Snippets of Wonderful

spaghetti squash

2011-09-27T11:28:00.003-07:00

I've seen this veggie roaming around blogland lately. Until last week I had never eaten it or even seen it before in my life. It just so happened that it was on sale a few weeks ago in our local grocery store and I decided to venture out and give it a try.

Guess what? I'm in love and will DEFINITELY make it again.

Here's what you do:

1. Cut this bad boy in half. It looks like a pumpkin on the inside so scrap out the seeds and stringy things.

2. Wrap each half in saran wrap and pop each half in the microwave for 6 minutes.

3. Unwrap the squash and take a fork and scrape it out. The insides will be spaghetti like.

We served it with our favorite sauce - grandma's homemade spaghetti sauce:

Ingredients:
1 onion
1 green pepper
1 celery stalk
1 Tbs. minced garlic
3-4 Tbs. olive oil
2 lbs. ground hamburger
2 Tbs. Italian seasoning
8 - 15oz cans of tomato sauce
3 - 6oz cans of tomato paste

Directions:
1. Cook meat in skillet with Italian seasoning.
2. Add onion, green pepper, celery, garlic, and oil.
3. Once cooked thoroughly place in large pot with sauce and paste.
4. Cook all afternoon.

Makes about 6 quarts

Try something new and give it a try!

hanging files

2011-09-20T04:27:00.000-07:00

This is a project I did for Kierste's Back to Basics party!

I have to admit my heart went pitter patter when I first found out she wanted me to post about back to school. I used to be a 2nd grade teacher and I secretly {heart} all things school related. The new clothes, school supplies, backpacks, classroom decorations, etc. all get me a little giddy this time of year!

But from my teaching turned mommy perspective I now know about all the PAPERS sent home (and my little one is only in preschool) - there's newsletters and book orders and worksheets and fundraisers and more book orders - what the heck do you do with all of them???!!!

Here's the solution. Or just my solution ;)

I {heart} Goodwill. Cheap. Good prices. Returnable. My mom is also a fan so when we get together complete with my grandma in tow- we're a force to be reckoned with. Here's the goodie I found last time we went -

This past trip I managed to snap these babies up for 99 cents. What are they? Hanging file holders.

So you didn't just happen to run across these as well...no worries - you can probably find them just about anywhere - Walmart, Staples, online, etc.

I took those bad boys and some trusty brown spray paint and went to town! I used my handy dandy silhouette to cut a vinyl initial and tada - everyone in our family now has their own file holder on the wall.

Gone are the days of papers strewn across the countertops or just a huge neat stack of papers in a corner in the kitchen. When the backpack/mail/anything comes home the sorting begins - some goes in the trash, their own papers go in their holder, ones mommy and daddy need go in ours. Keeps everything and everyone organized and the papers and mess to a minimum.

Hopefully our new set up will help my little kids participate in keeping our house more organized and maybe now mommy will be better able to keep track of all those school papers!

enjoy ~

2011-09-14T10:24:00.000-07:00

It's well over 1/2 way through the year and I made one New Year's Resolution -
find balance & moderation in my life.

In my quest for finding {moderation in all things} one of the changes I've made has been to stop faithfully following Weight Watchers. Don't get me wrong - I LOVE Weight Watchers and it has helped me lose 20lbs three different times in my life. But since I've been in a maintenance phase regarding my weight for the past year I've decided to tuck it all away for now and just follow and trust my instincts. I was getting way too obsessed and I realized I didn't need it any more to keep my weight. I know how to eat, I know what's healthy, and I really don't need to track or count points or follow a 'program' at this point in my life. Will I use Weight Watcher's again? Who knows? Maybe after I have another baby and am trying to lose that baby weight. Maybe I won't need it at all. But for now, I'm trying to have enough confidence in myself that I can do it all on my own.

Part of maintaining a healthy weight for me is to be aware of my body and what I'm eating. I try to find {moderation} in all the different foods I choose to put in my body. Here are what my typical dinners {try} to include: 1/2 plate full of veggies, 1/4 lean protein, 1/4 carb. Does it ALWAYS look this way? No. But this is what I aim for.

In the summer we do A LOT of grilling. Here's what dinner looked like on this particular night - 1/2 large baked potato, a skewer of marinated chicken, a couple of skewers of peppers, onions, mushrooms, and zucchini. A nice balanced plate full of healthy yet delicious foods!

stir fry

2011-09-12T17:43:00.000-07:00

Now that the weather is starting to cool down my oven & stove have been getting a little more use. Although I absolutely love watermelon, cold salads, and the grill I'm actually kind of excited for the crisp cool air, hot bread out of the oven, and warm soups.

Here's a pretty simple and basic dinner we had the other night. I love stir fry's because they are an easy and yummy way to have a dinner jam packed with veggies. I try to make sure our dinners include these 3: a lean protien, veggies, and a carb. This one fit the bill perfectly!

I found the recipe at Annie's Eats - go over and check out all her other yummy goodies!

Stir-Fried Shrimp with Snow Peas and Mushrooms

Ingredients:

2 tsp. cornstarch

1 tsp. dry sherry (I used white cooking wine)

2 tsp. water

4 tsp. peanut oil (I only used about 2)

1 lb. shrimp, peeled and deveined (I only used about 1/2)

1 Tbs. peeled and minced fresh ginger (I used dried)

1 small garlic clove, minced

1 package fresh snow peas

1/2 lb. fresh shiitake mushrooms, brushed clean, stems removed and caps cut into 1” pieces

1/4 cup chicken stock

1/4 tsp. Asian sesame oil

1/4 tsp. kosher salt, plus more, to taste

Freshly ground pepper, to taste

(I added 1/2 an onion and a can of water chestnuts)

Directions:

1. In a small bowl, stir together the cornstarch, sherry and water. Set aside.

2. Preheat a wok or deep, heavy fry pan over high heat. Add 2 tsp. of the peanut oil and carefully tilt and rotate the pan to distribute the oil. When the oil is hot, add the shrimp and stir-fry until they are bright pink but not yet cooked through, about 3 minutes. Do not overcook them. Transfer to a plate.

3. Return the pan to high heat. Drizzle in the remaining 2 tsp. peanut oil, tilting the pan to coat the bottom and sides with the oil. Add the ginger and garlic and stir-fry until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

4. Add the snow peas and mushrooms and return the shrimp to the pan. Stir-fry until the snow peas are bright green, 30 to 60 seconds.

5. Pour in the stock and cook until the shrimp are opaque throughout, 2 to 3 minutes more.

6. Briefly stir the cornstarch mixture to recombine, then pour it into the pan. Stir-fry until the sauce thickens and turns clear, about 2 minutes.

7. Add the sesame oil, salt and pepper. Transfer to a warmed serving dish and serve immediately.

Chocolate-Banana-PB Protein Shake

2011-08-30T05:11:00.000-07:00

Ever since the hubby and I did p90x together in the winter he's maintained a more protein rich diet which includes protein powdered. Mixing the stuff with milk just doesn't do it for me. Then one day a running partner told me about this combo she makes - chocolate protein powder, bananas, peanut butter, and milk - UM - YES PLEASE!

So I went home a few days later and tried it out using the recipe I found here

It was delish and I will definitely be making it again - beware it's definitely not a super low calorie drink but is perfect for after a long run or meal replacement.

Ingredients:

- 2 bananas (sliced and frozen)
- 1 Tablespoon peanut butter
- 1 cup fat free milk
- 1 scoop chocolate protein powder

Directions:

1. Blend and serve!

enjoy~

Pesto Panini

2011-08-28T06:45:00.000-07:00

Salads and sandwiches have been my staples this summer. Oh - and the grill. Can't forget the grill. That's probably my number one.

Anyways - I've been having fun creating some yummy combinations for our panini's. Here's the latest.

Ingredients (for two):

- about 4 tablespoons of pesto (I buy it in a jar - you go girl if you make it yourself)
- 4-6 ounces of shredded chicken
- 8-10 leaves of fresh basil
- 1/4 cup sun dried tomatoes
- 2 slices of provolone cheese (I use the Sargento reduced fat kind)
- 4 slices of sourdough bread (of whatever other yummy carb you want to put it all on)
- a few slices of red onions

Directions:

1. Spread both sides of your bread with some pesto. However much your little heart desires.

2. Mix the chicken with the basil, sundried tomatoes, and a little more pesto.

3. Slather it on your bread and top with sauteed red onions and a slice of cheese.

4. Stick that bad boy in a panini press (or for us that means the George Foreman grill) until hot and sizzily.

enjoy~

strawberry salad

2011-08-18T17:41:00.000-07:00

Perfection

I love salads! The summer for me is a time for new yummy creative salads! The freshness in the hot weather is just perfect. I have two favorites and this is one of them.

Throw all these things in and I promise it will be pretty tasty -

- romaine/spinach

- chunks of grilled chicken

- sliced almonds

- crumbled feta cheese

- dressing - Brianna's Homestyle Blush-Wine Vinagrette (the big strawberry on the front - my momma introduced it and now it's the hubby's new FAVORITE - he eats it on all salads now)

enjoy ~

monogramed towels

2011-08-16T04:55:00.000-07:00

My kids fight. Do yours? It drives me up the wall so when I have the chance to try and eliminate the bickering I jump at the chance.

When I saw these towels at Target I fell in love. Some blogger out there probably has already made these bags and added a ruffle and whatever else. I opted to just buy them. $9.99 for a towel + plus an already made bag complete with a ruffle - SCORE!

To help keep the fighting to a minimum I decided to #1 - buy my kiddos the exact same towel. #2 - I put their initial on them.

I had just purchased the Silhouette and so I quickly bought and tried out the heat transfer but was disappointed when I learned it wasn't washable. Perfect for other projects just not this one. So I went back to my trusty Heat 'n' Bond! Love it - works like a charm and holds up perfectly running through the wash a million bagillion times :)

If you haven't tried Heat 'n' Bond go get yourself some - you'll love it!

enjoy ~

grilled pizza

2011-08-14T04:46:00.000-07:00

I am trying to live up every last second of summer eating. In our family summer eating means ice cream, salads, fresh fruit, and the GRILL! We love the grill. Usually it's just steak, chicken, kabobs, hot dogs, etc. But this year I saw a couple of grilled pizza recipes and knew I had to give it a try. Man an I glad I did! It was fabulous and will definitely be repeated again.

I found this recipe for pizza dough over at My Bizzy Kitchen. It seemed easy and quick - and that was exactly what it was! I ended up using 1/2 white and 1/2 wheat flour and it was delish!

Then I used this tutorial from Meals&Moves.

1. Basically make and roll out your dough.

2. Spray your grill with non-stick spray.

3. Lay the dough on for 2-3 minutes.

4. Take it off, load the non-grilled side with toppings, and stick back on the grill!

We made one side with just pizza sauce and shredded mozzerella for the kiddos. The other side was jared pesto, chicken sausage, sundried tomatoes, fresh basil, red onion, and fat-free mozzerella. Both were delish!

