are frozen, dip into melted chocolate (the candy wafers made by Wilton) If you are making pops, insert the sticks before you dip.

*decorate as desired with chocolate or candies or whatever.

*put back in the refrigerator or freezer, until ready to serve.

A couple of tips:

*Birthday cake decorating tip: bake the cake the night before, then refrigerate, or better yet, freeze. It will be much easier to frost when it is cold.

*Cake Bite tip: mix a little oil in to the chocolate after it is melted to make a thinner, smother consistency.

In taste tests, thinner chocolate coated bites tasted better.

Ooh, La, La Flowers

2011-09-06T15:56:00.000-07:00

No ooh, la, la party is complete without some decorations, especially flowers! To decorate for Eliza's party, I made flowers out of paper napkins. They are really simple to make and add a lot of color to the room. You probably made something similar, in elementary school, out of tissue paper. Making these again felt sort of nostalgic. There is a great tutorial, if you need a refresher on MADE. I also made ruffled streamers, which accent the flowers nicely, and add the statement "party!" to the room. Dana has a great tutorial on how to make these, too.

Ooh, La, La Guest Spa Robes

2011-09-05T17:01:00.000-07:00

Last week was quite a week. The kids all started school. Eliza turned 6. And I spent 3 crazy days, throwing together a birthday party. Since Eliza wanted to have a Fancy Nancy Spa party, I thought it would be nice to have robes for all the girls to wear. I also thought they would make nice party favors. What was I thinking????!!!! I ended up making 6 spa robes, among other things. And was still sewing bias tape 1/2 an hour before the guests arrived! Talk about cutting it close! I finally finished them all, just in the knick of time.

As each guest arrived, they received a robe, a pair of flip flops, and a hair turban thing.

The girls all looked soooo cute! It made all the work worth while.

I love the way they were "reading" their magazines while they relaxed!

Eliza's Sweet Vintage Style Robe

2011-09-01T06:42:00.000-07:00

Tuesday was my little Eliza's 6th birthday. While the kids were all at school, I spent the day making her a new bathrobe for her birthday. Friday, I am throwing together a last minute birthday party with a few of her friends. It will be an Ooh, la, la, Beauty Birthday (aka: Fancy Nancy spa party). I wanted her to have a cute new robe to wear to her celebration. So I made this.

I made it out of two Simply Shabby Chic bath towels from Target. I LOVE the texture. It reminds me of a an old chenille bedspread. And of course, Liza loved the pink! I didn't have a pattern, so I kind of made it up as I went along. I wanted it to have a bit of a 1940's flair to it. So I made big lapels and gathered the back up, for a more stylized look. Now I need to go finish things for the rest of her party!

Shoelaces to Fit your Style

2011-08-25T11:51:00.000-07:00

I don't know about your kids, but shoelaces are a big problem at my house. The problem is, that they either take them out to do various things, like tie each other up, or they somehow manage to fray the ends (maybe by chewing on them?), so they won't fit through the holes anymore. I once even received a note home from my son's teacher, that had his shoestrings attached with a stapler. It explained that he kept tying his shoes to his desk during class. The teacher got so fed up that he snipped the laces right off and send them home with the note!

Since my daughter had only one shoe lace for this pair of tennis shoes (typical). I made her a pair of fun polka dot ones. The coolest thing that I recently discovered, is called heat shrink tubing. To make these, I simply made some bias tape (actually it wasn't on the bias). Then stitched the the length of the laces on the open side. After that I slipped each end through the heat shrink tubing and heated it up with my embosser. What a quick fix to a shoe lace dilemma!

The Old Fisherman and His Wife

2011-08-21T14:54:00.000-07:00

Today is my oldest daughter, McKenna's, 19th birthday. She has been in Germany since the beginning of July and I miss her so much. So I thought I'd write a quick post in her honor. Before she left, she sculpted these two cute dolls out of clay. I just love them! She is so talented. She uses nothing but polymer clay and a toothpick to sculpt the faces and hands. For the wife's hair, she had a hard time finding anything around the house to use. So she cut my 5 year olds hair, and used it! I love her creativity. The bodies are made from wire and wrapped in tin foil. The clothes she found in my old Barbie box from when I was a kid. She told me that they were an old fisherman and his wife.

This post card, dated August 1911, exactly 100 years ago, makes me think of what this little old couple might have looked like so long ago.

Got Milk...caps?

