My Room Finally!!!

I love these pictures!! This was really an easy project. I got the Idea from a lot of different blogs on pinterest. I combined my favorites.
First I edited all the pictures just the way I wanted them, black and white, shadowed edges, and softened. I took them to the local printing store. I wanted them 12 x 12 but I had to have them printed on a page that was 12x20ish (12xsomething) of plain no frills paper or something like that. They had to re-size the pictures to allow for a 1/4 inch around each side and one side of the paper was a waste of blankness I cut off no biggie :) They only cost about 40 cents each!!
Then I went to Home Depot and bought two 24x48 pieces of insulation Styrofoam board around $8 each. I had most of one board left for a future project. I also got a small container of sample paint as dark as they could make it around $3. DO NOT USE SPRAY PAINT ON STYROFOAM IT WILL EAT IT!!! A can of spray on adhesive about $5 this will not eat the board. Other blogs warned me not to use Mod Podge it will wrinkle the paper. A spray can of Krylon Matte Finish to protect the paper (I got this from my Mom so I don't know the price.).
I had the 3 pieces of black scrapbook paper and I cut out the words and flowers with my Cricut and Vinyl that I had on hand. Tip: DO NOT BUY Cricut brand vinyl it's a rip off! I can get two 12x24 inch sheets of vinyl for $3 from my local sign and banner store in a much larger variety verses two 12x24 inch sheets of vinyl for $9 from the craft store of Cricut brand.... I have also gotten some good deals from E-bay.

Total cost minus the things I had on hand: $30 and I have supplies left over for other crafts!

The process:
1. I cut the foam in 12x12 pieces with a wood burning kit with an exacto knife blade attachment. Warning: This causes toxic fumes. I have read that others used box cutters.
2. I painted the edges of the foam and just the edges of the front and back with a small foam brush and let them dry.
3. I cut out the photos.
4. I sprayed on the spray adhesive directly to the foam. It doesn't dry completely clear so do get it on anywhere that is going to show. I carefully added the photos and scrapbook papers.
 5. This is where you would put on the protective matte finish I haven't put mine on yet I just got it.
6. I let that sit over night in the garage so we didn't gag on the paint fumes.
7. I added the vinyl lettering and hung them with just small nails.

If you don't like the way your edges came out I have seen others use Ribbon instead of paint. Or covering the whole piece of Styrofoam in black fabric. 

I love it!!!

Here are a few links that helped me out:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/tammywatson/4108464206/in/gallery-21611665@N04-72157625840887538/
http://alittlemcd.blogspot.com/2010_09_01_archive.html
http://crib-tales.blogspot.com/2010/03/thrifty-canvases.html
http://www.sugarbeecrafts.com/2012/01/giant-picture-tutorial.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%253A+SugarBeeCraftsSewingRecipesCraftsPhotoTipsAndMore+%2528Sugar+Bee+Crafts%253A+sewing%252C+recipes%252C+crafts%252C+photo+tips%252C+and+more%2521%2529

Kitchen Valance part 2

So I thought I might cover this valance in the same fabric as the one in my Kitchen to match but the blinds are off white and the fabric is Black and white so I thought it might clash. Instead I got creative! I found a pic of the original fabric online. I edited out all the little parts of the pattern because they were too small to work with the cricut. I cut out the pattern in 4 sections of black vinyl and applied them to the valance the blinds came with. I love it! it really pops in my dining room and is unique :)

Kitchen Valance part 1

Can I just say if you are not on Pinterest you should be!
Here is where I got the idea and she has step by step photographs.
http://budgetwisehome.com/how-to-make-a-window-valance/
I did mine a little differently. The foam board I got at the dollar store!! I needed 2 pieces. I love this fabric!
Using my cutting mat and fabric cutter (looks like a pizza cutter) I cut the pieces of foam board to the length I needed them. The whole length of one is actually two pieces taped together. You cant see it from the pictures but in the middle of each valance there is a little divot. I traced a cup on one corner of each cut out and put them together. I didn't use batting like the gal in the link did. I mod podged the heck out of these to glue them to the board. connected the corners with little L brackets and tiny screws that don't quite go all the way through. I hung them to the wall with picture hangers and T pins. I love them!!

Spring Wreath

I copied this from another pintrester.
http://www.duitang.com/people/mblog/17378736/detail/
I did do a couple of things different to make it cheaper. I used a wicker wreath I picked up at the dollar store, they didn't have foam ones and the foam ones in other stores cost to much. But the wicker was kinda tricky to put the pins in. I also got the flowers at the dollar store but after it was all said and done I like the variety of my flowers but the look of hers (from a flower ribbon) better. I didn't make the cute little sign "bare feet welcome" and I used a wreath hook instead of ribbon. It didn't turn out perfect but I'm satisfied with it :)

Side table

Easy Peasy.. Scrapbook paper on the inside and vinyl lettering on the outside :)

Circles in the playroom

Years ago my sister gave me a gaggle of cross-stitch hoops cause I love to stitch. I wasn't using them and then my Sis-in-law did something super cool with hers. She put material in them and hung them above her changing table I loved it so I had to copy it! I used 5 different pieces of scrapbook paper for and 12 small hoops and 1 large hoop.
I traced a Tupperware container that is just a little bigger than the hoops. Cut the circles out and placed it in the hoop like you would fabric. For the large one I cut up the scraps from the other circles, glued them to a large piece of paper. For the flower I cut that out using my Cricut. I placed and glued the flower cutout over the collage and put it in the large hoop.
I tried to place them on the wall randomly. Ta da!

Winter Wreath

Not the best photo I already put it in storage before I got a picture of it. This was a simple, cheap (didn't cost me a thing because I had all the materials) project and super fun. There are 10 stars I made from old cereal boxes here's where I found the instructions on how to make the stars:
http://greylustergirl.blogspot.com/2011/06/3-d-cardboard-star.html
I only made them one sided. I covered them with scrapbook paper, wrapping paper and velum with glitter on it. I used mod-podge to glue the paper on them. What you can't see is a flat cardboard wreath I cut out from a pizza box. I traced a little circular garbage can for the wreath base. Then I used Elmers glue to glue on the shiny pieces you see all around. They are made from a balloon holder I no longer needed I got from the dollar store. I let that dry then I glued on the stars with Elmers as well. A little tricky but it worked. I added a string loop to the back to hang it and voila! My beautiful winter wreath. I think I might make another one like it for 4th of July!

In my daughters room

My mom gave my daughter this beautiful handmade quilt from Hawaii. I framed it with the LDS young women values I cut out with my Cricut. Her bed faces this and it goes so well with the rest of her bedroom.

My pretty clock

I found this quote on pinterest but I love it "Time spent with family is worth every second" This is so true. I needed something around this beautiful clock my mom in law gave me as a house warming gift. I love how it looks :)