I can't stop crafting

More The Merrier Mondays - The DIY Home Sweet Home Project

Junk in their Trunk
Rock 'n Share - The Shady Porch

Crazy Cute Thursdays - Between U & Me
Pin'Inspirational Thursdays - The ArtsyGirl Connection

Delightfully Inspiring Thursday - Delightful Order
Creative Genius Party - The Creative Paige

Sister Sunday Link Party - Sisters of the Wild West

Head to Head Showdown Winner #3

2012-02-13T23:56:00.000-06:00

Hey All! So??? What were your thoughts on the voting poll?

I liked it. I think it would be even more fun with...ahem...a few more votes! But all in time, right? So, are you curious to hear who the big winner was? Yeah? Then I won't put it off any longer!

Drum roll please!

Taking the top spot for our third round of the final Showdown is.............

............The fabulous Kitchen Dresser from Meg and Mum's!

Oh. My. Goodness. If you haven't been by Meg and Mum's, you've just got to put it at the top of your list. Megan, the gal behind the blog, has an unbelievable eye for refinishing furniture.

Just take a look at this table before Megan got her hands on it:

dining for eight

There's nothing really wrong with the table, it's just so very heavy and traditional. And after? Just check it out:

Oh, the gorgeousness!

Megan's attention to detail and finish for each piece she completes leaves me slack-jawed. Here's a well worn coffee table before:

And after, you'll find this stunning ottoman. Ugh, I'm drooling right now!

an old coffee table

And then, there's just the vast array of other marvelous projects Meg has taken on and completed with gorgeous style!

white wardrobe

french hall table

buffet

country style cabinet

A-mazing!

Be sure to stop by Meg and Mum's and check out here inspiring gallery!

And Meg, I proudly present you with the winner button for the Head to Head Showdown! Thanks so much for sharing your beautiful projects with us!

Be blessed,

Head-to-Head Showdown #13

2012-02-10T22:00:00.000-06:00

***Did you put your vote in for the winner of round 2 in the Head to Head Showdown monthly feature? No? Check out the options here and click on your fave, it'll only take a second!***

Once again, last weeks party did not disappoint! Blogland is chalk full of gorgeous Valentine's themed crafts and projects, and it's been so fun to watch all the romantic links added to the party.

A handful of my very favorite posts were:

This little Recycled Sweater Baby Doll from Ode To Inspiration had me smiling! What a perfectly cute baby doll any little gal would love!

Are you looking to bake a tasty treat for a special someone this Valentine's Day? These King Bars from Country Momma Cooks look awfully tempting to me! Then again, anything with Nutella starts me swooning!

Do you have a closet that just isn't functioning at it's full potential? Check out how Northern Cottage redid their disorganized closet and made it a Lovely Little Closet!

I love family traditions, and the ladies over at {Junk in their Trunk} have got a great Valentine's Day tradition to share! Check out their fabulous Trails of Love tradition, I know my kids would just love it!

Thanks for linking up everyone! If your post was shared above, feel free to grab a featured button:

And now, let's get this party started!

Here's the rundown:

Link up as many of your own posts as you like, try to keep them fairly recent. You could post anything from recipes, crafts, and refinished furniture, to essays, photography, and fashion, whatever you do! The party will be open until Tuesday evening. At the end of the week, I'll pick a few of my faves and share them with you. At the end of the month I'll set up a vote and you all will get to choose the winner of the Head to Head Showdown!

I only ask a few things:

1. Please only link up posts you have written, created, etc.

2. Please display my party button somewhere on the post you're linking or on the side bar of your blog.

3. It's a party, so hang out and visit a few other link ups as well!

4. I'd love for you to follow my blog!

In The Works: My Plan For Valentine's Day

2012-02-09T00:01:00.000-06:00

Valentine's day is next week! Yikes, February is screaming by! I've wanted to share what I'm doing with my family for Valentine's Day for awhile now. but I don't want to make the meal and all that before the actual day. So instead, I'll share with you my plan now, and I'll show you the reality later...we'll see how close I can come to achieving my plan!

After the kids are in bed on the 13th, I plan on decorating the house with all kinds of Valentine's-y goodness, so when they wake up in the morning it will be a fun surprise.

For the table: I'd like to do some fun crafts with Boden and Addie, like these sweet heart-covered candle holders below. I think we'll make a bunch of these to use as our centerpiece for our dinner together.

(source)

Dinner: We'll be doing a dinner of hearts...if I can make it in a heart shape, or add hearts to it, I will!

(source)

I'm also thinking we'll do some fresh veggies on the side, hopefully also cut into hearts.

Drinks: I had the presence of mind to buy a bottle of that fancy sparkling fruit juice that comes in a champagne bottle last time I went grocery shopping. The kids will love that! If I'd have really planned ahead, I would have planned on doing this fun looking drink from Delia Creates:

Dessert: There are a million gorgeous Valentine's themed desserts out there...and my plan is to combine a few of my favorite ideas. Here's my inspiration:

(Source)

(source)

And that's the basic plan for our Valentine's Day together as a family! I think it'll be really fun to get all dressed up for a special dinner with a few of my favorite people! I'm already looking forward to sharing all the highlights with you all!

Thanks for stopping in!

Be blessed,

Ice Cream Cone Knee Patches

2012-02-06T22:39:00.000-06:00

Have you cast your vote for the winner of the Head to Head Showdown? Click here to see the poll and pick your favorite!

If you've got little ones, then you'll know the frustration of thread bare jeans and holey knees. It's inevitable! Boden has a whole stack of pants that I just got rid of, all getting too short, and all worn right through at the knee. Addie recently wore through a pair of her jeans and I thought they were worth patching, since they still fit her pretty nicely.

After a little creative patchwork, Addie's ragged jeans have a new, extra-cute, lease on life! I was inspired by this adorable post over at Mollie's Mom.

Her stacked heart shaped scoops were too cute to pass by, and I figured I'd put my spin on the idea.

Here's how I did it:

I got started by measuring the width of the hole on the knee of Addie's jeans.

Next, I cut an ice cream scoop shaped template out of paper. I used the template to cut out three scoops of "ice cream" as well as some "hot fudge" to top it all off. I also cut out a cone and a little heart ice cream topper. Then I played around with all the little pieces to see how I wanted the final cone to look.

Following the package directions, I applied Heat n' Bond to all the individual pieces. Then I arranged them over the hole in Addie's jeans and ironed it all in place. While I was at it, I patched the other knee as well. It wasn't worn through just yet, but it was getting there. For that knee I did a jumbo scoop of ice cream with hot fudge topping and a little heart too.

Once everything was ironed in place and cooled, I quickly stitched around the edges for extra strength and to prevent peeling.

Pretty cute, eh? Addie loves her new "ice cream pants", and I have a feeling they'll be getting a lot more wear!

I've got plans for a pair of Boden's too-worn jeans as well, I'll share his new knees soon!

Be blessed,

I'm linking up!

More The Merrier Mondays - The DIY Home Sweet Home Project

Junk in their Trunk
Rock 'n Share - The Shady Porch

Crazy Cute Thursdays - Between U & Me
Pin'Inspirational Thursdays - The ArtsyGirl Connection

Delightfully Inspiring Thursday - Delightful Order
Creative Genius Party - The Creative Paige

Sister Sunday Link Party - Sisters of the Wild West

Head-to-Head Voting Poll!

2012-02-05T22:17:00.001-06:00

Are you looking to enter the Head to Head Showdown link party? You're not too late! Click here!

Alrighty, folks! Are you ready to cast your vote for your fave feature from the last cycle of Head-To Head Showdown link parties? I'm so excited to see who you choose!

Here's how it's going to work:

The poll will be open for voting until midnight on Sunday, February 12th.
I will announce the winner the following Monday.
You are allowed one vote, so make your choice and click!

Happy voting!

Head-to-Head Showdown #12

2012-02-03T22:00:00.000-06:00

People, you astound me! Last weeks' party was a-mazing!

Every week I look forward to kicking off another great party and seeing what kind
of genius gets linked up, it's such a highlight for me!

I'll be setting up a voting poll for you all to vote for your favorite feature of the month,
keep a look out and be sure to vote!

A few standouts from party #11 were:

A Thrifty "Before and After" from Simply Simplisticated

The transformation of this $2.00 lamp is actually jaw-dropping. The before shot is absolutely shudder-worthy!

Katie over at Creatively Living shared her Bedroom Reveal with blogland, and my goodness, is her master suite ever stunning! I don't think she overlooked one detail, her new room is a lovely oasis.

