Thursday, September 29, 2011

15 Years of Bliss

15 years later....

Our wedding day, September 29, 1996, in the hills of Sebastopol, CA.

and I still love this man with all my heart and soul....

Photo booth at a cousin's wedding last year.

He still makes me laugh like no one else can!

Lucky for us goofballs, we found each other.

I feel so blessed to have found and married my best friend and love of my life.


Jenny

Tuesday, September 27, 2011

Pumpkin Shadow "Box"

This is a project I did last year. You know those craft pumpkins you see at your local craft store? Well they make the cutest "shadow box" for Halloween! Unfortunately I created this project before I blogged, so I did not take step-by-step photos, but I will try my best to describe the steps in creating my pumpkin.

Supplies:
Craft Pumpkin
Knife
Marker or pencil
Round, flat styrofoam piece found in the floral section of your craft store
Moss
Crepe paper and needle and thread
Hot glue gun and glue sticks
12x12 Piece of scrapbook paper
Vintage photo or clip art
Decorative pieces for inside your shadow box

Using a pencil, I drew my opening on the front of my craft pumpkin and where I needed to cut with my knife. I then decided to also cut the back half of my pumpkin. You can leave the back of our pumpkin on if you like, I just chose to cut mine off. Using a knife that I didn't mind dulling, I cut along my pencil line and removed the cut-outs.


Here's the back of my pumpkin. I laid the pumpkin down and traced  the outline on a piece of 12x12 scrapbook paper and set the paper aside to glue onto my pumpkin once I had the inside all built.


If you look closely, you will see moss on the floor of my pumpkin. I cut my round styrofoam piece to fit inside my pumpkin and used hot glue to secure it, and then I covered the styrofoam with moss, which I also used hot glue to secure. For a fun look, you could spray paint your moss black or silver or whatever color, and add some glitter spray to the moss. I of course think of this after my pumpkin is all built.


Once you've laid your ground piece (the moss), now you can add all the fun pieces inside. I found a little glitter tree in the floral section of Michael's, and a little glitter witch cut-out that I placed onto a round piece of gold glitter paper for a moon. I glued the moon and witch onto the piece of scrapbook paper I had set aside. 

The black and white photo is a photo I found of my grandmother Dot and her brother Jim when they were little. They're sitting on top of an old stump, and I loved how Jim had his arms wrapped around his sister Dot. I printed the photo onto some glossy photo paper and then used some makers to add color to their clothing, hair and a little color to their cheeks. I then cut out the photo and left a little base, which I folded back. I also added a little witches hat and placed it on top of my grandma's head and then added some black glitter to her mary janes. I added a little "Trick or Treat" banner and glued it onto the front of the stump. If you don't have a vintage photo, you can search the internet for free vintage photos or clip art.


You can kind of see in the photo below the strip of card stock I added to the back of the photo to hold it up. Very much like how a photo frame would stand up.


Around the front opening of my pumpkin, I hot glued crepe paper which I gathered with a needle and thread. I laid a strip of orange, then black, and another strip of orange crepe paper and then weaved my needle and thread down the stacked strips of crepe paper and gathered it until I had the desired length for my opening. I then folded my gathered crepe paper in half and used a hot glue gun to glue it to the opening. I must warn you that you will more than likely end up with some hot glue gun burns on your fingers like I did!

And because you can never have too much glitter or bling, I hot glued some glitter leaves that I found in the floral section of Michael's onto the top of my pumpkin. 

Lastly, once I had my pumpkin built and embellished, I used more hot glue to glue the scrapbook paper I had set aside onto the back of my pumpkin.


And here sits my pumpkin on the buffet in our dining room. A one of a kind shadow box!


Jenny

Monday, September 26, 2011

Wednesday, September 21, 2011

Pregnancy Update



I'm just a little over 6 months along now, and 25 lbs heavier.
I will take 25 lbs over 60 or 80.
I am still not used to my new fuller face.
I am enjoying the rounder belly, but not the rounder face.
I suppose that makes me vain.
I have come to the harsh realization that not a lot of stores carry maternity wear.
But I am doing my best to look cute and fashionable while pregnant.
I love watching my belly grow, bigger and bigger. It's a beautiful thing!
I feel our little girl move around constantly. She's an active one.
We have a named picked out. Isabel Dorothy.
After my husband's grandma (Isabel) and my grandma (Dorothy), who both passed away several years ago.
I know that they would have loved meeting their great-granddaughter.
I have tried to go off Prednisone 3 times now (3 months, 4 months and 6 months)
but every time my Hyperemesis kicks in full gear and I get horribly sick.
Like puke my guts out 7 times in 12 hours sick.
So I am resigned to staying on Prednisone for the rest of my pregnancy.
Which is no harm to the baby.
It would just be nice to know that I was rid of my Hyperemesis
at 6 months...or 7 months...without the aid of steroids.
But again, I am SO THANKFUL that there is something I can take to keep my Hyperemesis at bay.
The crib arrived the other day and the hubster and I plan on assembling it this weekend.
I can't wait to dress the crib up with the bedding I got from Target.
I have also started the hoop art project for above the crib. I will post pictures once it's all up.
We also ordered the glider and ottoman,which take 8-12 weeks to make.
I'm keeping my fingers crossed they arrive before the baby does!
So the nursery is slowly taking shape. And I am getting bigger by the day.
I promise to share pictures as the nursery comes together.

