Dandelion Dreams

Where oh where do the hours, and minutes go? Since I began my year with a full curriculum for beginning homeschool with a toddler...all I can say is WOW....How do teachers do it?? Seriously. How do they plan a day, get it done and then go home from school only to return for after school activities? Whew....I'm pooped!

I'm go from being so overwhelmed with, "Am I doing it right?" to looking at this precious child and knowing I'm instilling in her habits for her future (I HOPE!)

One day...if it all goes good maybe I can homeschool all my granddaughters.

Since I really haven't posted anything since Halloween, I think I'll use my planning day next week to catch up here...or maybe not. lol We certainly celebrated Halloween in a way I've never celebrated before. It's always been Fall Festivals and a little trick or treating at the mall and neighbors. It was nice helping start a new family tradition with my daughter and her family.

We later celebrated Thanksgiving at my Mothers~

Celebrated my granddaughters 4th birthday with a Hello Kitty Theme~

Enjoyed a wonderful evening with family at the now yearly Dirty Santa Extravaganza at my Dads~

Had Christmas with my children and grandchildren in my little humble home~

Mourned and Celebrated the moving out of my youngest son Bret~

Created a classroom almost immediately to fill the void~

Began our year homeschooling (can you call it that if they aren't even 2 yet?)

Underwent spinal revision surgery with 3 weeks left in healing~

and

still

Going through Empty Nest Syndrome all over again~

but

ALL IS GOOD!!

We're alive and breathing!

It's actually 12:12am ~ it's Saturday morning ~ I can't sleep

so....I'm sharing with you some of what Miss Jersey and I

have been doing in the Art department this last week while recovering.

this was made from a frame that had broken glass....

We simply laid down the seaglass and began gluing!

Pretty Stunning for my "Beach Bathroom" if I say so myself...now

if I can just figure out how to make the floor feel like real sand!!!

This is with paint samples from Home Depot.

Nothing big....

Since Jersey is not quite 2 yet I positioned them and she "glued them"

After we snatched a circle shape from the wall border (see below) I let her go to town glazing this

with Elmers glue. I normally use Mod Podge but the scent is so strong I just didn't feel

comfortable using it around her...as anyone else noticed that? It doesn't say Non-toxic either on the label...so...

Sorry Mod Podge you're my "go to glue" but I gotta keep the little one safe!

Next is our playroom wall border:

Miss Jersey actually did this herself. These foam shapes were the left-over cut outs from some

Christmas decorations and I'd been using them to teach Jersey her shapes/colors. Well....with a little re-positional tape on the back she can move them all day!! Never fails, as soon as she walks in the room the first thing she does is hit Norah Jones on the CD player and start moving her border!

Funny Girl!

She loves Norah Jones music too!

We were able to get most of Zoey's trunk done....I absolutely love the way her top

turned out!! There's a small chipboard elephant the scrapbook store ordered that

will be at the bottom of her Y to make it look more centered. Once it's in

place it's 100% complete!

I could make these all day long!! So bring on the trunks!!

I've made over 75 new sets of earrings. Whew...that was all in about 2 nights and

6-7 hours each night on my booty...boy was it numb when I tried to get up and walk. lol

Even made 20 pairs for a recent wedding along with the brides bracelet and gifts

for each of the wedding party! Loved doing that! Bottom white pearls are some

I made for the them. They were such a hit!!

Now my earrings will be selling at the Merle Norman Day Spa in Smyrna, TN effective

next week!! Yippee to Meee!!!

and finally.....

my biggest news of all....

FLICK...we have changed your name to SPECK and

I had a publishing company send me back a second email requesting additional outlines,

character studies and more illustrations!!!!

COULD IT FINALLY BE COMING TRUE???????

One day....

one day......

I CLAIM THAT I WILL BE SIGNING COPIES OF MY BOOK IN THE SAME

BOOKSTORE THAT I RECEIVED Mike Huckabees during his 2009 book tour in Palm Beach Gardens, FL! okay...to some of you that may be crazy or weird...but...it's my dream. Besides, if you

haven't read this sweet book he wrote...you should!