Hungry for a tasty, yet healthy(ish) snack? Give these delicious looking Zucchini Boats from Suburbs Mama. I think I'll be trying these out for the next girls night in with my girlfriends.

I love the solution Tricia from Making It Feel Like Home came up with for adding some privacy to their front door. Her "Frosted" Privacy Window not only adds the privacy that she was looking for, but a huge pop of personality for their front entrance.

If your link was featured above, feel free to grab a featured button:

And now, let's get this party started!

Here's the rundown:

I only ask a few things:

1. Please only link up posts you have written, created, etc.

2. Please display my party button somewhere on the post you're linking or on the side bar of your blog.

3. It's a party, so hang out and visit a few other link ups as well!

4. I'd love for you to follow my blog!

Cinnamon Sugar Tortilla Snowflake Fun!

2012-02-01T17:00:00.000-06:00

Cinnamon Sugar Tortilla Snowflake Fun.....phew!

Try saying that five times fast!

While it may be a little bit of a mouthful to say, these crispy-sweet snowflakes are not hard to make, and oh so deliciously fun to eat too! The kids were thrilled with this playful snack!

You'll need:

Flour tortillas, as many as you'd like to make
Vegetable oil cooking spray
Cinnamon sugar
(I just mixed about 2 tablespoons granulated sugar with 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon)
Kitchen shears
If you don't have kitchen sheers, you can easily just use cookie cutters to punch
snowflake-like designs into the tortillas.

To make the snowflakes, I gently folded one tortilla into quarters, and used a pair of kitchen shears to carefully cut designs.

Don't get too intricate design wise, the tortilla won't be able to hold the shape well enough. Bigger, chunky shapes and designs work better.

Once you're pleased with your trimmed tortillas, lay them and all the little cut outs on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Spray the tortillas lightly with vegetable oil cooking spray, then sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.

Bake the tortillas in a 400 degree oven for 6-8 minutes, until the tortillas are just starting to brown and are nice and crisp. Careful not to over bake, these sweet treats will burn easily.

Next up comes a simple tasty dip to serve with the tortilla snowflakes.

Step 1: Whip up some whipping cream until stiff peaks form.
Step 2: Add in a tablespoon or two of your favorite jam, we added strawberry.
Step 3: Eat up! It doesn't get a whole lot easier than that!

Yes, my tortilla broke! These snowflakes are pretty fragile! Thankfully the kids weren't too concerned and dove right in, snapping yummy pieces off the snowflakes, dipping them into the light and delicious dip, and munching away!

I hope you'll try this simple wintery treat, I think it would be fun no matter what age you are!

Be blessed,

I'll be sharing this post at a few of these fine link parties:

More The Merrier Mondays - The DIY Home Sweet Home Project

Junk in their Trunk
Rock 'n Share - The Shady Porch

Crazy Cute Thursdays - Between U & Me
Pin'Inspirational Thursdays - The ArtsyGirl Connection

Delightfully Inspiring Thursday - Delightful Order
Creative Genius Party - The Creative Paige

Sister Sunday Link Party - Sisters of the Wild West

Vintage Runner to Little Girl's Apron

2012-01-30T20:59:00.000-06:00

Have I mentioned that I just love finding little treasures thrift shopping?

If not, then let me clarify right now, I absolutely, positively, adore, finding quirky, unique little gems while sifting through the thrift store!

Over the weekend I had the rare opportunity to hit up our local thrift store solo, and oh, how I savored walking the aisles and going through the racks without being rushed by my often impatient little ones. I found a few awesome treasures, one of which I used to create this adorable apron for my Miss Addie.

It started out as this awkwardly sized table runner. Too large to be a placemat, and too small to be a table runner, it had "refashion" written all over it. Besides, for 20 cents, I wasn't about to leave it behind...awkward size or not.

I started by grabbing a t-shirt that fits Addie nicely, just to gauge how long the apron should be. Miss A was napping at the time, so I didn't want to disturb her with a measuring tape. I folded the runner in half length-wise and marked how long I thought it ought to be. Then I marked where I wanted to cut out the curve to fit around her arms. I lightly drew with pencil where I would cut, then snipped away.

This is my runner trimmed and unfolded:

I just happened to have a nearly full package of the perfect shade of yellow bias tape on hand, so I took that and pinned it around the cut edges of the apron. I left a tail of about 14 inches on either side to use at the apron ties. Then ever so carefully, I stitched it on.

It might be hard to tell in the picture, but I was fresh out of bright yellow thread, so I decided to use a contrasting bright cherry red thread. When I got to the ends of each of the ties, I just unfolded the bias tape, folded the raw edge in, refolded the bias tape, and stitched it all in place.

Lastly I needed to sew up the neck strap. (Sorry for the icky picture, I was losing daylight fast!) Using the scalloped print edge of the scrap runner fabric, I sewed a tube and turned it right side out. I stitched one end directly onto the bib of the apron. On the other end of the neck strap I sewed on a big vintage red and white button, which I'm sure was made for just this apron, it matched perfectly!

On the other end of the apron bib, I stitched a small loop of elastic. That loop slips around the button on the neck strap for easy on/off.

I can't decide, should I sew a matching button on the other side of the apron bib? What do you think?

And there we go, one vintage apron finito! And, one happy kitchen helper to boot!

Thanks for popping in!

Be blessed,

I'll be linking up to a few of these fine link parties:

More The Merrier Mondays - The DIY Home Sweet Home Project

Junk in their Trunk
Rock 'n Share - The Shady Porch

Crazy Cute Thursdays - Between U & Me
Pin'Inspirational Thursdays - The ArtsyGirl Connection

Delightfully Inspiring Thursday - Delightful Order
Creative Genius Party - The Creative Paige

Sister Sunday Link Party - Sisters of the Wild West

Head-to-Head Showdown #11

2012-01-27T22:00:00.000-06:00

Welcome to the weekend!

Okay, last week's party was record breaking, bringing in 115 brilliant, creative, wonderful, jaw-dropping links! Y'all sure know how to make a girl smile!

And now, for a few of my top picks from party #10:

Can we all agree that Rasha from My Champagne Taste is a genius? Seriously, hanging these petite drawers, (I vote we call them drawerlets) is bizarrely brilliant!
I shall be looking for some drawerlets of my own.

Are you over the big ruffle craze yet? Me either! I am lovin' the simple Ruffled Tee from Crafty Cousins!

a.) I can't stop smiling about the diagonal ruffles and uneven bottom hem b.) It's refashioned, so how fun is that?!

Are you trying to come up with a great homemade valentine to send out? Why not clean out your broken crayon collection at the same time? Try the Homemade Crayon Valentines from Bowl of Cherrys, they look so sweet!

I am a nacho lover. It's true, I won't even deny it, so when I saw this awesome idea for bite-size nachos from Maiden D'Shade, I nearly fell off my chair! Isn't Kim a total smarty pants? This would be so fun to do with your fave nacho toppings, too!

Alright, alright, let's party already, shall we?

If your link was featured above, feel free to grab a featured button:

And now, let's get this party started!

Here's the rundown:

I only ask a few things:

1. Please only link up posts you have written, created, etc.

2. Please display my party button somewhere on the post you're linking or on the side bar of your blog.

3. It's a party, so hang out and visit a few other link ups as well!

4. I'd love for you to follow my blog!

Sweet Valentine's Day Canvas

2012-01-25T22:00:00.001-06:00

I've never been much of a Valentine's day kinda girl, it's such a manufactured holiday...and, well, it's kinda lame! Last year though, I decided it would be fun to Valentine's-it-up with a candle lit dinner for my happy little family. Everyone loved it. Like, loved it, loved it. It was such a highlight for me, that I've been looking forward to Valentine's day for weeks now, planning my menu, the special decorations, and some other fun things for my crew. I can't wait!

So, in preparation for our special Valentine's day dinner, I made this quirky canvas with just a few things from around the house.

I grabbed one 11x16" canvas I snagged from the dollar store awhile back and painted it with thick purple-grey stripes. I used some paint I had leftover from another project, and added in some white craft paint to lighten it up a little bit. Really you can do this however you please, I didn't want perfectly sharp lines, so I lightly drew with pencil on the canvas, then freehanded with the paint...I obviously do not have a perfectly study hand, which suited me just fine for this task!

Once my canvas was painted and dried, I sketched out my graphic on a large piece of craft paper. I sketched it on backwards so there would be no pencil smudges on the good side. Once everything was just the way I wanted it, I carefully cut the design out with a craft knife. Oh, and remember: the simpler the design, the easier it is to cut out later!

