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little shop update

last night i listed a bunch of fun wrapping supply kits – bits n pieces of crafty goodness
yarns, twines, ribbons, lace, papers (mostly vintage) all packed nice & neat into boxes and bags


i love to scour rummage sales during the warmer months 
(which aren’t very long here) (this winter has just about killed me) (SanDiego here i come)
i look for awesome supplies, fabrics, papers… 
really just about anything that’s vintage or just plain pretty. 
i have a few secret places i like to visit regularly, where i find lots of good stuff too.


some of the supplies i find gets used as packaging for my shop …
the rest gets put into pretty milk glass or baskets waiting to be put in grab boxes


i have family that comes to my rescue
when the washing ironing folding stuffing packing winding and wrapping 
all gets to be too much for just me 🙂

my craft room becomes a sunny place where we eat lunch, laugh, do homework or play trivia crack.  
it’s my happy place ♥



each one of these boxes comes with small amounts of mostly what you see here in these photos
but you can read the listing description for the specifics…





there are a few left if you love bits & pieces of little pretty things

craft, wrap and create to your little hearts content ♥
happy friday!



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not mainstream ♥


shared in my instagram feed about something that was hard on my heart yesterday … in church our pastor talked about being brokenhearted
over our sin. about going into mourning mode when we do something that grieves
our loving merciful perfect Holy God. 
as believers we are set apart. 
chosen for a specific
purpose. 
we aren’t supposed to look mainstream.
late talks with my hubby the night before led me to tell him i often
feel like an outsider. 
like i don’t fit in. don’t belong. 
even sometimes in
circles of other believers. 
but i think when we feel that way it’s to serve the
purpose of reminding us that we are strangers here. for only our short lives
and that everything we do everyday, every minute, even every second counts. and
i don’t want to waste it. i want to look different. i want to speak different.
act different. do others see Jesus in me even in brief encounters? i
desperately want them to… Father help us to stand out. help us to not fall in
with the rest of the crowd. help us to use the precious time You’ve so
graciously given us as if we only had that moment to spend it. and when the
line starts to blur help us to remember Your Words… 

Do not love this world
nor the things it offers you, 
for when you love the world, you do not have the
love of the Father in you. 
{first john two fifteen}

then i saw this post from here this morning
had to screenshot it 

i’m determined to be devoted. no matter the cost.
no matter what. 
and that’s scary to say… but i think i need to say it.
i think we need to say it. maybe you need to say it?
i hope you are encouraged today 
♥ much love to you 


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a little insta update

i just barely got used to writing 2014 on everything
then it went and switched to 2015
yikes.
i really am not sure where the year went. it kinda flew by.
it was a hard year for us. but a good one too.
Christmas came & went sorta like i just snapped my fingers
there’s definitely things i want to do different next year as far as Christmas goes.

playing a little catch up here in photographs…
i post almost everyday on instagram. it’s just so easy to keep up with everything there
it makes blogging seem like a lot of really hard work. yeah there’s that.



i got a new phone after thanksgiving so a lot of my pictures are still on my old phone but this pic was snapped the night of my Christmas cookie exchange/craft night.  my craft besties and i have been doing this every year for a lot of years … maybe like 8 or 9? i dunno. a lot. we do gifts, cookies and food. lot of food. and this is what my craft table looks like by the time everyone sets there stuff up. crazy.


i suprised my hubby a few years ago and redecorated out master bedroom while he was out of town … there are still things in that room that i haven’t finished … minor things, but things.
so i’m bound & determined to do them this month .. or next. but i’m doin’ em. you can take that statement to the bank. this little ledge above our bed is one of those things. my ideas of what to put up there have changed since i first did the room, but when i found a few of these pretty things (mercury jars from target – picture frame from hobby lobby) i had a few visions, and a new place to start.

my hubby maaaaaybe. just maaaaaybe let me get a white Christmas tree.
i love it so so much. thanks babe. i really love it
so much.

