Easter 2015

Happy Easter!! Dusty has had so much fun with these Dollar Tree bunny ears. It has been a good Easter. I like all the fun we have prior to the big day. 

Skylar went to the park for an Easter Egg hunt.  Here she is wearing that sweet shirt I made her with my Silhouette Cameo with Vinyl I bought from Vinylvillage.

Daisy with her bunny ears. Dusty had just figured out that Kim had out the ears on Daisy. This pic was a hit on Tumblr, it was reblogged quite a few times. I had a great time taking pics with Kim at her house which she lives right around the corner of our dirt road. It was relaxing!

Just one of Dusty I thought it was so cute.

Another cutie of Samantha and Dusty.

This was the outfits I made both Skylar and Samantha for their Easter gifts. It is made using the Silhouette Cameo and vinyl I bought from Vinylvillage. I think it turned out cute and I had fun making it.

This will just make you smile! Hahahaha

More hot cross buns! Yummy!! These are now Colten's favorite food I think!!

A large ham for the family. Along with mashed potatoes, macaroni and cheese, and homemade rolls.

I also made a pineapple upside down cake because that is Bruce's favorite. I used my Lodge 12" cast iron skillet and it comes out perfect every time. He loves it!

I used duck eggs in the baking today.

Again as every year I make these peanut butter eggs, and the coconut cream eggs. These are favored by family and they expect it, not to mention I sell them and had quite a few orders. They turned out so pretty.

Yummy peanut butter eggs. I also make the crunchy eggs too.

My tulips are blooming too!!

Easter egg hunt. Dusty looking to get the eggs!

Run Dusty run!!

Dusty found the egg with money. 

The golden egg!

The chicken coop has the new nestting box in place that Bruce has worked on for several Sunday's. The chickens loved it!!!

They were checking it out!

Happy Easter! Dusty in one of the nesting box.  Until next time.... Stay artful and create everyday.

Cyber hugs, Dawn Gallop 

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A little Hello from the womb and a Few Notes

Wanted to share some good news on St. Patrick's Day I went with my oldest son Jr. and his wife Kim to the ultrasound to see our new grandbaby. Well it's a GIRL!! They are going to name her Dakota Rose. Of course in the pic I see these beautiful "cheeks" which reminded me of Colten when he was little. Everywhere we went everyone would always say "oh my those cheeks!" I will need to get an old pic out to show you what I mean. You know one of those pics on photo paper. Since now all our pics are digital. We did have our first digital camera then. Colten was born in 2001 and  Bruce had bought our first digital camera and me and the girls would take pics and delete them and were so thrilled we could just chuck the pics. Hahahaha I remember the cards didn't even hold but a few pics. 

The ultrasound was exciting. The baby looks so sweet and we all are so excited to see her and hold her. 

Kim stopped at Krispy Kreme Doughnuts when we left. Of course I don't eat them but oh my amazing the smell and they were so beautifully decorated. I kept bragging on them and Jr. said "have one already" I couldn't of course. How cute is this pic of Samantha? The cutest!! It brought such good memories when we would take all the kids to Krispy Kreme and they would all leave with a hat. Oh my good times!!

 

Jr., Kim and Samantha waiting for Kim's turn at the ultrasound.

Jr. is such a good daddy.

This sweet vinyl quote was on the wall at the ultrasound clinic. 

We went to the thrift store afterwards in Hampton where all the bins are full of stuff and then you pay by the pound as to what you get. I found five shirts, two pairs of corduroy pants from American Eagle, the shirts of course were bohemian. Two skirts also American Eagle.  A little bag with Frankenweenie on it by Tim Burton. A picture stand and two brand new packs of Scooby Do stickers.... All for $7 bucks! Now that was a thrift store haul. We then went next store to the regular thrift where everything is priced. I found a sweet deal.......

I sent this pic to Bruce I was so excited!! On my lap in the car. 

These awesome awesome containers full of dmc floss! Talk about score! Both boxes full already on the bobbin for $6.25. Yes I was doing the happy dance!!!

