More changeable, seasonal decorations

My last post was about wooden letters that spelled HOME with interchangeable images for the letter O.  While searching for them, I found a square shadowbox frame with a metal backing. It is divided to hold 5 images and a heading across the top. Many themes are available or you can use blank pieces to create your own. Here is a link to the products at Foundations Decor. There may be other sources but I haven't searched for them.

The first set I completed was Soccer, done with my grandson (the Prince of Sweetness) in mind. In the past few days, I have finished Halloween and Giving Thanks. They are done so I can now return to other projects on my to-do list. With the exception of paint or Sharpie marker on some small areas, each part is covered with paper from my scrapbooking and card making stash.

The last set isn't shown in the frame only because I mistakenly deleted that photo and saved this one which doesn't have the magnets attached to the backs yet. Each image has at least two layers to it and looks very nice in person. 

The "Home" Project

I bought the word HOME, sold as unfinished wooden letters and painted them black to go on a shelf in my living room. I ordered alternate "O"s from two different sources to cover most holidays. The O substitutes are each done with paper scraps. Occasionally, a bit of shimmer pen was added, the ladybug's eyes are dimensional embellishments and the beachball has a thick coat of gloss to make it look shiny. 

I think I'm done, mainly because I'm running out of room to store the alternate O pieces! I've had fun and considering the news is never fun these days, projects like this are soothing. 

Cards for teachers and a principal

These cards were made using dies from Spellbinders, both were from August's die of the month clubs (large die club being the clipboard, small die club is the backpack). As cute as the paper pieces are, they're a little fragile for a 4-year-old to handle so they aren't going to my granddaughter. Her teacher, my grandson's teacher and his principal will each get a card. 

The clip is three dimensional, the scissor blades move and the paper clip is made from paper. 

The green background paper is the green seen in the first photo. The grayish and bluish tones are photographic mistakes but I don't know what caused them.

The eyeglass frames have a double layer to the frames and have clear plastic lenses. Even the lenses in the image below took on a funny color. 

I bet it seems like I'll do anything to avoid housework. If I were you, I'd take that bet!

More lunchbox notes

When you like to color, love your grandson and granddaughter, and have a ton of stamps, you just might keep going with Lunchbox Notes!

The first batch of these is at the bottom of this post.

Home facelifts and lunchbox notes

Summer is passing way too quickly. I understand that most of us love one or two seasons, tolerate a third and wish the fourth was only a week long. For me, summer is my love and winter would be best shortened to three days bracketing Christmas.

The kitchen is done and I am enjoying it, keeping it clean by cooking as little as possible. 😉
As I said in my last post, the changes began because the boxy microwave from 1983 wasn't going to last forever and new ones weren't going to fill the old space. The new cabinet over this slimmed-down microwave had to be recessed to allow for the circulating fan at the top of the unit to work. I am pleased with how this looks.

New quartz counters were something my husband and I had talked about and was on a to-do list that didn't have a deadline. The previous counter, backsplash, and area behind the stove and refrigerator where all Formica. I wanted something simple....and then I fell in love with this accent tile.

While waiting for this to be installed, I found this lamp that will be used when I want a bit of mood lighting in the kitchen, such as when I invite people over for McDonald's or a $5 pizza. 😉 I liked the lamp so much, I bought a second one that is currently on the hutch.

The bathroom facelift consisted of new cabinets, elimination of a medicine cabinet with a simple wall mirror in its place,  new flooring and the toilet reinstalled after sitting in the living room over Easter.

I love the mirror. It came from At Home. The glass shelf below it was an Amazon order. The medicine cabinet had a shelf under it where I often used alphabet blocks to spell out holiday greetings. The white shelf is a picture ledge. I received a long black one last Christmas that is in my office and loved it so much, I knew I wanted this for the bathroom. I can change art without adding new holes in the wall or forcing an arrangement to fit the existing nail holes. 

As my grandkids prepare to start school (tomorrow for my granddaughter in preschool, Wednesday for my grandson in fourth grade) I've been making "lunchbox notes" for their daddy (my eldest son) to put in their backpacks. My grandson, the Prince of Sweetness as I called him in my previous blog, and my grandgirl, Princess Gogo, will get these on random days until/unless I hear that they don't enjoy them. Hers don't have words because of her age but they do have little hearts, mostly pink because that is her favorite color at the moment. I have more to make when I leave here. Crafting makes me happy and can't we all use a little more peace and happiness?