Guess What I’m Doing?

It’s in the kitchen and……

in the Dining Room so far. 

Well let me get back to work so that I can post all about it! 

Gail

Today is a Fall Linky Party at Craftaholics Anonymous for Fall Frenzy.

A Leaf Bird Feeder

This was such a fun kids project! 

My grandsons love to paint and love using power tools with the help of an adult.  I saw this  leaf bird feeder project in one of my craft magazines and thought what  fun it would be for the boys and I to do together. 

I used my Cricut , the Sure-Cuts-Alot software, and a SVG file to make my leaf stencil.  I traced my leaf stencil on a piece of luan board and cut it out using my scroll saw.  I drilled a hole in the top of the leaf so we could attach a piece of  rope to hang it in a tree. 

I had the boys sand their own leaf.   They loved using Grandma’s sander.  They each took turns using it.  Even my youngest grandson wanted a turn using the sander. 

We painted the leaves many many different colors. 

After the paint dried, I tied a piece of  rope to the top.  We then covered the backside of our leaf cutout with a mixture of  peanut butter and honey.   

We then sprinkled bird seed all over the peanut butter and honey mixture.   I bought bird seed that will attract nut and fruit eating birds.  

They were so proud of what they made! 

And so was Grandma. 

All three of the bird feeders are now hanging in our tree. 

 

I LOVE being a Grandma!

Gail

P.S.  There’s linky parties going on today at Sugar Bee-Craft Edition for Take a Look Tuesday and A Silly Little Sparrow for Toot Your Own Horn Tuesday.  Thanks Ladies for hosting. 

Luckett’s Treasure

On Saturday, my husband and I attended the Luckett’s Antique Fair in Leesburg Virginia and the weather  was absolutely beautiful.

The highlight of the fair was meeting Marian, known as  “Miss Mustard Seed”.  It was awesome to meet a blogger in person whose work and creativity I admire so much.   My husband and I  also had the opportunity to talk with Miss Mustard Seeds’ Mom.  Her mother is such a wonderful person whose love and support for her daughter is truly remarkable.  She is very proud of her daughter and rightfully so. 

Marian’s  booth did not disappoint!  She did a beautiful job displaying all the things she has worked so hard on and created for this fair.

I did manage to snatch up the “Farm Fresh Eggs” sign.  I do believe this was the only sign left.   I’m so happy with it.  Now all I have to do is hang it in my kitchen and every time I look at it I will think of Miss Mustard Seed. 

Another find at the fair was an old cabinet door.

I love this old cabinet door…..I wish I had gotten more!  Oh well, maybe next year. 

And two old windows.  I have a few ideas on what I want to do with these three purchases. 

Earlier in the week, Charlie and I managed to go to a Thrift Store in Virginia.  I bought a drop leaf table and a bench.

 

By the way, I know the bench looks nasty but it doesn’t smell!

I do see potential in both my thrift store purchases.  The table needs a lot of work and the bench needs to be completely reupholstered.   l’ll be sure to post about them when I’m done.  Wish me luck! 

Gail

P.S. Tuesday’s Linky Parties I’m linking to:  Linda @ Coastal Charm for Nifty Thrifty Tuesday and A Picture is Worth a 1,000 Words for 2nd Time Around.   Thanks Ladies for hosting such a fun party! 

Vitamins In A Bottle

I just love bottles.  Whenever I’m at a yard sale or at a thrift store, I’m picking them up.  I’m starting to get quite a collection.  This is just a few I’ve pictured here.  I love their shapes and sizes. 

I wanted to start displaying some of my bottles so I took three of my bottles and turned them into my vitamin holders. 

I took some trim and beaded tassels I had on hand and hot glued them to the neck of the bottle. 

Now my vitamins are part of  one of my kitchen vignettes.

Using another one of my jars, I  made  an apothecary jar that holds our dog Duncan’s Treats.  You can read about it here.

