Random Rambles from the Weekend: A Re-Cap

File Feb 29, 9 25 13 AMThis weekend.

Where to start?

A lovely dinner with friends Friday night.

Saturday kicked off with my husband wanting to make these pipe shelves for our library (which I’m so excited about).  Yes, we call it the library even though there isn’t one shelf or grown-up book in the room.  We’re visualizers.  And dreamers.  Haha.  I think you have to be when you live in a home that’s one-hundred and fifteen years old that you’re re-doing yourself.  Survival, you know?  Because you know (most days) that you’ll get there someday.

S0 Saturday morning, hubs was on the horn and up early ready to head to Lowes.  No showers, we set out…with our toddler.

We make it to the plumbing aisle–do you have a list, I ask him?

“No”

He has a wildly determined look in his eye, parts start being pulled and piled, they were out of this and that and I’m looking at this project thinking, we in trouble.  You can imagine.

“Ok”

And this is when you know God is real, because here comes a Lowe’s guy around the corner. I asked him for a pen to draw out said shelving and start counting parts.  I start drawing and he asks what are you building?

Thank you, God, for that guy because he knew numbers and measurements and where things were.  AND. And. and.

He was kind.

So, thank you to Jeff at Lowe’s Marion, IND store.

We make it to the car and off to the next hardware store for more parts we went.

“Can we go to the antique mall after this?”  I needed some therapy after all the hardware part shopping.  Lord.
File Feb 29, 9 24 36 AMI haven’t been to an antique mall in forever and this one was so fun.  I snapped a few random photos so you could see.  It had all the things you want in an antique mall/flea market.  Piles of stuff, collections of this and that, oddities…..  SO fun…even with a toddler.  We are overhauling our house on a budget and I’m looking for neat pieces for our walls and a few things for work.  Of course, I get a little side-tracked by sparkle and ephemera too….
File Feb 29, 9 27 20 AMFile Feb 29, 9 26 49 AM
File Feb 29, 9 25 37 AMFile Feb 29, 9 26 08 AMAnd then there are these Simpson collector plates and I wonder who owned those?  And someone’s treasured Elvis lamp that they probably painted themself.  If these things could talk…File Feb 29, 9 27 49 AMFile Feb 29, 10 17 02 AMMy bachelorette self really wanted the Elvis lamp.  It was about 2 ft tall, people.  I would’ve added a few flat-back crystals to his suit.

Instead, I came home with a couple embroidered linens that were stained.  I will cut them up for pendants (stay tuned), a metal canteen to hang on the wall and a brass embossed box.  That is all.  Because I’m only looking for things that are “on the list.”

On Sunday, we got up again (this time, I took a shower) and we went to yet another hardware store for the last round of shelf parts and some grocery shopping.

We made it home, the weather was beautiful, so we worked on our garage.  It made me a little ill, to stop momentum on the shelf project, but honestly, I had a pile of boxes to go through that had been in storage that were also making me ill (if truth be known).  Blah.  Cleaning and going through old stuff is about as much fun as tweezing my eyebrows.  But I did go through ALL of them and I feel better today for it.  Getting started is the hardest part and I told myself, I will go through two boxes….  Two boxes fueled the whole project.  Funny how we have to play games like that with ourselves, but I don’t care because it worked.File Feb 29, 9 28 43 AMSpring cleaning is upon us.  Should you find yourself with a job of purging, this quote really hit the nail on the head for me.  Going through box after box of old sketchbooks, collections, and such….  I enjoyed those things during the time and now I can let them go.

Those new “library” shelves will be filled with things my family treasures.

Are you purging anything?  I’d love to hear your stories…

The Crafter’s Book of Clever Ideas Review and Giveaway!

The Crafter's Book of Clever Ideas by Andrea and Cliff CurrieAs we head into fall, back to school etc… I wanted to share with you a sweet book that I think is super great for tween crafters.  It’s called the Crafter’s Book of Clever Ideas by Andrea and Cliff Currie.  I know the Currie’s and they are genuinely fun folks!  Their personality and wit really comes through in their projects and book.
The Crafter's Book of Clever IdeasOne of my favorite things about this book is the layout and feel of the pages.  It’s trendy and colorful.  Look at the doodles around the project previews!
Bulletin Board Idea from The Crafter's Book of Clever IdeasProjects rotate between his and hers.  I really like this mini taxidermy project by Cliff Currie, especially for young guy makers.  I’m in Indiana and I know a lot of boys that would think it’s cool to make miniature taxidermy heads (including my husband, the hunter).
Mosaic Idea from The Crafter's Book of Clever IdeasThere are tried and true techniques with new and funky spins.  I appreciate this too for young crafters.   You’ll find some projects you want to make alongside your teen.  Make it together!  Hip hip hooray!

Two thumbs up for the Currie’s!  It’s a really fun book!!
The Crafter's Book of Clever Ideas GiveawayTo celebrate craftiness, I’m giving away a bunch of good stuff THANKS to Plaid Crafts, Dress It Up Buttons and the Currie’s.

The mother-load of crafty goodies includes:

Mod Podge Starter Pack—Hot Glue Gun Helper Set—3 Dress It Up Embellishment Packs—Button bracelet form—Jesse James Beads Inspiration pack—AND the Currie’s new Crafter’s Book of Clever Ideas!

I’m excited!  You can use the bracelet and buttons to make a button bracelet like THIS!

