Monday, November 29, 2010

200th Post GIVEAWAY!!!

Yaaayyyyy!!!!
As I mentioned, I hit my 200th blog post last
week and today I'm doing a GIVEAWAY to
celebrate! This giveaway is full of fun colorful
Christmas/Winter pattern papers, alphas, pearls,
ribbon, flowers, journaling spots, and I even
threw in a few of my hand punched paper doilies!



I will leave this post up all week long and will choose
a winner Thursday night at 12:00 midnight EST.
I'll be back on Friday with some exciting news,
fun projects, and to announce the winner.

There are just a couple of things that you'll
need to do in order to be eligible to win:

1. Be a FOLLOWER of my blog.
2. Simply leave me a COMMENT on this post.
3. POST about this GIVEAWAY on your blog, FB, twitter, etc.

For each of these things that you do, you will
earn an extra entry for each so make sure to either
leave me seperate comments for each or just tell me
what you have done in your comment.

Good luck to all of you who enter and Happy Holidays!!
Have a great week!
LOVES :) -Sarah

Wednesday, November 24, 2010

The Paper Variety Week #11 Challenge

Happy Thanksgiving tomorrow!!
I'll be heading off to my dad's house and then on to
my brother-in-law's house (who lives just across the
street from us) where he and my hubby are having
a cook off to see who can make the best homemade
baked macaroni & cheese! Geez, they're always so
competitive but we have my stepmom's recipe which
is beyond the best I've ever tasted so I think we're good!

The challenge over at The Paper Variety this week is


Sponsored by Scrappy Jo's



& the awesome prize up for grabs is



this pack contains American Crafts "Heat Wave" and
"City Park". Absolutely perfect for anyone needing to
catch up on all of those fun summer photos!

Here's my projects for this week's gift wrapping challenge



Happy Thanksgiving everyone!!
This was my 200th post so I'll be back on Monday
for the BIG 200th POST GIVEAWAY!!!
Don't miss it!!

Have a great holiday weekend!
LOVES :) -Sarah

Monday, November 22, 2010

Teenage Girls Room Makeover

Good morning everyone!
I had mentioned last week that I had not been
scrapping and blogging quite as much as I normally
do because of being busy with my 14 year old
daughter's room makeover. Although I do still
have a few more projects and painting left to do,
I wanted to share photos of my progress so far.
I figured if she thought her room was finished
enough to have a sleepover this weekend, then it's
also finished enough for me to share pics. I'm really
so happy with the way this room is coming together
and Becca is too which is the most important thing.

First of all, I'd like to give you a little background
info on where the room is in our home and how we
decided on the color combo. We moved into our home
last February and the fourth bedroom (Becca's room)
is downstairs (we live in a tri-level) with it's own
bathroom which is why Becca thought this bedroom
would be perfect for her and it really is. Becca's grandma
bought all of the kids a new bed set of their choice when
we first moved into our house and this is where our
color inspiration began for the room. Becca really
wanted the wall behind her bed to be a different color
than the rest of the room so my first instinct was to go
brown and she agreed. I also love the color combo of
brown and teal so I suggested teal for the rest of the room
but Becca had already made up her mind that she wanted
green so I agreed. We are both so thrilled with these colors
now that they are up on the walls, and all of our fabric
and color choices were chosen based on what wall they
would be accenting. Here are some photos to give you an
idea of what we've done.....
BEFORE

AFTER


END TABLES BEFORE
bought at a garage sale for $3.50 for the set of 2

END TABLES AFTER


The pair of lamps were bought at a garage sale for
$1 for the pair and I bought plain white lampshades
in the size and style we wanted for just $7 each and
the covered them in a yard of fabric which was only $5
and then accented the top and bottom edges with teal
ribbon purchased for only $2.50. The owl was a garage
sale find for $1 and the frame was only 25 cents and I
spray painted it hot pink. If you look at the photos on
top where you can see the entire wall, I also found
the candle holder at a garage sale for 25 cents and
spray painted it silver along with a shell Becca brought
back from Florida and a set of wooden country stars
that were also garage sale finds for 25 cents and just
totally look so funky and cute painted silver.

