Ribbon Christmas Tree.....CaRd!

Love, LOVE, lOvE the ribbon idea on this card! It just looks so simple. Found on Deck the Halls of Home with Joy.

"Family Movie Night" Gift...

I used to put together baskets like this as "Date Baskets" for Bridal Showers...it's not a NEW idea....but I liked her ideas...found on this blog.

She bought the popcorn bowls at Tai Pan Trading (in UT) and then filled them with supplies from the Dollar Store for a family movie night. She liked the idea of a gift that this gift let the family spend time together during such a busy time of year.

Supplies:

Large bowl/container

2 boxes of movie candy

Box of microwave popcorn

Old classic type movie (or you could do a Blockbuster Gift Card)cellophane

Ribbon

Tags with personal message

Newspaper to stuff the bottom of the bowl with so that the goodies stand out

Total cost: Approx $10 (can be done for considerably less with a different container)

Doncha Just LOVE the SMELL of Christmas??

Crazy Crafty Cousins posted about how to make HOMEMADE potpourri! Ooooohhhhh!!

Here's what they said:

This makes a great neighbor gift! Just add 2 slices of each a lemon, a lime, an orange, add 4-5 cinnamon sticks and a palm full of whole cloves. Once you put it on your stove, add water and it will fill your house with wonderful Christmas scents!

Attach a card that has these instructions on it:

Christmas Potpourri

1. Place ingredients in pot.

2. Fill Pot with water, covering potpourri mix.

3. Bring to a boil and turn down to low.

4. Let simmer & continue to add water as needed.

* potpourri will last approx. one week.

Oh... SO Sassy!!

OK...so maybe I just want this whole outfit for MYSELF, boots and all! How ADORABLE!! This is exactly how I would be dressing my l'il girl...if I had one!! In the meantime, I am spreading the love....so YOU can shower yer girl with this cuteness!!

I first saw this etsy shop "Oh So Sassy" on the blog, "Seriously So Blessed" when she was doing a giveaway....and FELL. IN. LOVE. These are my two fav outfits....and I am dying over the poses that the two girlies are strutting!!
Check out this shop...and if you actually order one...tell her you saw that I advertised for her...and that I will be wanting to order the above dresses in...OH....say...four years...and that she should totally give me a discount! Tee, hee.

NO! This is not an announcement, I am not preggers......yet....

"So Fresh & So Clean, CLEAN!!"

NannyGoat came up with a way to miraculously CLEAN her gas stove top grates. I am ALWAYS looking for ways/ideas to make life easier....and this SIMPLE way to clean 'de grates was one to bookmark!

The BEFORE & AFTER pics speak for themselves!! HOW did she do it?? So simple! She put them in a ziplocked baggie, sprayed some ammonia in there, sealed it, and let it sit overnight.

WA-LAAAHHH!! Gor-geous grates! This will come in handy since we now have a gas stove!

A Frilly Frock....TOP!!

I TOLD you that Make It & Love It was one of my fav places to go to check out new ideas!! Just LOOK at what she created below!! She saw a JCREW shirt....and instead of drooling and wishing that she had the money to purchase it...she just MADE it for less than half the cost!

'De girlz got some TALENT!! Here is the link to check out her FAB tutorial on how she made the lovely shirt...
One of my friends completely despises the color brown....but I happen to LIKE it....thus, this shirt caught my eye! Tee, hee! Heaven forbid that she reads THIS post!! :)

Awwwww...AWARDS!!

Seriously flattered!! I am trying to keep sane juggling my new life in Vegas...thus my posting has become a little more sporatic....YET I am STILL feeling the love from you "love-lies" readers!! Thank you SOOOO much!!

Heidi from Craft Monkey gave me the "Honest Scrap" Award above. She is quite the do-it-yerself gal! Check out her blog..and THANKS, Heidi!!

Rules for the "Honest Scrap" Award:

1. Say "THANKS" & give a link to the presenter of the award.

2. Share "10 Honest Things" about myself.

3. Present this award to 5 others whose blogs I find brilliant in content and/or design, or those who have encouraged me.

4. Tell those 5 people they've been awarded the "HONEST SCRAP" and inform them of these guidelines in receiving the award.

OooooOOO!! Are you SURE you want to keep reading?? Ummmm...this COULD get a little embarrassing!! {WINK!}

Here goes...

