From a picture to a reality

If any of you are like me, once in awhile you see a picture of something somewhere that just resonates with you at a precise moment in time.
I have to admit.  I subscribe to Pottery Barn magazine, not because I can afford the things in it, but because it gives me a vast supply of IDEAS.
I can usually see something in a magazine, or on Pinterest.com, and make my own version of it, tweaking it just a little.
So, the other day, I did just that.
I saw these pics on Pinterest....


First THIS:

(source:  sewmanyways)
and then THIS:

(source Pottery Barn)

It hit me, that I had some baskets similar to these, and I had these great metal tags that I got at FlowerPatchFarmgirl's garage sale.

I used my croc-a-dile to punch holes on each end of the tin tag,

until they resembled this:

I had chipboard and felt numbers to add,

along with some red ticking material to attach them to the baskets.
They ended up looking like this:

Some are used here for Nintendo DS's and winter gear.

Another is on the landing to gather things that need to go upstairs.

Then, while I was all up in the crafty mode, I saw this on Pinterest too.

(source:  lehiwrights)

I had all the supplies for that too, so I got to work.
I had gotten this pie plate at Goodwill ages ago, and loved the saying in it.

I had some more candlesticks, which I spray painted Pistachio green,

and then added a kid-sized vintage apron I've had since the kids used to use it for dress up.

All in all, it was a very productive night.  I crossed two things off my craft to-do list.
What do you think?

Tonight I'm takin' a break, and I'm cozying up with my newest magazine that arrived today...

I can't wait!
Till later!

Where would we be without numbers?

Numbers are part of every day of our lives. The clock rules what time we get up, how long it takes us to get ready, and what time we need to be at work, etc.





Our house has a number so people can find us.


Numbers are everywhere. So, I got to thinking....could I write down 25 random things about me?



Here goes...(try to stay awake!)



1 (1/2). Hours it will take me to go visit one of my best friends on Saturday.



2. Loads of laundry usually done each night. My kids and husband think there is a laundry fairy. (I have yet to meet her!)



3. No. of dogs we will own as of tomorrow when we get a new puppy.



4. Years I've been a kindergarten aide/or served on the school PTO.



5. Number of days of the week I'm driving something to something.



6. Number of houses I have lived in in my lifetime.



7. Number of 4-H pigs we will have at our house come spring break time (another family boards theirs at our house too)



8. Number of years I was able to be a stay at home mom (how I miss those days sometimes.)



9. School skating parties I've attended since my kids have been in school (twice per year people!)



10. How old Evan will be in 11 days.



11. Age of the van we're still driving around.



12. Age I was when I was first allowed to wear eyeshadow (totally rocked the light blue color!)



13. Pairs of dress pants I own.



14. June 14--my birthday---best day ever!



15. Age when my dad let me drive the truck up and down the corn rows in the field to "practice" before I got my license.



16. Age I was when my braces came off.



17. Number of different items grown in my garden.



18. Total number of first cousins I have--all younger than me. (boy I feel old!)



19. Age I was when I lived in Costa Rica for three months during college.



20. Clipboards I have created for other people.



21. Total amount of hours I THINK I could stay up without falling asleep (It isn't college anymore)



22. How old I was when I started working as a graphic designer.



23. Age I was when I got married.



24. Hours in a day that I'm grateful to be alive and healthy everyday.



25. Age I was when Grace was born.




It's HARD to think of things about yourself. Hope this didn't bore everyone. Write back and tell me some interesting things about YOU!

It NEVER ends

If it weren't for all the running around I've had to do this week, I think my body might just fall apart piece by piece. It's holding together purely by friction. I think.





I've had a meeting every night, and I'm trying to finalize my Christmas cards, which I won 50 free ones from Shutterfly, (read my earlier post on how you can too) I'm getting ready for the Christmas program at church (which I grudgingly agreed to be a part of), Thanksgiving is just around the corner, and I've got all these creative ideas flying around in my head. Not to mention tomorrow is THURSDAY, which my wonderful husband reminded me is TRUTH THURSDAY.



What's a girl to do?



I've been wanting to post just some quick projects I completed over the weekend, but which I haven't had time to talk about. (Those of you who find time to post every day, please tell me your secret!)




First off, I saw some jars with numbers in an old Pottery Barn catalog. You know I'm a sucker for numbers in decorating, so.... here are the plain BEFORE jars.



Pretty unexciting, huh?


I used my trusty cricut machine and some black vinyl, and made these simple numbers to spruce up my jars.




Course I couldn't just stop there! I had to add some smaller ones to the IKEA pots I got this summer for $.79 ea.






THEN....I've been wanting to spruce up Grace's bed. It's kinda plain, and for $1.99/4 I found these perfectly plum dinner napkins at Target. I wanted to make her some ruffle pillows for her all white bed.





I hauled out my 70 year old sewing machine. I really like it save for the fact it's old. I have to manually backstitch everything, and it often breaks thread while I'm sewing, so I have to go back and sew over that. UGH!!! I really need a new sewing machine, but just haven't broken down and bought one.



BUT....moving on....I had in my head what I wanted these pillows to look like.

And...wa-la!

I'm happy with the outcome, and Grace likes them very much.

Now the kids want to start decorating for Christmas. Can't I just have a day to sleep in?

The power of numbers

Do numbers rule our lives???? I would say, yes, most of the time.

I decided to make a list (a list you say??? That's so unlike you Lorie, a list?) of numbers and things that happen in accordance with those numbers. Here we go...

1. No. of text messages I sent while sitting in the Dentist Office waiting room today after school.
2. Lunches packed for school tomorrow.
3. No. of outfits Grace and I mulled over for school pictures on Thursday (all in all NOT a bad number considering our tastes don't usually mesh.)
4. Times I told both kids to GO TAKE A SHOWER after supper.
5. Times Grace beat me while playing her new favorite game, Guess Who? last week.
6. Number of miles driven to the Dentist's Office after school (one way)
7. Scrapbook layouts done the other day in preparation for my scrapbooking weekend away next weekend.
8. Math problems I helped Evan with for his homework tonight.
9. Number of times I told the little boy I help at school to be quiet during class (in a 3 hour span)
10. Number of windows on the lower level of our house.
11. How old Grace will be on her birthday in January.
12. Evan's favorite number (date of his birthday....hence the best number EVER!)
13. Total years Brent and I have been married.
14. Date that Brent, myself, and my Dad share for our birthdays (2 months apart)
15. No. of pages I read in my book this morning while I was eating breakfast.
16. No. of times I thought about printing out the PTO minutes for next month's meeting, but didn't.

17. Recipes I looked at while planning this next week's menu.

18. No. of years I've been out of high school. Yikes!

19. How old I was when I lived in Costa Rica for 3 months.

20. Minutes it takes me to get to the grocery store every week. (one way)

Side note: When I was taking these number pictures today Grace asked me, "What are you doing now?"

I told her, "I'm just taking numbers pictures for my blog."

Whereas she told me, "That's kinda dumb, mom. That's like saying I'm gonna take only pictures of RED things."

Hey, not a bad idea......Maybe my next post will have you seeing RED!