dream big.

Art Week - day two!

Inchie art is everywhere! I LOVE the simplicity of it and the fact that it allows for playing with new and different art techniques.

This was created by That Artist Woman and we may do another inchie project for our next Art Week and focus on winter. She has some great art ideas for kids and heck, even adults can have fun playing with some of the projects as well!

This is the fall inchie project one of the girls created for art week. For some reason I didn't get pics of everyones inchie art. We worked with LOTS of water color techniques and used some mixed media as well.

We created the art on two inch squares and then mounted them onto black book board. The girls have stated that this water color project was their favorite from the week.

I highly recommend this simple, fun, and creative art project for kids and adults of all ages!

 

Canvas Art and Home Decor

Over the past couple of years I have been slowly creating a series of 3 canvas art pieces that I can change with the seasons. This is the summer set! I LOVE how these look side by side on the wall.

Super easy and the trio can be made in a weekend.

I have to make a fall set this month to put up in October and then I will have all four seasons created.

Would you like a tutorial on line? Let me know what you think!

The Beach.

This is Ruby Beach. This is a beach I want to come back to and explore.

 

These are my girls on the beach in Grayland. In Western Washington we have not had much of a summer, but that doesn't stop my girls from LOVING the beach.

What's not to love about a beach where you can gather BUCKETS full of beautiful sand dollars?!

Planning an August trip back to the beach and the girls can hardly wait!

Quick and Simple Valentine Cards

 
Valentine's day tends to sneak up on me. Probably because I am planning Natalie's birthday party, and forget that Valentine's day is just two days later. I really was not wanting to just buy little valentine cards for the girls to put there names on and be finished, but I needed something quick, simple and inexpensive.

 

 

First, I picked up these cute little Martha Stewart stickers and these stamp stickers.

 

Plus, a couple of chocolate treats that the stickers attach to perfectly!

Also, I grabbed these $1 finds by Studio G! Super cute blank cards that can be easily embellished with some ribbon I just happened to find in the $1 section as well. Then I went to work creating several style cards for my kiddos to make and give this Valentine's day!

 

Using these simple items and some ribblon I was able to create a cute little valentine.

 

 

Adding this ribbon inside the card added a sweet sentiment.

 

The larger cards are sweet and have a cute little cut out on the front cover. I added the ribbon sentiment to the front and inside and then added some detail to the envelope.

I attached the cute little chocolate stamp to the front and made up a loving address, Natalie is going to LOVE this.

 

These cards had circular windows on the front, so I punched a couple of pink card stock cirlces to cover the art work and added my chocolate stickers to the inside.

 

Super quick and easy valentines with a tasty chocolate treat!

Valentine treat bag - how to

Today's valentine project is a sweet treat bag to fill with a valentine cookie or chocolates. We are making cookies to fill these bags, but chocolates work too!

 
These are quick and simple to make. First, I punched the top of a white bag with the Martha Stewart heart border punch. Isn't it adorable? And the punch is super easy to use.

 

Next, I added a piece of cardstock to the bag and cut out a 3.5" heart using my Slice. I hand stitched around the heart, but it looks cute without the stitching as well. Then I used my Slice and cut out a 3" word Kiss and adhered it to the center of the heart.

 

Attach the heart to the top of the cardstock and you have a super sweet valentine treat bag ready to fill with yummy goodness.

 Posted on Made By You Mondays.

TWO how-to valentine projects!

What have I been up to? Obviously not blogging. I thought it was time to share what I have been creating and why.

This week I will share a new item each day that I have been creating for Valentines Day. The projects are simple and fun to create. I meant to post one yesterday, so today I will post two projects.

 
This sweet heart garland I made with some paper, doilies, and two tools. I used my Slice to cut out the hearts and my sewing machine to stitch it all together.

 
First, I cut out a ton of hearts using my Slice.

 
Next, I cut out a smaller 2 inch heart and folded it in half.

 
Then, I placed a paper doilie behind each large heart and stitched across the heart like an arrow. leaving about 3 to 4 inches of sewn thread between each heart. After sewing all of the hearts together I took a folded heart and sewing down the fold of the heart I attached it to each large heart.

 
The end result is a super sweet garland with texture and dimension! Fun, easy, and cute...my kind of recipe for a craft project.

Now, what to do with all of the left over doilies. Here is a SUPER easy idea that can be finished in about 5 minutes!

Take as many doiled as you have on hand or left over and sew down the center of the heart shape.

