A Wonderful Muddy Mess

 We survived conquered the Insane Inflatable 5k in Tulsa! 

 

 

 With all the rain we have been having, oh my word, you should have seen the amount of mucky stuff in the high traffic areas!  It was drizzling rain and kind of windy upon arrival at the Oral Roberts University Campus. 

 

 

After registration, we hung out in the car and took silly photos,

 

 

wanting one that made us look "insane".

 

 

Yep!  That picture should do it!  ;-)  'Definitely crazy!

 

 

Here we are!  Ready to run 3 miles and climb through surprisingly large bounce houses.

 

 

Did I mention how much rain has been falling lately? 

 

I don't remember the last time I laughed so hard or got THAT dirty!

 

 

 The participants were running through mud, then climbing and sliding on all these awesome inflatables!  It probably wouldn't have felt as difficult if they had been dry.  It was pretty common to see runners lose a shoe in the mud. 

 

 

Others would be climbing up one of the bounce houses only to hit a slick spot and slide back to the bottom.  Thankfully everyone was helping anyone close to them otherwise, no one would have made it!

 

 

Laughter could be heard throughout the entire course!

 

It was a wonderful muddy mess!  #goodcleanfun  ;-)

 

What kind of wonderful messes are you making?

 

 ;-)  -Marci

It's a Matter of Training

train your mind to see the good in everything

;-)  -Marci

The Great Blog Train Results {May}

<a href="http://www.godsgrowinggarden.com/p/great-blog-train.html" rel="”nofollow”" target="_blank"><img alt=" Great Blog Train" src="http://i1145.photobucket.com/albums/o501/AngieOuelletteTower/My%20Blog%20Stuff/BlogTrainNewest300_zpse83d52e1.jpg" /></a>  

The 29th GREAT BLOG TRAIN was a blast! - We all safely reached our destination: The state of ARIZONA.  It was a wonderful trip with 37 boxcars!!  We (the Engineers) would like to thank all of you for travelling with us and we hope that you all had a wonderful time!
 

The Giveaway Winner: M.B. (I have contacted the winner by email)
Congrats!!!

 

W   A   N   T   E   D  :

(Being a "Destination Cohost" means that you get to pick our next destination!!  It also means that you will post The Great Blog Train on your blog on the first Wednesday of whatever month you will be cohosting (1 different cohost per month).  We (the engineers or hosts) will provide you with the html code for the blog hop & for the Giveaway - all you will have to do is add into that post some information on the destination that you picked (like population, known for, location etc - basic family friendly facts) and add a few pictures.  Also, if you cohost we ask that you promote it on your social media sites) (We are now scheduling for October 2015).

If you are interested in being a Destination Co-host for the Great Blog Train then please click HERE and fill out the form (THANK YOU!!)

We are now featuring the top 3 Boxcars!  (These are the links that received the most clicks)
All of the featured Boxcars are pinned to the
Great Blog Train Pinterest Board
(click HERE to follow the board)

Crocheted Stitch Sampler Blanket by "Let It Shine"



Dr. Benjamin Carson - Great Role Model for Our Kids by "Ducks'n a Row"
 


Banana Bread for the Bon Vivant by "Flourish & Knot"



Please join us for the JUNE Great Blog Train

on June 3rd, 2015!

Sign up to receive emails about The Great Blog Train

LINK PARTY!! Tuesdays with a Twist #112

Are you ready for a fun party?  We're your co-hosts:
 

Mary @ Back to the Basics

 Marci @ Stone Cottage Adventures

Angie @ God's Growing Garden

Deb @ Kneaded Creations
 

Each co-host will be sharing her own picks for Features. This gives everyone a better chance of being featured.  Be sure to check all of our blogs!

 
 Y'all make choosing features so difficult!  There were GOBS of great links last week!  Thank you!  

It's been a tough week.  No feature today.  :-(  Boo!

 

If you've been featured we'd love for you to grab a button.

We all love comments!  Please hop around and show some love!

The party starts every Tuesday at 7am EST and will continue until Friday at 11:59pm.  Feel free to stop back any time and "like" your favorites.  Please visit other blogs if you have a moment. 

Share older posts as well as new ones.  No limit on links!

*Pictures should be your own* 

By linking up you give us permission to use these photos

 (with proper link backs) in our features. 

And now for the party!

;-)  -Marci 
 

 

Butterfly Doodles

 

Here's another gourd project for you.

 

I cut the shape of a butterfly from a large apple gourd a  L O N G  time ago, but couldn't decide how to paint it.

 

Then one day, I just started doodling on it, but kept things simple, only using black and red complimenting the natural color of the gourd.  Some of the black marks are from my wood burning tool and some are paint pen.  The red is actually a fabric marker.  I love the natural flaws and freckles of the gourd.

 

The back is clean black.

 

I don't really have a plan for it.  Right now it's hanging out in the greenhouse on the lattice for snow peas.

 

 

This was a fun, relaxing project.  What do you like to doodle?

