Studio Pebbles

DIY “Faux Frame” Modern Art Canvas + Home Depot Giveaway

 

Today I am excited to share one of my favorite projects with help from ScotchBlue™ Painters Tape and The Home Depot, as part of the “Get it, Got it, Go!” Summer Blog hop hosted by Kate at Centsational Girl.

This is literally one of my most favorite and signature techniques in making affordable art for your home, and something I have wanted to share for ages. I always use ScotchBlue™ Painters Tape to get the best results, and to help you pick up some supplies to use on your own DIY projects, I’m giving away a $50 gift card to The Home Depot – you can find information on how to enter at the end of this post!

DIY "Faux Frame" Modern Art Canvas 

Abstract paintings are a great decor item for the home, and are a simple and affordable DIY. A few years ago, I wanted to add some art to a large wall in our dining room- I found a trio of paintings in a home decor magazine that I fell madly in love with. Since buying the prints at $300 each was totally cost prohibitive, I figured I would put my degree in Fine Arts to good use, so I set to work on trying to replicate them for my home. The prints in the decor magazine were framed, which looked amazing, but framing is also costly- so I decided the easiest way to get a gallery look with my art would be to tape off a large border on the canvas and use it to create a "framed" look around my paintings. It was a total success- and since then, I do it with every canvas I paint.

(above paintings are inspired replicas of work by artist Jenny Nelson)

Since Father’s Day is fast approaching, I thought I would have Maggie join me in making a canvas to give to John as a gift. It was a great opportunity to talk with her as we painted about my experiences as an artist and how color and shapes can make you feel. 

Before we started, we talked about the kind of painting we were going to make, that it wasn’t a “picture” of something, it was just going to be a fun mix of whatever colors she picked. We talked about the other paintings in our home as an example of what we would be making. 

I gathered the supplies I picked up from The Home Depot and our new roll of ScotchBlue™ Painter’s Tape Original Multi-Use 2090, along with an artist canvas (prepped the day before with a nice coat of white acrylic paint,) my acrylic art paints and brushes and we got to work. 

First, we taped off the edges of the art canvas, folding the tape onto the surface of the canvas to create a wide border.

I used a paint knife to push the tape into the fabric of the art canvas, creating a nice tight seal. Then, we loaded up a paint pallette with all kinds of bright and bold colors and Maggie got right to work, starting with polka dots in Daddy’s favorite color- turquoise! 

Maggie is at that age where she wants to draw and paint things, like people, flowers, grass and sunshine, so I really enjoyed watching Maggie embrace the play aspect of using color just because, and letting her artistic license flow. She’s a natural!

Voila! After adding a few more of those special turquoise polka dots, her mini-masterpiece now complete! We set it aside to dry, and a few hours later, it was time to remove the ScotchBlue™ Painters Tape and reveal the “Faux Frame.” 

All we need now is a special place in the house to hang it- right next to Daddy's side of the bed!

We think he is going to love it!

I hope this project has inspired you to grab your own roll of ScotchBlue™ Painters Tape and dive into a creative project for your home. To help you get started, enter to win a $50 giftcard from The Home Depot by entering the giveaway below.  Don't forget to sign up for The Home Depot superfan program!

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If you want more ideas for all the ways ScotchBlue™ Painters Tape can help get your DIY fix, check out these projects from the other amazing bloggers participating in the “Get it, Got it, Go!” Blog Hop series:

• Centsational Girls DIY Modern Pet Bed 
• DIY Farmer's Market Display Stand from Brooklyn Limestone 
• Front Porch Makeover from 320 Sycamore
• DIY Barbecue Tool Storage from Whipperberry
• DIY Color Block Umbrella Table from Dukes & Duchesses
• DIY Board and Batten from Simply Designing

 

 

I am proud to be a 3M- sponsored blogger, and, as part of my responsibilities, I get the opportunity to evaluate products from ScotchBlue™ Painter's Tape. Opinions are my own and additional product(s) used in the project were selected by me.

