Laundry Closet

 I used to hate doing laundry. I'm not sure what it was about it, I just couldn't make myself like it, no matter how hard I tried. Perhaps it had something to do with the fact that my washer and dryer were in a closet, rather than in a room. It also may have had something to do with the fact that it looked like this.

Yikes.

Last week I decided that something needed to be done with that little space. Something. Anything! So, husband and I ran over to Home Depot and picked up some paint. Apparently my husband is great at picking out colors, because I absolutely LOVE the color he chose. It was Martha Stewarts "Duck Egg"...So perfect for a little room that needed some spice.

After we painted the "room", I still felt like it wasn't quite what I wanted. So, I picked up a pencil and started drawing on the wall. This totally isn't like me. I'm definitely NOT an artist. As I was drawing my shape, I decided I should have probably used a stencil, but I was too far in, dang it!

Here's the "room" midway through.

It was crooked, but I was still smitten. So, I kept on drawing with my pencil, and going over it with my white craft paint. Finally, after hours and hours of sitting in that dang closet, I was finished. My cute husband even hung a shelf for me. Perfection.
(too bad there's a part of my design that went completely wonky. Try not to look too closely at these pictures!)

So, there you have it. My finished laundry "room". Hopefully it will help me enjoy laundry a little bit more.

(homemade laundry detergent can be found here)

I hate to sound cheesy, but...

GIVEAWAY  NOW CLOSED

Remember how I love Tillamook cheese? And, do you remember how my husband and I actually named our dog "Tilly" after our favorite cheese? You don't remember that? Well, we did. And she is cute as a button. I imagine it's because she is named after something so wonderful.

Anyway, as it turns out, Tillamook Cheese just earned title of the World's Best Medium Cheddar. Can you believe that? Tillamook is the best in the WORLD. Of course, I wasn't surprised. Once you taste it you will be hooked for life.

In honor of the big win, Tillamook offered to let me review their cheese and post about it on my blog! Not only that, but I get to give one of YOU a prize pack, as well. I have never been so excited. I know, it has nothing to do with what I blog about, but it's really that good that I just had to post about it.

When my cheese coupons came in the mail, I literally did a little dance. I could live off this stuff. Not only did they give me coupons for the best cheese in the world, they gave me a cheese cutter and a heart sandwich cutter. I especially enjoy the cheese cutter, mainly because I can't cut a straight piece to save my life! I'm embarrassed to tell you that my cheese loaf is already almost gone. Oh well! It was worth the calories.

Want to win your own little prize pack (cheese coupons, cheese cutter, and heart cutter)? Just leave a comment on this post, and you could be the big winner! U.S. residents only, please.

Be sure to "like" Tillamook cheese on Facebook and follow them on Twitter! They post lots of interesting facts (like, the fact that they love their cows and don't give them any hormones)....You'll "loaf" your cheese even MORE after you get to know them better.

Alrighty, that's all! Be sure to enter. You won't be disappointed.

Congrats to the winner of this giveaway, Jfisch! Comment number 58. 

Some Winners!

I'm sorry I didn't get my Friday copy cat post up yet. I am also sorry I'm a day late getting the winners up. Life has been a little nuts.

Better late than never, right? Here are the winners of the Fancy Findings Giveaway!

The winner of the Portia 3-in-1 Headband is commenter number six!

The winner of the Kelly Pink Rose Button Earrings is commenter number two.

And last, but most definitely not least, the winner of the Elizabeth Cameo Brooch Necklace is commenter number 15!

Congrats, ladies! You three are so lucky that you get to sport Fancy Findings around. I'm a little jealous, I'm not afraid to admit it. Email me (erika(at)oopsicraftmypants(dot)net) with your mailing address and I will pass the info on to Aimee.

Thanks everyone who entered. It means the world to me that you support those who support me!
Also, a HUGE thanks to Aimee for setting this whole giveaway up.

look here

You guys did it again. You blew me away with things you submitted for Tute-in Tuesday. Here are three of my favorites.

meyamo made these really cute CD case frames. I thought that they were so creative and could really be customized to fit any occasion and any style. The best part? You can change them up whenever you feel like it. Genius.

The Greenbean's Crafterole made these really cute window clings out of hot glue. They are so cute, and would really dress up any window. Think of all the possibilities. Pumpkins, perhaps?

And check out the DIY necklace holder that Not So Homemade made! It would look perfect in my room (hint hint). I definitely need one of those guys to organize all my jewelry because mine always get so tangled up!

And there you have it. Three awesome tutorials.
Haven't linked up to the party yet? There's still time! I haven't chosen my Friday craft yet.

fifth eveeer tute-in tuesday

** Be sure to check out the Fancy Findings giveaway below. Too tired to scroll? Click here.

 


Welcome to the fourth ever tute-in Tuesday. I can hardly contain my excitement right now. I love looking at everything you all link up to. There are some AMAZING tutorials out there. I would love to feature yours. So, come on, join in will ya? I may even copy your tutorial on Friday, we'll see!

