Aunt Aubree and Anistion (1 day old) at the hospital
She didn't like the bright flash!
My new little decoration. I figure it can be used for fall, halloween & Thanksgiving. I saw it on Pintrest, from a website called creationsbykara.com. It was super easy and cheap! This is a $2 frame , a half a sheet of 12X12 scrapbook paper & a small fake pumpkin that I got 50% off at Michaels. You cut the back 1/3 off the pumkin and glue it to your scrapbook paper that has been cut to fit your frame. After it dried I added a little bit of distressing ink, a bow (which is hard to see because I am not the best photographer) and a couple of coils of floral wire. And it was done. Fun, cute & easy.
It all started when we moved my mom into an assisted living center. I found this cute yellow tatted bookmark in her closet and I just didn't know what to do with it. After some deliberation I found I had some grey wool felt leftover from another project. So I used a little piece of cardstock to make a shape that would work with the bookmark. Then used that cardstock as a pattern to cut out a piece of of the wool. I pinned the bookmark to the wool and then tacked it down with a needle and yellow thread. Then using my scrapbooking stuff, I pounded a couple of eyelets into each end of the wool. Finally I attched an old chain to each side and then using a glue gun I attached a grey shoe clip (also found at the bottom of my mom's closet). Considering what I started with I thought it was a clever use for a bunch of unwanted items. 
OK, I love this bag way more than I thought I would. I found a size 0 mini skirt at the DI for $3. And it looked practically brand new. Of course, the world I live in... there really isn't anyone, besides a toddler, that wears a size 0. So why wouldn't it look new? Anyway I stitched up the bottom of the skirt and made a box pleat in the bottom so it would have better shape. I cut the waist band off another pair of jeans, that were destined for a quilt, for the strap, then put an old tie through the belt loops and pinned one of my "Tie Blooms" to the pocket. Easy, cute, & done! 
This is a really great chocolate chip cookies recipe. It has gotten 2 "thumbs up" from the kids and grandkids. To quote Taylor "Dats a weally good cookie grandma." I asked her if she needed another one and her response, "Ummm, yeths." She has the cutest lisp. Aubree came home from Weber with this recipe, she got it from someone in her ward. I have made a few minor tweeks to it just to get it to work right in my oven. It makes a large batch, all the better for sharing. They also freeze really well. I don't know how long they would last in the freezer mine are usually gone in a week or two. Enjoy!
This is after the first coat. I used a gray primer spray paint that said it was for automobiles. There isn't as much gray paint out there as you might think. I put on about 3 coats then let it set and dry overnight. 
Next I used this stencil adhesive on the back of the stencil. This is really great stuff. You just dab it on and let it set for 10 minutes and then it is ready to apply.
This is my cute stencil stuck to the outside corner of the suitcase. This adhesive sticks down really well but if you decide it is not in the right spot it is really easy to reposition. I then pounced black stencil paint (which is just thicker that regular acrylic paint) on top of the stencil. Make sure all of your edges are tacked down so paint doesn't go underneath the stencil. 
The finished stencil. 
Ta-Dah! My cute finished gray suitcase. I wish I had thought to take a picture of it before I started just so you could see the difference. I love, love, love it. 
