In the Know

Handy Hubby : )'s birthday was at the end of November.  He is the 3rd of 9 kids.  To date, there are 31 grandkids on his side of the family! Over the years we have made several variations of the family tree for his parents.

This year I made one for Handy Hubby : ).

To the untrained eye, this may just look like a number chart...

but for those in the KNOW, it's actually sorta kinda a family tree!

A little back story for you - When my in-laws moved into their current house, they found boxes of antique printing press numbers and letters in the attic.  They are really cool but no one knew what to do with them.  One SIL sorted the pieces by size into 3 different boxes.  She took a few letters and spelled out 'cookies' & 'yummy' in her kitchen.  One day when we were over to help clean out the garage, my MIL asked if we'd like the rest of them.  

Mmmm, Yes!! Please!!

I sorted them again.  So, now I have ziploc bags of each number and letter.  Perhaps I was inspired by all of the subway art and Pottery Barn knock-offs for my creation.  

The secret to this display is that each of the numbers, of course, represents each of the siblings in HH's family.  For each number, the groupings are made up of the number of kids in each person's family.  Get it?!! 

It's subtle, for sure.  

But that's what I like about it - it's not in.your.face!

And there's even room to grow if absolutely necessary {NOT the 3's, however... that oven is no longer in service : )}

Here's my favorite little grouping

{I know these look like e's but when they're stamped they are 9's}

Sib #9 has 4 kids.  The oldest are a set of twins.  I love their little pyramid : ) teehe

I got a cut of discount gold silk-like fabric from Hobby Lobby.  And I got a simple black frame with a coupon.  Together they make up a black & gold background representing Purdue {where HH & I met}.  The gold also happens to be the color in our basement where this will most likely hang.

I used Gorilla Glue to adhere everything together.  It was the first time I'd ever used the stuff.  It's interesting.  It certainly is strong glue but I'm not sure I like all the expanding it does...

So when you stop by next and see this frame hanging up, YOU are now one of the people 

In the Know!! : ) 

Blessings!

You might find me partying at some of these places *HERE*

Time to Celebrate!

Back in the summer of '95 *or soon there after*, every sibling in Handy Hubby : )'s family (9) who was married at the time {5} was expecting.  Thus producing a bumper crop of 5 babies in one year!  Whew!

Today is my baby's birthday - her closest cousin in age was born 4 days before her.  *It's a good thing she was a girl cuz they got to our boy's middle name first - these days names are closely guarded secrets haha*

Well, at our local art museum (IMA) they have a number garden and my MIL loved the poetry of having 5 grandchildren turning 5.  She always said she wanted to take a picture of the 5 5's at the IMA "5".  As it turns out, that has not been so easy to accomplish.  She's been saying it every year and now they are starting to turn 15! : )

On my last visit to the IMA, I discovered that if you stand at exactly the right angle you can get the 1 & the 5 in the same shot.  So now she has a small window to get the 5 5's together *the name stuck & they've been lumped together ever since* for a photo op in front of the 15.  Good luck with that Grammi!

Anyway, for the big day I made this 'CELEBRATE' banner

*I don't even know who to link this idea to because these babies are everywhere!*

And I know the letters are hard to read  but Daughter S will know I personalized it for her because I used the paper scraps from the notebooks she decorated for school.

This was a no.sew project and certainly a labor of love because hot glue goes through burlap like nothin'!  Hot & messy.  And I don't have a Cricut or Silhouette so I used a stencil & cut out the letters.  

Can you say low tech?!

Ah well! Anything for 10 seconds of happiness, right?!  

At least it was cheap - found the 3/4 yd. burlap remnant for $1.80.  The ribbon was all 50% off.  And the twine was from the $1 section at Target.  The rest I already had.

So, did you spy the vinyl frames on the wall above the banner?  I've been wanting to add some artwork in that space but didn't know what to put there because you can see it from downstairs.  I had considered a frame wall with real frames but when I saw this set on clearance at Target I thought I could do the whole wall for the price of one actual frame plus there wouldn't be any nail holes.
Daughter S is going to love this because she's artsy like that and will love seeing it going upstairs to her room... but if you're tempted to buy it at your Target just say 'NO'.  You get what you pay for - it's super cheap!!  It will probably fall down on the next hot or humid day.
And I can just hear Handy Hubby : ) saying already, "Pffft!  What is that?  The gateway to the estrogen ocean?!"  *that's what he calls our household since our son went off to college and left HH stranded, alone, to fend for his poor little 'ol self with 3 females*

Anyway, speaking of frames, do you remember this one I got for $2.04 at HL?

 
Well, she needed a message board for all of her notes

Happy birthday, my baby, my explorer, my busy bee!
for my loving angel who gifted me with THREE whole extra days inside me too stubborn to be born for a little extra mother/daughter bonding!
I shower her with the gift of time : )

Now how do I get the days to stop passing so quickly?! *sigh*

And this all would have made much more sense if I had actually finished the clock I was working on but I ran out of time... ironic, no?

*I'll do another post about the clock later*

You might find me partying at some of these places *HERE*

Blessings!

