Inspiration

I just found a cool refashion website. Since I never have time anymore for real blog posts I thought I'd put up a link to this cool site. Check it out http://mytwobutterflies.blogspot.com

Sunday Inspiration

Website to check out today is a gorgeous photography site. www.cravemyphotography.com
Visit the blog to see absolutely beauiful photoshop processing that enhances some of the best pics I have ever seen. I have to learn how to use my photoshop program.

Goals and stress

Stress and lack of time have me pulling my hair out. I hope to finish a few work projects soon and get back to blogging.

30 Days of Me

Found this here and descided to play along. I'm sure it will take me much longer to finish the project than just 30 days, but I plan to get some photos at the ready so I can add to my blog where ere I may be...work, home, class, etc.
Day 1- Recent pic of you and 15 interesting facts about yourself
Day 2- The meaning behind your blog name
Day 3- A picture of you with your friends
Day 4- A habit that you wish you didn't have
Day 5- A picture of somewhere you have been
Day 6- Favorite super hero and why
Day 7- A picture of someone/something that has had a big impact on you
Day 8- Short term goals for this month and why
Day 9- Something from the last few days that you are proud of
Day 10- Songs you listen to when you are happy, sad, bored, hyped, mad
Day 11- Another picture of you and your friends
Day 12- How you found out about blogger and why you blog
Day 13- A letter to someone who hurt you recently
Day 14- A picture of you and your family
Day 15- Put your ipod of shuffle & list the first 10 songs that play
Day 16- Another picture of yourself
Day 17- Someone you would want to switch lives with for one day and why
Day 18- Plans/dreams/goals you have
Day 19- Nicknames you have and why you have them
Day 20- Someone you see yourself marrying or being with in the future.
Day 21- A picture of something that makes you happy
Day 22- What makes you different from everyone else
Day 23- Something you crave
Day 24- A letter to your parents
Day 25- What is in your bag
Day 26- What do you think about your friends
Day 27- Why are you doing this 30 day challenge
Day 28- A picture of you from last year and now, how have you changed since then
Day 29- What have you learned in the past month
Day 30- Your favorite song
Play along with me!

Small Craft

I'm THRILLED to be a student of Elsie and Rachels' new online class, Small Craft! I can't wait to start making cute things for my little neice and nephew, and for my own kiddos and myself. The early bird paper doll download is the bomb! My youngest can't wait for me to print her a set! Check out the class here.

Check back for pics of my new fun projects!

Back on the wagon

I've fallen off the scrapbooking bandwagon in the last year. These are my two newest layouts created last week. Props to my bestie who gifted me with the cool Love, Elsie scrapbook supplies...loves!

4 Simple Goals

Elsie has a challenge up over a her blog www.abeautifulmess.typepad.com to come up with 4 Simple Goals to accomplish before the end of this year. I thought this would be just the boost I needed to get back into blogging and work on some personal goals.

SOOooooo...here are mine:
1. Scrapbook every week.
2. Try at least one new recipe per month.
3. Save up for a HOLGA!!!! (preferably for 35mm film w/ the colored filters and filter holder...sigh...can't wait for this one to become a reality.
4. Blog more often and better...for instance, I don't know how to add Elsie's banner she made for people to use who are participating in her challenge. (sad, I know)

Thursday goal

If it rains, I'm going to scrapbook and/or craft. There, now that I've stated it here, I will make it happen.
If it is sunny, I'm spending some time soaking it up!
Pics to come later (if it rains and I get to scrap)

DIY Wednesday (a little late)

I love Anthropologie...but, it's a tiny bit expensive for me. I got some inspriation from Dear Lizzy at http://www.elizabethkartchner.blogspot.com/ to make a shirt that is a bit of a look alike!

Supplies: Scissors, pins, needle, matching thread, 2 t-shirts, sewing machine if desired (I hand stitched as my machine is currently broken.)

1. Cut long strips from one of the shirts. I cut 6 strips from the back of the t-shirt.

2. Folding and pinning as you go, arrange the strips on your other shirt. I started at the shoulder and continued roughly along the v-neckline.

3. Stitch into place.

aaahh pretty

Just found this website this morning. I'm spending the gray rainy morning checking out all the pretties here: http://housedoctordk.blogspot.com. Hopefully, I'll be back later with some crafty or scrapbook pics.

Sunday inspiration

Yesterday I took an old copy of Elle with me to a softball tournament and let it inspire me. Ideas kept coming to me, having no paper with me, I tore out a cute add and started writing my ideas on the mag page. Now I can't wait to hit a Goodwill store and score some cool (ulgy) pieces just waiting to be turned into something new! Even though the summer is half over, I still have high hopes for it to be fun and creative AND relaxing!
Check out www.rebeccasower.typepad.com. Her banner is to die for! Makes me want to scrapbook, and sew really cool monster dolls like RIGHT NOW!

