Message Board completed!

I finished one of my message boards already and I know I have a busy day tomorrow, so I will show you now.

I used a cookie sheet and scrap booking paper. I used the embellishments and clothes pins as magnets. I painted the cookie sheet brown first. Then rubbed wax on the areas I wanted to sand later. Then I painted it ivory. When that paint was dry, I rubbed the edges to give it a worn look. I cut the paper to fit. And because I don't have one of those handy corner cutters, I used the plastic scrapers that come with all Pampered Chef stoneware. I used the corner that fit in the corners of the cookie sheet as a guide to cut the paper corners. I glued it down with spray adhesive. Then I glued the ribbon on and tied ribbon at the top to hang.
The other one I make will be the same colour scheme, but different patterns.

Be Careful What You Say to Little Ones

Well, I am sad to say I didn't find anything wonderful at the auction. But the kids were great the whole day. That Suburban came in handy. They played games, ate and rested all in the back.

I am spending my days weeding my pumpkin patches and my garden. I am also getting ready for the biggest Farmer's Market I will be in. Ponoka has a huge stampede next week and they have a Stampede Farmer's Market. About 70,000 people go to the Stampede, so I'm hoping to have an awesome sale!

 I am finishing up another apron, I made some apricot chutney to sell along side of my rhubarb chutney and I'm hoping to have some cookie sheet message boards finished tonight. If I do, I will post pictures.

I really have nothing to exciting to post, so I will share a conversation I had with my 3 year old, Jacob. He told me he was growing because his tummy was full of food and that will make him grow. (He is in the picture showing me his stomach another time.) I said to him, "Oh no, you can't grow." and he said "Why?" I answered, "Because you won't be my little Jacob anymore." Jacob looked thoughtful for a moment and replied, "I won't eat anymore." I shouldn't say things like that to him, because he likes to please so much. But I told him, "Sweety, you have to eat so that you can grow and be big and strong like Daddy. Then you will be my big Jacob." He is still eating, but I have to be careful what I say because he is so thoughtful.

I just took 6 loaves of bread out of the oven and I am taking a coffee break, so I thought I should make my first post. So far I have had an uneventful day. Our septic guy came this morning to pump out our septic. He told my husband he should dig out around our septic and pump and build wood walls around it. That way if we ever had to access our pump in the winter, we wouldn't have to dig through frozen ground. So that is what my husband and step son are working on now. We have been in this farmhouse, in Central Alberta, for 4 years now and it seems there is always something to work on.

My 3 and 6 year old sons came with me to collect eggs and check on our chickens, roosters and donkeys. (that is a picture picture of Rebekah and Jacob collecting eggs up in the left corner) My roosters are almost butchering size. Which scares me. I am trying to be self sufficient, so I ordered mixed chicks this spring with the thought of raising all the roosters for meat. Out of 54 chicks, we have 27 roosters. I am the type of person who gags when the chicken I buy from the store has pin feathers on it. But a wonderful older couple from church have offered to help me butcher. I just pray I don't pass out!

After we left the barn, my 3 year old, Jacob, helped me pick lamb's quarters to use as spinach. We picked a lot and I have only stripped half. Of course, it is just like spinach, it cooks down to basically nothing. I will steam it and freeze it. Then I can use it in spinach dips, or pasta or whatever. I love to use everything I can get for free. The picture of lamb's quartes is up on the right top corner. This is a weed that probably grows everywhere.

I am so excited to be going to an auction tomorrow. Usually only my husband goes, but I am interested in some things, so we are packing up the kids and heading out first thing. I will pack our cooler as full as I can with sandwiches, pop, water, cheese and crackers, snacks, etc. That way the kids can sit in the back of our '77 Suburban and feast. Larry, my husband, has been driving truck for 30 years and is looking for something else he can do. So he has been going to auctions and trying to get good deals on things so he can resell them at a little profit. I like his thought on the matter; It is better to sell lots of things at smaller profits, than to sell a few things at bigger profits. That way he can sell things at reasonable costs to the buyer and we have the money sooner. So far he hasn't really been able to find any great deals, but the Suburban we are driving turned out to be one. He had bought it for $175 and had planned to sell the engine. I thought he bought it for us to drive and was disappointed. He almost had it sold, when he found out his friend does car inspections for $50, so Larry brought in the truck, it passed with flying colours and we sold our 2003 Dodge Ram for really close to what we were asking 2 days later. We just love the Suburban way better than the Dodge. I hope I can post all our good deals tomorrow.

Have a wonderful day.