Thank You Note

Do you recall those $1 discontinued fabric samples I bought a while back?
Can you stand another project using one?
This particular sample came with the larger 17"x17" piece & 3 smaller color swatches all for $1! *score*  I used the black & tan one for my camera strap cover *see HERE*    And for this project I chose the terra cotta one.

Daughter S had the opportunity to spend a few days visiting old friends in Wisconsin this summer.  She stayed with her very good friend/old neighbors.  I am lucky enough to call the mom my good friend too.  She was my crafting buddy - we stamped our own Christmas cards together one year, we made teacher gifts & sewed matching halloween costumes. *Ah, fun times, fun times*

Well, for housing & entertaining & transporting my daughter for the better part of a week, a 'thank you' was definitely in order.  I decided to make her a little something *I think she would expect nothing less...*

I bought a frame 1/2 off at HL for an 8x10 photo (no mat)

Using spray adhesive I attached the fabric to the back board of the frame, trimmed it out and wrapped a brown ribbon around it vertically.

I didn't want the back of the frame to look messy so I took the ribbon all the way around and tacked it down with a sticker from a stationery pack
*Sheeeesh-ok I'm just anal like that... & I tattle on myself, too : )*

& speaking of tattling - I'm such a craft dork that Handy Hubby : ) printed up sheets of address labels for me to stick on the backs of my stuff  *sorta like marking my territory - hehe : ) *

Anyhoooo, I added a cute vinyl initial & 2 little rosettes to the corner, right on the glass.

*I've only just started using vinyl & I LOVE it! what a late bloomer I am!*

And there you have it!

I know a picture frame dry erase board is not a new idea *ever'body's doin' it*

But I'm sorta hoping that this is the fanciest thank you note my friend's ever gotten!! : )

And of course I could NOT write a post about Thank You's without giving a shout out to the crazy 100+ people who have chosen to follow me so far!!!!!
~ THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU ~
Unbelievable!! Please know how honored I am : )
As I've said before, I love blogland for all of the inspiring & amazing ideas.  I love that it's a place where like-minded people can gather & help each other by encouraging, supporting & offering such kind words!  I'm so happy to be a part of it all!  Whooda thunk it?!
Oh yeah! And Thanks for the FUN  : )

You might find me partying at some of these places *HERE*

Blessings!

Cheap Thrills

It's time I made a confession.  I have a condition.

It's called Listus Forgetus.  Apparently, the second I step into a store my mind suddenly goes blank and I can't remember why I'm there!  My solution is to roam each and every aisle for visual cues that might jog my memory.  Sometimes, however, I simply get distracted and become obsessed by a priceless treasure that someone has undoubtedly tried to stash in the wrong aisle just waiting for me to discover and take home.  I find that my memory is effected worst at Michael's, Hobby Lobby, JoAnn's, Target & Goodwill...   

So I stopped in at GW the other day *for a good reason, I'm sure* I find things there occasionally but not super great deals like I've been seeing some people finding recently.  On this day I found things that made me giddy, GIDDY, I'm tellin' ya!!  And honestly, I don't know why 'cause I didn't need any of it - I just knew I had to have it!  can I boast for a few minutes, please? 

I found this pair of taper candlesticks

I intend to do this with them, a la Decor Chick & Thrifty Decor Chick...

And I found this jar that will make a great pencil holder for Daughter A's vintage Parisian-themed room!

It's gonna look super cute on the desk I redid for her
*see HERE*

My heart skipped a beat when I spied this cloche dome!  Can I getta Woot Woot!!

I've been looking for one of these things!

Daughter S was with me at the time and she wanted to pull one of the ugly lampshades on her head when I squealed and practically did a jig in the aisle!!  It's the cutest little thing too!  It's not a cupcake sized one and it's not a cheese dome sized one.  I'd say it's maybe  8" in diameter.  Don't even know why I want one, but I know I've had cloche envy something awful for a while now - and now i got me one!! : )

Siiiigh! 

I paid my $5 for all the glassware and skipped outta the store.  can life get any better?

Uuuum yaw!!  I still had to go to Hobby Lobby *for paint, or something*

Well, while we were in Michigan they moved the HL that used to be 20 minutes away to a store front down the street from me!!  It went in where the Ashley Furniture used to be so it's GINORMOUS! You KNOW the second I stepped into that place there was a loud sucking noise & Listus Forgetus struck again.

But looky what I found!!

 

Can you say Match made in Heaven?!

But Wait!  There's more!

I found this candlestick for $2.99 *that's 90% off - I made Daughter S check 'cause my old eyes can't always read the fine print anymore grrrrr* It's about 16" tall!

And this frame was only $2.04!  It holds an 8 X 10 photo.

It's gonna make an adorable dry erase board or chalkboard or tray some day!  ALL of these treasures from both stores totaled under $20!
Oh Boy!  I am in soooo much trouble having HL in such close proximity!
It used to be a place I went to with a purpose.  Now it will be way too easy to just pop over there to see what I can see!!
Well, a girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do...
I've gotta break it to Handy Hubby : ) - I have a terminal condition!!!!

I may be linking up with some of these Great parties *HERE*

Blessings!