Saving Beautiful Puzzles

Years ago, we were visiting Lindy C. and noticed what her family did with puzzles after putting them together. Instead of breaking them up and putting them back in the box, her family puzzle-glued them to poster board.

So we started to do the same thing...with puzzles that were just too beautiful to take apart.

Here are two of our favorites...

Garden Party

by artist Sandra Kuck

Cat Afghan
by artist Linda Picken

It's so easy and we have our own technique now:
1. Place the puzzle on Foam Board. [We tried Poster Board a couple times, but it always warped.]

2. Use Modge Podge from your local craft store. Pour it on top of the puzzle and spread it all over with a gloved hand...we keep disposable gloves on-hand (no pun intended!) for messy crafts and kitchen recipes. It will look scary at first...all white and gooey, but it does dry clear. Make sure that all of the "cracks" in the puzzle are filled with the glue. The glue will seep through to the Foam Board below and adhere the puzzle to the board.

3. Let sit for 24 hours.

4. Voila! A beautiful, inexpensive, and special wall hanging...that you've created as a family.

***Note: If you like a certain artist and can't afford an original or copy, just find the piece of art in puzzle form. You can even frame the finished puzzle artwork. We did this for Grammy with one of her favorite Thomas Kinkade winter scenes.

Sewing with Cookie

Fun times ahead! Tiffani has wanted to learn how to sew for some time now and she was blessed yesterday by Cookie, who gave her a sewing machine (and books, magazines & material) and has graciously told Tiffani that she'll help her with projects in the future. She'll work on some easier items first like blankets and simple skirts. Looking forward to her finished projects!

BirthChoice Project

Tiffani was assigned a Benevolence Project last month wherein she was to learn about a charitable organization, create a goal to contribute her own time/talent/treasure, and write a report about her experience. She chose BirthChoice of the Desert and will add a brief synopsis of her report to this post very soon. She met her monetary goal and donated 2 baby blankets as well. Tiffani donated a fleece blanket. And a big thank you and hug to Andi, who crocheted a beautiful blanket that Tiffani could give!

Baby items given to new moms in need.

Each new mom receives a bag of goodies and diapers for her precious baby.

Tiffani showing Andi's beautiful blanket.











Tiffani meeting with Patty Stringer...BirthChoice's Director.

Tiffani sharing with her class about her experience with BirthChoice.

Luke 18:16-17
But Jesus called the children to him and said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it."

Ahhh...Paris...

Since Tiffani was 4 years old, she wanted to learn the French language and has loved everything French from pastries to the Eiffel Tower. We found this wall art while we were Christmas shopping and she had the perfect space on her wall after we moved her furniture around a couple weekends ago.

Jeff helped her put up the tower and the words. I helped her with the stars. Wiggly-Woo supervised and napped. We also caught him taking a swipe at one of the lower stars...perhaps thinking it was a spider on the wall!

Practice, Practice!

Practice shots for the photo shoot on Thursday! So fun!

Fruit Smoothies

It's starting to heat up in our little neck of the woods...uh..desert!
Here's one of our favorite cool-down recipes...so easy!

All Fruit Smoothies
1 cup fruit juice (any combination)
1-1/2 cups frozen fruit (any combination)

1. Pour the fruit juice into a blender or VitaMix. Add the frozen fruit.
2. Blend.
Hint: If the blades get stuck, add another tablespoon of juice.

Tiffani's Favorite:
1/2 cup orange juice
1/2 cup fruit punch ~ we like Juicy Juice
1/2 cup frozen raspberries
1/2 cup frozen blueberries
1/2 cup frozen pineapple

Traci's Favorite:
1/2 cup orange juice
1/2 cup fruit punch
1 cup frozen pineapple
1/2 cup frozen blueberries

*Other possible additions: shredded coconut, Mountain High Yoghurt, soaked almonds...be creative!

Crocheting & Cookies GIFT Night

I was just telling Sherrill and Michelle that GIFT is one of our favorite monthly outings! Last night was such a pleasure just chatting and learning to crochet with Carrie's grandmother, who was visiting for the week from Pennsylvania! Lots of fun learning and precious fellowship...and dozens of homemade cookies.

Thank you, Mrs. Martin for sharing your time and talent with our girls. And thank you, Michelle, for opening your home to us.

(Clockwise beginning bottom left) Katie, Sierra, Carrie, Ashley, Tiffani, Sarah & Emily

Sherrill, Traci, Michelle & Mrs. Martin

GIFT = Girls In Fellowship Together

Easy Gingerbread House

Eight years ago, we hosted an "easy" Gingerbread House-making day for our homeschool support group. I provided the home and Kelly F. provided the instructions. It is still one of our favorite Christmas time projects ever. Tiffani was 5.


I wrap it carefully each year and hope that when I unwrap it each December that it is still intact. The fact that it has stayed together all these years is a testimony to Wilton's Royal Icing! A few candies have turn colors and a few are missing where Tyler Kitty had a taste, but all-in-all it's as good as the day Tiffani made it.

This project was so easy...and very fun for the kids! You can eat and create at the same time!

The "gingerbread house" is actually graham crackers adhered to the top half of a half-gallon milk carton.

The "glue" is Royal Icing ~ the Wilton recipe.

The "base" is heavy cardboard or a thin wood panel wrapped in foil. We added the festive snoman and Santa bear candles a couple years ago.

Each family brought fun candies/pretzels/other to share for decoration and munching. Licorice makes a fun pathway! And inspecting it this year, it is definitely one of the candies that looks as good as the day it was glued.