~crafting with blocks

I have seen so many cute letter blocks online. I deeply wanted to try to make some, so I decided I might give it a try. Once I finally got my Storybook cartridge, things started looking up! About a month ago, my very talented sister-in-law made a wreath out of hymnal pages. It hangs beautifully in my mother-in-law's foyer. So I thought that some letter blocks would just go so well...

I started with these scrap pieces of wood.

After sanding the blocks, I painted them black. Two coats.

I took an old hymnal, found some of my favorites (a very important step... adds more meaning, I think!), and cut out the letters using my cricut.

Then I cut out the squares and rounded the edges. Sorry... I neglected to take a picture of that step! Anyway, then I used a destress ink pad to "vintage" up the edges.

I added a sticker back to the hymns using my xyron sticker maker. Then I stuck them to the blocks.

I applied 2 coats of Mod Podge to seal... Here I am waiting for it to dry (which wasn't too long, I should add!)

And here are the finished blocks. I chose "Trust" because my mother-in-law's favorite verse is Proverbs 3:5-6 ("Trust in the Lord with all thine heart..."). Hopefully I will one day get her the "in the Lord" part of the verse!

~update on knitting

Well, it's been exactly one week since I learned to knit. So, how am I doing? I do want to clarify something about this project... when I started, I had 12 stitches. Then, somehow, it was 13.... then 15.... back down to 14.... I am still not sure what I did, but by Saturday night, it looked like a long, pink, curly snake! Seriously, there were really wide parts, then narrow sections. So I had to take a moment of reflection. (You may giggle now at my heartfelt, serious moment I had with my snake... I mean scarf.) I thought, will I ever be satisfied with this? Of course the answer was NO! So... I pulled out every last stitch and started over! :)

~I love a give-a-way!

I love the blog Between Naps on the Porch. Today is Metamorphisis Monday (in which I entered my shelf revamp). But Susan is also having a givaway with these beautiful tassels! Go check it out ~ click here...

~my version of the apocathary jar

I love to follow the Shanty Sisters over at Shanty2Chic! Girls, I love everything you do... so when I came across your apocathary jars here I knew I had to have at least one! Your tutorials were so easy to follow and in no time, I had my very own jar! Thanks, Sisters!

I chose this adorable demask ribbon instead of twine... but I have a feeling that I will have more of these beauties (with twine!). I also added the cross and tassle.

The sage pebbles came from Wal-Mart and matched my bathroom to a T! The twigs were contributed by my 6 year old son, who thought that was the best idea of all!

~my DIY shelf

Well... I've had this unfinished, plain shelf sitting around for years. I think we picked it up at a thrift store... Anyway, my original idea, when I bought it, was for it to be used in my boys' room. And it sat... and sat... and sat... Then I began following all these genius ladies that take trash and make it into treasure. Of course, the shelf popped into mind pretty quickly! I began with this...

I had seen so many revamps with black paint. I had some Vaspar paint left over from a bathroom project, so a couple of coats later...

I decided to distress the edges a bit...

I popped off the pegs before I painted... the pegs were not in the picture in my mind. I wanted to add some cute, unique knobs. Hobby Lobby here I come! (as I would tell my husband, "It's not that I want to go, I need to go!") I found some adorable knobs that were exactly what I had in mind. (And my husband helped pick them out!) Here is the finished project!

A close up of my beautiful knobs...

I made this sign from the same paint, a scrap piece of wood, and some burlap.

Here's a close-up of the tile I used for the "B". I had to have it... it matched the knobs! As if I wasn't going to work that in somehow! The stencils I just printed off and cut out of cardstock. (pre-cricut... hard times...)

Both projects were easy and quick. Just my style!

~a new project

Well, I'm learning how to knit! I'm so excited! Well.... let me back up a couple of years. A couple of summers ago (that's when I MIGHT have a little extra time), I wanted to learn how to knit, so I downloaded a guide off the internet and sat in front of my computer for HOURS trying to teach myself. Umm... didn't work out so well! So my friend from church said that she would teach me. Let me just say, Melissa, you have such patience! I tried to learn fast, but, bless my heart, I just couldn't! But Melissa stuck with me, and now my scarf is on its way! I will keep you posted on my progress!

~very first blog!

Well, I am new to this world, so I'm in the process of learning! Today is a snow day (in Georgia!), so I have tried to take this opportunity to grasp what I need to be doing. I will be back soon hopefully with improvements!