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Spring Fancy Strands|Door or Window Craft Decor|Giveaway (Closed)

April 11, 2011 By Laura 11 Comments

I find spring-time to be such a craft-inspiring season. Although winter & spring has been taking turns around here in the past few weeks, I still like to think of it as just spring, as it should be. Time for garden planning, enjoying the new warmer, sunnier days, and looking for those very exciting signs of spring. They are popping up all around us, despite the occasional surprise snowfall! With spring comes all kinds of cheery colors and symbols always associated with this season of new life. It just makes me feel like crafting!

This is a craft you can do with ANY kind of doors or windows in your house!

The French doors between our sun room, which is always bursting with sunshine or a soft natural light, and our living room, has been the focus of my craft quite a few times! All of the rectangular panes of glass strike me as mini picture frames, calling for some little artwork. This past Winter, I made beautiful sparkly snowflakes on blue ribbon, which is a craft I am saving to share later this year. There was a functional twist of an idea I used with them, and I think some of you will rather enjoy using the idea for yourselves next year, when I’ll have the opportunity to share it with you in time to use the idea.

My craft idea for Spring is very similar, although strictly and adorably decorative, using very simple Spring shapes, ribbon and colorful card stock.

I designed a small collection of Spring Shapes in Photoshop, to use as stencils again and again. I will share these with you by the end of this post. But here is a peek at what I came up with.

The supplies needed were few and simple:

Spring Shapes, printed on card-stock to cut out
6 full rolls of thin ribbon
Card-stock in cheery bright Spring colors
Scissors
Hot Glue Gun
*Any little embellishments you like.

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I found this block-pad of linen card-stock in beautiful colors, at the craft store. I knew it would be perfect, to use for my Spring shapes, that I wanted all relatively the same size. It was a pleasant surprise to realize they were sticker paper too! That was going to work out nicely, for adding the centers on flowers, etc. And if there was no need for sticky paper, I just left the backside on.But you can use any colored card-stock, that comes in sheets, as well.

Alright, so I didn’t take photos of every step. That’s needless really. But the simple directions are, that I cut my Spring Shapes out of the white card-stock I printed them on, and used them as stencils on the little square card-stock pieces. There was a whole lot of tracing stencils, and cutting out, going on. Then it was sticking or gluing pieces together, to make little happy die-cuts of art.

I have to tell you, as crafty as I am, I HATE CUTTING STUFF OUT!! With scissors. Thankfully, my kids love it! It’s great practice for scissors-skills for them. I did do a lot of the cutting for this project, but they enjoyed helping when ever and wherever they could. I was thankful for every bit.

window-door-craft-decor-5 Using almost an entire roll of ribbon for each row of windows top to bottom, attach one end on top of the door, and center of the row. Run it all the way down, to attach to the bottom of the door, again keeping it center. Cut off any excess before attaching. We use a tack at the top, and glue on the bottom.

Then just dab a little hot glue onto the center of each die-cut one at a time, and apply it to the ribbon in the center of each window.

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Here are my doors, all done!! CUTE, or WHAT??

Such a simple project, but just a lot of cutting. This was a craft for the kids and I to do together, from the get-go, so I knew which part I’d be letting them do some of! Hopefully you have a few of those happy-cutters, too.

You know, you don’t have to have French doors, to do this project!! You can do the same thing, in grid picture windows, or make horizontal strands as a Spring-themed decorative garland!

window-door-craft-decor-7 I can tell you, by the time we had made 24 die-cut pieces, trying to make them each a little different, we got to the last 6 and wondered if the doors would look cute enough still, with nothing across the bottom row of window panes. And then I had the quick and easy idea, to wrap up this craft, in 6 simple letters:

S P R I N G

Seeing my Spring-ish doors makes me smile anyway. But what really warms my heart, is the words spoken by my little boy the other day: “Mama, every time I see my butterflies that I made, that you put up on the door, I get a really happy feeling inside.”

Dang if that doesn’t make me really happy inside, too. I love doing projects with my kids. It’s so rewarding, for all of us, in so many ways.

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Just so you know….our French doors are rarely closed like that. Our 4 season sunroom, is open to the rest of the house most all of the time. It’s surely a cheery passage-way now.

window-door-craft-decor-9 When spring turns to summer, I’ll be taking these strands down, but keeping them to use again next year, just as I did the winter ones! They are easily re-usable, for at least a few years if not more, if they are stored nicely.

window-door-craft-decor-10 On a side note….I do struggle with displaying fake flowers in my house. I prefer fresh of course. But it’s just not budget smart, year round. Unless I can cut fresh flowers from outdoors now and then, and I do when I can. But in between….fake it is. I just like to have some especially, in my old milk jug.

