Foxy & Crafty Affirmation Hoop for LESSology

Creating a scene is our challenge this month over at LESSology! I had planned on making this affirmation oval embroidery hoop with this adorable little fox for weeks! Finally got some time to put it together and BOY am I pleased about how it turned out!

The purple hills and grass are from a left over chunk of water color paper. I inked them up and then spritzed them with some shimmer mist to get the color to run. Even used the very top part for the grass! 

The embroidery hoop was spray painted gold and then I carefully stretched a piece of vintage doily across. It was then backed with a piece of cream colored cardstock. 

After I was done with my "canvas" I then started work on the fox!

Regina over at THE CUTTING CAFE has the awesomest fox cutting file! It is actually a card called HEY FOXY and made me smile! Plus, I thought it illustrated the word "Foxy" nicely! Who doesn't want to be foxy and crafty!

Since it's a card, I ended up using all the layers to give ole Foxy some depth! This picture cracks me up, but you can see the layers!

And one last photo of the entire piece again so you can enjoy that reused paint brush and that gold ampersand! Fun times!

The metal piece on the bottom that allows the hoop to stand upright is from the ReStore in Corning. I am not sure what it was originally, but I was pretty sure it would make an awesome base to some creation! The paint brush was one that I neglected to wash out in time but I thought made a fun addition to my piece! I even spray painted the handle gold to match!

I hope you get a chance to be crafty with us and play along!

Junkin' Vase Revamped

Finally got my junking vase put together. It was fairly easy with a sheet rock screw and a hot glue gun to attach the metal scallopy piece on the bottom with the metal vase on the top.

Here is what it looked like before I viciously attacked it with three different colors of spray paint.

I'm pretty pleased with how it turned out! Even better, I had a handful of flowers that had been waiting for a vase since we moved in, so one more little project wrapped up!

Happy Monday and here is to another week & another fun find!

Pile O' Pages and Cards

Saturday morning it rained and THE MAN had some work to do on the plow. Yes, it's going to be plow season soon and the rain will be snow. HOWEVER, since we are normally off doing something, or building something it was a pleasant surprise for me to spend the morning alone with a Scraptastic Kit and kill it.

I didn't feel like actually FINISHING the pages though and contented myself with making pages without photos, titles, or journaling. It seemed like an odd thing to do, but having spent some afternoons around a campfire doing something similar earlier this summer, it made me happy!

Turns out yesterday was National Card Making Day so good thing I finished up the kit scraps with five fun cards!

I look forward to finishing up these pages this coming week. The nights are always super short, so with just a few tweaks to make, I'll feel like I accomplished something!

Happy Sunday!

Happy Fall Cards for THE CUTTING CAFE

A dude I work with recently sent another dude at work a lovely Wedding card with words like Wedding crossed out. Penn State had beaten his Alma Mater and he lost a bet so he owed Cody a lottery ticket. Instead of just giving it to him, he SENT IT because he likes to get mail. As they told me this story I was having trouble not laughing at both of them. One dude getting a flowery pretty card from another dude...

HOWEVER, who does not like to get HAPPY MAIL? I haven't sent cards in like forever!

I decided to go for some flatter ones since I wanted to make a bunch...I didn't just make three!

I started out printing on kraft the Happy Fall images and then I punched them out with a scallopy punch. Then I cut a whole bunch of teeny tiny pumpkins on my Silly. The embossed kraft & cream colored base was something I put together a while ago when I had scraps left over from another project.

Just a simple button, some lace all grunged up, staples, gold paint, cloth oak leaves with some splatters and my card was complete. I used a download from THE CUTTING CAFE to make my cards. The first was a cutting file and contained the itsy bitsy pumpkin. The second was the Happy Fall graphic that comes with the same file. Check out Regina's Pumpkin Trio Shaped Card here. So pretty!

I am looking forward to getting these put into the mail. Maybe with a nice fancy tea bag? Or a lotto ticket? Something fun!

Hope your weekend is awesome! We spent some time out in the crisp fall air! It's my favorite time of year!

The Shed: Layout for Another Freaking Scrappy

THE MAN and I have been working with wood lately. As in fresh wood straight from the hardware store. He claims that his tractor parts need cover and that we are out of room in the garage. So we are creating from scratch a 12 by 12 potting shed.

I really like building. I was surprised to realize it. I've known for a while I like to use tools and change things up, but there is something to be said about building something brand new.

Our new challenge over at Another Freaking Scrappy is to scrap about what makes you happy or scrap a happy time in your life.

Before we decided to build our shed, we looked at a lot of premade ones. Aside from what we felt were high price tags, we also thought they were too cheesy for our taste so we're working on our own design!

