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take-a-long pony house … ♥

August 17, 2012 Raising up Rubies25 Comments

we are obsessed

…

with what you ask?

chevron?

s’mores?

mason jars?

no.

my little ponies

yes.

that’s what i said.

my little ponies

yes … these cutie patootie ponies!
from top left …
rareity ~ rainbow dash ~ pinkie pie ~ apple jack ~ twilight sparkle ~ fluttershy
(it’s way cuter when it’s a little girl, with a little girl voice who’s telling you all their names 🙂
have all become official members of our household
aren’t they so cute!?
(ok, i’m totally reliving my childhood)

so, it all started a couple weeks ago
when my girlfriend and her 2 girls came over for a play date
and they brought their my little ponies …
besides lovin’ the my little pony cartoon
they wanted to use some of their “spending money” on ponies…oy

we’re even going to a my little pony birthday party this weekend
(yes it’s for the little girl who started this whole thing 🙂
so i decided to make a house for my girls to keep their ponies in
and make another for the upcoming party
(could i have said ponies one. more. time.)

i started off with an unfinished box from Hobby Lobby

and a few things

plus some more stuff as i went along 🙂

i used scrapbook paper & mod podge to cover the box

then finished off the seams with bias tape

lace trim around the opening with some buttons just makes it more girlie 🙂

using some clipart and tracing paper i made a horse cameo on the front of the box

added some embellishment 🙂

on the back, i wove some ribbon through these little wooden fences i found at Joann’s

glued the ends and used a small clothespin to secure the “gate”

they can open and close it when the ponies want to play in the pasture 🙂

the inside is so fun!

a little printed felt (also from HL)

some scraps of ribbon, lace and burlap made up the buntings, rosettes and the little circle rug

(see how i make the rosettes here)

these are the stowaways in the little basket for the birthday girl ♥

this is the first house i made for my girls
it was much more fun the second time around when i had everything figured out 🙂

love handmade toys … don’t you? ♥

i’m hoping to have one of these pony houses in the shop on Monday for the grand opening

don’t forget to come back Monday for the giveaway
and to check out all the cuteness in my etsy shop!
it’s gonna be a fun fun day!
can’t wait!

much love ♥

linking up here ♥ …

Free Pretty Things for You

Yesterday on Tuesday

Live Laugh Rowe

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diy laundry canvas art … ♥

August 14, 2012 Raising up Rubies4 Comments

hey all!

today i’m posting over at Everything Etsy

head on over and take a peek at this fun and easy Target knock-off project 🙂

i can’t thank you all enough for the sweet words & kindness you’ve all poured on me about my etsy shop! i’m so blessed … and golly gee i’m so stinkin’ excited!!

i’m scramblin’ to get everything done 🙂

and since i can’t sleep due to OCD overload, i’ve been crafting till all hours of the night!

(i’m sure the coffee’s not helping either)

hopefully i’ll be back before Monday to share this super cute project

i’ve been working on for my girls

much love to you today ♥

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it's a date ♥ …

August 13, 2012 Raising up Rubies36 Comments

it’s about time…

i can stop talkin’

a little Sugar ‘n Spice is finally opening next Monday!

♥ August 20th ♥

what have i been makin’ all this time you ask??

here’s a sneak peek at what’s in the shop!

i’m sooooo excited to show you guys 🙂

vintage fabric tape ♥

bags of sweetness, vintage trims ♥

packaging & wrapping supplies ♥

crocheted goods ♥

and there’s more cuteness where that came from! that’s not everything 🙂

so what do ya think? was it worth the wait?!!?!?!?!

i made up a few thank you boxes for a few special ladies who i am so grateful for

they have been a blessing to me while helping to make this dream of mine come true

i shipped them out over the weekend … yay happy mail! 🙂

that’s not all!!

i have two more just waiting to be mailed to a new home!

