Sprik Space

A few of my favorites…

2012-02-02T11:35:00.000-06:00

I’ve found over time, in reading as many blogs as I do, that often my favorite posts by other bloggers are the random ones… the ones where the blogger makes lists of some of their must-haves, whether it be products, ideas, other blogs, music, etc. This past Christmas, I actually found a lot of cool gifts for loved ones this way.

So, this post has been percolating in my mind for quite some time, and it may just make a regular appearance here on Sprik Space. :) Today, I want to share with you, in no particular order…

Quirky Cordies Cable Management System ~$10

Maybe you keep a lot of USB connection cables on top of your desk like me? You know, for the camera, the iDevices, the Kindle, the cordless mouse, etc. – naturally, they all accept different cables. With this handy dandy little contraption, there’s no more cursing from my side of the office when a cable slips behind the desk… because it doesn’t happen anymore! YAY!

Instagram

I’ve been a bad family blogger lately… but I’ve found an interim solution – Instagram! If you have a smartphone, download the app – I highly recommend it for a way to quickly and easily catalog both the minor and major daily events. Most of my photos are in the minor category, but it’s so much fun to take a quick look back – one of Connor’s favorite activities. In fact, I may just take up Instagram-ing completely instead of writing up personal/family blog posts – we’ll see. At the end of the year, I plan on having a book made, full of the Instagram photos I’ve taken. Here are a few of my favorites over the last month: ( a – b – c – d – e – f – g – h – i – j ). If you’re on Instagram and want to follow me, my username is sprikspace. If you don’t have the app, you can follow my feed online here on Webstagram. To make it easier on the grandparentals, I threw a handy-dandy button over in the left sidebar, too.

Kuhn Rikon Ceramic Knives

Oh, ceramic knives, where have you been all my life?? I received a set these paring knives for Christmas… one of the best gifts my husband has ever given me! So sharp, so non-stick… makes everything that I’m cutting feel like it’s just a stick of butter. Love, love, love them. I now want to replace every knife in my kitchen with a comparable ceramic knife. And I just might! ;)

This post on Momastery titled: “Don’t Carpe Diem” really spoke to me. Amen! (Maybe you’ve already seen it… can’t hurt to read it again.)

Teaching your child to put on their own coat

‘Tis the season that we can’t leave the house (which we rarely do anyway during RSV/flu season) without coats. This video from I Can Teach My Child has been a real game-changer for us. I love seeing Connor feel so empowered!!

Chemisettes by Anne

I meant to share this product with you during the warmer months, but keep it in mind for Spring and Summer to come… I don’t know about you, but I get so annoyed wearing camisoles under some of my tops with lower-than-I’m-comfortable-with necklines, especially when it’s humid here in Chicago. I hate to sweat and feel sticky, and wearing an additional layer, when all I really need is a few inches of fabric at the top, is typically the last thing I want to do… but have to do. Somewhere I stumbled upon this product, a chemisette (think a dickey cami) and I’m sold! I ordered several and consider them amazing. They allow me to control how much cleavage I’m willing to show and they help me to stay cool. (I know the picture looks a little funny, but if you ever feel the same way I do about those pesky camisoles, check it out!)

Tovolo Better Batter Tool and Silicone Cooking Utensils ~$10-12

I received one of these bad boys as an early Christmas gift while I was doing my holiday baking… worked like a charm! In fact, I’ve recently replaced all of my cooking utensils to a silicone/metal handle combo so that everything is dishwasher friendly. (I don’t know about you, but I hate scrubbing the wooden-handled utensils… which shrink over time so the silicone piece no longer fits tightly.) I found some good deals at Williams-Sonoma and Sur la Table after the holidays to complete my set.

Marilyn Tuxedo Round Hair Brush ~$20

I have a bob, and a round hair brush is my go-to hair styling tool. So, when my old one began to fall apart recently, I headed to Ulta and “splurged” on a new one... I’m sold! I picked up the Marilyn Tuxedo 3” Round Hair Brush – it’s large, but it puts just the right amount of bend in my hair, without a defined curl, and gives me plenty of volume at the roots even without using any products (and I have fine, limp hair). I especially like that the brush end has a flat top so it will sit upright on my countertop while I’m getting ready (just an important feature I was searching for). The barrel is ceramic-coated, not metal (like a lot of the cheap ones are) and the bristles are natural boar, not synthetic. I love this brush!

IKEA Frost Clothes Drying Rack ~$20

I’ve had this rack for nearly 10 years now… and it’s still as good as new. I air-dry most of my wardrobe to keep it from shrinking shorter (I’m 5’9”) and this drying rack is a work horse! It’s strong and sturdy and can contain an entire week’s wardrobe plus a few other pieces easily. I recently spotted it again at IKEA, and knew I wanted to mention it here. You can position it in a variety of ways, and when it folds down it can fit right behind a door, imperceptibly. I probably would have purchased 3-4 of those wooden dowel racks in the same amount of time I’ve had this one rack. It’s awesome.

Bar Keepers Friend ~<$4

My big Christmas present was a whole set of pretty new pots and pans… they’re stainless and oh so shiny. And I want them to stay that way! As I’ve been learning to cook everything at a lower temperature, there’s been a bit of oxidation staining, and Bar Keeper’s Friend has been a miracle. Just a little bit of powder and some water… a slight scrub, and my pots and pans are as good as new! This inexpensive cleaning agent will also remove the rust spots on silverware that the diswasher leaves, and I’ve been told it should work on the stains our old faucets left on the bathroom sinks. You should be able to find it in the cleanser section of your local store, or fairly inexpensively here.

The Head and the Heart

I first fell in love with “Lost in My Mind”… can you blame me?

And then I downloaded their entire album… they’ve all become my favorites. I love listening to it while I plink away at the PC (writing this post, for example ;). Only $5 for the entire album as an MP3 download at Amazon right now!

These guys

…are my absolute favorite!

They’re my whole world.

I’m so lucky they’re mine!!

A broken record?

2012-02-02T01:55:00.001-06:00

Not only have I been getting quite a few e-mails lately, asking me to clarify personal vs. commercial use of my designs, but I’ve stumbled upon quite a few things online that make me feel the need to clarify…

Commercial use licenses must be purchased from me if you use any of my designs (Pattern Pieces, Just Because Prints, ABC Prints, etc.) in any way, shape, or form that is generating income.

For example:

If you accept money for craft kits that include my designs in some way… you need to buy a commercial use license from me.
If you accept money for one of my designs that you’ve re-created in vinyl, paint, etc…. you need to buy a commercial use license from me.
If you accept money to design printables for a party… and in your design you incorporate one or more of my designs… you need to buy a commercial use license from me.
If you accept money to design personal blogs and/or websites… and in your design you incorporate one or more of my designs… you need to buy a commercial use license from me.

Etcetera… It’s a simple request. It’s the right thing to do.

If you have any questions, regarding personal vs. commercial use of my designs, please don’t hesitate to contact me.

I love offering freebies on this site. However, seeing people blatantly profit off of my hard work, that I’ve put out there for free, makes me a little less inclined to continue what I’ve been doing, if you know what I mean.

I have a lot of fun designs planned for release in the next couple of months… I’m really excited about them! (And I want to stay passionate about this whole blogging business, too… it’s just hard when you feel ripped off, if you know what I mean.)

For those of you who have alerted me to commercial use of my designs, thank you, thank you.

If you have been using any of my designs commercially, no hard feelings (I can accept that it was an honest mistake)… just please contact me ASAP to purchase a Commercial License. Thank you!

February Birthday Wishes

2012-02-01T00:02:00.000-06:00

Aunt Emily – February 2nd

Great-Grandma Buchmiller – February 20th

Printable Valentine’s Day Cards

2012-01-30T03:25:00.000-06:00

I know I haven’t been around much this month… and my consistency and timeliness at returning your e-mails is pathetic. I apologize. Sometimes life gets in the way… but I’m still here, attempting to carve out blogging time when I can find it. :)

Since my Valentine’s Printables Round-Up has proven to be so popular this year, I decided to turn 12 of the love themed Just Because printables into Valentine’s Day Cards… just for you, my wonderful readers!

These are available as single-sheet 8.5”x11” PDFs, to make for easy printing on your home printer, and I’ve chosen or tweaked those designs that won’t eat up all of your ink cartridges. All you have to do is print, trim, and fold – and you’ve got yourself a cute and inexpensive 5”x7” Valentine’s Day card, with plenty of blank space inside for a thoughtful message to your Valentine! (SS logo will be trimmed off.)

To download the card(s) for printing, simply click the collage above, and a new window will open to the download location in 4shared. Save the file(s) to your computer, and they’re yours! I’ve also included a compressed file in the download location, in case you want to download all 12 of the Valentine’s Day Cards at once. Then, just print the PDF out on your home printer, trim to the faint gray box (10”x7”), and fold in half.

