2nd Pail - As Promised

When I posted my Knock Off Pet Food Pail the other day, I told you that I had to do one for the cats, too.  Well, I decided to do a little spin on it - not the original plan.  The plan was to do the Cat Food pail with the same fonts as the Dog Food.  I believe blogland inspired me to step out of my comfort zone, and try a foreign language.  I  put "Nourriture de Chat" - French for Cat Food - using the French Script Font.  I designed this in SCAL2 and cut it out of the same vinyl using my cricut expression.  I think it turned out pretty cute, too!!

Mr. Inspiring couldn't figure out where I wanted to keep these (there's no room in the closet because that's where my recycling is).  Before I was finished with the Cat Food pail, he kept putting the Dog Food where he thought it needed to go, but I kept telling him it was in the way where he was putting it (right in walking paths...).  Silly Mr. Inspiring - - he thought it should be close to her food dish.  I wanted it out of the way!  The corner where I photographed them is where they'll stay - - out of a walking path.  I knew this was where I wanted them, and that's why I decorated them up.  It's sort of in the foyer when you walk in the front door.  Just a plain galvanized trash can just wouldn't do.....   *smile*

Here they are together.

I was also playing around with the aperature setting on my camera - that's the difference in the pictures.  The light picture was taken with the camera on auto.  The darker ones were with the aperature setting on 2, and the colors are more true.

Thanks for stopping by and taking a look!!

Hugs ~~ Suz



I'm linking up to these great parties!!

And I'm hopping with this party!!

My Knock Off Pet Food Pail

I don't remember if it was Ballard or Pottery Barn (I suspect PB) that had some cute 'personalized' cans for dog food and cat food.  When I saw them, I knew that I could make them!  And I've seen some knock offs in blog land, and that sealed the deal!!

Lucy had been an outside dog until this happened:

Yep - - that was the ice storm of '11.  Big ole branch came crashing down, right on her pen.  Good thing she was in her house (the one in the pen, not the other one)......  Mr. Inspiring put her in the garage after that happened.  And because she made no messes in the garage, he FINALLY believed me and my son that she was 'potty trained'.  Mr. I-really-hate-dog-slobber decided she could come in.  And he has spoiled her rotten!!!  Everytime we go to WalMart to get her some food, she has to have a new toy (or 2) and some treats!! 

We had always kept her food in a galvanized trash can in the garage.  And when she moved in the house, her food didn't.  We had to go out to the garage to get it for her.  Which, in a 'normal' house that wouldn't be a problem.  However, I KNOW I've never claimed my house to be normal......    It was built in the very late 60's or very early 70's, and didn't have a garage.  It had a carport.  That someone decided to make into a garage.  But...........  there's no door from the house to the garage/carport.  You either have to go out the front door or out the sliding glass door on the back.  That's ok on a nice day.  But this is the 'rainy' season....

I had Mr. Inspiring empty the food into another container and I taped off the handles.  I got some semi-gloss black spray paint and painted the outside of the galvanized trash can.  I think I put about 4 coats on it.  A couple of days later, I cut the cute letters out of vinyl (some more of my stash from our graphics place in town - Thanks again, Mr. B!!) using my cricut.  I used my SCAL2 and downloaded the fonts.  Too Cute!!

Here's the end result.

Now, we can have her food in the house, and it looks kind of fancy!!!

I'm also working on another one for the cat food.  My other 2 furbabies feel left out and they told me about it last night..........  I'll post that one later this weekend!

I hope you're having a great week so far!!    NINE more days til vacation!!  I'm soo ready!!

Hugs ~~ Suz

I'm linking up to these great parties!!  Come check them out!!

Today's Inspirations ~~ Tomorrow's Projects??

I'm so sorry that I've not posted a project on here this week.  I do have a couple that I'm working on, but work is crazy this week and I'm just not getting to spend time on the stuff I love to do!  I seriously need to figure out how to make money crafting and creating so that I don't have to work!!  If you are blessed to be able to do this, PLEASE share your secrets!!!

Anyway - here are a few projects that I'm lovin'!!




I love this wreath!!!  I found it over at Mod Podge Rocks.  You can make one for every holiday, season, event ~~ anything!!  And it's not expensive at all!!!  Especially if you are a scrapbook paper hoarder like me!!

