For awhile now I've been wanting to make a rustic, 3-tiered cupcake stand; this baby shower was the perfect opportunity! There are many different styles online, but they all have one thing in common - $$$. Here is my most recent high-low project. Tree Slices.I found my tree slices at Michaels, but another cheap option is Saveoncrafts; both have a variety of shape, color, size, and texture for you to choose from. (OR you could find a fallen tree that you like and cut your pieces to size!) Center Post.For the center post I used a small log that we found outside. Dan cut it down to size. We scraped off the bark to reveal some awesome texture! Wood Glue.To assemble the pieces, all we used is wood glue! Initially we thought we'd need to use screws to keep it secure, but we were pleasantly surprised by how well the glue held. *Make sure that each piece is centered to ensure that your finished product is sturdy.*
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Birdseed Ornaments can be hung in a tree, from a window, lamp post, or bird house. A spin off of the traditional bird feeder, these ornaments provide a unique opportunity to relax and watch the birds with your kiddos or a cup of coffee.
*click to view the tutorial. The only change I made was using 2 envelopes per batch rather than 1. This helped the forms keep their shape with minimal crumbles!
A close family friend of ours is expecting, and we could not be more excited! She is planning a woodland themed nursery for her little guy, so we thought it was only fitting that we throw her a woodland themed shower! Here's how we planned a beautiful-woodland-y baby shower, on a budget:
Jen, these are all the hints you get for now! :)
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Friends of ours recently welcomed a handsome baby boy into this world. When the baby shower was rolling around I wanted to make her something unique to hang in the nursery. When she told me that her theme was Star Wars I could not have been more excited! SUCH an adorable theme for a nursery!!! I chose to recreate C3PO and R2D2; I've always thought they were such a great example of friendship. May the force be with you. | |
Here's a peek into our home at Christmas!
You can learn a lot about someone from the way they decorate their tree. Decorate your tree with things you love! You all know my obsession with wood... At our house we keep a sliver of our tree to hang and remember each year! The best trees tell a story; what story does your tree tell? | I love to spread Christmas touches throughout our home. Similar to how you would add pops of color to unite a space, I like to add pops of Christmas! I LOVE this reindeer "topiary", who brings Christmas to our kitchen island. (He sits next to my recent inspiration, my little orange teapot!) |
Remember my pallet? Here it is again, Christmas edition! Fill a mason jar with vintage Christmas lights, pop some candy canes in a "flower holder" (vintage lime zester turned upside down!), hang some homemade stockings (thrift store sweaters!) - and there you have it, a Christmas pallet!
I really wanted a mini-tree for our porch this year, but when we went to get one they were $40! Nope. So I decided to make one! Around the corner from the pricey trees we found a tomato cage ($2!!!!) and I remembered something I'd seen on Pinterest. Here's how mine turned out! (And, as you can see, it ended up in my kitchen - because I'm the most decisive person ever...) I stood mine in a crock and decorated it with some simple white lights. I love how it adds a Christmas pop to my kitchen! |
Merry Christmas from our family to yours!
Happy decorating!
Happy decorating!
What I wantedWhat I Bought | I have recently become obsessed with lighting. In the past, I've kept light fixtures, chandeliers, and the like at an arm's length. They always seemed like some of the least inventive aspects of a space. Now that we have a house and opportunities to add lighting, I've been frustrated because apparently I have expensive lighting taste... I recently found a builder grade chandelier on a yard sale site for a few bucks. I loved the lines that it had, but I hated the color and the globes that were on it. I decided to try and turn it into something new. I'm really glad I did, because just a few bucks and easy steps later, I ended up with a light that feels high-end. Here's what I learned as I went: Lesson #1: Don't be afraid of the globes. Even if I liked the frame of a chandelier, ugly globes were a turn-off. However, the globes are SO EASY to take off, and are usually standardized for easy replacement. I decided to leave the globes off for this project. Lesson #2: Textured spray paint works. I didn't like the smooth chrome finish of the chandelier; even painted, it would be too smooth. I wanted it to have an oil-rubbed bronze-hammered look. I used Rust-Oleum Textured Spray as a base coat with Rust-Oleum Protective Enamel Spray Paint in Flat Black on top. Layering the paints gave me exactly the look I wanted. Lesson #3: ALWAYS check Ikea. I found a perfect drum shade at Ikea, and it was very reasonably priced. Seriously, who doesn't love Ikea? I put it all together and my sweet husband hung it for me. Check out the finished product! |
What I Made |
We are really happy with how it turned out! I think it captures the look of an expensive light for a fraction of the price. Looking for new lighting? Go fish out that old fixture from the garage and turn it into something you'll love!