PLEASE NOTE:

All Sprik Space freebie designs are available for your PERSONAL use only. If you are interested in purchasing a non-exclusive COMMERCIAL USE LICENSE, you can find more details here.
I'm also now offering custom colors on my designs. Please find more details here.

I’ll be posting this project to some of the link-up parties listed here:

Under the Table & Dreaming	Kuzak’s Closet	I Heart Naptime
Heather Lynne/Raising Memories	The DIY Show-Off	Keeping It Simple
Sew Can Do	The Girl Creative	Sumo’s Sweet Stuff
Making the World Cuter	C.R.A.F.T.	Skip to My Lou
Mad in Crafts	I’m Topsy Turvy	Sugar Bee Craft Edition
Tip Junkie	Oops! I Craft My Pants	Crazy Domestic
My Delicious Ambiguity	Today’s Creative Blog	Hope Studios
Lucky Star Lane	Someday Crafts	Blue Cricket Design
Sew Much Ado	Bargain Shopping Paradise	Night Owl Crafting
Somewhat Simple	My Backyard Eden	Creations by Kara
House of Hepworths	Fireflies and Jellybeans	Beyond the Picket Fence
Everything Etsy	Tatertots and Jello	6 Inches of Ribbon
Fingerprints on the Fridge	A Few of My Favorite Things	It’s a Hodgepodge Life
Fun to Craft	Tidy Mom	The Shabby Nest
KojoDesigns	Chic on a Shoestring Decorating	Just a Girl
Seven Thirty Three	Beat Until Fluffy	A Little Lovely

Enjoy!

P.S. I’ve placed a handy-dandy “Pin It” button on the bottom left for your pinning pleasure!

Pin It

Just because (44)

2012-01-30T03:19:00.001-06:00

Many of you might be familiar with the 5th freebie in the Just Because series – Bee Happy – it’s actually one of my more popular printables, believe it or not. Since its release, it’s been so much fun seeing how you’ve included it in your homes… in gallery walls, in nurseries, even bathrooms. :)

The other day it dawned on me that the little bee motif would make for a fun Valentine’s printable, too!

So, here’s another 5x7 installment of the Just Because series – Bee Mine – in 19 colors this time around.

To download the 5x7 image(s) for printing, simply click on the collage image above, and a new window will open to the download locations in 4shared. Save the image(s) to your computer, and they’re yours! Just print it out yourself, or upload to your photo printer of choice. (Wondering how to download from 4shared? Please read more here.)

PLEASE NOTE:

All Sprik Space freebie designs are available for your PERSONAL use only. If you are interested in purchasing a non-exclusive COMMERCIAL USE LICENSE, you can find more details here.
I'm also now offering custom colors on my designs. Please find more details here.

I’ll be posting this project to some of the link-up parties listed here:

Under the Table & Dreaming	Kuzak’s Closet	I Heart Naptime
Heather Lynne/Raising Memories	The DIY Show-Off	Keeping It Simple
Sew Can Do	The Girl Creative	Sumo’s Sweet Stuff
Making the World Cuter	C.R.A.F.T.	Skip to My Lou
Mad in Crafts	I’m Topsy Turvy	Sugar Bee Craft Edition
Tip Junkie	Oops! I Craft My Pants	Crazy Domestic
My Delicious Ambiguity	Today’s Creative Blog	Hope Studios
Lucky Star Lane	Someday Crafts	Blue Cricket Design
Sew Much Ado	Bargain Shopping Paradise	Night Owl Crafting
Somewhat Simple	My Backyard Eden	Creations by Kara
House of Hepworths	Fireflies and Jellybeans	Beyond the Picket Fence
Everything Etsy	Tatertots and Jello	6 Inches of Ribbon
Fingerprints on the Fridge	A Few of My Favorite Things	It’s a Hodgepodge Life
Fun to Craft	Tidy Mom	The Shabby Nest
KojoDesigns	Chic on a Shoestring Decorating	Just a Girl
Seven Thirty Three	Beat Until Fluffy	A Little Lovely

Enjoy!

P.S. I’ve placed a handy-dandy “Pin It” button on the bottom for your pinning pleasure!

Pin It

Sunday Sustenance

2012-01-29T03:14:00.000-06:00

“This is what you shall do: love the earth and sun, and animals, despise riches, give alms to every one that asks, stand up for the stupid and crazy, devote your income and labor to others, hate tyrants, argue not concerning God, have patience and indulgence towards the people, take off your hat to nothing known or unknown, or to any man or number of men; go freely with the powerful uneducated persons, and with the young, and mothers, of families: read these leaves in the open air every season of every year of your life: re-examine all you have been told at school or church, or in any books, and dismiss whatever insults your soul.”

- Walt Whitman

Sunday Sustenance

2012-01-22T20:43:00.001-06:00

“It takes a lot of courage to release the familiar and seemingly secure, to embrace the new. But there is no real security in what is no longer meaningful. There is more security in the adventurous and exciting, for in movement there is life, and in change there is power.”

- Alan Cohen

Sunday Sustenance

2012-01-15T09:34:00.001-06:00

“Sometimes we strive so much to be who we want to be that we miss who we are.”

- Traci Paxton Johnson

15 FREE Valentine’s Printables

2012-01-12T18:31:00.001-06:00

Valentine’s Day is just 33 days away… that’s so soon! Wasn’t Christmas just yesterday??

If you remember, 2011 was a good year on Sprik Space for Valentine’s / love-y printables. :) So, if you’re looking for an inexpensive gift or just some fun, free holiday décor, maybe one of these 15 freebies will suit your tastes?

I thought I’d post a quick round-up of the related freebies I‘ve shared with you in the past. This new year has been kicking my trash so far, and I can’t promise to have any new ones in the works. No worries – last year’s are still a lot of fun. :)

Simply click on the image(s) you like to go to their original posts:

Enjoy!

P.S. I’ve placed a handy-dandy “Pin It” button on the bottom left for your pinning pleasure!

Pin It

Sunday Sustenance

2012-01-08T00:01:00.000-06:00

“May your coming year be filled with magic and dreams and good madness. I hope you read some fine books and kiss someone who thinks you’re wonderful, and don’t forget to make some art — write or draw or build or sing or live as only you can. And I hope, somewhere in the next year, you surprise yourself.”

- Neil Gaiman

January Birthday Wishes

2012-01-01T00:02:00.000-06:00

Great-Great-Auntie Dee – January 19th

Sunday Sustenance

2012-01-01T00:01:00.000-06:00

“Things that matter most must never be at the mercy of things that matter least.”

- Goethe

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Sunday Sustenance

2011-12-25T00:01:00.000-06:00

"Of all the things for which I feel grateful, one stands [above all the others]. That is a living testimony of Jesus Christ, the Son of the Almighty God, the Prince of Peace, the Holy One...

Jesus is my friend. He is my exemplar. He is my teacher. He is my healer. He is my leader. He is my Savior and my Redeemer. He is my God and my King.

Gratefully, and with love, I bear witness of these things."

- Gordon B. Hinckley

Merry Christmas!

Feeling Crafty… Ornament Wreath!

2011-12-23T15:32:00.001-06:00

I know, Christmas is 2 days away. Kinda late to still be decorating. But, I’m sharing my experience with making one of those fabulous ornament wreaths because the time to buy your ornaments is coming soon – the after-Christmas sales!

This past February, I hit up Garden Ridge for some random shopping, and stumbled upon a 90% off Christmas sale…who still has Christmas stuff in February?!? Garden Ridge! So, I snagged several boxes of matte and shiny red ball ornaments in various sizes and spent a whopping $4 for 120 ornaments.

Then I waited until the week before Christmas (naturally) to finish up my holiday decorating. The mirror above my mantle was looking awfully bare… and then I remembered the ornament wreath I had yet to make. So, I got busy!

I probably read a dozen or so different tutorials on how to make one of these wreaths. For the fullness and size that I wanted to make, I decided that I wanted to use a wreath form vs. a wire hanger. This version seemed more solid to me, too, vs. a wire which would bend and flex.

(I always hate these disclaimers, but these photos are camera phone, lighting was poor, and I am not a photographer… so they’re about as good as they’re gonna get. Take my word for it, this wreath is stunning in person!)

I started with an 18” white styrofoam wreath form. My form was flat on both sides, which I felt might work better for hanging over my mirror. I was too impatient to spray paint it, plus it was a little crumbly, so I grabbed some red grosgrain ribbon and wrapped it up, securing the ribbon on one side with super-fancy scotch tape. (You’ll want to make sure your wreath form is the same color/color family as your ornaments because bits of it might still be seen when you’re all done.)

