• Posts Tagged ‘Made It’

    Stamping Cards Gets Me Every Time

    by  • February 6, 2013 • Craft Up, Crafts, Gallery, Made It

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    The Great Craft Up 2013 continues! This year I’m trying to use up all the craft supplies I have before I buy any more. It’s the Great #CraftUp2013, and you’re invited!

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    I have seen stamps popping up more and more in my daily internet travels. From Pinterest to blogs to Twitter, they seem to be everywhere. At first I thought they were only for scrapbooking (not into it) but after having these three stamps in my shopping cart for a while, I decided they weren’t for scrapbooking at all. They’re for making cards.

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    Needless to say, I finally got the stamps. And they are a perfect way to keep #CraftUp2013 rolling. In the last ten years I have amassed more plain notecards than any one person should ever own. I don’t know why. It’s like I’m drawn to paper stores (and the card aisle at Target) like a moth to a flame. But the stamps… these stamps are going to help rid me of my paper obsession.

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    I think the “Happy Birthday to ______” is my favorite because it does allow you to go a little crazy in saying “Happy Birthday” to the same person over and over in so many ways. I went a little stamp crazy on that striped one. The “Because You’re ________” stamp also hold lots of promise. “Because You’re Loved.” “Because You’re The Best.” “Because You’re Graduating!” The list goes on and on. In fact, I’ve already used it on some “Thank You” notes.

    StampedCards2I’m looking forward to getting some use out of “It’s Going To Be __________” in the next couple weeks. “It’s Going To Be Awesome” is my go to, but I think it could be “epic,” “beautiful” or, (wait for it) “legendary” could also work here.

    Are you joining in #CraftUp2013? My friend Elizabeth (@SeagrassStudio) is climbing aboard. Let me know if you are too!

     

    PS. My stamps were totally inspired by the fab Elise. Check out her stamp shop!

    The Great Craft Up Gets Me Every Time

    by  • January 15, 2013 • Craft Up, Gallery, Goals

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    Along with my urge to purge this winter season comes the need, and desire, to work with what I got. To use what we have. To try not to buy anything we won’t consume or use for our own health and well-being. The place I know I need to start with—craft supplies. Which is why I’m imposing The Great Craft Up of 2013.

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    The Great Craft Up is my effort to use up those craft supplies that I have laying around the house. In drawers, in bins, in the desk, in boxes. It’s a roll of washi tape here and half a skein of yarn there. Forgotten projects, lost projects, or just projects that didn’t go quite as planned. Aside from spending a $20 craft store gift card I received as a present I will not purchase any more “for fun” craft supplies in 2013 unless, and only at which time, all “for fun” craft supplies have been depleted.

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    Now, why do I say “for fun?” Well, as you guys are well aware, one of my little side gigs requires me to keep paint, brushes, glue and a few other supplies stocked for customers. So, if I run out of neon pink paint, I’m going to have to buy more. Get it? Good. There are a few things I have on order that will come in before the end of the month that I’ll add to the “for fun” stash, but they will help me use the other supplies, if that makes sense.

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    Are you guilty of purchasing craft supplies for a project and then never starting, never finishing or just plain forgetting? It’s OK! That’s my problem too. You can come clean. You too can join me in my Great Craft Up. I’ll be sharing my progress here and on Instagram & Twitter using the hashtag #CraftUp2013. I’d love to see your craftiness in action too!

    Another Year in the Books Gets Me Every Time

    by  • December 31, 2012 • Made It

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    Signed, sealed, delivered. Perhaps to a mailbox at your home this holiday season? The Mr. and I were fortunate enough to have one incredible, fantastic year. And while some people measure their time in footsteps or milestones, we decided to remember 2012 with toasts.
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    See, I sorta missed the boat on traditional “Christmas Cards,” so we went with a New Year’s theme instead. Maybe a new tradition? Maybe not. We’ll see.

    I simply made a photo grid of pictures we’ve taken (with phones and actual cameras) in Photoshop then laid the graphic and text on top of them. The photos are all from throughout the years at various locations in multiple locales, with different friends and family. I used VistaPrint.com to print these double-sided notes and I was quite pleased with how the quality and the quick turnaround.
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    As this first year of my blogging adventure comes to a close, I’d like to think I’ve done ok. I’ve got plans for next year for my little corner of the web, but I’m not going to mention them until they come to fruition. I know, the anticipation is killing you.

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    Resolutions aren’t my thing, but I’m a sucker for a good project. So, keep an eye out for more of those. Everyone have a safe and fun New Year’s Eve and I’ll be back with more in 2013! Happy New Year!card6

    A Place To Rest Our Heads Gets Me Every Time

    by  • October 4, 2012 • DIY Decor, Gallery, Made It

    You guys. I made a headboard. And not just any headboard. An upholstered, tufted headboard. In a sunny marigold color. Made it. With my own two hands, twenty some teeth and endless frustrations. Plus one staple gun, some help from a friend and lots of encouragement. Here’s the full frontal. (headboard guys, get your heads out of the bedroom.)

