Weekend Wrap Up

I've started back on my plastic canvas projects. I did this little coaster one evening last week. They are so simple and just take about an hour. The good part is you can custom design your patterns so you don't have to follow a printed paper. 

When we were on vacation, we went to several antique stores and thrift shops and the only thing I found was this little cup at an antique store. It's Pyrex and was only .99 cents so I bought it for hot chocolate. 

I went in a costume jewelry store at the Coastal Grand Mall and they had tons of necklaces. This one was on clearance for $2.99 so I bought it since I love anything nautical. 

When I got back home, there is a lady who has been having a garage sale and I stopped to see what she had left. I'm glad I did. I got this Pyrex coffee mug for just .25 cents. 

Not sure who made this but it is vintage 1970's. I liked it and since it was just .25 cents I went ahead and got it as well. For somebody who doesn't drink coffee, I sure buy a lot of coffee cups. 

I have a card table I use at holidays and have been looking for tablecloths for it. I found this one for just $1.00. It looks like it was never used. 

Bought this cute little throw for just .50 cents. I'm going to put it in the kids room for when the girls stay all night. 

My bargain of the day were these almost brand new drapes. They are the heavy lined quality drapes and were only $2.00 for both pairs. They were exactly what I've been looking for to go on the window in my home office to help keep some of the sun out in the afternoons. 

I went to Hobby Lobby and several other places Saturday and got home about 3:30. Our Sunday School classes are changing next week so yesterday was the last day we had our 5 year olds. They graduated from Pre-K Sunday School to Kindergarten Sunday School class. So I made these little graduation caps for them to use for their graduation. 

Since we were sending them off with a party, I decide to make some graduation caps for dessert out of brownie bites, fudge grahams and M & M's. They turned out pretty cute and were a hit with the kiddos. 

I put some of the pictures of the past two years on a paper and made them little diplomas. 

We were going to have popcorn so I made some popcorn cones to put the popcorn in for them at the party. They were easy to make.

After all that, I finally fixed me some homemade pizza breads and ate supper. I was ready to crash. I couldn't believe how much I had crammed into one day.

But it was all worth it when I got to church Sunday morning and the kids enjoyed their graduation so much. 

The Perfect Shell

On my trip to Myrtle Beach last week, I had a lot of down time walking the beaches, sitting near the ocean and pondering God's Glory. I love collecting shells when I walk along the beach. I am always looking for that perfect beautiful shell. I pick them up thinking they are "the one" only to get them home and find their flaws. It got me thinking about how much our Christian walk is like that of the seashell. 

On the outside, we look shining and pretty at times. But no one knows the inner sufferings or turmoil that each of us must face on a day to day basis. We look at others and think their life is perfect and blessed. Then upon closer inspection we see the pitfalls they face every day. Like the shell that has been battered and beaten until its life is full of holes and scars. 

Sometimes we feel like the shell that has been in the ocean so long that the wear and tear of daily life has just taken such a toll on us that we feel like we are deeply gouged and sometimes wonder how we can take much more. 

God makes us all like the seashell. We are tough and solid, but we must face the waves and battle the storms that toss us around on the ocean of life. 

At times, we may have smooth sailing and things may be feeling better than other times, but we still know that our life is on shifting sand and can change with the tides.  

   

But unlike the shell who withers in the storm tossed sea and ends up gracing the bathroom shelf in a jar in someone's home, we can withstand the test of time with God's love, His grace and His mercy. We can take the washing of the waves of life and the battering of the stormy sees. We know we serve a God who is strong, powerful, loving and forgiving. Even though He lets us get washed ashore sometimes, it is in those moments that He is restoring us to serve Him and receive His blessings. 

So did I find the perfect shell? Not in cosmetic looks, no I didn't. But I did find that each shell was beautiful in its own way because it showed me that God is forever and always and though we may be battered against the storms of life, He will always be there to gently lift us up and place us safely on the shore. 

I see October on the Horizon

Where in the world did September go? It seems like I just put my fall stuff out and now it is nearing the time to add some Halloween decor among the fall stuff.

I'm heading out to Hobby Lobby today and think I may need to look for a few Halloween craft ideas. I took my little pinwheels to work so I need to make me some more. I just love working with Halloween scrap book paper for fall designs. 

I have been searching for ideas to use it for. I have found a couple of things that would be neat to do. One is popcorn cones. We have an old fashion popcorn paper and this would be perfect to serve the kids popcorn on any occasion. 

And if you are going to have a party, you could always do this to your water bottles. 

I love this just to set around for a decoration during the Halloween season. this looks very easy to do.

And this would be very simple and inexpensive as well. They just covered the wooden letters with scrapbook paper. 

And who doesn't love a craft involving those empty canning jars that keep hanging around the house. 

Now I'm excited about going to Hobby Lobby today. 

I'm back....

After several months of trying to figure out what was wrong with my blog and after many people still visiting me and commenting on my own posts, I have come home to Mamaw's Place. 

