Ugly Duckling to Beautiful Chalkboard

What do you do when the Hubs takes the 6 year old

out for a Daddy/Daughter day ????

You get your craft on !!!!

Remember this lovely (cough cough) mirror my Mom got me?

She got a make over......

My new Chalkboard for my Dining Area

Ain't she pretty????

I am in L-O-V-E

I painted her a soft grey.

I love how some of the detail came through the paint.

Now me and chalkboard paint do not get along.

You know the black paint you put a million coats on

And your suppose to be able to write on it.

Well it has never worked for me.

But I found something else.

Chalkboard Cloth !!!

I picked it up at Joann's

And its been sitting in my stash.

I made the countdown chalkboard with it on my Back to School Mantel.

I cut it to size and used spray adhesive to attach it to the mirror.

That way if I ever want to use it as a mirror I can peel it right off.

You need to "prime" the cloth just like you would the paint.

And it works perfect !!!

Can you believe the difference?

I am so excited that this is done.

I have been wanting a big chalkboard to decorate with

And thanks to my Mom I got one.

Sometimes that ugly duckling can become a beautiful piece.

Hanging out with my Friends.....

The Ironstone Nest - Transformation Tuesday

Clean and Scentible - The Creative Spark

DIY by Design - Sizzle into Summer

Lil Luna - Lil Luna Link Party

52 Mantels - Thursday are Your Day

Tatertots and Jello - Weekend Wrap Up Party

Funky Junk Interiors - SNS

Be Different Act Normal - Show and Tell Saturday
The Prudent Pantry - Smart Solutions
A Glimpse Inside - Catch a Glimpse Party
I Heart Naptime - Sundae Scoop Party
Its Overflowing - Overflowing with Creativity
Craft O Maniac - Maniac Monday
Homemaker on a Dime - Bloggers Party Hop
Brassy Apple - Make it Monday
Pinkapotamus - Pink Hippo Party
Coastal Charm - Nifty Thrifty Tuesday
Knick of Time - Knick of Time Tuesday

A funny thing about my Mom....

I love my Mom.

She is one of the reasons we moved to Florida.

Sometimes she just cracks me up.

Someone in her neighborhood moved out.

They left a bunch of "stuff" in their driveway

(you know to be thrown away)

Well she took her truck down there and loaded it up.

She likes to DIY it just like me.

She got a big, heavy, beautiful mirror.

black frame, rectangle, imperfect glass.

It was a little beat and needed some tlc.

I wanted it.

It would look great over my mantel I told her.

She replied no its mine.

She had the perfect place for it in her foyer.

So she won that one.

So do you want to see the mirror she got for me a week later.....

Don't you love the gold detail ????

It's not even wood.

It's molded plastic.

My goal this week is to transform this to a beauty.

I decided to make it into a chalkboard.

I think its going to look great.

I am hoping it will look great.

And no Mom you can't have it back when its done.

Even though it might look great in your new kitchen.

But I do love my Mom.

She gave me the mirror and she gave me this too.....

It's my Birthday present.

My Birthday is in November.

I love my Mom.



Spring Mantel 2012 - Polka Dots and Cherry Blossoms

I kept it simple this time.

I wanted to change it up a bit.

I stepped out of my design box.

Well at least one foot did.

Pink seemed to dominate.

And if you know the 5 year old you would understand.

The frame behind the wreath I have had forever.

It is suppose to be a picture frame, but I have yet to use it as one.

I painted it this yummy minty green

Added the pink cherry blossom fabric behind it

Which the bunting is made from too.

And placed my Fabric Wrapped Spring Wreath on it

Painted glass jars and twig branches

Books and birdhouse

Spray painted Dollar Store tray and ceramic eggs.

It all gives a simple Springtime look.

And it is pink.

Which in my world makes the 5 year old happy.

Happy Spring !!!

Hanging out with my Friends.....

Handmade Holiday - Mom's Sign

This was the year I was making Handmade Gifts.