this is what we do when grandparents have the kids and we have a free sunday afternoon
we rummage throught the 2×4 pile at home depot. ha.

one of the best decorations i put out this year. a color-it-yo-self paper tablecloth from the tarjet
a bucket of markers, some candy and boom. my kitchen table was kid friendly holiday-ified
(thanks to my bestie for the tablecloth tip)

new slippers. yes
wood trees. yes.
cuppa tea. uh huh.
just what the blizzard that day called for.
the next day it was 58
ny is weird

happy mail. my stitching the states project was on hold until i got some new thread colors
was super excited to lay them out and finish up the east coast with them. i sell the pattern in my shop here. and i get most of my thread here. (which is not the same thread that is in included in the kits i’ve been selling but similar) oh and that cute stationary stuff?? from here.

a few travel pillows went out the first few weeks of December…

the charlie brown one in the middle really came with the book! i found it at a thrift store and had to put it in the pocket 🙂

yeah this was my studio. full of kits waiting to be sent out 2 weeks before Christmas
and that was only the second half of all the kits i mailed out since black friday! whew.

early Christmas present from my hubby. i bake a lot. which if you follow me on instagram, you already know. 
the 6 qt. bowl can hold two batches of anything i make at once! saves me so much time when i’m meal planning or making breakfast/baked goods to store in the freezer 

shameless bathroom selfie at van maur. have you ever been in their bathroom?!?
it’s like a mini spa. i could hang out in there for a while.

wrapping my gifts actually happened the night before Christmas eve… which is when i’m usually scrambling to get it all done. so even though everything else i did was late, my wrapping was early. 
go figure.
i love serving together with my husband at out church
he’s so good at what he does. but it brings us closer together when we’re serving, helping others as a team. this was the stage we put together with friends at church for Christmas eve services … at was awesome. it was fun.


clementine wreaths = neighbor gifts
all i did was add ribbon, jingle bells & a pretty little tag

that 2×4 pile we were rummaging though up there? was for these nativity sets i wanted to make for some of our besties kids … the nativity images were a printable kit from here

put it all in a basket and brought it over … i think they loved it!
i loved it ha. i made another set for our house too.

here’s the original caption from this picture when i posted it on ig … this was exactly what was on my heart that night:

“props to all my mamas who are up at this hour. i know there’s alot of us…wrapping baking decorating all the things. for our spouses, littles, families…we. are. tired. we are worn out. but we do it because we love. the Creator built a driving force inside of us that loves nurtures and serves…all of these little meaningless petty things we’re doing that no one notices while running ourselves into the ground ….they are not missed by Him. they are not forgotten by Him. He sees, He knows… and we love because He first loved us.

for God so loved the world


He gave His only Son

that whoever believes in Him

will not perish

they will have everlasting life.

#johnthreesixteen

#thatsenoughformetocelebratewithacookie

#nowgodoallthethings 
#orgotosleep
#sleepisnotoverrated”

that about summed it up.

a little bit of our living room decked for the holidays


breakfast in bed from my littlest little (a toaster strudel & applesauce on a paper plate 🙂
my journal & jesus calling. just what i needed that morning

this was the Christmas view upon entering our casa

a year in review … rainbowtized edition

boxwood forever
(new anthropologie goodies help too)

i mentioned that one of my new years resolutions would be to NOT not eat more crackers with nutella. 
so there.

late night stitching sesh with my old person glasses
i don’t wear glasses but the readers help me see better at night!
are you working on the pattern? you can share your progress in the #stitchingthestates hashtag on ig!
go take a peek and see how many people are making their maps beautiful!! it makes me so happy and all warm & fuzzy inside!! seriously guys it does. and i show my husband all the pictures. 

sunday-funday partner in crime. love this girl.

so this is what my map looks like right now…. actually i think i finished SC & NC since this progress pic… getting there! almost done!

blueberries in the freezer from a warm summer berry picking day …
turned into muffins for a cold snowy morning breakfast.
i love how God provides for us in all seasons. blueberries n all.

how do you start your morning?
i try to stay disciplined with my planner (though doesn’t always happen)
my journaling or some type of quiet reading/ relecting with Jesus
and breakfast. yum.


craft room diaries.
big suitcase full of vintage strips. mainly used for garlands i sell in the shop
or for whatever else you’d want to use vintage sheet strips for … i can think of lotsa things 🙂


my car thermostat read -11 that day. without windchill
brrrr.

aren’t these supa cuuuuute?
 they store all your stitching the states goodies & projects supplies ever so nicely.

it’s january. that means #throwawayallthethings
finally got around to cleaning out these two big drawers 

muddy buddies. nuf said.


and this was yesterday …. this is what was goin on in my brain
kinda feels the same today….

“started my day immediately feeling bogged down & overwhelmed with the things i had put on myself to accomplish today. my husband texted me a short sentance and it caused me to stop. i just stopped. long enough to hear thoughts of#ephesiansthreetwenty running through my head

now all glory to God. who is able, through His mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.



so stop for a minute girls. lock yourself in the bathroom, turn off the radio or just close your eyes…and let that soak in. now look through ephesians three twenty lenses at what you want to get done today and what might have to wait until tomorrow. cause tomorrow’s a new day. aaaaand bonus: new mercies will be right there with it.


#canigetanamen
#nowgomakeachickenpotpieortwofordinner
#raisinguprubiesinthekitchen”


i’m not sure what happened to me being all gung-ho about getting back to blogging
i think about it all the time
that’s just the problem
i have a lot more time to “think” than i do to “do”
what about you girls? what are you busy “doing” lately? organizing, purging, catching up on sleep that was non existent over the holidays? 
check check check all of the above.
tell me! and i’ll email the PDF file of the stitching the states pattern in my shop to the first twenty people who leave a comment, and hopefully if you’re on instagram you’ll share your progress in the hashtag! mkay?! kay 🙂
much love ♥



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Christmas card caddy ♥


i’m determined to get Christmas cards out this year.
de. ter. mined.

so when i saw this idea while reading one of my favorite blogs
i knew this would be the cute project incentive to get me going and keep me focused on getting those envelopes addressed. sounds so sad i know.


i got the silverware tray at target and the pulls & screws at Lowes (like she did i think)
the instructions are all on Jen’s blog … except i think a glue gun was used to attach the handles… but i had the hubs drill two holes on each end for the drawer pulls and used the screw size pictured to secure them. all screws have different thread sizes, so just make sure you buy the right thread size for whichever drawer pulls you pick out. (the nice man at Lowe’s helped me figure that part out)

i haven’t decided if i want to paint it yet.
(i know my husband will have to pick himself up off the floor after reading that)
(#paintallthethings)

or maybe decorate it? hmmm…


or maybe just leave it alone for pete’s sakes.
just leave something alone for once jaime.


it’s not like there’s tons of cute stuff in it anyways … 
that it would make it overkill or anything 
🙂


are all your decs up already?? only our tree is up … which is not good
i’m very very behind.
and i have a long list of projects, crafts and baking to do
and gifts to buy … sigh. gifts … yes lots of things to do
go to target today and get the stuff to make this caddy
it’ll make you smile.


oh and check out my previous years Christmas projects!
i forgot about some of these! cute!







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a little shop update ♥


hello 🙂 just dropping in for a minute … i’m excited

so many of you were asking about my Stitching the States map pattern that i sell in my etsy shop, and i’ve gotten such great feedback, and lots of peeps are sharing their progress on instagram by using the hashtag #stitchingthestates

it’s been so fun to see everyone’s work! 
don’t forget to use the hash if you are on instagram, and if you purchased my pattern


i got a bunch of requests for some type of project kit …
something that would have everything you’d need to complete the project, 
all together in one box, wrapped up and delivered right to a doorstep.

so here it is! listed in my shop here
i’ll be putting these together over the next few weeks and shipping them out no later than december 12th … so hurry on over if you’re dying to get one of these in your mailbox… 
not sure how long they’ll last!


