Bow Holder


I decided last year to make a bow holder for my daughter, and realized how easy it actually was to make one. I thought I would share the one I made, in case anyone wanted to try it themselves. They are great for baby shower gifts, and also for birthdays. I made one for two of my nieces. One was very girly, and the other one was a beach theme. This is one I made for my daughter.



I have allot more bows then this on her bow holder which is why the ribbons are crimped a little bit, for the sake of taking a photo of it, I decided to take some off.

I found the supplies, believe it or not at Wal Mart. I have noticed lately though the craft section at Wal Mart is getting smaller and smaller, so if you don't find what you need then check out another hobby store.

Supplies

Ribbon -2 different patterns works best for this project. You need enough to hang down from your plaque, as well as some ribbon on top, so be generous. It is best to have too much then not enough.

1 Wooden Plaque- I chose an oval shape but you can get a square or rectangle if it pleases you.

Wooden wording-I was able to find the word "Dream", but if you want you can put your daughters name. This will probably be more hard to locate, because it depends on what is in stock at your hobby store

1 large ribbon rossette-I found this in the wedding area in the craft aisle.

1 bag of little flowers-these are also found in the wedding area in craft section at Wal mart.

1 bag of crystals or rhinestones-I used rhinestones because I liked the size of them, however any size crystal would work. These are to be used to embellish the centers of the flowers, the large rosette, the wording, as well as a few on the ribbon at the top.

1 large bow-Again, I was able to find these in the wedding area in the craft section at Wal Mart.

Craft paint

Sealer

Hot glue gun

Glue to use on crystals/rhinestones

Ok, now that you have your materials list, you will be surprised at how fast this is to put together.

1. The first thing you are going to want to do is sandpaper your plaque to make sure that it is nice and smooth. Once you have done that, then go ahead and paint it in a color that will go nicely with the ribbons you have chosen. I chose white because I was going for a cottage look. I would put a few coats of paint on it, letting it dry between layers. If you want to speed up the process, use your blow dryer.

2. If the wording you have found is unfinished, or in a color that you dislike, go ahead and paint that as well. Watch for drips, the wording is a bit more difficult to paint.

3. Paint your flowers on the plaque, with the petals being one color and the center painted a different color. Remember, your wording will go in the center so you don't need to paint flowers everywhere, just judge which areas are going to need to be filled in. Allow to dry.

4. Seal the paint with a spray.

5. Cut your lengths of ribbon to your preferance. I chose to have the outside ribbons shorter then the center ribbon. Cut a "V" at the bottom of your ribbons. If you fold the ribbons lenthwise at the bottom, and cut it at an angle it creates an instant 'V'.

6. Hot Glue the ribbons to the back of the wooden plaque.

7. If the wood has dried, and has been sealed. Hot Glue the wording on to the plaque in the center.

8. Hot Glue the large rosette into the corner of the plaque, allowing if to overlap the wording a little bit.

9. Hot glue or use the adhesive on the backs of the little flowers and place them on the wooden plaque in areas that are needed. I alternated between painted flowers and fake flowers.

10. Using the rhinestone and crystal glue, apply the crystals on the rosette, making sure each one has secured. Attach the crystals in the centers of the fake flowers, as well as on the wording. I chose to place a rhinestone on the ends of all the letters.

11. Take a length of ribbon and fold it in half. One end will need to be hotglued to the back of the plaque at the top and then attach the other end to the back with hot glue. This should create a loop, so make sure you have spaced the ends out when you attach them.

12. Hot glue/attach the large bow to the top of your loop. Once you have attached it, it should hang at the very top. Attach a few crystals to the center of the bow.

13. You are ready to use your new bow holder. Good job!




Pirates from Grammer Island

Our daughter really outdid herself at tonights class drama performance.She took the place of another student who had a lead part, and jumped right in and did so well! We are very proud of her!


Our fledgling actress has been in two school plays in the last month and a half, and tonights performance was called "Pirates from Grammer Island".
Once I figure out how to put video on the blog, I'll post Ashlyn's solo. She did so great!

If anyone has a suggestion on the best way to post video I would really appreciate some advise.

Thanks!


Valentine Crafts


I know that it is a few weeks past Valentines, but I just wanted to show a few projects that I made. I have to be perfectly honest, celebrating Valentines does not come easily in my house. It is a concerted effort to make sure it a holiday that my husband and I celebrate. It is important in my opinion, so...I make things to show my love to my husband.

