Hello my new love . . .

You will change my life.  You will allow my artsy-fartsy photos to become more artsy (and because I can't quite figure you out yet, the photos are definately more fartsy!).  I've been stalking you for over a year.  Best Buy made me finally purchase you cuz I was always taking up too much of their employees' time asking questions about all the cameras, just to make sure you were the one I wanted needed.

You will allow me to finally capture moments with squirmy grandkids.  No more blurry shots of the constantly moving J-man.  My Lainey-girl's funny faces will be shot  as embarrasing photos  in order to scare off  future boyfriends.  Not to mention the pretty pictures I'll be able to catch.  The zoom photos.  The macro photos.  The wide angle photos.  Oh, the fun we'll have together - you and I!  Welcome, new love, to my life!  Now the rest is up to me!  If you have a DSL, I sure would appreciate any tips!  Especially that apeture thingy! 

And what's a new camera without a pretty camera strap?  I've seen a-plenty on the web at a-plenty high price.  I said to myself, "Self.  You can make one just as pretty."  So I did.  And I can make one for you too if you would like.  Just email me, 'kay?

I'm off to find photo subjects . . .

Fruits of my labors . . .

. . . tomatoes are really fruit, right?

From this . . .

. . .to this! 

 Spaghetti sauce, with meat!  This is my go-to meal.  You know the one.  When nothing is planned, thawed or groceries bought.  We eat this ALOT!  I've made it for years, and each year I tweak it a bit to make it better.

I also made vegetable soup base.  With cabbage, carrots, onions, green peppers, celery.  Just the basics that I don't always have on hand.  All I have to do is add meat and potatoes.  I'm all for easy when it comes to cooking.  Me no like cooking much!  My main man is the chef of the family.  And don't even get me started about shopping for groceries!

Hope your weekend meal plans includes something yummy!

Retro, baby!

I talked my daughter into doing her kitchen retro style, baby!  It is cute beyond belief for a young, hip, with-it kind of gal!  HER kitchen is all about style cuz I don't think she ever uses it for cooking!

We drove 3 hours there and back TWICE for this cart cuz little miss indecisive couldn't commit the first day we saw it.  But now . . . totally worth it!

Kinda worried me for a minute when she wanted this baby scale!  But it was so the right color and now she can weigh all her junkmail!  Lovely grey tiles on the walls but it's a rental and there is only so much you can do.

Like when all the cabinet handles are an icky, coppery color.  There are about 30 little cupboard doors so buying new just wasn't feasible.  So we grabbed the Modge Podge and some pretty turquoise and red paper and decopauged each one!

(Uh, yeah.  No photography awards for these pics!)

I guess the obsession with scales is hereditary.  I think she literally grabbed this one out of my hands!  I better start counting mine cuz they may start to be kidnapped from my house and kept for ransom in her's!  She is known to put sticky notes on the things she wants from my house just in case something happens to me.  Nice to know that at least my junk is appreciated!

Round two of tomato canning is about to commence so gotta run.

Now, go do something that makes you happy!

Sweets from the sweets . . .

. . . are what has come to my mailbox recently.  It is SO nice to have bloggy friends!

Wonderful itsy bits and pieces from, who else, but Linda of Itsy Bits and Pieces.  Wish her well folks cuz she is hosting her son's wedding this weekend at her cabin!  Nothing but sunshine for her please! 

Tales from an OC Cottage sure knows how to put together a box of creamy, dreamy whites!  All of my favorites, don't ya know!

Stefanie from Rose Petals and Rust knows how to tease a Nebraska girl like me.  Sand dollars (and how cute is that charm!) from the beach.  Now, I suppose I could take them out by the sand around the cattle tank but somehow, it's just not the same.  Relaxing by the beach is high on my bucket list!

Thank you sweeties!  The rest of you really need to visit these gals cuz they are a talented and creative group of girlies.  But then, you all are!  And I'm so happy to call you my friends!

I'm off to paint something pretty . . .

Isn't the 13th next week?

I almost missed Shelly's (Bungalow Bling) Hoarders and Crafts Gone Bad Event!  Now, alot of the time I feel like the picture above.  Why can't I get rid of this crap or at least have a system where everything is in it's own place.  A place where I can still see it (or else I forget about it), find it (because nothing drives me crazier than lost items) or, most importantly, USE the darn stuff!  Hello!  My name is Connie and I am a PROCRASTINATOR!  (Now, that would be an event - something you have all the supplies for but just haven't finished (or even started!)) Anywho, I just took a few pics of the room that I happen to be in at the moment to show you what I live with.  I'm not as bad as some but I sure am worse than alot of people I know!  But then, they don't have the precious treasures (junk!) that I have!

My fabric stash . . . well, at least some of my fabric stash.  Hello!  My name is still Connie and I am also a FABRIC-AHOLIC!

My workplace, ahh, work bed.  At least most of the fabric is folded.  Yeah for me!  These aren't even works in progress . . . just ran out of room in the drawers!

