Tuesday, November 23, 2010

Getting Ready




Today everyone seems to be getting ready for the Holidays. John, my darling husband, is living up to his moto of saving the world one tree at a time and has volunteered to get a Christmas tree for our little town. He also volunteered me to make the ornaments for the tree out of gourds. Fine until you see the tree that had to be lifted up with the skid steer, the bucket truck and 5 local Lions Club Members.

I am posting holiday gourds and thinking about how I need to get the house ready for Thanksgiving, but blogging and taking pictures of the town's new tree instead. It's not last minute yet, so I have plenty of time.

Wednesday, November 17, 2010

Put on the Breaks!


Whoa! Ok, I had another post in mind for today, because I went to a new gourd farm yesterday, but I'm so PO'd about DWTS that I want to speak my mind so I can go on with my life. WTH? WTF? Brandy might not be the perfect Madonna figure for; "The meek shall inherit the Earth", but the woman is a beautiful dancer and this is a dancing competition where we as housewives get to sit at home and dream about being the one's doing the complicated steps. And let me remind you; dancing with the STARS! I got pregnant before I was married too. I did manage to wait until I hit the ripe age of 20, but where is the STAR part of being a teen mom? I like Bristol. I was rooting for her for many weeks, but I think she has a little bit of an attitude and I would rather see a real competition. If you want to root for the underdog and take your rally caps off then do it for Kyle. What a personality that is still down to earth and to move his little sausage shape like that takes as much work as Bristol has put into it. I liked the show. I liked to be able to sit down and watch something that wasn't about sex and solving a murder, rape crime. But now it is just like any other reality tv show, and it took us back to the bummer that is reality.

And, by the way; GO TINA FAY!
oh and my own personal quote; "There is a special place in hell for women that support women only because they are women. Think for yourselves." Jennifer Goode

Monday, November 15, 2010

A Handcrafted Christmas is coming your way!


I am so excited for this upcoming show. It is next Sunday, November 21st and it is in Maryville, Mo. That is quite a ways from me but I love an adventure. It is a college town and a bunch of the KC Etsy peeps will be there. It is completely hand made and it is in an airplane hanger! How Cool is that!?! As the owner of Cripple Creek Says; "Check it Out!" http://www.holidayhuntmaryville.blogspot.com/

Monday, November 1, 2010

Modeling




Here is how the costumes turned out. One little bumble bee and one designer lady bug. Caitlyn was feeling like the Halloween Scrooge so we made her a costume to go out with Audrie, then she called Katie who dressed up like a Prom Queen and we made our rounds. I have put all the candy in a bowl and hidden it in John's garage/office so he will eat it and I have to think about it before I go out there and get in the bowl. This was after I ate kit kat's on the way to school.

Sunday, October 31, 2010

Happy Halloween



Just a quick note to say Happy Halloween to everyone and show you a few things. It is show season so I am crazy busy and I love it. I am a much happier person trying to juggle lots of things at once. So, the first picture is Audrie's bumble bee costume. One of my first sewing projects. My mother sewed every night. It was calming to hear the buzz of the machine and know where your mama was. I had handmade dresses for every school dance. But, being a headstrong daughter didn't like taking lessons from her, regret it. So I know the basics but haven't done much. I am borrowing my cousin's sewing machine and like magic this costume came together from thrift store buys and fabric from decorating my niece's wedding reception. I will get pics tonight of the bumble bee in action.

Next is my little helper as I'm trying to take pictures of my gourds to list today and for next weekend's show. It is my favorite show because my Grandma lives there and it is sweet and fun and nice people and low stress. It will be at Silvercrest at Deer Creek Retirement Community in Overland Park. The street address is; 13060 S. Metcalf Ave. Overland Park, KS 66213 and the phone number is 913.681.1101. The show is Saturday and Sunday. I believe 10-4, I'll check times. If you would like to have a booth just call the number I listed and ask for Jill.