For more inspiration, follow ScotchBlue™ Painter’s Tape on facebook, twitter, and pinterest, and follow The Home Depot on facebook, twitter, and pinterest.

Seahawks Love

Hey Everyone! 

I know it's been a while since I've shared anything here, and I bet you are mighty tired of seeing Christmas projects in February! So sorry for the long break, you can totally blame this dude:

I thought I would come out of my Mommy cave and share a couple of projects I made over the past few weeks for my fellow Seattle Seahawks fans!! 

It's okay if you don't follow football, but you should be aware that in our house, we bleed Blue and Green! We are proudly part of the 12th Man Nation, and are SO EXCITED that our beloved Seahawks won the Superbowl!! Here are a few pictures of us celebrating: 

Did you know that Seattle's celebration parade had over 700,000 people show up? We were totally devestated that we couldn't go because of the little man, but I've tried to make up for it by pouring my love into these projects...

First up, what Hawks fan wouldn't totally dig handing out Marshawn Lynch approved Power Pellet Valentines? My friend was lamenting on Facebook that there should be some Seahawks/Skittles Valentines Combo out there, and since I hadn't made anything for Maggie to take to her friends yet, I whipped these FREE Beast Mode Valentine Printables up for her, and you, my fellow Hawks fans! 

 Seahawks logo is copyright of the NFL, is shown for display purposes only and not included in download.

You can download your copy of these printable notes by clicking on the box below.

Next up in my Love Fest for all things Seahawks, is a Subway Art poster made especially for Hawks fans, like myself. I put this together the day of the parade, my computer screen barely visable through my FOMO tears...

I shared this 11"x 17" print on my personal Facebook page, and had so many requests from friends wanting one, that I put in a big print order. I should have a few left for sale on Etsy, and will happily restock if there is a large enough demand. 

GO HAWKS! 

Of course, Football isn't my only sports passion...

Can you say "Men's Olympic Curling?" 

Me-ow.  

Happy Valentine's Day, Sports Fans! 
xoxo
JP

A Muse Studio | Merry Little Christmas

Hey y'all! 

Over the past few months I've been working on a couple of albums using A Muse Studio products and sharing them here on my blog. Today I am wrapping up the series with my latest spread from my Hello December book. (You can find the Holiday album posts here, here and here and my Halloween album here and here.)

Last weekend I took Maggie to a Holiday Tea at the Salish Lodge in Snoqualmie, WA, about 5 minutes down the road from where we live. It might have to become a new holiday tradition, because I'm sure she won't remember (being 3.5yrs old) that we once got dressed up and had a fancy girls luncheon that consisted of 99% desserts. Her sandwich was PB+J on Banana Bread. It was effing delicious. 

Life has brought a lot of change for Maggie this fall, and I think a day with Mommy eating sugar and fat was just what she needed. I mean...just look at that smile.

I'm glad I have this album to work on and add to without the pressure of a daily format (or even weekly for that matter), as just having it as a work in progress keeps the idea of capturing our holiday activities on my radar.

As I mentioned before, having a baby smack dab in the middle of the bermuda triangle of the holiday calendar has meant a pretty low-key Christmas for us. I hate that I've only been able to do a tiny fraction of the crafting that I usually enjoy this time of year...but I love that at least the crafting I did, involved a gorgeous A Muse Studio wood grain stamp and tassels made from baker's twine. 

It's the little things that make the season bright. 

Ho Ho Ho!
-JP

I'll be back to share the winner from the Target Gift Card giveaway shortly, so stay tuned! 

FTC Disclosure: A Muse Studio has provided compensation and project supplies in exchange for this series. All opinions and experiences shared are my own

Holiday Fashion for Baby + Photo Shoot | Target Inner Circle

Hello Friends! 

December is flying by so extremely fast around here, I can't even believe it! We'll be welcoming Santa in less than 2 WEEKS which means we need to get our Christmas pictures done ASAFP and our cards in the mail before we run out of time. 

