::bird ice::

After we made our class valentines we had some left over bird seed and I saw this link for frozen sun catches over at Family Fun.  

And these house bound kids needed a craft. 

All you do is sprinkle in bird seed and anything else you want.  We did a little bit of crayon shavings for color and for Max to practice fine motor skills. 

I obviously had to limit Max to a small bowl of bird seed but he did a great job with it.  

We poured in a little water and then froze them for a few hours.  

Then added a second layer of water a bird seed.

We used a plastic juice cup set in the pan to make the whole for the ribbon.  

When they were frozen solid we ran them under hot water to get them out of the pans. 

Then put a ribbon through them and hung them from the trees.  

Then fell directly on my butt.  

My camera took this picture when it hit the ground.  

I thought it was broken and I almost lost it.

The flash pop up is broken.  But I can live with that.

Gives it character.

It took this picture of my baby once I got up.  

Then she fell on her bum while I was taking this picture.

We had enough of ice that day.

But still had a good time making something pretty for the garden we can't wait to get back into. 

::i bought the lockers::

Here  is the craigs list picture that started my brain whirling.

Don't they just scream to be mine?

Maybe I talked grandma into buying them for Max for his birthday.

See his room plan here.

  

Getting wheeled out of the adorable shop they were in.  

 Loaded right up. Perfect fit.

What cute a town.  

 

Max had to move to the front seat.  He liked it.

And he liked the candy I let him buy at the shop.  

The laundry basket was still in the car from the mornings Goodwill drop.

Well worn velcro chucks, a wubby, and Mickey Mouse socks.

Something I will always remember.

 I love this picture.

His mouth is so perfect.  

That night Josh and I unloaded the lockers and got them in Max's room.  Love the dark red!  Love the lockers.  I am so excited to make the shelves for them and actually use them.

And get all his baby stuff out of there. 

Cost was $125, but since they were a gift, my cost was ZERO!

::garden edits::

I am super duper over focused on the garden this year.

Good distraction.

Here are the edits and links to the posts on them. 

 

The Cottage Garden

A few bush watermelons

Basil

Jalapeno

Chili's

Red, white, and green onions

Broccoli

Short carrots

Head lettuce

Leaf lettuce

Spinach

Cucumber

Sugar Snap Peas

Eggplant

Rare and colorful tomatoes

Bird House Gourds

Luscious Zinnia's

(fill cool crops with cilantro)

 

Barn Garden

7 hills of corn, beans, and squash in the three sisters technique

    Types of squash - butternut, spaghetti, luffa, gourds, white pumpkins

    More to come on all this latter

More corn

LARGE sunflowers along the north side

Peas

Tons of cilantro, parsley, and spinach

 

Orchard

Orchard

It just sounds cool, so I have to say it a few times. 

1.  9 blue berries 

2.  9 MORE blue berries

     Five different kinds, is that the way to go?

3.  Raspberries

     Four different kinds; yellow, two red, and black

4.  Half the row in blackberries, the rest in soybeans

5.  Half in asparagus the other half in for experimentation

     Like Kaleidoscope carrots and other fun stuff

 

Newly added...  (Josh's idea)

Melon Patch

Two kinds of cantaloupe

Ananas (I really don't even know what this is, but I want to try it)

Honey Dew

Random ones - Twice as Nice and Burpees Early 

Three types of watermelon

    One of them orange

(DEAR NICU - be excited because all the extras come to you)

MAYBE - a pumpkin patch far from the melons

 

What do you guys know about growing melons, blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries?  Those worry me the most.  

Specifically but not limited to-

Can I mix the melons together in one patch?

What is the best spacing for melons?

Can I plant more than one kind of blueberry in a row?

If I plant the raspberries with plenty of spacing will they fill in themselves eventually?

Are thornless blackberries the way to go?

HELP!!!

::sleep over::

 

Emma and Lily used to have sleepovers were they used the portable DVD player to watch movies in bed.

These two need to start the same tradition.  

Here we have the aftermath of the first Lily and Max sleep over

::right now projects::

I am feeling very creative right now.  Maybe it is just because my energy is coming back.  THANKS IRON!  Here are some things I have going right now.  Some are just in my head.

In order-ish

Every pay check buy at least one letter for alphabet wall project

Add some more pillows to Lily's day bed

Put in two clothes rods for the American Girls

Make a book sling for Lily's room

Paint Max's room green

Touch up all the trim and cabinets in the bathroom

Boring - paint the bathroom shower stall (sorry Josh - its for you)

Paint my bedroom with paint I bought months ago and then forgot about 

(how can that happen?)

Make a book sling for Max's room

Put shelves in Max's locker, wrap in fabric to add to coolness factor

Make a wrapping paper station in the family room

Make a wall desk in the family room

Make plant labels for this summer

Make wall metal sunflower for side of house

Find 50 garden gnomes and place them everywhere

::cheap shoes::

I just bought these new chucks for Max at the used kids clothing store.

$10

Buying kids clothes used is one of the ways that I love to save money. 

::the start of the alphabet wall::

 

This photo comes from here.

I like it.  All the multi media appeals to me.  

I am going to build one in the play room.

Slowly.

 

I took a little cash and went to Hobby Lobby.

I got these to alter and play with.

 

And these to use as is. 

 

I like the texture.  

 

And the price worked for me. 

 

And I knew just what I wanted to do to this U.

 

I wrapped the ends in yarn and tape.

Then wrapped over them with yarn.

LOVE IT!!!

Now what will I do to R and G.

I might leave R.  I love that craft paper look.

But G needs something cool.  

Like sprayed with silver paint?

Ideas for future letters:

E or Z - made out of old rules

F - from a wrench

O - an old Beatles record

i- lower case with half a tennis ball as the dot

M - made out of Pez holders

L- made out of fallen timber

What idea's do you guys have?  What can make non-traditional letters?