I cut the excess paper away from my design and was left with a long strip of paper. I then cut out a long strip of lacy fabric, just a hair narrower than my strip of paper. I sprayed the wrong side of the paper with spray glue, then laid it onto the right side of my lacy fabric.

A side note about spray glue:

I almost always inadvertently spray part of my arm or hand

when using spray glue and man, is that stuff hard to get off!

Use caution! And use it only in a well ventilated area!

Next I took my now lacy design, and sprayed the back side of it with spray glue, then applied it to my painted canvas. I wrapped the excess lace and paper around the back of the canvas, trimmed the extra long pieces and hot glued it all in place.

And there it is! An original piece of Valentine's art, quirky and totally personalize-able! I really like that mine is not done in typical V-day colors, though it would be oh-so-charming in classic pink and red.

What are your Valentine's day plans? Any must-have treats? Any fun traditions?

Thanks for checking in, I'm sure glad you did!

Be blessed,

I'll be linking this fun project up to some of the following FABULOUS link parties:

More The Merrier Mondays - The DIY Home Sweet Home Project

Junk in their Trunk
Rock 'n Share - The Shady Porch

Crazy Cute Thursdays - Between U & Me
Pin'Inspirational Thursdays - The ArtsyGirl Connection

Delightfully Inspiring Thursday - Delightful Order
Creative Genius Party - The Creative Paige

Sister Sunday Link Party - Sisters of the Wild West

The Easiest Baby Blanket EVER!!!

2012-01-23T16:41:00.000-06:00

If you're like me, you like to find an easy way to make things look fancy-shmancy.

Hemming is one of those things that I just do not enjoy, it's tedious, it's often fussy, and it just requires time and effort. When I'm running low on time and just don't have it in me to put fourth all that hemming effort, this is a fantastic way to finish the edge of a baby blanket.

Friends of ours recently had twins, and I am putting together a little basket of goodies for them. I'm not sure when I'll be bringing it over to them, so I'd like to get it all ready to go as soon as possible.

Enter: The Easiest Baby Blanket Ever!

Here's what you do:

Cut your flannelette into the desired size. Stitch around the entire blanket, just using a simple straight stitch, about a 1/2" in from the edge. Finish the seam. Then using your presser foot as a guide, follow the first seam, stitching around the entire baby blanket again. You can do this as many times as you like, no rules here!

Once all your stitching is done, cut slits all the way around the outer edge of the blanket, being careful not to cut through the seam lines. This finishes the edge with a playful fuzzy fringe that only looks better and better as you wash it and it frays.

Annnnnnd....we're done! See? I told you it was easy! I paired these sweet receiving blankets together with some matching burp cloths from Prudent Baby (love that blog, by the way!) Easy as can be, and still a little fancy, just the way I like it!

Thanks for popping in!

Be blessed

I'll be linking this post up to a few of the following link parties:

More The Merrier Mondays - The DIY Home Sweet Home Project

Junk in their Trunk
Rock 'n Share - The Shady Porch

Crazy Cute Thursdays - Between U & Me
Pin'Inspirational Thursdays - The ArtsyGirl Connection

Delightfully Inspiring Thursday - Delightful Order
Creative Genius Party - The Creative Paige

Sister Sunday Link Party - Sisters of the Wild West

Head-to-Head Showdown #10

2012-01-20T22:28:00.000-06:00

Ready for round 10 of the Head to Head Showdown? I am!

Last weeks party was positively flooded with creative ideas, and I'm so looking forward to seeing what is shared this week.

A few stand-out posts from round 9 were:

Wooden Spools and a Frame from Cherished Bliss

I love the punchy colors Ashley used! Plus, her thread/ribbon storage can now double as art, it's so pretty!

Organized Cookbooks from Ms Smartie Pants

I absolutely adored this well organized shelf the moment I saw it, from the coordinating cookbooks, to the "this and that" organizers, it all comes together to make a fresh and clean spot to stash odds and ends in a pretty way.

Did you see the Room Re-Do for $70 from Creatively Living?

Something tells me Katie knows how to stretch a dollar. Wowza, is that one well put together room!

Lovebird Specimen Art from Pressed Down, Shaken Together

I just have to smile at this cute and quirky Lovebirds Specimen Art. I am loving the bright, bold frame, and those little birds are stinkin' adorable.

If your link was featured above, feel free to grab a featured button:

And now, let's get this party started!

Here's the rundown:

I only ask a few things:

1. Please only link up posts you have written, created, etc.

2. Please display my party button somewhere on the post you're linking or on the side bar of your blog.

3. It's a party, so hang out and visit a few other link ups as well!

4. I'd love for you to follow my blog!

In The 80's

2012-01-19T09:30:00.000-06:00

My big brother turns 30 today!

Jeff is a true child of the 80's....big time.

I'm not going to post embarrassing pictures.

I'm not going to tell sentimental stories.

I'll just share this awesome video by Rhett and Link, you know, in tribute to Jeff.

Karen, be sure he sees this!

Happy birthday, Jeff! I love ya like Rainbow Brite loves Starlite!

A Few Fun Thrifty Finds

2012-01-19T00:01:00.000-06:00

Yikes! This week has been one crazy whirlwind of activity! Between school and social commitments, Zach working overtime hours, oh and those three little people that keep calling me "mom" and asking me to feed them, we've been running at break-neck speed!

As you can imagine, I haven't had a whole lot of time for craftiness, so I thought I'd share a few of my latest thrifty finds.

I found this...uh...charming 25th anniversary plate just the other day. I really liked the size and shape of the plate, and upon closer inspection...

I saw that the 25th anniversary decorations were just stickers.

With just a few minutes of elbow grease, the stickers came off and I was left with a simple white platter. I like that the quiet details are now the center of attention, the gentle curve of the plate along with the scalloped edge make it perfects for serving nearly anything. Yippee! Not bad for $1.00.

I also found this pretty metal napkin holder. I think I'm going to paint it a fun color, maybe a bright sassy orange, or a flirty shade of yellow. What do you think? Oh, I snagged the napkin holder for 20 cents.

Every time I look at this next find, I smile.

Another 20 cent bargain, this quirky cow-turned-cream-pitcher will be receiving a little makeover soon.

How about you? Have you made any stellar thrift store purchases lately?

Heads up! The latest edition of the Head-to-Head Showdown goes live tomorrow evening at 10:30. I know it normally would run Saturday-Tuesday, but I hate the thought of keeping fellow bloggers up until midnight to be first in line to link up...so I'll bump it up a little bit and start things up at 10:30 CST. Be sure to swing by and link up a few of your fave projects, or just to peruse the creative posts!

Be blessed,

Sassy Girl {no-sew} TuTu

2012-01-16T16:43:00.000-06:00

Those of you who know me personally, know that my Addie is a little bit of a mini-me. I love that girl to bits, and man, can she make me laugh. She's really starting to love playing dress-up, so I've been adding fun outfits to her play wardrobe. Today I whipped up this sassy tutu, and she hasn't

taken it off since.

I've seen a few different versions of the no-sew tutu,

if you need a little inspiration click here, here, or here.

I've really been trying to use up some of the scrap fabric I've been silently hoarding away. My fabric closet is FULL and it really needs to be cleaned and cleared out.

For the tutu, I used both tulle and cotton fabric strips.

I cut them in varying lengths and thicknesses, because

a.) I wanted a loose, relaxed looking tutu and

b.) I was too lazy to measure and precisely cut everything. I'm over it.

And, I'd also like you to know that I had them all in a nice neat pile...and then Miss Sassy Pants {pictured above} found the fabric strips and relieved them of their tidyness.

Then I took a piece of elastic that fit around her waist, and sewed it into a circle.

Here's a confession: I ended up trimming and tightening the elastic twice as I was tying the fabric strips on...I think I tied them on too tight, stretching the elastic as I went.

Oh well, it still fits, stretches, and is darn cute, no big deal. You just may want to be mindful of that if you're going to whip one of these tutu's up as well. It would probably help to use wider elastic too...this is what I had, so this is what I used!

I slipped the loop of elastic over a big Rubbermaid container lid. You could also use the back of a chair, or pretty much anything that will hold the waistband in place for you.

Then I started tying the fabric strips onto the waistband. Here's how I did it:

1. Take one cotton strip, and one tulle strip, layer them, find the middle and fold them in half.

2. Slip the folded edge under the elastic waistband, keep a finger between the folded fabric,

creating a loop.

