Getting Organized ~ The Pretty Way

I've been thinking it's about time to redo the downstairs bathroom. 

My youngest was notorious for using the wall behind the door for creative expression.  She would sneak in, lock the door and let loose with these little tiny circles and squiggles.  She's  four now and has since figured out that the bathroom is not the right place for artwork (removing the lock helped!), and so I think it might be safe for a new coat of paint, and while we're at it, new fixtures and maybe some bead board? 

For weeks I've been looking at paint samples and tearing pages out of magazines as inspiration.  I've even got a pile of sticky notes and restaurant napkins (you just never know when an idea will strike).  They're everywhere!  It gave me an idea for a little book with lots of pockets...one place to keep all these little bits of paper where they won't get lost. 

The Project Organizer.

I had quite a few manila folders hanging around (another one of my Dollar Store finds) and created this little book out of just one.  I honestly can't take credit for this ingenious idea...I found it on the Internet a while ago, but unfortunately I can't remember where.  It is a simple idea and for me served a great purpose...in a pretty way!

Pages 1 & 2 with a double-sided tag

Just about everything that was used for this project came from Scarlet Lime's July Frugal Fab kit.  I've been a happy kit club member with Scarlet Lime for about a year now, and this month they've debuted their Frugal Fab kit...a way to stay on a budget and still get gorgeous products.  Their Frugal Fab kits are a steal with $40.00 worth of products at only $19.95 (plus shipping & handling) for a monthly subscription or $21.95 (plus shipping & handling) for a one-time purchase.  You really can't lose!  Skip on over to Scarlet Lime and sign up for one (or both) of their kit clubs...I promise you'll be over-the-top thrilled with all the new and exclusive goodness they pack into each package every single month!  Tell Christy that I sent you!  ;)

Pages 3 & 4 with another double-sided tag

I even added a calendar for planning out those large projects.

You can purchase one of these Project Organizers at my Etsy shop!  I'm adding new items every day!!  And while you're at it, hop on over to Scarlet Lime and become a member!

Have a great day and remember to laugh at least once!

M.

Love Over Ice Cream

My daughter's, Molly and Madison, meeting their nephew, Jaxon, over ice cream.  This was the first time they've met him and their older sister, Ashleigh.  She's lived in another state most of her life, and made the decision to venture to Maine to connect with her father and meet the rest of her siblings.  Family is everything and this was a special day for everyone!

Thank you, Ashleigh!

M.

It's a Sign of Peace

Moxie Fab World is at it again...throwing down challenges... that I can't refuse!  For this week's challenge they're asking for a project that "incorporates a peace sign in an innovative way".

Dare I say it?  I remember the days of peace and love, so this was something I could do.  BUT...there is really no possible way of doing groovy in the shabby & vintage style that I love so much, so I found myself pacing a bit...and thinking.  What to do and how?

My oldest daughter actually gave me the idea of doing a notebook.  I think she has a hidden agenda because she asked if she could have it for school once I was done.  ;o)

This is what I came up with...

A little groovy paper from DCWV, a hand cut peace sign that was distressed using a little Tim Holtz Distress Powder in Antique Linen, hand cut alphas, Tim Holtz Distress Ink in Black Soot, duct tape for that vinyl look and a bit of leather and beads.  Totally fab!

Great fun and quite the challenge!  So, head on over to  Moxie Fab World and challenge yourself.  Deadline for submissions is August 16th at midnight MDT.

Peace out,
M.

My sweet sidekick

With three children I never really have time to myself, and I'm honestly okay with that. I get to go to the store every once in a blue moon all alone, but for the most part I have all three or at least one of my daughters with me all the time. ALL the time. I know I'm not alone in my lack of privacy even in the bathroom.

