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valentine ballerina pinwheels … ♥ with fptfy!



i feel so blessed
by all your words of encouragement to me last week
and all the congratulations you gave me
♥ 
i can’t say thanks enough
for reading, following, and for … well …
lovin’ this little blog here
🙂
i appreciate you all so much

enough with the mushy
another Valentines day project comin’ you way today!
teamin’ up with my bloggy bestie
♥ Keren from Free Pretty Things for You ♥

Click HERE to download the image for this project!

Keren’s pretty little vintage ballerina image is cuter than cuteness
it had to be used for something Valentines-ish
i can’t say it enough … Heart Day crafts are just my favorite!
come on, let’s make some stuff ♥


print, cut, then gather some supplies:
scrapbook paper, white tulle, paperclips and some ribbon 
(last two are not pictured)
i cut a small piece of tulle and scrunched it up 
then put it through the sewing machine to give the tutu a little dimension 🙂 
(hot glue would work too)
one. ♥ for the pinwheels, start by cutting your paper down to 8.5 x 8.5
two. ♥ cut that piece into four even sections
three. ♥ fold each piece into four sections (like a fan) 
then fold the whole thing in half, and paperclip the two sides together
four. ♥ do it for all four of the square pieces, 
using the paperclips to connect them together
(i used two paperclips to secure the middle as well)




flip it over and glue the ballerina to the front


punch a hole in the top to thread some ribbon through
lastly … make more!
are you having a Valentines Day party? or a little girl’s birthday party?
simple & fast party decor … and cute to boot 🙂
thanks again to lovely, sweet Keren, for providing the vintage image!


happy crafting ♥
sweet parties here ♥

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me and a little BHG …♥

it’s here.
IT’S HEEEEEERE!!!
🙂
ok, so the February issue of Better Homes & Gardens came out this week
and i just had to take my girls to the store so we could be silly 
and take silly pictures of me holding a picture of me in a magazine
that sounds normal right?

14,732 pictures later (and some blur) we got these:
this feels sorta weird … 
like somebody made a big deal outta something you did 
that didn’t seem like a huge deal when you did it
i really like to make stuff – i’ve always wanted to sell pretty things in an etsy shop
and i want to pass the skills i know & love down to my girls
so even if they don’t become professional crafters
(what?!?!)
they’ll still remember me teaching them things
spending time with them
loving them

that’s what my craft space was… 
just a vehicle to get me somewhere that i want to be 
as a mom – a home maker – and as a child of God
’cause let’s face it … my true self worth
has nothing to do with myself
it has everything to do with my identity in Christ
so if you see any good in me
it’s not me
i’m just a vessel

just wanted you to know who i am 

oh hey! i’m guest posting over at 
with my behind the scenes story about the photo-shoot last year
so cool right?! thanks BHG!!
check it out!



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simplify your kitchen ~ organize kiddie drawers … ♥



happy Monday!
we’re off to a running start here this week at my house
with a super busy week behind us … there’s more hustle & bustle ahead!
i have been going through and organizing different spots in our kitchen, 
so if you’re just poppin’ in you can click on the links below 
to see the rest of last week’s projects …
those first two things seemed to be most pressing for me … 
the spices were buggin’ me and the fridge really needed some help
a good cleaning and to have things in more of an order for breakfast & lunch packing 
these 2 big drawers in the middle of our kitchen are another area that sees a ton of use
so it tends to get messy very quickly .. 
the top drawer holds kid-friendly cups, paper plates, straws, vitamins 
and the other lunch packing items that don’t need to be refrigerated
that whole packing individual snack bags when i get home from the grocery store thing?
still goin’ strong 🙂 and the girls really look forward to having some say in picking what they want to eat that day 🙂
the little white lids are containers that hold granola or chocolate chips, 
easy for grab n go when they’re taking yogurt in their lunch.
i really do love mason jars, use them for anything guys! 
stick some granola bars in ’em and it looks all neat and tidy
the bottom drawer is the “snack drawer”
and if you ask my youngest … the most important place in the house
if there was a fire … she’d be runnin’ to save the snacks 
🙂
again, it’s easy access for breakfast, and after school snacks
i try to find baskets at garage sales or thrift stores to use in drawers & cabinets
it keeps things contained so you see what you have, keeping you from over-buying 
or thinking you’ve run out of something when you really have a ton of it
…the larger square basket holds cereal boxes or any larger packaged items
and the little basket of clothespins provides easy access to snack bag closure
(i just made that up)
(ya know, so stuff doesn’t go stale?)
well that’s it … short & sweet
thanks so much to everyone who left me such sweet comments 
& sent emails over the weekend
from last weeks projects to those who saw my craft room feature in their mailboxes …
thank you!
the issue hits new-stands tomorrow!
so I hope to back to show you some pictures!
with much gladness in my ♥
Linking up to …