come back Monday, August 20th, to find out how to enter 🙂

one of my most awesome-ist favorite-ist blogs +

two goodie boxes full of this:

= a giveaway!

you all have put gladness in my ♥

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chalkboard library crate … ♥

August 7, 2012 Raising up Rubies7 Comments

Check out this tutorial i wrote over at Everything Etsy!

it was a trash turned treasure kinda project 🙂

things are winding down here

summer is almost done 😦

my products for the shop are all done,

wrapped and sitting in pretty packaging waiting to come home to you 🙂

just a few more loose ends to wrap up

be back soon … ♥

much love

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diy Bisquick … ♥

July 31, 2012 Raising up Rubies15 Comments

i’ve been thinking more and more about all the cleaning supplies i use

and all the preservatives in all of the food we eat

and i’ve been making changes a little at a time

i started making my own laundry detergent last year

and i will never go back to Tide

(no offense Tide)

the cost is 1-2 pennies a load

(!!)

and the ingredients are simple … it’s nice to know that we can have everyday products

without all the chemicals and other things

our bodies we’re probably never made to put up with 🙂

i’ve started a few dryer balls with my sister-in-law

our project was interrupted a few times so we’re only half done

but i’ll let you know how they turn out

next on my list is fabric softener

🙂

after church sunday i started to make pancakes, then realizing i was out of Bisquick

thought it was the perfect opportunity to take a peek at all the recipes to make your own

that have been floating around pinterest

i looked at three different ones and kinda mixed ’em all together…

with some of my own how-to

divide all ingredients in half

mix one half of the recipe at a time in an electric mixer

… starting with the first half

mix dry ingredients together in the mixer until well blended

add 1 cup of the shortening and mix again until incorporated

(scraping the paddle as needed)

about 2-3 minutes

that’s it!

i figured the ingredients cost me $2-3

which made the equivalent to 2 large boxes of the real stuff

each box cost somewhere between $4-5 at Wegmans

have you made any “knock-off” housekeeping products?

tell me about them!

check out my housekeeping board

there’s so many good ideas just waiting to be tried …

much love ♥

linking up here … ♥

Free Pretty Things for You

Funky Junk Interiors

i heart naptime

all crafts Homemade Projects ~ Add Yours! {7 31}

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vintage printables for you … ♥

July 25, 2012 Raising up Rubies11 Comments

Hi ! ♥

i’ve been excited to get this together today…

these beautiful free vintage printables were made just for YOU!

by my dear friend Kasey over at kj design

this girl is full of sweetness and love for graphic design

her focus is on custom stationery and wedding invitations …

she’s got a good eye for current designs, some with a cute vintage flair

which is right up my alley … right?!

stop over and show her some love ♥

(i’m sure she’ll love you back 🙂

so print these cuties out and let’s make stuff together… ♥

(scroll down and click on the link)

use leftovers or any bits & pieces from your stash to embellish

fabric scraps ~ stickers ~ twine~ ribbon ~ doilies ~ buttons ~ clothespin minis ~ ric rac

these make a sweet gift in a vintage tin or any sort of cute container

tied up with a ribbon … a collection of tags to be used whenever needed ♥

with some spray paint and a frame this to-do list makes me smile 🙂

add some rosettes and this makes a great handmade gift in a pinch!

i just have to share ~ this method for ruffling stuff

found it on Pinterest… and it’s the most amazing way to ruffle ANYTHING

without the hassle of pulling strings & spacing!

i tried it for the first time while i was making these

you shoulda heard all the oooooh-ing, ahhhhh-ing and oh my goodness-ing up in here

thanks Kasey! for being cuter than cuteness … ♥

click on the images to download

much love !

linking up here … ♥
the 36th Avenue
Free Pretty Things For You
Funky Junk Interiors
i heart naptime

