Summer Scrapbooking

I don't have time to blog any more... I really don't.  But for some reason, now that school has started, I thought I would do a little blog catch up of some of the crafty things I did over the summer.

I love to scrapbook... crafting is fun, but I love to scrapbook.  And every summer, I plan on getting tons of scrapbooking done since I don't work in the summer... but, I have kids to entertain and play with, so I don't get any scrapbooking done... It's okay, I'll get caught up some day:)

Here are the pages that I worked on.  I think I got all of 2011 finished, so I can start working on 2012.

A halloween party I did for my kids.

 The Jubilee of Trees... held the weekend before Thanksgiving.

Thanksgiving... love layouts where I can fit tons of pix.

My hubby's birthday is in December.

Christmas Eve we went to Zion national park.

2 page spread of Christmas 2011

And the very last page of 2011... New Year's Eve

I still really love my little 6x6 albums I make for my kids.  Easy, simple quick layouts.  I don't put a lot in them, but sometimes there's just a picture that I take that needs to be saved... love this little boy.

Lastly, because I do two page spreads, there is always a page at the beginning of the album and end of the album that is a single page.  I try to put our family pix in those spaces... this is from 2009.  I had a few missing holes in some of my scrapbooks.

Map Mania... going global {parties}

I love maps... it's kind of the "in" thing right now.... or at least one of the "in" things.  I decorated my classroom with globes and map paper and I am always finding ways to use my maps.

Well, I saw this adorable Airplane party on Pinterest awhile back.  My cousin, Libby, was applying for flight attendant jobs... and I wanted to do a party like this for her when she got her job.  Well, she got the job!  So I got to plan a party...  However, in the mean time, I also wanted to have a dinner for all of the people who had helped babysit, drive carpool, etc. for my preschooler while I worked.  I loved the map stuff so much that I thought I'd find a way to incorporate it for both parties.

I came up with the "extra mile" idea.  This is the invitation I designed.

For the party we had foods that were from different countries around the world.  I used my super cute Pick Your Plum chalk board labels to label the country the food was from.  We put the (American) hot dog and hamburger buns in a vintage suit case.

I cut map paper into 12x12 squares and laminated them for placemats.  I used my cute paper bags from Pick Your Plum to hold the utensils.  The center pieces were either suitcases, globes or brown paper packages wrapped with twine.

For games, I found games from around the world.  I have included printables of the games HERE.  The favorite was "pass the parcel."  In the parcel, I wrapped tiny squirt guns from the dollar store for each kid.  They had a blast!

Then it was time for Libby's party.  We love to have family bbq's in Kanarraville.  In fact, we are renting our grandma's home as a vacation rental.  If interested, visit this site.

Libby found out she was going to be stationed in Chicago and would be moving there.  So, instead of doing a "global" theme, we had Chicago style hot dogs and potluck.

We had the same games and centerpieces, and decor.... despite the gale force winds that kept blowing things off the tables.

 My cousin's garage is the perfect backdrop for parties.

And it works great for pictures of me with my girl cousins:)

 And, of course, I had to serve peanuts... and peanut butter cookies.

thanks for stopping by:)

Minecraft {Birthday Party}

Let me just say that I don't get the Minecraft game... but nevertheless, I got to plan a minecraft party.

For the invitations, I found this minecraft box printable.  I opened it in Photoshop and added text for the party.  We filled the boxes with rock candy.

My son mostly just wanted to get his closest friends together for a "late night" to play minecraft on the ipads.  However, I had to have somewhat of a party, so I decided to have a BBQ to feed the kids.

We set up our table in the back yard with some of the foods that you can eat in Minecraft.  We had pork, bread, melon, baked potatoes, carrots, red apples and golden apples and chocolate chip cookies and cake for dessert.  For decor, I printed this banner from the Party Animal and hung the "ghast" piñata my hubby and I made above the table.

I set the table with simple black square plates and napkins... a print out of the Menu and the silverware was in a gray striped paper bag from Pick Your Plum with a strip of green washi tape from Downtown Tape.

I used my cute little chalk board labels that I got from Pick Your Plum to label all of the foods.  I didn't just want to write on them in the chalk because I wanted the cute pixelated pictures on them.  So, I just printed those out doing a google search for the pictures.

I made my minecraft cake very simple.   Just a square cake covered with white fondant... and red squares out of fondant.

For the treat bags, I printed a Steve head on a brown paper bag.  Then, the kids had to go on into the back yard and find little square papers that were different textures from minecraft.  They had to bring those back to the crafting table and could get different prizes to fill their treat bag.  (I had printed the squares and crafting recipes from a blog, but my pin on Pinterest isn't taking me to the correct link for you to follow.)

Here is a picture of my youngest doing his crafting.  I covered a card board box with brown butcher paper and my hubby used black electrical tape to make the design on top.

My hubby and I made swords and pick axes from foam board and printouts he found online (he doesn't use pinterest, so I can't find where he got the printouts).  It was a pain in the rear... I wouldn't recommend it.... but that was mostly because I was having issues with my printer.... maybe you would have better luck).

I made the piñata is simply a cardboard box covered with white crepe paper.  Then we cut the face out of card stock.  Easy peasy.

We were able to use this print out to make our Steve head.  After the swords, there was NO way I was making a head for every boy, so we just made one to use instead of a mask for the piñata.  It worked out great.  (and just FYI, the creeper shirt was just purchased at Kohl's).

After the Piñata we headed into the house and the boys gorged themselves on candy while they played Minecraft on the ipads for an hour:)

Gallery Wall

My living room doesn't have a lot of wall space.  There is a very large window on one wall and a very large entertainment center taking up the other wall.... and there are only two walls.  There is a very small wall next to the fire place where I put my half computer desk.  That was the only space I could use.

I had been really wanting to have a gallery wall somewhere in my house.  I'm kind of a hoarder when it comes to picture frames.  I buy them at yard sales just because I like them.  It was time to get them out of the closet and on the wall.  

I love the way it turned out!  It's a bit busy, but it works for me.  

 I took my inspiration from this post on Leanne Barlow Elle Aparel.  I loved the mix of vintage and new.  I loved adding the monogram.

When I got married, I loved cherry wood, so my wedding picture was framed with a beautiful cherry frame... it hasn't ever really matched my house well.  However, with the mixture of painted frames and vintage frames, the cherry fit in well.  I loved the silhouettes I had made for my house a few years ago.  And I just wanted to incorporate some family pics as well.    The monogram S is simply vinyl stuck on the wall in an empty frame.  I got the free "count your blessings" printable at Lil' Luna.  It's probably supposed to be for Thanksgiving, but I consider my family my blessings, so I want it up year round.

I love the way it turned out and I'm glad I finally got some of my frames up on the wall... now if I could just let myself stop buying frames:)

Western Blue & Gold Cub Scout Banquet

Howdy partner!  I just wanted to take a few minutes to share with your our blue and gold banquet this year!  I don't know if I've mentioned this before, but I'm not creative!  I'm great at stealing other people's ideas and making them fabulous.  A friend of mine did a western theme in her ward, so I stole her idea.

Let's start with the invitations...

I wanted them to look like a "wanted" poster.  I looked at several ideas online and combined them to make it work for me.  I have photoshop elements and I love it... it's easy to use and inexpensive.  I tore the edges and inked them to make them look old and dirty.

 My favorite part of the whole thing was my centerpieces.  I borrowed and bought a few bandanas... I wanted them to be blue or gold.  Then, I went to my dad's farm and cut some old barb wire off a broken fence.  I just wrapped it in a circle twice and wired it together.  The pinwheels in the mason jars were made for the blue and gold banquet last year.  I simply added a cowboy silhouette cut from my "A Child's year" cricut cartridge.  And I found some bandana print ribbon at Michael's to put on the mason jar.  Then, I tossed a horse shoe on the table with it!  I only drew blood a few times, but totally worth it!

 Here's a picture of the whole table.  I wish I would have gotten one with the food on it!  We went to Village Inn and they donated old pie tins to us to use for our dishes...

 In the back of the gym, I hung a line with "Wanted" posters of each boy.  I went around to their den meetings the week before took their pix.

