home.made.

{Saturday Spotlight} Eclectically Vintage Kitchen

2012-02-25T04:49:00.001-08:00

You're in for a real treat today, because the kitchen I'm featuring is going to knock your socks off! (Yes, another kitchen... think I'm looking for ideas? :))

This gorgeous renovated kitchen is from Kelly at Eclectically Vintage.

Wouldn't you just love to stay in this space forever?

The honed carrera marble countertops shine beautifully next to the white cabinetry and under these amazing lights:

The light fixtures are extraordinary - like suspended wine bottles. And do you see what I'm drooling over in the background?

Hello lover. Look at that farmhouse sink and commercial dish sprayer! *sigh* I'm in heaven. And I didn't even mention the herringbone backsplash or vintage scale... or her red stove.

Wow. That is one lucky girl...

Do you think she'd mind if I moved in?

Hope you're having a great Saturday - head on over to Kelly's and say hi!

Pantry Pinspiration

2012-02-22T20:42:00.000-08:00

When we decided to buy our current home, there were things we loved about it and things we'd have to learn to live with. One of these things was the kitchen pantry. We built our prior home and it had a fantastic walk-in pantry, complete with automatic light when you opened the door. *sniffle* I miss that pantry.

This home has a tall cabinet that is intended for pantry use, which wouldn't be so bad if not for the depth of the cabinet. Sometimes I feel like I'm reaching into a black hole when all I wanted is a can of beans! (And I have long arms, people!) I've made do for the past year with an assortment of organizers and baskets, but at best, this pantry is just organized chaos that DOES NOT WORK for our needs.

Did I mention that I miss my old pantry?

*sigh*

We're planning on a kitchen remodel to include fixing the pantry situation, but seeing as that's in the very distant future, I'm looking for ways to make our current pantry more functional. Here are some of my fave ideas from my Pinterest pin board...

Source: shelving-ideas.com via rhonda on Pinterest

This is pretty close to my current pantry size, although they obviously live on much less food than I do! Love the pull-out drawers, door storage, and planked interior.

Source: helpful-kitchen-tips.com via rhonda on Pinterest

Again, pull-out drawers and door storage - such smart use of space. And those pull-out baskets? Incredible.

Source: bhg.com via rhonda on Pinterest

Great use of space with the stackable containers, and the colorful background and labels add a great punch of color. The organization makes my OCD very happy.

Source: flickr.com via rhonda on Pinterest

Pinned this simply for the color combo... aqua, red, and pink! What's not love?

Source: Uploaded by user via rhonda on Pinterest

And a door storage solution that I found... love the idea of taking storage to other areas than the shelves!

What about you? Any pantry dilemmas or is it just me?

Seven

2012-02-20T05:09:00.001-08:00

This weekend was a pretty exciting one, cause one particular little girl turned the big

7!

I can not even express the amount of love I have for my daughter… she fills my heart with joy until it is overflowing. I am one lucky mama.

I couldn’t leave you without some pictures of THE CAKE, right?! My super talented sister put her decorating skills to work creating all of these pink rosettes… but the pièce de résistance??

The zebra hiding inside!

My daughter was so excited about this… an idea I found on Pinterest from My Cake School. Having never done this before, I admit I was holding my breath until that first slice revealed that the zebra stripes worked! So cool…

Just perfect for my not so little anymore girl!

Antique Imperial Desk Restoration

2012-02-19T09:12:00.001-08:00

The phrase “One man’s trash is another’s treasure” is the perfect introduction for the piece I’m going to show you today. I found this desk via a Facebook acquaintance, who was giving it away… for FREE!

I was more than happy to take if off her hands, because I could tell this was a diamond in the rough.

The veneer was badly damaged, the feet were in need of repair, and the wood was screaming for moisture… but structurally the desk was in great condition, ALL of the original hardware was still with the piece (the ones missing in the above photo were tucked away safely in the drawer), and the desk even came with a custom-fit glass topper!

I would love to take credit for the amazing restoration you’re about to see, but the props all go to my hubby… Mr. Home.Made. This was his baby, all the way. (Seriously, he begged to have this one all to himself… so I let him. Am I a good wife, or what?!)

He meticulously removed all of the old chipping veneer, sanded the wood until it was soft as a baby’s bum, stained and sealed it, and cleaned off years of grime from the hardware. All of his hard work turned this old, neglected desk into this gorgeous piece of furniture:

Is that not the most beautiful desk you’ve ever seen?!

My hubby really enhanced the beauty of the wood grain by doing a darker stain on the larger wood fronts and a lighter stain on the framework. Does that hardware make you as giddy as it makes me? And yes, there are even pull-out writing ledges… on each side. *swoon*

The desk was made by the Imperial Desk Company, which is no longer in business. We aren’t quite sure of the exact age of this piece, but our best guess dates it to the early 40s. The locking mechanism is quite brilliant – when you push in the middle drawer and lock it, it locks all of the desk drawers. Crazy.

I love the custom-cut glass – that alone would’ve cost over a hundred dollars!

I could not be more proud of my hubby and the beautiful job he did with this desk. It was so much fun working side-by-side in our garage – sanding, painting, staining, and transforming – giving new life to a piece that was on its way to the dumpster and stirring up ideas for a home-based business.

Even better though? Seeing this piece of furniture shine as it was originally intended… isn’t that why we all do this anyway?

Linking up!

Primitive and Proper
Savvy Southern Style
The 36th Avenue
House of Hepworths
Miss Mustard Seed
Tatertots & Jello
Be Different Act Normal
Under the Table and Dreaming

{Saturday Spotlight} The Family Room's Kitchen!

2012-02-18T07:14:00.000-08:00

Hi friends! It's time for another edition of Saturday Spotlight, where I feature amazing spaces from some amazing bloggers... This week I bring you a fantastic kitchen from Sita at The Family Room. I actually discovered Sita's kitchen on Pinterest, but it wasn't tagged properly... Boo! I persisted, however, until I finally found where this kitchen lived, and now I'm sharing it with you ~ enjoy!

Sita completely transformed her kitchen when she painted her dark wooden cabinets a bright white.

Isn't the difference incredible? I am always amazed at what the addition of white cabinetry can do for a space. This kitchen was essentially the same... but so much better!

Ahhh... wouldn't you just love to cook, eat, and live in here?

I love the pops of aqua and pale green that she's added in as accents... the utensil container, towels, dining chairs, and her drapery all add a special pop of color.

One last parting shot... just look at all the sunshine pouring in!

If you get a chance, please stop over and visit Sita - and tell her I sent ya! She has more gorgeous spaces in her home for you to enjoy as well as design inspiration, fabulous finds, and more!

*** All images courtesy of Sita at The Family Room ***

How does your garden grow?

2012-02-15T20:53:00.000-08:00

The weather here has been so fickle lately... cold one day, mild the next... so much so, in fact, that the plants are confused and already beginning to bud as if it were springtime. Seeing all of the fresh sprouts of green has me yearning to dig in the dirt!

What's on my mind, you ask? Roses.

Yes, roses.

I've given up on trying to grow hydrangeas. As lovely as they are, they just don't tolerate the scorching heat and soil conditions in Texas. I'll just have to admire everyone else's beautiful flowering hydrangea bushes from afar... *sigh*.

Roses, however, might just work. They seem to do well in almost every planting zone and they actually like sunlight, which is a good thing around these parts. I've been doing a little researching about growing roses before I get started, in hopes that I might have gardening success!

Source: paulzimmermanroses.com via rhonda on Pinterest

Prepping Soil for Rose Gardens

Source: gardensofgreen.com via rhonda on Pinterest

You had me at How to Grow Cabbage Roses

Source: bhg.com via rhonda on Pinterest

Better Homes and Gardens has an extensive page on rose-growing.

Source: ilovemywisconsingarden.blogspot.com via rhonda on Pinterest

And how to grow bare root roses... from someone who's had success with it.

These gorgeous blooms would be such a reward for a little outdoor elbow grease - can you imagine having roses at your beckon call for fresh-cut flowers?

Next stop... the library for more research and then it's time to get planting!

Transforming a Family Heirloom

2012-02-13T20:52:00.001-08:00

When my grandmother passed away, she left certain pieces of furniture to each of her grandchildren, all spelled out specifically in a letter that she and my grandfather had written years earlier as part of the will for their estate. Bestowed upon me were my grandmother’s hope chest and a curio cabinet, filled with various items she had collected throughout the years.

From what I’ve been told, my grandparents purchased a lot of their furniture through the U.S. Army when my grandpa was in the service. Most of their pieces were very similar – all solid wood with a dark cherry finish and all of them in impeccable condition.

The curio cabinet made the journey from my grandparents’ home to the first home my husband and I bought… then to storage until we moved into the home we built… and again to our current home. Unfortunately, some of the original glass panels did not survive all of these journeys, which was probably a blessing in disguise as this wasn’t exactly safety glass. (I cut my hands several times just in the process of installing/removing the glass!) So, since we’ve moved in, the lonely curio has remained but a hollow shell, waiting to be filled again.

After walking past this piece of furniture for over a year and dreaming of ways to return its function, I finally decided to follow my instinct and… *gasp*… paint it.

I know, there I go again with the perfectly good wood.

It’s funny… I used to be so sentimental about this furniture, feeling as if I was erasing memories if I changed anything about them. But then I read an article in, I believe, Better Homes and Gardens, about a girl who felt the same way that I did… but decided to not just admire her heirloom furniture but to add to its legacy by painting it a different color that suited her décor.

And I loved that idea… of building upon the memories already established with something that’s been handed down for generations by transforming it to fit your own generation.

And so I painted the chairs to my grandmother’s dining set, handed down from her to my mom and (by way of my big brother) then to me.

Baby steps, right?

I took a couple more baby steps this weekend and began another transformation…

(I started painting before I remembered to take “before” pictures, of course!)

From dark cherry wood-tone to Annie Sloan Paris Grey. It’s quite a change, but I love it already.

Now don’t be alarmed… but there are no “after” pictures just yet. I still have a few more things to do with this baby before she’s ready for a final reveal. We’ve been a little busy around la casa with Valentine hoopla and party-planning for a soon-to-be-7 year old!

(By the way… notice the new wall color in the background?? Nice, huh? As for that green trim… not so much.)

I digress.

So how about you? Are you afraid to transform those family heirloom pieces like I used to be? Or are you going out on a creative limb and giving these pieces another story to tell?

{Saturday Spotlight} Master Bedroom Closet Makeover

2012-02-11T05:20:00.000-08:00

Happy Saturday friends and welcome to Saturday Spotlight, where I feature amazing, awe-inspiring DIY projects from blogland. You ready to be amazed?!

Today's spotlight is this fabulous Master Bedroom Closet Makeover by Tonya at Love of Family & Home.

Tonya completely gutted her closet of all of the "stuff" and transformed it into a fabulous space. She recycled those shelves from her dad's garage!

She turned a Goodwill mirror into a chalkboard, complete with an inspiring saying. She created some DIY jewelry holders for her necklaces, and she even did a tutorial so you can make some too!

I love how neat and organized everything is, in addition to being beautiful. (And I have to admit that I'm a little jealous of that scarf collection too...)

If you want to see more of Tonya's fabulous closet, head over to Love of Family & Home and check out the rest of her posts. She shows you every phase of the closet makeover as it progresses... and be sure to check out her first Vlog ever on Stenciling that gorgeous wall!

*All images courtesy of Love of Family & Home.

How to Paint Like a Pro

2012-02-07T21:34:00.000-08:00

Things have been a little slower around here in the aftermath of OMTWI... Four intense weeks of crafting took its toll on my other projects (and on my pile of laundry and dirty floors!). After a few weeks of 1.5 golden walls staring back at me, daring me to paint them, taunting me as if to say "nanny-nanny-boo-boo-you-can't-get-me"... I showed those walls who was boss and polished them off this evening!

