A Happy Diversion

Here's a little quiz for you:
What would make me leave my nice, warm house with a fever and a sore throat and two kids who also have the same fever and sore throat? What would make me leave a crazy busy desk and postpone finishing my project for one more day? What could possibly have happened to make me drop everything and head out the door today????

If you said go to the doctor, you'd be wrong. If you said the house was on fire, you'd be wrong. If you said the family was out of milk, well, you're probably right, but that's not it either.

Need a hint?
Nope it's not the guy with the spiffy, yellow earmuffs...it's the plane.

That's right Blue Angel number 7 was in town today. My husband called me shortly after lunch with the news that one of the Blue Angels was in town today doing some "touch and go's" and scoping out our airport for their upcoming visit to Idaho Falls this summer. I'm just giddy about that. I LOVE the Blue Angels. I very much enjoy the Thunderbirds, but I LOVE the Blue Angels. It's been more than 5 years since I have seen them and I can't wait. But today after my husband's call, we hopped into the car and headed to the airport. I'm more than certain I am now on the terrorist watch list because my car was seen slowly cruising around the perimeter of the airport gates looking for the best vantage point. I knew when I found it too because there were several other fans (mostly retired military men, they just had that look about them) parked and visiting outside their cars. We waited for about 15 minutes and then in true Blue Angel style, there he was, out of nowhere. He buzzed the runway and did a hard turn and passed right over our car. Happy day! He then did a quick turn around and landed right in front of us.
OK, I'm sure that many of you are shaking your heads wondering why in the world I am so into the Blue Angels and would drop everything to have one fly over my car. Two reasons. One: They are just too cool! And two (and the best one probably): Because of this guy.
That is my brother, Brent. He is a pilot for the USAF. C-130's. And I love this guy. When he was very young, he fell in love with planes and set his sights on flying them. Everything he did was somehow helping to land him in the pilot's seat. And so, each and every time we went to Utah, we had to stop at the Hill AFB museum. Our whole family had the dang thing memorized and we would just sort of roll our eyes whenever we had to go, but you know what, I learned to love the place. Maybe because Brent loved it so much or maybe the planes, I don't know but it is pretty cool to me now. I have even dragged my kids to it a time or two. The last time the Blue Angels were here was the last airshow I have been able to go to with Brent. And we had quite an adventure. Fruit salad and all (long, gross story). He is stationed halfway across the country and spends quite a bit of time in Iraq. But guess what? He just got home from a deployment and is taking leave next week. That means he will be here in Idaho in just a few short days! Wahoo! He is too much fun! By the way, Brent is an awesome photographer and he took both of the Blue Angel pictures in this post. I know, they rock!

So basically, what I am trying to say, is that there will not be a project posted here today either. I really just HAD to go have #7 buzz my car today instead. It's been a good day.

It's Me Again

I know, I know, two posts in as many days. It's incredible. I've been working feverishly on my (overdue) Christmas projects. For the second year in a row, my calendars are late, but they are turning out super cute. Just waiting for some pictures and I will share with you all. But you just have to check out this fun food blog that my friend Kandice found. It can be found at http://www.ourbestbites.com/ . It has some awesome recipes there and when I was searching around on their site, I found the cutest little gift idea. I thought that I might make a few for my friends (turn away now Kandice) for Valentines day. They are, are you ready for this, little tiny personal pies that are made in a jar. They can be made and stored in the freezer for when you might need a little pie (and who doesn't) or they can be baked right away. We are talking seriously cute AND there can be no guilt involved if, in fact, you eat an entire pie. It's OK. It's sized just for you. They even have some ready made tags that you can print for them that are really cute, but I'm working on a few ideas of my own specifically for Valentine's Day to give them as gifts. You can find this great post and a link to the tags HERE . And just wait til you see the blog of the talented Lolly, who designed the tag. Be ready to spend some time checking out sweet Lolly's place too. Have fun and you might just want to go make some pie now. I'll be heading back to my desk to work on something that I have actually done to post on my blog.

