Custom Silhouettes - Get Yours Today!

These are SO darling.

You must stop over and check them out! The silhouettes are just one the latest creation from the talented Emily Lunt studio.

How cute would these be above your little ones bed? Darling. Or in your family room. Darling. Or in your master bedroom, you & your hubby. Darling. Or on the grandma brag wall? Darling. You see where I am going. Just too cute! 

More details found here from Emily Lunt . 

To order, email Emily at emilynlunt@gmail.com .

Revamp a Nightstand - Tutorial

original boring nightstand

step 1

gather supplies - sanding block, tack cloth, spray primer, colored spray paint, clear varnish, tint, rag. 

step 2
sand nightstand.

step 3

wipe with tack cloth to remove sanded particles.

step 4
prime with spray primer. once primer is dry, coat with colored spray paint.

step 5
sand edges.

step 6
dip rag in tint. rub onto nightstand. let sit for about 30 seconds - 1 minute. dampen rag. remove wipe down nightstand removing excess.

step 7
once tint has dried. coat with clear varnish.

tada!

Clothespin Picture Stands - Tutorial

step 1

gather supplies - clothespins, clear nail polish, fine point sharpie, orange sticks used for waxing. 

step 2

apply a coat of clear nail polish to each clothes pin. this seals the wood to prevent bleeding.

step 3
once the clear coat has dried completely, add sentiments with the sharpie.

step 4
clip photo with clothespin using orange stick to help stabilize the print.

final product

Meet Don - Be The Match

I was pondering why it takes a personal connection to motivate us (human beings) to get involved. Why do we wait for something to happen before we do something?

This was the case for me with Be The Match. It wasn’t until my best friend’s father, Don was diagnosed with two types of leukemia this past year that I got involved.

Don is a great man. A wonderful Dad. A fantastic father-in-law. A kind and loving husband. A generous grandpa. Don is full of service and concern for others, ever willing to help when asked. Quick to chuckle. Truly, a great person.

But Don has two types of leukemia.

He needs a bone marrow transplant to fight his cancer.

Did you know, your children are not tested as potential donors?  An unrelated-stranger is a better match? Crazy. Your siblings can be tested but the odds are still better with a stranger.

Don’s siblings are not a match.

Don’s hope for life must come from the bone marrow registry. A stranger, a fellow human being, perhaps sitting in a cubicle, made a choice to be involved.

Now Don will have a chance to fight. I pray and hope he will win.

Don is the reason I received this donor card in the mail. I cannot cure Don’s cancer. I cannot wish it away. I can be the hope for a fellow human being, perhaps sitting in a cubicle.

To be someone’s hope visit: BeTheMatch.org

Confession: i heart feet...in shoes???

I was looking through my photos on my phone and noticed something odd, I really like pictures of feet in shoes. Weird, right?! I am not sure why, I just like the way they look, from the side, from the top, all in a row, other people's, mine, multiple all in a row. It is a strange obsession, indeed.

evidence below...

I didn't take this one, my s-i-l did...but I LOVE it! I might just frame this one!

Anyone else have a odd photo obsession????

Custom Quote - Tutorial

A while back I was reading  Lil Blue Boo's site, (I love her site, it is AMAZING!) I came across this quote ...

"To live a creative life we must lose our fear of being wrong" 

- Joseph Chilton Pearce 

I love this quote. For whatever reason, it speaks to me, resonates. That's the beauty of quotes, right? Sometimes the words just hit you, bam, its what you needed in that moment. 

I wanted a fun way to display the quote in my craft/guest room. I thought about vinyl letters, but I wanted something a little different. I love the look of subway letter blocking. This is what I came up with.

step 1

decide what size you want your print to be. buy a picture frame that gives you the look you want. 

frame from Ikea

step 2

using a computer program you are familiar with (I use Adobe Illustrator) type and layout your quote, setting you artboard/ page size to match your print size. for example: i wanted a 11 x 11 print, so I set my margins to 11 inches by 11 inches. play with the fonts. choose the one you love.

step 3 

save your file as a jpg. to do this, when you SAVE AS, choose, jpg as the file type.

step 4

print your new jpg file to your favorite one-hour photo company (I use Costco Photo Center).

step 5

pick up your print. 

12 x 12 print

step 6

add a piece of scotch tape to the top and bottom of the quote, sticky side up.

step 7

center mat from picture frame on quote. be sure to rub/press so the tape will adhere.

step 8
flip mat and taped quote over. add two more pieces of tape on each side. this keeps your print from sliding in the frame once you hang it.

step 9 

place quote/mat back in frame. add the frame paper face up (blank side down) to the back of quote. 

step 10

replace the back of frame, securing frame brackets. tip: i use a butter knife, saves my fingers.

step 11
the finished product.

Something to Think About...

“One day our descendants will think it incredible that we paid so much attention to things like the amount of melanin in our skin or the shape of our eyes or our gender instead of the unique identities of each of us as complex human beings.”   

                                -Franklin Thomas

Reflection: This is so true. How much time do we spend "worrying" instead of enjoying ourselves and others?


 It reminded me of a story shared by President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, of the small tiny, forget-me-not flower. Here are couple of my favorite quotes from it...

“…Everyone has strengths and weaknesses. It is wonderful that you have strengths. And it is part of your mortal experience that you do have weaknesses.”

“…if you consider success to be only the most perfect rose or dazzling orchid, you may miss some of life’s sweetest experiences.” (Uchtdorf, Dieter.“Forget MeNot”.Ensign. Nov 2011)

Reflection: Have you taken the time to enjoy your small successes? 

An Office For Kelli

My friend Kelli asked me what she should do with her home office. This is a preliminary of what I came up with for her. I think she will love it!

Journal Giveaway Winner

The winner of the journal giveaway is Carol! Yay, Carol!


 Carol said this in regards to journals...

"I've heard of Moleskines but not dared to try them. I have been using a Strathmore mixed media wire bound book but I love the idea of a two page spread in a Moleskine."


Carol I have a feeling you are going to love your new Moleskine. 


Thanks to everyone for your comments.