Fabulous Find

Well, I am back to the land of the living - back from the land of the...well, you know. :)

The first term of school has been a crazy one. Coming back to work after 14 months of maternity leave, teaching 19 four year-olds, coaching soccer (a sport I know nothing about) 3 times a week and getting home at 6:30 those nights, then needing to tend to my own four year old and his very active one year old brother...etc....etc.

But here I am, and I think I will start slow. Will I remember what parties to link up to? lol It feels as though it's been forever since I have been here, to be honest, so bear with me. :)

I hope that everyone is having a lovely Fall - we have raked up 12 bags of leaves so far and there is tons more to do, but we love it. Fall is my favourite season, so I am in my element, but I am sure getting excited about Christmas, my favourite holiday.

Back in September, I found these lovely Ironstone plates, four of them. Did I know what Ironstone was before? No, but I know that I thought these were super pretty. They are exactly in the colour I love, and that I am decorating with. They were a bit more money than most plates, but at $2 a plate, it was still great for me. I used them for Thanksgiving dinner and they were beautiful. I only wish I had 4 more. :)




Linking to:

I'm still here

I'm still here. I think of blogland often, but I am so busy at work these days, I barely have time to breathe. Between starting back at work, setting up my classroom, planning and throwing birthday parties for my two darling sons (they turned 4 and 1), and coaching the Under-10 soccer team (a mandatory thing), I barely have time to spend with my family, let alone do anything for me.

Oh, this is not a pity post, but just in case you guys were wondering...I am still alive - and kicking - mainly soccer balls. :) I hope to have a post in a week or two, but we will see. It might just have to wait until after Halloween, when I am done coaching and have more time in my life.

Hope everyone is doing well, I look forward to seeing you again!

Chalkboard Shape Labels

Is it just me, or have you seen tons of chalkboard projects out there? I am loving it! Chalkboard plant pots, chalkboard plates, chalkboard on mirrors, and chalkboard on paper. Beth over at The Stories of A 2 Z just had a chalkboard paint party a while ago and I wish I knew about it! I would have submitted my vinyl chalkboard! Anyway, there are tons of cool ideas for chalkboard for you to find there.

Since our move to this house I vowed to be super-organized. Well, at least semi-organized. In my quest for that goal, I wanted to organize my teacher resources before I head back to school next week after 14 months of mat leave (boo). A few years ago I had organized my resources by month, because our JK classroom runs on themes. But, all those resources were stuffed into random cardboard boxes. Blech.


So when Canadian Tire had a sale on some bins this week I went running out and bought 8 - just enough for each month of teaching. Yes, I teach more than 8 months - but June doesn't count (lol - we are so busy with swimming, reports, and finishing up May stuff), July and August is Summer (yay) and we combine February and March for our extensive dinosaur theme (also taking into account we have a 2-week March Break). I digress. Sorry about that.

So I got my bins, took out my chalkboard vinyl (which cleans up in a breeze, by the way, with a damp cloth) and cut out some labels. Oh no, not just any old labels! If you can cut regular vinyl on a die-cut machine like my Cricut (or a Silhouette), then why not chalkboard vinyl? Seemed so simple, but I had never thought of it before. Baby brain? Does that count? My son isn't 1 year yet, so maybe I'll chalk it up to that. Ooops, no pun intended. Really.

I measured out the size of label I wanted for my bins (I wanted them big - 3 1/2") and started cutting. I chose a lovely shape for them, and am so happy with the results!! Isn't it great? I am so happy with them! Now, if our theme changes, so can the label. If I move grades, the label can reflect that change! Or, if I choose a different system altogether, labelled bins always come in handy!



But that's not all! Nooooo, my fellow bloggers, there's more! If you can use regular spray paint on paper (I've seen it done, have you?) then why can't you use chalkboard spray paint on paper? Yes, seen it done - Jess at Frugal with a Flourish did it on cardboard! I kid you not!

