Mom & Dad’s Bench

Kelly gave Dick a pair of headboards that she purchased in Idaho, but decided she did not want them and knew he would come up with a plan for them.  We wanted to make Mom and Dad a bench for Christmas, but I wanted it to have spindles.  Waaa Laaa, this was the perfect set to make the bench.  He cut the legs down on one of them for the arms and they were perfect.

Mom is in love with red…..so we went to Home Depot and got Cranberry to paint the bench.  This was the perfect color for this cute little bench.

We glazed the bench in black and it turned out just exactly like I wanted it to.    I love this little bench.

We took the bench and spent Christmas with them.  Here the bench is at it’s new home where it will receive lots of love.  It sits perfectly under the window and you can see the most beautiful sunsets to the west.

Hand Warmers

This idea from Pinterest was used this year to make  Christmas gifts for some of my family members.

On some  I glued bows and some had buttons glued on them.  I was pleased with the outcome of this project.

Happiness = Kalista

Today a dream came true for me and a day I have prayed would happen for several years was fulfilled.

I have my “Angel Niece” whom I love dearly and have not been able to visit with her for many years because visiting is stressful for Angel Girl.  My heart has ached to be able to be in the same room with her.  Being able to get to know her and for her to get to know me has been only a dream I feared would never come true. 

Today Mom and I went to Moab to deliver gifts to Jim, Bobbi and Kalista.  Oh how my heart was filled with excitement at the thought of getting to see Kalista.  I was very apprehensive because we never know how she is going to react to strange faces.  Not only was I excited to see Kalista, but also to see my sweet Bobbi.  Arms were wide open as I walked in and hugs and kisses were shared.  I love this girl so much and miss her dearly.

Bobbi took us into the living room where Kalista was and the reception was perfect.  She got a beautiful smile on her face and was so happy to see me.  We both have names that start with “K” and that was exciting to her.  She just was so happy for the entire visit.  She would look at me and smile the most beautiful smile I have ever seen.  It was a true angelic smile.

Today my heart was filled with happiness and was shared with Kalista.  This was truly the best Christmas gift given to me, moments of sharing with my Angel Girl. 

Angel Girl, I love you dearly and wish you the merriest of Christmas’ ever.  Thanks for your gift of happiness to me this day.

Guess Where Christmas Will Be This Year!!

I am having Christmas with my parents this year in La Sal.  I have not been home for Christmas since 1984.  Needless to say I AM ELATED TO BE HERE.

We left Brigham City early this morning and had a wonderful trip here.  The skies were so clear and blue.  This is a blue that I only notice when I am traveling to see my parents.  It is a welcoming sky and beacons me home and gladdens my heart.

Another site that I love to see are the red, red rocks of Southern Utah.  When you have been raised in red rock country, it stays with you forever and eternity.  I LOVE RED ROCKS….well anything that is red, but red rocks are a delight. 

When I get to Moab my heart starts racing and I can hardly wait to make that climb up to the base of  the La Sal Mountains and my parents warm and tender loving arms.

This will be a great Christmas and I hope the rest of you will be as happy as I will be. 

Merry Christmas to all my family and friends and my all your wishes come true.

Pinterest Project

I made some of these cute little dresses that I found on Pinterst for my Quilted Bear booth.  They turned out adorable and sold rather fast.

They were so fun to make and so Christmasy.    Thanks Pinterest for this idea.

REPOST: Such a Great Week

For the last eight days I have been a nanny to my two little grandchildren, Canyon and Evan.  We had lots of bonding time and made each moment count toward memory making.

Kelly left us a schedule and we followed it right to the T and made sure that all homework, reading and play times were adhered to completely.

Gramps came down on Tuesday and Thursday to take Canyon to basketball practice and Miss Jen took Evan to tumbling.

Thursday was a special day at the children’s school.  They were hosting a Grandparents Night and we got to go.  The children took us to their classrooms to meet their teachers.  What fun it was to see where they sit everyday during school and to see their work hanging on the walls.  Canyon wrote us a letter about being the best.  He told us that roasting marsh mellows was fun, we are always nice to him and others, we are perfect just the way we are, there is nobody to replace us, we save time for him, we try our best and he remembered that Gramps drove with him to a Utah Utes football game.  He ended his letter with these words “you guys are the best.  Love your grandson, Love Canyon”  What a special night it was for us to attend this Grandparents night.  We had cookies and then they each got to buy two books to read at home.  Thanks Canyon and Evan for taking us with you that night.

On Friday we went to Brigham City to see Gramps and spend the weekend with him.

