Jones' Circus

Winter Warm Up (with CardMaker Magazine) Blog Hop

2012-02-08T05:30:00.004-06:00

Welcome from Susan's place. Isn't she the sweetest? And talented? Great combo!!!

I"m participating in a blog hop as part of the Winter Warm-up Crop going on at CardMaker Magazine's CardSwaps message board.

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What do you do to warm up your winter?
Always wear pretty clothes?
Make a special point to have your make-up just so?
Wear pretty scarves to keep you warm and stylish?

This winter I have particularly been into pretty scarves! I have warm ones, pretty ones, ones that are warm and pretty! While each of them work hard at something, some keep me warm, some are just cute to ward of the winter blues, some add bling, sophistication, color, etc to my wardrobe (even my blah, black scrubs from my daily work wardrobe feel fancy with a sparkly red scarf).

Here is a picture me in one of my warm scarves along with a host of warm clothes:

It's working hard because the temperature was 31 degrees and I was out for 4 hours working on Janie's fence...not even cold!!!!

Here's a collection of some of my cute scarves (but not really warm):

Look at the bling on the red one! LOVE!

Using my collection of scarves for inspiration, because I hate to be cold but I love to wear cute stuff, I created this card:

Here's another view:

Loving the glitter paper!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thank you for stopping by my blog. I appreciate that you took the time to read this far. :) Now that you have, go ahead and leave a comment! I don't bite.

This post is brought to you by the letter S.

Hop on and visit my friends!
Marlene is next (click her name). The whole list is below in case you get lost.

CardMaker
Lora
SusieQ
Laura <--- You are here.
Marlene
Jane
Golda
Angelina
Tina
Judy (PrairieWildflower)
Ivanka
Teresa (WingsNThings)
Ana

Don't forget, go see Marlene!! You will be glad you did.

Pretties

2012-01-13T06:12:00.000-06:00

I can share this little find now...

I found these for my friend Holly (Hi, Holly) for her birthday. Her birthday is December 27th but I just got to celebrate with her this past week.

Now these have a story! It goes way back to January '11. We were planning my Sister's bridal shower. We were doing a very fancy tea party type setting and serving our guests on vintage snack sets...did I mention the guest list was over 100?? (thank you sister).

While I have around 30 place settings of my own and my Mom and sister have similar...I needed more. I was calling all my friends borrowing snack sets.

I called Holly. Here's how it went down:

Me: Hey, can I borrow your snack sets for Sarah's shower?
Holly: I don't have any snack sets.
Me: Really?
H: Yes. I don't know why.
Me: Me either. We need to fix that!

Enter Salvation Army while I was looking for white vases. Well, I happened across this pretty little snack set...all four were there, cups included, no chips!

Extra bonus: pinkish roses. Holly's fav. china print. SCORE!!!

Since Jj and I moved twice in the past year, I was in a bit of a panic. I was sure I knew right where they were...wrong. However, they have been properly located, packaged and gifted.

Happy Birthday Holly!

Have you harbored any great finds lately for the perfect gift for that special someone?

Faux Tin Kitchen Back Splash

2012-01-11T06:12:00.004-06:00

At our old house, we Jj installed the most beautiful back splash! I still love it. And I swore that I was getting that same back splash in my next house.

Well, I still love the back splash so much I think I want to marry it but my new house begs for a different wall covering...that's for another day, another post.

Back to my old house. This is what the pieces look like up close:

We got ours at Home Depot (I {heart} Home Depot) but I can't seem to find the actual product on their website. However, I'm pretty sure I saw it the last time I was there. I noticed that Menards has the same stuff but slightly cheaper. At the time, our color was not carried by Menards.

We bought glue that goes into the caulk gun. You cut the sheets of back splash (I estimate them at being 18 inches X about 24 inches or so) with scissors. I recommend crazy sharp Fiskars or tin snips. Jj used tin snips.

Then it's basically like putting sheets of scrapbook paper all over the walls. You cut out the outlets, around the windows, etc., to fit.

In the above picture, you can see the J-channel things that go between the back splash and the counter top. He used the air nailer to hold that channel piece onto the wall. Two pictures above, you see Jj fitting the sheet down into the quarter-round/J-channel piece.

Taking a break. :)

But see that piece lying over by the wall. That's the back splash cut to fit the window sil.

The thing that made this back splash take the longest was cutting around our wooden window sil. We elected to not try to take it off as we had a tough time with removing some of the trim in the basement and didn't want to mess up the wood.

Notice that beautiful outlet cover that matches the back splash perfect?? Yeah? Well, I MADE that. Yes, I did.

Let me show you how. And know that it took me almost as long to cover the outlets and switches as it did Jj to put up the back splash. However, I figured out a thing or two that I'm going to share with you so you are faster. :)

First, tools:
-Must have exacto knife!!
-New switch and outlet covers (they don't have to be new but they must be super clean for the adhesive. Covers are less than $1 so rather than scrubbing, I bought new.
-Cutting board

Cut the covering slightly larger than the outlet.

Notch out the corners all around. This is so when you wrap under the corners (next picture) you don't have a ton of bulky product.

Wrap all around.

Cut our the middle with slits going back so it will roll around the edge smoothly. Think about wrapping presents...it's a lot the same.

Press each tab really taught through the hole for the outlet. If there's too much bulk it will be difficult to get the cover back on the outlets. **Trust me**

Follow the same process for the light switches.

Now, I wish I had the back splash before pictures...it was TERRIBLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Let me just say that thou SHALL paint drywall prior to adhering ugly wall paper. Thou SHALT!

And another thing I loved about this kitchen:

The lighting!!!

It's oil rubbed bronze and simply beautiful! Jj and my Dad put up the track lighting. Apparently it was quite difficult and slightly ugly to make that pretty swirl I wanted.

**Love those guys for working so hard to make my mind's eye come to reality!**

If I may, I'd like to show you my favorite picture again:

Let me know, in the comments, if you have any questions!

**I received no compensation for this post. The opinions and instruction ideas are all mine.

What's your favorite thing about your kitchen?

I'd love to know as I'm gathering inspiration for my current kitchen.

SunRise!

2012-01-10T17:30:00.000-06:00

I want you to see what I saw yesterday morning...beautiful!!!

That's the moon. As I was grumbling to myself about being out and about before the sun, I was reminded of the beauty of God's Earth.

As I drove a couple more miles (obviously in the opposite direction), the sun began to rise... B--E--A--U--T--I--F--U--L!

And I began to be thankful that I was awake and up and outside!

Yes, I took these with my cell phone, yes I was driving. No that probably wasn't safe but there are limited cars on the road and aren't you glad you didn't miss this??

Let us E-A-T! (again)

2012-01-07T21:20:00.000-06:00

I received a couple of comments on my first EAT post requesting more pictures to better see the context of our EAT sign.

Here we go!

This is looking from the doors to my sun porch. To the right, the door way is into the living room with our fireplace. The doorway on the left...if you look really close, you can see the edge of the staircase.

This one is from the kitchen side. I think I was standing between the sink and the cook top. Don't you love my pretty white appliances...NOT.

Here, I was standing by the dining room table. Looking into the kitchen area. To the right of the refrigerator, that hallway goes to our bedroom. There's a coat closet, half bath, laundry room and stairs that go down to our family room.

I also noticed that you see Janie's purple dog on the ledge...I took it away from her for ripping a hole in it. :) Also, that's a vintage toast rack up there holding our Christmas cards.

I have huge plans for this kitchen...I'll share them as they get closer to reality.

Time and Money...two things this kitchen is going to require. :)

What's your project for the new year?
And, what do you think of my EAT? Is Jonny right? Should they go? (Fingers crossed you are on my side.:) )

Merry CHRISTmas!

2011-12-25T05:00:00.000-06:00

I wanted to take this time to wish my readers (hello, friends) a Very Merry CHRISTmas. May you find Peace this holiday season that can only be found in our Lord.

In wishing you Christmas cheer, I thought the friendly thing to do would be to have you all over for dinner. Now, most of you probably know, that I am a terrible cook. In fact, I really only have a kitchen because it came with the house.

However, since it's here, I thought what the heck, might as well decorate it! Decorating, I can do. Cooking...well I generally require assistance.

Anyway, without further ado, My CHRISTmas table:

A good bit of this stuff, I already had. The table cloth and all but 2 placemats, I've had forever (well, not really but probably 4 or 5 years) and I still love them to pieces!

The white square plates are our everyday plates. I got them YEARS ago from Pampered Chef. We are talking I was still in college and had a PC party to get free stuff and got these plates. And I still love them so I guess I made a good purchase. :)

The red luncheon plates came from Target this year. $7.99 for a set of 4. The holley bowels were from Target too. $9.99 for 2. Thank God for Mommas that work in other towns (with Targets) for saving the day on these new dishes. For my Target was grossly under stocked for my needs. :)

Now this is where the new stuff comes in. The tray I got (and one just a tad smaller) at TJ Maxx, $25 for the pair.

One of the big mercury glass candle holders came from The Maxx this year too; I think $6. The other one I won at Patty K's in California, MO last year at the Christmas Homes Tour.

The little votives on top are nestled into Southern Living at Home cups. I love them because they look like Candlewick crystal...except not as fragile or as expensive. The whole set has a serving tray and 3 votive cups.

The big chunky Christmas tree was from The Maxx this year too. It was under $10.

I also got the mercury glass balls at The Maxx too. I think they were around $4 each. I would have loved to purchase everyone they had! I love them so so much. The down side is they are very heavy so I'm not sure they will be very tree worthy. But beautiful? YES!!!

The taper holders I got for $1.50 at an Estate Tag sale a couple of weeks ago when we were visiting my Parents in Tipton, MO. And! They came with the tapers. Lucky me!!

The pinecones, I got (an entire shopping bag FULL) from a sweet patient of mine.

Chose your seat. And my all means, bust out my pretty cloth napkins. Have I ever mentioned to you that I adore cloth napkins? The really soft kind. Or a vintage flower sack tea towel will do too, in a pinch. But it's CHRISTMAS!!!

Merry CHRISTmas to each and every one of you. I sincerely appreciate you stopping by my corner of the interweb (Jj's word) checking to see what I'm up to. This blog is fun to me and a nice outlet for my schenanigans!

Here's to another blessed, bountiful year. May we have all that we need and be careful not to expect all that we want!

Man Worthy Christmas Tree

2011-12-23T12:51:00.000-06:00

In our downstairs, I wanted to have some more Christmas Cheer. Jj vetoed a big Christmas tree. Which I guess was fine considering I didn't have a big Christmas tree anyway...

On Pinterest, my friend Shelly pinned a great little Christmas tree! And it got me to thinking...I bet Jj would go for an unconventional Christmas tree! Because while he likes to pretend he's a Scrooge, I really think he does that just to give me a hard time. :)

Since I've never had much of a vegetable garden, I was fresh out of tomato cages. I put out an APB on facebook and my good friend Margo came through!!!

She brought be 2 tomato cages that were in a perfectly used condition!!!!

Thank you, Margo!!!!!!! (Picture taken at my Mom's house)

I clipped off the tags and bent the tops (actually the real bottoms) together to form the top of my tree. I also had to add some vertical wires to the tree. Otherwise, when I wrapped the lights around, t basically turned into a 3-D triangle rather than cylindrical. (Of course, I didn't take a picture, I was too excited about that I was making.)

I stacked up a couple of wooden soda flats, I had out in the garage, and put the tree on top!

I love it! And Jj doesn't hate it = DOUBLE SUCCESS!!

Since I doctor'ed that photo so much, I took a few more so you could see the actual tree better.

See that blue man on the toilet in the background?

I got it from my Dad for Christmas. If you pick the guy up, his hiney is a magnet and the toilet bowl stores paperclips. Funny!!!

While we are down here, I'll show you around!
We've done quite a bit of decorating down here and making it just so. This is probably one of the areas in our home where we spend the most time.

This is our little bar area. This is our first time having a full-sized extra refrigerator. It has came in handy with our family Thanksgiving and Christmas hosting!

Did you see that "God Bless the USA" sign over the sink? The Girls got me that for my Birthday! It's made from license plates. I love it. It's so so me!!

I love this little setting. Simple, pretty and oh so wintery! (Bonus, I had all that stuff in my stash so free!!!)