A few things to remember:
-Support other crafters. Go on, check out their blogs and projects. Now is a GREAT time to meet some new blog friends.
-You don't have to use my party button on your blog or post, but it would be greatly appreciated. It helps to draw in new participants, which is wonderful because then YOU get more exposure and so do the other crafters who link up.

<a href=http://oopsicraftmypants.blogspot.com/><img src=" http://i651.photobucket.com/albums/uu231/erikans/button-1.jpg" /></a>

Fancy Findings Giveaway

Sorry for the post slacking lately, life has gotten absolutely nuts, and I haven't been able to keep up! I'm thinking that I'm ready to get back into the groove of things, but we shall see.
__________________________________________
Anyway, remember how I have $1 advertising? Well, Aimee from Fancy Findings contacted me about getting her link on the "check these guys out" page the other week. We got to talking and turns out, she lives RIGHT BY MY. Like, literally a street away. How weird is that?

Anyway, besides finding that little gem out, I found out that she wanted to do a little giveaway on this little blog. I figured she would give me one item to give away, but NOPE! She wanted to give away THREE items from her shop. She's so nice.  Look what items she chose.

Portia 3 in 1 Head Band
"This deep red gerbera daisy was just begging to be made into something beautiful. So I attached a stainless steel bar pin to the back of the flower and added a ruby and gold center. You can leave it pinned to the metallic gold scarf headband, or pin it on a lapel, a sweater, a purse -- anywhere!"

Kelly Pink Rose Button Earrings
"The Whimsy Collection has been hand selected to be absolutely adorable. These little cuties are great gifts for little divas...and grown-up divas alike! And when you buy three items from the Whimsy Collection, you get a special surprise for free! 1/2'' in diameter"

Elizabeth Cameo Brooch Necklace
"The profile of a lovely Victorian lady holding a rose bud adorns this scrolled heart brooch. 2'' heart cameo on a black satin ribbon"

Isn't her stuff fabulous? When I first looked through her shop, I fell in love with so many items.

Want to win one of these fantastic prizes? It's easy to enter. Just head on over to the Fancy Findings Etsy shop, and leave me a comment letting me know which product you like best.

That's it! Good luck!

The three winners will be announced on Friday, September 14.

I stole this idea

My house has had a problem these past few weeks. You see, we bought my husband a desktop computer, and ever since then, crap has been piling up on the desk. Take a look for yourself, if you don't believe me.

Yeah, it wasn't a good situation and it made my house feel all cluttered. I hated it. So, I began my search for a cure to this growing problem.

Thankfully, Crafter's Anonymous Club linked up to "tute"in Tuesday and showed me her amazing fabric covered boxes. It's like the Heaven's opened and the Angels started singing.

Swoooooon.
From the moment I laid eyes on that pretty little thang, I knew that it would cure all my clutter woes.

So, at 12 in the morning, my husband and I made the trek to Walmart to pick up a box. I picked out one of those green letter holders. I would show a picture of one, but Walmart.com failed me yet again. I would have liked to find some green chevron scrapbook paper, but, I guess it just wasn't in the stars for me. So, instead, I bought a pack of pillow cases in a fabric I adored (again, no picture to be found on Walmart.com. Boooo)

When I got home, I whipped out my Fabric Mod Podge and cut up one pillow case and got to work. As the project went on, my love for Fabric Mod Podge grew and grew. Man, I love that stuff. Anyway, here's the finished product.

Clutter be gone.

I think it turned out perfectly, if I do say so myself. I'm loving the green with the pop of pink from the sheets.

Thank you so much Crafter's Anonymous Club for the great idea. You saved my sanity. Not to mention, your other boxes are amazing. Seriously, you guys should click on over and take a look. The girl's talented.

ch-ch-ch-check 'em out.

I am in awe of all the amazing projects linked up to this week's party. Seriously, if you haven't looked at the link ups yet, run over and do it. It was full on inspiration and such great projects. It really was hard for me to pick only three projects to feature.  And, just a heads up, I am still trying to decide which project I want to copy for Friday (there are too many good ones to pick from), so if you haven't linked up yet, hurry! I may just pick your project to steal!

Anyway, on to the eye candy, right?

Alayna from Alayna's Creations made this A-MAZ-ING Hello Kitty pinata out of poster board. What!? I know, it is so perfect. Her daughter is so lucky to have this pinata make its debut at her birthday party next month.

Mandy at Sugar Bee Craft Edition redid an ugly office chair for her craft room. I am still in awe of its beauty. I absolutely love the fabric she chose, and the fact that she decided to spray paint the actual chair red. It gives it so much character, don't you think? Could you make one for me, please Mandy?

