Say Hello to...

I’ve mentioned it before, but I am going to say it again, the Silhouette Cameo ROCKS!! If you don’t know what I am talking about, Google it, seriously! It can print, cut and create aaanything, it is so awesome, and Katie has one, which is even better {for me, haha}. I had an idea and needed help making it happen, Katie came to my rescue! Say hello to... my new “Hello”.

It’s pretty cool, right? I thought it was so welcoming and fun to have such a personal touch on our front door. It’s made out of vinyl, I put it on the door myself, and it will peel off if I ever want to remove it. We both love vinyl, and the fact that her Silhouette Cameo gives us the power to make our own vinyl print outs is sweeeet. Let me show you how easy it is to transfer vinyl onto something…

1.        The vinyl prints and cuts itself, so peel off the surrounding vinyl that you don’t need- all that should be left is your lettering.

2.        Peel the backing off the transfer paper and place the sticky side down onto your vinyl lettering.

3.        Use a credit card to rub out any bubbles and really press the two papers together.

4.        Peel the transfer paper off slowly- the lettering should be sticking to the transfer paper, if not press and rub it together a little more.

5.        Place the transfer paper, sticky side down, onto the surface you wish to have your lettering on.

6.        Use your credit card to rub out any bubbles and press the paper onto the surface really well.

7.        Peel the paper off slowly, your vinyl should be completely transferred and in place!

It’s really just the same steps twice, first transfer the vinyl onto the transfer paper, second transfer the vinyl onto the surface, that’s it!! It only takes a few minutes and is super simple. Little change, big impact!

Vinyl will transfer and stick onto almost anything and any type of surface; doors, walls, wood, glass, metal, chalkboards, paint etc. And it comes right off if needed, which makes it perfect for décor. Here are a few pics of other projects and décor we have used vinyl on:

If you’re interested in a “hello”, or any word, phrase, quote or image, contact us! We would love to design something for you! We can easily mail these as well. We have access to every color vinyl imaginable, hundreds of fonts and images and can print a single word or an entire phrase in almost any size! Contact us for details!

Thank you, Katie, for sending my “hello”, I think it makes our entry look much friendlier, I love it!!!

          xoxo,

                   Rachele

Quote of the week!

“Creative minds are rarely tidy”

Boy oh boy would my husband agree with that!! Now, I’m not saying creative people are slobs, no no no, but a little cluttered, yes yes yes. I am an overly organized very ‘type A’ girl; I like things in certain places, in specific orders, and looking an exact way. With that said I know all too well how a project can take over your life, and house.

“Sorry babe, I know there are STILL hot glue and fabric scraps all over the countertops, I will get it cleared away soon I promise…”

“Welcome home, we are going to eat dinner standing up tonight because our dinning room table is under a heap of supplies… again”

For whatever reason I like working on projects on the floor, I like spreading everything out across the family room and sitting down to a mindless movie and getting to work. There have been so many nights when my poor husband has come home from work only to tip toe around our house to avoid stepping on anything from scissors and glue guns to nails and paint cans. Lucky for him I can no longer work on the ground because of our mischievous 5 month old puppy! None the less I fully admit to throwing my tidy gene out the window when attempting to be creative!

So, to wrap this up… forgive your tidy-challenged friends {and wives!}, they are trying to create something!! And to my main man; thank you for putting up with my hyper organized completely unorganized way of life!

          xoxo,

                   Rachele

“Crafting Makes Everything Better...Even Mondays”

          That pretty much sums up my week! This week started with kid-disasters and is apparently ending almost the same way. Boo. So, my way of surviving is to put the kiddos to bed early and work on a crafty project! It really doesn't matter what it is, sewing, using the hot glue gun, decorating mason jars or hammering nails, at the end of the project it really does make me feel better! It is comforting to know there is something I can do that will brighten the long days this week. You should try it too….I know you will love it!

            xoxo,

                     Katie

"Crafting. For people who want to be artists, but suck at art."