3. Pull the tails of the fabric strips through the loop you created in step two.

4. Pull the loop tight, securing the fabric strips to the elastic waistband.

And just keep doing that until the waistband is full. It didn't take me a long time, I made the tutu while the kids were coloring.

Once I was finished tying all the strips on, I checked to see how it fit Addie, I ended up cinching it in a little. Then I trimmed any strips that were way too long and that was that!

I think she likes it.

Thanks for stopping in!

Be blessed,

I'll be linking up to a few of these great link parties:

More The Merrier Mondays - The DIY Home Sweet Home Project

Junk in their Trunk
Rock 'n Share - The Shady Porch

Crazy Cute Thursdays - Between U & Me
Pin'Inspirational Thursdays - The ArtsyGirl Connection

Delightfully Inspiring Thursday - Delightful Order
Creative Genius Party - The Creative Paige

Sister Sunday Link Party - Sisters of the Wild West

Head-to-Head Showdown #9

2012-01-13T22:29:00.000-06:00

My goodness, this week has flown by! Boden is back to school and we're back to running, running, running! I'm so glad the weekend is here and we can enjoy some time as a family.

Last weeks link party did not disappoint and I'm excited to share a few of my favorite links.

This stunning kitchen dresser from Meg and Mum's made my jaw drop! You have got to click over to see the before picture. Meg and Mum's did a bang-up job reviving this old school kitchen hutch, and I would not mind one bit having this beauty gracing my kitchen.

Another fave of mine was this fabulous upholstered headboard from Miss Madison's Charmed Life. The bejeweled tufting makes this headboard feel like it belongs in Hollywood, and the luxurious crushed velvet only emphasizes its glamorous charm.

If you're looking to accessorize, why not consider this creative Crochet and Braid T-Shirt Scarf from One Dog Woof? ChiWei amazed me with her beautiful scarf, I love the varying textures and shades of grey. This would work well in almost any wardrobe.

And finally, did you see the Brownie and Peanut Butter Cups from Raising Oranges? I was at a girl's night recently, and my friend Racheal made a gluten-free version of these delectable desserts. Oh. My. Wowzers, they were delicious, and I look forward to giving Katie's version a try soon!

If your link was featured above, feel free to grab a featured button:

And now, let's get this party started!

Here's the rundown:

I only ask a few things:

1. Please only link up posts you have written, created, etc.

2. Please display my party button somewhere on the post you're linking or on the side bar of your blog.

3. It's a party, so hang out and visit a few other link ups as well!

4. I'd love for you to follow my blog!

Stuffed Heart Banner

2012-01-11T20:40:00.000-06:00

Is it too soon to be thinking of Valentine's day? I've been seeing Valentine's sweets, cards, and other merchandise hitting store shelves for a couple of weeks now, so I can't be too early.

With Valentine's day just over a month away, I thought I'd prepare to add a little dose of sweetness to our living room window. And what better way to add a cheerful smile than a cushy, stuffed heart banner? So I gathered up a bit of my scrap felt, some quilt batting, and embroidery floss to get busy.

This simple Valentine's Day decoration came together in less than 45 minutes, so what are you waiting for?

Start by cutting three different sizes of hearts out of paper. Whatever size you like is just perfect for this project. Using the paper templates, trace and cut two felt hearts of the largest size, four medium, and four small.

Take two same sized heart cutouts and pin them together. Thread a needle with embroidery floss, and using a simple running stitch, stitch almost all the way around the heart. Leave about a 1.5" gap to be able to stuff the filling into your heart. Do not cut the thread yet.

Fill the felt heart with quilt batting until it's as full and cushy as you desire. Stitch the heart shut, tie a knot and trim the excess thread.

Repeat with all the felt cutouts.

Once all your hearts are stuffed and stitched, thread a l-o-o-o-n-g piece of embroidery floss onto a needle. Bring the needle into the center of the length of floss, bring the two ends of floss together and tie them in a knot. The embroidery floss is now doubled, giving it extra strength and stability for your felt hearts.

In whatever order you desire, push the needle through the stuffed hearts, stringing each one onto the length of embroidery floss. Cut the string to your desired length and tie each end into a knot or loop to hang the banner from, however you prefer.

There is enough friction between the stuffed hearts and the embroidery floss that you do not need to tie knots between the hearts to keep them in place. In fact, you can arrange them wherever you like along the line. You can space them apart, as I did above, or you can squish 'em together, as I did below.

I really like my little banner of hearts, all squishy and soft, just perfect for a lovey-dovey Valentine's Day.

Thanks for stopping in!

Be blessed,

I'll be sharing this project at a few of these fine link parties:

More The Merrier Mondays - The DIY Home Sweet Home Project

Junk in their Trunk
Rock 'n Share - The Shady Porch

Crazy Cute Thursdays - Between U & Me
Pin'Inspirational Thursdays - The ArtsyGirl Connection

Delightfully Inspiring Thursday - Delightful Order
Creative Genius Party - The Creative Paige

Sister Sunday Link Party - Sisters of the Wild West

Kitchen Floor Redo

2012-01-09T14:45:00.000-06:00

As newlyweds, Zach and I started renovating an old one and a half story home together. We completely redid the living room and one bedroom before we had our first child. When I say redid, I really mean it, we completely gutted the room, put in new electrical, drywall, fixtures, flooring...everything. After Boden was born we got to work on the second bedroom, the bathroom and the kitchen. Then we had Addie. It was a ton of work, but the house was gorgeous in the end. About two weeks before we listed that house for sale we finished all the little last minute projects like trim and such. Though I did not always care for living in renovations, I remember that house fondly.

Our second home is very much like our first, it needed a lot of work when we bought it. The basement had to be completely gutted, and there was updating needed...pretty much everywhere. There was a wall paper border in every room, even in the closets, and there was some pretty fierce flooring throughout. Slowly but surely we've been updating the house and just a couple of months ago we replaced the kitchen flooring. I could not believe the difference neutral flooring made!

Here's the before:

The process:

Rippin' out the old!

One handy little helper! Cleaned up and ready for something new!

The first few rows being installed!

The after:

We used laminate tile flooring, and for the most part it went in very smoothly. We found that we couldn't click in an entire row of tiles at once, they just wouldn't stay in place. So, Zach ended up tapping the tiles into place, one by one. Just last week Zach finished up the last of the flooring, going down the stairs into our main entrance. Again, oh the difference neutral flooring can make!

Next up on the docket is fresh white trim. I don't know why, but we tend to run out of steam by the time we finish a room, so we procrastinate on the trim. We've been trim-less for a full two years!

Also on the to-do list for this winter: painting the boys' room. When Judson was born, we moved him and Boden into the larger of the kid's bedrooms, and popped Addie into the smaller room. Addie's room is all done, and as pretty as can be, but the boys are sleeping in her old purple and green room. It's probably time to get a little masculinity on those walls and make it a true boys room. It'll be a really fun project and I've already got more ideas than will fit in there.

Thanks for dropping in, come again soon!

Be blessed,

I'll be linking this post up to a few of these fine link parties:

More The Merrier Mondays - The DIY Home Sweet Home Project

Junk in their Trunk
Rock 'n Share - The Shady Porch

Crazy Cute Thursdays - Between U & Me
Pin'Inspirational Thursdays - The ArtsyGirl Connection

Delightfully Inspiring Thursday - Delightful Order
Creative Genius Party - The Creative Paige

Sister Sunday Link Party - Sisters of the Wild West

Head-to-Head Showdown # 8

2012-01-06T22:00:00.001-06:00

It's that time again, and I gotta say, I'm really excited to jump back into the link party! I've missed seeing all the creative and wonderful projects each week!

For this round of the Showdown, we're going to try doing things a little bit differently. Instead of featuring the top three clicked on links for the week, I'm going to pick a few of my favorites, and then I'll set up a vote and you all get to pick the winner. We're just flipping things around to see how it goes, I think it might be fun!

So, without further delay, let's get started!

Here's the rundown:

I only ask a few things:

1. Please only link up posts you have written, created, etc.

2. Please display my party button somewhere on the post you're linking or on the side bar of your blog.

3. It's a party, so hang out and visit a few other link ups as well!

4. I'd love for you to follow my blog!

Rolled Paper Rosette Frame

2012-01-04T22:00:00.000-06:00

I've recently completed a crafty project that nearly makes me swoon. I was completely inspired by this fabulous post my dear friend, H. Rae from An Original Belle shared.

Her stunning rolled paper rosettes absolutely captivated me and got me thinking how I might use such dainty little blossoms. After seeing her post sharing different ways to utilize the sweet flowers, I knew just what I would do.