Well, my first Valentines with my husband was celebrated at a funeral. Not really a good way to start things out right? We have been married for 12 years now, and I don't recall ever "going out" for dinner on Valentines. I have always made or done something for my sweetheart, but like I said it has never been a big focus for us. I remember one year, when we were extra broke my sweetie, asked quite innocently if we could postpone it. haha. He is much much better now that he has a few more years of married wisdom. :)

I think my kids look forward to Valentines more then me-they informed my husband and I that they were excited because they would be getting a stuft animal. I wasn't aware that this had become a tradition, but sure enough the kids showed which stuft animal they had recieved from years past on Valentines. How about that? We created a family tradition and we didn't even realize it. Hahah. To be fair to my sweet husband though, I did get some chocolates this year, and he did buy me a cute bracelet. It didn't come in on time, but I got it today, and it is quite cute. It's the thought that counts right?!


On Super bowl Sunday my girlfriends and I sat down at the table and started on this raggamuffin wreath. I chose a Valentines theme, one girlfriend started a patriotic theme, and the other focused on Valentines. I had actually seen the project done on another blog, but it was in a heartshape. Wouldn't you know it- they were all out of hearts, so I made due with the round one. A few hours later, and a few bruised nuckles later. I finished my first Valentines Ragamuffin Wreath!

The blog I was inspired by is found at http://cindis.blogspot.com/2009/01/moms-tie-one-on.html. You should check them out! Cute projects! All the instructions and inspiring photos on how to do this project can be found there.

The plate at the top of this entry, I made 10 years ago. I took an unfired plate, and glazed and designed it for Valentines. My dad had access to a kiln at the time, so i was able to fire it. I wish I had a kiln, I would love to make my own plates. My sweet little creation had an accident a few months back, courtesy of one of my children. My husband glued it back together, but that is why you see the crack in it.

This years Valentines present to my sweetie, started with a wedding photo that I had color copied, and then I modpodged it onto a tile in a matt finish. I found some cute sayings on velum that I found in the scrapbook section at Walmart. The photo doesn't do it justice, no matter how many times I took it, it came out with a glare and unfocused. Grrr.

Cats need friends too!


Our daughter has a kitten named Sophie, and well Sophie gets lonely sometimes I guess. Whenever she gets the chance she climbs into our guinea pig cage and hangs out with them. They don't seem to mind, and I have even caught one of them grooming Sophie before.
She has been going through a growth spurt lately, so I am not sure how much longer she will be able to squeeze into the cage. When she starts acting like the guinea pigs look more like "food" rather then "friends" I will put a stop to her climbing into the cage. For the meantime though, I couldn't resist taking some pictures of this strange attraction between the cavi and the cat.


Social Calling cards are becoming hip again












My husband introduced me to a delightful old film called "Harvey", starring James Stewart a few months back, and I soon found that I loved this film. It released in 1950, and is one of the older films that I want to add to my cinema library. I think I am old fashioned at heart. I enjoy nightgowns, old movies, musicals, and some of my close friends are my Grandmothers age. I also like the etiquette and pomp and circumstance depicted in the older films, although it might not show how things really were back in the day,I still like to think I am learning and improving on my social skills. In this particular film, one particular quote struck me -Elwood Dowd's (James Stewart) had a relationship with ideal, imaginary friend 'Harvey' - a six-foot rabbit - and the mantra to which it gives rise: "You know, years ago, my mother used to say to me "In this world, Elwood, you must be oh so smart, or oh so pleasant." Well, for years I was smart. I recommend pleasant. You may quote me."
One of the pleasant things Elwood Dowd's did was to hand out calling cards. Not a stuffy business card like we have in this day and age, but a true calling card, with only his name and phone number on it. I was intrigued, and so I looked up what the etiquette was concerning calling cards in this day and age and wanted to share them with you.
It is a rising trend believe it or not, but some caution must be followed according to experts. In Victorian times calling cards were left when someone dropped by and found that the object of the call "was not home". There was actually a list of "rules' that they followed. There was an entire ritual of rules that pertained to social calls and the use of calling cards. For example, in most cases, there were specific visiting hours during which guests could visit. Each caller was to leave a calling card in the 'card receiver" on the entry hall table. This way, not only the hostess, but other callers as well, could see who had been there. If the woman of the house was not at home at the time of the caller's visit, the caller would leave her card with the servant, turning down one corner of the card to indicated that it was delivered in person. Fascinating.