So....I went out and bought some sticker paper - plain white sheets of adhesive paper to make your own stickers, etc. I ran some through the Cricut, choosing different shapes (if you do this, try to choose a 'chunky' shape so the label doesn't get too flimsy - also, if you use the 'blackout' option in Cricut it will give you a nice big shape as well). Then, spray painted them and voila! Different shapes of labels! Here are a few small ones I did for you to see. Aren't the school bus and apple labels cute?


I am in love with my new labels, I hope you like them, too!

Linking up to:

Too many projects, too little time

I've gotten myself into the predicament of too many projects on the go and too little time to complete them. I so badly want to post something new for you guys - and for me - but I just can't. Here's a list of some things I have on the go:

- playroom wall
- bathroom art
- chalkboard labels - 2 different kinds!
- desk/vanity table re-do

It may not seem like a lot (but I think there are more, to be honest) - but with 2 kids (and yes, I know there are many supermoms out there with even MORE than 2 kids who can do plenty more! lol) - 1 who is very active and the other (almost 1 year) is very needy and FAST-MOVING - and a crazy dog at home and one week left before I go back to work after 14 months of maternity leave, I find I barely have the time to do anything that is not a necessity, let alone do anything crafty.

There are still tons of projects that I would like to start as well:

- beadboard in the powder room
- laundry room re-do
- stencil front entry wall
- make a table skirt
- paint the kids' and the master bedrooms
- revamp our mirrored closet doors

...so many more!

Oh well - I hope you can bear with me as I try my hardest to complete even one. I know I need to dedicate the time and effort and finish just ONE thing. I've always had that problem, too many things on the go!

Hope you are all having a wonderful start to the weekend!

50 Followers!

Woo hoo! Who'd have thought that 2 months ago when I started this blog, really without much planning or thought, that I would have 50 followers! Thank you so much to everyone, it really makes me happy!! :) I really started this blog because of all of you - you are all so very creative and inspirational, I just couldn't help myself!

Hugs!

Found the inspiration for my "Photography Art!"

As it turns out, today I noticed in one of the link parties that Carolyn at My Backyard Eden posted a piece of super-cool art that she created using Picasa. SHE was inspired by Amy at My 3 Monsters when she did a guest post at Under the Table and Dreaming. It was the very same one that I was inspired by! So thank you, Carolyn, for reminding me of my inspiration, and thank you, Amy, for being the one to inspire my Photography Art!

Photography Art

Ok, this was not entirely my idea - I saw this a little while ago on someone else's blog, but I forgot to bookmark it - so if anyone knows, please let me know so I can give due credit!!

It was a fabulous idea, and so I made one of my own. I am all about personalizing your art - hence, my love of vinyl. :) I also love the new trend of putting your family initial or name with your 'established' date (see my project for my friend here)

First I started with my Creative Memories software program called Storybook Creator Plus (you can get a free download to try here). I chose the size I wanted (8x10), and the paper I wanted for the background.

Then I went to this great resource. Leo Reynolds is one talented photographer and has put his photos on Flickr for all to enjoy. I used his alphabet and number collection to create my own 'family established' piece of art. Once it was completed in Storybook Creator I saved it as a .jpg and sent it off to get printed. I couldn't make it to Costco for the inexpensive printing but Wal-Mart was pretty cheap - $3 maybe?

Here's my finished piece of art. Isn't it great? Sorry you don't get the full effect because I blocked out my name. :(



I loved it so much that I did another one - this time for the playroom (but I think it would look great anywhere!) - I constructed the alphabet in colours that I liked/wanted - neutrals, blues and greens. However, if you don't want to do that, Leo Reynolds has already constructed some lovely alphabet sets for you to use (of course I saw that AFTER I did mine lol).




Linking up with these great parties:

Getting Organized

I don't think that I am alone when I say that I feel I am drowning with the weight of paper from everyday life...am I? What with all the junk mail, bills, flyers, solicitous mail and bank reports I feel quite overwhelmed and, to be honest, it stresses me out greatly.

To help ease this stress a little bit, I bought a cute file folder from Wal-Mart and labelled it with our Handy-dandy labeller.



