in the south

We Southerners love to monogram. everything. I finally figured out a way to salvage my beloved initials from my old (stained) canvas tote. I used an old frame and a can of spray paint. I wasn't crazy about the original brown color of the frame, but I love the black!  I carefully eyeballed the size of the frame opening, leaving enough room to trim as needed, and cut out the letters from around the stain on the tote. Voila. Yet another solution involving a picture frame. Are you sensing a pattern yet? 

sincerely yours

I <3 the 80's!

This might just be my favorite Surcee I have ever made! It's for my brother, who, thanks to his sister, loves "The Breakfast Club." I couldn't resist this amazing cross stitch pattern I stumbled upon at an etsy shop called weelittlestitches. Check her out! She has some great contemporary designs.

happy almost birthday

This cute magnet frame turned message is a small BIRTHday gift to the adorn the tiny but sweet NYC sleeping space my niece will soon share with the family washer/dryer.

P.S. e is for ella

feathers

I am not sure why I love feathers... it could be because, like us, they are one of a kind. Maybe it is the soft tickle they produce. Most likely, I think, it is the possibility that they were once in the sky and I am jealous.
I have been on a "cross stitch" kick as of late. My mother won a blue ribbon at the Texas State Fair for her cross stitch. She designed patterns and made many a surcee.
I guess it is my turn now. :)

on display

When I found this vintage frame, I knew I would use it to display something rather than a   traditional picture.

I had a scrap of old cork board left from an another project, and remembered these adorable fabric brads I had been hoarding saving. Now the hard part...who to give this sweet little surcee to?

ANY TAKERS?

rock on

 It doesn't get any easier or cheaper than this little Surcee!

Walk outside. Look down.

Rocks are everywhere. Think of an encouraging word, 

a special date, a milestone to be remembered. Commemorate it with paint. Carry one as a reminder to yourself or maybe hide it for someone who might need a little inspiration to find.

on ya

For those of you who know her...consider yourself blessed. For those who have not yet "experienced" Beth Moore, BE PREPARED! :) If you are lucky, you might just get a little ON YA! After years of watching her on video and studying God's Word along side her, the Wed.night bible study girls will finally be in the room arena to experience it live. I created this glittered poster for us to hold up as we scream and sing like a bunch of teenagers at a Justin Bieber concert. Aug. 24th can't get here fast enough! :)

*a Bethism used to denote a desire that the anointing of the Holy Spirit be on you.

check out more about Beth and her ministry @ Living Proof.

happiest place on earth

This beauty started her life as a gold leaf framed art/clock combo. A hidden gem, if ever I saw one. Oh, but I do love a good makeover story! I promise I am working to curb my tendency to forget to take BEFORE pics. I realize it might be necessary to fully appreciate the AFTER. It is hard to tell from the photos, but this frame is a form of hard plastic resin. It makes for a lightweight, unexpected twist to an already unusual find. After spray painting the frame and covering the fruit/cowboy themed art with chalkboard paint, I used a large metal flower left over from another redo, to disguise the hole left by the aforementioned "clock." Envisioning the end result, what is possible...as I troll the aisles of my local Goodwill. That is what makes Goodwill, the happiest place on earth.

before and after

I am a huge fan of a good ole Before & After! If you are too, check out this fun blog betterafter.net. Here is my take on leftover ribbon and a "vintage" stool with no seat. I am not sure it will actually hold anyone, but she looks pretty :) The ribbons are attached with upholstery tacks in a basketweave pattern. Mixing ribbon patterns and textures is always fun.

Before

  After

its a girl

There must be something in the water...everyone 

seems to be havin' a girl!

This surcee is for my dear friend and her much prayed 

for daughter, who I CAN'T wait to meet!

Tips appreciated

For the next two weekends, Second Presbyterian Church will be hosting our annual Tea Room. All proceeds from the sale of our wonderful salads, sandwiches and desserts go toward missions.

 This is the tip jar I made. It will sit upfront with me (the cashier.) Drop by and check out the live music, and good eats. 342 Meeting Street 11am-2pm

Donate Here

Ever wonder what to do with your old bibles? Maybe you have old translations you no longer use, or like me, stacks of bibles you somehow "inherited" from countless family members. Whatever the reason for the surplus, think about donating them to a person who is in need of one. Check out the Charleston Bible Society and learn more about how to use what you have to help others and maybe make some room on your bookshelves at the same time!

P.S. Yes, the box was made by me. Well...not MADE, but decorated by me.

Yarn wrapped wire

  The hardest part of this project is figuring out the word you want to spell. :) You will need some pliable wire, your favorite yarn and your trusty hot glue gun.

 Start at one end and begin wrapping yarn. Pay attention to keeping it tight and the rows close together (a little hot glue never hurt) Give it a try, see what you can create!

Anybody got a one cent stamp?

Shhh....

