Mantle Makeover

We are very S.L.O.W.L.Y. in the process of doing renovations to our living room.  I'm tired of my walls looking dingy and the room still seeming so dark.  Our living room is in the center of our home and it does not receive much light.  We have put in skylights but it hasn't helped us all that much.  I figured maybe if I could lighten/brighten up our fireplace area, it may help just a teeny tiny bit more.  I do refuse to paint the stone.  We have this same stone pattern on the outside of our house and I think it would destroy some of the character.

The candlesticks have been spray painted.  The lantern and planes have been pulled from other areas in the house.  However,  pay attention to the 'artwork' here:

 

 I want you to know just how inexpensive it is to make your own.  The frame was purchased quite some time ago with a 40% coupon and ran me less than $10.  I used some scrapbooking paper that I already had on hand to fill in the photo areas.  The wooden 'home' was purchased in a $1 bin at the craft store and I made the 'rosette' up in the corner by fan folding paper and adding a button to the middle with some hot glue. 

I think it can get really easy to get so caught up in the decorating portion that we think everything needs to be purchased.  Unless you are an art collector of original pieces, let your own personal creations be what decorates your home.  You live there.  Its your space.  Let it define you and your family, not the mass produced market out there available to everyone.  That is what makes a home a home.....and your home at that.  Happy Crafting/Re-modeling!

Valentine Photo Frame

As my profile says, I have a hubby who travels ALOT for his job.  He misses many a birthday and special occasion because of it.  This year is no exception.  He is overseas right now and will be missing Valentines Day.  I know its not necessarily a major holiday but its still time away from the family.  I try and do what I can to keep our relationship front and center, even with the thousands of miles between us.


I don't know about you, but I always seem to have these little wooden dollar frames from michaels hanging around my house. I wanted to use one to showcase me and my hubby this V-day.  We were very fortunate to go to Jamaica kid free about a year and a half ago.  While there, I convinced my white knuckled man to go zip-lining with me.  My husband hates anything where he is not in control so this was B-I-G, and most certainly memorable (and monumental on his part). I couldn't think of a better picture of what love is than doing something you are afraid of or incredibly uncomfortable with just to please your spouse. (insert the cheesy aww's here, I know) Here is the final Result:

Supplies:  Wooden frame from Michael's
                2 Sheets scrapbook paper plus word art
                Mod Podge
                2 different colored pieces of felt
                Scissors, heart punch or cricut cartridge
             
I wish I could take credit for the tutorial on the flowers, but I can't.  You can find detailed directions for these rolled flowers here.  I used mod podge to glue the paper down onto the frame and also to seal it with a top coat.  Once dry I added the embellishments.  Easy peasy.  One little hint about the frames.  When you buy them, they come with a cardboard piece in the middle with the dimensions on it.  DO NOT throw that piece away.  It is perfect to add stability and backing to whatever picture you decide to frame.  That's about it.  Now go and display your crafted glory!

Handmade Holidays: Christmas Photo Books

When it comes to crafting, there really is no 'last minute' anything, at least not for me.  I need time to get my creative juices going and can't just come up with some new project on the fly.  Lately, I have been working on a cardboard Christmas album to give to one of my friends.  I made one for myself a few years ago and it is soo fun to look back on a Christmas past. You can find these albums in the dollar spot at Michaels.  (not yet decorated, of course)

I try really hard to add pages for things other than photos.  There is so much more to the holiday besides the pictures.

There are gift tags and favorite holiday recipes and music.

There are wish lists and traditions and the family Christmas tree.

There are all those family 'funnies'  and mishaps that make the holiday so memorable.

I want to capture every moment.  The journaling only adds enrichment to the project and the process.

Handmade Holiday: 3-in-1 Gift

I am so excited to share this that I am about bursting at the seems.  Ya know those days when you are out at the craft stores and not really having a plan but hoping something strikes your fancy to create with?  Today was one of those moments.  On my way to the checkout at Michaels, I perused the dollar spot and found some antique looking keys.  I instantly knew exactly what I was going to do with them!  I thought of my kids, Christmas, and the traditional gifts we give them every year.  My kids still believe in santa, yet, I think this is probably the last year so I want to really make it count.  I have a fireplace but I know not everyone does.  Hence, the key to hang outside for Santa to make his way in! It's tradition for my kids to get an ornament every year.  This year, it will be the key that serves double duty.  What's the third you ask?  Say your kids are grown, or you don't share in the ornament tradition.  Use these keys as gift tags on your packages!  How great is that!

