Early to Rise

Although summer doesn't end officially until the autumnal equinox, I always feel that the last day of August is IT.

Our weather here in the Pacific Northwest is usually gorgeous all September, but that yummy feeling of lazy summer is gone as the September Scurry takes hold of us all.

I've been trying to stretch out my summer by getting up extra early and scooting on outside. Somehow, it makes the day feel longer.

(Yep, I'm one of THOSE PEOPLE who can trick themselves into being
on time by setting my clock ten minutes fast.)

Today, I was lucky to catch the morning sun illuminating this pink geranium.

Garden Pixie

Say hello to my new Garden Pixie.

She's a bit shy, as you can tell from her - vavavoom! - outfit.

I'm still waiting for inspiration to strike me with the perfect name for her. Any suggestions?

I made this in a soldering class last night with a couple other ladies. A little tricky to get the hang of at first, but once you get it - very fun. I have been assured that my soldering skills will improve with time. Good to hear. I've got lots more of these babies planned!

There are four layers of glass, all sandwiched together, with a scrolly embellishment at the bottom and
a simple jump ring at the top for dangling purposes.

That's all I could manage in a 3 hour class.

Designer's Diner

Mom's cooking up a storm at the Designer's Diner!
Check out this scrumptious Father's Day flip album made with the YUMMY New Cosmo Cricket Early Bird Collection. Step-by-step tutorial below.

Best Dad Ever

COSMO CRICKETT
EARLY BIRD
FATHER'S DAY
FLIP BOOK

INGREDIENTS;
-5 PIECES OF PATTERENED PAPER
CUT TO 6X6 SQUARES.
-5 TOILET PAPER TUBES
-ASSORTED EMEBELLISHEMENTS
-GIFT CARDS,PAINT CHIPS, TINY ZIPLOCKS, GAME CARDS, COUPONS, TICKETS. ETC.

DIRECTIONS:
1. GATHER 5 TOILET PAPER TUBES
2. SQUASH THEM FLAT
3. IRON THEM FOR A SHARPER EDGE
4. CUT 5 SHEETS PATTERNED PAPER TO 6X6 SQUARES
5. GLUE BOTH SIDES OF TUBE
6. ADHERE PAPER AND CREASE SHARPLY
7. CUT A SLIT ON EACH SIDE
8. FOLD PAPER INSIDE OF TUBE
9. EMBELLISH EACH PAGE FRONT AND BACK
11. TUCK TAGS, CARDS, COUPONS IN SLOTS
12. USING A ZUTTER OR CROPODILE TO PUNCH HOLES
13. BIND WITH 2” ZUTTER WIRE, BOOK RINGS OR HEAVY CORDING.
14. PRESENT TO DAD, ALONG WITH YOUR ETERNAL GRATITUDE.

I gotta say, I love, love, love this new Cosmo Cricket Early Bird Collection. The paper is actually designed with a cookbook theme in mind, but I was so drawn to the colors and patterns that I was sure it could multi-task for Father's Day. It is heavyweight, printed on both sides and is made from mixed sources, recycled wood or fibre from well managed forests. Perfect for this upcycled TP tube project!

The base mini-album goes together very quickly and then the fun part begins - embellishing with all the doodads you can find.

I started the album out with a spot for a family photo and will sprinkle pictures of Dad doing something special with each kid on the rest of the pages. There are journaling boxes on each of page for a special note from each kid, as well as a place for photos.

Gift cards are the exact size to slide into the pockets with a perfect fit. I included a little ziplock with tickets for lawn mowing, fishing trip, car wash and a Costco hot dog, in the first slot. I then added in a Home Depot gift card glued to a paint chip. The Dutch Boy paint chips at Wal-mart fit perfectly and have a little square cutout for a photo.There is a certificate for a favorite meal (made with love), a Starbucks card for a cuppa Joe and an award for the Best Dad Ever.

As a finishing touch, I hung a tiny fishing bobber (found at the hardware store) on the spiral binding.

DIY Bird Feeder

I've enlisted the services of some treasures from the Bermuda Triangle Drawer
in my kitchen, (full of "mystery" pots, pans and parts) to create a new
bird feeder for the yard.

