You Are Never Too Old To Be Silly

         

               On Memorial weekend we had our annual family get together at our house. Every year I keep my fingers crossed that it doesn't rain and that it isn't blistering hot. Well I got one wish, it didn't rain but the temps were off the chart for southern Indiana. It actually broke all records at a ridiculous 97 degrees.

We found an American Flag floating in the creek and decided to save it

 

So I decided since we didn't have our pool set up yet (due to my husband having a minor knee surgery) I had better rent something fun for the kiddos, and it should have a water feature too.

The view from our deck.

I decided on a blow up water slide. It was a huge hit with the kids and the adults! Even though the sun was beating down all day on them they never seemed to notice. But boy did we go through the sun screen! The little ones barely left the slide to eat or drink. It was belly laughs and giggles all day. Plus moments we had wished we'd set up a hidden camera for some hysterical sliding moments that could never be re-created if they tried.

We rode go-carts, dirt bikes and 4 wheelers down to the creek and up the hill to the grave yard. The heat didn't stop our fun!

The kids love to hunt for fossils at the creek and thankfully there is never a shortage. Sadly though no one found any arrow heads. We have only found one since we've lived here and I can't believe that there aren't more in this area........oh well we will just have to keep searching.

Then later in the day we girls started our annual craft project. I had originally thought we would do a concrete craft,making a leaf bowl. But after further study I discovered that the leaf would have to sit for 24 hours to dry. On Pinterest I noticed a fun and easy re-do for cheap flip flops. The blog is called The Mother Huddle. The flips flops tutorial looked easy and was explained very well.....however this group just couldn't quite get the hang of it. Maybe it was the heat, it couldn't be from a lack of talent........could it!?!

So eventually my sons decided to come down and help us and thats when it all went so comically wrong.

Jason read the instructions and Will help aid the ladies when they couldn't quite understand the instructions.

Well in the end we may not have nailed this project but we all had a blast trying. I for one am not finished with this. I am determined to make a pair and actually wear them at the camp!

Another fun party item I had this year was a vase I set out of photo props. I found a fun little shop on Etsy who sells all sorts.  The shop is called PAPER and PANCAKES and they so many fun mustaches, glasses, hats and etc. Stop by their shop and check them out.

Old and young enjoyed these and I was able to capture some photos I will treasure forever.

This one took a group effort but after several attempts we finally got it!

I just wish I could wear glasses like this all the time! Glitter is my passion!!
Another fun family photo prop I used was an inexpensive card board matte. So many good pictures. Too many to share, but we all had so much fun using them.

Something happens when you set these out....even the quiet and shy will begin to strike a pose. It seriously can be a great ice breaker at any get together.

Not that our family needs any help being silly. I think we were all born this way actually. I just left them out and once one person does it before long everyone joins in.
Most everyone had their photos taken. However some of us couldn't quite master the whole matte pose. Or was it our photographer?

The kids have said we need even more photo props for the next family event. So now I'm on the look out for some new ideas.

At the end of the day our youngest grandson just couldn't leave the slide until he absolutely had too.

Oh and I forgot to mention it was also our sweet nieces 16th birthday. So we had to have just the right props for her. We have an on going joke with her about flamingos so that was this year's theme.

 So later in the day when the sun started to go down and we had to say goodbye to the blow up slide we brought out the glow in the dark balloons and glow in the dark straws. We walked out in the yard and looked at the stars and let our glow balloons go up into the air. We watched them for what seemed like forever. That was my favorite part of the day. That shared moment with my grandson watching the balloons float away.

                                                           Yes it was the best day!!!

Hungry For Games

           A few weeks ago my oldest grandson came up with an outdoor game for him and his friends. At first it was just an idea that he presented on his facebook page but it grew in popularity so fast that he knew he had to make it a reality. It was then that Hunger Games The Game was born!

No one had any idea how this was going to work....but we were pretty sure that Nerf weapons would be the weapons of choice. I must admit that spontaneous Nerf wars has been the norm for our family for years. We all own some pretty intense arsenals. My husband and I have been known to do surprise attacks on the grand-kiddos when we arrive for a visits. And our youngest grandson gets so excited when the wars begin that we have nicknamed him The General.....mainly because he will search through all the Nerf bullets (barking orders feverishly) looking for the black tipped ones he calls "The painshots" haha.....yes we get pretty serious!

So when the kids said the Hunger Games was set I knew I had to be there to photograph the event. At first I worried that I was interrupting the game, but then I remembered these are theater kids and photos of their performances is their passion!

Names were placed in a bowl and called out into teams of two. At the count of three and the shout of "GO" from the Game Maker Amy the kids take off from the patio using the strategy they think will work. Some chose to run and gather weapons while others decided to run and find a good hiding place hoping to find weapons from fallen tributes.

