a thank you to my blog readers

So for today's post, I wanted to send each and everyone of you a 'Thank You' for reading my blog...and what better way to do that than to show my thanks in one of the home made cards recently made!

This card is actually one of my favorites because of the contrast in colors and the texture in the paper stock, and it was so simple to make! Really! This card only required a scored white card stock, black and yellow paper and a flower die. After sizing and cutting the paper, and punching the flower out, it was just a matter of piecing it together and stamping the final 'thank you' on the yellow strip.


So enjoy the card created, and again I just wanted to thank you all for stopping by my blog, commenting and taking in my ideas! I have also enjoyed visiting each and everyone of your blogs and will continue to do my best to share my 'polka dot thoughts'.

Thank you!

Fix it Friday...Er Um...Sunday!

So I was a little late in contributing my 'Fix it Friday' photo for the I Heart Faces blog...but better late than never! The original photo (below) is so beautiful in itself! However, I must say editing this one was a lot of fun (especially since I had more time this time than the last one completed during my lunch break!).

Original:

In looking at this photo titled 'beauty', this little girl looked like she would be a sweet dancer. Once I envisioned her as a dancer, my creativity soared from there. While editing and imagining this little girl as a dancer, the song 'Tiny Dancer' came to mind (and is now stuck in my head). I really wanted to capture soft angles and coloring in this image when editing. I also wanted to add some creative swirls/scrolls. Hope you enjoy my attempt at editing this photo, and be sure to check out other amazing edits on the I Heart Faces blog!

Edit:

Personalized Koozie

Football season is definitely amongst us and what better thing to make than personalized koozies for all the future tailgating? If you are anything like me, you probably have a handful of freebie koozies sitting around somewhere at your house. These are the kind you pick up at events, wedding favors, tradeshows...etc. They are cute and all, but sometimes you just feel they need a little bit extra to be more personalized! Piece of cake, all you need is an old koozie, ribbon and scissors to make your koozie fabulous!

Taking the old koozie, whereever you want to weave the ribbon (I usually do it at the top), make small vertical incisions every 1 inch followed by 1/4 inch. Keep cutting in this pattern until you have come full circle. Next, just take the ribbon and weave it in and out of your cuts. After the ribbon is in place, just adjust the strands and tie a cute bow. Finally, feel free to embellish your koozie with cute iron-ons such as embroidered letters or rhinestones! This is such a simple craft and looks like it was personalized from a specialty store. It's sure to be a hit among the crowds and perfect as a simple tailgating gift for friends.

Foto Friday!

This week's photo features my very own Marley. He is our loving 7 month Golden Retriever. With Golden's having a natural liking to water, this photo is one of my favorites of him because it captures so much thought. This was taken back in June when we went to a friend's lake house to kick the summer months off. Everyone was playing in the water, splashing and having a great time and then there is Marley, very concerned about the water and not quite sure what to make of it. Rest assured, his natural water instincts kicked in and he finally decided to take the plunge and go swimming (now we can't keep him out of the water!).


Taking the original photo, an aged lighting filter was applied. After playing around with the curves and tones to further emphasize the shadows in this image, the photo was then softened and slightly cropped in. I feel the edited image almost looks like an old post card, which is one of the reasons I like it so much. It also reminds me of young Marley's fears and reservations when he was a puppy. Now he is a little dare devil in the water!

Got a special photo you want featured for Foto Friday? Feel free to send them to me and they may be featured!

Bored with your headboard?

OK...so I guess I wasn't bored with my headboard because my guest room doesn't actually have a headboard...but I was bored with staring at a blank wall behind the bed where the headboard should be. The guest room needed something more, but I wasn't about to go and buy a bed frame and headboard--and I also didn't have the funds for some huge inspiring art piece. Instead, I scavenged around the house looking for anything I could reuse to fill that blank space.

While digging through boxes of things and pondering what to do, I came across the small 6" x 6" mirrors used as center pieces for my wedding. I had a ton of these and they were begging to be reused! Taking a handful of these mirrors, I walked in the guest room and stared at the blank wall for what seemed like hours...we were definitely having a stare down and the blank wall was winning...

