PbD Ch#1 - Home Decor

Anyone still there? I know I've been really absent lately. The main reason is that even though we got internet back, the wireless password was reset and I haven't had time to call the internet company to get it from them. Lame, I know. Another reason is that my hometown currently has a HUGE wild fire burning just north of it (Google "Taylor Bridge Fire" and you'll see how huge it is) and I've been coordinating getting donations for over 70 families that have lost their homes. I dropped all of that off yesterday. We FILLED my SUV (Toyota Highlander) and the bed of one of our trucks with donations. God is GOOD! We're coming back in two weeks for Labor Day Weekend and I think we'll be doing it again. It feels so good to be able to help in some way. My dad and some of my brothers friends are fighting the fire and so I also went and bought things that my dad said the guys fighting the fire need.

Anyways, long story short, I have a little time to post so I'm going to schedule as many posts as I can while I'm here at my mom's. I will be calling about the internet when we get home. As nice as it's been to have more non-computer time, I really miss all my blogging friends. :)

Here's my take on Pink by Design's first challenge from their 2nd Anniversary celebration. It was to do a home decor which was perfect because my mother-in-law had just given me this cork board as she was cleaning out some stuff in her old office. It will be perfect for my future craft room but needed to be altered in some way. So I pulled out my all-time favorite stamp set, Make it a Venti, and got to inking. Its definitely more "me" now. :)

Journal

My friend, Marita, that I did the Farmers Market with last year, asked me if I would make her a journal. She's reading 7 (by Jen Hatmaker - look it up, it'll change your life!!) right now and wanted a journal to use along side it. She wanted a big 7 on the front and something sorta vintage/grunge so this is what I came up with. I pulled this paper out of my stash and I instantly fell in love with it! If it wasn't already spoken for, I would've kept it for myself. :)

I filled it with lined notebook paper so I could use more sheets since they are so thin. Now I need a journal too. haha

Carver's Pirate Party {Pictures!}

I'm only a week late! Yay! Here's the pictures from Carver's party. I did really good at taking pictures of all the decorations. But I forgot to take pictures during the actual party. :( The kids were soooo cute in their pirate outfits. 

The banner wreath. It's a wrapped yarn wreath.

 Cupcake toppers. Nope, didn't get a picture of the cupcakes.

 The banner

 See the unexpected guest?

 This bird comes in the house whenever the front door is open long enough. It's to the point where, as long as he doesn't poop, I don't care.

 yummy snacks

 Melon boat. Thanks Mom for making it!

 So glad I found this fabric. It's satin so I knew it would stain but it was so worth it.

 Straws. We used jelly jars to drink out of.

 So adorable!!! When did he get so big??

 Checking out his tattoo

 I'm 3!!! Love this shirt.

 My little pirate

 Carver woke up on his actual birthday to a little present from Noah :)

 Carver LOVED his present from Noah

Nursing Book

When Carver was born I made a notebook to record when I nursed and changed his diaper (cause doctors want to know that kind of thing) as well as when I took my pain medications. Those first few weeks are a big blur and I didn't want to try to remember when I did those things. 

I made these for a few friends that had babies after Carver was born but sort of forgot about this little time saver until I was cleaning out Carver's dresser and found it tucked away. So off I went to make one for one of my oldest friends that's due next month with a little boy. I think once things slow down a little around here, I'll make a few to have on hand for baby shower presents. :)

I took a pack of notebook paper and cut it down to size for the inside and assembled it. I distressed the edges so it looks worn and I kept it pretty simple. I'm taking it to the post office today so she gets it before baby Max gets here.

Laundry Container Revamp

I had container to hold my laundry detergent but it didn't have a lid and since I stored it above the dryer it would clump really easily (because of the heat/steam from the washer & dryer). So I picked up one of these containers at Target for about $6. I created this cut in the Cricut Craft Room and it turned out great! I love working with vinyl and really need to use it more often. ;)

 

 

Craft Show products

I'm busy working on Noah's life announcements and will show you what they look like when they're done. I have a few projects that I haven't posted about so I'll try to get those up so it's not so dull around here. Thank you for understanding this most recent break from blogging. I really appreciate it!

Here's some of the things that I've been making for craft shows. I still need to nail down the first show that I'm going to do but figured I should start working on my inventory.

Starbucks Notebooks - I am still looking for empty Starbucks cards, if anyone wants to donate. :)


Monopoly Notebooks - I have the traditional size (see picture) and I have some that are taller and narrower.