This is looking from the bar over toward the TV side. And that's our helper, Janie. She's about 16 months old. She's a boxer we adopted the beginning of November from Columbia Second Chance. We love her bunches!!!

This little area is also on the bar. I'm really liking mini-Christmas trees this year. And, I've committed to trying to have a little piece of the beach in every room of our home. Enter: Brass crab. He's actually an ash tray but...we won't be using that.

Here's standing in front of the TV looking back over the furniture, into the corner...with the bar in the background. I'll have to tell you about my smokin deal on that lamp another day!

Have you had any thrifty finds lately? It's not really the season for such but I'm still stumbling one a few once in awhile.

Oh, And Merry Christmas to you!!!

Cricut Expression = Cricut Cake??

2011-12-19T09:54:00.000-06:00

So I was reading through my blog roll a couple of weeks ago and stumbled across a post from Lena @ Scrapbutterfly. Click on her name to read her post.

She said the Cricut Cake is the same as the Expression except with stainless steel moving parts (because the Cake has to be food safe). AND she also said they were on sale on cricut.com for $49.99.

WHAT!?!?

I quickly commented on her blog to double check that I was reading correctly along with, did a quick google search.

HOLY COW, SHE WAS RIGHT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I emailed the link to Jj, we opened some of our Christmas presents on Saturday morning with my family...and I got a Cricut ~~Cake~~ Expressions!

I'm super stoked!!!! And it was a good deal!!!

Looks like right now, Cricut.com has them for $119.99. Still a good deal. Click here.

Mine looks pretty much just like this...except RED! (My favorite color anyway.)
(from photobucket)

Here's mine exactly:

And it came with a "cake" cartridge that has some really cool borders.

Thank you Monster! I love you.

Buh-Bye Sassy Brassy!

2011-12-10T05:41:00.001-06:00

Remember when I told you about my Stevie throwing dust rags in the fan?

Remember this fan?

Don't you just love that brass?
That's ok. Me either!!
Remember that I have been spray painting lately?

Did you guess what I have done??

Yep, I did it! Dad & Jj took down the fans...which was a Circus in itself!

Jj brought a 12' ladder home from work. They quickly decided that one on the balcony and one on the ladder wasn't going to cut it.

So, we had to rent a 16 foot ladder! HOLY COW!!!!! It was tight quarters maneuvering that baby around in our living room.

Removing the globes helped a ton with elbow room.

They took a few blades off for opening more space too.

Then they repeated the steps for the other fan.

Prior to beginning, they turned off the breakers and checked (however they do that...I am a bit scared of electricity) to make sure they did in fact have the juice off!

SIDE NOTE: I warned Jj that if he left me a young widow in a big house, tons of miles away from our family and friends...I'd be upset! Basically, I insisted they use the breaker as an off, rather than just the switch. Let's be smart about electricity.

**And now I'm off that soap box**

Once the fans were both down, I started to take them apart.

Basically, I wanted to separate the blades because they weren't getting painted. Then, I wanted to take the main part apart as much as I could. Which basically consisted of taking off the light kit (you just unscrew it) and the blade holders (above picture).

I could have sworn I took pictures of this next part...but I guess not. I ran a light sand paper across all the surfaces just to be sure. I was using something like 220 grit; not much at all.

I laid all the pieces out on my drop cloth and commenced to painting! I dusted them with a spray paint primer (Rustoleum) because I had it and then went to Rustoleum Oil Rubbed Bronze. I did 2 coats, loosely. I say loosely because I didn't really do 2 complete coats but the second coat was more to hit the spots I missed.

After having completed the project, I would recommend priming. If nothing else, it changed all the surfaces to white so I could easily see where I needed to add a little paint.

We let them dry over night and put the fans back together. We left off 2 blades, the bulbs and globes off for ease of handling.

On to fan #2

And that's a finished project!

What do you think?

Thanks for stopping by.

What's your latest finished project? I'd love to hear all about it!
Leave me a link in the comments. I'd love to see all about it too. :)

Drawer Pulls

2011-12-05T05:29:00.001-06:00

So, you know that I am working over my kitchen drawer pulls at the moment. You can read all about it here.

For the drawers, I wanted something different (from the pulls I rehab'ed for the doors). I've been in love with domed cup pulls forever! In fact, I had purchased these cuties for my kitchen at our old house...but I never got brave enough to drill into the drawer fronts!

Imagine my excitement...FREE PROJECT!!!!!!!!!!

Enter second fail!

My pulls were 2.5" for my 3" drawer spacing. RATS!!

No big deal, I have 10 drawers in the kitchen so to purchase new won't be devastating. Off to Lowes and My Home Depot (so named my Jj. Maybe I go there a lot, maybe I don't :) ) we go! What do you know, 2.5" whole spacing must be the norm for drawers and the person that built our house went cheap? easy? and made all the whole spacing the same.

So...To the Net I went. I ended up finding something I liked for a good price on Amazon. The seller tuned out to be AMAZING!! One of the pulls had an odd defect with the screw threads/spacing. This seller, Cabinet Hardware 4 Less, sent me a new one, no questions asked! The postal service lost it somewhere out in Kansas (according to tracking) and the seller send me another new one! Now, you don't get that kind of customer service often!!

Anyway, I love the way they turned out

You didn't notice a couple of door pulls missing did you?
Oh good! I was hoping not.
They accidently took a little trip to the burn pile, still attached to a cardboard box. I have a little work to do on them before they are show worthy. :)
It's always something!

Are all your kitchen pulls the same or have you mixed and matched too?
I'd love to hear about them.

Thanks for stopping by!

**I was not compensated for this post.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME!!!

2011-12-03T05:12:00.002-06:00

(from photobucket)

That's right, Happy Birthday to me, today!

Thank you for stopping by my blog on my day! I generally take myself shopping on my birthday for my to me-from me presents. :) This year we are hanging out with some sweet friends of ours: George & Leslie. And shopping we may! We haven't made up our minds just yet.

What's your birthday tradition? I'd love to know!!

Let us E-A-T!

2011-12-01T07:22:00.002-06:00

A long, long time ago, in the days before Pinterest and other smart ways to keep inspiration organized, I once saw a kitchen adorned with big letters...and I loved it.

I promptley went to HobLob and purchased my self the same letters...E...A...T! And fully planned on painting them black RIGHT THEN and putting them up in my kitchen.

Well, that never happened. Now, 3 kitchens later, I have no idea which wonderful blog I was stalking but I have my letters done and I want to show them to you!

Hold on! After some quick googling, I found my source. Thank you Beth @ Home Stories A-Z for being so memorable!

Ok.

I learned that you must prime cheap particle board letters or use better paint.

Here is after one coat...I know! Can't even tell:

..Terrible!!!

Plan B: (I'm getting good at plan B lately.) I primed them and painted I-don't-know-how-many-coats! I got a little heavy handed on one coat and had to do a little light sanding but after the next coat, you couldn't even tell.

My idea was to lean them above our pantry...I thought it would look cool just up there...willy, nilly and random- Just like me! Jj vetoed that idea.

And since he doesn't do that often, I got these little 3-M things so that I could hold them to the wall without messing up the wall surface since I wasn't sure how I would like them. The holder things are velcro...one part of the wall and one part on each letter.

I love them! Jj does not. He actually asked me to take them down...My plan was to respect his wishes as he almost never says anything about our decor.

But then, we were at a local steakhouse, The SmokeHouse in Lee's Summit, MO and we saw this:

>> You still with me? I do have a point. I promise! :)

I wanted you to get the whole effect...

Just one more...

Point ahead:

I think it restored his faith in me because he hasn't said that he doesn't like them anymore. However, I have mixed ideas...my good, good friend Leslie said she like them (after I asked her) but I think she was being nice. :) I asked my friend Nicole, she LOVED them. I asked my step-Mom, she said they looked just like something I would love. I'll take that as a vote in my direction.

So, the score is 2-2. What do you think?

Should they stay or should they go now?

How do you like that? Slipped in a little song lyrics on you now didn't I?

*Linked up to Best DIY Project of November over at Beneath My Heart. (I hope Traci doesn't kick my out because my post date is December 1. I really did complete the project in November.)

Christmas Center Piece

2011-11-30T23:12:00.000-06:00

Secret: This was actually our center piece last year. I forgot to blog about it so I just saved it... is that legal? I hope so!

The glass tray and trio cups are from Southern Living at Home (now called Willow House). The darling little Christmas balls are from my vintage collections. These particular minis were added during a solo junking trip on a monumental birthday!

Have I ever mentioned that I LOVE vintage Christmas ornaments? Well, I do!! Love them such that I just can't hardly let them lay at the store...must...take...home!

You might remember that I decorated our Christmas tree last year in vintage, mostly Shiny Brite, ornamentsr. I just loved it! Will I do that this year?? Wait and see! (please)

Thank you for stopping by my blog! I'm so glad you are here!

Thank a Veteran

2011-11-11T20:05:00.001-06:00

Not just today, but every day, every single time you feel proud to be an American, every single time you look around and appreciate our great Nation, every time you wake up in Free Country. Thank our God and thank a Veteran of the most powerful military in the entire world.

To our many service men and women and their families:

Thank you, from the Jones Family!

An epic fail followed by success...I think...

2011-10-17T17:40:00.003-05:00

It all started two Thursday nights ago while I was lounging on the internet. I was going through some of the Fall Outdoor Spaces Party over at Thrifty Decor Chick. I saw a few things that caught my eye and I ended up spending some time on the Creative Juices for Decor site...

I nearly fell out of my chair when I saw the pictures of what Selina had done to her brother's kitchen cabinet pulls!! Go ahead, click here and check it out...I'll wait. Told you it was AWESOME!!!!

Wondering why I nearly fell out of my chair?? I have those same pulls, minus the rose. But I have that porcelain part...plus a little sassy brassy but the same pulls!!!!! Here are mine:

I have a bunch of them!! Re-purposing would same me literally, a couple hundred dollars!!

Notice the missing one? Wait for the fail. :)

I left a comment for Selina, the author of Creative Juices for Decor telling her how much I loved her idea to paint the pulls. Her re-do was ahwile ago so I was wondering how the pulls were holding up. She said brother's reports are good for ware. I thought what the heck! We don't like the sassy brassy so if I can paint them, the project will be free, if I ruin them well...they are on the replace list anyway.

I started with priming...Just grabbed the first primer I saw in my stash...happened to be Kilz. Here's where my epic fail came in. The primer went on thick and nasty and clearly was not going to work.
Look: told you it was bad!

Oops. Good thing they were on the replace list but really? I would rather buy cool rugs or some cool fabric for curtains or pillows.

SECOND TRY! (Is that like radio edit? Just kidding)

Jj suggested a different primer...turned out he was correct! First though, I sanded the metal part with 220 grit sandpaper (that's fairly fine) but it too like 60 (really rough) to get the shiny surface off the porcelain. Anyway, I sanded them down really well, and applied 2 coats of Krylon primer for metal.

To paint them, I knew I didn't want them lying on their sides for paint to drip and pool and such. I did a quick scan around the garage and stopped at the trash can. Enter cabinet pull holder:

It actually worked very, very well! I added 2 coats of primer followed by 2 coats of Oil-Rubbed Bronze (pretty sure it was Rustoleum) spray paint. I followed it up with a clear coat made by Rustoleum too.

I let them dry overnight and installed them!

I love the way they look; now we will see how well they wear!

**As this post publishes, it's been one week and all is well.**

***Edited to include that I liked up to Trifty Decor Chick's November Before & After Party, here .***

****And as of 11/7, I think the pulls have been up for about a month. All is well!! I am about halfway through the rest of the ~~billion~~, just over 30, pulls in my kitchen.

But think of all the money we have saved!!!!!

It's officially a Home

2011-10-07T06:57:00.000-05:00

I got a kitchen rug!

(Actually I had it at our old house but it's still what makes a house a Home right?? Candles, curtains and rugs! A handsome man I know and love, proclaimed such years ago!)

This one I got from Pier 1 many, many moons ago. I love it because it looks like the rag rugs that my Aunt Lou (who lived to be 102...say it out loud. :) ) and many others used to make. It feels to me, like someone put their love, in that rug, to me. And I like it. And kitchen sinks are made to have a rug in front right?

Do you have a rug in front of your sink?

