All the Small Things...

A Frame For All Seasons...

So I've been looking for a cheap circular or oval frame and I finally found one!

Only problem-- it had a print in it already.

Well, that didn't stop me.

I simply cut the print out and VOILA-- the frame I've always wanted! :)

My plans for this frame?

Why changing it up every holiday, of course!

 

Right now...

a schoolhouse flashcard.

(I thought you might want one too, so provided a PDF for you)

Download School House Flash Card - Sign

Next month...

I'm sure something macabre!  You know me!  ;)

 

School Days Shadow Box...

Oh how I LOVE a shadow box!

 

I have them all over my family room and I can't get enough of them apparently.

I think I love them so much because they take about 10 minutes to put together and the outcome is always FABULOUS!

 

I found these french postage fabric backed ones at HOME GOODS a few weeks ago and HAD to have them.  I bought 2 black ones and 1 brown one in different shapes.  The black ones are for a BACK TO SCHOOL one and a HALLOWEEN one.  The brown one is for a THANKSGIVING one.  

 

I printed out a photo of each child on the first day of their school (and WJones on a stack of books) and then added some chipboard numbers for the school year, a cute chipboard owl and a paperpieced apple on a tag.

 

SUPER easy and fast project.  

 

SO glad I made it!

A Back To School Photo Craft...

This is one of my very favorite things in my house.

 

I just finished a Back to School edition today- makes me SO happy!!!

I also love my St. Patricks one and my Easter one.

 

Have I mentioned how much I LOVE this whole Back to School theme business?

The apples.

The chalkboards.

The pencils.

All of it!

 

Okay, wait-- don't get me wrong.  I don't love all of it.

Actually having the kids back to school???  Not such a fan.  

Back to School Garland...

 

Instructions--

1. Use any flash cards.  These are Eric Carle ones that I got from Pottery Barn Kids.

2. Using a sturdy punch, put holes in the upper corners of each card.

3. Using coordinating ribbon, thread ribbon through holes and tie cards together making a chain.

4. Hang garland and voila!  Cuteness!!!

 

 

I linked up at:

30 Handmade Days

Shabby Nest

Simply Designing

 

Welcome September...

 

It's here!

My favorite time of the year!  

Oh, how I love the Fall.

And yes, I know... it's not technically the Fall, but it's September 1st and that alone makes me giddy!!!

So in honor of September I have a few things going on around the Greding house...

 

A few corners of my home--

This is currently what my fireplace looks like, BUT-- I change things around CONSTANTLY, so tomorrow it could look completely different.  It just depends on what I find that I think will look fun or what one of the kids brings home from school and I want to add. 

The glass jars hold Pretzel M&Ms and Apple Cinnamon Popcorn.

That CUTE owl purse is from World Market and it's Scarlet's, but I'm obsessed by it's cuteness, so for now it will stay on my fireplace.  (remember what I said about changing things up?!?!)

Those white balls that kinda look like pussy willows light up and look amazing at night!  I bought them for Halloween, but my kids died over them and insisted I keep them out, so I added the apple branches to them and now we are both happy!

Oh, and I love a wreath on a mirror.  I actually have a hard time not decorating all mirrors.  It's something about their blankness and a frame.  LOVE that for some weird reason.

This is the THE most transitional spot in my home.  I change this bureau up even more than my fireplace.  It is ALWAYS seasonally decorated. 

Right now I'm loving the garland I just made.  I LOVE Eric Carle and a flashcard makes my heart go pitter patter!  

The ABC wipeboard is from Pottery Barn Kids and I'm loving using it for decorating.

I also like my mini chalkboard with our family math problem on it! :)

 

I'm telling you... it's the little things that make me heart happy.

 

One more thing--

Candles--

I'm burning Apple Pie in my family room 

and Cinnamon Spice in my bedroom

And I must tell you... my house smells divine!  

I'm telling you, the scent of a candle can change my mood in a second!  It's 85 degrees outside and I'm in the mood for sweaters, apple picking and a football game!

 

 

Inspiration--

My favorite inspiration year after year, season after season always seems to come from folk art.  I don't know what it is, but looking a a drawing of a barn with a clothesline in the background, or a wagon pulling a pile of pumpkins sends my heart into a frantic twitter.

I usually always have some kind of folk art drawing as my screen saver and it is usually always a seasonal one.  

Here's my current favorite...

I want to be "there" right now!!!

 

So there you go... a few things that make me happy, right now, in SEPTEMBER!

 

The Last Day of School 2011...

I'm so mad that I didn't get pics of the boys as they left for their last day of school, but it didn't occur to me until Scarlet was leaving and I loved her little outfit so much that I thought to snap a pic.  Oh well, I got some of them after school got out.

 

Even Miss Jones was excited for the last day of school!!!!!

 

The biggest perk of being a room mom is getting to party with the kids!  It was a blast hanging out with Scarlet and her fab teachers at their Last Day of School Party!  This year I did something I've never done before and made shirts for all the kids.  It was soooo fun and easy and I'll definitely do it again.  Thanks for the fantastic idea, Michelle!!!

 

Then there were games!!!

 

And as THRILLED as I am to finally have summer here, I will miss Scarlet having these two incredible teachers.  They are top notice teachers and super fun girls!!!

 

Just a side note... I bought all the girls the same necklaces and all the boys the same necklaces, so they could all have friendship necklaces and of course, the teachers had to have them too!

 

One of my favorite parts of the day was the final bell countdown!  The kids and the teachers counted down the final seconds and then it was a celebration/stampede out the door.  SOOOOO funny!!!

Now it was time to head home and party with the rest of the kiddos!

 

A Lunchbox for Scarlet's Teacher...

We LOVE Mrs. Peelle, so Scarlet and I decided to bake her some treats and deliver them in a cute lunchbox!

I linked up to:

 

Accomplished Today... (Friday 8/10)

Took a pic of Scarlet's shoes (OKAY, so I didn't actually have her try them on yet, but at least I am thinking about it!  lol)

Update:  We did the shoes!  I'll take a pic later.  For some reason we ended up playing Army.  I was the sargent and I ordered her to put on each pair and she would salute me and say, "Sir, yes, Sir!"  lol

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Baskets for First Day of School Apples (last year I did these)

So I had three of these already, so instead of buying more I thought these might work.  What do you think?  I can't figure out if I like them more or less!  lol  Seriously.

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Layout With Sewing

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Simple Layout

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Layout with Punctuation

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Can I get an AMEN?

I tamed the shoes!  It's SO nice to be able to reach into her shoes and grab any pair and they fit.  I know this seems obvious to most, but I can't tell you how many times I've put a pair on and they're too tight and then I'm in such a hurry I throw them back in and the cycle continues!    I'm lame.

Reading Logs...

I wanted to put together a reading log for the kids so I could keep track of their reading this year.  This is what I came up with:

Teacher Gifts...

So, I'm a traditionalist... on the first day of school my children always bring their teachers a red juicy apple. 

Well actually, it's always a galvanized bucket of apples... even cuter, huh?  Their teachers always get such a kick out of the gift and it is the EASIEST gift EVER!

You can get these cute buckets HERE... and they're super inexpensive!