Perfect giveaway!

I was just looking at her site this morning trying to justify a purchase, which, of course, I could not. Not right now anyway. But I spent a good while just drooling over her stuff. It is all Perfect! 

Sarah Mae is hosting a give away on her blog today and one lucky winner will receive am item from Lisa! I am so excited!!

Go check it out, and hurry, the contest ends Sunday at midnight!

Spherical Decor

Spherical (if that's a word) Decor! All the rage.

I have been seeing a lot of these things around in home decor. These suckers are not Cheap! I am! So, I had a brilliant idea. (I am full of those you know). Anyway, I thought, why not make my own? I have all the items to do so. 

I quickly pulled out my glue, Styrofoam ball, and moss and got to work.

Gluing in small sections at a time just adhere the moss to the ball. You can tie green thread around the ball to help secure the moss a bit more. I skipped that step mostly because these will be in a jar, but also because I am too lazy to go digging through my chest to find the case of green thread. (yes I have that much thread-18 cases full of thread, color co-ordinated).

These were easy and FAST! I only had two balls on hand so I will be stopping by the dollar store later this weekend. (Yes, I realize how bad that sentence sounds-no pun intended) Be good readers!

Send me your photos or links to your creations! Can't wait to see them! :) OR, if you feel you would not want to make these but can not live without them, I have some in my esty shop. Check it out! :)

More Photo Box Love

I am totally in love with these photo boxes. My next project is still a work in progress. I need to buy more boxes for this to be complete. 

My new use for photo boxes: Shoe Boxes!

I replaced all of my shoe boxes with photo boxes in co-ordinating colors to make my closet look pretty, organized, and put together. I absolutely LOVE the look. I need a few more to make it complete. Unfortunately, the hubs size 13 shoe is much to big to fit into the box. Darn. I told I him I had to cut the toes off of all his shoes to make my closet look pretty. He wasn't too keen on the idea. I said it was all in the name of beauty and his reply was, only women are that insane! :-) I almost fell over laughing, cuz it's so true!!

Again, I forgot "before" photos. But you can enjoy my "afters".

I love this because I can label each box with the shoe, if I need to change them out, just make a new label! Easy Peasy!

That chandy there next to the boxes is awaiting a home, well, rather, is awaiting the hubs to hang it in it's new home. I don't trust myself to hang it so it won't come crashing down on top of my head. I have two of them and I can't wait till they are up! :)

Send your photo box uses my way, I love seeing how you put them to use.

OJ, AJ, MK, CN...

Those would be the new nick names my son gave for our drinks. :-) 

He is also the son who, when asked what he wanted for Christmas replied, Graduated Cylinders, Volumetric Flasks and Beakers. No Lie!

He is the one who wonders why he has to have "2 goofy parents"

He is the one who has to be serious ALL the time

His favorite show is "How it's made''

His favorite color is Orange

He is currently building a "Science Lab" in his bedroom

He just turned '7'!!!  :D

I love when they pick THIS for dessert!

More Organizing Tools

In my quest to achieve maximum organization throughout my home (Ha!) I recently made-over the craft cabinet. I purchased a few bins from the $$$ store and amazing things happened!  Unfortunately, I forgot to take a before photo. But trust me, things were shoved, crammed, and falling out! Now it it (almost) pure bliss. We are getting a little to big to fit in this little cabinet. 

In this cabinet I keep all of the craft items the children do not need permission (or supervision) to get out. They have free reign here. And they like that. I have put together a list of child friendly items that are perfect for them to get out on a rainy, bored, snowy day. 

• Construction Paper
  
• Paper plates
  
• Dried beans (split peas are my fav. My grandmother always had those for me)
  
• Pipe cleaners
  
• Glue sticks and Elmers glue
  
• Paper lunch bags
  
• Craft kits (martha stewart are good-so are foam craft kits from Michael's)
  
• Clay, plastic knives, toothpicks (i don't leave play-doh in there b/c that need supervision!) :-)
  
• Coloring books, crayons (I just purchased the twist-ups from Crayola-Love em!!!)
  
• Foam stamps and washable markers (Have them rub the stamps with markers instead of ink pads)
  
• Pencils, rulers, erasers, notebook paper
• Stickers, foamies, gems
• Washable water colors, water color paper
• Child friendly scissors
• Tissue paper and crepe paper (great for "stained glass and making flowers)
• Popsicle sticks
• Child's Smock!

I hope this list helps and inspires you to create a cabinet of fun! If you have other items you use please share. And enjoy my "after" photos.

Tomorrow I will be showing you what else I used those photo boxes for. I love it and I am so excited! 

I am In Love with these bins from the $$$ store!

They really hold alot!

This little guys came in handy-pk of 3 from $$$ store

See, getting to big. But it works. Ha, see that jar of play-doh I don't allow, ya, um, so, I have no clue how it got there.

My heart on a string

I found an adorable Valentine's Day Craft idea from Martha.

