Because it's Monday and cold here and I'm snuggled on the couch, I've come up with a freebie for you. Click on the first image to download the freebie with greetings that you can use for the holidays or anytime you give a gift.
Monday, November 30, 2009
Sunday, November 29, 2009
Before + After: Day 4
It's Day 4 of before + after week here at On A Limb Paper. It's a very exciting day because I'm showing you my closet. It's so very wonderful to have gone from itty bitty closets in our old home to the lovely walk-in closet that we have now. It did not start out that way though. When we bought the house, there were 2 small closets on either side of the bedroom. (see previous post) Our architect extraordinaire came up with a marvelous idea for tearing down some walls and changing the whole layout of the room and closet. Let's get to the pictures...
PROJECTS:remove old closet walls and reconfigure layout of room
drywall
remove 1 window to allow for more shelving
replace 1 window
paint ceiling, walls, trim, and door
add electricity
add baseboard heater for cold winter months
install new light fixture
design custom shelving from IKEA basics
I think this will be a huge advantage if we ever decide to see the house. It's roomy, open, and pretty well organized. We've got room for folded items, long hanging items, and shorter hanging shirts and skirts. The only thing missing now are some hooks for hanging belts and a nice bench to sit in front of the window.
Coming up next...the bathroom!----------------------------------
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Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Before + After: Day 3
It's day 3 of Before and After Week here at On A Limb Paper and we're going to take a look at the master bedroom. Before we look at the photos, you must know what the room layout was before and after. Before the long room was flanked by 2 small closets, one of which had stairs leading to the attic in it. Along the south facing wall there are 4 windows with the bedroom door directly across from it. Not a great layout. After, we removed the 2 closet walls and made one single (much larger) closet. The whole room shifted down and we have a much nicer layout for our bed and furniture.
What we started out with were peach walls, with carpet and window treatments from before we were born. Our biggest problem though was with the layout of the room. The only place we could have put our bed (other than to shove it in a corner) was up against the windows. Then you would be walking straight into the bed when you came into the room. We are thankful for a close relationship with our architect/sister-in-law for great plans for the first major overhaul of a room.
What we started out with were peach walls, with carpet and window treatments from before we were born. Our biggest problem though was with the layout of the room. The only place we could have put our bed (other than to shove it in a corner) was up against the windows. Then you would be walking straight into the bed when you came into the room. We are thankful for a close relationship with our architect/sister-in-law for great plans for the first major overhaul of a room.
PROJECTS:remove 2 walls
frame new closet wall
reroute stairs to attic (more on that later)
new windows (4)
drywall window wall and new closet
patch walls and ceiling
paint walls, ceiling, baseboards, trim, and doors
install can lights over bed
install speakers for whole house sound system
sand and poly wood floors
update electrical and add more outlets
new ceiling light
built in shelving in corner
new curtains (hang from ceiling track)
We are so very happy about how our bedroom turned out. We love the new layout and great closet space that we gained. All that we still need to work on is decorating and maybe getting some black out shades for the windows.
Coming up tomorrow...the super duper new closet!Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Is That The Smallest Box You Had?
You know what I love...looking out on the front porch to see a nice big package waiting for me. Looks like a good one too...nice and big...don't forget to lift with your legs.
What? 2 pounds? Seriously? I have a scale inside...and mine reads 12 oz. How much did I pay for shipping again?
Dear Big Fancy Company Who Shall Remain Nameless,
What? 2 pounds? Seriously? I have a scale inside...and mine reads 12 oz. How much did I pay for shipping again?
Dear Big Fancy Company Who Shall Remain Nameless,Is that the only size box you could find to ship 2 necklaces to me? A large envelope would have worked. I do thank you for not filling the entire box with packing peanuts though...I've got more than enough of those.
Before + After: Day 2
It's day 2 of Before + After week here at On A Limb Paper and today we are checking out the drastic changes that went down in the 2nd bedroom/office. Not a whole lot structurally was done in this room, but the transformation is amazing to see. Check out the before photos.
...............................
As you can see, we've got green carpet (this won't be the last of the green carpet you'll see), pink curtains, random sconces, rickety shelving, and a small closet. Along with those aesthetic things, we've also got potential here for the room had good bones, lots of outlets, and room for improvement.
