Shake Your Bunt

I love banners, buntings and pennants. They are so cute and can be seem to have made a come back. They are everywhere! I decided that I wanted to do something for 4th of July and a bunting/banner turned out to be the perfect decoration. They are so easy to make! I made mine without sewing (since my machine died). I wish I had done step by step pictures to show you how easy it is to create. Trust me-anyone make one!

 Materials
1/2 yard of 3 different fabrics
1 package of quilt binding
fusible webbing/interfacing


The first thing I did was pick out the fabric I wanted to use. I wanted red, white and blue, but not the boring traditional images. I found three different fabrics with three different designs.
 
Next, I made a triangle template. Mine is 7 inches at the top and 8 inches on the sides.

Now cut out your triangles

After I've placed my triangles out to the length and placement I want. I took my fusible interfacing and ironed the triangle between the quilting binding.

The bunting looked pretty plain to me so I decided to make little rosettes for the side. That was equally as easy and only took a few hand stitches.

Easy Peasy! You have a beautiful bunting for your next holiday or just to hang around the house. I can't wait to make my next one. It is a perfect way to get rid of scraps. Now, if the weather would just cooperate, I can hang it up outside. C'mon mother nature! Work with me!

Conversations of Love

I should tell you before I start this conversation, that I bought some sidewalk chalk for the summer. No reason, I just wanted it. I LOVE my sidewalk chalk. With that out of the way...the following is a real conversation between myself and OMP.


OMP: Hey! I said I love you and I get nothing?
Me: I wrote Pam +OMP in chalk on the sidewalk, what more do you want?
OMP: You didn't write 4EVER
Me: I thought that was assumed
OMP: I'm taking back my "Love You"

The Only Ship is Friendship

You wanna know what the best kind of ship there is...it's friendship. Okay, everyone give a collective "awwwwww" Okay, now that we got that overly sweet crap out of the way, let's talk about friends. My friends rock my world! I love them so dearly and wish they were closer so I could shower them with kisses. To honor my friends, here are a few of my favorite buddy movies. 

Son of Rambow is a delightful British comedy about two young boys who decide to make a home movie based on Rambo. It's a story of how differences can be disregarded when you have a common goal, making the best Rambo knock off ever. 

One of my all time favorite movies that I can watch over again and I find myself quoting on a frequent basis is The Sandlot. A wonderful summer friendship movie about baseball, rowdy dogs and a lifeguard named Wendy. It's funny, sweet and is wonderful for the whole family. It doesn't matter if you are a boy or girl, man or woman, you will find yourself in one of the many characters. 

 Sticking true to my old movie roots, the last friendship film is more of a buddy comedy than just a friendship movie. Bob Hope and Bing Crosby did several films together but none as great as Road to Morocco. It has everything I love, Bing Crosby, singing, super cute girl with the best hairstyles and clothes (even in the middle of the desert). Of course there isn't any underlying theme here and a lot of it is tongue and cheek but it's fun-and isn't that what friendship is all about. 

Now grab that BFF of yours, a box of jujube's, one of these great movies and prepare for laughter, tears and lots of hugs-cause that's what friendship is all about. Well, that and bailing them out of jail...Now that's real friendship.

Scrappy Dog Sunday!

Holy macaroni! This weekend has been a little trying. Sometimes the world is an angry, scary place. When I feel overwhelmed by being "out there", I take a step back, breathe, and remind myself that 1) that certain people and situations are small compared to the grand scheme of life and 2) I really should adopt my dogs' philosophy of life. I'm pretty sure they have it all figured out.

 Take a step back, breathe, and reflect

Surround yourself with the ones you love (naps are the best way to do that!)

  Do something fun

 Speak your mind if you need to




Most of all, Relax, enjoy the ride, and make silly faces

Feel Good Friday!

Check out Gayana on etsy. Awesomeness!