All this painting has convinced me that just in case this nursing career thing doesn't work out, I definitely have a future in painting. Seriously. This is one of those areas of DIY where a little OCD is a good thing!That being said, I've also discovered that a painter is only as good as the tricks up her sleeve, so here are my tips for painting like a pro (even if you're not!)

Invest in Quality Tools
This is a lesson I learned the hard way. Being on a budget makes it easy to want to save a couple bucks by scrimping on brushes and rollers. Let me save you some time (and money) by telling you up front that this is not the way to go. Believe me, I've tried every level of brush (you know, Good-Better-Best?), and the Best brushes will give you the best results. Higher quality bristles are stiffer, allowing for more precision with cutting in and less splaying over time, as well as less of those annoying bristles that fall out and stick in your paint. If you take care of them, they'll also last you a lot longer than the cheaper alternatives. My hands-down favorite is Purdy, and no they're not paying me to say that nor have I received anything to review. It's my honest opinion after trying all the rest and learning my lesson.

You'll also want to invest in the highest quality roller brushes that you can, as they give more even paint coverage and leave behind less fibers than the less expensive ones. Trust me, nothing ruins a paint finish faster than those little pieces of cotton fiber gummed up with paint.

Prep Your Surface
I'll be the first to admit that I don't always prime my surface...

*gasp*.

The shame!

That being said, I'll 'fess up that in this case, do as I say and not as I do, mmmkay?! Priming not only helps cover up the previous paint color and any stains, but it provides a better canvas for your new paint. This is especially important when you're repainting a surface that you didn't originally paint. Different paint finishes, patches, adhesives, etc., that may be hiding behind your wall color will become quite evident when you repaint without priming.

In my first home, being the naive painter that I was, I painted the existing pink glossy bathroom a deep red without priming. Where the previous wallpaper border had been, the paint was left darker than everywhere else. AND, the paint peeled off of the glossy surface like bad nail polish. No lie.

Luckily, there's now paint with primer so you can technically kill two birds with one stone. That means there's no excuse for me either, right?

Never Underestimate the Value of Tape
For a crisp, clean edge, you can't go wrong with a good painter's tape. I swear by Scotch Blue, but I've also heard great things about Frog Tape. Whichever you use, be sure you clean your surface first with a damp towel to help the tape adhere better. That fine layer of dust that likes to collect on walls and baseboards can make for a less than ideal adhesive surface. Without a good seal, you can have issues with paint seepage, especially on textured surfaces.

Be sure as well to remove your tape within 24-48 hours if possible. The longer it's left on, the more difficult it will be to remove later and the higher the risk you run of pulling up some of your painted finish along with it.

Take Your Time
I am the world's worst about wanting a project done and wanting it done yesterday, but when it comes to painting, a slow hand leads to more even coverage, more precision, and a better end result. Case in point... I unfortunately paid a lot of money to have someone paint my kitchen cabinets before we moved into this home, and because he rushed and took shortcuts, I'm not only out the money, but I already want to repaint them!

Even if you only have an hour or two at a time, do what you can do as best as you can and save the rest for another day. The walls will still be there when you have time to tackle them again.

One wall at a time, sweet Jesus!

I*helpful hint* If you know you'll be revisiting the painting soon, save your paint and roller for the next painting session by covering it with Press and Seal. Works like a charm.

Don't Be Afraid
Last but not least, don't talk yourself out of it. Painting is sometimes a daunting and scary task, especially when you roll that new color on the first time, but it's something anyone can do! It truly is one of the easiest and least expensive ways to change the way your home looks. And best of all, when you change your mind, you can just do it all over again!

So what are you waiting for? Pick a color, pick up a brush, and color your world today!

Valentine’s Feather Wreath

2012-02-04T05:26:00.001-08:00

I decided to do something very cutesy and fun for my Valentine wreath this year… and even better, it’s so easy it’s ridiculous!

I purchased three pink feather boas in the Valentine section at Hobby Lobby (30% off, of course) and a styrofoam wreath form. Using straight stick pins, I secured the feather boa string as I wrapped it around the wreath. (Make sure you pin through the string rather than the feathers or it won’t hold…)

And that was it! It took me all of about five minutes to make this fun, feathery, confection!

Even better, it’s super easy to disassemble if I decide I want to reuse the wreath form, although I don’t think that will be necessary since my youngest has already decided this would go great in her room.

It’s so fun being in a house full of girls sometimes…

I think it goes quite nicely with my turquoise front door, don’t you? Coincidentally, this wreath goes with my Easter décor colors as well so it might live for another season… or perhaps I’ll make one in yellow?

Hope you’re having a great Saturday!

Valentine’s Ruffled Burlap Garland

2012-01-30T20:33:00.001-08:00

I’m starting to come down from the Christmas coma around here and throwing in a little V-Day décor. I began with an easy burlap garland for my mantle, inspired by this ruffled linen garland at Beautiful Nest.

Instead of linen, I cut some strips of budget-friendly burlap in Valentine’s red, and then strung it on some jewelry wire, ruffling as I went.

I added some ticking stripe fabric bows to the ends to finish it off…

I’ve got a couple more things adorning the mantle that I’ll share later… but then again, maybe not. Have you ever tried to get a good mantle pic with a big TV in the middle of it?!

The things we do for love, right?

Hope you’re having an awesome week!

One Month - I Won It!!

2012-01-27T19:28:00.000-08:00

I could not believe my eyes this morning when I saw that the Season 7 winner of One Month to Win It was... ME!!

SHUT the front door!!

Thanks again to all of the fabulous ladies who put together this fun blog event and to all of the contestants... it was such an honor creating with you over the past four weeks. In case you missed any of the OMTWI, head on over to check out the other fabulous projects!

Here's where my French Grain Sack Dresser is being featured:

French Grain Sack Dresser

2012-01-26T20:13:00.000-08:00

So, now that voting is closed, I can let you in on my furniture project!

This final round was the furniture round, and I couldn’t wait to get started on this piece. I picked up this Craigslist dresser on New Year’s Day… for fifty bucks (score!). I wish I’d have remembered to take pictures before the stripping and sanding began, but just picture layers and layers of yellow and tan paint, if you need a visual… Hopefully, the end result will make up for it ;).

I love vintage textiles, and found my inspiration for this dresser in the rustic beauty of striped French grain sacks. The simplicity of the design is timeless… and that’s what I wanted to bring to this piece. After sanding and priming, I painted the dresser with two coats of Martha Stewart’s Glass of Milk (color-matched with Glidden Paint). Once dry, I taped off my lines and dry-brushed the stripe (Martha Stewart Wrought Iron). I then lightly distressed the surface with sandpaper and added a burnt umber glaze for patina. New antique brass hardware (98 cents a piece!) added a nice finishing touch.

My plans of staining the wood top were foiled when some hidden leftover paint decided to peek through my walnut stain… I didn’t want to chance sanding the wood too thin so I decided on another plan. I dry brushed the wood top with the Wrought Iron paint and added a polyurethane finish, buffed to a soft sheen. The end result was a nice, weathered effect with a smooth as glass finish.

I’m quite excited about this new dresser… and it’s new home in my front entry, a great reminder that it is possible to not only make do with old items, but to make them beautiful as well.

And now that the excitement of OMTWI is nearly over (winner announced tomorrow!)… I can refocus on the many other works in progress around here: namely, finishing up with painting my living area, spreading the love with some Valentine’s décor, and perhaps stenciling a wall or two (or three or four?).

Oh, and let’s not forget devouring the neverending supply of holiday-appropriate Hershey kisses in between aforementioned projects, shall we?

It’s good to be home.made.

Linking up with:

Tatertots and Jello
Funky Junk Interiors

Tuesday's Treasures
Wow Us Wednesdays
Power of Paint
Restored It Wednesday

One Month to Win It - Final Round!

2012-01-24T03:38:00.000-08:00

This week marks the final week of:

It's the furniture round, and quite possibly my favorite project yet!

Head on over later to cast your vote!

100 Follower Giveaway - Redraw!!

2012-01-23T05:30:00.000-08:00

I never heard from the first winner, so another name has been chosen!

Congratulations to Pam of Love My Country Home! Pam, I've emailed you!

On Being a Martha... and my Word for the Year

2012-01-22T20:18:00.000-08:00

Have you ever realized that when God wants you to listen to Him better, He keeps repeating the same message to you over and over and over... until He's finally got your attention?

Lately, it seems He's been sending a certain story my way... a story that has been mentioned in my church, in my bible study, in my daily devotional email.

It's the story of Mary and Martha.

I have to admit that I am so convicted by this story because... well,

I am a Martha.

Many days, I am so consumed with managing my list of to-dos, worried about my homekeeping, and overwhelmed by the general busy-ness of life that I tend to miss out on the important things: my faith, my husband, my children. And while I completely enjoy spending time working on projects and my home, sometimes I need to choose what is better. I need to be a Mary.

With that said, my word for 2012 is not so much a what as a who:

Mary

This year, I strive to be more like Mary, ignoring the fact that the house is dirty and the dishes aren't done so I can choose what is better and focus on all I need. My Lord, my man, and my sweet chicks.

Don't get me wrong. Being a Martha is not a bad trait... it's what makes us good hosts, good homekeepers, and good managers of our families. It's also what makes us so busy with being busy that we might miss out on some special moments because we are distracted, and worried, and upset.

But Mary... she didn't allow herself to be distracted when the Lord came to her home. She knew what was important, and it wasn't being a good hostess.

So, this year, my goal is to be more like Mary, while balancing out the Martha aspects that innately are part of me.

How about you? Are you a Mary or a Martha?

{Tutorial} Love Bunting Necklace

2012-01-21T12:30:00.001-08:00

Here it is… the tutorial for my OMTWI clay bunting necklace!

You Will Need:

Air-dry clay
Star cookie cutter, Rectangle cookie cutter (or knife)
Jewelry findings (eye pins, chain, jump rings, toggle or other closure)
Jewelry tools (wire cutter, pliers)
Alphabet stamps

Instructions:

Roll air dry clay onto nonstick surface (clay mat or wax paper). I roll mine between two wooden sticks so the thickness is even.

Next, take your star cookie cutter and cut out a star (You’ll need to repeat if making more than five bunting pieces.) Use a straight edge of your rectangle cookie cutter or knife to cut the triangle tips away from the star.

Now take your eye pin and cut with wire cutter so the pin is just long enough to meet the middle of your clay piece. Insert into side of clay, being careful not to poke through the front or back!

Repeat this step for all of your pieces. Stamp your impression into clay pieces (don’t press too hard so as to not flatten out the clay). Allow to dry as per instructions (at least 24 hours).

Now it’s time to work on your chain. Attach closure pieces to chain ends with a jump ring. Lay this on your neck to figure out where you want the bunting portion to lay on your chest. Trim chain links off as necessary.

When clay pieces are dry, attach bunting pieces together with jump rings. Then attach end pieces to chain with jump rings (I used two per side for a little more give).

And that’s it! For extra customization, how about stamping your children’s initials, or maybe your wedding date, or how about a special number for a special birthday girl?

Me? I chose love… to celebrate the day devoted to the sentiment.

Hope you enjoy – now go make one today for your special valentine!

Linking up here:

Tuesday's Treasures
Wow Us Wednesdays
Shabby Creek Cottage
Crafty Scrappy Happy

Clay Bunting Necklace

2012-01-20T03:20:00.000-08:00

Did you guess this was my project?

The challenge this week was to create a bunting or banner; to me, a bunting is usually associated with some type of celebration. With Valentine’s Day quickly approaching, I thought it fitting to make a bunting to celebrate none other than LOVE (I’m a sap like that). And where better to display a love bunting than near to your heart, right?

