Valentines Day Present

Need a last minute Valentines Day Present that is easy and quick to make?  Here is what I made for Jake this year:

What exactly is this you might say?  It is a way for him and I to show each other in writing daily (or as often as we change it) how much we love each other!  I got the inspiration from pinterest.  (of course, where else?)  http://pinterest.com/pin/64246732153886652/

When I originally saw this I knew immediately I wanted to do this!  I just loved the idea.  We have the perfect place in our bedroom right when you walk out of the door that I want to hang it on!  I don't think I will hang ours from a ribbon though... 

So how did I make this and how can you get this done quickly for a last minute valentines present?

First I headed to Hobby Lobby:

At first I was planning on doing all the sayings with the black letters, but since it is Valentines time they had scrapbook sayings that said I love you!  So I got one of those because I thought it would give it more definition.  I also grabbed a neutral scrapbook paper that would go with our room.  (Our room has a red and gold theme.)  I already had the frame but you can use any size frame you want to.

So I started with the mat on the frame and the paper behind it and added the I love you saying.  (Now I decided to keep the mat in the frame but like you can see in the picture above you do not have to have this...)

Then I added the 'because' out of the letters.  I just eyeballed the straight line using a ruler.  I think I did pretty good!

Next put it back in the frame. 

Next write your message to your loved one by using a dry erase marker on the glass!  (Yes I know I need a new dry erase marker...  )

How simple is that and what a awesome way to tell your special one how much you love them everyday!!!

Jake I hope you love your present! 

Happy Valentine's Day!

Until tomorrow!



Remember These?

So remember way back in December I started some tile frames to put in my bathroom for decorations?  Well if not you can see the original post here!  Anyways...  I finally got the letters for them so I could finish.  However, right after I started these I got sick so once again they got put on the side for a week or so...  Oh well!  So finally finished them all Jake has to do it hang them!  Here is what it looks like finished:

So I went to Hobby Lobby and found these letters:

(sorry they are sideways, blogger keeps flipping them)  Let me tell you the amazing deal I got on these!!!  Christmas section at Hobby Lobby...  90% off!!!  I got these for 40 cents each!  I was in disbelief and they were the right size!! 

First I untied the ribbons and took a wire cutter and carefully sniped the little wire loop.  Then I painted them.  I didn't want a shiny finish so I just used regular acrylic paint.

I gave them about 3 coats not because they weren't covering because I wanted to get rid of the polka dot impressions on the original letters.  I think it turned out amazing!  I can't wait to see it up in the bathroom!  Maybe Jake will surprise me when I'm at dance tonight and hang them!  LOL... 

Also, maybe you will remember my Art Wall?  Here is the original link for it!  I finally got the letters for     A-R-T when I was at Hobby Lobby getting the bath letters... 

I also wanted to paint these black so I used the same paint I used above.  Jake sanded the letters a little bit because there were some rough spots.  I did about 3 coats on them.  I wanted to make sure they were fully covered. 

Then of course I couldn't leave them plain...  I wanted sparkle!  So I added some red glitter spray... 

I only did 1 coat of the glitter spray.  I'm going to wait until Jake hangs them to see if I need another coat. 

So the moral of this is Jake needs to hang some things!  LOL!  He better get on it right!!!  (He has had the sniffles since Chrissy and I have been sick so I'm giving him the benefit of the doubt...  LOL)

UPDATE:  Jake hung them!

My menu planning this week has been going really well!  I am looking forward to next week already planning out what I will make! 

I didn't forget about the 52 Week Organization!  Since I was sick all last week I didn't get a chance to complete week 4.  Week 4 was freezer and refrigerator organization.  Since this week (week 5) is cook book organization I will do these 2 weeks together!  So that is my plan for this weekend.  Saturday I think I will do week 4 and Sunday I'll do week 5!  I'm really looking forward to these 2 weeks...  The freezers are in bad shape and the cookbook drawers are a hot mess! 

Until Tomorrow!

Wreath for Charity

So I did this a while ago but I was not able to complete a lot last night and felt this would give some inspiration.  (I hope)

So last year when I got back from Thanksgiving on my desk I had an empty wreath.  No explanation.  I put it to the side since no one was there and I didn't have a clue why it was there.  When my boss came in I asked.  What is the wreath for?  His response...  We were asked to make a wreath to be auctioned off for a charity in town and I said you would do it.  HA!  Nice...  Thankfully work paid for all the supplies.  It was fun to make something and not have to pay for it.  So my mind started to wonder on what I would make...