Doing the happy Friday dance or should I say the happy Friday hula hoop! Yep! I have reverted back to my childhood and bought a hula hoop today. Let me tell ya, it was a lot easier when I was eight. Guess what? I didn't stop there-I got me some sidewalk chalk too and I've been drawing hearts and flowers all over the drive way. It's pretty awesome!


I have two friends and they are both AWE-SOME (said in my best Oprah voice), Alwaysinspired  and Digital Misfit, both of which have frequented the pages of this blog. Okay, where was I? Let's see...friends, blog....oh yeah-Alwaysinspired made Jacques for Digital Misfit and I instantly fell in love.  Don't tell OMP, but I may have to leave him for Jacques....

I was inspired by fun.kyti.me's birthday in a box, so I made a Luau picnic basket. It was so easy and you can find my tutorial on Craftster.org.

I LOVE mod podge! I think I want to mod podge everything around the house. It's a good thing the dogs are constantly moving. Mod Podge Rocks! is an awesome blog with super cool projects.

Okay you crazy kids, I would love to sit here and chat all night but I've got hula hooping to do. I figure in a week I will be an expert and the pups will be able to do some tricks so we can run off and join the circus.

picture courtesy of srslycute.com

If you wait to do everything until you're sure it's right, you'll probably never do much of anything.
Win Borden

Vroom! Vroom!

My dad, he's a little nutty. No seriously, he's a funny man. He also is a man who loves car racing. I can't fault him for that, he used to do demolition derby when I was a kid, and that makes him even cooler than you can imagine. So, when the cars are not racing, he is probably watching these movies.

I'm pretty sure the one thing that my dad loves as much as racing is the ladies. Oh yeah! This little 76 year old man is a flirt and he can get away with it cause, he's a cute little 76 year old man. Anyhoo, Heart Like a Wheel tells the real life story of Cha Cha Muldowney, one of the first women in professional drag racking. The movie has amazing racing scenes and Bonnie Bedelia does an amazing job as Cha Cha. It is heartbreaking and inspirational at the same time.

You don't have to worry about watching Nascar, just pop in Talladega Nights and you have the next closest thing to Jeff Gordon's race car (he's a driver, in case you didn't know). This movie has the best 12 year old humor I have ever seen. I'm sorry, but I just can't help watching it again and again. For most of us who grew up in the south, this wasn't a movie-it was a documentary.

Last on the list is Le Mans. The main reason I mention this movie is 1-Steve McQueen, ME-OW and 2-we had a Pontiac Le Mans when I was a kid that we called the Blue Goose. I really miss that old car. It was awesome. Anyhoo, McQueen plays Michael Delaney, a race car driver who caused a big wreck, killing one person and injuring himself. He goes back to Le Mans to prove he can still win and in some strange way, redeem himself.

There ya go dad and race car fans! Movies to tie you over until the next race, be it on the track or to the fridge. Vroom! Vroom!

Scrappy Dog Sunday!

Today is Father's day and so I thought I would turn it over to Pete so he can express his undying love to his daddy.

Dear Dad~
You rescued me from a world of loneliness and sadness...

You take me on walks or as I like to call them, Boing! Boing!


You keep me safe and give me a nice belly to snuggle into

But most of all, you love me, despite my barking when the wind blows, eating fuzz off the floor, pooping in front of the garage and peeing in your studio. You never gave up on your little man, and I won't ever give up on you. I love you dad, happy father's day!

Salivating Saturday

Ahhhh...good friends, where would I be without the wonderful people in my life? They lift my spirits, make me giggle and give me a shoulder to cry on. Take my friend Becky for example, she made me the cutest cowboy pups and so to honor and thank her-I'm gonna make some tropical chocolate banana bread for her. Here's the only problem, she lives on the east coast and I live on the west coast. I guess I will just have to enjoy it for her-it's the thought that counts right?

