Chalkboard Poster

Chalkboard posters are all the rave right now, especially when chronicling your children's year in review.  I thought this would be fun to try and do for my grandson's birthday.  I downloaded a chalkboard background first and then went to work in my photo editing program.

And a picture of his cake and cupcakes.  Obviously I'm an amateur but it sure was fun putting it together!

Subway Art!?!???!?!?!!?!

Clearly this is a project that scares me to death or at least has always scared me.  I've only just begun and I know that Subway Art perfectionists would shudder at my method but it works for me.  I have no clear plan, only that I want it to reflect all the words and feelings one might have while sitting on the porch.  I am very random in my thoughts, typing out words, applying favorite fonts to those words and placing them on my board where I think they will fit.  I will continue to fill in until I have no spaces left and hopefully I'll end up with my very own personalized subway art.

added a little more on my lunch     

finished product, super happy with the way it turned out!

Spring Wreaths

It was time for a new spring wreath so I used an old grapevine wreath I had, purchased some new flowers and a few lemons (I just love lemons...their shape, their color, their smell, their taste, and what they make you think of when you see them, they are a happy little fruit). 

For my garage I decided to try something different.  15' of old garden hose, a few clear zip ties from my husband's tool box, a handful of artificial flowers, a new bright and cheery pair of garden gloves and an old trowel and the Garden Hose Wreath is born. 

Happy Spring!!!!!!

Accordion Cards

It's never thrilled me to make cards or to scrapbook, I'd rather make other paper crafts, however, I happened onto a tutorial for an accordion card and I love making them.

I'm going to make many more using all kinds of words, then I'm giving them away to friends.  I'm hoping they will all have a mantle, dresser, entertainment center of sorts or somewhere in their home to display them.

You start with 2- 12x12 sheets of cardstock.  I cut three strips that were 10.5" long by 5" tall.  then I scored them at the 3.5" mark and 7" mark.  I overlapped one entire panel on each strip and glued in to another strip to make one long piece.  Depending what word you want to use you may have to add or cut off additional panels. My WELCOME has 7 panels whereas my SMILE only has 5 panels. Then decorate however you like.  I like to add all different kinds of media (stamps, ribbon, embossed pieces, I even used stickles).

Pocket Change

I had the opportunity to make up 7 little gifts last week. I cut out what looked like a jean pocket, I then hand drew the stitching on it for a little flare, added 3-

100 grand bars and a $15 gas certificate with a  little paper shred.  The tag I attached said "a little pocket change for you".  They were a big hit.

Bedtime Prayer

I've been working on a special bedtime prayer for a friend.  Unfortunately, it's not turning out the way I had hoped.  I tried using spray adhesive to adhere the paper to the wood and let's just say when you're doing a print of any size it takes a least three people or 6 hands to make this work - failure!  So I tried using modge-podge but I couldn't get or stay ahead of the wrinkles - failure.  On the up side I did tea stain for the first time and I got the results I had hoped for.  The print you see below is an 11" x 16", I had hoped to be able to make a 24" x 36" but there's no way this girl is up for that. Sometimes you've just got to leave it to the professionals.

I did learn that Staples will blow up any print for you and it costs very little.  The 24" x 36" prints were only $1.98 each, I thought that was very reasonable. I might try cutting out vinyl letters, I'm a little nervous about the whole placing and spacing thing but I think I'll give it a try.

Live and Learn - How to install Table Clips

I recently had the reason to be in Party City.  I was looking for table cloth clips.  They sell these little clear or white clips but it does not appear there is any way they will fit on my 6' 2" lipped plastic table.  The cashier senses my frustration and concern (a party I am hosting is quickly approaching and I have no idea how I'm going to keep the table cloth and banner in place without massive amounts of tape) and she has the wherewithal to ask another employee "hey, do you know how these clips work or if we have bigger ones?" and the other employee says "those clips fit all 2" lipped tables just fine!"  and I pipe up and say "no they don't, I don't think you understand what I am needing!?!?!?" and she replies "come here, I'll show you".  And just that easy my friends a VERY VALUABLE LESSON IS LEARNED FOR ANYONE WHO HOSTS A PARTY whether you're a mom, a daughter, a sister, a friend or a party host, this one is for you!  I have to tell you, I had no idea, I'd been trying to affix these clips the wrong way for 20 years at least and struggling, really struggling. 

This is the underneath side of my table, it is a 6' table with a 2" lip or apron as some call it.  I'm laying on the floor taking a picture of the edge of the table to demonstrate the lip.

Here's the clip in the next pic I'll show you how flexible they are.

So as you start to put this on the table don't be afraid to pull it apart a bit, it won't break, I promise.

I'm under the table again just to demonstrate where you start the clip but when installing I want you to stand in front of the table putting the curved end of the clip on the underneath side of the lip or apron, there is a little bit of a ledge on the underneath side of the table, you won't think it's enough for the clip to grab onto but it is. 

Slowly rotate the clip so that the flat part lays across the top of your table.  Once you have done this once or twice it will become second nature.

There you have it.  All these years I never knew how to properly install these clips, I was quite sure they wouldn't fit a table but I guess we're never to old to learn new things. 
I hope this demo was helpful to you!

A couple of things I have learned:  I have affixed banners, tulle, flowers, etc with these clips and they always hold.  Most recently I used a plastic tablecloth and those things slide all over the place so I took two clips and secured the tablecloth on the backside of the table and then I used two more clips on the front to secure the table cloth AND THEN I secured my banner under the clips I used on the front side of the table.  Everything stayed in place and the plastic tablecloth never moved, even with 20 or kids rubbing against it and bumping into it as they took goodies from the table.

Happy decorating!