Winter Snow Storm

The weatherman said last night, we would be waking up to some white stuff....And he was sure right...all day long!! Love it!!

If you have never seen or been inside looking out at the winter wonderland and feeling the peace and quietness of a Winter Snow Storm, then you don't know what you are missing! The untouched snow..no footprints, no snowblowers clearing the snow off the driveway...just soft white flakes coming down and piling up in my yard!! It will never stay this white..as the days pass it will turn brown...and dirty...so it's important to enjoy beauty while it last...

On a snowy day when I was growing up my mother would bake bread (in fact she did that regardless of the weather). So on this snowy day I did the same...Honey Wheat Bread...Only one loaf as there is only two of us and I like to keep my bread as fresh as I can..so one loaf a time until gone before another one gets baked.

Lunch time always brought homemade soups or beans. I can still smell the bread baking and the soup/beans cooking...It is such a loving smell...I could not help myself... I had to make hot baked potato soup and had to finish up the fresh roll..this was our lunch. baked potatoes, cheese and bacon soup. My kind of love!!

This is the late afternoon still the driveway hasn't been touched...no prints, no sound, the winter snow storm still at it's best...and another memory for 2010. One of the best!

A Tile For Sydney

My granddaughter, Sydney, turned 12 in June and is now in the Young Women's Program. I thought it would be fun for her to have a tile with the Yound Women values in her room. This is what I came up with. A way for her to remember each of the values.

Guess What?

I've been featured over at Cottage instincts. If you have a chance go take a look!!!

Another Bedroom Done

The seasons have changed, fall is in the air, all the vegetables are off their vines and canned or frozen and winter is not far off! the frost is on the pumpkins. My projects are put on hold for a little while. I had to have foot surgery and yes, my foot surgery has laid up for a few weeks, can't be on my foot at all. So I sit in my chair in the living room and think of all the projects I still want to do. I still have my master bedroom to tackle, I would have liked to have it done before our daughter, Margo and her family come for Thanksgiving. But, I know that project is going to have to wait for another season, like spring! No one is going to be allowed in that room until I get it done. Anyway, so much for being laid up and back to one of my last projects before my surgery....Another bedroom I did get finished...Here goes...take a tour with me and let me know that you think. I visited Hobby Lobby with a friend, a brand new Hobby Lobby no less...love, love, love it!!!!anyway I found this really cute lamp, which I knew I had to have!! (the start of re-creating my bedroom)


My pretty lamp!!

Next I found this sign...(of course still Hobby Lobby)don't know why I like this sign so much, but I had just the spot for it, above the mirror on one of the walls!

See what I mean! just the perfect spot for the sign!! looking at this picture I think I need to get some kind of dresser or something better to go under the mirror...I have my cedar chest under it now! any suggestions?

Next I took a bunch of old frames I had, all different shapes and sizes (my daughters' idea) painted them and hung them over the bed!! I really like the look!

So now this bedroom is all cleaned up the trim is all pretty and white! and the room is pale yellow! very refreshing and welcoming! I love this room!

Now that I'm laid up I'm going to go through all my favorite recipes and put them on my computer and clean up my recipes cupboard..it really really needs it!!!!

A smile on a grandson's face is worth it's weight in gold!

Happy Birthday Ben!!! Your wish is my command!!!

Hi, it's been awhile since I've been on my blog...the last time I was putting my new work station together. Well, it's all done and love it...now on to other projects....This is my grandson Ben, with his new quilt. A few weeks ago he came to me and was telling me he had seen the 'coolest' quilt made with teeshirts. He wanted to know if I could make one for him. I had see a teeshirt quilt when we lived in Iowa. I thought it was really 'neat' (can you tell the age difference? cool vs neat) anyway, I said 'sure I can do it'. See I've alway believed and have a motto: 'there is nothing I can't do' somethings better than others...I'm alway willing to try, this shouldn't be too hard...so he gathered his teeshirts and I started cutting them up, getting them ready for the quilt. I went to Joann fabric (had to come back home for the coupon) and found the cutes material for the front of the quilt. It is black with little blue stars....of course our Joanns didn't have enough material so the sales girl called other stores and found 6 yards in Montana. I asked them to send it to our store....(I had to pay for the shipping which ate up most of my coupon savings) anyway, a week later I got the material..(not a full 6 yards of course)..after looking at the material I decided that it was too busy to be both front and back so I made a change and did the back in black. I really like the change. I started with the teeshirts that Ben decided he wanted for his quilt. Logos and saying were on both sides of some of the shirts, and even on some of the sleeves. I used them all. I ended up with 25 different shapes and sizes. Bulit them up to the size of 15"x 15" square after sewn together. I always lay my quilts out on the floor so I can see what they will look like...the top was sewn together.. I like to had stitch the edging. I use a blind stitch, I just like the look. I tied it in black. This quilt is 6'x6' (Ben is, I think 6'4")

Footnote:Ben's friend, Colin, had seen the quilt on Facebook and now he wants me to make him a quilt too...and yes, I'm going to...he's getting all his teeshirts together and over to me...Both these boys will be off to college in a month...It's the least I can do...they're great guys!!!

Clutter sneaks in

How and when does clutter sneak into a room?? I asked myself that question when I cleared out my "work area" where I am serving a service mission with the LDS church in newfamilysearch.org. Somehow, my scrapbooking supplies, got into my small area of 59"x30". WOW! what a mess! I just don't understand how scrapbooking supplies and machines can take over!!! (yeah right) So here's what happened, I needed a new computer...so went and bought one..must say it's so much faster...love, love, love it...and it will hold 497,000 pictures, yes, you read that correctly 497,000 (according to the manual) and of course this new computer needed a new home bigger than 59"X30" desk...Out we went to get some computer tables! Yes, more than one...
this room is my show case for my mess! Room 1 this is my craft area that is now a catch all. Notice in the back is my cutting table for my fabric. now this room is just holding part of the stuff from my little mission work area (59"x 30")keep going there's more!!

Same room different angle!! Just wanted to make sure you understand my clutter!! all I can say is WOW I have a lot of stuff!!

this is my sewing room (I can get to my sewing machine if need be and my ironing board)...right now the overflow of still more craft stuff....I'm not going to bore you with all I went through cause I also had to clear out part of my family room to redo my missionary work area!! So in fairness some of the stuff in these 2 rooms are part of the family room stuff not just scrapbooking.

Put my man to work...it was a rainy day and he had nothing better to do than to hold the dogs...so he was happy to help me...this is the corner unit which will hold my monitor and key board for my new computer... where did he go?? don't know what happened to the other picture it was of Paul working hard...anyway the desk is put together...

we're ready to set the desk up in the corner of the room...

How does that look?? I like it!!

Next came the other computer desk...we bought 2 of them...one for each side of the corner desk. I have so many machines and I really really need the room...looking good!!

So what do you think?? The room (corner) is finished...have my machines all set up and working to my surprise I didn't need help to set up my computer, thank you very much!!! Which has not been the case in the past....now all I need to do is go through all the clutter in the other 2 rooms and get rid of a bunch of stuff, We set up my old desk in the craft area..which means I can take my other craft table down and have a very nice working area for my 'scrapbooking' I just need to remember it's for 'scrapbooking' and my desk is for my 'missionary work' and computer work....(note I do have my cricut in my missionary work area...that's because I have Sure Cuts A lot and I need to hook it up to my computer now and then when working on a project...check out all my room!!! Looking at my other 2 areas I have managed to clean them up a bit...lot is going to recycle...and who knows I may be having a garage sale and get rid of some of my stuff...it's a thought!!!! I now have a 153"x 21" for my missionary work area! Love, Love, Love it!!!!

Footnote: I still need to fix the electrical cords under the desk.

Time to say goodbye

Well, Zach ended his R&R last Tuesday and headed back to Afghanstin...sure enjoyed having him home for a short time....now I'm busy setting up my new computer and work area...well let me restate that...my hubby is setting up my work area I move all my stuff out...I'll have enough room now to hook up most if not all my scrapbooking stuff like my cricut, scanner, printer, computer, phone and still have penty of work area....so looking forward to it....then I'll go through all my stuff and thin things out...So until I find the time to get back on my blog...I'll have to say bye for now....I'll check out the other blogs just not time to update mine...take care all and have a good 4th of July....

Welcome Home Soldier

Today let Freedom Ring!!!! Tomorrow we will be celebrating Memorial Day and will be honoring the veterans of past wars, those men and women that chose to give their service and their lives in some cases so that we here in this great country of the United States of America may enjoy this great gift called FREEDOM!!! This is our grandson, Zach, he just stepped off the plane in Dallas Texas and was welcomed and thanked by a group of people that visit the air port every time soldiers fly in just to thank them and welcome them home to their native country. I've shown his picture before in my blog after he had been injured from an IED in Afghanistan where he has been serving for the past 9 months. Now this is the happy part of the story coming up...Zach will be home today for some very needed R&R....we will be going over to the Spokane airport to greet him later this afternoon...
Zach's mom made a 'welcome home' sign when we went to meet him the first time he came home for a visit, that was after his training and before his deployment. Each time he comes home more is added to this sign. Last night the girls got together and with my very BFF in the world (my cricut expression and the Stand and Salute cartridge)we went to work. We cut, placed, laughed and visit and with excitement we added to the sign.Ah, the sign is completed. Now you're probably wondering what the 'Batman Logo' is doing on this
sign. Well, it's another of Zach's stories...while in Afghanistan he was bitten by a bat and had to go through the series of shots which was very painful. Zach is now called 'Batman' by friends, and family.
So now you know the rest of the story! Zachary/Batman will be home today to open arms of welcome. Welcome home Zach, you are our Shining Star!Tomorrow Zach will be honored along with other veterans who have served and given their lives for freedom. He along with his father, Erik and his grandfather, Paul will have a their names places in honor in front of our city hall to be remembered in the present and in future generations.

