Fun with Hypertufa

I plan to get creative and add whimsical thing to my garden. I hope to have a wonderful faerie garden full of magic and Zen in my yard.
This will keep me entertained during the hot months of summer .
Make sure you use rubber gloves if you try this your self. I have found several recipes and videos.
This look like so much fun.
Hypertufa containers
Recipe #1

3 quarts Portland cement, white or grey
2 1/4 quarts sand, white or grey
4 quarts peatmoss
1 1/2 quarts water

Mix the dry ingredients well. Slowly add water. This mixture doesn't contain as much water as a standard concrete recipe because hypertufa has a more open, porous texture. Therefore add water until the mix resembles a crumbly cookie dough. Press the mix firmly into the mold.
Recipe 2

3 quarts Portland cement, white or grey
3 quarts peat moss
3 quarts perlite
1 quart water

Mix the dry ingredients well. Slowly add water. This mixture doesn't contain as much water as a standard concrete recipe because hypertufa has a more open, porous texture. Therefore add water until the mix resembles a crumbly cookie dough. Press the mix firmly into the mold.

Making Leaf's



Recipe 3

1 part Portland cement,

2 parts sand,

2 parts water

3 parts paper insulation,

1 part joint compound
1/2 part diatomaceous earth.
Mix dry components together all at once, After they are mixed add Paper. And add water.

Click here to see my projects as the are made.

Todays bloom in my garden ia an Asian Lillie.

We don't stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing. - George Bernard Shaw

Pay It Forward challenge.

I was at Melanie"s blog The Fruits of the Spirit
I saw she was so excited she was able to participate in the Pay It Forward challenge.

I saw she had no comments and knew she chooses to moderate them before they are posted like I do.
So I took a chance. And look I was number 2 to my surprise.

So, you ask, what is this challenge all about? Well, here you go.....

The first three bloggers to leave a comment on this post will receive a hand-made item from me. Also, those same three bloggers promise to post this challenge on their own blog. This means they will be "paying it forward" by creating a handmade gift for the first three bloggers that leave a comment on their blog. Now, doesn't that sound like fun? All that hand-made love going around in the blogosphere?

This part is fun, too... the gift can be anything that you choose and be in any price range. And, you have 365 to make/ship your item.

How about it? How about joining in on the fun with us?

Here is a chance to make something with your hands and send it with your heart.

Problems solved

This is the outfit chosen to bring Jozlyn Rose home from the hospital. I know it should be a cute little dress. But none to be found. It is cold here and all new born dresses are for spring or Christmas.
Amy will go in at 5:00 am tomorrow Wednesday Jan 7, 2008
to be induced into labor.

Love of native art

Ok Gail,
you have my thoughts running about again. I can not go window shopping we are in a small town with a small w-mart store. I can not wake up my wanting side. But I can make my creative side wake up. I started thinking about all my passions things I love. My old home was full of native American art and South west flair. I am eclectic. I do not need things to match. I just need to love them. I went looking for some thing to hang up. As I am not going to unpack till we move. All my treasures and art is packed in the shed. or closet or sold or maybe even thrown away. Who knows what I did at the time 3 years ago I packed and moved 2 times. 1 time to sell the house I loved 2 to move here to this house that is a payed off rehab. still needing to be finished. I went looking to find one thing . Yes it is a sand painting. My Uncle in Arizona made frames for other ones he and my Aunt Betty gave me. They are done by a famous Indian painter, Name I do not remember. I will have to ask. But this is what I found. A clock to hang in the kitchen. I now am motivated to get out the paint and paint that wall. I will let you know when that happens. lol

I love native American and south west Items.

This one was found in St. Louis at a yard sale.

Monkey Buisness

I did this video of my adventures in making them.



History of sock monkeys .

From the early 1900's + mothers started making these sock monkeys and other animals for their children. The sock were intended to be used as work socks for there hubby's, but they became so much more fun when the Sock Monkey was born.
In 1920 Nelson Knitting Mills started to include the directions above for the Sock Monkeys with every pair of red Heel® Socks.
I have found these for sale for like $30.00 I thought that was allot. Till I started makeing them And found there is allot of love and hand sewing put into every one I make. I keep adding special touches to make each one unique. I hope my grandkids love them as much as I do.

Link to another a good pattern

THANKFUL THURSDAY.4

MY THANKFUL LIST
I am thankful for this day.
I HAVE MY FAMILY AND FRIENDS.

I CAN NOW LIVE THE REST OF MY LIFE A MORE POSITIVE PERSON.
I CAN NOW SEE MY CUP AS HALF FULL.

I AM THANKFUL FOR THIS BLOG.
And to get to know you.
IT HAS OPENED A WORLD OF JOY FOR ME.
I AM SO GLAD TO HAVE YOU IN MY LIFE AS MY NEW BLOG FRIEND.

I AM THANKFUL TO LADY KATHERINE FOR WAKING UP MY CREATIVE SIDE.

I AM THANKFUL TO SHARE THE WINGS OF OUR HEARTS WITH
WENDY, CARLA, ,MRS. B, SHERRY, DENISE AND ZORGA.

I LOVE TO SHARE OUR LOVE OF ANIMALS AND THE LAND
WITH FARMMOM GAIL. Sue,
Scarecrows garden,
Wrensong Farm AND Laughing Orca Ranch .

AND ALL THE REST OF MY FARM BLOG FRIENDS.

