Paper Girls Fall Blog Hop

Hey there everybody!!! Thanks for swinging by. 
You should have come here from Becci's Blog if not, 
just start at the very beginning at the Paper Girl's Blog. 
You won't want to miss out. 
There's a great prize up for grabs for your effort :)

Without further ado here's the project I put together for our Fall Decor theme.

I used  a frame I had on hand, some old book pages, SRM sentiment sticker, twill alpha and some washi tape to make this decor item. It's sitting on my made over stereo cabinet right now making my home sing with fall happiness!!!

How about a little extra help with that “Fall Decor”? The Paper Girls Challenge Blog has a Scrapbook Pal gift card up for grabs, which means you're asking what do you have to do to participate? 



How do you get your hands on the gift card? Would you like a chance to win? 

Get an entry for commenting on each of the blog posts
 "Like" the Paper Girls Challenge on Facebook, 
and being a follower on our blog (all are required for an entry). 

You have until Sunday, October 6, 2013 at 11:59pm MST to comment. We will announce the winner on Wednesday, October 9, 2013 at 9:00 am MST. International readers are welcome to play along but currently we are only shipping prize packs to the US and Canada due to shipping costs.

 
I hope you have a super day!

NOW head on over to  DEBORAH'S BLOG 
and see here AMAZING CREATION!!!

Thrifty Thursday: Vintage Plaid Dress

While out thrifting at our local Salvation Army this blue plaid number caught my eye. At first I thought it was a little busy. Then, I said, "The heck with it!", and tried it on. I really liked the way it fit and for a dollar you just can't go wrong ;).

At first I thought I'd pair it with a red belt but I just don't seem to have one that works. This wide navy one did the trick. Normally, I am a person that likes my belt and shoes to go together or at least my necklace and my shoes but I think this is one dress that can pull off the different colors :).

I added a vintage red plastic bead necklace to finish it of and ended up wearing my black bow pumps.

 

Now if I could just do something with this hair.
Hope you have a superdy duperdy thrifty day.

Dress: $1
Belt: $1
Necklace: $1
Leather Peep Toe Pumps: $1
Total Cost
$4

After School Snack: Chocolate Fondue Muffin Tin

Filling up a muffin tin for my kids' after school snack is a snap. I made the fondue in the morning and just reheated a little right before they got home.

I served it with apples, bananas, pretzels and graham crackers.

My made-up fondue recipe. :) based on what my friend made the other night.
1 c. heavy whipping cream
1/4 c. butter
1/2 c. sugar
Heat these three ingredients on medium low until the milk starts to hang off the spoon when dipped.
Add
1 bag semi-sweet chocolate chips (or dark chocolate)
1 c. peanut butter (chunky or smooth)
Heat thoroughly and serve.
Have a sweet day!

Sweet Stamp Shop Challenge #16

Yay, for Sweet Stamp Shop Challenge #16. I love the colors and the sketch. I used the sentiment from the
Spin Me stamp set.

The branch is from the Pocket Silhouette set from Stampin' Up.

Stampin' Up More Mustard ink.
Distress Inks in
Mustard Seed
Wild Honey
and
Festive Berries
Hope you're having a super duper day of creating!

Pinspired Challenge #17 Happiness

Inspiration Pin

I had a wonderful crafty night last night and got to make this card for Pinspired Challenge #17
The pin inspiration was so bright and cheery to work with. I began by coloring a panel with Peacock Feather Distress ink and dripping water all over it.

I used the Direction of Happy Unity stamp for the front panel with Kaleidoscope ink and Picked Raspberry Distress ink.

Come join in the fun!

Have a great day.

Sweet Stamp Shop UWYH Challenge #16

 I'm participating in Sweet Stamp Shop's Use What You Have Challenge #16.

This is the inspiration picture and sketch.

Here are a few things I've had for quite some time. Those Sticky Stitches have been with me for YEARS!

So I got busy and made a fun little card.

So, here's the card I created based on the inspiration picture. I used the Against the Grain stamp set.

 

Homemade Laundry Detergent

I've been making my own laundry soap for over a year now. I've changed it up a little from when I first started.. This is actually the first time that I've ever used ZOTE instead of Fels Naptha bar soap. I started using the Purex crystals with the last batch I made.
So, to clarify, this is my third batch of detergent and it's been over a year. :) I use one scoop (the one from the SUN bucket) for each load of laundry. It lasts a long time. I have a family of six and I do a load of laundry just about every day of the week, if not two loads.

