Children's keepsakes ornaments!

I love these coaster ornaments! I broke up a Dove of the East coaster mini book kit and stamped the back of the coaster with the kid's hand and cut and mat the photos on the other side. To finish it off I punched a hole with a crop-a-dile and added clear tread with a charm with the ribbon hanger. This is a super budget friendly way to send the whole family a keepsake!

Be sure to check all the great OT creations this week and keep coming back every Thursday this month. Lots more planned!

Beading Help Web’s Holiday Candle Wraps
Super easy and festive “ornaments” for your candles!

Christmas Past and Needle Magic at http-design.com
Michelle is addressing the ghosts of Christmas past and Helen gets down and dirty sewing a Christmas ornament - stand well clear, she is dangerous with a needle.

It’s ORNAMENT Ornament Thursday!
Michelle’s got some cheap, easy mini clipboard ornaments to share!

Needlepoint Stocking on BeadStyleMag.com
Linda’s ornament this week is a mini stocking in needlepoint.

Strands of Beads
Melissa makes cute and quick Christmas tree earrings this week.

Ornament Thursday Time Again!

Sorry, I have been absent! Story of my life! I am very excited for the next 4 Thursdays to share my handmade ornaments with everyone! Last year I got so many fun ideas and have been busy working on stuff. Sadly my camera has been M.I.A since Oct. and my stuff might be up a little late tomorrow!

TFL!
Brandi

OT time again!

For the OT challenge this month the theme was GRATITUDE! My project the month is gratitude journals! I made these as favors for Thanksgiving! I put the book together with a Bind it All Zutter! Way easy to use! Every fall I did out my Kaleidacolor ink pad in Autumn leaves and try to find fresh ways to use it! This year my muse was Stampin Up's new stamp Gratuitous Graffiti! I dug out my Ranger glossy paper,brayer and white ink pen and went to town! I always use glossy paper with brayer to get best color saturation! I added lace to a few of the book to fem them up a little :) I took white lace and rubbed it with one of the colors from the Kaleidacolor ink pad to keep the same custom color pallet! The technique that was used to put it all together is the bandana technique . I am looking forward to stamping the inside of my pages with these great stamps from my friend Sally. Sorry about the glare on the picture!

Here are the other OT ladies!

Cat's Attitude of Gratitude
Michelle at http design has a fun take on gratitude - think about it - what do cats give you when they love you? Mice!




Cindy Gimbrone aka Lampwork Diva
Cindy's grateful for Ornament Thursday!




Gratitude Screen
Michelle's grateful for OT!




Linda shares her expression of gratitude
Of course there's a story behind Linda's shadowbox on the BeadStyleMag.com blog




Lisa looks at the meaning of the word
Just some reflection this month




Ornament Thursday - Gratitude
I am grateful that October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month




There are so many ways to say thank you
Helen from http design puts wordle.net to work to create these earrings which say thank you in so many ways.

Keith's 30th B-DAY!!

For Keith's birthday we went on a long weekend trip to Hilton Head! Keith had never been to Hilton Head or Savannah. We were very lucky that we had some friends headed up there that weekend so we crashed at their family condo! On his birthday we drove up,with the gas shortage around here we ended up spending over a $130 on gas! Our friends Karen and Tim made us a nice birthday dinner with cake and ice cream for dessert. We laid low most of the trip and just hung out except for out trip to Savannah. We did a tour because I was sick of driving and thought that might be more relaxing. I learned lots of new things about the city but the highlight for was Fabrika. I found a Amy Butler fabric that I had been hunting for!! All in all we had a great weekend!

Believe in Yourself Retreat!

This was my first time going to a creative event that was based on fabric/sewing. The pictures that I posted ARE NOT my project they are the sample that we based our project on. For some reason I can't find any pictures but I will post when I am done. Here are more pictures and info for next year. I met so many kind people and the "teachers" were fab! It totally was nothing that was in my comfort zone! In the current copy of Sew Somerset is their project from last year's retreat! Susan's and Kristi's work is really amazing!I can't wait to finish my project it has a spot waiting for it in the living room! I hope that things work out so I can go back next year!

I'm back!! sorta.....

I am writing from the tail end of a 3 day weekend spent with Jane Austen. She always makes me want to write but seeing I have nothing profound to say and am very close to being illiterate this will be on the short side! It wasn't even my idea just serendipity Carrie picked up The Jane Austen book club and Becoming Jane at the movie store. I have been wanting a reason to watch the 1940's version of Pride and Prejudice which is really clever in it's own right but without Colin Firth as Darcy is not nearly as enchanting!! I might just have to hop on Amazon and pick up a copy of Mansfield Park. I better not I might be too tempted to pick up a boxed set or even the glow in the dark light switch cover . I didn't make that up! I always that it was sad that such a romantic never married but maybe she knew what she was doing after all. Currently I am reading a book that random short stories of women that lost track of themselves and the common theme among them is marriage and children. Speaking more of the Victorian Era more than modern day. I would go on about Sophie Behrs Tolstoy but Keith is on his way home from lunch and I should get dressed and show him that I can function in a World outside of Jane's.

