Coming Back...

Hey all! So it has been a crazy few months but I have a list of projects I want to do and a bunch I need to post about!! I will be coming back in a few days!! :) Thanks :)

Firecrackers...

It is one of my favorite times of the year. I love the atmosphere...the colors...the patriotism...the family time...everything!! So I made a few 4th of July crafts to put up in my home! Here is one of the first ones!!

Firecrackers

Item's Needed:

3- 2x2 blocks (4, 6, and 8 inches)

Paint

Paint brushes

Sand paper

Embellishments

Wire

Hot glue/Hot glue gun

Step 1: Take your 3 different blocks and paint them. I did them Navy, Brick Red, & White. Let them dry thoroughly!

Step 2: After they have dried well distress them up! :)

Then take a pair of scissors and poke a small hole in the center of each top of the firecrackers.
Step 3: After your done sanding take some wire for the "wick" of the firecracker. I took some wire that I had in the tool box and just cut 3-4 in. pieces and wrapped it around a pen to curl it.

Step 4: Hot glue the "wicks" into your little holes you poked.

Step 5: Embellish them up!! :) I used paper for stars, ink, buttons, glass rocks, & sequins!!

Step 6: Set them on your mantel, entertainment center, a shelf....anywhere!! Enjoy :)

Here is a peek at my front entry shelf!! I love love love the colors! :)

Simple Reminder...

I need simple reminders in my life. Little sayings or little pictures or such to help me through the days that may be tough! So I was creating a vinyl quote for a friend of mine and after creating part of it I fell in love with it! So I threw in on a board and have it on a tile stand to see everyday! Here is what I did :)

Item's Needed:

1-1x10x10

Paint

Paint brush

Sandpaper

Vinyl Quote

Black material

Rhinestones

Ink

Step 1: Paint your 1x10x10 with the color of your choice. I used a tan color! Let it dry very thoroughly!

Step 2: Take your board and sand the edges down really well....using your ink you can distress it up! :)

Step 3: Place your vinyl on where you want and press it on.

Step 4: Make 3 rosettes out of your material of choice...I used just plain black material. Hot glue them on underneath the quote and glue the rhinestones on as well.

Step 5: Hang it up or put it on a tile stand and Enjoy!

Love it!! :) Simple Reminders....

Dad's Day...

It's a special day today...to remember and to be thankful for them! We are celebrating Baseball style! :) My hubby loves him some New York Yankees and so when I found this over at {Less Cake More Frosting} I was tickled pink!! :) I printed it right away and got it set in a frame. :) We are doing a few other things with this and the kiddos have there own little surprise for a baseball themed dinner for him! :)

Remember to love on your Dad's today and to be so thankful for them!! :) HAPPY FATHER'S DAY to all the wonderful dad's out there :)

Graduation Gifts...

Well it is well past graduation but I thought I would share these for any of you who know someone who will graduate sometime and will need a gift! :) My baby sis graduated and then one of my YW from our ward! So I came up with a cute and fun little gift for a new dorm room or just as a reminder of there senior quote! Here is what I did :)

Item's Needed:

1- 1x10x10

Paint of your choice

Paintbrushes

Vinyl Quote

Material

Rhinestones

Hot Glue/Hot Glue Gun

Sand Paper

Step 1: Take your 1x10x10 and paint it with the paint color of your choice! :) While that drys well you can get your vinyl quote ready.
Step 2: After your board has dried very well take your sand paper and distress up the board and the edges.
Step 3: Apply your vinyl quote
Step 4: Make 3 medium sized rosettes and hot glue them underneath the quote. Also glue on the rhinestones to the rosettes.
Step 5: Wrap it in some cellophane with some cute ribbon and a coordinating card and give away! :) They will love it :)

My Sister's board- Her Senior Quote :)

A fun quote for our YW who graduated!! :)

My Organizing Efforts...

Well Hello!!!! Whew it has been a long time since I have been around these parts!! :) I took a much needed break, I crafted here and there but really just lost my umph to craft and come up with new things! But anyway...I am back! I have some fun new projects and new ideas! So if I have anyone that even follows here anymore let me know your there!! :)

Lately I have been feeling really unorganized...in cleaning and maintaining my home. I felt so overwhelmed doing it all in one day, but didn't want to do it just this day or that day, with meetings and work schedules it was just crazy! So I came up with this handy dandy cute little dry-erase board that has solved me problem! :) Here is how I made it!! :)

Dry-Erase Organizing Board

Item's Needed:

1- cheap frame (Mine is from Walmart for $3)

Vinyl Days and lines to seperate

Burlap

Buttons

Hot Glue/Hot Glue gun

Step 1: Cut your vinyl for the glass....I just measured out for 6 different spaces and that guessed on the size for the lettering and lines. If you don't have the vinyl you could measure them out and draw them on the glass with a permanent marker and write in the days!

