Tiffiny's Walls of Wisdom

Woodworking pt. 1

2012-02-09T12:06:00.000-06:00

So just before we took our family vacation this summer, I was totally inspired by Ana White's farmhouse bed for 18" dolls. My dear husband just wasn't interested in making it, but after seeing the directions and having helped put my fair share of Pinewood Derby cars as well as checking out blogs like Sawdust and Paper Scraps, I thought, "Why couldn't I learn to do this?"

So family vacation time comes--I have to say, my dad has got great woodworking skills. Growing up we had a cupboard he had made for us where we stored all of our pretend food. He also made a high chair and the stable that housed our Nativity set. Many years ago he made this stable--one for each of my sisters and I--which was a slightly larger replica of the one my family grew up with.

The second nativity (on the right) was a gift from my in-laws. They got it in South Africa.

Then last year we were presented with

He modeled it after the advent calendar in National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation. He found a website that served as a jumping off point, and then made his own templates. Each tiny window has tiny hinges and it was all lovingly put together by my parents. (My mom did the bulk of the painting). I don't have great pictures of all of the detail, but it's there.

A widows walk cleverly made from paperclips, the architectural elements just under the roofline, and the tiny icicles they attached are just a few of them.

He began working on the first one for my mom after he finally retired. It turned out wonderfully, and then he set to work making one for each of my sisters and I.

I have to say, I'm so proud of my dad! He was also one of my inspirations. I asked him if he would be willing to teach me some basic woodworking skills when we saw them for our family vacation. He said he would! Part 2 to soon follow.

Surprise! We're going to Disney World.

2012-01-26T22:55:00.004-06:00

You know those Disney advertisements where the parents surprise the kids that they are going on a trip? I confess, I choke up when I watch them.

I grew up being raised on Disney. We lived in California for a time as did my grandparents, so I can't even count the number of times I've been to Disneyland. My sisters and I would play the Disney princesses. (I was Snow White and the others were Cinderella and Aurora--yep dating myself a little here). I had an old 33 record that had all the songs from Cinderella. I had another 33 that told the story of Snow White in addition to the music.

In short we are/were Disneyphiles.

For many years I've heard great stories about parents surprising their children with a trip to Disney--then Disney began showing the linked ad from above. I wanted to do this for my kids.

Two problems--1) Disney can be really expensive--especially for a family of my size. 2) Those great videos and stories where they tell the kids they are leaving for the airport right now? Yeah, that doesn't work so well with kids on the Autism spectrum. My boys need sign posts and time to adjust to ideas.

So a compromise. I did a lot of research over several months and when I heard Disney had brought back the free dining plan again I jumped on it. I made all of our reservations and I was bursting with the secret.

As I said, my children need time to adjust to ideas. My husband and I talked about it and decided that we would tell the kids a couple of months before the actual vacation so they would also have a chance to earn and save money for souvenirs.

On my son's birthday I set things in motion by having a letter delivered to him by "owl" (or so the server at the pizza parlor said) which set all of the kids off on an adventure. When we got home from the pizza parlor, (and no, I didn't have them make a Mickey shaped pizza though I sort of wish I had), they had to go around the house collecting objects and filling tasks--most of them related to Disney or Harry Potter (my kids are HUGE fans). I even made wands out of chocolate dipped pretzel sticks (the long ones), but I was remiss in getting any pictures.

The end reward was supposed to be cookies--literally found in the cupboard under the stairs--though I had been making them in secret and the royal icing hadn't dried completely, so they ended up being found inside the second fridge. I found my inspiration here. She is much more talented than I am.

It was my first attempt at edible royal icing and I discovered three things. 1) It's probably better to start with smaller amounts of icing and make more rather than trying to find creative ways to use up white, black and red icing. 2) Getting the right consistency for both outlining and filling in is trickier than it looks on paper. 3) Gel food dyes--especially black--can leave a nasty stain on your tongue and teeth. Brush immediately after eating.

Below are some of our attempts of baking more cookies and using more icing.

We took our vacation this last fall (another reason I didn't post) and we had a great time. I had to skip a few rides given my current project (baby on board), but being pregnant made me change my focus-it was okay if we were slower paced and if we didn't get to the opening gates 1/2 hour before the parks opened. We enjoyed ourselves and each others company and it made the difference.

As a side note--I recommend families with ASD children look into disability passes for theme parks. Most parks have them, but I would not have known about them were it not for a good friend whose child is also autistic.

New Project

2012-01-18T20:15:00.005-06:00

I realize I haven't posted in many, many months. That would be because I've been busy working on my latest project--one that should be complete sometime in May.

Yep! Expecting! (Not twins, I just had to take two tests to be sure).

I spent many, many weeks feeling absolutely sicker than a dog. Then I started to feel better and it was time to try and catch up on family stuff and life in general. Then the kids got sick. Three rounds of strep throat this year. Not fun. (I'm honestly wondering if one of the munchkins is a carrier for strep.)

They also broke my laptop screen. One of the more rambunctious ones decided it was a great idea to shut my laptop while I was typing. My ring and knuckles did some serious damage to my screen. It was a while before I had a working laptop again.

I'm still playing catch up, (and part of that has been trying to get services for my children who are on the Autism spectrum), but the holidays are over, the decorations are put away (last week-finally), and I'm hoping I can begin posting again on a more regular basis.

One other piece of good news. We had planned on finishing the basement when we bought this house and have been saving accordingly. This new baby provides the impetus to get it done, and hopefully we'll be able to finish in the next month or two. The best part? One of the rooms we're finishing is a craft room for me! I can't tell you how excited I am. I haven't had a craft room in ages and ages! (I have just been hiding in nooks and cranny's wherever I can).

Look for posts regarding basement progress in the near future!

Believe

2011-07-26T17:24:00.000-05:00

One of our biggest selling simple phrases is BELIEVE. I think it is because it can be interpreted in so many ways. During the holidays it can be intrepreted as a belief in Santa and the magic of the season. At Easter it means a belief in our Savior. During other times of the year it can remind you to believe in yourself, in others and in the basic goodness of mankind.

Belief can inspire us.

I know that my own beliefs hold me up when hard times hit. I am grateful for my faith.

What do you believe in?

Sad News

2011-06-28T20:09:00.003-05:00

I have sad news. My lovely and talented sister, the Anne of Lizzie Anne Designs and her business partner, Tricia, have decided to close the doors on Lizzie Anne Designs.

The two of them are hugely talented designers and have created a fantastic product, but the current economy just won't support them continuing in their business. You can read all about their decision here.

You can still purchase merchandise at their website--in fact they are giving a 40-50% discount on their products.

I'll still post the pictures of cards I made with her products--and I'm going to make more (as soon as I uncover my inks from my in-construction basement)--I'm just really sad I won't be able to send you their website to buy anymore. In the meantime, check them out while you can.

http://www.lizzieannedesigns.com/images/logo.gif

Happy Independence Day!

2011-06-26T16:46:00.001-05:00

Happy Independence Day! Admittedly I'm a bit early, but I love getting into the holiday spirit. The Fourth of July is one of my favorite holidays. Who can resist hot dogs, hamburgers, grilled chicken, potato salad, fireworks and watermelon?

Not me.

I thought I'd post two twists on a similar glass block. Glass blocks are so much more readily available these days (Hobby Lobby anyone? Love the predrilled blocks). I love decorating for all of the holidays and the easier for me the better.

So do any of you have big plans for the Fourth of July? We're going to go to one of the National Battlefields and check out the fireworks.

Stay safe and have a good time.

Topsy-turvy Cake

2011-06-14T15:26:00.000-05:00

Wow--I had no idea trying to make a topsy-turvy cake out of clay would be so difficult.

First of all, the amount of clay needed to create a full cake was more than I wanted to use. Secondly, to keep my edges clean proved more difficult than I anticipated. Thirdly, I had no idea just how many teeny-tiny balls of white would be needed, or how easily they'd be knocked off the cake if you picked it up the wrong way (even after baking!)

It's done--more or less--and it looks pretty cute, if a little imperfect. My daughter loves it, and that's what counts.

By the way, I built up the bottom by fashioning a support around a wooden dresser knob with white clay. This allowed me to use less clay for the green body of the cake.

If you look carefully in the picture, you can see Jenny's superior cake just behind and to the right of the cake.

Family Ties

2011-05-26T17:45:00.001-05:00

May is a month of celebration in my family (mother's day, anniversaries, birthdays, etc). So I thought it was appropriate to post a sign that I love to make. I love the idea that my family can be together forever.

I know I am blessed. I actually love and get along with my in-laws (I think they are fantastic people truth be told). And while we are not perfect and we certainly have our ups and downs, overall I think we're a happy family. I am grateful for this blessing--words really can't express it enough--so I hope my actions do let my family know how grateful I am for them.

Baby Love

2011-05-14T17:51:00.001-05:00

What can I say, I love babies. I love baby scrapbook pages, I love baby cards, announcements, clothes and blankets. I especially love that sweet baby smell of my own little ones. (Some of whom are not so little really anymore).

I was going through some boxes today (spring cleaning), and found this scrapbook page I had done for a swap. It's one of my simpler designs, but remember I like the simple stuff.

I hope you like it too.

(By the way the shiny centers are the flowers are microbeads I adhered with crystal effects).

Spring Cleaning and Organizing

2011-04-26T17:33:00.000-05:00

I don't know what it is, but I find the older I get, the more I need lists and labels. (Could it be I'm just getting older?)

In any case, I love both my vinyl cutter and my label maker (for those tiny labels I can't possibly ever cut and pick without losing my sanity). I love having a home for each thing I own (I'm not there yet, but I can dream), and having it clearly labeled so no one can get confused at where an item belongs.