So just for fun, I decided to design a little collage, to show you some of the pieces a little closer up. Naturally, when posting photos on a blog, some detail is lost. But it’s still a closer look.

And then I thought the collage came out so cute, that maybe it would be a fun idea, to have a Give-Away! It will printed as a 12 x 12 photo (such as it is), and mounted on a sturdy backing. It will be sprayed with a protective coating, so it can be popped right into a 12×12 glassless frame. (I never use glass in my frames. No need when they are mounted and sprayed, and they look so much nicer without the glare.)

The collage of these mini-photos, is of course, of little paper art. But how cute would it look on display, near your Easter tree, in your kitchen, or in a little girl’s room! It would look cute anywhere!

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If you’d like to try and win this Give-Away, all you need to do is the following:

1.) Follow our blog, via Subscribing or our Facebook Page, in the sidebar. (If you are not already.)

2.) Leave a comment below, saying anything you wish, or letting us know you are now following our blog!

3.) Link up a crafty idea of your own, right now, if you can!! (Not required, but we hope you share something if yours if you’ve gotten creative, and blogged it, lately!)

I’ll do a drawing from the comments by the close of the week!

Want to do this craft yourself? Here are the pdf links to my Spring Shape Sheets:

Spring Shape Page 1

Spring Shape Page 2

I hope those links work for you anyway If not just email me, and I will send them to you. I did free-hand draw a few on my own, that are not on the sheets, but most are here. You can add idea of your own too. Just keep the shapes simple.

ENJOY!

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Some Recent Vehicle Lettering & Graphics | Plymouth, MA

April 11, 2011 By Laura 7 Comments

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Sharing in this post here, just some of Michael’s vehicle lettering and graphics work for his Michael P. Richard Truck Lettering, Etc., clients from within the past several months.

While most of his work is commercial jobs for small and large businesses require standard and conservative lettering jobs on their vehicles, once in awhile he gets a cool job a client wants just for their personal vehicles, and he has the fun of designing something more out of the box. This XTERRA below was such a case, and he enjoyed getting a little more free-style with it. I think it came out rather cool. Take a look-see for yourself:

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How would you like to drive that bad boy around town?
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With the 4 door/extended cab trucks being a popular vehicle for tradesman, Michael has been making use of the extra space for their business branding, as seen in the next couple of trucks, as opposed to keeping it all confined to the front door.

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I say, bigger is better, when it comes to company branding.
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Here below is a more standard can truck lettering job, with front door lettering only.

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Still sharp looking, and eye catching though, with the black & white on red.

Earthshaping. I like that word!

vehicle-truck-lettering-graphics-plymouth-ma-10 Burkhardt Brothers…….Michael’s Dad lettered this company’s fleet of 40 foot trailers and box trucks for many, many, MANY years. But guess what? HE lettered it all IN PAINT, BY HAND! Michael helped for a few years, with his father. It’s Michael’s account now, but it is done in all cut vinyl these days. A whole lot faster for sure. But more impressive execution, back in the day. Think about it. Those capital B’s on a trailer are like 30 inches tall!

I miss that man. <sigh>

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This is Michael’s brother-in-law’s roofing company. Michael does all of his vehicle and sign work of course.
Michael’s father designed the logo. I think its super sleek, and extra-so in gold.
– This a trailer for a la crosse team, all in vinyl. Michael did this in our driveway. The kids love to watch him work, and help sometimes, too.

These next 2 jobs are vehicle wraps. Have you noticed them around? It’s basically a very large one piece vinyl print, that is shrink-wrapped onto the vehicle.

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Here just the bed of the truck is wrapped.

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Here, the entire trailer was done.

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Wrapping takes some real practice and skill to apply, for sure.

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But I think it is eye-catching, and effective marketing/branding for one’s business.
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Hope you enjoyed seeing some of Michael’s latest work.

We just wanted to share some of it with you. Let him know what you think of this or that, in the comments! He’ll be glad to read your feedback.

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JFK Library & Museum | Field Trip | Homeschooling

March 16, 2011 By Laura 10 Comments

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I’m a planner. I plan everything. Call me not-very-fun, but there is not much I do spontaneously. Especially when it involves, like…..a whole day. Or traveling a small distance. Or worse……changing plans I already planned!

