TECHNIQUE TUESDAY Glitter pins and Tattered ribbon

Introducing our new twist on finding and learning new techniques...

Glitter Pins & Tattered Ribbon

For my card this month I wanted something slightly vintage looking that didn't look like it came straight out of a package, I also wanted to incorporate a few things from my craft stash that I could use up instead of finding a new home for it in my studio.

So for the ribbon on this card I took a scrap piece of muslin and ripped into 1" x 12" pieces...the key is to rip the fabric into strips to achieve the tattered look.

I then soaked the strips in a stain mixture of 2 cups coffee, 1 lid of vanilla, & 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves for about 15 minutes. After the strips had soaked I laid them out on a cookie sheet covered with tin foil and baked them for 10 minutes at 200 degrees. For added darkness and more stains you can pour some of the mixture over the strips right on the cookie sheet before baking them.

You now have homemade tattered ribbon for endless possibilities on your projects...(can't wait to use some on a scrapbook layout!)

Next up I wanted to add some "bling" and lately I'm loving all the fun pins available to use in your craft projects, however I didn't have any on hand but I had a gazillion regular pins, so I started digging through my craft stash and came across glitter & some liquid lacquer. I imagine you could use a spray glue but I wanted something thicker that would actually coat the tip of the pin and create more of a shell.

Using paper plates I put a little of the lacquer on one plate and put glitter on the other, then I rolled the head of the pin in lacquer and then in the glitter...if your pin has spots that the glitter didn't get just dip it back in the lacquer and add another coat of glitter. I then used my thumb to shape the glitter to the pin head, stuck in a pin cushion and let dry for about an hour.

I hope if anything this fun new TECHNIQUE TUESDAY will spark some creativity within you and give you ideas for your own projects!

Come back soon!

Kelsey Bridals

Ok, this chick is such a sweetheart, so kind and so beautiful! Dan has found himself such a cute cowgirl to spend the rest of his life with...What a stunning bride:)

Myca Bridals

What a fun day spent with sisters and friends...Myca you were a beautiful bride, the look on Jesse face as his striking bride walked down the isle was priceless!

Farwell Dear Summer!

Well I guess it's that time of year...the time of year that I'm told by the "ping" sound of an Autumn baseball being hit by the high school baseball team that are ever so eager at 6:00 a.m. that it's official, Summer is over and it's time for school to start again:(

So once again I say good bye to Summer...a Summer that didn't really seem like much of one partially because most of our Summer was spent in a hospital and the other part because living in this beautiful valley often means enduring freezing temperatures right up until the 4th of July

But with only a few short weeks to enjoy our Summer we managed to jam pack those weeks full of late nights playing volleyball-girls against boys of course and of course us girls always won! A short trip to Lake Powell....a bachelorette party in Mesquite and what would a Summer be with out the Worlds Fair and a good ole hometown rodeo and a nail biting derby!

Back~to~School SHOPPING EVENT!!

Everyone stop by for great savings, drawings, and treats!!

Dan & Kelsey

I must have the best job ever...to be able to capture such love, it makes me go home smiling knowing that 2 more of my wonderful friends are happy and have found love in each other:) Such a great couple congrats Kelsey & Dan!

Myca & Jesse

I've known these two for many years and when their paths finally crossed we all knew it was true love! They are both so happy and we are so excited for their marriage, congratulations Jesse & Myca!

living my life

the last couple of months I've felt an ample amount of guilt...

feeling this way because of my blog that I have just pushed under the rug and forgotten about...

then I came to my senses and realized...

I have a life to live and shouldn't feel guilty that I'm out living my life instead of spending WAY to much time on the computer "blogging" about life instead of actually living it!

I've been enjoying my friends & family...
enjoying my second trimester and actually loving being pregnant...
having some "Ross & Kaylin" time before our new addition gets here:)
doing a little scrapbooking and remembering the passion I have for the art and why I opened my store 4 years ago...

So no I don't regret not spending more time blogging because think of all the wonderful things I would miss out on:)

However I do plan on sharing with you a bunch of photo shoots I've done that are just to cute to not show everyone so look forward to those in the next couple of days! Thanks for checking back in and following but don't spend to much time here, go live your life!

my whirlwind....

I've finally found time to update my blog...I have been absent from blogland for a while because of this crazy whirlwind I call my life.

I've been busy picking out crib sets and designing a nursery for our first baby, not to mention the wonderful morning sickness that still has yet to go away....

all the while juggling 2 business' (make that 3 now)

did I mention it's tax time...I despise this time of year

and if all of these wonderful things aren't enough to make my life crazy, my husband and I just purchased a herd of cows, which to a girl that didn't grow up around the ranching way of life, is quite the adjustment to make!

But I'm learning to live with the cow manure and an anxious husband who worries night and day about his cattle...

as for my photography business I have been horrible at posting my photo shoots I've been up to lately...so here is a glimpse of some of the fun shoots and wonderful families I've been shooting, starting with my most recent shoots ;)