Vintage Silhouettes

I know, I know, I have no followers left (if I ever had any at all).  This poor blog has been neglected - severely.  Between moving in, finding out we are expecting baby #4, and being overwhelmed with pregnancy, kids, and bringing order to the chaos in our new house, I really have not had time for any projects lately.  This one is just a small simple one, but I am so in love with it, I had to share ASAP :).  As I sat down to quickly post this project while Bubba sleeps (can I get a Hallalujah!), I found this lovely artwork on my computer screen.  It permanent marker.  Yea.  I will be google searching how to remove that ASAP.

So, to start I found this LOVELY pair of oval frames at the local DI for $2.  I knew I wanted to do cute silhouettes in the girls' room, and when I saw these I knew they were PERFECT.  Well, with a little help and some spraypaint.  I am not sure which is the bigger crime in the originals, the fact that someone had these hanging in their home, or the fact that someone spent the time and money to have these jazzercising bear prints professionally framed and matted.  Really.

 And in my haste I forgot to take photos of the all of the in between steps, but here's the rundown (pretty simple).  Take glass and mats out of frame and spraypaint black (I used Krylon satin black), spray the mats desired color (I used Krylon Catalina Mist), let them dry for about a day (just to be safe).  In the meantime, I took profile photos of the girls with my camera and uploaded them to my computer.  I then used THIS tutorial (thanks to pinterest) to turn my profile photos into silhouettes, and added their names in a fun script.  I did cut my silhouettes and letttering out of vinyl with my Cricut once I had made them in photoshop, but I really could have just printed them on white cardstock.  Anyway, quick easy project, and I am in love this these!  Just wait until you see them in the girls' room, they will be adorable! (And, as usual, I apologize for the phone photos, I am just too impatient to take the time to take good photos right now, WAY too many projects to get done! :)

I found my inspiration

I finally found my inspiration for the family room!  Sorry about the terrible photo, stupid camera phone.  I mostly put this on here so I would remember what direction I am trying to go :)  I can't wait to try to make it happen!

Hot Chocolate Stir Sticks

Okay, now y'all are really going to fall over.  TWO recipes in one day?  I know, I've outdone myself :).  Actually, I saw these on Pinterest (sigh), so I made my own slightly different version.  I took them to a fun Welcome Winter party last night, and they were a total hit, so I had to share!  Here's the pin I saw from Good Housekeeping.  Cute, huh?  I know, and SOOO easy!

But I like a little peppermint in my hot chocolate, and the straws seemed a little useless, so I did candy canes instead.  Here's what you need:  Candy canes (two dozen or so), large marshmallows (I used the regular large ones, not the ginormous ones, they don't look like they would even fit in a cup, but you could try them!), round nonpereil colored sprinkles, milk chocolate chips.

This photo uploaded sideways and I am too lazy to fix it, but unwrap your candy canes and shove them into a marshmallow as shown below

 melt your chocolate chips in the microwave in a small bowl according to the package directions (I only did about 1 1/2 cups of chips at a time to keep it from hardening before I had used it all). Pour your sprinkles into a small shallow dish.

Dip your marshmallow into the chocolate and spin until sides are covered

 then dip directly (lightly) into the sprinkles

 and place on a cookie sheet lined with waxed paper to cool ( you can put them in the fridge for 10 - 15 minutes to help them set faster)

Arrange on a cute tray (they won't stand up because the candy canes are too heavy, unlike the straws, but they look cute laying down :)

 And serve with Stephen's Gourmet Milk Chocolate hot chocolate.  Yes, if you love yourself or your friends, you HAVE to use Stephen's. Trust me, it's worth it.  You can get it at some Costco and Wal-Mart locations, or on the Stephen's Gourmet website). No, they didn't pay me to say that :), it's just that good. Mix it up in your Cocoa Latte (also a must, it keeps it mixing and warm all day, LOVE that thing :), and serve at your Christmas/winter themed party.

