Simply Amazing

You can read my Part 2 installment of Bloggy Boot Camp on my personal blog.

 

Stephanie…….ahh sweet Stephanie.  I met Stephanie in her car…..at Bloggy Boot Camp.  It was a dinner deal going down and we were being highjacked by Jyl to head to dinner.  I was thrown in a car with 3 women, and I only knew one of them, Jyl……for only the last 8 hours.  Stephanie was the driver.  We were then seated next to each other during dinner….it was fate.  Loved getting to know her.  Loved chatting it up and loved that we even matched.  What I really loved was that she actually knew my blog.  She was a creative person….There were many gals that didn’t know my blog, because they just weren’t the crafty kind…..can you imagine?

Somewhat Simple

Stephanie lives in Arizona with her kiddos and hubs.  She creates a creative life with all kinds of fun stuff.  Her blog is gorgeous.  So easy to navigate.  I love it. 

She was telling me about a project she did for a White Elephant gift….she thought it was funny, the recipient of the gift thought it was funny.  I thought it was funny. I love a good Mormon girl with a sense of humor.  She told me that she was trashed in a message board somewhere…..no no no…….not trashed like that…….she’s a good Mormon girl…..trash talked…..there were people who were trash talking this project and just had to tell her.  This is when she needed me……because…… I’m not a good Mormon girl and…….I could have taken care of those trash talkers once and for good. 

She’s good at the vinyl word stuff.  This Mommy’s Mood board would be pretty helpful out there for all Mommy’s.  What a cute idea. 

Just when you thought you’ve seen all silhouette ideas…….she comes along and does it with glitter.  I’ve never seen that done, have you?  Michaels…..you better stock up.  Ladies, she shows you a full tutorial if you’re interested in the details. TUTORIAL!!!! Lately, I’ve noticed bits of jewelry popping up made from ribbon and pearls.  I had seen some pieces at a Stella & Dot party I went to……Well Lil’ Miss Steph and her friend decided they could save a ton of money and just make their own.  Isn’t that cute?  She also will show you how they made that too.She has several tutorials on her site.  I know you all love banners, but I also know there may be a couple of you out there that need a “how to make a banner” tutorial.  She does a fabulous job.  Step by step…..gotta love that.  Hold my hand please.Mothers day is coming up…..Sunday!  Can you believe it?  Don’t panic…….if you still need something for your mother inlaw……no worries.  Steph has you covered.  Covered in Mod Podge that is…….She’ll show you exactly how to create photo blocks.  Great gift for anyone you would give a photo too.Because she has 3 kids and runs her house with an iron fist…….well maybe not……but she keeps them in line with this behavior button clippy thing.  Each day they start out in the middle.  Poor behavior moves the clip down…..good behavior or deeds move the clip up.  Nice visual…..and it looks cute too. I’m afraid I would have used the clip to pinch my son during a tantrum…..probably not what she had intended.    Hey…..don’t judge…..there is nothing wrong with a little squeeze or small pinch on the arm to get your child’s attention. Not one that bruises, people……simmer down……..when I meet you someday, I’ll show you want I mean…. It works great in public when you can’t raise your voice.  Besides I learned it from my sister…..and she’s a good Mormon girl……Being cute is easy for this little girl.  She only gets cuter when her mommy makes her cute head bands.  Yep…….there is a tutorial.

   Dont’ think for a minute that her talents run dry without adding in a bit of cooking and baking.  This looks amazing.  I want it NOW!  It makes me mad that she can eat stuff like this and stay so little.  Just wait til she’s over 40…….just wait.  I’d like to squeeze HER arm right now. OK, I must say she forgot who may read this when writing out her tutorial on this one….she says “just slice and braid”  or something like that.  Um…..I’m gonna need more hand holding than that.  I’m not a natural at this creative stuff……I have to work at it.  She’s just showing off.  But I’ll forgive her. Any girl that can wrestle raw meat and make some ribs……Dang……. She has the recipe and instructions on her site.  Smack smack smack.        I’m fully expecting her to sew up some cute napkins that say that…..smack smack smack…….  get on that will ya Steph?

