Wine Cork Monogram

Wine corks remind me of my courtship with my husband.  During that time we enjoyed all sorts of things we don't get to do any more: expensive restaurants, plays, bars...and wine.  Not only did we not have children or a house payment, but I got pregnant days after our wedding, and, while still breast-feeding, got pregnant again 9 months later.  So, needless to say, I haven't had much wine lately.  However, since we are sentimental, we saved many of the corks from the bottles we've shared, and my husband continues to save corks from the wine he shares with family and friends.

We had quite a few corks...humm...what to do with them?

Here is what I came up with:

I love the different marking on the corks, and how wine soaked into some corks differently and I wanted to show both of these things.  I'm happy with how it turned out, and it is a fun addition to our wine rack.

This is a simple and easy project, but here is a quick run-down of how to do it.

For this project all you need is lots of corks, a piece of cardboard, a wine colored piece of cardstock, a hot glue gun and an exact-o-knife.

First, trace your monogram onto cardboard and cut it out with an exact-o-knife.  I then cut out another monogram shape from the wine colored cardstock and placed that on top of the cardboard just in case there were tiny gaps between the corks.

Then--get creative!  I just started laying out the corks and gluing down as I went.  I used the exact-o-knife to cut and trim corks so they better fit the monogram.  And after the glue was dry I was done!

Easy and fun!

Thanks for stopping by--and be sure to return tomorrow for the photo link-up.  The theme this week is SUMMER!  So, sort through all those great shots you took this summer and link up the best one or two!

Nancy If it's your first time visiting Small Things, I'd love for you to connect with me in some way!

Corkboard Frame: Blog Swap with Sarah from Blissful Bucket List

Happy Tuesday everyone!  Today I am swapping blogs with Sarah from Blissful Bucket List.  Please welcome her here, and check out my post on her blog! 
Hi everyone!!! Sarah here from Blissful Bucket List!! I am so excited that I get to swap blog posts today with Nancy. I am still somewhat new to the blogging world, so this is such a treat for me! :)   I am an Army wife, a new mom to a little 6 month old boy,  AND a full time highschool English teacher to 90+ teenagers. I also love to experiment with anything and everything that I find on pinterest.   Since my life tends to get a little hectic at times, my blog features simple everyday things that can usually be made by following a few steps and with only spending a few dollars.   Today I wanted to share with you my Corkboard Frame! It is something that I made especially for my desk at school. Great for a place to stick notes!  

    In The Making: Supplies - frame (mine came from Walmart for $3), and a cork roll (Target)   1. Take the glass out of your picture frame, carefully! 2. Cut the cork roll to fit the frame. Make sure you measure it to the frame, not the removed glass! 3. Place the corkboard in the frame, simply as you would a picture. 4. Place the back on the frame and viola! You're done     Like I said, I love awesome crafts that can be done with little money and few steps! Doesn't get easier than that. :) If you like a handy place to keep notes, you might like my Dry Erase Frame as well!   I have had such a great time here at Small Things with Love. Nancy is such an awesome person and I have LOVED getting to know her and being a part of her amazing blog! Thanks again, Nancy!!      

2 Years Today

August 28, 2010

Today is my two year anniversary, and although two years is not a very long time, I believe that these two years have been the most formative of my life.  Two years and a day ago my most significant title was "teacher", a profession which I loved.  But since then I have acquired two more titles, "wife" and "mother", words that don't define what I do, but what I am, and the vocation I have excepted for the rest of my life.

Last night my husband and I stayed up way too late talking, about lots of things, and we briefly discussed this little blog.  He has always been wonderfully supportive, and a faithful reader, but he never misses an opportunity to challenge me (oh joy).  He told me he was a little disappointed that I share so little on the blog and instead just post projects and pictures.  He likes the posts on these topics, and I do too, but he's right, I didn't start this blog solely as a crafting blog.  I seriously wanted to write about, and connect with others on, the issues and truths of Christian Motherhood.  So, both because it is my anniversary and because I can still hear the truth in my husband's words, I am taking a step towards sharing today.

