A Little Knick Knack

EBTKS Link Party & Giveaway!

2012-05-24T17:46:00.001-07:00

Let's have an awesome party. If you spread the word, then consider yourself entered into the giveaway automatically!

Have fun!

End of Year Teacher Gifts

2012-05-22T16:42:00.000-07:00

Hey all! I hope you can check out the giveaway for $50 to NOVICA.com! Last day to enter is this Thursday!

I was browsing other blogs and starting seeing a pattern of projects...teacher appreciation gifts...end of year teacher gifts...what??? Is it that time again already?!? What happened to the year? It flew by! And, as I'm sure you're all aware, I've been totally preoccupied with something else. So, I decided to do my tried and true stand-by for teacher gifts. A cute frame. Here's what I did last year.

And this year, I found this cool and cute quote on Drab to Fab and bought some frames at Walmart. The spray paints were also Walmart finds and I love the colors! I'm definitely going to have to find some other uses for these...

Well, in my sleep deprived mental state, I realized after the first coat of spray paint that these were plastic frames and the paint did not want to adhere...grrr....

So I dug around my stash until I found some primer and tried it again. It worked TONS better. So, let this be a lesson...always use a primer when spray painting anything plastic! Or, if you're really smart (not like me), find a paint-for-plastic spray paint. That would work well also, I'm sure.

Ahh, so much better. Love the color!!

Isn't this a fun quote? I thought it was pretty hip and cool design as well. This shows you how with-it I am since I used the words hip and cool. Right?

But the little paint bubbles and imperfections from my mistakes were sort of bugging me so I needed to hide them.

Ribbon is a life saver I tell you! When I get a minute, I'm going to hot-glue these suckers to the frame, so the teachers have no choice but to keep them there forever...

...thus never seeing my mistake.

I love this sage green bow...I've used it for lots of projects.

It sure does take a big heart! My kids teachers this year have been amazing. We're so lucky to have such wonderful people in our family's life! Thank you teachers, for all you do!

My View

2012-05-22T15:20:00.001-07:00

My sleeping angel...

EBTKS Link Party & Giveaway CLOSED

2012-05-17T08:02:00.000-07:00

Side note: It is really hard to type a post while holding a sleeping baby. Just sayin'...
Luckily, said baby is asleep in her little crib right now so I'm jumping on this chance to get the giveaway and link party started!

Giveaway is now CLOSED!

This week I am thrilled to offer you guys a $50 giveaway with NOVICA.com! NOVICA is one of the leading fair trade artisan websites. They work with National Geographic to give talented artisans around the world a place to express their artistic talents and provide access to the world market. NOVICA offers thousands of top fair trade corporate gifts, accessories, jewelry and home decor items on their website.

I had such fun browsing their site. They have helpful price categories, beautiful hand-crafted bags, jewelry, housewares and more. I found lots of vibrant colors and unique designs...

Aren't they lovely? So, a lucky winner will win a $50 electronic gift certificate (shipping not included) to NOVICA.com. To enter:

1. Become a follower of A Little Knick Knack through Google or Linky Followers (See sidebar). Let me know!
2. Become a fan of A Little Knick Knack on Facebook and let me know.
3. Visit Novica.com and come back to tell me what you love!

Three chances to enter, three chances to win! This giveaway will close next Thursday, May 24 at midnight.

Now, on to the party! Link up and have fun!

What I've Been Up To....

2012-05-15T19:32:00.003-07:00

.....my time is being spent with this little one...

...and I can't seem to find much time to do anything else. She loves me so much, she never wants to leave my side. Unless she's asleep and I'm taking pictures of her.

I hope you'll stop by again tomorrow for a fun giveaway, though! I'm stoked to finally have something to offer you guys. I think you'll love it!

Baby Onesies

2012-05-12T18:14:00.000-07:00

*Sick kid update: Well, urgent care turned into 2 nights in the children's hospital for my son. But, he is home now and on the mend and I couldn't have wished for a better Mother's Day gift!

I have very talented friends. I think I should dedicate some of this blog to their amazing talent...considering I'm not doing much lately except feeding a baby and sleeping! One of my best friends (we're going on almost 20 years now...wow, that's a long time!) sent me these adorable onesies the other day, with matching headbands for Ellie. I can't wait to put them on her! Right now, they are a tad too big but at the rate she's growing, she will wear them soon!

