Whimsy Lane Crafts

Teacher's Secret Stash Box

2011-08-30T10:42:00.000-07:00

Happy New School Year!

It is nice to have my daughter back in school because she was getting awfully bored, but I sure miss her and all her help with the new baby!

For our first day of school gift this year, the Princess and I decided to make a Teacher's Secret Stash Box. There are several of these floating around in blogland. They are adorable, something that the teacher can actually use, and I got to buy office supplies! I have an obsession with office/school supplies. :) Unfortunately, the teachers at our school buy all supplies, so I don't get to go supply shopping.

We went shopping at Staples, where they had office supplies galore in several different color ways. There was enough from each pack to make two boxes {we loved our teacher from last year so much that we made her box, too}.

Then I designed a cover for the top. I used the Darling Paper Collection and bits and pieces from the Hopscotch Collection ~ both by Shabby Princess. I unfortunately can't share my completed top with you because of the copyright rules, but I am going to share the template so that you can make your own. It will be at the end of the post.

We had so much fun filling up our boxes arranging everything just perfectly. I think they were a hit with the teachers! They were hard to give away and I need to make my very own!

Here is the template in case you want to make your very own. This fits the standard sized craft organizer. I made one in JPEG format if you are going to print and trace onto patterned paper, and one in PNG format if you are going to design in digitally like I did. Just download the one that works best for you! If you make a box I would love to see it!

JPEG Template ------ PNG Template

Thanks for stopping by!

I linked to these great parties!

Get Your Craft On ~ Today's Creative Blog

Tip Junkie

Running With Glitter

Sugarbee Crafts

A Bowl Full Of Lemons

Blue Cricket Design

Preparing For Baby {DIY Photo Props}

2011-07-28T23:11:00.000-07:00

I'm not a professional by any means, but I love taking pictures...especially of newborns. I love browsing through etsy and looking at all the new and trendy photo props. In anticipation of the arrival of our little one, I had an entire list of pictures and props I wanted to use. Unfortunately, my budget didn't allow me to buy everything on my dream list....but it also didn't stop me from creating my own!

At the top of my list were the baby cocoons and hats. I love them. I want them in every color. And now I can! I realized that all they really are is a long tube. It dawned on my that I could easily use my Knifty Knitters {and I wouldn't have to learn to knit} that were tucked away in the closet! I was so excited! I ran right out, bought some yarn, and a couple hours later and two sets of cocoons with matching hats!

I used the Large {Green} Sized ring to create my cocoons. I made it approximately 20" long. My little guy was about a month old before I had a chance to use my cocoon and it was large on him. They have a lot of stretch to them. I used the Small {blue} Sized ring to create the little hats and it fit perfectly. I dressed the cocoon up a bit by tying a blue ribbon around him.

I love the "Pea In A Pod" pictures, so I also made a set in green. I'm still trying to get the perfect picture in a little basket, but I have captured a couple adorable ones!

These are large enough to go up around the baby, so they look all snuggly!

I also made a bowl shaped cocoon using the Extra Large {Yellow} sized ring. I waited a bit too long to use this prop, as my little man doesn't really curl his legs up anymore, making it hard to hide the diaper. He still fit in it, but it was a tight fit and he didn't really like it. This is a prop that would be best for a newborn, as they still curl up and sleep easily.

I didn't make this last one, but I bought the pattern off Etsy and my sweet mother in law made for me while she was visiting. I just love it! She is making me one in a larger size and I can't wait to get more pictures of him in it!

The best part is that I can add these to my Photo Prop Bin and use them when I take pictures of all my friend's new babies!

I used Photoshop Elements and free actions from Coffee Tea and Photography and also Pioneer Woman to fix and dress up my photos a bit. I think one of the most fun parts is playing around with the photos when you are done!

I joined these parties:

Making It With Allie

The Shabby Nest

Sassy Sites

Preparing For Baby {Car Seat Canopy}

2011-07-20T19:26:00.000-07:00

Hello! Nicole here!

I'm back after a little (8 month) unplanned break. I was busy creating something wonderfully cute and precious. It was exhausting work, but totally worth it in the end!

I'm so excited to introduce you to the newest ~and long awaited~ addition to our family. He arrived a month ago and has stolen our hearts.

~~William Jay~~

Although I didn't post on the blog, I was busy creating lots of baby things to prepare for the arrival of this sweet little man. Some things I created from scratch and others I used templates and patterns already provided by other fabulous bloggers. I took pictures along the way and I'm going to share it all! I will post as regularly as I can...or should I say as regularly as Will will let me!

{Car Seat Canopy}

My first project was a carseat canopy. They didn't have these 7 years ago when I had my daughter and it was at the top of my baby list for our little man. It took me forevvver to decide on fabric...I mean like 7 months! Everything I liked was way too girly. Then I stumbled upon the Happier Collection by Riley Blake. It was instant love. It comes in several color ways, but here are the coordinates I used.

Then I had to decide on how I was going to do it. I wanted something fancy and unique and different! I found the Zippit Car Seat Canopy pattern on Etsy and ordered it right away. It was a little pricey, but exactly what I was looking for. Plus, she allows commercial use of her pattern without any other additional charges! It was fairly easy to follow, but there were a couple parts that were a little tricky.

I'm so proud of my finished project! I put in a zipper and used piping, velcro and snaps for the first time...and it all works how it is suppose to!

One of the things that drew me to this particular cover, was the angled side corners. I love that it doesn't touch the ground and get dirty. It is a much more tailored and clean look.

It has a bustle in the back to allow for air flow. It just snaps in place...super easy!

What I love the most, though, is the zippered front.

It is awesome being able to adjust it depending on where we are and what we are doing.

Our little man loves it and instantly falls asleep as soon as he is buckled in.

I give this cover 2 thumbs up and would totally recommend to those wanting to make one!

I will be back soon with my coordinating diaper bag and accessories.

Once I finally found a fabric I loved, I went a little crazy with it!

I joined these fun parties:

Strut Your Stuff @ Somewhat Simple

Catch A Glimpse @ A Glimpse Inside

It's Sew Stinkin' Cute

Crafty Soiree @ Yesterday On Tuesday

Show Off Your Stuff @ Fireflies And Jelly Beans

Making It With Allie @ Allie Makes

Frugal Friday @ Shabby Nest

Look At Me @ Fun To Craft

Teacher Gifts

2011-06-09T15:44:00.000-07:00

I usually try and go all out with my Year-End Teacher gifts, but with our little guy due any day now, I knew I needed something quick, easy and cute! I've seen several versions of these around blogland....mostly with magazines and sunblock/tan lotion attatched. I opted for fruity candy and lipgloss!