We can't wait to try more combinations! BBQ chicken, chicken and feta, the list could go on and on and on. Hopefully we'll find more favorites!

enjoy ~

keepsake notebook

2011-08-12T12:53:00.000-07:00

I consider blogging a way to keep track of our family memories, milestones, and definitely a journal of our family. As my children grow more and more each year I'm reminded of how quickly time passes by. Especially at back-to-school time I'm more and more recommitted to recording all the funny, cute, special things my children do and say that make our day-to-day lives so enjoyable and that I want to remember forever.

For Mother's Day I gave my mom a cardstock covered and embellished notebook with the title "Words of Wisdom from Grandma". I wrote to her on the first page and left the rest blank for her to record anything and everything she wanted for my kids. My mom had a very special relationship with her own grandma and I want my kids to have that same thing with my mom. This is her little notebook to record things she wants them to know, advice, funny things that happen or they say when they're with her, etc.

One day my mother will give my kids this and I hope it's a special token and reminder of their grandma's love for them and something they'll end up cherishing forever.

enjoy ~

laundry baskets

2011-08-10T04:25:00.000-07:00

I HATE cleaning. H.A.T.E. Laundry is actually one chore I really don't mind doing. Lately though I've struggled with how to sort and put it away efficiently.

I remember reading on the The Idea Room her laundry routine and so I followed suit and attempted my own.

Right now there are 4 people in our family. Everyone has a basket. On one side are laundry sorting labels - darks, whites, colors, towels/sheets.

On the other side of each basket is each person's name.

On laundry day the clothes are dumped and sorted into the correct baskets and brought to the laundry room. Once everything is washed and folded they are put in the correct basket and carried to each individual's room.

Once I made a permanent spot in the laundry room I'd like to buy additional baskets so each one doesn't have to do double duty. Once my kiddos are older they will be able to help more but for now they are doing a good job of learning how to sort, push clothes into the dryer, and hang!

enjoy~

burned silk flowers

2011-08-08T05:04:00.000-07:00

My girls have been in desperate need of some new hair things. We have a TON of them already but they were wanting some new ones and I had a few in mind I'd been wanting to try. Introducing some of the easiest and cutest flowers (although I know they've been around for awhile now!)

My mom made these last year with some of her girls at girl's camp (a camp girls 12-18 go to from our church). She gave me a super cute red one and I've been meaning to make some of my own ever since.

Life happens and I am just now getting around to making some. I'm so sad it took me so long because they were super quick and easy - and adorable.

Directions:

1. Buy whatever color silkyish fabric you'd like - I bought an 1/8th of a yard and that would make at least 3. I bought mine from JoAnn's and it cost me 50 cents.

2. Cut five different sized circles.

3. Hold the edges of each circle over an open flame. Be careful not to catch in on fire. The edges will start to melt and curl up.

4. Once you've done each of the five circles stack them on top of each other. Using a needle and thread put a small stitch in the middle to keep the fabric together.

5. Add whatever embellishment you'd like to the middle (button, bead, brad, etc.)

6. Attach a clip/rubberband to the back.

enjoy ~

hair stuff

2011-08-06T05:38:00.000-07:00

I live in the Mid-west. Right now that equals major HUMIDITY!!! It's been killer lately. Especially on my hair. I straighten it in the morning and after heading outside for more than a 1/2 hour my hair is frizzer and thicker and wavier in places I really just don't want it to be.

Last weekend I headed to the store and bought 3 different anti-humidity hair things. Guess what? None of them really worked too well. Then my good friend Lyndi told me about this:

I am IN LOVE! It is by Pantene and called creme. It can be purchased at just about any store. It can be put on wet or dry hair. And it's only 6 dollars. Perfect.

I tried it out this weekend and after an entire night outside my hair looked like this - exactly the way it looked when I left the house!

enjoy ~

7-up biscuits

2011-08-04T17:32:00.000-07:00

I love bread. Period. Warm hot doughy bread. Plain, with butter, homemade jam, etc. Just about any way sounds good to me!

When I starting seeing a few places feature a recipe for 7-UP bisuits I knew I had to try them. Number 1 because I had all the ingredients on hand and number 2 because they seemed quick and easy.

I found the recipe on your homebased mom but realized I only had low-fat versions of all the ingredients - but guess what? Still turned out PERFECT!

Ingredients:

2 Cups Heathly Bisquick

1/2 Cup fat free sour cream

1/2 Cup diet 7-Up

1/4 cup butter

Directions:

1. Mix sour cream and Bisquick. Add in 7-Up.

2. The dough will be very soft. I had to keep adding Bisquick to even be able to work with it.

3. Sprinkle Bisquick on counter, pat out to about 1 inch thick, cut into biscuits (I used the top of a drinking glass).

4. Place melted butter in bottom of a 9x9 pan.

5. Bake at 450 for 8-10 minutes.

enjoy ~

radishes

2011-08-02T14:22:00.000-07:00

Do you hate these things? I sure did. Well I'd only had them on a veggie tray or sliced up on a salad.

Then my friend planted them in her garden. She was out of town FOREVER and they needed harvesting so I picked them for her. They wouldn't last till she came up from her vacation so I went home and looked on the internet for a recipe. The first thing that came up was a classic 'steamed radishes'. I decided, what the heck!, I'll give it a try.

And guess what? They were DELICOUS! Obviously not the best vegetable I've ever had - but I actually liked them and wanted to keep eating them this way. Kind of like a potato taste.

Directions:

1. Wash and slice/chunck radishes.

2. Place in a glass dish and cover entirely with water.

3. Microwave for 8 minutes.

4. Drain and place in a dish.

5. Top with a little butter and some salt and pepper.

Yum.

enjoy ~

fabric binder

2011-07-31T19:59:00.000-07:00

With 'Back to School' right around the corner I've been seeing all kinds of school supplies popping up everywhere! It's really too early for me and I hate having to shop for any last minute summer gear in the clearance sections already!!!

I don't know about you or your kids but I'm always using binders - for church, preschool board, etc. And if you are like me you just might have a collection of old college binders roaming around in your basement somewhere. What to do with them? Jazz them up! No need to go spend more money on newer cuter ones. Make your old junky ones look just as good :)

Stuff you need:

Fabric

Adhesive Spray

Old Binder

Directions:

1. Wipe down and clean old binder.

2. Use Adhesive Spray according to directions.

3. Cut and adhere fabric around the binder.

enjoy ~

whiteboard

2011-07-29T08:29:00.000-07:00

Yet another bargain at a garage sale. A whiteboard. A large one. For 2 bucks! How can you pass up such a good deal? I obiviously couldn't.

Luckily my kiddos ever so graciously held unto this large sucker while they squished inside the bike trailer carrying it all the way home while I pulled them behind on my bike.

I've gone to garage sales before on my bike and I always tell myself, "this wasn't such a good idea" as I'm trying to juggle a cute white shelf and steer my bike. When will I learn???

After:

(I taped it off and spray painted it black and then attached it to the side of our fridge)

Before:

You can easily make your own using a picture frame. Take the back off and then use vinly or permanent marker to add your own calendar to the glass!

enjoy ~

chicken sausage

2011-07-27T04:26:00.000-07:00

We don't have a Costoc near us. Tear. Tear. It's really sad I know - luckily my mom lives near one and she graciously takes me neary EVERY time we're down at her house! For now we make due with our Sams Club (which I do like as well - just for different reasons).

A couple of weeks ago we were there browsing all the aisles. Our kids were being especially good so we got to really go up and down every aisle and check out all the goods. Since we're right in the heart of BBQ season these chicken sausages caught my eye and I quickly checked out the nutritional stats and they were AWESOME so the hubby and I settled on a flavor and in the cart they went! (how is it that something extra ALWAYS ends up in the basket???)

We agreed to try the mozzerella/roasted garlic kind (Artisan Fresh) and I've been busy using them ever since. I've found a million different ways to eat them (I'll have to share more later). They are FABULOUS. Super yummy and with only 130 calories (3 Weight Watcher PointsPlus) they are healthy too!

Here's one of the ways we've been eating them:

Ingredients:
- 3 sausages (remove the casing and then slice them)
- 1/2 red onion
- 1 orange and 1 red pepper

Directions:
1. Spray pan with non-stick cooking spray.
2. Add onions and peppers and cook till desired texture (I like mine somewhat soft)
3. Add the sliced sausage and continue to saute everything together for 2 minutes.

This was a super easy and delicious dinner. We ate it with a salad and biscuits (recipe coming).
Try'em out and tell me what you think!

enjoy ~

favorite things

2011-07-22T11:06:00.000-07:00

Sorry I've been away for like E.V.E.R. I've been trying to decide what I wanted to do with this blog. Get rid of it? Keep it? I have lots of different interests so I decided I'm going to get rid of my recipe blog and just combine all my other hobbies all right here. I'm taking my love for crafts, decorating, cooking, baking, health and exercise, teaching my kids, and everything else in my life and putting them ALL on here :) Hope it's not too much and you enjoy a little variety!

I have a few favorite things right now that I just must fave about. I can't stop telling my husband how 'in love' I am with these three...

Number One:

This blog. how Sweet it is. It's yummy. The pictures are fabulous. As if that wasn't enough. She is an amazing writer and oh so funny. Every post is a delight to read besides making my mouth water every.single.time. And she's from Pittsburgh - can it get any better? Go check it out - like right now!

Number Two:

Plain Chiobani with Crystal Light. I have loved Chiobani yogurt for a little while now. Doing P90X converted me over to the yummy high protein stuff. I have loved trying all the fun flavors they have and love them all. Then the other day I get the Hungry Girl email in my mailbox and she talks about a new way to try the yogurt. Mix straight up PLAIN greek yogurt with a Crystal Light packet. It adds 5-10 calories depending on how much you use but it comes in with SO much more protein and even LESS calories than the fruit kind for 8 oz. verse 6! I take an entire cupful and then mix in about 1/2 a single packet of the peach/mango Crystal Light. Yummy. Thick. Delicious. A perfect little treat! I've already went and bought 2 more containers of yogurt and can't wait to try more flavors!

Number Three:

I have been on the hunt for the perfect water bottle for a long time now. My journey came to an end this week when I went on a limb and tossed this Cool Gear water bottle into my cart at Walmart.

It doesn't leak, it has a straw (which is super long), the middle comes out and freezes, and the best parts - it's cute and only 5 bucks! Perfect :)

Check out some of these fun new finds!

enjoy~

kid's dining

2011-05-13T17:24:00.000-07:00

I LOVE this time of year. The weather is perfect. The food is delicious - but one of my absolute FAVORITE parts??? The garage sales!!!

A friend of mine is moving to Germany and had a garage sale this weekend. The night she was setting up she invited some people over for a sneak peak and I'm so glad she did because I came home with a steal!

I snagged this cute little table and chair set for 5 bucks!

Ever since we tore down the wall between our kitchen and dining room I've had this corner I wasn't sure what to do with. Well this little set happened to fit perfectly!

So I applied 1 coat of gray primer and then finished it off by spray painting it one coat of basic black. I sanded it down a little and here she is...

Absolutely adorable and my kids and I love it!

Do you love garage sale season as much as I do???

sunroom table redo

2011-05-09T12:51:00.000-07:00

We inherited this classic table from our college apartment. I'm sure many of you may have something similar! It's been hanging out in our sunroom ever since we bought our 'real' dining room table several years ago!

