{THIS} and {THAT}

I am being featured....

2011-11-15T17:10:00.000-08:00

....over on DIY by Design. I am so thrilled and honored that Judy is featuring me on her blog today. Go on over and check out who else she is featuring. And, while your there, link up and check out the other amazing bloggers that are linking.

Only 45 more days...

2011-11-10T04:44:00.000-08:00

Seems hard to believe that another year has passed. It doesn't seem that long ago that I was getting these items out for last years holiday boutiques. I gues the saying is true that "time flies when you are madly trying to finish projects for the holidays". Enjoy!

Linking up:

somewhat simple

Winter

2011-11-09T03:46:00.000-08:00

We really can't start thinking about Christmas without knowing that Winter will be here soon. So, here is my way of helping me get through the dreary days of clouds and snow and slush. {and these will all be at the boutique as well}

And, if we are talking about winter, we also need to talk about love. I have loved making these blocks in celebration of Valentine's Day.

Linking up:

Blue Cricket

Blessed

2011-11-08T03:18:00.000-08:00

If you don't already know by now, I love this time of year. The colors, the smells and of course being closer to family. There is also another reason why this time of year holds a special place in my heart. It has to do with a reaffirmation of the knowledge of eternal families. Enjoy some more reclaimed wood signs.

{this is my favorite-my hubby came up with this concept}

Linking up here:

getting ready...

2011-11-07T04:16:00.000-08:00

Now that Halloween is over, I have been busy getting ready for the Heartfelt Boutique. It is held in this really cute old church.

{It happens to be the first church in West Jordan. This historic sandstone building was originally used as a meetinghouse for Mormon pioneers. In 1937 the Archibald Gardner Camp of the Daughters of Utah Pioneers restored the building and renamed it “Pioneer Hall.” It has been used as a dance hall, social center and a house of worship ever since.}

This boutique is done four times each year. And, I have been lucky enough to be in it all four times this year. And, since you have seen all my pumpkins here, here and here, I will be showing you other items that will be there.

Here we have some fall:

{these are made of wood-duh-that happen to be outlet covers}

I am linking here:

Ewwww gross!!!!

2011-11-01T06:25:00.000-07:00

Have you ever seen this?

I didn't until my recent trip to the store to stock up on laundry and dish soap. Over the summer I did a few iron-on transfers with both mine and my daughters shirts. Well, in the process, i managed to get a bunch of gunk on my iron. This is what it looked like before I started cleaning it.

I know, gross huh? The directions tell you to squeeze out a 2 inch bead on a 100% terrycloth towel and run you iron over it in a circular motion. {sorry I don't have any pictures of these steps}. I should have used a hand towel at least. The washcloth was a bit too small. But, I didn't want to dirty a second towel, so I 'made it work' {name that show-better yet, the person ;)} Here are some progress pics:

And, this is what my towel looked like when I was finished.

I know-gross huh? I am showing you my dirty laundry to prove that this stuff works. I should have bought two tubes, but I was a little naive as to how dirty my iron was. And, here is my newly cleaned iron. It looks sooo purdy and shiny, just like it did when I first got it.

All opinions are entirely my own. I was not compensated in any way for this product review.

Fall decor..

2011-10-28T04:48:00.000-07:00

...using pumpkins of course!! You didn't think that I forgot to show my fav vignettes did you? And, I can't finish out Pumpkin Week without showing you how much I love pumpkins. So, sit back and enjoy!

Thanks so much for joining me this week. I hope you had as much fun seeing my projects as I had showing them.

I'm linking here:

Pumpkin Card

2011-10-27T06:28:00.000-07:00

During Ladies Night Out (an event for the women while the men go to Priesthood Session for General Conference) at our ~~local~~ far away Roberts Crafts, my mom and I took my kids to do some make and takes and play games to win some prizes. We didn't win anything {boo}, but we had fun making some cute and fun things. One of them was a card.

It is a lot simpler than it looks. It is a rectangle that has been scored into some diamond shapes and then folded to create the main diamond shape in the middle. Then a pumpkin was cut out {I assume from a Cricut} and we layered the image onto the card. The sample at the store showed putting the orange vines on the bottom two corners. I didn't like that so much, so I left mine as is.

If you are still a bit lost, I will put up directions in a later post.

I'm linking here:

4x4 wood pumpkins

2011-10-25T19:57:00.000-07:00

I also love working with 4x4's. I just love that they are so rustic and bulky. Here is my take on a 4x4 jack-o-lantern. Again, I used Pumpkin Carving cartridge from Cricut.

I love that angry one in the front. He's my fav.

My first 4x4 project was a pumpkin. But, I couldn't stop at just one. I had to make a set of three. I painted them orange. Then I added a twig, fabric, spanish moss and a leaf.

My hubby prefers them stained. I like both ways depending on what look you're going for.

I'm linking here:

Blue Cricket Design

2x4 wood pumpkins

2011-10-25T09:03:00.000-07:00

My favorite medium to use is wood. My brother works for a window and door company and he has access to free 2x4's which he cuts down and gives to me to finish. Here are a few pumpkins I have made using 2x4's. Enjoy!
For this first project, you will need the following:

2x4's {mine are 6" tall}, mod podge {I love this stuff}, wood stain, and your favorite paper {I love using Basic Grey} Not shown: twig, fabric scrap, hot glue and buttons. Cut the paper and mod podge it to your wood. Then stain the whole thing {I use Minwax in dark walnut}. Once the stain is dry, glue your twig, fabric and buttons. Then sit back and admire your work.

