Car Show and Charms

Oh my goodness!!!  Have you ever typed something with such excitement that you actually said something entirely different from what you meant to say?  You hit send and think all is well with the world, only it's not and you don't even know it yet.  Well, I did that today.  I felt so foolish when I realized what I had done, silly, silly, silly me.  I put out a correction and apologized for my blunder.  What else can a girl do?

I bought a raffle ticket for a beautiful car and posted this on my Facebook page via my cell (that's the root of the problem--posting from the cell).  Anyway, I wrote a caption stating I had purchased the winning ticket.  I think I wrote it out of context because at the time of purchase we were all kidding around that I had the winning ticket and stuff.  Apparently, my mind was still on that track and didn't switch to the HOPE part in time of texting.  The fact is the drawing isn't until April 2012.  It's for a wonderful cause, check it out:



1956 Chevy Bel Air 2 door Post Sedan or $25,000 cash
Friends of American Lake Veterans Golf Course 1st Annual Car Raffle
$10 per ticket
need more tickets call 253-589-1998 x305 for more info visit
www.veterangolf.org
Drawing April 16, 2012 5 pm

I have absolutely no clue if you have to be an in-state resident to win, you'd have to call and ask.  I do know it's a worthy cause.  They are helping the wounded veterans of this generation become active.  We have several members of our family and extended in active duty, these injuries could happen to any of them and we are blessed they have been kept safe from this harm.  If I should win the car, great!  The point it this is the least I could do to help others be restored to some activities in life many of us take for granted.  Do your part.

New Subject:

I have also been working on my Christmas projects this week and weekend.  I know, it's just the end of June but see these things take time and money.  I have a large family!  I'm one of four kids.  We average 2-3 kids who are now getting married and adding their partners, as well as beginning to blessing us with grandbabies too.  That may not seem like a lot for some folks but were I come from it's pretty big.  Would you like to take a peak at my pieces?

I'm trying out working with EnviroTex Lite an epoxy resin.  I don't get paid to work with this or anything.  I just ran across their blog and find it interesting.  I did resolve this year to do different kinds of crafts and art, so this qualified.  It seems pretty easy.  I made my first pour today.  I already think I messed up though.  You have to get the 2 part mixture done in equal parts.  I thought I had but after the pour, as I was cleaning up I noticed one bottle had a smidgen less remaining than the other.  Go figure.  Well, it'll take 24 hrs -72 hrs to know if it sets up hard enough.  I can already tell it's clear which is at least one worry dismissed.

I've also been working on some that have a base of abandoned keys and the parts of deconstructed watches and whatever else I find that looks like it might need a new purpose in life.

I have other types of charms that are pretty cute too and plans for more.  It's amazing what you can do with little bits and pieces of things if you just stop and think outside the box for a little while.

Well, I'm off now to play some more with my bits and pieces.  I'll try to get back here a little more frequently.  I've sort of slacked off in the last week or so mainly because I haven't felt to spiffy lately.  I'll be heading to Texas shortly, woo-hoo! I hope to have a few post ready to go before I leave and maybe a couple while I'm away.  Stay tuned for more to find out!

~hugs of love to all.

Monday Madness

Someone recently suggested we make Mondays longer.  I liked to have fallen out of my chair!  Could you just imagine how awful that could be.  However, if it happens to be one of your regular scheduled days off then longer might just be better.  Not so much for me, though. 

Weekend recap, nothing, nothing and more nothing.  Sorry but it's true I did much of nothing all weekend long.  I felt really bad physically.  My blood pressure is out of line and it's a big demotivator when your head feels like it's about to pop like a balloon.  The doctor has me keeping a journal of sort of my pressure readings through out the days.  I've started to think seeing these number might actually be exacerbating the situation, so I backed off the frequency to hopefully calm myself down.  We'll see.

Saturday, I did make my first time ever Strawberry & Banana slush smoothie.  M.m.m it was so good.  I drank it up before I could get a picture to mark the occassion but that's okay.  I made another Sunday and took it's portait before it was all gone.  My kids will probably laugh at this because they used to love to go get these.  My daughter tried and tried to get me to make them, I never did.  Guess that makes me a bad Mom on some level.  All I can say is, "sorry Kiddo! We'll make some when I visit!"