 

Loved meeting her.  Thanks for making dinner enjoyable and thanks for driving so safely.  And thanks for matching my outfit.

Go surprise her. I didn’t tell her I was featuring her.  Hee hee hee…….go go go.

Photo Wall

Oh I have the fever…….the fever to change EVERYthing in my house.  I see these lovely ideas online and I’m ready to change it all. 

This is new on the block, but boy she does not waste anytime showing off.  Gawd, I love women like that!  Sawdust and Paper Scraps.

We all love photo walls and if it’s done well…….it’s spectacular!  

Using this as her inspiration piece, she created a color combination that turns her walls into ONE BIG piece of ART!  I just love it.While you’re drooling over those stairs……she did the molding too.Love it all See…….you too can paint your frames and start your own photo wall. Then she shows you parts of her beautiful home that she is updating.  Bye bye carpenters oak.

Hello white molding! That Carpenters oak and brass is every where.  We must take control….if you like your oak and brass…..that’s OK too.  Remember, I’m tolerant and respectful to different views. But this really does look better……Just sayin…….Wow!  Bless her for showing us her kitchen re-do.  Bless her!You have to admit the below photo is SO much better than all that oak…..if you can’t admit it, you’re just plain stubborn.  Except I do like that table in the above shot. I wonder where it went?This is the coolest idea I’ve seen in a long time!  This door leads to her basement stairs, so why not jazz it up a bit.  Especially if you have a little girl in the house.Finished product….and the roof even opens up for storage.     I can’t wait to see more of her work!  Such great ideas.  Please head over and surprise her with all kinds of comments!

 

We’re continuing our “Ban the Oak” conversation over at by TCB Blog Frog community.  Come join me.

Also……tomorrow is Get Your Craft On Tuesday.  Get your stuff ready!

Pottery Barn Inspired

I gasped so hard when I saw this, I now have the hiccups.  I am loving that we are taking control over how much we spent on decor.  I’m glad we can see that something is priced too high and we use our resources to get what we want.  When will these high priced decor companies realize we ladies talk and will figure out a way if it’s not within our budget?

Susie Harris {where friends become family}

saw this typewriter key wall art in……..yes, you guessed it.  Pottery Barn.   Love Pottery Barn, but my pocket book turns it’s self inside out whenever I consider a purchase.  She took another approach and thought  “hey!  I could make that!” And she did………Stunning!  And guess what?  She not only sells these in her Etsy shop for about $14,000 less than PB, but she also shows you a step by step tutorial!

Start out with a flat board…….mark your markings…Use a punch cup to draw your circles…..I wonder what Pottery Barn uses?

  Paint your circles black and use tracing paper to trace your letters that you printed off on your own printer.   Paint all the letters.Use the top of a thermos to mark the distressed circle to make it look like real keys……I doubt PB uses a thermos lid…. And you’ve got yourself a great piece of wall art that looks like $14,000, but didn’t cost you nearly as much.

Then she got cocky that thought that if she could do that, she could certainly make herself one of these “fancy” mirrors.  She teaches you the real name for a fancy mirror as well as a tutorial.  But this mirror used to be just a lonely flat piece of wood.  What I also love?  Look closely…….that square wreath and that bunny weather vane.  I want it.  She has gotten SO sure of herself, she paints all kinds of signs and even monograms on her walls.  Because she’s so nice……..she also shows you step by step instructions.  You too can have a monogram on your wall.I love monograms and worry I have too many “D”s around my house.  But I love them.  And so does she…..Monograms on linen?  Holy stars….Sigh!You’ll really enjoy her blog and all the photos of her home.  Her kitchen is looking very french.  She also recently covered her RED couch with white slipcovers……..Hmmmm.  I love that style.

   She has a great etsy shop with thing from signs to tags.  All great things.

Head over and make me look good OK?  Leave her a comment and surprise her that she’s today’s feature!

Have you joined my Blog Frog community yet?  We’re stirring up some conversations.

Whoa Mama!

I think this is one of the best ideas of the last decade! AND……..it’s recycling!  Pinch me….can life get any better?  Well……….of course it can, but we’re going to be really really excited about this brilliant idea.

Take these……wrapping paper rolls, paper towel rolls…….. Measure, mark and cut.

Glue and stabilize……………

Paint any color you’d like.  And when it’s dry………hang this amazing piece of art on your wall!   Can you believe it?  Amazing. Homemade Mamas has got it goin on!  They have lots of ideas you can create on a shoestring budget.

Love how they took old bottles, used paper mach’e…….a little bit of paint and created their own vases. Something you could do with the kids for sure. They have living frugally down to an art.  They have lots and lots of cleaning solution ideas and recipes.   I used to make my own laundry detergent………but honestly……….I like my tide.  But this linen spray recipe is something I’m interested in………It’s got Vodka in it.  Which reminds me……..did you see Kirstie Alley on Oprah when she was talking about cleaning with Vodka?  Cheap Vodka?  Huh?  It’s a germ killer………that’s for sure. Now that Valentines Day is over……..we need some regular craft ideas.  Maybe a Mothers Day gift idea…….or just a Spring idea.  Spring is around the corner…….somewhere. 

She has a tutorial on how to make these stepping stones.  You don’t need to buy that kit at Michaels.   You can use items from your yard to make your designs.  Head over and see for yourself……….but I’m not going to tell you to leave a comment, because apparently you don’t like to be told that………  Yes….I do check.  **hands on my hips**

 

I did pick a winner for last Friday’s giveaway…….it’s posted on yesterday’s post.  I no longer notify winners.  I’m getting so crotchety in my old age aren’t I? 

Stitched Portraits

I remember trying my hand at embroidering when I was a little girl….I loved the old pillow cases with embroidered flowers, or crocheted edges………then I figured out at that tender age, I had no talent or patience for such things and would rather spend my time outside jumping off hay stacks and splitting my tongue……….I should have realized right then, that a needle prick would heal much faster and the embroidering skills would endure me much longer.  Live and Learn.

Check Out Girl took my breath away when I visited her. I was skyping with Cindy from Skip to my Lou (who will also be with me at Bloggy boot Camp) when she told me to check out Check Out Girl.  Both of us marveled at the exquisite talent, photo after photo.  Then Cindy said to me “you should feature her”  ………like she had to say anything……I had her in my FFF (future feature file) so fast, it made Marion Jones looks slower than her pre-steroid days.

I noticed while exploring Melissa’s site, how relaxed I was feeling.  It was like a good book………you just don’t want it to end.  Photo after photo was a  treat full of the most amazing little pieces of art………so original.

Can you imagine having this?  Or better yet……giving this as a gift?  Let’s just say, none of my friends were this talented for my wedding.  Love’em anyway. Do you think she has everyone on her Facebook inviting her to every event of theirs in hope of receiving a stitched gift?  Melissa, I’m having my son’s 11th birthday party in Feb if you’d like to come.  I bet this made Grandma cry!  A felted portrait of all her grandkids.The initials have meaning……they do.  She said they do.

Showing us the process is so interesting.  She’s got a couple of full tutorials…….start with a blank canvas.Draw out your shaped pieces…….yea…..she lost me right there. Lay them out……..       Start to stitch……..

A bit of detailing…….More detailing…….Tah-Dah!!!!

     How about a simpler project? 

I can do that……I can cut out circles of felt….got it. Wheee…….I on my way……..I can lay them out too.  Don’t you love how little circles make flowers?  That always surprises me.Then stitch them on……….lost me.  Can I use glue?  Here’s something a little different than her felt portraits…..The detailing is amazing.I’m obviously late to the party, because it looks like Marta beat me to the punch bowl……. again…..Martha featured her on HER website. 

Before you count Melissa as unapproachable because of your outragous talent……..she likes thrifted stuff too.  She got this couch FREE!!!  We should let her in the club.

Grab a cup of joe………or cocoa and head over to Melissa’s.  It will be the best time spent.  While you’re there….leave her a comment to make me look good.  (remember……it’s all about making me look good)

Tomorrow----Get Your Craft On Link up.  Wheee!