Deck The Halls Of Home With Joy

Welcome friends....As many of you know, this blog started out as "just for fun" Christmas inspiration. Happily, it has evolved into a place of friendship, laughter, inspiration, expression of creativity, crafting and more.

Thank you for following along! I have met so many wonderful friends! I hope you all feel welcome here and know your friendship is heartfelt.

Welcome to a favorite room in my home~the Dining Room. Like most families, we spend many special occasions, celebrations and Holiday dinners in this room. I am a mother of six- four are boys! I love having a formal dining room where my boys can see, feel and appreciate a sense of beauty. (A Mom can only try and I do try!).

I've alwys been inspired by the window treatments in the Armstrong Mansion (My Great Great Grandparents home-Francis and Isabel Armstrong.) Today it's a beautiful Bed and Breakfast Inn in Salt Lake City, Utah. A great place to celebrate an Anniversary!
My Dining Room has three large windows in front of the house that face south. When we were celebrating our first Thanksgiving a few years ago in our new home. I wanted our room to feel inviting. I also wanted it to be somewhat formal. I kept thinking of the Armstrong Windows.


I started dressing up the windows in fall colors and fall textures, they are my favorite colors to work with. I was decorating for Fall, but loved the colors so much they have stayed through all seasons.




1. I started with a grapevine swag that I placed horizontally above the shutters. The grapevine is anchored to drapery hooks.

2. I draped fabric (56" wide) 8-9 yards of brown textured fabric weaving in and out of the grapevine.

3. I embellished the brown fabric and grapevine with fall garland beads

4, Next, I Added a twist of ribbon to help secure and hold the garland into place. I may add sheer or textured fabrics to the sides of the windows for a more formal look.


Enjoy!
I'm joining Creations by Kara!

Penny Black 'For goodness sake' - new slapstick stamp

Hi and welcome to my Blog :-)

This is my Design Team card I made for Fat Cats Card Corner using this adorable little Penny Black "Slapstick" stamp.  I've never used one of PB's Slapstick stamps before, but it is great quality and deeply etched rubber just like their wood-mounted stamps (except of course you just use a mounting block to stamp with).  This little bunny reminds me of a Bunnykins mug I had as a child - my late father would heat up some milk for me every night to have in my little mug before I went to bed.  The milk HAD to be in THAT mug!!

I thought this image would be perfect for watercolouring and tried to keep the colours pretty and soft.  I haven't watercoloured for months so it was nice to get back to my "first love".   The butterfly in the top RH corner was punched and then I ran it thru my Cuttlebug using the Textile embossing folder.

I added Kindyglitz to the yellow flowers on the girl's hat and under her chin, as well as the heart and tulip on the bunny.

The teal cardstock side panel was punched with my new favourite punch (which was also part of my DT kit) - Martha Stewart Pinking Scallop edge punch - and the designer paper was put thru my CB again using the Textile folder.  This panel was popped up on 1mm mounts (dimensionals).

The main panel is also up on 1mm mounts.

The ribbon was made in 2 separate elements.  I tried to tie a bow but this grosgrain ribbon wasn't very well-behaved - it wouldn't sit nicely, so I did a "Faux Bow" in that I just folded the ribbon and sewed the button to the centre.

The pink and teal hearts next to the sentiment are the leftover punchies from using my EK Success Arrows border punch - they look like tiny hearts and are just so cute :-) 

Thanks again for stopping by - hope to see you again soon!

Jocelyn

P.S.  I have been fiddling around trying to learn how to edit HTML code so I can make my photos sharper (they have been blurry on my Blog but perfectly in-focus on my Splitcoasters Gallery which was making me crazy!!) - think maybe I am getting somewhere at last!!  :-)  I found a thread on Blogger Help where other Bloggers had the same issue.  Drop me an email if you would like to know the link.

Card Recipe:

Stamps:  Image - Penny Black 'For goodness sake' 40-021

             Sentiment - from Penny Black 'Tiny Wishes' clear set

Ink:  Stazon Jet Black

Designer paper:  Basic Grey Urban Prairie - Bountiful

Accessories:  140lb/300gsm Watercolour paper, JoSonya acrylic paints, paint brushes, Cuttlebug, Textile embossing folder, Spellbinder Oval and Scalloped Oval Nestabilities, Martha Stewart Pinking Scallop edge punch, EK Success Arrows Border punch, Carl CP-1 Butterfly-A punch, Kindyglitz Crytalina, Kaiserscrapbook Pearls - Bliss SB718, pink button, pink sewing thread, teal grosgrain ribbon 7/16"-11mm wide, Cardstock: pink, lemon, Colormates Medium Terrific Teal

From Window Valance to Crafting/Cooking Apron

What's Cooking?

Hello Friends! It all started with a black and white checkered Waverly valance that was the wrong size for my kitchen window! I loved the quality and design of the fabric-plus it was lined, so I hung on to it and made a apron from a valance!

I found my valance at Tuesday Morning for $8.00 per valance. The Waverly valance had originally started at $55.00. Several of the valances at Tuesday Morning were clearance priced between $4.00-8.00. You can easily get two aprons out of one valance! (Check the length). The fabric is heavy drapery lined fabric. The style of my valance is in a "V" shape, which makes it even greater for a apron! (The measurements of the valance are 52" width x 20" length).

I added four lined pockets, a tie that slips through the casing, and ties around the waist.

Quick and easy! You can easily make one too!

Let's Get Started:

1. You can find valances similar to mine on sale. (Look for the heavy lined drapery valance with 2"-- 2 1/2" opening or you may have one on hand that you are no longer using.

2. Place the valance/apron around your waist for desired size. Cut to fit. (This is the back of the valance shown in the picture). You can see the fabric lining and how well it is suited for a apron! (I cut 10 inches off on each sid, the "V'" should be centered on your waist) With a straight valance, you could get two aprons in one valance!

A. You will have raw edges on both ends of your apron, to make a nice rolled hem on both edges, unpick back approx 1/2 inch.
B. Fold and press into place and sew a 1/2" hem. Do not sew the casing closed, you will need to leave a opening for the ties. Press and set aside, move onto pockets.

3. For Pockets, measure desired width and cut 8-10 inches for length of pocket.

4. Measure and cut lining of fabric for back of pocket.
5. Cut interfacing the same size as front and back fabrics.
6. See picture below, place your pocket front and back fabrics right sides together, place interfacing on top(like a sandwich).

7. Sew along the length of fabric on both edges top and bottom creating a tube.

8. Turn the fabrics to the right side or front of the pocket, press, trim with rotary cutter both ends of long tube. Sew the two openings closed by creating a nice hem on both sides of tube.

9. Press pocket and place on front of apron, pin into place.

10. Measure and mark your pockets. I generally mark 3-4 pockets evenly spaced. Sew pockets to apron at both ends of pockets and bottom of pockets.

11. Measure and cut fabric to desired length for ties. I like my ties to go completely around my waist and tie in the front. Measure ties so they will fit through the valance casing.

12. Press rolled hem on both ends of ties, fold and press into place and sew. Make sure you press the ends before you sew. I like to sew top and bottom of tie.

13. Feed the tie through the casing with large safety pin.

Your apron is complete and ready to wear!

Enjoy!

Motherhood

Yeah, my computer is up and running again!
Here's a favorite picture. This one is truly worth a thousand words! I hope you all had a wonderful Mother's Day with your families.

Be Back soon with a new project to share!

Hello Friends!

I am experiencing some technical difficulties. I will post as soon as I can. Have a great day!
Thanks!

Admiration

Mothers find the beauty of life wherever it may be!

My New Life

Click on "My New Life" your heart will be touched!

Happy Mother's Day!

Teacher Appreciation Gifts

Special Thanks to Teachers!

Teachers Touch Tomorrow!

Inspired by Teacher gift ideas from Home Sweet Home! We also love the LABELS that can be downloaded (Thank you!)
We made Teacher Appreciation Goody Box's for our wonderful teachers. (I think they make a fun gift for everyone, especially when they are personalized!)

Take a clear plastic divider craft box

Fill with chocolates, candy, office supplies, erasers etc.

Be sure to include M&M's, Lifesavers, Hugs and Kisses!

Include the M&M Teacher poem that can be added to your cute box on the inside! (Thank you Sandy, you're my M&M!)

My Magnificient and Marvelous Teacher

Green is for the inspiration you give me each day.
Blue is for your patience in showing me the way.
Orange is for your warmth and caring style.
Yellow is for the way you always make me smile.
Red is for my life that you have touched this year.
You're a very special teacher just like this box, that's clear.
You place knowledge in our children's hands

and melt into their hearts and lives forever.
You're a "Magnificent" & "Marvelous" teacher
Thank you for being my M&M.

Be sure to hide your box's so they make it to school!

Fun for kids! The smiles on my kids faces made this project worth while. More importantly, I hope our teachers have big smiles and know how much we appreciate their dedication and hard work.

We embellished each organizer box with school themed scrapbook paper, tied pencils on top with a large tule bow. The ideas are endless! (We found our plastic box's at walmart in the craft isle next to the jewelry beads). We embellished the box's with school themed scrapbook paper. My kids are also going to make cards. Cheers to Teachers! We appreciate you!