Have a Great and Safe Halloween. Jennifer

Sunday, October 10, 2010

Bike Ride Sunday



We are headed out for a bike ride with the little ducklings. I just wanted to drop in and show you what I have been making. It is that time of year you put gourd crafting into high gear, but I got distracted by all the wonderful herbal scents I have hanging out so I stopped by the local drug house... I mean craft super store Micheal's and grabbed some soy wax chips. It was so nice to use in a double broiler and the essential oils mixed easy. I poured them into antique jars that are overflowing my shelves and voila my house smells grrrreat.

I'll let you know how the bike ride goes. My bike needs a repair and I think that I am the last person my husband will fix something for. Like a wise wife said to our buddy, her husband; "I wish I had your number." cause he sure could help out a friend and fix stuff for others. Ok, I got distracted. My bike only has one pedal so I may have trouble getting up hills, but I will be like a bullet going downhill. Sounds like a fun day huh?

Thursday, September 9, 2010

Celebrating New Talent












Last Thursday our 6th grade football team and the 6th grade cheerleaders got to play and cheer at half time of the Kansas City Chiefs home pre-season game against the Packers. It was so exciting! The boys were like little dots on that huge field and I can just imagine their hearts beating out of their chests to be surrounded by people cheering them on. As a parent it was an amazing feeling to see your son's tackle on the Jumbo Tron! The game ended in a tie 7-7 which I think was the perfect outcome. We were on the opposite side of the field from where they were playing and I didn't want to miss it by trying to make my way to the other side, so I took my pictures at the highest resolution and hoped for the best. Here are a few of the pictures I got that night. We had great weather with storm clouds clearing as we all arrived then it was almost chilly. Football Season is Here! Click HERE to go to my flicker page and see more game pictures. There will be sections on the right hand side to click and see the game pics. I will also be posting pictures from the teams float in the Louisburg parade. Busy week.

Thursday, September 2, 2010

Cross Stitch Envy





So, I have two Etsy shops. One where I list things I make and vintage country items Trellis and one that I list fabric and patterns for sale Epic Epoch. I have been listing pattern after pattern of these fun cross stitch projects and it makes me yearn to do them. So far I have resisted. I just keep looking back at the cross stitch project I started in High School. I now have a daughter in High School.

And it kinda looks like my new cat....

Wednesday, August 25, 2010

I Promise





I promise to do better on the blogging. It is fall gourd time, MY FAVORITE, and they will be popping up on here. But, I do have a good excuse; the end of summer and lots of kids and back to school. I had 200 beautiful trees to inventory and analyze. These trees added 17k a year in value and saving to the property. Amazing! and we went to the lake and as if I didn't have enough to do, we switched and painted and rearranged rooms then went through clothes and got ready for school. So a better, deeper post later. I Promise.

Saturday, July 31, 2010

Want a Peak





My bedside table starts to collect things that I really like. Wanna peak before I clean it off again and start over? It is an antique chest that I can't remember life before it. Really, it has been around my mom and dad's house for as long as I can remember and now it lives at my house. On top of the chest is my reading lamp, cause I looove to read. On top of the lamp is Dum Dum's bird (that is the new nickname that John gave to the kitten) I got the bird at a garage sale. It is vintage and made for craft projects. It has landed on my lamp and the kitten lives to hunt it. I have a wooden box with my favorite necklace. Two jars of my favorite homemade lotions. My creamy body butter and the leftover chocolate peppermint lip balm. Yummy yarn, look at those beautiful balls of color and texture. The self striping sock yarn has the cutest knitting needles with cupcakes on the end sticking out of the softness. There is a hairband from flipping it out when I am done with my ponytail at the end of the day. Also, a can of spray pain reliever because I have had poison ivy all summer and wake up with burning arms. Then books and magazines. Can't get enough! I haven't read all the books yet, but the magazines I have memorized. Borders Books just had a tent sale so the pile is kinda high. There is soapmaking, knitting, living simple, fantasy books, country living mag, and aromatherapy. So that was a little peak into my bedroom and my head.