Hello Gorgeous!

Yep! That's what I say every, single time I walk in and see this beauty at my desk. You see, up until very recently, I have been sewing with a machine that is approximately two years older than I am. To save you all from having to do some head math, that is pretty much a 40 year old machine. It's been a great old machine and technically, it's my mom's. It's the machine I learned to sew with in 4-H and it's gotten me through many a project, but earlier this month during the Christmas project crunch, it started acting up a little. I was praying for it to make it through, but I told my dad that it needed some work. And do you know what that most amazing guy did? He called me up and told me to meet him at the sewing machine store and he bought me this!!!!! I kept trying not to cry and the saleslady asked me if I was OK. "I'm just so excited." By the time I got to my car, I was totally bawling and I didn't stop until after I got home and then when I showed my family my gift, I cried some more. My kids were seriously worried about me. I just kept repeating, "I'm just so excited." Honestly, do you know what modern sewing machines can do? Well, OK, you probably do, but I did not. Jan (that's what I call her, when I don't call her gorgeous) and I have been doing some sewing projects and she's amazing. My next sewing project is going to be a sewing machine cozy so she won't get dusty and because I'm not the only one fascinated by her beautiful buttons. My three year old son loves buttons too. He can't resist them either. Is that a little obsessive about a sewing machine? Yep! It probably is, but I don't care! I love her!

I still have a few more things to work on before I have a project to share but I'll be back soon with something cute for you. In the meantime, you have to check out this post by Betsy Veldman. She has made the cutest little scrap cards, but the smartest thing of all is the envelopes she makes for them. Super cute. She's a genius, I tell you. Plus it's another thing that I can sew with Jan!

Those Things Could KILL You

I'm not sure if anyone is still keeping track of me or not. I haven't been very consistent about posting to my blog lately. I am hard at work creating things for Christmas but I can't share any of them just yet. I don't want to spoil the surprise, you know. I did make a soda box for my sweet little friend Shelby who has to have surgery on her knee tomorrow. She was doing squats in her high school weight class and tore up her knee. I'll have to remember that the next time I get the crazy idea to do some squats. And I'm WAY older than her so it wouldn't take me too much effort to convince myself that squats could actually KILL me. I mean, it COULD happen. As if I needed another excuse to NOT do squats. Thank you Shelby! I was working on one of my other Christmas projects and thinking about poor Shelby and had My Mind's Eye "Penny Lane" paper sitting on my desk and it reminded me of Shelby's bright, sweet personality and I knew that I had to take a break from all of my frenzied Christmas work to make a little care package to help cheer her up during her recovery.

This started out as a Stewart's Orange Cream Soda box. I removed two of the soda's and used the front to put some Skittles, Rolos, and Kisses. I also decorated two straws to look like flowers. I mean how can sipping orange soda with decorated straws make you not feel better. I'm thinking that I should make myself one just for that very purpose. It makes me happy just thinking about it.
I decorated the bottles with more paper, ribbon, and Making Memories letter stickers. I love how they turned out. Hopefully, Miss Shelby can drink her orange soda out of her cute bottle, with her fancy straw and remember that I love her very much.
Well, I'm off to my desk to get back to work on all of my Christmas projects. But I thought I would share my little diversion with you all. The only snag is that I now have leftover Rolos, Kisses, Skittles, and Orange Cream Soda sitting on my desk, but if I eat them, I will have to do squats...and those things could kill you, I tell you. Hopefully I will have a few more things to share soon. Hi-ho, hi-ho, it's off to work I go. I'd whistle now but I have never been able to whistle. How's that for a little known random fact about me.

Where is My Project Time?

