Category Archives: Uncategorized

Easy as Pie Halloween Card Makin’ with the Kiddos!

Posted on October 26, 2012 by apieceoflifespie

* Please take a moment and head over to My Cricut Craft Room and check out the challenge I entered in to be on their Design Team. Cast you vote by leaving a comment on the BEST project you think there is.

Well it is now officially fall in Southern California. . . the Santa Ana wind (East Winds) and heat showed up! It is a howlin’ out there right now and it makes me cringe worrying about fire bugs. I live in an area near the hills and if we see a fire there, we could face potential fire hazard issues.

When the wind is howling like this, no one wants to go outside for the fear of flying debris or blowing away, so it is indoor project time with the kiddos. What we decided to do is make Halloween cards for family using the kiddos feet and hands. The feet are ghosts and the hands are cats. Each girl stamped their foot or hand on a 8.5×11 piece of card stock that I cut in half. We used plain old craft paint and had wipes handy, handy, handy! Once they dried the girls added eyes and the embellishments of googly eyes, Primas, green Skittles (kitty eyes) and bling on their own using GLUE DOTS! Love those things, especially with kiddos. NO MESS!

Then folding a piece of 8.5×11 card stock in half I glued down the craft the girls did to the front with an ATG. Inside the card, I stamped it with a Halloween salutation from Close To my Heart’s Perfect Fit- Halloween!

See! Easy as pie! Now we are just popping them in the mail today so they will make it to their destinations before Halloween!

Thanks for sharing a piece of “easy as pie Halloween cards” with me!

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Posted in Uncategorized and tagged easy halloween cards to do with your kids, feet ghosts, fun halloween crafts ideas for kids, halloween card for grandparent, Halloween cards, hand cats, kid halloween craft. Bookmark the permalink.

DIY Chalks Up to Being So Much Fun!

Posted on September 8, 2012 by apieceoflifespie

Happy Saturday all!

Today is just a quick post on a quick DIY project I did today. Chalkboard Picture Frame! This project is sooo easy and fun. One of those instant gratification jobs! Once again the power tools in the garage were fired up and the hubs helped cut down a 1/4 inch of plastic sheeting he happened to have lying around (perks of being married to an Engineer) to fit a picture frame I found on sale at Michael’s! You could just as easily use a sheet of glass to do the same. I just happen to find only a frame that I HAD TO HAVE!

I then used a small power sander and lightly sanded the surface to prep the area for the paint to stick. You would need to use that on glass to etch it for the paint to stick as well.

Then I just sprayed one layer, let dry and then another layer. Once dry (in about 30 minutes), the hubs helped me secure it to the frame and . . . Tada!

I also found chalkboard pens at Jo-Ann’s the other day, but wanting to get a coupon to get them ($14 for 4 colors).

Thanks for sharing a piece of “doing it yourself with the hubs can be so much fun” pie with me!

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Posted in Uncategorized and tagged chalkboard frames, do it yourself chalkboard ideas, do it yourself chalkboard picture frames, do it yourself chalkboards. Bookmark the permalink.

Fantabulous Cricut Challenge # 127-On the Job

Posted on September 3, 2012 by apieceoflifespie

Happy Labor Day!

Today over at Fantabulous Cricut Challenge Blog, we are celebrating working people that are on the job! My inspiration came from my community. I live in a very heavy agriculture area that has many farms, crops, and ranches. I love that I can easily access fresh produce almost anytime of the year with just hopping in the car and driving a few miles. Today I am celebrating the working farmer and rancher, because without them, those fantastic strawberries and veggies I have stashed in my fridge would not be there without them!

Now head on over and to FCCB and check out the other inspirations and link up with the fun challenge this week!

Thanks for sharing a piece of celebrating the working American pie with me!

Also Linking To:

Peachy Keen Stamps- Anything Goes

Sunday Funday Link Party

Scrapalicious USA- Anything Goes

Pink Cricut Link Up Party

Recipe:

Card cut at 6.5×6 then layers were cut a 1/4 shorter

Cricut Cartridge: Doodlecharms (Basket cut at 2 inches) and Country Life (man farmer cut at 5.5 and woman farmer cut at 5)

Paper: Die Cuts with a View-Cotton Blossoms, Recollections, and I raided my scrap stash.

