Li'l Buck's Creations

Bare Wood Wall Decorations

2013-05-13T18:32:00.001-06:00

I'm so happy with my new wall decorations. I sliced up a stick of wood into pieces. Then I painted the centers with some aqua paint. I gave each of my children a piece of the wood to draw
anything they wanted to. These are the resulting masterpieces ;)

Tessa 10: Love Bird

Aaron 8: Wild Bunny

Jonah 4: Daddy, Mommy and Jonah all tucked into their beds.

Jakob 12: Flower craze (this one suprised me ;))

I drilled a hole in the each of the wood pieces and then strung them all together with a lenth of twine.
A personal snapshot of my kiddos art in a matter of minutes. :)
Have a great week!

Paisley Stencil Kitchen Table Makeover

2013-05-07T10:48:00.002-06:00

So, this is pretty much the best picture I have of my kitchen table before. We were having our Back To School Sundaes!! I despised the grooves in this table which collected all the crumbs and food that a family of six can tend to leave behind while EATING! Sheesh.
We ended up getting a loaner table while we worked this one over.
Travis began my completely planing off the top layer of the table, making sure to leave no grooves and just a flat surface. Jakob helped by sanding it smooth.
Next, I used a tack cloth to remove any extra saw dust or dirt.

Smooth smoothy smoothness (sorry for the blurry pic) but it is smooth. :)

I then created a paisley cut image with my Silhouette and cut it out of a stencil blank I purchased at Hobby Lobby. I think it ended up costing about 3 dollars or you could purchase a larger stencil online for $50 or so.

I rolled on the Heirloom White painted with a foam roller. I had to stop about 2/3 of the way through and pick off all the paint that had collected on the stencil as it wasn't letting the paint through the smaller holes in the design.

While that dried for a while I painted the table legs and sides. When the top was completely dry I painted on Minwax Dark Walnut stain and then rubbed off the excess with a cloth. I did two coats and let dry and added a coat of Wipe on Polycrylic. I let that dry overnight.

In the morning I added a second coat of Wipe On Polycrylic. Food wipes off like a dream even though it doesn't have a thick coat of polyurethane.

I'm really happy with the way it came out...Now to paint the chairs.

Have a super day!

Ready To Pop Themed Baby Shower Fun

2013-05-04T11:03:00.002-06:00

I've been a little MIA on the paper crafting front lately but for good reason. I have an amazing friend who is due in just a few short weeks. She's one of my bestest workout buddies and makes me feel awful when she runs faster than I do even being 8 months pregnant!!! :)
So I put together a little baby shower with the Ready To Pop theme and it was really fun.

I tried to come up with as many foods that had "POP" in their names as I could. We ended up having

Homemade Kettle POPCORN

Hand Dipped Chocolate Marshmallow POPS

Green Chile POPOVERS (thank you Renee)

Jalepeno POPPERS

and Tropical POPICAL Punch (hahaha, I just made that one up)

The goody table

This is the full set up.

I made Peanut Butter Chocolate Twist Cup Cakes. They were so yummy. Compared to other recipes I've seen it's pretty simple and easy to follow. So much better than boxed cupcakes.

There's the soon to be mama and her little guy. So sweet.

Those popovers were really delicious. I put out little bags for people to scoop popcorn into.

The children at the shower enjoyed the chocolate marshmallow pops the most. :)

The table runner was fun and easy to make. Just stack 7 or 8 tissue flowers together, staple in the center and then fluff.

I couldn't find any cups that matched my theme so I just picked out three coordinating washi tapes and ran them along the bottom of simple plastic cups. Easy fix and cute too.

You can find the recipe for these delicious cupcakes at BHG here...the only thing I didn't do was add chocolate to the icing and swirl peanut butter and chocolate icing. Still perfect ;).

Simple decorated chalk board.
I had a lot of fun putting this together and I can't wait to meet the little man!!
Have a super weekend.

Thrifty FRIDAY is Here Again

2013-05-03T16:05:00.001-06:00

What can I say? I was a tad busy yesterday and had no time to post my most recent project.

Apparently I had no time to take a "real" before pic either. I had already started priming this girl before I remembered to get a good shot.

Yeah, she was pretty sad as is the fact that I don't yet have a garage to do these kinds of projects in yet ;).
The end result was worth my time in the sweltering sun though.

