I had SO MUCH FUN on Saturday!!! I got to go to my old home town of Marshall, Minnesota and help with their Super Saturday!
A couple weeks ago my friend Cindy messaged me on Facebook and asked what 15 ladies could possibly make for only $10. The budget had been drained through the year and there was practically nothing left to fund Super Saturday this year.
I gave her a few ideas I had seen or had done myself, then basically invited myself to come bring a project of my own. Etsy orders had been dominating my time so much lately, I needed to get away SO BADLY.
I didn't actually decide on which project to take until the night before
{go ahead. Pretend to be surprised}
I had these two patterns I had been working on, and since I couldn't decide between the two of them...
I brought them both! I decided not to cut apart the ornament, and not to use paper on the holly to try and simplify the projects.
Saturday Morning my girls and I hit the pavement for the three hour drive to Marshall.
About two and a half hours into the drive we came to the only stop light in our sweet little town of Granite Falls. Right after Scott graduated from BYU we moved into the smallest little house here in Granite. We lived here and loved the people with all of our hearts. The worst part of our very brief visit was to realize that my little Eli was one when we moved here. Madison turned 4 just a month after we moved in.
Tears again.
It is so sad to think back to those days and then realize how
big my babies are now.
*sniff*sniff*
Scott worked here at Fagen in the Engineering department for 4 years. Me and the kids would come to the office almost weekly with treats for all of his coworkers. We loved them like family.
I can't even explain how my heart felt when we drove through this part of the world again. It had been YEARS since we were here last. My mind was absolutely BLOWN at the thought of all that has happened to our little family between the day we left this small Minnesota town up until today.
I never could have imagined what was in store for us.
After one year of living in Granite Falls, we bought this sweet home in a town about 10 miles away, Hanely Falls. The sight of that house brings a flood of tears...even a few stifled sobs.
When we moved in back in 2003, it looked like a haunted house.
The paint was cracked and peeling, the windows were falling apart.
The walls were covered in plaster and the floors were about to fall in.
During the three long years we lived here we worked tirelessly to rebuild it from the inside out. We knocked down all the plaster, tore out all the electrical and most of the plumbing...and then moved in. The first year we made probably one room livable every two months or so. I drove the school bus in the morning, then came home and painted or mudded drywall until it was time to drive bus again in the afternoon.
That tiny little window up high in the back of the house...We made that. It used to be 5 foot windows there. That is the only bathroom in the house, however it still worked great for our family since the bathroom was the size of a bedroom. Just before we sealed up the old window spot we lifted a bathtub/shower enclosure through the space. I have a picture somewhere.
So many friends from church or Scott's work came over and spent hours helping us with the overwhelming task of making that house our home. I still can't believe we left it. A month after Madison turned 8 we realized the Lord wanted us in Arizona. Had we not left, we never would have had our sweet little Emmalee. For that reason it was totally worth the move...it is still hard to think of all we gave up to go.
The great part of the story is, I got to go back this weekend and hug so many of my long missed friends. That is enough of my sob story. I though I had more pictures I could show you of what the inside looked like and all our helpers covered in drywall mud, but I guess they are on the other computer.
One of these days I will get it hooked up and show you.
For now, let me tell you about the craft party!
This is Cindy. I was her visiting teacher ten years ago :0} Poor girl.
A visiting teacher is a calling in our church you can accept if you want. You are given a few sisters in church and the assignment to stop by each lady's house once a month to share a spiritual message and see if they have any needs. The fabulous thing about this program is that you become heartfelt friends,
"bosom buddies" in the words of Anne.
In all the places we have lived, I have accepted the offer to be a visiting teacher and to accept visiting teachers in my home. It is those ladies that I visited and the ones who came by my home that I still keep in contact with even after all these years.
Cindy did such a fabulous job planning her Super Saturday. There were so many happy ladies there crafting, some experienced and some trying things for the very first time. I love Super Saturday because it gives ANYONE the chance to get creative with plenty of help and support when things get stressful.
