the goat project

I'll let you in on a little secret...about a year ago or so, my parents added goats to their menagerie farm. They have two beasty things in their backyard complete with a huge goat house. My parents let them out during the day and they hang around the farm with the dogs getting into things and doing goaty things. Very recently, a third baby goat joined the herd. His name is Sparky and he is pretty darn cute. I snapped this picture just this last weekend.

But here's the real secret (shhhhh, don't tell mom!), for a long time now I have wanted to find a cool goat picture as a gift. I saw one around Christmas time at a craft fair but the lady was charging way too much for the print so I passed. But ever since then, I've been on the hunt for something similar.

Then I came across these directions and I thought I would try my hand at it.

I used tracing paper instead of tissue paper. The ink did run a teensy bit but I thought it added charm to the photo.

After printing, I cut the photo to size.

Added Mod Podge to the canvas...

laid my photo on top...

and added another layer of Mod Podge on top. Side note: I put way too much Mod Podge on top. I should have done a very thin coat but my "more is better" mentality always seems to get the best of me in times like this. I also used my hair dryer to speed up the drying process which worked like a charm.

Here's the final result. I don't know if I love it, love it....but I do like it. I've seen around the interwebs how to distress and age projects like this so I might hunt down some more ideas and see what I come up with. Stay tuned.

backyard camping

Soooo, the hubs and I had been talking about hosting a sleepover for El Fuego and I got a brilliant idea to make it into a camp out in the backyard. Ya know, because I LOVE anything with a theme. About four years ago I picked up a small tent on the cheap for El Fuego's camping birthday party. I had totally forgot about it until Mr. Hawthorne reminding me I had done so. And, with that, the backyard camping sleepover was ON.

We dropped the girls off at grandma's house, pitched the tent in the backyard and hit the dollar store up for fun stuff to keep four boys entertained. Of course, we got the fire pit roaring and ate typical camp grub.

Before it got dark, we had a silly string WAR.

Then plans for flashlight hide and seek like games were played in the dark

Gigantic glow sticks made the hiding a bit difficult however.

We watched a movie and ate popcorn made with an air popper, which might have been a highlight for some. Then shoved the boys into the tent around midnight. They played boardgames and giggled until Mr. Hawthorne told them to go to sleep around 2am.

Note to the parents: much fun was had and no one brushed their teeth.

on a roll

I got a bee in my bonnet last week and decided that pulling everything out of the pantry and painting it would be super duper idea. And, having the entire contents of said pantry on the dining room table would be no problem at all. NOT!

BEFORE

(ugly wood shelves and dirty off white walls)

AFTER

(aqua walls and glossy white shelves)

However, I must admit, I am quite please with the results even if the paint fumes are taking a while to die down. The pantry is light and bright and organized. I love it!

apple cherry

We had these plain, dime-a-dozen, plastic chairs from our old house. Purchased on the cheap for extra seating on the deck. When we moved to our current house,  there wasn't/isn't a deck so no extra seating was needed. So the plain ole plastic chairs got stack and lived out by the shed for three whole years. Truthfully, I sort of forgot about them. And, when I did remember them, they looked gross. Weathered, sun faded and tree droppings piled up in the seats.

Then I remembered my love of spray paint. I walked with my youngest to the nearest hardware store and picked up some apple cherry (red) spray paint for plastic. Her choice on the color. I sort of wanted lime green but she was dead-set on red.

I sprayed those chairs into brand, adorable, new-ness. Really! That is all I did. Just spray paint. No sanding/scuffing. No priming. I hosed those bad boys down and sprayed a can of paint around. So easy!!

 

I hadn't planned on our new outdoor dining to resemble a pizzeria. But, I love it none the less. When I catch site of the sun shining on those red chairs and checked tablecloth from inside the house, my heart smiles. It feels great to take something forgotten and give it new life.

summer lovin'

I LOVE me some baseball pictures. I could take photos of glowy, summer baseball fun all day long I tell ya. El Fuego got on a summer ball team with a great group of kids and some neat-o coaches. Last night was opening night. And, my little Babe Ruth was put on the mound to my welcomed surprise. He had to work out a few kinks as he was a little rusty but we were thrilled for him.

The only problem with summer baseball is I'm now back to washing baseball pants all the time!

summer time

We have finally jumped into summer! Temperatures are closing in on the low 80s. White skin is being brought out into the sunlight....and in my case, skin that turns a shade of red right quick.

Mr. Hawthorne has been on stay-cation this week. Which is easing me into full time together-ness with the kids. It's been great to have him around the house tinkering on odd jobs that have been piling up. Like yard work and fixing the washing machine and painting the hallway and hosting a garage sale.

This week was broken up with the Fourth of July. We celebrated with friends and walked to the city fireworks show. It was low key and easy going. Just the very way I like to spend my holidays.

We've also done a lot of swimming and slurpee drinking and moving watching and camp fire making and BBQing. So far the summer is turning out to be dandy. Of course my feelings on this topic might change drastically when I'm faced to survive the kids all on my very own.