Faking Our Way Through Easter Decor

Left over plastic eggs, check.

Spring-ish paper from Michael's, check

Willing girl child helper, check.

Vague idea of a plan from Pinterest, but can't find the tutorial because my boards are a mess, check.

So the Iz and I set out to make our spring time eggs.  

I cut the paper big enough to around the egg, then fringed all the edges so it would fold nicely--in theory.

We broke out the Modge Podge and went to town.  

45 minutes later we had covered the eggs, with paper, but mine were a whole lot more rumpled and slidey (it's a new word!).

Iz and I were completely covered in podge.

And drying them was kind of a challenge.  Newspaper is a bad idea, in case you were thinking of doing that; modge podge is indiscriminant in its willingness to stick paper to eggs.

But they finally dried, I found some moss and a cake plate and they look pretty good under glass.

And it's a project done. completed. finished. checked off.  And we can all move on with our lives, after we get this podge off our elbows.

Proof of Slacker Parenting Found in the Closet

Why is the American Girl doll in the closet?  Because the 11 year old owner watched Chuckie on Netflix while her mother was sewing.

Oops.

 But look at the cute bag I finished!

If that's not worth a doll spending a day or two in the closet, I don't know what is.

I'll pay for her therapy later (the daughter's, not the doll's).

Like when I sell the bag..

The Hen Has More Chicks

I mean really, who can resist these?  The boys in the family were against it, but we girls (including the other hens, I like to think) won.

This is one of the men who hates chickens.  For the record, I'm not the one who brought them in the house this morning...

So it's Freddy, Hazel, and Dorothy added to Blanca, Karen, and Azul.  Yes, the names all mean something, but it's ridiculous to get into.

Yeah for spring chickens and (if it stops snowing and blowing here) Spring!

Thank goodness the sun came out.  I was beginning to feel as though I'd never see blue sky again.  The crocuses (or is it crocusi?) came out in full force today in my flower beds.  Apparently they've had a busy winter spreading themselves willy-nilly; love it!

Now if the grape hyacinths would bloom before the elk find them, my spring will be nearly perfect!





And speaking of perfect (nice segway, no?), how about these new diaper bags?

New baby, new bag; it's Spring (well, nearly)!

enjoy the weather and the newness that is this time of year....


EclecticHen.etsy.com

rage cleaning

My first day off work this week saw me cleaning the house for SIX hours.  By the time I was done, I was ready to toss the rest of the family out to live in the camper indefinitely.  You would think no one else knew where the trash can was.  sheesh. 

But I'm better now.   
I'm finally getting to the diaper bags I've been promising people.  A friend ordered one with owls.  Here's what I was fiddling with today.  What do you think?  The inside of the bag is the same fabric as the owl's wings...

My beloved (who is still being allowed to live here, even after my cleaning rage) says it looks as though the owl has wrapped himself up in a blanket. But he's taking me out to dinner, so I let the comment slide (and I think he might be right, now that I'm looking at it).

I see a margarita in my future...

Well that was easy. a tutorial

Valentine headband and gloves

So there I was at JoAnn's the other day and gloves and headbands were a buck.  Why would I not buy them?  I needed something Valentine-y for the girl child, and thought they were a good place to start.  And if my little project was a complete disaster I was out--a buck. 
I do have to give credit to Etsy and Yastikizi for the glove idea.

Valentine's Day is coming; it's not too late to try to do this.  It probably took me a total of 20 minutes to make up the headband and gloves.  So here's the tutorial, such as it is.

Step one:  get a headband, gloves, and a square of red felt.  Bring home.
Step two:  cut out some various sizes of felt heart shapes.  I figured out the correct size for the gloves by, well, cutting a couple hearts in half holding them to the palm of the glove (told you this was easy).
Step three:  for the gloves, I put each one on my hand, placed the half where I wanted it, and held it in place while I took off the glove.  That's about the trickiest part of the whole project.

Step four:  pin the heart halves to the gloves, get yourself a needle and thread and baste around the each half, obviously making sure you only have one layer of glove when you're sewing.
For the headband, arrange some of the various size hearts and tack the center of each heart to the band with a needle and thread.  I put the headband on after a few, noticed the blank spots, and stuck on a couple more.

Step five: present gift and prepare to be loved!

a week of beautiful old women

This last week at work I had more than the usual number of beautiful little old ladies.  And not the "she has a beautiful personality" kind of beauty.  And not late 60's old.  I'm talking great skin and pushing 90 or older.  Although it's true that most had beautiful personalities as well.  Maybe being cranky comes with wrinkles?  One said her last cardiac stent gave her rosy cheeks.  "I've saved a fortune in makeup!"  You can't make this stuff up. 

*tried to insert photo of pretty old woman here.*

So why aren't there any pictures of old women who have their teeth?  I guess you'll just have to trust me on this.  They are out there.  Visiting my ER last week, but I'm sure there are more around.  The lipstick is perfect.  The hair is full and gray.  And there's a glint in the eye and a wry comment coming from them regarding pubic hair (I kid you not!).  Viva la little old lady!