Scene of Sublime

Little Reminders of Love You May Be Missing

noreply@blogger.com (Laurie Sublime) — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0000

A Kittycat’s Nose

An Autumn Leaf

An Ocean Coral Formation (my husband found for me in Bermuda ♥)

The Eye of a Peacock Feather

The Center of a Lovely Mother’s Day Rose

A Puppy Dog’s Ears

Clouds in the Sky

A Child’s Hands

I began to notice all the natural heart shapes in our world. Love is everywhere, you just have to open your eyes and look for it…

Ephesians 2:4-5 But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ— by grace you have been saved—

Chronically Yours, Laurie

A New Semi-Homemade Soup Every Week!

noreply@blogger.com (Laurie Sublime) — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0000

My family gets a new semi-homemade soup for supper at least once a week! It’s easy and it uses up small leftover quantities I have on hand. Win-win!
The soup in the photo above, for example, has:

Chicken Noodle Soup
Water
Diced Tomatoes
Spinach
Diced Dill Pickles and Pickle Juice
Brown Rice (leftover from night before)
Shredded Chicken (leftover from night before)

The kids really liked it! Pair it with some nicely grilled sandwiches and you have a quick and yummy weeknight dinner! And it changes a little every week…

CY, Laurie

A Coastal Valentine…(+ a neat idea!)

noreply@blogger.com (Laurie Sublime) — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0000

source

There’s nothing more lovely to me..

source
Than natural beauty from the sea..

source

Created by His mighty hand..

Each and every grain of sand.

Here’s a creative Valentine idea for the beach lover in your life or even just for someone who doesn’t want fattening candy or sneezy flowers. And it will last and last!

CY, Laurie

Repurposed Holiday Garland Valentine Wreath

noreply@blogger.com (Laurie Sublime) — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0000

I was purging holiday decor items and preparing to donate several gently used garlands when I noticed how lovely the plum/wine color of one of them was.

I bent a wire hanger in the shape of a heart, leaving the top hook as a wreath loop. Then, simply wrapped a segment of the pretty garland around the wire heart form, securing the ends with hot glue.

Last, I wrapped the loop and accented the wreath with an ivory burlap bow. I love the juxtaposition of the sparkly garland with the rustic burlap.

CY, Laurie

Free Valentine’s E-Book!! (Tons of Ideas)

noreply@blogger.com (Laurie Sublime) — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 23:54:00 +0000

Sidetracked Sarah (isn’t that a great blog name?!) was kind enough to feature my Bath Puff Valentine Wreath in her latest e-book and I’m SUPER excited and flattered to be part of it! I’m on Page 53 :)

You and your peeps can go to Sarah’s blog HERE to find out how to get your FREE E-BOOK chock full of fun Valentine’s Day ideas! Tell Sarah that Laurie from Scene of Sublime sent ya!
Smooches!
CY, Laurie

Portrait Frames: Your Opinion?

noreply@blogger.com (Laurie Sublime) — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0000

I recently updated a portrait grouping on our stairway landing. The frames used to be dark and I lightened them.

I wanted them to have a subtle coastal look to them – sort of white-washed with a hint of aqua against the natural green wall.

I added a design in paint pen to my daughter’s frame – a moroccan style pattern. I drew it in a turquoise blue, then drybrushed off-white paint over it to tone it down.

So, here is my dilemma and my question for you:

SHOULD I ADD THE SAME DESIGN TO THE OTHER THREE FRAMES IN THE GROUPING?

SHOULD I CONSIDER OTHER DESIGNS? ADD IT TO ONLY ONE OTHER FRAME AND LEAVE TWO BLANK?

WHAT DO YOU THINK? HELP!

Please leave me a comment with your thoughts! Thanks in advance :)

CY, Laurie

Recycled Light Bulbs Heart

noreply@blogger.com (Laurie Sublime) — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0000

A cute way to say, “You light up my life!”

CY, Laurie

Faux Metal Hearts (Unexpected Craft Material!)

noreply@blogger.com (Laurie Sublime) — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0000

Guess what I made these Rustic Metallic Hearts out of?

Sho did!

Cut, design, a little hot glue to secure, then craft paint!

Who knew those wrinkled old rolled up empty tubes could be Valentine decor?

CY, Laurie

Heart Art for Pennies (3 Styles!)

noreply@blogger.com (Laurie Sublime) — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 06:00:00 +0000

In today’s post, I’ll show you how easily you can create Valentine-inspired art in three different styles using only:

One Frame
One Piece of Scrap Dropcloth (as background)
A Few Various Fabric Scraps
Hot Glue
Scissors

Now, I’m not showing you this because I think you or I would change out fabric to display different styles of art during the Valentine holiday season. No! I’m just illustrating how simply and quickly it is to create various looks with just a little bit of time, supplies you have on hand, and virtually no money (the frame was from Dollar Tree).

Another GREAT IDEA for this type of activity is to provide the supplies for art like for moms in a moms group like MOPS or for kids for a craft activity. It’s always so fun and inspiring to see the creativity that results from those group art sessions!

CY, Laurie

Discount Holiday Ornament Stencil Art for Val Day!

noreply@blogger.com (Laurie Sublime) — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0000

Take one felt ornament you bought at Target at 90% off (a pack of 3 for 10 cents).

Use it as a stencil and paint up a pretty design.

Add more paint for a soft background.

Script a festive caption.

Frame it and you have a lovely seasonal art piece.

CY, Laurie

Valentine Bath Puff Wreath

noreply@blogger.com (Laurie Sublime) — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0000

This fun wreath is so festive and soooo easy to make!

Wrap wreath form in deconstructed $1 white bath puff. Secure with hot glue.
Wrap deconstructed $1 red bath puff loosely around white wrapped wreath, making sure to let white show through. Secure here and there with hot glue.
Make “hanging ribbon” from red puff mesh for show only. Secure with hot glue. Glue a twine hanging loop on back of wreath for actual hanging.
Embellish by looping a Valentine’s Day ornament through the hanging ribbon so it will hang down in the center of wreath, if desired. I made several hearts from salt dough and pained them – I used one of them for my wreath ornie.

Valentine’s red sure brightens up the blah wintertime spirit, doesn’t it?! Linking this project to many of the fun parties on my Linkies pages in addition to:

CY, Laurie

The Day My Son Ate His Words…Recent Thrift Scores

noreply@blogger.com (Laurie Sublime) — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0000

Before we get to my little guy, let me show you my found treasures…

I adore this little shell-shaped milk glass and metal pedestal soap dish that I picked up for a mere 50¢!

I also found this lovely pewter heart-shaped basket for only…wait for it…25¢!!! LOVE! Perfect timing with Valentine’s Day coming soon…

Okay, now to the funny part! Whenever I pull into the parking lot of a thrift store, if my kids are with me, oh boy…you should hear the groans! I’m not sure why it’s so awful as they have ALL greatly profited from my thrift trips – football jerseys, designer clothes, etc. Anyhow, on this particular day, I believe my youngest said something like, “I’m going to beat myself in the head 49 times!” or something equally dramatic as we got out of the van. Well, guess what we found?

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Yeppers – a very expensive Nike soccer cleat in his EXACT SIZE. The pair we found was gently used, of course, but what can you expect for ONE DOLLAR!!!!!!!! Now, I’m not an “I told you so” kinda mom, but I did have to remind him that the trip had worked out pretty well, hadn’t it now?! ☺

Have you found any thrifty scores lately? Let me know!!! I wanna hear about it!

CY, Laurie

DIY Number Clips {fun organizing tool}

noreply@blogger.com (Laurie Sublime) — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0000

I saw these on Twitter the other night and thought, “Genius!” What a cool way to organize and prioritize my stacks of papers and stuff! Though the source given was The Container Store, I immediately set about trying to find them online and couldn’t – at least within a few minutes time.

The next day at Target, I looked but couldn’t find them either, but did find the supplies above! I found the clips in the Dollar Spot and the number stickers in the stationery aisle – all for a total of $3 plus tax.

Enter my DIY Clips! Hey…when I get excited about an organizing tool, I want it yesterday! And cute colors and metallics to boot, I am a happy girl :)

Now, I guess I actually have to get those piles of paperwork out, huh?!

What have you organized lately? Leave me a comment and tell me your fave organizing tip and I’ll feature my faves on my FB page!!!