 So cute, and SOOO delicious!  The marshmallow and chocolate melts into the hot chocolate, making it extra rich and creamy, and the candy canes start to dissolve into it, giving it a peppermint kick.  LOVE these, my kids are begging me to make more!

 ENJOY!

White Chocolate Marshmallow Awesomeness Popcorn

Okay, I really have no idea what to call this, so there ya go :).  This stuff is addicting.  You have been warned.  ALSO, don't fall over dead at the fact that I of all people am posting a RECIPE, ME, the lady who does NOT cook.  Yeah, that should tell you how easy it is, pretty sure a monkey could make it, but seriously, amazingly yummy.  I made this for parties last year and got tons of requests for the recipe.  I will admit that it's not my recipe, but someone at my son's preschool gave it to me over the phone once and I have no idea who she was, so I can't give credit, and I tried to find it on the internet but couldn't, so this is my version of it.

 You need: 
- 2 bags microwave popcorn (less butter is better, I went with the natural simply salted (no butter), but you can do whatever
- 1 to 2 cups mini M&M's (or nerds, peanuts, toffee bits, chocolate chips, whatever)
- 2 to 3 cups mini marshmallows
- 1 (12 oz) bag white chocolate chips
- colored sugar sprinkles

PS - do you want to see what a clean and neat cook I am?  Yeah, another reason I don't cook :)

And here is yet one more reason, my lovely, oh-so-happy kitchen helper :)

Okay, so pop your two bags of popcorn and removed all of the unpopped kernels. Pour them into the biggest bowl you have.  If you don't have a ginormous bowl (I have had this bowl for a million years, I have no idea where it came from, I think someone left it in an apartment in college and I didn't know what to do with it so I kept it, I use it ALL of the time!) pour into two large bowls.  You need plenty of mixing room (I made a batch prior to the photos, so ignore the messy bowl).

 

 Mix in marshmallows, and sprinkle M&M's (or whatever you choose to mix in) on top

I forgot to take pictures of the next part, but melt your white chocolate in the microwave according to the package directions (usually 1 minute at 70%, then mix every 10 - 15 seconds until melted and smooth).  Pour the melted white chocolate over your dry ingredients and mix (I use two spoons like tongs :) until everything is evenly distributed.  This photo is only half, I had already moved onto the next step with the other half.  Sorry!  I get impatient!

Take half of your coated mixture and spread it onto a cookie sheet lined with waxed paper. 

Sprinkle lightly with colored sugar sprinkles.


Pour the rest of your mixture on and sprinkle with more colored sugar.  Allow to cool (you can toss it in the fridge for like 10 minutes to speed it up), break into pieces, and put in a cute bowl for your party (or in little bags for neighbor gifts, or eat it yourself :).  Super easy, super fast, and it makes a TON!  I honestly don't like marshmallows, and I still love this (you can use less marshmallows if you prefer, like 2 cups instead of 3)

Okay, so I didn't do the cute bowl part, my camera battery died, but you get the idea.  Trust me, it's prettier in person, and to-die-for delicious!  I have also done it for baby showers (use theme-colored mix-ins and sugar sprinkles, or sometimes I only mix in marshmallows, no M&M's, and then drizzle with pink/blue colored candy melts and pink/blue colored sprinkles for a baby shower or shower favors (I saw cute baby shower favor holders that said 'She's about to Pop' and were shaped liked popcorn containers at Hobby Lobby).  Anyhow, it's just a basic recipe, you can do whatever to make it your own.  Enjoy!

Back to School

Sorry I have been MIA lately, it's been BEYOND crazy around here!  The house is about 2 weeks (fingers crossed) from being completed - which means massive amounts of finishing touches and projects for me!  Also, since we didn't quite make it in before school starts, I will be commuting 45 minutes each way to my daughter's school every day.  Joy.  Anyhow, I don't promise much in the coming weeks, but once we are moved in and the Crap Room is filled with all of my crafty crap, it's on.  Here's a quick one I had to throw in because it's easy and cute :)

I  bought these super-cute Pottery Barn Kids backpacks and lunchboxes at DownEast Home during their tent sale this summer for really really cheap.  I mean REALLY cheap.  The lunchboxes were $1.49 and the backpacks were $3 - $5.  Seriously.  I couldn't NOT buy them.

