Magnetic File Folder

I have a love/ hate relationship with

sticking papers on my refridgerator.

 

I love having the reminder in clear view

and I love the ease of looking at the school calenders,

but I hate the clutter and it always looks messy.

Enter the new Front Porch Kit...

"Say Cheese"!

I am so blessed to design for these scrapbook kits...

they really bring out my creativity!

This kit came with an accordion style file folder.

As soon as I saw it, I knew I wanted it in my kitchen!

I covered it with scrapbook paper and chevron fabric. 

 

 

It turned out so cute I almost want to keep it

on the front of the fridge, not on the side!

 

I just love the layered ruffles and button embellishments!

It is the details that make this project

 look like decor and not a clutter hider!

And would you believe that this label is made from chalkboard paper!

I can easily change the title out...

recipes, schedules, receipts, stuff, etc.

What a fix, right?

If you need a few more details on how to make one.

come on over to my scrappin' blog...

The No- No Room.

and if you want to purchase the kit,

head on over HERE!

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What in the world...

...have we been up to?

Mostly just delighting in these two!

Are they getting big or what?

 

Would you believe, we had 4 Valentine's Parties!

That was alot of candy and a lot of fun!

I got such a kick out of Mike writing each card to his friends-

It was very serious work.

 

 

I re-opened the Etsy shop and I am currently filling orders

 and coming up with new designs.

What a blessing this shop has been to our family!

We have also started trying out a little more

"home school" type stuff.

Unlike Mike at 3- Adelyn loves "working"

She knows all her letters, shapes, colors, numbers,

 and even most of the letter sounds.

 

The dentist knows our family really well this year...

we all had check ups.

Mike and I had to go back...

He had to get TWO teeth pulled because

new ones were already coming in.

Me? Ummmm.... I had a cavity.

 

Redoing Adelyn's room has turned into the project that never ends.

We are currently repainting EVERYTHING

and this Texas weather is not helping,

but on a high note-

my neighbors have been helping!

I can't wait for it to be finished- you will love it!

It is also time for a new Front Porch Kit!!!!

and I have been scrappin' away!

Be sure to come back for my

"clear the clutter" project...

it is darling, if I do say so myself!

 

We have also been delighting in our church more...

I am teaching Sunday school and

it feels so good to put that hat on again!

Adam has been helping out in the garden and

has a pretty bad case of spring fever!

Tonight, Grandma is keeping the kiddos and

we get to go hear Joe McGee!

We are making it a date night!!

 

SO... I promise to blog more...

well, I promise to TRY to blog more ;)

 

Beach Decor

I do not have a mantel in this house (sigh) 

I really only miss it when it is time to hang stocking,

because I kinda think of our entryway buffet

 as a mantel to decorate with the seasons.

This summer we have been to the beach three times already

 and hope to make four before school starts. 

 The beach has always been one of my very favorite places,

so I wanted to decorate with some of my

beachy treasures and and favorite photos!

My sweet neighbor gave me this old frame...

at part of my design team work for Front Porch Kits

 I made these canvas tags. 

You can see them better HERE.

I absolutely love how this turned out...

the sand was brought home for one of our trips...

 and yes my hubs thought I was crazy! 

On the inside, I used sea shells I have

 collected over the years and some beach glass. 

Growing up my Aunt and Uncle had a beach house,

one of my very favorite memories it combing

the beach for glass with my Aunt Loretta and my mom.

When I look at the center of this display

 I get such a sweet rush of memories...

kind of like when you first step onto the beach, smell the salty air,

 feel the warm breeze, and hear the waves rolling...

 ahh, I just love it!

This project has been in the works for a long time. 

My mom found a memory jar similar to this online and

 we set out to find the perfect jars. 

 I really wanted mine to hold two pictures,

 so I picked up this glass block for $7

and this to die for burlap ribbon!

On the inside is more sand for our beach,

 some shells (I bought) and a bit of the beads for my Just Add Water Kit. 

The pictures our of Mike and Addy

 when they were both around 18months...

having the time of their little life at the beach. 

Even now at 5 and 2, you will find

 Mike in the water and Adelyn digging in the sand!

This is a chipboard display I made, again from my design team kit.

The pictures just don't do it justice...

the colors and details are perfect for

displaying such found summer memories

of this years beach trips!

I set on this darling little cake plate

 I bought at my new favorite local shop.

I also have a large photo of Adam and I,

 from way back in the day,

before we were even married walking on the beach...

such sweet memories!

If you are interested in a great line of crafting kits

 for scrapbooking, home decor, and mixed media...

 be sure to check out Front Porch Kits

and if you are in the Dallas/ Fort Worth area

 go visit The Little Blue House for lots of

 classes, supplies, and inspiration!

Just Add Water

 As most of you know I am lucky enough

to be a designer for Front Porch Kits,

This kits are special because, not only are they made for

 the scrap- booker and card maker,

but even the sewer, mixed media artist,

 and diy crafter!

This month's kit is Called Just Add Water...

Trust me when I say it is FULL of paper, textures, embellishments,

and much more!  What I loved the most this month is the colors...

what I would say the most perfect combination of tropical colors!

