It’s a small, small, egg shaped world!

I never think inside that box.  My (slightly loopy) mind always looks to shake things up.  Ancient mariners were surprised to discover that the world was not flat. So I started thinking of shapes the earth could be…in different solar systems of course. My eyes spied some undecorated Easter eggs and I thought that it might be fun to make my egg look like my dear mother earth…from space!  I know it sounds weird but wouldn’t it be a really cool conversation starter? 

If you want to make some egg shaped worlds yourself, it’s easy peasy.

Egg earth

You will need:

A wooden egg 

Decoupage glue (Mod Podge gloss is my favorite)

Computer and printer

Scissors

Small paintbrush

1.     Search on your computer clip art program for pictures of earth from space and print two or three versions. 

2.     Cut out the motifs and then cut in smaller pieces.  This earth is definitely not flat so you need to just layer and add small pieces to the egg.  The only rule is to make sure that you put the predominately white pieces on the top and bottom of the egg (North and south poles)

3.     Spread some decoupage glue on small sections of the egg, add a piece of clip art and smooth with your fingers (its gets messy but it all washes off!)  Smoothing with your fingers helps remove some of the wrinkles.  It doesn’t matter if there still are some wrinkles as it give the piece added dimension.  Once the piece is stuck add more glue on the top. 

4.     Continue working around the egg until the entire egg is covered.  Let dry.  When it is dry you may brush another coat of decoupage glue on the top for added shine.

Protect your work surface with some scrap cardboard and waxed paper.  If you are really ambitious you could make a solar system!

Stinky Spring

Pink Dogwood pastel ACEO--NOT-STINKY!

If you were to visit me in early Spring you might think that something was amiss.  You might sniff the air and wonder.  What is that revolting odor that seems to be rising from everywhere all at once?  Where in the world could it be coming from?  You look around you and all you see are flowers and trees with beautiful white blossoms.  The breeze blows your way and the assault on your olfactory senses continues.

You wonder how such an idyllic and well-maintained outdoor area can smell of body odor, rotting fish and just plain funky-ness. 

Well, I have news for you.  Those two beautiful trees with all those lovely white blossoms in my front yard happen to be the notorious Bradford Pear.  Don’t blame me.  I didn’t plant them.  Just like the broken dishwasher, heat pump and Fridge, it came with the house.  We replaced the appliances.  The trees remain.

And what makes matters worse is that everyone on the street must have taken a field trip to the nursery to purchase and plant these trees.  You’ve heard of streets lined with gold?  My street happens to be lined with stinky pear trees.

Actually the trees themselves are pretty, wonderfully shaped and after the spring stinkies, they are pretty much non-threatening.  So if you do visit me in the spring, don’t ask.  Just be thankful that the vase in my foyer contains some mums, freesia, and a tulip or two. 

Poor, poor, stinky tree

F.Y.I.  Bradford pear trees are strictly ornamental and do not produce edible fruit!

Since this is my “ode “ to spring, I believe it qualifies for Mr. Toasts Creative Tuesdays.  Please visit goodteatoo.blogspot.com and enjoy all the wonderful creativity.

Sunday sketch

In between all the other things I need to get done today,  I figured I would whip up a little ACEO sketch  and then...what the heck, why not join in on Sunday Sketches at bluechairdiary.blogspot.com.  Ok, I know it's not my best.  My husband already informed me of this.  In my defense the size is an ACEO and only 3 1/2" x 2 1/2", and in colored pencil. I am thinking Spring even though we had a snow last night!  Only a dusting but very rare for this time of year in Virginia.

This little guy just reminds me of spring and all the foals being born at this time of year.

Have a great Sunday and Happy Spring!  

