Cones, Random Fun & Homeschool

Today is shaping up to be a wonderful day. I can hear all the birds chirping, throwing leaves around in the air as they dig for food and I see lots of fat mama birds waddling around looking for nest materials. Spring is here. Finally. Now, you know Murphy's Law. As soon as I said 'Spring is Here', Murphy was brewing up a snowstorm for me...

Yesterday the girls and I made some May Day cones for some special friends. I think they've turned out nicely. I'll post the girls' cones later. They're still drying. Mine is made with old embossed wallpaper. I brushed with Twinkling H2Os, wrote with gel pen, cut sections out and placed paper behind the holes. It's not perfect but it was an experiment. I think I'll make another soon. Needs some bling maybe.

My friend Shawn, mentioned on her blog that she had joined this swap. I couldn't resist. It's all about birds! Free vintage pic downloads too. You might want to check it out. Sign ups end April 18th. The store sponsoring the swap has a wonderful gallery of projects for you to see, and free projects galore.



Random Fun Info:
-- The afore mentioned friend, Shawn is also having a giveaway. Might sign up for that too! I think it ends today.
-- Found this tutorial for making Paper Ruffles. I think I'll add that to my next MayDay Cone! Oh, she also has a tutorial for Layered Flowers. She has some a great example of how she decorates a MayDay type Cone or Tussie Mussie as she calls it.
-- My favorite Jewelry Artist on Etsy, JessicaJane is having a giveaway. Run, don't walk to her blog. She makes the prettiest pendants!
-- I am a sucker for giveaways. While randomly googling recent blog posts about art giveaways I found these: Jewelry/Cubicle Art, Designed Cards, Peter Punkin Eater, GeorgiaLove GC, Stash It Forward, Tote Bag/Book/StuffedAnimal, Sea Glass Earrings.
-- Here are some candy giveaways where you write a poem or something to be entered. Hey, candy is candy. I'm entering!
-- Don't even get me started looking for free patterns. I just found one and I already have the urge to embroider (and to hunt for more free patterns! lol) Gnomes & Mushrooms
-- My partner Paula from the Artsymama Vintage Party Swap is having a giveaway as well.

Random Notes from Homeschool:
As I'm typing, the girls are studying World History and Tornadoes, separately of course. Here are some things they're telling me.

(youngest child)
'Mom, did you know that 69% of all tornadoes are considered minor? What does that mean?'
(I had to laugh here. And I have to strongly disagree. NO tornado in my book is minor, especially if its near me. I hate them. I'm a wuss.)
'Tornadoes are shaped like cones.'
'Like our MayDay Cones we made right?' I said.
'Yeah. The sky gets green too and the clouds move really fast and it hails. Remember when we were at the thrift store on Friday? We were in a tornado!'
'No, not really, but kinda huh?!' I commented.
(I'm never going out in a storm again. It will be in their memory forever. 'Remember the time mom took us to the thrift store and there was a tornado?' Scarred for life I tell ya, and it wasn't a tornado, only bad weather. Sheesh!)

DD's quick sketch of a tornado. She didn't want to take the time to color neatly so its an abstract. Notice those scary green skies!



(oldest child)
Mom, did you know the Persian god? His name was Ahura-Mazda but they called him Mazda for short!'
'No, I didn't know him personally. You mean like the car?' I said.
'Yeah, and the bad god was Ahiram'.
'So they named the car after a good god. Interesting.' I commented.
'Yeah, and the good god and the bad god are against each other but after 12,000 years the good god wins and all the good people are saved and the bad people are punished but then eventually everyone is saved. '
'What the heck are you reading?!' I queried.
'World History. We're studying Persian religion'.
(Oh lovely! I say under my breath. )

Thus is a slice from our homeschool life. I love homeschool. I learn something new everyday. Avoid the green skies and Mazdas are good. lol



P.S. I made another 7 Fingernest Rings last night! I'm so excited about them. They're cute. I'll post later. They're all heading to my Etsy shop soon.