I found the beach towels at Walmart, of all places. I fell in love with the bright colors and stripes! I got a box of fruity Mike and Ikes in a color that matched the towels. I found the chapstick at Big Lots and was so excited. The packaging was just perfect for my Summer Rest and Relaxation theme!

I created a tag in PhotoShop Elements using the Sandbox Kit by Shabby Princess and tied everything together with a coordinating bow. I'm really happy with how they turned out. The princess gives them to her teachers tomorrow and I hope they love them as much as we do!

I joined these fun parties!

PAISLEY PASSIONS~THRILLING THURSDAY

A GLIMPSE INSIDE~CATCH A GLIMPSE

MAKING IT WITH ALLIE

HOOKIN' UP WITH HOH

FINGERPRINTS ON THE FRIDGE

SASSY SITES

Bead Necklaces

2011-03-01T10:04:00.000-08:00

I decided I needed some necklaces to match all the bracelets that I've been making! Here are a few of my latest designs!

And More Beads

2010-12-27T15:27:00.000-08:00

Beads, Beads and More Beads

2010-12-27T14:45:00.001-08:00

My new favorite thing: Beads, Beads and more Beads!!! My 3 year old loves to play with all the beads too!!!

Family Photos

2010-12-03T23:16:00.000-08:00

My family came to visit for Thanksgiving last week, and we had family pictures taken while they were here. It ended up being kind of stressful because one of my daughters has a problem with motion sickness, and threw up on the ride to the studio - all over the only dress I had for her! Then, understandably, she was not in the mood to cooperate for pictures. Neither was my 6 month old baby. Between the two of them, it was really hard to get a good group shot. The photographer was very patient but, in the end, we really didn't get any truly spectacular pictures. Only one of my three daughters would even pose for an individual shot. So, this week, I decided to try and get some individual shots of them myself. It's so much easier at home in a low-stress environment to get them to cooperate. I'm not a super skilled photographer, but I'm around my girls all day long and can catch them when the mood is right. I'm pretty happy with the results - I feel like they reflect each of their personalities. Love those little faces. I can't wait to print them and get them up on the wall.

Candy Corn Cuteness

2010-10-24T18:46:00.000-07:00

We had to attend a Fall Festival at my hubby's Battalion this weekend and there was going to be all kinds of fun and games. The kids were to wear their costumes, but since the Princess is going to be a Southern Belle (isn't that perfect for our first Halloween in the south!) I thought her costume would be to big and bothersome for her to play....plus I didn't want it to get ruined before ~~pictures~~ Halloween! So, after seeing several cute ideas in blog land, I created this for her. It was definitely a hit at the Festival and she loved it!

First, I created the Three Tiered Skirt using a fabulous tutorial I found at Kurky Ideas. The skirt itself was easy and took very little fabric, but I do hate gathering....and there was endless gathering on this skirt!

The endless gathering was worth it though, because every little girl loves a Twirly Skirt and this brought an instant smile to the Princess's face!

I was just going to pair this skirt with a solid colored T-Shirt, but then I saw this tutorial for a Candy Corn Applique at Positively Splendid and knew it would be a perfect match!

Here is a close up of all those ruffles! I couldn't believe I was willingly gathering and ruffling more after that skirt! But, I persevered and love the end result!

Then, I decided that she needed some matching hair bows. I've always wanted to make those fabulous Korker Bows...I have all the supplies, but have never actually made them. After doing a quick search, I used a tutorial that I found at the Ribbon Retreat. These were so fun, but totally addicting! I need to make more before she won't let me put bow in her hair anymore!

My plan was to have her wear some tights, but it was suppose to get up to 80 on Saturday. So, I grabbed a pair of her plain white socks, created another ruffle and sewed them on to the cuff. To cover up where the two ends meet, I attached a cute little bow.

I probably could have kept adding more, but at this point I made my self stop! She was so excited when she came downstairs in the morning to see her Candy Corn outfit. The good news is that after all this work, I think she may be able to wear it again next year because the skirt ended up a little longer than I was planning.

After the Festival, we went to the park to take some pictures of the Princess in her cute new outfit.

Thanks so much for stopping by and have a great day!

I joined these fun parties:

The Girl Creative~Just Something I Whipped Up

Sew Can Do~Craftastic Monday

Craft-O-Maniac Monday

Autumn Sign

2010-10-21T19:03:00.000-07:00

I love decorating for fall, and now that I'm done with my calendars I can finally start! Since I'm getting such a late start, I decided to skip Halloween this year and just do fall because I can keep it all out through November. I was working on decorating my hutch in my dining room and was looking for something that would be the perfect finishing touch. When I saw the 12x7 frames in the cheapy frame section at Wal-Mart, I knew just what I wanted to do!

I basically created a scrapbook page sized to fit in my new frame. I used a mix of Autumn kits by Shabby Princess and some of her new Autumn Word Whimsy. I love the Word Whimy because it does all the hard work for you-lol! I printed it out at home on photo matte paper...since it was larger than a letter size piece I had to print it in two parts and tape it together. I then cut it to size, inserted in my frame and placed it in my vignette! I just love how it turned out and am excited to switch it out with the different seasons.

The Falloween Confection Collection I helped design for The Shabby Shoppe also just came out! It turned out so cute and I'm having a hard time trying to decide which pieces we will be using for Liz's school treats this Halloween!

Thanks for stopping by and have a great day!

Parties I joined:

Crystal's Craft Spot ~ Feature Friday

My Romantic Home ~ Show & Tell

The Shabby Nest ~ Frugal Friday

A Little Nick Nack ~ Everything But The Kitchen Sink

Fun To Craft ~ Look At Me

2011 Calendars!

2010-10-13T11:11:00.000-07:00

I'm so excited to finally share these! Shabby Princess and I have been working on these non-stop for the last couple months....which explains my sudden disappearance! I've been creating these calendars for the last 5 years, and I can honestly say that these are my most favorite that I have done! Each page is designed so that you just have to pop in your own pictures, add any journaling you would like, and print! I'm so excited to share these, so be warned that there are lots of pictures! I linked up each picture to the The Shabby Shoppe incase you want more details on each one. Shabby Princess has also put together an amazing Information Page on our calendars and how to use them. Soooo excited! Eeeek! Hope you like them as much as I do.

