Coasting Along in the Craft Room!

I had some extra time this week to finish my coasters. I've made fabric ones in the past, but I wanted to try paper ones. I have oodles of cute scrapbook paper that I thought would make nice coasters. For these, I chose greens, yellows, and browns -- the main colors in our living room, where these coasters will be put to use.

They were really easy. Just some scrapbook paper, corkboard, Mod Podge, and 1/8" ribbon to go around the edges (I originally painted the edges a matching green paint, but I thought it looked sloppy, so I glued ribbon over the paint instead). The most time-consuming part was getting the ribbon around them. I had to glue one side at a time and let each side dry (and I'm not patient enough to hold the ribbon to the cork, so I had to rig a contraption to hold it for me so I could go do something productive while it dried) before continuing around the corner to the next side.

I finished them off by painting several layers of Mod Podge over the top and sides, to protect the decorative paper from becoming soggy from water rings. Here is one of my coasters at work :) :

Seasonal Switcheroo

Now that I believe we have safely passed the point of getting a major snowstorm, I thought it was time to pack away my favorite winter print until next autumn. I was immediately drawn to this piece of work the first time I saw it: in the hands of a woman in front of me in line at Michael's. Of course, when I went back for one for myself, they were sold out. So I ordered it online. The title of it is "Solitude," by David Winston. It evokes that feeling of absolute stillness, when you go for a winter walk and the air is eerily quiet and peaceful, especially during or right after a snowfall. I love it paired with my favorite old wood barn frame, with the black hinges. I've enjoyed my little dose of serenity all winter and early spring, but now it's time to freshen things up.

I've put away the pinecones and other heavier, winter decorations. I've brought out of hiding, some light and airy pieces. Including this framed print by Ruth Silverman called "A Round Bed"

To me, nothing symbolizes Spring and new life better than a bird's nest. Truly, nests are works of art. I marvel at what those little feathered friends of ours can craft (and without hands, no less!). Amazing. I was going to share a link to a blog I recently viewed that showed some up-close photos of some nests they discovered (the intricate details of these nests were unbelievable...they looked like they were made by humans--almost too perfect to be real! Sadly, I cannot find the blog at the moment).

Along with the artwork changes, I'm exchanging our fleece throws for cotton and sewing some new covers for our throw pillows as well. I feel so ready to say goodbye to winter for a while. Although, admittedly, summer is my least favorite season. I'm usually craving "sweater weather" by early August! For now, however, I say bring on the warmth, sandals, fresh berries, the smell of freshly cut grass, window boxes overflowing with cheery flowers, and all the other many pearls of Spring and Summer!

Nature Lovers

So, happy Earth Day 2009! We spent the day doing back-to-nature stuff. Namely, trying to beautify that plot of dirt we call our garden. Sadly, it has always looked like it suffers from mange. Plants scattered here and there, with ugly patches of rock/dead leaf/weedy dirt in between. Not a pretty sight. I've always had aspirations to make it look better, but no matter what I've tried (and I've spent more money and sweat and time than I care to recall), the garden looks rather pathetic.

Today we went to a local nursery as a family. Then, as a family, we worked the earth. We dug, we mixed some newly purchased organic soil with our own, we planted, and we watered. It looks better already. And the best part was the time we spent out there together. The kids loved getting covered in dirt (yes, my daughter is wearing a white, long-sleeved, ruffled cuff shirt. Don't you dress in a fancy white shirt when working in a muddy garden? ;) ) and looking for worms.

I've forgotten how wonderful it feels to get my hands in the dirt! I took off my shoes and climbed right into the garden, where I could plot and plan what to plant where. My husband joked about me standing barefoot in the mud. I said, "Just call me Earth Mama!" Roo then said, "You're Earth Mama and I'm Earth...um...Earth Sister!!" Such a sweetie. And it's true too. She is all about dirt, bugs, and nature.

In fact, because she is currently obsessed with the life cycle of trees, I bought her this book for Earth Day:
This one is another favorite on the same subject:

And because you can never have too many books about dead and decaying trees:

So, we had a good day around here. Busy, but well-spent. Hope you all did too. Off to watch Lost (they say it's a "special" Lost. Hope it's not all a lot of hype! Because they never do that, do they? ;) ).

"He's Got the Whole World in His Hands..."

In celebration of Earth Day tomorrow, we made Earth Day eggs: dyed hard-boiled eggs decorated to look like mini planet Earths! It was fun and quick to do (we were able to dye all 7 of our eggs during Rascal's morning nap -- he takes a speedy 25-35 minute one). Had I known it would turn out so well, I would have boiled more eggs to dye.

The supplies are simple: vinegar, oil, and food coloring (well, and hard-boiled eggs, of course). I followed the instructions from this website. And it wouldn't be complete without step-by-step pictures, would it?

First, dip your egg to make your "oceans"

Aren't they pretty? I was tempted to stop at this point, for fear we might ruin them! :)

Then, add your "land" (some with green, and some with green and yellow):

Once Rascal woke up, he was drawn to them like a magnet, making my photography session quick and painful ;)

Reaching...reaching....just a bit more.........

A-ha! We have contact!
Needless to say, we will be eating these eggs sooner rather than later, as they all suffered some major damage after being investigated by Rascal (no name ever seemed more fitting!).

I think they turned out pretty cool. I think it would be really neat to add this technique to Easter egg decorating next year (I'm thinking some pinks, purples, yellows, greens). If you decide to try this yourself, make sure you follow the instructions on the website to create "whirlpools" in the cup before dunking your egg. This whirling, swirling action is what makes your egg look "earth-like" rather than an all-blue egg that was dipped in green. Found that one out through first-hand experience (patience is a toughie with 3 year olds!).

Simple Woman's Daybook

For Today...April 20, 2009

Outside my window...birds are feasting on the unopened buds on our tree, squirrels are scavenging on the ground below the feeder, finding bits of this and that. It's quite a chattering, tweeting frenzy out there this sunny, blue-skied morning.

I am thinking...since our out-of-town family is leaving today, it's time to get back into our normal routine. While it's fun to have company (the kids loved having a constant playmate or audience, as the case often was), it's nice to get back to the familiar rhythm.

I am thankful for...my daughter's quick recovery from an illness over the weekend. She had a fever of 104, which always scares me (even though, rationally, I know it's her body working to fight off infection). But I concentrated on praying feverishly (no pun intended :) ), keeping her comfortable, and letting it run its course. The next day she was much improved. Thank you, Lord.

From the kitchen...an easy dinner of chicken salad sandwiches, tomato soup, pasta salad. Maybe, if there's time, some freshly baked zucchini bread as a snack this afternoon.

I am wearing...navy blue yoga pants with matching hoodie, black tank top, hair up in a ponytail.

I am creating...lots of fun little pretties: some sewing, some paper crafting, some painting. Maybe something worth showing in this space...we'll see.

I am going...to make a concerted effort to get the children outside every single day this week. I guess that means getting out of my pajamas every morning though, doesn't it? :)

I am hoping...to get all the Easter stuff packed away, as I never did get around to that last week.

I am hearing...Roo jingling some toy keys for Rascal to reach for; the dishwasher running; and "On the Sunny Side of the Street" playing on the radio. That song makes me smile.

I am praying...for my dad's business to pick up (he's been struggling for the past few years, but it's continuing to spiral downward). I'm also praying my continual prayer for health, hope, and happiness for my family and friends.

Around the house...still working on clearing the clutter from the craft room (on the plus side, it's like a treasure hunt as I'm coming across fabric and craft projects long since forgotten). Dropping off yet another bag of clothes and toys to the children's consignment shop.

One of my favorite things...coming home from the craft store, my head brimming with ideas and newfound creative energy to do something, anything! (gee, can you tell that I've got arts and crafts on the brain?? Almost every answer in my daybook this week centers around that theme!)

A few plans for the rest of the week: watching less TV and crafting more. It's amazing how much better I feel mentally after a productive night in the craft room. I don't get that feeling after sitting on the couch watching television all evening. So why is TV my go-to activity, after a long day? (Just for the record, my television viewing involves about 3 or 4 shows per week, so it's not insanely excessive by any means, but still...it could be less if I put forth the effort).

We also have a double-birthday party to throw this weekend, so I have to get together with my sister and plan the menu for that. This is known as the "busy season" in our family: 6 birthdays, 1 anniversary, Easter, Mother's Day, Memorial Day, Lobster Day, and Father's Day all in a 2 month timespan. Whew!!

A picture thought I am sharing...my Easter table centerpiece still alive and well (amazing, since I have a black thumb). I was worried they would wilt and die before these tiger lilies had a chance to open up. I've forgotten how much I enjoy fresh flowers on the table to gaze at throughout the day. They certainly add a nice punch of color, don't they?