The pocket finds jar, by the way, is for my laundry room. I often go through pockets (too many melted crayons in my past experience) and pull items out that don't belong there. You'd be amazed what each of us leaves in our pockets. All finds go into the jar, and I don't have to worry about it. If someone is wondering where an item went--check the jar. Makes my life just that much easier.

And so it's April and if you haven't already, I challenge you to do some spring cleaning and organizing. I'm personally going to challenge myself to get rid of at least 1 item a day for two weeks. And I'm going to go back to my already organized areas and retidy them. I'll try and post some pictures. We are trying to grow our garden too, so I'll let you know how that goes.

Wish me luck! (And good luck to you too).

Monkey See, Kitty Do

2011-04-13T15:09:00.002-05:00

We tried our hand at making two of the simpler cakes on the front cover of Jenny's book--the monkey and kitty cat cakes--out of polymer clay.

If you look closely at this picture, you can see the monkey and kitty cakes at the top.

I cut the monkey's face freehand, as well as cat's light colored area around the mouth. (What do you call that on a cat? The muzzle?) I used my new, handy-dandy clay extruder (which needs really soft pliable clay to work well) to get the pieces for the mouths, nose, whiskers, etc. I wish in hindsight I had paid a little more for a better quality extruder--one where you twist a handle or something instead of trying to push clay through with brute force.

Lastly, I found a packet of inexpensive disks that were the perfect cake platter size at the craft store. We painted them with acrylic paints I had on hand.

What do you think?

I've already got the next couple of polymer clay posts ready, but in the future, I will try and post some in process photos as well.

***********

A word to those working with polymer clay for the first time. Read the baking directions when you are rested or just take note of my blunder. I misread the directions in haste and when I was tired, and was looking everywhere amongst my friends for an oven that would bake at 130 degrees Fahrenheit. Ovens baking that low do not exist. Ummm, yeah--that was 130 degrees Celsius--not Fahrenheit. The cat and monkey got a little dusty during the two days they sat there until my brain kicked in after rereading directions on baking.

I also made the mistake of not realizing you cannot use the same tools you use for polymer clay on food items. Luckily I had planned on the shape cutters being solely devoted to clay beforehand.

How to Decorate for an 18" Doll on a Time and Money Budget

2011-03-31T14:53:00.002-05:00

Just a quick little post here--
We wanted to make a couple of fun things for Jenny, the 18" doll belonging to my daughter. I don't have $40.00+ to spend on a dresser for a doll , nor did I have a lot of time to spend on making a dresser that functions (though I've seen some fantastic dresser tutorials online where the drawers will pull out).

My solution? Cover a cereal box in paper. The top paper I quickly designed in Word--trying to make it look like dresser drawers.

It's cute and easy and took me all of maybe 10 minutes to make it.

The laundry basket we found at Hobby Lobby for a buck or two. The flower vase (which you can see better below) is actually a salt shaker without the cap. The mini-flowers came from the dollar store in a huge bunch. (I'm thinking Jenny can have a big flowering bush if I get some green florists Styrofoam). Not too bad considering what I could have spent...

Perhaps during spring break I will make a functioning dresser with my daughter, in the meantime I think we'll keep our main focus on making food for Jenny.

Fantastic Deal

2011-03-28T21:57:00.003-05:00

I love a great deal. I think most of us do. So in the spirit of sharing, I'm going to put in a plug for these adorable "Trinket Dishes" I found at Michaels. They are in the clearance bins for $.50 where I live. I told a friend in Minnesota earlier and she got the last four at her store.

They measure 2 7/8" across and are the perfect size for 18" dolls.

I'll fill you in on the adorable cookies that are sitting on them later, but for now if you are into doll sized miniatures, run out and pick up a few!

My Newest Hobby

2011-03-24T07:57:00.013-05:00

So my house is in a bit of upheaval--we're attempting to finish our basement-- and I don't have great access to my vinyl supplies at the moment. I've been looking for another creative outlet.

On her birthday, my daughter received an "Our Generation" doll from Grandma and Grandpa. "Our Generation" is Target's version of an 18" doll. They have a lot of cute accessories that come with some of the dolls. My daughter received Jenny who comes with a little storybook as well as some supplies like a bowl, whisk, eggs, and pretend cupcakes. The advantage is the dolls, clothes and accessories are cheaper than the major brand cough:AmericanGirl:cough of 18" doll out there. (Which we still love to look at and wish we could afford).

Jenny
The hairdo, by the way, is courtesy of my daughter's efforts. It's a bit unusual up close, but she was letting her creative juices flow.

Jenny's book

A few of Jenny's accessories

In reading the story, we thought, "Wouldn't it be great if we could make some of Jenny's desserts?"

This started us on a bit of a baking bonanza. We've made pretzels and tiny cakes and cookies in her EasyBake Oven. We attempted a single tier topsy-turvy cake for Valentines Day. (I'll post pictures of that another day). We've made chocolate chip cookies and they were really delicious. My waistline however, cannot handle a continuous influx of sweets (I AM trying to lose weight--and it starts with the food I eat).

So what to do?

Now you need to know I come from a family of at least three generations of artistic women. My mom and sisters are all really creative. My mom paints, sews, and used to sell some of her creations in shops on consignment. Back when ducks and geese were all the rage, she sewed ducks out of various calico material, and then arrranged them with flowers inside crates that could be hung on the wall. One day I'll track down a picture of some of the things she made. My sisters draw, paint, stamp, design and are skilled photographers.

My grandmother had two main creative outlets. First she was a master gardener of roses. She had more types of rose than I could count, and she created a beautiful peaceful haven in her backyard. I have never met anyone with quite the same touch with roses and flowers as she had. Her second outlet was in working with her hands and making things. She made a felt wall hanging (which incorporated some embroidery) that placed at the state fair many, many years ago. Another project of hers was one that inspired me--my Grandma, knowing her granddaughters loved Barbies, made us all pretend food for Barbie out of polymer clay.

I wish I knew where my little tin of food was, but I don't. It was fantastic though. We had little cakes, doughnuts and chocolate chip cookies. She painstakingly made cabbages, lettuce and cauliflower as well as potatoes, carrots and a slew of other foods. I loved that tin of food and I played with it all of the time.

And each time I played with the food, I knew how much my Grandma loved me because she took the time to make something wonderful.

So, after talking it over with my daughter we decided to make some pretend food from polymer clay for her 18" doll, Jenny. We decided to tackle the various treats shown on the cover of Jenny's book.

The first thing we attempted was chocolate cupcakes with a white liner. The liner didn't turn out as well as I would have liked, but it works. We found an easier way to do cupcakes when we tried to create the smiley face ones. We created the whole base out of blue, then made sure our "fondant" faces would cover the whole base. This worked infiinitely better.

My first attempt at polymer clay food.

The better looking smiley cupcakes.

On a whim, I picked up the clay extruder when I picked up the clay. I'm sure glad I did! It made doing the smiles a lot easier than it would have been otherwise.

I even found little mini white "bakers boxes" for "Jenny's creations".

After we saw how cute these little cupcakes turned out, we were hooked! We definitely have a new hobby now, and for a while (at least until I can get my vinyl supplies unburied), I'll be posting pictures of our creations.

Poppin' Pastel Tulips

2011-03-13T23:00:00.002-05:00

I designed this particular card a while ago when I was still a Stampin' Up! demonstrator. My upline had a great idea for making cards from just 1/2 sheet of white cardstock. This is one of her ideas.

I don't have "How To" pictures, so I'll do my best to describe the process. Feel free to post comments/questions.

Basically I tore half of the front of the card off. Set the torn piece aside. I then sponged purple pastel chalk on the left (with the card open to keep it off the back half). I then stamped the tulips in Versamark clear watermark ink on the back half and then sponged on the green pastel chalk with a second sponge. The center overlay comes from the torn off portion you set aside. Stamp your two flowers in Versamark clear watermark ink and tear off the excess paper. Then sponge the purple and green on the appropriate halves of the overlay, and adhere to the left side.

I really like how the torn edges pick up the pastel colors and create a darker variation of color.

Happy Spring everyone!

The laundry goes on and on and on and...

2011-02-27T17:29:00.000-06:00

You know I can't imagine why laundry room messages are so popular--is it maybe because it never ends? :D

And speaking of laundry, I've got to go do my three or four loads that are waiting for me.

Have fun doing yours!

Happy Valentine's Day!

2011-02-14T22:42:00.001-06:00

Happy Valentines Day! I hope you are all having a wonderful day. In honor of this day of love, I thought I'd post one of my favorite Valentines Day cards I've made.

The top layer is vellum. The heart is embossed in fine detail white powder.

You can see the pink layer is stamped in red flowers that will be muted by the vellum. On the backside of the vellum, I colored certain roses with a red marker. The effect is what you see above.

I think it would be great to see your twist on this card. Any ideas? Post the link to your card in your comments and I'll check it out.

Keeping the Winter Blues at Bay with Pink

2011-01-31T08:42:00.009-06:00

So I don't know too many girls who don't love pink. I know a few, but most of the women and girls I know love the color pink.

As you know, pink is also the color for Breast Cancer Awareness. Back in October (National Breast Cancer Awareness month) I picked up some fabulous pink boa yarn which I proceeded to knit into a scarf for a dear friend of mine whose breast cancer has come back. It was not perfect looking, and it was only the second scarf I've ever made, but it was made with love. I'm hoping each time she wears it, she'll remember how much I value her friendship.

