Fortuna's Apple Harvest Festival

It's that time of year again.  Fortuna's Apple Harvest Festival will take place Saturday, October 3rd in Fortuna, Ca.  I'm so excited to say that for the first time ever I will be taking part in the craft show taking place in downtown Fortuna on Main Street.  Starla and I will be selling our hand-crafted goodies for all to enjoy.  We've been busy putting in late nights to get lots of lovlies ready for all of you.  We are really excited as sometimes the creative juices are flowing so fast and free we have a hard time turning it off at night so we can sleep!  We will be selling LITTLE GIRL TUTUS, (they are adorable, by the way), Starla's gorgeous  BOOK PURSES, my HOLIDAY PENNANT BANNERS,  and LOTS OF OTHER STUFF.  The festival  is a time for the community to come together to celebrate the harvest of apples from Clendenan's, a local apple orchard (96 12th St., Fortuna).  It's also really the start of the holiday craft fair season.  It's always fun to see people after the summer, catch up, and see what other crafters have been up to.  Tractors pulling hay wagons ferry people from one location to another (for free!) since there are different types of activities in different locations around town.  I'm looking forward to seeing old friends and maybe making some new ones.  I hope you will be able to stop by the Apple Harvest Festival and enjoy some of Clendenan's cider.  Look for Starla and me on Main Street in downtown Fortuna. 

 If you stop by and mention this blog post, you will be receiving a special free gift from me! 

See ya there, Saturday, October 3rd!

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button & To Kill a Mockingbird

How many of you have seen "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button?"  BunBun and I watched it the other night and I can't decide what I really think of it.  Let me say that I rarely watch movies with Brad Pitt - I just don't like him as a person - but the fact that this story started out its life as a story by F. Scott Fitzgerald had me intrigued.  For those of you that don't know, it's the story of a man, born old that gets younger as he ages.  Basically, that's it.  BunBun loved the movie and would watch it again right this second if it was on.  I watched the whole thing, all 2 hours and 47 minutes of it and was interested the entire time.  It was strange to get a look at what Brad Pitt may look like in 10-20 years from now.  Also what he might have looked like before he hit the big time.  And as always, Cate Blanchett did not disappoint.  She is an incredible actress.  I guess I'm rambling here, but when it comes down to it, I couldn't get over the fact that this was Brad Pitt.  Maybe that is why I can't decide if I liked it or not.  I think there are some actors who have become such a persona that it's impossible for them to disappear into a character.  And it really has nothing to do with how long they have been acting or whether they are an icon or not.  I have no problem watching older, more seasoned actors that have a lot more well-acted roles to their credit than Brad Pitt.  And it's not just that I don't care for him.  I can watch any movie with Clint Eastwood and he becomes  the character.  I can watch any movie with Johnny Depp and he becomes the character.  I could list lots of actors that inhabit the role they are playing and let you get "into" the movie.  But I just couldn't do it with this one.  Maybe I will watch it again and see if i receive it any better.  I don't know.  Maybe I should just read what F. Scott Fitzgerald wrote.

Last night we watched "To Kill a Mockingbird."  It never ever disappoints.  The story of Jem, Scout, Atticus, Dill, and Boo Radley has been a favorite since Mrs. Thrap read it to the class in 7th grade.  I don't know when I watched the movie starring Gregory Peck and Robert Duvall for the first time, but I know I fell in love with the story way back when.  BunBun had never seen the movie and I think he liked it.  He didn't say much the whole time.  But I love each and every moment of the film.  From Scout and Jem meeting Dill the very first time to when it ends with Scout walking Boo Radley home.  These are characters who are real.  I didn't think..."oh look, it's Gregory Peck going to give his closing arguments," in the court house scene. No, I thought, "Atticus is going to give one of the most-convincing arguments of his adult life right now."  If you haven't seen the movie or read the book, go do it and enjoy.  If you have seen the movie or read the book, do it again just for the pure joy of watching a terrific film or reading one of the best stories ever written.

Felt Bird Ornament Tutorial

I think I have finally figured out this little guy so here is the tutorial I promised.  I hope you like it.  If you use any of the pictures here, please link back to me.  Thanks.