I'm pretty happy with the way it came out. I know the kids will beat on her but she will do for now :)
I used the Martha Stewart double ring stencil with a gray acrylic paint from Folk Art on the top. I finished it off with a few coats of wipe on polycrylic.

I think my table is a happy little table now :)

Especially with my craiglist couch find :)

Hope you have a scrappy, happy, thrifty kinda day!

Guesting over at the Sweet Stamp Shop

2013-05-01T09:00:00.000-06:00

Hi there! Just a few sneaks of some projects I put together using
Sweet Stamp Shop's newest release. City Scape and Drops Background.

I'm guesting over at the
SWEET STAMP SHOP BLOG
today.
So head on over and take a peek :)

The drops background makes me swoon.

Thrifty Thursday, er um...Friday!

2013-04-26T15:21:00.001-06:00

I purchased this cute little frame from my local SA a while back. I hung it on my wall where I wanted my photo collage to go and there it sat...for months I tell ya. Until, finally, I was issued a challenge and I actually scrapped a photo!!! It's been way too long and I thouroughly enjoyed myself.
I began by painting the picture frame Heirloom White by Rustoleum.

I removed the picture of the li'l country bumpkin and traced it onto a piece of white cardstock. Then I created my sunburst background in yellows and grays.

I added the family photo and the "love is spoken here" silhouette cut, a little washi, a doily and some enamel dots and called it good.

Here's a side by sid comparison of the before and after. I'm pretty happy with it.

And here it is in it's place of honor on my living room wall.

I think it's found it's happy home. Thank you for stopping by. Hope you have a great day.
I get to celebrate with one of the most amazing people in my life, my beautiful daughter is turning TEN!!

Sweet Stamp Shop April Release: City Scape and Drops Background

2013-04-23T09:00:00.000-06:00

I'm so excited to share Sweet Stamp Shop's newest release with you. The stamps are so fabulous.
Nicole is introducing two new sets this month.
City Scape
Drops Background
The possibilities of creations with these are infinite ;)
Here's a card I made with City Scape.

I stamped a band of paper with the "hollow" building images and then proceeded to watercolor them with a really intense blue from Stampin' Up. I flicked a little white ink here and there and then added some Studio Calico Mr. Huey's in Bluebell to finish off the buildings. The fireworks were stamped in Versamark and then embossed with Desert Rain embossing powder which sparkles like crazy!!

I banded this card and called it good. I like the imperfectness of it.

The next card I made with an image from the Drops Background

When I first saw the heart I had the feeling of love raining down on someone. I grabbed a cloud from my October Afternoon sticker pack, Versamarked and embossed the hearts in gold and added the MUCHAS GRACIAS sentiment for fun. I'm from New Mexico, what can I say ;)

Head on over to the Sweet Stamp Shop Blog
and see what all the other crafty ladies have cooked up.
Trust me, it's GOOD!
Have a super day!

Framed Burlap Earring Display

2013-04-22T07:19:00.000-06:00

Good morning blogland. Thought I'd share a non paper project with you this a.m.! I made this framed display for my earrings. It hangs in my closet. I love having all of them out the int open so I don't have to dig through a drawer to find matches.

There's my little grouping of earrings without their mates...I know they're hoping one day to be reunited with their long lost friend. :)
It's super easy to make. Just paint up a frame, stretch some burlap across the back and staple it to the back of the frame.
I also stapled a piece of ribbon on the back of each top corner and tied a bow in the middle to hang it by.
Hope you have a super day.

Meatball Stew- Simple One Pot Meal

2013-04-19T09:12:00.002-06:00

Meatballs

3 eggs, beaten

2/3 c. bread crumbs

1/3 c. parmesan cheese

pepper to taste

1/2 lb ground beef, 1 lb ground chicken

OR JUST USE FROZEN ;)

To the pot add with meatballs add

4 med potatoes, chunked

3 sliced medium carrots

1 1/2 c. chopped celery (3 stalks?)

1 med onion, wedged

1 zucchini, diced

1 clove garlic, minced

4-6 mushrooms, sliced

1 envelope onion soup mix or make your own *(recipe below)

Water, if you want it to really be more stew like add a minimal amount of water. I added 10 cups and it was great. You can also add beef or veggie stock instead of water for more depth of flavor.

