Blessed Christmas Wishes to you and yours!

Homemade Holidays - the gifts! Part 3

Scarves, scarves, scarves...I have only finished 2 so far. Hope to get some more done before time is up!!!

These were so much fun to make and weren't too difficult either. I hope the recipients love them too! Maybe I can get the ladies to model them after they are opened!

Homemade Holidays - the gifts - Part 2

Miss Alexis is the princess in our family - the only girl, surrounded by boys! I love that I am her Godmother and I love that I can make girly things for her!!! She just started dance lessons - so I thought she definitely needed a little bag to carry her ballet shoes in.

I started with some soft fine-wale corduroy. I have been making bags and purses for several years, so I didn't use a pattern, I just started cutting. I used an image from the Graphics Fairy for the ballerina and added her initial to the bag (an iron-on, darn I wish santa would bring me an embroidery machine!!!) Of course the tulle around the top!

Here are some up close shots of the ballerina image. I added the tulle skirt and crystals for that little extra something!

Homemade Holiday - the gifts! Part 1

A pillow for Jackson! My nephew is a cowboys fan, God love him! It hurt my hands a little to touch this fabric, but I pushed through the pain and created this pillow for him as one of his Christmas gifts. This boy is an amazing kid - the struggles that he has had to endure and he has fought through make him an inspiration.

At four months old, Jackson contracted meningitis. We almost lost him - but he hung on and fought! He came away from that experience with some real challenges - loss of hearing, some brain damage and some real physical challenges...but that didn't stop Jackson.

This is a picture of Jackson this spring playing baseball for our Little League's Challenger division. He is an amazing kid, I love him dearly and this little pillow is just a small token of how much I love him! Jackson has a lot of struggles still to face and his health is a question every day - every sniffle can send him back to the emergency room - but he is a true fighter and a hero!

Thrift Store Treasures

When I saw this metal "scoop" just laying on the rack at our local Goodwill store, I understood why so many people had passed it by. Originally, it was painted a lovely mustard color...almost blindingly yellow. I wish I had remembered to take a picture so I could show a dramatic before and after - I just get so darned excited!

Anyway, I got this home and mixed some paints together to get the blue color I wanted. I painted and painted and painted - it took a few coats to hide that yellow! Once I got it covered and the paint dried, I used some antiquing stain to highlight the really cool details.

I am so happy with it! Can't you see a little bird making its home in that nest?

Homemade Holidays, Part 3

Sheet music, sheet music, sheet music...I know it was Miss Mustard Seed that started me on the hunt for sheet music. She has done some really amazing things with it! If you haven't checked out her blog yet, I highly recommend it! I think this wreath is the first sheet music thing I created. I started with a dollar store foam wreath - modge podge - and very sticky fingers! The sheet music that I used for this wreath was images I got from the Graphics Fairy - wow, another great site that you MUST visit!!!

After I got the sheet music (which I cut into thin strips to make it easier) glued on, I thought it needed a little something extra - so I added the flower, doily and feather - which were left overs I had laying around the ole craft room. I thought it went nicely with the NOEL frames, don't ya think?

Homemade Holidays Part 2

Yesterday I showed you the sheet music NOEL frames that I created for my 1 (so far!) holiday display. Today, I want to show off my toile candles. These were super easy to make - and because I got carried away, I didn't stop to take pictures of the process. There are many, many, many tutorials on how to make these candles - so don't stress! I purchased the candles and the tissue paper from Hobby Lobby. I started with the plain cream candle, cut the tissue paper to size, then grabbed the heat gun from my supply cabinet and went to work.

It really only takes a few seconds of the heat gun heating the paper to get a thin layer of wax to form around the tissue paper. I think i finished the two candles in less than 10 minutes. I love that they look great for the holidays - but the toile is not holiday specific and I can use them again later!!!

Homemade Holidays

So far, this is the extent of my holiday decorating. We have decided to install hard wood floors in the house - they come to install tomorrow!! Therefore, no tree, no decorations - as all the other rooms had to be emptied out to make way for the new floors!

