Whimsy by Victoria

Whimsy By Victoria.............Victoria's been in my FFF (300+ and growing) for a bit.......then she joined my Facebook.........so even though she doesn't have my "I Love Today's Creative Blog" button in her long list of Inspiration buttons, I know she likes me. :)
Which by the way, you can add that darling blinkie to your side bar........the code is all the way down.......at the bottom.

She is the mother of many children, so I'm not really sure where she finds the time to be so creative.......but I'm glad she does. She recently asked me to go look at this handbag she was giving away...........HOLY SMOKES! I loved it, but surely she didn't sew it I thought.......BUT....Yes she did. I asked her. You sewing people irritate me. I want to sew like that........NOW. Yes, I know I could take classes, but it would be years before I could master that level of skill and with my personality.........I want to do it NOW, I have projects to make NOW! It's much easier to whine and pout than to do anything about it.........besides.......I can scrapbook. Well I used to anyway before blogging entered my life.Victoria makes some pretty cool handbags.........I think she sells them, but I can't remember.

But also loves the paint furniture......my kind of gal. This chair.........a typical queen ann'ish dining room chair.......we've all seen them and it's only my personally opinion, but I don't like that shiny wood look either, especially dark.......Now I may have just offended 1/2 of the people out there, but seriously you shouldn't let MY opinion ruffle your feathers. If you like the shiny queen look, great.......just stating MY opinion..........but it would look better a different color. Just MY opinion.See? Who can argue about this chair not looking WAY better? Who? Look at that color......that sassy fabric.........I love this.And now look at it............So cute sitting there.......love the wall arrangement.....it even looks OK with that unpainted cabinet. See I don't hate all wood...........but it would look cute painted a creamy white. :)She is handy at other whimsical things too. She found a chandelier like this one at a sale.......but shiny brass doesn't scream whimsical.............so she put her signature on it. Cute!

I hope this weekend brings many a yard sale find. I hope you'll visit Victoria and leave her a nice message. Spread some cheer.

Have a great weekend everyone!

From House to Home

Michelle with From House to Home has got it goin on. She and her husband are re-doing an old house, a 1920's colonial....bringing it back to it's original charm. Lots of before and afters........
Summer like weather is finally here..........lets hope it sticks around. When weather like this comes around, it always makes me want to get going on house projects.........don't you agree? Her site helps.
We may as well get right to it............the kitchen BEFORE. Notice the oak cabinets? UGH! If you have them and love them, then more power to ya....don't let me change your mind.......but if you have them and you hate them, then for crying in a bucket..........PAINT THEM!
SHUT UP! Just standing in this kitchen makes you believe you could make the worlds best pie crust. I would have never thought of the wood bead board as a back splash.......but I like it......and it's unpainted wood. I surprise myself some days.All her wood work in the house used to be dark wood. You can imagine the flack she got when she wanted to paint it. It looks amazing painted a bright creamy white. It reminds me of the 1912 Mt. Tabor home I moved from. All original dark wood.........lots of it.........I wanted to paint it SO bad, but since we had bought my husbands childhood home and his parents are still alive.......and it was all in great shape.....the wood and the parents.........I thought it would be best if we just moved instead. That house would have been spectacular painted.

I love how she has a TO DO list on her blog. She crosses the item off as she completes it. Makes you feel really lazy.
Next up was the bathroom.
Mercy..........it has a cute bench though. But there's that damn oak again.

Isn't this beautiful? With those high ceilings, I love how she added the candlier. I am also loving her use of taupe, black, and whites............hmmmmmmm very similar to Layla's........a previous feature a couple days back. My eye is really drawn to this.........Honey? We're changing paint colors.

In her kitchen she of course has a door with the chalk board paint on it.........of course.I wish I had a door I could do that too. I did in my old 1912 house........... She had another door and wanted to do something different..........She decided to paint and stencil it. Creative adventures are much more interesting to me than the "I'll have what she's having" approach.
When they moved into their home, there was this room........a room that didn't match the house because it had been added on. After living there, they realized they liked this room, so she made it exactly how she wanted. Once again, she did an amazing job. It's beautiful.

Use an old door and you've hooked me.
Show me you like pineapples and it's hook, line and sinker.

