Outdoor fun

Spring has Sprung here and I am loving the weather here. Just in case any of you are wondering we are working on our kitchen bu we had a hold up because my husband had a flare up and we had to wait for some tools from our landlord. Till then I have been out playing with my kids and today I started on prepping my backyard for outdoor enjoyment. We have a paved space in our backyard perfect for sitting and enjoying spring and summer evenings....well once they it is cleaned up! Of course there has been so many lovely ideas I have found on Pinterest to help my out with fixing it up!  Like this for parties or entertaining

Source: southernhospitalityblog.com via Alicia on Pinterest

Seating

Source: joyeverafter.com via Alicia on Pinterest

lighting

Source: thehandmedownhouse.blogspot.com via Alicia on Pinterest

Even food and drinks to enjoy

Source: google.com via Alicia on Pinterest

Source: thesweetslife.com via Alicia on Pinterest

and so yet another reason to love Pinterest

Trying something new

This week I had a craft show! I make tutus and love doing so, but there are so many people out there making tutus now. I wanted to do something different so first I started with RAGATU'S which many seem to making now and calling them tattered TUTU's. I love making these and my youngest daughter loves wearing them. She likes how the shake and spin. She actually calls them her Shaka Shaka skirts :)

Now I am making Hand Dyed tutus and as far as I can tell very few others are actually doing this. I hunted on the web and on Etsy, Which I love! So Yay for me right!?! My hands this week looked liked I tried to Tie Dye them. I should have taken a picture of them but I was more worried about getting them back to a normal color by Saturday that it never really dawned on me! I had so much fun testing different colors and ways of dying the tulle.Testing different types of dye for not colorfastness but overall safety.

I will be creating more of these and some new charms this week. You can check out all of my new tutus and wooden toys on my website !

Weekend fun

This weekend my oldest 3 went to my mom's house for the entire weekend, but because my youngest still gets into mommie's bed at night she had to stay home. So we had a special weekend just for her.
We let her walk the dog....watch towards the end.



We took her to the park




and to the store for special treats and her Grandmother and Grandad ( grangran) took her ( and her mommie and daddy) to eat a burrito. Daddy made her homemade pizza,cookies and grilled cheese sandwiches.
We also to her on a walk and to see the puppies and kitties at our local humane society.  We played all of her fave and some new games with her. This is why my blog, social media and projects went on undone. All I can say it was well worth it, she loved getting mommie and daddy all to her self.

Love affair with pinterest

I love pinterest. I am always finding something new on there. I am on there way to often, at least once a day. I t has gotten so bad when I find a craft I tell others I am pinteresting or I am creating a pin. It is so amazing how many wonderful ideas are on there for just about anything. Like Mason Jars I had no idea there were so many cool ideas to use with mason jars. Like these

Source: uniquesweet1.blogspot.com via Tiffany on Pinterest

Source: google.com via Ann on Pinterest

Source: thehandmedownhouse.blogspot.com via Amber on Pinterest

Source: Uploaded by user via Connie on Pinterest

Those are just a few samples that I thought were neat there are so many more. I love sharing and pinning all the new this I have found. If you love Pinterest too you could always follow me.

Going to the park

Today I took my kids to the park. It was a lot of fun for all of us. My husband has borrowed my BIL's metal detector and when we get to the park you would think he had produced a magical wand. Many of the kids followed him around, helping him dig hoes in the sand if the detector beeps. The excitement on their faces of the prize yet to be found is beyond cool. I also love their fearlessness to to go and investigate something new ( even if a strange person is the new) and allow the excitement of it bring them joy. As adults we often bypass anything new, especially if it involves talking to a complete stranger. Now I know there are some who have no issue with walking up to a person and just striking up a conversation like it is nothing at all, but these people are not the norm. Some of that is that  as kids we are taught  stranger danger, which these days ever so much more.  I once read an article that said as parents we should teach our kids not stranger danger but stranger aware. To teach kids to follow their gut. While I can see a point in that because they will need to know how to maneuver with many people and age groups in their lifetime and yet something I find myself asking is do I really want to lose my child because their gut was wrong or just plain ignored. I think as parents we need to teach our kids to be aware that there are strangers who mean you harm and sometimes they present themselves as a friend or innocent person. That there are strangers who are dangerous. That if anything ever happens ( no matter what it is) to run screaming to the nearest adult and to not stop telling someone what happened until they are heard. Now as adults we should trust our gut, but allow ourselves to meet new people and try new things. Trust our guts because there are still people ( strangers) who will mean us harm, but statistically the people you should watch are the ones you know. So why not make some new friends and try some new things. 

