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some label love … ♥

Raising up Rubies22 Comments

happy Tuesday! ♥
this is the last week of school for my girls
we can’t wait ’till summer vacation officially starts!
i see all these neat ideas on Pinterest for summer fun … then … i forget 
 outta sight…outta mind
🙂
this way all those ideas are in one spot…quick & easy access
the girls & i are really excited about some of them!


so now that the shades in my craft space are done, let’s label, label, label stuff!
then i can check another to-do off the list 🙂

for the small canvas bins, i found these brackets at Joanns
…from Tim Holtz (i love the vintage look of his stuff)

 a little spray paint and presto…pretty 
the little brads come in the package… they push right through the canvas and hold the hardware quite nicely 🙂

wow! doesn’t it make a big difference?
 (well, ok to me it does cause i stare at these a lot)

for the little blue baskets I used mini chalkboards (from Joanns too 🙂
and a clothespin to clip them on ~ i use chalkboard markers like these
(spruce up your clothespins with a little paper &  Mod Podge!)



painted wooden numbers on the large canvas bins were sewn on 
with a large tapestry needle and some chunky yarn

all done ♥

a couple other ideas…
i wanted to show you what’s lives on the top of my island

 these are the supplies & tools that get the most use
i wanted to make them easily accessible when i’m working on different projects

the big white bowl in the middle is for garbage

tea cups, mason jars & copper jello molds are great for all the little things ♥

i’m still learning to think outside the box for storage or organization ideas…
sometimes when you mix & match things together, it makes it all the more your own
… i found all of the pedestal dished at garage sales ♥ 
no more than a one or two dollars each 🙂

thanks for stopping by!
with gladness in my ♥
some sweet parties ♥ …

all crafts Homemade Projects ~ Add Yours! {6 12}
Sweet little gals ~ Trendy Tuesday
Lil’ Luna
i {heart} naptime ~ Sunday Scoop
Funky Junk
Today’s Creative Blog
Live. Laugh. Rowe.
Tatertots & Jello
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a little sugar 'n spice… ♥

Raising up Rubies10 Comments





just puttin’ my heart out here a bit…

for such a long time now i’ve dreamed of having a cute little etsy shop
and filling it with the things i love to make

but the time was never right
it wasn’t my season in life
it wasn’t in His plan at the time


then i sat on it for so long…i hesitated so often
what if people don’t buy anything?
what if it’s not perfect?
what if it takes too much time away from my family?
what if it’s not what i’m really good at?
what if it’s too much work?

i took my husband’s advice…
you will make the time, and have the resolve to do the things that you really want to do…
you just have to start ♥

life has been changing…seasons have been changing
and with all worries aside, i’m slowly but surely living out this dream
this plan He has for me…and i’ve never been so excited!
and i’m so thankful i get to share it with all of you ♥




all these pics are sneak peeks into some of my craziness!
my supplies & product for Sugar & Spice…


so i share this to encourage you to tap into His will for you
what is His calling on your life?
what does He want you to focus on right now, in this season?
ask God today what His plans are for you ♥

Delight 5x7

i’m still a busy bee working on lots of cuteness
so come back soon to check out my shop!
(you can get to it from the link in my sidebar too)


i’m sharing this at Funky Junk…Donna’s amazing idea of a challenge
The One Scary Thing Challenge via Funky Junk Interiors 


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drum shade makeover … ♥

Raising up Rubies12 Comments

hey girls! ♥
it’s Friday! and according to my girlfriend, Saturday is craft day!
so wake up tomorrow and make stuff with me! (she’s so smart)
remeber the hanging lamps in my craft space?


i wanted to spruce them up…

aren’t they pretty?


i’m really pleased with the way they turned out!
(after many different attemps to go overboard on the flowers)
(lemme tell ya, hot glue & felt will never be un-stick from eachother)

i had lots of lace from the thrift store i got for $2 … i think it was over 4 yards!
and some leftover felt


just some simple strips of both cut with pinking shears

and a little hot glue 

thread pearls on some twine and wrap it around as many times as you like 🙂
(i love this kinda stuff)



pretty-ness … ♥

i love when something so pretty can be just that simple ♥


wanna make flowers?!
these are pretty big flowers, the largest i’ve ever made 🙂
wanted to show you how i did it…
come on … let’s make stuff!

make lots!
have fun!

much love … ♥

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i ♥ Everything Etsy…

Raising up Rubies3 Comments
girls…
i’ve been so excited to tell you this…
 guess what?!?
i was asked to be a regular contributor over at Everything Etsy!