I finally decided on a color scheme for our outside room and so the table has FINALLY gotten a revamping!

No sanding. Just 1 coat of gray primer and 1 can of Navy Blue spray paint later (both of which were already hanging out in my paint box)...

(don't mind the shadows and BAD lighting!)

I also revamped these college chairs as well - they already had a coat of spray paint and fabric on them from a past redo - now they're just covered with some white washable slip covers from here - you can't beat $2 dollars!!!

Ta Da...

I'm still slowing decorating and adding more accessories but I think our outdoor space is well on it's way to having a little bit more style!

Candy Buckets

2011-05-05T11:39:00.000-07:00

I have a good friend who gave me this fun idea that Kierste over at Brown Paper Packages shared for general conference!

She used this activity while watching general conference to try and get her kiddos to pay better attention. She fills bowls, buckets, etc. with treats and a corresponding word. Every time the word is said the kids get to pick a treat.

This year I decided my oldest was big enough to try it out and with a ton of Easter candy in stores and cute Target $1 buckets stacked up in my basement already - I figured it was worth a shot.

She is still too young to be able to read the words on each bucket so we attached a picture with each corresponding bucket. Every time she heard the word she would run to that picture and pick out a treat. She definitely paid more attention than I thought she would and definitely considered conference a fun time and was always asking to listen to more!

This will definitely be a tradition in our home from here on out.

This activity could easily be adapted in lots of other 'learning' activities.

Instead of using church words you could attach numbers to each bucket and when kids are solving math problems if their answer is on a bucket they get a treat.

You could attach a 'chunk' to each bucket (-ick, -at, -ump, etc.) or a sight word (and, there, etc.) and every time the kids think of a new word using that 'chunk' or read that sight word they get to pull a candy out.

So many ideas...Have Fun!

Tissue Paper Pom Poms

2011-05-01T18:08:00.000-07:00

We had two little girlie birthdays this month at our house so that meant some fun parties over the past couple of weeks.

I have seen these cute tissue paper pom poms around blogland for awhile now and finally tried my hand at making some of them.

At Walmart and the Dollar Tree I found they sold tissue paper by the color so I spent 3 bucks and bought a pack of teal, hot pink, and white.

Then I followed the super easy tutorial by Martha Stewart.

Supplies (for one pom pom):

- 8 sheets of tissue paper
- 2 inches of floral wire
- ribbon to hang the pom poms by
- scissors

Directions:

1. Take 8 pieces of tissue paper stacked on top of one another and fold the entire thing accordion style.

2. Cut a 2 inch piece of floral wire and wrap it around the center.

3. Cut the edges of the tissue paper (either pointed or round).

4. Fan out paper to make a huge ball.

*Mine turned out a little too big for my liking but I was too lazy to go buy more tissue paper to make more. Next time to make them smaller I would cut some tissue paper off the ends after putting the floral wire on before fanning them out.

They've now found a permanent home in my kid's 'book nook' in the basement. Such a fun and inexpensive decorative touch!

Have Fun!

Rice Bin

2011-04-27T18:10:00.000-07:00

I'm the kind of crafter that sees ideas and copies them. Sure I have my fair share of things I think of on my own but with the huge wide world of blogging available now - most ideas I get from someone else - and I love it!!! So many fun things to see and try :)

After watching my girl's spend a good hour at my friend Julia's from Sweet Serendipity playing in her rice bin I knew this was something I must try in our own house. She changes hers for the holiday/seasons so I started with Easter and so far...so good.

Ingredients:

- Rice (I used about 8 cups)

- Rubbing Alcohol

- Food coloring

- Trinkets/Play things
(measuring cups, tongs, etc.)

-Storage Bin

-Cardboard/Newspaper

Directions:

1. Take 2 cups of rice and add 1 tsp of rubbing alcohol and 10 drops of food coloring.

2. Mix till the color is evenly on all of the rice.

3. Spread out on something to dry (about 1/2 hour).

4. Add it to the bin and play away!

* I added a cheap vinyl tablecloth underneath my bin to help 'catch' any rice that made it's way out (which was A LOT - I have a 2 yr. old...) But overall the mess that resulted from this activity was WELL worth the time they spent happily playing away.

The trick for me was to place the bin in a room we don't go in very often (and has hardwood floors). That way throughout the day it wasn't really in my way at all and I didn't really care about the mess. When we were through playing it got picked up, the lid placed on top, the bin put away unto a very high shelf, and the extra rice got swept away.

It's already made it's way out for us to play with several times in the past couple of weeks!

Have fun!

Bird's Nests

2011-04-23T16:04:00.000-07:00

When I saw these over at
Crafting Chicks I thought they were absolutely adorable! I thought they would be the cutest little treats to make for Easter and then I realized I had almost everything on hand and couldn't wait another month to try them out! So I gathered what I had on hand and ended up being able to make four of them.

Ingredients:
- around 2 cups of Fiber One cereal (I just used what was left in my bag)
- 1 tablespoon of butter
- around 1 1/2 cups of mini marshmallows (I just used what was left in my bag)
- easter egg candy (Reese's are our favorite!)
- Peeps

Directions:

1. Melt the butter on low heat and then add the marshmallows like you're making rice krispie treats.

2. Once the marshmallows are melted remove from heat and add in the cereal.

3. Spray your hands with cooking spray (very important - these are SUPER sticky) and mold the cereal into nests once they aren't so hot.

4. Wait a few minutes while the nests firm up a bit and then add your eggs and Peep.

Even the kiddos were pretty good at helping and had lots of fun - making them AND eating them of course!!!

A super cute little treat to add to a bag with some ribbon and Crafting Chicks tags!

Have Fun!

Chocolate-Marshmallow Bunnies

2011-04-22T15:45:00.000-07:00

I am a sucker for marshmallows. I really don't know why because I'm not one who will sit and eat them plain - but add a little something and I'll gobble them up. They're SO cheap and nowadays they have so many fun ones to try - caramel, chocolate, etc. The other day I even say some flat square ones perfect for s'mores - except I'm not really sure how good they'll actually hold up on a campfire!

So when I saw these cute little holiday bunny marshmallows I knew I had to snag them up. Even if we didn't do anything with these cuties I knew my girl's who devour them. I passed by the egg shaped ones several times over the past month but when I finally went to buy some they were all out :(

I have memories of my grandma getting the Russel Stover marshmallows covered in chocolate and since I knew the Easter Bunny wasn't bringing any of those to our house this year we decided to make some of our own. We took these cute little colored ones and poked them with some fondue sticks and covered them in some yummy melted chocolate. Then my girls had a hayday covering them in LOTS of sprinkles - their favorite part!

I took a few sans sprinkles and added them to a little bag with a note. They'd be perfect for teachers, classmates, friends, visiting teachers, etc.

Yummy - I'm sure they will all get gobbled up for Easter at our house!

Have fun!

Ruffle Shower Curtain

2011-04-09T04:50:00.000-07:00

The kid's/guest bathroom in our house was one of the first things I chose to decorate when we moved in. It looked like this. Well...it's coming up on 4 years next month and I was definitely ready for a change in there.

When I first discovered the House of Smith's blog I fell in love. One of the things I loved most was her girl's bathroom. It was absolutely adorable with her little accents of pink throughout. Having two little girlies in our house right now I thought that adding some hints of pink would be perfect to our already green bathroom (I'm just too lazy to want to paint it right now).

I searched everywhere for a shower curtain and the only one I even slightly liked was over $30!!! For a shower curtain? Really? That was way more than I really wanted to spend.

So when I saw this shower curtain extension tutorial it sparked my interest to make my own curtain using this ruffle tutorial.

Items needed:

- Basic Shower Curtain (I got a basic white one for 12 bucks at Walmart)

- 1/2 yard fabric (I got a basic light pink with white polka dots for about $1 at JoAnn's)

- Sewing Machine

Directions:

1. Cut your fabric into 4 inch wide strips. (It made 4 but I only needed to use three to make it all the way across the shower curtain).

2. Fold over the edges and iron them down. (I didn't measure or pin - I'm kind of not really a perfectionist).

3. Sew the edges down.

4. Sew a seam right down the middle.

5. Take a string from the edge and gently pull to make a ruffle. (If I tried to do the entire section at once my string would break. I would suggest sewing about 8-12 inches at a time, ruffling those, and then repeating until the entire strip of fabric is ruffled.)

6. When all three sections are ruffled place wherever you'd like on the shower curtain and sew those cute babies on.

Ta-da! I'm in love - and I have to say I'm quite proud because that is BY FAR the most sewing I've even done in my ENTIRE life - and I only had to have the hubby help me with the machine twice throughout the entire thing ;)

Have fun!

flower pillow

2011-03-01T20:02:00.000-08:00

I used to have these brown pillows on our couch - they made it through our college years and a few after but they'd gotten so bad they were recently downgraded to our wicker furniture in our sunroom.

Last week here in the Mid-West we had a little warm up and it got me itching for spring and wanting to spend time outside. Our sunroom has got a navy blue/white/brown color scheming going on so I decided to spice these pillows up with a little leftover fabric I had from another project.

I had seen the oh so cute felt flower pillows all over the internet but once I began cutting my fabric I realized I wasn't going to have enough fabric to make one. I was too cheap to go buy more fabric since this was a 'free' project for me so I decided to improvise and make my own flower.

I cut out all the petals I could using all the fabric I had - and I used no template. I laid down one layer and hot glued them on.

Then I took the rest of the petals and put a dab of hot glue in the center and folded it together to give the petals a little volume.

Then I just arranged all the petals and began hot gluing like crazy. And here's what I ended up with -

A nice little touch to somewhat boring pillows!

Have Fun!

Vinyl

2011-02-27T12:42:00.000-08:00

My best buddy Kierste over at Brown Paper Packages surprised me for my birthday last month with this oh so lovely - exactly what I'd been wanting and dreaming of - vinyl for my living room.

I literally had been wanting it for a really long time and she finagled a way with the hubby to get me - and guess what? I think it looks absolutely perfect.

Check out Writings on the Wall for any and all your vinyl needs - it's perfect for anywhere and everywhere :)

ABC Writing Book

2011-02-15T14:30:00.000-08:00

I used to be a second grade school teacher in what seems like way 'back in the day' - but in all actuality it was only a few years ago. It makes my heart pitter patter when my little one is finally getting to an age where we can do lots of things together that I used to do in my classroom.

One of those things is handwriting...I love it and am so excited to see my little girlie trying her hand at attempting to perfectly write all of the letters. So when I happened to fall upon this large bundle of handwriting paper at a local dollar store I snatched it up.

I want my kiddos to want and enjoy learning and so we try to make it as fun as possible around here. The desire to start trying to write on her own was peeking out so I thought I'd try and encourage that without being pushy.

We decided to make a book together. I wrote each of the letters on a page, made an example for her to trace, and then stapled it all together with a cover page made of cardstock. Now she has her own little writing book where she is able to practice and keep a record of her progress.

She's loving it and so am I!

Have Fun!

Labels

2011-02-08T13:41:00.000-08:00

I know I'm not the only one out in blog-land without a vinyl cutter!!! So, in turn I have done some improvising to get my things organized and labeled without the use of vinyl. I'm always on the hunt (especially at this time of year) for baskets, tupperwares, etc. to help me sort out/get rid of junk and store the things I have nicely.

