Crayon decor

*Image via greylikesweddings

If you're going to encourage people to color place mats you've got to provide them with art supplies right?  I'm not sure that there are enough crayons for the entire table, but what a fun way to display them.  I'm in a coloring mood lately, can you tell?

Place mats

*Image & place mats by Cake Vintage Table & Home

When I saw these place mats with color-in, punch-out disguises I felt like a little kid.  I love restaurants that provide paper, crayons and a blank canvas.  I also thought of my friend & cousin who decorated their rehearsal dinner with action figures and whimsy.  They will be celebrating their union again in October and these place mats also reminded me of them.  Disguises and pearls and crayons would be enough to liven up any celebration and would make for memorable photos. Are you a fan of coloring?

Terrarium

*Image & terrarium by Teresa's Plants & More Store

I'm pleased by how our new little garden is growing.  Now I'd like to bring more green inside.  The cat likes to nibble on plant leaves so some of our greenery needs to be out of the way.  This terrarium would be perfect.  I love the vibrant color and textures of the moss.  Growing up my mom had a terrarium and I was always fascinated by it.  This might be my next small house project.  Now I've just got to find a good spot to hang something like this.  Where would you hang a terrarium in your home?

Don't like

*Image & card by thingsarelookingup

My favorite cards are Valentines.  This one in particular makes me smirk a bit.  The next month of posts will be featuring some of my favorite Valentine's Day cards and inspiration from around the web.  On Saturday I'm heading to a friend's for craft day in order to make my annual VDay cards.  Would you like one?

Labels

*Image by banquet for {frolic!}

I used this template, tweaked slightly, for my special Christmas jam gift.  And oh joy, oh joy it's Friday, and that means at 3:40 p.m. I will be student free for a few glorious weeks.  Yes, I'm taking their work home to grade (ie: put in a corner for most of my time off).  My first packages came in the mail and soon I'll be ready to put up a tree in this house. Even better is that I have a massage scheduled for Saturday morning...  What does your weekend have in store?

Berry

*Image by Marilyne K

I'm so glad that this week is almost over, but that just means I have one less day to get my Christmas gifts in order to hand out to co-workers.  I wanted to bake, but am feeling worn out and lazy.  Maybe I'll bust out some spritz cookies before Friday rolls around.  That gives me today.  I have a few of my work buddies taken care of.  Trevor made jam & I'm making labels to get a little chuckle from my teacher friends: Exemplarary Liberry* Jam.  Yes, you read that correctly.  It's an inside joke.  What do you think a Liberry tastes like?

*Translation: Exemplary Library

Bows

*Image by Trev Stair

My mother used to decorate the front of our home with boughs and bows.  I'm not sure where I'd go to find boughs, but I know that I can find bows.  I think that it has been decided.  Now, I just need to get home at a decent hour so that I can think about more than just eating dinner and relaxing before I start the day again.  The temperatures are supposed to dip here and I can't wait because while I dream of Christmas, we turned on the air conditioning in the house last night because it was 73 degrees inside and 70 outside.  Isn't it supposed to be December?

Wreath

*Image & wreath via The Thrifty Abode

We don't have the only unlit house on the block, but I still feel guilty that we have nothing holiday related up inside or out.  We have gotten our first cards in the mail and last year I came up with a fun velvet ribbon to display them off of the breakfast bar in the kitchen.  I think I'll do that again.  I really want to make a wreath or something festive for the door.  When I was little, my mom hung bright red ribbons from the house lights, that might be an easy festive touch to add to the house.  How do you decorate for the holidays?

Sent

*Images by Tara Bliven via the Ephemera Blog

These are the nifty envelopes I created for the exchange.  Not too bad for what a slacker I was.  I knew what I wanted to do, but I didn't get my act together until the last minute.  I still have a few to send out, but that is just because they will contain more than just the poem (you are extra special).  I cannot get over how beautiful it was in Portland while we were there.  I already miss the green and the neighborhoods bustling with people walking and riding bikes.  That trip was far too short.  What are you currently missing?

Elevated

*Image by Instant Joy

I now have some time and some ideas stocked up to make some envelopes for the Elevated Envelope mailing that I signed up for. I have to make a stop at a paper store for some good heavy cotton envelopes, because I am painting on mine & another stop at the post office for some pretty stamps befitting of my creations. I'm making and mailing more than the required list because I have several friends deserving of something beautiful in the post. At least I have something to look forward to, right? Think you're on the list? Want to be?

