Every Inchie Monday's Challenge: Solitude

This is a little late but better 

late then not at all...right?

Here's my Solitude for 

Every Inchie Monday

This week's theme is 

"Home"

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Father's Day Gifts    

HERE

Porch Revision

 

Had a revision on the porch scene.  Hubby re hung the 

curtains in front of the shutters like I had wanted, and I 

swagged the curtains back. I'm thrilled with how it 

looks now :-)

Here's one from the outside of the porch looking in.

Hard to photograph but here's an up close view of the chandelier I'm making. I originally had traded it for something. It was cream colored so I spray painted it pink and added the crystals. Now I'm in search of some        opalescence beads to hang from it and just the right lights and it will be finished. I'm loving how its looking, the curtains and the chandelier are just how I envisioned it 2 years ago so its fun to see it finally come to fruitation.

The fun thing is that I didn't buy anything to do this....the curtains were from my office, the shutters from a friend who was getting rid of them and the chandelier base I traded for it, the new pillows and blanket are from my sister Kathleen who passed away. I kept them tied up in bag and couldn't bring myself to use them for the first year. They smelled just like her perfume and it was just too much of a reminder, but  now when I see them its like having a part of her out there with me :-)

Click HERE to see more of my 

funky farmhouse

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Father's Day Gifts    

HERE

Art Peeps!

Had a fun play day with my art peeps making banners for winter...yes I said winter...we'll be all set for the winter season LOL we're just a tad behind thanks to me having to cancel a few times.

Art play days are the best!

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Father's Day Gifts

 HERE

Congratulations Class of 2011

It was bittersweet last night as I watched my 

last one graduate from high school! It seemed 

like yesterday I was sitting at my oldest son's 

graduation how can it be that it was 11 years 

ago already!

 Congratulations Mr. Morgan!

 I really Love these 2 pictures! Loved 

seeing him so happy and in the moment :-)

3 Bros

 

Grad & Dad

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Whew~

I've been on  a spring cleaning spree this past week, whew am I'm pooped! I did manage to make this triple layer chocolate fudge Rocky Road cake for my son's graduation tonight! 

Doesn't it look sinful!! I'll post the recipe when I get a chance.

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Father's Day Gifts  

 HERE

New Mr Kevin Pics

So far Mr Kevin has daddy's blue eyes!

Monkey Time

Awww!

He's got mommy's dimples :-)

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Father's Day Gifts  

 HERE

Colorful Porch Clean up

Spent the morning getting things cleaned up 

from winter and ready for the summer weather.

Here's my colorful porch with new pillows and our

freshly painted rug. Each year hubby repaints it with spray 

paint and says he doesn't think it will make it one more 

season but it does. 

Here's my side yard put together with bi fold 

doors scavenged from my friend and the children's

bench my hubby and son found in pieces along side

the road.  They brought it and the white table behind 

it home. Painted, fixed and put it back together 

good as new!

Sitting area

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Father's Day Gifts  

 HERE

Crafty Blogger Blurbs

About Family Crafts 
If you are looking for a great family activity, learn how to make garden stepping stones together. 

Carmi's Art/Life World 
Trying to keep Provence in her life, Carmi makes up a new vision board.

Craftside- A behind-the-scenes peek at our crafty world 
This week at Craftside there are fun tutorials on how to make a spinning beach ball invitation greeting card, a gold leaf crackle finish on polymer clay and measuring tape and button bracelets, 6 Steampunk guns, and some "hand crafting"

Crafty Princess Diaries 
The Crafty Princess has picked up knitting needles! Find out some resources she discovered to help you learn how to knit

Eileen - The Artful Crafter 
See how Eileen used a 3D Valentine's Day card template to make a 3D card suitable for many special occasions.

Mixed Media Artist 
Cyndi starts a series of experiments with soy silk roving

Stefanie Girard's Sweater Surgery 
See how to make a two headed girl in a cage photo op. 