10-20 snap pea pods, cut in half and added the last 10 minutes of cooking

Simmer 30 minutes until veggies are tender

*Onion Soup Mix

from "Self Reliance by Jamie"

2/3 cup dried, minced onion

3 teaspoons parsley flakes

2 teaspoons onion powder

2 teaspoons turmeric

1 teaspoon celery salt

1 teaspoon sea salt

1 teaspoon sugar

1/2 teaspoon ground pepper

Fox Artist Trading Card ATC

2013-04-12T11:00:00.003-06:00

I really do adore this stamp by PTI. It's is ever so sweet. I was working on making some ATCs for an upcoming exchange and these were few of my first attempts.

I'll show you the final ATC in few weeks. I hope you all have a great weekend. We've got lots going on.

Hello Foxy Papertrey Ink Card

2013-04-10T10:19:00.001-06:00

I made this card for my cousin's birthday. She's one heck of a gal and super foxy! :). I adore this little fox from Papertrey Ink. He also has a coordinating diecut. Double bonus.

I used regular crepe paper and cut petals out of it that I put together with glue dots. I added a bit of glue on the edges and sprinkled on the glitter. I also used SRM stickers that I got as a prize from the Practical Scrappers card contest for the dotted lines. Hope you're having a great day.
Take care and stay crafty.

Cowboy Ben Kanobi

2013-04-08T12:59:00.002-06:00

Aaron's friend turned 8 this last week and he said he really liked Aaron's card when he saw it. He really likes Star Wars so I asked him if he wanted a card with a cowboy too and he nodded a fervent "yes". :) So, that was that.

I'm so glad I bought Stampin' Up's Cowboy Kid stamp set when they had it. It's so fun to color and I love using it to make cards for young'ns ;).
Hope you're having a sweet day.

Oh, Hello!

2013-04-06T14:38:00.001-06:00

Seriously love this set from Stampin' Up. I couldn't resist. I'm okay with this card, my first card made with the set. There were some hiccups along the road.

Attended another beautiful baptism today. I love my church family!
Have a wonderful weekend.

Sunshine Bringer

2013-04-05T14:43:00.002-06:00

My friend recently had a birthday and I wanted to send her a little something. I love the sentiments in this SU set. Enjoy your weekend.

Thrifty Thursday: Orange Fossil Purse

2013-04-04T10:57:00.000-06:00

So, I have to say happiness is...finding an ORANGE Fossil purse at my local Salvation Army for $2.00. YES and thank you very much to the person who must not love orange like I do and never used this purse!!!
Have a great day and stay thrifty.

Best Dinner Rolls I've Ever Made

2013-04-03T13:44:00.001-06:00

So, I've attempted many different bread and roll recipes over the years. I got this one from my friend who makes awesome cinnamon rolls with it! So far this one seems no fail. I've used the recipe for cinnamon rolls, dinner rolls and even calzones.
Enjoy!

3 c. warm water

1/2 c. sugar

2 T yeast

(I let these three ingredients hang out in the bowl for a little while before adding the other ingredients)

1/3 c. oil
1 tsp. salt
2 eggs
7-8 cups of flour (I live in a dry area and always end up using the full 8 but not much more)

Make a nice soft round of dough and let rise in the bowl for 20 minutes. I cover with sprayed saran wrap. Then punch it down and let it rise again for 20 minutes.
Pinch of rounds of dough and make into rolls. I like to tuck the ends under so I get a nice even top on my roll.
Let rise for and hour or so. Sometimes my dough starts to rise TOO MUCH before the hour so when they get to a nice looking size pop them in the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes at 350.
These rolls stay nice and soft for a few days if you cover them.
BTW this recipe makes two 11x13 pans full of rolls.
Have a great day!

Oh yeah, and I confess. I at that missing roll-right from the oven-buttered up and delicious.

Summer Solace Tree Card

2013-03-28T22:52:00.001-06:00

I made this card for a dear family member who just lost their spouse. I know sympathy cards can be so hard to make sometimes. This one was no different really.

I hope your days are filled with comfort and peace this Easter season.

Live in Color Washi

2013-03-25T15:02:00.001-06:00

Paper Smooches SPARKS Cool Shades Challenge

2013-03-20T12:11:00.000-06:00

Happy First Day of Spring! I really liked the colors from this week's Paper Smooches Challenge.
I recently purchased the Spring Fling set at my LSS because my 8 year old fell in love with the bird on it and really wants to use it to make something. We'll see what he comes up with. :)

I tried several variations of creating this scene but in the end this is how I liked it best. I hope you're all having a beautiful day. Stay crafty friends.
Misty

Sweet Stamp Shop Chalboard Set Mouse Trap Picture Display

2013-03-19T09:00:00.000-06:00

Good Morning Sweet Fans!