Step 2: Take the glass and everything out of the frame. Place your vinyl on the glass! Put the glass back in the frame and before you close it measure and cut a piece of burlap to put behind your glass. You could also do a cute paper or material behind it!! :)

Step 3: Close your frame and turn around! :) Make some rosettes out of burlap and using your hot glue gun glue them to the corner. If you want you can glue some buttons on as well!

Step 4: Take a dry erase marker and write in what you want done on certain days and hang it up on the wall :)

Example:

Monday- Dusting, Laundry

Tuesday- Organize and Clean (ex. Fridge/cupboards), Vaccum

Wednesday- Sweep/Mop, Rugs/Laundry

Thursday- Bathroom, etc...etc..

That way I was doing something each day and maintaining but not feeling like all I did all day was clean. I juggle it around if things come up and I just do it first thing in the morning so we have the rest of the day. I do dishes everyday and vaccum most everyday but you get the idea!! Hopefully that helps somebody out there to be more organized. It is hard being a working momma with meetings, life, kids and everything that goes with it and maintaining a home :) Good Luck!! :)

{Drab to Fab}

I found this cute little jewelry box at the DI for 1 buck!! Love a good deal!!! So I took this baby home and did a nice sanding job and painted it all black. We distressed it up and then added some cute little vinyl flowers to the top. Sis loves it and she now has a place for all of her little bracelets and necklaces :) Love finding drab things and turning them into fabulous creations!!! :)

Happy {Love} Day!!!

(image via google image)

Hope you are all having a wonderful

Valentine's Day!!

Love to all my followers and readers!!

{Love} Tour...

I'm going to take you all on a virtual {Love} tour of the V-day decor in my house!! I don't have as much as I do for other holidays....But I love the pinks and reds!! So let's get started!!!


First stop...my fake mantel....my Fantel! (top of my entertainment center!) Here is the last V-day board I did a few days ago. It says "I love you a bushel and a Peck and a hug around the Neck!" Tutorial to follow soon!!! :)

Next is the other side of the "fantel". My valentine stackers {Love} them!!! Then a few stuffed hearts from last years V-day! Tutorial is on the right side bar of the blog :)
Hangin on my wall is this Super cute board!! I found this puppy at DI for a whole 50 cents!!! I was so excited when I found it!! :)

Then to my entryway shelf! My favorite spot to decorate!!! Filled with refurbished black candles courtesy of a yard sale!! The "Bee" Mine Set....some more stuffed hearts and a lovely filled hurricane jar!!

Hurricane jar...filled with Valentine candy corn!! I found it and had to have it :) So fun! Then some kisses in between and a white candle to top it off :) Sitting at the base are some more stuff hearts!!

"Bee" Mine set!! Love this set! The tutorial is a few posts below this!! So easy and fun to make :)

Candy corn covered styrofoam ball and a simple white candle with some red and pink ribbon around it.

My "HOME" set that I ordered from a lady!! The "O" changes out each month to be something different!! Lots of fun!

Next.....Hugs and Kisses! I made this last year around V-day!! Super easy and cheap...all 2x4's! Tutorial is on the right side bar of the blog!

{Love} blocks, also made last year for V-day!!! I love the brick red in it! Tutorial is also on the right side bar!!

My sweet hubby gave this to me awhile ago and it is so fitting for this Holiday!! :) Love it!!!

On our way out you will see this super cute refurbished wreath!! Tutorial on the right side bar of the blog under "valentines"

Hope you enjoyed our tour today!! Come again soon for the next Holiday!!!!

{Love Tour}

Valentine Stacker...

I have been trying to use up a bunch of my scrap wood...(my pile is taking up a large section of the garage) :) So....I went out and looked at what I had and came up with this project! :) I love how it turned out...although the colors I'm still not sure! But it looks cute on my shelf!!! So here is how I did it!

{Valentine Stacker}

Item's Needed:

3 pieces of wood these are 2x2's I believe- 6in, 8in, & 10in.

Paint (3 colors)

Paint Brush

Sandpaper

Ink

Vinyl words

Wire

Picture

Step 1: Take your 3 pieces of wood and paint them with your 3 colors of paint!

Step 2: Let them dry really well
Step 3: Using your sandpaper and ink...distress the heck outta them!! :)

Step 4: Take your transfer tape and vinyl and apply your words to the 3 blocks.

Step 5: Take your wire and wrap it twice around all 3 blocks and then twist it at the top.

Make little "swirls" on top (2) like so:

Step 6: Find a cute pic of you and your sweetheart, or your sweetheart kiddos and put it in the swirls :)

Set it on your shelf and enjoy!! :) {LOVE} it!!!!