I removed all of the metal hangers from the ornaments. (Personal preference, I wanted this wreath to be red only.) Then I started with my largest ornament size, and the size I had the most of, and started hot gluing around the inside and outside perimeters, as uniformly as possible. This layer would form my total wreath base, and create the “platform” for the rest of the ornament balls to come. This is also the only “level” of uniform gluing that you’ll do… the rest of the ornament placement will be more random.

At this point I realized that I needed more balls of this size. (So the husband ran off to GR to get me a few more.) In all, I used 54 balls of this size to complete the wreath. (I used up more than I had expected just doing the inner and outer perimeters.) After gluing my base layer, you just kinda keep gluing randomly, saving your smallest ornament size for last (the little ones help fill in the gaps). I would suggest having lots of little ones, too… those you can keep adding and adding until you’ll feel it’s complete. I honestly didn’t feel confident that the wreath was going to turn out the way I had envisioned it until I was about 80% done. So, don’t fret as you’re making your own… it will come together in the end. This project looks a lot more difficult than it actually is!

I used about 30 mini-sticks of hot glue to fasten 120 ornaments to each other and the wreath form. But, I’m a hot glue novice and likely used too much. Just be sure you’re prepared in the glue stick department, because you’ll want glue on every contact point of those balls, if you want it to feel solid. Don’t look too closely, because it’s pretty much a hot mess of gobs of glue and string webs! Once it’s up (and if you hang it high like I did) the glue mess magically disappears.

I haven’t measured it, but it’s easily 24” in diameter, and probably 8-10” deep… it’s pretty hefty, yet probably only weighs about 3 pounds, and is as fragile as can be since all the ornaments are glass (I really hope it lasts more than one season!)

I had a nagging feeling before I even got started than I needed to have a solid plan for how I would even hang this thing when I was finished. Of course, I ignored it. Brian was not willing to put any more holes in the pristine wainscoting, and the mirror is not coming off the wall until we move… so we had to figure out a creative way to hang it. Since a nail and some looped ribbon were not an option, Plan B was fishing line. But, I really didn’t want the fishing line stretched around the ornament balls, because I was afraid they would pop off under pressure. With a whole lot of patience, we were able to “fish” the fishing line around the wreath form itself through some gaps between the balls. We strung the 10-lb. line 4 times around the form, effectively giving us 40-lb. of strength in our little hanging loop on the back.

So, learn from my 30-minute ~~headache~~ hassle – plan for how you’re going to hang your wreath before you glue anything down, even fish your string/ribbon/fishing line around your wreath form before you get started. You’ll give yourself a great big hug later for being so smart.

Next, we needed a hook, and Brian was genius to use one of our extra stocking holders over the frame of the mirror. I think it blends very nicely, don’t you?

Finally, we stepped back and oohed and aahed over it for at least an hour. ;)

In all, I think I was able to make this wreath, all supplies included (wreath form, 120 ornaments, ribbon, fishing line, glue sticks) for under $14. From start-to-finish, the process of making it, including trying to hang it, took me 1.5-2 hours. Not too shabby at all, IMO, for something that makes such a big impact in our family room.

I am head over heels in love with this wreath! It looks as if it was always meant to go there… it’s just too bad I can’t get away with leaving it up year-round… or could I?!?

Reader Feature :: Wedding Elements

2011-12-20T00:01:00.000-06:00

Another blog reader contacted me with gorgeous pictures from her wedding where she had used some of the Pattern Pieces for different design elements in her wedding décor. I love the unique and fresh wedding colors!

Check out these beautiful photos:

This is just a peek of her special day, but I’m convinced with details like these it had to be stunning! Thank you, Katrina Russell, for sharing your photos with me… they had me grinning from ear to ear. :D Congratulations on your wedding – I wish you a lifetime of happiness!

I always love to see the creative ways you put my freebies to use. If I haven’t seen your project(s) yet, or shared them on the Sprik Space Facebook page, please be sure to send me links or pictures! I can’t wait to see what you’ve done. :)

Reader Feature :: Holiday Banners

2011-12-19T00:01:00.000-06:00

One of my blog readers contacted me recently with some photos of the fun holiday banners she’s made for her home using the Pattern Pieces. She doesn’t blog, so I thought I’d share them here, rather than on the Facebook page. Plus, you’ve got to see these pictures blown up (click on the image to see it larger). :)

Halloween:

Thanksgiving:

Christmas:

Thank you, Kristen Jones, for sending these to me! You made my day, and I’m so happy to share these adorable banners with the rest of my readers. This is such a fun application of the Pattern Pieces! Thank you, thank you, thank you!

Sunday Sustenance

2011-12-18T00:01:00.000-06:00

"We all enjoy giving and receiving presents. But there is a difference between presents and gifts. The true gifts may be part of ourselves - giving of the riches of the heart and mind - and therefore more enduring and of far greater worth than presents bought at the store."

- James E. Faust

December Birthday Wishes

2011-12-16T15:23:00.001-06:00

This is a little late… oops! Better late than never, right??

“Uncle” Steve turned another year wiser on December 1st!

We sure had a FUN time with Uncle Scott celebrating his birthday on the 12th this past week in Arizona!

And, our big boy, Connor, turns 3 TODAY!!!

My, oh my, how time does fly!

2012 Year at a Glance

2011-12-15T20:09:00.001-06:00

I have referred to my 2011 Year at a Glance Calendar nearly every time I’ve sat down at my desk… and, since 2012 is only a little over 2 weeks away (yikes!), I decided I’d better get cracking on a new one!

This year, I kept it light and bright, for ease in reading (and self-printing)… and, I’m offering you 2 different 5x7 designs, both in 12 different colors.

I printed mine on our ink-jet printer and placed it inside a little clippy frame for the top of my desk, just like I did last year.

A Year at a Glance Calendar would make a perfect, inexpensive gift for a family member or friend… just print it out, frame it up, and you’re set!

First there’s 2012 Year at a Glance Calendar style A…

And, there’s 2012 Year at a Glance Calendar style B…

To download the image(s) for printing, simply click either calendar collage above, and a new window will open to the download location in 4shared. Save the file(s) to your computer, and it’s yours! I’ve also included a compressed file in each download location, in case you want to download all the colors at once. Then, just print the file out yourself, or upload to your photo printer of choice.

PLEASE NOTE:

All Sprik Space freebie designs are available for your PERSONAL use only. If you are interested in purchasing a non-exclusive COMMERCIAL USE LICENSE, you can find more details here.
I'm also now offering custom colors on my designs. Please find more details here.

I’ll be posting this project to some of the link-up parties listed here:

Under the Table & Dreaming	Kuzak’s Closet	I Heart Naptime
Heather Lynne/Raising Memories	The DIY Show-Off	Keeping It Simple
Sew Can Do	The Girl Creative	Sumo’s Sweet Stuff
Making the World Cuter	C.R.A.F.T.	Skip to My Lou
Mad in Crafts	I’m Topsy Turvy	Sugar Bee Craft Edition
Tip Junkie	Oops! I Craft My Pants	Crazy Domestic
My Delicious Ambiguity	Today’s Creative Blog	Hope Studios
Lucky Star Lane	Someday Crafts	Blue Cricket Design
Sew Much Ado	Bargain Shopping Paradise	Night Owl Crafting
Somewhat Simple	My Backyard Eden	Creations by Kara
House of Hepworths	Fireflies and Jellybeans	Beyond the Picket Fence
Everything Etsy	Tatertots and Jello	6 Inches of Ribbon
Fingerprints on the Fridge	A Few of My Favorite Things	It’s a Hodgepodge Life
Fun to Craft	Tidy Mom	The Shabby Nest
KojoDesigns	Chic on a Shoestring Decorating	Just a Girl
Seven Thirty Three	Beat Until Fluffy	A Little Lovely

If you would like to blog about this free printable package, please accompany any images from my site with a credit and link back to this post. As a courtesy, please do not link directly to a downloadable file but rather to this page. Thank you!

Enjoy!

P.S. I’ve placed a handy-dandy “Pin It” button on the bottom left for your pinning pleasure!

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12 Days of Christmas :: BEGINS TODAY!

2011-12-13T00:01:00.000-06:00

I can’t wait to hear how your family enjoys this fun holiday tradition!

Sunday Sustenance

2011-12-11T00:01:00.000-06:00

"Learn to enjoy every minute of your life. Be happy now. Don’t wait for something outside of yourself to make you happy in the future. Think how really precious is the time you have to spend, whether it’s at work or with your family."

- Earl Nightingale

To you and yours…

2011-12-08T00:01:00.000-06:00

These are our Christmas cards for 2011. I am in love with how they turned out – I think I love the back as much as I love the front. :)

I used Vistaprint again this year. I had a discount coupon and free slow shipping – and my order in hand just 5 days after I placed it. (Kinda helps that I had it done in early November, but still.)