ONE PAGE CALENDAR:

TWO PAGE CALENDAR:

CD CASE CALENDAR:

POSTER CALENDARS-SCRAPPY STYLE:

POSTER CALENDARS-GRAPHIC STYLE:

POCKET CALENDAR COVER INSERTS:

Thanks so much for stopping by to take a peek and letting me show-off a little! :)
Photo and Example Credit: Shabby Princess/The Shabby Shoppe

Halloween Tree

2010-10-11T16:51:00.001-07:00

Each year, we add one more Halloween decoration to our collection. This year, after seeing this idea in a Matthew Mead book, I decided to make a Halloween tree. I only paid for a can of black spray paint, and the decorations were found in the dollar section of Target. I downloaded the cat ornaments from the Matthew Mead website. I sprayed the branches and a pot we already had black, and then anchored the pot down with rocks from our front yard. Next year, I'll probably do what the book suggests and get some floral foam to anchor the branches.

I also added some LED tea lights that I already had to make the tree glow at night. That is my girl's favorite part!

I linked up to these fun sites:
Fingerprints on the Fridge
Finding Fabulous - Frugalicious Fridays
Skip To My Lou - Made By You Monday
Making The World Cuter

Tulle Halloween Wreath

2010-10-08T08:43:00.000-07:00

I've been searching since July for Halloween wreath ideas for my front door. I finally decided to make an all black tulle wreath with a huge purple ribbon.

I bought my 18" wreath from the dollar store. I bought my tulle on sale at Joanns. I picked up a cheap can of black glossy spray paint from Walmart.I painted the wreath and let it dry. I has been in the 90's here so it didn't take long! I cut my tulle into strips. I didn't measure or worry about straight lines. I didn't want it to be perfect, I was going for scary! I started to tie my strips around the wreath when I thought about adding orange tulle. I didn't want to, I really wanted to stick to my original plan of ALL black. But the idea kept itching my brain so I added orange to the wreath. I am so glad I did!

Once I had tied all the tulle, I scrunched and fluffed until my scary Halloween wreath looked like a scary over grown caterpillar. I really wanted to leave it simple but I thought it needed something a little extra. I added a purple spider I picked up at the dollar store. I love how it turned! It was quick, easy, and inexpensive. My kind of craft!

I Joined these Parties:)

Fingerprints on the Fridge ~ Feature Yourself Friday

Finding Fabulous ~ Frugalicious Friday

Crystal's Craft Spot ~ Feature Friday

While He Was Napping~Halloween Ling Party

Owl Bags

2010-09-23T09:32:00.000-07:00

It's time for Halloween crafts! I LOVE Halloween. I also love owls - and this project involves both. I made these owl trick-or-treat bags for my girls and they get so excited to use them to get their candy. I just enjoy looking at them!

I got the tutorial here. This was my first official sewing project last fall and I didn't think it was too hard to follow. Definitely much better than a pattern. Patterns are a foreign language to me! I'm all for picture tutorials instead.

Teacher Gift - Flower Pens

2010-09-10T13:22:00.000-07:00

I'm a little late in posting this ~ I've been crazy busy working on this years Shabby Princess Calendars. It seriously feels like I fall of the face of the earth for two months while I work on these!

Anyway, I decided at the last minute that we needed to make a back to school gift for the Princess's teacher. She is the sweetest teacher! So, we made a quick trip to Micheal's and bought a red canister, some flowers and a bag of mini-rocks. A half hour later we had created this!

First I designed the label in Paint Shop Pro using the new Hopscotch School Additions by Shabby Princess. I printed it out on photo paper and then used Mod Podge to glue it to the tin can. After it was attached I brushed a coat on top to help seal it and keep in clean. Then I simply tied a red gingham ribbon around the top and filled the can with the mini-rocks.

Next, I made the pens by attaching a flower to the top of a pen and then wrapping green floral tape around it. I hate how sticky the floral tape is, so I always rub flour on my hands and then roll the pens between my hands. Then I wipe them down with a dry cloth. It totally takes the sticky-ness away!

We arranged the finished pens in the can and it turned out so cute, yet functional!

We put it in a cute little gingham green bag with a coordinating tag for the princess to take to school. Her teacher loved it!

I've made of ton of these lately and love them. I don't have any of my own, though! I think it is first on my list if I ever finish my calendars!

I joined these fun parties!

Fingerprints on the Fridge ~ Feature Yourself Friday

Crystal's Craft Spot ~ Feature Friday

Finding Fabulous ~ Frugalicious Friday

DIY Alphabet Poster

2010-08-18T14:35:00.000-07:00

There are a million alphabet posters out there, and I love a lot of them. But, I decided to make my own 1.Because we're on a budget and 2. I could personalize it for my girl's room. I just used random digital scrapbooking elements and fonts I already had on my computer, designed it in Photoshop, and then had it printed in poster size at Winkflash.

I'm pretty happy with how it turned out, and the girls love it too!

I joined these fun blog parties:

Someday Crafts ~ Whatever Goes Wednesday

Somewhat Simple ~ Strut Your Stuff

Blue Cricket Design ~ Show And Tell

Fireflies & Jellybeans ~ Show Off Your Stuff

Laundry Closet Makeover - Part 6

2010-07-27T23:15:00.000-07:00

I'm so excited to share my

Laundry Shelf Makeover

This has been in the works for awhile and I'm so happy to see it all done. It makes such a BIG difference in my tiny little space! I started with the standard {ugly} white wire shelf that is so common in laundry closets. It is installed way too high to be convenient...I couldn't do anything about that, but I was able to make it look a little more custom and charming!

Before:

So how did I do it?

{STEP 1}

Remember the left over fabric I was so excited about from my Ironing Board Cover?

Well, I had just enough to make two panels. I simply did a small hem around all four sides, and then turned the top under about two inches to form a casing. I threaded the two panels on to a tension spring rod and placed it behind the wire shelf rim. I do wish I had a little more fabric left over so that the curtains would be fuller, but that is okay.

{STEP 2}

I took a trip to Home Depot and bought a standard cheapy piece of trim. That was an adventure in itself! You had to cut the trim yourself, and tools and I don't get along! When I took shop in Jr. High the teacher basically created all my projects for me so I couldn't use the power tools! So, I was in the aisle sawing away with all these guys watching me and not a single one asked if I wanted help! It took me at least 10 minutes to saw through that little board!

Anyway, when I got it home I applied 2 coats of paint (I bought trim that was already primed). I used Folk Art Vintage White Acrylic Paint. Then I used really watered down brown acrylic paint as a glaze to add some definition.

