Cool things on a hot day

Things are a little crazy here after 100 days of 3 digit weather.

Okay, maybe not 100 days, but it seems like it!  

I'm not sure how many days because I'm too weak to find the remote & turn to the news.

So what can we do inside on a hot day?

 Design & build a spaceship to catapult us somewhere cool

- of course!

I think you could build a spaceship with duct tape!

(my kids do wear shirts, I promise.)

 While the kids were busy exploring the galaxy, I unwrapped some great gifts~

Boxes from Dawn are incredible.

Every item packed so carefully.

There is some history behind wonderfully tattered wedding shoes.

Let's just say that I've admired them from afar for ages,

& now they're mine!

I will leave this pile here on my desk for weeks I think. I will just sit & stare at it.

 The little elf shoes are the cutest things I've ever seen!

They are so teeny. I just love them.

Dawn has a tutorial on her blog if you want to make little shoes.

So many little bits of nature, lace & vintage goodies, all in perfect 'low color'.

Speaking of 'low color'.....

 Beth, Miss Low Color herself, sent this amazing Autumn colored collage. 

Can't believe she used this beautiful book cover.

Sewing, inking so many elements layered on. We are about to begin work on a special sewing themed project. This collage will certainly inspire me along the way.

Yesterday something totally unexpected arrived on my door step. Overseas postage hum............

It was from Tina!

This idea is so clever, Tina flipped a tiny lampshade upside down & turned it into a basket.

Trimmed in laces, handle wrapped in ribbon & a prism dangling from the bottom.

Precious!

She also packed the basket with these lovely trims.

Thank you friends, I love it all!

A couple of packages left the house too.

 A couple belated birthdays.

Spoiler alert*

On a trip to the mall I found & bought up all these

velvet frame backs. 

Perfectly faded from years in a window sill.

Can you tell I'm ready for fall?

The fern in back is encased in wax.

 It sat in my car for days waiting on me to bring it to the post office. Gosh I hope it doesn't look like a melted birthday candle by the time she receives it!

I'm linking up with Debra & all the other's for

Vintage Inspiration Friday.

Wishing you all a nice cool, breezy weekend!

Where Bloggers Create III

I love my art room.

Sometimes I call it my studio to sound professional, it's actually our dining room.

I needed an art room much more than a formal dining room. 

A place I can go to forget the stress of the day & get lost in a whole other world.

 Sometimes I dream of having a 'real studio'.
A big room, separate from the rest of the house.
But for now my room is perfect.

 It's in the center of the house, close to the kitchen & living room.

 I can play with my toys while the kids play with theirs.

With 3 little ones, I get my art fix when I can.
But my favorite, most creative time of day is early morning before anyone is awake.
 My head is clear & the house is silent.

 I can, & do whittle away hours looking thru my drawers,

boxes ,

& suitcases

 searching for the perfect element to complete a project.

There are some pieces that are just to precious to me,

I don't think I could ever use them.

I just like to take them out & stare.

Shelves filled with gifts from sweet friends,

things I've made,

and many,

 many,

collections.

Thank you Karen for once again organizing this awesome party. Every year I look forward to poking around your studios.
So I'm off to snoop!
  Thanks for stopping by.

Camping in Broken Bow

Back to the real world.

After  6 days of sun & fun, we've returned with suntans,  new friends, bug bites, lots of memories & 5 hefty lawn bags of stinky laundry!

I'd say our vacation was a great success!

The kids were in heaven.

 They played from the minute they woke up, until the last firefly was captured.

Those days will forever be burned into our memories.

 The park was packed with families celebrating the holiday.

There were so many kids to play with & so many new things to experience.

 Like  tubing.

And horseback riding,

& Lily rode her bike for the first time...........

 sans training wheels!

Beaver Bend State Park is gorgeous.

Mountains, lakes, creeks, lots of hiking trails for nature watching.

The weather was hot, 100+ everyday.  

One afternoon there was a terrible storm, we were in town shopping thank goodness. We had to take cover from hail & high winds.

I would not have been a happy camper inside our little trailer with 3 kids. 

 Soon it passed & left behind the most amazing sunset.

Even Owen was impressed.

In fact, I didn't hear the phrase 'that's boring' all week!

We ate pretty good too!

I tell myself I'm losing weight when we camp. 

All the hiking, biking & working....

 Truth be told the s'mores, ice cream & campfire cobbler negates all that exercise.

Oh but that food tastes so good when cooked outside!

 I was all prepared to do some art on our trip, but I found myself quite happy in my chair doing nothing.

The kids were pretty creative tho.

The scrap fabric I brought came in handy for the 'arrowheads' the boys made.

I promise we're not part of some militia,

I'm thinking it's a boy thing.

When the boys wern't batteling aliens, Lily had them baking cakes in her 'workshop'.

I did eventually get out of my chair to go into town for provisions. While I was there I found an antique mall!

A vacation's not a vacation unless you bring home some junk!

 The prices were great.

 This awesome book was $1.

If you ever find yourself in Southeast Oklahoma, check out Beaver Bend State Park.