Eightymillion

A DIY craft and photography blog. Dogs included.

Today’s Catnap

Today's Catnap by Eightymillion Photography

Cooler temps have arrived here in the Midwest.  My boyfriend and I are NOT a big fan of Winter and all that comes with it.

This is one of the last images we captured before our first snowfall landed.  It’s very cold and damp outside and there will be more snow to come.

Therefore we have decided to continue this blog series throughout the Winter months using images we haven’t shared yet.  Because realistically, who takes a catnap outside in the Winter?

Come Spring of 2016 we’ll be back out there!  On the pavement, in the grass, and wherever else the project takes us.  Thanks for following along.

If you’re new to the series start here.  And then visit the entire collection of photos here.

DIY Inspiration: Handmade Vintage Button Magnets

I have a {secret} obsession with buttons.  Especially vintage ones.  Their small, colorful, unique, and most of all useful. I’ll be sharing more ideas as I have time to create them.  Here’s the first.
Create your own magnets.  These have gone over well in our vintage shop so I’ve decided to make more with plans of adding them to one of my Etsy shops.  
Then I ran into a problem…
I don’t want to give the new batch up.  I sent some in my sister’s Christmas box.  Maggie (niece) loved them. They’ve found a good home on my metal cabinet that I have in my office.  And they might just stay there. We’ll see.
Assorted buttons, button magnets, and a hot glue gun.  That’s it.  Attach one button to each magnet using the hot glue gun.  Get creative and stack various colors inside one another.
I found that a cookie sheet works great as a drying station.  
As I slowly clear away the holiday mess in my office I’m finding more DIY projects.  You were warned.
Until the next word…
~Jennifer

DIY: Inexpensive Holiday Arrangement Of Ornaments

Easy, festive, inexpensive, and takes less than five minutes to put together.  Keep reading!
Have you ever purchased ornaments with the intention of hanging them on the tree, but they stayed in the holiday box year after year?  
Several years ago I found this adorable tube of assorted Christmas balls at Old Navy.  The holiday was over so they only cost me $1.99 (love those clearance bins).  We’ve all made purchases simply off of the “they looked cute” method.  Right?
When I first moved into my house I noticed these swag hooks in various spots in the house.  The first thing that comes to mind when I see them is those plants that hang in a hand knitted holder.  Remember those?  Throughout the years I’ve found uses for those hooks.
Using various lengths of ribbon I strung each of the ornaments.  I wanted the bold colors to pop, so I chose a cream colored ribbon to hang them with. 
And there they hang.  In the corner of my living room.  You could also hang them above a doorway.  Or on the hardware that opens your closet.  I would recommend choosing one that you don’t open a lot, especially if the ornaments are made of glass.  My dogs don’t bother them because they hang so high.  Not sure if they’re cat proof.  They may think your hanging up toys to play with in passing.  
Need a quick gift for someone who just moved into a new house and doesn’t have a lot of holiday decor?  How about someone that is away at college?  The arrangement would be small enough not to take up much room.  Hostess gift?  Giveaway at a holiday craft show?  Please stop me, because I could give you ideas all night.
Okay, one more.  Do you find yourself buying new ornaments every year and then you don’t know what to do with the old ones?  Pass them along to your kids when they move out on their own.
Have fun!  Perhaps I’ll hit the clearance bins again this year.  They would look cute in our shop in Galena, IL.  
Tomorrow I’ll be in the kitchen again.  Baking more goodies for the gift bags.  This time I’ll be adding a little twist to a traditional recipe.  Chocolate?  Of course!  I’ll be posting the recipe here when they’re finished.  Are you baking this year?  
Until the next word…
~Jennifer