{STEP 3}

I didn't want a curtain to go all the way across the front. I've never really liked that look. I wanted something that looked more like I was peeking out of a window. It looked so plain when I got the panels up, though and I felt like I need more yellow in the space. So, I took a trip to Hobby Lobby and picked up some super cute Yellow Gingham Fabric and created a little valance. I hemmed both short sides and one long size. On the un-hemmed side I did a gathering stitch. If you don't sew, you could easily use a Heat and Bond product for your hem and just pleat the valance as you attach it to the trim.

{STEP 4}

Using my glue gun, I attached the gathered side of the valance to the back of my trim piece.

{STEP 5}

Then came the hard part-LOL! I thought it would be so easy to hang this up, but nothing I tried worked. We are renting, so this had to be fairly easy to remove without causing damage. I tried foam double stick tape, command velcro strips and even hot glue! Finally, I stapled three pieces of ribbon to the back {on both ends and the middle} and tied it to the shelf!

{STEP 6}

I then placed some of the foam double stick tape to the little end caps to keep the trim more stationary. It's been a week and it hasn't fallen off yet!

Woo Hoo!!!

The final result?

Fabulous!

I couldn't be happier with how it turned out. I was able to incorporate my favorite fabric print from Heather Bailey's Nicey Jane Collection into the room {since my ironing board won't fit in there} and disguise a hideous wire shelf! You can still see a couple of support brackets {that aren't centered and drive me nuts} but I'm hoping the cuteness of everything else will detract from those!

Here is the After:

I'm oh so close to being done! I just gotta get the shelf decorated on top now!

I'm taking a little day off from the laundry closet and hope to share another project I've been working on. It is purple and pink and scalloped and so totally girly! My daughter loves it and I can't wait to share it with you all! It just needs a few finishing touches.

Thanks for stopping by and have a fabulous day!

I linked my project to these great parties:

Blue Cricket Designs ~ Show And Tell

Someday Crafts ~ Whatever Goes

Creations By Kara ~ Look What I Made

Somewhat Simple ~ Strut Your Stuff

Fireflies and Jellybeans ~ Show Off Your Stuff

Laundry Closet Makeover - Part 5

2010-07-26T00:11:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone! Today I'm sharing the new Ironing Board Cover I made. I'm so in love with it!

But first, I wanted to Thank You all for your super duper sweet comment on my little laundry closet. They really make my day! I'm getting so close to the end and can't wait to reveal the whole room and how it has come together. Lots of you have asked if it makes doing laundry more fun.....and it totally does! Every time I open the doors it makes me smile. :0) My little closet is right off the kitchen and half the time I leave the bi-fold doors open just so I can see all the cuteness!

Secondly, I wanted to share my template with you for my "Clothesline Fresh" sign.

I know some of you have been patiently waiting for this and I thank you! It is done in pdf format so you will need Adobe Acrobat Reader to be able to open it. It is a free program and is very easy to download if you don't already have it. This is sized to fit a 27"x8" sign, but can easily be reduced or enlarged to fit your sign. Please know that there are three pages, so make sure you print them all and then tape them together to create one long piece. You can read the rest of the tutorial on how I created my sign HERE.

Click on the photo below and it will take you to my box.net account where you can download the file. Be sure let me know if you have any questions/comments!

I also had a question on the font. I used CK Society, but I looked it up and it is unfortunately no longer available.

Now, on to my

IRONING BOARD COVER!

If you missed my other laundry Room Projects, you can see them HERE.

This guy is what started my whole Laundry Closet decorating! I was just going to do the cover and then when I saw all the other yummy fabrics in the Nicey Jane Collection, I knew I had to do more! The funny thing is, my closet is so small my ironing board doesn't even fit {tears}. I was able to incorporate the fabric into the closet in another way, though. It is my favorite print and I had to get it in there some how! There are surprisingly few tutorials on how to make covers out there, so I decided to show you how I made mine!

{disclaimer: I'm sorry about the quality of the photos! My soldier has been gone training for 3 weeks and when I couldn't sleep one night I got up at midnight and started on this~LOL! Midnight = No Light = Not So Great Pictures}

{STEP 1}

Pick your fabric ~ You will need 2 yards. Make sure it is 100% cotton. Using a fabric that is blended or made with something other than cotton may melt when the iron is place on it. That would be sad after all the work you put in to creating it!

Remove the old cover off your ironing board and lay it flat on your fabric. I was so excited it only took one side of my fabric. I was able to put the other half to good use later on!

{STEP 2 &3}

I wanted my cover to be a little bit bigger than the original, so I a marked 2" all the way around the cover and cut it out. If you are happy with the size of your original cover, you can probably just do 1". This will allow you to create a casing for your string.

This is what mine looked like when it was all cut out:

{STEP 4}

Now you need to create your casing so that you can cinch the cover closed. I folded the edge under 1/4" all the way around (to hide raw edge) and then folded again 3/4" and ironed and pinned in place.

{STEP 5 }

Sew close to the edge (I think I sewed about 1/4" from the edge). The curves can be tricky. I just pleated mine slightly. Remember it doesn't have to be perfect as you won't even see it.

Here is what mine looked like all sewn down:

{STEP 6 }

Remember to leave an opening between where you started and where you ended so that you can thread your sting through the casing. This is usually done on the square end of your board.

{STEP 7}

Next attach a safety pin to the end of your cord/string of choice. You may even be able to use the cord that came with the original cover. My soldier has a ton of parachute cord laying around, so that is what I used. Remember to melt the ends with a lighter if it is made of something that will fray. Thread your cord all the way through the casing and out the other end.

{STEP 8}

Place the padding back on your board and then fit your new cover over that. It is important to make sure you put the padding back on!

{STEP 9}

Pull cord tight and tie closed. Your fancy new ironing board is all ready to use!

I just adore how this turned out and I'm soooo very excited I got the pattern centered perfectly on my board! It is the perfect addition to my laundry room {even if it doesn't fit in there}!

Thanks so much for stopping by. Have a wonderful day!

I linked up to these fun parties!

Sew Can Do ~ Craftastic Monday

The Girl Creative ~ Just Something I Whipped Up

Making The World Cuter

Made By You Monday

Today's Creative Blog ~ Get Your Craft On

Sugar Bee ~ Take A Look Tuesday

Laundry Closet Makeover - Part 4

2010-07-22T23:07:00.000-07:00

I'm back with a cute little storage basket to hold all my Laundry Supplies!

If you missed the first parts of my Laundry Closet Makeover, you can view them HERE.

I've had this basket for years. I think we got it as a gift full of goodies several Christmases ago. I've always loved the shape of it and it has found a home in several different rooms of the house. After a few tweaks, it is now a perfect and functional addition to my Laundry Closet!