Thankfully, I don't have to stress much about outfits for the kids because as part of the Inner Circle team, Target asked me to pick out a few favorites and share them with you as part of their #MyKindOfHoliday campaign! I had already pre-shopped a bit for Maggie, but needed clothes for Baby Bodie, so I gathered a few festive choices and styled all of my picks for a "Holiday Fashion for Baby" round-up. 

I found these sneakers in a box of Maggie's old newborn baby clothes, along with a set of gender neutral baby leggings, so I picked up this adorable onsie to match, and a grey and white stripe sock and hat set to go with. This is a total standard baby uniform; perfect for a lazy day at home, or hitting the mall with Mommy for last minute shopping. 

This jumpsuit with suspenders and bow-tie is ADORABLE! I usually balk from dressing Bodie in outfits that are too "adult" themed, but I couldn't resist this. My only hesitation was the colors, because I don't decorate in traditional red and green for Christmas...but I grabbed it anyway.

Then I brought it home and gave it a full color makeover! 

You've cat to be kitten me right meow! I couldn't let Bodie have all the fun...this shirt is everything! I love bright colors and bold graphics so I had to get this for Maggie. I paired it with a silver tutu and yellow leggings already in her closet. 

How precious is this cable knit jumpsuit and matching trapper hat in a beautiful vanilla color for Bodie? I think this will be the outfit he wears for his first fancy Santa photo. 

Maggie will be wearing hearts and sequins for her date with the big man...I picked out a lace-edged cardigan and simple tank top to go with her rose gold sequin bubble skirt, cream and black heart tights and classic patent leather shoes. I can't wait to see these outfits on my kids. 

1. Suspender Suit // 2. Hat/Sock Set // 3. Pug Onsie // 4. Baby Leggings // 5. Baby Sneakers // 6. Cable Jumpsuit // 7. Trapper Hat // 8. Sequin Shirt // 9. Tulle Skirt // 10. Patent Leather Shoes // 11. Leopard Leggings // 12. Lace Edged Cardigan // 13. Heart Tights // 14. Tank Top // 15. Sequin Bubble Skirt

Now that we are set up with all these fancy duds, Target suggested I set up a photo shoot at home and see if I could share some tips with you on how to capture Christmas card worthy photos while dealing with a squirmy baby and a toddler who runs at the sight of my camera... "Sure." I said...why not!

I'm not a professional, but I have spent quite a few years learning how to use my camera (here's one like it) and working with what I've got...so here's my recipe for a successful home-based photo shoot:  

1. PLAN IN ADVANCE:  My house isn't a photo studio, and my camera and lenses are pushing 5 years old. That means that I have to prepare a space in my home ahead of time, one that has adequate natural lighting from a large window, and a blank wall to use as a backdrop. If you can, find a similar place in your home, even if it means moving some furniture out of the way. Decide on outfits and photo props ahead of time, and take some test shots before you get started.
   
   
2. GET HELP + USE BRIBERY:  If you have older kids that can help with wrangling your little ones, or a husband that can lend a hand, use them. Little babies need propping up and toddlers need to be constantly redirected and sometimes physically positioned into place. Have a special treat handy to use as a bargining tool, like candy or TV time as a reward for their cooperation. I let Maggie stay home from school with the condition that she had to be super cooperative and listen nicely. Worked like a charm. Every time she got close to wanting to bail on me, all I had to do was mention school, and she'd be right back at my side, ready to work. 
   
   
3. DONE IS BETTER THAN PERFECT:  My photos are far from technically perfect. They are grainy, blurry, and the shadows are a bit harsh...but, I caught a few moments that were good enough, and that's all you need. If your photos need brightening or the colors to be boosted up a bit, try using an easy photo editor like PicMonkey. 
   
   
4. HAVE FUN: After taking a lot of pictures that weren't what I wanted, we were all a bit tired and ready to be done, the baby was fussy and Maggie started playing with the tinsel...and then she started dancing! PERFECT! I took as many pictures as I could while she giggled and wiggled, and in the end, those dancing photos turned out to be the winners. Maggie is genuinely happy and smiling and Bodie...well, he's a baby. We're just happy he didn't have a blowout. :D 
   
   

SUCCESS!!

