I HAVE GONE CRAFTING CRAZY!!

Well not sure what the weather is like in your neck of the woods, but here in Kentucky the temp has been over 100 degrees with the heat index. Yuck! (I think I may have sweated a little just thinking about going outside!!) I decided that since it has been too hot to do any kind of yard work (hubby is supposed to cut the grass today, it's like a jungle, but I worry about him while he's out there) I would do a little crafting inside where it's nice and cool. Like I stated in an earlier post, I have been making some changes to things around the house to give it a little face lift. I usually tend to do this in the summer, because after looking at the same things all winter long, you tend to want to change it up a bit.

Here are a few of the projects that I completed over the past several days:

This is a project that I did for sweat peas room, and she actually got to help as well. I had these frames hanging in her room already but was tired of the pictures in them, so I thought and thought of what to do, and then it finally came to me. I had always wanted prints of her hands and feet when she was a newborn but never got around to it, so since she is now 1 I decided that now is as good a time as any. I had some leftover drop cloth material from my drop cloth curtain project, so I decided to us that as the background. I just attached it to the backing of the frame with tape and then went to work on the design. I used craft paint to paint sweet peas feet and hands and then just stamped them on the cloth. (Not sure how good of an idea this project was with a 1 year old because she freaked out when I was painting her feet and ended up getting paint all over me and her daddy before we could get her feet on the cloth!)

Here is the finished product on the wall. Love the way they turned out!

My next project I saw over at Dear Lillie, and loved it, so I made a couple myself. You can check her tutorial out here. I made one for the year we were established as a married couple, and one for when we became a family of 3. I think they are pretty sweet.

These zinnias are from my garden, aren't they pretty!!

The final project I completed was one for my dining room table. I was sick of staring at the same old vase with flowers, so I decided to come up with a whole new look. I knew I wanted some kind of tray, with a bunch of little trinkets, but needed to find just the right ones. So off to the trusty ol' Hobby Lobby I went. I found this beautiful metal tray in the clearance section for only $10! The color didn't quite go with the rest of my decor, so I decided to spray paint it white. (My hubby has been really bothered lately by all the painting I have been doing, he keeps saying "why do you keep painting everything white??" I just smile and say "oh honey, it will look so much better") A couple of coats later, the tray was finished and the final look was just what I had been looking for.

The tray when I purchased it.

Don't you just love the beautiful detailing!

After a couple of coats if paint.

Here it is all dressed up on the table. I would eventually love to get a glass cloche to put over the little herb plant, but for now this will do.

Well hubby is finishing up the grass, so I better get dinner started. I have a few more projects in the works, so I will post those at a later date.

Until next time, BYE!

Linking up to Kim for Wow us Wednesdays over at Savvy Southern Style

Drop Cloth Curtains

After much inspiration from the Drop Cloth Party that Kristin at My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia hosted a few weeks ago, I decided to embark on my own drop cloth journey. When we moved into our house there were no doors on any of the closets, just thin little curtains that someone had obviously made like 100 years ago (not really but they just were old and nasty). They quickly got ripped down and were never replaced by anything. As my birthday present last year, my mother in law said that if I found some fabric she would make me some cute curtains for the closets in my bedroom. I never quite found the right fabric (or the right length for that matter), so I kinda gave up hope, until I saw Kristin's post.

I fell in love with her outdoor living room at first glance! She made curtains for her patio to make it feel like a separate area in the backyard. It is so lovely, and I wish that one day I will be able to have a room just as beautiful. But for now, I will just daydream about spending time drinking coffee on her patio.

Anyways back to reality, I decided that the drop cloths would be the perfect solution to the curtains that I have been looking for. So I piled sweet pea into the car and headed to the local Home Depot. I purchased two 9x12 painters drop cloths, had my mother in law do a little hem job on the bottom, and "viola" I had new curtains! I had originally planned to use these really pretty tie backs that I purchased from Joann fabrics for $6.99 on clearance, but since our closest are not the same on both sides they ended up not working. So I just decided to make some tie backs myself from the scraps that were left over from hemming the bottom.

I am really pleased with how they turned out, and I think they give a whole different feel to the room. Now if we ever have company over and the closet gets a little messy, then I can just shut the curtain and its like there was no mess at all. (in reality anyone that knows me, knows that I worked in retail for many years, and my closet is too organized to get messy!)

This is a picture of our closets when we first moved in. Don't mind the decorating I have come a long way since then!

This is what the closet looks like now with the curtain shut.

Here it is open, which is the way I prefer it.

I just LOVE the way they turned out!

Hopefully this will inspire you to create your own project with a drop cloth. Drop me a line to let me know what you came up with. I can't wait to figure out what I am going to use the rest of my scraps for.

Until next time, BYE!

Linking to the lovely Kim at Savvy Southern Style

A Little "Bird" Obsessed!!