This next one uses 4" 2x4's, 1" wood squares, and raffia. This one is pretty simple. Just paint and sand your wood, then glue the 'stem' and raffia.

And, because Halloween is right around the corner, I had to make some Jack-o-Lanterns. This is still using 4" boards. I also used Pumpkin Carving Cricut cartridge. Again, just paint the wood, glue the stem and attach vinyl.

{prices are shown on them because I recently had these at a local boutique}

I am linking up here:

Jar pumpkins-my version

2011-10-24T03:45:00.000-07:00

I am sure that you have seen these in blog land and on Pinterest.

{source}

Well, here is my version.

My daughter just ended another season of Softball and I usually give her teammates something. When I found these, I knew that they would be perfect for what I wanted to do. I have a bunch of the Homemade Chili Sauce jars cuz I think they have such a cute shape. I thought that they would look awesome as pumpkins.

Well, as it turned out, I only had five of these {I have used several in my craft room} and I needed eight gifts. Enter the ghosts.

I found these jars, and made them into ghosts. I painted them the night before her last practice {she couldn't go to the game because of another fun event-SIBS Day*}. So, they didn't dry all the way. That is why the candy is underneath them in the packaging. She had a lot of fun helping me out with this project. She is getting more and more creative everyday. I can't wait to start showing you what she has been creating.

*SIBS {Super Important Brothers and Sisters} Day Workshop is sponsored by Primary Childrens Medical Center and is a support group specifically designed to meet the needs of siblings of children with chronic illness or other disorders {her brother has High Functioning Autism}.
Linking here:

iheartnaptime.net www.skiptomylou.org

PUMPKIN WEEK

2011-10-23T13:07:00.000-07:00

I love the fall! I love everything about it: the leaves, the colors, the smells. And, I LOVE pumpkins! They are the perfect little addition to any fall decor. To kick off this week, I want to give a shout-out to some pumpkins I found on, yep you guessed it, Pinterest.

There's argyle:

{source}

candy corn:

{source}

cats and caterpillars:

{source}

some bling:

{source}

a little cuteness to the spooky:

{source}

pumpkins with something to say:

{source}

and something for the kids;

tiered princess for the girls

{source}

and Perry for the boys.

{no source available}

And, this is just the beginning. I am so inspired by all the images. Just type in 'painted pumpkins in the search box and just see the amazing talent there is.

Stay tuned the rest of the week. I will be featuring different kinds of pumpkins. And, I will also be showing you my own fall home decor vignettes.

Right now...

2011-09-25T20:27:00.000-07:00

Right now, I have two favorite pictures on my computer that I cannot stop looking at. They happen to be taken on the very same day. The first:

Salt Lake LDS Temple

{it's actually my 2nd fav}

This picture was taken after the Women's Conference. My mom & I got tickets to the Conference Center for the event. After, we walked across the street on the way to Deseret Book and got this pic. I actually took four pics and this one turned out the best. I almost didn't take it because I already had two from the other side. I am so glad I took this one (the one before this made the walls look really green).

And, now for my very favorite picture:

I took this while we were at the cemetery celebrating my dad's 66th birthday by writing notes to balloons and letting them go. {we have been doing this for several years for my big bro} I was laying on the ground trying to get this pic:

using the remaining balloons as a shield from the sun. When I took all the pictures I wanted, I turned the camera and took the above shot. I am so impressed with it. I will be the first to tell you that I am not a photographer. And though I occasionally get a shot that I love, I don't know all that much about taking pictures.

Enjoy!!

{I know that I have been!}

It's done!!!!!!!! {finally}

2011-08-03T07:55:00.000-07:00

In the last post, I gave you a hint as to what I have been working on. Well, I am happy to say that it is finally done-well one project anyway. It could have been done over a week ago, but I am really good at putting things off. Are you ready? Here is the before:

just your standard cheap big box store bookcase. hubby bought if for me for mom's day about 7 years ago

And, now for the after:

How did I do this you ask? Well, I took the above bookcase and flipped it on it's side. Sorry, I forgot to take pics during the makeover-I was so excited for this redo I couldn't wait to get it done.

I cut off the "foot' part of the bookcase. I took the two shelves and cut them down to sit in the case horizontally and a third shelf (from an unsuccessful redo) and cut to fit into the case vertically. I added 'L' brackets to hold the shelves. I used a nail gun to secure the vertical shelf. Then with the help of these:

I primered the heck out of the bookcase. I used Bulls Eye cuz the case is that cheap laminate crap. I did two coats of primer and two coats of paint. I got the semi-gloss because I wanted something that is durable yet easy to clean. The color I used is Blue Robin's Egg. It is a very bright in-your-face kind of turquoise. I loved the color, but it's a bit too bright to go with my home. So, I used some antiquing glaze to darken and age it a bit.

I then added some trim. I originally was going to picture frame the bookcase with the trim, but then hubby reminded me that because the trim was a tad wider than the sides, it will crack and possibly break off as books are put onto and taken off the shelves.

