magnetic storm

Ok, so in our new place, double wide haven--yes, I'm queen of my double wide trailer, we have a small kitchen. When I say small, I mean small. Really small.

So I've been all over the internet trying to come up with ideas to make it all work. I mean, we're kitchen people! Have you seen my blog?! I have canning equipment up the wazoo, Dutch Ovens and cast iron pans galore. Two slow cookers, an electric griddle and frying pan. Mixers and blenders and choppers oh my!  I have three boxes of spices people. And I'm talking full size boxes. Full size. Did I tell you that I have five (5) different kinds of choppers? Those are the ones I can think of off the top of my head! I might have more somewhere. In a box that hasn't been unpacked yet--BECAUSE THERE IS NO ROOM TO PUT THEM IN MY KITCHEN.

So. In my realization that I have five different kinds of choppers, I thought to myself, "ya know, all I really need is a knife and a cutting board." "I don't have the room for five different kinds of choppers." "Well, at least not four." "Downsizing is GOOD."

Enter, fridge knife magnet. Excellent idea! Free up counter space from my knife crock AND cupboard space from my three choppers!

Where does my mind go always? DIY. Do-it-yourself. Always.

*sigh*

Pretty good idea in theory, but in my naivete, this is what happened...

And then this happened...

tin can flowers

On a glorious Saturday in March, my BFF Jaeme and I went shopping and to lunch.

Now when I say BFF, let me assure you that many people claim her to be their BFF. She's possibly the best giver and event rememberer, romantic, tea party thrower, pink loving, proper (sorry about the word rememberer), smart, girly girl I've ever met.

Best memory is one time shopping with Jaeme we walked through the store (probably the mall) and picked out what we just knew the other would love and said, "This reminds me of you, if I had the money, I'd buy it for you." This told us that we knew each other so well that we knew what the other loved and we'd say "awe, THANK you, I do love that" and has been a staple of our friendship ever since.

So when we were shopping in March, we both picked up a few things "we couldn't live without" and of course left much there that we wanted, but didn't need.  One of those things was a brightly painted pink and purple tin can flower.  Jaeme ran her hand over it and said how much she liked it, but left it there.

In my mind, like so many other millions of times, I thought, I can make that!

And so for my BFF, here are your flowers. They don't look exactly like the one at the store, but it's my take on it with a little Mary Englebreit thrown in.

And for all the rest of you who want to give it a go, here's a picture tutorial.

  So what you're gonna do is...(name that movie)

1. empty green bean can from dinner, wash and remove paper
2. glove up
3. take can and start cutting with Tin Snips as even as you can--(get it?) strips down to the center. Cut them as close or far or squiggly as you want.
4. Pull petals flat.

dining room built in

 Our dining room makeover posed some challenges as I talked about in my last post, but one of the biggest challenges was this "Built In".

I have an idea why they call it a Built In.  I think they put those glass shelves up and then built the rest around it.  When I tried to take out those glass shelves to paint the inside of the hutch, I found that they weren't removable.  Nope, no way, no how.  I tried every way and angle possible and without breaking something those shelves were NOT coming out.

dining room before and after

So the home on our property is a 1976 Mobile Home.  In the spirit of "Come what may and LOVE it", we are putting up our plastic pink flamingos and flying our trailer park flag high! Loud and proud baby! Loud. And. Proud.

Party At Our House

So this mom was feeling stressed. 

Was.

 My snookums suggested we have a party tonight and who doesn't love a good party?

With so many activities going on this week none of us has gotten much unpacked. So we're having a party tonight.

A box party.

Oh, I hear some of the guests arriving for the party now. ;)

Dis'l Dew Ranch

My hubby and I want to name our place. DeAna of Green Gables is out ( I DON'T know why!) and Green Acres might make people think we have lots of money *snort*, so one of  my hubby's ideas is Dis'l Dew Ranch.

I think it fits. We'll see...

Bus Stop In the Mist

Walking my boy to the bus the other morning this is what I got to see...