So when a friend of mine sent me a message one bright and early morning not long ago, asking if we’d all be up for a trip into Boston, to visit the John F. Kennedy Library & Museum that day….well, I started having heart palpitations, and immediately started brainstorming excuses to say no. For examples: I had a full day of lessons planned! The kids had a test. My camera battery wasn’t charged! (My gosh! I can’t take a field trip without taking photos! How would I blog it?!) And honestly… I had work to do after schooling the kids! And…and….I hadn’t planned, on going to the JFK Library & Museum! I can’t just TAKE OFF like that!

All of those things were the truth. But it was also true, that going to the JFK Library & Museum, had been on our field trip agenda, for at least a year, and we just hadn’t gotten to that one yet. And my oldest daughter {A}, had been nagging me about it all-365-days, (or it’s seemed like it anyway), because she’d been dying to go. Beggin’. She has a deep and peculiar passion, for American History, for a 13 year old girl. She loves to learn about past U.S. Presidents, and especially has a keen interest in the Kennedy family. My camera battery could charge in an hour. Also, my friend’s kids had a 1/2 day of (charter) school, and therefore would be out early, so that’s why it was a perfect weekday for them to go, with us. But the truth of all truths was…..it could turn out to be one fun and exciting day, if I could just wrap my brain around <gasp> changing plans, last minute.

jfk-john-f-kennedy-library-and-museum-boston-ma Well, it was, and I DID IT!!!

It actually turned out to be a very, very interesting trip. Downright fascinating, at times. It blows me away, because I could have cared less about American History when “I” was in formal school growing up, on top of several other subjects. Or, all of them. (Except art of course!). But I just love, love, love schooling now. As I always say, “I’m being re-schooled”, while I school my kids. And I thank God they are loving it, the first time around! Because 13+ years is a dang-long-time, when you don’t like school! (Ask me!)

So…..let me show you some of the things that we got to see on our field trip, and intriguing things we got to learn more about, at the JFK Library & Museum.

THIS….Is John F. Kennedy’s high school report card/transcript! But here is what is sooooo interesting. If you look closely, you will see…..

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…..He got a D in his Sophmore year!! IN HISTORY! Did you know this? Because it’s quite a shocking revelation, to me! Now, {A} is a little upset with me, that I’m telling you about this. She says, “But Mama! He really loved History though! He did!”. And she’s concerned I am embarrassing him. To which I replied, “Well, Honey, you know…come on. He’s dead.” And also, “It’s in a public museum! I think more people blow through that place, than my little ole’ blog, in a day. Don’t you?”. Because I just feel the need to tell you all! I find this little tid-bit of info shocking, but also encouraging, to children everywhere!! As I see it, if a kid can get a D in History, and go on to be the President of the United States, there is hope for anyone!

(She’s in the kitchen right now mumbling, “Poor Jack.”)

Check out the appliances of those times. My three 8 year olds just stood and stared through the window here, dumb-founded.

This display really got me. As an educated graphic and package-designer, all I can say is….it is really no wonder, why the decade following the 60’s, involved tie-dyed shirts, and psychedelic-color-inducing drugs. I mean, I do understand there was printing limitations, and limited inks to work with then. But goodness…..what horrid looking packaging. It all looks the same! Honestly, I had to walk away, as depression was setting in.
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We had a great tour guide. She popped in and out, as we made out way through the place, giving us more info here and there.
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There are mini theaters there in the museum, and we watched two very interesting films. I can say that in my own experience of watching these films, I was able to really feel more connected to exactly who JFK was. To see him in motion, and hear him speak, in his own words, was…fascinating, and mesmerizing. He had a great voice! I’m going to link you to some of the film at the end of this post, so you can experience it yourself. In case, you know, you’re as young as I am. ; )
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A mock set-up of (one of?) his campaign offices. I desperately wanted to take the desk, and the chair. And maybe the door knobs.

Possibly the hanging light fixture, also.

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The pavilion, was a cool place to be. All glass and steel-work, overlooking part of the Boston Harbor. To think, that JFK and his siblings’ great-great grand-parents, had at one time sailed right by here on their arrival to the United States from Ireland, in 1849, because of the “black potato famine”.
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Our crew of kids.