Jenny

Monday, September 19, 2011

Autumn Banner


Here's my little craft project from last weekend, an autumn banner.


And here's a close-up of the individual banner pieces...




I used a border punch along the top of each banner piece, and added a flower and glitter leaves on the end border pieces.

The letters were pre-cut chipboard letters that I received in a goody bag at a charity scrapbooking event (or crop). I brushed some glue on each letter and then poured glitter over them and let them dry. I cut the scallop circle using a die and then placed the circle on top of a medallion I created out of some gold tissue paper I had saved from a gift I received (repurpose and reuse!).
Here's a side view of the banner pieces. The medallions really pop off the banner pieces and add some dimension.


And here is the banner hanging above the slider in the kitchen. Bringing just the right touch of fall to the kitchen! (Please excuse the smudged glass, apparently my quick clean job was a little too quick!)


Jenny


Words for Monday

Source

Happy Monday :)

Jenny

Tuesday, September 13, 2011

Fall Collage

September is here, which means it is time to switch out the Summer Collage for Fall.
For those of you who missed my earlier posts about my seasonal collages, I have a collage that hangs in our entryway for every season: Home (the in-between seasons collage), Spring, Summer and now Fall. Halloween, Christmas and Valentines will be revealed in their respective month. The collages are a fun way to honor the seasons and use up my stash of craft supplies.



Top:  I cut out a little house out of Scrabble scrapbook paper, stamped the word Family onto cardstock and placed it over the house, and then secured a clear acrylic heart with a red brad over Family. The flower is layered and has velvet leaves. The word Fall is made from Basic Grey chipboard letters.


Middle: The tree was stamped using a Stampin' Up! stamp. The Autumn circle was a pre-made chipboard shape. The 28 are Tim Holtz metal numbers, and represent my husband's birthday - November 28.


Bottom: The Definition was pre-made, I just the stamped leaves and inked the edges. On the flower, I added a grommet with the word Home in the center and placed it on a square piece of card stock.



And here is the collage hanging in the frame.




I will post this weekend's creation once I have some better light to take photos.


Jenny

Monday, September 12, 2011

Words for Monday

Source

Happy Monday :)

I got crafty this weekend and should have a post up this week with my creation.

Jenny

Friday, September 9, 2011

Etsy Finds 9.9.11


1. Gone Crazy. Be Back Soon. - This has been my work week. I'm so glad it's Friday.
2. Orange Nylon Bag - I normally just "window shop" my Etsy Finds, but this bag I purchased. It's the perfect bag for our upcoming weekend getaway to Mendocino at the end of September.
3. Cabernet Scarf - Eternity scarves are my new favorite scarves. And this cabernet one is so rich and yummy.
4. Vintage Christian Dior Orange Boots - If these puppies were a size 9, I might've had to get them to go with my new bag.
5. Convertible Skirt/Dress - It's a skirt. No wait, it's a dress. Love!
6. Triangle Hoop Earrings - These are fun and different. I like different.

Ahhh, did I already say how glad I am it's Friday?? These last few weeks at work have been hectic, but this week has been especially so. The beginning of the school year is always a little crazy, but this year has been ridiculously, over the top crazy. But it's Friday! Yay! No big plans for the weekend. The hubby is working both days, so I plan to lay low at home and recharge my batteries.

Wishing you a wonderful weekend!

Jenny

Friday, September 2, 2011

Etsy Finds 9.2.11


1. Burnt Orange Canvas Purse - Wouldn't this make the perfect fall purse!The seller has lots of other cute purses at great prices.
2. Orange Chunky Cowl - I love this color. And I love scarves!
3. Gold Lace Earrings - The detail on these earrings is amazing. 
4. 1950s File Boxes - Hmmm...what could I keep in these cuties?
5. Raggedy Mummy Doll - How cute is this mummy doll?? Very!
6. Geekery Chiyogami Paper Necklace - I can't believe these beads are made out of paper. I recently bought some large beads and might attempt a similar necklace.

I'm the office manager for a K-12 Charter School and this last week has been CRAZY busy! School doesn't officially start until Sept. 6th, but our teachers returned August 15th, and each week has been getting a little more busy. Last year things didn't calm down until November, and this year seems to be going the same way. So boy am I ever happy about the three day weekend!! Saturday we have my grandmother's 80th birthday party to attend, Sunday we're checking out gliders for the nursery and some more maternity clothes for my every growing belly, and then Monday I hope to catch the movie The Help since the hubby works.

Wishing you a wonderful 3 day weekend for those of you who are lucky enough to get Monday off!

Jenny



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