My daughter saw the fantastic pink yarn and asked if I was going to make the scarf for her. I explained who it was for and why, and promised I would make something for her. For her birthday, I gave her a Build-a-Bear scarf kit and first learned to crochet a scarf for her bunny, Ella. I learned a lot in the process of crocheting that first scarf, and a couple of weeks ago I started the scarf for my daughter.

I forgot to take a picture of the pink boa yarn scarf (I've already given it to my friend), but I plan on making another one (I had to buy more yarn when I ran out), so I'll take a picture of that one.

In the mean time. Here is little Ella's scarf.

And the scarf for my daughter

A very happy girl...
A word to the wise on the Build-a-Bear scarf kit. The scarf instructions are off. For both the bear and girl scarves, they have you chain too many loops to begin the scarf. I learned that for the second one and just wrapped the chain around my daughter like I would the full scarf and figured out how many of the chains/stitches I had to pull. I also had to add in additional yarn (the white) as I knew the yarn I had would not make the scarf as thick as it should be.

Still, I'm pretty happy with the end result, and my daughter wears her scarf every time she steps outside. (Just in time for all the snowy weather we've been getting).

More laundry... (It never ends)

2011-01-26T15:05:00.000-06:00

My friend has a gorgeous laundry room. Seriously. It's complete with cupboards and counters and space to fold. It's truly a thing of beauty.

My laundry room (which I am grateful I have--I had a closet in the last house)--is really more of a walk-through room on the way to the garage. I have one shelf and I use the bases for my front loaders to store laundry items in. Still I am really grateful I have a laundry room--and one that I can shut the door on if I want. As I said I had a closet in my last house.

In the hallway off the kitchen.

With absolutely no space.

That was hard to hide dirty laundry in--it often overflowed into the hall and blocked the garage door.

It was a bit gross.

Don't get me wrong. I'm grateful I had a laundry and did not have to run to the laundromat constantly--a family of my size can go through an awful lot of clothes in one week). Been there and done that plenty of times before.

Still it's nice to dream.

And it's fun to liven up the laundry with cute sayings. My friend who put up this sign did not however want to go for "Laundry: Drop Your Drawers", so went with a more basic look. The great thing about vinyl is it's up to you what you want to do.

Spring Time

2011-01-13T22:48:00.000-06:00

I know it's not spring yet, but I'm tired of cold and snow and I wanted to post something a little cheery. I confess I didn't design this one--I made it at my friend Peggy's make-n-take--but I thought it was cute enough to post here today.

Peppermint Goodness

2010-12-20T17:12:00.001-06:00

So a couple of years ago I was asked to participate in our school's Holiday Craft Fair. I had to come up with items that I could sell to both adults and kids. (Kids accompanied their parents and bought items for their friends and siblings). I love peppermint and the holidays. The only other taste I love as much is my mom's non-alcoholic wassail. (And it smells good too).

At the time I had a very little one at home, and so did a few of my friends. I came up with this cute easy project to do for the fair. The most complicated part was spray painting the white lids, and making sure the peppermint swirls didn't fly away when I picked the vinyl.

Last post I talked about traditions--I have to tell you about another one of my favorite traditions which ties into this post--Each year when we put up the Christmas tree, we drink peppermint punch. My husband generally does not like peppermint, but this is the one time of year he looks forward to having it. We've been doing this since before I can remember, and I've carried it on with my family.

I'm going to share this long-time family recipe with you. Perhaps you'll enjoy it as much as we do.

Peppermint punch:
1 part vanilla ice cream
2 parts peppermint ice cream
Milk and Ginger Ale

The let ice cream soften a little, then mix together in a large bowl. Slowly add in milk and ginger ale until the concoction is soupy and frothy. Yum! (And seriously easy).

Do you have any family traditions you want to share?

It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas

2010-12-16T16:55:00.001-06:00

Christmastime is here! I love this time of year--the snow, the red, green and gold everywhere, the songs about family and friends--I just love it. Every year I try to buy my presents a little early so I can enjoy the holidays to the fullest without having to worry about running around. (Nothing beats having all the essential stuff done and being able to enjoy your family with some downtime).

Last year I was still trying to get things sent off--this year I'm doing a little better. My kids are growing too fast and I want to focus on their enjoyment of the holidays.

Decorating is an essential tradition. This pictures above show a window decorated with vinyl. You can apply it from the inside or outside--just remember if you want it to show from inside the window, you need to order it reversed or mirrored so it looks correct when seen from the outside.

Hearth and Home (Happy Thanksgiving!)

2010-11-25T16:20:00.001-06:00

Happy Thanksgiving! I hope you all have a wonderful holiday and that you don't overindulge on the great food.

I thought this sign was an appropriate one to post today since one of the things I'm most grateful for is my family. To me a home can be anywhere in the world as long as you have family. I've moved several times (I think 10 at last count), and we've been able to create a happy home wherever we've lived.

So Happy Thanksgiving! Let's all be grateful for the ones we love.

Race Results

2010-11-11T12:43:00.001-06:00

I ran my first 5K! I didn't come anywhere near placing, but I was proud of myself for my accomplishment. I came in just under 40 minutes--which was my goal. (I haven't been running all that long). I know I will do better next year.

2010-10-26T23:33:00.001-05:00

It's always fun to decorate for Halloween, but sometimes storing the decorations can be a bit of a pain. And if you like to change things up from time to time, it's can be tricky using the same thing each year. An easy solution to all this is buying a premade phrase to place on your walls, door or windows. When the holiday is over, just peel the letters off.

Halloween will be a bit interesting for my family this year. My oldest is at the stage where he doesn't really want to dress up. In fact last year, we hit so many parties none of the kids was interested in going to Trick or Treat.

Go figure!

I can still have fun decorating though.

Shooting for a Goal

2010-10-13T22:39:00.000-05:00

So this spring I decided I would work my way from couch potato to running a 5k race. I know--it's not a big race, but it's one I thought I could reach. The race is in a couple of days. I'll let you know my time.

Liven your Laundry

2010-09-26T15:43:00.001-05:00

This sign hangs in my mom's laundry room. Laundry can generally be dull and uninteresting, (unless you missed a crayon in your child's pocket--then real fun ensues in the drying cycle!). So why not liven up the laundry room with a fun sign or two?

Simplicity

2010-09-13T21:21:00.000-05:00

I find myself trying to simplify my life in as many ways as I can. I'm decluttering--a slow and occasionally painful process--which is somehow liberating at the same time. As I write I this, I have spent most of the day working on a backlog of projects trying to get them out of my hair. It feels good to either let go or get it done and over.

I find that though the trends in scrapbooking and card making are often cyclical (I've seen decorative scissors at least twice as well as crowded backgrounds, simple backgrounds, diecuts, etc.), I tend to gravitate to clean, simple designs.

I've become this way in many areas of my life. I've simplified my taste in my dishware (plain white is a classic), home decor (as much as I love the elegance of Queen Anne furniture, I love the simplicity of Shaker and Scandinavian designs even more). And in my home I have a somewhat unifying color scheme that is manifest in each room. The overall effect is calming to me. (Greens, Yellows, Browns and Reds--all earth tones that I love in nature).

This is a very simple card, but it speaks to my need for simplicity right now.

I love it, and I hope you do to.

Every Girl Should Take Edward's advice

2010-08-26T15:36:00.000-05:00

One of the things I love about Twilight is Edward telling Bella that she doesn't see herself clearly. The implication here is that she has more to give and more value as a person than she knows. I remember life as a teenager and being unsure about a good many things about myself.

So we created the locker mirrors stickers. I believe all girls should see themselves clearly. They should see the magnificent creatures they are and the strong women they can become.

If you're interested in purchasing one, they are just $1.00 plus the cost of a stamp.

Girl Power!

Sweet Tidings

2010-08-12T21:10:00.000-05:00

Crystal Effects has many uses, (I'll tell you my favorite one in a minute). I love how it creates a smooth shiny surface. It was the perfect accent for the glass in the gumball machine for this card.
I tried to get a close up of the crystal effects here. It wasn't the best light, but it was the best shot I could get.

Now my favorite use for crystal effects...

I had a cabinet door where the screw had come loose. We had tried putting the screw back in a few times, but it always worked its way out again. Eventually it stripped the wood inside a little. I remembered a tip from a SU! convention when I had a similar problem with the rolling suitcase/backpack they gave us. So I pulled out my crystal effects, filled in the hole a little, let it set up just a tiny bit and then screwed the hinge back on.

It hasn't budged since.

:D

Let me know if you have another unusual use for crystal effects.

My Twilight Family

2010-07-26T15:28:00.000-05:00

We did these in a high-tack vinyl, but we apparently need a clear cover to go over them as well so we don't lose eyes and noses. Look for these to be available in the future.

Fresh Start

2010-07-13T21:35:00.003-05:00

I looked at my blog yesterday and realized I had just a handful of posts for last year. It was kind of a testament to the year my family had. We dealt with health issues (mostly mine), multiple miscarriages, challenges with kids (I now have 2 diagnosed ADHD), 2 surgeries, etc. I could go on, but it would probably bore you.

And you may have had a year as tough as mine.

If I learned anything at all this last year it is 1) Trust in God, and 2) Get on with life.

So I'm moving past last year and I'm going to work on being more regular in my posting on this blog. Right now I'm shooting for about every 2 weeks. I may on occasion post more frequently than that, but I think 1 post every 2 weeks is doable for me. I know I lost a few readers last year because I was so infrequent in posting, and I hope if you were one of them and you found me again, that you'll forgive my lapse.

I look forward to sharing ideas with you in the future.

Another Twilight Party idea.

2010-07-11T23:05:00.002-05:00

It's been a while since I've posted any ideas (personal and family issues), but here's another one. This time we put Twilight on the backside of the plate (using a reverse cut) so your guests can still eat off the plate and you don't have to worry about the vinyl being food grade or not.