The framed art over her bed was also a garage sale
find. It was originally a hunter green frame with a poster
inside of an Italian scene bought for only $2. I sprayed
the frame silver and then used my scrappy patterned paper
stash to create the patchwork design. It was so easy and I
did it during Carter's nap!! All I did was choose papers in
coordinating colors and cut 3x3 squares then randomly
place them on top of the poster. I did a dry fit first, then
when I was happy with the design I taped down the paper
squares.....pretty cute I think, and not bad at all for only $2.




Next, I painted Becca's desk and chair, covered the seat
of the chair with leftover fabric from the lampshades,
and I did actually purchase new drapes for $11 each panel.
I almost bought brown drapes, but decided on teal which
I think make the room more fun and perfect for a teenager.

BEFORE


AFTER

I still need to paint Becca's dresser white like I did the
desk, but I found the mirror that is hanging over her
dresser at a garage sale for $4 and it was that ugly
70's speckled goldy/bronze color so I spray painted it
silver like the other accents in her room and it now
has a whole new life. The picture frame on her dresser
was something that she already had and I found the
silver plate at a garage sale for only 10 cents and love
the way it holds all of her girly things she uses daily
like her nail polish, sunglasses, and perfume and lotion.



Becca's room has a small section of wall between
her closet doors (which I still need to paint white)
and her bathroom door (which still need the trim put up)
so I thought that this wall space would be just perfect
for a few vintage frames that I found at where else?
a garage sale of course!! The two smaller frames were
only 10 cents each, I spray painted them teal, and then
printed off some free clipart from the computer. The
center frame was found for a quarter and I spray painted
the frame hot pink and spray painted the inside with a
chalk board paint to that Becca can draw cute things or
her friends can leave her fun messages when they come
over...she really loved this!!

BEFORE


AFTER

Last but not least, I also painted her bathroom the same
green as most of the walls in her bedroom. I found a
really fun paper towel holder for only $6 (half off at a
store....I know right, I actually bought something new!)
that I used for her towel rack and spray painted it silver,
spray painted this frame teal and the photo mat with the
chalkboard paint and used my scrappy supplies to create
the paper doily and peace sign flower buds. This frame
was originally gold and the mat was dark blue and I
found it at a garage sale for just $2. I hung a brown
towel over the towel rack and used a cute little floral
hand towel found for only $1, then used a christmas
tree ornament found for $1 in the center of the
hand towel for decoration. I think these little details
are what really makes the room unique and special.


Well, I think that's about all to show you right now.
I really take pride in my home and since I am a stay at
home mom, I try to save as much as I possibly can
while still making our home a nice and comfortable
place to live. I very much enjoy decorating our home
and I love using thrifted goods and garage sale finds
in new ways to decorate...I also love that it adds some
character to our home when I transform my finds into
something fun and new, and my daughter loves that
no other girls will have a room quite like hers!

I hope you enjoyed these photos and possibly may be
able to use some thrifted items or even items from your
own home in a new and updated way!!

Have a wonderful Monday!
LOVES :) -Sarah

Thursday, November 18, 2010

Another Fun Blog Hop!

Hello!
I'm part of another fun blog hop with Crop Suey,
3 Scrappy Boys, and ScrapFIT!! It's a thrill to be a
part of these hops especially when I'm in such great
company! This Blog Hop is celebrating the anniversary
of 3 Scrappy Boys....CONGRATS!!!
We were to post our favorite creation on the
Crop Suey Blog so here's mine from this past summer....


Be sure to leave comments as you hop along and don't
forget to become a follower of Crop Suey and link up your
favorite creation for a chance to winn a fantastic prize!

I am also coming close to reaching my 200th post here
on my blog so if you like what you see then become a
follower of mine so you don't miss out on the
BIG 200th POST GIVEAWAY!!!

Here's the Blog Hop order:

Have an amazing Thursday!
LOVES :) -Sarah

Wednesday, November 17, 2010

The Paper Variety Week #10 Challenge

This week's challenge over at The Paper Variety
is a fantastic sketch created by Julie Bonner!!


Sooo great, I love that this sketch is for a double LO
but it can also be adapted into a single page LO...
don't forget to check out The Paper Variety Blog
to see awesome examples from the design team!

Also, there is a wonderful prize package for one
lucky winner that loads their own take on the sketch...