The spice of life...and Paint Party Friday

They say that variety is the spice of life.  Although this is an adage meant for humans, who’s to say that our four legged friends can’t follow the same rule?  My cat Olivia has a habit of constantly changing her napping areas.  Her pattern works like this…She finds an area that she fancies and sleeps there regularly, whenever she decides it is time for a siesta. After several days in one spot, it is onward to a newer location.  One week it may be her cat bed.  The next week it could be a pillow on the sofa, the week after that the dining room chair is most inviting, and so on until I assume she runs out of spots.

Husband dear thinks it is because no one will be able to find her if she doesn’t want to be found.  Me, I am more inclined to blame it on her sex. After all it is a woman’s prerogative to change her mind…. and change, and change and change…

paintpartyfriday.blogspot.com

So for paint part Friday I offer a miniature pencil sketch of Olivia…getting ready for her nap in her current location, of course.

My story for Jumping off places..."Released"

Pencil ACEO

What follows is my week's story for "jumping off places" hosted by Linda at atticreflections.blogspot.com.  Hope you enjoy. 

The view outside the window had been gray for days.  At least it seemed that way. She gazed at the soft green carpet that had appeared almost overnight. She had watched from her little window every day, waiting for the cold and white cover on the ground to melt away.  She knew it marked the end of her imprisonment.

It wouldn’t be long now.  The flowers were poking their lazy heads through the once hardened ground.  Gray or not, It was spring and her spirits were soaring.  Oh, when, would her sought after release come?  It couldn’t be long now; she had done her time.

The sun peeked from behind the clouds.  Someone was coming.  Could it be time?  She heard some keys rattle in the distance.  Oh happy day, it was time.  She felt like jumping for joy.  Never again would she do the things that had confined her.  She would be a boon to society. 

“C’mon Maddy” He said. “It’s a nice day, lets go to the dog park.”

pencil ACEO

Decoupage plastic Easter egg, easy instructions

Egg Hunts

When my daughter was little I always had Easter egg hunts in my backyard.  She would invite her friends and they would look for the brightly colored eggs spread out throughout the expansive back yard.

Might I suggest when hosting an Easter egg hunt, it is a good idea to make a map listing exactly where you hid those eggs.  Although children can find almost anything (especially when they aren’t supposed to, like Christmas presents) they sometimes miss an odd egg or two.  So unless you want to be finding eggs while shoveling snow next winter, map it out.  Speaking from experience, it’s a good idea to use plastic eggs instead of real ones.  Rotten eggs smell, well, like rotten eggs!

We always had a gold egg that won a larger toy prize.  That was the special one.  So Hop on over to your craft store and pick up some supplies to make your own special golden egg.

Decoupage Plastic Easter egg

You will need:

Plastic egg (I used clear with a tab for hanging on a tree but you can easily substitute a regular plastic egg)

Decoupage glue (mod podge is a good one)

Colored napkin of choice (An all over print works best)

Scissors

Small paintbrush

Gold glitter dimensional fabric paint

Wax paper to protect work surface

1.     Cut the napkin into various sized small rectangles.  Separate the layers and use only the colored layer. Take apart the egg and work on each half individually.

2.     Brush some decoupage glue onto the egg up to the edge.  Stick a rectangle on  it and immediately spread some more glue on the top.  Don’t worry about wrinkles as they give the egg added dimension.  Continue working around the entire egg edges. Keep spreading more glue on the egg until it is completely covered with some more napkin rectangles.  Gently spread a coat of glue on the entire surface.  Place down and let dry completely.  At this point if you do not like how it is coming out, don’t fret.  Wash it off and start over. 

3.     Repeat for the other half.  Let dry.

4.     When both sides are dry, draw some designs with the gold dimensional fabric paint (see photo) on each egg and let dry. 

Hint:

If you have a tab on your egg it can be used to hold the egg while you are applying the decoupage.  You can even place the egg face down on the waxed paper covered work surface and apply the decoupage in that way.  Once the egg is dry you can brush another coat of the decoupage glue on both sides of the egg.

Honeymoon?

Honeymoon?

