busy building

I have always wanted to build things, for as long as I can remember I have loved trying to figure out how to make things on my own! All my favorite hobbies involving making or figuring out how to  build, make or bake. So this summer I have been trying to build, make and bake. Not everything has been perfect but I have had a ton of fun recreating or designing something fun my family or I can use. So far I have been able to make, bookshelves for the boy's bedroom, shelves for the living room and a tv console! The TV console I am most proud of, our old was falling apart and been needing to be replaced for awhile now. Thanks to family members who work in construction and see pallets often I was able to get free wood delivered! I searched pinterest for a design i liked and in the end never found one with set directions. So I pulled out the measuring tape and started figuring out how big i wanted it to be. I needed it to be simple, and easy enough for me to make mostly on my own. So I cut the pallet pieces down and after a run to Home Depot for a couple pieces of wood that I couldn't salvage from the giant pallet I had. I started assembling, with help from Logan and his brother, it turns out that some projects need extra help. When they finished helping with the legs I attached the slats (the pieces the run across the top and middle), I sanded, stained, sanded, stained, and applied layers and layers of poly. I know its not perfect and looks homemade. I love it! It holds what I want it to and it works for us and in the end i only spent, $10 on screws and a couple of pieces of wood. So if it doesn't last forever that is okay! 

Reunion Auction

This past weekend, my family in Arizona specifically my dad's side, had a family reunion. We wanted to go but since we just got back from Logan's family reunion in Nauvoo, we decided it would be okay to skip this one. Plus two weekends in a row of driving is not something we can handle just yet. Months ago I had decided that I wanted to make something special for the reunion auction. I have been playing around with water colors and decided I wanted to recreate one of my favorite photo of my Great grandparents. Years ago they posed on a red couch in a sheep corral for a photo series that documented people from all over the world seating in said red couch. I had seen the photo when I was younger and loved it! And recently seen family members post it on Facebook, I knew I wanted to paint it. So one night after the boys were in bed I sketched it out. Then I let it set out for a few more days not knowing if anyone would buy it at an auction. Finally I took a picture of it and sent it to my mom and asked if she would. If no one else wanted it I would be okay with my mom taking it home. :) luckily she said she would love it and thinks others would too! So a few weeks later I finished it up and painted it. I so enjoy recreating such fun pictures! Especially family. I was able to meet my Great grandmother, she only spoke Navajo so we couldn't communicate as much but I do remember seeing her when I was little. As for my Great Grandfather he passed when I was a lot younger and I don't have any memory of him, besides what my dad has shared. He was very close to both and spent many summers with the two. When I finally finished painting I loved it. I wasn't sure if I could send it off for someone else to buy, but if I loved it without having a strong relationship with my grandparents when they were alive, then someone who did would love it too. I have been wanting to make more fabric dolls but haven't had any chance to do it, so finally I had one, I made three dolls for the reunion all were from scraps I have saved from projects or snatched from my mama. I drew out some patterns, started cutting fabric, and before I knew it they were done. (Logan was working out of town so I sent the boys to bed early and I stayed up super late to finish all three) Fabric dolls are my favorite! I was obsessed with all the skirts, I loved that I could look at them and remember what scraps it was made of. To say the least I was satisfied with how they came out. I was off to the post office the next day. I sent off all three dolls and the painting so my mom would get it in time before she left for the reunion, unfortunately the package somehow got misplaced and didn't make it to her mailbox. Luckily I have a fabulous mom and she tracked down a number for the post office and made she the package would be delivered the next day. My wonderful brother recieved it the next day and drove the dolls and painting to the reunion! I was so releived when he told me it was recieved! My niece claimed one doll and the other two were auctioned off with the painting. I wish we could have been there it see all the family and spend time with my parents and siblings.... Maybe next year :)