I did go into my craft room Sunday and try to take my self to a quiet place by creating.  It didn't work!  I played a little in my art journal.  Take a look.

Here are a few more pages from my journal I don't believe I've shared with you.  I hope you enjoy them.  They were really fun to do and ever so simple.  Pull out your 'crayons and markers' and make some art.  You're never to old to doodle or cut & paste.

~hugs of love.

Goodies from Texas

Don't you just love packages in the mail? 

I sure do and this one was a surprise.

So a while back I had asked my family to go through their jewelry boxes and send me their "junk" jewelry.  Things like broken watches, an unpaired earring, you know stuff you hold onto for some silly reason.  Well, dudette, they really got into it!  Today I received a box for of goodies.  Mom even had her co-workers and neighbors bringing her things for me.  Thank you, Angie, Joyce, Myra & daughter, and of course Mom!

You see I follow a very creative lady's blog:  Roni Johnson.  She held a charm swap which I participated in several months ago and has started another.  Go check her out: 

http://inkstainswithroni.blogspot.com/2011/06/altered-charm-swap-due-8-6-11-sign-ups.html

It was so much fun and so easy!  She'll lead you with ideas and then off you go!  Challenge yourself to do something different outside your comfort zone.  I think you will seriously find it rewarding.

That started my obsession with collecting bits and bobs.  Seriously, when I treasure hunt I'm looking for these orphaned pieces I can incorporate into a charm or other altered piece of wonderfulness.  It's amazing what you can do with the guts of a wrist watch or old alarm clock or a circuit board.  I also have another motive for collecting from my family in particular.  Take a look at what I created for my daughter which made little "Miss J" cry at Christmas (not that making my daughter cry was the goal mind you).

You will recognize some items store bought, sure.  Just keep looking.  The framed pictures are craft frames found in the jewelry section at places like Joann or Michaels.  I filled several of these with tiny prints of my grandson, then there is one of my daughter we got back in the 80's as a photo package deal and I did an image transfer of her man as a little boy.  The coins from Canada, Europe and Japan I added after I had holes drilled in them, this way she will never be broke (I didn't use US coins because they are harder to drill).  On the upper left side I altered an earring from my grandmother and my mother then added those. Although the fairy charm was store bought years ago for my own charm bracelet, I took it off (and she knows this) and added it to hers.  I should probably point out this is not a bracelet but a long rope like necklace.  This year for her birthday, I sent her a teeny-tiny bottle of sand we collected from Galveston years ago on a family vacation, this way she'd always have a little bit of home with her.  This all started by following a blog!

I thought this might be something I could carry over into my Christmas gift giving this year for other loved ones.  Which takes us back to needing the "raw" materials to work with.  In the box from Texas I found some fun stuff and had to go inside to really explore the contents.

I spent a short two hours going through it all.  Hubby actually got just a little grouchy for his dinner, (can you image that) but I ran and brought him back his favorite pizza so all was forgiven!

I have to say though this bit was my very favorite to explore.

There is absolutely nothing of monetary value here.  What is so valuable here are memories, see this jewelry box itself was my grandmother's.  The contents are mix of hers, my mothers and a few miscellaneous pieces.  There are several pieces I can recall have seen worn as a child.  I think I told you in a previous post my grandmother had given me a large amount of her costume jewelry over 20 years ago.  I believe she'd be happy to see I put her things to use in a second life, she was puzzled even back then I'd want her "junk" jewelry.  It's funny I can remember that conversation as if it were just a recent visit at her home yet it was about 22-25 years ago.  I've had the other pieces on display in my bedroom using a wire dress form, I may let it rest a while in it's former box.  I'll have to think about that because I really enjoy seeing her there every day.

