My Creative Studio

Over the next couple of weeks, I'll be showing you different projects that I have completed for my "creative studio" but I thought I might better explain what the creative studio is first! 


We have a spare room in our house and when we moved in J pretty much gave me free range of the room saying we could do whatever with it. We knew it needed to be a partial office and house the computer but I also thought it would be a great place to store my craft supplies and have my own place to craft. 


But calling the room an office sounded blah and calling it a craft room sounded blah too so I came up with "creative studio. Just perfect because if I'm crafting Im obviously being creative and a lot of times when I'm on the computer I'm creating by writing so it works or maybe using my Silhouette. 


My fave color is teal and it is already in multiple rooms in our house so I was trying to NOT use teal in the creative studio. I started going with pink and green but hadn't done very much at all. But the more I looked at the little bit of pink and green in there, the more I realized it just was NOT me. I wasn't being true to who I am, what I like, and what my style has become. So I have decided to go with teal, black, and white. I was totally inspired by this room  and have decided on using different black and white patterns along with teal. I've been working on some of the smaller things like a bulletin board and frames. I'll be sharing those things as I complete them. 

This is a little a snippet of what I'm working with and where I'm going


I am excited to get the room decorated and organized so I can begin creating things for holiday craft fairs!

Noah and the Glittery Elephant

Noah made this elephant at camp and came home yesterday proudly showing him off. I think he has half a bottle of glitter on him! He definitely ran into a glitter tree. My boy loves to use glitter in his projects and I love how proud he looks in these pictures!

Linking to Special Exposure Wednesday at 5 Minutes for Special Needs and 

Wordless Wednesday at 5 Minutes for Moms

Interchangeable Flip Flops

I'm excited to finally be able to share these with you! They have been brewing in my head and in pieces in my craft room for awhile now and I finally got it all together. I saw a pair of interchangeable flip flops when I was browsing through boutiques in Charlotte. I loved the concept but they were a bit pricey when I knew I could create my own pair for a lot less dough. 

So, one day I want to wear my brown and white striped shirt with brown capris. Well, these flip flops would look perfect with that outfit.

The next day I decide to wear a teal and brown shirt. And again, the perfect pair of flip flops for that. 

The next day I'm sporting a black and white ensemble. Again - perfect coordinating flip flops. 

And let's say I have some hot pink in my outfit. It wouldn't be complete without these flip flops which will add a splash of color to my feet! 

Love it! Two pairs of flip flops with different flowers/bows and the possibilities are endless! Honestly, I'll probably make more flowers and other things to switch out but this is enough to get me started! 

They were pretty easy to make. 

And it is super easy to change out the flowers because there is velcro on both the flip flop and the bottom of the flower. It's kinda hard to see in the pictures above since the velcro is white so the arrows are pointing to the velcro.

To make your own pair of interchangeable flip flops you are going to need flip flops obviously, velcro (I used the round dots of velcro that are sticky), ribbon (make sure your ribbon is either as wide as the strap on your flip flops or wider), a strong glue (I used E-6000), a lighter, and flowers or other embellishments for toppers on your flip flops. 

1. Determine how long the ribbon needs to be to cover each side of the flip flop strap. You'll want to do a piece of ribbon for each side and then they will meet on the top of the flip flop in the middle.

2. Seal the edges of the ribbon so it doesn't fray by passing the lighter over each end a time or two. 

3. Glue down each side of the ribbon using a strong glue. 

4. Using the glue, glue on one of your velcro pieces in the very middle. Even though I was using velcro that already had adhesive on it, I went ahead and used glue too as the glue is stronger than the adhesive on the velcro and since these were going to be on my feet I wanted them to be sturdy. I used the rough side of the velcro for this part. 

5. Create or buy your toppers. You could use simple satin layered flowers like I made or bows like I also made but the sky is the limit. You could try using artificial flowers, patches, etc. (I make my satin flowers the same way this tutorial explains.)

6. Using your glue, glue on the other part of the velcro. I used the soft side of the velcro on this part just in case it brushes against my foot I wanted the soft side versus the rough side. 

7. That's it - sport your new flops proudly! 

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From Drab to Fab: Letter/Bill Organizer

My husband has this annoying habit of leaving mail (usually opened bills) on the kitchen counter. It drives me nuts because: a. it is unorganized b. it is messy and c. he can't re-find exactly what he needs when he needs it because I may have moved it. Do you have this kind of drama in your house? Please tell me you do! 

Anways, I thought a letter/bill organizer type thing would help a lot. 

I ran across this one at a thrift store recently for 2.00. Yep, I snagged her up. 

She's pretty drab and beat up. She definitely needs some loving but I had a vision - a makeover that would make her fit in with my red and teal kitchen.  

First, I gave her a bath by cleaning her off really well with a damp towel. Then I primed her. Next I decided to dress her in Krylon's Banner Red. She needed a couple of coats until she was fully covered.

She was all dolled up in Banner Red but she needed some accessories. 

