Blonde Wisconsin

I am a GRANDMA! I do not know about you but for me I was super excited I love children and could not wait to become a grandma and the day was finally here. After months of planning buying baby things having a baby shower stressing out about every little thing that could possibly happen when you have a new baby, he was here. Cassius Lea Williams was born May 11, 2016 at 4:45 PM.  Weighing in at a healthy 7 lbs. 2 oz. and measuring at 20 inches long he was beautiful more than I could have ever dreamed! I was truly in love at first sight.

Wild Bird Seed Treats Now that spring has finally sprung in Wisconsin (fingers crossed), I would like to share a fun little project that is truly for the birds.  Wild Bird Seed Treats! Supplies Birdseed (any brand you prefer) Cookie Cutters or Molds Gelatin (I prefer KNOX Gelatin) Medium Sauce Pan Wooden Spoon Twine Water Wax Paper Instructions Prepare the gelatin by mixing ¼ cup of water and one packet of gelatin in a saucepan. Bring to a slow boil while stirring continuously until gelatin dissolves. Remove from heat and let cool for a minute. Once cooled slowly add birdseed to the gelatin until there is no liquid in the bottom of the pan, mixing well. On a large sheet of wax paper, lay your cookie cutters out (no need to use wax paper if using a mold). Press the birdseed mixture into the cookie cutters, filling half way.  Place a piece of twine in the center of the birdseed (I make a knot so the twine stays is...

Mason Jar Pin Cushion While I am patiently waiting for my new craft room to be completed I have set-up a temporary craft room in our loft (Tom’s not too happy about that, but what’s a girl to do?).  With that said I thought it would be a good idea to share with you one of my first projects in my new space. Like most of us I love Pinterest. Finding a project on Pinterest is pretty easy and I wanted to craft something that I can frequently that use and enjoy! What's the one thing every crafter needs?  Yep, you guessed it...a pin cushion!  For a few dollars you can create your very own repurposed Mason Jar Pin Cushion! What you'll need Fabric Scrap of your choice Jar with lid and band Cotton balls or fiberfill Glue gun Scissors Pencil Instructions Step 1: Using the lid of the jar, trace around it on the wrong side of your fabric. Increase that circle’s radius about 1” and cut out the larger circle. Step 2: Layer the fabric, cotton balls, and lid then...

Travel Tennessee (March 20 - 22, 2014) Over the past week-end I was fortunate enough to take a trip to Tennessee with Tom (my boyfriend) and his Daughter Katlyn.  We’ve all been studying hard and spring break couldn’t have come sooner. Our plan entailed leaving Wisconsin on Thursday, March 20th and driving straight down to Memphis, which is approximately 12 hours (with Tom driving 10 hours – hang on folks!)  We were lucky to get a reservation at the Crowne Plaza in downtown Memphis for a reasonable rate of $63.00 per night through Priceline.  I know, great price!  The hotel itself was very nice (and clean), the front desk staff not so much.  Let’s just say they weren’t as excited as we were checking in. Once we made it up to our room it was time to take a stroll through downtown and have dinner. We found a great BBQ place, The Rendezvous Restaurant. We enter the restaurant through a back alley that resembled the alley from an old gangster movie. Once i...

Raising Chickens! I have been raising chickens for 2007 and trust me; I had no idea how to take care of chickens when I started.  I bet your wondering my reasoning behind getting and keeping chickens. In no way, shape or form was I prepared to care for chickens.  On our little 3-acre hobby farm we had a chicken coop that we were using for storage for some years.  I would always joke with Tom about getting chickens so I would have “something to do around the house.”  Who would have thought that Tom was actually listening to me?  Not me!  Tom has always been the type to surprise me when I least expect it, and do not let me forget, he is quite the prankster too. So as my story goes, Tom returned from a weekend of visiting his friend’s farm in northern Wisconsin “doing guy stuff.”  The minute I saw him I knew something was up because he was grinning ear-to-ear.  “I brought you something back from up North; it’s in the back of the truck!” N...

GRADUATION! Arriving at work, as I have done for years in the, felt different and downright uncomfortable than ever before.  The mood was somewhat unsure and would unfortunately never be the same. On that day, my boss of three wonderful years, Brad, informed me that he accepted a new position within the organization and would be leaving the department and me within the next month. The news came as a complete shock to me and touched me deep to the core.  At the ripe old age of 42, my future was uncertain for the first time in years. As a young woman fresh out of high school, I was blessed with my daughter, Courtney.  Being a young single mother left me with few options.  My choices were to return to school to earn a much-needed degree or join the workforce to support my newly formed family.  My decision was to enter the workforce. Over the course of the twenty-two years that followed, I worked a number of great clerical jobs with employers throughout the ...