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Here, a replica of the desk in the Oval Office. It was interesting to note, that the little door under the front of the desk, that JFK Jr. was later photographed playing behind, was put in to hide Franklin D. Roosevelt’s leg braces. They felt that, when photographing him at his desk, it may appear that the President of the U.S., was weak. (Nice.)

Also interesting to note: My flash went off when taking this photo of the desk, and I got in trouble. Once a rebel, always a rebel! ; )

Call me ‘Silly’. But this is my favorite shot of the day. RFK’s glasses.

I actually took the shot, through glass.

Bet you’re impressed now.

Or…not.

They are on his desk, shown more below. Robert was appointed Attorney General, when his brother was President.

It was cool to read all of the documents and notes lying about the desktop. And laugh at the phone.
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RFK’s Dept. of Justice badge, and the football that the Dallas Cowboys gave to Robert, because the Kennedy’s loved the game so much, and were known to play.

I have to be honest here…..some of these details I am not actually remembering all on my own. {A} is over my left shoulder, dictating some stuff to me. Lol. Just keeping it truth, People!

A bit of Jacqueline Kennedy’s wardrobe. On the right is her Inaugural Ball gown.
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jfk-john-f-kennedy-library-and-museum-boston-ma-17 THIS, I do remember on my own. I did not know, that Jacqueline (Bouvier) Kennedy was a photographer! In a round-a-bout way, it was through her photo-journalism work, that she met her future husband, JFK. I was saying to myself, out loud, “Well I’ll be a blue-nosed gopher.” And someone said, “……What?!”
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The baby with us loved this purse. He kept saying “Ooooo!!” (Short O sound.) It was rather eye catching!
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These are ‘doodles’ of JFK’s from a meeting during the Cuban Missile Crisis. In the top-right, you can see where he wrote and circled several times, “Missile. Missile. Missile.”
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News publications from over the years.

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The polls.

There was another little room we went through, that was dark, and just had a few tv screens going. Airing, was the news broadcast footage, of when JFK had been shot. I can only imagine, having been born and grown enough then, to understand what was happening at that time. Because the heavy feeling we all had in that room. All silent, staring at the monitors, some with a tear rolling down our cheek. I guess it’s the closest we’ll ever feel, to having been there.
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Oh how I would have LOVED to have taken this portrait!! {A} walked up to this, and named every person in it, from left to right. As easy as counting, for her. This portrait was taken, when Joe Sr. was Ambassador to England, and they were in London. What a great photo.

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Oh…what to say here. Funny, but this vision of {A} doesn’t seem that far-fetched. You’ve got to know her, if you don’t. She’s only 13 now, but she’s really into politics, government, and planning her future! Let’s just say, she’s got a few things she wants to say, and a few things she wants done.

She’s got a dream.

We all had such a good time, and learned so much, here at the JFK Library & Museum.

We highly recommend this attraction, if you are ever in the Boston area.

There was a great little still film clip on JFK we really enjoyed.

I was really glad my friend called, and I’m so spontaneous.

So…..Did you enjoy this post? Did you learn anything new?

Please share your thoughts with us.

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Ladder to Bookshelf | Re-Purposing

March 15, 2011 By Laura 25 Comments

In addition to our continual progress of finishing the inside of our home since our major house reconstruction, we’ve had a continually growing list of ideas for smaller projects around our home.

One of them has involved this ladder inside our home.

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It has been right here where you see it, every since we bought our home in 1995. What has changed a lot, is almost everything around the ladder. For one thing, at the foot of this ladder, where you now see French doors to our sun room, was a brick hearth, to a black iron coal stove, that was built into a brick wall as a fireplace of sorts.

You may wonder just what the purpose of the ladder was.

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Well, at the top of the ladder, was a carpeted crawl loft, that was open to and overlooked the living space. We had a few large floor plants up there, that looked lovely in the sunlight, that streamed in from the skylights.

But when we added a second story to our home, the crawl loft, and all of the new construction to the backside of the house, became the boy’s room. So, a wall replaced our beloved crawl loft.

As you’ve probably figured out along the way here, the ladder was the way to get up into the loft.

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It’s a beautiful, solid, solid (read: HEAVY!!) wood. It’s the same natural wood the beams were made of, that also used to be a part of the house.

As a humorous tidbit of knowledge for you, (if you’ve never been through our home reconstruction posts), the crawl loft became our (mine and Michael’s) bedroom, when we gave our own to our triplets following their birth. The house only had 2 bedrooms at the time, and ours was by far the biggest. So…we took our bed down, put the mattresses up in the crawl loft, and we climbed the ladder to bed every night.

We really didn’t mind it, much. You couldn’t really see our bedding that much, and it was….cozy. : ) I’d say it was even kind of fun. Except for when one of the kids woke up, and needed us. Or, when we had to go potty. I feared in the dead of night many times, that I would fall trying to descend the ladder in my sleepy state, and splat on the brick hearth below. But it never happened. Maybe because Michael said “Be care-ful” every.single. time. I had to go down. Even when he was sleeping.

Oh…..{A} just found a photo that will give you an idea of how much the house has changed:

See the loft at the top? With big boxy openings, roped off with 2 ropes. You can also see the natural beams I spoke of. They were great for wrapping Christmas lights on, and using for outdoor toddler swings, in the house! The beams were so strong, and with the cathedral ceiling, there was plenty of room! Of course they had outdoor swings too. Boy did they love swinging. You can also see what was the back door. That wall came down, and there is a school room there now, on the other side of the stairwell that descends into the floor. Yes…things have changed. Drastically. Inside and out. Do you love seeing houses transformations? I’ll post the links on our HOJN Facebook Page sometime soon, if you’d like. But be sure to ‘Like’ the HOJN Facebook Page, so you don’t miss them in your feed! I put lots of fun extras there, for you all.

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Anyway….ever since the loft was ripped out and the wall went up, the ladder-to-nowhere, has remained there. We couldn’t get rid of it! It was a sentimental piece. We always loved that ladder, and it’s one of those things people always mention when they first visit our home. It’s unique, and unusual, in a home. But really…. it’s needed purpose! And it’s looked dark and ….. well, heavy, in our light and airy living space.

So I had an idea to make the ladder more useful, and we started by doing something possibly, crazy.

We painted it white. After adding a few little pieces you may notice, which you’ll understand why in a moment.

Now, if you know me, I’m really not down with perfectly painted stuff. I like things old. Beat up. Worn.

So I took a sandpaper covered block, and ‘had-at’ the newly painted ladder.

And wore a hole in it. : ) (The sandpaper of course. Not the ladder.)

I did my best to make it look……well, not ‘just painted’.

But I’m not any kind of expert at distressing pieces yet. I’m sure it needs something more. A glaze of some kind, to crack the paint some, or something. I don’t want to yellow it, as a lot of the ‘new paint’ around is white as snow. But, I plan to ask a friend what more I can do, to push it a little more.

But the purpose of painting the ladder, and adding the little crossbars to the back, was to use it for….

Books!!

With the exception of when we were actually using the ladder every day to access the loft, we’ve always had photo frames and little things displayed on the ladder. I just took them off before photographing it before. But, we are swimming in books around here. So I thought it would be a creative and useful transformation.

Mostly it’s the kid’s books on the ladder for now, with the bottom step left open for stepping up and reaching higher. There are lots more books, that will be relocated to the ladder, soon. And we have more book shelving that Michael just installed as well, that will be for another post.

Because not only do the kids have more reading books, but then there are my own, and some of my mother’s too. Books of all kinds. For leisure, for education, for how-to, for you-name-it. As I said, we’re swimming in them.

I actually filled a couple of boxes recently, with books to get rid of. We have cabinets filled, and boxes downstairs, of more books – still needing sorting.

So this ladder transformation I think was a wise one. The ladder now has purpose. I’m sure it feels more worth, in it’s day to day life. We all need purpose. Don’t you think?

I have to admit: I’m feeling a little pang inside, about painting over this beautiful wood.

Do you think that was a mistake?

But I do think the corner as a whole, looks a little cheerier, and more in keeping with what the rest of the house has going on. Because we’ll probably be doing something with those wooden breakfast bar chairs too. Not painting them white. But they need stripping of the shellac , or something.

Anyway….

BEFORE AFTER

What do you think? A good idea? And are you cringing, because I painted that wood? Go ahead and tell me the truth. I think I can take it.

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{A}’s Basketball Team Championship

March 10, 2011 By Laura 4 Comments

It’s been a thrilling, and busy, basketball season for our family! It was {A}’s 6th year playing, but this year the boys were on a team too. I took photos at 2 games for {A}, and 2 games at the boys. ( {O} had been taking figure skating lessons. ) But because I was taking photos of all players, just to give to their parents too, and a lens that fires off rapidly, I have a ga-zillion photos to go through. So, I will be sharing some of the boys too, in this first season of their’s, eventually. But this post is about {A}.

