Busy crafting

I've decided to start getting items ready for the holidays. I've also decided try a few new ideas and patterns out over the past few weeks. I've crocheted, painted, papered and even dug the fabric out of hiding. My booth at Casey & Friends has been restocked with post it holders, candles, and lots of new things. I was so excited to be getting so many things made that silly me forgot to take pictures. I will make a mental note to take my camera next time I go there. Here are a few things I have been working on the past few days.

Just in time for the new Smurf movie...Slippers..Hermione gives them a thumbs up!

Altered Jumbo Clothespins I've included 4 recipe cards with each.

I have had a huge request and shortage on Thank You cards this week. The week before it was Birthday cards.

This card was made with the Florals Embellished Cricut Cartridge

Summer Fun. NOT!

Wow! I have really been slacking on this blog. Actually I have a gazillion reasons why... My summer has been extra crazy this year (like having all 6 kids at home doesn't make every summer crazy).Let's see where to start May and June where full of Baseball and Softball for the older 4 kiddos, several power outages, gardening, chores and crafting for shows.
Here are a few pics of my gardens.

Okay so with the yard and house in order, baseball and softball done for the season.

Fourth of July weekend we decided to take a trip up North to get away for the day. We packed a picnic lunch headed for Clear Creek and Cooks Forest hitting the yard sales and flea markets along the way. We stopped along Toms Run in Cooks Forest had our lunch and watched the kids play in the creek.

After lunch we started following the Clarion River to find the perfect fishing spot. We did not realize how many canoes, kayaks and people would be in the river. So we drove and drove until we finally found the perfect uncrowded spot to throw our lines in. It was Hermione and Erzsebets first time fishing. Hermione was also the only one to catch a fish that day. She was so excited.

Ok so weekend is going great we're all getting some much needed family time. Fishing again the next day this time Aislynn caught the only fish that wasn't a blue gill.

Now we decided that since we spent all weekend running around that we would stay home July 4th and just chill at home. Have a cookout play with the kids and just have the perfect ending to a great holiday weekend. Well all was peachy keen until right after lunch. We walked into the basement to find my computer on fire and the lights dimmed. So long story short we had a power surge into the house which left us without power for 2 days and a fried computer and dryer. I am just so thankful  that it wasn't worse. So for the past few weeks I hung all 4 or 5 loads of clothes I wash a day outside. This week I finally got a dryer and all of my pics recovered from my computer. Now I am almost caught up with everything and should be back to normal once again. At least I hope so.

A beautiful Spring day

Today has been an absolutely gorgeous day. I finally got to venture outside with the kiddos and hubby(Steve). They got the winter stink blown off of them while I got to hose the porch furniture off and put my back porch back together. The hubs got to finish working on the chicken coop he had started making the last nice day we had (weeks ago).

My older daughters usually help with the babies when we're busy in the yard. Today they happened to be shopping for Easter with my Mom leaving me constantly scanning the yard for little people and Steve would do the same. Hermione our 3 year old disappeared and here are some pics of where Steve found her.

Spring is finally here

Finally!
 The weather forecast has temperatures above 60 degrees for the next week. I am so excited. I have been itching to go play in the dirt for weeks now, but it just seems like winter never wanted to leave.
 I've been peering out the window at my poor gardens for weeks. My crocus have all bloomed, the daffodils are up but they haven't bloomed yet. I'm hoping this next weeks warm weather will give me ample time to clean out the gardens in between rain drops. 

 Since it has been so gloomy and chilly out I have been able to get all of my Spring cleaning done. With 6 kids though it seems like I'm always Spring cleaning. I also have had time to get started on another American flag afghan. Never too late to get ready for those Patriotic holidays.

 I hope that everyone enjoys their weekend.

The cricut experience

My husband decided a few months back that I needed to add card making to my list of crafts I do for my business. So we did some research and I would have been happy with the Cricut Expression but he insisted that we just go ahead and buy the imagine.
I have had no paper craft experience let alone Cricut experience so it has definitely been a learning experience. I'm finding myself becoming addicted to my Cricut Imagine.
Here is a gift bag I made using the Cricut Sugar and Spice cartridge. I made it so that the whole page or just the "Baby Girl" can be reused for a scrapbook or shadow box.


I apologize for the grainy picture my camera settings had been changed without me realizing it.