Burlap

Cuttlebug: Swiss Dots and Distressed Stripes

Buttons: From $1 bin from Michael’s! Love those finds!

Twine- Stampin’ Up

Stamp: Peachy Keen Simple Sallies

Ink: Stampin Up’ Early Espresso, Stampin’ Up chalk for the faces and Jelly Roll blue and white gel pens

7 Comments

Posted in Cricut Cartridge: Country Life, Cricut Cartridge: Doodlecharms, Cuttlebug Folders, FCCB(Fantabulous Cricut Challenge Blog) Design Team Projects, Peachy Keen Stamps, Uncategorized and tagged cards for larbor day, fantabulous cricut challenge blog design team, farmer cards, labor day crafts, occupation ideas for paper crafting, paper crafting using burlap, using buttons in paper crafting. Bookmark the permalink.

Feelin’ the Love Pie!

Posted on September 2, 2012 by apieceoflifespie

Hi everyone and Happy Labor Day Weekend!

Even though I have a few things that I can share today I am going to table those and put in a plug for Madison over at Funky Cards and her fabulous I Feel the Love Project that she just announced. This particular project is a very near and dear to my heart. When I headed over to her blog today, I about fell out of my chair on how shocked I was on who the project was for. Talk about six degrees of seperation and chills going down my spine.

The project is for a non-profit organization that I worked as a Human Resources Specialist for almost 5 years!!! The organization is called Casa Pacifica and it is a shelter, residential treatment group home and non-public school for abused, neglected and emotionally disturbed children and youth from the ages of 0-18. I literally live 4 miles away from the campus! Never thought my crafty ventures would lead me right back to my backyard and professional resume!

During my time at Casa Pacifica, I grew not only as an employee in skill set, but as a person. It was a challenging place to work and it is not for the faint of heart. The front line staff, clinicians, teachers and all those that were face-to-face with the kids every minute of every day were just astounding human beings. Being a support to them beyond just managing their employment needs was just an honor.

Working on a shelter and group home campus, the kids were a part of your everyday life. They were what gets you out of a cozy warm bed in the winter and work those extra long hours that come with the territory of working in this field and for a non-profit. I got to see the aftermath of heartbreaking stories, amazing personal victories, and most of all unconditional love given to these kids in the most raw and real way.

Casa Pacifica gave me a lot to glean from. Wonderful lifelong friendships, excellent work experience and some excellent tools to being a parent. They rely on structure to bring normalcy to these precious children that come from some of the most extreme situations one can imagine. I took note on how receptive and secure the children became after a few weeks of having structure and consistency to count on. When I became a parent I thought back to that and thought if those kids thrived using that type of tool, then what can that tool do for a child born into security and constant unconditional love? It has successfully worked for the hubs and I so far. 🙂

I would love to have anyone that follows me participate in this Feel the Love Project sweet Madison is organizing. Click HERE to get all the details. The cool thing is, I will be able to actually get feedback from the inside on this project and report back on how your time and effort touched the kiddos!

Thanks for sharing a piece of “feeling the love” pie with me!

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A Banner of a Thank You Card

Posted on August 25, 2012 by apieceoflifespie

Hello everyone! Well I have to admit I have been really sick… three weeks sick. It first started with strep that both my youngest and I got. Ten days later I got what I thought was a terrible cold that brought me back to the doctor because my throat was killing me and had blisters on it and I was terrified I picked up Hand, Foot, Mouth that has been going around like wildfire here to find out that the strep I had never went away with the antibiotics and had to go on another round of antibiotics. Then yesterday I found myself back in the doctor’s office because I was still really feeling bad to find out I had a lung infection that seeded from the strep, so back on antibiotics again with a follow-up on Monday to check my lungs.

