My Pinterest Creations

Over the last year, like many of you, I have compiled a LARGE "Craft Board" on Pinterest. I thought I would post some of the things that I have completed. Last summer was ridiculously hot and left us inside quite a bit. A lot of these project were what kept me sane during the unbearable heat!!! 

1. Burlap rose wreath. I adapted it from here and here.(I'll add a picture later b/c I haven't taken one yet).

2. Framed initial. I adapted it from here and here.

3. "Gratitude". I actually gave this to my mom for Thanksgiving. After I made it, I wanted one!!! :) Adapted from this.

 

3. Jute rope wreath. Adapted from here.

 

4. Framed letters. Instead of one word, I framed "Mr" and Mrs" and put them on our bedside tables in our bedroom. Adapted from here.

 

5. "F" initial covered in holly berries. Adapted from here. I gave this to my mom for part of her Christmas present in 2011.

 

6. Marker message "board". I didn't make mine super fancy like they show here, but it still works for what I want. There are usually statements from my bible studies to encourage us through the week.

Recent Craft Projects

I've been crafting...call it being stir-crazy from this unending triple-digit weather or inspiration from pinterest, but I've been bitten by the bug.

Craft #1: Wreath for the living room. Remember this wreath? Well, I got tired of it. First, it was very "white" for our living room that is very ranch-style. I needed something more neutral. I had bought a roll of jute-rope and one HOT Saturday, I figured it was time for the change. I didn't really know what I was doing, but I started pulling out coffee filters until I had a bare foam wreath form. Then I started wrapping the jute rope around the wreath, covering every part of the form. Once it was completely covered, I hot-glued the end on the back of the wreath. I then attached a silk flower that I had bought from Hobby Lobby. And..."TA-DAH!" :) I was very pleased with how it turned out. Just wish the form had been bigger.
Craft #2: Framed initial. I found something similar to this on pinterest. The frame was different and they had covered their initial in like-colored-buttons. But the concept was the same...using a frame with your favorite scrapbook paper, and your initial. I bought an unfinished frame from Hobby Lobby. It was half off so I got it for $5. I also bought one piece of 12x12 scrapbook paper, one chipboard "P", and used the same roll of jute rope from the craft above. The first thing I did was wrap the "P" in the jute rope, using the hot glue gun in places that I wanted to make sure it stayed secure. It worked WAY better than I had anticipated. Then I stained the unfinished frame in a really dark brown stain. Once it dried, I hot glued the corners of the scrapbook paper to the frame backing, then put the frame together. From there, I glued the wrapped "P" directly to the scrapbook paper. I was worried it would be too heavy, but it was perfect! Craft #3: Bedroom decorations. This was also a project I found on pinterest. Originally, there were 6 small frames, each displaying one letter each, spelling out "autumn". They had really pretty fall decorated paper in them. Instead of using the seasons, I thought it would be fun to do something in our master bedroom. I bought 5 small frames from Dollar General and spray painted them white. Then I used different shades of blue scrapbook paper for the background. On my side-table, I did the "Mrs". And, on the hubs side, it displays "Mr". I finished all three projects in one weekend. This weather has helped me be more productive inside, but we sure are ready to be outside again!

Fresh

Does anyone else like flipping the page to a brand new month in their calendar? I love it! Its unmarked. Its clean. Its a fresh start! There is just something so sweet about looking at the next month and wondering what God is going to do.

I love seeing "March" because its SUPPOSED to bring in Spring weather. That is yet to be determined, but either way it gives me hope that warm weather is just around the corner. It also brings March Madness...which I LOVE! My team will not be going to the NCAA tournament this year, but I still love filling out my bracket and keeping up with the Big Dance! :)

We'll be taking our first vacation of the year in less than two weeks! We are heading for Ft. Worth for a mini-vacation. I'm super excited!!!! I just love it there. I was there last year with my best friend for our Annual Girls Trip. And, Ken and I went there this last summer on our way back to OK from Austin and San Antonio (you can read about it here, here, and here). He fell in love with it like I did and we are going back! This time, I'm taking him on the train, like Michelle and I did. He's never been on a passenger train, but has always wanted to go. I'm just thankful for the little get-away we are going to have.

And last, but certainly not least, I love March b/c it brings Easter Candy!!!!!! Well, the end of February REALLY brings Easter candy, but March is just so much closer to Easter. :) I have already had my fair share of Cadbury Eggs and Reese's Eggs....but I will continue to buy them b/c they are only here once a year!

One last thing I want to post is this little craft project I did a few weeks ago. I found the idea here. It was a little intimidating b/c there weren't a lot of directions. I found this tutorial which helped me a little more. I didn't color the edges, but her directions on where to glue the filters helped me get started. The only think I did differently was I folded the filters in quarters like the first tutorial showed. My next mission is to make a brown one, like here, but I'm having a hard time finding the brown coffee filters. If I can't find them, I think I'll color the edges brown and use the white ones.

Hope you all had a wonderful weekend and that you are anxiously awaiting Spring!

A Few Little Things

Here it is!!!! Our NEW furniture!!!! :) We love it! The love seat under the window is actually a double rocker/recliner! It all fit perfectly in our living room!!!! We are so very thankful for it! Its the perfect way to use the money my grandmother left us....we think of her everyday!!!!
These are some Christmas and birthday presents I made at Michelle's house for Craft Day. We had so much fun working on projects that I think she and I should make it a tradition. And, everyone loved what I had made!

The first four are aprons I made for my nieces. They were super easy and made from a bandana and some ribbon. I added a little bling for each one too.
I had been eyeing these beautiful hurricanes at Williams-Sonoma, but didn't want to pay the price! So, I made these hurricanes from a vase and a candle stick. I found the tutorial here and here, at 320 Sycamore. So, I used the tutorial and made them for myself...but I added the monogram. I used a stencil and paint from Hobby Lobby that gives the etched glass look. I made two for me with the "P" and then made two for my mom (which you saw in this post) and one for each of my sisters-in-law with the "F". Both of the girls have birthdays around Christmas and this is what I gave them.

Here is how I decided to display all the wonderful Christmas cards we got in the mail. It my old house, I had a place where they could sit nicely....this year I couldn't figure out where to put them. I have been decorating this bowl that sits on our coffee table, and thankfully I didn't have anything but a candle on it for Christmas....so just started layering. Picture cards are on top!

Here is the advent calendar I bought this year. I always find one I want, and then put off buying it b/c I just "can't decide." I've lost a few that I really liked b/c I waited too long and they were sold out. When Ken and I were shopping at Target one night, we saw this and he convinced me to buy. He knew that I had been looking for a long time and we both agreed on this one! Its up this Christmas, but I never filled it. I'm excited to really use it next year!

This is the new nativity that my mom bought me! She knows how much I love them!!!

Here are our "First Christmas" ornaments. I was worried that I wouldn't get pictures in them before Christmas...but I did!!!! It took me forever to pick the pictures, so I printed a few different ones and Ken helped me pick them. I just love them and they look SO cute on our tree!!!