OMTWI Final Project...Power Hour!!!

Well, it's over. So much fun, but so much work! But SO totally worth it.

I learned a lot, laughed a lot, and was so impressed and inspired by the other ladies in this contest. I've added a bunch of their projects to my list of must-haves.

And, cherry on top moment-I finished in 2nd!

So here's my last project  for the Season 1 finals of One Month to Win It!

The theme was "Power Hour" meaning our projects had to be done start to finish in an hour.

I  have to tell you, this was the hardest one for me-it took 4 projects before I found one that would  fit in an hour time frame.

But all was well, as this one ended up my favorite!

 I got all the slat boards at a construction site near my home. Hurray for re-proposing!!!

They were the lot markers that had been pulled once the lots were sold and the nice man at the toss pile couldn't give me enough of them...seriously, I think he was trying to put the entire pile in my van!

But then, one shouldn't complain when things are free!

Anyway, here you go my Slat Board Flower box...

(the how-to's follow the original post)

Supplies...ready. Stop watch...ready. Children...safely locked inside the house with instructions NOT to open the door unless someone is bleeding or on fire. Me...quietly repeating "you can do this, you can do this, you can do this...an hour is plenty of time..."  Ready, set, (say a little prayer) GO! 

15 minutes in...we have a flower box! 20 minutes in...stencils applied and ready for paint! 37 minutes gone by and we are painted, sanded,and stained. (Children open door-being the good mom I am, I tell them I will be there in precisely 23 minutes!) Line the planter, fill the planter, add the flowers, check the stop watch.....48 minutes!!!! 47 min.and 56 sec. to be exact.WA-HOO!!! I did it, I did it! (insert very happy dance here, ignore on-looking neighbors) 

One Wood Slat Flower Box done, start to finish in under an hour. One completely relieved and happy crafter...ready for a nap! 




**editor's note: No children were hurt or in danger during the making of this project. Their father was also locked safely inside, and they did in fact only open the door to let me know that they weren't bleeding or on fire...aren't they sweet?

Okay, here's my supply list:

*Let me know if you have questions, I didn't think to take pictures...

7 wood slat boards, cut into 14, 18" pieces

  1x6 board cut into two 6x8 inch blocks, and one 18" long board

nails and a hammer

spray paint

stain

sand paper

stencils

(I cut mine from vinyl with my Cri-Cut)

plastic garbage bag

chunky mulch

soil

flowers

I used the 6x8 inch blocks as the box ends, (the 8 inch side for the length and the 6 inch side for the height) and the 18 inch board as the bottom of the box. Then 5 slats made up the front and 5 slats on the back sides of the box.

The four remaining slats were used as the legs.

*there is about a 1 inch gap on each side of the bottom of the box for drainage.

Lay out your stencils and paint away!

Then distress as you please...

Line the inside of the box with the garbage bag, cut down to fit the box.

Staple the lining into place.

Add a few slits into the bottom of the lining for drainage.

Fill the bottom third of the box with mulch and then top with soil.

Add in your flowers, step back and enjoy!

Happy Crafting!

Rabbit Romp Easter Basket Exchange!!!

Oh, yes!  It's that time again!!!Time for another holiday gift exchange here at Craft Goodies, and I could not be more excited!I LOVE hosting exchanges. I  LOVE that you join me in my crazy fun. And I LOVE to see how amazingly creative you all are-it just makes me so happy!!! So ladies, (and gents if any) I officially invite you to join me in my  Rabbit Romp! Easter Basket Exchange!

 Why a rabbit? Because you can't have Easter without the bunny!Why a basket?Because bunny's and baskets go together like peanut butter and jelly!So what do you get to do? Put together a basket full of goodies that you can send to a friend. It can contain candy, a handmade treasure, your favorite things, her favorite things, anything you'd like to send her way BUT...(here's the catch) it has to contain a RABBIT somewhere!It could be on a card, the basket could be a rabbit, include a chocolate one, create a masterpiece with the letters R-A-B-B-I-T, sew a cute little hopper...you get the idea? So let's play! Here's the exchange 411...