Using air-dry clay, some cookie cutters, and jewelry findings, I created a clay bunting necklace. The bunting pieces were fashioned from the star tips, stamped with L-O-V-E, and fitted with eye pins. Once dry, the bunting was strung together with jump rings and attached to the coordinating chain. (The full tutorial will be on the blog this weekend.)

I love that this project can be adapted for many types of buntings… maybe a number signifying a birthday age, a year for a graduate, or perhaps a date for a wedding?

For now… I’ll stick with love. It is all you need anyway. ;)

Click over to One Month to Win It this morning to see if I'm sticking around for the final round!

Winner Winner!

2012-01-18T21:05:00.000-08:00

A little late, but better than never, right?

The winner of the 100 follower giveaway is...

The Noyce Family Adventures!

Honesty, I don't have a way to contact you - I have no email for you nor will your blog let me comment... so please contact me ASAP!

If I don't hear from the winner by Sunday, I'll draw another name.

Thanks again everyone for following - You. Are. Awesome.

*** If you haven't voted yet, head over to One Month to Win It to do so!

99 followers... will you make it 100?

2012-01-16T04:30:00.000-08:00

***Update: Woohoo! We made it to 106 today!! Thanks so much and welcome to my new followers - winner of custom clay tags to be announced tonight!

I can't believe we've almost made it to 100 home.made. followers!!

If you remember a while back, I posted about a 100 followers giveaway... and I'm ready to make some custom clay tags for someone soon! We've only got one more person to go and then all of my fabulous followers are entered into a drawing for six custom, handmade clay tags.

Here are a few I recently added to the shop...

Your custom tags can be round, heart, rectangular, star... you name it. We can finish it off with a special stamp or word or name... whatever you want. It's my small way of saying a big THANK YOU to everyone who visits my litttle creative corner.

So, who will be the 100th follower to get this party started?!

Sheet Music Chalkboard Tray

2012-01-13T21:33:00.000-08:00

Well folks... I made it through to Round Three! This was my project for this past week's challenge...

This week’s challenge was to use DecoArt products. Since I have a fondness for all things vintage, I decided to mix a few DecoArt products to create a time-worn look for my Sheet Music Chalkboard tray.

I painted the tray interior with two coats of DecoArt’s Americana chalkboard paint and decoupaged the exterior of the tray sides with strips of sheet music. Then, I lightly brushed DecoArt’s sky blue acrylic paint to the interior and exterior of the tray sides (over the sheet music). Once dry, I applied DecoArt’s One-Step Crackle coat, then added some patina to the crackling with DecoArt’s staining medium mixed with some dark umber acrylic paint.

And since breakfast in bed is not quite the reality around here, I decided to try out my new tray for other purposes… a place for keys and daily reminders… and a makeshift in/outbox for that neverending pile of mail! It’s also a great place for some coffee table tic-tac-toe…

I love the way the sheet music peeks through the crackling blue paint…

Thanks again for allowing me the privilege of crafting with you for Round Two. I hope you are inspired to play with craft paints in new ways to create beautiful, useful items for your home.

Oh… and you know I don’t want to go home yet, so your vote would mean the world to me!

Best of luck to all of the contestants!

Linking up here:
Tatertots and Jello
Show and Tell Saturday
Saturday Spotlight

One Month to Win It - Round Two

2012-01-09T20:06:00.000-08:00

Get ready for Round Two of OMTWI, starting tomorrow!

This week, the contestants were challenged to create a project with DecoArt products. I can't wait to see what everyone's come up with - will you be able to tell which is mine?!

Make sure you head on over and vote tomorrow...

Fabric {Paper} Dolls–Tutorial

2012-01-07T20:59:00.000-08:00

Here it is… the tutorial for my OMTWI Fabric Paper Dolls!

I found my inspiration in the cherubic faces of the Graphics Fairy’s printable vintage paper dolls. But rather than use paper, which can tear all too easy in the hands of two rambunctious children, I decided to use fabric!

What You’ll Need:

light colored fabric (I used white cotton twill)
Freezer paper
Iron
Inkjet printer
Felt (1 8x12 sheet per printed fabric sheet)
Stiffened felt
Heat n Bond (or similar fusible applique interfacing)
Fabric glue
Velcro

Instructions:

Set iron to warm setting. Place fabric right side down, then place freezer paper on top with waxy side down. Slowly press over freezer paper until it fuses to the fabric.
Cut your fabric/freezer paper to desired printing size (I did 8.5 x 11).
Load fabric/freezer paper into printer tray, being sure to have fabric set correctly for printing. (You may need to mark a piece of paper and print a sample to be sure.) Print image as if you were printing on regular paper.
I let my prints sit out overnight just to be certain the ink was dry. Then, just peel off the freezer paper portion and discard.

5. Bond your applique interfacing to the wrong side of your printed fabric, then to your felt.

6. Next, sew around the outlines of your doll pieces with a straight stitch. *Note* For those of you who don’t sew, this step is optional, since your fabric is already fused. The stitch is more for decorative purposes. (You’re welcome.)

7. At this point, you’re ready to cut around your doll pieces. You’ll want to use scissors that are good for fine handiwork with all of the teensy pieces – I used my fave CutterBee scissors.
8. Trace the outline of your doll figures onto stiffened felt. Cut out just inside your tracing outline. Using fabric glue, glue to back of doll figure.

9. I don’t have a picture for this next step, but it’s super easy. Cut out a tiny piece of velcro (about the size of a pencil eraser) – secure the hook side to doll clothing tabs with a small dab of hot glue. Try your clothes on your doll and make a mark where the velcro meets when the tab is folded around the doll – hot glue the soft velcro side on this mark.
~Velcro placement will vary based on the clothing pieces that come with the doll image.~

10. Now, it’s time to play!

I adore the vintage images of these sweet, rosy-cheeked, wide-eyed little girls and hope you’re inspired to make your very own Fabric Paper Dolls (whether for you or for that special little person). I will warn you… be prepared to put up a fight with your children for these cuties!

Linking up with these fab ladies:
Tatertots and Jello
Show and Tell Saturday

Wow Us Wednesdays
Strut Your Stuff

One Month to Win It - Fabric Paper Dolls

2012-01-06T19:36:00.000-08:00

So, did you guess that these little cuties were my OMTWI project?

I sorta love them. :)

I will be posting the tutorial for these this weekend so you can make your very own precious, rosy-cheeked fabric paper dolls... be prepared to have to steal them away from your children!

Painting Progress and Why You Should Never Used Oil-Based Gloss on White Paint

2012-01-05T20:09:00.001-08:00

Long title, right? Ha!

So, it’s the fifth day of the new year and I’m already knocking out one of those goals I set for my home this year: Goal Numero Uno - Painting my living area and hallways.

I headed to Home Depot on Monday and picked up two gallons of Glidden Paint in Natural Linen, a lighter alternative to the harvest gold color that graced my walls from the prior owners. (Please excuse the pillow fort mess and the lovely futon – which, btw, can be yours if interested. Anyone?)

Ahem. Back to the natural linen.

A couple of days, a little painter’s tape, and nearly a gallon of paint later… I’ve already tackled the back wall of my living room and half of the hallway leading to the Master Bedroom. Holla!

I must admit… I don’t know that there’s a more gratifying experience than peeling up that painter’s tape and seeing the clean, crisp line of a fresh paint job. It’s glorious, I tell ya. Already, I can tell a big difference with the way the new wall color reflects light. I can’t wait to see how much brighter my living room is when I’m done!

(And I’m hoping that will motivate me to complete the rest of my living room to-dos.)

Now, the other paint project calling my name is my kitchen cabinets, and I’m about to show you why.

See the interior of the cabinet door? That is Martha Stewart Sweet Cream, the color my cabinets are supposed to be with an antiqued glaze for patina. Now look above door. See the yellow, drippy looking finish?

That, my friends, is what happens when your painter decides to take a short cut and coat your beautiful sweet cream cabinets with an oil-based gloss rather than repaint with a semi-gloss like we requested. It wasn’t that bad when we moved in, but over time, the yellowing has worsened so much so that the once-undetectable drips are now very noticeable.

Ew.

And one more to demonstrate the difference again. Sickening, right? It’s even worse on my laundry room cabinets, which I somehow forgot during that whole Home Goals process. You can bet I’m gonna paint those puppies too!

BTW – if anyone would like to have me review their paint in the process *cough – Home Depot – cough*, I’d be more than happy to help you out. Just sayin’.

So there you have it folks, the 411 on the latest home happenings and hopefully some information that will help you avoid the yellow aftermath that is oil-based gloss.

***Still waiting to hear if I’m moving on to the next round of One Month to Win It. I’ve got my next project ready just in case and will be posting the tutorial for the first round project this weekend.

Home Goals for 2012

2012-01-03T20:28:00.001-08:00

We moved into our home a little over a year ago. The few months leading up to that were quite a whirlwind… it took over two months to close on the sale of our previous home (after we had already moved out and leased another place), my oldest started kindergarten, then we decided to back out on building a home (losing earnest money in the process) and bought this one instead. To top it off, we were able to sublet the place we were renting (thank you God!) but that meant moving out on a Friday and having the place cleaned and move-in ready for the next morning.

It felt like we were just getting settled when my youngest fell and broke her jaw and our world was rocked again. By the grace of God, she avoided having her jaw wired shut but we still endured six weeks of a blended diet with a three year old (not to mention the corneal abrasion she suffered post-operatively).

Several weeks later, the flu got the best of all of us but my husband.

To say we were exhausted is an understatement.

I had such great plans for our new place, but had no energy to get the long list of to-do’s accomplished.

Enter 2012.

Along with many other bloggers, I’ve got a long list of things to do in my humble little abode this year, and I am bound and determined to get these all crossed off by this time next year! Here are my:

Home Goals for 2012

Repaint my living room and hallways. (Turns out that I don’t like the previous homeowner’s shade of gold as much as I thought.)
Make curtains for my living room and dining area. (Unless I find a great deal that even Dave Ramsey would approve of…)
Add stenciling and Board & Batten to my front entry. (Nothing would make my heart sing like a wall of white B&B and perfectly placed hooks.
Repaint my Master Bedroom. (Olive green. Everywhere. Enough said.)
Repaint my kitchen cabinets. (I’ll go into this in more detail later, but let me just preface by saying that oil-based glaze really does turn yellow. Yeah.)
Finish recovering those gosh-darn cushions for the outdoor settee. (I can do this… only six more to go!)
Give my daughter the safari/jungle room of her dreams. (In moderation, of course.)
Paint stripes. Somewhere. (Half-bath, perhaps?)
Refinish our old armoire and convert to a home-office. (This idea looks great in my mind.)
Hang things on the wall, already. (Blame the painting, folks. Or my lack of commitment. Whatever.)

So that’s it. Whaddya think? Can I do it?

Here’s to a productive and refreshing 2012!

One Month to Win It - Season 7

2012-01-02T06:30:00.000-08:00

Today marks the first week of competition in Season 7 of One Month to Win It!

The contestant projects, including mine, will be up tomorrow morning for your voting, so please be sure to visit and cast your vote.

Now which project is mine??

Hmmmmmm.

You'll have to make that guess on your own, as the projects are anonymous during voting, but once voting is closed, I'll reveal my project and the tutorial!

Make sure you check in tomorrow on OMTWI to vote - hopefully I'll get to stick around for week two!

Happy New Year!

2012-01-01T04:15:00.001-08:00

It’s 2012.

How did that happen so quickly?!

We had a low-key New Year’s Eve at home with the girls, sitting out by the outdoor fireplace, roasting marshmallows and eating smores… listening to all of the fireworks pop around us and occasionally catching a glimpse of some in the distant night sky,

We welcomed 2012, Eastern Standard Time.