would be an awesome Christmas gift too … for grandma, mom or your best crafty girl.
just sayin.



 i shared this project at whatever craft weekend last month
i have pictures to share with you from that too …

hopefully i’ll be back in a couple days with a little insta-friday to get you up to speed.




much love ♥
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pumpkin candy pretzel treats … and a free printable ♥

a few weeks ago i found these on pinterest
my girls and i put them together last weekend.
packaged them up to give as teacher & neighbor gifts. it was fun!
the instructions were very simple but we hit a couple of road bumps along the way …

three things you’ll need:
waffle pretzels
HUGS hershey kisses
and mellowcreme pumpkins 
(the same as candy corn just in pumpkin form 🙂

line your cookie sheets with parchment paper 
spreadthe waffle pretzels out on the cookie sheets 
then put an unwrapped kiss on top of each pretzel
(space the pretzels out a little bit… the pictures of ours here i’d say were a little too close together. when you press the kiss down it spreads and you don’t want them to touch each other)

bake them in a 350 degree oven for about 2 minutes.
really no more than that.
here’s the bumps in the road i was talking about.
we waited 20 minutes for them to cool, but the pumpkins were so heavy it really wasn’t enough time … we waited another 20. still not ready. and another 20. nope.
each time the pumpkin crushed the kiss and turned it into a puddle of chocolate all over the parchment paper (wish i took a picture of it)
so i tried another cookie sheet and started a new batch from the beginning while we waited for the others to cool…. here’s the little trick i discovered that worked:
take them out of the oven, let them cool for the first 20 minutes and then pop them into the freezer, the whole sheet – everything, for maaaaaybe a minute – no more!
and that stiffened them up enough to withstand the ginormous weight of the pumpkin 🙂
it worked! try it and lemme know how it goes for ya.


we put our goodies in plastic punch cups
filled them up and put clear basket wrap over top 
(the kind on a roll, like wrapping paper style)
used some bakers twine, washi and tada! 
add my little label to the top and get ready to make some little (and big) people very happy.




  
i used a two inch circle punch to cut these out … they fit perfectly on the top of the cups.
oh! and the cute clipart? it’s from my bestie’s etsy shop here
you can get this little birdie and a whole woodland set as an instant download!




happy fall!
and happy #eatallthethings!

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a little insta-recap ♥

it’s been a while!
it’s like Christmas came early for me … my little shop has been soooo busy!
do you follow me on instagram?! i’m @raisinguprubies there
here’s a picture heavy, but quick recap of the past couple months!


a lazy susan, spray paint & milk glass = new craft room table organization 


golden grahams, mini marshmallows & chocolate chips = smores in a cup = awesome


resting, doing crafts & this view = it’s sunday 


this girl, that girl & first day of school = growing up too fast


no fear, such love, fully experienced = first john four eighteen


usa stitch the states pattern & these needleminders = go get both now and start this project!


happy stamps & pretty packages = #happymail (lots of #happymail)


apples, caramel, chocolate & toffee bits = apple nachos


new mexico, colorado & north dakota = progress 


this man & me = 15 years blessed


pretty things & pretty things = well… pretty things


basements, baskets, stuff = now i can find junk i’m looking for


thrift stores & needlepoints = new bathroom wall hanging 


cameras, mugs, garlands = should be in my etsy shop already but i’m behind


caramel frap, arm party & retail therapy = turned this girls morning around


oh happy day garlands, craft room, me = best job ever


strings, tags, ribbons, papers = lots of Christmas wrapping kits


apple jack, rainbow dash, pinkie pie = this girl’s obsession ♥


state hoops, fabric tape & garlands = shop re-stock


donuts & sprinkles = #eatallthethings


mantles, chalkboards, cupcake paper flowers = happy home


i prayed & He answered = freed from all my fears 


autumn colored stack of fabric & favorite pumpkin sign = fall scrappy bunting needs to be made


said fall scrappy bunting


october & kansas = whatever craft weekend again!