I love the flowers on this one...

...and the pearl detail is so cute!

The pink and black will look adorable against her dark hair!

As soon as she fits in these, we're having a mini fashion shoot. Stay tuned!

And thank you, my dear friend! You're skills are amazing!

Torrie and me...pre-baby....

EBTKS Link Party

2012-05-10T19:49:00.002-07:00

Hola!!

Sorry so late! Too many sick kiddos at home today! Hubs just took one to urgent care. Sheesh. One gets sick, they all get sick!

Have fun at the party!!!

Guest Post - Keeping it Simple

2012-05-07T09:34:00.000-07:00

Hi!!! I'm Kaysi from Keeping it Simple

I'm so excited to be here today!!!

One of my favorite crafting tool is my Silhouette CAMEO. I just love it and use it at least weekly. I love to take an ordinary shirt and make it super cute and personalized!

My three year old is obsessed with trains right now, he just loves them! He loves playing with them, reading about them, seeing them and most of all, riding them. He loves everything about them. So I had to make him a cute shirt for him to wear. He loves it and doesn't want to take it off! :)

This is how I made it:

1) Using the Silhouette studio, I got an image from the online store.

2) Then using the draw freehand button, I drew a curved line.

3) Using the text button, I typed the saying that I wanted on the train. I then double clicked onto the saying. That brings up the arrow toggle (little circle on the left).

4) I took the arrow toggle and moved it to the place where I wanted my words to be. It makes the letters go onto the path, awesome, huh?!

5) I then mirrored the whole thing because I am using heat transfer.

6) Using my CAMEO, I cut it out with white flocked heat transfer.

7) I then ironed it onto the shirt.

Super easy!! And he just loves it!!

The heat transfer vinyl does super great in the wash too! I wash shirts normally and it looks great!

I hope that you stop by my blog sometimes, I always love a new friend!

EBTKS Link Party

2012-05-03T12:04:00.001-07:00

Hey everyone! Time for another party. Things are slowly going back to normal around here. Well, as normal as can be with a new little life thrown into the mix! Dad goes back to work tomorrow which makes me want to hyperventilate. He's been off 2 weeks helping me and I have LOVED having him here! Parenting is so much easier when there's another person to do all the work while I feed the baby 24/7! So, wish us luck tomorrow! I'm setting my goals....get kids dressed and fed and to school on time. That's it, that's all of my goals for tomorrow. I'm setting the bar low, people. Baby steps. Literally.

I hope you all have a fabulous weekend! Have fun linking up and comment, comment, comment!

Guest Post - Mom 4 Real

2012-05-02T06:56:00.000-07:00

Hey all! I hope you en joy today's guest blogger, Jessica @ Mom 4 Real. She has some great ideas and a wonderful attitude so be sure to check out her blog for some fun projects! Enjoy!

Chalkboard Painted Plates

Hi, I'm Jessica! I write/create over at Mom 4 Real.

I am so excited to be guest posting here today for Meg!

I am pretty obsessed with chalkboards right now, so I thought I would share my Chalkboard Painted Plates with you...

I love decorating with chalkboards. I have turned mirrors into chalkboards, painted old ugly platters with chalkboard paint for a beautiful hanging, and now I have painted plates...yes, old dinner plates. It is super easy, and adds a cute touch to any kitchen!

I started with 3 plates that I had sitting in my kitchen cabinet. The fourth plate had been broken years ago, but for some reason I had hung onto these...maybe it was fate! I washed and dried them first just to make sure there was no dust left.

Next, I painted three coats of chalkboard paint in the center of each plate. Make sure to let the paint dry thoroughly between each coat.

I already had this plate rack hanging on my wall, so this is where I chose to display mine. You could easily display one plate on a plate stand on your kitchen counter...I did that with one of my old serving platters that had a strange rust stain in the middle of it!

Now comes the fun part...writing on your plate. I chose the very popular "live, laugh, love" for mine, but will be changing it out often for fun! Maybe to EAT YOUR VEGGIES! I used a chalk pen, because they write so smoothly, but I usually use chalk. Do you have any old plates lying around? Would you dare paint them with chalkboard paint?