Yes, we live in Texas. HA!

To celebrate the occasion, I whipped up a little 2012 banner complete with the Blog Fairy’s Champagne girl graphic centered in a firework burst of sheet music!

This photo represents a goodbye to a great 2011 as I peek over the Christmas tree (yes, it’s still up – I leave it up every year until January 6th, the Feast of the Wise Men).

Here’s to a fantastic 2012!

Linking here:

Brag Monday

Christmas Recap

2011-12-30T20:35:00.001-08:00

As things are winding down for the holiday season, I thought I’d share a few snippets of our Christmas…

My daughter’s first letter to Santa… (she got most of what she asked for thanks to St. Nick!) And no, Santa does not have a hook arm – that’s a candy cane ;. Gotta love first grader art, right?

Aforementioned first grader in the giant coloring castle that has taken over my office!

Homemade Marshmallows for the neighbors, made with this recipe from the Brownie Points Blog.

Christmas morning breakfast of homemade waffles and fresh fruit (and hot cocoa with colored marshmallows, of course).

And the girls in the Christmas outfits they wore for about, oh, five minutes. Grrrr. (I made them Santa shirts and red satin circle skirts with Dana’s tutorial, btw.)

Hope you had a wonderful Christmas – can you believe it’s almost 2012??!!

Estate Sale Console Makeover

2011-12-26T13:05:00.001-08:00

I sort of revealed my red console in my Christmas Cookie party post, but what furniture makeover is complete without a post completely dedicated to it, right?! Right.
My sister found this console in an estate sale held at the home next to her:

As you can tell, it was in excellent condition. Whoever had it either never used it or took very good care of it – score for me either way. Oh, and did I mention it was only 50 bucks? Super score!
I know what you’re thinking… why make over a piece that doesn’t have anything wrong with it? Believe me, Mr. home.made. would agree with you. He just couldn’t understand why I’d want to paint “perfectly good wood”; honestly, I thought about keeping it as-is for a ~~very~~ brief second for that same reason.
But then I realized – it’s great as-is, but I wanted to make it mine, to make it more home.made. Plus, I have a lot of dark wood in my home between furniture and wood floors and wood plantation shutters, so more dark wood is not what I had in mind.
Enter Glidden’s Red Delicious paint.
Rather than sanding, I decided to simply prime this piece. I ran out of my foam rollers, so I used a textured wall roller for the larger areas – not a good idea if you’re looking for smooth, even coverage, mind you. I however, like the stippled effect it left – after applying the red paint, the stippled primer coverage gave the paint the effect of an old piece of enamelware – it was a happy accident!
I wanted a hand-painted look, so I brushed two coats of the paint on with my trusty Purdy brushes. Once dry, I brushed on a dark umber glaze made by mixing tintable glaze with dark umber craft paint. I then wiped it off with scrap t-shirt rags, leaving more of the glaze in the natural nooks and crannies of the wood to enhance the patina.
I finished it off with a coat of Annie Sloan soft furniture wax, buffed to a soft sheen.

I painted over the original hardware with some chalkboard paint to give them a matte finish, leaving a little of the gold peeking through for a worn look.

I did a little bit of sanding to distress the edges just enough to show the white layer from the primer.

This console has been a perfect addition to my dining area. It’s already been put to use as a buffet during our cookie decorating party and was a perfect complement to my cherry pie and vintage Rosepoint China on Christmas Eve.

And I’m happy to say, it even won the approval of Mr. home.made.
Turns out that “perfectly good wood” is sometimes perfectly good to paint.

Linking up here:

Wow Us Wednesdays

Power of Paint PartyTransformation ThursdayStrut Your StuffMiss Mustard Seed

Merry Christmas

2011-12-24T06:52:00.000-08:00

Source: etsy.com via Lila on Pinterest

Warmest holiday wishes from my family to yours!

{Free Printable} Twas the Night Before Christmas

2011-12-23T11:37:00.000-08:00

Okay, so technically, it's the night before the night before Christmas... but how about a free printable to put up just in time for ole Saint Nick's arrival??

Wishing you a blessed and joyous holiday season!

Christmas Skirt Roundup

2011-12-20T20:56:00.000-08:00

So it's only, what, four days until Christmas and I have yet to make my girls' Christmas outfits! Never fear - the fabric and notions are purchased and waiting and I have an idea of what I'm going to put together, but a little Pinspiration never hurts, does it? Here are some of my fave ideas...

Source: aestheticnest.com via rhonda on Pinterest

The little girl's couture skirt is divine.

Source: simplesimonandco.blogspot.com via rhonda on Pinterest

You can't go wrong with pink AND tulle, can you?

Source: thecraftingchicks.com via rhonda on Pinterest

A circle wrap skirt that looks easy peasy to make!

Source: makeit-loveit.com via rhonda on Pinterest

What girl (young or old) doesn't like a pettiskirt?

Source: theadventuresofroryandjess.blogspot.com via rhonda on Pinterest

The utilitarian skirt, complete with pockets!

Source: dana-made-it.com via rhonda on Pinterest

Simple circle skirt with an elastic waistband.

Source: mesewcrazy.com via rhonda on Pinterest

Yet another circle skirt... sensing a theme?One of these skirts is what I plan on making my girls for part of their Christmas outfits, but I won't tell you now... I'll show you once they're done! Hopefully I'll ~~have~~ make time to finish the special accessory I have in mind...

Are you making any wearables this holiday season?

Have you finished them yet? Please say you're still working on them like me!!

Kid-Friendly Craft: Cinnamon Ornaments

2011-12-17T04:50:00.001-08:00

School's out for the holidays.

For those of you that are parents, that signals just the beginning of the "I'm Bored" and "There's Nothing to Do!" doldrums...

I have a Christmas craft for you that will make something beautiful for your home (that smells amazing!) and give those idle hands something to do: Cinnamon Ornaments.

What You’ll Need:

3/4 c applesauce

4.12 oz. ground cinnamon (large bottle)

bamboo skewer or drinking straw

string/ribbon

How to:

This is so simple, I’m just going to give you instructions and let you run with it, k?

1. Preheat oven to 200°F. Mix applesauce and cinnamon in small bowl until a smooth ball of dough is formed. (You may need use your hands to incorporate all of the cinnamon.) Using about 1/4 of the dough at a time, roll dough to 1/4-inch to 1/3-inch thickness between two sheets of plastic wrap. Peel off top sheet of plastic wrap. Cut dough into desired shapes with 2- to 3-inch cookie cutters. Make a hole at top of ornament with drinking straw or skewer. Place ornaments on baking sheet.

2. Bake 2 1/2 hours. Cool ornaments on wire rack. (Or, to dry ornaments at room temperature, carefully place them on wire rack. Let stand 1 to 2 days or until thoroughly dry, turning occasionally.)

3. Insert string/ribbon through holes and tie to hang.

Source

Enjoy!

First Annual Christmas Cookie Decorating Party!

2011-12-15T19:48:00.001-08:00

Christmas cookies have always had a special place in my heart. Growing up, we would invite some of my cousins over during the holidays to decorate cookies. (Back then, it was pretty much just sprinkles and colored sugar, but we had fun nonetheless.) My mom would assemble Christmas platters every year for our elderly neighbors – there’d be an apple strudel in the middle surrounded by those cookies and a smattering of Hershey kisses. *sigh* Good times.

It’s a genetic thing, I think. My mom’s mom had a thing for Christmas cookies too. She’d start making batches a couple of months out, freezing them in decorative tins until it was time for Christmas. I can’t even tell you how many varieties I sampled while I lived with my grandparents during college. I can tell you that icebox cookies taste just as good frozen as they do freshly baked.

*sigh* More good times.

With all this baking in my blood, it was just a matter of time before the tradition made its way to my home, and this past Sunday, we had our inaugural Christmas Cookie Decorating Party! HUGE shout out to my big sis who rolled and baked cookies like they were going out of style while I was cleaning up the aftermath of a week as a hunting widow. (Those of you who know that term can feel my pain, right?!)

The cookies were piled high – there were multiple holiday shapes of sugar cookies for the kiddos to decorate as well as the traditional gingerbread man. Cupcake liners held assorted candies, sprinkles, etc..

Yes, these are before photos. You’ll see the rest of the story in a bit…

I haven’t officially revealed it, but this delicious red baby is my $50 estate sale console! It was perfect for my snack table. I added a mirror and this free printable banner from TomKat Studios’ feature for HGTV, then adorned with some candy cane trees and festive reindeer party ware from ~~my second home~~ Hobby Lobby. (Who can resist 50% off?)

Another view, with my red country Christmas tree in the background. In the mirror’s reflection, you can see the pompom garland we hung from the transom windows and the cookie cutters added in as part of the décor as well.

But let’s get to the real reason we’re here, shall we?

Decorating cookies!

We provided squeeze bottles of icing in white, red, blue, and green, and the kids were all. about. the. icing. If you’re thinking of having one of these parties yourself, let me just share this with you: the icing will be everywhere, as will all of the teensy weensy sprinkles...

But that’s what makes it fun, right?!

When the party was over, we transferred each child’s cookies to their own bakery box so they could enjoy the sweets they prepared. Then, we gave them each a keepsake ornament to remind them of the day. Remember these little guys?

It was a fun day… the beginning of what I hope to be many Christmas cookie memories for my children and for their friends, and perhaps a tradition my own daughters will one day carry on.

Perhaps one day their children will sneak away with the candy while their mama’s setting up a photo?!

Hope you’re having a joyous holiday season so far!

{Sunday Spotlight} Christmas Cookies!

2011-12-11T05:37:00.001-08:00

Today, we will be hosting our first annual Christmas Cookie Decorating Party for my daughters and some of their friends. The cookies are made, the frosting is ready, the tablescapes are set, and the excitement is in the air. While we await the sticky mess that is sure to come, here are some creative Christmas Cookie ideas just for you!

Source: glorioustreats.blogspot.com via Joy on Pinterest

What's not to love about red~aqua~green color combos?

Source: glorioustreats.blogspot.com via Vica on Pinterest

The pastel snowflakes are too pretty to eat!

Source: gastrogirl.tumblr.com via Rachel on Pinterest

This takes the classic gingerbread up a notch!

Source: sweetopia.net via Emily on Pinterest

These would be so gorgeous on a cookie tree, don't you think?

Source: marthastewart.com via Maisie on Pinterest

Or perhaps a cookie tree puzzle? Love.

And just for some reality... this is probably what we'll have going on around here later...

Source: joyshope.com via Shar on Pinterest

Hope you're having a wonderful Sunday!
14 days til Christmas!

12 Days of Christmas Printables!

2011-12-09T06:00:00.000-08:00

You can catch me over at A Simply Klassic Home today, sharing my latest free printable just for you!

100 Followers Giveaway!

2011-12-06T21:11:00.001-08:00

We are now up to 80 followers of my little creative space… I am so excited that you guys are part of the home.made. family! Only twenty more to go until the big 100, and to celebrate, I’ll be giving away some of these to one lucky winner!

Handmade clay tags, anyone?

When we hit 100 followers, all of those who belong to that group will be entered to win a set of six clay tags, handmade by yours truly. The winner gets to choose the type of tag… plain round, stamped, lace-embossed, special initials, whatever!

Maybe you’d like some like these little guys, which I made tonight for our first annual Christmas Cookie Decorating party this weekend!

The choice is yours…

Thank you so much friends, for reading, for commenting, for making this small town girl feel, well, not so small.

Okay then… get to following!!

I've Been Featured!!

2011-12-06T03:35:00.001-08:00

Thanks so much to the following blogs for featuring my Knockoff BD Advent Pillow! Head on over to these sites to see the other fab features!

