Eat Drink & Be Merry

Some days I am more creative than others and today, my creativity was simply in setting a nice table for Steve's meal of beef stroganoff - one of my favorite of his dishes.

Over the last few weeks, I have been organizing the attic and I came across remnants from the summer I made the slipcovers for our sofa.

I took a couple of remnants and tore the fabric to make fringed place mats and painted words on them.

I didn't have fabric to make a third place mat so Be Merry had to be written on a sign.

To add blue to the table, I used my very favorite polka dot Sabre flatware.

With the table set, I had time on my hands before volleyball practice so I headed to TJ Maxx to browse.

I found some really fun tea towels.

Steve doesn't like me to cover up the table he built with tablecloths so the yellow striped tea towel will be used as a table runner - I love the fringe on the edges.

I bought three sets of the Wine Is Happiness tea towels - one for my next door neighbor who shares the same color palette as me and the other two for me to cut up to make placemats.

The aqua set of tea towels will go in KC's Easter basket because they are perfect with her color scheme.

I will leave you with my disaster for the day - making lemon bars from the bag of myers lemons a friend dropped off.

The bars were delicious so I made three plates - one for my next door neighbor, one for my volleyball team and one to take across the street to a neighbor.

I took the plate of lemon bars across the street and when I got back, this is all that was left of the other two plates - 7 lemon bars.

This little face looked up at me - covered with powdered sugar - I guess Lulu thought she should Eat Drink & Be Merry too!

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I am joining the parties at

Lavender Garden Cottage - Cottage Style Party

Ivy and Elephants - What's It Wednesday

Green Willow Pond - What We Accomplished Wednesdays

Five Days of Creativity

I spent the last 5 days creating, socializing and having a ball.

Craftcation has been held in my home town for 3 years, but this was my first time attending.

Just 2 miles up the beach from my home is the Crowne Plaza, home to Craftcation.

By volunteering on pre-conference days and helping on opening day, I was able to participate in classes and events for free.

The first day I helped set up for the opening night dinner and speaker by cutting every single strip of the fringe on the wall and making a bunch of giant flowers.

Day 2 had me helping to set up the Pop Up Shop; I spent more money there than I should have!

My final task of volunteering was to help Kelly Lanza of Studio DIY at the Party Hat table - work was never so much fun.

With my volunteer duties finished, I claimed my Goodie Bag (nowhere near large enough to hold all the things I made) and got busy playing in all of the fun classes.

With the ocean in the background, Kaari Meng, of French General, led a great workshop called 'The Creative Habit' and told us to be exercise our 'creative muscle' daily to strengthen it.

Alton DuLaney, a paper crafter for Craftsy

started us off with a bag full of supplies and a plain white box which we promptly turned into party decor using Scotch Expression tape.

By far, my favorite display was the set up in the Sizzix classroom - I was in the room for 5 different classes.

I wanted to make one of everything

but I had to be content with the sweet little strawberry box we made in the class.

I took classes led by  Brittany Jepsen whose blog I have been following and Amy Tan who I am now following.

Sean Timberlake of Punk Domestics taught us how to make a tea liqueur and citrus salt.

I sat in classes with sweet Cindy Ann of blupenny.com who just published her first book and

Michelle Black of Repurposed who donated little bags with fun stamps to every Craftcation participant.

I acted like a total dork when I realized that the woman standing next to me at the Party Hat table was Jo Packham who graciously agreed to take a photo with me and autographed a copy of Where Women Cook - I feel like I should do some cooking now.

I had a fantastic time this week at Craftcation and not just because of the pile of goodies and the crafts I made.

If you have a business,
want to start one,
are trying to get a book published,
or just want to have some fun crafting,
I encourage you to visit the Craftcation website and check out the list of speakers from this year's conference and get onto the mailing list for next year.

Check out Craftcation on

facebook or
instagram at #craftcation14

to see a better representation of the amazing classes and fun activities for participants.

I simply did craft classes, but I met people from all over the US and Canada who were vacationing in my home town alone, with a group of friends or with family while learning essential business skills or just being creative.

Little did we know that Steve was also a part of Craftcation; on the third day, I finally opened the schedule and there on page 5 was an image of one of Steve's paintings.

And now, I owe Steve some time since I deserted him on April 3, our 43rd wedding anniversary and left him to eat all by himself.

Come Walk With Me

The last few days have been productive, but not blog worthy - cleaning and purging in the attic.

Lulu and I thought you might want to join us on a walk through the neighborhood.

I thought it would be fun to look at gates

and signs

and doors.

We'll walk along the beach

and stop by the park for one of my favorite views to the Channel Islands.

We'll see stairways 

and garden decor.

Our walk will take us past little cottages surrounded by picket fences

and small shingled cottages 

dwarfed by multi-level homes.

We might stop by Gerry and Terry's house to check out their garden

or peek through Linda's hidden gate.

I'll take you by my friend Ginger's house -

 one of the oldest on the beach.

I want to make a wreath like the beautiful wreath that hangs on Ginger's gate, but that will have to wait.

I am volunteering at Craftcation April 1 -3 and attending classes April 3-5.

I can't wait for my first class -

via

The Creative Habit with Kaari Meng of French General.

I will be AWOL from blogging, but I should have some fun things to share next week.

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I am sharing at 

My Little House and Garden - Sunlit Sunday