This room is right off the kitchen........it's so soothing isn't it?
I hope you all had a great Memorial Day holiday. I hope you're experiencing Summer like weather......I hope you do something really creative today.

Meal Planning Mommies

With the holiday weekend upon us, I thought perhaps a blog about cooking would be perfect. Meal Planning Mommies. 3 Mom's planning meals.......love that. Planning meals..........it's a love/hate relationship in my home. If I had my way, we wouldn't eat dinner.

What caught my eye with Meal Planning Mommies, is all the categories. From Freezer Meals to weekly meal plans..........to my favorite.....Toddler Ideas. I don't have a toddler anymore and I was SO lucky not to have a picky eating toddler........I would have loved to have had these ideas about 8 years ago. More on toddlers.........first though, how about a burger?
They show tutorials on meal fixin's..........WE LOVE A TUTORIAL!
Burgers.......Mmmmmm. Who's gonna have a burger this weekend? I am I am!! Most of us know what to put on a burger...........but how many of us put healthy avocado on it? Yes it's healthy......sure it has fat.........but it's the good fat. My latest fav on a burger is sauteed portobello mushrooms. Yum!

Here's one of their toddler ideas........... don't tell them, but I may like this too.

Who knew these would be so easy to make.

More toddler ideas........but even older kids would totally get into this. This would be a great idea for your Memorial Day picnic. My son used to LOVE green olives when he was small........and if you soak them in your martini first, they make them sleepy.............totally teasing! Don't bother with the hate mail............remember......I have a wicked sense of humor........ He also like pickled asparagus......

Simple ideas.....love this one. My son would love those.

Why haven't I thought of these before?
You'll find lots of ideas for meal planning. There are 3 of them that write this blog.

Sarah does week long dinner meal plans that are inexpensive and easy at The Frugal Table, perfect for any Mom looking to fix good meals that won't break the bank!

Alisha does Out of the Box, for week long dinner meal plans that are simple and creative, perfect for the busy Mom who still wants to fix meals that are crowd pleasers!

And Katie does The Tasty Green for week long dinner meal plans that are perfect for any Mom who is trying to show her family that a breadstick is not a vegetable.

All three are pregnant, so their posts may be far and few between, but there's so much on their site already that I know many of you mom's would find something useful. Anything to make our day's a bit easier right? Actually I wish I could just have someone show up and either drop off a meal or cook it up for me..............HEY! Now that's a business someone should start. Kind of like Meals on Wheels for Internet addicted moms. I'm first on the list.

Enjoy your holiday weekend everyone!

Photo Contest

Being that I am one of the lucky ones who got into Karen Russell's Photography class.......my mind is gearing up for taking fabulous photos. If I could be a professional photographer, I would.......maybe someday.......maybe. Just passing along this information.

PHOTO CONTEST!
National Geographic and Energizer Ultimate Lithium’s second annual “Energizer Ultimate Photo Contest.”

All you have to do is enter your most inspiring photograph in one of six thematic categories: animals/wildlife, nature, travel, people and cultures, weather and inspiration/Keep Going for a chance to have your work published in a special Energizer advertising section in the December 2009 issue of National Geographic magazine and win the ultimate grand prize: A 10-DAY NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC EXPEDITIONS TRIP FOR TWO TO THE GALÁPAGOS ISLANDS!
Acclaimed National Geographic photographer Jim Richardson will be judging the contest.

There are so many of us getting into photography, I thought a few of you may be interested........especially for a chance to win a trip to the Galapagos Islands! (psst.....that's where Survivor was last.)

Things with Wings and Other Things

It's Monday! And I'm posting. I'm doing so good don't you think?

Today's feature is a blog with four amazing women. Four amazing women who are related. Four amazing women who all get along and have fun.........who create art! Things with Wings and Other things......a creative journal by a mom and her daughters. What a fabulous family to be in. I can hear them laughing and carrying on in my head. If I am ever in Des Moines.......I am SO going to make them let me hang out with them for an evening.

They have a couple of Etsy Shops......full of really fun art. Whimsical........hip.........energetic. Inspirational words fill many of their art pieces. This is so cute. I think it's my favorite.

No........no, I actually think this birdy is my fav. This is a brooch........you can pin it anywhere.