Yesterday at mass the second reading was the second reading from my wedding mass: Ephesians 5:21-32, a passage that includes that dreaded phrase: "Wives should be subordinate to their husband as to the Lord."  I know that this isn't a very popular phrase, but as I get further into this marriage it rings with truth...but a much different truth than the single version of myself heard.  This phrase is so important for me to hear because I was single until I was nearly 30, and I got pretty used to doing things by myself, my way, in my time.  In many ways the Lord had to break my will in order for this marriage to work, and he continues to work on me.  I pray everyday for a more charitable heart, and although I have a ways to go, I am amazed at the grace the Lord has sent in just two years.

But, the real truth is that this little phrase about wives can not be understood without reading on and looking at what St. Paul has to say about husbands, which I think is even more challenging: "Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ loved the Church, and handed himself over for her to sanctify her."  And we all know how Christ handed himself over--his crucifixion.  This is the powerful connection so vital to a healthy marriage: if a wife can accept that her husband is the head of the family and cheerfully subordinate herself to him, he, in turn, will gladly sacrifice for her due to the love he has for her.  All of the sacrifice is not placed on the woman's plate.  Marriage is sacrifice.

Thankfully we know that after the sacrifice came the resurrection.

I'm not coming up with anything new here, just sorting through one of the things 2 years of marriage has taught me.  It is a difficult lesson, one I relearn during every disagreement, but one I know is true.  Thanks for reading along, and I'd love to hear from you on this topic or on lessons you've learned in your marriage.

Nancy

Exchanging our vow

PS--I should give credit to my amazing wedding photographer, my dear cousin Bridget.  Check out her blog.  

PPS--Today I am a quest posting over at Happy Hour Projects.  I'd love it if you'd pop over and check it out!

Button Monograms

As many people in my life can attest, I have had a long-standing love of buttons.  I think they are beautiful and interesting, and I love finding ways to use them.  Here is one of my favorite ways to use the: the button monogram.  The top picture is of a monogram I have hanging in my dining room.  I made it about a year ago...before I really had a method for this madness.  Despite it's imperfections I still like it, but I recently made two more monograms for the kid's rooms.  I figured out a better method and here it is.

Supplies:

• Burlap
• a piece of cardboard
• Stick Pins
• Printed Letter at size desired
• Buttons
• Glue
• Picture frame, minus the glass

Step 1: Place the piece of cardboard beneath the printed monogram and burlap.  Hold in place with stick pins.  You should be able to see the letter through the burlap.  This will allow you to make the letter shape without marking up the burlap.

Step 2: Using elmer's glue, glue buttons in place.

Step 3: Once everything is dry, remove the pins, paper and cardboard.  I then hot glued my burlap to a piece of cardboard, to give the fabric support since I wouldn't be able to have glass in the frame.  Once this is done, frame as desired!

Here are the two monograms I will be hanging in the kid's rooms...once the baby comes....and once we actually get rolling on changing a guest room into a little boy's room.

 A is for Augustine, my son's name.

B is for the baby, who's name is still a secret until she is born in November.  But don't worry, her name will be just as long as her brother's and she will be named after an amazing saint too!  One of my personal favorites.

Happy Monday and thanks for stopping by!

Nancy

Also linked at http://savvysouthernstyle.blogspot.com/ If it's your first time visiting Small Things, I'd love for you to connect with me in some way!

DIY Cousin Apparel

I am realizing that my current projects and crafts are a little more involved than I first thought....so I have lots of almost done projects, but nothing ready to post.  So, today I have a project that is so simple and really was my sister's doing more than my own.  It's just tie-dye t-shirts.  We bought the supplies at Wal-Mart.  A simple project that might not be worth posting about it if hadn't yielded such fun photos.  I love that all the kids match, but aren't too matchy-matchy.  Also, you just can't beat those colors.

We did this project while on vacation.  All 7 cousins were there and they all got a shirt, even the baby.

Sitting on the steps of the cabin

My little guy getting a walking lesson from his big cousin at the 4th of July parade

Little Rose

Out at the lighthouse with Grandpa

The little guy that learned to walk, and in a few short days became one of the big kids.

Like I said, it's not much of a project, but the photos sure do make it special.

And with that, just a quick note that we will be having another photo show and tell here tomorrow.  The theme will once again be BEAUTY, since we are still getting this up and running...and since I was so impressed with what everyone had to share last week on that theme.

See you then!

Nancy

Easy DIY wedding decor

As I mentioned yesterday, my husband and I will be celebrating our 2 year wedding anniversary later this week.  In that spirit, I thought it might be fun to take a break from posting about my current DIY projects and take a look back at the DIY projects that went into our wedding (thanks for indulging my sentimentality!).

