Mustache Cups.

As long as its not permanent, its ok with me :)

 I don't know how it happened, but mustaches are all the rage.

 I have seen them at baby showers, weddings, and full out mustache themed parties.

I do think they are funny, especially since Neil has this theory that a mustache = success.

With my new silhouette, this was a fun experiment. Disposable cups make for a great party!

Talk about an ice breaker!

Of course they are in my store and the code PARTY will get you 15% off.

Have I mentioned that I LOVE MY SILHOUETTE!!!

Chalkboard Door.

I have been wanting to have chalkboard somewhere in the house and I finally found a nice discreet location for it - the back door of the library! 

I didn't want anything too permanent so I bought this vinyl chalkboard roll at Michaels and simply slapped it on. It is removable and adjustable.

What took the longest was writing ...

 Here are some close ups:

Its a simple project with endless possibilities!

My New Silhouette Cameo.

So after handcutting all those Scrabble letters mentioned here, I finally took the plunge. I ordered a Silhouette Cameo! Usually I agree with DIYing but cutting out 26 1 inch numbers for an order put me over the top. I always knew this is the tool that would make everything easy but at $300 I just couldn't bring myself to spend that much. I reconsidered after that big order and found a coupon for $40 off so that helped but I also had to remind myself that I have already paid it off through online orders so it would not affect our personal budget. And let me tell you....IT WAS WORTH IT!

It literally takes 5 minutes from start to finish to create the scrabble tiles that used to take about 4 hours.

And now, I feel like I can do anything! It can cut, draw, sketch, creat iron ons, etc. I can't wait to show it off to my Mom and I just know it would be great for your cards Grandma!

Needless to say, I got crafting right away.

I created a new item for my store: Chalkboard Party Cups

They are 24 ounce, sturdy, plastic cups with customizable chalkboard labels.

I think they are adorable for a rehersal dinner, outdoor party, holidays, or any special event. And no, this is not meant to be an advertisement but since you are here, you deserve a litte discount if you choose to partake in ETSY-ness. Enter the code PARTY to recieve a 15% discount on anything in the store!

 I am sure there will be more crafts in my future soon! I'll keep you updated.

New Tricks for Old Dogs.

Our puppies must have been showing off this weekend for our special guest - Dad Shanks!

We had a great weekend visiting and although it seems like we put him to work every time he comes down, I have come to realize that it must be a dad thing. He fixed the tractor, trimmer, car horn, and helped set up the pool!! We really do appreciate it!

We did get to go to a Baseball game, dinner and visit the Heisman Trophy also.

He got to spend hours with the puppies and when we got home, they had learned a new trick

 They now pose on our tree stump seats! 

It may not sound like much but the seats have been there literally for two years and they have never done that, so thanks Dad! 

It was great to have you here...next time, less work, more play!

Tissue Paper Walls.

I was alone one. whole. weekend. So to keep myself busy, i tackled a project that I learned in OHIO.
The walls of our bathroom were "textured" awfully. i could not tell if they meant to "texture" of if plaster just happened to drip on the walls.

I wish I would have taken pictures but when i visited Aunt Denise in Ohio, she had really cool textured walls that she did her self. Come to find out, it was tissue paper! First, I thought about where I could do that in my house. Then, off to the internet I went. I found a cheapppp tutorial. Most of tutorials I found said to use wallpaper glue which is probably a good idea but I did not have any so I kept looking. Finally, I found two that used a mixture of 1 cup water to 1/3 cup Elmer's Glue! I doubled the recipe and it was more than enough.

I used white tissue paper because the wall was going to be white anyways.

You crumble the paper...

Then you "paint" the glue mixture on the wall in a small section that is just larger than the tissue.

Once that is up, straighten out the paper with your hand. It will stick to the wall.

Then dip your paint brush in the glue and "paint" over the paper. 

You can control how much texture shows at this step.

Let it dry for a few hours. You can go back and paint glue over any sections that need more adhesion.

One thing I had trouble with was the overlapping. Where it overlapped, it looked like a darker color. 

To remedy this, I painted (really painted) a basic white over the entire surfaces the next day and that did the trick. These pictures are not too great, but you can get the idea.

Of course I realized when I began this project that no one would probably notice the difference except me...and i was right, Neil did not notice.

But its ok, I love it!

Thanks for the inspiration Aunt Denise!

Organization Station.

I love organization, although I am not always good at it. This weekend I had a lot of free time. Most of it was spent cleaning, organizing and working on the bathroom project (stay tuned).

It seems that I have jewelry everywere - coffee table, night stand, gym bag, jewelry box, restroom, kitchen sink, etc. I do have a great standing jewelry box but for the items I wear on a consistent basis, it is more convenient to grab and go. Here is the newest contraption that rests atop my dresser.

This "system" is broken down with ring in the first cup, earrings in the second, and bracelets in the third. 

It is easy to toss them in and pull them out without any time lost.

I also added this cork board to the inside of one of the cabinets. Spare keys, recipes, notes, and/or reminders can be placed out of sight and in reach!

 Then, I tackled the infamous "junk drawer. i bought small bins from the dollar section in Target and got to work. And no, those are not filled with candy, our pens are in one and markers in the other.

  

I guess it can be called Spring Cleaning but it seems like it needs to be done more often. We'll see how long it lasts :/

Lots of Letters.

I started an Etsy store about a year ago as a paid hobby :)

The strongest sellers have been large Scrabble tiles but when my stock ran out, I resorted to selling smaller 6X6 inch tiles. And I cannot say business has slowed down too much. This is what our dining table has looked like for the past couple of days.

 This was the largest order I have had. It is for the Lucas family. With smaller tiles (at a cheaper price) I think that people are more comfortable ordering large amounts.

This was ordered on the same day...obviously as a mothers day gift.

Her mom just started a scrapbook supply business and works from home. Her father just converted a garage into her office and these are for her new office.

I think what I love most is hearing stories about where the pieces are going. They have gone into nurserys, game rooms, offices, first apartments, dorms, and even a wedding. I ran across this picture on Pinterest and recognized these tiles.

They were professionally photographed for an online wedding magazine called StyleMePretty.

Visit for the full article. So fun!

Needless to say, I am so happy with the success of this hobby. Sometimes I wish I had more time to devote to it but for now, it is doing well.

The small tiles are selling for $8 if you buy three or more so visit My Etsy Store!

Justice Sandra Day O'Connor.

Teachers work hard. My husband teaches high school Ecomomics and Government and usually teaches from 7:45-4:00pm, everyday. Well this week was a little bit different he got to meet Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor.

She created the icivics program that teaches students 4th -12th grade about civics issues via video games. Sandra Day O'Connor worked with Ken Starr, Baylor president to pilot test the program. Baylor Law and Education Departments worked with WacoISD to introduce it to the students. It seems to work seamlessly with the curriculum and testing and they kids liked it. Look out for it to go nation wide in a few years :)

I am so glad he not only gets to participate in icivics (which seems really cool) but also to meet the wonderfully successful, civics minded creator.