Category Archives: Uncategorized

May6

new craft room table…

Posted on by
new craft room table…

My dad has a phrase that he likes to use… “It was too good of a deal to pass up!”  That is exactly what this was.  $20.00 and 2 leaves.  It’s about 8′ long.  I love it.  Crafting and updating is was a ton of fun and a project that kept me busy for the week.

Here is the before:

Here is the after results:

I painted it pale pink and decopauged the heck out of the top then sealed it with lacquer.  I have already broken it in with some fun crafting and scrapping projects.  I think it will work out fantastically!!

 

Apr5

it is finally done – my new crafty space…

Posted on by
it is finally done – my new crafty space…

or as the boys are calling it – “the lounge.”

As some of you might know, my craft room is in our furnace room.  Not exactly a great space.  I have two tiny windows, a water heater, and a furnace, as well as pipes from the upstairs bathroom (I can hear anytime anyone uses the restroom…)  It is definitely not fancy – that’s for sure.

Last year, in an attempt to make it prettier, I had my dad help me hang some fun Ikea chandeliers, with full intentions of redoing the room.  Then, while I was on a trip last spring, we got water through a basement door that subsequently flowed into my room.  The lousy carpet that was already in here had to be cut out in weird places and Matt in an effort to save what he could tossed stuff into corners and shoved this here and that there…  Until this week I have been working out of a mess…

The walls were either painted an odd beige or were such old unfinished wall board that they had turned a shade of beige that matched the painted cement ones.  It was drab and dirty and dreary and less than inspiring.  I had gotten really good at trying to carve a path to get what I needed and then take it upstairs to work at the kitchen table.  My computer was in another room, basically unused, and nothing at all was organized which, for me, is painful.

So, for spring break I had a plan to work on updating the room.  It took 2 days longer than I had hoped, but it is finally done.  I would now even let me friends come over to craft (hint hint!!)

Here’s what we did:

  • Painted the cement walls bright white.
  • Installed new Ikea shelves that I got as Christmas presents from Matt’s parents and mine.
  • Installed my new Olivia sewing cabinet (soooo in love with it!) from Arrow Sewing Cabinets here in WI
  • Sorted and purged -  A LOT!!!!
  • Organized every drawer and cubby
  • Decopauged the nasty old drywalled walls with Vintage Marketplace papers by Margie (hope she doesn’t mind I took them in a whole different direction…) along with vintage music and book page and sewing patterns in the sewing corner…
  • Added an old loveseat from my mom and dad (bought an inexpensive slip cover)
  • Made covers for the existing garage storage units to pretty them up a bit.
  • Added curtains around the essentials and non-movables of the room (furnace and water heater) – and, don’t worry, they are plenty far away so they don’t cause a fire hazard.
  • Pulled out all of the remaining carpet

 

So, now that is all done, organized, and clean, it is time for me to break it in and get my craft on… just not sure where to start – I found all sorts of fun stuff I forgot I had when I was cleaning!  I see some great craftiness in my future!

Happy crafting!!

Mar27

so very lucky…

Posted on by
so very lucky…

I am beyond lucky.  I am blessed.  I have 2 super amazing little boys that make my life full of moments. 

There are certain times of the year, however, that their unique personalities shine a bit more.

One of those times is St. Patrick’s Day.

My boys, but especially Jacob, love this day and plan what they are going to wear for weeks in advance.  Trips are made to Old Navy and Target.  Hats are bought.  Light-up pins are bought.  And, yes, green moustaches are bought.

When it is all said and done, they typically draw a small crowd in public, which is what I think makes them go bigger every year if I am to be honest – they have learned they are cute and can draw some attention…  Yup.  My kids.

So, even though it was more than a week ago, here are the final pics of the kids on SPD…

Mar24

fiskateer blog hop

Posted on by
fiskateer blog hop

***Welcome to the Fiskateers Spring Blog Hop.  You should have come from

 Ladydoc Karen 2858 www.karenscorneroftheweb.blogspot.com

If you are hopping into the middle of our blog hop and you are a Fiskateer, you can start here www.fiskateers.com.

If you are thinking a “Fiskawhat?”, you should know that Fiskateers (www.fiskateers.com) is an online community of craftiness (paper crafts, sewing, gardening, etc.) all based around our love and appreciation of Fiskars (think orange-handled scissors to start).  There is a blog, gallery, and message board led by four lovely Lead Fiskateers who along with the other Fiskateers are fabulous at getting creativity flowing via chats, challenges, on-line crops, and interviews with other crafty celebrities.  If you would like to join in the inspiration of  Fiskateers, or would like to learn more, you can email Tami (one of the Lead Fiskateers) at tami@fiskateers.com.  Then, join in the fun at the beginning,  www.kellystarsallthingscrafty.blogspot.com for a complete list of blog hop stops.

We’ll be hopping all weekend , March 24th  and 25th  to welcome spring!  

The blog hop officially ends on Sunday March 25th at 11pm CST.

