More gorgeous cacti

My love affair with the cactus continues.  Here are some cacti from recent journeys.  I don't know what type of cacti these are but they are pretty!

These cacti were at least 6 feet tall

Is this a giant alo vera?  Love the yellow and green stripes

Cute littel planter box cacti garden

Lovely and calming!

Candle and Lotion Making Classes in Scottsdale, Arizona!

Vacation in beautiful Scottsdale, Arizona, and take some classes with me at Soapies Supplies while you are there!  I will be teaching a natural candle making class as well as two creams and lotions classes during the last weekend in June (June 25/26).  I'm looking forward to meeting new people and sharing my love of candle and cream making.  If you have family or friends in or near Scottsdale, please help spread the word.  I'll be updating my Upcoming Classes sidebar soon with this information.

Pretty as a Peacock

I'm a budding amateur photographer.  Hubby gave me a camera for Valentine's Day this year and I have been a shutterbug since!  Every once in a while, I take a few REALLY nice shots!  Having a showy subject like this peacock certainly helps.  I am amazed by the richness of the hues and the irridescense of their feathers.  I even took a picture of the back, and while not as pretty as the front, it's still striking!

Got up real close and personal for this shot:-)

here's the full display of feathers

While the backside is not as colorful, it still has a nice pattern going

To Infinity and Beyond!

Space Stamps from Mongolia

I love the color, the whimsy and the fun nature of these stamps from Mongolia circa 1973.  They highlight US and Soviet spacecrafts, and were found in a stamp shop in Istanbul!  Click on the link to get a high res version that you can print and frame - perfect for a kids room, game room, classroom or cubicle. 

Bees in Your Garden

Amanda strikes again with these cute little bees made from rock.  One could also make ladybugs, frogs, or other garden creatures.  Click here for the step by step tutorial on rock bees.

You will need:

• yellow, black and white paint
• smooth rocks
• paint brush
• a little bit of wire
• Glue gun

A toothpick may come in handy when you are dotting the black of the eye.
you wrap the wire around the finger to get the nice loop and use the glue gun to adhere the wing.  You can prop it up with a pony bead while it is drying.

Cactus Craft

These cacti make great table decorations or party favors at a southwest themed party.

Cactus Table Favors

You need:
Styrofoam Egg or ball
Craft Wire
Tissue Paper
Raffia
Tacky Glue
Green and Terracotta Paint and Brush
Scissors
Sand
Small Paper Cup
Instructions:
Paint a Styrofoam egg green. Let dry. Paint a small paper cup terracotta. Let dry. Fill the painted paper cup 2/3 way with sand. Mix in some tacky glue. Press the small end of the painted egg into the sand. Cut pieces of craft wire and push into the Styrofoam.
Cut tissue paper into 2" x 4" pieces. Stack four pieces in different colors. Accordion fold back and forth in 3/8" folds so you have a 3/8" x 2" bunch. Cut the ends rounded. Cut a piece of craft wire and fold it  in half. Pinch together the middle of the tissue bunch and twist the wire tightly around it. Fan out the folds of tissue. Gently pull sheets apart starting at the top and shaping the flower as you go. Push the craft wire into the top of the cactus to hold bloom in place.
Tie a piece of raffia around the pot. Glue in place. Learn more at: http://www.makingfriends.com/party/cactus.htm

Cactus Garden 2.0

During our recent travels, hubby got me something very similar to the pot that I have been blabbing on about at home, at the coffee shop, on the phone, online, and who knows where else!  Dad and I transplated a few plants from his cactus garden into my pot.  They still seem to be doing great!  The pot makes that corner of the room very festive and colorful.  I now have a pot, a dish garden, and and another small container of succulents!

Sewing Kit in a Jar (Repackaging Idea for Mothers Day!)

Another great idea from Martha!  And you probably have the components at home already.  You will need a mason jar (think old spaghetti sauce jar - I have lots of those lying around).

With just a little retrofitting, an old-fashioned Mason jar can become a new sewing kit with a built-in pincushion on top. To begin, separate the lid's sealer and screw cap. Trace around sealer on cardboard. Using a compass, draw another circle on linen or cotton, 1 inch larger in diameter than the first. Cut out both circles; make cushion by placing batting between fabric and cardboard. Turn screw cap upside down, and apply hot glue to inside edge of rim; quickly press cushion into lid until cloth protrudes smoothly above screw cap's opening and cardboard is flush against rim. Apply hot glue around edge of cardboard, fold over excess fabric, and press down. Glue top of sealer to cardboard. Fill jar.

Look around the house for spools of thread, sewing needles, fabric swatches, mini scissors, and voila!  instant gift through the magic of recycling and repackaging.   If your mom is a knitter, you can do a similar knitting kit in a jar - filling it with stitch holders, markers, crochet hook, double pointed needles, etc.

Another variation on this is to create little tickets or coupons with things you will do for mom.  Put them all in the jar and as she picks out a coupon, you can help her with that item.  Some examples for kids of all ages: "I will clean up my room" or "I will do all my chores without being asked" or  "One breakfast in bed coming up" or "Nice dinner at your favorite restaurant" or "Computer help at any hour of the day" - anyway those are starters - I'm sure you can come up with even more for your mom.

If your mom is a gardener, how about a jar of seeds? 

Last minute Mother's Day Project

It's been a busy week for me!  And Mother's Day is tomorrow.   Here's a cute mother's day flower pot project for the kids to make from our friends at All Kids Network.

She is sure to love this personalized flower pot with her favorite family pictures in it. Pick your favorite pictures for some of the flowers and write your own special message on the other flowers.

What you'll need: 3" Clay Pot Clay Colored Popsicle Sticks Flower Template (click here) Construction Paper (many colors) Scissors Glue Scotch Tape Pictures Paint, Markers, Crayons, etc. How to make your Homemade Mother's Day Flower Pot Craft: Decorate your clay pot however you would like! Put it aside to dry. Print out the flower template provided above. Cut out the template flowers, trace them onto construction paper and cut out the construction paper flowers. Cut the center circle out of the template flower. Place onto construction paper flowers and trace around it. Carefully cut out the center circle in each of the construction paper flowers. Tape pictures or sayings on the back of each flower so that they are visible through the hole. Tape a popsicle stick to the bottom of each flower as the stem. Cut leaves out of green construction paper and glue to each popsicle stick. Fill the clay pot with clay. Stick the popsicle sticks into the clay to complete the craft!

Mysstery Knit Project Complete!!! - Baby Kimono

I finished the mystery knit project just in time!  See below for the finished project.  My friend Ann is having her baby on June 22(?), and I was able to give it to her this week!  The kimono was fun to do - finishing it was a little confusing at first, and I had to pull out the mattress stitiches the first time around because they were too tight...anyway, I am happy it's done and hope it keeps baby nice and warm (it has the equivalent of 3 layers!)  It is something she can grow into or use for multiple chilly seasons.  I think I may do another one now that I have the hang of it.