Creative University 2013 projects.

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Hello! Today I am going to share with you three of the 5 projects we created at CU 2013.

First up is the Buzz and Bumble mini album Kandi and I taught.

This album that Tresa designed is so beautiful. The details are simple but elegant. Thanks to Tresa I will be teaching this album in a workshop soon. Stay tuned for details!

Next are these amazing cards. The wonderful Sheila Bennett taught us these beautiful versatile cards.

All using the new Chantilly paper pack. I think these cards show the versatility of this great paper pack.. it’s not just for girls!

Finally the AMAZING layout created by Tresa and taught by one of my favorite people, Kristen Luther.

We learned how to make three different kinds of fabric flowers on this stunning layout.  

My favorite is the singed satin flower. I added some of Close to my Heart’s black toile between the layers. I love how it turned out!

We also made a yoyo flower with a spiky look to it. So fun!

That’s all I have time for today. Coming soon, The technique boutique and jewelry projects!

Have a wonderful day!

Creative University 2013 quick recap

It was another great year at Creative University. In fact I think it was the best year ever! The amazing Tresa Black out did herself designing the beautiful projects and put together a wonderful event.

 

Let’s start with the beautiful setting. Who wouldn’t love to come together with friends from around the country to learn and create in this beautiful setting.

Next, pick some of your best girlfriends to join you on this creative adventure.

Snuggle into a cozy mountain cabin. It’s amazing how little time you will spend in your cute little cabin. Sleep? Who needs sleep!

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Add some fun and games. Minute to win it! And Yes I won it! This beautiful Origami Owl necklace sponsored by Sheila Bennett! Thank you for the beautiful prize!

Have lots of space to create all weekend.

Throw in delicious food, and you would think that the weekend is perfect right? Well, that was just the beginning!

This Amazing lady is so talented!

Here are some of the amazing projects we got to create over the weekend.

   

I had the privilege of teaching this year. It was a fun experience. My teaching partner Kandi and I taught this adorable Mini Album class.

Part of our responsibilities as teachers this year was to create an inspiration board using a specific item or technique. I chose Fabric as my medium. Here is the only picture of I have of my inspiration board all together… I was so busy I completely forgot to get a picture of it! *photo credit Nicole Lewno

Well, that is all I have time for today. Stay tuned for more on the beautiful projects we created and information on the techniques used in my inspiration board! Have a wonderful weekend!

Thrifty weekend!

So school started a few weeks ago and life is starting to come into a routine again. I have to say I love routine but I don’t have as much time for crafty stuff as I do during the summer. But it is still a big part of me and my life so I knew I couldn’t go too long with out finding a project to work on. So I went to my favorite thrift shop and a couple, literally 2, garage sales and came home with a van full of fabulous finds!  Here is a quick peek at what I scored!

This bench was at my Son’s insistence. He saw this at a garage sale and said “Mom you HAVE to get this bench. You can paint it and make it a cushion!” I talked the lady into giving it to me for $10 so I wouldn’t feel too bad if it sat in the garage for a year before I got to working with it. I really do love it and can’t wait to see what I end up doing with it!

 

This chair was a no brainer. $2 and it is just so sweet. I don’t like the seat that was put on it. It's not original and will be removed. I can’t wait to paint it and try out a woven chair seat on this. I have seen so many and I have been dying to try one.

See the leaves! I love all things tree, and leaves fit right in there!

This old broken Chandelier already got a coat of paint and will be hung in the back yard with candles where the light bulbs go.

This curvy picture frame is already in the process of being painted. I am going to glaze it too! This chair was one in a pair I bought for $5 each, brand new with the tags still on! Poor lady couldn’t get out of them so into the garage sale they went, and on to my back deck! Yay me!

This rooster is so stinking cute! I love him so much! I am thinking about painting his crest and waddle red and hanging him on my fence.

This curvy girl table was a steal at $3 the lady really wanted me to take it! I couldn’t turn it down at that cheap so home she came with me. If I can’t find a place for her in my house I will sell her.. but I think I already found the perfect spot!

And last but not least is this AWESOME Kayak and boat ladder both found at the Goodwill Outlet center by my house. Our beloved Kayak blew away on a stormy day in Coeur d'Alene this summer. We have missed it so much. So when I saw this I called my hubby and told him to Hi-tail it down there and check it out. It looks to be in great shape and for $7 we are very happy to have it in our family! The boat ladder my son found and was an amazing deal at just $2. My husband was just yesterday looking for one and they are $60 new.. I say that’s a great deal!