Here is my 1st version. I used some scrap paper I had just in case I messed it up. This was soooo super simple and easy to create. How darling would these look with some *hugs and kisses* filled to the brim.

Please share your creations, I would love to see what paper you use! :) Enjoy.

I plan on making these for the boys teachers this year. I think they will enjoy them. 

Dollar Store Craftiness

I was at the $$$ store the other day purchasing some items for my Sunday School V-Day party when I came across this adorable little place mat. I just loved the pattern but I knew I would never use it on my table. 

So of course the wheels start turning, and I am wondering how I can have this adorable piece of fabric in my home, and what I can I do with it?

Ah Ha! A has been wanting an apron of her very own, so, why not? Just a few little stitches and it's done. The hem has already been sewn so this project is Easy Peezy Lemon Squeezy!

Gather your place mat, ribbon, pins, needle, and thread (or sewing machine-mine is in need of repair)

Position the ribbon so that it feed through and will be able to tie in the back

Not too bad, she likes it and I only spent 10 minutes on it.

See how it wraps around her neck and ties in the back. Very Simple!

If you have or plan to make one, please share. I would love to see how you do this, or anything you create!

I heart Photo boxes

I have been wanting to do this post for quiet some time, but with the last few weeks of being sick, I haven't done much of anything. Everyone is finally starting to feel better and I had the motivation to finally tackle this project. 

Of course, with a new year comes new goals and ideas. One of those for me was to make sure everything I own has a "home".  My linen closet was getting seriously out of hand. In comes the wonderful photo box to save the day!

I have photos available for your pleasure, though the before is nothing pleasurable. If you have never organized with these boxes, I strongly urge to start now! It's really funny because I would have normally just said, "oh, photo boxes, well I have albums for that!" But when I saw these in the store (on sale *Grand Opening* for 5 for $4) I had to have them. I knew I would find some use for them. As I was driving home a thought occurred to me, I could use these to stash all of my junk and make it look really pretty. *Another thought jumped into my head and I will share that one with you tomorrow*. 

So sit back, enjoy the photos and let your creative juices flow. The uses for these are ENDLESS!!! 

BEFORE

BEFORE

BEFORE

BEFORE

*See, pretty scary! Also, you can see that I have a linen closet the size of a shoe box. Nothing like the wonderful bedroom sized closets that Martha has!

And now, on to the real delight!

AFTER

AFTER

SUCH CALM

AND SO MUCH SPACE!

Now I just need to make sure the hubs and children don;t just throw things in there. Who am I kidding... I need to make I don't just toss stuff in there.

Don't forget to show me your transformations! I can't wait to see what you use to hide all of your items.

French Memo Board II

I have created another Easy French Memo Board, this one is for my daughter. I spent a little more time on this one, as in, an extra minute, because I added batting to this. 

What you need:

• Bulletin Board
  
• Fabric (preferably clearance stuff)
  
• Ribbon
  
• Stapler
  
• Batting
  
• Buttons (optional)
  
• push-pins
  

To see how to make this, see my Tutorial over  there ---->

It's Super Simple and Easy to make. Feel free to ask any questions, sometimes I can be a bit tutorial challenged.

Now that you have all of your items together, get creatin'! Show me what you made, I always love to see what you crafty people come up with. :)

Projects

I would like to share with you a few projects I have been working on. Things have been pretty slow moving for me recently. Last week C was sick and now this week A has been sick. I am now coming down with something and I am praying that the Hubs doesn not get "it". Whatever "it" is.

I have been wanting to create more counter space, mostly out of necessity, and came up with a great idea! I had these Gorgeous containers from Pier One and LOVED them so very much. But they were taking up way to much space. I couldn't afford to go buy new ones and everything at the thrift stores were so old and outdated. 

So, I decided to create my own. If I have not confessed my love for spray paint before, let me do so now... I Looooveit! 

For $.85 I was able to get three new containers! How you ask? Let me show you...

(((drum roll please)))

I purchased those tin canisters you can get with treats in them. I already had the spray paint and chalkboard paint. There were so many of these things at the thrift store. In all different shapes and sizes. The third one I haven't done yet but will soon. Don't you just love those colors? My dear friend gave me some Chalkboard markers (like Starbucks uses) for Christmas. I heart these things so much!! 

3 Canisters for counter: $.85

White spray paint: On hand

Chalkboard paint: On hand

Time spent painting and creating: 20min

More counter space: PRICELESS!

Show some of your little make overs. I would love to see them!

**Added to say: These chalk markers can be found at any craft store such as Michael's, A.C. Moore, Hobby Lobby, etc.

p.s.

if this post seems a little fuzzy and muddled, that because my head is fuzzy and muddled. at least i took the time to go over my mispellings. otherwisr it would have looked lie this <-----

Crafty Crow Giveaway

Check out the Crafty Crow for a great giveaway. I sure hope I win this one!! :-) Enter by midnight of the 25th. Winner will be picked on the 26th.