A fun busy week

Last Thursday I finally cashed in my gift certificate to a beginner's mosaics class out in The Heights.  I went totally out of my comfort zone and hung out and crafted with ladies (and one gent) I didn't know from all over this crazy big city.  I even experienced morning traffic here for the first time and to tell you truth I was thankful for the slower pace instead of cars whizzing past me.  

Here is my creation before the grout.  Imagine that, its all neutrals!  Ha.  

And after the grout.

The Mosaic studio was gorgeous and they were working on a huge mural piece right in the front room.  I hesitated again to take pictures because I wanted keep their artwork protected until finished.  

Look at that rainbow of colored tiles.

I liked The Heights so much that Hubby and I decided to go back the next day for date day (the one bonus of shift work).  We explored shops, antique stores, and of course, my favorite thing to do, walked and dreamed about  houses.  Here are some pictures of a few things that caught my eye while browsing around.

Sorry. These are all so blurry.  What is up with my Iphone?  But I want to remember them and I think they are totally DIY-able.  Not the crazy car though.

And the craftsman houses were killing me.  

It was actually quite difficult to tell the brand new houses apart from the original ones.

That night we went with our church to give away free ice cream to everyone at the Concert in a local  park.  My kids really enjoy seeing the looks on people's faces when they find out its actually free.  And the best part is telling those people that it is just a simple way of letting them know that God loves them.    We enjoyed listening to some Tejano music in celebration of Cinco de Mayo but the band ended up playing all sorts of music and the crowd loved it.  

Insert picture here:  I was too busy keeping up with where my kids were going to even think about taking pictures. 

On Saturday, J-man's soccer team won by a landslide and Roo went to a Cinco de Mayo birthday party.  The best part of that day?  The party wasn't finished when I went to pick her up so I gladly said yes to a margarita and then found the dishes all done when I got back.  (-:  Now that is love.  

She's done! A painted armoire

This will be a picture post.  After two nights of our house alarm beeping on the hour, EVERY hour, I'm tired.  But I'm happy to say that she is finally done and my craft stuff is not in boxes on the floor anymore.

{New York City picture purchased from Hobby Lobby}

{hardware purchased from House of Antique Hardware}

And because everyone loves a good before and after:

{Roo is the happiest that the creepy handprints are gone.}

Linking up to:

Nutmeg Place Show off Saturday

DIY boxwood wreath tutorial

One of my favorite things about my home gym spruce up has to be the boxwood wreath that I created.  Since I'm not a huge wreath person, I wanted a small, inexpensive and naturally relaxed one.  It was hard to find one (I'm too picky) so I made my own.  And since it was so easy, I thought I would share how I made mine.  Here's what you need:

{It was $12.99 for that sprig of boxwood so use that Hobby Lobby coupon!}

Pull off the leaves instead of cutting them with wire cutters.  I'm all about not cramping up my hand with those blasted wire cutters.  Maybe if I bought some better ones? One more thing to add to the list.    

Place individual leaves on and inside the vines of the wreath.  Then wrap the thin wire around and around.  Take care to arrange the leaves in a circular pattern and not straight up and down.  

Keep going until you either run out (like I did) or the wreath is as full as you like it.  

Don't look too closely because you will see the wires.  But that's ok with me because I follow 

Nester's rules of It Doesn't Have to be Perfect to be Beautiful.  

This exact same scenario happened with the topiary in the the first picture.  I saw, I hunted, I got discouraged, I thought, and then I just made one myself.  Except I didn't take any pictures when I was creating it.  I'm itching to make another one so I just might be doing a tutorial on a topiary soon.

Linked up to:
Nutmeg Place
Funky Junk Interiors

Christmas Craft #2-Styrofoam snowman

This one was all Roo's idea.  She knew she wanted to make a snowman and it HAD to be out of styrofoam balls.   I googled and then watched this video because I really wanted them to work and I was sure someone out there had it all figured out already.

I think they turned out pretty cute and she was thrilled to give it to her teacher.

Even J-man had a good time making these.  

I wonder how much longer I can do craft week with him?  

They are looking for twigs to make the arms for the snowman.  Notice the shorts and flip flops in December?  Love it!

I hope your Christmas preparation is going smoother than mine!  

Easy Congrats banner

Hubby got a promotion the other day!  The morning he called to tell me the good news, I was volunteering at my church until later that day.  I didn't have time to create a big celebration.  But I did piece together a very simple Congrats banner.  Here's how I did it:

In a word document, I changed the format to landscape and placed two letters on the page using 2 columns.  Then I cut the paper down the middle and grouped them all together to punch holes in the top.  Lastly, I strung them up with my favorite string/twine.  

