tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-88419268797210957152024-03-13T00:27:49.455-07:00Gardenias and GlitterCynthiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17511826172600500845noreply@blogger.comBlogger291125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8841926879721095715.post-56784028476670273882023-09-07T14:04:00.002-07:002023-09-07T14:04:25.824-07:00Crafting a Back to School Tablescape<p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Years ago when my girls were still in school, we would have a party the night before the first day. For us, this happened to be Labor Day. It was a “School Bus Party” and I made a school bus cake for the neighborhood kids. You can see some of them <a href="https://gardeniasandglitter.blogspot.com/2015/08/back-to-school.html?q=bus">here</a>. We continued the party until my youngest graduated from high school. After a while their parents joined us and there may have been a little wine as well. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">It has been some time since those kids used to gather around and talk excitedly about teachers and classes and all of the excitement that comes with the beginning of a new school year. Sometimes I miss those days! </span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Fast forward a few years and I have Covid during the last month of summer. Fortunately it was a light case, but I was bored being isolated from family and friends and not able to go anywhere. Feeling a little sorry for myself I began to reminisce about the end of summer in the past and I found myself in the craft room. I couldn’t make a cake, but I could still make a school bus! </span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1QepCq7l0TAQbIU_Nx7f-LnQ3kJRWBH7F4oCN2--C67jV18UalYWpWcLp0BX0HaTLVTgLd_jh7iUYqlW0L5RQzIiAiVmaZ6Rr0wYuuprrrLmF3N4FdPLO18nFMXNChFemy8nA-cxIknzEjg71kdWVpF1DHsCqOqu586xAWIBDKqdXNR0D0ritbYJI6jY/s2804/IMG_8225.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1827" data-original-width="2804" height="418" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1QepCq7l0TAQbIU_Nx7f-LnQ3kJRWBH7F4oCN2--C67jV18UalYWpWcLp0BX0HaTLVTgLd_jh7iUYqlW0L5RQzIiAiVmaZ6Rr0wYuuprrrLmF3N4FdPLO18nFMXNChFemy8nA-cxIknzEjg71kdWVpF1DHsCqOqu586xAWIBDKqdXNR0D0ritbYJI6jY/w640-h418/IMG_8225.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I got out the Cricut and an SVG file that I have had for years. I made my brother’s bus with it previously.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKOAlySAUVLL0rD8tmJuRSFcCvDl8WKUvTtWeE1SKjAj-2AxP2bgEqlb9BegzZuUi1znchvThwvykaxLwhT5MmzeXLi5yEqU0m5PY_CoEmzqNik16_-M694HyFmL5-YOGS_wv1tNyK0KYVcE7RE-TbKM73tMKuS0h6QdKmZHvr6QpF3MYyx9Pj3KoVuuI/s1440/BA3D1826-69B2-4C3B-A9E8-658208A5B663.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="1440" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKOAlySAUVLL0rD8tmJuRSFcCvDl8WKUvTtWeE1SKjAj-2AxP2bgEqlb9BegzZuUi1znchvThwvykaxLwhT5MmzeXLi5yEqU0m5PY_CoEmzqNik16_-M694HyFmL5-YOGS_wv1tNyK0KYVcE7RE-TbKM73tMKuS0h6QdKmZHvr6QpF3MYyx9Pj3KoVuuI/w640-h640/BA3D1826-69B2-4C3B-A9E8-658208A5B663.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> I will not mention where I got the cutting file, because it is not a good one and required a lot of manipulation to put both buses together. </span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkXesE1wzIxmdrgfWuJV2j8iYhDgoilmq8-L6sPOT7xzF9gmnVk4tkteFpdBVYsZqa54cFUYymADjRi3saSwyJwZMq2iJzKRTlW5D45VEmlMzyB2g8K5I47K1P3tVVwy3eHKH67uKTRqG-E76oR0xh8C-f2HRllEg7rA15s3UFMSW4Radhc51pRJVOj4s/s4032/IMG_8200.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkXesE1wzIxmdrgfWuJV2j8iYhDgoilmq8-L6sPOT7xzF9gmnVk4tkteFpdBVYsZqa54cFUYymADjRi3saSwyJwZMq2iJzKRTlW5D45VEmlMzyB2g8K5I47K1P3tVVwy3eHKH67uKTRqG-E76oR0xh8C-f2HRllEg7rA15s3UFMSW4Radhc51pRJVOj4s/w480-h640/IMG_8200.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Yes, that is my children’s school bus. Bus 600 took both of my girls to elementary school every year. (It also ran into my car once, but I don't want to talk about that!).</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I love the little stop sign on the side. And how the sun shines through the vellum. </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimt24wI2pzY6pMqsRgaMj8gz3lZtNRYv3-D9AsMLQAFoWG7Wyh2EBDp6oxsGvRs1cIsI79HCU6LNGZqILXYHIqtjgIYHKiQXp0MyT6qc9_q8AFxfgRynjfQ2ObcsILYYwPRFPB4Y_QUkG7twWjRD4XCc9zpAcfzm7u986ZYxXMk-7dTZDfUGhxlX4nOog/s4032/IMG_8221.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimt24wI2pzY6pMqsRgaMj8gz3lZtNRYv3-D9AsMLQAFoWG7Wyh2EBDp6oxsGvRs1cIsI79HCU6LNGZqILXYHIqtjgIYHKiQXp0MyT6qc9_q8AFxfgRynjfQ2ObcsILYYwPRFPB4Y_QUkG7twWjRD4XCc9zpAcfzm7u986ZYxXMk-7dTZDfUGhxlX4nOog/w480-h640/IMG_8221.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">It took a long time to put this bus together, but even longer to test negative, so when I looked at the bus I thought I needed something else to go with it. So, I made the apple. That’s back to school, right? </span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxniuYkC0oOg48ii8cFuyLOs64E8fAHgB30u8dEY7JzRRqE143TO9Tfp6PEnTM_uPOkpO02VZyu-cFjtNIMyZ6H_0V8qaKpmxlNA64lNSFyDx6NH6P8qKctVO751WdTnjWXP2EYkl2TPMWgmg9XntpJHf-QS7osB688xrfq7d8T3lcV00oj8ND_RbyqK0/s2817/IMG_8202.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2746" data-original-width="2817" height="624" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxniuYkC0oOg48ii8cFuyLOs64E8fAHgB30u8dEY7JzRRqE143TO9Tfp6PEnTM_uPOkpO02VZyu-cFjtNIMyZ6H_0V8qaKpmxlNA64lNSFyDx6NH6P8qKctVO751WdTnjWXP2EYkl2TPMWgmg9XntpJHf-QS7osB688xrfq7d8T3lcV00oj8ND_RbyqK0/w640-h624/IMG_8202.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">This is from a Simply Crafty SVG file found <a href="https://www.simplycraftysvgs.com/shop/school/apple-box/">here</a>. I wish I had had it when my kids were younger. It would make a great gift card holder for a teacher’s gift. I could also see little favor boxes for a Back to School party. You could put little erasers, treats or some fun little toys in it (I was thinking maybe “Smarties” candies, of course). </span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUGBYcquihpTXUsC-YD1GemHigwWwDhAou5bZMHCDTe2MWMKBM7AKz-1y6rRLOC2GZfw9NWPILg5yKNpaM2rqppKQfivxyylvSMilpzjxeOlQ8KKge1n1srHOq-5gtgvo5zBXKZphjAMr0NdDPLNUQZIVVO6Tma3DhSzSffV_UHl0xDedHIOUFRDodyQM/s3528/IMG_8203.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3528" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUGBYcquihpTXUsC-YD1GemHigwWwDhAou5bZMHCDTe2MWMKBM7AKz-1y6rRLOC2GZfw9NWPILg5yKNpaM2rqppKQfivxyylvSMilpzjxeOlQ8KKge1n1srHOq-5gtgvo5zBXKZphjAMr0NdDPLNUQZIVVO6Tma3DhSzSffV_UHl0xDedHIOUFRDodyQM/w548-h640/IMG_8203.jpeg" width="548" /></a></div><br /><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Then I decided that maybe I had the makings for a centerpiece for our Labor Day get together, but it needed a little bit more. So I made the pencil to keep with the “Back to School” theme that developed along the way. </span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYk5Vcr6NmZOVVvd63j9hWHL67VQrSGBaWVZzJ_nphUAPLwz48_QqQglqYbzgRsQHIDMq-io3rZTgIrpbvWchweeMXOh3ioVlUIPB57lq8FIkpf23IWWm0Ugunwvmc2KwPNBz91bjJ9vd1d3rPgesohqy6ILgFLuf9FTWZ-9GXpsBcDbuBlNhZvl8xRCI/s3761/IMG_8204.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3761" data-original-width="2821" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYk5Vcr6NmZOVVvd63j9hWHL67VQrSGBaWVZzJ_nphUAPLwz48_QqQglqYbzgRsQHIDMq-io3rZTgIrpbvWchweeMXOh3ioVlUIPB57lq8FIkpf23IWWm0Ugunwvmc2KwPNBz91bjJ9vd1d3rPgesohqy6ILgFLuf9FTWZ-9GXpsBcDbuBlNhZvl8xRCI/w480-h640/IMG_8204.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">The pencil is also a box. This cut is from Lori Whitlock SVG <a href="https://shop.loriwhitlock.com/pencil-shaped-box-2/">shop</a>. This would be another cute gift card holder for a teacher’s gift. I added the “No. 2”. </span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEg5Uq6cfJPXFwvLDVG1jq_RDPc4IBlQWRb-0VpS3rzPg8lx2INHE3zNG34nZpMtAuk6JT66y0fvqpuJyKasw1UvMw3pPKrqdf41ujQQZXcLWAZJz-OfnPhnWas319QqTPrnmAFynDIs7SrdH_sAtCxzs74isxA0PCO-MPWaJ6U1tK1fZSbShp6e8f3Gg/s4032/IMG_8219.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEg5Uq6cfJPXFwvLDVG1jq_RDPc4IBlQWRb-0VpS3rzPg8lx2INHE3zNG34nZpMtAuk6JT66y0fvqpuJyKasw1UvMw3pPKrqdf41ujQQZXcLWAZJz-OfnPhnWas319QqTPrnmAFynDIs7SrdH_sAtCxzs74isxA0PCO-MPWaJ6U1tK1fZSbShp6e8f3Gg/w480-h640/IMG_8219.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">While it probably would have made a lot more sense for me to actually rest, I just had to make one more item. The crayon box is another Simply Crafty cutting file that I adapted to look like our favorite art supply. </span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoPcvPgWQIjE8FdJsiuFyGQQar5u5TYwBO5eBK_xM__nZI1yD8eItArWq06Cavm3fpg9DRlkLuHCZdIcHd_db84DKWT2e10sJK308z13qAnX85AXw0Eq6TZ-T_Q-9Vmym0WF988djrTkucCBaWh025vZ0rmklR2FSSRASKQHAcObChBnlghgXp8oHrpwQ/s3123/IMG_8213.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3123" data-original-width="1805" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoPcvPgWQIjE8FdJsiuFyGQQar5u5TYwBO5eBK_xM__nZI1yD8eItArWq06Cavm3fpg9DRlkLuHCZdIcHd_db84DKWT2e10sJK308z13qAnX85AXw0Eq6TZ-T_Q-9Vmym0WF988djrTkucCBaWh025vZ0rmklR2FSSRASKQHAcObChBnlghgXp8oHrpwQ/w370-h640/IMG_8213.jpeg" width="370" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica;">This is also a super cute gift card box that would be perfect for a teacher’s gift or for a first day of school treat for an excited student.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Once freed from isolation, I went to the dollar store and picked up a canvas and made a chalkboard for the centerpiece. </span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpn9VGpmKSz-0LsHScP7pX2o2CPxemcwo5RpBS_bDPNp4EWuJacSUF-XoNni0lRzuB0s38hcCtpqf2PqjXMgsELYhzBIwLt5kBg54ZPxmTLhDrgUSz9XDOyAmhJ_g36h03bpf6PvUVnE7aabXbBRAjCUOUkehbLge-irqyIRlze-v93vjfaAqtqS2tLJA/s4032/IMG_8225.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpn9VGpmKSz-0LsHScP7pX2o2CPxemcwo5RpBS_bDPNp4EWuJacSUF-XoNni0lRzuB0s38hcCtpqf2PqjXMgsELYhzBIwLt5kBg54ZPxmTLhDrgUSz9XDOyAmhJ_g36h03bpf6PvUVnE7aabXbBRAjCUOUkehbLge-irqyIRlze-v93vjfaAqtqS2tLJA/w480-h640/IMG_8225.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Since we were originally going to eat poolside, I set up plastic plates and cups in the table scape for the “main” table. It got too hot to eat outside, but they still work for a back porch party. I like these plastic plates from the Dollar Tree. They can be easily washed if you are feeling inclined, or tossed for quick clean up- a little sturdier than paper plates, but not a large investment. I also use them for chargers under paper plates like <a href="https://gardeniasandglitter.blogspot.com/2023/07/a-patriotic-poolside-picnic-with-side.html">here</a>. </span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUVFsAMRiCEIJb-nqfyo1S-eEsNy6Ohrx6Ru4vqhRVHlg3sRYNJ1sZjUyMWvKyva_e6QuHoOcEZ2NsTJuyg2dZujc1ZttypiY1v0adqMxZcOG3EiMIelNbfPMTq-4vN8tw4Y6O-aLSIlblI6U3ecIFDaaZ5t-xZbDB8JOOgxEF4XcjN8o5vtB7kQrf5ec/s3221/IMG_8214.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3221" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUVFsAMRiCEIJb-nqfyo1S-eEsNy6Ohrx6Ru4vqhRVHlg3sRYNJ1sZjUyMWvKyva_e6QuHoOcEZ2NsTJuyg2dZujc1ZttypiY1v0adqMxZcOG3EiMIelNbfPMTq-4vN8tw4Y6O-aLSIlblI6U3ecIFDaaZ5t-xZbDB8JOOgxEF4XcjN8o5vtB7kQrf5ec/w600-h640/IMG_8214.jpeg" width="600" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I used the same napkin fold that I have been using for picnics for years. It is an easy fold that you can find the instructions for <a href="http://miscellanybydee.blogspot.com/2012/09/easy-napkin-folding-tip.html">here</a>. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8q_ITQrp6PTPBlMxVvMTaX_epawX3f7ezd8MkJHtLItiilE-sXEudb9yUuSCra2-ki7Rarb62i4LdypXT1PpvBWHB9x45EsHmB1o8CmwA4gVR6Zc0tyzRC_1SqkEMJAaWcHX1CXZQQjFQxS5-ZKEhOCBjFvWsol7MHPmWlgF1cnGr_SwWqZU3cNZoesY/s4032/IMG_8208.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8q_ITQrp6PTPBlMxVvMTaX_epawX3f7ezd8MkJHtLItiilE-sXEudb9yUuSCra2-ki7Rarb62i4LdypXT1PpvBWHB9x45EsHmB1o8CmwA4gVR6Zc0tyzRC_1SqkEMJAaWcHX1CXZQQjFQxS5-ZKEhOCBjFvWsol7MHPmWlgF1cnGr_SwWqZU3cNZoesY/w480-h640/IMG_8208.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">The tablecloth is fabric in school colors I bought years ago for school parties, homecoming tailgates, etc. Blue and yellow have been school colors for us from kindergarten through college! </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi8lci-QfDzqDahc3E-aOmH6I6JswAPIyLpBzQ5s3Q95uyIw-856V5vOc1NRmQfwB0lQBcshuzXmK0SP2nfVYBOt8txBQdmFo9OBYxoH-qcSxX_pXAQCpN6gH0wN88zgw3z7Wre3LeYxSTdMovmETMM9O2VzxjV3W5PdaW8-ETqSLDDeujB7zvCWHWvew/s4032/IMG_8224.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi8lci-QfDzqDahc3E-aOmH6I6JswAPIyLpBzQ5s3Q95uyIw-856V5vOc1NRmQfwB0lQBcshuzXmK0SP2nfVYBOt8txBQdmFo9OBYxoH-qcSxX_pXAQCpN6gH0wN88zgw3z7Wre3LeYxSTdMovmETMM9O2VzxjV3W5PdaW8-ETqSLDDeujB7zvCWHWvew/w480-h640/IMG_8224.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica;">My original inclination was to continue the theme with these stadium cups I keep in my craft stash from the dollar store. </span><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7EzMctZzh2gOuS0UTof60R3iGw4ZXm14gFglnHis13Tc_Poh2M4hyhCechBqn3V3QdwPFW8mJJR7t1knPbUbcfb-s2SjugK28CPPUBpBw7hsSYZJp1m_WfpoAbbgWjM2PcDFpZFFngfipPvRNBArDXvUwck_IvXaFYOwYStg3i4u0DoIDUk1ZOOfS3vQ/s3107/IMG_8207.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3107" data-original-width="2667" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7EzMctZzh2gOuS0UTof60R3iGw4ZXm14gFglnHis13Tc_Poh2M4hyhCechBqn3V3QdwPFW8mJJR7t1knPbUbcfb-s2SjugK28CPPUBpBw7hsSYZJp1m_WfpoAbbgWjM2PcDFpZFFngfipPvRNBArDXvUwck_IvXaFYOwYStg3i4u0DoIDUk1ZOOfS3vQ/w550-h640/IMG_8207.jpeg" width="550" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica;">While it is a cute cut, I didn’t really like it here. If I were still having this party for small children, this cup would be a cute favor holder. Pencils, a small box of crayons and some after school treats would fit nicely in it. </span><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMGAEW73FNQqkfDMyVG4xTm9n9_vzXn7bzIenS4Nys81o7DaX_tILXjOB-ojlhNtHRl9TvUXG1e9aWHnEekEHzWydgyK4e_M-ERe72a279eO5ELvtFQzjuMuLvEF1GgNVPc0aGIlEinB-aAfG6vI6CuGalScrRN7pKSAtdwoaaGNCjZ93Sr-5eeUSuI_M/s4032/IMG_8206.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMGAEW73FNQqkfDMyVG4xTm9n9_vzXn7bzIenS4Nys81o7DaX_tILXjOB-ojlhNtHRl9TvUXG1e9aWHnEekEHzWydgyK4e_M-ERe72a279eO5ELvtFQzjuMuLvEF1GgNVPc0aGIlEinB-aAfG6vI6CuGalScrRN7pKSAtdwoaaGNCjZ93Sr-5eeUSuI_M/w480-h640/IMG_8206.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Not fancy, but fun. </span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ3dXIsu8CqM0c8-feE3FQ1rzTJarup2ZxgI8lFw5UZJ9o06dJTC-ZJDUSpNaFoQN0olrN6r2BnE8ot91lvpHWDszYWgpCSzQXzzdiJsD6ziJaVrV4d13M0itUHuGuasXG_JYet3dGjcH0EMsvMjAvY4NsDrje-Tb2ZwVKtLpAHNU_sK2eAyIdTrkSsEU/s3264/IMG_8215.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3264" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ3dXIsu8CqM0c8-feE3FQ1rzTJarup2ZxgI8lFw5UZJ9o06dJTC-ZJDUSpNaFoQN0olrN6r2BnE8ot91lvpHWDszYWgpCSzQXzzdiJsD6ziJaVrV4d13M0itUHuGuasXG_JYet3dGjcH0EMsvMjAvY4NsDrje-Tb2ZwVKtLpAHNU_sK2eAyIdTrkSsEU/w592-h640/IMG_8215.jpeg" width="592" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica;">So what began as isolation and boredom ended up as a fun little tablescape for a small Labor Day gathering! </span><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;">By the way, our family had a Back to School playlist all those years ago. You can find that <a href="https://gardeniasandglitter.blogspot.com/2016/08/rock-and-roll-back-to-school.html?q=bus">here</a>. It is not a bad list if I do say so myself and it holds up after all these years. It even has a Jimmy Buffet song on it! We were so sad that he passed over the weekend. He created the soundtrack for most of our favorite family memories since my children were very young, including Back to School! <br /></span><div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I hope you have lots of good Back to School memories too! Thanks for stopping by today and Stay Healthy! </span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">~</span><span style="font-family: Lobster; font-size: large;">Cynthia</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></p></div></div>Cynthiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17511826172600500845noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8841926879721095715.post-5362445068350892732023-07-16T11:39:00.001-07:002023-07-16T11:39:31.277-07:00Merry Christmas (In July!)<p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Summer is finally in full swing here! We had months of cool temperatures and a lot of rain throughout the spring and early summer, but when July hit- so did the sunshine and the warmth! So of course- my mind immediately went to Christmas! </span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4DrRGtwZL-CnUFlNVJC5aq1bdzpYQqZS0S1PAQo5JcV-CGkHJerGdMQ15zaJ1EfmOQi8beDBcxOvnoHWxZ769bL7y3T_Gyp7I42HPosVDR3kjDOrq3bj4FSpxL_XiOB_yX3WXwBJo9DaVq5O2vgUc93uCiQ7cWyfzm8EANVyTBAJ5LcqBLRGmo4KL-uE/s4032/IMG_8076.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4DrRGtwZL-CnUFlNVJC5aq1bdzpYQqZS0S1PAQo5JcV-CGkHJerGdMQ15zaJ1EfmOQi8beDBcxOvnoHWxZ769bL7y3T_Gyp7I42HPosVDR3kjDOrq3bj4FSpxL_XiOB_yX3WXwBJo9DaVq5O2vgUc93uCiQ7cWyfzm8EANVyTBAJ5LcqBLRGmo4KL-uE/w640-h480/IMG_8076.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; text-align: left;">Christmas is my favorite holiday, but I love nothing more than sitting poolside with a cool beverage on a hot summer's day. So naturally, I had to make a holiday margarita/poolside mashup. </span></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixXO9dKl0aUwD0Fd5jZkBTM4z3aV297OdDfo-AEobPNMfBucViAeBGNKvvJsaqnizr9fBpKFQ74c5R-w2FgpRtvqvjKEMMzFg_XpZfSEkeoXjoUEjiAQp6wAjhucTti8GfZkTXiErBq_zQJoFVJ7Nyct58awmRAgKlcR1ci1iQ0wd-PhxqHFE96gnNvhY/s4032/IMG_8083.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixXO9dKl0aUwD0Fd5jZkBTM4z3aV297OdDfo-AEobPNMfBucViAeBGNKvvJsaqnizr9fBpKFQ74c5R-w2FgpRtvqvjKEMMzFg_XpZfSEkeoXjoUEjiAQp6wAjhucTti8GfZkTXiErBq_zQJoFVJ7Nyct58awmRAgKlcR1ci1iQ0wd-PhxqHFE96gnNvhY/w480-h640/IMG_8083.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Since I have been accused of being "extra", (whatever that means-I am going to consider it a compliment!), I had to "set the scene" for Christmas in July poolside. </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUN7gQ4nWyyh09VmBZkOHadnvYwy6kytsumlPjd0LPl5wAzNoTkT_5SnFXgKNTHMgGu6ZocG6k-WTV04C2kXipBwP5Sd5o_57ATv7Lzfv5P5F6j9G8pys-9f06xzRNSovnq7Lq1gUkfBA9e0gLGtkEZkPG2UBkhKVDSRMGJ5xQ_Zb9YBIG3xlziT0gtU4/s4032/IMG_8067.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUN7gQ4nWyyh09VmBZkOHadnvYwy6kytsumlPjd0LPl5wAzNoTkT_5SnFXgKNTHMgGu6ZocG6k-WTV04C2kXipBwP5Sd5o_57ATv7Lzfv5P5F6j9G8pys-9f06xzRNSovnq7Lq1gUkfBA9e0gLGtkEZkPG2UBkhKVDSRMGJ5xQ_Zb9YBIG3xlziT0gtU4/w640-h480/IMG_8067.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I made the Tiki Hut with my Cricut and a cut from </span><a href="https://www.simplycraftysvgs.com/shop/3d_items/tiki-bar/" style="font-family: helvetica;">Simply Crafty SVGs</a><span style="font-family: helvetica;">. It is so cute and super simple to make! </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidgg__VcW43iblVIreexEQb50TZogA-p9-_RYNsb4SnW4SGnGWrRNLRbRuyrWnng-1dBRgGQ4ixBlzbRUJV_J4abuCCkpt5qgvReHk6wYZQrvQyuzm87s83EyaNC--c5tc8F9Nd1ZFFiKrxMjDSjFpGHw0dLIgoMTqwf2ATsiqLt_zt3kyaZB_NnM22cE/s4032/IMG_8066.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidgg__VcW43iblVIreexEQb50TZogA-p9-_RYNsb4SnW4SGnGWrRNLRbRuyrWnng-1dBRgGQ4ixBlzbRUJV_J4abuCCkpt5qgvReHk6wYZQrvQyuzm87s83EyaNC--c5tc8F9Nd1ZFFiKrxMjDSjFpGHw0dLIgoMTqwf2ATsiqLt_zt3kyaZB_NnM22cE/w480-h640/IMG_8066.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Of course, Santa had to be a part of it. He is cut from an ancient Cricut cartridge I uploaded in to Design Space (Paper Doll Dress Up). I have made this Santa into a Surfer, Old Saint Nick, a JMU fan (purple and gold outfit) and a Florida fan (orange and blue with a Gator logo on the front, of course!), but this time he is a bartender at a poolside Tiki Bar with his red and green tank top and some super cool shades. </span></p><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYIUKl5bXRtLSgnqiUK49DXg7HNCA1ylsXW5H69sA9eR_KhDDBTG6puRkq2PO79749ZLpEwi_3O2IRQWSyreBKjfxznCVQAmpvW1bA15qmauPQIxGW-mZNzf3ZfB0-beuWhGtiAxUPv_exlKnEarcmAfmyHiknlJM4apjrqcMgQElzVd-t1FobjZzPHwk/s4032/IMG_8058.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYIUKl5bXRtLSgnqiUK49DXg7HNCA1ylsXW5H69sA9eR_KhDDBTG6puRkq2PO79749ZLpEwi_3O2IRQWSyreBKjfxznCVQAmpvW1bA15qmauPQIxGW-mZNzf3ZfB0-beuWhGtiAxUPv_exlKnEarcmAfmyHiknlJM4apjrqcMgQElzVd-t1FobjZzPHwk/w480-h640/IMG_8058.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Perhaps it is his summer side hustle? He even highjacked the sign! </span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicAD3COlfyVdoyQ090fCzFP7IN8XK6PCvKNmKTW-SKyV1almpqMNvSUuyaZQo3BRKmtbJCcWwgKZtt2VDKWjul2jaffe7ZcB2GqPtinKVsquHJpJvunUqUbuEQoIdELgplK84SrbPVoK-MGHLAPUfgeUbG-UhH9sJLFdFGKuH7Omze73P-Y4L9vTvms9k/s3024/IMG_8067.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="2112" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicAD3COlfyVdoyQ090fCzFP7IN8XK6PCvKNmKTW-SKyV1almpqMNvSUuyaZQo3BRKmtbJCcWwgKZtt2VDKWjul2jaffe7ZcB2GqPtinKVsquHJpJvunUqUbuEQoIdELgplK84SrbPVoK-MGHLAPUfgeUbG-UhH9sJLFdFGKuH7Omze73P-Y4L9vTvms9k/w446-h640/IMG_8067.jpeg" width="446" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Of course there is a palm tree shading the bar. This is a file from </span><a href="https://svgcuts.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=30&products_id=456" style="font-family: helvetica;">SVG Cuts</a><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> perfect for any tropical scene. </span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidnhUK1HNkSjqY8pT8y1clXksHLgm74ymeZXn3oDXkvUpeuTwysv1-rQJO7xH8UUxHVcGXXp94CFwGNvmRnbsBt48RsDmoa4QxEGSmtSv5i_BeEZ0rV5DkRn9VQQwgJ60a2WoPUk8AKUcdbaV_mh4w7DbnGyfKCFm2aWiJtREKwiqOELFW_3ZRqQaPb_k/s4032/IMG_8084.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidnhUK1HNkSjqY8pT8y1clXksHLgm74ymeZXn3oDXkvUpeuTwysv1-rQJO7xH8UUxHVcGXXp94CFwGNvmRnbsBt48RsDmoa4QxEGSmtSv5i_BeEZ0rV5DkRn9VQQwgJ60a2WoPUk8AKUcdbaV_mh4w7DbnGyfKCFm2aWiJtREKwiqOELFW_3ZRqQaPb_k/w480-h640/IMG_8084.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">The margarita is a seasonal favorite, Cranberry Margarita. If you would like to join me in a toast to Christmas in July, here is the recipe:</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><b>CRANBERRY MARGARITA</b></span></p><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">4 ounces Cranberry Pomegranate Juice (I used "diet" and it was good!)<br /></span><span style="font-family: helvetica;">1/2 ounce lime juice (fresh squeezed is always better, but bottled is fine)<br /></span><span style="font-family: helvetica;">1/2 ounce triple sec<br /></span><span style="font-family: helvetica;">2 ounces of your favorite tequila <br /></span><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Ice <br /></span><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Salt for the rim (optional)</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Frozen cranberries for garnish (also optional)</span></div><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Salt the rim of your favorite margarita glass, if desired, and fill with ice (I used an acrylic highball "glass" since I was poolside). Using a cocktail shaker mix the juices, triple sec and tequila and pour in the glass. Garnish with frozen cranberries if desired. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Note: Since I was outside, I used ice cubes in my glass, but I would use crushed ice inside where it would not melt as fast. I imagine that you could use a blender if you really wanted it frozen. </span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibjtDX_X2PYUnem16lkoox05GU1TlJrRkZdUu1GYNtNqPNPlQ0ZFZKxB8B_GGDIKi_jNWqYJmqOSk7pLf9icI-UXep3BKwJBz6XVns_UUmWS9uHto53kk2IbOAGyoNbpbFuXKOORMOUuVOCtibn8jD_Bl51Fw7tO1P6aHZNn2tpHy2oyra942rsuYdCr8/s3824/IMG_8090.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3824" data-original-width="2868" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibjtDX_X2PYUnem16lkoox05GU1TlJrRkZdUu1GYNtNqPNPlQ0ZFZKxB8B_GGDIKi_jNWqYJmqOSk7pLf9icI-UXep3BKwJBz6XVns_UUmWS9uHto53kk2IbOAGyoNbpbFuXKOORMOUuVOCtibn8jD_Bl51Fw7tO1P6aHZNn2tpHy2oyra942rsuYdCr8/w480-h640/IMG_8090.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Just for funsies, here is the drink in a proper margarita glass with crushed ice. There is a green swizzle stick there to add Christmas color. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I hope that your days are sunny and your margaritas are refreshing! </span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Thanks for stopping by today! </span></p><p><span style="font-family: Lobster; font-size: large;">~Cynthia</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> </span></p>Cynthiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17511826172600500845noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8841926879721095715.post-38406957439590984162023-07-03T11:35:00.001-07:002023-07-03T11:35:10.461-07:00A Patriotic Poolside Picnic (With a Side of Disney)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRJ8ZD_U1o1pYz1BqOl322FzqwrjpNPtoHYHllH_f3CLWNtgLLpaA8u4gM0M6nBlaySia4X4mceaYZPDaai0JBFROWJobzRkkoPdPORbDsVMmVz9PlnZ0D81Uxq5H2TxqrDrj0kHtX_avRzR_lGLOgUeGqBR7hUITh6nX7gkucibPX_5ddF3HbtqpNAlg/s3532/IMG_8024.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3532" data-original-width="2649" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRJ8ZD_U1o1pYz1BqOl322FzqwrjpNPtoHYHllH_f3CLWNtgLLpaA8u4gM0M6nBlaySia4X4mceaYZPDaai0JBFROWJobzRkkoPdPORbDsVMmVz9PlnZ0D81Uxq5H2TxqrDrj0kHtX_avRzR_lGLOgUeGqBR7hUITh6nX7gkucibPX_5ddF3HbtqpNAlg/w480-h640/IMG_8024.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Sometimes, even in the midst of a "major" holiday, you just want something easy and casual for your meals. Poolside picnics sound perfect to me this year, complete with an easy and casual table. And y</span><span style="font-family: helvetica;">ou know me- I love Disney. When I ran across some super cute Mickey and Minnie patriotic paper plates, I knew they would be perfect for our poolside holiday weekend meals. And you also know that I have to make a cute simple little table scape to go along with it. </span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio8z88zfvXfpec2wgUzVRQl1720rpMmCcDbofDoj7aXz-xDztvxQXOEzbNDyUvq1-yLxjzRmaFwyZBk_7HvvoviL0mU8LLs_3f4sONaZ9u-iWXUDuI2ENugQdGbyOTHmP8MXxxGL7H5LyFno5_uo3_wGtXTIZ7BCmHVWYpmJuprU92F9Gy0H9q-d9lrLQ/s2823/IMG_7995.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1893" data-original-width="2823" height="430" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio8z88zfvXfpec2wgUzVRQl1720rpMmCcDbofDoj7aXz-xDztvxQXOEzbNDyUvq1-yLxjzRmaFwyZBk_7HvvoviL0mU8LLs_3f4sONaZ9u-iWXUDuI2ENugQdGbyOTHmP8MXxxGL7H5LyFno5_uo3_wGtXTIZ7BCmHVWYpmJuprU92F9Gy0H9q-d9lrLQ/w640-h430/IMG_7995.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I found the plates at Walmart and was inspired to walk back to the fabric department to see if they had anything which would work for a tablecloth. The polka dots were perfect! I bought a yard and a half for a small patio table. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAMsbfy5x-krJiH59b5F6HqxYTtt70koqnOox4AU3ur28gnzWytswIBvX0l7C9gzygdI5fyx3tz1LP2N8moPkuouhUWLwcPSR7h8yieyBu6pY-JBX7uokmlCBLPD4xahuAfD4DAwzh8OFazB7lCpSglYpcwat-WgU4P1uKgJYxfF6QO59KN-1oiq2B_lQ/s2796/IMG_8012.