Gibbs Swap 3

This is a swap I joined called GIBBS GIRLS I'M BROKE BOX SWAP!! There was 12 words/phrases posted and I created items for my partner that went with that word/phrase.

1. One Man's Trash is Another Man's Treasure
I made a necklace out of a washer2. What Was I Thinking
I made a memo board for her to let others know what she was thinking
3. Button It
A picture frame from my collection of my grandma's buttons
4. Time Flies By--I made a paperbag calendar. Each one has a pocket on front and a pocket at the bottom to put notes and things in.












5. Not All That It Is Cracked Up To Be
I etched on front and back of three glass votives "Dream/butterfly, Grow/leaf, Inspire/cross" and them filled them with cracked glass.













6. All Blinged Up and No Place to Go
This was one of my favorites. It is an altered clipboard.

































7. You're Such a Blockhead Charlie Brown!
A klennex box














8. Share and Share Alike
A recipe box with dividers in the same colors and feel of the klennex box






































9. The Flowers of Tomorrow are in the Seeds of Yesterday
Flower pots with her apt number and a shaker.














10. Put Your Big Girl Panties On
This was a hard phrase for me to create something to go with it. I made the flowers and butterflies out of colored 'panty'hose



















11. I Don't Need No Stinkin' Paper
My partner makes beautiful cards and uses trims and accents. So I filled one of these with ribbons and trims and the other with scented ink pads














12. GIBBERS Do It Old Tool Style
I did a play on words here and changed it to Old SPOOL style & made a ribbon holder to sit on her desk with some more pretty ribbons for her to use.

Opening Day

There is just something thrilling about opening day pheasant season. Before noon the town is filled with pickups and men in orange vests and hats. The gas station is filled with those picking up water, pop and beer (for relaxation after the hunt I'm sure) dogs in the back eager to go.

I went out with my guys today, donned a bright orange hat and vest. We walked thru tall grasses that swayed in the wind. The breaking of twigs beneath our feet. The ground muted greens and tans. A bird would take flight, so beautiful to watch as it's wings are parallel to the ground searching for a safe place to land. Holding my breath waiting for the popping sound with hopes the bird will fall, knowing the thrill it would bring to my son.

Riding in the pickup I am a spotter, watching where they fly up and where they land. Three fly from the ditch we stop so Cole can walk in the weeds. One flies up and though Cole shot it is a miss. As we drive further on another is spotted. Lyle shoots this one and Carter runs to retrieve. The pheasant is twisting and turning doing a wild sort of dance. Carter waits to grab it and soon it is still. The colors on the bird are magnificent, the browns, golds, greens and blues. The guys went out again this time without mom...Cole got his bird and is estatic...another great fall day in SD

http://bevscrafts.blogspot.com/

I love all my scrapbooking sites. Here is a fun one I have found. Who doesn't like a chance at free goodies

My oldest son, Taylor, is spending his summer in Uganda--Africa. He is taking a self study class towards his degree. It amazes me what kind of man he has become. I am so proud of him and all he accomplishes. He doesn't wait for opportunities--he creates them. He has sent pictures today that have touched my heart.

This is a source of water for the villagers

These are some of the children watching a memorial dance. Look at the condition of their clothing--they are no more than rags.

The villagers pulled Taylor into the dance. The look of pure happiness makes my heart grin. I know he is going to come back a changed man.

Here is a hut that they actually live in. Taylor says the children treat him like a celebrity

Breath taking beauty and such poverty at the same time.

I put this picture on my computer as the wallpaper to remind me how many things we take for granted, how many things we feel entitled to, and how truly blessed we are.

Spring Blossoms

The apple tree is in full bloom. You can hear the buzzing of bees happily enjoying the sweet nectar. I like the tree this time of year and in the fall when it smells a bit like wine as the apples ferment on the ground. These are the little apples...Lyle tried to make jelly out of them one year...it was a lot of work and not much flavor.

Every once and awhile the Hutterites will come and ask to pick them. If you have never seen this it is fun to watch. They spread a large plastic sheet covering the ground around the tree. Then one of the boys (theirs not mine) climb up the tree and shake the branches. Thus causing the apples to fall onto the plastic where the women will sort them out, take the leaves off the ones they want and place them into a bucket. When they are done the completely rake the ground and put all the other fallen apples into one of our garbage cans. Then they give us corn, tomatoes, potatoes for letting us pick the tree. What is there not to like...they take away the apples that haven't fallen, clean up the ones that have and reward us with fresh vegetables.

So today it was a nice sunny day and I wanted some pictures by the apple tree. We have never had them taken while in full bloom. I wanted the boys, the boys and I, the boys and Lyle and Lyle and I. Seems easy right? First we have a new digital camera which neither Lyle or I are very comfortable using yet. For work I have to change cell phones every two weeks so I sorta knew how to operate that one. The biggest challenge is that Cole wouldn't smile. Do you remember that age? Those teenage years....when they were younger I could say "dad has stinky feet" and they would smile, big natural smiles. Now Cole does this mouth closed semi-smirk and won't cooperate for anything. Then Lyle got tired of messing around and said enough and went inside. No pictures of the boys and Lyle or of Lyle and myself. I had some funny ones in mind too. And that is just where they remain. Here are the few I managed to get.

If they won't smile by themselves I'll manipulate the picture and do it myself. Cole is a cross between the Hunchback of Notre Dam and porky pig

Carter was the only one who would willingly cooperate

FishersGrove

Fishers Grove is a State park about 7 miles outside of Redfield. Our family typically camps there on Memorial Day, Labor Day and I have been going there in Sept for my birthday every year. Here are some pidctures of last year's birthday stay.

These are views from each side of the bridge.

The boys and I drove out there on Saturday May 10th & these are the pictures we took

This first one shows the end of the road...note the current. The second one shows the golf course bridge. It is hard to see but there is a boat parked beside it and the railings of the bridge go right into the water. People are still golfing they just skip that first hole and are parking up by the highway.

This is the bridge to get to the campground. Lots of debris backed up.

Home made spring bouquets

Ok so spring isn't here yet so I decided I needed to make my own spring bouquets. I think I will make an additional six tonight, as there was frost on my windshield and snow on the ground this morning.

Step 1: Take off white paper and cut out a basic flower shape. This will be the bottom layer.

I used a 3 inch flower with my cricut machine

Step 2: After cutting out the bottom layer the top layer will be a spring colored paper either a solid or print will work. I also cut out and chalked some leaves.

Step 3: Chalk the edges of the bottom layer. You could use a solid color for the bottom layer and skip this step but I liked the softer edges.

Disclaimer this can be a messy step...I highly recommend putting scratch paper or newspapers underneath.

Step 4: Tape a floral wire between the two layers...double stick tape was not strong enough.

I used a scrapbook adhesive.

Step 5: Put and Easter colored kiss, using a pop dot, as the center and add some of the leaves.

Step 6: Fill vases (I got mine at the dollar store) with spring colored M&Ms and insert flowers

Optional step: I made matchbook cards and clipped them to the vase.

This was the inspiration for my project.

I gave these two my friends who were in the community play this year. It always amazes me how many flowers and gifts are given at the play.

Here you can see two tables filled. There were eight tables in all.