School Days are back

It has been a busy two weeks at work and since school has started so has the homework.  The three classes I am taking this semester are Photography (actual manual, film developing photography, Online Sociology and Speech (one of my biggest phobias) this class will be so good for me.  This is why I haven't been able to post much.  We did work in the dark room this last Wednesday and made a photogram, which essentially is taking photo paper and laying items on it that can be seen through.  The photopaper is put on the enlarger and a light is shined for a few seconds.  Then it gets developed with the chemicals and above is my photogram. It has my pill bottle with ibuprofen and acetaminophen that can be seen through it.  A decorative key with a leather strap from my purse.  A paperclip with a flower design.  My necklace and a pen that has a see through middle.  I think photo paper is really magical.  You put it in chemicals and wha-la it has something developed on it.  The photo paper is in a box in a black bag and it cannot be opened in the light or it will turn black and be no good.  It will be fun sharing my experiences with the dark room.

One Stamp

I used this one stamp and made three different cards.  The stamp is from The Artful Stamper and it is stamped on white paper and also on vellum.  I cut out the windows of the stamp and colored both the white paper and the vellum.  I love patterened paper and enjoy the chance to use it as often as possible. 

Here is a pink vellum envelope.  Even the mail person can enjoy a pretty card.

Pretty muffin cups

I found all these pretty muffin cups at Michaels Crafts.  I threw them in this bowl to store them in the pantry and thought they were so appealing they deserved their own picture. 

Poster Picture

I found this poster and immediately loved it.  I found a nice frame for it and Tom put it up last week.  The photographer discovered hearts in all different places.

African Violet

I purchased a couple of African Violets yesterday and the store also had these nifty African violet pots.

I know it is better to water these plants from the bottom.  Conveniently the plants could be taken out of the plastic pot they were bought in and be dropped into the first half of the ceramic pot.  You then put water in the second pot and fit the plant pot into it.  That way the water soaks through to water the bottom of the plant. 

Here the blue pot is in the sunroom.

The new clock for the sunroom also.

Here is a green pot in the refurbished bird cage. 

Random Acts of Kindness Story

Taken from the Book "Random Acts of Kindness-An Illustrated Celebration
I was living in Chicago and going through what was a particularly cold winter-both in temperature and in my personal life.  One evening I was walking home from a bar where I had been drinking alone, feeling sorry for myself, when I saw a homeless man standing over an exhaust grate in front of a department store.  He was wearing a filthy sportcoat and approaching everyone who passed by for money.

I was too immersed in my own troubles to deal with him so I crossed the street.  As I went by, I looked over and saw a businessman come out of the store and pull a ski parka out of a bag and hand it to the homeless man.  For a moment both the man and I were frozen in time as the businessman turned and walked away.  Then  the man looked across the street at me.  He shook his head slowly and I knew he was crying.  It was the last time I have ever been able to disappear into my own sorrow. 

Come on readers, post a random act of kindness story that happened to you in my comments section.

Bales

I pass this field twice a week and am amazed at the hay bales that are put randomly out there.  It seems as if they multiply each time I go by.  Maybe they don't but I think it is amazing how they look.  The field is very wide and deep.  A lot of work and time went into it. 

Corners

I have this corner cabinet in my studio and use it to keep my ink pads.  The way I was doing it before I could not see what I had to work with.  They were just jumbled together.  I found these corner shelves and am really happy that the pads can be on layers now, it makes it so much easier. 

Card

Some of my favorite things to use when I make a card are of course the rubberstamp, watercolor pencils, little fiscar scissors that don't stick when you cut doublesided foam.  As you can tell, watercolor pencils are so bright on cards.  My rubberstamp is a Magenta cling.  Also on my cards I raise elements and use glitter. 

We have no wind today and thought the fountain looked pretty.  The water spray made the design of a flower. 

They love small spaces

Cats and Quilts, they go together.

The finishing touch

The valances that we got made were installed today.  It softens up the area without taking away from the pretty design in the window or the view.  We are very happy with them.  Tom also installed the TV on the wall so now I can decorate the mantle.  Not sure about the cords yet...I suppose they could be painted the same color as the walls or I will put something in front so they are not so noticeable. 

Can you say MMMMmmm

That just says it all!

Hoping for Landscaping Soon

As we all know it has been a hot dry summer.  We are having Cornerstone Landscape Group

put in the landscaping and we opted to wait until the end of August or beginning of September, when it is cooler and little wetter.  We have all areas ready for it. 

I am looking forward to having something growing around the house.  It is dead, no birds, bees, hummingbirds, butterfly's, just dry dirt, with an occasional weed that Tom has to eliminate. 

This is the landscape plan (be sure to click on it to make it bigger).  I added some daylilies and replaced some bushes behind the garage with some others.

These are called Strawberry Candy Daylilies.

I just think they will be gorgeous.

