I bought this framed quote from a craft sale.  I love the quote, but the frame is too boring for me.  It has been sitting in my bathroom for a while, so I decided to jazz it up a bit.

I added a bow of the 118481 Victoria 5/8" Crochet Trim.  Then I added a smashed flower on top of the bow.  Doesn't it look 100% better?  It now goes with my shabby chic bathroom decor!

To make the smashed flower, take the 119854 1-3/4" Scallop Circle Punch and punch out eight circles from the 101650 Very Vanilla Cardstock.  I lightly lightly spritzed the scallop circles with the 102394 Stampin' Mist Stamp Cleaner and crumpled them into tight balls.  You could use water instead of the Stamp Cleaner, but it takes longer to dry.  Walk away from your work table and let these dry.  Then you can smooth out the crumpled cardstock, poke a hole in the center of them and add any of the brads found on page 199 on the Stampin' Up! catalog.  I did add some green leaves, but you don't have to.

The frame is from Ikea.  It is the Tolsby two-sided frame for $.99. If you have a graduation, wedding, birthday, anniversary, retirement, etc. celebration that you need table decorations for, these frames would work perfectly.  You can add photographs to both sides.  You can use these for table numbers listing the guests' names.  Or photographs of the special person from birth to their current age.  Hosting a plant sale/swap?  Place a photograph of the blooming plant next to the seedlings.  Your ideas for decorating these frames is limited to your imagination!  Have fun!!!

Please share how you would use these frames.  You all know how much I like to copy other people's ideas!  You can order supplies to decorate these frames in my 24/7 store.  Click here and then select "shop now" in the upper right corner.

Tags: Decorating, Gift Item

Here is a beautiful gift that I received from my downline, Kathleen.  She stamped the images from the 123768 Pines & Poinsettias Stamp Set on tissue paper and trimmed with a scissor close to the edge of the images.  She laid them one at a time on the candle and used her heat tool to slightly melt the wax, which covers the tissue paper image.  Isn't it striking?  Thanks Kathleen!

Tags: Christmas, Decorating, Gift Item

It's time to start those handmade Christmas gifts.  And here is a great idea to start you off.  This was made with a wooden frame that you can get a craft store.  Paint it green. 

Add these embellishments:

123762 Pines & Poinsettias stamp set

124004 Holly Berry Bouquet Specialty Designer Series Paper

120893 Tasteful Trim Bigz Die

125056 Cherry Cobbler 1 1/4" Striped Grosgrain Ribbon

122334 Simply Scored Scoring Tool

125636 Holly Berry Bouquet Designer Buttons

119247 Basic Pearls Jewels

This is so pretty, that I would recommend you make one for yourself!

Tags: Christmas, Decorating, Gift Item

Are you thinking this is a name of a new stamp set?  No.  It is my excuse for not having a stamping/scrapping related project on my blog today.  We went to the cabin and this is one of my projects that I worked on.  Decorating one of the bare window boxes.

I walked around our property and cut down some of the dried up perennials and weeds. 

I thought I may have cut too much, but I didn't. I managed to squeeze every single one in the window box.  I know some of them will blow away this winter, so I'm okay with it being overstuffed!  Now we have a nice welcoming look for the visitors we'll have at the cabin this winter.

Tags: Decorating

While shopping, I spotted two of these frames in the clearance section.

This is exactly the stuff I love to find.  A flat surface is the easiest thing to alter, so I was pumped by these frames!  I covered the surface with the 110755 Multipurpose Liquid Glue.  I covered one frame with 121878 First Edition Specialty Designer Series Paper and the other one with retired Designer Series Paper.  I shabbied both frames with 118762 Distressing Essentials Kit.  These frames are perfect for black & white pictures of the grandgirls.

The flower was made with the 121812 Fun Flowers Die, the 117273 Antique Brad and some 118481 Victoria Crochet Trim behind it.

And a close up of my sweeties!  They thought it was cool that their dad lifted them up into the tree.

 I added the 119246 Basic Rhinestones that I colored black with a permanent black marker.

And here is another close up of my sweetie.  What you don't see is my son crouching down behind the tree holding her so she didn't fall.

Tags: Decorating