DustyOak

DustyOak Ornaments is 5

2011-11-01T18:07:00.003-05:00

I'm celebrating my 5th year at DustyOak Ornaments!

It's been a wonderful adventure so far and I'm so blessed

by all the friendships I've formed and delightful customers

I've had the honor to serve.

Thank YOU!

Please help me celebrate! Visit my Anniversary Page

to get all the details on how you can be the owner of the

ornament of YOUR choice!

Name that Ornament Contest

2011-10-28T17:56:00.006-05:00

My 4th Annual Name the Ornament Contest
began on October 27th.
This beautiful ornament could be yours!
Click on the ornament to enter.

Visit the Pinkalicious Christmas Shoppe!

2011-10-20T10:14:00.006-05:00

Join us every Thursday, starting October 20th for new porduct debuts, special discounts, sales and...

Our Pink Present Giveaway

We're having a Christmas Tree Hunt with some wonderful prizes and.... more surprises are coming your way this year, in our Christmas Shoppe at Shabby Cottage Shops!

There are over 30 participating boutiques!

Pour yourself a cup of hot cocoa sit back and enjoy the fun events and gorgeous items featured in our lovely cottages at Shabby Cottage Shops!

Visit the Christmas Shoppe at DustyOak Ornaments

I've stocked my shelves with lovely new items and more to be indroduced! Re-stocked some wonderful favorites and tucked in a few surprises here and there.... it's my 5th anniversary selling ornaments on line!

Also, don't forget to look around for the hidden Christmas tree!

Could one be hiding at DustyOak Ornaments?

Guess you'll have to go look to find out!

I'm looking forward to a wonderful holiday season and a Blessed Christmas! I hope you are, too!

Hugs ~ Sandy

Join DustyOak Ornaments and Shabby Cottage Shops for Christmas in July!!

2011-07-07T11:41:00.006-05:00

July 10th thru July 26th

You are cordially invited to Christmas in July, hosted by Shabby Cottage Shops.

It begins on Sunday morning July 10th and runs through the 26th. Each of our participating boutiques is offering one beautiful item for sale on the day they are featured. The person who purchases the item will also receive a second item for free and free shipping. The fun part? Well, the date each shop is featured is a total secret!!

Click on the banner above to find out just what we’re up to!!!

Then click on the beautiful Shabby Christmas ornament below to see what lovelies I am offering for this special event.

Happy Shopping and GOOD LUCK!!

I'm Artist of the Week!

2011-03-03T11:42:00.005-06:00

I'm so excited and honored that Handmade Louisiana has selected me as "Artist of the Week" AND to celebrate I'm doing a giveaway! YAY!

Here are the rules.... easy cheesy!

1) Look around my website, DustyOak Ornaments, and find an ornament that you adore! :-)

2) Go the the Handmade Louisiana Blog and read my interview.

3) Leave a comment at the bottom of my interview about the ornament you like.

4) And If you are on facebook, like my fan page.... please :-)

And that's it! You are in the drawing for an ornament of your choice from my in stock supply! Good LUCK!

O' Happy Little Dots

2010-12-07T10:48:00.003-06:00

I received dozens of entries for my Name the Ornament Contest. Some of them were heartwarming, others were pretty funny. I received one entry that I really wanted to share with you. Tom W. of Texas wrote this wonderful poem about my little Polka-dotted ornament that truly represents Christmas. Even though the name he submitted didn’t win, I think his poem takes the cake! I hope you enjoy it.

Beam on, O’ happy little dots,
Though like twinkling stars, you’re not.
The simple grace of your design
Reminds me of a simpler time
When green was for the life Christ led
And red was for the blood He shed.
Forgiving all who believe on him
And turn their hearts from lives of sin.

Who inspired such an inviting scene?
White like snow colored ice cream
Dipped in circlets of red and green
And showing off the Christmas theme?
I’ll tell you, I’m not blowing smoke,
It’s the lady at the Dusty Oak!

You catch my eye with colors bold
And make me hope that you’re not sold
Until I can send the fee
And place you on my Christmas tree.

So, now I say, let’s celebrate
The season of His birth with grate-
ful hearts family and friends,
Gifts and food that never end.
Then renew our lives in the New Year
To live in faith and not in fear.

Tom White

New York Giants Challenge - a kimekomi ornament

2010-11-19T10:42:00.024-06:00

One of my lovely repeat customers asked me to make a NY Giants ornament for her… “I’d love to!” I said.

So, I ordered the fabric and a few days later it arrived…. Wow! The Giants aren’t kidding…. Their logo is “GIANT” LOL and therein lays the challenge. How do I get that great big logo onto a 3” ball?

I decided to wrap the logo around the ball and quilt it using the Kimekomi style. The logo is about 13 1/2 centimeters long and the balls circumference is 24 centimeters. If I divided the logo into five 3cm panels, I could use 3 panels for the helmet.

I cut the inside of my pattern 3 cm at the widest point and also marked where the bottom line was in order to keep all the pieces straight. I would need two sections of fabric with the logo to allow for overlap.

I measured the 1st, 3rd and 5th panel from one logo and the 2nd and 4th panel from another. I did the same with the helmet, the 1st and 3rd panels from one logo and the middle one from another.