Oh, Connor… I love the stage he’s at right now… just want to bottle him up! He’s growing up WAY too fast! See what I mean? Here are our Christmas cards from 2010 and 2009.

Hope you're all having a wonderful holiday season so far...

12 Days of Christmas :: Begins in 1 week!

2011-12-06T00:38:00.000-06:00

Just 7 more days until your family can begin your new 12 Days of Christmas tradition!

Have you decided which family to choose?
Have you strategized your getaway routes?

Have you printed the Hello/Goodbye Messages and the daily notes?
Have you picked up the items on the Shopping List?

Wondering what the heck I’m talking about?? :) Go HERE.

Sunday Sustenance

2011-12-04T00:16:00.000-06:00

“One of the things I learned the hard way was that it doesn’t pay to get discouraged. Keeping busy and making optimism a way of life can restore your faith in yourself.”

- Lucille Ball

Holiday Printables

2011-12-01T15:00:00.000-06:00

About to go make a pick-up at Costco… and a few of these holiday freebies are included in my photo order today. :)

Click on the image(s) above to find their download links.

Hope you enjoy these in your home this holiday season, too!

Sunday Sustenance

2011-11-27T00:01:00.000-06:00

"Gratitude is the memory of the heart."

- Jean Massieu

Happy Thanksgiving!

2011-11-22T23:01:00.000-06:00

One of my ancestors, Thomas Rogers, was among those who traveled here on the Mayflower.

An excerpt from the Thomas Rogers Society site:

“Governor Bradford says in his history of the Plymouth settlement that on board the Mayflower were ‘Thomas Rogers and Joseph his son; his other children came afterwards......Thomas Rogers died in the first sickness but his son Joseph is still living (1650) and is married and hath six children. The rest of Thomas Rogers' [children] came over and are married and have many children.’ Therefore we know that Thomas and his son Joseph arrived at Cape Cod aboard the ship Mayflower and on 11 November 1620 according to their calendar, or 21 November on ours, Thomas was one of forty-one signers of the Mayflower Compact. Thomas did not live through the rigorous winter which carried off half the group but young Joseph, like so many of the children, did survive.”

I’m so grateful for Thomas Rogers’s convictions… for being brave enough to leave everything behind to seek the freedom to worship as he pleased.

I’m also grateful for and humbled by the many blessings that I enjoy – family, faith, shelter, food, health, friends, freedom… the list is never-ending. I am unbelievably fortunate and blessed.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Sunday Sustenance

2011-11-19T23:11:00.000-06:00

"As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them."

- John F. Kennedy

Pattern Pieces :: 12 Days of Christmas

2011-11-18T00:01:00.000-06:00

So, do you have a family in mind yet for the 12 Days of Christmas Elves Holiday Tradition? I’ve been trying to think of one myself… but I have to make sure they don’t read my blog so we’re not Suspect Numero Uno! :)

Thought that the Pattern Pieces fans might enjoy the backgrounds I created for the 12 Days of Christmas printable package, so I’m releasing them as freebies! There are 4 patterns in 3 colorways each (red, green, blue) and 2 multi-colored patterns.

I kept the resolution higher on these, so they’re all sized as 10x10. If you don’t want the pattern as a square, upload it to Picnik, and crop it to whatever size works best for you. You could even resize the prints, to create smaller squares for framing or other projects. I’ve also included a compressed file (.rar) of all the patterns in this group for your downloading ease.

To download the image(s) for printing, simply click on the collage above, and a new window will open to the download location in 4shared. Save the file(s) to your computer, and it’s yours! Just print it out yourself, or upload to your photo printer of choice.

Find other Pattern Pieces here.

PLEASE NOTE:

All Sprik Space freebie designs are available for your PERSONAL use only. If you are interested in purchasing a non-exclusive COMMERCIAL USE LICENSE, you can find more details here.
I'm also now offering custom colors on my designs. Please find more details here.

I love to see how you’ve put the Pattern Pieces to use. Please be sure to send them to me! I love highlighting your amazing projects on the Sprik Space Facebook page. I can’t wait to see what you’ve done with them. :)

Enjoy!

P.S. I’ve placed a handy-dandy “Pin It” button on the bottom left for your pinning pleasure!

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World Prematurity Day

2011-11-17T13:57:00.001-06:00

In the United States, 1 in 8 babies are born premature. Worldwide, 13 million babies are born too soon. Today is World Prematurity Day.

No mother should ever give birth and have to leave the hospital without her baby. No parent should ever have to watch their child struggle between life and death.

We feel so fortunate that our outcome with Connor has turned out the way it has… we are beyond lucky and blessed. Like any toddler, he’s a handful, but he’s an absolute JOY – and we thank our Heavenly Father every day that he’s ours.

You can read more about Connor’s amazing story here.

12 Days of Christmas :: Christmas Elves Holiday Tradition

2011-11-15T06:01:00.002-06:00

I believe that traditions are key within a family. Traditions help create lasting memories and help bind the family together as one. Each holiday season with Connor has been more and more fun as we’ve been able to begin our own little family traditions. I love this time of year!

My absolute favorite holiday tradition growing up was when our family would play “Christmas Elves” to another unsuspecting family during the 12 Days of Christmas. The whole family would get in on “choosing” which family we wanted to play Elves to – location and logistics were always taken into consideration, as we wanted to ensure we could remain secret Elves for as long as possible, if not to the very end. Sometimes we chose neighbors, sometimes fellow church members, sometimes a family we thought could use a little extra Christmas cheer. Each night of the 12 Days of Christmas, we’d drop off a little note and an inexpensive gift that my mom had prepared. As soon as we got home from school, all 4 of us kids were looking forward to our nightly delivery. We tried to always keep our identity a secret, even after the final delivery – some years we were successful, some not. While I can’t remember every family we chose each year… I remember all the FUN we had together as a family trying to pull off our sneaky little surprises!

If this is a tradition you’re interested in beginning with your family, I’ve made it super-duper simple for you with a freebie printable package…

First, you’ll need to choose a special family/person to whom you want to send some holiday cheer. Each night for the 12 Days of Christmas, plan to drop off an inexpensive gift with a fun little note to their doorstep in secret.

The “secret” part is probably the key to the fun… maybe you want to choose a family in a location that could give you easy “getaway” access either by foot or car, or a family where you can hide nearby to see their reaction each night. You could leave the nightly gift for them to find when they get home for the evening or even ding-dong-ditch it. Back in the ‘80s, when my family was pulling this off year after year, we were able to make “prank” calls telling them to check their doorstep – these days, Caller ID makes that method a little more difficult!

Second, to pull off this fun Christmas cheer stunt, you’ll need Hello & Goodbye Messages and the 12 Daily Notes to attach to each nightly gift. To compile the inexpensive gifts you’ll need, I’ve created an easy shopping list for you to work from. I guesstimate that when all is said and done, this activity should only cost about $25 (or less!) in total. That’s 12 nights of excitement, service, and mystery for your family and the family you choose for not very much money – it’s a lot of ~~bang~~ Christmas cheer for your buck!

It’s up to you how you want to present each gift… could be as simple as taping the note to the gift item, or maybe you’ll want to slip them into gift bags, add ribbon, etc. Have fun with it!

Third, for those 12 nights prior to Christmas, your family will have a blast leaving these gifts in secret… you’ll plot, you’ll plan, and you’ll hope you don’t get caught! It’s probably more fun for the giving family, than the receiving family… but can you imagine how surprised and touched your own family would be to be the recipients of the nightly surprises? I promise this activity will add all kinds of family fun and excitement to your holiday season!

Finally, at the end of the 12 Days, on Christmas Eve, you’ll leave behind a yummy treat, and you can choose whether you want to reveal yourselves (that is, if you haven’t been caught yet!), or keep your Christmas Elves identity a secret forever. :)

My mom stumbled across this idea decades ago, and over the years she modified it a bit (added the Hello & Goodbye Messages, etc.). I’ve taken it a step further… I modernized the language and have packaged it all together into a colorful printables package just for you! Be warned, the notes are “punny”, and all in line with the classic “12 Days of Christmas” carol. I promise, it’s a lot of fun! :)

The freebie printable package, with everything you’ll need, looks a little like this:

TWO OPTIONS FOR PRINTING THE MESSAGES & DAILY NOTES:

For easy printing by a photo printing service (this is my low-cost recommendation, at about $1 total, or even FREE if you find an online coupon code), simply upload these 15 images and print as 4x6 photos. Shopping list, Hello/Goodbye Messages, and Daily Notes are all included. Your images will be printed on heavier photo paper, and with a single cut or less they’ll be ready for gifting (trim guides stated for each image). Click on the example image, on the right, to see what I mean. :)

For easy printing on a color printer, 8.5x11” pages, choose the PDF version. Shopping list, Hello/Goodbye Messages, and Daily Notes are all included. You may want to print on cardstock or mount each print on heavier paper before gifting (trim guides stated for each image).