Kristie from OCD: Obsessive Crafting Disorder whipped up some great messenger bags. They really made my jaw drop. If I knew how to sew, you better believe I would be making one of those bad boys. My favorite is this gray one. Need something bigger? Have no fear! Kristie shows us how to make them different sizes. Perfect.

Aren't these ladies great? Be sure to check their blogs out. All three of them are so completely talented.

Been featured on Oops! I Craft My Pants? Email me and I will send a button your way.

Why do you craft?

To some, crafting may seem like a waste of time. It may seem like an easy way to clutter their homes. Crafting may also make some people realize how truly uncrafty they are. To me? Crafting makes me feel like super woman.

You see, my life isn't perfect (what? Yours isn't either?)... There are things in my life which I can't control, and I absolutely hate that. If you read my family blog, you know that in this crafty house, we struggle with fertility issues. We've been trying to bring a little baby into our lives for over two years. I know, some people struggle longer...But, to me, two years feels like an eternity. It's hard not to get down on myself. It's hard to be happy all the time, when you're poppin' fertility drugs like it's your job. Do you know what those drugs do to a girl? It isn't pretty. It involves lots of tears, irrationality, and mean comments to your husband. I don't recommend being infertile to anyone. It hurts.

When I craft, all that pain seems to melt away. It's like I am in my own little world where nothing else seems to matter. I feel so much freedom, and I can create anything I dream up. Creating, it feels good. I may not be able to create life (right now, anyway), but by golly, I can create other things and that makes me feel like a million bucks.

That is why I craft. I craft to create something that wasn't there before. I craft to clear my head, and renew my energy. I craft because when I'm doing it, I feel like me again. The me before fertility treatments. The me before I had a care in the world. The real, true, me.

Simple as that.

Why do YOU craft? I would love to hear your stories.

4th "tute"in Tuesday

 


Yay! It's Tuesday. That means it's time for "Tute"in Tuesday. Yessss. I look forward to this party every week. This week is the fourth one, ya know.
Link up to your tutorials for a chance to be featured. Maybe I will even choose YOUR project to try out myself on Friday?

A few things to remember:
-Support other crafters. Go on, check out their blogs and projects. Now is a GREAT time to meet some new blog friends.
-You don't have to use my party button on your blog or post, but it would be greatly appreciated. It helps to draw in new participants, which is wonderful because then YOU get more exposure and so do the other crafters who link up.

<a href=http://oopsicraftmypants.blogspot.com/><img src=" http://i651.photobucket.com/albums/uu231/erikans/button-1.jpg" /></a>

Crafting FAIL

It's Friday! Yahooo! Add a long weekend to the mix, and I couldn't be more happy.

For today's craft steal, I decided to steal Dejavu Craft's Corn Husk Wreath, which she linked up to "Tute"in Tuesday. Look at this thing. Isn't it amazing? When I saw it, I knew I had to have one of these babies hangin' on my door.

Unfortunately, I didn't read the instructions too closely, and that resulted in a HUGE craft fail. To make matters worse, I couldn't find any sewing pins, so I had to use hot glue. I guess we all can't be as talented as my readers, right?

Here's my awful wreath:

I really can't stop laughing. What was I thinking?
I tried to cover up the fact that my wreath well, frankly, sucked, by gluing a mirror from this project to it.

Go ahead and laugh. It's horrible. Needless to say, this wreath will NOT end up on my front door, sorry folks.

If I were you, I would head on over to Dejavu Crafts and check out all her wonderful crafts. You'll be impressed.

These guys are good

Thanks everyone for linking up to this week's party. I have had SO much fun going from blog to blog checking everything out.

Here are three of my favorite projects:

Erin from Crafts and Sutch made these really cute Loft inspired shoes. I fell in love with them at first sight. They are so cute, and I can't believe she even thought to make them.

Alison over on How Does She? Made this freakin' adorable plexiglass frame. I love everything about it from the bow to the screws. Be sure to go check out the whole post for a wonderfully written tutorial!

Liane from Life with Liane made some cupcakes that made my mouth water from just the picture. Lemon Blueberry Cupcakes? YES PLEASE! Don't they look divine?

Man, I have the most talented readers.

August's Top Three

I have a love hate relationship with September. I love it because it gets me so excited to decorate for fall and because I get to light fall scents in my scentsy. I hate it because September is the month that my car has to get registered. I hate that. I hate paying zillions of dollars for the safety and emissions test, and I hate forking out another million for the actual registration. Ew. Overall, September usually treats me pretty well.

Anywho, August brought a few new readers, so I thought that I would just quickly recap my three most popular posts of August 2010. That way, those lovely newcomers won't have to sift through all the crap, and will get straight to the good stuff. Sound good? Good!