On Sunday we went back to Clinton so the little ones could get back on schedule for school on Monday.  Sunday night Evan was playing with her loose tooth and it fell out.  She squealed and shouted that her tooth came out.  What a surprise for all of us.  The tooth fairy found her and left her $1.00.

The next morning when she woke, she looked at her money and with a big grin she asked me “How much tithing do I owe?”  I told her a dime and she took the dime and put it in her tithing bank and the rest in her piggy bank.  I was so in awe with her remembering that the Lord is paid first.  What a principle of truth this little six year old taught me in the quietness of her room that morning.  Why are these principles so easy for a child and so hard for an adult?  Good parents have taught her well!!!

Monday night we went to Salt Lake Airport and picked up Derek and Kelly and what a happy reunion those two little ones had with their parents. 

I am glad that we were able to take care of Evan and Canyon so Derek and Kelly could go to Louisiana to get him settled into an apartment and look at housing while they were there.  It is a joy to be grandparents and to be able to help your children in times of need.

Meghan Leigh Rasmussen

Today you make the milestone step of going from a teenager to adulthood.  The years have been ones filled with memories and fun times.

I remember being at the hospital and hearing your cry for the first time and then they brought you out of the room for me to see.  My how my heart was beating with excitement as I cradled you in my arms.  My heart melted and instant love abounded. 

When you were little, you would follow me around and hang on to my leg all the time.  You wanted only Gramps and I to hold you and boy did you ever give the sweetest, slobbery kisses that any grandparent would ever want to receive.

Now look at you!!! all grown up into a beautiful young lady.  Boy time sure does seem to fly by fast.

We love you dearly, our precious Angel Face.  Keep smiling that beautiful smile and let those twinkling doe eyes melt every ones hearts.

Have a wonderful birthday and many more to come.

Red Bench

SOLD

!!!!!!!This bench now has a new home in Kaysville, Utah!!!!!

We went to our fav store and purchased this beauty.  I knew immediately that this would be my RED bench.  I had a vision and knew exactly what it was going to end up looking like.  Dick built the bench and then painted it Awning Red with his new paint gun that he got for his birthday.  He sure has learned how to make his painting perfect with it.

We got to this point and began to do the black glazing and lo and behold the bench was almost ruined.  We switched glazing compounds to a Home Depot brand, Behr, which was the biggest error of all.  The dry time is to short and would dry before getting it rubbed off. Dick had to repaint the bench in the area that had been glazed and then another trip to Ogden to Lowe’s to get the right product, Valspar.

We lightly distressed this bench instead of the heavy distressing that was done on the previous benches.  With an new batch of black glazing mixed up, we started the process of glazing our beautiful red bench.  The colors just change once the glazing process is started.

This bench is waiting for a new home.  While it waits, I get to enjoy it in my home.

Happy Birthday, Tony….

Happy Birthday Tony. 

Thanks for being the loving teddy bear that you are to your family.  Thanks for choosing to be part of our family and loving our daughter and grandchildren like you do.  It warms the heart.

Happy, happy birthday to you this day.  We are thinking about you and hoping you are being treated like a king today.

Another beautiful bench….

What could be made of wood, the color red, black glaze and made with lots love????

You are right………another bench!!!!

We are anxious to deliver this special order bench and know that its new home will give it great love.

Denim Aprons

I LOVE these little aprons.  I got my idea off of the Pinterest website…they were for big aprons…I just wanted to make little aprons.

They are so easy and fun to make.  I took all of Dick’s old jeans and cut off the back pockets then each leg makes an apron.  Pretty simple…take bias tape and sew on for the straps , add any kind of embellishments around the bottom of the apron.  I am a ruffle girl and so all my aprons have ruffles.

I use my serger on all of the raw edges on everything I sew as I like the “finished look” on my sewing items.  For my ruffles I cut strips of fabric 3” wide (I use two 3”x44” strips for my aprons), using the rolled hem on the serger, I edge each side of the strip so it has a neat, clean finish. 

Take the pocket and center it on your apron where you would like it to be then sew it on.

There are two ways to make the ruffle (1) the traditional way of making gathering stitches (2 or 3 rows) then pulling the under side thread (bobbin thread) to the desired length or (2) using a gathering foot (I call it a pleater) and let the machine make consistant pleats on your strip of fabric (love this way and I only use the pleater since discovering it).  Sew the gathered ruffle on the edge of the apron and you are done.

I finish off my bias with “fray check” which stops the edges from raveling when it is washed.  I use this on all of my ribbons that have raw edges.

Here are the aprons I did today.

This pocket had a smear of paint on it and just a little bit of ruffle covered it up and we were good to go….

Happy Birthday Miss Evan

Evan Makell Madsen (1 hour old Nov 9, 2005)

Oh how I love this little baby girl.  She won my heart at first site six years ago and we did bond real fast. 

