May your days be filled with Love and Whimsy

Huntington Beach, California

Enjoying the journey

Altered Composition Notebook, Scrapbook or Journal

"It's a Love Story"

I wanted share a few ways to make your own altered books this summer.  This is the first type that I learned to do so I thought it would be a good idea to start with it first with you too.  This can be used for pictures, a journal or to turn in to a recipe book.  Whatever your heart desires!  This project is very easy, but a little more time consuming than others I have made.  So far, I have only completed a few pages with designs in this particular book, so as I complete more pages then I will try to post. I am trying to take it slow to make sure I absolutely love what I have chosen after spending so much time preparing it.  Each page starts with a blank canvas ready for your own unique creation!

You can see the cover here, (above), and I can show you a side view too:

Look there, it's sitting on top of the Farm Chicks cookbook - another favorite of mine!

As you can see, I have added ribbons inside, as well as to the cover, (I used a grommet to make the holes and tied ribbon through the front and back cover in order to hold it closed.)  I just can't get enough of the ball type fringe - I love love love it!  I painted the cover, but then glued paper and ribbon on the fold of the binding (or spine) so that if the paint happened to wear or crack in the future, then the black tape binding wouldn't be such a harsh contrast with the butter yellow base.  Red, and also a good buttery yellow are two of my favorite colors....and aqua and turquoise and mint and sage...I think I just love colors!

Supplies needed:

Brayer

Liquitex Matte meduim (found cheapest on Amazon.com)

Gesso (use your 50% off coupon at Joannes to pick this up or again, try amazon)

sponge or paint brush

old phone book (you will be tearing out the pages)

Composition notebook (I paid .13 cents for mine at Target)

waxed paper

Let's get started!

1.  Prepare the composition notebook by using the matte medium to glue two or three pages of the ruled paper together. This will make a thicker sturdier page to work with in the final product.  (You choose how many to combine according to how many pages you want to end up in your finished book.)  Paint a thin coat of the matte medium on the bottom page and then press down another sheet on top, smoothing out wrinkles with the brayer.

2.  While you are letting the combined lined paper dry completely, tear large strips of the phone book pages and keep them handy in a bag or box beside you.  Put a piece of wax paper under the page you are working on and brush the matte medium all over the page and lay the strips of paper all over.  I don't suggest using a whole lot of the medium or you will make a soggy mess.  Heavy enough to hold the paper down but not so much that it's dripping all over.  You will also brush a coat of the medium over the top to make sure its saturated and will hold firm. 

3.  Take another piece of wax paper and put it over the top of the page and use the brayer to smooth out any wrinkles or bubbles.  I usually pull the wax paper right back off but you can wait until the page is dry and peel it off also.

The hardest part will be completing only one set of open pages at a time.  You must let them dry in between or all of the moisture will saturate the binding and your pages will rot and tear out later after all of your hard work.  So be patient and let it dry.  (I try to make two books at once since I have to wait anyhow.) Make sure the spine is very dry, then move on to the next set of pages, and repeat the process until the book is completely covered.  

Note:  You do not have to cover the hardcover of the composition notebook with the phone book pages because they are sturdy enough already.

I keep my brush in a ziplock bag since I don't want to wash it out each time I am waiting for a page to dry.  I do this also when I am using the matte medium to "decoupage" the phone book pages to each piece of lined paper.  It makes life easier.

4.  Now that it's completely dried, go back through and paint each page with a nice coat (not too thin) of the gesso.  This will turn your page instantly in to a canvas, (I love this part!).  Paint the front and back cover completely with the gesso also.  The writing on the front and back will disappear with two coats of gesso usually.  

5.  Once this has dried, you are now ready for artwork. I usually paint my pages with scrapbook paint made by making memories.  You can glue, tape, draw and sew just as you would any other kind of scrapbook. I love to sew the edges by using a large pin to poke holes all the way around, and then sewing embroidery thread through each hole.  It's easy and gives it a great look!

Painted over the phone book page with a coat of gesso

painted with making memories scrapbook paint and I sewed the edges with red embroidery thread

Each page feels smooth like un-stretched canvas and is just waiting to for some creative spirit! I love the feel of these pages so much better than paper pages and the paint spreads so nicely. Like I said, my plan is to be working on this album as I have time for most of this summer vacation.  I will share the pages as I go, hopefully they turn out....I am always nervous to start but I am excited to try!

