Dittle Dattle

Happy Holidays!

2011-12-23T06:06:00.001-05:00

Wow, how time flies?!?!

This time of year is busy for everyone, that I know, but this year has been an even more busy and hectic (and let’s add “flat out crazy” to the adjectives) on me and my husband. See about two weeks ago some things presented themselves (most would just call them life). My husband found himself in a situation at his place of work, a crossroads, if you will. With a family to support, we had to make a decision quickly. Our decision was to go into business for ourselves. Without going into great detail, this type of work has been in my family for years. My husband, at the age of sixteen, learned the trade from my father who learned it from his father. I know we will be fine and business will be great but nevertheless it’s scary and exciting.

As for me, I know I haven’t posted much in the last month and now you know why. Christmas decorating has taken a backseat to the starting a new business only a few short weeks before Christmas. I’m sorry I haven’t be a great source of inspiration lately and just know that I have several BIG projects to reveal, but they will need to wait for after the holidays and my short break. Yes, I will be on a short break from blogging until I can find a rhythm to my new schedule.

I hope everyone has a wonderfully safe holidays. Please take the time to enjoy your families and thank God for you blessings. I know I will!

Nautical Custom DIY Frames

2011-12-20T08:36:00.001-05:00

custom frames, dittle dattle, DIY frames, frame tutorial

When I posted my gallery wall frames, many of you requested a tutorial. Well, it took me a little while to get back into the workshop but here it is!

Warning: Lots and Lots of photographs! I’m a visual type person and I assume if you are a reader of Dittle Dattle then you are too!

Here is the frame that I will showing you how to build today. The one’s hanging on the wall are 8x10 photos with an over~all size of 14”x16”.

For this tutorial I will be using a 4”x6” glass taken from a dollar store frame. I will be working through the layers starting with the glass size first.

For the second layer, choose some thin boards. I have a verity of boards that I used. It really doesn’t matter as long as it is thin and when everything gets painted you won’t notice if you do use two different materials for the next layer either. I did and you can’t notice.

Let’s get going….

Starting with your glass size, make the next layer 3/4” to 1” larger all the way around. In my sample 4x6 glass, my next layer will be 5x7.

I used a band saw to cut my thin boards. Don’t be intimidated! This tool cuts like butter. If you’ve used a electric knife in the kitchen you can handle a band saw. Promise.

**I do use the guide (gray bar that the board is push up to) to keep my cuts straight.

Repeat the same step for the the third layer making it 3/4” to and 1” inch larger. My third board measures 6”x8”ish.

Now for the fourth and final layer.

Because this is a smaller photograph, I am only going to go about an inch bigger over~all. However, on my gallery wall, I wanted to make them larger so I went 3”-4” inches larger all the way around.

The overall height for this sample will be 9” inches.

The overall width of this sample will be 11” inches.

I scratched out a rectangle with my overall dimensions and knew that I wanted 5 boards, three wide and two narrow. Then I figured out the size of each board. I will cut the boards just a smidge narrower to allow the gap between each board.

Thought I share with you a quick pick of my Dad working on the other side of the workshop on a hand-turned wooden bowl. I love the shape of that bowl! Check out his Etsy shop: Woodexpressions

For the final layer, I’m using pallet/rough sawn lumber.

**Just make sure the thickness of the boards are the same! It will make your life easier!!!

Cut the rough sawn boards and lay them out alternating wide and then narrow. Use a square to make sure everything is straight.

**I place a piece of tape on the square so I know my overall height.

***Lay the pieces upside down.

Cut two small strips of rough sawn wood SMALLER than your overall height. Mine measured at 8” inches.

Glue and nail strips to the back of the boards.

Lightly sand and round corners.

STOP HERE! I like to paint all my pieces first before final assembly.

Once the pieces are painted and sprayed with poly, glue and nail everything together except the glass. I nail through all three pieces of wood under where the glass is. The photo will cover any nail holes.

**Just make sure your nail heads are just under the surface of the wood so that it doesn’t puncture a hole in your photograph.

These are the pieces you will need to mount the glass to the frame.

Drill a small hole next to the glass on center of all four sides. Be careful NOT to over tighten the screw as it will crack the glass. You might be able to put a rubber washer between the glass and the speed nut. I haven’t tried it myself.

I cut my own glass, that’s why it’s not straight!

Check out more photos at the Wall Gallery post. I’ll be back tomorrow to share why I haven’t been around lately.

Amaze Me Monday #54

2011-12-18T19:50:00.000-05:00

Christmas Cheer Window shared by A Creative Princess

Folding Rulers Christmas Tree shared by My Salvaged Treasures

Inexpensive Gift Wrapping Ideas shared by Space 46

Simple Evergreen Arrangement shared by Savvy Seasons

DIY Hand Warmers! shared by More Style Than Cash

Ornament Wreath shared by My Covered Bridge

Candy Cane Hearts shared by In His Grip

Christmas in the Kitchen shared by Debbiedoo’s

No Ordinary Drum Shade

2011-12-14T08:42:00.001-05:00

Teen room, Arcadian Lighting, Modern Drum shade Pendant lighting

Every Teen-Lounge needs a really cool lighting pendant!

And I think I found it with the help of Sarah Richardson and Arcadian Lighting!

Isn’t it gorgeous?!?!

