Roller Derby Trophies

I was at it again making MVP roller derby awards for a bout this past weekend.

If you want to take a look at awards past click here, here and here

Thee is something about making these awards that I love. For this particular bout, it was a double header. Our leagues travel B team, Wipeouts and Wasteland Derby Dames for the first game and the Topanga Maulrats and Reseda Wreckers, a home team rivalry for the second (I played in the second as a Topanga Maulrat)

All photos by Chuck Gay

There was no "real" theme so I just chose something from the Dollar Tree and went from there

I had spare wheels and asked my dad to make the stand. So he mounted them using a dowel rod. I originally found a dinosaur, but saw the robots and yeah?! who doesn't love robots?

We screwed the robot into the wheels and sprayed them gold. I love the way they came out.

For the second bout, which was near and dear to my heart and wanted to resemble both teams.

The Reseda Wreckers have a bomb (see above grey shirts) as a mascot.

I found these plastic ornaments at Michaels. My dad made the bottom  base with a groove and a cork for the "fuse." I painted the bombs black and base red for there colors. What do you think?

So, the rats were last and they were harder to think of because its not halloween and plastic rats are not readily available. So my hubby and I made the rats out of clay, yup clay. Sprayed them black and purple base. They were a little unstable and wet so I should have planned ahead. Oh well. 

All the girls and there awards.

I really like making awards. 

What do you think?

A $2 picture

It's not just any $2 picture.

Last week I went to a local thrift store that I need to frequent more often and found this $2 picture with a project in mind. Well, that one project turned into three.

That's right.. I took that picture and turned it into 3 different functional projects.



1. (left) a handmade print for my derby wife
2. (right) a picture for my fall table decor
3. (bottom) a ribbon holder for W



The ribbon holder is the real reason why I bought the picture in the first place. So, I took the picture apart and really only wanted the frame. I sanded it and added the hooks on the bottom for headbands. Than sprayed it teal. I took some ribbon, I had, and stapled it to back. Super easy and functional. Now that W wants ribbons and bows in her hair, she will carry them around until you put them in, this is a great way to see what we have.


Do to unfortunate circumstances I did not have access to my money, but still wanted to decorate for fall. I found this printable on pinterest. I glued it to the cardboard that came with the picture. I added teal paper as a frame and added an extra piece of cardboard with some yarn as a leg to keep it upright



I really love how it came out .. FOR FREE!!

So, thats the frame and the cardboard keeping the picture in place.
Lastly I used the back side of the picture which was done on wood or particle board so it was thicker than a piece of paper. I knew I had been wanting to do this for awhile, than the idea hit me. My derby wife and I always say love your guts. Awhile ago Mandi over at Vintage Revivals posted this printable and tutorial for christmas. The problem is it is intended for a silhouette, which I do not have. So, I free handed in onto contact paper. I spray painted the picture gold (bottom color) and once that was dry I placed my cut out of the contact paper onto the picture. I smoothed all the creases and than sprayed in navy blue x2. While still a little wet I removed the contact paper. I was not sure how it would come out, but I love the result and so did my derby wife.



What do you think? Have you made anything fun recently?

Traditions of the christmas kind

Let’s talk about traditions for a moment, shall we. As a person “new” to parenting, it is funny  to think that we make up the traditions our children will remember. As a child my sister and I got to open one gift on christmas eve prior to santa coming. Every year we opened a gift from out faux grandmother and every year it was books or a gift card to get books. We discovered many book series because of this. 

For the last eight years, P and I have been together we have a ONE ornament a year rule. For the last several years they have been sentimental in one way or another. Well, this year we had a baby.. so what other way to show that in years to come. Our little theme this year seems to be her hands. It seems themes may be a tradition we may keep in the future, as this is the second year with a true theme. Last years theme was houses which you can find here. 

So, this year we used a hand making kit we received at our baby shower to make an imprint of Miss Willows hand into an ornament. It is quite the perfect way to remember her being so small for her first christmas. I am quite infatuated with all of her little parts lately, they grow up so fast. 

        

 

Our christmas cards also include little Willows hand in a glove. The glove was already cut out from the Paper source and I used a regular stamp pad to get the hand print. Tied a little string around the glove and it was that easy. 

I am really happy with the way things turned out.

      

What are your family traditions, especially around the holidays?

