MY NEW BLOG LOCATION

Okay, everyone, as stated in my last post, I am going to be moving to WordPress.  It is a work in progress but I do have my new blog address as well as all the posts from this blog already moved over.  Now, like I said, it is a work in progress.  Right now it still just looks like a pre-fabbed blog but with my posts.  So, you can go see it if you would like.  I will update you again when it is totally ready, in the state that I want it to be when you come back.  I will be back to blogging on my WordPress blog at the beginning of January 2013!

www.hshomemade.com

Happy Holidays!

A New Blog Location....

....will be announced soon.  What has happened is that I have run out of free space on blogspot for pictures.  So, since that is the whole basis of this blog, I will be changing blog locations soon.  My husband has a blog of his own (for work/research purposes) on WordPress and we have already purchased a blog name for me through his company blog.  We are working on a few glitches and will be up and running by January.  He always told me I would run out of space (which I knew I would eventually) and so I should have taken his advice from the get go and started at WordPress, I guess.  Hindsite is 20/20, right?  So, my plan is to move my entire blog to WordPress by January and begin blogging there next year.  I am excited about this new beginning!  Once I have it up and running, I will post a link.  Since the circumstances have changed, I am going to take the rest of this month off and spend it first of all with my family and secondly doing some much needed sewing for my little girl.  I said I was going to make some clothes for her this fall and never really got around to it....so, this is the open door for that.  So, I hope you all have a wonderful Holiday Season with friends and family and I will catch you in January with a new plan for the year ahead!  I will be sure to share with you all of my sewing adventures that I PLAN to complete by January!  Have a great day!

Working on it....

Sorry for the delay....I am having a few problems with my blog.  Working on it!

Craft Room Video

Why, yes, it IS a 4th post for the week!  It is a holiday weekend, right?  Why not have a little more fun this week and do a random video of my craft area???  Sure, why not?  :-)  So, after all this time, I have never shown you all my craft space.  Please disregard my dirty clothes in the video...oops! 

 

FYI:  I do have a little more storage of things in my closet (much to my husband's dismay...)....but we were NOT going there!  :-)  My sewing machine and sewing "stuff" is in there as well as some things for my scrapbooking that I do not use daily.  Anyway....here we go....

Happy Thanksgiving

 

 

"HIS"

 

 

"HERS"

 

 

Happy Turkey Day everyone!  Hope you are all able to be spending this day with family and/or friends!  We are spending the day with my husband's family and we are also going to "do" Christmas this weekend as well!  We are driving down to his parent's house (about 2 hours away) this morning and will eat, eat, and eat some more for the next few days!  Great!  I don't need any more inches in  my jeans!  Anyway....sure to be a great weekend!  Today, I just wanted to leave you a few pictures of the turkey shirts I made with the kids to wear this week.  Acrylic paint, feet, hands, shirts.  That is all it takes....oh, and a bow for my daughter's "girl" turkey.  How cute are these?  The kids LOVE them.  They have already worn them this week and are wearing them again today!  Hope you all have a great day filled with turkey, dressing, and all the "fixin's".  I personally made the pecan pies, the homemade (of course) cranberry sauce, and the dinner for Friday night (stuffed shells/beef and chicken).  Whew....it's been a long week....can't wait to eat it all!  :-)  Have a great day and remember, it is always homemade!

Turkey Gift Boxes

I was in a hurry when I took this picture and I just snapped one with my iPad....sorry for the fuzziness.  But, you can still see how cute these little gift boxes were that I sent to school with my son today for his teachers.  I saw on Pinterest a little turkey that had the rosette as the feathers and that is how this little turkey came into existance.  Really simple and really cute.  Everything is just held together with ATG gun adhesive and/or glue dots.  The feathers are made out of a 1 1/2 x 12 inches (scored and folded at every half inch).  The kraft boxes are from SU! and the paper that wraps the box is measured at 8 1/2 x 2.  The turkey body is made out of two circle punches.  The rest is self explanatory.  Hope you have fun making these!  Have a wonderful day of baking (as I am) and remember, it is always homemade.

Hello, Dear Friend: Sketch #3

 

(Sketch from www.cardpositioningsystems.blogspot.com)

 

 

 

This week's skecth comes from www.cardpositioningsystems.blogspot.com .  I wanted to use one of my new stamp sets and this bike from the SU! Moving Forward set fit perfectly on the front of this card.  Don't freak out but I did cut the sentiment away from this bike image and used it separately on the bottom of the card.  I did that with each stamp in that set that contained an image and a sentiment together.  It just works better for me that way.  I really like the vintage feel of this card and will probably make another one soon.  Hope you have a great day and remember, it is always homemade!

Our Family

 

We had some family pictures done last Saturday and here are a couple of them.  Just wanted to share!

Old Friends, but Good Friends!

