Disclaimer

I created this blog so I would have somewhere to journal and share the things I make and do. I try not to steal other's ideas. Some of what I make I have seen in homes or in stores. Or I make a spin-off of something I have seen elsewhere. I will always try to give the proper credit where it is due.
~Mary

Monday, August 31, 2009

Fall blocks

Another Fall craft! And again, an easy one! { Please don't mind the stack of sheet music in the back ground!}

I had my hubby cut a 2x6 piece of wood into 8 inch blocks. AND he sanded the wood for me without me having to ask him! {I'm so lucky to have a husband like him!}
I sponge painted the wood a 'Bittersweet Chocolate' color that I got from Glidden Paint for free! I sanded the edges a little { the more you get to know me, you'll notice I almost always distress things }. Then I cut out some scrapbook paper to the size I wanted and mod podged it on. Then I added my vinyl letters and some ribbon.

Here's a little bit closer up shot of the blocks. I think it turned out pretty nice!



Thursday, August 27, 2009

Autumn Stacker


Isn't this a cute fall stacker? It was soooo easy to make!
I had my hubby cut a 2x2{which is really about 1 1/2 x 1 1/2}. I sanded the blocks down.
Oh! the bottom block measures 10 1/2 inches.
Anyway, then I painted the bottom and top blocks a 'Terra cotta', and the middle block a 'Barn Red'. I sanded the edges jeeeest a little bit. Then I added my vinyl words. Easy, peasy! Less then half an hour, the only thing that takes time is waiting for the paint to dry.

Tuesday, August 25, 2009

'Harvest' Block

Okay, first off. I have to ask," Does anyone know why wood measures differently then what it is supposed to measure?" Example, I buy a 4x4, but it REALLY measures 3 1/2 x 3 1/2.

I couldn't remember what this block of wood was SUPPOSED to be. But right now it measures 1 1/2 x 2 1/2. And I cut it to a length of 8 in.

I didn't take step-by-step photos, because whenever I do they just seem to be all fuzzy...

Anyway, I sanded this block down and painted it an 'Autumn Brown'. Then I Mod Podged on some scrapbook paper. I cut the big H out of black vinyl, and the word HARVEST out of brown vinyl. I applied the big H first. Then HARVEST over that. I cut the leaves out of a piece of scrapbook paper that had leaves on it. And I Mod Podged those on as well. Then I just covered the whole front of the block with a thin layer of Mod Podge.



Turned out pretty cute, huh? I also made one for Thanksgiving I'll show you when we get closer to that time...

Wednesday, August 19, 2009

Zuchinni Chocolate Cake/Bread

I made cupcakes with this recipe the other day and They. Were. Delicious! All three of us couldn't stop eating them! You can't even taste the zucchini! I got the recipe out of 'The Essential Mormon Cookbook', which I originally bought from http://www.deseretbook.com/, But I couldn't find it there anymore...

Anyway, my friend Jamie asked for the recipe and when I gave it to her she said she uses the exact same recipe to make bread. The only thing different was the chocolate that you use. So I tried the bread, and it was just as yummy!



Here's the original recipe~


Zucchini Chocolate Cake


1 cup vegetable oil


2 cups sugar


3 eggs


2 1/2 cups flour


1/2 teaspoon salt


1 teaspoon baking soda


1/4 teaspoon baking powder


1/2 cup milk


*3 {1-ounce} squares unsweetened baking chocolate


1 tablespoon vanilla


2 cups grated Zucchini



In a large bowl combine oil, sugar, and eggs. In a separate bowl sift dry ingredients; add to first mixture. Add milk and mix well. Melt baking chocolate in the microwave for 20-second intervals, until just melted. Blend chocolate and vanilla into batter. Stir in Zucchini. Bake in a greased 9x13 baking dish at 350 for about 25 minutes. Cool and frost with either a homemade or store bought chocolate frosting.


* If making bread, use 1/2 cup cocoa instead. Add chocolate chips if you like! This makes two loafs. It took a little longer to bake all the way thru, just bake until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.


Thursday, August 13, 2009

'Life is Good' block

Sorry this photo is a little fuzzy!
I was getting my hair done the other day and I noticed on the shelf above the sinks where the girls wash your hair there was this cute little block with a pleasant thought on it. I thought," I could make that!" So I did!


I took a scrap piece of wood and sanded it down. I painted it a black, then sanded the edges for that distressed look. I used my cricut to cut the words out of vinyl. I have this on top of my fridge. I just love the simplicity of it!

Tuesday, August 11, 2009

Vinyl wall hanging

This project was cheap and so easy! I had an old 10x13 in. picture frame laying around. So I took the back off, and spray painted the frame black. Then I hot glued the glass back in. I cut the saying out of vinyl {I saw this saying in a magazine}. The stars in the bottom corners are not permanent. They fell off my berry vine thing I have on the table that I hang this over.


I couldn't get a picture of where I have it hanging because there was too much glare from the flash and the lights in the room. The frame was free, since I already had it. I already had the spray paint as well. And I have my own Cricut and vinyl. So this project was free! I had it done in 30 mins{ I had to wait for the paint to dry, or it would have been faster}.

Sunday, August 2, 2009

Brown Paper Bag Halloween Memory Book

This is a memory book made out of brown paper lunch bags. I folded them in half so the tops and bottoms of the bags are now the sides of the book. With the fold being the 'spine' of the book. Then I just covered the 'pages' with scrapbook paper and pictures! Right now there are only 12 pages. I thought I could put a picture of V. from each year on a page. It'll last 'til she's 12. {Unless I add more pages!}

This is the front. {I'm not the fanciest scrapbooker}.

You open it up and you see the cutest little girl ever! {Please excuse my thumb in the picture. I'm covering V.'s name to protect her online identity}
Where the top{opening} of the bag is, you now have a little 'pocket'. I added some pull outs with pictures on them.



The side of the book here is the bottom of the bag. I can fold them two different ways. The way it's folded here I have a flap I can lift up to see a {future} picture underneath.

Empty pages for future Halloweens!














There you go! I also have a Christmas one I'll post pics of soon. Hope I don't bore you people with all the pics of my projects! Thanks for looking!