Hobbies

Well, I promised pictures no matter what they looked like!

On Monday night I went to my first cake decorating class.  I took this same course about a year ago and didn’t do too well.  So I’m trying again.  Tonight there was a lot of instruction on making the proper icing for the cake, for the flowers and for other decorations.  We learned lots of little hints that I didn’t hear about last time, so I’m feeling good about this instructor.

We only used one decorator tip for making stars.  We practiced and then applied our “skill” on cookies.  We were told to bring six.  I bought 12 because I knew I needed a little extra help.  Yes, I said bought.  I wanted them to be round and not the strange shapes my “round” cookies turn into.  We also learned a tip for getting round cookies!

Anyway, here are my results.  I’m so glad I can’t hear you laughing at my mess!

Those top two are my attempt at bunny ears!!

 

 

I tried to make them pretty by putting them under glass. 

Next week we are to bring in a cake (which I will bake) to decorate.

 I might have bitten off more than I can chew though.  Hubby and I are in the midst of taking this great class on prosperity at church.  Since next week will be our 10th and final class, we were asked if any of us wanted to bring a treat for a little party.  I said I would bring my cake that I will be decorating.  Gosh I hope it looks okay.  I’m pretty sure it will taste good though and luckily there will be other yummy desserts too.

A few posts ago I showed you the fabric I got for my spring table runner. It went much faster on my second attempt at quilting. I cut out everything and I’ve completed two of the five squares. I have to sew the other three together. Here’s what they look like so far.

 

 

  It’s really going to be pretty I think.  I’ll take pictures when I finish it and post them.

Since my family is coming in tonight for the week,  I might be too busy to post for a few days.  So, I’m wishing you all a very joyous Easter filled with lots and lots of love, friendship and great food.

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16 Comments
by Ellen Beeton on April 4, 2012  •  Permalink
Posted in Crafts, Family, Food, Holidays, Joy

Posted by Ellen Beeton on April 4, 2012

https://injoyinmylife.wordpress.com/2012/04/04/hobbies/

More Easter Stuff

Hubby and I volunteer at church every Thursday.  We are actually called “Service Angels.”  Generally we fold the handout for church the following Sunday.  We usually have about 10-15 people show up so it doesn’t take long.  We have to tri-fold 1500 handouts.  We also do anything else that might be needed in bulk.  We stuff envelopes, well, just all kinds of things.

This week we stuffed Easter eggs for the children’s Easter Egg hunt.

 Some of those darn little eggs wouldn’t close!

 We expect about 500 children so our little fingers were working as fast as they could.

We loaded container after container.  I can’t wait until Saturday to see how the kids do.

 So I already posted my Easter tablescape, but here are some of my little decorations around the house.

I got this cute little Easter tablecloth at the Goodwill (of course).

Actually, I got the basket, the crystal candy bowl and the beautiful  spring candle holder at the Goodwill too.

The Lennox vase we got as a wedding gift.  The little bunny came from Walmart.

 This cute little table is the first thing you see in my entry way coming into the front door.

This shelf below, which I just painted, holds some of my cute decorative plates.  It is just above this little table.

 

 I also wanted to show you my new candle holders I got, guess where from!!!

Yep you are right, the Goodwill!

These are on my counter by my table.

Aren’t they pretty!

 Well that’s about it as pictures go.

I’m so excited for tomorrow because my son and daughter in law, Brian and Linda, are coming for the week.  The Saturday before Easter, another of my sons, David, will be coming for the week.  Their visits are going to overlap so we can all get to spend Easter together.  They are bringing with them three granddogs for the visit.  Sugar and Meeka love it when their furfriends arrive.

 Life is certainly GOOD!

6 Comments
by Ellen Beeton on April 3, 2012  •  Permalink
Posted in Family, Holidays, Joy

Posted by Ellen Beeton on April 3, 2012

https://injoyinmylife.wordpress.com/2012/04/03/more-easter-stuff/

Easter Table!!

I love decorating for Easter.  It’s so bright and cheery.  The pastels are my favorite.

Here is my Easter Tablescape.

 It all started when earlier this year I found this adorable table runner.  I loved it and decided to decorate around it.  I love the colors.

 

I finally found yellow, pink and purple candles.