Handmade Holidays

I don't know about the rest of you, but the Christmas bug has already hit me.  It is my favorite time of year to create.  I daydream of all the gifts I can make, who I can make them for, and what's the best way to go about accomplishing them.  I can't wait to share them and have a file of it all to look back on myself.  For the time being....RUN to your nearest Michaels store and check out their dollar spot.  They have these antique looking keys that I am working with right now.  I am creating a multi-purpose 3-in-1 gift and I am soo excited about it.  Stay tuned......

Series starting Monday

 

Starting next Monday, November 7th, I will be starting my very first series:  Make it yourself Mondays.  My focus for now is going to be on household items we use on a regular basis.  Some of my entries will include, cleaning products, beauty regemins, herbal items, health and wellness. 

We are a nation of consumers and most of the time we aren't even aware of some of the products we are ingesting/exposing ourselves to that can be detrimental to our health.  While we are still, in essence, "consuming" something,  we will be fully aware of what it is.  Yes, we need to purchase supplies to make whatever it is we are making, but why leave it up to "those people" to decide what the ingredients are?  We will be much better off making these items ourselves not only for the quality of the ingredients, but also the quality of the item itself.  Anything that is made with our own two hands gives us a sense of pride and accomplishment.  We really do desire to do the best job we can possibly do.  The end result will be worth every penny.  So, please, join me on this journey.

$20 Kitchen Chair Re-do

I'm almost embarrassed to show just how dirty our kitchen chair cushions have gotten.  Amazing what happens in such a short amount of time when you have kids, huh?  So, here is my before:

 Dirty, dingy, dusty, boring, and in need of an up-do....BAD!








And the after:

 Colors are bright, fresh, and match my kitchen beautifully.

I caught an amazing sale at Joann's for this fabric.  The boldt was being clearanced out and was half off.  Plus, the weekend I picked it up, they offered and additional half off.  That $20 total included the batting for underneath and additional screws/staples needed to re-attach.  A big kudos to my wonderful hubby for helping me tear out all the staples.  That was pure torture!

$1 Frame + Paper = Halloween Wall Decor

I am having soo much fun getting inspired by all of the decorating blogs/pinterest, that I am on such a roll myself.  I spent a good few hours yesterday putting together some wall art with a photo frame I have had lying around for who knows how long.  I didn't really want to put alot of family photos in this one only because I was trying to keep the project focused on color scheme and, well, my family photos just wouldn't cut it.  ( I can be pretty anal sometimes with things being color coordinated).  This frame did come with a little dowel so it could stand upright on its own if you were to choose.  I think, all in all, this project may have run me $5 if I counted costs for the frame and papers individually.  However, I had the materials already.  The paper is from Michael's Midnight Magic paper pack. The drink 'poison' cards were included in it.  That entire pack ran me less than $7 and all of my projects have been done with it.  Talk about getting your moneys worth.  Amazing the things we can do with paper, a paper cutter, and some fancy folding, huh? 

This post linked to today's creative blog

Halloween decorating

I'm falling waaaay behind in my holiday crafting.  It's amazing how time can just get away from you if you are not careful to monitor it.  My first project is dealing with my mantle.  My living room remains really dark and my mantle most certainly needs a paint job.  Nonetheless, its the focal point of the room so it remains a priority.  I want my home to look neat and coordinated (I can be a freak about it, I know).  I went to my good old dollar store to try to find some inspiration.  I just wanted to GET STARTED......that's half the battle.  I found a basic wooden plaque and a sugar jar.  The numbers were on sale at michaels for another dollar, and the 'dragon eyes' label was a free printable I found here from a pinterest search (love that place!).  Just add some paper, mod podge, a drawer pull, spray paint,and stickers and I am all set as I had these items on hand. Total cost was approx. $5 minus the candy. This project was really simple and fun to do.   Now off to do some more work on that mantle!