I had made the granddadughters these sweet little St. Patrick's Day outfits. I used my iron on T-shirt press for the tops and the Silhouette Cameo for the pant legs. I cut the shamrocks out of vinyl I purchased from #Vinylvillage on Etsy. Which I love buying all my vinyl from them! Mario is the best! 

Skylars outfit!

Samantha's outfit. The cutest leprechauns ever!

Skylar and her Minnie socks!! 

Close up of the cute outfits.

I love how well they turned out. The Silhouette is awesome!!!!

I also made one for Dusty who was like ok I will wear it!

I thought it was so cute. I just bought printables off of Etsy. Love love love Etsy!!! 

Samantha and me say good Bye waving here until next time.....

Be artful! Cyber hugs, 

Dawn Gallop 

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It's All About The Zoo Crew at the Virginia Zoo in Norfolk using the Silhouette Cameo with Vinyl and Tie Dying with Kids

                

Well Hello there!!! I know it has been a LONGGGG While, but I tell ya I just can't keep up with
everything......Now that the boys are out of school for the summer maybe I can sneak a few post in the morning or late evenings???? We shall see! I really do try.......but with today's social networks, it seems in some ways it's like a duplicate, but then again a much more detailed one at that! The T's-------This all started off with Mrs. Walker coming to Mrs. Savage and asking do you think we can make shirts for the K class to go to the zoo. Mrs. Savage called me and I was rolling off ideas.....I was thinking I should use the Yudu then I thought mmmmmm a lot of work for something simple.....so I revamped that idea and on my Silhouette Cameo from Silhouette America I designed "THE ZOO CREW" 

with a little welding. I sent the pics to the teacher and she liked this one the best, me too! So then I packed up my tie dye kit and off to school I went to help with the  children so they could dye their shirts that Mrs. Walker provided us. Mrs. Bazemore and Mrs. Savage did all the prep work on the T-shirts. Wash them in cold water 100% cotton t-shirts, DO NOT USE FABRIC SOFTENER OR DRYER SHEETS!!!!! The dye needs to bind to the fabric and cannot with the softener or dryer sheets they create a barrier for penetration. Then once you have the shirts washed soak them in a SODA ASH you can follow the directions. Please make sure you use utensils used only for this, like your measuring cup and spoon (I use an old spoon with a long handle) do not reuse for anything else. Soak  the shirts in the soda ash for at least 30 minutes.....then using gloves ring out and begin folding, we used the spiral, for these shirts. There are videos on YOUTUBE for this I'm sure. We used rubber bands to "tie" with however you can use string. The rubber bands are easy for the kids. Please keep the kids in gloves (I buy the box of latex free gloves at Wal-Mart) also put them in a plastic smock or cut the bottom of a trash bag for head space to cover them in. Use plastic on your table, we also keep paper towels under the dye to make these fabulous paper towel art pieces, which can be used to decorate the bulletin boards etc. You can also use gel medium or Mod-podge to paste them to your journal or cards, etc.

Cooper dyes the tie dye shirts

I use the shelf stacker that you buy from Wal-Mart or K-mart or Target they stack together and this way when the children are squirting the dyes on the shirts any excess drips down on the paper towels and keeps the dyes from becoming muddy. I also get the squirt bottles from Wal-Mart in the kitchen section to mix the dyes in. Label your bottles with masking tape so you will remember the colors. The dyes sometimes are not what you think they are. The dyes can be purchased at Jerry's Artarama, look for Jacquard Procion MX Dyes, or at Amazon. Fill the bottom of your bottle up 1/4 inch to 1/2 inch with the dye using warm water. Shake well. Make sure you wear a mask and don't breath in the dye dust. If using the x-tra large bottles fill up to one inch of the dye in the bottom of the container. HAVE FUN!!

The iron on material is a heat transfer that you mirror the image on your machine I buy the heat transfer from VINYL VILLAGE.