 Here are a few peaks at what I made

with my Just Add Water Front Porch Kit...

Head over HERE to get yours ordered today and

please come back and see all the great projects I made!

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Easy School Scrapbook

I few days ago I posted so news about becoming a Memory Works consultant.  Well, the one thing I am most excited about is this line called Elementary by Simple Stories.  It is very similar to Project Life, in that it works with different styles of page protectors and pre designed paper to fit the different pockets.

When you watch this video I found on UTUBE, she says you have to buy all these sets of page protectors, but you can get the combination set that is $6.  I am waiting for my order to get here and hope to post my own video or at least tutorial on this.

If you are not a scrapbooker, but would love for your children to have a school keepsake album... this is meant for you!  I also, like that it encourages lots of journaling... I see my kids writing their own thoughts in it as the get older.  Lastly, they have the same type of kits in BABY BOY or GIRL, BIRTHDAY, TRAVEL, or just LIFE!

You can see them on my Scrapping Blog!  Let me know if you want more information!

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Gratitude Journal

Several months ago I pinned an adorable gratitude journal from HERE. 

More recently my very creative friend Erin

made THIS even more adorable journal. 

 In keeping with my OLW mission...

I made me one to help me "Settle" down.

So here is my mini version.

I keep it on my night stand with a few Project Life Cards

and make myself write a few notes before I pick up my book or kindle.

So far so good. 

I do wish I would have titled it "365 thoughts of gratitude"

as sometimes I write down two thoughts and believe it or not (haha)

sometimes I am too tired to even jot down a few words!

I used this cute little paper clip to hold my place.

I made several little pocket sized journals for a tutorial on my scrappin' blog.

You can read all about it HERE in the No No Room.

Oh, and did I mention they were made from 3 for $1 notebooks.

Some are from gifts and some will find their way into my shop.

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Scrappy Magnetic Block Frames

Before Christmas I made a few of these wooden block frames.

Most sold, but this cutie pie is still left.

I am adding it my Etsy Shop.

I super love the vintage cherry designed paper.

The frame will hold up to a 5X7 photo.

Under the paper I glues a thin magnetic strip.

Then I modge podge the paper on top of it.

This was the photo can me attach with these cute little embellished buttons.

Just something different from the clothes pins I was using,

It think it would look adorable in a kitchen for holding recipe cards.

Waiting for a free weekend to make some more.

Such a fun was to display photos, cards, and other memorabilia.

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Project Life!!

For Christmas my mom gave me my project life kit...

yup, she who gave me life, now gives me project life!

If you are not familiar with project life...

have you been living under the scrap booking rock?

I kid. I kid.  Check out THIS video and try not to tear up!

The kit I went with is the Turquoise kit...

but she has four kits, all equally fantastic.

I picked this one because the design matches well

with lots of paper I stole was given

from my mom by Stampin' Up. 

I am really sticking to the original concept of Project Life.

In other words, it is going to be more journaling and pictures

with less embellishing, designing, and artistic stuff. 

Don't get me wrong I have a whole Pinterest board

devoted to beautifully embellished Project Life pages,

but for me... 

 I want to strictly use it to document our daily life.

(hold me to that, girls!)

For example... this resent picture of Addy!

This is what happens when she has chocolate ice cream

30 minutes past her bedtime! 

She is too tired to find her mouth!

 I still hope to make other layouts full of pretty things,

but my hope is for Project Life to be our family legacy...

the book my grand kids will cherish!

And look... even my last page is already done!

 

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Christmas Class Treat

I found this fantastic idea on Pinterest (what else is new-huh) It met my 3 point criteria for Mike's preschool class gifts... 1. cute, 2. easy, and 3. cheap! As a bonus he was able to help make it, which he loved and adds to the "it is better to give" lesson!

The label is free from the Pink Peppermint Blogger. I cut mine up and added some scrapbook paper and tulle. We mixed oat meal, lots of green cookie sugar, and some Christmas colored confetti cookie sprinkles we had. Some recipes said to add glitter, but just incase a friend eats it- I skipped the glitter.

On the back the directions tell the kids to sprinkle this "Magic Reindeer Food" in your yard on Christmas Eve for Rudolf and the reindeer to eat. Mike is really excited to do this and if you run into him he is sure to tell you all about it!

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Fall Canvas

Fall has certainly snuck on me this year.

I guess I was so busy with birthdays and Halloween,

it almost passed me by.

Have no fear, I did find and hour this past weekend

to make something cute... This cute little canvas was inspired by one of my dreams.

It seems weird, I know,

but if you know me in real life

you know how obsessed I can be about my dreams.

I started by ripping up my copy of Eat Pray Love (ha!)

and then modge-podged the pieces to a cheap canvas.

The pumpkin pattern was from my computer clip art.

I cut it a part, traced it on to pretty scrapbook paper,

and layered on the canvas.

This burlap canvas is just three layered circles

sewn together with a vintage button in the center. Lastly, I added a twine bow and hot glued more twine all around the edge to frame it. Now it sits all alone on a book shelf... waiting for a fall friend or two!

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