The only real "work" you have to do is to grate your bars of ZOTE.
I just layer my ingredients into the container and kind of mix as I go along. I grate the ZOTE directly into the container.

I bought this container at Costco. It's a Buddeez brand and was part of a set.It has a flip top lid.
If you're sensitive to smells you'll probably want to stick with the FELS NAPTHA and leave out the Purex Crystals. If you do use the FELS you'll want three bars, the ZOTE is larger and less expensive.
There you have it. We're good for anther 5-6 months.
PS, my daughter has super sensitive skin and she has no problems with this detergent.

I will miss you my friend.

Karen was one of the best people who have ever come into my life. Her smile lit up a room like no other. I so enjoyed her perspective on many of life's challenges. She had suffered things I couldn't imagine, yet she was still happy and willing to serve the Lord.
She retired last year and was enjoying some well deserved relaxation time with her husband. We joked about all the projects she had to do that kept her from actually relaxing :).
Soon after though, they found a tumor in her brain and it was massive. It had to be operated on immediately. When I heard that news my heart just hurt in a way that it hasn't in a long time. The operation was performed and things seemed okay. Afterward, she was still her cheery self but her speech was sometimes incoherent. When we would visit it wasn't uncommon for her to repeat herself many times but she had an indomitable spirit and never stopped enjoying life.
Unfortunately, the tumor regrew and spread deeply into her brain. Recently Karen fell into a coma and this morning she left us to return home.
Working alongside Ms. Karen was something I will never forget. She made me want to be a better version of myself. I know she'll do that for those on the other side as well.
LOVE YOU! MISS YOU!
(I'm so grateful to have scrapbooked this picture of the two of us).

Chicken Wire Stencil and CHALLENGES!

I've been feeling a little out of it lately. Lazy days with the kiddos and my desk just kept getting piled higher and higher with the detritus of crafting. I stayed up until 2am this morning cleaning and purging. Everybody needs a good purge, right? Then this morning I went in search of some challenges I could get to work on.
I picked three

CAS(E) the Sketch! #42

Pinspired Challenges #15

Sweet Stamp Shop's Use What You Have Challenge #13

                    

And using these goodies, some Tim Holtz Distress Inks and a chicken wire mask...

I came up with this!!!

I've had these plastic letters for at least 7 years. Good to be using them again :). I love the colors in the Pinspired Challenge photo and used the chicken wire in reference to the birds, and that CASE sketch is perfect for this set up. The graphic triangles from Sweet Stamp Shop's new Triangle Style are SO AMAZING! and affordable.

Hope you're having a creative day too. I'm headed out with the kiddos to do some more fun things before they head back to school.

80's Charm Necklace

I'm so glad that I still have this little gem from when I was Tess's age. She loves looking at all of the charms and wearing it around for fun.

I've lost many charms over the years but the ones that are here still crack me up. A pink toilet, a pipe, a cigarette lighter, and a handgun. Now those are all things a little girl loves to wear around her neck. :)
Hope you're having a great week and find some sweet gems of your own.

WHOA mama!

YOU'RE AWESOME!

I love this new set, Spin Me, from Sweet Stamp Shop. It's so versatile!

Havin' a bit of a girly time out this weekend and I wanted to let my grilz know how awesome they are. We're 80's chicks so why not have some neon love. I used Tim Holtz distress inks in bright colors to get the NEON look.
Thanks for stopping by.
Have a great weekend.

Happy Birthday Hottie

Love the fun sentiments in Sweet Stamp Shops "Spin Me" set.

A little MME and some Sweet make for a beautiful pair.

Have a wonderful day and keep creating

New Sweet Project Life Style in the house!!!

Hello there everyone. Have you seen the new release from the Sweet Stamp Shop? It's so great. I especially love these Project Life style stamps that you can add to just about any scrapbook or card project you make. This particular set is called Starts Here!

The little hexie stamp is also included in the set with the "my story" and "starts here" and the arrows. I embossed the "my story" sentiment on a Studio Calico veneer word bubble in gold. I used the new Stampin' Up Basic Black pad to get a crisp image for the "starts here".

 I got this art journal with my winnings from the card contest I participated in a few months back. I love the kraft pages. I want to do a bit of hand lettering in the upper left but not sure exactly what I want it to say yet but for now I'm happy.
I hope your summer has been wonderful. Are you all winding down. We still have almost a month :).
Have a super day.

Water Color Challenge Over at Paper Girls!

I love dabbing my distress ink pads, which are water reactive, onto a craft mat, spritzing them with water and then dragging my paper across the pools of color. You can get amazing results with this technique.

So, the newest challenge over at the Paper Girls Challenge Blog is to use watercolor in your project. I'm so glad I get to guest in on this one. I LOVE water coloring-the traditional way and with distress inks like I've done here. Come join in with challenge #36.

 

I drew in some waves and rocks with colored pencils and when I swiped the paper over the distress ink that I had pooled on my craft mat it resisted the ink in those areas.

 

Once your initial swipe is dry you can dab your paper around to pick up droplets of color for another cool effect.

31 Things to Teach Your Daughter

My Sister in Law posted this list and I really like it. For me #1 is very important. I hate going to a new doctor (female) or meeting one of my children's new teachers, shaking their hand, and wondering to myself, "What was that? That wasn't a handshake. That was a limp dishrag in my hand. Weird." I hope I can teach my children to do better than that...not to crush people's hands or anything, but a nice, firm handshake ;)

31 things to teach your daughter (or maybe 32)
1. How to give a firm handshake.
2. To never wear clothes with something written across the butt.

3. A man will never treat a woman better than he treats his mom. Pay attention to how the guys treat their moms, and run from the ones who aren’t respectful.
4. Look people in the eye when you talk to them.
5. People will judge you by what you say. “I was like, um, totally!” does not qualify as a sentence.
6. People will judge you by what you wear. Show respect for yourself (and see #2).
7. How to change a tire.
8. How to throw a football.
9. Don’t be afraid to use your voice – sometimes it’s the most powerful thing you have.
10. Basic self defense – be able to get out of a situation, and run fast. And use that powerful voice.
11. Teach them how to apologize well, ask for help when needed, and that anger is more harmful to the person who harbors it than to who it’s directed at.
12. What’s in the magazine is photoshopped. Confidence is more attractive than size 2 jeans.
13. Laughter can diffuse many a challenging situation. Especially when you can laugh at yourself.
14. Block out the voices. Not every opinion is worth listening to – listen to the ones that matter, and learn whose opinion you’ll allow to shape your thoughts.
15. Advertising is full of hidden agendas. Don’t fall for it. “Maybe she’s born with it… maybe it’s Maybelline” – really? Maybelline didn’t make her anything she wasn’t born with.
16. How to hit a baseball, throw a punch, and use a compass.
17. How to write a proper thank you letter, and how to type.
18. How to manage her money.
19. Appreciate the little things (and little refers to more than diamonds and pearls).
20. Read often and much. Read works of classic and contemporary literature, fiction and nonfiction.
21. Walk in someone else’s shoes.
22. Listen well, both for what’s being said, and for what’s being omitted.
23. Dream big, and set realistic goals. You can accomplish more than you think you can.
24. Girls can do most things as well as boys can, in general. But know your personal limits, what your own strengths and weaknesses are. Once you know them you can use them to your advantage.
25. Most things worth having or worth doing require sacrifice. Know what you’re willing to sacrifice, and for what.
26. No regrets. Learn from the past, but don’t dwell on what could have been.
27. Just because it’s never been done doesn’t mean it can’t be done. Push the limits.
28. Basic sewing skills.
29. How to handle herself online – using good privacy, remembering that anything shared can go viral (including pictures in poor taste), and knowing that people online aren’t always who they say they are.
30. Trust your instincts. If it feels wrong, it probably is. Listen to that voice, and don’t silence it.
31. The world isn’t all there is. Rely on God more than you rely on anything else, including yourself.
I'd like to add a # 32. Teach your daughter that she is a child of God. She is special and worthy and capable and so, so important.
Have a wonderful weekend!

PS Would you add anything to the list???

Triangle Snippets Art Design

So happy to be documenting family memories again. While on vacation my daughter got to have here hair braided by my sister in law almost every day. She was in heaven. Alas,I'm not so good in the hair department...maybe I didn't get enough practice on my dolls :)

I cut all the little triangles and created a fun design. I was wanting to mimic the braid in an abstract way.

Some Studio Calico wood alpha and American Crafts DIY Thickers that I watercolored with Tim Holtz Distress Inks.

Hope you're having a fabulous day.

Sunflower Explosion over at The Paper Girls Challenge Blog

I'm over at the Paper Girls Challenge Blog today. The challenge was to use at least four journaling cards on your project. These pictures that I've been wanting to scrap for forever were perfect for that because I had a lot to say about this experienc.

I paired my Project Life journaling cards with some Amy Tangerine stickers a and American Crafts Thickers. I also used a a Paper Smooches stamp in my slide holder to the right.

A little washi tape finishes everything.

Have a wonderful day!