Rocky Times

Okay so I'm sure many of you have seen the PotteryBarn Chalkboard Rocks (pic below). They are only...ready for this...$16.00 (well $12.00 on sale) for a set of FOUR. Do you see four in their display picture...no, no you do not because seriously four are not gonna cut it.

Here you will see my take on those pesky rocks that we just HAVE to have. I mean how nifty are they for that person who likes to decorate all through out the year.

Now mine are not displayed in a jar or bowl because I haven't yet dragged out my Holiday decorations but really... who says you can't just display them in a tray.


It's really very simple and I'm sure you've already figured out how to do them yourself...or you've seen a similar post out there in crafty blog land. LOL I acquired various flat medium and small rocks with the help of my children and the little littles (preschoolers). After I gave them a good scrub I painted them with chalkboard paint (I would have spray painted them but I was unable to find it...grrr - would have made this SO much easier; not that it wasn't already but let's be real I am lazy) I let the paint dry for 24 hrs and then rubbed the rocks down with chalk. Rinse off and dry then write your message. Here's my 'Let it Snow"


and "Ho Ho Ho"s

I have made a TON of rocks and well SOME lucky friends are receiving their very own; when I get around to giving you gifts...LOL. Aren't you ladies lucky...you get rocks. Now now there will be other goodies...this is only PART of it. This whole project cost me under $10 for the chalkboard paint and foam brushes. My kind of craft!

Getting my crafty on...

Sort of...LOL I've been spending entirely WAY too much time perusing the below listed blogs. Because I'm so NICE to all of my friends (aka YOU) I'm going to share. So then we can be busy slackers together. Share the love you know! Here are a lot of the new blogs that have caught my eye (new to me anyways).

Keeping It Simple

The Cheap and Choosy

Oopsey Daisy

Opps, I Craft My Pants

Sew Many Ways

You Craft Me Up

320 Sycamore - Spent a LONG time looking through her home decorating ideas.

Homebody - How could I NOT love her - she's a HOLLY!

Playing with a new toy.

I recently was blessed enough to be able to purchase the Silhouette digital cutting machine. Let me just say "Oh my!" So many ideas running through my head and I've been so busy up til now to even TRY any of them. Now I've dived in (since I finished my last Math Quiz last night, I finally feel like I can play with my graduation present).

Say hello to her...isn't she pretty. (Don't worry she'll get a table soon enough...I need to find a special place for her.)

So I found this awesome damask design on the Silhouette website that will match my tiny little kitchen decor (that's another post...it's new too!) All I had to do was tell it to cut and it was done.


Here is my pink little beauty that will be receiving the new vinyl damask cut out. She looks so sweet and cute on her own doesn't she? Unfortunately Chef doesn't appreciate her pinkness (after all HE is the Chef around here...LOL)


All cut out and excess removed. (Note to self: When doing something for the first time do NOT pick the hardest image to cut out...are you FLIPPING nuts!)

I used the handy dandy transfer paper that I thought prior to this that there is NO WAY I'd ever need it. Yeah, you hear me laughing at myself don't you. Anyways the transfer paper allows you to keep your detailed massively piecey image together so you're not stuck trying to do a "puzzle" later.


I applied the vinyl to the top of my pink beauty and voila!!! She newly emerges a slick and frisky lady. Chef's reaction? "Oh WOW!" when he walked in to the kitchen. She was of course the first thing he saw...should I be jealous?



While I love doing all things creative I can not always take credit. I am horrible and do not remember where I first saw a vinyl decorated Kitchen Aide but know that I super appreciate that person's creative-ness and for sharing thier ideas on the world wide web for unoriginal saps like me.

The Witch is in.

Princess is going to be a witch for Halloween this year. (Re purposing last years black cat tutu) I found a child's size witches hat in Target's $ spot and used ribbon I had left over from making her bows to jazz it up.

We also found a lovley feather clip at JoAnn's so I clipped it and one of her bows to the hat.


Added a matching bow to her witches broom and she is all set.

Easier than it looks...

Everyone has been been raving compliments on me for the Princess's bows but seriously all of you can do them. I have simplified them for myself...LOL.

Start out with ribbon twice the length you want your bows width to be. This one is 6inches long for a 3in bow.


Glue the ends together to form a circle.


Pinch your circle flat and then pinch the center together.


I wrap this part with floral wire but some use string or sew it (too much work for me)

You want to make two of them the same size to form your "bow"


Place them together and wrap with another piece of floral wire.

Here I attached a yellow bow behind the printed one. The yellow bow is a 4 in bow.

You can embellish your bows with anything you like...more ribbion, buttons...etc. For this one I used one figure eight.

I like to wrap the top of my clip in ribbon...I think it helps the glue hold it to the bow better. Be sure to only wrap the top of the clip - if you add ribbon to the bottom you'll have trouble getting it into the hair.


Glue clip onto the back of the bow.

TA DA! (I made two for when she wears pigtails) I forgot an earlier picture of it but I tied and glued the middle black ribbon to the centers of the bows before adding the figure eight to the back (which I just glued to the back of the yellow bow)


So there you have it. I said it was simple. The "bow" is basically two circle's pinched and attached to each other. Those sneaky bow makers hehe.

Double, double toil and trouble...

fire burn and cauldron bubble.

My cat has nothing to do with this post but I couldn't resist including the pic I took of her today. That is the top of our fish tank and apparently her new fav spot.

Now for the witchey news. I made this display today for my downstairs guest bathroom. I think there is something missing but I think it is good....for now.


The potions....(sorry it's sideways - forgot to flip one)

Special ingredients for the truly crafty witch. Ground Boars Tooth, Dragon's Blood, Werewolf Fur, Eye of Newt, Dried Maggots and Dried Bats Wings.

A potion of Babbling Beverage (causes drinker to babble nonsense) *I think there are a lot of goblins drinking this one around here.*


Memory (improves access to memory) *I should try more of this myself*

Draught of Peace (calms and soothes) *We can all use some of this from time to time.*


My favorite. Shrinking Solution (a dab will do ya) *so many "short" people around here - I better find that darn cap. *


*need to add this whole display cost about $5.00 using finds from the Goodwill and supplies I had on hand. :-)*

SCORE!

So the Princess stayed home from school today. We took a little trip to the Goodwill to see what we could find. Mommy is on the search for some apothecary jars on the cheaper side. LOL I didn't find those but I did find a bunch of other treats for super cheap.


I want to use those three little jars in front for witches "potions" to be displayed in my bathroom. In the stores they are $4-$6 a piece. No way I'm paying that. The tiny green one is my favorite and will be labeled the "shrinking" potion. LOL


I also found this old spice rack. My sister suggested that they be used as the ingredients for the potions. Good idea!


I can't wait to get started on putting this all together. As it pans out I'll add it for you to see.

*note* any idea's for ingredients or potion names feel free to comment. Thanks!