Creekside Creations

"Granite" from a bottle!

2012-02-09T11:49:00.003-06:00

Or several little bottles, actually! Whew, what an interesting couple of days it has been around here! Did I really have time to tackle this project with homeschooling, orders to fill for my business and church activities? . . . NO, but I was ready to just get it over with!

First, a little background info. When we moved into this house almost four years ago, the countertop had just been put in by the builders. Even though we really didn't like the color, we hated to spend the money to replace it when it was perfectly fine otherwise.

All this time that green countertop has bugged me. We planned on eventually replacing it, but it never seemed to make it to the top of the priority list financially speaking!

I'm a huge DIY kind of person, so when I heard that you could PAINT countertops, I was more than ready to give it a shot! I researched techniques and found a tutorial from a woman who had done hers over three years ago and they are still holding up perfectly.

Enough rambling - I'll get to the project!

Here's where we started (click on the pics to see better)-

Here's my new look-

I've only done one side of the kitchen. My oven, fridge and pantry are on the other side along with two small countertops so it won't be as much work!

Supplies-

-Acrylic paints in your choice of colors
-Paint roller or foam brushes
-Zinsser 1-2-3 primer tinted to your base color (this stuff is AMAZING!)
-Textured paper towels (I used white Sparkle towels)
-Frog tape (again, AMAZING stuff!)
-Minwax Polycrylic in clear gloss

Basically you just prime the countertop, use scrunched up paper towels to blot on the paint and seal it really well.

I'll share the link to the video that I followed at the end, but right now I'll share about a thousand pictures for you to see the process!

OK, the above picture was after the primer and the first two paint colors were dabbed on. THAT looked horrible! I'll admit this was about 11:00 at night and I can't remember for sure, but I think there were tears involved. You can see on the right corner I stopped and did all the layers just to remind myself that this was really going to work!! All was better after a good night's sleep!

More layers - still pretty ugly, but you can see how the colors are building.

A little better, I was getting excited at this point!

The finished product BEFORE the gloss polycrylic was applied. Exactly the colors I wanted but notice how dull it looks here.

AFTER the polycrylic. The colors are richer and it has that nice shine that makes it look more realistic. This is after only one coat. I still have several more coats to go!

That's about it! I promise it wasn't hard. If I can do it, anyone can.

I already had all the supplies I needed except for the polycrylic and the Frog tape. Very inexpensive project!!

Again, I have no idea how it will hold up, but according to Kristi's blog hers have held up fine for three years. I figured I had nothing to lose since we have been seriously talking about replacing them soon anyway. If it works out, we've saved a TON of money - if not, oh well! I'm going to stay positve!

Here's the link to the video. She does a great job explaining everything.

Creative Kristi

I'll be glad to answer any questions!

Countertop Sneak Peak!

2012-02-08T08:03:00.000-06:00

What a process this is! It's not hard, it just takes time!

Here's a little sneak peak - I love how it's turning out. No more GREEN!

I'll share the whole process and more pictures when I'm completely done!

Painting Today . . . but not what you think!

2012-02-07T08:51:00.000-06:00

I'm usually painting signs and blocks, but today I'm painting my KITCHEN COUNTERTOPS! I've been wanting to do this for over a year but I was scared that it wouldn't hold up! I finally ran across a blog post from someone who gave a great tutorial and hers have held up for over 3 years! I'll give the link to her blog and show before/after pictures in my next post. I'm a little nervous, but excited!

Oh, by the way my, Creekside Creations Facebook page has been stuck at 299 likes for a couple of days - I'd love to top 300 today! I'd LOVE for you to Like my page. You'll get in on giveaways, promotions and see custom orders that I'm working on. Thanks so much!

Well, off to make a mess in my kitchen!

I Just Wish They Knew

2012-01-31T15:03:00.000-06:00

I know my blog is hopelessly void of any consistancy right now, but just in case anyone out there still reads my little unorganized spot on the web, I wanted to share this.

I experienced something recently that awakened a burden in my heart that I've never known to this extent. I had a conversation with an unbeliever that shook me to my core. Now I don't mean that it shook my faith - actually, it did just the opposite. It brought me even closer to the Lord and made me all the more thankful that I personally know the creator of heaven and earth and am able to call Him Father.

After hearing this person's stance on God, (basically that there is no God) I was deeply saddened. I prayed for the right scriptures and words to come to mind during the conversation. God delivered the exact words I needed, but the individual has a hardened heart and refused to accept anything I had to say. I tried to take to heart what 1 Corinthians 2 :14 says:

The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned.

The weather is unseasonably warm here in TN this week so I decided to go outside and enjoy it. While I was outside, I reflected on the conversation and again felt a deep sadness for the condition of this person's heart. I looked around at the beauty of the day and all that God had created and felt sad that unbelievers don't experience the joy I feel when I praise the Lord for all His blessings.

I thought about all the people that die every day and are seperated from God for eternity because they refuse to open their hearts and accept Jesus as their personal savior. They are too intellectual to believe in spiritual things. The "intelligence" that they cling to is their downfall. It is such a simple thing to do - a moment of faith like a child is all it takes. God will do the rest.

I shed tears for the first time in my life today for the lost. As everything in my life, this too was a blessing. God gave me just a glimpse of how His heart must break for them.

I just wish they knew.

GIveaway!

2012-01-16T09:42:00.000-06:00

Just wanted to share my giveaway with everyone. If you haven't already, like my facebook page to get in on special offers!

Once you've liked my page, be the person to send me the most new likes and you win either a child's name block set: (here are a few examples)

(I have the cutest boy papers too, but I've only had girl orders!)

or a family name block set:

Your set will be personalized with your name and choice of scrapbook papers!

The RuLeS:

(1) Like my fb page (on my sidebar)

(2) Once you've liked, send others to my page and have them comment that you sent them.

The person who has their name commented the most wins!

This is open until Tuesday, Jan. 17 at 8:00 PM.

I'll be back with another post later this week!

Traditions and Conditions of the Heart

2011-12-30T15:52:00.000-06:00

We had a wonderful Christmas spending time with family and reflecting on the birth of Jesus. On that note, I want to share something that I've been thinking about lately. Christmas brings up all sorts of emotions, ideas, beliefs, controversies, etc. I've struggled over the years to secure in my heart and mind exactly how Christmas should be observed and celebrated by our family. It seems that this year, I've heard many arguments against celebrating Christmas, even from Christians. I'd like to share with you how we observe Christmas as a Christian family.

First of all, if you look up the word Christmas, the dictionaries can't even agree on the meaning of the word. I know some may disagree with this, but through my own study, I feel the correct meaning of the word is "to send Christ" or "Christ is sent" (mass stemming from the Latin word missa, which means to send). I'm at peace with that meaning of the word, therefore we feel comfortable celebrating Christmas as the time that Christ was sent to us.

We mix family traditions with our Christian beliefs. We decorate because it's fun, pretty and creates a warm, inviting atmosphere in our home for family and friends. We exchange gifts to show love and appreciation and to help us remember that God gave us the ultimate gift in our savior, Jesus Christ. It's OK to have a little fun and create warm family memories!