I then figured out what titles I wanted to have for the file folder pockets. What mess did I have the most of? What mess did I find the most uncontrollable? What did I want to be able to find with relative ease? I broke it down into these sections:

1. Bills to pay (for current bills)
2. To file monthly (where I put the bills that I have paid - and the goal is to file them every month)
3. Take-Out (I despise the loads of take-out flyers, but they are a necessary evil when you are in need of them)
4. Home Info. (ads, contact info, business cards, etc. of people, places and things for home improvement)
5. Paint Chips (since we are in the process of painting the dining room, and, soon, the boys' rooms)
6. Places to visit (attractions, indoor playgrounds, etc. that we would like to visit)
7. Calder (my oldest son - a folder for his birth certificate, passport, immunization records, etc. I found that I always misplaced them, so this seemed a good spot to try to keep them all in one place)
8. Easton (my youngest son)
9. Elizabeth (that's me!)
10. School Info. (My oldest is starting Junior Kindergarten this year (at my school!) and I want to have handy trip forms, newsletters, notes home, etc.)
11. Genealogy (I am in the process of searching out my roots and have a lot of notes)
12. Coupons
    

So there you have it - my attempt - let's hope it works - to get and stay a little more organized. I am a more visual person when it comes to learning and organizing, so hopefully this is the way to do it!

New pillows

I must confess (and trust me, I do this with ease) that I did not make these pillows. I didn't buy them either, per se, but I bought the fabric, the forms and sent them away to live with my mother-in-law for a while. I am not talented in the sewing department. Oh yes, I know how to sew a button back on something, or fix a rip in a seam, but that's about it. I kind of remember how to sew a basic pillow from Grade 8 Home Economics, but only to stuff it - don't ask me to measure, cut and sew based on the size of a pillow form!

I would love to learn how to sew as well as my mother-in-law does. She is a wonderful seamstress, something she learned from her own mother. I am actually playing with the idea of buying a cheap sewing machine, just so I can play around on it. But when will I have the time? Lately I have been so tied up with my 2 boys that I barely have time for me...wait, I DON'T have time for me, ha ha!! My youngest (10.5 months old) is particularly needy, and I can't get much done when he's awake...which is often.

So, here for your enjoyment, are my new pillows (there are 2 of the same)!! lol

Decor Dilemmas

Hello my fellow bloggers - all of you are such talented designers and DIYers that I am asking for some help from you. If you have been following my blog, then you know that I recently moved into a new-to-us house and I just LOVE it! I am loving decorating it. For the new space, we just purchased some gorgeous (hand-crafted by the Amish) TV stand, coffee table and end table. They will be ready in about 8 weeks and I am so excited!

We purchased them in Brown Maple with a Rich Tobacco Stain. Lemme tell you, it's GORGEOUS. Now here's one of my dilemmas: I went with the brushed pewter handles & knobs, because I tend to gravitate toward that, but now I am looking around our space here in the family room, and I wonder...did I make the wrong choice? It's not like we have a lot (if any!) pewter finishes in here, and the feeling is definitely earthy. It's not too late to change my mind so I was wondering if you could give me your thoughts. Should I go with bronze? I know it's not a permanent thing, I mean, I can change out the handles easily, but I want to get it right from the get-go, know what I mean?

My other dilemma is this - I love love love our fireplace - it's wood-burning (can't wait for Winter) and we love the mantel. HowEVER, what do I put above the mantel? I wanted to have a mirror there, but the one we have is quite large (not crazy huge) and I think that it would dominate most of the space above the fireplace, leaving quite a blank space underneath...because it seems as though the mantel is quite high. What do I do? Hubs isn't much help in either situation (he's leaving it up to me, he says) so I am turning to you, design-savvy gurus that you are. Can you please help me out? Thank you ever so much! Oh, and don't mind the pictures, they aren't exactly picture-worthy, we still have some things to organize. :)

Our Mantel


To the right of the fireplace


To the left of the fireplace(I apologize for the darkness of the picture, it was quite bright out)

Fabulous Finds

Here are some of my fabulous finds lately....the first few are from a Habitat ReStore yard sale last weekend. The store itself was having 25% off everything, but do you think I could find anything for me? Nope. Oh well, I got a few nice things at the yard sale.

