Monogram canvas

Well this was one of those projects that worked on my patience. Something I learned is that vinyl does not stick to canvas very well. I made these for my sweet niece Nykesha to go in her bedroom. Her mom had just painted the walls purple with a pink overlay using a rag technique. I had seen as similar project on  Pinterest and thought it would look so cute in her room.

To start I took two 8 x 10 canvases and one 14 x 20.

I used a tutorial I found here for the harlequin background.  Since it was such a small project I just drew out the lines and painted instead of using painters tape.  If doing a larger project, like a whole wall,  I would recommend the painters tape method.

I wanted to add some dimension and depth to the background of the center canvas but keeping it subtle so it didn't overwhelm the monogram.  This is where the fun began, I cut some swirly patterns out of vinyl and tried to place them on the canvas.  It didn't stick, like at all.  All those nice thin swirly pieces kept trying to peel up as I went over them with the lighter wash color. 

This is where my patience and stubborness came in to good use.  I just had to start in the middle of each applique and work my way out when going over with the wash. Since these wouldn't be staying I wasn't too concerned about it. 

Then I placed the negative outline of the dahlia flowers and painted the inside pink.

Voila this is the finished product before adding the initials.  Ok now what was I going to do get those initials to stick, I surely didn't want to try and paint white over the top of that dark purple.  So I googled every which way I could think to try to see what other people did to get their vinyl to stick to canvas.  I guess all those signs and silhouettes that I see are done on some kind of flat surface like wood or metal.  WOW that would have been good to know before I started.  I did however find one tip on a forum that I thought was worth a shot.  I carefully placed the initials on the canvas, tediously peeling back the sticky placement paper.  Once I had them in place I painted over them with Modge Podge.  Some spots like the thinner pieces of the letter were still peeling up so I just peeled that section back and painted on some more Modge Podge and carefully stuck it back down.  I was going to need a sealer anyway so that was great solution for a glue as well as sealer.

Have you had any projects that just didn't work out and it wasn't until you were too far into to change it up too much? 

DIY baby shower - Yellow and Gray

 

I have been blessed to have married into a very large family.  He is one of six siblings,one sister and four brothers. Which means I have a bunch of sister in laws.  Most people that know me get so confused when I talk about our family so I am going to do my best

Sister in law #4 was about to have her first baby and we needed to shower that baby with love.  So all us sisters (sister in laws and the sister) got together to put on a Sweet Blessing baby shower.

Planning a baby shower can by tricky when the sex of the baby is unknown and the guest list is large   So sister in law #4 and I googled every baby shower idea possible and came up with a dessert only shower held in the early afternoon and used a yellow and grey theme.  Ok so we leaned toward a feminine side, this was the 11th grandchild to be born with only two girls so maybe we were hoping to persuade the outcome.  Wishful thinking, I'll tell you more about that later.   

Grab your favorite beverage as I show you some of my homemade additions to the shower. 

 

  

 This is what guests saw when they entered the room.  We were able to use a game room of a relative of Mommy to be.  Which was a great space but we did need to work around a few things, like a pool table and sports pictures.  The pool table worked great for the dessert buffet and we used lots of balloons (always and adventure transporting) and tissue paper pom poms to disguise the surroundings and soften the backdrop. 

 I made a banner using printed card stock.  Since it was hard to find the perfect color scrapbook paper I purchased digital paper from Great Graphics and printed the patterns on card stock.  I made pleated medallions and topped them with doily shaped letters using the print and cut feature on my Silhouette. 

Sister in law #2 and I put together this gorgeous diaper cake.  We assembled the diapers as usual,l you can find all sorts of great ideas on the internet for diaper cakes but we went with the rolled version.  Added some gray ribbon, yellow polka dot and some butterflies cut again from my Silhouette.  Yes! my Silhouette worked over time for this shower.

Mommy to be didn't want a lot of cutesy baby shower games and we were not very good at coming up with them either so we just had two activities that guests could come up to and mingle around the room.  One was the baby price is right, guests guess the price of the baby items, closest to the right price without going over won.  The other was a place where guests could come up and write a message or well wishes to mommy to be in a journal.  Then Mommy has a journal to remember her special day by as well as great advice and blessings.  I rolled washcloths, onesies and burpcloths to make cupcakes, wrapped them with card stock cut out on my Sillouette.  They were topped with the instructions printed on cardstock and added a pleated medallion and butterfly to continue the theme. 

 Now onto the good stuff the desserts. This was the table scape before we added everything.  I printed and cut labels for all desserts. Something the sister taught me a long time ago is to make any table scape have height and depth you add boxes, pots and pans, bowls, crates whatever you have around and then drape with tablecloths or in this case it was a tablecloth from Target in the center and pieces of yellow and gray floral fabric.   We used clear and white cake plates and serving plates as well as glass jars to display all the deliciousness and keep the theme cohesive.  Some of the desserts were a chocolate cheesecake, carrot cake, chocolate dipped pretzels, brownie bites, chocolate covered strawberries, few.