Be sure to swing by Peggy's place for the links to all those taking part in the Daybook Society!

Rain, Rain, Come to Stay

Today was a wonderfully dreary, cold, wet day! The kind of day that makes me want to hole up in the craft room and create. So, that's just what I did! I made myself a cup of cocoa, threw on some extra layers (the windows in here provide no insulation from the cold at all), put on some music, closed the door (one of the key components around here), and got to work. Pure bliss, I tell ya.

After an extremely rough night with our youngest, I felt the need to recharge. Sometimes that means sleep, but today that meant doing something crafty. So I puttered, experimented, and played while the rest of the family played downstairs.

There is something about the rain that makes me just itch to sew or craft. I have always loved the rain. Maybe it's because we don't see much of it around here. Growing up, we spent summers back East, where it is not uncommon to see consecutive days of rain. I remember my Mom and I were the only ones not grumbling or complaining about the gray, wet days. Together, she and I reveled in the rainy days. Then, when the storms passed, we would go out walking: splashing in puddles and breathing in the smell of freshly scrubbed earth!

We had snow mixed with rain ALL day today. It was glorious! I'm almost a little sad that tomorrow is supposed to be warm and sunny. Oh, which reminds me, the rain is where I found my snippet of sunshine today, where's yours?

Finalists for the Spring Book Basket

I added the titles of our Spring book basket on the sidebar quite some time ago, but I neglected to do a post regarding the ones chosen. You might be wondering about the choices and, so, without further ado:

Our Nest is a wonderful poem turned storybook. The folk-artsy illustrations are saturated with color. I'll admit I have a soft spot for books that rhyme. Rhythmic, rhyming text just ties books up in a nice, tidy package for me. I don't know why, but I'm drawn to them. I'm also drawn to books that bring the story full-circle, and this one does just that. The first time I read this one, I had checked it out from the library. After that first read-through, I knew I'd be purchasing it for the home library.

Sun Bread is one of those books that we originally checked out from the library. However, we read it so many times in the few weeks that we had it, I just knew this would be another one going onto the shelves of our home library.

The pictures are so vibrant, lively, and greatly detailed, giving you so many things to look at on each page. It's one of those books that shows you something new each time you read it. My daughter and I have pored over those pages, pointing out new discoveries every time we open it. I'm a huge fan of Elisa Kleven. We've probably read all of her books available at our library.


I chose it for the Spring basket because it's basically about saying good riddance to wet, sloshy, cold winter days and willing the bright, sunny days of Spring to make their appearance.


Sunshine on My Shoulders is a favorite around here because John Denver is a favorite around here! I sang this song to Roo as a baby and so I had to buy the book when I saw it on Amazon (complete with an audio CD so she can listen and follow along in the book). The pictures give me that warm, fuzzy feeling. Cute, indeed (especially the picture of the child blowing the dandelion "fluff").


All the Places to Love is beautifully illustrated and acts as a gentle reminder that simple is best, and all the associations we have with our childhood home and surroundings stay with us forever.
Marsh ponds, sailing bark boats, picking blueberries, ducklings, green valleys -- a fresh perspective on the beauty all around. A timeless story about what really matters.

So, those are the current Spring choices. Although, I have my eye on a few additions (I seem to always have my eye on more books!).

I can't speak as to whether these books are as good as they seem, but I have seen a few of them on the sidebars of other bloggers (whom I trust when it comes to book choices) or they have received mostly favorable reviews on Amazon (which can be hit or miss as far as reviews go. Sometimes I've really disliked a book that got great reviews and sometimes my favorites get lukewarm Amazon reviews. So, who knows? What I do know is that I always try to pre-screen a book through the library before buying it. If that's not possible, sometimes I'll just take the plunge and buy it sight unseen).

Here are a few I'm considering adding to the Spring basket (any input from readers out there is welcome!):

The Whole Green World:

Spring:

Our Big Home:

Curious George Plants a Tree:

Well, I think that's all I have time for tonight (and I wouldn't have even gotten this post accomplished if I hadn't started it a couple weeks ago -- thank goodness I saved it as a draft). It's been a crazy, not-quite-ordinary week around here and I'm not able to spend as much time on the computer as I am accustomed (which is probably a good thing!). A Spring storm is raging outside my window and I'm off to put extra blankets on the little ones. Have a good night!