I'm a girl without a mudroom (sad - I know) and I've had these containers in my entryway closet for awhile now. I didn't want to spend money on vinyl so I put to use on of the best gifts my mother has ever given me - a laminator! I love it and use it all the time! Now our containers are organized and everyone can easily put their things back where they belong!

Directions:
1. Make a word document and list all the labels you want in a desired size, color, and font.
2. Printed them off and cut them out.
3. Distress them and mount them on colored cardstock and distress that.
4. Laminate it and tape it to the container.

Have Fun!

Valentine Wood - Heart Trio

2011-02-06T14:59:00.000-08:00

This is another one of those projects and was dug up and created from the scrap box. I have had these 3 heart wreaths forever (I bought them for like 25 cents when a local dollar store was going out of business) and have never found a way to put them to use for Valentine's Day. I could never find a way to hang them, link them together, etc. that worked for me. Then I found this leftover wood from another project and they just happened to fit perfectly!

Supplies:
- 3 pieces of wood (these are 7x9 pieces)
- 3 wreaths (any color or shape would be cute)
- Scrapbook paper and Modge Podge (if desired - you could easily just leave these painted)
- Vinyl or stickers or printed from your computer (mine are stickers)

Directions:

1. Paint your wood using spray paint, craft paint, whatever you have!

2. Cut scrapbook paper to fit the wood. I distressed the edges of the wood and the paper using distress ink.

3. Modge Podge it on. I placed a coat on top as well.

4. Place vinyl/stickers on whenever you'd like saying whatever you'd like!

5. Hot glue your wreaths on.

ENJOY!

Stacked Blocks

2011-02-03T14:28:00.000-08:00

Due to the HUGE storm - the last two days have been snow days at our house. Since we were stuck inside all day we decided to do a little crafting. I was looking for something 'wintery' and headed down to a tupperware I have in the basement full of scraps of wood, metal, etc. I found these blocks and decided to make those cute stacking blocks you see all over blogland these days.

Supplies:
- 3 pieces of wood cut any length you'd like (these are about 3,4,and 5 inches - cut from 2x4s)
- paint
- scrapbook paper
- Modge Podge
- distress ink/stain
- printer, vinyl, or stickers

Directions:
1. Paint the wood blocks any color you'd like. These were just painted white with some craft paint.

2. Distress the edges with ink or stain.

3. Cut scrapbook paper to fit each block and then Modge Podge it on.

4. Add stickers or vinyl. I used white stickers I had found in my scrapbooking stuff. I finished these off with a big brown ribbon.

Have Fun!

TuTu

2011-02-01T13:00:00.000-08:00

This is one of those projects that I started and then it ended up sitting in the closet for over a year!!! Crazy I know - because it was so easy I have no clue why I waited so long! I still have one more to make so hopefully it won't take me another year to get that one completed!!!

Go on over to Brown Paper Packages for a more detailed and complete tutorial. Even though I followed her directions mine turned out very scrunchy looking - anyone know what I did wrong? Either way they're still cute and the princess loves hers - it's been a staple in our wardrobe these days!

Supplies:

- 1 inch elastic - as long as you need to fit desired waist

- tulle (I divided it up among 3 different colors. I think I got about 1/2 - 1 yard of each) - you may need to adjust how much tulle you need depending on the size you're making.

Directions:

1. Cut elastic to fit waist and stitch ends together by hand or using a sewing machine.

2. Cut tulle into strips - I think mine we're only about 1 1/2 inches wide and the length of the tulle.

3. Tie pieces of tulle around elastic until you reach desired fluffiness.

Have Fun!

musical plates - letter sounds

2011-01-30T13:00:00.000-08:00

I got this idea from my friend Jedda over at This Little Project. As soon as I saw it I knew I needed to try it!

We've been working on the alphabet in our house lately. We've mastered the letters and recognizing and identifying them and now we're finishing up getting all of their sounds down. So this is what we did:

1. We (I) wrote the capital and lowercase letter on a plate.

2. We reviewed the letters and put about 7 down at a time.

3. I played some music while the kiddos walked/hopped/crawled around the plates.

4. When I turned the music off I would call out a sound (Jedda suggested many other ways you can play this for different ages - call the letter, a word that starts with that letter, etc.)

5. The girls would listen to the sound I was making and then find the corresponding letter/plate and either stand on it or place their hand on it.

6. We would continue playing until I felt they had really mastered those sounds then we'd pick them up and place new letters down.

Although my 1 year old had no clue what she was doing she did start to pick up on what certain letter were and she had a blast just tromping around to the music. My 3 year old however did extremely well and this game has definitely helped her solidify some sound recognition skills. Even better - they both had so much fun they wanted to keep playing it all afternoon!

I can see this easily being adapted to different ages/skills levels/academic areas. You could write numbers on them and then say multiplication problems, you can write capitals on them and then call out states - so many endless possibilities!

Have fun!

Flower Topiary

2011-01-28T13:00:00.000-08:00

I've had this cute little flower topiary from back in my college days. I have no clue when or where I got it let alone how much it cost. Since we bought our house I just haven't found a spot for it to go and so it has remained in my garage sale/Salvation Army box in the basement.

The other day I got it out to see if it would fit in a new place I'm redoing (more on that in a later post) and decided it just needed a little revamping and it would be a perfect Valentine's decoration.

So I painted the base with some craft paint, shoved some little red berries in there (I really should hot glue them or something!), and finished it off with a little red ribbon. All it took were a few supplies lying around the house and now I love it sitting out as a new holiday decoration. I'm so glad I didn't decide to trash it after all.

Don't have one of these just lying around??? All you'd need to make the same thing from scratch would be:

- a small pot with styrofoam and moss
- a stick
- a round styrofoam sphere
- small flowers and pins

Directions:

1. Paint the pot.
2. Cut the foam to fit the pot.
3. Hot glue some moss on top.
4. Stick the stick into the pot and stick the foam ball on top.
5. Push pin flowers into the sphere until the entire thing is covered.
6. Add any embellishments you want!

Have fun!

Valentine Conversation Blocks

2011-01-25T12:41:00.001-08:00

When Kierste over at Brown Paper Packages made these cute little blocks for Valentine's Day I was instantly in love - what made me want to make them even more is that I already had everything on hand! Making a craft and having a cute decoration for free is very appealing :)

Items Needed:
- 3.5 inch blocks cut from a wood post
- scrapbook paper
- craft paint
- Modge Podge

Directions:

1. Paint the wood with your craft paint - any color you want!

2. Print off whatever words you want showing on your blocks. I don't have vinyl so I opened up a word document and made a text box the same size as my blocks. Then I printed the words in the smiley monster font and made them as large as my text box would hold. Then I printed it off on my scrapbook paper.

3. Cut the scrapbook paper to fit the blocks.

4. Distress it and then Mod Podge it on. Once dry, place another coat of Modge Podge on top.

These are super cute and would be perfect for so many holidays!
Have Fun!

advent calendar

2010-11-02T12:36:00.000-07:00

Advent Calendar

When my oh so crafty friend Kierste made this Advent Calendar she originally saw here I knew I had to have one. I loved the look and the ability to fit little trinkets, candy, etc. into the boxes for them to open every day. It was on my mind all year and I finally got to work in November to finally get it all together.

Supplies:
-Frame
- Metal fit to size
- Boxes
- Scrapbook paper, Mod Podge
- Vinyl, stickers, or other embelishments

1. I found a super ugly picture in the perfect size frame at Salvation Army. So I snatched it up, removed the picture, and spray painted it.

2. Then I called a local sheet metal place, told them the dimensions I needed, and picked up my metal an hour later for 6 bucks.

3. Then I went and bought 25 little boxes at Micheal's and painted them all black.

4. Next I glued magnets on the backs of all of them.
5. Once they were dry (or whenever I came back around to them - probably days later!) I traced the lids on scrapbook paper, cut it out, and Mod Podge'd the paper on them. I also applied another layer of Mod Podge on top of the paper as well.

6. Last of all I ordered some vinyl from Writings on the Wall for a couple of bucks - and voila!

I love it and I think the kids loved it even more when they'd find a fun little something in it every day until Christmas!

ABC Identification

2010-07-20T17:52:00.000-07:00

Lately I've been working with my 3 year old on being able to identify all of her letters. Here's a fun little game we played the other day to practice - and help me record which letters she still needs help with.

We have this dry erase sheet with the alphabet on it. You could use any paper with all of the letters on it - maybe even printing them out of order would provide a bit more of a challenge.

How to play:

1. Place a candy on top of each letter (we used mini M&M's.)

2. Have the child pick a letter on the board and say it out loud. If they identify it correctly they get the M&M. If they don't get it right the other person says it correctly and they get the M&M.

3. Continue doing this (I always let her go first but if two children were playing together they would alternate turns) until you have gone through the entire alphabet.

Playing this game was really helpful for me and I kept a small piece of paper by me and recorded each of the letters she didn't identify correctly so that we could focus more on those ones in the future.

Have fun!

Time Out Chair

2010-07-14T10:44:00.000-07:00

I bought this cute little chair at Robert's (oh how I miss you craft store) in Utah before we moved from there. We didn't have kids yet but I was pregnant and loved the thing and knew I would probably use it in the future.

Well we've definitely used it and now that little one is 3 years old now I still had yet to ever get around to painting it. Mostly because I had NO CLUE what color to do it.

So I finally decided to go simple and painted it my new love Heirloom White by Rustoleum mainly because it will fit in in just about any room in our house. I added some stain and now it sits in the corner ready and waiting to be used.

Calendar/Numbers

2010-07-12T10:37:00.000-07:00

After I finished my 'paid with real money' teaching job I left quite a bit of stuff behind. So when I was at the dollar store the other day and saw this calendar complete with all the accessories I knew I had to scoop it up. I took it home adhered magnets to the back and stuck it on the fridge. Then I took all the individual numbers, laminated them, and adhered magnets to the back of them and stuck them to the fridge.

Now although more often then not the calendar usually looks like this due to a cute little 1 year old running around having this on the fridge provides a daily opportunity for me to talk with and teach my 3 year old more about months, day of the week, and numbers.

So for under a couple of buck I think this small investment will pay off - and it surely provides some entertainment during meal prep time :)

Cabinet Door Frames

2010-07-10T10:24:00.000-07:00

When I saw this idea over at The Creative Crate I was instantly in love! My only problem...I didn't have any cabinet doors hanging around. So a few weeks later when I was at a church rummage sale and came across these babies for a buck - I knew I had to scoop them up!

Items you'll need:

- Cabinet doors/wood
- paint color of your choice
- metal clip
- ribbon
- drill

Directions:

1. I first removed all the hardware and gave the cabinets a light wipe down.

2. Then I patched and sanded the holes where the hardware had once been.

3. Then I did not prime :0 - I just sprayed on two coats of Rustoleum Heirloom White in Satin and when they were all dry I sanded them down a little and applied a little stain on the edges using a cut up t-shirt.

4. The hubby drilled some holes at the top for me so I could string some ribbon (all of it was bought at Walmart for 1.99) through and then I just hot glued the metal clip (I got a package of 2 for a buck at the dollar store) on.

