Carah's Owl Mobile

One of the fun things about an adoption...is decorating after you get the baby. So the nursery is slowly coming together as I learn how to juggle a 4 1/2 year old and a 3 month old (no rush she is sleeping in our room right now anyway). My sweet sister came and spent the night last night to help Carah-sit and help be crafty too...here is only a small bit of what we accomplished...



Yep we cut those branches off this morning and put them to good use...cause this doll deserves the best...

Happy Crafting Ya'll!!!

Hello Ruffles

Sis Boom...Good Ole Jennifer Paganelli fabric ruffles...on an old lamp from the thrift store (do you see those sweet little cherubs on the base?)....FAB! This is going in my nursery...and no I am not preg...just praying for an adoption!

Last Week in Pictures

Let's see...last week...was about Adoption teleconference...then make some bows...

Financing an adoption ministry at your church webinar...then make some bows...

Another webinar on financing adoption ministry at your church...then make a Halloween tassel with left over bow ribbon...

Then remember and make a newborn hair bow headband out of a knee high for Baby Allie who was to arrive on Friday morning...

Spending the night with the twins...while friends went for c-section...and wait for a text saying "She's Here!!!"

And how sweet are these bows going to be on Pretty Little Allie!!! The newest little GA peach.

and yes I made her purple hat...while sitting on the couch with hubs...cause I can't just sit still and watch tv...

A Little Tailgate...

A Little Tailgate is just not the same as a Big Tailgate...

With a little tailgate...it's just about 3 people at a time...while all the other people are on Baby Watch 2010...

CJ took this pic of us...he did great!

Buzz Time!

Hello Ladies! CJ could not stop staring at these girls! It was too funny.

A little pregame surfing...

And a small perk...lots of space to watch the game...when only 5 of the 12 tickets are used!!!

Big Boy Room Remix Part 1

While the spray paint is drying I'll show you what we started on Saturday...

C.J. and Jake working...well Jake working and C.J. pretending to help.

Toddler bed down...full bed in!!! (I haven't pick out a new quilt/bedding yet.)

Seeing where I want everything...

Cute things going up here!!! Just wait...

Going to paint these shelves red...
This arrangement is going over his headboard. I'm going to hang the spaceship and make him a planet "Chupiter" to hang in the corner over his bed.

I hoisted the 40 pound dinosaur tv up there by myself...no cable for this tot...tv is just for the DVD player...

Stay tuned...

A Southern Girl's Summer Kitchen

Jake's Nana gave me a rooted hydrangea from her yard when we moved into our house a little over 5 years ago. It was less than 18 inches tall. I love especially love the blue hydrangeas. Wanting to make sure mine turned blue...I read to put tin foil in the soil...and it worked!!! This is by far the prettiest it has bloomed! And just think...my neighbor Karen...gets to look at it from her bathroom...I wish I could see it from inside our house...there are no windows on that side.


And this is the pride in a Southern Girl's Summer Kitchen!

(Click on the pic for a gorgeous close up of this arrangement)

CocoJ's Decorative Tassel Tutorial

Decided to make a tutorial as I was making tassels today...

Pick an item as your base...these are applesauce cups...you could use...empty toilet paper rolls, yogurt cups, etc...

Poke a hole in it...started mine with a wine bottle opener...then opened it a bit with a chopstick...


Grab a book close to the size you want your tassel with a lip and wrap with yarn or fabric strips...

Slip one piece behind and slide to the top...tie in a knot...and cut at the other end...in the lip of the book...


Now we have a plain tassel...


Slip the string through the applesauce cup...and tie a knot...


Now cut ribbon...or cut a layer at a time...if you are making one tassel you might as well make 2 or 3 or 4...


Use hot glue...to attach ribbon...starting at the bottom of the cup...TIP use fingernail instead of finger to press ribbon into dab of glue...then you will not get burned...


Layer....


Layer...


Layer...until you are happy with the ribbons...


You can even glue a few across the top...


Lookin Good...


Now we need to cover the ugly top of the cup...with eyelash yarn...I wrap it around a bottle and dab glue to hold the last strand on top...


Then slide it over the string...and hot glue it to the top of the cup...


For the topper...letters, ornaments...or just a painted wooden ball would be cute...but I have some wooden words from the Michaels clearance bin for $00.30 each...screw in 2 eye hooks...and attach tassel with ribbon...


Make as large or small as your heart desires...I think I will make a few with fabric scraps instead of yarn...

Please send me a link if you make some tassels...I want to see how yours turn out!!!

The Christmas Decor

So the decor is out and up for the most part...this tree needs a skirt...and of course I want to make it myself...but not this year...not before Christmas...seriously don't we all have last minute shopping to squeeze in and then a million presents to wrap...
The stockings were hung by the chimney (that has NEVER been used in the 4.5 years that we have lived here...so no worries of dirtying your suit here Santa) with care...

And a new addition to the Christmas traditions...Elf on the Shelf...C quickly named him "Frost"...

And my pretty old angel...have I told you her story?...HA...I tell it to Jake once a week...just to get on his nerves...it starts like this: "I was working at Our Father's House Florist in Fayetteville...I LOVED working there...Miss Maddie was the coolest boss...she was always cooking for us and letting us decorate...and Kelly and Tovah and Kristi were the best to hang out with after school and unwind with and laugh and laugh and laugh with... "

So back to that tree skirt...I got to thinking...Hmmm I have some Jennifer Paganelli Casey Scroll fabric that looks kinda red-orange...I wonder how it would work...

Oh yeah...I think it works quite WELL!!!! So I spread that fabric open and...

Oh yeah...I am not making a tree skirt...ever? I'll just lay this pretty little 2 yards of fabric out.

Casey Scroll Rocks. Thanks Jennifer...I love you. Merry Christmas...

Topiary Spheres

Hey Mom...

Here is where I put the topiary spheres that you got me at the thrift store...Works out well...cause the light right there is not good enough for real plants...which I would prefer...

Corrie