Shadow Hopping

Today, as Bits and I are in the kitchen eating our strawberry granola bars and dancing to the music in our heads, I realized there was no other child in this world better suited for me.

We took another family walk in our soon to be spring U.P. and Bits shadow hopped my silhouette and giggled every time he misstepped.

Mike has, for sure, lost any hope of increasing his heart rate and attaining an actual quality walking pace when I'm along for the stroll, because my "shiny object syndrome" always gets in the way. Something wonderful that I see today may not look the same tomorrow, so the need to capture the moment always compels me to stop even with the frustrated vocalizations of my husband. Honestly, do you not see the beauty in the peeling paint of a green light pole against the receding snow in the background?

I can't help myself...I like what I like and my eyes scan constantly for new inspirational shots. People should feel lucky that I'm not taking pictures of all the dog poo left by our cold friends during their winter walks (honestly, I'd have enough pics. to make a substantial coffee table book).

Weather Worn Birdhouses

Tumble Barn for plein aire site. Love the birdhouses, but a dangerous place for a two -year old to venture into, yet a fun place for a 27 year old to explore.

By the way, how are everyone's lilacs doing? They are all a-bloom around here!

DIY Easter Table Centerpieces

Double blog day, must mean I'm avoiding something: (a) dishes, (b) laundry, (c) vacuuming, or (d) all of the above.

Here's what will be in the center of my Easter table.

I revisited my Thanksgiving centerpiece ideas and researched what some crafters are doing themselves and added my own Amyness to it all.

What you'll need:

left over fabric

white felt

sticks

iron on fabric backing

glass bottles

ribbon

decorative paper

pebbles for inside bottles(optional, but may help keep sticks in set position)

Hot glue gun in hand and you're ready to go.

Using said glue gun, I covered bottles with inside out fabric (the pattern was more appealing that way) and tied loose ribbon around the necks.

I ironed on fabric backing to fabric scraps to make the fabric a tad bit stiffer, then hand sketched flower shapes and leaves onto the backs of the fabric and cut out the pieces.

Taking my white felt, I sketched out centers for flowers and again cut 'em all out.

I glued together all appropriate pieces and glued vintage book papers to the backs and cut to fit.

The larger flowers I ended up gluing two together (wrong side to wrong side), leaving a small opening on one side to slide onto a stick end and then glued them into place. The smaller flowers I left with paper backs showing and glued directly onto points on the sticks.

To add a touch of green to the arrangements to keep with my theme colors, I added vintage cards onto small dowel rods.

...And voila' you have an arrangement that cost next to nothing (literally, with all the scrap material in my fabric basket, I only spent 2 bucks for dowels and ribbon).

*If you plan to use my pattern, just click on the image above to get an 8"x10" image size.