Blissfully Spring

Eggs, tulips and colored eggs- spring is springy all around us.

I can not describe but a piece of what spring gives me.  It is like a free gift that I have been waiting for months and months. The air smells new, we get to open windows on especially nice days. The sunshine that comes through the windows replaces the light. The green that starts to emerge. I love, love spring!
One thing I always try to do is engage my kids in a activity each holiday. Or as each season changes. One thing that brings us together at any time of the year is baking! They love adding the ingredients, helping ice. I must confess I am a bit of a perfectionist when it comes to my cupcakes, I have the fancy tips, all different liners. It's a passion of mine. So, even though I am being slightly childish I put half aside for me and the other half is for them. One thing to say in my defense is that they usually get a bit board with it so I finish most of them myself anyhow.


This was also a sad year, our easter bunny lost an ear and got all chipped up. My children said that they have to have a easter bunny! So I went to pier 1 knowing how whimsical the decor usually is. I was not disappointed I walked into easter wonderland.  It was so hard to choose! Although target had darling table liners etc.


Our other activity we do this time of year is easter egg decorating! The old classic! I remember my sister and I sitting at our kitchen table with our mom decorating egg after egg!

My blissful lamp shade

    Hello to you all. Those of you who read my post about giving  "the card class in a box"- I heard back from my friend, she was simply delighted! who appreciate all the "little things you do". She is a wonderful friend.  I hope her crafty-ness comes shining through!

  I wanted to Blog today on a lampshade I made with a basket liner, a few stitches, a glue gun and a few hydrangea petals.

  I purchased a desk lamp at hobby lobby,(love there 50% off sales!) But I just wasn't in love with the little sparkle studs it had on the lamp shade. Plus we put our little black aged desk over in a corner of our living room. So, it needed some light! After all this is the place I blog from- so it should portray me and be comfortable.

  Back to the lampshade- I found some canvas material that was a liner from a old basket. (this proves anything material, other than ugly clothes ;) You keep! You have an eye for what you might re-use.
So I pulled it out measured the length against my shade and the ideas flew. I cut the bottom of the liner out, cut 1 strip down the length of it.

  Then I added some ruffle at the top with large stitched by hand straight stitches. they were easily gathered. Then out came the hot glue gun! with a little work I hot glued the top then pressed the fabric to the length I wanted. I continued all the way around the lamp shade until it was stuck!

So what I did next was make waves in the fabric with my fingers and glued underneath, the perfect little pockets for my little flowers to rest.

I put together my little flowers and I was done!

Love short little crafts that add character to my home.

"Pack up your craft goodies dear."

What would you do if your husband said it's time to pack up your craft stuff until we move. We don't have a designated room for it, which is what you need. (although that looks hopeful for whenever we do move!) If you diddle dabbled in a bit of every type of cratfy goodness, what would you save. even if you had a little box the size of economy diaper box. (for all you momma's!)  If that was all the space you had to put things you could use until moving, what would that be?

I would love your feedback on this one.

As such a crafty gal, there are always those last minute craft 911 moments! So this could be a disaster!

help me!

The Gift to Inspire

      I know that I have posted several times about how our fab crafty business can make amazing gifts. Well, I thought what about the gift of a card making class in a package?
      One of my dearest and oldest friends has always been more than complementary about my work, cards big time!  I do love pouring my soul and thoughts of the person receiving the card I am creating.  She had told me several times within the past 6 months that it is hard for her to put a card together from a-z.
     If you have never made a card before it can be a bit overwhelming. You usually do 1 of 2 things, buy to few supplies. lets face it it takes a while to build your work box of treasures. So because of the expense maybe we buy paper and stickers.  What is #2 you ask- well it is you buy the entire line of one of the many lines you adore at the store. Or you buy odds and ends that don't exactly go together. Okay there is 3 things.
       Now I wanted to share with you a way to help a friend get started. It doesn't have to be overly expensive either.

Butterscotch Birthday cake

It was my husbands 31st birthday over the weekend. This brings out the inner baker in me. The part of me that at one time wished of owning a cupcake shop! So for my Sweet I had to make the sweetest cake that was special and unique to what he likes.  I started with a simple box of white cake mix, followed the directions for the two round cake pans. I would absolutely advise you to you egg whites here- fluffy delish in every bite! 


