Ocean to Prairie

Hey Everyone! I was up early enough this morning to catch a beautiful sunrise. Sundays are for sleeping in, but I'm glad I was up to see this! Oh! There she starts! Love the colours    Here comes the sun! Two suns???

Pinterest. I love Pinterest. All those who join are addicted. It's hard not to get addicted. Such wonderful ideas on time-saving life hacks, recipes, child rearing tips, art, exercise, fashion... anything and everything! If you check out my Pinterest page, you'll see I have a great collection of inspirational quotes, 3/4 of the most adorable and fun wedding you'll ever attend planned, a dream house modge-podged together through a collection of photos containing neutral walls with a *pop* of colour in furniture and accessories and about three recipes for crab rangoon that I have yet to try mmmmm crab rangoon. I also hate Pinterest. Blasphemy! Why, you ask? I have come to realize that Pinterest is making me vie for a trendier wardrobe, better style, skin, makeup, body. I love all of the fashion and trendy ideas Pinterest offers, but I'm finding myself becoming upset with what I have in my closet. This isn't the right chambray shirt. Why did I buy teal pants wh...

Christmas of 2011, Bear, his brudders, and his dad built skin on frame kayaks. They took the time to steam, bend, and lash the wood to make these beautiful nautical skeletons. Each creator had a little 'something different' about the frame of his kayak. Seriously, this is one talented family. The final paint jobs of the 'yaks were also very personal to each boy. The exterior is a nylon fabric that is painted with oil-based paint to a point where it is impenetrable within reason .  Bear's kayak stayed south until the summer, until Bear's parents brought the 'yak to the homestead. There she sat in the barn, waiting to be painted and loved. Bear and I discussed cool paint ideas and we settled on our apparent obsession: The Kraken. We like stories of the Kraken, we like the rum, and we most definitely liked the logo on the bottle of Kraken rum. I took quite a bit of time planning the paint job. Will I do a dot-matrix type technique? Will I just use small d...

I've started some seedlings for my garden. I'm attempting to start them in eggshells so I can easily transplant them into the garden whenever the damn snow melts. In theory, the eggshell will decompose and provide nutrients for the little gaffer out in the garden. So far, the pea plants are thriving. I may need to transplant them into a larger container way before the time comes to put them into the garden. Not something to be too upset about! No success with the cucumber seeds. Maybe they need some more time to show any sign of life. I'm pretty excited to have a garden again this year; to learn from last year's mistakes and find techniques that work for the multitude of plants I'll be growing! Anywho, I'll try to keep you posted on the little pea's growth. A little inspiration from John Denver below. This song has stuck with me ever since I was a kidlet who watched the Muppets over and over on VHS recorded from the TV. Awww yeah.  ...

Okay, I promised you a post about the Christmas gifts I made for my nephews. It is now March so I guess I better tell ya! I fussed and fretted about what to give my adorable nephews for Christmas. Ty is 4, and Wyatt was 15 months at the time toddler age is so strange . Toys are overrated, books are overdone, cash is unimaginative... what to give these boys?! I figured I could make something, with all that free time I have here on the ol' homestead. But what can I make? The boys aren't on Pinterest and can marvel at the crafty things I can copy off of someone else. Hmmmmmmmm . For Wyatt, the 15 month old, I wanted a keepsake. Something he'll always have from his Auntie Wawa. A quilt! I still cherish the blanket made for me by my Auntie Jo. What a great idea! Wait... wait... I have never made a quilt before. Crap. Here is where the trouble began. First tip: make sure you are skilled in the area of artistry.  Failed step one. I have a sewing machine, there is a fabric ...