Well that's what I was up to today.  That and an ugly sinus headache all day!  I'll need to get seriously busy for my gifts to be done in time for Christmas.  I do seriously highly recommend you commit and participate in the Inkstains charm swap.  There is nothing in it for me what so ever.  I just really enjoyed it and actually received charms made by others from all over the world.  The WORLD!  I have a hard time actually putting them to use but I do take them out every now and again and admire the craftsmanship and creativity.  For me it was more about the creativity:  "How in the world did they think to do that with this?"

So get out there, get out side your comfort zone, make life an adventure! (you'll see me say that often just ask anyone who knows me).  Enjoy!

~Hugs of Love

At any given moment you have the power to say: this is not how the story is going to end

WOW!  Now that's some title.

The title is however, very descriptive to the piece I started last night.  You may recall I recently purchased a set of Pan Pastels.  I've been playing with them a little in my art journal but still felt there was more I could do.  So, yesterday I got brave and pulled out a canvas.  I had seen an inspiration piece on the Facebook wall of Melissa Bolton.  I wanted to recreate something similar in blues, grays, and a taupe color.

I first prepared a canvas board with some Golden Gesso.  I thought I remembered Christy Tomlinson saying the Pan Pastels would move best on a prepared surface.  I did this but I wasn't getting the lush color I was expecting.  Take a look.  This is actually after applying the three colors.

It's a bit lacking isn't it.  Then I thought, well lets activate the pastels.  I spritzed the area with some water, just a little at time and spread the media with a wide brush.  Still not a very lush rich pigment I was wanting.  I gave up and switched gears a little.  Pulling down some aqua blue acrylic paint I went to town.  This started working like I wanted.  I lost some of the taupe so I pulled down a home made distress ink spray in my mini mister and applied some randomly, but it got too dark.  Out came a little  Studio Calico Mr. Huey's cream paint spray.  Spray, dab, spray, dab, spritz with water, spray, you get the idea.  Now this is what it looks like.

The inspiration piece had a butterfly and I was unusually attracted to this little creature.  (usually butterflies are not so much my thing.)  I soo-o can not draw or free hand paint, but I get crazy with a stencil!  I remembered I had cut a really large butterfly with my Cricut on a previous project and had the smarts to save the 'scrap' to use as a stencil.  I pulled it out and pounced a butterfly in the corner with the watered down, lightened aqua acrylic paint.  I then used my Faber-Castell pens to add some texture to the piece.  Take a look see.

It's still needing something.  The inspiration piece had a layer sitting over the butterfly but just barely.  I was scared to mess this up now but at the same time I wasn't exactly thrilled with the looks of my butterfly.  So more spraying, dabbing, spritzing took place keeping with the same three colors only difference this time is I was spraying a little Glimmer Mist - Patina which matched the aqua perfectly.  I then did what I refer to as a Donna Downey dribble which is were the media dribbles/runs down your project.  I really liked how it turned out.  About this time the hubby pops his head in my room and is totally amazed!  Yea score one for me! (see he doesn't always get it.)

I was on a role now, my mojo was flowing.  I wanted more and more but I wanted to remain true to my inspiration.  The only other item on the inspiration was a quote in the center of the piece but I felt mine was still missing something.  I turned a tight circle in my space (because that's all I can do) my eyes land on what is quickly becoming my favorite stencil.  Out with a little acrylic paint and a dry natural sponge.  I ever so lightly stipple some white paint with the stencil.  Then it hits me I need to finish the edges like I would a scrapbook feature by inking the edges, only I use the white paint and sponge.

Ta-Da!

 This lovely is 12x16

I haven't decided if I want to add the quote now or not.  Hubby says it looks wonderful as is, I think so too but I really liked the quote:

"At any given moment you have the power to say: this is not how the story is going to end." 

I'm going to walk away for a day or so and then decide.  However,  my mojo was flowing and I wasn't stopping here.

I decided to try another smaller canvas with the pan pastels only this time I wouldn't prepare with Gesso, maybe I got it backwards.  Guess what, apparently I did!  I still didn't get the rich lush color but it was much closer and I didn't have to add the aqua acryclic paint.  It worked so well, I pulled down a third canvas.  Hey!  I was thinking these are going to hang somewhere in my home and I needed the odd number for a grouping. 