The best part to me is always the frosting. So I had decided on butterscotch buttercream. The homemade real stuff- no can required! I softened my butter, got out my half and half and powdered sugar. I started with a small pan at the oven 1 cup butterscotch chips and a tbsp. of butter slowly melted over medium heat in the pain * careful not to burn!!! Keep your eyes on it until it is ready!


Poor this lovelyness into a standing mixer along with softened unsalted butter. Then I added a 1/4 c. half & half. Then last but not least added the powdered sugar and adjusted half &half as needed.  Let that set a bit to the side while I make a instant pudding filling (butterscotch of course!) 


Finally I got to put my master piece together!  I use the cake rounds you can buy at Jo-Anns, cover it with foil and sit down my first cooled layer of cake. Cut the top off until it is a even surface.  Added the buttercream all around the edges (this helps from filling overflow!) then added butterscotch pudding to the middle. Then add your second layer, do not cut until even. Ice the cake with a spatula to look like a pro. Pick up icing bags and metal tips at Jo-Anns for truly professional results.


In the end the kiddo-s always enjoy decorating, so it doesn't look exactly professional. Yet, Daddy loves it more and it sure tasted special. It was geared towards one of his favorite flavors!


To end the story: the cake was gone very quick!


I hope you enjoy adding new flavors to your icings and cakes. If you can think of it, there is a way to make it!  Ooh la la! Enjoy!

Hello everyone! I don't know about you, but I my dear readers are simply ready for the flowers to start to pop! Just like the excitement you get as you see your first tulip for the year! the cool spring afternoons wind against my face, crisp, clean air.  It smells different somehow.

I thought today I should go around my house locating several "goodies" that I adore.  The thing is my stunning antique hutch that my husband thinks is a piece of trash, I will have to work on him with that one! He just doesn't see it like I do. It was in my house growing up always as a little girl until my mom decided to give it to me. I've thought about painting it a soft dove grey with a hue of blue undertones.  I see this and several of my other antiques and try to imagine what they must have been used for so long ago.  Regardless, I love the character. Just like my first antique rocker that the arm rails are coming apart from the rest of the chairs structure.

I feel like a modern farmhouse Martha, who is finding that this year I am finally coming into my own. this women that longs to pull the antiques out clean the up and hopefully make my house the way I have always dreamed.... on a budget! 


Also can't wait to get into my flower garden in the spring as well. Life is good.


Hopefully I will slowly be sharing with you the things that make my house home.

Feeling light, clean, and well a bit uncluttered.

Hello darlings! I am writing to try to help you explore this feeling I have inside with you. It is a blissful feeling. I have done so many little changes in a short period of time. I have reflected, I have taken time out to care for me- yes I just said it! Time to worry about me and not what everyone else needs, I take my mommy hat off a few times through out the day and stop to smell the roses.  I do yoga- drink green goodness everyday, I have tried to de-clutter my mind, there was cob webs in there!!! I have begun to try to meditate. I have uncluttered areas of our home.  With each day that passes I couldn't be happier I purchased this book "crazy sexy diet by Kris Carr, she truly is a inspiration.  I know how it sounds another fad diet, but this is a life changing experience.

I feel like a better person than I was when I started. I got off facebook & changed my email to not get all those trash emails!  So I unplugged is what Kris Carr would say. It is amazing the feeling of not having to connect, it is liberating! I get the computer on just for moments here and there, Then of course for my beloved blog.

I know this isn't exactly a crafty blog, but sometimes I think we need to check in with ourselves and feel good and clean and new.  Yes I drink a lot of green juice! I put in just about every veggie imaginable. I add 1 fruit to 3 veggies. I blend with my super blender vita-mixer. (Love it!) I found it on ebay at a great price- it had been barley used.

I can't tell you all the secrets, I want you to go out and read this inspirational book.  I have RA and it says you can reduce your levels of inflammation to control disease, or prevent. I pray after all is said and done that I will continue with my green goodness in a glass and feel like a new person in every way imaginable!

Cheers to the green yummy juice! Hello blissful feelings!