Dana Family wall of pictures.

Hi all,

I thought I would share this post with 

you as it has pictures of our family.

Enjoy!

 I have been wanting to make a family wall for quite sometime now.

I set aside an old project display

from our store, and wanted to update it.

It has been set aside for YEARS!

There always seem to be others things going on

that were more important than this.

I even cleared off the wall that it would go on over a year ago,

and alas, it has just come to fruitation this week!

And...

it is so awesome.

Here is the wall all finished with my projects completed on the wall.

Now, some of these items you will remember from previous posts.  

The "O" beaded with dew drops

The O'Crowley wall hanging

And now the Family Picture Canvas Project.

This is how it looked when I started.

 I had old photos on this, and papers, and removed all of these, this is 4 

separate canvas squares and 3 are screwed onto the largest square.

 I selected my color scheme, and painted the large canvas black, then used a retired foil stamped

cardstock sheet for my base of the bottom canvas.

I chose gold, black, and tan as my colors.

 I then cut my selected papers to cover each canvas, 

and adhered them to the canvas squares.  

Then the fun begins.

Papers used so far:

Honeycomb Fleur

Ancient Map

Gold Glitter on Black Fleur

Then after all the embellishments and photos are added, 

the multi-media canvas wall hanging

becomes complete.

Here it is completed.  

I added another canvas off to the side on the left.

I started with the center of the canvas with Dana and I as the center of our family.

This section actually was embellished last.

But as you can see, I have added things that I 

have saved over time.  Not all items 

are from scrapbook supplies, some items are

just shapes that I like and have found to be perfect for this project.

 Then each of our family was added to the smaller canvas'.  

Each of the family photos on the canvas are hooked to our 

Fleur Paper Clips,

this way I can change the photos as a new photo is taken.

I used a metal strip on this canvas, added dew drops, and a shape

die cut from Black glitter chipboard.
The Fleur de lis is cut from mat board and embellished
with dew drops.

 This is Jeremiah and Tara's Family, they have one more boy.

The "O" is placed on a shield and covered with dew drops.  

On the shield I used the Viva La France Rub on

The shield and the Fleur de lis is cut from mat board (framing supplies)

I also used a broken diamond looking bracelet under the shield.  I adhered everything with

The Best Glue Ever from Scraperfect.

This is Josh and Robyn's family.

The Honeycomb color added to the palate brings brightness to the project.

I also used a separate sheet and hand cut the 

fleur and popped it up.  

Other embellishments were created with Black glitter chipboard,

Brown glitter chipboard, dew drops, large clear dew drop with a fleur 

punched from another paper under it, and a sticker from

Classified Sticker.

This family looks familiar, as I used their pictures for the America Book

a few posts back.
This is Jake and Britney and thier family.
Their paper is the Gold Glitter Fleur on Black CS

Their embellishments are dew drops, Classified Sticker, Shape die cut from

Black glitter chipboard, and a penny.

This canvas is for Rachel's family.  She had Chelsea and the new baby Silas 

out to visit her this week, so I'm hoping for a new photo.

The last family photo they have, I can't find, it was on my office wall in Ethiopia.

I used Gold on Black Classic Swirl, Brown Animal, Clock CS Sheets, Classified

Sticker, and Dew drops.

Here is a close up of the dew drop covered mat cut fleur.

I also used a large clear dew drop in the middle

it has a single fleur punched from the fleur CS 

under it.

As you can see, embellishments can come from anywhere.

I used a silver mini frame and put Gold Classic Swirl then a square

punched from Glitter Black Chipboard and a Love necklace pendant.

The Black glitter shape is cut from Spellbinders die out

of Glitter Black Chipboard and a tiny gold heart in the corner.

The fleur on this used to be my key chain, but broke

I have saved it for some special project, and this just was a perfect match.

You don't have to live inside the box.  On the top of the large canvas, I placed

this oval clock sticker from the Classified Sticker.

It is place over the top of the canvas, so part of it is on top of the canvas.

I edged it with mini brown dew drops.

So again, the completed project!
Finally, I have my family wall to walk past and see our family
EVERY DAY!

On the bottom left corner of the

large canvas, is Jessiciah.  She is a lone member of her family, so to add her

on the bottom of the big canvas was perfect. I taped her on with metal tape.

And now in my home, my family wall,

 I want to find a small chair to hang on the wall.
 This is to represent no empty chairs
in Heaven.to the wall
.

My sign, It's all about the "O" represents the things

our family does,  "done the O'Crowley way".

Robyn made this for me.