·         If you commit to participate in this exchange, you will need to make one Easter Basket for a new friend and have it post marked by April 18, 2011. In return, you will receive one Easter Basket from a fellow new friend in the mail sometime around Easter!.

{You DO NOT need a blog to participate just an email address!}

·          Email me at { wmgar@comcast.net } to officially sign up. Sign ups will be open until
April 14, 2011.
I will then email you a short participant's questionnaire to fill out and return to me.

·          I will personally email you with your "Rabbit Romp Exchange Partner's" mailing address, email address, and questionnaire info as soon as I have a partner  for you!

·         Create a basket for your assigned partner..

·         Have your gift post marked no later than April18, 2011. It is very important that you have your gift post marked by April 18th. If you can get your handmade gift in the mail earlier, that's even better! 

·         There is no skill level required. A handmade gift is always wonderful, no matter how technical it is! The fun is in making a new friend.  

·         There is no price minimum on the handmade gift. Please limit your spending to no more than $20. Shipping charges are up to the sender-flat rate boxes are a great way to go! 

·         I have no way of patrolling every one's participation....but usually, people are honest and do their part. I will send out email reminders. And with this exchange, you will have your partner's info so you can help remind them as needed ;o)

If you wish to play{come on! you know you want to} just drop me an email and you're in! You can also add the exchange button to your blog so others know how fun and completely awesome you are!

<a href="http://www.wmcraftgoodies.blogspot.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1140.photobucket.com/albums/n563/Wendy_Gardiner/rabbitrompbutton-1.jpg " border="0" alt="Craft Goodies"></a>

 Let's get these rabbits romping!

Guest Posting at Sassy Sanctuary!

Today's my day to share my take on the Wood You Like to Craft? April project.   Come on over to

 Sassy Sanctuary 

           See how I took this...                                                                                     ...to this!

 

Melinda, Nicole, and Candace will share their versions tomorrow and Thursday and then the linky party starts Friday! Just a reminder, the party is to link up your version of Krystal's Candlestick Rabbits. Then be sure to check out the showcase on Sunday, the top 5 projects are highlighted with the Top Pick receiving a fun prize!All this takes place over at Sassy Sanctuary, don't miss it. 

2011 Ultimate Blog Party...I'm Partying Too!

I was made aware of this "small" little gathering of fantastic bloggers the other day, and well, as I'm always up for making a few new friends I'm joining in! So this little party is better known as Have you heard of it? Are you part of it?I think it is seriously genius!!! What a fun way to get to know so many other great and amazing bloggers out there!If it's new to you too, go check it out!(Click HERE!) The directions are simple, write a post about you and your blog, then link it up for others to find you, and you them! So here we go... HOWDY! Greetings to you all from the great state of Texas!(I'm quickly learning that's the proper way to greet people around these parts.) My name is Wendy and I'm not a Texan, just a transplant that needed someting to do after a BIG move from the Pacific Northwest. I started blogging here in October of last year as a way to stay connected with my friends, to (hopefully)make a few new ones, and to give myself a creative outlet!On the home front... 

I'm the wife of a busy, brilliant, sarcastic, and super fun man. The momma to 5, yep, 5 beautiful little ladies that are growing up far faster than I like!

The master choffeur, scheduler, housekeeper, chef, landscaper, laundry folder, soccer/softball mom, school volunteer, and basically, just the mom!

The rest of the time, I run my Esty Shop

...Well Good! and I am happily achieving what I set out to do last fall-

making friends and having fun along the way through this blog.

Craft Goodies gives me a place to share what I love!

Cooking, baking, sewing, painting, re-finishing, re-purposing, just creating!

It also lets me find new ideas and inspirations from others...

such a wonder this little bloggy world is! 

Thanks for stopping by, hopefully you'll be back again.

Enjoy the party!

 

Fruit Salad with Sweet Orange Cream...Summer Salad Linky Party!

