New Year’s Resolutions Chalkboard + $75 to Lowe’s

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This month’s Lowe’s Creative Blogger team challenge was “New Year’s sparkle”.  If you know me, you know I’m not especially sparkly.  Winking smile

So, what’s a girl to do?

I asked for suggestions on Facebook, and I was still stumped.

I went to Lowe’s and walked around for inspiration and came across these

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and then the wheels started spinning.

Supplies:

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Frame (mine was 16 X 20 and purchased on super clearance…you don’t need the glass so thrifted or on clearance because the glass is broken is perfect)
1/8” MDF cut to size of frame
Valspar metallic spray paint
Valspar glitter spray pain
Valspar chalkboard paint

I gave the frame 2 coats of the metallic paint.  It is COLD here, so I painted it in the garage and then brought it inside to dry between coats.  It might still be drying if I hadn’t.

Then, I sprayed the front with 2 coats of the glitter paint.

Glitter is hard to photograph, but here’s the best picture I got of how it looks in real life.

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I painted the MDF with 2 thin coats of chalkboard paint, one in each direction.  And then after it dried I put it in the frame.

We each came up with a resolution (OK, we made up that last on on BC’s behalf because he was at work and not answering his phone) and wrote it on the chalkboard.

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We’ll keep this displayed all month long to help us remember our resolutions, which will hopefully make us more successful.  Winking smile

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To get your new year started off right, Lowe’s is giving one lucky Crap I’ve Made reader a $75 Lowe’s gift card.

TO ENTER:

Leave a comment on this post telling me what one of your New Year’s resolutions is.

Extra entry:

Leave a comment telling me what you’d spend your gift card on.

***TWO POSSIBLE ENTRIES PER PERSON***

Giveaway is open to US residents age 18 and over only and closes Thursday, January 3rd at noon MST.  Winner will be chosen at random using a WordPress Plugin (And The Winner Is…) and notified by email.  Winner has 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen.

And while you’re waiting to see if you won, head on over for your FREE Subscription to Lowe’s Creative Ideas Magazine:

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Or, check out the Lowe’s Creative Idea’s app (also free)!  I have it on my iPhone and it’s delightful!

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*I was given a Lowe’s gift card for the supplies for my project.  All opinions and statements are my own.

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Season’s Greetings

It’s still the season, even though I missed the day, right?

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I hope your holidays are fabulous.  We’re enjoying them thoroughly.

We’ve met new cousins,

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cried tears of happiness over presents,

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lost our 2 front teeth,

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and felt like punching the guy with the harmonica.

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(Whose idea was that anyway???)

I’ve truly never felt more grateful for what I have.  I’ve been reduced to tears many times this week over just how darn blessed I am.

I hope you’ve felt that joy, too.

Happy Holidays!

 

And, if Santa didn’t bring you quite what you wanted and what you wanted was a Silhouette, they’ve got a couple of promos going on now that you might be interested in.  Details here on my Facebook page.

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A Day of Remembrance for Sandy Hook

Everyone grieves differently.  Everyone copes differently.  Everyone moves forward differently.

No one’s right.  No one’s wrong.

We’re just different.

My sister used to (? maybe still does?) go sit at our dad’s grave and talk to him and leave him notes.  That doesn’t work for me.  I remember him in the way the back of Keller’s head looks and when I sometimes call my kids “pup”.  Or when I get the giggles about how loudly and joyfully he sang “Far, Far Away on Judea’s Plains” every year at my grandma’s family Christmas party.

Not right and wrong…different.

If you read/follow a lot of blogs, you have probably seen that many are observing a day of silence today, and many more tomorrow.  I love what these women are doing.  I love to see the blogging community come together for good.

So why was I hesitating?

Silence isn’t right for me.

I don’t consider myself a writer.  I don’t know how to move people with my words the way other bloggers can.  I’m a mom who studied math and economics in college.  I sew stuff and make crafts.  Who do I think I am?  Why does anyone care what I have to say?  Maybe they don’t?  Maybe just one person does?  And, if that’s the case I believe it’s still worth doing.

From my personal Facebook page this weekend:

Oh Facebook…do you really want to know what’s on my mind?

I’ve spent the better part of 2 days holding back tears and feeling like I want to throw up. You see, I have a child the same age as the children killed in CT. He probably would have been in their class.

I also have a child who fits many of the things people are saying about the killer. "Weird. Socially awkward. Extraordinarily bright. Asperger’s. Subject to outbursts. Didn’t speak much. Didn’t like talking to people. Odd. Nervous and fidgety. Deeply uncomfortable in social situations."

It’s the same child.

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I’m sick about what happened to children just like him.

I’m sick about what a grown child "just like him" did. Terrified, really.

So, Facebook, THAT is what’s on my mind.

I sat in church this week and cried when we sang the 3rd and 4th verses of “I Heard The Bells On Christmas Day”.

And in despair I bowed my head:
"There is no peace on earth," I said,
"For hate is strong and mocks the song
Of peace on earth, good will to men."

Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:
"God is not dead, nor doth he sleep;
The wrong shall fail, the right prevail,
With peace on earth, good will to men."

So now what?

I recalled the words of Gordon B. Hinckley in the April 1999 General Conference for my church.  I think they’re applicable whether you’re religious or not.

Let us return to our homes with resolution in our hearts to do a little better than we have done in the past. We can all be a little kinder, a little more generous, a little more thoughtful of one another. We can be a little more tolerant and friendly…It is our obligation to reach out in helpfulness, not only to our own but to all others as well.

Let’s be a little kinder.

Let’s be a little more generous.

Let’s be a little more thoughtful.

Let’s reach out in helpfulness.

Let’s do a little better.

Peace on earth, good will to men.

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Burlap Stockings with Simply Kierste!

Today’s project is a collaboration between me and my pal Kierste (from Simply Kierste) that has been a year in the making.  We started these stockings last year but then life happened for both of us and so…better late than never, right?  Plus, you’d never have known if I hadn’t told you, right?

I’m going to provide you with the pattern and details on how to do the general assembly and Kierste is going to show you how to cute them up.  I’ll tell you when to go over to her site and get some embellishment ideas and then you can click back over here to finish the assembly.  Sound good?

BURLAP STOCKING TUTORIAL

Stocking template, printed and assembled
2/3 yard lightweight fusible interfacing
1/3 yard burlap
6”-ish of ribbon/twill tape/etc for hanging

Cut 2 stocking shapes from interfacing, facing opposite directions.

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Fuse shapes to burlap (following package directions and using a press cloth), placing the top of the stocking along the selvage of the burlap, just slightly below the edge.

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Cut out around the interfacing, leaving a seam allowance.  It doesn’t need to be uniform or anything, but you do need to leave enough to make a seam.  (You’ll be sewing along the edge of the interfacing.)

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***STOP AND EMBELLISH THE BURLAP SIDE (the outside of the stocking) AS DESIRED NOW***

Head on over to Simply Kierste for some ideas and beginner’s tips and then come back to finish your stockings!

Once you’ve monogrammed/embellished/whatever your stocking, put burlap sides together.  You can see through the burlap weave just enough to get the pieces lined up nicely.  Insert a loop of twill tape or ribbon for hanging.

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Pin.

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Stitch along edge of interfacing, leaving top of stocking open.

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Clip curves (carefully, be sure not to cut the stitching).

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Turn right side out and press a little, if necessary.

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