LIST OF PROJECTS:remove sconces
patch walls and ceiling
paint walls, ceiling, baseboard, and trim
update electrical wiring
new window treatments (sewn by me)
change the closet from single door to double door
add custom shelving to closet
remove green carpet
sand and poly wood flooring
reroute HVAC duct work
new ceiling light
hang IKEA Lack shelves
For the time being this room will function as my office and when we need it, we'll move the office to the 3rd floor and this will transition to a child's room. No, we don't need that currently. I've got organization down to a science in this room and love the feel of it. Now if I could just talk my husband into moving his filing cabinet to another spot (basement maybe). I would also like to do a little more decorating with some prints from Etsy. Any suggestions?
Coming up tomorrow......the master bedroom!!Monday, November 23, 2009
Before + After: Day 1
Welcome to Before + After week here at On A Limb Paper. This week I'm showcasing some of the work we've put into making our 1923 house a home. We've totally renovated the 2 main floors of our home, doing all of the work ourselves (minus a few minor jobs). I'll share the 2nd floor of the house this week and the 1st floor at a later date.
...............................
We'll start today with the 3rd bedroom. This is by far the smallest bedroom and has had the least amount of work done to it.
LIST OF PROJECTS:
remove sconces
remove laundry chute (unfortunate but necessary)
patch walls and ceilings
paint walls, ceilings, baseboards, doors, and trim
sand and poly floors
update window treatments
reroute HVAC duct work
update electrical wiring
new ceiling light
Right now this room will serve as a guest bedroom. Eventually we'd like to update the windows because only 2 out of the 5 actually open. Also, I'd like to get some sort of headboard for the bed...something with a shelf/ledge since there is no room for a side table.
Coming up tomorrow...the office space!!The Winner Is...
The winner of the set of Christmas mittens from 3 Stitch Creations is comment #4: Sydney! Congratulations Sydney...just in time for Christmas!It's Cookie Time, It's Cookie Time
I just spent a lovely morning with my nephew making snickerdoodle cookies.
I rolled the dough into balls, he rolled them in the cinnamon/sugar mixture.
Start filling up your cookie jar for Christmas.. . . . . . . . .
SNICKERDOODLES
by: Betty Crocker
Prep: 10 minutesBake: 8-10 minutes per sheet
Makes: About 4 dozen
.................................
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup butter or margarine; softened
1/2 cup shortening
2 large eggs
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp. cream of tartar
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 cup sugar
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
.....................................
1. Heat oven to 400 degrees F
1. Heat oven to 400 degrees F
2. In large bowl, beat 1 1/2 cups sugar, the butter, shortening and eggs with electric mixer on medium speed, or mix with spoon. Stir in flour, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt.
3. Shape dough into 1 1/4 inch balls. In small bowl, mix 1/4 cup sugar and the cinnamon. Roll balls in cinnamon-sugar mixture. On ungreased cookie sheet, place balls 2 inches apart.
4. Bake 8-10 minutes or until set. Immediately remove from cookie sheet to wire rack.
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Interview with 3 Stitch Creations
You are going to love today's interview from 3 Stitch Creations because they've got some great things for sale in their shop that would be perfect for the upcoming holiday gift giving season. Also, it's a family effort...and I think that is wonderful! Check out the interview below and leave a comment to win some cute mittens!
TELL US ABOUT YOURSELF: We are a family effort. Nancy (mom) creates beautiful, luscious afghans that are completely machine washable. Marci (big sister) brings a variety of talents for contributions like bags, quilts, ornaments, wall hangings and an abundance of embroidery items like bibs, onesies, and artwork. Megan (little sister) rounds out the trio with additional quilts bags and wall hangings. Together we are 3 Stitch Creations. Located in Reynoldsburg, Ohio, we have settled here from various parts of the US and combined we have many decades of experience and love for our crafts.
WHAT KIND OF ITEMS DO YOU SELL IN YOUR ETSY SHOP: afghans, quilts; including rag, wall and traditional; embroidery, totes, purses, and other accessories. But we specialize in doing custom orders! We all tend to get to get bored doing the same things repetitively, so being able to work with the customer to find just the colors, fabric, etc makes the process fun and exciting.