As a final touch, I added some very girly legs. I could have gone a bit taller, but I love the height of this as is. Here is the after shot again.

I am so in love with this. I am so excited to fill it up and adorn the top with some decor. Thanks for sharing my much awaited reveal.

I am linking:

Foodie Friday-BBQ edition

2011-07-22T06:43:00.000-07:00

SUMMER = BBQ

I love when summer comes around because I get to spend my days outdoors; playing with the kids, digging in my garden, relaxing and eating food from the grill. The weekend of the 4th, we had my family over for a BBQ and I tired a new recipe. Instead of the tradition bbq sauce/marinade, I found a glaze made from watermelon. It turned out so good that even my hubby liked it-he doesn't like meat and fruit together.

watermelon glazed chicken served with potato and fiesta salad (recipe to come)

Here' s the best part--the recipe.

Grilled Chicken with Watermelon Glaze

1 recipe Watermelon Glaze, recipe below
1 whole chicken or 3-1/2 lbs. meaty chicken pieces (I used 3lbs whole chicken pieces)
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
Snipped fresh herbs (optional)

directions

1. Prepare Watermelon Glaze: Cut half of a small watermelon from the rind in chunks (about 4 cups of fruit). Cut remaining half of watermelon into wedges for serving; refrigerate until ready to serve. Place in a food mill or juicer and collect the juice. Or place watermelon chunks in blender. Cover; blend until nearly smooth. Pour mixture into a fine mesh sieve over a bowl; discard solid bits. Reserve 1 cup of the juice and drink or freeze the rest. In small saucepan melt 1, 12-oz. jar apple jelly over low heat, stirring often so it doesn't burn. Stir in 1 cup watermelon juice, the juice and zest of one small lime. Add 2 tsp. red chile flakes, 1 tsp. jalapeño hot sauce, and a pinch of salt. Mix and taste. Adjust seasoning as desired; remove from heat. Use warm, or let cool and transfer to a clean jar. Glaze will keep, tightly covered, in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
2. Remove chicken from packaging and pat dry with paper towels. To butterfly, using poultry or kitchen shears cut along each side of backbone to remove it (see "butterflying chicken," below). Turn chicken breast-side up. Open the two sides of the chicken as if you were opening a book, and lay it flat. Break breastbone by firmly applying pressure and pressing down. Tuck wing tips under upper wings.
3. Prepare grill for indirect grilling (see below). Brush chicken with olive oil. Season chicken on both sides with salt and black pepper. Place skin-side down, on center of grill over indirect medium heat.
4. Grill 25 minutes. Turn chicken over. Brush a little of the remaining 2/3 cup glaze on skin. Grill 25 to 30 minutes more, or until juices run clear and an instant-read thermometer inserted in thickest part of thigh registers 180 degrees F, brushing with glaze 2 more times.
5. Remove chicken from grill; brush with the reserved 1/3 cup glaze and let rest 10 minutes. Cut chicken into pieces. Serve with fresh watermelon wedges and sprinkle with herbs. Makes 6 servings.
Butterflying Chicken:Butterflying makes it easy to cook a whole chicken on the grill. Kitchen or poultry shears are the best tool for the job. Make a cut about 1-1/2 inches apart on both sides of the backbone, cutting all the way down, and remove backbone.
Indirect Grilling:This method positions the fire to one side or both ends of grill. Food sits over the unlit part, and the grill is covered so the food cooks from all sides. This is best for thicker cuts that need longer cooking like roasts and ribs.

ENJOY!

Decrapification!

2011-07-19T16:05:00.000-07:00

{yes, that is a word}

Last Saturday my family had the chance to get rid of a bunch of junk at a community yard sale held in the parking lot of a local grocery store. They usually hold it in August, but hits year it was in July. I am glad they held it earlier in past years, I have been at J's (my daughter) softball game during the sale.

Our booth. And, this is after we sold several of our big items: toddler bed, hotwheels play set and table, and J's bike she outgrew.

There were quite a few booths and a ton of shoppers.

I am excited to get rid of stuff, cuz now, I can finish up some projects I have going on using one of these

and this find from a yard sale {sorry about the frame glare}

Foodie Friday-Pizza Edition

2011-07-08T10:42:00.000-07:00

In addition to crafting, sewing (which is still crafting), and dancing (I'm really into zumba right now) I love to cook-and bake. Hubby and I are addicted to food shows-MasterChef, The Next Food Network Star and Hell's Kitchen-just to name a few. Back in June, my mom, sis-in-law and I went on a weekend Scrap Retreat (post coming soon) and while there, four wonderful ladies cooked every meal for us-I know, right? One of the meals was homemade pizza. We just love making pizza around here because the kids get to choose what to put on it and that means they eat it all!! The crust recipe that was used is so easy and very yummy-hubby said it tasted restraunt quality. Here is the finished pie (well, what's left of it):

(this pic was actually taken at the retreat. I cook mine on a pizza stone which makes the bottom perfectly brown and crispy)

And, here's the recipe (your welcome)!

Crust:
1pkg highly active yeast (2 ¼ tsp)
1tsp sugar
1 cup very warm water
2 1/2cup bread flour ( or add one Tablespoon vital Wheat Gluten to reg flour)
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp salt

Put yeast, sugar & water in bowl and let it sit for about 10 min until it's creamy. Then mix in the rest of the ingredients & mix until it's nice & smooth. Then form a ball & let it sit for about 5 min. Then roll it out onto pizza pan. Cover with sauce (recipe below), toppings & bake @ 450 for 15-20min.