If a tribute is shot or struck in the arms or legs we felt that could possibly be a survivable injury.....but only if they could find a hidden medicine bag.

If a tribute was shot or struck in the head or torso, in an area deemed fatal than you were dead and out for this challenge.

The laughter and stories from these fallen tributes was so much fun. It was so hard for them to sit out and just be a spectator, but this gave them time to make new plans for the next set of games.

 Many were killed fast ( which was usually hysterical) while others found hiding places so good that we would have to force them out and back into play.

As often happens the rules evolved as the game did. We quickly learned what worked, and what didn't. So after the first evening of games everyone felt we had it rock solid. Once all of the photos were posted on Facebook Hunger Games The Game became huge!

The numbers grew from 6 kids to 20 in no time. So Hunger Games The Game ll was set. It was again a huge success and now the kids plan on a summer of Hunger Games.

 Most of the close neighbors sat out on the decks and patios to watch all of the fun. The next day one of the neighbors thanked my daughter in law for such a fun evening of festivities. The games went on for hours well past dark. Which allowed us to bring out the glow sticks, my favorite!

Strategies,weapons, matching shirts, and how to shoot silver parachutes to tributes have all been discussed for future games. Other parents have even asked to host the games at their houses. For the adults it brought back memories of innocent outdoor play. Back at a time when neighbors actually neighbored and street lights indicated it was time to go in!

 The important part of all of this was just good old fashion outdoor fun and laughter. Kids being kids! How wonderful too at a time when childhood obesity is at an all time high and many schools have had to work hard to encourage physical activity.
We all laughed till we cried and shared one of the best evening we've had in ages.

 So if your kids or grand-kids are bored this summer or have become couch/computer potatoes.....get them outside and create an outdoor game like this with them. It's safe harmless fun, and believe me there is nothing like being a kid again....... with your kids!!
Happy Summer everyone and have a wonderful Memorial weekend =)

Oh did I forget to mention it was also a surprise birthday for one of his friends......ya gotta love a bunch of kids armed with silly string!

Creating Garden Decor

       Memorial weekend is just around the corner and for us that means our annual family get together. I've been searching for a craft project that the ladies and I can do together. I've really been in the mood to add a couple of small flower gardens around our patio area. With 6 acres to mow and trim, flowers gardens have not been on our priority list.We have added lots of wildflower seeds which is perfect for larger areas and requires little or no maintenance. It's been so much fun watching the wild flowers spread year after year.

Now I'm ready to add some small flower gardens around our lower patio. This has become our favorite place to sit and relax when the weather turns steamy hot!
I've been looking at some decorative garden items and have had some sticker shock at the cost. Plus being a crafter my first thought is always how can I make this myself.

Today I found what I think could be a easy idea for some garden stones on a blog called Sunset Gurl Design. Plus what I like about this idea is it uses something everyone should have or can get easily find which is leaves. I really like how the bottoms of large plant leaves look with all their veins, and it really makes quite an impact in these garden stones.

It's very similar to a project I saw last year on The Martha Stewart show. Cement garden leaves, and once again using plant leaves. I have kept this idea on my "to do" list as a future project. Items like these at your local garden centers would not be inexpensive. So making them seems to me to be a cost effect idea.
The main ingedients are ready mix and sand and of course leaves of your choice. Wouldn't this be fun to do with your kiddos. My grandsons would enjoy a hike down the creek in search of a variety of interesting leaves, just don't pick the itchy ones! It's kind of like combining education with creativity as well as an outdoor experience.

If this ends up being the project that we choose I will share the process good, bad or comical as well as our photos. But really the best part of any project we choose is just being together, laughing and chatting and creating great memories!

What does your Memorial weekend look like? I would love to hear what traditions or activities you and your family enjoys on our nations very popular three day weekend.

A Proud Shop Owner

        Today was a typical busy day in my life....I know,I know when isn't it. But while I was doing what I do at my day job I suddenly realized that today's Martha Stewart show was all about Etsy!
Just in case you missed it here is a link to today's episode.
I couldn't have been more proud to be a shop owner......well perhaps I could have ya know if I was lucky enough to be on the show. But I am delighted that Etsy is receiving some great exposure. Exposure like this could give all of us a better chance at higher sales!
One shop I must tell you about that was featured on her show is called Focus Line Art The owner Tracy Melton is a fellow Hoosier!! Woot Woot....go Indiana artists!! His shop's shingle hangs in Indianapolis Indiana. I love his work,it  is so vibrant and so unusual,your eyes will be held captive!

But today was also bitter sweet for me having learned that Martha's show has been cancelled by the Hallmark Channel. I am not happy! I have always loved her show and I hope she finds a new home channel. Because it just will not be the same without her.