Beautiful Eye Candy

2011-10-04T21:09:00.000-05:00

A couple of weekends ago, Jj and I traveled back to our old town Columbia, MO. We were delighted to see our friend, Faydre marry her Prince Charming, Mike. Of course, she was a beautiful bride; that's just a given!

What I really wanted to show you is this Church!!!

I told you! AMAZING!!!!!! It's the "downtown" Methodist Church in Columbia, MO. The proper name is The Missouri United Methodist Church.

Congratulations Mike & Faydre. Thank you for including us on your special day!

(They were going so fast, I couldn't even get focused! :) The picture looks like I was still focusing on that AMAZING alter! Oops. )

Love,
Laura

Ornery!!

2011-09-16T08:25:00.000-05:00

So I hear lots of giggling coming from our living room and I go to investigate...

I see my Stevie, looking skyward. The giggles are coming from him!!!

And this is why! He had been dusting the mantle and decided it would be fun to throw his rag up into the fan. Well...it was funny!
Of course we turned the fan on to see what would happen. It threw the rag off onto the catwalk for the upstairs hallway! Who knew it would go that far!?!

What's been in your fan lately?

Favorite Things...radio edit

2011-09-14T20:26:00.002-05:00

{I just wanted to say 'raido edit'}

But I did forget a part of my kitchen...

See my first favorite post here and the second one here.

...I have two ovens!!!

I used my oven at my old house mostly to store pans and to make cheesy bread. I am actually looking forward to learning how to use my oven well enough that I will need two!

What's your favorite oven recipe? Trust me, I need all the help I can get!!

I do have some wonderful friends, don't I!!

2011-09-14T12:13:00.000-05:00

Happy mail!!

Look what I found in my mailbox this past week!!

House warming cards from my sweet friends over at CardMaker Magazine's CardSwap Board.

Made just for us by my friend Golda.

Made just for us by my friend Elaine.

Made just for us by my friend Shawn.

Made just for us by my friend Rhonda.

Made just for us by my good, good friend Lora.

Made just for us by my friend Margaret.

We are so, so blessed! Thank you, all of you!!

More of my Favorite Things

2011-09-10T08:09:00.000-05:00

...about our new house. These pictures were also taken on closing day when I was here for cleaning without any real stuff.

If you missed my last post, go here to see my first edition of Favorite Things. (I feel like Oprah except not liberal. :) )

Here's our fireplace, mantle and hearth.

I love that it looks like it was salvaged from an old Church...wait...no, it's just shaped like a Church. I love it! Shaped like or salvaged from, I don't care.
I don't really love that hunter green tile around the fire box. It looks ok in the picture, trust me...it's not ok in person!

Look at this little globe I got at an estate auction for $6 (and a bunch of other junk that I left there).

I know it looks lonely up there but it happened to be in my car and Stevie thought it looked good up there. :)

And look at this pretty, pretty girl!
That's up and to the right of the fireplace. The balcony is off our extra bedroom. I'm sure our {someday} children will try to jump off there so I am going to enjoy the doors until I have to baracade them to keep the little stinks safe!

Here's the view from the balcony.

One last part about the living room. I didn't discover this light until we had lived here for just about a week. I am in love!!
I love that it shines right over the door. I love that it gives us a bit of extra privacy from the front by shining at the door. Moreover, it's my favorite light to leave on when we aren't home...just so sweet to come home to. Well, I guess...I come through the garage but if I did use the front door, I would think it was sweet.

It's hard to take pictures at night, of lights and not be all weird...but I wanted to toss in this last one so you could see the green tiles prevail!!! Ahhhhh!

In do time! I have a couple of projects for this winter but for the most part, we will be doing some major landscaping and Jj has a few places on our wooden siding to fix.

A few of my Favorite Things!

2011-09-08T20:09:00.000-05:00

About our new house of course!!

I took these pictures the day we closed while I was here cleaning...so there is basically nothing here except what I brought in my mini-SUV and what my parents brought in the trunk of my Mom's Caddy... Prepare yourself. Just kidding. :)

First off! Check out my kitchen window!

Not really the ugly valance or the outdated back splash... but the window! There is all this space between my sink and the window...stuff, plants, herbs (wait, I'm not much of a cook). You can sort of see through the window that it looks out over our backyard...and I love it!!

Then, I have this cute little nook.

In the foreground, you see the bar/counter in the kitchen. To the right are the french doors that go to my sun porch (more on that another day).

Much better without those dang curtains!

Here's the view of the back of our house through the trees.

I was walking back from Jj's shed for his tractor and decided that I like this view... a lot!!

I'm going to show you some of my favorite things about our upstairs/main level living room next. It is a post ALL to itself!!

I'd love to hear about your favorite place at your home!

Giveaway

2011-08-29T14:14:00.000-05:00

My friend from CardMaker, Teresa, is having a giveaway on her blog. Click here to read all about it!

Anyway, I'm showing you my favorite expansion packet. Of course it's Christmas!!

It is called Christmas Traditions and I love, love it!!

Today is the DAY!

2011-08-26T08:00:00.000-05:00

As you are reading this, I am pretending to be Cinderella...I'm cleaning and shampooing the carpets at our new HOME!!! WOOOOO HOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (Yes, I'm yelling. Nope, I'm not mad!)

I just wanted you to see that darling little dormer one more time!

Lots more New House pictures to come I am sure. I am just dying to show you guys everything!!!

My Love Affair...

2011-08-24T22:31:00.001-05:00

...with suitcases. Oh how I love thee!!!

Several, several years ago, in a magazine somewhere, I saw a bedside table created from vintage suitcases and so the love affair began! I think I have close to ten and I stash them all over.

When we first moved to the Rental, I had two conundrums. The first: where to drop off the mail until mail opening day (Friday). The second: where to stash that stuff you need in the bathroom but you don't want people to see when your bathroom is only this big: (not even joking...I was standing in the hallway).

Enter Juanita's House Antiques at Main and Ohio in Sedalia, MO (I just love that woman! She invited me to my first auction in my new work town, her shop was one of the fist downtown shops I discovered, her shop has this sweet little entry to the second floor, and to top it all off! She is just sweet as pie!)

So, down to see Juanita's House I head on a random lunch hour in July...after Jj already said we couldn't get anymore stuff until we had a new space to accessorize...well, this one needed just a bit. And, suitcases can help us in the moving process :) and...really...they can "go" in any home that I'm in. State law!

First, I found this little cutie:
It had a luggage tag with someone's name on it; I thought that was cool. Juanita said it belonged to a local doctor's wife...kinda neat. I just knew that with a little elbow grease, I could get that thing slicked up and it would be a great mail holder!

Wouldn't you know! I walked upstairs and look what jumped into my arms!

I know! Hopped right in! (Look! Someone's initials! MC. How cool if it would have been LJ??)

I just used hot water and Pine-sol.

Cleaned up like a dream!

I decided this blue one would have to go in the bathroom.

I was afraid the white one would just disappear with the white walls, white throne, white, white, white!

I just tucked it right down next to the wall.

I feel like the cute little case is kind of hidden but... it's the Rental...it's only temporary.

The white one is in the living room next to our entertainment center...err...coffee table that's holding up our TV. :) I forgot to snap a picture of that...sorry. I promise to show you their locations in our new house; when I find the perfect location!

And! It was the white mail holder that busted me. Jj saw it the second he walked into the Rental. I said sorry but explained that we NEEDED it and that he knew how much I loved suitcases and didn't it look great sitting there? He laughed, hugged me and made me promise that we didn't need anymore stuff. Man he's a keeper!

Come here, sit down. Let me fill you in!!!

2011-07-19T23:01:00.000-05:00

Ok. You are not going to believe this!!! In May, we decided it was time to put our Columbia House on the market. You read all about it! Well it sold crazy, crazy fast. We closed on June 17, 2011. Less than 30 days after I (yes me, we sold it ourselves, no Realtor helped me at all, one stinking bit, it was all me)!!

So... we moved to a rental... no pictures. You wouldn't even believe it!! I think I will just forget now. Because our offer was accepted today for our New Home!!!

Yep, you heard me correct. Pending inspections, we purchased a new (to us) home! Holy cow!!! I can't wait to show all of it too you!

Taken from my iPhone. When we went back for a second peek, the people were home so.... yeah. Anyway, when I was looking on the internet, the house had me at the front porch!
I mean just look at the banister, the hanging pots, our Nation's Pride hanging in the breeze!

Hello, Home, it's me Laura Jones!

And that cute dormer. Eeekkk! I could just spend the night tonight!

I also loved that the garage door had a slight arch at the top...a little hard to see in this picture but... it was my phone afterall.

I should also tell you that the house had me at the mantle, the balcony and then again with the property! I can't wait to show you all about it!

What about your home had you at hello? Or how have you made it have you at hello?

Old Cards...Revealed!

2011-07-11T13:39:00.000-05:00

I seem to do this more often than not; I have a blast at an online crop, making tons of cards...and I forget to share them on here. Shame on me!!

These cards were made back in May for CardMaker's CardSwap online crop. Remember, I participated in the Somewhere Over the Rainbow Blog Hop?

Anywho! Here are the cards I made:

I was messing with some of my camera settings and didn't realize that frog one was so, so bad until I had already packaged up the card to be sent...oops...bad! With the palm tree card, I had it focused on the rope part which way, way threw off the rest. Sorry for the blur.

Thanks for stopping by to see us!

Would you get a load of THIS!?!

2011-07-06T14:06:00.000-05:00

I took this picture myself. I promise it has not been photo-shopped or otherwise had the content edited!

Get a closer look why don't you?

Yep, that's a compact car with a trunk FULL of scrap metal. I tried to get a closer picture but all I had was my iphone and I was driving. Eek!

Anyway, it made me laugh and I thought I'd share that with you. I guess as long as you are recycling, your methods are acceptable??

Happy Anniversary!

2011-06-27T13:01:00.001-05:00

Two years ago today, I married my sweet husband. He truly is my best friend!

I couldn't imagine my life without this sweet little joke-ster!

Here's to many more; I love you Monster!

(PS - these pictures are from my Sister's wedding, May 14, 2011.)

A Serene Christmas

2011-06-09T22:15:00.004-05:00

A couple of weeks ago, my good friend Lora and I spent a nice Friday afternoon making cards for my Grandma's Bazaar. Thank you Lora; my Grandma will LOVE them all!!

I made a card pack (of 6) for Grandma's sale. It will be the first weekend in November.

Of course, they are all slightly different...that's how us random girls roll!

I also busted out my Patterned Pines stamp set and made these. I just remember how this set totally had me at hello! But then so did the Serene Snowflakes. Perhaps my "hello"s are pretty easy to have. Well, I do talk to strangers!

Oh Merry Christmas in June!!

Sunny Afternoon!

2011-05-19T08:00:00.002-05:00

CardMaker Magazine's CardSwaps forum is holding an online crop and I have a challenge up! WooHOO!!

My challenge is called Sunny Afternoon. Your challenge, should you accept, is to create an outdoor scene; be sure to include a tree! It can small enough for a card, sized just right for a scrapbook or a large wall arrangement but make sure your outdoor scene has a tree.

Here's my sample:

Somewhere Over the Rainbow Blog Hop

2011-05-18T04:00:00.016-05:00

I'm the 7th stop on the Somewhere Over the Rainbow blog hop.I hope you have a fabulous time hopping along and seeing the gorgeous creations from our hostesses. You should have arrived here from Meredith's blog. Didn't you just love all her green?!? In case you got lost or would like to start at the beginning, check out my Pal Lora (click on her name) at Crafts Are My Thing.

The theme of the blog hop is "Somewhere Over the Rainbow". Each blog hostess has been assigned a color {I'm blue!}. At the end of the rainbow is a link to your pot of gold! Be sure to click the link so you can join us in the Card Swaps forum for challenges, games, fun, and prizes!! It's sure to be a lot of fun.

{BLUE BABY}
I don't usually think of not liking blue...but I certainly don't use it much in crafting. Come to think of it, I don't think I own a single article of clothing that is blue...but I do love blue jeans. And I think that counts!! :)

I got the idea for this card in a little shop in my home town called Vintage Daze. It's like an antique, wine, cool stuff and card shop. I go there every chance I get! Anyway, I just dug through my paper piles and found some blues and piled them up!

