:: window flowers ::

I got the idea for these flowers from my obsession with cutting out paper snowflakes at Christmas...

I used this as a homeschool art project and lesson in symmetry for a fun spring homeschool project the girls. Lots of colored paper bits were flying!

The tulips and lilies were done by just folding the paper in half and opening them back up after cutting.

The daisies were done like a paper snowflake, without the detailed cutouts that would make it a snowflake.

Bits of folded over tape hold the stems to the flower, and to the window at the same time.

which one is cuter?

I was just going through some pictures from this spring so far, and found this one of our doggie, Skye, and my beautiful sister, Anna.





Most people say Anna & I don't really look anything like each other, it's almost like we each got a different half of the gene pool from our parents.

There are some similarities, though... we sound like each other on the phone, so that's something! Oh, and we both love chocolate chip pancakes with peanut butter.

Self Portrait Challenge - { square 3 }

I don't have a square to spare!

Inspired by this episode of Seinfeld... and Elaine's revenge!


(don't know what my thing is with TV inspiration lately!)

i heart spring

a Texas redbud tree

bookmark winner...

The random number generator over at random.org picked comment 5 - this comment was left by Jenilee:

"loving the little girls clothing! wow! so cute! I have 3 girls so I love that stuff! :) what a beautiful bookmark too. I'm a reader so that would be a fun thing to read with! :) and the cake looks very yum!"

Thanks, Jenilee!
Send me an email with your mailing address, so I can send your bookmark on it's way to you!

who knew cake could be so much fun?

Could you use a laugh? Every day?? I've found a site that gives me just that -

Cake Wrecks!

If you haven't visited this site before, let me tell you... it is a side-busting, tears-of-laughter-inducing blog showcasing an alarmingly high number of poorly or mistakenly decorated cakes.

I never would have thought there would be so many bad cakes out there for blogging material to begin with, but now I found myself compelled to look for them when I'm at the store, as do many of Cake Wrecks readers.

While we were in San Antonio last month, I found one which I sent in to Cake Wrecks' husband and wife writer team. Imagine my continued laughter when I found they had used it in a post this week!

Here's my find, which I hesitate to even mention the place it was found:



You can click here to read Cake Wreck's post that includes this cookie cake, and makes all of us wonder (again!) about the general public's ability to spell the English language...


4/21 update: I just have to add to the obviously misspelled flaw here, while shaking my head incredulously: lowercase "i" in the otherwise all-caps "DiPLOMA"???

Self Portrait Challenge - { square }

This was fun to put together.

And that's all I have to say about that, Marsha...





This month's Self Portrait Challenge theme is "Square" -
go check out all the fun submissions so far...

apron strings...

I have a new line of tops in my shop,
Apron Strings

Each top is one of a kind, made with different vintage fabrics!

They will look adorable with jeans, shorts, even a solid color skirt...

Click here to go see them all!

Ultimate Blog Party 2010!!!

It's my third time to participate in 5 Minutes For Mom's Ultimate Blog Party! Every time has been so much fun, I am looking forward to this week of meeting new friends as well as hearing from those of you I already know!


I knew exactly what I wanted to share this time for the party...

First, it would not be a party (in my house, at least!) without cake:




Cookies & Cream Cake

one box of white cake mix
3 eggs
1 c. water
1/2 c. oil
one package of Oreo cookies
1 1/2 c. whipping cream (or you can skip whipping the cream and use an 8 oz. container of cool whip)

Put the cake mix, eggs, water & oil in a mixing bowl. Mix for 2 minutes.

In a food processor or blender, grind up 12 cookies to fairly even crumbs (but not too fine), and fold into the cake batter. Pour into a 9x13 cake pan sprayed with nonstick spray, and bake @ 350 for 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

While the cake is baking, wash the mixing bowl & chill it in the refrigerator. Process the remaining cookies to be rough crumbs. Try really hard not to eat them all while the cake is baking and cooling.

Cool the cake completely.

Place the cream in the mixing bowl & whip on high for 2 minutes or so, until it is thick. Fold in about 1 cup of the cookie crumbs. Spread the whipped cream on top of the cake. Sprinkle the remaining cookie crumbs on top of the cake. Store in the refrigerator.


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We might be adults, but we still like presents, right? So for this year's party, I'm giving away one of my vintage inspired hand crocheted bookmarks:



If you feel so inclined, take a moment to browse through my etsy shop, Sunnybrook Farm Designs.

To enter the giveaway, simply leave a comment to this blog post... and if you would like, please mention in your comment what your favorite item is that I have listed on Etsy right now! This giveaway is open to international guests as well! I'll use a random number generator to choose a winner at the end of the Ultimate Blog Party!


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Feel free to look around the blog, where you'll see more about me.

♥ Thanks for stopping by, I hope to see you back again soon! ♥


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If I'm chosen for one of the many amazing UBP prizes, I'd like:
11, 31, 49, 52, 73, 87, or 95 - basically a gift card I can use to treat my older kids to something special!

the very first

No kidding, this is my very first shot with my brand new camera... only cropped & sharpened for web, nothing else - I'm very happy so far!




If you're interested in a Canon Rebel XT that has been kindly treated and is in great condition (with box & everything that came with it!), let me know!