Spring Decor...DIY for cheep cheep!!

I was at Target today and who doesn't love those dollar bins?!  I'd be lying if I said that I didn't!  So since spring and Easter is right around the corner I was looking for anything that might be good in an Easter basket or maybe cute around the house.  I love to decorate for the seasons or holidays!  So I found this square, unfinished box...  Now I didn't get a chance to take a picture cause I was to excited to do what I had in mind.  Then I found this bag of fake eggs (green, my favorite but they also had yellow, pink, and blue) with raffia.  I bought 2 bags of eggs and the box for three bucks and this is what I ended up with .....

I love it!!  What I did to paint the box was, I took gray and white acrylic paint and dry brushed some streaks on each side.  Nothing fancy, just brushed random spots (still seeing the raw box everywhere else).  Then I boiled some water and added a few tea bags.  I painted the tea on over top of the paint and raw parts of the box.  After that dried, I took my steel wool and vinegar mixture (which I always have a stash prepared {it has to sit for like 12-24 hours} cause who wants to wait) and I painted that over the whole box and let it dry.  I sanded each side quickly and threw the raffia and the eggs in.  I had some white fabric left over in my fabric stash and I ripped a piece of that off and tied it around the box.  I think it's adorable!!!  So go grab the stuff at Target before it's all gone!! Heehee!!

School Days

So here's a scrapbook that I started last year, I really put a lot of thought into this because as much as I would love to have this great scrapbook with all pictures and all;  I know I would never keep up with it.  I get bored after awhile.  So my thought was to just do a scrapbook with Jacob's school pictures.  This way I can keep them all nice and be able to show him when he is older and his girlfriend comes over.  Just kidding, Jacob will never have a girlfriend I won't let him.  See..

.

This is displayed clearly for all to see in his bedroom!!  Haha!  I'm only teasing, I just thought the picture was cute to hang in his room.  I know my little boy will grow up one day.  But let's not talk about it!

So here's the scrapbook, I still haven't found a pic to put in the opening on the cover.

I only have 2 pages, since Jacob has only been in school for 2 years.  So it's kind of a bummer to wait till October of each year to get to do a page.  And once I get the pictures in, I've completed the page the next day.  I have no patience, unfortunately.  So in the meantime I fill my time with other creative things to do!!

Now I just realized that on the 2nd page I never wrote the kids names in the little area I left for it on the bottom left. I have some people in my 1st grade that I don't remember their names for the life of me.  So when Jacob looks back hopefully he'll appreciate it!!!

Yup there I am on the last chair on the bottom, with the awesome tan!!

So how'd I do with my first blog!?  That was fun.  I have so many more things to show so check in again soon!! xoxo!

A bedtime prayer

Kids obviously work well with routine.  I have had a bedtime routine with Jacob since he was born.  When he was an infant I would give him a bottle and sing a song or two said our prayers then off to bed he went.  Now that he's a little older, I will read him a book or two, say our prayers, I will lay in bed with him for a few minutes and then he's on his own to fall asleep, which happens pretty quick since he's no longer a napper.

Before Jacob was born, I wanted to make up a simple prayer that we would say every night and that eventually he would learn so we could say it together.  This is the prayer that I came up with and we have been saying for a little over 3-1/2 years now.  Hopefully he will remember it forever!!

Dear God,

Thank you for this wonderful day

And keeping me safe while I play

Be my guide through all I do

And look out for my friends and family too

Whether tomorrow be sun, wind, snow or rain

Please help me to remember to praise your name

In Jesus' name we pray

AMEN!

Sew what...

I was in my favorite store Joann Fabrics the other day and I happened to walk past zippers.  So I thought to myself what can I do with these....

  And this is what I came up with!  I made a couple of other little credit card holder/change purses before that had a fold over velcro flap, but a zipper is so much more secure!  And really it's very easy to do, it may be a little harder to explain.  Here's what you need...

Sewing machine (& thread)

Cutting mat/Ruler

Rotary cutter or scissors

material (I used the packs that are already cut for $9.99)

6" zipper (in what ever color you choose)

                                                                               Ribbon (to match

                                                                               material)

                                                                               Key chain

                                                                               Seem ripper (we all

                                                                               make mistakes!)

