Carnival Breeze 2022 – Door Decorations.

I did not know if I wanted to decorate our door or not. Then I decided I would!

I decided I would make a small rag wreath for the door. Of course it would be a nautical theme. I lucked out and found the perfect fat quarters with anchors on them at Walmart. I also purchased some fat quarters at Joanns along with some red fabric and white dots. I felt like I need an equal amount of patterned and solid fabrics to make it work.

While browsing on Party City, I just happened to find this banner that magically fell in my cart!!!!

There is one more item I purchased at Dollar Tree that I may or may not use. I can’t make up my mind. I will probably leave it at home as I don’t really like the idea of having glitter everywhere! It might just stay on my front door instead.

I will be using Command Strips to attach them to our stateroom door. I use command strips for EVERYTHING that needs to be hung in our stateroom, including the over-the-door shoe hanger. I strongly recommend them, hands down!!!!

This the extent of my stateroom door decorations. I will be sure to post of picture of our stateroom door when I start the cruise recap series.

Thanks for taking the time to read this short blog. I hope you will return to read my other blogs as well.

Craft Project #2: Nautical rag wreath – part two

The final outcome. I did make some changes to the fabrics I selected. I decided this project needed one additional print fabric and one additional solid color fabric and decided against using any of the ribbon I had purchased. The fabric with the stars definitely would not work with what I had in mind.

The solid fabrics and the red fabric with white dots were purchased at Joann’s.

The fat quarters with the anchors were purchased at WalMart.

Once the item I purchased from Party City arrived, I decided on using the smaller 8 inch wreath I purchased at Dollar Tree.

As with all rag wreaths, I first ironed all of the fabric I would be using then cut them in strips of 1/4 inch by 8 inches. I feel that this size of fabric strips works best on the small frame.

Now the fun begins starting with the outer ring.

Then the center ring.

And finally the inner ring to finish the wreath.

Making rag wreaths is quickly becoming a favorite past time. Especially since it is something I can easily make for my mom as well as for myself.

The next rag wreath I will be making will have a Mardi Gras theme as far as the colors are concerned. I hope you will return to see how it looks or to read my other blogs.

Craft Project #2: Nautical wreath – part one

I must say, I’m not sure if I like the fabrics I have selected for this project. There is a good chance that some changes will be made. In any case, this is what I am starting with.

I’m considering adding the stars fabric but it just does not feel right. The purpose of this wreath is to use as a door decoration on an upcoming cruise.

I will decide on the wreath size when an item I have ordered from Party City arrives. That will be the determining factor!

Please stay tuned for part two to see how this wreath actually pans out.

Carnival Breeze 2022 – Our overnight bag is packed!!!!

The easiest part of packing for a cruise is the overnight bag. The only thing that will go in it are the necessities for boarding day!!!!

For instance… our boarding attire

And, of course, our shoes and toiletries.

And everything fits!!!

So as far as I’m concerned, this bag is done. And 3 weeks early!

Now it is time to do other pre-cruise necessities such as scheduling hair and nail appointments and COVID test, and ordering water for our stateroom. You know. the other stuff that needs to be done before a cruise.

And ironing. So. Much. Ironing.

Until next time.

More Craft Projects on the horizon!!!

I have 3 wreaths I will be making soon. Here’s a sneak peek at what will be coming.

Nautical theme:

Mardi Gras theme:

St. Patrick’s Day theme:

I am considering buying some gold fabric to use on the Mardi Gras and St. Patrick’s day wreaths but I have not made a final decision about it. I will need to see what I can find.

There will be more coming as well for other special days and seasons. So please feel free to continue to read about my rag wreath adventure.

2022 Special Mom Project – Installment 2: Scrapbook binder and photos have arrived for 2021 Recap

In order to create the 2021 Recap scrapbook, I knew I would need to find the perfect 3-ring scrapbook binder. Of course, I knew I would find exactly what I would need at scrapbook.com. Now that it has arrived, it is absolutely perfect!

The photos I ordered from Shutterfly have also arrived and I believe I will be using every one of them.

I put the photos in chronological order then made notes for each photo and who are in the pictures as well.

I have a lot of scrapbook paper left over from the packs I purchased for the Carnival Vista project. I have decided to use the Smith Craft paper pack called Santa Fe Garden. I might also use some paper from other paper packs as well but I know without a doubt that this pack will play a bit part in this project.

So now it is time for me to select some paper and put some pages together. Please come back to see the progress. I hope to have it completed by Valentine’s Day if not sooner.

2022 Decorating Mom’s Door – Episode 1 – All things Valentines!

My mother lives in at assisted living facility approximately one mile from my home. This location makes it easy for me to get to her should she need anything. Most of the time, she needs me to get her Cokes, Kleenex, Charmin toilet paper, Bounty paper towels, and cookes. Especially Oreo’s and Nabisco Nilla wafers. And the occasional Snickers bar!!! She is very particular about her things!

While living in an assisted living facility has it’s advantages and we love where she is at, the hallways seem like that are lacking in something. A lot of the residents have wreaths on their door but nothing that really stands out.

The first year she was there at Christmas, I went all out on decorating her door and continued doing it for her. It brings her joy. And if my mother is happy, I am happy!

So I started thinking, why not decorate her door for all of the occasions? I decided I would decorate for all the season and occasional happenings during the year. And I will be starting With Valentines Day.

Of course, that would mean shopping for all the goodies at Dollar Tree, Hobby Lobby, WalMart, and Joanns. I want to make her door look like Cupid paid her a visit. Here are all the goodies I will be using.

From Dollar Tree:

From Hobby Lobby:

From Joanns

In this photo, the bows are from Joann’s, the red heart picks are from Dollar Tree, and the Happy Valentine’s Day teddy bear is from WalMart.

Unfortunately I am not able to decorate her door just yet as they are having a temporary lockdown of sorts. But I hope to be able to make her door stand out on January 30th.

Wish me luck and please come back to see the final outcome.

Carnival Breeze 2022 – Time to make the lists.

With 4 weeks to go, I have decided it is time to make the lists for this cruise. I will primarily be focusing on clothes and maybe shoes. But I will also include my excessive first aid kit. So lets get started.

Since my first aid kit seems to have more on it than the clothes I will be taking, lets start with it.

I know the list is long but in these times, I want to be prepared for anything and everything including taking a lot of face masks!

I do have a small first aid kit I keep in my purse, but it is very basic.

Now for the clothes. For every cruise I go on, I will make a chart of the days on the cruise and what will be going on those days. This year, I decided to use my handy dandy Plum Planner.

First, I wrote on each day what would be going on. This gives me an idea of what I will wear on that day.

On the opposite page, I wrote in pencil what I plan on wearing that day and evening.

Since I have written everything in pencil, it will be easy to change in my planner should I change my mind about something. And believe me, I already have.

For some reason, when I was putting the clothes together, it appears that I will be taking a lot less clothes than I normally do. This makes my husband so excited. But since it is still early, there may or may not be any changes made to the list. I guess the only way to find out will be to come back for the packing blog which will be up closer to cruise time.

Thanks for reading!!!

2022 Craft Project #1 – Valentine Wreath for mom… part 2

This has definitely been a real learning experience as I have never done anything like this before.

I wasn’t sure how to start this project so the first thing I did after ironing the pieces, was to cut the cloth to sections of 8″ x 21″ with some left over.

Then I trimmed it down to 8″ x 1″ then trimming those down to 8″ x 1/4″. When the strips of material were 1″ wide, it just did not look right. Probably because the wreath form is small. I thing the 1/4″ width works perfectly for this size wreath form. At least it did for me.

Once all of the strips were cut and laid them out in the order I wanted to put them on the wreath.

I started putting the strips on the wreath with the outer ring first.

And several hours later, the wreath was finished with strips of material left over. Actually lots of material left over, but I will find a use for it, that is for certain.

Now, this was my first attempt at making a rag wreath and I’m happy that it is one that does not have to be or look perfect because this one does not look perfect.

I may or may not add some things to it but I’m not 100% certain about it, at least not yet. Only time will tell and that time will be coming up on February 27th when I decorate the outside of her door for Valentines!

Please be sure to return to see how it looks when her door decorations are complete.

2022 Craft Project #1 – Valentine wreath for mom… part one,

Valentine wreaths should be something special. I want my mom to have something unique for her door so I am going to make one for her. Nothing fancy but something that she will love. I have decided to make a rag wreath. I just hope I can do it!

Let’s start with the supplies.

The wire wreath form was purchased at Dollar Tree. It came in a package of 2. The wreath measures 8 inches.

The Valentine ribbon and material was purchased at WalMart. The materials are Waverly Inspirations Fat Quarter Bundle. Each piece of material is 18″ x 21″ and is 100% Cotton

The small sign was found at Hobby Lobby when I actually went there for something else. It always seems to happen that way.

I have a feeling this project is going to be a real labor of love. Especially since the first thing I will need to do is to iron the material.

Wish me luck and please come back to read how it all came together. Now I’m off to find the iron and ironing board.