Our latest callers have just been burglars, if they had only left a calling card, I could have sent a card to thank them for relieving me of my hard earned treasures. :)

OK, now the big question when would you give out a social calling card? Well....

1.Class reunions. You’re going to run into a ton of people with which you want to exchange information. Instead of constantly busting out the pen and paper, just hand them your card.

2.Networking between jobs. You’re not currently employed, so you don’t have a business card. Or if you do, it has your old employer’s info on it. While you’re looking for work, have a calling card ready to present to potential contacts and leads.

3.Parties. If you’re planning an informal party or get together, write down your address and the time of the party on the back. When you run into people you’d like to see there, give them one of your cards and invite them over. Sometimes calling cards also come with small envelopes, sized to fit your card. You can therefore always use your calling cards as traditional invitations sent through the mail. Also, if your calling card comes with an envelope, you can use them as gift cards.
4.The classroom. It’s often hard to make the leap from being “in-class” friends to “outside of class” friends. Give someone you enjoy chatting with in class your calling card. They’ll probably start posting on your Facebook page and your friendship will take off from there. Or use the card to set up a study group


You can make some yourself, or have a printer make some for you. The beauty of the calling card is that it can be whatever you want it to be. It doesn't need to be the size of a business card, it can be smaller, or even larger. It can be as simple as just having your name and webpage, or have more information like your email address, and phone number or even a link to your favorite social network like facebook or twitter. You can also promote your blog with calling cards. Experts say to be cautious with putting too much information on the calling card. When I get mine finally made, I am going to keep it simple, and just use my name with a monogram and blog, that way I still have some control over who is contacting me.

But then again, if you give out this kind of calling card, you are probably not going to be invited over again!

If you want more information on Social calling cards, you can visit the site where I swiped some of my research and found the photos for this blog.
http://artofmanliness.com/2008/09/07/the-gentlemans-guide-to-the-calling-card/

Some people have all the luck!


Jeffrey was invited to a birthday party for a boy in his class, and there were allot of arcade games to play. There was one game to earn tickets, and it looked like a wheel of fortune. Well, Jeffrey spun the wheel and BAM he hit the jackpot! He had won 1000 tickets. About 10 minutes, later he then walked over to another ticket winning game and wouldn't you know it! He won that jackpot-250 tickets. He had won so many tickets he was able to get a microscope at the prize stand. He is one lucky boy!


Jeffrey enjoyed playing virtual skee ball, and bowling with his classmates and friends!


Warning: No razors allowed!

Our son wants to be just like his dad. But why or why did he have to choose now?! Jeffrey thought for some unknown reason that his hair needed a trim, so he took it upon himself to shave it himself, with his dad's razor. He came out of the shower and I screamed when I saw what he did. He had shaved off his sideburns on one side, and shaved a chunk of hair off the other side of his head!!!!!! When Jeff asked him, much more calmly then me by the way, Why he shaved his head? He simply said, "I don't know." and shrugged. I could have killed him. Not because he shaved his head, (because at one time or another kids get it into their heads that cutting their bangs off or a chunk of sisters hair is ok)but because we had plans to take a family portrait next week. I wanted to cry. So...his Dad fixed it the best he could (it looks like a military haircut now). Punishment: We took pictures and I told him I was putting them on my blog. Boy, did that get him squirming.


My Fabric Obsession

Some women get excited about shoes, (which I am quite fond of) and others get excited about scrapbooking. My obsession is fabric. When I went to design school I was immersed into the world of High End Fabric and learned about color and weave and thread count and rub count. My eyes were opened up to a whole new world. Then I apprenticed in Las Vegas and my first task was to organize the fabric sample room. Boy, I think that was what made me hooked. There weren't bolts and bolts of fabric but fabric books. Each book contained a paper size sample of the different designer fabric lines available for that season. The colors covered the entire spectrum of the rainbow, as well as fabric type. I sifted through brocades, velvet, silks, suede, leather...the list went on and on. One day I told myself, I'll have that $70/per yard ultra suede on my sofa. I can dream right?After being on my own and starting my own business I began to look for more cost effective options to fabric, rather then the "sold by the trade only" designer fabric lines that I offered to my clients for their upholstery and drapery needs.I decided to explore a different fabric avenue- quilting and light weight fabric options. So, I went to the Northwest Fabric and Notions show in Seattle, Oregon. Wow! I was in heaven. There was booth after booth of color and the most fabulous designs, and I realized very quickly that I wanted to branch out with my art and Interior Design knowledge and start my own textile line.We are immersed with fabric and color every day in our lives. When you sit down on your couch, someone had to design the fabric you are sitting on. The same thing goes for your draperies, or your bedding. Again, someone had to creatively design the fabric. The most fun I have everytime I work with a client is when I get to design their drapery treatments. I sit on my living room floor with my sketch of the drapery design that I drew, and surround myself with fabric books, and then spend a joyous few hours choosing the perfect fabric.I feel drawn to it, and yes, perhaps a little obsessed. So, now I am off on a new adventure from the comfort of my home, and am able to be as creative as I want and be here for the kids when they get home from school.
We have made so many sacrifices for me to stay home with the children that I can't count since they were babies, but I don't regret it. My girlfriend once asked how we lived on one income. I simply stated that both she and I made sacrifices. She sacrifices time with her children, but has the nice home and the cars, and the camping trailer and so on and so forth. I sacrifice those things for the time with my children. It doesn't mean I need to sit lamely around waiting day after day,and do nothing but clean the house and watch the clock tick by. Indeed not. I have been involved creatively for years, and have even made some money along the way, and I'm still a stay home mom.

Designer Thought for the Day

I was recently asked to be a regular contributer to Latter-Day Woman Magazine as a decorator columnist. So, I sent out a request for anyone who has a decorating dilemma from my friends list and within hours was sent my first "Q & A" response. As I receive questions I will choose the one I feel will fit in with the Decorating workshop article I will be writing. I do know that I will answer everyone's questions. It might not make it into my magazine article, but I will answer everyone's questions.

Thought for the Day:We dress ourselves every day, and dive into our closets and put together what we think will look the best on our bodies so that we feel good about ourselves. Even when you aren't trying and just throw on some jeans and t-shirt, there is still a little thought that goes into it. If the clothes start to look dated, we shift through our growing mounds of out of season clothing and send what we don't want to relatives, have a yardsale, or if all else fails and you just don't have time or the desire to donate them to Good Will, or Deseret Industries, the clothing might even be tossed in the trash. My point is that when our clothing gets old, and we don't feel good in them anymore, we do something about it.The same could be said about the rooms we live in as well. We use them everyday, and they receive even more abuse then the clothes we wear on our backs. If you don't like the surroundings you live in everyday, then just like your old dated clothes, look around and see if something needs to updated, moved around, or tossed out.If you have dated furniture or even window treatments, and suffer from allergies, you might want to look no further then your own living room. House dust mites fall into the category of things we'd rather not think about. They are as ugly as they are small. And they are very small. Ranging in size from a hundredth to a thousandth of an inch, they're too small to see without magnification.Like spiders, dust mites are eight-legged arachnids. The good news is they don't bite. The bad news is they do eat the dried, dead skin that sloughs from our bodies every day. It's a rich source of food, as we shed about a fifth of an ounce of skin a day. It makes up about 80% of the dust you see in an indoor sunbeam.As many as 19,000 dust mites can be found in a ball of dust the weight of a 1 gram paper clip, although the typical dust ball contains only 100 to 500 mites. Contrary to popular belief, dust mites don't live in your heating/air ducts. But they love living in your mattress and in your pillow, where your body provides them not only food but also the moisture and warmth they crave.While, I am not suggesting you throw out Grandma's vintage sofa, you might just re-upholster it, especially if it has good bones. Window treatments are another matter. If you have Grandma's window treaments, and it can't be cleaned and it has some mileage on it, I would suggest throwing them out. There are some wonderful products available on the market in hard coverings and soft coverings. Some soft treatments can even be made with material that has a microbial treatment which helps eliminates and prevents dust mites from breeding or living on the material. The fabric is especially made for those who suffer from allergies.If you have been looking for an excuse to go furniture shopping or need a good reason to give your husband on why you really want new window treatments, then just cite the facts I have listed on dust mites, and it might give you that little push you have been waiting for.

