Choo choo trains….one of the best toys that has transcended time!  Our son was obsessed with Thomas the Train (back in the day), so you can imagine how excited I became when our grand, Owen, also became obsessed with trains.  Of course, once one of our grandkids have a theme they love, our daughter takes off to create a birthday party that they will always remember.  Such was the case with Owen’s train themed birthday party! We happen to have Owen and Pappy that share this birthday which doubles the fun!  The party is so much more fun if you dress to match the theme….am I ..read more

Shark Week is just a few days away!   How many of you like to indulge in all episodes aired regarding the life of sharks in the deep dark ocean?  We try to watch as many episodes as we can to learn about these fabulous beasts.  Of course, the shark themed food and crafts are a big part of this week for us as well.  This year we are going to be making a Moving Paper Shark for one of our Shark Week Crafts! When I first saw this fun paper craft, I knew it was definitely going on the schedule of fun shark week crafts.  There are several steps to completing this awesom ..read more

  I know…I know….it’s summer…so who is thinking about Halloween?  I am!  It certainly doesn’t hurt to start planning your new and exciting Halloween projects…especially if you are crafting a fun and unique DIY Upcycled Yard Skeleton.  Follow along on how to make your own skeleton using materials you might have normally thrown away! As you probably already know, I am in a Sustainable Craft Challenge Group.  Julie, from Sum of Their Stories, gives us a theme each month to create an eco-friendly craft.  We are given a date to have it done by and all of our posts go l ..read more

Southern Girls Always Survive was sent to me to read and provide my honest review.  Thank you to Self-Publishing Services for entrusting me with this opportunity.  I enjoyed this debut novel by Rocky and Mary Kennedy Yost and am providing my book review below. CHARACTERS IN SOUTHERN GRILS ALWAYS SURVIVE~ Cecelia “Hilly” Garland – protagonist, part of lthe “12th Floor Girls” Mary Frances Garland – Hilly’s mother Mr. Allard Aiken – Attorney/running for State Senate Rolle Gilchrest – fellow classmate of Hilly Andrew Gilchrest – Congressman and Uncle of Rolle Julia Larson – College frie ..read more

Ok….so Easter is nearing….your are hosting….and you haven’t planned everything yet!  There is still time to create these awesome and very easy DIY Easter crafts.  Whether you try all three of them or concentrate on one, they are sure to spruce up your Easter tablescapes or home decor! Maybe you aren’t hosting….but you want to take a nice hostess gift….I’ve got you covered!  These little carrots and bunnies are sure to delight everyone.  Best of all….you can say,  “I made it myself!”  You go girl (or guy)! Easy DIY Easter Crafts ~ Notice the plural on craft(s)!&nbs ..read more

Spring is around the corner and that means it is time to start thinking about outdoor decor and flowers!  Every year I always feel like I need to buy new things to spruce up the yard.  This year, I am working on doing some DIY and upcycling things that we already have around the house.  As luck would have it,  it is time for our monthly Sustainable Craft Challenge Blog Hop so I decided to try my hand at making upcycled tin can planters. Each month Julie from Sum of Their Stories gives us a theme and challenges us to create a sustainable craft to share.  This month our ..read more

I never excelled in history….I just wasn’t that person that enjoyed the subject much.  Maybe this is why I enjoy historical fiction so much now…to catch up on everything I missed in a “story-like” fashion vs. just memorizing the facts.  Kristin Hannah stated in her interview that she wanted to wait until she was a more established writer to write about The Vietnam War.  The country was divided about the war so she wanted to be ready to present it well.  The Women is the end result and came together fantastically. The Women: A Novel $14.99 Buy Now This site contains produ ..read more

Whether you are looking for an easy DIY Valentine craft or an everyday heart decor item, this DIY Valentine Rag Wreath Heart is perfect!  Changing the color scheme from colorful to neutral can easily make this a beautiful decorative piece for holiday or everyday.  What’s even better is that it is so easy to make and you most likely have everything you need already. This was perfect timing for the craft blog hop group that I take part in.  Julie from Sum of their Stories challenges us each month to a Sustainable Craft Challenge.  Each blogger takes the theme and creates a fu ..read more

Ahhhh….the age old question that sparks conversation all around the world…What would you do?  Author Nikki Erlick presents a very thought provoking scenario for this very question.  On an otherwise normal day, all around the world, every person aged 22 and above receives a little box at their house/dwelling/etc.  Each one looks the same and has the same inscription, “The measure of your life lies within.”  Would you open it? The Measure by Nikki Erlick is a fascinating story that carefully weaves you into the lives of several different people.  Some are “short stringer ..read more

It’s that time of the month again…the wonderful time that I share a sustainable craft that I have made AND also share with you several other ladies’ crafts as well!  It’s a bonus post that is filled with wonderful ideas…and the theme for November is Christmas!  I have been very intrigued by string art lately so you guessed it….DIY Christmas Tree String Art is the choice for me! Sustainable:  Using a resource so that the resource is not depleted or permanently damaged.  Many crafters (myself included) find it so hard to throw stuff away because they are just SURE there is so ..read more