Paint chips are one of the most underrated items at a home improvement store. They are literally giving them away! They are FREE! They have an obvious purpose - choosing a paint color - but what do you do with them after you're done painting? I am a "hoarder" of many things (just ask Dan!), old paint chips is one of them. Using paint chips in artwork is one of my favorite things to do. Not only is it awesome crafting paper (durable, vibrant, and doesn't fade), it's also the easiest way to coordinate with your house; they're YOUR colors! Do you have old paint chips? Recycle them into some artwork! Make a bold geometric design or use a hole punch to silhouette a favorite figure. |
Breathing life into the things that inspired your space - that's priceless.
By now you have probably gathered that I am a lover of any and all things reclaimed. I stop for yard sales, I love sketchy antique shops, I search for thrift stores - that's me. Another thing that I enjoy (maybe the weirdest thing) is stopping for debris on the side of the road (remember my pallet???). I currently have my eye on a barn that has fallen over, creating a pile of wood, that I pass every morning on my way to work - Dan and I just have to get brave enough to ask permission to take a look!
Don't judge a book by it's cover.The other day I stumbled upon someone who shares my love of debris. I met Steven on an online yard sale group, and I will be stalking him from now on! He was selling barn wood planks that he had removed from a barn that was to be demolished. Dan and I met up with him on Sunday to take a look... Wow. He had barn doors, barn planks, barn signage, barn boxes, barn hinges, barn gates... I was in trouble. I wanted it ALL. Each and every piece was packed with character, and I couldn't help but imagine the stories they could tell. As we looked through his truck, Steven described the way that old barns were usually dealt with: land-owners don't want to spend the time to take the barns down responsibly, so instead these barns get burned or buried into the ground. "I save pieces of American history from being lost and forgotten about. Barns and farm buildings are so majestic and peaceful that they deserve so much more than being burnt down." ~Old American Barn If you like to decorate with unique pieces that are chalk full of character, go and "like" his page right now! Your barn wood dreams are just a quick drive to Culpepper away! |
Confession: I have started to buy ingredients based on how cute I think the jar is...and now I have a collection... What can you do with the jar?Storage: Pens, candy, clothes pins, q-tips, cotton balls, odds and ends - ANYTHING! Just add some spray paint and a knob; why not make your storage cute? Gifts "Stemware": Inexpensive, durable, sturdy, and (most importantly) cute! Try it out! You just might like it! |
Today was my school system's 11th snow day (tomorrow will be the 12th!). I love watching the snow fall, but I am starting to run out of things to do! As I was looking through some boxes this morning, I found some canvases that I had painted for my college dorm room.
My lace paintings were perfect for my dorm room, but for some reason when I found them today I had only one thought: CHEVRON! And my snow day project had begun... |
How to get the Chevron look!
You'll need a canvas, spray paint, and the love of my life... painter's tape (sorry, Dan).
1. Divide canvas into thirds, wrapping tape all the way around the edges. | 2. Connect lines using alternating diagonals, matching the angle as best you can. |
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This turned out to be the perfect project for today! Making your own wall art doesn't need to be time consuming, overly complicated, or expensive. I was able to reuse old canvases and I already had spray paint. Don't tell Dan, but I used up all of his painter's tape...
...cuz I'm all about that tape.
...cuz I'm all about that tape.
renew.
recycle.
reclaim.
repurpose.
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