I don't post often, but when I do, it's a long post.....and long title.

The recent honeysuckle sunset forced me to run in to the house and grab my camera.

It was just too beautiful to forget.

My really late 4th of July events:

I made root beer ice cream! 

I had to make it twice because mom got me evaporated milk instead of sweetened condensed milk.

The second go-around was much tastier.

While sitting by the ice cream maker, I decided that this is actually a really nice part of the yard that I don't visit often enough, of course, there's a view of the neighbor's house.

Mmmm!!

Do you wanna try making your own?

Here's the recipe I used!

SODA POP ICE CREAM RECIPE

INGREDIENTS

4 cups cold soda pop, any flavor

1 14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk

1 cup whole milk

INSTRUCTIONS

Mix all ingredients together and pour into 2 qt. ice cream maker.

Freeze as directed

Place in freezer after finished to harden up

Copyright © YourHomeBasedMom

 Some sparkler fun!

Of course, they really, really scare me.

But there are creative ways to light them without having to hold on to them!

We didn't get together with any family this Fourth of July.

It was kinda boring.

Everybody went off and did their own thing, so I painted my nails!

The best part was our camp fire and watching the neighbor's illegal fireworks being set off.

Yay! Haha

I never paint my nails.

I like just plain snow white nail polish, and that's about it!

With plenty of time in the day left, I finished my anchor cross stitch that's been sitting around for ages waiting to be done.

Dad came home the other night and handed this to me.

Driving doesn't seem as fun anymore.

I've completely lost my "drive" for it now that sign up for driver's ed is coming up.

We went to the beach for the first time this summer!

Blurry driving photo from the backseat:

And a gorgeous foggy ocean picture for your pleasure:

The majority of landscape we drove through:

I warn you. I can get bored in long car rides and come up with odd things:

This was inspired by the rows and rows of endless corn fields on our ride.

Sorry for my chopping doodling.

It was a bumpy ride as well...haha.

The world never sleeps, and the ocean never stops.

How these words came out so...non-bumpy looking is a mystery to me.

My last doodle in my traveling doodle book from the trip.

Yes! This is the same doodle book that traveled to West Virginia with me.

I love when I remember to take it places.

My latest Amazon order just came in!

I'm so excited to read this book!

And I bought a new phone case.

My last one was pink....and pink is just not my color anymore to say the least.

Blush pink is okay....but that was not the color my case was.

Bright, eye shockingly pink that shot you in the eye every time you saw it.

Okay, well maybe it wasn't that bad. 

But I'm loving the improvement!

Not that I really needed it...because nobody texts me except my mom....

Latest nature journal watercolors:

This was a really super rushed painting.

By the time I sat down and had everything out, everybody was ready to go.

*sigh*

I did this one at the beach yesterday. It was kind of challenging because it was breezy and my paper kept flipping.

The struggle.

Some watercolor doodles from the other night.

My sister really didn't like these at all....but...*sniffle* I like them. 

My recent paintings:

I found a wooden lightswitch plate at Walmart a week or so ago and I just had to buy it.

I wanted to make a nautical painting to go with my room!

Monday morning I was just like, 'You know what? Imma paint somethin' today."

Boom.

This was from a painting class. Ehh. I don't like purple clouds, but I like the rock the wave is crashing into.

Dad told me that my paintings from painting classes I seem distracted, but the one I did on my own on Monday was, "seamless."

I bought 'mini' brushes!

They're ideal for small projects such as 4x4 canvases, lightswitches, and so forth.

I can't wait to use them!

My recent sketches:

It was a rainy, motivation-less day, so Mom, Britney, and I  went downstairs and watched Disney's Atlantis. This is the only bit of like-ness I could get of Milo. He kept moving around! Haha

I hope you all are having a wonderful summer!

-Stephanie

IT'S JULY!!

My very first wood project is complete!

I faced the scary wood cutter and sander!

I sliced my fingers a bit working with the sharp edges on the sander, but it was worth it!

I added a bit of stain to them all to antique them.

Then, since I didn't want to crack the wood, I glued the street signs to the board.

Do you like it?

It's happily sitting on my dresser now, directing me to Middle Earth!

Sadly, the time came and went for me to take my goldfish over to Nana's pond.

They had outgrown their 5 gallon aquarium.

I never knew how much I would miss them until they were in the bucket heading over to her house.

Seriously, they were the most annoying, dirty fish in the world.

But I loved them!

I didn't want them to deal with temperature change shock, so I held them in the water like this for about 20 minutes until the water temperatures were about the same.

Going free!!

The "runt" of the aquarium was the first to explore and meet Nana's big koi fish!

The bullies were less excited to explore and stayed in the same place for a while.

Nana's got a little skinny frog living in her pond!

And has so many nice looking plants:

Cloud Appreciation:

Wanna know a secret? Clouds make me really, super happy.

Dad took off work yesterday and we hiked Sugarloaf Mountain!

My family let me take the lead and had a hard time keeping up with me.

It was so refreshing. I couldn't make myself go slower!

These steps reminded me of Shelob's Lair in the Lord of the Rings, up up up they went! 

The view!

Look at her face.

Just look at it!

D'awwwww!!

I keep getting frequent visits at my window sill!

And we've got a little baby bunny living under the pine tree in our front yard!

Can you spot him hopping in action?

I got some more guppies!

Top to Bottom:

Amber, Vanilla, and Demetrie.

Sorry I couldn't get a better picture!

Water shots are hard!

I've kept busy doodling!

I get distracted while cooking for lunch and doodle on our weekly calender.

Heheheh.

Olivia- This was going to be on the back of the envelope for your latest letter.

But I couldn't part ways with it!

I woke up at 4 am this morning and couldn't get back to sleep, so I sketched out Nancy Drew.

I know I have more doodles tucked everywhere in my room.

I've been so inspired lately!!

How's everybody's Summer going?

Fourth of July plans?

Stephanie