Welcoming Fall a little early :)

This past week has been a relief from all the hot weather here in MD. I am so ready to welcome Fall. The pumpkin farm, the changing of the leaves on the trees, the smell of pumpkin and pecan pies in the over. I can't wait to start decorating for Halloween and Thanksgiving here at home. My chidren can actually go out and jump in the leaves soon while I enjoy my coffee on the porch. I love Fall and the crisp nights and breezy days :) Geez, I sound like a corny old magazine, don't I? lol

I am so tired of the mosuitoes and flies, cleaning the pool, and sweating! I want to put on a jacket and take a walk or just be lazy on the back deck. I also can't wait to start crocheting again. I've been so busy with birthdays and work that I haven't gotten anything done! That will be changing soon, believe me. I have some ideas for my crochet stash that I want to get started on soon.

I also want to get baking again. I know alot of my MJF friends are great bakers and crafters. So, if you have any great pie recipes of patterns that you want to share - please let me know!

I am going to be sorting through my stash soon so I'm hoping to have a giveaway or some things to barter. I'll keep everyone posted.

That's it for now. I hope everryone os enjoying some nice, cool weather and are welcoming Fall like I am.

Take care and Happy Crafting!!

Birthday, birthdays, and more birthdays....

This past month and next week are filled with so many birthdays around here! We had a party for my grand daughter last weekend, next weekend will be a party for my oldest sone (he'll be 18) and my oldest daughter (she'll be 25). Not to mention my dad's birthday last month, my neice, and my boss. Whew! That's alot of birthday cards...lol

I have been so busy with work that I barely have time to get on here. I wanted to stop in and let everyone know that I am still around :) My hubby got laid off a few months ago and I had to take on more hours at work. He's back to work now, but I'm still working evenings and a few hours during the day.

The last two days here have been beautiful! The weather has been perfect and Fall is in the air!! I can't wait to see the leaves change and put out my Fall decorations. Halloween is right aroound the corner!

So, if I seem MIA for a while in between posts, I'm just busy. I'll try to get on here and post a few words as often as I can.

Oh, by the way...check out the cake that I made for my grand daughter's 3rd birthday!! Maybe I should have my own Food Network show?? No, I'm just kidding...lol

Take care and Happy Crafting everyone!!

Been so busy....

Sorry I haven't been on here in a while. I have been so busy with everything! I've been working, gadening, taking care of my chicken(which by the way are growing so fast!), dealing with a killer toothache, having the tooth pulled - OUCH!, and went to my daughter's first show with her new band last night. Whew! Told ya I've been busy :)

I've really missed blogging on here. It seems like time has gotten away from me. I did manage to crochet a shawl for my youngest daughter. It is so cute and totally pink..lol She loves it!

So that is where I am right now. Oh, I've also been redoing the front bedroom of my house to turn it into a nice little "romantic" bedroom for me and the hubby. We definitely need more us time and our new bedroom will be so comfy and cozy when we are done. I can't wait to move in and relax! We're upstairs next door to the kids now, so no privacy at all :( This will be a big change for us.

So, with all that said. I will try to get back on here as soon as I can to keep you all updated on happenings here in the burbs. Now, it's off to bed because I have to work in - well - 8 hours!

Nite everyone!

Gonna be a LONG summer.....

Well, the rain doesn't seem to want to stop this month...Ughhh. Everyday it rains and that is definitely not normal for Maryland. I'm tired of driving in it,waking up to it, and seeing it fall altogether. I know, it could be worse, but here in MD - we're not used to it..lol

On a lighter note, I got the chickens outside. They are 8 weeks old today and with the exception of one of the hens trying to peck the others (I'm winning the battle on this!)everything else is good. They love their new home and my home is chicken free! I'll post some pics later of them - they are too cute!

The kids are out of school and it's gonna be a long summer. They get bored, cranky, and the rain doesn't help. Oh well, time to get creative.

I still haven't crafted anything in quite a while. I'm gonna get back to it soon, now that the chicks are in their new home. I found some cool crochet projects to tackle :)

Anyway, Ijust wanted to stop in and let everyone know that I am still around. Have a great week and stay dry!!

Take care and Happy Crafting!!

New chick pics and a few other things....

Between my kids, cats, the dog, and my chickens - I've been really busy! I've also taken up some gardening and so far, it's going good. I can't wait to get the first fruits and veggies off of their vines!
Hopefully everyone had a wonderful Memorial Day and weekend. Mine was good. Had the family over for some good food and a few laughs! I've missed blogging lately. I haven't even started any craft projects yet. My hands are itching for the crochet hook, but I've just got so much going on. I have been looking for some new patterns and thinking about using up my "plarn" stash to make a cool tote bag for the grocery store or maybe a rug. Who nows? I always change things up at the last minute! lol
Well, I'm off to look at a few friends' blogs, so here are some new updated pics of my chicky babies for you to enjoy. They are getting sooo big!

