A Quickie

So, I ordered a vinyl Valentine's Day subway art....thing. I got a deal on it from Groupdealz. It didn't cost me much....My kind of craft project. I had the paper in my stash and believe it or not, I have a frame stash too. I bought this one for a couple dollars at Michael's.
I cut the scrapbook paper to fit and then put it in the frame behind the glass.
I centered the vinyl on top of the glass and rubbed it all down.
I (very slowly) peeled the transfer paper off the letters. Be careful when you do this in case your vinyl decides to stick to the paper instead of the glass.
There...finished. That was a quickie for sure!
Here is it's new home. Next to my birds. Love birds even.....
Simple, inexpensive and pretty. My type of craft.
Are you decorating for Valentine's Day?
Find me today at Metamorphosis Monday!!

Baby It's Cold Inside

Wake up in the morning feelin' like P-Diddy.....Yeah, if P-Diddy is the name of your SNOWMAN!! Yesterday morning Jo and I decided it was colder than usual in our house. We usually subscribe to the theory of "If you're cold put on a hoodie and some socks cause I'm not turning up the thermostat so you can run around in your underwear". It's always been how this house has run. Well, with my slippers and sweatshirt AND long pajama bottoms I was still chilly. So I looked at the thermostat and it said 55*....yeah....that's chilly for the inside of my house.
I turned on this glorified space heater (this has got to be the wimpiest fireplace in all the world). It has helped us maintain though...so maybe I shouldn't complain to loudly. *whispering* We've had it on since yesterday morning and we are up a whopping 3*.....WIMP!!
So here I am with the real space heaters. Whenever I sit on the couch with a blanket it is a dog fight to see who gets to sit the closest to Mom. Usually Darla wins....I'm OK with that. She doesn't feel the need to give me a tongue bath...unlike the other dog...ick....
So here I sit. But never fear. The Furnace Man (hahahaha So I totally wrote that to the Trojan man tune....crack myself up!!) will be here some time between 10 and 2. At least we will be warm for the weekend!!

Wordless Wednesday

My New Year Commitment

Com·mit·ment   [kuh-mit-muhnt]
noun
1.the act of committing.
2.the state of being committed.
3.the act of committing, pledging, or engaging oneself.
4.a pledge or promise; obligation

Res·o·lu·tion   [rez-uh-loo-shuhn]
noun
1.a resolve or determination: to make a firm resolution to do something.
2.the act of resolving or determining upon an action or course of action, method, procedure, etc.
3.the mental state or quality of being resolved or resolute; firmness of purpose.

I don't make New Year's Resolutions. I never stick to them. Ever. I have tried and failed so many times over the years that I just gave it up. Then my world was changed (in a whole lotta ways) when we moved to MN. See, I met this girl, Renae....She didn't really make resolutions either. She picked a word that represented a goal or life style change that she wanted to make in the coming year. Instead of resolving to lose weight or yell less she commits to the word CLEAN (for example). She commits to clean up her eating, her house, her life. So much easier to my way of thinking. Some words I have chosen in years past are RUN, CLEAN and LAUGH. I have had more success focusing on one word every year than I ever had making a list of resolutions that were likely forgotten by March first.

The word this year is actually two words. WHY NOT. Why not now....why not here....why not me....I have been suffering from an over active inner critic lately. By asking WHY NOT and giving an honest answer to myself I am sure I can silence (or at least muffle) that nasty voice in my head that tells me I CAN'T. WHY NOT is sure to challenge the almost 40 years of thinking on my part. It won't be easy....but it is time.

What are you committing to this year?? Do you make resolutions? Set goals? I'd love to hear your thoughts. Happy New Year my friends.

Baby Oliver

Introducing Oliver. Oliver Olinger to be exact. He was brought into our world by this stunning creature (my daughter) as a homework assignment. For the weekend she got to care for this baby who cries and fusses and coos like (or almost like) a real baby.
She got to learn what it is like to be the Mom of a new born. She was awakened at night (a million times) and had to answer his cries with patience and speed. She was graded on how fast she soothed him and how well the over-all care was for precious Oliver.
I was impressed with her nurturing skills. She did get frustrated and she was definitely ready for some real sleep but she kept her cool and was a very responsible caregiver.
So in five or ten years, I'd say she's definitely be ready to give it a shot for real. (Gasp...that really did give me heart palpitations just to say!!)

Bunk Beds

Just so everyone knows what a good Mom I am.....I am posting this picture of the doggie bunk beds I purchased for the sole use of my dogs. Aren't I the best Mom EVER!!!
I guess we won't tell Jim that his favorite chair is not longer his own. The things we do for our fur babies!!!

A Few Nights Ago

A few nights ago my family (except for Kevin. He was at work...YAY!! Yay that he has a job...not that he wasn't with us....anyhoo) decided that for Family Home Beating Evening we would decorate gingerbread cookies. I had about 5 or 6 that weren't going to be used for a church activity so why not, right? Straight off Jo decided she was not photo ready and would NOT let me get a shot of her face....so here is the best I could get.
I think this is a thinly veiled threat.....
My sweetie decorating his cookie. I thought he would poopoo the idea, but I think he actually had fun.
"Oh, honey, you made the cookie pretty. Now smile. No, smile for real. Please. Come on. Just smile with your teeth."
Yep. Man of my dreams....right there. I do love him.
Our little cookie family.
I made a banner.....thingie...for the mantle. I LOVE how it turned out.
I know...the picture needs to be lower. I'm working on it :)
And my sweet Darla. She likes to lay there and take in all our craziness. Out of harms way.
Have you been enjoying every second of this wonderful season of love and joy?? I sure have.