She has many nicknames such at Missy Muffet, Heavenly Evan, Punkin and Evie Girl.  She answers to any of them and just giggles.  Our little neighborhood kids call her Heaven or Evie and they are so excited when she comes to play.

Evan is a great helper and always wants to be your helper girl when she comes.  Sometimes we cook, sometimes we do office work, sometimes she goes outside and helps Gramps in the shop and sometimes we sew.  She has her own scissors and cuts fabric only from the garbage can and she puts pins in the pin cushion.  She has lots of fun helping Grandma and Grandpa.

Tomorrow, on her birthday, we get to spend the entire day with her and boy are we excited.  

We love our Evie Girl and are so thankful she is part of our family.  Happy Birthday sweet six year old!

Pinterest

I am addicted to Pinterest!!!!  and I love this web site.  I have gotten tons of ideas from it and have made many items since becoming a Pinterest addict.

I have decided that I will post one thing each week that I have made from Pinterest.

This week I want to show you the ear warmers that I have been making these past few days.  It took me three tries before getting the pattern like I wanted it to look like and now I am able to continue with making tons of them.  I even was smart enough to cut the pattern down to make little girls sizes.  Notice my adorable model and the color of yarn she picked out for hers.

Thanks Evie for being my helper this weekend and modeling these fantastic ear warmers.  She wore her ear warmers all day on Saturday.

This has been a fun item to make from my Pinterst searching.

Look What We Have Been Doing….

This cute little skirt was so fun to make…So cute with the pink and lime green.  The hot pink bow and lime green button just set it off.

This is an apron that I made from a pair of old jeans.  They are so simple and fun.  The apron is cut from the lower leg, you cut off the pocket, cut out the back of the pocket and sew it on the apron.  I love ruffles so all my aprons have ruffles on them.  I had made one earlier today (my first one) and the lady next door came over just as I was coming downstairs to tag it and bought it so I ran back upstairs and made this one.  The one she bought had lime green bias tape and the lime/pink ruffle from the skirt.  It was so popping cute!!!

I have made four of these dresses for Quilted Bear.  I fell in love with the fabric and had the ruffle fabric here at the house from another project I had finished.  Way to cute!!!

Dick finished this desk and two night stands for our neighbors.  They are done in a chocolate brown.  I did not get a picture of the night stands before they took them home today.

This johnny closet was refinished for a woman in Layton.  She had the piece and after buying two of our pieces wanted Dick to refinish this one for her.  She is putting different knobs on it when she gets it installed in her bathroom.

Remember this piece that Dick found at DI….

Well it has gone from the original color to brown and now to black.  This is for the same woman in Layton.  Hope she likes the new color.

Well I have got to get back to my sewing.  Have another special order for a denim apron and a Spiderman cape.

Dick is busy working on this project…

He has to rebuild two of the drawers before he can start painting it.  That should keep him busy for a few days.

Whee…What A Week!!!!

This has been a whirlwind of a week and today I am sort of taking a break from it all.

1. I have finished all of my apples and they are all dried and in bags for our winter eating.  They are DELICOUS with cinnamon and sugar sprinkled on them.
2. Had two job interviews – maybe one of them will come through – if not then will put in more applications next week
3. Made and delivered capes to Quilted Bear
4. Got another special order from QB to make this week
5. Sold two tables off KSL
6. Had a flat tire on the van – Dick is trying to get it taken care of now- ARGGGG!!!!!
7. Dick got my dryer fixed – it broke last Friday and the part got here on Thursday – two people still have lots of laundry in a weeks time
8. Cleaned, mopped and dusted my house
9. Took all the canning supplies down stairs for the winter now the back bedroom looks like a bedroom again
10. Dick trimmed the neighbors hedge so we can see the temple better  YEAH!!!!
11. Met a new family in our ward with the cutest little girls – they came for Evan’s old little bike
12. Worked on my business books
13. Baked bread and made bread bowls for potato soup – YUMMY
14. In between all of this I finished reading a book
15. Found another desk at DI to refinish
16. Got another bench all painted and ready to glaze
17. Bought Dick a new toy for his shop- a dovetail kit for making drawers – he is in love with it

I am tired again when I think of all that I did accomplish this week.  It is a good feeling.

Fall 2011…

Today we took a drive up Sardine Canyon and this is what we seen…

One of the most favorite times of the year is when God starts to paint his tapestry of fall colors.  They are awesome!!!!

Busy Week…

This past week has been a busy one.

