Recycled Flowers

I saw this project in a magazine cut out my sister had in her special folder she made.  She had all sorts of fun and cool ideas, projects and things she wants all cut out of magazines and neatly placed in a three ring binder.

Yeah...I'm not that organized but I am glad SHE is.  While I was in Utah she got it out and I flipped through it.

So here is my version of what I saw.  I took a penny saver ( whatever kind of paper you want.  Book pages, newspaper, ads...whatever )  And I LOVE that I used the penny saver because we just throw it right in the recycling bin pretty much every single week.  Makes me so happy to repurpose these!

Let's get started!

Ripped out some pages from whatever source you are going to use.  Take some water and some water color paints and paint the heck out of your pages.

I tried a couple of different things here.  Here I painted the paper.  I also tried coloring the water and the crinkling up the paper and sticking it in the water.  Both work.  You have to have the water REALLy dark with the color though.  I let that dry.  Do both sides because you will be seeing both sides of the paper when it is all said and done.

Next I took some of this fabulous stuff

And I added it to some water ( I didn't want it to stiffen the paper TOO much! ) and coated the paper AGAIN!  Let it dry and then crinkle the paper.

Next you can do TWO different things.  I tried both and I am not sure which one I like better.

The first thing you can do is CUT petals out of your paper.

OR

You can rip petals out of your paper.  I like the look of both so try out both and see which one floats your boat!

Next you want to take a smaller petal and glue it to the center.  In the picture you see regular glue BUT I ended up using the glue gun and it worked SOOOO much better because it dried instantly.  Just be aware that paper is THIN and you will probably burn yourself at least once.  I kept putting my finger under the paper and then pressing directly onto the glue gun. DUH!  haha  When I use ribbon or fabric it's usually thick enough to not burn.

I found this floral wire at the dollar store and thought it would work perfect!  They had many different colors and any color would have looked great.

Put some glue on the wire and then roll the paper around it.

It should look something like this.  Then just start glueing all of the petals on.  I try and go from one side to the other to fill in all of the spots.

Once you get it looking good, try bending the petals out a bit so it doesn't look flat.

At this point I wanted them to stay like they were and so I wanted to add a top coat.  I have this

I took my flowers out side and sprayed the heck out of them using both.  I found the results looked pretty much the same.  Neither of them looked shinny to me but I love how they brightened up the color and made it a deeper shade.

Then I had a little too much fun taking some pictures of them

So go make some flowers.  The nice thing about these is your kids could help you make them.  They take a while only because they need to dry in between coats but other then the glue ( if you use hot glue ) your kids could help.

linking up to some parties

Something OTHER Then Hair Clip

I swear I still do crafty things other then hair clips.  It doesn't seem like it but I swear I do.  Most of the time I do not end up finishing things which is why they don't get blogged about.  While I was in Utah I bought a baby shoe pattern and I finally got around to doing it.  The patter was way easy to follow and it didn't take too long to make these.  It was a change from things being a trial run the first time.  You have to remember I have been sewing for less then two years and everything I have learn has pretty much been from the internet.  Sometimes that means messing things up while I try to figure them out.  I am also stubborn so I often just try and make things without a pattern.  Sometimes I have great success, and sometimes I fall flat on my face.  The important thing is that I enjoy sewing and it makes me feel good to create things.

Anyways.  Here are the shoes

The hardest part of the pattern was after they were done and I was trying to figure out how to decorate them.  I finally settled on these flowers I bought a million years ago and never used.  I almost put a red flower on top which I LOVE with the black and white but I decided the these flowers because I figured it would make it easier to go with most out fits.  Hopefully they fit!

I have another project up my sleeve.  It isn't done yet s just to give you a sneak peak it involves water colors, recycling and modge podge.  You can't go wrong there right?!

Until then...I need to go finishing making my home made wheat bread for our grill cheese we are having for dinner!  MMMMMMMM  We LOVE making grill cheese on home made wheat bread around here.