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2547" data-original-width="2796" height="584" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAMsbfy5x-krJiH59b5F6HqxYTtt70koqnOox4AU3ur28gnzWytswIBvX0l7C9gzygdI5fyx3tz1LP2N8moPkuouhUWLwcPSR7h8yieyBu6pY-JBX7uokmlCBLPD4xahuAfD4DAwzh8OFazB7lCpSglYpcwat-WgU4P1uKgJYxfF6QO59KN-1oiq2B_lQ/w640-h584/IMG_8012.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">These “chargers” are plastic plates that I found at the dollar store. I like to use them to support paper plates and add an extra layer of color to the table. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl3a7285cHvJn8Nv1pCuMC_k4H_P9EFLcK6VCY3lgbsLtkAJkLhL7I4AbnybHqwbQZV0d749q_uDqDMA9xtD5P779t5w1Ed5RcUNWR51qlj8t01BqyJZKxAJUtI7v4oEXhmRXaShUtP-e_WSxsG0_JJD5yHyJKUyLy9OtBYJ6n0Q2u-s3Rp81wpo_isYs/s4032/IMG_8014.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl3a7285cHvJn8Nv1pCuMC_k4H_P9EFLcK6VCY3lgbsLtkAJkLhL7I4AbnybHqwbQZV0d749q_uDqDMA9xtD5P779t5w1Ed5RcUNWR51qlj8t01BqyJZKxAJUtI7v4oEXhmRXaShUtP-e_WSxsG0_JJD5yHyJKUyLy9OtBYJ6n0Q2u-s3Rp81wpo_isYs/w480-h640/IMG_8014.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I found the napkins at the dollar store (blue) and Target (stars). I have used this little double napkin pocket fold a many times (see example <a href="https://gardeniasandglitter.blogspot.com/2016/07/happy-independence-day.html?q=napkin">here</a>) and found the tutorial <a href="http://miscellanybydee.blogspot.com/2012/09/easy-napkin-folding-tip.html">here</a>. The fold is typically for a cocktail napkin paired with a dinner napkin, but I just went with two dinner sized this time. You can never have too many napkins during summer picnic and cookout season! The utensils are also from Walmart and I could not resist the glitter sparkle (obviously!), but in hindsight, I think a solid red white and blue would have looked better. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFRrb4pqHP_nXtRHTLz9IXPTTsGlLiVluVzIMQOqZFamDj86fgfmV52r3qIzQ9N6N8Ne-OAPm38rPgQbipMUMlylNqJyaKyIVIij2Lw2LZOEKGwz7Os2T9Hzn6CKxiMppkPbUaoNPDxGmY6DsKcpdvcmOrryOwGu1btP9AI40fHYzK3nVBl9IFBDLcRi0/s4032/IMG_8022.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFRrb4pqHP_nXtRHTLz9IXPTTsGlLiVluVzIMQOqZFamDj86fgfmV52r3qIzQ9N6N8Ne-OAPm38rPgQbipMUMlylNqJyaKyIVIij2Lw2LZOEKGwz7Os2T9Hzn6CKxiMppkPbUaoNPDxGmY6DsKcpdvcmOrryOwGu1btP9AI40fHYzK3nVBl9IFBDLcRi0/w480-h640/IMG_8022.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I used red plastic cups from my stash. I would have liked to have used some glasses with stars on them, but they are glass and I do not use breakables in the pool area. I thought seriously about buying some, but I am really trying to use what I have as much as possible these days and these cups fit the bill. I picked up the straws somewhere in my shopping ventures and they are perfect for the red, white and blue theme. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBLn_MoM8RfXlGUZu2AcKrIYGO2F3f81fxvHo1439vdqEFzKPNidLozQPtoTRKKSRTVd0XFJnlNxaKsN0L3Zvk7N5rURirwIVjLfk-vYS1Eycugb1a7fFx4qDdu7u7sxze_1MwByP6sNBRhUI2W9dIZJjtb6extmCVN8Magxt_yBQoWUKomcfVMWCeTI0/s4032/IMG_8019.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBLn_MoM8RfXlGUZu2AcKrIYGO2F3f81fxvHo1439vdqEFzKPNidLozQPtoTRKKSRTVd0XFJnlNxaKsN0L3Zvk7N5rURirwIVjLfk-vYS1Eycugb1a7fFx4qDdu7u7sxze_1MwByP6sNBRhUI2W9dIZJjtb6extmCVN8Magxt_yBQoWUKomcfVMWCeTI0/w480-h640/IMG_8019.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">The flowers are from the grocery store- the result of a quick shopping trip. Grocery stores can be great places to get flowers for everyday use. Other stores in my town have fancier choices, but I think the patriotic theme was cute and I was in a hurry. I added the flag. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOGrcSzlNrZ0HXXiFegHB5MfVEWKmQvq0moCbeCAzhKRDNW_BfYl1V_4scvUsVdhDwr3M0H4U1QGG7JtCGMSuY8Lm1tUkI0M3aPwUwQKzqtVGg0RTp-DsslmPrQpIyArbGBZA7wERnsf9ZNW02h6V0NzOtYpomtmg58e0sQf8rAHRxWfsts2TqjBec6_w/s4032/IMG_7988.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOGrcSzlNrZ0HXXiFegHB5MfVEWKmQvq0moCbeCAzhKRDNW_BfYl1V_4scvUsVdhDwr3M0H4U1QGG7JtCGMSuY8Lm1tUkI0M3aPwUwQKzqtVGg0RTp-DsslmPrQpIyArbGBZA7wERnsf9ZNW02h6V0NzOtYpomtmg58e0sQf8rAHRxWfsts2TqjBec6_w/w480-h640/IMG_7988.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I do love the mum!. It reminds me of a fire cracker. I am sure it did not grow that way but it adds a touch of whimsy!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQbgnC5At62t9eqxFriNGEOYX-PfgC9Pw9-Xe4g6AdeYXlvQJYaADm9CcuQILTzugga7yXqm6EdpIUJfmVCvPAVbV_my3RgtKAY02-bKYWM8Y6wWImdMKSy_UYVfwG_C7XjI7FBuxwDRRH3F5d0j77tRK8kXGRjPMS3S78OWvJU9eXqF6o8iQZPkdm5_g/s4032/IMG_8011.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQbgnC5At62t9eqxFriNGEOYX-PfgC9Pw9-Xe4g6AdeYXlvQJYaADm9CcuQILTzugga7yXqm6EdpIUJfmVCvPAVbV_my3RgtKAY02-bKYWM8Y6wWImdMKSy_UYVfwG_C7XjI7FBuxwDRRH3F5d0j77tRK8kXGRjPMS3S78OWvJU9eXqF6o8iQZPkdm5_g/w480-h640/IMG_8011.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">The hydrangeas are from my own yard. We have had an amazing hydrangea season this year. It has been so cool and wet and the flowers have loved it! </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdWKDNxTfGDcdmlj3XBWHbxcH5FXhuxtyFsU7iE7x0kQCvk2NKIDiDpMuw1OOj9eRz0Y3vh8Wjp5ECXi-gnn5YvKhvj3EUW6OXNtxwdkIiNUjB-zJZYtWmkdUw_7KNRSW61tJl_zwVTO_b3_ynqkPrc4e8rJKfjuH1vNLB5vBmPARam0uXh3Decerjm4A/s4032/IMG_7846.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdWKDNxTfGDcdmlj3XBWHbxcH5FXhuxtyFsU7iE7x0kQCvk2NKIDiDpMuw1OOj9eRz0Y3vh8Wjp5ECXi-gnn5YvKhvj3EUW6OXNtxwdkIiNUjB-zJZYtWmkdUw_7KNRSW61tJl_zwVTO_b3_ynqkPrc4e8rJKfjuH1vNLB5vBmPARam0uXh3Decerjm4A/w480-h640/IMG_7846.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Look how beautiful! </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaG1whYo5A4lzfknApPpZAAvk--kSI2HFfvBDcAN8fHXR-vFd4Cg9JadK906VhLtyYzMBRSSJITPZT1kNsNCOfhaxJqjYedjRIQYgjZ4VBwryB3YSSS4tOJtQnki_3oZK5v721CQ2_4unIeLUC-VYyoRJZi7lUjwhsmi6ObDu8t6etv54Jd46_0nxUBaA/s3095/IMG_8018.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3095" data-original-width="2964" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaG1whYo5A4lzfknApPpZAAvk--kSI2HFfvBDcAN8fHXR-vFd4Cg9JadK906VhLtyYzMBRSSJITPZT1kNsNCOfhaxJqjYedjRIQYgjZ4VBwryB3YSSS4tOJtQnki_3oZK5v721CQ2_4unIeLUC-VYyoRJZi7lUjwhsmi6ObDu8t6etv54Jd46_0nxUBaA/w612-h640/IMG_8018.jpeg" width="612" /></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">And of course, we had to have some Mickey Snacks! Red, white and blue M&Ms, and Mickey Goldfish crackers start off this version of a simple but fun snack mix that I have made several times before (see <a href="https://gardeniasandglitter.blogspot.com/2015/06/on-my-last-blog-i-talked-about-some.html?q=goldfish">here</a> and <a href="https://gardeniasandglitter.blogspot.com/2023/04/this-is-way-to-celebrate-special-tv-show.html">here</a> for examples). This one was simple, I added chocolate chips, peanuts and marshmallows. I would have liked to have added dried cranberries as well, but someone else found them in the pantry before I put them in the mix! </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPJu8fWBhstTUVxgesMiUnVQjAu8LlZ8oaZlBwtDx6RFqPvyUH0nsGrGXsg00DMZa4oEJhb-ktfUK01COHeOiu4Io4hqraVHL8oi73qLN2vIwyaIndNWw0eYtlk1i9mwdaxtsoQZo__HTUi0he4IPGZyymAqWwJH3_EsVM7Y2MalF8A2QMtePzg0ydVKs/s2208/AD425691-8564-4E63-A484-29703E1EF513.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2208" data-original-width="1242" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPJu8fWBhstTUVxgesMiUnVQjAu8LlZ8oaZlBwtDx6RFqPvyUH0nsGrGXsg00DMZa4oEJhb-ktfUK01COHeOiu4Io4hqraVHL8oi73qLN2vIwyaIndNWw0eYtlk1i9mwdaxtsoQZo__HTUi0he4IPGZyymAqWwJH3_EsVM7Y2MalF8A2QMtePzg0ydVKs/w360-h640/AD425691-8564-4E63-A484-29703E1EF513.jpeg" width="360" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">This quick, easy, inexpensive table scape was all I needed for the long holiday weekend! </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I hope that you have a Safe and Happy Fourth of July! </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">~Thanks for stopping by today! </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Cynthia</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span><p></p>Cynthiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17511826172600500845noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8841926879721095715.post-77364989838691896712023-04-15T18:02:00.001-07:002023-04-15T18:02:20.749-07:00This is the Way (To Celebrate a Special TV Show)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRupmckSpwxTQ55ULy6inqgLw6uMe-GxE4rOalP4b3OkIRZo2gWM5gQiZ73dlEniX4s9uv9Nj89CuQxBPvEvZJd0D4kGcfpSZZiYc8hohd_GiqIk2k5TEre_Q8ooysmbcdhmOEmCj16b9y7INgCDIaXVGBPfoJRFLAKwfZ2J94Cp01fg6YZCfqKWC7/s4032/18E57482-6B37-4505-A779-E98BD3E83D58.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRupmckSpwxTQ55ULy6inqgLw6uMe-GxE4rOalP4b3OkIRZo2gWM5gQiZ73dlEniX4s9uv9Nj89CuQxBPvEvZJd0D4kGcfpSZZiYc8hohd_GiqIk2k5TEre_Q8ooysmbcdhmOEmCj16b9y7INgCDIaXVGBPfoJRFLAKwfZ2J94Cp01fg6YZCfqKWC7/w640-h480/18E57482-6B37-4505-A779-E98BD3E83D58.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;">A long time ago, in a galaxy far far away…</span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;">There was a blogger who waited entirely too long to post an update! Once again it has been awhile since I last shared, but I have been celebrating birthdays and holidays and wonderful events that I hope to share with you soon. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Recently I have been obsessed with The Mandalorian. We were so excited when the third season began and now, when there is only one episode left, I thought I would share the little season three “premier party” my husband and I had. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzPs_J0VmAINTPy7zQ_Y_cEOxSyl597Kp1RRX_1YMzyJ_Z3Ee-XI5vGfVVT8mhbFYeh-G_bqUNcRuQfwbGQtcXSqfIYnA05BjAdIl_MOZbr6_tJy8HTLUTcuTRVtiaTHj8Y7IW7k4w2O_zqkQqTmNv0HF-aizNMXjiuF8QqTL3af1sAvdehUaPkfpy/s3024/66CDDABA-D1F8-45B1-85D4-5B89DB3CC553.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2727" data-original-width="3024" height="578" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzPs_J0VmAINTPy7zQ_Y_cEOxSyl597Kp1RRX_1YMzyJ_Z3Ee-XI5vGfVVT8mhbFYeh-G_bqUNcRuQfwbGQtcXSqfIYnA05BjAdIl_MOZbr6_tJy8HTLUTcuTRVtiaTHj8Y7IW7k4w2O_zqkQqTmNv0HF-aizNMXjiuF8QqTL3af1sAvdehUaPkfpy/w640-h578/66CDDABA-D1F8-45B1-85D4-5B89DB3CC553.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I created a little party mix that I call “Mando Mix”. I started with Goldfish Crackers (did you know that they have a Mandalorian version?) and added dried cranberries, peanuts, and chocolate chips. WIth dietary concerns, the cranberries were low sugar, as were the chocolate chips, and the peanuts were salt free. If I were doing this mix without dietary concerns I would have added some marshmallows, too. This is similar to a mix that I have used on several themed occasions in the past. You can see a couple of them <a href="https://gardeniasandglitter.blogspot.com/2016/03/easter-tablescape.html">here</a> and <a href="https://gardeniasandglitter.blogspot.com/2015/06/on-my-last-blog-i-talked-about-some.html">here</a>.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_Gm1L35RIUVm2RW-pN0GSweMRFbZEXsmhUBOy9RkA1H0AQlhvkE7JWyl0yUmzpkMe6OfwwAzhr0bDibhO-neXM_aDMK3phw1SqFhJ7wC8zxMSmSjo1dVBI5vuYiy9afsyA3XJNSzPvfp7Er-tUrTqvfgdsgE34LDburpJ90PmzGVziIQtCJU_DhWB/s4032/0535C52A-7411-4B99-8345-3C7A58369C71.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_Gm1L35RIUVm2RW-pN0GSweMRFbZEXsmhUBOy9RkA1H0AQlhvkE7JWyl0yUmzpkMe6OfwwAzhr0bDibhO-neXM_aDMK3phw1SqFhJ7wC8zxMSmSjo1dVBI5vuYiy9afsyA3XJNSzPvfp7Er-tUrTqvfgdsgE34LDburpJ90PmzGVziIQtCJU_DhWB/w480-h640/0535C52A-7411-4B99-8345-3C7A58369C71.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica;">To drink we had “Spotchka”. This is a drink served on the movie, specifically in a bar on Tatooine where a bottle of Spotchka was shared by Cobb Vanth and Din Djarin (our hero). When I looked to see what exactly was in the drink (something about krill), I knew I would have to find a substitute. I decided on Cool Blue</span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> Gatorade Zero. It was the perfect shade of blue to mimic the drink in the show. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_qbGKFSRXLxx3Ky8birVRpp9hbdPDH51wwzrAMWjKKI32tf2TxYgV_3BYNhf_41pnFyGIh94y0g6byXvC70y1JUfIznx2_Ms7SsbdDGSLk_1cX1fBPYR8QdVQv70QotvQ05XPGkoLVwVevGTs_-w15vZ88veAryrwelPY0edGkONX9D16XMQ6O1GR/s4032/9049E050-B8BD-41B7-BA54-A52B98AB3664.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_qbGKFSRXLxx3Ky8birVRpp9hbdPDH51wwzrAMWjKKI32tf2TxYgV_3BYNhf_41pnFyGIh94y0g6byXvC70y1JUfIznx2_Ms7SsbdDGSLk_1cX1fBPYR8QdVQv70QotvQ05XPGkoLVwVevGTs_-w15vZ88veAryrwelPY0edGkONX9D16XMQ6O1GR/w640-h480/9049E050-B8BD-41B7-BA54-A52B98AB3664.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica;">The Spotchka was presented in a bottle that I decorated to resemble the one in the show. Mine was actually a bottle from the dollar store with a neat cap attached by wire which would have been perfect for the look. Unfortunately, I broke that part, but I wrapped a fishnet around the bottle with a little bit of twine and it didn’t look too dissimilar. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2wg4Cfzt7h-JrRf10mfMN0YJjS794AOE-CI2mYssnUY_ib1J_1ulZ1k1uLGzCjLtJ554gIPsaIxmhQ4hhKIawhFOi7CcU_vYEbhaSTQ5lTI_IN6iB5aaXUVzMe2PMlfPZzTjuPfmk1j3v1ee_CPjxCML7bl6PREkqWVwtE8QCse5XnnkNDpjJg4bP/s4032/E4EA7CA9-3E07-41AB-957E-4ABB02280339.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2wg4Cfzt7h-JrRf10mfMN0YJjS794AOE-CI2mYssnUY_ib1J_1ulZ1k1uLGzCjLtJ554gIPsaIxmhQ4hhKIawhFOi7CcU_vYEbhaSTQ5lTI_IN6iB5aaXUVzMe2PMlfPZzTjuPfmk1j3v1ee_CPjxCML7bl6PREkqWVwtE8QCse5XnnkNDpjJg4bP/w480-h640/E4EA7CA9-3E07-41AB-957E-4ABB02280339.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Of great import in the series is Beskar, which is a super strong alloy used to build the armor and weaponry used by the Mandalorian. In my world, this is a candy bar wrapper from Cricut Design space. The cut comes in a few different sizes to match different size candy bars. I used a no sugar added Lily candy bar and a Hershey chocolate bar- more great movie snacks!</span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWreOeFR66Kzlv8F7XEYrpgFnFc3ggFQT-r59kDGa-4yUStSP4BjQipoKsKvrgFyVZBpL32zm59FsO0uFJQIYg2_plvHjk5lVwD4h3ZSFG5AjFxF42vpYroYo9zDQenGDigIk9xKGpv3HOHsfRGsTt5bOpSU91fzIWAmO0PIM4p1B4osHgoxQ4_FdC/s4032/670CDF38-D047-4947-B774-65E8CC6D9700.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWreOeFR66Kzlv8F7XEYrpgFnFc3ggFQT-r59kDGa-4yUStSP4BjQipoKsKvrgFyVZBpL32zm59FsO0uFJQIYg2_plvHjk5lVwD4h3ZSFG5AjFxF42vpYroYo9zDQenGDigIk9xKGpv3HOHsfRGsTt5bOpSU91fzIWAmO0PIM4p1B4osHgoxQ4_FdC/w480-h640/670CDF38-D047-4947-B774-65E8CC6D9700.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I couldn’t resist adding the Mandalorian and the Empire insignias to the napkins. I got the images from a vendor on Etsy. I have also used the same images to create T-shirts. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQS1zFDeeJ_6J0alHvhnpF08HZUW9QTwbQnqTQJoZPBS1yJBTdB6pw7atO-OKrIYUEX5tq-IEPHmtuNjqrsK1RkYFRyV81NziF_xuz2qCW4_gvfbllTwmdD5UtM6He33drW0kV4kgjw98O-aWFel-mv-bR2nlRrwjQCeeEZqoTN7VOZRFfWsGiIGVl/s4032/5866E92C-CB98-4A3E-8416-15B3433F7C40.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQS1zFDeeJ_6J0alHvhnpF08HZUW9QTwbQnqTQJoZPBS1yJBTdB6pw7atO-OKrIYUEX5tq-IEPHmtuNjqrsK1RkYFRyV81NziF_xuz2qCW4_gvfbllTwmdD5UtM6He33drW0kV4kgjw98O-aWFel-mv-bR2nlRrwjQCeeEZqoTN7VOZRFfWsGiIGVl/w480-h640/5866E92C-CB98-4A3E-8416-15B3433F7C40.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica;">As you may know from earlier posts, I am obsessed with adding iron on vinyl designs to personalize napkins. I still hope to do a quick tutorial on how to do that. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGlW6XQ7hgg7bTnHgCtLPM_ZKT4J8lpAAsAn7TOu6JKOzW7DREhhWREZJZEu3wcsiDSXV8bSnHe8JvZwntEIx82vl16YmfQASsUWN0PBfdqfeBPFwRI2ryoh7X6ECPrNi_7GA7_wVjv-giRqbkbq-bwU1_fAO_k6WGOsmFtTp_j8U54wnXYY1q9rx9/s4032/1D53A5CB-714E-44A2-A09D-53EEFAC4ACBD.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGlW6XQ7hgg7bTnHgCtLPM_ZKT4J8lpAAsAn7TOu6JKOzW7DREhhWREZJZEu3wcsiDSXV8bSnHe8JvZwntEIx82vl16YmfQASsUWN0PBfdqfeBPFwRI2ryoh7X6ECPrNi_7GA7_wVjv-giRqbkbq-bwU1_fAO_k6WGOsmFtTp_j8U54wnXYY1q9rx9/w640-h480/1D53A5CB-714E-44A2-A09D-53EEFAC4ACBD.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Of course our little friend. Baby Yoda, (I refuse to call him by his real name!), watched over the snacks for us. He usually hangs out in my office and keeps me company while I teach online. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWprqAmVmt40htQJY1o9mnax04Uec1o2cHigJRIce4Z2n4w0w7aDrDgZL0BS21OP-DMybr37x_rb3_ZDI8pMCFWOyRHTAD0KPhzFh19ZhqlDpqhhH_U-hswjyqggILgG4l7M2tkFVSbeVYIVVD9-fYpGgDtGXH68crl8WE_f5sQdK1XhtxMr79a4yW/s4032/F9423DE7-2C80-4452-BE1F-03423D4397F7.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWprqAmVmt40htQJY1o9mnax04Uec1o2cHigJRIce4Z2n4w0w7aDrDgZL0BS21OP-DMybr37x_rb3_ZDI8pMCFWOyRHTAD0KPhzFh19ZhqlDpqhhH_U-hswjyqggILgG4l7M2tkFVSbeVYIVVD9-fYpGgDtGXH68crl8WE_f5sQdK1XhtxMr79a4yW/w640-h480/F9423DE7-2C80-4452-BE1F-03423D4397F7.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;">In the scheme of things, it was not a big event by any means, but we really enjoyed our evening together and you do not need a big reason or a big crowd to do a little something special on a Wednesday evening. And I never need an excuse to do a little crafting! </span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I hope that you find a reason to celebrate the little things whether it is a favorite television show or a random weeknight! </span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Thanks for stopping by today! </span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;">~</span><span style="font-family: Lobster; font-size: large;">Cynthia</span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div>Cynthiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17511826172600500845noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8841926879721095715.post-75179780924947301482022-12-29T06:57:00.000-08:002022-12-29T06:57:06.819-08:00Christmas Season Tablescape in a Full House<p> <span style="font-family: helvetica;">I know that the world around me is moving on from Christmas to Valentine’s Day, but I am not ready to let go of a wonderful holiday! </span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWlEVADJhhH6bB5GYsAyvoiZPGYKtNxOILu7ppqaNtlZKW8A2D5mi8C0IbwwHKcm726NhRzfRt87M1O5KMgmq91o8zPKzby9jWWB5ll4jARt-0eWTy7DBgX0RRZL5bgr0Zah2Ivm8GdfFxqL9tZ5Uan3TdfJlb3rwlutlOq-uFSKH9i4VnioON5IIa/s3605/D16FD832-7CD6-4C36-9D9A-E61FD7F031EA.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3605" data-original-width="2539" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWlEVADJhhH6bB5GYsAyvoiZPGYKtNxOILu7ppqaNtlZKW8A2D5mi8C0IbwwHKcm726NhRzfRt87M1O5KMgmq91o8zPKzby9jWWB5ll4jARt-0eWTy7DBgX0RRZL5bgr0Zah2Ivm8GdfFxqL9tZ5Uan3TdfJlb3rwlutlOq-uFSKH9i4VnioON5IIa/w450-h640/D16FD832-7CD6-4C36-9D9A-E61FD7F031EA.jpeg" width="450" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Santa still holds the place of honor on the center of my table. I just love this guy! He has been around for years, I can’t remember where I got him, but he has had a special place in our house over the holidays for decades. This year (as most years) he is the center piece of my blessedly full Christmas table. </span><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPru8Qh5uw3_mfCRwuSBI1gM7WMCHjeiYjzvjmHg0q-dx2qlaJ5yl4u0grpQiVR3qV80MehMEBknyFjH_D07kEshzSKR25pYBajLshLD4mi7WDYHDM7Fdmr1UNC_swIpjaC7pIdvF6rz2AYNIkXcHL8SnOU6c3OCOqdTmt-r9UJTlTDUrRWH0fDLbN/s3747/CAD481EF-1B93-4457-BA48-FC3758A92D23.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3747" data-original-width="2810" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPru8Qh5uw3_mfCRwuSBI1gM7WMCHjeiYjzvjmHg0q-dx2qlaJ5yl4u0grpQiVR3qV80MehMEBknyFjH_D07kEshzSKR25pYBajLshLD4mi7WDYHDM7Fdmr1UNC_swIpjaC7pIdvF6rz2AYNIkXcHL8SnOU6c3OCOqdTmt-r9UJTlTDUrRWH0fDLbN/w480-h640/CAD481EF-1B93-4457-BA48-FC3758A92D23.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica;">You see, this year, I was blessed to have my entire family over for Christmas dinner. My daughters and their significant others were in town for the holiday and the rest of the family joined us for the big day. Yes! Blessed is the right word. </span><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3Rjst4K6L3i7zsbKUqnRCCZoY2SNNe6phC9WFNZ_EqDJwDt4ZEzR8VT99ovzrj-EGUf4PL53Ozgj3ztbklUyPx7j9FZdWFj6keoXijjIZ_kka8jd78hS3QLhqUoAr-wLYO02HN5ETgbhaRLEOZSAm2_GZ2xagCxXZ3F_Z63qTEt7slKv7TiOGf8Kk/s3748/857495F1-2938-4DA2-A4A5-B22ECB1AC678.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2751" data-original-width="3748" height="470" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3Rjst4K6L3i7zsbKUqnRCCZoY2SNNe6phC9WFNZ_EqDJwDt4ZEzR8VT99ovzrj-EGUf4PL53Ozgj3ztbklUyPx7j9FZdWFj6keoXijjIZ_kka8jd78hS3QLhqUoAr-wLYO02HN5ETgbhaRLEOZSAm2_GZ2xagCxXZ3F_Z63qTEt7slKv7TiOGf8Kk/w640-h470/857495F1-2938-4DA2-A4A5-B22ECB1AC678.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica;">This was the “main table”. There were other equally decorated tables in this area of the house and conversation and laughter flowed easily between them. My Spode plates and glasses were in full use this year, along with my grandmother’s silverplate (I have not yet unpacked the silver from the move a couple of years ago!) My daughter found these pretty napkins this fall and they go perfectly with the brass napkin rings I have had for years. </span><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBZAgv-8c4J-G-tloqgqGgQAierVrjrg5WBjcLwAa-b_b8BLq89RFHT_iFt5uXf5NUNmGkQZuP8KzQrfXxbsldpYEYSlB1D1YB2rBHqBc0mjGhDMvwVqEJggS1IsP1qqmQEPxxYsoOztbXzod69CJDcgF83gg8Anor2-VZVcM30nzDUpehdFH16K4s/s4032/54C92474-4339-4FE4-9BE9-F6CBF5D9913F.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBZAgv-8c4J-G-tloqgqGgQAierVrjrg5WBjcLwAa-b_b8BLq89RFHT_iFt5uXf5NUNmGkQZuP8KzQrfXxbsldpYEYSlB1D1YB2rBHqBc0mjGhDMvwVqEJggS1IsP1qqmQEPxxYsoOztbXzod69CJDcgF83gg8Anor2-VZVcM30nzDUpehdFH16K4s/w480-h640/54C92474-4339-4FE4-9BE9-F6CBF5D9913F.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica;">These special edition Spode plates, dated 2007, were at the head and foot of the table. Why did I only buy two? </span><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidqXPSam3474CmRsvLXzPtI_d8ePD3yXlPpXpupotJiOoyrfucWyOA5ErzbCUh1g8ZAmBttQS5nVVtpgGKy3jDdh1-wzpMTY3h4c9cJ3XSg0tGEB6-2XQJ7D83xAtM5yMEFiorp-83DPf6mIb5vyV3kvGEiORJUNdyfSbSyEJAvb0LPED4H56QhZBO/s4030/93709B02-F22D-4764-82F5-2B5E196FB347.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2305" data-original-width="4030" height="366" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidqXPSam3474CmRsvLXzPtI_d8ePD3yXlPpXpupotJiOoyrfucWyOA5ErzbCUh1g8ZAmBttQS5nVVtpgGKy3jDdh1-wzpMTY3h4c9cJ3XSg0tGEB6-2XQJ7D83xAtM5yMEFiorp-83DPf6mIb5vyV3kvGEiORJUNdyfSbSyEJAvb0LPED4H56QhZBO/w640-h366/93709B02-F22D-4764-82F5-2B5E196FB347.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Snowflakes covered the top of the tablecloth, but this beautiful landscape featuring Santa himself lines the drop. (Does anyone else find it difficult to get a picture of the side of a tablecloth?) I found it at TJ Max this year and fell in love with it- I think it matches the theme of the tablescape perfectly!</span><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQzCVa3qO-hIeCD-fZDltRnPfkIZdBMdIFJzj0I7-TIccrxsWnIZzfCUPaYHqQtqT2kVSABiCqGYGC6-ilEelqgDPgrv9zgFzM-BSujcq8ij4Wkw2evTWDZ60n4zM5PksLzju6leIkGMvtwFEyXD8FA-5v1J9HMt8huL6YKBmeOcD0dCkQcF5EU4tm/s4032/29F9EEC2-A5A1-48A6-AE47-47628A25EAAE.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQzCVa3qO-hIeCD-fZDltRnPfkIZdBMdIFJzj0I7-TIccrxsWnIZzfCUPaYHqQtqT2kVSABiCqGYGC6-ilEelqgDPgrv9zgFzM-BSujcq8ij4Wkw2evTWDZ60n4zM5PksLzju6leIkGMvtwFEyXD8FA-5v1J9HMt8huL6YKBmeOcD0dCkQcF5EU4tm/w480-h640/29F9EEC2-A5A1-48A6-AE47-47628A25EAAE.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica;">As I mentioned in my last post, I placed little favors at each place setting. I enjoy sending my guests home with a little treat. I picture them relaxing at the end of the day with a little piece of chocolate or other sweet and reminiscing over good food, good company and good conversation. </span><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvNnPaqnKDGh6sT5fBbwEtTJSWIWxiGCSSGDLiG4-kaFvqv251RhskmPiwWfIlgZcmhTeEfDlIpduryCCrcTxtMuPT-75LmKCrXP5p-XEqGLpQwtQBd-HnEjxa140AW01gn9yVUmtxu1kq3Vl-Wfcvb8Dy-W-OgZBRELgfsXgdU-fhiFedCEvHIpPV/s4032/8CD94513-A723-4112-B011-97D2D0E73469.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvNnPaqnKDGh6sT5fBbwEtTJSWIWxiGCSSGDLiG4-kaFvqv251RhskmPiwWfIlgZcmhTeEfDlIpduryCCrcTxtMuPT-75LmKCrXP5p-XEqGLpQwtQBd-HnEjxa140AW01gn9yVUmtxu1kq3Vl-Wfcvb8Dy-W-OgZBRELgfsXgdU-fhiFedCEvHIpPV/w480-h640/8CD94513-A723-4112-B011-97D2D0E73469.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">This was the treat for this occasion. You can read more about it </span><a href="https://gardeniasandglitter.blogspot.com/2022/12/a-little-christmas-crafting-or-i-hope.html" style="font-family: helvetica;">here.</a><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> </span></p><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ0Zz0LUVk0JCZA6ug3BrBTAIPMawzqrr0XUBqhfsgS_yjAV0ybG89kKMXO24orP2B5xYXK99PePkL4M2N2DJbnGmuCLfe8i2AQkk3uyAOKGI9ZYtjjQt5MXYclL8E1rAJXumacOxf-uNlsggnP4UezeNMpicO99LTH_83urTELcT99nc7fEIaFToy/s3075/87F427F4-0338-4088-B121-B82159CF0404.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3075" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ0Zz0LUVk0JCZA6ug3BrBTAIPMawzqrr0XUBqhfsgS_yjAV0ybG89kKMXO24orP2B5xYXK99PePkL4M2N2DJbnGmuCLfe8i2AQkk3uyAOKGI9ZYtjjQt5MXYclL8E1rAJXumacOxf-uNlsggnP4UezeNMpicO99LTH_83urTELcT99nc7fEIaFToy/w630-h640/87F427F4-0338-4088-B121-B82159CF0404.jpeg" width="630" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica;">How cute is this little salt and pepper set? It came from the local grocery store- I couldn’t resist bringing it home! </span><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2qq1p3pN1tAP48DfzMn-7JGYtnQlLodHulQ9WCMn1pyXElrw3jFyutt-qFZbrfB9s74jED5i68-90xPHDVhPBAbbXitoEqnTVNAqFeE4bRv2pHVtHc3rMXh1n9MD15w-kL3EUHghCz9LAjKQAFAHqWqU5HfAygh7FmCW0cREePIaKTCskk95Y5WDh/s3763/A03027DE-DAD4-4FC5-BB65-54A65D1987D3.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3763" data-original-width="2749" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2qq1p3pN1tAP48DfzMn-7JGYtnQlLodHulQ9WCMn1pyXElrw3jFyutt-qFZbrfB9s74jED5i68-90xPHDVhPBAbbXitoEqnTVNAqFeE4bRv2pHVtHc3rMXh1n9MD15w-kL3EUHghCz9LAjKQAFAHqWqU5HfAygh7FmCW0cREePIaKTCskk95Y5WDh/w468-h640/A03027DE-DAD4-4FC5-BB65-54A65D1987D3.jpeg" width="468" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica;">So, if you are looking for a super fancy (or better photographed) tablescape this season, this will not be it. But you can be sure that there will be very few that brought more joy and blessings to the creator! </span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I hope that you had a blessed holiday season and I wish you much love and laughter around your table in 2023! </span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Thanks for stopping by today! </span></p><p><span style="font-family: Lobster; font-size: large;">~Cynthia</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></p>Cynthiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17511826172600500845noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8841926879721095715.post-14732137654166988832022-12-27T09:15:00.004-08:002022-12-27T09:15:50.026-08:00A Little Christmas Crafting (Or I Hope your Christmas was Sweet!) <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZiW_uiPDIrnqoMNnVGGY-4BDAy-UXZOevj2V3B0J7IypWNdJbJhdg5oPdoaqzkbiiHe1CaBCgP-oC7wHHTXdt_I0pb4O_AHZt04eMSOz4Qzp3RSGwPAM0ur-JKblLs0Z2C_is2KJkI5iEvQKVZwnLFWjvNuOZ2WEo2Qp0ToSaUSTanti0OOqfFfyD/s4032/768E6EB3-070B-4B64-A65E-DE7009BF88DE.