This gave me the eight panels I needed to complete the ball.

I cut out 8 panels of quilt batting that are cut the same size as the panels on the ball. They are like little orange slices.

Once everyting is cut out, I finished marking the panels on the ball and cut them out. This makes the edges rather rough, so I give them a lite sanding with some fine grain sandpaper to smooth them out.

I used a tacky glue to attach the batting panels to the ball and let it dry for a couple of hours. Then I began positioning the fabric panels into place. It was a bit of a challenge to keep the lines all matched up so that the logo would flow from one panel to the other… but I think it turned out really nice.

Here is the NY Giants ornament all color balanced and ready to show my customer.

The Pink Present Giveaway 2010

2010-11-08T11:01:00.005-06:00

Once again the cottages at Shabby Cottage Shops have out done themselves. This years giveaway is chalk full of truly gorgeous gifts!! It's easy to enter and O' so much fun. So, pour yourself a cup of java (or tea) relax and enjoy your stroll through the charming boutiques at Shabby cottage Shops.

My donation to the Pink Present is "Tea Party" an adorable handmade quilt ornament featuring the sweetest little girls all dressed up and serving tea. Tea pots and tea cups on an ecru background add a touch of whimsy and delicate pearls lead up to a lace and ribbon bow.

3rd Annual Name the Ornament Contest

2010-10-28T11:43:00.004-05:00

Here it is! My newest ornament for the “Name the Ornament” contest! This crazy quilted ornament is bright, fun, festive and oh, so cute… I love it! I will be accepting entries until November 22nd . The winner will receive the ornament FREE! So, be sure to stop by my website, put your thinking cap on and …Name that Ornament!

An Acorn Sprouts

2010-10-08T12:55:00.002-05:00

I spent the morning stacking firewood and thinking about Pastors sermon on Wednesday night and how much I’m missing this 70 year old tree we just cut down…. These words came to me.

Guided by the Unseen Hand,
An acorn sprouts and begins to grow.
Its mighty boughs, stretching high and straight and tall.
Rustling leaves, whisper secrets when the spring winds blow.
Its canopy opens like an umbrella to shade the ground.
Deer feast on its seed, like candy, eagerly they feed.

Years pass by as season follows season
And now, in the spring winds, the old tree groans’
Its heavy branches splinter and crack and fall with a thud.
To protect our house - we cut the old tree down.
Made a pile of its branches and set them on fire.
Its wood is split, along the fence, neatly stacked.

For 70 years that old tree stood by
Shading from heat and protecting from storm
Now the shade is all gone and the yard is bare.
I’ll miss that old oak and the plunking of acorns
As they roll down the roof in the cool of fall.
Guided by the Unseen Hand...

~Sandy K.

Walking at Dawn

2010-10-04T10:50:00.003-05:00

Walking at dawn, I was chilled. Creeping slowly across the pasture, warming rays of sunlight stretched to greet me. Enfolding me in His arms, God loves explodes with warmth and love within my heart, lighting my path. I sing praises…with the birds.

~Sandy K.

My ride with the Northwest Arkansas Miata Club

2010-09-10T19:05:00.011-05:00

During the Labor Day weekend, my hubby and I drove to AR to help my Dad celebrate his birthday and to participate in a Miata Club scavenger hunt and ride.

The scavenger hunt was a fast food run. Each clue had three parts; the first part gave the hint to which fast food restaurant. The second part gave hints as to the specific one. (Couldn’t go to just any McDonalds) Then the third part gave the clue for what to buy. Every item was under a dollar. Dad and I had a good time but without an iPhone in an unfamiliar city… we didn’t stand a chance. LOL

On the way home, Dad drove me down the mountain from Fayetteville on hwy 71. Can’t say how fast we were going, but weeeeeeeeeee!!! It was exhilarating!

The members of the club are wonderful, charming folks and I thoroughly enjoyed my day with them.

I created this custom ornament for him for his birthday gift and also made it available to the club members.

ZOOM-ZOOM

Celebratin' da' Who Dat Nation

2010-08-21T11:50:00.008-05:00

The New Orleans Saints winning the Super Bowl was more than just another ball game. With the city, the whole state and even the entire country behind them… this game represented faith and the human spirit to survive against all odds.

Using my facebook page, I started giving hints to my friends of what I was up to. “Look what I found and guess what I’m going to do with it.” They know me pretty well… or they are really good guessers. LOL Because mostly the comments were, “ I want one!!”

I wanted to do something fun for my family and friends and at the same time raise a little money to help my state.

Handmade Quilted Ornaments - Saints fans special!

These ornaments were available only to my family and friends and the profits were donated to the Convoy of Hope. I have worked with the COH in the past and know first-hand the wonderful work they do. You can learn more about them here: Convoy Of Hope

Two very old trees - gone.

2010-07-31T09:31:00.007-05:00

It’s one of those sad days...
We had to take down two very old trees. The 75 year old pine was struck by lightning several years ago and the damage was taking its toll. Taking down these trees sure turned into an emotional experience. Yeah, I know that sounds weird, but I love living in the woods and having those big old trees all around me.