"10 Honest Things About Me"

1. I am deathly afraid of chiropractors!! No joke! It all

stems back to my FIRST trip to a chiropractic office...when I was still in Elementary School. It was an EMBARRASSING experience and only my mom, my BFF - Kiirst, and my husband will ever know what occurred during that visit....but I swear my face stayed red for at least a DAY afterwards!! :) ...sorry, that's as honest I can be about this one....

2. WHY did I have to go to a chiropractor in 5th grade?? Well, I used to play basketball when I was younger and during one game, as I was jumping in the air (pulling my Michael Jordan moves) going for my two-pointer....a large and very MEAN girl body-slammed me!! She hit me so hard that she dislocated a disc in my back AND temporarily paralyzed me. That was one of the most terrifying experiences of my life! My coach & my mom carried me into the hallway and while my coach ran back inside the gym to calm the team down....my mom sat with me while the feeling returned to my legs. I still remember the pain as I had to do physical therapy each night to relieve the pain in my back. I still have back problems to this day!

3. I have a little bit of a rebellious streak in me! In college, some friends and I snuck into a HUGE lodge and camped out over a weekend. Some guys we knew had found the lodge while camping during the summer....and when we heard about it....we decided to turn it into a trip one SNOWY winter weekend. (We later found out that it was a retreat lodge for Girl's Camp...) What crazy things we do when we first leave home!! But, I still remember it as one of my most FAVORITE college memories! ...sliding down the hill on make-shift sleds, playing sardines in the dark, watching a scary movie with the projector we brought, cooking pancakes & bacon in the morning, jumping on all the mattresses, playing steamroller.....

4. I am SUCH a klutz!! I have a new bruise every day...and I can never remember where they came from!! Just last week, I was talking to my friend on the phone as I was walking thru our living room....instead of going around the coffee table...my foot decided to go into it!! I ended up with a purple & black jammed toe!!

5. We are thinking about starting our family soon and I am SOOOO nervous about having to work during the first few years of our kiddos lives....until Jamie finishes school! My amazing friend, Lisa, is a trooper...and now she has TWO little ones that she had to leave behind while she heads off to work. I am sure she will be my inspiration....I just hope I have enough energy, strength, and love to go around when my time comes...since I will have to share it with 28+ children during the day...and then my OWN at night!

6. I used to dance in college. I clogged and did ballroom! THEN - I learned how to country swing and line dance. LOOOOVVVEEE swing dancing!! I started going weekly when I graduated from college, my gal pals and I would all go. I loved it SO much that I began teaching my students a few of the moves. When my principal heard about what I was doing - she approached me about starting an afterschool dance program for the 5th & 6th graders. I was in charge of that program for the next three years until I married Jamie and moved a little further North.

7. I really, really, really, really don't like grading papers!! I think it is the LEAST fun thing about my job!! I cannot imagine being a High School English teacher OR worse...a College English Professor! Can you imagine reading AND grading all of those essays, stories, papers, etc?? YOu would have to LOVE editing!! I LOOOOVVVEEE teaching, but I don't like grading!

8. I am an utterly HOPELESS romantic!! I love all of those sappy chick flicks that make people cry! I love to listen to love songs, I love to dance with my sweetie, I love to read books that have happy endings, I love to date my husband, I am a sucker for flowers and love notes and poems, and I love to be SWEPT off my feet....by JAMIE!!:)

9. I WISH animals lived longer!! I adore our pets, Tanja - our gorgeous half tabby/half tortoise-shell cat & Jaxston - our playful & cuddly Yorkie Terrier. I BAWLED while watching the movie, "Marley & Me".....and I thought of our own dog while watching it! I just wish they lived as long as people!!

10. I am still scared of the dark! I have gotten a little better since I married Jamie...but I have witnessed a few freaky things in past years....and I just don't feel safe when I am alone...and in the dark. If I am ever at home at night...by myself....Jamie will return to find that I have turned just about EVERY light in the house on! :) LOL! I would rather have a higher electric bill than have less lights on!

Passing This Award On To:

(If you have already received this award...don't worry about passing it on again, just BASK in knowing that you were chosen AGAIN!!)

1. NieNie - if you have not heard about her...check out her blog! She has greatly inspired me! I don't care if she doesn't pass the award on....I just want her to know that she is ONE amazing lady and she has touched my life!