Sauce:
1 8oz can tomato sauce
1 clove of garlic, minced
1 tsp oregano
Pinch of garlic salt
(I add Italian seasoning)

Mix all ingredients then top pizza, no need to heat or let it sit.

Linking:

GNOWMVR!!!

2011-07-01T15:55:00.000-07:00

{which stands for Girls Night out with Mandi from Vintage Revivals}

Remember when I entered this contest?

I didn't win, but someone who lives by me did!! Her name is Jessica and this is her blog and to see the reveal go here. While Mandi was up, she hosted a girl's night out. I almost didn't go. I am not one to just show up by myself to places where I don't know anyone. If I do go anywhere like this, I take my mom. Cuz, hey, at least I know one person right? I told myself everyday for a week that I was going. And, if I felt uncomfortable at all I could leave at any time-I did drive myself there after all. We were all to bring treats to share. So, I made mini cheesecakes. {recipe to come}

I did come home with a few but that is only because there were so much yummy goodness there. Like

homemade goodie boxes filled with chocolate candy from Natalie.

Or these

Pink Lemonade cupcakes from Amy. It turns out that I have known Amy since we were 15 when we danced on the same team. That right there made me so happy that I went-even by myself. See the cute pin she's wearing? Michelle made them for all the bloggers there-and I got one!!! It's so cute. It's her business card made from pages from a book and her info is on the back.

Here are some more pics of our fun {and long} evening.

Mandi had a drawing for some paint, brushes and this awesome frame. The gal in the middle won-I just didn't get to meet her, so I don't know her name. A few of us ended up talking until past 11pm. It was fun, I'm glad I went. Here's the group shot.

Mandi @ Vintage Revivals

Kari @ Newlyweds on a Budget

Michelle @ Faith Trust & a Little Pixie Dust

Natalie @ Doodlecraft

Laura @ Corner House

Jessica @ My World Made by Hand

Debbie @ Tattered Butterfly

Amy @ Ameroonie Designs

Ashlee @ I'm Topsy Turvy

Leanne @ Organize & Decorate Everything
Whitney @ A Mommys Life with a Touch of Yellow

Me {you're already here!}

July Decor aka Americana

2011-06-30T07:12:00.000-07:00

October is really my favorite month of the year. but July is coming in a close 2nd. I decided that I needed to summer up my home a bit (I still had Easter decor out). So, I started on my entry table.

I've had these two little frames (2x3?) in my home decor box forevah. So, I pulled them out with this project in mind. But since I only had two, I needed to figure out what to do with it. I was looking around my 'crap'room and noticed this glossy white 's' (because I am a little obsessed with my initial) across the room and I knew that this was what I wanted to use. I had the ribbon on hand from an after Christmas clearance sale at Wally's (the only thing that store is good for). The letters and background were cut from felt that I bought from the DI (thrift store) in a huge bag with ~~100~~ lots of other colors for $2-score!! I cut the letters out using a stencil. I flipped the stencil backward and traced it with a pencil then cut it out and since I wrote on the backside you don't see my trace marks. I sandwiched the two layers of felt behind the glass and stapled the ribbon to the back of the frames and 'S' and tied the red to the 'S' to even out the colors a bit.

As for the rest of the decor. The vase is actually a Valentine's Day vase that I got from Deseret Book at-yup, an after valentine's day clearance sale. I just turned it around so you can't see the "Be mine". the 'fireworks' in the vase are shiny pipe cleaners from my kids' craft box. The 4x4 flag was made at a Super Saturday way back in 2009-ish. The 4x4 pillars were made last year for my boutique selling ~~obsession~~ business. The fabric I bought last summer in the fabric remnant section at Wally's (again, another clearance item). The 'N' I got in May at Ross for only $3. I still want to spice it up by spraying it white, or lt blue, or even silver. But, I think it works fine in black. It balances out the Welcome sign (which I got back in 2009-ish from a friend that had her own vinyl business).

So, because I already had so much on hand the total cost is just a few pennies over $3 since I hardly used any felt and the 'N' is a very recent purchase. I hope this inspires you to 'summer-up' your home.

I am linking up:

Countdown to....

2011-06-21T11:17:00.000-07:00

The other day, we were driving down the road when we passed my son's school and he got really sad and said that he missed his school he wanted to go back. I love that he enjoys school so much and that he does well. It would be so much harder to handle if this weren't the case-he is in Special Ed-he has High Functioning Autism. So, awhile back I made a back to school countdown and I have had to break it out recently.

I know, it's barely summer and I am already doing a back to school countdown. But, wouldn't this be fun for Birthday, Vacation or any special and/or fun occasion. I just used an 8.5x11 cardstock. I cut the school bus and numbers from the Plantin Schoolbook Cricut Cartridge, laminated everything then I attached a strip of velcro to each side of the sheet and to the back of each number using E6000-love that stuff! I also glued some velcro to the center of the sign to attach how many days are remaining. And, I use the 6 and 9 interchanably so I only had to cut one of them.

