Pink Elephants on Canvas

Found a cute elephant print here and was inspired to make my own version using some pink scrapbook paper.  I used Paper Modge Podge to glue it down.  Don't use standard Modge Podge with regular weight copy or scrapbook paper, it will bubble and not lay smooth. 

 

There were a couple of small spots that still bubbled, but they were almost unnoticeable, so we called it good.

I've been helping my friend pull together this nursery for her little girl for a while now.  As soon as the final touches are complete, I'll take some pictures of the whole room in all of it's pink elephant glory.

Fenced In

My husband has done a great job finishing our fence.

We have a flock of wild turkeys that roam our neighborhood.  The boys love to watch them.  This one stayed in the same spot for quite some time, watching Doug. 

The gate is up and a trampoline is ordered for the kids for Easter.  We normally don't give big gifts for Easter, or any holiday for that matter, but this year is an exception.  Next step is some fencing up the sides of the hill, stairs, grass, a swing, sandbox...who knows?   We are still trying to decide on layout and what else we want down there.

Quote of the Week: Fair

Saw this quote on Pinterest the other day, original source HERE, and I had to put it up on my chalkboard for my family to ponder.  My oldest read it, thought about it for a minute and said, "Yeah, as long as you get your 'fair share' of cotton candy!"  Hmmm...not exactly what I was expecting him to say, but he definitely understood the concept, which was the point of me writing it in the first place.  Good job, son.

Big C

A birthday present from my crafty friend, Jamie.  I love monograms, fun patterns and textures, and cool colors.  Blues and greens are my favorite.  It works out nicely since I live with a bunch of boys.  It also works out nicely when your friend knows you well and gives you a great gift.  Thanks, Jamie!

Reupholstered Dining Chairs

I finally reupholstered my two dining chairs.  I loved them before, but my boys destroyed the canvas fabric soon after I bought them.  Despite several layers of scotch guard, they were stained beyond recognition.  I have three boys, this change was inevitable.  

 I didn't snap a "before" shot and the only picture I can find of the chairs before ripping off the stained fabric was this grainy monstrosity.  At least the kid is cute.  The curtains are from Ikea in case you were wondering.

Luckily, Pinterest came to the rescue and I was able to find someone who knows how to photograph way better than me.  Same chair, same fabric.  She also bought hers at Hobby Lobby.

(image via The FasioNest)

I actually liked the fabric, but you could hardly tell what the original color was after my boys had a few meals on them.

And now they are beautiful once again.

AND, Mom was super smart this time and used a laminated cotton that I picked up at my local quilt shop.  It's extremely durable, completely waterproof, and cleans up like a dream.  We haven't met a spill or stain that this stuff can't handle.  It's been over a month and they still look brand new.

The fabric is Dew Drops, in the color "Storm", from the Prince Charming line made by Trula Pink.

All of the staples are hidden under the homemade piping.  My husband pulled out all of the original nail head trim and I was able to reuse most of them.

 The hardest part was tucking and smoothing out the fabric because the seat didn't detach from the chair.  I've never reupholstered anything in my life, so it was a trial and error process.  My husband helped a lot and four hands was much better two when it came to pulling the fabric taunt while stapling and tucking at the same time.  Watching countless DIY shows on HGTV was not a waste of time after all. 

Not perfect by any means, but they are holding up against my kids, so that is a success in my book. 

Fabric and Ribbon Memo Board from Jewelry Organizer

Remember my jewelry organizer I made a couple of years ago?  I won't feel bad if you don't.

  Anyway, I found a different jewelry solution and decided to reuse this framed piece of batting and fabric covered board.

Took some ribbon out of my stash, cut and stapled it to the back of the frame, AND....

....instant memo board!

Helps free up precious fridge space for alphabet magnets and spelling tests.

DIY Framed Chalkboard

I know this idea is nothing new to blogland, but I finally got around to making my own and I wanted to take some step by step pictures in case anyone was wondering how to make one too.  Super easy and cheap!

You will need:

• a frame
• a smooth piece of wood, glass, metal, cut to size
• primer (optional)
• chalkboard paint
• brushes/rollers

I bought my frame at Hobby Lobby and a piece of thin MDF at Home Depot.  MDF board is a good choice because it's smooth, light for hanging, but sturdy for writing.  The workers at Home Depot will cut it to size for free if you ask nicely.

A nice, snug fit is what you want because you will be pushing on the wood a lot when you eventually draw and write on your chalkboard.  After I was done with the entire project, my husband secured my board even more with a few strategically placed staples using our hand staple gun.

Paint time.  I decided to prime my board first.  Glad I did because the wood seemed to suck up a bit of paint.  I used Rust-oleum Painter's Touch Latex Primer and painted it on with a small, sponge roller.  I used a small brush to get the sides, even though they weren't going to show...I'm weird like that sometimes.

Using some push pins to hold up your board while you paint really helps a lot.

