DECORATING WITH SUITCASES OF THE PAST

Hello friends:

via anthropology

more anthropology

We love the old suitcases, I'm posting a few pictures for you to get ideas, and enjoy the yummy  suitcases.












More ways to decorate with suitcases:

very clean  (apartment therapy)

Some sources for old suitcases:  Etsy, Craig's list, E bay, and yard sales.

Happy travelling, just kidding, 

martha

INSPIRATION

from this  to....

This is so nice she used the "graphic Fairy" and she painted it by hand, just BEAUTIFUL

Absolutely beautiful


Polly from   "its just me"   did this beautiful table over, it is so YUMMY , I had to share,

then check this out, more yumminess:


martha

9/11 I will never forget that day

This is a sad day for all of us who lost friends, neighbors, family, children on 9/11 ten years ago.


I will never forget that day.  I was in my classroom when all of the sudden my classroom changed.  The Principal spoke on the intercom  and instructed us to close all windows, lock the doors, and stay in our rooms.  My heart was palpitating but I was calm and told my kids, (14 years old) to  stay calm, I thought it was a false alarm.
All of the sudden a teacher came in and told me to get the kids ready to go home, and didn't give me details.  I got everybody ready, and they left not knowing what happened.  I went into the hallway, and I was told about the two planes from Boston, and to go home as soon as possible.
I was crying, shaking, I just wanted to talk to my kids, my family, we were all safe and okay, but the radio was talking about the two towers, the Penn. flight, and then the DC plane. I couldn't drive fast enough, I made it home, and my neighbors were outside.  We lost a lot of friends, husbands, and we were all so sad.


Of course schools were cancelled, and we all watched the TV constantly and cried.  I made chicken soup,  (cans)  and grilled cheese sandwiches,  and prayed for the victims.  It was a weary feeling when I thought the two men left Logan Airport that morning to crash the planes.  How could this be possible???


When I returned to work, it took us a long time to go back to "normal",  we wrote letters, we drew pictures, we had talks, small groups, kids cried and felt very sad.  I had no answers, just that eventually we will find out the "why's"  we tried to get back to "normal", but everybody was in a sad mood.





I will never get over this horrible tragedy, as a Christian, I forgive "because they don't know'
what they are doing"  but I cann't respect people who kill innocent people in order to gain salvation or gain good deeds from their higher power.  I know that we all have our own beliefs and religion, however, this particular form of extreme worship makes me tremble.  When I saw the terrorists on the cabin  praying to their higher power, getting ready to die, and take all the innocent people with them, I lost all my respect for them.  I remembered saying to myself, "what is this?"  do they really believe in a higher power???


I say it again, I do forgive because "they don't know what they are doing" just like Jesus said in the cross, we have to forgive them, but its hard to forget.


martha
I pray today for the families and hope that they are healing from such an injustice.


Blessings


martha

A rainy day, and finishing a project

Dear Friends:


Here is the finished product.  It took about 4o roses, and a lot of love.
But it is done, and I think the bride will like it.
I would love to hear from you, let me know if you like it,
Happy Thursday,


martha

The Wedding wreaths and a tutorial

I finished the wedding wreaths, and I started on the next one, also I wrote a tutorial for you my friends, its not that hard, believe me. You can make one in about three evenings.

The bride chose gray satin ribbon to hung the wreaths, I think they came out nice!!! what do you think.

Next:
The roses wreath  (another story)



MATERIALS:

• a foam wreath as big as you want, mine are 12"
• an old book
• a hot glue gun
• scissors
• a pencil or magic marker
• a movie and pop corn  Ha ha ha!!! chocolate cake!!!!

STEP ONE:

Cut 15 strips of book pages 2" wide.  Wrap each one around the wreath to cover the ugly foam, you can use ribbon if you want.  Just glue the end,  DONE.

STEP TWO

Cut lots of squares from your pages 4 1/2"  by 4 1/2"  Make a pile.

STEP THREE

Draw a spiral pattern on the first three squares and cut the spiral.  It doesn't have to be perfect, about a 1/4"  but if you can't or make a mistake, don't worry, your rose will come out beautiful anyway.

STEP FOUR  *IMPORTANT"

Grab a pair of tweezers (this is what I do)  grab the end of the spiral and roll and roll your flower, don't let go until the fat circle at the end.  Don't let go too fast, just slowly and carefully let it go and you will see the most beautiful rose you have even made is magical.

STEP FIVE  

Glue, the fat circle and a few of the petals, whatever style you like, be careful not to burn, I do it all the time, but I'm getting better.  Now this is rose number one, place it in a pretty silver tray, ( I do) and observe your hard work!!!!

STEP SIX

Make about 10 to 15 roses and place on your pretty tray.  Start your first row on your wreath

STEP SEVEN

Try to glue your roses as close as possible.  You will need to do three rows, and you are done, about 45 to 50 roses.

STEP EIGHT

Glue a bit of ribbon on the back and make a bow or just leave it simply.  This wreath is so impressive that it doesn't need much decoration, just the roses.

STEP NINE

Hang it in your living room, bedroom, 

STEP TEN

You can spray a protective Krlyon matte from Michael's but I don't, I have mine wreath for about four years. Sometimes the protective spray might turn the paper darker, but it is okay because we want the wreath to look old.

Enjoy your wreath, lots of work but worth the effort.  Please make one and let me know how you like them.

love

martha