My new guest room

Step 3: If you've been following my blog the last entry...I'm remodeling my guess bedroom, this is quite the undertaking for me. I ponder and ponder and stress out about change. I want it but was afraid to change it! So here goes...here's what I've done!







This ugly shelf was placed on the wall by the previous owners of the house...they had this room as their computer room...using this desk top for their computer. Needless to say I did not like the look and wanted it removed off the wall. So after 6 years and much begging and pleading....














My hubby ever so carefully pulled the shelf/desk off the wall, trying not to damage the wall..(and I must say he did a very good job) now for the clean up (that's where I come in) I sanded the wall and then painted primed it and painted it..Then I sprayed texture on the wall and repainted it...



Wha-la my wall looks pretty darn good if I do say so myself...







Found this little treasure at Ross's Department Store...I like the black but have to change the red inside, not my cup of tea...don't know just yet what vision I have for the inside... So I'm still thinking and while I'm doing that I'm moving on to my next project for my room, the lamp. Now I've had this lamp for probably 10 years or so and I'm really tired of its plainness.Talking to my daughter she suggested I find some ribbon to go on the lamp shade...so off to Joann's I went and found this pretty (what I call dusty sage green) fringe, it's so pretty. I got my glue gun out and glued the fringe around the top and the bottom. Oh, I really like the look...






Here's the lamp completed, the little dish I found at the dollar store (with the stand) it says 'Faith, Family, Friends' really cute and just the right color. The table had a brown top (good sale at Ross's department store) and I painted it the 'dust sage green' I took the pillow into Home Depot and had them match the color to the pillow...and it's a perfect match!






Now this is what the bed looked like when I first started this project....The wood was more red than brown. so apart came the bed and out to the garage with it...Still struggled with painting it white!


Referring back to my other blog you read how I was really stressed out because I was afraid to paint this bed white. But look at it now, I love, love, love the white head board!









My finished project.

For some people they say why bother to make the change no one is going to see this room...but for me I love to walk passed the door way and look in and see something so pretty. It puts a smile on my face and a welcome to anyone that comes to visit me and chooses to use this room as my guest. Now I just have a couple more walls to finish...but even if I don't get to them they're okay, they go well in the room as it is now. Project is 95% completed! I love, love, love the changes...

Guest bedroom in the making

STEP 2: Bed is done...all painted and made up...now for the accessories....
STEP 1: Well, guys....I bit the project...this bed frame I've been wanting to paint for a long time and I'm finally getting to it....back and forth and forth and back...from leaving the wood the color it is now and just changing the bedding...to changing the wood to white...I stayed up all night stressing out as to whether I should paint it at all...and I know I shouldn't let something like this get me down...but I was just having a really hard time deciding if I should go white...well, I finally said the heck with it....and started painting it...WHITE! of course...so far so good...I've taken a few pictures but my camera is upstairs I'll have to put them on later...I really want to wait until it's all done...and hopefully that will be in the next few days...another step closer to getting my guest room done....what a project...and tonight I plan on sleeping through the night....

New Digital Scrapbook Pages

Let me take the time to introduce you to our new gr-granddaughter, this is Emmeline Louise Bray. She is a little doll! Now I could really brag about her but I think the picture of her says it all. Last Sunday we were in Florida for her blessing, what a joy and a honor to be there along with the rest of her family. The blessing dress Emmeline has on was made from my wedding dress. Emmeline's mom and aunts were also blessed in it.

This is the grandpa and the gr-grandpa, both very proud of the new addition to the family.

This is our 4 generation picture.
This is the family and extended family of Emmeline. She's very lucky to come to this family.

Again another 4 generation picture...fun memories.

The full extended family....both grandmas, grandpa, gr-grandparents, aunts and uncle and of course
mom, dad and Emmeline.
Don't want to forget the aunts (Miranda and Joli) taking turns holding Emmeline and Mom (Anyse)
and then David the uncle. He was so cute holding Emmeline.
Proud grandma (Becky) and gr-grandma (ME). It was such a treasured time we spend there with
Anyse, Damon and Emmeline.