This is making me happy!

This is some felted wool I purchased in Montana for $12.00 a pound. I think I got a great deal – lotsa pretty colors! Lots of projects swimming in my head – this person really inspires me!

So many crafts – so little time! This is how I spent yesterday -

Eight more jars of tomato sauce – just need to be wiped down and put away for the winter. Now I just have to clean up the kitchen. . . AGAIN. . . and then on to applesauce. Phew!

Also – a family note – mark your calendars!!! October 25th is Abby’s confirmation. I’d really, REALLY, REALLY like all of you to come! Abby has gone to confirmation classes for three years to get to this point – and she’s really proud of herself. Please come and spend the afternoon with us! (And if you know someone doesn’t read this blog – please forward this to everyone – thanks!)

I’m Tired!

Canned I don’t know how many quarts/pints of pears with my sister over the weekend. Ugh. It was a marathon that lasted until 2:30 – 3:00 AM! That tired feeling has followed me ever since then. I cannot believe I didn’t take a picture.

But after being inspired by Julie’s sunset pictures I decided to share a sunset picture from Montana. The mountain featured in the photo is Lone Mountain. FYI – I took the picture in the parking lot of a gas station. A gas station! Just think about the view we usually have at a gas station. . . this is pure awesome!

Cleaning Schedule

Remember a while back I mentioned a cleaning schedule? Well, what I had in mind was a daily schedule. That’s not going to work right now. Life just gets in the way too often. So, I’m working on a seasonal cleaning schedule instead. I think we’ve all been conditioned to do our “spring cleaning” – but I find I do just as much, if not more, fall cleaning. Maybe it is in anticipation of being cooped up in the house for the winter. Maybe it is the cool weather that is more energizing. Anyways, this is what is on my list so far:

• Clean the grill
• Wash the windows
• Clean and sort out the shed
• Clean and detail the vehicles
• Rake the yard
• Clean under the fridge
• Purge summer clothes
• Turn the compost
• Clean the dishwasher

I’m sure my list will get longer and longer. What do you do for fall cleaning? Am I missing anything? I have little notes and reminders to myself all over the place – help!

Have a good weekend!!!

Canning Season

I went to Julie’s yesterday and picked tomatoes and grapes. (God bless you Julie and thank you!! – my brown thumb just doesn’t produce much produce!) Then I came home and canned 4 and a half quarts of spaghetti sauce, and 20 jelly jars of grape jelly. Then I cleaned the kitchen. Then I fell into bed and slept a good sleep. I still have to remove the rings, and wipe the jars down but I’m NOT going to touch them until this evening. So far, everything “tinked” - “tink” it has to be one of the most musical sounds in the world. Now it is on to some more apples and this weekend will be a marathon pear-canning session. Tis the season to be busy!!!

Ousel Falls, Montana

Today I will take you to Ousel Falls, Montana. I always feel like a nut when I take video – if I talk I sound so stupid!! But if I don’t talk – it doesn’t seem right either. So, I talked. I took the video mostly so I could show my kids what we were seeing. . . see what you think.

Montana!!

I am so LUCKY some times! I got to go to Montana last week!! We drove - and it is a looooong drive but so pretty. I thought North Dakota was flat? The route we took along 94 was just stunning! I had even packed a craft suitcase so I could have something to do - really didn't open it - there was too much to look at out the window Well, one of the fun things we got to do in Big Sky, Montana, was to zip along on a zip line!! Here is some video and pictures I took - again, it is a VERY simple video - but I wanted to string the video and pictures together. . . you'll see.

 

Sanctioned Crafting!

This is also crafting! Yippee!!!

Aren’t these jars of applesauce pretty!

Also sanctioned crafting -

New sandwich wrap for the little guy. Used my overcasting foot and had a little trouble. Gee – maybe I should practice more! heh heh.

