Cleaning Schedule

I've been looking for the perfect cleaning schedule.  Something that will just make my house spic and span and all I have to do is wiggle my nose.  Well, a girl can wish, right?  I pinned this cleaning schedule and then found another cleaning schedule that is very similar.  Below is my own version.  I'll try it out and it will probably still need tweaking but it will look pretty on my fridge.

Digital Paper used: Orchard Lane Paper Pack #2

Project Life

I've have been collecting Becky Higgin's Project Life products for over a year now.  They tend to sell out quickly and she keeps coming out with more new product so of course I have to buy it up.

A few weeks ago a friend hosted a scrapbook night at her place.  I have a scrapbook room but there is just something about getting together with friends, treats, and scrapping into the wee hours of the morning.  I took over just a stack of photos I wanted to work on for Tyler's scrapbook and my Project Life stuff. I found a rolling tote at Staples that works well for taking my stuff on the road. Using the Project Life system I easily made it through my stack of pictures that evening.  I even started working through other stacks of pictures.

It is so easy that even Julia has created pages for her scrapbook album with this system.  I can't wait until her childhood products and baby products are available.  Her products come up at different times of the year.  If you subscribe to her blog or Facebook feed she does a great job of letting you know when her product is available on Amazon. And she has a page of Free Stuff!

Amazon Associate

I just signed up to be an Amazon Associate!  I'm pretty new to this and not sure if I'm doing this correctly.  But from what I read, if you wish to purchase Project Life products, you can click on my sidebar and it will take you directly to Amazon to make your purchase.  And then it works a bit like Pampered Chef or Amway in that I get a small percentage as a commission.  I thought I would give it a try.  I might as well try to support my scrapbooking addiction.  :)

Photoshop Fun

I signed up for a free class through JessicaSprague.com. I love her free classes and if you haven't signed up for one yet, you should.  They are yours forever so you can return to them online and get a refresher if you need it.  This class is a "Photoshop Top 5" and is 5 basic techniques or uses in which you use Photoshop. 

Day 1 is a black/white assignment, Day 2 is a scrapbook quick page, Day 3 is adding frames and textures, Day 4 is creating a blog header, and Day 5 is creating a card.   I've only completed the first 3 days of assignments.  

Below are some of the photos that I have edited and scrapbook quick pages I created. 

I love the scrapbook quick pages.  They only require you to drop in a photo or two and add a little journaling.  Everything else is already completed for you.

Before

After

Before

After

Before

After

Again, I love the classes at JessicaSprague.com.  Her directions are easy to follow and you get a chance to work at your own pace.

Dr. Seuss Baby Shower

A Friend and I hosted a baby shower for my best friend Rosie.  She is decorating the nursery with Dr. Seuss so we made that our theme.  

These cupcakes were my favorite of the shower.  I found a Horton on the Internet, 

printed them in black and white, used a scallop circle punch to cut them out and mounted them to black card stock circles I cut on my Cricut.  For the fuzzy toppers I used mini feather boa and hot glue small portions to the top of a skewer.  They left a big fuzzy mess so beware.

Red and aqua poms in different sizes.

At Michael's I found Dr. Seuss alphabet flashcards and my friend Annette used them to make a garland.  I brought Dr. Seuss books from home.

I tried to make an invitation for Rosie's shower but I couldn't find a Dr. Seuss to put on the invitation and my photoshop skills are just not quite that advanced.  Thank you Etsy!  This invitation is from Etsy seller Photo Designz.  All I had to do was send her the info and she whipped them up and sent them to me quick.  Using photoshop I added the black and Turquoise border around the invitation.  I printed them through Costco using their photo card option.

I made these "Wishes for Baby" card and printed them at FedEx Office. They looked professionally printed.  I would definitely use their services again.

It was a fun shower and I can't wait to meet Baby Alex!