MY CARD:

I really like the texture this card has

A lot of it came about by accident...I forgot my paper cutter at my Mom's...I used Martha's score thing to "cut" the layers. I like it.

The good and the bad...I was planning to border punch the whole bottom of the top piece. But! Due to the textures of the edges, I couldn't get the paper to go back in the punch.

But it turned out pretty cool I think!

There aren't prizes for the hop this round but make sure to check out CardMaker! There are prizes for the challenges over there! However, even though there aren't prizes here, please do leave me some sugar (AKA a comment).

From here, you are off to see Angelina: Click here!

Here's the map in case you have lost your way.
Lora: http://craftsaremything.blogspot.com/
Susan H. http://lilbitofme-susan.blogspot.com/
Golda http://goldapete.wordpress.com/
Jane http://jane-notsuchaplainjane.blogspot.com/
Ana
Meredith http://whatsnextma.blogspot.com/
Laura http://ljjonescircus.blogspot.com/ <------ YOU ARE HERE!
Angelina http://angel-artdesign.blogspot.com/ -
Ashley http://handstampedbyashley.blogspot.com/ -

Happy Birthday Challenge!

2011-05-10T22:07:00.001-05:00

I dreamed this card out of pretty much no where... and you can tell.

I layered the "P" thinking it would look cool. I am thinking that it just looks like I can't spell. Oh well, let us just take the bad with the better right!?!

This card meets a challenge over at CardMaker...check it out!!

It's wedding week!!!

2011-05-09T22:07:00.000-05:00

My Crazy Sista is getting married Saturday, May 14, 2011!

WooHoo! When I got ready for work this morning, I decided to bust out bling on my ears (since I wear stupid scrubs...everyday...always black...)

Anyway, got me to thinking about my wedding outfit. Of course Sister will look AMAZING!! But I can't expose her outfit for all the internet to see. BUT! I wanted you to see these shoes! They are TO-DIE-FOR!!

Yes, those are said black scrubs rolled up over them. And I don't really have inverted feet! Stay tuned!

Home for Sale!

2011-05-03T00:00:00.001-05:00

Edited to add pictures!

JJ and I have decided to try to sell our home ourselves...what the heck! We've sold tons of stuff over the years...surely we can sell a house too! Well, Craigslist only allows for so many pictures so we decided to post the extras here.

So, if you are a regular follower...thanks for hanging out with me! If you hopped over here from Craigslist, welcome! Please find more pictures of our home posted below. Note, some of them were obviously taken around Christmas...hence our little stockings and the tree. Obviously, that stuff is gone right now. Any how, please do feel free to send me an email! luptergrove 00 {at} hotmail {dot} com. (Note, the round things are zeros.)

Here's the Craigslist post: Here.

From the outside:

The back:

Kitchen:

Master Bathroom:

Hallway Bathroom:

There are two bedrooms, nearly the same size (10'x11' and 10'x11.5') (in addition to the master), here's a picture of one of them:

Downstairs Living Area:

Here's the Upstairs Living area:

Purple Cows and Tulips, OH MY!!

2011-05-02T21:44:00.001-05:00

We had some beautiful purple tulips and some that were yellow/red bloom in our yard. My wonderful husband commented that the purple were his favorite. Fast forward to a trip to Home Depot where I found these beauties:

OF course, I grabbed them right up because I had found these little cuties the week before at Juanita's on Main in Sedalia, MO over my lunch.

I had a couple of doilies in my stash and piled them all together in the middle of our dining room table!

I got to thinking that those flowers will likely need water. Water + our dining room table could = DISASTER! That's when I dug around and found a little silver charger. I polished it up and added it to the stack.

I LOVE IT!!!!

Here's a picture to show you my new magical silver polish!

What have your found lately that just makes you smile? I'd love to see a picture.

Polishing Silver

2011-04-30T21:44:00.005-05:00

I wanted to show you this awesome silver polish I found at a local antique mall called Veranda. It was kind of pricey, $14 if I remember correctly... but look what it did!!!

I didn't think to take a picture until I saw the stark contrast:

Now you are seeing what I saw: It's mega hard to photograph silver!!

Anyway, I kept scrubbing...

And here's what I ended up with:

I payed about $2 for this little platter at a second hand store in Syracuse, MO called the Gift Depot. I had no idea what I was going to do with it but I liked the shape so I brought it home and found a way to clean it up.

I'll show you want I ended up doing in a couple of days.

Hello Willie, it's me Laura

2011-04-29T12:10:00.002-05:00

Can I get a Woot Woot!?!

Thirty-One Apron

2011-04-21T21:38:00.001-05:00

**Edited to answer comment question**

I just love this apron I purchased and had customized from a company called Thirty-one. I really like kitchen aprons anyway. I have a couple that I have snagged at yard sales and such...I should show you those sometime!

(I feel like I am on "What I Wore Wednesday"!

Anyway, every since JJ and I got married, I have been wanting an apron that said "Mrs. Jones" across the front. Well, I have it! And I must say, it is C-U-T-E!

Do you wear an apron while cooking? While I have several, I almost never wear them. I should change that!!

Q/A from anonymous comment:
Question: "love the apron! i was thinking about ordering one from thirty-one myself! i can't decide whether i should purchase the adult size apron (hostess apron) or the lil hostess apron (i'm guessing its a smaller size for meant children). i'm tiny so its hard to know which one will fit best! just wondering which one you chose in this pic! thanks!"
Answer: This is the hostess apron. I would consider me average/athletic build but I am 6' tall. I haven't' seen the child's size in person, so I have no good comparisons. But, thank you for stopping by my blog!

The Nicest Things

2011-04-18T20:33:00.000-05:00

I made this card for my friend, Lora for her birthday. I hope she loves it!!

The paper designer paper is from My Mind's Eye, and I love it!!!

Sympathy Cards

2011-04-16T20:36:00.001-05:00

Not the funnest cards to make but I like the way these turned out. I must not take credit for the original design, for it came from Ruthie at rainbowkreations. Find her exact card by clinking the blog name.

I wasn't completely sure about the buttons so I tried some pearls:

Ahhh, I do love pearls!!

I like how they all came out slightly different. I am pretty random so I love stamps, like the Medallion that don't make me feel like I have to be super anal and aligned and all that jazz...yeah!

More Crop Cards

2011-04-11T21:23:00.001-05:00

I had a few cards still from the CardMaker Crop in February that I forgot to show off. Remember, I had my Pamper Yourself Challenge for the Crop and I already showed you the other cards I made that weekend.

But, HERE are the cards I didn't show you.

Sadly, I can't remember what the challenge was for this one... Yikes! (If you played that challenge and you remember, leave me a comment please.)

This one was for a challenge called "Rock and Roll" you were suppose to use something to make some shoes look like... you guessed it! Blue Suede Shoes! I loved this challenge!! I made the "flock" by rubbing really sharp scissors along the edge of Stampin Up's super thick card stock. It was pretty messy with lots of fibers floating in the air but I love, love the finished product!

I cut the shoes and the dress form from my Cricut using the Forever Young Cartridge.

Embrace Your Inner Picasso!

2011-04-03T22:45:00.001-05:00

I'm the hostess this week for the "Anything Goes" challenge at CardMaker Magazine's CardSwaps Board.

This is my challenge sample.

The challenge is to create your own designer or printed paper. I created the butterfly background paper using a stamp from SU's Branch Out Set.

I got the idea for the Tu-tu from Diane over at Rubber n' Rafters. She did a great job on her card and I knew I had to make one of my very own!!!

I didn't have the best of luck attaching the skirt...I ended up sewing it to the paper. It worked fine but I was hoping for a faster fix! I tried a Zig pen which never really dried properly and Tacky Tape (you know that stuff that looks red on the roll). The lace wouldn't stick to the Tape but that may have been because of the Zig pen.

I must say, I really like this card!! I have the Forever Young Cricut cartridge that will cut out the dress form which would make this card faster...I just need to figure out a better/faster way for attaching the skirt!

What would you do to efficiently attach the lace?

Elegant Lines...

2011-03-21T23:24:00.001-05:00

Here's a card I made for my Sister's Bridal Shower this weekend. I hope she loves it!

I {big fat squishy heart} love those basic pearls from Stampin UP!

She says she stalks my blog but I bet she's pretty busy this week so here's hoping...fingers crossed!

Peg!! I thought I lost you.

2011-03-16T08:36:00.001-05:00

Imagine my horror when I went to visit Peg last night and her listing was gone! GONE!! Ahhhhh! (You can read about my new house wanderings here.)

We had decided that I wouldn't call the realor until our home sold, or was at least on the market but... yep, you guessed it, I called her this morning.

(I didn't take this picture...it's horribly fuzzy, I know. I borrowed it from here.)

The house is still available, it's just off the market for a bit I guess. Last I checked, it had been on realtor.com for nearly 500 days so maybe they are just taking a break!

Wishes for my New Home... I'll call her Peg.

2011-03-13T15:16:00.001-05:00

I follow a girl called MeganDVD on a blog called Beauty in the Attempt. She's house hunting (check here, and here for a few) and it got me to thinking... I should make a Wish List for my new home. I am a first time home buyer; JJ had our house when we met. When he was 21, he bought the first house he was shown...turns out he did pretty well. Let's just say we both would like to do a little shopping this time.

Anyway, I decided to call my new home Peg (because she doesn't have to be fancy except through my mind's eye) and here are some of the wishes I have for her and I.

1. Split bedroom floor plan (the kid's room away from ours...away from the living space)
2. A front porch
3. A mantle. Note, I didn't say a fireplace... that would be ok, but the mantle is what I wish
4. A bigger kitchen to make my JJ happy
5. Outdoor living space or the potential for such
6. JJ would like an outbuilding/shed...or we could just have the space for such building to ensue
7. I would like for my main entry for guests/front door to not open right into our family room (I guess that means I would like a foyer of sorts)
8. My kitchen/everyday dining area to be where the main TV doesn't bother us from sitting and chatting.

What do you think? If you were shopping for a new house, what would be on the TOP of your list.

And... I have a favorite...all picked out...but it's a leap because it needs some serious love!!!

Cooper's Third Birthday

2011-03-01T07:30:00.002-06:00

Today would have been Cooper's third birthday; this is his second birthday in Heaven.

While our hearts are still broken, what a joy it is to know that there is a God in Heaven and he knows and loves each one of us if we will let him. In honor of Cooper, I made his Momma, my BFF Leslie, this card.

I punched out the head and added some 3-D dots for height.

I also frayed the end of the twill tape...sort of had to because I forgot to add it before I secured the front and I could only get one side lose enough to get the tape down...Improvise!!

They Send You Off To College, Try To Gain A Little Knowledge-- All You Want To Do Is....

2011-02-23T21:49:00.005-06:00

Anybody know the Jimmy Buffett lyrics that follow?

Well, it doesn't really matter because this really isn't about Jimmy (sorry old friend).

Where am I going with this?
Oh right, sorry. Focus Laura!

Ok....

Well, I want off to college (several years ago... but whatever!) bought books, read a few of them, graduated, still had books... don't really read most of them anymore. So, what do you do with that book case full of big fat text books about Occupational Therapy for Children?? (I guess I should tell you that I would rather scoop hog poop than be the therapist for small children. I like children. I happen to love my sweet niece very much and can't wait for her sibling to arrive. I happen to think that somehow, JJ and I will be awesome parents, God will help us. But I like adult patients. That's it.)

Focus...

So, while touring homes for dressed up for Christmas, I saw some really cool books (where was my camera??). They were covered with scrapbook paper, similar to how the St. Andrews kids used to have to cover their text books in grade school. And it got me thinking...

I have always wanted a taller lamp at my entry way...but I like the bones of my old one...it just needs to be taller...

So, down to the bookcase I go and find these beauties!

I had this coordinating vintage-inspired print paper from another project I thought up a few years ago and never accomplished.

I busted out the Mod Podge and got to work!

I used a sponge paint brush to apply a coating of Mod Podge to the front of the book.

Those brown scrapers from Pampered Chef came in pretty handy to push out air bubbles.

Then, it was really a lot like wrapping a present...smooth out the paper, make sure all the edges are covered and rounded off and looking nice.

Here:

I cut the paper a little close but I think it is ok. I am not sure anal and if it gets to bugging me, I think I will just ink the edge to hide that blinding yellow.