You may see it again sometime with dew drops added to it!

Remember, my personal blog is
robinscreationsofjoy.blogspot.com
come visit me there!

Hugs to all of you!

Have a great and awesome day.

Robin

Visiting Jer in Colorado

 Jeremiah and his family live in Colorado.  Tara and him have 4 sons, and another on the way.  We decided that we would visit them the week of New Years, giving us time during school holiday to have time with the older boys.

 Making a Home Depot Gingerbread House

We helped them move to Colorado last May into their home where they are starting a new part of their lives after Jer graduating from UVU. The move was a feat all in itself, and the house they found was so nice after a year and a half in a tiny apartment.

Weston

For us to come back and see them all moved in and settled was quite fun.  Braxton loves his new big back yard, digging for treasures in the dirt is his favorite.  Weston was a newborn when they moved, so to see his growth crawling up and now down the stairs, walking around all the furniture, and opening cupboards and unloading them, just such joy for us to experience.  It was also fun to see Jeremiah with his boys.  A father interacting with his children, holding Weston when he was tired and ready for bed, while he fell asleep in his arms singing his little boy song.  It is always fun to see first hand how the children you raised love the children they are raising.  The interaction with their own children, teaching, talking, loving.

Braxton

We brought with us a fun activity to do with the older boys.  I found Star Wars snowflake templates on the internet, and we printed them out, after an hour of figuring out how to make them large enough to cut, we started our cutting activity.  A card table was set up in the living room just for our snowflakes, scissors, paper, and excitement. It really was a feat.  There are some really small parts to cut on those snowflakes, but with duo help we made these snowflakes.  I was using an exacto knife to get the eyes, ears, and mouth cut out.  Tara and Braxton were cutting partners and Porter and Tyson cut the outside edges out by themselves, and we created some fabulous snowflakes!  Porter just kept going, he even started designing his own snowflakes.  It was a hit!  We all had fun.

Tyson, Me, and Tara

Braxton, Tara, Me

Porter

Our Snowflakes

Our biggest surprise was Weston, and how much he looks like his grandpa.  I thought, mmm, he looks like him now, his eyes, his cheesy smile, the shape of his face.  But, when we arrived home, a few days later I found a framed picture of Dana as a baby, and I'm not sure there is much of Tara in that boy.  Those are very true O'Crowley genes in that boy for sure.

Dana and Weston

Weston, Dana, Braxton, Jeremiah

Dana and Jer spent most of their time together working on little things in the house, just fixing here and there.  Dana loves to have projects to do all the time.  This is just what and who he is.  So there were light fixtures changed, doorways framed, and just bonding going on.  Braxton had his little tool box out, hammer, screwdriver, helping along the way.  He too is a busy little boy, and talk!  No one can talk as much as Braxton, well it seems that way.

Weston learning to walk

We watched movies at night and were caught up on the Avengers series.  Had to see Ironman and who and what he was.  Dana and I haven't ever read the comics of these Super Heros, so it was fun to learn about these characters and their personalities and achievements.  Ahhh the love of Super Heros.

 Braxton and Weston

Braxton and Weston

I guess this is all for now,  it was a fun trip, and a great time with this O'Crowley Colorado Family.

Hugs,

Robin

Vernal is Cold!!!

Snow in My Yard

Hey Family,  just wanted to share our life in the snow, -5 to -10 every night, gets up to 10 right now. but it is just fun to have the seasons!  Cold is cold I've decided.  Hope all is well with your families.  We visited Jer last week, which I will post some pictures soon, and came home to frozen pipes.  Tender Mercies always abound and we did have a broken pipe, but Dana was able to shut off a valve under the house and the pipe that needs to be fixed goes to the outside faucet, so can wait until Spring for repair, and he doesn't have to crawl under the house in 10 degree weather.  Love blessings in among-st the challenges.  Keep warm!  

This year the snow just keeps coming, keeps giving!  I am loving it so much, even the cold is not bothering me that much. My nice feather comforter makes up for it at night.  I love this season of white, the beauty of the white that glitters in the sun, and the crunch as you walk quietly through the snow.  I love the softness of it's look, and the freshness of my face as the cold touches it in the winter months.  It just always feels so fresh and light especially after the snow has fallen.  It is such a crisp feeling, that I enjoy it while it stays.

 

Flower pots out the back door

Branches from the big Poplar tree out the back of our house.  It has given us shade for many, many years.  I love this tree.

More branches from the tree, big clump of snow on the branch.

The front of my house.  I always love how it looks in the snow, and the contrast of the white with the yellow stucco

Evening light, snow piled on top.