Popcorn

*Image & cupcake by Life's a Batch

Yesterday I slaved over some mini cupcakes and marshmallows in hopes that my final creations will slightly resemble popped popcorn. Fingers crossed. Today is the circus-themed baby shower and this is dessert. At least the cupcakes will be tasty (no boxed mixes from this house) even if they aren't pretty. What do you think, popcorn cupcakes anyone?

Friendship

*Image & bracelet by Wooclet

While I was entertaining it was like summer camp at my house. One day we spent the afternoon in our pajamas watching Harry Potter and making friendship bracelets. Apparently stacked friendship bracelets are all the rage on the fall fashion front. I might just be a hip adult after all, with all of my crafty skills. Looking online it seems like there are so many cool options to try, so sad that my summer is coming to an end. Would you like a friendship bracelet?

Sungold

*Image by Trevor Jorgensen

My dining room glows at sundown now thanks to my new curtains. My husband laughs at how long it took me to finish these four panels because I cut the fabric way back in November when my mom was visiting. It was such a big investment to buy the fabric, I didn't want to screw it up. Now they are hanging, and I love the look and feel they bring to the dining room. I also love that when a house is being built behind us, it will be a great thing to draw the curtains shut so I can prance through the kitchen in my underpants in the mornings. What do you think about the finished curtains?

Tent

*Image by Life Stories Photography

I've been working on creating some fun invitations for the upcoming shower and I am pretty pleased with what I have so far. I need to smooth out a few kinks and add a few more details to get them finished and ready to print but I think they'll look great. I've never really been the graphically gifted artist in the family, and am wishing that my gocco printer still worked so I could really do this right. Would you rather get an invitation in the mail or would it be easier if it was all online?

Darning

*Image by Natalie Canadas

As much as I complain about work and terribly behaved children, I still do care for them... That is the hardest part of my job. They are teenagers, sometimes jerks, don't always do their work, aren't always respectful - but that is their job. Not all of my kids are sour lemons and today I made one of my students give me his shirt so I could take it home and sew up the giant gaping hole where his sleeve was pulling apart from his shirt. I laughed when I sat down at my machine because I didn't need to change my thread or bobbin. The color of our 8th grade uniform shirts that I detest on a daily basis matches the curtains I'm sewing for the dining room. Ironic?

Kisses

*Image by 28steere street photography

Yesterday while crafting, I was inspired by sending love in the form of hugs and kisses to my friends. It was simple, and worked out perfectly for me. Now I have to finish personalizing these babies to get them into the mail. This is my weakness. I just need to be at the ready with postcard stamps. Do you send letters in the mail or do you prefer the electronic version?

Map

*Image & photo by Capow

You can read this image two ways, either the intended message is love for San Antonio or love from San Antonio. I'm broadcasting the latter. Much love broadcasting to my friends and family from deep in the heart of Texas. This weekend I'm making Valentines at craft day and hopefully will get plenty addressed so that they can be mailed and in everyone's hands by the 14th. Do you send Valentine's Day cards to your loved ones?

Fortunate

*Image via Mohenz

One year all of my loved ones received these fun felt fortune cookie Valentines. Surprisingly simple to make, they were also a hit because they were so cute. You can replicate the craft with paper too, and make these cookies with what you have on hand at home. I am compiling inspiration so that I have a productive craft day at the end of the month putting together Valentine's Day goodies. I started this blog on that fateful February day almost two years ago and plan to celebrate accordingly. Drop me a note and let me know what you love about the blog and guarantee yourself a fun little Valentine in exchange. Why do you stop by and read?

Bacon

*Image & card by Richie Design

I know it's only the beginning of January but my mind is already wandering onto Valentine's Day cards. I'm trying to think of something fantastic to send out this year. While at Michael's the other day I scored a cool custom stamp kit. Now I can craft fun messages and create a fun card for my friends. I'm easily inspired by etsy. Is it too early to start?

Party Hat

*Image by daisy princess

Celebrating just isn't the same without party hats. People around me have figured this out and are always willing to be more festive and don spectacular hats at my parties. I have not yet thrown a hat-worthy celebration while living in Texas (all of those have been back in Seattle) so I've got to hunt down a celebratory hat to ring in the new year. Do you wear party hats willingly?