I had some scrapbooking paper in my stash that I thought would go great so I got it out, measured for each of the slots, and cut my paper. I decided to use one printed side and one plain side. I just mod podged those on. 

She was looking really nice at this point but I decided to add one more thing. I sprayed a small wooden S (from Hobby Lobby) with Banner Red and then hot glued it on. And here's what she looks like now! 

So much better and I might not even mind (ok, that's stretching it too far) bills now since there is a pretty place to put them! 

Linking up to the linky parties listed in the sidebar

and

Quote of the Week: Life is like a Rollercoaster

"Life is like a roller coaster - a bumpy ride with twists and turns an ups and downs." 

- Unknown

Friday Favorites #8: The One with Red, White, and Blue

The 4th of July isn't too far away and I am seeing tons of cute Patriotic related posts on various blogs so this week's Friday Favorites will feature some of my favorite red, white, and blue goodies I have seen lately. 

Crafts

Carnation Wreath

This wreath made BLJ Graves Studio with red, white, and blue carnations is just gorgeous!

Ticket Flag

I love this flag made from tickets (like you'd use at a summer fair) that were purchased at the dollar store by Organize and Decorate Everything.

Patriotic Paint Chip Garland

I love anything made from paint chip samples. This red, white, and blue star garland made by Sweeter than Sweets is adorable.

Patriotic Beaded Bracelet

Stacy from Not Just a Housewife shares a tutorial for these camouflage clay beads and a flag bead which make a cute bracelet. 

Flag Blocks

I love these flag blocks created by Brown Paper Packages. They are made from 2 x 4s.

Free Printables

Patriotic Subway Art

Cute red, white, and blue subway art from the Perfect Card

Red, White, and Blue Cupcake Toppers

Gobs of Giggles shares these cute red, white, and blue cupcake toppers. Just print, cut them out, and glue them on to toothpicks and stick 'em in your cupcakes! 

Lots of Red, White, and Blue Printables

Check out this slew of red, white, and blue Patriotic printables from Tip Junkie which features cupcake toppers, a banner, bag toppers, and more!

Food

Red, White, and Blueberry Trifle

Doesn't that trifle look delicious and patriotic! And not as bad for you as some other deserts might be! Gina from one of my favorite recipe blogs, Gina's Skinny Recipes, shares this lighter version of a trifle. This would be great for those big 4th of July family gatherings some of you may be attending. 

Star Spangled S'mores

Choose to Thrive shares four different ways to make red, white, and blue S'mores. They look cute, creative, and yummy. 

Have you seen anything cute that is Patriotic themed on a blog lately?

Smiley Noah

Love that smile! 

Love that boy even more!

Linking to Special Exposure Wednesday at 5 Minutes for Special Needs and 

Wordless Wednesday at 5 Minutes for Moms

My Patriotic Wreath

About two weeks ago, I decided that it was time to take down my Spring wreath. When I made my Spring wreath, I just used a wreath form from the dollar tree and wrapped it in white ribbon. The other embellishments were either pinned on or velcroed on so I could re-use it for summer so I was starting with the white ribbon wrapped wreath form again. 

I raided my ribbon stash and pulled out some blue and white polka dot ribbon and some red and white striped ribbon. I just wrapped those around the wreath and pinned it down on the back side with a straight pin. 


I cut some stars out of red and blue cardstock. I wish I'd had wooden stars but was trying to use things I had on hand. I did run the stars through my laminating machine just to give them some added strength this will be hanging on my front door and we have had some storms with wind lately. The letters are just some white foam stickers I also already had. It's pretty simple but I like it. 

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A Poem for Darcy

Our angel baby, Darcy Quinn, joined Heaven's nursery 6 years ago today. This poem made me think of her.....

Unborn Dreams 

By Joylynn Miller 

So many dreams we had for you,

Like grains of sand in the ocean blue; 

Too numerous to ever say.... 

And now those thoughts have passed away.  

We know you're where you desire to be,

Heaven's precious nursery;

If only we could have seen your precious face, 

Before you vanished from this place. 

Future brighter there than here, 

We soon won't shed another tear'

Care for our child, Lord we pray 

Till we see our sweet baby one day!

Quote of the Week: Perfection

"Being happy doesn't mean that everything is perfect.

 It means that you've decided to look beyond the imperfections." 

~ Unknown

Friday Favorites # 7: The One with Father's Day Stuff

 It's been a rough week and I had a limited amount of time and energy for blog reading but below are a few of the things that stood out to me this week.

Crafting

Clothesline Photo Display

I love this picture frame created by Lemon Tree Creations. If you look closely, there is twine inside the glass-less frame and the pictures are attached with tiny clothespins. This would be fun because you could easily change out the photos. 


Flower Statement Ring

I enjoy wearing statement rings on occasion and this flower one from It's Sew for You caught my eye. Would you believe that's a button? It looks simple to make. 

Summer Sign

This fun, bright, and playful sign from Once Upon a {Craft} Time is perfect for summer. I love the saying.

