my cute little trees.

for these guys, I bought styrofoam cones from the craft store (used my app for some pretty awesome coupons!!), and also purchased some sheet moss.

now let me tell you how much I love this stuff!! 

I love it!!!

it is so much fun to work with.  while it is a bit messy, it is not nearly as messy as loose moss.  not nearly I tell you!!  I have used it a few times.   Making my own moss balls, and let’s not forget my moss covered “P”.

I covered the cones with the moss, gluing with my hot glue gun, trimming as I went.

after they were all covered with the moss, I used some other items from my stash to liven them up a bit.  I used some small, “i-top” brads (LOVE my i-top!!),  papers from the “winter wonderland” paper collection by heidi swapp + jessica sprague, small silver ric-rac, some decorative upholstery nails..

and some enamel paint.

one little tree, I left the upholstery nails silver, but on my taller tree next to the canvas, and the smaller one on my computer desk, I painted the upholstery nails with the enamel paint.  I simply painted it on, and let them dry.  I didn’t bake them or anything, although that is what this paint is meant for.

and these are the little “ornaments” that were made with the “i-top”.

the best way to describe this tool is that it is like a button cover kit you would use for sewing.  same concept, you just get a brad back instead of a looped button back.

pretty easy to use, and I have used it on so many things!!

the last little tree with the small ric-rac, I used straight pins to attach the ric-rac securely to the tree.

I just gotta say, it’s a little merry around here!

hello spring!!!

well, at least i think it is…

i had to make myself a reminder of what season it is supposed to be, last week, while it was snowing.

it has done it’s job sufficiently, for those who are literate in this house.

pretty cheerful, eh?

i used crystal wilkerson’s june 2009 papers to make this, along with my trimmer, scoring board (freaking love that thing), twine, gluedots, scissors, my scalloped border punch, and some ribbon.

as for the fonts:  lobster on the banner, bebas on the little “hello” banner.

as for the pom-pom garland…

that was some inspiration gained from watching studio 5 (a local lifestyle show) and a segment from diy dish. 

styrofoam, fun yarn, twine, and a yarn needle, and there you have it!

Fun new products..

I love seeing what fun new stuff the designers come up with at Jessica Sprague..
Just a couple of things new to the store tomorrow:

Okay, so part of this one isn’t new, but it’s newish.
Splendid Fiins put out a “Splendid Tutorial” on how to make Silhouettes, from beginning to end, and making them into your own brush!  Pretty incredible, I know.
Tomorrow, new to the store, will be these alternate borders.  You can color them, but I am just boring and left them black.
I made mine into ornaments, and if you click on it, you can see the name and age of the little girl whose silhouette is on there..
I just printed off the finished product, cut it out, rounded the corners, and glittered the edges of some chipboard before I stuck down my silhouette with craft dots.  Add a little rick-rack and you have a cute little ornament!  I would have liked to have diamond glazed it, but ran out of time.
My mind is just racing with all the possibilities with this one!
Queen of Quirk (I love all things quirky..) has “Reindeer Games” coming out tomorrow.  I wanted to use all of the elements and papers on one page, but that wouldn’t have looked too great.  It is all so fun though!

Papers.
Elements.
I also used her template.
Stitching, Splendid Fiins.
Fonts, Marcelle Script and Caviar Dreams.
Don’t forget, the great holiday sale is going on there, and prices are slashed by 20%!!  With any purchase over $20 you get a free comp kit, that is pretty fun too..  need to find more time to play with that one…
Oh, and the FREE class starts TOMORROW!

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas…

Not just because of our lovely (yet typical) Utah weather!!
No, it is this darned designer I am working with at Jessica Sprague!
She has me seeing Christmas.
(It is only fitting for our weather though!)
Another yummy creation from Elle’s Studio:
Meet, the Advent Calendar…

Cute, fun, stuff!
It is brand new in store today!!
Of course, I embellished the heck out of it..  that’s what I do!
I used glitter and flocking powder this time, but used my Xyron sticker maker instead of wet glue.  Much easier on bigger areas.  I also got to raid my ribbon/fiber drawer to tie these cuties up.  (Using remnant supplies that I can’t bear to throw away is a huge plus.)  Other than that, I used the typical glue dots (both regular and craft) and scissors (large, medium, and small tipped), a hole punch, and rhinestones.
Elle makes it easy and fun for you.  She even includes a list of activities for you to use as ideas for your calendar activities.
We decided on ours, calendared them in, so when that day comes, we know what we are doing, that and we can re-use this again and again and again..
Or you could write or tack on your own activities on the pieces.
(I have to admit that it was more than a little weird working on this, cutting it all out while watching Halloween movies!)