2. So Lovely Creations - she is a dah-ling and extremely crafty do-it-yerself-er!!

3. Wonderfully Wordy - LOVE her personality and she has a GREAT vinyl business!

4. FlipFlops & Applesauce - LOVE her story of the process of adopting their adorable twin girls!

5. Trey & Lucy - I think she is the CUTEST gal with the CUTEST personality...it doesn't hurt that she's also quite crafty!!

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

I was given the "Kreativ Blogger" Award by Two Hearts Together. Thanks, girly!! I am so glad she gave this to me because now I know about her blog!!

Rules:

1. Thank the person who nominated you for this award.

2. Copy the logo and place it on your blog.

3. Link to the person who nominated you for this award.

4. Name 7 things about yourself that people may not know.

5. Nominate 7 Kreativ Bloggers.

6. Post links to the 7 blogs you nominate.

7. Leave a comment on each of the blogs letting them know they’ve been nominated.

Seven things about myself that YOU may not know…as if I didn't already share TOO much above!!

1. I used to want 6 kids....now I think I will settle for 5! :)

2. I am SOOOOO addicted to chocolate.

3. I took a Hunter's Safety course when I was younger...and I USED to be decent at shooting a gun, but I am still afraid of them.

4. I am a terrible driver.....SHHhhhh.....don't let my husband know that I finally admitted it!

5. My classroom at school is SUPER-DUPER organized....but for some reason, I just CAN'T seem to hang up my clothes when I come home and change!?!

6. I am SOOOOO attracted to my husband...I fall in love with him MORE...the longer we are married!

7. I am terrible at returning phone calls! I am REALLY good at texting! :)

HERE are 7 AMAZING KREATIV BLOGGERS that I am awarding (in no specific order)!

(If you have already received this award...don't worry about passing it on again, just BASK in knowing that you were chosen AGAIN!!)

1. Mrs D. Lightful - she is a little bit of everything...food, fun, crafts, motherhood...

2. Be Different...Act Normal - LOVE the things she comes across and finds! I have pointed you in her direction several times before!

3. Little Miss Crafty Pants - this gal is SUPER talented! She's not only good at crafts, but she's a digi-scrapbooker, AND she has her own vinyl company. She is also SUPER knowledgeable about little gadgets that you can put on your blog!! In fact - she is designing a FUN "signature" for me to sign off with! Speaking of...I need to email her back!! :)

4. Design Dazzle - when I need to decorate a baby's room or need ideas for an upcoming shower....THIS is the blog I will go to! She has SOOOO many fun ideas!! Lovin' her blog!

5. Crafting Chicks - a few friends got together to create a blog where they share all of their AMAZING talents with the rest of us. LOVE their blog!!

6. Make It & Love It - another one of my fav spots to check when I need inspiration! Super crafty!

7. The Creative Crate - love her crafts AND she is located in Boise, Id...where I grew up!!

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

Gwen from The Evans Family gave me the "One Lovely Blog" Award. I am SUCH a slacker since she gave this to me quite a while ago...but I am still extremely humbled! I totally spaced passing it along...and then getting the two awards above....helped me to remember to pass THIS one along! Thanks again, Gwen!!

Rules for THIS award...a little simpler than the ones above...I need to pass this along to TEN other bloggers whom I have "newly discovered"....hmmmm.....

That will be a little tricky since I haven't been devoting as much time lately to blog browsing...but I am SURE I can think of a few of my more recent finds!

I would like to pass the award on to:

(If you have already received this award...don't worry about passing it on again, just BASK in knowing that you were chosen AGAIN!!)

1. Homemaking Fun - not a NEW find...but one that I need to send all of YOU to more often..she's GREAT!!

2. Ashley's Blog Layouts - this girlie creates blog layouts and SHARES them with us! How sweet!!

3. Fun & Creative Finds - she collects ideas....just like me...and has stumbled across a few that I haven't seen. FUN!

....uuummmm....those are the only NEW finds I have...so I will have to "bow out gracefully" and only pass this award onto those three bloggers.

THANKS AGAIN for all the love!!! I SOOOOO appreciate it!

A Notebook For Any Occasion...

Capture the Moment is UNREAL when it comes to her scrapbookin' talents. Lovin' the mini-notebook that she posted about....AND all of the ideas/ways in which you can use it.

A PEEK inside...