To download the 12 Days of Christmas :: Christmas Elves Holiday Tradition package for printing, simply click on either version button above, and a new window will open to the download locations in 4shared. Save the file(s) to your computer, and they’re yours! (Wondering how to download from 4shared? Please read more here.)

Please do me a favor… if you download this freebie package, would you mind becoming either a Google Follower or a Facebook fan (see left sidebar)? I’d really appreciate it!

The 12 Days of Christmas begins on December 13th – 4 weeks from today!

I’ll be posting this project to some of the link-up parties listed here:

Under the Table & Dreaming	Kuzak’s Closet	I Heart Naptime
Heather Lynne/Raising Memories	The DIY Show-Off	Keeping It Simple
Sew Can Do	The Girl Creative	Sumo’s Sweet Stuff
Making the World Cuter	C.R.A.F.T.	Skip to My Lou
Mad in Crafts	I’m Topsy Turvy	Sugar Bee Craft Edition
Tip Junkie	Oops! I Craft My Pants	Crazy Domestic
My Delicious Ambiguity	Today’s Creative Blog	Hope Studios
Lucky Star Lane	Someday Crafts	Blue Cricket Design
Sew Much Ado	Bargain Shopping Paradise	Night Owl Crafting
Somewhat Simple	My Backyard Eden	Creations by Kara
House of Hepworths	Fireflies and Jellybeans	Beyond the Picket Fence
Everything Etsy	Tatertots and Jello	6 Inches of Ribbon
Fingerprints on the Fridge	A Few of My Favorite Things	It’s a Hodgepodge Life
Fun to Craft	Tidy Mom	The Shabby Nest
KojoDesigns	Chic on a Shoestring Decorating	Just a Girl
Seven Thirty Three	Beat Until Fluffy	A Little Lovely

I always love to see the creative ways you put my freebies to use. Please be sure to send me links or pictures! I can’t wait to see what you’ve done with them.

This time around, I especially want to hear how your families enjoyed this fun little tradition – were you successful at not getting caught all 12 days, did you reveal yourselves at the end or keep ‘em guessing?? I can’t wait to hear! :)

Enjoy!

P.S. I’ve placed a handy-dandy “Pin It” button on the bottom left for your pinning pleasure!

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Sunday Sustenance

2011-11-12T23:02:00.000-06:00

"Impossible is just a big word thrown around by small men who find it easier to live in the world they've been given than to explore the power they have to change it. Impossible is not a fact. It's an opinion. Impossible is not a declaration. It's a dare. Impossible is potential. Impossible is temporary. Impossible is nothing."

- Muhammad Ali

It’s coming…

2011-11-10T00:01:00.000-06:00

Super excited about the freebie printables package I’ll release here on the blog next week! There’s a sneak peek on the Freebies page and on Facebook. I think you’re really gonna love it… stay tuned!

Just because (43)

2011-11-09T16:01:00.000-06:00

I know, I know… Thanksgiving is still 2 weeks away. But, I’m already listening to Christmas music, and getting in a general holiday spirit. We do give Thanksgiving its proper attention here in the Sprik house, but I like to get a little Christmas-y earlier than most. Plus I have a nearly-3-year-old super-excited to meet Santa this year… can you blame me??

So, who doesn’t love Elf?!? One of the best holiday movies ever made, IMO. :)

A few of my favorite lines from the movie:

“Buddy the Elf, what's your favorite color?”
“We elves try to stick to the four main food groups: candy, candy canes, candy corns and syrup.”
“Smiling's my favorite.”
“The best way to spread Christmas cheer is singing loud for all to hear.”

I have at least a dozen more… seriously LOVE that movie!

I thought it’d be fun to turn one of my favorite quotes into another freebie printable for you… So, here’s another 5x7 installment of the Just Because series – 2 colors.

If you would like to blog about this free printable, please accompany any images from my site with a credit and link back to this post. As a courtesy, please do not link directly to a downloadable file but rather to this page. Thank you!

I always love to see the creative ways you put my freebies to use. Please be sure to send me links or pictures! I can’t wait to see what you’ve done with them. :)

Enjoy!

P.S. Other “Winter” printables I’ve offered in the past can be found here. (Scroll past the Valentine’s freebies.)

P.P.S. I’ve placed a handy-dandy “Pin It” button on the bottom left for your pinning pleasure!

Pin It

Just because (42)

2011-11-09T15:53:00.001-06:00

If you’re on Pinterest, I’m sure you’ve seen this gorgeous project by Kerry of Kerry’s Kronicles…

I wanted to work something up for Thanksgiving, and this quote has stuck with me for a few days…

“It is not happy people who are thankful; it is thankful people who are happy.”

So much truth in it… I love it!

For you, here’s another 5x7 installment of the Just Because series – there are 10 different colorways for you to choose from.

I always love to see the creative ways you put my freebies to use. Please be sure to send me links or pictures! I can’t wait to see what you’ve done with them. :)

Enjoy!

P.S. Other “Fall” printables I’ve offered in the past can be found here.

P.P.S. I’ve placed a handy-dandy “Pin It” button on the bottom left for your pinning pleasure!

Pin It

Sunday Sustenance

2011-11-06T00:01:00.000-05:00

“While we try to teach our children all about life, our children teach us what life is all about.”

- Anna Schwindt

November Birthday Wishes

2011-11-01T15:40:00.001-05:00

Dr. Andi turns another year wiser on November 30th.

Sunday Sustenance

2011-10-30T14:26:00.001-05:00

“Life is just too short. Too short to not forgive yourself when you fall. Everyone makes mistakes. Successful people own them, learn from them, and get back up. Life is too short not to taste, smell, touch and see everything. Life is too short to say, ‘what if?’. Life is too short not to wake up every day surrounded by the people you love who lift you up and encourage you to grow. Life is too short to have people in your life who tell you that you aren’t enough. Life is far too short not to tell those people to kindly take a hike. Life is too short to be small. Life is too short to short not to turn the music up, throw caution to the wind and do something out of your comfort zone. Life is too short to accept your limitations. You are the only person who can give yourself permission to be great. Life is too short not to be loved fully… for who we are… right now. Life is too short not to give everything. So many people have so little. You’ll leave this world with nothing anyway. Life is too short to not laugh, play -even when things are falling apart- and give thanks for what’s right under your nose. Life is too short not to express. Say it. Write that letter. Make that call. Love deeply.”

- Lara Casey

Sunday Sustenance

2011-10-23T00:01:00.000-05:00

"I mean that there’s got to be a lightness in your way. There has to be a lightness; you have to be as light as you can be and not get weighed down and stuck in your emotion, stuck in your body, stuck in your head. You just want to always be trying to elevate somehow."

- Bill Murray

Sunday Sustenance

2011-10-16T00:01:00.000-05:00

“The happiest people I know are not those who find their golden ticket; they are those who, while in pursuit of worthy goals, discover and treasure the beauty and sweetness of the everyday moments. They are the ones who, thread by daily thread, weave a tapestry of gratitude and wonder throughout their lives. These are they who are truly happy.”

- Dieter F. Uchtdorf

Sunday Sustenance

2011-10-09T00:01:00.000-05:00

"When I was 17, I read a quote that went something like: 'If you live each day as if it was your last, someday you'll most certainly be right.' It made an impression on me, and since then, for the past 33 years, I have looked in the mirror every morning and asked myself: "If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am about to do today?" And whenever the answer has been "No" for too many days in a row, I know I need to change something."

- Steve Jobs

Just because (41)

2011-10-05T15:28:00.001-05:00

It’s almost here… just 26 more days until Halloween!

This is Connor’s third Halloween. (Here’s my favorite Halloween memory!) We’ve been coaching Connor for several weeks now… “What do you say on Halloween?” Brian’s even been doing a little role playing with him. This year is going to be his very first trick-or-treating experience… I think he’ll have it mastered by the big day!

Sunday is his NICU reunion, and we’re so excited! (See past years’ – 2009 A&B, 2010) The NICU staff does a fantastic job of organizing a “carnival” for all the past babies and their families, and the kids have the opportunity to dress-up in their Halloween costumes a few weeks early. It’s a can’t-miss event for our family, so I’ve had to do some advance planning.

When I first asked Connor (back in August) what he wanted to be for Halloween, he said “ELMO” (of course!). So, I promptly ordered him a costume… which ended up looking nothing like the picture in real life. He hated it, and I did, too. (And there is still red fuzz scattered randomly throughout my house.)