Been sooo busy!

Well, I have to say that this may well be the busiest Spring ever for me! I'm not complaining - I am happy about it actually. I have two 4x4 square foot garden beds that are doing pretty well. I'm so excited about that! I have 4 baby chicks that are feathering and growing like weeds. They'll be out in their coop in a few weeks and I can't wait to watch them enjoy the outdoors. Gunner (my new dog) is doing well. We are still working on his discipline and training, but he's a lovable dog so I guess we'll keep him ;)
My cats are still a little anxious around the dog, but haven't cared about the chicks at all! That's a good thing. I hope it stays that way when they go outside soon. The little ones helped me plant some parsley and flowers over the weekend in some terra cotta pots that they decorated. They are such the artists! lol
Mother's day was good. I got to sleep in a little, hubby cooked dinner, and my children were here too! All in all a good day :) I hope all the moms out there had a good Mother's Day too!
I've been working on dejunking my house, so crafting anything has been put on the back burner. I need to make something though - I feel like I'm going nuts without a crochet hook in my hand or the sewing machine on! I'd settle for a box to decoupage right now. But with everything else and my part time job, it'll have to wait. Once I get the chicks outside and the bedrooms re-arranged, I'll be in good shape! Then I'll start my crafting again!
Well, I'm off to get ready for work. I hope everyone has a wonderful day!
Take care and Happy Crafting!!

My own little "Farm"

Well, I did it! I bought 4 baby chicks Saturday and it's been a blast so far! I have 2 Golden Comets (Shelly and Goldie - my friends Carol's chick) and 2 Ameracaunas (Daisy and Annie). They are so cute and feisty! They are a week old today and getting bigger everytime Ilook at them. Hubby and I are going to fix up the coop and run for them very soon and hopefully before Fall I will have some fresh eggs from my girls :)

I've also put in my square foot garden :) Since my camera wants to act up, I can't take pics of it right now, but hopefully by the end of the week I'll have some to show you all. My squash, lettuce, cukes, marigolds, spinach, and broccolli are sprouting up and I'm so excited! Last time I attempted to grow anything in my yard, I was so upset and gave up. This time there is hope! YAY.

I love the square foot gardening method because it was so simple and I didn't have to dig up my yard (no tilling, yay!). I just mixed the soils that I purchased from the co -op and put them in my raised beds, planted the seeds, gave them a drink, and that's it!! Love it and so easy.

I haven't crocheted or made anything in about a month either! I have been so busy working at my job , working in the yard, or doing housework. By the time I relax - all I want to do is go to bed. I do have a few ideas in my head, so we'll see. Maybe I'll use up some fabric and do some pillows for my bedroom.

Anywho - I'm gonna post a pic or two of my girls and show you all how cute they are..lol

Take Care and Happy Crafting everyone!!

Spring cleaning ......

Well, it's that time of year again when I get that "I gotta clean the yard" bug. I've made 2 4'x4' square boxes and I am going to attempt (the main word here is attempt) to square foot garden. I'm siked, I'm ready, and I am going to give it my best shot! Hopefully I can get something to grow and that it will save me some money on that grocery store produce! The little ones are going to help me , so , if I only get a few veggies this year, it's ok. We'll have fun gardening anyway!

My dog, is well, goofy. He is showing signs of seperation anxiety and he's driving me nuts. I have to crate him when I go to work, because he gets destructive when I leave. Ughh. I've been trying to be patient with him, so I hope that he will snap out of it soon. I don't know his history since we adopted him from an animal shelter, so we just have to keep showing him love and hope that he will calm down.

This year I'm not looking forward to Easter. I'm just not ready! Finances are so tight right now and it seems that there is no light at the end of the tunnel. My van needs brakes, there are Easter baskets to make, and all that money to spend. I know that I am not the only one and I am thankful for what I have. Sometimes it does get overwhelming and I just need to get it out. There, done. lol

So, I hope everyone has a wonderful Easter if I don't post again by then. Stay safe and warm!

Take care all and Happy Crafting!!

Thank you Liz

Thank you Liz @ Peddals and Needles for the blog giveaway. I won! I'm so excited!

Sorry I was so slow on getting back to you...Life sometimes gets in the way :)

New addition to the family!

Hi all! We have a new addition to our family! NO, it's not a baby....lol, it's our new pup, Gunner. We adopted him from a local shelter and welcomed him home last Thursday. He's a 2 year old German Shorthaired Pointer. He's wonderful with the kids and just a big baby :) He needs a little training, but I think he'll be just fine. The cats don't like him too much, but they're coming around little by little.