Funny little side story though. while at the park today I was going down an inclosed swirling slide with my youngest daughter ( many times) and to young boys were getting the slide right behind me. They startd whispering behind me and this is their conversation.
Boy one - she has red in her hair. Why does she have red in her hair? (I have red patches in my hair.Not a norm for the area I live in or my age group)
boy two - I don't know. Touch it.  ( I went down the slide before he could )

Planning on Paper - guest blogger Melanie

Planning on Paper

If you are in a situation where you find yourself examining your life with a critical eye, you may realize that the dreams that you have been nurturing are laying by the wayside. If you have been dealing with a condition like mesothelioma, you’ll discover that your goals feel scattered and wispy, no matter what your prognosis is. The truth of the matter is that there is no better time than right now to start getting your life and your goals back on track. Bright Eye Counseling states that goal setting gives you a map, something that you can consult as you move forward, and this is a fantastic choice for people who feel a bit lost.

Places to Go
A bucket list is a list of things that you want to do during the course of your life. For example, think for a moment about all the places that you have been and all the places that you would like to travel to or return to. Do you have friends in other countries that are invested in seeing you? Have you ever wanted to see the sun set over the Hagia Sophia or to see Paris in spring? Take a moment to think about how big the world is and how much of it you want to see. Just making a list of all the places that you want to go is a good start for your goal setting.

Things to Do
Think about all the skills that you would love to acquire. For some people, the most important goal that they have in their life is running a marathon. For others, it is building a house. You are not going to step out of your home and instantly be able to do these things; instead, you’ll discover that there are many small tasks that require your attention before you can commit. List these small tasks and you’ll find that by taking them one by one, you can reach your goal sooner than you might think.

Sharing
Once you have created a list of things that you want to do, you have a document to work with. There is physical evidence in the world of your goals, and there is something attractive about that. You can show the entire world on a blog or you can simply share the list with your closest friends. You never know when you are going to inspire someone or when he or she can help you with your goal.

Even if you are recovering from a serious illness, it is important to look forward rather than back. This is something that can make a huge difference to your mood and the way you look at your life, so give writing down your goals a shot today.

 Melanie is a contributor to Mesothelioma Cancer Alliance blog and and writes a personal blog Milady Knows. Please go check her out and say hi to her.

 

Guns in real life vs Tv myth

My husband and I both are capable shooters. My husband grew up using guns. We both know they are no toys and have taught our kids the same. We have set the rules if you see a gun you do not touch it unless you are being supervised at the gun range ( for our teens), our younger ones are just told to run and tell an adult. We ask our kids friends parents if they own guns and if so what precautions they take to be  sure the kids will not stumble upon them.  All guns are loaded always no matter what anyone else says.We know guns are a controversial issue and we firmly believe that it is each parents choice but we want our kids to have full knowledge of a gun and the consequences of using one improperly. GUNS ARE NOT TOYS and DO NOT MAKE YOU LOOK TOUGH.  This is where TV myth comes in. Not all guns just go off if they are dropped ( some can but most wont). Once an automatic gun is out is does not keep clicking, the slide stays open to show the gun is empty. You do not cock an automatic gun except for a few models like the 1911 and few other models. Being shot in the shoulder or side is not just a wound you can wrap and go with. Shooting the gas tank in a car will not make  the car explode. Hugging the corner to enter a room is not the most effective way to enter and clear a room except under team related instances.You can not curve a bullet, you pull your shot you pull your bullet off target hitting an unintended target. Spinning a loaded gun on your finger is not a cool trick but a very stupid and deadly act ( you will end up killing yourself or someone else). Guns really do only have a limit on bullets that are loaded and need re- loaded. 99% of people will not pick up a gun and be able to make some ridiculous shot it actually takes practice to get good at shooting. Bullets can go through walls and a car but most civilian bullets can not go through body armor and no hollow points are not armor piercing.   Shooting a gun will make your ears ring, you will not be holding some long dialogue with your opponent, well at least not easily. I wish Hollywood would not play up a gun making you a bad a** and portray them in their true form. A gun is a weapon and a tool not a toy. It also not the way you handle your problems. It is a last recourse to save your life.

