Waiting is never easy, but manageable. (Photo by Angie Quantrell, 2016)
Stand – lean – patient forms.
Windblown tractor ride groupies.
Next in line, we wait.
– Haiku by Angie Quantrell
Bill’s Berry Farm tractor ride extravaganza, 2016 (Photo by Angie Quantrell, 2016)
I do. Rubber stamping! I love to hang out with my girl friends and use rubber stamps, tools, supplies, and miscellaneous papers and trinkets to create greeting cards. Rubber stamping!
I don’t feel guilty for pursuing this crafty hobby. One reason is that I don’t spend tons of money on supplies. In rubber stamping, a little goes a long way. One of my stamping buddies and I just recently finished up a roll of foam tape (3-D effect) that we had been collectively using for at least 10 years.
Another reason I allow myself to indulge? The cards. I distribute my handcrafted cards through many venues – a set becomes a gift for my sister, a dozen goes into an auction basket, birthdays are celebrated, thanks are sent, holidays are enjoyed, and encouragement is mailed. I even create cards for my husband to use at work. I am – gasp – a supplier. In a good way.
As I work on updating my blog and web site, I thought it would be fun to have a giveaway and celebrate hobbies.
Here’s what you need to do:
1. Sign up to follow this blog. You knew there was a catch, right?
2. Comment above. Tell me that you’ve followed. View the slideshow of cards and let me know which card you like best and why. I’d love to hear about your favorite hobby!
That’s it.
On Friday, October 21, I will randomly choose 3 followers* to receive a packet of 5 handcrafted cards, mailed to your home. How fun is that?
Thank you for visiting. Have a great day!
by Angie Quantrell @AngieQuantrell
Welcome!
I should say (to myself) welcome back!
Here is a photo of what’s kept me from my KID KANDY and picture book posts. It has been THAT crazy.
So, forward and onward.
Let’s read some books!
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Happy Autumn! |
by Angie Quantrell @AngieQuantrell
We live in an RV.
That’s recreational vehicle for you wondering about the abbreviation. Our tenement on wheels is like the Big Green Rolling Turd in the Robin Williams movie RV. Without the backed up sewer, ripped off awning, and Class A drive-and-walk-around feature.
Our RV is the type you drive in, unhook, set up, and drive away.
The Quantrells are on an adventure.
Phase 1: Complete – The house is sold. Closed. Done.
Here’s a chance to say “Thanks” to our 2 fantastic realtors, Stephanie Blehm and her son Kenny Blehm! They did a fantastic job. And they survived Kevin. I mean our process. Wink, wink.
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Sorry, Kenny. Mabel thinks your card is tasty! |
Phase 2: In Process – Live full-time in RV. Settle cats and selves in for the winter. Learn to grocery shop often for not much at all (no space). Wear the same clothes all the time (no space). Store rubber stamping supplies (no space). Eat outside with guests (no space).
Search for property and research choices.
Phase 3: In the Future – Build small home (tiny is too minute) on out-of-town property.
Our lives in a nutshell.
It’s been great so far. Things did get a little tense every now and then (sorry, honey). We relieved ourselves of many possessions. That felt good. Now we can see what we really need to survive.
An outdoor catio is a definite NEED. Poor kitties have adjusted well, but opportunites for exercise in the RV are limited. And, well, I just need them-who-love-outside-time to be out in the fresh air. Soon, babies, daddy will have it all done. It’s going to be great! I’ll post pictures when it’s complete.
Pumpkin season is here, and despite the lack of space indoors, the big beautiful world beyond the RV walls has plenty of space to display my favorite seasonal produce.
Anyone else out there living in an RV? Who else loves kitties, pumpkins, and fall? I’d love to hear your thoughts.
There is nothing that gets me quite so excited than the first time I get Delicata squash in the CSA. Delicata squash is the sign that this is it—summer, move over, there are knee high boots and scarfs to dig out of the basement. Fall has always been my favorite season. I believe my AOL profile in middle […]
Source: Roasted Delicata Squash with Parmesan and Walnuts
Anytime you say delicata squash, I’m hooked!
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Happy to see this new article, Into the World, in Missions Mosaic. |
It has been a whirlwind summer!
Selling our home, moving into an RV, fixing the RV set-up, sorting belongings, giving away stuff, acclimatizing the kitties to living in said RV, learning how to cook in an RV, . . .
The list is much longer, but just that much lets you know why I have been lost in cyberspace.
On to fall. The dust is settling, and in just a few more days, we will have only 1 home to care for.
Writing is back on the menu, boys! (Can you name that movie reference? Comment below!)
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Into the World |
Here is something I’m happy to see, rewards from past labors. I love this magazine, Missions Mosaic, and am honored to write for Woman’s Missionary Union in several different areas.
You might want to check them out here.
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Missions Mosaic |
Happy reading!
Back to the chaos.
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This is the perfect book for back-to-school! |
by Angie Quantrell @AngieQuantrell
School’s First Day of School
By Adam Rex
Pictures by Christian Robinson
(Roaring Brook Press, 2016)
School was new.
He was so new that he didn’t realize children would soon come pouring through his doors. Gasp! Janitor was his confidant and friend and tried to tell him things would be great.
But School was anxious.
And the children came to school. Some were bored (that hurt School’s feelings), some cried and were afraid to stay at school (School was that bad?), and School even had an accidental fire drill the first day!
Would School enjoy being School?
I LOVED this story! Who would have thought about first-day-of-school-new-building story from the viewpoint of the school!
Funny, imaginative, and realistic. School’s First Day of School will lighten the hearts of all readers.
KID KANDY:
Draw a Picture of Your School
Materials: paper, pencils, markers, crayons
1. Use the pencil to outline your school. Maybe you go to a huge elementary school, a small private school, or homeschool. Whichever type of school you attend, draw a picture of it.