Oh and I forgot to take a before picture of my Son’s project. He dug right in and got his project going right away. I will get a picture and post that soon along with my other projects as I get them done!

I hope you get a chance to get out there and find some amazing treasures before the weather turns bad. Have a great week!

End table sneak peek…

Here is a sneak peek of my next project…

about to go from boring to a little more character! Stay tuned!

Master bedroom furniture.. from Mis-matched to a matching set!

As you know we moved in April and have been busy trying to get the house and yard the way we want it. Most rooms have been worked on at least a little bit, some have had a lot of work done. The last room to be touched of course is our Master bedroom.

Our bedroom is normally the storage place for anything that doesn’t have a home.. but now we have a bigger home and I am hoping that we will find homes for all of those things very soon.

I wish I had a matching bedroom set, but working for the school means no paycheck for July and August… so no money for a new bedroom set. I had to go to the next best thing, paint! I love spray paint! Here are some before pictures of the furniture pieces individually.

This is one of our night stands that I bought at a garage sale several years ago for $10 for the set. I loved them. They are Mahogany and used to be beautiful I am sure.. they were in this condition when I bought them but I never actually did anything with them until this weekend.

I started to sand the top before I thought to take a picture…

Here is the headboard. It was just a plain bed from Ikea that was handed down to us from my Sister in law.. very boring..

Here are the really bad pictures of the bench I bought at the Goodwill Outlet store just after we moved. It was going to be my first project of the summer.. but is turning out to be the last.

This the only before picture I have of the bedroom. It was taken to show my Mom who couldn’t go up stairs what the bedroom looked like.. I told her it was a mess! Here the bed isn’t even set up yet. This was our first morning in the new place. Messy messy!

Now here is the after! As you can see.. lots of work yet to do, but it is a start!

The bench was rough and really soaked in the paint.. I think it needs to be sanded and sprayed again but I wanted to see what it all looked like in the room. I am so impatient. Actually the more I look at it the more I think it needs to be repainted a different color.. Not digging all the black.. I like the bed and the tables but the bench needs to be a different color...hmm.. any suggestions?

I love how the nightstands turned out. I really love that the hardware was in great shape and look great with the black paint.

Ok that’s it for now. It is cool and cloudy here today after a very hot weekend, so I think I will play at my craft desk for a bit. Have a great Monday!

Kari

A little of this and a little of that…

So I am all alone here at home this week. The boys are on their annual 50 mile back packing/hiking trip, and Em is with G-ma hanging and crafting and picking out kittens. So Momma gets a little alone time! Yay! I had a fabulous weekend full of friends and fun. Then Monday morning came and it was time to get to work. My job this week was to get the garage clean..That’s a big project.. so that we can participate in the neighborhood garage sale. I figured it would take me 3 days to get the garage done and then I would have a full day to get the sale stuff ready..Well, I must be very productive when I am alone. I got the garage done in less than 3 hours! So that left me with today to play! Here is what I did. First I finished my 42 swap cards..

This card is made using the Mischief paper pack and the new Art Philosophy Cricut Cartridge for Close to my Heart. I think it turned out ok.

Then I had to decide what to do next…

Have something to eat… read my book.. or make a burlap table runner and 4 matching place mats… decisions decisions…. I decided to start the runner and mats then have a snack.. then I was gonna read but then my Mom sent me a picture of her new kitten.. So reading was out..

Isn’t he so cute!

Ok so here is how I made the runner…

I started with my burlap and this edging stuff I found on clearance.. I really like it!

I got this kind of thread… incase you were wondering…

I measured it to the size I wanted on my table. Then it was time to cut it. Do you know the  trick to cutting Burlap so that it is straight? When if not I will show you.

First you make a snip to start where you want your cut.

Then pull it apart a little bit and get one thread in the middle..

Now pull it carefully… it will probably break but that is ok. Find the end and using something pokey (poky?… hmm.. which one is right… not sure.. oh well you get the idea)

pick it out and pull some more until you get to the other end..

see how it leaves a little line where the thread was.. Now take your scissors and cut down that line!

I cut it then I had to wash it.. Boy is it messy! Take it outside and give it a good shake and let it dry.. It doesn’t take too long for it to dry. There is a great tutorial Here. Very simple actually! Here is my runner all done!

If you look to the right of my runner in the picture below you will see a pile of threads from the process! WOW! this was a messy job!

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This is one of the place mats I made.

That’s it! I actually Still have to sew the other 3 mats but it is all ready for me to finish them up in the morning.. I can’t wait to get my table cleaned off so I can put my new runner on!

When I do I will post a picture of it in action! Let’s see what I end up doing tomorrow!