Chalkin' it up....

Hey friends! Hope today finds you well and getting anxious for fall, if you aren't already! :) Starting to put out some fall pieces here in this house! :) I wanted to show you this chalkboard that I made for $8 with a $235 frame! YES. $235!!!! I was searching for a neat chunky frame that I could make into a chalkboard for in my kitchen. Had I have an ordinaly dry wall kitchen, I would in no way hesitate to paint an entire wall with chalkboard. But we live in a log cabin with wood walls, and well let's just say that wouldn't suit. But, I do have a small area that was perfect for a frame,that I had yet to find.

Off to Michael's framing dept....I told them exactly what I was looking for and wanted no glass, no extras, etc...just the 4 sides of a frame. The saleslady quoted me $235 for the frame with the design I had chosen. OMG!!! I wasn't even willing to pay $50! So, SCRATCH THAT! I went on the hunt throughout the store, finally going back to her, briefly telling her what I was in need of, and asking if a display frame was for sale, and she told me no, but she did have something else..... oh now, I am INTERESTED. She pulled out THE EXACT SAME FRAME I had chosen, just in a different color. It was an order for a customer, but came back with a teeny tiny scratch, and so they re-ordered another one for that customer and she thought they would put it out for sale...AT $8~!

GASP!!! I was thrilled. Needless to say, I walked out of Michae's, beyond pleased, thankful, greatful, and ecstatic that I got exactly what I was looking for, for dirt cheap. So, a little paint later......

And finally...

Now for some daily messages,quirks, menus, and drawings.... Have a good day today! :)

Craftin The Summer Away

Well, summer has come and has almost gone since I last posted and I don't feel an ounce of shame for letting my blog sit idle for so long. Well, ok, maybe an ounce. :) They say to go out and live life so you have something to blog about, and get out there and do things instead of posting, posting, posting, and not taking the time to live a little. Well, that's just what I've been doing.

A few people have been budging me to get moving with posting though, and I guess you could say I just got a few moments and actually felt like doing it right now!

So, who here reads Country Living Magazine? Do you all remember in the June 2012 issue they showed a picture of the table runner that looks a tape measurer? Well, as soon as I read saw that, I. WAS. SMITTEN! I knew that I we could make that. (YES, I enlisted my husband for some of his beautiful penmenship and ability to make purrty numbers too). To Lowe's it was to pick up a drop cloth that would be long enough to cascade over each end of our 9' harvest table. Everything else was supplied right here in my craft bins... And so it began....a very timely project. But, it was so worth it!

I LOVE IT!

So, who out there has seen this and pinned it to their pinterest?! ;)

Lemon Wreath

I was on the hunt for some new wreath inspiration. I wanted to make our entrance to our Open House that we had 3 weeks ago, stand out and really POP!

I assembled pieces with color,character, and even pieces that you wouldn't necessarily except for an outside door entrance, but it was missing that one certain thing....a cool wreath. Pinterest is where I wentfor some inspiration but believe it or not, I didn't find anything there, so I did some blog searching and low and behold I found one I like! Now, of course I blog skipped around like mad, and I am not even sure where this actual lemon wreath was first sited, so I apologize to the original maker that I can't give credit to.

This wreath was super, super easy to make, and the good news was I already had the wreath base on hand! Everything that was needed: grapevine wreat,green wire, faux lemons of all sizes and some faux green leafy sprigs. Simple wreath that didn't take a lot of time or product! I LIKE THAT!

I really like the way it turned out~! Just the wreath I needed!

Balance

-noun
state of even distribution of weight or amount
steadiness, as of the body

-verb
to be equal to

It's all about Balance right? Well, I am making it a pact to be excellant with balance....You gotta make goals! :)



So much is going on, that I find myself unhappy at times, even doing the things I love. It's because: 1. I think I took on too much,(but lesson learned). 2. I wasn't giving everything on my schedule the proper time/balance that it needed. I lost focus getting caught up in "extra things" along the way, and "stole" time from other areas.



My goal is to be able to do these things that I want to, but keeping them all on an appropriate schedule. Focus on the day in front of me and where my family needs me today, and what I need today for me and our business. Sounds easy enough, right?! ;)

So, what am I balancing this week?
*Time for my husband and my 3 kiddos
*Working out at the gym x 3 this week
*Photography/Camera Lessons
*Crafting/Creative Time
*Working part time
*Taking care of home; cooking,cleaning,errands
*Various Ortho/Dental appts and Baseball games
*Online E-Course and Blogging
*VBS meetings and organization
*Preparing for instructing a craft project
*Scheduling a Brunch for this weekend with friends



I think that's it?!


We can't do everything, but we CAN do anything!

What are you all balancing?

Blooming Peonies!

Flowers are blooming here INSIDE at my house. YES, INSIDE, and Peonies to be exact!




Wool ones of course! Did you think I meant the other ones?! ;) LOL!!! (I can't wait for those to bloom as well)




I am making Wool Peony Pins and I am so excited about them. I am having a great time with these.... . Take a look....



wearing them on everything


having them scattered throughout the house



I love the colors, and the textures.....they are my new favorite thing! :)




Check for these soon on my etsy shop!

Indian Trail Pottery Spring Open House

Well, I've been a little absent lately but it's all for good reason....


We are preparing for our Spring Open House! So many goodies to be found here, you just don't want to miss it!



Friday, April 13th through Sunday, April 15th~
at our cabin here in Gratz, Pennsylvania~

Sure hope you can make it!!!!

Setting Up For Spring....

Even though, I am not totally ready to give winter the boot, (still waiting on one great snow storm), spring seems to be starting to "set-up".


Longer, sunnier, slightly warmer days. Birdies chirping. Buds blooming.



I think it will be here soon, and unfortunately, probably without my snow storm.




So, I am "setting up" for a little bit of spring in my neck of the woods.



















My Very Talented Hubby did it again.....painted another painting!



See you soon!