Don't get me wrong, I think all the commercialism, greed and busyness of the Christmas season is way out of hand. I don't set foot in a mall if not absolutely necessary!

Christmas is by no means the only time of year that we should, observe the birth of Jesus. Every day should include a time of thanking God for the gift of His son and being a light for Him. BUT, since Christmas is viewed by the world as a Christian Holiday and all eyes are on us during that time, I feel we should do even more to bring attention to the story of Jesus' birth. What a perfect opportunity to share Christ with those that may never give Him another thought the rest of the year!

Well, that's all I have to say about that! The things I've shared are things that our family has prayed about and discussed. The Lord has given us peace about the way we celebrate, and I urge you to seek the Lord's will for your family concerning this. What's right for one family isn't right for all, of course!

I'll leave you with a pic of my kiddos taken after church on Christmas morning-

Happy and Blessed New Year from our family to yours!!

Merry Christmas from an AWOL blogger!

2011-12-23T15:46:00.001-06:00

I had absolutely NO idea when I did my last post in October that I wouldn't be posting again until two days before Christmas!!

The last two months have been a roller coaster ride to say the least! My entire life, I've had two dreams: (1) to be a stay at home mom and (2) to have my own business. Dream #1 - check. Dream #2 - not so simple!

For almost three years, I've been working on slowly building my business. I was afraid to move too fast - I wasn't sure if I could balance family and work. I got to the point earlier this year that I was ready to throw in the towel. Even though everything that was happening in my life suggested otherwise, I felt like there was no way that God could possibly want me to run a business and be a homeschooling mom at the same time. After all, don't good mothers spend every second of the day cooking, cleaning and taking care of their families? How in the world was I going to run a business and do all that?

I uselessly tried to ignore my desire to create things for my shop. I sent my good friend Becky an email and she was so wonderful to listen and remind of a few things that I had forgotten. The Proverbs 31 woman (who I've always tried to pattern my decisions after) was a business woman. She sold things that she made, didn't she? Well, of course she did!

Things changed after my conversations with Becky. Let's just say I let go and let God! I have been blessed with unbelievable success in my Etsy shop. My family has pulled together and helped me more than I could have imagined.There's so much more to this story, but I'll save it for my next post which I promise won't be two months from now!

I'll leave you with a pic of my favorite Christmas decoration. This is a nativity set that a secret sister from church gave me years ago. It's very special to me and reminds our family what Christmas is all about!

Merry Christmas to each one of you. May you experience the fullness and joy that the birth of our Savior offers!

Me, a Runner?

2011-10-19T13:39:00.000-05:00

Yep, I'm running. At 35, for the first time in my life I'm able to run thanks to the Couch 2 5K program. Like most of you, I've had a lot on my plate lately. Homeschooling, running a business and just everyday life was leaving me exhausted at the end of the day! I love the life God has blessed me with and wouldn't have it any other way, but I wasn't taking care of myself. I knew if I was going to keep up with all that each wonderful day had in store for me, I was going to have to make some changes.

I'll admit I've tried to run in the past, but each time promptly gave up. I loathed running. Several ladies from church started doing C25K, so I decided to give it a shot. All I had to do on day one was run for 60 seconds at a time - surely I could manage that! I struggled through week one and kept it up. Now I'm on week 4. I can honestly say I never feel more energized than I do about 10 minutes after a run - that energy lasts the rest of the day!

I won't pretend that it's easy or even a lot of fun at first, but the sense of accomplishment is SO worth it. I spend time with the Lord while I'm running. I enjoy the quiet while I'm running. I get fresh air while I'm running. It clears my head and I can literally feel the stress leaving me - it's good for mind and body!

I guess the point of this post is really to encourage you to take care of yourself. If you are tired all the time, I know exactly how you feel. If you've always hated running, I know how you feel. I also know that if I can do this, you can do this!

If you decide to give this a try, I'd love to hear from you - we can encourage each other!

Blocks and surprises!

2011-10-10T20:53:00.000-05:00

I've been having so much fun making block sets lately! I love putting together different color combinations, cutting the blocks random sizes, and coming up with fun phrases!

I can't wait to start working on Christmas block sets. I don't want to rush Christmas, but I have to get these done early!

Here's an example of what I've been doing -

We surprised my mom by drivng down to visit for her birthday, and this was her present.

I love surprises. She had no idea we were coming to visit and since we live three hours away, it was great to walk into the house unannounced and see the expression on her face!

It was a great weekend full of family, laughs and of course birthday cake!

Two Ingredient Pumpkin Muffins

2011-09-26T20:17:00.000-05:00

I know this isn't a new recipe to many of you, but I made these over the weekend and they were really good. Most important, they were really EASY. ( I love easy)

All you need is one can of pumpkin and a box of cake mix. (I also added a couple teaspoons of cinnamon.) I think spice cake mix is the most common kind used for this recipe, but I don't particularly care for spice cake so I just used yellow mix. You can also use chocolate mix for chocolate pumpkin muffins.

Just mix the two together, drop into a muffin tin by spoonfuls and bake at 350 degrees for about 20 min. or until a toothpick comes out clean.

They aren't the prettiest muffins, but they taste great and did I mention they are EASY?

You can add chocolate chips or nuts - whatever you like.

That's all there is to it. I love anything with pumpkin so this is a great fall treat!

Happy Fall!!

2011-09-23T10:36:00.002-05:00

My favorite season is officially here! We woke up to COOL fall temperatures this morning. I get to break out my new sweater and my fuzzy moccasins later today. A perfect way to ring in autumn!

I've been very focused on school work lately which partially explains my lack of blogging. Having an 8th grader is a challenge! I'm learning all over again right along with Zach. I'm loving 5th grade with Leah Kate, however. We're still at that fun, "no pressure" stage of learning!

I've done a little fall decorating - just some simple touches here and there-

I don't like window treatments in my kitchen so I usually just change the banner for each season. My banners are VERY simple. I just cut some triangles out of canvas, stenciled on the letters and strung them on a length of jute. You can make banners as simple or as elaborate as you want!

This was another easy project. You can make these from 4x4's but I only had 2x4's in my wood stash. Paint the blocks in your favorite pumpkin colors, drill a hole in the top for your twig "stems" (add a little hot glue to the hole first) and add whatever embellishment you choose to the top. I chose canvas because it's my "go to" fabric!

My favorite twig wreath that I pull out every year and some fall blocks that I sadly no longer own :( My house is sort of a revolving showroom for my etsy shop! I should never get attached to anything I make. Oh well, I can make more for myself . (I tell myself that, but somehow it never quite happens!)

Busy days for sure, but I'm so blessed and thankful to God for each and every opportunity that he places before me. Serving, learning, loving and creating are wonderful ways to spend our days!

Time to go check on the progress of a Pre-Algebra test and enjoy this first weekend of fall! Have a wonderful Autumn day!!

What Kind of World . . .