I just never felt at home over at Thrifty Country Gal and I always felt like I was limited on what I could talk about. It just didn't feel right.

I have missed my daily chats at Mamaw's Place and am so glad to be back "home" where I belong. I hope you will continue to follow me here and check back every day to see what is going on in my neck of the woods. 

Thanks for stopping back by. I finally feel like I am back where I belong.

Craft Ideas ....

I am loving this little box and the coasters to go with it.

I may have to make a set of these. I checked through my drawers of yarn and found these colors that might work. What do you think?

This little table mat is cute but I don't usually undertake anything this major. But I do like it. And this picture makes me want a red, white and blue mug.

I make little birdhouses out of plastic canvas. They are so easy and very fun to make. It only takes about an hour to make one.



I think I'm going to make some and make a Chevron pattern on them. I think that will be cute. Here is some more yarn I pulled from my stash that I think I'll make my first one in. I have so much yarn that I just shop my own house when I need yarn.

And while I am on the subject of crafts, I found some burlap for just $3.99 and I have some material and buttons I had bought a while back that I think I will use to make the patriotic banners I saw on Pinterest.

I've got an idea of something else to make that will use up some of the patriotic scrapbook paper I have. 

Since I won't need my whole yard of burlap, I dug through my material to find some to try an idea I have. 

Have you seen the new felt that Hobby Lobby is carrying? Instead of solid colors, they have patterns. They are just .50 cents each. Don't know what you would do with them, but I loved them. 

I'm going to cut out my birdhouses and coasters and get started working on them soon. 

Weekend Wrap Up & Pyrex Pleasures

I got a package from my sister last week and she had sent me a couple more of the crochet dishcloths I adore. I love the colors in these. 

I am not a NASCAR fan but while I was stopped at a gas station I noticed this racing semi that had the back doors open, so I snapped a pic just for fun. Not even sure who's truck this is. 

I had some Mother's Day money so I took myself to a store that has tons of booths in it. It is not an antique store so the prices were very reasonable. I am in love with the 401 mixing bowls. They are the smallest in the nesting bowls. I have a divided serving dish in the Americana so this is my second piece in that pattern. 

I do not have any yellows. When I spotted this baby sitting on the shelf, I knew it had to come home with me. I thought it might be part of the daisy Cinderella, but one of my Facebook groups thinks it is the Town and Country solid yellow. It is a soft shade of yellow, not bright. Any experts know for sure which set? I just know I adore it. 

But the one that made my day was my very first piece of turquoise. I am beyond thrilled. I have this in the flamingo pink so I have been looking everywhere for the turquoise. 

Aren't my solids pretty all stacked together? I just know hubby is going to claim the yellow for when he makes country steak and gravy. It is the perfect size. 

I also got this cool plate. It says British Bread and Cheese plate. It is made by John Buck in England. I don't have a clue if it is vintage or not, but I fell in love with it. 

Not a bad haul for less than $20 including tax. Made for a great Mother's Day gift. And the great part is...I haven't even washed them up yet. They looked this good right off the shelf. SCORE!

Happy Mother's Day, Mommy

Happy Mother's Day to the best Mother in the world. She has been there for us through good times and through bad. Through laughter and tears. Through joy and sorrow and through heartaches and pain. She has stood by and let us leave the nest with tears in her eyes and hugged us with love when we come back to visit. 

She is my hero. She is my best friend, my confidant. The one I turn to when I need assurance, when I need to share a funny story, when I need to shed a tear or just when I need to talk.

She has bandaged many a boo boo and wiped many a tear. She has laughed with us at our antics on those times when words just don't cover how funny we could be. She filled our world with love. She made us chocolate cakes and oatmeal cookies and homemade biscuits. She taught us how to sew and how to knit and crochet. She taught us how to love and how to raise our children to say please, thank you, your welcome. She taught us how to enjoy life. She taught us how to keep a clean house and how to hang out clothes. She taught us how to make sweet tea and homemade cornbread. 

She taught us to wash behind our ears and to always wear clean underwear. She taught us how to brush our teeth and say our prayers. She taught us the wonder of Christmas, the excitement of birthdays and the joy of spending time outside. She taught us how to say "Goodnight, I love you." to the whole family before you go to bed at night. 

She taught us that when we disobeyed there was a price to pay. She taught us how that price was to have to stay inside and set one on a couch and one on a chair and not get down till she told us to. And we knew to obey the command. 

She taught us not to go in the big ditch and not to play in the middle of  the road. She taught us to be home by curfew. She taught us to take long walks on Sunday. She taught us the beauty and peace to be found the quiet woods. 

She taught us to share our toys and play well with others. She taught us to jump rope and how to play jacks. She taught us to love a good book and to do our homework. She taught us to play Rook and Scrabble and to just enjoy spending time together. 

She taught us so many things throughout our life, but the greatest gift of all was that she taught us how to love. 

Thank you Mom for dedicating your life to being the best Mommy in the world. We love you. Happy Mother's Day from Rachel, Brenda, Jack and Andy.