I had to have some Christmas showing around the house so the chest in the hallway got the treatment. I am not sure that it will still look like that by the weekend when I have ample time and ability to decorate the whole house, but I am happy with it for now!

With the exception of the tablecloth, I "crafted" everything you see. I am going to start with the NOEL frame set. I bought the frames from Joann Crafts for $1 each. They might have even been on sale for less, I just don't remember. They had been sitting in my craft closet for quite some time. I used sheet music from an old hymnal that I picked up at the thrift store (which, by the way, is where I got the chest) and decopauged the sheet music pieces randomly all over the frame. I finished by hot gluing red velvet ribbon around the outside of the frame.
I cut out the N-O-E-L with my handy dandy cricut and used some scrap paper to fill in the back of the frames. I really like the way they turned out!

Pottery Barn Inspiration Hand Towel

When I saw the cute ticking strip hand towels in the Pottery Barn Catalog I knew I needed them...but, as with most item in the catalog - I could not justify paying for them! So, I made my own version. I think I may have mentioned before that I do not have an embroidery machine - so I knew that monogramming was out. Instead I used a vintage tea label graphic from the Graphics Fairy instead.

I like my version just fine!

Eeeek - Long time no post!

I hadn't even realized that it has been August since I have posted anything. Where have I been? I don't really have a good answer to that question...running around like a chicken with my head cut off?? Being the wife of a high school football coach can be tyring - and busy...especially when the season doesn't go as you had hoped! So, I guess that is where I have been. Dutifully sitting in the stands, cheering on the boys of fall - no matter the outcome!

The same goes as being a mother of a baseball loving son, playing travel baseball throughout the fall season. My weekends this fall consisted of attending a football game Friday night, hosting an after game coaches "pig out" at our home - which usually lasted late into the night. Then getting up before light on Saturday morning to drive to the baseball field - to cheer on the "boys of summer!" - once again no matter the outcome, and another trying season!

Not to forget the little guy (who is not so little anymore!) Being present at all of his football games and cheering my head off! Of the three - his team had the most success this season - they ended up coming in 2nd place! I watched my baby (who was the smallest on the team) - who was soooo timid last season turn into a real football player. Of course after he made a tackle - he was always checking the stands to make sure I had seen it!!!

So, I guess that is where I have been for the past few months. I did manage to squeeze a few crafts and projects in. Today, I am just going to relax and enjoy the moment - look back at the good times we had this fall. As a parting "shot" This is my baby - dressed as Gene Shalit for halloween!

Beautiful Mannequin

I have had a simple craft paper mannequin form in my craft room for about 5 years now. I always knew I wanted to do something with her - but was never quite sure what. Thanks to the wonders of the blogosphere, I discovered the Graphics Fairy and used vintage labels from her site to decopauge the heck out of this little beauty. I am so happy with how she turned out.

I added the pink flower just to spice her up a bit more.

Goodwill Treasures

I have big plans for this lovely piece. I picked this up for 50 whole cents! I see some spray paint in its future, don't you. I love the fact that it is made in the U.S.A. circa 1977! It had a "sister" at Goodwill, but she didn't have the flowers in the center and was definitely NOT as cute.

Isn't this little angel put sweet - it looks like he is blowing you a kiss! I think he may have been a dollar - possibly 2, but I couldn't resist.
The candlestick "in its original form" was a very dark and ugly wood color. A little spray paint and sandpaper was all it took to purty her up! The bucket was in the dollar bins at Michael's a while back. I covered it with moss ribbon and made the flower from white muslin.

Just a few things to make me happy, keep me busy, and keep me sane!

Simple girly artwork

I know I need to start every post with the disclaimer, "Why don't I have a little girl?" Well, I don't. Two boys - who are definitely ALL BOY! So, in order to claim my little piece of happiness, I create in my craft room - and generally create very girly things.

I created this very simple piece of artwork with one 10x10 canvas, 1 sheet of scrapbook paper and 16 small flowers.


