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a little insta-recap ♥

Raising up Rubies11 Comments
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 
(pattern in my shop here)


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 
(psalm thirty four)


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


said fall scrappy bunting
(still some in my shop hurry! not too many left!)


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

Raising up Rubies11 Comments

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 
in my shop as an instant download here!
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 ♥

Raising up Rubies7 Comments

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 ♥

Raising up Rubies5 Comments

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!

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gold striped mason jar caddy ♥

Raising up Rubies6 Comments

nothing earth-shattering … just a little idea here for ya 
i had this caddy on my kitchen counter, it held four plain glass mason jars with all of our silverware in them.  i think i got it at Walmart last year in the same section as the canning jars but i cannot remember the brand that makes it … sorry!
i’d been wanting to do something fun to the caddy and the jars for a while but just couldn’t decide what.
since there’s lots of color in my kitchen, i wanted to do something different … a little more on the neutral side

i found this project here … and knew what i wanted to do!
especially since i had just brought 2 cans of shiny metallic gold spray paint 
home with me from home depot for a different project.
i gave the jars a quick coat of flat white spray paint first
then taped them off with painter’s tape just like she did.



i couldn’t decide whether to leave them clean & crisp or rough & sanded
a quick poll on instagram still had me undecided … 


but i think most people liked the sanded ones better
and since i’m more into the chippy not perfect look right now i went ahead and gave them a light sand … sprayed the caddy white too, and done! 


our silverware has a pretty new home and my kitchen has a pop of gold
i have a few other little ideas for the kitchen i want to tackle too … 
that might involve gold polka dot burlap of course 🙂



happy new week!
linking up here:

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magic dream bars ♥

Raising up Rubies5 Comments

i say it all the time on IG that i love to bake
my family knows i bake
the guys at the hubby’s office know i bake. so i’m baking a lot
spoiled rotten people
well really i just love to eat cookies … so that’s why i bake.
this is a go-to really quick company’s coming and you don’t have all day to bake kinda recipe
and they’re really so yummy you might just eat a lot of them before the company comes.
so put away your sad granola thingy and your sad lettuce and make some of these.



raid your pantry or go to the store and get this stuff…

(this cute recipe card? and a bunch more are from my bestie’s shop here)
(print this one out by clicking on the image and then go get some of your own. hurry. go now.)

heat your oven then melt the butter right in the pan you’re going to use
add the graham crumbs and spread them evenly on the bottom after you mix it together


this recipe is really so easy and fail proof … so all the steps can be done by your kids if it’s a day you want to get them into the kitchen to bake with you



just pop open the can of condensed milk and let them pour it evenly over the crumb layer



add all the good stuff … i usually do coconut first then the chips
my girls ate more chocolate chips than they put in the dish



grab a fork and have them press down a little just to smoosh it all together



this was the original recipe i clipped off the back of the milk can fifteen years ago when i first got married
wow. fifteen years. 
this month.
 we’re like, old people



i forgot to take, ya know those staged food blogger pics, that everyone takes and their cookies look like betty crocker herself was at their house and made the cookies with them, and then they took a picture kinda pictures? well this isn’t that kinda recipe.



so here’s a picture of the bars in their truest form.
messy gooey and broken up on a pedestal dish in my kitchen 
where we keep eating them from
real life. that’s all

much love ♥ be back soon!
linking up here!


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summer road trips and back to blogging ♥

Raising up Rubies24 Comments
summer schedules are in full swing around here.
well sorta.
staying up late, sleeping in, pj’s and crafts are really what’s goin on


i was talking to my hubby the other day…
telling him & realizing at the same time that i really missing blogging
doing projects and crafting posts are seriously lacking lately
and that’s what used to make this place so fun…


but i suppose it was ok for a time
since life is all about seasons changing right?
different things happening
different things we go through


trying to make time for the important things
and building on what is eternal … not temporal


