Christmas Chalk Art

It was finally time to get my Christmas Chalk Art up on my chalkboards.

I love how they turned out. It still amazes me what you can do with a simple piece of sharpened chalk.

Give it a try sometime.

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Frozen, Snow Covered, Lake Mendota

Oh my... Fluffy white snow!!!

How beautiful does Lake Mendota look.

Driving by the lake this morning, we could see all the snow we've had recently, covered the lake. Yet if you looked closely you could still see son parts had not completely frozen over yet.

I hear that when it's completely frozen, they have a fair on it and tour able to drive your car across it.... Hmm I'm not sure about that. Sounds a little scary to me. But what an experience to try it.

Either way.... Beautiful views

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Rustic Wood Christmas Tree

What can you do with odd sized, cut off wood pieces.

Turn them into an outside or inside Rustic Wood Christmas Tree.

With moving here, I gave quite a bit of my Christmas decorations away, but that gave me a chance to change things up this year. Since moving here to Madison, I have been on the 'Upcycling' and giving old wood a make over, into something new ( For me that is) 

I had slats of wood stacked up in my bedroom, some cut offs from some of my previous wood projects. Plus some longer wood pieces from my local thrift store ( Which only cost a $1 ! Each )

*Tip, next time you want wood, try looking in the thrift store by the bed frames, you'll be surprised at what you can find *

Start by laying 1 longer piece of wood on the bottom, this is what you'll screw the cross pieces of wood to.

Then taking your other bits of wood, lay down on top to get the design you want.

You do want it to look like the outline of a Christmas Tree.

I marked where I wanted to make my cuts then numbered the wood, to know which order they would go in.

Then using a jigsaw, I cut the wood to size.

Seeing as this was going to be used outside, I didn't sand the edges down. If you plan on using it inside, then give you edges a little sanding.

I drew a simple Star shape on paper, then cut around that, laid it on a cut off piece of wood, traced around it then cut it out, using a jigsaw. 

Then with all your pieces of wood cut and ready to go, lay then back down, in the right order on the longer piece of wood and using  2 wood screws, on each piece, screw them into place.

Adding the star on last.

And what to do with the small cut off pieces of wood - Easy

My girls played all day with the left over bits of wood!! I did sand all the edges down to be safe.

Time to paint. 

I didn't want one color so I mixed a few different greens to make a different color for each slat of wood.

I painted each slat, using a brush, then using a rag, wiped off the excess paint.

Then using an old dried up sponge, I added some depth around the edges, using black paint

This is how it looks.

For the base, I cut open an empty Gallon Sized Milk Carton and using 2 bags of Quick Set Cement, then stuck the bottom of my tree into it and left it to harden.

Once hardened, I wrapped some Drop cloth around it.

Next step was to chalk the words, 

We Wish You A Merry Christmas. Then using Acrylic Paint in White and Red I painted over my chalk letters. Then I added some Elmers glue to the edges of each wood and sprinkled Glitter on top and left to dry.

I then put the base of the tree into a galvanized bucket and wrapped Christmas fabric around it.

My Rustic Wood Christmas Tree

Ho-ho-ho 

Merry Christmas

Here it is before I added some white Christmas Lights.

All lit up and ready for Christmas

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Giving, Is Such A Wonderful Gift.

Giving, is such a wonderful gift - don't you think.

I do. This is the season of giving, and yes, if we are lucky; receiving. Watch this heart warmer video of an the Airline Company, Westjet and how they helped Santa make the wishes of their travelers, travelling with them that day come true.

WATCH THE VIDEO

HERE

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Turkeys Anyone?

It's been a while since we've seen our resident Turkeys wandering about outside. I thought, maybe somebody may have snatched them  away, for their Thanksgiving dinner (boohoo) but,
 Thank gobble goodness, 
the turkeys are still alive and pecking. 

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Darling 100 Yr Old Lady Is Just Adorable

Dorothy Custer, is the sweetest elderly lady, with a wonderful sense of humor.

We can all learn a little something from her, she even still works out everyday, BEFORE leaving her bedroom. She beats me and that one & i'm 57 years younger than her!

Watch her in this interview with Jay Leno 

HERE

It will make you smile, even let out a little giggle, like I did.

Way to go Dorothy Custer, you are 1 amazing Lady.

You Even Tandemed Base Jumped this year at the ripe old age of 102.

Watch it HERE

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Ashley Judd Slaps Media In The Face...

I read an interesting article, which was shared by Ashley Judd herself on April 9th 2012.

Ashley Judd Slaps Media in the Face for Speculation Over Her ‘Puffy’ Appearance.

I am impressed she fought back bout what had been written about her.

We as women, have a hard enough time with all of our different body types, then we 'SEE' what the media and celebs of today expect 'us' women should look like. 

Are we all EXPECTED to be a size 0?

Are we all expected to keep up with how these young ladies look? To spend money when there is none, on expensive procedures?

Sometimes, I don't like how my body, jiggles, but after having 7 babies, I think I don't look too bad, but yes I am trying to lose a few pounds -UGH :(

But when I read this article, we as women, SHOULD speak up more and be glad that we have 2 arms, 2 legs and are healthy.

Read the Article, I would love to hear what your thoughts and feelings are about what Ashley Judd said.

READ HER ARTICLE HERE.

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Our Ward's Christmas Party

This is our 1st Christmas here in Madison, WI.

I was asked a couple of weeks ago to help decorate for our ward party, which took place last Saturday the 7th, 2013. 

I don't have any pictures of the main hall I decorated, but what I did use were all the different Christmas Trees, I made earlier and posted about HERE

But I did get to take a picture of the foyer display I did.

I kept the theme simple and natural, just as it would have been in the time of the birth of Jesus Christ.

 Wood, Burlap, Twine, Paper, Linen.

I made a quick chalk poster board, using chalk paint. I also made the 3D paper stars, see the post HERE.

I painted this picture 8 years ago, but upon moving I took it out of the frame ( I got tired of it)

Then as I was thinking about the theme of the decorations - we focused on the Birth of Jesus Christ. 

I dug out my picture, and used firewood and made a very quick natural wood frame.

Also, using my jigsaw, I cut out a simple wood star from pine wood.

I made my very own, Manger!

I followed how, HERE.

I made mine smaller than the one they had made.

 I am pleased how it turned out, I had one of our Sister Missionaries wrap a doll in strips of cotton, to resemble swaddling clothes.

I took a picture and made another simple wood frame. We printed out pictures of the Nativity and Jesus Christ and hung them with twine from the tree, and a simple paper star.

Seren & Carys are digging in for some pumpkin pie and whipped cream.

Mmm...'Nummies' as Carys likes to say, Seren prefers to , say 'Elicious'.

Seren is singing along to the Christmas Carol, Silent Night.

Our darling whipped cream bearded, 'Little Tinkers'.

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