Birthday CARD Organizer....

Are you a "Birthday-FoRgEtTeR"???? (...yes...that is a MADE-up word...)

Well - I am!! I have seen SO many fabulous ways to organize your birthday cards...and Nanny Goat had this idea. I thought I would book-mark it...just in case it's the one I finally decide upon!

She gives a GREAT tutorial HERE!

Free Digi-Scrapbookin' Download!

Ya LIKE!?! Little Miss Crafty Pants created the FREE...yep, i said FREE digi-scrapbook layouts & embellishments for all of us to download! What a sweetheart. She's calling it a "belated present"...since Mother's Day WAS a week ago......so be sure to take advantage of her wonderful present..and click on her name above. Make sure to write her a SWEET comment...thanking her! I love it when people are so willing to share with others...and I think they should KNOW how much we all appreciate it!

Seriously...I am LOVIN' digi-scrapbooking! I was rather hesitant about getting into it...because I thought the learning curve would take ME forever! Here's what I did...Shabby Princess is a WONDERFUL site that has free tutorials! I just opened up my Adobe Photoshop Elements program....opened up the right Shabby Princess tutorial...and flipped back & forth....and I LEARNED in ONE HOUR!! Yes...ladies & gentlemen...it CAN be done! Good luck...and may you ALL fall in love with online scrapbookin'....just as I did!

Father's Day Card

Skip To My Lou found the tutorial to make these adorable cards for Father's Day! I loved this idea because it's simple enough for my 5th graders to do for THEIR dads!

Click HERE for the instructions. Have FUN!!

FUN Father's Day Presents...

Tip Junkie highlighted a few ideas for Father's Day...I was completely impressed with this book above! She gives a mini-tutorial here.

This one above was my ALL time favorite!! Over the Tipsy Top suggests a "Plan A Date With Dad" Gift Basket. You have each of your kids pick their favorite place to eat, activity to do, or place to go. THEN...you get a gift certificate to that place and the two of them can use it together. I showed my hubby and he totally approves!! Awwwww!! Dates with DAD! Soooo Fun!!

This card is pretty clever...

She used three envelopes as the base...attached them together to make an accordion-style card...and slipped memorable pictures inside.

Isn't it cute!? She also hooks us all up with a VERY detailed tutorial! I just might attempt this...I don't have the "Stamp It Up" sets that she used....but my handy-dandy computer sure does WONDERS when it comes to fancy fonts...and it's MUCH more cost-effective in my mind. (Don't shoot me...all you "Stamp It Up" fans...I just don't scrapbook with paper enough to invest.) Here's the tutorial.

Let's Pack a LUNCH!!

Ok....THIS caught my eye for a FEW reasons! (Little Birdie Secrets made a denim picnic blanket...) #1...I have actually made a patchwork JEAN quilt before! Oh yes...the non-sewing Tara did indeed attempt this seemingly impossible task....

I was in college and OH so in love with my college boyfriend...at the time. I was determined to make him a gift he would NEVER forget. I hit upon the idea of a JEAN quilt! The call went out to our apartment complex that I was in need of jeans...and before you knew it....jeans were being left on our front doorstep EVERY night!

One of our TALL friends donated a pair of his and I was able to make the WHOLE middle section with his pants alone!! Oh....did I mention I decided to make a KING-sized jean quilt??

As I was making it....and it took a LONG time (I even tied it)...my mom & dad joked around that if my boyfriend & I ever broke up....that I would HAVE to demand that he give this quilt back!! Of course, ME...the "oh-so-wise" youngster...knowing that this true love would always last... laughed off their teasing.

He LOVED his present....said it was the BEST present anyone had ever given him. He was very touched!

....we broke up later that year.


...he still has the quilt...


....but HEY...I met & married my PRINCE Charming!!

So, I guess we all ended up living happily ever after!!
...which is WHY I would be willing to tackle a NEW quilt for this man-o-mine....one that we could take on PICNICS!! Little Birdie Secrets hooks us up with great step-by-step instructions....see her posts below!

Intro
Part I
Part II
Part III
Part IV



P.S. Don't EVER make a king-sized Levi Quilt!! That sucker was HEAVY!!
P.S.S. The pictures are ALL from Little Birdie Secrets....can't take the credit there....but doesn't it look fun!

Patches of CoLoR!!

What a darling patchwork skirt! This MIGHT be something I could actually do. One Pretty Thing posted about this colorful attire...which they found on THIS website.

Walk A Mile In A L'il Shoe...

Crazy Crafty Cousins stumbled across this FUN Mary Jane Shoe party favor for a Baby Shower. You can get the template HERE.

Clean MuCh??

OK...so I am not a mom yet...BUT I have heard enough horror stories from friends & family about the things your precious darlings can do to homes.....that I thought I better make sure I KNOW what takes crayon off couches, syrup out of carpet, stains outta clothing, and so forth BEFORE they arrive. (Or at least get a head start!) Crazy Crafty Cousins posted about the cleaning product above...and now swears by it. Read her story HERE.

(P.S. Someone else who reads her blog did an Internet search and supposedly you can find this product at ACE Hardware, Albertsons, Rite Aid and Bed, Bath & Beyond.)

Funky FloWeRs...

Good 'Ole Martha Stewart does come thru every once in a while with a fun craft. She had this lady on her show who is WAY into 60's vintage flowers...and created the masterpiece above. Click HERE to get directions and even watch a tutorial.

Practical Home Decor....YEP!!

Seeing this post from Be Different.....Act Normal...gave me a flashback to the last time my darling hubby called out from the shower...asking if I could please get him another bar of soap. Hmmmm....rather than go down the two flights of stairs to get to our basement...where our EXTRA soap is stored....why not try out this idea which is not only cute decor....but it can come in quite handy as well!

Dress UP Yer Draw-ers...

So...IMAGINE I just said the title with a drawl....cuz I totally did!! Nanny Goat has SUCH fun ideas....this recent post of theirs was SO dang simple, yet it could make quite the statement in a little girl's room....they went from THIS:

To THIS:
HA! Great, huh! Lately I am into HOT PINK....maybe because I just did my "SPRING" blocks and I have pink on the brain. So, I can totally see hot pink flowers on a set of white drawers in a little girl's room.....OR a soft baby pink for a newborn. Awwwww....
(Holly...you should totally do this for Emma's room!!{WINK!})

Shhhhh....It's SUNDAY!!

Growing up...my siblings & I were taught that Sunday was a day of REST! We refrained from any crazy activities (wrestling, water fights, etc.), we did not run errands, nor did we go shopping, we didn't watch TV, we did not do our homework...YES - that can get kinda crazy.....(we would finish it beforehand) ...and I am sure you get the picture. Some might say that's boring...but I really can't say that thought ever crossed my mind. I remember having heart-to-heart chats with my mom, writing in my journal, sitting in the sun (with a kitten on my lap) reading my scriptures, listening to AND teaching Christ-centered lessons during our family meetings. Sundays were PEACEFUL!

I saw this idea on this blog.....who found it on Homemaking Fun's blog. We don't have any children yet - but when we do....I want them to have the same wonderful experiences that I did when Sunday rolled around. I really appreciated this idea because it is teaching children to keep the Sabbath Day holy. I am sure this idea will help a lot of stressed out mothers....good luck, ya'll!!

CUTE-sy Magnetic Board

Would you like to learn how to turn THIS stuff....

Into THIS....

Mrs. Delightful shows you how with her mini-tutorial post. It looks quite fun and I really like how her ribbon turned out!

BIG 'Ole Flowers For AnY Occasion!

Lovely Kari...over at U Create...found this great tutorial on putting together flowers that you can put in your hair, on an outfit, or on a baby's headband.  I would probably put mine on a hat OR do a smaller version for a baby's headband.  I really liked her picture that walks you thru it all.  The blog?  The Feathered Nest...check it out!