Fixing the kitchen and other fun tasks

This week I have a huge chore ahead of me. I am fixing up my kitchen. Starting with the floor. We had a huge leak in the kitchen and it warped the plywood and vinyl tile our landlord had put down. He was hoping it would smooth back out but it did not and so he is allowing me to fix it. I actually love jobs like this. I once ripped carpet out of my 800 sqft home, cut it up and put it my trash in in one day all by myself. I don't mind getting dirty if I can see the end out come. We are ripping up the tile, the plywood, and what is assumed to be another layer of tile and then replacing the flooring. This time with better and more water resistant products. I will also get to paint my house after that. I am so very excited. A little paint can really change the look of a room with the least amount of any real cost. BONUS my landlord is paying for it and I get to pick it out. I will take some before and after pictures to share. One not so good thing I am fairly certain about is that there is mold that I will have to handle in the floor, but better me than my kids inhaling the stuff. Especially my claire bear who has asthma. I also will be working on my site and booth space more this week. I will also get to decide what dance I will be doing at my recital with the rest of my class this week. I love my irish dance class it is so much fun. and sometime this week I am supposed to fit in a date night with my hubby. It looks like it will be a long and productive week,

Building a better......

I love doing craft shows but I need to upgrade my booth. I have noticed that so many of the booths these days just seem to be the same thing over and over again. I want my booth space to pop out at the crowd but be welcoming, like a little haven from the rest of the show. So I am working on one that will work well in and outdoors. It also must be easy to set up and tear down. Compact and easy to haul,especially sine I currently only have my van.  It needs levels and color as well. I have to take into account I live in Oklahoma which when they sang  about the winds sweeping across the plains they were not just making a pretty song.  Also I have a slim budget for building. So I have been testing ideas and making lots and lots of drawings. I have been doing lots of discussing my ideas with my sisters, husband and anyone else who will listen. I have been dragging my poor husband up and down isles of hardware stores and display stores. I have Googled booth ideas. I have even asked my vendor group for ideas, they were as stuck as I am. It was suggested to me to look for ideas at pinterest......like I need more reasons to spend hours on there. I have also been working on a color scheme. Now I need to make a plan and build it. I think maybe though it maybe more fun planning than building. That is until I unveil it at my next show. That day will be awesome.

I am also working on building a better website. I want my site to be clean, trustworthy, bright, and easy to use. I am updating all my info including my shipping info. I already have no problem shipping overseas to places like Canada and Europe. I am just not sure if I should really put that on my website since it is not really not very cost efficient for my overseas customers because I use priority shipping with tracking so I can be sure it not only cuts down on the time to get to my customers but I also can make sure that they actually get it. I am working on uploading my premade items for those that want to buy something and go. I want to come up with some more clever names for my tabs.  I need to advertise my site more in more places like  For Love of CupCakes ( which by the way she has the best sponsor prices I have found so far and she really works to get her sponsors names out there, can you tell I love her!).  So in other words I am working working working.

I will say my husband is this awesome. I am so blessed :)

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