Dustbunny, Thursday, December 26, 2013

Oh my goodness…WHERE do all of these dustbunnies come from?  I was looking for a notebook that has gone MIA…so as I always do, I was looking under the couch…I have a dog and a cat that seem to think that EVERYTHING needs to be UNDER my couch…sigh…

Just made me think that PERHAPS you would like to learn how to paint a DUSTBUNNY…just think of the many ways this can be used…It would be a funny gift to give to a friend, BUT choose wisely WHICH friends will get it!

Mother once had a sign that read:  My house is clean enough to be HEALTHY, and messy enough to be HAPPY.  She showed it to a friend and that friend never spoke to her again…SILLY!!

I’ve shared this story on my fb page, but I think it is hilarious.  This grandmother was trying to teach her grandson about the scripture “from dust you came and to dust you shall return.”  They had spent quite a bit of time discussing it and what it meant.  They each went about their day when the grandson was playing with a ball.  The ball rolled under the bed and as he got on the floor to retrieve the ball, he loudly screamed:  GRAMMA…come QUICK!!  There is either somebody COMING or GOING under this BED!!   =)

Oh, I LOVE a good laugh…the sillier the better!  NOW get out your foam plate, a container of water, a rag, a surface of your choice, grey, black, white, pink, and blue paint, a scruff brush and a good liner brush and let’s get going.

Paint your surface with a background color of your choice…sand between coats it is unsmooth—a brown paper sack can be used for this…I used a blue and a dark blue and painted one coat of the lighter color.  When it dried, I just slip-slapped x’s on it to make sure several colors were showing.

Take your scruffy brush and dip into the grey and dab into a circle…

Then scruff in two ears…

Scruff in some pink for cheeks and inside the ears…

Add dots for eyes, a heart for the nose…to make a heart, place to dots next to each other with the END of your liner brush, then pull the paint into a point…add lines for the mouth and whiskers…AND white teeth lined in black if you wish!

Add white dots to the eyes and to the tops of the cheeks…Add lettering…you can place a magnet on the back if you wish or hot glue a string to hang…or add wire to hang…CALL IT DONE!!

 

Have a GREAT day…Blessings to YOU…charlotte♥ 

P.S.  You know…practicing these simple methods of pounching are helping you to learn to control a brush and to get you ready to paint some more things…You will find that the techniques for QUICK and EASY are the same that are used in more difficult projects…=)  It just takes practice…AND to finish this project in less than 15 minutes, use your blow dryer!

My Grown UP Christmas Wish, Wednesday, December 25, 2013

Brian & Me 1987--he was my best friend

Daddy, Mother, Ashland, Alexis, Kaylen, Kendall

Mr. Mack, Ashland, Alexis, Bob

Betty and Alexis

Mother--of COURSE she painted her sweatshirt

Mother getting a picture of Alexis

Alxis and her First Christmas!

Me & Brian...He is UP to something!!

Do you remember me
I sat upon your knee
I wrote to you
With childhood fantasies

Well, I'm all grown up now
And still need help somehow
I'm not a child
But my heart still can dream

So here's my lifelong wish
My grown up Christmas list
Not for myself
But for a world in need

No more lives torn apart
That wars would never start
and wars would never start
And time would heal all hearts
And everyone would have a friend
And right would always win
And love would never end
This is my grown up Christmas list

As children we believed
The grandest sight to see
Was something lovely
Wrapped beneath our tree

Well heaven only knows
That packages and bows
Can never heal
A hurting human soul

No more lives torn apart
That wars would never start
And time would heal all hearts
And everyone would have a friend
And right would always win
And love would never end
This is my grown up Christmas list

What is this illusion called the innocence of youth
Maybe only in our blind belief can we ever find the truth
(there'd be)

No more lives torn apart
That wars would never start
And time would heal all hearts
And everyone would have a friend
And right would always win
And love would never end, oh
This is my grown up Christmas list

This is my grown up Christmas list

MERRY CHRISTMAS...ENJOY this TIME with Friends and Family in Making NEW MEMORIES
...Blessings to YOU...~charlotte♥

Remembering Family on this Christmas Day, Wednesday, December 25, 2013

I thought it was a picture of My Uncle Edgar Fort,Daddy's oldest brother...But I realized it was Daddy's Father, Ephriam Floyd (what a name...ugh!!)  EVERY single time Daddy would see him, he would give Daddy a quarter and OFTEN it was the last bit of money he had...Even though Daddy was not raised in the same HOUSE as he was, BOY, he sure did have Granddaddy's character!  =)  I never got to meet him.

Well, this is what Uncle Edgar looked like too!!  Uncle Edgar was an old bachelor--I'm carrying on the Family tradition--He was in the military, as were ALL of my Uncles and He ran a gas Station his whole life.  He, just like Daddy, could pick up a crying baby and it would STOP crying!!  What a sweet man he was.  He ALWAYS whistled the same little ditty over and over.