I used these to boost my lamp by the front door so the mirror looks like it belongs rather than floating above everything else. :)

That waif-y looking stuff sticking out of the top book is waxed paper...waiting for the glue to dry. I guess I just couldn't wait any longer! :)

(Disclaimer: I took these photos awhile ago...I don't really still have out a pretty bowl full of old Christmas bulbs. Promise.)

Wrapped with Love

2011-02-14T00:17:00.001-06:00

I made this little envelope type thing for JJ for his Valentine. I tucked 2 snack sized Snickers inside; his favorite (next to ice cream but that would be messy!)!

I thought we would keep Valentine's Day pretty low scale this year. We generally get whatever we want/need as it arises. Plus, we were both shamelessly spoiled at Christmas this year by each other as well as our family and friends. We are truly blessed!

Here's a close up of the tie. I just wrapped lace around the container and slid three hearts, cut with an old Sizzix die, on the lace.

I am super pleased with how this turned out! Good thing too because I have 70 more to make for favors at my Sister's bridal shower. I have 64 of them cut already now just to score, assemble and figure out how to decorate them! I really liked the wide lace but I don't think I have anymore (go figure) but let us remember, I am a ribbon hoarder. I am looking forward to peeling through a bunch of my stash!!

What would you do to decorate them? I thought flowers, both paper and Primatype, or just tying with wide ribbon (satin maybe) or lace. I don't know, what do you think?

CardMaker "Beat the Blues" Crop

2011-02-13T23:43:00.001-06:00

Here are projects I completed for CardMaker Magazine's "Beat the Blues Crop". I had a blast completing these projects! Special thanks for CardMaker and Lora for a great event!!

Sketch Challenge called Follow My Lead:

Use song lyrics challenge called Song of Joy:

*This is the song JJ and I danced to our our wedding day. Can I get an "ahhh"!?

Use a specified recipe challenge called A Master Plan:

*I really like this card. I have to admit, it's not my usual color scheme but I really like it!

**The crop is still going on! Check it out!! I have some more projects done but that shall be another post!

Pamper Yourself!!!

2011-02-11T00:59:00.002-06:00

Edited to include: Sugar scrub is an exfoliant for your skin.

I am hosting a challenge at CardMaker CardSwap message board called Pamper Yourself (go check it out!)

I fancied up a ketchup bottle to hold my beloved homemade sugar scrub! (Don't worry, it's not a secret recipe...keep reading.)

Here's the ketchup bottle all filled up with delish but looking awfully ugly:

I ripped off the lose flakes of wrapper (from washing it out) and covered it with paper.

I added some tinsel from Sister and a snowflake cut with my Cricut. Of course, Stickles was a must!!

SUGAR SCRUB RECIPE (gleaned from the internet many moons ago)
1 cup of sugar
1/2 cup oil (I have heard that you can use any oil including vegetable but I don't want to smell like a french fry so I use Grape Seed Oil...not too expensive, check out HyVee)
Essential oils (begin with a few drops, you can always ad)

A little bit on oils: I am so not an oils snob. I have used fancy stuff from a scent shop and I have also used the oils Yankee Candle sells; for this, I don't thin I can tell a bit of difference. The expensive oils take less but they cost significantly more so... I say, go with what you like to smell!

Enjoy!

Do You Have Rules About Which You Are Steadfast?

2011-01-31T13:52:00.001-06:00

Of course, we all do. One of my biggies is:

Thou shalt not deposit dirty dishes in thy sink.

What did I do last weekend:

Yep! All Me.

Why you ask? Because I wanted to take a nap with my JJ rather than unload the dishwasher so I could load it up again...

However, we had a blissful nap and the world did not end...

Yes, my coffee pot always sits on the counter...I cannot LIVE without it!
AND--some new stuff happened in the kitchen since I took these pictures...stay tuned!

Engagement Card

2011-01-26T13:41:00.001-06:00

So, I told you that my sister is getting married in May.

I wanted to make her an engagement card (of course!).

I started out by playing along on a challenge at CardMaker to create a gatefold card. So, I was playing along, making a card with Rich Razzleberry and loving it!

Fast Forward >>> Card is done...can't find real camera...no problem...snap pictures with cell phone. Not the best, but not horrible. "Great" I say, "we will go with it". Get over to CardMaker...Picasa doesn't format the photos to a way CM message board will accept.

That was a couple of weeks ago I think and I guess you could say I have just been pouting every since! Well not really...just sort of busy (more on that later)!

(Note: The paperclip is not really part of the card...just holding it closed for the little photo shoot.)

So, Sister, Congratulations, I love you, you are going to make a beautiful bride and live happily ever after. BTW, I think I will make a dashing Matron of Honor (which certainly sounds better than a Maid) if I do say so myself! Here's to many belly laughs about who knows what!

And to Nathan: JJ is correct, my sister may seem as though she has gone completely mad as she goes on with preparing for your wedding. But I promise, the sun will rise on May 15 and the important things will have happened...you will be married...and stuck with JJ and I for the rest of our and your lives! (Ok, I am not so sure that the last part is all that important but whatever...).

Silhouette Give Away

2011-01-18T13:00:00.000-06:00

I wish it was me giving away this cool machine (because that would mean the company had already given me one!!) but it's not, it is Traci over at Beneath My Heart. Check it out!! It's super easy to get entered into the drawing SEVERAL times!

Click here to find the post about the giveaway.

I am officially my High School Home Economics Teacher

2011-01-12T11:42:00.001-06:00

I just spilled coffee on my charts. I would show you my mess but they are medical charts...and that iss confidential information so I leave you with this:

(Photo from Nocturnable)

Winter White

2011-01-11T14:27:00.002-06:00

HUGE NEWS!!!

My sister got engaged this past weekend! Yeah Sister and Nathan!! So, their wedding date is May 14, 2011 (not a typo people, just over 5 months from now!). Moving quickly we must!!

She wants milk glass bud vases to use for the center pieces.
Her: So I got a couple of bud vases yesterday at the junk store in Syracuse. They are milk glass. I really like them but I need a ton more.
Me: How many is a ton?
Her: I don't know. Maybe 10. I want to use them for center pieces and stuff at my reception.
Me: 10 isn't going to cut it but I will help you.
Her: Really. Where are you going to find them.
Me: I don't know for sure but I saw some at Salvation Army and some more at a few other junk shops. Remember, I like junk shops.
Her: Oh right. Ok, you just find some then and keep track of how much money you spend.
Me: Sweet. JJ is going to die when he thinks I have a new "collection". But, give me a Friday off and this will be done!
Us: Laugh!

So! On my lunch yesterday, I found this beauty at the Salvation Army store in Sedalia:

Sorry for the kinda dark picture. I took it on my cell phone at my Mom's...more on that in a second.
$2 and I was happy!!

Then, Old Man Winter dumped a load on the Midwest:

This is what I saw while I was driving ~~home~~ to my parents because the roads were horrible! But, being the devote ~~junk addict~~ sister that I am, I stopped of at two more junk shops on my way home.

I found these beauties at a roadside shack on the East side of Sedalia. Funny, I always thought it was a nursing home...maybe it used to be...

The ice cream looking bowl on the left was marked $1.00 but half off so 50 cents, short skinny one in the front, middle was 50 cents, the islet edge bowl thing in the back was a splurge at $2.50. The shapely tall girl in the back was 50 cents I think, the one to her right was $1. I really love the little beauty at the far right. She's not really glass but... who cares right?!? At any rate, I only spent $5.92 in that shop.

Total so far: $7.92

A little more snow driving...
Would you believe that normally this is a major state highway??

And I got to the junk shop at the 4-way in Tipton (yeah, there's only one so if you see a light...you are there. Look south).

I found this little group of cuties:

The one on the left was $2. The two on the right were $1 together...so 50 cents. The shop keeper just gave me the one in left middle (good thing because I think it's kind of ugly).

Grand total... $11.92
Not bad for a snowy days work... after work. And... It's not even Friday yet!

(Disclaimer: Probably the total to Sister will not be $11.92. I just might have to keep a few of these beauties for my very own collection!! ;)

*Links*
I found a Treasures and Trinkets Linky Party over at My Cottage Charm.

House Keeping

2011-01-08T23:43:00.000-06:00

Did you notice? I widened my reading column. I dare say, I am happy with the wider version! (Now, if I can have the opposite effect on my thighs!)

A shout out to John Deere Mom with her drippingly simple tutorial: How to widen your columns in Blogger.

Christmas Clearance DEALS!!!!

2011-01-07T21:56:00.006-06:00

So, I went out just today, January 7 and found some great deals... on some things I had been wanting anyway...even better!!!!

First, I recently saw a post from Melissa at 320 Sycamore which reminded me that while it's not exactly right after Christmas, there should still be some clearance, very good clearance might I add, deals to be found! She made a haul from Target with cute ideas for her finds.

Now for my haul!

So first I went to Kohls (to return some shoes but I was there so might as well look around right!?!). I found these three cuties!

I had the perfect idea for this little tree... I looked for one this year but never really found a deal. Snagged this sweet thing for $3.99 (that would be 70% off).

I couldn't resist this jack-o-lantern pail/candle holder/cutie.

At only, $3.99 (Ok, that's pretty sick that Halloween has the same clearance as Christmas) I decided it would look fabulous sitting on my porch steps while cute little trick or treaters head to my door.

(Which may have been a bit premature on my part since hopefully, we will live in our new house by then. But whatever, it will have a porch right!?!)

(Ok, so the bird on a sphere wasn't exactly on clearance but it was on sale...that counts right???)
I have been seeing cute little birds, especially those in white, around blog land and was just pretty smitten. So, when I saw this one, I immediately thought of Rhoda at Southern Hospitality. (Hop on over and visit...she has great style!!)

I am just dying looking at that bird...and the burlap on the tree OH MY!

Anyway, kinda makes me snicker to see my Christmas/Halloween/Spring/Easter vignette. Well, I couldn't resist, I had to show you my finds!

Oh! And, I stopped off a Hobby Lobby too! OH MY GOSH! LET ME JUST SAY 90% OFF!!

I got these two sets of stocking holders.

Now, if you have been around here for long, you know it's just JJ and me. So why, you ask, do I need to be able to hang 8 stockings? Well... I'm not sure. I have visions of a mantle in my new house. I see the PEACEful beauties perched in pretty greenery with red berries and fancy white lights... maybe not even holding stockings at all! {Gasp!} And the Joy, well, I don't know...maybe as actual stocking holders. Eek!
Anyway, I got the Peace for $7 (regular $69.99) Joy for $4.50 (regular $44.99).

Now this Christmas tree/filigree stocking holder had me at hello!

There were two but the other one was pretty beat up... I put it in my cart because I was thinking I could mix up some paint and some Distress ink and try to make do... then I thought...ummm, have to move contents of current house. So, I put the sad looking tree back--I miss her. Ok, just kidding, I am loving this girl!! And, regular price was $24.99, I got it for $2.50... Now I am thinking for $2.50 I could have at least tried my hand at rehabing the broken girl. Dang!

Here's my thought... the hanger part is pretty wimpy looking. I am thinking I am going to take it off...

WaaaLaaahh!

Just kidding I turned it over. But you get the point.

I'm just saying-- I can't wait for Christmas!!!

Another Christmas Wreath

2011-01-05T11:40:00.003-06:00

I showed you here the pretty red wreath I made for my good friend, Lora.

I made another in golds for our friends Chris & Charlie. They live down the hill from us and have been our good friends almost the entire time I have lived on this block. Another family from this hood that we will terribly miss when we discover another home.

Anyway, here's the wreath I made for them:

Turns out that it's pretty rough to take a picture of shiny stuff!!

I learned about these great wreaths from Sarah @ Thrifty Decor Chick. Thanks Sarah!

If you made it this far, thank you! I had tons of Christmas projects this year and I didn't want you to miss out!! ;)

Merry CHRISTmas!

2010-12-25T05:45:00.000-06:00

I wanted to take a moment out of our busy travels to wish my friends and family a very Merry CHRISTmas. May your heart find gladness this Season! If you need a laugh, check our a version of our Christmas card!

I also wanted to show you our Christmas tree this year. I decorated it all in Shiny Brite ornaments that I collected along the way. It all started with this one:

From Drop Box

(Oops, you see me a bit there...sort of hard to take pictures of shiny stuff!)