Finally, it came to me! I was going to create a contemporary geometric pattern above the bed, where normally a headboard would go. I had decided to create 8" x 8" black squares and place the mirror circles in the middle, and hang on the wall. This could act as a piece of artwork and fill the space temporarily until I had an actual headboard.

I really should have waited for small 8" x 8" wood pieces to be cut, but I had an idea and like normal, I wanted it done right then and there...so I made do with what I had. Grabbing extra cardboard boxes, I started vigorously cutting the 12 8" x 8" squares. I then grabbed my paintbrushes and black paint and got to work. JD, of course walked in the living room to see this huge mess I had created and could only laugh and let me continue my crazy work.

Once the paint dried, I attached the mirrors in the center and hung (as straight as possible) each of these pieces. Finally, the room was coming together and life was being brought into the room! The best thing about this project is it cost absolutely nothing but my time. Surprisingly, I do get a lot of complements on the pieces and my guests never realize it is cardboard until I point it out! Amazing what the eyes see...but even more amazing what you items you can reuse in your house!

A Homemade Card that Kicks..Butt!

In preparing for a future bachelorette party, I was on the hunt for the perfect, clean and tasteful bachelorette card to make. Monica introduced me to this adorable card that displays a bra on the front side and a butt on the backside--perfect for this occasion! After seeing this card, I felt I had to make it and luckily Monica needed to make one as well, so the 2 of us got working.


The main template for this card is really simple...just like you would make a heart (folding the card and cutting half of the card), you do this cutting pattern, except you cut in the shape of an 'w'. Once you have cut, when you open the card it should look like a butterfly. Next on the front you start to cut decorated paper for the bra look. You can then embellish the bra by adding some lace for the straps.

To work on the butt, just flip the card over and using the same paper pattern, create your thong (or underwear) look. Finally, if desired, simply add a cute heart 'tattoo' stamp on the butt. You can then personalize the card and share it with your soon to be wedded friend! Again, this is such a perfect card for this occasion and is easily created with little paper and ribbon. Once completed, it is sure to create some smiles among friends!

I ♥ Faces - Week 33 - Nostalgia Photo

This week at I Heart Faces, blog viewers are asked to post a picture representing just one word...'nostalgia'. This was quite challenging for me, but I still welcomed the challenge.

First I had to define what nostalgia is. Dictionary.com defines this as "a wistful desire to return in thought or in fact to a former time in one's life, to one's home or homeland, or to one's family and friends; a sentimental yearning for the happiness of a former place or time: a nostalgia for his college days."

In looking through my photos, I came across a photo of myself as a child. Who wouldn't want to be taken back to the simplicity of their childhood? As I was color correcting this photo, I was instantly taken back to 1988, when this was taken. I distinctly remember my favorite Rainbow Bright tricycle that I had just gotten! I felt like I was on top of the world...barefoot and free, with no worries. I could let my childhood imagination roam and there was no stopping me!

I think we should all have moments of escape to our childhood. Remember our childhood dreams and imaginations. Remember the people that surrounded us with love that may no longer currently be with us. And remember how the small things (such as your favorite tricycle or toy) made the biggest impact. What do you think? What are some of your favorite childhood memories?

Craft Closet

Among many things, I'm notorious for being organized...so much so that people laugh when I show them my 'junk drawer' in the kitchen (a post for another day I suppose). Being organized may seem like wasted time or energy to others, but I actually like cleaning and organizing! It is a great stress relief!

Since we moved into our house about a year ago, I have been itching to convert one of our FROG (yes, we have big hopes for this FROG of ours!) closets into a craft closet, organizing all my craft stuff in one central location. Grabbing the paint we used to color the room, I moved all the stored boxes out of one of the closets, painted and decided I was tackling this project that moment! JD helped me with the shelves, ribbon holder and painting, so I had great help! Within 2 days we were able to knock this out!
As you can see, I have labeled baskets storing crafting tools, utensils, paint, paper..etc. I also used a trash can to hold my wrapping paper and a curtain rod for the ribbon spools. Finally, a larger basket was used to store my saved up tissue paper and gift bags. If you have a vacant closet and a good bit of craft clutter, I highly recommend this! When the closet doors are shut, my crafting clutter is out of sight--but when the doors are open, I'm ready to dive in and play!