First off, I made a paper banner that graced the head table (pictured above) and several other places around the reception.  Our colors were pink and black.  Here is the simple how to:

• Cut scallops out of various pieces of cardstock and scrap-booking paper.
• Using THICK black ribbon, fold the ribbon in half the long way.  Place a scallop of paper inside and stitch through both ribbon and paper with a sewing machine (it's okay to sew through paper, trust me!).
• Continue stitching, adding in another scallop of paper until you reach your desired length.

Next up, here was my simple solution for decorating the tables.  I laid out colorful cardstock with embellishments and set up mason jars filled with markers and pens.  Guests were invited to write notes, draw pictures, whatever.  These pages are included in our wedding album.  

Well, that was fun!  Thanks for taking this journey down memory lane with me!

Nancy

Embroidered Wedding Photo

My husband and I will be celebrating our 2 year anniversary this week, so I thought I would stay on that theme, and in the process create a few nice things to commemorate two years.  Side note, it feels like a lot longer than two years!  Mostly for good reasons.  We are 2 months from welcoming our second child into the family.  So, in two years we've added two more human beings to the population.  Wild!  To say nothing of how our lives have changed.  Our weekend fun now is taking the little guy to a splash pad...and I can't even remember what wine tastes like!  All that in only two years!

But onto the project!

This is a simple project that has a cool final effect.  Simply stated, it is a black and white photo printed on cardstock with embroidery embellishments.

Supplies needed: 

• Picture printed on b&w on cardstock
• Embroidery floss
• Sharp needles
• Scissors
• Painters's tape
• Frame

Steps:

• Apply painter's tape to the back of the photo, where you plan to stitch.  This will help keep the paper from ripping.
• Using a sharp needle, stitch with long back-stitches along the outlines of objects.  It is important that your holes don't get too close, as the paper will rip.  Also, reuse the same hole to connect lines.  Finally, before you push you needle through the paper, make sure you are in the right location...you don't what the people in the photo to end up looking like voodoo dolls!
• Crop and frame!

Oh!  What a good day that was...and what a good man I have!

Thanks for stopping by and happy Monday,

Nancy

If it's your first time visiting Small Things, I'd love for you to connect with me in some way!

Little Boy With BIG Eyes

First of all, thank you to everyone who stopped by this weekend to add a photo to my first pink party.  I was elated to see that 18 people linked up!  How wonderful!

It's Sunday, so I am limiting my time on-line and I am just stopping by to post two pictures I took this weekend.  The photo challenge on Paper Mama this week is "eyes", and I happen to have a little boy with BIG eyes.  And with those big eyes everything is either a total wonder...or a total tragedy!  

Here are two things that get his eyes particularly big with joy and glee: ice cream and a playground.

I hope your weekend was filled with this much joy!

Nancy

Photo Challenge Tomorrow!

Just a quick reminder that I will be launching a photo challenge here tomorrow.  This is for anyone from professional photographers to those that just snap pictures on a phone.  Come here and share with us your best pictures, taken whenever and of whatever.  Just please make sure to let us in on the story behind the picture.  It's a show and tell!

More details here: Photo Challenge.

I'm so excited!

See you tomorrow!
Nancy

Water Water Water!

My little guy says exactly 4 words: Dog (referring to every living thing including ants and fish), Mom, Dad, and Water.  He loves water.  Whenever there is water, in any form, he is quick to point and declare "water!"  This morning we drove to mass in the rain and the whole drive it was "water, water, water!"

It works out though because both my husband and I are water lovers too.  We both swam competitively growing up and together we have done a 2 mile swim in Superior twice (and I actually beat him the first time...granted he got confused and started swimming in the wrong direction for a while, but a win is a win!).  And on top of this, this summer, as we are all aware, has been hot.  For all of these reasons, this weekend found us at the local splash park once again.  This time we brought with a couple friend of ours and their little boy.

And another thing about water, it looks really cool in pictures!

The saddest thing about looking at all of these pictures is the realization that summer is almost over!  It is rainy today, but I need to make an effort to take better advantage of these wonderful summer things before we are buried in snow again.  And, for those of us in Minnesota, winter comes early and sticks around a long time.

Sorry to end on a bummer!  Let's try again,

Happy feast of an Assumption!
Nancy