Random Acts of Kindness

I always enjoy the commercials on TV when one person does something nice and then that leads another person to do something nice and it is just the domino effect.  When I am driving I always let people in, or go in front of me, I try not to lay on my horn instead I beep it gently in case the person is daydreaming at the light.  I think of Gone With the Wind when Melanie and Scarlett are feeding the soldiers and Scarlett was begrudging the food to the soldiers.  Melanie said that she hoped some woman was feeding Ashley like they are feeding some other woman's husband.  I hope that people treat my family with the same respect in driving because we all need help sometimes.  That's why this book caught my eye.  It has good quotes from people and nice stories.

So Sundays will be Random Acts of Kindness Day.

I Would Love to Read about Random Acts of Kindness that have happened to you.

I will open up the comments so that everyone can read the good things that have happened and get enjoyment out of them too. 

Each Sunday I will put on one of the stories from the book.

Here is a video that makes you think about how daily things can be turned into Random Acts of Kindness. 

(Story from the book)
Several Years ago, when I was living in Chicago, I read in the newspaper about a little boy who had leukemia.  Every time he was feeling discouraged or particularly sick, a package would arrive for him containing some little toy or book to cheer him up with a note saying the present was from the Magic Dragon.  No one knew who it was.  Eventually the boy died and his parents thought the Magic Dragon would finally come forth and reveal him or herself.  But that never happened.  After hearing the story, I resolved to become a Magic Dragon whenever I could, and have had many occasions.

All Done

The last of the furniture for the house came this week.

I will share the rest, I have been waiting to have the room all done.

This is the sunroom and we ordered side tables.

It added six storage places.

What a pretty little chest.

They go with the ladder shelf.

Don't know what I am going to put on it yet.

Here is our sleigh bed.  The wood is so smooth and the color warm.

I am loving this king size bed.

We got a Wolf Mattress from our good friend Dave Rauch.

It is fabulous!

This is the duvet for the bed.  I chose it for the green, red and blue but it is very subtle.

My beloved bookcase.

For my quilt, drawing, scrapbook, rubberstamp, art books.

I was so happy to bring them out.

Another bunch of old friends.

Mr. Boyd Bear gets the top shelf to keep an eye on everything.

I have both the Desa Ivy Chests. 

Room to put my quilting basket underneath. 

It is easy to get to it.

Here is the chest that goes with the sleigh bed.

I just love that wood.

We are able to cover up the television.

The room is quite pretty.

Perfect Night Out

When Dad golfs on Wednesday nights starting in April and ending in September my guys and I have a night out.  We have been doing this for a long time and I feel they really look forward to it.  This last Wednesday was such a beautiful night, I don't think we had one like this since last year.  We did things that all of us like.  The first thing was to eat at Steak and Shake-this is Sam's favorite place, after that we went into Game Stop, another favorite haunt for the guys then we went putt putting.  I needed to be outside as I am in my office for many hours a day.  There was just a nice breeze, music, laughter and we had a fun time.

Sam won, then Kevin and Mom pulled up the rear. 

Since we were so close to the mall we stopped at Barnes and Noble-Kevin and I love bookstores.

We spent about 30 minutes there. 

When we walked out the sun was setting, the breeze was lightly blowing and the great big flag by the highway looked so majestic I had to take the picture. 

A nice end to a nice evening with my guys.

Wonderful Bread

I tried a new recipe for bread today.  It turned out soft and tasty.  I am definitely using it again.

Here is the recipe.

Honey-Whole Wheat Bread

2 pkg. active dry yeast or I used a jar of yeast and 4 1/2 tsp. worked for me.

1/2 cup warm water

1/3 cup honey

1/4 cup shortening

1 T. salt

1 3/4 cups warm water

3 cups whole wheat flour

2 cups white flour

Dissolve yeast in 1/2 cup warm water in large mixing bowl.  Stir in honey, shortening, salt, 1 3/4 cups warm water and the whole wheat flour.  Beat until smooth.  Mix in enough all-purpose flour to make dough east to handle.

Turn dough onto lightly floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes.  Place in a grease bowl, turn greased side up.  Cover; let rise in warm place until double; about 1 hour.

Punch down dough, divide into halves.  Flatten each half with hands or rolling pin into rectangle.  18X9 inches.  Roll up tightly, beginning at one of the open ends. Flip both ends under and placed into greased bread pan.

Let rise until double-about an hour.

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Bake until the loaves are golden and they sound hollow when tapped.  30 to 40 minutes.  Pull out and rub a stick of margarine over the top to coat with margarine. 



Framed

I just picked up this picture I got framed from Northside Galleries.

My friend Theresa brought it from Assisi, Italy.  It is a print on canvas then there was some overlaying of paint on some of the poppies.  I just love it so much.  It is going in my bedroom and goes well with the Ivy Chests that I got recently.  Thank you again Theresa, I do cherish this.

All Cleaned up

From This

and This

He does have a nice bunch of great hair.

To This.

Everybody had a nick name at camp.....Sam's was Mohawkins.

Pretty Clever.

The sweatshirt is because he still isn't used to the air conditioning.