Now did I lay around these past three weeks? Heck NO! It is summer and a busy one at that with lots of out-of-town guest, travel and projects. AND that is probably why I got the big one-two- THREE punch of the sickies. So while I have been running on whirl wind auto pilot these past few weeks, my blog has been VERY neglected, but the craft studio has not. Here is one of the projects I have cooked up this past week.

I promised to make a ~~slew~~ 12 thank you cards for my godmother that fell and broke her hip in July to give to those that really helped out while she was down for the count. I decided I never have ~~a stash~~ any thank you cards for myself so I added to the order for my own using. I ended up making three different sets for a total of 18 cards.

This card is my favorite of the three sets so that is why I am showing it off first! I broke into my My Pink Stamper Happy Birthday Doodles and had a great time just coloring and creating.

Thanks for sharing a piece of “under the weather pie” with me.

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Recipe:

Cricut cartridge Something to Celebrate (banner and I don’t remember the cut size sorry)

Paper- Die Cuts with a View- Cirtrus Stacker

My Pink Stamper Happy Birthday Doodle Kit (used everything in the packet: Pens, stamp, paper and coloring pens)

Sentiment – My Pink Stamper Itty Bitty-licious

Ink – CTMH – Cotton Candy

Twine – Stampin’ Up

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My Craftin’ Spot

Posted on July 20, 2012 by apieceoflifespie

I was a bit apprehensive to post my craft studio because I was unsure if people would even be interested in it, but as I find myself on Pinterest or other’s blogs, I find I am very curious on what their creative space looks like and I actually enjoying doing it–so what the heck I decided to share my creative space; the place I find my sanity :-).

I did it on a budget and my hubs made my work tables and my peg board. I also scored an old tool cabinet from him that we hung.

I found an incline bookcase on Craigslist and use that to store my paper, Cuttlebug, Cinch It and a few other things.

My sewing table has a cut groove (like the ones at Jo-Anns) that the hubs imbedded into the table top along side a metal yard stick. I also have a ribbon holder that pulls. It can roll out to accommodate big project and when I am working with larger material.

The clear table is a wonderful work space where the hubs hung a light above and with the windows I have wonderful natural light.

The hubs passed down some old tool boxes that he had that I use for my workstation storage and for my sewing box.

The hubs took some shelving that we found at Home Depot and customized it with 1/2 inch rods so I could hang additional ribbon in it. I also set up a break down table for and additional work space.

If you could not tell I love the industrial feel to things and most of my custom pieces (peg board, Cricut and Imagine stand, sewing table and work space) are made out of materials from manufacturing plants that actually have been used to run product lines on. When the product’s life ended, the hubs and a few other engineers helped take down the lines and had dibs on the pieces. I find it really cool that I am working on recycled manufacturing equipment! Kind of adds to the whole creative vibe!

Thanks for sharing a piece of “where I go to find a my personal sanity” pie with me.

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Posted in Uncategorized and tagged carfting rooms, craft room ideas, craft room storage, craft rooms, crafting spaces, crafting studio ideas. Bookmark the permalink.

Cookin’ Up a New Look!

Posted on July 10, 2012 by apieceoflifespie

If you have not already noticed, you are not at the wrong web address . . . Yes, I am getting a total makeover! It is almost done and I will even have my very own button! Thanks to the creative genius of Shabby Vanity!

Madeline, the most amazing and wonderful blog designer, was a joy to work with. Her communication is superb and she really got my vision right out of the gate! Since I was not with the normal Blogspot.com, like most crafters, she had a bit more of a challenge and she found the solutions and made it all happen! LOVE HER! If you feel you would like to spruce up your blog or get a full makeover, you MUST go check her out!

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Posted in Uncategorized and tagged blog makeovers, crafty blog ideas, fun blog ideas, graphic design for blogs, Shabby Vanity, web design for personal blogs. Bookmark the permalink.

DONE! DONE! DONE!

Posted on April 30, 2012 by apieceoflifespie

I am done with the huge project! Here is quick pic before I packed it up for delivery! I will have more detailed pics to come! Yes, those O-wires are 3/4 inch and they were filled! So can’t wait to hand them out to these wonderful moms!