 I found my gold chargers and dishes at the Goodwill store too.   The China is called Winley.   The smaller plate under the bowl which I will show in a bit is from my mother’s china.

Actually, I got the tablecloth, the pink basket (which I painted because it wasn’t pink),  the cute little bunnies, the napkins and the largest candlesticks at the Goodwill store too.    It’s my new home away from home.

 

I alread had the stemware and flatware along with the two other pairs of candlestick holders. 

 

 

 

 I couldn’t find any napkin rings that I liked within my budget, so I just tied bows around the napkins and I think they look so cute.

 

 

 

 

This was the most fun I’ve had creating a tablescape even though it’s only my third one.

I’m already planning more.  I think I’ve found my new hobby and I owe it all to you wonderful tablescapers out there in blogland.

27 Comments
by Ellen Beeton on March 31, 2012  •  Permalink
Posted in Crafts, Holidays, Joy

Posted by Ellen Beeton on March 31, 2012

https://injoyinmylife.wordpress.com/2012/03/31/easter-table/

Yellow Necklaces

 Sugar Plum and Meeka wanted me to post that they are very excited that spring is here.

 They have chosen to wear their bright yellow “necklaces” for spring.

Sorry about the pictures.  I’m still learning.  They are very shadowed, but you can see their necklaces just fine.

 

They are outside on the lounge chair by the pool just waiting for summer.

 They also got a new bed.  It’s so puffy!!!

I asked them to pose in such a way that you can see their pretty yellow necklaces.

 Wish I had a bed that puffy.

Happy Spring!

25 Comments
by Ellen Beeton on March 25, 2012  •  Permalink
Posted in Uncategorized

Posted by Ellen Beeton on March 25, 2012

https://injoyinmylife.wordpress.com/2012/03/25/yellow-necklaces/

Spring is Here and I am “Injoyinmylife.”

Spring is one of my favorite times of the year.  Rebirth, newness, time to start over and let go of the past.

I made a conscious decision around five years ago that I would set my intention every morning to live in JOY.  It must be working because I am certainly “enjoying my life”  so very much.

I am living the exact life I want to live.  Hubby and I often remark to each other how great life is.  It’s not that “stuff” doesn’t happen, because it does.  It’s also not that we have become complacent because there are still more things we would like to do, more places we would like to see and just plain lots more living to do.  We are blessed to see most of our family very often.  Those that live far away, well, we just don’t see them often enough.   We have so much to look forward to.  I wrote a post awhile back about the new twin great-grandbabies we are awaiting.  Well, so far we have found out that they are identical and most likely girls.  Sometimes I wonder, can it really get any better?  Then it does!

Here are some of the things that Spring holds for me.

1.  Continuing on my  sewing lessons.

I just finally finished sewing together my (for next year) Christmas wall hanging.  I haven’t done the quilting yet, but here it is so far.  Actually it’s so big, it might just be a quilted throw to go over the back of my sofa.

 

Here is the fabric for my spring table runner that I’m also going to quilt.  I’m going to sew it together and then quilt them both at the same time.

I love these fabrics.  It’s going to be so pretty.

2.  Retaking cake decorating classes.

I took cake decorating lessons a little less than a year ago and I didn’t finish the last one.  I was less than impressed with myself.  Here is a picture of my first cake.  PLEASE DON’T LAUGH.

 I’m pretty sure I can do better this time around.  No matter what, I will share my photos.

3.  Volunteering

This past month I started volunteering at church in the office.  It’s been 12 years since I worked in an office.  A lot has changed, but I’m having a great time.  I couldn’t ask for a better bunch of people to work with.

4.  Walking my girls.

 All I have to say is “let’s find you leashes” and both their heads pop up and they are ready to go.

5.   GET READY FOR SUMMER!

Should have already started this one, but I didn’t.  I need to lose the weight I always gain over the holidays.

I have always wanted a pool and we have one now.   It always looks so inviting.  I better start getting ready for it!

Here in Arizona, we are able to use the unheated pool almost 6 months a year.  You can’t beat that!

6.  Blogging

I have found this great community of bloggers.  I follow Doggie blogs, tablescaping blogs, home decorating blogs, craft blogs, food blogs, well, blogs just pretty much about anything.  I have learned so much about others and about myself.  There are some wonderful people out there and I’m so happy to have met you all.

