Pass the Catch-up, Please...

     I am just terrible. Being a teacher has swallowed up my blogging. Having 22 students (rather than my normal 12) has kept me on my toes, but I love it! I have a dear, sweet group of students and a wonderful aide. God is so good! But alas, my blogging time has suffered. Please forgive me!

CREATE...

     I have been busy crafting. It is, as many of you know, very therapeutic. I have been doing some sewing but mostly painting. 

     This is for my sister-in-law. Shhhhh...

     This little snowman was inspired by a tutorial shown by Wendy of Ravenwood Whimzies. Please keep her and her family in your prayers. 

     My dad and I have been making trains out of scrap wood. This one has wool for steam. It is made from parts of the legs of an old stool! 

     It is not a toy, more like a decoration. I used one in my Christmas decorating this year. 

     

     I went with a "Cabin Christmas" theme this year (in my 80's bilevel home...)

     Then, finally, my big project was a heron for my mother-in-law. I might make another one to sell or an owl in that 3-d style. 

COMING SOON...

     I hope to be posting Christmas decorations pictures soon! I have to back-up my IPod! It is chock-a-block full and slow as molasses!

LOVE...

     I hope you had a wonderful Christmas. I know it is a hard time for many as well. My dear 101-year old great aunt passed away on Christmas Day. She was beloved and treasured by my family. Please pray for my cousin. She has lived with and cared for her mother for 78 years. That is a truly special bond between mother and daughter. 

     My thoughts and prayers are with all of you this Christmas and in this New Year!

Love and hugs!

Heather

PS- Check out my Etsy to take advantage of my Noel Sale that ends on December 31st!!!

PSS- Charlie says, "Hey! Check out my Christmas sweater that I don't want to take off!" (Seriously. He has it on right now. ) 

10% Off Sale Ends Tonight at Midnight!

Check out my Etsy shop to see newly added Christmas items! Thank you for stopping by!

Blessings, Hugs, and Love!

Heather

Sale!

Sale on my Etsy store this week! 

Use coupon code GOLDSTARS1. I will be adding more Christmas items through out the week!

Blessings and hugs!!!!

Heather

My fingers hurt... It's all good though...

   

     I am off this week, so my desire is to catch up on blogging. I hope to have some final fall decor pictures to post AFTER Thanksgiving. I have some Christmas items that I got on a road trip with Woolie Granny. She had the "experience" of watching me spend my tutoring earnings that I had saved up at the first place we stopped. In 15 minutes. Well, all but $1.50. But some awesome prims made by the daughter of my parents' pastor. Money well blown. No Benadryl was taken. Yup. 

     Phew! I have been doing some sewing. St. Nick's, pennies, snowmen...  I get up (Dogs wake me up.) at 5:40 am on the dot. Trust me I know. I am daily sending a mental message to my dogs, " IT'S 5:40!!!!"  I have to do it through ESP so as not to wake Steve WHO IS STILL SLEEPING!

     But waking early has its advantages. It allows me to do 2 things to calm my mind and spirit before starting the day: devotions and stitching. Oh, and drink coffee. Mustn't forget that!!! ;)

     I have been able to put some Christmas goodies on my Etsy. I did make this Santa and a smaller version. But Steve wanted me to keep them as "prototypes". That is such an encouragement when your husband likes a prim. I must be getting more successful in turning him to the "prim side". I will try to put some St. Nick's on my Etsy, but that big one did my hands in. 

     My sore hands give me such an appreciation for all of you artisans out there. The time, love, and effort that you put into your work is so evident! I understand why it is called "handiwork". It makes you reflect on how awesome our God is. God, in His omnipotence and supreme intelligence, put such love and detail and creativity into each minutiae of His creations. And we are HIS workmanship! How humbling and what a blessing that is. 

"For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them." --- Ephesians 2:10

Blessings, dear friends! Happy Thanksgiving! I am truly thankful for the blessings of your friendships!

Love and hugs,

Heather

I gotta rock... No, no, wrong. I gotta store!

  
    So, I took the leap.  I have been stewing and praying over how to best "peddle my wares".  Don't worry, I am not a gypsy, and I do not sell shampoo that turns red hair to raven black (AKA- GREEN.).  I am just peddling prims. On Etsy.  If you have the time, please check it out.  I only have four things listed.  I will try to list more this week, particularly Christmas items.  It takes soooooo long for me to list them. I do like the set up a bit better than Ebay.  I will be taking a break from Ebay for a bit.  However, I do have a few items that don't fall under the umbrella of Etsy's qualifications, so who knows... :)  If you have the time, go check out Old Lady Morgan!  She just opened a real, physical shop!  Show her your support!  Also, another lovely lady who opened a shop is Dianntha from Ohio Farm Girl.  Please visit her as well!  Two ladies with two very different styles but both with HEAPS of talent!

     Thank you all for your support in this endeavor.  For talking out selling possibilities and sharing your own experiences.  Thank you for your thoughtfulness and encouragement in crafting in general. I would never have taken the leap to put my stuff out there if it weren't for the kind little pushes you all gave me!  Thank you!

Thank you for sticking with me and for being my friends,

Love and hugs,

Heather

Nightfall... From my classroom window

After a day of cold, bitter wind (okay. It is still really, really cold...) on Monday, what a glorious sunset God provided. 

