Easter Preparations

   I have been working on two wedding cards for my sister, Phillis. When we were in Florida when  she asked me if  I would make her a wedding card. Well, I made two. I don't get a chance to make wedding cards alot lately, so I really enjoyed making these. 

For Phillis

  I have made the card on the right before. I like to change the wedding dress a little to make it unique. I stamped the dress with a peg stamp from Rubber Stamp Tapestry  I haven't used their stamps in quite awhile, but they are beautiful stamps. You should check out their site that I have linked for you.
  The other card I cased from a card on Pinterest. I used a stamp from Just Rite that I have not used before. I love it. The white dots are from using enamel accents and two pearls. I hope Phillis likes one of them . I will be sending them along to her soon.

Another project done!!

  Russ has just finished another project on our long list of things to do. We painted the island a mushroom color to match the beautiful hutch he made recently. He also added some trim work to give the island more interest. I love it. The stools stand out more and the paint brightens up the kitchen alot. He really does nice work. It's so handy to have a husband who likes to do carpentry work. It's kinda like papercrafting, I guess.
  We both have been working on preparations for  Easter dinner tomorrow. The tables are set and the centerpieces have been assembled. I really love doing this for my family.

Table One

   I bought this birdcage at The Christmas Tree Shop. I really love the whiteness of it. The little bunny I purchased while "junking" one weekend. I am not sure where I picked it up, but I think I am going to start a collection of cute bunnies. I am hooked.
   I am expecting  14 people so I have to set two tables to seat them all. The tables are close to each other, so we are "together". One table it larger than the other.

Table Two

   The second table has a few of my white dish collection. I used pitchers to hold the flowers. And guess what? Another bunny. Isn't it cute sitting there?

This tables seats six.

This table seats eight.

                                                                

    I found a recipe on Pinterest that used chow mein noodles coated with chocolate, marshmallow, and peanut butter. You form the mixture to look like bird's nests. Then you place jelly beans or whatever to look like little bird's eggs. It's wicked cute and really tasty, too. I had a ball making them. I am going to place them either next to the place cards or in the plate. Can't decide which yet.

Wicked cute... these are jelly bean eggs.

      Well, all I have left to do is make deviled eggs and an appetizer my sister-in-law, Charlotte, sent me. It's made with angel hair pasta that is place in mini muffin tins. Then you pour a mixture of cream and eggs over it. Add cheese to the top and bake. I'll take a pic if they come out looking good.
   I guess I am ready for our Easter dinner. We will go to church Sunday morning and celebrate the resurrection of our Lord and then continue to celebrate with family. I love Easter... It's one of our  most sacred holidays that helps us to remember the sacrifice made for us. And it's Spring. A time of rebirth... and warmer weather. It all just makes me happy..
  Happy Easter to all...I pray your Easter is  a joyful time for you and your family.  

Warming Up?

   I have been happy to note that it is warming up around here a degree at a time. We are in the forties temperature wise... The snow is melting due to the March sun being more direct. Hurrah!! Sick of the snow and cold. Anyway, until it gets a whole lot warmer I am inside working on fun "stuff".
   We recently went to Rockland to a flea market sale there. It was great fun. We ate breakfast at a cute little place on the Main Street of Rockland. Don't remember the name of this place, but the food was good. 

Cute breakfast stop...

What can I say..

We hopped in the car and headed to the flea market to see what we could get for a deal. There were many interesting things there that I did not buy, such as the deer lamp -NOT my style at all.
   I did like the bureau that had a map front on the drawers. I could do this to a piece of furniture at home. I did not buy it for that reason. I really liked the look, though.

This is the name of the place!

   I did buy a little ceramic bunny for our Easter table. I hate to say I am collecting bunnies, but I tend to buy them when I see a cute one.

Kind cool looking, don't you think?

 My niece, Callie found an old fashioned desk for her son, Ezra. I
think it fits him perfectly.

Ezra's new desl

 Do you remember these desks when you were in school? I do. The top lifted up to hold your books and papers. I believe she bought it for fifteen dollars. Not bad.

Huge whoopie pie.. biggest I've seen.

  On the way home we stopped at an Irving Station that had a bakery inside. My sister, Rochelle, bought this whoopie pie for our Easter dinner this weekend. It will have a place of honor at the dessert table weighing in at 8.24 pounds. That should feed 14 people nicely.
  I have been working on my paper crafting this week, too. I made a birthday card for my friend, Elaine. She is celebrating her birth this week. I made this card from an idea I saw on Pinterest. I used an embossing folder for the first time and I really like how it looks. I think I will be using it alot more.

Love the colors- spring like..

 I had some prima flowers and a lovely brad that gives the card its pop of color. Happy Birthday, Elaine!!!
   I also made a birthday card for my niece's daughter, Amelia who turns one at the end of the month. She is such a cutie. I found this idea on Pinterest, also. I love punch art, but boy it is alot of work to find punches that will make the shape you are looking for in your design.

What a happy clown!