Cut your chosen material 6" x 8".  Place the printed sides of both materials facing each other, and sew (1/4") one of the longer sides together.  Now on the other side about 2" down you are going to want to put your ribbon to hold the key chain.  The loop is going to be facing the inside of the material (it sounds backwards but just follow along).  Leave enough ribbon because when you are all done sewing the ribbon is going to be about 1/2" smaller then what you left for the key chain.   Sew that side now while holding the ribbon in place.   Turn the material inside out and iron, this way it lays flat and it's easier to work with.

The 6" zipper is going to be a little too long, so place the zipper (upside down) against the edge of one side of your material (the excess material will  hang over) sew right along the zipper.  Fold the material so you'll now be able to sew the other end to the zipper.  You're project, so far should look like this.  Does it?

 

Now pinch the top together, tucking the zipper between the sides of the coin purse, also tuck the ribbon in too. Sew the end of the zipper edge  (1/4") from the end all the way up over the zipper track (go back and forth over the zipper track a few times.)  Cut the excess off.  Unzip the other side, so you can sew the other side without the actual clunky zipper being in the way.  line up the zipper track and make sure the ribbon is tucked in and now sew along that edge.  Right up and over the zipper track.

Flip inside out or outside in and there ya go!!  All you have to do is add your little key chain .  If you wanted to, you could add batting in between the two pieces of material, it would make it a little bulkier and stiffer.  I liked mine light and simple, and besides, I didn't have any batting.  And you could also make the coin purse bigger.  Just cut longer and wider material.   (7" x 9", 8" x 10" etc.)

Mine is on my keychain right now and is holding Jacob's daddy's credit card!!! Shhh!  Just kidding, he knows I have it, I had to return something!!  But now I don't have to search through my big bag for it, it's right there hanging on my keys!

Hope you like it, and hope you give it a try!!  Let me know how it comes out!

Puzzles

I don't remember where I got this idea, but I made a few revisions to it and made it my own!!  Jacob has plenty of puzzles to do but I thought that doing it this way....it'd be a little more fun!!  I took this picture...

Printed it from my computer (8 x 10) glued it onto a piece of construction paper.  I bought laminating sheets and laminated the whole thing.  Now I used my scissors to cut puzzle pieces out of the picture.  I did larger pieces cause my son is younger, but you can do any size you want, depending on how challenging you want it to be.

After I had all my pieces cut out.  I flipped them over (the construction paper side facing up) and put little pieces of velcro on each puzzle piece (the spiky side of the velcro, not the soft).  I have a piece of felt that I attach to Jacob's easel (that also goes along with a bunch of little felt people and outfits that a cut out, but we'll get into that another time!!) and now we can put the puzzle together on his easel! See...

                          

I bought little plastic envelopes from CVS and I store the pieces to each puzzle in a different one.  This way you stay nice and organized ;)

 You can even go as far as printing another copy of the picture in a wallet size and attach it to the outside of the envelope so you know which envelope holds which puzzle.  I think I might actually do that!!!!

Happy puzzling!!

A beautiful reminder

I decided to do this little project for a couple reasons:

#1. To remember to pray everyday, actually that was the only reason and I think that's a good enough one. So I went to my favorite store Joann Fabrics in Milford and picked up a few letters....P-R-A-Y. I bought two of each, one set for myself, and one set for my sister (who's birthday it was).  However, my other sister wants one sooooooooo I'll give her mine and I'll buy more and make another one.

Using Folk Art Acrylic Paint in Wicker White I painted each letter (front, back, edges) I prefer using a sponge brush so none of the bristles end up painted on to the project.  Let dry completely, obviously!

Using my K&Company "Best of Brenda Walton" (12 x 12) Paper Pad I chose the paper that I wanted to use for each letter and traced the wooden letter onto the paper and cut it out, yup it's a little tedious, but someone had to do it!

For 2 of my letters I decided to layer a couple different patters of paper.  I traced the letter and ripped the top edge because I like that ripped old look.

