Saturday, February 26, 2011

Tuesday, February 22, 2011

~flowers for the hair: take 2~






Colleen saw the flowers in person this weekend. Yay! She will be wearing the aqua one in her hair for the wedding. We've decided to go with a darker yellow for the wedding accent color. So, I've been working on a darker flower for the MOH and bridesmaids to wear in their hair.
Once I have the bride's approval, I will make three more. These are so fun to make. I do it while watching old episodes of Law and Order on Netflix! LOL

Sunday, February 20, 2011

~wedding decor prep day - photo collage~

We (Colleen, Katrina, Jill, Carla and moi) spent Saturday staining jars for the wedding.

The larger jars will be filled with sand, seashells, and tealight candles. Handles are being added and adorned with pearls, ribbon and sinamay. These will hang on chairs lining the aisle. We will alternate a stained jar, then a clear jar.

The smaller jars are being used in different ways. Some will hold sand and candles and be placed in a circle to define a casual dance floor. Others of these are part of the centerpieces for the tables at the reception. We are gluing seed seashells around the rim and they will hold a candle as well.

I'm having so much fun with this! Especially being with my sisters and nieces!

Friday, February 18, 2011

~because sometimes crazy wins~




This is me today.

Perfectly reflects how I'm feeling.

Kinda manicky weird-wolfish.

Kinda anxious, need to get OUT of here-ish. (here=work)

Kinda shoulda been born rich-ish.

Kinda, "today I'm the bug-ish" {instead of the windshield}

Monday, February 14, 2011

~LOVE - card or photo holder~

I put this together back in 2007 for my parents 50th Wedding Anniversary party. The theme was Hee Haw and we used this chicken wired frame to hang pictures of them throughout the years. I brought it down from the attic this Christmas and decided to use it for hanging Christmas cards on. Then, I let it hang around to hold Valentine Cards! LoVe the look! And now think I will leave up year round and hang snapshots and/or cards on it. Whatever strikes my fancy.


{I bought this barn wood frame half price at Hobby Lobby back in '07. We had a roll of chicken wire and I just used wire cutters to get the right size and then used my staple gun to attach to the frame. Super duper easy!}

Saturday, February 12, 2011

~love~

The quality of this picture isn't such that it will win any contests, but it definitely wins my heart! My two favorite guys sitting on a boulder in the Rio Grande River somewhere in Colorado. Stephen was about 20 months old here. {Virgil was 26.} My two greatest loves. Loving each other. It doesn't get any better than that.

Thursday, February 10, 2011

~in the hair?~

I've seen these satin flowers all over blogland and have been wanting to try them myself. I just needed the right motivation!

My niecy-poo's wedding= perfect motivation.

Colleen looked at a flower for her hair when we went wedding dress shopping. It was gorgeous - but it also had a $99.00 price tag. For a flower. Attached to bobby pins! I guess you can just call me CHEAPO - but that seems OUTRAGEOUS to me!

Anywho, I whipped these up as a sample to see if she will be interested in perhaps wearing something like this in her hair.

{Colleen, I promise not to be offended if you decide not to!....sniffles.} ;D





I've read tutorials for these all over the place and I can't credit any particular blog because I didn't follow one particular tutorial.

Basically you cut the several shapes from satin in graduated sizes. Use a candle to melt the edges, layer them, tack together in the center with needle and thread and add any embellishment you want to the center. You can add a pin or hair clip to the back depending on how you plan to wear it!

tata!

Tuesday, February 8, 2011

~just me and my flower. and my adding machine~


Grabbing a quick break at work because I had to take a picture of the little flower I made last night. Cute right? I know the detail is not good. My cell camera is bleck!
It is made from a length of 1 1/2 inch ribbon. I tied a knot in one end and then just started twisting, wrapping and hot gluing. When it looked flower-esque, I secured the end of the ribbon to the back side with glue, cut a circle from felt the same size as the flower and glued it to the back. I finished up by gluing a safety closure pin to the back. I ♥!
:D

Sunday, February 6, 2011

Wednesday, February 2, 2011

~cold weather = must have comfort food~

Whenever it's cold out, my family craves comfort food. This time we desired Chili, but I still wanted to serve my family a healthy meal. This is the recipe I landed on and we LOVED it! There are layers of flavor, added veggies to boost the healthfulness...and all the flavor we love in chili!

Beef & Bean Chili

2 TBS olive oil
2 lg sweet onions, diced
2 lg red bell peppers, diced
4 sm jalapeno peppers, finely diced
4 med cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 lbs lean ground beef
1/4 c chili powder
2 tsp dried basil
1 TBS cumin
1/4 c. Worcestershire sauce
28 oz can diced tomatoes
2 TBS tomato paste
4 c. reduced sodium beef broth
15 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
15 ox can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
3 whole bay leaves
1 TBS sea salt
1 TBS black pepper
1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

**Top with 2% cheddar cheese and light sour cream.**

Heat oil, in dutch oven. Add onions and cook on medium for 15 to 20 minutes until they begin to caramelize. Add bell pepper and jalapenos and cook for 5 more minutes. Add garlic and cook 1 minute more. Add ground beef, chili powder, basil and cumin and cook until beef is browned - 5 to 7 minutes. Add a little broth and scrape brown bits off pan. Add all remaining ingredients and simmer for 30 minutes. Remove bay leaves before serving.

Tuesday, February 1, 2011

~how february is like a middle child~

Well, at least this year it has come in screaming for attention! LOL

I make the comparison to tease my sister, Jill, who being the 5th of 6 children would really be considered one of the babies. (Me, arriving at position 6, being the true baby of the family.)

However, she is the middle sister. So it all applies! teehee

Why screaming? Because we've had rain, ice, sleet, snow, wind, and REDONCULOUSLY cold temps over the past 12 hours. Schools are closed. {not that I'm complaining because I work at a University...that is closed...and still paying me for the day. WOOT.} Businesses are closed. And I'm pretty sure I heard the term "Snowmaggedon" on the local news. Ummm...maybe a little overdramatization there.

So, where's a pic of our snow? ARE YOU CRAZY? It's below 20 degrees out with crazy blowing wind.

:)