Pam's famous friendly coconut, chocolate banana bread or...PFFCCBB for short.
1 cup walnuts or pecans, coarsely chopped (optional)
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup granulated white sugar
1 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
3 ripe large bananas, mashed well (about 1-1/2 cups)
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon coconut extract
1/2 cup coconut

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and place oven rack to middle position.
Butter and flour (or spray with a non stick vegetable/flour spray) the bottom and sides of a 9 x 5 x 3 inch loaf pan.Set aside.
In a large bowl combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon,nuts and coconut.
In a medium-sized bowl combine the mashed bananas, eggs, melted butter, vanilla and coconut.
With a rubber spatula or wooden spoon, lightly the wet ingredients (banana mixture) into the dry ingredients just until combined and the batter is thick and chunky.(The important thing is not to over mix the batter. You do not want it smooth.Over mixing the batter will yield tough, rubbery bread.)
Scrape batter into prepared pan.
Bake until bread is golden brown and toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 55 to 60 minutes

This bread will win you friends and definitely keep the ones you have-even the ones thousands of miles away.

Feel Good Friday!

via shaderlab

Happy day after my birthday! YAHOO! I survived turning 41. I can't believe it! While I enjoy the last piece of birthday cake, you enjoy these wonderful Friday finds.

Ummm....yeah....THIS IS STINKING CUTE! A little mouse in a little pant suit. Are you kidding me? That's it, I'm dead. Feltedmice is absolutely wonderful.


Speaking of wonderful, last week I won a contest from Ruby Jean. I got all sorts of goodies from the Asian market. The best part-it came on my birthday. The very best part-It's all pink! PS-I really think I need one of her aprons. Check out her fab store.

Speaking of shopping, I love these necklaces from Lily Loves Bernie

Picture from my pinterest via sodahead.com

So, I usually fill this space with some cute little animal, but today you get happiness at it's finest. Nothing better than a friend and a silly picture to save the memory.

Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend and thank you for the birthday wishes!

In everyone's life, at some time, our inner fire goes out. It is then burst into flame by an encounter with another human being. We should all be thankful for those people who rekindle the inner spirit.

Albert Schweitzer

Happy (ALMOST) Birthday to me...Take 3

 Picture via Chronically Vintage

Tomorrow is my birthday. I'll be 41 (going on 12). I was going to write a huge entry about life and happiness and what I had learned over the year but really, do you want to be bored to death with my philosophies on life? Instead, here are some funny facts about me.

I once took a whole jar of fireflies into the movie theater and let them go.

I told my grade school teacher that no one talked like they did in the Dick and Jane books so I refused to read that way. I got sent to the principal's office for being disrespectful.

I quit the girl scouts when they started making us eat healthy snacks.

My teenage and college years were a blur-and I would like to keep it that way

I stole a free door (this is very long and funny story, it must be told in person, over drinks)

I cry at John Denver's Annie song

I love champagne and cheeseburgers.

I make no apologies for my eating, drinking, burping or farting habits.

I've broken my ribs, both ankles, fingers and my elbow. I'm sure I've broken other things, among them, my head, which is why I can't remember what else I have broken.

I'm the funniest person I know

I love my husband and pups more than my own life. 

Everything in life should be candy colors, actually, everything in life should be candy.

I still haven't figured out my life, and I like it that way.

I'm pretty sure I've bored you to tears by now.

It's My (almost) My Birthday!

To continue with my birthday week, I thought I would give you my top ten movie picks.

1. Big Lebowski
Do I really need to tell you about this movie for the millionth time? I didn't think so.

2. O' Brother Where Art Thou?
Again, do I really need to explain this one?

3. Any Busby Berkley Movie
Dancing, corny singing and Dick Powell. Man! He was swell!

4. Roadhouse
Two words for you. Sam Elliott. Enough said.

5. The Wizard of Oz
OMP really hates when I sing the songs over and over and over again. I really want Dorothy's hair and her little dog too.