 
At the same time of stitching down the center of this stack of doilies I grabbed curling ribbon for wrapping gifts and stitched the end of th ribbon to the top of the heart.

Next, fold all of the halves of the heart.

 
The end result is a beautiful heart to be hung above a table to act as a center piece for the valentine season. It is a season right?

So, there you have it two of the projects I have been creating. More to share tomorrow!

My belief is incorporating my word for 2011: EXPERIENCE.

Throughout the fall of 2010 I had this HUGE sense that I wanted to have less stuff and wanted to be actively engaging in the world around me. I simply cannot explain why this powerful thought kept surging through my being. As I would continue going through the motions of each day out of nowhere would pop this thought that I should be more engaged. I wasn’t really sure what this meant other than it had to be a sign and I should pay attention to where it might lead me. Yes, I am one of those people who truly believes in signs!

 

In October with Christmas just around the corner Eric and I began talking about what we should get the kids for Christmas. Feeling completely overwhelmed with all of the STUFF that the girls already have I said let’s get everyone a season pass to ski this winter. Once the phrase came out of my mouth it was as if someone had turned on the faucet, because the idea continued to pour out of me. As I finished sharing my idea, one comment struck a chord within me: I want to give experiences this season and less stuff that will eventually be given away or thrown in the trash.

 

 

I quickly realized that experiencing moments with family and friends is the gift I want to give myself this year. I have the BELIEF that an experience will stay with me for a life time, stuff on the other hand…not as important. I think I have always had this belief, but the idea of giving something that can’t be physically seen seemed a bit awkward. Change can feel awkward at first, so I am ready to start this year off living my inner secret belief that giving experiences and sharing experiences with others will spread love and joy all over my world. I can hardly wait to see what I experience this year that rocks my world!

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I have inserted a few of the images I want to include on my final illustrated page. I am excited to put this page together. Today I will be printing my images and story so that I am all ready to illustrate on Friday!

If you have your story written and would like to share a link please do so in the comments.

Happy New Year!

Welcome 2011!

I am completely excited about the idea of having a fresh start and that includes a new word to kick off the New Year! Ali Edwards has been doing this for several years now and this is the second year I am joining in.

My word for the year is EXPERIENCE. This word found me as I spent the last few months of 2010 discussing how I want to experience more with my family. I want LESS stuff and more memorable moments. That is why at Christmas the entire family received season ski passes. My youngest on Christmas morning said, “Mom, we didn’t get that many toys this year.”  No, they didn’t. Most everything under our tree was ski gear… plus one toy, one book, and stockings. Less stuff that will soon be forgotten, but an entire winter season of our family together, experiencing the mountains, snow and skiing!

 

 

I am wondering how many directions this new word will take me this year. I am excited to find out.

Gingerbread Houses

This is another Christmas experience I am doing with my family next week...and the book the idea comes from as a Christmas gift. My find of the week is the book No-Bake Gingerbread Houses For Kids.

So, if you know me just a little, then you know I am all about saving sanity and enjoying all life has to offer. I think that this little book is perfect for doing just that! How stinkin' cool is creating gingerbread houses with all premade cookies, graham crackers and supplies. And this little book is filled with easy to follow directions. LOVE this!

Here is a peek at the cool projects inside:

 

I LOVE that this book is filled with little houses that can be made for any season of the year. My girls will be all over making houses after the Christmas season.

 
And how cool is it to make a house that is different than most gingerbread houses? Beautiful.

And there are plenty of FUN ideas for the Christmas season as well! How fun is this?

 
So, if you have kids home next week and are wanting to add som fun and easy experiences to your holiday season, I recommend checking out this book! Imagine the fun photos and memories you will be creating!

Write It Wednesday!

Well, the holidays are obviously here! Getting a simple photo of a completed page needs to be scheduled into my day. Here are some pics from my finished Illustrate Your Life page from last week.

 

 

 
 
 
 
 

Today I am inspired to write about a holiday memory. As I snapped a shot of this simple ornament this week, a flood of memories came back to me.

 

My kids also love these ornaments and asked about them. So, I am feeling truly compelled to write the story behind the ornament.

Today think about a holiday memory that you have, which most in your family are unaware of. They may not be aware of it because they were not born yet, or because it was a moment that happened to you at another time in your life, or simply when you were off by yourself. Any holiday moment will do as long as your moment is one that truly has touched your heart. It is funny how writing has this easy way of feeling so magical when a moment or story is told from the heart.

This week I will be posting my story tomorrow once I have it printed, along with the photos I am going to include to illustrate the story.