Valentine's Banner and Tassels

When I found this Heidi Grace Valentine's fabric, I thought it would make a fun banner.  It was a scrapbook paper last year that I made some cute Valentine's out of.  Hot pink and black Valentine's graffiti = punk hotness.  Did you know a banner could be hot??  Me neither.  Now, if I could get it to stop rebelling and stay on the front window. 

I've been on the lookout for a heart shaped wreath form and I can not find one!  I have been to more craft stores than I care to admit.  I want to make a pink and black door hanging to go with my banner.  Kicking myself because I had picked up one at the thrift store a few weeks back but put it back because I was in no crafting mood and didn't want to add to my crafting mess even though it was on 75 cents.  Curses.

Keeping with the pink and black theme, I made myself a tassel.  Cute, no?  I'm all about the tuelle skirts. 

And that seem to light my tassel making fire because I whipped out three more.   Here's my favorite of the bunch.  Bronze, caramel and red toile goodness.

A vintage Valentine with pink feather boa.

Red beaded and sequined heart with polka dots.  Who doesn't love polka dots?

I'm not sure that I will list Valentine's on Etsy since I've been a slacker this month.  Can you believe it's nearly February?  Me neither!  Want one?  Just ask.  I'll do a reserved listing just for you.  Because you are special and I value your business.  I do have a load of new tassels to list as soon as I twist my favorite, very pregnant photographer finger into taking pictures for me. 

Mailboxes

Aren't these the cutest?  I would love to make these cute mailboxes for my cute kidlets.  I can imagine them coming downstairs for breakfast and finding their Valentines we made for them with lots of yummy heart shaped candy and cinnamon lips.  Here's a tutorial for them.  Don't you love those ruffles and ric-rac trim?  (Those dots make me want to make another Valentine's Banner.)  You could customize it just right for your favorite Valentine. 

Love the backpack but don't want to make it?  Buy it!  Looks like they are sold out online, but here's a listing on Ebay. 

Speaking of mailboxes, I would also love a new mailbox.  Our poor mailbox was hit in a drive-by pumpkin accident last year.  Poor thing is all bent up and doesn't close properly.  Our neighborhood originally had mailboxes on the houses.  I would love to pick out a shiney, new mailbox for my house.  Maybe something like this?  No more walking all the way down the driveway!  Ha.  Yes, I am that lazy.

PS:  Come back on Monday!  I have a give-away lined up for next week!

Tumblin'

I started a tumblr blog. 

To throw all my favorite photos on  and

 inspirations that I see all over the internet.

Like this yummy laundry room. 

And because cute Jackie did it.

And so did Kem.

 And I liked it.

 So I copied her.

  And I have too many photos in my folders and
too many links in my favorites. 

To make some sense out of my style. 

To do for fun. 

Because it's addiciting. 

Now you want one too.
 

Knock Off Wood

Ever been to Knock off Wood?  This site rocks!  It makes me think that I might be able to make some furniture.  Like real, live good looking furniture.  From wood.

In other news,  I broke my non-crafting streak and made a Valentine's banner.  And it's super-fly.  I'm feeling my crafting mojo coming back!

Valentines

It's no secret here, I love Valentine's Day.  I love the hearts and the lovey goodness.  Valentine's to me means handmade gifts and heart shaped candies. 

My kids love to draw.  The sonny loves to draw Star Wars battles and the girly-girl loves to draw love notes.  I would love to make them each a sketchbook.  Maybe something as simple as Design Mom's? 

The Family Fun website has a bunch of cute ideas.  I think the kids would all dig scratch and win Valentine's. 

Like the Ipod and of course, love the Robot Valentines.

I also want to make these sweet little felt envelopes found at Roots and Wings Co.  Simple and sweet and I can see the littles playing with them long after Valentine's Day has passed.

What about you?  Do you have any Valentine's traditions that you love to do? 

Love this.

Saw this on "The Lettered Cottage" this morning and totally, completely love the idea.