WHAT BROUGHT YOU TO ETSY: It looks to be a good beginning outlet for our business.
HOW DO YOU PROMOTE YOUR SHOP: many ways; word of mouth, telling everyone we know and meet, carrying our own work with us, handing out business cards, utilizing the networking sites like Facebook and Twitter, joining teams like Etsy Team Columbus, and occasionally ads. Still working on finding new networking opportunities.
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ITEM IN YOUR SHOP RIGHT NOW: the set of 4 silhouettes along with the mittens.
WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST SHOP GOALS IN THE NEXT SIX MONTHS: continue to expand, would love to have 5 sales a week.
FAVORITES: (Marci) Sewing and crafting have always been my favorite past time. Mom having passed that love of creating on to us girls. As my own children grew up I helped share this love with them and other children by being a 4H leader for 10 years. Now that my children are adults living out of state and I no longer work outside the home, I am able to do what I love. I do take time each day to spend with my husband and our 2 Italian Greyhounds. 
What a great interview and creative family behind the business. Thanks ladies! 3 Stitch Creations is having a giveaway of a pair of Christmas mittens. Here are the details.
TELL US ABOUT YOURSELF: We are a family effort. Nancy (mom) creates beautiful, luscious afghans that are completely machine washable. Marci (big sister) brings a variety of talents for contributions like bags, quilts, ornaments, wall hangings and an abundance of embroidery items like bibs, onesies, and artwork. Megan (little sister) rounds out the trio with additional quilts bags and wall hangings. Together we are 3 Stitch Creations. Located in Reynoldsburg, Ohio, we have settled here from various parts of the US and combined we have many decades of experience and love for our crafts.
WHAT KIND OF ITEMS DO YOU SELL IN YOUR ETSY SHOP: afghans, quilts; including rag, wall and traditional; embroidery, totes, purses, and other accessories. But we specialize in doing custom orders! We all tend to get to get bored doing the same things repetitively, so being able to work with the customer to find just the colors, fabric, etc makes the process fun and exciting.
WHAT BROUGHT YOU TO ETSY: It looks to be a good beginning outlet for our business.
HOW DO YOU PROMOTE YOUR SHOP: many ways; word of mouth, telling everyone we know and meet, carrying our own work with us, handing out business cards, utilizing the networking sites like Facebook and Twitter, joining teams like Etsy Team Columbus, and occasionally ads. Still working on finding new networking opportunities.
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ITEM IN YOUR SHOP RIGHT NOW: the set of 4 silhouettes along with the mittens.
WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST SHOP GOALS IN THE NEXT SIX MONTHS: continue to expand, would love to have 5 sales a week.
FAVORITES: (Marci) Sewing and crafting have always been my favorite past time. Mom having passed that love of creating on to us girls. As my own children grew up I helped share this love with them and other children by being a 4H leader for 10 years. Now that my children are adults living out of state and I no longer work outside the home, I am able to do what I love. I do take time each day to spend with my husband and our 2 Italian Greyhounds. ..........
(Megan) Gracious, there's tons I love, and then there's time to actually do them. It never seems to get balanced. I love spending a warm sunny afternoon on my deck reading. I am usually chasing after one of our 3 girls - 16 year old learning to drive or 4 year old twins. I adore spending time with my husband, watching TV or going out to eat. I'm excited about finally putting into motion my families love for creating and being able to help others create the perfect gift. I'm looking forward to all the kids being in school full time to have a few extra minutes to get some things actually finished and maybe figure out more about blog designs, etc.
...........
(Mom) I am enjoying retirement. My husband and I have plans to travel in our RV, heading for warmth during the winter. I am able to take my yarn with me and it's fun to pick out new colors and decide how to put them together. The process is also therapy for my arthritis and keeps my hands limber.
What a great interview and creative family behind the business. Thanks ladies! 3 Stitch Creations is having a giveaway of a pair of Christmas mittens. Here are the details.....................
Giveaway item: A pair of Christmas mittens, like the picture above. Your choice of color.
How to Win: Leave a comment on this post
Contest Ends: Winner will be announced Monday at noon (EST). Leave your comment before then!