She had an amazing year. And the season went out, with her team going all of the way to the Championship!
Play-Off Game #1, they won 20-18. Play-Off Game #2, 19-18. Both Play-Off games were nerve-wracking as all get out, all the way through. Naturally, each game gets tougher, with teams being eliminated. So the Championship Game was no easier to take! Nail-biting. Heart-racing. Prayer-sending. SO TENSE! Or maybe it’s just me. I’m a freak at games. I have admitted this for 6 years. I guess I’m not going to change after all.

Anyway…..{A}’s team went out of the Championship Game 1 POINT down!

As I like to say, “We didn’t lose. We just ran out of time.” And that was so the truth this game. Had there been even 1 more minute, it would have been a 1 Point win, at least! But, you know, lots of great stuff came out of this season.

001 Like {A} having her best playing season, yet. She gets better every year. But she just grew by leaps and bounds within this very playing season, this year. Physically, and skill-wise.

002 She has always loved this game. But this year, her passion for it has….EXPLODED.

003 It’s been a joy, for all of us as a family, to watch her just get better and better.

003 She has worked really hard, at improving her game. Because, it matters to her. Her own personal goals, drive her.

005 It’s important to her, to do all she can not to let her team down, make her coach very happy, and perform the best she can. Just playing the game, makes her happy.

006 It’s not just a game to her, though. She’s all business.

She has great defense, and will fight anyone to the ground, to protect that ball.

007 She’s loved the girls on her team. She has such respect for her coach.

008 She’s really made her contributions to the team, and become a force to be reckoned with.

009 Her 1+ hour of practicing every day, has paid off.

011 Here’s her whole team, minus one who was home sick. She’s made some more really great friends.

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Her coach, has really been PHENOMENAL. We can’t say enough about him. Having noticed her drive and passion to learn and improve her game, he has truly helped refine her skills, encourage, and inspire her. He has had such good things to say about her. She in turn, has the utmost respect for him, as do we. He knows his stuff, is so encouraging and demanding of the girls (which is good!), and he is so-dang-funny!! He had me in stitches all season. His daughter was on the team as well, and she’s such a great kid! Coach’s whole family has grown on us, being together so much at games, and sometimes practices.

It’s just hard to let go with this season being over. It’s hard most every season. But this was the best. A couple of coaches around, have vested interest in her, so I’m sure we’ll be seeing them some more, here and there.

013 All of the girls had such fabulous team work on the court, and they are all new friends for {A}.

This is {A}’s final season with this league, as she has grown out of it. She leaves some friends behind in this league who are a year younger than her. Some will move on with her, and then she’ll be joining others who have been a year older, playing high school basketball, God-willing!!

That’s her goal anyway. She has lots of goals! Wonderful goals. She truly has such drive, deep faith, and great big aspirations in life. Sometimes I wonder….”Is this really my kid?” I’m not bragging. I’m saying, she inspires me. We have every reason to believe in her, because she such faith, and is driven and self-disciplines, when it comes to what she wants. And inside, I just feel like God has real special plans for her life.

She’s a light, where ever she goes. Always smiling. And if we didn’t notice, everyone is mentioning it to us, all of the time!

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Although on this day, after the Championship game, she was really keeping tough. Because inside, she was so sad, about coming out 1 point down. She wanted the WIN, badly, for everyone else – not herself. (For her team, and her coach.) I wish I could say I have no idea where she gets this little difficulty with defeat. But I might. I have a competitive streak a mile wide! I’ve never hidden it well, just like the rest of who I am. I was feeling as bummed out as her, this day. But I surely felt no disappointment in her, and she knows that. How could I? It takes a team, and they just ran out of time. She was a star, to us.

As I said, she’s inspiring. Every day. If you only knew her vast plans for life. I know they may re-shape along the way, as she grows. But I also know she’ll do great things, whatever it is. Because she works at getting what she wants, until she gets it.

Did I tell you, she can dribble ….. with her knees??

I’m not even kidding. It’s crazy. Want to see it? Maybe I could take a short video clip, and upload it here. (Just need to learn how.

Anyway, she’s gearing up to move on, to Flag-Football up next, and more Basketball!

She’ll keep shining. Trust me. It’s just who she is.

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You know, you don’t have to have French doors, to do this project!! You can do the same thing, in grid picture windows, or make horizontal strands as a Spring-themed decorative garland!

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