And one quick FREE craft -

Before -

After -

All I did was peel off the awful Merit stickers and slapped on this paper. The paper came from a grocery bag. I didn’t even use any glue – just used the adhesive that was under the sticker! (It looked as if it would have been a devil of a job getting that off – where does a person buy that glue? You could build a house with it!) Remember I got a stack of these baskets for free? So . . . total cost? ZERO!

And, the house is getting pretty darn clean if I do say so myself! Still a ways to go – but I can get as much done in three hours as opposed to three days when the kids are in school. Phew. Have a good week!!

Lazy Crafter

Well, not really but I don’t have any crafting to share with you right now. See, a while back my hubbie said “Less crafting, more cleaning”. And, after I got done being mad I realized he has a point. So, I’ve been doing a lot of CLEANING! My goal is to have this house so organized that when I do start crafting again I can craft to my hearts content and with a clear conscience – knowing I’ve done what I have to do first. Even though I craft often in the evenings when the kids are in bed, I’ve been too tuckered out. Maybe if my craft room was clean. . . but it’s not. . . oh, it’s really not clean.   So, I won’t be around as much this month. The kids go back to school tomorrow and then I can power clean without interruptions. As with any house, a person feels as if they could start cleaning/moving and not stop for six months. Do check back though – I will be showing some tips and tricks along the way. Just not every day.

Here is one of my favorite repurposing projects EVER! Take a look -

 

This was a rack to hold potato chips that my hubbie brought home for me. It was going to be thrown away. It is triangular in shape and it spins! As you can see, I have shoebox size plastic boxes on each shelf (the shelves are adjustable by the way) and my supplies organized in these boxes. I have envelopes in one, trim in another, stamps, adhesives, markers, scissors and punches, Martha Stewart glitter. . . Well, it is my favorite craft organizational item in my craft room. If I see a display I like in a store I always ask what they are going to do with it later. You just never know. . . people throw away the craziest things! Happy crafting!

Launch photos

I’ll leave you this week with a few pictures.  I took these when we were on a launch on Mille Lacs lake. A launch is a fishing boat – all you do is show up. The captain strings your rod, baits your hook, drives you around, and takes the fish off the hook if you’re lucky enough to catch one! (On the first launch I caught the most – this time I only caught one)

Just look at that light!!

Have a good weekend!

Ceiling Fan Tag

Did you know you can live in a house for 10 years and still not remember which chain on your ceiling fan is for the light and which chain is for the fan? Geez. Here is how I’ve solved the mystery once and for all!!

Can you see it? I stamped FAN into a piece of metal and wired it onto the pull. Not very fancy – but right now I don’t have time for fancy – just need air!!

Garage Sale Finds

Hey, my craftiness is waning. So, here is some pictures of my favorite garage sale finds.

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Huh, I thought there was more! Well, I do love the vintage stuff!! There are actually about 6 of these cups – but since they are always in use I could only find four. The casserole dishes aren’t perfect – and I’m glad about that. I’ll use them a whole lot more since they aren’t perfect. And, the enamel pan is so handy to store stuff in!

P.I.P.

(Project in progress) This is a handy tip – when I’m tackling a big job. Well, big for me, I’m not building houses or anything. . . I’ll gather all my tools before I start and as I’m using them I keep placing them back in this basket. That way things don’t get lost, and I can start and stop the project any time. Isn’t the basket great?! I got about 12 of them for free!! Gotta love free.

Want to see what I was working on? I’ll show you. It’s not finished. . .

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I made a pet pen for outside. Sorry for all the other clutter – we’re cleaning out the shed. I’m not actually sorry for you – I’m sorry for me cause that is one heck of a job we have to tackle!! The pen is made from four old windows. Picked up on the side of the road. Two of the windows still have the glass (for a wind break) and I put pet screen in two of the windows. See that seam in the screen in the picture with Edith? Well, I ran out of screen so I sewed two pieces together with my sewing machine. If you have a teflon foot for your sewing machine it works great!! The four windows are held together with shelf brackets purchased at a yard sale. Got about 20 of them for $2. I still want to paint the inside that gray/blue (same as the outside). I may not get to that this year. Fall is just around the corner.

Have fun today!!