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Tuesday, December 29, 2009

It's mine!!



I spotted this advent house at Kohls earlier this month and decided it would be mine after Christmas when everything went on sale! So here is my advent house that I got for 75% off the day after Christmas.

I am so excited to use it next year. Our church gave us this AWESOME advent list to do. We barely got any of it done this year. I had my tonsils in mid December...so yeah...not really up to doing ANYTHING before Christmas.

Here are some of the things listed for advent I was given. So much better than candy...

Day5- birthday candle -- for Jesus' birthday
Day6- a key --- Jesus is the key to life
Day7- a crouton -- These croutons would not go very far if you were hungry! But Jesus can make much out of little. Read John 6:1-15

Isn't that awesome?! Each day has a bible passage to read your children...So I may add some candy to some doors WITH the items suggested on this list.


Monday, December 21, 2009

Photgraphy Name Art


I saw this idea on a website that actually spammed a post I did.

Of course I am all about DIY, so why would I pay them to do
this for me? My sister in-laws last name is POPP, I made this
for their Christmas present. I struggled with coming up with
3 different "P"s So I reused one...It is amazing how many
letters I find in iron work now when I am out and about!

I bought the frame at Kmart on clearance for $6, it this was a
fairly inexpensive gift, but personal and I had a blast doing it!

I hope they like it!




Friday, September 25, 2009

My daughter, the party planner

I love to make anything into a "lesson"...My daughter wanted to throw a tea party with her BFF Milla. I told her she may as long as she planned it all. I explained she needed to make a menu and shopping list. She was actually thrilled to do these things! She made the shopping list (cookies and pudding, hey it's a start), decorated the deck/playhouse area and even created a sign to direct her guest to the bathroom (which she lost, but we found it after the party)

I think little things like this will make her a better mother! Now personally I hate making menu plans and shopping lists (anyone who knows me is laughing right now) I love that she is learning what it takes to "throw a party"...

Milla and my daughter Allison (on the right)

Wednesday, September 23, 2009

Wall art transformation

Oh, the Home Interior Party days.....Ever have one of these? I received a print like this for a wedding gift. I was able to transform this print for $10 and now it can actually hang on my wall.

I first tore it apart to see what I could and couldn't use.




I was able to reuse the frame and matte. I purchased a new print at Michaels for around $7 then bought craft paint in brown and then a metallic bronze color. I painted the matte brown, then painted over the gold frame with the metallic color.



Letters on a wall

Here are a few pics of how I have used our last name "W" initial around our home. My newest one was a find for $5 at Ross last night. (oh, how I love Ross) I like the way it looks with my newly painted hutch (see other posts)

We moved out here with such short notice that had to rent. We are planning on buying a house next spring...so wait until you see all this with some wall color!






Here is a "W" in a photo grouping. This was found at home depot in the house letters section on clearance by my in laws. They knew I would figure out something to do with it. They know me so well.



Want to make it more personal? You can buy the cardboard letters at Michaels/Hobby Lobby and cover them with scrapbook paper. I had been considering doing this with a black and white damask pattern for my dining area, but this larger black letter will do for now.

Saturday, September 12, 2009

Pirate Cake

I got this idea from www.familyfun.go.com for a pirate ship cake. Here is my attempt... I suggest not making it the day before because it fell apart the next morning, so I had to bake another cake. So this idea is great, but save the assembly part for the day of the party....oh lessons learned :)







Friday, September 11, 2009

Homeschooling!

I am thinking this blog is going to turn into something else...I started homeschooling my daughter last week. Never say never, because years ago I said I would never do this. God can do works! :) Here are a few pics of our first week that I wanted to share! I can't believe I was so scared to homeschool.

A little history of my homeschooling experience....My parents decided right after Christmas break of my freshman year of high school that they should homeschool me...yeah, that went over REAL well...I hated them for it. I cried every morning I heard my bus drive by. What was this social butterfly to do?!? Ahh yes..do her school work, then slip into her room to "study" (which was really turning on my TV to watch The View and other soap operas) So of course I said I would never homeschool.....

I have been such an emotional wreck these days with the fact that I moved 2000 miles away from everything I ever knew and am now in Southern California as a "nobody"....

Having school time has been such a blessing. I feel so organized and focused (for now, hee hee) I mean I totally love life out here (hello?! we have Disneyland passes!!!), but I miss my friends so much, and I find myself longing for them daily, hourly, minutely (is that a word?) I also signed up for MOPS and am very excited to meet other mothers in my area.




Reading....we are using the McGuffy series (old school)



Mud painting for art...we used cotton balls and Qtips...this was their favorite this week!

A visit to the new Library! (our new fav place)

The beginning of our own ABC book. We do a letter each day, then cut pictures out of magazines that begin with that letter.
Text Color


Monday, June 22, 2009

Shabby Chic Photo Display

This has been one of my favorite projects lately. I have had this idea for a while now, but finally found some cheap enough crystal knobs to get started! I would of done this in cream (to match my daughters furniture), but with us renting right and NO wall color, I went with a light pink.








Here are steps to create this photo display (or coat rack)
I purchase crystal knobs on ebay for $1.25 each and FREE shipping! Frames are from dollar tree and the wood was FREE from my garage. Of course you will need some pink spray paint.
I sprayed the frames and piece of wood.








I then measured, marked and drilled the holes to attach the crystal knobs. After this, I attached the knobs to the board, placed photos in frames, hot glued ribbon to use as hangers!
Give it a try!

Wednesday, June 17, 2009

Memory Board

My daughter has been wanting to display photos of her family and friends in her bedroom, who can blame her? We just moved 2000 miles away from everyone she ever knew! So I decided to make this cork board a little more "girly" for her.

This is a cute, fun, and inexpensive project that you could customize for any room in your home.


Here are my step by step instructions....




After ironing the fabric, wrap it tightly and staple around the edges. I also used the stapler for the ribbon.



I bought these white push pins to put at the intersections...


final project! I can't wait to hang it up in her room, but it is 11:30 and she is sleeping :)

Saturday, May 23, 2009

Hutch Makeover




My mother purchased this hutch used in 1992. I have had it for 7 years now and decided it needed a little updating. Everytime I see black dining room furniture I have heart palpitations :)
The hutch was sanded, primed, painted, and sealed. New hardware was purchased at Lowes. I wanted to add "pop" to the back, so I cut cardboard to fit as the backing of the hutch then wrapped it in toile fabric. Grand total for update?? Under $30.







Tuesday, April 21, 2009

placemat pillows






I found them! The pillows I had been searching for...EXCEPT they were $30 each.

I decided it was time to put my sewing machine to work. I found placements at Pier 1 that were the perfect print for $5 each. I then found square pillows on clearance for $3 at Target to use for filler. I cut the end of the placemat off, stuffed the pillow in, then trimmed and sewed up the end.

Total cost per pillow was $8