Well I work for a local Home Builder.  So I wanted to make something that went with our business.  So I was thinking little tools.  Our colors are red and white so that makes good "Christmas" wreath colors.  So these are the supplies I got from Hobby Lobby:  (Hobby Lobby is my go to store... in case you didn't notice that already)

I wasn't sure exactly what I was going to use of this.  I got 2 sets of the tool ornaments, floral wire, red spray glitter, feathers, red ribbon, shutters from the doll house section, windows from the doll house section, and a door from the doll house section.  Oh and tape measures from the sewing section. 

I started with the bow first.  I had an idea in my head.  I wasn't sure if it was going to work but it did.  Can you guess?  Hint:  The tape measures...

Yes I made a bow out of the tape measure!  I was so excited!  It was perfect.  It was better than I thought it was going to be!  I did have to super glue it together.  That is why there is a clip holding it together.  It was drying. 

Ok then since it was for work I wanted to try to stick our name in there somewhere...  I made sure it was easily removed for whoever won it though!  No worries!!

Cute?  I think yes.  I loved that I put our name in a door!  Sorry I'm gloating I just loved the way it turned out!

Next I moved on to the wreath.  I played and rearranged and played some more.  My final looked like this:

Notice the other tape measure used as ribbon throughout the wreath.  The tools are on there but they are small so they aren't overwhelming.  The windows are the things that pop out the most to me.  I changed the shutters out to some extra samples I had in our selection room because the natural shutters and the natural windows seems over powering.  I stuck in some feathers and some red snowflakes!  I wish we could have kept it here.  I was sad to see it go.  I'm not sure how it did at the auction but I would like to think it did good.  (I can only hope right?)  Oh after it was completely done I sprayed it a few times with the red glitter.  It just gave it a little more pop and sparkle.  Nothing crazy!!

Now go out and make your own wreath!  Maybe a valentines one?  I will be making one this weekend.  It is on my to do list!  I have a lot on my to do list!  I hope I get it all done!  I will share it all with you of course!

Just a little preview of some of the organization I have been trying to work on...  What do you do with all of your tableclothes?  Mine were just under my server in my dining room.  They were taking up a ton of space and made it look horrible...  Solution?

Fold them all small and store in ziploc bags.  I got these at the dollar store so they were really cheap!  Here is what it looks like now under my server.  I am so happy with it! 

I can see them all, they take up less room and I look organized! 

Until tomorrow!

Happy Birthday Dad (A little late)

My dad's birthday was this last weekend.  I was unable to celebrate it with him because of our crazy eventful weekend.  I was able to talk to him on the phone and Chrissy sang to him!  I have decided to make him a birthday gift though since I am into a crafting kick thanks to Pinterest!  So this is my inspiration:

So I have been back and forth and round and round trying to figure out how to make this.  How I want to attach the frame.  What do I want to make it on.  Do I want to do a canvas, do I want it on wood, or am I in over my head?  So I head to Hobby Lobby armed with the picture inspiration and a possible list of what I think I will need...  This is what I ended up with:  (sorry about picture quality... its from my phone and I forgot to turn the flash on)

Supplies above include scrapbook paper, letters, a frame, ribbon, sponge paint brushes, and mod podge.  Can you believe I have never used mod podge before?  I am slightly nervous and super excited to finally use it!  I was going to make my own from a recipe on Pinterest but I didn't want to mess this time.  So whenever I finish this (huge) bottle I will see about making my own... 

I was going to do a canvas but I wasn't sure how I was going to attach the stupid little frame on it.  I mean its canvas...  it will rip and tear and what not...  However, I was walking around like a lost puppy and came across this!  Its called a panel.  The back looks like this:

I figure since it is made on wood I would be able to tack in the frame through the back and not worry about it not staying on the panel!  How super excited I was for this find.  It was a sign that I stumbled upon it!

The sides are like this:

I am planning on using the ribbon to cover these sides! 
So there you have it!  I am planning on working on it tonight and tomorrow.  I'll do another post on how it turns out! 

So happy birthday dad!  I know you won't read this but I love you!  I will always be your little girl!!!

Until tomorrow!