I toyed around with painting it white, but in the end decided that I liked the natural color and that it went perfectly with my "springy fresh" theme I am trying to create.

I loved that it has a natural inset toward the top...perfect for adding a ribbon! I could have kept this easy and just used ribbon, but remember I have all these yummy coordinating fabrics that I want to incorporate into the room:

So, I created my own fabric ribbon! First I measured the length and width of the groove on my basket. I then added 1/2" to the width to allow for a 1/4" folded hem on each side. (I wanted my ribbon to finish at 2" wide, so I cut it at 2-1/2")

Then I cut out my strip of fabric, using my fabulous Heather Bailey Nicey Jane Fabric!

Next, I folded both long sides under 1/4" and ironed and sewed them down. As long as you iron, you probably don't need to sew this down, but I love the finished look that stitching brings to a piece.

When done sewing, my piece looked like this:

Then using my trusty glue gun, I started gluing my fabric ribbon onto my basket, starting in the middle.

When done gluing, it looked like this.

To cover the part where my ribbon overlaps {and to bring more color and excitement to the basket} I glued on a silk flower. I didn't like the center of the flower, and I didn't have any buttons that matched, so I covered a large button I had with another coordinating fabric and glued it to the center of the flower.

Last time I ran to the store they didn't have the detergent that I normally get, so I grabbed this smaller bottle and it ended up working perfectly because now my iron fits in the basket, too!

I was so excited to find this Bloom sign on sale for 70% off last week! I had been stalking it at Stein Mart, waiting for it to go on sale. I LOVE it!! I originally got it to go in my hall bathroom, but I think it will find its home in the laundry closet!

....and here is a sneak peak of what I will be revealing next!

Thanks for stopping by and have a fabulous Friday!!

I linked up with these great parties!

Finger Prints On The Fridge~Feature Yourself Friday

Somewhat Simple~Strut Your Stuff

Crystals Craft Spot~Feature Friday

The Shabby Nest~Frugal Friday

Finding Fabulous~Frugalicious Friday

Newsboy Hat

2010-07-09T12:35:00.000-07:00

Let me introduce you to my new best friend! I love this hat. I have this hat in every neutral; black, white, tan, dark brown, navy blue, sea mist. I plan on making a hat for every day of the week. There is nothing like putting your hair in a ponytail, throwing on a cute hat, and walking out the door.Excuse my lack of makeup. We just got home from the beach. I got so many compliments on this awesome orange hat that I felt the need to share it with everyone!

I wish that I was talented enough to say that I created my hat from scratch. But I did not. I used a McCalls pattern that I purchased during their $.99 sale. I didn't follow the patterns instructions exactly, I kind of altered the shape as I went along. The pattern number is M5995.

I have made so many of these hats that it now only takes me 30 minutes or less to make one.

My next project: Hat Organizer!

I linked up to these parties:

Kojo Designs~Friday Fun Finds

Pillowcase Dresses

2010-07-08T13:44:00.000-07:00

It's finally feeling like summer here in Seattle, so I can break out these dresses that I made for the girls before the baby was born. I love how they turned out even though I am a really amateur seamstress. I am a visual learner, so I bought a tutorial from this shop on Etsy that walks you through it step-by-step and has lots of pictures. I love picture tutorials!

Welcome summer!

I linked up with these great parties:

Fingerprints On The Fridge~Feature Yourself Friday

The Train To Crazy~Make It Wear It

House of Hepworths~Hookin' Up With HOH

Care Bear Birthday Party

2010-07-07T13:58:00.000-07:00

Last month was Heidi's 3rd birthday party. I was so excited when we finally decided that the theme would be Care Bears!

I started the party by having the kids pick out their own pair of Care Bear ears. I found the headbands at the Dollar Store and used pieces of felt that I already had. I used a large glass mug to help me shape the ears and then I hot glued them to the headband. I made Heidi's ears with fluffy pink feathers to make her stand out a little more in the crowd. Looking back I wish that I had used some glitter glue! Next I had the kids look at a Care Bear book to decide which belly badge to have painted on their faces. I was surprised at how serious they were about the face painting. Wyatt said that he never wanted to take a bath because his belly badge would wash away! They all looked so cute as little Care Bears.

The next activity was pin the belly badge on the Care Bear. I found the mask image online and re sized and printed. I think the kids could all see under the mask but they looked so cute wearing them. I found the image on Cheer Bear online. I had it printed on 2 pieces of 17 x 11 paper at Office Depot. I taped the two pieces together and then I mounted the image to foam board.
Every party has some down time. So in preparation I had printed out puppet sized images of Heidi's favorite Care Bears. I then put them in packets with crayons and popsicle sticks. They ended up just being a party favor because this party had NO down time!
I had grand plans for the pinata. I was going to do a full sized Care Bear. But I waited to the last minute to start it. I really did not enjoy the whole process (hate getting my hands all sticky) And decided to scale it down to the Belly Badge. I swiped Nicole's idea and cut out a trap door on the bottom, inserted ribbons long enough for each kid to hold onto. On the count of three we all yelled Care Bear Stare and pulled the ribbons. Out popped the trap door, and then all the candy!

As a center piece on the the birthday table I used the image of Cheer Bear again, erased her belly badge in my scrapbooking program and replaced it with the number 3. It turned out really cute.

Finally, my pride and joy! I decided to try my hand at a birthday chair. I found this fabric with cupcakes all over at Joann's (using a coupon). I traced the outline of the chair for a pattern piece. I added a ruffle around the top and a big bow on the back. Heidi looked adorable sitting on her birthday chair opening her presents.

I can't wait for next year!

I linked up to these fun parties:

Creations By Kara~Look What I Made

Someday Crafts~Whatever Goes

Blue Cricket Designs~Show And Tell
Somewhat Simple~Birthday Ideas

Laundry Closet Makeover - Part 3

2010-07-06T19:15:00.000-07:00

Welcome to The Laundry Closet Makeover~Part 3! If you missed the first two parts, you can see them HERE.

This post will be highlighting the shabby "Clothesline Fresh" sign. This sign was a toughy for me and I'm so excited that it turned out exactly how I had imagined! Those that know me well, know I'm a perfectionist when it comes to crafts. I can't just freehand something or throw it together and call it good. I need things to be straight and lined up and well....perfect!

This sign intimidated me at first, but if I can do it and love it, then you can, too! So this is my tutorial on how to make a shabby chic sign the pefectionist's way!

Step 1: Ready Board and Stencil

I found a board in the garage that I already had. I think mine measures 7" x 28" long. It was already painted a sage green, so I went over it with Folk Art Antique White acrylic paint. Then I created my wording stencil on my computer and printed it out (the perfectionist in me couldn't just free-hand it). Because it was longer than an avarage size piece of paper, I had to print it in 3 parts and tape together.

Step 2: Transfer Stencil

I went back to my grade school days to transfer my stencil on to my board. I turned my stencil over and scribbled over the back with a lead pencil. Make sure that you get good coverage, and use a firm hand.

Next I centered and taped my stencil onto my board. I then used a pen to trace around each letter. The lead I scribbled on the back will act as carbon paper and I when I remove my stencil, I will have this:

(sorry about poor picture quality..I was working on this after the Princess went to bed)

Step 3: Paint

I created and transfered the flowers onto my board the same way that I did my quote. Then, using a small brush I painted. This surprisingly didn't take as long as I thought it would. I used these acryllic paints:

Craftsmart Lime Green

Craftsmart Pale Blue

Folk Art Sunny Yellow.

At this point, it looks like I stenciled it and you can see some of the pencil marks from my transfer. I just used my sanding block and lightly sanded all edges and the surface. Then I mixed my Chocolate Brown Acrylic Paint with lots of water to make a glaze. I brushed it on my sign and then wiped it off with a damp rag. When using acrylic paint as a glaze, you have to work fast because it dries fast.

This is what it looks like with all the painting, sanding and glazing.

Since this is my laundry room where there will be lots of dust, I sprayed it with my Krylon Satin Finish.

I'm so in love with my sign and I'm so glad that I decided to give it a try. It is the perfect addition to my laundry room!

Thanks for stopping by. I hope that I have inspired you to try something that you have been too intimidated to start. Have a great day!

I've linked up with these great parties:

Blue Cricket Designs~Show and Tell

Domestically Speaking~Power of Paint

Someday Crafts ~ Whatever Goes

Somewhat Simple~Strut Your Stuff

Fireflies & Jellybeans~Show Off Your Stuff

Home Is Where My Story Begins

Template Challenge

2010-07-01T08:34:00.000-07:00

It is my turn to host the Easy-As-Pie Template Challenge at The Shabby Shoppe this month. I really love how the template turned out, and I hope you do to! Check all the details Here on how you can win a $25 Gift Card to the Shabby Shoppe just by creating a layout with the template! You will also find some amazing layouts that the creative team came up with using the template and a FREE quick page!

A quick peak at my layout and your Free quick page!

Happy Scrapping!

Laundry Closet Makeover - Part 2

2010-06-30T21:52:00.000-07:00

Welcome back to my Laundry Closet Makeover! If you missed Part 1, you can see it HERE.

Today I'm going to share two more projects!

First:

Laundry Rules Sign

I first saw these laundry rules on etsy, in vinyl form. Although I like the idea of vinyl, I need to use every opportunity I can to inject color into my rental white laundry closet. I decided to put my Digital Scrapbooking skills to work and this is the end result. I couldn't love it more! I used a digital scrapbook kit at Nitwit Collections called "What's All The Buzz About". This is a bug themed kit, but I was able to pull papers and elements from it that worked perfectly with my color scheme. I created my sign at 8"x10" and had it printed at Walgreens. I used a frame I already had on hand that I had picked up from T.J. Maxx on clearance last year.

Second:

Coordinated Clothes Pins

I have these sitting in an old jam jar on a shelf in the laundry closet. I don't used them, but they add a cute little decorative detail to the closet and I love how they match my fabric perfectly.

Here's the how-to:

Step 1:

Gather Supplies

Mod Podge - Decorative Paper - Clothes Pins - Scissors - Paint Brush

To make these coordinate with my Heather Bailey Nicey Jane Fabric, I simply saved the sample pictures from the internet and then printed them off on matte photo paper. Each square of "fabric paper" is about 4"x4". You could use fabric scraps instead, but my fabric choices have large patterns on them and you wouldn't be able to see them once adhered to the clothes pins.

Step 2:

Cut Paper Strips To the Size Of Your Clothespins

Measure your clothes pin and then using your scissors or a razor blade, cut strips from your patterned paper. Be sure to make a strip for the front and back sides of the clothespin.

Step 3:

Adhere Paper To Clothespin

Using your paint brush, Apply Mod Podge to your clothes pin and the back side of your paper. Press paper onto your clothes pin, smoothing all air bubbles out. Trim sides if necessary.

Optional: Before glueing the paper to your clothespin, you can paint it in a color of your choice. I chose to leave my clothespin natural because it went with the over all feel I was trying to create in my room.

Optional: Apply a thin coat of mod podge over finished clothespin to seal it. Since mine I strictly decorative I didn't do this, but if you will be using these definitely apply a protective coat.

Step 4:

Admire

Fill an empty jar with your clothes pin, step back and admire your perfectly coordinated accessory!

Thanks so much for stopping by and have a great day!

Linking to these fabulous parties:

Somewhat Simple

House of Hepworths

Fireflies and Jelly Beans

Fingerprints on the Fridge

Home is Where My Story Begins

Laundry Closet Makeover - Part 1

2010-06-30T12:30:00.000-07:00

I'm so excited to share Part 1 of my Laundry Closet Makeover! This post will be focusing on the first of many cute accessories I've been creating to make my closet more cheerful!

I think that at some point in our lives we are all lucky enough to have the opportunity of having a Laundry Room Closet, as opposed to a Laundry Room. My husband and I have been renters our entire married life and have experienced our fair share of these closets...some good and some bad. The one I currently have to work with ranks at the bottom of my list. The space is so narrow that I can't hang my ironing board on the side, the lovely wire shelf was hung so high I need a step stool to reach anything, and the folding doors were hung crooked and we can't get them to straighten out. It is all I have to work with, though, and I'm making the best of it.

Here is my embarrassing before shot. It ends up being a catch-all for anything that I don't know what to do with. I'm hoping that by decorating this cute, I can keep it clean and organized!

And, here is my inspiration! I fell in love with the Nicey Jane Collection by Heather Bailey as soon as I saw it. I'm fighting the urge to not put it in every room of the house, in all the different color ways. I wanted something fresh, clean, bright and airy....and the blue and green combination fit the bill perfectly!

I picked up my fabric at Fabric.com, using a coupon (easily found online) and receiving free shipping. I think I payed around $6.50 a yard for my fabric, which is awesome for designer quilting fabric! I also love that I almost always receive my orders from Fabric.com in 2 days.