Cleaning Out The Craft Closet

           A while back I decided to clean out my craft closet in my work room, mostly because it was bulging at it's hinges, and I promised myself I would get control of this! I tend to hang on to just about anything that seems useful or could be made into something. I have saved some goofy stuff over the years, all in the name of future craft projects.
Like for example I saved a couple of pop bottles because I had this idea. I always felt like the neck of the bottle and part of the center would make a great spy glass or kids.

So finally I made one. My stash of clear flat plastic came in handy for the wide end of the spy glass. After I completed this and came up with a pattern for future spy glasses I pulled out more interesting items.
Some items I had to stare at for a while to try and remember what in the world I was thinking when I saved it.

 Like these for example. Prescription bottles because the their shape and the colored soft rubbery rings around their necks.....really made me nuts to toss them out. But after months and months of holding onto them without any craft idea, it was time. Another item I hold onto is the brown paper wrapper below that comes off of the paper towels we use at the office. I believe that they would be perfect for stamping and using on a small gift as wrapping paper,or to homemade gift bows.

So to say I'm a pack rat is an under statement. It's just that every time I start to toss something in the trash bin I stop and think can I use this for something? These trays from Healthy Choice frozen meals have made me crazy for a long time. All I could think was I bet they would make a great stencil for something.

I was right it worked! Lets see what else can I do. While I never did make anything of any real usefulness then I still believe they will come in handy someday. So back into the craft closet they went.

This then lead me to some foam stamps I have had for years. I saw them once on a show I use to LOVE called the Carol Duvall Show. It was a great show which was on HGTV, back when they use to show craft programs. This was before their executives decided we all wanted to see only gardening, and flip your house kind of shows. A guest on her show was demonstrating these stamps and I immediately felt I needed them. I did some research and found them online.

You can use these stamps over and over again. Heat them with a heat gun and then immediately press them against something else and they will take on that image. I like to look around the house and press them against the corner of a ornate picture frame,or a drawer handle,or my mothers vintage cookie and butter molds. I have also used antique silver ware to make beautiful tags and cards.But remember whatever you press them against it will give you the reverse of that image,and that makes it even more fun!

Mine look stained and rather well used. It's because the uses for these are endless, and that makes them addicting. I have used them for gift tags and cards and scrap booking for many, many years.

After I played around for a while with my foam stamps I pulled out the linoleum and carving tools. This is a hobby that is relaxing to me like coloring a page in a coloring book. It's an instant satisfaction craft. So easy to do like carving butter, smooth and soft. So every now and then I just have to drag them out and make something with them. I must admit the linoleum isn't a cheap craft product so I tend to be stingy with it. I always make sure I have my sketches just right before I begin to carve.

My favorite stamp that I have carved and used over and over again is the fish (in the center of the photo). It has been great for gift tags,cards and wrapping paper. Well I must admit, I have used the bumble bee quite a bit too for gift tags. It's fun to stamp out a bunch and then have the grand kiddos color them for future use. My 9 yr old grandson has wanted to try his hand at carving and I think he's probably old enough to do it now. I use to be scared to death to let him try it with these sharp carving blades. Then I remembered my parents giving me a wood burning tool with it's lava hot tip at a very young age! Different times, different rules I guess. How did we all survive without all the new guidelines on safety haha!!

Spending an afternoon just playing can be very relaxing for me. I rarely accomplish much when I am in this mood. It's more about the act of experimenting and just plain old fashion playing. And sometimes during this process I might actually clean out my craft closet!

Celebrating Easter

       As I prepare for our family to arrive today for our Easter celebration I wanted to wish all of my blog buddies a Happy Easter! I finished up the baskets last night for the kiddos and all of the eggs have been stuffed with tons of goodies. The house is as clean as it's going to get and all 6 acres has been cut and neatly trimmed in preparation for the chaos that will happen today.
You may remember our traditional confetti egg hunt and ultimate egg war. Here are a few photos from last years fun!!

Run Lindsey run haha!!

Family spreading the luck of a confetti egg being cracked on your head!

His clever idea of a scarf tied around his neck still didn't stop the confetti from going down his shirt

I have 10 dozen more for this year. I'm so hoping 46 dozen will be enough. It always goes so fast each year that it is a blur of bright colors flying through the air. Really makes capturing these moments on camera very difficult.
The little kiddos love doing this so much. They asked Papa if he can make them an egg rocket so they can get their Dad's on top of their heads. We couldn't figure out an egg rocket but we did come up with a dollar store sling shot,so we'll see how that works. Everyone must bring a change of clothes and shoes because we get very serious about this tradition! Afterward most of the beautiful colors will end up in my  house....haha!
 After dark we hope to do another egg hunt using glow sticks inside of the eggs. These we have to sneak out in the early evening to hide. So as the sun does down they will begin to show up and glow.

Since my knees are bad and my husband has twisted his knee we will be driving in our little gator and will be launching them as we pass by......moooohahahaha!!! I usually lose my whole bag to one of my sons as they run by and snatch it from me. I am a sitting duck for most everybody. But not this year!!
Either way it is a blast of fun!!