Have fun,

Yummy Body Butter Recipe

Lavendar Body Butter

Ingredients needed: Shea butter, Coconut oil, Vitamin E, Almond Oil, Essential oil and Aloe Vera

Make a double boiler and use a thermometer to bring Shea butter and Coconut oil to 180-degrees for 15 minutes

After it sits for 30-minutes, it will begin to solidify.  Use your mixer on highest speed to make a light fluffy mixture

Looks so good you could eat it!

Store in clean sterile PBA free glass jars

Recipe yields approximately 3-cups or   about 24-ounces total

I made my first batch of body butter today and I think my life will be changed forever. I have been wanting to make my own natural products for quite awhile now and hoping to use the least amount of ingredients and without anything artificial, (if that was even possible).  I see now, it is possible and I don't think I can ever use anything else again - I am officially IN LOVE with this smooth decadent body butter!  Try it, and you will see exactly what I mean.

Body Butter Recipe

1-cup (packed) raw unrefined organic Shea Butter

1/2-cup organic Coconut Oil (contains Lauric acid which has natural antimicrobial, antioxidant, anti-fungal and antibacterial) 

1/2-cup organic pure Almond Oil (use grape seed oil for problem skin)

2-tbsp Vitamin E oil (antioxidant, natural preservative)

1/2 cup of pure Aloe Vera (optional)

25-drops organic Lavender essential oil or rosemary and peppermint 
Note:  if you choose to use rosemary essential oils then do not mix this with the vitamin E or it will turn rancid.  Eliminate the Vitamin E oil or substitute Argan oil or another oil specific to the needs of your skin.

Use a double broiler and heat to melt the Shea butter and coconut oil until it reaches 180-degrees (to kill any bacteria, mold or fungus) and hold for 15 minutes.  Let cool for 30 minutes.  Mix almond oil, Vitamin E and essential oil in a separate bowl, then add to Shea butter and coconut oil mixture to it, (once the cooling period has passed).  Now wait around 30-minutes for the mixture to "set up" or solidify. I put mine in the refrigerator because I am always anxious to see how it turned out!  (When it's considered "set up", it looks like what reminds me of bacon grease after you let it sit. It will harden all around the edges but still have a thick liquid in the middle.)

Now that it is firm, take a mixer and blend the Aloe Vera in with the mixture on the highest speed until it is light and fluffy like whipping cream or whipped icing.  It's so creamy and beautiful, it looks just delicious.  Seriously, you will see what I mean when you make this!

Scoop the whipped butter in to clean sterile glass jars. You can store it in the refrigerator for 6-months, or in the bathroom for a 3-month shelf life. When you scoop this up, it will melt once it touches your skin.  Give it about 3 minutes to soak in and dry.  If you are in a hurry, put it on and just gently run a towel over your hands or body to wipe off excess.  It comes right off.

Body butters are made to sit on your skin to move slowly into your dermis (skin) over a short period of time and then washed off. Because body butter does not use water as it's main ingredient, it sits on top of your skin and your skin does not breathe as it soaks in. Your skin needs to breathe. However, water is the main ingredient in lotion so it allows your skin to breathe. I suggest using body butter at night so it fully soaks in and feeds your skin.  Then wash it off in the morning and switch to moisturizing lotion for the day.

Here are a few more research points that I found and thought would be interesting for you too:

• Always use organic or pure products purchased from sources that have a good reputation for quality. Ask someone you trust, especially if you know some who is knowledgeable in herbal education. My favorite source is Monique at MiAromaSpa.com.
• Shea butter is graded, use only Grade A, preferably organic. 
• Make sure that you do not get any water in to the mixture.  Bacteria can feed & grow (yuck!).  Also, make sure the lid to the container is completely dry before attaching.  If it is warm, or freshly washed & not completely dried, it could cause condensation or moisture under the cap that will lead to bacterial growth.  Don't add any lotion to a container unless it's cool so it doesn't cause condensation, which in turn is a place that may, again, harbor bacteria growth.
• Using "berry" essential oils will reduce shelf life to about 2-weeks because the berry will turn rancid.
• When choosing products, pick the one without artificial coloring, artificial fragrances. or preservatives.  Keep in mind that this is nourishment for your skin. Your skin, the largest organ in your body and absorbs any and all ingredients used in any product applied.
• This recipe is packed with intensely moisturizing fats such as Shea butter and coconut oil. Using skin healing essential oils such as rosemary, peppermint and sweet orange essential oil will leave your skin feeling fresh, smooth and supple. 
• Rosemary essential oil is said to improve thinking to foster creativity, and it's a natural preservative.  Peppermint Essential Oil refreshes and combats mental fatigue.
• Not all essential oils are skin friendly, or child friendly, do your research before adding.
• Carrot seed essential oil can protect up to an SPF of 30, while raspberry seed oil has protective qualities up to an estimated SPF of 50. But, these oils alone are not enough to protect from a full day in the blazing sun. A natural mineral called zinc oxide, needs to be added to reflect the sun’s rays.
• Do not use a microwave in place of a double boiler.  A microwave will change the molecular structure of anything heated in it, and this would just defeat the purpose here. Avoid using pans with Teflon (non-stick) because there are studies showing it can seep in to any foods cooked in them.  Choose stainless steel for mixing bowls and pans.
• Use cleaned BPA free glass whenever possible. Weck mold jars are a tiny bit expensive once shipping charges are added, but if you use them over & over then it may just be worth it to you too.

