every several years it happens. and we say the same things and pray the same prayers. and ask ourselves how it could have happened...and how can we make sure it never happens again. and so it goes...it happens again. I don't need to watch the news or listen to the experts or read comments from listeners or the interviews from old friends and neighbors to know what happened. to know that a young man was angry and sick and had delusions and had a fascination with guns and a collection of them. We all know now. we are are responsible. I am so sorry.

A Homemade Christmas

It's decided. This year there will be no shopping. The kids are completely on board in fact it was Zoe's idea to begin with. We have been busy (well I have been busy) gathering ideas. Love my new secret Pinterest boards! Right now working on crochet projects...and crafty things with tiles. This morning, I grabbed my coffee and got back under the covers and hope to finish up a gift. Someone's getting a pretty infinity scarf!

Mrs. Card is the bomb!

(do people still say "the bomb"?)...I call her Mrs. Card, and not JoAnn, because that is what you call someone who is a-retired-after-thirtysomething-years-of-teaching-Kindergarten! Or maybe I should call her Saint Card? Anyway...you get my point...she is an amazing lady.

A few months ago I got the idea to make chocolate covered Oreo cookies (like the ones Mrs. Card makes) decorated with a volleyball. I'd need to make a hundred of them to bring with us to Florida for a national volleyball tournament. At the tournament, the players exchange a "handshake gift" at the net before their match. What a great idea I had come up with for our team's gift!! Ideas are one thing, execution is quite another. My attempts, while always tasty, ranged from homey (homely?) looking to disastrous. I ended up buying round tins in the wedding favor department of Hobby Lobby and filled them with jellybeans and added a volleyball sticker. These were cute and in the end I was just happy to be done with it.

Fast forward to yesterday...
I had not forgotten about the chocolate covered Oreos and had already contacted Mrs. Card to see if she would make these for me next spring....going to plan ahead this time. High School volleyball has since begun and a team party was schedule. Excited to get to share my Oreos, I ordered 32 of them from Mrs. Card.

Chocolate + Volleyball + no work at all on my part = Happy
Check out the wonderful results:

Z, O, and E a bit more grown up

I had hand painted the letters Z, O, & E for my daughter's room a few years back. Used pretty colors of pink and green and yellow to paint flowers on wooden letters from a craft store. We recently redecorated her room with bright orange and red highlights and fun patterns and textiles from Ikea. Her pastel Z, O, & E had to go... 

A simple solution was to spray paint the letters black and then cover them with fabric. I used Mod Podge to adhere the fabric. Z, O, E, and I love the results!

upcycle jeans

I'm searching for great ways to re-use the huge pile of denim jeans I have collected over the years (because I knew that some day I would find a really cool use for them). So far, I did find a very cool crocheted rug from the New Old Fashioned Gal and since I have done a little crochet with fabric before, and loved the results, this is my #1 find.

Other favorites are the baby bib and other simple projects found at Planet Forward.

Honestly, most of the projects I've found seem either too hard or a little on the ugly side (really, does someone where that remodeled long jean skirt?).

As soon as I finish my crocheted shopping bag, I'm anxious to begin cutting up my old blue jeans!