My Christmas Ornament Tradition

The first Christmas I celebrated with my husband I decided to start my own holiday traditions that I could continue throughout the years. The one that I have enjoyed tackling every year has been to make a handcrafted ornament. I try hard to make one for everyone in the family, but as my extended family has grown by quite a bit over the last several years, I have settled on just giving out one per family. This year I have decided to make a hand-painted Santa Ornament out of light bulbs.
My son started Cub Scouts this year, and we have had some activities that have involved recycling. So what better way to continue a valuable lesson then to recycle an old lightbulb? you can collect them throughout the year, and paint them anytime the mood strikes you and with crafting supplies you have around the house.I had allot of fun searching the internet for the perfect light bulb ornament to make this year, and thought this would be a great opportunity to show you a few of the ideas I have found and hope that it will inspire you to start your own
Christmas Tradition.
This is a photo from the website I got the idea from, and not an actual photo of the finished design that I created. I changed the hat on Santa from Green to Red, and used less brown for the rim of the hat. The green hat reminded me more of a Garden Gnome, then Santa.
You can find the instructions at:
This is the finished ornament that I painted and changed to my preferences. I think it turned out cute! After I painted the light bulb the way I wanted it, I took it a step further and added a hat!
This is another variation on the painted light bulb that I thought was cute, and would be easy to make especially if you have to make several of them in a pinch. The instructions can be found at:
http://www.betterbudgeting.com/christmasornaments/reindeerlightbulbs.htm
I decided to make some of the reindeer ornaments as well and came up with these! My husband was so great, he helped me make bows for them as well.
If you are in search of an easier Santa to paint with your kids here is a cute variation that the kiddos will be able to handle with little trouble.
The instructions and materials list can be found at:
There are so many designs on the internet to choose from but the last one I wanted to share is a Snowman. I think this one is absolutely adorable and if I hadn't waited until the last minute I would have made a few up for myself. I might just give it a try after Christmas for next year. It never hurts to get a jump start on crafts!
If you have any painted lightbulb projects that you have created that you would like to share, I would love to hear from you!Merry Christmas and have a Happy New Year!

Haunted Mansion Halloween Tablescape

This past Halloween I was asked to decorate a theme table for a fundraising event for a local theatre. I was impressed at how creative some of the other tables were decorated by other volunteers at the event. I felt a little intimidated at their towering tablescapes, and colorful masterpieces. I quickly realized however that I was not alone in feeling the pressure to create something memorable, and yet affordable for a centerpiece.

My inspiration was the Haunted Mansion dining room scene at Disneyland. I began by choosing my two dominant colors which were cranberry and black, and also by choosing crystal/glass to be used through out the setting. Once I had figured out my color scheme, I scoured the 99 Cent store and was able to find some really cute tombstones, as well as glass goblets with a dark purple stem. If you keep your eye out at the discount stores, often times you will come across items that you can use for dinner parties. I then headed over to Wal Mart and was able to purchase two candlehabras (sp?) and silk black roses. I purchased as many of the roses that I could get my hands on, and at $1.00 a piece it turned out to be a real deal. I generally try to save vases from past Valentines Bouquets, and was able to use one I had on hand. I did pick up some cranberry colored glass stones and used them in my centerpiece, as well as some cranberry sprays which I arranged with the black roses. The candles and napkins were also purchased at Wal Mart. The remainder of the black roses I picked up, I tied black ribbons on the stems and placed them on the napkins as a party favor.

I started with a black tablecloth as my base, and then stretched Halloween spider webbing across the table. When stretching I made sure that in some areas it had a wispy appearance, while in the other areas it seemed thicker. It was random and I kept adjusting it until I was pleased with the look. Hint: Be sure to let your guests know not to place their used utensils on the webbing as it sticks. I had one guest pulling webbing off of their fork before she took a bite. It was really funny. I was thankfully able to use glass goblets that were given to me for my wedding, and borrowed the silverware and glass pitcher from my mother. I loved being able to use what I had, and purchase the items at discount prices. It just shows that you don't have to spend an arm and a leg to create something fabulous for a dinner party.

In order to get the dripped look for your candles, light them prior to your dinner party and let them drip awhile and then cool. Keep a close eye on them, especially if you plan to keep them lighted throughout your party. We had a slight breeze, so before I knew it they were down to stubs. Just keep an eye on them, and you will be fine.

If you have any questions feel free to contact me!

