Spring Banner Tutorial

I've decided that the only blessing in taking a dog out to go to the bathroom, is to find out what the weather is like. If it's raining or a blizzard, it's so not a blessing. But this morning, it was a sure fire blessing, when I realized the weather was all kinds of amazingness wrapped into an 8:30 potty break for a dog. It feels like we've finally made it to the other side of winter. That's something to be praised. We made it! We do every year, but this year was especially trying. I feel like we should get a reward of some kind, and I'm not talking about a fancy snow shovel for next year. Think dreamy exotic vacation. Anywho, I'm on a major tangent that must end promptly, so I can get on with my super easy tutorial for you all. 

How about a sunny banner to match this amazing weather today? Let's get started!

Gather up some random scrapbook paper, washi tape, and paper doilies. This is all stuff I had on hand, which made it super fun! Free is always best!

I traced inside the doily there, to get my scrapbook paper the right size. See my pencil lines in there? 

Washi tape from Target dollar bin. Major score! I also cut out polka dot and stripe paper for a little subtle diversity in my banner.

Add a little heart for a little extra kick. Grab some cute string from the same Target dollar bin.

And voila! You've got yourself a banner!

Hang it from your favorite spot and smile the day away!

Put a Spring in your Step

I almost wrote a post yesterday, but I just thought it'd seem like some sort of April Fool's joke and all, so I thought I'd give myself another day. Okay, that's not in fact true. I just really didn't find the time, or rather was unmotivated. Because, I did indeed find time for a nap. It's all about priorities, folks!

I thought I'd share a little party I threw a week or so ago. Any of the ideas would be fun for a spring party or maybe a little Easter decorating. Carter and my niece's birthday are only 3 days apart. So, I did what any slacking mom would do, and checked to see if my sis-in-law wanted to join forces and throw a party together. Less work for both of us and only one time for the older folks to drive out of the "big city." 

We went for a spring inspired party, because we were so desperate for a little "spring" in our lives. 

I totally snagged the ribbon idea from this gal. And, now I see she went hog wild with her ribbons. I hardly had the patience for what I did do.

Can I just say, I love Dollar Tree. You can find the best stuff there. Got these little pots and the "nest material" there. And those eggs, I can never buy those again! I will eat, not just one big bag, but possibly two!

This is not crooked. It is only a mirage.

Flowers were an easy no brainer addition.

 

Artwork: Katie Daisy

This party was so fun for me, because it was definitely on the girly side. I'm usually dealing with super heroes and all things boy, so this was a special treat. But for good measure, I threw in some worms for the newly turned 5 year old.

The birthday kiddos. They were so fun to celebrate! So much personality in such little bodies, especially the little red-head, she's a hoot!

Saw these packets at Walmart and new I had to do something with them. Now I'm determined to actually grow some wildflowers this year. 

We used mason jars and paper straws for our beverages.

My lovely sis-in-law graciously made the cupcakes and even water colored the flowers on top of them! We had fun planning this party together, as minimal as it seemed. 

So, if you're wanting to throw a spring themed party, hit up dollar tree, grab some flowers, and don't buy the eggs. Unless they're plastic. Those you won't eat. 

Our Sunroom

Today is just bitter cold, so what better room to show you in our house, than our sunroom! Maybe it can brighten our mood a bit!

When we built our home, this room was on the blue print as a screened in porch. We ended up with some "mess-up" windows from a job my husband had done and some extra bead board from another job, and voila, we had a usable space! I know we would've enjoyed it as a porch, but this extra square footage  is so helpful!

When we built, I was very much into modern decor, so the wall paint above the windows was lime green , and there was a whole different feel to the space. I've since gone the complete opposite direction with my decorating style. We later repainted the wall a dark grey. 

 Chair: Auction

I had gotten this chair at the auction, and intended to sell it, but boy am I glad I didn't. I love it in this cozy corner. 

Everything you see is basically stuff that I have thrifted or gotten for amazing prices at antiques shops.

Wire Tray: Junk Evolution

This wire tray is so helpful for corralling all of my magazines on the coffee table.

Couch: Jonathan's

I seriously got this couch for a steal! It's quite sickening.

