69 YEARS OF WEDDED BLISS (HA!)

So first of all, I promise to get back to stamping soon, I promise! The kids go back to school in 5 days (Yippee!!!)and though I will be sad, I'm going to drown my sorrow in my stamping room, drinking in some of the new things I have to play with. Until then...let me tell you about what we got to do this last weekend.

We went to Northern Wisconsin to celebrate my husband's grandparents 69th wedding anniversary. That's right people...69 years...with the same guy...

and
this one
he's feisty, let me tell you!!!!!



He broke out the accordion for the occasion. It doesn't get much more Midwest all American than this folks. That accordion means the world to him. He can't read a single note of music, he's done it all by ear. And he's darn good too, especially if you like to polka.



See the younger of the two (the one of the right for those of you wondering), that's my oldest-he's named after the old guy on the left. He decided to enter the world 2 weeks early, and that just happened to be on Grandpa's 80th birthday. So we took the divine intervention hint and named the little squirt after him. Except he's really not such a little squirt anymore.
Moving on...Grandpa really wants his namesake to learn the accordion before he dies (he's 89)...and he decided that this day was the perfect day for him to learn.
It was really kind of sweet to watch. Grandpa, so very hard of hearing, that the folks in the next county could hear us yelling...I mean talking to him, trying to explain the accordion...and my boy patiently trying to do just what Grandpa asked. He really wanted to be jumping in the river with his cousins. But he sat there and listened, and tried to play. He's a good kid-90% of the time, and at least when it matters most.



Now, you really have no idea how funny this picture is. But it's darn funny, let's just leave it at that. Such good sports, while the younger folk make them hold dumb props.



And lastly, in all seriousness. You don't see this to often. 69 years, both alive and healthy, living in their own home, mentally intact, a lot of hearing loss, and some bad glaucoma, and a LOT of spunk. Personally I think she's a saint...he's a handful!!!!
Very proud to have married into this family...well not when I look at the picture before last...but I'm going to try to not think about that.

Because I have so much free time...

I decided that I need another thing to eat up some time. You know, so that I can ignore the dirty laundry in the laundry room, and forget about the grocery shopping I have to do, oh and reviewing math problems with my kids before they go back to school ( you know, so it looks like we've actually tried to shape their minds a little over the summer.)

Okay, we haven't reviewed a single math problem, or read a book. No see, we've actually let the boys, just be boys over the summer, you know...playing...like when we were kids. Here's my point, they go to school 8 hours a day, 5 days a week, for 9months, and well...I think that's enough. So my boys have spent hours upon hours outside, skateboarding, scootering, playing baseball, swimming, and well...being boys. Call me crazy. Fresh air...it's a good thing for their mind and body.

Okay, back to my point....I've started to become intrigued with the idea of digital scrap booking. See I need another medium to express my creativity (just like I need a hole in the head). Well, I found this great place to suck all of the free time I have out of me. See, it's free and it lets me play around and see if this is really something I need to get in to. If you have tons of time on your hands, check it out...Scrapblog.com. And then be prepared to not have supper made, or any laundry done, or do math problems with your kids. Here's what I made today:



It was my first attempt at anything like this, so don't be too critical. Please note, that though I may not practice math problems with my kids, or make them read novels over the summer, I do make them wear pads and helmets, because a mind is a terrible thing to waste.

Yep, that's me, safety first!

Glorious creatures

So this weekend was spent working on finishing the GIANT perennial bed that we started last fall. Finding time to work on it can prove to be a challenging thing during the summer as the weekends that are free, are few and far between. And something sad starts to happen in mid August when you live in Minnesota- you start saying things to each other like "we really need to make sure we get that done BEFORE THE SNOW STARTS TO FLY"

Ah, What?

Yeah, we start thinking about that awful white stuff that will take over are lives in a few months.


Okay, back to the project. It was labor intensive, sweaty, very hot, and oh so very satisfying at that end of the day.

An amazing thing happened though, while we were working. All kinds of glorious creatures started to show themselves to us. (Well, the reality, is we were working in their habitat, and we just got to observe them.)And I just had to photograph them.

First up was this cool guy:



I found him hiding in my bee balm. He was having a lovely little lunch munching on some weed that didn't belong in there. So I ripped the weed out along with him and decided that he was just too cool. One of those wonders of nature with his weird little spiky thing coming out of his fake eyeball on his butt. From what I can tell from the Internet, I think he's a sphinx moth caterpillar. Funky little guy!

Next we have her:


This a clear wing hummingbird moth. From a distance she looks like a hummingbird. She stayed around forever. I could bore you to death with all of the pictures I took of her. She did some serious eating at my million bells on my deck.

Then there is her:


Gotta love a beautiful swallowtail. She let me take a ton of photos too. She feasted on my butterfly bush for over 20 minutes. I've had a lot fun with her in my Photo shop program.