So ever since I chose the Penelope bedding from Pottery Barn Kids for sweet peas room, I have become a tiny bit obsessed with birds. They have somehow managed to "land" all over my house. I am not a fan of real birds, but for some reason little nick-nacky ones just make me happy! Every time I stumble upon a new one I just have to have it, no matter if I NEED it or not. Here is a little sneek peek into my collection:

Here is a picture of sweet peas bed. Don't ya just LOVE it!

Close up of her quilt

This is one of my new finds, and it has a brother that is blue that you will see later in the post. Got that cute little birdhouse at Joann fabrics for only .99 and painted it pink to match her room.

Got this lovely one at Michael's on sale for only $2.49!

This is some art that I painted for sweet peas wall over her dresser, when I was still pregnant. I was an arts and crafts machine before she arrived!

A Hobby Lobby find that was originally brown, but I painted it pink.

My sweet cousin painted this for sweet pea right before she was born. It matches the sheets on her crib.

My lovely friend Hannah purchased this cute bag for me, and I just LOVE it. I carry it everyday now! On the back it says "Made with Love". :)

One of my best friends is the manager at Arhaus here in town, so I think I have collected almost every bird figurine that they have in their store. Can't say enough about Arhaus's accessories, they are so cute, and the best part is they are actually affordable! Oh and by the way, that is a picture of sweet pea when she was only 2 weeks old, laying in my hubby's hands, isn't it the sweetest thing you have ever seen.

Yes ladies and gents (if there are any out there) this is a Dollar Store find, and it has a brother and sister to go with it. Gotta love the Dollar Store!

Another Arhaus birdy, and I'm pretty sure was the first in my collection.

Got this cutie at a local consignment shop.

Here is the twin to the green bird that sits in sweet peas room. They came from the JC Penney outlet and were on sale for .99. They also came in yellow, which my mom purchased, but I may just have to go back and get one for myself.

Another local consignment shop find.

Here is the last, but not final bird in my collection. It came from Hobby Lobby and resides in my kitchen. I have been thinking about painted it white. What do you think??

Hope you enjoyed your peek into my little collection. What are some of the things that you out there collect? Drop me a comment and let me know.

Until next time, BYE!

Linking to Kim at Savvy Southern Style

HAPPY 4TH OF JULY!

Happy 4th to everyone, and a big Thank You to all the men and women who have fought for our freedom and continue to fight!

Sweet pea says "GOD Bless America"!!!

Sweet Pea's 1!!

Even though it has been almost a month since my sweet pea turned one, I am just now getting around to writing this post, mainly because I think I am in denial that I actually have a one year old (insert scream here)!!!!! It feels like it was just yesterday that I was snuggling with my new little 5 lb. 15 oz. baby who didn't know how to do anything but eat, poop and sleep. Now she is a crawling machine and is into EVERYTHING! I can't deny that is has been a blast to see her grow up thus far, because all the different stages of development are so unique and it is so fun to just stand back and watch what she can accomplish. Everyday with her is a new adventure and her daddy and I are just along for the ride!

Planning parties is something I LOVE to do, and planning hers was probably the most fun I have ever had. I decided to not go with your typical picture theme party, but just stuck with a color theme. Mainly because it was SO easy to find things that matched. You wouldn't believe all the pink and green stuff that they have out in the stores right now! Most of the decor and party supplies came from Target (in the dollar bin) and the Dollar Tree. Including food, flowers, and supplies I think we literally spent less than $200 on this party, which is pretty darn good if I do say so myself!

I made all of the decorations and my sweet friend Maurie made the cake and smash cake. She did a fabulous job and I can't thank her enough for doing it. Since I have such a big family and most of them live in town, I opted to only invite them and a few friends, otherwise we would have had a LARGE crowd. Sweet pea was so excited that most everyone was able to come, and I think got to spend time with almost everyone at the party. She was such a trooper and was in good spirits the whole day (which is usually rare for someone her age)!

When it was time for her to eat her cake we were curious to see how she would react because most of the time she hates for her hands to be dirty. Surprisingly she didn't mind too much, but was pretty careful in the beginning until I did what at least 70% of us moms do and smashed her whole hand into the cake. It was then that she decided that it was OK, and had some fun, and when she was done, went straight to the bathtub. She received all kinds of wonderful presents and some money for her college fund that we started her before she was born.

All in all the day was a blast, and we couldn't have asked for better weather. Even though I am sad the she had to turn one, I am just so lucky to have such a healthy and happy baby. I am definitely looking forward to what the future holds for her and us as a family. I have shared a bunch of pics from the day below, I hope you enjoy.

Until next time, BYE!!

Cake by my friend Maurie and topper made by ME

Smash Cake by Maurie

Tissue pom poms by ME

Table decor

LOVED making all this stuff!

Homemade birthday banner

SO HOLLYWOOD

"Yeah, I'm One!"

OH MY GOODNESS!!

Cute bloomers from my sister in law

The Princess in her NEW chariot

Her Pottery Barn Anywhere Chair from great grandmother

LOVE, LOVE, LOVE

Linking to the lovely Heather at Life Made Lovely

and Kim at Savvy Southern Style