Subway Art - Hidden Gem

2012-05-01T11:43:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone! While we're waiting for me to recuperate, how about another little project from my sister? I found this one hidden among the posts and realized it was never published out there for ya'll to enjoy! So, here you go!

Here's one last project from my C.S. (Crafty Sister). She's fallen in love with the blog Gardners 2 Bergers and is copying pretty much all of the ideas there. One of them was her subway art.

She typed up all the fun places she and her hubs have been since they got married (so jealous) with her Microsoft Word program, changing fonts when she felt like it. Then had it printed in black and white for around $3 at Staples. She found a 24 x 36 canvas on sale and painted the sides of the canvas black and then Mod-Podged the paper onto the canvas.

After that dried, she took some sandpaper and roughed up the edges and the words to give it a fun worn-out look. After she applied another coat of Mod-Podge to the top, she was ready to hang it up!And it turned out brilliant!

I'm so ready to tackle some fun projects but for now I will live vicariously through Crafty Sister. Hope you enjoy!

New Mommy

2012-04-26T20:15:00.002-07:00

No link party this week.

Being a new mom is fun. Challenging. Interesting. Exhausting. Rewarding. Fascinating. Loving. It tries the patience. It warms the heart. It makes you cry....for lots of different reasons. It makes you think. It makes you worry. But most of all...it makes you realize what is important and what is not. Right now, sleep is important. Patience is key. Two things I stand in desperate need of right now. So, I hope you'll be patient with me as I adjust to taking care of another little life. I will be back, definitely. With projects, link parties, giveaways and reviews. I wouldn't give this up for anything. But right now, other things are more important. I hope you understand and will check back in to see the guest bloggers and other little new things that will be happening here.

And to end on a high note...

...this was me just one week ago! Can you believe how huge I was?!? WOW! You can tell I was totally happy and comfortable, huh? Even my pregnancy shirts didn't fit me anymore! Ha!

Have a great weekend everyone!

Guest Blogger - Make the Best of Everything

2012-04-24T12:29:00.001-07:00

Hey everyone! I'm so happy to introduce you to Kristen from Make the Best of Everything! She has some fun ideas so enjoy the post! Also, I hope you know how grateful I am for all your lovely and supportive emails! They really make me smile and give me a wonderful uplift to exhausting days. Thank you for taking the time to tell me your thoughts!

Guest room extras!

by Kristen, from Make the best of everything!

When a guest is staying in my home, I do think that it is important to always make them feel welcome. I do think that it is the "little things" that make guests feel welcome. My husband and I live hours away from both of our families, and so it is importaant that our families feel comfortable in our home and will want to visit often.

I have added a few "extras" to our guest room, similar to what a hotel might have.

Guest Room Chalkboard: I hate it when I am staying at another person's house and I have to awkwardly ask " Can I take a shower?" or " Where are your towels?" When I am spending the night at someones house, they may not always remember to tell you all these things. This chalkboard I set up in our guest room helps people feel that They can help themselves to certain things in our home.

Guest Room Goodies: I set out a variety of helpful items for my guests in our guest room. As you can see the towels are not perfectly matching. These are just a few items that will be helpful to guests when they are staying at my house that they might have forgotten. I ALWAYS forget toothpaste when I spend the night at other people's homes

Water and Mints: I think that leaving bottled water in a guest room is a great idea. In my house, we all go to bed with glasses of water every night. Having a bottle of water in your guest area saves our guests the awkwardness of tip toeing through mykitchen late at night when they are thirsty.

Having some mints and maybe some candy is just an added bonus to let our guesst know we appreciate that they are visiting us!

Watch out about placing mints on pillows! I once did this when my mom was visiting, and she didn't find it until about 3 AM! when it knocked her in the head!

Shampoo and body wash: Some people always pack these things on overnight trips. Others don't. It is just nice to have these things out so guests can help themselves.

Perhaps someday, my guest room set up will be more extravagant and have matching towels, but for now, I am happy that when someone visits, they know that I will do a little "extra" to make them feel welcome in my home.

Welcome Baby!

2012-04-23T18:38:00.002-07:00

I'm ba-ack! It's really amazing how you can be gone for a weekend with no baby and come back with your life completely changed! I went in to have my baby last Thursday and came home Saturday. We're taking this week to recuperate so I have some lovely guest bloggers to entertain while I am "away." I hope you enjoy them as much as I do! Now, I know you all are dying to see her....