Now it's your turn to join in the fun! I am giving away a $50 Target Gift Card to help you deck your littles with dapper duds for the holidays! You can enter using the widget below, and the winner will be drawn Friday, December 20th. 

Be sure to follow #MyKindofHoliday and #TargetInnerCircle on Twitter and Instagram this month for more festive fun and holiday inspiration from Target and the rest of the Inner Circle Team. 

xoxoxo
-JP

Full Disclosure: I am a member of the Target® Inner Circle, I was provided a gift card to purchase some of the clothing items shown, however all opinions expressed are my own. 

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A Muse Studio | Mint + Red Holiday

December is here my friends, and that means that crafters everywhere are busy working like elves on their Holiday themed projects- from December Daily albums, to pom-pom garlands, and gingerbread houses to advent calendars! 

Me? Well, I'm working on the feeding and caring of a huge newborn baby, which means that so far, I haven't had any time to get into the crafty fun that I usually love to do when Christmas rolls around. I'm not going to lie, it's really hard for someone like me (aka: crafty control freak ocd decorating shopaholic) to be right in the middle of newborn craziness during the holidays. I wanted the decorations up November 1st...but I was having contractions that day, so instead of coasting into the holiday season like I had planned, I am behind on everything and it's killing me. 

I am trying to be practical and let myself off the hook a bit. Thankfully, I've got last years memories to help me focus on the little things about the holidays that I find really meaningful., like these photos from some of the new traditions we started with Maggie last year, that I added to the Holiday Memory album I made with A Muse Studio products. 

We definitely have our hands full this year, but Christmas wouldn't be Christmas without crafting. :D

I really kept things simple with this page, because the photos were so bold and colorful and busy, I didn't want to compete with them. I looked for some of the main colors in the photos and created embellishments and chose papers that would compliment and coordinate, like the soft plum of Maggie's shirt and the mint green in the Christmas cookie. I used my favorite A Muse Studio Bow and Heart Trio Dies and some Heather and Apple felt to add some texture and embellishment to my Vintage Lable ornament tag and stamped sentiment.

I love the bold cherry red against the soft ink colors and the shimmer of the silver ink and tiny gems, and I'm a big fan of the fact that A Muse Studio makes Splash mists that perfectly match some of their cardstock colors.  Here I used a ticket die to cut out the stamped image on mint cardstock, and mounted it onto a misted white cardstock background. 

I know we'll have to be especially choosy this year when it comes to what we can participate in and have lower expectations for decorating and celebrating. This weekend we'll be going to the local Santa breakfast at the senior center like we did last year, and I know we'll set aside time to bake and decorate cookies with Maggie. I'm sure we'll have plenty of time for laughs and fun, no matter how behind I might feel today.

If you want to see more of my Holiday albums with A Muse Studio, you can find more posts here and here. And, if you're looking for a fun get together with your friends over the holidays, why not find a local A Muse Studio consultant and have a craft party? 

xoxoxo
-JP

FTC Disclosure: A Muse Studio has provided compensation and project supplies in exchange for this series. All opinions and experiences shared are my own. 

Introducing: Spooky Halloween by Studio Pebbles

Check the sky for flying pigs!
(I think I have used that line before...hmmm...need new material.)

I just added some *NEW* products to my Etsy shop: the Spooky Halloween collection includes 3-sets of printable journaling/PL cards and a set of 10 Flair Badges for paper crafting.

I have been trying to get back to regular product design, so this is a big achievement for me folks! Halloween is one of the most fun holidays to design products for, and as you can see by the number of cards I made, that I just couldn't stop at one set. I have favorites in each one, but I'm really partial to that ghost for some reason. :D 

Even though the house is torn up with all of our projects, Maggie and I did manage to haul out the Halloween decor and craft box and slapped up some decorations:

After the "grown-up" decorations went up, I realized that it didn't make for much fun for Maggie...she decorated her stuffed dog with random supplies while I hung garland, and she was bored in about 4 minutes.