I'm over at the Sweet Stamp Shop Blog this morning and

I'm so excited to be able to share this project that I made using the brand new Chalkboard Sign set from

The Sweet Stamp Shop,

a few Mouse Traps, some paint and an old wooden board.

I began by removing the catches from all the traps (with a little help from my hubby). Then I painted the board and the traps. Next I stamped the "I love YOU" sentiment on the top of each trap and the heart on the bottom. Using a piece of chalkboard paper I stamped the banner sentiment, "You are amazing in every Way", and distressed all of the pieces with white ink and smudging. . I attached all of the traps to the board with E6000. I finished off the board by stamping and embossing four banners, writing my children's names and attaching them across the spring part of the trap with hot glue.

The final step was adding their sweet pictures.

I had so much fun making this picture display...good way to use up that new package of traps that's been sitting in my cupboard for years ;)

I get to see their smiling faces even while they're at school!!!

Have a great day and don't forget to leave some time to create.

Misty

Li'l Buckaroo turns 8

2013-03-18T17:54:00.000-06:00

This cowboy stamp is from Stampin' Up and is called "Cowboy Kid". I water colored the image with Buckaroo Blue, Riding Hood Red, Creamy Caramel, Soft Suede, Old Olive and Marigold Morning inks. The sky is done with Pool Party ink. I colored his face with Copic markers The red paper and star pin are Basic Grey and the wood paper is MME. Vintage ribbon.

I can't believe this crazy little dude is turning 8 today. I know we were put on this earth to be tested and challenged and my sweet boy is definitive proof of that. He has the hugest heart and the wildest imagination out there. He loves to play with his best friend and his brothers and sister. He does not, however, like to clean unless I'm right there alongside him every step of the way. He loves to give me hugs and is super affectionate. His brain is a super sponge and anything his teacher tells him he comes home and repeats verbatim and with enthusiasm. You should hear him recite the inscription found on the Statue of Liberty...he amazes me. He is passionate and has strong feelings that are hard for him to express sometimes. I love him with every bit of my soul. His favorite movie right now is Wreck it Ralph . He really likes history and math and science...he had a hard time choosing ;). I think he may have a crush on a girl at school but he adamantly refuses to admit it. His smile melts even the most frigid heart. We're so lucky.

Happy birthday to my Li'l Buckaroo. Thank you for helping me to grow in so many ways.

A little more sweet in your day

2013-03-15T14:35:00.001-06:00

Good day to you crafty friends!!

The new Kiss Me set from Sweet Stamp Shop is so darn cute. I paired it with the Perfect Match set to get this sentiment just right. Hope you have a wonderful day.

Mama Elephant Sketch Challenge02

2013-03-13T16:46:00.000-06:00

I had fun making this card for the Mama Elephant Sketch Challenge 02. They have great stamps that are on trend and are fun to work with. I made a vellum pocket with the book card stamp, adding sequins in the pocket. I love the little vintage typewriter.

You can see the sketch here.

Hope you have a super day! Keep creating!

Sweet Stamp Shop March Release Alpha Tabs

2013-03-13T09:00:00.000-06:00

Hello and welcome to day two of Sweet Stamp Shop's March Release!

There's a fun new alphabet set called Alpha Tabs that has great dymo label style sentiments.
I paired it in my first card with Sweet Stamp Shop's Pattern Craze.

On this card I paired my alpha tabs set with the "paint chip" stamp from Color Wheel which is oh so fun to color! I love the simplicity of this design.

Sweet Stamp Shop March Release Kiss Me & Chalkboard Sign

2013-03-12T09:00:00.000-06:00

Hello friends!! Have I got some goodness in store for you. Nicole has done it again over at the Sweet Stamp Shop and has created such yumminess for us to play with!

I whipped up this batch of feathered friends to share with you.

You'll be able to use each part of these sets from the smallest polka dot to the biggest,
scrolly chalkboard signage.

Hop on over to the SWEET STAMP SHOP BLOG and see what the other girls have created for these SWEET release.