Icicle, Icicle on the wall, or porch overhang ...

Welcome to the New Year!

Hopefully this one will hold exciting things for each of you!

In this area we've been welcomed into the New Year with quite a few snowstorms... here are a few shots from our porch after the last storm passed through.



I love how these catch all the details of the ice formation.

P.e.A.c.e.

Gift Tags Galore!

I’ve been busy these past 2 weeks making some gifts for family. My Mother-In-Law’s family exchanges family gifts (there are individual gifts for the cousins who are much younger than Nate and I) and since Nate and I are celebrating our first Christmas as a “family” we decided to move into the adult exchange. Most of the family gifts are homemade, like a loaf of bread, or venison sweet bologna from the hunters, but neither Nate nor I consider ourselves bakers, and we don’t don the camouflage for some tree stand time come hunting season. So, naturally I turned to my never ending supply of scrap booking paper.










Since we gathered before Christmas, I decided to

make some gift tags for each of the 5 families. I was inspired by the snowman and Christmas tree tags I made for the first presents I wrapped this Season. I made 3 tags of each of the 4 designs. Since I wanted each of the designs to be the same I first made a template out of black cardstock. Then I traced it onto colorful paper, usually added a border and wa la! A little punch finished off each one. I made one from each of the designs a little more special, like the Christmas tree with a beaded garland which is pictured below.

After I had all of them ready to go I had the next dilemma of presentation. And like the famous chefs, I always think presentation is just as important as the product itself. Nate suggested I put them in envelopes and decorate the outside, but since gift tags aren't exactly a conventional gift, I thought they deserved a better "grand entrance" then some "lick n' seal" packaging. Thus, the next few photos:
I decided to make some little boxes to "wrap" each set of gift tags in. I looked up some simple instructions online, and after a few minutes of
creasing and folding I had these little babies to fill with my handmade tags.







They looked so cute when they were all put together ... and I got to show off my paper cutting skills!

Here's a shot of all of them together ... one big happy family! :)

and a close up of the aforementioned Christmas tree with a beaded garland


and a bow and gift tag (what else would you put on box of gift tags... hah :)) stand in for the cherry on top


Merry week of Christmas!

P.E.A.C.E. ... la paz

Contact Paper & Paper Chains

As an apartment DIYer I usually have to reign in my first thoughts about a new project. First, our lease isn't very DIY friendly. No paint ... No nails ... No knocking down walls. Okay, I probably haven't thought about knocking down a wall, but I have had my doubts about an apartment with every wall painted a muted periwinkle. At first I didn't think it would be an environment my color craving self could live in. Despite my desires to spend a few hours in the Lowes paint depart, I've been pleasantly surprised at how well I like the place in all it's lavender-esque glory. It's made being a DIYer even more satisfying with more challenging problem solving. Check out my solution to a headboard.

And since I naturally always purchase too much in the DIY department, I ended up with a whole unused roll of contact paper and a receipt long gone in the trash. Hense, our new dining room wall decor.

I love having these words to look at in the morning when I'm waking up over a nice bowl of cereal.

Micah 6:8

"He has told you, O mortal, what is good;
and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness,
and to walk humbly with your God"

What a great reminder of why I am here on Earth.

Lastly, I'll end my post with a jingle bell, or two :)

Since I don't have a collection of Christmas decorations yet, I decided to make some! What else would a DIY gal do to spruce up her digs? These Christmas paper chains lighten up our living area and they were super cheap and easy to make!

Since I still have sheet after sheet of scrapbooking paper left over from my honeymoon memory book, these were the perfect
projects to use some of it up ... and they look super cute too!

P.E.A.C.E. and joy to you this Christmas season...