CY, Laurie

Pinterest Project: Snowman Wreath

noreply@blogger.com (Laurie Sublime) — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 06:00:00 +0000

I first saw the idea of the three-wreath Snowman Door Hanging on…where else…Pinterest! I knew I wanted to make my own version of that cuteness!

Three grapevine wreaths in graduated sizes, painted with glossy white spraypaint, and finished off with a bold purple scarf of my very own.

The purple of the scarf accents the purple of the flora in my triple tiered planters (kale and pansies).

I’ll share more about how we made these two tiered planters for a discount as springtime approaches.

Are you making a Snowman Wreath this year? If not, what kind of Wintertime decor (if any) do you hang on your door?

CY, Laurie

Tin Can Snowman 3 Ways! {Fun Use-What-You-Have Winter Decor}

noreply@blogger.com (Laurie Sublime) — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 06:00:00 +0000

These Tin Can Snowmen are so cute and fun to make! You can use what you have on hand around the house to make them and the whole family can join in! Here are 3 I made for my kitchen:

Fun fact about this guy – I used a tuna can for his middle :)

All I used were cans (some empty, some full – be sure to mark full cans before removing actual labels), some scrap newspaper, patterned paper, old sweater remnants, spray paint and vintage buttons (which I’ll later remove and set aside for future projects).

The good thing about this craft/decor is that, when the season’s over, you can undo it all and put the cans either in the recycling bin or back in the cabinet. This is also a cute gift idea to take to a sick friend or elderly neighbor. We can all use extra soup on our shelves!
Fun, creative and no extra stuff required – my type of crafty activity!

CY, Laurie

Awesome Household Resource!!! {And It’s FREE!}

noreply@blogger.com (Laurie Sublime) — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 06:00:00 +0000

Have you seen this cool tool? This calendar gives you DAILY decluttering tasks to do like:

Declutter your nightstand drawer
Toss out old lotions and beauty supplies
Spend 15 minutes sorting paper piles

See? We can do these, right?! Small steps each day add up to big improvements!

You can go HERE to download and print your own copy and get going! Thanks, Beth at My Simpler Life for offering us this free resource!

I am already using my calendar and you can start using yours on any day of the year!

CY, Laurie

Turquoise ~ A Snowman's New White!

noreply@blogger.com (Laurie Sublime) — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0000

J’adore the popular color trend of putting turquoise and red together these days! However…this combo doesn’t work well in my home decor on a large, permanentish scale. So, I’m having fun on a small scale with some wintertime art!

I had a snowman salt dough ornament left over from my Beachy Christmas Wreath project and he was perfect for this art design! Add a bit of red craft paint in a plaid pattern, a deep frame, a festive ribbon and…there ya go!

Putting a little WOW into my Winter!

CY, Laurie

Distressed Font Monogram Art Display Boards

noreply@blogger.com (Laurie Sublime) — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0000

See the adorable Apple Farm sign on the right? I bought 3 of them at a STEAL for $2 apiece at a Rugged Wearhouse store closing sale last year. Good, solid wooden 19”x19” signs? I KNEW I could do something cool with them! And you can see a peek on the left just what I did!

Why did I buy three? Well, besides the fact that they were DIRT CHEAP, I have 3 kiddoes and I thought I may want to use the signs for something related to them.

The stairway wall up to the kids’ rooms has always been bare and I’ve always thought it would be cool to use the area as a gallery for their artwork – from preschool masterpieces to current creations.

I simply painted over the apple lettering and design (even thought I really did like it!). Then, I handpainted the monogram letter of each child in a distressed typewritten style font in a black-brown color. The rough-hewn wood distressed it naturally for me – yay!

My FAVE part of the project was painting the inside rims of the frames vivid colors – aqua, fuschia, and lemon! You can go looky looky HERE if you are interested in seeing what inspired me to do that! I LOVE the difference and personality it added to the pieces – just the right touch!

My sweet hubby also added two tack nails to the upper area of each piece so I could punch holes in artwork and display it within the frame of the monogram board.

I really love how they all turned out and the rest of the family went gaga (sorry Lady G, the term is used in some other scenarios too) over them, so I knew I had a hit!

And check out how cute with some artwork displayed!!!! Loving! Hope you like them, too!
Not bad for $6 and a little craft paint, huh?!

