Pretty up a plain card cage

I've been in love with bird cages since childhood so when I found out I could get a cage for my wedding cards I was hooked! 

So then the search began. 

I had a limit in my head that I wasn't willing to budge on. $20. I searched high and low, from the Iron Range to Stillwater, and couldn't find a unique vintage card cage. Then we found it. An all white cage. It wasn't unique. It was the same as the one behind, and sold in bulk to party and craft stores. $19.99. Luckily I had the Joann app on my phone with a 50% coupon! I was able to buy the card cage and the flat marbles and still stay under my limit.

What you need:

Plain card cage

Flat marbles in 2 sizes (could use river rocks, beads, etc)

Hot glue gun 

Very easy to do.

Step 1) roughly arrange the marbles around each other to figure out a pattern

Step 2) glue marbles down 1 at a time as close to the others as possible

Step 3) glue marbles as accent and topper. For my topper I used a big stone with a small on top and anchored it with another stone inside the top

I can't wait to use this for all my parties.

Lydia Newborn

 We had a lot of fun during this precious little girl's newborn photo shoot. Lydia was born Oct.15.2012 at 1:37 in the morning. She is the best thing to have ever happened to my little family.

The photographs in this scrapbook page were taken by Shelly Tripp  

It's Sweet to be 15!

It's sweet to be 15!

One of my first layouts. It's nice to get this out of the dusty back pages of my album.

When I turned 15 my mom threw me an awesome before and after makeover party. We had a temporary tattoo table, one for hair, piles of makeup, and an entire candy buffet. Take home notions were left throughout the party on tables and counter tops. Mirrors and applicators. Nail polish and candy. 

My mom even took me to the Mall of America, where sales associates handed me clothes over the doors for the whole Pretty Woman experience every girl dreams of.

Rustic Upholstered Pillar Candles

I needed a bunch of pillar candles for centerpieces for a rustic event setting. So, I got some burlap fabric from the store, and a couple of colors of grosgrain ribbons to match my theme. I took out my hot glue gun*, put down some newspaper, and precut the burlap strips and ribbons. Then, I just hot glued the layers. I did all the burlap wraps, putting a bead of glue on the burlap at the beginning and the end; laying the candle on its side and rolling it onto the strip. Be sure to do it tightly, so they don't want to slip off when cooled. Also, adjust and even everything up while glue is still warm and malleable. Then, let them stand and cool. Next, I did all the first color of ribbon, then let them cool. Then, I did all the second layer of ribbon and let them cool. I am considering adding an embellishment over the overlaps. But you don't need to, the flaws add to the charm. I didn't do it alone; I had two people working with me and together we were able to do 23 candles in under an hour.  Alone, I probably would have gotten into a groove and still finished pretty fast.

*cautionary note: Hot glue gun and melted glue is very hot. Use caution and uncommon sense with these tools and products.

My Family as Babies!

I am excited to debut my newest project My Family as Babies: a scrapbook of, well, my family as babies. All of which will lead into my baby's scrapbook. Yes, that means I am a mother to be!! I have 5 months to compile such a book, before my life becomes completely revolved around my little ball of joy. 

I came across these amazing photos of my grandpa (on my mom's side), his mother, and his older brother.