Laundry: My New Saturday Night Ritual

And here I sit again.  Doing my laundry on a Saturday night.  I truly believe that I’ve started a new ritual.  Remember my post from last Saturday?  I’ve actually got a lot of work done while here.  Gotta love free Wi-Fi.  And yes, you can actually take some interesting photos here also.
Today both President Obama and Mitt were in town.  Traffic was crazy everywhere.  Although I’m looking forward to the election being over (not comfortable with that feeling-blame it on the massive amount of political ads), it’s interesting to see what’s all involved when they come to town.  I had to work at the shop in Galena, but a friend of Adam’s gave him a ticket.  Looking forward to seeing his photos.  He told me he sat six rows away from the stage.  I phoned him once and I could here Obama speaking in the background.  Kinda cool!
My dryers are about to stop.  Enjoy what’s left of the weekend.
Until the next word…
~Jennifer    

My Life With Dogs: Leaving the House

It’s been a super busy weekend here and it’s not quite over yet.  I put in some long hours at the shop to accommodate the tourists that are in town for Galena’s Country Fair.
No complaints!  I’d rather be busy than bored.
The greatest challenge I faced this weekend is leaving the house.  Sounds easy, eh?  NOT!  I was out on the deck this morning with my youngest son, House.  As I was telling him that it was time for me to go to work he gave me this look.  And I just happened to have my camera with me.  He looks happy, right?
No worries, there Dad will be with all three of them today.  House is just very good at making you feel guilty.
P.S.  The word House has two meanings:  First, the place in which I store all my stuff.  And second, the name of my youngest four legged son.
Until the next word…

DIY Inspiration: Recycling Vintage Snack Trays

Quite a few people have been visiting our shop in Galena, IL looking for vintage dresser trays.  The ones that are made with a mirror base and gold lace trim.  We’ve had a few but they sell fast.  
That brings me to the Vintage snack trays.  I have a couple of sets in the shop complete in their original box.  Tea parties still exist and people use them for bridal/baby showers for the desserts.  Last week a lady brought one tray to the counter asking how much it was.  I told her that it goes with a set.  She explained that she only wanted one to use as a dresser tray.  
What happened next is like one of those Pinterest moments when you say, “Why didn’t I think of that?”  We both chuckled.  She gave me permission to share the idea on the blog.  She never asked me if I would break up the set and in the back of my mind I didn’t want to (at least not at that very moment).  
Two days later the wheels in my head were spinning and I pulled the set off the shelf and took it home.  Actually a little guilt set in because of that customer leaving without one.  She’ll be back.  And I’ll give her one.  
Here’s what you need:
I picked up two of the trays pictured on the left at a local thrift store for .75 cents each.  I have four with the circle pattern.  Which I will be keeping one of those for myself cause I’ve never come across that design before.
See the area I doodled with yellow?  I did that to highlight the area of the tray that is raised.  It’s for placement of the cup.  I put my rings there so that it keeps them separate from the rest of the jewelry.  Feel free to use a cup for your rings or whatever else.  Actually wouldn’t it look adorable with a teacup that didn’t match the design?  Switch it up a bit and get creative.  Think outside the box.  The ring on the right is from an Etsy artist I connected with awhile back.  It’s rare that I wear rings at all, but I love this one.  Check out her shop.
Here’s my tray full of jewelry.  I love bracelets and rarely wear a necklace.  Anyway, what a cool way to recycle the snack tray into another useful piece.  “Thank You” to the lady that stopped into the shop and shared her inspiration with me.  
My muse is screaming at me now.  
Here’s some additional ideas for the tray:
~House warming gift.  Add some cookies or bread along with a note on this idea.
~Bridal/Baby shower.  Use it for mints/peanuts.  Give it away as one of the prizes.
~Candy dish!  It’ll hold a lot of M&M’s.
~Organize your bathroom gadgets.  Toothbrush(s), paste, floss, makeup brushes, etc.
~Serving appetizers.  Place a shot glass full of toothpicks in the cup section.  That way they’re handy when grabbing a food item.
~Place the tray in the center of the table.  Napkins in the large portion.  If the tray has two sections cornered off (like the one in the photo above) use one for the salt and the other for the pepper.  If there’s only one section skip the salt (it’s bad for you anyway) and use only pepper. 
Inexpensive and elegant all in one.   
And if your a fan of the gold lace trimmed mirrored vanity tray, here’s one that I found on Etsy.
Until the next word…
~Jennifer