Shop Fun For & Unique 

Father's Day Gifts 

   HERE

What's Your iPad Personality

Its always fun for me to find out 

that something I designed is being 

featured somewhere else.  Yesteray 

my Steampunk Gears iPad case  from 

zazzle is being featured on Squidoo as 

part of What's Your iPad Personality.

If you pop over there to check it 

out give it a thumbs up :-)

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Father's Day Gifts

   HERE

Sneak Peek!

Here's a sneak peek at some 

new Birthday Chubby Cakes.

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Father's Day Gifts    HERE

Peanut Butter & Jelly Cupcakes

I made some yummy PB & J Cupcakes today
and they were a big hit! I started off with a plain box of yellow
cake mix and added the jelly. The big hit was the creamy
Peanut butter frosting I made (click the recipe card
below to get the entire recipe).

Cut out cupcake centers	Fill scooped center with jelly (the first picture I took didn't turn out so I had to remove the frosting to show you the jelly.
This was my poor attempt at cutting the cupcake in half so you could see the jelly center.

To get the directions...

...click the printable recipe card 
above, save and print.


Shop For Fun & Unique 

Father's Day Gifts  
 HERE

Every Inchie Catch Up!

Playing catch up here with my inchie challenge!

Last week's word was "Pink" what better 

then a pink cupcake!

 This week's challenge word is
"Fancy Pants"
I had a hard time coming up with something
then a hand with a diamond ring and diamond
bracelet popped in my head!

Take the Every Inchie 

Challenge HERE

Crafty Blogger Blurbs

About Family Crafts 
If you or someone you know is graduating this year, check out these fun graduation related projects.

Carmi's Art/Life World 
Some days you just want to draw dolls. Carmi has a new book!

Craftside- A behind-the-scenes peek at our crafty world 
This week at Craftside there are a couple of recycled rhinestone buckle necklaces, a pattern for knitting penguin sweaters, vintage style anchor and star embroidery patterns and some fun pictures from Unique LA Spring 2011. 

Crafty Princess Diaries 
Come on! Stop diss-ing Red Heart Super Saver yarn. It does have its place in yarn crafting. 

Eileen - The Artful Crafter 
Who doesn’t recycle cards and gift bags these days? This was a real simple recycling project. Look at the card Jackie gave Eileen for her birthday; and then how Jackie received it back on hers!

Mixed Media Artist 
Do you have spare t-shirts hanging around that need a new purpose?

A fun Excursion!

Had an interesting day today going to San Francisco to my beautiful niece Samantha's graduation party.  She graduated from Hasting's Law school in San Francisco.  I'm so proud of her she has accomplished a lot all pretty much on her own all while dealing with some health issues.

San Francisco is huge city! I've been going there since I was little kid and I have yet to see all of this awesome city.   I drove up with another niece and her GF and they took me to a great dog friendly beach for all you dog lovers!. It's right at the end of Sloat Blvd and Great Hwy.  When I go to SF I don't think of going to the beach, so this was a nice change. 

We enjoyed the beautiful sunshine until it got too chilly and then they took me just up the street to Sigmund Stern Grove.  What a hidden treasure this park is!  Surrounded by the city is this beautiful grove of redwoods, fir and eucalyptus trees! As you enter the park and drive down into it you feel like your in the mountains and not at all in the city! Apparently there are many hiking paths for you to walk and a dog park somewhere, though we didn't see it.  At the base of the park is a natural amphitheater.  Apparently it's one of Northern California's favorite concert sites (who knew) and I can definitely see why, it's just gorgeous!  I hope to go back another time.

If you find yourself in SF and are looking for something not quite on the beaten path, I definitely recommend these two places!

Catch-up Projects

Playing catch up with a few projects.  Here's few 

pictures of a Holiday Artist Trading Block Round 

Robin I'm partcipating in.

This one arrived with the vintage deer image and pine cones atop it.

I added the bottom present/block the faux snow, wreath and wording.

Here are 2 Halloween/Day of the Dead blocks

Click HERE to see how they both started out.

My friend Kris added all the 

tiny details to the skulls!