Upcycled Wood Quote Art

Our poor master bedroom has been so neglected, and I'm starting to put together some fun things for it. I haven't quite decided on the color scheme, but I know I want turquoise in it, so that's the color this project ended up being. The ReStore by my house always has tons of cheap wood pieces, perfect for creating cute, inexpensive art. I bought a thin board, and decided to put one of my favorite quotes on it.
** Spray paint the board white and let it dry.
** Print out the words you want in the desired font style and size. Then, put in a good movie, and cut out all the letters. (Be prepared for about an hour of cutting.)
** Using spray adhesive, attach the paper letters to the board. (One line at a time, I put the letters face-down on the ground, and sprayed a light coat of adhesive. Then I waited for about 30 seconds before positioning on the board.)
The great thing is that this light stick will allow you to reposition if you need to.
** Once you have all paper letters in place, spray with desired color, making sure to spray board straight on, to avoid getting paint under letters.
** Let paint dry, and peel off letters.
** Sand as desired. I love this sweet quote by Marjorie Hinckley. It will be a great reminder for hubby and I to help support each others dreams. And isn't the little piggy with wings so cute?!

Nightstand Re-Do

I'm so excited for two reasons: 1. I got a new camera so I can actually feel proud of the pictures posted on here. 2. I finally get to unveil the adorable revamped nightstand that is going to be in little E.'s room!

I got this little beauty for $2 at the ReStore (it's the Habitat for Humanity's goodwill.) I couldn't pass up something that cheap! It has one drawer and a great space underneath with sliding doors, perfect for some small toy or book baskets.

So this process was a little longer than it needed to be. First I spraypainted the whole thing yellow...and decided I didn't want it that color right as I finished. So...we went with a teal-y blue. I just randomly picked it because the "ocean breeze" name spoke to me at Lowes. I found a small diamond pattern stencil at Michaels for $3 that I used on the drawer. I placed the first one in a good spot, then just eyeballed it as I kept painting more diamonds, trying to make an even pattern. P.S.-- The stencil was fun and I love the finished look, but it definitely didn't come out perfect. I think I've got the hang of it now, but just don't look to closely at the finished drawer.

After that I just sanded around the edges, and a little yellow showing through looks pretty cute. I also bought new brass knobs ( I think they were 1.15 each from Lowes). ***This little table has helped me decide to do Elsie's room teal, deep purple, and mustard yellow. That means plenty more pictures to come!

Well... what do you think?! I love seeing a project come together.

** I love this adorable print, from HERE. Maybe the quote is too deep for a child's room, but it helps me be a better mother to her.

I heart Pinterest!

I finally followed the crowd and joined pinterest. Ahhhh! Organization at last. Thank goodness for a place to put all of my scattered ideas. Here's one idea I pinnedfor a bright and sunny playroom. ***P.S.- If anyone needs an invite, let me know!

Knot Dress Tutorial

After seeing so many adorable dresses for little girls, I decided to make up a simple summer dress for Elsie. I love this knot top dress because the colors are a funky mix, it'll fit her for a while (first as a dress, then as a top), and there are no difficult zippers. Trust me, you can do this one! As for me, I'm new at writing directions, so be patient with me, and feel free to ask questions as I'm sure I left a few holes!

Here are the basic measurements:

Yoke: There's no exact measurement for this one. I just measured E's chest, and kept cutting out patterns and holding them up to her till I got a shape and size I liked. I made it to cover her chest, coming down to about her sternum. ** Just remember that it'll end up being about 1/4" smaller all the way around after you sew it.

(Cut out 2 for outside, 2 for lining, 2 from fusible interfacing)

Straps: L= Back of the shoulder to belly button, W= 1 3/4"
(Cut 2 for outside, 2 for lining)

Skirt: L= Sternum to however long you want it, minus 1 1/2" (That's for the coordinating trim at the bottom) W= Waist circumference times 2 1/2, divided by 2 (Cut 2)

Bottom strip: W = same as skirt, L= 4 1/2" (Cut 2)

Center band: L= 2", W= Same as yoke piece (Cut 2)

1. Sew bottom trim to bottoms of skirt pieces. Sew sides of skirt (right sides together).Then iron bottom trim in half lengthwise, folding it underneath. Then topstich near the seam of the skirt and trim fabric, being sure to catch the side folded underneath. (This makes a nice finished bottom.)

2. Sew along both long sides and one short side of strap, outsides and linings right sides together, then turn right side out, iron, and topstitch.

3. Next, assemble the yoke. Iron fusible interfacing to the wrong side of the outside yoke pieces. Sew center band pieces to bottoms of outside yoke pieces. Next, make a strap sandwich, putting back yoke outside and lining pieces right sides together, with the straps in the middle. (I chose to put my straps at an angle, but you could just sew them straight. BTW- the straps should be angled in, not out like in the picture)

Sew the curved and top sides of the outside fabric and lining, leaving the short sides untouched. Do this again for the front outside and lining fabrics, just without the straps.

