Coffee Filter Wreath and blisters!

It all started when I saw Angie's wreath on Pinterest or somewhere online!  I started a white coffee filter wreath months and months ago but I wasn't thrilled with the way it looked so I stopped working on it.  When I saw Angie's wreath, I remembered my very unfinished, poor, limp, white coffee filter wreath attempt, and retrieved it from a corner where it was put to rest to die!  I followed Angie's instructions and set out bowls of water and food coloring.  TIP:  for a vibrant blue or purple color, you have to add a lot more food coloring to the water!

Preparation!

Pretty paper towel designs during the drying process.

Hmmmm maybe there is another craft project here!

I eventually put the filters outside to speed up the drying process.

~~~~~~In progress~~~~~

On the table with a butterfly that came to visit

Finished and ready for hanging

My wreath isn't as full as Angie's wreath but it will do for my first attempt.  Total cost:  wreath ring $1.00 at Dollar Tree,  coffee filters $1.00 at Dollar Tree (160 count but I didn't use all of them), butterfly .99 at 99 Cent Store, food coloring free as I have 3 boxes on a shelf, the blisters on my left ring finger and left thumb were also free compliments of my glue gun!

Upcycled Dolls!

I spent a delightful day with Meri Wiley and friends making an upcycled doll!  The entire idea came from Meri while working on one of her many original ideas.  It was a rather long, involved process but we all chatted and laughed which made the time fly by...except for the hand sewing!  You would never guess that the entire doll started out as a light bulb!!!!  After adding some clay and doing a little molding on the light bulb, the heads were ready for the oven.  Unfortunately I didn't take any photos of the work in progress.

This is Meri's sister, Jen, showing off her completed Marie Antoinette doll.

 I think that Jen did a fabulous job!  Love the "wig".

        Melissa is working on her doll which she modeled after Meri!  Great job, Melissa!

                                         Here is Melissa posing with her "Meri" doll.

                                                                Melissa and "Meri".

       Here is Sharon with her doll.  The doll isn't quite finished but it really is cute as is.

Here is our wonderful hostess, Meri, posing with two dolls that she made and used as models for us to follow.

You can see that Meri's dolls really look great because she has just the right touch when it comes to sewing and painting heads.  I wish that you could see the detail which is flawless.

Here is a photo of my doll...poor thing!  Meri had to help me with the face and a few other things but I finally finished the doll.  I think that the nose is too big and I wish that I had drawn a nose instead of molded one with the clay.  My doll's hair is in a pony tail tied with a red ribbon.  I added cherry earrings to go along with the dress.  My doll has painted nails, as well as a necklace and bracelet on because I always have my nails done and I usually wear jewelry when I go out.  

Visiting Meri's blog is always a treat.  She is an exceptional and generous hostess who opens up her house for crafting a few times a month.  Our next project will be in November and we will be making "putz" houses for Christmas.  I told Meri that I would attend as long as I didn't have to sew anything! Last year we made wreaths at Meri's for Christmas and that was wonderful project so I'm really looking forward to joining Meri again in November.

Diaper Wreath

On May 4th I will be going to a baby shower for a friend's daughter-in-law who is having a baby girl.  I didn't know what to do for the shower so I looked on good ol' Pinterest and I found loads of ideas.  I really liked the diaper wreath idea so I thought that I would try my hand(s) at it.  It seemed simple enough even for me so I started to gather things for the wreath.  

I used a 40% off coupon at Michael's for the ring and I covered it with pink gingham material that I had on hand.

Next time I will tack down the material with hot glue for a more snug look.  However, this method worked just fine because I was going to cover the material with diapers anyway!

Because this is a shower for a baby girl, I wanted to use things that the mother could use on the baby when she is older so I bought the hair ties.

 I started wrapping the diapers around the ring and I secured them with the hair ties that can be reused!

After all the diapers were on (I used 15 out of a pack of 36 Pamper's Swaddlers 2 for 12-18 pounds) I started to use different-colored ribbon to attach the stuff I bought.  I purchased a 4-pack of  Carter's newborn socks, a "take-a-long" 4-pack of Johnson's & Johnson's lotion, powder, shampoo, and baby wash, a pink teething ring, a cute bath book, petroleum jelly, Baby Magic Lotion, a 3-pack of hand sanitizer, some stretchy head bands with flowers, and a Million Dollar chocolate bar.  The chocolate bar is for the parents because it will probably cost $1,000,000 to raise and educate this baby!