Making

I have been making flowers.  I haven't really taken any pictures of them.  I don't want everyone who actually reads this to get sick of them.  Don't you hate that when someone blogs the same stuff every time.  I feel like that has been me lately so I have been debating on not blogging at all or blogging the same three crafts.  Hmmmmm

This weekend my in laws decided to come surprise us.  It was lots of fun.  My husband smoke us some ribs and brisket and I am telling you it was GOOOOOOD!  And I don't even really like meat.  I made some of the Brazilian Cheese Bread I blogged about.  SO good you guys!  If you have not tried the recipe yet I AM TELLING YOU DO IT!  You will NOT be let down.  My mother in law went home with the recipe and a bag of the tapioca flour so she could make some.  :)

They came to church with us too.  Church was really nice yesterday.  One of the lessons we had was about how our most important calling in this life was that of a spouse and a parent.  It hit home for me.  Who cares what we do in this life we were terrible at raising our kids and were terrible at being a spouse!?!  I mean, really.  With that in mind, I have had a pretty good day with my kids.  Things that normally would drive me crazy have not.  I haven't yelled.  I haven't ignored them so I could craft.  In fact earlier today I had some craft I wanted to try and it just so happened to work out that Kayla could do it too even though it wasn't a kid craft.  You'll see what I mean when I post it in a day or two.  We sat at the table and painted together while my son was playing a computer game with us.  It was nice.  I REALLY don't want to be a failure as a mom.  I want my kids to look back and cherish the times we spend together.  I am working to improve myself all of the time.  Today Tyler told me I was the best mom he ever had!  haha  It makes me laugh because of course I am the best he ever had because I am the only one he has ever had!  But hey...I'll take it!


Here's a quick picture of a clip I just recently made.  I love it

Maybe tomorrow I'll be back with something other then hair clips

Blue Eyes

Remember how I told y'all I had  a photo shoot this week with some cutie pies from church?  Check out their gorgeous blue eyes!

 Adorable right?  If you want to see the rest of the pictures click here

Thankful Thursdays

Today is thursday.  I am thankful for a lot of things.  Sometimes I just feel really lucky.  I know I have already said I am thankful for my husband and so I am not saying that again, however I am SO thankful that my husband loves me today, just like he did ( well...probably better )  then he did at the beginning.

A friend and I were texting each other and he made mention something about another one of our friends not being attracted to me.  I laughed and said, "I am perfectly okay with that because I was never attracted to him either."  Then I went on to say that I was just thankful my husband loved me even though I am fatter, and get WAY crankier and I don't always clean the house and dinner is not always ready for him.  I am SO thankful that I have a husband who is understanding.  I am grateful I have a husband who no matter what I look like, he thinks I look beautiful.  I will not have make up on, not showered in two days and be wearing some random outfit and he'll come home, kiss me and say, "You look really good today!"  HAHA  Sometimes I think he is mocking me but he isn't.  He thinks I am wonderful no matter what and I am SO grateful for that.

So technically, I am grateful for my husband, AGAIN!  But really I am grateful for a best friend who loves me no matter what.

Busy

Sorry folks!  I have been busy.  It seems like I have been getting nothing done too which is frustrating.  Partly because I spent time this weekend to make a baby sling for a friend and then work on my etsy shop. I listed 12 new things and with the listing everything comes taking pictures and taking the time to list it.  I would say on average it takes 10 to 20 minutes for me to list one thing.  So needless to say sometimes when I have things to list, nothing else gets done.  My poor husband has been SOOOOO sun burnt too so I have spent lots of time rubbing him down with coconut oil ( which he says helps tremendously by the way! )  He laughs at all of my, "Well maybe you should rub "insert essential oil here" on it."  Whenever something is wrong with him.  THIS time however, he listened because he was in so much pain he was willing to try anything and what do you know IT WORKED!  Little stinker.  We used some avocado oil the last couple of days with the super dry, itchy, peeling skin and that seems to help a lot as well.  