Welcome to the world, Ellie!

(Ok, I know it's sideways, but the other way, it kind of looks like she's falling off my other daughters lap...so this way is better. Trust me. ;)

EBTKS Link Party & Features

2012-04-19T05:00:00.000-07:00

Howdy everyone. Not sure what happened to the post! It was all ready to go and then when it published--nothin'. Anyone ever had that happen before? Weird. So sorry!

Anyway, the features will be postponed until next week because...I'm on my way to have a baby! Yeah! So, have fun at the party! Leave lots of links for me to look at when I'm doing nothing but feeding and rocking a baby all day. :) And have fun!

Guest Post - Glass Showers Before & Afters

2012-04-18T06:30:00.004-07:00

Remodeling Your Shower: Before and After

One of the most drastic remodeling changes you can make to your bathroom is replacing your bulky framed shower door with a frameless glass shower door. To prove this point, here are some dramatic before and after pictures we have taken. As you can see in the after pictures, by going “frameless,” the frameless glass shower door adds light and openness to an otherwise small bathing space. It’s simply elegant with a modern flair. The below before and after is an example of a single frameless shower door, which is one of the most popular and simple glass shower door configurations available.

90-Degree Glass Shower Door Before and After

This is an example of a before and after of a frameless 90-degree shower door. By replacing the shower curtain and the outdated framed look with luscious frameless glass, you will turn your shower enclosure into a modern, attractive, centerpiece, while showing off your tile work.

Neo-Angle Glass Shower Door Before and After

Of all of the various frameless glass shower doors, the most trendy shower door style goes to the Neo-Angle shower door. The reason the Neo-Angle shines, is because it’s customized for your bathroom. The ability to have your shower enclosure custom fitted for the space, really makes the space look expansive and luxurious. Frameless shower doors are defined by their brilliant engineering. Pivot hinged shower doors highlight an all-glass door, balanced on upper and lower pivots, vanishing obvious side door-hinges altogether.

Bonus: Wine Cellar Before and After

Glass enclosures are not only for the bathroom – as you can see here, here’s a before and after example of a frameless glass wine cellar. The glass frame allows the space to be temperature controlled, while still looking elegant from outside of the enclosure.

About the Author Shahab Shokouhi is a Writer at Dulles Glass and Mirror -- a manufacturer of commercial and residential glass products including tempered glass, glass table tops, and vanity mirrors.

Things I Look Forward To....

2012-04-15T08:18:00.000-07:00

....this is going to be a long week. I was thinking about this pregnancy, as it is my last. There aren't a lot of positive things I can say about it at this point, and if I do, that would be pretty whiney. Who likes a whiner? Sometimes, it's ok to "vent" and get out your frustrations. But today is not that day. Today, I'm looking forward to some things, and I wanted to share it with you and with the digital universe. Because that's what you do these days. You share things, you connect, you let go of some fears or some worries and share your hopes and dreams. That's just what you do. So, here's some things I look forward to after this pregnancy is over.

I look forward to bending over again. Just the simple act of picking a toy up off the ground will be a huge milestone.

I look forward to going up and down the stairs without getting tired.

I look forward to running with my kids again. Especially in a store to keep up with them while they run, giggling, away from me.

I look forward to eating ice cream again without raging heart burn.

I look forward to being able to turn around, from the waist.

I look forward to wearing high heels. Oh, I love high heels!

I look forward to having my wedding ring once again on my finger. I've missed that little guy.

I look forward to laying on my stomach to read or watch TV.

I look forward to sleeping without pillows propped up all around me.

I look forward to sanding and painting again.

I look forward to meeting my daughter.
...To holding her in my arms.
...To hearing her little cries.
...To seeing her first smile.
...To watch her grow up and develop her own personality.
...To see how her brothers and sisters interact with her and she with them.

...to begin our life with a new addition.

These are the things I look forward to.

EBTKS Link Party & Features

2012-04-12T07:20:00.004-07:00

Hey everyone! I hope ya'll are doing well this week. Last week must have been a busy week for everyone since our numbers for the party were super low. I blame Easter (which is a very valid reason) and myself (not so valid) for starting the party a day late! I'm sorry!