I cherish every single moment with them because I realize that in a blink of an eye they'll be grown women with children of their own, and if I'm lucky, they won't have privacy in the bathroom either. ;o)

What I love the most is the way my youngest, sweet Kenzie, will come into my office every so often and just kiss me on my arm (it happens to be at the right level when I'm sitting at my desk). She does it so randomly and without provocation. Just beyond sweet, right? She will also ask for me to take her picture. I, of course, oblige and now have quite a collection of her standing next to my desk with some sort of prop.Here she is with a flower she picked on our afternoon walk. She added the hand knit necklace that her sister gave her because she thought it added to the whole "hula girl" thing. NOTE: Please don't think I paid for that haircut. She decided that she was going to do it herself, and explained while I was having a breakdown, that it wasn't her fault...she just went crazy.
This one was taken not in December when you'd expect to see Santa, but just a few short weeks ago. She noticed it in a box in the basement while she was helping me move things around and HAD to have it. It sings a silly song that was cute at first but soon became annoying.
And this picture has to be one of my favorites. She has an old large beaded necklace from my costume jewelry box on her head. She just thought it made her look like a princess, and so did I for that matter.
My sweet Kenzie, makes me feel so loved with her impromptu kisses, and she reminds me to treasure every single moment...every single day.

Remember to take a picture today!
M.

Are you there Classy & Elegant?

I was so excited the other day to find that Moxie Fab World was hosting card style challenges to celebrate the release of their new magazine, Card Style. Well, the first challenge I participated in had me feeling pretty confident ~ it's a style that I love and do quite often - Shabby & Vintage. No problem there; however, this next challenge - Classy & Elegant seemed so far out of my norm that I wasn't even sure I could accomplish it.

In fact, my first attempt was a wash. Although I loved the look of the finished product, I wasn't at all the convinced that it would pass for Classy & Elegant. All the extra layering and embellishing doesn't lend itself well to clean lines. Into my Etsy shop it went.

NOT CLASSY & ELEGANT - try again

I wasn't going to give up. I had been challenged!! Besides, I'd like to think that I personally understand Classy & Elegant, so why is it that I'm having such a hard time producing a card that illustrates this? After some thought, this was my result, and let me tell you that it was VERY hard not to add more layering or more embellishing. I think that maybe I managed to create a Classy & Elegant card. What do you think?
Remember that the Card Style challenges over at Moxie Fab World end on August 2nd at Midnight MDT. Good luck!
Warmly,
M.

Hello there shabby & vintage....

...you make me feel at home! I am completely in love with this style, and when I happened upon Moxie Fab World's challenge to create a shabby & vintage card to celebrate the release of their special issue, Card Style, I was torn. Make the card first or head out to my nearest craft store.

Moxie Fab World is hosting these Card Style challenges all week with the deadline for submissions being August 2nd at midnight MDT. You could win your very own copy of the magazine. At the very least, stop by and linger on all the vintage & shabby goodness.

This is the card I submitted for the challenge. I couldn't resist! I used a vintage printed image, DCWV paper, K&Company paper, white grosgrain ribbon, a piece of vintage doily, an ornate gold toned button, small tag, Kaiser pearls, and Tim Holtz Distress Ink for that loved look. This was so much fun that I'm going to participate in the next challenge...Classy & Elegant.

I'm looking forward to seeing every one's submissions.
Thanks for stopping in!
Warmly,
M.

Happy

This is how I'm feeling today. Happy happy happy! I was asked to design and create 45 wedding invitations and reply cards for a new customer this morning (she actually picked up one of my cards from the bulletin board business card holders I made the other day). I am so excited and honored to be a part of this special day. It's going to be an intimate beach setting and the colors are sage, peach and ivory. I've designed the card and I'm off for supplies tonight.

In honor of my happy mood, I made this card for my Etsy shop. I thought it could be used for just about any occasion. Made with the Crate Paper Prudence Collection, Prima crystals, Kaiser pearls, vintage buttons, tulle, Crate Paper scalloped die-cut frame and K&Company alpha stickers.
Enjoy your day and thanks stopping by!
Warmly,
M.

On a roll...