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZiW_uiPDIrnqoMNnVGGY-4BDAy-UXZOevj2V3B0J7IypWNdJbJhdg5oPdoaqzkbiiHe1CaBCgP-oC7wHHTXdt_I0pb4O_AHZt04eMSOz4Qzp3RSGwPAM0ur-JKblLs0Z2C_is2KJkI5iEvQKVZwnLFWjvNuOZ2WEo2Qp0ToSaUSTanti0OOqfFfyD/w480-h640/768E6EB3-070B-4B64-A65E-DE7009BF88DE.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><p> <span style="font-family: helvetica;">Yes, I am probably a little late with showing ideas for Christmas crafts, but I am going to take a more positive outlook and say that I am early for Holiday 2023! And some of us still have Christmas visits and gifts to share for this year. I know that now that things have slowed down, this is the time of the season that I get to watch movies, look at my Christmas magazines and other holiday blogs. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I decided to go with a Gingerbread theme for my homemade cards this year. This little guy is a favorite of mine. The cut is from <a href="https://shop.loriwhitlock.com/gingerbread-man-card-and-envelope/">Lori Whitlock</a> and he turned out super cute. I ordered some paper from Michaels (I believe it is Recollections?), that has a very kraft paper texture to it. Up close it works nicely for “gingerbread”. I added the rhinestone buttons and popped the candy cane (there are sparkles in the red candy paper, of course!), just for some interest. </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhErMstLFi8LgnrqvLsRX-PiTdBWDRoomBGzlgYeyGnLaLJjHEXkm-Lk4pbBaOS1aw9AWJd4L8rLCWQr5gB2Nkq-7WyBcTpyx-bb8Zsnc3dR5YPuSxntu5cljdrcXg4_Tf57szaOopuIqbhDwKy320TBLm4aaNrJiCQNcENr30UYVg42t9fzdVIR4bC/s4032/62BE4723-4F95-42C2-B436-DD192CBCEC45.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhErMstLFi8LgnrqvLsRX-PiTdBWDRoomBGzlgYeyGnLaLJjHEXkm-Lk4pbBaOS1aw9AWJd4L8rLCWQr5gB2Nkq-7WyBcTpyx-bb8Zsnc3dR5YPuSxntu5cljdrcXg4_Tf57szaOopuIqbhDwKy320TBLm4aaNrJiCQNcENr30UYVg42t9fzdVIR4bC/w480-h640/62BE4723-4F95-42C2-B436-DD192CBCEC45.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><div><br /></div><span style="font-family: helvetica;">The simple message inside is stamped from an older “Lawn Fawn” stamp collection that I found in my crafting supplies. (It looks like they still sell it, you can find it here: <a href="https://www.lawnfawn.com/collections/holidays/products/ho-ho-holidays">Lawn Fawn Ho Ho Holidays</a>). I do not stamp much anymore, but I just love it when I find just what I need in my stash! </span><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZi6vU-_jQACtPKvcH8vyJo2hsTk_2OdpZjBJ1neHva6KB-X3C6IACp0rVQ0u-rRqUIhWDotFmTmYoYEAgU2WG1wyiWYZ_9NCgyn3jZvn4qH2_Pl3pHdV_zM6bytLbPo4FQS5ixsP9zAHE3Lx7eWNGGSuj0nof2FmmGeuYq7F_KHqIQq3scRJDoqtx/s3729/47BBF486-DAD1-43BD-9FC0-707F455449AC.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3729" data-original-width="2797" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZi6vU-_jQACtPKvcH8vyJo2hsTk_2OdpZjBJ1neHva6KB-X3C6IACp0rVQ0u-rRqUIhWDotFmTmYoYEAgU2WG1wyiWYZ_9NCgyn3jZvn4qH2_Pl3pHdV_zM6bytLbPo4FQS5ixsP9zAHE3Lx7eWNGGSuj0nof2FmmGeuYq7F_KHqIQq3scRJDoqtx/w480-h640/47BBF486-DAD1-43BD-9FC0-707F455449AC.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><div><br /></div><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Another new favorite is this gingerbread boxed card also from <a href="https://shop.loriwhitlock.com/gingerbread-house-card-in-a-box/">Lori Whitlock</a>. (No, I am not affiliated with, nor do I earn any compensation from this or any other company! I just share my favorites!). This one took a little while to figure out (I have problems finding their tutorials, unlike other companies, they are not on the shopping page with the cuts. I am not a fan of this method, but I do like their cards!). These ended up being super cute! </span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN_z6VLIMM8q25PgT8vfZJJtYIYlGFWuK9tJK7T9M7oNZmDdRoXAtCevscVYpoCcP83z2xeeTmzSrOeOYpe6DadQEAeI-VjenM5F3aswi-lchkoVb-VQtJdcvMFwEmUzf4emOyEucfwDIe11irNrLOAxi-9ZHqU9OeusbgdmwgCXGD5GN2lHRQaaz-/s3513/D4194C3D-226F-4494-84FE-50D758A42F30.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3513" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN_z6VLIMM8q25PgT8vfZJJtYIYlGFWuK9tJK7T9M7oNZmDdRoXAtCevscVYpoCcP83z2xeeTmzSrOeOYpe6DadQEAeI-VjenM5F3aswi-lchkoVb-VQtJdcvMFwEmUzf4emOyEucfwDIe11irNrLOAxi-9ZHqU9OeusbgdmwgCXGD5GN2lHRQaaz-/w550-h640/D4194C3D-226F-4494-84FE-50D758A42F30.jpeg" width="550" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I love all of the details!</span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinOrCGL6TV4848Y64Nb3rPij1jf9Ii935KaMYp1pfIcXftSTspMXp1w1jcG5nWfKmbydM4KHlewr7RNpeXqx41Ow8p7UEOC0-rDlVMqIRwX2maAhAHghQncyUNCyvrFc07FULnb06KxaVuu247sQ_sWfp3ioghNQbpgzJCa9jqy45uH3e3jJHV--8Y/s4032/592AD25A-84AF-488C-A795-3EC92A323B12.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinOrCGL6TV4848Y64Nb3rPij1jf9Ii935KaMYp1pfIcXftSTspMXp1w1jcG5nWfKmbydM4KHlewr7RNpeXqx41Ow8p7UEOC0-rDlVMqIRwX2maAhAHghQncyUNCyvrFc07FULnb06KxaVuu247sQ_sWfp3ioghNQbpgzJCa9jqy45uH3e3jJHV--8Y/w480-h640/592AD25A-84AF-488C-A795-3EC92A323B12.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I love to give favors to guests at my parties. This little box from <a href="https://www.simplycraftysvgs.com/shop/freebies/chocolate-squares-box/">Simply Crafty SVGs</a> holds two little chocolate candy squares (I used Ghirardelli squares in peppermint bark and double milk chocolate). It fit perfectly on my table (Christmas tablescape- coming up next time!) Once again, I went into my crafting stash to find the paper and a stamp (this one is also from Lawn Fawn), adding the tag with a little jingle bell, just for fun! </span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4bgIlVJ1lxm8t5-MoxFhhT29vvnxg2AcdBkXO8_uPNzC1jkg1RYE436UXuFbWus8noXCvU5H95RDUo-nRdB97KOdbq3TQRs21VERFCXQyGnpTtCsLREQiy7nyX60y3UEa0ygZhfS4qyZwpBzpyEQ5uLZ7Js8OFLItre_PDMOBeBONRJDNtew21zqh/s3076/5F1021FE-AB5C-4304-A905-593F8199541D.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3076" data-original-width="2738" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4bgIlVJ1lxm8t5-MoxFhhT29vvnxg2AcdBkXO8_uPNzC1jkg1RYE436UXuFbWus8noXCvU5H95RDUo-nRdB97KOdbq3TQRs21VERFCXQyGnpTtCsLREQiy7nyX60y3UEa0ygZhfS4qyZwpBzpyEQ5uLZ7Js8OFLItre_PDMOBeBONRJDNtew21zqh/w570-h640/5F1021FE-AB5C-4304-A905-593F8199541D.jpeg" width="570" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Speaking of fun- this little guy (and his eight friends!) were a quick little treat for my husband’s office (along with my traditional red velvet cupcakes for the firm party). The cut is straight from Cricut Design Space, but was actually designed for a lollipop. Having waited until the absolute last minute, as usual, I could not find any holiday suckers, but decided that the Lindt treats would work in a pinch. I think they actually ended up working out better! (And I also think that the grownups in the office preferred them as well!). If I had known that I would not be able to find the right candy, I would have used the contour tool to close the hole at the bottom (intended for the lollipop stick), but it worked out okay in the end! </span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI5oIcqR2DrLkGH3T0XRcVHgbv8R_0mFNnDkcdoW0C5-70YZ317DIO6-fVdL29Kl2gjJ3_TKvBXlLYjAKoF5LBgoPKzBPjkT7hmERfdsUina3urzVAbxMG3eX-5s4hUF12fAN7Twn194EW0h9l1XgvwLVsrKvoGNKkJGF9vOl6Fx1Q2ANBVpwtszl7/s4032/2A49E2B8-389E-49EF-99E9-B046FBFAE2C8.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI5oIcqR2DrLkGH3T0XRcVHgbv8R_0mFNnDkcdoW0C5-70YZ317DIO6-fVdL29Kl2gjJ3_TKvBXlLYjAKoF5LBgoPKzBPjkT7hmERfdsUina3urzVAbxMG3eX-5s4hUF12fAN7Twn194EW0h9l1XgvwLVsrKvoGNKkJGF9vOl6Fx1Q2ANBVpwtszl7/w480-h640/2A49E2B8-389E-49EF-99E9-B046FBFAE2C8.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Oh my goodness! I almost forgot these super cute “coffee cups” that I made to hold coffee shop gift cards! Please forgive the work in progress photo- my craft room is forever a mess and I forgot to take a picture after I finished! I have used this cut (also from <a href="https://www.simplycraftysvgs.com/shop/3d_designs/takeout-coffee-cups/">Simply Crafty SVGs</a>) many times for many different occasions- perfect to present gift cards with a little extra treat (this time it was more Ghirardelli squares!). </span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Looking back, I am glad that I waited this long. After Christmas, it is nice to sit back and enjoy the season and all of the activities that went into it. A little retrospective is good sometimes! </span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Anyway, I hope that you had a sweet Christmas and I thank you for stopping by today! </span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Lobster;">~<span style="font-size: large;">Cynthia</span></span><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"> </span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></p></div>Cynthiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17511826172600500845noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8841926879721095715.post-7718251520788397582022-12-16T05:33:00.000-08:002022-12-16T05:33:07.427-08:00Quick and Casual Christmas Tablescape<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6RAzh-rDthoBsOIDJqGNUgawcZD_kT1m77OVO5TaFN7ChW3crQNg5ff93BSkvU9VAAjskxeD6fv_uUDQF8oS2FbDKDGO9NDzqo8CBtVffOrJtSVR0tc12xoz4fEy-3fEsunuK1qSiF5LsZtHxUgz-KjkdNYN7Ys79e7nLMXbozQMrdBx1Wh8jk6s3/s3848/D2D807C2-750C-46A0-A379-799140C8CD97.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2886" data-original-width="3848" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6RAzh-rDthoBsOIDJqGNUgawcZD_kT1m77OVO5TaFN7ChW3crQNg5ff93BSkvU9VAAjskxeD6fv_uUDQF8oS2FbDKDGO9NDzqo8CBtVffOrJtSVR0tc12xoz4fEy-3fEsunuK1qSiF5LsZtHxUgz-KjkdNYN7Ys79e7nLMXbozQMrdBx1Wh8jk6s3/w640-h480/D2D807C2-750C-46A0-A379-799140C8CD97.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><p> <span style="font-family: arial;">Any college student or college professor understands that the first two or three weeks of December are crunch time. Exams and projects which have been looming throughout the course of the semester are all due and must be graded. Any serious holiday decorating must be completed right after Thanksgiving or wait until the end of the term. Unless you decide that you must take a quick break from grading to do something Christmassy (that's a word-right?) and somewhat creative. And when you work from home that might be putting together a quick tablescape. </span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieaANFTxx7_CbY2H5_fty3GOUzUU35X5xsCtY0ncMpBspAlpk-s0yKfjwFA75pfOY62ms_YnFNvVb4vWCP0QZUghCcGtUN7d4OIuvYPS80ZVjFxLH6ATx1GPvsHD_3P1LYltTJ_5UrPBlhx-BZpDxJedWtqLDU5gHnw-gD7gu6F2CMnl4Vqf_o_z1o/s4032/E9ABB1CD-316A-4C9A-96CA-42C107186398.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieaANFTxx7_CbY2H5_fty3GOUzUU35X5xsCtY0ncMpBspAlpk-s0yKfjwFA75pfOY62ms_YnFNvVb4vWCP0QZUghCcGtUN7d4OIuvYPS80ZVjFxLH6ATx1GPvsHD_3P1LYltTJ_5UrPBlhx-BZpDxJedWtqLDU5gHnw-gD7gu6F2CMnl4Vqf_o_z1o/w640-h480/E9ABB1CD-316A-4C9A-96CA-42C107186398.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: arial;">I found this cardinal a couple of months ago and knew that it would be perfect for my Mother's Christmas tree. She loves cardinals. But before it could get to her tree, I decided that it needed to be used in a fun tablescape. Of course, she needs it on her tree- another excuse to take that break from grading!</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIFJTKs8oqDREHh5EX9cAyknqk3g3bmRdbMFtgurRsbmzExC0SKfJ1ZhbZidcSwcFjO4k0qGRIvQzM9jfpyjWsEC7gz12sY3YFaekpTF2kQUoNZ6-5J6rWoohywNCekdXq16neA_OxPaty8glUL8tyPu8Co9ywevXYQuwqmw79bir6XSlGu2gPGpAI/s4032/A776DF05-A982-4F96-BAC4-99E950EFD9B6.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIFJTKs8oqDREHh5EX9cAyknqk3g3bmRdbMFtgurRsbmzExC0SKfJ1ZhbZidcSwcFjO4k0qGRIvQzM9jfpyjWsEC7gz12sY3YFaekpTF2kQUoNZ6-5J6rWoohywNCekdXq16neA_OxPaty8glUL8tyPu8Co9ywevXYQuwqmw79bir6XSlGu2gPGpAI/w480-h640/A776DF05-A982-4F96-BAC4-99E950EFD9B6.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">These cardinal salad plates are from Michaels, purchased before Halloween. I find that if you need any craft supplies or Christmas décor from that store, you need to go no later than October. I bought the last four, along with the last cardinal salt and pepper set for a gift. </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR4oNSZMRsZQnq6yB3J8798O_Ma0riRcSHSDxTbx0vYW3XC4wItqw5D2cdVV2NCiQNoMgAoHOLPI-jg-Q5UmyAR7CaDYFHJvHP2si4PZ1iXIi1ExuyqSNUjtBWEsg2uOqd1EeOU7h2vDaozYn2LVz8FkmbnTwRCm-ysKGtQSDGYPh_emmG3MTO4QaS/s4032/A6C02226-4C4F-4F83-962D-4A79B8C0E143.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR4oNSZMRsZQnq6yB3J8798O_Ma0riRcSHSDxTbx0vYW3XC4wItqw5D2cdVV2NCiQNoMgAoHOLPI-jg-Q5UmyAR7CaDYFHJvHP2si4PZ1iXIi1ExuyqSNUjtBWEsg2uOqd1EeOU7h2vDaozYn2LVz8FkmbnTwRCm-ysKGtQSDGYPh_emmG3MTO4QaS/w480-h640/A6C02226-4C4F-4F83-962D-4A79B8C0E143.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><p><span style="font-family: arial;">I think that these plates could be used throughout the course of the winter as well as during the holiday. We all need some bright colors through the bleak month of January! </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaF5ffMQBLGzYAu2LaKtBoilquA9W3iOlVaRU8TxQmAbM_3hkKA62hdn2IQaXUjCUK5hq0Cm_hKNQDbt54Pt0-UynJnE3phaNt9jcGrn2tirhCGx9heixUGruJlYCrAawuuw4KaCuPvClcEiVMZzOZEfP6vmpQT5Rqp8dkqGPzD4vKV-yMJk8zoOum/s4032/FA344908-720A-4249-A066-B523BB2109E6.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaF5ffMQBLGzYAu2LaKtBoilquA9W3iOlVaRU8TxQmAbM_3hkKA62hdn2IQaXUjCUK5hq0Cm_hKNQDbt54Pt0-UynJnE3phaNt9jcGrn2tirhCGx9heixUGruJlYCrAawuuw4KaCuPvClcEiVMZzOZEfP6vmpQT5Rqp8dkqGPzD4vKV-yMJk8zoOum/w480-h640/FA344908-720A-4249-A066-B523BB2109E6.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">The napkin rings are from my Fourth of July stash, but I liked the look against this buffalo plaid tablecloth. I put two napkins in the rings just to add some color to the matching linens. I think I need to practice that technique a little more! </span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipedumuW6qY81iOgB46Snr5Wx6bSYgS6Wida0LzgUtEVU-CeFZa4rU9K3Uylbba2a2QaZTW9EtJSF6dH6pZyD7cerdxm5cCCefPB-v_8Otoo_dhgHwsJUDcXau7c-LUYriecb4Tl4v1Mw77Ajc4OzCk6OEpW-tavAz5ZyJ9uFBXF8zahFqRQi8rIzF/s4032/4A2CC81D-803D-40C5-866E-8EF40A73D2E0.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipedumuW6qY81iOgB46Snr5Wx6bSYgS6Wida0LzgUtEVU-CeFZa4rU9K3Uylbba2a2QaZTW9EtJSF6dH6pZyD7cerdxm5cCCefPB-v_8Otoo_dhgHwsJUDcXau7c-LUYriecb4Tl4v1Mw77Ajc4OzCk6OEpW-tavAz5ZyJ9uFBXF8zahFqRQi8rIzF/w480-h640/4A2CC81D-803D-40C5-866E-8EF40A73D2E0.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">In the background you can see one of my favorite Christmas decorations. My Nana made this ceramic Nativity for my husband and I for our first married Christmas. </span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg956cyRCq5tLfCy6bz178H4BTGOWntwvwv2uY-xq7hI2mnww3hG0DiHtlaUGanM0H0utJxVFXsUP1xqdMErQ3vd9XDlMb7rTtnV_Q_XbtayPTPYx91p0rahfT2kaoTilVvyRyEzoBgiMtrPrNFHZH25lC7w5UVe9CqQ55eDnpeH8Cz6LIqPGMofaIa/s4032/6E7A6CEA-9DE1-4740-A546-D057D6CA4B1B.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg956cyRCq5tLfCy6bz178H4BTGOWntwvwv2uY-xq7hI2mnww3hG0DiHtlaUGanM0H0utJxVFXsUP1xqdMErQ3vd9XDlMb7rTtnV_Q_XbtayPTPYx91p0rahfT2kaoTilVvyRyEzoBgiMtrPrNFHZH25lC7w5UVe9CqQ55eDnpeH8Cz6LIqPGMofaIa/w480-h640/6E7A6CEA-9DE1-4740-A546-D057D6CA4B1B.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">It is usually one of the first items I put up during the holidays and one of the last I put away. You can read more about it <a href="https://gardeniasandglitter.blogspot.com/2015/12/merry-christmas-from-gardenias-and.html?q=nativity">here</a>.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisn-Wb0sKIHSVhhejf_vDfRht-YmMUzkWJJ7SPSU1VjG8PspZ5ygxmjDxIuB3ZuCWKbEGE4kF50Si0hZ0_Pi4K0v9DoTZHVkHwA6HBtS7tjFyg8jDNJi54CjGZOs8lKmWFDHJAVMvCQBof7V4RlkRK_ylaqCtBmog6VU_W69RXVOxhRF8wiSCEi6nJ/s4032/3F33087A-06F3-4B87-AC13-9267EFCF1D40.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisn-Wb0sKIHSVhhejf_vDfRht-YmMUzkWJJ7SPSU1VjG8PspZ5ygxmjDxIuB3ZuCWKbEGE4kF50Si0hZ0_Pi4K0v9DoTZHVkHwA6HBtS7tjFyg8jDNJi54CjGZOs8lKmWFDHJAVMvCQBof7V4RlkRK_ylaqCtBmog6VU_W69RXVOxhRF8wiSCEi6nJ/w480-h640/3F33087A-06F3-4B87-AC13-9267EFCF1D40.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">The centerpiece definitely needs some work on this side. (Remember- I was on a quick break from grading!) The red bird's nest is made of two dollar store trees flattened to make them a little more level. If I were to create a "real" tablescape here, I would probably add some small red or white ornaments. You can see two of my Christmas trees from this view. (I may be a little tree obsessed.)</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjThbJgeNSlgL40SsAlAUiu6ejEl90Cfo0fkfCvkT3WQ8TDFxh6beADqgR4oJ70NIqNsiE-DljlpBe6Uyoogt0aO5FPNABnh4vuETZt0wZVaygv0E235M-OOXj7qE0po2LSX7B2AACnhRQb7T-ooDBzDZc11Npsn4WuCflNuBrXa3WnAyh2b-Cepaba/s3527/90963BBA-C48C-40ED-B09C-05891A7FB5FF.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2645" data-original-width="3527" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjThbJgeNSlgL40SsAlAUiu6ejEl90Cfo0fkfCvkT3WQ8TDFxh6beADqgR4oJ70NIqNsiE-DljlpBe6Uyoogt0aO5FPNABnh4vuETZt0wZVaygv0E235M-OOXj7qE0po2LSX7B2AACnhRQb7T-ooDBzDZc11Npsn4WuCflNuBrXa3WnAyh2b-Cepaba/s320/90963BBA-C48C-40ED-B09C-05891A7FB5FF.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><span style="font-family: arial;">I debated which glasses I would use. The first set were actually acrylic glasses that I use on my pool deck during the summer. I liked the red, but I did not like the plastic look. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">I tried a couple of other options.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCw32lO66OomwE38Tm8LoZVzEWCgPvLbFGTg9YZB4eVlspsxnmD6Zn6Tar9hXIzsIMh9CosykEaKY6akk3CJzGU2qSkXbTTTv8wSAxCch4Jwnn5Nrc2OHswNT6uQRpiZZKJRTH4sDLlTYf16khlsVav5pEqsuGvRzLQ6I99GxDNk3M3wPsI22YcG6V/s3202/DBB78CD6-6616-4DCC-AE85-37DBB568110A.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3202" data-original-width="2286" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCw32lO66OomwE38Tm8LoZVzEWCgPvLbFGTg9YZB4eVlspsxnmD6Zn6Tar9hXIzsIMh9CosykEaKY6akk3CJzGU2qSkXbTTTv8wSAxCch4Jwnn5Nrc2OHswNT6uQRpiZZKJRTH4sDLlTYf16khlsVav5pEqsuGvRzLQ6I99GxDNk3M3wPsI22YcG6V/s320/DBB78CD6-6616-4DCC-AE85-37DBB568110A.jpeg" width="228" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">I didn't like the gold band around my Spode glasses. It was too bright for this casual table.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1XXiOfuW6bFJ9hjztqBkzBuwiMQMmiakNpmB4jpro_2yEFp0DplxnmV5rIo4Ysa1auRu0efx1tY1ZcYusBOTwREQcW6mRGk3Drm4dicII3rInoATGT1bZww88owtES6sOrA7OSQaEmZkVHo9XpiD9ILsXkw_TnTp_GHeZ-DL7ftCP6rgnhPwn0nDO/s4032/A58343ED-1351-4F44-BBC0-C42F6D637A57.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1XXiOfuW6bFJ9hjztqBkzBuwiMQMmiakNpmB4jpro_2yEFp0DplxnmV5rIo4Ysa1auRu0efx1tY1ZcYusBOTwREQcW6mRGk3Drm4dicII3rInoATGT1bZww88owtES6sOrA7OSQaEmZkVHo9XpiD9ILsXkw_TnTp_GHeZ-DL7ftCP6rgnhPwn0nDO/w480-h640/A58343ED-1351-4F44-BBC0-C42F6D637A57.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">The crystal was a bit much. </span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidYwANWMFCF5Zyg21MPDM-_ZOV_qx-pG6-FiMgF34eS2p1kyFT59Jj1_i7VwZqmoVqXhJa3PZ4-Kl7i_R_XGFlnqLywSS7MeECWK0xnWCQF1f1Aq8lVwaSv-sNv_Jwpn51EMETFXYTP71wit8PNtot9_D5L2mNGcTg3bk6nQo5WvdW6k-41AEGfOJh/s3023/8DB1EF6C-6B85-4B83-8E4B-601F58F19A07.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2751" data-original-width="3023" height="582" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidYwANWMFCF5Zyg21MPDM-_ZOV_qx-pG6-FiMgF34eS2p1kyFT59Jj1_i7VwZqmoVqXhJa3PZ4-Kl7i_R_XGFlnqLywSS7MeECWK0xnWCQF1f1Aq8lVwaSv-sNv_Jwpn51EMETFXYTP71wit8PNtot9_D5L2mNGcTg3bk6nQo5WvdW6k-41AEGfOJh/w640-h582/8DB1EF6C-6B85-4B83-8E4B-601F58F19A07.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">My Spode "high ball" glasses were the best match. Why do they not have a gold band like the water glasses? Well, that is what happens when you accidentally put them in the dishwasher! </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">By the time I got to this point, I realized that I really needed to get back to grading.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBIrJmxygpjZLqFDYbQL8VOjEiniTzgX_TdhNtjlwdJLHGgIUBBC4Wed-NPhHsTOTXR2jkQGWzu_cvwT6tVS5Xxoguh94oYrElVZ6pwkvnNCcC5v_OJgLGPR6z-ALwyNsknrR7K1C5yZQ-U_6469ZcdmkSs9W1RMadBIBl4CTkUTiR2bFsS2hAaqSc/s4032/EF9388B2-81FD-41E6-BBE1-5D8372E97C35.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBIrJmxygpjZLqFDYbQL8VOjEiniTzgX_TdhNtjlwdJLHGgIUBBC4Wed-NPhHsTOTXR2jkQGWzu_cvwT6tVS5Xxoguh94oYrElVZ6pwkvnNCcC5v_OJgLGPR6z-ALwyNsknrR7K1C5yZQ-U_6469ZcdmkSs9W1RMadBIBl4CTkUTiR2bFsS2hAaqSc/w640-h480/EF9388B2-81FD-41E6-BBE1-5D8372E97C35.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Don’t worry, my Mother got her cardinal, my students got their grades, and </span><span style="font-family: arial;">I am now planning my "official" Christmas tablescape- stay tuned! I hope to share soon.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Thanks for stopping by today! </span></p><p><span style="font-family: Lobster; font-size: large;">~Cynthia</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p>Cynthiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17511826172600500845noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8841926879721095715.post-66678422266171343942022-10-29T12:56:00.000-07:002022-10-29T12:56:04.679-07:00Crafty Halloween Care Packages! <p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">I will admit it- I still send my kids care packages. Yes, they are adults, but it brings me joy and hopefully them too. It is fun to get a package in the mail, I do not care how old you are! </span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidgh_USGhj5-UCacPf5uj2F4Mc5F6mqDSdiF-5BShfulOPU207pl32JB2fppFZOwvd1YeWB7VBYfJnLjWA8GI7qWt7p0Z0oUBdXVCCXc9vazLgSsL_sr15mpBCyQI5jYRbkHy-ppfDWziivjejaNrzu-FWa27eYRIhkQyjpQGFD88RevP78tYELWGO/s3408/37B1FBF0-3BD6-4C8D-8BD1-52882F2D26A6.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3408" data-original-width="3023" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidgh_USGhj5-UCacPf5uj2F4Mc5F6mqDSdiF-5BShfulOPU207pl32JB2fppFZOwvd1YeWB7VBYfJnLjWA8GI7qWt7p0Z0oUBdXVCCXc9vazLgSsL_sr15mpBCyQI5jYRbkHy-ppfDWziivjejaNrzu-FWa27eYRIhkQyjpQGFD88RevP78tYELWGO/w568-h640/37B1FBF0-3BD6-4C8D-8BD1-52882F2D26A6.jpeg" width="568" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: arial;">This fall year’s packages for my sons-in-law (yes, they get packages too!) include a “French fry” box fully of candy and a favorite restaurant gift card. I made the box from a Cricut Design Space cut using some Miss Kate Cuttables “The Boo Crew” paper from a couple of years ago. The spider web was a free cut from Design Space and I purchased the spider file from there as well.</span><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP5if4Tt6u12BWD04CBH27-tdSaRB9TGT9dtzjaiYR_cHFzYkDEYGU4w4dZ-tLyd1Ly5W9rSeG0LjuJ4qr7CPyMyRKZwjrfKJrIa0QWOcpRjId7_Aj6hKEVlRhoA54ZfY5R-Y5fYisfQbn5EivivnWgnF1xRJL4Z23_6U8EhOPHBv2eCqf-oJMSBHN/s3745/C8C2BF7A-4176-4B54-ABF6-E180E3B0C48D.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3745" data-original-width="2325" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP5if4Tt6u12BWD04CBH27-tdSaRB9TGT9dtzjaiYR_cHFzYkDEYGU4w4dZ-tLyd1Ly5W9rSeG0LjuJ4qr7CPyMyRKZwjrfKJrIa0QWOcpRjId7_Aj6hKEVlRhoA54ZfY5R-Y5fYisfQbn5EivivnWgnF1xRJL4Z23_6U8EhOPHBv2eCqf-oJMSBHN/w398-h640/C8C2BF7A-4176-4B54-ABF6-E180E3B0C48D.jpeg" width="398" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">I have been obsessed with making stickers lately and I use them wherever I can. The Trick or Treat labels on the front of the boxes are stickers, as are the tags. I didn’t use the Print, then Cut Feature for a long time, now I can’t figure out what I did without it! I packed the boxes in a clear treat bag and tied with twine. I use both of these supplies all the time as well. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">My daughters are coffee lovers so their candy and coffee shop gift cards were packaged in this super cute to-go cup cut from a “Simply Crafty SVGs” cut. The paper is from the same Miss Kate Cuttables pad that I got the other pages from. I think these were the last sheets- I will have to remember to order some special paper for next year! I also like to keep coffee shop gift cards on hand for those last minute gifts that I always seem to need. I can see me making a bunch of these cups to present them in this Christmas.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4P3xT6RtZO9KhfjLQkfq9UIrNwBGCVhvp7LknMYRXNvzjS3l5YrwoaoM_ysf5tTNUxyNfVtckPtQMt2GBC0UyWTfg-v5S9hpHKIVHPZIKhj8xj5F217tgBYQHfPbDcjK3MCbKMameHJ9suLjAzsKr1d9FalfyEMtHi4kr527hmKiWTJmlx-yjxX7E/s2209/FEC2B62F-1861-4B21-AC99-C4AE73E0022C.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2209" data-original-width="1662" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4P3xT6RtZO9KhfjLQkfq9UIrNwBGCVhvp7LknMYRXNvzjS3l5YrwoaoM_ysf5tTNUxyNfVtckPtQMt2GBC0UyWTfg-v5S9hpHKIVHPZIKhj8xj5F217tgBYQHfPbDcjK3MCbKMameHJ9suLjAzsKr1d9FalfyEMtHi4kr527hmKiWTJmlx-yjxX7E/w482-h640/FEC2B62F-1861-4B21-AC99-C4AE73E0022C.jpeg" width="482" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; text-align: left;"> </span><span style="font-family: arial; text-align: left;"> </span></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Once again, I packaged them in a clear treat bag and made a sticker for the tag. I downloaded the tag pattern a while ago and I cannot remember where it came from, but it makes a cute sticker that I also used to seal envelopes for my Halloween cards. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg97LLnwyMZcWZfHXB9RBMW88Z-DMTlhb6MRrH_f0EnMPwDdWFTZHZD7-WcKoJhh16UAygK7wA563NrPCLEjhfnhKlvToXrb1XXelUXkYbfnZbku1O5fJYBthZuBawu0b0bt30qYWxA4LLwq9fDV7q-GgwzROoMcUqFmnRg7GhyqspgGN6UuklROKfu/s3353/2F5A8C04-AF27-474B-A0CF-460D69C0189A.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3353" data-original-width="2105" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg97LLnwyMZcWZfHXB9RBMW88Z-DMTlhb6MRrH_f0EnMPwDdWFTZHZD7-WcKoJhh16UAygK7wA563NrPCLEjhfnhKlvToXrb1XXelUXkYbfnZbku1O5fJYBthZuBawu0b0bt30qYWxA4LLwq9fDV7q-GgwzROoMcUqFmnRg7GhyqspgGN6UuklROKfu/w402-h640/2F5A8C04-AF27-474B-A0CF-460D69C0189A.jpeg" width="402" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: arial;">I really do need to add these bags (and probably more sticker paper!) to my shopping list! </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfH-CAwT6POcrPUTcMEttWJIJAGKCdMzEKLv9z5QE-rQSYScUguVJVBLttBTh61rpR4IiNsypxdjHpQ0pW-yk5L48CS_opTZfUDQT4W5MTIhWtc_jEO_zXHqdWvyjuuVRw1DvgjZSRbMp-a6M2cwIKyYp6TkP-brl3J6F2NURHJjAtXJHY7NsN3LUx/s3547/6DABC98B-17C1-43DC-B5DD-7EBF701A38D2.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3547" data-original-width="2285" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfH-CAwT6POcrPUTcMEttWJIJAGKCdMzEKLv9z5QE-rQSYScUguVJVBLttBTh61rpR4IiNsypxdjHpQ0pW-yk5L48CS_opTZfUDQT4W5MTIhWtc_jEO_zXHqdWvyjuuVRw1DvgjZSRbMp-a6M2cwIKyYp6TkP-brl3J6F2NURHJjAtXJHY7NsN3LUx/w412-h640/6DABC98B-17C1-43DC-B5DD-7EBF701A38D2.jpeg" width="412" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Another new crafting obsession is can koozies. As you saw in my last post <a href="https://gardeniasandglitter.blogspot.com/2022/09/back-to-school-crafting.html">here</a>, I started to make these in late summer and I keep thinking of occasions where I “must” make them. They went into the care packages as well. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Halloween versions: </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifJM2ZEaa3ZHLriYhmvZ-5LRjwdGFzceVc_BdjAwV6Sg10NtWbvvZTr1zHh5mJ82IbDsCthwk6VdGnNl8SuF8UPJEellBv6YsHcZRhZ4tor3Os8LMxand__C7a6Zd_41cJBdiGSOUFv759r-knmIw16Ird4sTEfVnjmNBe0JhxoPGoHhTF8e_ghH5Y/s4032/0C9196B1-6BE4-4C91-9434-04D59C578110.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifJM2ZEaa3ZHLriYhmvZ-5LRjwdGFzceVc_BdjAwV6Sg10NtWbvvZTr1zHh5mJ82IbDsCthwk6VdGnNl8SuF8UPJEellBv6YsHcZRhZ4tor3Os8LMxand__C7a6Zd_41cJBdiGSOUFv759r-knmIw16Ird4sTEfVnjmNBe0JhxoPGoHhTF8e_ghH5Y/w480-h640/0C9196B1-6BE4-4C91-9434-04D59C578110.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Both of these cuts are from Design Space. I did add the pumpkin to this design. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUD9MZuPNUpSwghIN0fMCev_JKDwc1SrB77_zX56Koq8rYMgkmK0pywfq3BPYpTlKAt9cdhYcoAir4CbJ0FBUWt3mnhrsga6Q9tzIJ9XJFG3SojPb4uBeAp9mVOl7R_1jXFZL9i7n6uaRTOkHcISCAA5rcf9mr56zylu2omWiu5g3I_9BXIsVBdt0r/s4032/A16E6407-76DA-4AC3-B460-C1EF67BDB516.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUD9MZuPNUpSwghIN0fMCev_JKDwc1SrB77_zX56Koq8rYMgkmK0pywfq3BPYpTlKAt9cdhYcoAir4CbJ0FBUWt3mnhrsga6Q9tzIJ9XJFG3SojPb4uBeAp9mVOl7R_1jXFZL9i7n6uaRTOkHcISCAA5rcf9mr56zylu2omWiu5g3I_9BXIsVBdt0r/w480-h640/A16E6407-76DA-4AC3-B460-C1EF67BDB516.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The koozies (or do you call them cozies? Or something else?) and iron on vinyl came from a little shop down the street from me. I really prefer the Siser vinyl that I purchase there to the Cricut vinyl. It may be my imagination, but it seems to be easier to apply and holds better. I learn a few things each time I work with these and I just might share some tips in a future post. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Of course, I have to send out cards to some special people! </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGOw7xTV2PI73w7tABttmZ-mNxazaFBn8c-Qhsxu58QcdOzSfDu4j4vt84ieQ4obiZXlEs4E1x6nUzh13wuHoiRTPde7HTZVi16_9bylXJA_nvz6eoZukdk3xH-9Zr8ftSUlsyAOA6N3XGf4FaCpae49Kwp7Twb_fsGwqqj2vtNu_MB0Ns1EPybcfI/s2337/66E44137-0642-4BBC-A19E-DF8BA7E9BB49.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2337" data-original-width="1602" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGOw7xTV2PI73w7tABttmZ-mNxazaFBn8c-Qhsxu58QcdOzSfDu4j4vt84ieQ4obiZXlEs4E1x6nUzh13wuHoiRTPde7HTZVi16_9bylXJA_nvz6eoZukdk3xH-9Zr8ftSUlsyAOA6N3XGf4FaCpae49Kwp7Twb_fsGwqqj2vtNu_MB0Ns1EPybcfI/w438-h640/66E44137-0642-4BBC-A19E-DF8BA7E9BB49.jpeg" width="438" /></a></div><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">This box card cut is from <a href="https://shop.loriwhitlock.com/">Lori Whitlock SVGs</a>. It was so easy and took much longer to cut than to put together. Super cute for those who do not celebrate a scary holiday!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">And for a more spooky treats. I will be making these for the office- </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVe1BwWzZkG_43QLewLwLNh-H3DlF9qiGw07S1jCYu_d9J9dnX3jo3txMY7Xzxiouj5HoHjUE6ECq5ixzIj0jtq5i74w3cUq4Lo5TBg_Dayz3KK2-wjVSUA6m2F2LBYWlYD2hVVP4UT-LN5_rEz_WhKTyjZS7hbWyK9qI98ipTjJ8Vagmlw6rRqT6K/s3267/420B8EB5-543C-4155-B3ED-414A9A90C050.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3267" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVe1BwWzZkG_43QLewLwLNh-H3DlF9qiGw07S1jCYu_d9J9dnX3jo3txMY7Xzxiouj5HoHjUE6ECq5ixzIj0jtq5i74w3cUq4Lo5TBg_Dayz3KK2-wjVSUA6m2F2LBYWlYD2hVVP4UT-LN5_rEz_WhKTyjZS7hbWyK9qI98ipTjJ8Vagmlw6rRqT6K/w592-h640/420B8EB5-543C-4155-B3ED-414A9A90C050.jpeg" width="592" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: arial;">The scary bat is a free cut from <a href="https://www.3dsvg.com/tootsie-bat-free-svg">Dreaming Tree SVGs</a>. I am not in love with the bow and I think I am going to omit from from the rest of the bats. I edged with white ink and added Red Stickles for the eyes which make them super spooky. You really can’t tell from this picture. I really must get a light box for better photos! </span><br /><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">So now, the packages have been shipped, the cards mailed and the candy purchased. The cupcakes for the neighborhood party are baking and I think I am ready for the big day! </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">And your kids are never too old for a special care package- well, at least until the grandkids come! </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Happy Halloween and Thanks for Stopping by! </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">~</span><span style="font-family: Lobster;">Cynthia</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">PS- Please note that none of these links are sponsored. I just like to share information when I can! </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><br /><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><br /><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><br /><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><br /> <p></p>Cynthiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17511826172600500845noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8841926879721095715.post-6501745906063195982022-09-07T16:58:00.000-07:002022-09-07T16:58:08.720-07:00Back to School Crafting<p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">It is back to school time already! And while my kids are finished with their education for now (well, except for a grad student son-in-law), this time of year is always a significant date on the calendar. For me, it is the end of summer and the beginning of fall. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">This year is especially significant for me. I have a big-time homecoming anniversary coming up and my little cousin is graduating from that same high school as well. It is a time of introspection (as was my 35th anniversary!) and happiness. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">You know me- whenever there is an event of any measure, I have to do some sort of craft. As a hostess gift for a special family's back-to-school party, I made some fun little tailgating/party "treasures". </span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPzmUQFEY6AvcuV9k6jRqbaweVl27DckxSaxtn8JYTGaeASwr3_-uUOOiJJ3uXKdwcLlPfNc3mbmgSX4FzJ-HwrlcsIyUPq5Dze2r0Ovt19MpDAy2iKY4tXeTfaxZeZhTzTPJbzFff3N62CgQJUqZ6aWuStZcWV2bt9Yj07HOjALJbX0gJ5b1TpUXm/s640/WB4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPzmUQFEY6AvcuV9k6jRqbaweVl27DckxSaxtn8JYTGaeASwr3_-uUOOiJJ3uXKdwcLlPfNc3mbmgSX4FzJ-HwrlcsIyUPq5Dze2r0Ovt19MpDAy2iKY4tXeTfaxZeZhTzTPJbzFff3N62CgQJUqZ6aWuStZcWV2bt9Yj07HOjALJbX0gJ5b1TpUXm/w300-h400/WB4.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Everybody needs a custom "koozie"! I made a set of four, with one of them personalized for the senior. I prefer the Siser heat transfer vinyl for my projects. It is less expensive than Cricut brand and I have a cute little shop down the street with every color and type you can imagine. I have a Cricut Mini Press that I use on a low setting for these crafts. I also make sure to place a piece of parchment paper between the press and the blank. This is especially important with the foam koozie. I have even been known to do a little ironing with that little machine- I love it! </span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbknZHDZ1cMNwBc334nuKnozwTl27ahrLcev8Y6yjGW5EykseTiHoTiJaWpw5tZHtigzeWTrKjyk9vVHa4C-Gjippbla7mJgjCpeojdOa71QVz-oqewDq5OowFL1wJd-sHi_N7Aq3faK7CJ3Nb0PsCBojc1y5pfOeXnp3qE5OfR_FerqtQcFixrKUa/s640/WB.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="553" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbknZHDZ1cMNwBc334nuKnozwTl27ahrLcev8Y6yjGW5EykseTiHoTiJaWpw5tZHtigzeWTrKjyk9vVHa4C-Gjippbla7mJgjCpeojdOa71QVz-oqewDq5OowFL1wJd-sHi_N7Aq3faK7CJ3Nb0PsCBojc1y5pfOeXnp3qE5OfR_FerqtQcFixrKUa/w346-h400/WB.jpg" width="346" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Ever since I learned to customize napkins for my Star Wars cocktail seen <a href="https://gardeniasandglitter.blogspot.com/2022/06/a-dark-twist-on-classic-transfusion.html?q=star">here</a>, I have been slightly obsessed. These napkins with the school name and mascot are fun for a class party, committee meeting with snacks or of course- tailgating! </span><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4ezesjHmk_AHcnMyNdbrdg2vhNzDCdusXJTPa3eYgBG4W-CzuirWia0jGo8mJnGhXN1jYpWzQJCZH12kYnlVAxExMc-zy5E_-DmQrVzhUpWHKOH4GpaXiwZMdyrJmEgposbcgsMaOP2K4cMsYY7Dkd0k5-cbyk_oe63Wr3M0Nj3bNN_WCU0ckBHD_/s640/WB1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="415" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4ezesjHmk_AHcnMyNdbrdg2vhNzDCdusXJTPa3eYgBG4W-CzuirWia0jGo8mJnGhXN1jYpWzQJCZH12kYnlVAxExMc-zy5E_-DmQrVzhUpWHKOH4GpaXiwZMdyrJmEgposbcgsMaOP2K4cMsYY7Dkd0k5-cbyk_oe63Wr3M0Nj3bNN_WCU0ckBHD_/w260-h400/WB1.jpg" width="260" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Of course, a tailgate party is not complete without stadium cups! I used a regular adhesive vinyl with this project. I usually point a blow dryer on low to make sure that my vinyl is firmly attached. </span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Often, my biggest problem is packaging! Sometimes you just need to get creative! </span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigH77FUaXdQ0TnPPM8y0TkdQOOako1YpJLJQLxUQ1G0qwTrgXNHhTrGnIMYIng4Y_MiM29hPM0S7SPpMlhx1Mz01QrZG9A7_9E4Doskn_F-VMJp5ULoaSgT2fd2Yr-zYUpQnQLb9WFi1VXhM2N5d0SySQyKhvIu3HN5OKDFI2FeyT32YpjYc2VGRT9/s640/WB%202.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigH77FUaXdQ0TnPPM8y0TkdQOOako1YpJLJQLxUQ1G0qwTrgXNHhTrGnIMYIng4Y_MiM29hPM0S7SPpMlhx1Mz01QrZG9A7_9E4Doskn_F-VMJp5ULoaSgT2fd2Yr-zYUpQnQLb9WFi1VXhM2N5d0SySQyKhvIu3HN5OKDFI2FeyT32YpjYc2VGRT9/w300-h400/WB%202.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I thought this was a cute option for the koozies. I use these clear treat bags for a lot of different things, including packaging personalized gift items. </span><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMKP6QpXA8PdM8R5WRWwXaiqBAZEXiNKRvUkY7QpZUGiUBD0WE1tWkLJaMPp8sDCMOf39YUF62z3KUK7zwP36G8oCg7B5CYLyS3GpLeiZZz5g0eMZuE1J6A59OqSykPlgatBuX4b_BgYuUWUH-FeZGSKKMQyNE4XUW35tiR_qd8Ka-wcV2984OJkxu/s640/Gardenias%20stickers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMKP6QpXA8PdM8R5WRWwXaiqBAZEXiNKRvUkY7QpZUGiUBD0WE1tWkLJaMPp8sDCMOf39YUF62z3KUK7zwP36G8oCg7B5CYLyS3GpLeiZZz5g0eMZuE1J6A59OqSykPlgatBuX4b_BgYuUWUH-FeZGSKKMQyNE4XUW35tiR_qd8Ka-wcV2984OJkxu/w300-h400/Gardenias%20stickers.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Making stickers is another crafting obsession of mine. I always put a Gardenias and Glitter sticker on the back of my handmade cards and packaging. Hopefully it lets the "giftee" know that I made this especially for them. I like to cut my stickers on a vinyl setting so that I can easily peel them off of the sheet. </span><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOsrQKNygw9-WImIZ02K4dCrCpmNUFMefmakytc5UyXbYgf8oVnLswbCpnTXosmbDE2cNKbrkyhhJzJ-5_O9bObN1t4SIjMdc3fYxXSEBs-8dHXl9SvFWet-ho62dN3Z6AwUdcag1snWPABU_x-famoLvEk5hxNQ20NkKOu6-knMLiHEcSosFnKLsb/s640/WB%203.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="614" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOsrQKNygw9-WImIZ02K4dCrCpmNUFMefmakytc5UyXbYgf8oVnLswbCpnTXosmbDE2cNKbrkyhhJzJ-5_O9bObN1t4SIjMdc3fYxXSEBs-8dHXl9SvFWet-ho62dN3Z6AwUdcag1snWPABU_x-famoLvEk5hxNQ20NkKOu6-knMLiHEcSosFnKLsb/s320/WB%203.jpg" width="307" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Speaking of stickers, I made this "Bruin" in school colors to decorate the gift bag. I am still learning, but I think I need to calibrate my Print and Cut settings a little. </span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I am so excited as we move into this new season! We have a lot of football to look forward to, as well as some homecoming celebrations and of course all of the fall holidays! Look out- there are a lot of good times (and crafting!) ahead! </span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I hope you are enjoying these last days of summer/first days of fall! Thanks for stopping by today! </span></p><p><span style="font-family: Lobster; font-size: large;">~Cynthia</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></p><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></p>Cynthiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17511826172600500845noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8841926879721095715.post-6527009300692189022022-09-01T09:59:00.000-07:002022-09-01T09:59:01.213-07:00Hold On Summer! Don't Go! <p> <span style="font-family: helvetica;">Wait! What happened? How is it September already?!? </span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Summer went by way too fast for me. Meteorologists declare that September 1st is the first day of fall but I am holding on to the "traditional" start that gives me three more weeks! </span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFGZ5ANX4blw1_WlnDQp7zkQLiui-Y6a0b2AirM6T8bXCkVuiuVmU3iVuZMf88kOLRgHBDDw9SeClqGqhaApxHqjte3I62Cv6s_2M_1qpSFcysgtr_dscGJ7TFvsw9eAgU0txOiRAtd0rs90z-Q-RhascUmNROcWXkYZoq4wChyZ2bIuPdrNg4ypj9/s640/Flamingo%20Table%206.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="538" data-original-width="640" height="538" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFGZ5ANX4blw1_WlnDQp7zkQLiui-Y6a0b2AirM6T8bXCkVuiuVmU3iVuZMf88kOLRgHBDDw9SeClqGqhaApxHqjte3I62Cv6s_2M_1qpSFcysgtr_dscGJ7TFvsw9eAgU0txOiRAtd0rs90z-Q-RhascUmNROcWXkYZoq4wChyZ2bIuPdrNg4ypj9/w640-h538/Flamingo%20Table%206.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">As a way of saluting the waning days of the season, I decided to pull out the flamingoes and set up a fun tablescape for dinner. </span><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Flamingoes have always been favorites of mine. I love their bright pink color- they always bring a smile to my face and remind me of summer. </span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghZ7NrD4iSPx9MDaCK0Ll-2zAZfnA6eG_5_IsPVUGrs8dGoDv30vnuKeLHj9vWMR2_M2lgr-LshqrdbHUAvHcmUdBz1Z-0HaM4HEKWxzSlxFqCL2BERbx91WRd-n8YVh3bipnll-YS0FkbJ7lHnCqKaOvh1XfKoXEnWTGpCWi_vVbxd6vRs56yrHwH/s550/Flamingo%20Glasses.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="550" data-original-width="357" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghZ7NrD4iSPx9MDaCK0Ll-2zAZfnA6eG_5_IsPVUGrs8dGoDv30vnuKeLHj9vWMR2_M2lgr-LshqrdbHUAvHcmUdBz1Z-0HaM4HEKWxzSlxFqCL2BERbx91WRd-n8YVh3bipnll-YS0FkbJ7lHnCqKaOvh1XfKoXEnWTGpCWi_vVbxd6vRs56yrHwH/w416-h640/Flamingo%20Glasses.jpg" width="416" /></a></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Speaking of smiles- don't you love these happy flamingoes? These glasses were a gift from my aunt a few years ago. I broke my "No Glass on the Pool Deck" rule to bring these cuties poolside. </span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJw3CfrxY6A6CzHL0munhUpL1shaL7AZabZF5ej8hoqBqqNlwA8C5nQKg7LFmVt5_lPZAw7Lt1L71WHdNPKCGjvFvm7EACU75bHHI02jMhKpNpYRAsW_uzf-lV_Eh4bZ9_yevnekhkwoJ-Pwp6kP1CJTyNUEgdn7VCiR0cpLfBXuarWEELZCRTyE1E/s640/Flamingo%20Table.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJw3CfrxY6A6CzHL0munhUpL1shaL7AZabZF5ej8hoqBqqNlwA8C5nQKg7LFmVt5_lPZAw7Lt1L71WHdNPKCGjvFvm7EACU75bHHI02jMhKpNpYRAsW_uzf-lV_Eh4bZ9_yevnekhkwoJ-Pwp6kP1CJTyNUEgdn7VCiR0cpLfBXuarWEELZCRTyE1E/w640-h480/Flamingo%20Table.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica;">These plates are from TJ Maxx. The gold utensils are from Pier One. I made the napkins and the napkin rings are wooden hoops from the Dollar Store craft section spray painted gold. </span><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDQ8nf8DzjhGlSGRksgcyz0lLdNpmmbs1yS4Ce8cpE7tCE0SY0ioNbjX883RGjpokONQCi8QuvHvPmKHMF3Ueq60rtMOgq7iIMpZ7XB6e4euqJevSegm4nLIVbMyDILUnv4q1ZmJOSu5uVT4tCIBtRh6FKx28KxhXv0j6Tyq_nLKroPtIMZm_aFL_D/s640/Flamingo%20Table%203.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="498" data-original-width="640" height="498" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDQ8nf8DzjhGlSGRksgcyz0lLdNpmmbs1yS4Ce8cpE7tCE0SY0ioNbjX883RGjpokONQCi8QuvHvPmKHMF3Ueq60rtMOgq7iIMpZ7XB6e4euqJevSegm4nLIVbMyDILUnv4q1ZmJOSu5uVT4tCIBtRh6FKx28KxhXv0j6Tyq_nLKroPtIMZm_aFL_D/w640-h498/Flamingo%20Table%203.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I made this tablecloth from fabric I found at Walmart. Since the fabric was thin, I backed it with the same pink as the napkins. I just love the bright colors! </span><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibVuQnbIf2FXm6ZZz99smVuC7LyJp8Me6hnGI-kFdZyxPJNd3W242CSAU7E0HabU3hsPQWMwObxav-w69fyvHjdExeVKdtWIG3cihvhUgF8k-R6gs4c4x9pYr8Q2d67RumVME8oqyDdonU1RKRoDi0C5e_SShOeg1gmy8sGSPPrs7lPjwx6wuPZbg-/s640/Flamingo%20Table%201.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="449" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibVuQnbIf2FXm6ZZz99smVuC7LyJp8Me6hnGI-kFdZyxPJNd3W242CSAU7E0HabU3hsPQWMwObxav-w69fyvHjdExeVKdtWIG3cihvhUgF8k-R6gs4c4x9pYr8Q2d67RumVME8oqyDdonU1RKRoDi0C5e_SShOeg1gmy8sGSPPrs7lPjwx6wuPZbg-/w450-h640/Flamingo%20Table%201.jpg" width="450" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I planned a bright tropical centerpiece, but I waited too late in the season. It is all sunflowers and mums in the stores around here. But this arrangement with the bright pink lily as the star was pretty close to the original plan- just not as bright as intended. Using a carved out pineapple for the vase, I felt like the arrangement was a little closer to the tropics than if I used a traditional vase. (I didn't forget to put a glass in the pineapple. I learned my lesson from the <a href="https://gardeniasandglitter.blogspot.com/2022/08/happy-national-watermelon-day-or-tale.html">Watermelon Day Tablescape</a>!) </span><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOgho3hXcVVJ5sQkIAkIgxoL6c3fF9rPI9I3D14jaflvrO5cev9ScDxf7ZyuWwG6QN-dO7TsM7qxuh0_8B629h2xaCt_6csoYtTrrtfdp4teDJcZwzU5oMvkKyARqFlKchVZiVUr9lLgUtuPuMDU3bEDLVoRs_Zb3BkjIlZW_XZo1YlybbPpVsM_cB/s640/Flamingo%20Flower.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOgho3hXcVVJ5sQkIAkIgxoL6c3fF9rPI9I3D14jaflvrO5cev9ScDxf7ZyuWwG6QN-dO7TsM7qxuh0_8B629h2xaCt_6csoYtTrrtfdp4teDJcZwzU5oMvkKyARqFlKchVZiVUr9lLgUtuPuMDU3bEDLVoRs_Zb3BkjIlZW_XZo1YlybbPpVsM_cB/w480-h640/Flamingo%20Flower.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica;">The flowers may not have been tropical, but they are beautiful! </span><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7MsAxB3AbAN8N9BnogOOnfmpi8nPXEUjWCeBU475bCKhZzUUMExGuFygp52rnJe6-IbobC3Ih9eyKKzojECHk4FpH_5rLU9-GOsTmdMixG37c09P3FSx-U_5giQb1UgzCci1i9zcc2lrLcVTKDM9diS6WuqNYoWiZioxUodp06s2IimKT9gd41E6-/s640/Flamingo%20Table%205.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7MsAxB3AbAN8N9BnogOOnfmpi8nPXEUjWCeBU475bCKhZzUUMExGuFygp52rnJe6-IbobC3Ih9eyKKzojECHk4FpH_5rLU9-GOsTmdMixG37c09P3FSx-U_5giQb1UgzCci1i9zcc2lrLcVTKDM9diS6WuqNYoWiZioxUodp06s2IimKT9gd41E6-/w480-h640/Flamingo%20Table%205.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I hope that you are enjoying these last days of summer and have a great Labor Day weekend! I will be linking to Tablescape Thursday over at <a href="https://betweennapsontheporch.net/dinnerware-glassware-napkin-ring-storage-ideas/">Between Naps on the Porch</a>. There are always such great ideas for beautiful tables there! </span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Thanks for stopping by today! </span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">~</span><span style="font-family: Lobster;">Cynthia</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></p>Cynthiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17511826172600500845noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8841926879721095715.post-83504755329441793172022-08-21T14:36:00.011-07:002022-08-21T14:57:34.023-07:00Reflection on Marriage- A 35 Year Retrospective<p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Last weekend my husband and I celebrated our 35th anniversary. Instead of a big splashy party or fancy trip, we decided on a stay-cation: a low key, stress-free hang out in our home town (a tourist area in itself). We were committed to spend time together, something we do not do as often as we should. Just reconnecting. </span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHoWvni7YlP9fx9SIN_CTxd1eJJ5CTw-IMp-25_l3AyZR3r7u__kxsBSUwHvLU8hYvsMPQ89Qzp5ZuIZdjPcpgTRiUrwji9oiQsUCr_xpp7d3XiEH-JaVag3TYf2QeWzKMaFxTdglIXxQMvlwGc1fhG3RbKnXK0IV3hln_TwOnfU6W_C0g5z9uOTLz/s640/35th.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="615" data-original-width="640" height="616" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHoWvni7YlP9fx9SIN_CTxd1eJJ5CTw-IMp-25_l3AyZR3r7u__kxsBSUwHvLU8hYvsMPQ89Qzp5ZuIZdjPcpgTRiUrwji9oiQsUCr_xpp7d3XiEH-JaVag3TYf2QeWzKMaFxTdglIXxQMvlwGc1fhG3RbKnXK0IV3hln_TwOnfU6W_C0g5z9uOTLz/w640-h616/35th.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">It was a wonderful and much needed time away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. The original plan was to get out and enjoy those touristy things that we never do, but mostly we spent it here:</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtsbrE--n6VRK8PHMBssFiAfpXknQXqmSDUpE8GF8RmCc4hmFH8SH12IQX-jkJXBz4AVigdMTighmYBv-qKwPnJSMDOYVy4tEhxw4t3SPcM97qsnC30mIVPoehQxgEIFc9U_bdtQxD5wFsyMrX70kWvqFZBfCR3V_afhkPx1fVhuGOcN-nmI3Njc40/s640/Pool.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtsbrE--n6VRK8PHMBssFiAfpXknQXqmSDUpE8GF8RmCc4hmFH8SH12IQX-jkJXBz4AVigdMTighmYBv-qKwPnJSMDOYVy4tEhxw4t3SPcM97qsnC30mIVPoehQxgEIFc9U_bdtQxD5wFsyMrX70kWvqFZBfCR3V_afhkPx1fVhuGOcN-nmI3Njc40/w480-h640/Pool.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">We just floated and talked and floated.... It was a great retreat! </span></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">When people find out how long I have been married they occasionally ask what the secret is to a long and happy marriage. I usually laugh it off and declare that I am certainly not an expert, but I have spent some time pondering this, especially since my own daughters became engaged and eventually marrying. </span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> I do have some thoughts, take them for what you will! </span></p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Choose someone you can laugh with. A sense of humor that is companionable with yours is essential to get through those difficult parts of life that you will inevitably run into. </span></li></ul><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Choose someone you <i>like, </i>not just love. </span></li></ul></div><p></p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: helvetica;">If at all possible, have separate bathrooms! I know that this is not always possible economically or otherwise, but I have shared and not shared and not is much better! Just trust me on this one! </span></li></ul><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Pre-wedding conversations should be about more than the ceremony and reception. More about finances than flowers, more about children than champagne, more about future goals and dreams than dresses. These honest conversations should continue regularly throughout your relationship in a peaceful and companionable way.</span></li></ul><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> Along these same lines- get a pre-nuptial agreement. Take it from a retired attorney. It may not be the most romantic way to spend your engagement period, but it does lead to those honest conversations mentioned above and can help to avoid more heartache later. </span></li></ul><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Recognize that you and your partner are human and that you will grow and change over the years- physically, emotionally, and in every other way possible. Choose someone that you can grow with. </span></li></ul><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Take the time to spend time with your spouse without the kids. Keep dating even after the marriage. One day the children will be grown and gone and you will be back to the two of you again. Make sure that you are still a couple with mutual interests and topics of conversation that go beyond what is happening with the jobs, the pets and the house. </span></li></ul><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9mGB7QDbDnSR2Y35LMckVjWUJipSeh5SFHNqY-yp9-eTFo5WKG8gJPEesk1cOxrHju5CvTu6abwlOU4NQNHn1PDhwhVod8xRYg_PDv-XCBBtWvKH6k16BBbRI6wtxQR35Oh9M2MM13sNl36N3Yo811POLSECkNXD7aAj6xuMeKlx2oGqbYOUBzjfY/s640/Wedding%20Day%2087.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="447" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9mGB7QDbDnSR2Y35LMckVjWUJipSeh5SFHNqY-yp9-eTFo5WKG8gJPEesk1cOxrHju5CvTu6abwlOU4NQNHn1PDhwhVod8xRYg_PDv-XCBBtWvKH6k16BBbRI6wtxQR35Oh9M2MM13sNl36N3Yo811POLSECkNXD7aAj6xuMeKlx2oGqbYOUBzjfY/w448-h640/Wedding%20Day%2087.jpg" width="448" /></a></div></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;">There is a lot of advice that I would have given this young bride thirty-five years ago, but I doubt she would have listened! And that is okay, we learn and we grow. That is why we are here. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;">So, Happy Anniversary to my wonderful husband! May we have many more happy years together! </span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Thanks for stopping by today! </span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Lobster; font-size: large;">Cynthia</span></div><div></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><br /></div><p></p>Cynthiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17511826172600500845noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8841926879721095715.post-11614703052230382282022-08-10T13:40:00.001-07:002022-08-10T16:52:40.131-07:00Crafting an Ice Cream Party <p> <span style="font-family: helvetica;">Summer is still here (despite what we see on social media!) and nothing says summer like ice cream. </span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqV2rkkmTlefZXek2uhoygYTrqF-1vVsF2nKSB52aefHwHJ5tAn0a221XzV63TChqEKYKrFIQXgpswEoN6E6W0pXZDgAxANa-pwYLEOb1QBxmd4qFyZdKodUZNjjWy-slT3sZ-4FFm_NIgAHSxKgUVl0hTi2i3D8AvtpcUzWr8YCWNdNW8KMsOwfkZ/s640/IC%20Truck.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqV2rkkmTlefZXek2uhoygYTrqF-1vVsF2nKSB52aefHwHJ5tAn0a221XzV63TChqEKYKrFIQXgpswEoN6E6W0pXZDgAxANa-pwYLEOb1QBxmd4qFyZdKodUZNjjWy-slT3sZ-4FFm_NIgAHSxKgUVl0hTi2i3D8AvtpcUzWr8YCWNdNW8KMsOwfkZ/w480-h640/IC%20Truck.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">We recently celebrated my daughter's birthday with an ice cream /pool party. We decided on an ice cream truck theme, so I ran with it (or should I say drove...., never mind!). </span><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I used a free svg pattern from </span><a href="https://www.designsbymissmandee.com/2021/08/3d-ice-cream-truck/" style="font-family: helvetica;">Designs by Miss Mandee.com</a><span style="font-family: helvetica;">. Naturally I had to change it a little bit- her pattern is a bit more fancy than mine.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzLkJiWv2cJcgT5MAfyGNuWrpaELiLiWjrLl4Rgn4SDvC6a_zQ-vWdYrWe_xabTbPbS39aFMmt821g35phlcwZ6wHdqP-eZaf8DGchwQ_shspfbDe-A03B0ARSXFJn0F5Bz3yaoCjUSK5J0X85MSMKlaNXKpQKhGQRwCR__vGuG-1egs8ZYuuTM9ld/s640/IC%20Truck%202.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="604" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzLkJiWv2cJcgT5MAfyGNuWrpaELiLiWjrLl4Rgn4SDvC6a_zQ-vWdYrWe_xabTbPbS39aFMmt821g35phlcwZ6wHdqP-eZaf8DGchwQ_shspfbDe-A03B0ARSXFJn0F5Bz3yaoCjUSK5J0X85MSMKlaNXKpQKhGQRwCR__vGuG-1egs8ZYuuTM9ld/w604-h640/IC%20Truck%202.jpg" width="604" /></a></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">And why make one when you can make another...