New Project!

Hobby Lobby had 50% off ribbon and inspiration struck! I am going to try making a ribbon bunting for St. Patrick's. 

Valentine's Window Garland

 

l love the pom-pom garland I made for Valentine's. I used four different colors of yarn, white, light pink, medium pink & fuchsia; and wrapped the yarn around a wine bottle about 100 times for each pom-pom. This is a great task to do while watching Dowton Abby.

Valentine's Bunting

I figured out how to cut felt and regular material using my Circuit machine. There are several things that needs to be done in order to get a clean cut. The following are tips:
           1. Use the super sticky PURPLE cutting mat & use ONLY for cloth.
           2. Dedicate a blade for material. I gave a deep cut, for thick felt, and regular. I keep these in my sewing drawer.
          3. Use a stabilizer. I tried three different types, Pellon  regular Wonder-Under, Pellon Craft-Fuse iron-on Craft Backing & Heat n Bond Ultahold. They all worked well but I prefer the Ultrahold as ut was the most user friendy. 
          4. Iron on stabilizer as directed, remove backing BEFORE putting on Circuit mat or else you will have a HUGE mess. If using ultrahold you will not need to add any other backing as it is double sided. 
        5. Start with the bottom later first. Ex: I ironed the felt hearts onto the burlap then ironed the printed material hearts onto the felt hearts. If you use a double sided stabilizer and reverse the order you will bond the second layer to your ironing board!

It is fast and easy!! Can't wait to get started on my St. Patty's crafts!!

Happy New Year!!

I hope everyone had a wonderful Holiday and best wishes for 2015. Tim and I actually stayed up to usher in the New Year, this is the first time in a decade! What do you all do on New Year's Eve? I am creating New Years cards to send out to family and friends and making more mini albums.

Here is one of the many mini-albums I made.

This is a 6x6 fold out album that has spots for about 20 photos.

Pages 2 & 3 

Pages 3, 4 & 5.

Pages 5, 6 & 7.

Pages 7 & 8.

Pages 9 - 15. 

We Had A Wonderful (sort of) Christmas

The Christmas festivities started with a broken phone and mangled fingers. I thought "Oh Lord save me if this is how Christmas will be!". Luckily all went well after Friday night, the 19th.

I went to Ikea, and while taking out my wallet to pay for my ice cream, my phone went end over end about 8 feet into the air, flew over a barrier and smashed on the floor just out of reach. This all occurred in slow motion, the girls behind the counter gasping and covering their mouths, the guy behind me grunting and leaning over to track the phones progress and myself trying to jump, reach, kick and unseemly slide across the floor to get to my phone; to no avail. I have been without a phone since Friday December 19th and it's killing me, how did we live without them??? I had an even bigger shock when I got home. My husband was lying on the bed with his hands all bloody. If you are squeamish don't look.

W

He sliced his fingers on both hands! Yes it was quite deep and too much skin was removed so no stitches, just flushing twice a day and applying triple antibiotic ointment. I told him I had to take all his gifts back because he couldn't open them. He laughed. This Friday it will be two weeks and he can now bend them! Thank God! 

On Friday the 26th we went to Palm Springs to visit my beautiful cousin and aunt. They were in town from Oregon and Arizona, respectively. On Saturday we went to Idyllwild to play in the snow. We didn't find snow so instead we went on a hike and has a picnic.

What a beautiful view!!

No snow but perfect weather for hiking, in the 30's.

My youngest, Brian, contemplating life.

My older boys eating lunch. My son Matt bought himself that Elmer Fudd hat in town. He wears it all the time now, funny kid.

My cousin 

New Project

I love, love, love these!! I saw this on Pinterest & hot the itch. So easy. I asked a few people for old bulbs, brushed glue onto them (with a sponge), then sprinkled glitter on  them. I used an old egg carton to dry I them.

Finished light bulbs in my new glass bowl from Michaels.

Closer view.

Could I get closer?

I used Mod Podge with a sponge brush & put them in an upside down egg carton to dry.

For best results seal them so the glitter doesn't come off.

Christmas card five years ago. 

I stamped the images than watercolored them, using watercolor pencils. The stamps and paper are from Close to my Heart.

Christmas, Christmas and More Christmas

I have been Christmas shopping, Christmas decorating, listening to Christmas music, and Christmas crafting every day for the last two weeks. Let's just say I overdosed on Christmas and call it quits. My wonderful cousin, Michelle, will be down from Oregon to celebrate the holidays with us, woohoo!

Today I spent several hours trying to find all of the recent photos I have taken but to no avail (don't you hate that?). So I snapped a few this afternoon.

Christmas cards:

An old card (5x7) but I still love this snowman stamp. 

This small card (3x4) is perfect for a gift card.

One of this year's Christmas cards (3x8). Santa is from the Cricut. 

Current Christmas card (3x8). I used the Cricut for the Elf.

Last year's card. I saw this stamp while perusing at Hobby Lobby & instantly knew what to do. Does this happen to anyone else?

Fast last minute card using an embossing plate.

For all of my Disney lovers. I used the Cricut to make Pluto.

Cricut again.

I love simple cards. This was made using a stamp and embossing powder, glitter and the Cricut for the Noel.

I sent this to my sister-in-law, as she has cats! 

Christmas mini album

This is a 6x6 mini album that holds up to 20 photos.

Page 1 and 2

Pages 1, 3 & 4

Pages 4, 5 &6

Pages 6 & 7

Pages 8 - 14

I have also made a gingerbread bunting I will post tomorrow.

Good night!