I am craving all things summer right now! Warm days, late nights, no alarm clocks, and simple, light lunches and dinners cause it's to hot to do anything else! Here's my problem, I only know like 2 salad recipes.

I love salad, it's my favorite thing to order when we go out to eat, but I just don't know how to make any really good "meal" salads. I'm hoping you'll help...

I'm opening a "Super Summer Salad" linky party!!! 

I'm leaving it open indefinitely, hoping that we can all benefit from it's spoils!

Please, please, share your recipes for quick, easy, light, summer meals and salads...I know I don't want to spend my summer over a hot stove, do you?

I'll get us started...

This is by far my FAVORITE salad, ever! It makes a perfect lunch on it's own or goes so well with a chicken salad croissant sandwich. It's so quick and easy, 15 minutes max. And made with fresh, yummy fruit that is often on hand.

{I served this at my oldest daughter's baptism-it was a super hit! I get asked  to make it all the time.)

Ya, my mouth is watering...give it a try.

I won't think any less of you if you end up drinking the dressing (only because I've done it myself!)

Fruit  Salad with Sweet Orange Cream

makes 8 1/2 C servings

Dressing

1/2 cup sour cream

1/4 cup frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed

1 tablespoon honey

Salad

1 cup strawberry halves

1 cup red apple slices

1 cup seedless green grapes

1 (11-ounce) can mandarin orange segments, well drained*

Mixed salad greens

Directions

Combine all dressing ingredients in small bowl with wire whisk; mix well.

Combine fruit in large bowl.

To serve, divide greens among 8 salad plates; top with fruit and dressing.

*Substitute 1 cup canned pineapple chunks in juice, well-drained.

VARIATION: Omit salad greens. Prepare dressing. Place fruit in large bowl. Add dressing; toss lightly.

 

Alrighty ladies, now it's up top you!

 Share your favorites, make my summer that much lazier, I'll love ya forever!

I'm Back...

Isn't it amazing what a little down time can do for a person? Thanks for indulging my need to do nothing for a few days, I can't tell you how much better I feel!And thanks too, for sticking around, that means  more than I can say. Alrighty, so back to the business of blogging. My week of nothing left me with a list of somethings a mile long. I've got some fun things brewing in my crazy little head, I'm really excited to share them with you. So here's what's coming this week...1. Long over-due tutorials (last month's Blockhead kits, some fun Spring projects, and yes, I'm working on tutorial for my Standing Floor Mirror) 2. The Rabbit Romp Easter Basket Exchange is here!


<a href="http://www.wmcraftgoodies.blogspot.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1140.photobucket.com/albums/n563/Wendy_Gardiner/rabbitrompbutton-1.jpg " border="0" alt="Craft Goodies"></a>
 Sign-ups will officially start tomorrow, but if you've played before, you know the drill. Just shoot me an email letting me know you want in. 3. Wood You Like to Craft? is back with a super fun Easter project! Krystal from Sassy Sanctuary is hosting-the tutorial goes up today, my version will go up later in the week. 4. May Word...of the Month kits will be out this week! Check back to see the word and blockhead kits as well as something super fun and new to celebrate the end of school... 5. I've got a great giveaway happening on Friday along with the T.G.I.F. linky party, you won't want to miss it!And last, but certainly not least...THANK YOU to all of you that voted and kept me in the One Month to Win It Contest! I ended up finishing in 2nd place! Wa-Hoo!!!  

Okay, so lots to do, but lots of fun to come! Have a great Monday...recipes will post later today!

Until then...Happy Crafting!

 

A Bloggy-Vacation....

Hello to all fantastic people that stop by to visit me! I don't think I've mentioned in awhile how much it means to me that you do take time to stop by and say hi!I really, really think you're awesome. Just wanted to let you know I'm taking a little bit of a bloggy-vacation. I'm feeling a need to decompress a bit, to get caught up in my shop and around my house, as well as here. I've got some "Spring Cleaning" to do. I'll be back re-charged and ready to go next week! Thanks for sticking with me, I'll see you soon-