Some old stuff...

Some old stuff and some fun stuff from my holiday.  Just because.

Now I'm off to Girls Camp for a week, maybe I'll see another bear...!

Look who got her braces off

Today is a great day for Delaney!  A year and a half ago she couldn't wait to get her braces on, lately the conversation has changed to, when do I get my braces off.  Today is the answer to that question!

 Before...

After! 

Just in time for girls camp and her brothers wedding!  

The office gave her a balloon bouquet with some candy and microwave popcorn to celebrate, ba, ha, ha!

Isn't she pretty!

Sponge water toys

I have to apologize right now... I forgot which blog I found this idea on, I'm so very sorry! 

 But the good part is you can make some for yourself!

These were so easy to make that I did up a dozen while my sister was reading aloud 

To Kill a Mockingbird which is an excellent book by the way.  

(The next night I read to her while she was knitting)

All you need are some cellulose sponges of varying thickness (dollar store) and some zip ties.

 Cut them into strips.

 Divide them up.

Wrap a zip tie, pull it tight and snip off the tail.

We were 4 adults, in the lake having a blast throwing wet sponge wads at each other!  And laughing our heads off!  No, we didn't get beaned by the zip tie, you don't even know its there.

A tiny little house

I found this tiny little house so very interesting.

See, isn't it cute, I guess there is a whole "tiny" house movement and if you read the article at Cozy Little House you can see why it's a great idea.  I've always seen myself in a small white cottage surrounded by gardens and flowers, but where do I put my visitors?  Look at the floor plans for some tiny houses here.

Mackinac Island

So we spent 2 lovely days on Mackinac Island, I've always wanted to go since seeing the movie Somewhere In Time, so romantic!  We didn't think we would be able to get a hotel on the island with such short notice, why stay the night if you can't stay on the island?  We found a room in an old victorian house and it was expensive lovely and just what we'd hoped to find.  They don't allow cars on the island so you take a horse and buggy or ride bikes, we rented bikes and had a blast (even though we ended up doing some off roading to get to our hotel!)

 These little beauties were all along the beaches, of course I called them Inookchuks but here they're actually cairns and you're supposed to add a rock to them, they were all stacked 'just so' and everywhere!

See the little one out in the water?

 It was 8 miles around the island and we did it a couple of times, so peaceful.

 We kept riding by this old abandoned building, I wanted to go in for a look but it was impossible.

Our fabulous hotel, The Inn at Stonecliffe.

 Of course we had to visit the Grand Hotel from the movie and it was...grand!

The island was so full of history, I loved it!

I read a good book

Another book to add to my list of great reads is Someone Knows My Name, (although I read it under the title, The Book of Negros) they changed the title for the US market.  It's about a girl who was stolen from her village in Africa and sold into slavery and follows her through her incredible life, it's historical fiction which is my favorite. 

 It was 500 pages that I couldn't put down.

"The stars were brilliant that night, and the cicadas were crying in endless song. If the sky was so perfect, why was the earth all wrong?"

(Any fellow Canadian's (my age) might remember the authors brother, Dan Hill the singer songwriter.) 

I've found a lovely cake for everyone to make at Clockwork Lemon and isn't it unique!   

We spent a few hours in Frankenmuth, MI last week, this design reminds me of my visit. 

Two weeks of fun at Hillsboro Beach

I'm back!!  Just got home from 2 weeks at the cottage, so... much... fun!  First thing I did was make some decorations to hang around the place.

Myself and my two daughters spend 2 weeks here along with my sister and her daughter, we've done it for the last 5 years, choosing this place because this is where we went as kids.  

You can hear the frogs croaking in the lagoon with the leaves gently swaying above your head all the while the sound of the lake rolling onto the beach just below. 

We took long walks...

in the woods...

along wheat and corn fields...

and in an old cemetery...

we antiqued...

picked cherries...

and visited with old friends (and some new ones)...

 we even went to the local auction (that's our new favorite thing to do because they have hot dogs with onions and home made pie)!  Not to mention the incredible antiques that wouldn't fit into my suitcase

 (a bed and dresser were calling my name) but some old canning jars did.

We drove up to Mackinac Island and spent the night,  I'll show you more pictures of that later cause that will be a whole blog of its own!

I read 5 books and did exactly what I wanted, sometimes that was doing nothing at all!  The weather for our holiday was hot and humid,  too humid for a holiday just like a holiday should be! 

I can't say I'm glad to be home, I could stay there forever.

My teapot totem pole

So I finally gathered together what I needed for my own totem pole.  I've put it in the front yard because I'm sure the dog would knock it over in the back.  I used E6000 to glue it all together but why take a chance, right?

I'm not all together happy with how it turned out, I will keep looking for a better tea pot and hopefully switch it out when I find one!  It's certainly a conversation piece.

Oh, I'm going to a beautiful cootage on Lake Huron for the next 2 weeks, I'll be thinking about you!

Cupcake in a jar

 

Oh, thank you Whipperberry for this Black Cherry White Chocolate Cupcake in a Jar!  What else can I possibly say!

Make your own tea towels

I've noticed these on the internet a lot lately so I wanted to try it for myself. 

 I was a little worried that it was going to be a big mess

 but I was surprised at how easy and tidy it was.

You'll need Orange Wonder or Citrasolve, which I found at the health food store,  

  floursack kitchen towels (from Target), tape, cotton balls, a spoon and a reverse inkjet copy (ONLY) of what you are transferring.

I did a t shirt as well and I've seen it done on pillows, lampshades and purses.

1. Lay the item you want to transfer on, onto your hard work surface.

2. Tape your copied image face down onto your fabric.

3. Squeeze some Orange Wonder onto your cotton ball and gently spread it over your paper, you'll see the image coming through. 

4.  Rub with the back of your spoon over the image a few times.

5.  Lift a corner to see how it looks, keep rubbing if you want a deeper look.

6.  You're done.  

(it will dry quickly)

Now I have an almost full bottle of the best smelling cleaner in the whole world that takes stains out of nearly anything and does crafts too!

Another paper swag

I've found a cute swag for any occasion on the Workman Family blog.  

She uses coffee filters, newspaper, doilies and even cupcake liners to make this cute idea and since coffee filters don't come in pink she shows you how to dye your own. 

 I love it when someone thinks outside the box!

A quick redo

I was having an overnight quest so I did a quick redo of the spare bedroom.  I have to admit I stole borrowed the desk idea from a friend, but isn't it true that imitation is the highest form of flattery?

You can find the pincushion tutorial at the Scrap Shop.

The bed had been disassembled and sitting in my closet, garage and bedroom for 8 years waiting to be used again, and the sewing table was made from two antique tables that I didn't have a spot for with a door laying across the top, I love it.  Can you tell the ribbon holder is made from a curtain rod?  I will one day paint the tables, they belonged to my mom who was into taking paint off furniture while I'm into putting paint on.  
So you can appreciate my dilemma! 

    

I love blue

Lately I have been on a blue kick, I just had my bedroom painted in a soft muted blue with white crown moulding.  Now I want everything blue, but I can't make it work so I'll be happy looking at pictures of what could be mine blue.

I'm feeling blue.