Computer Building 101 ~ Kid Style

or, How to Build a Computer, Noli Style   : )

Noli ~ I need a box.

Me ~  What kind of box? A shoebox?

No, bigger!

How big?

This long and this tall (holding out her arms)

Hmmm. I raid my box supply. Ah-ha! A priority mail box -- I don't think the PO will mind that it gets used for a kid project....

I still have no idea what she's making!

Noli ~ It's a computer, silly!

Follow along, 'cause here's what we did! We put the box together except we didn't close the top flaps. Cut a big hole in it for the screen. Left a flap down for the keyboard.

It was kind of floppy so we glued popsicle sticks to hold the screen up.

Noli gets out the construction paper and crayons, and busily draws. 

She's making games for her computer. 

They are called Heart Search, Treasure Box, Kitty Lost, Try to Get the Dog's Snowflakes, Bats Suck Blood and Candy Girl. The last two are Halloween games.

Bet YOUR computer doesn't have popsicle sticks!!

Linking up Noli's computer to Alphabe-Thursday over at Ms. Jenny's for the letter C!!

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The One Bad Egg

It was hiding among the other eleven -- its shell wrinkled and strange. The one bad egg. 

I did not know what to expect if it were cracked. 

It sat in the carton until it was the only one left.

I felt sorry for the bad egg, thinking maybe it wasn't so bad after all.

But, with a light shining through it, looking strangely alien, I thought surely this must be a bad egg.

Crack! Into a bowl it went.

Looking for all its worth like a good egg, after all!

Prompting me to crochet my own eggs, never to be bad.

Ever. Or the evil rooster will get them.

♥♥♥ Linking my Bad Egg to Alphabet-Thursday where Miss Jenny is teaching us the letter B.


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Ponies make a good pillow (or, Adventures with Oliver)

Oliver sleeps on the craziest things -- you would think he would be soooo uncomfortable on a glass table or scrunched up in a basket smaller than he is, but no, he seems perfectly content. It's so typical for him to find that one scrap of paper on the floor and use it for a resting place! 

So, when Noli left a couple of her ponies out, naturally Oliver found them!

Ahhhh, I'm so comfy with my special pony pillow....

Mmmm, a nice snuggle under my chin....

I think the ponies might have something else to say about being an Oliver pillow!

♥♥♥  I'm linking Oliver's pony pillow to Blue Monday over at Smiling Sally. 

          Be sure to visit her for other fun and fabulous blues!


>^.^<
and    

Who was that masked bandit?

Something happened in the shed. Leaves everywhere. Boards which were stacked on a wooden frame and suspended from the rafters were now on the floor. Boxes were moved around on the shelves.

Cat? Possum? Some giant bird?

I'm standing very still, looking around, when I spy in the corner, up on a top shelf (now devoid of boxes)....

Mr. Raccoon!!

Oh so cute with his little mask. Staring back at me.

I slowly backed out of the shed, zipped to the house for my camera, and was able to get one good pic. I took several but with the lighting and the fact that I was NOT going any farther into the shed than just inside the door, I only got one decent photo.

Mr. (or Ms for that matter) Raccoon was pretty curious about me too!

Cute as he was, we decided it best to call animal control -- we didn't want him/her in the shed, playing havoc with our boxes and boards, or having babies, or whatnot. So animal control comes with the most gigantic cage I've ever seen, and a can of cat food. He left the cage and told us to wait a couple of days and then check to see if Mr. Raccoon was inside. He gave us various instructions, and a copy of their humane treatment of wild animals and how they took them to wooded areas out of town and let them go. That made me feel better.

See the mess that raccoon made! 

So we waited, and no raccoon. Waited a few days more, and no raccoon. Gave up after a few more days and called animal control to pick up their cage. 

Mr. Raccoon still roams around these here parts.... but not in our shed!! 

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If you want to see another cool something that appeared in our yard, check out Foxy Fox!
And for other awesome yard visitors and such, click on the label, "What's in the Yard" -- but Foxy is my favorite!


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Soccer fun with the little ones!

Saturday was Noli's last soccer game for the season -- this was her first year playing and she did pretty well! Her team was the Cougars and her best buddy, Will, was on it for his second year so that made it more fun for Miss Noli.

First game......

The team lines up -- Noli shows us the Cougar paw....

Noli and Will

Running after the ball! (that little kid on the other team just makes me smile -- he's so small!!)