I found this cute little bird cage-ish candle holder. I just love it. It was $3.
The bird candle holder I just love the way it is, it has a nice patina to it. $2


I put them both on a tray I already had and I also purchased this cute little folding table for $10. I think it's supposed to be for outside, but for now, it goes nicely here in our family room. Someone else stained it before, you can see the stain drips and such. I might paint it, I am not sure yet.


I also picked up this cute little corner shelf for $2. It has a home right now in my craft loft/office area. Still not sure what to call that place, because I know once I go back to work in September, I will be writing report cards from there. That's not so crafty. :)


I found this ADORABLE little bowl/vase from Value Village for $2 - I love it the way it is and is making the 'theme' (if you can call it that) to my craft area come together! Right now it holds all my foam brushes. :)


Omigosh, i just found this the other day at VV, too...I went with my son to the toy section, and there it was, sitting forlorn in the wrong section. Thank you to whomever didn't want it, because I love it! It's quite heavy, and I love it white. However, I do have some plans for it. It was $6.


Ok, my son wanted this. :) It was $3..and it's missing a few fish, but you can't really tell. It's very heavy, and I think made out of resin. It'll be cute on our playroom bookshelf.


Snatched this one up quickly - from Better Homes & Gardens. I'll be painting it, as I am not jiving with the olive colour that it is. It was only $2.


Oops, sorry! Forgot to rotate this picture, but it's the same from any angle. :) I picked this up at Michael's - it was $15, but I love, love, love the inlaid design!



Have you had any fabulous finds lately?

An award!

Wow, I got an award! Melissa over at Keep Calm and Decorate (if you don't know this blog, go over there - and a question: where have you been? Just teasing.) gave me a lovely award - the Sunshine Award! This definitely made my day more sunshine-y! So thank you, thank you, thank you Melissa!!


The rules are as follows:
1. Thank the blogger who gave it to you.
2. List 7 things that people may not know about you.
3. Pass the love to 15 deserving bloggers that you have discovered recently.(well I won't pick that many - that IS a lot!)
4. Let them know that you gave them an award

Here goes! Hoping I can think of some different things as I just did this not too long ago for the Versatile Blogger Award!

1. I prefer vanilla over chocolate.
2. I love cinnamon. Apple crisp with cinnamon, yum. Cinnamon toast, yum.
3. Christmas is my absolute favourite holiday of the year, I get excited and dreamy just thinking about it!
4. I have broken one bone - my arm on New Year's Eve 1997, coming home from a bar (no, it's not why you think - there was a freak snowstorm and no cabs to be had and bad shoes) I was in a cast for 3 months.
5. I love old movies (don't get me wrong, love new movies, too) but I love Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, Brigadoon, the Quiet Man...)
6. My Grandpa was my hero, and the only father figure I ever really knew. A big teddy bear.
7. I am returning to work in September after 14 months of maternity leave.

Phew! That's a lot of soul-searching, lol.

I've decided to pass this on to these lovely bloggers, who I have recently discovered and would like to get to know better!

Mrs. Little Big Nest@Little Big Nest
Ginger@That looks like Craft!
Marcia & Nicole@The Cozy Chateau
Cathy@The Far Fifty
Corie@Red Letter Rising
Valerie@Occasionally Crafty
Momma to Bug n' Bear@Just Another Day in Paradise

Decor Ball

Ok, so everyone has seen all the decor balls out there that are floating around - papered ones and twined ones. Hey, I even jumped on the bandwagon myself a month or two ago and wrapped up some Styrofoam balls with some jute. Very cute, I must say!

I tried to wrap a ball with paper, but I guess I am just a bit inept at that. The other week I found in a little clearance area at Wal-Mart a bag of cotton piping for pillows for $1. I should have gotten more than 1 bag (in retrospect), but oh well.