Gift Card Holders - They're all unique which makes them trickier to make because it take more creativity.

Upcycled notebooks

These were going to go be the little gifts I gave to everyone on the girls' weekend. But since that isn't going to happen anymore, I had the great idea to start making these for craft fairs. I'd had these old Starbucks gift cards sitting around for just this purpose for awhile and finally got a chance to make them... with the help of Carver, of course. :)

Here's the insides that I stamped. I only did 5 pages and there's about 25 total so it's the perfect amount.

Details:
Starbucks cards
Pink by Design - Make it a Venti & Perk Up
Value Pack white

Prayer Journal

My brother's girlfriend requested another journal. Since her birthday is on Monday, I decided to just make it her birthday present. The journal I gave her for Christmas had a travel theme since she had just returned from a couple months in Kenya. You can see that journal HERE. It's the 2nd journal pictured. It was hard to get an idea of what I wanted to do for this journal so I went through my stash of masks and stamps that I rarely used and here's what I came up with. I love how I distressed the tag and added a stamp to it.


Back cover

Inside the front cover - I added a tag and holder. The tag has a note from me. On all the prayer journals I make, I add Bible verses on random pages and I did the same here.

Details:
Zutter covers and O-wire
Wausau Paper white (cut at 4.75 x 7.25)
Script stamp - Inkadinkado
Tim Holtz Borderline masks (LOVE his masks!!!) & ticket
Coffee bean stamp - Fiskars 'Latte Love'
Doilie and flower corner stamps - KaiserCraft "Tea at Elsie's"
Sentiment stamp - Pink by Design 'Perk Up'
Tag - from my local scrapbook store


Link Parties:
Patches ofPink
Joyful Stamper
Just a Girl

Clearing the Clutter Challenge #8

For this month's challenge, I finished something that's been sitting on my desk for a couple months - except for when Carver would take it to the living room and stuff it with toys, that is. I guess he'll be able to use it next year.

If you're new to Clearing the Clutter, head to this post and see what it's all about. I post on the first Friday of the month. Feel free to join in. Just put your link in a comment. If I get enough people I'll start doing a Mr Linky.




Details:
Rhonna Farrer paper
Offray ribbon
scraps - paper & ribbon
New Arrival: Circle 2.5", Monkey 3.5"
Cuttin' Up 1.5"

Through Rain, Snow, Sleet or Shine...

**I found my mojo!**

Over the last couple months, I have had two packages stolen and I have no idea how many envelopes. When Chris bought the property six years ago, he knew that the area was prone to baseball bat attacks but never this. What heard on the news that a couple areas in the harbor had mail theft but we didn't think anything of it. But after not receiving ANY mail between Christmas and New Years we decided it was time to get a secure mailbox.

We found this one, for cheaper than we budgeted I might add! It looks like a regular mailbox, as you can see, but when you open the door, there's a slot at the top where the mail goes. Then it drops into the bottom part where you need a key to open.


Details:
856 - Cuttin' Up (shadow feature) 2"
MAIL - Plantin Schoolbook 1"
Outdoor white vinyl

Some of the presents I made

This is the To Do book that I made for my dad. For as long as I can remember, my dad has always carried a scrap of paper in his pocket that he keeps notes on. So I decided to make him a book.
Front (the pacifier is there for size)

Back

The cover is: 3.75x2.5 and the pages are 3.5x2.25
I used Brushed Corduroy on the masks.
The masks are mini compass and Timeworks.

I made three of these 6x6 calendars. One for each of my grandmas and my grandpa.













Month Stamps - Technique Tuesday
Blank Calendars - Boxer Scrapbooks
Papers - DCWV Christmas Combo/The Stack III/Through the Year (not the right name but you get the idea), and Bazzill
EK Success bat punch
Cuttin' Up for the 2011 on cover

Cody's Christmas Card. He asked for money to go towards his Haiti trip.

The inside of Cody's card.

Jolly Holiday at 4"
White - Recollections; Green - Super Value Pack; Brown - Bazzill Mud Pie; Stardust Stickles

The front of Sarah's journal

The back

Tim Holtz masks, metal embellishments and ink
Ledger stamp - Unity
Phrase stamp, coffee stain stamp - Tim Holtz
Luggage Tag and 'S' - ? (i'll look when I get home)

The front of Jake's journal

The back

Tim Holtz masks, 13 stamp, hands stamp, Listen stencil, metal embellishments and ink
'J' stamp - ?