Lanai Update

I often joke that I want to sit out on my lanai and eat cheesecake to solve the problem at hand by using stories from "back in St. Oloff".. like the Golden Girls of course :)   Well, come to think of it, I have sat out here (I'm enjoying it right now!) so many times with my family, chatting on the phone with my sister, getting to know some new friends over a glass of wine or coffee... and it's my favorite place to craft :)   We love this area of our house, it's an extra room for us since we can use it practically year around.  ... the "winter" in FL usually allows for it to be used in the day and the hot humid summers often only allow it to be relaxing really early in the morning or really late at night.

 

Still, it's pretty perfect. 

 

This week I've done a few summer like upgrades .. it feels so cozy and beachy!!!

 

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 I saw these napkins at World Market. I didn't know what I was going to do with them yet (I did know we were not going to be wiping bbq sauce mouths with them though!) 

Love the colors. The beachy prints. And they were on sale.

 I tied the napkins to some rope using thin twine.

 

I used small command hooks on the sides of the aluminum frame (discovered it was aluminum after my first idea didn't work.. magnets. Uh!)  I used the ones with a toggling hook so it allows for some movement with the wind. 

 





It's hard to get all three windows!

Seriously, look how well they match!

 

Also at World Market I found these FUN lanterns!  They are really light.. so I'm hoping the Command hook will keep these babies up there!

I tied the rope to the hook on the lantern and then another knott in the other end where I looped it through a hook extender (also World Market) so it could hang from the ceiling. 



 

Who's coming over to hang out with me??

Cheesecake, wine and coffee :)

(ok, probably just wine..)

 

linking to:

 

my military kids.. vol 1

April is Military Child Appreciation Month

This poem is floating around many military social media sites.  I saw it on facebook and instagram.  It has some sweet sentiment. And like most military movies, it's a little overboard on the heartstring pulling.  It's still worth a read though, for i love many *3 in particular* military children.

Garrett 8. Born in Brunswick, ME

Addison 5. Born in San Diego, CA

Micah 2. Born in Reno, NV

Navy Life Pallat Sign

Navy Life

I made this sign (actually a few) for some friends the other day... but because our birthday dinner/ girls night out was starting literally as the sealer was drying.. i didn't get very good pictures.

still wanted to share :)

I think I may just have to make one for myself!

Pallets are plentiful around here with all the new constructiton.. I'm always on the hunt!
I started sawing away at it one night.  I broke the saw.


Enter husband with a power saw...

much better

I brushed it with a heavy duty bristle brush first to get the lose dirt off.  Next i used rough sand paper and after that, a softer sanding block.
 painted it white.
I used stencils and paint that i had already.. yay for last minute things that work out!
When it was dried, i destressed the edges with the soft sanding block.  I also roughed up the letters, making it look worn.
Finally, I hot glued the rope to the back.

i hope my friend liked them.

love my navy wife friends!

love my Navy Life too.. most of the time :) 

sharing at:



Zumba Diaries

A while back I posted some of my random thoughts during a Zumba class..  well, that same white girl still laughs at herself (and others) as we try to shake it. 

 

 It's fun! 

 It's a great workout!

...

I just need to start having a margarita first :)  LOL

 

Speaking of margaritas.. yesterday I was headed into Zumba class when I saw a text for our neighborhood party for the month of May... cinco de mayo of course! A friend of mine and I try to pull our allotment together once a month (or every other) to actually chat with the neighbors we so often wave to.. it's great!  So I told her I would get my Mexican thoughts flowing and come up with some great ideas!  I didn't get her text back till after class... but yeah, I was in the wrong Spanish speaking area.  oh well! I'm not very well versed in geography.. can ya tell?

I started to figure this out when the cute instructor with the Jamaica braids said something about Africa.. and the next song kept repeating "this is Africa!"  Ok! so I'm thinking tribal.. but the song was sort of pump you up.. so I thought about yelling "futbol!"  but decided to conserve my energy (and what little dignity I had not danced away).  Just when I was getting into a "grove" (pun intended) the next song played needed maracas.. shaking like that just doesn't happen without them.

Right-Left-Right-Right.. pretty sure it was an old school move .. I can't remember the name.. but i so had that one down!  However, leading with the left and the heel is not natural at all for me.  Switching.. step-step... hummmmm.  At one point I did kick ball change and called it good.

Slowing it down at the end, I'm thinking it was Spanish rap.  There were a lot of "look like you are in da club" type moves.  You may think I failed here.. but since Snoop is my all time favorite rapper (that's for you aub!) .. i was da bomb! <clearly lying>

So... I haven't improved all that much. I still have no clue what culture this is mimicking.  But it's fun.   And I'm not the only one out of my element.  There was a middle aged woman of Asian decent who possibly had less of a clue than me.  And then there was Buddy the Cake Boss' mom and sister Mary .. with their patron Saint of Zumba necklace...they have us all covered!

Have fun this weekend!

 



say cheese!

Played around with our camera this weekend (Easter)..

oh the fun of getting everyone to look

and smile

and not wince

and not give bunny ears (but it's Easter!!)

 

riiiight as if that is all going to happen! 

 

~hope you had a blessed Easter~