Yes Actually I Do Still Scrapbook

I thought I'd share a layout with you today that I never got around to posting.   I made this layout using the Club Ruby January Kit.  This kit (and some others) is now on MEGA SALE at Craft-e-Corner for only $23.99 - which is a total steal - so get yours now before they are sold out.

Here's a pic of the goodies in the kit which is called Fun for Boys & Girls:

Since I have two girls, it was pretty easy to come up with some awesome girly stuff with this kit.  Like these letters I made for their room:

And this super cute owl frame - also for their room:

And I even had enough left over to make this card too:

So as you can see, I had no trouble with the girl stuff.  But what should I do with the boy supplies?  How about a layout for one of my male children - one of the ones with fur....

This is Boomer and I know it's hard to see his face.  He is the blackest of black dogs and no matter what, I have trouble getting detailed photographs of him.  He's a miniature schnauzer - a really small one at only 10 pounds but he is full of energy and he is very much my loyal and devoted companion.  I snapped this pic with my phone right after bringing him home from the groomers.  My girls would prefer a bow, but the bandana seems more appropriate, don't you think??

Anyway...

Here's my favorite part of the layout:

I love making my own embellishments for my papercrafts and that's what I did here with this mini-doggy treat dish made from a smooshed bottle cap (in the kit), some plastic bones that I've had in my stash forever and Glossy Accents.

First you have to smoosh the bottle cap - I use my Cuttlebug.  Put them face up on the A plate:

Then place one of your metal dies on top of the caps and cover with the B plate:

Run it through your Cuttlebug and TA-DA!  smooth, flat caps:

Then I placed a few of the bones in the cap and arranged them how I wanted:

And then I carefully added some Glossy Accents.  Set aside and let dry.  It's going to take awhile, so leave it overnight if you can.  (Otherwise you will be tempted to keep sticking your finger in it to see if it's dry.  Trust me on this one).

Here's your totally unique, super quick and easy, dog-gone cute handmade embellishment:

So what did you think?  Will you try smooshing your own bottle caps?  What will YOU put inside?  Leave me a comment and let me know what you are going to make.

Now...
Go Scrap Something!


Britten

It's Been Awhile

Me & Megan - CHA Winter 2012

I was seriously shocked to see that I haven't posted since November.  NOVEMBER?!?!

So much has happened in the last few months...some devastating and life-altering, some truly wonderful.  I guess that's how it always goes.

But this is (mostly) a crafty kinda blog and I need to get back into posting about what I do outside of the Mom and Wife thing...and that's CREATE!!

With hubby's help, I re-did my scrap room recently and I can't wait to share it.  But I gotta clean it up first.....

Bedroom Re-dos

My girls.  They never really had a finished room.  Not even a nursery.  We started to do it while I was pregnant and then I was put in the hospital for the second half of the pregnancy.  Hubby did the best he could, but we ended up just settling for some mis-matched furniture and no real theme.  I thought I would re-do it when they moved into toddler beds at 3, but nope....still didn't.

I'm not sure how this all got started.  I think it had something to do with my friend Nancy and I at last month's Fishhawk Garage Sale.  I told her we were thinking of bunk beds for the girls, but they had to be the ones with the stairs (the ladder ones just made me nervous).  So we looked at several that day but didn't find exactly what I had in mind.   But about a week later, Nancy sent an email with the exact bunk beds I was looking for....on Craig's List. In excellent condition.  At a ridiculously good price.  Sold.

I always told BP that I thought - when the time was right - we would give the girls our bedroom furniture and buy new stuff for us.  We paid $200 for our bedroom set at an estate sale in 2002.  It's from 1963 (there's a stamp on the back of the mirror that says so).  It just made more sense to give 4-year-olds furniture that was still nice...but not brand new.  So that meant we had to buy new furniture for us.  (See how I did that??)

Here's some pics of the girls' new room.  I found the bedding and accessories at Target.  It's called Love n' Nature Collection and it's just the cutest.  I was worried Breena wouldn't like it because it wasn't purple, but she actually loves it.

BP really wanted to keep the papasan because he sits there with them at night before bed to read.  I agreed but said I wanted a new cushion.  Then I looked up how much new cushions for those things were.  Yikes.  So I found a DIY papasan cushion slipcover tutorial and I'm going to attempt to make a cover that coordinates with their room much better... and at about a 1/3 of the price of a brand new one.

I still have decorating to do.  I want to frame some pictures to put up and I want to put their names on the wall somehow.  But they love their new room.

And I love mine!

Here's the sage-y green color it was before:

And here's what it looks like now:

The furniture isn't white...it's more of an off-white with a dark wood top.  It's also a distressed, shabby-chic   (BP had a hard time coming to terms with the fact that we bought brand new furniture that looks old and used on purpose.)  I wanted an iron bed.  He wanted wood.  This was our compromise.

Here's some more pics:

We got rid of the awful vertical blinds over the slider and replaced them with grommet topped panels in a deep red to match the bedding. (not sure why this pic is so dark)

The mirror that goes on this dresser was broken during delivery.  We should have the replacement by Friday.

I still have some decorating to do in here, but I love how peaceful and light it now is.  Unlike a lot of homes in Florida, all of our trim and doors are a cherry instead of the usual white.  Putting light colored furniture in this room really brightened it up.

Now....what can I re-do next....????

Whoooooo is ready for fall...??

Details on how to make this cute owl box using Paper Layerz by Megan Elizabeth will be available here starting November 1!

Halloween Decor

I went a little crazy with the October kit from Club Ruby.  I just couldn't stop making Halloween decorations for the house...

Here's the mantle over my fireplace.   I made the framed sign on the left and the Halloween banner.

Then I dressed up the hall tree in my foyer with a paper flower topiary, a scary skull hanging, an upcycled box and vinyl spiders - complete with rhinestone eyes:

Directions for all my projects can be found under my profile on ClubRubyDesigners.com.

Now...go scrap something!

Halloween Cake Pops

Bakerella makes it looks sooooo easy.

This is my first attempt at cake pops.    (Ok, technically my second attempt.  Most of the first batch got pitched. Ok, ok...so I ATE most of them, then threw out the rest.)  Luckily my four-year-olds do not care how lumpy, bumpy and demented my jack-o-lanterns look.  They just say ' You're the best mommy EVER for making us lollipops!'

October Kit *Sneak Peek*!

I am having SO much fun with the October kit from http://www.clubrubydesigners.com.

I just finished up an awesome home decor project that is already pretty-ing up my foyer for the coming season. Here's a pic:

Be sure to check back after October 1 to see how it all turned out!