Linking:

Today's Creative Blog

Emergency Diaper Kit

2011-06-20T08:06:00.000-07:00

This would make a fun and unique baby shower gift. In fact, I am know to give this to any member of my family-immediate and extended-who is having a baby. I am sure you are wondering what it is right? Well, when my oldest was a baby, I found myself running errands one day and she just happened to have a blow-out. No biggie. I took her out of her carseat and proceeded to change her in the car. Well, I forgot to put more diapers in the diaper bag. We happened to be in the parking lot of a store, so I gathered her and all her 'supplies' and went in and bought more diapers-even though I had a practically new package at home. It was then that I came up with this:

EMERGENCY DIAPER KIT

I put one of these in my car and it helped a ton!! Since you are wonering what I put in it, I will show you.

diapers, wipes, butt cream, changing pad, hand sanitizer, disposable bags (to throw soiled diaper away), and nursing pads. I also added an extra onesie, and a toy. Then, when I had my 2nd, I added a change of clothes for the first child.

tag reads: "Have you ever been out driving around when that inevitable happens: a diaper blowout? Keep this in your car for those occasions and you won't get caught unprepared again.

This kit contains the following: 10 newborn diapers, wipes, rash cream, hand sanitizer, disposable bags, nursing pads, changing pad.

All you need to add is a onesie, a toy and anything else you need out on the road. Just remember to switch out the diapers to bigger ones as you baby grows."

I am linking today:

Crafts Keep Me Sane
The Girl Creative
Skip to My Lou
Delicate Construction
Sew Can Do

Just a Reminder....

2011-05-03T05:36:00.000-07:00

...that today is the last day to vote here for me, #87!

And, thanks to those who have already voted.

It's time to VOTE!!! {I'm #87} Ode to Mandi (Vintage Revival)

2011-04-30T01:00:00.000-07:00

Mandi, oh Mandi with an 'i' at the end of your name

You are so awesome and no one is to blame.

Mandi, oh Mandi you have to stay up late

to get your stuff on Nate (Berkus, that is).

Mandi, oh Mandi you can turn something made of plastic,

that can only be described as "craptastic".

Mandi, oh Mandi there are no ifs, ans, or buts

we will always 'love your guts'!!

Why, you ask, did I just write a fabulous ode to someone I have never even met?
For this, of course!!!

Not only do I LOVE her crap-tastic redos, but I appreciate her honesty and openess with her husband's addiction. So, here's the deal, you vote for me, I win and Mandi will go to the winners house for 1 week and redo the room of their choice. If you would like to sneek a peek at Mandi at my house all you have to do is go here and vote for me #87. Polls close Tues. May 2 at midnight! So, hurry fast and vote for me!!! <please> If I get my wish, and win, I will invite anyone over for a post-craptastic party to check out my new pad.

So, here are my reasons that Mandi has to come to my house:

1. Porter

She can feed him ice cubes. And, his mouth is so big that he can hold things for her. He will even pick something up and hold it in his mouth before she even asks him to.

2. My kids

My son is 8 and loves to paint. And my daughter is 10 and a half, and is already finding her style.

3. Thrift stores

Because I live in the Salt Lake valley, we have many options to choose from. Within 20 miles from my home there are 12 DI's, 4 Savers, an IKEA, 7 Salvation Armys, and Restore (leftover home items from Habitat for Humanity builds). Not to mention all the fabulous garage sales that will be happening in June!!

4. TOOLS

source

My hubby has a plethora of tools at her disposal: Table/chop/circular saws, brad nailer-with air compressor, power drills-both plugged and cordless, and a hand sander (which is actually mine).

5. My Great Room

yes, we keep sheets on our couches all the time because of that dog in the picture. I have a grand idea for that big wall , think fire and place (faux for now). The clock gets lost in the room, so I want that redone. And, this paint has been up for 6 years now, it's time for something fresh. And, the coffee and end table have seen better days, so I want redo them as well.

this wall used to have a large fishtank in front of it that has since been moved downstairs. I have an onld window that I want to make into a sofa table. And, that picture of Christ is just too small, so I have a large 24x24 frame that I want to put our last family picture in. (pic will be 12x12)

this hallway baffles me. I want to put something there so it's not a blank wall. But, we have the cold air return and my son's door on the left, sits further back than our door, so anything that's there may get run into. I want this dresser to go in the next spot, and I want to turn it on it's side to make a bookshelf bench.

this looks like this all the time. Because I have nothing there, it becomes a catch-all.

this is the landing of our stairs, cuz that's part of the great room isn't it? I think so since you see this from the couch.

and, speaking of catchalls. This photo is meant to be blurry. This is right outside our laundry room and it becomes the landing for all our laundry-clean, of course. I would love some kind of console, buffet, something there for our church bags, resuable shopping bags, or anything else we can't find a home for.

And, 6. Crap that is begging to be redone

these are freebies given to us. I have been wanting to redo them ever since we moved in.

remember the landing on the stairs? I want to take this, split it in half lenghtwise and make a corner shelving unit with this.

yes, I have started hoarding lamps. I love this set and I want to put it on the old window sofa table under the large family photo.

and, apparently our table isn't inspiring enough to take our easter baskets off to sit down and eat dinner. Actually, we eat Sunday dinner here and spend the rest of the week in our awesome basement.

