Scrap 4 Art

Scrap 4 Art.

In my opinion...

one of Toledo's Best Kept Secrets.

Located at 1501 Adams Street in downtown.

They collect miscellaneous items

and sell them (on the cheap)

to people like me.

Now here's a sign that I just love to see. Fill a bag for $3.00! My kind of shopping.

My family waited in the back room where creativity blossoms.

Thanks for your patience boys...now get busy and make something!

I've seen this done before...just never actually being used as a cork board. Yep, you can find cork here...possibly the framing. they specialize in the unusual.

My reason for coming...this huge shelf filled with piles of fabric swatches. I think I'm dreaming...ZZZ... Zafus and Zabutons and zo much more!

I loved this window treatment. This just might find its way into my craft room. If you look closely you will see that it is made from household "trash" (treasure), i.e., lids, caps, colored plastic thing-a-ma-jigs. Hippie cool.

Here is the nice woman who was helping me...she is the artist of the following zipper tree. Yep...if you look close you will see it is made entirely of old zippers. Love it!

Talk about cool, they conduct classes for different groups turning trash into art! There are others like me...those of my kind. Here I thought I was the only one who couldn't throw "things" away. Brought a tear to my eye.

One of my favorites. Hands Around the World. A bottle cap work of art!

This pole puppet greets you at the door. I couldn't leave without getting her picture.

And...

I can't sign off without giving a BIG THANKS to

Rolinda , a new friend at Harmony in Life

for sharing this little gem with me.

It is people like you who make people like me so very happy!

Thanks for the gift of fabric as well...it was...such a Rolinda thing to do.

Creating Awaits!

This Moment

Borrowing from Amanda Blake Soule.

A freeze frame in time.

A moment to savor and reflect on.

Although she allows the picture to speak for itself

I find I must give it a caption.

Sick boy reading.

Does a mom's heart good when a book beats out

the tv...so I swooped in and pulled a fast shot without him

knowing.

Sick ones at home?

Try this recipe to soothe sore throats,

calm cough, ease congestion, and

cradle to sleep.

Hot Toddy

(given to me by my sister Sue...

given to her by a friend...

given to her by someone's great grandma, I'm sure!)

In a hot mug (rinsed with boiling water)

add 1 T honey

Juice of 1 lemon

1 T whiskey

Fill with hot water (8oz)

stir, sip, and feel better soon.

Can be made without the alcohol, but tastes

a whole lot better with!

Have a Happy and Healthy Weekend.

Flat Sam's First Adventure

Walking in a Winter Wonderland!

The weathermen are calling it

A Monster Storm!

Sounds scary...what ever happened to

Plain ol' Snowfall?

We (Mom & James & Flat Sam)

decided to brave the monster and take a little stroll.

Here's my friend Flat Sam.

He is one cool dude in his sunglasses and T-shirt

that reads...

There are two kinds of music...

Rock and Roll.

Flat Sam is going with me on many fun and exciting

adventures for a whole month!

Here he is showing that the snow is up to his chin!

That would be 8 inches...

We're talking monster deep!

(he didn't see his shadow either...early spring? hard to believe!)

Some of us just can't part with our Christmas decorations

before March...this one isn't goin' anywhere until

Spring thaw!

This is snowman kinda weather...

check out that frosty grin.

A view from our front porch.

Everything looks beautiful coated in white!

Buddy is begging to go with us on our hike.

This creek is just up the street from us.

James is testing the ice...

"a little to slushy" for skating fun.

"Look Out, Mom!"

Snow plow guys coming our way.

Makes our walk home a bit easier.

Colors pop on this winter landscape.

Bringing new appreciation to our simple surroundings. Don't fret about Flat Sam's warm weather

wardrobe...I kept him tucked in the

pocket of my down puffy coat.

Love to you, Sam the man.

Thanks for trusting me to take your

Flat Sam out for lots of fun!

Stop back soon for our next adventure.

Love,

Aunt Jenny

(looking cool in my shades too!)

xoxo

The Recycled Wool Coffee Sleeve

Pretty Posies all in a row.

Whenever I am with my sisters

a cup of coffee is soon to follow...

which explains why I made each one a reusable

coffee sleeve.

For something so simple,

they always create a stir among

other coffee house lovers.

This was the case when we visited

Solid Grounds at Northville Mall.

After placing our order,

we all pulled out our coffee sleeves...

there is just something about those

cute little flowers gathered together that attracts attention.

The owner of the coffee house requested

more info and placed a substantial

order from a small town girl like me!

My little craft room became a frenzy of

recycled woolens and vintage buttons.

I can't help but smile when all those sweet

flowers are looking up at me.

The promise of the Spring to come...

even with a foot of snow in the forecast!

At the very least,

the promise of a good cup of coffee

to see you through!

Teresa,

thank-you for your order.

It will ease my mind knowing that

the town of Northville

will be well covered and thinking...

reduce, reuse, recycle!

The Northville Re-Wind

Who could forget these wheels?

Very inconspicuous.

Subtle, some might say.

HAH...LOL...LMAO...FOL!

In my last posting on Northville, I mentioned

that one of my sisters couldn't make it.

She lives out of town.

But she was with us in spirit.

Rosebud...

these pics are for you.

This totally looked like some of the...dare I say it...

Pottery Barn images you had been posting about.

Now if I had an extra $500 on me

I just might have picked it up for you.

Unfortunately, a picture is

all you get.

Take a close look.

It is so cool because of the wear of days gone by...

stretched canvas, squirrel eating

an acorn, muted/faded colors.

I thought of you right away.

Take a look at this.

Now this is a given.

I took this picture to motivate and inspire

you to get busy.

I know I'm a bit prejudice here, and no

disrespect to the paper crafter above,

he/she did very nice work,

BUT

my sister is way more talented!

SO,

I'm giving you a mission.

Stop at Corner Cottage (heck, stop in at all

those adorable Noblesville shops)

and show them what you've got...

in cards, that is.

My little way of saying that I love you.

I sure hope you're feeling better.

The Bar O' Milk And Honey

Fun Science!

Soapmaking Day

With recipe and knowledge

and all the necessary equipment

Scale, ingredients, hand blender...

goggles and vinegar!

This is serious stuff...

A wee bit blurry...

Mixing the oils and the lye solution to "trace"

Saponification

to turn into soap

the reaction between the alkali and acid

Fresh out of the mold

Loving that "pound cake" color

Cut into bars and set out to cure

I tweaked a basic recipe

adding buttermilk and honey

for their moisturizing benefits.

The Bar O Milk and Honey!

With a few finishing touches...

A Lesson in Patience

Waiting one full month

Allowing the bar to neutralize before use. Singing Carly Simon Anticip-a-tion is makin me wait...

What a Joyful Shower That Will Be!

More Zafu (Zah-foo) For You

Sometimes a design just makes sense.

That's how I feel about The Zafu I created.

Could also explain why the women at

Harmony in Life

called saying...we need more Zafu Meditation Pillows!

Back to the machine.

This time I incorporated decorator

fabric scraps with denim...like I said,

it just makes sense to use sturdy fabrics on an item that is

going to be toted around and sat on!

No two fabric scraps are alike so the flip side

features another complimentary design.

Filled with those amazing Buckwheat Hulls from

It's Lagniappe

(a little something extra)

which translates into pure comfort during your

meditation practice.

Get Your Zafu On!