Has everyone received their Textile Swap Package?

If you haven't, please contact me so I am aware of it.  Hope everyone enjoyed this swap as much as I did!  I just love textiles!

SWAP PARTNERS SENT!

Check your email ladies...I sent out the "2nd Annual Harvest Swap" partners just a few moments ago!  Have fun!

Last Day for signups!

Just a reminder....If you still want to join in for my "2nd Annual Harvest Swap" ( http://charsethman.blogspot.com/2010/08/oh-i-am-so-excited-that-fall-is-just.html ) and haven't sent me your email....TODAY IS THE LAST DAY!  Also, if you have sent me and email...make sure I sent you back a reply to let you know I added you!  If I didn't, then I didn't get the Email...so, please resend it and make certain I reply to it!   Have a great Wednesday!

"Faux Caramel Apples" tutorial is back!!!

I have been asked several times about these lately, since Fall is just around the corner!  These were featured in Create & Decorate 2010 Fall Issue, but I thought I would share them with you all once again!  Have fun!

These are very easy to make...and sorry, but I don't have any pictures at the moment of the process, still in the "packed" stage of moving!

Supplies needed:

Stryrofoam Apples (bought mine at Dollar Tree)

Decoupage Medium (Modge Podge)

Craft Paint (any tan caramel color will work)

Corn Cob Litter (Walmart in Small animal section)

Popsicle sticks

Disposable plastic cup

Plastic Spoon

Wax Paper

Gloss Spray finish (Walmart Brand Clear Spray)

Directions:

1.  Insert your popsicle sticks into the top of your Apples. If you'd like, you can

pull out and add a dab glue.

2.  Place your Apple onto a large piece of Wax Paper.

3.  Mix approximately 1/2 the bottle of Mod Podge about 2-3

teaspoons of your craft paint.

4.  Stir with popsicle stick.

You can add more if it's not opaque enough.

Or adjust the color to your preferance.

I wanted mine a little darker, so I added a few squeezes of a darker brown.

5.  Now with your plastic spoon, spoon colored Mod Podge over your Apples.

Let it drip down the sides like real Caramel would.

6.  Repeat over all the Apples.

You can let some of the Apple peek through

near the bottom, this just makes it look truer.

7.  Sprinkle your Corn Cob litter on the top and lightly down the sides.

8.  Place your Apples onto a new piece of Wax Paper to dry OVERNIGHT!

I checked mine in the morning to see if the glue had

dried, then lay them on their sides for another half a day to dry the bottom.

9.  Once your Apples are completely dry, Spray them with your gloss

clear sealer. This will give them that added shine they need to look

like real Caramel Apples!

10.  Now, display them all together sitting on plate...just be careful because someone IS going to try and take a bite of them!  LOL

If you'd like to go a step further and package them up for gifts, etc.

You can place them into clear cellophane bags and tie them with raffia, ribbon, etc.

"2nd Annual Harvest Swap"!

Oh, I am so excited that Fall is just around the corner! So, I am ready for a my "2nd Annual Harvest Swap"!!! If you have been in any of my swaps or have seen some of the wonderful goodies that have been swapped, then you know you definately don't wanta miss out on this one! This is NOT a Halloween Swap ONLY Harvest/Fall Items!

"HARVEST SWAP"

There are a few basic rules we must all play by and here they are:

~You MUST have posted with me atleast 3 times or more! (I will check too if I don't recognize your name, but I know most of my commenters anyways!) Just making sure I am familiar with you.

~You MUST have a blog of your own. This is blog land and I know that some of you like to just leave comments from your email accounts, but I prefer you have a blog for swapping. That just shows commitment to blogging.

~You MUST commit to sending atleast 5 items in your package to your partner! Atleast ONE of them being handmade by YOU!!! We all cherish those handmade items!

~This is a HARVEST SWAP...so, let's think FALL (gourds, pumpkins, sunflowers, leaves, oranges, reds, blacks, mustards, apple cider, hayrides, scarecrows, black crows, etc!)

~This is NOT a Halloween Swap!!! I know alot of us do NOT celebrate Halloween...so, no halloween items please! You can send Pumpkin related items...but please NO Jack-o-lanterns, Witches, etc.!

~Your package MUST be atleast a $20 value! This just makes it fair for everyone who plays.

~You MUST be on time! Sorry, I HATE late packages! Just a pet peeve of mine! Nothing like anxiously awaiting a package to find it shows up 2 months late! I know all you swappers will agree with me if you ever had to wait! So, don't wait til the last minute to start your swap!

~You MUST thank your partner when you receive your goodies! I HATE ungratefulness!!! I know we are all busy, but we all make time to check our emails & read them Blogs-don't we?! So, thank your partner for your package!  I don't care if everything was NOT to your liking..a "thanks" will never hurt anyone!

~You MUST get a Delivery Confirmation # when your package has been sent out! You MUST email me that number too! That if there is any lost packages, we can hopefully track them done, and know for sure that you sent it & on time too!

~You MUST have your Info to me by midnite, (EST) August 18th!. I will get the Swap names out to everyone on August 19th.

~You MUST mail out your package by October 1st! This gives everyone approximately 6 weeks to complete their swap!

~Lastly, but MOST IMPORTANT: GIVE AS YOU WOULD LIKE TO RECIEVE!!! I always say, "I wouldn't give a package to someone, if I would not want to recieve!" So, that is why I usually always make exactly the same thing for myself as I make for all of you! LOL

~This will be a "One on One" Swap. So, once I gather all the names, I will email everyone their partners!