Any ways.  Hopefully I'll get some stuff up here soon.  I have been asked by a local vintage style shop in a town near me to start carrying some of my hair clips in their store.  I was excited about this adventure but it means making a tons of stuff to put in there and I need to get it done ASAP.  I also told the lady I would come take pictures of her shop for her to put on her facebook page and we are going to trade services!  Trading is such a great way for two people to get what they want and to get their business out there.  The shop opens up in a week or two so I have been going a little crazy the last day or two.  Also, I am doing a photo shoot Wednesday for someone from my church.  She has the CUTEST little girl and boy so I am SO excited to do those for her.  I think they will turn out great.  Here's hoping any ways.  So I have LOTS of things going on and I just hope that over the next week or so I will have some time to blog about this and that!  I have a Thankful Thursday post written in my head already so here's hoping that gets typed up sometime too!  haha

Happy Tuesday everyone.  I hope you are not as tired and crazy as I am.  :)

Oh and my mom is a quilter.  She does excellent work.  She is going to start listing things on my etsy shop.  I have listed the first of many quilts she is going to have me sell for her.  Take a look if you are a quilter.  The next one is going to be an adorable baby quilt and I can't wait for her to finish it up so I can list it because it REALLY is so darling!

Handmade gift exchange

I know I have already talked about this but I got my present this week from the home made gift exchange.  We were supposed to have them mailed out on the 24th of June.  My partner had gotten hurt and spent some time in the hospital and then I left to go to Utah so I told her to just not worry about it and send it when I got back.  She was also getting ready to leave to go to Utah as well.  I got it in the mail Monday  YIPEE!  Here is a picture of what I got.

I told her I liked vintage stuff.

Love the black flower!

Perfect spot for one of my business cards!  ;)   haha  Actually I wanted to use a picture of my husband and I but I couldn't find one at the time.

I didn't even tell her that I was a photographer and she put a camera on it!  How perfect is that?!  Now I just need to figure out where to put it.

My crafter was Dee from La-dee-da creations.  She just opened up an etsy shop here and she is part of an organization in Arizona called love-create-shine-change   Click on the link to see what it is about!  Or just go check out her blog for all her crafty goodness! http://ladeedacreations.com/ 

THANKS AGAIN DEE

Seriously?

I have MORE flowers to post on here tonight.  I know what you are thinking.  SERIOUSLY?  Yes.  Sorry it isn't something more exciting but I have NOT had much time this week to craft.  My husband has been home on vacation so I didn't really have time to myself to do things like that.  I did however, get to go to the town thrift store by myself for like 45 minutes during nap time on Wednesday.  I SCORED!  I got a couple of vintage ( or at least REALLY old ) pillow cases and I have started to turn them into some pillow case dresses for my daughter.  The one I bought to actually turn into the pillow case dress I am having second thoughts on it now.  I am thinking instead of maybe making me a skirt.  We shall see.  I also found a SUPER cute skirt for me in a size 18.  I am not a size 18 however so I must take it in before I can wear it.  Hopefully that doesn't take me TOO long to do.   It's SO cute that I am hoping it helps motivate me enough tot get it done so I can wear it.  I never seem to want to wear any of my dresses or skirts to church.  I also bought a flat sheet and some other pillow cases, some AWESOME stretchy knit I am planning on making a skirt for me with ( it was 1 1/2 yards for only 1.50! )  a wallet, a leather ( well fake leather most likely ), 4 books for my kids and a basket to do new born pictures with and I got it ALL for 11 dollars.  YYYYYYYESSSSSSS! ( said just like Napoleon Dynamite )

Any ways.  Here are the flowers I made the other day using some tutorials I found in blog land.

The first one is kinda plain but I think I will add a leaf or two too it to add just a little something else.  I tutorial I saw put some leaves off of the side and I didn't think it needed them until I tried it without.

I LOVE how this one turned out and it looks so hard but it really wasn't complicated at all.  It didn't take that long either which is a plus for me.  You do have to sew and some people don't like that but it was worth it in my opinion.

This one was EXTREMELY easy and yet looks so elegant if you use the right ribbon.  I think I am going to be adding some tule, russian veiling and/or some feathers to it.  It's super cute now as it is but some other stuff added might make it pretty darn cute too.  And since my girl refuses to use clips or put anything at all in her hair I will most likely be putting these in the etsy shop.  I have been thinking about doing another giveaway too so maybe I'll use some for that!

I hope everyone had a great Friday.  I got to see two friends I haven't seen in forever and have lunch while the kids played.  It was nice.  That's twice in one week I got to hang out with old friends.  Life doesn't get much better than that!!!

PS We also put in an offer on a house.  Keep your fingers crossed for us.  It is a short sale and they were asking more then what we offered.  We are hoping they counter offer and don't just flat out tell us know. We'll see what happens.  I'll keep y'all posted.  EEEEEEE

Thankful Thursdays

I am thankful for recipes!  I would be SOOOOOO lost without recipes.  I wouldn't know how to cook anything at all and I would be SO scared to try anything.  Recipes get us familiar with what ingredients are good for certain things.  For instance, who would have though that honey would be good for your skin?  I would NEVER have thought,  "Hmmmm I think if I rub sticky honey all over my face and then leave it there for a few minutes and wash it off....I bet it will make my skin nice and soft!"

Well, I got a recipe for YOU!  I haven't tried it yet.  I was cleaning just now and saw it and thought, "Oh yeah I forgot about this."  I got it at church.  The ladies had a spa night and this recipe was give to us along with a chocolate bar.  Here are the ingredients

1/3 cup of cocoa
2 tablespoons of heavy whipping cream ( sour cream will work too! )
3 tablespoons of oatmeal powder ( I just throw oat meal in the food processor )

Preparation

Mix all the ingredients until the mask is consistent.  Apply on the face, gently massaging it so that the oatmeal can start exfoliating the dead skin cell layers.  Leave it on for about 15 to 20 minutes and then rinse off with lukewarm water.  ENJOY YOUR SOFT FACE!

Do You Remember?

Do you remember back in May or June when I blogged about a camera bag I REALLY wanted but they were out of stock in the color I wanted? WELL, they have the color in stock again! I have been debating on buying it or not. I HATE spending large amounts of money on one single item. Last month I bought my new backdrops and I haven't regretted that yet! I got great pictures of my sister and her little family. Check out my cute nephew

Here he is with his daddy sporting one of the bow ties I made him!

So I LOVE my backdrops!  I haven't used all of them yet so I still need to get some bodies over to my house so I can try out some more.  And now I am debating on buying the bag.  BUT WAIT!  Over at sew.craft.create.  She is giving one of these camera bags away that I want!  I am sure I will not win because I just am NOT That person who wins things ever BUT I am blogging about the giveaway any ways.  Today is the last day to enter so go on over and enter because you never know when you might win something!  And even if you don't win the blog itself is SUPER cute and you might get some new great ideas!

Since I am showing you pictures from my little photo shoot wanna see some more?  Check out my cutie pie Kayla girl

And the BEST picture I could get of the two of them

And then my boy!  The first picture I posed.  THEN he decided to pose himself...

LOVE this one!  haha

And if you knew my boy you would know him this picture describes him to a T!

Don't forget to go over to the giveaway and enter for your chance to win a camera bag!

Flower Obsession

I have many obsessions.  They come and go.  Lately it has been making flowers.  I saw a lady at a store in Utah and she was wearing a flower in her hair.  I saw it and thought it was pretty cute.  I KNEW I could make it myself and do you know what?  I ACTUALLY DID!  Too often I see something, take a picture of it with my camera or cell phone and then NEVER try it.  This one was on my mind until I got home from my trip and I could try it.  The first one turned out really big so I decided to make a smaller one in the same fabric.  I think I am going to put them in my etsy shop and sell them as a Mother Daughter set or a Big Sister Little Sister set.  Here is how they turned out!

Aren't they cute?  I was thinking of doing a tutorial but I wasn't sure.  They are pretty sell explanatory ( like I said, I just saw it on someone and then came home and did it like 4 days later. )  But sometimes I think things are easy because I am used to sewing and making things.  Does anyone need instructions?  If I get a couple of people who want directions I'll make up a tutorial for these next week.

So how has everyone's week been?  I had a FABULOUS day today!  I FINALLY got my California drivers license!  WOO HOO  So glad I do NOT have to worry about that any more. I also got to go to the community thrift store here by myself and I SCORED some awesome stuff!  I'll take pictures and show y'all tomorrow.  We also went and looked at some houses today and I fell in love with one.  We are planning on putting in an offer and I can't wait.  Hope y'all are having a great week too!