I was using the air nailer on Sunday to help secure the boards that are holding the walls up. THE MAN reminded me nicely that it was the same air nailer that brought us to the emergency room two barns ago with a nail in his leg.

 I was very cautious but then I also felt like a QUEEN using power tools! ;-)

I used a lot of craft against the white & blues because I thought it was a pretty contrast. As well as the splatters...and some gems. Nobody said pages about construction had to be manly!

And a close up of all the bling, the glittery title, and the butterfly paper clip!

Hope you are inspired to go create your own Happy Page! Sorry if this song gets stuck in your head!

Happy Hump Day!

The Birth of Pumpkin Fysh

My oldest is relentless. This is often times a trait I admire in her but then other times when she holds me to a promise I made several months earlier...not so much.

She had been talking about vising The Corning Musuem of Glass or CMOG (pronounced See-mog like a local) since before we moved to watch a hot glass show. Now, I have been a trillion times. It's a great place to haul visitors or just pop over for a quick lunch.

Then the school sent home a flyer about a free family night. I am all about free, plus the flyer mentioned free cookies and brownies. Again, I am all about free & dessert!

There were a trillion little kids running around. Lexi skipped over all the crafts and headed directly to the hot glass show where they were working on a ginormous glass pumpkin. Well, she headed directly to the hot glass show by way of the brownies & chocolate chip cookies.

We watched the whole show and then ran out to design our own. They generally pick one piece to make from the audience. Having done something similar a few times over I was not even thinking either of us being chosen.

Lexi had stated quite emphatically that she wanted a glass fish. Or Fyyyyyyssshhhhh. Which is how she said it in between stuffing her face with brownies.

Just as we were contemplating hunting down some pizza to wash down the brownies, they called her name over the loud speaker. She then floated up to the hot glass show, marched to sit down in the front and beemed for the whole half hour.

Please join us in our excitement in welcoming Pumpkin Fysh into our family. The perfect pet that just needs to be dusted now and again!

Oh and Gaffer Artist Dude that picked our Fysh to make! You ROCK glass guy!

Accidental Junking at a Nursery

I have been making my rounds to old haunts lately. One place I hadn't been to yet was the big nursery close to where we used to live. I figured they wouldn't have much as it's nearly the end of our growing season, but I was on the look out for really small plants. 

I am trying to set my terrariums back up from moving. Sadly I did not find any but was assured that come spring they would have a large amount of that kind of thing. So I have tabled that project for now. 

They did however have one of their greenhouses set up still in garage sale mode. They had a large sale the previous weekend. Yes, came home with goodies!  The pink lantern was on the free table! I have had this ombre paper lantern pinned from Constantly Stamping and I've been on the look out for one. 

While I was driving home, I looked over at my new treasures and had a thought...

What if I mount that heavy metal scallopy base to the vase? Of course they will have to be painted something else..

Yeah. THE MAN groaned and walked away when I showed him. I'm thinking paint colors now!

Happy Saturday! We're off to a work picnic...hope I win the free vacation day that the boss is offering up. Wouldn't that be fun!

Mantle Madness

So before we moved to Corning, I knew we were buying a house with a mantle. The whole idea seemed romantic. Decorating it season to season, a fire place, and all that jazz.

Then we moved in and THE MAN spent 2,000 hours getting the media cabinet set up. In case you are wondering what that is like, imagine trying to turn a calf around in a Momma Cow with your arm...oh never mind. Needless to say, it was painful, people were grumpy, and wires were everywhere. Add in having shingles and I decided making it pretty was a project for another day.

IN FACT, I kept telling THE MAN nicely to just get all the things working and I'll work on situating the wires, etc. very soon. ;-)
















Turns out soon was really much, MUCH later. In fact, so much later everyone celebrated when they came home one day and things were finally tweaked around. It started with that owl that I happened upon at Home Depot. It randomly caught my eye and prompted me to pull out the fall stuff.

I then went back later for a second glass silvery pumpkin for the other side. I'm pretty pleased with it, which doesn't mean it will stay this way for long.

Now I'm in the mantle decorating business, I have already started thinking Christmas....maybe topiary....maybe big letters...

Happy Friday! The oldest and I are off to the Corning Museum of Glass to see what kind of trouble we can get ourselves into!

Almost 8th & 6th Layout

I admit these wouldn't have been the colors I normally would work with BUT I was going for trendy & teen kinda and the yellow bottle of mist might have been an accident....

Anyhow run what you brung as they always say...

And the colors are growing on me...

The gray chalk ink around the edges cheered me up with the white journaling...

I do really appreciate THE MAN talking the kids into posing. I mean, I bought school photos this year but let's face it...they never use something really cool like a huge tire all worn out from little people climbing all over it! These tires were at the campground we stayed in when we went to the PA Grand Canyon earlier this year.