Looking for an ongoing project,  I had John haul out our little white Christmas tree. Now, when we need something to do together, I haul out the craft box and we make ornaments for it. I've saved tons of Halloween themed scrapbooking supplies from years past and have a whole bin full of goodies for us to work from from (Oh Making Memories, you had some gooooood stuff!!)  I've also commandeered paper straws, tinsel topped drink stirrers, crepe paper streamers, twine, buttons, felt and yarn to add to the supply box.

I love it.

Maggie has fun with it, and I get to have a hands-on creative moment... it makes us both pretty darn happy. 

Don't forget...there is still time to enter my Target® Ticket $25 Gift Card Giveaway! 

xoxoxo
-JP 

 

A Muse Studio | Halloween Album

I cannot FATHOM that today is October 15th. 

Let's forget for a brief moment (very brief) that I am currently trying not to have an early baby...I can't believe that Halloween is only 2 short weeks away!! I have to get Maggie to the Pumpkin Patch ASAP!! 

I've been sharing some pages I've made using A Muse Studio products; today I am sharing a few more from my Halloween memory album. I have really enjoyed putting this together. It has really reminded me to get out an enjoy the holiday in the weeks leading up to it, rather than trying to pack all the fun into a couple of days.

 

Halloween is on a Thursday this year, which means it's a Pre-School day for Maggie...I'm debating keeping her home to celebrate like we did last year, with some fun activities and crafts and an awesome breakfast of Pumpkin Pancakes! 

Last year, we were a family of witches...and this year our costume plans are largely dependant on whether or not we'll be packing around an infant outside or inside of Mommy. I really hope he stays put, because we have a belly idea that's kinda awesome, and I haven't seen it done yet. Keep your fingers crossed for me! 

I didn't take many great photos last year on Halloween, most were just Instagram photos with filters...which made my pictures look more navy than black...so, rather than fight it, this spread of photos is navy and red...I think it works! 

I am still digging these tiny pearl enamel dot stickers, I put them on a few pictures to make spooky looking eyes. I showed Maggie the eyes in the woods, and I have to say...it freaked her out a smidge! Success!! And of course, the red Splash mist...what is creepier than that? 

Let's hope I get the chance to take our family out to the Pumpkin Patch and Fall Festival at a local farm, so I can add even more photos and memories to my Halloween album! And don't forget to check out the inspiration on the A Muse Studio blog, Instagram, Facebook page, and scoop up some of these fun products on their site or by hosting a party with your local A Muse Studio consultant! 

xoxoxo
-JP 

FTC Disclosure: A Muse Studio has provided compensation and project supplies in exchange for this series. All opinions and experiences shared are my own.  

Target Ticket + Giveaway

We're on the home stretch of "Baby Watch" and I have to tell you, as I type this from my bed, that things are moving just a little bit faster than we'd hoped!

We've been super busy working on our to-do list, and have managed to get some projects well on the way to done! Maggie's new room and loft bed have been put together, but still need to be "finished" with decorations, organizing toys and books, etc. The computer desk/shelving has replaced the toy area in the living room, our bedroom furniture has been rearranged and there are some Halloween decorations up...however, while that sounds like great progress, there are piles and bins and random discarded furniture items EVERYWHERE, we don't have our baby bed yet or diapers or baby blankets...or a name picked out... and I might be leaking amniotic fluid...

So, yeah...panic. 

Anyway, I can't have a baby without first sharing another awesome Target® product with you, and of course, another GIVEAWAY! 

Target® has just introduced a new digital video-on-demand service called Target® Ticket! It's compatible with a variety of media players, including Windows and Mac computers, iPad, Android, XBOX 360, Roku, Samsung TV's and Blu-Ray Players, etc. I had the opportunity to test it out over the weekend and when I logged in, I was met with the best surprise: 

When I took Maggie to her first movie in a theater this summer, our choice was Monsters University...she was already a big fan of Monsters. Inc...so it was a no-brainer that she'd be excited to see it. Well, aside from a moment or two where she was a little scared, she LOVED it! All she talked about for months afterwards, was Mike and Sully, and Monsters University. 