2011-08-20T07:46:00.000-07:00

Fresh milk, delivered daily to your door in a lovely glass bottle with a really cool top. From the 1880's to 1960's, this was how most families received their milk. After 1960 paper cartons became the norm for milk. While you can still get milk in glass bottles from a few dairies, they are few and far between.

A couple of years ago, my husband started collecting these milk bottle tops for me. I love them. I keep them in a big jar on my kitchen counter. My kids and I, enjoy dumping them out and examining the uniqueness of each one. I hope you will enjoy looking at them too.

Decoupage Map Table

2011-08-17T10:55:00.000-07:00

For my playroom, I wanted a kids table that was big enough to put 6 chairs around. I had a hard time finding one large enough. So, I got a kitchen table, painted the legs black, then cut them down several inches. To make it more interesting, I decoupaged old maps to the top. I love making these decoupage tables. I have made several, and I love the unique look each one has.

To make this project you need:

Maps:

A variety of colors and images is always nice when making a collage. So, I scanned old maps from a book I borrowed from a friend, then I printed them out. I also had on old atlas that I took apart and used the pages from. The atlas pages were very large, which was great, because it always takes more images than you thing to do a project like this.

Decoupage:

I used Mod Podge with a gloss-lustre (you could also use watered down craft glue)

Scissors and Paper Cutter:

The paper cutter is good to trim off unwanted edges that sometimes occur when scanning from a book. I use scissors to fit small areas and table edges.

Other:

A plastic spatula works nicely to smooth large images into place.

I used glossy black spray paint for the table legs.

After decoupaging, I sprayed the edges with glossy wood tone, to give it an aged look.

I also like to spray my completed collage with Polyurethane. This helps to protect it from spills and makes it much more durable, especially with kids!

Voila! Now you have really cool kids table with lots of room to draw, paint, and create!

Vintage Beds, Vintage Style, Vintage Sizes

2011-08-14T18:20:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, I saw the cutest little bed at a garage sale. Like many vintage beds, it was a bit of an odd size. It looked pretty narrow to me, and I thought it could pass for crib size in width. But it was very long. I hoped that if I cut the sides down I could use it as a toddler bed. I wasn't sure, but I took a chance and bought it. When I got it home my guesses were correct. It fit a crib sized mattress perfectly, except that it was about 20 inches too long. Because of the way it was constructed I decided not to cut the length off the ends. But shortened it a bit further up.

After I cut 20 inches off each side, I used wood glue and mending plates to put the side rails back together. Ideally, it would have been best to cut the ends off, then screw the hardware back in place. But this bed did not have hardware attached, but it had pegs carved from it to fit the head and foot boards. I decided not to chance an ill fit by bothering with the ends, and went this route instead. I knew I would fold a quilt on the bottom of the bed and my seam would not show.

The bed in my daughter, Eliza's, room is also an odd size. I bought it at a garage sale too. It is bigger than a toddler bed but smaller than a twin. For this bed, I had a mattress custom made by a local mattress company. Generally, a mattress company can cut any size mattress down to fit. It costs a little more than a regular mattress but it was still pretty reasonable, even by my standards.

So, I guess what I'm saying is; if you see really cute little bed that you are tempted to buy, but aren't sure if a mattress will fit, take a chance, and get it. I love these odd little sized beds. They are so unique!

Confessions of a Collector

2011-08-12T08:29:00.000-07:00

The word "collector" has always left a bit of a sour taste in my mouth. When I think of a collector, I in-vision a room filled with mountains of Beenie Babies toppling over, with the tags protected by clear plastic to keep them in "mint" condition. I think of an episode of Hoarders I once watched, where a man had to build a separate building to house his immense beer can collection. I think of doll collectors, who's entire homes are filled with dolls that can not be touched or played with, each standing at attention on their metal doll stands. I think of people spending huge amounts of money to buy items that are only of value to them. Needless to say, I have never wanted to call myself a collector.

About a year ago, a friend was asking me what kind of things I buy at estate sales. I began telling him several different items that I look for. "I collect paper dolls," I told him. ..."and old keys, and bottles, and quilts, and old books, and tin toys, and fisher price toys, and thimbles, and buttons, and...." the list went on and on. I suddenly made a giant realization, "I'M A COLLECTOR!!!" And a collector of the worst kind, one who collects EVERYTHING, even dolls!!