1.  I free-handed the basic shape of a bird.  I have never claimed to be a great artist, but I think it turned out well.  Then I drew in the features I wanted to include.  Basically, beak definition, tail feathers, a wing, and an eye.  I should not have done this with pencil though, as it didn't show up well in the picture.

2.  I placed my cut-out of the bird on a piece of felted wool skirt.  If you don't know how to felt wool, it isn't really that difficult.  (Click on the link for some great instructions.)  I pinned it down on a double layer so I could cut two out at the same

3.  After both pieces were cut out,I began stitching the features from the sketch onto the bird using 3 strands of embroidery floss.  I really like DMC .  I just used a basic stitch for all the features.

4.  I cut a smaller version of the bird from cereal-box-type cardboard and then used Aleene's Craft Glue to adhere the cardboard to one of the felt pieces.  I just waited for it to dry before sewing button eyes on. 

5.  I used six strands of embroidery floss to make the hanging loop and attach the jingle bell.  I used a blanket stitch to put the two felt pieces together.

And....that is my little felt bird ornament.  I actually like how they are all turning out and I may post later on when I have a whole flock to show you.

If you make some of your own, let me know. I would love to see how they turn out.

30days: Craft Book Review 3

Mique over at 30 Days just reviewed some really great craft books. She has me drooling over some of them. (As if I don't have enough books already!)   She reviews Sewing in No Time  and Funky Felt Crafts and mentions a few others.   Go check out her blog and see what I'm talking about.
30days: Craft Book Review 3

Reality is my Life

Anyone that knows me, knows I am a reality show junkie.  Well, the new season of some of my favorites has started, so here is a recap of what I watched this week.

ANTM- I love Tyra and she did not disappoint this week.  She showed up as Super Smize.  The super model super hero to teach the contestants how to smile with their eyes.  Some of these girls just DO NOT get it.  There was a smizing contest and the girls that won got to have dinner with the head of Wilhelmina Models, Sean Patterson.  The photo shoot this week was interesting.  They headed to Santa Anita Race Track to have their photos taken with a jockey and a horse.  You know these girls are short, none is over 5' 7", but standing next to the jockey, they looked TALL.  Once again Bianca complained about what she was required to wear, but she made it to the next round when crippled Courtney was eliminated.  The judges felt she let her broken foot get in the way of doing her best.  The guest judge was Lauren Conrad and as a side note, how did this girl get her own show.  She seems about as smart as Paris Hilton ie. D-U-M-B.  As usual, Nigel was gorgeous.

SURVIVOR- This was the first episode and the two tribes are Foa Foa and Galu.  The contestants are in Samoa this time and already I can see a villain making himself the one everyone loves to hate.  Russell of the Foa Foa tribe started off as a Johnny FairPlay kind of guy.  If you don't know who Johnny FairPlay is, google him.  He is a despicable past contestant.  Russell lied, emptied all the canteens, and threw socks in the fire.  He calls himself the puppetmaster and so far it looks like he may be right.  We'll see how long his sneaky ways will go unnoticed.

PROJECT RUNWAY- This time around the designers were taken on a field trip to the L.A. Times to find out what this week's challenge was going to be.  They would be required to design a garment made from newspaper.  There were some really interesting gowns, dresses, etc. made from this "fabric"  Some of my faves were Carol Hannah's (she is just a cutie), Christopher's, and Gordana's. The winner was Irina.  It was a great design and was well-made too.  The guest judge was Tommy Hilfiger.  LOVE TOMMY!  Eliminated this time was Johnny.  Johnny was caught lying to the judges.  When Tim Gunn came into the work room to check on the designers' progress, he gave Johnny a scathing opinion.  Johnny subsequently threw the dress away and started all over.  When the judges asked him about his original design, he told them he had been pressing it and steam from the iron destroyed it.  Uh oh!  Lying to the likes of Heidi Klum is a big no-no.
 Auf Wiedersehen , Johnny.  Can't wait till next week to see what Tim has in store for the remaining designers.

not quite a failure, not quite a success

Here is the little bird I made last night while watching "Manson" on the History channel.  It was a good docudrama, although it was awful to see inside the "Family" that Manson created and the havoc that they caused.  The little bird is made from grey wool, felted, that was once a skirt.  I like how he turned out, mostly, but have decided to put a stiffener in the middle to make him more stable.  Actually, BunBun suggested it when I held the little creature up to see what he looked like. So, tonight- more bird adventures and hopefully a tutorial within the next couple days. 