Ashlyn's Award Winning Recipe Chinese Cabbage Chicken Salad

I promised to share the recipe Ashlyn used for her 4-H Competition, so here it is. I also took it to a recent Super Bowl Party, and everyone raved about it, so I think this one is a keeper, especially since it is a family recipe provided to me by my Aunt Debbie. Thanks Debbie!

Chinese Cabbage Chicken Salad
1 head Cabbage, shredded
2 chicken breasts, cooked and diced
4 Tbsp sesame seeds, toasted
4 green onions, chopped
1 package Chicken Top Ramen noodles
4 Tbsp slivered almonds, toasted
Mix the above ingredients together.
Dressing:
2/3 cup sugar
1 cup oil
2 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
6 Tbsp rice vinegar
spice packet from Top Ramen noodles
Warm dressing and mix with salad ingredients withing 15 minutes of serving.

Friday and Saturday Game Nights


Each weekend we sit down and watch movies, or play Board Games. We haven't had satellite for over a year, and we don't miss it for a moment. This weekend we decided to play the game of Life, and I won but last weekend, Jeff dominated us with Monopoly. It is a tradition in our family to put the losers play pieces in front of us, and have a little "museum" of those lost in gameboard combat. As you can see, Jeff relished in his victory and showed what a good sport he was. haha.

4H Favorite Foods Day


I was really proud that I had posted on the blog for the last few days, until Jeff burst my bubble by asking when I was going to post about our family. Sometimes, I get carried away with the design side of my life, but in my defense, I did let him know that I was the one taking the effort to make a blog, and that I could write what I wanted because I was the one doing all the work. Posts don't just appear on the page. :) I also invited him to share his thoughts on the blog about the family, but I was greeted by silence, so I guess that means I can write about what I want!! Well, to be a good sport, I am writing the next two posts about our family. I'll just have to even it out, so he doesn't deflate my confidence again.

Ashlyn recently competed in a 4-H Food competition, and competed against other 5th graders in our County from other clubs. She decided to compete in making a salad on a functional table setting. Functional Table setting, meaning she had to have the placemat, flatware, dishes and such. She also competed in a Cake Decorating competion. She did wonderful in both competitions and even had to be interviewed about her techniques and opinions on her entries. I am not sure why she is making that funny face at me in the photo up above. In that picture she is waiting in line for her turn to be interviewed. Perhaps her expression reflects her nervousness about the upcoming questions?

We did have a glitch the night before the competition. We had purchased all of her supplies, and had plans to sit down early in the evening together. As parents, we were only allowed to supervise, so I wanted to give Ashlyn plenty of time to prepare. When we arrived home however, our front porch light was out. We typically try to leave it on, because it is really dark out in the country, and with no street lights trying to open our front door with our key is hard. We soon discovered that we had been robbed. Yet again. It is the 3rd time in 2 years. You will be able to see photos of our living room in another blog entry, but to be honest, it is down to bare bones. Well this time they took our kids' new Wii, that Santa had brought them for Christmas, and a computer of mine. Poor Ashlyn, while we were working on her projects, she got to watch the Sheriff's department taking fingerprints. Needless to say we didn't get to bed until 2am, and then had to be at the Competetion at 9am the next morning. It was an all day competition so I think she was working purely on adreneline. I know we were out of steam. :) At the competition, they had little booths for the kid's to go to, and even Jeffrey was allowed to participate. They made ice cream in freezer bags. The kids seemed to love it, but in my opinion it was really disgusting.
Ashlyn made a Cabbage Chinese Chicken Salad that is a family recipe. I will include the recipe on another blog post. It is really delicious. FYI, Ashlyn hates salads and sauces and this had both. I made her taste what she made though, and with a grimace she ate it and swallowed. I laughed when Ashlyn came back from her interview for her Salad entry. They asked her why she liked it, and she smiled and said, "I think the ingredients blend well together." She said, "Mom, I didn't lie, I didn't tell them whether I liked it or didn't like it." I laughed.
Neither Jeff nor I were allowed in the room with Ashlyn, so she had to set up her place setting all by herself. There were strict rules on the height of her table decorations. She had an orchid as you can see in the picture, but it was 1 inch higher then what was allowed so she got dinged on points for that, and she also got dinged for not squaring up her chopsticks. She had drizzled the salad dressing on the salad rather then mix it ahead of time. Our thought was because it would be sitting for awhile we didn't want the cabbage to get soggy. Oh well, we will try it differently next year.

