Beauty in Bloom

Pinned it, then made it. {chalkboard}

So, I think I mentioned that we were making a chalkboard over here.  I stumbled across THIS awesomesauce chalkboard over at Just a Night Owl that I pinned on Pinterest a while back.  Darcy has a complete tutorial over on her blog, by the way.  I loved the planks of wood behind the chalkboard, so off to Lowe's we went.  I painted it, the hubs did the rest. Mine is a bit different because I went with cedar fence planks(because it didn't feel like staining).  Also, I had to modify the measurements for the space we had.

I bought the crochet heart garland on etsy from here.  I love it so much. I want to add something above it since we left off the top and bottom planks, but not sure what yet. I will know it when I see it.

The finished product:

 

 

The little ledge even holds the chalk. :)

My kiddos are dying to draw all over it. I have had to tell them NO for a few days. Sorry kids, mommy has to blog about it first. HA! 

Thank you Bobby for being willing to do whatever crazy thing I ask of you.

Check out how messy that kitchen table is....before I cleaned it off for pictures, of course. :)

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Faith's trip to American Girl was so much fun. That place slays me. We went on the third day it opened in St. Louis.(which also happened to be her birthday) Sister Annie wanted to go but she surprisingly didn't throw a fit.

It was nice that it was just the two of us.

 

I felt like a kid all over again. I may have even shed a tear. It is fun to take her places like this because she is not a greedy kid. She knew what mama was willing to get and was just fine with it. I swear that girl thanked me a million times. "Best birthday ever, Mom!!"

Her big party is this weekend. We are hoping for lots of food donations!

The party is outside so I hope it doesn't rain!

 

 

 

Be my valentine

Over the weekend we spent some time making Faith's class valentines. She had saw them in the latest edition of the American Girl magazine, and begged me for weeks to make them. Once again, we have had the supplies forever, but we wait until the last minute around here to do everything.

It was her request to make a tutorial for my blog. NO JOKE. I just might have a blooming blogger on my hands.

Step 1: Cut out 4 inch circles from felt. {the premade fortunes were printed from American Girl Magazine online}

Step 2: Fold in half. Use a small piece of double stick tape to close.

Step 3: Insert fortune.

Step 4: Fold in half again. Secure with double stick tape.

Your done!

Action shot. Look at the concentration.

Look at all of them together. So pretty!

We decided that we needed a cute container to transport them in so on Saturday night we headed to Michael's to get one.

I die!

So cute!

Annie also had some sweet little valentines to make. Well, really she only had to write her name on them. Which didn't really interest her, but she got through it.

{I bought these from Pottery Barn Kids online}

Faith is so excited to take them to school she can't even stand it. Love that kid.

I plan on sharing some other V-day cuteness tomorrow. Mainly because I just finished decorating this weekend. Ha! Just in time!

Happy Monday! 

Simple fall projects

I decided to keep it simple this fall in the project department. For years, I have wanted a huge rug out on the front porch but never got around to it until now. A few weeks ago I received the Lowe's Outdoor Living magazine in the mail and when I saw this RUG inside, I was on it!

{click on the link above to see the directions on how to make this}

 
 

This one had to sneak in the photos....

 

I pretty much followed the instructions that were given with one exception, I used a cereal box for the stencil instead of paper. The paper kept curling up when I was rolling on the paint. Other than that small issue, this project was easy.

My next project was super easy too. For this wreath banner there are 3 simple steps:

1. Cut burlap in the shape of a triangle.

2. Sew it to some fall colored ribbon. You could hot glue it if you didn't want to mess with the sewing machine. {Cause if you are like my friend Erica, you might have randomly misplaced your presser foot} Sorry girl! I know you are lost without it!

3. Stamp your letters on!

 
 

And for my "non crafty" friends that may be reading this....*ahem*....you know who you are.......even you can do this. Pinky swear.

I'll help you if I must :)

FYI...as I am typing this my 1 year old is smashing marshmellows into my leather ottoman. Turdlet!

Linkin up:

 

     

 

 

This very moment...

 

......I have a 21 month old who is still attached to her bottle. She wakes up and it's the first thing she asks for and will not nap or go to bed at night without it. I know she will give it up eventually, but I don't think I am ready. She probably is, however.

I secretly love that she is dependent on it.

Look at that hand. She twirls her hair when she drinks it. I die! How can she be this big already?

Right now, Liv is into:

Books, Books, and more books! Almost every minute she is awake, that girl is handing me books. Baby dolls. She loves to feed them and put them to bed. Climbing, of course. Doing things by herself. She tries to put her own shoes on and throws things away. Sometimes stuff that isn't even trash! Imitating her sisters. Liv does a perfect somersault, and has been able to for months! This kid rocks our world!

Love you baby girl!

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Over the weekend we started the process of making Halloween costumes. The goal for me here is to spend time with my talented Mom, so that some of her sewing genius rubs off on me. We will see. I have a feeling my Mom will end up doing most of the work.

Mom, if you are reading this....Let me help you!

So far, we have only finished cutting out Faith's costume. She is going to be Snow White. Her idea. She looks most like that princess in her mind. Annabel is going to be Rapunzel from the movie Tangled, and Olivia will be Ariel. I think. We have a few costume patterns to choose from for her so I have a feeling that she will be whatever is easiest to make.

 
 

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Also, today marks the day that I finally went back to the gym after talking almost the entire summer off.

I gained back 9 pounds. :(

I was doing so good too...30 pounders lighter and feeling better about myself. Oh well. I went back.

That is all that matters.

Coat rack {DIY}

I have been wanting to share my solution to the many bags and coats that used to hang upon the backs of my kitchen chairs. We do not have a mudroom, at least not on the main level, and the coat closet is at the front door so I desperately needed a place to hang items that we use on a daily basis.

 I have been collecting these hooks for months but I was never sure what I was going to actually do with them. The faucet hooks came from a local antique store. I just love the color!

 
 
 

The wood was salvaged from a sign that we made for my daughters birthday party last year. I painted it white and sanded it a bit. Next, I attached the piece of wood to the wall and then screwed the hooks on to it. *ahem* My husband did that last part. Still not quite able to work a power tool. It's definitely on my bucket list.

One last photo for a touch of reality. This is what it looked like before I removed everything to take photos.

 

I am so pleased with how it turned out! Useful and unique.

ps. I found that print at the Goodwill. Love that too :)

linking up:

 

    
  

TATERTOTS & JELLO      

 

Bulletin board makeover

 
 

Today I would like to show you a little project I worked on a while back.  I have been wanting a bulletin board in the kitchen for some time now. I found a few at Ballard Designs 
that I like but did not want to pay those prices. I had found this old shutter looking thing at the Goodwill a couple of months ago and had originally wanted to put hooks on it so that I could hang necklaces from it.

It sat around forever waiting for a new life and then one day I remembered that I had some cork placemats that I had bought at Target a long time ago for another project that never was finished. Perfect! I will make my own bulletin board. So I got to work.

I just realized that I am saying 'I' a lot. Oh well.

Before. A country blue.

 
 

 
 

This is my husband helping me make precise cuts....he is so good at that. Mine would have been wonky. True story.
 
 
 The new color.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 

All I had to do after painting it was sand the edges a bit and glue the cork inside of the opening. I just love projects that take no time at all!

The push pins are from Anthropologie. Love those little things. Although, I am sure they could be made pretty easily.

Thanks for visiting!

Linking up at:

At the picket fence, Tatertots & Jello, Serenity Now, Somewhat Simple, Just a Girl, The Shabby Nest, The 36th Avenue, Fireflies and Jellybeans