The red oak was also in its 70's and growing on the east side of my porch. Please don't worry, this isn't my DustyOak. Yet, I would sit in the shade of that tree every morning and drink my tea. Now, no shade '-( I will miss that tree for a long time. We had the arborist cut it into firewood lengths so we can split it for our wood burning stove. -Pretty sure we will have enough wood for several friends. LOL

The main stump is beautiful, so after it dries out a bit we are going to cut into a couple of tables. I’ll post pictures when I have them finished

Christmas in July at SHABBY COTTAGE SHOPS

2010-07-12T12:48:00.004-05:00

Visit Shabby Cottage Shops between July 13th and July 24th for your change to win one of the daily giveaways. There is also a grand giveaway valued at almost $500.

Each cottage boutique is gorgeous! You won't want to miss visiting a single one.

Click here to learn more about SCS twelve days of Giveaways!

New wedding ornament

2010-05-12T22:32:00.004-05:00

Summer Sage

I love the satin roses against the soft green on this ornament. It just has a refreshing feel to it. I used satin ribbons in white and sage for the ornament and made the bouquet topper with white roses, organza ribbon and matching fillers. Wouldn't these colors be gorgeous for a June wedding?

Click here to see it on my website

2010-04-14T11:55:00.003-05:00

Just went for a short walk and was inspired to write a spring Haiku....

A tingling warm breeze
Dancing flowers welcome spring
Laughing daffodils

My favorite time of year!
~Sandy K

Tulip Festival - Hot Springs, Arkansas

2010-04-12T09:02:00.011-05:00

My girls and I spent some time in Arkansas with my dad while he was recovering from back surgery. On our way home to Louisiana, we took a side trip and stopped in Hot Springs to take in the Tulip Festival at Garvin Woodland Gardens. It was gorgeous!!! We wandered around the trails for almost 4 hours and hopped back into the car relaxed and refreshed.

Oh, and if anyone tells you I fell into the stream, don’t believe it! I was just taking a botanical bath. Haahaaa!

On one of the trails, we came across this beautiful glass chapel. One of my girls has attended several weddings there and said that it's a stunning place to get married... We were lucky that it wasn't being used and got to go inside and take a few pictures.

Convoy of Hope in Haiti

2010-02-01T12:20:00.002-06:00

A word about Haiti and Convoy of Hope

Just as you, my heart is broken at the horror and pain that the people of Haiti are suffering following the devastating earthquake on January 12th. I want to jump on a plane and rush down there to help in any way possible. But I cannot. However, I can help in other ways.

When Hurricane Katrina hit the shores of Louisiana, I had the opportunity to work with the Convoy of Hope to help feed and meet the needs of people, who had also lost everything, in St. Tammany parish. Never have I been so impressed with an organization! They are on the ground, face to face, feeding the hungry and homeless and meeting their needs. I grieved when it was time for me to return to my air conditioned home, hot showers and pantry of food.

The Convoy of Hope was already in Haiti and had just restocked all their supplies, two weeks before the earthquake hit. God had prepared them to be ready in an instant! I can’t go to Haiti, but I can give my time and money in other ways; for the entire month of February, I will be donating 75% of my profits to the Convoy of Hope. Any in stock ornament purchased from my website as well as brand new ornaments are included in this pledge.

Together we can go the extra mile for those in Haiti who desperately need our help.

Mocha on Ice

2010-01-12T17:40:00.004-06:00

I dreamed and wished for a white Christmas, but no snow. Instead, we have had temps in the teens for several days, almost breaking (but not quite) a hundred year record low.

This past week is only the third time I have seen our pond frozen solid. Unfortunately, Louisiana folks don’t keep ice skates in their garage. Wouldn’t that have been fun!

I tossed a stick onto the ice just to see what our chocolate lab would do….. yeah, I sorta have a mean streak in me. LOL He couldn’t get his footing on the ice, but kept trying until I called him off. In this pic he is standing on the ice trying to decide how to reach that stick. I really wish I had a video camera, poor baby. Actually, it was pretty hysterical.

Dreaming of a White Christmas

2009-12-19T10:24:00.004-06:00

Merry Christmas!

Yes, I've been dreaming of a white Christmas, but I live in Louisiana and the odds of that happening are pretty slim, but I can always hope and dream. I have been told by a weatherman friend, that there may be snow flurries on Christmas Day, but later in the week there is a good chance for "real" snow! WhooooHOOOO!

Now, all this snow talk got me digging around in my ribbon stash until I came up with some really beautiful sheer ribbon with lots and lots of iridescent glitter and a bunch of matching leaves. So, for my last ornament for 2009 I've created "Snow Delightful" Hope you enjoy.

Visit my website DustyOak Ornaments to get a closer look.

I hope that everyone is feeling the Christmas Spirit and looking forward to celebrating the birth of our Lord with family and friends.

May the Lord bless you and keep you,

Sandy

"The Pink Present" GIVEAWAY!

2009-10-27T11:06:00.003-05:00

Shabby Cottage Shops is having a FANTASTIC blog giveaway!

Cottage members from SCS have dontated wonderful shabby and chic items for this Beautiful Pink Gift.

Value is $350... Visit SCS Blog to get the details.