We spent the weekend raising our backyard fence up 2 feet so Gunner wouldn't attempt an escape. I don't think he ever would, but ya never know.

I haven't been crafting much in the last week and I miss my "me" time. Between work , family, and the new pup, life has been hectic. I hope I can get back on track with my craft projects soon :)

Well, I just wanted to stop in and spread the news about our newest addition. I'm gonna post a pic of him and then get ready for work.

Have a great day and Happy Crafting everyone!

Gunner!

Blog giveaway going on at Pedals and Needles

Stop in @ www.peddlesandneedles.blogspot.com and put an entry in for a very cool plastic bag holder. This will tame those plastic grocery bags that are cluttering up your space! Giveaway ends on March 13th, so get going!!

100th Blog giveaway winner!!

The results are in: The winner of my blog giveaway is # 25. Tribalcime (Lisa!)

Congratulations!

Since I had a good number of comments, I decided to do a mystery gift. Don't worry, I think it will be something that anyone would like.

The winner of the mystery gift is: # 8 - Diana K. Congratulations to you too!


True Random Number Generator

Min: 1
Max: 34
Result:
25
Winner #1


True Random Number Generator

Min: 1
Max: 34
Result:
8
Mystery gift winner!


I had fun with the giveaway and I want to thank everyone who commented and posted on their blog about the contest!

Diane K, please send me your address so I can get your mystery gift out to you!

Keep checking back beacuse I'd like to do another giveaway for Spring!!

Have a great day and Happy Crafting everyone!!

Last day of the giveaway and a few more odds and ends...

Ok, so today is the last day of my giveaway and I want to wish everyone good luck. I wish I could give each of you a tote bag, but there is only one of me and I have 2 part time jobs and 3 kids at home...lol

So, moving on to the odds and ends... I forgot to post a few pics on here the other day, so I'll do that today! It's a pic of the BEAUTIFUL necklace that I won from Tribalcime (Lisa). You have got to check out her blog and see all of the great things she makes. She has such wonderful talent. Her blog is www. tribalwitch.blogspot.com. Very original, cool stuff! I will make it to Kentucky one day Lisa!! :)

Anywho, I'm having my CraftyBay Farmgirl Meeting this Sunday, so I'm looking forward to having a good time with my best farmgirl pals! We;re doing a little crochet-a-long. Something to get the girls who have never crocheted a chance to learn a new craft. Next meeting will hopefully be me learning a new craft from one of them!

I want to wish all my blogging friends out there a wonderful weekend. Stay safe and stay warm! It's COLD here today so hopefully the weekend will warm up.

Take care and Happy Crafting!!!!

Blog giveaway rundown...1 more day!!!

Here is the tally so far. 1 more day to leave me a comment for that custom made, by Tammy, original tote bag :)

So far we have :

1.) Beemoosie - 1
2.) Cinnamongirl - 1
3-7) Darlene - 5
8.) Diana K - 1
9.) Dutchy - 1
10.) Linda in NEPA - 1
11.) Liz - 1
12.) Manhattan - 1
13-15.) Mel - 3
16.) Nancy Jo - 1
17.) Rabbithorns - 1
18-20.) Tapestry - 3
21-29.) Tribalcime - 9
30.) Yarnmamma - 1
31-32). Jessie - 2
33-34.) Denise (Levisgrammy) - 2

Remember - you still have time to blog about the giveaway (make sure you let me know)or add me to your blog for 2 extra entries. I will draw a name by random using Random.org. This way it will be fair and I will post a pic of the results and the name of the winner on Saturday.

Thanks for entering my giveaway. I hope whoever wins will enjoy the tote bag. Please remember that the tote bag will be customized to what the winner likes or crafts, etc... It will take a few days to embellish, so I will have it mailed out no later than the 28th of this month.

Have a great day and Happy Crafting!!

Valentine pics and other stuff :)

Well, here are some of the pics from Valentine's Day and a few other pics I threw in for good measure.
The beautiful flowers, card, and balloons are from my sweet hubby and children.Ally made me the family a special Valentine's card too. I love handmade gifts and cards. I save them all - I'm such a pack rat. The cute little heart bag with some great smelling bath soak is from Smoothiejuice on the MJF site and the adorable jewelry pouch is from Beverley from the MJF site. we had a hand crafted Valentine swap going and these were my swap gifts! I love them both. They are so great!
The doll is from Carol (my best bud) who is also a MJ Farmgirl and a member of my CraftyBay Farmgirls! Isn't she adorable??
The new pics are of my beautiful grand daughter. She's 2 now and cute as a button. She knows it too. lol
Last is my 40 year old balloon that for some reason is still holding air like it's new. Hmmmm - maybe to constantly remind me that I am getting old...lol Just kidding. I'm not old - I'm just getting started!
Well, there they are. My new pics. Now I am off to the doctors - yuck - I hate going to the doctors.
Anywho - have a great day and Happy Crafting!!