4. Take one short, open side of the back yoke, and one short side of the front yoke, and sew, right sides together, the repeat with the other short sides. Now when you flip it right side out, you should have the whole top yoke piece. Iron and top stitch around edges.

5. Gather top edge of skirt, then evenly pin skirt to yoke (right sides together), and sew. I also added on simple pockets after.

6. Then, just cut small slits in the front of the yoke where the straps will be going through. Finish the slits with a buttonhole stitch.

The bright flowers add a touch of fab and fun. I made them using the pattern found HERE. Doesn't this red one with pearls just look so sweet in her blonde locks? So... what are you waiting for now?! In total I probably spent only 2-3 hours, and no money. And I'm sure there's some sweet little girl you know who would just love one!

Currently making....

Currently making a few of these adorable gathered clutches. Find the easy tutorial HERE.

Patriotic Star Door Hanger

The fourth of July is one of my favorite holidays. I love the fireworks, BBQs, and the beautiful colors of red, white, and blue. One of my neighbors had a star like this hanging for Halloween, and I loved the idea. Perfect for creating a one-of-a-kind door decoration! So here's my version. You can find these metal stars at Joanns, Hobby Lobby, Taipan, etc.

All you need are scissors, scrapbooking cardstock, and Mod Podge. I just made a stencil of the shape of the facet, and cut out as many pieces as I needed. The paper didn't fit perfectly, so I just sandpapered off the edges, and-- ta dah! And doesn't it just accent my pumpkin orange door so well? Ah, the joys of renting. I really do love it-- it's perfect for a festive first impression. The door? Not so much a good first impression.

Chalkboard Project and Giveaway!

My momma brain limits my memory to about 10 seconds, so it's vital to write down anything of importance. I've been wanting to make a chalkboard to jot down notes for a while now, and have just been searching for the perfect frame. I finally found this gorgeous beauty at an awesome thrift/ antique store in Roy. (It's called Second Tyme Around) The whole creation was easy and quick.

My supplies included:

The frame (originally plain wood in need of sanding and a coat of paint)

Chalkboard paint (about $6 at Lowes)

Spray paint

Antiquing glaze

MDF board to use for the chalkboard(so super cheap! I think it was $4 for a piece bigger than this. Plus, the hardware store will usually cut it to size for free)

Nails1. I sanded the frame, painted it with two coats of lime green paint, and let dry. Then I painted on the glaze, and wiped it off, so it was only left in the intricate, fine lines.

2. I painted the MDF board (already cut to the right size) with the chalkboard paint. I think I did 6 coats, and it's recommended to do at least 4.

3. I placed the chalkboard in the frame, and hammered in some very small nails to keep it in place.

Once we move I'll find a perfect place for it up on the wall! I just love how the bright green pops against the black- YUM!

I also made a mini-chalkboard using an old picture frame. It's perfect to put on your nightstand and write sweet messages to your hubby or kids. Want one? I'm giving away a mini chalkboard, and the winner gets to choose the frame color, so it'll match any room you want to put it in.

To enter, just leave a comment with your name and e-mail.

**Want another entry? Follow my blog and let me know in another comment that you did.

**Giveaway goes till May 5th.

This post is linked up at SimplyDesigning.

High-Chair Redo

My child loves to attack me any time she sees food in my hands, so I finally decided to get her a high chair and give her some much needed independence. The prints on all baby products are so bland and generic, so I bought a used chair off ksl.com for $10, and decided to cover it.

Ugg! Unfortunately, my camera deleted all my pictures from the past couple weeks, so I have no before pictures. I'm sure you can imagine an ugly, outdated high chair with sesame street print on it. I'll do my best to describe what I did as it was pretty simple.

All you need is a glue gun, 5-6 glue sticks, and about 1 yd of plastic covered/ vinyl fabric. (Mine is Moda, Central Park, bought at Quilter's Haven in Bountiful.)

Remove the pad, and place it on top of new fabric, and trace a pattern on the wrong side of the fabric, making sure to leave about 2"-3" extra all around. Next, draw line of glue on the old pad, where the seams already are (see below picture.) Place the new fabric over the old, pushing it into the seams. Make sure to pull the fabric tight as you are gluing. Then put a line of glue around the edges, and pinch the new fabric together to the old cover. Make sure to smooth everything out as you go. (I didn't cover the back besides the small piece at the top that slides over the chair.) After cutting off the access fabric, you are finished! The only way this high chair is looking any cuter is if I put Princess E. in it! Love how easy it was! Plus, my kitchen is vintage-looking so the purple and orange are perfect!

Fabric Swap

If you are anything like the craft supply hoarder I am, then you have piles of beautiful fabric that may or may not ever go into some amazing project. If you'd like to give away some old fabric, and get some new in return, check out the fabric swap in progress at The Patchwork Chronicles. I know I'm in! This charm pack is fabrics in Kate Spain's new line, "Central Park." There are four different color schemes, each trying to showcase a different season. I am in love with the purple!