Cactus Anyone?

This is a first for me-cactus!  I have never even attempted to plant any cacti.  Never thought cacti were all that pretty but as I get older I'm ready to try different things....I especially like the texture.  I wanted something to go with my rustic home made table and decided to plant some cacti.  I choose the ones that didn't have any stickers or thorns and yet had some visual interest.  I found a rustic container I had, took play sand and some potting soil and mixed it up...super simple and then arranged the cacti, placed a container of decor rocks around and wah lah...done.  Now, not sure how long these will last cause my wooden bowl doesn't have any holes, but I hope a while.  Now, I need advise on the watering of these little guys.  Any body out there have a green thumb for cactus?

Hopefully I can keep them alive with your help.  I'm will let you know right now I don't want to replant them in a container with holes....just sayin'...I know what I'm supposed to do...just don't want to.

En"joi" your day.

Weekend Project-Outdoor Coffee Table repurposing a Pallet

Have you ever shopped for furniture that needed to be a certain size, after looking and looking around could never find anything unless it was a gazillion dollars?  Well, I couldn't find the size and look that would fit with our existing patio.  Until, I found this cool idea using pallets for furniture on a blog and decided it would be something we (my handy husband and I) could do, not to mention... the price was right!  Living in Texas the style can be very rustic and we really wanted something unusual (eclectic) that we didn't have to worry about.  This is the site I found the idea:  http://blog.stylizimo.com/2011/03/diy-pallets.html.  Here are some pictures of the outdoor coffee table that we made this weekend. Little did I know the "euro" pallets are different than the "US" pallets!  Always something new to learn.

Earlier this spring we had mulch delivered on some pallets and since I had not seen this idea, we threw them in the trash.  Of course, after I saw the idea, I wanted my pallets back! Uggg.  While taking a walk around the block I noticed my neighbor had some mulch delivered and immediately called to beg for the pallets after they were finished spreading the mulch!  Now, the pallet that we got from our neighbors was all torn up (really don't know how because these boards are tough) the boards were split & broken so...we had to find another source!  Off we went to Lowes...thinking surely they would have some good ones...with no luck!  But we did run across some good ones at another store in the same area!  Bingo...off to talk to the store manager to see if we could have two pallets...he said "Yes"!!!

 Now, I never knew how hard the wood is on these pallets & to take them apart is HARD!  The nails they use are the kind that never come out!!!  Whew, I think I spent an hour getting one board off the pallet.  So another plan was devised...actually my DH saw me struggling, I think he felt sorry for me and decided it was time to help.  It sure is nice to have a muscular body in the mix, along with some manly power tools!

 Check out the metal handles that I found at a local craft store...I just love Hobby Lobby & I got them 50% off to boot!  I think the only $ we have in the project is about 5 bucks, some nails, screws (from the stash in the garage)...and our precious time!

 Through some trial an error we put the legs on using drywall screws....Now we have to decide if we want to fill the areas on top where the slats are open or not.  We didn't use the glass like the picture in the blog because I didn't want to have to clean it every day nor did I want to be pulling glass out of someones foot if it broke.  I think a tray on top would be fine.

I still have to put some little plastic feet on the bottom of the legs but for the most part, we are finished. It's nice to have a place for our coffee cup the morning!  I have to say...not bad for amateur furniture builders! 
En"joi" your day, it is a beautiful one here in TX. 
Thank you Guy for all your help!  Your the best!

My First Real Order!

Well, I was asked to make some cards for a local business Ousley Vision Center...my girlfriend Karen, who is a doll, suggested they have some cards made for the office.  Camille is also my close friend.  So, I made a couple of prototypes and they ended up picking this card which was in an earlier post!

But I wanted to show you how I made the box that I made to hold the cards...I think it came out real cute!

The first order was for 50 cards...so had to make something to hold them in, right?  A paper bag just wouldn't do.

I put this in the bottom of the box....we do need to think of going green & there certainly are ways to do that!
One thing a day can really make a big difference in our wonderful God given world!

 The grommets on the side of the box is where I attached a satin ribbon!

Then I decided that I would make a little tag for them to use when they felt it was time for reordering!  They can place it in the box when they have 5-10 cards left so they can reorder before they run out.

 En"joi" your day...and don't forget to smile!

Favor Box Garden Watering Can

My girlfriend Vickie had a major surgery last Friday (benign tumor) & I went to visit her in the hospital with a couple of my besties on Sunday!  I wanted to take a little favor for her so, this is what I came up with!
I wanted the watering can to look like something was being watered.

The watering can I designed on my silhouette and did a print & cut!

The sayings on the spout were different on both sides

Little butterfly punch!

Had to put some "kisses" in there for her!

I made a door hang sign so she could use it at home....when she needed quiet times!

Yes...I says "Call your Dad"!  I think that is very appropriate for her on Mothers Day but especially due to her surgery! 

En"joi" your day!

Happy Mothers Day Card

Hope everyone had a marvelous Mothers Day!  I know I did.  Here are a few cards that I made for mothers day that I would like to share with everyone. I had to wait to post because some very special people in my life got this card for Mothers Day & I didn't want to spoil it for them.

 There are a few variations and different verses on the inside!

Love the little stamens & pistols!!!  So cute.

All the cards are slightly different....limited editions...heehee

 I had a few friends that wanted to purchase a Mothers Day card so I packaged some up with an envelope too!

 This card was another using different flowers...actually I made these flowers for a friend to put on her kitty cats collars.  But I decided to change it up a bit...because when she removed the fabric flowers there would be nothing on the front....so I added some others and now when she removes the ones for her kitty's it would still look pretty!

 Here are the satin flowers up close. One is a slightly darker pink than the other.

En"joi" your day and hope your Mothers Day was wonderful like mine!

Graduation Card/Box

 I had fun playing with my silhouette today!  I am trying to do more design work to make boxes and such.  I found this cool idea and wanted to make it using my silhouette because I do not have the die to cut the petal cone die.   So...after about 6 hours of design work I finally figured it out!

A graduation gift card that looks like a graduation cap!



Slide a gift card, certificate or any US dollar amount in the slot!

Credit card gift????

There is even a little box at the bottom that you could put a little favor in it, hersey kisses, small peppermints or perhaps a key to a new car??? Wishful thinking, well.....I have high hopes for all those graduates!

Side view

You can just imagine the graduate getting this customized card for graduation...they would love it!

I am selling these to anyone who would like a special little box!

En"joi" your Sunday!  God is good!