5. My frames are larger than hers so my almost 8x10 picture is too small. But I measured the area and an 11x14 is going to fit perfectly. Now I just need to order my cute family pic from Sam's Club in an 11x14 (only 2 bucks) and I'm good to go.

So all in all this total project cost my less than $15 dollars! They're now a pretty piece sitting on top of our piano waiting till I find a more permanent home for them!

Chalkboard Labels

2010-07-08T10:08:00.000-07:00

Who doesn't love to have things labeled? Especially when they're decorative and cute!!!

A few months ago I brought home a 99 cent dresser I purchased from Goodwill. The reason it was 99 cents was because the top two drawers were missing. Well of course Micheal's came to the rescue and I just happened to find two baskets that were the EXACT size I needed to fit the empty spaces. So I purchased those with coupons for $12 each and then came these little labels.

Items you'll need:
- wood shape/plate/anything you want to paint
- painter's tape
- chalkboard spray paint
- drill or adhesive
- jute/ribbon/some type of hanging material

Directions:

I bought these two little wooden squares for 99 cents at Micheal's.
I then painted them a light tan using craft paint.
Then I taped them off to create a rectangle in the middle.

Then I spray painted them with this chalkboard paint.
Then I used some chalk and labeled them.

Then the hubby drilled some holes in them through which I strung some jute and tied them to the outside of my baskets.
They now sit in our spare bedroom for guests to easily find things they may be needing. And maybe one day I'll get around to finishing and showing you what sits on the top of the dresser - oh and changing that ugly hardware! One day... :)

Stool Redo

2010-06-24T11:14:00.000-07:00

I'm a shortie. Just a few inches over five feet and so when needing things in the high cupboards a kitchen chair has always come to the rescue. Well a few months ago (yes I've really been slacking on projects lately - warm weather hits and I want to be outside all day!) I found this cute stool at a local church's rummage sale for only $2! It was the perfect height for myself and my little ones ~ it just needed a little sprucing up!

No cleaning, no sanding, no priming. Out came the black spray paint and - TA DA! A new little stool that matches my kitchen - I love it. It's amazing what a little bit of paint will do - try it out :)

Letter Sort

2010-06-22T18:36:00.000-07:00

Got a lot of these???

I saw this idea over here at No Time For Flashcards. She used alphabet beads and muffin tins. I decided to use old plastic containers and some beads I had.

Things you need:

- 26 spots (containers, muffin tins, bowls, etc.)
- ABC's (magnetic letters, beads, etc.)

Directions:

1. Use a permanent marker to write a letter on each container.

2. Write the alphabet several time on beads.

3. Let kiddos have at the beads and sort them into the correct containers.

ENJOY!

ABC Letters

2010-06-20T18:06:00.000-07:00

Lately I have been concentrating on recognizing all the letters and their sounds with my 3 year old. My friend Kristyn introduced me to this site called No Time For Flash Cards - I love it! GO check it out!

It has so many easy cute learning ideas for kiddos! We've used several ideas in our home and my toddler loves it! Here's the first one we tried out - we've been learning and concentrating on a letter a week. We start each week making an animal out of our letter and hanging it on the fridge to work on and learn to recognize and identify the sound as well. Each week we've been adding our next letter, here's what we've got so far...

Go check out this great site for lots of fun and easy ideas to keep your kiddos learning all summer long!

ENJOY!

Brag Book

2010-06-18T12:02:00.000-07:00

For Mother's Day I made my Momma and Grandma these cute little brag books. My best buddy Kierste over at Brown Paper Packages made me one for Christmas and I have been in love with it ever since! Go check here to see it - the one she gave me is actually the first one pictured on her blog post :)

Things you'll need:

- ID tag holders (I bought mine at Walmart in the office supply section for around $2 bucks)

- Metal clip (Walmart as well)

- Pictures

- Scrapbook paper

- Ribbon

Directions:

1. I made a front and back cover with scrapbook paper.

2. Printed and cut pictures to fit.

3. Hooked them on the ring and added some ribbon!

I have loved mine and keep it in my purse for when others ask me about my family. They are the cutest gifts and hopefully my family is putting theirs to good use as well! Thanks Kierste for the darling idea!

ENJOY!

Washer Necklaces

2010-06-16T10:16:00.000-07:00

I decided to venture out and try this project I have seen all over the internet lately - washer necklaces.

Things you'll need:

- any size washers

- metal stamping kit (can be bought at a hardware place (I borrowed mine from a friend) for around $10 bucks for the entire alphabet and numbers)

- ribbon/chain

- permanent marker

-baby wipe

Directions:

1. All I did was go outside on our cement and use the stamping kit. You just pick out your letter, place it on the washer and then hold it REALLY steady and pound down with the hammer 2-3 times. (Try it out on some practice washers beforehand).

2. After all the stamping is finished color the indents in with permanent marker and then wipe clean with a baby wipe. This leaves the actual letters black (or whatever color marker you choose) and better able to see.

3. Place them on a ribbon, necklace, chain, etc.

I made this for my momma for Mother's Day. It has all her girl's names on it. These can make such cute necklaces, bracelets, key chains, etc! Try it out :)

ENJOY!

My newest project...

2010-05-03T19:09:00.000-07:00

This is my newest project...

The best part??? Guess how much I got it for???????

99 cents

You read it right. I guess when the owners were delivering it to Goodwill the top two drawers fell out on the road and so they were selling it for yes - under 1 dollar!!!

For that price I didn't care if I got it home and hated it and threw it right in the trash. For now it sits in our guest room waiting patiently for a little redo. I'm gonna stick with white, add some new handles, and some cute baskets are calling my name to fill the empty slots!

Look forward to a cute little before and after sometime down the road. Don't hold your breath though - we're awfully busy at the moment!

Tin Can Vase

2010-04-18T14:55:00.000-07:00

Throw lots of these in the recycling?

Turn them into this:

I hate throwing stuff away that I think could potentially be turned into something. I am always recycling tin cans and finally decided with the coming of spring weather to turn them into vases.

I used a 29oz. can but any size would be cute!

1. After the contents are gone wash well and remove all remnants of the lid.

2. Now you can choose to leave the tin alone, paint it with craft paint (that's what I did here), or the easiest - spray paint!

3. Add some flowers and viola - you're done! If you'd like you can embellish it writing (permanent marker - above) or ribbon (below) or anything else you can think of!

4. Now leave out to decorate around your own house or give a gift to a friend :)

Have fun and ENJOY!

Happy Mother's Day

ABC Eggs

2010-04-15T19:07:00.000-07:00

Before Easter one of my sweet friend's dropped this basket full of Easter eggs off at my doorstep for my girls.

These weren't just any Easter eggs! She had written a letter on each egg complete with the uppercase on one half and the lowercase on the other.

What a great idea! My girlies (well mostly my toddler) have loved playing games with these! We go on hunts and they have to name the letter before putting it in the basket, sometimes I send them on a hunt to find a certain letter, we work on sounds, match, etc. So much can be done! Even the baby enjoys putting them in and out of the basket all by herself :)

Just thought I'd share my friend's lovely idea for a fun way to get some learning in!

Beautiful Blogger

2010-03-19T10:03:00.000-07:00

Melanie nominated me for the Beautiful Blogger Award.

A big thanks to Melanie - who is someone who I absolutely adore her own decorating style as well! She's such a good mom, awfully sweet, and even knows how to make college apartments extremely cute!!!

As a recipient of this award, I must:

1. Thank the person nominating you for the award.

2. Copy the award to my blog.

3. Place a link to their blog.

4. Name 7 tidbits people don't know about you from reading your blog.

5. Nominate 7 bloggers.

6. Place a link to those bloggers.

7. Leave a comment letting those bloggers know about the reward.

7 tidbits:

1. I have to sleep with my socks on. Usually with thick jammies, a heated blanket, and a down comforter as well. If I'm not warm and cozy I can't fall asleep.

2. Until I got married I could probably count on my two hands the number of foods I liked. No pickles, tomatoes, onions, peppers, mustard, etc. The list could go on! I don't know how the hubby did it but now I like pretty much everything!

3. I probably average taking a pregnancy test about every two to three months. I'm extremely nervous I'm going to get pregnant when I'm not planning on it. So far our plans have worked and we haven't had any surprises yet!

4. Until my sophomore year of college I probably had never run more than 1 mile at a time. Now I consider myself a runner (maybe jogger is a better word) and try and log between 3-5 miles a day. It's not something I love yet (don't know if I ever will) but I believe anyone can do it if they try.

5. I love movies but have never seen lots of the classics. No Indiana Jones, no Sound of Music, etc. Maybe one day :)

6. Besides good 'ole Canada I have never left the United States.

7. I used to have my belly button pierced. I should have listened to my oh so wise momma because that is one decision I regret. It's been out for almost 10 years and I still have a hole - ucky!

7 bloggers:

1. Two sites I check regularly are people I do not know but what they share. Amy at The Idea Room because she has tons of different ideas and Kari at UCREATE because she finds everything for me and takes the hard work out of blogging!

2. Sharla at My Little Gems. I used to teach school with her - she amazed me then and continues to amaze me with all her talents!

3. Kierste at Brown Paper Packages. My best buddy who always provides loads and loads of ideas and inspiration!

4. Jewels at Jewels of a Preschool. This lady has infinite wisdom when it comes to kiddos! I'm lucky enough to know her and ask her millions of questions!

5. Freebies for Moms. Who doesn't like free stuff? Enough said.

6. Rachel at Chronicles of Abigail. I met Rachel in college and she always gets my mind thinking of things I normally wouldn't have. Whether it's food, books, etc. I'm always drawn to reading her posts.

7. I love seeing redos - of anything and Better After features some cool ones. Whether it's furniture, kitchens, etc. I love seeing the somewhat crappy things people can turn into beautiful.

Entertainment Center

2010-03-17T08:55:00.000-07:00

It's finished! I bought this about a month ago from Habitat for Humanity. It cost me $70. Add to that some primer I already had, $10 worth of paint, and $20 worth of new hardware and tad - I have myself a new entertainment center. The color has taken some getting used to - it almost has a little more of an orangey tint then a maroon one - but I think I'm in love with it - because I certainly don't want to repaint it!!!

Our formal living room got turned into a painting room for the last 2 weeks...

And after some imperfect coats of paint (I'm a little impatient and the thing has more than it's fair share of drip marks!) it's finally finished!

Here it is in it's new spot in our home. The only problem - the hubby now thinks we need a larger TV because the entertainment center could technically fit a slightly bigger one - haha...in his dreams :)

File Folder Games

2010-03-03T18:42:00.000-08:00

I am FINALLY done with these!!!

When I was teaching I made tons of these for my students to use as fast finishers when they got done early with their work. Those of course are all for school-aged children and I really wanted my kiddos to have some to play with before that time.

So months and months ago I bought a file folder book (from Desert Book) and set out on the task to make some for my girlies. Lots and lots of crayons, contact paper, and velcro later MOST of them are finally done. And do they love them? Sure do. So I guess all the time and labor I put in to these things were worth it. Hopefully - they better - provide some good entertainment!

And who knows - I may even venture out and purchase another book to make some more!

