Happy Grandparents Day!

Now that these have been received I can post them!

I had seen this on Pinterest (I don't know who has rights to the poem used) and was thinking about doing the project with Melodi.  It was a quick little project but now Melodi has one blue hand and one purple hand, oops!  I type the poem into Publisher, added a frame, and printed on cardstock (four to a page).  Melodi is lucky enough to have five sets of grandparents (which includes three sets of great-grandparents), so we made six and that means we have one to keep.  Originally, I was planning on using paint, but based on the size of the card and Melodi's hand we went with a stamp pad.  I wish I would have put the year on the card, so I'll probably write it in.

Rotating Frames with Monogram

I made a lucky find at the ARC (local second hand store) several weeks ago.  There were three identical frames (for $2.99 a piece) and I snatched them right up.  Did I know why?  Nope, but I'm sure happy with how they turned out.

My Steps
1. Dismantle, sand, and spray frames.  Paint the magnetic bullnose clips while you're at it.
2. Cut burlap to fit, add an extra 2 inches each direction (8x10 frames = 10x12 burlap).
3. Sandwich frame back together.  My burlap is the outer most because I liked how it looked raw, versus under the glass.
4. Glue on the bullnose clips with hot glue.
5. Paint and paper chipboard letter.  Glue on with hot glue.
6. Staple ribbon to back and tie knots.
7. Hang!  (directions for the drawer pull mounting below)

Some thoughts from along the way.

This is the "W" I started with.  It was too big for the frame.  I decorated it a little more and it's sitting on the fireplace mantel.

I stapled ribbon on the back of the frames.  It is adjustable which is good because my positioning was wonky.

Isn't that blue rose gorgeous?  When I brought it home I got an immediate "NO" from hubby about using those for hangers.

The inspiration was in the form of several pins.  I ended up using some of them and not others, while making the project my own.  The hanging scheme was really where I had too many ideas and just had to decide on one.

• curtain rod from dowel and drawer knob (not used)
• drawer pulls as picture hangers (used)
• curtain rod as frame hanger (not used)
• burlap in frames with monogram (used)
• painting bullnose clips (used)

Using Drawer Pulls as Frame Hangers
Supplies
Drawer pulls
T-nuts
Threaded rod (if necessary)
Drill and bits

Directions
((Get hubby to do it!))
Oh, you want real directions?
1. Drill holes.
2. Place T-nut.
3. Screw in drawer pull (if your drawer pull has the threading attached already awesome! if its one that you hold to the front and use a screw from the inside follow below).
4. Cut threaded rod to length.
5. Screw rod into T-nut.
6. Screw drawer pull onto rod.

Melodi's First Day

I dropped Melodi off for her first day of Junior Preschool with no problems at all.  Her backpack and lunch were packed last night, all I had to do was put ice packs in the bottom of her lunch box and slip in her easylunchboxes container.  We had a pretty easy morning, we had pb&j toast for breakfast, got dressed for the day, and did our hair.  I built in enough time for some pictures, and got some good ones! 

Cream cheese, ham,and cheese mini bagel.

Mixed fruit cup.  Grape tomatoes.  Mini Oreos.

Lunch is ready to go.

My favorite pictures from this morning.  

One of the four vertical 4x6 pictures (left two and top right two) will go in the big blank spot on the sign.  I made the sign using the Cricut Craft Room, the free font within CCR, and some paper.  It says "1st day Jr Preschool, September 4 2012."  I cut the brown paper, trimmed the negative down a little, and glued it to a piece of purple paper.  The sign will go in whatever I use to organize her school stuff, probably a binder or a file box.  There were so many different ideas on Pinterest for how to do first day of school signs: free printables, chalk board, white board, lay on the driveway/sidewalk/street with chalk writing.  I didn't find a chalk board or white board I liked, and I would have to get multiples to do group pictures once Erica starts school.  I'm really not sure where I got this idea, I don't remember seeing a direct inspiration, so I probably just came up with it.  I might do a last day one on the other side, or a separate one to cap off the binder section or put on the back side of a file.

Clothes Pin and Drape Clip Magnets

The night I made the clothes pin push pins for Melodi's art board I wanted to do another cute project and decided on clothes pin magnets.  This time I didn't paint, just added a strip of paper to the clothes pin and a circle to the magnet using my Xyron for adhesive (I probably should have used Modge Podge to coat it all).  I made a nice big flower for decoration, then decided that I didn't really like it.  Most of my buttons were still out and I noticed that I had some big, chunky buttons in great colors that I wouldn't be using for papercrafting anytime soon.  I used my trusty hot glue gun to attach the magnets and the buttons.

Lately I've been using a hotel drape clip that my father-in-law got on one of his work layovers to hold my daily schedule.  Since I had just made some magnets for my fridge I decided to use the big flower (originally made for the clothes pins above) as embellishment on the clip after I covered it with paper.  I had already added a pink brad to the middle of the flower but took it off to add one of the chunky buttons so that it matched the clothes pins.

They are all up my fridge making me happy looking at decorative magnets not the stupid flat ones you get at conferences or attached to the phonebook or the ones solicitors hand out.  I do want to redo some of the flat magnets for gifts, as they are a nice flat canvas for photos.

Bag Tags!

Melodi starts Junior Preschool tomorrow, and this mama is getting everything in order to send her off.  We purchased a backpack a few weeks ago, and found a lunchbox online.  Since I don't know if Melodi will continue to use them or if they will be passed down to Erica I didn't want to take a marker or paints to either one.  Today I used 30-60 minutes to quickly create nametags for her backpack and lunchbox.

I printed off two pieces with her name on them and two with my phone number.  All the paper was from my scrap pile!  The flowered and orange paper is the same paper, just double sided.  I used flower stickers to embellish.  The stickers came from the same Girls Birthday page kit as the paper.  My crop-o-dile came in useful to punch three small holes in the laminate.  Then I got to play with how to tie the ribbon on so that the tag can be attached to a bag.

I love quick, easy, free projects!