2011-09-11T14:58:00.002-05:00

We all have stories and remember where we were when the 9-11 attacks occurred. I had just taken Zach to preschool and was back at home watching the Today show as I did every morning. Leah Kate was just six weeks old so I'm sure I was feeding her or changing a diaper . . . just going through my everyday routine as the young mom of a newborn. Of course that day turned out to be anything but routine.

Seeing such horrible things happening live on my TV screen was scary to say the least. I thought about the two very young children we were raising - what kind of world were they growing up in?

Over the next few weeks, I saw unity spring from tragedy. Faith were there once was none. Community, love, hope, heroism. God was showing us the good that He instilled in people, that He will never leave us.

One of my favorite quotes is by Martin Luther King, Jr. - The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.

Mankind stepped up to the plate - if for only a short while - and did the right things.

The unity is here again today on this 10th anniversary, but where will it be tomorrow?

I pray that this country doesn't wake up tomorrow and forget. God was mentioned and honored today by some people who probably haven't thought about Him all year. God has blessed this country in so many ways since its origin because we were once a nation that lived by His Word.

So now 10 years later, what kind of world are my children growing up in? A world that God hasn't given up on yet. A world that He is in control of, so what do I have to fear?

If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land. 2 Chronicles 7:14

Another Summer . . .

2011-08-22T12:48:00.002-05:00

I found myself recently telling my kids something my parents told me over and over. "The older you get, the faster time seems to go by - don't wish your life away."

I remember a specific night when I was about Leah Kate's age ( 9 or 10). It was a couple of weeks before Christmas and as most kids are, I was anxious for Christmas to arrive. I was telling my dad how I wished that night was Christmas eve - I just couldn't wait any longer! He delivered the line above that has stuck with me all these years. Now that I'm the mom, (of a teenager for goodness sake) I'm passing on this "wisdom" to my kids!

All of that to say, I can't believe another summer is slipping away! I really try to grab the moment that is right in front of me and hold on to it for all it's worth. Pictures and momentos don't do those moments justice. Planning too much for what's ahead and wishing for what has past causes me to miss the precious moment that is right in front of me.

The end of summmer is always a tiny bit sad. It's the end of the carefree and back to the schedule. Yep, back to routine and order. Honestly, I guess I need the structure that back to school time brings. I'm not a "schedule" person so I am forced - by the fact that my kids need an education - to get my act together this time of year!

Another summer . . . soon to be another fall and so on. There's nothing like the blessing of living in this very moment. No yesterday, no tomorrow - just beautiful, wonderful now.

Signs of Fall

2011-08-11T11:55:00.000-05:00

We've still got PLENTY of summer left, but I've been busy painting fall signs. Fall is my favorite season - the cooler temps, the colors, the smells, soups, hayrides & corn mazes, soft warm sweaters . . . somebody stop me!

Just a few fall colors to put you in an "autumn state of mind"-

I've got a few more I want to get done soon. I love coming up with these warm color combinations. It's great therapy!!

Enjoying the present season, but anxiously anticipating the next!!!

Got Milk?

2011-08-08T21:19:00.001-05:00

I'm pretty content with the way things are in our home now. We've been here a little over three years and I'm not always out looking for new things to add like I was when we first moved in. I'm not saying I never rearrange or look for new things, but I've definitely slowed down and it feels nice!

When I do go thrifting, I seem to always pick up the stuff that everyone else gladly passes by. My style is definitely not for everyone! I only buy things that I KNOW I'll have a place for. I don't buy things for "maybe one day".

This past weekend I found something that I knew would be perfect for the space above my kitchen cabinets -

Now, wouldn't you have jumped at this 1980's country beauty? Yep, it's pretty bad, but I knew it was coming home with me!

A simple coat of white paint gave me the look I wanted. Now it's in a little stand perched on top of my cabinets-

My plan was to paint the entire thing white and then go over the raised letters and the border in black or red. My plans changed after I saw it painted solid white. I loved it - no need for any added color!

It goes great with my (salt filled) milk bottles that are also up there-

We are some major milk drinkers, so my milk memorabilia is perfect for our kitchen!

So, do you buy things that others would probably pass up? Just curious . . .

Intimidated By My Own Blog?

2011-08-04T10:30:00.001-05:00

Crazy, right?

I come here sometimes intending to post, but end up just staring for a few minutes and changing my mind! It's not that I don't know what to post, it's just the opposite. I have so many things going through my mind that I'd like to talk about, that I end up not being able to choose just one topic. My own blog seemed very intimidating!

I've been blogging for over three years and some of you remember my old family blog. I really enjoyed that blog, but I suddenly realized one day that I had a LOT of family photos and information on there. I felt uncomfortable with our lives being on the internet.

I still wanted to keep blogging, so I decided to try to focus my blog on my creative side and my Etsy shop. I can't tell you how much I am enjoying Etsy!

Obviously, I'm more than just a crafter. First and foremost I'm a child of God. Saved by grace through the blood of His son, Jesus Christ. I'm a wife, and a homeschooling mom who enjoys simplicity. I've discovered that I miss sharing about the other parts of our life. I've always wanted to bring glory to God with my blog and I feel that I pulled back a little too much when I decided to blog only about crafts.

Sometimes I can be an all or nothing person - the quality that I dislike most in myself! I'm striving to find a way to share our family life without going overboard on personal details. My crafts will remain a large part of my blog, but you'll see more heart sharing from now on.

So there you have it. Now you know why my posts have been few and far between lately.

Let the posting begin . . .

Thrifty Laundry Room Storage

2011-07-13T15:10:00.002-05:00

Our laundry room is small and has no storage, but we're working on that problem!

I found this heavy shelf at Goodwill several months ago for 3.99-

It definitely wasn't pretty, but it had good bones and I knew I could do something with it!

I finally got around to fixing it up recently -

I painted most of it with light blue paint left over from one of our bathroom redos, and painted the inset underneath with chalkboard paint. I added a few hooks and that was it!

A few more pics, just because . . .

I must have my distressed edges!

The baskets hold all the stray stuff that ends up in the laundry room somehow! I like how it turned out, and now I'm ready to add some cabinets above the washer and dryer. I'm on the lookout for those - at a bargain of course!

I'm linking to

Supper From our own Back Yard!

2011-07-01T11:40:00.000-05:00

I actually do more than paint signs around here! We planted our first vegetable garden this year and thanks to advice from my parents and my in-laws, our little garden is a success!

This was taken a couple of weeks ago-

this was taken yesterday - BIG difference!

It's a small garden and it probably looks crowded to you seasoned gardeners, but we really weren't sure exactly how much space we needed! We've learned a lot and we're getting great results!

Our first broccoli! From the back yard-

to the kitchen table!

We've also got squash, peppers, tomatoes, cucumbers and herbs that are coming along nicely.

We're really enjoying growing our own food, and the kids are learning a lot in the process (actually we all are!)

Looking forward to sharing more home grown veggie pictures with you!

Lovin' Some Barnwood!

2011-06-24T20:33:00.000-05:00

I have a special supply of beautiful old barnwood in my garage! A friend called one day to tell me they were about to knock down their storm damaged barn. She graciously offered me some of the wood for my signs.

I'm almost afraid to use it! It's so perfectly weathered and rustic - has a beauty of its own without me adding a thing to it!

I finally got up the courage to use it for a special order last week-

Love this texture!

I've got more great pieces just waitng to be painted on!

I'm also already working on some fall signs. Gotta stay one season ahead at all times! I'm a member of the Old Farmhouse Gathering Etsy team and we're having a fall celebration starting next week.

I'm definitely not wishing summer away, but I do LOVE fall. Our summer is actually moving at a nice slow pace for a change!

I'll be back with some fall celebration signs soon!

A Cloche Lesson

2011-06-01T20:00:00.000-05:00

Wow, due to our homeschool drama group's performance of Alice in Wonderland, finishing up our school year and spending Memorial Day weekend with family, I've not had any computer time!

Most of you probably knew this, but I just found out what cloches were originally for! The french used them to protect young garden plants from frost. The word cloche means bell, which explains the shape! Who knew? (everyone but me, I'm guessing!)

I'm glad they found their way from the garden into our homes - they are so versatile. The possibilities are endless for displays!

I found this set of vintage etched beauties on a treasure hunt over the weekend-

Aren't they the sweetest things? Yes, I'm loving cloches at the moment!

These little pretties are up for grabs in my shop if anyone is interested. I was really tempted to keep them for myself, but of course I'm tempted to keep EVERYTHING I find. I only put things in my shop that I truly love!

There ya go - Cloche 101!!!

When You Don't Have a Green Thumb . . .

2011-05-20T10:05:00.002-05:00

Since my last post, we've planted our very first vegetable garden and a few flowers here and there. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE to garden, but I don't have a green thumb by any stretch of the imagination!

We planted tomatoes, peppers, squash, cucumbers, broccoli and some herbs. I'm pretty sure I bought too many squash plants and not enough cucumber plants. I made the mistake of reading some garden forums and now I'm nervous about blights, insects, fungus . . . I have no idea how to handle any of that stuff!

Oh well, the garden this year is all about learning I guess. We'll see what happens!

The previous owners of our house planted several things in our flower beds. I get to enjoy their hard work year after year and I haven't killed anything yet!

The two things that are great for someone like me to have around are wave petunias and boston ferns. They are my "go to" plants every year!

These were planted about three weeks ago - they make me happy!!!

One of my ferns at the end of the summer last year-

I'll have fun this summer with the few things I can actually grow - happy gardening!!

Joining Flaunt your Flowers/Fertilizer Fridays

Old Quilts

2011-05-11T10:35:00.001-05:00

Back yard picnics . . .

Hanging on the clothesline in the sunshine . . .

Extra cover on a cold winter night . . .

Pieced together by timeworn hands.

Treasures that hold sweet memories and get better with age!

The Stories Behind the Sales

2011-05-04T15:13:00.000-05:00

There are so many things I love about selling handmade things, but one unexpected treat has been hearing from my customers how they are going to use their items. There's a story behind almost every sale!

For instance, this pink lemonade sign is gong to be used at a little girl's first birthday party. A pink lemonade theme - how sweet is that?

This pedestal is going to be used at a wedding to display black and white photos of the bride's grandparents-

One sweet lady ordered a "farm fresh eggs" sign for her grandchildrens' egg business. They were going to put it out by the road to let people know when they had eggs for sale. After she received it, she let me know how excited the children were to put up the sign!

Those were just a few of my favorite stories - I've had more and they've all been interesting!

I can't tell you how rewarding it is to know that my items are being used at weddings, birthday parties, to celebrate retirements and other memorable occasions .

I'm looking forward hearing more "stories behind the sales!"

Just Plain Pretty!

2011-04-29T08:27:00.003-05:00

There's just nothing prettier . . . I'm a little obsessed with them . . . anywhere I run across them, I stop and stare. I imagine what they've been used for over the years and what I can use them for today.

PERFECT Mason indeed!

Joining Joyce's Friday Pretties!

and Vintage Inspiration Fridays!

Fried Green Tomatoes, Anyone?

2011-04-26T08:04:00.001-05:00

Fried green tomatoes were pretty common when I was growing up. Another sign inspiration for my shop -

Golden brown and crispy on the outside, tangy on the inside - yum!

I can't tell you how much I'm enjoying designing signs inspired by childhood memories! I'm remembering things that I haven't thought of in years - every sign has a story!

By the way, thanks for all the information about my grandma's dishes. I think we've come to the conclusion that they came in laundry detergent boxes - can you even imagine?!

Out of curiosity, are fried green tomatoes just a southern thing?

Good Friday Thoughts

2011-04-22T09:34:00.001-05:00

I've discovered that I'm not very good at keeping my blog current, running an etsy shop and homeschooling all at the same time!

I wanted to share with you a post I did last year on my other blog. I don't think I could put this into words any differently this year - this is what's on my heart every Good Friday:

While I was doing my devotion this morning, one of the statements I read really grabbed my attention. Jesus' life wasn't taken from him, He gave it willingly. Of course I've always known that, but for some reason that reality just seemed different this morning. Isaiah 53:7 says: He was led as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so He opened not His mouth. God is so wonderful to show us prophesy like this.

I will never in this life be able to comprehend the kind of selfless love that was demonstrated by Jesus' agonizing death on the cross. Is it really a "Good" Friday? I don't feel sad on Good Friday. I'm filled with deep appreciation and anticipation. There was never another life like Jesus' and there certainly was never another "death" like his.

Did I deserve such a sacrifice? Not in a million years. This kind of mercy and grace is just who God is and sometimes I feel like bursting with gratitude.

Yes, He gave. He gave for you and He gave for me. He gave for those who deny that any of it ever happened. He gave because He loves us so much that He couldn't stand to see us get what we deserve.

It is a very "Good" Friday but Sunday is what makes Friday good. Tony Campolo has a famous sermom titled It's Friday, but Sunday's Coming. It's my prayer that we all remember that this weekend!

Thanks for letting me share my heart - it felt good. Blessings to all of you and have a wonderful Easter!

Grandma's China

2011-04-15T09:42:00.000-05:00

I remember these pieces sitting in my Grandma's china cabinet when I was a little girl -

Her china cabinet was full of all sorts of treasures - which at the time I had no idea just what treasures they were! I remember thinking these pieces and her pink depression glass wer the prettiest things ever!

I was so very grateful to be able to bring these home a couple of years ago. I know it's a strange place for them, but they are in one of our bathrooms. I didn't want to put them away in a box somewhere and that particular bathroom is very "cottagey", so they just fit there!

I have a question. Does anyone know the name of this pattern? I'm just curious. I've tried to find it, but I've had no luck.

Looking forward to any info you might have!

Linking to Vintage Inspiration Friday

Don't Miss This Giveaway!

2011-04-11T16:54:00.000-05:00

My dear, precious blog friend Becky is having an amazing giveaway!

I have to brag on Becky for a moment. Not only is she super talented and has a wonderful etsy shop, but she has the sweetest spirit! She has sort of taken me under her wing as a new etsy shop owner. She has answered each one of my million questions in detail and truly has my best interest at heart. Thank you, friend!

So hop on over and check out all she has to offer!!

Handwashing Dishes - An Unlikely Simple Pleasure

2011-04-06T22:05:00.001-05:00

I know what you're thinking . . . handwashing dishes is not what usually comes to mind when talking about simple pleasures. I'm not sure what it was this afternoon that inspired this post. I guess it was a combination of blessings that made me suddenly overwhelmingly thankful.

There was a cool breeze blowing through my open window while I was standing there waiting to tackle lunch dishes. My sink was full of warm soapy water that smelled wonderful thanks to my Dawn honeysuckle and rain scented dish soap. My kiddos were done with their school work and I could hear them down the hall playing together.

I was happy to be using a dish cloth that I knitted myself. I was thankful to be cleaning my favorite white dishes. I was thankful for the food that had just been on those dishes

I saw things that I usually take for granted in a new light today. A mundane chore became a moment of thanksgiving.

I'll have my eyes open now for more unlikely simple pleasures. They're always there, but sometmes I don't take the time to really see them.

And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

Colossians 3:17

A Farmhouse Week!

2011-04-02T09:48:00.001-05:00

I've been a busy bee this week! I'm thrilled because I've been busy making signs - my favorite thing to do!

I love designing my own signs, and this simple little sweetie has been popular this week in my etsy shop. -

As a matter of fact, it seems that farmhouse style signs in general are my most popular items.

Now I'm inspired to come up with some new farm signs. My latest is larger than what I usually make-

Growing up on a farm, I've got all sorts of sign inspiration going through my head. I can remember things my grandma used to say that would make wonderful signs. Even recalling the sights, sounds and smells of the farm inspire me to create farm related items.

I thank God that this feels so natural - not like work at all. Through prayer and His guidance, I'm doing what I love to do. He deserves all the glory. I couldn't do this alone.

Have a wonderful weekend!

A Little Sweetness for Your Laundry Room

2011-03-28T08:58:00.001-05:00

I'm really appreciating simple, pretty projects these days - have you noticed from my last few posts? Beauty can be found in everything!

Really no explanation needed on this one - vintage canning jar, clothespins and some soft, pretty paint colors.

Simple laundry room sweetness-

Happy Creating!

Joining some great parties this week!

Old Frames and Nature Collide

2011-03-22T08:46:00.001-05:00

Last year we used tree branches as curtain rods for the kids' tree house. Since then, I've been thinking about doing something like that in our house - not necessarily curtain rods, but using branches in some way.

I decided to make a wall hanging to go over our bed. I can't decide what kind of headboard I want, so we don't have one!

I collected some Goodwill frames that I liked the shape and size of -

Here we are after a little hammered spray paint, hooks, and canvas strips-

Our bedroom is a work in progress - it's always the room that is NEVER pulled together! I'm using a lot of nature in here. Hubby likes turkey hunting, so I'm trying to work in some of his things too - stay tuned!

Linking to some great parties!

Thinking Outside of the Box

2011-03-18T08:12:00.001-05:00

Lately when I think about what I'd like to create, I've been thinking outside of the box. Don't get me wrong, I love all the projects in blogland and I've been inspired to do many of them myself. Sometimes I just need to get away from the computer and put my own mind to work!

Here's my latest simple idea - votive holders.

Metal votive cups, craft adhesive, pretty thrift store saucers and there you go!

Pebbles, seashells, or vintage buttons would be adorable in the saucers surrounding the candles too!

Have a great weekend and happy crafting!

Linking to some of these great parties!

and Inspiration Fridays

Spring Around Our Place

2011-03-16T11:50:00.002-05:00

I'm on day six of a mega cold. There hasn't been any crafting going on, but I have been looking through some old pictures during this down time.

I ran across some spring pictures from around our place that I took last year. I needed to be reminded that spring is almost here!

I'm no photographer, just sharing a little bit of our life with you!

I'm excited for spring and the fresh new beginning that it brings.

Linking up with Outdoor Wednesdays Today!

Enjoy your day wherever you are!

Winner!

2011-03-14T08:00:00.000-05:00

I used random.org to pick a giveaway winner this morning and the lucky number was 8 - Becky, from Junk to Joy!

Congratulations, Becky and thanks to all of you who entered and posted about the giveaway!

Doing a Little Chalkboarding

2011-03-10T21:18:00.000-06:00

No, I haven't invented a new sport!

Over the last couple of months, I've been turning everything around here into a chalkboard. I think it's the black and white color combo that I like so much! I prefer the real deal over the markers when it comes to chalk - just a personal preference!

I've done several cutting board chalkboards lately. The latest one-

Sweet little vintage button-

Hand Painted Detail-

So are you doing any chalkboarding? I'd love to know what's being turned into a chalkboard at your house!

Linking to a few great parties!

New Sink and Faucet Love

2011-03-09T10:54:00.000-06:00

A little while back I posted about my new faucet being "too big" for my kitchen. I was right on the verge of sending it back when my SIL came over and thought it looked great. After looking at it for a couple of days, I decided she was right. I think it was just so much bigger in comparison to my old faucet, that it took some getting used to!

For three years I've wanted a deeper sink. The sink that was here when we moved in was barely 6 inches deep.

When my old faucet practically fell apart a few weeks ago, we decided the time was right to change them both out.

They were installed last night (my birthday present)-

Is it possible to be head over heels in love with a faucet? I know I'm making a ridiculously big deal over it, but I'm super excited over this!

Bear with me . . . a few more shots-

The sink is DEEP! It's 9 1/2 inches on the "big" side and 7 on the smaller side. I can finally set my big casserole dish down inside the sink!

This one change in my kitchen has made a huge difference in the overall look and feel. It's my "focal point!" One day I'd like to change the green countertops, but that's not even a big deal anymore.

I got a great deal on the faucet. I found it for HALF the retail price on Ebay. We found the sink at a home surplus store.

Alright ya'll, thanks for letting me get some of the excitement out of my system!

A Grand Opening Giveaway!

2011-03-07T11:54:00.001-06:00

My shop is as ready as it will ever be! I'm still adding things almost daily, but I felt it was time to officially call it open!

Thanks so much for the encouraging emails and comments - you gave me more confidence than you'll ever know!

To celebrate, I'm having a giveaway.

Because spending quiet time with the Lord is the most important thing we can do, I decided to put together an encouraging "Quiet Time" package. I know first hand how hard it is to just sit down and be still with God. We have sooo many responsibilities pulling us in every direction, that it's easy to become overwhelmed.

You'll receive the "Be Still" (based on one of my favorite verses of scripture) sign that I made a few weeks ago, a small "upcycled" pedestal bowl, a Bible Promise Book, a set of mongrammed tile magnets and a Mikasa English Countryside cup and saucer. Everything you need to sit down, relax and spend some time with the Lord.

Just a few side notes: The cup and saucer are part of my wedding set that have never been used - they're 16 years old and in PERFECT condition. I will stamp your monogram on the magnets, of course. Don't worry, I won't send you those opened cookies - I'm a hopeless stager!

Simple rules - just make sure you're a follower or become one, link this post somewhere on your blog and leave a comment. If you don't have a blog, just make sure I can find you!

I'll pick a winner one week from today, March 14!

Got Cotton?

2011-03-04T08:52:00.003-06:00

I do - but it's not what you think! I live in the land of cotton, but we're not in the season of cotton. What's a girl to do?

-tree branch . . . check
-cotton balls . . . check
-dried leaves . . . check
-hot glue . . . check

Instant cotton stalks -

This will do until I can get my hands on the real thing.

Happy crafting!

Joining a few great parties!

Candlestick Topiary

2011-03-01T21:16:00.003-06:00

Before I get started, I have to tell you that everyone in my house made fun of this - they gave it all kinds of crazy names while I was making it! Oh well, I'm always trying out something around here - glad I can supply my family with some laughs!

Now, if you still want to know how to make one of these, let's get to it!

Supplies:

-styrofoam ball
-spanish moss
-wooden candlestick (or whatever you choose to use for a base)
-hot glue gun
-buttons

I've had this wooden candlestick in my craft closet for a while now. I picked it up on one of my Goodwill trips. It's a short, squatty candlestick. I painted it white after I brought it home, but never used it for anything-

To secure the styrofoam ball to the candlestick, I put some hot glue on one end of a dowel and stuck it into the ball. I ran a bead of hot glue around the rim of the candlestick, put another big dab of hot glue on the inside bottom and stuck the other end of the dowel in the big dab of glue. I pressed down for a few seconds and it was good and secure.

This is when the poor little guy was made fun of! He does look like some kind of muppet at this point! My 9 year old thought I was making a wig!

Just hot glue the moss all over until the ball is completely covered.

Give your "wig" a good haircut to shape it up when you're done.

I wanted a nice neutral color scheme, so I picked different shades of white vintage buttons from my button stash and hot glued them on randomly. I add a jute bow to almost everything - can't help it!

Simple and pretty!

I'm linking to a few of these great parties!

The Merchant of Mayberry

2011-02-27T14:44:00.001-06:00

There is an Andy Griffith show episode titled The Merchant of Mayberry. It's one of my favorite episodes. Bert Miller is a reluctant traveling salesman who comes back through town after being on the road. Every time someone asks him what he has for sale, he says things like "Oh, just a little bit of this and that." When someone tries to buy something from him, he says things like "are you sure you really need that?" Bert even offers to let Andy borrow his razor to keep him from having to buy one from him. Yes, I know a lot about the Andy Griffith show. It's one of my quirks - love that show.

Some of you may not know this, but Creekside Creations is also the name of my home based business. Most of my customers are local since I've never tried seriously promoting anything online. I've gone the craft fair route, but that's just not for me.

Here's where the Bert Miller story becomes personal for me. I've had an etsy shop open for two years but I've never promoted it. Sure, I've made a few Etsy sales - no thanks to my grand marketing. As a stay at home mom, it's a dream of mine to be able to do what I LOVE and help out our family just a little on the financial side.

So what makes me the reluctant salesperson? Insecurity, frustration, fear of failure, fear of success, fear of balancing everything, fear of a creative block. It's scary to put your own personal creations out there for the world.

I've committed this to prayer for a long time now and I feel pretty confident that the time is right to step out on faith and promote my shop. I'm still working on putting it all together - those of you who have an Etsy shop know how much work it is!

Anyway, I'll leave you with a few pictures of the types of things you'll find in my shop. I'll be having a Grand (Re)Opening giveaway soon. The giveaway will be a "sampler" box of the types of things I'll be creating for the shop!

Thanks so much for lending an ear!

The Faucet that Swallowed my Kitchen

2011-02-24T23:38:00.000-06:00

Girl has small kitchen with leaky, yucky faucet.

Girl falls in love with pretty, new faucet -

Girl gets great deal on pretty new faucet!

Faucet arrives today - girl is so excited, it's like Christmas morning!

Girl holds new faucet up by sink . . .

Kitchen disappears . . . swallowed whole by ENORMOUS but beautiful new faucet.

Faucet goes back - the search is on for big pretty faucet's little brother . . .

Stamped Tile Magnets

2011-02-22T09:05:00.004-06:00

I've got a really simple project for ya today! Those who have been my long time blog buds know my love for crafting with natural tiles. I just love the texture of them!

These small tiles make adorable magnets-

Supplies:

-Sheet of 2" tiles form Lowe's or Home Depot
-ink pad
-Stamps
-Strong magnets

The tiles come in sheets of 36 -

You can either peel the tiles away from the plastic backing or just use scissors and cut the plastic in between the tiles.

Choose your favorite stamps and design away!

You will need to get strong magnets, because these will do that slide down the fridge thing if the magnet isn't strong enough! Hot glue the magnets on, or some magnets have adhesive on the back already.

These make cute personalized gifts. I'm monogram crazy, so those are my favorites to do.

Here are some others I've done -

Wrap them up and they're all ready for gift giving!

Happy Crafting!

I'm linkng to some of these great parties!

Get Your Free Paint!

2011-02-21T11:41:00.000-06:00

Valspar is giving away free paint samples, a mini roller kit and a $5 coupon when you like them on Facebook. The sample would be plenty of paint to use for a small project!

I ordered a sample for my daughter's room that we're going to redo later this year.

Thanks to Sam for posting about this!

Content . . .

2011-02-18T12:50:00.002-06:00

I'm a simple girl. Our home is a modest 1500 square ft. ranch sitting on 5 acres in the country. I was raised on a farm so I love it . . . I'm content. I'm going to have a small garden this year and give raising a few chickens another try ( more on the "great chicken debacle of 2010" later.)

Sure, I love to craft and decorate on a budget but that isn't where my true contentment lies. I think God gave most women a desire to "pretty things up." This world would be awful ugly without us - can you just imagine?

I love the Little House book series. The Ingalls family moved several times and each time they arrived at a new house, Ma would get the new place all tidied up - no matter if it were a run down shanty or something a little finer. I love the descriptions of her getting everything washed, the beds fluffed and spreading the red and white checked table cloth over the table. The last thing she would do was put her precious china shepherdess on the mantle - they were home.

I have to pray daily for contentment - it doesn't come naturally. If I lost all my "stuff" tomorrow, I would still have what truly matters - my faith, my family, my friends.

Where is all this coming from today? As odd as it may sound, it's coming from my kitchen. For the past two weeks, it seems like everything in my kitchen has decided to break down at once. It would be easy for me to use that as an excuse to just go ahead and remodel - get rid of all the GREEN and fluorescent lights . . . something we've been wanting to do for three years.

I'm choosing to look at it as another lesson in contentment. I have a nice clean place to provide meals for my family who I love more than anything. Is this really a post about my kitchen? No, it's about so much more . . .

I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. ¹² I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. ¹³ I can do all this through him who gives me strength.

Philippians 4:11-13

Ballard Designs Inspired Waste Basket (tutorial)

2011-02-16T15:46:00.003-06:00

Don't you just love Ballard Designs? Such a clean, timeless style.

I was browsing around their website last week and these bathroom accessories caught my eye -

Of course the outrageous price caught my eye too! SEVENTY-NINE DOLLARS for a little bathroom trash can??

Well, in true thrifty DIY fashion, we're going to make one for just a few of those precious dollars.

I mentioned earlier this week that I'm making some changes in the kids' bathroom. I wanted this trash can to coordinate with my peg rack.

Supplies:

-Cheap round trash can (mine was $1 from Dollar Tree!!)

-Canvas Drop Cloth, Linen, or Burlap - any of these should work

-Ribbon

-Spray adhesive

-Letter Stencil

-Paint

-Hot Glue Gun

The Ballard can was covered in linen, I cut a piece off of my canvas drop cloth - same effect.

Those drop cloths are the most versatile things I own - love 'em!

Here's my $1 trash can -

I don't want a rim at the top so I took off the silver thing and used a utility knife to cut off the rim. It was really easy - I just scored the plastic and snapped it right off.

***I spray painted the inside of the trash can white. If you can find a white trash can, then lucky you! You can skip that step.***

Since the trash can was larger at the top and tapered down toward the bottom, I had to cut the fabric to fit the tapered shape. The best way I found to do this was to cut the fabric a little larger than the trash can and roll the can up in it. Then I taped the fabric in place and cut the excess away using the top and bottom edges as guides - (Is this making sense?)

You end up with fabric in this curved shape. I cut some off the right side to straighten it up.

I didn't take pictures of the next couple of steps, but I ironed the fabric then stenciled on our monogram with regular black craft paint.

I sprayed craft adhesive on the trash can and wrapped the fabric around it.

Hot gluing the ribbon around the top and bottom edges finished it off. I did mine in black to match the bathroom -

I covered the raw overlapping edges on the back with another piece of ribbon for a more finished look -

I already had everything I needed except for the trash can. I spent a whopping $1 to pull this little cutie off!

I made a list of several things on the Ballard site that I'm going to try to replicate. I'm looking forward to figuring it all out!

I'm joining some of these parties!

Cabinet Knob Peg Rack

2011-02-14T20:47:00.003-06:00

Spring is in the air! I know we still have plenty of winter left, but at least the snow has melted and it's warmer here today. My winter blahs have subsided a little and I'm ready for some sunshine!

Since we're homeschoolers, school must come before play - even for me! I can't get around to as many projects as I'd like, but overall I'm so much more content when I have my priorities in order. I had plenty of time over the weekend to make something I've had in mind for a while.

There was a wall in the kids' bathroom that I just couldn't figure out what to do with. I had a basket of dried flowers hanging there, but they knocked it off the wall almost every time they got out of the shower - it's a teeny, tiny bathroom! I finally decided that a peg rack would be great there - but not just any ole' peg rack. Of course I wanted something creative, different and cheap - that's how my mind works!

Here she is -

Another one of my trial and error, make it up as you go projects!

Here's the simple step by step:

I have lots of wood for making signs in my garage. ( I have a home based business, but more on that another time!)

-I grabbed a piece of wood and painted it white

-sanded and stained it to give it an aged look.

-spray painted black some old shiny brass knobs that we took off our kitchen cabinets when we moved in. (I knew they would come in handy some day!)

-drilled holes where I wanted to attach the knobs

-stenciled on the numbers

- hot glued ribbon around the board.

I decided to hang some mini galvanized pails just because the're so cute! They serve no other purpose, but just being cute is a good enough purpose in my book!

Love those worn, distressed edges and that darling ribbon.

Boy has this bathroom been a work in progress! I'll do a post soon on the evolution of this little room - it was "nightmarish" at times!

I'm joining these parties!

Be Still . . .

2011-02-10T10:23:00.003-06:00

He says, “Be still, and know that I am God;

I will be exalted among the nations,

I will be exalted in the earth.”

Psalm 46:10

In this busy sometimes hectic world that we live in, it's hard to be still. Our home is filled with little reminders and faith inspired words.

The simple vese above is one of my favorites and I thought a sign with just the words "Be Still" would be a great reminder to me on those hectic days.

I don't own a silhouette or a cricut. If you have one, you could cut these letters out much easier than I'm showing you here!

Some people trace letters onto the wood and fill them in with paint. That's fine too, I just prefer to make stencils.

I choose a font that I like and print out my words on regular paper. I use my exacto knife to cut out the letters. Save the middle parts of letters like the B shown below. I tape them onto the board when I'm stenciling.

After I've cut out my stencil, I use painters tape to tape it to my board. Then I just stencil away. (Just pretend I have everything cut out here!)

I decided to put a little border around my sign, so I cut some half circles out of scrapbook paper.

I Mod Podged them on and sanded for a distressed look. Here's what I ended up with -

I love this kind of project - no rules, nothing to go by. Just sit down with your supplies in front of you and let your imagination take over. It's truly the best kind of therapy!

I'm linking to

20 below Thursdays

and

Under $100

Two Great Awards!

2011-02-09T14:20:00.001-06:00

Brandi and Stacey were sweet enough to give me these awards:

Brandi is one talented girl! Her transformations are wonderful and she's an awesome cook with some of the best recipes out there! Thanks for the award, Brandi!

Stacey is an awesome wife and homeschooling mom (gotta love that!) to three boys. She lives in one of the most beautiful areas I've ever seen! Thanks, Stacey!

Now for all the things you're dying to know about me . . . right?

1. I grew up on a working farm, so I'm drawn to anything farm related! I've plucked chickens, cleaned fish from our pond and stepped in more than one "present" that a cow left behind.

2. I may or may not have a slight cereal hoarding problem . . .

3. I'm terribly nearsighted - can't even see this screen right now.

4. I'm a sixth grade spelling bee champion. Still have the trophy - sad, I know.

5. I snort when I laugh really hard - my kids just love it when I do that around their friends.

6. I hate shopping for jeans! I rarely find a pair that fits right and when I do, they stop making that style by the time I try to find them again!

7. Mice creep me out. Get out of my way if there's a mouse around.

That was fun - I could have kept going. I just thought of a lot more weird things about myself!

Comfortable with My Style

2011-02-06T15:17:00.001-06:00

I'm not sure what to call my style. I don't think it fits into any particular category - I just know what I like when I see it.

I rarely buy anything new. I rarely use anything for its intended purpose. I use lots of things from nature. I'm always painting, sanding or gluing something - I love transforming old things!

This shelf in my dining room is a good representation of my style-

I love the textures, the colors and the natural elements. Nothing here was new or expensive.

I take that back - the little decorative balls are from the Dollar Tree, so I guess I do have something new.

My thrift store hurricane globes sat empty for a long time until I could think of just the right filler. Dried beans worked perfectly for me. I like the way the layers look and it was a cheap, easy solution!

I recently went through a period of feeling guilty for being so interested in crafts and decorating. I thought maybe I was being shallow and superficial. I prayed about it and asked God to direct my thoughts and my interests.

You know what? My interest in crafting and decorating grew even stronger. God made me a creative person, but sharing my ideas is what makes it all worthwhile.

We live on a comfortable but modest income (thanks to my hubby for working to provide for us!) There's no way I could justify going out and spending a small fortune on decorating our home. Why would I even want to? Living well on less just makes sense. It's a creative challenge that I enjoy and love to share!

By His grace, we live a good life (I didn't say perfect!)

A very good life indeed . . .

Photo Coaster Tutorial

2011-02-03T11:11:00.003-06:00

Before I begin, this is a (re)post of a tutorial I did a couple of years ago on my other blog. I'm going to slowly but surely bring my favorite posts over here. This is one of my all time favorite crafts!

Since many of you wanted to know how to make these, I thought I'd do a tutorial. First of all I want to explain that there are several different techniques for making these. One way is to print out the pictures on photo paper and simply glue them to the tile and seal them to make them water proof. That's fine, but I like the look of this method much better. We aren't simply gluing pictures on, we're making the picture actually become part of the tile, so the transparent photos will take on the texture of the tile. Let's get started!

Supplies:

-Tumbled marble tiles

-Mod Podge

-Foam Brush

-Printed photo

-Sheet of cardstock

-Spray on sealer

-Craft glue

-Cork square

Crop your photo to the desired size on your computer. These tiles are 4x4, so crop accordingly. You are going to print your photo onto tissue paper. Tape the edges of tissue paper onto the card stock so you can feed it through the printer.

Here is a picture of my customer's sweet little grandson printed out on the tissue paper.

Next, you will spread a very thin layer of Mod Podge over the tile. It's important that you spread a THIN layer because the tissue paper is very delicate and can tear easily if you use too much Mod Podge.

Carefully place the photo on top of your Mod podge covered tile . Starting from the center and working out to the edges,use your fingers to gently press the picture into place. Keep pressing until any wrinkles or air bubbles are gone. After the Mod Podge is dry, brush another coat over the photo. Allow to dry and repeat. You could do a third coat if you want just to make sure it's nice and sealed!

When the final coat of Mod Podge is dry, spray the tile with 3 or 4 coats of sealer. This part is VERY important. Mod Podge alone will not protect your photos from water over a period of time.

Glue the cork square to the back of the tile. Another option is to just stick little round felt feet to the bottom - whichever you prefer!

Here's the finished set for my sweet customer, Janice. Thanks for letting me show off your beautiful family, Janice!

Here are a few pointers:

-Make sure your photo ink is completely dry before you start.

-If you tear the tissue while placing the picture, immediately run it under water and wash off the tissue and Mod Podge - at least you've saved your tile and can reuse it!

-I tear the edges of the photos before I apply them, but that's just because I like the way it looks. You can leave the edges in tact if you prefer.

I love these because you can take your grandmother's old family photos and make special keepsakes out of them. You don't have to use them as coasters - you can display them on an easel or plate stand. You could also do pet photos, nature photos, food photos - anything you can think of!

Have fun with it!

I 'm linking to 20 below at Christina's Adventures

and

Under $100 at Beyond the Picket Fence

Could it be? . . .

2011-01-31T15:13:00.003-06:00

A sign of spring that I see?

After the snow melted, I saw this in one of my flowerbeds over the weekend-

Yes, my daffodils were peeking at me! These are a very early variety, but oh how I needed a sign of brighter days ahead! I'm getting over a yucky head cold that has ZAPPED my energy for the past few days

I don't want to complain about winter . . . if we didn't go through winter, spring wouln't be half as wonderful! God's plan for the seasons is perfect and I'm thankful that I live in an area in which I can enjoy all four seasons, but I have to admit, winter is not my favorite! For me, it's a tie between fall and spring.

I can't wait for better weather to be able to spend some time on our screened porch! I know many of you have already seen my porch, but I'm joining Jill for her first Porch Club Monday -

When we moved here, this porch was the first project we tackled. I had always wanted a screened porch! We did a lot of the work ourselves and it was definitely done on a budget. I live out here spring through fall!

Now, I PROMISE no more spring themed posts for a while . . . maybe.

Spring Eggs

2011-01-26T21:25:00.006-06:00

This may be what I'm seeing outside my window today-

but I'm thinking SPRING! We're going through our fourth snow storm since Christmas and being cooped up has given me lots of crafting time!

Here's a little egg display that I put together -

This was super easy. I just stenciled letters on some little eggs that I already had. Vinyl letters would have been much easier and probably look better, but I didn't have any. I just made do with what I had!

Next, I painted a little piece of scrap wood that I found in my garage, hot glued some floral moss on top, and glued my little eggs on top of that.

This was super easy and cheap is an understatement here! I already had everything I needed, but this would still have been really inexpensive if I had to buy the supplies.

I'm not decorating for spring yet, but I'm thinking warm, springy thoughts to stay warm while being snowed in!

I'm joining 20 below Thursdays at Christina's Adventures

and

Under $100 at Beyond the Picket Fence

New Life for Old Frames

2011-01-22T12:46:00.003-06:00

I NeVeR get rid of frames, no matter what they look like because they're so versatile. You can paint them, cover them, and add all sorts of embellishments. You can frame just about anything you already have and you have an instant, usually free accessory!

I've had two collage frames for years. They used to have different sized divider sections in them. (I didn't take before pictures, because I didn't plan on this being a blog post at the time!) I popped the divider sections out and I was ready to frame something - but what?

I love words - just single words that make you stop and think-

I have tons of stencils so I picked out a couple that I like and stenciled the words on some scraps of canvas that I had in my fabric pile. I cut another piece of fabric for the background.

I finished them off with a piece of ribbon for hanging-

Hang on to those old frames and frame what you love!

Simple Valentine Banner

2011-01-19T10:34:00.003-06:00

I don't really go all out and decorate for Valentine's day, but I always like to do a little something. I don't have a wndow treatment over my kitchen window so I've started making simple (emphasis on SIMPLE!) banners to hang there for each season. I took my snowflake banner down yesterday and replaced it with this Valentine Banner I made-

I didn't have a plan for this, I just looked through my craft supplies and made it up as I went along. Leah Kate got in on the action too. She made the paper heart in the pitcher. She glued it to a pencil that she wrapped in green ribbon - she's taking after me!

If you'd like to give it a try, here's what I did:

First, I cut triangles out of white card stock and punched two holes in the top of each one. I have a whimsical little heart stencil that I like, so I used it to stencil on the hearts. You could also cut hearts out of scrapbook paper and glue them on - use your imagination!

I printed off the X's and O's in a font that I liked, cut them out with decorative scissors and taped them on the triangles. I then strung the triangles on a piece of jute. (I ALWAYS use jute for my banners - I love jute!)

I found some mismatched red buttons in my button stash ( I bought a 100 year old sewing machine w/cabinet and the drawers were FULL of vintage buttons :) and hot glued them on. Last, I tied on some red and white fabric strips.

I like the way it turned out and it was fun just making it up as I went along! This is so easy and quick, I'm looking forward to doing one for each holiday. I'm already thinking St. Patrick's Day!

I'm working on something that's a really big deal for me and when I get it all ready, I'll have a give away to celebrate.

Thanks for sticking with me through all these changes!