Engineer it

It's Sunday and I've wasted most of the morning looking on the internet between Google Reader, email, Pinterest and Facebook.  The sun is shining in that bright Texas way that it does.  Yesterday morning was big storms and a vet visit for this boy.  Poor guy got misunderstood by the vet who thought he was going to bite and put a stronghold on him and made him SCREAM and cry for mercy.  We all know Killer doesn't bite. or hump. Yikes - it makes me cringe just thinking about it.  But he's all healthy at twelve years old and won't be back for another year. 

Last week I found this or this blog and loved the idea of a THREE FOOT by FOUR FOOT photograph on the wall.  I also saw it at another home where it was a child's photo in a den and just stunning.  Oh, and its only $5 at Staples - in B&W only.  So I ordered three!

This is my niece's daughter, Ray-Lynn.  She turned one on New Years and will have fireworks on her birthday for the rest of her life!  Her Mommy went on a Navy amphibious ship in east Africa for six months and both are being very very brave, including her daddy.

These are my sister, Judi's kids - I took this at my house last year when they spent the night.  They are the nicest kids ever, but of course, I'm prejudiced!

 

And then there's my crew:  Gracie, Killer and Junior.  It took 2 billion outtakes to get 2 good photos but we did,  so they're going to grace the wall at 3' x 4'.  I can't wait to pick them up tomorrow.  I'll probably pick up some styrofoam from Home Depot.

Getting ready for my big trip:  Cairo, London and Aberdeen!  Thanks goodness my brother will watch the pups, although my next door neighbor, Kathy is a champ at it.  Also going to scrap next weekend with some peeps - awesome times ahead.  I can't wait!

Projects and Purchases

Where have I been?  Here are a few pictures of my spoils from the last month or weekend.  I made a quick trip to Washington D.C. in January and spent the weekend with my CE friend, Megan.  I met her daughter, Daisy for the first time and spent time with her wise Mom, Darlene.  It was a great time that included lots of shopping, both old and new.  We lucked out because the DC Flea was at the Dulles Expo, which is where I found these treasures.  We also headed over to Luckett's and the Cottage in Leesburg, VA.  On Saturday night we had a fabulous dinner with Amy P and Pam K - it was good to catch up with both of them.  Amy is stylin' in her new red coat - so very Amy.

 I finally finished this project of my Mom as the May Queen back in the 1930's.  It started with a wooden chopping board.  The comb I found in her stuff - new but still hers.  I added some sparkle/glitter to the picture and on the back is a picture of her mother and sisters, before the event.  It was such an honor for her - I love the memory.

Joann's on Katy Freeway has these jumbo paper mache letters, I covered one in vintage white and mother of pearl buttons for a wedding gift.  The two wooden pieces I found at an estate sale yesterday.

 Yesterday, I went to Urban Market and found a few treasures:  A round brush that you can use as a card or picture holder - really unusual.  I found the photo at an estate sale, it looks like my mother's family and I loved the frame.  The three religious pieces from my favorite vendor, Joyce Shilling - I've gotten alot of wooden santos from her.  The wooden shoe forms were 3/$10 - I know, can you believe it!  The milk glass hobnail lamp will be used as a doll body, I think.  I found a great large ledger book at an estate sale and the linens at UM.

I'm hard on myself at times, for collecting all this stuff, but yesterday, I worked on two projects.  Upcycling a Monopoly game by making a box, found on Pinterest.   The other is a hotel key board.  I've made a habit of saving hotel keys the past few years and wanted a cool way to display them, when my friend, Cindy, not only found a good example.  It's taken me a while, but after spray painting the gold hooks a hammered color and installing, and adding locations in the tabs, I'll hopefully finish it tonight.  Cindy surprised me a couple months ago by having her hubs make the board for me - I have the best friends, I tell ya.  So kind.