Converstaion Hearts

We normally don't have a lot of Valentine decorations around and have absolutely none this year.  I surfed the web for simple but inexpensive items that could be whipped up real quick.  I came across some really cute conversation hearts and thought "hey we could do those".  Since I was going to be out running errands yesterday anyhow, I thought it was a good time to swing by the craft store - haven't been in a while.  Found some cute heart shaped wood plaques and bought the last four on the shelf.  I knew I already had everything else at home - so there - inexpensive. 

Alexis picked out the colors and worked on painting them, then she helped me with the vinyl lettering.  Here's how they turned out:

Total cost:  $4.00

Halloween in April ???

So I know that spring is just arriving and you may be asking why Halloween?  Well that's how I roll.  I am never doing anything in the right season.  I just work on different projects all year long regards of the time of year.

Last November I picked up this halloween fabric -at 75% off, you just can't beat that.  All winter long my mind kept turning with ideas for it.  I knew I want to make it into a wall quilt but just couldn't seem to find the right design.

Then one night I was looking through one of my "too" many quilt books and spotted the perfect pattern.  In the book it was done with navy blues and gold star fabric.  But to me it was shouting "Halloween"  What do you think?  I am so excited to get it sent off to the quilters (no I don't tackle that part - I pay someone to do it) and get it finished off.  Hopefully in time for Halloween this year.  

Here's just a close up so you can see the detail of the fabric.

Thanks for stopping by and remember it's never too early to think Halloween. :-)

Washer Pendant Necklaces...

I have seen these necklaces all over the blog world and we thought it would be fun to make our own. So I went looking for instructions and found a great one here. Soon after we headed to the craft store for the acrylic and to the garage for the washers. It's amazing, the things you can find in the garage to make craft items out of - Who would have thought.

Anyway, here is our version. I actually ended up taking it one step further and made them double sided. How fun is that to have a reversible necklace?

Homemade birthday gifts

Sierra's friend Rachel (see previous post) recently had her 17th birthday. We wanted to do something special for her but wasn't quite sure what. We decided that we wanted to make her birthday gift this year. So we dug in the craft room for supplies I had on hand and came up with two separate gifts. The first was a keepsake box. We started with this:


And finished with this:

We did have to buy a few items: the tin and the flower on the front. Everything else I already had. Now Rachel has a box for all her "keepsakes" or "treasures".

Next it was on to this: I hate to admit it but this project cost exactly $.60 - don't call me cheap, just thrifty. I found the frame at a yard sale last fall for $.10 and just knew that it would come in handy for something - just didn't know what at the time. The letter was $.50 at Micheal's and the ribbon and the spray I already had on hand , so that cost doesn't count.

So this:

turned into this:

There is no back on the letter it just hangs there freely.

A year later and a bunch of yarn

Yes, it has taken a year but I finally got this afghan done. It has been a long time in coming. I couldn't even tell you how many skeins of yarn it took - I quit counting after 8. What projects have taken you at least a year to complete. I would love to hear about them.

My favorite toy and a theme

Ok, can adults have a favorite toy... I sure hope so because I do. This is my favorite:

This is my Cricut machine or "my big bug" (I have a smaller version too aka "little bug") as it is so affectionately called. With this machine I can cut out shapes and letters on paper, material, vinyl and oh so much more. This machine and I spend a lot of time together. We have made scrapbook pages, cards, school projects and most recently, the theme for my hobby room.

I had some vinyl that I found at Lowes, and cut out this saying:

I think this says it all. I plan to make this my motto for this year.

The stash is no longer

Here is what my stash of fabric has become. I hope to get it quilted soon and get it hung on the wall.

When it's all finished it will have a black on the back as well as the binding. I can't wait until it is completely finished.

A stash of fabric

I bought this fabric about 1 1/2 years ago with the intention of making something with it. After getting started and then not liking the way it was coming together, I put it away until just recently. I found something new to do with it and am anxious to get started. Check back to see what this stack of fabric becomes.

Do remember my Dick and Jane fabric? Well, here's the results. What do you think?

Do you remember Dick & Jane?

I remember learning to read from the Dick and Jane books in elementary. While I was in Utah last weekend I was able to go into the greatest quilt store ever - The Stitching Corner. They had the cutest fabric that had Dick and Jane on it and I just couldn't resist. They had a package of all the different fabrics that went together already cut and ready to go. I picked up some extra fabric with hopes of making something out of it. Hopefully one day soon this cute fabric will be hanging on my wall in the form of a wall quilt. Check back to look at the results (hopefully it won't take me forever)

Valentines Day Craft

While searching some of my favorite craft blogs, I came upon this adorable Valentines wreath. There was just too much temptation so I had to give it a try. Alexis actually ended up doing most of the work and I think it turned out just as cute. It was a fun and easy Valentine's Day craft.
Here is how ours turned out:

Fall is on it's way

I found these fun pumpkins at http://ourcozynest.blogspot.com/2008/08/pumking-making-tutorial.html and thought they were so cute that I just had to try them. They were lots of fun to make and oh so easy. I can't believe it's that time of year already. Where did summer go???