I will most likely be watching "Hoarders" tonight, all the while, batting my eyelashes at BunBun everytime he looks at me and the t.v. and me again, with that look of... "that could be you on that show, ya know."

Have a great night and remember, GOD is the architect, and master designer of our lives.

a-crafting we will go....

so...aside from the D-R-A-M-A that took place this weekend, it was a good few days. now i'm about to head downstairs to sit with BunBun and watch t.v. and craft. what will i be crafting you ask? a cute little bird ornament made from felt. i'm making him/her ( i haven't decided which yet) for a swap on swap-bot. if it turns out well, i will post a tutorial. if it doesn't turn out well, i'll be posting pics of a craft disaster. haha. and what will BunBun and i be watching for our viewing pleasure? A docu-drama called "Manson" on the History channel. Doesn't that give you the warm fuzzies? Well, i'm off.... hope little birdie turns out well.

oh and P.S. if you haven't checked out Starla's blog ReFashioned Threads yet, go do it... NOW! she is hosting a fun giveaway.

door-to-door religion

first let me say i found this awesome picture here

Now...down to business. What makes a person think i want to buy salvation from a door-to-door salesman? I'm talking about jehovah's witnesses and mormans. I will be the first to admit that i have been friends with mormans and jehovah's witnesses in the past and have nothing against them as people. HOWEVER...i don't appreciate the robotic, saccharine, smiles and concerned looks from those that knock on my door and ask if i would like to hear about the answer to all my problems like salvation is the latest gadget and this person just discovered HE has the answers. Don't get me wrong, i believe we should all be enthusiastic about letting others know that there is only one way to heaven. BUT, that is not what these people believe.

Just to set aside any confusion, here is what i believe and KNOW to be true.

1. The world and everything in it was created by GOD.

2. Jesus is the son of GOD and He came to earth as a human and while a human DID NOT SIN.

3. Jesus was crucified as payment for my sin since a perfect blood sacrifice is required for forgiveness of sin.

4. Jesus was dead 3 days and was resurrected, walked among men, and then ascended to His heavenly father.

5. The Holy Spirit was sent to comfort, lead, guide, convict so the lost would find salvation and the saved would grow in the wisdom and knowledge of GOD.

6. The Bible is the GOD-breathed, infallible word of GOD and is the instruction book for Christians to live an upright life.

7. JESUS IS THE ONLY WAY TO GET TO HEAVEN, ETERNAL LIFE, BLISS, NIRVANA,ETC.

Whatever you want to call what happens to our soul when we die, unless you want to burn eternally with a fire that does not go out, you need to put your trust in Christ.

That being said, do not come to my door or stop me on the street to sell your phony idea of salvation. Unless you wanna talk about how Jesus rescued you from yourself and you now have a home in Heaven i don't want what you are selling.

Tonight two beautiful young ladies came to my door. They were modestly dressed and were very polite. They also wore badges that said they belong to the church of Jesus Christ of latter-day saints. I told them we believed in Jesus and were not interested in what they were selling. they asked if we knew anyone who could benefit from hearing about Jesus Christ. i told them yes i did, just not from them. i thanked them, told them to have a nice evening, and shut the door.

next time they come by maybe i will tell them i would be happy to listen to what they have to say after they pay a visit to MY church and listened to what MY Bible has to say about Jesus.

The Bean, football, and a finished project

So The Bean stayed with her oma and opa last night and it was relatively peaceful. Her she is all fresh and clean. I handed her to opa while he was in the shower. She DID NOT like that. She prefers a nice sedate little bath. She is the cutest thing on the planet (in my book, anyway) and I can't believe how big she is getting already. She just turned 3 months old! Aside from the barfing, (BunBun calls her Ralph) she is a joy to have around. I never knew I could have so much fun with a squirming little human.