I believe I got the canvases from Joann's - buy one get one and I know I picked up the scrapbook paper there for about 25 cents. The flowers were a close-out special last year from Stamping Up! I bought about 6 or 7 packs of them, knowing that someday I would put them to good use. Now, If I only had somewhere to hang this little cutie!

Lavender Sachets

What is all that racket? Oh, sorry, that was just me...sneezing my head off.

I love the way lavender smells. Fresh lavender is wonderful, but apparently sends me into violent sneezing fits!

I made the lovely sachet above using a piece of linen and an image I found on the net. The image was ironed on using ink-jet t-shirt transfer paper. After it was sewn and cooled I thought a little sparkle would dress it up just a bit more...so out came the crystal stickles. I love it! Here are a few more that I whipped up...

Ruffled Roses Inspiration

This shirt, found in the Soft Surroundings catalog, serves as the inspiration for a handy new little bag I made today. I got some mens shirtware inspired fabric from joann's and started cutting out the shape of the bag - and then started ripping strips for the roses. I like the first attempt - but think future bags might need to be a little smaller?? What do you think?

Baseball - the meaning of life?

Crafting has been seriously put on hold the past few weeks. My life has been at the baseball field. I really am one of those baseball moms. I travel from ball field to ball field and yell like hell for my kids - good, bad, ugly. The picture above is Cody getting ready to hit his third home run. 2nd for the season. So far this Spring season he has hit 4 whoppers over the fence. It is great - but not the be all end all for me. I think I feel so much more proud of him - in the dugout - on the bench getting his teammate riled up for the inning.

We have been trying to instill the feeling of leadership, sportsmanship, and love of the game in him rather than just being that kid who can go out and knock one over the fence (although - let's be honest, I am sure it feels pretty awesome. I think he is starting to get it. What it means to be a positive force on the bench. Bring your teammates up - not down. Jonathan is just starting to get into baseball - all the other baseball moms call him smiley. Jon doesn't care if he gets a hit, doesn't care if he crosses home plate - for him it is the little things. Getting his bat on the ball - no matter that it went foul and counts as a strike. When he makes contact, the smile on his face truly brings tears to my eyes.

I have only missed like one or two games in my kids baseball careers. I am the scorekeeper for both teams and I wouldn't change anything about it. I love it! I love it! I love it!

Do you remember the first time your child looked at you with pure joy and pride in their eyes? I do and I get choked up when I think about it. For Cody - he was about 3 1/2 and we were at the mall. They had one of those indoor playgrounds. His baby brother was about a month old and we had gone to grandma and grandpa's for a little break. Grandpa and I were at the mall watching Cody play on the giant pieces of fruit! The huge slice of watermelon was the one piece that Cody couldn't get up. He struggled and struggled and kept falling off. He never gave up! Finally after about 3o minutes of trying he finally pulled his chubby little legs up and stood on top of that watermelon - like he had just climed Mt. Everest. He looked at me with that look - and said "I did it Momma, I did it!"

For Jon - it was during his first flag football season. Jon is more about "fellowship" that being that star athlete. Coach found a good spot for him - he played center. He could be part of the action - but didn't need to be so intense. Well, toward the end of the season he was on defense and ran down the ball holder and finally got a hold of the flag. I will never, never forget the light shining from my son's face. It was like the heavens opened and God sent a sunbeam to little Jon. I can tell you that I was not the only one in the stand with tears in their eyes. If you looked up joy and pride in the dictionary - his face was there beaming. As he ran by he asked - "did you see me mom?"

Glitter in the air

I don't know about everyone else out there - but Pink's new song "Glitter in the Air" really gets to me. I heard it two or three times before I found out it was her. "Have you ever held your breath and asked yourself, will it ever get better than tonight?" She is usually know as such a rocker chick. Glad to know she isn't afraid to show her soft vulnerable side as well. I think I will sign off and go listen to the song again!

My very First Slipcover!

I have seen so many others out there in blog land making the cutest slip covers. I finally just decided to give it a go. I am a crafty person, I like to sew, I can make a slip cover, right???