When I logged in to Target® Ticket, the first thing I saw staring back at me was this: 

I couldn't press "BUY" fast enough! 

There are only going to be so many uninterrupted moments for Maggie and I to enjoy together before the new baby arrives, and I am so glad I had this chance to treat her to something special and totally unexpected. 

Signing up for Target® Ticket is really a breeze, you do that by visiting the site and creating an account. Movies and TV shows are available to buy and there are also rentals available- some as low as $1! Currently, Target® Ticket is running a sale on some awesome DreamWorks movies, like Madagascar and Kung Fu Panda, with titles as low as $6.99! 

I chose to use the iPad for watching our new purchase, and all it takes is downloading the Target® Ticket app from the App Store, logging in, and your movie is ready to play. We watched it together on Friday, and then with Daddy and Oma again on Saturday night, (this time we used my laptop and connected it to the TV with the HDMI cable. If our Roku player wasn't at the beach house, we'd have used it instead, but it was no problem doing it this way, and we all loved it) and Maggie finally got to share her beloved story with her whole family! 

I could be sitting in this bed for a few days trying to buy myself a bit more time, and I plan to put my new Target® Ticket account into good use with a few new release rentals. I'm thinking Great Gatsby and The Heat will be first on my list. And speaking of Roku, did you know that the Roku 3 player has an enhanced remote with headphone jack so you can watch your show without disturbing sleeping toddlers?! I'm thinking this is a must have for our house! 

Now it's your turn to get a chance to try Target® Ticket! I have a $25 Target® Gift Card to giveaway to TWO of my readers! You can enter using the widget below (this is my first time using Rafflecopter, so let me know if it's not working correctly). Winners will be drawn next Monday, the 21st. Good Luck!! 

xoxoxo
-JP 

Full Disclosure: I am a member of the Target® Inner Circle, I was provided a gift card to try Target® Ticket, however all opinions expressed are my own. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

A New Shared Bedroom + Mild Panic Attack

Did you know that it's October. 

Excuse me while I have a momentary mental breakdown while musing on the fact that I could very well have a baby before the end of this month.

We are so unprepared. 

Someone, who will remain nameless, *coughcoughme*...decided to write a bunch of checks under the "2nd Trimester Invincibility Spell"...that her exhausted, sore, feeble brained 3rd Trimester body had to cash. Not smart. If you are reading this, and you're in that "I CAN DO ALL THE THINGS" frenzy of months 4-6, let me be a voice of reason. Only promise things you can do this week, not next month, or GOD FORBID, in your 3rd Trimester. Or, you'll end up like me. 

EFFED.

Our house is a wreck. There is clutter EVERYWHERE, and it's making me insane. The level of purging that needs to occur in just the main "non-essential" areas is at an epic level. And then we get into the essential areas, and I want to curl up into a ball. The kitchen cupboards need to be cleaned out to make room for bottles and breast feeding equipment, cleaning supplies, lunch boxes for Maggie, etc. Same goes for the pantry closet, the kitchen counters and the fridge. The living room toy area is being replaced by some nice, adult shelves and a living room desk, and all the toys are going in the closed storage closets. The couches and carpets need a deep cleaning, and Halloween decor needs to go up. 

Then, we get to the major project this week- Maggie's room and our room, which we have to prep to share with Baby. Currently, our room looks like Beirut. No joke. It's the one room we have neglected more than any other. It's a mish-mash hodge podge of furniture from our old house that didn't fit elsewhere, so we dumped it in there...it's a holy wreck. As it is today, if we had the baby now...there would be no room for him, and I'm not exaggerating. 

So, we're getting ready to totally redecorate, and purge like no one has ever purged before! When finished, we hope to have all three doors replaced with sliding barn doors, Maggie will have a "loft" bed with a play space below, and a new IKEA closet and bookshelves. Our bed will have a new headboard and nightstands, all the furniture will be rearranged, (including our massive freestanding closet) two cabinets and two dressers will be removed and either sold or given to my parents for their basement, and in their place will be a calm, clutter free haven, equipped with a nice nursing/story-time nook with a rocking chair, a new dresser that will double as a changing table, and most importantly, room right next to my bed for the bassinet. 

