New Paintings

I painted these for a friend :) There is a lot of texture that doesn't show up in the pictures. I laid old lace and doilies on the canvases at random and then used a palette knife to scrape model paste on. After the lace was removed the design was left behind in relief. I also stamped on to the painted surface with a wooden hand cut Indian Block Stamp. A little bit of metallic paint was used too and accounts for the glare in the photos.

I feel another painting coming on now...LOL

Coconut Oil

We have been making some healthy changes around the house based on this amazing ebook, Healthy Homemaking.

One of the changes we have made is to cook with coconut oil. I tried this recipe today and its really good!

Coconut Oil Recipes #6 - Healthy Coconut Banana Cookies

Okay, time for some sweet treats! Here's a coconut oil recipe I found that uses coconut oil, shredded coconut and bananas. You'll like these baked goodies if you're trying to avoid white flour and white sugar.

Ingredients:

* 3 ripe bananas
* 1 cup sultanas
* 2 cups rolled oats
* 1/3 cup coconut oil, melted
* 1 tsp. vanilla extract
* 1/3 cup unsweetened shredded coconut


Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. In large bowl, mash the bananas, stir in oats, sultanas, shredded coconut, coconut oil, and vanilla. Mix well and allow to sit for 15 minutes.

3. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheet and bake for 15-20 minutes (depending on your oven).

Recipe courtesy of Foodgeeks.com

Some cuties forthe Grandparents :)

My parents have been away for 3 weeks on vacation, and I thought I would catch them up with some cuties of the grandbabies. Bear with me while I indulge :)

This blue shirt Kasey is wearing in these pictures was made the one and only MARMIE :)





and this dress was also made by MARMIE :) (it has a crinoline)




Kayleigh following in Daddy's footsteps playing the Guitar :) She went to the music store and picked out her own guitar picks and a hanger so she can hang it on the wall like Daddy.

His Grace

I made it out to Sequoia Church (above pic is from their website) today. I have been feeling so lost from God of late, lost in myself and in "my insulating thoughts." Today we talked about many things, one of them being how God pursues us...and I have to say I felt like that this week. I could feel God calling me back. One of the most significant callings this week was when I got home from running errands with the kids and found a note tucked in my door from my friend EM. The note said how much she cared and was worried about me and wanted to say how dear she thought I was. The funny thing is as I walked up to the door seeing the note I actually longed for someone to reach out..and I felt after reading the note like God was showing his Grace through this friend. After all, the wonderful friends in my life are certainly one of God's blessings.

I had an awesome day yesterday with friends at our LSS...and yet on my way home I was in tears...I felt like I was missing something...and here I found myself today walking in the doors to church this morning.

The music and singing (even the electric guitar solo) opened up my soul and I felt myself letting go of the stupid stuff (worries, material stuff, selfish stuff) and all of the mundane and negative poured out, I could feel his love for me pouring in to fill me.

I thought I would share a few of the tidbits I walked away with today...random tidbits..

"we go through brokenness: to identify with other people

Get out of your comfortable zone..I love his because I once read that when we feel God working in our lives and us working with him doing his work we sometimes feel out of place, a little like a crazy person. LOL

Don't go to church, BE THE CHURCH

Don't become RELIGIOUS....LOVE THIS!!! When asked what denomination Sequoia is...its not this or that...or Catholic or Baptist...its a church of believers, followers, Christians! Proudly the NON Typical Church (I agree they play BEATLES!!!)

Today was a very GOOD DAY and I feel FULL.

LOAD Day 23,24

Nearing the end of LOAD.....I think I deserve a pressie at the end of this :) LOL

Halloween Party

A few pics from our Halloween Party Yesterday before everyone arrived :) It was a lot of fun and boy was I pooped afterwards :) Hence my attempt at my LO of the day for LOAD:

Spooky Hand Treats

I'm getting stuff ready for my kids Halloween party tomorrow afternoon and wanted to share one of the things we made.

I call them SPOOKY HAND TREATS. I bought plastic gloves at the drugstore and filled them with candy (eyeballs, chocolate, gummy fangs and body parts). I tied them with black Tulle, painted the nails red, and added 1$ sore Halloween rings on one finger.

This is the take away gift for the kids. I love how they have to retrieve them too. I am attaching them to a piece of yearn that will be wound all over the basement like a spider web and they each have to follow their string to the end to get the prize. I thought I would dim the lights and give them flashlights too!!

LOAD Day 20,21

Proud to say I haven't missed a day yet...last stretch here I come!!!

LOAD LO

I've managed by the skin of my teeth to do a LO a day so far, but took a break from the ME pages and did the last few on Kayleigh. She is cuter than I any day :) I used Jillibean Soup Paper and journal spots on here...have to say they may just be my new favorite!!!

Fall Scrappies

2 pg LO :) I always find these a challenge to do.
I made the leaves on this LO after seeing a tutorial by Jeni Boisvert (thanks Rachel for the link) I cut the leaves out of PP, and folded them down the middle. Then I inked the edges and curled them on a pencil. Then I misted the leaves with water and shaped them, and dried with a heat gun to hold the shape. Lastly, I painted some blush Perfect Pearls on to add some shimmer.
OOPS the letter E fell off, and I am too lazy to take another pic :) LOL

Sweet Girly Mini

I finally finished up this mini album that I started at the last crop I went to. Its made with Teresa Collin's Bracket book and papers that I have had forever and a day saving or the perfect thing. Guess I found that perfect thing. LOL

I scrapped up a storm last night and I can't wait to show you all what I did :) :) ;)

Load day 17

PS... I used my Sketch LO in the post below for my LOAD day 16...didn't feel like a me page.