This was the year I actually stuck to it.

I accomplished Handmade Gifts for everyone on my list.

Well accept the 5 year old.

Her list did not contain the Handmade vibe.

My Mom has been looking for a sign for her den

Nothing was big enough

Good enough

Or said what she wanted.

Come in Christmas.

Ok Mom I'll make you a sign.

Then I got an email saying OK make me a sign

This is what I want it to say

Details, Details, Details.

Just Another Day in Paradise

(yes she likes Jimmy Buffet)

And her Retirement in Florida

I actually never really made a sign before

I have seen them all over the place

On blogs, Pinterest, Esty

It was easy, I might be addicted

and my Mom might be plotting more.

Trip to Home Depot

A nice man cut the size I needed because nothing in the scrap bin worked

Some paint, Stencils, Paint Marker and a Sander

And a hammer to make the extra dents.

She wanted it "Distressed"

Yes I used stencils and freehanded some of it

(I am still dreaming of a Silhoutte)

So there you have it

Mom's Christmas present

Part of my Handmade Christmas

My Halloween Porch/Patio 2011

I have been so excited to show this off.

I have been working on it off and on all last week.

I wanted real pumpkins and mums

Yeah that wasn't going to happen.

Budget = Zip, Zilch, Nadda

Ok I had a few bucks.

Thats why I love the Dollar Tree.

And repurposing, reusing, and upcycling.

And alot of digging in my craft stash.

(Click on Picture to make larger)

1. Pumpkin Friend inherited from my Mom

2. Door Valance upcycled from my Fantel

3. Fence Board Pumpkins ($1.14 at HD)

4. Spooky Tag (stickers and vintage ink)

5. Halloween Tree with Bats and Coffee Filter Ghosts

6. Halloween Burlap Candy Corn Bunting and EEK Pillow

7. Front door overview

8. Halloween Tree Vignette ($1 for bucket + free sticks)

9. It's All About The Candy Picture (used a command hook to hang on brick wall)

10. Again...because I am loving it !!!

11. More of the Halloween Tree (I love my brick wall)

12. Front Door Wreath and Valance

13. Upcycled Yellow Stool (spray painted)

14. Updated Simple Halloween Wreath

One week to Halloween.

I am done decorating.

Just one thing left to do.......

I need to finish the five year olds costume.

UGH !!!!!

Hanging out with my Friends.....

A Glimpse Inside - Catch a Glimpse Party

Momnivories Dilemma - Creative Juice
Crafty Scrappy Happy Me Thursday Party

Burlap Candy Corn Bunting (and somewhat of a tutorial)

I try and try to put together a Tutorial.

I get so involved with making the projects.

I forget to take pictures.

I say I'll go back and do it again

and we all know that doesn't happen....lol

So here we go a tute with no process pictures

But honestly it was easy and fun to make.

I posted a sneak peek of my bunting with my EEK Pillow

I wanted something to drape across my big window on my patio

And I have seen some great bunting all across blog land.

Supplies needed:

Burlap (cut to 4 x 6 rectangles)

Acrylic Paint (orange, yellow,white)

Sponge Brushes

Black Sharpie Marker

String/Yarn

Large Eye Needle

After you cut all your rectangles begin painting your stripes

I eyed then but you could tape them off if needed.

I used sponge brushes

 (the black ones with wood handle that you can get anywhere)

I tapped the paint on and let dry

(make sure you put something underneath because the paint does bleed through)

After the paint was dry I used a Black Sharpie for the lettering

I did mine free hand but you could use a stencil.

Use the needle to string the yarn through the top of each rectangle

and hang it up.

Please let me know if you have any questions

But really its simple.

And I love how it looks.

My patio is about 99.9% done.

I can't wait to show you what I did.

Here is another sneak peek to a project that was inspired

by the 5 year old.

Hanging out with my friends....

Under the Table Dreaming - Sunday Showcase

Craft-O-Maniac - Monday Link Party

I Heart Naptime - Sundae Scoop