New Moon Event

2009-11-23T23:12:00.002-06:00

The New Moon Event in Salt Lake City...

Myself and a good friend of mine.

Bella's truck

There was an Edward look-a-like who had a booth and was taking pictures with people. I took one with my sister, Meridith--the Anne from Lizzie Anne Designs. We shared our booth there.

Edward played the piano quite well and he was really sweet with all the little girls who came up to him.

Alice's yellow Porsche.

The event had different "rooms" from Forks and LaPush. This was the Cullen's living room complete with Bella's cake.

There was even a broken vase with scattered flowers...

And even a smattering of blood!

An awesome cake decorator made this cake of Forks and ...

Of LaPush.

Billy's house. By the way, guess who made the signs... Yep! we did.

Gearing up for New Moon

2009-10-22T08:14:00.003-05:00

For all you Twilight fans out there, there is a big two-day event in Salt Lake City November 19-20. The New Moon Experience will be held at the South Towne Expo Center in Sandy, Utah. This event is put on by Twilight Moms and will raise money for Alex's Lemonade Stand. (Excellent charity IMHO). Follow the link to get tickets. Though we're not listed yet, I'll be there in a booth with my favorite stamp company, Lizzie Anne Designs. We'll be selling some fun Twilight themed vinyl projects as well as other cute craft items perfect for holiday gifts.

More Twilight Ideas

2009-09-18T23:42:00.000-05:00

Every good party needs a centerpiece and what better way to decorate than a vase with Bella & Edward's initials? The vase I chose is a bit more modern, because it's what I envision Alice would choose when decorating for Bella's birthday.

Twilight Themed Party Goods

2009-09-11T23:24:00.003-05:00

It's shockingly been nearly a year since my last post. I've had a number of challenges this last year, including various health issues. I'm doing better at the moment, and I'm trying to get back on top of things.

My sister told me the other day about her friend's complaint that there is a lack of Twilight themed party goods. It put a little bee in my bonnet, and well, you can see the result. I bought an inexpensive black charger plate at a local big box store, cut the book titles out of vinyl and applied. I photographed it with a plain white plate.

And again with a red acrylic plate in the center (playing off the red, black and white theme of the books). I'm pretty happy with the results.

The labels are removable if I want to use the chargers for something else (acrylic chargers are NOT food grade plastic, so you do need to put a plate on top of the charger).

We're actually going to be at the New Moon Experience Event at the South Towne Expo Center and we're thinking we might sell sets of these vinyl labels (in sets of four), for anyone who wants an easy way to create a Twilight-themed party.

We've Arrived

2008-11-10T17:05:00.003-06:00

Well, we're here in the house, but we're still digging our way out of all the boxes and paper. (See below--there are actually three children in there). I've got my machine here, but haven't found the keyboard for the computer it hooks up to. Wish me luck--I've got to dive back into the unpacking.

BTW, the table is only in the family room because the floors were recently refinished. (Lots of fun and smell :D ). We haven't moved it yet.

Move in Progress

2008-10-27T10:37:00.003-05:00

I haven't been able to post anything as I don't have access to my computer. (I'm at my sister-in-law's home). We're in the process of completing our move, but we've hit a few snags. I'll keep you posted and look for more vinyl projects when I am settled.

Princess Night Light

2008-10-16T10:06:00.002-05:00

My daughter occasionally wants a night light when she goes to bed. I took our Princess word art and put it on an acrylic block. The block had a hole drilled into the bottom through which I fed a strand of battery operated lights (about 20 lights), and viola! A perfect night light for her room.

October Fun

2008-10-05T10:25:00.000-05:00

It's already the 5th of October. Halloween is three and a half weeks away, and it's time to decorate. Consider putting vinyl rub-ons onto your windows and doors...

Clean Office and Moving

2008-09-28T22:28:00.004-05:00

So the end result of a verrrrrrrry long and story is that we are still moving out of state. I've got my house all cleaned up for house showings (see the pretty office below), which unfortunately has put a big crimp in my ability to create gorgeous projects with vinyl.

(First I have a bathroom remodel, then I spend my summer away from home, and now I have to keep my house spotless--not an easy task with my kids). I'm running a bit short on pictures with all of this, but I do have a cute nightlight I created using our PRINCESS word art that I'll try and post soon.

Hopefully it won't be too much longer before we relocate, and my sweet husband has agreed I need a space I can call my own for crafts AND computer stuff. (I knew there was a reason I married him). We're looking as some places that have the potential for that, yet are modest in size and price (read full unfinished basement instead of partial with a crawl).

We also agree I need a laundry room instead of a laundry closet. (Our boys generate a massive amount of laundry).

No More Confusion

2008-09-21T10:44:00.000-05:00

I have children who always fight over their belongings. I grew sick of the fighting over the hampers, so I bought enough for each child to have one, and I labeled them.

It great cuts down on the confusion--except when they fight over who put the extra pair of underwear in their hamper!

Time to get organized

2008-09-17T09:35:00.000-05:00

One of the things we did this summer was spend three weeks in Utah. My kids got to visit with all of their cousins there (on both sides of our family), and I got to spend some great time with my sisters! My youngest sister and I helped our mom out (who was pretty ill) by helping her declutter and simplify her life. Her pantry was a thing of beauty when we finished!

Here are a few photos of pantry containers Jodee (Walls of Wisdom co-owner) did.

I'm back!

2008-08-24T00:20:00.005-05:00

Wow, what a whirlwind summer! We put our house on the market, visited family, moved to another state and moved back (yep, we moved back). In any case I'm home and I have some fun ideas to share.

Hope you had a great summer too!

And since it's back to school time, here's a fun wall Jodee did for her son's room. (She used two layers of vinyl for the effect).

Oh, and in case you were wondering, here's how the bathroom turned out.

Moving Update

2008-05-03T09:30:00.004-05:00

Well, the house is nearing completion for getting it on the market. We had to basically do a master bathroom remodel since our grout went bad and it rotted the wallboard behind it. We had to rip it down to the studs and start over. We were told we can't put the house on the market with a major problem like that, so we had to take care of it first. So much fun!

Thankfully we're almost done with that. So a word of warning. If you have a tile shower, you should know the grout needs to be resealed every so many years--frequency depends upon how often the shower is used. It's pretty inexpensive to do, and it will save you the headache that we had.

Oh, and if you are blessed with a 1980's pink tub like we were, you can have it resurfaced/reglazed for under $500--even if it is jetted. In our case this was the cheaper option than having a new tub put in.

Big Changes

2008-03-31T22:48:00.002-05:00

Well, we've had more Internet connection problems, so we'll see how long this connection lasts.

The big news is my family is going to be moving again! We're heading from the Midwest to the East Coast. We're pretty excited about this, but it means a lot of work. I'm not sure how much I'll be able to post on my blog as we get our house ready for the market. There is a lot of work to be done. Maybe I'll post snippets about preparing for yet another move. (We moved quite a bit in our early days of marriage).

Wish me luck!

Lisa--I need you to email me your address so I can send your chocolate vinyl saying you won.

The Final Winner is

2008-03-15T23:05:00.002-05:00

Number 3, Linda SS! Congratulations Linda! Email me your address, and I will go to the post office and mail off all the candy for all of the winners.

Thank you everyone for celebrating with me! (And thanks to Mandiannie for telling me how to do a screen capture!)

Third and Final Blog Candy!

2008-03-11T16:47:00.004-05:00

The third & final blog candy is this adorable, pink Princess vinyl. It measures 18"x 9 3/4". It was designed by Meridith Anne of Lizzie Anne designs. This would be perfect in any little girl's room!

So, given that I've had a problem with posting and we've lost our rhythm of the giveaway, I'll do the drawing on Saturday night. (10:00 CST). This should give you plenty of time to post and share the news. Just leave a comment and good luck for the last time!

Phew! I have Internet again!

2008-03-11T16:30:00.002-05:00

Wow, talk about lousy timing. After I posted the winner of the second blog candy giveaway, I went to take care of the kids. About one half hour later I came back and..... no Internet. My network connector, which has been known to spontaneously disconnect itself, gave up for good, and my network went down.

I had no idea how dependent upon the Internet I am.

Yikes.

More bad timing--my oldest just started shrieking that the dishwasher was leaking. Apparently I've never explained the difference between dishwasher liquid detergent and dishwashing liquid soap. Hmmmm.

Lesson learned.

And the Winner Is...

2008-03-07T08:04:00.005-06:00

Number 4, Lisa! Congratulations! Email me your information and I'll get this lovely quote out to you.

I meant to get this posted last night, but my DH roped me into replacing a few of our old lights like the lovely brass ones you see with the new ones. It took us several hours. :sigh:

I'll be back soon to post the last giveaway!

More Blog Candy!

2008-03-04T15:29:00.004-06:00

For the second giveaway this this week, I'm going to be giving away the vinyl for this quote. It's the perfect size for an 8x24" board. I'm not including the board, but you can find ones cut and routed at local craft stores.

Good luck! I'll draw for the winner Thursday night.

The last prize will be another unmounted vinyl, but this one was designed by Meridith Anne of Lizzie Anne Designs!

Congratulations to...

2008-03-04T10:56:00.004-06:00

Mary Puskar! Random.org generated the number 5. I'd post a picture of it, but I haven't quite figured out how to capture screen images yet. (Anyone who knows how is welcome to email me & fill me in on the details).

Mary, please email me at tiffiny@wallsofwisdomhome.com with your information, and I'll be happy to send you your new candle holder!

Time for Blog Candy!