It's the Christmas of 1951 Ornament!

For the rest of these, I am not going to say much...enjoy!

From Drop Box

I saw some great trees decorated this year with double strands of beads. Simply beautiful!! I purchased some beads this year but I didn't get them up... I still really love this tree, even without shiny beads.

Hello pretty little princess that began my obsession!

Happy Birthday Jesus!

I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas...

2010-12-24T09:10:00.005-06:00

Oh my goodness...this is just beautiful!!

Oh my, God is good. What a birthday present for his precious son!

Oops. There are my cake balls that I set outside to 'cool' last night. :)

SIDE NOTE: I took these from inside my house. JJ shoveled our drive and our neighbor lady's. He mysteriously asked if I needed anything from the store... I think he's off to purchase a sled. I have a vintage metal rung sled but this snow is very wet so we need a different type. I love sledding!!!!!!!

Treasure!

2010-12-23T21:36:00.000-06:00

My good, good friend Leslie and I took a little vacation down to Branson, MO to see the Christmas lights, go to Silver Dollar City and a show and of course, do some junking along the way! Today, I am going to show you Leslie's treasures. Later, I will show you mine and show you the lights in Silver Dollar City and an aerial view too.

Ok, on to the treasures!

A great box from Bear Market in Camdenton, MO. I think it was $19. We decided it would be perfect for under the end table in the living room to hold stuff...

When we saw this table, we were wishing one of us needed a kitchen table; they had a TON for pretty good prices! Most were older so they were well made and had some character!!

A girl has to do some dreaming! Here's a Daisy butter churn that Leslie would love to own. This one was at Sweetheart's just south of that main intersection also in Camdenton, MO (it took us quite some time to get very far from home...but we loved every-single-minute).

She likes green handled kitchen gadgets. Not really a surprise coming from the girl who owns nearly every piece Tupperware has EVER made! (We didn't buy these...just laughed when we saw them.)

Here's all her loot...spread out on a table in our dinky (but cheap thereby perfect) hotel room.

Now, let me show you a little more detail on the loot!!!

Check out those Eastlands baby! Only 5 smackers and they've barely been worn! Meet Leslie's new work shoes. :) And no trip is complete without some vintage Tupperware for the Tupperware Queen. We did see some ketchup and mustard pump containers shaped like the TW salt & pepper shakers. Not only did Leslie not own them, she hadn't even seen them! (Gasp) The hat we thought was a cool color and would be perfect for Saturday morning errands pre-shower (Stacey and Clinton (from What not to Wear) would disagree but this IS the Midwest peeps).

I told you Leslie likes vantage kitchen utensils right? And look at the pregnant Cherished Teddies; She's been looking for that since she got pregnant with Cooper. We forgot she bought the sifter on the left when we found the one on the right. Oh well, they are both cool right?

Look at that squirrel on the nut. And the pink Pyrex... stinking cute!! The green thing underneath is an insulated thing with handles to tote around your crock pot.

Yikes! We had a blast!!!

Christmas Ball Wreath

2010-12-22T21:15:00.004-06:00

From Drop Box

Would you just look at that!?! Pauke! I love it!! (Not the stocking... the wreath.)

I am sure that others have made this wreath but I saw this wreath idea first from Sarah over at Thrifty Decor Chick. If you have never hung out with this wacky chick, head on over and visit...just don't forget to come back!!

Anyway, TDC, Sarah tells you exactly how to make these... and she did a very good job so I won't go off telling you again. I must stress... bust out the gluegun and glue those tops ON!

First-

I started with tubes of plastic ornaments from Dollar Tree:

From Drop Box

And I glued all the tops on with my baby glue gun that was a Christmas present last year from my MIL... LOVE IT!!

From Drop Box

I used dinner plates to hold all the Christmas balls from rolling off the table... I thought it would be easier to get glitter off plates (ahh, the miracles of dishwashers) than off the carpet!

Bending the coat hanger was kind of a pain but it did end up well worth it to use a non-flimsy hanger.... More on this later.

So, sit back and see my pretty wreath!!!

From Drop Box

(Check out that pine cone and other random hard things wreath... I love it. Mom has since added some pretty sparkly ribbon to it... snazzy!)

From Drop Box

I gifted this beauty to my friend Lora. I likely won't live on this block next year at Christmas but I want to always remember the fun we have had here in our Above the Creek Mafia. Next year, I will make another wreath for our new home and I will use it to always remember our great friends Above the Creek!

Merry Christmas from my Circus to yours!!

2010-12-15T11:43:00.005-06:00

Here's our Christmas card from the cutting room floor:

I just think it's hilarious! I am sure some won't but... whatever, it makes me laugh. I love how goofy and happy we are in this picture. It's a self portrait I took during JJ's birthday weekend; we were having so much fun with friends!

I will show you our actual Christmas card later. Funny that I don't make our Christmas cards I guess. I generally make lots of Christmas cards for Grandma and for gifts and such. Plus, this year we will be sending about 175 Christmas cards...giant family... so no way do I want to sign on to make all those!

Happy Birthday Grandma!!

2010-12-12T23:12:00.002-06:00

My Grandma's birthday was last week... She was born on Pearl Harbor Day before it was Pearl Harbor Day (I figure if I don't tell the truth about my real age, I shouldn't let hers out of the bag either!).

Anyway, this is my crafty Grandma and the one for which I make the Bazaar stuff.

She wasn't having must to do with me taking pictures; I think she just wanted to dig in her loot!! Yet another thing I get from my Grandma...feeling like a kid in a candy store anytime I am opening a gift.

I cut all these out using my Cricut and one of the Christmas Solution carts from 2009 (I am too tired to walk downstairs and look right now... I will check later and let you know.)

I sprayed the white on Rudolph with Glimmer mist and I added Stickles to the left edges of the Christmas tree...like the snow was really blowing! I also added Stickles to the white on the top of the stocking. I think my favorite is the red background snowflake with the tinsel top! My sister sent me the tinsel

Birthday Happy Mail!!

2010-12-10T12:09:00.003-06:00

I got some really pretty handmade birthday cards from my lovely friends. I just thought I would show them off to you guys!! (The creator is listed under the picture with a link to her blog...if I know the blog.)

This is from Terrie.

From Drop Box

From the lovely Jane.

From Drop Box

Seongsook Duncan (She makes sooo many cards for OWH... I am truly impressed!!)

From Drop Box

Karen Walsh

From Drop Box

From my lovely friend Lora! I am just loving that Forever Young Cartridge. And somehow she just knew that I love red! ;)

I am sure that more cards from my CarkMaker group have arrived but I haven't been home to get my mail since Monday . I guess you could say that I am extending my birthday a few more days! :)

Happy Birthday To Me!!

2010-12-03T08:00:00.000-06:00

Today is my birthday. Happy Birthday to me!! I think I know what I am getting from JJ for my birthday but the best present of all will be having my husband back home... if only for the weekend.

Dollar Tree!!

2010-12-02T23:44:00.004-06:00

So today at lunch I just ran into Dollar Tree... and an entire shopping bag later... I dashed out. Because I hadn't eaten yet...didn't even have food and I needed to be back at work in 15 minutes.

Anyway, I am about to die I love my new stuff so much! And I think I spent around $10... Can't remember (Yikes, that's bad)! Anyway, there are some linky parties going on and I want to get my stuff made/put together so I can play along. I'll be back to show you what I came up with!

Edited to include a link to this pretty thing.

Happy THANKSgiving

2010-11-25T06:15:00.000-06:00

Let us not forget to thank our Lord for the good and the not so good of our year. It's my prayer that I have learned from my mistakes; may you as well.

(Photo from Photobucket.)

Have a wonderful day with loved ones and here's to insane shopping tomorrow!

Gift Card Holder

2010-11-22T22:38:00.008-06:00

How can you take something boring like this:

And come up with this?

Well, I learned from the TP Queen herself, Terrie. I am always amazed at her creations. I thought I would try my hand. Terrie, you are right: It's easy and I must add Stinking Cute!! I used distress ink on the edges and pretty much all over! Love that stuff!!! The gorg. tinsel came from my silly sister. Here is one of Terries creations; click here.

The card just tucks into the end like so:

I entered in the following challenges:

Card maker: Make a card with red, green, white. Use a punch and a stamp.

Catch the Bug: Anything but a card. You can only win the big pot if you use a Bugaboo stamp but since I am on my new computer... and haven't transfered everything from my old one...this is the best I can do.

Crafty Makers: Spotlight on Containers and Fancy Envelopes

Stamptacular Sunday Challenge: A time for giving

A Spoon Full of Sugar: Anything goes

Happy Happy Birthday Baby

2010-11-22T06:37:00.003-06:00

Anyone remember that song? I love the opening lines of this song! (Don't listen too close... he's singing to a lost love but I do love that opening part.) Oh sing it Ronnie!!

Today is my sweet, ornery, handsome, stubborn, incredibly cute (I may be biased, I doubt it), thoughtful, funny husband's birthday.

I love you bunches Monster and Happy Happy Birthday!

How can I not just laugh at this goofy guy!?!

Not a dive, a back flip!?!

A big hit with my girls on our wedding day.

Other Card Group Card

2010-11-19T00:16:00.000-06:00

Here's the other card I made in fall card group.

I love that we made a pumpkin with depth from ovals. Who knew?? Great idea Lora!! And I even have that punch. Woohoo!!

Card Group

2010-11-19T00:15:00.001-06:00

Here's the card from our fall card group. I have a secret obsession with Lovely As A Tree set! Oh my, I do love it so!

Here, we did the stamp off technique to get the different shades of trees.

Leslie and I found a treasure last weekend on our vacation that appears to be Lovely as a Tree's vintage twin sister. As soon as I get my picture software loaded on my new computer, I will show you. Be excited, be very excited!!

Stinking Cute Gift Card Holder

2010-11-12T21:17:00.003-06:00

Seems like everyone's Christmas list this year contains gift cards. I guess that's ok. They are certainly easy enough to locate... and you get to choose from all the cute styles. But, I really like to wrap presents. I like the way they look under our tree; I like to see the look on the recipient's face as they discover their gift hiding inside.

Where am I going with this?

Well, I wanted to find a cool/cute/neat/creative way to give our gift cards besides just sticking them inside a regular card. So, short of wrapping up big boxes that contain only a tiny gift card... I made these! And I was spurred into action by a swap (now closed) on CardMaker.

Somewhere on the internet, I saw this idea... I think it was a little different but I lost the paper so I really don't know, nor can I give credit. (If this is your idea, thank you and let me know so I can give you all the credit.)

So anyway, I busted out my Deck the Halls paper and my new Top Note die and got to work!

This is where I started. Cute. But not Stinking Cute! Although, those tiny pearls are nearly Stinking Cute all by their sweet little selves!

So, I added this sentiment. Of course the "Naughty deserve something nice". After all, there are different levels of naughty. We are only talking about the ornery people, here. Not the really bad ones... they still get coal!

I used all the snazzy twill tape I had so I busted out this crochet lace that I got in the fabric section at Wal-Mart. I big-fat-squishy {heart} it! Anyway, after I got this one complete, I just thought it eeked my Mom. Looks like it walked right out of a Flapper Party circa 1922. Not that my Mom looks like she was around in 1922 but we both love that era! (We aren't suppose to get Mom Christmas presents; we are suppose to spend it at the beach instead. But, I may just have to get her a gift card so she can have this holder!)

This last one is just to show you that it opens/closes with a brad at the top. Easy peasy and stinkin cute!

Ok, it's going to be ok!

2010-11-10T21:06:00.002-06:00

I got a new laptop!! Yep, the mother board died in my old one and, according to my tech savvy friends, it's not worth fixing.... gasp!

Anyway, I went out to get another one last Saturday.... and I paid cash. Well, not folding money but I used my debit card not a credit card! Let me tell you, that was a hunk of change and felt pretty good to just peel off the ol' Franklins or dropping some Bens or whatever the gangsters call it. I haven't read Dave Ramsey (but I'd like to get them on tape for the long drives I make these days) but I understand the premise. Nope, I'm not debt free but I am trying not to be a complete idiot with my finances.

**Off Soap Box!**

Anyway, I have a darling little baby Toshiba. So stinking cute! This isn't my actual computer but it's what she looks like... yes, we girls stick together!!