I love this one!  The purple! And look how the sun rests on the trees!  The bottom edge of the clouds actually had a slight rainbow on it.

This is from my desk window (I love my classroom!)...

These are from our "front porch" facing EAST! We were surrounded by beauty!

My dear friend and teacher's aide were working after school. We both have an obsession with clouds. So, we were grading and working and every 5 minutes , one of us would yell, "Ooooh! Look at it now!!!" God's creativity in His painting caused us to marvel minute after minute in the sunset's changing beauty!

 

"The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork."

Psalm 19:1

Blessings,

Heather

Primitives R Us

Oh, good grief.  Again with the prims!  Zzzzzzzz...

      My mom and I had a few days of Mother/Daughter fun shopping for prim treasures and bargains! My mom is so much fun.  I can easily say she is my best friend next to my husband.  We just laugh and laugh! God has blessed me with a real treasure!

     We stopped by The Blue Snickel.  I hadn't been there is a few years.  I pass it all the time going to and from school, but it isn't open when I go by.  We went to the Christmas Open House.  When I was last there, I was more country than prim.  So, while I liked some of her stuff, the prim things didn't hold my attention.  Now, however, all of that has changed.  I believe that someone may have slipped on the drool puddle I left on the floor there. Oops. Isn't my birdy cute? I have a mental shopping list for next time... This really is the only "true" prim shop in my area.  It beats out Cocalico Creek.

 

 

We stopped by Cocalico Creek.  I got this box.  I have tons of ideas for it.  What ideas do you have?  We can compare notes!

 

Not far from The Blue Snickle is an antique store in an old log cabin.  I spent $8 on these two items.  The strainer I might use for a make-do shoo-fly screen and put a candle in it.

 

This guy, well I have plans for him.  You will have to wait for Christmas for that one...

I got these on eBay for $5.  I like them for decoration, but I also plan to use them as an artifact in my history lessons.  They look old.  I guess that is a good price?

 

 Also eBay, both for around $10.  They are very roughly carved.  Love them!

Our local nursery, Black Creek Nursery, has a flea market once a year where they usually keep their perennials.  I got all of these things and more for about $30.  I didn't show all of it.  These are my favorites! Although, I forgot to put a picture of the butter mold I got for $5.  I will have to show you later.

 

 

 This I got at Goodwill for $3.  I am going to paint it black,  add a quart-round lip, and do some distressing to make a writing table.  It is the perfect size to hold my lap top.  I thought about drilling a shallow hole to put an ink bottle in.  What do you think? Any other ideas?

 

My parents gave me this spool of awesome thread.  It is a much deeper brown than my picture shows.  It is on a pink bobbin, though.  Any ideas as to how I can primify it?

 Have a blessed day, my friends!  Next time, I am posting some more FALL decor.  I love Thanksgiving!  I am not ready to put my tree up!  Whew!  Everyone needs to slow down! ;)

Love,

Heather

Welcome to the Conference Room...

     So, yeah.  School has been busy. I have missed you, friends.  I so enjoy reading your blogs on my Feedly app, but it won't let me comment.  Anyone recommend a good app to read and respond to Blogger blogs?  I rarely use my laptop for reading.  

     Anyhoo.  The other week it was Parent/Teacher Conferences.  This has been my first year having a class over 20 since my first 2 years teaching (At another school.  In 1997.). So, the conferences were pretty much back-to-back; each conference lasting about 20 minutes. Well, I thought I'd give you a tour so you can spend a day in the life of a fifth grade teacher's conferences....  Don't worry.  Your comments won't be graded... 

     My freebie table (it folds in half.  It is usually in another part of the room) that is a happy blue.  I opened it up for conferences.  I found it this color.  The old student desk in the background?  Got that from Goodwill years ago.  It came that color too.  Perfect for the classroom.

I have a candle lit for ambiance.  Dimmer lighting and a yummy candle helps us all to feel relaxed in a homey place.

 While you wait, would you like to look at some work samples from History class?

 Say hello to King Charles V...

 

...His son, Philip II...

. 

... a nemesis of Philip, William the Silent...

 

... and poor Mary, Queen of Scots...

. 

Or, you can just color!

Phew!  Break time! This feels like a cheese cake kind of day!

 

Yup... It is.

 

We were using this page the other day to discuss drawing conclusions.  Norman Rockwell is great for that.  He is my favorite artist.  What do you think this picture is about (my favorite vignette is the second to last grouping on the bottom row...)?

 

New unit for Bible class.  Anyone need a band aide?  Locker all the way to the right!

 

Day started with rain, storms, and high winds... But, look at the sky later on!

 

Hello, Cinnamon!  Did you need a conference?

 

You got a little something on your head...

We are doing well earning our bumper sticker for good behavior.  Good progress there!

 

 Aww, man!  A student dropped by some chocolate. If only I hadn't eaten that cheesecake, I might eat one.  I guess I'll pass (Said NO teacher on conference day EVER!)...

 

Looking out my desk window, listening to the birds in the field...

What a beautiful fall day!  Time to go home!  Thank you for stopping by to "conference" with me.  Stop anytime!  Truly!

Blessings, Friends

Proverbs 22:6
"Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it."