Makes me wonder what else I would find if I hung out in my gardens all day every day!

Raising Boys

So a big part of my journey through this world is being the mother of 2 boys. They are such interesting creatures that I've decided to make them a regular part of my blog.

Let me give a little taste of what we are talking about here.

Yesterday was my New Catalog Open House. So...
Everything is ready, house is cleaned, everything is in place. I am able to go upstairs, do a last check of the hair and makeup and my first guest arrives. Warmly greeted and bring her into the living room to show her around. As I make my way past my coffee table something catches the corner of my eye.

Yep, somewhere in the time that I went upstairs, one of them decided it was the perfect time to clip their toenails and LEAVE TOENAIL CLIPPINGS and the clippers sitting out amongst all of my visually beautiful displays.

Serioiusly, how do you discretely try to clean those up with out her noticing and then try to mention that she should have some of my homemade goodies before going?

Yummy!!!!

I wish I would have had video camera of me pointing something out to her and quickly turning and sweeping them into my hand, dropping the clipper in my pocket and RUNNING to throw them away and wash my hands.

Classy, totally classy.

Come on you know you want one!!

Wanna be a hit at your next picnic? Want your kids to jump up and down and beg for one more? Want adoration as though you slaved over a hot stove all afternoon? Oh, and want a really easy recipe. Well then........here you go.

Behold....THE KRISPY LOG ROLL!



This is a recipe first introduced to me by my friend Tracy-the queen of the yummy simple recipe. It's quick, easy, and doesn't require turning your oven on!



Here's what you will need:
5 1/2 cups Rice Krispies
1 bag Marshmallows (make sure to sample a few first)
1/4 c. Peanut Butter
4 tbsp. butter
1 1/3 c. chocolate chips
3/4 c. peanut butter or butterscotch chips
(the original recipe calls for butterscotch, but me....well...I'm not so crazy about them...so I use peanut butter.)


Begin by putting your marshmallows and butter in a microwave safe bowl and melt.


While they are melting, line a jelly roll pan with wax paper, and GENEROUSLY spray with Pam. If you do not spray it.......well....it's not gonna go so good for you!



Here's your melted goo.



Now add the peanut butter.



Mix until you have peanut butter goo.



Add your cups of rice krispies and mix together.



Now dump them out onto your pan.



Take another small piece of wax paper and spray it with Pam. You will use this to press the mix down into the pan.



Flatten all the way down.



Take both kinds of chips and put them in the microwave.



You will end up with this melted chocolatey-peanut buttery mess.



Now spread that all over the pressed krispies.



Now you will need to roll it up like a jelly roll. I start with one side and tuck it closely on top, but then use the wax paper to guide and roll.



Your rolled version should look like this. Now you will need to put it in the refridgerator for a hour.



Take it out and sliced it into pieces.



Here is the final product all laid out. Now sample one or two before you go to the picnic....you know...just to be safe!!!

Over the rainbow

Last week was busy, but I just wanted to share with you one of the greatest little creations God makes for us every now and then. What is it about a rainbow that makes you stop and pause for just a second?

Couple more beach totes

Just a minute to show you 3 more totes I made this morning!

Little Beach Tote Bag

So I'm guessing that you have made one of these little babies by now. I mean after all they are all over Splitcoast and Bloggerville. But, on the off chance that you haven't click here to see the tutorial by Diana Gibbs on how to make one. I got to make this adorable version yesterday at a stamping gathering with my demo friends! (Thanks Brenda!)


When I was first making mine however, I became inspired to make a little something of my own. I wanted mine to look at little bit more like a beach tote. So here is a tutorial one making my version of this little bag.

You will need:
1-6"x 3 1/2" piece of cardstock for the base
1- 4"x 12" designer paper
1- 1"x 11" piece of cardstock (or you may opt for a 1" x 12" piece of designer)
sticky strip
various accessories to complete


Start with your piece of 6"x 3 1/2" cardstock.


Score at 1" around all four sides.



Snip into the 1" mark on all four corners and apply adhesive to the little tab and begin folding into a box.


When assembled your base should look like this.


Now apply sticky strip around the entire 12 inch side of your designer paper and along one edge of the 4" side. Now wrap the paper around the base.


Use your scallop punch to create a scallop edge along your 1" strip. In order to adhere the base this way you will need to cut your piece of paper into 2 4" strips and 2 1 1/2" strips. When I make it again I will use a 1"x 12" strip of designer so that it will wrap neatly around the base.


Now apply that scallop strip to the bottom.


This is the finished tote. I used the Priceless stamp set to add swirls to the round tab punches and centers of the flowers.

Send me a link if you make one, I'd love to see what other people come up with!



Recipe:
Paper: SU! designer Bella papers, Pink Pirouette, Red Riding Hood
Stamps: Priceless
Accessories: Pink brads, 5 petal punch, round tab punch, sticky strip