Welcome Spring!

I love where I get my hair done - every time I go in they've changed the decor - last time it was hundreds of coffee filters fanned out across a wall. This is just tissue paper clipped to clothesline pieces with clothespins...

40th Birthday Party Ideas

My sister-in-law's birthday celebration!

A couple weeks ago a very special member of our family had a very special birthday! I asked my brother if I could be in charge of decorations...here's the outcome.

The welcome sign was created by gluing on a greeting (printed on my printer), pieces of scrapbook paper along the edges and I clipped on a silk gerbera daisy.

Nicki loves scrapbooking so I thought what better way to honor that than to use scrapbook papers she could use later to scrapbook about her party. My inspiration was a small but very expensive floral bouquet I'd seen at a local grocery store - the vase was only about 10" tall with black and white swirls on it - the flowers were elegant but simple red roses tucked closely to the edge of the vase. The cost $25!!!

Nicki lives in a 'guys' world with her husband and two rough and tumble sons so I thought we needed to glam-up her birthday with gems and flowers.


Once again, I borrowed clear vases from a friend (I did see them recently at a dollar store so you don't have to break the bank for centerpieces). I sprinkled gems around the table and since the party would go on until after dark, I took apart some of the gerbera daisies, placed them on the table and placed a votive candle on top. For an added touch of 'Nicki', I cut out large N's from scrapbook paper and glued them to the insert paper before I slipped them into the vase. I made swirled wire 'picks' to stick out the top of the vases and attached some pictures to the wire.

On some of the circles I put pictures of Nicki - loved seeing 'old' photos of her.


A garland can easily be made from scrapbook papers - just cut out circles, print off a greeting on your computer, glue them together punch a hole at the top of each circle and string them together with ribbon. Since I wanted a touch of glitz, I applied Aleene's Tacky Glue around the edges and sprinkled on clear glitter.

My sister made the three tier cake! Three DIFFERENT flavors too!



We needed to cover up some things on the patio so my mom came to rescue with quilts hand sewn by my great aunt!

Thanks for being a part of our family, Nicki! And here's to many, many, many more celebrations!!!

Ouch!!!!

It was one of those days...I'd finished up a big project and was looking forward to getting out in the yard and doing some weeding and eventually planting in my yard that hadn't seen love for about 30 years. That's when the unexpected happened. I was coming down my stairs and stopped to check out the wood railing and was thinking I could put a little Murphy's Oil or something on a bad scuffed area and make it look so much better. That's when IT happened. I still don't know what IT was but IT turned my life upside down.

Next thing I knew, I was on the floor, several steps down from where I'd been on the stairs. In that surreal moment I tried to put weight on my leg but that didn't work. I crawled to the phone and told a friend I needed her help. I was impressed with only an hour and a half visit to the emergency but what came at the end of all that wasn't good news - a broken ankle. So, I've been recuperating a little over a week and I have to tell you I'm bored with cooking shows (and wishing Aleene's Creative Living television show was still on the air) and can't do much more than lay around for the next 6-8 weeks. A friend called today saying we're going to have a coloring contest this week.

So, the crafter in me is already coming up with projects to make with my lovely boot. Anyone out there made a boot / cast into something creative? I will have to wear it for quite a while longer so I'll let you in on my creative thoughts. Believe me, throwing it in the fireplace and lighting it on fire has come to mind more than once.

Hoppingly yours,
Joan