Again, more spraying, dabbing, spritzing took place keeping with the same three colors only difference this time I used a different stencil.  The burst seemed too large for the smaller canvases but I sort of wish I had tried it anyway, oh well, maybe next time.  I traced some butterflies this time and painted them in with my Faber-Castell pens and highlighted with a white paint pen and white gel pen.

Take a look at the finished project.  I think they still need something but I really don't want to add flowers.  What do you think?

These little sweeties are each 5x7

So that's how I spent my early evening yesterday and today.  My husband keeps suggesting I sell whatever it is I create.  I keep telling him, someday.  Right now I feel I'm learning how to make my art.  I find inspirational pieces everywhere and I don't want to just 'copy' the original artist I want to learn how they did 'that' and recreate the technique in my style-whatever that maybe.  It's fun!  I hope you enjoyed following along my creative process. 

~ hugs of love.





Treasure Hunt Update and other things

Hey there my friends!

Just thought I'd drop by and give you an update on one of my projects.  You may recall a few weeks ago this bit of $3 treasure find.

Well, slowly but surely I've been working on it.  The most time consuming part was deciding on color(s).  I knew I wanted red but then I couldn't decide what to pair it up with, white because that's what I had on hand, or a gingham pattern if it was even available, or maybe black.  I finally bit the bullet and just went red on red.  I'm a little disappointed only in that the reds don't match.  Then again, I knew they wouldn't be exactly the same since they are different products by different makers.  But I was hoping they'd at least have the same hue.  The vinyl is off just a tad with more of an orange cast to it.  Oh well, I'm sure it sits perfectly fine anyway.  Here she is our new addition to the kitchen. 

drum roll please.........

TA-DA!

This is what my great fisherman brought home for dinner Sunday.  Mmmm they were sure tasty and will be for future dinners to come.  Y'all come on over, ya' hear!

The blue one Bill is picking up is a Lin cod, very tasty.  There are 7 black bass, 1 rock fish, and 2 new types I don't know about in that cooler.  Not bad for a days adventure in the little blue boat out in the Pacific!  Check Rocky out!  He's so noisy.

I have a question for you all.  Actually two.  First, have you heard of or currently use Pinterest?  The best I can tell it's like an online bulletin board.  Why do you use it?

Secondly, what about using LinkedIN?  I opened an account several years ago, never really used it, actually forgot about until recently.  Now I am receiving a few invitations from the daily work world and art world.  I updated a lot of my information as a result but I wonder how best to utilize the tool.  Anyway, your thoughts and ideas would be greatly appreciated. 

Oh ya!  I almost forgot.  I won a prize today!  Yea! me!  I was checking my morning Facebook entries because that's what I do to keep up with my family in Texas.  I also quickly check Networked Blogs just to see what's going on in the world I love.  The daily title 'No. 24' caught my eye so I clicked on over to learn I had been chosen as winner for a gift from the blog!  How cool is that!  I've never won anything like this before.  I was so excited Bill had to come check on me because of all the noise I was making...hehehehe.  Go visit them and let 'em know Kim in WA from TX sent you over, just because:

http://www.scrappingirlfriends.typepad.com/

I'll talk to you later, gators.
~hugs of love

Groceries by Boat and stuff

Hey there my friends!  How are ya'!  I'm good, thanks for asking.

We had another great weekend here in the Pacific Northwest.  For that matter the whole week to ten days have been pretty darn awesome, weather wise.  I know you might be thinking, "she's crazy!  always writing about the weather-who cares.."   Seriously, I'd get it if you did, I probably would too, if I lived somewhere else.  You just have to remember I'm a transplanted Texan and well, it's immensely different in Washington.  My fellow Texans are continually breaking the suction of sweat between their backs and the back of their car seats, even with the A/C on full blast.  Although a few with Escalades that have the heating/cooling in the seats, those dudes got it made!