2008-02-27T11:06:00.002-06:00

On a fun note--when I checked my blog out early Tuesday to show Jodee (the other original half of Walls of Wisdom ) how to blog, we saw it's gotten over 1500 hits now! Woohoo!

Other great news is Jodee has decided she will also begin a blog (and I'll be posting the link as soon as she creates it).

Next, we had a great business meeting, and I'm really excited about some of the things we'll be offering in the coming months. (Like an exclusive line of vinyl designed by Meridith Anne of Lizzie Anne Designs among other great things!)

Lastly, we're coming up on our 3-year anniversary as a company.

So, in celebration of all this, I'm going to be offering some BLOG CANDY! Since it is our 3-year anniversary, I will be giving away 3 different items this week. The first item I'm giving away is this dove/peace candle holder. The first drawing will be on Monday evening, March 3.

You know the drill--leave a comment & I'll use a random number generator to determine the winner.

Good luck!

Out of This World Cuteness!

2008-02-27T10:48:00.000-06:00

So here is a picture of one of the cards I created the other day when I was stamping with Meridith Anne from Lizzie Anne Designs. (For those of you who follow her blog, yes we're sisters--how lucky am I? She's the more glamorous one in the picture of course). I adore this set from LAD. It has so many versatile pieces--I had a lot of fun playing with it. And I've got fun plans with the cute little aliens from this set--I'm just not sure how soon I will get to make it since I will soon be drowning in all the laundry my family generates!

2008-02-23T17:21:00.002-06:00

Well, exciting news for me--I made a trip to Utah, and I'm sitting here stamping with Meridith Anne from Lizzie Anne Designs! (Imagine the stamps and the possibilities!) Of course my camera battery just died (though I did manage to get a few pictures in before it did), so I don't have any pictures to post just yet.

I will though--just not until I get back home since I couldn't find my battery charger before I left.

Since we're sitting here stamping together I asked Meridith if she wanted to say anything as a guest blogger--
Hi there! I'm having a blast stamping with Tiffiny! She has made THE CUTEST card using our Out of this World set. I can't wait for you to see it! I'm going to take a picture of it for her so she can post it here on her blog. I have to say that Tiffiny ROCKS and she's one of my very favorite people. :) She is very dear to me! If you want to see a picture of us, be sure and check out my blog tomorrow.

***********
Awww, thanks Meridith. You rock too.

Later! I'm going to go play with Meridith's stamp collection!

Winter Wonderland

2008-02-11T23:14:00.000-06:00

In case you're having a hard time seeing what is in this picture, there is a bunny near the bottom of the photo, and a few birds on the bird feeder. We originally put the bird feeder up for my cub scout son. (He wanted to earn the World Conservation Patch). The bird feeder has been a hit. It's been a hit with the birds, the squirrels, the rabbits, the chipmunks...

It was pretty amazing just looking out my window for 20 minutes or so and just watching the animals come and go. Pretty cool huh?

Vote!

2008-02-05T08:22:00.000-06:00

If you live in a Super Tuesday state, make sure you get out today and cast your vote! It's important that all of us participate in our civic process of electing our leaders. Many people have died protecting our rights and freedoms--the least we can do is exercise the privilege we have to vote.

So get out and make your voice heard. Every vote counts!

Crazy for Cars

2008-02-04T22:40:00.000-06:00

Is it me, or did January fly by? I honestly don't know where it all went to.

Well, I guess I know where some of the time went to... Like many cub scout packs, we had our Pinewood Derby. My son wanted to recreate Bumblebee (the Transformer), and he enlisted my help to create the graphics. Soooo, after a long time of staring at his model of the autobot, I came up with these graphics. My son put them on. (With a tiny help from me). He did a nice job, didn't he?

And speaking of cars (and roads), a friend of my sister recently asked me to make a sign for her. She has a real Route 66 sign she's put on her wall, and she wanted this fun vinyl saying to go along with it. (so it reads, "Get Your Kicks on Route 66"). It's a fun idea & I'm hoping she sends pictures of the final project.

And finally while I was preparing the Route 66 sign, I came across a fun dingbat alphabet that is all about cars and the road. I made these fun names to try it out. I was in a hurry when I taped the names, so I forgot to put the colors in the stoplight (L), but that will be easy enough to fix. I can't wait to make some more of these names for my boys' room.

Great Giveaway!

2008-01-24T08:34:00.000-06:00

Meridith Anne of Lizzie Anne Designs is giving away some great blog candy over the next couple of days in celebration of getting over 10,000 hits to her blog. Today she's giving away 7 fantastic stamps to ONE lucky winner! Go check it out here, and Good Luck!

She's reminded me that I didn't celebrate my own milestone of 1,000 hits, so I think I will have to come up with some blog candy next week. What do you think? Do you want another tile? Be sure to let me know in your comments.

Coats, coats & more coats

2008-01-23T23:07:00.001-06:00

Well winter has definitely hit, and we need our coats. We need our coats, boots, scarves, gloves, hats, earmuffs...

So where do you put all of that stuff? (Especially if you have more than one child?) My friend came up with a pretty good solution for her family. She put up coat hooks in her hall closet (low enough for the kids to reach), and they are now labeled so each child has a place to hang his/her things. Genius!

I'm going to be doing the same thing with our laundry hampers. This ought to eliminate any confusion over which laundry hamper belongs to which child. I'll post pictures when I have them.

School Spirit

2008-01-17T23:01:00.000-06:00

One of my friends had me make up this glass block for a gift for her child's teacher. It's a fun twist on the Believe blocks that were so popular over Christmas.

Now that the holidays are over, we're working on developing some new ideas with our vinyl. Jodee has come up with some fun ideas for all of those Twilight fans. Nothing that would fringe on copyrighted material, but fun phrases in a shiny vinyl that pay homage to the books. We're also working on a catalog and some vinyl phrase sets you can seasonally place on your front door. We're excited about the possibilities.

So, do you have any suggestions for things you'd like to see us develop? Post a comment and let me know!

Digital Sunday

2008-01-13T22:15:00.000-06:00

Just a quick post tonight. Isn't it amazing how far we've come in this digital age? I remember my dad's old TRS-80 from Radio Shack. It had one game, "Olympic Decathlon" which was highly pixelated and you had to press keyboard keys to run it. He recorded data on magnetic tapes (using a specialized tape recorder), and his modem had a cradle which you had to physically put the phone into.

Tonight I've checked three different email accounts, video-conferenced with several members of my family, downloaded digital photos of the pinewood derby and updated my blogs. Yesterday I visited a bulletin board I'm a member of, and I played a video game with my daughter which is light years better in graphics than the "Olympic Decathlon" I used to play with my dad. Isn't the digital age amazing?

And in a lot of ways it allows us to reach out and make better connections. I live pretty far from some of my family members, but with video conferencing I can visit with them on a regular basis. How cool is that?

I have to say I'm grateful for the ways technology has improved my life.

Beautiful Ballerina

2008-01-10T13:23:00.001-06:00

Well apparently my camera doesn't like taking pictures of pale purple (I took 15 pictures with a ton of different settings & couldn't get the purple to come out darker), but here is the card I made with LAD's brand-new ballerina stamp. I used Bazzill papers and SU! inks. The ribbon is from American Crafts. The background stamp is In the Background from LAD.

I had fun making her. I colored her hair dark brown to play off the ribbon as well as a tribute to my daughter (who has taken to calling herself "Princess June" after the Little Einsteins character). Both have darker hair. :D

I've been posting a lot of paper crafting projects lately, so I think that I will post some vinyl projects next. Stay tuned...

A Bouncing Baby Boy!

2008-01-08T11:36:00.001-06:00

I have a nephew! Well technically I have 10+ nephews, but the newest one made his appearance yesterday! He was a little over 8 1/2 lbs. & 21" long. Another nephew was born about a week ago. (He's adorable too!) He weighed just over 8 lbs and is 20" long.

So in honor of my two nephews, I thought I'd post a baby boy card.

Actually, I used this for my little boy’s birth announcement. I have to admit, I stole this fabulous idea from C. Tepa Farias. We swapped cards at a SU! convention, and I just knew I had to have this card. Her version was in pink, and used a different background stamp and ribbons, but it was just too cute not to "lift".

And speaking of babies, I'm really happy to report that my friend with the broken kneecap is doing so much better. It was tricky getting around with a newborn and a cast, thankfully that came off a little over a week after the baby was born. She then wore a brace for a while, but that is off now too. She's able to bend her knee & drive again and has regained most of the motion in her leg. She hasn't been able to do any running yet, but I'm sure that is coming. (The baby is only six-weeks-old after all).

Babies are so sweet aren't they? (Especially when they are napping :D ).

***********

The other day I mentioned the sweet new stamps I got from my friend, Meridith Anne of Lizzie Anne Designs? She gave me the brand-new pirate, pirate saying, and ballerina from their winter release. (Before they were available for purchase). I can't tell you how excited I was/am. I had planned on having a card posted with my cute new stamps already, but life has interfered with my plans. I'm hoping to finish the ballerina card tonight and post it tomorrow.

Happy New Year Resolutions

2008-01-03T08:40:00.000-06:00

Have you made New Year's Resolutions? I did. Once again I'm trying to get myself organized. (Well my office that is--the rest of my house is okay.) I went so far as hiring a professional organizer last year, and we made good strides until I was put on partial bedrest.

Things sort of fell apart from there.