Photo: Country Living via The Lettered Cottage

Inspirations

There hasn't been a whole lot of crafting going on here, but there has been a whole lot of cleaning.  Dare I say that Spring cleaning fever has caught me early?  Possibly.  Whatever the reason, it feels good to clean it up.  Usually, I clean up the room, casually getting rid of things here and there that were no longer needed, then taking the rest of the mess and organizing it into bins and toy boxes and what nots only to have them multiply and grow and explode out of whatever "organizing" I just did.

It's a vicious cycle.

This time around, however,  I just got rid of it.  Cold blooded, ruthlessness, get it out of here and let me tell you, it feels great!  The kids didn't notice and I didn't notice and I can't just can't help myself.  I've been tossing, cleaning and organizing all January.   I've got a vision for my home and I'm making my way there slowly.

That is, until I get to the spare room.  The room that houses all of my crafting goodies.  My harden heart softens when looking at my crafting things.  Pretty papers and silky ribbons, tassel toppers, miles of fringes, little embellishments, stamps and inks, scrapbooking supplies, home decor projects, fabric and felt.  Oh how my little heart goes pitter-patter. 

Pitter, patter, pitter, patter.....it's still a mess.  A slightly better mess, but mess nevertheless. 

A plan must be made.  The stash must be contained yet accessible yet pretty.   Everything Etsy has lots of pretty inspiration this month and when I went over there today, she posted even more pretties.  I want these suitcases. 

I know that I want the IKEA expedit shelf.  My old Target shelf has nine cubbies, the IKEA shelf has 25! Oh the organizing and storing I could do!  The old bookshelves all contained into one unit.

I've wanted it ever since I saw it in Tara Whitney's office two years ago. 

Source: Tara Whiney

And love it more in Benita's home found on her blog Chez Larsson.

I'm saving my pennies for this workhorse but the question remains, which color shall I get?  Black-brown or white?

Pretend it's Tuesday.

Did I say "come back tommorrow and I'll show you the afters"?  I meant come back in a few days when I finally get back to working on my little project and get 'er done.  You totally got that, right? 

It's hard to photograph because it's small and dark, but that aside, this really was a fun and thrifty project.  By shopping my house and a bit of elbow grease, this little stairway got a big improvement. 

So, we got through the walls being painted and the door going the best watery green-blue.  Best $1.50 I've ever spent at Benjamin Moore.  Go ahead and admire the door.  I'll wait.  I've got a can of oil rubbed bronze just itchin' to spray that brass door knob and the child-proof door knob cover is the height of home decor fashion.  Tres chic!  

Next, I was lucky enough to get a custom magnet board made personally by my good friend Jodi.  I painted the frame the same red as my front door.  I planned on adding some fun decorative trim on it but I couldn't wait to put it up!  It might get some in the future.  I think it would look extra spiffy.

A piece of trim I already had was cut to size (thanks neighbors!) gave a secure landing for the inexpensive hooks from Target.  My kids are thrilled about their new hooks.  Hopefully, they will use them.

I had the iron bird scrolly thingy for a while.  I'm on the fence over it.  It's looking a bit like a tattoo to me for some reason. 

So voila!  A small and dark stairway transformed into a hardworking space that is much better to look at and even better since it was done with mainly supplies I had on hand. 

So what about you?  What's your favorite spiff up that you've been able to do by simply shopping your house?  Did you organize your office?  Brighten up your bedroom?  Breathe new life into an old t-shirt by embellishing it?  I'd love to hear what you have been up to.

Done!

It's done! 

It's so much better!

It's too dark to photograph tonight but here is a sneak preview.

Just five easy steps...

This "hallway" has been a thorn in my side.  It's tiny.  It's dark.  It's got an outdated electrical panel and a entry to the tub's plumbing next to it.  And the beloved dark blue carpet.  (Why oh why would one put carpet in the kitchen?)  How does one correct these issues with little or no money and minimal time?    Here's how in just five simple steps.

Step 1: Have Jodi make you a custom size magnet board to cover the mess of the wall and provide a place for artwork and homework reading charts.   In your excitement, forget to pay her.  Call her and beg for forgiveness and tell her what an awesome, wood workin' goddess she is! 

Time Spent/Money Spent:  TBD.  Gotta pay the girl.

Step 2: Get over the floor.  Eventually, I will get the flooring of my dreams installed.  You know, the one that cleans itself and always looks brand spankin' new.  I haven't found it yet, that's why I don't have it yet.  Haha! 

Time/Money Spent: Zero!

Step 2:  Clear off the door of artwork.  Clean the walls and door of the kidlets finger prints.  Much, much better already.  Pry off the old molding around the water entry thingy. 

Time/Money: 15 minutes, zero dollars.

Step 3:  Go through all of your paints to find the paint from the family room, front door and a mistint that only cost $1.50.   Gather painting supplies and paint halls, paint door, paint magnet board frame.  It's hard to tell, but the walls went from dingy, poorly painted white to a very nice Nantucket Gray which is just a nice way of saying they are tan.  Door, Withye Blue by Benjamin Moore.

Time/Money = 2 hours,  Less than $15 since

I ran out of the wall color.

Step 4:  Paint frame bright red.  Love the red.  Be happy all over again for painting the front door bright red.  Praise Behr for their Paint + Primer goodness. 

Time/Money:  15 minutes for both coats, FREE!

Step 5:  After waiting the appropriate drying time, hang magnet board and decorate.    Afters to come tomorrow.  I'm still playing with the arrangement. 

Total Time and Money Spent:  Three hours and less than $15 for paint plus needing to pay for the magnet board.

Bargain!  This is my kind of afternoon project!

Project Landing.

Project Landing.

Make this eyesore go away

To be continued...

New Years goal - Inspriation

Dust, dust, dust.  Is this blog still here under all this dust??  Cough, cough.  Somebody has been neglecting it.  That somebody has had a hard time getting better (it was pneumonia after all), getting motivated, making it through the holidays and now the aftermath.  That somebody needs some new rechargeable batteries.  They aren't holding a charge for very long anymore.

In effort to re-energize and as part of my New Years goal, I have been looking for inspirations.  Lucky for me, it's found everywhere.  Color inspirations, organizational inspirations, decorating and more. 

First stop.  Organizational inspirations.  IKEA with friends.  Well, one friend and her little one that is my friend because he is so stinkin' cute you can't help but be happy with him.  But back to IKEA.  IKEA provides lots of visual, organizational happiness. Top it off with lunch in the cafeteria and it's one happy trip.  Found:  Big planter basket for storing toys was $35 on sale for $9.99!  More kassett storage boxes in green,  cute new glasses for the kitchen and hooks for the coat problem our home has.  IKEA goodness! 

Second stop: fabric.  Pretty new throw pillows and kitchen curtain ideas.

Amy Butler's lotus in mustard.

Heather Bailey Peonies on ivory or red. 

Next stop:  cupcakes.  Yes, cupcakes.  This cute shop not to far away has Boston Cream Cupcakes.  They are heavenly delicious!  Go to Cutsie Cakes and get one for yourself.   But the best cupcake that she makes are the blueberry with sweet cream.  Scrumptious!

And of course, lots of blog hopping.  There is so much talent on the web.  I only wish I could have a pinky full of design talent.  Some of my fav's:

*Little Green Notebook - love the way that she puts together rooms with so many colors yet not feeling like it's overboard.  Like her daughters room makeover.  Or her office.  And her dining room.  All done in her rental no less!

*The Lettered Cottage - love her beachy, neutral vibe.  Her kitchen, her beadboard, her reading room.  Love it all.  She's the reason why I am torn between neutral prettiness and happy color.  To find a balance.

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*Young House Love - 'nuff said.

*Anna Maria Horner - in love with her colorful fabrics.  Love!

*Design Sponge.   Pretty, pretty, pretty.

*Just Beachy - another beachy vibe.  I don't know how she does all of her projects.  She's always building and adding something to the house by herself.

So those were a few of my inspirations right now.  What are yours?