whatever

friday.

my friend Pam came home for a visit from Liberia, Africa.
i just love her so much.
we talked and talked and talked.
one night...we talked ALL night...from 10 pm - 5 AM!!!
we had a lot to catch up on since she moved there in november.  

my favorite flavor is cappuccino chip.


the kansas sky is so beautiful...pretty much ALL the time.

lunch.

for the record....annie was sorry for throwing a huge tantrum about her sticker not being sticky enough.
i said she had to stop and figure out a way to fix her problem.
she went bizerk!!
later this note was slipped under my door.  :) 

they all love to wear my new glasses.

 

i made Pam's Cheesecake for Pam when she was here!
no pressure or anything....just making the world's best cheesecake for it's Creator!
thankfully it was good.
i didn't burn or undercook it.
have you made it yet?!! 

i came home to this one afternoon.
waffle was hiding in a corner in another room....a self-appointed time out. 
he is so naughty sometimes. 

have you seen these funny cars?
this was my first time.

i love water color paints.
LOVE.
that big set is from target.
it's ok....i like the other big crayola set better to be honest.

i was reading Romans in The Message Bible.
it rocked.
:)
i definitely want to be a cheerfully expectant servant.



after the GoPro reunion i met up with my friend Jeanne.
we went to lunch and FOUR hours later...we hugged goodbye.
it was like i had seen her yesterday but we have only met once in real life 3 or 4 years ago!
God has given me such awesome women in my life!



then i stayed in a hotel.
 A L O N E.
it was quiet and peaceful and comfy and FABulous.
i never even turned on the tv.

my flight home...i had to run to my plane.
i was the last one on.
phew.
i was a sweaty mess when i got on the plane.


i finished Interrupted on the plane.
that book.....it was like she could look into my brain and put words to my thoughts.
she was able to help me understand what i have been feeling.
i LOVE Jen Hatmaker.


my girls squished me when i got home.

i found this turtle in my driveway.
i took it's picture and let him move on with his day.

sometimes i have to remind myself that waiting is ok.
even if it's over 10 minutes for the correct price of cantaloupe.
i can wait.
but did appreciate my son saying very loudly "Gosh Mom!!! HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN WAITING HERE?"

 

i found a sunflower field this week.
they were all big heads but every single sunflower was about 2 feet tall.
it was kinda weird!

so....i found these shirts this week at walmart and they cracked me up!
if you want one....they are dri-fit btw....you can find them ALL of clearance for only $5 each.
i am so surprised they didn't sell very well.

well...we had our own paint fight.
as a family.
and blue lily photographed it.  :)

it was fun but challenging.
kids are can be sensitive and not used to throwing things at each other for fun.
there was some crying.
there was some anger ("he threw it at me!"  umm....yeah that is the point!)
so...maybe it's better with grown ups?
as soon as we were done and drove away my kids were saying how fun it was.
 so at least they may not remember being upset or feeling itchy...maybe.

i will show the blue lily pics when i get them.
thank you wendy & tyler.

ok...it's friday.
i get a whole weekend alone with mr. duerksen!
it's our anniversary.
i like him.
a whole bunch.

i am a lucky girl.

have an A W E S O M E weekend!!!

 

 

makeover for ten bucks.

i am a dork in that i forgot to take a before picture of my thrift store lamp.
but i wasn't planning on a tutorial.
oh wait....

there it is in the bottom left corner...shiny brass lamp from the thrift store.

i spray painted it pink.
when you spray paint things primer is always good but i don't ALWAYS use it.
or you can buy spray paint now with primer IN it.
genius invention....if you have the option you should use it. 

i have never used  this kind of lampshade to recover.
USUALLY i use one that is just wire covered in some thin fabric that i ripped off.
this one is covered in a plastic-y hard paper.
i figured it would work...i will try it.
if not...it was $5 so it's no big deal if i fail.



first i lay out the fabric and see how much i will need.


i wrap it all the way around to make sure i have enough fabric going the correct way of the fabric's pattern.
sometimes if the shade is really big you have to go the wrong direction of the fabric pattern.
this lampshade was just the right size.


then i use my cutting mat and rotary cutter for a super straight cut.
you can also just use scissors.
i line it up straight on my mat and line up my ruler at the top and the bottom.


then i use my gypsy gripper on my ruler to push down and hold my ruler tight.
i LOVE this thing.
it makes cutting so easy.


i warm up my high temp glue gun.  
and i iron my fabric.


then i start on the white selvage end of my fabric and i just start hot gluing the edge with about an inch onto the inside of the lampshade.
and you just keep gluing and pulling it flat and gluing again.


then you turn it over and start on the bottom end.
i start in the same place....the white selvage side on my fabric
(that is the place with the words printed on the edge of almost all fabric)

then when i am finished gluing, i snip off all the extra fabric from the glued edges.
i clean it up as best i can.
for the end when it's wrapped all the way around i fold the fabric over and glue it down from top to bottom.


and that's it.
it's not perfect....but it's cute and customized to the exact look i want!

the lamp was $5 and the fabric is $10 a yard...and i used a half yard.




so for $10 each....i have two kind of matching lamps.
i made the other one a few months ago.
and now i have a set....not exactly the same but close.

:)

yay for thrifting!!

 

 

odwalla smoothies

I was delighted to be asked by BlogHer to share this episode of Weelicious Lunch Crunch sponsored by Odwalla Fruit Smoothies For Kids with my readers. Enjoy!