patriotic grandpies.. tutorial

I finally finished up my little patriotic paper dolls of my grandpies.  Ive only been able to work on them a few minutes at a time over the last week due to being busy with other stuff and then throw in going to the beach 3 days in a row!  lol!  anyways. they are finished!   A couple people asked me to share how I made them.. so  here goes!

Do you have use picmonkey?  or someother photo editing program?  You first need to take some pics of whom ever you are planning on making your dolls of.  I actually just used pictures I had already saved on line.  I used pic monkey photo editing and uploaded each picture and chose the black and white effect then saved the pics to my jumpstick and took them to rite aid to print them out.  if you have a good printer you can print them at home.  mine isnt working correctly though.  

Anyways.. after you get your pics printed, glue them to some thinish cardboard.. like a study cereal box.  I use the pieces that come between the rows of fancy feast cat food!  lol!  

Then, cut them out like little paperdolls.  I cut their legs off and attached a straw onto the back of each one for them to stand on.  

Embellish them however you want too.  I made all 6 of mine miniature newspaper hats.  If you dont know how to make one, google  how too.  there are lots of videos that show you how.  just do it in a miniature size of course.   I decorated each of the hats a little bit differently and embellished their little outfits with ribbons and stars and tiny gemstones.  I also used the patriotic straws, (bought in the dollar bin at target) to make tiny sticks of fireworks.  

I found mini pinwheels at micheals and little flags.  You can use what ever you like.   

I made some little rockets for Marlaina to hold.  Each of them is holding something a little different. 

For the bases I used tiny tart tins that I bought at the christmas tree store.  I had to pound a hole in each then fit the straws through and glued them in place with hot glue.

Then I wrapped some silver tinsel around the base of each straw

back track...!  on each of the girls dresses I added a little crepe paper trim to the back to show underneath.  do that before you glue on the straw!  lol!

This turned out to be one of my most favorite projects in a long time!  My little grandpies are a great source of inspiration for sure.  (remember the christmas nativity photos?  lol!)

So if you end up making some let me know so I can see them.  you could even do your dogs and cats!  Im going to do figgy and frannie.  but first I need to do one for Ella and Carson.  they really are quite easy to do!

Cant believe the 4th of July is a week from today.  We'll be having everyone over.. Im going to go make a grocery list right now.  

have a great week!

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

peek a boo... I see you!

Here I am!  did ya miss me?  Ive been pretty busy.  working, playing, working on bears..  all the same old same old!  My life doesn't change much from day to day.  But that's probably a good thing.  I really have not been very creative.. I guess that is different for me as I've always lived to create.  I've just not been very inspired or ambitious I guess.  but I did make these pillows last week.  That's it though other then bears for bear orders..  I do have a little something rattling around in my brain though.    

Ive been to the lake at the end of the road a few times the last couple weeks and have been to the beach twice so far this beachy season!  Im actually considering taking my tea down to the lake in the mornings before work.  The lake is really the only place I ever feel truly relaxed.   Work has been awful.  I've always loved my job.  but I'm afraid I have to admit that I'm feeling very burned out.  Too much going on in my case loads, and I am so very far behind.  I have never ever thought about leaving my job until recently.  now Im seriously wondering if I can hang on til I can retire.   My little light is going dim and its effecting me outside of work as well.  .. lets just hope and pray that things will get better.... but I think they are going to get worse.   

Ok.. I usually don't talk about work.   I so very much wish I could give reasons.  but I have to be very generic when I talk about my job.   sooo anyways,... 

Its supposed to be a hot, sunny weekend.. I have friday off and I plan on parking my butt at the lake all three days morning til its time to go home for dinner.  I might go to the library and find a book to read or maybe I'll just pack a stack of old magazines, fill a cooler with ice tea and some healthy and not so healthy snacks and pretend the rest of the world doesnt exist! Doesn't that sound good? lol!  I actually have  beach date with some girlfriends on sunday.  Im looking forward to that.  but friday and saturday I'll be on my own.

I do have a little project brewing that will involve these black and white pics of my pies.  so I will stay home long enough one day to work on those.  Actually I'll just work on them in the early mornings before I head out to the beach.   I'll post pics when they are finished. 

well, I just wanted to pop in for a minute.   sorry Im a sucky bloggy friend these days..  and that Im whining.  

still love you all!  have a great day!

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxooxoxoxoxoxoxooxoxoxoxo

summer kick off!

Last weekend we had perfect summery weather for the Memorial Day weekend!  And it was a very full and tiring weekend!  

Started out with shopping on Friday night, then Saturday a full day at the beach with Bethany and the three oldest grand pies Violet, Marla and Torry.   

Its a lot of work getting everything packed up and ready to go.. but once we are there... its so worth it all!  

The kids all love the beach and play so well there!  and the water was absolutely clear and calm (and extra shallow for some reason).  The kids all wore their "puddle dumpers" as Violet calls them.. just to be on the safe side! 

Probably the hardest part of going to the beach is packing up to come home.  Then you're dealing with lots of wet sandy things... and wet and sandy children..  not to mention tired children!

But I think its all worth it.  Though I have considered going back myself today,  with out children! lol!  I don't think I am though.. I think I might go treasure hunting and then start my patriotic decorating inside!  not sure yet.  I need a day to just do what ever.  Some time to my selfie!

So.. after the day at the beach, I spent Sunday cleaning and making salads and running around getting the house and yard in order for our memorial day family gathering.   Jennifer and I ended up running around in search of a new pool because the kids big blow up pool had sprung a leak.  thankfully we found one!  Then of course it had to be blown up and filled once I got it home.  I also put out the baby pool for the littler pies!  

Aren't they stinking cute!?

Anyways everyone came over on memorial day and we had a really nice day.

We had lots of goodies to eat and perfect weather!

burgers, sausage and hot dogs!  I could eat some of them right now in fact!  lol!  

The girls all brought stuff over too.. Tiffany made these yummy fruity kabobs,  Nessa made a pasta salad, Bethany made broccoli salad and Jen brought stuff for root beer floats and lots of chips and dips!

We ate well!  and it was a really nice day.  the kids were great and spent most of the time playing in the pools.

 And by the end of the day I was beyond exhausted!  

And now, here we are at another weekend.   This one will be a little bit more laid back, but Friday night did start out with two parties.  a lake wedding shower with the girls from work and then Bethany had a lululala clothes party.  Really I cant remember what its called.  lalaroe.. or something like that lularoe maybe..   home at about 10:00 ate some lemon pie and went to bed!

So lets see what this weekend brings.   

Have a great one bloggy pies!!!

xxoxoxooxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxooxoxoxoxoxoxo