Together, Stick Family

This cute little picture was an idea from one of my sister's stamping classes. When I saw the picture that she had created for her sample, I knew that I wanted one. This makes me smile every time I see it. My kids love seeing their stick figure alter ego.

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Love at Home Vinyl

I am noticing hints of this pretty patina blue creeping into my home. I love this color, and I love the freshness that it adds to my red, green, brown home.

This vinyl design is one that I put together for my friend's cub scout group. They are planning to put it on small wooden plaques for Mother's Day. I had just one left, so I grabbed a black frame, spray painted it and added the paper behind. The vinyl is on the glass. I like the shadowbox effect. Once I had it finished, I had to tone the blue down just a bit with a little brown ink and a sponge.

Countdown to Summer

Are your kids counting the days until school is out? Mine are. My little ones can't wait to have their brothers and sister home for the summer and my big kids can't wait to sleep in (like that will happen...).

I put these blocks together for my wonderful husband to put in his classroom and one set for my kids to take to their teacher this week for teacher appreciation week.

These are also in my etsy shop.

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house of hepworths linky party

My version of Subway Art

I love the subway art I have seen around blogland. I thought that something about family and love would be fun. But I knew that as much as I really, truly do enjoy painting, I am not the steadiest with black and white. So this is my version, using vinyl lettering, created for a sister's crafting weekend. 

Playing with my new toy.

I just got a band saw, what a fun toy that I never thought that I would need/want. I remember when I dragged my feet when my husband wanted to buy his chop saw. I am not sure, but I think that I may have used it almost as much as he has. Now I have collected more fun "toys" than he has!

My first project that I cut is these Easter Eggs. Inspiration via Lyndsey.

She has great ideas. You ought to check out her blog.

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Milk Can House Numbers

My brother-in-law stopped by with this milk can a couple of weeks ago, asked if I wanted it, and said that he would like to see what I came up with. I hope he approves.

I chose to paint our house numbers on it. I used my Silhouette to create a stencil out of vinyl, I had planned to use contact paper; but I guess I ran out. For anyone considering a digital craft cutter for vinyl, paper and cardstock; I would suggest checking out the Silhouette. It hooks up to my computer and can cut any font that I can download along with tons of designs. I LOVE MY SILHOUETTE!

I scrubbed the milk can a bit, no need to rough it up with sandpaper; it was rough enough already. I chose to paint it Satin Black, so it would stand out against our house. 

This is the kind of weeding I like, I have always planned to get the fun tools to do this; 

but a sharp paring knife works so of course, I haven't.

I masked the can off, so the paint wouldn't overspray. Then I used my fun spray outside and run back in with the project technique. I am sure that anyone driving by would wonder what in the world I am doing running in and out of my house and 10:30 at night. This time I went fast enough and didn't end 

up with any wrinkles from the cold in my paint.

I left it inside for a couple of days to make sure that it was really dry, and then took it outside where it will likely stay. I don't love taking pictures of my house in the winter, but this summer it will look great with flowers all around. The milk can has already made it through a couple of snowstorms and still looks great.

 

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What was I thinking?!!

I am sorry for the delay in posting the winner of the Wha-Cha-Ma-Call-Ums give away. I don't know what I was thinking! When I told my sweet husband about the give away/contest I was hosting he laughed at me. I can't make a decision to save my neck. He always has to help me decide...

So now I get about 38 fantastic suggestions and I have to choose just one. I finally chose my 5 favorite and then used the random number generator to choose for me.

The winner is Love Signs by Maridith at Strictly Homemade. She has a great blog, with fun ideas, check it out. E-mail me with your address Maridith, and I will get your kit on your way.

(Please confirm your word and color choice.

For everyone else, I will post a tutorial soon so you can make your own Love Signs.

Have a great day!

I'm Finished! My Girls Names

Don't forget to enter the Wha-Cha-Ma-Call-Ems give away!

Do you ever have those projects that are supposed to be so simple, but go on and on and on.......?

This is one of those, I started making these with my friend, Carrie, last spring. I had just finished my very first set of blocks and I had blocks on the brain. They were supposed to be a two afternoon project. Cut, sand, stain wood one day and then mod podge and embellish the second.

About 9 months later, we both finally have ours done. The funny thing is, in the meantime, my girls were given bedding that they love and it actually coordinates better than they did before!

My favorite part is the flowers, I mod podged regular silk flowers. I only put a light coat on so they would keep their shape. Alexis thinks that hers looks like it is made out of wax. The flowers are so pretty.

We realized as we worked on these, that in order to not have screws showing; we would need to modpodge the bottom layer of paper on and then screw the blocks together and then embellish the tops to cover the screws...as I write this I realize that we could have just screwed them together from the back, duh! Oh well, I rarely do things the easiest way first.

I am planning to put some shelves in their room after it is repainted, but for now, these will hang on the wall. Happy Finishing Day!

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I "heart" u stacking cubes

don't forget to enter the wha-cha-ma-call-ums give away

I "heart" stacking blocks. These are simply 4x4 posts cut into blocks, sanded, stained and decopauged with cute valentine paper and embellished with vinyl. They really should not have caused stress...unfortunately my stress level right now is really high so it doesn't take much to send me over the edge.



I did finally finish these, and I really like them. They are also for our Relief Society craft mini class.



I would love suggestions that any of you have for preventing bubbles from forming under the paper. I generally don't have a problem with this, but it was harder with this project than others I have made. I did finally come out with a nice result, but I am sure there must be a better (easier) way.

Wha-cha-ma-call-ums? give-away

What would you call these? I am open to suggestions. I really like this creation. Would you like a kit to make your own? This was a collaboration between me and my friend, Rachelle. Most of the credit belongs to her. I just did the decorating part.


They are one of the projects available for our craft mini class for Relief Society in February. The ladies that sign up get to choose their paper, word and the color (black or cream). I am really happy with the end result, I just need a name...framed word thingy just doesn't sound quite right.

Post your name suggestions, my favorite one will win a kit to make their own. (You provide your favorite paper and ribbon) I will send you the frame, plaque and vinyl.

How to enter: Leave a comment with your name suggestion, the vinyl word you would like, and the color of vinyl (cream or black). The give-away will be open until Saturday morning-since I need to get my sign-up sheet ready for church on Sunday.

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My life is "sort of" mine again.

My kids and husband went back to school today. Back to our regular schedule. I loved having my husband home for the Christmas break, I loved the time with my kids and I was very sad to see them all go back this morning. My little ones were lost without the "big kids".

I want to share a couple of projects that I put together during the break (but didn't have time to share).

First off, after about 5 million ideas, this is what we finally put together for neighbor gifts. Monogram Plaques. I love them. Simple and pretty classic. Black and cream is one of my favorite color combinations. Now I need to make one for myself. I am also planning to make some for upcoming weddings. I think they would be great in the center of a family picture collage or in an easel.

(As a note, you can remove sharpie marker from the vinyl with a tiny bit of nail polish remover, Thank you Addy! our little marker girl for initiating this little experiment.)

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Second project, have you seen these snowflakes? Who knew that paper snowflakes could be so cool? Check out this tutorial. We made some for my sister's 20 something foot tree, I love them with glitter and double sided scrapbook paper. My sister-in-law, Keli suggests cutting the strips very narrow, they are gorgeous.

Just a note, use scotch tape instead of staples, it works so much better for the center section and is prettier over all.

Third project, chargers. This is what I made for the favors for my husband's family Christmas party. It is just vinyl on the plate, and I love it. Inexpensive with just a little glitz. Try a piece of metal glued on the back and it becomes mini magnet board.

What do you think? What was your favorite project this Christmas break?

The monogram plaques and vinyl only options are in my etsy shop.

Crafting with my sister.

One of my very favorite things to do is, to hang out with my sister, Bekki. She was here visiting just before Thanksgiving and generously helped me out preparing for my craft fair. It was so fun to be creative together. We decided that we would really like to have a whirlwind craft marathon again (this time we want to keep the projects, not sell them).

This Christmas Countdown Calendar was one of our favorite creations that week. They all sold really well at the craft fair, so I made some more.



You can find these in my etsy shop, or have fun making some of your own. I love my set.

Baby, It's cold outside!

Brrrrr!
We are freezing over here. It always gets cold here in the winter, but the extreme cold usually waits until later in the winter. We have been hitting the negative digits every day. Our water pipes have frozen twice and now we have a big ugly haystack on our pumphouse in an attempt to insulate it so that we will have water, my husband's ignition was frozen so his car wouldn't start, and my kids haven't been able to play outside at recess. They are bouncing off the walls!!!

These blocks seem appropriate right now.

Vintage Window...Of course I want it.

My friend offered this window to me. I love the shape and so, of course, I said "yes". Unfortunately, I have very little wall space in my house, so I really wasn't sure what I was going to do with it. It has been sitting for a couple of weeks. But today I decided that I was just going to hang it up before it gets broken. I figured that I was unlikely to love the placement; but I can always change my mind.

I decided not to paint it yet, I really do like this color anyway; but I am also a little lazy...I knew that I wouldn't want to paint it again. So, I am waiting to decide for sure what I want to do with it after Christmas is over.

The only supplies that I spent money on (and I really should not have) are the wreaths. They are just dollar store specials. The rest of the supplies are from my "stash". I have had the pip berries for a couple of years, I am determined to use them this Christmas before any more explode --why do they do that?

The hardest decision for me was what color of ribbon to use; I really wasn't loving any of these, but I was NOT going to spend any more money. Which do you like? I finally settled on layering the first two ribbons.

Here it is with lights, ribbons, wreaths and berries. I would still like to hide the rest of the lights; but I do like it. I like that this part of my nativity set collection has a backdrop now.

I apologize for the picture quality, I couldn't wait to take pictures...I really wanted to finish it tonight.