Nativity Blocks- Pinterest Success

A few months ago I saw a pretty easy wood block craft that I thought the kids and I could do together for some of our toddler aged friends. These nativity blocks were super fun and easy....here's our project in pictures:

I sent Bruce to Lowe's and asked him to buy me the largest 2X4 he could and after he paid for it, to have the cut the wood for me in the lumber department. This seemed doable and efficient in my head...but just so you know, Lowe's does not but wood in anything less that a 6 inch length. And since I needed 3 inch blocks this wasn't gonna work. So my sister in law asked the shop teacher at the high school if he would do it for me (I think I owe him some cookies) and he said "yes" so within 48 hours we had a basket full of 3 inch blocks that needed to be sanded.

After all the blocks we sanded, we took out our paints...all different colors, and painted each block...all sides.

Then we sanded the edges down to give them a little distressed look. Then we applied nativity stickers. I divided the nativity scene into 5-6 blocks and used the stickers in groups of 5-6.

After the stickers were applied I covered each block in modge podge just so the stickers would not peal off easily.

And there you have it. A pinterest success story!

Total Cost was $7.94 for the 2X4. I had all the other supplies.

I Scream - You Scream - We All Scream

For several years I have wanted to have porch parties. The kind where on any given summer evening I post on Facebook or text friends or call family to join us for an informal dessert party. I'm finally in a house with a great back porch and yard and now....I have this Ice Cream, Sorbet and Frozen Yogurt Maker....well, I've paid for it...I'm waiting for delivery now....impatiently, I might add.

I've pinned no less than 3 jillion ice cream recipes on pinterest. Here's a sampling:

Source: thepastryaffair.com via Gina on Pinterest

Source: cherryteacakes.com via Gina on Pinterest

Source: sugarandspice-celeste.blogspot.com via Gina on Pinterest

Source: weheartit.com via Gina on Pinterest

I can't tell you how glad I am to finally be putting feet to this sweet time of friendship and fellowship. I'm looking forward to seeing many of you on my back porch this summer...don't dress up...and wear something cool...'cause this IS Texas and even ice cream can't beat the heat completely!

What's your favorite flavor of ice cream? Do you like frozen yogurt or sorbet better than ice cream? Got any good recipes? Feel free to give me some feedback on your homemade goodness experiences!

Interest n Pinterest?

OK....so the title of this blog post is a little corny....but who cares really?

I got a text from a friend today: "Are you ever going to blog again?" So here I am.

I feel it's the right time to tell you about my addictive personality. Not really, but since I've got your attention now I will tell you what's been keeping me away this week.

One word: Pinterest ....if you don't know what this is (like I didn't) now's the time to do a quick google search and read about it. Or, better yet, go sign up for an invitation on their site.

Pinterest is a social community where people can "pin" all their favorite things in one place. Say for instance you really like to bake brownies. You can pin all your favorite brownie recipes to one board, look for new ones and drool over pictures others have posted of their favorite ones.  Like cars? You can pin pictures of old cars, new cars, ugly cars, hot cars, fast cars...all in one place so when you want to see them, learn more about them, daydream about them, you don't have to go to 5,000 places on the internet. They will be waiting for you at Pinterest. Whatever you like, food, flowers, cars, books, clothes, purses, people, perfume, music. You'll find it.

I've been there this week. Looking for ideas for my classroom and along the way finding a few other things I like too. You can find me there...look me up...follow me....show me your favorite things....pin some, dream a little, get your creative juices flowing.

It's kinda like shopping without spending money.

Go. Look. Now.