Fly swatter games

2010-03-01T18:33:00.000-08:00

When I was in high school I took several Spanish classes. In one of the classes we would always play a fly swatter games. There would be several things attached to the board, two students would come up with fly swatter in hand, then a question was read and the two students competed to see who could find and hit the correct answer first.

I've really been trying to find special times throughout the day to spend playing and learning with my little girlie. So using our magnet board in the basement I decided to introduce her to the fly swatter games.

I attached several magnetic letters and numbers to the board. Then I would say a number or letter and she'd have to find it and hit it. We then switched it up and she would call out the letter or number and I would be the one to hit it with the fly swatter. We ended up having lots of fun together and hopefully in the process she'll get even better with her letter recognition!

~One of my FAVORITE ways to decorate~

2010-02-27T12:55:00.000-08:00

...vinyl lettering

So many possibilities. So many things to say. So many places to put it.

Go get yourself some. It's a good thing I don't have an unlimited budget or this stuff would be EVERYWHERE in my house!

Writings on the Wall

Front Door Vinyl

2010-02-23T11:36:00.000-08:00

I have been wanting vinyl on my front door pretty much since we bought our house.

This year for my birthday my little sisters bought me this welcome vinyl for me from Scribble It - go check them out - they have very cute stuff! I love it.

my newest project

2010-02-21T11:19:00.000-08:00

a friend of mine introduced me to our local habitat for humanity a couple of months ago. i went and loved it. what is it? it's like a salvation army, goodwill, or di. things are donated and sold and the money goes to habitat for humanity.

she's known i've been wanting an entertainment center. something substantial and hides everything (her tv is on an old dresser she found on the side of the road - and it looks great!). so last week told me there were some good pieces over at the store and that i should check them out.

i went and fell in love with this thing. it's an old buffet. but i love it. it's going to go in our living room and replace the free entertainment contraption we got when we moved from our apartment a few years ago.

i have to wait till it's a little warmer to paint it so look for some after pictures coming in the next month or two. i'm envisioning red. with some black hardware. what do you think?

should i paint it red or be safe and do the standard black???

Activity Bags

2010-02-09T18:50:00.000-08:00

After a church meeting last week my friend told me about this blog Chasing Chee rios and the activity bags she made. I thought they were super cute and a good idea for all the times we're at the doctor's office, meetings, car rides, etc. and I need something for her to entertain herself with.

I looked around for the zipper bags but then I saw my friend use these. So with my new sewing machine I decided to give it a try.

Here's how they turned out:

First I went and purchased 4 placemats from the Dollar Store.

Next I folder them and sewed up the edges.

I left room at the top and folded it over and sealed it down with velcro.

Then I used handy dandy Heat 'n' bond with the Impervious font and some really cheap fabric from Walmart to add one, two, three, and four unto the fronts of the bags.

Now they're filled with crayons and coloring books, stringing activities, puzzles,etc. They sit in the basket near our garage door ready and waiting to be picked up and taken with us wherever!

New Etsy Shop

2010-02-02T12:29:00.001-08:00

After going back and forth several times and then doing some more himming and hawing I finally decided to go for it and open up an Etsy shop and sell some handmade accessories.

Thanks to the teaching, talents, and prodding of friends I thought I'd try it out and see how it goes!

The site is: 123tiedwithabow.etsy.com. It features bows and flowers attached to clips which can be worn on headbands, alone, clipped on bags, etc.

Check it out if you are interested and feel free to pass it along to whomever you'd like :)

Have a great day!

twine heart

2010-01-22T08:04:00.000-08:00

I saw a cute twine heart over at Craftaholics Anonymous and thought it was just adorable. So adorable that when I saw this heart at a local dollar store here where I live that is moving and had everything 75% off I knew I had to have it (only 25 cents!!!) - I really should have bought another!

So I hot glued the twine to start and then started wrapping it up. I would hot glue the twine down every once in awhile just to make sure it stayed in place.

Here's how it turned out.

And the final product hanging on the inside of my front door.

Heart Wood Block

2010-01-20T11:14:00.000-08:00

More Valentine's Decor...

I've had this wood block sitting around from our church craft day more than a year ago. I turned the others into photo blocks and just didn't have a place for this one. I've had it waiting around to be put to good use.

So I took some leftover scrapbook paper from another project I have waiting in the wings. I cut it down to fit the block and distressed the edges.

Then I Mod Podge -ed it onto the wood block.

Then I adhered this little berry wreath to it with hot glue. (I got the wreath at Micheal's with a 40% off coupon - I think it was like $1.90).

And...ta da! Another Valentine's decoration for around the house. Fast, easy, cheap, and cute!

Total Valentine's decorations to be found in my house - 2 !!! ;) Hopefully more will make themselves shown soon :)

valentine's heart sign

2010-01-15T10:46:00.000-08:00

i have had this router-ed piece of wood sitting in my craft closet for over 3 years now. i just never knew what to do with it so it stayed in there forever.

then last week i decided i needed some valentine's decor when i saw a cute little berry wreath at Micheal's. and that's where my idea began.

so i painted the wood brown (i've seen pieces like this at Micheal's for a few bucks) and then i sanded it a little.

next i printed the words 'be mine' (font - impervious) on a creme piece of cardstock.

then i distressed the edges using this ink that a friend introduced me to.

next i mod podge -ed it on the wood.

finally...

i nailed this little heart (which i ended up getting for 40% off at JoAnn's) underneath the writing.

here's the final product.

sit on an easel or hang with ribbon on the wall.

Christmas Around Our House

2009-12-13T19:30:00.000-08:00

I love blog land during the holidays. Everyone shows all the pretty things they put up and all the creative ways they make the stuff. Here's how our house changes during the holidays...

When you walk into our house this garland is hanging in the entryway. It's just one of those cheap ones from JoAnn's and then I dressed it up by tying some strips of fabric on it (kind of like the tree garland my cute friend over here did). I added some pine cones and now complete it with Christmas cards we receive in the mail using dressed up clothespins (my oh so talented friend again) to hang them with.

These three little trees are plain and simple. No need for extra decoration - I love them just the way they are.

Can't decorate without a some wood and vinyl :)

This tin bin (Goodwill find) got put out in October to hold Halloween candy but I've loved it so much it has become a permanent fixture in the kitchen - just change out the ribbon.

Why I absolutely love Marshall's ? - because you can find cute hand towels like this one - for cheap!

Our living room is adorned with garland, berries, and lights just about everywhere. Everyday I can't wait for the sun to start setting so I can turn on all the lights!

The mantle...
The stockings...
The whole picture. I love this room during Christmas time. It's one of those rooms you really don't go in all too much - especially because ours happens to be really cold. But during Christmas time I just want to spend as much time in there as I can.

The tree...adorned with berries, ribbon, and all ornaments from the dollar store or cheaper (painted wood stars, pine cones, etc.)

All Sort of Cute Girly Hair Things

2009-12-11T18:14:00.000-08:00

I just love a good bow or oh so cute hair thing.

One of my best friends and her partner are starting up a business. They are making all sorts of barrettes, bows, etc. for girls.

If you're interested in finding some cute one of a kind hair things to dress up you girl's hair - check them out.

(Hello Steeler's Fans?!?!)

Check them out at:

www.tootsiewootsiebows.blogspot.com

Chandelier

2009-12-09T07:20:00.000-08:00

A few weeks ago when we went down to my parent's house my mom found the shades that went to the chandelier she gave me. After painting it black the cute little cream shades she had worked perfectly.

Even better - I didn't have to spend money buying any (I had been searching and those things are hard to find!!!). She thinks she also has some red ones so I can't wait to get those and try them out :)
Now whenever I go into Goodwill, Salvation Army, Habitat, etc. and see those ugly brass light fixtures my mind explodes with all the cute things and places you can put them - and all for oh so cheap!!!

Photo Tile Coasters

2009-12-03T20:22:00.000-08:00

We made these little cuties last month at my church's craft day I help out with. They are super easy and way cute!

Find at tiles you like from the hardware store. Print out pictures or use ones you already have and size them down to fit the tiles. Next, adhere them to the tile with Mod Podge. Finally, spray an adhesive on top to protect the photo from any water. Lastly, stick some felt pads on the bottom.

A super cute, easy, and personalized gift! I've also seen them done all around the internet using scrapbook paper, napkins, and monograms printed from your home computer - the sky's the limit! I just might have to make some more :)

Homemade Shirts

2009-12-02T09:00:00.000-08:00

Can I tell you how IN LOVE with Heat and Bond I am!!! If you didn't read my last post I'm thinking I just might want to become their spokesperson! I haven't tried washing anything that has it on it but for now I'm loving all the things I can make with it - I'm still using that same $1.50 piece I had leftover from the stockings - and there's still more!!!

So I took some fabric I had leftover - and bought a few more (I just went to Walmart and picked out some cute fabrics and had them cut 1/8 of a yard of all of them. So I came home with 5 different fabrics and I spent a total of a tad more than $1.00!). Then I printed some templates from the internet, adhered the Heat and Bond to my fabric, traced, cut, and ironed on.

Tada! Cute little shirts for my girlies.

Stockings

2009-12-01T16:43:00.000-08:00

So I've had a dilemma for awhile now. We had some cute stockings and then when babies came along I wanted us all to have matching ones. But...how many do you buy? I don't know how many kids we're going to have. Do I spend a lot of money and guess? All of these questions have been running through my mind.

Then when I was out shopping (on Black Friday none the less) I found these simple felt stockings at JoAnn's. I had been debating just making some of my own so that I could replicate them when more kid's came along but I'm no seamstress. So I bought these stockings for around $1.00.

I bought some polka dot fabric (50%off) to add to them with everybody's initials. I found a font I loved, printed it out on cardstock, cut it out, and then used this: -my new best friend -

How I have not used this before I do not know - but I sure am IN LOVE!!! Heat and bond - ABSOLUTELY no sewing needed - perfect for me :)

Iron this stuff on your fabric, cut out the initials, and iron on the stocking - super easy!!!

And here's the finished product hanging on our mantle....Super easy, super cheap (less than 10 bucks for 6 of them - although I may run out and grab 2 more stockings...I don't think we really plan on having more than 4 kids but who knows!) and super cute!

Flowers

2009-11-22T12:15:00.000-08:00

I've seen these cute little flowers floating all around the internet these days. So last time I was at my mom's house I scavenged around in her fabric and felt and created some cute flower templates. All I did was cute out the felt, fabric, and sewed a button on to hold it all together.

Then I hot glued the flower onto a clip so that they can be attached to a headband for the baby or just as is in the toddler's hair.

Now if only I had made them a tad bigger ;)

Chalkboard Frame

2009-11-20T18:33:00.000-08:00

I adore chalkboard paint. I think it is just the cutest way to personalize your home and makes things fun!

It all began when I painted our pantry door (more about that here) and then my friend decided to use an old picture frame to make one here.

I found a large picture frame in a box in the basement, spray painted it, and then used chalkboard spray paint to spray the inside.

It now sits in our kitchen and displays the week's menu but it would look oh so cute in an entry way, kid's room, etc. Where can you find a place for it?

