First Challenge

For the first time EVER...I decided to participate in a challenge.  I have seen them...I have said I am going to do them...AND THEN I DON'T.

Well today I did!!

My moms bestie Karolyn over at Paper Therapy always posts to Facebook something called a CAS(E) This Sketch Challenge.  I was curious, so I clicked on the link and decided...I think I can do that.

Here is a pic of the template...

 

And here is my card...

I can definitely see how these challenges become addicting, I had fun making this card and it didn't even take me that long.  LOL...that says a lot...I can sit and stare at a blank card forever before I decide what I want it to look like.

Supplies..
Paper: Bazzill Paper
Ink: Stampin' Up Chocolate Chip
Stamp: Stampin' Up Teeny Tiny Wishes
Embellishments: Pebbles Layered Felt Embellishment, Buttons.

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Keep Calm and Birthday On

If I am being honest I was planning Tatum's first birthday party before I was wrapping presents for Christmas.  I knew all of the things I wanted, but I couldn't decide on a theme, so I opted for NO theme.  Instead I just wanted color...TONS of color.

And I think I accomplished just that...

I used my Cameo for everything.  And except for the boa on the party hats, I had all of the supplies in my craft room.  The party hats were a huge hit with the four little girls.  Note to self though...when you make party hats...make them all the same to avoid three sad little girls who did not get the "pink" one.

And because I was shooting for mom of the year...I decided that I would make Tatum her birthday outfit.  I bought a plain white T-shirt at Hobby Lobby and sewed a fabric #1 and some flowers on the front.  I wanted a super cute diaper cover to go with and my mom was nice enough to help me fumble through the pattern and sew one myself.  Not going to lie...I was pretty proud of my work!!

 

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Dark and Dusty TO Light and Clean

Project PURGE had me rethinking almost everything in my house.  If you know my mom you will know that I come by it naturally.  After she insisted I watch a show on HGTV called Clean Freaks I went home hating strongly disliking almost every space in my house.  Not everything needs to go, but certain things could definitely use a re-do.

Enter these drab pieces in my kitchen...

To be fair...my wonderful mom gave me these canisters a very long time ago when she was getting new and I was moving out on my own.  You can't go wrong with black?  Right?!  Maybe these days that only applies to clothes.

I decided that they needed to go and what better time than right before the big garage sale?

And here is their replacement...

I bought all four of the canisters at Hobby Lobby for less than $10.  I used my Camer to cut vinyl lettering. 

Did a little cleaning of my countertops...

And here are my NEW and much prettier canisters...

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My Take On The Chart

For some reason I have had the hardest time committing to a "Chore" chart for the kids.  Please do not ask me why because I have no answer.  I didn't LOVE anything that I tried.

I bought this Melissa and Doug Chore Chart at a garage sale for only $5 (good deal) and guess what...It will be in my garage sale on Saturday.  I decided that it was too...kiddish!  I know, I know...they are kids, but remember...I have to look at it and I wanted something more esthetically pleasing.  This was not doing it for me!!

I found this over at A Spotted Pony.  I loved it!!  I went to the Goodwill...found two matching baking sheets...spray painted them...and then decided I wasn't a fan.  I just didn't have the perfect spot I guess.

So after I hemmed and hawed...pushed the project to the back burner...I finally made a decision.

This is what I came up with.

I used my most favorite thing these days...My Cameo...and cut vinyl for my refrigerator.  I made bottle cap magnets (also with my silhouette) and Voila!!  Can you believe the kids were super excited to see what their chores would be this morning?

Although the chores are not meant to be a choice...I added $$ amount to each chore as an incentive.  My kids love getting money!!  Most of the chores are pretty simple as my munchkins are only 7 and 4.  I plan to put at least one bottle cap chore under their name each day.  We shall see how it goes!!  It turned out to be a pretty simple little project and if at any point I change my mind all I have to do is rip the vinyl off.

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Crafting to Save Money

One of my goals for 2013 and just the future in general is to spend more time crafting and therefor posting more to this blog I created for said crafts.

In early January I started what I call Project PURGE.  You can check it out, but basically a simple DE-clutter my life project one space at a time.  My craft room always seems to land in the top 3 for cluttered spaces.  I think it is only natural, but there seems to be a fine line between clutter and chaos in this particular space.  A mess means I am actually crafting, but that mess can quickly turn into chaos which keeps me at bay. 

I am not sure what it is about people who craft and their ability to justify keeping every little scrap of crap.  You just never know when you might need that 4" piece of ribbon!  Anyway, I am NO different and it is those scraps that have started to take up space.

Enter my money saving/crafting project all in one.

If there is one thing I always seem to need, but rarely want to go spend money on it is cards.  Birthdays, Thank You's...you name it and a card is needed for it.  I started making cards after my mom started and then for some unknown reason...probably hair bows...I stopped.

Last night I took a break from my little purging project and made a card and before I knew it I had made 7.  The best part....I used only stuff in my "scrap" pile!!!

I won't be entering my cards in any contest, but they will serve the needs of any occasion.  Crafting and saving money all at the same time.  And thanks to my moms bestie Karolyn I have cute new Stampin' Up Sentiments to play with.

Honestly...I forgot how much I love to paper craft!!

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