So, please find it in your heart to vote for me-or you can do it for Porter in the above picture. Have your mom, sister, bff, dog, guinea pig and chicken vote as well. I will keep my promise if I win to have a fabulous reveal party at my home with all the Mandi-ness craptastic style you can handle!!

Hitting the books

2011-04-27T05:45:00.000-07:00

I know that this isn't ~~crap~~ craft related, but please just humor me!!

I have made the decision to go back to school. It has become apparent to me that this is the direction I need to take in order to continue helping my family. I know that I will be a big adjustment, as I will be away from home 3 nights a week for four weeks. I don't know how that will affect Alex, but I pray that he is mature enough to handle it. Hopefully, playing tball on the 2 other nights a week will be enough of a distraction for him not to notice. Jayci says that she is excited for me to do this even though I know that she will still miss me those nights. I talked to my bro, Ty about all this, and he reminded me that you are never too old to learn something new. He also said that it helps that I have been thinking about and wanting to do this for a long time, that it's not a fleeting thought, or something I am doing on a whim. I also have 1000% support from Jason. I know that I could not do this without him, as he will be a single dad for a few nights a week.

I am not going to tell you what I will be studying; you will need to guess. I will give you a few hints. And, if no one has guessed right, I will tell you once I finish my first class on Mon. May 2nd (yeah, I'm staring that soon!).

1. Like I said, I will be able to work for dozens of different companies.
2. I will even be qualified to work in another state-it is a National certification.
3. I have never worked in this field before.
4. I have been interested in doing it since Jayci was born-in fact, I read about this opportunity the day after.
5. It will allow me to work over the summer but still give me the time to do boutiques-my real passion.

Good luck on your guesses!

the fine print: those of you who I have talked to about this-ie: Mom, Ty, & Dee (since I know that Ty has talked to you about this) are not eligible to guess. You may, however, offer well wishes and words of encouragement.

Summer Craft Classes

2011-04-09T05:52:00.000-07:00

Stay tuned for more information on how you can pass the summer creatively. There will be kid classes, mom classes and mom and kid classes. They will be offered Tues, Weds, and Sat morning, afternoon and evenings (for moms only). All projects will be $5 or less for kids and $10 or less for moms. Let me know if you are interested in this and include the best day and time frame for you.

Before & After

2011-03-23T21:20:00.000-07:00

I have been working like crazy on boutique items {see previous post} and during this time, I have been going through my own home decor to liven it up. I have had this sign (it says: Laundry drop your drawers here)

hanging in my laundry room for awhile now, but it has been bugging me that the lighter vinyl just blends in with the stain. And, I didn't want to repaint it because I love the rustic look. So, as I was looking through blogs, I came across this post and thought -doh!! Why didn't I think of that?!? Anywho, this is the result. I really like it. I think that I may be doing more of this masking technique in the future.

Spring Boutique

2011-03-20T21:10:00.000-07:00

This past weekend my items were being sold in a boutique at Pioneer Hall right across 7800 from Gardner Village. It turned out to be pretty successful. This gal hosts them four times a year and I can't wait to do another one with her. Here are a few pictures from the weekend.

My display (I am working on streamling this-any ideas are welcome)

DMarie Photgraphy

Hearfelt Wall Hangings (the hostess)

Iva Lillie

In the meantime....

2010-11-11T05:37:00.000-08:00

If you are wanting to see what I will be selling on the website, I have listed a few things on ebay. The buy it now prices will be the price point of my items. Here are the links:

Believe wood sign

Joy word blocks

Peace word blocks

Merry Christmas word blocks

Ho Ho Ho word block

4x4 wood pumpkins

2x4 wood pumpkins

Exciting news!!

2010-11-06T07:46:00.000-07:00

I am so excited! My cute and very talented brother is creating a website for me to sell all my wares. We have a goal to launch it in the next few weeks. If you would like to know when it gets launched, please leave a comment with your name and email address. I will be the only one viewing your emails.

Tis the season...

2010-11-06T07:08:00.000-07:00

...for boutiques. I don't know if you have noticed or not, but a lot of home and gift boutiques are being held this (and next) month. I just went to one yesterday morning and finally got to meet someone that I have only known through the blogging world. She was there selling her rosette bracelets.

(I borrowed this image from her blog.)

The bracelet I bought has multiple bright colors. Perfect for my 10 year old. I would show you a picture, but I left it at work. I'll post it when I get it on Monday.

And speaking of boutiques, I will be at a few of them this month. Well, my items will be at least.

Friday and Saturday Nov. 19-20

Mindy Mae's Market

Destination Homes'

Spring Creek Model

712 North 1875 West

Farmington, UT

Fri. 6-9 pm; Sat. 9am-6pm

Saturday Nov. 20

Pioneer Hall (across 7800 south from Gardner Village)

West Jordan, UT

10 am- 3pm

If you want something that you don't see at either of these two locations, please email me stajnay {at} yahoo {dot} com to order.

Easter Cards

2010-04-06T07:15:00.000-07:00

This year for Easter, I made cards for all my nieces and nephews using the Stretch Your Imagination Cricut Cartridge. I pre-cut everything to take to the midnight crop at the Original USA Scrapbook Expo. I spent a good portion of the night assembling them (I have 7 nieces, 6 nephews). Here is the finished project. I ended up putting a tag on the front that said, "Got Eggs?" I know, really original. I liked the end product, and the kids LOVED them.