Here is the wreath with some of the things attached.

Here is the completed wreath!

The bottom part (I took off the chocolate bar so that it wouldn't melt).

The top part.  I didn't add anymore curly ribbon to the top because of the bunch that I added near the top hook for hanging.

I'll probably be making another wreath because I'll be going to another shower in August or September.  My friend's daughter is pregnant but they don't know the sex of the baby yet so I'm on hold right now.  I'll probably tweak a few things the next time around...maybe use bigger diapers...I don't know yet.
It was fun and it didn't take a lot of time to make this wreath.  To me this is so much easier than the diaper cakes!

The patience of JOB!

My grandchildren (ages 6 and 3) decided to "dress" Pokie Rosie, their cat. Pokie is a very patient cat, obviously, and she sat quietly while Brandt and Lily gave her a makeover! How they got Lily's pink top on Pokie I'll never know! Notice the "bling" on Pokie's left paw in the "bridal" picture! The headbands around Pokie's neck and the hair ties on her ears in the other picture just crack me up!

 What a cat!!!!!

How do I look?

Home Goods after Easter Sale!!!!!

I always go to Home Goods the day after a holiday because they have the best sales. Therefore, bright and early Monday morning I was at my local HG store patiently waiting for the doors to open so I could treasure-hunt their Easter sale.

 The chocolate sign practically flew into my cart on its own...it probably could detect the chocolate in my blood! 

The other two signs were accidents. I originally had two crackle bunny pictures in my cart when another lady held these vintage-looking canvases up and asked me if I wanted them. The bunny pictures were out and the canvases were in. I love the vintage look.

I spotted the topiary immediately and put it in my cart. I had seen it a few weeks ago but I didn't think that it would still be available!!!

I felt very good about my shopping excursion and I will continue to "hunt" at Home Goods especially after every holiday!!!!!

Mom's room~~~Before & After !!!!

I finally finished cleaning and organizing my mom's old room.  It's been 2 1/2 years since she passed away and I just now finished working on her old room.  I went through her closet, drawers and papers, and I put things into piles marked "keep", "sell", and "donate".  Things that I kept have been documented for my daughter and grandchildren so that they know what/where everything is and where/who things came from.  It took me months to do this, but I'm glad that I took the time so that my family has the legacy and won't have to wonder about certain things.



A "before" photo during the sorting process

Thank goodness I sold that monstrous couch!

 What a mess!

 

 Oh my goodness!

 

You've got to be kidding me!

 

 

~~Finally some organization~~

A hand-painted table holds whimsy and vintage memorabilia

Most of the stuff on the wall came from yard sales or estate sales

 

The lamp is very old and came with us from Illinois when we moved to Phoenix

The photo shows my mom (standing) when she was a Godmother for Confirmation



This hand-painted armoire (estate sale) holds photo albums, 8mm films, a projector and many other things that I saved for my family.  Some of the 8 mm films go back to when I was in 8th grade and a cheerleader!  My 8th grade graduation, 16th birthday, high school graduation, and first love are all captured on these films.  What memories and a few tears!!!!
The cherished Christening gown worn by my mom, me, my daughter and grandchildren also hangs with my baby shoes and my daughter's shoes.

You can see a photo of me standing by my childhood dollhouse.  The dollhouse in the photo is not my original dollhouse...I bought it on ebay because it is just like the one I had as a child.  The furniture is from a dear friend, Meri, who also shares a love of whimsy and vintage.

Some of my dolls.  Too bad I can't take a decent picture!

 

Here are more dolls with an explanation from a previous post

I finally took some of my dolls out of storage and displayed them in my mom's room

 

Wall decor

 



 

 

My mother made the dresses and the hats for the two dolls on the headboard

 

This was drawn by my cousin and put on my parent's 50th anniversary invitation

I may still have a few more revisions to the room, but you get an idea of the transformation.

And Christmas dissolved into Valentine's Day!!!

 



I'm sort of ashamed of myself right now. I took all the Christmas trees and decorations down and packed them away until next year, however, in my exuberance, I put up Valentine stuff!!!! My dining room took the brunt of my frenzy as evidenced by the photos. I realize that it's just a tad bit early for Valentine decor, but I really enjoy all the pinks, reds, hearts, etc. associated with the February theme.