CY, Laurie

My Cheery Winter Mantel (+ a mini-tute!)

noreply@blogger.com (Laurie Sublime) — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0000

(Please forgive my ceiling fan’s reflection.)

Nothing austere and drab around here! I’m keeping the bright colors going as wintertime progresses – no need for January to be blah just because the outside environs are a bit gray :)

I used my Mod Painted Pattern Wood Blocks that I premiered back around Thanksgiving, this time with a New Year’s theme – easy as pie to change out!

I made all the sweater and tshirt pompoms using this tutorial from Craftaholics Anonymous (loosely!) – mine don’t look as great as Linda’s, but they will work for my purposes :) I even dip-dyed a few – here are some pics of that process:

Plain white tshirt pom. Minty blue-green craft paint in bowl. Add water to this paint and mix well.

Dip surface edges of pom into water/paint mixture and set aside for the dye (paint) to bleed up toward center of pom.

Pretty poms!

(Please forgive my ceiling fan’s reflection.)

Here’s to hoping my colorful mantel will help keep my family cheerful and hopeful during the dark, dreary days of winter…

The color of springtime is in the flowers, the color of winter is in the imagination. ~Terri Guillemets

CY, Laurie

Skip the Resolutions >> Make Life Happen with a Simple Goals Plan!

noreply@blogger.com (Laurie Sublime) — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0000

This year, instead of making five or ten New Year’s Resolutions you and I may or may not kinda sorta stick to…that may get lost along the way…etcetera…etcetera…etcetera…what about trying something different?

What about setting practical goals with actionable steps? Goals that can be set in ANY dimension of your life:

PHYSICAL/HEALTH/FITNESS
EMOTIONAL
SPIRITUAL
FINANCIAL
EDUCATIONAL
CAREER
HOUSE AND YARD
FAMILY
CREATIVE
BLOG
ETC

The point is … to organize a bit and put actual action steps, to do lists, and timelines to these goals! Nothing overwhelming!!! Just break them down into bite-size pieces and incorporate them into your everyday routine. And check your progress once in a while.

Here is what I'm starting with:

Small, laminated pages glued inside the covers of my purse-sized 2012 calendar. I can write-on, wipe-off of these with a dry erase marker and refresh each week. I have a total of 6 sections with room for G(oal), A(ction) S(tep) and T(o) D(o) in each section. This is just what I think will work for ME. Something else entirely may work for YOU.

I bet you and I will be surprised at how much we can accomplish!

CY and Best Wishes for a Blessed 2012!

Laurie

Post-Christmas Recovery 3: Food /Fit Tips

noreply@blogger.com (Laurie Sublime) — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 11:00:00 +0000

image source: expatforum.com

Was your holiday season just CHOCK FULL of delicious goodies like mine has been? Yum doesn’t begin to describe it!!! Can’t eat another thing! Or can I…. Today I’m offering up some tips on Holiday Food and Fitness Recovery for all of us:

Freeze some holiday goodies and save them for later! As yummy as they are, you don’t HAVE to eat them all now. Why not cut 1/2 of that chocolate rum cake and freeze it for another time?
Hydrate (yourself) frequently! With added calories, indoor hear, and colds/sniffles in the air, it’s important the drink more water, water, water so your system can work as effectively and efficiently as possible.
Eat more soups and salads. I think I could live on these two menu items all year long, I find them so delicious, easy and comforting. Of course, you have to watch these as well to make sure they' don’t veer toward the unhealthy. But a nice, hearty soup can make a great meal for the fam!
Move and groove, y’all! Now, I’m not a huge exerciser, but I do value how I feel after I’ve spent some time being active. In fact, I always try to do my household chores as fast as humanly possible – seriously! I consider it part of my fitness routine. During the holiday season and its aftermath, it’s a great idea to make time for a brisk walk, raking leaves/shoveling snow, or a game or catch/frisbee with the kids to get the blood flowing and the cheeks rosy. And it makes the soup taste even better later :)
Jot down your faves! Remember to make a little list of your new favorite recipes you discovered this year so you’ll remember to try them next year. Store this list in your recipe box or where you’ll find them in the autumn season as the holidays approach.

DISCLAIMER: All these tips are strictly my opinion based on personal experience and may not work for everyone.