They made those decorative holiday cookie plates. You use a clear glass plate, colored or not, either are fine. Coat the back of the plate with mod podge. Next, get a scrap of holiday fabric about 1-2 inches bigger than the plate all around. Lay the fabric over the back of the plate, right side toward the plate. Smooth it down with your fingers so that the fabric is totally on the back of the plate. Once you have worked any bubbles out, coat the fabric with another coat of mod podge. Check again that there are no bubbles, then place to the side to dry, preferably on a can or cup, something to keep the plate off the table so you minimize mess and let the fabric dry in complete contact at the edges. Once the glue has dried, trim the excess fabric from around the edge of the plate using scissors. Then you are done! Put cookies or treats on the plate and deliver to all your friends and neighbors. As long as you hand wash the plate, careful not to get the bottom too wet, the fabric will stay adhered to the plate. If you don't' want the fabric on the plate any more or have too many bubbles to feel good about, just soak the plate in water. The fabric will come off and you can start again.
This craft was a big hit. I think I remember doing this back when I lived here in Minnesota last time.
Good ideas are always good ideas!
Next was the Glitter and Pledge craft. Cindy found tons of jars, glasses, and glass bulbs for us to chose from. So, with this craft, squirt a little bit of the Pledge floor cleaner into the bulb or vase, etc. Roll the liquid around inside until you have covered the whole thing inside. Don't shake it though, cause you will get bubbles inside. Once you have a nice coat inside the glass, pour the excess back into the bottle. Now pour some glitter inside and roll that around until the inside is coated in glitter. Pour the excess glitter out of the glass and let it dry.
That is it!
Cindy had all these cute stickers and gems to decorate the outside of the ornaments.
I am beginning to think Cindy must have funded this whole Super Saturday herself!
Isn't that cute!?!
Here is another one. This looks like it would be a fun kid craft at Thanksgiving.
Don't ya think?
Makes me want to go pick up some Pledge floor cleaner!
These cute reindeer gift bags were also a project. I love felt crafts. I will have to ask Cindy where she found this pattern. It is adorable.
These fleece mittens were another project the ladies could do. I searched online and cannot find the pattern they used. It was unlike any I found. Essentially, it was one piece per mitten. Cindy????
Totally cute anyway. One sweet mom embroidered her child's name on the cuff after her mittens were sewn.
The last project was what I brought. I can't even tell you how long I agonized over what to bring. I wanted it to be easy to cut, easy to paint, and adorable when finished.
Regardless of whether I succeeded at that or not, the ladies seemed to enjoy the woodcrafts.
I love the little dots added to this one by one of the kids.
Of course I didn't even think of taking pictures until the last five minutes. Here was a holly woodcraft someone had painted.
I also brought my fabulous glass ornament...
for the ladies to make. I still have some left for sale on my etsy
if you want to get some made this year *wink*wink*
Just so you know, we also had celebrities at our Super Saturday. Shrek made a guest appearance.
OK, maybe not, but I always love it when I can talk Lindsey into joining me at craft parties :0}
She thinks it is cause I want to see her.... ;0}
Take one look at this beautiful boy and tell me you don't want to just snuggle him. You should hear him talk. My whole family goes through withdrawals of Lindsey's cute kids between visits.
I did sneak the supplies to make this little guy through security so that Lindsey could make him in her down time. We live like 4 hours away from each other now that I moved to the Twin Cities so I have to squeeze in her craft therapy any chance I can get! Now to just find time to make mine!
So, once roadside assistance made it to the church to unlock my car {containing my car keys}, Lindsey followed us up to Holmberg Orchard in Vesta, MN. My kids LOVED this place when we lived here. In fact, Madison had something else planned for her Saturday, but once she heard we would be making a stop at the orchard, she changed her plans and came with me.
Here's one! A coveted, long awaited caramel apple!
Aaaaaannnnd, Gone! Yep. We had made it just down the lane and she had it devoured.
Yumm! They use honeycrisp apples. To-Die-For!
Finally, at about 5pm, we started our long trek back home via Mankato, Minnesota so we could pit-stop at Hobby Lobby.
What a fun day. Seriously. Best day ever. We have been having a lot of those here between family and old friends. Thanksgiving or not, I am just so grateful.
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