</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLUBKRV07J2bOMmsfysHtkZr3oL5fOcTJhQCcXJpG6HviS2rp75quXCGAyx4qLQe6UKuvNBUwwcvMCg1FFcsC4_EfrcXGSuZpUBsP77ulb4JQQsZwqgwwNppgVxKNu6OWM-T67pXQGlNUOqsgAM_a1jO3w8IxjLx3xnG75_JWtQRnKVKFv1Anxbgz3/s640/IC%20Truck%204.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="634" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLUBKRV07J2bOMmsfysHtkZr3oL5fOcTJhQCcXJpG6HviS2rp75quXCGAyx4qLQe6UKuvNBUwwcvMCg1FFcsC4_EfrcXGSuZpUBsP77ulb4JQQsZwqgwwNppgVxKNu6OWM-T67pXQGlNUOqsgAM_a1jO3w8IxjLx3xnG75_JWtQRnKVKFv1Anxbgz3/w634-h640/IC%20Truck%204.jpg" width="634" /></a></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">or three...</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikkfJun6DNEEQbMszhmURZLB98t9lD0MhzVHVFa6XM0ad83CC3hvmP8b7egsJVthimTVk_fmiQBU6AEJ0crGCR5Bby-XZInj0-KR0R1qevwlc5_WnPGyYpsTxaq-KUjGLYFppQzO6a1nogNT_lz0z-IHuiNVmhU2yIvwniEG18Ix7_LazyKpLK9TkS/s640/IC%20Truck%203.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikkfJun6DNEEQbMszhmURZLB98t9lD0MhzVHVFa6XM0ad83CC3hvmP8b7egsJVthimTVk_fmiQBU6AEJ0crGCR5Bby-XZInj0-KR0R1qevwlc5_WnPGyYpsTxaq-KUjGLYFppQzO6a1nogNT_lz0z-IHuiNVmhU2yIvwniEG18Ix7_LazyKpLK9TkS/w640-h480/IC%20Truck%203.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">This one is my favorite. </span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDdhHxXO4l3DE5Wo9srKHIfYJizc5zWgcIzMaqqlY6lFZiHZwjhlRmWAxZSYheFRtXUqBvdz2lvqH4eRHq3et84KKkatc8187PsHFFSxlFVZXqXguk6Zx6NgJIVHwZribl9udW4Qak-CpcF-9IcFj8X5sPPIcAa4Mbp6KYd69oOpHv68ljoeAafjtf/s640/IC%20Truck%204.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="634" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDdhHxXO4l3DE5Wo9srKHIfYJizc5zWgcIzMaqqlY6lFZiHZwjhlRmWAxZSYheFRtXUqBvdz2lvqH4eRHq3et84KKkatc8187PsHFFSxlFVZXqXguk6Zx6NgJIVHwZribl9udW4Qak-CpcF-9IcFj8X5sPPIcAa4Mbp6KYd69oOpHv68ljoeAafjtf/w634-h640/IC%20Truck%204.jpg" width="634" /></a></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Pre-pandemic we would regularly visit Disney World and I </span><span style="font-family: helvetica;">miss our fun family trips. </span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPmP7sca6XI4XWLmLMBUYihGujwcw8lVLhZtnRk-VIit8_s1iZ8AGcpmx57haTuW0zeL7k7fyFVFKnunDfqqwQtsFSenR7vCAdYGx-f0nu0AyHdSimkBO9p_G3mtKD32mBLW_CAHjDeE0ubodpychIwjYdtCII13EwDHc4HjofS5s2F1TXRqCUYBd8/s640/IC%20Truck%205.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="558" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPmP7sca6XI4XWLmLMBUYihGujwcw8lVLhZtnRk-VIit8_s1iZ8AGcpmx57haTuW0zeL7k7fyFVFKnunDfqqwQtsFSenR7vCAdYGx-f0nu0AyHdSimkBO9p_G3mtKD32mBLW_CAHjDeE0ubodpychIwjYdtCII13EwDHc4HjofS5s2F1TXRqCUYBd8/w558-h640/IC%20Truck%205.jpg" width="558" /></a></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I found this little Hallmark Christmas ornament from this year's collection to go with it. Perfect for the occasion. </span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJOYdyUVD986p8Cti3b14TQM21A8IkImakSSPtOhDH1WNB1Lbnc7FDJnBKUXyVC23N-NEynx6gNfadRycnF7zTYBhKreJAaRUYlKKaWQ01BYTUSJ8T0HL-F-D1Jy4wchGPkNCasPGYzdsmKp7EXFfhQOmwogPIqtGd6SLIO0UaVLSDQ-eT43IqgB2h/s640/IC%20Truck%208.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="626" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJOYdyUVD986p8Cti3b14TQM21A8IkImakSSPtOhDH1WNB1Lbnc7FDJnBKUXyVC23N-NEynx6gNfadRycnF7zTYBhKreJAaRUYlKKaWQ01BYTUSJ8T0HL-F-D1Jy4wchGPkNCasPGYzdsmKp7EXFfhQOmwogPIqtGd6SLIO0UaVLSDQ-eT43IqgB2h/w626-h640/IC%20Truck%208.jpg" width="626" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica;">After I looked at the pictures, I decided that this one would be better with a Mickey ice cream on the top as well. </span><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgDqcVp6jS3C2yhHQ35uaz-Uvq_ed5yM-VTKyoHj1FrK-MOiZ5eUHrbjc-Ux_xnUrWqVESK1PNmBOGbNy5Y7yLywwpcY4uRDJtDyhjKWxHAIOWDDzVORpJ8PZbJWZK1VeWCfnoWK6QDV-TlFbFh9Q7ethkohzzi9qbvHl65UHI2-tBZXSMTWxaQmQG/s640/IC%20Truck%2010.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="472" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgDqcVp6jS3C2yhHQ35uaz-Uvq_ed5yM-VTKyoHj1FrK-MOiZ5eUHrbjc-Ux_xnUrWqVESK1PNmBOGbNy5Y7yLywwpcY4uRDJtDyhjKWxHAIOWDDzVORpJ8PZbJWZK1VeWCfnoWK6QDV-TlFbFh9Q7ethkohzzi9qbvHl65UHI2-tBZXSMTWxaQmQG/w472-h640/IC%20Truck%2010.jpg" width="472" /></a></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Pre-pandemic I decorated a lot of cakes with fondant figures and fancy icing décor. Since then, I seemed to have lost that skill set (or maybe lost interest!), but have discovered making cake toppers with my Cricut. This one was customized from a box card cut from </span><a href="https://shop.loriwhitlock.com/box-card-ice-cream-truck/" style="font-family: helvetica;">Lori Whitlock.</a></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">The added benefit to making a special cake topper is that it can be given to the birthday honoree as a keepsake. I use an acrylic cake topper from Amazon as my base. The pick can be cleaned for storage. Just be careful not to push the paper into the cake! </span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_3RgKG5mrHpLTCsFt0Puz841zEVrS9vlYpnovNUbmtiSUW5EnEoEIRwRgoH9VS8IjiRggeG1IhylEKghqjHNni6_G05Qg-tGz73xvTSXNjGoi1MFUNCA9eqZ5_8vxBkPVxQxTKjq0a18POtEOO-ZlathC1VX8fBtDh7FwSTz2OtbhMuzM7xhWSCpE/s640/IC%20Truck%206.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_3RgKG5mrHpLTCsFt0Puz841zEVrS9vlYpnovNUbmtiSUW5EnEoEIRwRgoH9VS8IjiRggeG1IhylEKghqjHNni6_G05Qg-tGz73xvTSXNjGoi1MFUNCA9eqZ5_8vxBkPVxQxTKjq0a18POtEOO-ZlathC1VX8fBtDh7FwSTz2OtbhMuzM7xhWSCpE/w640-h480/IC%20Truck%206.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Of course, there has to be a garland. This one was cut from the first Cricut cartridge I purchased (yes, I have been using Cricut that long!). Doodlebugs cartridge has some super cute cuts for a variety of occasions. </span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Since it was Shark Week during our celebration, this guy showed up in our pool. </span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigywgMahcmqB6Y4V1qw7748kazVDVxYdXbHQHw58T8pDb90NvI54zFnugEhsaj9vFJmEJ1GyAmaKpv5FKi969bjNK6Fle0NkdipDTDFLj3FYCmRhm9t1lsm39qnR7RyfSJRAqba8P-shOKvbSmk0WW-zzfkiDjfQ73xV4nmNb4Y-kjBMgTEsXiv2-C/s640/IC%20Truck%209.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigywgMahcmqB6Y4V1qw7748kazVDVxYdXbHQHw58T8pDb90NvI54zFnugEhsaj9vFJmEJ1GyAmaKpv5FKi969bjNK6Fle0NkdipDTDFLj3FYCmRhm9t1lsm39qnR7RyfSJRAqba8P-shOKvbSmk0WW-zzfkiDjfQ73xV4nmNb4Y-kjBMgTEsXiv2-C/w480-h640/IC%20Truck%209.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Not the best photo, but it is a beach ball with a shark eating an ice cream cone! Perfect! </span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I hope that you are enjoying your summer with lots of ice cream and all of your favorite treats! </span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Thanks for stopping by today! </span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">~</span><span style="font-family: Lobster; font-size: large;">Cynthia</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></p>Cynthiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17511826172600500845noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8841926879721095715.post-11959234767527361122022-08-03T17:52:00.001-07:002022-08-04T10:00:51.856-07:00Happy National Watermelon Day! (Or the Tale of the Traveling Tablescape)<p> <span style="font-family: helvetica;">I believe that the watermelon is the quintessential summertime treat and I love that there is actually a day to celebrate it. August 3rd is the annual celebration of National Watermelon Day. </span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgVBv18w5zMnmU75oxLhgt2fz0zqvKPK_eW3XmYc4qBXQFDWnWtahNHRALW9fFQYmvNL1Fznynj3xYpZY7nevDxaL1-k15AXQ9TKV0SxMOmQMmO5H4guDjWTWontSdq66GSloV7zD_dcPNP3wfXto45Vk0eYYtnr67NtEWy2JLSu7Rl0r_IgYhb-Er/s4032/B46D1609-5C8C-4877-AD40-26F420EB4B1A.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgVBv18w5zMnmU75oxLhgt2fz0zqvKPK_eW3XmYc4qBXQFDWnWtahNHRALW9fFQYmvNL1Fznynj3xYpZY7nevDxaL1-k15AXQ9TKV0SxMOmQMmO5H4guDjWTWontSdq66GSloV7zD_dcPNP3wfXto45Vk0eYYtnr67NtEWy2JLSu7Rl0r_IgYhb-Er/w480-h640/B46D1609-5C8C-4877-AD40-26F420EB4B1A.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Today I decided that whatever there will be for dinner (not inclined to cook these days!), we should have a celebratory tablescape. And since watermelon equals warm sunny summertime days, that means outdoors and poolside. </span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFnu3Fk1medFThL1zYDOtJPdu_Wv5dfYM9GIZrmfMGa5Tm_aytP0Drmat3iemlrjUUAg17kMMr1S2AQSDFPab1mJobeRxQ5sMYX33-BxeWupzJTdUkH0RHqlG9YdkSgKL1hdUVdVRMlVn76bmoBhfccOW_hTjYOsMKQn_xz1GHTfd_FaJltSk6EhJ6/s3367/AC723A0B-F21E-4970-8F5B-0BE2D314E9CD.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3367" data-original-width="2743" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFnu3Fk1medFThL1zYDOtJPdu_Wv5dfYM9GIZrmfMGa5Tm_aytP0Drmat3iemlrjUUAg17kMMr1S2AQSDFPab1mJobeRxQ5sMYX33-BxeWupzJTdUkH0RHqlG9YdkSgKL1hdUVdVRMlVn76bmoBhfccOW_hTjYOsMKQn_xz1GHTfd_FaJltSk6EhJ6/w522-h640/AC723A0B-F21E-4970-8F5B-0BE2D314E9CD.jpeg" width="522" /></a></div><br /><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">And of course every tablescape worthy of the name must have a special centerpiece. Since we are celebrating the watermelon, I got a "personal" watermelon (that's what the grocery store called it) and went right across the aisle to the floral department. </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpW_azxJOnNjMHreOa9SP_bgiO3t9YquWl1AQ9fM5_4VW88-PG9x-IXss4fSA9k-sE5LNJY8lxdNmBtZxnHmoL9gDI8LCUu6QxSBwP0aO_6DMGeqAUEdCB-6khXPvmU3JGfFSN8F2_QarbVLTZJLlAmVzOfpx_SdOuZsEl7EnNfmwm-xpcy3mmhD1u/s4032/8935B51C-BEFA-453E-A0AC-139CB26BA61C.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpW_azxJOnNjMHreOa9SP_bgiO3t9YquWl1AQ9fM5_4VW88-PG9x-IXss4fSA9k-sE5LNJY8lxdNmBtZxnHmoL9gDI8LCUu6QxSBwP0aO_6DMGeqAUEdCB-6khXPvmU3JGfFSN8F2_QarbVLTZJLlAmVzOfpx_SdOuZsEl7EnNfmwm-xpcy3mmhD1u/w480-h640/8935B51C-BEFA-453E-A0AC-139CB26BA61C.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I have been pleasantly surprised by the flowers that our local grocery stores are carrying these days. No longer are they just a place to grab a quick last minute bouquet for a gift, but they actually have a lot of different types of florals for different arrangements you can make yourself or they will make for you. </span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKtvxSPVIclK33GbhWv72Puhk_0DKbYdd8X1ovyBUjohZFy7BCTuNgHUsvTeVqF5egA4EtgVoW3mwG7h7HVsPs7brrO0UCRiCRYNqN8X-8AlI6eF93ZI0QLUSWODVwV-iE2alI9tTEYPLDyDu2zs3nC67Obds6EJ3V1rHj_GrOPL7cYEeXITqul0jk/s4032/5E16BEFE-1C64-4729-9C7E-6D1A0E195459.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKtvxSPVIclK33GbhWv72Puhk_0DKbYdd8X1ovyBUjohZFy7BCTuNgHUsvTeVqF5egA4EtgVoW3mwG7h7HVsPs7brrO0UCRiCRYNqN8X-8AlI6eF93ZI0QLUSWODVwV-iE2alI9tTEYPLDyDu2zs3nC67Obds6EJ3V1rHj_GrOPL7cYEeXITqul0jk/w480-h640/5E16BEFE-1C64-4729-9C7E-6D1A0E195459.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Some times, a friend comes along to enjoy the flowers with you. </span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilg99DfKJeTK3JBnrMCdZNINOEnNa6j7Bl4YADALJbfnDA78yMesFrf_1xDkyDNs6QEGu4c05hQBs3d3uI3BsjOoZMqYiCv7FscZZVvxAX3GYEQvdDcMtWFV9_AMmImMRPHWvClnPL8oS6SMlP0OVkQaaLXYo7Q14K8s1uz_RuklTwxKRePYuvz4HT/s640/Carnations.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilg99DfKJeTK3JBnrMCdZNINOEnNa6j7Bl4YADALJbfnDA78yMesFrf_1xDkyDNs6QEGu4c05hQBs3d3uI3BsjOoZMqYiCv7FscZZVvxAX3GYEQvdDcMtWFV9_AMmImMRPHWvClnPL8oS6SMlP0OVkQaaLXYo7Q14K8s1uz_RuklTwxKRePYuvz4HT/w536-h640/Carnations.jpg" width="536" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">This time I went old school and bought carnations. I couldn't decide which color was more "watermelony", so I bought both pink and red. I know carnations are not popular with some people, but I really love the pretty simplicity of them. I sliced a bit of the bottom so the melon would sit upright and then used a small ice cream scoop to carve out the melon (working on my pumpkin carving skills!). Pro-tip: place a small vase or bowl in the melon before adding water. It helps to keep the flowers in place and the water in the bowl (Do not ask me how I know this...)</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJVFPfojgVXKD1L50fkvyhxDzQgQfxlOoHlm48trP0dHz4BqFpkWpvWU9BiY0yhwofb1q02CTMbu3B26Y3dbEHQ8ihSt40BtN6nVwTT1eDByu6OE4n69RSCZRZZpQRgo9da9EEvJHSirb5J2G_dQtAQRXOqe9-IAG86jUcUvueRHDS7oXwafMWuwfM/s4032/D54C3D94-C9F2-4186-AED8-4481504EA448.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJVFPfojgVXKD1L50fkvyhxDzQgQfxlOoHlm48trP0dHz4BqFpkWpvWU9BiY0yhwofb1q02CTMbu3B26Y3dbEHQ8ihSt40BtN6nVwTT1eDByu6OE4n69RSCZRZZpQRgo9da9EEvJHSirb5J2G_dQtAQRXOqe9-IAG86jUcUvueRHDS7oXwafMWuwfM/w480-h640/D54C3D94-C9F2-4186-AED8-4481504EA448.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; text-align: left;">I found these melamine plates and cups at the dollar store. They are perfect for poolside where we do not allow glass. The tablecloth is from fabric I found at Walmart. I just loved the blue background and those cute melons! I was thrilled to find the napkin fabric at Michaels. I sewed up the napkins very quickly and I hope to post a tutorial at some point in the near future. It is soooo easy and super special to add just the perfect touch to your table. </span></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqhRTVojfvvLSmIgoE4yYdqMqORoj7bXmHv3Ssz4gZFrqTWpZpLjLVH4ogKSX_O8_bhDKKlI-cLikRSHN07jgGu9urOKcb4Tl7_g0JYIR0nTEb7e2eTLOeJq_0pkwcuBW7QpVjUpsxNPso7jaT-WJgdfpNsQDxEH2KfNPUQDYRSAZvezAR-AHK3IL8/s3786/2C0AC45F-BD3C-4B43-9546-FEC1E004266B.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3786" data-original-width="2753" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqhRTVojfvvLSmIgoE4yYdqMqORoj7bXmHv3Ssz4gZFrqTWpZpLjLVH4ogKSX_O8_bhDKKlI-cLikRSHN07jgGu9urOKcb4Tl7_g0JYIR0nTEb7e2eTLOeJq_0pkwcuBW7QpVjUpsxNPso7jaT-WJgdfpNsQDxEH2KfNPUQDYRSAZvezAR-AHK3IL8/w466-h640/2C0AC45F-BD3C-4B43-9546-FEC1E004266B.jpeg" width="466" /></a></div><br /><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Well, I live in the south. Summertime here means it is either as hot as... well, it is very hot, or it is raining like it is time to join Noah on the Ark. Today was the first. Hot. </span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> I was about to give up in despair, not being able to get the shot right and burning alive while I was trying to do it. Then I saw a spot in my yard that is usually reserved for the hammock and is quite shady and actually cool. </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgntRCPasNdjLfx2DbwBfIBQ00Lm43i38EIUA6kjkXq6CiofgCBruzFJreT6tdq0BbSqm868uyeKVA5IEUNg6gvoc02uQAPoNu3RfTl3mxe3lA2c3VpEhVnUzAFWA9wL5Cj2ioCHc13q3oWCSYhmPJm30UlQ70ZUCbGQEush7OJODniKRkvL6BjVyFq/s640/Watermelon%202.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgntRCPasNdjLfx2DbwBfIBQ00Lm43i38EIUA6kjkXq6CiofgCBruzFJreT6tdq0BbSqm868uyeKVA5IEUNg6gvoc02uQAPoNu3RfTl3mxe3lA2c3VpEhVnUzAFWA9wL5Cj2ioCHc13q3oWCSYhmPJm30UlQ70ZUCbGQEush7OJODniKRkvL6BjVyFq/w640-h480/Watermelon%202.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><span style="font-family: helvetica;">So I picked up the table, tablescape and all, and moved it. </span><br /><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5EUhey15Ux5gRycwUCdkyFR50jlYFS9z08frUG4RcEc8Ymu2eP1MBhFeb5uctmYYrvPuPpTCc5nRa4FEY7Fe-cZ7xq_KiOx8WjfSEaX7zpN1WpGW4frLvM86uLDFA5n9amKCHXfLIkRP7D2YKBk-1FhXBOkR2-oWqcqgXLDXH9n3HYI0FKHWpHDpv/s640/Watermelon%20Best.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="614" data-original-width="640" height="614" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5EUhey15Ux5gRycwUCdkyFR50jlYFS9z08frUG4RcEc8Ymu2eP1MBhFeb5uctmYYrvPuPpTCc5nRa4FEY7Fe-cZ7xq_KiOx8WjfSEaX7zpN1WpGW4frLvM86uLDFA5n9amKCHXfLIkRP7D2YKBk-1FhXBOkR2-oWqcqgXLDXH9n3HYI0FKHWpHDpv/w640-h614/Watermelon%20Best.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">It was amazing how much more cool this was than the poolside spot, even when I had the umbrella up. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6RfFL1dW7yle1PNtgMjLdynY0ofqumjZV3G43vLSbFzeLP_Ayb7bPt9zwslqJZayS0PvfaRWm0WVQ1XcYmWKmQmvSKFfyrFK4_vEcojW8cx9L8tNBaRTtn7bikDC9yNvwGy6WvPZ-hM5I6r53qyuwAHKEZtds0D5WglxkYI16CqqnNUPcxOZeXX_d/s640/Watermelon%203.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6RfFL1dW7yle1PNtgMjLdynY0ofqumjZV3G43vLSbFzeLP_Ayb7bPt9zwslqJZayS0PvfaRWm0WVQ1XcYmWKmQmvSKFfyrFK4_vEcojW8cx9L8tNBaRTtn7bikDC9yNvwGy6WvPZ-hM5I6r53qyuwAHKEZtds0D5WglxkYI16CqqnNUPcxOZeXX_d/w640-h480/Watermelon%203.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">And we still have a view of the pool. </div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA1CqUtLd2NC9vuqBYLmOEOJh3p5MuY379YsHLlcusgYVlp3ZiNyzwRSmqKUYqYUuVqtRPaT3NSN1Qv9xf_75fDFkRnG_k7DS_-mK6M66AtvwwmepJUznkAdEztRy_Nc6dudd6D5biXmW41Z0k6HfF8IBa-R-RLIOxRIRohxIvW4TaRn6kOmsnUMsT/s640/Watermelon%20flowers.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA1CqUtLd2NC9vuqBYLmOEOJh3p5MuY379YsHLlcusgYVlp3ZiNyzwRSmqKUYqYUuVqtRPaT3NSN1Qv9xf_75fDFkRnG_k7DS_-mK6M66AtvwwmepJUznkAdEztRy_Nc6dudd6D5biXmW41Z0k6HfF8IBa-R-RLIOxRIRohxIvW4TaRn6kOmsnUMsT/w480-h640/Watermelon%20flowers.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br />But then, just about dinner time, it cooled off again. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-_sZfYKMR73AcwNB7kgK1EE4-rDPKnvcuh0kj-IkeTkBNs7gIxOI8_AbZvyqlKbfD95u7yuzTEojBjuYs4BxTIjYc-U3i7VEJK8wrG1UwIte_ksmmvQV0yn4JR-6Z50Vj-V8XrvsZL9KBf-NTEJKix3f8MVYBiajglj2n2aUrEn3gyrJ56gZPYYr8/s640/Watermelon%204.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="451" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-_sZfYKMR73AcwNB7kgK1EE4-rDPKnvcuh0kj-IkeTkBNs7gIxOI8_AbZvyqlKbfD95u7yuzTEojBjuYs4BxTIjYc-U3i7VEJK8wrG1UwIte_ksmmvQV0yn4JR-6Z50Vj-V8XrvsZL9KBf-NTEJKix3f8MVYBiajglj2n2aUrEn3gyrJ56gZPYYr8/w452-h640/Watermelon%204.jpg" width="452" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Just in time for the golden hour, best viewed poolside. (No, I am not going to admit I moved the table again!)</span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I will be linking to <a href="https://betweennapsontheporch.net/ocean-themed-table-setting-a-contrast-of-elegant-sophistication-and-casual-ambiance/">Between Naps on the Porch</a> for Tablescape Thursday. Hop on over to see some beautiful, creative and welcoming tablescapes. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I hope that you are enjoying plenty of sunshine, summertime and watermelon! Thanks for stopping by today! </span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Lobster; font-size: x-large;">Cynthia</span><br /><br /></div>Cynthiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17511826172600500845noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8841926879721095715.post-7844987328679445622022-06-30T06:24:00.003-07:002022-06-30T06:24:57.146-07:00A Nautical Fourth<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRqATrgJHadD6fl6dtrz1mLJbfv5pnbIjkPvcqLO8L1XuGENDGW2XkjTlk4ANB22xF2PfxvaoES9wdCgdks3ydhErWDTkVRRn_epiCoi41Suf5nhJSf7cegGlxsx5mWGS7vqO-spKPMiE4PdSkmXQcuRdcwiFRSTnLTK8dXLP8UffkIKP0zg8-t30F/s4032/9DABF8D2-041D-4D9B-A908-B1330EBBDBA0.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRqATrgJHadD6fl6dtrz1mLJbfv5pnbIjkPvcqLO8L1XuGENDGW2XkjTlk4ANB22xF2PfxvaoES9wdCgdks3ydhErWDTkVRRn_epiCoi41Suf5nhJSf7cegGlxsx5mWGS7vqO-spKPMiE4PdSkmXQcuRdcwiFRSTnLTK8dXLP8UffkIKP0zg8-t30F/w480-h640/9DABF8D2-041D-4D9B-A908-B1330EBBDBA0.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">A couple of weeks ago I showed you a lighthouse that I had completed for my Memorial Day décor (you can see that post <a href="https://gardeniasandglitter.blogspot.com/2022/06/reflections-on-memorial-day-what-i-am.html?q=lighthouse">here</a>). I love the lighthouse, cut from a <a href="https://svgcuts.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=77&products_id=390">SVGcuts</a> file, and knew that it had to be the centerpiece of my Fourth of July tablescape. </span></div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_GPIdCNhIc55wKkFugwKuWTKYmKlNj29G-r9hr15_vtoJ2I5rDDG9Oywaol4BXvPH6UM3-NjSuEy6OGc4AsSJQKgq26cjr8L3pjSnisQVI3k1QMqMRXqiq55ttBJ7JLU88x85TVEPVtGErJ0EowC3az7Hgf_LQv8IsYUOWOXNB6D9tEPvyOCnLjde/s4032/20B6CC24-1712-4BB4-AA9D-697840C0E916.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_GPIdCNhIc55wKkFugwKuWTKYmKlNj29G-r9hr15_vtoJ2I5rDDG9Oywaol4BXvPH6UM3-NjSuEy6OGc4AsSJQKgq26cjr8L3pjSnisQVI3k1QMqMRXqiq55ttBJ7JLU88x85TVEPVtGErJ0EowC3az7Hgf_LQv8IsYUOWOXNB6D9tEPvyOCnLjde/w480-h640/20B6CC24-1712-4BB4-AA9D-697840C0E916.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I placed the lighthouse and the keeper's quarters on a tray that I think looks a little like a pier. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">It is not the first time I used the "pier" or the house. It was part of my "Shark Week" décor last <a href="https://gardeniasandglitter.blogspot.com/search?q=shark">year</a> . I did have to install a new roof! <br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Once I got going with the nautical theme, I knew that we had to have a boat. </span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXcv0IS7Atxcq-JAEHDyikPpIN-amujTc6jKXR72M12M7nJRP5pKWgqQ4I3kFEofRcweyax5eNJ1K8Ac3jAK1wKwrRVHPTqP7-3mugMCy8E8heFe4XBJDXoER6oHrPFDdXmCH30t-FhL3pNa0pzix5YkhKj0YygPLmqiX3DfyOaIrMl7D4YM0DEmtX/s3502/218A7B0B-503F-4271-B868-5D3778AFBFB4.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3502" data-original-width="2669" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXcv0IS7Atxcq-JAEHDyikPpIN-amujTc6jKXR72M12M7nJRP5pKWgqQ4I3kFEofRcweyax5eNJ1K8Ac3jAK1wKwrRVHPTqP7-3mugMCy8E8heFe4XBJDXoER6oHrPFDdXmCH30t-FhL3pNa0pzix5YkhKj0YygPLmqiX3DfyOaIrMl7D4YM0DEmtX/w488-h640/218A7B0B-503F-4271-B868-5D3778AFBFB4.jpeg" width="488" /></a></div><br /><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I found this cute little rowboat, again on <a href="https://svgcuts.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=44&products_id=352">SVGcuts</a>. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhzXmn9wvYxrIXE274IMSezL0YEopnqrBm8nxH-nasAzcNaJL0vvLD53mXWW2QaNohID3rlM1IoQ0hFFBnCF13bH5-g4nYxeA-8Y6zS_rofrIqWMJOKKLsfjSJl4VX9pv0vuWPnkIn9JuvgbbYtqxMfTmHIeTm15sBiahUnKxsr7NrcLOOl0xU2gUr/s3023/49A7F940-6340-4E25-B780-2674ECD4306B.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2912" data-original-width="3023" height="616" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhzXmn9wvYxrIXE274IMSezL0YEopnqrBm8nxH-nasAzcNaJL0vvLD53mXWW2QaNohID3rlM1IoQ0hFFBnCF13bH5-g4nYxeA-8Y6zS_rofrIqWMJOKKLsfjSJl4VX9pv0vuWPnkIn9JuvgbbYtqxMfTmHIeTm15sBiahUnKxsr7NrcLOOl0xU2gUr/w640-h616/49A7F940-6340-4E25-B780-2674ECD4306B.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica;">And then I added one for each place setting. I just love the little oars! </span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhZpn7YY5D1KMaJUVLqrcrzvn4TsMvtvJyH7ZH33ttR-wJyg0bFOkkCE0RSeG0uX8A2G3jXm9XKIN69MA78cGQu2R2LzefWkw6NfgbWnWSlEBIh63xnrsgUbLd7pCIl8IEG5y0nM0fMCbxWsErn8tDO3dcQ-j71YIXeF0sdEYxLlQola9bba9SgTWGw" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="269" data-original-width="320" height="537" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhZpn7YY5D1KMaJUVLqrcrzvn4TsMvtvJyH7ZH33ttR-wJyg0bFOkkCE0RSeG0uX8A2G3jXm9XKIN69MA78cGQu2R2LzefWkw6NfgbWnWSlEBIh63xnrsgUbLd7pCIl8IEG5y0nM0fMCbxWsErn8tDO3dcQ-j71YIXeF0sdEYxLlQola9bba9SgTWGw=w640-h537" width="640" /></a></div><br />The place settings consist of plain read plates which I have had for a few years. I do not even remember where they came from. The tableware is from Pier One. I believe that the napkin rings are too. I sure do miss that store! The napkins are actually handkerchiefs, probably from the Target Dollar Spot last year. I love using handkerchiefs for casual tablescapes. They are cute, inexpensive and easy to wash. The glasses are from the Magnolia Home collection at Target. </span></div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAk84RKrZW6XjnCQod7D2ezpgDqAgEaitdy5U38LBZp6ypaIUqqvVzBm8-y80b7XJhnfDjx7mZOVJeE0FkEuC0gfksQ-eXiGHmy4em8vPi_yLN0iQDEBMZ-a0p1K4vMi1ZV5xexfUKAhO-HAm4wQNZMprEd2tQv56exI7wAY9tdFNyL4EyOpi2Vkz3/s4032/3A90CB8B-0450-4776-B2D6-EA9804DF8CE7.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAk84RKrZW6XjnCQod7D2ezpgDqAgEaitdy5U38LBZp6ypaIUqqvVzBm8-y80b7XJhnfDjx7mZOVJeE0FkEuC0gfksQ-eXiGHmy4em8vPi_yLN0iQDEBMZ-a0p1K4vMi1ZV5xexfUKAhO-HAm4wQNZMprEd2tQv56exI7wAY9tdFNyL4EyOpi2Vkz3/w480-h640/3A90CB8B-0450-4776-B2D6-EA9804DF8CE7.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;">After I took the first round of pictures, I realized that the boat wasn't moored to the pier. </span></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwosfwPMRsqqQNR3XEZiGx6IC2PX3kvWS19QfX1RhIGHL6vJEaPJNRO50EHUmQVrkes4syVKjsL0YnOJzAvnMwHe2cFNXiIDCSFI_p-g7kMe7hqtunCiUB9Cbl0RMlP1wizLXeezw8INsWmSVT-muNx2htxtTDqf2LbMn-HhI4isiQsI010MzfvD_7/s4032/6E2F92EE-452A-4F89-9084-0D2734CD1E84.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwosfwPMRsqqQNR3XEZiGx6IC2PX3kvWS19QfX1RhIGHL6vJEaPJNRO50EHUmQVrkes4syVKjsL0YnOJzAvnMwHe2cFNXiIDCSFI_p-g7kMe7hqtunCiUB9Cbl0RMlP1wizLXeezw8INsWmSVT-muNx2htxtTDqf2LbMn-HhI4isiQsI010MzfvD_7/w480-h640/6E2F92EE-452A-4F89-9084-0D2734CD1E84.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Never fear! I little "rope" and a couple of sticky dots took care of that! </span></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7bKQtJtW-c_nydMnZEJ_cjQb5PWrZu_D7iqHiqaNnpMZpRW6WHJIcQDMz3O67shNUQJh1TCPvi2fyInLJEsY6i1BNgtGpSefFpvigwUM0j57TI3dm4bYv8Q-sMRrh0Bor8nvV9I99mSTF-NjuZbFWaIDdXTPJFO5fdQ7BfbhbA2CLgrArLXmKstpb/s4032/1D91EF9B-60D8-43A2-85B4-D877F7F40CAA.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7bKQtJtW-c_nydMnZEJ_cjQb5PWrZu_D7iqHiqaNnpMZpRW6WHJIcQDMz3O67shNUQJh1TCPvi2fyInLJEsY6i1BNgtGpSefFpvigwUM0j57TI3dm4bYv8Q-sMRrh0Bor8nvV9I99mSTF-NjuZbFWaIDdXTPJFO5fdQ7BfbhbA2CLgrArLXmKstpb/w480-h640/1D91EF9B-60D8-43A2-85B4-D877F7F40CAA.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Should I add a little candy treat to the boat for my guests on the Fourth? </span></div><br /><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr3uTH2pNKzLlvu58JCcdQdGBcDLSl3Em1NPzq05UjO5OnQYiXYTnVJlwyg-pnFIKuo9kbT-_4daDR6TvF-kCNKw4jlycbmD_o4ul_Xf_2TOGHZwHzcaqa6bDTVHaDBZvL2WNJ_GxaarZelEGzv6Qz-7afxjAARwczA5IELAK-Gq4X8rpo1CpQvh3H/s3408/48D031FB-215D-4F61-8494-7A06FADE5C2F.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3408" data-original-width="3023" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr3uTH2pNKzLlvu58JCcdQdGBcDLSl3Em1NPzq05UjO5OnQYiXYTnVJlwyg-pnFIKuo9kbT-_4daDR6TvF-kCNKw4jlycbmD_o4ul_Xf_2TOGHZwHzcaqa6bDTVHaDBZvL2WNJ_GxaarZelEGzv6Qz-7afxjAARwczA5IELAK-Gq4X8rpo1CpQvh3H/w568-h640/48D031FB-215D-4F61-8494-7A06FADE5C2F.jpeg" width="568" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Speaking of treats- the lighthouse is also a gift box. The house is too. </span></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjxWHfqH2y8oZyoizHTbZBZCh-M09Z7E6vjbm65Tz6W9egpQLrXd9EonnmQh021ELWCool1cRykqJ5ZZ_VCAhBCn6OstC0hhnAH-meUj8CLn3ZU-q_94AyRHSu4ccRdhPilBPPOI0wRJ9faSv1nPkz9CUZpM3mbiOJPsPkzyX1Uc9ia1CBKI3pJ053/s4032/73F6C359-4313-49CC-A105-F8C056FEC9AC.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjxWHfqH2y8oZyoizHTbZBZCh-M09Z7E6vjbm65Tz6W9egpQLrXd9EonnmQh021ELWCool1cRykqJ5ZZ_VCAhBCn6OstC0hhnAH-meUj8CLn3ZU-q_94AyRHSu4ccRdhPilBPPOI0wRJ9faSv1nPkz9CUZpM3mbiOJPsPkzyX1Uc9ia1CBKI3pJ053/w480-h640/73F6C359-4313-49CC-A105-F8C056FEC9AC.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;">And holds a tea light candle (a battery operated one!)