Sheet Music Bells Wreath

2011-12-04T12:18:00.001-08:00

As my previous post alluded, I sort of have a crush on sheet music. Appropriately, I’ve decided to use it in my Christmas décor this year. I’m working on a tutorial for my burlap sheet music ornament shown in this post, I’ve got a couple of glass ornaments filled with shredded sheet music on my tree, and now my front door is wearing this:

I reused the wreath form from last year’s BHG knockoff yarn wreath, and added some sheet music-decoupaged bells.

The bells are plastic silver bells purchased from Hobby Lobby during their Black Friday madness. I used my scalloped circle punch to cut out the sheet music, and layered the circles over one another as I applied with Mod Podge. I gave the circles a good coat of Mod Podge on top to help them mold to the curved shape.

I then hot glued some lace trim around the edges to add a sweet vintage flair.

As I was working on the bells, I had a certain song in my head…

“I heard the bells on Christmas Day,

their old familiar carols play…

And mild and sweet their songs repeat,

of peace on earth, good will to men.”

I thought that Peace on Earth is a perfect sentiment for the celebration of Christ’s birth – so I added some glittered word banners expressing the message.

“Till, ringing singing, on its way,

The world revolved from night to day,

A voice, a chime, a chant sublime,

Of peace on earth, good will to men!”

Linking up here:

The 36th Avenue

House of Hepworths

{Friday Faves} Sheet Music

2011-12-01T20:35:00.001-08:00

Okay - I must confess. I am just a little bit obsessed with all things sheet music lately. Call it the band geek in me, but there's something so enchanting about notes dancing across a page and words like pianissimo and stocatto telling the musician how to tell the musical story... *sigh*

Here are some inspiring ways to use sheet music in your home...

Source: etsy.com via rhonda on Pinterest

This sheet music wreath is gorgeous - love how the music is centered with the rose and sort of fades out into the edges...

Source: etsy.com via rhonda on Pinterest

A sheet music star urchin? Pinch me!

Source: etsy.com via rhonda on Pinterest

Love these christmas tags with a classic: Jingle Bells.

Source: etsy.com via rhonda on Pinterest

I don't know what to like more... the sheet music or the sassy little red birds!

Source: etsy.com via rhonda on Pinterest

Be still my heart. Have you see a rose more beautiful?!

Hope you enjoyed - be sure to visit these Etsy sellers if this sheet music tickles your fancy!

Christmas Décor that Reflects You

2011-11-27T20:25:00.001-08:00

It’s after Thanksgiving, so you know what that means… it’s time to decorate for Christmas! I was able to get most of my decorating accomplished with this long weekend and with my hubby’s help, so I thought I’d share a little bit of it so far.

In lieu of a traditional garland, I made a few glittered word banners with some chipboard letters and some Martha Stewart antique silver glitter. After making a few banners and some ornaments, there’s pretty much not a room in my house that doesn’t have some glitter sprinkled about. The stuff gets everywhere! But I have to admit, it’s beautiful. And sparkly. And perfect.

I made this ornament by printing some Silent Night sheet music and tearing the edges to give it a worn look. I then Mod Podged (*giggle* who knew Mod Podge was a verb?!) it to a piece of burlap and frayed the edges. It hangs from a jute cord.
I found that while I was decorating, I still liked my old ornaments and “theme”, but I felt as if the tree didn’t exactly reflect me or my aesthetic at this point in my life. It felt a little too mass-produced Hobby Lobby and not quite home.made. (Note – there is nothing wrong with the Hob Lob. In fact, I practically live there!)
What I ended up doing was parking on the floor and getting out the glitter and glue and fabric and creating things for this Christmas. Do you find yourself doing the same?

I found myself playing with clay again and making more clay tags. I hung my Thankful Tree tags on my Christmas tree since their sentiment reflects much of what is important during this holiday as well – and this one is one of my latest creations. I pressed a piece of lace into the edge and added a crystal for sparkle.

This one fell victim to the glittering…but I love it too.

And finally is this pretty snow angel – a free graphic from The Graphics Fairy herself – cut out and Mod Podged (there I go again) to some sheet music scrapbook paper. Oh, and glittered.
Of course.
So how about you? What are you doing this Christmas season to make your decorating mark?

Linking up here:

{Tutorial} Knock-Off Ballard Designs Advent Pillow

2011-11-24T20:20:00.001-08:00

I recently received the holiday edition of Ballard Designs’ catalog in the mail. Amidst all of the gorgeous pages of holiday décor was this Advent Pillow:

Cute right?
Apparently a lot of other people think so too, because it looks like it’s already no longer available…
What’s a girl to do? In this case, make one! I present my version of the BD Advent Pillow:

Want one for your very own? Here’s the how-to!

You Will Need:

1 yard fabric (I chose a cotton ticking stripe)
2 yards cotton webbing (found in the ribbon section of your fabric store)
16 x 16 pillow insert
Number stamps and fabric paint (or number stencils), paintbrush

Instructions:

1. From fabric, cut one 17” x 17” square and two 17'” x 10” rectangles (be sure to match direction if using stripes)

2. Cut five pieces of webbing, each 17” long.

3. Measure two inches from top of 17” x 17” square and line up top of your cotton webbing. Pin in place. Then measure two inches from bottom of webbing and line up top of next strip. Pin. Repeat for remaining strips.

4. Sew along bottom of each cotton webbing strip as close as possible to the edge. I used a straight stitch.

5. When you are finished, it will look like this:

6. Next, you are going to measure across to mark your “pockets”. Measure in four inches from the left edge and mark. Measure three inches and mark (three times). I found it easier to mark all pieces of webbing at the same time to help keep the pockets in line.

7. Sew along each line, stay-stitching on each end of the webbing for reinforcement. The easiest way to do this (rather than snipping threads after each time) is to complete one vertical seam, pick up your sewing needle and pull through fabric to the next line and repeat until all five vertical seams are sewn. Then repeat for the next column.
(See in the pic how the thread connects in between the webbing? You’ll snip it later, so no worries. This will save you a ton of time!)

8. Once all vertical pockets are sewn, it will look like this:

9. Now set this piece aside and lets work on the back pieces for the envelope closure. On the long end of your rectangle (WS), fold in edge 1/4” and press. Fold this in again 1/4” and press, then pin. Repeat for other rectangle, then sew along each seam using a 1/8” seam allowance.

10. Now it’s time to assemble your pillow cover. Lay the 17” x 17” rectangle RSU. Line up 17” x 10” rectangles with the edges WSU. These pieces overlap as they will form an envelope closure. Pin along outer edges.

11. Using a 3/8” seam allowance. sew along outer edges, stay-stitching over the overlapping seams for extra reinforcement. Trim threads and finish raw edge with a zigzag stitch, serger, or pinking shears. Turn right-side out and press. (Sorry, I don’t have a picture for this part…)

12. Now it’s time to put on your numbers! I used wooden stamps and black fabric paint, then hand-stamped the numbers to the center of each “pocket”. Note – the stamps work better if you brush the paint on with a paintbrush rather than coat it as if in ink. Trust me, I learned this the hard way. ';) If you’re worried about your paint bleeding through, place a piece of heavy card stock or cardboard inside your cover.

13. Allow paint to dry and that’s it! Now find something to use as your Advent pillow marker. I used a felt gingerbread man, but you can use a candy cane, or a small Christmas cookie cutter, whatever you like.

Hope you enjoyed this tutorial and that you make one of these pillows to help count down the days until December 25th!!

I'm auditioning!

Linking up:
Tatertots and Jello

Days of Chalk and Chocolate
Home Stories A to Z

Wow us Wednesdays

The 36th AvenueScraps of LifeKeeping the Christmas Spirit AliveSomewhat Simple

In everything, give thanks

2011-11-24T07:31:00.001-08:00

Source: adventuresofabettycrockerwannabe.blogspot.com via Natalie on Pinterest

Wishing you and yours a very Happy Thanksgiving!

Craigslist Dresser Redo!

2011-11-21T19:16:00.001-08:00

After the last dresser transformation, we're a little addicted to the whole giving-new-life-to-old-things... um, thing. Mr. home.made. found a beauty of a dresser on Craigslist, and together, we turned it into this:

He took care of the priming, painting, and artwork... and I distressed, glazed, and waxed.

I love all of the special things this piece has: the ornate wood details, the curved body, the scalloped feet...

Equally as special is the inspiration behind the words gracing the drawer fronts:

Now may the God of hope make you full of joy and peace through faith, so that all hope may be yours in the power of the Holy Spirit. ~ Romans 15:13

Wanna know what else is neat?

Mr. home.made and I have decided to venture out with a little furniture restoration business! This dresser is our first piece to restore together *weep*... and hopefully we'll have much more to show you along the journey! I'll be posting details on this piece soon - or if you're interested and you're in the Austin/San Antonio area, email me for more info!

Linking up here:

Primitive and Proper
Domestically Speaking
Savvy Southern Style
Transformation Thursdays
Somewhat Simple

{Friday Faves} Silhouette Cameo

2011-11-18T03:31:00.001-08:00

I am seriously in love with this little booger:

Unfortunately, it's not exactly in the boo-jwah (Layla's word for budget ;)) so I am resigned to enter every Silhouette Cameo giveaway known to man until I finally am lucky enough to win one!

In case you're in the same budget boat as me, here's a list of the awesome blog sites currently hosting giveaways - go sign up! (Yes... I know it lessens my odds of winning, but Pay it Forward, right?!)

Good luck!

Ucreate

Craftaholics anonymous

eighteen25

THE idea ROOM

make it and love it

Burlap Pumpkin Tutorial at Or so she says!!

2011-11-14T09:00:00.000-08:00

I am honored to be sharing my burlap pumpkin tutorial over at Or so she says today! Head on over to check it out and be sure to leave some comment love!

Giving Thanks Wreath

2011-11-13T20:40:00.001-08:00

I finally changed out my Halloween wreath this weekend – only two weeks later! It’s a simple, natural wreath, one that reflects the simplicity that is Thanksgiving before the chaos that is Christmas. The calm before the storm, perhaps?

Rather than purchase another wreath form, I disassembled the Halloween wreath (making a huge mess of glitter, straw, and ribbon in the process…) and then re-wrapped the form with strips of ivory burlap. I then took some leftover ruffled muslin strips (from my tablecloth project) and hot glued it around the perimeter.

Don’t know if you recognize the little glitter accents… those are the acorn caps from my Glittered Acorns! The acorns have long since dried out, so they were falling out of their caps. I wanted to get a little more use out of them, so I embellished the wreath with them, a glittered homage to nailhead trim.

The “give thanks” pennant banner was fashioned from hand-cut burlap triangles hot glued to jute string. I wrote the letters freehand with a paint pen (cause a Silhouette is unfortunately not in the budget… or boo-jwah as Layla calls it).

It’s a pretty little wreath – one whose color matches a certain entryway that was painted today… no reveal just yet.
*wink*
Hope you had a terrific Sunday!

Thankful Tree

2011-11-12T12:33:00.001-08:00

With Thanksgiving approaching, many of us are reflecting on all of the things for which we are ever so thankful... I put together a Thankful tree as a reminder of how very blessed we are.

I ventured away from the usual paper tag and made mine out of clay, securing them with jute string to my found branches.

I used some simple rubber alphabet stamps to spell out my words and once the tags were cool, wiped them with some aqua craft paint to enhance the letters. I love the not-so-perfect look about these. I love that you can tell they're handmade.

I've never made clay tags before, so I did a little internet search and found this clay tag tutorial at B&B's Nest. It's a simple project that doesn't require a lot of time for such a charming end product.

My neighbor's oak tree provided yet again for one of my projects - the bottom of my vase is filled with fallen acorns and oak leaves.