Baby fever

 So is it me or has everyone seriously been pregnant this year?

I feel like I have made a ton of blankets since March (thats only 6 months ago).
So for your viewing pleasure, here they are
They are all a little different .. I need variety in my life

It started when one of my really close friends adoption went through
1. Aqua and teal shell pattern

That got me started on the everyone else.. And my creative juices going
Next was a friend having her second boy and me getting a little ambitious,
so ambitious it took me an extra 6 months to finish.
2. Ombré blue apache pattern

Than my sis in law who was having her first child (boy)
3. Forrest green popcorn stitch (on top of that pile)

heres a better picture

a friend in chicago with her first (boy)
4. Raindow yarn V stitch with a twist blanket

Its a funny story because my sis in law, this friend in chicago and I were all at my bro in laws wedding 2 and half years ago and now having all our children in the same year

a good friend having her second, a girl
5. Flowers in the garden
Grey and pink single crochet with crocheted tulips added



a friend having twins (boys), I made two blankets using the same yarn but two different patterns and borders
6. A blue popcorn and green shell

 a friend had a premie baby (girl) she was just able to take home.
7. Purple wave pattern


and one for my baby
8. a color block single crocheted blanket

 

I still have 4 more to make this year and one I can't show you yet since it has not been sent out yet.
What is your go to gift for new babies?

~ Steph ~

The apartment: Outdoor space

Our one bedroom apartment has a little outdoor space right off the dinning room.
I knew I wanted a space that I could go to and relax and hopefully enjoy with the baby.

When we moved in it was literally a pile of the hardest dirt I had ever seen and an overgrown magnolia tree

After weeding and planting and mulching.. What a difference



The in progress before I knew I wanted a deck made



Enjoying the progress.. and the great outdoors
I called my dad one day in the morning by the evening this is what I got :)

We had to move some plants and mulch and work on the other side to make it a suitable bbq space

We spent a day nesting on this space hanging twinkle lights and staining the deck

I love this space and spend a lot of time just reading here.

What do you think?

~ Steph ~

Summer Handmade Gift Exchange

So, its been awhile since I entered in a gift exchange and was hoping that would get my creative juices flowing. Well, it did to an extent. It took me the whole month prior to think of something to make for my partner who has a baby on the way and a toddler. 

This is what I came up with.. 

I wanted to make something for everyone and they live in colorado which made the decision a little easier. I know its summer, but winter things can be so cute. 

For little brother.. two little beanies. 

One simple teal and grey and the other is a little bear

For big brother.. an owl beanie

and for mama.. two headbands

This post will link up here:

~ Steph ~

The apartment: The dinning room

Alright, I think its time to share with you where we have been living for the last 6 months. 

When we moved to California I guess we knew we couldn't afford a house, but didn't expect to live in a one bedroom apartment. We are making it work for us.

My goal for this space was to bring in a lot of color and make it more personal than our home.

This place is still a work in progress, so we are starting with the room that is probably the furthest along.. our dinning room.

When you walk into the apartment you walk into the living room which is open to the dinning room. 

I bought these chairs for $5 each, a little white paint and fabric from ikea and this is what i ended up with

I love these chairs.

That curtain I bought at target and hemmed it with hem tape. It hides that beautiful air conditioner, but blocks the sunlight. 

Painting: gifted from my mother in law done by my brother in law

Table: from our house from my mother in law

Chairs: $20

Curtain: $15

Lace table cloth: already had (I think its from ikea's fabric section)

Not too shabby for a whole dinning room. It is also very cozy.

What do you think?

Christmas cards

Big ones, little ones, bright, ones, snowflakes, houses, santa, reindeers, ornaments, lights, and trees

Yup, christmas cards have so many varieties and say so much about your personality and your year.

In the crafting world your christmas cards are admired by so many through all the media services. 

I know that I start looking for inspiration in August, I usually use Pinterest (duh!) but there are plenty of other sources such as the the paper source catalog

(source)

These were this years contestants..

(source)

(source)

So as you know from my previous post here that I got inspiration from the latter 

and.. here it is. 

I love the simplicity and cuteness of this card. It was pretty simple. Just cut out the house and glue to a background. I used card stock for the house so it was a little thicker and than a gray background. I like gray and I like neutral holidays. I used a red envelope and it is a good card no matter what you believe. 

Are you making your christmas cards this year?