Products used: cardstock-Bazzill, patterned paper-Basic Grey Lily Kate Collection

Lucky Me!!

2010-03-17T13:11:00.000-07:00

I am really loving the more obscure holidays because of my kids. They are still in awe of the little traditions and celebrations. I have been having some fun with paint and vinyl again.

This is the original idea for the others.

I am loving this saying, It came to me early one morning and I made this later that day.

I made this using my new Ashlynn's Alphabet Cricut Cartridge

Common building supply..new use

2010-03-05T08:27:00.000-08:00

I love this idea! I know that I saw it on someones blog, but can't remember who's. So, if you know, please tell me so that I can credit them properly.
I hae this short wall between the door to my crafty room and the door to the closet/cold storage area. It is only 22" wide, but I have been wanting to use it for some kind of supply storage. I finally found the perfect idea. The first pic shows the wall, the second shows the transformation.

I cut the raingutter in 18" lengths, added the end caps and attached it to the wall. I was able to screw one side into the stud, but the other side, I had to use an anchor. Total cost for this project: $9.41!! And, I love the results. I am wanting to do this in the kids TV room with all of their books.

**Thanks Keri for letting me know that this project is on Leah Killians blog: http://lifeaslou.blogsome.com/2010/02/11/rain-gutter-bookshelves/

Love is in the air!

2010-02-10T14:55:00.000-08:00

I had so much fun making these cute blocks for Valentine's Day. I hope they put you in a loving mood too!! My favorite is the brown with pink and white vinyl that says "hugs & kisses".

All of these were part of my first batch of consignment items at Farnsworth Farms in Sandy.

Here you go!

2009-12-16T08:24:00.000-08:00

This is what I have been doing for Christmas. I hope you enjoy seeing it as much as I enjoyed making it. The first is picture frame converted into a sign. I did one for both my younger bro and my sis-in-law. The next image are the "I spy bags" I made for the two younger nephews and a niece.

The next two pics are of the pillowcases I made for the little ones (I used fabric of the characters they are in to), and the altered wood letters of my two nieces- one is 9 and the other is 6.

This last image shows the ribbon hangers for those cute flower clips all the girls have. These were also for the two older nieces. I did them in their respective favorite colors.

Coming Soon

2009-11-27T07:15:00.000-08:00

These next couple of days I will be doing my Holiday Treat baking for neighbor gifts and working on Christmas Gifts for family. I will be posting some of my efforts so stay tuned......

Going out of business.......

2009-11-17T08:47:00.001-08:00

After 5 years, Modbe Clothing is closing their doors for good. Go to www.modbeclothing.com/stacinay to take advantage of their liquidation prices. Some items are as low as $4!

Don't Forget.....

2009-11-07T05:22:00.001-08:00

STACI'S HOLIDAY BOUTIQUE

Come see what your favorite companies are offering, and get some shopping done before the rush of the season. We have a great line up so far:
Modbe Clothing
Gerbera Daisy Hair Clips
Usborne Books
Vintage Hem
Baby Items
Scentsy
Handmade Home Decor and Gifts
And many more!

Saturday November 7th 9am-3pm
7991 Big Sycamore Dr (7150 W) W. Jordan

For Info call me @ 801-301-3289

Good News!!!

2009-10-26T09:46:00.000-07:00

I was incredibly fortunate to have participated in the Pumpkin Festival over at Farnsworth Farms in Sandy on Saturday. Despite the cold and sometimes rainy weather, there was a decent turn-out. I am looking forward to today's numbers. Anyway, while I was there (as a vendor), I was talking to Shauna (the woman in charge) and while she was buying some stuff from me, she invited me to do some consignment at there cute store on the farm.

That's not all!! Just two days prior to that, I received confirmation that I have been selected to join the Quilted Bear team through their online store. So, look for more of me (I know, scary) both in person and online. I will update you as I get more info!!

busy, busy, busy

2009-10-08T07:52:00.000-07:00

As you can tell by the title, I have been busy these past couple of weeks. First off, I am on the Relief Society committee and I have been put in charge of the Craft Group. Just to let you know, the Relief Society is the woman's organization in my church. I have been working on the craft for the end of October. There has been a request for home decor and Christmas items. So, I combined them. I also added some Thanksgiving in there for good measure. I couldn't narrow it down, so I am offering 6 different designs. I revealed them the last Sunday of September and they are already a big hit. Several women have signed up to make them.

Then, the following week, I was part of a boutique in Farmington. The home was full of products from amazingly creative women. Some of my favorites included:
Emmie Cakes
Cutsie Cakes
Flutterby Designs
Vintage Fern or here
Individual Rivalry
Nadia's Place
It's The Little Things or here
Button Boutique
It looks like I listed everyone that was there, but that was maybe HALF of the amazing women who took part in this boutique.

