A Quick Fall Teacher Gift

I'm a sucker for $1 bins, and I spotted a pack of Fall foam pumpkins I couldn't pass up! A quick change of the cardboard top, and you have an easy Fall gift for the favorite teacher in your life!

I added a Fall rub-on from Karen Foster Designs, some Fall leaves, and a few buttons stuck on with Glue Dots.

Minions and a Staycation!!

Let me begin by saying that I am thoroughly enjoying my staycation!! I took the last three days of this week of to spend with my family - my mom is in town from Ohio - and after looking at the work schedule for Tuesday, I was told I could have Tuesday off, too! Six whole days at home with my family, with the little man's 5th birthday party rounding out the end of the break this coming weekend.  
Bliss. 

We took part of this morning to bring in snacks for little man's Pre-K class. He knew about we were bringing cupcakes, but little did he know that they were minion cupcakes!!

With a little extra time on my hands, you'd think I had a world of time to get my craft on, but alas, life has happened!! Thanks to the hubby and some outside play time for the kids, I got a few hours to make a page. I've been dying to get my hands on some more recent pictures (the old ones will get done eventually, right!?), so I scrapped little man's first eye doctor appointment from this Spring.

I used a lot of Basic Grey papers, and Jillybean Soup and Cosmo Cricket embellishments.

And when you don't have the embellishment you want, make one!

 I sketched an eye on a dictionary page, outlined it with my Scarlet Lime doodle pen, and filled in some opaque colors with my gelatos (Faber-Castell)

I used the reverse of the two Basic Grey papers to add embellishments to look like ribbon. Using the scraps of the papers you're already using is an easy way to add dimension, save scraps, and, best of all (to me!), you know it all coordinates!

I used Glue Dots® (of course) to hold everything down!



Here's hoping I have a few more scrap-breaks before real life begins again!

You Are The Light of the World!!

 Well, school has gotten off to a great start in the Deeply Rooted household!! My little man loves his teacher, and comes home with stories of new things he's learned and done every day. He's really excited right now, because his 5th birthday is next week! He knows he's bringing in cupcakes, but he has no idea they're going to be those cute minion ones that have been all over Pinterest. I'm crossing my fingers they come out well!!

I'm always sad when the Dottess term comes to an end, but I have high hopes to be returning again next year!! I really wanted to go out with a 'bang' with this last project, and I've had this idea floating around in my head for awhile now. I saw it on Pinterest back in the day with Pinterest just started, and I haven't been able to find it again since!

So the story starts like this: I came home from work one day, and the kids were kicking this metal globe around in the yard. Random, right? The idea of this project popped back into my head, but I figured this globe was already past it's prime after the swift kicks from my children. I began the not-so-intense search for an old, a little more gently cared for globe, and came up empty. Seeming as I had little other choices, I asked my handyman to take the two halves of the globe apart, while sparing at least one half's life, and affix it to some old wood. He got my vision perfectly!

Next, I got all of my supplies together. Making Memories Canvas letters, Tim Holtz Alpha-Parts, and my Ultra-Thin Glue Dots®. I know all the of letters I was using were self-adhesive, but I'm never a fan of not reinforcing things, especially when they're being used on home decor items. The Ultra-Thin Glue Dots® give the hold I need, without adding bulk under the letters. I adhered them all down to a piece of heavy craft cardstock and cut them out.

I'll admit, I have a new-found appreciation for Pop-Up Glue Dots®!! I've used them on scrapbook pages and canvas work before, but I LOVED them on this project! I don't have to remind you that the globe I was working on is round. Not an easy shape to work with. I loaded up the backs of the words with the Pop-Up Glue Dots®, and they stuck AMAZINGLY well. Seriously thrilled.

The only place I added a little support behind the word is with 'world'. A lot of the word was not adhered to the globe (again, due to the round-ness I was dealing with). I used a small piece of the craft cardstock I was working with and made a little support, again, adhered with Pop-Up Glue Dots®.

Here are a few more views of the finished product:

So I kind of love it!! I'm a little sad that I didn't have the hubs try and save the other half! LOL!

I can't wait until there's more news about the next Glue Dots Dottess term, and trust me, I'll keep you updated!! I'll be back soon with pictures and a post about my little man's party. He decided he didn't like anything in the world more than his favorite color of green, so he's having a green party!!

Until next time!!

I wrote this blog post while participating on the Glue Dots® Design Team

Looking at things with a whole new light!

Hey everyone!! So, I HAVE to share...my oldest child had his first day of school today!! Things went incredibly well, he has an awesome teacher, and he can't wait to go back tomorrow!

SO CUTE! Love that kid.


Anyway, I had a little time over this last weekend to pull out some of my Glue Dots®, and I finished up a project that I'd been meaning to get done for the last six months! We'd redone our daughters bedroom for her birthday (in February. Literally, six months.), and she'd picked out a bed lamp that seemed more fit for an office desk. I wanted to give it a little more personality, so I grabbed my buttons, Glue Dots®, and went crazy!

I used Craft Glue Dots® for the normal to large sized buttons, and my Mini Glue Dots® for the smaller ones. I love the fact that this project took just as long as it took me to pick which buttons went where...no dry time!!! Now it fits perfectly into her LaLaLoopsy decor (that post is here)!

(oh, disclaimer...and I recommend using a low watt bulb with this project, but the lamp calls for that in the first place) :)

I wrote this blog post while participating on the Glue Dots design team

My New Hobby!