This is Aunt Lattie, Daddy's only sister.  She was the second child.  Seeing this picture is AMAZING to me to see how much she looked like Aunt Jenny!!  Aunt Lattie married Uncle Otto when she was 51.  HE was the most gently, kind man, soft-spoken man I have ever known in my life.  That is their wedding reception at our house.  David, Uncle Otto's Son, is behind Aunt Lattie!  They had 25 very happy years together...David had his first grandson this year--BOY, I bet my fb page will be FILLED tomorrow!  =)

This is Aunt Jenny and Uncle Bud who raised my Daddy.  They had no children and Daddy's Mother died when he was 22 months old.  They were never allowed to adopt him because Granddaddy wanted to make sure that Daddy ALWAYS knew that he was his son.  Daddy loved living on the farm and when he would have to stay with Granddaddy while he went to high school, Daddy would OFTEN hitch-hike back to the farm because he would get homesick...you know how being 7 miles away from home can be!!  LOL...Daddy was SPOILED ROTTEN!!  WHEW...thankful it wasn't passed on me to...hmmmmm....~wink wink~

This is my first Christmas!!  Where am I??  I can't believe that I allowed Daddy to put me down~I was a Daddy's girl like none other!  Mother gave this guitar to Daddy...he didn't play much or often.  Mother had the hardest time keeping secrets...AND it had NOTHING to do with HER...She had ordered this from Sears.  Daddy went out to get the mail and found a postcard from Sears telling her that HER GUITAR was in!  sigh...she tried...

This is the Sanford Christmas.  That is Aunt Sybil's nose LOL...Jack, her son-in-law, Aunt Mary, Mother's twin, Uncle Marion, Aunt Sybil's husband.  That is Daddy again the wall! =)  I'm not sure WHERE that is taken...I don't recognize it...I'm thinking that it is probably Aunt Becky's house???

These are my LOCAL first cousins...there were about 16 more that were not present...it was in 1965, so I would have been 3...I'm the cootie patootie with the red dress and black hair...my brother Brian is behind me, Mike, Judy, Faith, Lee and Laura.  Gosh, Judy looks like her daughter, AMBER!! LOL

Faith, Lee and Laura were Mother's twin sister's kids and Mike and Judy were Aunt Becky's...I loved going to Aunt Becky's...Judy always put make-up on me or took me to town...and then we would get to play in the BIG field next to their house--not biggie having a big field, BUT they had neighbors--KIDS!!






Daddy with his grandkids...Kendall, born on December 15, Alexis, born on December 28 and Kaylen...the FIRST grandchild...Alexis would come alone three years later to complete the group!  DADDY loved those kids with his whole heart...and he sure did miss seeing them grow up...He would be proud of them..  They had the BEST Poppa...wish they could have known him better...










Gramma and Kendall and Alexis...BOY, she was so happy!!  How she loved her little ones...she sure missed seeing them as she got older...

Ashland giving Kendall a kiss!!  She was a MESS!!  She has had so many health issues, but is a FIGHTER!  She was gramma's special girl...well, as was Alexis and Kaylen...BUT Kendall, she quoted him the MOST..."Gramma, you can do it ANY HOW you want to do it!!"





Memories are a great thing!  Wishing each of you a day filled with memories and the hope that you will make MORE memories EACH and EVERY day of your life...NEVER take those you love for granted BECAUSE you never know WHEN they will leave...Blessings to YOU...~charlotte♥

Sweets for My SWEETS...Tuesday, December 24, 2013

A friend of mine posted on FB that she was making BALLS, so I thought I would share these recipes for you.  I have made them all and they are TRIED and TRUE!!  

Nutter Butter Balls

1 pkg.  (8 oz.) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened

24 NUTTER BUTTER Cookies, finely crushed (about 3 cups)

3 pkg.  (4 oz. each) BAKER'S White Chocolate, broken into pieces, melted

1/4cup  PLANTERS Creamy Peanut Butter

24 Mini NUTTER BUTTER Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies, cut crosswise in half

MIX cream cheese and cookie crumbs until well blended. 

SHAPE into 48 (1-inch) balls; place in single layer in shallow pan. Freeze 10 min.

Mix chocolate and peanut butter until well blended. Dip balls in chocolate mixture; place in single layer in shallow waxed paper-lined pan. Top each ball with 1 mini cookie half.

 REFRIGERATE 1 hour or until firm. Keep refrigerated.

Take any leftover white chocolate mixture and pour it onto a piece of wax paper to harden.  Break into small pieces and eat it!! 

Mounds Balls

Mix in a large bowl:

3 cups finely chopped pecans

1 pound sweetened coconut

1 box (1 pound) powdered sugar (4x or 10x, doesn't matter)

1 can Eagle Brand Sweetened Condensed Milk

Mix well. Form into logs to cut or roll into ball to dip.

Melt 12 oz chocolate chips in a double broiler. Dip pieces and cool on wax paper.