Back 2 School...Cool!

So, I'm not sure about you guys, but tomorrow is the first day of school for the 2009 year! What does this mean...well this definitely means more traffic for me getting to work, requiring me to leave at least 10 minutes earlier than normal with the hopes I don't get stuck behind any school buses. After all, I only pass 4 elementary schools on my way to work!

But the start of school also means other things...football season is in session, tourist season is dying down here at the beach (thank goodness!) and kids, parents and teachers are gearing up for another big year. Parents are ensuring their kids have new clothes, supplies, haircut and are ready to face another year of learning and growing. They want their kids to start the school year on the right foot, and I agree with the parents! First impressions are lasting, which is why I think going above and beyond is a must!

Now, I do not have any children yet, but I imagine if I did I would want my child to do something a little special for the teacher to make a lasting first impression. It doesn't have to be anything huge, but something small and sweet is a nice added touch. I think a great idea is to make some simple personalized note cards for the new teachers. Who doesn't like personalized note cards? They are very simple to create and I'm sure the new teachers appreciate this over the cliche apple, lotions, candles, candy... (no offense if anyone has ever done those, those are very sweet ideas as well!).

Below are some samples of personalized cards I have made in the past. Simply purchase the note cards that are already have a designed background and you can personalize them yourself with the use of various graphic programs. Once the design is completed, just run them through the printer and you have a very nice set of cards for the new teachers. It doesn't cost a fortune and makes a lasting impression! I give this an A+ for Back to School musts!

Fall Invitation

Today I am meeting with a good friend, Stephanie, to go over designing her wedding invitations. She is getting married in November and I am honored to be a bridesmaid in her wedding. The dresses are so cute--chocolate, strapless tea-length with an autumn orange sash. I definitely feel I can be rewearing this in the future...especially for upcoming fall events. I know all brides (including myself) always say the dresses can be reworn, but I would say 9 out of 10 times they are never reworn. I can personally attest to this as I currently have 3 other bridesmaid dresses in my closet that have never been reworn.

In brainstorming ideas about Stephanie's wedding invitations, I am reminded of the wedding I created invitations for last year. It too, was a fall wedding for early November and she wanted a simple, clean invitation that included fall items such as a leaf. When I first started designing them, she was unsure of her wedding colors, so I stuck with a sage green coloring. You can see I created a few options below, and further down are the final ones she chose. Her final colors for the wedding came to be a royal blue. I think the invitations turned out great and the wedding was absolutely gorgeous and so Shannon! I can't wait to create Stephanie's invitations and see how they turn out!

Options:

Final:

Wedding:

Fix it Friday

Every Friday at the iHeartFaces blog, they have a photo for bloggers to edit and share tools used. Below is the original photo and my edits done quickly during my work lunch break!

Original

Edit #1

Edit #2

All of my edits were completed using Photoshop. Let me know your thoughts and check out what others have done to edit this photo...the possibilities are endless!

Foto Friday!

It is time for 'Foto Friday', where I will display a photo I have taken the time to edit in various programs. Today's honored photo is a picture of my adorable niece, Caroline. My amazing sister-in-law and her daughter came to visit a couple weeks ago to embark on their first mini-vacation and also to celebrate Caroline's 6 month birthday. Let me first just explain, that not only is Caroline a sweet heart and such an easy baby(!), she is also a very gorgeous child! That weekend with Caroline was among many firsts for her: First long trip, first time eating bananas and first time swimming in the pool, which is the photo I have taken and edited.

Below is the before image. Aren't my sister-in-law and niece so adorable? She had the best time in the pool, was splashing with her tiny hand and laughing! It was such a precious site.
Although the original image is a very cute one without the editing, I wanted to capture Caroline's true soft beauty, which is shown below. After a bit of cropping, lighting adjustments, color changes, sharpening, surface blur and burning shifts, below is the final outcome!
Got a special photo you want featured for Foto Friday? Feel free to send them to me and they may be featured!

