I wouldn’t trade her for the world!! The Funky Princess is the eldest daughter of friends of mine from church. She had a birthday a few months ago, so I made her a banner in traditional Funky Princess colors. At first, it was displayed on the mantel in their family room.

Then her mom painted her room, and now it has a permanent place of honor. (Insert second photo here)

Here is a photo of the Funky Princess with BoBegan. We were invited to her Pre-School Graduation last month. Don't you just love that smile? (Insert third photo here)

I love my Funky Princess!

I love Pfaltzgraff and I love StephanieLynn

What a great combination!   I entered her giveaway just a few minutes ago.  You can do so, also.  Just click here!

I ALMOST RELAPSED LAST NIGHT

I was a nail biter for most of my childhood.  I didn’t kick the habit completely until I was in my twenties and have been in “recovery” since then.  I almost relapsed last night.

Bo-Began had applied for one of three available college student summer internships with our city.   A few weeks ago, she received a request from the city’s HR Department to provide a urine sample for drug screening.  She did so and then we waited.  About a week later, a letter arrived from the Director of Human Resources for the city.  Bo-Began was notified that she was among the five qualified candidates and that selection would be made by random drawing at the next City Council meeting.  The letter extended an invitation for her and her family to attend.  

Approximately twenty minutes into the council meeting, the topic of summer intern selection was introduced.   The HR Director carried a green fabric bag with a drawstring up to the lectern.  She invited the Mayor to step down from the dais to make the selection.  He asked one of the other City Council members to accompany him.  Hizzoner did not participate in the drawing.  The other Council member actually reached into the bag to select the names.  She pulled out an egg-shaped ball that had been painted to resemble a soccer ball.  The HR Director opened the ball, removed the paper inside and read the first name.  It was not Bo-Began.  This is the point at which I realized that my gel nails were protecting my real nails from my teeth.  The second ball was withdrawn from the green bag.  The second name was not Bo-Began.  The third and final ball was selected and opened.  The name announced: Bo-Began!  I immediately offered up thanks to my Heavenly Father for granting her righteous desire.  If they could have, I bet my real fingernails were breathing a sigh of relief.

I'm fairly certain they don't know that BYU and BYU-I are two separate entities. 

I ♥ THE USA!

I’ve been working on some banners for the upcoming Memorial Day and Independence Day celebrations. Here are three of them. I’m in the process of putting two more together.  One will be “Independence” and is “Stars & Stripes”.

Willkommen! Bienvenue! Welcome!

When you read those three words, do you think of Joel Gray singing in the 1972 film, Cabaret?  I do.  I watched it before I had a good understanding of the workings of the Weimar Republic back in the early 1930s.  But I digress.  The photo below is neither Willkommen, Bienvenue nor Welcome, but actually is all of them.  Välkomna is the Swedish word for welcome.  My dear friend JG had a birthday recently.  She is very proud of her Swedish heritage, so I wanted to make something for her that related to Sweden.  I used the blue and yellow colors of the Swedish flag and the word for welcome in Swedish. 

The Burlap Earring Holder

When I found a great earring holder tutorial at Positively Splendid,  I knew immediately that BoBegan would love to have something similar.  I happen to have found a double 5 x 7 frame during one of my Tuesday morning forays to the local Goodwill, where I get a 25% discount for having lived this long.  

Materials used and associated cost:

Frame from Goodwill - already on hand         

Burlap – already on hand

Spa Blue Craft Paint – already on hand

Burnt Umber Craft Paint – already on hand

M stencil and Quatrefoil stencil made using my electronic die cutter Make the Cut ™ software on clear contact paper

Staple gun – already on hand

Glue gun and glue stick to attach the burlap rose to the frame

Fray Chek - approximately $3 at my local W-M

Since I had already purchased the double frame, I only had to buy the Fray Check to put this holder together.  I likely could have done without the Fray Check, but I didn't want to take a chance on major ravelling of the burlap.

BoBegan is very happy with it and plans to take it back to Idaho in September when she begins her final semester. 

You have to start somewhere . . .

I just created this blog and didn't want to go away from it tonight without having entered at least one post.  I'm sharing a pic of the very first banner I created.  I am fairly certain this post and photo will be removed as I gain further expertise in the art of blogging.