Framed Dry Erase Board

Here at the Ruth and Rose Workshop, we easily fall in love with all the oodles of creative projects made by inspiring women.  But combine a paper project with framed glass and we're head over heels!  One of our new friends,  Amber at Life, Love, Green combined framed art with the practicality of a dry erase board.  

Amber, thanks so much for sharing with us!

And here's how she did it.....

I’m really excited about this because it is the first project where I don’t have to credit anyone else for the idea. Unfortunately  I didn’t take many pictures but its really easy so NBD.  So you may or may not know that glass and dry erase markers work together really well. I found a 12×12 inch frame at the craft store on clearance for $3.50 and got to work. First I took out the glass and backer and then primed and painted it a Copper brown.

While that was drying I found a 12×12 piece of cream paper and 4 other coordinating papers. (Trying to keep them fairly simple since they were going to be the background.)  Then I punched 5 large holes out of 2 of the papers and 1 small hole. With one other paper I cut all 6 small holes. The 4th Paper is for the stems.

Then I simply shaped them as flowers and used scrap booking tape to adhere them to the background.

Lastly I attached the glass to the frame using gorilla glue so that when I wrote on it it wouldn’t move!

I plan on changing the backgrounds with the seasons…or if I get bored sooner….

Ruth's Gardening Forum: Pretty Poppy Yarn Art

I have always loved the whimsical nature of poppies, and have dreams of running through a field filled with poppies in some foreign land.  Leslie over at L & B Yarn Co. has designed a great way to turn poppies into fun art using yarn and Mod Podge.  (Gotta love the Mod Podge!)

She has created a fantastic tutorial on creating this light-hearted piece of art here.  I plan on making one with my girls in pinks and purples to go in their bedroom. Thanks for the inspiration, Leslie!

Tell Your Story: A Shadowbox for Great-Grandmother's Combs

One of our readers recently wrote to me about her beautiful ShadowCase she has displayed in her home.  Here is what she had to say, 

"Above my treasure trunk that sits on the floor in a corner, I love to display the shadow case of my great grandmother.  With these few items, that little corner is a dedicated spot for my family heritage.  The white frame of the shadow case looks amazing against my dark wall.  It seems to draw the eye to the contents of my great grandmother’s hair combs that are displayed in it.

 

When I was hanging it, my son slammed a nearby door and it dropped to the ground.  I was heart sick.  To my relief, the fall didn’t damage the frame, or the glass.  I was thankful that the case’s durability secured what was inside, and was easy to take a part and put jostled items back in their place. Shadow cases are a great way to keep special items safe, and at the same time, displayable."

I absolutely love the way these gorgeous, priceless hair combs look displayed in the Vintage ShadowCase Kit. It is always inspiring to see the treasures that our readers display in their ShadowCases.  Thank you so much for sharing your story with us!

Mmm-Mmm-Monday: Butterflies and Caterpillars for Dinner??

 No, we're not eating this for dinner! 

Does this look more appetizing?!

One of my kids' favorite meals is a combination of Rotini (caterpillars) and Farfalle (butterflies). Just cook the pasta according to the directions on the package. 

  

 We eat our meal pasta-bar style, with several different toppings 

( I use 3 sauces, chopped ham or chicken, peas, broccoli, cheese and butter).  

Kids love using their imaginations to make their own pasta creation. If you know any picky eaters this is a fun and easy meal they are sure to enjoy!




Oh, by the way......

Today I'm announcing a fabulous ShadowCase Giveaway with Kelsey over at Vanilla Joy.  If you have always wanted one, this is your chance--it's so easy to enter.  Just head over HERE to learn how to enter and see what they've created with their ShadowCases.   
Good luck to all my awesome readers!

Cool off Kiddos with Applesauce Popsicles

In our family, we are always on the look-out for healthier alternatives for kids snacks.  I can't take the credit for this one--my 12-yr-old invented "Popplesauce-icles". Super easy for kids to make, and moms can feel good about giving their kids this 

tasty summer treat.  

 Popsicle molds are getting ever more popular these days--you can find them in your local grocery store or look online for lots more creative styles!

We filled these with unsweetened applesauce, but cinnamon applesauce is also yummy.

Just pop the tops on and freeze for a few hours...

Cooling off with a Popplesauce-icle in the backyard!

Phil the CrockPot with Cowboy Stew!

Doesn't he look dashing in his Western attire?  He tells me he used to be in movies back in the day, but for now he'll be happy just making a weekly appearance on my little blog.  This week he's showing us how to make Easy Cowboy Stew.  Only 3 ingredients. Again. Yee-haw!!!