I have grand plans for my fabric...I ordered 5 of the coordinating prints. First on my list:

Storage Baskets

I found this super cute tutorial a couple months ago called "The Undercover Crate". I love the crates, but they were too wide to fit on my lovely wire shelf above the washer and dryer, so I picked up some narrower plastic storage pins at Big Lots for $5 each. They fit on my shelf perfectly. The tutorial explains in easy to follow directions how to adjust the liner to fit the bin of your choice. These took me about 45 minutes each, from start to finish.

I added the ribbon to separate the two fabrics using Tacky Craft Glue. I like things to be more defined and I love the extra detail it brought to the over all design. I'm still looking for the perfect green ribbon for the bottom crate. Because my bin had round corners instead of square corners, my cover was a little to loose fitting on my bin. To give it a more tailored look, I pleated the sides and held them closed with a cute little flower button.

These make me smile every time I open the door. LOVE them!

Come back tomorrow, when I will be revealing more of my accessories and maybe a tutorial, or two!

I linked up to these fun parties:

Show & Tell ~ Blue Cricket Design

Whatever Goes Wednesday ~ Someday Crafts

Look What I Made ~ Creations By Kara

Address Flower Pot

2010-06-23T23:31:00.000-07:00

This pot is so simple, but I LOVE it on my front steps! I needed to make this pot for 3 reasons.
1. The neighbor girls were planting flowers in their little area of our townhouse yards and I couldn't let their gardens be cuter than mine. I try to hide it, but I do have a *little* bit of a competitive streak!
2. I've been inspired {like everyone else} by numbers and the combination of black and white. Neither of these really go with my decor, so this was an easy way to try it out.
3. We have 9 houses in our townhouse complex and it is a little confusing trying to figure out which door goes to which house. I was getting knocks on my door at midnight. This is not a good thing when your soldier has been out training for the last week and every little sound in the house already has you on edge. Since I put this little masterpiece out, I haven't had a single late-night knock!

This was super simple to make.

First: Gather Your Supplies

Flower Pot

Acrylic Paint {I used Folk Art Antique White}

Number Stencil

Razor Blade

Tape

Pencil

For my flower pot, I had grand plans of finding a big heavy pot and spray painting it black. In the end, I found this urn pot at Big Lots for $8 and I loved that it was already black and it was big. It is plastic, but this worked great for me since we move a lot being in the military. It is cheap enough for me to throw away when we move, or light enough for me to clean out and bring with us.

For my stencil, I just found an image I really liked online and enlarged it in Word then printed it out. You can buy stencils already made, but I didn't want to splurge on that when I would only need it once.

Second: Prepare Your Stencil

Next I needed to transfer my stencil on to my pot. My original plan was to rub chalk over the back of my stencil and then trace it onto my pot, like Chella did here. But, it was 11 at night and I didn't have any chalk. So, I carefully cut out my stencil using the razor blade. Since my pot was curved, I cut apart each number and then taped it onto the pot, making sure it was straight along the bottom edge. Then I simply used a pencil and traced around the edges. I removed the stencil and, using a small paint brush, filled in the numbers. It was actually easier than I thought it would be to paint the numbers. I think the key is to use a small brush. It took 2 coats of paint to really fill in the numbers. After it had dried, I sprayed Krylon Matte Sealer just over the parts that I painted.

Third: Place Outside & Admire

When the pot is done, fill it with pretty flowers, place it in its new home, make the neighbor girls jealous and admire your handy work! I smile every time I walk by it to the front door! :)

While I was outside photographing the new addition to my flower garden, my Little Lady came out and actually wanted me to take pictures of her. I'm never one to turn down a chance to photograph her. She had the day off from school and we had gotten dressed up especially pretty for the day!

I linked up with these fabulous parties!

Blue Cricket DesignsHooking Up With HOHFingerprints On The Fridge

Family Man Wallet

2010-06-04T05:40:00.000-07:00

Here is my newest project, Family Man Wallet Album, just in time for Father's Day! Usually I buy templates to create my hybrid projects, but I created this one completely from scratch! It was definitely challenging at times, but it turned out amazing in the end, if I do say so myself!

One again, the fabulous Shabby Princess Printed and assembled the sample project!

Teacher's Pet Gifts

2010-05-25T17:38:00.000-07:00

I can't believe I forgot to post these...they were released last week. I think the projects turned out so CUTE and I love that they aren't super "teacher-y".

This first one is a little Gift Set. I used the Summer Cottage Kit and then Shabby Princess made me a cute little apple embellishment to use. I can't wait to give these to L's teachers in a cute little bucket.

And here is another little Accordion Album that highlights events through out the school year. I'm actually going to mail this one to L's teacher back "home".

Thanks to Shabby Princess for printing and assembly and photographing everything!

Asian Inspired Flower Pots

2010-05-19T08:50:00.000-07:00

To get inspiration I always browse through etsy.com to see what's new. For awhile everyone was doing these birds on a branch as wall decals. And I LOVED it, but the look doesn't really go with my current home decor. So I painted these flower pots instead!I found an image that I liked at art.com, converted it to black and white, resized to the desired size to fit my pots and printed. Now I know you are thinking, why didn't she just free hand paint. And that would have been so much easier. I'm not an artist, I can't even paint stick people. So I created this stencil and it worked awesome. I colored chalk on the back of my printed stencil, taped it to my pot, traced over the image leaving the chalk outline on the pot. For these pots I traced over the chalk lines with a black pen and then started painting. I used acrylic paint and then sealed the pots in a semi-gloss. Heidi and I water our flowers every day. My most favorite time of day!

Happy Birthday To You!

2010-05-11T14:34:00.001-07:00

My new obsession....summer hats; this one is for Nicole! An early birthday present. I hope you can ignore all the flaws that I'm sure you will be able to see. I made it as pink as pink can be! I figured as hot as it gets in NC that you will need a stunning hat to protect your little nose. I couldn't wait for you to get it in the mail....
The hat is made from outdoor sunbrella material, so you know it will last long hours in the sun! I even sewed wire on the inside of the brim so you can mold and shape the brim however you want it to fit. Just don't look at my seams. By the end there were so many thick layers my sewing machine was have trouble. I'm pretty pleased with the overall look, considering it was my very first hat!

Rain, Rain Go Away

2010-05-11T09:16:00.000-07:00

I've been working on all kinds of projects, but need to get the pictures off the camera! I made this layout of Liz last night. Dan and I were looking through old pictures the other night when I came upon this one from a couple years ago. She was not thrilled about taking pictures in her rain coat, as you can see. Even though she isn't smiling, this is still a favorite picture of mine. I think a lot of times we tend to focus on scrapbooking the happy memories and we forget about many of the "real life" moments.