Then he said he wanted to be Buzz. Have you seen the Buzz costume in the stores? IMO, not very cute for a 2-year-old. In the meantime, I fell in love with this year’s Old Navy costumes… and settled on the robot. Thankfully, he loves it (!!!) and calls it his “Buzz Robot” costume. Knowing how fickle a 2yo can be, I’ve got the hamburger and the skeleton (yes, he is still that small) in reserve. Whatever he doesn’t wear to the reunion will be returned. :)

Truth be told, Halloween is not my favorite holiday… at least not the creepy, spooky side of it. (The house next door takes the cake on that one!) So, I’ve been collecting more cutesy décor lately for Connor’s benefit. And, making some, too!

And for you, here’s another 5x7 installment of the Just Because series – there are 2 colorways in 9 different patterns. I sure hope you have fun with this one. :)

To download the 5x7 image(s) for printing, simply click on either collage image above, and a new window will open to the download locations in 4shared. Save the image(s) to your computer, and they’re yours! Just print it out yourself, or upload to your photo printer of choice. (Wondering how to download from 4shared? Please read more here.)

I’ll be posting this project to some of the link-up parties listed here:

Under the Table & Dreaming	Kuzak’s Closet	I Heart Naptime
Heather Lynne/Raising Memories	The DIY Show-Off	Keeping It Simple
Sew Can Do	The Girl Creative	Sumo’s Sweet Stuff
Making the World Cuter	C.R.A.F.T.	Skip to My Lou
Mad in Crafts	I’m Topsy Turvy	Sugar Bee Craft Edition
Tip Junkie	Oops! I Craft My Pants	Crazy Domestic
My Delicious Ambiguity	Today’s Creative Blog	Hope Studios
Lucky Star Lane	Someday Crafts	Blue Cricket Design
Sew Much Ado	Bargain Shopping Paradise	Night Owl Crafting
Somewhat Simple	My Backyard Eden	Creations by Kara
House of Hepworths	Fireflies and Jellybeans	Beyond the Picket Fence
Everything Etsy	Tatertots and Jello	6 Inches of Ribbon
Fingerprints on the Fridge	A Few of My Favorite Things	It’s a Hodgepodge Life
Fun to Craft	Tidy Mom	The Shabby Nest
KojoDesigns	Chic on a Shoestring Decorating	Just a Girl
Seven Thirty Three	Beat Until Fluffy	A Little Lovely

I always love to see the creative ways you put my freebies to use. Please be sure to send me links or pictures! I can’t wait to see what you’ve done with them. :)

Enjoy!

P.S. I’ve placed a handy-dandy “Pin It” button on the bottom left for your pinning pleasure!

Pin It

Sunday Sustenance

2011-10-02T00:01:00.000-05:00

“Things which matter most must never be at the mercy of things which matter least.”

- Goethe

October Birthday Wishes

2011-10-01T00:01:00.000-05:00

Grandma Sprik celebrates her big day, TODAY, October 1st.

Uncle Dan gets another year older on October 4th.

Cutie-pie niece, Ally, turns TWO on October 7th.

Just because (40)

2011-09-27T15:55:00.001-05:00

Two reasons this printable came to be:

It’s a little known fact, unless you know me IRL, that I grew up in Texas. My dad didn’t want his kids to sound “uncouth or uneducated”, so he fought hard to ensure we wouldn’t speak with a Texas drawl. “Y’all” was one of those banned words in the house. Now that there’s nothing he can do about it, I love to throw it around every so often… kind of like a nails on chalkboard effect for him. ;) And, using just the phrase “Happy Fall” didn’t have the same panache, as it did with “y’all” at the end of it. Sometimes, I like when things rhyme, too.
In my opinion, Chicago has nice weather just 2 times per year – for a few weeks in the spring and a couple of weeks in the fall. That precious time is now upon us! And the copious trees around here… they’re just starting to turn GORGEOUS! Seriously, if you’re looking to visit an amazing city, this is the time of year to see Chicago.

So, on those notes – Happy Fall Y’all! (Beautiful leaves photos from Microsoft ClipArt - here and here.)

This printable doesn’t have to be printed… feel free to use the image on your blogs or on Facebook/Twitter… anywhere you want to share some fall happiness.

This is the 40th installment in the Just Because series! (Can you believe that there have been 40 of these already?!? Go here for a reminder peek at the very first one, just under a year ago.)

To download the 5x7 image(s) for printing, simply click on either image in this post, and a new window will open to the download locations in 4shared. Save the image(s) to your computer, and they’re yours! (Wondering how to download from 4shared? Please read more here.)

I always love to see the creative ways you put my freebies to use. Please be sure to send me links or pictures! I can’t wait to see what you’ve done with them. :)

Enjoy!

Sunday Sustenance

2011-09-25T00:01:00.000-05:00

“Nothing important, or meaningful, or beautiful, or interesting, or great ever came out of imitations. The thing that is really hard, and really amazing, is giving up on being perfect and beginning the work of becoming yourself.”

- Anna Quindlen

Sunday Sustenance

2011-09-18T00:01:00.000-05:00

"You don't have to worry about what a child will be tomorrow, if you remember he is someone today."

- Stacia Tauscher

Just because (39)

2011-09-13T00:53:00.001-05:00

One of my best friends contacted me last week… she wanted a specific printable to hang as a reminder in her kitchen – “we can do hard things”. Little did she know, that simple phrase was on my list of printables I wanted to work up… so I was more than happy to oblige.

While I was designing, it really got me thinking about our hardest trial to date – all 3 of us surviving Connor’s NICU journey. I’m sure that won’t be our last struggle in this life, but I hope and pray that it was our most difficult. One thing’s for sure, we never knew we were that strong until we had to be… we had no choice. We definitely count our blessings every day for the miracle that Connor is, and we’re humbly grateful for all of his progress.

I love this phrase – it’s a perfect motivational reminder that we’re never given more than we can handle… and that if we set our minds to it, we can do anything.

This installment of the Just Because series is a doozy – there are 12 colorways, 3 versions of each color, using 3 pattern pieces: chevron, dots, and houndstooth – that’s a total of 36 files available this time! I sure hope you have fun with this one. :)

To download the 8x10 image(s) for printing, simply click on either image in this post, and a new window will open to the download locations in 4shared. Save the image(s) to your computer, and they’re yours! Just print it out yourself, or upload to your photo printer of choice. (Wondering how to download from 4shared? Please read more here.)

I’ll be posting this project to some of the link-up parties listed here:

Under the Table & Dreaming	Kuzak’s Closet	I Heart Naptime
Heather Lynne/Raising Memories	The DIY Show-Off	Keeping It Simple
Sew Can Do	The Girl Creative	Sumo’s Sweet Stuff
Making the World Cuter	C.R.A.F.T.	Skip to My Lou
Mad in Crafts	I’m Topsy Turvy	Sugar Bee Craft Edition
Tip Junkie	Oops! I Craft My Pants	Crazy Domestic
My Delicious Ambiguity	Today’s Creative Blog	Hope Studios
Lucky Star Lane	Someday Crafts	Blue Cricket Design
Sew Much Ado	Bargain Shopping Paradise	Night Owl Crafting
Somewhat Simple	My Backyard Eden	Creations by Kara
House of Hepworths	Fireflies and Jellybeans	Beyond the Picket Fence
Everything Etsy	Tatertots and Jello	6 Inches of Ribbon
Fingerprints on the Fridge	A Few of My Favorite Things	It’s a Hodgepodge Life
Fun to Craft	Tidy Mom	The Shabby Nest
KojoDesigns	Chic on a Shoestring Decorating	Just a Girl
Seven Thirty Three	Beat Until Fluffy	A Little Lovely

I always love to see the creative ways you put my freebies to use. Please be sure to send me links or pictures! I can’t wait to see what you’ve done with them. :)

Enjoy!

Pin It

Sunday Sustenance

2011-09-11T00:01:00.001-05:00

“Time is passing. Yet, for the United States of America, there will be no forgetting September the 11th. We will remember every rescuer who died in honor. We will remember every family that lives in grief. We will remember the fire and ash, the last phone calls, the funerals of the children.”

- President George W. Bush

“The attacks of September 11th were intended to break our spirit. Instead we have emerged stronger and more unified. We feel renewed devotion to the principles of political, economic and religious freedom, the rule of law and respect for human life. We are more determined than ever to live our lives in freedom.”

- Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani

Lunch Jokes–Week 4

2011-09-09T16:50:00.001-05:00

Here it is, the 4th and final week in the Lunch Box Jokes series!

You can find the download links for the previous weeks in this series here:

Kristen and I had a lot of fun putting this together for you, and we’re so happy to hear that you, and most importantly, your kids are enjoying their lunch jokes!

To download the PDF files for printing, simply click on the collage image above, and a new window will open to the download locations in 4shared. Save the file(s) to your computer, and they’re yours! When printing, be sure to set your printer to duplex printing (front & back), and it will come out double-sided on its own. If your printer doesn’t do duplex printing, just print the front page and re-feed the paper to print the back. (Wondering how to download from 4shared? Please read more here.)