Amazing Talent

2009-09-21T14:57:00.000-07:00

Last Thursday I had the pleasure of being part of a Talent Night that our Relief Society's Enrichment committee did for our quarterly activity. It was a night to celebrate every woman's talents-no matter how small they believe their talent to be. We asked the women to bring items to "show-off" on display tables. We had everything from artwork to digital scrapbooks. We also did a talent show for those who wanted to "perform" their talent. We had two women play piano, three danced, one did a poetry reading, one showed how to decorate a cake using fondant, one showed a quick and super-cute up do and one showed how to accessorize their wardrobe to create a whole new look. I am so amazed by the incredibly talented and beautiful women that were in attendance that night. I am passionate about those who find, develop and share their talents. The theme was that not everyone can be a star. There was only one Beethoven, Monet and Pavarotti. Some women's talents are being the supporting act. And, you never know when your seemingly insignificant talents will help someone else out. I would like to share some of that talent with you now.

My favorite layouts

2009-09-01T09:19:00.000-07:00

I was looking through my photo albums and I have picked a few layouts that are my favorite. Every time I see them, I have to stop and admire them. They each have a different reason as to why they are my favorites. It could be the story, the pictures, the technique, color or subject matter. I hope you enjoy these layouts, as I have, while I share them with you.

I would like to start with the story. (sorry about the bad pictures- I am not a photographer and don't claim to be.)

This first one is about my brother. I had made this about five years after he had passed away. I actually sent in into a magazine for a contest. I didn't win anything, but I am glad that I made this.

This layout was done after an activity that I was part of due to my brother passing away. TCF (known as the compassionate friends) is a group of people who have lost loved ones due to death. In 2001, the annual conference was held at the Grand America Hotel in SLC and I was able to be a part of it. This particular event, was a picnic where we let balloons go after writing a note to our loved ones and tied them to the balloon.

This last one is pretty funny. Twice a year, my mom and I go to the Original Scrapbook USA Expo at the South Towne Expo Center in Sandy. This particular time, Jason (the DJ, host, mic guy) posed a question to the attendees. He asked them how far they would go for several hundred dollars worth of Cropper Hopper product. Dozens of women ran to the stage, until the hair clippers came out. Then, all but two backed off. I had the chore of shaving one of the ladies heads whom I later found out is a good friend of one of my neighbors.

Finding Inspiration @ the Library

2009-08-24T11:59:00.000-07:00

Once a week I take my son to the Library. While he was picking out his weekly movie (or three), I started browsing the picture books section. I was looking for something to read to him at night before going to bed. I found three books that has inspired me.

This is a cute story about a father and daughter trading places for the day. "If you were me and I were you," Daisy said, "I'd read you a story about three bears. Then I'd say goodnight and go downstairs!" This would be fun to ask your child what he/she would do if you traded places. Then ask them what you would do during that time.

This would be fun fun way to document the first day of school for your child. "At first I was so busy, I forgot about missing you for awhile. We all sat down and told each other our names." When your child gets home for the first day, have a few questions written down to ask them. Then, have them ask you a few questions about your day.

This would be a great layout to share your feelings when you found out you were pregnant, or each stage of the pregnancy. "When you were no bigger than my palm, the black-capped chickadee collected twigs and tufts of grass and even bits of string to build its nest." Even after 30+ years, I love to hear the story of the day I was born.

I love to create

2009-08-18T13:54:00.000-07:00

For as long as I can remember, I have always loved to create. I owe this to my mom. I don't ever remember a family trip (only camping) when she didn't take her sewing machine. It has even gone to Tennessee! She was always working on some type of project. Whether it be sewing, plastic canvas, or crosstich. It wasn't until just a few years ago that I was able to repay the favor and teach her how to create scrapbook pages and other paper crafting items. Now we are both on the search for new and creative ideas to show each other. So, thank you mom for instilling this love for creating. Enjoy a few pictures of things that I have made recently.

Pic #1: a fun garbage can I made for my scrap room. Pic #2: a card and matching gift bag for my niece's Dora/Snow Fairy themed birthday party. Pic #3: a company sign for my car. Pic #4: sampling of cards I came up with for our Enrichment Craft group. Pic #5: A framed poem I made for a Super Saturday project. Pic #6: A countdown for my son so he doesn't wake up every morning asking if he can go on the bus today. Pic #7: a goodbye/thank you for my hubby's previous job. He requested that I make them very simple-I did his version of simple, not mine ;}

{THIS} and {THAT}

I am being featured....

Only 45 more days...

Winter

Blessed

getting ready...

Ewwww gross!!!!

Fall decor..

Pumpkin Card

4x4 wood pumpkins

2x4 wood pumpkins

Jar pumpkins-my version

PUMPKIN WEEK

Right now...

It's done!!!!!!!! {finally}

Foodie Friday-BBQ edition

Decrapification!

Foodie Friday-Pizza Edition

GNOWMVR!!!

July Decor aka Americana

Countdown to....

Emergency Diaper Kit

Just a Reminder....

***It's time to VOTE!!! {I'm #87}*** Ode to Mandi (Vintage Revival)

Hitting the books

Summer Craft Classes

Before & After

Spring Boutique

In the meantime....

Exciting news!!

Tis the season...

Easter Cards

Lucky Me!!

Common building supply..new use

Love is in the air!

Here you go!

Coming Soon

Going out of business.......

Don't Forget.....

Good News!!!

busy, busy, busy

Amazing Talent

My favorite layouts

Finding Inspiration @ the Library

I love to create

It's time to VOTE!!! {I'm #87} Ode to Mandi (Vintage Revival)