Faith... Hope... Love... Family... Joy... for these things I am so thankful.

What are you thankful for today?

Tuesday's Treasures at Uncommon Slice of Suburbia

Wow Us Wednesday at Savvy Southern StyleTea Rose HomeShabby Creek Cottage

{Friday Faves} Colored Trim!

2011-11-10T19:35:00.001-08:00

When we bought our home, we had some renovations done to make the house a little more "us", and while I liked some of the existing paint colors at the time, I have since changed my mind and decided I want to lighten things up around here. Here's the deal though: the lady that lived here before us really liked paint (no joke: there were nearly twenty cans in the garage!) and that extended to most of the trim in the house, which she painted a green shade (sage perhaps?). After tackling our office and having to repaint the ceiling, walls, and trim, I'm not too enthused about painting all of the trim in the house white. However, I am sort of intrigued with light walls and colored trim.

Here are some of my inspiring pins:

Source: decornaturel.blogspot.com via rhonda on Pinterest

Source: housepaintingtutorials.com via rhonda on Pinterest

Source: cotedetexas.blogspot.com via rhonda on Pinterest

Source: hausandhome.blogspot.com via rhonda on Pinterest

Source: simpleblueprint.typepad.com via rhonda on Pinterest

Source: theoldpaintedcottage.blogspot.com via rhonda on Pinterest

Source: housebeautiful.com via rhonda on Pinterest

What do you think? Should I keep the colored trim and just lighten up the walls?

{Friday Faves} Board and Batten

2011-11-03T20:09:00.000-07:00

I am here today to confess my longstanding affair with a certain wall treatment... namely, Board and Batten. I love that it adds a dimensional element to your wall that paint alone can not accomplish. I also love that it's something you can do that completely changes a room without breaking the bank!

Here's some of my inspiration pins for the B&B I hope to have in my entry one day soon!

Source: jennasuedesign.blogspot.com via rhonda on Pinterest

This is exactly the look I'm going for with the B&B and hooks!

Source: centsationalgirl.com via rhonda on Pinterest

Source: casabellaproject.com via rhonda on Pinterest

Love the B&B as a ledge for wall art and photos...

Source: imbusyprocrastinating.com via rhonda on Pinterest

The answer to a perfect beachy bathroom.

Source: countrygirlhome.blogspot.com via rhonda on Pinterest

Love how the B&B envelopes the entire entryway.

Source: homestoriesatoz.com via rhonda on Pinterest

And two rows of hooks AND a picture ledge? Genius.

What about you? Any B&B plans in your future?

Chalk Paint Dresser Redo!

2011-10-31T19:38:00.000-07:00

I know you've all been patiently waiting, and the time has finally come for the reveal of my $25 garage sale dresser redo!!

In case you've forgotten, she started out looking like this:

And now, in all her glory...

I painted her (Yes, it's a her. There's nothing masculine about this beauty!) with two coats of Annie Sloan Chalk Paint in Provence, followed by a coat of clear wax. This was my first time using the famous ASCP and I am quite pleased with the results. Yes, it's expensive, but it is so worth it. (If anything, to not have to sand and prime...)
This was also my first experience with waxing a piece of furniture, and it wasn't quite as bad as I had originally feared. I do wonder, however, if I'll ever be able to buff without channeling a little Karate Kid and repeating "Wax on... wax off". *snort*

One of the original drawer pulls was broken, so I decided to replace them all with new hardware. I found these brushed nickel pulls at Home Depot and I think they complement the blue nicely.

I recruited my sister's help with a little furniture rearranging and moved my new dresser to her intended home - my front entryway. She's fitting in quite nicely, don't you think?

Project breakdown:

Dresser: $25

Paint: $35

Hardware: $30

Grand Total: $90

I'd say I made out like a bandit on this one! Just wait til you see the estate sale console I scored for $50!

Linking up here:

Not Just a Housewife
Savvy Southern Style
Primitive and Proper
Somewhat Simple
Shabby Creek Cottage Transformation Thursday
House of Hepworths

Miss Mustard Seed

Double double, Toil and trouble...

2011-10-30T18:47:00.000-07:00

Here we are, all decked out in our Halloween best. My oldest daughter went as a "zombie Indian" (translation - she wanted at first to be an indian princess and decided last minute to be a zombie). My youngest was a bride. My awesome sister... the fabulous Cruella Da Vil. (Tell me that's not a fantastic costume!) And I was, of course, a witch - a good witch I might add. (The little girl next door asked me just to be sure I wasn't a bad witch!)

We had quite the evening of trick or treating - made much more enjoyable by joining in on the dressing up. Why should the kids have all the fun, right?!

Hope you have a Bootiful Halloween!!

{Tutorial} Mod Podge Witch Hat

2011-10-26T20:48:00.000-07:00

With all of the excitement I’ve been brewing for Halloween, it seemed only fitting that I dress up for the occasion, and as a witch, of course. A standard black witch hat wouldn’t do, though, so I’ve put a little home.made. spin on it – it’s a Mod Podge Witch Hat!

Want one of your very own? Here’s the Mod Podge Witch Hat tutorial for you!
You will need:

plain black witch hat
Mod Podge
plastic shopping bag (large or several small)
paint brush or foam sponge
hot glue
glitter
black feather boa
sheer black fabric (chiffon, nylon, etc.); 1/2 yard
assorted decorations

Instructions:
1. Crumple up your plastic shopping bag(s) and stuff the inside of your hat.

2. Paint on a layer of Mod Podge to the hat portion (not the brim), shaping the hat as you go. Allow to dry.

3. Now paint on a second layer of Mod Podge, and add glitter. (***Note – you’ll want to do this over some newspaper or other covering. It gets messy!)

4. Once dry, shake off excess glitter.

5. Next, you’ll attach your fabric by running a bead of hot glue along the edge where the hat meets the brim and pressing down the fabric, being careful not to burn your fingers!

6. At this point, you can either fold the fabric under the brim and glue to the underside, or you can let it hang for a veil effect.

7. Using the same glue technique, add your feather boa along the seam where you glued your fabric. Trim excess.

8. Now it’s time to add your embellishments! I randomly hot glued some sparkly beads; then I added some of these critters, cause every witch hat needs some stretch rats, right?

9. I couldn’t find plain old spiders, so I used spider rings and simply cut off the ring portion, then glued on the spiders.

Love how this one’s about to crawl up my nose! *snort*!
10. Once you’ve embellished to your heart’s content… that’s it. Put your hat aside until it’s time to get your costume on! (And fyi, I will have pictures of my full costume ~ hat included ~ after Saturday’s Halloween bash!
Hope you’re able to use this tutorial to make yourself a fun new witch hat – Have a Spooktacular Halloween!!

Linking up here:

To Catch an Armadillo

2011-10-25T19:31:00.000-07:00

One of the things I love about where we live is that, even though we're in a well-established neighborhood, there is never a shortage of exciting things for us to discover in the great outdoors. I've had deer in my front yard munching on the acorns... had a fox scare the bajeezus out of me on a morning run... had my dog barking madly at an opposum who was, well, playing 'possum!

I've also had the not so pleasant discovery of another creature - the nine-banded armadillo. Little did I know how destructive these guys were... they've dug up most of my mulch in the flowerbeds looking for grubs. They've left behind a mine field of holes in my backyard that are capable of breaking your ankle. And they've managed to dig themselves some nice entryways under the fence between our yard and the field behind the house.

Little nine-banded devils, no doubt.

So what does a gal do? I went against all of my Texas roots and put away the artillery in favor of a live animal trap. I did some research on how to bait an armadillo, but it was not something I was interested in - Meal Worms, Maggots, Spoiled Meat, Sardines??!!

Darnit. Fresh outta maggots.

Ew.

So Mr. HM set up the trap at the point of entry into our yard, and we waited.

And waited.

And waited... until...

Oh SNAP!

Why hello there!

We caught us an armadillo - (no maggots required). It was quite a feat getting a good picture of this big guy - he was squirming around like crazy in the trap! I must say that I was channeling a little Steve Irwin - this creature really is beautiful, in an armor-plated, long-toenail kind of way.

And for those of you worried about this fella's fate, fear not. We're a catch and release kind of household... so Mr HM relocated him to a lakeside piece of property down the road. Far down the road.

The score so far:

home.made. - 1

Armadillos - 0

Stay tuned for the remainder of the story...

Syndicated on BlogHer!

2011-10-24T05:00:00.000-07:00

My Halloween Spider Wreath is being featured today as a syndicated post on Blogher! I am beyond thrilled and so honored for this opportunity to share my little corner of creativity with a network of over twenty six million women.

Syndicated.

Little 'ole me.

WOW.

{Friday Faves} Homewares

2011-10-21T03:36:00.000-07:00

In case you haven't shopped Etsy lately, there are quite a few very talented people making some awesome things for your home! Here a some of my fave finds from this week - enjoy!

Source: etsy.com via rhonda on Pinterest

Chevron crochet?? This is amazing!

Source: etsy.com via rhonda on Pinterest

I love this modern way to let your kiddos know the rules of the bathroom...

Source: etsy.com via rhonda on Pinterest

I can't help myself - I love Christmas - and I love this Peace on Earth sign.

Source: etsy.com via rhonda on Pinterest

This ruffled tablecloth is so gorgeous. (At $250, it should be, right?)

Source: etsy.com via rhonda on Pinterest

Love this modern birch on burlap pillow.

Source: timeless-settings.com via rhonda on Pinterest

And not from Etsy, but too good to not share! This dish rack wants to come home with me. Seriously.

Hope you've had a great week - how are you sprucing up your home this weekend?

Oh.... and TGIF!!

{What's Cookin' Wednesday} Parmesan Sage Pork Tenderloin

2011-10-19T03:26:00.000-07:00

Happy Humpday everyone!

It's that time of the week again when I tempt your taste buds with a dish that I've made for my family... I made this slow cooker pork tenderloin this past Sunday and it turned out fantastic! The best part? It cooks while you're out and about with your busy life - all you do is fill up the crock pot and walk away! When you return 4-6 hours later, your home-cooked meal is ready to fill those hungry tummies... enjoy!

Via

Parmesan Sage Pork Tenderloin

Ingredients:

2 pounds diced red potatoes
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped carrots
1 1/2 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup sherry
1 (2-pound) pork loin
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons dried sage
1 tablespoon salt-free garlic and herb seasoning
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan

Instructions:

Place potatoes, onion, celery, and carrots in bottom of slow-cooker. Pour in chicken broth and sherry. Season pork all over with salt and black pepper, sage and garlic and herb seasoning. Place pork on top of vegetables and top with Parmesan, pressing the cheese into the meat. Cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours or high for 3 to 4 hours.

That's it folks - an easy, healthy dinner that will have your family asking for seconds!

The Great Mantle Debacle

2011-10-17T19:33:00.000-07:00

With the fall holiday season underway, I've been admiring all of the fantastic mantle displays around the blogosphere.

Like this one...

Source: findinghomeonline.com via rhonda on Pinterest

And this one...

Source: decorchick.com via rhonda on Pinterest

And this one.

Source: everyday-lovely.blogspot.com via rhonda on Pinterest

All of these mantle displays are swoon-worthy and I would love to recreate them. The problem is I have one of these above my mantle:

Source: walmart.com via Trey on Pinterest

*Groan*

The TV above the mantle is not that big of a deal; rather it's all the cords and things that go with it. Not attractive with my decor, if you know what I mean. Luckily, there is hope and that hope, my friends, is called Pinterest!

Source: pinterest.com via Erin on Pinterest

Source: google.com via Kristen on Pinterest

Source: google.com via Robin on Pinterest

That last one makes me think I might have this situation solved by the time Christmas rolls around... Now what to do with all of the cord nonsense? I don't have beautiful built-ins flanking my fireplace; rather I have windows with a view of the pool (not that I'm complaining).

