Ahh Mexico...

So my favorite vacation spot is Mexico and specifically Mazatlan. I have been there once and want to go back. Previously I have been to Puerto Vallarta twice. Not that I want to go back during the summer (way to hot and humid for me), but I do miss it there. Life is so tranquil and simple. It really is a getaway.

So I am sharing some pictures of very fond memories of our 2006 trip. My husband, son, and mother (with the kayak) were all there. We now have a daughter (almost 2 years-old) who we would like to take as well. Unfortunately on a recent 3.5 hours road trip, we quickly learned that the 8 hour flight to Mexico would be too much for her still. So we are hoping for next Spring. We'll see!

Artist Feature - RoseRidgeCreations

I am excited to present my first artist feature on an Etsy seller. I had an easy time choosing who I wanted to feature first. RoseRidgeCreations is a shop full of beautiful items that I could only dream of creating: quilted bags, purses, items for baby and your dog! If you love shabby chic, you'll love RoseRidgeCreations!


Rhonda of RoseRidgeCreations has been sewing since
the early 70's, but has only been able to sew full time since her former employer terminated her employment in March due to the current economic situation. She decided to make lemonade (pink lemonade) out of lemons and look at the situation positively and use her time to start her Etsy business.

Over the years she was told many times that to do her craft for a living, but could never see quitting a lucrative job to pursue a risky venture. Well, they say everything happens for a reason and our current economy happened just in time to be the catalyst she needed to make a leap of faith.

Her love of quilted and floral fabrics brightens my day
every time I visit her shop and that is Rhonda's goal. She hopes that RoseRidgeCreations will brighten
someone else's day as it brightens the way toward her new future. See more of these beautiful designs at: http://www.roseridgecreations.etsy.com/.

Proud Mom

I am such a proud mom. My son was in the local paper yesterday for collecting food for our local food bank rather than presents for himself for his birthday. Here's the link to the article which also has a great picture:

http://www.statesmanjournal.com/article/20090520/COMMUNITIES/905200394/1105/SOUTH_SALEM

Gardening Time

If it is not already obvious, I LOVE GARDENING! It is finally that time of year when we get to give our outdoor spaces the attention they need. I found some great shots of beautiful gardens on www.HGTV.com. My garden doesn't look like these yet, but they are inspiring.

We pull weeds, mow the lawn, trim everything, and plant (and pull weeds and mow the lawn a few more times), so that we can have a garden like these...someday.

HOW-TO

I am still very excited about my newest addition to my store which I blogged about recently. It has been quite a hit, so here is my "How-To".

1. Start with an old frame or a few if you want to make a set. They do not need to have glass as you need to remove the glass anyway. *Finally a great use for those old frames!





2. Sand the frames so they are ready to paint. Prime, then paint. You will probably need 2 coats of paint. I usually use either white or cream - whichever matches better with the fabric I am using.





3. Once the paint is completely dry, distress the frame until you are pleased with how it looks. I like to use a sander block.

4. Now, select the fabric you want and carefully choose the exact section of fabric you want in your frame. Cut the fabric about 3/4 inch larger on each side than the cardboard piece in the frame.

5. You will lay the fabric good side down and, using hot glue, adhere the back edges of the fabric to the back of the cardboard.

6. Once the glue is dry, put it in the frame and take a moment to bask in the beauty of what you have created.

7. Finally, add decorative paper to the back and hanging hardware. If your frame already has hanging hardware, you can cut around it to add the finishing decorative paper (see picture). I use white glue for this step.

*Options: You can choose different colors for the frames and different styles and textures for the fabric. You can also leave the glass in, but I find it dulls the colors of the fabric.

What a Week!

So a week has passed and what a week! I was preparing for my son's birthday (which included a huge party) when I started feeling sick. I found out later that I had Strep Throat. So I was in bed for a couple of days getting nothing done. Of course I ended up behind in time with the kids, work, projects...life.

I am up and around and now trying to catch up. I have managed to finish a cupboard I had been working on and took new pictures of some items that had dark pictures before. Pictures are always a work in progress - something can always be improved. Hopefully these are more eye-catching and better show the work I've put in. Now back to work!