YOU could be the winner!

This wonderful gift also includes "Abigail" a georgous shabby ornament from DustyOak Ornaments.

"Name the Ornament" contest

2009-10-12T14:29:00.002-05:00

Second Annual “Name the Ornament” Contest

Suggest the winning name for this ornament and...

It's YOURS ~ FREE!

Final day to submit your entry is

Friday, November 27, 2009.

The winner will be announced on

Tuesday, December 1, 2009.

This ornament will also be available for sale on

December 1st.

Thank you, Ornaments.com!

2009-09-14T11:34:00.006-05:00

Sending out a very special “Thank You” to Ornaments.com today!

They have published a very nice article about my ornaments on their blog. Ornaments.com is a wonderful website that carries links to over 500 ornament sites – I'm talking, EVERY kind of ornament. The creativity and variety of ornaments to be found there is limitless. There is something for everyone.

Please take a moment to read the article, and then be sure to look around at the wonderful places listed there. Be sure to leave a comment :-)

School Bus Quilt Ball Ornament

2009-09-05T10:27:00.004-05:00

It's September and time for all the kids to head back to school! Teachers, school bus drivers and mom's and dad's are all getting back into the routine too. So to honor back to school month, I created this cute School bus ornament. Hope you like it. I've been humming the tune,"The wheels on the bus go round and round..." for days now. LOL

I just love it when something comes together, just perfectly. And this ornament did! I fell in love with the fabric and HAD to have it, then I found the tiny school bus ribbon totally by accident. The charm however, is a God thing. And is it not the perfect finishing touch??? Yep! I love it!

Now how many school bus drivers would be delighted to receive this adorable ornament for Christmas? What about appreciation gifts for those wonderful teachers and lets not forget those little munchkins heading off to school for the very first time.

Happy Labor Day everyone and happy back to school!

First Ad for Shabby Cottage Shops

2009-08-25T11:41:00.007-05:00

I am so proud to be a member of the new Shabby Cottage Shops on line. I’m also, very excited to be part of the first ad. The October issue of Romantic Homes "Glamour" is on newsstands today. Be sure to pick up a copy and visit all the online boutiques at Shabby Cottage Shops.

You will love what you find there, so much so, you will want to join too... just be sure to mention my name, if you do. :-)

Burgundy Fleur de lis Ornament

2009-08-21T09:44:00.004-05:00

The fleur de lis has a rich history dating all the way to 493 and King Clovis I. It is a beloved symbol here in Louisiana and one visiting the state will find it everywhere, from stickers on car windows, embroidered on purses and clothing to beautiful pieces of jewelry and everything in between. It’s the official symbol of our New Orleans Saints and on July 9th, 2008, Governor Bobby Jindal, signed a bill making the fleur de lis our official symbol of Louisiana.

My collection of fleur de lis ornaments will be growing between now and Christmas, so check in to see what’s new.

What's in your Bag?

2009-03-23T08:32:00.007-05:00

I wrote these scavenger hunt riddles for a sweet girl in my church who was celebrating her 13th birthday. They were divided into teams and a mom drove each team around town to collect the items. The time limit was 1 hour. This list is free, so you're welcome to copy and paste. If you need any help with the answers, use the contact me page on my website. Have fun!

Note: for #9, either change the name or leave that clue off.

What's in your bag?
a scavenger hunt by Sandy Kalnasy

Only one item per stop.

1. Hop, skip and bounce, I smell sweet when canned with heat.
2. I keep pearly’s clean, but don’t use this brush on your head. And color counts, it’s gotta be red.
3. I’m an ocean treasure. And when found in the sand, I bring pleasure.
4. This butter is not yellow. Find me raw and in a shell.
5. I’m clear, or stripped or white or red, hold your mouth just right and I’m a flute. Boy’s like me cause I can shoot……………..*Bonus points if I have my wrapper on.
6. Boiled, scrambled or over easy, some like me best when I am cheesy ….. *Bonus points if I am hard.
7. I bring good luck to those who wear green; you must be clever because I’m rarely seen.
8. I’m the center of the roll, and once it’s gone, I am trash, but crafty people keep me in their stash.
9. I am a treat, for those who roll over, stay and have a seat.
10. This John Hancock isn’t the rarest, but is must come fresh from Pastor Harris.
11. In the song, I fall from heaven. Find my copper head dated 1997.
12. If eating with chopsticks is swell, your future I will tell.
13. Try to find me without being late, I’m a grocery receipt with today’s date.

Cottage Green St. Patrick's Day Ornament

2009-03-04T12:50:00.005-06:00

Cottage Green

This lovely Cottage Green St. Patrick’s Day ornament is made with a delightful fabric by Longaberger®. Titled, “Lots of Luck”, the print features clovers tossed about a pretty lattice in wonderful shades of green from dark emerald and forest green to a pale teal and aqua marine.

Surprise your favorite Irish maid with this delightful gift, add a touch of green to your shabby chic décor or use it to brighten up your office desk top.

Visit my website for more St. Patrick's Day ornaments. DustyOak Ornaments

Lucky-n-Love St. Patrick's Day Ornament

2009-02-18T11:45:00.006-06:00

Lucky-n-Love

Quilted St. Patrick's Day Ornament

Wow! I sold out of this ornament before I even had a chance to post it here.

