504 Main by Holly Lefevre

Gone (House) Hunting

2013-06-17T21:41:00.001-07:00

These last few weeks have FLOWN by!

I guess that is what happens when you are CRAZY!

(at least I am mostly in good company)

I have been on the computer...

but it is because I am OBSESSED with house hunting!

Partly because I need a place to live

and partly because it is fun to fantasize about a new place.

(even though I LOVE my old place)

And then there is the matter of selling the old place.

BLAH!

And TWO kiddo BIRTHDAYS to plan!

So I am taking this week off for my own sanity...

but I will be back with awesomeness next week!

And if you all have any tips or helpful hints for moving to another state or packing...

feel free to SHARE!

This post is written and created at 504 Main by Holly Lefevre

Tickled Pink No. 149

2013-06-13T18:07:00.002-07:00

Welcome to Tickled Pink!

HELLO!

I really miss being more "with it" over here...but real life rules.

I have been to Austin Texas house hunting

(my hopefully soon to be new home - anyone want to be a house in California?)

and then to San Fransisco...

but now I am home and just realized it is THURSDAY!

So...

THANK YOU ALL

FOR LINKING UP AND VISITING.

I TRULY APPRECIATE THE SUPPORT.

I hope to be back at being creative and more involved very soon!

oh yeah...and...

I will resume the SPOTLIGHT SELECTORS in the next week or two...

but for now let's just link up and have some fun and visit each other!
____________________________________________________
NOW FOR TICKLED PINK!

A craft...a recipe...a tip...a party...a short story...a poem...a fashion find...a favorite product...your favorite post...whatever makes your blog fabulous!
That is what Tickled Pink is all about!
{and it does NOT have to be PINK}

Grab a button HERE!
or here!

PRACTICE PINK KINDNESS

Will everyone do me a FAVOR????

Please visit the person linked before you...

Pretty Please!

1. Link up...whatever makes your blog fabulous. Family Friendly please. Guess what? Your post does not have to be PINK!! I reserve the right to remove posts that are offensive or do not adhere to the rules, without any discussion, at my discretion.
2. PLEASE LINK TO A POST URL, ****NOT YOUR MAIN URL****
3. Pretty please...add the Tickled Pink button or TEXT link back to the post* {people need to know what the heck they are doing!}.
4. Please visit a couple other links!

Link Up what ever made you or your blog FAB this week!

This post is written and created at 504 Main by Holly Lefevre

Angels and Monsters in the Garden (Outdoor Fun)

2013-06-10T18:40:00.000-07:00

This is a crazy easy and super fun project that (almost) anyone can do...and it is pretty cheap (and I have shared this before here...but it is too good not to share again!). I first did this project with my son when we moved into our house 8 years ago. I had quite a few of (single) fence pickets left over from our "keep the doggie from jumping the fence project," and we knew no one in the neighborhood yet so my imagination was the source of entertainment for my son.

We loved being outside in our garden, so we grabbed our fence pickets, paint, and all sorts of other objects and goodies and made garden angels.
This is a more recent recreation of that project!
(I was not a crazy blogger back then)

Angels and Monsters in the Garden

SUPPLIES

This craft is about using what you have to make something fun with your kids...I am telling you all what I used and adding notes for substitutions when I can.

Fence Pickets, single, about $1-$2 each at the hardware store (a scrap of 2 x 4 could also work)

DecoArt's Patio Paint (Acrylic Paint can work too, it just does not last as long - (the original angel I made 6 years ago still has paint on it but it is definitely faded). The Patio Paints work really well and last a long time. I would suggest a spray sealer if you use acrylics. I specifically used: vintage rose, citrus green, orange, larkspur blue, petunia purple, azalea, marigold, white, graphite (acrylic).

Paint brushes - 1 or 2 1 1/2" or 2" size and some smaller ones for detail work.

Staple gun and/or glue and/or small nails and hammer.
Twine or ribbon and any other decoration you might want.
Outdoor Mod Podge (see below)

Wings/Skirts

Fabric* or window screen or oil cloth - any fabric that is sturdy and will hold up to the weather.
*NOTE: I "painted" my fabric with Mod Podge to give it some heft and to help it stand up to the elements.

DIY IT!

Clean picket and if desired give it a quick sanding (I did not sand it - I wanted a rugged distressed feel).
Paint each picket in a base color, covering almost all of the picket. For the angels I used Vintage Rose Patio Paint. For the Monsters, Citrus Green and Orange Patio Paint. Let dry.

Angels

Add hair detail - just select a hair color and paint some bangs and curls on the top of the picket.
Add face detail - simple eyes and a sweet little mouth in pink.

Paint the picket, starting at where the "neck" would be a fun color (the clothing).

Add buttons to the shirt.
Cut squares of either fabric or screen approximately 10" wide and 5" long (you can "play" with the measurements depending on the look you want).
Attach the skirt: I used a staple gun. In the past we have used glue, so either works...one give more instant gratification. To attach the skirt, lay the angel face down and determine waist; place skirt edge on the picket and staple on the back of the picket; flip over, bringing skirt around and do the same thing on the other side; NOW fold or gather skirt around on the front to make it fit (I added a staple or two along the waist band to make it stay). NOTE: if you use glue, weigh the wings down with a rock until dry. You can paint a skirt on too.

Finish off with a twine or ribbon belt (to hide the staples or glue...or just because)

Attach wings: Flip angle face down, find proper place for wings (about middle of back); accordion/fan fold fabric/screen; place wings on back and then point some of the folds up and some down; staple into place. NOTE: if you use glue, weigh the wings down with a rock until dry.

Flip over and done! Now here is some more about the monsters.

My son made these by himself...he was not into angels."

Monsters

Paint on crazy eyes, mouth, teeth/fangs.

If you want add some crazy screen hairdo - cut a length of screen about 5" long and 4" wide and then cut slits down into it being sure not to cut through; flip monster over and gather screen hair and staple into place.

Variations

Can't you just see these as gnomes...guess what is next for me!

You can add buttons and googley eyes too - the kids really like that! Your imagination is the limit!

These sweet angels and little monsters make me smile!

What's the favorite decoration in your garden?