Coffee Table: Dutch Village Market

I think the quirkiness of this coffee table is what got me. I love how somebody must have pieced it together. The metal trunk underneath is great for holding more magazines. Yes, I'm a decorating magazine hoarder! And, no, I'm actually not an organic gardener!

 Footstool: Dutch Village Market

Love the geometric pattern in this footstool!

White Curtains and Hardware: Ikea ~ Large Sisal Rug: Lowes ~ Round Sisal Rug: TJ Maxx

This room has great lighting, and is where I take all of my product shots.

You may be wondering what's on the other wall that I keep cropping out of all of the pictures. Well, it's our elliptical. It's not pretty there, but it's actually a nice sunny spot to work out and stare out into the fields. And, if it were in the basement where I couldn't see it every day, you know I probably wouldn't be using it! All that to say, I really don't use it that often.

Tomorrow Ann will be over here showing you how to make homemade pop tarts! YUM!               Until then...

The January Doldrums and Meet my Contributors!

Hey Ladies, today I'm so excited to share with you my blog contributors! Click here, and you can read all about them and see their lovely faces. I don't think that I have the best ideas ever or am the greatest cook, so I'm excited to have a couple gals who are very talented on board. Today I'm going to let Jessica take it away with a simple project that packs a lot of punch!

Is it just me or does mid-January feel… well, dull? Christmas decorations are down, Valentine’s hasn’t quite gone up and the house (ours, at least) is sparse and slightly sad. There is certainly a renewed spirit with the cleansing that happens post-New Year. Organizing, cleaning and just re-gathering. But alas – we needed a pick-me-up in our home. Something to add a bit more cheer and spontaneity and smiles. Seriously, smiles do a lot for our little family!

We started with a rather blank wall, a remnant picture frame that had previously been chalkboarded, and to be honest, by itself was a bit too small for this wall in our kitchen. I let Lyla, my oldest at 3 ½ yrs. old, help me choose from some inspiration pictures I found around Pinterest. After deciding on polka dots, I vetoed her decision of pink and chose a more long-lasting color based on our home’s current décor – BLACK! We ordered sixty 2 inch vinyl dots from Etsy seller, lishie.

The OCD side of me really REALLY wanted to measure out a perfect system of lined up dots, row by row. But deep down I knew that the quirkiness of random dots would really make me happy. So I went at it! Of the 60 dots I had, I placed the first 30 rather close together… putting them on the wall as my little heart desired. Once I got to the second sheet of dots I was approximately halfway down the wall so I started placing them more sporadically…. Similar to confetti dropping from a huge balloon that has just been popped (did I mention I super enjoy spontaneity!?) I still have around 10 dots left that I plan to use for another project.

With less than 15 minutes of my time and under $15, I now have a little wall in a little corner of my kitchen that gives me a BIG dose of happiness.

Ephesians 2:8-9 – “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works so that no one can boast.”

Jessica

See, I told you she was great! Now, I'm trying to decide where I can put some polka dots in my house!

Re-purpose your bassinet

Babies too big for their vintage bassinet? Don't kick it to the curb quite yet. Here are a few ideas that you can use to re-purpose your bassinet. Or if you like the ideas enough and don't have a bassinet, go buy yourself one! 

I love that you can spray-paint these any color you'd like to match your decor.

We have so many games, puzzles and extra blankets. This would be a great accessory to any family room. Keep the games out where you can see them. I bet you'll play them more!

This would be adorable in any little girl's room loaded with stuffed animals, dolls, and blankets. And when she's a little older, she'll have fun playing "mommy" with her babies.

Need more storage for your craft room? Stack lots of fabric in this beauty. I love functional storage that is also easy on the eyes! There's enough room under this to store a crate with more materials in it. Whenever you can have something up off the ground, it's like double the storage.

If you like the bassinet in these pictures, you're in luck! It's currently for sale. Head on over to my FB page for more details.

Christmas in Our Home

Whoever decided to start a blog right before Christmas is just plain silly. As if I don't have a million other things I could be doing. But, alas I'm drinking coffee, listening to the Rat Pack Christmas, and wearing my new cozy Isotoner slippers from my sister-in-law. So, it's not all stressful and such. And, did I mention I'm also munching on "fruit loop crack"?

This is my final Christmas decorating post. I give you the main portion of our home. 

Warning: excessive amount of pictures.

Merry Christmas from our home to yours!