Visit Everything Etsy!

i’m still pinching myself 🙂

Kim is so sweet, and her blog is fantastic! a huge inspiration to me, 
with tons of projects & ideas

…she’s a seasoned blogger with lots of advice to offer if you’re wanting to venture out into this crazy world of blogging/etsy…
speaking of etsy…i’m really working hard on stock for my shop 
and i just. can’t. wait. to show you guys!
in the meantime, go check out this fun project ♥
 stay tuned ’cause I’ll be posting there a couple times a month…
i can’t even stand it i’m so excited 🙂

loves…♥
ps. come back tomorrow…i have some stuff to show you!
and then we can check a couple things off of my craft space to-do list!

pps. i’m having a bit of trouble with the rss feed…as in it’s not working 😦
i’m not sure why and i’ve done everything known to man (and to Mr. Google) to problem solve it 
any ideas other blogger girls? are any of you who follow by email actually getting new posts in an email?
let me know in the comments! much love ♥

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do it yourself! upholstered ceiling medallion

Raising up Rubies10 Comments
i’m so thankful for all you guys ♥
i’m so so happy you liked my master bedroom!
now stay tuned for more “fun” projects in this room
(ya know, like the crafty stuff 🙂

just wanted to pop into your day 
and tell you how i made the ceiling medallion for the chandy in my bedroom 🙂
it’s easy & cheap…and fun!



now bear with me on the crazy pictures…
i took them last year when we were in the middle of remodeling…well…a lot of stuff 
it was before my craft space & big table were even a thought (can you even imagine? 🙂

the idea started with an old mirror my aunt gave to me…
then i broke it
then i held on to the frame for like…2 years
i knew i’d come up with somethin’ for it 🙂




i started by painting it white ( i ♥ white)
(i paint almost everything white)
(much to my husband’s dismay..he’s a leave wood alone kinda guy)
(no fun!!)




it’s funny looking at these pictures…
we remodeled the kitchen last year…so they seem like so long ago




this is what the island looks like now ♥
(just had to show ya!…i’ll post more pics soon)




this is 1/4in. plywood
we laid the frame on a the whole sheet, 
traced the inside of the frame to get this back piece 
then measured and cut out the middle based on the size of the metal plate from the fixture




add as much or as little batting as your heart desires
i just wanted a little for fluffiness 🙂
i cut it the same shape as the plywood





i don’t remember what this material was called
but it’s very slippery & hangs nicely…maybe a satin-ish something or other?
the yardage amount would also be based on the size of your frame
take one side of the fabric and lay it out around the outer edge of the plywood & batting
 to see how much you would need to ruffle…
then whatever the measurement is, double it for a full ruffle
if you want it fuller and tighter do double and then some 




so this is kinda what you should  have goin’ on
again…with it ruffled now…lay it out around that outer edge
you’ll have a huge pile of excess in the middle




put your frame back on top





flip the whole thing over
(it helps to have some extra hands here…trying to keep the layout of the fabric in tact)
staple that outer edge onto the back of the plywood…
(this picture is a few steps ahead, but just to give you an idea)




once the outer edge is secure, bring the excess through the middle 






pretty easy right? the plywood should fit into the frame nice and snug with all the extra padding…
my hubby connected the fixture with the wiring in the ceiling and secured the frame with small nails from a nail gun into the ceiling (into studs 🙂 
(he’s obsessed with putting stuff in studs) 
(why? i have no idea…it’s just a light hanging over our heads at night…no big deal)


i get excited thinking about doing this with even small size frames for any hanging light fixtures
lot’s of possibilities!

i hope this was easy to understand…if there are any questions…please ask!