Clean, Reusable Calendar

What do you get when you take an old college dry-erase board calendar and combine it with an old large collage frame? Well, see for yourself...
You get a very clean, reusable calendar, perfect for any office setting!

After moving to the beach and unpacking my old boxes, I came across my dry-erase calendar board and my old college collage board. Instead of updating ALL the pictures in the collage, I decided to use this collage and frame to create a nicer looking dry-erase calendar that matched the look and feel of the office better. I simply took apart the old dry-erase calendar, just taking the thin calendar portion (if you have one similar to me, it is just a vinyl calendar piece laid on top of a card board piece, framed with a cheap plastic). Next, take out the photos from the collage, leaving only a few openings to be next to your calendar. Now you can just place and secure the calendar on top of the collage matting. Finally, take your dry-erase pen and secure it to the outside of the frame with some Velcro adhesive. Voila! You now have a more aesthetically pleasing calendar for your office! The dry-erase marker should be able to be erased on both plastic and glass. I usually clean my calendar monthly with some nail polish remover...works like a charm!

Remember, most 'junk' can be turned into something amazing! Just clear your mind a bit, dust off the old cobwebs on your 'junk' and put it to good use!

When Life Hands You Lemons...

Make an adorable Lemonade Card! Every now and then my good friend, Monica, hosts a Stampin' Up party where she teaches us how to make some adorable homemade cards. I went to one Wednesday night and as always it was a great time of food, socializing and crafting cards.

It just amazes me how much you can actually do with stamps! A few jobs ago I use to work at a crafting company, and there one of the products produced was stamps. I never realized it at that time all the awesome things you can make with stamps! In my mind, stamps were old fashioned and used by teachers when grading papers...boy was I wrong! There is so much you can do with stamps. With the right tools you can create colorful patterns. You can even emboss or create scratch and sniff items with stamps!

Perhaps the most impressive thing to me about the Stampin' Up brand is how everything is color coordinated and matches perfectly, which I love! You can buy Stampin' Up paper, ribbon, ink, markers and much more that ALL match the same color...meaning if you use a pale blue in the paper, you can get the same pale blue ribbon to match perfectly.

One of the cards made in the class is this adorable Lemonade Card that is actually 3D. By simply cutting the paper, making a few punches, stamping the lemons, using a vellum for the cup and an actual straw, we were able to create this adorable card! It is so cute, I almost want to keep it and not send out, but of course I'll send it out so someone else can enjoy the card and special message.

Upholster Your Furniture

I have a big project in the FROG I want to eventually undertake. Basically, it requires me to convert our old TV stand into a sitting bench with cushion. Now, since I have never upholstered anything before, I needed a test dummy...bar stools it is!

I have had these bar stools in my life since as long as I can remember. They have followed me from childhood, to college, to present--so it was time for an updated look anyway! Since most of the furniture in our house is espresso or contemporary black, I decided it'd be easiest to paint black and upholster the top. After purchasing some clearance fabric and foam at JoAnns, and grabbing my husband's staple gun--I got to work (and had WAY too much fun with the staple gun I might add!) All in all, I'm actually quite pleased with the result and once I get started on the bench I'll be sure to share that as well! Enjoy!

Custom Shot Glass Case

Everyone has that one thing they collect, well, mine for years has been shot glasses! It never ceases to amaze me at how many people still remember that, too, but I'm glad they do! I remember when I first started collecting them, I ordered a custom case but it only held 25 shot glasses. Well, at the time 25 seemed like a lot, but it wasn't long until I quickly outgrew that case.

When packing up and moving to the beach, all my precious shot glasses were wrapped tightly and placed in a box. It wasn't until we moved into our house that I rediscovered this treasure of mine and was determined to find the appropriate home for them! I was on a mission and that meant a project was brewing...

After researching various cases and again being stunned at the costs for them, my husband and I set out to design and create our own custom shot glass case that matched our modern decor style. After drawing up the plans and buying the wood, we created the case, shown to the left.