So, using H. Rae's brilliant tutorial, I started rolling flowers from the pages of an old book I bought at the thrift store for ten cents.

I used nearly the whole book to roll all 140 blossoms. While I didn't use all that many glue sticks, I certainly burned my fingers a lot! I even managed to glue a rosette to myself a couple of times, ouch!

(source)

These are only 94 of the 140 blossoms I rolled...about three-quarters of my way around the frame I ran out, so I had to start rolling again!

Once I'd rolled a whole slew of paper rosettes and a tasty cup of coffee, I began gluing them to a large wooden frame my good friend Racheal gave to me. I nestled the flowers closely together, slowly making my way around the frame. Once I covered the entire frame I stepped back and looked at it from different angles, squeezing in a few more flowers where there was an odd gap or a free corner.

And the finished product? A frame positively flourishing with charming buds and blooms of varying shapes and sizes.

I look forward to accessorizing my rolled rosette frame in each season, the possibilities will be endless. For now I've strung a small branch across the frame and hung paper snowflakes to compliment the winter wonderland outside.

What would you do with a giant bowl of 140 rolled rosettes?

Be blessed,

I'll be linking up to a few of these fine link parties:

More The Merrier Mondays - The DIY Home Sweet Home Project

Junk in their Trunk
Rock 'n Share - The Shady Porch

Crazy Cute Thursdays - Between U & Me
Pin'Inspirational Thursdays - The ArtsyGirl Connection

Delightfully Inspiring Thursday - Delightful Order
Creative Genius Party - The Creative Paige

Sister Sunday Link Party - Sisters of the Wild West

Top Projects from 2011

2012-01-02T16:00:00.000-06:00

I can't believe it's nearly been a year since I started blogging. It's been a wonderful year, full of new friendships, lots of great projects, inspiration, and encouragement! Today I'm going to share the 10 most popular projects from my blog in 2011.

#10 - Kids Yearly Photo Cards

The personality-packed photo cards I made to hand out to family and friends was a huge hit, both here on the blog, and with the recipients. I'm so glad to have these "bookmarks" into my children's lives for this age, I think I'll be doing this annually.

#9 - The Pleated Ruffle Tank Top

I whipped up this super simple tank for my girlie early last spring, and it was perfect for summer. The Pleated Ruffle Tank makes for a great beginner project!

#8 - Bustles of Love Dress

Oh this girl, in this dress....gracious, she makes me melt! This was an absolute favorite project for me, and while it was a little time consuming, it was not difficult at all.

#7 - Children's Flip Flop Straps

Some of the projects on the "most viewed" list surprised me, and this was one of them. It's nothing fancy, but I suppose it's quite necessary to keep those little piggies in place!

#6 - Anthro-Inspired Braided Pearl Necklace

I think this was my first post that was featured on another blog, and I nearly peed myself when I saw it listed among a handful of other features over at Petite Hermine's link party. If you're searching for an elegant necklace that makes a bit of a statement, this is it.

#5 - Oreo's & Chocolate Two Ways

This is another post on the list that surprised me, since I only shared it in November. I will never underestimate the love of chocolate again!

#4 - Christmas Twig Vase

I really enjoyed putting this vase together, it was so easy, but made a huge statement in a Christmas display.

#3 - Wax Dipped Leaves

Oh how I loved this beautiful garland of wax dipped leaves strung across our living room window! I will certainly do this again next year.

#2 - Welcome Sign

My mom's broken clock turned welcome sign was a really fun project for me. I loved thinking up all the different phrases to welcome guests to our home, and it was really fun playing around with all the different fonts to create the perfect entryway statement for our home.

#1 - Turquoise Painted Dresser

And the top visited post on my site for the year 2011 was my Turquoise Painted Dresser. I'm still thrilled with the outcome of my dresser, the branches were such a fun challenge!

Thank you all so much for helping form this list by visiting, pinning, commenting and encouraging, I so deeply appreciate it! I am already looking forward to what 2012 will bring and what kind of inspiration will strike!

Happy New Year and be blessed,

I'll be linking up to a few of these fine parties:

More The Merrier Mondays - The DIY Home Sweet Home Project

Junk in their Trunk
Rock 'n Share - The Shady Porch

Crazy Cute Thursdays - Between U & Me
Pin'Inspirational Thursdays - The ArtsyGirl Connection

Delightfully Inspiring Thursday - Delightful Order
Creative Genius Party - The Creative Paige

Sister Sunday Link Party - Sisters of the Wild West

Head -to-Head Showdown Winner #2

2012-01-02T01:00:00.000-06:00

Aaaannnnnddd.....we're back!

Happy New Year to you all! I'm so excited to be back and blogging after a fantastic Christmas break!

I'm going to get right into the winner for the second round of the Showdown today, but tomorrow I've got a post going up to properly ring in a new year of blogging.

Do your remember the top clicked features from the link party in December? I don't either, so let's

review, shall we?

In Showdown # 5 your top three clicked on posts were:

The Yarn Ball Wreath Tutorial from Cherished Bliss

The Simple Elegance Wreath from Somewhere in the Middle

Miniatures in a Jar from Salt Tree

Week # 6 brought:

Paper Doily Wreath from The Cottage Market

Snickers Fudge from Somewhere in the Middle

Ugly Cookies from The Lawrence Family

And in Week # 7 we saw:

Christmas Cloche on the Cheap from Creative Passage

Penny Snow Sign from Lemon Drop Life

Copycat: West Elm Scalloped Trees from Revamp Homegoods

Phew, now that we've got the refresher out of the way, it's time to choose a winner. Oddly enough, it's not any easier this time than it was a month ago!

My favorite project from your top-clicked links from the month of December is.....

The Penny Snow Sign from Lemon Drop Life!

Dacia, over at Lemon Drop Life has created a gorgeous, cheerful blog, bursting at the seams with fabulous inspiration and great do-it-yourself projects.

Dacia's fun Best in Show series highlights great trends for the home (like the fabulous mirror below) and shares lovely seasonal ideas, all hand-picked from across blogland.

Isn't this ruler framed mirror unbelievable?

To celebrate the beautiful autumn season, Dacia made this beautiful wreath for her front door.

Plus, there are some oh-so-pretty furniture makeovers as well:

Highchair Makeover

Dining Table Redo

Dresser Update

Dacia also came up with some beautiful decor for the Christmas season:

Penny Snow Sign

Winter Wonderland Mantle

Christmas Card Tree

All in all, with an effortless style and girl-next-door charm, Lemon Drop life is definitely a blog to watch. Congratulations on being the top pick for round two of the Head to Head Showdown, Dacia, wear the winner button with pride!

Be blessed,

Merry Christmas!

2011-12-24T17:00:00.000-06:00

Hey Friends!

Christmas is officially here, though we've already been celebrating with family and friends as much as we could fit in. We have enjoyed so many great evenings with our families already, we are beyond blessed!

And, well, I just wanted to say thank you to each and every one of you who stops in here, I appreciate your kind words, your support, and your friendships. You've encouraged me and inspired me, and I'm so thankful for that.

I'll be taking the next two weeks off from blogging to enjoy time with my family, and to savor each home-day Boden gets for his Christmas break, it's going to be great!

The Head to Head Showdown link party will start up again in January, with a little twist, so be sure to check back and link up in the new year! You can see the features from Showdown #7 here. I'll post the winner from the second round of the Head to head Showdown in the new year.

I hope each and every one of you enjoys a very merry Christmas!

Head to Head Showdown # 7 Features

2011-12-23T20:45:00.000-06:00

Hey Folks!

So, today's post is going to be a quick one. There is not going to be any link party this week, or next. I'm taking a little time off to enjoy the season and all the fun and family time it brings. I will, however, still be posting the features from last weeks party, and I'll be naming a winner of the second round of the Showdown.

Features first!

The third top clicked-on link for the Head to Head Showdown #7 was Christmas Cloche on the Cheap from Creative Passage

Coming in at #2 is the brilliant Penny Snow Sign from Lemon Drop Life

And bringing it home in the number one spot, it's the Copycat: West Elm Scalloped Trees from Revamp Homegoods

I will definitely be stowing a few of these ideas for next year's Christmas decorating! There were so many fabulous ideas shared, thanks to each of you who linked up!

If your post was featured above, please feel free to grab my button and show it off for all to see!

Be sure to check back in the new year for a fun twist on the Head to Head Showdown!