There are 3 files to download this week – that’s 20 more jokes for your lunch box arsenal, plus a page of blank notes for you to fill in for your kiddos!

P.S. Don’t miss Kristen’s September series – Decorating with Portraits. Fantastic ideas have been shared so far by some pretty creative bloggers… and September’s only a third of the way through!

FAQ regarding my freebies

2011-09-06T01:24:00.001-05:00

I’ve been receiving a lot of the same questions lately via e-mail, so I thought I’d save all of us the trouble ;) and address them in a quick post. (Because I’m really, really bad about staying on top of my inbox!)

You can find a listing of all of the freebies I’ve offered on Sprik Space here.

Sizing, resolution, and coloring of the freebies

On each freebie post, I specify the size(s) in which I have designed the printable. These are the sizes to order and/or print them in if you don’t want them to be distorted from what you see on the screen. Again, for best results, be sure to order the printables in the size already specified on their individual post.

Most of the freebies are 300 pixels/inch resolution, with exception of printables sized 11x14 and larger – those are 200 pixels/inch. As of right now, until I hold still and learn Photoshop, that’s the best my sad little designing program can do. For your basic typographic printable, these resolutions are just fine, and you shouldn’t run into any problems with your photo printer.

In simple terms, as far as discrepancies in the coloring of the freebies, I design in the RGB color model and color printers use the CMYK color model. Therefore, there will inherently be differences between what you see on the screen and how your printed product turns out. (I won’t even get into how colors can be slightly different from computer monitor to computer monitor.) Whenever you can, turn off any auto color correction tools when sending images to a printer. I typically send my prints to Costco, because that’s the most convenient and cost efficient place for me. Zemya Photography recently posted a really cool comparison on various photo printing services.

If the colors in which I’ve offered the printable just don’t do it for you, please contact me about color customization – more details here.

How to download from 4shared

I receive a few e-mails each day from readers wondering why they have to pay to download my freebies from 4shared… guess what – you don’t! :) Here’s how you should go about downloading from 4shared…

Once you’ve clicked from my freebie post (typically the image embedded within the post is your download link), you’ll come to a page that might look a little like this. This is where you’ll choose the color(s) you want to save for yourself.

After you’ve chosen the color(s) you want, you’ll see a page similar to the one below. Downloading from 4shared is FREE, as long as you click on the purple “Download Now” button, located beneath and to the right of the image you want to download.

Sometimes, your download will begin immediately to your pre-appointed download folder on your computer. Oh happy day!! However, many times 4shared requires you to wait several seconds before they make the download link fully available. Please be patient. I use 4shared because it’s a free file-sharing site… and you come to Sprik Space for free printables. It’s all good.

After your wait time is up, the download link will appear. Click on those purple words: “Download file now”. Your download should begin immediately to your pre-appointed download folder on your computer.

Sharing my freebies on your site

If you would like to blog about any of my free printables, or share them on Facebook or Pinterest, please accompany any images from my site with a credit and link back to their post. As a courtesy, please do not link directly to a downloadable file but rather to the post page. Additionally, if you happen to blog/share about a personal use project you completed using any of my freebies, I would love a link back to Sprik Space – it would mean the world to me! (And, if you let me know that you’ve posted something, I want to share your post on the Sprik Space Facebook page.) Thank you for your understanding!

Simplified (and clarified, once again) definition of commercial use

Do you happen to be using any of my freebies in your own ventures that are generating income for you? (Personal, self-designed blogs running advertising that use Sprik Space freebies in their blog design are excepted… and I’d love a link back! If those self-designed blogs are generating income for your home/small business, we should talk. I know it’s a little confusing, just contact me if you have questions.) Let’s talk about a commercial use license. :) More details here.

Do you have other questions about Sprik Space? Please check my main Disclaimer & FAQ page here.

Still have other burning questions? :) Please feel free to contact me.

Would you like a Sprik Space button for your blog?

Thank you... thank you... thank you... for all of your support!

Just because (38)

2011-09-05T21:53:00.001-05:00

I try really hard to be an optimist… just ask my husband. But sometimes, I still need a bold reminder. That’s what this printable is for – hopefully it’ll help you, too. I’m going to print it and hang it in our home office.

So, here you go… another printable in the Just Because series. :)

This time around, I’ve sized it at 5x7, and it’s in 16 colorways.

To download the 5x7 image(s) for printing, simply click on the collage above, and a new window will open to the download locations in 4shared. Save the image(s) to your computer, and they’re yours! Just print it out yourself, or upload to your photo printer of choice.

I always love to see the creative ways you put my freebies to use. Please be sure to send me links or pictures! I can’t wait to see what you’ve done with them. :)

Enjoy!

Sunday Sustenance

2011-09-04T00:01:00.000-05:00

"I wanted to live deep and suck out all the marrow of life, to put to rout all that was not life and not when I had come to die discover that I had not lived."

- Henry David Thoreau

Way to go!

2011-09-02T14:35:00.001-05:00

Uncle Scott has graduated with his degree from ASU… and we’re so proud of him! Though it might have taken him longer than he planned, he completed it all while building a career for himself, working full-time.

Congratulations, Scottie!

Lunch Jokes–Week 3

2011-09-02T00:01:00.000-05:00

Since Kristen’s got her blog busy, busy with her sure-to-be-amazing Decorating with Portraits Series during the entire month of September, you’ll be able to find the final 2 weeks of the Lunch Box Jokes over here on Sprik Space.

(You can find the download links for Week 1 and Week 2 over on Kristen’s blog.)

Without further adieu, here are the downloads for Week 3:

There are 3 files to download this week – that’s 30 more jokes for your kiddos! Tell me, are they a hit… do your kids look forward to their lunches from home? :)

Stay tuned next week for the fourth and final release in this series!

I’ll be posting this project to some of the link-up parties listed here:

Under the Table & Dreaming	Kuzak’s Closet	I Heart Naptime
Heather Lynne/Raising Memories	The DIY Show-Off	Keeping It Simple
Sew Can Do	The Girl Creative	Sumo’s Sweet Stuff
Making the World Cuter	C.R.A.F.T.	Skip to My Lou
Mad in Crafts	I’m Topsy Turvy	Sugar Bee Craft Edition
Tip Junkie	Oops! I Craft My Pants	Crazy Domestic
My Delicious Ambiguity	Today’s Creative Blog	Hope Studios
Lucky Star Lane	Someday Crafts	Blue Cricket Design
Sew Much Ado	Bargain Shopping Paradise	Night Owl Crafting
Somewhat Simple	My Backyard Eden	Creations by Kara
House of Hepworths	Fireflies and Jellybeans	Beyond the Picket Fence
Everything Etsy	Tatertots and Jello	6 Inches of Ribbon
Fingerprints on the Fridge	A Few of My Favorite Things	It’s a Hodgepodge Life
Fun to Craft	Tidy Mom	The Shabby Nest
KojoDesigns	Chic on a Shoestring Decorating	Just a Girl
Seven Thirty Three	Beat Until Fluffy	A Little Lovely

September Birthday Wishes

2011-09-01T00:33:00.000-05:00

“Aunt” Mary turns 29 on September 20th. We sure hope she’s loving Minneapolis!

Let Brian consider this his notice that it's officially MY BIRTHDAY MONTH
(he's off the hook after the 28th).

Sunday Sustenance

2011-08-28T00:01:00.000-05:00

“It takes as much energy to wish as it does to plan.”

- Eleanor Roosevelt

Lunch Box Jokes–Week 2

2011-08-26T16:10:00.001-05:00

Have your kids been enjoying the lunch box jokes this past week? Kristen released 2 pages of jokes today – 20 more funnies guaranteed to make your kid the hit of the lunch table! Not to mention, it’s a “love” note from mom that they won’t be embarrassed to let the other kids see. :)

Go HERE to download your 2 pages for Week 2!

Sunday Sustenance

2011-08-21T00:01:00.000-05:00

"It's not the load that breaks you down, it's the way you carry it."

- Lena Horne

Lunch Box Jokes–Week 1

2011-08-19T16:18:00.001-05:00

Do your kids love silly jokes? Looking for something fun and clever to add to their school lunches? How about some Lunch Box Jokes!

I collaborated with Kristen Duke this past week and helped her design some fun, new freebie printables you’re sure to love. :)

She’s released just Week 1 so far, with more to come…

CHECK IT OUT!

GIVEAWAY :: Winner of KDP’s “Say NO to Auto”

2011-08-17T13:20:00.001-05:00

The lucky WINNER of the Kristen Duke Photography’s “Say NO to Auto” e-book giveaway is:

#90 – mamabeck

CONGRATULATIONS!

Mamabeck, I have forwarded your e-mail to Kristen, and you should be hearing from her shortly.

