What You Can Do with a $5 Candle From Walmart...

We are back from Maui.  We got in Thursday morning.  I have been suffering from Jet Lag... and therefore, have not blogged.  I have several hundred photos to sort through... from my two cameras and the cameras my dad and brother brought.  In the meantime, I wanted to post this before I left, but I didn't get around to it.

We had teacher appreciation week two weeks ago and this is the gift I made for Ian's teacher:

I also made one for a friend who had a birthday that same week. 

I swear I saw or heard about the idea on this blog, but when I went back and searched through the archives, I couldn't find it anywhere... but anyway, the idea stuck with me when I heard about it, and since I own one of those fancy Cricut machines, I used some leftover vinyl I had to test it out.  I am so happy with how they turned out, I think I will be making many more in the future!

One Project Down, Many to Go

My "formal" living room has been the bane of my existance in my new house.  Which really isn't new now that we've lived in it five years.  Five years?  When did that happen?  Anyway....  a couple years ago I bought this sepia print to hang over my piano.  I knew it would awesome on the brown walls over the black piano.  (If anyone knows how to photoshop dust out of a photo, please let me know!)

Then I decided to make a collage of prints over the large sofa on the adjoining wall.  The frames would be black, and the prints would be sepia.  It took me six more months to find the frames on a good sale, and finally start to really plan this project out.  Then I discovered the "sepia" option in my camera, and had tons of fun converting pictures I'd taken over to sepia tone.  Finally, this week, I converted all the photos I wanted, took a few more that I needed and ordered them from Costco.  For 21 prints of varying sizes from 8x10 to 4x6, the cost was only $8! 

I dusted off my Cricut machine, which hasn't gotten enough use yet to justify the cost, and made this cool centerpiece frame.  I knew I wanted to do something with vinyl lettering, but I didn't find the right "saying" until just 2-3 weeks ago.  Once I found the "right" saying, I knew I just needed to get this project done!

Thank goodness for that blue sticky tak stuff.  All my frames were hanging funny on the wall, so I used the blue wall putty to hold them steady and level.  I did have to make some adjustments to my paper arrangement because I cut the pieces of paper out to match the size of the photo, but didn't account for the extra size of the frames.  But in the end, it all worked out, and there were only two nail holes made that were mistakes.  And I was able to cover them up with other photos, so it's all good, right?

 Now I just need to solve the problem of window treatments.  I just haven't found "the one" yet.  I'm so slow at this stuff.  I've been mulling over curtain/valance ideas for a couple years now and am no closer to knowing what I want to do.  Guess I'll have to stew on that one a bit more. 

Sneak Peek

Here's the "centerpiece" for a  collage project that I've wanted to do for at least a year now... maybe even longer.  I'll post pictures of the living room wall when it's all done.  My goal is to complete this project by the weekend.  My walls look very "mustardy" in this photo... they are really more beige in real life.  I think it's interesting how the color doesn't photograph well.  I was super excited to do this project with my Cricut.  Finally, I'm getting some use out of it!  Stay tuned for more to come.  :)

Nothing says Friday like Free Stuff...

Here's a fun giveaway I've found in blog land this morning....



Cricut has come out with the 100th Cartridge... and it is darn cute! Click on this link to see more photos, including fonts:

http://www.cricut.com/shopping/ProductDetails.aspx?id=361&s=1&sc=2




They are giving away 20 a week for 5 weeks... I missed out on week one, but here is the link so you can enter in the week #2 drawing:


http://www.cricut.com/messageboard/tm.aspx?m=5284445&mpage=56&key=&#5303110

To be entered into the drawing you need to leave a comment on the Giveaway thread.

Good Luck Everyone.... and Happy Friday!!!

Wish List

Here is my wish list for Christmas:

Mamma Mia DVD on BluRay (can you imagine how gorgeous the scenery will be in HD?)

Cricut machine (this is where I need help from my blogging friends!)

I "saved" my birthday gift last month, so I could apply it to my christmas request and therefore spend double for an extra big "something" ... but in truth, I don't know which model to ask for. I need some advice from all you cricut owners out there.... what features are essential? Which features do you love the most? Is this a situation where you should buy the most expensive machine you can afford? I've heard that a newer model allows you to hook up to your computer and use fonts/graphics from your computer on the machine, but can't find that online... does anyone know anything about these machines?

I need help!!! Well, hubby needs your help picking out the right gift for me! ;-)