            Well, that's me!! This quote made me laugh and I immediately related. I have friends who are artists, true artists, by every definition of the word, but (to my dismay) I do not fall into that category. Boo hoo for me, haha. So, instead, I craft! When people hear the word "crafting" I think they picture kiddie stuff, filled with buttons, yarn and glue, but crafting can be anything! It is sewing, building, wood work, refurbishing old into new, painting, creating, and making things with your hands. You don't have to be an artist, or super creative, all that matters is you try... I bet you will like it, it is relaxing and fun to create something yourself. Crafting fits my level of abilities, and I am just fine with that! So, I say this with love; happy crafting to my fellow "wannabe artists"!!

                  xoxo,

                          Rachele

“Keep Calm and Do It Yourself”

            These have been words to live by! My hard-working hubby started a new job a few months ago, so he has been really pre-occupied (and we are SO thankful for the new job!). Unfortunately, it means he is unavailable to help with projects around the house as often. So, I started learning how to do things on my own and with this learning curve comes ALOT of frustration! This quote is perfect to remind me during my building projects to stay calm. I think many of us find we are more capable of doing things on our own than we imagined, especially when there is no other option! We just need to have patience and take our time (easier said than done I know). So while you are struggling through your next project on your own, just remember this quote to “Keep Calm and Do It Yourself! 

                              xoxo,

                                     Katie

 “Make something with your hands”

          Music to my ears! I love this quote since I get such immense satisfaction while using my hands to measure, cut, and put together wood, sewing, or any other crafting project. One personality trait I have learned about myself is I strive to complete things- anything! It drives me kind of crazy to leave things un-done, but the story of my life is housework, dishes, and laundry that is NEVER finished! It makes me feel like I’m never caught up on housework (which is true).  It’s an ongoing battle to keep picked up and organized. So, my solution was to find things I could complete and feel satisfaction about! Sewing, woodworking, and crafting are all things I can finish and feel proud of! I hope all of you other moms and wives can relate. So I encourage you all to make something with your hands that you can finish and feel proud of! Have a great rest of the week everyone!

                         xoxo,

                                  Katie

“In crafting there are no mistakes, it is your own unique creation.”

          Thank goodness for this! I felt like I made mistakes so many times this week, especially on my wreaths. Of course there are things that aren’t perfect… my shamrock stem is uneven, my baseball wreath hangs crooked, and my giant blooming flower isn't completely how I hoped it would be, but then I read this quote and was comforted. They are all my own unique creations, no mistakes were made, just individual quirks! Enjoy the unique-ness in your creations!

          xoxo,

                   Rachele

“Tell me and I forget, teach me and I may remember, involve me and I’ll understand.” –Ben Franklin

This rings so true, I am a very visual and hands on person. I need to DO in order to learn. I like trying things myself and getting comfortable, so involve me and I’ll understand. Who else is the same way? I bet a lot of you DIYers can relate to Mr. Franklin!

          xoxo,

                   Rachele

A Box of Sunshine

          

          How awesome is this!? Send someone a box of sunshine, such a sweet and simple way to brighten their day. I saw something similar (on Pinterest- of course) and knew I was going to make and send my own special surprise.

          For my box I hit up Target and a local candy shop to find all kinds of fun things, what I ended up with is: A candle, a card game, lotion, straws, lemon drops, candy coated almonds, balloons, silly glasses, a fruity drink, lemon candy cane sticks, a monogrammed mug and a giant lollipop.

          I arranged everything into a box and added a little note saying “Sending you a box of sunshine to brighten your day, as you have always brightened mine!” Lastly I took scraps and cut sunbursts out of card stock to cheer it up even more.

I love love love this idea, and I love the fact that you can add anything yellow to your box and really personalize it to the person or people you’re sending it to. I took a few minutes to compile a ‘list of yellow’ and give you ideas of fun things to send. I broke my list up into three sections, so you can check out ideas for the babes in your life, the hunks, and the littles.

Imagine how much joy you can bring to someone you love, it is the perfect way to let them know you’re thinking about them. So, send someone a box of sunshine and brighten their day!

          xoxo,

                   Rachele

Get Organized!!