This is a surcee for someone special. 

I raided my scrapbook paper and decorated a 

cute pink box I had been saving (because of the cute

 ribbon that pulls open the container) 
With the constant change increase in postage costs,
 every lady needs a place to hold all her stamps.

Big D in the dirty T

For those of you who aren't familiar with the nickname ... "Big D" is DALLAS. The hardest part of this project was getting an accurate outline of Texas. Get out your grandma's stash, embroidery is back!  

Frames Part II

                   

            old painting + chicken wire + paint = message center

                                         

Frames

Let the way you display pictures tell a story. I couldn't find 3 vertical pictures that worked for this frame, but I did know what I wanted the pictures to convey...my love for my dog, Owen.

I bought this frame because I liked the bold green and the double photo mat. I knew it would work better to display something rather than a photo. I took out the glass and found some unused buttons and brads. It was fun to play around with layering embellishments and creating depth. Once I liked the placement and the combination of color, I used my favorite industrial strength E-6000 and waited for the glue to dry. 

P.S. Let me know if you see these frames anywhere, I have a surcee or two that need frames. :)

Leftovers part II

These ribbons were too short for most projects but just long enough to tie to a leftover strand of christmas lights. It took a while to tie them all, but I love how it turned out. The little scraps of ribbon remind me of certain projects and the color mixed with light make everyday feel like a party.

As I was trying to find a creative way to use Bible verses as encouragement, I happened upon a box of tongue depressors (I have no idea why I had an entire box of tongue depressors?) I punched a hole at one end and used some leftover rub-on letters to note specific verses. I added my favorite leftover ribbon scraps and memorizing God's word became not only good for the soul, but for the eye as well.

Leftovers

Some might call it an addiction, I prefer to say it is just a strong affinity. I just really like ribbon. To me, it's like jewelry, and I do love jewelry :) It is the final touch, the last piece of the puzzle, the completion of a "look."

So how can I possibly throw away those little leftovers, the short pieces and remnants of a roll left at the end of a project? Well, I don't.

the process

The feeling you get when you complete something is great. What I am starting to realize and slowly learning to appreciate, is the power of the PROCESS. I have always been excited as I begin to work on something, the envisioning and dreaming comes natural. The final product at the end is the reward, right?

So...What about the "in between?" This is where it often gets messy. I don't normally like a mess :) What I do like about the mess in the process of creating is that I have confidence in it... What I mean, is I have seen over and over how what I thought would work, didn't. I have also been forced, due to my own mistake, to go to plan B. It almost always leads me to a different end result. I have learned to like the excitement of NOT knowing how it will all end, but trusting I will love it. Now, if I could just apply the same principle to life.

Pink

I made this pink trashbag (yes,trashbag) wreath to celebrate and announce the birth of a sweet baby girl we now call Selah Pearl. I found pink trashbags at the Dollar Store, cut them into strips and tied them to a large metal ring. It was easy, and cheap. The center is made of covered chipboard tied to the metal ring. The letters, ribbons, flowers, and brad are from my private stash of scrapbook goodies. I love how it turned out! Who knew they made pink trashbags?

Repurpose it all I say!

When I see something, I am usually figuring out what it could be, rather than seeing it for what it is. I found this old rusty matchstick holder you would find beside an old fireplace and I knew it would be great to hold my pencils while looking pretty at the same time! I wish I had a before photo to show how with vision and spray paint, almost anything can be transformed.

Finding Your Purpose

Have you figured it out yet? What is it you were MADE to do? You know it when you find it. It energizes you and leaves you full. It's not that whatever it is, isn't hard or doesn't require work. It just makes you feel more alive, more like yourself.

Creating is mine. There is a need to make something. It doesn't have to be big or time consuming, but there is a pull, a craving almost... to alter, rearrange, beautify, or fabricate something. It can be inspired by something I see, or triggered by a song I hear. Sometimes it is someone, or a situation on my mind that sparks my imagination.

"Don't ask yourself what the world needs. Ask yourself what makes you come alive, and go do that, because what the world needs is people who have come alive."

John Eldredge, Wild at Heart

Welcome!

It all started with buttons. I kept finding them everywhere. What a waste to throw them away I kept saying to myself, surely I can find something useful to do with them (I am sure this is how hoarders are born.) Cut to me leisurely flipping through design magazines and the audible gasp when I saw them. I wish I could remember the magazine so I could give them credit, but all I can remember is the adrenaline rush and the sprint to the nearest craft store. It was like a insane NEED to create!

On the page of that magazine, in the background, not even the focus of the shot....was a vase of buttons attached somehow to wire? I found some floral wire, borrowed my mother's wire clippers, and the rest, as they say, is history. I love the pop of color. I love to find new containers to put them in, the endless number of button & color combinations and I really love that no matter how brown my thumb is, I won't kill these flowers.