 

I love this picture!  It is a picture of my three grandsons taken last year at Christmas. 

You know the old saying “out of sight out of mind”  well now that my vitamins are on my kitchen countertop and not in a cabinet, I’m taking them every day. 

I have some other creative ideas using some more of my bottles and jars so more will be forthcoming.

 Gail

P.S.  Thursday’s  parties I’m linking to:  Strut Your Stuff Thursday @ Somewhat Simple, Get Your Craft On @ Life As Lori and The Shabby Chic Cottage for Transformation Thursday.  

Cornhole Anyone?

We are having so much fun playing the game of Cornhole.  It’s all the rage around here in Southern Maryland.    We had our first Cornhole party last weekend and let me tell you, we had so much fun. 

A couple of weeks ago, Charlie and I bought a set of  Cornhole boards at Dick’s Sporting Goods.  Because these boards are designed to use bean bags instead of the heavier corn bags, the boards didn’t hold up.  One of the legs and the middle brace broke.   

So we decided we would make our own cornhole boards.  We went to Cornhole.com and got the building plans for making the cornhole boards.   We then went to Lowes and bought the supplies we would need. 

Using the plans from Cornhole,  we cut all of our pieces. 

 

We used the jigsaw to cut the 6 “ circle .

We decided we wanted our cornhole boards to be painted the color scheme of the Washington Capitals hockey team which is, by the way, our favorite sport……..Go CAPS!   We painted them red, white and blue. 

First, I primed the boards with outside primer.   After the primer dried, I drew my design on the boards, and used FrogTape to mark the lines and then painted them.

I found the Washington Capitals Logo on-line, printed it out and used Mod Podge to put it on the boards. 

 

A finished cornhole board.

A close-up of the Cap’s Logo. 

I’m so happy with how they turned out.  This game is fun and addicting. 

 

You best believe we will be hosting another Cornhole party Labor Day weekend using our new Washington Caps Cornhole Boards. 

 

Gail

 

P.S.  There’s a Sunday’s Showcase @ Under the Table and Dreaming  and I’m linking to it today. 

An Old Milk Can

Many years ago I brought this old milk can at a yard sale. 

It has been behind my shed for quite sometime just waiting for a make-over.  I sanded, primed and painted it black. 

I made a stencil using my Cricut.

And now it’s the focal point of my garden. 

Jan @ Bobbypins Boardwalk  was the inspiration behind this make-over......Thanks Jan! 

 

Gail

Wednesday’s parties and where I’m linking to:  Power of Paint Party @ Domestically Speaking

Cafe’ Wreath

Those who know me know that I LOVE coffee and when I saw a wreath made out of coffee filters at  The Little Brown House,  it inspired me to make my own for my kitchen. 

I gathered up the supplies I would need.   The only thing I needed that I didn’t already have was the natural brewed coffee filters.  So off to Wal-Mart I went. 

And then I went to work and created this……..

In the center of the flowers, I hot glued a little bird’s nest and put coffee beans in it. 

The best part of makin it up….is the smell of coffee beans on my door……ummm.

Gail

Tuesday’s Parties I’m linking to:  Take a Look Tuesday @ Sugar Bee-Craft Edition. 

Monogrammed Flag

I don’t know why but finding anything monogrammed with a “F” is nearly impossible.   I’ve been wanting and faithfully been looking for a monogrammed flag with the letter “F” since the beginning of spring and I haven’t had  any luck.  So I decided that I would make my own.   

I purchased nylon fabric at Jo-Ann’s,  used my Cricut and the Storybook cartridge and I did just what I set out to do…….make my own. 

 

I’m so happy.  I now have a monogrammed flag made by me.  If anyone is interested in making one, I would be more than happy to do a tutorial on how I made mine. 

Gail

Thursday’s Parties I’m linking to:  Strut Your Stuff @ Somewhat Simple and Get Your Craft on @ Life as Lori.