Saturday, November 5, 2011

I got a SMASH BOOK!

I have seen these on blogs and web sites then a few weeks ago at the grocery store when I didn't have extra cash.... Then today... I saw them again and got one of my own! Google them and check out how fun they can be and how much fun I'm going to have with mine!


Tuesday, October 25, 2011

I Heart Faces - Let them be little

I couldn't think of a better picture to share for I Heart Faces this week. My brother had his first little one 2 months ago, and I captured this amazing picture of him peering down on his little guy. I'm almost positive he was thinking about keeping his boy little (minus the crying- hehehe). 

I think he just really loves being a dad, and this little guy sure loves his dad! 


Check out other photos on the theme of Let them be little at 
www.iheartfaces.com 


Monday, October 17, 2011

I Heart Faces - Pink

This weeks theme is for Breast Cancer Awareness... and the theme is Pink! 

Check out more Pink pics at

Tuesday, September 13, 2011

Tutorial: Gift-able Scrapbook

I've always been the type of person that looks at something I enjoy and think "how could I make that?"

Many years ago my mom, sister and I went to a local craft show. Typically I like to just look at this type of craft show, because it's a little to "Americana" for me, but I usually find a few things that strike my fancy. This particular year, we can across a booth that had what appeared to be books covered with different scrap book papers. That was until I picked one up and opened it. This accordion type unfold was mesmerizing to me, so I just had to have one. My mom said she would gladly buy it for my birthday (3-4 months away,ugh). I wanted it enough that that was fine with me. 
Sadly, since then I have not decided what to put inside, but I did decide that I could do this myself! As follows...






Supplies: 
-5 square sheets of scrapbook paper 
(any size, but all 5 must be same size, I used 12"x12" here)
-Glue dots, glue tape or picture squares tape
-Scissors
-1-2 Large shoe boxes or cereal boxes

Step One: The Folds! 
Take three of the sheets of square scrapbook paper to begin the inside of the book. 
(Put the other two to the side, with the shoebox, for the cover.) 
a.With just one sheet of the paper, make a "taco" fold, crease and open

b.  Then make a "hot dog bun" fold, crease and open

c. Then do a "hot dog bun fold" the other way, crease and open

d. Repeat steps a thru c with the other two sheets of square scrap book paper, 
leaving you with your 3 inside pages of the book. 

Step 2: Attaching!
Pull out your glue of choice. (I've used glue tape, sticky dots and all purpose glue.)
As you can see how the pages are laid out here, put one of your pages, in the middle (upside down, fold facing downwards from the two outside pages)

Put glue on the middle sheet (liberally), under the squares that lines up from the outside sheet (see the second photo below)



Then attach the top sheet, carefully lining up creases with the bottom glued sheet. 

**Please be sure to attach the top non-creased square to the bottom non-creased square, rather than the squares creased down the middle.**


Once you've glued down both outside pages to the inside page, you will want to make sure all of your folds are going the right way, so it will fold up properly! 

Look at the picture below very carefully. The creases labeled "crease folding out" should be creased away from you. The creases labeled "crease folding in" should be creased pointing in towards you. 


Once your creases are all pointing in the right direction, start and one end and push creases in correct direction, to close the accordion of paper. 

If your book closed into the shape of a square, you have almost made it! 
Push down on all of the edges to make sure your creases are there to stay. 

Step 3: Time to Cover it! 
Pull out your boxes! (and scissors) Lay your square book pages on the box and trace around it. Once traced, cut out approximately 1/4 to 1/2 inch outside that trace mark, to give you the support to your cover.



Now, take the remaining two pieces of scrap book paper and wrap each side of the cover, 
almost like a gift.
Be sure to use your glue or sticky dots liberally, so everything stays in place! 
Repeat your awesome wrapping on the other cover sheet! 



Now your covers are ready to go! 
Here's where your good eyes come into place. 
Attach glue (tape, dots) to the outside of your actually pages, then place it right in the middle of the inside of your cover. 

Repeat for the other side and TAADAA!!! 
You have your very own gift-able scrapbook.
I think I did pretty good! I've even made other sizes since! 

Mine
There's 
Step 4: Decorate! 
Adorn with decorations, pictures, words, etc., 
then give to a great friend, or keep for your own! 
(Be sure to not put faces in pictures over the creases or they will not turn out so hot!)
You can even deck it out more with patterned paper inside 
like the one I purchased at the craft show. 


Make your own, let me know how it goes! 
I hope it was just the gift you were hoping to make. 

The DIY Show Off

All About A Bloom Link Party

Free downloadable Fall Subway Art

It's been just too long! I started a new job, started a new class towards my licensure, and recently found myself with a nasty head cold/sinus congestion! Fun times! 

In my spare time (driving in the car back and forth from Tennessee to visit my best friend) I started working on creating my very own Fall Subway Art. 
I'd created some subway art a while back for my husband, recognizing OSU's 10 years of dominance, but thought I should make something that's a little more fun for me! 

My husbands tribute to 10 years of Buckeye dominance (especially against MI)! 





After the above turned out so great, I moved on to bigger and, in my opinion, better! 


Let me know what you think! 
Trying to figure out how I can make it downloadable. I'll work on that! 

i did it! it's downloadable! yay! take it if you'd like it! 
Just don't forget about me! :-) 

Happy Fall everyone! 

The DIY Show Off

Tuesday, August 9, 2011

IHF - Friendships

Well this couldn't be a better day to show of friendships! 
This is a "self portrait" of my best friend and myself. 
As of yesterday evening she is a new mommy! 
So, even more than normal, I've been thinking of my best friend and 
her getting through the birth of her little man safely, over 400 miles away! 
So this picture for this theme is for her! 

Check out more friendships at I Heart Faces!! 


Tuesday, July 19, 2011

IHF - Props

Oh, I have a great photo for I Heart Faces challenge this week. 
The theme is Props, and this photo of a cute little girl with a great prop seems like a wonderful option! 
I hope you all enjoy it! 





Please check out more Prop photos at I Heart Faces

Wednesday, July 13, 2011

New to my packed lunch!

I was browsing at the store the other day and found these cute goodies for my "healthy" lunch packing! Yummy!



Monday, June 27, 2011

We hit the road... sorta

This weekend we took my 3 year old nephew to his first "Movie Theater Experience" to see Cars: 2 of course!


He did so well with his cars snack box (Cars cup with Lightning McQueen on top, kids size popcorn and fruity gummy's) in hand. Pointing at the screen and shouting out the names of all of the characters. He was in heaven (after the previews for the upcoming movies* that he didn't enjoy waiting through to see his friend Lightning)!  After the movie we talked about who saved the day (I won't ruin it for you!) and who the bad guys were. 
He drove his cup topper all over his car seat.

With his mommy and daddy after the movie.

We decided to mark this momentous day we would go to dinner and he would get to sit between Aunt Callie (me) and Uncle Dave (my husband). This was a lot of fun, because I am the aunt with a stash of fun stuff in my purse. We stayed entertained while waiting for our meal. Then he showed me how well he can share by giving me a bit of his mac and cheese (his favorite meal of all times) after I gave him a bit of my rice (his second favorite meal of all times) without me even asking!
I can't forget his interaction with the mozzarella cheese stick... that was fun to watch...



All in all it was a great time, and he really enjoyed himself, as did we! I doubt he can wait to have it come out on video... despite reviews it turned out to be really cute (still having that "only adults will get this" humor throughout)!

Go check it out with a little one in your life.... or even by yourself and a box of popcorn! Let me know what you think!

*One last thing... have you seen the previews for the throw backs coming out soon??




with Neil Patrick Harris and Jayma Mays (from Glee)


with Jason Segel and Amy Adams

Sooooo excited.... like a kid again!

Friday, June 24, 2011

The weekend is here!

I'm sooo excited Friday is finally here! How about you?
I'm just hoping this weekend is as good as last weekend!

Last weekend started kinda early, with a trip around downtown Powell, Ohio with my sister, Maribeth, and her bestie, Emily.
We be-bopped in and out of several antique and collectables shops. 
If I wasn't so broke, I would have bought so much!! 
Maribeth found a few things she liked..


A cake, she decided was too tasty just to be decoration!


And a team spirit version of our very own Fashionista Necklace with Buckeyes on it!
(We are Ohio Buckeyes through and through! 
So it's a great alternative to the buckeyes on a piece of yarn!) 

Our next step was the The Candle Lab, which I absolutely love and had the opportunity to experience in February for my cousins birthday! I had to let Maribeth and Emily experience it too! 
They have 120+ fragrances that you can smell, then mix as you choose to make your very own unique candle, in jars or vases of many sizes or bring in your own item to be filled. 
I made a marshmallow,  graham cracker, dark chocolate, with a smidgen of campfire, for my very own S'mores candle! 


They had fun checking out all of the scents, but I believe the scent below was their favorite! 


Just joking, but isn't this a random scent to fill your home with?! 

From here we went to another favorite place of mine, for an afternoon snack! 

Now if you haven't been to central Ohio, you may not have heard of this wonderful place. 
My first suggestion is to come here and get some splendid ice cream! 
Or, if you can't do that, go to Anthropology and pick up this book all about Jenni's. 



Not only is the ice cream unique and great, but the shops are cute as can be.

Wow, I said a lot about just one day! The rest of the weekend was great too... I'll get to that tomorrow!


I hope you have a great weekend!