Old friends don't trump your new friends nor is the opposite true, but it is ALWAYS good to see friends you haven't seen in a long time.  My husband and I lived in West Texas for three long years while he began and finished his Doctorate Degree.  We were so far from family and our "old friends" from Alabama we felt very alone for a little while until we made our "new friends" seen in this layout above.  Now, since we moved back to Alabama, we miss our "new friends" we made in Texas!  Well, about a year after we moved back to the state of Alabama, we had the opportunity to return to Texas for a long weekend.  My husband was asked to speak at a Gospel Lectureship that the congregation where we attended (Southside church of Christ, Lubbock, TX) in October of 2009.  We spent time with great friends, whom we will never forget, and got to visit around to my old workplace as well as the University campus.  These are only a few of the people that meant so much to us while in Texas and we hope to get back to visit again one day.  Hope you enjoy this quick, easy layout!  Have a great day scrapping a layout of "old friends" and remember the memories!  Remember, it is always homemade!

Double Embossing Video

Just a quick video today for a neat little idea I just totally did by accident....thought you guys might be interested...

Target Turkeys...

This is the second Thanksgiving craft in the series this month....one more week till the big Turkey Day!  I can't really believe it.  I feel like Thanksgiving meal at our house this time last year was, like, yesterday!  This year we spend Thanksgiving with my in-laws and we are also doing Christmas on the same weekend....and I haven't bought the first item...seriously!  Not.  Good. 

Anyway...here is the craft for today.  Target had these little gems in the $1 bins although they were actually only 50 cents!  Which made it even better.  The kids had a blast putting these together and there are plenty of stickers left on the sticker sheet to use for something else!  They are thrilled which always makes for a happy Momma!   

Have a great day and remember, even with my kids, it is always homemade!

Sketch #2 With Video



 

(Sketch from www.cleanandsimplestamping.com  #209)

 

 

So, this week, I was looking for something that I could use washi tape (the newest fad) with and this sketch was PERFECT!!  So, I went to work and made a few variations. 

 

 

My Original

 

 

The same sketch but with different sentiments...

 



With Paper for Holiday Cards

And while I had the washi tape out....

Below is the video that accompanies this sketch....ENJOY and remember, it is always homemade!

Petting Zoo

Yes, this is a VERY simple layout.  But, it captures the moments of that particular day and the amazement Harrison had on his face as he "petted" the animals.  We used to live in Lubbock, TX (for my husband to do his Doctorate) and about a year after we moved back to Alabama we had the oppurtunity to go back for him to preach at a Lectureship in the area.  We were so happy to have a chance to go back and see all of our friends that we missed so much!  So, we actually were there on a weekend when one of our friends' daughters had a birthday party at a well known petting zoo there in town.  So, we were able to spend time with all of our friends at the party as well as have fun with the birthday girl.  These pictures are from the petting zoo part.  Harrison, even still to this day, does not LOVE animals.  Maybe I shouldn't put it that way.....he likes them until they look in his direction.  If they come near him, he runs and screams.  It has gotten better in the last 6 months but he is still very nervous around animals of any kind.  So, these pictures remind me of that day when we wanted him to pet the animals and he wouldn't!  :)  Hope you enjoy and remember, it is always homemade.  Meet me back on Monday and I will have another sketch to share with you!  Have a great weekend.

Autumn Banner

 

 

 

First of all...sorry that these are not the best pictures.  I couldn't take them in natural light and these take away from how cute this banner really appears!

 

This is the frist week of another series this month of "Thanksgiving Projects".  I know that this is not a true Thanksgiving themed craft but it is great for this time of year.  Also, this is a great craft for the kids to do and then be able to appreciate it themselves when it is hung up in your home!  My son did the stamping and glueing of this yesterday.  He is VERY proud of it....although, not too happy that he had to take the bats and ghost projects down to put this up!  He still wants it to be Halloween!

 

I got this idea from something I saw on Pinterest....I saw real burlap hanging with apples stamped onto it and it was so cute that I began to think of a way to improvise.  So, I had some burlap paper, twine, an apple to use as the stamp, and the leaves and stems are made with fake leaves....just cut down into pieces.  I tried at first to make the stems out of pipe cleaners but I HATE glueing pipe cleaners down.  It just never co-operates!  Oh well.  Life will go on....

 

So, hope you enjoy doing this yourself or with your kids.  My kids love to "make" stuff!  My son loves to stamp with all my "boy" type stamps.  I am sure that one day I will "make" my daughter crafty as well!  ;)  She is only 2 so glue and such is not fun right now for ME!  She loves to color and use stickers so I am sure a love of stamps will follow. 

 

Have a great day and remember, it is always homemade!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sketch #1

(This sketch is from www.gotsketch.blogspot.com April 2012)

 

There are several places online that you can go and find sketches for cards and scrapbook layouts.  Millions, actually!  So, this month and next we are going to do a new sketch each week.  This month, the sketches will be on Mondays.  A list of places to look for sketches are at the end of this post.