First off, thank you to everyone for the awesome comments from the Glue Dots/Basic Grey/Lindy's Stamp Gang Blog Hop! It was my first video tutorial, so it was all trial and error, but I think it turned out pretty well! (click here to go back and see it!)

So it's no secret that I'm super super busy at my job, and to top it off, I have over an hour commute each way. I leave early, come home late, and find time to sleep and eat occasionally. That leaves crafting times few and far between, because family always comes first in this household! While I'm not giving up on my crafting by any means, I wanted to find something that was a little more portable, a little easier to pick up and put down as needed, but still getting my crafty fill. Hmm.

I've referenced her before, and I'm sure this won't be the last time: I get huge inspiration from Christy Tomlinson! (Her blog is here and her online store is here!) I subscribe to her monthly kit club (happy birthday to me from the amazing hubby!), and following her blog, Pinterest, and Facebook is a constant source creative fuel! She started doing 'faces' a while back, and they look AMAZING. Now, I thought...She's an artist. I'm an artist-wanna-be. I put the idea of my being able to draw faces out of my mind...until last night. I thought, what makes an artist? Talent? Skill? Sales? Careers?  Nope! Just the love of the art. And that I have.

So I'm going to draw faces.

Portable, time-friendly, and crafty. This could work. I scoured Pinterest, came up with a few good tutorials, and drew this:

Ok, admittedly a little scary. Cross between a police sketch and an alien with death-ray eyes. But for a first go, I'm pretty proud of this gal!
I didn't add hair at first because I was afraid of completely messing her up, so I took her to work, made copies, and went all beauty school on her head.

Hair Number One

Hair Number Two

Ok, so hair number one was ok, but hair number two was good! I started shading things a bit on her, too. Cheek bones, skin tone...even added a flower to her hair.

So it's a start! I'm going to keep playing. Keep creating. Maybe some day she'll even make it to a canvas :)

Summer Travel Blog Hop

Welcome!! We're hopping along today with Lindy's Stamp Gang, Basic Grey and Glue Dots® seeing the Summer Travel projects the design teams have made! If you need to get back to the beginning of the blog hop, click here!
I have to admit, this was a super easy project to create!! Basic Grey's new line, Carte Postale, is PERFECT for all of your travel -- and any other themed -- projects. The fabulous folks at Lindy's Stamp Gang sent a plethora of amazing sprays to play with, and they easily coordinated with the BG paper. And, of course, my Glue Dots® were right there to hold it all together!!

If you've stopped by my blog before, you'll see that this post is a little different for me...it's my first video blog!! I'll admit that I was super nervous while I was filming this, but somehow I edited it into a semi-presentable movie (with thanks to my tech-savvy brother, Tracy, and Miss E. at Glue Dots!)

So, without further adieu, here's the show!! 

(Here's the link for all of you mobile viewers! http://youtu.be/nAEhFVMH6R0)

Here are some pictures of the finished product:

Finished product!

Oh, how I wish these tags were real souvenirs!! This memoir box would be full!!

Notice the dyed bakers twine??

I LOVE the rich colors from these mists!!

How fun!! Big thanks to Basic Grey and Lindy's Stamp Gang for sharing such awesome supplies! I can't wait to see what everyone else came up with, so let's get going to the next stop!!

Glue Dots

Erin (you're here!)

Samantha (go here next!)

Smitha

Lindy’s Stamp Gang

Jessica

Kate

Sharon

Basic Grey

Ann-Marie

Jana

Kelly

Supplies Used:
Cardstock - Carte Postale - Basic Grey
Mists - Lindy's Stamp Gang
Glue Dots® - Mini, Micro, Lines
Paper Mache Book Box - Hobby Lobby
Letter Stickers - Dear Lizzy
Bakers Twine

I wrote this blog post while participating on the Glue Dots® design team

Birthday Cake Decor with Glue Dots®

Eek! A month since I last blogged! Sheesh! Things at work continue to be crazy, and I'm traveling from one end of the state to the other a few times a month. The good news is that there's light at the end of the tunnel (let's hope it's not a train!!), and things should at least be slowing down pretty soon!
I was thrilled when the lovely ladies (and possibly a few gents!) at Glue Dots wanted us to create some birthday decor. Little Miss O's birthday was earlier this year, and I was just waiting for a good opportunity to share how to make this cute little cake banner!

Banners seem to be all the rage right now with decorating, especially for a party. Anyone who knows me when it comes to my kids birthdays, I tend to go over the top with their cakes! This birthday was not the exception, either. A banner on the birthday cake? Genius!
While I was perusing the party section at Wally World, I came across some clearance flags on toothpicks. A pack of 30 for 50 cents! I wasn't sure how they would work, but the colors were perfect. The first step was getting the toothpicks out of the equation.

Use your fingernail (or whatever else you'd like) to tear one side of the flag's paper. This gives you a great little space to adhere them along your string. I used Micro Glue Dots® and bakers twine.

I used Mini Glue Dots® to adhere some K&Company chipboard letters to the front of the flags.

Leave enough extra twine to be able to wrap and tie the ends of the banner around the supports. I used paper straws from Target (again, on clearance! Score!)

So, a little over the top with all of the other decorations, but Little Miss O loved it...and I'll admit...I kind of did, too!

If you're wanting to see more of this la-la-lovely LaLaLoopsy party, check out my post here and here!

Supplies used:

• Micro and Mini Glue Dots®
• Baker's Twine (The Twinery)
• Chipboard Letters (K&Company)
• Paper straws (Target)
• Toothpick flags (Wal-Mart)

I wrote this blog post while participating on the Glue Dots® design team