    If you think back to when I revealed that DIY lyric art, the Mr. and I didn’t have a headboard. So I did the ol’ scouring of Pinterest and came up with this tufted gem. Which, as it turns out, was a little easier dreamt than done. If I were to do it over, here’s what I would do differently than the DIY.

    1. Not use pegboard, it’s hard to staple into. And a little heavy. Maybe a piece of foam core, or a big canvas covered with foam could have achieved the same effect.
    2. Gotten the heaviest of heavy duty staple guns rather than try to get by with the crafting staple gun. I ended up having so many issues with getting the staples in that I actually tied the thread together on opposing rows to create the tuft. Yeah. That happened.
    3. Not made my own buttons. Sure, they look nice, but… They would look nice if they were a complimentary color too, perhaps. This step takes patience, especially if you’re using a heavyweight fabric.
    4. Paid closer attention to the draping of the fabric. It was hard to get it to lay flat and I could have done a better job.

    Overall, it was a fun project and I’m proud of it. Might not tuft next time, but I have a feeling there’s more crafty goodness in the near future.

    Easy Art Gets Me Every Time

    by  • August 8, 2012 • Gallery, Made It

    As we saw last week, when you give a writer an art project, she’s bound to put words on it. And that’s exactly what happened again this week. This statement (If you’re not having fun, you’re not doing it right.) has become something like a mantra for me recently, so why not put it somewhere I can see it often.

    I had an old canvas board sitting around and I grabbed the same vinyl letters I used on my minibook a while back. I also grabbed a couple paint brushes, paint and an x-acto knife.

    I’ve seen projects on Pinterest where the whole piece was painted the same color, creating a cool monotone effect, but I wanted something more dramatic. So after the first coat of paint dried, I added another, in a nice, seafoamy, minty green.

    I carefully peeled the letters off (with the x-acto blade) BEFORE the paint dried. I read that’s what you’re supposed to do when making patterns with painters’ tape, so I figured the same logic should work when applied here—and it did.

    Do you think this is a good phrase to live by on the daily? Do you have one too? Let me know, or I’m sticking with “if you’re not having fun, you’re not doing it right.” Now, off to have fun.

    Chorizo Tacos Get Me Every Time

    by  • August 7, 2012 • Taco Town

    I’ve been wanting to try my hand at chorizo tacos for a while and it seemed like the perfect fit for Taco #11. Plus, its super hot outside, and this was minimal cook time—chopping, stove, the whole thing—minimal. And, to top it all off, my mom (love her) sent me a taco roundup she saw over the weekend and this was one of the recipes. Divine, motherly, intervention I tell ya.

    Now, I don’t know if it was the high hopes I had set for these guys, or the heat, or what, but I can’t lie. They’re not my favorite. I know, you’re probably thinking it’s because I didn’t put guacamole on them. And you may be right. Or, it could be that I used chicken chorizo rather than original chorizo. I mean, I’m no chorizo expert, but I’m guessing the sub didn’t do these bad boys justice.

    Shell: Store brand corn tortillas
    Filling: Chicken Chorizo
    Toppings: Cilantro, cotijo cheese, diced onions & a squeeze of lime

    Results: Like I said above, not my favorite. I tried to stay true to the recipe and that might have hurt me. I think with salsa and guacamole, these would be delicious, but that may be the guacamole talking. I also didn’t have a lot of onion left (oops) so, maybe they could have used a bit more.

    Making A Statement Gets Me Every Time

    by  • August 1, 2012 • DIY Decor, Made It


    It’s project time. And today, I’ve got something to say. Well actually, Arthur Freed has some words for us, but more on that in a moment. First, shall we discuss this inspiration?

    The great canvas above was actually painted with shoe polish—you know, the kind with the sponge tip? Check out all the details from Alisa, if you’re as inspired as I was.

    Now, onto what happened when I picked up a 4×2 foot canvas. But first, a look at the wall space that was looking for some love.

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    See what I mean? I was never quite sure what to do, so some fabric wrapped canvas boards were filling in. Until now. Until I saw Alisa’s awesome canvas. I had to make my own. Immediately I knew I wanted a more scripted look to my canvas, so I grabbed a few paintbrushes and started writing.

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    The words are the lyrics of “All I Do is Dream of You” by Arthur Freed. It’s a song you might recognize from Singin’ In The Rain. But, plenty of other great musicians have covered it too.

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    LikeDean Martin, Perry Como and Michael Buble. And since Mr. GMET and I actually danced to his rendition of the song at our wedding, it’s even closer to my heart.

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    I knew I wanted the script to look pretty natural, so I used a thin brush with very little paint on it for a first pass. I didn’t worry about it being perfect. I just wanted it to look like I, myself, no offense Mr. Freed, had just scrawled out these poetic phrases.

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    After the first round of paint dried, I went back with a heavier coat of paint on a larger brush to get closer to the shoe polish look of my inspiration. Then, I did it once more.

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    And the best part is, if I decide I hate it in a week, I can paint over it and try something else. But right now, all I can think is that if you give a girl some large scale type art, she’ll ask for a headboard to go with it. And just wait till you see what I have in store.

    Slow-Cooked Pork Tacos Get Me Every Time

    by  • July 31, 2012 • Taco Town

    Another week, another Taco Tuesday. I thought spicy pork tacos was the perfect way to spend a Tuesday dinner, and so, the slow cooker is comin’ right out. Now, these tacos are highly inspired by a little BBQ fare. With side dishes of refried beans and corn, plus pickled jalapenos, all the elements are here, just with a twist.

    I have scoured the web for you readers and found many slow cooker recipes. The only thing, I tend to use them more as a guide. Here’s a few I started with: from Can You Stay For Dinner?, Budget Bytes, Buck Cooks, Food Network and Better Homes & Gardens.

    So, I cut up my pork tenderloin into cubes, sliced half an onion and then added a mess of other things to the mix: diced tomatoes & green chiles, chili powder, cumin, salt and pepper, coriander, oregano, minced garlic and chicken stock. I also added some chipotle peppers and the sauce they’re canned in. Just, not as much as last time. Then, it’s just set it and forget it.

    Shell: Store brand corn tortillas
    Filling: Chipotle pork and onions (see above)
    Toppings: Shredded iceberg lettuce, tomatoes, Colby Jack & pickled jalapenos.

    Side Dish: Store bought refried beans & corn jazzed up with some red pepper

    Results: These were delicious. Though some slow cooker recipes tell you to discard the onions, I left them in the mix, which added a great texture (not to mention more veggies). The pickled jalapenos added just the right balance to the smoky, sweet, spicy meat.

    If, for some crazy perfectly normal reason you didn’t throw a cubed pork in the slow cooker this morning, no worries! There are plenty of quick and easy pork taco recipes that cook up in time for dinner tonight. Try pork these tacos from Cooking Light, My Recipes and The Kitchn.

    A Statement Piece Gets Me Every Time

    by  • July 25, 2012 • Crafts, Gallery

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    My friends know me well. Very well. Well enough to forward this DIY link to me. They probably even know me well enough to figure I would have all the supplies I need for this: sunglasses case, mini animal toy, paint, glitter, mod podge, glue, paint brush. Check, check, check, check, check and check. A no-brainer craft project… with one tiny tweak.


    Here’s the thing. I’m probably not going to any derbies or polo matches soon. So, when else would I carry a glittery clutch? Nighttime is the right time. And if it’s evening, I can think of no one but this little night owl to accompany me out on the town. (Well, other than Mr. Gets Me Every Time of course. But, I didn’t think he wanted to be painted silver and superglued to anything.)

    If you’ve been around the blog a while, you know that (because of the shop) I pretty much had an unlimited choice of animals to top my newest accessory with. And don’t think I didn’t experiment with some other guys. Have a look.

    I was digging the preppy look of some of the red puppy, but in the end, the owl just really won me over. I mean, who doesn’t love a great hooter accessory?

    I’ve got my eyes on some other inspired crafty DIY projects. Stay tuned.

    DI-WHY Gets Me Every Time

    by  • July 13, 2012 • Gallery, Made It

    OK. I’m going to start off saying that I love DIY just as much as the next craft-loving lady. But, I am starting to feel like things are getting out of control in the blogosphere. So, without any ado, I’m dusting off and climbing onto my soapbox.

    I made those notebooks up there. Well, I DIY-ed them, according to anyone’s standards. They were covered with logos of the companies that gave them to me for free. I just doctored them up with washi & paper tape. But I’m not giving you a tutorial on them. D-I-WHY would I? It’s simple, people. Unroll the tape, stick it on, snip the ends ta-da!

    I’ve come across quite a few D-I-WHY projects across the web recently and while I won’t link to them, I am going to unashamedly call them out. Some of the projects you will never get a tutorial on from this blog include:

    • Dip-dyed marshmallows
    • Painted Rocks
    • Putting hooks on a wall
    • Putting a collection of (buttons, shells, change) in a jar
    • Skewering marshmallows, candy, etc
    • Abstract Art
    • Putting colored tape on a notebook, chair, desk, frame, etc (see above)
    • Adding glitter to everyday objects
    • Printing Instagram photos

    Remember, I love DIY. I just don’t want another blog post on how to print a printable or how to cut out strips of paper and make a paper chain. Let’s push ourselves. Let’s make something new. Let’s make something to be talked about. Or let’s get offline altogether and make some memories.

    Am I the only one? What’s got you screaming DI-WHY? these days?