 

We start with this sketch which I actually saw on Pinterest and tracked it down to the original website for you guys.  With the Chevron pattern being so "in" right now, I thought this would be a fun one to start out with.  As you look at my card below, it is obvious that I did not copy it exactly but you can see the general layout in my card.  That is the point of sketches....to get your brain working and make something original. 

 

Hope you enjoy the sketches to come and remember it is always homemade.

 

 

Here are a few places to go to for inspiration through sketches.

 

www.gotsketch.blogspot.com

 

www.mojomonday.blogspot.com

 

www.mysketchworld.blogspot.com

 

www.skippingstonesdesign.com/catagory/card-sketches

 

www.cardpositioningsystems.blogspot.com

 

www.cardpatterns.blogspot.com

 



Labor Day Layout

 

Here is the layout for this week.  It is a very simple layout and then embellished in the corners around the journaling box.  Just remember that your page doesn't have to be "overly embellished" to be a nice looking page.  I really do like the look of pages that have few pictures and lots of embellishments, but like I have said before, I am so behind, I do not have time to make every page like that.  Mentally, it is very hard for me to just use one or two pictures on a layout.  (Not that I have never done this, because I have from time to time)  I have always been a scrapper who puts lots of pictures on one layout.  I just can't get around that in my mind.  I don't know why.... Also, remember that everyone has their own style and I want you to scrap YOUR way, not anyone elses.  Okay, there is your encouragement for the week.  Scrap the way YOU want to....don't worry about how others scrap.   I watch a lot of YouTube videos on girls scrapping and some scrap the way I do and some do not but I still can use some of their ideas without going completely away from my own scrapping style.  Just remember to stay true to yourself.  Hope you have a great day of creating and remember, here at H.S. homemade, it is always homemade!

Double-Pocketed Envelope

 

This was a fun project to bring forth from the vaults of long ago....  I have made these in the past and I thought it would be fun to bring out the pattern for the coming holidays.  I know today is Halloween but, as many of you probably are by now, I am so over it!  :-) 

 

So, let's have a Christmas themed project, shall we?  By the time Christmas rolls around I will be sick of  making Christmas themed things....

 

So, here is a video on how to make these envelopes.  First, the basic fold.  Secondly, how to use patterned paper in a way that the print will come out "right side up" after the paper is folded into the envelope.  Hope you enjoy and have a great Halloween! 

 

Vellum Milk Cartons

 

 

 

 

You really can't get cuter than these!  I made these for my son's preschool teachers for their Halloween gifts.  I have made these little milk cartons before but this time I made them smaller and in vellum!  So cute!  You can get a template for this anywhere on the internet.  I used my SCAL software to cut them out.  Also, SU! has a die for them as well.  I used my new Spooky Bingo Bits stamp set to make all the little tags on the front.  The orange stamped image is covered in Glossy Accents to make it shiny.  I secured them with little metal clips and then tied the name of the recipient on the top of the carton.  I hope the teachers love them!  There is candy corn inside so surely that will be a plus!  Have a great day and remember it is always homemade!

Driving....

Cute, simple layout today.  These are pictures of my son "driving" in the front seat of the car while I was cleaning it out.  As you can see he was very excited to be doing this!  He thought he was hot stuff!  I laid the pics out and then embellished a little bit and voila it was done!  Hope you all have a great weekend and remember, it is always homemade!

Bleach-Sprayed Shirts

 

 

 

 

You may have seen this technique on Pinterest or just browsing the Internet for craft ideas....I saw it on Pinterest and then had a friend who tried it and so, I just had to try this for the kids.  My first attempt was the owl and I am so glad that I had a "trial run" because I messed it up!  It got the freezer paper applique too wet with bleach and it bled through into the design.  I kept that shirt for a PJ shirt for my daughter but had a second go at this and they came out great. 

 

First, you cut out a design that you want on Freezer Paper.  I used my SCAL software to cut the designs out.  Then you iron them onto the shirt.  Then you need to put something between the front of the shirt and the back that will not allow the bleach to bleed through onto the back of the shirt.  Then, from a distance spray bleach onto the shirts so that the bleach will kind of float down onto the shirt....you do not want a direct spray. 

 

As you can see from the pictures above some colors appear different than others.  The red was awesome but took more sprays of bleach than the others.  The pink took a couple of sprays and the yellow faded rather quickly.  My suggestion is to spray one or two sprays and then let it dry completely before spraying more so that you can see the effects as you go and so that you do not spray too much.  You can not reverse the effects.  Do this on a hot, sunny day so that the shirts will dry quickly.  Think of the possibilities!

 

Have a great day and remember, it is always homemade.