2. Decorate your school. Maybe you could name your school, or print the name it already has on the top of the building.
3. Share your picture.
How do you think School felt before the first day? How did the boys and girls feel about going back to school? How do YOU feel about going to school?
I love school! Now that I am a writer and I work from home, I don’t get to enjoy the first day of school as a teacher. I miss school! But I hope to visit again soon and read books with my favorite people – the students.
by Angie Quantrell @AngieQuantrell
I don’t usually dwell on where my towels originated, other than to contemplate how old the ratty ones are and consider if it’s time for a towel shopping bonanza.
As all but the last few ancient, ragged towels are happily ensconced in the RV, awaiting our arrival, we are making due with some threadbare specimens.
No remaining borders, faded designs, frayed edges, thin fabric – this is the state of the towels piled in the cupboard. If my sister saw them, she would zoom straight as the crow flies to a nearby department store and stock us up with new fluffy towels.
But sister, never fear. We have plenty of good towels. They are just living in our other home.
Tonight, as I dried off with one of the antique versions, tiny in size but amazingly colorful, I had a flashback to when towels came free.
In detergent boxes! Do you remember those little plastic encased free towels? I’m not entirely sure that this blue floral number is not one of those freebies. It’s still in use, at least 25 years later.
After an online search, I found several old detergent brands that offered free face cloths, knives, glasses, and towels. Breeze sounded familiar, but the images I saw only offered face cloths. Bonus advertised a full sized towel, but that name doesn’t ring a bell. How fun to look at the old packaging, all the way back in the late 1950’s and 1960’s.
Wait! I found it. Breeze is one of the detergents that included free towels. Check out my Pinterest board (For the Home) and scroll to see the Breeze box. Angie’s Pinterest Boards
Ahh, memories. I truly am not old enough to buy detergent in the 50-60’s, but let’s try the 70’s. Back in the good old days. . . free stuff when one went shopping!
I still love free!
I’d love to hear your memories. Were you ever the recipient of free towels? Glasses? Dinnerware? Green stamps (you could buy all sorts of wonderful items with green stamps)?
By Angie Quantrell @AngieQuantrell
A Tiger Tail (Or What Happened to Anya on Her First Day of School)
By Mike Boldt
(Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2016)
When Anya woke up one morning, her first day of school, she discovered that she had grown a tiger tail overnight!
One can imagine how embarassing it would be to trot into school with a tiger tail trailing along behind! Anya was devastated. Would she even be allowed to go to school with a tiger tail?
Anya, being a very creative and problem solver type of girl, tried several different avenues to take care of the situation. NONE of which worked.
Which meant, Anya had to go to school, tiger tail and all.
Once Anya made it to school, she discovered that having a tiger tail was not so bad after all.
A Tiger Tail (Or What Happened to Anya on Her First Day of School) is a hilarious cleverly illustrated and written picture book. Problem solving, anxiety over the first day of school, and seeing how others are different are some of the issues found in this delightful book.
Readers both young and old will love Anya’s tale. Er, tail.
KID KANDY
For Fun: Make a Tail to Wear Around the House
Materials: a long sock, newspaper, safety pins
1. Crinkle newspapers into small balls and stuff the sock. Leave an inch or so at the top.
2. Ask for help! Pin the sock to the waistband of your pants. Now you have a tail. Try and wear it all day. How did you do? Any problems? Would you like to go to school with a tail?
For Real: Plan for the First Day of School
What makes you really nervous about the first day of school? Some things that made me anxious were new classmates, a new teacher, not knowing where my class was, wearing new clothes, and getting on the right bus to go home.
Choose 1 thing that makes you nervous. Plan how to take care of it before school begins.
1. New classmates? Look for one person you know from last year. Or your neighborhood. Walk up and say hi. Plan to play together at recess. Now you have at least one friend!
2. New teacher? Some schools host a meet-the-teacher day. Ask your parents to take you to meet your teacher. Whew! Now you know what he/she looks like. You might even find your desk.
3. Find your class. If you visited the teacher, you will already know. Otherwise, a parent can walk you in the first day, you can ask an adult at the school for help, or you can ask an older student to help you. Don’t be afraid to ask for assistance. I’ve noticed that most people love to help!
4. Choose your first-day-of-school clothes and hang them out, ready for the big day. Now you don’t need to worry about what to wear.
5. Riding the bus? Your teacher will help you. Or any of the other adults who work at your school. You can even ask the bus drivers. If you are going to kindergarten, you will probably wear an address tag with a bus number. Learn that number! But remember, there are many people just waiting to help you find the right bus!
Now – go out there and enjoy your first day of school.
by Angie Quantrell @AngieQuantrell
The box that was filled with flyers listing our home as FOR SALE is empty. That doesn’t mean we are done with this whole moving process. Not at all.
For instance, as I tidied and prepped, boxed and bagged, I discovered that I had 3 of those old fashioned hair dryers.
You know the ones. The type that comes in a hat-type carrying case, with a long hose leading from the base to the plastic hat, and the lovely plastic hat that one puts on over curlers. Or, in my case, over my plastic bag wrapped deep conditioned hair. It really works.
But 3? Who needs 3 hair dryers of that sort? Last time I checked, I only had (and still have) 1 head.
What can I say? This scenario has been repeated several times with different items as I’ve cleared out closets, drawers, and cupboards. Hoarder? Yard sale hound? Bargain monster?
I prefer to call myself a collector.
The good news is, we can almost see the light at the end of the tunnel. Piles of this and that for various people have mostly been sent to their new homes. The debris is disappearing a little more every day.
The adventure continues! How to fit everything we need – or think we need – into an RV. It’s a never-ending puzzle.
Hair dryer anyone?
Love, Laughter, and Life 