So, I'm on a roll with these bulletin board business card holders. I made this one for my sister to take to work with her. She has quite a few women in her office, and I thought the shabby chic look might go over better there.I made this one using American Craft paper and a bit of vintage lace and seam binding. The flowers are just die cut out of the paper, layered and crumpled. I hand cut the frame at the top and glittered it. I added Glitter Mist to the satin roses so they stood out against the paper doily and made the leaves out of a vintage dictionary page. Again, another easy project that could lead to new customers.
I'll let you know if it works.
Thanks for looking!
M.

A little time = Free Advertising

I just wanted to share another one of my bulletin board business card holders. I made this one with Webster's Pages paper, Making Memories clear and chipboard clock faces, buttons and vintage graph paper, a grosgrain ribbon and a clear stamp from Oriental Trading Company. I machine stitched around the outside and the buttons are hand sewn. Thanks for looking!

M.

Revisting the old for something new...

I don't know about you, but I'm struggling on a very tight budget these days, so any sort of business advertising is virtually out of the question (unless it's free!). I passed by a bulletin board the other day and it was full of items to be sold and people asking for rides (all the things a public bulletin board should be used for), but everything was all jumbled together and hard to read. There were a dozen or so business cards hanging up there as well....getting lost in the clutter.

I have business cards that I usually include in my packaging and pass out every now and then, but for the most part they just collect dust. What if I made something to put my business cards in...something that stood out and got noticed? I came up with this. I took some gold parchment paper and backed it with a heavier cardstock and sent it through the printer to get my business name and slogan at the top, then I folded up the bottom a bit to make a pocket for my cards. I ran it through the sewing machine and started embellishing. I printed off a few of the items that I usually make such as cards, journals, stationary, gift tags & bags, memory albums and the such, cut them up, distressed them a bit and attached them with some alpha brads that spell out "handmade". Added a bit of vintage lace, a metal key from K&Company and a couple of flowers I made out of old drafting paper. For the top, I attached a grosgrain ribbon and finished the back off with another sheet of gold parchment paper so none of the brad backs or stitching showed.An OLD way to get business, but I've got my fingers crossed that it will bring me NEW customers.
M.

A whale of a time...for a dollar?

I love the Dollar Store. I wouldn't exactly buy frozen food (yes, they now have a frozen food section) or anything you would put on your face, but for the everyday items like shampoo, deodorant, frames, flip flops, party favors and the like, it's fantastic! I found these heavy chipboard coasters (10 for a $1.00) quite a while back and bought two packages with the idea that I could use them for some sort of project. Well, I finally figured out what that something could be: party invitations!

They're the perfect size at 3.5" x 3.5" and they come in a variety of colors and designs. For this project, I decided to cover both sides with the Crate Paper Static Collection. I hand cut the whale out of the same paper and attached a grosgrain ribbon (also from the Static Collection) along the bottom for a wave effect. A stamped flourish for the water coming out of the blow hole, a Kaiser pearl for the eye and a stamped sentiment...voila! Simple and cute, if you ask me.Because of their size, I didn't have envelopes they would fit in, so I used glassine bags. You can purchase them here at thewrappery on Etsy for a reasonable price and they're nice to have on hand for such occasions. Admittedly, I use them quite often since I tend to go overboard (if there is such a thing) with embellishments! A little stamp on the bags with hang tags and they're ready to be delivered.

There is a space on the back of each for the party information. I created these on the computer and printed them out. Again, simple.

This invitations pack would certainly start any party right for a special little boy and can be purchased in my Etsy shop.

What have you done with your Dollar Store find?

M.

These are the days....

I don't remember being so fierce and stubborn when I was ten. In fact, I think I was still playing with dolls in our makeshift tree house with my younger sister. Those were the days of innocence and wonder. These days, our children are forced to grow up so much faster. They have to deal with too much in the world outside our safe homes...sometimes I worry just sending them to school.
My oldest, Molly, is by nature loving and considerate, but she has a stubborn streak the size of Texas. I admire that about her though...for the most part. She is learning to take care of herself and to be a leader as opposed to a follower. Traits that I think are necessary for a young girl in this day and age and as a woman. She has become a little bit of a handful these last few months...saying exactly what is on her mind without the usual filter. In fact, she has been known to tell me that I'm mean on many occasions. The first time I heard her say those words, my heart broke, but I soon realized that I'm her mother - not her friend - and she doesn't always have to like me. She's my first 10 year old...I'll experience all this again with my younger girls in a few years...so I'm learning and adapting with every day. I never claimed to be the best mother in the world, but I'm doing the very best that I can to raise strong, confident, loving young ladies.

Another thing I think is important to instill in our children is a sense of humor. Life can get pretty serious and it's okay to take a minute to laugh out loud and at yourself every once in a while. That's one thing about Molly that she's already mastered! She can certainly make me laugh!!
Have a great day everyone!
Hugs,
M.

Not My Obsession

I hope everyone had a nice July 4th. It was warm enough here that we spent two days at the beach just relaxing and trying to stay cool. We also had a BBQ at my parent's (on the coolest day of the long three day weekend). I absolutely love spending time with family, and we all had such a blast. Speaking of blast...we went to the fireworks in the next town over, and I have to say that it was the best display that I've seen in quite some time. The girls were in awe!

Switching the subject a bit. My husband is obsessed with how many miles he gets on a tank of gas. Anytime he goes anywhere or fills up, he's jotting down numbers on scraps of paper and receipts to figure out whether or not he's losing mileage somewhere. He's done it for as long as I can remember, and yet I'm confused as to how he can remember which mileage scrap of paper goes with which fill up receipt. I guess he has his own system, but I thought I'd make him something he could keep in his glove box that would keep everything together. This is what I came up with:
It's a Travel Journal of sorts made using one 12x12 sheet of Making Memories paper. I folded it in half and then in quarters to get a 3" x 6" book. I ended up with 6 pages in total.

Pages 1 & 2. There is a tag hanging on the inside where he can record the date, beginning and ending mileage and then the MPG information. There is also a small manila style folder where he can jot down the current gas prices.

Pages 3 & 4. These two pages are for any expenses he'd like to remember. I even included an envelope for storing the receipts.

Pages 5 & 6. Another tag for beginning and ending mileage and lots of space for any other notes he'd like to make.

I stuck with a travel theme using lots of vintage printed images and masculine items. He was surprised with his little gift and started using it immediately.

Simple yet very functional and small enough to tuck away into a glove box or back pocket. Of course, it won't take DH long to fill it up and request another.

I hope you have a wonderful day.

Warmly,

M.

A Great Day!

I had a nice lunch the other day with a dear friend from high school. Teri and I haven't seen each other since then, but we've stayed in touch through Facebook. She was coming up to Maine from New York to visit with family, so we took advantage of the time and got together at Grazianos Casa Mia for a nice lunch. Grazianos is a popular destination for the most amazing Italian food, and it just so happens that we went to school with both Mary and Joey Graziano. The food and conversation was wonderful, and I can't wait to do it again the next time she's in town!

Teri is an AMAZING quilter. I am blown away with how intricate her designs are and at how beautifully she uses colors in her creations. It's all I can do to machine stitch a straight line, and yet she is incredibly elaborate with her stitching...I'm jealous! Please visit her blog, Terificreations, to view all her beautiful quilts (some have won various awards and have been published) or for tips and techniques. You won't be disappointed.

I wanted to give her a handmade gift, so I made this set of greeting cards for her to take home with her. It's one of my favorites to make (I've done this design before and you can purchase it in my Etsy shop).

Each card measures approximately 4.25" x 5.5" and is handmade using mostly scraps (I say mostly because I'm still not all that eager to dig through my stash for everything!). I used a lot of vintage items - buttons, lace and book pages along with glitter and pearls. What girl doesn't like glitter and pearls! I was happy with the way they turned out, and I'm planning on TRYING to make her a card set inspired by one of her quilts for next time.

Thank you for spending some of your precious time with me.

Warmly,

M.