 Above is how displayed chocolate chip cookies and sweedish tea cookies.  Bottom left are lemon cupcakes from Real Mom Kitchen topped with butterfly cupcake toppers again made with my Silhouette.  Top left are cake push pops that I made.  Three different flavors peanut butter cup, banana pudding and coconut cream.

 For the utensils we wrapped plastic forks and spoons in a napkin, tied with a ribbon bow.  Then placed in cone shapes, and in a wire utensil carrier.  I found the wire utensil carrier at Walmart, it was black so I just spray painted it white.

 Well so much for trying to persuade the outcome.  Our sweet little blessing was another boy!!!

Do you have any stories to tell about baby showers you have hosted?  What do you think of a dessert only shower? 

Girlies Birthday Party

So I know its been way too long since my last post yet again.  OH boy have I been busy.  I have started working for a monogramming and embroidery company, Tiny Tulip. Her stuff is sooooo cute you have to check out her site.  It has been a definate adjustment after not working in 15 years.  I'm still getting used to when I'm home and when I'm not home.  I am working two days a week while the boys are at school.  I have some juggling to do this summer but we have also had a nice two week vacation so we will see when I go back on Monday how many plates I can juggle.  lol.

Well the reason for my post is to show you the outfits I made for the twins for their first birthday.  I know right can you believe it, they are one already.  Their mother had sent me links to several things she was thinking about purchasing which were a bit pricey then multiply that times two, it turns to outrageous.  So this is what I came up with.  I bought two white dresses from Children's Place at easter time, $9 each. Then added rosettes and a ruffle to the bottom, added a cupcake and name at Tiny Tulip to the bloomers,, then some bibs, headbands, tshirts and tutus.  They were the best dressed little birthday girlies ever.  Of course I'm very objective,lol.

Zyleigh was not feeling well and wasn't havin it playing dress up so only one twin in the picture. lol

More pictures to come of the rest of the stuff when I figure out how to get them from their mothers facebook page.

I"ll have some pictures of graduation decorations we did for my 5th graders graduation and some other things I have going on.

Praise God for YOU!!!

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Double Trouble/ twin gift

I never did get to introduce you to "Double Trouble"   They were born on May 27th, 2010.  A few weeks early but ready for the world.  They are now nine months and actually a little overweight but that's ok.  I'm sure once they start cruisin around that baby weight won't stay on long. lol  I've never actually met them only through pictures and video chat.  :(

Zyleigh and Sophia

this was taken soon after they first came home

and this is them now

I think the one on the left is Sophia and the one on the right is Zyleigh but I'll have to check with their Momma.  I can't wait for the day to kiss their little cheeks. 

So a month or so ago I found these shirts on clearance and had to get them.  If only they had shirts with "Great" Aunt on them.  Oh well.  Anyhow I searched and searched and racked my brain trying to figure out what to get to go with them.  I didn't know whether to go frilly and over the top or sweet country calico.  After seeing some really cute tutorials online for tutus I thought what the heck how often do I get to make "girly" things.  Like Never!  

So here they are 

I could not believe how easy the tutus were to make.

Made some cute little headbands to match

 I was so excited that I found the little tites at the Gap on clearance



Here they are in their pretty ballerinas in their pretty outfits!!

 

Take a look around if you like what you see you can always follow me:) 

click on the "follow" button on the right. 

Praise God for YOU!!!

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Bathroom Organization

Score!  I finally found something to corral all my bathroom counter beauty utensils.

Im not blessed to have a vanity with a drawer in it so my most used things seemed to always be all over the counter top of my sink.  I found it at my favorite store Marshalls for $14.99, which was a little more than I wanted to pay but I've looked high and low for something for months and come up empty handed.  I figured the sanity it will save me was worth the 15bucks.

  I used old canning jars that we had left over to stand my hair brushes in and another one for my toothbrush and toothpaste.  A votive cup for my makeup brushes.  I'm still on the search of some sort of try to put my eyeshadow, powder foundation, blush, etc in, a somewhat shallow curved tray would be perfect.  I suppose even a stylish small pencil box would work. 

Week #9 of my organizing challenge

Praise God for YOU!!!

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Let the Sunshine In!!!/ Bridal gift.

" He gives strength to the wearyand increases the power of the weak." Isaiah 40:29

Oh Happy Day, Let the Sunshine In. 

Thought I would post a picture of myself before you thought

Whoa! she's a gonner, :)

Whew do I feel better after that release yesterday!!!

I woke up today refreshed, put on my happy green shirt, made myself a happy headband and got to work, :) 

I figured I would go with the old saying if you don't know what to do then just do something. 

So I know I need help processing my grandmother's death, and I can't do it alone.  I am in the process of finding a bible study to help me through that. 

