Memorial Weekend Shopping!

Memorial Day Weekend always has some great shopping.

Kirsten Krason over at 6th Street Design found this really cute skirt at JCPenny...

Jacqueline at Simple Home Life bought a new washer and dryer...

and Kimba at A Soft Place to Land bought flowers for her back porch.

I also did some Memorial Weekend Shopping and came home with this!

That's right.

It's a 5.6 amp 1/3 horsepower insinkerator badger 1 garbage disposal.

Isn't she beautiful?

Anybody else find some amazing deals this past weekend?

Mishmash Necktie Wreath

I love wreaths.

Recently, on this blog I saw a necktie wreath from Good Housekeeping Magazine and thought it would be fun to make one in honor of Father's Day.

So I started collecting ties. 

Because I was only using a 12" wreath form, I only needed 14 ties.  Luckily, my husband has spent most of his adult life wearing a tie to work, so he had a few to donate to my project...the rest I picked up at the thrift store.

I decided that it would be stronger if I inserted some heavy paper in the ends, so I cut out 14 tie-shaped ends and placed them inside the ties {I did end up trimming some of the papers down to fit the different widths of ties...}

Next I measured how long the ties needed to be to go around the wreath and be secure.  Then I cut{!} the ties off {around 14" for my wreath}.

I decided to stagger mine with the darker ties on the bottom and the lighter ties on the top.  I set them out so they would be spaced right and so the patterns would look okay together.

Then it was time to start gluing!

I placed the big end of the tie backside up inside the wreath and wrapped the small side around to the inside and glued that end to the wreath form.  Then I wrapped the big end around glued it to the small end of the tie.

 

After gluing all of the darker ties down, I put the lighter ties on top in the same way.

Glue. Wrap. Glue. Press.

Repeat.

This is what I ended up with.

Some of the other necktie wreaths I saw online had bows attached.

I think I will leave mine bow-less for now.

Like this one I found here,

and here.

I did, however, see a different kind of necktie wreath with a necktie flower that may or may not be a cute addition.  Maybe I'll have to try that.

Something like this:

What's your vote?  Flowers or no?

June Visiting Teaching Message

The message for June is
Strengthening Families through Temporal Self-Reliance.

"When we are self-reliant, we use our blessings and resources to prepare for and avoid problems.  Self-reliance, however, is enhanced as we pray for the courage to meet with faith the challenges that will surely come.  Self-reliance also enables us to keep our covenant to care for others."
-from the Visiting Teaching Message, June 2011

"WATER"

you doing to become more self-reliant?

To make your own messages,  you will need:

A strip of heavy paper, 3"x11"

Paper for printing recipe and message

A bottle of water

A drink mix packet

String or ribbon

Follow this link to my June VT Message File
(Hold down the ctrl key when clicking the link to open it a new window.)

Happy June Visiting Teaching!

The Essence of Life

Love is the very essence of life...Love is the security for which children weep, the yearning of youth, the adhesive that binds marriage, and the lubricant that prevents devastating friction in the home.  It is the peace of old age, the sunlight of hope shining through death.

-Gordon B. Hinkley

Loved This...

I saw this over on Jones Design Company today and thought I would share:

A woman who was nearing death, requested that she be buried with a fork in her hand. When asked why a fork, she went on to share that her favorite moment was when following a meal, she was reminded to ‘hold on to her fork’ which, of course, meant dessert was on its way.

She chose to be buried with a fork as a beautifully symbolic picture to those who would mourn her death that this world was not her home, but that the best was yet to come. Her view of eternity was so true … a place where even the best of this world would pale in comparison to what Heaven will offer.

I know it is easy to fear death or pain or hardship – especially when you just can’t seem to escape it – but please know that there is good to come for those who put their trust in God. Whatever your circumstance, whatever your current struggle, whatever your fear, know that not only is there hope of an eternal life with our Lord, but He also offers unexplainable peace, joy and comfort as we walk through trials here in this messy world.

Be encouraged and remember to hold on to your fork – the best is yet to come.