old churches, lots of stuff & me = rummage sale heaven


this wreath = make it here


twine, dresses, washi tape = brown paper packages tied up with string 
(you’re welcome)


friends, food, crafts = happy place


sprinkles & donuts. again. = i might have a problem


cleaning caddy, this amazing lady & monday mornings = bathroom day


clean windows, clean floor, new curtains = still bathroom day


needlepoints, crocheted happy rainbow king size spreads, and other stuff = huge instagram sale soon


sheets, linens, aprons = i was lost in that section for a couple hours


banana chocolate chip bread & these tags = sweets for a sweet friend


this sweater, those colors & these necklaces = fall is really here

much love ♥




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a little shop update ♥ stitch the states US map pattern


summer’s officially over here.
sad.
but some happy news!
that pattern i talked about a bunch of weeks ago??
that giant US map pattern??
i finally finished it and it’s listed 
as in as soon as you purchase it, you download it, you print it and you start! 
yay no waiting!


i’ve had a few questions about the pattern and some how-to’s once it’s downloaded …

this pattern is only for the outline of the map and each individual state just like the picture, and it’s to be made as you would make a counted cross-stitch. the actual stitch you are using is called a back stitch 
… it’s really simple.


i recommend making it on 14 count Aida cross-stitch material, that can be purchased at most craft stores. you can make it on smaller or larger count fabrics, but i cannot tell you what the dimensions would be (smaller count would actually make the finished piece bigger – larger count would make it smaller, think opposite) the finished piece on 14 count fabric is approx. 14″ wide x 10″ high and fits nicely into a large oval quilting hoop (that can be found in the quilting section at joanns)

as fas as how to “fill in” the states, that’s completely up to you… get creative!!
i filled them in using a simple straight stitch all the way across from one end to the other over & over until i got to the bottom of each state, that’s it. 

or you could could fill them in with just regular cross-stitch

the floss i used is called variegated pearl cottom floss by DMC that i also found at Joanns.
the DMC website has a color chart and a really cool video on how this specific floss is made in France, it’s pretty cool … but that has nothing to do with the pattern 🙂
just sayin. if you’re bored. an wanna watch it.



the pattern is also very large so it’s easier to see.
it’s spread out over 9 pages of counted cross stitch graph paper. once printed all nine pieces can be pieced together to get an idea of the layout… the arrows on the pattern make it easy to keep stitching when moving onto the next page while working on your canvas.


i think that’s it!
if you think of any other questions please feel free to leave them in the comments below 
and i’ll answer them as best i can! 

find me (@raisinguprubies) on instagram and you can keep up with my progress too!
and be sure to share your ig photos with me by using the #stitchingthestates hashtag!
hurry get started now! can’t wait to see all your work!

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little basket of lunch packing supplies ♥


we have just a few weeks of summer hoorah left here
but i’m seeing so many littles on social media that are headed back to school already … so i thought i’d share a few pictures of a little basket i keep in our snack drawer, that is full of fun things i use to pack lunch for the girls during the school year.


grab a basket, raid your cupboards & craft stash (since most of this stuff you might already have)
grab a basket, bin or container and fill it up with the following goodies to keep handy in the kitchen where you or your kiddos usually pack lunch


when i make wraps or tortillas in wax paper i use washi tape to keep it tightly rolled


ya know all those birthday party napkins you always have left over and are hanging around somewhere in a drawer? use them in your kids lunches! sometimes i find some fun ones at yard sales (still in the package) and add those to the stash


cupcake molds from the craft store are great for grapes, carrots and berries
or even goldfish or little pieces of candy


this picture is from my instagram feed … this was the lunch i made my girls for valentines day ♥
just to give you an idea of how i used the molds


 find a little tin or container to store lunch box notes in …
i find these metal recipe boxes at thrift stores all the time


i have a small laminator that i use to laminate the jokes once they’re print & cut
 … they survive the sticky applesauce and leaky juice boxes that way
… keeping them around for a while longer