I'm pretty sure that he liked it and I loved seeing him sitting in front of it while we feasted on fancy turkey burgers.  (-:

Updated:
Linked to:

Southern Lovely  
and
320 Sycamore's Under $10 under one hour party
and Not So Simple Houswife's party too!

p.s.  Would someone be so kind as to tell me how to put the buttons for these linky's on my post?  Thanks!!!

Fall Entryway "Mantel"

I've been getting ready for Fall even though it is still 100 degrees outside.  I was hoping it would make me feel cooler.  I don't feel any cooler but I'm happier to have something new and different to look at while I work out in my front room.

Before:

After:

I found some old and dirty antique drawers the other day at a local shop and was glad to incorporate one of them in the mix.  It holds the flowers nicely and I love the lights behind it for some "umpf".    

I printed the leaf from a google search and popped it in a frame.  

I am really digging the simplicity of it all.

  (The flames are so yellow because of the battery operated tea lights.)  

I'm thinking of leaving the Jig Saw label on the drawer.  What do you think?

I'm linking up to Layla's Fall Mantel party at the Lettered Cottage.  

Easy jute wrapped bottle

After waiting forever to finish up the balsamic vinegar in this bottle, I turned it into this.  Easy, really, with just a glue gun and jute rope from Hobby Lobby.  I didn't even take the labels off.  

Hope you are having a great weekend! 

Cotton ball wreath

The Nester is having a 

"You Made a Wreath Out of What?!" Linky Party.

She challenged me to think out of the box when I was deciding what to make mine out of.  

I wanted something different and natural.   And, of course, cheap.  I actually had to go buy some cotton balls ($2) and the wreath form was 40% off at Hobby Lobby ($1.50).  Three dollars and fifty cents is an amount I can take my chances on.  

What do you think?  Weird? Great?  

Wait, don't tell me cuz I think I like it.  

Updated:  Linked up to  Southern Lovely  Show and Share day.

I finally did it!

I have been wanting to do a gallery wall forever.  I took these down because I was over the blue and . . .

Ta Da!  Here it is:

I gotta tell ya, it wasn't easy and it took me most of the day.  But I wanted to do it right and with minimal holes in the wall.  (You're welcome hubby!)  There are so many tutorials out there for gallery walls.  I'll spare you another one and just let you in a few things that helped me.  

Don't skip this step.  I know it's a pain but it's worth it.  Oh, and I would suggest 

using flat paper so yours don't roll up like mine.   

Make yourself one of these.  

I saw it on a show with Sabrina Soto once and have used this sucker so many times.  

Hang the picture from the screw and once it is where you want it, push the frame into the wall.  It will leave a little hole indicating where you need to hammer in your nail.

And lastly, don't get discouraged.  Things will go wrong.  Like hardware mishaps and lack of nails but find a way to make it work.  I hot glued brackets onto the back of some of the frames and stapled string to another.

This wall is more than just pretty pictures on the wall.  

It tells a story about me and my precious family.

 1.  I have a fascination with keys.   I think it has something to do with independence.  It started with keys to the house when my mom went back to work for a while.  My sister and I came home after school and ate jelly sandwiches (because we weren't allowed to use the stove) and watched Gilligan's island until she returned.  Then my keys to my car.  Which led to keys to a yogurt store that I was entrusted to close up on my own.  And onto to keys to an unfamiliar dorm.  And, most recently, keys to our first house.  I secretly wish that I had saved them all.

2.  This little symbol screamed my name in Hobby Lobby.  It is a perfect reminder to just BE here.  Not in the past and not in the future.  I am @ home.

3.  A memorable wedding present.

4.  This plaque hung in hubby's grandparents house for ages.  When they moved out of that house they had to downsize and this was the only thing hubby chose.  High Flight is the name of the poem.  Since Popo recently passed away it is especially dear to us.

5.  A pretty framed mirror I found on a "Honey, I have GOT get out of this house" trip to the local antique store.

6. Simple words to live by.

7.  I printed this up for a social at another house years ago.  It says:
For each new morning with its light,
For rest and shelter of the night,
For health and food,
For love and friends,
For everything Thy goodness sends. Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882)
I don't do socials anymore and I sure do miss them.

8.  My bridal portrait that, in twelve years, has never been hung on a wall.  In my life, I have been taken care of.  The woman that I babysat for every week in my first two years of college was taking up photography.  She offered to take my pics to practice so I got a session for free.  I got my hair done, my mom picked up roses from the pricey grocery store and she hung up a sheet in her living room for a backdrop.  A priceless memory since we really didn't have the funds for a formal session and it couldn't have been more perfect.

9.  My beautiful kids and my first "bloggy" project after moving into this house.  I don't remember who came up with the idea to trace over your kids profile on the computer screen and then fill it in with a sharpie but it was genius.

If you're still here.  Thanks for reading.  I had fun sharing it with you.

{Linked up to:  http://southernlovely.blogspot.com/2011/08/show-share-3.html}