Monday, July 19, 2010

Summer of the Boy




We are a Re-Tread, a combined family, the real Brady Bunch. He has 3 kids and I have 3 kids. Then we got married and their were 8, four girls and twin boys. The first three years we had all of them full time except for an occasional JC weekend (Joint Custody or Thank Jesus Christ) but as they grow and become self obsessed, dramatic......I will stop before I say too much, Tweens, they start to try living at Mom's or spending more time at Dad's. So, needless to say, summer time is a weird schedule with the kids. The oldest girl is in Boston visiting family and keeps in touch by twitter and facebook. Weird I tell ya. The youngest is Grandma's buddy and flitting around to all her social events, and the middle girls are with their mom doing God Know's what! I won't even get into that. Lately I have been outnumbered by boys; John (Hubby) and Cale and Brennen (my twins) and the neighbor boy is staying with family up the street for the summer so he has joined the fun in bringing dirty boy stuff to my life. Super Weird!

So this weeks pictures have been outdoor boy fun. Playing on the slip n slide they won for reading 5 books. I know! Already! I am so proud. The bucket of crawdad's making noise in my kitchen. Don't they live outside in a creek? Do they suddenly need air conditioning? And the great Bass tournament. Well, three boys on a big pond with fishing poles and a canoe. I have been told to stay away so they can be boys and mom doesn't go nurture them. Me? Do That? Well, at least I'm going to pack them snacks and a water jug.

Monday, June 28, 2010

Marriage Secrets


I don't know the secret to marriage. I am probably not very good at it compared to my parents. They have been married forever and I don't remember ever seeing them have a blow out. When I was younger age 4-10 my parents did competitive trail riding. They would take their horses my brother and I and compete in a 50 mile trail ride and me and my brother would get to explore amazing places. When I was 10 this is all I could think about. I was now old enough to compete in the junior division and it was all I wanted to do. As I got into it more, my mom competed less. I didn't understand. We had 3 horses. I remember asking my mom one time why she wasn't going to compete this weekend. I was early teens now and she said she didn't really enjoy it that much. It was such a shock. They were a team. She was so happy doing it. She told me she did it for Dad so they could have a hobby together. I think that is one of the smartest marriage tips I ever heard and I wasn't even at an age I thought I would use it.

That is why I have a picture of a fish today. My husband likes to fish and we have a fishing boat and more fishing poles than I have knitting needles. He is at a time in his life that he feels guilty fishing, that he should be working, but sometimes I encourage him to get away. If you knew me before you would be surprised to hear about me fishing. I did it in the pond growing up, so I am not a total NEWBIE. And I have my own conditions that make it more enjoyable for me and make me wine less. I don't tell him this. Just like my mom. I take my knitting and a small battery operated light, a pillow, book and I have my own fishing pole and it is Pink.

He likes to catfish so that is night fishing in strange places. Saturday night we drove an hour and a half to Warsaw and fished by the dam. All night. Except I have a pillow, so I throw my line out, knit a little and go to sleep. I woke up around 5am and it was beautiful and quiet and my husband was sleeping restlessly. So I gave him my spot, oh yeah, I also pack a collapsible camping mat and my down sleeping bag. So he moved into my spot I covered him up with the soft sleeping bag and he slept on. I sat in the chair and watched the cranes and the fish flipping. There were so many that I couldn't stand that we hadn't had a bite the night before and the lake was going crazy now. There is one more thing that I bring that makes it better. I fish with worms. He doesn't think they will catch much, but that isn't my goal. I can put worms on my hook by myself and not bother him when he is in the heat of it. So I put my worm on and cast my beautiful pink fishing pole. Every time I cast it I would get nibbles and have to put another worm on. It was fun. Then I caught one. That woke him up, kinda. So to show my commitment to this marriage I even took the baby catfish off the hook by myself so he wouldn't have to get up. My first time. And this cute little guy swam off happily. Thanks mom.