Merry Christmas and be blessed,

Felt Scraps Garland, version 2.0

2011-12-21T22:08:00.000-06:00

So, I couldn't resist one final, last minute Christmas decoration. I had so much fun making my Felt Scraps Garland last week, I thought I'd make another one and dress it up a little.

I followed the same plan as I did with my original felt scraps garland, braiding about four and a half feet of a pearl colored yarn that I bought at the thrift store.

Once my long yarn braid was complete, I wove it into some gold fashion chain I couldn't resist buying last time I was at the fabric store. Side note: Can I just say that I really enjoyed working with the chain? It was so easy to play with, and I was so pleased with how it completely changed the look from my original garland.

This time instead of using varying shades of green felt, I stuck with olive and ivory felt leaves. I stitched each leaf on after the braid was woven into the chain.

And finally, I added a few buttons. I really, really liked the hammered finish of the button pictured above.

I gotta say, I am delighted with how my dressed up felt scrap garland turned out!

Glad you stopped in!

I'll be linking up to a few of these fine link parties

More The Merrier Mondays - The DIY Home Sweet Home Project

Junk in their Trunk
Rock 'n Share - The Shady Porch

Crazy Cute Thursdays - Between U & Me
Pin'Inspirational Thursdays - The ArtsyGirl Connection

Delightfully Inspiring Thursday - Delightful Order
Creative Genius Party - The Creative Paige

Sister Sunday Link Party - Sisters of the Wild West

Citrus Sea Salt Hand Scrub

2011-12-20T10:01:00.001-06:00

Christmas will be here within a week, can you believe that? It seems the whole of December has whizzed by far too fast and now Christmas is nearly here! I'm so excited to spend relaxed time with our families and to just slow down a little. Oh, it'll be wonderful! What about Christmas excites you the most?

Boden will have a nice little Christmas break, and I'm over-the-moon-excited to have him home with us for a couple of weeks, oh the fun we'll have! With his last day of school drawing closer I figured it was high time to make a little something for his teacher, as a thank you for all her hard work. Enter the Citrus Sea Salt Hand Scrub. Yum, it smells like a delicious drink one might be served while sitting on a hot sandy beach. Plus, it leaves one's hands feeling fresh and oh-so-soft.

To make a hand scrub you'll need two basic ingredients, then you can switch it up very easily. To make one jar you'll need one cup of sea salt, and three generous tablespoons of olive oil.

Mix these two ingredients together in a measuring cup or bowl.

Now you can add that citrusy punch with the juice of any citrus fruit. I used two limes and one lemon, as well as the zest from the fruit as well. This would smell heavenly using other citrus fruits like grapefruit and oranges as well. Mix it all together.

Some variations could be adding a few drops of peppermint extract and a couple of crushed candy canes, or a few dashes of cinnamon and cloves, or a few drops of almond extract paired with vanilla would be lovely as well. Play around with it a little and I'm sure you'll find just the right combination for you.

Once it's all mixed up, just scoop the scrub into a cute little jar, add a gift tag or label and share it with a friend!

There was just enough left over for me to try it out and oh my, it felt so good, and it smelled even better! I hope you enjoy making a few last-minute hand scrubs to share with someone you love!

Be blessed,

I'll be linking up to a few of these fine link parties

More The Merrier Mondays - The DIY Home Sweet Home Project

Junk in their Trunk
Rock 'n Share - The Shady Porch

Crazy Cute Thursdays - Between U & Me
Pin'Inspirational Thursdays - The ArtsyGirl Connection

Delightfully Inspiring Thursday - Delightful Order
Creative Genius Party - The Creative Paige

Sister Sunday Link Party - Sisters of the Wild West

Head-to-Head Showdown #7

2011-12-16T23:22:00.000-06:00

Wow, you all have done it again!

I have been so inspired by all the great posts that were linked up, it's wonderful!

I love checking in to see all the different posts and ideas that are shared!

Let's get down to business, scooping up the third most clicked on post is the Paper Doily Wreath from The Cottage Market!

Sneaking into second place is the delectable looking Snickers Fudge from Somewhere In The Middle!

And grabbing the number one spot for this week's showdown? It's Ugly Cookies from The Lawrence Family!

Congratulations to this weeks' features, feel free to grab an "I've been Featured" button!

Here's the rundown:

Link up as many of your own posts as you like, try to keep them fairly recent. You could post anything from recipes, crafts, and refinished furniture, to essays, photography, and fashion, whatever you do! The party will be open until Tuesday evening. At the end of the week, I'll show the top three clicked on links. At the end of the month I'll do a feature on my favorite of the most clicked on links.

I only ask a few things:

1. Please only link up posts you have written, created, etc.

2. Please display my party button somewhere on the post you're linking or on the side bar of your blog.

3. It's a party, so hang out and visit a few other link ups as well!

4. I'd love for you to follow my blog!

Felt Scraps Garland

2011-12-14T21:27:00.000-06:00

Don't you just love it when a project comes together from little leftover scraps around the house?
It thrills me!
It feels so good to use up that last little bit of leftover felt or fabric so I don't have to go through the agony of throwing it away.

And this little garland is just the perfect solution to my scrap hoarding problem.

I braided a long rope out of some old brown string I had stuck away in my sewing closet for far too long. You could use any thick ribbon or cord, this is just what I had on hand, so it is what I used! My braid ended up being about 4 feet long.

Using various shades of green felt scraps, I cut out a whole bunch of leaves. No need to get too picky and trace them all out first, I just free handed mine and they turned out just fine.

Using a needle and thread I randomly stitched the felt leaves to my braided rope. You could use hot glue for this if you wanted to take the no-sew route, no big deal. Sometimes I overlapped the leaves, sometimes I stitched them all by their lonesome, I added them jutting out in different directions...whatever you like, go with it.

After digging around in my stash of buttons, I found a couple of handfuls of red buttons and stitched those on as well.

And, bum ba da bah, I'm finished! Simple and quick and festive and just what I wanted!

Thanks for stopping in! Be sure to come back on the weekend for the Head to Head Showdown link party!

Be blessed,

I'll be linking up to a few of these fine link parties:

More The Merrier Mondays - The DIY Home Sweet Home Project

Junk in their Trunk
Rock 'n Share - The Shady Porch

Crazy Cute Thursdays - Between U & Me
Pin'Inspirational Thursdays - The ArtsyGirl Connection

Delightfully Inspiring Thursday - Delightful Order
Creative Genius Party - The Creative Paige

Sister Sunday Link Party - Sisters of the Wild West

A Christmas Tablescape

2011-12-13T01:00:00.006-06:00

Christmas is coming! We had a weekend full of Christmas get-togethers, and each one was so wonderful. The Christmas spirit is absolutely overflowing in our home,
and I am loving each moment of it!

The other night when Zach came home from work, the kids and I had set up a candle lit dinner. It wasn't anything bizarrely fancy, but each one of us enjoyed the special supper. Since then Bo and Addie have been asking for another "candle supper". And really, who am I to say no? In an effort to step it up a notch, here's the new centerpiece for tonight's dinner.

The runner is something I sewed a few years ago, it fits my piano perfectly, and lucky for me, it fits the table pretty nicely, too.

Do you recognize the white base for my centerpiece? I bought it at the thrift store back in September and gave it an autumnal makeover here. I added fresh sprigs from our pine trees, a few pine cones, and a few of my snowy stars. See those white squares on either side of the centerpiece? They're just a pair of picture frames that I popped the glass out of and added a trio of pine cones to each.

And lastly I wrapped some scraps of lace around a few jars and tucked them among the pine branches. I can't wait to light the candles once it's dark outside, the snowy stars will sparkle and I'm sure supper will taste that much better.

Thanks for stopping by!

Be blessed,

I'll be linking up to a few of these fine link parties:

More The Merrier Mondays - The DIY Home Sweet Home Project

Junk in their Trunk
Rock 'n Share - The Shady Porch

Crazy Cute Thursdays - Between U & Me
Pin'Inspirational Thursdays - The ArtsyGirl Connection

Delightfully Inspiring Thursday - Delightful Order
Creative Genius Party - The Creative Paige

Sister Sunday Link Party - Sisters of the Wild West

Head-to-Head Showdown #6

2011-12-09T22:30:00.001-06:00

Here we are again, at the Head to Head Showdown, and I'm glad you're all dropping by to check it out! Feel free to link up as many as your projects as you'd like, let's hit 100 links this week!!!

Now, onto some Showdown business! We had a great party last week with so many fabulous links, I love it!