1. Threshold at Target // 2. Nurseryworks // 3. Dreamhome // 4. Nate Berkus at Target // 5. Threshold at Target // 6. IKEA Malm // 7. Threshold at Target // 8. Threshold at Target // 9. Flensted Mobile // 10. Romawinkle on Etsy // 11. Threshold at Target // 12. Threshold at Target // 13. 3 Sprouts. 

Here are a few more "inspiration" images:

1. // 2. // 3. // 4. // 5. // 6. // 7. // 8. // 9. // 10. // 11. // 12. // 13. // 14. // 15. // 16. // 

*sigh*

I realize I shouldn't complain. It's all a very "first world problems." But, it's not the redecorating, because obviously that part is enjoyable, it's the purging and coordinating help and finding the money for it all. That is the stress; that, and the massive impending deadline...because I know that once baby comes, the real crazy starts. By cleaning out the clutter in my environment, I am protecting whatever thin strand of sanity I still have from breaking with a loud snap at about week 3; when I'm tripping over toys, laundry and the dog; bottles are falling out of cupboards, the baby is crying, Maggie hates me, there is nothing for dinner, my skin is grey, my boobs hurt, I haven't showered in days, and my hair is falling out.  

When that day arrives, I want to sit down in whatever room I have stumbled into, and look around and feel the peaceful balance of an edited space. It will feel like a warm hug from an old friend, and frankly, I can't wait. 

Are you like this? Do you feel overly sensitive to clutter and chaos in your house? How often do you purge and do you have help? What room is most neglected in your house? 

If you've made it to the end of my ranting and raving, I have a winner in the Target Photo Center giveaway:

Congratulations Cicely! Thanks to everyone who entered! I'll be back soon with another giveaway, so stay tuned! 

xoxoxo
-JP 

A Muse Studio | It's Bow Time

Hey Friends! 

Are you a fan of Wafer Dies? Before I started working with the new A Muse Studio products, I have to admit, I'd never used a wafer die. I knew what they were at least, but didn't feel the need to buy any or whatever, because I have my Silhouette machine... I couldn't think of a reason why I needed them. 

But now I do... 

One of my favorite products from the new 2013 A Muse Studio holiday catalog are the "Bow" wafer dies. They are so fun and easy to use. Unlike cutting from a digital die-cutting machine, using a manual die-cutting machine and wafer dies means you can easily cut difficult materials, like felt, fabric, thick papers and specialty items, like sheets of self-adhesive glitter paper. Once I cut my first bow from a sheet of A Muse felt, I was hooked, and couldn't wait to experiment and share my results with you! 

( Maggie only agreed to be my model after strict contract negotiations in which I promised to add to her My Little Pony collection. Who knew booking talent would be so difficult. :D )

Seriously, these were so easy to make. The dies are one piece, so they cut from one piece of material- I find that the best results come from using double sided materials- like felt. In my experimenting, I also made some with fabric and fusible webbing, and some with self-adhesive glitter paper- I just cut two bows and sandwiched them together before assembling them. 

The only other supplies you need to make the bows I made are some fabric, iron-on fusible webbing, a glue gun, pin backs and hair clip blanks, the aforementioned self-adhesive glitter paper- all of which you can find at your local craft store. I also used self-adhesive Velcro dots and mini-paper clips to make the glittery shoe bows, some glitter ribbon for the center of the bow in the necklace photo, and some beads and embroidery floss to make the tassel pin.  

You can get the dies here, and some delicious multi-color packages of felt here, in the A Muse Studio online store, or find a consultant near you and have a bow making party! They would make great gifts for the Holidays, or use them for adding a special touch to your gift wrap, stockings, garland or other holiday decor. 

xoxoxo
-JP

FTC Disclosure: A Muse Studio has provided compensation and project supplies in exchange for this series. All opinions and experiences shared are my own.