A huge THANK YOU to all my wonderful customers. Y'all are the best!

I hope to be restocking it soon. It is made with a beautiful green fabric and dusted lightly with golden glitter and all the accents are gold.
~A very pretty ornament for celebrating the "Putting on of the green"

I am out of the horse shoe charms but I'm working with my supplier to find something similar. If anyone else is interested in this sweet ornament, please let me know and I will get your name on the waiting list.

What do YOU see?

2009-02-05T18:30:00.007-06:00

I received these pictures in an email today. It’s just crazy how my brain wants to see movement where there is none.

Apparently, these pictures are used for testing the amount of stress a person can handle. The slower the pictures move, the better your ability to handle stress.

According to the email, children and senior citizens don’t see any movement and some criminals who were tested see them spinning around madly.

These pictures are not animated – they are perfectly still.

What do YOU see?

Rainbow - God's promise

2009-01-29T15:09:00.003-06:00

Free Christmas Ball Ornament Contest!

2008-11-11T10:19:00.005-06:00

Here is your chance to win an original DustyOak Christmas ornament!

I am having a Name that Ornament contest for this beautiful, though nameless ornament.

Click on the link to my website to send in an entry….who knows you could be the lucky winner!

But hurry! Contest ends November 25th 2008

Cranberry Truffle - Quilt Ball Ornament

2008-11-04T12:55:00.003-06:00

I introduced this quilted ornament with my fall and Thanksgiving 2008 collection. But, with it's beautiful burgundy and gold swirls and sparkling glitter, it would be just gorgeous with Christmas decorations too. The deep burgundy tones give it elegance and really make it look rich.

There are still a few left in stock. Visit my website; www.dustyoakornaments.com if you'd like to take a peek. It's listed on the first page.

I miss you Mom ~ I'll see you soon!

2008-11-03T12:43:00.010-06:00

Edith A. Jolly (Gigi), February 4, 1935 – August 22, 2008

On August 22, 2008, Jesus took my mama home to be with Him in heaven. As a child and as an adult, I can honestly say that God truly blessed me and my sisters with a wonderful, wonderful mom. With one hand in the hand of our Lord and the other in ours, she guided, taught, scolded and praised us with an unconditional love.

I wrote this poem to honor her. Yet, it in no way tells her entire story, but it touches on what Mom was best known for – Her absolute love for people and her desire to serve with her best. She was an incredible cook and many, many people have enjoyed fellowship around her table of love.

The Table of Love

Abba, I don’t understand, I cried.
I felt the Holy Spirit draw to my side.
He lifted the sorrow from my chest.
My troubled mind became calm and at rest.

As pictures formed one by one,
Of far away days when I was young.
Of pancakes on the beach and tables in the sand
Splashing ocean waves, laughing hand-n-hand.

Giggling sister sessions late at night.
Milk and cookies made it right.
With cheese and crackers, she broke the rule.
To picnic in the park, we just skipped school.

Clothes pins lined up by my plate,
A reminder, to keep my manners as I ate.
After school tea, with dainty pastries cut into hearts.
Chicken salad sandwiches and strawberry tarts.

Candlelight suppers just for fun
And goody bags for on the run
Of always forgetting the bread
And serving “after dinner” rolls instead.

Of peeking inside a restaurant fine
To count the forks before we dined.
Of Christmas tables set with a goose,
Or a lamb, or a duck and once a moose.

Of setting the table, a delightful treat,
Mixing and matching china at each seat.
From her stash within the hutch,
Pretty, printed napkins the finishing touch.

On nights when Daddy was away,
Around the table we would pray.
She told of angels with swords of fire.
God’s protection, from our enemy the liar.

Her three little girls, she could boast.
Have grown to be the sweetest hosts.
She taught us well to love our guests,
To make each feel, like the favored best.

Whether our table was made of glass,
Or a checkered cloth upon the grass.
A bed with crumbs between the sheets
Or a coffee table, loaded with sweets.

There was always laughter and sometimes tears.
She showed us faith through all the years.
Taught us to trust our Father above
And we grew in grace around Mama’s table of love.

A quickening in my heart so deep,
As I saw her pray instead of sleep.
She asked for blessings, kneeled beside her bed.
Gigi’s tears, a grandmother’s prayer, a holy covering upon each head.

As the last child’s name was said,
She pulled the covers about her head.
And dreamed - of the wedding banquet, of the Lamb.
When the Bride of Christ would take His hand.

The glorious meal we all would share,
And a Rose of Sharron upon each chair.
Then, she heard His voice, whispered in her ear.
“Come Edith, My child. Come help me prepare….

My Friend,
The invitations’ been sent. It’s printed in Red.
And the tables are set with the wine and the bread.
The arch angel stands ready, with trumpet in hand.
On the mount of Zion, at attention he stands.

The time is short, your reservation is due.
Jesus is standing. He is waiting for you.
The spirit says come with the voice of a dove.
Will you take His hand, and be seated, at The Table of Love?