 

 

 

I hope you are all having a great day...I'm busy working on lots of projects and hope to share soon!

“We are the Lord's hands here upon the earth, with the mandate to serve and to lift His children. He is dependent upon each of us.”

—President Thomas S. Monson

Kittens & Dogs & Bees, Oh My!

This was no lazy weekend at our house.

In addition to yard sales, working in the yard, planting a few trees and filling the flower pots, running a few errands, a trip to Home Depot, sprinkler work, etc. etc...

we managed to have a little fun.

A few weeks ago, our cat had kittens. 

She always has them up in the storage space of our garage and then moves them to the ground when they get mobile.  On Friday, she brought them down and the kids have been loving them nonstop. 

Especially my 2-year-old, who goes into hysterics every time she gets within 10 feet of them. 

Like screaming teenage fan hysterics.

{she is so happy here that she's about to pass out...}

Then has a complete meltdown when we put them away.

Did I mention that she is 2?

{Note:  Our extra-special-extremely beautiful-and talented kittens will be looking for new homes in about 3 weeks...first come, first served}

We also had some good friends over to roast hot dogs and have s'mores!

And our bees came.

We decided last year to try one of my husband's all time dreams of beekeeping.

We managed to kill them all in just under 3 months.

So this year, we are trying again.

We picked them up Saturday and were just about to put them in the hive, when we discovered....

The queen was dead.

Luckily, the bee people were still there and we ran back for a new one.

Hopefully, we'll have better luck this year.

On Sunday, we got to spend some time with my mother!

I'm so thankful for her.  She is a wonderful example to me.

I hope you all had a great weekend and have a super week ahead!

Letting Go

I was perusing blogs yesterday when I came across this great quote here:

I'm  kind of getting to be a control freak in my old age and love to have a plan.  I love working towards something new and exciting, and feeling a sense of accomplishment when achieving that plan.

Sometimes, however, things don't work out like I plan. 

I'm realizing that sometimes, my ways are not what is best for me and my family, and that I need to have faith and let go of my plans and just be grateful for the life that is mine, and for all of the unplanned opportunities that I have for growth.

Fun

Libby from A Perfectly Crazy Life was sweet enough to pass along this fun blog award to me!

As part of this award, I'm supposed to share with you 7 little-known facts about myself...

1.  I hate black licorice.  I'm  sorry, I do.

2.  I'm really clumsy.  I have tripped {plural} in front of large audiences before.  I'm actually so good at being clumsy, that I can recover those trips most of the time without falling on my face.

3.  I can hang a spoon from my nose.  It's pretty awesome.

4.  Fish tacos are my new favorite dinner....which is surprising because I don't like most fish.

5.  I love naps.  {...and my family loves that I love naps because I am way less grumpy when I have one.}

6.  I collect cake plates. 

7.  I'm a terrible housekeeper.  I love having a clean house, hate cleaning it.  I'm still trying to find someone who wants to come clean my house for free...any takers?

There you have it.  All my secrets. :)

I am also passing this award onto 6 other favorite, very inspirational bloggers...

i like it, i love it

the happy scraps

It's in the Details

abode love

dear lillie

j and a and co

Thanks again, Libby!

Excuses, Excuses

I didn't make one blog post last week. 

Not one.

Here are my excuses for not posting...

I started this:

So far, I am really sore, but think that I will try to stick with it...

I also have been working a little on my office chair.  I got the ugly fabric off, now I need to paint it and put the fun new fabric on.

I took advantage of the one warmish, dryish day this week and painted my headboards...hopefully we will be able to get the room put together soon and I will post more photos then. :)

I found this cute little chair at a yard sale {for $2!} and painted it. 

It is filling in as office chair while the other is getting it's facelift.

...but mostly, I haven't posted because I've just been lazy.

Now it's time to get back to work!

A Promise

Every time you go to the temple, you will be a better man or woman when you leave than you were when you came.  I believe that with all my heart.  I make you that promise.  Redouble your efforts and your faithfulness in going to the temple and the Lord will bless you.  You will be happier.

-Gordon B. Hinkley