In the Storm

inpired.

there are many things around the web that are inspiring. rarely do i have an 'original' idea i hate to admit. the world is full of originals. things i make are original only to me. there are a few blogs that are consitently inspiring that i visit everyday. if they don't post that day sometimes i revisit previous posts for reminders.

i began following elise's blog years ago when she created on just a deck of cards. she's a mini-book queen. she comes up with year-long ideas that flourish and challenge. this year she has selected 27 different materials (string, fabric, wood, glue, etc.) and plans to make something with each different material.

last year she just did 26 different projects as well as baked 40 different loaves of bread. she is who inspired my 40 new recipes for my family this year. one of her 26 projects - this and one from pinterest inspired me to do this:

the scripture is in Deuteronomy 6. not sure if i like how it turned out or not - of course i envisioned more. i think if my canvas would have been bigger ('i thought you'd be bigger'...what movie is that from?)

sidetracked i know.

my boys like it. i used shoe polish to right the words.

it's up in my living room. i'll give it a go for now.

gratitude project l #1

the idea has been percolating for years. laziness. other things have crept in. gratitude is still there just not 'written' down. i got the idea from this post by becky higgins so long ago. it has stuck in the back of my mind. i originally wanted to make it for our dining/homeschool room but i bought too large of a canvas. it also was originally going to be vertically.

i started with a white canvas and just left it alone. i guess i could have gessoed it up for a more flat surface but i think it will be fine to write on - especially if we use thin sharpies - or even fat ones.

then i spray painted wooden letters (i think they are 1 1/2 inch) white and allowed them to dry. i used my spray station (from a recent post on my bottle cap tray) that i still had available.

i laid out the letters, horizontally first and liked it immediately. especially since i was now going to put up the gratitude canvas just as we exit the living room into the hall that leads to the bathroom, or the den - which we all use regularly.

i used a square level to make sure my letters were straight.

then i used trusty E-6000 to 'glue' on the letters to the canvas. they get a good seal very quickly. the downside to E-6000: it's messy if you squeeze to hard (lessons i learned); it leaves an after smell if you use it in light ventilation areas; and before each use i've had to 'open' it up again because it 'glues' up

and my final project...ready to be hanged...ready to be covered with words of gratitude to God...for our family, our small group, our mother's, jobs, provisions, joy, growth, loss (as in weight), anything and everything we are reminded to be grateful for.

weekend project #3

while hoosier man and the georgia boys were away on a camp out a couple weeks ago i began this project.

i set up a spray painting station. i was using 4 different colors of spray paint for this project. i knew it would be slow going because of the small station, and the time it would take to make sure everything was dry.

my extended family: brother, sisters, mom and dad collected bottle caps for me that i was going to use for another project which i never made. i may still make it because i have alot of bottle caps still. i saw this idea for a bottle cap tray from Sweet Something Design,  online several months ago and i thought that it would be easy and fun.

after spray painting 100 bottle caps in a little yellow, a lovely blue, a pale gray, and a white i laid them out on a white tray that i had purchased on sale from micheals; it was already painted white. it was on sale because the plexiglas that hugged the bottom was cracked. i didn't have need of the plexiglas so the tray would be perfect. and it was a really good size. for the bottle caps, i had to play around with the them to get them just how i wanted them. i mixed the clear epoxy according to package directions and very slowly poured the casting gel into the crevices (mostly) of my bottle caps.

this is the finished project. the epoxy takes about 48 hours to dry. i think it turned out pretty stinkin' neat! and i can't wait to serve up coffee to the ladies at small group with my new tray.

diy l anniversary art

i saw this on pinterest

and thought, 'I can make that!'

so i did!

+ black frame + white matting = art for my bedroom...

whenever it gets painted...

soon...

before the end of the year...

but, hopefully sooner.

sunday photo + words...and somethin' creative

we'll maybe just a little creative (inspired by monika wright really...)

anyways, the chili is heating in the crockpot made by hoosier man. the jalapeno poppers made by the georgia boys are on the stove waiting to be baked, and the homemade salsa, also made by the georgia boys, is marrying in the refrigerator, hoosier man is out back workin' on stuff, the barn, workstuff, the boys are playin' x-box, we are all waiting to go over to friends house for super bowl party and i decided to play a bit.

i'm making valentines for my class but thought it'd be nice to make some valentines for my small group. the married couples are goin' get these:

this one is for brent and margie. they've been comin' to our small group about 5 months - we love them. we are also in homeschool co-op together, and we've known them forever from church.

these cute things are an 8 x 10 print that i'll frame out in white i think. we have a new couple that just started coming last week so i'll need to get their anniversay; and two more married couples. haven't decided what i'll make for the two single ladies yet. just a surprise to show them how much i love 'em.

which brings me to my sunday photo + words

(via pinterest)

see what i mean...it's the way to live. rather than just say i love my small group i desire to act out my love. welcome them into my home, gift them with creative things that i make, delish desserts to share, be there for them, be open and honest...

 

sunday photo + words is inspired by write.click.scrapbook

january desktop

at the end of january...ok, so it is very belated but i wanted to share my desktop that i recently made.

so cute. it looks good on my desktop too. think i'm gonna make my own the remainder of the year. this was fun.

subway art l baby gifts

don't think i ever shared the baby gift i made my neighbor who recently had twins. of course, i'm partial to twins since i have a set, a pair, two little ones who aren't so little anymore...

i've seen these 'subway' art type birth information all over the web and felt i really could make them myself in PSE. our neighbor said it was the first things they hung up in the nursery...they were thrilled with them.

isn't that a cool name - amy li

so unusual, doc; and i love aidan...

these were pretty simple to make. now that i have the template they'll be super easy.

 

valentines gifts l john 3:16

simple little valentines gifts for my atmospheric science class + 5x7 picture frame. saw a little subway art on the internet and thought i'd make one myself for my class. found a similar font in my stash, opened up photoshop elements and began playing so that i could align the word v a l e n t i n e. so cute. you could certainly do this in microsoft word too! would make a super sweet card.

diy christmas

i found these on pinterest.

loved them immediately.

decided i would make them myself.

i mean - simple right?

yep!

simple.

i spent about two hours this afternoon making these sweet things. 24 little satin white christmas ornament bulbs transformed into little snowmen. love this! had a blast making them.

i used pastels to make the nose and cheeks and a black sharpie for the eyes and mouth.

obviously not as perfect as those in the first picture but i'm very pleased with how they turned out. and i have another christmas decoration.

fall glitter trees

remember these:

christmas glitter trees. i made them after christmas (in january no less). these trees will go out in december when i decorate for christmas.

anyways.

this weekend i made these

fall glitter trees

i started with this

Supplies: 3 styrocones in varying sizes, Modge Podge, three different colors of tinsel glitter, foam brushes, metal tray (for catching the glitter)

I used Martha Stewarts tinsel glitter in:

                  
       copper                      fire opal                    brownstone

using a foam brush I covered each tree with Modge Podge. then sprinkled the tinsel glitter over the still-wet glue. i had to work in small areas at a time to ensure the Modge Podge didn't dry. shake the excess glitter off the cone onto the tray. after each cone was complete i put the unused glitter back into their bottles.

and here there they are again.

fall glitter trees

love 'em.

so, my plan is to make a set of glitter trees for each season. but i figured out that i can reuse some of the trees for the different seasons. for instance, for spring i'll only need to make one more tree. i'll reuse the copper tree from fall and the green tree from christmas and probably do a color like this

and then in the summer i'll reuse the christmas blue and make two new trees, one in

    
      garnet                   silver

for memorial day, fourth of july, colors i think of when summer roles around.