Using Mod Podge and my handy dandy sponge brush I glued the paper onto the wood letter.  Since my "P" and my "A" had 2 layers, I glued the top layer on using Mod Podge as well.  Really press down and smooth out the paper so you don't get bubbles and/or creases.

After all patterns are "Mod Podged" onto the wooden letters and dried completey I used my craft knife to go around the letter and cut off any excess paper that might hang over the edge.

I used mod podge once again over top of the paper. I used my sponge brush and brushed a layer on covering the letter completely.  I wasn't a fan of the streaks so by dabbing the sponge brush over the letter instead of brushing I gave it a pretty cool texture. Kinda bumpy looking. Let that dry completely too!

After the letters dry completely (and I'm serious it's gotta be totally dry cause sanding it will not work to well) I sanded the edges to give it a little worn in look.  I roughed it up in some spots more then others. The paper ripped in a couple spots where it wasn't completely dry, but I was ok with it cause it looked cool still.  I didn't have a good amount of sand paper to choose from so I grabbed whatever my father had laying around in the garage.

I used my Distress Ink Pad in Walnut Stain along with my makeup sponge (clearly not used for makeup anymore!) and rubbed the edges to give it an older look.  See the difference!? Love it! Don't forget give a little "distress" to the sides of the letter cause those babies are still bright wicker white!

I hope you didn't put away the mod podge yet!  After i distressed the letters with the ink pad I brushed another layer of mod podge and then dabbed the sponge to give it that same textured look as the first layer instead of the streaks. And there ya go.  Once its dried your done.  I, of course, took the liberty of taking it a step further and decorating the decoration.

A little flower with button center on the "P", a bow on the "R", there are a few pearl embellishments going up the "A" and there is a tag on the "Y" which reads......

To look at everyday & remember God is listening & hears you when you pray

I thought of that all on my own, cute huh!? Anyway, you can go crazy with decorating the letters but I liked it a little more subtle.

I chose to lean the letters against a wall on a shelf, but you can also hang them on the wall using the 3M velcro strips.

Hope you like it!!

Let Freedom Ring...

So I came up with this while checking out some other blogs that had a few versions of this craft.  I, again, take all the info in and then I give it my own little twist, and call it my own!  Now who doesn't like a little Americana decor in their home around this time of year?  I know I do!  What's even better is when you can say that you yourself made it (with a little help from someone who knows how to use those hand saw things).  Once my father cut the wood for me, it took me about 30 minutes to finish all 4 of these.....

I remembered that we had a pallet hanging out in the backyard by the fire pit and decided to cut it up.  Alright well I didn't cut it up but I told my dad how I wanted it done. It's gotta count for something!!  He cut the 4 boards off the pallet and then took those boards and cut them in half horizontally.

I took 4 pieces and lined them up the way I liked, they don't have to be perfect, that's the best part!  Once I liked the pieces I put together I flipped them over.  So the wrong side was facing up.  I took a 2 thin pieces of wood that I found lying around and lied it vertically across the 4 boards and used the nail gun or staple gun to shoot a staple through the piece of thin wood and each pallet board.

Then I looked for red, blue, and white paint and came up with these...

They are just plain acrylic paints.  I painted a square with the blue in the upper left corner and then used the red and white for stripes, obviously!   My painting job was not perfect I just dragged my brush along the boards, and the boards are not smooth so it gives it that old look.   I put a couple dots of white on the blue square for the stars.  I may have done something different for the stars, but I couldn 't think of anything more creative at the time.  I let that dry and then used the MinWax stain in Jacobean along with an old dish washing sponge and dabbed it in the stain and ran it along the boards to make it look a little more distressed, cause the colors were a little bright.

I love it!  So one of these is gonna go on my front door and I think I might give one to the host of one 4th of July parties I'm going to this weekend.   Oh so I haven't put anything to hang it by yet.  My thoughts are, just a hook on the back.  Or  a wire to go from one side to the other and kinda make it twisty and curly.  Haven't thought about it yet.  I'm gonna head to the Home Depot tonight to see if I can find a flat polyeurathane to protect it a little.  I'll see what the depot professionals say about it.

Have a happy and safe 4th of July!!