It's pretty simple to make, she includes a couple downloads - including one that will enclose a thicker notebook pad....see pic below.....and with Christmas around the corner....this is a cute idea for homemade gifts!! Totally thinkin' neighbors or fellow teachers!!

Click HERE or HERE for her downloads....

THEN - her fellow scrappers came up with the following alternate ideas...

Ooohhhhh.....and that's NOT all.....and there are even MORE ideas on her website!

Check them out HERE!!

Fabric Flowers!

Design Dazzle highlighted a blog that posted a tutorial on how to make the love-ly fabric flower below. I can TOTALLY see this in a plethora of different colors on a headband on a little girl! (Big word, huh! Did I use it correctly? Oh...I'm the teacher?!? Hey....I teach Elementary.....)

But, hey! If you don't want to put it in your little girl's hair OR on your sweater OR on a FUN winter beanie...you can alway use it as an embellishment on a pillow.

This pillow looks so dreamy to me!!

SOOOOO Stinkin' Cute!!

...OOoohhhhhoooo...and I mean STINKIN'!!

Seriously...these invites make me want to throw a Halloween Party...JUST so I can make them!! Luckily...one of our new friends in our new town has already taken on the role of hosting a FUN Halloween party....so I can't add making these cards onto my already ENDLESS "To Do" list! (But...they would be worth it, huh!)

Heartland Paper posted this invite on their blog...WITH....drumroll please........

DIRECTIONS & A PATTERN!!

Wait...Is Father's Day OVER??

Bakerella did an adorable post on mini-burgers for Father's Day....that I posted about....and as I was browsing through Crafting Chick's blog...ya know...since I am STILL trying to catch up from my TWO-month break....I found that they had found another version:

How cute is the scrapbooked package, huh!! Click HERE to get her directions on how she made the ones above.

MY Kind of Quiet Book....

WHY?? You may ask....cuz it's freakin' CUTE!!!! That's why! One day...when I make MY Quiet Book...I am definately looking back at HER blog for my ideas!

SERIOUSLY!! Check out the farm animal finger puppets! SUPER CUTE!!

I am just LOVIN' the button-ed on flowers...this SO reminds me of the one my mom made for us when we were little!

Is that pig not to DIE for!!

Click HERE, HERE, or HERE for her three posts on it....she ALSO lists a bunch of other links where you can get even MORE ideas!

Jumbo Crayons....with a TWIST!!

Looks SOOOO good...you could almost EAT them!! Oh, WAIT....you CAN eat them! Brooke over at Crafting Chicks posted about the edible crayons she made as a Back-to-School treat for her kiddos. I LOVE that she Photoshopped the wrappers with her kid's names on them! The lady's got talent! She used the instructions from THIS website.

Old Lamp...NEW Lamp....

One Fish....TWO fish...

Oops...that just kinda reminded me of a Dr. Suess book.... :)

SO - I found a tutorial on HOW to recover a lampshade. Now, the lampshade SHE recovered was a tube shape....I am still on the hunt for one that is more like the "normal" lampshade....CUZ that's what I need to to know for MY lamp makeover!! OR - would this tutorial work for the "norm" lamp??

Anywho....here's HER re-covered lamp with some CUTE fabric on it:

....and HERE is her tutorial!

Scripture Tote....Anyone??

I thought this was appropriate for SUNDAY!! My hubby makes fun of MY scripture case....and rightly so! My grandmother gave it to me when I graduated from High School....this is the SAME Grandma who gave my l'il sis BRIGHT turquoise SCRIPTURES!! Yep, I am DUE to get/make a new scripture case!

Love The Creative Crate!! She stumbled across these adorable totes.....and since I am SUCH a girly-girl...I had to smile with GLEE when I saw the flowers!

She found the tutorial HERE...and then gave us MORE links to other totes...HERE and HERE!!

Make sure you give Ms. Creative Crate some LOVE for finding these!

Personal Blog...Is now pRiVaTe...

Hello Fellow Craft-sters!!

My Personal Blog is now private.....I know there were a few of you gals who asked to be added to the list of "ViEwErS".....but you forgot to leave your email addresses....THUS.....I could not add you! You can leave a comment below - WITH your email address...if ya still want "IN." Ya know...since it's SUCH a fab blog and all! Tee, hee.