             Helllllo!! The last couple months in the Ramseier household have been crazy busy! It has been amazing, but ridiculous trying to keep track of it all! I keep a monthly calendar in my purse with ALL of our dates, but occasionally (all the time) I forget to look at it. Oops. I think the breaking point came when I missed my eyebrow waxing appointment, not once, but twice! I rescheduled and forgot AGAIN. I couldn’t believe I did that! Something had to be done to keep track of everything…and fast! I didn’t want a plain calendar on the wall- I wanted something that fit with my décor. So, I came up with a Dry Erase Weekly/Monthly Calendar arrangement. To make one similar you will need:

-Two bigger frames (mine were 18”x14”-from Walmart)

-Decorative paper (Michaels, Hobby Lobby, or Joann’s carries this)

-Dry erase marker

-Chalk pen

-(MAYBE) spray paint if you want to make the frames a different color

            I started by spray painting my frames white. I took the frames apart to avoid spraying the glass. I ended up needing three coats to cover this darker wood tone. I let it sit overnight and put the frames back together the next day. 

            Then I started working on the paper for the inside of the frames. I wanted to see the whole month on a calendar but also write out one week at a time. On one frame I did Monday-Friday, and the second frame I did Saturday & Sunday plus the monthly calendar. I cut strips of paper to divide up the days of the week so it was easier to see. I used a piece of paper the same size as the frame to tape all the decorative strips onto (so they wouldn’t slip around inside the frame). Make sure you tape on the back so you can’t see through from the front. Then I used the white chalk pen, on the glass of the frame, to write in the day of the month on each week day. Confusing?! Lol yes, very. Take a look at the pics to clear up my sketchy description! 

                All that was left was to hang them up in our entry way. It has been a great way to visually keep track of everything from appointments, T-ball games and meetings to dinners and snack days at school and games. It is super easy to wipe clean and re-do on a weekly a monthly basis, plus my hubby can see the schedule and know exactly what is going on and when. Win win for everyone- we stay organized and I didn't have to sacrifice my walls or decor for a cheap paper calendar. Hope this helps give everyone an idea on how to get organized!!

                 xoxo,

                            Katie

Paint chips & punches

        Hiiii!! The last few weeks in the Poplin household have been awesome! My parents came out for a long weekend and saw our house for the first time, one of my best friends flew out to visit for a few days, aaand it was my birthday! JD was off work for a week and I was spoiled by all kinds of gifts, yummy foods, and nights out. We also did a lot of projects, wood working/building and crafting, I am really excited to share all of them (but some of them are surprises, so I'll have to wait a bit). I do however have a fun little project that I can share today...

        Our beautiful niece was born a few months ago and I made a few things to go in her room. Her bedroom colors are super bright and cheery shades of blues and greens with pops of coral. I used canvases to make wall decor along with my handy new heart punch. I have wanted a punch for a while now, they make cutting shapes so much quicker and easier, plus I never cut straight and my cut-outs are never uniform when I need them to be. I covered the canvases in hearts and wanted the colors to fade from one to another, almost like an hombre effect. If you want to make something similar you'll need:

- canvas
- paint chips or card stock paper
- adhesive dots (I used 3D foam squares)
- a punch or scissors 

          I used paint chips instead of paper because they are a little sturdier, they come in endless color options and you can get them for free anywhere that sells paint. I am a little ashamed to say that I got {very} carried away and walked out of Lowes with a giant handful of paint chip samples! I bought the heart punch, adhesive 3D squares and canvases at Michaels and Hobby Lobby (don't forget their apps give you 40% and 50% off an item!)

         Making this is extremely easy.... Cut and stick!! Use your punch or scissors to cut lots of hearts, or your shape of choice, and lay them out on your canvas to find the fit you like. Once you have them all laid out you can apply an adhesive dot to each shape and stick them into place on the canvas. I chose to use the adhesive dots instead of glue because I wanted the hearts to pop up off the canvas a little and not be glued completely flat. It turned out pretty cute. My heart punch is large so I wasn't able to fit as many hearts on each canvas as I had hoped when I was picturing the final project, so I would use a smaller punch if you decide to try this yourself. 

        My girlfriend is still in town and we have more fun things to accomplish before she flies home tomorrow, so I am going to get back to work! Have a great weekend everyone!! 

                         xoxo,

                                Rachele