These are just a few of the things I’ll be busy with for the next few months.

I truly believe that Life is ALWAYS Good, no matter what might be showing up at the moment.  Experiences come and go, some we label  “good” and some we label “bad” but  one thing I know is that these experiences are transitory.  Life, with a capital “L” is always Good.  God is Good. I believe people are inherently Good.  I keep a Good attitude.  I stay grateful and I count my blessings.  I look for the Good in every situation.  I usually find it.  Maybe not exactly when I want to, but I do find it.

 Just in case you wonder, the new header is a picture of the front of our home in Missouri.  Spring time in the Ozarks is without a doubt the prettiest I’ve ever seen.  I miss the green, but I have lots and lots of pictures to enjoy.   When I start to get homesick, I pull out the ones where the snow is covering everything and poof! no more homesickness.

19 Comments
by Ellen Beeton on March 20, 2012  •  Permalink
Posted in Uncategorized

Posted by Ellen Beeton on March 20, 2012

https://injoyinmylife.wordpress.com/2012/03/20/spring-is-here-and-i-am-injoyinmylife/

St. Patrick’s Day Table

Posting my second tablescape!  I’m so new at this – I know my pictures could stand a little work and my table, well it could use some work too, but I’m having fun with what I have and that’s all that matters, right?

I set a table for four.  Yes, I know the picture could be better.  I can’t believe I didn’t get it centered.

 My bowls, napkins, candlesticks, crocheted table runner and tablecloth all came from the Goodwill store (and the prices were right.)

My little bucket, flowers, beads and chargers came from Michael’s.

I made my napkin rings from St. Pat’s garland I had.  I added the little buttons because we were having house guests that included two little boys who I thought might like to have them.

I thought the table looked cute.  I made the little bows on the orange candles because I had some St. Pat’s ribbon.

 I made some goodies for the kids, cake pops and candy which they LOVED so that made me happy.

Mmmm, yummy!

I hope you all have a great St. Patrick’s Day.

23 Comments
by Ellen Beeton on March 15, 2012  •  Permalink
Posted in Crafts, Family, Food, Holidays, Inspiration

Posted by Ellen Beeton on March 15, 2012

https://injoyinmylife.wordpress.com/2012/03/15/st-patricks-day-table/

All is Well With the World

Just a quick post to announce that Sugar Plum is back to her old self again and all is well with the world.

I just knitted the girls their St. Patrick’s Day “necklaces.”   They have so many different colors already I’m surprised that they didn’t have green.

I took some pictures of the girls playing and wanted to share them with you.

 You can see that Sugar is able to chew on and play tug o’ war with her toys again.

Meeka wants to join in the fun too.

Silly doggy!

Mom, Meeka is trying to take my toy.  “No I’m not!”

Mom, I can’t find my toy!

Don’t ask me where it is.

 Okay, who has it?

I think I smell a rat!

I can tell by the look on your face!

 I found it!  All is right with the world again.

17 Comments
by Ellen Beeton on March 9, 2012  •  Permalink
Posted in Joy, Pets

Posted by Ellen Beeton on March 9, 2012

https://injoyinmylife.wordpress.com/2012/03/09/all-is-well-with-the-world/

Cats and More Fun!!

Just got home from California again.  This time Hubby and I both went.  It was a quick trip, but we packed in quite a bit.

Friday night we went to Granddaughter, Summer’s first school play, Cats.

If I do say so myself, she was adorable.

How could anyone not love that adorable kitten??

 

Summer is a student at Encore High School for the Performing and Visual Arts.

It is a great school that combines the regular academic curriculum with these types of arts.

Summer is in the 8th grade, so over then next four years we will probably be heading out to California for several plays and concerts. 

Our family took up most of the front row.

An added bonus for me was that I got to see my granddaughter, Melissa who is carrying my great-grandtwins.

Now that’s one pretty mama!!

We spent Saturday at daughter, Karla’s house and played games most of the day which was topped off by a fantastic BBQ.  Yummy yummy.

On Sunday we celebrated daughter-in-law, Shannon’s birthday.  Monday we drove home.

For those of you who might be wondering – Sugar Plum is doing so much better.   We took Sugar and Meeka with us because they love to visit all their fur-cousins.  Sugar played just like her old self.

So today is back to our regular routine which is always welcome – but not for long.  We are having company coming on Friday for the weekend.  We live in the midst of baseball spring training land.  Lots of games to go to next weekend.  Excited because I love baseball.  I want you to know that I really appreciate all of you who come to visit and leave comments.  Until next time….

11 Comments
by Ellen Beeton on March 6, 2012  •  Permalink
Posted in Family, Joy, Pets, Travel

Posted by Ellen Beeton on March 6, 2012

https://injoyinmylife.wordpress.com/2012/03/06/cats-and-more-fun/

Doing a little this, a little that.

I feel like I haven’t blogged in so very long, yet it’s only been about 10 days.  Time does fly when you are busy busy!

I made a quick trip to California to visit some of my grandchildren.  I actually went to southern California and picked up our daughter Karla and granddaughter Katrina.

Here is a cute picture of Katrina showing us her new engagement ring!

We drove up to northern California to visit daughter Jan and granddaughters Jessica, Elena and Ghianna.

Here is a cute picture of Elena, Jessica and Ghianna.

 We talked until our voices were hoarse.  So much fun.  It was just a short “girl” trip that was not long enough.

The day after I came home  I had to take Sugar Plum to have her dental work done.  She has not been feeling well.  Notwithstanding the Valley Fever, she has been nauseated and just lethargic and not wanting to play.  I just blogged about it recently.  When Sugar Plum doesn’t want to play tug o’ war, I know something is wrong.

 

 I had been told on her last check up last summer that we should be thinking about some dental work and certainly a teeth cleaning.  I was putting it off because it’s so expensive.  That is a no no!  I found that out the hard way.   What originally was going to take a little over an hour ended up taking about four hours.  Also, what was supposed to cost $375 came to just a hair under $900!  She had to have six teeth pulled, two of which had broken off and the gums had healed over.  The roots had to be extracted and they were so tiny and very brittle.  They kept breaking and were very hard to get out.  She had already lost eight other teeth, so with the six that were pulled I was afraid that she would not be able to eat again!  Who knew that dogs have 40 teeth!  Well, she had a rough time, but I’m happy to say that she is feeling much better today.

So now on to this week.  Believe it or not, we are heading off for another quick trip to California on Friday.  Our granddaughter, Summer is in her school play, Cats.  We can’t miss that.  So I’ll be sure to let you know how that goes.  We will only be gone a few days.

I have another sewing lesson tomorrow.  I will be posting pictures of my project once I get it fixed.  If you remember, I’m making a Christmas wall hanging.  I sewed all my squares and triangles together and we should be putting it together and quilting it tomorrow.  BUT, I somehow sewed in three  triangles backwards or upside down or sideways or something, because they are wrong.  I’m pretty sure I’ll be spending most of my lessons fixing my mistakes.  Oh well, I bet I won’t make that mistake again.

I hope you all have a very blessed week.

19 Comments
by Ellen Beeton on February 28, 2012  •  Permalink
Posted in Crafts, Family, Joy, Pets, Travel, Uncategorized

Posted by Ellen Beeton on February 28, 2012

https://injoyinmylife.wordpress.com/2012/02/28/doing-a-little-this-a-little-that/

Some Things are Better in Pairs

For instance –

Candlesticks

How about double waterfalls in Washington State

and in Hawaii

 How about cute little kittens

 Maybe two little girls fishing

 Maybe double flower baskets at Banff Springs Hotel

  How about a pair of adorable shih tzus

Even two identical Goofy alarm clocks

Two spires on a church in Montana

 Or in Quebec Canada

Or even two adorable boxer granddogs

Or….. how about the very best pair of all

DRUM ROLL PLEASE!


I know it’s not too clear

But yes, IT’S TWIN GREAT GRANDBABIES!

and they are coming my way in September.

29 Comments
by Ellen Beeton on February 18, 2012  •  Permalink
Posted in Family, Gratitude, Joy, Life Changes, Uncategorized

Posted by Ellen Beeton on February 18, 2012

https://injoyinmylife.wordpress.com/2012/02/18/some-things-are-better-in-pairs/

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