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growing blueberries … ♥

July 22, 2012 Raising up Rubies6 Comments

this is the first summer we’ve had blueberry bushes

my husband planted two of them last fall

and now we have a small harvest 🙂

they are so sweet and delicious

how nice to have fresh fruit right in our backyard 🙂

we want to plant raspberry bushes next 🙂

the hubs also built a tree swing for the girls

looking up is where he attached the rope & clasp to the tree

this is what i found at the other end of it 🙂

any family favorite recipes that include blueberries?

i’ve seen a few yummy ones on Pinterest …
was thinking of trying these blueberry cream cheese muffins from i am baker

IMG_5198.stamp

maybe a batch for now & a batch to keep in the freezer for on-the-go mornings 🙂
yum .
i’ll let ya know how they turn out …
oh and i keep forgetting to tell you guys
i’m on instagram! it’s fun!
i’ve been on for a while but just started getting into it these past few weeks
i even put a little thingy up in the sidebar
see it … up there … see it???
go find me!
raisinguprubies
so i can follow you too 🙂

♥ much love

(vintage graphics courtesy of the Graphics Fairy … just gotta love her)

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magic to-do list fairy: wanted … ♥

July 19, 2012 Raising up Rubies12 Comments

i’ve been trying to get to this little blog of mine 🙂

i have so many things i want to make…

and share with you guys

but y’all …

(in a Paula Deen voice)

(’cause i’m not southern, even in the least bit)

it’s summer, and my girls are still little

i want to enjoy them

and i had so many things i wanted to do with them this summer

and July is coming to an end, meaning summer’s half over 😦

so this is when i start to panic

when i start to pray that God would just, for the next month, give me 32 hours in a day

so between trying to get everything ready to open shop

and regular everyday wife/mama/~~garage sale~~ summer life

i find myself with only (can you believe) 24 hours in my day (shocking i know)

(not many of which i’m spending sleeping)

i’ve always been ambitious, always been a go-getter

i get that from my dad…

what i also get from my dad is my serious lack of time management

i mean SERIOUS, as in not there, non-existent

my to-do list yesterday was ridiculous

i think it had 16 things on it

which i knew i couldn’t possibly accomplish in one normal human day

but i wrote it down anyway

the problem is when i get to the end of the day

(and i can maybe cross one or two things off the list)

i beat myself up … like i’m mentally participating as a contestant on Wipeout

i knew i was setting myself up for failure when i wrote the list in the morning but i did it anyway, hoping, just hoping that somehow the magic to-do list fairy would come and make that to-do list, not only all crossed off, but then scrap-booked, doodled and matted on some burlap and lace in a pretty frame right near my kitchen sink

on display for me and all to see

no …

just me and my faulty time management to-do list problem

just me being human, wife, mommy, friend, sister…and over acheiver

so here i am down on myself

then the Voice

like a million waterfalls

says I Am Enough

be still and know

tears streaming down my face

is when my Sweet Savior quietly scoops me up into everlasting arms

and since it’s hour 23 and a half and i still have 14 things left on my list

i surrender

but why do i wait until i get to this point of exasperation?

why don’t i just give up the rights to my list first thing in the morning?

that’s what God wants from me … i know it

it’s just so hard to let go of control

so that’s what i’m trying to work on right now … that’s where i’m at

so thanks y’all (Paula voice) for the listening ear 🙂

came across this last night on Pinterest

i’ve read most of Lysa’s books, and i’m sure this one won’t disappoint

if you have a minute check it out … she cracks me up

Click to read Proverbs 31 Ministries devotion about this!

that’s totally me in the picture

i mean really

who doesn’t want to just put their head in an over sized purse

and scream at the top of their lungs every once and a while??

(i don’t officially know if she’s screaming at the top of her lungs, but that’s what i think she should be doing with her head in an over sized purse … and this is my blog … m’kay?)

:):)

i’m working on a few projects that i think you’ll like

and a grand opening date & giveaway for Sugar ‘n Spice

… so come back soon!

(pretty please with a cherry on top?)