Some Fiskateers are offering sur-prizes…check their directions carefully to participate.***

***Thanks for hopping by…next stop is… Courtney 8459 (and Shelley 8356)   www.youwillwontyou.blogspot.com

Now…  a spring card using a Fiskars Jenni Bowlin Butterfly punch…

Leave a comment and I will send out a little Jenni Bowlin goodness!

Feb8

stop. breathe. pray.

Posted on by
stop. breathe. pray.

This was my mantra a while back.  Somewhere along the way, it has gotten lost.  There are times in our lives that we can stop and savor every moment, minute, smile, smell, and hug.  These times are often too few and far between in the hectic world that we all currently live in.  At least I have felt that way lately.

I used to laugh at the analogy of the hamster on wheel, but lately I can very quickly and easily relate to that feeling! 

Now, I don’t normally blog about my beliefs, religion, etc… but lately I have been lost, running a race that never ends, and sometimes stopping and remembering the foundations you were raised on can help to ground you.  At least it works for me… so, bear with me on this post.

Recently I was asked to take part in a Bible Study at church.  I have never been in a Bible Study and haven’t been in a faith-based class since college.  I had no idea what this would be.  Needless to say it is much more intense than I expected.  As of today it includes 40 straight days of a prayer journal that includes assigned readings, activities, and reflection, along with prayer.  Immediately I thought – “I don’t have time for this!!!!”  Then I took a breath, and thought, “No, seriously – I don’t have time for this!!!!” 

After that initial reaction, and a deeper breath, I had this feeling that it was a sign that I need to slow down.  I need to take time – even a few moments here and there – to make sure that I am connected, REALLY connected to my life, my family, my kids.  I have realized, over the first two weeks of this study, that while I have made a conscious effort to really spend time with the kids and to engage with them everyday – over a story, a snuggle, or a moment – that maybe, while my body and words were there, my brain was actually making a list of what needed to get done next.  Now I am more wholly engaged – not just physically there, but every bit there in a way I might not have always been in the past. Over the last two weeks, I am stopping.  I am breathing.  And, yes, I am praying.

I am hopeful that this 40 day journey, which started bright and early this morning, will maybe help me to continue to become more connected during those brief moments and that I will learn more about my family, what truly matters to me, and how to better handle life and all of the craziness that it can exude.

Then again, I could be a miserable failure.

Only time will tell which one comes true…

And now back to your regularly scheduled web surfing…

Feb1

another scissors giveaway!

Posted on by
another scissors giveaway!

Ok – time for another giveaway to help celebrate the 45th Anniversary of Fiskars Orange Handled Scissors (again – I work from them…)

I will pick a winner next Monday (the 6th) for a three-pack of scissors:

  • Our Original Orange Handled Scissors
  • Our Orange Handled Micro-tip Scissors
  • Our Original Scissors with my new favorite zebra handle!!!

 

To win, you need to register your email address in the box to the right – over here —————>>>>>>

This will get you into our auto email system to let you know when the newest blog posts go live and hopefully of some great other stuff in the future!

Remember, you have until Monday the 6th!

Feb1

project 365

Posted on by
project 365

Now, for those of  you that know me, you know that it is a big BIG HUGE deal for me to commit to something everyday for a year.  I decided that this year, however, I could commit to doing a picture a day – it can’t be that hard.  Thanks to my iPhone, it has been actually much easier than I thought it would be.

I started out January, just taking one picture a day and then joined Instagram and started to post them there.  As the month rolled on, I realized that some people have special challenges each day.  So for February, I will be adding that in as well.

So – Here are the challenges for February that I will be doing…

And, I started adding my pics to a Flikr account, which is now on my sidebar.  In addition, here is the slideshow that shows my first 32 days of the year…  not that it matters much to anyone but me, but I thought I would share.

If I can do this, trust me, anyone can!!!!

 

Jan27

and the embarrassment continues… and a prize

Posted on by
and the embarrassment continues… and a prize

So, while I have definitely made strides in cleaning out my room – I can actually open the door and walk into the room!  – I am still embarrassed when I realize how bad it actually had gotten in there.

I have done a lot of work and have found a lot of supplies.  It is slightly terrifying when I realize that in this aspect of my life I might be a bit of a hoarder!  Boy do I love patterned papers!

So while this is still definitely embarrassing, it is getting better, slowly but surely. 

This weekend I plan on spending a good chunk of time continuing to work on cleaning, arranging, purging, and just making the room usable again.  Fingers crossed!

Now, since I am cleaning out, I feel it is only appropriate to share some of the goodness I have found with you!

So – in order to continue to celebrate the 45th Anniversary of the Orange Handled Scissors by Fiskars, I feel it only appropriate to give away a pair of those… and, I also have some great paper that I received from Fancy Pants - Love Birds - that is perfect for any Valentine goodness you might be working on!

 The Original Orange-Handled Scissors

Leave a comment here between now and Monday and I will draw a winner!

And, if you haven’t signed up for emails, be sure to look in the right column and sign up – you never know what might be coming later this year…

Happy Crafting!