After my discovery, I began thinking a lot about collections, and why people collect. I recently read an article about why people collect. (http://www.horizonlines.org/volume4/about/why/index.html) In the article it states one reason is that, "Collecting, like most passions, has the capacity to let (the collector) live in another world for a while." I liked that explanation. When I pick up a children's book from 1940, I am immediately transcended to another time. A simpler time. A time before technology ruled our world. I time when kids played outside all day. A time when being a homemaker was a glamourous occupation. A time when people knew how to work hard and sacrifice.

There are many different reasons people collect. But one thing is certain, there are a lot of us out there. I would love to see what others collect, what brings them that little bit of joy in the acquisition. If you have a collection you would like to share, email me pictures at melissanobbs@msn.com and I'll post them here.

Here are a few of my own collections:

Beaded Bookmarks

2011-08-10T19:07:00.000-07:00

If you're like me, you grab the nearest piece of paper to mark your place when reading a book. I've used ticket stubs, envelopes, price tags, gum wrappers, a dollar bill, just about anything within my reach. Recently, I borrowed a book from my daughter. It had the cutest bookmark slipped between it's pages. My mom had made it for her out of embroidery floss, beads, and buttons. I used it while reading the book and found it to be the handiest little bookmark, so I thought I'd make a couple for myself.

Making these bookmarks is easy to do and is a perfect use of odd beads and buttons left over from other projects. Here's how:

1. Cut embroidery floss, hemp, or crochet thread 11-14 inches, depending on desired length. Most of mine where about 12 inches.

2. You will need an anchor for the bottom of the string to keep it in place. A button with a shank on the back works well for this. My son, Liam, had a great idea to use a small shell with a hole in it. A charm is another good idea. Use your imagination! Thread the string through and tie a good tight knot. Afterwards, put a small dab of glue or fray check on the knot to keep it tight.

3. On the other side of the floss, tie a double knot about 4 inches from the top. Then dip the end of the floss in glue or fray check. Smooth the floss to a point with your fingers and let dry. This will help to thread the beads on easier, especially ones with small holes.

4. This is the fun part, thread a variety of beads on, until you get about an inch and a half from the top.

5. For the top, you'll need a good anchor for here too. I found that another shank button works well. Tie the button tightly to the end, pulling it close to the other beads. Then, thread the floss back through the other beads to hide it (if you can).

6. Place a small dot of glue or fray check on the knot to keep it tight.

7. You now have a beautiful bookmark (and it only took about 5 minutes!) Feel free to discard the ticket from the parking garage you've been using for the last couple of months.

This is a quick, easy gift to give to teachers, or to slip in a thank you card. My kids had fun making them too! Last night, I hosted my book club, and thought this would be a perfect little party favor to give each member of our group. I printed off quotes about books, then cut slits in the paper to hold the bookmarks in place. I handed them out after dinner (kind of like a fortune cookie). I told them each to pick the quote that fit them best.

Happy 100th Birthday Lucille Ball

2011-08-06T16:01:00.000-07:00

Happy 100th Birthday to the Queen of Comedy! 100 years ago today, the greatest icon from the golden age of television was born. Her beautiful aprons, (always a different one on each episode of I love Lucy) inspired my to create my own vintage inspired aprons. Thanks Lucy!

It's Great to Be 8!

2011-08-04T14:18:00.000-07:00

Turning 8 is a big deal in our church. This year, Aidan turned 8 and was baptized on his birthday. I made this cake for him, and all the other children turning eight, in honor of their big day. To celebrate each of their baptisms we have them pick a candle off the cake and we sing the song that is taped to the bottom of it.

Each time I bring the cake out, the kids get so excited. I always have one or two people ask me (adults and children) if it is real. It looks good enough to eat, though I would not suggest it. I made it with styrofoam cake dummies and a mixture of plaster of paris, spackle, and latex calk. The poka dots I made with polymer clay. It was really a lot of fun to make. And the best part was, I didn't gain a single ounce from eating all the frosting, like I usually do when I make cakes!

Bottle Cap Magnets

2011-08-03T12:36:00.000-07:00

These cute bottle cap magnets are fast, fun, and easy to make. It only takes a few minutes. This project is perfect to do with your kids.