Ashlyn won a Blue Seal Award for her Cabbage Chinese Chicken Salad, and Boy was she excited!!!
Last but not least, the Cake Competition. When we walked in the building and Ashlyn carried her cake in, the people started ooing and awwing. I'm not kidding, really. The cakes...were all styrofoam, but what they judged on was the decorating. We found an awesome cupcake cookbook, and so we decided to adapt it from cupcakes to cake. The name of the book is called "Hello, Cupcake!" written by Karen Tack & Alan Richardson. It is a book definetely worth having in your cooking library.
The entire thing was made out of candy. Starburst, Vanilla tootsie rolls, twizzlers, pretzles, spearmint gum, green frosted flakes, green m&m's. There was very little frosting or piping. The other competitors relied on that technique but we decided to think out of the box, and it paid off.

Jeff carved the styrofoam to look like rows in a garden, and then Ashlyn frosted it with chocolate icing, and then put oreo's in a blender. The radishes are out of a cherry starburst rolled with a vanilla tootsie roll, the leaves are green frosted corn flakes,the beans, are green starbursts with m&m peas, and green twizzler vines. The carrots are orange starburst and she piped the carrot tops. The shovel is made from pretzles, and green spearment gum, and the cabbages, are the frosted corn flakes and a green starburst center. Everything was done by rolling with your hands. I think she did an awesome job, and she's only 10, and this was her first competition!

And the winner is..........! Ashlyn won Reserve Grand Champion and earned a pin to go on her cap. By the look on her face, you can see how excited she was. Moments like this, make it so....worth it to be a mom. I love this girl!

That's our girl!

Family Tree Mural



One of the many callings I have in my church is as a Family History Consultant. I really love to research geneaology and to also help others locate family members so that they can add them to their Family History books. It is one of the ways in which I can unwind and relax and has become a very rewarding hobby.


Today on the way to church, I shared an idea that came to my mind earlier in the day with my husband. I thought it would be neat to create a large wall mural of our family tree. I thought it would be a great idea for either my husband or I to paint one on canvas or even a friend of ours in Utah to be commissioned to do the job( who is a much better muralist then either of us). Having the mural painted on canvas would also enable us to take it with us as a keepsake, rather then risk having to leave it, or having to cover it with paint later down the road. My thought was to have individual close up pictures taken and painted in "frames".

Whenever I get ideas, I run to my computer and start researching out the possiblities. Wouldn't you know it....I'm not the only one who came up with this brilliant idea. :) I'm not one to complain though, it just means I can learn from other artists and gather some more tips and photos from their projects.


At the very top of this blog post is a photo taken of an artist who is attempting at doing the same thing. She hasn't quite finished her project but I am anxious to see the end result. Her blog address is on the photo.

At Apartment Therapy.com I found a neat DIY guide on how to paint your own tree mural. http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/ny/how-to/how-to-paint-a-tree-mural-026139



My mom will get a kick out of this, because she is a huge Harry Potter fan, but I was able to find this picture on the internet of the Sirius Black Family Tree. This took up the whole backdrop, but it sure looks cool with the blue/green background and the white tree winding across the wall.


The photo below is another alternative for a family tree. I found this really interesting website where an artist transforms your family line into art. It isn't a large mural, but she does some beautiful work in watercolor, so if you don't have the space or patience to use up a whole wall for a large piece of canvas, or to paint directly onto the wall, this smaller framed option is a beautiful alternative. You can get this art done at http://www.fmlytree.com/index.php

Last but not least, family history trees aren't limited to being rendered solely on canvas, it can be done in other mediums as well. I ran across an article on how to create Heirloom Photo Ornaments. These ornaments are fabulous, and in my opinion you could display them all year round and have a living family tree. It doesn't have to be Christmas to display ornaments especially when they have pictures of your ancestors on them.
Check out http://genealogy.about.com/cs/holidays/p/ornament.htm
The example above is of a family tree that I found online awhile ago, and I apoligize for not knowing the source. However, this is also an example of how you can combine your parents family lines. On the left you could have one for your father and on the right your mother. Each leaf would have the name and dates appropriate to your ancestor or living family member.
I will continue my search for more inspiration on creating my own family tree, but in the meantime if anyone has any cute ideas send them my way!
-Janele