Feed your skin:  My Mom was recently diagnosed with melanoma (skin cancer) and it really has my mind spinning. If skin is the largest organ in your body, then what you "feed" this organ should be the most important thing we think about, right? Doesn't that just seem logical?  I started reading the ingredients in all of the high-end products that I have always used, and there are just too many listed to read.  Even the brand I have always loved most, and known for how basic but beautiful it is, has more ingredients than I could understand (even after "google-ing" them).  I can't help but wonder how much these chemicals that are absorbed in through the skin can be attributed to such a widespread and very deadly disease. 

I played around with a basic recipe that I searched to find on the internet, but found that one to be really greasy.  I am not a fan of "Crisco feeling" lotion or creams so I adjusted the formula.  I am really happy with the way it turned out, I am so proud of myself!  This has a light whipped frosting type consistency that just melts when it hits your skin.  Rub it in, and wait about 2-3 minutes for it to dry up.  If you have too much on your hands, just wipe it right off.  It comes off clean.  You will love love love the results and how wonderful it makes your skin feel and I am happy to share it with you.  Try it and let me know what you think!

Enjoy,

Spring has sprung!

I just wanted to share my flowers, (from my Husband), to welcome Spring time.  I love sunflowers, and he works just down the street from a great florist so I get the pleasure of fresh flowers for most of the summer.  It's a win win, hugh?  I picked up some sunflowers seeds from the prize winning sunflower at the Ventura County Fair last summer and this reminds me that I better get them in the ground soon!  I hope they grow as beautiful as those at the Fair, they were HUGE!  I don't think I have ever seen a Sunflower quite that large...I am dying to go again this summer just to see that contest again.

Happy Spring!

DIY Whimsical Votive Holders

Simple DIY glittery votive holders

Supplies: glitter, glitter glue, shaped scissors, glass votive holders, pop-up dots, painters masking tape

Shaped scissors create jagged edges, then paint glitter glue over all exposed glass, and then roll it in glitter.

Take the pop-up dots and smash each them in a pile of glitter.  Paint glitter glue over top and let dry before pressing on glass.

After the glitter dries, peel the tape off carefully and viola!  Next, paint another votive holder all over with a light coat of the glitter glue, then roll the glass in the glitter until it is completely covered.  When dry, paint over the top with another coat.

I really loved creating this project.  It was easy and I was able to use everything I already had in my supply closet.  I always feel like I have really accomplished something when I find such a great purpose for the things I have found along the way.
I think the polka-dots are my very favorite! I am going to make a few more in every color that I have.  They all turned out just like I imagined they would, so that makes me happy.  These really were very easy to make and they are going to add a gorgeous sparkle to my table tonight at dinner.
I think I may use these at Joy's baby shower too.  You know, Martha Stewart really does make the best glitter and the best colors I've found.  I need to find new ways to use them all.

Try it, it's easy!

Customize your own t-shirt

I wrote the lyrics, trying not to push too hard on the pen

as it dries, the letters do spread out a bit more, or "bleed"

It starts with a yellow tint on turquoise, but as it continues to dry it turns a but more white.  It takes about 8 min. total.

I have been trying to make easier projects while I am still couch-bound from knee surgery.  I used a Clorox bleach pen to write the lyrics of "you are my sunshine" for my daughter.  It's true.  She is my sunshine and she always makes me happy.  Anytime my skies are grey, I just have to look to her or be with her for even a few minutes and she picks me up.  I am a grateful Mom with a happy heart and I appreciate every day that I have with my family!
I made one for myself in red with lyrics from one of Taylor Swift's songs.  I just love Taylor Swift!