Fabric Storage

I was looking for a way to store my fabric so that I could see it all easily. I usually only buy a yard or two of a fabric so I thought it would pretty easy to store. Then I saw this post on how to store fabric on "The Little Green Bean". I was storing my fabric on the same wire shelving in a closet as Missy. I loved her idea of using foam board. I already had cubbies so I didn't have to create any new shelving. I made my foam core slightly bigger and I only got 6 large and 2 small boards out of one piece of foam core. I use the tiny boards for 1/4 yard pieces of fabric that coordinate with each other.

I wrapped a few but then life happened and I didn't get very far. Then I hired a teenage to finish the rest up and I've been sewing up a storm every since!

Isn't it lovely?

I haven't gotten to crazy with how I want it organized. I've just tried to organize it by fabric types for now. I'm sure my OCD will kick in soon. :) Thank you Missy for your fabulous idea!

Now what to do with this ribbon I've inherited?

Tag/Lovie Blanket

Again, lots of babies this year. So more tag blankets. So easy to make.

Absolutely love the birds and butterflies.

The backs are always something soft.

Rose minky swirl in aqua and minky dot in white.

Lots of new boys this year.

Super hero tag blankets for them with rugged ric rac and cotton strapping.

Baby Bibs/Apron Take 2

I have a lot of babies to sew for this year. Already three have been born and I think I've got at least 6 more to come this year. And if a certain sister-in-law wants to make any announcements I would be thrilled. Just saying. No pressure. :)

Black Friday 2011 JoAnn fabrics was having an awesome deal on flannel. I didn't know what I was going to do with it but I couldn't pass it up either. So glad I didn't! I've been making tons of bibs from my stash.

I've made these bibs before. Check out my previous bibs. I made some without the pocket front. My husband thought they needed a pocket front. On a few of the last ones I sewed I added a pocket front.

Black Polka with Hot Pink backing

Snap closure at the neck

And they can be reversible.

I fell in love with this fabric and knew just who I wanted to use it for. Kristyn is expecting her first girl and I think she will be adorable in this birdie/houndstooth fabric while she is eating her peas and carrots.

Again, totally reversible. A few with pocket front. To catch peas and carrots.

What got me started sewing these again was finding some already cut out in my stash. They would be below. A few for the boys in my life.

And you don't have to have coordinating fabrics.

Go ahead and line it with the same fabric or a plain white lining.

I have plans to make a ton of these. So far I have made 14 in the last two days. Super easy and fast to make.

Valentine Containers

I saw the cutest Valentine goodie containers on the blog Skip to my Lou. It only required paper, adhesive, and a crimper! How easy. Except that I don't own a crimper. But armed with a 40% off coupon I headed out to my local craft store to remedy that problem. Cindy has the best tutorial so head over to her blog to check it out.

Here is the "collection" I created for Julia's Valentine"s this year. This is her first time passing out Valentine's to her class at school.

I created a quick label to stick on the front.

I love these little goodies and plan to make them in different sizes and papers for different occasions. This was a fun afternoon project with my friend Tiffany. The only problem my friend Tiffany and I ran into was having them pop open a few days later. Maybe my adhesive tape was not strong enough? Or maybe we made them to far in advance? The morning that Julia was supposed to pass them out I just gave them a quick once over to stick them back together.

Aqua and white guest bedroom

It all started with a bedspread and Euro shams I purchased at Pottery Barn two years ago. Just a plain aqua bedspread. Then I slowly started gathering a few things like lamps and pillows. It took two years before I took the bedspread out of the packaging.

Lamps and bedspread below

Drop cloth curtains

Then this happened:

It has also happened upstairs in Julia's room. The door stoppers are just worn out in this house. I decided to cover the hole with bead board. Not a simple fix but I love the look. And a new door stopper was installed.

Before

After

Before

After

I still have lots to do in this room: Paint closet doors and door trim, a dust ruffle, Headboard, blinds, possible a larger tv, and a cabinet to put the tv in to hide cords and the box, new carpet, and pictures/art on the walls. But for now I'll rest and take the kids on a trip to Yosemite.