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
The Lighting Store That Time Forgot
I stumbled into the most horrific place today. I get the shudders thinking about it.
And then I got out my camera so I could share it with you.
Behold...the lighting store that time forgot...
Monday, November 9, 2009
The Winner Is...
The winner of last week's giveaway, the patterned clay magnets, is #3 Lyn StClair!Congratulations Lyn StClair! Contact me for information on shipping!
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Interview with Blue Girl Ink *Updated*
My next interview is with Kellie of BlueGirlInk and I'm so excited to share her creative spirit with you. From being a mom to running her shop to worm composting, she finds the time to be passionate about each part of her life. Here is the interview with Kellie.
TELL US ABOUT YOURSELF: Since I was young, my sister and I were encouraged to create. When I was in middle school my grandmother enrolled me in the Saturday morning classes at CCAD. This helped to make up for what the public school wasn't teaching. Growing up, we never had a dining room table. My mom always had a project going on, for holidays or gifts, or just because. Anything from knitting, to clothespin dolls, felt ornaments or Halloween costumes were lying on the table. My dad would always ask when we could have the table back. I have carried on that tradition. And yes it drives my husband, Germ, crazy just like it did my dad. But to me, the best times are at that table, creating with my two kids Casandra, 9 and Milo, 5.
Since my husband is a chef and a self-appointed food nerd, we have a strong food influence in our home. Our kids request things like stinky goat cheese and mango cobbler.
I work full time at Hamilton Parker Company and on the side my husband and I are in the process of building an urban farm and also have a worm composting business called One20 Farm.
So it makes sense why my art is influenced by food and farmland. I love aerial farmland photography. It was the subject of my fine arts thesis in 2003 and I haven't stopped since. I have always dreamed of pear trees and goats, feeling like the earth girl trapped in the city.
FAVORITES: Movies are very influenced by what my kids watch. I do love comic books movies like Hellboy and X-Men. I have recently enjoyed reading In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto which is an incredible eye-opener for anyone who wants to know truths about what they eat. I also read anything on Altered Art Books. I love altered artwork and have a round robin altered book group online that has several members from around the USA. 
WHAT KIND OF ITEMS DO YOU SELL IN YOUR ETSY SHOP: Bluegirlink is my Etsy company with a variety of items. Glass mosaics, mixed media collage paintings, mini books, and supplies. One of a kind artwork is hard to keep listed. Right now I have been having fun creating mini artwork magnets. Affordable little pieces of artwork.
WHAT BROUGHT YOU TO ETSY: There was a woman in one of my altered arts groups that made hand dyed fibers and sold them on Etsy. I started looking around and was hooked. Six months later I found out about Etsy Team Columbus while I was at a show in Westerville.
HOW DO YOU PROMOTE YOUR SHOP: Not sure if I have found the perfect method yet. I am always bouncing new ideas from my blog, to ads online and Etsy listings. My goal has been to do better with keyword search this year. Trade shows and charity trade shows have been a plus. I love doing shows that benefit local charities. I feel that God gave me a talent and I want to use it to help others and give back to the community. On November 22, 2009 I am hosting the Pride and Joy trunk show with Etsy Team Columbus, which benefits kids at Indianola Middle School.
On March 6-7 I am hosting a show with Etsy Team Columbus that will benefit Local Matters. This show will take a closer look at food and the arts. This is the promotion I prefer, because others benefit as well.
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ITEM IN YOUR SHOP RIGHT NOW: Right now I love the magnets and cork strips. The magnets are fun to make. It is hard not to keep each one. The 2x3 mini artwork magnets are one of a kind. Made from recycled materials like found wood and collage materials. I collect the corks for the cork boards from local restaurants and save the corks from the landfills. This is a great idea for keeping business cards and post it notes clutter free.
WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST SHOW GOALS IN THE NEXT SIX MONTHS: Organize and simplify. I am like a raccoon when it comes to the art world. Easily distracted. It is so easy for me to do a little of everything. I am going to focus on doing a few of the items in my shop and not having such a variety.
Kellie, thank you for the great interview. Best of luck to you on all of your ventures and with your wonderful shop!