Back to Washington....  We live in a bay area, that's what's named but nothing much goes in or out except logs now a days.  Back in the old days (1930's-1940's) this was a bustling town.  Much of the traveling between the big city of Olympia and Shelton was done by water due to the poor condition of the mountain roads.  A little history lesson never hurt anyone.

Bill had gotten a little project boat last winter.  He worked really hard on this project.  Stripped the insides completely out, refinished the flooring, wiring, new seats, compound waxed etc...  Just to have something we could run around in on the Hood Canal and he could maybe fish out of too.  Well, he's learning the fishing is not so great in the waters close to home.  However, we can still run about in the little cutie.  This weekend was the first with nice enough weather and no other land activies we wanted to do so off to market we went.  Check out Google Maps or any other favorite mapping tool look up Shelton, WA then look over to the right and down just a smidgen, you'll find Olympia, WA.  Now travel it by water with me!

 At the boat Arcadia Boat ramp looking out at Squaxin Island.

 Our little mermaid.

 The is the capital Olympia, Washington.  You can just about make out the Capitol building.

  

 Sorry for the blur but we were moving and I was using Bill's camera.

 Now you can see the Port of Olympia better.

Approaching the Guest Mooring at Port of Olympia.

  

Once we went up the ramp from the mooring we were pretty much right in the Farmer's Market.  It's not as large as one you'd find in Dallas but it works here.  Actually, most every little town in the state has a Farmer's Market during the appropriate season up through Sept/Oct so a large facility really isn't needed.

We knew we wanted to get some onion sets for Bill's garden so that was our primary mission.  We also wanted to find some fresh veggies or fruits.  We began with the plan to just scout it out first.  The vendors are set up in a big circle with an inner circle.  We made it through turns one and two before we caved and bought some bees wax of all things.  I know, I know but I had to have it.  I've been learning how to use it in a mixed media class.  I got just a tiny bar to experiment with so it's okay.  The lady was really nice.  Bill started talking to her about how to raise bees, he's thinking he might want to start a hive.  Crazy but true.  We then just began to admire again and look what I found!

 Aren't they beautiful!



Aren't these just lovely!  I took loads more pictures but I'm trying to limit myself on the flowers here.

Bill finally found his Walla Walla onion sets and grabbed up quite a few.  I wanted flowers but we held back this trip, maybe next time.  We did pick up some beautiful asparagus and oh my goodness it was so fresh!  The bottom of the steams looked fresh cut and they were so pretty.  It's kind of weird writing that a veggie was pretty but it was!  Then I spotted the cherries.  mmm cherries.  Ask my kids their favorite treat at the lake when they were growing up and I bet 'cha they say fresh cherries.  They'd get the bag of cherries and sit on the swim deck and eat those babies up and spit the pits in the water.  I always wondered if that would be considered littering, but we decided it helped feed the fish or birds.

Anyway, I digress, I also grabbed up a new variety of Washington Apple to try.  You would be amazed at the various varieties of APPLE!  I love Red Delicious for just snacking, and of course Granny Smith for baking but man, they are just nuts about their apples here!  It's fun really to experience a different regional flavor of life.

There were Seniors doing some type of variety shop at the stage area.  I never did quite figure out what organization they were from or why they were performing.  I was really quite fascinated by the ladies getting up there and dancing in their little skirts.  I'd look around and see other women my age looking a bit fascinated and amazed at the display too.  I don't know why that was really but it was something to behold for sure.



Mmm they were good for dinner along with the asparagus we got earlier and my favorite mashed potatoes.

We also grabbed two langers (I think that's what they're called) for a snack until we could get to the house.  These are little dry smoked German sausages about the size of your finger.  They reminded me of a small Slim Jim sausage but without all the greasiness.



On the way back Bill wanted to explore a marina we passed.  The lady who owns a rental house next door to us operates a Marina in the area, but neither Bill or I could remember the name at the time. We thought if we saw it then the bells would go off, not so much.  But we did see some really beautiful boats. 

Lord help me, he's thinking about buying a sail boat for his next project!  Neither one of us knows a thing about operating a sail boat!  Well, except to watch out for power lines tangling with the mast.  We watched a couple, years ago, try to launch a sailboat but ran into the over head power line with the main mast.  It was funny at first then we realized someone could've been really hurt, they weren't but still.

We left the house around 11:30ish and got back around 3:30 pm.  Not to bad a little trip!  It was a beautiful ride, the sun was shinning and the wind was calm.  We couldn't have asked for more.









 Home again at the Arcadia boat ramp.  Looking more toward our Oakland Bay which is not visible here.

Our sweet little ride.  She was a honey.

Well, that's was our big event for the weekend!  I hope you enjoyed the ride.  We did.

~Hugs of love





Wednesday Play

My creative mojo is coming back around.  I like it like that!  I truly do not care for feeling all wack-a-doodle.  (shiver)  I just don't like it, then again, I don't know anyone who really does!  Anyway...

I had started working on this project a day or two ago.  I've had it in my head for awhile and finally just started putting something down.  I figured if I didn't love it I could always gesso right over it!

Do you see the Russian Flash card?  I told you about these awhile back.  Pretty different!

Oh! that paper on the left is a pre-made collage paper I can not take credit for all that layering.

I'm at a stand still with the layers.  My idea was to depict a little sand, water and sun scene.  I have this sand product I want to use but I also want to experiment with real Pacific sand and Mod Podge.  I think a test run might be prudent.  Maybe tomorrow evening I'll give it a try on scrap paper.

I played around with these little rosettes a bit this evening while watching TV with hubby.  I've seen them done on two different blogs and they are just so simple. 



Step 1:  Cut your circle from a piece of felt.  (I used sticky back and non sticky back felt.  One is no better than the other.)

Step 2:  Cut strips of your fabric in about 1" to 1.5" inches wide and depending on the circle 12" -36" inches long.

Step 3:  Dig out your hot glue gun, heat it up etc...  Tie a knot at the end of your strip.  Glue it down in the center of your felt.  Begin twisting your fabric.

Step 4: Lay a short line of glue around your center knot.  Begin laying down the twisted fabric, continue to lay down glue, twist fabric and apply.  Rotating the felt as you go, continue to repeat until you run out of fabric or felt!

Step 5:  I ended the fabric piece two different ways.  One: I tucked it under the back side and tacked it down with glue.  Two: I applied hot glue on the end and twisted it down using a pair of tweezers and tucked it up under the previous row.  This is a little trick to make neat but I really liked it best.

Step 6:  I haven't yet ended by covering the complete circle of felt.  I've just trimmed off what I didn't cover and it still looked pretty round.

I'm not sure how I'll use these little beauties but use them I will.  I cut quite a few of the foundations in different sizes, so I'll probably make a bunch of white ones I can later color with paint, dyes or sprays.  They can be made to look like a flower, lollipop or whatever your imagination decides!

That's about it for today.  I sure hope y'all had a great day.
~Hugs of love.

Eat, Pray, Love ~ really!

No happy crafting today or treasured surprises.  Today I write for myself because basically, no one is really reading this except me.  But, for those of you who may stumble upon this little pity party, my apologies.  Feel free to move onto something different.  I would completely understand.  There are so many more important or interesting things going on in other places today.  Maybe that's part of my problem?  I don't find myself as having a significant or important role in life.  hmmmm.  I need to keep working on finding value in myself but that seems to be slipping a bit recently.

I finally watched the movie today.  I know, I know it's been out there for awhile.  Heck, I've owned it for about 8 months now but see, I've been sort of afraid of this movie.  Silly and wacko-a-doodle as it may seem but there it is, I was afraid of a movie because of the emotions it would stir up.

The movie was pretty great actually.  I usually love Julie Roberts in anything.  The storyline was plausible and real, for me.  I've actually lived some of it (the emotional parts not the travel parts-unfortunately), thus my fear.  I'm okay for now.  I feel lost a lot of the time and that was what I've been afraid of most. 
Life will move forward and I along with it.  I'll find myself again, dust myself off and start all over again.  Life is just not working out at all like I had hoped it would.  I know you laugh because we all experience the same shocking results.  It was simple for me or I thought so.  Step one, just simply raise my children the best I could.  Step 2, then somewhere in my 40's meet a guy to spend the rest of my life with in adventures we make.  Step 3, watch my children live happy prosperous lives.  Step 4, grow old with my love into our twilight years.  Of course, all the while I'm just doing my job working everyday until the day I can't.  I've always been real about the reality of needing to work.

Like I said, it hasn't turned out at all like I had hoped.  Somethings have been better, somethings have been not so good.  Other things have been gut wrenching blind sides resulting broken hearts.  Oh, I get it's all from the choices I've made along the way and sometimes I'd like a do-over with some of these choices.  We don't get do overs in the real world, now do we?!  I do my best every day to get up, put on a happy face and make the best out of what God has granted me. 

This too shall pass.  Until it passes, a few quiet tears will flow.  I'll miss my family and get up every day and put on a smile.  I will then look for the greatness in the day granted to me.

~Hugs of love


ps See this movie made me all weepy and emotional...grrrr.

Forest Festival Weekend and more!

Well Hello again!  Here's hoping you had a terrific time this past weekend and enjoyed yourself, I know we did. 

These lovelies greeted us Saturday morning.



We had a super weekend here in Shelton.  This was the weekend of The Forest Festival.  An annual event where the community comes out of the dull drums for winter to celebrate the joys of the forest and sunshine of spring. ( I'm making this part up but I think I'm pretty much on target actually.) 

You see, it rains here, a lot!  For me it's not the skies or rationed sunshine that pulls me down through the end of the winter months.  It's more not being able to get outside and move around without getting cold and wet!  I think that's why the forefathers here began the celebration of The Forest Festival.  It begins with the crowning of the court at the local high school back in February.  (This is a lot like October Homecoming Events in the south ~ to me)  Then this first weekend of June it accumulates into a festival.  A carnival came to town for a four day visit.  Saturday there was the Annual Paul Bunyan Parade.  Take a look at some of the unique floats.



In one of the local sports fields there was a bazaar set up with arts and crafts vendors along with other various businesses.  The food was super too!  I ate the most delicious pulled pork sandwich.  OMG!  I wanted another for dinner but they had already closed up.  Anyway, there was a mile long line for the yummy elephant ears (a funnel cake on steroids with strawberries & cream). 

A traveling logging show was there too.  This is were you watch loggers scale the tall poles with a rope harness and boot spikes!  There was ax throwing, log rolling, buck sawing just amazing displays of skills the old school loggers used daily. 

And there was SUNSHINE all day long.  I for one have my fare share of sunburn, affectionately known as a farmers tan.  I'll have to work on evening this out now but it was joyous to achieve.  The day ended with a firework display sponsored by a local logging company.  Then cool gentle breezes filtered in during the evening to gently rock us to sleep after such a full day.  Sunday had a car show downtown.

I was was a bit more relaxing around our house on Sunday, well sort of.  I had to do the laundry,  Bill did yard work, yuck!  I'm starting to feel about laundry like I do about grocery shopping.  It's such a waste of time and money because it's never ending but so vital.

Oh, I almost forgot!  Look at the lovelies I purchased Friday evening...(giggle-giggle).  Pan Pastels.  I know, you're like what the heck KIM?  It's paint in a dry form.  You basically use sponge tools to apply the pastel paint which you can then leave dry as is or wet to activate the paint.  It's not a chalk but works like one at first.  They just have a super rich pigment and are so fun.  I played around a bit to get the feel but I've also scheduled myself for a class to learn more. 



I've been watching http://www.christytomlinson.typepad.com/ use these in her She Had 3 Hearts workshop and http://donnadowney.typepad.com/ use them in her Inspiration Wednesdays videos.  They are so fun, you should try it out!  Start with 3 or 4 to get the feel then I betcha you get more!

Anyway, that was my weekend.  How was yours?  Let me know what fun exciting things are going on in your world.  Until then,

~Hugs of love.