Have you ever wondered why they call the trip we take after we marry a “honeymoon.”  Leave it to me to be the one to ask why.  I guess I was one of those annoying little kids who always asked questions that have parents scratching their heads and mumbling. 

Thank goodness for the Internet, now when my curiosity gets the better of me, I can just search, for anything. I may take a side street here and there, but I always learn something new. 

So this past weekend the moon was supposed to be 30% brighter and 15% larger since it was the closest it has been to earth since 1993.  Did you see it?  I was out there moon gazing and humming a song I must have heard in an old movie.

“Honeymoon, we’ll be shining in June…”

Anyway, when I came inside researched the roots of the term-- Honeymoon.  It turns out that in ancient times the word came about because it was thought that a marriage, is honey (sweet) for the first month…duh-- a lunar cycle. 

How it that for a very negative attitude towards marriage? I have been married for going on 11 years now and it is still as sweet as honey.  Guess I’m just lucky like that!

I also want to thank Christine Bennett of purple-pony-art.blogspot.com for the beautiful Sch----------  well I still can't say or write the word, but you can see it here.  Thanks Christine, and by the way the card is gorgeous too!!  :-D

A little Saturday story for Jumping off places

What follows is a little story for Jumping off places hosted by Linda at atticreflections.blogspot.com.  I know its a bit late but better late than never right?  I hope you enjoy it! 

On the top of the piano sat a beautiful gilded frame with a yellowing photo neatly framed behind the glass.  She picked it up and looked closer.  Why did he always have to look so serious, so stern?  That was not the man she knew.  Photos can expose a face and yet hide so much.

Gran-dad had always been her rock.  Now, more than ever she needed to talk to him.  She needed his advice and support, but most of all she needed his strength.

When others had discounted her abilities, he had always been the one to defend them.  He believed in her, and that made her believe it too.

“Your gonna make it, Dee” He’d say with a wink of his eye. 

Now she wasn’t so sure.  She closed her eyes and imagined he was right there.  She felt the comforting squeeze of his hand as he walked with her to the school bus stop. She recalled the time he sat beside her bed all night at the hospital when she fell and broke her arm. She saw him playing funny little tunes on the piano to make her squeal with laughter.

She saw so many things in that moment that it seemed almost real.  She snapped out of her reverie with a start.

Ring…ring, ring. The phone interrupted her daydream, but with a much lighter heart she answered it.

“Hello.”

Her smile became increasingly broader and as she hung up the phone, She gently placed the frame back onto the piano and beamed at the man who believed, and as she turned to leave, she could have sworn she saw him wink!

Have a great weekend!!! :-)

Paint Party Friday

Some of my blogging buddies have started a paint party on Friday.  So I decided to jump right in.  I’ve already visited and I am amazed at all the beautiful art that is showcased here.  What a group of talented artists, so if you haven’t gone why not hop over and take a peek, better yet, hop...right in.  paintpartyfriday.blogspot.com

I paint big, medium and small but miniatures are one of my favorite things.  There is something about working with a giant magnifying glass to add detail that just excites me.  So I will continue until my eyes give out. 

I figured I would add my little miniature of a bunny.  My daughter discovered him all alone on a country road and brought him home. He was so cute, but a bit wild so we set him free in my backyard.  That was last fall.  There are tons of bunnies living in the woods behind my house and every time I see one of them hopping around I wonder…is it bunny? I’d like to think so.

Cb and C

Are you having your Corned Beef and cabbage today?

It’s funny but a little research reveals that the dish of Corned Beef and cabbage is not really an Irish dish but is an Irish-American adaptation.  Pork is the meat of choice in Ireland so when immigrants came to America they found bacon and ham to be a little out of their price range.  Being the highly versatile folks they are, they substituted the much cheaper and readily available Corned Beef.

So…Reuben dear, you would be a ham sandwich or a BLT in Ireland.  Thank goodness for the thriftiness of the Irish-Americans…in all of us.

Good times...

Good friends...

Good health to you...

And the luck of the Irish

In all that you do!