Easy Cowboy Beef Stew

2-3 lbs. beef stew meat

1 can French onion soup

1 can golden mushroom soup

Mix ingredients in slow cooker. Cook on low 4-5 hours or high 3-4 hours. Serve over rice, noodles, mashed potatoes, or biscuits. Lots of sauce for a yummy gravy, too!

Hearty meal the whole family can enjoy!

Going Giveaway Crazy

Sorry, this Giveaway is now closed. 

I know my hubby will think I've gone a little nuttier than usual, but this week ShadowCase has got another awesome giveaway going on! (and we don't need to worry about him, because he never ventures into the unknown Blogosphere!)

If you missed your chance last week, hop on over to The Idea Room and check out today's post.  Amy has done an absolutely GORGEOUS ShadowCase display of some of her ancestor's heirlooms, I love it! The lucky winner of this giveaway will receive  a $65 gift certificate to my shop at www.shadowcase.com.

See what she has to say about her ShadowCase project, and while you're there take a look at some of her other ideas, like this butterfly collage she made a few weeks ago.  I love her creativity, it's so much fun being a part of her blog.  Everyday is an adventure with Amy! 

Good luck to you all, and have a fabulous Monday!

Giveaway Winner and Surprise for Everyone!!

Thank you to everyone for your sweet comments and participation in our giveaway.  We fired up the old random number generator, and our winner of the ShadowCase Designer Kit is LeeAnn!!!  

Please contact me within 48 hours at customerservice@shadowcase.com to get the details on choosing your favorite ShadowCase.  Congratulations!

For all you other awesome readers out there, I would love for you to still be able to finish your inspiring ShadowCase projects.  So I am offering a special 30% off coupon for the ShadowCase Shop, valid until July 23rd.  

I usually reserve this discount for only my friends and family, but you ladies have all been so great over the last week--you feel like family to me.  Here's a little surprise gift back to you!!  

Just use coupon code BNOTP30 at checkout, and you will receive 30% off you entire order at www.shadowcase.com.  

Thank you all, and have a great weekend!


p.s. Keep checking back with me on my blog, because I LOVE giving away free stuff to my readers.  Who knows when the next giveaway will pop up??

Time for a Change in the Kitchen

A few years ago we remodeled our kitchen.  Everything looks gorgeous, except for this wall that I have pretty much hated now for years.  See what I mean?  

 Can you think of any worse way to check the time?

So I decided something MUST be done.  I found this great clock at Wal-mart for about $15, used a framed cork board (I don't remember where I got that thing.  I keep a lot of extra stuff around, can you tell?) and found a quote board that I had bought on clearance for $6 at Roberts awhile back.

In my basement storage I came across this great frame I had bought on clearance for $1. With a little ink, some scrapbook paper and a die-cut letter, it turned into a whimsical piece to add to my wall.

Isn't this much better?

 

 I love that I now have a spot to post important notes, menus, and kids' job lists. Even my 3-yr-old boy keeps saying, "Mom, I really like that new clock!"  Who knew toddlers even noticed stuff like that?  And all for about $20.  Not bad.

Have you ever done a wall-makeover? 

ShadowCase Workshop: Baby of Mine

I've often said that my favorite part of running my own business is the piles of paperwork helping customers create keepsakes they will treasure forever. 

This is honestly one of my favorite ShadowCase projects someone has done at a Workshop. I can't get over how each little outfit also has a photo of the baby girl wearing it!  Oh boy, now I wish I had saved more of my children's little baby things. 

(Of course, back then I didn't know about ShadowCasing!)

A perfect project to involve your children!  This little girl loved choosing how to design her baby keepsakes and attached many of the items herself!  

(Her favorites were the Pink Flamingo Accessory Set and Little Suzie StoryBoard)

Her sister's ShadowCase used the same "Little Suzie" StoryBoard, just flipped to the opposite side.  Again, there's those outfits and photos together--my ShadowCase visions coming to 

life before my very eyes! I love the girls' names in pink vinyl lettering along the bottom of the glass.

And here is the final reveal...

In only about an hour, she created 3 beautiful heirlooms to pass down to daughters for generations. But until that time comes, they will grace the walls of her own home.That's what I call a wildly successful ShadowCase Workshop!

What baby keepsakes would you put into a ShadowCase?

S'more Brownie Tarts

I was having so much fun with the giveaway I forgot to post my Mmm-Mmm Mondays awesome recipe!  If you're craving s'mores, but don't have a campfire in the immediate area, give these sweet little things a try.  We loved them at our house!

