Mel

Mel's Page

Projects

Gardening

AVON
In September 2003 I began selling Avon and I am loving it. It is not only an excuse to keep in touch and see people, but I am also earning a little bit of money and having so much fun. I have a website where you can buy my products - www.youravon.com/mmartin1777/ and I am loving all the organizing and planning that I have put into it so far. Each September I celebrate my anniversary with Breast Cancer Awareness goodie bags for all my customers. The products purchased for the goodie bags always have a portion of the money donated to Breast Cancer research.

OHIO READS
In 2004 I taught reading to two 1st grade classes, two days a week.

ROOM PARENT
I was Nick's Room Parent for the 2004-2005 school year. It was fun as my responsibility was all the party planning. His teacher Mrs. Scott looped - meaning she taught them in first grade and looped with them into second grade, so I know her well. We did some great parties. We did the Halloween party, a huge all-school event and the Fall Family Fun Day which is 100% free for the kids and included carnival games, prizes, food, etc. A lot of work for me, but I got to run the drink table all day selling pop, water and hot chocolate and had a lot of fun. Another party we did was his Winter Party and I did the craft with all 24 7 & 8 year olds - wow, what a task! Lots of fun though and I had 3 or 4 other moms to help out. The kids enjoyed every minute of it - even my jingle bell reindeer craft. Then there was the Valentine party where Nick enjoyed celebrating with his 7 girlfriends or so he tells me! :) Last of all was the End of the Year Bash and we did a Luau. We decorated the whole classroom Hawaiian style, I gave all the kids Hawaiian names. They wore their floral shirts and I gave out leis. It was a blast!

QUILTING
When Nick was in first grade, his teacher asked me to make 30 seat covers for his class. They are quite handy things that hook over the back of the seat then have a pocket so that the kids can keep their workbooks at the tables with them. Well, since it was such a large project I talked my mom in to helping me. She is such a hard worker she did more than I did - even repaired the few they already had. Go Mom!! You rule! I could never have done it without her. The kids were so pleased they wrote her a thank you note that is as big as I am tall. It was adorable.

CALENDAR
A few years ago (maybe 2004) I made a Birthday surprise for my mom! I spent 6 months gathering data for a flip-a-page calendar that contained a comment/memory or birthday and picture of all those who are closest to her. Yes, 365 close friends and family! I want to thank everyone who helped me put it together. Especially my Aunt Frankie, Uncle Scottie and my brothers - FM & Keith. Mom loved it! She still uses it to this day!

WEBPAGE
Obviously an ongoing project! I don't have much time any more so I rarely get to update it and put on more current pictures, but I will try! I look forward to your comments.

FAMILY TREE
I still am in the slow process of building a family tree which so far spans 68 generations and over 26,160 people. When I started it, I had gotten in touch with several family members and this is now an ongoing project. Frankie and Mom have been a fountain of information. As well as my Uncle Scotty (Frog). This along with a trip to the cemetery and visit with Aunt Thelma have provided many answers to my questions. I do a lot of research through some genealogy websites and I update it when I find something new.

Well, the garden is forever a work in progress. Early summer we trimmed everything down and put new mulch in. Since we are so busy with everything else, my flowers are in the best shape, but if you wish to see some old photos (quite lovely if I do say so myself) of my garden click below!

Mel's Garden

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For anyone that knows me I always have a project going on so here is a list of some and few snapshots! Enjoy!

Tony's Godmother Debra had a baby also (in 2003) and I made a couple of bibs that are too cute to dribble on!

I have also stitched a bib for Angela's son Devin (born in March 2003). It is a tiny bib with a frog on it (her favorite thing, not my Uncle Frog)!!! Angela wouldn't let him wear it though she said it was too cute and used it as a decoration. Silly woman!

In July 2003 I had a Craft Party for Kim, Lorraine and I. We made gel candles and had so much fun, not to mention the fact that we created some real works of art! Even Nick got in on the action and made a couple. I am planning on having these types of parties more often! There is no money needed since I have all the kits and we have a wonderful time.

The last time I made candles I made them for my sister-in-law, Melyssa's birthday. They were a lot of fun to make and Nick helped with these, too.

I also finished a Christmas hanging cross-stitch that I thought was too cute. On a plastic canvas that you cut to form - something I had never done before. I like it so much that I made one of snowmen in 2004.

I also created some cross stitch items for my best friends - YA YA! Check out Kim's, or should I say Viscountess Crazy as a Loon? Angela's (Queen of Homemade Sin) is done, too. They are framed now and I gave it to them for Christmas. Now all I need is to make one for me - Princess Bad Hair Day!

Me at the cabin - 01-16-04

CRAFTS
The boys and I made a gel candle for Chris for his birthday. It is in a huge glass wtih differnt shapes of cut glass in the bottom. It is blue with sparkles and smells like berries.

I made a hanging cross stitch that reads "The Ingredients For A Happy Home" and it is now hanging in my kitchen. It was the first thing I had made for me since the hanging santas and hanging snowmen (see below).

I gave my mom a cross stitch fingertip towel for Mothers' Day that said corn! I am also working on one that I had hoped to give her for her birthday this year, but it is so detailed that I will be lucky to finish it by Christmas. Previous ones I have finished are two cross-stitch designs for my friend Tricia who had a baby on Thanksgiving 2002. The first was a simple 5x7 of Big Bird holding a teddy bear. She had seen this and had asked for it before her shower. The second was a beautiful (if I do say so myself) baby boy in a butterfly costume holding flowers. It was quite intricate and time consuming; however, I managed to complete it and am so proud! I probably should have given them to her before the shower as she asked, as she never did get to have her shower seeing as how Clay was born that day!

Mel and Dad 11-21-04