Shelving

2009-11-18T18:12:00.000-08:00

I first saw rain gutter bookshelves several years ago in fellow teacher's classrooms. Now they are the hottest thing all over the internet. I think they are adorable and had wanted to put some type of shelving for pictures as well as books in my basement.

For me it seems the rain gutters were possibly going to cover too much of my picture frames and wanting the two to match I knew I had to find something else.

Who came through for me? IKEA - who else? For 20 bucks I got a 73 inch long shelf. We kept one in tact to hold the frames...

and cut the other in half to make two bookshelves...

The toddler is already so much more interested in books now that she can see all the covers!

Chore Charts

2009-11-17T12:38:00.000-08:00

I have been wanting to make a 'chore' chart for awhile now. Mostly because I can't remember to brush my toddler's teeth and thought this would help me get on the ball. My inspiration came when I saw THESE.

Super cute. So here's my take on them.

I used a clipboard from the dollar store.

Covered it with Mod Podge and scrapbook paper.

Made their names and hot glued them to the metal clip.

Printed off chores on cardstock and stuck them under the clip (that way they can be easily switched out whenever chores change).

Then painted some stars and adhered them to the sides and bottom with tiny magnets that I painted (and hot glued on - of course :)

Finally, hot glued some magnets to the back so that they hang nicely on the side of my fridge.

Ta-da! Easy and super cute - now hopefully some chores will get done around here - I'm thinking mommy and daddy need one as well :)

holiday frames

2009-11-16T17:58:00.000-08:00

After getting a new bookcase I soon got the urge to fill it with decorations. My friend used burlap and stamps to create cute frames here. So I took an old frame I had and sprayed it and distressed it (free).

I took her idea and decided to use the stamps (already had) as well but put mine on some fabric (79 cents for lots of it) I found. This one says fall but I also did one for Halloween using scrapbook paper I already had.

Now I have only one frame but can interchange the center to coordinate with various holidays. I love having decorations that stay in the same place all year but can be slightly altered to celebrate all year long!

how tall are you...

2009-11-07T17:55:00.000-08:00

I want to make this

I'm going to make it!

I think it's absolutely adorable and would be the perfect addition to our basement.

Go check it out!

Taggie

2009-11-05T17:34:00.000-08:00

This past weekend we went to my mom's house and I mentioned that I possibly wanted to try and make baby girl a taggie blanket because she is so in love with tags right now.

My mom immediately said, why don't we go downstairs and make one real quick?

I hoped on that offer and so before I knew it we were browsing through her plethora of fabrics and ribbon and came up with this:

Things you need:

- 2 pieces of fabric cut the same size (any size you want)

- enough ribbon to make as many tags as you want to fit around the edges

Directions:

1. Lay out your fabric.

2. Lay out ribbon, fold in half, and pin to one piece of fabric.

3. Sew straight across one piece of fabric adhering the ribbon to it.

4. Lay the other piece of fabric on top and sew across each side.

I love how it turned out. It was way easy, cheap, and oh so quick to make (under 15 minutes)!

Thanks mom for knowing how to sew and letting me scrounge around all your crafting supplies :)

Kid Wall

2009-10-26T19:08:00.000-07:00

Here is the most recent update on our basement transformation. I have had this 'vision' of what I wanted this huge wall to look like forever - and now it's finally all come together. My pour hubby is hoping my project list will come to an end sometime because it always ends up being partly his 'to do' as well!

The blue wall is painted Pale Spruce from Color Place (Walmart brand). Then I bought 5 unfinished wood frames from Micheal's. I painted them brown, distressed them, added some cute scrapbook paper, and finished it off with some white wood letters (also from Micheal's which I hot glued onto the frame). All together (with all of my hundreds of 40% off coupons) it cost me a little over 30 bucks.

Under the monogrammed frames are 3 - 3ftx3ft squares.

The first one is a whiteboard. I bought shower board from Home Depot and the entire 4x8 sheet cost under 12 bucks. They cut it to size for me (love those guys!) and I finished it off with molding (that cost around 50 cents per foot) that I painted brown.

The middle square is a magnetic board. I bought two pieces of sheet metal (around 8 dollars each), used a ribbon to hide the seam, and finished it off with the molding. Here is my sweetie modeling just how she uses it!
The third and final square is a flannel board. I used leftover shower board that I purchased for the white board (free), flannel (from JoAnns that cost around 2 bucks), and spray adhesive. I finished it off to match the rest with the brown molding. As you can tell the girly loves it already!
In between each of the squares are art boards. They are 3 foot boards with 3 clips adhered to them to display the kid's artwork. Soon enough they will also have their names on them with some vinyl lettering. We're making them for our church craft day so here's my friend's cute completed ones. Just click here to see hers along with directions!

Now - on to the other 3 walls... :)

Basement Couch

2009-10-26T18:39:00.001-07:00

First off, I have to start this post by telling you of our basement dillema. I've been slowly completing some projects down there to make it more of a place that I want to hang out in (since it's the playroom I'm down there a lot with the girls). Lately we decided there was no way a sectional or even a couch and loveseat were going to fit nicely in there. They would just be huge and really limit the playing space. Needless to say I was kind of disappointed to make this realization because I wanted some type of seating for when we're down there.

Then this past weekend one of my favorite stores (Goodwill) was having 50% off EVERYTHING! So needless to say I knew I just had to find something :) As soon as I walk into any resale place I always go straight towards the big items to check out what they've got. I immediately saw this:
A couch that was butt ugly and looked like it came straight from someone's great grandma's house. I was seriously considering buying it - I was meeting a friend there and as soon as she came I asked what she thought. She gave me the reassurance that this was a good buy - plus you can return at Goodwill (one of the main reasons I LOVE this place!) so I went for it.

Then even better - we discovered it has a hideaway bed in it!!! It was my lucky day :)

So twenty bucks later we were loading this beauty into the back of my van. One Walmart slip cover later and some throw pillows I took from our living room and VIOLA! One of my new favorite parts of our basement (it's so much nicer nursing and snuggling to watch kid shows on this than the floor!)

So stop in to your local Goodwill store! The money goes to a good cause and you just never know what you might run across :)

Photo blocks

2009-10-24T12:54:00.000-07:00

We made these last year at a craft day and I think they are just about the cutest, cheapest, and easiest things out there! I made one for my grandma and even she loved it!

1. Have your lumber cut to whatever size you would like your photo block to be.
2. Print off a picture to whatever size is appropriate for your wood.
3. Paint, stain, sand your wood.
4. Modge Podge it and then apply your picture.
5. Let it dry.
6. Apply some Modge Podge over it.
7. Accessorize it however you want.

These are adorable and aren't just for pictures. You can add scrapbook paper, vinyl lettering, etc. - just about whatever you can think off!

ghosts

2009-10-21T16:18:00.000-07:00

Who hasn't made one of these as a kid?

I thought my baby girl needed that same experience. They're cheap, easy, and cute - she loved them.

Wrap your sucker in a tissue, tie it off, and add a face!

Easy as can be :)

Stick Puppets

2009-10-15T15:59:00.000-07:00

I found these cute little Halloween templates on the Family Fun website. I'm sure they have a ton more templates for a variety of seasons and holidays. We traced ours on colored paper, glued on a craft stick, and we couldn't forget the googly eyes!

Now we have fun little puppets to play with for Halloween!

Chandelier

2009-10-13T15:50:00.000-07:00

Another lovely decoration I found at my mom's house. She was oh so nice to let me take the brass chandelier she didn't sell in her garage sale and attempt to make it into something lovely for my dining room.

The reason I wanted it most of all? - Our dining room came with a ceiling fan in it. I'm not sure why someone made that decision but for us - it just didn't work. We never used it and I had always wanted something prettier hanging above our table but never wanted to spend the money. Maybe one day.

But for now...a little spray paint later and ta da - a new chandelier. I plan on accessorizing it with those cute little shades but I'll have to post another 'after' picture when that part of the project actually gets done. For now this is what we have:

Basement

2009-10-11T12:16:00.000-07:00

I've been asked what paint color we used on our basement wall. So let me share. The color is called Pale Spruce and it is by ColorPlace (Walmart Brand). We love the color - now I'm tempted to do the entire basement that color - what do you think?!?

office turned guest bedroom

2009-10-10T14:56:00.000-07:00

The office when we moved in...

...plain as can be. Nice stark white walls - the only cute things in the room are the hubby and teeny baby :)

Our office now has a new location housed in a beautiful armoire (more about that here) in a completely different room.

So now we have a room soley dedicated to guests (well plus a closet - or two :) full of crafts!).

Awhile ago I can across a blog that I'm slightly in love with (her kitchen especially - because her old one looks exactly like mine!!! and I can dream and aspire to what mine might someday become) Anyways The Lettered Cottage is the blog - and I fell in love with her oh so charming 'Reading Room'. Find it here.

So I decided to fashion my completely blank canvas of a guest room after hers.

I started by painting mine tan with horizontal stripes running across the back wall.
Next, I got a bamboo shade for our one and only window.

Third, I had a 10 dollar off 10 bucks or more from Kohl's and got this vinyl letter quote for like 3 or 4 dollars. I had some leftover beadboard from our kitchen redo (find more about that here) so I adhered the vinyl to the white beadboard to hang on the wall.

It was a large piece of beadboard so these cute frames I got for 5 bucks a piece at Kohl's as well adorn the sides of the quote.

And just like one of the frames in my dining room it still houses they same picture that came with the frame. I'll get to it one day. Obvisouly it's not too high on the priority list at the moment.It's now waiting for some nice fat molding to go around it and finish it off making it look like a large framed piece.

And finally on the opposite wall is a small frame (it's actually molding torn off my parent's bathtub when they did their bathroom redo - way to recycle right?!?) mounted on the wall with three plain little wreaths (which I got the idea from my way talented friend here).

Next item on the list...a bed - I'm sure our guests would love coming over even more if we had an actual real bed for them to sleep on :)

seasonal wood blocks

2009-10-08T15:22:00.000-07:00

Here's the latest vinyl lettering project. For our Church's craft day this year we decided to make these cute seasonal wood blocks.

We got the idea from here. This blog is super fun - they have WAY too many cute cute things and ideas - check them out!

For our project...

We got a 4 inch wide wood post from Home Depot for under 6 bucks (and that made 3 sets of these). We had them cut it every 4 inches to make these cute cubes.

Next, add a couple coats of paint and stain or distress if you'd like.

Finally, adhere some vinyl lettering (we got ours from here.)

So with the wood + vinyl ours cost around 14 bucks. Not bad because these little cuties can spell at least 16 different seasonal words so they can stay up all year round!

kid's bathroom

2009-10-06T12:05:00.000-07:00

This was the first bathroom I attempted to redo in our house. It's the kid's/guest bathroom and I wanted to make it fun! This is what it looked like when we bought it - pretty basic...

First thing I did was paint it green and get a jungly shower curtain and a few accessories to go in there.

Then I used those cute little already painted wood things from Michael's. I bought a few unfinished wood frames, painted them red, distressed them, and then fitted them with some cream cardstock and the wood animals.

Next, I used those same wood animals from Michael's and glued them on these wooden pegs I got there as well. The pegs were $1 and I painted them cream and the wood animals were around 50 cents or less.

Finally, I redid the vanity but that deserved it's very own post - found here.

