2025: Day 13....."Plants on a Plane"

A year ago I brought some leaves

home from Florida on a plane.

The lady at the Airbnb we 

stayed at threw out many long

vines of these in the trash in

front of her house.

I gasped when I saw them.

I pulled some out

because I do things like that.

I only had a small carry on to

return home with since we

were flying cheaply and didn't stay 

too long in Florida (only a long weekend).

I snipped them into segments making

sure to have a node on each segment.

Then I stacked them between wet

paper towels and put them in a

ziplock bag and hoped for the best.

I wasn't sure TSA would let me bring

them home but they did. 

They scanned them and I went on my way.

I had about 5 leaves.

Oh I so wish I could have brought the

entire garbage can home with me!

Why didn't I think of this solution?

I left them in water for 

a few months until they rooted.

Then I planted them.

By then the original leaves were

getting pretty ratty so I clipped them off.

Here's what I have a year later.

Hawaiian Pothos.

Not huge leaves but big enough

for me and glorious variation.

2025 Version

About 3 feet high now.
 

 

2025: Day 12…..”Elvis in Beale Street”

Sunday Funday included some delicious ribs 

and collard greens from

Beale Street Smokehouse in Fenton.

As good as the food was, the decor was

just as fun……especially 

the fun Elvis memorabilia wall.

Here's my Google Maps Review of it in 2024 in case

you might want to check it out for yourself.

2025: Day 11....."Peanut Cactus"

It took a long time for cactus plants to grow on me.

I mean not really grow ON me..grow with me.

 I LOVE this one.

It started so little in early 2024 but I didn't care.

I like to get to know a plant.

I purchased it at Willow Greenhouse

here in Michigan.

I was hoping it would curl and drape and it did!

I have it in my bedroom in an east window.

I've occasionally added a bit of cactus fertilizer.

(See pic below.)

It knows I love it.

You know plants really do know if you love them, right?

It is alive after all.

 

2025: Day 10....."Job Descriptions"

We ship out guitar centerpieces almost every week.

Sometimes just one.

Sometimes many.

Yes. Some assembly is required but 

we make it SO EASY to do!

Guitars are a staple around here and fit in well with

all the other themes we do.

We especially love the ones we put a unique logo on the body.

Sometimes we fill up the whole body of the guitar with the logo.

Sometimes the logo is simple yet elegantly only on the bottom.

We suggest a design and then change it up as requested.

These foamcore guitars are one of the most 

favorite things we do.

I'm the shipping department on this here ranch

so I appreciate how they stack

and fit in a shipping box so 

efficiently & economically.

Stacey is the "Maker-of-Stuff" and 

I'm the "Boxer-Upper".

Our official titles.  Ha Ha.

I'm also the "Let's Connect" person.

You get me if you call or email.

Stacey is also known as the 

"Grannie Baby Bouncer" in her 

spare time.

2025: Day 9....."Memories"

 California.

Heart wrenching.

What do you take 

when you have to leave and

can't take everything.

Of course, your family & pets.

But, after that, your memories.

Your irreplaceable & meaningful memories

in your heart and soul & what fits

in your hand or car.

But never enough.

The time spent making a 

comfortable haven with memories 

you've stored there turning into 

ashes would be so brutal.

Crushingly immensely too much loss in California.

I'd take this.

And this.

Among other things.

2025: Day 8....."Gift Card Box & Candlelighting Set"

We started the New Year with something 

fun, pretty and matchy-matchy. 

A set.

A gift card box and a matching 

candle lighting centerpiece

based on a great logo from our

party decorator friend Lauren Loomis.

This blog isn't going to be just about

party decorating stuff but I had to 

include these because I love them!

And.........

I'm heading towards that January 10th

deadline that is called "Quitter's Day" for people

giving up their resolutions to stick to something.

If I make that day, then the next one is Jan 17

and it's called "Ditch New Year's resolution Day"

My resolution is to do a post a day

all thru 2025.

Anything I want to post.

I can do that.

I think.

I've heard that if you do something for

3 weeks it becomes a habit in your brain.

Surely I can do that.

I think.

2025: Day 7....."Michigan Winter"

I miss the leaves.

But the empty trees have a sort of graceful look.

The lake is frozen.

Not safely frozen though. Lightly. 

Probably only an inch.

Wind chill is in the teens.

The kind of weather that hurts your face.

I miss eating outside under my umbrella and

looking at a moving lake.

BUT...there is the fact that a heated blanket is

a delicious thing and furry thick clothing is so cozy.

Heavy socks can be delightful.

I love those.

Stacks of blankets and new pillows replace

flowers in the garden 

popping out of the ground for treats.

I'm ok with it.

 

2025: Day 6....."Detroit Lions vs. Hopcat"

 

Okay. I get it.

Hooray for the Lions.

But I wouldn't pay the high price for those stadium tickets.

Before the game we had some Sunday Funday at Hopcat.

Our bartender said he contemplated buying a $600 ticket but his 

girlfriend wouldn't go so he decided to work instead. (Good call.)

Because $1200 for a football game for 2?

Uh....no.

Where I ended up watching the game was is in my cozy bed.

But I feel the excitement and happiness for all the

goodness it brings Detroit.

Hopcat before the game was more my jam.

Had a great beer and it wasn't $18 for

a can of Bud Lite like it is at the stadium I hear.

But hey...that restroom 

at HopCat is CRAZY and just

my jam too. You'll never walk out the door 

without feeling like you need to tell 

someone else about it.

Kinda like talking about football to some.

2025: Day 5....."Over achievers Christmas lights"

 Not my house.

So glad it's not because it's 20 degrees here and

I wouldn't want that job to dismantle and 

store away these lights.

I'd turn them off and hide or fly to Florida

or Arizona until spring.

But they sure were pretty and fun to look at.

Thank you to those industrious over achievers

whoever you are over there in White Lake.

2025: Day 4....."Favorite Photo Apps"

I love photo apps to change up a standard photo.

(I used multiple ones on this photo but mostly the 

free app Brushstroke.)

I always like to see what other folks use and give them a try.

So here's some of my favorites.

I mostly go for free ones.

But I do pay for Photo Lab, Peachy and Live Collage.

Juxtaposer is free and one of my most favorites 

because I love changing backgrounds to something fake.

So don't ever believe I'm really in the tropics if you see that.

Snapseed is my favorite for adding highlights 

that can really make things pop.

Creative Fabrica (online) has a great background remover but

I also use Retouch with a free once a day feature.

Juxtaposer has one also that allows you to touch up

what they miss on the first go around.

iColorama is loaded with so many features 

I couldn't begin to describe them all.  

I understand it's made and maintained by a lady

in the Ukraine who's made other quality apps.

A favorite feature is the 'coherence' tab that

smooths a picture brilliantly and also has a huge amount 

of paper and canvas overlays that makes things more artistic.

I'm still on the learning curve on this big app.

I probably use Live Collage the most and I pay about $5 bucks

monthly for the pleasure of it's robust & user friendly variety of 

both photo and video options that work great on my iPad.

I decided to cancel it once because I can be very frugal

that way but I had to re-up because I found 

nothing comparable and I missed it.

(This isn't a sponsored ad by the way. They don't

even know me.)

2025: Day 3....."Bathroom Plants"

 

I have 31 plants in my bathroom.

It has one great south facing window that 

floods the room with great lighting.

I follow many plant sites on Facebook,

Instagram and I love watching

You Tube videos because plants are 

like people....they each have their own

personalities and likes and dislikes and

I love the process of figuring them out.

My bathroom was designed as much for plants

as it was for me to move around in it.

The shower works beautifully to keep the water in

yet give the plants a misty tropical feel every time

I take a shower.

I feel like I'm showering naked in a forest 

and I like it that way.

I can look outside and see the garden too.

(Nope...no one can see me naked in shower...too

many plants camouflaging me.)

I feel blissful every time I go in there.

My towel rack is a man & women 

in wrought iron I purchased at the 

Milford Memories Art Show.

 

It's my happy place and the only

room in my house that is constantly neat

and orderly 98% of the time.

The rest of my house leans towards

comfortable chaos and things in progress. 

2025: Day 2....."Brother Scott"

My brother. Another Scott.

I love him bunches even though he always

describes me as "his MUCH OLDER sister".

I am older....darn it.

3 years.

This photo was taken recently at Christmas.

Brother Scott has lots of grandkids and one is a 'mini'. 

It's his grandson Sam.

Here's a picture of Scott as a boyscout in the late 50's or 60's sometime.

Next to it is his grandson Sam this Christmas.

Meeting Sam in person this Christmas brought out an 

unexpected muscle memory I can't explain that was tucked inside 

my brain of the days in the past with my little "much younger" brother.

Aren't they both so cute!

 

2025: Day 1....."Marlyss"

 This is me and Scott. 

He has no part in this blog but he has a big part in my life.

I'm going to make a 2025 New Years Goal. 

A picture a day.

Sometimes me.

Sometimes family.

Sometimes work related.

Sometimes fun things I like.

Whatever I want. One day at time.

I've heard this:

Will I do it or forgive myself for not doing it?

TOP 5 supplies you need for DIY party decorations and where to find them fast!

Here's what you need. No messing around. 

Fast and easy resources for what you need to

make your own party decorations.

FOAMCORE

This is a good size and an easy thickness to cut

with the tool coming up next.

CUTTING KNIFE

#11 scalpel blades and holder to get those 

sharp clean cuts and easy to get into points and corners.

SPRAY PAINT

Rustoleum 2X comes in lots of colors and is highly

pigmented to get one coat coverage. 

Glossy or satin.

It dries fast yet slow enough to allow for

some glitter sprinkles if that's your jam.

GLITTER

Martha makes glitter and sometimes you need a special color.

Sometimes you just need alot and basic colors.

We love glitter around here and...yeah...I know it's messy...

but it's so cool!

SPRAY ADHESIVE

We've tried lots of brands but 

3M Super 77 is

really our favorite. 

Spraying one side is usually enough.

If you spray both sides that you are

putting together don't expect to be

able to remove it easily.

Now get busy.

If you get stuck and need some advice or

additional things, shoot us an email.

We'll try to help.

If not, carry on.

Have fun. 

These items will make it easier.

(marlyss@mac.com)

Oh....one last thing I forgot.

Bonus Tip #6:

Get yourself a 24" 

CORK BACK RULER.

It doesn't slip on the foamcore 

and it's so much better than a 

wood one that gets all chewed up.

NOW I've just made your life even easier!

Back to the 90's

We started with a cute logo for a 

gift card box design

but it had items floating in the air. 

Mmmmm...let me think about that. 

I keep everything. I must have something.

Yup. Curly foam wire....and 

THE COLORS MATCHED!

Things like that make me happy so I took a 

picture of Stacey digging into the pile.

Here's the finished look below.

Since it's been a few months since I made

a blog post (because I mostly do Facebook, 

Pinterest or Instagram), I thought I'd show a quick

little look into our work room and give myself a

pat on the back for never throwing anything out.

Isn't this just the most fun looking party 

GIFT CARD BOX!

Thanks Lauren Loomis for giving us such a 

FUN LOGO to work with!

(Notice the card slot on top and letting you 

know there is a trap door on the bottom also.)

Life can be so fun and colorful.