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> </span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRqATrgJHadD6fl6dtrz1mLJbfv5pnbIjkPvcqLO8L1XuGENDGW2XkjTlk4ANB22xF2PfxvaoES9wdCgdks3ydhErWDTkVRRn_epiCoi41Suf5nhJSf7cegGlxsx5mWGS7vqO-spKPMiE4PdSkmXQcuRdcwiFRSTnLTK8dXLP8UffkIKP0zg8-t30F/s4032/9DABF8D2-041D-4D9B-A908-B1330EBBDBA0.jpeg" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRqATrgJHadD6fl6dtrz1mLJbfv5pnbIjkPvcqLO8L1XuGENDGW2XkjTlk4ANB22xF2PfxvaoES9wdCgdks3ydhErWDTkVRRn_epiCoi41Suf5nhJSf7cegGlxsx5mWGS7vqO-spKPMiE4PdSkmXQcuRdcwiFRSTnLTK8dXLP8UffkIKP0zg8-t30F/w480-h640/9DABF8D2-041D-4D9B-A908-B1330EBBDBA0.jpeg" width="480" /></a></span></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I added a little flag to the pier. I made the flag (it is actually a sticker on each side of a skewer). But in the interest of total honesty, I made a mistake on the back side. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6PfU4cAoAQbbsBFWfIjgSkiTZTV_b55gPBc6pS3SinIoLtDgTuv7-r0TYGhjtnSU39RB3JVOnKQmd_C-UGRh60ZH3rbv5vl6U-iU_LCTjs_h3HW9OsZtXVPnOI70Wtx77TbDHwCCkDl2HIWsR8lsBvdmaUldjZOr5O8NmtLB6NNX3P2VBSHcM4a_C/s3328/8109E59F-8562-4BF1-A239-8A3C5815A3F4.jpeg" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3328" data-original-width="2125" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6PfU4cAoAQbbsBFWfIjgSkiTZTV_b55gPBc6pS3SinIoLtDgTuv7-r0TYGhjtnSU39RB3JVOnKQmd_C-UGRh60ZH3rbv5vl6U-iU_LCTjs_h3HW9OsZtXVPnOI70Wtx77TbDHwCCkDl2HIWsR8lsBvdmaUldjZOr5O8NmtLB6NNX3P2VBSHcM4a_C/w408-h640/8109E59F-8562-4BF1-A239-8A3C5815A3F4.jpeg" width="408" /></a><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> </span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Did you know that flying the flag upside down is a signal of distress? </span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBwsczQP-uoTVZV1LhD039S7Us7WQ6TGC8NbL-XTkwuLa8mZGhxAHXB1P5Upm66jmRpdCki4zoQMqxZ5tebrFZBeB-s1VZ1zK1V-4tWZT5Ax3F5HicFbjDnj4rQPMBMPjQbeR27B6wtvEcvuFTQSYp2RIBCKmnQMr5sUNMouPR15UnfbwgQ40cff-i/s4032/3453D485-F88B-481E-B47E-7E72A3A545FA.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBwsczQP-uoTVZV1LhD039S7Us7WQ6TGC8NbL-XTkwuLa8mZGhxAHXB1P5Upm66jmRpdCki4zoQMqxZ5tebrFZBeB-s1VZ1zK1V-4tWZT5Ax3F5HicFbjDnj4rQPMBMPjQbeR27B6wtvEcvuFTQSYp2RIBCKmnQMr5sUNMouPR15UnfbwgQ40cff-i/w480-h640/3453D485-F88B-481E-B47E-7E72A3A545FA.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">No distress here! I am enjoying this beautiful summer weather and I am so looking forward to a wonderful Fourth of July! </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I will be sharing this tablescape to one of my favorite blogs: <a href="https://betweennapsontheporch.net/celebrating-the-4th-of-july-with-a-patriotic-table-setting-happy-independence-day/">Between Naps on the Porch</a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I hope that you have a Happy and Safe Fourth of July weekend! </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Thanks for stopping by! </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Lobster; font-size: x-large;">Cynthia</span></div>Cynthiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17511826172600500845noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8841926879721095715.post-87993800275925300802022-06-22T18:30:00.001-07:002022-06-22T18:30:13.224-07:00A Dark Twist on a Classic "Transfusion" <p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I have been a <i>Star Wars </i>fan since the original first movie (now <i>A New Hope) </i>first came out back in the 70s. I saw it as a child in the little (and I mean <u>little</u>) neighborhood theatre down the street from where I grew up- no rocking lounging theatre chairs, surround sound, or anything fancy, but when that opening scene rolled across the screen it began what was probably the most intense movie experience I have ever had or ever will. I had never seen anything like it. It is hard to describe to a generation who has literally seen and heard everything on a movie screen in stereo, 3D, XD virtual and augmented reality. The effects, which seem almost primitive now, the sound and of course the story, amazed us all in a way that many of us cannot explain, even today. If someone had told that little girl that she would one day be able to watch that movie and eight others in the saga, plus other related movies and series on her own television (or <i>gasp</i>!) her phone, I am sure there would nothing but disbelief. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">But that brings me to today's blog. My husband and I have been really enjoying the latest Star Wars saga, </span><i style="font-family: helvetica;">Obi Wan Kenobi, </i><span style="font-family: helvetica;">which we have been watching (yes, on our own television!) these past five weeks. The series comes to a close soon and I have been trying to come up with a few treats for our own personal viewing party. So far, I found a special cocktail. </span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcbX6kxyYY6OXQKSEcN8t_osLbYWtTUm8P8LSMEKhJw9KfMVg6yqY-7lCImoPhVsa9Q_80j6GTHlZenTBbghrxQrvP97fSW1Z2HHgRfqT_zcCp0qPumNyfZpRosjkNoNImadYdf_vtaacmcNvBzVpEfA0kCHEnnsW4_BMS54tPDHPucz4ecNknMuQ3/s4032/2634457D-E398-4383-8220-FC9D9F418916.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcbX6kxyYY6OXQKSEcN8t_osLbYWtTUm8P8LSMEKhJw9KfMVg6yqY-7lCImoPhVsa9Q_80j6GTHlZenTBbghrxQrvP97fSW1Z2HHgRfqT_zcCp0qPumNyfZpRosjkNoNImadYdf_vtaacmcNvBzVpEfA0kCHEnnsW4_BMS54tPDHPucz4ecNknMuQ3/w480-h640/2634457D-E398-4383-8220-FC9D9F418916.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">This treat began as a beverage known as a "Transfusion". I found the recipe on <i>Southern Living's </i>Instagram account. Apparently it is very popular on golf courses during the hot southern summers because it is so cool and refreshing. I liked it because of the simple ingredients and the red color. </span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl22QinFcN0pSVje2UC9sCAm2iO4zh-eWbbqFDuVjbV9hEVHDdK2sje6QmYj220fMQCh8TKENhqIIpajfJqwWpOdY5Q3T70CaTwUmYk-PJxKkYaHvNCOqKii5vk6OpnlkczL59VOldXvtG6EL7plCXcga2aNQ6IEiRbHWTu5pPDxNzELm-5840Bn02/s4032/DE5251B8-1756-4B3D-B7D6-02B8B3D8F430.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl22QinFcN0pSVje2UC9sCAm2iO4zh-eWbbqFDuVjbV9hEVHDdK2sje6QmYj220fMQCh8TKENhqIIpajfJqwWpOdY5Q3T70CaTwUmYk-PJxKkYaHvNCOqKii5vk6OpnlkczL59VOldXvtG6EL7plCXcga2aNQ6IEiRbHWTu5pPDxNzELm-5840Bn02/w480-h640/DE5251B8-1756-4B3D-B7D6-02B8B3D8F430.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Let me explain. I am a Darth Vader fan. I know! Spare me the arguments- I understand that he is evil and all of that, but there it is. The red color of this cocktail reminds me of the bright red used by the Dark Side that is such an interesting element of set design throughout the movies. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">But I must go back and explain this picture a little more. I was working on a gift basket for a Star Wars fan. It included a cocktail recipe book, a liquor store gift card and a couple of bar accessories. You know me, that wasn't enough. So I went to my craft room to see what I could come up with. </span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjswi6q8XAePKbY668KecAVg-veQFrWLugXyfXVil1LBEuPSoL7ZXhITg9C88MU69qHrfgwRcJZsTVPu1VNPQ-arc4dNl_XxQYaeehp2Lyc3s3ZG6qN9sFjgZGAaTHaBqz7EnEjFGFoCo8SvXOaI9-6_njNEodGBN2qmo3GQvoQerXNwUmWmsjnh-ID/s4032/C72AE8B5-1C70-4671-BA3B-2DA5EF7A9ADE.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjswi6q8XAePKbY668KecAVg-veQFrWLugXyfXVil1LBEuPSoL7ZXhITg9C88MU69qHrfgwRcJZsTVPu1VNPQ-arc4dNl_XxQYaeehp2Lyc3s3ZG6qN9sFjgZGAaTHaBqz7EnEjFGFoCo8SvXOaI9-6_njNEodGBN2qmo3GQvoQerXNwUmWmsjnh-ID/w480-h640/C72AE8B5-1C70-4671-BA3B-2DA5EF7A9ADE.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I found some heat transfer vinyl leftover from wedding crafts and a package of black cocktail paper napkins. </span></div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg29Oa7TTGex8Dwgtq8hmDj_rt6RQJnnK4Br68Ep8ZZaJeUfK6-7WPal0NxyO2WshcTCjywI15Bh7M_vUkcb5wwDXQiiwKSqSFrMFlXXSLfBUTJkZqdKBJkaaKzWBYG43icaMfFsjz0suUz0LNQOY5fHZ1lNZKVHMO6E6uMQ9pf_0qOzRmqcvF2PhdW/s4032/D621996B-A108-4862-A31B-CCE506F86D43.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg29Oa7TTGex8Dwgtq8hmDj_rt6RQJnnK4Br68Ep8ZZaJeUfK6-7WPal0NxyO2WshcTCjywI15Bh7M_vUkcb5wwDXQiiwKSqSFrMFlXXSLfBUTJkZqdKBJkaaKzWBYG43icaMfFsjz0suUz0LNQOY5fHZ1lNZKVHMO6E6uMQ9pf_0qOzRmqcvF2PhdW/w480-h640/D621996B-A108-4862-A31B-CCE506F86D43.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica;">After downloading the Jedi and Sith symbols from Cricut Design Space, I cut the images in this special vinyl and ironed it onto the napkins with my Cricut Mini Press. I am hooked! Now I need to personalize napkins for every occasion! </span><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;">But again, you know me! I can't just stop there! </span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit00SBCbezEfnbpxGpzFWcCiCkS9uNVaU7vfbFQkNNmnZU9wjlbojTFJbxmQYvM0t5or0_VvpPXgkkLawqJwO_UFf3i2lh8REYzzUb6MY78jR_FWe25o204JAiQFRusaiy4t2kGSiW6EJfFRH-RATBe00HttRPY3YrkZQHEs-wV6sH8JRgctjIc69E/s4032/F75BC7C7-929F-4665-9A82-FE5184DEDBC1.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit00SBCbezEfnbpxGpzFWcCiCkS9uNVaU7vfbFQkNNmnZU9wjlbojTFJbxmQYvM0t5or0_VvpPXgkkLawqJwO_UFf3i2lh8REYzzUb6MY78jR_FWe25o204JAiQFRusaiy4t2kGSiW6EJfFRH-RATBe00HttRPY3YrkZQHEs-wV6sH8JRgctjIc69E/w480-h640/F75BC7C7-929F-4665-9A82-FE5184DEDBC1.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Wandering down the aisles of my local Target, as I do way too frequently, I found these dark high ball glasses. Perfect! I etched the Sith symbol in one and the Jedi symbol in the other (I forgot to photograph the Jedi one before I gifted it! I kept a Dark Side just for me!). When I etched the Sith symbol, I liked the way the black vinyl stencil added a highlight so I left it! I think it added a cool dimension. I heated the vinyl with a hair dryer to help with adhesion.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;">So, back to the cocktail. Here is a super simple recipe for a really refreshing drink, adapted for a dark lord to sip. I did make some changes from the original recipe. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><b>Dark Side Transfusion Cocktail</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Ice</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">3 oz. Vodka</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">1 1/2 oz. (1 shot) Cranberry Juice (I used Diet)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Juice of 1/2 lime</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Ginger Ale (Again, I used Diet)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Fill highball glass with ice. Add juices and vodka. Top with Ginger Ale. Stir. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I created a "mocktail" version which is just as tasty and refreshing. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7A3OLGkk0Tg_g4B7QDsm9kvRldXI_6zaCDLKFfkvxvIqCCUkX1Gsd1ftlXR4jynDjeLovL0XgNptgKQBeqYG8Q7KtCuACiqR6F1NoakAh9pLmm6bGaKmHU1AZM_Q7oH4FssZ3mzsxVTmQfi9oWC9GBiogIZqxcNneOuGsBpIdSM0dABWOU2GZJu_T/s4032/B1150603-D9F2-425D-A897-A07A024D1C29.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7A3OLGkk0Tg_g4B7QDsm9kvRldXI_6zaCDLKFfkvxvIqCCUkX1Gsd1ftlXR4jynDjeLovL0XgNptgKQBeqYG8Q7KtCuACiqR6F1NoakAh9pLmm6bGaKmHU1AZM_Q7oH4FssZ3mzsxVTmQfi9oWC9GBiogIZqxcNneOuGsBpIdSM0dABWOU2GZJu_T/w480-h640/B1150603-D9F2-425D-A897-A07A024D1C29.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><span style="text-align: left;"><div style="font-family: helvetica; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: helvetica; text-align: center;"><b>Mock Transfusion</b></div><div style="font-family: helvetica; text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="font-family: helvetica; text-align: center;">Ice</div><div style="font-family: helvetica; text-align: center;">3 oz. Cranberry Juice</div><div style="font-family: helvetica; text-align: center;">Juice of 1/2 lime</div><div style="font-family: helvetica; text-align: center;">Ginger Ale</div><div style="font-family: helvetica; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: helvetica; text-align: center;">Fill glass with ice. Add juices. Top with Ginger Ale. </div><div style="font-family: helvetica; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: helvetica; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFM5HLUj5Pu3te7rDgoK8dEYDEGk-bIJ-ECyPFEkyTtiNOzIZahCntHgTGEHySnzSDV3kh_tL8_ZNlMIHpn5waDI4JiG9v0fNsly7YMb-WRV2gEfFex0he6VxEvJmrahltddGwpFGZcvE6YUAjHx0DWHUjHMyAiwtpfPAijljVEpjuhxzQkqrWoHds/s4032/52456B39-BE8F-46A5-936A-4722D03887AB.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFM5HLUj5Pu3te7rDgoK8dEYDEGk-bIJ-ECyPFEkyTtiNOzIZahCntHgTGEHySnzSDV3kh_tL8_ZNlMIHpn5waDI4JiG9v0fNsly7YMb-WRV2gEfFex0he6VxEvJmrahltddGwpFGZcvE6YUAjHx0DWHUjHMyAiwtpfPAijljVEpjuhxzQkqrWoHds/w480-h640/52456B39-BE8F-46A5-936A-4722D03887AB.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div style="font-family: helvetica; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: helvetica; text-align: left;">Now, I filled my glass with Darth Vader shaped ice. This was from a silicon mold that I have used for chocolate candies in the past. A fun little "extra". </div><div style="font-family: helvetica; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: helvetica; text-align: left;">So there we are. A couple of quick, easy and refreshing beverages to enjoy while watching a favorite movie, playing golf or just enjoying a summer day! Cheers! (Or should I say- "May the Force be with you!). </div><div style="font-family: helvetica; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: helvetica; text-align: left;">Thanks for stopping by today! </div><div style="font-family: helvetica; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Lobster; font-size: large;">Cynthia</span></div><div style="font-family: helvetica; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: helvetica; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: helvetica; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: helvetica; text-align: center;"><b> </b></div></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> </span></p></div>Cynthiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17511826172600500845noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8841926879721095715.post-44205458690897917692022-06-14T16:57:00.004-07:002022-06-14T16:58:04.383-07:00A Berry Good Cocktail<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhByMgU-4rOmieZDPmfXnt_z0Mz2rLk24zVx_tq3nn58z6ULTczUDgQCeMPmd7XpCk3o2gp4GJqxpCcqAGmWeilu7gsmbhv9K7_3ncEAFHpYMo4iUwSlYywP-aYcwweNSL2IT649MKWpykZsgy6iDodjXPR79SW219Cq9WLsQdBRY4-drKHEUxpkpjg/s3249/1EA69D9B-F0D4-4842-B30F-593361AB6A58.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3249" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhByMgU-4rOmieZDPmfXnt_z0Mz2rLk24zVx_tq3nn58z6ULTczUDgQCeMPmd7XpCk3o2gp4GJqxpCcqAGmWeilu7gsmbhv9K7_3ncEAFHpYMo4iUwSlYywP-aYcwweNSL2IT649MKWpykZsgy6iDodjXPR79SW219Cq9WLsQdBRY4-drKHEUxpkpjg/w596-h640/1EA69D9B-F0D4-4842-B30F-593361AB6A58.jpeg" width="596" /></a></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">You may remember that a couple of weeks ago, I talked about my appreciation for strawberry season and my morning walks to the fields from my home. I have enjoyed so many berry treats recently, including the basic shortcake (yes, I purchased the cups from the grocery store!) and angel food cake (again, purchased from the grocery store!) And of course, a cocktail! </span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje5P7mhvsw4Q5LfAt0N-jNGbWBlQhTcZ6Q-K7IDCOZtKbcMH6BymH3e9g2A1eshAhxInC8jJVGSWUtM5QhOuVNWE16H2ujwtOf63MSHgoalPZuIXeaMO7eQMJ2ETpStHm0hWDRTnzWl4xO5Y9i-pC2_YJm7t7AOQLxlDGsyajhy2r1oI6sj7PB_tqb/s4032/3036CFD9-8C7E-46B2-B097-1E61B045D289.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje5P7mhvsw4Q5LfAt0N-jNGbWBlQhTcZ6Q-K7IDCOZtKbcMH6BymH3e9g2A1eshAhxInC8jJVGSWUtM5QhOuVNWE16H2ujwtOf63MSHgoalPZuIXeaMO7eQMJ2ETpStHm0hWDRTnzWl4xO5Y9i-pC2_YJm7t7AOQLxlDGsyajhy2r1oI6sj7PB_tqb/w480-h640/3036CFD9-8C7E-46B2-B097-1E61B045D289.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">It has been so long since I posted a cocktail recipe and this is a sweet beverage that is perfect for this time of year! I just enjoyed it poolside, but this would be perfect for a springtime brunch bridal shower or ladies lunch. I gathered a couple of recipes from the internet and combined them and added a little bit of this and took out some of that and here is what I came up with. </span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">FIZZY STRAWBERRY COCKTAIL</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">First Make a Puree':</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: helvetica;">2 Cups Strawberries cut in half and hulled (see below)</span></li><li><span style="font-family: helvetica;">2 TBSPN Sugar</span></li><li><span style="font-family: helvetica;">1/2 tsp lemon juice (I used freshly squeezed, but you can use bottled) </span></li></ul><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Mix these items in a blender and mix on the puree' setting for one minute, scrape the sides with a rubber spatula and then puree' for one more minute or so until smooth.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWqV2EdBYl0k8OTji4V85V9-S6y9X9RkHln9m0LWmN-K13LN7sZYHqa6rNUNgFljTcFTG0FEDKKO6FLxyrqyDQVeimf-6fJpMrmeuTPZ6MXBYzZHmkKr6LHnaU8qmhUk8ecpFLI3ohaf-dEJL5iwGv-QMFuMryI9G27Qb3So0zIdKFnSXkvU_HtPIk/s4032/3383094C-4427-4A8A-95B6-EA9D534199B0.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWqV2EdBYl0k8OTji4V85V9-S6y9X9RkHln9m0LWmN-K13LN7sZYHqa6rNUNgFljTcFTG0FEDKKO6FLxyrqyDQVeimf-6fJpMrmeuTPZ6MXBYzZHmkKr6LHnaU8qmhUk8ecpFLI3ohaf-dEJL5iwGv-QMFuMryI9G27Qb3So0zIdKFnSXkvU_HtPIk/w480-h640/3383094C-4427-4A8A-95B6-EA9D534199B0.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Then add 3 tablespoons of this mixture to the following: </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: helvetica;">1/2 cup prosecco or sparking wine (I used Sparkling Rose' for the pink color) </span></li><li><span style="font-family: helvetica;">1/2 TBSPN lime juice (again, fresh or bottled)</span></li><li><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Ice (You can strain the ice out or leave it in the glass)</span></li></ul><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;">This is a very "to taste" recipe, you can choose your own sparkling wine, or even champagne! Add more or less lime juice and even add blueberries, sliced limes or lemons. You could make it a mocktail by mixing it with lemon-lime soda or a sparkling water instead of wine. </span><span style="font-family: helvetica;">The leftover puree' can be drizzled over pound cake or ice cream. Just be sure to refrigerate the leftovers (if there are any). I wish I could tell you how long it will keep, but it doesn't last that long at my house! </span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;">If you do not know how to "hull" a strawberry just stick a plastic drink straw through the bottom of the strawberry pushing the leaves and hull through the top. Super easy, especially with smaller strawberries!</span></div><div><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Strawberry season is coming to an end in my area. I am really going to miss the sweet berries from this field, and the nice morning walks to the farm, but as soon as this season is over, they plant the pumpkin seeds in the adjacent fields. Fall morning walks include looking at a great variety of beautiful pumpkins and resisting just one more pumpkin to my décor! </span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLas37EQrHoVg2hkXical7nnM3jflYZYKm6OV5_iyXiH9eF1p63_r2b-rUc0921RaDoWyC3Pv9fPI92aFwbVGxU5V-t4CQ9GQUuEAk3Ky1D9Md88hbk5hfB5Snvo5Ad2Jotu3G9bfMQbzVV_XeJX3RShG_kISZRb5g2mDvMA2VTpeF2O9wQC3QelfU/s4032/F36CA56E-FBA0-4C7C-8035-24928D59597A.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLas37EQrHoVg2hkXical7nnM3jflYZYKm6OV5_iyXiH9eF1p63_r2b-rUc0921RaDoWyC3Pv9fPI92aFwbVGxU5V-t4CQ9GQUuEAk3Ky1D9Md88hbk5hfB5Snvo5Ad2Jotu3G9bfMQbzVV_XeJX3RShG_kISZRb5g2mDvMA2VTpeF2O9wQC3QelfU/w480-h640/F36CA56E-FBA0-4C7C-8035-24928D59597A.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I hope you have a "berry good" day! (Okay- the end of strawberry season is an end to the "berry" jokes. Probably....)</span></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Thanks for stopping by! </span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Lobster; font-size: large;">Cynthia</span></div><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> </span></p>Cynthiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17511826172600500845noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8841926879721095715.post-83477606469852223882022-06-03T12:52:00.001-07:002022-06-03T12:52:10.820-07:00Reflections on Memorial Day- What I am Reading<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZBL5LJbGW94Kv_ToRZ7eO2cmvQehuu-MeYorIJ51sSD8O-KJ9uP-5PiVHfWNaawsrTFn7HRBLQSGwUTwBagqZXR4J5zkH15SrabkBkY2gP6nB6TcCRgzauUAgq4mCb20NKW3-bnFALX4knBJeOdQfCBwXROgK8chglaPw_WD4TUQeGmX9uk6DnPix/s2904/4A863988-CD4F-4846-A1BA-6A8C0EB3EFAC.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2904" data-original-width="2827" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZBL5LJbGW94Kv_ToRZ7eO2cmvQehuu-MeYorIJ51sSD8O-KJ9uP-5PiVHfWNaawsrTFn7HRBLQSGwUTwBagqZXR4J5zkH15SrabkBkY2gP6nB6TcCRgzauUAgq4mCb20NKW3-bnFALX4knBJeOdQfCBwXROgK8chglaPw_WD4TUQeGmX9uk6DnPix/w624-h640/4A863988-CD4F-4846-A1BA-6A8C0EB3EFAC.jpeg" width="624" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">As you may know, I have lived my entire life in a military town. I live near the world's largest naval base. With fifteen military installations in the region, there are more than 82,000 local active duty military personnel in my area and each year more than 14,000 former military members transition into the civilian workforce from this area. (<a href="https://hamptonroadsalliance.com/military/#:~:text=Hampton%20Roads%20is%20known%20around,forces%20in%20the%20United%20States.">Source</a>) Neighbors, friends and colleagues are military or retired. Many of my students have served or are currently in the military. Each of these men and women are heroes and they inspire me daily. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">We have a tendency to wait until Memorial Day or Veteran's Day to acknowledge their service and their sacrifice and then go on our merry way for the rest of the year not even thinking of those who are providing the freedom for us to do so. That is only natural and that is what they are fighting to protect. But I encourage you to thank a service member or veteran, volunteer at an organization to assist them, patronize a Veteran owned business or donate to help provide them with services that they need or that will make their life better. Do not wait until that holiday or a tragedy to appreciate their service. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Last week a friend gifted me a book about a young man who volunteered to fight in World War II. I began reading the book as the nation celebrated Memorial Day with vacations and sales. (Again, I am not disparaging that!) He was local, lived not too far from where I live now and I know a member of his family. He returned home after the war to have an amazing life. The book really put a different, dare I say personal, perspective on history for me. I have not yet finished the book- I want to give it the time and attention it deserves, but it has put another layer of respect that I have towards the "Greatest Generation" (the title of another great book by the way!). </span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj2BvBDOKaIYbgLneb4PNpAlryFnlJZSYbGlbGHzLGh2FIk2qQAGrD1yzx_vDWGr3yIBHPtR1wUqW86x2LOWGK3uiwkYqhl56yJKYgdKLPXLQSH7QvGXMe4d2Wd9vXq13BEjjaVNAiNfLcfuAa9QSRrDXAYA5y20HMfLG7rI76xMU8YWwAjm0gUqH6/s4032/EAA44F66-3580-4306-8FD4-600FF0D236B3.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj2BvBDOKaIYbgLneb4PNpAlryFnlJZSYbGlbGHzLGh2FIk2qQAGrD1yzx_vDWGr3yIBHPtR1wUqW86x2LOWGK3uiwkYqhl56yJKYgdKLPXLQSH7QvGXMe4d2Wd9vXq13BEjjaVNAiNfLcfuAa9QSRrDXAYA5y20HMfLG7rI76xMU8YWwAjm0gUqH6/w480-h640/EAA44F66-3580-4306-8FD4-600FF0D236B3.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">These young men, much younger than my own children are now, volunteered to protect our country right after Pearl Harbor. As I read through the book and learn about the amazing things that they were able to do and the horrible things that they saw and lived through, I have a new appreciation for these heroes and others who have sacrificed so much, but never bragged about their accomplishments or whined about their troubles. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">And why did we not learn more about this in our high school history classes? Perhaps if we had.... </span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">But I do not want to be political or compose a lecture- that is not the purpose of this blog! I just want to express my appreciation for those who serve and who have served and on Memorial Day, especially those who gave all for our country. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">And you know there needs to be a craft involved! </span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I made the sign at the top of the blog this year as a gentle reminder of why we were off of work and cooking out that day. (You can see previous decorations <a href="https://gardeniasandglitter.blogspot.com/2016/05/happy-memorial-day.html">here</a> and <a href="https://gardeniasandglitter.blogspot.com/2020/06/a-start-of-summer-tablescape.html">here</a>). It will be part of a tablescape later this summer, along with the lighthouse below. Stay tuned!</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQl-InlyE8TR9UXEC3_-gg3Nv8J0joPgV5c0VHhCFhWVQPAtJghH13djT-_0eTPVyjNgRAzEYcoKgsc0NEm8G69uth9A6Oh6MZTP4VoxygS2P-rnFqRKEUWh3Pi_jGlmiNpYQwcw_oXXaKvnVyG3_IlmQ6PCV__USKxdsEIwZTkQpgRHoun_0JxeaS/s640/lighthouse.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="415" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQl-InlyE8TR9UXEC3_-gg3Nv8J0joPgV5c0VHhCFhWVQPAtJghH13djT-_0eTPVyjNgRAzEYcoKgsc0NEm8G69uth9A6Oh6MZTP4VoxygS2P-rnFqRKEUWh3Pi_jGlmiNpYQwcw_oXXaKvnVyG3_IlmQ6PCV__USKxdsEIwZTkQpgRHoun_0JxeaS/w416-h640/lighthouse.jpg" width="416" /></a></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">The sign was cut out of basswood on my Cricut; it is just a rounded corner square from the shapes link, painted white. The phrase is straight out of Design Space and cut from vinyl. I added the border and the stars. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">As you can see, our pool is open and looking very cool on these HOT first days of "summer". </span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">And yes, I am late with this post (and is that really a surprise!?). I struggled with the right way to express my thoughts (and I am still not quite sure that I have it right!). As I grow older and move into a different phase of my life I am focusing more on appreciation (you may have noticed a little of that from my last <a href="https://gardeniasandglitter.blogspot.com/2022/05/so-berry-grateful.html">post</a>. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">So, if you are in the military or have served or if you are a family member of current or past member of the armed forces (yes, I know that you serve too!), I thank you for all you have done for me, this country and our freedom! </span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I hope that everyone enjoyed their Memorial Day weekend and are ready for a big summer of celebration and fun! </span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Thanks for stopping by today! </span></p><p><span style="font-family: Lobster; font-size: medium;">Cynthia</span></p><br /><p></p>Cynthiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17511826172600500845noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8841926879721095715.post-26258061641945076342022-05-23T16:57:00.001-07:002022-05-23T16:57:05.714-07:00So “Berry” Grateful!