These were some small little very inexpensive changes I made to make the place more of 'our' home. The bigger stuff - like tile, new framed mirror, light fixture, etc. - is currently on the waiting list. But who knows how long it will remain on there - it is only the kid's bathroom remember :)

FHE Board

2009-10-04T15:24:00.000-07:00

In our Church we are instructed to have a special time once a week (Monday night) devoted to our families. We call this Family Home Evening.

Our Church's website states, "This is a time for families to study the gospel together and to do other activities that strengthen the family spiritually, create family memories, and increase unity and love. "

Here's one of the crafts I made last year along with other friends to organize our Family Home Evening amongst our family.

It consists of a routered wood board that's painted and distressed black.

Over top of it is a piece of beadboard painted cream.

Finally, the top layer is a piece of sheet metal with vinyl lettering (we get our vinyl lettering from Hathaway Signs) adhered to it.

Finally, I just finished (yes it's been an entire year - that's the way projects seem to be going around here - they've been taking close to a year to finally finish!!!) the stars. I bought the unfinished wood stars from Michael's for 29 cents. I painted and distressed them and then adhered vinyl names and magnets to them.

If you would like to know more specifics (sizes, colors, etc.) just leave a comment and I'll try and get back to ya!

Basement

2009-10-02T06:17:00.000-07:00

Lucky for us when we moved into this house one room in the basement was completely finished. It has been the home of toys, toys, and more toys ever since we moved in. It now houses a treadmill and TV as well. It was plain and I never really knew what to do with it until a few weeks ago.

I love the blue/brown decorating colors that are oh so popular right now but they've never really had a place anywhere in my house. Of my friends (who is an awesome decorator and I wish she had a blog) has a room filled with brown, bluish/turquoise, and red accents. I've loved it ever since I saw it over a year ago and finally decided I try it out in the basement.

First, I painted our largest wall blue.We also got this bookshelf from IKEA to store all the gazillions of books and toys we have (which still find themselves all over the floor most of the time). In the future I would love to get some really cute baskets to fill the shelf but in the meantime small plastic baskets that I had leftover from my classroom will have to do.
Then I found these unfinished wood frames at Micheal's. I painted them brown, paired them with some scrapbook paper, and then hot glued a wooden letter to the front.

Below the name will be a whiteboard (hence the painter's tape).
Also underneath the name are some cute art boards we made for craft day this year. Mine still lacks my children's names in cute vinyl lettering but I'll have to post more and more as more projects get completed down here.

Here's just a sneak peek of the process our basement is going through. I'm sure the final project is probably years down the road when it will be finished off with a projector, couches, rug, shelves and picture frames, bookcases, etc. but for now here's what we got going on to make this part of the house more of our home.

Recipe Book

2009-09-30T06:07:00.000-07:00

I hate having to look in five million different cook books to find my favorite recipes. So last year as part of a craft day I made my own recipe book to house all of our family favorites.

If I made this last year then why now is this post going up??? Well I'm just now getting around to actually typing up recipes, printing them off, and filling it up.

Now that I'm really using the thing I absolutely love it. I love having one go to spot to find all of the goodies we're gonna cook up around here!

All you need is:
- a binder (the size is your choice)
- some cardstock and cute paper for the dividers and cover
- sheet protectors to house all those recipes from getting covered in spills ;)
- ribbon (optional)

Dust Bunnies

2009-09-29T17:57:00.000-07:00

One of our other Mommy/Daughter activities this week was making dust bunnies. I saw this idea in Family Fun magazine and thought my toddler would be at the good age to use some of these.

We used a pair of socks and then decorated them using a permanent marker, pom poms, and googly eyes.

Now when I'm trying to clean the house she can be right there by my side dusting away!

Oodles and Oodles of Noodles

2009-09-27T18:00:00.000-07:00

I've started a new thing around here and I'm trying to plan at least one structured activity (something aside from reading and playing) during the day that just my little girly and I do together.

One of our activities this week was to make noodle necklaces. My baby loves sand and sticks and cars but the girl also loves makeup and jewelry just as much. So I decided we would make necklaces. We used our cheapest (and her most favorite) noodles - Mac'n'cheese and went to town.

First we tried coloring them but for a two year old that was a little tough and she wasn't into it very much. So we just beaded them along until it fit her and she now has been wearing it around the house for days.

kitchen

2009-09-15T11:58:00.000-07:00

Our dining room/kitchen BEFORE (well I had painted)...

How many people had this same table from college???

Then we attempted the biggest home improvement project thus far - knocking down a wall!!!

First we removed a few cabinets...

Then went at it - removed drywall and 2x4's, moved electrical, drywalled, mudded, etc...

Our dining room/kitchen AFTER...

There's still a lot left on the list - paint kitchen, ceiling, and cabinets, as well as finish the hole in our flooring. But for the time being we're are pretty pleased with the results.

I'll post some more pictures when we are REALLY done with this project. Don't hold your breath though because it's taken us almost a year (yikes!!!) to get this far so there's no timeline on when the rest will really get completed :)

~toy chest~

2009-08-25T12:09:00.000-07:00

This is a chest my mom passed down to me. I wasn't in love with it as is but saw the potential. It was one of the first pieces I ever attempted to refinish. I wanted it to go in our nursery and hold the millions of baby blankets we had. I think it is now a perfect fit!

Instead of sanding a good friend told me about primers made especially to adhere to various surfaces without sanding. YAY! The easier the better in my book.

Then I painted it white.

Next I cut up and used Mod Podge to adhere different pieces of scrapbook paper I had found to the front of it.

Finally I painted and hot glued on the wooden letters.

BEFORE:

AFTER:

The Evolution of the Mantle

2009-03-28T17:00:00.000-07:00

When we first moved in... a mirror and 2 wall sconces found a home above the mantle - same things from our apartment days. I wasn't in love with it but that's what we had so I made due.

I did love it all jazzed up for Christmas...

But it needed a little spice for all the other days of the year. I loved the shutter look I saw on someone else's blog. So...we had a door in our garage left from the previous owners and I decided I would attempt to saw it in half. It worked and so I gave it a shot with a fatty barn star. Liked it, but didn't love it.

Next on the list...distressing the shutters. Better but not perfect.

Finally a sign and some candle holders did the trick. I think a mantle is one of the hardest places in a home to decorate. It's not quite finished yet, so tell me your advice...Do I leave the candle holders the color they are?

If not, what color should I paint them?
What color candles would look best?

~ The bench ~

2009-03-20T18:33:00.000-07:00

So of course when I went to Pottery Barn the other day not only did I have to find an armoire for a great deal but this cute little bench as well. We do not have a mudroom in our house so I have been wanting a little spot for us to store shoes and other stuff when we come in the door.

This baby was found for $99 and then an additional 30% off. Luckily, it fit perfectly next to where we enter the house from our garage door.

After stealing some pillows and baskets from the living room I was able to get a vision of what I want it to someday look like. For now it just remains empty but maybe later when I save up some of my 'home' budget the empty bench will one day look like this!

~ My Dreams Have Come True ~

2009-03-17T18:28:00.000-07:00

Gotta love Pottery Barn Outlet! I have been eying this beauty every time I go there. When I first saw it it was over $1,000. Then it went to $899. Well when I went down there this past Thursday it was listed for $599 PLUS an additional 30% off.

I have been scoping out armoires for some time now and this was a steal!!! A big beautiful armoire that I was in love with for only $420! I had to have it (plus we had not touched any tax money and the hubby got a bonus). So after a consultation with the hubby, some encouragement from a friend, and long haul home it now resides in our living room.

It will soon be the new home of our computer, printer, office supplies, etc. while our current office gets turned into an official 'guest room'. I love to see rooms finally coming together. Let's just say I'm in love.

~Bows~

2009-03-08T10:30:00.000-07:00

You can never have enough bows right? With another little girl on the way I decided to add a few more headbands and bows to the collection.

1. Buy some ribbon you like (I especially love the kind with wire - it holds its shape well) - around 1 1/2 - 2 yards for each bow.
2. In the middle of the ribbon tie a regular bow. Then continue making loops.
3. Hot glue them down or wrap some wire around the middle to hold it all together.
4 .Glue on headband type of your choice.

Since these are for a newborn I attached them all to elastic stretch lace.

I purchased all of the supplies at Walmart and the total for both the ribbon and lace (I bought both of them by the yard) was all under 6 bucks. So for under 6 dollars I made 4 headbands and three matching bows for big sister.

These are really fun and easy to make and you can really experiment and try anything with them. It's hard to find and usually expensive to find bows that specifically coordinate with certain special outfits so for so cheap there's nothing better than just making them yourself!

~ Keeping it in the Family ~

2009-03-06T15:00:00.000-08:00

What young couple just starting out on their first adventure of home ownership doesn't have at least one piece of furniture that belonged to their parents - or maybe even grandparents?

These little end tables have belonged to my mom since...oh I don't know? at least 20 years. After sitting in her barn for forever they have found a new residence at our home.

They didn't really go with the couch set we bought and so out came...what else but the spray paint!!! After some primers, paint, a little bit of distressing, and a few coats of poly and these little babies were good to go.

Will they stay there forever? Who knows. But for now they are a good home to Wii accessories, diapers, wipes, scriptures, Cd's (hey those baskets can really hold quite a bit of stuff!!!), and whatever else happens to get tossed in there.

For now they are the perfect addition to our family room.
Shame on me for not getting a 'before' picture - or maybe I did and I just can't find it - oops :)

~ A Warmer Room ~

2009-03-04T22:00:00.000-08:00

While the family was away the other big project I tackled was painting our living room. I have been in love with the red wall since we moved in but the white walls just weren't cutting it for me anymore.

The space needed to be warmed up a bit and so I decided to paint the other 3 walls a nice tan color. The room it self doesn't look too much different but I feel like the small change I made using paint made a big difference.

Paint is my favorite thing to use to change a space - it's cheap!!! So for under 15 bucks my walls went from boring old white to warm and cozy tan - and with paint if you absolutely hate it you can always paint over it again :)

~ Refreshing a Pantry ~

2009-03-04T12:36:00.000-08:00

The hubby and baby were away this past weekend. I have never experienced such a thing and although I missed them both very much - I have to admit that my weekend alone was lovely. I did rest but I also got a few projects completed that I'd been dreaming about for awhile now.

In our entire house all the doors are white - except two. Both of these doors are teeny tiny and I have hated them since we've moved in. The upstairs linen closet door remains it's original wood color but our pantry door now is a beautiful chalkboard black. Can I tell you how glad I am that I finally did it? I love the new color and the added bonus of being able to leave sweet little love notes for my hubby.

I did no sanding or priming so all this little project cost me was the $8.97 quart of black chalkboard paint I bought at Walmart. I applied two coats and still have about 75% of the paint left for another project. Add a .96 cent box of chalk and the entire thing cost me under 10 bucks. I added the flowers/ribbon/bucket - that I already had lounging around in the pile of stuff that doesn't have a home in our basement - to add a more homey touch.

Now the toddler has yet another thing to do while I'm trying to make dinner and it wipes up perfectly clean. What could be better? Love it! Don't be surprised if I end up using this stuff in lots more places around the house...I may use up that quart a little quicker than I thought...