I purchased some muslin from Joann Fabrics for $2.99 a yard (?) with a 40% off coupon - so the fabric was way cheap! I didn't follow a pattern, I just started cutting pieces of muslin and pinning it all together backwards. It took awhile but turned my boring, formerly green (now spraypainted black) ladderback chair into a real charmer~

I really didn't want the chair to get lonely, stuck in the corner by itself - so I whipped up this pillow to sit on top. I made the "roses" out of some ribbon - gathered along the bottom edge. It added just that something!

More Inspiration

When I saw this picture - I knew I had to replicate in my house, somehow, some way! This is one crafty home decor enthusiast - Her blog - Imperfectly Beautiful has some great things. Here is my inspiration:
While I love the browns and blues - it doesn't really jive in my living room. So I looked around at stuff I had in various rooms and the basement and this is what I have come up with:

When I "finished" (are we ever really finished) I decided it needed a little something extra. I am having a love affair with all things French lately and wanted the look of french linens. Well, you can't just waltz into Joann fabrics and get some french linens - you know! I have looked a little online and the real deal is way out of my league. So, I decided that a little muslin, some tape and red paint will give me the effect I wanted for about $3! I am happy with it (for now!)

Ballard Designs Inspired

I love Ballard Designs. I drool over the catalog when it comes in the mail. Just a special little gift from Mike the mailman. However, I don't know real people who can afford the stuff in there! Seriously - way too pricey. So, what's a girl to do? Improvise! I decided to give the jute covered bottles a go. I have seen others in the blogosphere do it, why can't I??


So, I started with an empty Bombay Gin bottle. Just happened to have a couple of them just laying around. Hmmm....I don't drink Gin! My hubby went to his 2nd home, The Home Depot Sunday morning and made the fatal mistake of asking me if I needed anything, like DUH! Just a little jute! Yes, I had to explain what jute was - he was like "Oh, you mean twine." Well sort of! He ended up coming home with sisal string - which I had to take back for JUTE - it was in the next bin over!!!

So, with a bottle of gin and a pack of jute - a glue gun and a free hour I got to getting and wrapped my bottle. I had a little piece of leftover blue satin ribbon from some other project and thought that the color worked nicely with the color of the bottle. The jewels hanging from the ribbon was actually a piece of an elastic bracelet that I picked up on clearance from Charming Charlies. There are 5 similar parts on my craft room floor waiting for me to do something with them! I really like how it turned out. I guess we need to have a couple more parties so I can get some more bombay gin bottles!!!

Thrift Store treasure

Funky, huh? I saw it at the thrift store and just knew I had to have it. Nothing a little spray paint and fabric couldn't fix?? I was just in one of those moods...make something new out of something old. I have been hooked on watching American Pickers and it just makes you want to go junking. Here are a couple more "before shots."


I ended up paying $45 for the chair - way more than I wanted too - but I knew if I left the chair in the store, I would regret it later. The money goes to the hospice, so it is all for a good cause. Are you ready for the makeover??? Check out this beauty!

Like it? Now tell me, why do I only have boys in my house??

Valentine's Day calls for something a little special!

How do you change a drab black purse into something totally fabulous (in my opinion at least!) Add a gorgeous flower!!! Here is the before of a purse in my closet:

It works - but gets a little boring, don't ya think?? Todd and I are going to a Valentine's Day dance - a first for us. We usually don't really celebrate, but what the heck, right? He was kind enough to take me to Talbot's today to look for a sweater to wear (he did wait outside in the truck - so I did have to hustle a little!) I found a cute red cardigan with rhinestone buttons and it was on sale! SCORE!!

So, I came home and started thinking about accessories - I love purses. No, seriously it is an addiction. I knew I had this cute little number in the "bin" but it just needed a little something. TADA:
I constructed this "flower" out of some red raw silk fabric I had laying around doing nothing! I hot glued a pin on the back and added it to the purse. I just love it!!! Here is a closer look at the flower. If you want to know how I made it, just let me know!

Ok! Enough posts for today! Happy Valentine's Day.

Denise