Creating an Engagement Gift to Treasure....

It's amazing how a simple item can be transformed into a wonderful keepsake.  This weekend I needed to make an engagement gift.  Just by starting off with an inexpensive album that I picked up at Michaels, I was able to make a  gift that will hold treasured photos of the newly engaged couple.  This album holds one hundred and forty  4"x6" photos.  The album itself is 5"x 6.5". 

Here the album ....

Now here is the finished gift.....

I embellish the album with some of my favorite gold paint and a nice BIG bow to help to keep the album shut.

The project only required 3 pieces of 12x12 scrapbook paper, some ribbon, and a few embellishments.

I used a shiny silver button and added a vintage pearl earring to the center of the button.

Here's a closer look...

This was a beautiful ribbon that had a flocked design.  I added a few tiny rhinestones for some glam.  What bride doesn't like a little bling?

The inside of the album contains on of my favorite bible verse. The tiny flowers and rhinestones just add a little sparkle.

The matching gift bag has the same bible verse as the album.  I added some silk flowers with some shed that sparkled and a rhinestone placed in the center of the flower.  It's the perfect touch to hold this little treasure.

I love to give gifts that I have created.  It's always a special treasure when it is a gift that was a

"Creation From the Heart".   

Stop by Metamorphosis Monday  and DIY Day to see many other creative ideas.

Can you Imagine My Suprise.....

It's PINK Saturday and I'm going to share with you something PINK .....
 

Today I made a trip to Joann Fabrics to purchase some fabric for an apron I was working on. It was quite busy and as I stood in line to get the fabric cut, I noticed the new Somerset Life magazine that was on the shelf. I decided to flip through it and boy was I surprised..... At first it my brain did not register. I quietly said to myself, " Boy that looks like one of my letters".   Guess what?  It was one of my creations.  There  it was on page 71. I was unaware that Somerset was publishing it in the newest addition of the Somerset Life Magazine.  I couldn't stop smiling. I was about to do my "HAPPY DANCE" right there in the store, but I just decided to purchase the magazine and take it home and celebrate in the privacy of my home!

It was a two page spread in Somerset Life Magazine....

  Here's the first page.....

and it's PINK!

Page #2.....

More PINK!

What a wonderful unexpected surprise. It put a smile on my face for the remainder of the day. The magazine has so many wonderful pictures and articles by so many creative people. You can purchase it at Joann Fabrics, Michaels and Barnes & Noble. If you love pretty things you'll love this publication!

It's all Being Packed Away Until Next Year....

It's "Do It Yourself Day" and what am I doing today???
  I've spent the day starting to take down all the Christmas decorations.  I think it's worse taking them down then puttting them up.  It's alwasy fun starting to put up all the decorations, because I look forward to Christmas.  So before I take everything down, I thought I would take a few photos and share them with you.  The pictures I took in the previous posts were taken at night and I was having trouble with the lighting so I decided to take a some photos during the day.

...ENJOY...

My Tree in the living room....  This was the first year I added the gold fern with the star.

I've had this same family photo in the tree for the past 10 years....

This is my oldest son, 10 years ago.  I love the combination of the red glitter ribbon, gold bulbs and poinsettias.

My snowman tree in the kitchen...

Love the tree topper...."Snowmen For Sale"

I've incorporated lots of large snowman into the tree. You don't always have to use ordinary ornaments...

I made this snowman years ago.  He sits right next to the snowman tree.

My tinsel tree with photos from my husband and my childhood....

The mantel over the fireplace...

I love to hang the different beaded garland from the mantel...

To me angels are a big part of Christmas.  These are one of my favorite decorations.

I picked this beaded garland at Michaels this year.  I decided to wrap it around the candles that sit on top of the angels.

This santa has been part of our Christmas decorations for many years.  Every year he sits right in front of the fireplace.

Here's another santa that sits quietly on the side table.

Can you tell I love santa!  Here's another one on a foyer table.

I picked this large glitter ball and glitter garland up last year.  The ball was sold as an ornament, but I just set it in a vase.

The barker's rack in my kitchen all decorated....

Another photo from years ago.  I just love to see photos of the boys when they were small.

More snowmen and Santas!

My rooster sits here all year long with the "Bless all who Enter" sign.  I just added some Christmas decorations to make it a bit more festive

.

The light that hangs over the kitchen table....

I added some garland to the light fixture.

I also tied some ornaments onto the light with some pretty Christmas ribbon. 

I made this arrangement last year.  The light is glued onto of a piece of styrofoam that I attached to an old book.  I added Christmas greens and berries.  I leave it on throughout the Christmas Season.

 

These were my new creations this year.  I sold quite a few of them. 

My foyer table with a wonderful Santa standing watch as my guests enter....

Another one of the glitter ball ornaments I purchased last year.  This one sits on top of a  crystal votive candle holder.

Dress up your dining room chandelier by adding greens and some crystal ornaments....

My staircase takes the longest to decorate but I love the look of it when it's finished with all the lights twinkling!

Lots of lights, glittered ribbon, gold ornaments, poinsettias and glittered fern adorn the staircase garland.

This year the glittered eucalyptus was a new addition to the staircase decorations.

I hope you enjoyed the last of my Christmas Tour.  By tomorrow all will be packed away until next Christmas season.  It's a lot of work but I love every minute of it!!