But I'm at it again and now you can see more of the floor in my office. The thing that buries me is the sheer amount of papers. I have all my crafting projects and their ensuing mess, the forest of paperwork that comes home from school, the home improvement/decorating swatches, pictures, sale advertisements that get thrown into a box, the scouting stuff, the catalogs and magazines I want to look at, and I have to go through all my old Stampin' Up! papers to sort out what needs to be kept (for tax purposes), and what is useful for this point in my life. The things I've been able to keep organized are family finances and my Walls of Wisdom papers and information.

I'm feeling positive though. I've been making good strides, and I'm more than halfway there. The kids and I have a new system for incoming papers, and we've been decluttering and finding lots of things to give away or to sell.

In this whole process, I've uncovered more old cards I had made. I thought I'd post a picture of one of the first Spectrum pad cards I ever made. This was almost 10 years ago, and before we started using decorative wire. (We were using decorative edge scissors still though--funny how things go around).

I had wanted my balloons to pop off the card, so I used some dimensionals and some thread I had knotted together and then taped behind the balloons to make it appear as if they had strings. I used my trimmer to cut out a window for the "Happy Birthday" to appear through. I sponged the edges to help the dimensions appear a bit better.

Isn't it funny how some things (like decorative edges) go around in cycles? Do you have a favorite trend that has come back? Do you have resolutions you'd like to share? I'd like to hear from you.

One of my other resolutions is to do a little more scrapbooking. I just checked out the new sneak peek designs at Lizzie Anne Designs, and I'm in love with the new princess set. I think it was made for my daughter. I'm definitely going to be getting this new set!

The Gift that Keeps Giving

2008-01-01T14:00:00.001-06:00

Happy New Year! I apologize for the funny error with the photos from my last post. My computer randomly dropped my internet connection while I was uploading my photos as I was posting. I reconnected and thought it went through alright, but apparently I was wrong. You should be able to see the photos now.

My friend Mica send me this darling gift in the mail. She rolled the white lunch sack, and made her cards with Stampin' Up! stamps and materials. I particularly love her card. It's simple, but very cute. The two-sided paper and stitched ribbon add a fun flair.

(Alas, this year I sent Mica and the other 200* people on my Christmas card list store-bought cards--though in my heart I stamped them one). As I mentioned in my last post, it was a particularly busy Christmas for us this year. And to top it all off, one of my children had us singing "All I want for Christmas is My Two Front Teeth". My sweet pea has been miserable as two bottom teeth made their way through the gums. Add to that an ear infection and pretty much all my sweetie wants to do is be held.

I don't know if you've ever tried stamping with a young one in your arms, but it's pretty impossible. :D

Anyway, inside Mica's cute wrapping job was this recipe card holder. I had cut the vinyl letter for her and her church group as well as a few extra for gifts she was making. I guess I was one of the lucky recipients of the gifts!

Thanks Mica! I love it. I've already got my favorite Williams-Sonoma recipe for Butternut Squash soup on the metal board and ready to go for dinner tomorrow. I'm so excited to use this. Mica knows I love to cook (when I have the time), and I have needed a good recipe card holder for a long time.

And speaking of gifts, let me just say there are definite advantages to being such good friends with the owners of the best new stamp company out there, Lizzie Anne Designs. Meridith (Anne) sent me the cutest new stamps for Christmas, AND THEY'RE NOT EVEN AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE YET!! (Okay, so if you wait a few more days you can get them too, and BELIEVE ME you want to get these stamps).

Not sure what I'm talking about? Well throughout this week LAD is revealing several new stamp sets they adding to their already fantastic collection on January 7th. Today they revealed four new sets. I can't tell you what the stamps that I received are yet (I promised them I wouldn't spoil their surprise), but I can STRONGLY encourage you to check out their sneak peeks throughout the week.

So what was your favorite Christmas gift this year? Was it handmade? I'd like to hear from you if you are willing to share.

*The actual count is 199 Christmas cards--really it is. When you have as many aunts, uncles, cousins and friends from numerous moves as we do it adds up quickly. :D

Happy Holidays!

2007-12-29T21:04:00.001-06:00

Wow, where has the time gone? I didn't mean for 2 1/2 weeks to go by without posting. (How did that happen?) Well, on second thought, Christmas parties, holiday concerts, Christmas shopping, rushing Christmas orders out, making several hand-crafted mini scrapbooks with customized photo CD's, waiting at the post office....

Yes, it's been a busy time here.

I hope all of you had a marvelous Christmas or Hanukkah, and that your new year is full of love and happiness.

Until the new year actually starts, I thought I'd share some photos of the mini-scrapbooks I made. These were taken before I added photos and other embellishments since I don't want to post personal pictures of the recipients.

There were five books in all. The papers largely coordinated for all five, though there were some slight variations between the different books. (If you look at the photos, you'll see what I mean).

These books are made from CD holders which are covered in patterned paper and held together by adhering them to solid colored cardstock. The covers and spines were made from solid-colored cardstock as well.

Frosty the Snowflake

2007-12-11T09:15:00.000-06:00

Okay, so I was trying to think of a clever title. Anyhow, I thought I'd post another holiday card. I decided to depart from my usual colors of red & green, and I'm very happy with out it turned out. I have to confess, I got my courage after Meridith Anne from Lizzie Anne Designs sent me a Christmas card. I'm pretty sure I hung onto it, so if I find it I just might post it.

Anyhow, I used a white craft pad on the snowflakes. I liked how they were a little more translucent that way. I also used whisper white to set off the boxed snowflakes, though if I had some shimmering white I might have used that instead. I made this card before I saw Lizzie Anne's snowflake. Cute huh?

You use what you've got though, right?

So, what is your favorite holiday card color combo?

Baby on the Brain

2007-12-02T22:36:00.000-06:00

In honor of my friend's new baby boy, I'm posting a picture of the block I made for her. I made it generic since she's not done having children, and may have another boy--so it can be used again in her nursery. (Also, I gave it to her before she had the little cutie and before they had decided on a name).

If she wants, I may change it so it says, "C is for Cameron". (That's the nice thing about vinyl--you can peel it off and start over if you want). :D

What's Wrong With This Picture?

2007-12-01T21:39:00.000-06:00

So after wishing for snow the other day we actually got some white stuff. However.....

It stuck on the streets & sidewalks (and was rather icy), but it didn't really stick to the brown lawn.

LOL. Oh well. Happy December.

Let it Snow!

2007-11-29T22:39:00.000-06:00

Well, it's November 29, and the ground is..... brown. Uggh.

So, here's wishing we get some white stuff sometime before too much longer. (As long as I don't have to drive in it).

There's a good idea--snow that falls only where you want it to. :D

Thanks for being patient with the lack of posts this week or so. I've been helping a dear friend who is 9 months pregnant (well not anymore since she had the baby today!)

She's done the baby thing before, but not with a broken kneecap (hence the reason she's needed extra help). Hopefully she'll be out of the brace in a couple of weeks (she was in a cast until a week ago). It's going to be a long road to recovery, but we're all trying to be as supportive as we can.

So, thanks again for understanding why there was a sudden drop in posts. I'll try to be a bit more frequent, but it might be hard until my friend is on her feet again.

Holiday Fun!

2007-11-25T23:43:00.000-06:00

Wow, what a busy weekend. I fully intended on posting more blog entries, but time truly got away from me.

I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving. We spent a lot of it with my in-laws who came into town. We also put up the Christmas tree (no, it's not decorated yet), and did some "fall" cleaning. (Leaves, move mattresses around, etc). It's only just stated to calm down, and tomorrow we're back in school!

In any case, after so much vinyl, I thought I'd post a fun little holiday card I made a couple of years ago.

This card I used two different naturals paper. The gingerbread men were stamped on kraft paper, cut out, embellished with marker & a painty pen, then popped onto the card with dimensionals. I got the idea from some wood gingerbread men I made years ago. The real wooden gingerbread men I painted have holes in their hands and are tied together with jute. For my card version, I drew little bows between their hands with a zig pen. (I probably would have used wire, but I came up with this card before Stampin' Up! carried decorative wire.

Stay tuned for more fun projects.

Happy Thanksgiving

2007-11-22T01:57:00.000-06:00

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone! I hope you get full of turkey and lots of yummy foods. I'm up late trying to bake somethings for our early dinner tomorrow (we're eating at 11:00 am). I'll try & have a card or some vinyl ready to post sometime tomorrow. I just didn't want to let another day go by without posting.

Thanks for stopping by, and Happy Thanksgiving!

We have a Winner!

2007-11-19T10:36:00.000-06:00

Congrats to Tricia! Her comment was chosen by a random number generator. I'll be emailing you shortly, and we can arrange delivery of your new tile.

I just want to say thank you to all who have participated in this giveaway. You guys rock. Not only did I hit 500 views, but we got close to 700! I'm thrilled with all the nice comments, and I'm so glad to know you like what we're doing with vinyl. It's very encouraging.

I had so much fun with this blog candy, that I'm definitely going to be doing it again, so look for that in the future.

Thank you again everyone!

Tiffiny

Blog Candy!

2007-11-17T06:34:00.000-06:00

Well, we've hit a couple of milestones. They're little ones, but hey--any excuse to celebrate, right? First of all, I hit 25 posts this week. When I first started, I thought that it would take me forever to get there. I had planned on updating only 1x week. I soon discovered though, that I have a lot more to say than that. (Who'd have thought?)

Second, as I've mentioned previously, its the Utah Chocolate show this weekend. Chocolate in an of itself is a reason to celebrate, right?

Third, and this is where you can help me out, I'm within a stone's throw of reaching 500 hits on my blog. I put in the counter about a month ago, and I'm so excited to see that people are coming to check out my blog. Soooooo, in anticipation of this third one, and in honor of the other two, I'm going to be giving away some blog candy. I'll be giving away the 8x8 tile pictured below. So what do you say? Leave a comment & I'll use a random number generator to pick the winner Monday Morning.