Supplies Needed:
*bottle caps (purchase them online, at local craft store, or reuse from empty bottles with screw off caps)
*3/4 inch heavy duty magnets (I purchased mine at my local craft store- a few dollars for a package of 8)
*decoupage (if you don't have any plain old elmer's glue works fine too)
*1 inch craft punch or scissors (scissors work just fine but the punch will speed things along and give you a perfect circle)

Directions:
*Print out bottle cap sheet
*Punch or cut out desired images
*smear a small amount of decoupage on back of cut circle
*apply to top of bottle cap and smooth with finger
*apply a tiny bit more, with finger, to the top in one big circular swirl, making sure to get all the edges
*let dry, then apply 1 to 2 additional coats (drying between coats)

When the bottle caps are all dry just place the magnet inside the back of the crown. I don't glue mine in for two reasons; first it stays together just fine because the magnetic pull is so strong. Second, this way I can use the same magnet but just change the "cover" for a new look.

These would also be great charms for a bracelet or necklace. Just punch a hole and you are all set.

Bottle Cap Sheet

Timmy's Lost Leg (or Stories To Scare Young Children)

2011-08-02T09:59:00.000-07:00

My favorite thing I did while visiting my family in Utah a couple of weeks ago, was read old children's books with my mom. She has quite a nice collection. I could sit and read them for hours! My favorite was a book titled, "Be Better Book". It is a book that was actually written to scare children into being good! It's filled with stories of children who eat bad food, like bananas and do other horrible things like that. The consequences of their actions are quite extreme, thus scaring kids half to death. My favorite story is one about a little boy who just can't sit still. He wriggles so much that he wriggles his whole body into pieces. He ends up loosing his leg completely and the whole family has to go searching for it. It was so great! We were laughing so hard as we read it. I hoped it would stop my own children from wriggling so much, but they just laughed right along with us. They love the old stories as much as I do.

Mother Goose Nursery Rhymes

2011-08-01T09:19:00.000-07:00

Here are a few of the little nursery rhyme vignettes I made for my friend's daughter, Bridget, last summer. I used vintage Knickerbocker dolls then dressed them with scraps of fabric from a quilt that I made for her. It was so much fun finding and collecting all the little pieces.

Tea Party Birthday

2011-07-31T18:38:00.000-07:00

I just came across these photos tonight from Eliza's birthday party two years ago. Although I've never really gotten in to throwing kids parties, this one was really fun. Eliza was turning four, so she had four little friends over for a tea party. I've always thought it was a good rule of thumb to invite as many guests as the child is old. That was you don't have 20 three year olds running in every direction. Aidan was so excited to help with the party too. So he got himself all dressed up and acted as the girls waiter. He was darling. We all had a great time. In fact, Eliza just asked me if she can have the same party this year.

Wrapping up our Adventure

2011-07-28T09:44:00.000-07:00

Wednesday, July 20th was the last day in Utah that I spent with my family. We took the kids to a pirate themed family entertainment center called, Pirate Island. As far as places like that go, it was pretty cool. It reminded me a little bit of the Rainforest Cafe, but with pirate themes. We got to each lunch in our own private room called, The Smugglers Cave. IT was like being in a real cave with hidden treasures all around. The kids loved it.

That evening we attended my uncle's 60th birthday party. It was great to see so many of my cousins, aunts, and uncles. The next morning we said goodbye to my grandma and my parents, who so graciously took care of our sleeping needs and breakfast every morning, among other things, while we were visiting. Then we headed up Provo Canyon to our Nobbs family reunion, in Timber Lakes.

On the way to the reunion we stopped at Bridal Veil Falls to stretch our legs on snap a few photos.

The reunion was great. We got to see two of John's sisters and their families that we haven't seen for over 10 years. The kids love meeting their "new" cousins. Immediately they began playing together and having a good time. Friday we all hiked to Stewart Falls. It was beautiful! I enjoyed it, although a few of the kids didn't like the long hike too much. Then we went to Deer Creek Reservoir where the kids played in the water and went fishing. Saturday was especially nice for everyone. John's grandmother came to the reunion to see everyone for the day. The kids put on a talent show for her. They were so cute! We had lots of great food and fun together.

Sunday morning we got up early and headed back out on the open road. Luckly, John was there to help with the driving (it's so much easier to make a long trip with 2 drivers!). Sunday we drove at total of 18 hours! The best thing that day was seeing a double rainbow stretched across the open sky. And the worst thing was that Eliza got car sick (no surprise there) and threw up in the back seat a couple of times...ughhh. Monday it was a simple 12 hour drive. We saw some crop dusters as we passed through Iowa. So that was pretty cool. But other than that the whole drive home was a bit dull, and long. We arrived back in Pittsburgh, late Monday night. All, in all, it was a great summer adventure. But we are all happy to be home at last!