So now I am off to finish all of the last minute touches for today. But before I go I did want to give you a recipe of some Bunny Bait I made last night, it is yummy!! Bloom Designs online blog has recipe for this sweet treat. Stop by and  check it out it is simple, and very pretty. I wish I could have found the Easter M&M it would have looked better, but trust me it stills tastes great!

And if you still need a last minute craft then stop by Rosy-Posy for a tutorial on wet felting Easter eggs. She has a wonderful blog always full of so many great family crafts and recipes.

  I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend full on family and friends,and lots of good food...... and a few sweet treats too!
God bless us all as we come together remembering the real reason for this glorious weekend. That Jesus lives!!

HE died for us so that we can live for HIM! Happy Easter!!!

My Mind and How It Doesn't Work

I love how my mind can lead down so many wandering paths. But so often never in the direction I had set out to go. I have to laugh at this because what else can I do.
Recently I was watching a show in my office only about half listening to be honest called The Revolution.

It has several hosts and they tackle just about any topic know to man. Ty Pennington is one of the hosts from Extreme Makeover. In this particular episode he was revealing his struggles with A.D.H.D. That suddenly got my attention! So I called my daughter in law and said please turn on The Revolution ( a link to see this episode and understand). Luckily my 9 yr old grandson was home,so we watched this and stayed on the phone.

Ty set up a ping pong table with two of the hosts. While they played he began to throw extra balls at them and had the audience cheering and clapping loudly. He started to throw lots of other things across the table and tossed them yummy snacks that they couldn't avoid. Then the best part he started to ask them simple questions that they were to answer while they played ping pong and dodge all of these items. I was laughing so hard by this point......I knew where he was going!

When they stopped because they were so confused and it was a messy crazy riot by then, he asked them if they could concentrate. They of course said, absolutely not. He said" Welcome to my world"
I felt like for the very FIRST time I was completely understood! WOW! Yes that is my brain and that is my daily world.
They went on to discuss how these people who deal with either ADHD or ADD are usually always creative and intelligent. Well I'm not sure about the second one but I do know that creative juices flow through my worn out brain CONSTANTLY! If I am unable to act on these ideas my day can become completely out of order. That's why I now always carry a notebook and a bag of my sewing.....it soothes this savage beast hahaha!
Gosh it brought back flashes from when I was a kid and could not sit and concentrate. It's a wonder that I made it to my mid 50's and was then diagnosed.

Dr. Ned Hallowell explaining the symptoms on The Revolution

The specialist on the show explained that 85% of adults are walking around un-diagnosed and usually have not succeeded in life due to this condition! Something like 8 million people have this. The doctor explained that left undiagnosed this condition can lead to under achievement,depression,addition and worse. He said that our prisons are loaded with people who are undiagnosed and have taken their lives down many a wrong road.How sad is that? What great minds in past centuries were thought of as crazy or were punished or hurt due to this condition?

Or did we do this to ourselves with all of our modern technology.This I wonder about this, and well a gazillion other things.
There are days I dream of life in Mayberry where people neighbored and simply sat on the porch fanning themselves and visiting each other. No purpose,no work, and no not a waste of time either. But I can't do that! I simply CAN NOT do that. I crave it, I dream about it, but I can not do it.

I must create, and must make something or I will go cRaZy......crazy I tell you!
I do take medication.............Oops.......gulp....I nearly forgot to take it again today. That's my problem I forget to take it. The very minute my eyes open and my feet hit the floor I am doing something. My mind begins to toss ideas and it's a blur after that. Sure,sure I'm not as fast as I use to be.I wonder if my bad knees are a subconscious way of making me sit and finish,oh who knows,wait a minute.....what was I talking about hahaha see!! But sitting and reading or writing a post on this blog becomes something I make myself do. I enjoy both very,very much,that isn't the point. But I must force myself to do it. Because the moment I sit down to begin, A MILLION other distractions flash before me and I am up and suddenly cleaning out a box in a back closet no one had seen in years.
So I never have ONE idea of something to create or do,oh no....hahaha....oh my I wish. No I always have dozens of them AT THE SAME TIME!

It's a wonder people like me ever get anything finished really, and see that's where it's sad because we don't not without help. But once you understand you sort of learn how to make yourself follow through to the end and stay focused........but one phone call, or a birds tiny chirp outside my window,or a leaf blowing by can change all of that, and suddenly your off in another direction or topic!!

If you only knew what I had originally sat down with my lap top to write about.............................................you certainly would laugh out loud..........oh look a chicken, hum gets me thinking!
I hope I didn't wear you all out with this post. But can you just imagine what it's like for us on the inside. Well it's exhausting to say the least.......Seeee Yaaaa got lots to do............=)
Oh look a chicken!