Thanks for playing, and thanks for visiting!

It's Friday!

2007-11-16T09:46:00.001-06:00

It's Friday, and I'm so glad. (Of course it also means I have to tackle laundry, but we can't have everything, right)?

This new sign uses a fun font called Passion's Conflict. It's one of my favorite new fonts (along with Ma Sexy). I think this will work well for some of my scrapbooking titles as well.

Do you have a favorite font?

Wash Your Mouth Out.

2007-11-15T23:27:00.000-06:00

What more needs to be said???

LOL. The chocolate show starts tomorrow, and we've had so much fun getting ready for it. Who knew there were so many great quotes about chocolate out there? I also just wanted to say thanks for your kind suggestions & complements.

I actually have managed to do a little scrapbooking and card making in the midst of all this. My friend Peggy hosted a 10-10-20 at her home, and we made some great cards. I'll be posting them over the next few weeks.

I also finally had a chance to work on my mini-scrapbooks from our craft day at the church. I'll be sure to post pictures of the finished product when it's done. It may take me a while, but I will get it done. :D

Have a great day!

Hand Over the Chocolate.

2007-11-14T22:48:00.000-06:00

Well, it was a busy day today. One of my sweet kids got a cold & has been miserable. Fortunately the kidlet is feeling better tonight. I also sent off a "care package" to Jodee full of ready-to go vinyl quotes.

It looks like it will be a busy weekend for her too.

Is it Love?

2007-11-14T10:38:00.000-06:00

So how many of us have secret stashes of chocolate? ::raising hand:: Guilty as charged. I have a secret stash of dark chocolate (my favorite) that I indulge in when I've had a rough day. What can I say? It makes me happy.

Apparently it makes my daughter happy too. When she was potty training, all she wanted for rewards for using the potty were chocolate truffles.

Now there's a girl after my own heart.

I guess you can say Like Mother, Like Daughter.

Balanced Diet

2007-11-12T23:36:00.000-06:00

It's been a very long day, so I will make this a quick post with one of my favorite quotes. (See above). Let me clarify right now that I'm definitely a chocolate lover. I just adore chocolate--especially dark chocolate... mmmm. And I'm one of those people who think a lot of things taste better dipped in chocolate. Things like pretzels, nuts, & strawberries, as well as raisins, & peanut butter (so long as it is a butterfinger).

Afterall,

There are four basic food groups-milk chocolate, dark chocolate, white chocolate, and chocolate truffles.
-Anonymous

Have a great chocolate day.

(Oh & in case you are wondering, I will be posting chocolate quotes all week--I'll do two tomorrow to make up for missing yesterday. On Saturday I'll be giving away some blog candy in celebration of the Utah Chocolate Show).

Hot Chocolate...mmmm

2007-11-11T21:52:00.001-06:00

Well, yesterday I mentioned the hot cocoa mugs we sold at the Utah Chocolate Show, so I thought I'd post a picture of them here. We used a different grade vinyl than what we normally use for the walls. (It's a stickier vinyl which adheres better when the mugs are washed--handwash

only). We also did a mug & plate set with "Santa's Cocoa" and "Santa's Cookies" on them.

Jodee came up with this idea, and it's been really popular. Last year I offered them at a few holiday craft boutiques locally & personalized a several for teacher gifts. And one of the craft day projects we did this year were mugs with Mommy, Daddy, Grandma, Grandpa, Santa & Teacher's cocoa on them. They all turned out really cute.

In my own family, my kids like having their own mugs. It means no fighting over which mug belongs to whom--much like the personalized Trick-or-Treat buckets. (I love doing things that cut down on fighting). Last year we started having hot chocolate as their after school treat. It's cold walking home from school!

Chocolate anyone?

2007-11-10T20:23:00.000-06:00

One of the nice things about fall and early winter is that chocolate seems to be in abundance. Those yummy truffles at Costco come back (they are covered in cocoa powder and literally melt in your mouth). There is also hot chocolate, homemade fudge for the holidays, and cookie exchanges (the more chocolate the better).

Next weekend is the Utah Chocolate Show in Salt Lake City. We did some signage for them last year and sold some of our cocoa mugs at a booth. This year we're making up some 2 ft. long quotes for boards or for your wall (personal choice). We've found some hilarious chocolate quotes, and as I prepare them, I'll be posting pictures.

This one I've prepped the vinyl, but I haven't applied the application tape just yet. I'll be sending these unmounted to Salt Lake, where Jodee (my friend who started this business with me) will be putting some on boards and selling some as unmounted quotes. I'll definitely post pictures of any finished products I've got. Afterall, who doesn't love chocolate?

Count Your Blessings

2007-11-08T11:25:00.000-06:00

Since November is the month of Thanksgiving, I thought it was appropriate to post this vinyl project. I think that in the whirl of being a mom & coordinating all of our family's activities, I get so busy that I forget that the best things in life are not "things," but the family I live with everyday.

My friend put this above her kitchen table. It's her way of reminding herself that what we do as moms is important. Above my kitchen table I have, "Laughter is our favorite recipe." It's what my parents are quoted saying when a friend of theirs wrote a cookbook. It reminds me of the dinnertimes of my childhood and how much we all need to laugh and create good memories together.

It's time to make your Christmas Cards

2007-11-07T09:50:00.000-06:00

I was clearing out the set samplers again and I came across this Christmas card I created. I used the embossing gun on the ribbon to make it shrink & shrivel the way it does. It is a simple, yet elegant touch. You have to be careful though—if you hold the heat gun in one place too long you can melt a hole into the ribbon. You can see what I mean in the close-up. The hole in the ribbon and the frayed edges are why I hung on to this card--I didn't want to send a damaged one to a friend.

If you want to try shriveling your own ribbon, I recommend trying the heat gun on a test sample first to make sure you don’t end up with a ribbon that pulls too tight on your cardstock. (I found it easiest to tie the ribbon first, then use the heat gun).

I also don't recommend sending too many of these through the mail. The year I did these I discovered I had to pay extra postage due to the bulk they created in the envelope.

All materials are Stampin’ Up!

World Card Making Day Card

2007-11-06T09:56:00.000-06:00

Well, things have finally slowed down enough for me to finish assembling my WCMD card & take a picture of it. I used High Hellos from Lizzie Anne Designs & Stampin' Up! inks. I was sitting in the dentist office waiting for my kids to get their check-ups done, when this idea came to me. I love this color combination--it's very earthy and organic to me.

I love High Hellos from Lizzie Anne Designs. It is light & whimsical--perfect for the fun stamper in me.

Do you have a favorite Lizzie Anne stamp set?

Take a Breath

2007-11-04T00:44:00.001-05:00

Wow. It's November already. (Where did October go?) Have you figured out your holiday presents yet? What about your cards? Are you making them, buying them??

Well, I've started buying presents already, but they are not anywhere near being finished.

Before the bustle of the holidays hit (I saw Christmas and Hanukkah items in the store 2 weeks ago--before you know it, we'll be leaving them up all year long--oh wait, some things I already do, like my holiday lights), :) take a deep breath and focus.

Remember what is truly important in your life. Count your blessings. It really will help you focus on what absolutely has to get done, and the best way to do it. If you get the "big rocks" (family, health, faith) into place, the rest of it (the sand & water) will fall into place too.

I know one thing I am grateful for is all the women who helped me prepare for two massive craft nights (200+ projects). I couldn't have made it without them. If you are one of them (and you know who you are) and you are reading this, THANK YOU!!!!! You are the best!

I want Candy!

2007-10-29T13:30:00.000-05:00

So many times over the years I have caught my kids fighting over their trick-or-treat buckets. For years they had identical (what was I thinking?) bright orange plastic pumpkins until those really strong handles they use on them broke. (I'm actually surprise they lasted more than 3 years). I tried sticky notes with their names, as well as strips of masking tape. They never worked. And the kids can never seem to remember who placed their bucket on top of the fridge, in the corner of the counter, etc.

Anyhow, last year I came up with perfect solution to the "But I thought I was eating candy from MY bucket" episodes. (My Mommy instinct tells me they were just trying to steal the "good stuff" from each other).

So my solution? I put all of their names on their buckets using vinyl. I used Ghouly Solid as my font, and it works great keeping all the buckets separate. They can no longer claim they got confused at which treat bucket was theirs. I've tried it on the pumpkins as well as the new "ice cream" buckets I got to replace the old ones. It works well on both, so no more confusion!

Do you have any helpful Halloween tips? Please share them in the comments section below.

More Halloween Fun!

2007-10-28T19:06:00.000-05:00

Last year I wanted to create a wall hanging that I could switch out for my regular art on the walls. This is what I came up with first. It is a 12x12 wood board spray painted in a shiny black acrylic. I have a font with fun Halloween-themed dingbats, and I wanted to incorporate them into a square sign. I also wanted it to be versatile for smaller displays, so this particular design also works well on 4x4 black bathroom tiles.

I came up with the idea for this second sign after I made the Boo board. I was playing around with the idea of spiders and using two colors of vinyl to make a sign (much like our overlays). I love how it turned out. Now that I've gotten my orange vinyl, I'm thinking of tackling a pumpkin or jack-o-lantern design. It looks like I'll be finishing those after Halloween since this week I am trying to finish up the last of the Friday Frenzy orders, and I also need to help my sister-in-law who just fractured her kneecap and is 3rd term pregnancy. (Yikes!)

I've got one more Halloween inspired idea that I will try & post for you tomorrow. Let me just say, it's gone a long-way in preventing fights over candy. Until then, Happy Fall!
.