But what really knocks my socks off this is chair............ Just an chair that needs painting. I would probably just paint it creamy cream or black..........but not this group.
Look at the face!!! And the heart! This has to be my favorite.

They all will take turns writing posts.......so you get a variety of personalities.......getting to know each one. The Mother and her daughters. I'm so jealous.
Wait............I really like the look of these stacking Hopes.............this could easily be my favorite too.

If you're in the Iowa area.......look for their shows. I'd imagine you'd just follow the laughter.

Thanks so much for all the comment love......... :) Now I must go take the pup outside.

peeks of my home..........

Life in my house is never dull with these two around.............If you want to see my new Chalk Board I received from Upper Case Living, head over to my personal blog. Love it!

Craft Fail & Dollar Store Crafts!

I know what you're thinking...........that I didn't post everyday this week.........well in my defense I was having blogger issues. I had my post started, uploaded all the photos........took the dog out to pee........wrote the PTA Newsletter...........played Bejeweled Blitz on Facebook..........worked some more on my post.........well tried anyway because Blogger wasn't letting me move the photos around. GRRRR. By 6:30pm I gave up........threw in the towel........so I didn't post everyday I thought..........who cares........what are ya gonna do, fire me? Cuz I'll just keep coming back........hopefully you will too. :)

So today I noticed the same issue, but I'm not going to let it derail me. I am just going to leave the photos in the order they landed and I'll just act like I'm on a tour.........so come with me........we're going to visit Craft Fail...........and Dollar Store Crafts. You know how I love bargains! (she's a busy gal......she also runs CROQZine) She has a TON of ideas. Some very very simple that you could throw together in a flash for those times when you need something STAT for the kids........like this soap idea. What a way to personalize a bar of soap........perfect for any event you're having......You might not want to use a pirate tattoo for a bridal shower though.

But on Craft Fail........she shows what happens when you add too much of one color.......cheddar cheese soap...........or it at least looks like cheddar cheese.

We've all had our share of failed crafts......so irritating isn't it? Well now you have a place to share your failures too. You may as well get a few pats on the back.........the effort was the same in making it right?This is so cool! She teaches you how to make these beads out of plastic Pop bottles! SHUT UP! You know how excited I get when people recycle. Which I heard from a few of you in Utah.......and that you DO recycle.......WHOOO HOOO........My goal is to get curbside recycling for all in Utah.......as a part of their garbage pick up........included in their bill. In fact she's quiet obsessed with making things out of plastic.......she says we already all know that you can make shrinky dinks from a certain number plastic...........I didn't know that! Love the Internets.......love crafty blogs. She does however show up a shrinky dink project gone bad..... It looked like it was going to be pretty cool.On Dollar Store crafts......here are some curling ribbon coasters. These look pretty cool, but I can tell you right now.....this looks like it takes patience.......that is not something I am gifted with. Not in the craft dept anyway. More Dollar Store Crafts...........a tote made from a place mat. Apparently you can make shorts from a dish towel too.......But I suggest measuring first so you don't end up on Craft Fail. This just makes me howl!
If you've been reading my blog for awhile, you know how much I love me a topiary. I don't care if their fake...........but a marshmallow Peep one may be too much for me. But it was worth a try.........now we know. Craft Fail.
Why not make everyone think you're crazy......or maybe just a free spirit.........Heck they're only a dollar.........stick stuffed animals to your head phones. If we all did that, then we'd know we were fellow blog readers! It could be our little way of being in our own special group.








She gets a bit crafty with her food prep. I actually like this. I think it's really cute.

One day she thought she would try her hand at making some cute softies......in the shape of cookies.......she even took them to an event with other mom's...........who kindly pointed out that they look like boobies......Craft Fail.........but she was able to add another color and somehow salvaged them........


Soap making..........pretty simple.........I actually think it's pretty cool she was able to make this scene......she's pretty talented to be able to make a nuclear blast soap. Craft Fail. I love it.

Make sure you grab something cool to drink and maybe have a snack and arm's length......you're going to be there for awhile.

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This post sponsored by We Heart Art!

Link up with the fun for We Heart Art giveaway this week. These bloggers want to give you the chance to not only showcase your artwork or creative projects, but also your kids handiwork. Prizes for children and adults will be awarded to a few lucky winners selected at random.