   I used my Spellbinders die circle die cuts to make the round hoop with the sentiment inside. The balloons are a Martha Stewart punch. The clown is made up from a circle punch, oval punch, hand punch, heart punch, and the little eyes come from Stampin Up's owl punch. I think I will be working on some more punch art in the future. Making this card was fun.
   I ended the week with a fun time at my son, Nathaniel's and his fiance, Kristin's house warming party at their new home. Quite a few people showed up. I was especially proud of the cake pops that my sister-in-law, Charlotte, helped me dip. We had not made cake pops before . I used the Baby Cakes cooker to make the round cakes. That part was wicked easy. I was worried about the dipping.  We melted yellow candy melts and began dipping. It worked out real well. I dipped them and Charlotte tapped off the extra dripping white chocolate.

Not bad for the first try.

The problem came when we set them down on waxed paper. They would flatten out. Well, Russ made me a stand after we had them done, but I can see how this will keep the pops rounder. I took a photo of their good sides.
  We melted chocolate and drizzled the pops for decoration. I can improve this step, too.
   I hope to improve my skills every time I make them. I see such pretty ones on Pinterest. Maybe they only took pics of their good sides, too. Ummm..
   Anyway here are some pics of the housewarming party. Good time was had by all.

Fun group!

Friends of Nathaniel and Kristin

Happy Easter to you all, if I don't get to post before then. I am planning on Easter dinner for 14 this Sunday. I will post pics of the tablescapes for the two tables I am preparing. Hopefully, I can do this before we eat. Spring is coming....

Back to Fun at Home...

  Sorry it's been so long since my last post. We got home with only an hour delay at Orlando which I thought was okay since many planes were delayed for alot longer. I think due to a storm that was in the Midwest.

I think  it's one of the chipmunks.. not sure, though.

  We did go to Magic Kingdom again one last time before we had to go home. The weather was a little bleak, but not raining. We were sad to go. Russ tried to put some humor in our day by trying on some funny hats. Doesn't he look cute?
  We tried to go on Ariel's ride but they were having trouble 'cause it wasn't open until one.

At Magic Kingdom

We walked around and I got some last shots of Magic Kingdom. I had not seen this statue of Roy Disney before. At least I think that is who this is... I love that he is with Minnie.

For the Wheelock Family

   Well, I am back home working on my many projects that I would like to finish before I start my garden work. But we had some sad news that a friend of our family had passed away. We had not seen her for a number of years since she and her family had moved to Alaska. Beverly Wheelock was our Pioneer Girls leader when we all lived in North Yarmouth many years ago now. She was a wonderful person who lived for The Lord. She was always cheerful even with dealing with her cancer for many many years. She will be missed and thought of often. This is the card I made for her daughter, Lilly.
   I really love then new Spellbinders die cut that I used here. The oval is cut out when you use the frame. I think it is so pretty on cards. I hope to use it in my next vertical album, too.
  I have been working on vertical photo albums this whole month of March. Love these gems. Ginger from My sisterscappers.com is the one who has tutorials on the TP album and the paperbag album. Her videos are so easy to follow. She does a great job. Here is a link to her blog.My Sistersscrapper

I even used feathers here.

Side view of album

These tabs are inside the paper towel roll.You add the pictures.

 

 

  I really had a ball making both these albums. The TP album was actually made from the roll found inside a paper towel. Ginger mentions using toilet paper rolls, but I found mine to be too short, so I used paper towel rolls instead. They worked fine. Here is a picture of the one I gave to my hairdresser and friend Sue over at Snip and Clip in Yarmouth. She does my hair and my mom's. While we were at Disney, she picked up my mom for her hair cut and drove her home. What a gal!! Love her to pieces. Hope she liked this album I made for her.
   My sister,Chris, over at Calla Lily Studio has done a video on the Toilet Paper Album. I am basically lazy about doing videos, but Chris has done a great job showing hers. I hope she does one on the Vertical Paperbag Album so I can link to it. Anyway, here is a link to the TP album.Calla Lily Studio video on TP album

Look at all the stuff I used for the cover

     I have just about finished the Vertical Paperbag Album. This was really fun to make too 'cause I got to use alot of materials I had on hand that I didn't think I'd ever use. Hurrah!!
   The cover was great fun. I just kept adding things until I liked what I saw. I've had that white crown for eons. It looks perfect here. That metal piece is from Tim Holtz's collection. Looks good here.

Some pages inside waiting for pics to be added.

A photo tag inside the paper bag

  Here are some examples of the pages inside. You have pockets from one side of a paper bag that can be used to hold photo tags or journaling work.

You use 6 bags to make these pages. Alot of work but worth it.

   The bags all have photo tags in them that can be pulled out and seen as I have shown in the picture to the right. This is the link to the vertical paper bag album. Vertical Paper bag tutorial  from My Sistersscrapper.com.

Just the right touch. I will add info about the album on this little piece of paper when I know what pictures I am going to use inside.

    The spine is one of my favorite parts to this album. Here I get to use all those "trinkets: that I have saved for just the right project. Well, here it is.. Can't wait to do my next one.
  We are heading to Rockland this morning to do some "junking". I will take a few pictures of our experience. I am going to work on my Disney Vertical album and hopefully get ready for our Easter dinner planned for the family at our home. I found some cute things for the table that I will share next time. Happy Spring.. I hope that comes soon...