{Valentine Stacker}

{Bee} Mine...

{Love} Day is just around the corner! Man this month is flying by!! I love Valentine's day for many of reasons. I {love} making little things for my kiddos and daycare kiddos and I love the pinks and reds!:) So the other day I was diggin through my pile of scraps! I found 5 different sized blocks and came up with this {Bee} Mine project. Now I'm not extremely fond of the little "bee" I did above the "I" but..oh well you win some you lose some! All in all in turned out pretty cute! So this is how I did it:

{Bee} Mine

Items Needed:

5 different size blocks of wood (honestly couldn't tell you the measurements) :)

Paint

Sandpaper

Paint brush

Vinyl

Embellishments

Paper to make your "Bee"

Mod Podge

Ink

Step 1: Take your 5 blocks and figure out how you want to stand them...I played with mine a few different ways and decided on a set up. Then decide what colors of paint you want to do!

Step 2: Paint your blocks the different colors you want. The two colors of pinks were mixed pinks and reds and whites! They turned out that color so I went with it :)

Step 3: After they dry very thoroughly..sand and ink your edges all up!

Step 4: Take your vinyl letters and place them onto the blocks

Step 5: Embellish (My favorite part) :)

Step 6: Make your bee...I just cut a small oval-ish shape for the body, some stripes out of a different color of pink, then a head and some wings...inked it up and mod podged it all together and onto the block!

Step 7: Set them up and display!! Yay! So cute :)

Chores...

Chores can be boring, chores can be a punishment (to some)! But if you make it "fun" and with an inticement it seems to be more fun and done with less complaining!! SO....my kiddos have all pretty much reached the age of being able to help with simple things ie...dusting, helping fold laundry, cleaning up toys (organizing), making there own beds...and so on. So I had an extra piece of sheet metal and came up with this Chore Chart!!

{Chores}

Item's Needed:

1 piece of sheet metal

3- 2 sets of scrapbooking paper that coordinating ( Because I have 3 kiddos)

Circle clear rocks (for lack of a better term) They are pictured! :)

Mod Podge

E6000

Circle Magnets

Pen
Scissors

Cliparts of the types of Chores

Cardstock

Printer

Word Document

Vinyl for their names

Basket

Dollar Items

Step 1: Lay your sheet metal down flat and measure how long you want each child's section of "Chores" to be! (See Pictures to see how I cut and laid them out)

Step 2: Trace your "Clear circle rocks" onto the 3 different scrapbook papers and cut them out.

Step 3: Using E6000 glue glue the front side of the paper to the back side of the rock...it will "magnify" it so it is bigger. After they dry E6000 the circle magnets to the paper and rock. :)

Step 4: Using Mod Podge glue all your scrapbook paper down to the sheet metal (pictured below)
Step 5: Also using Mod Podge glue your "chore clipart" to each childs chore section. The way I placed the vinyl is as follows. Their name was on the left side running vertical to their "section" if that makes sense. Then I did a "Done" section (shown below) where they put their magnets after they have completed the chore. Then I did a Points Section to the right of the chore Clipart.

Step 6: Now I implemented this from the IDEA ROOM blogspot and use it with my chore system and it has worked beautifully!! :) They have a SUPER card, AWESOME card, WARNING card, CONSEQUENCE card, and POINT cards. They get Point cards 1 point or 3 points (per chore) depending on how well they do the chore and if they were asked or reminded. The Super cards are given if they do their chores without being asked and if they do extra stuff. (They are not required to but it is a little incentive). Awesome cards are just to remind them how awesome they are doing :) Warning and Consequences are obviously them not completing and having to be reminded and reminded. I made these on a word document, printed them and had them all laminated. Each child has a little bag under their "Points" section and I will put there points and super cards in there at the end of the day. They always get SO excited to see how many they get and count them out! :)

Step 7: The Shopping Cart: A basket filled with odds and ends of Dollar Store items. Puzzles, coloring books, cars, babies, stickers, candy, fruit snacks and so on. I have used colored dots to "price" each item so they know how many points they have to have to buy something. Every Saturday they get to go shopping and purchase 1-2 things from the cart! They LOVE it!!! :)

Step 8: Hang it on your wall, pantry door etc as long as it is within your kiddos reach and each morning move their magnets to the chores they are to complete for the day. They do their usual teeth, get dressed, make bed stuff and then I add a few extras. Then I let them go check it out and remind them that I have moved their magnets so they are good to do them whenever. It has been a huge hit in our home. The kiddos LOVE to do it and best of all it helps there momma with little things and they are learning to help!!! Good Luck!!

{Chores}

......

Happy New

Year!!!

Thanks to all my wonderful followers and commenters!! Here is to a great 2011!!! :)