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Pretty Valentines Day Bunting … ♥




This little project is really nothing new …
just a different spin on an already popular idea 🙂




i looooooooooooove Valentines Day
all the pink-ness, heart-ness, pink-ness, and heart-ness
{did i mention i love the pink & the hearts?}
i found these shabby cupcake papers and the butterfly in the dollar bins at Michaels
{score!}
gather up some doilies, beads and cording of any sort 




i threaded all the beads on first so i could start sewing the twine into the paper 
without having to re-thread my needle a bunch of times
fold the doilies & cupcake papers in half





then take your sewing machine cover off … and find a little deer 🙂
my littlest little left this here ♥
{she later asked me if i found my “surprise” … she’s so funny ♥}
ok, so put a clothespin on the end your starting with 
to keep the first bead from falling off






fold the papers over the twine and sew
placing the beads in between each doily as you go




stitch right underneath the twine, being careful not to catch it 
if you want to be able to adjust the spacing later when it’s hanging





hot glue the butterfly wherever your little heart desires
tie a loop on each end and you’re done ♥



happy Valentines Day crafting 🙂
and i have one more quick post about my kitchen org coming up soon 🙂
with gladness in my heart ♥ psalm. four. seven.
sharing here ♥
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simplify your kitchen … decorate with sprinkles ♥



happy Wednesday! ♥
just poppin’ in real quick with a cute idea while you’re organizing your kitchen this week 🙂
if you’re looking for an easy and affordable way to add color to your countertop
think sprinkles 🙂
where do we usually keep them??
far far away deep down in the pantry … why?
they’e so cute! why leave them hidden away ….




i found these little jars at Hobby Lobby
at 50% off they were a steal for only .99 cents a piece
gave them a quick wash and gathered up my sprinkle stash




just a little idea to spruce up your kitchen with some pretty colors 
and it’s functional 🙂 
if you like to bake 🙂
i do … do you?




i found this little glass container at a garage sale
corralled all my food coloring bottles into it too
that though, is sitting in my pantry 🙂



be back soon ♥
happy organizing!
sharing here ♥
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simplify ♥ your kitchen …



i’m was so excited to see the spice jar project inspire you guys! 
thanks so much for all the sweet comments ♥
throughout the next few months (or maybe even the rest of the year 🙂 i want to share some of the projects i’ll be tackling, to whip a few problem areas in our home into shape! 
making them more organized and tidy, while helping us incorporate easier clean-up into our daily routine

i made a list … it’s really long … ridiculously long :/
i went room by room and started in the kitchen
the spice-mess is done, now moving on to other parts of the kitchen which i would like to work on this week, while trying to squeeze a bit of crafting in here & there 🙂

inspired by one of my go-to blogs i {heart} organizing along with a few fun things i found at Target last week, (which were either in the dollar bins or on clearance) i decided to start operation-simplify-my-kitchen … 
yay! right??!