4 more days to enter the giveaway!

Just stopping in to remind all my blogging friends that there is 4 more days to enter. You can comment more than once or post about this on your blog for 2 additional entries. So leave me a comment (1 entry) and post on your blog about it (2 more entries). Simple!!!

Now I have to go take some new pics of some of the cool things that I've gotten for Valentine's Day from the MJF farmgirls and from my hubby...awwwwww lol

Have a great day, leave me a comment, blog about me *wink, wink* and Happy Crafting!!!!

**** I will have the tote bag complete and in the mail for the winner, no later than the 28th of Feb. It will be "custom made" after all :) *******

Still time to enter the giveaway!

Leave me a comment and get an entry in the giveaway posted below. I will make youa denim tote bag like the one pictured in the blog entry below that coordinates with what you like, do, or craft! If you blog about my giveaway, you'll get an 2 extra entries! So come on and leave me a comment to get in on the fun!!

My 100th Post Giveaway!!

my new hat and a new cascade scarf


my "mesh" crocheted produce bag

Well, I finally made it to my 100th post! I've been sick with bronchitis for a month now, but I'm feeling a little better and wanted to have a giveaway for all my blogging friends.

I will run the giveaway until the 20th of Feb. Example of the tote bag above.

The rules are simple:
1.)Post a comment on here anywhere and you'll get an entry in the drawing. The more you comment, the more entries you get!
2.) Blog about my giveaway and you receive 2 entries!
See? I told you it was simple :)

The prize? Well, it's a handmade tote bag. You tell me in your comments what craft or crafts you do and I will personalize it for you. Whether you crochet, knit, make jewelry, decoupage, make soap, whatever! You won't be disappointed. The bag will be made from denim and have some pretty cool embellishments on it too! I will post a pic of an example for you to see.

Ok, so now on to the other stuff. I have bee making a few things since I've been sick. Passes the time and keeps me busy (when the kids aren't..lol). I've also celebrated my 40th birthday last Friday. Hubby threw me a surprise party and my friends and family were here. It was nice, but I was exhausted at the end of the night. Whew! Turning 40 is hard work :)

My daughter Samantha also celebrated her 21st birthday on the 25th and my youngest son Noah turned 8 on the 31st. My 7 year anniversary was on January 19th, so you can see that I've been busy this month, not to mention broke.....

Today, it's snowing and I have to get ready to go to work. I deliver food for a friend of mine when the school has no substitute work for me. It helps me make some extra money and keeps me busy. So I will post some pics of my recent creations and post a pic of what the giveaway tote bag will look like.

Have fun and Happy Crafting!!

It must be giveaway day

I just found yet another awesome givaway. Check out http://gabrieshop.blogspot.com/2008/12/january-goody-giveaway.html

and enter to win one of 2 beautiful bracelets. Look at the pic - it's just so pretty, who wouldn't want one??

Another cool giveaway!

Head on over to http://thriftybarterblog.blogspot.com/ and enter in the Bath Bomb Giveaway. These look awesome and I was told by a freind that they are great!

Check it out and put your name in!!

Tribalcime's new giveaway!

Go over to Lisa'a site @ www.tribalwitch.blogspot.com for a chance to win one of her beautiful creations! She make the prettiest bead and stone jewelry. I know this beacause I own a few of her pieces and I LOVE them!!

Go - get outta here and check it out!! lol

Cool website I found

I found a very cool website the other night. http://www.craftstylish.com/crochet/page/5
This site has lots of very cool blogs and projects on everything crafty. Whether it's crochet, knitting, paper crafts, jewelry making, or anything in between, this site has it! Check it out!

I also wanted to touch base with everyone and ask them to cast a vote at www.Change.org
You can vote against the ridiculous law that Congress wants to put into effect that will hurt small business owners , crafters, and many families who shop from second hand and thrift stores. The whole proposal is based on children's safety in toys and clothing(which I am all for), but the plan is not considering the general public and the economy right now. Take a look at the proposal on change.org or click on the widget on my sidebar and cast your vote today! Keep homemade and thrift store businesses open and thriving!

Happy New Year!!

I just wanted to stop in and wish every the Happiest New Year ever! I hope yours is filled with love, joy, and peace. Please take time to tell those closest to you that you love them and show them every once in a while too ;)

I hope everyone had a safe, enjoyable New Years Eve too. Mine was spent at home with the family. I wouldn't want to be anywhere else! I've been ill the last few days, but at least I got to spend some time with the kids and the hubby (even though I was sneezing and coughing ALOT).

So, one that note. I hope everyone stays healthy and happy throughout the coming year!

Happy 2009!!