It can hold well more than the shot glasses I have, which is perfect...room to grow! We didn't make individual slots for the shot glasses, because I wanted to be able to fill the space with picture frames and other knick-knacks until I got more shot glasses. We also made the bottom and top rows taller to hold the double shot glasses. It was a blast working on this project with JD. While he did the wood work, I was in charge of painting and organizing the shot glasses. This is one of my favorite projects we have done to date because the end result was so rewarding. I now can go in the FROG and see our shot glasses being displayed proudly. I can look at each shot glass and still remember who gave me them and for what reason, so this is very special to me. Another great thing about this case was it cost...are you ready...$16.00! That is right, $16.00 for materials and then the only other cost was our time! Well worth it in my mind! Enjoy!

Diaper Cake Creation

There is definitely something in the water here! Everywhere I turn, I'm finding out my friends are pregnant! What a wonderful blessing and I couldn't be happier for them. I do have some friends who have been through a long journey to get to that point, so to see them with smiles on their faces again because of their growing miracle is so special to me.

Along with crafting and creating, a huge passion of mine is decorating and planning events! Recently my work hosted a shower for 2 of my coworkers who are pregnant and due shortly. I of course, did the decorating and loved every second of it. This was my first baby shower I helped with and it was great practice for the many others I'll be throwing. When finding out I would be decorating, all I could focus on was how to make a diaper cake! How perfect would that be for the shower? I remember seeing them in specialty stores and baby boutiques and them costing $75-$100, and I made a mental note that the first baby shower I helped with I was making one! Well, I am proud to say, I followed through and below are my successful efforts!


How did I make them you may ask? I bought a pack of 96 diapers, stage 3. Learn from my mistake and be sure to get white only! This being my first cake, lesson learned! You then need to take a round pizza can and place a soup can in the middle. Next simply start wrapping the diapers around the soup can, overlapping as you go. There is math involved in this, if you are making a 3 tier cake, be sure to keep it to a 3:2:1 ratio on the diapers. So depending on the quantity you have, just calculate accordingly. Once you have the diapers wrapped, take a piece of string to secure it. You can then remove the soup can and fill the middle with remaining diapers for that tier. Follow those same steps for the other 2 tiers. Finally, you can stack the tiers and secure with a stick. I secured my tiers with the flower topper (it had a long stem, so worked out perfectly). Finally, the fun part! Accessorizing the cake! I kept it simple by just securing some colorful ribbon. I did use 2 different types of ribbon here: a thick white and colorful. You can probably just use the colored ribbon as the white was just used to make up for my mistake of grabbing patterned diapers!

I know for a fact I will be creating 2 more of these, probably larger, so I'll be sure to post these new ones in the future! In the mean time, enjoy my first attempt. Remember, this decoration is perfect for a visual point of view and also for a practical one. The mother's get to take these home and actually use them in the future! If you buy the later stage diapers it works out better because then the mother's can enjoy the craftsmanship a little longer before needing to use the diapers.

Welcome Guests!

Since this is my first official blog posting, and anyone viewing this is officially a guest, I thought the perfect topic would in fact be...guests! Even though the summer is winding down and school is about to start back up, tourists and guests are still vacating to the beach. There's a saying that goes something like "You never know how many friends you have until you live on the beach". Well, although my husband and I aren't right on the beach, we are still close enough. From friends to family, we have been fortunate enough to be able to save money and travel less this year because everyone has been traveling to see us!

I personally love being a host and showing off our town and beach. If I could greet each guest with a welcome basket, I would, but since that could get pretty pricey, I do the little things for an added touch. One such thing I do for guests is personalize a welcome card that sits in a basket in the guest room complete with towels, lotions and small reading. Below is a sample card created. Most of my guests choose to take them home as a 'souvenir'.

This is such a simple, yet special thing that friends and family eat up! I had some extra invitation stock for reply cards (from creating a friend's wedding invitations), that I am able to print on and create these little cards. Take a peak, enjoy and next time you have company, doing something simple and sweet like this is the perfect added bonus to being a great host/hostess!