Family Clock

Landee from Landee See, Landee Do took an old clock and complete transformed it into a beautiful and meaningful clock. Look closely at the clock and you'll see family photos in the place of the numbers. How cute is that! 


Recipes
Ultimate Summer Salad

The hot weather has me craving a lot of salads and when I saw this recipe at Vivre Kitchen I knew I wanted to save it and give it a try. It looks yummy!


Frozen Fruit Pops 

These frozen fruit pops at Gina's Skinny Recipes look delicious containing fresh fruit and a splash of juice. They look perfect for a hot day! 

Father's Day

I know Father's Day is Sunday but if you are running last minute with a gift for dear ole' Dad these next few links are fast printables that you can whip up in a jiffy.

Word Search Father's Day Card

Interactive card from Paper and Pigtails

Tie Candy Bar Wrapper 

Print and wrap this tie wrapper from The Idea Room around Dad's favorite chocolate bar. There are 6 different wrappers to choose from.

Printable Cards

There are several different cute cards to choose from over at Tom Kat Studios. 

Special Needs

Signs of the Special Needs Mom

Lastly, this post by Heather over at 5 Minutes for Special Needs gave me a good laugh. I must admit though I don't have it quite that bad!

Happy Friday!

Home is a Feeling

It’s Friday – the day where I join other bloggers and take five short minutes to just write from the heart. Five Minute Friday is hosted by Gypsy Mama and this week we’re writing about home.


When we think of the word home we typically think of our physical houses, residence, or where we live. 
But to me, home can be so much more than that. Home can be a way you feel. There are many times I feel “at home” but I’m not in my physical home. 


At an amusement park with my family, I feel at home.....
Crafting and hanging out with friends, I feel at home.....
Going on road trips with my boys, I feel at home.....
Browsing through my favorite store, I feel at home.....
Holding my honey’s hand in the car, I feel at home.....
Listening to a sermon at church, I feel at home.....
Being surrounded by family and friends, I feel at home.....
At a Miracle League game snapping pics of my baseball player, I feel at home.....


Home means so much more to me than just a structure or a dwelling. It’s not so much about a building, it is totally a feeling. It’s a sense of security, a sense of comfort, and a sense of feeling loved, safe, protected, and appreciated. Our physical dwellings are just temporary homes but the feelings of being home are something we can take with us no matter where we go.

Cancer T-Shirt

A couple of months ago my Aunt Fribbie was diagnosed with breast cancer and she is having surgery today. My parents have traveled to Mississippi to be with her for the surgery. Last week my Mom called me and told me that she wanted to make a gift basket for my Aunt (my Mom is the queen of gift baskets and makes me awesome overflowing ones for just about every gift giving occasion) and asked me if I would freezer paper stencil something on a t-shirt for my Aunt for the basket. 

I had been wanting to do something for my Aunt anyways but was at a loss as to what to do so my Mom's suggestion was perfect. My Mom had an idea of a saying that I could put on the shirt but it was pretty long, so I turned to my dear friend Google search and found an awesome and inspiring cancer quote. 

"Cancer is a word, not a sentence." - John Diamond

Awesome, isn't it! 

And here's the finished shirt. 

So, I cut the quote onto freezer paper with my trusty Silhouette machine, ironed the it down, and painted it a dark pink. I purchased the awareness ribbon shape from the Silhouette store and then cut two of them out of freezer paper, ironed them down, and painted it in a lighter shade of pink. 


I hope my Aunt likes it. I love how it turned out and it looks super comfy for laying around the house and recovering!


Also, if you pray, please say a quick prayer for her! 

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Watching Baseball on TV

Noah likes to play baseball and watch baseball practices and games at the nearby baseball field but now he also likes to watch baseball on TV. If I am flipping channels and he sees baseball he gets all excited. 

Linking to Special Exposure Wednesday at 5 Minutes for Special Needs and 

Wordless Wednesday at 5 Minutes for Moms

Banana Berry Smoothie

It has been really HOT here in the South lately. I find myself craving cold things like lots of salads and smoothies! This is a smoothie recipe I made up myself using trial and error with ingredients I had on hand in my kitchen. It seriously took less than five minutes to throw together and was ice cold and delicious - perfect for a sweltering summer day in the South!


Ingredients:
1 small banana
4-5 strawberries
1 packet of Splenda
1 cup water 
1 Tablespoon of milk
2-3 ice cubes


What to do:
1. Wash and cut the stems off your strawberries and cut them in half. Peel your banana and cut into chunks. Put the banana and strawberries in your blender.
2. Add the Splenda, milk, water, and ice cubes. Blend in your blender until it comes to a Smoothie like consistency. 
3. Pour into a glass and enjoy! 


This recipe made one large one for me and small one for Noah. 


Nutritional Info (for the entire recipe) Calories: 104.4, Total Fat: 0.5 g, Cholesterol: 0.0 mg, Sodium: 7.1 mg, Total Carbs: 27.5 g, Dietary Fiber: 3.7 g, Protein: 1.4 g


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