It was TIME!

The extra snow last winter left the old cedar feeder listing to one side. Just one more 3 point landing from a blue jay and the whole thing would be in the pond!

Here is the finished product of my endeavors, along with a tutorial, to inspire you to make one yourself.

Ingredients:
Bits and pieces of junky metal kitchen fodder.
I started off with a fondue holder, so I stuck to a round design. Square pans and lids make great bird feeders too.

1. Pizza pan base.
2. Burner drip pan.
3. Fondue holder.
4. Wok lid.
5. Dollar store decoration.
6. Caulk gun.
7. Pan lid.
8. Pop bottle.
9. Epoxy.

It was very easy to make, thanks to a tube of this super duper Epoxy. The open design and pop bottle insert make it really easy to clean, which is important for the health of your fine feathered friends.

Directions:

Stack things together first as a trial. Arrange all of your bits and pieces 'til you like them.

Remember, gravity counts!

Glue parts from the base up, with Epoxy. It takes 24 hours to fully cure, but you can handle it in a few hours.

Spray paint the whole contraption. Cut pop bottle top and bottom off to create a tube for the seed. (The bird embellished pot lid lifts off for easy refilling) Mount on a pole or add a hook and hang.

Fill with birdseed, then get your camera with zoom ready and go on assignment for the Audubon Society!

Way Cool!

It's been 

pretty warm 

and sunny 

here in the 

Pacific Northwest

this past week. 

That's something 

we're not used to 

in early June. 

So, I hauled out 

the old "finger chopper" 

fan ala fifties 

for a nightime breeze. 

Ours makes a big 

racket that kinda 

lulls you to sleep. 

Nice and cool.

The Salamander Room

And above all, watch with glittering eyes the whole world around you

because the greatest secrets are always hidden in the most unlikely places. 

                          Roald Dahl

My son took this photo on a walk in the woods one day. I love it! 

I've always tried to inspire him to look around and really see the little things in life. This picture is a great affirmation to me that he "gets" it.

When he was about six, his favorite book was The Salamander Room by Anne Mazer. His imagination was so caught up with the idea of having a habitat in his room that he began bringing creatures in the house on a regular basis. Lucky for me, he's always been a catch and release naturalist.

Leaves of Grass

O Hastening Light!
O free and ecstatic!
O what I here, preparing, warble for!
O the sun of the world will ascend, dazzling,
and take his height -- and you too will ascend!
O so amazing and broad -- up there resplendent,
darting and burning! - Walt Whitman

The sun came back for a few days and we all scurried around like crazy,
plowing and planting and generally acting like it was summer already.
That's what happens when you have a zillion straight weeks of grey skies and rain.

The frost came right back the other night though, and nipped at everything new
in the window boxes and flower beds. Nothing serious.

This bit of greenery started off in Easter baskets but is now living down at the studio
to bring a little spring inside. I just splashed a dab of paint on these terra cotta pots
and planted them with wheat seeds. I'm thinking of adding some faux fauna to the mix.
I'll have to hunt up some cute bugs and animals - check these out Bake it Pretty!
http://www.bakeitpretty.com/category_66/Animals-Insects.htm

The Humble Bumble Bee

We've been constructing a new garden in this gorgeous weather and this weekend the first wave of big bumblebees were out collection nectar and pollen from the early flowers. I just love how furry and round they are.

The biggest bumbles are the queens and contrary to popular belief, they do have stingers! They seldom use

them though, as they are content to lumber about their bizzz and seldom even bother with nearby people. The drones will hatch out midsummerand they are the ones without stingers.

Since they are so placid, they let you get up real close to take a picture.

Smile!

Family Portrait

Wow! An exact replica of our family!
Well...sorta, kinda, exact - minus
animals and 3 grown 'n' flown kids.

When he was little,
Monsieur Kiddo
always used to dive
in between us and yell
"Middle-middle-middle,
I get the middle!"

He still manages to
end up in the center spot
but has recently added
the requisite teen eyeroll
to the configuration.

Now if I could just find a
tiny set of iPod earphones...