Super cute blanket idea!!  I love it ~~ and I think one (or two) of these (a little bigger, tho) would be great in the camper!



You can find Laura's post here.

Mandy over at SugarBeeCrafts came up with a great solution for her craft room.  I'm seriously thinking this will be one of my next projects!!  You can see Mandy's tutorial here!


Redefining C came up with this super cute subway art canvas!  I {heart} this!!  You can find Carri's tutorial here!




There you go!!  These are my inspirations for the day!!   I love these projects!!  If you go visit, tell them you found their projects here!!

Hugs ~~ Suz

Wonderful (BUSY) Weekend!!

Hey, Everybody!!!  I hope you had a spectacular weekend.  Mother Nature was VERY kind to us yesterday and gave us a nice long sip of spring.  Mr. Inspiring and I spent the day de-junking cleaning out the garage.  We took some unwanted items to the curb, and a guy came along and salvaged almost everything.  We talked to him for a while and realized that he was a handicapped person that was making it on his own.  It felt good to know that we helped him out.  He was very appreciative and kept thanking us.  It was GOOD.

Today I crafted and created and worked on projects. 

First off - I have all the paint applied to my door that I'm turning into my headboard.  I'm so excited, and can't wait to start on the next step!!!

Then, while I was waiting for my coats of paint to dry, I played around with the cricut.  A couple of Christmas's ago, I made all of our family members tiles with their last names on them.  I cut out vinyl and then mod podged them.  They turned our super duper cute!!  And ever since, I've been wanting one.  But, 11 letters was NOT going to look right on the 12" x 12" tiles like I made for everyone else.  So after cruising blogland, I found Denise's wonderful tutorial for these tiles, using SCAL.  You can find her tute on her wibsite, http://paperpastime.com/ and the tutorial is called "Split a Letter With SCAL2 Video".  It's dated February 23, 2011.  Denise is AWESOME and has done some wonderful projects.  I've been watching her for over a year.  Well, I did mine today, and while I think it looks very cool, it's also hard to read in certain light...........  Mr. Inspiring suggested making the name in a different color and leaving the big W in the gold sparkle........... He just may be on to something..... 

Here's my tile:

Here's what the vinyl looked like before I applied it to the tile:

Total cost for this tile project?  Just the cost of the tile, less that $5.  The vinyl is part of the huge bag of bits and pieces our local graphics shop gave me!!  Told you I got some great vinyl!!

I posted pictures of my candles last Monday, and the soda box that I put them in and set them on my dining table.  Well, just in one week, my table has gotten a bunch of new scratches.  Not good.  I'm not horribly upset, as I want to redo the table (it's that orangey golden oak stain), but I'm not really happy about it, either.  So I made a table runner to put underneath the soda box.

I figured out what size I wanted it to be, then I cut my piece of drop cloth and inch wider and an inch longer than the finished size of 16" x 38".  I used blue painters tape to make my stripes.

(I promise, they really aren't as crooked as this picture shows...)

Using a sponge 'brush' I painted and dabbed on my brown acrylic craft paint.

I cut a 'W' out with my cricut using SCAL2.  It's my favorite font 'Fontleroy' - The same one I used for my 'W' on my lamps!!  I cut it out in vinyl and kept the negative to make my stencil.

I didn't take anymore pictures for the next couple of steps.  (My batteries kind of died...)

But I did both ends with the same W.  I took some old (and I mean OLD) muslin, and cut 3" strips.  I folded the sides over and stitched it, then kind of gathered/pleated it and stitched it to the runner.  It is NOT the most beautifully sewn, technically correct project ever done.  And it came out just like I wanted.  NOT perfect.  And that's perfect for me!!!

Total cost for this project?  The 4' x 15' drop cloth was less than $20 and I've got a TON left for more projects!!  I had the paint and the sponge brush and the tape.  And again, the vinyl I used to make the W was part of the sack of bits and pieces.  The OLD muslin - I'm tellin' ya -- It's old!  I got it when my ex husbands grandma passed away in 1989.  It was with a bunch of fabric she had tucked away for quilting, and looking at it, you don't see this kind of material in stores anymore.  I knew it was OLD in '89!!

I'm just loving that drop cloth!!!

Have a great week!!!

Hugs ~~ Suz

I'm linking up to: