This is a repost from last year, but it's packed full of delicious drinks that are perfect for Memorial Day, or any other day of the Summer! We hope you have an awesome day honoring those who have sacrificed for and served our country! ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Whip out those flip flops, fire up the grill, the unofficial start of summer is just days away! We have come to LOVE Memorial Day Weekend and all of it's festivities. Today we're excited to share some must have Memorial Day (or any day) drinks! We've tasted tested three drink recipes that we think you'll love!
Pineapple Planter's Punch as seen in June 2012 issue of All You Magazine
Although it's not Red,White, or Blue, we think this is the perfect punch for ushering in SUMMER! What says summer more than fresh fruit? Pineapple Planter's Punch Recipe 4 cups pineapple juice 2 cups orange juice 1/2 cup lemon juice 2 liters ginger ale fresh pineapple to garnish Mix all ingredients together and garnish with fresh fruit *You can add rum to make this an"adults only" punch, but then we don't suggest drinking it with breakfast!*
Let me tell you, we were having a good laugh as we took pictures of ingredients etc. We're not food bloggers by any stretch, but we do know what's really yummy!
We thought we'd let Jess demonstrate how to pour, just in case you needed some direction. Have we ever mentioned we're dorks? Look how happy she is to be making punch! Ha!
One thing we actually did learn (from trial and error) is how to cut a pineapple so that it sits nicely on the side of your cup. First, cut a triangle wedge
Then, cut a straight line half-way up the middle.
Most of the time people don't think of breakfast as being special on Memorial Day weekend (the focus is more on BBQ food etc.), but we thought a simple patriotic breakfast would be fun! I know my kids would LOVE it if they woke up to a fun, little breakfast like this!
Combine your Pineapple Planter's Punch with some blueberry muffins and voila! We picked up the cute decorative flags and stars for 40% off at JoAnn's. And, since we're calling this the SIMPLE breakfast, I'll share a secret with you…
These muffins take about 4 minutes to whip together and we love them! Stars and Stripes Sangria We made this drink up…and the name too. Who knows, it might actually be the name of another drink (it appears we're good at taking names from other places- HA!), but for this post we made it up and named it ourselves.
Wanna hear a funny story? I'm not a big drinker, I just happen to like Iced Tea or Coke Zero better than any other drink. So, I headed off to the liquor store for red wine…UGH! It's like sending my 4 yr old into Lowe's to find upholstery tacks. I actually had to Google Merlot, to make sure it was a red wine (it is btw). Then, the checkout lady DIDN'T card me… I was bummed. Does she know I just turned 30 and she wanted to rub that in a bit? It wasn't Awesome.
Stars and Stripes Sangria Red Wine Sprite Blueberries Strawberries You can combine this to your liking. We preferred 2 parts Sprite to 1 part wine (but neither of us are big wine fans). Our husbands thought a 1:1 ratio tasted fine. Layer your fruit in an alternating pattern and add the wine and Sprite. Allow to sit for a few hours before serving. This helped the flavors to blend really nicely.
This drink is the perfect color for the holiday weekend, and the taste is really light and fruity. Taking a few extra minutes to garnish your glasses is a must. Blueberries on a skewer, a little flag, and some strawberries make all the difference.
East Coast Creative's Favorite Drink Lime Rickey We've been enjoying this drink for years. An old friend of mine taught me to make them about ten years ago and I'm so glad she did!
Lime Rickey Ingredients 4 or more limes 1 cup sugar 1 cup water Seltzer water Lime zest Juicer (not required, but recommended) Combine 1 cup of sugar and 1 cup of water in medium saucepan. Heat over medium until sugar has dissolved (cooling is recommended, but we're usually too impatient) Juice 4 or 5 limes. (We love the Pampered Chef juicer because it gets out ALL the juice.) Combine lime juice and simple syrup. Zest a few of the limes and save zest for garnish. Add ice to a glass, fill 3/4 of the way with seltzer water, add about 3 Tbls. of the lime syrup and garnish with zest. There's no exact ratio of seltzer to syrup, because everyone likes theirs a little differently, but you can add more or less syrup to taste. This recipe will make about four drinks, but we usually double it up to make lots more!
We hope you enjoy these drinks as much as we do! Be sure to let us know if you try any of them over your holiday weekend! What are your weekend plans or traditions?
I'm going to attempt to share my adoration with mason jars with you, without completely embarrassing myself. I do love these guys. They are extrememly versatile, easy to find, and very inexpensive! What more can you ask from a decoration? Lately I've been seeing quite a few of these jars at flea markets in the light blue variety shown above, and the regular clear jars. If you aren't into scouring flea markets, my local grocery store carries them in boxes of 12 for less than a dollar a jar. I've used mason jars in a couple of projects over the past few months: 1. First, my daughter and I made cinnamon honey butter for our friends and neighbors at Christmas, and packaged it in small mason jars with the lids covered in fabric and tied with a ribbon and homemade mongram tag.
2. Next, I used them as a vase for the floral arrangements I made for my sister's sugar and spice baby shower. They were perfect.
3. And finally, I whipped up this arrangement this afternoon for a little something different on my dining room table. I had these leftover jars and an old drawer with pulls on both ends that I had been wanting to use. Then I remember that I had dried flowers from a visit to Pike's Place Market in Seattle a few years ago just sitting in closet. Within five minutes, I had a pretty new centerpiece for my table.
I'm thrilled with it! (But I've already decided to do something else with the jars. Ahh! Sometimes being impulsive is a curse.: ) And yes, I do need curtains for my poor naked windows, and yes, those are my custom bird art pieces in the back. Aren't they cute? *Side note: my hubs and I found our dining room table on clearance for $60.00 at a furniture store in Harleysville. Excellent find, if I do say so myself. Ok, enough about my mason jar projects! I've rounded up some great mason jar inspiration from the world wide web. Feast your eyes on these pretty pictures, and be inspired! Food/Drink There are a million cute ideas for serving food and/or drink in mason jars but I thought these two were adorable.
Source: None via Jessica on Pinterest Use small jars as individual cup for lemonade-genius! I love the decorative cut-out in the lid.
Source: curbly.com via Jessica on Pinterest This is so sweet- who wouldn't want to eat pie from a jar?; ) Storage/Organization Both of these ideas utilize mason jars, clamps and a board. Easy as 1, 2, 3, I'd say. I absolutely love the toiletries stored in mason jars- such a great idea for a guest bathroom!
Source: curbly.com via Jessica on Pinterest
Source: weepingcherries.wordpress.com via Jessica on Pinterest
Decor/Lighting I can't wait to try out some of these simple projects!
Source: lh5.googleusercontent.com via Jessica on Pinterest In September, we are celebrating my parent's 40th wedding anniversary, and these pictures in a jar would be a great way to showcase pictures from their four decades together.
Source: google.com via Jessica on Pinterest This is so much fun! This would instantly add whimsy to any room, and be a conversation starter, for sure.
Source: atozebracelebrations.blogspot.com via Jessica on Pinterest These mason jar lanterns are SO easy to make, and I can't wait to give it a try. If you're looking for an easy way to update your porch or deck with ambient lighting, look no further.
Source: blog.freepeople.com via Jessica on Pinterest And don't get me started on this. Isn't it gorgeous? I die. So give me your thoughts: Are you a fan of Mason Jars just like me? What projects have you done that include these simple beauties?
Oh goodness, this dining room is taking forever to finish! I've been working on it for the past several months as money and time have allowed, and we're definitely in the home stretch, but it's the little things that are making me crazy! I've already showed you the side table I made over, and the planked wall with exposed studs accent wall we created, which really helped change the feel of the whole space. But let's be honest, one of the most obvious things that had to change to fit the whole"coastal/cottage" vibe I'm going for was the dining table.
It's a nice, solid wood table that my hubs and I bought for only $60 (yes, you read that correctly!) when we first moved into this house. I was so over the black hutch and the finish on this table, but it's functional piece so I didn't want to buy a new one. I haven't done too much furniture refinishing, so I asked my bloggy pal and furniture expert, Shaunna, if she could make some recommendations as to what I should do to change them up to fit my style. Not only did she come up with some incredible furniture ideas, but she dreamt up an entire inspiration board for my room!
Isn't that amazing? I love so many of her ideas, and hope my room turns out half as nice as her dream room!: ) So with her help, I started out refinishing the table. The first step was to remove the legs of the table and give them a good painting with Annie Sloan Chalk paint, aka my new love. I decided to paint the legs in French linen, and then once that dried, did a wash of Pure White over top. That was the easy part.
The table top…not so easy. I started off by sanding the top with 60 grit sandpaper and my palm sander. It was so difficult getting through all the layers of whatever they sealed it with that it probably took me a good hour and half to sand it all down.
I almost didn't mind, though, because what I saw as I was sanding made me super excited! I loved the look of the unfinished wood and the wood grain that began to show.
Even with all the sanding, I still didn't feel like I had removed all of the old finish, so I brushed on a layer of CitriStrip. Basically, you brush it on and leave it for the recommended time. Then, you wipe it off with a lint-free cloth and with it, off comes the finish! This sanding/stripping method really worked to get my table back to it's gorgeous, unfinished state.
Shaunna recommended that I try white-washing the table with Pure White chalk paint, so that's what I did. If you're unfamiliar with white-washing, it is an awesome way to keep the character of a piece, while subtly adding a touch of color to it. Basically, you add water to paint until it's the intensity you want. More water = less concentrated color.
I really wanted the grain of the wood to show, but I didn't care for the peachy color of the wood, so I went with a very watered down white wash.
I brushed it on, and then wiped it back with a paper towel. Because my wash was mostly water, I had to wipe it immediately after I brushed it on because it was drying very quickly. Wiping the wash back helps brings the color of the grain out, which gives it a very reclaimed wood finish.
After I washed the whole table, I was over the top giddy mildly pleased with the results.
I can't get over how well the table now fits in my dining room! It's like it was meant to live in a coastal cottage all along.
The final step is sealing it with Annie Sloan Clear Soft Wax. Because this is a surface that will get lots of wear, since people will eat and drink there, it will need three coats of wax. I'm planning on doing that this week, but that's the kind of little detail (that makes a big difference!) that I don't want to do. Any one out there want to come finish my table? Please!?!?
All that hard work was totally worth it, though, because I'm head over heels in love with the table now. A big thank you to Shaunna for helping me to see it's potential! Not bad for a $60 table, huh?; ) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- We're honored to be featured over at I Am Momma Hear Me Roar today for her week of all things curtains! Be sure to check it out to see what no-sew curtain solutions we came up with!
A few weeks ago I shared about this chalkboard project. And two things got me thinking… # 1. How much I loved the end result and #2. That I paid $15 for a quart of paint and only used a tiny amount…
So, I decided to do a little kitchen updating. When we moved in seven months ago, we painted the kitchen grey and planned to eventually install a tile backsplash.
As you can tell, the backsplash hasn't happened yet, and I have a feeling it's going to be a little while, so in the meantime… Chalkboard Backsplash!
Do you ever get midway through a project and have an,"Oh my word… what was I thinking," moment??? Yeah, I was having one at this point… The black seemed really black!
I pushed through the doubt and kept painting. The hubs knows I'm impatient, so he made me promise to wait until nighttime to draw any chalk on the backsplash. He wrestled the chalk from my hands kindly made his point and I finally conceeded… or so he thought!!!
We might have been leaving for a birthday party, and I might have forgotten something inside and not been able to resist the temptation to leave a little note on the wall… then, I might have taken a picture with my Blackberry and texted it to Eric once we were all in the car… It also might have been awesome!
Later that night (when the paint was nice and dry) I used wide sidewalk chalk and colored the entire surface of the backsplash. Then I used a dry cloth to wipe it off. This got rid of the stark black and gave it more of the chalkboardy look!
Then I began writing… Well actually, I sat around thinking that I'm sooo uncreative and that whatever I wrote would seem crazy cheesy. I did finally find one quote that I think is a really good reminder for me… "Do what you can, with what you have, where you are." -Theodore Roosevelt (And yes, Eric has already used this quote about 3487036 times in the last hour and mocked me incessantly)
We don't really drink coffee (I only do Starbucks) but my mom does, so we labeled the Keurig for her!
A friend suggested listing the kids' favorite ice cream flavors and they loved that idea!
I'm really happy with the result. I think the black makes a really nice contrast with the cabinets and gives the room a sort of"utility" look. This will definitely work until the tile backsplash is ready!
So, what ideas do you have for fun things I can write on my new walls?
In less than two weeks, one of my best friends is getting married. It happens to be on the same day as the Swedish Crown Princess Victoria is tying the knot and I'm a little frustrated with that, actually.
I would have really liked to see the chaos live (on TV) but of course my friend is a thousand times more important! Besides, I suppose they will show reruns for months and months to come so it's cool.
Anyhow, in the spirit of weddings, here's some beautiful pictures for you.
I'm serious when I say that I think one of the best things about blogging and the internet is free printables! They add so much character to your home without having to spend lots of money. Thank you to all you who provide little ol' me with free stuff for my home! I've talked about a few different places you can find free printables here, but I decided that for my open shelves in the kitchen I wanted something specific and custom-matched to my color scheme. What's a DIYer to do? Why, make one herself!
I wanted to create something that was meaningful to me, but that also had some connection to eating and the kitchen. While searching around, I came across 1 Corinthians 10:31 and knew that it was perfect for this!
I found a pattern that I loved by Moo & Puppy (it's the morrocan trellis pattern that comes in a bajillion colors), uploaded it to Picnik and went to town. Why doesn't everyone buy digital paper? Seriously, there are SO many uses for it and it's so darn cheap! Plus, you can get 15% off if you use the code RHBC15. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Anyway, back to the printables. I have three identical frames in the kitchen that I spray-painted turquoise, and needed to fill them with something. I made this one using a great Julia Child saying…
…and printed this beautiful peacock from The Graphics Fairy!
Three cheap thrift store frames + free printables = one happy girl! And since I'm so happy, I decided to share the love. Free Eat, Drink, Glory of God Printable
It's a 5 x 7 print and you can choose from three different colors: mustard yellow, turquoise and lime green.
Click here to Download Printables I'm excited to finish accessorizing my open shelves, but you got a little glimpse today of how they're shaping up. What do you think? Have you ever made your own printable? Do share!
I don't know about you, but I'm itching to Fall-ify my home. You know that"let's get cozy, wear sweatshirts and bring out the pumpkins" feeling? Yeah, I have it. One of the major focal points for seasonal decor in our house is our fireplace and mantel, which I decided to give a little makeover before bringing out my Fall stuff. All it takes is chalk paint, a stencil and a lot of patience. I originally posted this project a few weeks ago over at Infarrantly Creative, but have been dying to share it with you! I can't believe how much I love my fireplace now, and I think you will too.
I'm not going to lie, this was not an easy project. In fact, it took me at least 6 hours of painting and stenciling, but it was so totally worth! Here'e what you need to do: 1. Prep your fireplace. Remember my peach marble tile fireplace surround that I hated? Yuk. I first painted it with Annie Sloan chalk paint that I got from Shaunna who writes Perfectly Imperfect and sells AS paint, but before I did that, I wiped it down with a damp cloth to remove and dirt, dust and soot.
2. Choose your paint. I used Annie Sloan's chalk paint in Pure White and French Linen. Man, I am in love with this stuff! It adheres to any surface- even marble!- with no trouble. Just a quick word about fire safety: we don't use our fireplace, so I wasn't worried about whether or not it was flammable, but be sure to check your paint if you have an active fireplace.
3. Brush your base coat onto the surround. I used Pure White and it took 2 coats to get even coverage. I recruited my hubs to do this part, since, let's be honest, painting trim is not my strong suit and I'll take help when I can get it!
4. Place your stencil in the upper corner of the surround. Adjust the stencil sheet and check to make sure it's level, then tape it in place with painters tape. If you want to use a spray adhesive (which I didn't), spray it on the back of the stencil and place it down evenly. I highly recommend using the adhesive for this job, because it took me a loooong time to get clean lines without it. (We have an awesome tutorial on stenciling must-haves if you need help with this!)
5. Begin stenciling. The trick to stenciling without any bleeding is to off-load your brush properly. After dipping into the paint, dab it onto absorbant paper towels, or cardboard until it there is very little paint on the brush. Both my stencil (Beehive Furniture Stencil) and brush are from Royal Design Studio, and they are excellent quality, which makes the job go much smoother.
I had to do two to three coats for every stencil to get the coverage I was looking for. Words can not express the excitement of pulling back that very first stencil. Go ahead- try it and tell me that's not true.
Once the paint is dry, realign the stencil, level it and keep on moving! You might want to turn on some music, because you'll be doing this for a while.: )
At the end of the first night, here's what I had accomplished. Ugh. I saved the hard parts for last. Yippee!
6, Cut your stencil to fit the corners and edges. Oh, this part is so hard, because as I was cutting my stencil, I was envisioning all the projects I could do with it go right down the drain. But, it's absolutely crucial to cut the stencil if you want clean, crisp lines all the way around.
7. Touch up any paint bleeds with a small fine-tipped paint brush…or toothpick, in my case. No matter how good you are at stenciling, there will always be some bleeding. It's easy to touch it up with the base paint color and a steady hand. No one will be the wiser!
8. Finally, wax it and you're done! You'll want to add some kind of protective finish, and I used Annie Sloan soft wax, which was formulated to work with chalk paint. After all that hard work, you'll want a force field surrounding this thing, but wax will have to do.
Step back, grab a drink and enjoy your pretty new fireplace surround!
I love love love it, and am already planning a room makeover based on this fireplace!
If you want a cheap project that will instantly give your room a facelift, this one is for you. Showstopping material, folks! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
In other news, if you follow us on facebook (if you don't, you totally should) you know that I finally entered the year 2012 and have a new HTC OneX smartphone. This thing is amazing and I can't wait to share with you how it has made my life soooo much easier, but for now I'm totally loving Instagram, and would be thrilled if you decided to follow me!
Monica has been on Instagram for quite a while now, but if you don't already follow her, add her to your list too!
We'll give you lots of sneak peeks at our current projects, as well as fun insights into our daily lives and what makes us tick. We promise.: )
We were really excited when we heard about this screened in sunroom needed a makeover! We hadn't tackled an outdoor space yet for Knock It Off, and we were bursting with ideas. Here's where things started…
And here's where we ended up… We created a space that was fully comfortable, much more weather-proof, and filled with style- all on a small budget!
Soon we'll post tutorials for the sectional, plant wall, how to paint siding, and the painted rug, but for now, here's some eye candy from the makeover! This drink station is actually a fold down table. When it's not in use, you can attach it to the wall and it looks like artwork. It was incredibly simple to make and such a great thing to have for entertaining.
We wanted to set this space off as a room of it's own, so we went bold by painting stripes on the exterior siding. It added a huge pop of color and just made the space super cheery (and I know that sounds cheesy, but it's true!). The plant wall was much cheaper than large artwork and also helped with our goal of bringing the outside in!
We were excited that we not only gave the homeowners an entire sitting area with the sectional, but we were also able to give them a little dinette where they could enjoy a meal (or soft pretzel!) outside!
These solar lanterns are from Ikea and you should see how fun they look at night! We added so much mood lighting that we almost wished we could have revealed the room at night! Our producers told us night reveals are a no no: )
And the sectional… ahh we loved how this turned out!! We know many bloggers have built outdoor furniture, but this was our first attempt at it (we didn't mention that to the homeowners of course!!) We basically decided how large we wanted the sectional, did a lot of math to determine how big each piece should be, and then crossed our fingers. Amazingly, it was really simple to build once we had a plan! We'll write a full post on our build within the next week!
If you missed this episode, head over to The Live Well Network for our Knock It Off Page. You can watch the full episodes online HERE.
Stay tuned for all the tutorials coming to EC2 in the next week or so!! Do tell, what was your favorite part of this Sunroom Makeover?
I finally made the switch and got myself a sweet iPhone a few weeks ago. I'm loving it… I will never go back to the world of Blackberry. So of course I'm search of all the greatest apps (leave me a comment with your must-haves), but the app I was most excited to get was Instagram! I love it! I'll warn you, my Instagram feed isn't just blog stuff. You'll see plenty of goofy pics of me and the fam as well. Follow at your own risk! If you want to follow along on my Instagram fun my username is RHBC. Today, I thought I'd give you a peek via Instagram into my house and some things you might not see all the time on the blog. Crystal light… I drink it 24-7.
Spoiler alert… Hello beautiful
Can you even believe I'm a DIY blogger? Yup, that's my master bedroom. Remember how I stole Eric's dresser for our Anthro Knockoff? He's still living out of bins 7 months later. I will get to this room someday…
Jess framed this for me on our first Nate Show. It's our version of family rules… we're not really the hugging type.
Chalkboard back splash. Love this rocket! (I also LOVE my knives!)
Chase and Polly, we're really dumb, so we agreed to get my daughter 2 ducks.
Spray paint makes everything better. This project coming to you soon!
And last, but not least. I love my memo board… even if it has December's calendar still. Go me.
Also, one of our good friends (and actually our guest poster Staci's husband) is kind of a big deal on Instagram (like 35K followers). He takes amazing pictures and I'm always amazed that his incredible pics are taken with a phone!! His username is Curious2119
So, now that I'm on Instagram, come follow along (RHBC) I think I currently have 9 followers. Ha! Maybe you can be the big number 10! Have an awesome day- it's going to be almost 90 here in Bucks County!
** Wait! One more thing! Want to turn an Instagram pic into a canvas? I just got this deal in my inbox. 57% off from Canvaspop. Use this google link to get the deal.
Are you looking for the link party for your Creating with the Stars submission? Yay! We're thrilled to have you! Click here or use the button below to link up. Submissions are now open until February 21st. If you want to read more about the contest and all that it entails, click here.
======================================================================== So, I'm just going to go out on a limb and say that some of you are procrastinators like me. My hubs and I are celebrating Valentine's Day this weekend, but I still have no clue what we are going to do (and my hubs is not much of a planner, so I'm thinking it's kind of up to me!) So I went, looking for some fun and exciting date night ideas to celebrate all that love you've got going on with your special someone. 1. Progressive Dinner. Let me tell you that this is SO up my alley. I love to eat and I love to eat out, so this is a perfect combination. This one would be so much fun because you have a lot of time to chat, the night is a bit longer and you get such great variety! I already know where my hubs and I would choose to go:
2. Compete Against Each Other! This may not be everyone's cup of tea, but man, I love a good competition and so does my hubs. One of my favorite things to do is to go to Dave & Buster's and play all the games (I especially love the basketball games!). Whoever gets the most tickets, wins something of his/her choice. Or, if you don't have a huge arcade near you, try go-karting, bowling, tennis etc…something to get your heart pumping! 3. Play the Tourist I've lived in Bucks County almost all of of my life (minus the college years), and absolutely love it here, but I'm always amazed at what things I've never tried, shops I've never gone to and activities I've never done right in our area. Take some time to research different travel sites to see what you might be missing. Try a restaurant you've never tried before too! 4. Instagram It! I kind of love the idea of an instagram scavenger hunt, since, you know, I can't get enough of the whole IG thing. Make a list of fun activities/places and go to every single one and Instagram a selfie pic in front of whatever it is. You could totally customize the list to fit the two of you as a couple, but here are a few fun ones we thought of: -Favorite Restaurant -Best spot to see the skyline -Funniest sign in town -Best place to grab a drink -Favorite place to listen to music/read books -and my husband insists this one is awesome: take a pic with a farm animal in the background. So strange, people, so strange.; )
Once you've checked off everything on your list, reward your hubby with good ol' number 5… 5. Game of Love (Original OR Travel) I'm not going to go into tons of detail about this one (you can check out all the juicy details on how to play here), but trust me, this is one date night that will not be soon forgotten.
Want to give the travel version a try, even if you're not travelling? It's still super fun and easy to play!
Ok, now it's your time to spill. What's your favorite date night activity? We want to know!! Happy Valentine's Day! We sure do love that you take time to stop and read our nonsense everyday!
So, this post was never intended to be a post… really, I only have pictures because I was texting them to Jess at the time. Here's a little back story… I'm not all that into fashion. I mean I don't dress like a dork, but I'm not super trendy or anything. Jess is great with fashion and has strong style sense. Before the Nate Show taping we tried on a bunch of outfits and she kept trying to get me to add cute belts. I just wasn't feelin' it. It looks cute on girls like this, but something about my hips after four kids, just kind of makes it less cute on me. Katie Holmes can rock the belt for sure!
Source: images.search.yahoo.com via Tiffany on Pinterest BUT… this morning I was getting ready for church and I'm usually a jeans and tee shirt girl at church, but today, went for the dress. I like this dress, but it was feeling a little blah… it needed a belt {gasp!} Ok, now get ready for some poor quality Blackberry pics… See, the dress was fine, but nothing special… missing something…
I think I must have been craft deprived lately, because I felt like I just had to make something… I saw this leftover fabric from the kids' playroom curtains and thought,"What the heck, let's give it a try…"
Two minutes later, I had kid scissors (I can't find my good ones) and Zots (remember them from a Fab Find Friday?) This probably isn't the normal bathroom vanity scene is it?
So the first idea was a chunky style belt, but it basically looked like I had fabric wrapped around my waist… FAIL!
I was about to give up when I gave it one last shot… I just twisted the fabric into a rope and tied a knot. Hmm, this might actually work… I believe my exact text to Jess read,"I must have woke up drunk this morning because I might actually try and pull this off" (and no, I don't really drink much and don't wake up drunk!) I liked the pop of color and thought this sorta worked.
I just tied the knot and then cut the ends into four pieces to look more like a flowery-thing.
Here's the final product taken with a real camera… (My husband thinks I'm SO weird) I love how it worked with my new yellow watch… seeing a color pattern trend??
Overall, I think my little adventure in the fashion world worked out alright. My 9 yr old was mortified by me the entire time we were out, but that's alright. Moms are supposed to be embarrassing right? I did a little looking online and found this one other idea for scrap fabric that I love so much! Fabric Necklace from My Cakies
I simply adore this and she gives great directions on her blog. I will definitely be trying this soon and sportin' a cool, new necklace!
It's pretty amazing what you can do with a just a little scrap… What are you going to create with yours??
P.S. Congratulations to Janet, the winner of the Starbucks giveaway! Thanks to EVERYONE that helped us out and took our little survey. Janet, just shoot us an email with your information and we'll pop it in the mail. (therealhousewivesofbc@gmail.com)
The weather is finally warming up and I feel like summer is right around the corner! I thought I'd invite you over to my awesome yard and beautiful patio furniture! Doesn't it look welcoming and just scream, let's drink some lemonade?
Oh, and how rude of me, I need to offer you a comfy seat!
No… you don't want to come? You don't want to get rust all over your clothes? Hmm… Okay, so clearly I had two choices… buy a new set or figure out an update on a budget. You may or may not know that I have a BIG project up my sleeve (a new paver patio coming soon!) so I didn't want to spend much $$$ on the table and chairs. I turned to my go-to solution… Spray Paint! Looking a wee bit more inviting wouldn't you say?
Here's how the transformation happened… First, I removed the legs of the table. Not sure it was ever meant to come off, but after removing some screws and jiggling it a bit we had it off. This would allow me to paint the base and not the underside of the glass.
Next, I needed to cover the glass top, so it didn't turn red. I turned to Scotch Blue painter's tape. If I have a job where I need the tape to really stick well, but NOT pull off paint, I use Scotch Blue. I had to use little pieces to get around the curves, but it was worth it to get a nice, crisp edge.
Then, I needed to cover up the glass in the middle, so I took trash bags, cut them along the seams so I could flatten them out.
Then, I tape it down on the table. I had some weird open areas, so I patched holes with scrap paper. It looks pretty fancy doesn't it?
I painted it on a sheet, so I didn't make my grass red (not that I haven't done that 100 times before)
Since I knew this furniture was going to take a beating, I opted for Valspar's Outdoor spray paint.
The improvement was instant! I was so excited as soon as the base was started!
Next, came the chairs, and again it was instant improvement! I used a little steel wool on really rusty spots, but other than that didn't do any other prep. It was really quick and simple!
I originally thought I'd go with solid grey cushions, but these striped ones from Target's spring line caught my eye ($12 each). They're a perfect match!
This Before and After makes me happy (and apparently my chairs too!)
All ready for a fun get together! Now let's play I SPY… what's missing in this picture? Yup, 5 more cushions. They're still"In Transit" from Target.
The total cost for this project was $30. I used 2 cans of red and 5 cans of blue. I know it won't last for five years or anything, but I'll definitely get another year or two out of them. I've learned something from this experience… if you own nice outdoor furniture, cover it up in really bad weather. So that you don't have to learn the hard way, like I did, we're giving away a $75 Gift Certificate to Empire Patio Covers They sell covers to fit everything from tables and chairs, to grills, fire pits, etc. My fire pit always got rusty without a cover.
To Enter: Comment on this post with the words"Empire Patio" Bonus Entry: Like us on Facebook leave a comment letting us know Bonus Entry: Visit Empire Patio and tell us in another comment what product you need the most on their site Giveaway Closes: Friday, May 18th at 11:59pm. Winner will be announced on Saturday. Details: One winner. Prize ships to the US and Canada. One entry per email address. Winner is selected through random.org
So there you have it. A patio update on a tiny budget. For $30, I couldn't be happier with the results. So, now do you want to come over?
I've been enjoying this fantasy that we've just bought our house and everything is just as it is now....crisp, clean and ready to decorate! In this fantasy world, it is as if the era of pea green carpeting and faux wood paneling never existed... So my fantasy goes like this....Hubby and I pull up to a lovely country house that's in our price range! Wow, huh? We're instantly in love as we can see that the house has been well-taken care of. We walk up to the front door and as I step in, I begin to glide through the each room seeing nothing I don't like. When I make my way to the living room, my eyes light up and as I turn, Hubby takes me in his arms (suddenly I have my wedding dress on) and we begin to dance, giddy with laughter as we know that we have finally found exactly what we're looking for in our new home. We pause only for a moment, with bright beaming smiles, and say to our realtor without any doubt or hesitation, "we'll take it!" Nothing in this fantasy had anything to do with what really happened, especially the part about the doubt and hesitation. But I'm enjoying every minuteof my fantasy as I stare into this empty room, dreaming of how I'm going to decorate! It feels like such a luxury! So let me take you through the room...
This is the perspective you get when coming from the kitchen. The french door next to the picture window will eventually take you to a balcony, which we'll build this spring. The original 'deck' was torn down when they put in the new Marvin windows. The door you see through the entryway, goes to the wraparound porch....this is our formal entry into the house.
This is looking towards the fireplace from a corner that no one will ever stand in, but I thought I'd give every perspective. Entry is where the hall tree stands.
If I pan left a bit more, you'll see the coat closet to the left and to the left of that, the hallway where the den, guest bedroom and downstairs bathroom are located. So this is what I've come up with so far...
....the main layout. The couch will face the fireplace and the two chairs will flank each side of the fireplace. I love the coziness that this layout will offer and I know that there will be many hours spent snuggled in front of the fire.
Here's the new couch we've ordered....accompanied by two of the above chair! We went with a couch with more modern lines to contrast a little with the more traditional lines of the coffee table. The coffee table (you can see here ) is an antique pedestal with rounded feet and oval top, which will compliment the round lines in the chair.
Here are the fabrics we chose....the sofa fabric is a beautiful velvet (so luxurious) and the chair fabric, which goes really well with the tarragon velvet, is linen- esque (the photo doesn't really show the chair fabric very well). And due to the furniture store's amazing sale — I made sure that I picked out the highest grade of fabric — of course I did! I've also been considering a tall narrow table to put behind the couch. I'd put two table lamps on each end to illuminate the room. I was thinking of something a little modern, made of mostly glass so that it doesn't feel too heavy. I think this would be the best option as end tables wouldn't work well with the tuxedo-style (high arms) couch. Also, we'll order a 9x12 natural fiber rug, perhaps this one from Pottery Barn, to go in front of fireplace. All the furniture fits on the 9x12 size. I'll accent the rest of the room with antique rugs I already have.
I'll put an antique rug in front of the french door. This door will eventually lead to a balcony. There's about a seven foot drop outside the door right now. The balcony will have wide center stairs going down into the yard. It will be big enough to put a couple of rocking chairs or a small table and chairs for an extra place to eat or drink.
Our existing dining cabinet, that I'll be stealing from our dining room (photo below), will be relocated to the above wall. Instead of holding dining odds and ends, it will be transformed into a secretary that will be a place for beloved books, unframed art, special momentos, etc. I'll be stealing this cabinet from the dining room because we've decided to add two more windows on the wall where the cabinet is now. But I'll go into the dining room plans later. Here's the cabinet we'll be stealing for the living room. Hopefully, someday I'll find a narrower dining cabinet to replace it.
On that small wall to the right of the kitchen entry, I've been considering a temporary bookshelf. Lauren at Pure Style Home inspired me when she put one in her house, on a similar sized wall, and it looks fabulous — like everything else she does. And I say 'temporary' because as you can see in the next photo, I have plans for Hubby (wink, wink Hubby), to build a built-in bookcase (love the look of those — I have a gazillion inspiration photos of them) on that huge wall.
We're waiting to begin this project until after we get rid of that floor furnace. It's the one 'functional' thing in the house we have yet to figure out. But whatever we decide to do, that floor furnace grate will eventually go....and hello bookcase. ; ) So odds and ends still left to find are: some sconces for above the mantle (any suggestions?), a 9x12 natural fiber rug, perhaps a white bookcase, a tall modern table and... Any other inspiring ideas? I would love your feedback! Just love it! *Also, I've made another friend over atHigh Street Market.... Kelly has the most amazing Etsy shop with so many beautiful treasures. I was eyeing the pair of marble table lamps, an antique oval mirror and a lovely pewter pitcher....and it's all so reasonably priced! How fun is that!
This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Bed Bath & Beyond. All opinions are 100% mine.
You know that around here we pretty much dance to our own beat and love to decorate with a fun, out of the box style…have you seen my Fabric Christmas Tree post or my new mid-century modern fireplace? So when Bed Bath & Beyond asked us to help them celebrate"Holiday Your Way", we knew it was a perfect fit.
Not only do they have helpful tips for how to decorate and prepare your home for the holiday season, but they also have great advice on making houseguests happy. We're all about entertaining and making sure our guests are having a good time, and have a cozy place to sleep and relax as well. Remember our friends guestroom we helped give a face lift to…
Now, not everyone has the time or space to do an entire room makeover. So, that's why Bed Bath & Beyond is here to help you figure out what you do need for your guests with the space you have with their guest room checklist. Of course you first want to welcome them with love and a cool door mat like this one from BB&B, which is actually made from recycled rubber tires!
I only wish I had come across their Holiday Your Way articles before hosting a huge crew for Thanksgiving. We had 12 people sleeping at our house, we hosted friends and family for dinner & games on Wed. night- 27 people, and hosted Thanksgiving for 17. It was awesome!! But, to make Christmas hosting ever better I've rounded up some ideas from Bed Bath & Beyond for ya!
One way to make your guests comfortable if you don't have a spare bed is with an air mattress, which BB&B has a great selection of. This AeroBed has a really nice pillow top and I can vouch for it's comfort because my in-laws own it and I've slept on it before.
I especially love their tip about color coordinating your guests' bath towels, this will come in handy if you have a packed house and would like your guests to keep track of which towel they are using. This set of Lasting Color Cotton Towels by WestPoint Home look so soft… and I'd love you to share if you have any tips for keeping/getting your towels extra soft. My cousin Jacqui has such soft towels every time we stay there. This past Thanksgiving when she was down visiting I actually re-washed about 10 towels, just to try and get them to seem extra soft right before she arrived. I think I'll be making a BB&B trip soon for new guest towels. So if you have any tips, send them my way.
When you have guests over it's not just about a cozy air mattress to sleep on and soft towels to use, but about keeping them entertained as well. Bed Bath & Beyond has a smart tip about making sure your guests have your WiFi password so they can use their own tablets or laptops, as well as showing them how to use and turn on your entertainment consoles. Our pal Ann Marie from White House Black Shutters made a super fun Wi-fi artwork so guests could look over and have the code, but strangers would never know what it was! Genius I tell ya! I could have used this over the holiday, because I think I gave out the wi-fi 30 times.
One other guest must-have is a Keurig; it's the best way to make sure everyone has the drink they like, how they like it. Eric loves pumpkin coffee, my mom decaf, my aunt tea, the kids cocoa… you get the idea. Did you know there's a Keurig espresso machine?
Isn't she pretty! I like my k-cup Keurig machine, but if you enjoy a nice cup of Italian espresso every now and then, why not!
Bed Bath & Beyond is a great place to go for tips to survive the holiday season if you're expecting a house full of guests. Stop by their Holiday Entertaining section for more advice on important things to know and prepare for like guests' food allergies, activities for the kids, and more. I was pleasantly surprised how fun and helpful their articles were!
So tell us, what are some surviving and enjoying the holiday tips you've learned throughout the years?
I love entertaining, but I'm always looking for ways to improve!
Voting is closed! To see the winners of Round 1,click here. Check back next Monday, March 18th for Round 2 projects and voting! --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Welcome to Creating with the Stars 2013! Let the contest officially begin! This season of CWTS is going to be Epic and these Round 1 projects are a clear indication of the insane talent of these contestants! Just a few reminders before we get to the voting… Round 1 Challenge:
Round 1 Prize Package: We have the Best Sponsors for CWTS2013 and here's a reminder of what our Contestants are playing for this week… $50 worth of 31 Gifts products $60 worth of Twysted Yarn products $70 of Henle Headbands products $100 Blog Re-design from 733 Design (who designed all the CWTS logos!) Project featured by HomeTalk We also want to thank Homes.com for being the Official Grand Sponsor of Creating with the Stars!
Without Further Ado… In No Particular Order, Here are the Round 1 Projects…#1- Dresser Turned Modern Sandbox This dresser had no hope. It was in extremely poor shape. I mostly bought it for the legs, but after learning I was in CWTS, I thought I could do something with it. I decided to turn it into a sandbox filled with sand and dirt. What kid does not like sand or dirt?! The issue I have with sand tables is how much of an eye sore they can be. After cutting off an entire level of drawers that brought it down to kid/side table height, I placed sand and dirt inside the top two drawers. When guests come over, I simply place the dresser's top back on covering up the dirt and sand. It is an easy solution that is modern and stylish. Using a friendly exterior paint protects the furniture from the elements. Placing the dresser top on when not in use protects the sand and dirt. The two bottom drawers are functional and can be used for outdoor storage like small plant pots, garden tools, and kid toys. I used a couple of rabbit knobs for fun and green paint for a punch of color.
#2- Little League Lounger I love taking old, crappy stuff and turning it into something that I will actually use! I found an ugly outdoor folding chair at my local thrift store, and knew it would be perfect for my upcycle project. Now, I have a completely re-done"little league lounger" to use at all my boys' baseball games this summer!
Here's what the chair looked like before I worked my magic:
I added all new cream-colored webbing {with a navy pin stripe}, updated the arm rests by re-purposing an old wooden baseball bat, and made a baseball stitch pillow from an old table runner. I love how it all came together!
I can't wait for baseball season to get started so I can use my new chair!
#3- Floor Board Kitchen Island
I love our kitchen, but I've always wanted a big kitchen island where we could hang out. I wanted to take this unused space in our family room and add a table or counter. I had no idea what to use, but all of a sudden, a light bulb went off in my head. I remembered some old floor boards hidden in the basement rafters. They were dusty and worn and perfect. BAM — perfect for an old rustic island! We washed and sanded the boards, and got to work building our new favorite spot.
Add in some painted stools and we now have a space just off the kitchen that is perfect for parties, eating, hanging out, or working on crafts.
#4- Man Chairs Often the"dreaming up" of a new project can be done in my sleep, literally. But execution can feel like a trip to the dentist, one in which I go in for a routine cleaning and find I need a double root canal. The trick to any DIY project is COMMITMENT. Commit to your goal and don't let up no matter how many coats of paint are applied in vain. These previously drab, brown, faux-leather club chairs were purchased on sale for $12 each at a local thrift shop.
A bit of auto upholstery paint, steal tacks, metal coating paint, a couple patinas for good measure and some tough new casters and this thrift store find is ready for"the man".
#5- Tin Tile Mirror So, I'm still totally in shock that I was chosen to be a part of Creating with the Stars. With the first theme being"Upcycle", I wanted to do something a little different. I hit up a local flea market, hoping to find something that screamed my name, and when I saw these vintage tin ceiling tiles, I knew these were it. The fun color that looks so much like patina, the rust, the texture, the scuffed parts revealing the silvery color underneath. LOVE! They were marked $6 a piece, but I offered her $5, and she accepted. So $40 for all 8. Score!
The next stop was Home Depot for wood, and I built a simple frame. Each tile was approx 12x12, so the finished size is 36x36. Not all of the tile sides matched up when I nailed them in, so I'm going to blame the tiles and say that they're wonky, rather than my measuring (which is probably more true). A little paint matching, painting in the gaps, building a frame for a mirror that I picked up at Michaels, attaching the mirror and frame with some glue, and we're almost done.
I had the perfect spot in my hallway that was just begging for some oomph. For under $60, it's a huge statement piece that fits perfectly. I'm thrilled with how it turned out.
#6- Television Stand Upcycled to a Bar When I saw this ugly, 80’s style television stand at our local Goodwill for a whopping $30, my mind immediately started churning with ideas. I’ve been wanting to set up a bar area in our house, and I knew this would be the perfect piece to turn into a bar. It just needed a little (or, um, a LOT) of love!
I added legs and a little stand at the bottom to make it a bit taller, and gave it a few coats of navy paint (and, of course, a stencil to add some fun). I turned the drawers on either side that used to be used for VHS storage into the perfect place to stash a few bottles. And, since most alcohol bottles are all different sizes and shapes, I poured our frequently used ones into uniform glass bottles that I etched with the name – that way I can be sure the bottles fit and they look pretty to boot!
Finally, for a last little touch, I dipped some of our glasses in gold paint to make things a little more sparkly and fun. I’m so happy with how it turned out and I’m loving the extra storage! I can’t wait to put this thing to good use!
#7- Trash Pile Tire Made Trendy Table Early Saturday morning, still bra-less and in my PJs, I drove to a neighbor's house and hurled an old tire from their curb-side trash pile into the back of my car. My plan for the filthy tire was still foggy… as was my pre-coffee brain, but I was determined to turn it into something cool. After a day of deliberation, trial, and error, I determined side table was to be its fate. Let's get upcycling.
I started by giving the tire a scrub with some dish soap. Next, I tried to figure out what to use for legs. Since this tire still has the (very!) heavy rim attached, I needed something sturdy. After contemplating many possibilities, I decided to cut them out of a piece of pine left in my garage from another project. The legs were stained and attached to a plywood circle I cut for the base. Then, I glued the tire on top of that with construction adhesive, and added a smaller circle to the top of the tire to act as the table top.
I covered the entire tire in rope using Liquid Nails and"dipped" the legs in a bright citrus-ey yellow paint. I'm pretty jazzed with how it came out and can't wait to tell people I have an old tire in my living room. Ha!
#8- Vertical Blinds Headboard Why is it that bedrooms are always the last rooms to get decorated? This room had no artwork, no matching furniture, and a mattress sadly sitting on a cheap bed frame. The only good thing about it was that it was prime for a makeover!
When my parents upgraded their patio doors from vertical blinds to curtains, my mom saved the blinds for me thinking I could “make something with them.” Does this happen to all creative types? But Mom was right, those old vertical blinds were the perfect material to make an over sized woven headboard for the bedroom.
A sleek wooden frame hangs so that the headboard almost reaches our 8 foot ceilings, and two spray painted clamp lights provide adjustable lighting for bedtime reading.
Similar, but smaller, woven headboards can cost over $700, but since I re-purposed my materials, this statement-making headboard cost less than 1/10th that much. No more sad, bland bedroom for us! #9- Bicycle Wheel Clock
There are clocks. And then…there areclocks. There are clocks that tick and tock and ring and jingle and tell time underwater and sound an alarm. And then there are clocks made from a bicycle wheel with yardstick ruler hands perched on a chalkboard surrounded by roman numerals above a table strategically styled with a bicycle seat. That is one fine clock.
And the best part? I got the bicycle wheel for free. Can you even believe it? I walked into a bicycle shop and randomly explained to the resident bike expert that I wanted to make a clock and I needed a cute bike wheel that had preferably been around the block a time or two. Wordlessly he stared at me. I don't really know why. I'm sure they get that request all the time.
And then he went to the back where they keep all the spare wheels for people who come in with clock requests and he handed me this bicycle wheel. I totally wish he could see his wheel now. He'd probably charge me for it.: )
#10 Statement Piece Light Fixture
Walking through Habitat ReStore, I spotted a few egg crate diffusers — you know those grates that cover fluorescent lights in basements across the country. It's the last lighting fixture I would consider for a project but once I got around my thoughts of drop ceilings, I began thinking how neat it would be to use the grid to create any square cornered geometric shape that I wanted. At $2 each, what could I lose?
Browsing Pinterest I found this amazing light and fell in love with the arms. It's lines are simple, but make a big impact! Perfect for a statement piece! The egg crate diffuser was cut into the shape of the arms, filled with plaster of paris, sanded and painted. So that the wiring and housing wouldn't compete with the outer arms, I made a simple fixture out of metal tubing, PVC plumbing parts, and a few parts from an existing chandelier. After wiring it (and being elated that it worked!) I installed trim on the ceiling to frame the chandelier, and added a little more interest by painting alternating stripes in ivory and a light gray. Finally, I installed a gallery wall with a few fun pieces!
From a designer's nightmare to an energetic statement piece, this diffuser has come a long way! #11- Lab Station Turned Dining Room Buffet
servin' it up old school… The story of how a lonely old science lab station gained new life as an industrial-style dining room buffet. Once upon a time…on an unusually warm and sunny spring day, I was leisurely browsing a flea market when I spotted this piece and was immediately drawn to it…the color, the rust & patina, it's industrial style, and the fact that it was old and had great visual evidence of it's previous life--lots of it. As I looked closely at the butcher-block top complete with bunsen burner stains, student-carvings (i.e."jennie-loves-alex") and distress-marks galore, I knew that I had to have it--for something, but what that something was, wasn't clear to me at the time. We just had"chemistry"--I could feel it.; ) Luckily, the kind gentleman who I was buying this (very heavy) treasure from was willing to help me get it into my truck…and let me tell you: it. weighs. a. ton. Chapter Two: Fast forward to Project One CWTS: Upcycle. I knew instantly that this sad science lab station was about to have a major career change. I tossed around a few ideas, but pretty quickly decided it would be a fabulous, industrial-style dining room buffet. The hardest part was this: while I love the"vintage-industrial-rusty-patina" look and eagerly welcome it into my house, this was looking a bit too"raw" for my dining room. Well, try googling"how to tone down rust on metal, yet keep just the right amount of color and patina". If there is a tutorial for this…I didn't find it!
Chapter Three: So, I did a little DIY-science-experimenting and discovered a technique to get just the look I was hoping for. After this process I added the casters, the door knobs, stenciled on the quote and stained the butcher-block top. Add some wine, grapes, cheese…and this"new" buffet is all ready to help you eat, drink and be merry.; )
…and she lived happily ever after in my dining room.
#12-From Frumpy to On Fire, Fireplace! When I was told that the first week of Creating With the Stars theme was upcycle I was over the moon excited. Upcycling is my thing. It’s where I get my groove on. And so, it wasn’t a matter of finding something to upcycle; it was a matter of deciding which thing to upcycle. So, I took a tour of my house and gazed at all of the items that needed some good loving. And then, I sat and thought about what I wanted in my home. And, it came to me. Hmm… could I? Would it be possible? Yes… yes, it could!!
I’ve wanted a fireplace forever and ever. Okay, that’s an exaggeration. But, you get the gist. And, while this fireplace/bookcase might not be the real thing it fits the bill quite nicely. I was able to create my “fireplace” from an old bookcase that was sitting in my laundry room, a mirror frame that was on it’s way to the trash, and an antique footboard that had lost it’s headboard (poor thing). The bookcase is the most important element; the mirror and footboard helped create awesome and turn the bookcase/fireplace into something spectacular.
I cut the footboard down to size and used it as the “mantel” as well as give the fireplace/bookcase a skirt at the bottom. Scrapbooking chipboard embellishments gilded, painted, and antiqued look like beautiful wood cutouts on the mantel. The trim on the sides of the fireplace/bookcase are pieces of the mirror cut down to size. A chimney that runs the length of my 12 foot wall was created with a simple frame covered in tin. The back of the bookcase was covered in that same tin for added charm. I must say this project exceeded my expectations and far surpassed the image of awesome I had for this project when I started out. I love walking into my home and seeing this and am so pleased waiting forever and ever is over!
Can You Believe That Talent? It's Time to Vote!You can only vote one time, but you can vote for your favorite 3 projects.Before voting, please LIKE EC2 on Facebook. Thanks! If you're having trouble viewing the voting box, click HERE to vote. Don't forget that tomorrow it's your turn to link up your own upcycle project!Thanks for playing along!!
