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neutral fall wreath … ♥

One of the things i love about NY is our Autumn season
it’s my favorite time of the year weather wise
(as long as we don’t get any early snow storms)

and i’ve been slowly (very slowly) working on a little bit of fall decorating 
i am anything but traditional when it comes to holiday decorating …
i love using neutral colors, so that it’s easy to add pops of colors here or there 
without everything looking too “theme-ish” …know what i mean??

so i’m lovin’ the burlap/white combo on this wreath i made for my front door 🙂
(i’m calling this a wreath, even though i said i wouldn’t)
(but now i am, ’cause well, i guess if it’s hanging on the front door
you can call it a wreath, even though technically, it’s not)

moving on…

here’s how you make one of your own ♥

i started out by tracing a pretty scalloped frame shape onto brown paper
cut it out then traced that shape with a sharpie onto a large sheet of styrofoam, 
that can be found in the floral department at any craft store
(with the wreath forms and such)


now this stuff is pretty thick & crunchy, so power tools are needed
the hubs used a jigsaw to cut this out for me 🙂

use a small dowel rod or a few wooden skewers to connect the to sides together
finish off with hot glue 


once you’ve got the form together, now it’s time to cover it 
cut long strips of felt at approx. 2 inches wide
(i probably had 6-8 strips measuring 2 yards each)
i then ran them through the sewing machine sewing a line down the middle
with a dark brown thread, just to add some color and break up the white

wrap the felt around the form starting from the back
straight pins work great with the foam, no hot glue is needed 


here’s a peek at the back …

keep going until it’s completely covered 🙂
(it took me an hour or so, to get it just right)

embellish as you please!
i cut some leaf shapes out of burlap and some more felt
then used my zigzag stitch to sew them together
give them a little bit of a layered look
pinned them on and stuck some pretty feathers here and there 🙂
i love finding these little loopey frames (that’s what i call them)
at thrift stores or yard sales … i snatch them up since i seem to use them all the time
for different things … a little spray paint is all they need 🙂
all done 🙂
it’s a lengthy project, but in love how it looks on my front door
it blends well with my other fall decorations
hope to show you more of them soon!

gladness in my ♥ for you
sweet parties here ♥ :

live laugh rowe ♥ live laugh linky Thursday
the 36th Avenue ♥ Party Time!
30 Handmade Days ♥ linky party pity party
Liz Marie Blog ♥ Link up with Me, Liz Marie
Freckled Laundry ♥ air your Laundry Friday
Tatertots & Jello ♥ Weekend Wrap up Party
Funky Junk Interiors ♥ Saturday Nite Special
i {heart} naptime ♥ Sundae Scoop Linky Party
Hubby Made Me ♥ Throwback Thursday
Tip Junkie ♥ Tip me Tuesday
Free Pretty Things for You ♥ whatever you want Wednesday
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one day behind … ♥

hmmm…
well…
somewhere in the midst of this week
i managed to convince myself that yesterday was Tuesday
so then today must be Wednesday

😦

i must be living on another planet 
oy.

so here’s a few new tag sets in the shop
they make me happy
i don’t know what day of the week it is
but i’m happy 

🙂

are you?

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace ♥
Romans . fifteen . thirteen


coupon code is up in the store today 🙂


happy Wednesday Thursday!
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Insta ♥ Friday

i’m lovin’ Instagram lately …
i started out just taking a few pictures here & there
then i was hooked ’cause it’s just plain fun 🙂
i’ve been following Lindsey’s blog, the Pleated Poppy, for the longest time
every Friday she posts her pics from Instagram, as a part of Life Rearranged’s linky party

so i thought i’d give it a whirl
{are you on Instagram? leave your user in the comments so i can follow you!}

life rearranged

i happily replenished my yarn stash last weekend … it’s so hard to choose just some ♥
had tons of fun this week making the wrapping kits for the store!
what do you think about the red & aqua dressy lady tags?? yay – nay?
haven’t decided if i like them a ton or not

i really did work on a 12 month meal plan this week … not done yet but getting there
it’s definitely a process … i hope to share my system & printables for the new year ♥

still reading Unglued by Lysa TerKeurst … i can’t help but go over some of the chapters twice
there’s tons of info in each one that i so need to retain 

this is a picture of crafter’s block
it’s one of those projects you can see in your head, but for some reason in real life it’s not looking the same … ? it’s a fall door hanging …
{i don’t want to call it a wreath ’cause it’s not a wreath} 
for my front door and for some reason i just can’t get my fall mojo goin’
maybe because i’m having so much fun making new goodies for Christmas?
much loves to you today ♥

