Friday, January 27, 2012

What a week

Sorry I have been so neglectful here lately!!  We have had a few major things happen this past couple of weeks.  Life is so uncertain and can change in a heartbeat.  I wont bore you will all the details of my first dilema but to say it short and sweet the shop I was going to open fell thru.  The owner of the building changed his mind and decided NOT to rent it out!  So had to pack everything up and haul it back and get everyone their things that brought items for their spaces.  What a mess but things happen for a reason and when one door closes another better one opens!! 
We did get some news that has been terribly heavy on our hearts.  My mom's precious boy "Axel" or known as my "boodah"  was diagnosed last sat with lymphoma and basically it is so far gone that even with cancer treatments it wouldnt make a difference.  One good thing is right now he is not in any pain and is so alert.  He just isnt wanting to eat much but a few teaspoons of meat.  We have cooked him chicken, beef roast, ground turkey, rice, barley, turkey breast but he really doesnt want it.  He does have pneumonia but I think since being on meds for 5 days that is resolving.  It just breaks our hearts!! It hasnt even been a year since we lost our beloved Bubba suddenly and that still stings.  I go and check on him at my moms when she is at work and he gets up and wags that tail when he sees ya!!  This guy was given to us at 6 weeks old and had been so abused and beaten we had to have surgeries on his right eye and he still lost it, he was burned and stabbed and left for dead in a parking lot.  A dear friend of mine called and said she needed to find a forever home for this little baby and at that time we had 3 so my mom took one look at him and it was love!! She has taken him to the flower shop everyday since and it is so hard for her to be there without him, he has been laying on the couch most of the time or laying looking out the sliding windows he is 130 pounds of pure love and loyalty.  He is a pit boxer mix.   We have been spoiling him even more since we know the days are limited that we will have him with us.  This is just the worst part of loving our pets so much we know they have such short little lives and make such a HUGE impact on ours that it is so hard to say goodbye.  We will meet again though!!    Gosh at one point while I was a kid we had 14 dogs, and they all were such love bugs with happy happy souls!!  (my parents were just as much softies as me when people would either drop them off on our farm or I would find strays wandering around, well they would find me I think LOL)
Before I cant type anymore I am going to share some things from last weeks markets:


buttercrumb topped peach praline muffins

TOP:::  Use a round biscuit cutter when putting a topping on your muffins to contain the crumbs!!  Works like a charm!


Our "eggcellent" egg bread loaves

Apple cinnamon muffins with a brown sugar crumb top

All baked egg breads



Made another few batches of my honey cinnamon graham crackers

And some blocks I altered with chipboard and scrapbook papes and pearls, and some K&CO flowers and butterflies. 

Spring is right around the corner!!

The birdies have been singing outside like crazy and it was 42 degrees outside today, not much snow left but we are supposed to get 4? inches tonight.  I dunno it is just too nice and warm out to snow and it has been wayyyy too nice for doing chores and outside work while it is so nice out.   Spinach is growing, the herbs are still growing like crazy from last season and things in the greenhouse are popping up!! 
Will be back soon with more goodies!!
Take Care
HUGS
Darlene

  ~~LIVE LIFE JOYFULLY~~and SIMPLY~~

Sunday, January 15, 2012

Family altered wood blocks

This was the first of the family sets I did.  I sooooo love this paper and will do another one similar.  The rod was a great thrift store find, now need to figure out what other rods I can use.  I am thinking maybe of making one for a sewing room with dowell and old spools on the ends.?? I can see it now! Better get in the craft studio and create art!! YEAH!




Here's another set of blocks I finished yesterday.  Spring which will be here before we know it!! YEAH!! Using K&CO ephemera pack I added some frames and flowers and cut out some tags for in back of the letters also.    A pearl is added to each letter and adds just the right amount of "bling" prim bling that is!


This was in our yard the other morning!  Green grass one min snow the next..   That is michigan!!


I dont think I shared a pic of the dream blocks I did.  They are strung on some great bluish grey vintage seam binding.  Gosh love that stuff!!
 So that is all for today I am working on yet another set of blocks and also some of my altered coffee filter books for babies.  Just not enuf time at all!!  Plus I need my lovin cuddlin time with my boys ya know!!
Have a great afternoon!!
HUGS
Darlene
~~LIVE LIFE JOYFULLY~~and SIMPLY~~

Friday, January 13, 2012

Snowstorm came

HOWDY on this beautiful snowy windy day!! 
We got quite a bit of that white stuff that we havent seen much of this winter!    Here's some pics I took when I went out to do chores this am.  Wasnt it pretty!!!

One of my little feeders snowcovered.

Love the way the snow clumps on the branches. 

I worked on another wood sign.  Dream...not sure if I am gonna hang them off a rod or attach them to a ribbon to hang.?  

Patterened paper, stamps, chipboard letters and gems oh what fun!!


I so love LOVE LOVE altering chipboard frames and letters and little doodads.  Paint them then stamp with partial images then dry brush antiquing on and edge em in black paint. 


So here are the letters together. 


Great in a baby girl room or for any glamour gal!
Girly girl bling and glitter added. 
Ok I am off to work on more!! be back soon with more goodies!!
 I may even add some things in my etsy shoppe today too!!
Enjoy the ***SNOW***
Darlene 

~~LIVE LIFE JOYFULLY~~and SIMPLY~~

Thursday, January 12, 2012

snowed in???


