Shipwrecked VBS- Imagination Station

Today is the fifth and final day of Vacation Bible School at our church.  I've enjoyed every moment of this fun week in "Imagination Station." The setting of this year's program is a jungle island where the crews have found themselves shipwrecked.  My station involves learning about Jesus and saints while doing awesome science activities.  The program we use is Group's - Shipwrecked - Rescued by Jesus (the Totally Catholic version). In decorating this classroom, I wanted to create the vibe of The Professor's hut on Gilligan's Island. The parrot puppet was an Amazon find.  One of the middle school volunteers enjoyed hiding behind the cardboard puppet theater to surprise the kids by saying each day's Bible theme.  I used grass skirts from the Dollar Tree to decorate the cardboard.

The borrowed paddles were made into a cross using "rope."  This is actually inexpensive cording from a fabric store.  I had the crates on hand.  The tiki torches were a Dollar Tree find.

The steering wheel is another borrowed goody. It came from a tug boat forty years ago.  When I first learned about this year's theme, I sent a sign up sheet around in my women's Bible study group with a wish list of items. Everyone came through with life jackets, shells, and more.

I created the "Jesus Rescues" life saver with a Dollar Tree float and some black alphabet stickers.

Each day I displayed a science board about that day's saint.  We also enjoyed informative daily visits from the saints.

This is the sloth sanctuary, which is part of the Shipwrecked program.  The cute little sloth is laying in a hammock made from a Dollar Tree fishing net.

The background wall is covered in a leaf patterned bulletin board paper from Hobby Lobby.  My daughter and I went a little crazy hanging vines on the ceiling.  We also covered the floor with tarps for a sandy look. I stapled grass skirts to a strip of balsa wood for the hut ceilings.

This map is the sign near the door.

Hope you enjoyed this little tour.  Wish me luck taking it all down after tonight's final session!

A Babbling Bird Bath and Other Summer Favorites

This my new little pride and joy.

The bird bath (without the fountain) was found at At Home (79.99).

Not wanting to breed mosquitos, I added a little solar water fountain.

It was purchased through Amazon for under fifteen dollars. 

This is an affiliate link.  If you use it to make a purchase, 

I will be compensated but your price will not be affected.

It works well in full sunlight.  Once the sun goes down (or disappears behind a tree), the fountain stops immediately.  (There is no battery or power cord.)  This is not a problem for my purposes.  It's kind of fun to look out the window and see if it is on or not at different times of day.

I tried each of the three different nozzles included with it.  They worked TOO well in my sunny front yard.  In a matter of moments all water had sprayed out of the bowl.

Leaving the water spout uncapped solved that problem, and I enjoy the way it babbles.

There are little suction cups on the bottom of the solar fountain, however I find it is easier to just let it float around in the water.  Have I seen a bird use it yet?  No.

But it adds some lovely movement to the flower bed on a hot afternoon.

I am also enjoying these African Daisies.  They take the heat and so far don't seem to attract rabbits. Those little boogers fellows are really munching most of my flowers this year.

I won't show you pictures of the floral carnage.  

Here are some of the successes. 

My new dwarf butterfly bushes are doing their job.

New and old Lantana plants are growing happily side by side.  I was impatient for the orange ones to come back after the winter freeze.  Funny enough, now they are much bigger than the pink ones I planted this spring.

Have a wonderful day!

Ten on the 10th - Flower Edition

Welcome to Ten on the 10th. Today I'm sharing flowers for under $10.

Flowers that never wilt.

Flowers that the rabbits don't eat.

Flowers that look cool and refreshing on a hot day.

This sleeveless blouse was $9.99 at H&M.

I packed it for a recent trip to Northern California.  

It was virtually wrinkle free and didn't take up much space in my suitcase.

The fabric is a bit sheer, so a layer under it is a must.

Here I am enjoying the beautiful beach at Carmel-by-the-Sea while wearing it. And these are a few of the other beautiful things I saw.

Amazing Redwood trees,

Enchanting cottage gardens,

and the San Francisco Botanical gardens. My batteries are completely recharged from my four days in California.  While there, I rented a car to visit the neighborhood of my childhood. Our family moved from that area forty years ago.  Some things had changed greatly over that time, and other things seemed just like they had been the last time I saw them.  I was tickled to see some children's bikes (complete with handlebar tassels ) parked in front of my childhood home. So glad that some other lucky kids are growing up there. Thanks so much for stopping by!

Be sure to check out all the other Ten on the 10th June inspirations.

Tammy at Patina and Paint

Jane atCottage at the Crossroads

Patti atPandora's Box

Stacey at Poofing the Pillows

Mary at TheBoondocks Blog

Eilis at MyHeart Lives Here

Kim atExquisitely Unremarkable

Jemma - At Home WithJemma

Katie at Let'sAdd Sprinkles

Carol at Bluesky at Home

Pretty Nails for Less than Ten

Welcome to Ten on the 10th!

Today I'm sharing a little personal pamper that costs around five dollars.   If you are one of those lucky people whose nails grow long and beautiful and you can just paint them with polish, this post may not be for you.  

My fingernails are the crummy, peeling, chipping kind.  I loved having "good" nails each time I was pregnant, but for the rest of my life they have just been pathetic. Luckily, there is a very affordable fix.

These little gems can be found with the nail polish at Target, Walmart, Walgreen's, and grocery stores.  I've been using the French Tips (Real Short) for years.  They came in handy when I was working long hours and didn't have time for regular manicures to keep up acrylic nails.

Just recently, I've ventured out and started using the "gel fantasy" version.  There are a few color options.  I hope they add some more.  Honestly, I find the color selection at stores to be pretty hit or miss.  I bought some beautiful red ones for Christmas parties, but haven't seen that shade recently. To apply them, I choose the right size faux nail from the 24 in the box, put a little of the glue on my nail, and press it on (holding for a few seconds).

That's it.  

No waiting for polish to dry or anything.  The directions do say it is better not to submerge them in water for the first hour.  If you need an excuse not to do the dishes, I suggest applying them right after dinner....

I find a set usually lasts about a week, longer if I'm on vacation and away from housework.

Hints: Size the nails to see which fit best before using glue. I like to use too little glue rather than too much, so it doesn't ooze out around the cuticle.  However, you can wipe extra away with the manicure stick (included in the package) if you do it quickly. Keep the extras in case you need to replace one. You can protect your own nails with a layer of clear nail polish, but the fake nails will not stay on as long.  This is a good option if you just want to wear them for a special occasion.  I don't bother because as I mentioned earlier, my own nails look terrible no matter what I do or don't do to them. (Funny enough, they do grow out under the protection of the fake nails, but then they break as soon as a I try to go with just real nails.) The gel nails also come with a sticky tab option.  Honestly, I haven't tried that. I have no affiliation with the maker of these products.  I'm just a happy customer. Please be sure to visit all the inspiring Ten on the 10th posts!

Poofing the Pillows

The BoondocksBlog

Pandora's Box

Exquisitely Unremarkable

Patina andPaint

Let's AddSprinkles

My Heart LivesHere

White SprayPaint

The PurpleHydrangea
Bluesky at Home