Brought it home and just recently got around to wrapping it around a Styrofoam ball. It was a lot easier than jute, maybe because it was thicker - so it went a lot faster. But, I still burned my finger and got a blister - OUCH.

Here is my pretty little ball - don't you think she's lovely? I had enough to cover one more! So, because I had the styrofoam balls already (and I got THOSE on clearance - 6 for $3.50), each ball only cost me 50 cents!


Thanks for looking!

Sharing at:

Twenty Questions

I'm participating in the 20 Questions link back contest at Under The Sheets-shhh. Why? Because I feel like it and I think it's fun, and why not learn a little more about me? I might learn something, too. :) Enjoy!

1) Dressing up or casual?
I prefer casual for every day, but love dressing up for a night out!

2) Most original Halloween costume?
I was a cave girl when I was 12. lol

3) What would your talent be if you were participating in a beauty pageant?
Singing.

4) What do the words retro boutique design mean to you?
50's, Elvis, poodle skirts, soda shops.

5) What do you see as your greatest achievement?
My two sons.

6) What household chore pacifies you?
Doing laundry. Not putting it away, though.

7) Favorite type of weather?
Fall weather all the way.

8) Do you sleep with the sheets tucked in or out?
Tucked in.

9) Do you have freckles?
No.

10) Favorite kind of sandwich?
If I'm making it - basic. If hubby is, grilled panini with cheese, meats, onions and red peppers.

11) Can you hold your breath without holding your nose?
Yes..can't everyone?

12) What’s your name spelt backwards?
Htebazile. Sounds like a witch name or something.

13) What message is on your voicemail machine?
You've reached Elizabeth..spouse, 2 kids...we can't come to the phone right now, but if you'd like to leave a message, please do so at the sound of the tone and we'll get back to you as soon as possible! Have a good day!

14) What was the name of your first pet?
Sheba

15) Do you believe in karma?
Yes. It darn well better be true, I'm counting on it!

16) Do you believe in luck?
Sure.

17) Do you have a nickname?
Liz

18) Are you a shopping addict?
No

19) Favorite superhero?
No favourite.

20) Chocolate or vanilla?
Vanilla all the way!

Vinyl, Vinyl, Everywhere!

Ok, so it's not everywhere (in my opinion) but in his (read: hubby's) opinion, it's everywhere. I would still love to add it to other places, and trust me, I will. But I won't go overboard. I just love the personal touches that vinyl can give...I love to see inspirational and homey words around the house - it makes me feel more like...home...like us.

Here are some pictures of the vinyl that I have done around the house so far. We're still unpacking some boxes - and definitely living in disarray. But the kitchen's done and the boys have their bedrooms (although paint is coming in the hopefully near future) so we're doing ok.

Ok, enough talk - on to the vinyl!
----------------------------------------------------

This area is in my little 'craft loft' - what used to be a 4th bedroom was converted into an open area. The vinyl is above my cricut machine area. I'll show you the whole area at a later date when it's more tidy. ;) I love the little 'E' monogram I created using SCAL. Have I said that I love that program before?


Two super quick prints that I did using some cheap canvas, leftover paint from our old house, and 2 vinyl images cut on the cricut. I love their simplicity.



Got these two great rope-handled storage bins from Wal-Mart for $7 each - and added a bit of whimsy - numbers 1 and 2. Love the end result!


In keeping with the numbers theme, I quickly put together the numbers 0 to 9 and slapped that on a wall in the playroom. So fun and cute!


I also did a fancy little 'Powder Room' sign for our first floor powder room, of course! Not quite sure that I love love love it - but it'll stay there for now. I eventually want to put beadboard in the powder room, we'll have to see how everything pans out in there.


It's hard to see well because of the glare (sorry about that) but here is a bit of vinyl when you come in the front door - 'Enter with a Happy Heart'. I love that saying, and I want to strive to do that everyday. I hope that our visitors will love that saying, as well.



That's it for now! I'm not sure much more vinyling will take place until we've painted the rooms in the colours we want. I'll have to remember to take before pics of the rooms so that in the future I can show you the changes.

I hope everyone is having a wonderful week!

Linking up to: