Be Different

I was inspired by this cool artwork on Rachel's blog post at "Harding (family) happenings".  Originally I asked her if I could print it and frame it for my Sunday School class.  She was so gracious to give me permission.

Then I got an idea to do it on a bigger scale in vinyl on the wall.  I couldn't reproduce it exactly but I think I have the spirit of the piece.  Here it is...

I used arrows that I either made with Silhouette Designer Studio or bought from Lori Whitlock.  It turned out okay but I really like Rachel's version better.  This wall is outside of the youth room at church.  The one "different" arrow is pointing into the youth room.  I think it works well there.

<^..^> Lori

Lightning strikes twice in our yard

About 4 years ago, lightning hit one of the two big pines in our back yard.  It travelled through the ground into the house.  It knocked out a basement window.  It killed a printer.  I was amazed that more was not damaged.  It happened in September.  We waited until the next spring to decide if it would survive or not.  We ended up having the top 10 feet or so removed and left the rest of the tree up.

1st tree was hit 3 or 4 years ago by lightning

2nd pine tree to be hit by lightning

large strips of bark laying in the yard

Last night lightning hit the other pine tree.  I hope they survive.  The first one looks a bit worn but still strong.  The second tree seems to be missing some bark but in pretty good shape.  I guess time will tell.

<^..^> Lori

More flowers are blooming in my yard

I decided to take pictures as flowers started blooming in the yard to remind me of the beauty long after it fades away.

yellow Coreopsis

Johnson's Blue Geranium and orange Tiger Lily

<^..^> Lori

VBS 2013 part 3

More room decor pictures.  This is from the 2-3 year olds room.  Great handmade art work, a homemade tent, too.

<^..^> Lori

VBS 2013 part 2

More pictures of the VBS decorations!

Primary classroom

 Primary classroom

 Hallway to the Primary classroom

 Entrance to Sir Gavin's Games (gym)

 Junior classroom

Pre-primary classroom #2

Pre-primary classroom #2

Pre-primary classroom #1

Pre-primary classroom #1

Pre-primary classroom #1

Middler classroom

Middler classroom

 Prize store area

 Puppet stage

 Puppet stage

 Puppet stage

Puppet stage

Craft area

Craft sampler display

<^..^> Lori

VBS 2013 Kingdom Chronicles

It's VBS week at our church and the place looks great.  Kids are coming and the Gospel is being taught every morning this week.  My kids are both old enough to be ineligible to participate but they can help!!  I love this new season of their lives.  Johnson is helping his dad and I to run "Sir Gavin's Games".  Hannah is helping to teach the primary class with 4 other teenagers and an adult supervisor.  I think I have that right but the groupings are different for VBS than our regular Sunday School.  I admit it confuses me.

The classes are broken down as:
1. 2-3 year olds
2. pre-primary which is 4, 5, and 6 year olds (This is a huge class!)
3. primary which are kids that just finished 1st and 2nd grade
4. middlers which are kids that just finished 3nd and 4th grade
5. juniors which are kids that just finished 5th and 6th grade

I will get room pictures as examples of how to decorate with a medieval knight decoration theme.  I will try not to get pictures with people in them so I don't have to get permission to use them.  I will post more tomorrow.

<^..^> Lori

Stampin'Up! paper trimmer

My Fiskars paper trimmer is really good.  But lately I notice that it is cutting a little off.  I think the wire guide has become loose with normal wear.  I have used it a lot since I got it a few years ago.  I was going to replace it with the same style but crafting tools change all the time so I decided to research cutters again.  Stampin'Up! has a great trimmer out with all the features of my Fiskars that I like...having a wider cutting surface without opening the arm is my favorite feature.  But SU has a wider cutting guide as well.  You can keep a cutting blade and a scoring blade in at all times and not have to switch them out.  I think that is a cool feature.  Plus they added a storage container on the back to hold extra blades, etc.  Here is a video link showing its features from Dawn Griffith's blog.  I have ordered one!  I cannot wait to try it out.

<^..^> Lori

Lovely flowers are blooming in the yard

I have a few varieties of peonies in the yard that are so pretty this time of the year.  You can see the pink pewter nettles are blooming next to this peonie.

I didn't plan those peonies.  They have been in the yard for many, many years.  Our house is 113 years old.  The original owner planted those peonies.

Here are some flowers blooming that I did plant with one exception which is the climbing rose.  It was planted by the people we bought the house from so I think they were planted between 1994 and 1997.

My secret sister from church gave me the lovely basket of pink impatiens I have hanging over some chives, sage, and mint.  Those last 3 plants all bloom in purple.  I tend to lump same colors together.  It is so unintentional and irritating to me.  I want a variety of colors but over the years the plants die out and I end up left with all the same colors in the same areas.  I could plant more flowers but I am trying not to spend a lot of money on the yard.  Maybe next year or I will find someone that wants to do a trade on plants.  

Clematis on a trellis.

 I don't know the real name of this ground cover but my friend that gave me the start called it Bishop's weed.

Blaze is the name of this climbing rose.

 Yellow coreopsis I planted a few years ago is starting to spread.  Behind it is white candy tuff which is trying hard to take over.  It choked out my lovely purple phlox.

I missed getting pictures of the lilacs this year.  They were so fragrant.  There were not as many blooms as in past years but they were pretty.

<^..^> Lori