6. Office Space
If you have ever worked in a cube farm, this one is for you.

7. McClintock
I'm not gonna hit ya....

8. Any Thin Man movie
Cocktails and quick wit, it's like they are describing my life.

9. White Christmas
Bing Crosby singing White Christmas-brings me to tears every time

10. Any Frankie and Annette movie
I can't help it! I just love those silly surfing movies.

There are so many more that I could name but these are ones that are on constant rotation at my house. I know that the majority of you have seen the majority of these films so I don't have to remind you that you need to get off the computer and watch them NOW! I also strongly suggest acting out several of these movies. Sing, dance, fake surf-it will make you happy.

Scrappy Dog Sunday!

It's the beginning of my birthday week (yes, I do get a whole week) so to kick it off right, I had the pups wish me an early birthday.

Jujube put on her best party hat.

Lola baked a cake

And Pete ate it

Yep, it's a perfect kick off to the birthday week.

Some people...

Ah, the internet, what a great invention. No, I mean it. You can connect with people around the world. I have met so many wonderful people who I consider good friends. It allows you to find anything you want with just a click of a button. The downside of the internet...jerky people who hide behind a monitor and keyboard and throw insults around like they are hot potatoes.

I remember reading a post a while back from a pretty famous person in the crafting community. She reminded me that no matter what, not everyone is going to like you. They will hide, like cowards, behind their keyboard and try to strip you down to their level. If you take the chance of putting yourself out there, you run the risk of being ridiculed.

So, how do you combat all the crap thrown at you from time to time? Well....first you get mad and decide that you will take out that person and everyone close to them. After you have calmed down a bit, you realize the grand scheme of things. This is just 1 person in a world of 6,852,472,823. Even if 1,000 people were mean to you there are still 6,852,471,823 people in your corner, cheering you on and that is a lot of pom poms being thrown your way! 

Sure, there will be people who try to bring you down, try to keep you in the past instead of moving forward or even just be plain mean to you -but there are even more of us wanting to raise you higher, keep you moving ahead and loving you like nobody's business. 

Persons with weight of character carry, like planets, their atmospheres along with them in their orbits. 

~Thomas Hardy

Scrappy Dog Sunday!

We built this gate.

To keep this out.

As you can see, it's working well.

Feel Good Friday!

 I made it to Friday. Where's my gold star? I NEED MY GOLD STAR! Sorry, got a little carried away. While I compose myself, enjoy these fine items for Friday.

Did you know my birthday was coming up? Yep! June 16th! I'm pretty sure that this cake would be perfect for my birthday-I wonder if they can add another jack and a min pin in there and maybe a scowling OMP?

If the bakery can't make me this cake, maybe I can find someone at Cake Central.com to make it for me.

Shut the front door! This is too adorable for words!One Little Red Fox makes the cutest stuff EVER! It's seriously killing me people. KILLING ME!

Speaking of cute....I really need a reminder to do my yoga in the morning.

http://beeborg.tumblr.com/search/pony

 

I am in serious need of these altered Altoid tins. RackyRoad has awesome stuff in her shop and check out her blog too, you will see some awesome altered goodness.

Holy macaroni! What am I doing inside while the sun is shining and the dogs are chasing birds, leaves and water ripples in the pond? I hope everyone has a wonderful Friday! I just love the way my gold stars shine in the sun. 

If you obey all the rules, you miss all the fun.
-Katharine Hepburn

The Comforts of Home

Lately I have encountered a lot of jerks. It seems that with the nice weather they are out in full force. Rude people are just too much for me and in those cases, I tend to come home and regroup in the solitude of Casa de Pedersen aka Rancho Relaxo.

Both OMP and I have worked really hard on our house, especially our backyard. It is a sanctuary away from the hustle and bustle of today's world.

Although we are on a busy street and in the middle of the city, we can come outside, hear the birds singing, the water running and let the dogs play.

We put on some great music, have dinner and just relax outside. It is better than any therapy I could imagine.

My happiness and faith in humanity is once again restored...until I have to back out of my driveway tomorrow morning, but that's another post.