Look what's hanging on the wall in my downline, Denise W's house?  119409 (small, in black) "Do Good, Be Kind" decor elements for $6.95.  Denise put it in a black frame, but didn't put a backing on it.  It is very striking to see in person.

Supplies:

119427 Our Attitude Toward Life-Black (9 3/4" x 7 1/8") $15.95

Retired Designer Series Paper

116155 Laundry-Black (8 1/4" x 9")  $8.95

Retired Designer Series Paper

These are so easy to make.  First, I cleaned the glass and applied the Definitely Decorative rub-on to the glass.  Then I put the Designer Series Paper inside the frame.

She put the Chalkboard Decorative Sign above their telephone.  It is available in three sizes:

119664 Decorative Sign 13 3/4" x 15 3/4"  $14.95

119665 Decorative Sign 17 7/8" x 20 7/8"  $18.95

119666 Decorative Sign 23 1/2" x 26 1/2"  $29.95

Use any chalk to write on the image.  Clean using a chalkboard eraser or a damp cloth.

She adhered "Our Attitude Toward Life" Decor Element on the glass part of a gold frame.  Because of the reflection on the bottom of this frame, I don’t know if you can see that she added some brown rub-on’s also to the glass part of the frame.  This looks very striking on her dark blue wall.

This Decor Element is available in five colors:  black, basic gray, chocolate, kraft and white.  It also comes in four sizes:

9 3/4" x 7 1/8"  $15.95

13" x 9 3/8"      $17.95

17 3/4" x 12 3/4"  $19.95

25 7/8" x 18 5/8"  $21.95

I bought the Tres’ Chic in black, medium-sized (27 3/8" x 53 1/2") #119541.  The Tres’ Chic wall art can be purchased in 4 sizes and 5 different colors.  Contact me if you want more information about ordering it.

Here is the blank wall opening that was recently painted.  Most people put a painting or large floral arrangement in these openings.  Since I don’t like to do what most people do with decorating, I was excited to try something different.

I am afraid of heights and try to avoid ladders.  My daughter doesn’t really like heights either.  She really didn’t like standing on a ladder over a staircase, but she was a trooper, and did it.  The Tres’ Chic wall art comes in about 8 numbered pieces.  Each piece has "x’s" where you line up the pieces so they are straight.  The directions said it would take around 1-2 hours to put this up.  It took us about 1 1/2 hours, including interruptions from the grand girls.

We were both so excited when she got the first word done! 

Here is Melanie’s glowing face with the finished project.  We were worried that all the words weren’t going to fit, but they did! 

Then my "interior decorator", that would be Melanie, said I should get black candlesticks with red candles and put on either side of the Tres’ Chic wall art.  All I have is my mother-in-law’s crystal candlesticks.  So you know I’ll be on the hunt for black candlesticks.  She was right–again!  I value her opinion on alot of things, including decorating!  Everyone who comes to the house, now stops and looks up at the Tres’ Chic wall art, and have glowing comments about it.  I LOVE IT!!!

She cut out the flowers and used temporary painter’s tape to place them on the wall.

Here she is showing how simple it is to apply the Decor Elements to the wall.

I love how she layered and overlapped the flowers.

Even better is she added some bling and dimension by using various brads and rhinestone brads (found on p. 179 of Stampin’ Up! catalog).

See how easy it was for her to redecorate a bedroom for less than $50!

It’s time to change from the Thanksgiving decorations around the house to the Christmas decorations.  The photo below is my original Thanksgiving project.  The photo above is the same project, just with real red cardstock and holly greenery.  Super simple!

Late one night before the craft show, I was looking for something to use the Christmas Countdown Decor Element on.  My frames I had around the house were too small, so I was getting frustrated.  I was in the furnace room where I store some extra craft supplies and I looked on the floor and there was a stack of extra floor tiles from our bathroom floor.  Jackpot!  The Christmas Countdown fit!  woo hoo!  So I quickly cleaned the floor tile, let it dry and adhered the Christmas Countdown.  [Please note:  IT'S STRAIGHT!!!!!]  Now I had all these numbers that I needed to somehow adhere to it.  I’m not panicking yet, but digging in my cupboards thinking..what can I use, I have to have something in these cupboards.   I found a stack of blank coasters.  Pull out my Sizzix Scallop Circle #2 die and put a coaster through the Big Shot.  I’m thinking..maybe, just maybe the numbers will fit.  Viola!  I’m doing the happy dance now because they fit! 

I took my Crop-a-dile and punched a hole in every other scallop.  Then I took a Real Red Marker and made a dot in every other scallop.  Dug into the cupboard because I swear I had some velcro strips somewhere.  There they were in the back on the top shelf!

Slapped one side of the velcro on the tile and the other on the back of the coaster.  I’m a happy gal now!  There was too much white space on the tile and I unfortunately didn’t have enough ribbon to put around the tile.  So I found some leftover dots from the Sticky Cuts Letters, put them on the tile and pressed Chunky Red Glitter on them.  The glitter dots aren’t my fav, but they are better than having blank tile space.  I will put the 1 1/4" Riding Hood Red/Very Vanilla Striped Grosgrain Ribbon on over the glitter dots when my next order comes in.

This project is proof that you can use whatever stuff you have laying around your house.  Another example of my Depression-era parents who taught me to "make use of what you have".

Next, Sunday, November 23, is my downline meeting.  My DIVA’s select a different swap each month to share with each other.  They selected Decor Elements or Rub-on’s.  I decided to make my project late one night.  First, I’m going to show you what NOT to do with your Decor Elements.   Don’t get so freakin’ excited to get the project done, that you put the Decor Elements on c-r-o-o-k-e-d!  Ugh!  I found this antique bottle at a junk store and thought it would be perfect with the "jingle all the way".  Put some 1/2" Striped Real Red Grosgrain Ribbon around the neck.  I attached a retired chipboard snowflake covered with Real Red ink and Clear Embossing Powder.  You only get one chance with Decor Elements.  Take my advice:  slow down and take a deep breath before attaching it to a smooth surface. 

So now as it is getting closer to the downline meeting, I have to find something else in this house to use.  I found this cute jar in the back of my cupboard that I must have found garage saleing.  No extra Decor Elements laying around, so I decided to use the small flowers from the Chateau Bella rub-on’s.   Tied some 1/2" Striped Real Red Grosgrain Ribbon and 5/8" Real Red Grosgrain Ribbon to the top.   I must have color coordinating candy and found these Starbursts.  Super simple to make.  The little flowers look like snowflakes right now.  All I need to do is change the ribbon colors and different candy and the jar will work all year round!

The new catalog of Phase 2 of the Decor Elements is available now.  Contact me if you want a copy mailed to you.  This is the Season of Thanks in the small size (12" x 7 5/8") in black lettering.  I bought a shadow box, lined it with 12"x12" Designer Series Paper.  I took some silk leaves and used giant glue dots to adhere them.  I put the Decor Elements words towards the left side of the glass, so the words are more legible and it looks more balanced.  This was a project shown at Convention.  They put autumn looking potpourri in their shadow box.  I decided I didn’t want the mess and smell of potpourri, hence the silk leaves.  A simple twist on this project would be to cut the three phrases apart and make three separate frames.