I LOVE all of MY GARDEN BLOG FRIENDS AS WE ENJOY NATURE TOGETHER.
I AM SO THANKFUL THAT I CAN SHARE THE SPIRIT & JOY OF LIFE WITH ALL.

I AM NOW AT PEACE WITH MY WORLD.
I HAVE STARTED MAKING SOCK MONKEYS TO PASS ON TO
THE NEW GENERATIONS OF MY FAMILY.
FROM THIS IT REMINDS ME OF THE JOY OF MAKING SOMETHING YOUR SELF
IT ALSO REMINDS ME OF THE JOY TO RECEIVE A SIMPLE GIFT.
ONE THAT WAKES YOUR INNER CHILD.

Here is a link on how to make them
the hard part is finding socks.
I used black tube but they do not have a heal so no butt on my sock monkey.
then I bought white crew with gray heal and toe.
I will next try to make white monkeys with a butt.
From the crew socks.
Any way it goes they will all be black and white.

I AM ALSO THANKFUL TO HAVE A ROOF OVER MY HEAD.
ALL I NEED NOW IS A CEILING. IN THE KITCHEN

THIS IS INTENDED TO BE FUNNY

I WILL MISS HOMESTEADING HICORY HILLS.

A HOMESTEADING NEOPHYT. HAS NOW RECEIVED ENOUGH DONATIONS TO MAKE THE PAYMENT AND SAVE THERE FARM. THIS IS A TRUE BLOG LAND MIRACLE.

BE BLESSED MY FRIENDS AND HAVE A SAFE AND JOYOUS HOLIDAY SEASON.
and a virtual treat. If you were here I would make some for you.

Fun with the grandsons.

All the kids are here for the weekend.
What fun we are having.
We made gingerbread ornaments.

This is what they look like unbaked.
All you need is
2 cups flower 1 cup salt 1 cup coffee for brown color bake 1 hr at 300
You can add cinnamon or ginger for aroma.
These are not edible.

I was asked several times if they could eat them. I started out telling them this was like play dough.
Or clay. Plus it helped to have a cake already made or do this on a full belly. LOL
I am so thankful for this visit. And look forward to next Saturday. They will all be here again for a thanksgiving dinner.
Monday mims
Kellis house
Home maker mondays
Everyday Elegance.

Yea I finished it.

With only 14 hours left till My daughters baby shower.
I have not used a sewing machine since 1979
My hubby bought me a K brand of sewing machine And I like the S brand.
It is like Chevy verses Ford.
But I kept it and he wanted his jeans sewed so I tried. The needle broke and almost his me in the eye.
So now, I have a almost 30 year old machine that was used 1 time. And still has a broken needle. ha ha,
I thought , I could make this blanket in 20 minutes. But them I would have to drive over 39 miles to get a needle . rrrr, So I did this by hand. At first it was like very hard I was ready to give up. It should be easy. My brain is not working. rrrr But after I remembered a stitch I did in the past it looked OK. I started out pinning rrr. But then it got easier. It took me 3 days to do this blanket. I am now proud that I was able to meet the dead line. As Amy is coming here tonight. So I can not let her see it.



Here is the finished gift. I am normally frugal. I could have bought 2 bags of diapers for the price of the decor. But I want to try making it extra special. So here is the end result. I found a craft bag for only $4.99
It had so many pockets I love it. And turns out every thing she need to carry will fit in this small bag.
Yea! I went to Dollar general and found more reasonable items. And went over board a bit. But that is what happens. If I were still in St. Louis. There would be a baby bed in this picture too. We still have to find one.
But Where I live now, You have 2 choices the W store or this one.
I also added a bag of honey roasted nuts for the mom.

I am so excited now.
How I made this is in the next post if any one wants to know more.
I will post showed pictures this week end. Then I will be gone for a week.

How to make an inexpensive diaper cake.

I saw a diaper cake that Suzanne made on her site.
Thank you Suzanne for making me creative again.

I thought what a great Ideal. {My daughter} Amy's baby shower is Saturday. So I went shopping and had sticker shock. Baby's are not cheap.
I told Hubby , Wow Shes going to have to take the baby back and get a refund. LOL Just kidding. But There was only 1 baby item for .99c in the whole store. And passafierss were $3.99. I am not going to list any other prices other than what I spent.
I bought
1 bag of diapers abt $7.00 for 56 size 8-14 lbs
1 pack of bow barrette's. abt $2.00
3 yards pink ribbon at 1.39 yard = $4.17
crape paper $1.50
1 blue teething ring . 99c
1 roll paper towels .99c
Stick pins $2.00
Rubber cement $ 1.00
So this cost less than $20.00
to achieve this cake so far. I will look for a few other toys. But the original cake called for a blanket in the middle of cake .
I could have bought lots of other expensive items.To where I could have spent $50-150.00 or more if I wanted to go all out. But I am making a baby blanket and I bought a few other things. That will go with this gift.
I made a crotched top on my cake it will be used for a baby hat when it is finished.

Here are pictures of the steps I used to make the cake. I put rubber bands together to hold the diapers together around the paper towels. Each diaper is held together with a rubber band. The ribbon is held on with a stick pin. The crepe paper is glued with rubber cement.

See simple can be beautiful and inexpedience.

The blanket in the back ground is another project I am working on for her.
Go visit Kelli for more show and tell.