*** we are expected to get 10 plus inches tonight!***  Finally snow snow & SNOW!!!
So gee whiz what is a gal suppossed to do???? I say a weekend of nothing but crafting and creating and playin with paper, glue, paint, scissors, stickers, and wellllllllllll everthing crafty!!!  YEE HAW!! happy happy I dont have to do anything until monday!!  Well I may just go to the kitchen this weekend and make some jam.  But then again maybe not!~! LOL
I think I shared this idea last week but in case yall dont remember I am working on some things for the shop.  Scrapbook paper, wood blocks I cut from my scrap heap, chipboard letters, paint and glue........

All I have to do is wait for the last coat of paint to dry on the rod and I can tie these letters to it. 

Dream banner finished.

 Here is another family block sign done.  U can see I tied each one of the letters on the rod with vintage seam binding in dark brown. 
I used all scrap pieces of paper I had.  This one has words stamped on it and I love the green color with the brown chipboard letters.   I used alot of this paper for my altered books I did,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, which reminds me I need to make a few more of them I only have a couple of them at the shop.. hmmmmmmmmmmm great idea for this weekend!!


After adheering the paper to the block I dry brushed antiquing medium ontop then stamped some postage stamp images on each one and also flourishes.  Black drybrushing on the edges makes them pop!!


So before I crafted I made some of my espresso cookies that have espresso cream filling and some decorative chocolate drizzle.


These are just the cure with a cup of joe in the am.  or as an afternoon snack, or a midnight snack with a cup of cocoa or cold milk.  

Something new here.   My chocolate dipped strawberry brownies.   I started out with my decadent chocolate brownies then topped them with some strawberry butter cake but before spreading the cake ontop of brownie I added some mini chocolate chips.  YUMMY!!  YUMMY!!   Also did a batch of "chicken scratch turtle" brownies which are chocoate brownie with homemade caramel sauce swirled on top then pecans and coconut mixed in.   Those are yummo too!!  I wanted to take pics but my card on dig cam was full!!! dangit! 
I will hopefully be OPEN at the shop next friday!!   Winter markets are going great and it is so nice to see our customers and meet new ones that didnt realyze we are there each week!! 
Hope yall are enjoying your thurs and stay safe if you are experiencing this winter storm too!!  Since we didnt have any snow it is kind of nice now!!  I just want to get it over then we can get into spring!!  My favo favo time!!  WEll summer is awesome, and fall is a favo favo too lol LOVE all the seasons!! 
Take care and have a blessed evening!!
HUGS
PS>  have yall checked out pinterest lately???? so many ideas my head spins each time I look at all those awesome ideas!!  stop on in!!

~~LIVE LIFE JOYFULLY~~and SIMPLY~~

Tuesday, January 10, 2012

playin with papers and more


Hello!~!   I took some scrap pieces of wood I had in the barn and cut them up in different sizes.    I love this paper I bought at hobby lobby it reminds me of fall but also would be perfect for anytime of year.



Using mod podge I put the paper on the blocks sanded the edges a bit then dry brushed black on the edges.  The backs and sides have been painted too for a finished look. 
These are gonna be tied onto a black rod and hang on the wall.  Just have to finish that part of the project. 

DREAM banner done.  I like the pinks and browns together and just did some embellishing on each of the tags. 

I added some butterflies and love the dark grey black pearls. 


So those along with a few other things are making their way to the shop.  I will take some pics tomorrow of shop.  That is if I remember my dig camera.  LOL I try to make lists of things not to forget but for some reason I misplace the stinkin lists!!!  One day I will be more organized!!  goodness it feels wrong to even say that "O" word!! but I have good intentions!! 
Hope yall have a blessed evening and will be back very soon!!  I have to share pics of the desk I am doing into a store counter!! 
HUGS
Darlene
WED SOUTH HAVEN WINTER FARMERS MARKET!!
3-6pm!!  GREAT WINTER PRODUCE~~and BAKED GOODS AND YUMMY SOUPS!!


~~LIVE LIFE JOYFULLY~~and SIMPLY~~

Monday, January 2, 2012

$20.00 cabinet makeover

Here is the cabinet my mom and I found at a local thrift store.  $20.00 and I sure couldnt pass that up!  I was even thinking if I dont use it at the shop it would be a great addition at our entryway.  Could put a rod inside with hooks and hang the boys leashes in there too.  But it is definetly goin to the shop!!!

And Buster Brown decided to not lay on his bed I brought for him but on the dirtry floor!  silly boy!!

Here she is all pretty and blue!!  I so love this color it matches the signs I painted which I still have to take pics of..... tomorrow!! 
I did quite a bit of dry brushing burnt umber and white to it to distress her a bit!! 


And the drawers I want to replace the gold knobs with glass ones just have to find them, I know I have a set in my studio somewhere!! somewhere under a bunch of cluttered junk they are that is!! 
I cant wait to find more cabinets for there!!  This one will look great for displays. 
I did have 5 people request info for being in the shop and that is a great thing as each one does different things!!  We will have primitives, folk art pieces, handmade unique and artful hats, girls dresses, wonderful handcrafted tote bags,  awesome handmade jewelry ( a couple different kinds) garden accessories * birdhouses and feeders and more!!  lots more! 
Again if you are a crafter and would like info on the shop please email me or you can send me a message on facebook too!!  WE need ya!! and have a low booth space fee with no other fees!!
Have a great evening!
HUGS
Darlene


~~LIVE LIFE JOYFULLY~~and SIMPLY~~