My most popular post of the month was definitely "Remember How We All Love Google Reader?" In that  post, I gave a mini tutorial on how to make Google Reader even MORE awesome by adding the "next" button to your browser. It's a feature I recommend EVERYONE should have.

Next in line comes the "Case Inserts" that I posted about this past Monday. Have a clear case? You lucky duck, now you can have any design on your case, whenever you want.

And, in third place comes "Blog Layout Help?" where I complained about my blog being ugly and not working for everyone. My LOVELY readers helped me to fix the problem, and I love everyone for that. (Speaking of which, Oops! Will be getting another makeover SOON. It's much to bright for my Mac readers.)

Thanks for making August such a great month, you guys. I am so grateful for everyone who reads this blog, and for the great friendships I have been able to make this past month. I can't even wait to see what September has in store for the blog. Stay tuned.

Caramel Popcorn

Have you ever wished that you could make caramel popcorn at home that tasted wonderful and was healthy, too? Well, I am here to grant your wishes. Well, one of them, at least. This recipe is far from healthy, but who cares about health anyway?

My sister has been making this recipe for years. I'm talkin' since we were probably about eight years old. I consider it a classic, and like to believe she made it up (though, I am sure someone else did, please don't burst my bubble.

So, what's the recipe? Oh, just an ENTIRE stick of butter, 1 cup on brown sugar, 1 cup of marshmallows, and a big bowl of popcorn. mmm.

In advance, I would like to apologize for any addictions this popcorn may cause. I'd also like to say sorry for my not so great photography. I'm not a food blogger, okay? It makes me nervous taking pictures of brown sugar and butter!

 See all the ingredients? Please don't think I'm a butter snob. I am fine with WalMart brand butter, this is just all they had. That's NOT to say I'm not a cheese snob and will only eat Tillamook cheese. I most definitely am a cheese snob. Fun fact: We named our dog "Tilly" after Tillamook cheese. Okay, back to the post.

 Step one: begin popping the popcorn. It's also preferable if you take a picture of the popcorn popping, so as to show off your skillzz.

 Step two: While the popcorn is popping, stick that big stick of butter in the microwave for one minute.
Step three: Add your cup of brown sugar into the mix and stick it back in the microwave for another minute (realize how DISGUSTING that picture makes it look).

 Step four: Put in your cup of marshmallows  (plus a few extra for good measure) to the mix. Put it in the microwave for, you guessed it, another minute.
Step five: Admire how puffy those marshmallows got.

 Step six: Stir those marshmallows into there real good.
Step seven: Use those arm muscles! Keep stirring 'til it looks like the above (right) picture.

 Step (I forgot): Pur the caramel onto your popcorn and stir all that yumminess in so the popcorn is evenly coated.

Now, all that's left is to eat it (and maybe in the future, expect a heart attack).

Deeeeelicious.

Thanks for reading!

September Advertiser(s)

Sorry for the lack of a craft today. I promise to get one up before the day is over. I just have to get off my lazy butt and make it. See, I had a mini breakdown of sorts today. It involved math. Enough said?

Anyway, on to the reason for this post. Every month (starting....NOW!) I will be posting one post about that month's advertisers so that all you lovely readers can learn about some great businesses and/or other blogs. I realize some people hate when blogs have advertising, but my crafting addiction is starting to get a leeeeettle bit pricey. And, if I want to keep up with the regular posting I have been doing as of late, any extra bit counts. You can learn more about advertising on Oops! I Craft My Pants by clicking right here.

This month, I just have one advertiser. And you know what? They are WONDERFUL! I am honored to be hosting them.


Here's what they have to say for themselves:
"Say It On The Wall Vinyl Lettering specializes in vinyl decor for your home or office as well as personalized gifts, fundraisers, and other vinyl needs.  We love custom orders (and will have voting on our recent CUSTOM DESIGN PROMOTION starting next week).  We also offer group discounts and free shipping on orders over $100.  New Affiliates receive 25% off their first order, as well as EARN MONEY!  Join us on FACEBOOK--we are offering a $40 gift certificate to one lucky fan, which will be drawn on Friday, September 3rd.  All you have to do is become a fan on facebook and you are entered!  The BIGGER PART is, any friend of YOURS that becomes a fan of OURS by Friday (and posts on our wall that you sent them there) will up your winnings by $5.  So, if 12 of your friends become Say It On The Wall fans by Friday (and leave a post saying that you sent them), your gift certificate would be $100 if you win--the SKY IS THE LIMIT!!!!


Um, wow, right? Not only are they offering all that's listed above, they are also offering 40% of THIS item all this month to Oops! I Craft My Pants readers. All you have to do is enter the code  CRAFTPANTS40 to receive the discount. Easy, right?


Here are a few on my favorite Say it on the Wall Products:

What's your favorite Say it on the Wall product?