And there you have it on a Hump Day. Short and sweet!

Have a good one!

The Regal Purple Lair of a Teen & her Minions

Mom, I don't understand why you complain so much about painting...THIS IS FUN! Says the kid who has painted never.

Having painted my fair share of rooms before I winced when she said that. I had been dreading painting her room since before we moved and she announced that the grayish green color wasn't up to her standards. Personally I found it a nice shade of neutral but as you can see I lost that battle!

I thought THE MAN was going to cry when we came home from the hardware store with two gallons of Regal Purple. He shook his head and asked why the adult in charge allowed her to pick such a very daaaaaaarrrrrrrkkkkk color purple and could I guess how many coats it might take....I reminded him that the adult that did not go to the store and that said "let her get what she wants" should leave the other adult alone or at least bring her some wine.

Three coats of purple paint later, a rug steam cleaning due to painting with a teen, and assembling the metal bed frame and her room is almost put together. I still owe her a floor lamp which I'm working on finding.

She really wanted a platform bed. We had planned on building one, but this metal frame I found on Amazon was inexpensive and well made. She had the bedspread pinned for MONTHS before we moved so she was really excited to finally put it on her bed & sleep with it. It's very pretty! Looks heavenly!

Here the other side of her room. You can see the fish tank who holds one very spoiled Betta fish called Sephira after the dragon in movie Eragon and her guitar. 

It's daytime in these photos so the other pet is missing. Eragon naps during the day only to emerge at night & beg shamelessly for treats. His other hobbies include shedding & yowling. He is showing me nicely with his whole body what shelf the treats are on....what a good cat...

And there you have it. One very happy teen who is so excited about her regal purple lair and two parents who are happy only ONE kid wanted their room painted....

Happy Monday!

Hackers, still Stoners, almost Hawks Oh My

I can honestly say I was glad to see the end of the week was finally here. The week before which was the first full week of school was equally special on it's own, but this week we were all sick. 

Since this happens never, I am pretty impressed at our skill at being walking zombies and getting through. 

I can't recall the last time I was sick. THE MAN and I were trying to remember and finally decided this new whatever the heck you wanna call it that seems to be strolling through the US made it's way to our house. Pretty sure the kids brought it come from school or perhaps it was lurking in the doctor's office last week where we were for a well child visit and hopped a ride. 

Regardless we all sound like hacking seals. 

We have a pretty low impact weekend planned. Chasing some chipmunks (Patti the dog), vacuuming the house (the kids) and laying the plywood down on the floor of our "shed' is on the list. Maybe making an apple crisp. 

I hear it's going to rain tomorrow, so I'll be scrapping I believe after a trip to the grocery. 

Hopefully next week the kids feel a bit more like Hawks. That is the mascot at this new school. My oldest has moved from sitting by herself to sitting with dudes. She announced most scientifically that 13 year old boys don't have a problem with saying the word Penis but have a large problem with the word Vajayjay. I am working on not worrying about any of it. She's got a pretty good head about her and isn't easily impressed. 

Luke says they are still mostly Stoners (which was the mascot at the last school, don't laugh that dude holding a pick ax looked crazy & strong) although he also has some dudes he's hanging out with now. Not to mention the new school serves pizza daily. I am hoping he gets sick of having a slice each lunch without me having to say anything. 

The house smells like breakfast and the coffee is awesome! Raising a cup to the start of the weekend!

Shabby Tea Caddy for THE CUTTING CAFE

When you are making something for yourself you tend to use ALLLLLLL the things you like....roses, gold, shabby, and antique! Which is of course WHY there is monogram of a gold P!

Wait, I forgot to mention the dragon fly perched on the lip of the antique cup! I had been hoarding that dragon fly for weeks! You can get one similar from Renea Bouquets in her Etsy shop. Don't say I didn't warn you that they are addicting!

And since I knew this caddy was for ME, I splurged and cut out two files! I am using THE CUTTING CAFE's Stationary Caddy. Yes, my caddy is double sided! It was very easy to make it double!

I wanted mine to be very sturdy and shabby, so I covered both sets after I put them together with vintage papers & modge podge. Added some coats of gold paint, splatters, mists, and grunged them up a bit with an ink pad. 

Here is a photo looking down at the top of the caddy. Yes those are real screws! Since I used recycled glass knobs, I wanted to secure them properly. My tea caddy won't be losing a foot anytime soon!

I can't wait to fill this up with pretty tea bags, hot cocos, sugar cubes, and fancy smancy spoon! My little shaker will hold cinnamon!

Looks like I need to host a tea party soon!

Hope your Friday is amazing!