Baby Name Blocks ~ Amelia

             The Beginning of a New Venture

I've been a bit busy with blocks recently.

Last year, I mentioned to you that I was considering opening an Etsy shop.
I never did.
The time and level of commitment I'm sure it would require ~ on top of my already full-time job and family ~ may possibly take up more hours in a day than the 24 I have to work with.

Despite not opening a shop, I've still been getting orders.

Orders for baby Amelia, baby Clara and baby Finnegan, as well as one I haven't even begun.

I plan to show you pics of each as time allows, but for today, here's baby Amelia's.

Even though I've currently decided against opening an Etsy shop, I have decided to start selling in a different way.

HERE on my blog!!

You'll notice a new Shop link at the top of the page.

I've listed all the info about prices, shipping, etc. there, and I hope it will make the ordering process a little easier than it's been for my previous customers.

My hope is to start small here with the occasional order, and build slowly with no pressure. 

Thanks for letting me ramble on today about this fun new venture I'm working on.

And thanks to those who've already sought me out and purchased blocks. 

You've given me the opportunity to share in just a piece of your newborn joy, and who could ask for more than that!

  

To view all Block posts, click HERE.

Linking Up at These Fun Blogs:

Sunday

DIY Showoff ~ Flamingo Toes ~ I {heart} Nap Time ~ My 1929 Charmer ~ Nifty Thrifty Things ~ Twigg Studios ~ Under the Table and Dreaming

Monday

Alderberry Hill ~ Between Naps on the Porch ~ Boogieboard Cottage ~ Debbiedoos ~ The Dedicated House ~ Flour Me With Love ~ Holly's Stamping Addiction ~ Home Stories A to Z  ~ Pinkapotamus ~ Serendipity & Spice ~ You Are Talking Too Much

Tuesday

Claiming Our Space ~ Coastal Charm ~ Cowgirl Up ~ The D.I.Y. Dreamer ~ Elizabeth & Co. ~ Homework ~ House on the Way ~ My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia ~ Not Just a Housewife ~ Southern Hospitality ~ Today's Creative Blog

Wednesday

 Fine Craft Guild ~ Fireflies & Jellybeans ~ My Girlish Whims ~ {PRIMP} ~ Savvy Southern Style ~ Sew Much Ado

Thursday

The ArtsyGirl Connection ~ Beyond the Picket Fence ~ Bliss Ranch ~ City Girl Gone Coastal ~Embracing Change ~ A Glimpse Inside ~ House of Hepworths ~ No Minimalist Here ~ The Shabby Creek Cottage ~ Somewhat Simple ~ Sweet Bella Roos ~ The 36th Avenue

Friday

Common Ground ~ Crafty Scrappy Happy ~ Create Craft Love ~ Finding Fabulous ~ French Country Cottage ~ Jennifer Rizzo ~ My Romantic Home ~ Redoux ~ Serenity Now ~ The Shabby Nest ~ Tatertots & Jello

Saturday

Classy Clutter ~ Funky Junk Interiors ~ It's Overflowing ~ Positively Splendid ~ Too Much Time on My Hands

Praise The Lord... 14.2"

This is just a little post of thanks.
We are snowed in, and couldn't be more thrilled!

I heard someone say the other day that there are 3 year olds living here who've still not seen a true thunderstorm.

I don't know exactly how long this drought in the midwest has lasted, but that assessment sounded about right.

It's been dry here.
Exceptionally DRY!

This is what the pond behind our house looked like at the beginning of the week.

Dried up, and thirsting for water!

And Praise the Lord, we got some!

14.2 INCHES OF SNOW

to be exact.

Just thought I'd share some answer to prayer with you all!

We could still use more.
But I'm amazingly grateful for this 14.2" gift we've been given!

Thank you Lord!!

"I Love You More Than Bacon" ~ Subway Art

Is there anything tastier than a lovely slice of crispy BACON?

The answer in this house would be "NO!" 