4th of July!!

4th of July was a blast this year! We went to Liz and Nick's to cook out and play games! When it got dark we drove to the lake to watch fireworks. After they were done we went back to their house for sparklers,homemade ice cream and more games! It was soooo nice not to spend the whole day outside and then get stuck in traffic going home! I think next year we are not even going to leave Liz and Nick's driveway!

frugal friday

Happy 4th of July! I have to share the my favorite summertime bargain! Free Movies!! Check out the Regal site and the AMC site. AMC is charging a $1 but all of that money is going to charity.These movies tend to be crowded so get there early! Adults are out numbered about 3 to 1 so sometimes it is a lttle chaotic. But when do you really get to listen to 200 kids giggle at the same time! Enjoy!



Brandi

p.s. If you don't live in the Atlanta Metro or don't have AMC here a bigger list of free (cheap) movies!

Our Summer

The summer has been very busy! I have been lucky enough to have an entourage 2-3 days a week! Midweek in June we went down to Marietta Square to the Australian Bakery the pictures tell the whole story! The kids love it there! This was the first outing with the newest member of the menargie Kit
Lucky for me she is quiet and keeps to herself :)

Brandi

OT Indepedence!

This month's theme was Indepedence! So I made a July 4th themed wall hanging. All of the papers are Rusty Pickle and the boards are Brindy's Backyard.TFL! See you next month!

Brandi



Check out my many OT friends and what they have done to show their INDEPENDENCE!

Alexa Westerfield a.k.a Swelldesigner

Art Bead Scene

Cindy Gimbrone aka Lampwork Diva

Hurray for the Red, White and Blue by Lisa

Linda at BeadStyle Magazine

Michelle's take on Independence

Strands of Beads

frugal friday

O.k. I know that I call Bath and Body Works the great Satan, but they are having a kick butt sale! I even scummed to their charms! Bath & Body Works® Signature Collection are $5 each.The sale ends July 6th. Check them out! http://www.bathandbodyworks.com

Happy 3rd Anniversary to me!

May 28th was our 3rd wedding anniversary since it was midweek it was a low key dinner at Rusan. That weekend we went to Downtown Kennesaw for the A1A concert! Nothing says Happy Anniversary like a bucket of chicken and a Jimmy Buffet tribuet band! The kids were all toast after a long day so we skipped out a little early but had a good time!

I was tagged!

Which is kinda funny because I am the worst blogger ever!! I was tagged by Michelle to list 10 things I like about myself.

1)I make the best crepes ever! (Lots of people can make meat loaf, but how many can make crepes.)
2)I watch five kids the other day and didn't lose my temper once! (Really I am not lying.)
3)I really am one of the 2 funnest people that I know!
4)I am a loyal friend.
5)I think birthdays are really like your own national holiday!
6)I try to use earth friendly bath and cleaning products!
7)I help people feel creative and like that the things that they make are worthwhile! (which they are)
8)I can re purpose anything! Go ahead and dare me!
9)I am going to win the world series of pop culture! Just wait.....
10) Last but not least:I know how to have a good time! Fun-loving!!

frugal friday

I LOVE free magazines!! Here are some current offers!

Women's Day Magazine
https://www.neodata.com/hfmus/cwld/print_subsshow.shtml

Caribbean Travel & Life Magazine
https://www.valuemags.com/freeoffer/CTandL-BBS.asp

Looking for a bigger variety check this site out!
http://www.all-freemagazines.com/

Always look at the fine print. There are tons of legit offers out there but always double check!

Hello from NYC

My being gone from home for 3 weeks my mind is totally blank! Most of the time time I let my pictures speak for themselves. It was on the way home I realized how few photos I took! Like last year we attended the opening night party at the Rainbow Room. The views are always so nice! The dancing ended by 9:30 so that part was kinda lame. Doveen and I still had a great time.
All of the eye candy at the show kinda makes brain overload with ideas! On the 2nd day of the show Tori and her mom Daria came to visit it is always nice to see so many familiar faces.All the people around the Dove of the East booth were so fun this year! I love silly people who know how to have a good time!
On our last day in the city we met with one of Doveen's friends at Fanelli's Cafe. They have the best omelet ever! I am a total brunch connoisseur so you can take my word for it! Fun serendipity moment Doveen ran into someone there that see knew 10 years ago when she lived in the city.
Really when it gets down to it we crammed so much into a weeks time there is no way I could list it all! I did leave out that we stayed at The Algonquin.It had history and elegance all wrapped into one! I knew nothing of this hotel before we stayed there, but am so pleased that we did! I love being somewhere that you can see yourself it a totally different time and place. Here is the website if you are dying to see more! http://www.algonquinhotel.com