Big Blog Break to Plan Big Wedding

Wow, well, my trip to Dallas wasn't as productive as I was hoping.  The salvage store I wanted to go to had gone out of business.  The thrifts stores were either too busy with 15 people in a check out line or the prices were a bit high.  I did find a perfect JCrew t-shirt and some large tin planters- and I just may be using those for my daughter's wedding-

Yep,  she decided to marry her best friend in a month!  So, I KNOW all you mother of the brides will understand that I will be taking a prolonged blogging break.... but I should be back the first part of August with some pretty, budget friendly ideas for a garden wedding reception..... wish me luck!

Here are some of our multi-colored inspiration photos....

I looked through etsy, martha stewart and these links:
project wedding
idiy weddings
once wed
intimate weddings

Short Blog Break

I'm headed out on short adventure (it includes thrifting and maybe a salvage yard!)-  I'll let you know how it went next week-

Child's Art Display Chain

I saw an idea similar to this where victorian postcards and lacey hearts were displayed on chain stretched over a headboard.  I saved it twice so that I could link to it and OF COURSE the link and pictures have mysteriously vanished.  I think there is a link monster eating files in my computer :o)

Anyhoo, my version ended up as an industrial looking art display project for Junior's room. 

I'm sure there are several ways to accomplish this.  The way I did it was to purchase:

• lightweight chain from a hardware store (like Lowes).  Choose your weight and your length. 
• badge clips in the jewelry section of Hobby Lobby
•  medium weight (easy to bend) silver wire (jewelry or hardware departments)

 Now, decide how far apart you want your art to hang.  I counted off every 20 links- or something like that.  Next, wrap wire through the opening on the badge clip and twist it into the chain, making a hanger.  I used pliers to bend the badge clip "attachers" over the wire- thus making it hang down correctly. 

It would be easier to tie the clips on using jute, or garbage bag twisties, or yarn, or string or ribbon- whatever look you are going for.  I'm kinda liking the industrial wire look....  and it keeps the clips from wandering around the house getting stepped on and lost- you know how things that aren't attached just sprout legs and hit the road.

I'd suggest hanging your Picasso's  art display chain low so that he can manage his own art display.

6/8/10  Variations:  You could also hang: the letters in your child's name, baseball hats, sports pennants, small stuffed animals, doll clothes, family photos (color or black and white), favorite quotes, or love notes- have fun!!

Simplify: Another book review

I recently finished reading the book You Can Never Get Enough Of What You Don't Need : the quest for contentment by Mary Ellen Edmunds.  Very Good. 

The blurb on the back of the book says:  Why does it seem we are always looking for more? In her wonderfully unique style, author Mary Ellen Edmunds suggests that You Can Never Get Enough of What You Don’t Need because what you don’t need never satisfies. "I can have a house filled with stuff and things, but if it’s not what I need, it will never satisfy me, no matter how much I have," she observes. Have you noticed that the happiness we equate with abundance often eludes both those who get what they want in life and those who don’t? This eye-opening treasure hunt of a book will help you find the secret to living with contentment.


Mary Ellen is a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and definitely writes from that perspective.  She asks so many good questions, makes suggestions for enlightening exercises and makes such a convincing case that you want to simplify your life for all of the best reasons.  I highly recommend it.

Necklace in Blue

I guess I'm on a jewelry kick.  This little number is to match a blue dress I had made.  Yes, in my previous discouragement at several failed sewing attempts I hired a seamstress to make me a dress.  I found the pattern and a cute blue floral material and she did all the hard stuff.  This talented seamstress is reasonably priced and my new dress is now my FAVORITE, (and totally comfy too)!

This piece has some genuine vintage beads from an old broken necklace mixed together with some new stuff.  It was really quick to make.  Just purchase a chain with clasp already on in the jewelry section of Hobby Lobby. Then remove the bottom half of your necklace (I used my needle nosed pliers to pry open the links).  Use beading thread to string your beads adding a jump ring to each end and attach it back to the original necklace chain. 

This piece from jcrew was my inspiration.

Last night we took advantage of the great prices on strawberries and had a strawberry spinach and almond salad.  I didn't like the seeds in the dressing- so, I strained them out before pouring the dressing onto the salad..  Then it was a yummy summer meal.

Speaking of summer, we are scheduled for some unusually HOT weather this weekend.  Yesterday, I stocked up on some interesting looking library books. I intend to read them next to a fan with a cool drink handy.

Summer Craft Projects: Art Supplies for Kids

I've been thinking about some fun projects to do with the kids this summer.  I also want sometimes when I can just hand over art supplies and see what they come up with.

We invested in some high quality colored pencils at Christmas and both kids love them.  They especially like the flesh colored pencils.  However, finding a decent pencil sharpener has been less then successful!  And who wants to use a dull, can-only-color-on-one-side-because-the-pencil-wood-is-ripping-the-paper-on-the-other-side pencil?!! 

Well, happy day, Angry Chicken posted about pencil sharpeners and I went online and bought two immediately!  I followed a comment suggestion and found the kind of sharpener Amy loves and has had for twenty years here at MerriArtist. 

MerriArtist is a fun online art store but you do need a $20 order minimum so check out some of the other cool looking stuff they have like:

      *Chalk Markers, use like chalk looks more like a marker (washes off with water)!

      *Hot cakes Encaustic Wax Paints, I've never heard of anything like this, and you'd have to carefully supervise older children- but these paints look so FUN!

Some kid's creativity supplies that we already have and enjoy:
               Crayola Fabric Markers and Crayons

               Prisma Colored Pencils

               A stapler
               hole punch and three hole punch
               Brads, paper clips (colorful ones are fun)
               Plain Paper (my kid's don't like coloring books- sometimes they  like printing one coloring page 
                         off of the internet)
              Sculpey Clay (they have MANY different kinds now- you can make stretchy toys, erasers, etc.)
              Paint: watercolor, tempra, finger, etc.
              Playdough
             Felt Glue (works 100 times better then regular glue when trying to glue felt together)

             Beads with large holes (for the little crafters).  Junior, age 6, made this for me this week :o)

             Good Scissors for paper, I love my adult scissors by this brand and would like to try these for
                         little guys.
             Good Scissors for fabric

Here's to a summer of crafting!  What products do your kid's enjoy?