• Around home - Blog - Crafts - Creativity - Outdoors

    Refreshed flags

    May 23, 2016 - By 

    Several years ago I made a banner for the deck rail.  It added a bit of whimsy to the deck box garden.

    Refreshed flags | Halle's Hobbies

     When we added a second garden I made flags for that as well. Over the years the elements have done a number on the flags. Up until last winter I always took them down at the end of each fall. Knowing that they really needed replacement I left them up to continue the whimsy throughout the cold months.

    Refreshed flags | Halle's Hobbies

    Today’s version of the flags are single sided. They still blow sweetly in the breeze adding a fun element to an otherwise boring fence and deck rail.

    Refreshed flags | Halle's Hobbies

    Refreshed flags | Halle's Hobbies

    Next is the planting….

  • Around home - Blog - Crafts - Outdoors

    The lost art of bartering

    May 11, 2016 - By 

    I don’t know about you but I love it when I am able to barter for something. It truly is becoming a lost art. People now days just go buy or hire someone when they need something. I feel it stems from our lack of community. People don’t know their neighbors. They come home, park in the garage and never step into their yard except to perhaps finely manicure the grass. We are lucky here as we DO know our neighbors and have a good sense of community at least on our block.

    So with that in mind, a friend is finishing off their basement and is starting to buy accessories to match the rustic style of the decor they’ve chosen. She’d been telling me about wanting feed sack pillows for the couch but was overwhelmed by the price on Etsy. She purchased feed sacks at an antique store but then was stuck. She was afraid to cut them plus she didn’t have a sewing machine. I told her to bring them on over and we’d get it figured out.

    IMG_1102

    Marvin decided he really needed to “help”.

    IMG_1103

    After getting him interested in some toys we were able to cut them down and stuff the  pillow forms inside. I left the hand stitching to my friend to do at home.IMG_5348

    Look how awesome they look!!

    So what does this have to do with bartering…well they had leftover stone veneer from their fireplace. I got to take it home.

    IMG_1104

    I’m hoping that I’ll have enough to build a fire pit. The rain is supposed to clear out tomorrow so then I can lay things out to make sure before buying the materials to complete my project.

  • Blog - Crafts

    T Tuesday: post birthday week edition

    May 10, 2016 - By 

    Welcome to another edition of T stands for Tuesday.

    T stands for Tuesday

    Last week I was lucky enough to stretch my birthday celebration out over several days. On Tuesday (which is one of the reasons I missed last week) I was treated to lunch with friends. We actually celebrated two birthdays. We had a great time although I never snapped any photos. I did receive this wonderful violet from the other birthday girl.

    IMG_1101

    On my actual birthday. May 5th, I was running errands in the morning and picked up my free drink from Caribou…the best chain coffee shop in my humble opinion. (not affiliation…just a very happy customer)

    IMG_1090

    Since it was a hot day, I decided on a cold press coffee with room for cream.

    IMG_1100

    Mr. G surprised me by not only coming home early that day but also with a lovely bouquet of flowers. I have no idea what the orange ones are but they are so cool! I was really worried Marvin wouldn’t be able to resist them but he was surprisingly restrained after a few initial attempts to get to them.

    marvin

    The look of innocence.

    I did see a very strange sight during the week as well.  I was taking J to the eye doctor when we saw the Mystery Machine from the Scooby Doo cartoon.

    IMG_1083

    Stranger yet was the very old police car ahead of it. It was as if it had rolled off a movie set or something. I’d guess late 1950’s classic black and white with a single cherry light on top.  When I shared this photo on FB, my cousin suggested that perhaps they were on the way out to Paisley Park which was just another mile up the road. No clue…just one of those things that really makes you do a double take. Glad I had J to quick snap a photo for me.

    On Saturday, Mini-me and I went shopping using some of the birthday coupons and specials I had received then picked up yummy sushi to bring home. It was a really nice cap to a great week of celebration.

    I actually have done a bit of crafting…

    IMG_1086

    I used a skein of cotton yarn to make 4 small dish cloths. I like them small so they can fit down inside skinny glassware more easily.

    I’m also continuing work on the commissioned scrapbook album. I’m half done with the pages. Eventually I’ll show another little peek at it. It’s always a tough endeavor to show a scrapbook without showing photos.

    I’ve got an outdoor project in mind with some leftover fireplace stone veneer I was given. Hopefully I have enough to do my plan. When the rain stops, I’ll have to lay things out and see.

    What are you doing today?