If you didn’t win this giveaway, don’t fret!

You can order your own digital or hard copy of “Say No to Auto” here.

Thanks to all who entered!

Don’t miss it!

2011-08-15T00:01:00.000-05:00

The deadline to enter the contest for the free copy of Kristen Duke Photography’s e-book “Say NO to Auto” is end-of-day tomorrow (Tuesday, August 16th).

Have you entered?

Go HERE!

Sunday Sustenance

2011-08-14T00:20:00.000-05:00

"Uncertainty is an uncomfortable position. But certainty is an absurd one."

- Voltaire

Just 5 days left!

2011-08-11T15:27:00.001-05:00

Is your camera stuck on auto like mine has been for years??

Do you want to learn how to take better pictures without having to spend a lot of money or time ~~confusing~~ educating yourself??

Have you entered this week’s giveaway yet??

Go HERE!

Further clarification

2011-08-11T15:05:00.001-05:00

I’ve been getting quite a few e-mails lately, asking me to clarify personal vs. commercial use of my designs. :)

If you accept money to design printables for a party… and in your design you use one or more of the Sprik Space Pattern Pieces… you need to buy a commercial use license from me.

If you accept money to design personal blogs and/or websites… and in your design you use one of the Sprik Space Pattern Pieces… you need to buy a commercial use license from me.

Etcetera… It’s a simple request. It’s the right thing to do.

If you have any questions, regarding personal vs. commercial use of my designs, please don’t hesitate to contact me.

For those of you who have alerted me to commercial use of my designs, thank you, thank you.

If you have been using any of my designs commercially, no hard feelings… just please contact me ASAP to purchase a Commercial License. Thank you!

Number of times I mentioned the word “commercial” in this post = 7

Just because (37)

2011-08-10T14:31:00.000-05:00

Lately, one of Connor’s favorite phrases to say is “Do it again!” It’s a great way to guarantee a fit of giggles as long as whatever you’re repeating gets sillier and sillier!

After singing “You Are My Sunshine” to him for the umpteenth time in a half hour, it dawned on me that although I had done portions of the song as printables (1 & 2), I had never worked up the first line of the song. I’ve also had ombre on the brain recently, too. :)

So I’ve “done it again”… it’s another printable for you in the Just Because Series!

This time around, the printable is available sized as an 8x10 in a whopping 25 colorways!

I’ll be posting this project to a few of the link-up parties listed here:

Under the Table & Dreaming	I Heart Naptime	Keeping It Simple
The Girl Creative	Sumo’s Sweet Stuff	Making the World Cuter
C.R.A.F.T.	Skip to My Lou	Mad in Crafts
I’m Topsy Turvy	Sugar Bee Craft Edition	Tip Junkie
Today’s Creative Blog	Someday Crafts	Blue Cricket Design
Bargain Shopping Paradise	Night Owl Crafting	Somewhat Simple
Creations by Kara	House of Hepworths	Fireflies and Jellybeans
Beyond the Picket Fence	Tatertots and Jello	Fingerprints on the Fridge
A Few of My Favorite Things	It’s a Hodgepodge Life	Fun to Craft
Tidy Mom	The Shabby Nest	KojoDesigns
Just a Girl	Seven Thirty Three	A Little Lovely

I always love to see the creative ways you put my freebies to use. Please be sure to send me links or pictures! I can’t wait to see what you’ve done with them. :)

Enjoy!

Pin It

GIVEAWAY :: Kristen Duke Photography’s “Say NO to Auto”

2011-08-09T23:52:00.001-05:00

I’m breaking status quo here on Sprik Space to share something with all of you that I’m head over heels excited about… and I’m running a GIVEAWAY!

Eighteen years ago, I was a senior in high school and she was a freshman… little did I know, Kristen Duke had some mad photo skills brewing and would later turn into an amazing photographer!

Of course, at this point in my life I would love to get my little family professionally photographed… by Kristen. Sadly, she’s in Austin, and I’m in Chicago. I haven’t been back to Texas since the year that photo was taken (layovers don’t count), and when I missed her recent workshop in Arizona by a mere 4 hours, I was majorly bummed.

So, for now, I’ll just have to make do by trying to better my own photo-taking skills. Let’s be honest, for pictures worth keeping and especially framing, auto settings on any camera just don’t cut it, and standard flash usage ruins great photos. I’ve studied a little bit online, but it’s more than a bit overwhelming for a newbie like myself. There’s just way too much information out there, and I don’t really know where to begin.

Enter wonderful Kristen Duke. :)

Kristen has recently updated her popular “Say NO to Auto” e-book, and I absolutely love it! You don’t have to own a DSLR camera to benefit from her helpful tips. I downloaded her revised e-book a little while ago, and it’s already helping me to understand the manual settings on my little point-and-shoot camera. That’s because she’s broken it down to 3 steps – just the basics you need to learn to achieve better-looking photos, no matter what type of camera you own. This easy-to-understand e-book is just 17 mini-pages or 4 regular-size pages, that you can print yourself or peruse on your computer. And, guess what – Kristen has graciously offered a copy of her handy dandy e-book to one of my readers!

What you’ll win: A copy of Kristen Duke Photography’s “Say NO to Auto” e-book of your very own!

To enter, you must do one or all of the following:

Be a fan of Kristen Duke Photography on Facebook, and leave a comment below.
Subscribe to Kristen Duke Photography’s blog, and leave a separate comment.
Be a fan of Sprik Space on Facebook, and leave a separate comment.
Be a Google Follower/Friend of Sprik Space, and leave a separate comment.
Subscribe to Sprik Space, and leave a separate comment.

That’s up to 5 opportunities to win for each of you!

Giveaway closes: Tuesday, August 16th at 11:59pm, central time.

Number of winners: One lucky reader.

Other info: I’ll select the winner using random.org and announce on Wednesday, August 17th.

P.S. If you’re chosen as the lucky winner, and you’ve previously downloaded Kristen’s e-book, she will happily refund your money. :)

P.P.S. Don’t trust your odds in this giveaway and want to get her e-book for yourself? It’s only $10, and you can read more about it here.

P.P.P.S. If there’s a good response to this giveaway, I have a music mix I’m dying to share with a lucky reader in a potentially upcoming giveaway… and it’s seriously gooooood!!

Sunday Sustenance

2011-08-07T00:01:00.000-05:00

“You have to accept whatever comes and the only important thing is that you meet it with courage and with the best that you have to give.”

- Eleanor Roosevelt

Alphabet Mosaic

2011-08-04T02:00:00.000-05:00

We’re still brainstorming ideas for the walls in ~~our dining room~~ Connor’s playroom… yup, we started this project way back in January – the furniture and toys are all in place, the walls were painted, but nothing is hung on them… yet. I know I want to put some sort of alphabet print (and goodness knows I’ve worked up several!) over his little reading corner, but I’m having trouble deciding which way I want to go.

Connor’s also at the stage of spotting and pointing out logos and letters everywhere we go, so in brainstorming ideas for a new ABC print, I immediately thought of Leo Reynolds. I first became familiar with his amazing Flickr photostream after I saw this project last year, and I ended up creating our own name sign for the collage wall, plus several more for family members last Christmas. Using his images is such a fun, unique, and funky way to create word “art”.

So, I thought I would design a bright and colorful alphabet mosaic… since that’s how Connor’s playroom is turning out to be. You’ve guessed it – I’m gonna share! :)

This time around, the printable is available in 4 different sizes – 5x7, 8x10, 11x14 and 16x20!

To download the image(s) for printing, simply click on the image above, and a new window will open to the download locations in 4shared. Save the image(s) to your computer, and they’re yours! Just print it out yourself, or upload to your photo printer of choice. (If you upload to Costco, make sure you choose the full resolution upload and turn off the color correction option.)

I’ll be posting this project to a few of the link-up parties listed here:

Under the Table & Dreaming	I Heart Naptime	Keeping It Simple
The Girl Creative	Sumo’s Sweet Stuff	Making the World Cuter
C.R.A.F.T.	Skip to My Lou	Mad in Crafts
I’m Topsy Turvy	Sugar Bee Craft Edition	Tip Junkie
Today’s Creative Blog	Someday Crafts	Blue Cricket Design
Bargain Shopping Paradise	Night Owl Crafting	Somewhat Simple
Creations by Kara	House of Hepworths	Fireflies and Jellybeans
Beyond the Picket Fence	Tatertots and Jello	Fingerprints on the Fridge
A Few of My Favorite Things	It’s a Hodgepodge Life	Fun to Craft
Tidy Mom	The Shabby Nest	KojoDesigns
Just a Girl	Seven Thirty Three	A Little Lovely

I always love to see the creative ways you put my freebies to use. Please be sure to send me links or pictures! I can’t wait to see what you’ve done with them. :)

Enjoy!