much loves

sweet parties…♥
Sew Much Ado
The 36th Avenue
Tatertots & Jello


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craft table plans & water ♥

Raising up Rubies6 Comments
hello wednesday ♥

for those who wanted the craft table plans
i put them on the ♥ make page…up in the navigation tabs
they are simple, handwritten plans 🙂
we might be crazy, but we’re no professional plan makers
(maybe someday i will type them up in an official document)
(but who knows when that would be…)
(and i didn’t want to make you wait till -who knows when that would be 🙂
(plus i’d rather make stuff)
(for my problem with parenthesis…see here)
(and check out my new pics too! while you’re there)


got all that? 🙂
k.

i really do love spring…
even though we have funky weather in upstate NY

pretty aren’t they?
well they didn’t look like this when they arrived home yesterday 
when Paige pulled them out of her backpack 
(Paige is 9)
girls…lemme tell ya what she brings home…
snails (in baggies) (yes, snails) (yes, in her backpack), wild onions, rocks of any kind, 
nasty-germ infested slime in a container that she’s probably traded some very nice toy for…
she never ceases to amaze me with the wonders that survive the bus ride home
the words 
” guess what i have?! “
immediately put me in a -karate chop/aim for the garbage- stance
🙂
these little purple pretties came out of the black hole of wonder lookin’ like limp noodles

” i picked these for you mommy, in the field at school “
” when did you pick them? “
” at lunch “
it was now going on 3:40

i told her i would put them in water and we’d wait to see what would happen
shame on my doubt…i was positive 3 hours, plus a 30 minute bus ride home 
had done these guys in

i was wrong
so often we miss the lessons from His creation that mirror the daily struggles in our own lives…after all, it’s His creation, He made it…there is so much to learn from it

on the days when life’s got you beat up feelin’ like you’ve been stuffed in a backpack all day parched & motion sick from a bus ride home…
go to the Water


here’s a peek at my kitchen windowsill 
it’s one of my favorite places in the house
(maybe cause i spend so much time there doin’ dishes)



it’s my little “thinking place” 
often home to a couple of 3×5 cards …with stuff i want to remember or think on
our church has been doing a series on the family
last week pointed out what i already know but so very much needed to hear again 
the needs of a husband & wife and how they are so different
over time things dull…i forget…then God reminds me that i need to remember 🙂


i found the little ledge/shelf thingy at Goodwill 
i just painted it white, now it’s home to anything i don’t forget to water
(hubby secretly keeps things alive for me…
he’s always asking if i watered something or other)

i’d like to show you my kitchen soon…i think you’ll like it 🙂

much love…

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a once upon a time master bedroom remodel ♥

Raising up Rubies46 Comments
hi ♥ how are ya?
as i was writing this post i realized that i’m really bad at tying up loose ends…
are you?
i’m super ambitious about starting new projects…i totally over do it…then i’m burnt out
i want to be more simple

and i think over the course of this past year, that’s really changed for me 🙂
i’m learning how to use my time for the things that are important
i’m learning how important it is to stay on top of things
meal planning, cleaning, laundry, filing…
if i just take the time to maintain those things, then i’m not staring at a huge pile of paper to shred, or maybe a meal that’s not be started and it’s going on 6:30 (yikes)
(i’m a really bad procrastinator too)

so in an effort to keep my self disciplined and stay on top of things, I wanted to show you some more of the love i put into our home…then have you hold me accountable for the “loose ends” 
that are still waiting for me to get busy!

this is a sweet little tour of our master bedroom that we worked on last year…i wanted to make it a resting place for both of us…quiet & romantic 🙂
so often the little things in marriage are lost in the busyness of life or the raising of our kids…
those little things are the things i wanted to capture in this room
(even if it’s when you’re completely exhausted 
and you can barley keep your eyes open to enjoy them)
come on in and see ♥

the previous owners did us a wonderful favor 
by installing beautiful hardwoods throughout the house 
it was much easier to plan the renovation 
without having to worry about tearing anything up!