The ingredients are so simple, it's a great recipe to make with kids or grandkids!

 Make the brownie mix as directed on the box, then fill the mini graham cracker pie crusts about half-way.  Can you tell which one my kids filled?

Bake at 350 deg. for 20-23 minutes.  Let them cool for 2 minutes, then top with a few mini-marshmallows and broil until golden.

 We broiled these for 90 seconds, which we found was a little too long!  Black tops, the kitchen filled with smoke, and my hubby laughing in the background at our ruined dessert.  Nice.

You know when your marshmallow starts on fire?  Yep, that's what they taste like.

This batch turned out perfect, broiling them for about 45 seconds.

What an fun and simple summer treat!

ShadowCase Kit GIVEAWAY!!

Sorry, this giveaway is now closed.  Our winner is Lee Ann!!

Welcome friends!  What an exciting day for me here at the Ruth and Rose ShadowCase Workshop! This week (in cooperation with Between Naps on the Porch) I will be running a GIVEAWAY for your own ShadowCase Designer Kit ($60 value) from my online retail store.

Never heard of a ShadowCase?  That's okay--let me explain.  ShadowCase is a brand new, unique style of heirloom-quality shadowbox.  With our interchangeable frames, reversible "StoryBoards", and accessory kits, we've made it easy for you to create a beautiful keepsake that can be passed down for generations.  Take a moment and play around in my shop--you can even customize your own using our online ShadowCase Designer.

Every completed ShadowCase has a story behind it, and my goal is to build a community of support with ideas, memorable stories, design inspirations, and lots of feedback.  Many of our products have been built in response to customer requests, so please let me know what you think!

__________________________________________

Now for the BIG GIVEAWAY!   

There are 5 easy ways to enter, and my blog is pretty new, so your chances of winning are much higher than most giveaways. (Don't pass this one up!) The winner will choose his or her favorite ShadowCase Designer Kit from www.shadowcase.com, so be thinking of what you would put into your shadowbox.

Here's how you can enter...
Entries will be taken until midnight (ET) on Thursday, July 15th extended to 3pm (ET) Friday, July 16th!!!

(Please leave a separate comment for each entry you complete.  The winner will be chosen with a random number generator and announced Saturday morning.)

________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________

#1.  Visit www.shadowcase.com,  find a design you love, and leave a comment on the giveaway post telling me what you would want to display in your ShadowCase.


#2. Follow me on the "ShadowCase with Ruth and Rose" blog.


#3. "Like" ShadowCase with Ruth and Rose on Facebook. 


#4. Mention the contest on your blog and link back to my ShadowCase with Ruth and Rose blog.


#5. Send out a tweet with a link to the contest.


Then, leave a separate comment on the ShadowCase blog for each item you have completed. I will pull all the entries together and use a random number generator to select a winner. Check back on Saturday morning when the winner will be announced!!

I'm so looking forward to meeting new friends and hearing your ideas. Let the fun begin!

Janna

My Craft Room Flood!

Today is a special celebration for me because I can FINALLY move back into my recently remodeled craft room after last week's basement flood.  Luckily, not too much lasting damage, just a lot of work moving my furniture and ShadowCase inventory to another room while things dried out.

 What a mess, huh?





 
So I'm going to be working for the next week to re-organize and clean out my craft room and the basement storage.  I've got a blank canvas--no sense putting stuff back into the room that I don't really use anymore, right? Wish me luck!!  

Shadowbox Inspirations: Displaying Vacation Shells

Well, I think we all know how much I love shadowboxes, and I have found a kindred spirit over at Tracy's Trinkets and Treasures.  Take a moment and be inspired by her creativity. Thank you, Tracy, for sharing your fun idea with us!

Displaying Vacation Shells

My son collected a ton of shells and a large piece of coral for me during our Florida vacation.  I did several posts on our trip if you want to look at the archives.  I highly recommend Florida as a vacation spot.  I don’t have any beachy decor in my house, but I wanted to display the shells anyway.  Here is what I came up with.


I tied jute rope around the lamp shade to give it some contrast.  I might want to change it up again so tying it meant I could easily remove it.


I put a tag on the lamp to label our vacation shells and because I like tags.

On some of these shells I did vacation themed rub-ons. 






I made another shadow box like the one I did with my rocks from the Hamptons.  You can see it here.  I picked one that looked like weathered wood from Hobby Lobby.
 

Can you see the shark’s tooth we found?  We found several on a beach in Venice. 

These were 2 of my favorite shells.  The spiny one and the curly one.


I also painted my frame holder to look rusty.  It was black.  I thought it looked much better rusty.