The Rule of Three

The Rule of Three started out as just me messing around and being too OCD for my own good. I love making things...but I also like them to look really good. Well, I'm not the kind of crafter that follows rules or patterns has everything turn out just right on the first try. So usually I make three of everything. That way by the time I crank out that third project it is just right....I guess it could be the Goldilocks trial and error program. "This one is too hard....This one is too soft....This one is...." Well, you get the idea. I use this rule almost every time I make something I've never attempted before. So here we have the "inspiration project". I love the uses for this as a gift....photo holder, recipe stand, posh bill collector.....the list goes on and on. Here are most of the things I used. Not pictured....a small can of stain and some metal clasps.
First of all, paint your wooden pieces. I used black and cream and aqua....(I used the aqua under one of the black holders and under one of the white holders). Then use some stinkin' strong glue and glue your 2x6 onto the candle stick holder and the candle holder onto the base and the finial on the very top. It's a good idea to let it dry for a few hours....even over night. Then give everything a good sanding. Wipe it all down and glue your painted clasp and decorative wooden thingie onto the 2x6. As a final touch I went over it all with some stain....just to darken the exposed wood and make it a little shabby.
After it is dry you can use it to hold Christmas cards.....
Or a picture of you and your honey...
I left a lot of aqua showing on this one....
The aqua on this holder is a little more subtle.
Just a touch here.....
And there.....
This one is just black....kinda classy....
And still a bit shabby.....
And now they are ready to go.....Yes, I realize there are four. I needed two for gifts and I can't very well give a first or second attempt away.....they aren't quite right....

A Laundry Room Wreath?

I decided to use some of the Christmas ornaments that I bought after Christmas last year. I got them for 75% off!! I have a bunch of them...so I NEEDED to make something. I started with some styrofoam balls and wrapped them with some lovely lime green yarn.
Then I assembled the rest of my supplies.
I arranged them on a wire wreath form.
Then I just started filling it in. Trying not to be too perfect, not too symmetrical.
Filling and gluing and arranging and admiring.
I found some mini ornaments and filled in the gaps. Added some joy, and there ya have it! I Love the way it looks in my aqua laundry room. The different textures make it more interesting (in my opinion).
Gorgeous. And to think....I almost scrapped this project....It's true. I didn't love the colors at all with the wall color in the living area of my home. I am SO glad I hung it on the laundry room door for pictures. I LOVE it!
I am linked up with BNOTP. There are so many great ideas out there!!

Just the After

While I was in Idaho my sister and I decided we would make a couple of things. She needed some help with a gift she wanted to make and we wanted to do some ornaments. Luckily we were snowed in for two days. Of course snowed in isn't exactly what I'd call luck....but we were trying to make the best of it. We took five square canvases and painted the big one. Then we Mod Podged some scrapbook paper to the small canvases. Kim cut some letters with her Cricut and we were finished! It is SO cute!
Then we moved on to the ornaments. She wanted to make some snowmen for the girls at her daycare and I do love me a cute snowman! I did find out that the square glass ornaments will only bounce twice on a tile floor. On the third bounce....they shatter. FYI
Stinkin' cute!
Then I made two variations on this pretty snowflake. I filled this one with the same snowball pellets that we used in the snowmen.
Then I painted the back of these other two with some really pretty glitter glue.
Some ribbon and a fancy hanger and they are finished!
For the third set I grabbed this silver ball/cut-out thingie. I used the glitter glue again and more ribbon. I love how fancy they look.
These will look great for those pesky neighbor gifts.....(right, like we know our neighbors this year!)
I need to find some more to make. I am now addicted. Shocking, I know!
So that is the latest project. Maybe next time I will remember to take some before and during photos.....not just the after.

Kitchen Re-Do

First of all, I am just going to apologize for the amount of pictures in this post. I will be covering a 3 month time span.....so there are a ton of photos. This is my kitchen about 2 months after we moved in. Note the white cabinets....white counter tops and the mostly white appliances. If you know me at all, you know that white and I don't always see eye to eye.
Really, the kitchen is fine.....adequate. But when Hubby and I decided to by this house we wanted to be able to customize it a bit. So fine....well, it just won't do.
First thing we did was change out the counter tops. We chose Quartz (in a lovely Brazilian Brown).....sort of a man made stone. It is durable and has the same likable qualities as granite.....but it never needs sealed. Bonus!
A weird view that I never see.....an island without a top. Strange.
So here is the first look at the new counter tops. Lovely.
Only one thing missing......a back splash......And I was so not sure which direction to go with tile. I got help from 2 amazing women here in Omaha. We took a morning and hit the tile stores. We changed our direction of thought several times. Dark big tiles.....dark small tiles....accent tiles....and finally.....
A tile that has white (to pull in the cabinets) and darker tones.....and an accent tile to pull in the counter tops AND the cabinets! Score!
Even before it was grouted I was in love.
Here it is grouted....almost finished. Love love love!
Just waiting for the grout to dry to put the outlet covers back on.
A little more love.....
I like the way he trimmed out the window. It looks really good.
And....TA DA!!! It looks so much better.
My next project will be to sand down the floors and stain them darker......I can hardly wait!
You do know that my kitchen NEVER looks like this.....right?
I am also going to be changing out the light fixture above the sink. So not a fan of the exposed can....
But for now it is finished. As finished as any room in any house ever is.....
Oh...and eventually the oven and microwave need to be changed out. But how do you justify new appliances when the existing ones are just fine? Someday!
If you are in the Omaha area I highly recommend Duncan Tile. Tom did a great job and was reasonably priced and very friendly.

Met Monday is where you'll find me today! Jump on over and check it out!

Joy x 2

What an appropriate post for today. I hit a rough patch a while back and wasn't doing much crafting (or much of anything really). Then the last week or so I have been feeling more like myself.....so back to doing the things I love and finding JOY in every day. I made these little guys out of stuff I had in in my craft room. I like the constant reminder......
Snowmen and Christmas bring me lots of JOY. I keep the snowmen up in my bathroom all year.
Here is the other JOY project I did. These letters didn't stand up on their own....so using what I already had I made it work.
I used scrapbook paper, Mod Poge and distress ink.....
And of course a jingle bell for the "O". I found some ribbon in my stash that matched the paper really well.
A gentle reminder for me that no matter what the day brings to take a minute and find the JOY. It is there. Sometimes you just have to look for it.