The third most clicked on link was:

Yarn Ball Wreath {tutorial} from Cherished Bliss

At number two:

Simple Elegance Wreath from Somewhere in the Middle

And in the number one spot for the week:

Miniatures in a Jar from Salt Tree

Congratulations to this weeks' features, feel free to grab an "I've been Featured" button!

Here's the rundown:

Link up as many of your own posts as you like, try to keep them fairly recent. You could post anything from recipes, crafts, and refinished furniture, to essays, photography, and fashion, whatever you do! The party will be open until Tuesday evening. At the end of the week, I'll show the top three clicked on links. At the end of the month I'll do a feature on my favorite of the most clicked on links.

I only ask a few things:

1. Please only link up posts you have written, created, etc.

2. Please display my party button somewhere on the post you're linking or on the side bar of your blog.

3. It's a party, so hang out and visit a few other link ups as well!

4. I'd love for you to follow my blog!

1. diy Anthropologie bag

2. Icicle Lights Tutorial

3. Ugly Cookie Recipe

4. Wreath

5. Monogram Frames

6. Burlap Letters

7. Girls Bedroom Makeover

8. Advent Book

9. Playing With Vintage Paper

10. No-Photoshop Silhouette Tutorial

11. White Paper Doily Ornament

12. pretty in pink birdie tutorial

13. Decorating Candles Tutorial

14. Red Floral Christmas Tree

15. vintage scroll work dresser

16. hand painted POPPY nightstand

17. scrabble tile christmas ornaments

18. Sheet Music Ornament

19. Holiday Wreaths

20. glory to the newborn King

21. Christmas Wreath

22. Rolled Paper Christmas Tree

23. Bead Board Christmas Trees

24. Tapioca Pudding

25. 5 minute wreath

26. Christmas 2x4s

27. Christmas presents

28. 1 bowl 4 hyacinths

29. Salt Dough Starfish Learning Curve

30. DIY Ornaments Any Shape

31. Snow & Garland Trees

32. My Potterybarn {ish} Christmas

33. Christmas Card Display IDEAS

34. Modern Country Christmas Mantle

35. Recycling Old Fence Boards

36. Favorite Gifts Under $30

37. Simple Elegance {Tons of Pics}

38. Snickers Fudge

39. Easy Christmas Planner

40. Wedding Gift Name Plaque

41. Crocheted Star of Bethlehem

42. Crocheted Christmas Ornaments

43. Silent Night Pillows

44. How to Crochet a Magic Ring

45. How to Crochet Buttonholes

46. Vintage Inspired Stockings

47. Mudroom Style Entry & Wreath

48. Honey Glazed Ham

49. Lemon Bars

50. Blender Salsa

51. Milk Jug Gift Box

52. Marshmallow Fondant

53. (Free) Xmas Gift Tags

54. Holiday napkin rings w TINFOIL ricrac!!?

55. Burlap & Tinfoil Snowflake Card Garland

56. Make-It-Yourself Monday #5

57. Rustic Tree Topper

58. House of Pinheiro

59. Christmas Mantel

60. Yarn Ball Ornaments

61. Latest Thrifty Finds

62. Latest Thrifty Finds

63. CHRISTmas Sign

64. TV Tray -> Craft Sign

65. JOY Christmas card banner

66. glam glitter wine glasses

67. anthro style throw tutorial

68. wallpaper gift wrap

69. doily and book page wreath

70. doily lamp shade

71. my tree

72. JOY Wood Block

73. O Christmas Tree

74. 1 hr. felt leaf wreath tutorial

75. A stocking and print on fabric tutorial

76. Dollar store hat refashion tutorial

77. Make Sock Toppers! Perfect Gift!

78. North Pole Smoothies

79. Bows using wrapping paper

80. Giant Decorative Bow DIY

81. Repurposed Folding Rulers

82. Felt Ornament

83. Handmade Christmas

84. Printable Gift Tags

85. Christmas Cork Place Cards

86. DIY Christmas Ornament

This linky list is now closed.

Get your own Linky Tools

Snowy Star Ornaments

2011-12-08T12:56:00.000-06:00

Yesterday was Boden's kindergarten Christmas concert.

His class did so great, my cheeks hurt by the end of their performance from smiling too hard. They were all so adorable, and so excited to wave at all their loved ones in the audience, cheering them on. Man, if you're ever grumpy, go watch a bunch of five year-old's sing and say poems and ring little bells, they'll adjust that attitude in no time!

As a thank you to Boden's teacher for doing such an amazing job with my boy in his first steps into school, I made her a little set of these snowy star ornaments. They're simple and sweet, and would work nicely with pretty much any decor style.

Here's the stinkin' easy how to:
(please excuse the gross lack of pictures...it was after dark and I was lazy)

Step one:

If you're like me and can't draw a symmetrical star to save your life, find one you like online and print it out to use as a template.

Step two:

Trace the star onto a thin piece of cardboard. I used a cereal box.

Step three:

Cut the star out and punch a hole where you'd like the ornament to hang from.

Step four:

Spray paint both sides of the star silver.
-you can skip the spray painting if you really want to, I just didn't want any of the graphics from the cereal box to show through on the finished product.

Step five:

Brush the star with Mod Podge and press into a small pile of epsom salts.

Step six:

Let dry, and brush with a heavy coat of Mod Podge to seal in salts. That way you're not sending a messy ornament into someone else's home.

Step seven:

Once the Mod Podge is dry, tie the ornament with a ribbon and hang it up or wrap it pretty and give it away.

And that's that! Paired with a plate of baked goods and a nice card, I think it's a lovely gift to share.

Be blessed,

I'll be linking up to a few of these fine link parties:

More The Merrier Mondays - The DIY Home Sweet Home Project
Unwasted Homemaking Party - Don't Waste Your Homemaking

Junk in their Trunk
Rock 'n Share - The Shady Porch

Crazy Cute Thursdays - Between U & Me
Pin'Inspirational Thursdays - The ArtsyGirl Connection

Delightfully Inspiring Thursday - Delightful Order
Creative Genius Party - The Creative Paige

Sister Sunday Link Party - Sisters of the Wild West

Toy Poodle Puppy Photoshoot from An Original Belle

Gone Guest Bloggin'

2011-12-06T01:00:00.000-06:00

Hey Friends!

Today....well actually yesterday I was out guest blogging. Go on over to AlyssaBeths to check out what I came up with in her week long marathon of Creating Christmas guest blog posts. You can check out what I contributed here.

Thank you so much for checking in today, I'm really glad you did! Be sure to come back on Thursday to see the latest addition to my Christmas decor.

Be blessed,

Head-to-Head Showdown Winner #1

2011-12-05T01:00:00.007-06:00

Looking for the latest Head to Head Showdown link party? Click here.

I can't even express how excited I am about getting to write today's post.

I've been thrilled with the success of the first month of my weekly party. And now I get to pick a favorite and write up this feature? Love it!

Do you remember all the features from the past four weeks? How about a little refresher?

{week 1}

My Favorite Dress from Sew, Cook, Laugh and Live

Pumpkins from Mandi Being Crafty

{Week 2}

Burned Fabric Flowers from Anna Nimity

Pinecone Map Ornament from Turtles and Tails

DIY Ornament Chandelier from Things We Fancy

{Week 3}

Paper & Lace Snowflake Tutorial from Lisa's Craft Blog

Homemade Snow Village from Farmhouse Porch

Charmed Gift Soap Tutorial from It's Overflowing

{Week 4}

Master Bedroom Reveal from The Turquoise Piano

Burlap Christmas Trees from Artsy VaVa

Nature Inspired Christmas Wreath from Shabby Love

Okay, I have to confess something.

As I was reviewing the top entries from each week....I waffled a little bit. This is harder than I thought it would be. Really, it's down to three in my mind, but I know I've got to pick just one.

Ugh, never mind, maybe I don't like this link party business after all!

I scrolled through the top picks a few more times, and I consistently came back to the same post. So I'm just going to go with it!

A HUGE high-five and the honor of being named the very first Head to Head Showdown Winner goes to...

Melissa of Shabby Love!

Melissa's stunning Nature Inspire Wreath won me over, big time.

Melissa's blog, Shabby Love, oozes effortless style. I would just love to go tour her home, I'm sure it's perfectly charming in every way.

Shabby Love is chalk full of great tutorials like how to make your own shutters,

How to redo a table to make it look like an aged farmhouse treasure,

And how to turn a worn out cabinet into a fabulous toy storage unit.

Melissa, I am so pleased to present you with the Head to Head Showdown Winner button, wear it with pride! You can check out more amazing projects and tutorials at Shabby Love.