The best part -- snacks!!

Planking at Chipotle after the game!

Last game.....

In the huddle

Knees and toes

(that's Noli with the pink on her shoes)

Sometimes it's lonely being the Noli Goalie

The really best part -- the trophy!!!

All in all, I think she had a pretty good time!

♥♥♥  I'm linking Miss Noli's blue soccer shirts to Blue Monday at Smiling Sally's!!


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Growing Flowers

Well, I almost didn't make it.... the BBA team challenge for this month. I was busy with other stuff and started my project late in the month, plus it was rather labor intensive. Enough excuses -- I got 'er done!!

Each month we have a challenge to make something that follows a suggested theme -- April's was brought to us by Margaret of Splendid Little Stars. She challenged us to "create a project that calls to mind how one or all the senses respond to this new beginning time of year."

For me, spring means lovely flowers beginning to grow -- especially the Bluebonnets here in Texas -- birds singing in the trees and making nests in the branches, baby animals being born. A time of renewal.

 I decided that for this challenge, I wanted to make something that would not only express springtime, but would also be something new for my shop. I knew it had to be flowers.... and I found this adorable pattern from a fellow Etsyian Honeybee 69.

The flowers "grow"! First the seed is planted, and a sprout finds its way to the top of the soil ...

then the flowers bloom!

     

 Everything can be taken apart so the child can pretend to really plant, grow and pick the flower!

Now all I have to do is make a bag for everything to go in (wouldn't want to lose that all-important seed!) and it'll be ready for its debut in my shop! This is the fabric I plan on using for the bag -- cute with its look-alike flowers that match!

Of course, Noli found a flower in its pot and asked me to make a set for her. I answered with a vague "maybe" so that I can surprise her with her own set. There's another pattern I have my eye on that is a watering can and trowel that would be a cute add on for the flower garden. Noli may get the first of those! She had a good time playing with the flowers and I hope I can get her to model for me sometime!

We talked about how you dig in the soil and feel the coolness of it on your hands, covering the seed so it can take its nap, how it grows and grows and finally sprouts, and then the flower blooms and how lovely it is to see and to smell its delightful scent. Then, of course, the flowers attract butterflies and bees -- another sure sign of spring!

She reminded me of how she planted cherry seeds last spring. 

Quite the little gardener -- although she may be planting rocks here  : )

For more spring challenge projects from the BBA team, go here!

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Spring Flower Coasters and Teacups

It's been a long time since I had these coasters in my shop -- too, too long! I think I must have been waiting for the warmer months to roll around before I made them again. Well, those warmer months are definitely here, so I sat down and grabbed those pretty spring colored yarns and crocheted away!

And they are my avatar for crying out loud! I really should have them in my shop if their little picture is going to accompany me wherever I go!

Doesn't my mother's teacup look pretty on them? So feminine. I was lucky enough to get her china, at least what is left of it. It's a huge set with lots of different kinds of dishes, but I only have three plates!! I love it though, and of course, it reminds me of my Mama -- especially with Mother's Day coming up.

The flower on the inside is just the sweetest! 

A little surprise as you drink your tea!

Here's a close-up -- I just love those flowers and the scroll design! 

The pattern is "Victoria" made by Royal Cauldon of England.

Now here's a question ... I'm thinking of making these coasters in sets of one color -- do you think that the center should be the same off-white, or should the whole thing be one color. Probably pink! Or, if I do the solid colors, should they be a different pattern altogether -- more of a lacy look?

Help me decide!!

♥♥♥  I'm linking my spring flower coasters on Pink Saturday at  How Sweet the Sound.


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Strawberry Fields Forever

I seem to be on a strawberry kick -- crocheting away at cute little strawberry delights to add to my shop.
John Lennon would be pleased!

Do these look yummy, or what!!

And they have their very own storage bag (see the cute strawberries on the bag?)

Then there's two of the strawberries with a sweet strawberry pouch to carry them in, all in that same fabric storage bag!

I got such a kick out of that pouch -- it's a giant strawberry! My granddaughter has pretty much decided that she NEEDS it!

What else would have a strawberry? How about a cupcake!! Yummy chocolate cupcake with strawberry icing and whipped cream -- topped with a juicy little strawberry!

Are you craving strawberries yet?

♥♥♥  Linking my yummy, juicy, red strawberries at Rednesday over at It's a Very Cherry World!

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