I was so sure that I could make this baby come now and I was trying all the tricks to get this baby out early. Then, I realized I just had to accept the fact that our bodies know when the right time will be and I have to be more patient (never a good lesson for me). Since that realization, I have been taking it very easy and resting. Which is probably what I should have been doing all along. Saving my strength for the actual delivery instead of wearing myself out now. Quite the insight, right? Well, that's my stubborn attitude for ya.

Also, I'm still looking for help during "maternity leave" and would love some additional guest bloggers for May and June. Please email me under contact info if you're interested! THANK YOU!

Let's check out some of the great links from last week....

Tales of a Trophy Wife

I love her tutorial on this pin-tucked skirt!

Missy's Homemaking Adventures

Check out her awesome home-made detangler!

Country Momma Cooks

Check out her recipe for yummy "Grandma's Pink Stuff!"

Twigg Studios

Learn how to make these beautiful map rosettes

Domestic Imperfection

I love this table transformation...so bright and beautiful!

Remember to grab a "featured" button, gals!

Ok, time to party! Have fun linking up and comment when you can! Have a great weekend everyone!

Easter was the Best!

2012-04-10T10:44:00.002-07:00

How was your Easter this year? I know I'm late about blogging a "happy Easter!" to everyone, but I still wanted to acknowledge that it happened. And, everything with me is a little slow right now. :) The hubs and I went on a date last Saturday (have to squeeze those in before the baby comes!) and he commented on how slow I was walking! Ha! I didn't even realize it, but I was going as fast as my big tummy would allow.

Anyway, we tried to show the kids a good Easter. I am trying to tone down the things of Easter as opposed to the why of Easter.

Gotta have the peeps!

So, we did little Easter baskets this year and then had a nice long talk about why we have Easter, reading a little scripture book I have. The kids loved it and I was very happy to hear that they knew most of the Easter story. I don't know why I was so surprised. Kids soak up more than you know and...thank you church teachers!

Anyway, it was a lovely Easter Sunday and I always love seeing my kiddos in their nice Easter clothes. We had a great Easter and I hope yours was wonderful as well!

Memory Lane - EAT Tray

2012-04-08T17:34:00.003-07:00

I hope everyone had a great Easter day! We enjoyed it and had a great time at church as well. This is definitely a time to reflect and get ready for "spring." I love the message on this day. It's so uplifting and inspiring. It was a wonderful Easter Sunday.

Time for another walk down memory lane. This was a fun project I made for my mom. We bought the tray at Hobby Lobby at a huge discount (I got one, too) and decided to give it a mini makeover.

HOW TO PUT LETTERING ON A TRAY

Mom picked out a font she liked and printed out "EAT" so we could trace it on to the tray. To transfer the words on the tray, flip over the paper and trace in pencil. Push hard to make sure the carbon transfers to the tray.

(The fun part of doing this with my mom--I get to be in the photo shoot! Hi everyone! Oh, look how nice and skinny I was before I got pregnant...sigh.) Next, take the paper and put it on your tray and trace again, with a pen or other sharp writing utensil. The carbon from the pencil will transfer the words onto the tray. (I've also used chalk and it works great).

Next, take your trusty black paint pen or Sharpie and begin to fill in the letters. Make sure you have them centered correctly! Diet Dr. Pepper is always a must when completing a craft project.

Another view.... Ta-da! Finished product. Nice. You can also go for the rustic look by getting a light-weight sandpaper and running it over the words to make them look worn. So fun to do with my mom!

I hope you guys have a great week and as always, thanks so much for stopping by!

*Again, if you're interested in guest posting during my "maternity leave" (only 2 more weeks, people! I can make it, right???), please contact me!

EBTKS Link Party

2012-04-06T06:08:00.002-07:00

Hey everyone! I'm sorry I'm late for starting the party. Last night was sort of painful ---only 15 more days until this little one comes into the world....and can I tell you, I am ready for her to come NOW! All of those who have gone through pregnancy know the last month is pretty uncomfortable....I can't see my toes....my heart burn is through the roof....but, it's all for a good cause! I can't wait to see my little ones face and and hands....it will be a very happy day for all our family! Now, on to the party!

Here were some of the most clicked on links from last week....

ClaireJustineXOXO

YUM! Red Berry Meringue Roulade!

Altered Artworks

I love these stacked terracotta planters! So bright and cheery!

Simply Sophisticated

Simply Sophisticated shows us her FREE kitchen makeover! Amazing.