I am hoping to update FIRST - my personal blog....and then SECOND - THIS craft blog....within the next week. Seriously, you think you have life all figured out....and then you get thrown a NEW curve ball!! I was thrown a HUGE one just yesterday....which might delay my blogging efforts, but I know every trial in our lives will only make us stronger! I better be freakin' SHE-RAH by the end of this year!! :)

Hopefully, I will have some FUN posts for you all soon!! Laters, Tara

CrEaTiVe cRaTeS...

I should NOT be posting right now....in fact...I REALLY should be typing up my lesson plans for the rest of the week! Aaaauuugghhh!! I wasn't going to post for another week...we haven't even finished unpacking our house...but I just HAD to wander onto a few other craft blogs....and U Create had posted this DAH-LING idea that she found on Laura Gunn's blog. I don't think ANYONE could even guess how many of these crates I own! It's shameful! But, hey! My excuse is that I am a school teacher......it's a pretty valid one!!

Wouldn't you just LOVE to know how to turn a NORMAL & BORING crate into something FUN like the one below??

Click HERE to get her FABULOUS tutorial! Yeeeaaaaahhhh.....it feels GOOD to be back! BUT.....now I need to get on those lesson plans....and unpack a few more boxes....OH....and make dinner?? Nahh......just the first two! Tee, hee!!

Moving On.....

Hello Ladies!!

I will not have time to post for at least the next MONTH! We are in the process of moving...and I just have SO many things Iam trying to juggle right now, that my beloved blogging will have to take a back seat for a while. I attribute my sporatic blogging lately to the STRESS of everything that was leading up to this move. But - everything is pretty much set into motion and now the REAL fun begins..which is tackling our lovely home....cleaning it out, selling HALF of it, and packing up the remaining items. My darling husband has decided to return to school...which means we are downsizing from our beloved home that we built....to a smaller townhome....AND moving to another state to attend the university of his choice. What does this mean? Well, we have a lot of items for sale. If you are interested...click HERE...to be sent to my personal blog. We put a lot of our BIG items up for sale in a post for our friends & family to see. If you live in Utah...and would like any of the remaining items...just let me know in the comments & we will get in touch. OH!! ...and our house is still for sale...if you are interested in buying our HOME....it's in the Bountiful/Woods Cross area. Whoever buys our home....will LOVE it here!! We have the BEST neighbors in the WHOLE world! We are so sad to be leaving....but we are excited for our new adventure!

**EDITED TO SAY: My Personal Blog is now private...and I am happy to say....we SOLD everything...and there is an OFFER on our house! Just PRAY that it goes through and that they are SUPER cool people so our friends in our old neighborhood will still love us and come visit us in VEGAS!! :)

Another Scrapbooked Picture Frame...

My sister's birthday was in June...and I had her pick out the colors....and I made her a scrapbooked picture frame....all she needs to do is insert a picture!! I have two of these in my home...they look completely different and company always comments on them! Super easy projects that you can custom-make to fit your home!!

My Latest 4th of July Craft...

So - my posting will be pretty sporatic during July & August....with my schedule being SO crazy!! But - I thought I would post one of my last crafts...my Star Trio! I have about FOUR others that I will snap pics of and get posted...for now, here is THIS one!

ChOrE cHaRtS....

Controlling My Chaos created these darling chore charts.  Click HERE to go to her blog and she gives a hint on how to "download" her charts.  She also goes over the chores that her girls have.  

I originally found the charts on Nanny Goat...and I liked some of the things SHE said about chores as well!!  Click HERE for that post.  

Un-BEAR-ably CUTE!!

Would you like to be able to MAKE this adorable creature!?! Well, you are in LUCK!! Sunny Stampin' just happens to have a pdf download that you can print and follow. She is VERY detailed with lots and lots of pics!! Click HERE to go to that post of hers.

Sweet Hair Thangs...

Little Birdie Secrets recently had a giveaway from an etsy shop called Cherry Blossom Shop.  SUCH cute accessories for l'il girlies hair!!  A few of them reminded me of scrapbooking items that I already have!

{SQUEAL!} I adore the one above!!

This last one was a clip.

A few CUTE Cards...

Here are a couple of cute cards from Heartland Paper....I love how SIMPLE they are!!

Unique PaPeR Flower...

Heartland Paper has these flowers on display in their store and they were kind enough to provide the link to a great tutorial on HOW to make them! Since this is something I know my students would love, I am "bookmarking" this!

Click HERE for the tutorial.