“…the glitter of the world is tinny & temporal. the Light of My Presence is brilliant & everlasting.” 
Sarah Young ~ Jesus Calling


so basically all that to say i’ll be making more, sharing more, diy-ing more 
 … again like i used to


i’ve been stocking up on supplies and garage sale finds for a few projects too 
… chairs to spray paint, curtains to make … i have a list going
things to get done
memories to be made


we packed up every year and hit the road for a 16 hour trip to NC to visit family
we love it there… the beach, the weather…chic-fil-a…
there’s no chic-fil-a in NY. no sonic either. no ikea or world market anywhere near here either
but whatever … i’m not bitter or anything


i brought this beauty along on the ride to keep me busy
i actually found the whole piece as you see it in the picture 
(minus the pretty rainbow thread)
at a thrift store for 7 dollars!!!! one of the best things i’ve ever scored.


the day before we left my littlest went to a my little pony birthday party … we made her a few pretty things
including one of the my little pony necklaces i had for sale in my shop … i’m in the process of making a bunch more so keep an eye out! they’ll be available soon.


this was my travel pillow 🙂
which i was also thinking of making a few covers and listing those in the shop as well
any interest? the fabric is so cute … i never get tired of it


have you seen the you are here mugs from starbucks??
i’m obsessed with them. my hubby very pleasantly puts up with my crazy shenanigans 
and found most of them for me (that guy) (♥) 
we tried to get one in every state on the way down, but man, they’re tricky to find. 


yup. another thing NY does not have.
why?
do all the places like the south better?
guess so.


For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him ~ Philippians 2.13


(sigh)
the peach milkshakes are my fav.


we spent a bunch of days at the beach … then a hurricane came. boo.
that sorta messed up our beach plans, but we made up for it later


i stumbled onto these heavenly things at joanns and decided to ditch my plain old single colored
embroidery floss for my map project and use this braided variegated goodness instead


progess! 


more mugs 🙂


more progress


a trip to Charlotte for the weekend called for sonic drinks and a little crochet
i was working on this pillow pattern. it’s so cute. go buy it. you’re welcome


yum… strawberry limeade
… speaking of Charlotte, we loved it there. i want to live there.
for real. i wish we could.


i bought #allthethings at world market


and ate lots of pretty candy


rainbowtized pompoms make the beach even prettier


even more progress
i’m working on duplicating the pattern so i can have it listed in my shop if you’re interested in stitching your own state map with pretty embroidery floss from joanns (and believe me that’s the only place i could find the floss … i looked everyyyyyywhere) hope to have the pattern figured out by next week maybe


the ride home was long but we made it … and i ate more candy

be back real soon!!
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another little girls room ♥ and a couple winners!

Raising up Rubies3 Comments

thanks so much for the comments last week!
if i could, i would send you ALL a state hoop
 …but i just had to draw two names instead of one since i can’t send them to you all 🙂
i appreciate you guys so much ♥

random generator thingy picked
Crystal Nell & Stacy C.
email me your state preference and your addresses
raisinguprubies@gmail.com
and i’ll get your hoops out to you guys as soon as i can!
yay for giveaways ♥

i’m still messing around with pictures from our family room
so i thought i’d take you on a little tour of my littlest little’s room

i posted about my older daughter’s room & craft desk last year

you can read the full post here 

i realized i never posted about my younger daughter’s room on this little old blog here
and it’s such a fun room i had to share … kay?!


she spends a lot of time in here … drawing, playing, dance parties
yeah lots of fun girlie stuff goin on in this room here


i painted this room right away when we moved into this house almost 10 years ago
it was a boys room with dark walls, and she was just a little baby, so it needed some bright happy colors.


the bed & dresser were a set that was gifted to her by my parents & my aunts for her birthday, but this desk & hutch thingy was a super cool score at a garage sale for twenty bucks!


a little cleaning, sanding and a coat of really really light mint green paint
made it the perfect desk for her … i was so happy to find it


she likes to draw. little cute things like that
and put them in the sneakiest little places 🙂


a few years ago i made these bendy dolls 
they sure are cute but very time consuming and once you make one you want to make a million
… beware!