....an awesome Scrapcetera Kit!!!!
These kits are packed full of fantastic goodies!!

Thanks for stopping by my little corner of the world
and I'll be posting pics soon of my 14 year old daughter's
room makeover which is the reason I've slowed down
on my blogging the past couple of weeks. I completely
changed her room from top to bottom for about $100
and I'll be sharing tips and tricks and lots of pics about
how to do inexpensive yet very stylish decorating projects!

That's all for now....Happy Wednesday!
LOVES :) -Sarah

Friday, November 12, 2010

Crop Suey Blog Hippity Hoppity!!!

Good morning!
I am so excited for this blog hop!


Crop Suey has joined up with 4 other fantastic
challenge blogs to bring you an awesome BLOG HOP!!

Of course, Crop Suey is offering a RAK to one lucky
winner so make sure you head on over & become a
follower of the Crop Suey Challenge Blog & leave
your comment to be entered for your chance to win!

Here is how this Hippity Hoppity will work.
You will receive 1 piece of the recipe at each blog
then you will take the 5 ingredients and create
your own masterpiece! Fun, right?!


Here's what I came up with for the Crop Suey Blog...




...and here is the Blog Hop order for all 5 Challenge Blogs:


Now go check out the Crop Suey Blog to see what the
other DT members have created and to begin this fantastic
Hippity Hoppity Blog Hop!! Don't forget to link your
creation at the ScrapFIT blog to be entered for the
GRAND PRIZE!! Have fun! :)

Happy Friday!
LOVES :) -Sarah

Thursday, November 11, 2010

Sneaky Sneak....

...for tomorrow's GIANT Hippity Hoppity
Blog Hop for Crop Suey and 5 other Challenge blogs.


Here's the list of participating Challenge Blogs

Crop Suey
ScrapTiffany
Cuttlebug Spot
Sassy Lil' Sketches
ScrapFIT

and I think we all know how fantastic they all are
so do not miss out on all the fun and prizes tomorrow!

Here's a little sneak peek of the layout I created
for the Crop Suey Blog for tomorrow's Hop....


....it's going to be lots of fun so check back
tomorrow to see all the great projects and more details!

Happy Thursday!
LOVES :) -Sarah

Wednesday, November 10, 2010

The Paper Variety Reveal

Good morning!
It's reveal day for the Week #9 Challenge at
The Paper Variety. This week's challege:

...and here's what I came up with:


We're so excited to have back The Scrapbooking Cottage

as the sponsor this week. They have generously donated
this brand spankin' new winter release from BoBunny...


The Midnight Frost collection!!
To be entered to win this awesome prize
head on over to The Paper Variety Blog and
add your project made using this week's challenge.
Don't forget to check out the awesome projects created
by the other DT members while your there!!

Have a wonderful Wednesday!
LOVES :) -Sarah

Monday, November 1, 2010

Fright Night Pics

Hi everyone!!
Wheeeewwwww, so the dressing up and make up
and candy and shopping and decorating and carving
is all finally over and it was a huge success. The kids
had a blast.....Becca hung out with her friends patrolling
the neighborhood on the back of a golf cart driven by
one of the friends parents (total blast for a 14 year old),
Emily had the best costume and went as a dead bride
not once breaking character except for the one photo
where I forced her to smile even though she wasn't
very happy about it, and oh my little guy Carter was
just the cutest little ninja complete with sword and all
although he traded the sword for his candy filled bucket
about halfway through the night. Here are a few of the
pics I just thought I'd share of last nights Halloween activities.








This guy is the best!! He is a grandpa and lives in our
neighborhood....he and his wife go all out every year
decorating their home and dressing up to give the
kids a bit of a scare. Carter, on the other hand, thought
the costume was cool and shook the man's hand.
He was a bit leary, but he knew what he had to do in order
to get the candy I suppose. Emily is still a chicken and
the candy just isn't worth braving the long walk down
this man's driveway. The scary guy (as all the kids
refer to him as) did give her a good chase for a few
feet down the road that was quite entertaining though!

Becca and her cousin Livi catching a ride on the
back of the golf cart.

Hope you all had a fun-filled weekend and Happy Monday.
LOVES :) -Sarah