Thursday, June 24, 2010

In the Bag






I worked today, hard! Almost as hard as I worked yesterday in 96 degree heat. So, when we were finished trimming trees I snuck off. I took a shower first because, like I said, I worked HARD. So I earned this bag of yummy yarn. I worked that hard. My favorite yarn shop is closing on Saturday so I had to go one more time. It is bittersweet. I love the deal I got on this soft, beautiful, collection of colors and textures, but this is where I learned to knit. These are the women I knit with and knit and drank wine with. I don't even have projects for this yarn, but like Julie said when she was ringing it up; you never want to be caught without sock yarn. Oh, and the picture of the baby is her realizing that there is an outside world and I was in it and she was not.

Wednesday, June 16, 2010

Sensitive or Red Flag


When I met my husband he had a couple of very curious things. Well, beyond being a single dad of 3 girls in a small town with mom nowhere in sight. He couldn't do ponytails or iron, and when I came over from work in a skirt and high heels, they would sink in his yard and he would push things off the chairs for me to sit down. He owned a huge pressure cooker for canning. I'm talking 40 quart jars. I know! and a very cool commercial type dehydrator. He had me at....little girls, but the pressure cooker was a very cool surprise.

The picture; his climbing helmet with a brim from a gardening hat because the sun in Louisiana was so hot while trimming live oaks. His Sensitive Side. Ahhhhh

Monday, June 14, 2010

Lilac

I am in housecleaning mode and since I am a granola girl who prefers to go organic I mixed up some carpet freshener in a mason jar and sprinkled it on. It consists of; 1 box baking soda, a handful of dried lavender flowers and a handful of dried peppermint, then a tsp full of grapefruit essential oil. I shook it up and sprinkled it on my carpet. It is sitting there and I am in bliss. My house isn't completely clean, but from where I sit at my computer screen in the parlor, it sure smells like it is Perfectly Clean!

So, since I am soothed by the lavender and we just did a roll call for the KC Etsy Team, let me share some of my fellow artisans purple pride.

Round Ball Style Handmade Felted Wool Beads in Bright Fuschia
By; Shalana of the Funky Felter



Heart of Inara Serenity Necklace
By; Thyme2dream



Flower Sparkle Hair Pin Vinyl Barrette in regal purple
By Annebvinyl



Bird of Love Incense Burner
By; Glazedearth




Purple Dragon - ACEO Original Watercolor - Cute Dragon By Allison Stein



Purple Birdies Tote Bag
By; AuntJune

Sunday, June 13, 2010

Sun Off and On


It is Sunday on JC weekend (joint custody) so John and I have just been doing stuff around the house but now we are about to go stir crazy. So, this morning we went out to pick Elder Flowers. I have a bunch in the dehydrator right now and we found that the gooseberries are looking good. Now he is checking the weather map to see if we can fish anywhere and miss the rain. I'll let you know tomorrow how that goes and what I find on this little adventure, and how my dried elder flowers turn out. The history behind the Elder tree is very interesting and it has many uses. I guess this little post is just a preview of what's to come. Just wanted to say hello.

Thursday, June 10, 2010

My Secret has Been Exposed



They found out. I take my daughter to her Orthodontist appointment and drop her off. I know not mother of the year material, but I have a good reason. A better reason than the garage sales down the street. The orthodontist office makes me nauseous. So, when it was time to explain something by the nurse, Caitlyn admitted that I wasn't there, then the Dr. asked why she proceeds to tell them; The Orthodontist makes her nauseous. The doctor and the nurse reply; "We make your mom Nauseous?" But I showed back up before she was done and got all the instructions. After I get the rundown of how I am supposed to twist her expander 18 more times. My least favorite thing on this Earth to do. They asked me why they make me nauseous. I told them it wasn't personal and it wasn't them, there is just something about the smell of the office and it brings old braces memories back. It immediately makes my face hurt and my stomach sick and I get dizzy. Really, I'm not that kind of girl that faints. I trim trees 70 feet above ground in ice storms with high winds, but something about the ortho that gets me.

So, I had to admit to hitting the garage sales in the neighborhood. Look what I got; 4 gorgeous scarves. The ladies at the nurses office are walking down there on lunch. Please don't mind my home office in the background. I had to put the red polka dot one on as soon as I got home!