It’s getting scary around here!

Okay, not so much really.
But it is fun!
(I love decorating for Halloween.)
I have some of the good old stuff still hanging around, and some new creations to add to the mix…

As you can see, microfine glitter (in an assortment of colors) is my “go to” crafting item lately.
Hopefully I can get my porch together soon.  It’s just that my tomato cages are still being used by my tomato plants!
(Love those tomatoes..  keep coming, I will sacrifice my ghosts this year.)

Christmas in July series: Part 1

Yes, I know, it is no longer July, but it was when I made these…

I love Nativities, LOVE them.
I like even more, when they are virtually indestructible.
(Three very excitable little girls helped teach me to love that aspect of a good Nativity.)
So here’s your supply list:

- 2x2 cut into 3 separate lengths; 5 inches (Joseph), 4 inches (Mary), and 3 inches (manger).
- 1 2-2 1/2 inch wooden infant (I bought the old school clothespins and cut them down to 2 inches).
- 3 6x6 squares of cloth
- hemp or other fiber (optional)
- paint, paint brushes, and sandpaper.
- Hot glue.
(My specific paint colors were: Light Foliage Green, Wedgwood Blue, AC Flesh, Light Ivory, and Burnt Umber; all Delta brand.)
I only did one coat of paint, and distressed all the pieces but the heads after they dried with the sandpaper.
Glue on the heads too.  You don’t want to miss that step!
See, they are cute..
But we’ll add to that.
 
For the fabric head dresses, take and fold down about 1/2 inch, then do it again to hide the raw edge.
Once..

And again..

Place a dot of glue in the center top of the head, and position the folded section of the fabric on top.

Dot some glue in the middle back to attach the fabric.

Repeat for the other half of our pair.
If desired, cut some fiber and tie it around the head after the fabric is attached.

And now for our little guy…

All you really see is his little head, so you don’t HAVE to paint the body, unless you are obsessive like me…  and this is how we swaddle him.
Fold the fabric in half diagonally and place your little guy in the center, the top of his head at the fold.

Fold down, one corner at a time, and securing with a dot of glue, so it looks like this:

And then like this:

The next fold makes a tighter wrap against the body.  Secure these with a dab of glue too.
 
So he looks like this:

And then, dabbing some glue on the bottom “V”, fold the tail up to meet the “V” in the neck.
 
Glue your little bundle on the manger, and re-unite the happy family.

Call me crazy..

But I am slightly excited for fall.
I know..  I know..  it’s still summertime, an I do not wish it away or wish for it to go by any faster than it already is, but Halloween is one of my favorites, and crafting for it is heavenly.
So I was excited to have these come together..  they have been sitting around since last fall…

I used a scrap wood post that has been sitting outside, getting nicely weathered and worn, mod podge, scrapbook paper, sand paper, the remnant of a white curtain rod from the girls room cut and then painted chocolate brown and then moss green and sanded, oh, and love.

And when you turn them around, they are all ready for Thanksgiving and fall fun!

Today’s accomplishments.

I got a couple of layouts done thanks to some fun freebies!

(Today’s freebies were from Nisa Fiin and Linda Roos.)
All other elements: kraft paper: freebie from Jessica Sprague; frame, brackets, “a”, stitching, staple all Crystal Wilkerson.  Font: “My Type of Font”.

Kraft paper background was a freebie from I don’t remember where!  The orange paper, labels and sticker all freebies from Nisa Fiin.  Stitching: Anna Aspnes.  Fabric buttons: Linda Roos.  Vintage Polaroid brush from Deviantart.
I also managed to FINALLY finish off the last decoration for my shelf..

Tutorial for the fabric flowers found here.