I miss you Mom... but, I'll see you soon.
Sandra Jolly-Kalnasy

New Fall Ornament Collection

2008-09-12T12:17:00.007-05:00

The fall ornaments are ready!

To see my new Handmade Quilted Ornaments
for fall and Thanksgiving

Click here to visit my website:
DustyOak Ornaments
Then, click on the copy of the above banner.

Free Scavenger Hunt for North Bossier City

2008-06-30T12:27:00.002-05:00

This Scavenger hunt is for a mystery supper in north Bossier City. Teams have to solve the riddles and discover the cypher code to know where to meet for supper.

If you would like to have a free copy just email me from my website on My Contact Page

It should take between 40 to 60 minutes to complete and ends at a local resturant in Bossier City.

I wrote this mystery supper scavenger hunt for a group in my church and they all said they had a great time...... Be sure your teams read the helpful hints before you let them leave.... I had one team turn up in Shreveport. LOL

To start this one off, I had each team make up a name for themselves. In order for them to get their packet of clues they had to do a song or dance. They had about two weeks to sign up which gave them time to come up with a cheer or whatever....

"You'll have to do a song or dance to get your clue, so make it count the first time through. Or do a cheer, that'll work too."

Also: Don't forget to add a hint hotline number to your packet of clues. That way if anyone gets confused they can give you a call.

Helpful hints:
• You won’t need to leave your car. You’ll find all your clues just by driving by.
• Write your answers in the blanks next to each clue.
• You don’t have to solve your riddles in order. However, the order you choose will definitely affect your time.
• Your clues will not take you south of Interstate 20 or north of Brownlee Road.
• Just like a shoe, for some things, you need two.

Cipher Code:
__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ / __ __ __

__ __ __ __ __ / __ __ __ __ __ __ __

Here is where we are having supper:

________________________

VBS - WHO U

2008-06-10T19:58:00.005-05:00

Our VBS theme this year was Whoville University or “WHO U” - Life lessons from Dr. Seuss. Our children’s minister, Pastor Lori put most of the life lessons and Bible verses together with each of the Dr. Seuss books and it was FANTASTIC! She did a wonderful job.

Cindi Lou Who

We built the girls and boys dorms and main university building out of Styrofoam and painted them to look “who-ish” for the stage, coned several of our older girls to be the WHO U cheerleaders, and had the workers wear “who hair”. The leaders of each age group of children wore graduation caps and were called professors for the week and we sold t-shirts for all the “students”.

Boy's and Girl's Dorms

Who U Cheerleaders

Who hair

Each day the entire theme was incorporated into all the activities; music, snacks, art, memory verse and games. I volunteered to organize and run the art room. For example; we talked about resisting the devil using the story Green Eggs and Ham, the snack was green cookies that looked like eggs. The art project was experimenting with wax resist and water color. On the lesson about allowing God to use you, we taught about being molded and shaped by God. On that day the kids all got to make their own salt dough and "mold it into something new". We also talked about being adopted into the family of God using the "Horton Hatches an Egg" story. For art we gave each of the children a bit of the three primary colors, taught them the color wheel and let them mix the colors to paint their dough creations. "Blending into God's family makes us something new and beautiful." The kids loved it.

Learning the cheer for the day

Another art activity we did was to place a large canvas in the room. Each day we set out a different color of paint and let the kids take turns making a mark on the canvas. By the end of the week we had a beautiful piece of contemporary art for the Children’s pastors’ office.

Painting days 1 and 2

An original masterpiece!

It was a super fun and very successful VBS! A huge thank you to all the mom’s and teen helpers…. It would have never happened without you.

Who U graduation

Cookie Cake

2008-04-28T19:43:00.008-05:00

Saturday was our baby’s 18th birthday party and we had a crawfish boil out at Cypress Black Bayou. We decided on Tuesday that that’s what we were going to do, so I spent most of the week making all the arrangements. Several of our church family and friends were tent camping at the lake and were already there, so it was a perfect plan.

Friday was crazy as I was shopping for all the food and party supplies and I also baked her a cookie cake for the event. I was so proud of my cookie cake. I am not a cake decorator, but I have lots of fun playing with frosting. I made a little crawfish out of frosting on the cake and also decorated it with pink and yellow flowers. It turned out sooooo cute!

We got up early on Saturday morning to save our favorite spot, unloaded most of the party supplies and the cooking pots and covered the picnic tables with plastic and then drove over to Shreveport to pick up the live crawfish. When we got back we put the crawfish out and the rest of the food, then we left our tables and drove over to the tent campsites to get big sister so she could help us. We were gone for about 15 minutes.

When we returned, this is what the cake looked like……. Wanna take a guess as to who the culprits were!

HINT: They flew up into the trees and sat there taunting and crowing about it for about an hour before they got tired of bragging and left to torment someone else…… YES! A pair of crows!!! -Pecked that poor cake to bits….. Oh, and just for the record, the kids cut off the bad parts and ate it anyway…. Yuck!