Can't Stop Making Things

Can't Stop Making Things shows us how to make this amazing necklace from beads and eggshells.

Artsy VaVa

What do you think? Real wood or painted? Check out Artsy VaVa to see it yourself!

Party time...Be sure to leave lots of comments and have a wonderful weekend!

A Teacher's Gift

2012-04-03T18:47:00.001-07:00

Craft Sister also made this cute gift for her daughter's teacher for Valentine's Day. (Are we supposed to do V-day gifts for teachers??? Why did I not get this memo? I gave them the same thing I gave all the kids....a Princess Valentine card with a Starburst taped to it. I'm awesome).

She found this catch-all organizer and filled it all things cute and Valentiney....candy hearts, nail files, pink binder clips, paper clips, and other pink-themed candy. Yum!

Then, she went one step further and decorated the top of the case with some craft paper and letter stickers. I'm sure the teacher can find a use for this for other reasons (here's hoping) and this is also a very versatile idea for other seasons, events and birthdays!

FUN.

Memory Lane - Kid Step Stool

2012-04-01T18:56:00.001-07:00

*If anyone is interested in helping me while on "maternity leave," with guest posting, please contact me for more information! Thank you so much!

Another day another trip down memory lane. I keep seeing this stool when I dare to enter my kids downstairs bathroom and I just fall in love with it every time I see it!

FOOTPRINT STEP STOOL

It started out as this...

And after a little sanding and some semi-gloss white spray paint....

I decided to add some more detail to the top. I found some footprints online and traced them onto the stool. I filled them in with some paint I found in the "as-is" bin at Home Depot for $.50! Deal!

Ever try and paint footprints? With all the nice little crevices that come with feet? Yeah, not so easy. I opted for the stencil-look. Hey, I tried! I've said it before...I'm not a painter. Sadly.

Then, I thought I'd use my stencils to outline some fun sayings on the stool. After that was complete, I didn't like all the brush strokes you could see on the words, so I decided to try and sand it down a little. See all that paint that just came right up? What happened?? Ah, well. I covered it all with a nice lacquer to protect it from the little ones feet.

It's working out pretty nice in our downstairs bathroom and the feet have totally grown on me.

EBTKS Link Party & Features

2012-03-29T07:08:00.001-07:00

Hey everyone! Well, I guess I should have announced this earlier, but it's spring break here in the frigid mid-west so we've been sort of taking it easy this week. We had some bad weather that reminded me a lot of WINTER (grrrr) and then it's been great to be outside! I've tried to have one major activity out of the house for the kids per day and then the rest of the day we get to hang out at home! That's all pregnant mommy can handle right now. As it is, their quiet time is coinciding with my nap time! Who knew I'd need so many naps??? Kids tire a mom out! I'm glad they are having fun, though, and being together as siblings is always fun to see. So, that's why posting has been on hold this week. But, I'm always back for the party! I love a good party. So, have fun with these fun features from last week and please, link up!

Sunny Simple Life

Check out how to clean your gas burner grates! So easy, you'll be surprised! I know I was, and I desperately need to clean mine!

Chapman Place

Check out how to make your own bookshelf crates. Awesome!

A Rosie Sweet Home

Shows us how to make our own beautiful burlap spring wreath.

Mom 4 Real

Check out her beautiful spring mantel!

551 East Furniture Design

I love this orange dresser re-do from 551 East Furniture Design! So pretty!

Now, on to the party! Link up and have fun! Remember to comment, comment, comment! That's how we spread the love here in blogland! Have a great weekend everyone!

Tree Bookshelf

2012-03-25T07:54:00.000-07:00

Not only is my sister a crafty maniac, but my brother can do a few cool things as well. He and his lovely wife saw this bookshelf online and decided to re-create it for their daughters bedroom.

Step 1: Get the plywood and trace an image of a tree. Cut it out!

Step 2: Attach 2x4's to the back of the branches to make the "shelves" for the book as well as the stand for it rest on. My brother's power tools and construction background come in very handy for these steps.

Step 4: Stand it upright to make sure it doesn't topple over!

Step 5: Make sure it looks good against the wall and with some books!

Step 6: Paint! This is so cute and fun and I am so impressed with that brother of mine.

And his daughter loves it in her room as well! Great job, Brother!