i have a whole board on pinterest just for lunch ideas & links to free printable lunch box jokes
go get some! … and here’s another picture from instagram of my laminator



and of course a variety of containers (especially heart ones) are great for packing pretty much anything you can think of … these were from target last year


at the beginning of  the last school year i purchased some re-usable snack & sandwich bags from one of my favortie handmade shops … and Shannon (who is the hustlemama) is super sweet & hard-working!
she’s always coming up with new products and everyone i know who has ordered eco-friendly goods from her, has been so pleased. even my mother-in-law couldn’t resist after she saw mine! 


i just got a few new things from her shop … 
washable lunch napkins (in rainbow colors. or course.)


washable sandwich wraps 

which of course my littlest little was over the moon about

Shannon has offered my readers a 15% discount on any purchase
just use the coupon code RUBIES when you place your order





she said this almost makes her want to start school right away. 
almost.
🙂





happy nutella sandwiches with sprinkles 
(lots of sprinkles)

what do you guys do to make your kiddos lunches extra special? do tell ♥

linking up here!

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rainbow button bracelet ♥


it’s so sad to see people starting school already!
and i always feel about a month behind in the blogging/social media world during end of school & beginning of school time. we’re still right in the middle of summer! we still have another full month of swimming, crafting, eating, pj’s and sleeping in … 
and really … what else is there?



my older daughter found this project sheet at joanns last week. 
(not cause we’re there a lot or anything) and she was excited to make it.
and you need to make one too … or your daughter does, sister, niece whoever. just make one. 
it’s super cute. and rainbowtized. so you’ll need a few things which are listed on the back of the project sheet but we hit a few little road bumps along the way, so what we ended up buying (a few returns later) is on this list right here…

the project sheet said to buy jewelry chain that you could cut into a bracelet and attach a lobster clasp to, but we just bought a pre-made bracelet in the jewelry section right there next to the chains … if you have a larger or smaller rist you might prefer to buy the chain so you can size it to your specifications … the premade one fit my daughter just fine, and fit me as well.


 … the project sheet said you needed random assorted buttons… but the 10mm jump rings did not fit into any random assorted buttons that i have. and believe me. i have a lot of them. so i headed back to joanns to try to find the buttons that were pictured on the instruction sheet ….  they were these pictured below in little candy store type containers … now the only thing was each container had just one color in it … all different shades, but in one color.
 (and there was no multi-color container option) a sign above me that said “50% off all buttons” caught my eye and i smiled.



a container of each color ended up being only three dollars or so and i think i bought 6 colors.
aaaaaand i had a 20% off your total purchase coupon. 
score. 
all six containers ended up costing $14 and some change … 
regular price would’ve been close to $40 with tax! that’s why i love joanns 🙂
the button container was a must since i knew she would want something to store all the buttons in … 
and i figured she’d make a few more bracelets for some of her friends. 
and really it was just cute. so i bought it.


start by adding the smaller jump rings to the bracelet in whatever color order your little heart desires. use the pliers to open the ring and then close it once it’s on the bracelet.
she spaced her rings into every other link going in rainbow color order.


once you add the small ones, you can add the buttons to the larger jump rings and then attach the larger jump rings to the small jump rings, keeping them all color coordinated


there were no yellow jump rings in the assorted color packages in either size, 
so we used gold for the yellow & orange buttons



once they’re all added that’s it. done!



this girl is so much like me… and in so many ways so different than me
she’s growing up so fast. it feels like two days ago she went to kindergarten. it’s sad in a way … that people always say not to rush, to enjoy your kids because time will fly by. i always laughed and shook my head in agreement when i heard an older person say that. never really thought much about it…. until this past year.
i’m thinking a lot about it…



she loves crafts and baking … and fishing and bugs … oh and cars. 
yeah that’s a thing her and her daddy got goin on. 
cause mommy doesn’t care about cars … or fishing. (or bugs) 



happy middle of the week ♥

linking up here!