A few more pictures of the crawfish boil:

Playin' with their supper -

Holocaust Survivor tells her story

2008-04-14T16:23:00.000-05:00

Last night, Mrs. Rose Van Thyn, Holocaust survivor, visited our church and shared with us her life story. Beginning with the day she was born, she told us of her wonderful and carefree life as a young girl in Holland before World War II. Giving us the dates and days of the week, she detailed the stories of losing her family members in the Nazi death camps. With grace and humor she brought tears and also laughter as she unfolded the traumatic events and how God’s loving hand brought her through it all and finally to Shreveport, LA.

She is an amazing and incredible woman and testimony to the truth of the horrors. It did happen and we should be sure it never happens again. Friday, May 2nd is Holocaust Remembrance Day. Six million Jews were murdered during the time of the Holocaust. Take a few moments to remember those who suffered, the families that were completely destroyed, and those who survived.

Gene and Angela

2008-04-03T10:33:00.004-05:00

This ornament is my wedding gift to Gene and Angela. They were married the first of the year and had a beautiful wedding. Angela’s colors were lavender and a pale cream, really pretty. The flowers and leaves came from her table decorations and I quilted the ornament using the bow ribbons from one of her candelabras.

Congratulations Gene and Angela and may God give you many happy years together.

Famous for one minute each day

2008-03-31T10:18:00.006-05:00

A couple of years ago, my youngest daughter and I, and half of the youth in our church, flew to Denver, Colorado for a National Fine Arts Festival. Our sign language group earned a “superior with honors”. All of the kids did really well and we were so proud of them, but that is another story.

One night, a couple of the girls posed for this picture on the address monument of a local building….. Remember the lyrics, “I wear my sunglasses at night”? Anyway, the picture turned out so cute and it fit right in with the 4:10 am time slot on the Human Clock, so we sent it in. You have to be up at 4 in the morning to see it. LOL But, they are famous for one minute everyday – how cool is that!

More Spring Flowers

2008-03-29T15:13:00.005-05:00

We had a light rainfall this morning along with a little lightning and thundering. The storm moved off rather quickly, but it is still cloudy and damp outside.

I grabbed my camera and took these pictures right after it stopped raining. This beautiful dogwood sits all the way back behind our house next to the pond. It’s the only one we have and I look forward to seeing it bloom every year.

There is a little story to this Azalea bush. I planted it about 5 years ago and was just about to pull it up. Why, you ask. Well, It has never bloomed……until this year! I don’t know what took it so long to get happy, but I’m glad it finally did. It’s just beautiful!

The bush with the white flowers on it is always happy…. It blooms twice every year and is loaded with blossoms.

A Lasting Memorial

2008-03-26T14:06:00.008-05:00

This is a picture of a collage shadowbox that my mom made and surprised me with for Christmas.

In fact, she made nine of them….

The picture in the center is of my grandmother who recently passed from this Earth into Glory. She was 98 years old. (I think she is 16 in the picture.) My mom collected pieces of her favorite jewelry, crocheted doilies made by her, all of her gloves and other little what-not’s, from her home, to create these beautiful memorials.

She made one for each of the grandchildren and each one is different. What a unique treasure!

Thank you mom! I love it and will keep it always.

I'm going to be in a movie!

2008-03-25T14:51:00.010-05:00

Several weeks ago a friend, “conned” me into working as an extra in the movie “Comeback”, staring Ice Cube.

I don't know who took this picture, a friend sent it to me...... yes, the same one who got me involved in the first place....Yep, Cindy, I'm talkin' about you..... Just for the record. She got me to go, and then she didn't! Anyway, it was taken during down time between scenes. I am on the third row from the bottom, next to the fence, pink shirt, blond hair.

The film is based on a true story about a young girl from Illinois, who is a quarterback on a football team. Ice Cube, plays the part of her uncle and coach. It was a really interesting experience, watching how a single scene is filmed from a dozen different angles. The weather was perfect and I even got a little bit of a tan.

I was an extra as a football fan for the game. It took two days to film the game and I only remember seeing five downs, just filmed from lots of angles. We were all given props; pom-poms, coke cups, popcorn and such and then we jumped up and down like crazy on cue… It was really funny, because we weren’t allowed to make any noise…. Just pretend to be yelling. The scenes had dialog from the actors, so we had to be quiet. They are going to add the yelling in later. Crazy!

The set was fascinating. The Pop Warner game is set in Miami, Florida so, they brought in palm trees and planted them around the stadium and built up the beds with pineapple plants and sand. It really did look like we were in Miami.

I didn’t like the long days, though. I had to get up at 4:30am to drive to Shreveport and we weren’t finished until 6:30pm…. It took me almost a week to catch up with my sleep… But the food was GREAT! We were served buffet style and had snacks and drinks offered to us all through the day. I was very impressed with how organized everything was…… Also, a shout out to my two new friends – June and Sheila. They were tons of fun and I really enjoyed getting to know them. You’ll see us sitting together in the stands.

The movie is set to be released on July 25th, so watch for me in the stands during the "Big Game". I'll be wearing a pink shirt.

Easter Sunday

2008-03-24T09:24:00.007-05:00

Yesterday was Easter Sunday…… I love Easter! The whole earth seems to love it, too. The air is warm, the flowers are blooming, the trees are putting out new leaves and the birds are singing. Children are all excited in their new Easter clothes and there seems to be a smile on every face. There is joy in the air! Jesus is alive! Praise God!