 

;-)  -Marci

Arranging Iris, Another Tutorial

Iris smell so wonderful, I love bringing them inside!  The tutorial today will be another one "by hand".  To me, this means all the stems will be arranged in one hand and then plunked into the vase.  You've seen me do it before.  ;-)  Click HERE to see it with tulips and daffodils.

 

There weren't many colors blooming this particular day.  These mauve ones are at the back corner bedroom next to the Mahonia bushes where I photographed the Robin Eggs as well as This Beauty.

 





I also had a few white ones near the bird feeders.  Notice they aren't all open.  That's a nice little trick to remember when arranging iris.  The blooms don't last very long once cut.  Choose stems that have several unopened buds to extend the life of your bouquet.

 

My container may look like an old chippy pitcher, but it's actually a vase found at Hobby Lobby.  It's nice and heavy. Notice how it fits my hand.  When doing an arrangement "by hand" use a container that is just slightly larger than what you can grip.  I like my vase to echo the shape of the bouquet.  Since this one is tall and narrow, it is perfect for iris!



Since I am only working with two colors, this tutorial will be pretty brief.  Cut all your flowers and lay them out so you can see just how straight or crooked their stems are.  Choose the straightest stems to be the middle of your bouquet.  I generally begin with three for the center.  Then, working in a circle, add flowers just a bit lower than the first three. 

 



 

Each time I make a lap around my hand, the blossoms are placed just a little lower than the previous set.  Any stems that are bent will be used in the last round, which will give the bouquet its volume.  Once all the flowers are in my hand, I hold them near the vase and cut all the stems at the same time to the length I want for the vase.





Then they are plunked inside and fluffed just a bit.  My living room is going to smell WONDERFUL with these beauties inside!

 

Which flowers smell the best to you?

 

;-)  -Marci

Tuesdays with a Twist Link Party!

Are you ready for a fun party?  We're your co-hosts:
 

Mary @ Back to the Basics

 Marci @ Stone Cottage Adventures

Angie @ God's Growing Garden

Deb @ Kneaded Creations
 

Each co-host will be sharing her own picks for Features. This gives everyone a better chance of being featured.  Be sure to check all of our blogs!

 
 Y'all make choosing features so difficult!  There were GOBS of great links last week!  Thank you!  

My feature this week is Spring Flowers



 from Heidi's Wanderings!  How pretty!

 

If you've been featured we'd love for you to grab a button.

We all love comments!  Please hop around and show some love!

The party starts every Tuesday at 7am EST and will continue until Friday at 11:59pm.  Feel free to stop back any time and "like" your favorites.  Please visit other blogs if you have a moment. 

Share older posts as well as new ones.  No limit on links!

*Pictures should be your own* 

By linking up you give us permission to use these photos

 (with proper link backs) in our features. 

And now for the party!

;-)  -Marci 
 

 

Buckyball Gazing

Just what is a Buckyball?  Click HERE for the official word from Crystal Bridges, but I'll tell you what it means to me.

 

Buckyball:  A hollow, geometric grid ball suspended inside a larger geometric ball with LED lights along the framework that constantly change colors, as well as patterns across the lattice.



It's beautiful from afar, but seriously cool when you are close.

 

There are park bench chaise lounges placed along the perimeter under the Buckyball. 



Lying down, looking up into the moving colors and changing patterns is absolutely mesmerizing.

When the wind blows, the smaller ball on the inside will rock and sway, which adds even more interest to the display.

We are very blessed to have Crystal Bridges in our community! 

What art museums are near you?  I'd love to hear about your favorite displays!

Edited May 21, 2015 - I am not great with heights, but estimate the bigger ball to be about 20 feet tall and it sits on a pedestal that is approximately 10 feet high.

 

;-)  -Marci

Link Party Feature!

What an honor!

 

 

My tutorial, Pillow Cases, Just the Way You Like Them, is being featured today at Threading My Way!

 

 

Pam has ongoing link parties for sewing projects which have become an amazing digital library!  I love her blog and am so very honored to be featured this week.  If you have time, you really should hop over and see all the clever ideas!

 

;-)  -Marci

Introducing Sadi

Meet the newest member of our family!  She is such a sweetheart and absolutely adores Handsome Husband!

 

Would you like to see some baby photos?  The baby pix aren't great, taken on our phones.

 

Sadi is half Akita and half Mastiff.  Her paws are huge!

 

When fully grown, we expect her to weigh around 120 pounds.  I like to call her Sadi Bear!

 

Here's our big girl!  Handsome Husband found her on Craig's List and brought her home around Christmas time.

 

Sadi's best friend is Hugo.  He lives next door and actually scored His Own Post on my blog.  Hugo frequently comes over for play dates with our crazy pack of wild dogs.  ;-)



They are so sweet to each other!

We love having Sadi in our family!

;-)  -Marci

Link Party Feature!

What an honor!



My bouquet tutorial I'm a Little Tea Pot is being featured at the Home Matters Link Party!




I hope you'll visit Lorelai and all the other lovely hostesses!

;-)  -Marci