Picture Frame Calendar

The best part of a homemade calendar is that you can start it whenever you want...not just the first of the year!  I came upon this awesome FREE calendar download from Heidi Swapp.  I decided to try making a flip calendar from a regular picture frame.

I picked up a 4x6 pic frame at the Dollar Tree.  I covered the frame's chipboard backing piece with a piece of decorative paper (from Heidi's Sugar Chic line).  I removed the glass from the frame.  Next, I lined up where I wanted my holes for the rings and used my Crop-A-Dile to punch holes in the frame backing and the calendar sheets. 

After labeling, stamping, and adding a few tabs and washi tape to each month, I lined the pages up and attached on the rings.  All set to start October! 

Plus, I can add pictures and journaling between the months and later form a nice little memory book for the year.  This was very easy, and you can add as many embellishments to fit your own style.

P.S. Do you like the rhinestone clip on the front page?  I'll share that with you in an upcoming post.

Daily Tidbits Journal

Honestly, I cannot remember where I saw this idea, but I loved it when I saw it.  It is one of those things that I wish I had started when my children were first born, but that's ok.  My new motto for this year is that a year from now, I will have wished I started something today.  So, I start what I can, and just do it!

This is not just an ordinary box.  Inside are 183 note cards.  On each card, front and back, is a month and day.  No year. 

Then, throughout the year, I will use the cards to write down something that happens that day, no matter how big or small.  I will note the year along with the tidbit.  The cards are used from year to year.  So as the years go by, for example on 3/23, we have a record of things that happened on that day.  I would love to journal more, but I don't always make it everyday.  Then, I feel like I have to write alot.  With the cards, I am just going to write a little, and as I come upon something to include. 

Here's how I decided to keep our cards.  I had an extra plastic index card container that I got at Wal-Mart a while back for $1-$2.  Here are the supplies I used.

Supplies:
1 - plastic container
183 note cards
2 - 5 1/8" x 3 1/16" DSP (used SU!)
Corner punch
1/2" circle punch
Vinyl (used 3 colors)
Adhesive
1/4" Grosgrain Ribbon (Chocolate Chip - SU!)

I decided to just keep it simple, and only use the vinyl dots, DSP, and ribbon.  Can't wait to start writing down some tidbits and reviewing them years from now.

That's all for this project.  Now, let me share another project from today that I am quite proud of --- organizing the medicine cabinet! 

Here's the before picture:

And now here's after:



Cleaned out alot!!  Now, we can finally see what we have.  More projects like this are on the way! Happy New Year!

Rag Wreath

After more than a year, I have finally completed my first rag wreath!  I still may add an "A", but haven't decided on that yet.  I just needed to get this displayed as we took down the Christmas decor.  

These are time consuming --- but not THAT much!  I was about 3/4 of the way finished and then ran out of houndstooth material.  I sort of put it on the back burner as I started and finished other projects.  Then, when I was ready to go back to the wreath, it was hard to find the material in stock at my local Hobby Lobby.  In the Heart of Dixie, houndstooth is quite popular, to say the least!  But, I finally got the material, and in preparation for the January 9th National Championship game, I finished my wreath!  I wish the best for my Crimson Tide and hope for a great win and our 14th National Championship!

I also wanted to share the gift card holders I made for Christmas gifts.  I got the design from www.mychicnscratch.com.  The green one is exactly like her design, using SU! dsp.  For the red (cherry cobbler), by request from Cooper, I used a Santa.  He really liked it.  I used velcro to keep them closed.  I really like this design and plan to use again for gift cards.

I'm still finishing up my Christmas scrapbook, and I got a Cinch for Christmas that I can't wait to try out!  I have another New Year project that I hope to finish tomorrow and share, and I just saw on Pinterest a cute way to keep your Christmas cards for each year.  We were so bad... we didn't send out cards this year!  We'll (I'll) do better next year!

Bama Wreath

I want to share a ribbon wreath that I made.  It's for my favorite team -- the Alabama Crimson Tide! 

I have been working on a fabric rag wreath, but after recently picking it back up to work on, I have run out of fabric!  So, I decided to try the ribbon wreath.  I took a 12" foam wreath and tied the ribbon all around the wreath.  Houndstooth ribbon is mixed in with the crimson and white.  I added 3 polka dotted white wood balls and a "BAMA" sign in the middle.  Hope this brings them luck this week as we take on the Tennessee Vols and continue on our quest for another National Championship!  Yes, crafters can be sports fans too!  Try one out with your favorite team's colors, and I will also be making these for the different holidays as well.

New Shelf with BOO!

Well, we are still in the process of working on a project that we had hoped to be completed with this summer...my daughter's bedroom.  We still have more to go, but we did get her TV set up with cable today, so that was a major milestone in her book! ;-) Having a more permanent room arrangement per the cable wires has allowed us to start the next phase: wall decor.  Like many young girls, she has MANY necklaces.  She has needed a place to hang them all.  I picked up a shelf at Hobby Lobby recently, and we painted it pink with a few sprinkles of glitter. 

We hung this today, and it coincided with her finishing a Halloween project that she received in the mail today from her Creative Girls craft club.  I think she did an excellent job on the "BOO"!   She has another craft that she will be working on this weekend, so hopefully we can post pictures of that soon.

Next step is vinyl on the walls.  Right now, we're thinking her name on one wall, and polka dots or something on another.  We'll start that tomorrow!

Halloween Lights

A few weeks ago, I saw the cutest project on www.pinkcricut.com.  She used Dixie cups to make little party lites.  Hers turned out to be quite chic and perfect for her daughter (as I have these planned for mine as well and sports ones for my sons!).  But, she mentioned the idea of making these for Halloween.  We are in Halloween craft central right now, so this became a project that we added to our list. 

It's simple, but a little time consuming, so be ready.  I got a pack of 35 lights from Hobby Lobby for about $3.50.  Then, I just covered Dixie cups with colorful Halloween paper.  As the Pink Cricut suggests, make a pattern from a cup first.  The paper I used is from DCWV.  I did use some stronger tape to hold the paper around the cup.  Then, I made a little cut in the bottom of the cup and pushed the light through.  Cute and can be made for any occasion to add a little LIGHT!  We are going to start working on the other two and will post pictures of those when we finish.