♥ the place mats are for the shelves inside the fridge
♥ the glass containers have a pretty teal top (glass as well) that i want to use for an organizing project on another day
♥ the wrapping paper was used in the spice drawer and will get used in a few other drawers too
♥ i already had the gingham canning jars … found them at Walmart a few summers ago … 
but don’t think they sell them anymore, i looked everywhere … boo 😦
those are for another space as well
♥ and my favorite find was the red wire basket in the dollar spot 🙂

i started my organizing frenzy in the fridge … take a peek inside!


the place-mats make for an easy clean-up … instead of taking the whole shelf out to wash, wiping down or washing the mats in hot water is much easier … it’s all about easy when it comes to cleaning for me 🙂



measure and cut straight lines, and they fit right in




this top shelf sees a lot of spill action from juice & coffee creamers 
(ahem … my hubby has a little coffee problem … he likes a little coffee with his creamer 🙂
(well no really, the coconut is mine)




these “pull out” fridge baskets are perfect for yogurt & lunch packing goodies
the girls can pull them out in the morning and choose snacks, fruit and veggies to put in their lunch … it makes it fun for them, and less stressful for our morning when were in a hurry to get on the bus 
(which happens like never)



i’m hoping to make this habit one that sticks 🙂 
coming home with the groceries, washing and pre-portioning fruit, veggies and any other items for lunches and snacks that same day … it makes everything easier when the 
“what should i have for snack” or “how many can i have” 
questions come up 
the mini muffins get put in the freezer to be pulled out and thawed the night before for a quick on the go breakfast before a busy school day or on our way to church 🙂




canning jars are my go to storage containers
they hold the smaller things in the fridge that you want to keep together …
use a label maker or just some pretty paper with double sided tape to describe the contents of each basket




i like to pinch a few pennies and buy the large tub of yogurt
then just divide it up into small lunch size containers




i think the fruit is happy too 🙂 … with it’s pretty new drawer liner




my favorite part of this whole thing? that wire basket from the $1 spot at Target that fit nicely on the door … and now the eggs have a new home 
 a cute one to boot 🙂




next up! i’m moving on to my food & housewares drawers …
and a cute little way to add some color to your kitchen with pretty things that are hiding in your pantry 
(and you don’t even know it 🙂

much loves! ♥
Linking up to …
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chalkboard spice jars … ♥

i’ve been bitten by the organize your life bug
🙂
i love when it’s a new year
cause it’s reason to start fresh & throw junk out
i feel like my word for this year is 
simplify
not that that’s official or anything
well maybe it is since i just typed it?
i yearn for simple
i yearn for peaceful
a more organized home
so that my time is spent with my family
spent doing things i love to do

and not spent looking for the paprika
which i need for the dinner i’m making right now that’s burning on the stove cause my spices are a heaping mess in the pantry then all fall out of the bucket cause i’m looking for the paprika which happens to be at the bottom of this bottomless bucket of spices other expired things
really … you think i kid
i do not.


this is what we’re starting this project with … a few buckets of heaping confusion
everything looks like paprika when you’re in a rush to find it
(what is paprika anyway? does it really do anything??)
(besides make things red?)
to get this act together i used half-pint mason jars
spray paint the lids with Krylon chalkboard paint (joanns)
and i painted the rings with Rustoleum 2X coverage in aqua
(not a necessary step in the whole organizing process)
(necessary step for cuteness factor process)
(plus it matches the polka dots in my drawer liner paper)
…. and! some polka dot wrapping paper (Target)

what’s the best place for spices in your kitchen? 
i wanted to move them to a half empty drawer that really wasn’t being used to it’s fullest of potentials 
 instead of running around my island over to the pantry (in a hurry) …
opening a drawer and scanning names seemed like a much more efficient way to store & locate what was needed (and save a dinner or two from the jaws of scorchment)

i like the idea of using wrapping paper to line drawers … the top side has a bit of a gloss finish to it, great for clean up … when it gets stained or torn, it’s easy enough to toss and cut a new piece … and a much cheaper alternative to the typical cabinet & drawer liners found in most houseware sections
(fyi: Hobby Lobby has a great wrapping paper selction, 
very thick paper and super durable)
measure, cut and fit


i sprayed my lids with 2 coats of chalkboard paint … i would highly recommend a primer first
as i later found that my chalkboard marker tip scratched some paint off a few of the lids
i prefer the markers to real chalk, it has a finer tip to fit more letters into small spaces 🙂
and it doesn’t brush off as easily
now all you need is a set of cute measuring spoons 
for all the measuring & using of spices you’ll be doing
cause your spice drawer is so dang cute
paprika anyone?
i hope to purge & simplify other problem areas in our house throughout the year
in hopes that our home will run more efficiently 
then our time together will be spent more …well … together!

i’m still working on my year long menu plan
that i can’t wait to share with you
(with printables!)
i’ve been working on a few other spots in the kitchen this past week too
i will be back to share those soon

oh! and my craft room feature in Better Homes & Gardens comes out in 10 days!!
the February issue will hit newstands on January 15th
i’m sooooooooooooooooooooooooo excited 🙂
look for me on the I Did It! page on the inside back cover!
a more detailed tour of the room will hopefully be published in one of the BHG special interest magazines sometime this year! can you believe it?? in 2 BHG magazines??
wow … i feel so blessed

loves to you & happy weekend ♥
linking up to …

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Insta ♥ Friday …

hope you all had a wonderful Christmas ♥
we’re having a quiet week full of pajamas, new toys & my crochet hooks (+ some yarn 🙂
i haven’t shared my instagram pics with you lately so bear with me … there’s a bunch
if you don’t already follow me i’m : raisinguprubies



♥ saw this bicycle … isn’t it the cutest thing? … um, yes please
♥ actually got our Christmas card done this year … yikes
♥ have you had an apple sandwich yet? … why in the world not?
♥ a memory game i made for my bestie’s daughter … it’s a really cute project the instructions are here





♥ i’m so excited about these little dresses … stay tuned, ’cause they’re gonna be poppin’ up in the shop & on the blog in the next couple weeks
♥ the girls & i had to improvise when we ran out of suncatcher paint during a Christmas craft 
my 10 year old said “mom, just google it” 
oy

… did you know Elmer’s glue & food coloring produce the same exact result?
found this idea here … this was a birthday present for one of my besties … eeek! right?!
♥ new camera! early Christmas present from the hubs … so excited about this





♥ these holly tags were a hit in the shop … i was knee deep in ’em after black Friday
♥ i totally scored a huge pile of vintage sheets at the thrift store! bonus: it was 50% off that day!
♥ spa in a jar 🙂 gift for our school nurse, who we drive crazy every. single. day.
♥ i’ve been dying to make these for teacher gifts … every year they escape me





♥ happy mail & lots of packages
♥ Snickerdoodles
♥ baking at the last minute
♥ wrapping at the very last minute 🙂
( i am the queen of last minute … and i loathe it )






For God so loved<sup class="crossreference" style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 0.65em; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;" value="(A)”> the world that he gave<sup class="crossreference" style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 0.65em; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;" value="(B)”> his one and only Son,<sup class="crossreference" style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 0.65em; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;" value="(C)”> 
that whoever believes<sup class="crossreference" style="background-color: white; font-size: 0.65em; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;" value="(D)”> in him shall not perish but have eternal life … John 3.16
truth.
♥ nom nom nom nom … 🙂
♥ my youngest got Josephina as a Christmas gift … she has glasses and everything … 
she sleeps at the end of her bed 🙂
♥ my craft table also doubles as a video-game-playing-fort-hideout
yes. fun. 🙂

Have a Happy New Year!
i’ll be back next week!
loves to you♥
linking up here!
life rearranged

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tea party mat for Two ♥ {with free pretty things for you!}



just poppin’ in real quick today! 
tons & tons to do with just a little time before Christmas day 🙂
wanted to share this little tea mat i made with another 

… from my bloggy bestie 
when i saw this graphic in her shop this idea popped in my head 🙂
(a small problem i have)

this little tea mat was for my girlfriend’s daughter a few weeks ago, for Christmas 
i think she loved it … i think i love it too! anyone wanna have a tea party??
(i may have secretly played with it before i packed it up in the basket)
there are no directions since it’s easy enough to do with basic sewing knowledge 
or even hot glue, felt and some pinking shears!