~This is open to USA & Canadian Residents only. Sorry, the Postal Service is killing us with Shipping anymore! I hope you International swappers still love us!  I always try and pair up Canada with Canada & U.S. with the U.S....just makes is more cost effective for Swappers!

Now, I will trust that everyone who wants to play is willing to play by the rules! But, just in case there are those of you that end up not (this has happened before!), as I tell my children: There are consequences to every action; Good or bad? You decide! So, If you don't play by the Rules, you WILL be blocked from my Blog!!!

Sorry, I know life happens, that is why I say, "Don't wait til the last minute to start your swap!"Remember, Blog land is a Huge Arena we play in....but, it runs in very SMALL circles! I know we all like to leave good impressions on our SMALL circle of friends!

Okay, I know that all seemed so very harsh with Rules & Regulations...but, they are really just Swapping Courtesy I think! Just want to make sure this Swap turns out a "Good One not Gone Bad"!

So, if you are interested in doing this swap....click on the "email me" icon on my right side toolbar. I will need your Blog Name, Name, & mailing addy. Also, I DO respond to every swap email and let you know I "added" you. So, if you don't get my email within a day, make sure you email me again as I probably didn't recieve it the first time! I hope I didn't scare anyone away! I would love for you to come and play!

Here is one of my favorite pictures of my daughter on her wedding day! She was getting dressed and her step-mom just happened to capture this picture of her from the side. She then made it black & white...this will be hanging in my new home for sure!

Only Because you asked!

I have has several emails asking, "Where is a photo of the mother-of-the-bride"?! So, I thought I would share one with you. That would be me in the animal print dress! Yep, I hate clothes shopping and couldnt' find anything I liked that was lightweight and comfy for the outdoors! But, this one worked....LOL! So, there I am with my whole family. (left to right: daughter Cheyenna, daughter Autumn, Groom Dan, Bride Amy, son Steven, son's girlfriend Brianna, Me & hubby John.

I do have lots more to share on my facebook, if you would like to see the beautiful Farmhouse grounds we were on! Here is the link: http://www.facebook.com/#!/album.php?aid=17795&id=100000699110562

Whew! I can relax...but only for a moment

Whew! The last few months have been TOTALLY crazy here! I have been working on our house renovation, planning and implementing my daughters bridal shower, then her wedding (which was this past weekend!), helping our church out with a new childrens bible school wing, packing & then moving us all in with my parents, then packing again to head out for a weeks vacation (which was the week before my daughters wedding...ugh, bad timing!), and lets not include still working night shift 44 hours a week ! I AM TIRED!!!

But, I will say....there is ONE positive thing about everything happening all at one time. The fact that most everything is over ALL at one time! Everything, except, for our home renovation. But, now I can concentrate exclusively on just that! So, the next 2 months I will be doing just that!

I did wanna share with you a few pictures though of the BEAUTIFUL "Weekend Wedding" that my daughter had! YES, you read that right....we had a whole Weekend Wedding! It was on her grandfathers 172 acre farm! There were Tenters there, RV's there, family & friends that stayed in the 8 bedroom farmhouse, and family & friends that rented "blocked" rooms at the nearest hotels!

It all started with Friday nites Wedding Rehersal. This was not only shared with the bridal party, but all those that showed up from different cities & states to attend! We had over 50 people just that evening for an outdoor feast!

Then Saturday we were up and early to get ready for the Wedding! We had another beautiful day with lots of sunshine and low humidity! We had over 160 guests attend! It was a beautiful ceremony that led into an evening of eating, dancing & enjoying the cool 60 degree nite! We had so much to do there from Dancing under the pavillion (that was built this year by my daughters dad & family), Various outdoor games, Sitting by the Campfire roasting marshmallows & making smores, to enjoying the end of the evening with a wonderful slideshow of the bride & groom (from birth to now) which was shown on the side the Barn that sits next to the farmhouse!

On Sunday morning, we were up early again to begin cooking Breakfast! We had over 50 people that showed back up to eat before they were on their way home from a fun-filled weekend! After Breakfast, we all cleaned up the Farmhouse Grounds and headed back home.


It was such a wonderful weekend! Here are just a few of the pictures that I took over the weekend!

The Ceremony took place right in front of the Farmhouse

Wayyyyy down in the front yard is where most of the Bridal Party pictures were taken. Here is the Bride & Groom sharing a kiss.

The Wedding Party. My son is the last one of the left, and my other 2 daughters are the 3rd & 4th from My oldest daughter, the Bride.

I love this picture, it is taken in front of an antique rake that sits in the front yard of the farm.

Standing on the steps of the farmhouse.

Everyone enjoying the feast under the canopies! You can see some of the RV's way down in the yard!

The head table with the Bridal Party. Behind them, you can see part of the pavillion that was built for the Wedding. Inside the window is a fully equipped restuarant quaility kitchen for cooking! They spared NOTHING when building this!

The Winner is.....

Sorry I didn't get to post my "2nd Blog Anniversary" Giveaway Winner on Sunday....but, I was busy ALL day moving! Yep, we have moved! Not into our new house yet, but in with my parents. It is just more convienent and closer to the new house, as well as our jobs. So, less time traveling and more time being put into working on the house! We are estimating to be done with renovation by the end of September. But, for now....we are with mom & dad! Thank goodness that they never moved out of their 4 bedroom home! lol





Well, onto the most important thing.....my giveaway winner!





And The Winner is: Appleberry Cottage at http://appleberrycottage.blogspot.com





Could you please drop me and email so I can get your goodie off to ya! Thanks everyone for following along and I am looking forward to sharing another year with all of you!