Check out the details below to win!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

crafty giveaway winner.09.18 AMWE HAVE A WINNER!  Thanks again everyone for the awesome comments!!!

Earring Making Tutorial

Earringology by Candie CooperI’m so proud to say that Earringology is officially available!  To celebrate, I’ve got a quick earring tutorial for you today!Jewelry Making Berry DIY Earring Tutorial from CandieCooper.comMy Aunt Jane has been talking about picking berries.  I want some.  Right now.  I can eat them like popcorn annnnd I usually pay for it later, but they’re so worth it!  Do you have any favorite berry recipes?

Oh Summer, please stick around for as long as you can.

These beads make me think of berries.  That’s why all the berry talk.  Sorry.

The berry beads and chain are from JesseJamesBeads.com and the remaining findings are from Beadalon.  The thing I love about this design is that they are light and dangly with just the right amount of sparkle.

Ok, enough rambling…let’s do this!Jewelry Making Pliers SetI use Beadalon Ergo pliers.  Have for years!  I’m a loyal dog.  You can find a set of pliers that feel comfy to you.String the beadString the bead onto the decorative head pin wire and finish with a wrapped loop following the pictures.Wrap the wire around the top of the pliersMake a 90 degree bend at the end of the wire.  Grasp the wire with the round nose pliers next to the bead.  Ding! Move to the next picture.Wrap the wire over the top of the pliers and around the top of the beadRemember those tapes and story books?  Or were they film strips?  Maybe both.  Anyway!  Wrap the wire up and over the top of the round nose pliers.  This will form the loop nicely.Wrap the excess wire around the base of the loopNow, wrap the extra wire around the base of the loop as many times as you can or like.Trim away the excess wireDoes it look kind of like this?  Good deal!Trim away the wireTrim the excess wire (even though the picture before said that already).  Did I mention you need to trim that wire?Connect the chain to the ring and bead dangleOpen a jump ring with chain nose pliers and connect the chain to the ring and then…. (ding)Connect the ring and the bead danglethe berry dangle.Chain and bead connected with jump ringClose the ring.  At this point, you can decide how long you want the chain section and trim it to that length.  I left mine about 1.5″ long because this pair of earrings is ready to party!How to open a jump ringOpen another jump ring and connect to the opposite end of the chain.Connect the ear wireThen attach the ear wire to the jump ring.How to close a jump ringAnd close the ring!  Easy peasy!Earring Tutorial via CandieCooper.comOn that note, I’ve gotta run.  My to-do list is calling my name.  Back to school craft projects are at the top of the list.  Already??  I know.

Have a great day!  And let me know if you decide to take a peek at Earringology.  I care what you think of it! <3Earringology by Candie Cooper

Sunday Breakfast

My HipstaPrint 0
Just another picture of food…sorry.  I was sitting down to eat and thought, I love this kind of breakfast.  Yogurt.  Dry cereal.  Fruit.  Done.  I also love bacon, french toast and scrambled eggs, but it's not that kind of morning.  You have to plan for that kind of breakfast.  Last night I grilled fish for dinner and that pretty much did me in on planned meals. ;) 

I prepped some photo things this morning for my new beading book, next it's over to church to hear a friend sing and back to the photographing.  It's gloomy here and Rocky has been lazy all morning. Dogs really know how to live it up on these sort of days.  I'm a bit envious. Couch.  Curled up.  Sleep.  Done.  I just heard him let out a big sigh.  It's like he knows I'm typing about him.

I'm reading The Alchemist finally thanks to a good friend putting it in my lap.  I haven't read in forever (other than magazines).  It's such a small book, but 50 pages in and already giving me so much to think about.  I love that.

I hope you are having a great weekend wherever you are doing whatever makes you happy!

Breakfast at Tiffany’s Charm Bracelet

DSCF7843
Charm bracelets are still a favorite of mine to make.  This one was centered around our girl, Holly Golightly, in Breakfast at Tiffany's.  I like to pack as much in per link as I can.  This project is featured in the Wristwatch section of the new Everyday Bracelets eMag publication by Interweave.  There's a little video of me talking about my love for making charm bracelets. Check it out here!

Metalworking 101 for Beaders book WINNER!

Screen shot 2011-06-06 at 7.44.11 AM
Congratulations to commenter #5!  Mary Ann Beckley!  This is a screen shot of the random comment generator page.  If you look closely you can see I had to google "screen shot on mac" because I had no idea how to do that.  Off to send Mary Ann an email to let her know…  Have a great Tuesday!  I ship out for the Bead and Button show tomorrow and I'm excited!!!

Apartment Therapy Book

Photo on 2011-06-03 at 09.28 #3

This book changed the way I think.  It's called Apartment Therapy–the eight step home cure by Maxwell Gillingham-Ryan.  Apartment Therapy is brilliant!  You know this.  The book is AMAZING!  If your home does not feel like a sacred, comforting space, then truly, I think you'll find relief and answers on these pages.  A place to hang your hat?  What to keep.  What not to keep.  Something is broken?  I learned so much.  You don't have to live in an apartment either.  This is all basic info that can be applied to a tent or a mansion in the Hollywood Hills. 

 

Thanks everyone for commenting on the book give-away!  Sigh of relief!  I worried I was going to be like the Maytag man sitting here waiting for the comments to come.  You all saved me!

So keep em' coming.  Contest ends this Sunday @ Midnight EST!