The only problem is that, well, these aren't my kids' names.  Not even close. Well, I bought them in July, left them in the shopping bag, and tossed them in the garage where I sort-of forgot about them.  Until last night, when I realized school was starting in a few days and they still had the wrong names on them.  With all the chaos lately, I decided to not bother picking out the stitching (not sure if it works, but I have heard you can), and just go for a quick easy cover-up.

Here they are, all labeled (with the correct names) and cute!

 Since I was throwing them together late at night and in a hurry, I forgot to take step-by-step photos, but here's the run-down (they were easy!).  I cut pieces of white fabric (I used a cotton-twill, or you could use a canvas, you want it to be thicker fabric to cover up the monogram behind it) just large enough to cover the names behind them.  I zig-zag stitched the edges of the fabric (I don't own a serger yet, but if you do, that would be easier and look better :).  Then, using THIS lady's instructions (see the link on the right side of her blog to download directions), I cut heat transfer vinyl (purchased from HERE - I don't have the color names that I used, they were scraps from my vinyl stash) with my cricut using the Plantin Schoolbook font (I sized each one on my Gypsy so that they would fit perfectly on the fabric tags), then I weeded out the extra vinyl around the letters, and ironed it onto my fabric 'tags'.  For the girls I wanted to frill it up a bit, so I cut felt butterflies using THIS die on my cuttlebug.  I then stacked the butterflies (they are the same size, I just pinched the top one in the middle before I glued it on to show the accent color behind it).  I then attached them to the nametag with fabri-tac.  Finally, I lined each nametag with fabri-tac and glued them right over the top of the monograms.  See, told ya it was easy.  You could also use THIS freezer paper stencil method for the lettering if you don't have or want to buy heat transfer vinyl (but I LOVE the vinyl!). 

 Finished product

 Don't look TOO close, I didn't do a very good job zig-zagging the tags, but hey, it was late and I was just trying to get it done :).  I also cut and zig-zagged blank tags of the same size to glue on the backside of each tag to cover up the back part of the embroidered monogram. Not really necessary, but I didn't want to see the old names when I opened up the zippered part of the bag either.  There you go, cute monogrammed backpacks and matching lunchboxes for super-cheap! :)

DISCLAIMER:  I promise my future tutorials will be easier to follow with step-by-step instructions, this one is a little rough :)

I know I said never again... but...

I am kind-of debating doing THIS to my stairs. I know, I know, enough with the painted wood.  But I can't help it, I just love it.  AND I am a glutton for punishment :) Here are some fun ideas I have run across, we will see what I can talk the hubs into :)

 I LOVE this!

 Gray would be cool

 we know how I LOVE this pattern :), although probably a little much on the stairs

 Again, LOVE

So fun and different! 

More ideas HERE

up close and personal

Sooo... we underestimated the amount of floorboards we needed for the red floor by about 6 pieces.  Guess what I did at 10 last night and 6 am this morning?  Sanded, painted, and distressed those babies.  Yep, that makes a grand total of 88 pieces.  Just for the RED floor, let's not count the white floor.  But I am done painting, and I have seen most of the red floor installed (minus the shorted pieces), and it's AWESOME!  I will take pictures today, my phone was dead and my regular point and shoot camera was MIA when I was at the house :)  WHILE I was sanding at 6 am, I thought I would give you a closer look at the floors (full tutorial coming).  I wanted a really distressed look in this room.  You don't have to distress them at all, or you could lightly distress the edges (like I did in the white room). 

(above) not distressed

(above) edges distressed

(above) heavily distressed (I did the whole red floor like this)

And because I get impatient (and my kids have the stomache flu so I am stuck at home and unable to go take a real photo at the house) here is a photo the hubs texted me of the flooring installed.  This is before glazing and sealing (and ignore all of the drywall dust), but it's just fabulous!  And best of all, Little Man LOVES his new bedroom floor :)