Bella Dia

Thoughtful Friday 7

Nothing you do for children is ever wasted. They seem not to notice us, hovering, averting our eyes, and they seldom offer thanks, but what we do for them
is never wasted.
~ Garrison Keillor

Thoughtful Friday 6

How we live our days is how
we live our lives.

~Annie Dillard

Thoughtful Friday 5

12 Rules to Live By - Robert Louis Stevenson

Make up your mind to be happy.  Learn to find pleasure in simple things.

Make the best of circumstances.  No one has everything and everyone has something of sorrow.

Don’t take yourself too seriously.

Don’t let criticism worry you.  You can’t please everybody.

Don’t let your neighbors set your standards; be yourself.

Do things you enjoy doing but stay out of debt.

Don’t borrow trouble.  Imaginary things are harder to bear than actual ones.

Since hate poisons the soul, do not cherish enmities and grudges.  Avoid people who make you unhappy.

Have many interests.  If you can’t travel, read about places.

Don’t hold post-mortems or spend time brooding over sorrows and mistakes.

Do what you can for those less fortunate than yourself.

Keep busy at something.  A very busy person never has time to be unhappy.

Father's Day

Any man can be a father,
it takes someone special to be a dad.
- anonymous

Happy Father's Day to my special dad!

Thoughtful Friday Flickr Group

I've created a group at Flickr for Thoughtful Friday posts.  Basically you can post any picture that has a quote to go along with it :) It will be so nice to see all the pictures and quotes in one location so please consider joining up and adding yours!
Check it out and join here:
Thoughtful Friday at Flickr

NEW!  Click here for Thoughtful Friday button and code!

Thoughtful Friday 4

Often people attempt to live their lives backwards; they try to have more things, or more money, in order to do more of what they want, so they will be happier.  The way it actually works is the reverse.  You must first be who you really are, then do what you need to do, in order to have what you want.  ~Margaret Young

Thoughtful Friday, join me won't you :)

*image edited using Picnik

Funny Food Contest!

The Crafty Crow is approaching it's three month anniversary and to celebrate I am holding my first contest ever!  It's a Funny Food contest for children and their adult helpers.  There are five categories - all fruit, all veggies, breakfast, lunch/dinner, sweets - and five winners!  Each winner will receive a tote bag stuffed full of craft supplies!  If you and your kids are interested in participating go over to The Crafty Crow and read all the details.  The deadline is June 22nd so I'll be able to announce the winner during my anniversary week.  I hope you'll help me spread the word and then get cracking on your entries! 

Thoughtful Friday 3

Gather ye rose-buds while ye may
Old time is still a-flying.
And this same flower that smiles
today, Tomorrow will be dying.

~Robert Herrick

I've seen this meme around and thought I would do it since I so rarely do these things - not because I don't like them but I am so indecisive when it comes to thinking up answers that it takes me forever and a day to do it!  (click the image to see it larger)

The Questions:
1. What is your first name?  Cassi
2. What is your favorite food?  sushi
3. What high school did you go to? 
Corona del Mar
4. What is your favorite color? turquoise
5. Who is your celebrity crush? 
George Clooney
6. Favorite drink?  mojito
7. Dream vacation?  see the Northern lights
8. Favorite dessert? pie
9. What you want to be when you grow up? young at heart
10. What do you love most in life?
my children
11. One Word to describe you. trying
12. Your Flickr name.  Bella Dia

Click here for photo credits.

If you'd like to do it too here's what you do:

Open three windows.  One with the list of questions, another open to Flickr and ready to do an image search, and a third to Big Huge Labs' Mosaic Maker (create a mosaic with 4 columns and 3 rows).  Answer the first question, put your answer in the search field on Flickr and choose one of the images from the first page to represent your answer.  Click on the photo then copy and paste the url into the #1 spot on the Mosaic Maker.  Do that for all 12 questions, then click create and post the results to your blog!  Your kids will have fun with it too :)

I saw this other cool thing on Vintage Delights - it's a signature creator!

Enjoy!

 

My Contribution to The Softies Kit

I can't tell you how thrilled I am with the most recent book by Therese Laskey (author of Softies).  This is The Softies Kit and it has 15 projects with instructions and materials to make the cutest softies ever!  The packaging is gorgeous - colors, design, photography - and couldn't be better.

I have two projects in the kit.  The one above is a gingerbread house featuring lots of sugar dots and candy cane.  You can make it into a house softie or an ornament.

My other contribution is this Spring Chick in a Hat - she even made the cover!  You might remember her from several Easters ago.  This would be a great baby gift - you could even add some lavender to the stuffing for sweet dreams.

Please check out The Softies Kit, you won't be disappointed!

Thrifting: The Wood Aisle

One of my favorite aisles in the thrift store is the wood aisle.  These are some of the things I found on one of my last forays - I was especially excited about the little hutch and the wooden shoes. 

These are after pictures of the hutch and the chair, aren't they cute?!  I have visions of making the little hutch into a miniature craft cabinet with folded bolts of cloth and jars of buttons and stuff.  For the little green chair I want to make a cushion and imagine relaxing in it with a mojito at my side :)

I don't have a before picture of this bench but it was plain wood when I bought it.  I used acrylic paint and finished it with a coat of varnish. 

These are fun for the kids to do too.  You might need to use some sandpaper on items that have been previously painted or varnished but take a look next time you're thrifting and see what you come up with!

The Pillowcase Challenge

Lark Books is publishing a new book tentatively called The Pillowcase Challenge and they want to hear from you!  If you have a favorite pillowcase story submit it to Lark and they may use it in their book.  You'll be given credit in the book and a free copy too!  You'll have to hustle a bit because it's due by June 7.  For more details go to the Lark Books website.

Thoughtful Friday 2

If we are facing in the right direction,
all we have to do is keep on walking.
~Ancient Buddhist proverb

Thoughtful Friday

Here is where I can learn.

~Andy Goldsworthy

I've decided to start posting a picture and a favorite quote every Friday (kind of like I did yesterday but on Fridays) to carry me through the weekend.  If you'd like to join me please do - call me sappy but I love reading quotes and would like to see some of your favorites too!  Just tell me in the comments if you'll be participating and I'll be sure to stop by :) 

*Image editing done at Picnik found
via Full Circle

NEW!  A Flickr group has been started where you can upload all your Thoughtful Friday (or Thoughtful any day) pictures and quotes/poems.  I'd love to have you join at any time!

Thoughtful Friday at Flickr

Show everyone you are participating with this button:

Just copy and paste this html into your blog:

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