When I would make these, I did NOT add the pecans…just kept adding Powdered sugar until it was firm enough to hold its shape…

 

Oreo Balls

1 pkg Oreo Cookies

1 pkg Cream Cheese, softened

Chocolate to dip

Crush Cookies and mix with cream cheese.  Roll into Balls and freeze for about 10 minutes.  Dip into Chocolate and place on wax, freezer or parchment paper and allow to set.

I crush my oreos in a plastic bag because I hate to clean my food processor…THEN I just add the cream cheese to the bag and mix…CLEAN up is so easy!!

MY WORLD FAMOUS Mints

2 sticks of melted BUTTER

2 capfuls of PEPPERMINT

Powdered sugar

White chocolate

Melt the butter and add the flavoring.  Gradually add the powdered sugar until you get a nice consistency where they will set up.  Roll into balls and place on a cookie sheet.  Place in the freezer for at least 10 minutes.  Melt the white chocolate and dip the balls in and place on freezer paper to harden.

Tiger Butter

1 pkg Chocolate Chips

1 pkg White Chocolate Chips

½ cup Peanut Butter

Place wax, freezer, or Parchment paper on a cookie sheet with sides.  Melt the chocolate chips and pour onto the paper-lined cookie sheet.  Melt the White chocolate Chips and then add the peanut butter.  Pour on top of the chocolate.  Take a knife and CUT through the chocolates to make designs being sure to leave some of each color showing!  Put it fridge to cool.  Break into small pieces…OH SO GOOD!!

IF you do not want to roll into balls, you can always pat the mixture into a pan and cut them into small sizes.  OR You can roll them into a LOG and cut them…I like to melt my chocolate in a small cut and use a salad fork to dip the balls into the chocolate and then knock off the excess chocolate.  I have made HUNDREDS of my SELF PROCLAIMED WORLD FAMOUS MINTS!  ROFL…

I offer SWEETS for all of MY Sweets...Blessings to YOU...~charlotte♥

'Tis You FIND YOUR DREAM!! Monday, December 23, 2013

I just confessed FOUR of my deepest darkest secrets on my Facebook post today…I feel so much better!  It is as if a weight has been lifted…NOW for those who MIGHT not have read my post, you are PROBABLY wondering WHAT in the world I confessed!  WELL, isn’t that what Christmas is about—keeping SECRETS??!!!  I guess you will have to go to FB and read all about it!

                                                                  

I watched most of the SOUND OF MUSIC last night…I had to make a quick run into town to deliver my last special order, so I had to time it so that I would NOT miss my two favorite songs…THEN I fell asleep during the last fifteen minutes…I HOPE they got away safely…but sssssshhhh, don’t tell me, I will have to wait until NEXT year to find out…

 

I watch the SOUND OF MUSIC each time it is on TV.  It is rare for me to watch something over and over…once I’ve seen something, USUALLY that is enough for me…BUT this movie, I watch it as if I have NEVER seen it before.  I hang on each musical note and anticipate my two favorite songs with the same anticipation as waiting for Santa!  AND YES, I DO BELIEVE IN SANTA…

I am so thankful for the differences that we all have.  We don’t all like the same things, and that is OK…Mother said that if EVERYONE liked the SAME THINGS, then EVERYONE would have wanted to marry HER and that thought just make her TIRED…Yes, my mother was funny!  While I can’t for the LIFE of me understand WHY people like and eat raisins, coconut, and LIVER…I am THANKFUL that we get to choose.  As long as choices aren’t harmful, then choices are GOOD!

I’ve never taken great offense when people didn’t like my creations.  There are things that do NOT appeal to me.  HOWEVER, I do find myself being quite angry when people are nasty about not liking what I do.  Disagreeing with someone is a fine line.  WHEN we LIKE something, then it is difficult for US to realize that OTHERS might not like it.  Stating an opinion is FINE, but it must be done in LOVE and NOT in a way to make others feel less than they are…AND I have discovered that it is NOT always important for OTHER people to KNOW what I like and dislike…sometimes, I just need to move on. 

 IT IS MUCH more important to be KIND than to be RIGHT.  

As different as people are, I find that we are MORE alike.  We love, we hate (ugh…a nasty little word), we cry, we laugh, we want the best for those we love, we dream, we hope, we have faith, we LIVE!!!  

Climb EVERY mountain, Ford EVERY stream…FOLLOW every RAINBOW, ‘Til you FIND your DREAM!  

One of the greatest things about LIFE to me is the ability to FOLLOW our dreams!  While many times, I feel as if I am writing these words to an empty audience, that is ok…Writing has been healing for me.  It has caused me to be more aware of what I say and what I do and how others are reading my words and that I MIGHT have an influence on others…I take that with a great deal of responsibility.  I feel that I am on the right path at this moment…I’m going down a road that has great possibilities…I’ve found some good friends to walk it with and when I stumble over the twigs and branches that will be on the road, I KNOW that I have a great group of people to HELP me get up, brush myself off and continue on my journey…

I send GREAT THANKS to each of you who walks with me in following OUR dreams!  As they say, for those of us who DREAM, when we fall, We STILL can land among the STARS…Blessings to YOU…~charlotte♥