"The miracle of gratitude is that it shifts your perception to such an extent that it changes the world you see." -Dr. Holden

Charming Light Garland

Use the X-acto knife to carefully cut a small "x" on the top of each cup

Gently push through each light bulb through the "x" but be very careful not to punch the top out of the cup. By the way, Autumn's nails look quite lovely, don't you say?

I can't believe that something this easy to create could be so darn cute,  I really love this garland! I have finished two sets of them so far with this design using turquoise and red raspberry doilies and a few pieces of leftover fabric. and the third strand that I am working on is just a little bit different. (I will post that design soon.)  The possibilities are endless with this project and it's so basic that even the kids can help. I saw this project at Good Housekeeping, but it was with double-sided tape and paper dixie cups.  I thought if I made it with a few more durable materials, that I would more likely be able to use them over and over again. 

I used thin printed paper, leftover fabric, and doilies for this strand.  My goal with this project was to use as much as I could that I already have in my closet.  You could decoupage scraps of leftover papers or fabric in strips or small pieces also, and it would look great.

List of supplies:

50-pack of 3oz. flexible plastic solo cups (dixie cups will not work because of the wax finish)

Mod Podge

Printed paper, fabric, or tissue paper

Small paint brush & scissors

X-acto knife 

Set of LED strand lights or bridal lights (LED so they don't get too hot & melt the cups)

1.  Make a template.  Use a scrap piece of paper to fully wrap around one of the cups to draw a template from it. Leave about 1/8"in material at the bottom edge of the cup in order to be able to tuck this part under the rim of the cup for a more finished look. I made a few of these paper patterns to use at once so I could work and cut out more quickly.

2.  Cut material.  You will need to cut pieces using this pattern or template according to how many lights are on the strand.  

3.  Glue down material.  Now brush a generous layer of mod podge on the cups surface, and lay the paper or fabric down smoothing over it gently. Smooth out as many wrinkles and bubbles as you can, then brush another thin coat of Mod Podge over the top.  As soon as you complete a few, you will get a feel for exactly how much Mod Podge to use.  I found that fabric lays down much better and without wrinkles.  I didn't mind the wrinkles and even left the holes from the doilies so that the light could shine through.  Paper will rip easily once it is saturated, so be careful when smoothing it out.  Now remember that you should have a little excess fabric hanging over the bottom rim.  Cut slits all along the bottom circle or rim so that when you tuck the material under, it lays properly.

4.  Let dry.  Lay the finished cups out on wax paper until they are completely dry.

5.  Mark cup tops.  Prepare the cups by marking a small "x" in the center of the top of each cup.  Then use the X-acto knife to very carefully cut out the "x".  Gently push the light plug through this hole.  You want the "x" and hole to be a small cut; big enough to push the plug through with a just a tiny bit of pressure, but not so big that the cup will slide off or not stay securely once you hang the strand.  Be gentle so that you don't pop the entire bottom off by using too much force.  

Note:  If that does happen, and the bottom comes out, don't panic.  Just use an embroidery needle and poke a small hole on each side walls of the cup and use embroidery thread to sew each side directly to the light strand.  Once it's hanging, you won't even notice.  Problem solved.

Enjoy,

Where do you have your photos printed?

The picture to the left was printed at Costco and the one to the right was from Color Inc.

The left was printed at Costco, the right printed at Color Incorporated

Can you see the difference in these prints?  Have you ever wondered if there really is any difference in printing your photos at one place vs. another? I wondered how the best in that category would compare to a professional printing company like the "real" photographers or professionals use. I found a site called Color Incorporated on line (after hours of searching) and thought I would give them a try.  I have to say, the results were impressive! Look at the picture of Ashton in the green shirt.  Don't you think that it seems to have more depth than that print done at Costco? If I remember right, I paid about .12 cents at Costco and maybe .25 cents per print (including shipping) at Color Inc.  That's more than double.  But to me it is just a small price to pay for the handful of photos I have taken that I really am completely happy with.

I found a blog sometime back that illustrated a terrific comparison of prints from the leading stores that offer digital print developing on-site.  Did you know that Costco actually has the best quality?  For me, this is great news!   I use Costco all the time =).

Take a minute because this article is well worth considering, in fact, I think I would consider it a must! Click here: Where should I print my photos? 

Enjoy the journey,