Hair Posies

2010-05-06T13:54:00.001-07:00

I was getting totally bored of Ella's same ol' hair clips. She just needed some fresh ones so I made these cute posies out of fabric. Super easy, super fast. I have lots more I want to make to coordinate various outfits with, but this is the first batch.

Template Challenge

2010-05-06T13:47:00.000-07:00

I'm hosting my first ever challenge on the new Shabby Princess Blog! Just use the free template to create a layout and you will be entered in to win a $25 gift certificate to the Shabby Shoppe.

You will also get the layout I created with the template as a quickpage just for playing. Here it is with our princess! Can't believe it has been exactly a year since Dan graduated. Time sure flies when you are having fun!

Lots Of Home Decor

2010-04-29T08:04:00.000-07:00

I have been working hard the past two months waiting for the this blog to get up and running. I have a few different things to post.

Hand Painted glass vases with acrylic paint

Hand painted flower pots with acrylic paint

Fishing Off The Dock :Hand painted with acrylic paint on 16x20 canvas My first try at wood burning

Hand painted wood plate with acrylic paint

Hand painted bears with acrylic paint

The Four Seasons :hand painted with acrylic paint on 9x12 hard canvas

Hand painted tote bags

Hand painted acrylic flowers on 16x20 canvas

That is all for now I have lots more projects to start !!!!!

Mother's Day Projects

2010-04-28T09:32:00.000-07:00

I have lots of projects to post on decorating our new home, but this is the last project that I finished up and have been dying to share! I think that these are some of my most favorite hybrid scrapbook projects that I have ever designed! For those that don't know, Hybrid Scrapbooking is a combination of Digital and Paper Scrapbooking. They are all super easy to put together and so tiny and cute and adorable. I designed these for the big Mother's Day release at The Shabby Shoppe. Although I designed everything, the fabulous Shabby Princess actually printed, assembled, and photographed everything WITH easy to follow tutorials. Enough talking....on to the goodies!

ACCORDION FILE ALBUM
This was our most favorite project! We LOVED it!
You can find it here.

BLOOM BOX~SPROUT

This little box opens up to show layers of little pages for all your photos. I had so much fun making this one.

You can find it here

BLOOM BOX ~ CLEMENTINE
Clementine is one of my all time favorite Shabby Princess Kits, so I had to make a box with it too!
You can find it here..

MOTHER WORD ALBUM
I've always wanted to create one of these word albums. It is designed to fit the chipboard word albums from SEI, but you can also just glue the pages to any chipboard type product you have at home. Cereal boxes work great for this! I'm totally going to make one of these for my desk, full cute pics of my Lizzie girl!
You can find it here.

SPRING CONFECTION COLLECTION

These are such an easy way to dress up sweet little treats for your neighbors and friends!

Find it here.

CLEMENTINE PIECE-OF-CAKE ALBUM

This guy took me 3 months to finish...of course you have to take into account that I moved across the country sometime during that 3 months! Lots of layering and tons of spots for your photos! These are great because the hard word is already done for you. You just have to add your photos and journaling!

Find it here.

And that's it! Everything was so fun to make and I hope you enjoy them as much as I do. I would love to know what your favorite project was!

Family Photo Book

2010-04-27T12:47:00.000-07:00

One of the most rewarding things when you digital scrapbook is seeing all of your hard work in a printed format. I just got our first family album done a couple of months ago during one of Winkflash's amazing flat-rate book sales. (There's one going on right now) It has been so fun to have a physical copy of all these layouts. The book is nice and thin too - you wouldn't think it was 100 pages just by looking at it!

Here are a few of the actual layouts:

The Whimsy Girls : About Us!

2010-03-24T22:19:00.001-07:00

We are two sisters, one on the East coast the other on the West. We bridge the distance between us through our shared love of all things creative. We first started out creating custom knit hats and adorable outfits to photograph our own children in. We have had so much fun that we have decided to share our creations with you!
MEET NICOLE

I am passionate about digital-scrapbooking and preserving all our special memories. I am the in-house designer at The Shabby Shoppe and create most of the ready-made albums and hybrid projects. I love to sew although I'm not very good at it. I enjoy decorating our house and the challenge of making it more homey and less rental-ish. You have to get creative with those white walls! I also dabble a little in photography and especially love photographing newborns!

I am a mommy to a 6-going-on-16 year old. It is amazing how fast your favorite music becomes Taylor Swift and your favorite T.V show Icarly! I'm married to my high school sweetheart and a real life G.I. Joe who I'm so very proud of. I so love a man in uniform!

I am a night-owl and love staying up all night and sleeping all day. It is when I'm most creative!

MEET CHELLA

I have a passion for all things creative. Thanks to my big sis Nicole I've been digital scrap booking for 5 years. I've recently caught the 'alter' bug. I love to find old, drab, boring, ordinary objects to give them new life. I self describe my creative style as eclectic glam. You can never go wrong with glitter, sparkles, jewels, more sparkle and a little bit of weird!

I do have a very addictive personality. I'm addicted to coffee, lemon water, Power 90X, my treadmill, taking pictures of Heidi, my ipod touch, tweezing my eyebrows, and posing in the mirror!

I am a mom to a very precocious almost 3 year old, who insists that she is 5, but acts like age doesn't matter ( it's all in the attitude)! We have a blast working on our projects together. She loves glitter glue just as much as I do. Heidi takes up most of my time during the day so I get up extra early and stay up a little bit later so that I can do my fun stuff!

I have been married for the past 7 years to the most gorgeous pair of blue eyes that you have ever seen. The rest of him isn't that bad either!

My life philosophy " I just want life to be fun"....with lots of drama and sparkles;)

Our Little Sister, Annie, jumps in on the fun from time to time!

MEET ANNIE

I have been married for almost 7 years to my childhood sweetheart. I am a mommy to a rambunctious 4 year old transformer (wyatt) and an almost 3 year old princess (madison). When I am not busy being a stay at home mom or teaching the kids pre-school skills I am busy painting!

I paint anything from custom canvas artwork to rocks and pots. I occasionally will branch out to sewing or scrap booking projects but painting is my main passion. You will notice that blue is my signature color! I will try to add it to every project.

I am an outdoor enthusiast. I love to go camping, hiking, fishing. The kids and I are outside playing, running, biking, skating all day. I use the outdoors as the inspiration for all my creative projects. After all, there is nothing more beautiful than the great outdoors!