Here's a close up... it has the scout oath at the bottom.  Thanks for the idea Brandy!

So, here is a picture of the whole back side of the gym.  (P.S.  I hate the colors of our church)

 On the other side of the gym, I set up the "chuck wagon."  I cut a few bandanas up into a banner and cut letters out of black felt to attach to them.  We served sloppy joes... and sarsaparilla (homemade rootbeer) and had everyone else bring salads, baked beans or dessert.

 My son was assigned to bring dessert, so I made a cactus cake... it was super easy.  I just baked it in a glass pyrex bowl.  Then I frosted it with green frosting... kind of a spiky tip... I can't remember the tip names.  Then I stuck spaghetti in it!  The "dirt" was crushed cookies.

Our church does not have a stage...weird huh?  So, I set up my own stage.  My brother just so happened to have a wooden cow (but that's whole long story).  I borrowed the cute milk jugs from my friend Brandy.  And I just made a stage by hanging bandanas over some twine.  For the entertainment, we went through the scout books to find something that was a requirement (or elective) for the boys.  The wolves did a skit, the bears made their own instruments and had a band and the webelos did the scout promise in sign language.

 Finally, here is a picture of the other side of the gym!  It seriously turned out soooo cute!!!

Gift Card Bouquet

My brother-in-law got remarried over this past weekend.  What do you give to someone on their 2nd wedding???  The best I could come up with was a gift card.  I didn't want to just give them a gift card..... I wanted to make it cute.  I talked with most of the rest of the family and I got them on board too.  

I used my Cricut Designer's Calendar cartridge and cut out tulips that were 4".  I cut out two for each flower.  I glued them just on the sides and bottom with a wooden skewer inside.  That left the top open for the gift card to slip inside.  I then just stuck them in a vase with some twine tied to the vase and a tag.  It turned out really cute and was a fun gift idea.

Spring is in the Air

It has been so nice and warm down here in Sunny St. George (until today).  So, my real purpose in this blog post is to make my South Jordan friends jealous of our nice weather.  And to prove that I can actually finish a project.  I have been working on my front porch for awhile... and I finally got it done!

Here is my (Southwest, St. George style) house.  Not at all the style of house I would choose.  But, I love my neighborhood and the friends I have here, so I'll take it for now.  As you can see, there is a cave that goes back in to our front porch.  The left front of the house is a Casita (mother-in-law apartment) that is 90% my craft room and 10% my husband's office.  The right is the garage.  And behind all of that is our house... the part we live in.

As you head back into the cave, you can start to see our front porch.  

As you can see, there is space at the left for my bistro table.  And not a lot of space at the right.  It's not symmetrical... it would drive my mother crazy... and it drives me a little crazy too.  But, I've had the bistro table for probably over 10 years and I don't want to get rid of it.

Here's a close up of the bistro table.

 I picked up this green fabric at a yard sale and recovered some pillows.  I made the fabric flowers so that they safety pin on (I would like to change things up a bit for fall and winter).

 I've had the garden box forever... I'm thinking it may have been something I bought at Tai Pan.  Its filled with flowers, garden tools, gloves and some styrofoam covered fabric balls.

 I picked up this metal stand a few weeks ago at a yard sale for $10.  I was so excited about it!  It matches my bistro table perfectly.  The plant pot was also something I picked up at a yard sale.  My favorite igloo cooler was a vintage find from a yard sale as well.  It's metal and I was so tortured as to weather I should paint it or not.  But after talking to the paint department at Lowes, they told me that I would be able to remove the paint, so I went for it.  And the rain boots were something my husband picked up for me at a rental house... and I spray painted them pink!

 I've been loving all of the yard wrapped stuff on Pinterest, so I went ahead and make a wreath.  It was a pain in the butt, but I love it!!!  I added some flowers with pins in the middle so that I can take them off later.  And I have some fabric letters clipped on with mini clothes pins so I can remove them too.

 And even though today was one of the coldest days in awhile, I finally got all of my pots planted.  I've had these pots for a few years, but they needed an update... turns out turquoise spray paint was perfect!

My goal is to finish some projects... most of my rooms are 90% done, but they need some finishing touches!