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wrappin' up Wednesday & some pretty things… ♥

along with crafting some fall decor projects last weekend
i was working on some new things to put in the store … pretty, oh so pretty things ♥

cute kitchen tags for baked goods or Christmas cookie exchanges
wedding, bridesmaid or shower gift tags
big box of cuteness! hearts listed in a larger quantity after a few inquiries 🙂

and one of my most favorite things so far…
these gift wrapping kits, made up of all sorts of goodness
ruffled trim, coordinating tags, puffy flowers, and pretty clothespins
in teal & tangerine colors
{yummy}
… also comes in aqua & reds ♥
packaged up all nice & pretty ♥
a sweet gift for the crafty someone you know 🙂

if you plan to do some shopping today, don’t forget to use the coupon code
i’ll leave it up through Thursday, since i’m a little late getting this up today 🙂
enjoy!


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happy mail for happy winners …♥

… and the 3 lovely winners are …

Haley {#4}
Shoregirl {#13}
NorthernCottage {# 27}

yay! happy mail is coming your way 🙂
please email me an address so i can send you some pretty things!
raisinguprubies@gmail.com

thanks so much for taking the time to let me in on your crafty plans…
♥ i wish i could send something to all of you ♥
i was inspired by all your comments to get movin’! 

be back this week with some of those projects!
you have put gladness in my ♥ psalm . four . seven


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surprise! … ♥

well it’s Friday already 🙂

and i was hoping to show you some fall decorations i’m working on but i’m not done yet!
and crafting is never fun when you’re by yourself, so come on… let’s make stuff together!
tell me what you crafty plans are this weekend in the comments below …
and i’ll send out a few surprise goody bags of pretty things from my shop
here’s what i’m up to this weekend!

♥ fall wreaths
♥ Christmas gifts
♥ 12 month meal plan menus

i’ll pick 3 names on Monday and send the goodies out next week … yay! happy mail ♥
can’t wait to hear what you’re up to!
gladness in my ♥


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vintage inspired message board … ♥

Happy Monday!
if you’re stopping over from FPTFY …
♥ WELCOME ♥
so glad you’re here!
and thank you to the lovely Keren
for making this vintage mason jar image so stinkin’ cute!
   … her beautiful graphics can be the starting point for so many project ideas
i want to share this one with you today!

This is a super simple project that requires just a little prep work,
and can be done with any image and with any size frame.

I used some white muslin {any fabric will do} 
white fleece
22 gauge wire {with the jewelry making supplies at any craft store}
iron on transfer sheets ~ I used these
staple gun or flat thumbtacks {not pictured}
and of course a frame  { i found mine at Goodwill
and spray painted it white ahead of time }

After following the directions on the back of the transfer sheet package,
(make sure you print your image in reverse!)
I cut the image out, very close to the edge before ironing it on to my fabric.

After it cools, peel the paper off of the image … so pretty!
I cut 2 pieces of fleece the same size as the backing that came with my frame and used it as a insert between the cardboard and the image (just to give it a bit of puffiness)…

… fit the image around the backing & the fleece and put it back into your frame.
Wind strips of wire around the front of the frame, and attach to the back 
using a staple gun or flat thumbtacks.

Here is mine right next to my kitchen sink …
I spend a lot of time here! {as most of us do!}
It’s a place where I put notes I want to remember 
or things i want to focus on during my day ♥


a few more favorites of mine from her etsy shop! 

tons of ideas are floatin’ around in my head!
the bicycle would be super cute on a library or market canvas tote 
maybe an apron or tea party tablecloth for a little girl’s Christmas gift??!
baby onesies or blankets with the little birdie
the sewing machine is going to be incorporated onto my machine cover …
if i ever get around to making it 🙂

thank you for all the wonderful images Keren!
much love ♥
sweet parties here… ♥

live.laugh.{linky}thursday ♥ live.laugh.Rowe.
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a super sweet feature! … ♥

i am so honored to be featured on 
i ooogled over the pages of their publications for many a years 
while my craft space only existed somewhere in my head 🙂
thank you WWC!

{ if you’re stopping over from Where Women Create … welcome ♥
click on the picture to see the rest of my craft space! }


be back soon with a few fall projects i’m working on!
with gladness in my ♥ !