Any ideas?

Missing Her

2011-10-16T13:39:00.000-07:00

Today is my mother's birthday.

She would have been sixty years old.

I should've been planning a big party for her, going overboard with over-the-hill decorations, and lavishing her with fun little gag gifts.

Instead, I'm missing her.

I'm missing the times she sang along with The Doors and The Mamas and the Papas. I'm missing her laugh, her smile, her presence, the way she'd bust out in an old school cheer at the drop of a hat. I'm missing her voice on the phone... and scared that one day I won't be able to remember it.

I don't ever want to forget her voice.

I don't want to forget anything, other than the fact that she's gone.

The ache in my heart, however, reminds me of that loss every day. It's been nearly eleven years and the hurt is still just as real as it was that day.

I'm missing you mom, more than you'll ever know. Hope you're having a wonderful celebration up there.

Happy Birthday~

Love you,
Ronnie

If you're lucky enough to still have your mother, give her a call today and tell her how much you love her. You just never know when that opportunity will no longer exist.

Life is too short to not let the people you love know that you love them.

{Tutorial} Halloween Ghost Tea Towel

2011-10-13T04:32:00.000-07:00

Have you noticed yet that I'm going a little ga-ga for Halloween this year?!

Luckily for you, that means more fun projects to come! After sprucing up my entry and my dining table, I thought my kitchen needed to share in on the spooky fun, so I whipped up these cute little Halloween towels.

Want to make your own?? Here's the tutorial!

What You'll Need:

White Flour Sack Towel or other White Towel

Black felt

1/4 inch knit elastic

scrap ribbon

fabric marker

measuring tape

1. Unfold your towel and turn it wrong side up (aka seam side up). Using your fabric marker, make a mark every three inches along the bottom of the towel seam.

2. Next, measure six inches from the edge of the towel and repeat marking every three inches.

3. Cut your elastic into 4 inch strips. I used a 27" inch wide towel so I needed nine of these.

4. Pin the elastic to your six inch marks.

It will look like this once you've pinned them all.

5. Now it's time to sew! Using a straight stitch, sew over your pinned edge of elastic, backstitching a few times to reinforce the edge.

6. Now, stretch your elastic to your seam-edge marking and hold in place with your finger as you sew. (You can pin here if you want but I found it much easier to just hold it in place and stretch as I sewed.) Secure the other end with a backstitch.

7. Repeat this step for all of your elastic pieces - it will look like this when you're done. (Don't be alarmed if the edges roll - they easily straighten when you fold the towel later.)

8. Now, cut out two oval eye shapes and a smaller oval mouth shape from your black felt. (I freehanded this, but if you want a template, I can make one for you... let me know!)

9. Pin in place on your towel.

10. Sew around your felt pieces to secure to the towel. I used a straight stitch but you can use a zigzag or satin stitch if you'd like.

11. And that's it! Add a little bow for a ~~ghoul~~ girl ghost or leave as is for a boy version!

Now, go hang your new spooky hand towels in your kitchen (or bathroom... this works well there too!)

Linking up here:

Somewhat Simple

The Artsy Girl Connection

Freckled Laundry

Transformation Thursday

Painting Furniture: Tales from a Chalk Paint Virgin

2011-10-10T20:41:00.000-07:00

A while back, a friend of mine was having a garage sale and posted a few things on facebook. The first item I snagged from her was an antique metal bed that I repainted for my oldest daughter's room. Then she happened to mention that she had a little dresser that needed a good home as well... and for only twenty five bucks.

SOLD!

I'd had an idea about what I wanted for my front entry, and this changing table turned entryway dresser fit the bill perfectly.

It's just the right size, has just the right amount of storage and it has some pretty details as well. This piece is a mixture of wood with some wood veneer, so I knew it would need some prep work prior to painting. *Groan* Being the amateur furniture refinisher that I am, I had no idea if I could sand all of the surfaces so that option wasn't appealing and neither was the thought of priming after I just finished the monster of a paint job in my office.

Enter chalk paint... Annie Sloan chalk paint to be exact.

I was intrigued by the claim that, with this paint, there was no need for sanding OR priming. Shut the front door! Ever the skeptic, I researched it thoroughly via some great blogs and was pleasantly surprised with what I discovered:

Marion at Miss Mustard Seed has some fabulous information and tutorials. She completes me. Seriously.

Shaunna at Perfectly Imperfect also is a great resource for all things about painted furniture. She even has an ebook you can purchase with all of her tips!

After reading their experiences and suggestions, I bit the bullet and ordered my very own ASCP (as those in the chalk paint biz refer to it ;)) and some of the AS soft wax for finishing. This weekend, I finally took the cans out of the box and got to work.

This is where it gets interesting.

I read the instructions about shaking/stirring the paint prior to use and about letting it sit open to thicken the consistency, but since I had no hands-on experience with anything other than latex and oil-based paint, I starting painting away. The first coat was definitely too watery in my opinion and I was not impressed with the initial coat. Luckily, a ~~trip~~ twist of fate intervened:

That, my friends, is my gorgeous ASCP all over my dropcloth, knocked over accidentally by (I'm pretty sure) one of my lovely energetic daughters. I know, you're sick to your stomach right now, right? Ugh, I know the feeling. I was not happy, and I was a little harder on my kids than I should have been about the spill (it was after all my fault for not sealing the lid...). As I stared at my gorgeous blue paint (my precious) and wondered how on earth I'd clean up this mess, I decided to make lemonade from this lemon of a situation.

I used the dropcloth as my palette. Yep. I used the paint for a second coat.

And you know what? The consistency was perfect! It had been spilled for an hour or two (I think), so the paint had thickened just like the label said it would. Imagine that.

Two coats later, my Provence blue ASCP dresser is looking pretty dang good. I've added two coats of wax with a little distressing in between, and in a day or two I will get to buffing this baby to a gorgeous shine. I can not wait for the final reveal!

So lessons learned from my first ASCP experience:
1. Allow the paint to thicken a little before the first use (for better coverage).
2. Don't be afraid of the wax - it really is easier than it seems!
3. Embrace the idea of spilled paint on your garage floor as a makeshift chalkboard...
4. And whatever you do... seal the lid before you walk away! (You've got to protect your precious ASCP!

Stay tuned for the final reveal!

{Free Printable} Halloween Cupcake Toppers

2011-10-08T04:57:00.000-07:00

Are you hosting any Halloween parties this year? Our neighborhood is famous for its annual Halloween party and I'm really looking forward to it. I won't be bringing tricks, but I'll definitely bring the treats...

I'm sharing my Halloween cupcake topper printables with you, so you can adorn your sweets for your Halloween bash!

Print file on white cardstock and then use your favorite craft punch for the topper. Secure to lollipop sticks with a small piece of tape before inserting into cupcake.

Halloween Cupcake Toppers

Have a fantastic weekend!

Linking up here:

{Friday Faves} Hairstyles

2011-10-06T20:38:00.000-07:00

I've been on the fence about what I want to do with my hair lately. I've kept it in a layered bob for a while now and while fun, it's work. My cut's rather grown out right now as well, so it's even more work than it usually is. Most mornings, my hair routine consists of adding product, drying, then flat-ironing, teasing, and styling... teasing some more, and then spraying the dickens out of it so it'll last all day. It's not a blow-and-go kind of hairstyle.

I guess you could say I'm looking for a lower-maintenance 'do. Mind you, that does not mean I want to have the dreaded MOM HAIR. I want something easy, but something with a lot of sass. Here are some of the styles I've been contemplating:

Source: designformankind.com via rhonda on Pinterest

I love how this is short, but has enough length for some little flips on the ends.

Source: listal.com via rhonda on Pinterest

This is a shorter version of a bob, but cute, no?

Source: stylebistro.com via rhonda on Pinterest

Love how this pixie cut has depth from the spiky layers.

Source: pixiehaircuts.blogspot.com via rhonda on Pinterest

I like the longer bang on this one and the bold color.

Source: worldhairstyles.com via rhonda on Pinterest

I've actually had this super-short pixie cut before... but at a time when I had much more confidence than I do now. Don't know if I'm bold enough yet to try this again.

So here's the kicker... I've got an appointment next week with my fave hairstylist (who's just returned from a two year stint in Hawaii). That means I have until then to make a decision. Eek! What do you think? Should I just go for it? After all, it's just hair. It grows back, right? Right?!

Have you made any big hair changes lately?

{What’s Cookin' Wednesday} Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins

2011-10-04T19:25:00.000-07:00

The shorter days, the cooler temperatures, and the arrival of fall always makes me yearn for the taste of fall, of pumpkin and cinnamon and nutmeg. These muffins fit the bill. The cinnamon sweet topping is a perfect complement to the moist pumpkin muffin, complete with a surprise of a cream cheese filling. Yum. And better yet? They get better with each passing day, making them well worth your culinary effort. Enjoy!

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins

Yield: 24 muffins
Ingredients: For the filling:
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 cup confectioners’ sugar
For the muffins:
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. ground nutmeg
1 tsp. ground cloves
1 tbsp. plus 1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
4 large eggs
2 cups sugar
2 cups pumpkin puree
1¼ cups vegetable oil
For the topping:
½ cup sugar
5 tbsp. flour
1½ tsp. ground cinnamon
4 tbsp. cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
Directions:
To prepare the filling, combine the cream cheese and confectioners’ sugar in a medium bowl and mix well until blended and smooth. Transfer the mixture to a piece of plastic wrap and shape into a log about 1½-inches in diameter. Smooth the plastic wrap tightly around the log, and reinforce with a piece of foil. Transfer to the freezer and chill until at least slightly firm, at least 2 hours.
To make the muffins, preheat the oven to 350˚ F. Line muffin pans with paper liners. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, pumpkin pie spice, salt and baking soda; whisk to blend. In the bowl of an electric mixer combine the eggs, sugar, pumpkin puree and oil. Mix on medium-low speed until blended. With the mixer on low speed, add in the dry ingredients, mixing just until incorporated.
To make the topping, combine the sugar, flour and cinnamon in a small bowl; whisk to blend. Add in the butter pieces and cut into the dry ingredients with a pastry blender or two forks until the mixture is coarse and crumbly. Transfer to the refrigerator until ready to use.
To assemble the muffins, fill each muffin well with a small amount of batter, just enough to cover the bottom of the liner (1-2 tablespoons). Slice the log of cream cheese filling into 24 equal pieces. Place a slice of the cream cheese mixture into each muffin well. Divide the remaining batter among the muffin cups, placing on top of the cream cheese to cover completely. Sprinkle a small amount of the topping mixture over each of the muffin wells.
Bake for 20-25 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely before serving. (It may be hard to resist immediate consumption, but the cream cheese filling gets very hot!)

Source: Annie’s Eats
Printer Friendly

Halloween Printable Just for You!

2011-10-02T05:23:00.000-07:00

What better way to start off October than with a printable to help get your home in the mood for boo?!

This fun printable brings back memories of trick-or-treating as a child, ringing someone’s doorbell and chanting ever so loudly…

Trick or Treat Printable

Makes you ready to hold open that bag for some candy, doesn’t it?!
Printable is ready for download as a PDF file and is set to print 8.5 X 11. Scale your page as needed to fit the size you need. (I printed mine on 5X7 paper and just changed the paper source.)

Enjoy and Happy October!!

Linking up:
The Idea Room

Decorating on a Budget Woes

2011-10-01T10:55:00.000-07:00

You know when you have that magical aha! moment of design inspiration and you know exactly what you want to do with a space in a home? It's such an incredible feeling, right?

And then you have the realization that you're married to Dave Ramsey, Jr. and that joy, that elation of the. most. perfect. room. ever. gets squashed like a tiny bug into the concrete sidewalk of life.