Photo courtesy http://www.bestlaptops2011.com

Ok, well, it doesn't look so little and cute here but, just take my word!!

Christmas Gift Tags

2010-11-09T20:09:00.001-06:00

I made about 22 or so of these for Grandma's Bazaar. (I cut out some mega cool ones with my Cricut too but I was so excited to give them to her that I forgot to take a picture--- I know right! Who does that?!)

Anyway, this was super east!!

I do love that ornament punch! The swirly ornament stamp (that you see in red in the middle and to the left is from Tags Til Christmas, a new SU set. The other stamp (with less swirls and such) is from the Delightful Decorations set. I am just smugly in love with both of those sets! I think it's the ornament punch that I am truly smitten with!

Oh and, I entered these into the CardMaker challenge called, Bling for You. It's super hard to tell from the picture but there are tiny half pearls at the center of each tag...Stinking cute if you ask me!

Sugar Crash Blog Hop Candy Winner

2010-11-08T08:17:00.002-06:00

Random.org said commenter #9 is the winner! Congratulations Thea! You have one week from today to contact me with your address! Thea said "Great, simple idea. Thanks!"

Thank you to everyone who stopped by my blog this weekend. I hope to see you back again.

Sugar Crash Blog Hop-- Yeah!!

2010-11-04T04:30:00.010-05:00

*Give away closed.* (See post dated 11/8/2010 for winner.)

WELCOME!!!! You are on the CardSwaps Sugar Crash Blog Hop! You should have arrived here from Chi Chi Memories and Natalie. If you did not, take a look around here and then head to the first stop... You don't want to miss any of this greatness!! (BTW, there are 17! stops and you won't want to miss a one! There are many prizes to be had and the only way to cash in is by leaving a comment on the posts. Plus, it's just nice to leave a little love don't you think?

Before I get to my project, I would like to invite you over to CardMaker Magazine's Card Swaps! We have a Sugar Crash Crop going on! You must come over and play...plus there are more prizes. (Don't head out quite yet, I have something to show you before you leave...and don't forget to leave a comment for a chance to win... and because you are nice and you want to leave some love for me :)

Ok, here's my project: Stinking Cute Photo Holders!

If you have spent much time around here, you know that I make several things for my Grandma's Church Bazaar. I made several of these for her Bazaar this year.

This one is my favorite! (I think because it's one of my favorite pictures!) I did spray my Hobby Lobby open stock paper with Tattered Angles Glimmer Mist to up its glitter factor but I will admit, it is not very Christmas-y... Don't worry, I am your Christmas girl! Let me show you first how I made these functional little do-dads.

I started with these. (Yes, I purchased them. No Staples did not pay me or ask me to show them off.)

Then, I got out my scrap paper drawer and began cutting pieces 1 1/4" x 2". Some pieces I sprayed with Smooch or Glimmer mist. Next, I creased the paper around the binder clips (mostly to make sure it was going to fit correctly). I used Terrifically Tacky Tape (the red roll) on each side (so three strips of tape total) and stuck down the paper. (Credit: When I couldn't get mine to stand up correctly, I watched this video.)

I selected ribbon to coordinate with the paper. (The pink is from Michaels (below), JJ put it in my stocking last year. The black is fab! satin ribbon from Stampin UP!) I put a little bit of adhesive on the ribbon right where it goes around the silver parts of the binder clips... otherwise, the ribbon rides up and there's no where for the picture to go.

Here's my Christmas sample:

That's paper from the open stock at Hobby Lobby. Those snazzy chicks in the photo are my sister and I in San Fransisco a couple of years ago.

House of Jones Holiday Traditions

Our first Christmas as husband and wife, I decided we needed to start some Christmas traditions! (Now, every since I have had my own Christmas tree (i.e., not living with my parents) I have left the tree lights on all night long on Christmas Eve and slept in the living room... JJ does this with me too. And someday, I will let our children do the same I am sure.) So, that first year, which was just last year in case you are counting, I bought us both fun/cute Christmas PJs to wear to bed on Christmas Eve. My thoughts were that our Christmas morning pictures would be better since we wouldn't be in old sweats but... I don't even think we took any last year. Anyway, that's our thing! And I love it! And JJ plays along with my game!

Now! Leave me some love for a random chance to win my candy.... can't really show it to you... but trust me! I am the last blog on the hop. Head on over to CardMaker and check out the challenges. Have a ball with all the challenges and thanks for stopping by!

In case you are lost... start with Lora and hop on through.

Lora

Carolyn King (Guest Designer)

Meredith

Ashley

Christy Croll (Tiddly Inks - Guest Designer)

Susie

Diana

Jane

Traci (Guest Cardmaker)

Angelina

Tami Mayberry (Guest Designer)

Irina

Ana

Margaret

Natalie (Chi Chi Memories - Guest Designer)

Laura <--- You are here!

Card Maker Message board is your last stop from here - http://www.cardmakermagazine.com/cardswap/index.php/board,57.0.html

Did you vote?

2010-11-02T17:34:00.003-05:00

I was at the poll before the sun came up this morning. Can you believe it? Me? The girl who loves to sleep. Yep, I was there!

Have you been there? Pretty much no matter where you live in this great country, you can still get your hind end to the polls. Don't know how you should vote? Just ask; I'm happy to tell you. ;)

Really, GO! Cast your opinion! Hurry!

To me from me, Happy Day!

2010-10-31T19:28:00.002-05:00

It's not even my birthday but I totally just ordered myself two new Cricut cartridges! Oh yeah! Die Cut Central was having a great sale.... $29.99 each!

I have been dying for "Give a Hoot" since it came out. So I thought... great time to get it! Then, I was looking around and have been liking "Country Life". Then I noticed that it had a quilt on it and I am going to be making some scrapbook layouts for my Grandpa Leroy. I thought, what the heck! I am going to work tomorrow aren't I? Might as well get them.

Yeah me!

Mr. Frans Vanderpool

2010-10-25T11:13:00.000-05:00

Many of you know that I drive an incredible distance for work. I always use my GPS, even though I know where I'm going, just to make sure that I am on schedule to arrive on time. For about a year, I just had the plain voice (American, basically no accent, woman) but I had chosen a name some time back for my GPS:

Mr. Frans Vanderpoole He's British :)

So, I changed up my voice...think Sean Connery. And, I love it. Just between you and me, I snicker almost every time he tells me to turn!

A trip to The K

2010-10-22T11:07:00.005-05:00

For those of you unfamiliar, The K is the new Kauffman Stadium, home of the Kansas City Royals. JJ, my good friend Leslie and I took a trip to Kansas City to see the Royals take on the Rays.

We saw the Friday night game, second one of a three game series. KC won! It was also Friday Night Fireworks which were incredibly cool but all I had was JJ's Iphone to take pics with so.... yeah, not so good.

Anyway, here we are in our blues!!

JJ, Me, Leslie

The stadium is really nice! If you are in the KC area, you really should check it out. And the best part!!! The tickets are pretty reasonable!!

Iris Folding Answers

2010-10-15T11:14:00.003-05:00

First of all, thanks for stopping by on World Card Making Day. In case you missed my iris folding card, you can see that whole post here. I must say, I was really impressed with how my card turned out!!

I received so many lovely comments {thank you} and a few questions. I'd like to take this time to answer the questions.

1. Percy the Black Cat commented that she thought it "would be interesting with fabric". I had not thought of that before the Cat's comment but I immediately thought of Stampin Up's new Christmas fabric! Now that would be fancy!!!

2. Several comments including one from Gail Varland mused that making the card must have taken a long time. Honestly, it took about an hour. This was my FIRST try, I had to choose papers, then choose again :) and then re-cut them because I had been too chincy the first time and my strips weren't long enough.

3. Several people said they love the technique and the card, then followed with "but I can't do that". To which I say, "Yes you can!". Seriously, with a pattern, the directions I wrote and the Youtube video (check the original post)... it is super easy...for real!!

4. Lora, you can come over to my Cavern anytime!! :)

5. There was one more comment with several questions but... I accidently deleted it and I can't seem to locate it now. Sorry!

(If you left a question and I missed or deleted it or you have another, please leave me a comment or shoot me an email. If I know the answer, I would love to help you out. Even if I don't know the answer, I will post your question and see if my friend Terrie stops by...she's the iris folding Queen!!)

Rats!!

2010-10-15T11:10:00.002-05:00

My laptop has the black screen of death! I am hoping that the video card died or something and that the whole thing isn't junk!! Anyway, I have some things to show you but I am not sure how I am going to handle the whole downloading of pictures since I am using JJ's work laptop right now.

Well...I was planning on purchasing some antique sleigh bells this weekend but I guess I will toss a few more Benjamin's on the pile and go for a computer instead. Ugg!! Maybe my good friend Lora can pull off some magic for me and I can get bells after all!

CardSwaps World Cardmaking Day Blog Hop!

2010-10-02T05:40:00.009-05:00

Iris Folding!!! It's new to me but how stinking cute is this!?! (OK, don't skip to the pictures quite yet!!)

Ok, the dirt: You are on the CardSwaps World Cardmaking Day Blog Hop! Welcome!! You should have arrived here from Jeanette's. Doesn't she have cute stuff!? If you got here differently, make sure you start at the beginning and work your way around. You won't be disappointed, I promise!!

Challenge: CASE challenge. I found a thread on Iris folding on CardMaker message board and decided to try my hand! The thread references recipes found on Circle of Crafters for inspiration. I chose this cutie. There's also an article in CM News Letter!

Technique: I watched this video posted by nightcats (very well done) to get my feet wet. Did I mention that I had never done Iris Folding??

I traced the pattern onto card stock (held it up to the patio door).

Next, cut out the inside only. You will want to preserve the outside or the negative image. Then, tape your negative image over the recipe or map and start laying your papers down, following the pattern.

Oh! About the papers... Choose your papers (4 different ones for this pattern), cut them into 3/4" strips. The video said 5/8 but I found these to be just a little too small given the size of my pattern. Then start taping them down:

I just used scotch tape. Keep going, and going, and going. Once you have covered all the numbers, flip it over and here's what you will have from the pretty side:

I added a Rich Razzleberry center and a sparkly gold topper. Love it!!

Be sure to hop around!! Leave a comment on every blog by midnight CST, October 3, 2010, to be entered in to a drawing for prizes (Waa--hoo!!). The full list of prizes are on Lora's blog.

My story: I started papercrafting...dabbling in scrapbooking over 10 years ago. I was in college, had no money so I just used whatever I could come up with.... And I loved it!! I had made a few cards here and there but just wasn't too happy with the way they turned out. Then!! About a year and a half ago, my friend Lora (who was really just my neighbor back then) invited me to a Stampin UP party. My cards and my wallet haven't been the same since!! But I love it! I have made some new great new friends and met tons of people through playing with paper. Probably the coolest thing that has came about primarily because of paper was an extremely successful fundraiser to benefit my Relay for Life team for the American Cancer Society. Last winter I hosted a Cancer Crop and raised over $1200 for my Relay team. WOW!!

Your next stop on the hop is Faith Skrdla at Designed 2 Delight. Hop on over and See her!! But before you go, leave me some love so you can win!!

Here's the whole list:

Lora

Jeanette

Laura <--- You are here!!

Faith Skrdla (Designed 2 Delight)

Redonna

SusieQ - http://lilbitofme-susan.blogspot.com/

Jane - http://jane-notsuchaplainjane.blogspot.com/

Lori (representing Stretch N Bubbles) -http://lorispurplegiraffes.blogspot.com/

Irina - http://sami-creativityworld.blogspot.com

Meredith - http://whatsnextma.blogspot.com/

Ana - http://anaggarciam.blogspot.com/

Dustin Pike - http://dustinpike.blogspot.com/

Diana - http://b4ustamp.blogspot.com

Angelina - http://angel-artdesign.blogspot.com/

Ashley - http://handstampedbyashley.blogspot.com/

Fancy Fall Wreath

2010-09-29T17:00:00.001-05:00

I found this fabulous wreath completed originally (at least the first time I saw it) by Sarah at Thrifty Decor Chick. As soon as I saw her gorg. wreath, I knew I had to make one of my very own...well, for my sister. We are going to her housewarming party mid-October; I can't wait!!!