<p> <span style="font-family: helvetica;">One of my favorite things to do this spring has been to take a ten minute walk to a local farm to purchase fresh strawberries. I go early in the morning, while it is still cool and quiet and begin my day with a sweet treat. I am so thankful for this special time before I begin my work day and get back to what has been a very busy time in my life. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">These special walks have given me time to meditate and to concentrate on the joys of this time, and there are many. If you have been with me for a while you know how I love to celebrate all of the occasions in my life- big and small. And there have been so many recently! Since March, we have been in birthday season and we have had nine(!) birthdays in my family, along with Easter and Mother’s Day. I love to celebrate each of these family members and be thankful for the blessings they are to the rest of us. And one of those birthdays is mine!<br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwq8n2fBTV-WDvf5H3UJNgOkRQzpFjE2eoiY5DSC8e8D2r87n5Fah9f4ktBLZs0-kv0yyhq_97HWYj5o_8CWGXjEHQkKmaEJkMGlkOgOK26yz-uqrKZK_j5M9-FrkvdOugSzoGqDgdFj6N3ee4vlXS6ZLeTPixjthSr4XVVW0DkTnPeEARzDcYqwY4/s2787/BF3BCE8C-2E97-468F-8E6E-FDE2DA07EC38.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2787" data-original-width="2295" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwq8n2fBTV-WDvf5H3UJNgOkRQzpFjE2eoiY5DSC8e8D2r87n5Fah9f4ktBLZs0-kv0yyhq_97HWYj5o_8CWGXjEHQkKmaEJkMGlkOgOK26yz-uqrKZK_j5M9-FrkvdOugSzoGqDgdFj6N3ee4vlXS6ZLeTPixjthSr4XVVW0DkTnPeEARzDcYqwY4/w528-h640/BF3BCE8C-2E97-468F-8E6E-FDE2DA07EC38.jpeg" width="528" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Each of these occasions has also gifted me with an excuse to spend time in my craft room designing a card, gift or party décor for a special person. This card I designed as a thank you note for the wonderful gifts I received for my birthday. I got the inspiration as I was enjoying the fruits of those early morning walks. The inside message says “You are ‘berry’ sweet!” (There is no end to these strawberry puns!) I put it together using cuts from Cricut Design Space.</span><div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;">One of the first dates in this “birthday season” is my husband’s special day. He is an avid music fan and a musician in his own right. He recently bought himself a new guitar which has become his favorite. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0KkixwVZ7rZMMSnGkJorfU4QKcV-a0aIqrJRwMoiCZ3cbDSoIW9EExg8jhQar0rjDHMTz7mW5h2La31IzkVlPj1JQlZ9L0LnBY-m8aZKurpdBoL1Lgxj_3ILlDQVmDh2Hrd6dqNLXxJho3KecvHnSJbqmi2bth6xItnuoOPS_NNmaC0bTGSStM8ZH/s4032/34AE9B8A-0BC2-4572-88A5-38778192F5A9.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0KkixwVZ7rZMMSnGkJorfU4QKcV-a0aIqrJRwMoiCZ3cbDSoIW9EExg8jhQar0rjDHMTz7mW5h2La31IzkVlPj1JQlZ9L0LnBY-m8aZKurpdBoL1Lgxj_3ILlDQVmDh2Hrd6dqNLXxJho3KecvHnSJbqmi2bth6xItnuoOPS_NNmaC0bTGSStM8ZH/w480-h640/34AE9B8A-0BC2-4572-88A5-38778192F5A9.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><br /></span><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Armed with a picture of the guitar I headed to my local craft store to choose the proper color paper for the cake topper and card. I may have been a little obsessive when I went back with a paper sample to pick the right shade of vinyl to cut the greetings! </span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivEpMBAUBhWASkJE26nWI0S8Q-soz7zrSuqKlYKbTOzNyOOnbYBsPDSj04stx2C6r70xjTafbpAwJdxi1C6Hv_9EPjBeTfYe5TG8vC82b-eUBgmVtCNR0SCkfq0RfJfrgiLZ-jb2c6pIkhDZMcJiYPxMVQV2lbhVPdkXzN1X6pn5Vfbb3zdKQdmMwB/s1795/FA823A8A-654A-4A66-B8D1-BCB2C4C1197E.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1795" data-original-width="1440" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivEpMBAUBhWASkJE26nWI0S8Q-soz7zrSuqKlYKbTOzNyOOnbYBsPDSj04stx2C6r70xjTafbpAwJdxi1C6Hv_9EPjBeTfYe5TG8vC82b-eUBgmVtCNR0SCkfq0RfJfrgiLZ-jb2c6pIkhDZMcJiYPxMVQV2lbhVPdkXzN1X6pn5Vfbb3zdKQdmMwB/w514-h640/FA823A8A-654A-4A66-B8D1-BCB2C4C1197E.jpeg" width="514" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;">The guitar is cut from Design Space with a great deal of customization to match the guitar as much as possible. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi42hYSXSKVEVzOoi-de6XAFxoBcLzu3iXTxP0W880dUWylGZEWCYRcOEI8mxkHS5bRmiTcv-P1rwXQCHBVEncrVvoEV9hR1eqGjYgptq0JY64U3b2k1HsXW-JrgVqmgPqCJizvZINKWa4QXIAbmcSkeOJnmqgYpBKh7VN9PfWX4UTNEkxn-RU5xoUm/s4032/04ACA23F-A4C3-4E59-9A2C-C47B2FA13368.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="1475" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi42hYSXSKVEVzOoi-de6XAFxoBcLzu3iXTxP0W880dUWylGZEWCYRcOEI8mxkHS5bRmiTcv-P1rwXQCHBVEncrVvoEV9hR1eqGjYgptq0JY64U3b2k1HsXW-JrgVqmgPqCJizvZINKWa4QXIAbmcSkeOJnmqgYpBKh7VN9PfWX4UTNEkxn-RU5xoUm/w234-h640/04ACA23F-A4C3-4E59-9A2C-C47B2FA13368.jpeg" width="234" /></a></div><br />I matched it fairly well if I do say so myself!</span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSxdIWXhZjIeX6Sv4NHa7974IHxYiellceCgyN81Vi4w_aEGg0fg3bxFHdbsg-cHDhFLT2V7_rUp0CF5ixc_MeEJmQ-gZYzO1XPcszyBrVO543KqgKrT9mbKpKPHSP-XCFuyYhFhw4K05-YKEOWaJjIwzFBSSQB5jpzpXvRwcHx7vBva--0-l0ltdO/s4032/553E13CA-0BF3-4B03-85BF-8DF588BB8BA9.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSxdIWXhZjIeX6Sv4NHa7974IHxYiellceCgyN81Vi4w_aEGg0fg3bxFHdbsg-cHDhFLT2V7_rUp0CF5ixc_MeEJmQ-gZYzO1XPcszyBrVO543KqgKrT9mbKpKPHSP-XCFuyYhFhw4K05-YKEOWaJjIwzFBSSQB5jpzpXvRwcHx7vBva--0-l0ltdO/w480-h640/553E13CA-0BF3-4B03-85BF-8DF588BB8BA9.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica;">This cut has become my go to birthday card this year. It is from <i>Simply Crafty SVGs </i>and I have adapted it to add number candles for special birthdays.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt7zRvXQQP8DfK3_9DXS1TbKh89o2L-1cVb73FwVknBuy2M8FYqScCOhlSeNYZBM_BJRPI4W6V4UUOmCKcVMAQ6fbSmHbbP9IN5JsNT23jG9r3mQdfABm9wRlsq7fNNqiIF1wCDhUP9r0_rRysYDECtObKMf9shnk2R_hofW-ugMPJpRipEIdeb9lY/s3166/E8F150C5-3C00-463D-B993-22F82BDB5FEE.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3166" data-original-width="2387" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt7zRvXQQP8DfK3_9DXS1TbKh89o2L-1cVb73FwVknBuy2M8FYqScCOhlSeNYZBM_BJRPI4W6V4UUOmCKcVMAQ6fbSmHbbP9IN5JsNT23jG9r3mQdfABm9wRlsq7fNNqiIF1wCDhUP9r0_rRysYDECtObKMf9shnk2R_hofW-ugMPJpRipEIdeb9lY/w482-h640/E8F150C5-3C00-463D-B993-22F82BDB5FEE.jpeg" width="482" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Of which there have been a few! </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsPDfmimIl23_K0MApksTge1vqVL0PtGB2XEdjzf4D501Y8vG362yOzaV9SHVVTFNjRzByhI0jPoBqPAvCyz7pcSq9V-EMgfoPBA0bvmV4OWrY9-b7t1jEw4fn-uSIPSG5Q5p8YlQ87c6IhJfSP2jlDY9UEVG1PhWTEmIo7xNYJaEBV5bEf378C_II/s2797/5F392DE7-DB5C-4B0E-AE39-A9958E975F2D.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2797" data-original-width="1880" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsPDfmimIl23_K0MApksTge1vqVL0PtGB2XEdjzf4D501Y8vG362yOzaV9SHVVTFNjRzByhI0jPoBqPAvCyz7pcSq9V-EMgfoPBA0bvmV4OWrY9-b7t1jEw4fn-uSIPSG5Q5p8YlQ87c6IhJfSP2jlDY9UEVG1PhWTEmIo7xNYJaEBV5bEf378C_II/w430-h640/5F392DE7-DB5C-4B0E-AE39-A9958E975F2D.jpeg" width="430" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">There are several <i>Star Wars </i>fans in my family. We all enjoyed the mini-series <i>Boba Fett</i> so I had to make this one. This cut is from Design Space. </div></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsS7MEUo-drT2hQTxOMN2yNIIWPM-pa9biQfD0CXszvQhk0YaaKigzYbBILvRULeWNR9-L_HR0kIMkgNlOTxEsfBZ8oNet-O5E0AuYj9omBdvJBJ4GuORktg6CN9DhLBfMChk6LwMDI2LkD5BLJCWArANyRw4UKPnYNZ_MEYNnw8OJ9uXh3VkjudLQ/s2024/5CCB9DFB-614B-410C-A16D-9E15D668ACAB.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2024" data-original-width="1602" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsS7MEUo-drT2hQTxOMN2yNIIWPM-pa9biQfD0CXszvQhk0YaaKigzYbBILvRULeWNR9-L_HR0kIMkgNlOTxEsfBZ8oNet-O5E0AuYj9omBdvJBJ4GuORktg6CN9DhLBfMChk6LwMDI2LkD5BLJCWArANyRw4UKPnYNZ_MEYNnw8OJ9uXh3VkjudLQ/w506-h640/5CCB9DFB-614B-410C-A16D-9E15D668ACAB.jpeg" width="506" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">And you know I can’t resist a pun! </span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikASjnTiZlTHm4aDhfiVhCct3SsW7WdqYxFISNLXue5qVU_SUM3pKOIamlNL4I59-nb5Th2OlY5qeU-3rfML5fNuSae2Hy4e68L6bHs70PZed8XcB67bbdHMLX5dDY0GI4dAKl4gbCQSbZd1O42FQpFVQ5K_tr-OGL6SLBHKIQQi9Q16j_nrHPcGjp/s4032/13443F67-E206-415F-BB1A-0BEBCA1CF05C.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikASjnTiZlTHm4aDhfiVhCct3SsW7WdqYxFISNLXue5qVU_SUM3pKOIamlNL4I59-nb5Th2OlY5qeU-3rfML5fNuSae2Hy4e68L6bHs70PZed8XcB67bbdHMLX5dDY0GI4dAKl4gbCQSbZd1O42FQpFVQ5K_tr-OGL6SLBHKIQQi9Q16j_nrHPcGjp/w480-h640/13443F67-E206-415F-BB1A-0BEBCA1CF05C.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Of course, there was also Mother’s Day. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnL5ol6glULNQjN_c6RP71qhUZNmk5pMnpPzeGIf1yAtpEiAr3SEGE5wizqoQ2zzK3JOI4jW6wB1BLrkMge-55Z60e1cMCUJ_3epEK2kYET0qJZ-yksPLBFjP6HB95zTJeoa3ZUjyfEH0v39yR8hiOr08zTP6qHNIRQm-x7ftbkyKXhZjUaYmd6qzM/s4032/A27D5B71-807D-4E84-8478-93EB93ACF3FA.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnL5ol6glULNQjN_c6RP71qhUZNmk5pMnpPzeGIf1yAtpEiAr3SEGE5wizqoQ2zzK3JOI4jW6wB1BLrkMge-55Z60e1cMCUJ_3epEK2kYET0qJZ-yksPLBFjP6HB95zTJeoa3ZUjyfEH0v39yR8hiOr08zTP6qHNIRQm-x7ftbkyKXhZjUaYmd6qzM/w640-h480/A27D5B71-807D-4E84-8478-93EB93ACF3FA.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica;">This sweet card was a free cut from <a href="https://3dsvg.com/category-free-svg-files">Dreaming Tree SVGs</a>.<br /><br /></span><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">So many occasions yet to come! Can it possibly be time for Memorial Day Weekend already? More birthdays, Independence Day, our anniversary.... so many good times to celebrate yet to come! </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">And so many more reasons to be "berry grateful". </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Thanks for stopping by today! </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Lobster; font-size: large;">Cynthia</span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> </span></div><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span><p></p><p><br /></p></div></div></div>Cynthiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17511826172600500845noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8841926879721095715.post-87162047852112081212022-02-20T16:48:00.002-08:002022-02-20T16:57:35.326-08:00Time Flies- In More Ways than One! <p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /> <span style="font-family: helvetica;">Once again I have neglected my blog and we have passed so many holidays and good times. I will catch up one day, but in the meantime, I want to share my latest special occasion. </span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">My baby girl, my oldest, turns thirty today. We celebrated with the family, including her fiancé, last weekend, so today has been quiet. Time to think, to prepare for wonderful times ahead, and to look back. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">When you are a young mother everyone tells you to enjoy the time that you have with your baby. That it will pass quickly. You give them an exhausted smile, try to remember the last time that you had a shower or went to the restroom by yourself and find it difficult to imagine that you will ever be alone again. I am here to tell you that you will. And it does pass by quickly, unbelievably so. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">My baby girl has earned her master’s degree, is planning a wedding (she was engaged right before the pandemic and delayed her wedding until it could be done safely) and has a brilliant future before her. I am so proud of the amazing woman that she is and the wonderful girl she has always been. On a day like today all of the wonderful celebrations and little difficulties swim through your mind and you can’t believe how time flies and you wonder where it went. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">There have been (and will be!) a lot of celebrations (she has always been my partner in celebrating and in silliness!). Let me share a little bit of this one with you. </span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhyr4ybhf8scKOdOL9f0ffLMMyrE672SO4hhe6rJDMjBzyZnGjjQZb_pqV2oP4PWjzVS_xY6HLr8RjqvAi0H2O0hn5OQNtli7gS5BRf3hGTIsRpvzOE3aCln5V8z2TyH11R983bu1s66meC7SyNs_OShuA5idYC-0W--MmrmMLpX20XMgVWo5EPHWCI=s4032" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhyr4ybhf8scKOdOL9f0ffLMMyrE672SO4hhe6rJDMjBzyZnGjjQZb_pqV2oP4PWjzVS_xY6HLr8RjqvAi0H2O0hn5OQNtli7gS5BRf3hGTIsRpvzOE3aCln5V8z2TyH11R983bu1s66meC7SyNs_OShuA5idYC-0W--MmrmMLpX20XMgVWo5EPHWCI=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica;">You know that there always has to be a cake! My baking skills got a little rusty over the pandemic and with work obligations I did not get a chance to do a big fancy cake, but I am starting to love the cake topper instead. So long as they do not get icing on them, they can go into scrapbooks or memory boxes- something you cannot do with fondant decorations! My daughter loves to read and to write and is a fan of wonderful teas so this topper seemed so appropriate when I found it on Cricut Design Space. I added vinyl letters to the book to personalize it for her. I am not a fan of the sanding sugar that I decorated the top layer with, but I am having trouble (still) finding supplies that I need. Another reason that the fancy cakes have fallen by the wayside. </span><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEio7y4mpmAHbjYOv720M2x8ihC30-C1zU6rjG2rFeugxvnMzua30lEsfFy7ug8mTipiVVRREma9VOU3N-pP00TFhr9CmZOpuO5yGxzvGIpiCVf7AmhRQXYMiAzPibl5rU_Ejg8SgmKd_y_uXORQis3w5pvM1HkNiQ1OWA8XaPA365vdkg6Lbnt2ZcOG=s1800" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="1440" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEio7y4mpmAHbjYOv720M2x8ihC30-C1zU6rjG2rFeugxvnMzua30lEsfFy7ug8mTipiVVRREma9VOU3N-pP00TFhr9CmZOpuO5yGxzvGIpiCVf7AmhRQXYMiAzPibl5rU_Ejg8SgmKd_y_uXORQis3w5pvM1HkNiQ1OWA8XaPA365vdkg6Lbnt2ZcOG=w512-h640" width="512" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I decorated the table with these cute typewriters that I found on <a href="https://svgcuts.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=78&products_id=743">SVGCuts</a>. They are box cards, but worked perfectly on this table for a future author. The table scatter are stickers made from the same cut as the cake topper above. I love this idea. Instead of going into the trash, the stickers can go home with guests or the birthday girl. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhi8H-7Jr-VeHWHFQe9WX87Rq72z2JUnzkj3uD_rW-t08I2tzeyd5pgshEhqaVDmcwf4BfaasIrfeoLCj1n6fCPFPNuOSHyEjRup3UcHHMGTRaenx2q1Zc5yrGjcN2gfqX6IKp6a3x-0iQxh7LCU8WQsOtgomUvdl3t4lTPqkJeTfpijviL-_rnrxhJ=s4032" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhi8H-7Jr-VeHWHFQe9WX87Rq72z2JUnzkj3uD_rW-t08I2tzeyd5pgshEhqaVDmcwf4BfaasIrfeoLCj1n6fCPFPNuOSHyEjRup3UcHHMGTRaenx2q1Zc5yrGjcN2gfqX6IKp6a3x-0iQxh7LCU8WQsOtgomUvdl3t4lTPqkJeTfpijviL-_rnrxhJ=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></div><br /></span><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgcetZlksYE9j_X_QnVJFGi6lu8NmwL3N-AX7BLw0VxiiS5_jmJNds2BojzHMvvPJHqOLmc9c7FI7FDudjmRU8UiTf1AYllRuAmKWrirC7lbAGnQHEN_h0wKjR7Dh0Vafm9EkW9cvij1LTChJtTMbVFOmtJ-FxnCX6Rih0ZYuG2cFCX1bM0TNQr6P9j=s4032" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgcetZlksYE9j_X_QnVJFGi6lu8NmwL3N-AX7BLw0VxiiS5_jmJNds2BojzHMvvPJHqOLmc9c7FI7FDudjmRU8UiTf1AYllRuAmKWrirC7lbAGnQHEN_h0wKjR7Dh0Vafm9EkW9cvij1LTChJtTMbVFOmtJ-FxnCX6Rih0ZYuG2cFCX1bM0TNQr6P9j=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;">The table runner is made from an old beat up copy of Harry Potter that was loved beyond future reading. My daughter loved the Harry Potter series growing up (still does!) and it was the perfect book to use. Simple to make, I glued pages in an “artful” pattern to make the length and width that I wanted for the table. </span><p></p></div></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgKNabKMsnusLakUWWwyXc5HJ0X9FNs6SbawXqYs7H4uekYXv8yP6j_z29C30dcNFIewiE4F6_OZr9Dros-bYozer2xXZ9pIUQNbfcM4-Z5vscFzG7b3bfS9pS6GBc7r3wFA78p2f8QH4cDn-axZKXZhdM0Q22jrJ33zktqWCdqCtYb7V6VcrA1Wi2I=s4032" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgKNabKMsnusLakUWWwyXc5HJ0X9FNs6SbawXqYs7H4uekYXv8yP6j_z29C30dcNFIewiE4F6_OZr9Dros-bYozer2xXZ9pIUQNbfcM4-Z5vscFzG7b3bfS9pS6GBc7r3wFA78p2f8QH4cDn-axZKXZhdM0Q22jrJ33zktqWCdqCtYb7V6VcrA1Wi2I=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I love this garland! Someone posted something similar on Pinterest for a younger reader and I just had to adapt it for this birthday girl. The pages are actually Chapter 30 from the Harry Potter book! (I can’t wait for the backyard to be in bloom again- soon!) </span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I almost forgot to share- you can’t send your guests home without a treat! I adapted this “book” from a “Simply Crafty SVGs” Valentine cut (removed the heart contour, added a score to give the covers a little more dimension, etc.) </span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiHQeNKK_AQgYohf7POaKl59VAQEIyW7N1WgnsIYDoQZsyEAJD1IYySWtPK1HJ5KHuFSB30KnOJgxMgNwg5YIbUFegdHrfY3uXIKv_WvCJgTVY8jHcw3e-grloudI1OfuTNarx3XKp_D06OCjyU0FfCHODxpkkSnYMH48Dcm00hp-O2DNtSUg9KBpsP=s640" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="528" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiHQeNKK_AQgYohf7POaKl59VAQEIyW7N1WgnsIYDoQZsyEAJD1IYySWtPK1HJ5KHuFSB30KnOJgxMgNwg5YIbUFegdHrfY3uXIKv_WvCJgTVY8jHcw3e-grloudI1OfuTNarx3XKp_D06OCjyU0FfCHODxpkkSnYMH48Dcm00hp-O2DNtSUg9KBpsP=w528-h640" width="528" /></a></div></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;">And when you open the book-</span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg6gu_FKVFHIbaf5y4uTqnvlNCOpR8-EXT92uQ0gYIy9cDwxsyzJ4D1bneGKUl-JbMGYO_0StyiON_HTuM8DysrPyvxDBBTH4y6e7F7Syhl4uxqCq2SIhZSMHOAVXvLxHT6qVN5ph8sWeTGDQroYFioqBwZEOjy7GDfJNSMhYCnK6WY7yvSopO6_0Jp=s1813" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1813" data-original-width="1706" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg6gu_FKVFHIbaf5y4uTqnvlNCOpR8-EXT92uQ0gYIy9cDwxsyzJ4D1bneGKUl-JbMGYO_0StyiON_HTuM8DysrPyvxDBBTH4y6e7F7Syhl4uxqCq2SIhZSMHOAVXvLxHT6qVN5ph8sWeTGDQroYFioqBwZEOjy7GDfJNSMhYCnK6WY7yvSopO6_0Jp=w602-h640" width="602" /></a></div></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Candy! I can see that I will be using this cut for a lot of occasions in the future! </span></div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; text-align: left;">Anyway, now I have become that old mom who says to the young parent- “Enjoy this time- it goes by so quickly!” It does. One day you are proudly showing off that new baby girl to all of your friends and family and the next thing you know you walk by this sign on your way into a wedding dress shop: </span></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjXjUxNKGQHUsbe2fB2WOvGBzoeI0MeyCdx8OMUF1YEnwY9YD9aMt_kbazakAfICbhsJgOOb0Blo22uQbYT1ejfKlWatPrvS_8lflWxcTA_-Z_MZVwBY7AKmrTktAQH4XD-RgsZeisBxSU-krkK5VO-L8yvAyS6NklGU1cPT5VxiqeVE70U8uI8T9H_=s4032" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjXjUxNKGQHUsbe2fB2WOvGBzoeI0MeyCdx8OMUF1YEnwY9YD9aMt_kbazakAfICbhsJgOOb0Blo22uQbYT1ejfKlWatPrvS_8lflWxcTA_-Z_MZVwBY7AKmrTktAQH4XD-RgsZeisBxSU-krkK5VO-L8yvAyS6NklGU1cPT5VxiqeVE70U8uI8T9H_=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;">And it has her name on it. And she looks so happy in her perfect dress! (More on that later!)</span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;">But young parent, it is not the end. You will be blessed to have a relationship that grows and changes and you become even more blessed (and less tired!) as the days go by. I know I have!</span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Thanks for stopping by today! </span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Lobster;">Cynthia</span></div>Cynthiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17511826172600500845noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8841926879721095715.post-3296471808585373532021-12-19T19:26:00.000-08:002021-12-19T19:26:05.453-08:00Christmas Crafting<p><span style="font-family: verdana;">I love my job! I really do! But I also love the holidays and the end of the semester really puts a limit on my free time between Thanksgiving and Christmas. This year more than ever I have had to delay my celebrations, decorating and crafting. But the end is in site and I am warming up the Cricut and preheating the oven!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">First on the list- cards and decorations. Here is a quick look at a super cute tree decoration/party favor that I am working on for Christmas Day.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgr9Jqpl3GYlXKrQCVaO__xv7Xd4FKlacXQKGWsJFKAZobP-0CZcy96wPGmUKz2yc_k836PZ6N-BRTtEtNaY1xreoOmg_VWCdKXl3RBq036KrRl8o9BnOBDXmXsz7jvXT4JsOwqb9X3jwQLbtqqCdImokl8_HkkZeV3pp6W5jTNOaRZLEaRCUHDA-XX=s2982" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2982" data-original-width="1645" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgr9Jqpl3GYlXKrQCVaO__xv7Xd4FKlacXQKGWsJFKAZobP-0CZcy96wPGmUKz2yc_k836PZ6N-BRTtEtNaY1xreoOmg_VWCdKXl3RBq036KrRl8o9BnOBDXmXsz7jvXT4JsOwqb9X3jwQLbtqqCdImokl8_HkkZeV3pp6W5jTNOaRZLEaRCUHDA-XX=w354-h640" width="354" /></a></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">This cutie is “Santa’s Pyramid Box" from <a href="https://shop.loriwhitlock.com/santa-pyramid-box/">Lori Whitlock’s SVG Shop</a>. It is super easy and super quick to make. I added some bling instead of paper holly berries and some "Wink of Stella" for a little extra pizzazz. A little baker's twine added to the top makes this box a tree ornament as well! </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">And of course, a few Christmas kisses! </span></p><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">Just for fun, I am going to link up to the </span><a href="http://heather-bittenbythebug2.blogspot.com/2021/12/christmashanukkah-ornament.html" style="font-family: verdana;">Bitten by the Bug 2</a><span style="font-family: verdana;"> Christmas/Hanukkah Ornament Challenge. Be sure to stop by and see what these talented crafters have created! </span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></div><div><p></p><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">I hope that you have all the time you want for all of your Christmas joy! </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">Thanks for stopping by today! </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div></div>Cynthiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17511826172600500845noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8841926879721095715.post-24557138795494654032021-11-28T17:16:00.000-08:002021-11-28T17:16:16.098-08:00Fall Finale<span style="font-family: helvetica;">I know, I know! Most of the blogosphere has long since moved on to Christmas, but I just want to share my last Thanksgiving projects before turning my craft room into Santa’s satellite workspace. </span><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBcNWL0eKC0t2SM8N2dT1LYi-StmVBhV8496mUQMAd6C3BV-ZrXtBpTbYWKkp7kMemBuW2OFgR9sc2E85PW1XFRYRwniok4RU0LCMGQs3JQd1n5zTpwimLU8Jw4lv1cCz5V4VKzQ5nxk8/s2048/0742B1C1-8F47-48C0-9CEC-1362F728C5C4.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBcNWL0eKC0t2SM8N2dT1LYi-StmVBhV8496mUQMAd6C3BV-ZrXtBpTbYWKkp7kMemBuW2OFgR9sc2E85PW1XFRYRwniok4RU0LCMGQs3JQd1n5zTpwimLU8Jw4lv1cCz5V4VKzQ5nxk8/w480-h640/0742B1C1-8F47-48C0-9CEC-1362F728C5C4.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica;">How much do you love this sweet little turkey? He was made from a cut from <a href="https://www.3dsvg.com/googly-gobbler-treat-box-svg">Dreaming Tree SVGs</a> and I just love his cute expression. I have a made a few of these over the past couple of years to use as centerpieces and as gift boxes. This is this year’s version that I actually made for myself! He makes me smile! </span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlYS812u_D113y_fGNqU-8cSCpRpOgFmJ4HcVhqHDIlpAncuw_BBUc-GcHHsQWTjHorvH7_Ss27P_EGNZitW2j8FfQ_HXWsnoVLecSES0_7Jx21qFqOT1jTIBUIQzjcgeAAcrb_ZJ2_zc/s2048/61752C69-01CA-4533-BD61-ED152858A8F1.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlYS812u_D113y_fGNqU-8cSCpRpOgFmJ4HcVhqHDIlpAncuw_BBUc-GcHHsQWTjHorvH7_Ss27P_EGNZitW2j8FfQ_HXWsnoVLecSES0_7Jx21qFqOT1jTIBUIQzjcgeAAcrb_ZJ2_zc/w640-h640/61752C69-01CA-4533-BD61-ED152858A8F1.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica;">These fun little lollipop holders were the “centerpiece” of the dessert table on Thanksgiving and served as little “favors” for our guests. I also sent some to my husband’s office for the staff. The cut is from Design Space and is super cute, super easy and super fast to put together. They would be fun little classroom favors as well. </span></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiur14c2NfCkeP1X5AAbCyaozz-zQgspae9hVDlbpok_pwZsrUWxwIsxQTT83Ojl7qYpIO4tMP_gxIXzGbf997oi9AEMJrtMLTeQllvtynp4VpLMr5dNGp-kDUE3QCGUAqKiTLir2NlhgI/s2048/0F4F8420-C168-461B-8191-9790604E0C28.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiur14c2NfCkeP1X5AAbCyaozz-zQgspae9hVDlbpok_pwZsrUWxwIsxQTT83Ojl7qYpIO4tMP_gxIXzGbf997oi9AEMJrtMLTeQllvtynp4VpLMr5dNGp-kDUE3QCGUAqKiTLir2NlhgI/w480-h640/0F4F8420-C168-461B-8191-9790604E0C28.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><div><br /></div><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I am so grateful to be able to open my home more freely to guests this season. This tableau greets my friends and family members and makes me smile. I hate to take it down, but I look forward to sparkly garlands and brighter colors. I am so glad that I added the Christmas tree at the last moment with its fall leaf garland. It is a good transition piece. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;">My craft room was a little more busy than I am showing this season, but I forgot to take pictures of the fun projects that I created. Have you ever forgotten to do take photos to share? But it really is all about the process isn’t it? </span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I hope that you had a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday! Thanks for stopping by today! </span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;">~</span><span style="font-family: Lobster;">Cynthia</span><br /><br /></div>Cynthiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17511826172600500845noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8841926879721095715.post-79778923890510864762021-11-07T17:22:00.002-08:002021-11-07T17:22:33.247-08:00It’s Still Football Season!<p> <span style="font-family: helvetica;">While it seems like the whole world has moved from Halloween into Christmas, for some of us it is still Fall and football season. And of course, an excuse to have a party!</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8JQH6lILec_seE5vz-EaJeYxYBHAlksaU7fxrrUhOkuwReb4I1SRtEkoLBSmktnY1iF1wiziatHGG28n6r177plIJFbuWqGuJzk4frPuLKqvts5cD0ntrpDjh1P_nwRsQWnRdxrmHvIg/s2048/E4A88A0C-C998-47BE-92A6-586C3680F37C.