TELL US ABOUT YOURSELF: Since I was young, my sister and I were encouraged to create. When I was in middle school my grandmother enrolled me in the Saturday morning classes at CCAD. This helped to make up for what the public school wasn't teaching. Growing up, we never had a dining room table. My mom always had a project going on, for holidays or gifts, or just because. Anything from knitting, to clothespin dolls, felt ornaments or Halloween costumes were lying on the table. My dad would always ask when we could have the table back. I have carried on that tradition. And yes it drives my husband, Germ, crazy just like it did my dad. But to me, the best times are at that table, creating with my two kids Casandra, 9 and Milo, 5.
Since my husband is a chef and a self-appointed food nerd, we have a strong food influence in our home. Our kids request things like stinky goat cheese and mango cobbler.
I work full time at Hamilton Parker Company and on the side my husband and I are in the process of building an urban farm and also have a worm composting business called One20 Farm.
So it makes sense why my art is influenced by food and farmland. I love aerial farmland photography. It was the subject of my fine arts thesis in 2003 and I haven't stopped since. I have always dreamed of pear trees and goats, feeling like the earth girl trapped in the city.
FAVORITES: Movies are very influenced by what my kids watch. I do love comic books movies like Hellboy and X-Men. I have recently enjoyed reading In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto which is an incredible eye-opener for anyone who wants to know truths about what they eat. I also read anything on Altered Art Books. I love altered artwork and have a round robin altered book group online that has several members from around the USA. 
WHAT KIND OF ITEMS DO YOU SELL IN YOUR ETSY SHOP: Bluegirlink is my Etsy company with a variety of items. Glass mosaics, mixed media collage paintings, mini books, and supplies. One of a kind artwork is hard to keep listed. Right now I have been having fun creating mini artwork magnets. Affordable little pieces of artwork.
WHAT BROUGHT YOU TO ETSY: There was a woman in one of my altered arts groups that made hand dyed fibers and sold them on Etsy. I started looking around and was hooked. Six months later I found out about Etsy Team Columbus while I was at a show in Westerville.
HOW DO YOU PROMOTE YOUR SHOP: Not sure if I have found the perfect method yet. I am always bouncing new ideas from my blog, to ads online and Etsy listings. My goal has been to do better with keyword search this year. Trade shows and charity trade shows have been a plus. I love doing shows that benefit local charities. I feel that God gave me a talent and I want to use it to help others and give back to the community. On November 22, 2009 I am hosting the Pride and Joy trunk show with Etsy Team Columbus, which benefits kids at Indianola Middle School.On March 6-7 I am hosting a show with Etsy Team Columbus that will benefit Local Matters. This show will take a closer look at food and the arts. This is the promotion I prefer, because others benefit as well.
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ITEM IN YOUR SHOP RIGHT NOW: Right now I love the magnets and cork strips. The magnets are fun to make. It is hard not to keep each one. The 2x3 mini artwork magnets are one of a kind. Made from recycled materials like found wood and collage materials. I collect the corks for the cork boards from local restaurants and save the corks from the landfills. This is a great idea for keeping business cards and post it notes clutter free.
WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST SHOW GOALS IN THE NEXT SIX MONTHS: Organize and simplify. I am like a raccoon when it comes to the art world. Easily distracted. It is so easy for me to do a little of everything. I am going to focus on doing a few of the items in my shop and not having such a variety.
Kellie, thank you for the great interview. Best of luck to you on all of your ventures and with your wonderful shop! *Updated to add a GIVEAWAY!!!*
DETAILS: Leave a comment on this post by Saturday at NOON (eastern)
YOU'LL WIN: A PAIR of patterned clay magnets (similar to this one) from bluegirlink's etsy shop!
Good luck :)
Monday, November 2, 2009
Mike + Chris + Erin + Abby + Beth + Families
Sunbury, Ohio
10-18-09
I've known this family for 18-ish years and it has been so fun to watch one of my best friends morph into mom/aunt while still remain a wonderful sister/daughter. I love this family because of their kindness and thoughtfulness and for asking me to spend my morning with them. Here are some of the photos and moments that I was glad to capture.
My beautiful best friend, Erin with her 2 (obviously camera shy) boys.
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