 I think I painted two coats of primer and in between each one, I lightly sanded it down, wiped off the dust with a damp cloth, and then dried it with a paper towel.  It doesn't take long to do each step, and if it's 100 degrees when you paint, like when I did, it will dry really fast.

Rust-oleum Chalkboard Latex Paint.  Sponge Roller.  Three coats.

Watching paint dry....

I will warn you that the chalkboard paint dries REALLY fast and is not completely smooth.  The directions on the can tell you how to dilute the paint if needed.  I probably should have considering how hot it was, but it still turned out fine.  Sand between coats if needed.  Although my finished surface is not completely smooth, you can still write on it without any problem.  We have found that the more we write on it, the smoother the surface seems to get as well.

According to directions, you are supposed to wait 3 days for it to set.  This was by far the hardest step for me.  I hate waiting.

I love the contrast of the dark board against the bright frame.

Three days later, I "cured" the chalkboard by rubbing the side of a piece of chalk all over the surface and then erasing it off.

I wanted to be a little cheeky and write "Bless This Mess" since my house was a complete disaster by the time I finished this project.  I was making stuff instead of cleaning and controlling the mass of toys in the living room.  Sometimes I just have to let it go if I want to actually make anything fun.  I left my phrase for a moment and came back to this.  So appropriate.  I guess the cheekiness has been passed on.

 My oldest really wanted a turn, and this is what he made all on his own.

Awwww...that one is a keeper.  

Once the novelty wears off, my kids might actually let me write something on it too.

Gardening

My Mother's Day gift from my boys this year was some planters to hang off of our deck.  I wanted some herbs and flowers.  Now, I have tried a lot of different tasks, craft techniques, etc.  I have a lot of areas of interest in my life, but there are two things I despise:  gardening and exercise.  The reason?  Delayed gratification.  You do not see the fruits of your labors until much further down the road.  Instant, satisfying results do not take place in either of these areas...at least for me.  

This year is all about expansion of my own personal hang ups.  I am running, entering races, and trying to take better care of myself down the long road.  Losing a few pounds would not be a bad thing either.  I don't like it and I have to wait for results....annoying.  I feel the same way about gardening.  I have to remember to do the little things every day in order to enjoy the food and/or flowers later on.  So far, I have remembered to water and dead head my flowers every day.  My basil and oregano are large enough to start snipping stems for cooking.  We will be eating a lot of Italian food this summer.

Here's to trying new things....and delayed gratification.

Bathroom Facelift: Before and After

Bathroom Before, the day we moved in

Bathroom After

Don't have the budget to change the countertop, floor, and shower, but we did what we could and it looks great considering the amount we spent.

We washed, stripped, primed and painted the cabinets.  Love them.  So far, they've held up to my three boys well and wipe off easily.  We used Behr Premium Swiss Coffee, high gloss.  New hinges as well.  For now, we aren't going to put knobs on...we'll see.

New mirror from Target.  Half the price compared to Home Depot or Lowes for similar size and shape.

Hooks from Anthropologie.  Thinking we might spray paint them a fun, bright color.

We still have some touch up to do on the walls, brainstorming some small art work, and I'm debating the shower curtain.  My boys love it so much though.  It's the World Map shower curtain from Target.  Bought it years ago, I don't know if they still sell it.  We have had several impromptu geography lessons during potty training sessions, which has made it somewhat endearing to us.

Monogram Canvas Art

Months ago, I spotted this beautiful calligraphy monogram and instantly pinned it, knowing it would make a great gift on something for my friend.  Her name begins with a "J", her husband's begins with an "L", and their last name begins with an "H".  Perfect.

My friend's birthday was coming up and I also happened to know that she is currently redoing her bedroom in shades of blue and gray AND needed some decor/wall art.

I bought a 12x12 canvas and used my acrylic paints.  I mixed a nice, medium gray.

Applied at least 3 coats using a foam brush, allowing for drying time between each coat.  Don't forget the sides.

Then, I mixed up some blue for highlights.  I think this was a combination of light blue, a pearly silver, and a touch of royal blue.

I used a bristly, flat brush and dipped it into the blue paint just enough to get some color.  I then tapped off any excess paint. 

Very lightly, I added some quick strokes to a few places on the canvas.

I cut out my monogram on cardstock using my Silhouette machine.  After the paint was dry, I placed it on the canvas. 

Very lightly, I traced around my template using a graphite pencil.  Any pencil would probably work fine, I just happened to have a fancy, art pencil from another project.

Using a thin brush, I slowly filled in my pencil marks.  I was surprised how therapeutic it was, I wanted to keep going after I finished!  I painted two coats, using white acrylic mixed with a little pearly silver.  It's not perfect, but I kind of like it that way.  If you want perfect, crisp lines, cut your image out of vinyl and Modge Podge it on.

Can you see the hints of blue on the gray?  I loved how it turned out and the birthday girl seemed to like it as well.  Now I just need to find a perfect calligraphy monogram with my initials.