Halloween Fun

2007-10-26T10:50:00.000-05:00

This is a cute little sign I made for my home two years when we were first starting out. We love fall & Halloween around here. There is something in the air when leaves are falling that I just love. Orange reminds me of fall for so many reasons--leaves, pumpkins, Halloween & football (orange & blue were my high school colors).

And speaking of falling leaves, Melissa Allen, who took some of the professional shots for our website, just posted these gorgeous leaves on her photography blog. Check it out.

Still busy

2007-10-25T10:22:00.000-05:00

Wow! I'm so excited! The response to the proposed craft day projects has been excellent. The ladies groups put out displays with several different options for vinyl projects (as well as some sewing, painting, card making & the like). Between the various women's groups I'm processing vinyl for over 325+ projects!

One of the most popular items has been the "Believe" blocks. You can see a picture of it below. It's a little hard to see, but instead of a dot for the "i" in believe--there is a gold star. This believe block is a super easy project to do--perhaps that is why it is so popular. :)

I've also been playing around with more project ideas in my head. I've got a couple of ideas for Halloween (now that I have my orange vinyl) that I'm excited to try out. I'll try & post pictures of a the projects I did last year over the next few days.

Another baby card!

2007-10-18T13:57:00.000-05:00

So, I still haven't had time to finish assembling my latest stamped card (using Lizzie Anne Designs' High Hellos). But as I was clearing out my stamp room, I found another baby card. This one was my daughter’s birth announcement. I’ve got a tiny “she’s here” embossed in the corner. By Definition (Stampin' Up!) provides the background. I was careful to make sure love showed up in the top corner of all the announcements. It's a pretty simple color scheme, but it works for an announcement.

Do you have a favorite color combination for baby announcements/cards that is a little unusual, or do you stick with the basics too?

Blog Tag - About Me

2007-10-17T11:22:00.000-05:00

So blogspot is having another technical error day. I'm not able to upload photos again.

Instead I'll post my answers to the tag game.

1. YOUR ROCK STAR NAME: (first pet & current car) –Cindy Maxima

2. YOUR GANGSTA NAME: (fav ice cream flavor, favorite cookie) Pumpkin Oreo

3. YOUR “FLY Guy/Girl” NAME: (first initial of first name, first three letters of your last name) T-Gun. Oooh I sound vicious.

4. YOUR DETECTIVE NAME: (favorite color, favorite animal) –Celadon Tiger .

5. YOUR SOAP OPERA NAME: (middle name, city where you were born) Hannah Houston. Okay not really, but it sounds good, right?

6. YOUR STAR WARS NAME: (the first 3 letters of your last name, first 2 letters of your first) – Gun-ti –sounds like a Gungan name unless I stick the hyphen in there like Shaak-ti. (Yes I’m a geek).

7. SUPERHERO NAME: (2nd favorite color, favorite drink put “The”) The Red Smoothie.

8. NASCAR NAME: (the first names of your grandfathers)- William Harold

9. STRIPPER NAME: ( the name of your favorite perfume/cologne, favorite candy) Colors Twix.

10.WITNESS PROTECTION NAME: (mother’s & father’s middle names ) none and none…so I will make up one…Jane Lawrence? or better yet... Jane Peters (after two of my favorite authors, Jane Austen & Elizabeth Peters).

Well, enough silliness for now. I've got to play with the kidlets and run some more orders.

Another Tile Idea

2007-10-14T23:05:00.000-05:00

Phew! I made it through last week. I finally got a picture posted of the tile project we did. Blogspot was apparently having problems loading photos for a few days.

This week looks like it will be busy as well. My sister-in-law is expecting and getting very close to her delivery date. Consequently she's got several appointments & a birthing class, so I'll be watching her children a few days this week. My own kids have parent-teacher conferences coming up soon too. (Mom duty first guys!) In addition one of my sweet darlings may be having some food sensitivity issues, so I've got to change his diet. Hopefully this will be a positive thing for everyone. Fortunately, of all the children, he loves the biggest variety of foods. Wish me luck with these changes.

I'm posting a picture of another tile we're creating for one of the craft days I mentioned. It's a good reminder that we should take time to enjoy the things around us--not just muddle through the day/week/month/year (take your pick). :D

So even though you may be busy too, enjoy the small things around you. After all, as I've heard it said, "Any day above ground is a good one." :D

Crunch Time!

2007-10-11T08:30:00.000-05:00

Well, it's only a week & a half into October--which means it's crunch time. From now until the holidays are over, we'll be going full-speed with our vinyl projects.

I did manage to stamp a new card for WCMD, but haven't been able to assemble or photograph it yet. (Yes, I'm that busy). :D

One of the reasons we've been so busy is all the craft days we're preparing for. In some places they call them Super Saturdays and in others they are Friday Frenzy. Either way it means a ton of cute new projects!

This new tile is one we've done for a church group. It looks nice sitting on an easel (haven't found one I like yet for my home decor) any time of year, or it could be considered a Christmas decoration.

I'll try and keep you posted on any other new projects we've created. I'm not sure when I'll be able to get them up on our Walls of Wisdom website since our webmaster & his wife just had their first baby. (Congrats guys!)

Looking Back in Time for World Cardmaking Day!

2007-10-03T12:05:00.000-05:00

Have you heard about World Card Making Day? I heard about it from Lizzie Anne Designs. I think this a wonderful idea, and I'm going to be entering some new creations in their contest. I just got High Hellos in the mail, and after I take care of a couple of vinyl orders I plan on making up a couple of new cards using that set. I'll post them here when I'm done.

For the last couple of months, I’ve been cleaning out my stamp room. Now that I’m no longer a Stampin’ Up! Demonstrator, (which I did for 8+ years) I find I don’t need any of my set samplers. I've uncovered some buried treasures as well as some cards that make me laugh. (What were we thinking?)

I’ve been turning a few of the nicer card fronts into full-fledged cards. I think I'll use these are my backup cards when I don’t have time to make new creations.

Now as for those cards that make me laugh--as I’ve been looking back I’ve found some cards I made during my early days into stamping. I remember how awed I felt by the things you could do with Brush markers (see the Thank You sample in which we separated the flower from the verse). I also remember my first attempt at a wedding card and my first foray into spectrum pads. I’m posting them here for you to see. Don’t mock—these are from the days when I had only eight pads, two kinds of paper (white & naturals) and a couple of markers. I've definitely come a long way in style and technique since then.

BTW, all sets copyrighted Stampin’ Up! and are retired. If you’re dying to recreate these masterpieces--I’d be happy to sell you the set if I still have it. :P

Baby Gifts

2007-09-27T12:24:00.000-05:00

As I mentioned, I’ve had lots of friends having babies lately. My new favorite gift to give is our Bath Time tin filled with lots of baby bath supplies. The little hippo was designed by Meridith Anne of Lizzie Anne Designs, and licensed for a fee. He’s too cute! This vinyl project started off as wall art for a tub surround in a kid’s bathroom--(which was darling by the way).

One day last year I needed to make a baby shower gift, and I was playing around with different container ideas. I happened to have an empty paint can and voila! The Bath Time Tin was born.

A friend of mine had me make a few for her which she filled with things like bath crayons, colored bubble bath and other things older kids would like in the tub. Her son gave it away as a fun birthday present.

I'm always looking for cute containers to put gifts into, and I love that I can customize them now too.

Back to My Roots Baby!

2007-09-22T08:58:00.000-05:00

I've had a lot of friends having babies lately, so I felt the urge to get back to my creative roots and create a simple card to go with their baby gifts. The stamp sets I used are Scrappin Stamps & Scrappin Stamps II from Lizzie Anne Designs. I also used Warmest Regards and I'm Here from Stampin' Up! Inks & paper are Stampin' Up!

I tend to like fairly simple, clean designs in stamping. I love little embellishments (like the flower eyelet) which add some interest and don't detract from the overall picture. I'm that way in decorating my home. Clean lines--no clutter.

Of course when are we ever clutter-free when we've got kids running around?

Still it's a dream I aspire to. :D

It's been a while since I've had time to sit down and stamp. I'm hoping now that school has started back up I might find the occasional 15 minutes to stamp here & there. I'm hoping I'll be able to post slightly more than once a week too.

If you have children, how do you make time for your creative pursuits? Leave a comment--maybe we can give each other some great ideas.

Disney Inspirations

2007-09-08T10:27:00.001-05:00

Lizzie Anne Design's Meridith & Tricia's made a recent trip to Disneyland. Their trip inspired me to create some Disney themed ideas. I've posted just three of them here. First idea--The Winnie the Pooh theme song would be a perfect border or text block in a nursery. Second--Mickey Ears (Isabel) or Minnie fonts (Jackson) are fun ways to feature your child's name over their bed(s). Third idea--The Dream quote could go on a wall above a picture from a Disney park.

You could also customize a picture frame (on the glass or actual frame) or a mat board with a name or short phrase.

I've got a ton of Disney photos to go through, so check back in the future for my own completed project.

(See, inspiration really can come from anywhere!)

Spirited Walls for the Sports Fan

2007-09-07T18:45:00.001-05:00

You can take inspiration for decorating your walls from pretty much anywhere.

These photos come from my friend's son's room. He is a HUGE football fan. (Though he loves sports in general).

To achieve this look, she first measured the length of each wall. We figured out how much lyric she could have based upon the approximate height she wanted the letters to be as well as the wall space we had to work with.

Then she painted her walls in the school colors, used a laser level to make sure the lyrics were straight, and presto--a fun collegiate sports themed room is born. She added a plaque above some football pictures and some fun pillows as well as drawer pulls and other themed accessories.

Do you have a sports fanatic in your family? Consider doing something similar with their room.