I've always been a fan of bacon, but my kids... they are a teensy bit obsessed.
They fight over it.
They have it as an afternoon snack.
They fight again cuz one of them didn't remember it in the fridge and missed the afternoon snack.
I'm pretty sure one or two of them even has a t-shirt devoted to it.

I know, they're a little crazy, but I've grown to love them anyway. :)

So with this much bacon love in the house, the day I spotted a sign saying "I Love You More Than Bacon" it took about 0.2 seconds to decide I would be making it.

I mean, loving more than bacon?? 
That's a lotta love!!

           ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

I used the same basic steps to create this sign as I did when I made my Latitude/Longitude signs (you can find that tutorial HERE), with only a few notable differences.

Instead of using wood, I purchased an 11x14 painters canvas from Michael's.
They're cheap and I didn't have to paint a white base coat since they come pre-primed in white.
Since I wasn't painting a base coat though, I decided to use Mod Podge to go over the vinyl and seal the edges.
I got the exact same results that I do with paint, NO BLEEDING under the vinyl!

After painting over the vinyl with basic black, I removed the vinyl and attempted to give it a worn out, aged look. 
I slopped on a very watered down black paint and hit it with a hair dryer.
You've figured out I'm impatient, right?

My final step consisted of adding just an teensy tad of white.
And when I say a tad, I mean it.

I did the driest dry brush technique I've ever done. (follow that link if you don't know how to dry brush, I'm too lazy to give a tutorial on it, and hers is easy to follow!)
It added just enough white to make me happy and BONUS, gave it a hint of a chalkboard look.

So there you have it.
My Lovey Dovey Bacon sign that only took about two short hours to complete.

And hey, this week is Valentine's Day.
My sign has the word "love" in it.
I can almost pretend that I did that on purpose and call this a Valentine's Day post.

Yeah, that's laughable.

The idea of me being on top of things enough to intentionally create a project for any other holiday than Christmas is simply absurd! 

Y'all know me better than that by now... right?

Fun Parties I'm Linking Up With:

Sunday

DIY Showoff ~ Flamingo Toes ~ I {heart} Nap Time ~ My 1929 Charmer ~ Nifty Thrifty Things ~ Twigg Studios ~ Under the Table and Dreaming

Monday

Alderberry Hill ~ Between Naps on the Porch ~ Boogieboard Cottage ~ Debbiedoos ~ The Dedicated House ~ Flour Me With Love ~ Holly's Stamping Addiction ~ Home Stories A to Z  ~ Pinkapotamus ~ Serendipity & Spice ~ You Are Talking Too Much

Tuesday

Claiming Our Space ~ Coastal Charm ~ Cowgirl Up ~ The D.I.Y. Dreamer ~ Elizabeth & Co. ~ Homework ~ House on the Way ~ My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia ~ Not Just a Housewife ~ Southern Hospitality ~ Today's Creative Blog

Wednesday

 Fine Craft Guild ~ Fireflies & Jellybeans ~ My Girlish Whims ~ {PRIMP} ~ Savvy Southern Style ~ Sew Much Ado

Thursday

The ArtsyGirl Connection ~ Beyond the Picket Fence ~ Bliss Ranch ~ City Girl Gone Coastal ~Embracing Change ~ A Glimpse Inside ~ House of Hepworths ~ No Minimalist Here ~ The Shabby Creek Cottage ~ Somewhat Simple ~ Sweet Bella Roos ~ The 36th Avenue

Friday

Common Ground ~ Crafty Scrappy Happy ~ Create Craft Love ~ Finding Fabulous ~ French Country Cottage ~ Jennifer Rizzo ~ My Romantic Home ~ Redoux ~ Serenity Now ~ The Shabby Nest ~ Tatertots & Jello

Saturday

Classy Clutter ~ Funky Junk Interiors ~ It's Overflowing ~ Positively Splendid ~ Too Much Time on My Hands