Thursday Thoughts.....

On Coping:


"Sorrow can be alleviated by good sleep, a bath and a bottle of wine."

Thomas Aquinas

Philosopher (After my own heart)

New Silhouette Project

I have put on my blog the amazing stuff you can do with this machine.  One idea that I ABSOLUTELY love is called subway art.  If you have a moment check out www.tatertotsandjello.com web site.  Her subway art ROCKS!!!  Very impressive.  There is another link to www.howdoesshe.com.  They also do subway art, and this is the one idea I got from them....

I have a sister, (I have many, and I am the youngest, oldest and middle child, it's all in how you look at us)  she and I are celebrating our birthdays together.  I wanted to do something that described HER.  Let me tell you, it is weird to actually sit down and put into words to describe someone.  Actually, once you put the words down and look back, it also reflects about you too.  Strange but true.  Can't help but smile when you look at the words you wrote.

I came up with the obvious but when it came to details I looked at my family for help. I wanted them to be a part of this project and I took 18 words and used my Silhouette machine to cut out and then I went to work.

It was very random in the use of the words, it didn't help with my transfer tape not WORKING at all!  I was dropping letters left and right!  So a little project that would have taken me lets say an hour, took me almost four!  ARRRGGGG.  But I got it done and it was a labor of love.  I hope she likes it!

What do you think and what words could you come up with to describe someone you love, a husband? Child? Mom? Dad? Sister? Grandchild? Teacher, Best Friend?  The list goes on and on.

I just used a 12x12 tile from Home Depot and put it on a plate stand.  Simple but very personal.

It's just the beginning!!!!

I am like a mad scientist!  Whaahaaaahaahaaa!  That is supposed to be me rubbing my hands together making a sinister laugh, don't know how to spell that laugh, sorry!

Have a great day!

Foto Friday....

Andy was working on a house just up the road and I went with him to hang out.  Well, I went there to be nosey.  The property is only a couple of miles from our house and it is new construction.

Living out here you never know what you will find and after an hour or so helping out (ok, that sounds good) I went on a walk to the back of the house.

Look at what I saw!

Is this the coolest thing!

I don't know anything about it except it is old.

I wonder if the owner has to pay property taxes on this?

Can you imagine the old miner that lived here?

I wonder if it is insulated...Flat Screen capable?

I love the back door.  It is like a barn door.

I wonder if the Pioneer Woman (Ree Drummond) got her idea to do this to the lodge from this beauty?

Well it was the perfect home, move in ready until the side of the building starts to collapse.


This is a pretty cool building and I truly expected to run into a (or more) rattlesnake(s) when I was going around this beauty.

Now, my fellow bloggers may have their Southern Homes to tour but they ain't got nothin on us in Baldwin Lake!   (I say that out of pour jealousy, serious)

Amazing isn't it?  There is so much history in this town that it is a cowgirl's dream. 

Let me know what you think.  BBQ anyone?

Thursday Thoughts.....

People have the inner resources to become anything they want to be. Challenges just becomes the vehicle for tapping into those inner resources. —Eric Weihenmayer, blind mountain climber

Walmart. Outing.....

Well, as everyone knows I live very rural, I try not to sound like I am complaining about the distance I have to go to get anywhere.  This is where I chose to live and am happy to be here.

However.....

I am not a shopper, but when I get in the mood......

I went down the hill on Sunday, trying to get to as many places as I could with the time allotted for me.  Let's see, I need to go to Michaels, Walmart, Big 5, Burlington Coat Factory,  Dress Barn, Bed Bath and Beyond, Fashion Bug, Lowes, Grocery Store, get gas and only have 2 hours to do what needs to be done!  That is already a 4 hour day considering it takes two hours just in driving round trip!   Forget about getting something to eat, there is just not enough time!

In my mind I map out where I have to go furthest, I'll hit Michaels, but wait let's stop at Walmart first.  OK this is where it gets interesting.

