Grandma's Garden Springing to Life

 

Years ago, when we moved up from Louisiana and in with my mom's parents in WV, it was so cold!  My first day of school was cancelled because of snow!  A 'snow day' my mom called it.  What!?  For the first few months, I lived in a strange world, a COLD world, but slowly green things happened.  Beautiful green things.

 

In Grandma's front garden, Spring comes with surprises and constants.  A year or so after we moved up, Dad planted Daffodils down the driveway.  They have popped up and spread out every year since.  Shortly after the Daffodils arrive, Grandma's Crocus' show their vibrant colors.  Then in May, around Grandma and Grandpap's wedding anniversary, the Lily of the Valley sweetly scents the air. 

 

This year, the Crocus flowers are so vibrant against the dark greens of the arriving new garden and the brown leaves that still cover the ground.  The shocking purple of the Crocus is pretty to look at but this one decided to be different. 

 

When I popped in with my younger two boys to visit Pap, I luckily remembered to pack my camera in to the van.  I was able to explore the dawning of this year's blessings.  This one is my favorite find.

 

I believe I will print this one for Grandma's room at the nursing home to give her a bit of her garden.  Maybe, just maybe, she will find some peace with this small part of the garden she worked so hard in for years.  Now, it's my turn.  This year, the garden will be my job.  It's time to find Grandma's Garden again.

A TARDIS Valentine...

My younger boys and I love watching Doctor Who.  If you don't know what or who that is, you have to start watching BBC America!  You are completely missing out!  Word of warning, don't watching anything dealing the Weeping Angels by yourself or in the dark.  Just saying.

 

Anyway, my youngest is in fifth grade and wanted to have an "epic Valentine box, Mom!"  So, on to the calendar it went and the search for parts began.  Of course, life happened during all of this and it got put on the back burner.  As usual, and as many parents will agree, the night before it's due is ALWAYS a good time.  Especially if you are on your way home from work.  I mean, why not?

 

I lucked out and discovered TARDIS Blue foam core board at Wal-Mart!  Duct tape, some foam tape, a 6x6 wooden canvas form to provide stability at the base.  OOH!  Lookie!  A dark blue paint marker!  Yahooey!  Yes, this was the dialog going through my head.

 

I get home around 8:30pm and start immediately.  After shrinking clip art found on Pinterest (thank you, fellow Whovians who posted diagrams and clip art!) down to a more appropriate size and miraculously NOT cutting myself, I ended up with THIS:

 

 

I did cut a little flap in the back to use as a "mail slot" and the top if hinged with duct tape and a smaller piece of foam core board that just fits inside to provide more stability.  It IS going to school with a fifth grader...

 

As for his Valentines, he wanted something unique.  So, off to Pinterest I went.  Can I just say, WOW!  The amount of amazing and unique Valentine ideas is astounding!  We decided on this.  With my son's desire to continue the Doctor Who theme, we changed it a bit with color and here is what we ended with:

 

 

 

He loved the blue rulers!  Since there aren't many girls in his class he chose to give them a special color, though.  They get red!  I used a utility knife to cut a slit in the card stock a little wider than the ruler so it slid in easily.  I then wrote the "To" and "From" on the back tabs that rest on the underside of the ruler.

 

Hopefully, these go over well.