And on the business side of things I figured I would go with what I know right now. 

So here is a few things I made up some time ago and never got to share with you...

My sister in law was going to a bridal shower and asked me to come up with something. 

Here is His and Her Aprons

"His" is a barkeeper style apron, comes below the knees. 

"Hers" is the "Leah" apron with a few added touches. 

 I added a cool jean style pockets to "His" with a button closure waistband.

I added lace trim, pleated waisteband and flower rosettes to the pocket of" Hers"

Along with it I made a set of  six napkin rings.

They were made out of white vinyl with

 crystal and pearl beaded rings. 

The centers were bejeweled with rhinestones and mother of pearl beads.

Be on the look out I am going to be adding these to my etsy store by the end of the week.

Take a look around if you like what you see be sure

to click on the follow button on the right.   :)

Praise God for YOU!!!

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What do you want to be when you grow up?

     This post is going to be somewhat off the beaten path but hopefully you will stay with me.  I've done a lot of contemplating lately.  I have been searching for some time now on ways I can bring income into our home.  That was one of the reasons I started Doris Today, I was hoping to sew and create a few days a week while my kids were in school.  I have had a little, well a long one, lull in my creativity at least from a making things to sell stand point.  My grandmother, who was a substantial part of my life growing up, passed away a year and a half ago.  From that point on I noticed life kind of happening around me while I was standing still.
      Fast forward a year and half to today and I'm having a conversation with my oldest son that is starting high school next year.  That in itself is traumatizing enough, could I really be old enough to have a high schooler?  yikes  Anyhow back on track, our conversation was about what classes he might be taking next year.  He has taken some survey at school to help guide him in class choice process.  You know if are on the creative side you may want to take writing, or art related courses, if you are excited about science then what kind of science and gearing you toward those classes.  Mind you I told him you have to take some of it somewhat lightly because how many of us knew what we wanted to do when they were in 8th grade?  My suggestion was to him to take things he thinks he might be interested in and let his path form from there, but keep in mind things you might be able to do with those courses.  For instance he took a class called "Teen Challenges" in my day was called Home Economics because all his friends were taking it and they all said it was really fun that you got to make cookies and was overall just an easy course.  Well in the end none of his friends ended up being in his class and he hates it.  Mind you he is learning some life skills but in the end it is nothing what he thought it was going to be.  So my point was for him to take courses that might have spark some interest of  his and not just because all his friends are taking it. 
     Which had me thinking deeply in what I was doing as well.  I am finally seeing some light and my passion is starting to churn inside me again but for what?  I don't know.  Should I take a "job" outside the home part time?  How much do I want to disrupt my home in doing so?  Is it worth taking just any old job or should I try to find something in a creative field?  Or should I continue pusuing sewing acccessories and gifts to sell?  Is this really going to be profitable enough and where is that going to take me in the long haul?  Is this blog thing for real?  will it really bring in an income?  or should I take my creative juices and focus them into something that appears more profitable like textile design or interior design?  All of these questions are fueled by a life halting four letter word "FEAR"
     For most of my adult life I felt like I had a definate direction.  I knew I wanted to move out of my small town in upstate NY when I graduated, and I knew I wanted to something in the art field.  Fashion design kind of came out of the fact that I knew how to sew and putting garments together kind of came easy to me.  Which brought me to the Art Institude in Ft. Lauderdale, FL.  Then when I graduated I took entry level positions where I could still in the industry.  That was my direction.  I got married and had my first son and that was my direction.  We knew we wanted a more family friendly area to live so we moved up to Tallahassee, that was my direction.  I soon became lonely without family or friend around so I joined a ministry called MOPS (Mothers Of PreSchoolers)  I not only joined as a member but as a leader instantly, God had dropped me smack dab in the middle of a group of women that encouraged me as a mother, a wife, a woman and for the first time as a leader.  That was my direction for the next 8-9yrs.  Then my baby started kindergarten, my oldest started middle school, and the economy went in the toilet.  My direction moved toward bringing some income in our household.  But what, where, how?  I haven't been in the work force on a regular basis in 15years.  I have not filled out an application let alone made up a resume.   Then my grandmother passed and without realizing it I became stagnant, stuck in one place.  Losing all direction. 
    Have you ever asked yourself some of these questions?  Have you ever felt like you don't have a direction?  Have you ever been totally crippled by fear?  Have you ever wondered what you wanted to be when you grew up, when your were already grown up? 
   So I am going to take the first step to letting this fear go.  I'm giving it up to God, the last thing I want to do is let it keep me from becoming closer to him and letting his light shine through me.  The next step is I'm admitting it to you all that I am scared, and I'm crippled in fear.  It may not be the best business decision to bear my soul but I felt I needed to share for some reason, and it was time to release my fears. 

Praise God for YOU!!!

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