I therefore squash you, hopes and dreams of creating a perfect space!

Today, I am that bug. And I am peeling up what's left of my plan for our newly repainted office off the bottom of Mr. home.made.'s shoes. After telling him about what I was thinking of doing in the room, it came down to the fact that we need to buy new furniture... and that, well... wasn't quite part of the "Live Like No One Else" plan.

*sigh*

I know we're doing the right thing, paying down debt so we can truly can be debt free, but I have to be honest ya'll, I'm not excited about the prospect of waiting another eight years before I'm allowed to purchase anything that's not in "The Budget".

I've picked out what I want for the room - and the likelihood of it being around when we finally say good riddance to ole' Dave is pretty slim.

*sob*

I guess that means I'll have to move on to Plan B: Improvise and Save Up.

Last night I put two items of furniture on Craigslist and I hopefully already have one sold, so if that (fingers crossed) happens, I'll have the beginnings of an Office Redo savings fund. I had planned on purchasing a new desk space and a new sleeper sofa, and while I'm willing to compromise on the desk and try to thrift one, I'm unwilling to do that with a sleeper sofa. Ew. Can't do it. Sorry guys, but my job is all about communicable disease and the thought of a "used" sleeper sofa grosses me out.

Now that I've been firmly put in my place, I'm gonna see just what this girl can accomplish.

So what about you? Surely I'm not the only one fighting the budget battle?

{Tutorial} Pom Pom Spider!

2011-09-30T11:22:00.000-07:00

Just in Time for Halloween…

You Will Need:

Black Yarn
PomPom Maker (or Make Your Own from Cardboard)
4 Black Chenille Stems/Pipe Cleaners
Assorted Googly Eyes
Hot Glue

Instructions:

1. Make a large pom pom with either your pompom maker or cardboard ring. Set aside.

2. Take two pipe cleaners and join them in the form of an X by twisting around each other.

3. Add two more pipe cleaners in the same fashion.

4. Separate stems so you have four “legs” on either side.

5. Now, it’s time to add your spider body to its legs! Add hot glue to the center of your chenille stems, then firmly place your pompom to the glue.

6. Now, shape your legs. I gave my legs a rounded top and flexed foot, to help the spider stand.

7. Add googly eyes…and hello Spidey!

Oh, and Bridey… my 4 year old was excited about her Halloween costume and insisted on “helping” mama with this project (hence the not-so-great photos). *sigh* I wouldn’t have it any other way!

Hope you enjoyed this tutorial and get to enjoy making some spiders with your little helpers!

Linking up here:

The Idea Room

S.B.O.D.

2011-09-30T10:17:00.000-07:00

Otherwise known as... the

Stomach Bug of Death,

which I have been plagued with since Wednesday evening.

I tried earnestly to get the tutorial posted for the Pom Pom Spider, but aforementioned SBOD had different plans for me, plans that involved lots of losing my stomach contents (sorry - TMI), passing out on my bathroom floor, and not being able to get out of bed for over 24 hours.

Yeah. Holy Sickness.

I'm now upright, and treading softly into solid foods... gatorade and Saltines are the current menu. Mmmmm.

Hope to have the tutorial ready for you soon!

Halloween Spider Wreath!

2011-09-25T20:06:00.000-07:00

Today I was able to finish up the wreath I'd been working on in between coats of paint in my office. It ended up quite a bit different than it began (does that ever happen to you?), but I'm pretty happy with the final version...

The wreath form is a natural straw form that I found at Hobby Lobby - I loved the natural straw and thought it would be a perfect background for my Halloween wreath idea. Unfortunately, the straw did not get along so well with my sensitive skin. My arms were so red and itchy that I moved on to plan B (okay, I didn't really have a plan B, but I made one pretty quick!) I wrapped the form with some aqua grosgrain ribbon (cause I didn't have orange or black or purple or any of the Halloween colors, k?) - my skin was ever so thankful for the change, the color didn't matter.

I then added the spider web, constructed from some shimmery black yarn, straight pins, and memories of web-making from grade school. (I think we did ours with nails on a block of wood back then - do you remember doing those?) The "BOO" letters were found in the wood crafts department at Hobby Lobby and then lovingly adorned with some orange glitter left over from the Glitter Acorns. The cute little Spidey will be a tutorial for ya later this week!

I used some scrap fabric for the little rolled flowers... and my new wreath was complete!

I love how it matches my door...

I'm slowly getting the entire front entry ready for fall. The Halloween lights are on the ivy planters, the grapevine pumpkins have been rescued from the attic, and I've added some fall mums just waiting to bloom (I'm hoping they can survive the final hot days of the season). I'll show more pics once it's really ready.

Oh, and about that office... it. is. done!

Well, the painting that is. Now I have the task of figuring out which sleeper sofa and craft table I will be adding to the space. I'm already loving how much lighter and brighter the room is since getting rid of the poop brown walls.

But back to that wreath, right?

Linking up here:

"
Scattergirls

{Friday Faves} Nail Polish

2011-09-22T20:28:00.000-07:00

I have been somewhat obsessed with fingernail polish images on Pinterest lately; perhaps because my painter's hands are looking a little worse for the wear? Here are some of my favorite colors for fingertips...

Source: google.com via Jessica on Pinterest

This lavender would be the perfect complement to a dark grey sweater...

Source: google.com via Robin on Pinterest

You can't go wrong with Essie Ballet Slippers.

Source: product-girl.com via Ashley on Pinterest

Nor with Essie Chinchilly, my current nail polish crush.

Source: slightlyaddicting.tumblr.com via Jodi on Pinterest

Newsprint nails are so cool - like a grown up version of Silly Putty!

Source: youtube.com via Bibliophile on Pinterest

This one's just for fun... candy corn nails!

Have a fantastic Friday - see you in the manicure chair!

{Tutorial} Glittered Acorns

2011-09-21T19:47:00.000-07:00

I gave you a little sneak peek of this quick, fun craft with the Acorn Tree Tutorial... glittered acorns! Why not add a little bling to the beauty that is the acorn?

You Will Need:

Acorns

Mod Podge

Glitter

Paper Plate (or large piece of newspaper) for glittering

1. Paint the cap of your acorn with mod podge, then sprinkle with glitter (sorry I don't have a pic of that step but I think you can figure it out, right?).

2. Set aside to dry.

3. Repeat.

That's it. Easy peasy baby! This is a fun craft to do with your kids - my four year old was my little helper. I will warn you though... be prepared to be wearing glitter for a while:

"Glitter is the herpes of craft supplies. It just doesn't go away." ~ Anonymous

Have a great week!!

The Number One Reason to Hire a Painter

2011-09-16T04:10:00.000-07:00

After spending the past weeks tackling the task of repainting my office (and I'm still not finished!)... I have discovered the number one reason to hire a painter rather than doing the job yourself:

Cutting In!

photo source: TLC Home

In the complete paint overhaul of this room, I've primed, taped, painted the interior window edges and ceiling... and last night, I cut in around the edges of the room... and the doors... and around the large plantation shutter. Let me tell you - although necessary, this is not the fun part of painting. It's not the whole "look, I'm smiling as I roll on a pretty new color" part of painting. It's the grunt work, people.

Today though, Mr Home.Made. will be doing that fun rolling on part while I'm away at work and I can't wait to walk in the door to take a peek. It will be fabulous and refreshing and rewarding...

And then it will be time to tape and repaint all of the trim.

Got a number of a painter you'd like to share for my next paint project?!

{Tutorial} Acorn Tree

2011-09-12T19:51:00.000-07:00

I live in a neighborhood full of oak trees. Even in the midst of the 2011 drought, these trees are still producing tons of acorns - good for the deer and good for us crafty folk ;). My girls have been excellent acorn hunters for their mama on our evening walks - picking up only the ones still wearing their hats, just the way I like 'em! I've got a couple of acorn tutorials in the works, but here's the first... an acorn tree to grace your fall table or mantle.

You will need:

Acorns. Lots of acorns.

Styrofoam cone form (You may want to spray paint it brown if you don't like the white showing through)

Hot glue

Mod Podge

Patience (hee)

Instructions:

1. Beginning at the top of the styrofoam form, glue acorns in place, tilting them at about a forty-five degree angle.

2. Continue adding acorns, fitting them together like a puzzle (stem portion fits in between the ends of the previous two acorns). See?

3. Add acorns until the entire form is covered (be prepared to send your children for more acorns in case you run out... not that I'd know anything about that. Ahem.) I used a combination of fallen acorns (brown) and some picked from the tree (green) so I would have some variation in color.

4. To form the top of your "tree", glue acorns in an upright position at the top of the cone.

5. Then add one in the middle... your little acorn star, so to speak.

6. Now it's time to bring out the beauty of the acorns' colors with a little Mod Podge. Apply Mod Podge to each acorn, being sure to coat the acorn and cap portion.

You acorn tree will now look like this (deep breath, it's gonna look better!):

At this point, you can add glitter if you'd like for a little sparkle or affix some moss in between acorns.

7. When your Mod Podge has cured, you're left with this beauty:

This is a fun way to dress up your fall table or mantle - and since it's not holiday specific, it can be used the entire fall season! Hope you enjoyed the tutorial!

Oh, and yes, those little sparkly guys at the bottom are a sneak peek of a fun kid's craft tutorial to come!

Linking up here:

God of this City

2011-09-11T05:21:00.000-07:00

Ten years ago...

Photo: STR/Reuters/Landov

And today:

Photo: 911memorial.org

You're the God of this City

You're the King of these people
You're the Lord of this nation
You are

You're the Light in this darkness
You're the Hope to the hopeless
You're the Peace to the restless
You are

There is no one like our God

There is no one like our God

For greater things have yet to come
And greater things are still to be done in this City
Greater things have yet to come
And greater things are still to be done in this City

There is no one like our God
There is no one like our God

For greater things have yet to come
And greater things are still to be done in this City
Greater things have yet to come
And greater things are still to be done here

There is no one like our god
There is no one like our God

Greater things have yet to come
And greater things are still to be done in this City
Greater things have yet to come
And greater things are still to be done here
God of This City ~ Chris Tomlin

Greater things are still to be done here... we will always remember 9-11.

{Friday Faves} Acorns

2011-09-09T03:36:00.000-07:00

The girls and I have been enjoying some evening walks, scooter/wagon rides lately... ever the good helpers, they've been collecting fallen acorns for me along the way. What will I be doing with them? You'll have to wait and see. But here are some ideas I've discovered on Pinterest to get your creative juices flowing in case you're achin' for an acorn craft!

Source: etsy.com via Julie on Pinterest

Love this beaded acorn... the girls would have fun with this!

Source: mayamade.blogspot.com via Alexandra on Pinterest

My love for felted acorns runs deep... but in a rainbow palette? I might have to marry them!

Source: dana-made-it.com via Amber on Pinterest

The infamous acorn wreath from Dana!

Source: manomine.net via Mel on Pinterest

Little acorn people?! Love it! Check out the little acorn dog!

Source: marthastewart.com via Kristy on Pinterest

As always, Martha doesn't disappoint. Love the way she uses acorn caps to adorn this mirror.

Hope you have a fantastic Friday - what are you working on today?

Primed and Ready

2011-09-06T19:41:00.000-07:00

So the priming of the office/craft room is done. Next up? Painting the ceiling! (Don't be jealous.)

I bought some Glidden Easy Track ceiling paint... it goes on pink so you can see where you've painted and then magically turns to white! I can't wait to try it out. Alas, I was a little too pooped from the weekend to do any painting yesterday and between work and my daughter's open house today, progress has stopped for the time being.

Do-It-Yourself apparently does not equal Do-It-Quickly.

*sigh*

Perhaps tomorrow? ;)