i used some leftover felt and pink gingham i had, and cut them to equal sizes 
quickly stitched the two long sides together and added ricrac to the two short ends to cover the raw edge
(forgot to get a close up of this, but you can see it in the picture at the bottom of the post)




use iron-on transfer sheets to transfer the image onto a small piece of white fabric
same directions as the vintage inspired message board here
then used a zigzag stitch to sew the image to the mat




the rolled felt flowers are the same as the ones i made for the 
add some embellishment and you are done!



now it’s time to play 🙂

oh, and if you want to make some felt tea bags, 
cut two small squares of white felt with pinking shears
then cut a piece of brown felt small enough to fit in between the two white ones
sew them together and insert a piece of cording into the top before stitching it completely closed … cut two hearts from some more felt and glue them together at the other end of the cord. 












this was a fun Christmas gift! what about for a little girl’s birthday?
the tea set and cupcakes were store bought and the picnic basket was from a garage sale
fun!
Merry Christmas everyone!
♥ 
sweet parties here:
Free Pretty Things for You! ♥ Whatever You Want Wednesday
live laugh Rowe ♥ live laugh linky
the 36th Avenue ♥ Party Time!

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my craft room … Christmas style ♥



it’s been a while since i’ve had any pictures of my craft room up on the blog …
mainly cause most of the time it’s a mess with product for the store & packing supplies
oy




but i had to get it in order for last weekend when i hosted a cookie exchange that my close friends and i have every year … this year we had so much fun ♥




i wanted to spruce up the room with a little bit of Christmas cheer
but didn’t want to over-do it since there is already so much color & detail in the room and well…
i was just plain tired 🙂
so i went the simple route 🙂
ahhhh…. simple….




i feel like this little bloggy of mine has come a long way 
since i first posted about my craft room … it’s been neat to watch it grow … 
when Better Homes & Gardens came last month, it was the final push i needed to get in gear and tie up all the loose end projects that i never finished 

if you follow me on Instagram, you’ve already seen a few of these updates … but this bunting was made from my vintage sheet stash, just cut in strips and tied to some twine




with some nails & hot glue, i now have pretty things to hold up my garlands and pictures
i hammered the nails where i wanted the spools to go, 
then with a little hot glue on one end, slid the spool onto the nail




with some help from my two aunts 🙂 finally got around to organizing my fabric stash
this shelf holds only vintage linens … the other side has my non-vintage yardage
i love how pretty they all look together ♥




i filled some apothecary jars with a hodge podge of things 
that i thought we bright and Christmas-ish 🙂




the trees were made with styrofoam trees, again with strips of different fabrics
wound around from top to bottom … made pompom’s for the tops




i think Christmas can be found in the everyday of things
it doesn’t always have to be in red & green
i love to be outside of the box 🙂 don’t you?




my cushions were upgraded too when BHG came, these were from Target
i love how they add simplicity to such a busy room



my sewing area hasn’t changed much …




the twine and large spools of thread that i mostly use for packaging, 
were put up out of the way on wooden dowels 




the sewing machine cover was made from a vintage pillowcase 
… thinking about selling a few in the store






it has definitely earned it’s keep 🙂
it holds all my littles




my entry way get’s no light at all, it’s hard to snap a good picture here
but this is where my Joy to the World sign is with another wreath like the one on my craft shelves … i got the wreath and wording around the chalkboard idea from Miss Mustard Seed
(even though her’s is way more grand & gorgeous!)







so these are my besties 🙂
they are the friends that encourage me & laugh with me through everyday things
i love them so dearly … they are the sisters i never had 🙂




we have craft night once a month … we leave kiddos with daddies and we come together to eat and make stuff …and eat stuff 🙂
and there’s never a dull moment, at all….




every December we exchange cookies and handmade gifts
we even get a little carried away making stuff for each other’s kids 🙂




it’s hard to find good friends in life … hard to find one, let alone five
and i can honestly say they are all a blessing to me … love ya girls ♥



Merry Christmas bloggy friends ♥
you have put gladness in my heart … psalm. four. seven

sweet parties here:

live laugh Rowe ♥ live laugh linky
i {heart} naptime ♥ Sundae Scoop
Tatertots & Jello ♥ Weekend Wrap up Party 
Funky Junk Interiors ♥ Saturday Nite Special
the 36th Avenue ♥ Party Time!