One Little Word 2011

I've read Ali Edwards blog for several years. Every year she picks one word to be her theme for a year. I have never participated in this. However, when I was reading her blog post about it for this year a word came to me.... Opportunity.

Ephesians 5:16 ... making the most of every opportunity, for the days are evil.

Opportunity... making the most of every opportunity I have will be my goal in 2011. It's a daunting task.

What is your one little word for 2011?

You can read Ali's post here.

It's feast or famine around here

Apparently I never started blogging before because I have issues with consistency. :)

Here is a layout I did for Thanksgiving. That is the only day we see some of these cousins, so it is one of my kid's favorite days of the year. Mine too.

Papers are by In the Making from jessicasprague.com; word art is Katie Pertiet and Ali Edwards at designerdigitals.com; flourish is K Pertiet; fonts are ck ali's hand and vt portable remington.

Glass etching

I loved making this project. It was so easy the results, I think, are stunning. I made these for my inlaws for Christmas. They loved them. The S is from the cricut storybook cartridge. What you cannot see is that I also etched a small flourish on the base of the glass... where people put wine charms and all of the flourishes are different on each of the 6 glasses. I cannot wait to find something else to etch... really. The possibilities are endless and it is so easy. Oh, yeah, I guess I should share how it's done. Cut out the design in vinyl. An S was easy because there were no pieces to put back in... like an A would need the triangle put back in. Put the vinyl on the clean glass and make sure the edges are sealed against the glass. Put a thick layer of glass etching cream on. The thickness should be about so that you cannot see the glass through the cream. Wait 5 or so minutes and wash it off. So cool....

A little slow...

Here's the mantle from Christmas. I used the cricut trim the tree cartridge. It's silver vinyl behind and then red and green on the top layer.

Merry Christmas!!!

It didn't work

Yummy Recipe

Soaked and baked oatmeal
2 cups yogurt or milk (if not using fresh milk, then refrigerate it while it soaks)
3 cups oats
2 tsp baking soda
cinnamon
nutmeg (I never measure these, I just dump)

Mix this together and let soak over night

In the morning add...
1/2 cup melted coconut oil (or butter, but CO is cheaper in the long run)
2 eggs
dried fruit

mix together and pour into a greased 9x13; bake at 350 for about 45 minutes.  We serve ours with milk.  Yummy.

Sorry I don't take pictures of food.  I should start doing that.

Digital Layout

I know I said my next project was Christmas cards for the nursing home.  I haven't started them yet.  I did get the mantle done today and some other Christmas presents.  I started some wine glasses that I am going to etch too.  I did get the materials for the cards gathered together.  But I also did this...

Template is In the Making Designs from jessicasprague.com; papers and elements are Jesse Edwards Fruit Basket from designerdigitals.com; Wilderness and Georgia fonts.

One more thing...

I have been having a ball with vinyl and my cricut.  I decorated my fireplace mantle for Christmas and Valentine's day last year (still need to do that this year).  I've personalized my kids' bedroom doors.  When I got my lap top I knew I had to 'bling' it a bit.    Anyway, there are many ways I could have decorated it and I may change it, but this is what I went with for now....

I used Everyday Paper Dolls and Gypsy wanderings.

I also made some laptop bling for my FIL and his wife and my SIL and a niece (another one with a unique name).  Sadly, though, I do not have pictures of those.

My next project is Christmas cards to hand out when we go Christmas caroling at a nursing home next Saturday.  Then I have to do Christmas gift tags.  Hopefully I will get it all done.

Two in one day...

I made this book for my niece, Haiven.  When you have such a unique name it is hard to find personalized items.  I have made a clipboard for her in the past and a sweatshirt.  I love the idea of word books made with the cricut, so I had to make her one.  Now I have seen word/shape books that are just beautiful and very elaborate.  I don't have the patience for that.  I used Storybook, Paper Doll Dress Up (castle) and George on my gypsy to design the pages.  I don't know the brand of patterned paper, but I bought it at Hobby Lobby.  The solid paper is SU!

it's been a while...

Costco sells nuts in the coolest plastic containers.  In the summer,  I often make a chicken salad which has cashews as one of the ingredients.  So in the summer I buy a lot of cashews.  I could never throw these containers away because I thought I could make something out of them.  Initially I was thinking along the lines of something for the kids to keep treasures in.  (I have one kid who loves to collect all kinds of treasures) Or I could make a game out of them... along the lines of bozo buckets.  Well a more practical idea came along... Christmas gifts.  Except for my own kids, I am giving mostly gift cards this year.  These are going to be filled with tissue and a gift card.  They are easy peasy to make... paper cut to size, spray adhesive and ribbon... that's it.  Two sided paper is nice because you can see the inside too.  The lids are not in the picture, but they are red and I am going to adhere a gift tag to them.

Sigh...

Free Class at Jessica Sprague dot com

First project

This is a shape book I made for boy #2.  I used my cricut and gypsy; George and PDDU cartridges.  It is plain because it is for a boy.  I am making some for my nieces soon that will be a bit less plain.  Boy #2 colored the pages with crayons that color on black paper.  He was thrilled.

Welcome!!

I started reading blogs in 2001 and knew I could make my own, but never did.  Why would anyone want to read what I have written?  Often people's blogs are focused an a single issue.  I cannot do that.  I am a multifaceted person.  I am a Christian.  I am granola-ish.  I am a wife.  I am a mom.  I am a homeschool mom.  I love all kinds of crafts... scrapbooking, digital scrapbooking, paper crafting, sewing.  I like running and marathons.  And in all those things I am not like anyone else.  Well now I've decided to start my blog and become like everybody else.  :)