Just a little project!

We are doing so much around the house that some of these 'little' projects had been put off. Since I've been back to work - most of my lunch breaks are full of running errands and stuff but I try hard to go and look for some of the smaller things for our house at thrift stores, clearance aisles, and we have a habitat restore too. This bench was a $15.00 steal from a local outlet store. They have lots of overstock and misc. stuff. These benches were piled up in boxes on an end cap and said $30.00- 50% off! I have been looking for one to sit under the piano. BUT benches are so expensive I just couldn't pay that much. I didn't actually like the bench and it would match NOTHING in my new dining room - but I thought for $15.00 I'd try it.. I bought a bottle of spray paint and went to work!

Cream & Brass

It was really pretty, but I'm not in a gold/ brass kinda mood these days. I tested a spot first - just to make sure- ya never know with spray paint!

Tuu-dah!

I thought the finish was actually decent!

NOW- can someone come help me move this piano into the dining room please! LOL It takes every bit of FIVE big guys and a dolly to move it....

My nephew will be taking piano lessons soon- maybe he can put it to use!

MISSING IN ACTION????

YUP! I'll say! I have missed blogging so much! It is almost time for the return! I have a booth at a local scrapbooking event in August and I can hardly wait! Needless to say the last couple of months have been busy! Starting back to work after being home with my baby for 3 years was quite a transition for our family! Will is doing great in school - now on his Summer break! So sweet! Church has also been super busy and we've bought and moved into a fixer upper! Whew- yep ALL at once.. and oh - did I mention Will started teeball during all this! hahaha! Anyway here is a peak and what has kept me occupied! This is our dining room. {Our almost finished dining room!- please pay no attention to the bare outlets and bare china cabinet and bare walls!- big ideas for all of those!) These are before and after shots of different angles! BEFORE! AFTER! LOL awesome how much floor and paint can make a difference huh!?!!?

BEFORE!

AFTER! Trim work, light fixture, and a few details!

Front window has so much potential. BEFORE! AFTER! I almost didn't put these curtains up b/c we have beautiful white wood blinds going up asap- but I wanted to take these photos and we don't have brackets for the blind yet! LOL We'll see which I like best. its a Bay window and is so pretty I hate to cover it up..

We struggled a lot with this room b/c of this awesome DARK wood mantel and ALL of our previous dining room furniture is this light color?? I think it work okay! BEFORE!

AFTER! We also have a piano this dark wood color we are going to put on the wall closest to this mantel! I think it will all blend well.!

Oh and this light is for "High Heels & Sippy Cups!" Do I win? lol

So there you have it- where I've been! LOL Working 9-5, doing the ball field thing, and fixing up a house! YIKES! If my diamond shoes get to tight and I start to complain about time- someone just remind me how great LIFE as we know it truly is! Hope you all are still scrapping - stay tuned as I launch back into blogging soon!

Discounts, Steals, & Deals

Just a quick note to let you know there is a huge sale on my website at http://https://tonyamccrary.myctmh.com/Retail/Products.aspx?CatalogID=1702- Unbelievable discounts on items like Paper, Stickease and accessory bundles - prices for some items are as low as $2.00. WOWSA!!!! Run.. while supplies last! Bundles include paper, accessories, and stickease, and more! Get this bundle for only $15.00!

Do you love Level 1's?

During April, when you place an order of $100 or more on my website at http://tonyamccrary.myctmh.com you'll receive one My Reflections® Level 1 kit FREE during our Lovin' Level 1 campaign. Choose from several popular Level 1 kits. You'll also qualify for a free April Stamp of the Month set! Now that's a Deal! better hurry- I hear they may not be around in the next book at ALL!

Helping Japan

Give a little Hope to Japan by purchasing an exclusive stamp set for just $5.00. See details under 'monthly specials' on top of this page!

LOVIN' Miracle!

I LOVE this paper!!!! Get this awesome kit and make beautiful layouts or cards! Kit: Stamp Set Level 2 Paper Packet Kraft Color Ready Borders Workshop Guide $29.99 G1023 Colors: Crystal Blue, Heavenly Blue, Sweet Leaf, Bamboo

MIRACLE

These are the pages we had last year with this awesome campaign. I have a lil boy and these colrs are just too sweet for his pictures!! I see Easter here with these for this year!

Here's a St Patricks Day card for ya!

Key to making a shamrock is having HEARTS stamps! Stamp them around in a circle and add a "center" and a stem- whalah!

FLOWER POWER!

OK- so i have to admit I'm a little to young to understand "flower power," however FLOWERS are BIG right now! Ribbon flowers, paper flowers, and decoupage are everywhere! Here are two Id like to share with you! You either LOVE these or Hate 'em! They take as little time to create but are super duper cute! Start with 8-12 circles. You may need more or less - it depends on the size of your circles. I have used 1 inch scallop punch for mine. Don't forget you can make circles of any size with your cricut!

Fold one side of the circle in towards the middle. Make sure the top is 'flared' out just a tad and the bottom is more tight.

Do the other side same as first fold.. It should resemble a 'cone.' Squeeze bottom so it keeps its shape..

Do all your circles! ;-) LEAVE one flat.. you will adhere your 'petals' to this one. I use glue dots. I just stick a couple on there and start layering my petals. I found that it is easier to start with 4 like the photo below and just 'fill in the gaps.' If you go in a circular pattern laying them down - it may end up uneven. Some of my petals are a tad bit on top of each other but for the most part fit on the circle flat. :-)

When you get them all on there, center with a brad, ribbon, sparkle, or a button! (or anything CUTE you have on hand!)

I finally decided on one of our NEW buttons from our pink assortment... tied in the middle with some natural hemp. I used this flower as an embellishment for a card for Will's speech teacher!

Here is another flower I've posted before.. It's using a 1 inch non scalloped circle punch. I used 9 petals flat instead of layering... Looks very different but its the exact same technique!

As i was re-posting this flower I ran across this layout and thought it was worth re-posting- AWWWWW SUMMER!! LOL

Here is another paper flower! Technique below.. Its amazing to me how much different they look with different color paper but same technique!

This is my fav!!!

These are a bit more complex but still VERY easy- I promise! ;) start with 4 large circles & 1 small one. you can actually use 5 large if you wish - it doesn't show up either way... I used a 2 inch scallop punch for this paper flower.. start by folding one in half.. It doesn't matter yet which color side you fold inside or outside.

Fold in half again and open back up. You are making these folds for 'creases' only.

Fold one side up to the middle crease. Repeat with the other side so that both sides are folded to the middle crease and looks like this.

Make sure all folds are crisp and then OPEN it ALL back up! ;)

Fold in half again...NOW is when it counts which side you fold up.. Whatever color you want to SHOW the most needs to be on the INSIDE! I wanted the pink to show so i folded with the orange on the outside. Now you want to 'pinch' it up with both hands so that it looks like below.. (remember those lil dooeys we used to make in school-you opened and closed- they had numbers, colors, and names of boys! - kinda like that!)

Once you get it pinched up together it should look like this. Then fold flat.

When you flatten it - it should look like this. (sorry the pic is blurry..)

Now you want to flap over one lil piece on the top.