I don't shop Walmart. Period. I know I need to for the saving but in the Big Box Stores I am a Target girl.  I don't think I have been in a Walmart in years upon years. 

Let me see if I can set the stage correctly.  I park FAR FAR away, not by choice.  The amount of people going into the store looked like there was a renunion concert of some 80's band.!  Serious!  WOW!  I actually had to stop because of the mass of people trying to get into the doors.  I thought "There IS a concert going on in here".

When I got into the store, there was a McDonalds to the right.  That took me back to the time when I was little and my mom used to take me to KMart and we would have lunch in the diner they had.  Boy was that special!  Now I look at the brightness and the plastic seats (fast food places do that so it won't be comfortable and you won't stay long) and the chaos.  Chaos is a good word to describe this event.

So I went to the fabric area.  I can't believe they sell fabric at Walmart!  As I am looking at all the $3.50 yard, my heart is leaping!!!  Wow fabric that cheap and it even gets cheaper at the discount area.. fan me, fan me!  Whew! 
I stop to get my barings together and I decided to watch the people walking by.  Um well, to say the least, I thought to myself, are these people for real?  Is this like a cult that all people going into Walmart dress like this?  Meaning, I remember going to the Rocky Horror Picture Show when I was in High School and everyone dressed up like the characters.  Scary when you haven't seen the movie yet.  

It stopped me in my tracks and made me giggle the whole time I was shopping, it just kept getting better.

When I got home from that afternoon, I thought there HAS to be a website for the "Walmart People" and there was!  I swear I saw these same people there on Sunday!

HIS shorts says it all! (That's a guy!)

Do you think he is a dad to someone?  (This is a GUY too!)  EWWWWW

This poor dog is saying "Just shoot me, what are my friends gonna say"!  A Mohawk is pretty bad in itself, but a blue one, come on!

There are hundreds of pictures on this website www.peopleofwalmart.com.  I laughed and laughed at these picture.  I truly believe now that it is a cult.  Now off to see The Rocky Horror Picture Show, now where did I put my black fishnets.....

PS.  I did get done everything I needed to, forgot to eat lunch made it up the hill and had a dinner party at 5:30 at my house.  I AM WOMAN!!! 

Stay tuned for the great finds I found at Walmart (not the people, the goodies, Mod Podge, candles, material, etc..)  It was all worth it....

Silhouette Art...

I have been having so much fun with this machine!  I see things in such a different light.  I look at almost anything and say, "I can do something really cool to that."  Now bear with me, I am still a real newbie to this, but am at least working on different projects, little as they may be.

Saturday night we were at our friends home for dinner and she showed me all the great stuff she has bought for her grandkids who are staying with them for a week.  I looked at the black pail and said "How about if I take it home and personalize it?"  So Sunday I went to the Dollar Tree (I LOVE THAT STORE) and bought another pail, came home and a couple of minutes later I had the cutest pails!

I did it in orange because of the season and also it really looked cool!

What do you think......

Off to do more projects!  This is definitely addictive!

In the Stariway....Today

I found this last year and had to send it to eveyone I knew.  Now I have the honor of putting it on my blog.  As tears roll down my face, I know that each of them is for the ones that lost someone they loved.  I too cry along with you.  But with sorrow comes the opportunity to really lean and rely on God.  It is a time for rebirth and renewal. 

'MEET ME IN THE STAIRWELL'

      You say you will never forget where you were when
        you heard the news On September 11, 2001.
Neither will I.

          I was on the 110th floor in a smoke filled room
        with a man who called his wife to say 'Good-Bye.' I
        held his fingers steady as he dialed. I gave him the
        peace to say, 'Honey, I am not going to make it, but it
        is OK..I am ready to go.'

        I was with his wife when he called as she fed
        breakfast to their children. I held her up as she
        tried to understand his words and as she realized
        he wasn't coming home that night.

        I was in the stairwell of the 23rd floor when a
        woman cried out to Me for help. 'I have been
        knocking on the door of your heart for 50 years!' I said.
        'Of course I will show you the way home - only
        believe in Me now.'

        I was at the base of the building with the Priest
        ministering to the injured and devastated souls.
        I took him home to tend to his Flock in Heaven. He
        heard my voice and answered.

        I was on all four of those planes, in every seat,
        with every prayer. I was with the crew as they
        were overtaken. I was in the very hearts of the
        believers there, comforting and assuring them that their
        faith has saved them.

        I was in Texas , Virginia , California , Michigan ,  Afghanistan .
        I was standing next to you when you heard the terrible news.
        Did you sense Me?

        I want you to know that I saw every face. I knew
        every name - though not all knew Me. Some met Me
        for the first time on the 86th floor.

        Some sought Me with their last breath.
        Some couldn't hear Me calling to them through the
        smoke and flames; 'Come to Me... this way... take
        my hand.' Some chose, for the final time, to ignore Me.
But, I was there.

        I did not place you in the Tower that day. You
        may not know why, but I do. However, if you were
        there in that explosive moment in time, would you have
        reached for Me?
       
       Sept. 11, 2001, was not the end of the journey
        for you. But someday your journey will end. And I
        will be there for you as well. Seek Me now while I may
        be found. Then, at any moment, you know you are
        'ready to go.'

        I will be in the stairwell of your final moments.

        God

Just the word "Remeber"

Today I am really emotional.  Couldn't seem to put a finger on why.  Beautiful day, had lunch with my wonderful husband, fall feeling in the air and it's Friday.  So why.?????

Just got on my computer and pulled up one of my favorite bloggers. 

Tomorrow is 9/11 and the tribute she gave had me hysterically crying.  I just sat here and cried and cried and then cried some more.

It is absoultuely beautiful post she wrote about and in her honor, I would like to put the link to her site.  So tomorrow all I can say is summed it up in one word.....

REMEMBER.

God Bless America

Fly your flag with honor and to honor those who gave their lives.

Sarah's Blog is " www.ThriftyDecorChick.blogspot.com

Thank you Sarah, we will remember.

Foto Friday....

As I promise, I love writing in my blog.  Even though it seems like we are all flyin, I think a moment to enjoy a picture is always worth it.

This picture today is from a "Sitting Pretty" class I took last week offered by our gardening club here in Big Bear.

This class was soo much fun.  How do you do it?  Easy Breezy as my friend Kim would say.

All you do is get a chair, take out the middle part, put chicken wire down, and staple it to the chair.  Make sure the wire is deep for the growth of the plants.  Get potting soil and perlite.  Mix the two together (the perlite will hold moisture).

The host brought out baby diapers.  Baby Diapers!!!!  She said cut a couple of hole into the diaper and lay it on the bottom of the basket and it will asorb moisture too!  What a great idea!!!!

Well withink 10 minutes I had my chair done and it came out sooo cute!!  I was really proud of myself.

Total cost:

Chair:  $15.00  I bought it at a Antique shop, but everyone else said they found theirs for free.  I just didn't have time to "find"  so I bought mine.  It was already painted blue and the legs were shortened.  PERFECT!

Dirt: $5.00 (You can find it cheaper)  Remember I live far away from cheap.
Perlite:  $3.99 will last me a LONG time!
Plants: Pony plants $3.99 (6 total) and one geranium @ $2.50
Moss:  You can buy any type of decorative moss even from a craft store, I had some already.
Chicken Wire:  I had some thanks to my chickens.

So, for start up cost around  $29.00 is was well worth it!    Next time it won't be a1/4 this amount.  Maybe just for the cost of the plants.  I can't wait to do more when I have time!
Let me know what you think....

This looks much better now that the plants have had a chance to grow.   Love it!

This is what the class made, how cute is this!

Isn't the little one just adorable?  She made it for her "fairy" garden.  The red chair is actually metal, who knew??

Thursday Thoughts.....

Here is something my sister sent to me.  I truly am a cowboy!


Cowboy rules for:

Arizona, Texas , Oklahoma, Colorado, New Mexico, Wyoming, Montana, Utah, Idaho, Nebraska and the rest of the Wild West are as follows:

1. Pull your pants up. You look like an idiot. (I say to my son ALL the time, in fact, we were in a grocery store and some man came up to him and told him off for wearing those pants around his daughter, I laughed).

2. Turn your cap right, your head ain't crooked. (Again, my son)

3. Let's get this straight: it's called a 'gravel road.' I drive a pickup truck because I want to. No matter how slow you drive, you're gonna get dust on your Lexus.  (Just drive your car slower, I do when I am not driving my pickup, which is almost NEVER)

4. They are cattle. That's why they smell like cattle. They smell like money to us. Get over it. Don't like it? I-10 & I-40 go east and west, I-17 & I-15 goes north and south. Pick one and go.

5. So you have a $60,000 car. We're impressed. We have $250,000 Combines that are driven only 3 weeks a year. 

6. Every person in the Wild West waves. It's called being friendly. Try to understand the concept.

7. If that cell phone rings while a bunch of geese/pheasants/

ducks/doves are comin' in during a hunt, we WILL shoot it outta your hand. You better hope you don't have it up to your ear at the time.

8. Yeah. We eat trout, salmon, deer and elk. You really want sushi and caviar? It's available at the corner bait shop. (But I do eat sushi, heck I make it!)

9. The 'Opener' refers to the first day of deer season. It's a religious holiday held the closest Saturday to the first of November.

10. We open doors for women. That's applied to all women, regardless of age. (Amen)

11. No, there's no 'vegetarian special' on the menu. Order steak, or you can order the Chef's Salad and pick off the 2 pounds of ham and turkey.

12. When we fill out a table, there are three main dishes: meats, vegetables, and breads. We use three spices: salt, pepper, and ketchup! Oh, yeah ... We don't care what you folks in Cincinnati call that stuff you eat ... IT AIN'T REAL CHILI!!

13. You bring 'Coke' into my house, it better be brown, wet and served over ice. You bring 'Mary Jane' into my house, she better be cute, know how to shoot, drive a truck, and have long hair.

14. College and High School Football is as important here as the Giants, the Yankees, the Mets, the Lakers and the Knicks, and a dang site more fun to watch.

15. Yeah, we have golf courses. But don't hit the water hazards - it spooks the fish.

16. Turn down that blasted car stereo! That thumpity-thump ain't music, anyway. We don't want to hear it anymore than we want to see your boxers! Refer back to #1!

Words to the wise!  

Wow! Ok this is what has happened this week Whew!

This is the little machine Silhoutte SD Machine can do....You will be AMAZED. please bear with me on the simple things, but we all have to start somewhere, I am going to the MOON and BACK!!!

How do you like it?  The font on the green vase in called "Black boys on mopeds"  What????? But seriously, that is the truth!  Too funny!

I have been addicted to other people's blogs regarding this machine.  Take a look at my side bar with the other bloggers blogs and I can almost guarantee you that they are working with this machine too. 

But I have to tell you, to get it started was a pain.  I don't sit and read instructions and like to "wing" it and for that I have to suffer the consequences of that.  I get it.  I just pray that I don't break the machine in the process.  That is like sewing.  I had my mentor come over now a few times to teach me the "right" way of sewing.  Not my way.  My way is probably wrong and I know once I get the bad habits I will just keep going back to it over and over again.  I am that way on knitting, again, bad habits.  Do you get it now? 

I just seem now to have more patience than I every have, or is it I am tired of not succeeding on projects I have started.  Well I am finally finishing things, that is why my blogging is suffering.

Thank you for keep checking in on me.  (I finished "The Help" last night).  Boy it was a good book, good reader.  Now to go and finish the scarf, man I have ALOT going on.  I will have to write about my sushi party on Saturday, now that was a hoot!  I have a lot of pictures and stories about that one!