Never EVER land

I have always loved dolls.  I asked for a baby doll every Christmas until I was 13.  I played with Barbies and Skipper, Little Kiddles and troll dolls.  I have made lots of doll clothes for my girls and look forward to making them for my grand daughters.
When I make a new doll, I can hardly wait until I start another.  I get a kick out of making little clothes and hair dos and little purses, and shoes oh my.  Well, here is my latest one and I am dreaming up another and calling them the "Penny For your Thoughts" dolls.  Each comes with a tag that says,"A penny for your Thoughts" because they still matter to me.  A sweet way to say hello to a friend far away or across the street.
Because, a penny doesn't hold up much in the world these days, but for a thought?  It still hold lots of meaning...

So the title of this post says it all.  I don't ever want to be too grown up for dolls.  Not EVER.

  I saw a planter like this once when I was on a trip inVancouver WA.  They were stunning and their pots of flowers everywhere were mind blowing.  So this planted the seed to make one of my own.  I looked on the internet and they do sell containers that you can mount on a steel pole for about 75 bucks.  I was determined to figure it out by myself and make one cheaper.

I am thrilled with the result and my cost was well under 35 dollars.  Of course that doesn't include the flowers!

now it is 3 weeks out and growing and filling in like mad...Hooray!!

Studio stuff on hand and being a paper shoe cobbler.

The beauty of having lots of stuff in my studio is that I can have many projects going at once....or is that just me with adult ADHD?  Bad part is never finishing all of them...but that is because I have to come upstairs and cook and clean and yes even sleep.
LATEST OBSSESSION????  These paper shoes...http://artfulaffirmations.blogspot.com/
I saw the pattern and tut on Pinterest and so I went there and began gathering and gluing and soon became addicted...and so far?  The only thing I have bought is 72 cents worth of black tulle.  HA!

Okay, so are they not so FUN???  And  they look super cute stuffed with kisses and  tied up with more RIBBON...

oh, and when you have a ribbon, doo-dads, and tulle and cute papers, and ENDLESS FABRIC..well

you must 

MAKE PRETTY SHOES!!

Ugly duckling

Saw this on Pinterest the other day and went right out and got some cute vinyl to cover my UGLY cookie sheet.

Of course, I didn't read the directions...ha.  That would have made it TOO easy.  But stay with me here.

If I WOULD have done that I would have bought the strong (heavy duty adhesive spray listed) instead of struggling with my glue gun.  But then she and her friend used just regular fabric and I used something that could be wiped off.  And I added handles.  I am thinking more of bbq stuff and Koolaid pitchers and cookies.

Anyway, I love it so much, I will make another one and then go and buy myself some new cookie SHEETS!!

Here is how she goes...

Get 1/2 yd of fabric...

Buy some handles of choice and measure the width and drill two holes on the top of the rim.  (I didn't use this hand drill and in fact went and bought a new metal drill bit. Worked great.














I then just wrapped the covering around from front to back and began glueing with the glue gun.  Corners were a bit tricky but I just slit them into the corner and forged ahead.

  (I noticed on the video--that with the fabric they just stretched it as they went.  Vinyl doesn't stretch...)  I then cut a piece for the back that hid most of the little pleats around the corners.  I inserted the handles and done!  Fun stuff.

Craving

http://pinterest.com/pin/230528074648512472/ yup..this is the place to NOT go if you are craving soft pretzels.  You should NOT go there and read the directions and know that you have everything on hand, except the butter.  You should NOT have Emma run over to the neighbors and BORROW butter.  BUT YOU DO...
They were so easy and came out a little wonky on the first tray  but better looking on the second.  And did they deliver???Oh, man did they ever.  Chewy, sweet/salty, crusty...just right.  I tried not to eat a piece of all of them.  But then they did disappear pretty fast....

Rachel and Em help on the roll the snake part.  Emma's had a  suspicious lump in the middle.  I almost fired her when she suggested that it was a mouse!

better looking on this tray.....

look at these lovely things....ah.

Spring anyone?

It has been a COLD winter.  The weatherman says that out of 73 days of winter (really only 73?  Feels mor like 773 days to me..) that we have had 66 days of lower than normal temperatures.  BRRRR.  Oh, Florida. Where oh where are you?
So, I decided to just start here in the middle of nowhere and blog again.  I will give the 3 sentence rundown.
Rachel finally got a GREAT job.  Stacey is still at BYU and is instructed NOT to look at boys.  Neil still has no job.  Emma is a middle schooler and loves her cat.  Alicia is expecting #2 pink baby and is the usual sicky, sick.  Brian and Claire continue to read lots of books and watch TC Dvds.  Steven, Meredith and kiddos, Ella and Thomas are flowing along in Denver.  Don continues to travel lots and I don't do very well at housework.
So I will just dump a few pictures in here for good measure and then try to do better.  Do not count on it.

making donuts on Conference morning.

BFF's...really

On the subject of wings....

I am going to say it outloud.  I love angel wings.  And I decided that I would embrace this fully and make a pair!  I have seen more than a few here and there and I drew up plans and then dove in.

I  found that the "science fair " carboard to be 

an easy and good source of the base.  I penciled in the shape and cut it out.I also covered the brown part of the cardboard with white paper so it wouldn't show through.

I also bought a feather boa and Joanns with a coupon and spread it over the top section,  I would spread hot glue and press the feathers over it.  I found that using a wooden spoon was a great finger saver.

I found it easier to start at the bottom and move  towards the top.  It takes lots of feathers!

Then you repeat for the other wing and then attach with  a  square of cardboard covered with white paper and yes more feathers.
On the back I attached a hanger with hot glue, covered it with white paper and you guessed it...
more feathers!
Now I moved it into place and I am quite happy with it...

Here it is hung up and resting over me in my studio.  Love it!