I hope that with all your feasting, egg hunts and shopping, you took some time for Jesus. He died, descended into the pit and rose again….. for you and for me. He loved us so much that He chose to take our place. Praise His Holy Name!

Jesus said, “I am He that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, and have the keys of hell and of death!” (Revelation 1:18)

The Best Scavenger Hunt I ever wrote!

2008-03-15T14:13:00.004-05:00

I have had too much fun the past couple of days.

One of the girls in my daughters youth group had her 18th birthday. So, I spent Thursday and Friday writing a scavenger hunt for her surprise party.

She was totally surprised! And that scavenger hunt was the best one I have ever written! (I’ve written a lot of them!) With the kids being older, I got to make the clues really hard. Soooo fun! They had to have a flashlight, a camera or camera phone, a compass and a pen. The hunt started at 8 pm and ended at 10:30 pm.

I had those kids all over the parish! Lol I gave them my phone number as the “Hint Hot Line”, but they lost 200 points if they called. Only two teams called in and both of them were standing right next to the prize and just didn’t see it….. They were so mad to have lost those points :-)

There were 5 categories: Collect the letters, Photo gallery, Sounds shop, Trivia and the Bonus clues.

To collect the letters, they had to go to a dozen places looking for objects or words and collect one of the letters from it. Then they had to unscramble the letters in order to know where to meet at the end. (Starbucks)

Here is a sample: Find the bull’s eye, see the red and green dots. Look to your right…… Hola! Collect the 4th letter.

That was Target of course, but they had to stand in front of the entrance (green dot) and look across the interstate to see a local Mexican restaurant. One team totally missed that one.

For the Photo Gallery they had to take pictures of some crazy things…. Like the eye of the tiger, a street sign with the name of someone in the youth group on it, an alligator…. There are pictures of alligators all over the place, but one team went all the way to Bass Pro and took a picture of a real one. LOL They lost almost 40 minutes for that and it was only worth 100 points. LOL

They really got creative on the Sound Shop. Several teams went to a cop to get the sound of a siren. Only one team was able to get a whistling tea kettle…..They got 300points for it too!

Trivia was like a fill in the blank….In this town, Debbie sells insurance. What do the kids learn next door? Another one was; this church has a new chapel with pretty stained glass windows. How many down spouts does it take to keep the roof dry?

And then my favorite! I made four 1000 point bonus riddles. The theme of the party was Batman. So, I hid four pictures; Robin, Batman, Cat Woman and The Joker.

For the batman riddle the kids had to figure out that they needed to be at a shopping center in one town and from there they had to drive to the Post Office in another town. Once there, they had to find a sign that said children weren’t allowed to play in the parking lot. The team that found it took second place. Here is the clue.

Choo, Choo….. That’s where the cash is. But, somewhere in the region, you’ll find Steve. He’s right in the thick of things and with a donation. From his hanger he can see the eagles take flight. Follow the eagles to their eastern home and the site where no children play.

The choo,choo is a train on the top of a sign near the pizza house and there is a “Cash” Reality next door. Across the highway is a “Steve’s” cleaners in the Oak “Thicket” shopping center. It’s right next to the Goodwill Store. In the parking lot there is a “Regions” bank and next to that there are two priority mail boxes with “eagles” on the side.

The Robin one started with: “Holy Bat-burgers! That redhead has been hiding spies.” That took them to Wendy's.

The Riddler started with: What’s not at the beginning and surly not alive? This one was a little more tricky, but all of them found the dead end sign.

Now this one was the best! Cat Woman……this was so good.
I didn’t give them any clue as to where they were to go. It started with “Act dignified as you follow the kitty through the hedge.” The clue was about a page long and it meandered around trees and fountains and benches. I had them stop to lick their paws or scratch their ears……I would say things about the people around and at the end the kitty took a nap under a tree. Only two teams figured it out and they LOVED IT! It was in the cemetery.

What a treat for us all. I enjoyed writing it and the kids loved solving it.

Spring Daisy Ornament

2008-03-12T12:13:00.000-05:00

Introducing my new ornament for spring

"Lazy Daisy"

I found the fabric for this ornament in the rement section... I don't know how I missed it before. The daisy is my favorite flower!

This charming lilac fabric is sprinkled with daisies and dusted with iridescent glitter.

For the bow, I used two ribbons; one is a shear iridescent lilac ribbon with a satin pattern. It’s just enough to pick up the shimmer on the fabric for that extra touch of sparkle. The other is a thin lilac satin ribbon. I added clusters of white Shasta Daisies and small leaves to the loops of the bow, giving it that freshness of spring…..I can’t wait!

Check my website for availability.

Snow on Friday

2008-03-12T11:31:00.001-05:00

We almost NEVER get snow in Louisiana.

But last Friday, we certainly did... we had a blizzard! (Louisiana style) The snow came down in billions of thick, fat, flakes, sticking to the ground and trees, turning the landscape into a wonderland.

The kids ran out and made quick work of snowmen, snow angels and of course snowballs. LOL

It was simply beautiful, but very brief. By nightfall, it had all melted away, leaving behind only the memory and soggy mud.

This picture is of the drive that leads down to our house.