CY, Laurie

Post-Christmas Recovery 2: House Clean-Up Tips

noreply@blogger.com (Laurie Sublime) — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 11:00:00 +0000

source: 123rf.com

Whew! Poor Santa – hope he’s taking some time rest after a BIG OL’ CHRISTMAS season! God bless each and every one of you out there, I surely hope you all had a blessed holiday season!
How many of you are itching, now that the season is ending, to get all the decorations down and put away? Not me! I am not in a rush to do it. But, I know many people probably are and aren’t you a smart one! Anyway, I have some TIPS today for all of us as we clean up from the holidays (whenever we do it) and prepare to look ahead to a shiny new 2012:

Slow down! If you like to get it done quickly, okay. Just make sure you don’t dull the glow of the season for all those around you by demanding that everyone help you box up all the tinsel and garland so you can rush back into regular life. ‘Tis a special time of year…so don’t just rush it away…the organizing will keep a bit!
Dump the uglies! As you do organize and store decorative items away for next year, go ahead and chunk the things that are getting old and looking worn - WAIT – we have to keep grandma, now! (JK) Of course, hold onto the keepsakes your kids made in preschool. But go ahead and let yourself trash the tattered garland and half-broken ornies.
Jot down a few notes for next year. Now is the time to write down those great new ideas you saw this year so you can remember them next year. You can either store them with your holiday gear or file them so you can review them next November as you’re preparing for the holiday season.
Consider some new storage ideas. For example, storing some smaller holiday items in the rooms where you use them. I store my powder room Christmas decor under the powder room sink (candles, fingertip towels, etc.). Sometimes it’s just easier and makes sense to do so.
Keep a few wintry pretties out! Silver, white and ivory holiday decorations gracing your home decor can make for a magical January and a nice transition from the holiday season into wintertime for your family.

DISCLAIMER: All these tips are strictly my opinion based on personal experience and may not work for everyone.

CY, Laurie

2012 New Year Hourglass Art {Free Printable}

noreply@blogger.com (Laurie Sublime) — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 17:28:00 +0000

Well, I looked and looked for a cute New Year's printable and found a few ADORABLE ones - but they were for 2011 and I wanted one for 2012...so finally I created one for myself! And I'm happily sharing it with y'all! And in one of my new fave color combos - turquoise and red :) {BTW, I'm sure there are some fun printables out there, just couldn't locate them myself!}

You can snag yourself a 5x7 version HERE.

CY, Laurie

Post-Christmas Recovery 1: After-Holiday Shopping Tips

noreply@blogger.com (Laurie Sublime) — Mon, 26 Dec 2011 11:00:00 +0000

image source: greatdad.com

Are y'all hitting the After-Christmas Sales this year? I will be, in a modified way! Today, we’re going to look at a few tips to remember when you’re out there on the front lines, people:

Don’t just buy it cause it’s cheap (like our lovely lady friend in the comic strip above!).
Think multiple uses! When you’re perusing holiday decor on sale, consider buying solid color items – reds, golds, whites – these can be used for more holidays than just Christmas! Think Valentine’s, Independence Day, etc. Saves money, time and storage space – SCORE!
Gift shop for all occasions! Now is the time – if you see something that makes a great birthday, anniversary, graduation gift (as well as next year’s Christmas) for a loved one, buy it! Who cares if it’s months away, if it’s on huge clearance, grab it, girl! You’ll be ahead of the game!
Cheap ornaments and garlands can be a crafter’s dream! Self-explanatory – just make sure your crafter’s and blogger’s eyes are open when you’re shopping those deeply discounted aisles.
Don’t forget to size UP! Don’t get upset, ladies – I’m talking about when you’re shopping for growing kiddoes. Like those 80% off coats for next year, etc.

DISCLAIMER: All these tips are strictly my opinion based on personal experience and may not work for everyone.

CY, Laurie

What Mother Teresa Says About Christmas

noreply@blogger.com (Laurie Sublime) — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 11:00:00 +0000

It is Christmas

every time you let

God love others through you...

yes, it is Christmas

every time you smile at your brother

and offer him your hand.

~ Mother Teresa of Calcutta

Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.

Proverbs 4:23 (KJV)

CY, Laurie

(image sources in order: crystalinks.com, getahugetank.com, beneficentchurch.com, home-and-wonder.webshots.com, netax.com, indendiarylit.com, me)