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1123" data-original-width="2048" height="350" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8JQH6lILec_seE5vz-EaJeYxYBHAlksaU7fxrrUhOkuwReb4I1SRtEkoLBSmktnY1iF1wiziatHGG28n6r177plIJFbuWqGuJzk4frPuLKqvts5cD0ntrpDjh1P_nwRsQWnRdxrmHvIg/w640-h350/E4A88A0C-C998-47BE-92A6-586C3680F37C.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: helvetica;">We have recently become fans of the University of Florida. Our son-in-law is in the Master’s Program there and of course, we have to follow their football team! Our long-time friends graduated from the University of South Carolina and when we took a look at the season schedule we knew that we had to plan a “tailgate” party to watch the game. </span><p></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC34jAOjz7nnTOWncPN5Bvke-LTtSGK2GqXutxERp5g698LkDAX0KtLe71fyy7GW8c7CcoUxlJJR_sqX4RoqvqATIio72j0RqMvw8QPhyTYhCTARFGF6eSFtP0NWVR9DuL9lIOf7leWCU/s2048/8DAB77F5-4933-41D8-90E8-4E5236B44800.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1834" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC34jAOjz7nnTOWncPN5Bvke-LTtSGK2GqXutxERp5g698LkDAX0KtLe71fyy7GW8c7CcoUxlJJR_sqX4RoqvqATIio72j0RqMvw8QPhyTYhCTARFGF6eSFtP0NWVR9DuL9lIOf7leWCU/w574-h640/8DAB77F5-4933-41D8-90E8-4E5236B44800.jpeg" width="574" /></a></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">You know this means that I have to get crafting! </span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">This helmet is from a cut at <a href="https://www.simplycraftysvgs.com/shop/3d_designs/football-helmet/">Simply Crafty SVGs</a>. It is a gift box and would be great for party favors or a gift card. It was super easy to put together in team colors. I created the team logo sticker with “Inkscape” which converts images into SVG files. </span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsaR-TitnGfPGi98dj-pXpDnPS0zvuhRhRxY24xvJTpcdxfb2kd9uvJ_1Zwmodzo5YWd9mVHem6E6WBcwvqG_rVlRqtoiJB-SBYeJ3HPNMymXgQ2sKXGFnAacqK2fJg3M34GbpnrIT8ik/s2048/B7609045-497E-46E2-B485-0E2469503808.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1915" data-original-width="2048" height="598" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsaR-TitnGfPGi98dj-pXpDnPS0zvuhRhRxY24xvJTpcdxfb2kd9uvJ_1Zwmodzo5YWd9mVHem6E6WBcwvqG_rVlRqtoiJB-SBYeJ3HPNMymXgQ2sKXGFnAacqK2fJg3M34GbpnrIT8ik/w640-h598/B7609045-497E-46E2-B485-0E2469503808.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica;">The South Carolina Gamecock logo was NOT easy to make even with the help of the excellent software. </span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I also decided at the last minute to make a “wreath” for the sun room door. (I have been accused of being “extra”!)</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyPXc85kA68aHnmg6siQnGQ_NobdxPH_6SZ8dDAMPPwYvoTjxEUqyJyVXIEvHYxYjWSDOsNH6P1eyiiqwLqhc1tksM8i76rai4uxTaTI0yc2V4-NUxD6xPLXur3Z3ItJE4bgrDSB0z7w8/s2048/7786EF9F-69D4-403A-878B-158FA65F9ED8.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyPXc85kA68aHnmg6siQnGQ_NobdxPH_6SZ8dDAMPPwYvoTjxEUqyJyVXIEvHYxYjWSDOsNH6P1eyiiqwLqhc1tksM8i76rai4uxTaTI0yc2V4-NUxD6xPLXur3Z3ItJE4bgrDSB0z7w8/w480-h640/7786EF9F-69D4-403A-878B-158FA65F9ED8.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">The wreath came from Michaels. For some reason their wooden wreaths come with small holes. I filled them in with a wood filler actually from the Dollar Tree. This has become one of my favorite tools in my toolbox to make repairs and fill in holes and scratches in wood projects. The helmets and footballs were cut on my Cricut. I painted them and cut the vinyl laces. The Gator sticker file was created again with Inkscape and then made on my Cricut (why did it take so long for me to learn how to make stickers and SVG files!) The ribbon comes from Walmart. I looked all over town for ribbon! Craft supplies of all sorts are in short supply in this area. This photo is not the best, but I couldn’t resist seeing the little scarecrow peek under the bottom of the wreath. This house has not skipped to Christmas! </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh83wutPBBI3Yza6v5bHf9xNAj_cEJ4Y4JY82fuqXXAi8wCgu0swdh5Y1owO7hYXWvEYU4NzXMuDDm35fhnx7TUZMuqjLaYpRqyyZU2Ql_sysTcLRTorMDGOhyphenhyphenwGqVYRK3JCD8n-_haMkI/s2048/119B1217-A30A-411A-8420-5477234FBD2F.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1777" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh83wutPBBI3Yza6v5bHf9xNAj_cEJ4Y4JY82fuqXXAi8wCgu0swdh5Y1owO7hYXWvEYU4NzXMuDDm35fhnx7TUZMuqjLaYpRqyyZU2Ql_sysTcLRTorMDGOhyphenhyphenwGqVYRK3JCD8n-_haMkI/w556-h640/119B1217-A30A-411A-8420-5477234FBD2F.jpeg" width="556" /></a></div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; text-align: left;">You know that I have to make cupcakes! These are chocolate with “grass” icing and a football pick, again made with my Cricut. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAmdj6c5OFZg3hZ_4WSr2I-eM32qf-1P5zT-nszkuK6pu2mMGRg4ZE8Ia2wYYXnd01Ocp_DS7g8Tm0FzkI1cHa7Azeo0uJldVTWZaR-BHzwojCHp53NbvtbumWaXPSrcctMOHeT6ixWYc/s2048/C4B7530B-63D5-43C2-BD19-935F21022080.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1223" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAmdj6c5OFZg3hZ_4WSr2I-eM32qf-1P5zT-nszkuK6pu2mMGRg4ZE8Ia2wYYXnd01Ocp_DS7g8Tm0FzkI1cHa7Azeo0uJldVTWZaR-BHzwojCHp53NbvtbumWaXPSrcctMOHeT6ixWYc/w382-h640/C4B7530B-63D5-43C2-BD19-935F21022080.jpeg" width="382" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I made the "Concessions" sign out of chipboard using my Cricut and vinyl for the letters. I showed you the goalposts and coasters in an early season post <a href="https://gardeniasandglitter.blogspot.com/2021/09/are-you-ready-for-some-football.html">here</a>. </span><span style="font-family: helvetica; text-align: center;">Speaking of pictures- I also made a “GATORS” banner for the fireplace mantle under the t.v., but did not get a photo of that. I already took it down to focus on Thanksgiving decor. You may see it next year- we have already made plans for next season! </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">As for menu- I served my typical tailgate fare, most of which I have shared with you before. But I must show you the amazing charcuterie board that my friends brought. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivesprrdiEEkSXy8D1n9kE4MbSE7jIQB_BuRHQaYNmrkIW7BV4LPwrGxsgjetwWAnh3dPpJE1hL3cIx0BAQ8KWKrMUMudfcdWZFpkWX0EF1oBbW3z6XxcT5qv7JkO0oaGrsrNZgMxBJYs/s2048/6D4483D8-36C7-4813-B8E5-6A915D3F1731.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivesprrdiEEkSXy8D1n9kE4MbSE7jIQB_BuRHQaYNmrkIW7BV4LPwrGxsgjetwWAnh3dPpJE1hL3cIx0BAQ8KWKrMUMudfcdWZFpkWX0EF1oBbW3z6XxcT5qv7JkO0oaGrsrNZgMxBJYs/w480-h640/6D4483D8-36C7-4813-B8E5-6A915D3F1731.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">How beautiful (and delicious!) is this!?! Rest assured, I will be making something like this at my next movie night! </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Who won the game you ask? Well, let’s just say that Florida did not play their best. But really, for us winning was not the most important thing. After the year and a half that we have all had, it is the gathering and the shared experiences that mean the most. There is always next year! </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">(But my alma mater won their game! GO DUKES!) </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Thank you for stopping by today! </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">~</span><span style="font-family: Lobster;">Cynthia</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div></div></div></div></div><p></p>Cynthiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17511826172600500845noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8841926879721095715.post-63301125097718534502021-10-13T16:49:00.001-07:002021-10-13T16:51:22.644-07:00Ahoy Mateys! It's Time for Dinner! <p> <span style="font-family: verdana;">Last week I introduced you to Captain Skelly, the pirate captain who commandeered my sunporch for the Halloween season. </span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7kF5TIF-2Zs0qbkjbAIDXVQysv5ia1ZzyBCkp8swPwAFXZOntTgDEzcw2K_Tu2iV_tKBFtv20_nqexEjC7j5vI2rNBKFgV6YNHl25RnEExqaMZWbZowOnMRN_JJrARxRNrz13Enamzpg/s640/skelly+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="292" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7kF5TIF-2Zs0qbkjbAIDXVQysv5ia1ZzyBCkp8swPwAFXZOntTgDEzcw2K_Tu2iV_tKBFtv20_nqexEjC7j5vI2rNBKFgV6YNHl25RnEExqaMZWbZowOnMRN_JJrARxRNrz13Enamzpg/w292-h640/skelly+3.jpg" width="292" /></a></div><br /><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; text-align: left;">Skelly sets a fine table for his pirate friends. </span></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbPbrxClwGD8TDUz3UbWtgGsedCRZioOLM1DMsz6tYryT8bYOQq2TeWbCUAWgJ_K1yqWn_UnpLqfyjUdbIAy9WEUCfRNmGDd0ACBURhnRLebte6xknYk-rSjoIg73eOtrFJLf5nC1x8Io/s640/Pirate+Table+8.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbPbrxClwGD8TDUz3UbWtgGsedCRZioOLM1DMsz6tYryT8bYOQq2TeWbCUAWgJ_K1yqWn_UnpLqfyjUdbIAy9WEUCfRNmGDd0ACBURhnRLebte6xknYk-rSjoIg73eOtrFJLf5nC1x8Io/w480-h640/Pirate+Table+8.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">The tablescape begins with silver chargers and black dinner plates placed on a runner covered with maps of all of the seas that the pirate friends have plundered. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">And salad plates bear fair warning to all who sit at the table. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqtSf6mWtWf7-r4XXRL9tdBnFmeWe4ci_Qpc5O17lvnKju-Ofyq-kbjxdGfpiSOC2mC4_hfPWtHZOC1KKnkuldJR3My-UHMzZ-TMRxjfTF_drJ9EwSKM_45Uda3ut5Xnm37NN7sNQ4EQE/s640/Pirate+Table+10.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqtSf6mWtWf7-r4XXRL9tdBnFmeWe4ci_Qpc5O17lvnKju-Ofyq-kbjxdGfpiSOC2mC4_hfPWtHZOC1KKnkuldJR3My-UHMzZ-TMRxjfTF_drJ9EwSKM_45Uda3ut5Xnm37NN7sNQ4EQE/w480-h640/Pirate+Table+10.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">Silver candlesticks center the table while the pirates' treasure of gold doubloons spill across the cloth. </span></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjarrV_J1b8n-nDL-T0eMPzmQA-p6y7nBavD1GlvQF9H0jOCVyQ8BaWIAE0a8BplGDYB7fg2PK1GkVkMxVLBalW7GlZhWtE_XO6Ob1wQryXjVT6DBp3Z43dVkdZ_RMzcXkrivupIHmR6CI/s640/Pirate+Table+17.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="637" data-original-width="640" height="638" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjarrV_J1b8n-nDL-T0eMPzmQA-p6y7nBavD1GlvQF9H0jOCVyQ8BaWIAE0a8BplGDYB7fg2PK1GkVkMxVLBalW7GlZhWtE_XO6Ob1wQryXjVT6DBp3Z43dVkdZ_RMzcXkrivupIHmR6CI/w640-h638/Pirate+Table+17.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: verdana;">The pirates do love a bit of luxury with silver utensils and crystal goblets.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTO_iGTntGvcYyS68q9ER9ikKuIEyreGVZtvfKMRolaFGGqVXhNz6_OFv-cu1jX-IxEHc3Oid5daqyO4rH5r10TbNXs2ZF9xfZzJtsM_U2cJz8uONAEWa5b5hQOF1SAIIaOVT0xwZ74-0/s640/Pirate+Table+11.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTO_iGTntGvcYyS68q9ER9ikKuIEyreGVZtvfKMRolaFGGqVXhNz6_OFv-cu1jX-IxEHc3Oid5daqyO4rH5r10TbNXs2ZF9xfZzJtsM_U2cJz8uONAEWa5b5hQOF1SAIIaOVT0xwZ74-0/w480-h640/Pirate+Table+11.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">Ghostly old sailcloth was hung from the corners. </span></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoIVD1F1suy8H6GqyOxXNieult31UEgplXUybDzX0jnXmy1onYOzuhkK_U8lhZYUWbUWKHT2RSc65cOqhtP24QZeen7CMwU2Koptj3k-fKdW1LpKzypAZ7lIpJ4-wa_Ox8FBcAEXdeVXs/s640/Pirate+Table+16.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="541" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoIVD1F1suy8H6GqyOxXNieult31UEgplXUybDzX0jnXmy1onYOzuhkK_U8lhZYUWbUWKHT2RSc65cOqhtP24QZeen7CMwU2Koptj3k-fKdW1LpKzypAZ7lIpJ4-wa_Ox8FBcAEXdeVXs/w542-h640/Pirate+Table+16.jpg" width="542" /></a></div><br /><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">And skeleton tealights grimace at guests and make sure they don't feel too welcome.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHqbBnDgc1XIbt9SQ4VcxR35j0VBVPtWNf0UN1iFWiBw7f5UM2J0WB8iThCX3p9ZRdLJnDhFHXsogMxq-A_5wbBT7dgkaUUDLJBM-z8oiC7A9AL9HIll7IAbqB76huN7cxF97Lm2jWIkc/s640/Pirate+Table+15.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHqbBnDgc1XIbt9SQ4VcxR35j0VBVPtWNf0UN1iFWiBw7f5UM2J0WB8iThCX3p9ZRdLJnDhFHXsogMxq-A_5wbBT7dgkaUUDLJBM-z8oiC7A9AL9HIll7IAbqB76huN7cxF97Lm2jWIkc/w480-h640/Pirate+Table+15.jpg" width="480" /></a></div></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">While Skelly's</span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> trusty canine pal stands watch and the gator continues to await any poor soul forced to walk the plank. <br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLzln9i9MNpYb9Jpdn0u15c4M_zv-DzIOi8y5XcSr-OK1exP3ETk0MI7CQCKqBsVfEev2AdkDzcWOk6SDRRr-cK7NB2s13dhDOFGryDd3ZzIuvFmyKsqF59WWD1mOuTpUaIaJfLmv4MpU/s640/Pirate+Table+14.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="553" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLzln9i9MNpYb9Jpdn0u15c4M_zv-DzIOi8y5XcSr-OK1exP3ETk0MI7CQCKqBsVfEev2AdkDzcWOk6SDRRr-cK7NB2s13dhDOFGryDd3ZzIuvFmyKsqF59WWD1mOuTpUaIaJfLmv4MpU/w554-h640/Pirate+Table+14.jpg" width="554" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Shadows begin to fall across the porch a little earlier this time of year and a gentle breeze blows to remind us that the warm sunshine and pool-time, like Skelly, won't be around for much longer. Soon we will be celebrating other seasons and other joys. </span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizq3TK1S6X1NmZEAZtyp5ORy7nl5HAIHAkQ6v0URlj8YuLwCPDpv6ft_jSXxRUdv9Ea-GjJE8c9yJMLqIaUVIiiq5TjQ6eZFfRwhDvpPPa-ajbSXwqaMwYKLCbRzsG9Nx3MlaSy9xQBAY/s640/Pirate+Table+5.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizq3TK1S6X1NmZEAZtyp5ORy7nl5HAIHAkQ6v0URlj8YuLwCPDpv6ft_jSXxRUdv9Ea-GjJE8c9yJMLqIaUVIiiq5TjQ6eZFfRwhDvpPPa-ajbSXwqaMwYKLCbRzsG9Nx3MlaSy9xQBAY/w480-h640/Pirate+Table+5.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">And Skelly will join us again next year, I wonder who he will be then? </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">Thanks for stopping by today! </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">~</span><span style="font-family: Lobster; font-size: large;">Cynthia</span></div><div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div>Cynthiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17511826172600500845noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8841926879721095715.post-20118003368729728922021-10-06T15:04:00.008-07:002021-10-06T15:35:23.591-07:00ARRGH! (Or It's Time to Decorate for Halloween!)<p><br /> <span style="font-family: arial;">I have lived most of my life in an area that is rich with pirate lore- both real and imagined. Pirates sailed the seas not too far from my home and I grew up hearing their stories and visiting some of the places that they supposedly gathered and added to their interesting histories. To a young imaginative child, it was an adventurous and exciting life and movies just reinforced the romance. (Although you do NOT want to hear what happened to Blackbeard about a mile from my first law office!) Our football teams are Pirates, our tourist attractions boast of links to them and our localities play hosts to festivals in their honor (and we have a dog named Pirate in the family!). </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">As an adult, I understand that what the real life of a pirate was like. I also know that pirates still exist (and that they are definitely not Jack Sparrow!), but the fascination with pirate life as imagined still exists. And that is why it is my Halloween decorating theme this year. </span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigTjyRXYpcVjhvetL38DJD4l39K496x6LbsWaAtSPMcP_Z8z8OFFBOQWZQPZ4N27eWVTc4DxfiM0Q9flaAd92ImniKZrxF5NUAiNbNJXHU1R7pGgwBX8UDw5bREi9vD3wLnGRDwTYU_lk/s640/Skelly.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigTjyRXYpcVjhvetL38DJD4l39K496x6LbsWaAtSPMcP_Z8z8OFFBOQWZQPZ4N27eWVTc4DxfiM0Q9flaAd92ImniKZrxF5NUAiNbNJXHU1R7pGgwBX8UDw5bREi9vD3wLnGRDwTYU_lk/w480-h640/Skelly.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">Meet Skelly. He began visiting my sunporch last year around Halloween. This year he showed up as a pirate. </span><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-uJZgbIwiGDAPkw2QHwdOOuT5LFw1_W2JdxN99flNzYjKD1pQULFEvH42MeO0FgkenerfTV4LqOHafH6AfdzfVlyLoHy6oELwXQRPGLw3EW4bSsooVdHXZ8bztewSpCQRoNQKM8cK3Ls/s640/Halloween+Porch+3.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="306" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-uJZgbIwiGDAPkw2QHwdOOuT5LFw1_W2JdxN99flNzYjKD1pQULFEvH42MeO0FgkenerfTV4LqOHafH6AfdzfVlyLoHy6oELwXQRPGLw3EW4bSsooVdHXZ8bztewSpCQRoNQKM8cK3Ls/w191-h400/Halloween+Porch+3.jpg" width="191" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">The porch has turned into a pirate hangout. </span><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgA91CQnZZfkD2VwWqE18oIDf0Go0-YjTLKVY2IvnmS_7j4nS2SPKjT2ZM7wvzdWxOYpBcNpQhz6YupNuRHAriw_1ukuMs5l1P6CxkLVcu4c7ebPkMQw7LMgowj0SedjeY0AcUWjWXcgs/s640/Halloween+Porch+4.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="568" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgA91CQnZZfkD2VwWqE18oIDf0Go0-YjTLKVY2IvnmS_7j4nS2SPKjT2ZM7wvzdWxOYpBcNpQhz6YupNuRHAriw_1ukuMs5l1P6CxkLVcu4c7ebPkMQw7LMgowj0SedjeY0AcUWjWXcgs/w568-h640/Halloween+Porch+4.jpg" width="568" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">The rest of us are not welcome. </span><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2xCmrJJ-xP88LCe0Wlz_oaAMPcoj_2e3LbY1TFSN-PJ5dIgUwe3Gd0Z6ql_GLDl8Ot0uc8va9ForL3OeVxa1hq-nUhp6JJJB6oiCO9BQVRKMstjNzo-pe42ffRWOUJpHu_AWgvktSR4Q/s640/Halloween+Porch.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2xCmrJJ-xP88LCe0Wlz_oaAMPcoj_2e3LbY1TFSN-PJ5dIgUwe3Gd0Z6ql_GLDl8Ot0uc8va9ForL3OeVxa1hq-nUhp6JJJB6oiCO9BQVRKMstjNzo-pe42ffRWOUJpHu_AWgvktSR4Q/w480-h640/Halloween+Porch.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">The Pirate Lair includes some décor and a handy compass. Like Jack Sparrow's it does not work (or does it?) Skelly understands the true treasures in life include chocolate bars. </span><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitNYn7jtAXNyJzBxaGo72kEt4262oAPA_quzoMTxizaMjxAlKHicrb40OxorYPvHAOGls0Ofaeol-LaSPF97kLKGKgpFf2gP-6AGs7Ux0qDqn7lmH5QFRM72ZiZ93b6ARr98IAwyxhmww/s640/Halloween+Porch+5.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitNYn7jtAXNyJzBxaGo72kEt4262oAPA_quzoMTxizaMjxAlKHicrb40OxorYPvHAOGls0Ofaeol-LaSPF97kLKGKgpFf2gP-6AGs7Ux0qDqn7lmH5QFRM72ZiZ93b6ARr98IAwyxhmww/w480-h640/Halloween+Porch+5.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">He added a garland for a festive touch. Did you know that red on a pirate flag means "No Quarter" is given. You do not want to meet a pirate who gives no quarter! </span><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">If you look closely you can see an alligator hoping someone will walk the plank! </span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp6_Yf5JEJtRIP3VhTCDKkLddHFnrO19iKX4iV7x2kc4_m13w8phxPxuopSy3BT7fqWxv6sm4FMnkg8V-yO7LrjrSt0YWAYAiXVfSC5duy5p-MB-c2Ga_CHWy2R4-VGLXrDPsbsklMckw/s640/Skelly+2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp6_Yf5JEJtRIP3VhTCDKkLddHFnrO19iKX4iV7x2kc4_m13w8phxPxuopSy3BT7fqWxv6sm4FMnkg8V-yO7LrjrSt0YWAYAiXVfSC5duy5p-MB-c2Ga_CHWy2R4-VGLXrDPsbsklMckw/w480-h640/Skelly+2.jpg" width="480" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Skelly loves bling and his handy spyglass.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOijSf6P9rSo_1af4J69JFb5bpwhZDXKEg018j9YI2F5GcT0AC8-gQLc0Hz5mt4rz1zmmLQYGI05i9vR2l9oAHI5hxMwU14npMXxaHIStACICrhF1KtCUq6NyrxOtujHu4z6eqjj9IgYE/s640/skelly+3.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="292" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOijSf6P9rSo_1af4J69JFb5bpwhZDXKEg018j9YI2F5GcT0AC8-gQLc0Hz5mt4rz1zmmLQYGI05i9vR2l9oAHI5hxMwU14npMXxaHIStACICrhF1KtCUq6NyrxOtujHu4z6eqjj9IgYE/w292-h640/skelly+3.jpg" width="292" /></a></div><p><span style="font-family: arial;">And he may have a drinking problem...</span></p><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Skelly also sets a beautiful table for his pirate friends. I will share that tablescape next week. I hope that you will come back again! </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Thanks for stopping by! </span></p></div>Cynthiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17511826172600500845noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8841926879721095715.post-60930673804313787762021-09-06T15:00:00.002-07:002021-09-09T14:17:33.882-07:00Finally Football! <p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">September in the South is a strange combination of football and summertime. "Tailgates and Tan lines" is a catchphrase I recently heard and it is truly the case here. We watch games poolside or listen while at the beach or on the boat. We "tailgate" at home with special treats and team decor until those days when we get back to the stadium. After a quiet fall last year, it is so nice to have a football season again! (Yes, I know, there was some football last spring, but it is not the same. And do not get me started about how much better college ball is than pro!)</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I started with a tiered tray. I got the tray several years ago. I can't remember where it came from, but it is now a favorite way to decorate my coffee bar during the holidays, but there is no reason why I can't use it on the patio as well! </span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitl1a1ES8ArWWJW9U99mf5pJajxAmMaVNFQw-0HDO_McghzPMAmlaMhJu7UOFK4wg4Ud9HgmOcUlHtiJnh6410EE9IDuo1izCGUp65AAEcOT2OaS0RJAxrsOTfUL6j86DuEK_O-7ccdxY/s640/Football+Tray.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="407" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitl1a1ES8ArWWJW9U99mf5pJajxAmMaVNFQw-0HDO_McghzPMAmlaMhJu7UOFK4wg4Ud9HgmOcUlHtiJnh6410EE9IDuo1izCGUp65AAEcOT2OaS0RJAxrsOTfUL6j86DuEK_O-7ccdxY/w408-h640/Football+Tray.jpg" width="408" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I found the goal posts at the Dollar Store and painted them yellow. </span><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgixOZ7h7FQlZFj_qG5XYL7oy_w4C-CfQVJ56qELoEJdXvIJqPLVPwkXPz4pFk98BplXfcUwcbADrEHJkToGf3h-uAs9vZQpfdS0sMGnXsmM0p4ZFer_em-i6V4RveA1xnP283Y9mVx1AI/s640/Football+Tray+5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgixOZ7h7FQlZFj_qG5XYL7oy_w4C-CfQVJ56qELoEJdXvIJqPLVPwkXPz4pFk98BplXfcUwcbADrEHJkToGf3h-uAs9vZQpfdS0sMGnXsmM0p4ZFer_em-i6V4RveA1xnP283Y9mVx1AI/w480-h640/Football+Tray+5.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica;">The "Family, Friends and Football" sign is also from the Dollar Store. I painted the frame and changed the background to a football field. (The original background was a plaid pattern in a rival teams colors!) I cut the field on my Cricut, just like the field on these coasters</span><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrG6j2h9YQ_Opc8gUY2bZ28b3o-jg2rAy4a9njIC0aWbUP35HKyExH7cfHZl51kLF_sVsDAbxGw-grXQeW58Efg3O4EcDBfQn42tSpyZeh-dwc9iJ7fmqfVlboIEJAvUDg1aYG3xVa-UE/s640/Football+Tray+.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrG6j2h9YQ_Opc8gUY2bZ28b3o-jg2rAy4a9njIC0aWbUP35HKyExH7cfHZl51kLF_sVsDAbxGw-grXQeW58Efg3O4EcDBfQn42tSpyZeh-dwc9iJ7fmqfVlboIEJAvUDg1aYG3xVa-UE/w480-h640/Football+Tray+.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica;">The pattern for the coasters is in Cricut Design Space, but I changed the numbers to a different font to look more like an "old school" football field. The coasters were cut from some thin wood that I bought online. I am learning that if you need to purchase supplies online, go with the original Cricut materials. If you cannot tell the quality in person and are not familiar with the brand or seller, it is better to pay a little more. The wood was so thin that I had to double them up. They are also coated with a few layers of Modge Podge. Super cute in person! I will be making some more for a "Tailgate Party" later in the season. </span><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvtoI2wc1s5Rr-_VHvYLr8TFTzvU3xPnaVJBO51voSFQlizD6le9RzBLT-q7c14AmL8-irIy-EcpuOeHq0FkHOGIoKKcx6wME85ZfW3B6txS78sZDTyRLQxWwrIIbVLD1pfIUbWPIdH1Q/s640/Football+Tray+4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvtoI2wc1s5Rr-_VHvYLr8TFTzvU3xPnaVJBO51voSFQlizD6le9RzBLT-q7c14AmL8-irIy-EcpuOeHq0FkHOGIoKKcx6wME85ZfW3B6txS78sZDTyRLQxWwrIIbVLD1pfIUbWPIdH1Q/w480-h640/Football+Tray+4.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica;">The football garland is a Design Space find as well. They are an experiment with Dollar Tree vinyl. The jury is still out. The quality is okay, but do not combine it with the Dollar Tree transfer tape. Cut it on the "More" setting. I am finding that the Dollar Tree vinyl is fine with projects like this, but I would not use it on an "heirloom" item. It is also easier to use with larger cuts. (Not sponsored or an ad, just an opinion!). </span><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;">You may have seen the pom-poms, quilt and football on an earlier post a couple of years ago. You can find it <a href="https://gardeniasandglitter.blogspot.com/2016/10/time-for-tailgates.html">here</a>. My little Duke Dog is also featured. I wish I remembered where I got the painted glasses. I have had them several years and would like to buy more for gifts. Perhaps I need to learn to make them as well! </span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwEdMBz_pkkn6z1oTtMZvRMj3tyQPVk7eWAPdUEq_SaAQuRX1GjpU43Zn9EnTjQp4oLkr3MEVU67eajjRj8vdQFBOhk2Tj0G3SjRHSiH8P_2Ve-jLYaJLQMMu7rVSQyoHMxVz53hLOroo/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="325" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwEdMBz_pkkn6z1oTtMZvRMj3tyQPVk7eWAPdUEq_SaAQuRX1GjpU43Zn9EnTjQp4oLkr3MEVU67eajjRj8vdQFBOhk2Tj0G3SjRHSiH8P_2Ve-jLYaJLQMMu7rVSQyoHMxVz53hLOroo/w520-h640/image.png" width="520" /></a></div><br />If you are looking for recipes for tailgating food and other decor ideas (including a do-it-yourself goal posts), you can check out my "<a href="https://gardeniasandglitter.blogspot.com/2016/01/football-fare.html">Football Fare</a>", "<a href="https://gardeniasandglitter.blogspot.com/2016/02/happy-super-bowl-sunday.html?q=football">Happy Super Bowl Sunday</a>" and "<a href="https://gardeniasandglitter.blogspot.com/2016/02/big-game-prep.html">Big Game Prep</a>" posts. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;">The season is just beginning and I am looking for more recipes and more decor ideas as I go along as well. This will probably not be my last football post this season! While JMU is my husband's and my alma mater, we also have grad school and our kids' teams to cheer on as well! <br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Thank you for stopping by today and </span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span> Go Dukes! </span><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span><span> Go Gators! </span><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span><span><span> Go Tribe! </span><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span><span><span><span> Go Cougars!.....</span><br /></span></span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span><span><span><span><br /></span></span></span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;">~</span><span style="font-family: Lobster; font-size: large;">Cynthia</span></div><div><span> </span><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span><p></p><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div></div>Cynthiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17511826172600500845noreply@blogger.com0