Here is my son, Levi. He is #64 and is the center for the varsity Ferndale Wildcats. This pic was taken last Saturday when the Wildcats KILLED East Nicholas by about 50 points. Last night the team traveled to Willits to play and they won that game as well, 44-16. I'm so proud of Levi and his commitment to his team and the sport he loves. He eats conscientiously (most of the time) and although he plays other sports in the off-season, he works year round to stay ready for football. He is the boy GOD promised me and i couldn't be more proud.

Here is the butterfly I made for the Holocaust Butterfly Project. I basically took a brown grocery bag, measured the size limits, and drew a butterfly within that space. Next I took some card stock and cut it into squares and glued them onto the drawing, overlapping when i needed to to cover the bag. When it had dried, i took a black sharpie and went around the entire outline and each and every piece of card stock. Then i cut it out and mailed it to Houston. I think it looks like stained glass, kind of. Not the most gorgeous piece of artwork, but something I'm proud of nonetheless.

Starla Has a Blog!!!

Yeah for one of my besties, Starla! She just started a blog yesterday and i'm so excited for her and you! For her, 'cause i've been encouraging her to do it for awhile & for you cause she is giving away one of her gorgeous hand-crafted cards. Her blog is called ReFashioned Threads and you really must go check it out. Her post about her card giveaway is here. Go check out her blog and tell her I sent you.

a quiet (hopefully) night at home

so the bean is spending the night with us tonight. her momma and her great-aunty (my sis) went to an out-of-town football game (my son's). so it's just me and opa, the bean and maisey. opa is reading the paper, maisey is playing Nana to the bean and here i am. but i'm tired and i'm about to go grab that little bean and bring her up to my room. i PROMISE new pics of her tomorrow. till then...have a happy night.

ANTM-Cycle 13

**clapping hands and jumping up and down** I finally got my new fix of Tyra and America's Next Top Model last night! This time around all the girls are shorter than 5'7" and let me tell you, there are some doozies. We have the bald Bianca, the lesbian Lulu, and the loser (sent home last night) Lisa. This should be an interesting cycle. Last night's guest judge was supermodel Chanel Iman. Gorgeous! but i'm saddened that Paulina Porizkova was not a judge. Don't know what's up with that. But the Jay's were there and so was the always sexy Nigel Barker. Stay tuned as I follow these girls through the torture of becoming Wilhemina's next petite supermodel.
AND....Tonight is the new episode of Project Runway with Heidi Klum and Tim Gunn. Can't wait!

A laugh that i needed---thanks to Mom & her friend, Val

The other day, I needed to go to the emergency room.Not wanting to sit there for 4 hours, I put on my old Army fatigues and stuck a patch onto the front of my shirt that I had downloaded off the Internet.

When I went into the E.R., I noticed that 3/4 of the people got up and left. I guess they decided that they weren't that sick after all.

Cut at least 3 hours off my waiting time.

Here's the patch. Feel free to use it the next time you're in need of quicker emergency service.

It also works at DMV and the Laundromat. Don't try it at McDonald's; the whole crew will exit and you'll never get your order.

giveaways and worthy causes

Survival Mode Parent is one of those places you hope you never have to go for help, but are so glad they are there if you need them. They help people with children/infants in NICU's or PICU's get the support and everyday stuff done with the help of volunteers. Go check out their site and sign up to be a volunteer. You'll be glad you did.

The Lovely List is not just sponsoring the giveaway of ONE TERRIFIC BIKE, but is a great sourse to find all the "lovlies" floating through cyberspace. Go check them out and enjoy.

The Tidy Mom is a great site for mom's of little ones and she is sponsoring a giveaway by Lucky Girl Design. Tonya at Lucky Girl is a blog designer and is giving away a blog makeover! I love my blog, but there is so much more i would like it to be, and Tonya has some great ideas.

Skip to My Lou has been a favorite since i found it a short while ago. I check it regularly for ideas, encouragement, and smiles. Now she is hosting the most awesome giveaway ever! Artwork by Red Letter Words is amazingly simple yet profound. The artwork of scriptures is perfect. I am definitely wisting!

Frugal Bon Vivant (don't you love that name?) is hosting an organizer giveaway. Who doesn't need more organization supplies? The giveaway is for some wonderful storage boxes by See Jane Work. Go check it out.