Do you see what I see?



Ever order pancakes at Cracker Barrel?  My daughter always does, and I feel like I just have to keep the syrup bottles even though we don't really use the syrup.  Maybe it is because I am fascinated with all things miniature and I would say these qualify.  So, I came up with another way to use them.



 



They make great bud vases.  You know your rose bushes need pruning anyway.



This is why...

If you know me, you know that this particular ring is prooooobably not something I would have picked out for myself.  I mean, I like fleur de lis as much as the next girl, but in proportion to me, this ring is a littttle big.  And flashy. 
So, why am I sporting this ring around town?  This is why...
One very sweet little six year old girl, who happens to be my daughter, was sent to school with $10 to spend at the "Santa Store."  She could have bought whatever she wanted.  Keep in mind there are LOTS of toys at Santa Store.  She went in and passed up the toys...and spent her entire budget on a gift....for me!  So if you see me around town, and something flashy catches your eye, it might be me and my bling.  This is why...it's a reminder that some kids DO know the meaning of Christmas!!
(If I ever get around to  making my December Daily album, this will be a page.)

Christmas Joy

So the lighting is terrible in this picture, but these cards are really sparkly and pretty.  I found an ornamental font at http://www.houseoflime.com/ and printed them large on cardstock.  Then I used Tim Holtz pine distress ink, a couple spritzes of red Tattered Angels Gimmer Mist and some shimmery bronze Glimmer Mist.  These were fun and easy to make.  Perfect for the three florist frogs I recently found for a steal at an antique shop.  You could also stand them up in place card holders or even upside down binder clips.

more handmade Christmas stockings

My sister Jena made these stockings. I like the simple design.  I see my pic on one of them.  Maybe that means she will fill it with treats for me!!

Bottle cap jewelry

Made these to sell on ebay.  Want one? I am positive your little girl does.  She probably already has the necklace to go with it.  This one has a strong magnet on the back to attach to the washer on the necklace.  Click the link.  Click "See other items" to see more.  I used Glossy Accents glue to make them watertight (not waterproof). 

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=130464262024&ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT

fabric flower shoes

I made these shoes for Mallory to wear with her uniform to school.  The flowers were made from a skirt that had a hole in it.  The mary janes were ordered from http://www.target.com/.  I got this idea from Becky Higgins who got it from this blog:  http://www.joyshope.com/.

Made to Match Matilda Jane

I couldn't find anything to match this Mathilda Jane outfit, so I made this flower barrette using wired ribbon and curling ribbon.

handmade Christmas stocking

My sister Jackie made this herself.  I am pretty sure this is the first thing she has ever sewn.  I think it turned out pretty "darn" well (like "darn"ing stockings-hehe).  This is what happens when you are determined not to pay fifty dollars per stocking.  Inspiration came from stockings in the Ballard Design catalog.

Thanks pumpkin

Used my Slice machine to cut the letters.  It was cold outside so they are not exactly straight.

Pumpkin Light Night

We spray painted this pumpkin purple along with thick pipe cleaners. (I never knew pipe cleaners could be painted, but it worked. Good enough, anyway.) We hot glued dollar store fairy wings to the back. I drew the big bug eyes and my daughter painted them in. I think the black is actually Sharpie.

Littlest Pet Shop bug pumpkin

We think it turned out great for our Pumpkin Light Night display at our school.

Halloween banner

Finally finished my halloween banner.  I mostly like it.  Not crazy about the heavy black tassel trim.  May cut off the tassels.  But that is a hassle.  He-He.  Used Martha Stewart paper, mostly and a couple I already had (DCWV.)  Each pennant has a crepe paper border along the top.  Green rhinestones are http://www.glitz.com/.  Trim and embellishments are stuff I already had (or borrowed from my six year old.)  I used my Slice machine to cut letters out of old dictionary paper.

Halloween card by Jojo

My sister made this card and sent it to my daughter.  Jordan, let me know what materials you used, in case my followers want to know.  He-Hee

Elmer's giveaway

Also there is a prize package by Elmer's being given away at    http://62cards.blogspot.com/2010/10/elmers-giveaway-3-winners.html.

Blog Haunt

Paper Secrets is doing a Blog Haunt this year.  Comment on 31 blogs and win prizes.  I am having fun seeing what is out there in the blogosphere.  Start at Kristi's blog- http://www.devosmommy.blogspot.com/ and follow the links.

Halloween layout

Halloween teacher gifts

I like to get unexpected gifts. So I like to give unexpected gifts.

Just a little something, to brighten someone's day. These Halloween treats went to my coworkers and my daughter's teacher. I took the label off a Frapuccino and called it Spooky Serum. 

Fall candy corn looked like Crow's Feet. Sort of.

A jar of lemonheads was labelled Poison No. 94. I found jars at the dollar store.

Target had these little eyeball bubbles which were perfect for Eye of Newt.

Green tomato salsa became Ghoul Drool. I found these labels at Target several years in a row. 

Make someone's day today!

Halloween mini album

Journaling:  I try to write down funny things my daughter says and add it to my pages.

Paper bag albums are super easy to make.  I like them because I can finish one in a day, if I try.  Especially if I use stuff that I already have.  If you have lots of pictures, you can just add more tags.  Some materials are Making Memories.  Paper by Die Cuts with a View

School mini album

Somehow I keep getting the pictures out of order. Sorry!
I pretty much used stuff I already had for this one. I made the frame on the bulletin board page out of balsa wood from Michael's. The "tacks" are small brads. The border was made using scalloped scissors and my old crimper to look like the border that teachers use for classroom bulletin boards. And yes, I cut my kid's class picture-but no one got cut out. This mixed up mini was inspired by Ali Edward's "Evolution" style album.

Back to School

This little clipboard embellishment was made with my Slice machine. If you look closely, you can tell that it is a tag shape cut out of thin chipboard and then out of metallic paper. I cut the top of the metallic tag to make the clip part and glued it onto the chipboard tag.
I painted half of a toothpick to look like a pencil. I actually made this for my daughter's dollhouse after noticing that the ones in the store were made this way.
The plan is to use it in my back to school mini album, but this would be a cute tag or embellishment for a teacher gift.

Mission Accomplished: PMI Deletion

Woo-hoo- we've finally managed to have Private Mortgage Insurance taken off of our house note. If you don't know if you are paying this ridiculous fee, check your mortgage statement. You could be paying an extra $80 or more per month for absolutely no reason. It is sort of a pain to get this done and you have to pay for an appraisal of your house (even though you already know its value, of course). But, if you have 20% equity in your home, and you can prove it, there is no reason to pay this amount every month.

Now if you are wondering why I am writing about this on a blog about paper... Well... money is printed on paper isn't it? You remember-it's called cash. It's green. Sometimes you wish you had it to pay for that pack of gum instead of using your debit card again.

Summer paper bag mini scrapbook album

As summer draws to a close, it is time to scrapbook all of the pictures. I made this mini album using paper lunch sacks. Most of the stickers, chipboard pieces, rub-ons, ribbons, and embellishments are from the "juicy summer" collection by KI Memories. Paper is by DCWV, Best Occasions, and Making Memories. I also used crepe paper, brads, eyelets, and flowers.

This is for sale in my www.etsy.com shop. (9-2-11)