Inspirational Blogs

Here is a new blog I've discovered and a couple that I just plain love. Check them out.
www.creaturecomfortsblog.com
www.ruffledblog.com
www.oncewed.com.

Hope I spelled everything right!

DIY Wednesday

Photo Journal Prompts (image: www.weheartit.com)

Divide these prompts up in any way. Take one per day, week, etc. Be creative about how you look at your environment. Try to see things in a different way.

1. Texture. Take photos of different textures in nature, in your home, office, etc.

2. Reflections. Reflections in mirrors, bodies of water, windows, sunglasses, rear-view mirrors, etc.

3. Peeling paint on different surfaces (brick, wood, metal, etc.)

4. Rust

5. Paint or wallpaper coming through another layer of wall covering.

6. A mess that you come up on...not one you create (ex. Spilled catsup on the floor at McDonald's.)

7. Monochromatic color schemes.

8. Early morning light

9. Spider webs

10. Twilight/ sunset (Look at the color of light and how the angles of light change.)

That is enough to get you started for now. Keep your pics in an acid free journal preferrably using photo corners (so you can take the pics out later). I recommend keeping notes on when and where the photo was taken as well as any specific settings you used on your camera. I would also print the prompt related to the photo at the top of the page.

If you know me personally, I'd love to see your photo journals. The monsters and I will be starting ours this next week. Have fun!

Summer fun list

Some things that I would like to do this summer with the monsters.
1. Paddleboating
2. The BEACH...South Beach please
3. picnics with the cousins
4. Time capsule...to keep in the basement??
5. Floating in the pool
6. Making a miniture house/doll house w/ Megs using recycled items...can't wait to start
7. Make gelato...yummm
8. Make a photo journal w/ specific prompts
9. Play with the puppy.
10. Go back to City Museum.

A list of ten for now. This looks more fun than my work list.

parenting styles

Today in class we discussed at length the parenting styles....Do we really have to be one or the other?? I am pretty permissive....as long as grades are good, no one gets into trouble...and the bedrooms stay relatively neat...what type is that???

Wednesday DIY

I made these cute party favors last night!!

Tape the crepe paper streamer to your first item...I picked my largest item. Wrap the streamer around and around and around and around adding more trinkets as you go trying to make it into a ball shape.

This is what I started with. You also need tape, ribbon, stickers, scissors. I made 16 in about an hour. Hope the kiddos like em!

New Journal Theme

Title: This is Me

Collection of photos, pictures (from any source...magazines, family albums, books, etc.), artwork, collections, etc. that give your reader a sense of you and your personal style. I'm excited to work on prompts and ideas for this. Currently I am already working on a new journal...so, this one won't start just yet...it's a future project idea....can't wait..love to dream it and do it!!

pets

Really think I'm ready to add to our little family of four legged friends. I awhile back I saw a fliyer about labs for sale. I programed the phone # and thought maybe it was the right time to get a puppy. Fast forward several weeks and I see a girl I work with putting up the exact same flyer! I was so excited that I knew the puppy mommy came from a really good home...then I found out that the puppy daddy belongs to another girl I work with!!!! Yea!! The little ones won't be ready to leave their momma for a few weeks. I think I'm going to look at them after class today and maybe put a down payment on one to hold it for me ( I mean us.)

DIY Wednesday

Image from www.weheartit.com

Bottle cap necklace. Kids love this. Collect the following: bottle caps (vintage or craft ones), clear hard drying glue such as Diamond Glaze, hammer and small nail or awl, tiny trinkets, background paper or cute magazine clippings, a quarter, scissors, tiny eye screws, pin

1. Wash and dry your bottlecap.


2. Using the hammer and nail (or awl) punch a tiny hole in the top fluted edge of the bottle cap. Screw in the eye screw through this hole. Add a drop of Diamond Glaze to seal.


3. Choose a cute background paper. Using the quarter, trace and cut out. Glue to the bottle clap using diamond glaze.


4. Add tiny trinkets to bottlecap. Seal by filling the bottle cap with Diamond Glaze. Pop any tiny bubbles with a pin. Allow to dry thoroughly. This takes 12-24 hours.


5. Feed ribbon, or a necklace chain through the eye screw. Enjoy your new wearable piece of art!

Pickin' cherries

I made maraschino cherries and cherry jam. I also froze a ton of cherries to use in pie later.

First Post...Yea!!

Since I read tons of blogs everyday, I wanted to create a blog of my own. Finally, I have one started!!! I'm excited to come up with regular post topics and special projects to share.My bestie and I are working up a great list of prompts for a great photo journal. For now, I just have to get the hang of using this program. I'll try to figure out uploading pictures next.
Smiles!! Steph