Thanks for checking in today, I'm glad you came!

Be blessed,

Head-to-Head Showdown #5

2011-12-02T22:30:00.003-06:00

People! I am a-m-a-z-e-d!!!

You all have blown me away with your creative, beautiful, brilliant entries. And don't even get me started on 94 entries...seriously? 94 links?

I. Am. Pumped.

So, here's how today is going to work, I'm going to share the top three links from last weeks party, and we'll party as usual. On Monday I'll have the big post, showcasing my favorite link from the last four weeks' top three links. Make sense? I hope so.

SO, the third most clicked on link from party #4?

The gorgeous reveal on The Turquoise Piano's master bedroom, naturally.

Filling in the #2 spot is the cute and whimsical Burlap Christmas Trees from Artsy VaVa

And, the number 1 most clicked on link for party #4....

The ridiculously stunning Nature Inspired Wreath from Shabby Love!

Thanks for linking up and clicking over to your favorite link, folks! If your post is pictured above, feel free to grab a featured button and be sure to check back on Monday for the first Head to Head Winner post!

Here's the rundown:

Link up as many of your own posts as you like, try to keep them fairly recent. You could post anything from recipes, crafts, and refinished furniture, to essays, photography, and fashion, whatever you do! The party will be open until Tuesday evening. At the end of the week, I'll show the top three clicked on links. At the end of the month I'll do a feature on my favorite of the most clicked on links.

I only ask a few things:

1. Please only link up posts you have written, created, etc.

2. Please display my party button somewhere on the post you're linking or on the side bar of your blog.

3. It's a party, so hang out and visit a few other link ups as well!

4. I'd love for you to follow my blog!

1. Crafts of Christmas Past	2. White Christmas Decor	3. Burlap Letters on Wood Plaques	4. Cute Owl Hat	5. Sheet Music Feathers
6. Mixed-Media Ornament Tutorial	7. {Joy}	8. PB Knock-Off Bottle Ornament Tutorial	9. Puzzle Piece Ornament Tutorial	10. light saber pencils
11. NOEL	12. cookies for santa	13. Christmas Decor	14. Silhouette Ornaments	15. Ornament Tree
16. Snowman Family Portrait	17. Thoughtful & Thrifty Themed Gift: Coffee	18. Homemade Soap! Lovely Lavender	19. Christmas Tree Scarf	20. Cinnamon Rolls
21. Sugar Shaker	22. Advent Calendar	23. Crocheted Hats	24. Brownie Cupcakes	25. Nightstand
26. DIY Snowman Ornament	27. Homemade Ornament Options	28. Wooden Stocking Holder	29. Berry Pick Flowers	30. Dressed Up Clothes Pins
31. Rolled Paper Rosettes	32. Copic Markers Storage Box	33. (FREE) Xmas Gift Tags	34. Fun Activity Advent Calendar	35. DIY Chocolate Pears- A perfect Holiday gift!
36. Feather Wreaths for the Holidays	37. New Baby Name Sign	38. Thrifty Jewelry & Gift Ideas	39. DIY Jewelry - Part 2	40. Tinfoil Rickrack Tutorial
41. Star of Wonder Burlap Bags	42. miniatures in a jar	43. How to Crochet a Magic Ring	44. Yarn Ball Wreath	45. Snowman Chairbacks
46. Wooden Cutting Board Makeover	47. Better Than Crack Blondies	48. Easy Christmas Decor	49. Paris in a Jar	50. Felt Hairbows
51. diy vintage hankie runner	52. Simple Elegance Wreath	53. Book Page Present Boxes	54. Leg warmer tutorial	55. Boxy Cometics Bag
56. "Forest Funky" Advent Calendar	57. Treats In My Christmas Boxes	58. glamorous green	59. "Angels of Reclaim"	60. Easy Ornament Arrangement
61. Cute Yarn Snowman	62. Card Box	63. Initial	64. Reception	65. Remade Winter Wreath
66. Dolly Diaper Bag Tutorial	67. Great Gifts Under $30 Pics & Links	68. Winter White Brunch {Tons of Pics}	69. Artificial or Real Christmas Tree	70. Winter White Wreath {Crate & Barrel Inspired}
71. Front Door Wreath {Framed Ornaments}	72. Christmas Decor {Favorite SIMPLE Tip}	73. {Paper Bags} to Feather Trees	74. Glass Christmas Trees	75. Candy Cane Candle
76. Rag Rug Satchel	77. Felt Ball Ornament

This linky list is now closed.

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Blogging: The Prequel {Part 2}

2011-11-30T22:30:00.000-06:00

At this time last year life was super busy.

I had a 4 year old, a 2 year old, and a 5 month old.

I had a husband who had just started a new job and was working incredibly long hours.

And the thought of starting a blog was just an idea, slowly churning in my mind.

As Christmas approached I happily crafted away, making most of our kids Christmas presents and decorations for around the house. Life was busy, yes, but man, did we ever have a good Christmas!

One of my favorite projects was the Advent calendar I made. I worked on each little felt ornament as soon as the kids were tucked in for naps or the night. The calendar isn't perfect, but I think I'll cherish it for a long time to come, and the kids are so excited about getting to hang a little ornament on the tree each morning.

I shared this back in June when I participated in a "before blogging" link party, but last Christmas, Boden's big gift was this bean bag toss game that Zach and I made for him. Zach did the constructing of the giant game, and I did the painting. We had such a good time working on Boden's gift together, and Boden was so excited about it, too.

With each great-grandchild that is born into my extended family, my Grandma crochets a beautiful Christmas stocking. With three lovely Christmas stockings, I decided we needed a proper place to hang them. I made this stocking hanger from an old cabinet door, ripped up pages from an old book and handy-dandy Mod Podge. I really like the aged look of the finished stocking hanger, now we just need to hang it up!

We have a gigantic window in our living room. Late last November I convinced Zach to build me a cornice box for the window, so I could finally put up curtains. I absolutely love how the cornice box turned out! The window treatment added just the touch of charm that our living room needed.

Wanna see my Christmas tree all decorated for this year?

Oh, and just so don't feel compelled to tell me, yes I know my tree is leaning slightly to the left...I happen to like the slightly imperfect look, ha!

Thanks for dropping by today!

Be blessed,

I'll be linking up to a few of these fine link parties:

More The Merrier Mondays - The DIY Home Sweet Home Project
Unwasted Homemaking Party - Don't Waste Your Homemaking

Junk in their Trunk
Rock 'n Share - The Shady Porch

Crazy Cute Thursdays - Between U & Me
Pin'Inspirational Thursdays - The ArtsyGirl Connection

Delightfully Inspiring Thursday - Delightful Order
Creative Genius Party - The Creative Paige

Sister Sunday Link Party - Sisters of the Wild West

Frosted Winter Wreath

2011-11-28T20:30:00.001-06:00

Wanna hear something funny that is totally unrelated to this post?

Every once in awhile I'll be typing in my blog URL or my blog email address, and I'll mistype it to say
"I Can Stop Crafting". I give a little chuckle each time it happens.
Not that funny? Okay, I'll move on then.

Last week I was browsing blogs, checking out some really great posts when I came across this post from Sparkle.

I'm quite certain that Jessa is a genius, 'cause I am in love with her brilliant idea! She took some tree branches, sprayed 'em with spray adhesive, and rolled them in epsom salts. Could it get any easier?

I figured I could totally do just that, but as tends to happen in the blog world, Jessa's idea gave me a different idea. I wondered what it would look like if I were to do the same thing Jessa did, only to a wreath instead. Here is the fabulousness that followed:

To create a frosted wreath for yourself, you just need to grab a bare wreath, spray it with spray glue and rub it in a pile of epsom salt. Let it dry, then take it outside and tap off the excess salt that isn't totally stuck to your wreath.

Then do the same with a handful of pine cones,

and a handful of glass ornaments.

Then arrange the pine cones and ornaments however you like and hot glue each one in place. I also added a few fresh cut sprigs from our cedar tree in the backyard.

And that, my friends, is that.

Be blessed,

I'll be linking up to a few of these fine link parties:

More The Merrier Mondays - The DIY Home Sweet Home Project
Unwasted Homemaking Party - Don't Waste Your Homemaking

Junk in their Trunk
Rock 'n Share - The Shady Porch

Crazy Cute Thursdays - Between U & Me
Pin'Inspirational Thursdays - The ArtsyGirl Connection

Delightfully Inspiring Thursday - Delightful Order
Creative Genius Party - The Creative Paige

Sister Sunday Link Party - Sisters of the Wild West