4th of July Preview 2!

Today was the last day of VBS and therefore a celebration picnic. What fun Emily had eating a family lunch on the grass then playing in the water with her friends. She was a very tired girl when we got home so content to watch some Scooby Doo while I finished up page 1 of the July album...here it is.

Inside cover and first page

the "firecrackers" taken out of the pocket...all the kids that will be celebrating with us!

Sneak Peak

Well, the girls made it to and from VBS in one piece, the workout was torturous, the grocery shopping is done and the house relatively clean, so, as promised a peak at the cover of my 4th of July book.

Front Cover

Spine

 More to come soon.....

Busy Times

Well clearly I've been busy since I haven't talked to you in a while. I am working, be sure of that! Coming soon, a 4th of July album that I think is one of my best projects to date. I am excited to share it with you and if I can't finish it soon might just have to post a sneak peak. The girls are at Vacation Bible School this week, and although I am normally there with them helping out, I decided this year was a "mental health" retreat for mom. Lots of changes are coming for us and I need some time to get my routine in order, or, to be more blunt, my S*#t together! So, here's to a productive day from church to the gym to the grocery store and back and if I find time between that and cleaning the house and cooking meals, maybe, just maybe, a sneak peak of 4th of July.

Family Heirlooms

Well this may or may not qualify as an actual "heirloom", but this is the toy box my grandpa built for me when I was about 2 years old. It was built from raw wood and flat upholstery, completely from scratch and clearly built with love and to last. In the following photo it's about 36 years old. It's age is showing (just like this blogger sometimes) so I decided to refurbish it for use in my home.

"Before" my childhood toy box

So this was a momentous occasion for me. I am so sentimental I cringe at the idea of altering anything made by my Grandpa, but the interior hinges were broken years ago, and I couldn't leave it with torn upholstery to continue its demise.

"During" as I got brave and started to disassemble

Finally I chose some new fabric that matches the area I intend to use it and begun to put it back together. It was here that I realized how much love must have gone into this piece. Some people would have used a staple gun, or a few small screws; not my grandpa. He hand hammered every tack that held this box together, so I did too. Here is my finished refurb.

 

"After"

Thank you Grandpa! for teaching me that anything worth doing is worth doing well. I love you.

Bragging Rights

Today was the last day of school for my girls which means an awards assembly and the start of summer. Since summer seems bound and determined to come late this year...really? rain? still?...I figured I'd finish some projects and start some new ones. My very bright daughters won the "Principals Award" (Abby) and the "Hitting the Target" award (Tessa) and now for the drum-roll, Abby got all A's! I am so proud. I will need to get photos printed so I can scrapbook the awards, but until then I finished the presentation for Tessa's science fair medal.

Had to take this at a bit of an angle to avoid reflection off the glass.

Here's to hoping the "sun will come out tomorrow".