For the life of me I can't understand where all of my project time has gone. Well, that's not exactly true, I have been crazy busy making palm trees for Cub Scouts, working on art displays for our FAME class at my daughter's school, cooking, cleaning, working the city election and fitting in Halloween somewhere in there. I also had a little glitch in my wisdom tooth extraction that I have been dealing with. I have finally finished the last of my antibiotics (again) so hopefully I am on the mend. Needless to say, not much has been going on that is post worthy here. I've been doing a few Zentangles and sketches but that's about it and I am feeling it! Need some project time! The Zentangles have been fun though, and my daughter has joined in with them. If you don't know what a Zentangle is you can find lots of examples HERE and a great little tutorial HERE . They are a relaxing way to do some mindless creativity. They look very complicated but they are so simple. Even people who think they are not creative (don't believe that, by the way) can make amazing Zentangles. Break out the paper and pen and give it a try.



A while back, creativemomma left the sweetest award for me on her blog. She is one talented girl and you should definately check out her fun challenges, so I am truly honored to get an award from her. And I have to apologize big time for taking so long to get this posted. I printed out the questions the very day she left them so I could work on them and this is the first time I have been able to get them posted. Thank you so much for the award especially since I have been such a bad blogger lately. As part of the award I needed to answer the following questions:
1. Where is your cell phone? Honestly, my cell phone is in my purse but it's pretty useless since the battery has been dead for at least a week.
2. Hair? Brown, fine and annoying
3. Mother? Idaho
4. Father? Idaho
5. Favorite food? Lemon bars
6. Dream last night? I almost never remember any of my dreams but that's pretty much how most things go for me. If I don't write it down, I won't remember it.
7. Favorite drink? Orange Sunkist but I haven't had one in a LONG time.
8. Your dream/goal? To have my kids tell me I was a good mom when they are old AND to make a living doing something I love.
9. What room are you in? My bedroom.
10. Hobby? Not sure I could choose just one. Anything creative.
11. Fear? Failure
12. Where do you want to be in 6 years? I hope I am here, only more organized.
13. Where were you last night? Home
14. Something you aren't? Swimsuit model
15. Muffins? Blueberry or orange
16. Wish list item? My own studio
17. Where did you grow up? Idaho
18. Last thing you did? Made my son a peanut butter sandwich. That kid could eat his weight in peanut butter sandwiches.
19. What are you wearing? My mom uniform (jeans and t-shirt)
20. Your TV? It's on Disney.
21. Your pets? None.
22. Friends? I have many good friends and only one Jenny.
23. Your life? I have a nutty, busy, good life.
24. Your mood? Anxious, which is how I get when I haven't worked on a project in a while. Should take a hint and just forget all of my need to's and do some want to's.
25. Missing someone? Yep. My brother who is in Iraq right now. He is so much fun to have around. Even when he's not deployed he lives halfway across the country but we can talk to him more at least.
26. Vehicle? Chrysler Concorde. I love that car. I hope it lasts me at least another year.
27. Something you're not wearing? Makeup, some days are like that. Hope no one decides to come over and no, that's not a challenge!
28. Favorite store? Do I have to pick just one?!! Michaels, Roberts, Porters for project stuff. Albertson's for coupons. Always seem to be at Wal-Mart but NOT because it is my favorite.
29. Favorite color? I LOVE fuschia. I have a '68 VW Beetle that is hot pink. Hot pink makes my heart HAPPY!
30. When was the last time you laughed? Earlier today.
31. Last time you cried? It's been awhile, I'm probably due for a good cry but it sure gives me a headache.
32. Best friend? You know who you are.
33. One place you go over and over? The grocery store. ARGH!!! Has to do with what I said about forgetting anything that's not written down.
34. Facebook? Yes, but only recently. I'm still trying to get the hang of it.
35. Favorite place to eat? Carino's. I do love some good Italian.

Well, that's it. That's me in a nutshell. Thanks again creativemomma. You're so sweet. Hopefully I will be back before long with something new to show you.