this is the room when we purchased the house 6 years ago…








the chandy is from Home Depot…the ceiling medallion was made from an old mirror frame and some batting & fabric…i want to share how i did it with you soon 🙂







this dresser was a goodwill find



here it was waiting to be helped 🙂 i got it for 39.99 folks…

spray paint + lace + hardware = ♥

 hubs built this simple frame and covered it with radiator metal 
as a way to camoflauge the satellite box and still have the remote signal work
is anyone interested in instructions for this?
i’m sure he has plans…if i didn’t lose them 🙂
it still needs something on top of it to sort of help it blend in…
i’m searching for old books at yard sales
maybe some white vases next to it too?

take a peek around this corner…it’s all things pretty ♥

found the desk at a yard sale for $10 the stool too…but that still needs to be recovered
i have the lace to make a skirt around the bottom of the desk, 
to look more fancy instead of office-ish


the spider hook for the scarves is from Hobby Lobby


 these window treatments & most of the pillows were made with vintage hankies and linens that were thrifted or given to me (by family who knows i like old stuff 🙂

these white lamps? used to be this:

the major renovation done to this room (building wise) was the board & batten wall behind the bed, hubs added crown molding to act as a shelf to hold frames & candles ♥





now that pretty dresser from before…well that’s mine
this is my hubs and it need something  above it…
thinking it’s going to involve maps 🙂

 just a few details…



MasterBed To-Do List:

map art above dresser
line dresser drawers
some sort of lace added to corners of canopy
pearl tie backs for canopy panels
recover stool & make skirt for vanity

thanks  for spending some time with me! 
i hopefully with have the craft table plans up soon 
along with some new photos on my ♥about page
come back and check it out! 




much loves to you
sweet parties here … ♥

Funky Junk Interiors
DIY Project Parade
TIP Junkie
Tatertots & Jello
Thrifty Decor Chick


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silhouette pendants ♥

Raising up Rubies6 Comments


hope your mother’s day was lovely ♥
i just want to say how touched i am 
the love & sweet words that flooded my email & comments were so kind!
the thought that you all would love my little space so much was amazing…
i can’t wait to hear all about what you’ve done with new ideas

(oh, and for those who asked about plans for the table construction…
the hubs is going to work something up for me, 
since he did have graph paper plans and i’ve since lost them! yikes…
i’ll try to put something up within the next week)

my girlfriend made beautiful pendants with silhouettes of her two daughters 
inspired from pinterest … and i knew when i saw them i wanted to give them a try!
(which is simple to use once you get a feel for it)
i made my girls’ silhouettes and added vintage flower graphics from here
♥
i made one for myself and another for my mom
though these would really be a sweet gift for any occasion


pendants are from Hobby Lobby
chains were from Joanns


skipping the top coats over the faces resulted in the dimensional magic seeping through my paper, leaving blotchy marks that were not cute…shoulda taken a pic for you to see 😦
i would say do 2-3 coats taking care to go right up to the edges (don’t worry it all dries clear)

this was my first time experimenting with dimensional magic…it’s well…magic!
in the top pic you can see the sheen from just the mod podge, the second shows the 
D-magic…it applies very cloudy, but also dries clear…
the package recommends 3 hours drying time
i left mine overnight and noticed in the a.m. that when it dries it sorta shrinks
you can keep adding layers of dimensional magic until you’re happy with how it looks…
i was going for a beveled/dome/more puffy effect 🙂
it will dry clear each time
the jump rings are optional…it can be hung directly from a link on the chain
to have the pendants lay more flat, put them on the ring, 
then add the ring to a link on your chain 
(please forgive me if i’m not using correct jewlery supply thingy terms
…i’m just sorta wingin’ this 🙂



pretty! …give to someone you love (and who loves your kiddos)


here’s a peek at what i woke up to this mother’s day morning
sweetness …♥


to all the moms who have children
who lost children
who desire children…
life was never promised to us hurt free…
but to be Held during the hurt 
is the guarantee from the One who knows you by name



the Lord bless you & keep you
the Lord make His face shine upon you
and be gracious to you
the Lord turn His face toward you 
and give you peace
numbers 6 ♥

much loves…
sweet parties here … ♥
Tatertots & Jello

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a sweet feature ♥

Raising up Rubies5 Comments
♥ wow ♥
that’s all i can say…wow!
sweetness of a friend – Jessica ♥ from Two Shades of Pink – featured my craft room today
…and i can’t even believe it!
Jess is full of lovely style & talent that matches her tender heart
 …through her I find so much inspiration!

One post in to this little place and she’s already put so much gladness in my ♥
thank you for all the sweet words everyone!
much loves


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a cute place to make stuff ♥

Raising up Rubies279 Comments
it’s been my ♥’s desire for so long now…to be here
on this little blog, to share & encourage…so here we go!

 how ’bout a peek into the cuteness of a space where i make stuff?! 🙂
yes! that means a mess of pictures…make some tea…spend some time 🙂

i’m blessed to have a hubby who knows a thing or two about tools and such
i show him something on Pinterest
then say “look honey, you could soooo do that right?” 
he gives me the look…
the “you’re trying to butter me up to get me to make you that” look
🙂
so with a grateful ♥ to him…
(1. for building everything in the room himself)
(2. for supporting me and my wild n’ crazy dreams)
…come in and see!

this room was originally a formal living room used formally by the previous owners of the house 🙂
we’re not really a formal family so it was mainly the room that held the tools & paint 
(or misc. craft projects:) while we renovated the rest of the house…

hubby made this huge 8’x4′ island from scratch 🙂 with my dad…
i wanted to have a place to lay out yardage (and a place to have craft night with the girls ♥)
it also makes for a lot of storage underneath…
big baskets with yarn, batting, and projects in the works…




my idea for the island is to write out some sections from Prov.31 over the entire top 

then sand it to look worn…that’s on the to-do list 🙂





these shelves are the plain white cheapies from Target, that we got super cheapie during back to school/college time…the crown molding  (top and in between each shelf to hide the seams) & arches were added then painted all gray






just a few close-ups of supplies ♥
old mason jars i found at a rummage sale in an old church last summer…
i ♥ rummage sales in old churches






this little birdcage houses vintage pillowcases ♥




yellow spray paint + lace trim + a little birdie = cuteness ♥





…an old nails & screws organizer sorts embroidery floss…








simple boxes covered in brown paper






strips of fabric ruffled on my sewing machine got hot glued on each bin…
these are all still in need of labels so i remember what’s where …



my stash ♥ i can’t wait to dive into these and make stuff 🙂





(that cute little printable banner is from ♥here)

sweetness ♥ who can resist kindergarten penmanship 🙂



…this side of the room is where i sew 🙂 hubby built the shelves and table…



the larger bins on top hold patterns, notions and some other things…
these too should be labeled, or maybe numbered? 
table skirt was made from a shower curtain from TJ Maxx
a cornice over the window is in the same print




still trying to figure out what to do for window treatments…
would like to keep it light but it’s a huge window on the front of the house 
so privacy is a must too… window treatments are tough to figure 🙂
the lighting is hubby’s workmanship …i’m seeing burlap – lace -or felt flowers all around the base of the shades? i can’t decide…


back to the table…i mod podged a dress pattern on the top

 & fabric measuring tape on the edge (then covered with lotsa coats of polyurethane)





thread storage from an old typesetting box 

(owl calendar is ♥here)




i could do a whole separate post for all the inspiration! 
if you scoot over to my pinterest boards, you’ll see the “studio” board 
with most of the ideas i applied in my space, i bet you can pick out a bunch of ’em 🙂


so my to do list for this room still has a few things on it


1. stencil & finish table top
2. label & number bins
3. put some cute stuff on the light fixtures
4. make covers for sewing machine & serger


…but it’s all fun stuff! 


i’m also dreaming about what to put in my little etsy shop…
i want to fill it to the brim with lots of Sugar n’ Spice ♥
you can see how empty is it by clicking on the the link in the sidebar 😦
i have a ton of ideas rolling around in my head! just want to choose the best ones…


that’s my little world of crafting goodness ♥
 hope you like it! come back and make stuff with me 🙂

linked up some cuteness here ♥
Thrifty Decor Chick
Today’s Creative Blog
DIY Showoff Project Parade
The 36th Avenue

Bacon Time
Sweet Little Gals
Sew Much Ado
Tatertots & Jello
Under the Table & Dreaming
Funky Junk Interiors
House of Hepworths
i {heart} naptime
Faith trust & pixie dust
Home Stories A 2 Z