Just a pile of stuff.  Don't know where to put them, don't want to throw them out or, for heaven's sake, put them into some kind of storage!

And this?  These are items I brought home from LAST YEAR'S Junk Bonanza!  This year's Junk Bonanza is 4 weeks away!  Yup, I need more stuff!  Just to let you know a little secret about me, I painted a room downstairs over a year ago and still have not hung one thing on the walls.  Some of these things belong in that room, to be hung on the walls.  Hello!  My name is and has always been Connie and I CANNOT COMMIT!

Please don't think too harshly about me (or my housekeeping).  It's just that I hop and skip from one project to another very, very quickly.  I have a need to try new things immediately, leaving messes in their wake.  Oh, and the crafts that go bad?  I throw them away.  After seeing one gorgeous creation after another on YOUR blogs, I don't want to see my failures!

Disclaimer:  All of these pictures are from one room upstairs.  I want you to know that my downstairs living quarters are as neat as a pin.  My OCD doesn't allow clutter down there!  But I do have another room upstairs that may be just a little bit worse so, you see, I still have a major hoading problem!

Now, off I go to organize.  Seeing these disasters in photos makes me cringe!  Next year, Where Women Create will be knocking at my door!  lol !

Go do something that makes you happy this weekend . . .

Without further ado . . .

#17 - Sandy from Vintage Sandy - the bag

#36 - Lynn from Trash to Treasure Art - the vase

and I put the names of those who blogged about my giveaway in a hat and drew out Debbie from Craftymoose Crafts.  Debbie will win another bag!  (sorry I don't have a picture, but I hope you like it!)

I hope I handled this giveaway fair and square but mostly I hoped you had fun commenting and entering as many times as you liked!

We all know why we blog. There are those that write much better than I and have expressed so eloquently what I feel about meeting all of you. You really have no idea what each comment means to me. You brighten my days! You inspire me to try new things! You show me that what I dream about is possible and all I need to do is try! You are people I hope to know better! And I strive to become as sweet, as kind, as encouraging as each and every one of you have been to me! And if you are a new follower - WELCOME! I hope you'll visit often! But if you have been a follower for awhile - THANK YOU! I cherish your friendship!

Now, go make someone else as happy as you've made me . . .

To market we will go . . .

. . . to the farmer's market!  In the big city!  I'll just let you look at the pictures.

You still have a chance to enter my giveaway (here)!  Right up until I publish all the comments and find the winners!  I get to have the J-man all day tomorrow so I don't know how much computer time I will have.  But by Wednesday morning at the latest, you will know if your comment  was one of the lucky numbers!

Can't wait to find my lucky ducks . . .

Early morning at the fair . . .

My main man has been on the county fair board for 20 years.  He (and many, many other volunteers) work long hours for weeks before the fair getting it ready and then he practically lives there for the 4 days the fair is going on.  Now that my kids are no longer in 4-H, I 'm not there 24/7 but I still put in alot of time helping where I can.

I was there early one morning when no one else was around.  What a profound difference can be found when the fair is virtually asleep.

The rides are still.  No screams, no flashing lights, no music.

No little ones pulling on parent's arms, itching to get to that next thrill ride, and then sometimes crying for their momma's while she's waving on the sidelines.

The carnival is quiet.  No carnies coaxing suckers passersby to try their luck at their games.  No children picking ducks (for $5!!!) out of a tub of water for a dinky prize that holds their attention for about 20 seconds.

There are no farmers checking out the machinery, wishing they could have these monsters with all the bells and whistles but praying that nothing breaks down this year so that they have to buy anything new.

There are no older, retired farmers to tell stories on how hard they had to work when they were farming and how easy the farmers have it now.  It is still tough to farm, to raise a crop, to pay the prices needed to raise a crop and all the while still try to raise a family. 

The chainsaw was silent (thank goodness!) but the artist's talent was visible.

All of the creations are auctioned at the end of the fair. 

There was no one in the buildings to ooh and ahh over the handmade quilts, hanging for all to admire.

I never got around to take pictures before the animals and the people started mosying in for another day at the fair.  The noise quickly escalated and I contemplated what the fair means to our community.  It really is all about the kids.  4-H plays a big part in teaching our children responsibility, leadership, and hard work.  The kids certainly benefit from their endeavors but so do we.  We watch them grow into adults that we are proud to know.

And later on that day . . . we got into some screaming of our own on rides we couldn't get enough of! 

DON'T FORGET TO COMMENT TO WIN MY GIVEAWAY! 

 (See post HERE.)  I'm making another bag for the 3rd drawing for those of you who blog or post a picture on your sidebar about my little giveaway!  Come!  Visit!  Comment!  Post! 

And Yippy Skippy!  I've reached over 160 followers so the drawing will be held August 10th!  Thank you to all!  You have no idea how much this means to me!  Oh, and if you missed it ~~ THANK YOU!

Now . . . go create something to be proud of . . .