Here is the link to Mario's homepage

Vinyl Village

Note the cool awesome paper towels.  Mrs. Walker is having fun! Thanks again for purchasing these wonderful t's for the K class! YOU ROCK! Once you put the dye on allow the shirts to sit in a Ziploc baggie for at LEAST 24 hours I usually allow them to sit longer and I put them in the sun in the bags this helps to the dye to penetrate even more because it is warm. After the shirts have sit in the bags for at least the 24 hours remove using rubber gloves squeeze the dye out under running warm water. Rinse until the water runs clear, then hang out on the line to dry. This also helps for penetration of the dye. It allows the dye to "BAKE" in out in sun. Once dry you can now wash them in the washer, if you have various colors like a black and a red, don't wash together keep those separate. The dyes might fade together keep like colors together. If all the shirts are the same with the colors like seen here in the pic on the line wash together in COLD water. This will set the dyes. Hang to dry or dry in the dryer. You can now use the fabric softener and/or dryer sheets. Ta Da...... now you have beautiful tie dye shirts.   

Tie Dye shirts on the line

The finished shirts for 40 students and teachers.

While at the camper the Memorial Day weekend we all tie dyed shirts and socks.

Dusty and Cooper using the Royal Blue dye at the camper

Here is a spiral tie note those paper towels underneath

Here is the finished tie dye socks

I found these at Roses which were like 97% cotton o that made it perfect to tie dye them! These are for the girls. They are BRIGHT!

Here is one finished shirt. I ironed on the zoo crew with a machine that I bought from Amazon from Fancier well we got like 10 shirts done and the machine quit working well the company gladly sent us a new circuit board. We now have a new machine. Thanks Amazon as always you ROCK!

Now some pics of the Virginia ZOO

 Dusty telling the children about the zoo. He is an expert!!! LOL! We have gone so many times, Bruce calls him our tour guide. He even gets "mustard" on his chicken nuggets at the zoo cafe' because that is what we did one time. I think it is so funny! Don't deviate from the original first visit!

The kids look soooo adorable in their shirts.

Cooper gets off the bus with Mrs. Walker!!! We love Mrs. Walker she is such a super person! ALWAYS Helps in any way possible!!

Dusty thinking should I really go with the principal???? Who also went with us on the trip.

Cooper and Daddy at the Virginia Zoo

Always trying to be creative LOL!

While we were waiting for the bus.

Lots of beautiful geese at the zoo. Of course the boys wanted to chase them. The geese were like yeah I don't think so! LOL!

We JUST had to get a drink according to the world of Dusty...and Cooper! So off to the gift shop we went they sell drink inside the shop when you come in the zoo. The PSE Brushes are Rhonna Farrer

at Rhonna Designs.

Shortly after it was off for Dippin' Dots YUM!!!

Cooper loves the Dippin' Dots!!

This has to be the most photographed spot at the zoo!! LOL!

The boys run every time to get on the Rhino and pose for pics!

The spider web rope is always so much fun!!!

Cooper starts to complain "I'M HOT"

Of course the REPTILES the boys love!!! They are so fascinated with spiders, and snakes!!! ALWAYS!

Dusty didn't want Cooper in his photo!

 How clever is this it explains the "OLD ZOO STYLE" versus today's much more Happy animals ZOO. Here the children all enjoyed climbing the old cage. They even tried to close the door, which does not close!!! LOL!

How cute is this sign???!! Perfect! "WARNING" Homo Sapiens Caution!

Dusty found a family of Geese when we were by the monkeys. How sweet!

OF COURSE!!! Yep that's my kid! I didn't see it and then I did after the pic was taken, haha! SO I thought yep a perfect pic!

The kids all had lunch over in the playground area and enjoyed some play time at the park.

It was yet again another wonderful day at the Virginia Zoo.

Thanks Kindergarten teachers for taking us!!!

On our way home we all stopped and got a 7-11 Slurpee, I got the Sugar-free Sprite and the boys got the Watermelon Wallop. #awesummer

Thanks so much all your support and I hope that this little word tutorial on tie dye helps anyone looking to make tie dyes this summer!

Cyber Hugs, Dawn Gallop

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