It's Getting Pretty Scary Around Here

Well, I'm still looking like a chipmunk whose lost a bar brawl. So I'm a little scary looking myself. Actually kind of comical. Fortunately my face is a little less square shaped and I've been assured that I will feel much better soon. I took the opportunity this morning when I saw sunshine to finally take some pics of my haunted house project. The sun was I little too bright so some of the colors are washed out but I didn't want to miss a chance for sun. There hasn't been much of that lately around here. Hopefully you can see what it's all about.

It all started out as a couple of Huggies boxes I'd been saving from the diaper days for this project. I've been trying to get around to it since last Halloween. I formed the walls with the box pieces and then added roof tops and lengths of wooden fence. I spray painted the whole thing black and then added the details with some scrap paper I had and Mod Podge. The trees were cut from a pattern in last years Better Homes and Garden Halloween special magazine. I cut them out of chipboard and I only ruined one pair of scissors and had two giant bruises on my hands but I think that they are totally worth it. Such are the sacrifices.
The doorknob is a cool old button that I have had in my button jar for years. I knew I could find a use for it.

I hot glued the end of this wire to the back of the house and dangled a little bat from it. It kinda bobs around when you walk past it. It is a little over two feet tall and fits perfectly on my little table in the living room. When it was all done, I gave it a coat of clear glitter spray paint. I love it. The best part was that it only cost me two Huggies boxes, a can of black spray paint, hot glue sticks, scraps, wooden fence, and some glitter paint. I figure I spent about $5 for a super cute Halloween decoration for my small living room table. Wahoo! Speaking of the Better Homes and Gardens Halloween magazine, last years was awesome and I can't believe it, but they have managed to make this years just as great. You know how sometimes magazines just recycle last years ideas for the current magazine? Well, not BH&G. It is a must have. Their Halloween magazines are some of the few that I keep on my shelf because I refer to them over and over again. If you haven't seen it, it's worth checking out. Well, I'm off to take some more Advil and hopefully start looking less SCARY! BOO!

The Time Has Come

Well, I know that it has been awhile since I have posted anything. I haven't been just holding down the sofa, I just haven't been doing the kind of projects that I can (OK, won't) post. You see, I love art (in case you haven't noticed) and years ago before my daughter was born, I had the opportunity to take some private painting lessons with the fabulous Ruth Sauerbreit. I love watercolors but I'm still quite an amateur. But children are born and the brushes and paints get pushed to the back of the closet by the Play-Doh, pony beads, glitter glue, etc. but the love of my paints are always still in the back of my mind. Sometimes the really, really far back, but always still there. I have been working with them a little lately and practicing my sketching more but I'm still too self conscious to share. Maybe with a little more practice. Maybe. I just makes me happy.
I have been trying all week to finish a great Halloween project to share before tomorrow but the weather was awful and I couldn't spray the last coat of glitter and as much as I enjoy a little sparkle in my life, I don't think that spray painting glitter in the living room would be such a great idea. Therefore, I will have to leave you in suspense a little longer. It's turning out super cute though.
Why before tomorrow, you ask? Well, I am pretty meticulous about taking care of my teeth. I brush, I floss, I rinse. But there is one thing that I have never been able to bring myself to take care of and that is removing my wisdom teeth. They have been impacted for years but they don't bother me and I can think of approximately one million things that I would rather do, so I just haven't taken care of them. That all changed at my last cleaning. It was time for my full mouth x-ray and one look told me that one of my wisdom teeth was on the move. It is now parallel with my gums and the top of the tooth is into the roots of my other teeth. Oh, and all that moving has formed a cyst. Tomorrow morning I am going under the knife. I have been told that it will probably not be pretty. Can't hardly wait. Plus Saturday is World Card Making Day! I will be celebrating by holding bags of frozen peas to my face and watching Conference while heavily medicated. Not exactly the World Card Making Day of my dreams. So it will be a little longer before I have something new to share but my haunted house project is hopefully worth the wait. 'Til then, have a happy World Card Making Day and be sure to enjoy it for me too.