she likes all the garlands and things i sew for my shop
so she made one of her own … i love it.
that’s an easy project to make with your girls if they’re wanting to learn to sew
just cut squares and feed the tops straight into the machine, that’s it.










the little elephants were made from a pattern i found here



when i painted my both of my girls’ rooms, i wanted to have scripture incorporated onto their walls in some way … since it’s where they sleep, rest and spend a lot of time … having God’s Word right there in front of them seemed to be a great way to remind and embed His Promises into their tender minds & hearts …


since i like to doodle & journal, i figured that was the way to go 
with sharpie paint pens and a little bit of acryllic paint


garden/plant baskets from Joanns are hanging on her wall 
to corrall all those little stuffed animals that will drive a mom to the brink of insanity


they were black when i bought them so a quick coat of spray paint did the trick


remember Lumpy? from the Heffalump movie??
well when my daughter was little, Lumpy was her best friend.
the little stuffed animal (she still has) went every where with her
every. where.
 like he’s almost threadbare. but she still loves him 🙂
so i used a light projector and traced a picture (from google images) onto the wall 
and then filled him in with acrylics. it was fun, but i’m sad that the time went by so fast and soon she’ll be ready to paint over him. so sad. 

wow. had to dig through the archives for that one 🙂

this is her now …



she still loves lumpy enough to wear lumpy earrings … i die.


she actually loves hangin out in her room
it’s like here little fortress
and she’s a bookworm … she loves books
and her baby book for some reason. she reads it over & over again
and then comes to tell me things like 
“hey mama when i was in your tummy you wanted to eat hot dogs & cocoa pebbles!” 
yeah i kinda know babe. i was there.
she’s a riot.


i loved this bunting when i saw it in my friend Christina’s etsy shop
the little girl on the elephant. perfect.










the pom pom fairy garland post & how-to is over here



we took the shelves out of her old bookshelf and made it into a dress-up closet
with a tension curtain rod and some decorative hooks on the outsides to hang purses & necklaces


i think i need to make her a bulletin board…
she’s always got little pieces of paper everywhere
she’s a little on the sentimental side 🙂




people say this all the time when your kids are little ….
about how you need to enjoy & savor every moment cause they grow up really really fast



well it’s really really true.
♥ much love

linking up here ♥


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summer's here ♥

Raising up Rubies21 Comments


this is the last week of school for my girls.
so summer’s officially here




wow
that flew by. feels like we just started the year
i’m so glad summer is here.




i’m so glad the past is behind. we had a tough winter/spring.
we’re going on a few vacations and i’m really really really excited.
really.




 i’m looking forward to the next few months filled with time with my husband and my girls
… and some spray paint
are you spray painting all the things too?

we’re headed to the beach in a few weeks
so excited to take my Project Life stuff with me and get it started
all i need to do is print my pictures before we go!
if you’ve never heard of it, just spend some time at the link above
and i have a whole pinterest board full of free printable journaling cards
and layout ideas … it’s the new, easy, non-stressful way to record memories and keep pictures



 then we ate this.
(recipe here)




and then i got these.
teacher gifts!
(from my girl Becky’s shop here)

i still need to get pictures of our family room … 
it’s all done! just need to show you already.
this is such a happy corner. 
let’s call it happiness in a corner
🙂
i’m such a weirdo.


i love to bake. do you? well really i just love cookies. 
that’s all. that’s really the truth. i just love the cookies.
i made these for my dad and i’m addicted … recipe is here




i put a few new hoops into the shop last week 
which you might know already if you follow me on instagram 

the mini state hoops are back in the shop too
available to order … they ship out in 10 days or so 


aaaaand there’s a little coupon code up in the shop today & tomorrow 
for 20% off your entire purchase
use the code SUMMERTIME20


so what big plans do you have for the summertime??
tell me in the comments! i’ll pick a name later in the week
and send the winner a state hoop (with the state of their choice of course 🙂

happy start of summer ♥