Our apple orchard, really Dana is my Johnny Appleseed.  I think we have enough apple trees for the entire neighborhood, but when it is time to harvest and we are making cider, I love it.  Fresh cider is the absolute best.  We didn't have any apples this year, the freeze came while they were in bloom.  Hopefully 2013 will be better.

An old metal basin by the garden

Trees in the front yard, with the lamp post.  I always love to take photos of the lamp post.

The bird bath in the garden.  I love it all year long.

The sundial in the back flower bed, I always wanted one, and it will someday be in the right direction to tell the right time.

Snow on the branches of the pine tree in our front yard.  Just in huge bunches!

My angel in my back flower bed.  She speaks to me as I look out into the garden.  She is always happy, and is so beautiful.  I feel at home when I weed around her.  She belongs here.

The wood pile by our back door.  Dana loves to get a fire going in the wood stove he built for us in the early years of our marriage.  I love the little bits of snow here and there.  I have always loved the look of a wood pile.

Well, this is home for me in the winter.  Snow, cold, and a home full of love.  I so love the winter months, and really appreciate them more after living in Africa for 2 years.  I am so happy to live where there are 4 seasons, even though snow can be cold, it warms my heart to see it, to feel it, to enjoy it.

Have a great day, and may each day of your winter be snow fun.

Hugs,

Robin



Visiting with Josh and Robyn in Alaska

Hello all,

We are in Wasilla, Alaska for the next few weeks, and for Thanksgiving with Josh and Robyn and thier family. Long day getting up here, but the view is so beautiful here especially in the snow. It is a bit cold, I sit here writing this wearing my long johns, my wool sweater, socks, and a scarf around my neck! Ok, so Dana is just wearing a sweater and a jacket when we go out. So if he puts anything extra on it is cold, I'm just colder.

We went to 2 basketball games last night, the last of the games for Gabe and Luke for this years season. They were so cute out there, both the smallest on the team, arms up to block the ball, wasn't doing much good with the tall boys, but they are great sports and love running up and down the court to engage with the ball. This evening was fun with them, and the night air even colder with the wind blowing. Mmmmm, very glad we live in Utah weather, not that it is much warmer, but it is somewhat warmer.

Ali and I worked together at the kitchen table, I with a scrapbook page that sat on the floor of my scrapbook room for 5 months, I can't figure out what to do with it, and she with her homework. We talked about Ciaphus for a few minutes, and what she was learning in one of her classes. Just alittle different thinking that how we believe, which was why she questioned it. She is learning about Jews, Christians, and Muslims. I asked her the difference between them, she has a pretty good idea of what that is. Such a fun girl getting her homework done during the games too. I often forget how smart these kids are. All 3 of them work at getting the homework done, no TV or video games until all this is done. Better parents than I was for sure.

The view out the sliding glass door to the back yard is so spectacular. Tall trees and Christmas trees are just steps away from the back door. There is a fabulous tree with red berries all over it. I want one of these in my yard. So awesome! The feel of the outdoors is breathtaking, which is why I think Josh and Robyn love living here so much, along with the hunting. It snowed the day we arrived, so there is snow on the ground everywhere, just not deep yet. Life is feeling relaxed for us which is good, we are needing it.

Ciao,

Robin

OCrowley Family Blog

Hello OCrowley Family Members,

This blog is to help all of us stay in touch! 

It you are a spouse, child, or grand child of Dana, Tim, Holly, Andy, or Heather, you are an important member of our family.  We want to hear from you!  We want to know what is happening in your family!  We want to be close, help each other, and be great OCrowley's!

The ultimate goal is to have each family post on the blog at least once a month.  So... a post from Dana, Tim, Holly, Andy, or Heather's family each once a month. You can assign a family member to post, or you can post for them and tell about them.  I'm thinking it would be fun to learn about all the kids of the parents, each one taking a month and tell us about them. This means there should be at least 5 posts a month.  You may post more than that if you desire.

I will need an email from each family, i.e. children who will post, so that I can include them in our approved emails to post from.

We have just started a new era in our family.  Let's get it going and enjoy each other. 

Pictures are very important!  Please post pics when you post, they can be loaded from your phone or camera or computer, don't forget to do this.  If.... you need your own private tutorial, text me and I will set up a time when I can help you learn how to post.

I post on 2 other blogs, our business blog chatteringrobins.blogspot.com and my personal blog robinscreationsofjoy.blogspot.com  You are welcome to view either of these blogs to see what blog posts look like.

Love you all,
Ciao,

Robin