Tons of capes were made…

cute aprons were created…

duck galore graced my kitchen table…

apples were bought for drying…grapes were picked for juice and leather…25 quarts and 27 trays later the grapes are finished.  Hayden gave me his order  for raisins and cookies…got the Curry package sent yesterday…apples are waiting to go in dryer…my, my what a busy week we had, but oh so fun.

New Provo, Utah Temple Announced…

WOW!!!!!

What a surprise this morning during the 181st Semiannual LDS Conference, when our beloved Prophet announced the newest temple to be built in Utah.  The old Tabernacle in Provo that was burned last year will be rebuilt into a temple, keeping the same look as before the fire. 

This is the most gorgeous building in Provo and I remember early in my 20’s attending a single adult conference with some other single adults in the area.  The interior was amazing and breath taking to me.

I immediately thought of my family members that live close to this new temple and how their lives will be so blessed with their close proximity to this House of the Lord. 

What an honor it is for me to live so close to our temple and to see the construction of this great building.  The first thing I see in the morning as I open my window blinds are the two spires of the temple and the last thing I see at night as I close the blinds are these same spires extending toward heaven.  We are anxiously counting the time when this building will be dedicated and open for us to do the ordinance work for those that have gone before.

Desk Delight….

SOLD!!!!

THIS DESK NOW BELONGS TO OUR NEIGHBORS.  THEY BOUGHT IT BEFORE IT WAS STARTED AND WERE ABLE TO CHOOSE THE COLORS. 

I did not get a before picture of this desk, but it was a dark brown.  The desk had great character and some rather unique hardware that attracted Dick to it.  He fell in LOVE with it and had a vision in mind before we left DI’s.

We have new neighbors and they found out we restored furniture and wanted something for the bedroom or bathroom for her to use as a makeup vanity.  When she seen the ugly brown color, she too had a vision and wanted the desk to serve as her vanity.  

The desk was painted sand and lightly distressed then glazed with a chocolate brown.  The hardware was spray painted oil rubbed bronze.

I am so taken with this side of the desk and the marble look that the glaze made.  I found that it is all in how it is rubbed off.  I am getting more relaxed with the glazing part.

My New Friends UPDATE

UPDATE……

My birds have been named!!!!

Since Gramps named the dog MUTT HEAD, EVAN TOLD HIM SHE GOT TO NAME THE BIRDS!!!!

THEY ARE RIO (yellow) and JEWEL (blue/white). 

There was no discussion on her part and when Gramps called them Louey and Bluey, she was very put out with his STUPID names.

I have been wanting to get me some parakeets for a very long time.  When we lived in St. George many years ago, we had two of them.  One was a green parakeet and the other one was blue.  Brook named them Trixie and Dixie.  How she loved those birds and they in turn loved her dearly.  She would play for hours with them.  During our years in Denver, we also had parakeets, but when we left to move to Nevada our bishop’s family took our three birds.

I did have Buddy, the cockatiel, for a few years but he went to a home that could give him tons of attention.  After Nolan and Kelson moved to Denver, he was to lonely to be kept in a home where his days were spent alone.

I found these two beauties last night from KSL and the seller lived just three blocks from us.  They are hand raised and only two months old.  They are getting used to their new surroundings today and have been so fun to listen to.  I am so glad to have these two additions to my life and know that they will bring me hours of enjoyment in the years to come.

They have not been named yet as we are not sure it they are boys or girls.  That will take another two or three months.   One name for the blue one that I am partial to is Callie and the yellow one is Hannah.  I have even tried Hannah and Savannah since they are siblings.   Any ways, right now I am waiting for my two yea hoo’s to come and see them.  Maybe they will have some good names to pick from.

If you have good names for my pets, let me know soon.

Don’t Mess With The Kid….

With a swollen eye that would not open and a pretty smile on her face, this kid was headed to the doctor. 

It was decided that she has an infection in the eye, so is now on an antibiotic, eye drops and and an allergy med.

Get better fast, Miss Evie!!!

35th Wedding Anniversary…

Thirty five years ago today I married my best friend.  There have been a lot of adventures along the way and the road has been paved with gold.

We are never apart and spend all our hours of the day together.  You rarely see one without the other and when we are separated for very long, it feels like hours.  I am so glad that my sweetheart chose me to become his bride those many years ago.  He has made the journey a pleasure. 

Never did we associate September 11th as anything other than our special day.  On our 25th anniversary it became a very important day and now we refer to it as “our 9 11 day”.  No one can ever forget this special day, for it is a day of great importance not only to us, but to the entire nation.  We never have an anniversary without thinking of all those that lost their lives on that fateful day in 2001 as our nation was being terrorized and attacked.

We are looking forward to many more years together and making memories along the way.  Thanks to all our family and friends that have been extremely important along the way.  We love you all.