So here's my finished product:

(I showed it to you first because I thought the "process pictures" weren't very interesting...and I was afraid you would stop reading. :)

Side Note: I hung the wreath on the banister because I was afraid I wouldn't take it down and actually give it to Sister once I had it on my door!!

Here's the dirt: Sarah (with an H just like my sister!! But this one isn't my sister but that would be cool!) made her wreath with a foam square. Go look at hers! Just don't forget to come back. I made mine with this wreath form that I got at Michael's for $3.99. It wasn't on sale but...

I covered the parts that I thought might scratch the door with scraps of an old bath towel. I just cut the towel and hot glued it on. I suppose any fabric glue would have worked but I got out hot glue for the leaves and decided that I wasn't going to go downstairs to get any other glue.

I got bags of fall leaves at Dollar Spot. There are 4 different colors (all the same color in one bag). I used all of 4 bags then part of 2 other bags... follow me? They were pretty pancake flat in the package so I wadded them up and threw them on the floor (not exactly the way the Thrifty Decor Chick recommended but it worked for me and wadding them up was pretty fun!)

I love that they almost look like actual leaves instead of fakes!! Also, notice that the leaves are void of stems. I cut them off using these bad boys!

They used to belong to JJ but now they are mine and they will cut anything!! Ok, so I don't know if they will really cut anything but my Fiskars would only cut one stem at a time. These cut all 10 at once!!

Best part! This whole project cost me only about $8.

(I had the glue and gun and snagged the snips from JJ.)

And Just A Tick More Black & White

2010-09-23T09:10:00.001-05:00

Here's the rest of my cousin's shower present! (I showed you the first part here and the "gift bag" here.)

Here are the other cards I made to fill the basket. I also tossed in a Target gift card just in case she hated the rest of the present! You know, not everyone thinks our crafts are as cool as we do!!

Above is some snazzy Smooch spray on SU's Presto Patterns Specialty Paper. (I should show you that sometime...it's kinda cool!)

That's just a black piece of SU card stock stamped with white craft ink on the Medallion stamp then sprayed with Smooch spray...pretty easy! I showed you in more detail here.

Here, you can see their wedding card too (hope she doesn't stalk my blog...but this is wedding week so even if she does, she's probably not right now!).

Lucky for me, she loved them!!

Side Note: My roommate from college, Christen, used to always say "tick". Meaning little or quick like, "I'll be home in a tick; see you then Luarel." Or, "I think I'll have just a tick more chocolate cake. It is my birthday!"

If you're still here, show me some love!!

Some more black and white

2010-09-23T05:32:00.001-05:00

So here, I showed you are card I made for my future cousin. I also promised to show you the rest of her present. It is very important to keep your promises so here I am!

I made a gift bag based off a cute little number box I learned to make from my good friend right here last fall sometime. I just made this one a bit bigger (the original held 3x3 cards). This one holds standard A2 sized cards.

A good blogger would have taken pictures while I was making the bag so I could share...well, I didn't. Why you ask? Well, I wasn't sure it was going to work so I started with typing paper.

Oh, did you see that beautiful satin ribbon??? LOVE!! I ran a line of Terrifically Tacky tape across the front of the bag and bunched the ribbon as I went across. I like it!!

Anyway, I didn't get to go to the shower because I chose to spend the weekend with JJ, Sister and my Dad down at the river. I am sure I missed a wonderful shower but I had a blast with the fam!!!

Here are a few more shots of the bag.

Stupid Picture Sizes

2010-09-22T21:40:00.004-05:00

I think I am going to go insane if my edits don't start saving properly!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

(Side Note: That many exclamation points are certainly necessary! !!!!! And those too.)

For real... if there's a crazy sized picture, let me know (they're scheduled throughout the next couple of days)!

Wow!

2010-09-22T12:00:00.003-05:00

I think the world has slightly passed my by lately.

I started a new job on August 30. I really love it...and I think they like me too! (That last part is sure a nice bonus!) Anyway, I work only 4 days a week but that means really long work days added to a pretty long commute (76 miles to be exact!). But, it's all 4-lane so it's not so bad.

But! I have nearly blogged none! Probably because I haven't been doing much besides work, sleep and drive. Oh, and hang with hubby! You see, the Night Owl (that's me) now sees the sun rise each morning so I have to go to sleep at night which cuts into my craftiness!!

Ok, to be honest, I have made a few things:

1. A fall wreath for my sister's front door - completed! Photos taken, just need to blog!

2. A cute little Christmas tag for my Grandma (with some new distress ink) - Completed. No pictures but do need to show my peeps!

3. Almost 100 years ago (ok, the beginning of August) I made a card pack and cute little bag for a wedding shower present. I took the pictures and I think I even loaded them to photobucket...just need to finish that post. **blogged**

So, I am a list maker and that made me feel good!!

Except, JJs's Grandma Runyon passed away last night. We are sad. Please pray for safe travels as our family comes together. Also pray for my Mother in Law and her siblings and my sweet husband. If you aren't a prayer, well, hug a tree or something.

The Lazy Peacock is having a giveaway

2010-09-13T12:10:00.002-05:00

Click here to see her giveaway.

The Lazy Peacock post mostly silver and monogram finds from estate sales and the likes. I really enjoy seeing her findings. I have to admit that I used to almost always pass on silver for sure...partially because I am more of a glass girl and partially from the upkeep (polish, etc). And I always passed up on monogram... come on, you don't find very many "u" out there (from my maiden name).

However, I have found a love for other monograms... I particularly like "s" and "r"...no real reason why! :)

So, a special thank you to The Lazy Peacock for finding my love of letters that don't belong in my monogram and for displaying such great finds!!

Sketch Challenge

2010-08-17T23:15:00.003-05:00

I'm the sketch host over at CardMaker again this week. Come on and play, it's pretty easy! You have until midnight on 8/24/2010 to submit your creation using the sketch.

The sketch:

My take:

Come on over and play!!

Black and white with a little extra!

2010-08-12T22:49:00.007-05:00

So I just got this stamp: Chandelier (clever name huh!?!) made by Stampabilities... And I must say, I am in LOVE!! Back this spring, I received an email from Archivers telling of their new items and it featured a card made with a similar stamp--- I was hooked! Since there's not an Archiver's near me... yet! I got this one from Hobby Lobby.

This card is for an online crop going on over at CardMaker... check it out!!

I made this card from my future cousin, for a shower present. I hope she likes it! (I will show you the rest of her present soon!)

And A Smooch For YOU!!

2010-08-11T21:30:00.006-05:00

Ok, well, it seems that I loaded these picutes backwards... bear with me. Above is an upclose to show you the glimmer from SU's new Smooch spray which is kindof like Tattered Angel's Glimmer Mist... except not... See below for my opinion on the two. (Note, that's an 8.5x11 sheet of paper.)

Here' the bottle of Smooch. 0.37 ounces! Check out how much of the container it took to spray that one sheet of paper!! Yikes!! Below, is the pic that was suppose to be first... of the piece of paper in my home made spray box. AKA old box with the flaps cut off.

So, I wanted to compare and contrast Glimmer Mist and Smooch Spray.

**Before you freak out: I am not a Stampin Up demonstrator and I don't work for Tattered Angels. Neither company asked me to use their products; I purchased them myself and decided to give you my "2 cents".

Pros of Glimmer Mist: *Larger container (2 oz) for almost the same money *more color varieties offered *you can get it at the store (at least around here) rather than waiting for it to ship to you

Pros of Smooch Spray: *smaller container seems to keep the product in solution better when in use (as compared with GM) *less globs on your paper

Cons of Glimmer Mist: *nearly impossible to spray without clumps even if you keep the container in constant motion and shook the crap out of it initially

Cons of Smooch Spray: *I think I will go broke purchasing replacement.

And the winner: I must say Smooch Spray does win out over Glimmer Mist. Sorry Tattered Angels, as much as I love you, SU's tiny little container, while stupid expensive in comparison, has my heart because it throws less clogs for a more uniform finish.

Happy Birthday to you, and you, and you and...

2010-08-11T20:50:00.008-05:00

Here are some birthday cards that I made this past week. I case'd them from my good friend, Lora. (Sorry it's not a direct link to her card but she's super talented so you shouldn't mind to hang out with her for a bit.)
I ran the "candles" through my BigKick using the Candy Cane Stripes embossing folder. The "flame" is from the wing of Stampin UP's Two-step Bird Extra-Large punch. Then I ran them through my paper crimper. Finally, I used 3-d dots to elevate some of the flames and the sentiment.

And... I have plenty more to make some more birthday cards very soon!! They seriously went together so fast, I think Grandma will get some of these for her bazaar too!!

Oh and! I almost forgot to tell you... It's crop time again at CardMaker. Click here to see all the excitement!! The theme is "Birthday Party!!"

Here's the newest addition to our Home!

2010-07-20T10:02:00.000-05:00

My Pretty Mom refinished this for our wedding gift. She and Steve delivered it last weekend. JJ and I couldn't decide where we were going to put it so they couldn't install the shelves (hence the year delay)...

Like Miss Irene, this beauty was nearly black when my Mom rescued her and saved her just for us. JJ and I truly are blessed with wonderful family that love us very much as well as provide for us an example of how wonderful marriage can be. I agree Mom, may God watch over us and help us to remember to keep Him at the center of our marriage and our marriage at the center of our lives.

Just look at that detail!!

We finally made a decision.... this pretty girl resides in my Cavern and holds some of my favorite things... PAPER!!

Psssttt-- looks like I need more doesn't it!?! There are two whole drawers at the bottom that are empty... EMPTY I say. Oh my stars!

~LJ

Vintage Birthdays

2010-07-19T23:06:00.007-05:00

I must say, I like this card!

Supplies:

Paper: Life's Journey by K & Company

Stamp: Vintage Labels (2010 Sale-a-bration from Stampin Up)

Ink: Chocolate Chip Stampin Write marker (I went with the marker so I didn't have to mess with goopy Craft ink. Works wonderful!

AND..... the Stamp-a-ma-jig to get "Happy Birthday" perfectly centered inside the vintage label stamp.

Challenges: CardMaker Card Swaps: Use blue, green and brown

Unscripted Sketches #64: Sketch

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Tonight, I did much better job cropping my card pictures than normal. While I was taking a picture of this card, I thought maybe I should show you where I place my cards for the photo shoot lest you think it's a dirty, grimy window sill.

Nope, just a pile of wash boards and a mirror right next to an old lamp. The light is decent here, even at night, so I don't generally have to use the flash! (Don't look too close in the mirror or you will see the hose to my vacuum and the toe of my house shoe... oops.

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Due to my love of auctions and Kwikswap, I can link up with Rhoda @ Southern Hospitality's Thrifty Treasures. I got the wash boards at an estate sale and the mirror and lamp from an old guy on Kwik-swap! Thanks for a great party Rhoda!

I just thought I should say...

2010-07-19T20:07:00.004-05:00

Look out!! I am feeling kinda creative. I have lots of ideas running around in my head! Should I paper craft or paint mid-century furniture or try to repurpose some antique sewing cabinet drawers???

I can't decide!! I am starting to wish I was a stay-at-home-Wife; bet that won't happen until I retire.

OK, off to create! Please stay tuned!

Sketch Challenge...Vintage Christmas

2010-07-06T23:20:00.004-05:00

I am the Sketch hostess this week at CardMaker. They have two challenges each week. Check it out, it's a great site!! I guess I loaded these backwards...oops. Well anyway, above is my card. The background paper (dark red) is a little shiny and was incredibly hard to photograph... it came out looking like cheap plastic in the picture. I inked the edges of the background paper using a used dryer sheet and SU Craft ink; It worked well but was messy!!

I really like this stamp set. It's cute, has a bit of nostalgia to it and gives me a great reason to use my Stamp-a-ma-jig!

Obviously not a graphic design guru here! Actually, I was going to just draw the sketch in Word but after two clicks decided that it wasn't really that big of a deal!

Thanks for stopping by!

The Sweetest Card

2010-06-28T09:49:00.000-05:00

My card making friend, Lori, sent this adorable card to me to let me know she's thinking about us while we miss our Sweet Baby, Lucy. What a sweet lady!! Click on Lori's name above to visit her blog. Click here and here to read about Lucy.

Thank you Lori, you are very kind!