When I saw this home office makeover from Sarah’s HGTV show awhile back, I just knew I wanted this light somewhere in my house. The interesting thing is this is not a light fixture that I would normally choice for my home. It has a urban contemporary look with it’s casual wrapped metal-strap drum shade. Way too modern for me! But completely perfect for the “Teen Lounge”!!! Don’t you agree?

So when I first thought about creating this loft-lounge area for my kiddos, I immediately when a search for this light. Over on Sarah’s website she is so kind to share her resources, however, the lighting source was located in Canada. Not only did this light carry a 4digit price tag but then I would also have to pay international shipping cost!! Way more money than I planned to spend in the entirrrrrre room.

If you have followed Dittle Dattle for any length of time then you know the next thing that POPPED into my head was, “I can make this!” Yep, I thought I’m going to make this drum shade with items from the home improvement store! And I could have…..

Lucky for me, Arcadian Lighting contacted me to do a guest post. From there I was intrigued with their website. And wouldn’t you know it…… I found a replica of the one that Sarah had used! It is a dead ringer for Sarah’s, expect I do believe Sarah’s light has a bit more hour-glass curve to the drum shade. Now that’s me being super critical!

When it arrived it was much larger than I anticipated. I was a bit worried that it would put out too much light for the space, but it doesn’t. It’s perfect! At least I think. Yes, it probably is a bit over the top for this room and it is rather large. When we first installed it (which takes at least two people, because of it’s size) it was all you could see in the room! Now that more pieces have made their way into the room and the room is coming closer to being finished, it’s not the first thing that demands your attention but just adds another piece of “eye-candy” to the room!

Can you tell you I just love this light?

It can with a really long cord so that it could be hung from a very high ceiling. We shortened the overall height of the pendant considerably as not to be in the way when the kids play their video games.

I must thank Arcadian Lighting for their generosity in making this lighting a dream come true. Thank you.

Amaze Me Monday #53

2011-12-11T19:45:00.000-05:00

Holiday Home Tour shared by the Ivy Cottage blog

Christmas Mantel shared by Forever Decorating

Glass Christmas Trees shared by Alderberry Hill

Christmas kitchen shared by Sunny Simple Life

Christmas Candy Trees shared by My Heart’s Desire

Josephine Dresser {before & after} shared by The frosted Gardner

Blogger’s Day Out!

2011-12-08T11:07:00.001-05:00

Country Wreath, Antiques, cool boys bedroom accessories, and decorating with Antlers

Yesterday I had the best day! I met up with two fabulous bloggers….. Debbie from Debbiedoo’s and Cindy from Dwellings The Heart of Your Home!

When I left my home yesterday, my kids were teasing me about meeting up with strangers. {Could it be that they really are listening to me? huh, who knew} But how could I explain to them that it wasn’t like meeting a stranger at all? See everyday Debbie and Cindy welcome me (and you) into their beautifully decorated homes and share stories about their wonderful lives. It was like meeting any other long time friend. There was lots to talk about!

We started with a two hour breakfast, more talking that eating I assure you! And then we went to this amazing antique consignment shop in Charlotte, NC! It was the first time I had ever been. Without the great navigation skills of Cindy, I would have found myself wondering around in circles for hours! Thank you, Cindy.

Here are few fabulous things that I just had to share with you.

Isn’t that wreath amazing? A total DIY project that anyone could do!!
One booth had a lot of cool ideas for a boy’s bedroom or a man’s cave!
I loved this “Mess Room” sign! I need one on every door in the house. lol
Antler's are so the rage now! If that’s you thing this booth had every shape and size.

Right at the beginning of our shopping trip, Debbie pointed out these shoe molds and said it was all the rage in decorating.

{via Debbiedoo’s}

I replied that I hadn’t notice, which is no surprise because I don’t usually follow trends. Then isle after isle we keep seeing them! Finally Debbie says to Cindy and me, “We could each buy one and challenge ourselves to see what we could do them!” Well, I’m always up to a good challenge, but Cindy was a little reluctant. I told Debbie that I buy one as long as it doesn't smell like the shoe that it was once in!!! LOL

To see more about our great day out and a beautiful photo of Cindy and Debbie, check out Debbie’s post here.

What was so fun about shopping with these ladies, even though this was the first time we all met, we were pointing out thing that would look great in each other’s home! I love blogging, the friendships that I have made, and now I want to meet all of you!

Amaze Me Monday #52

2011-12-04T19:45:00.000-05:00

Easy Snowflake Pillow shared by House of Noise

Amazing Pink-O-lushes desk shared by Conspicuous Style

Christmas Foyer shared by Embellishments by SLR

Vintage Bookpage Star shared by House Revivals

Ballard Designs Inspired Curtains shared by Ugly Duckling

Kitchen Makeover Tour shared by Suburbs Mama

Dollar Store Boxes- Drab to Fab shared by Saving 4 Six

Christmas Handprint Pillow

2011-12-01T10:40:00.001-05:00

What do you do in January when your still in the holiday mood and there were so many wonderful projects you didn’t get time to do before December 25th?

Keep on CRAFTING!!

In a perfect world I was going to do a week long Christmas in July, but then again I don’t live in a perfect world. This will be my third time writing this post. Yep. Third time’s a charm!

I wrote this post the first time only to come home from work at two in the morning (working a concert) to see the Hubs on my computer. I asked him what the weird noise was on my computer. He quietly answered, “Oh, nothing” and then shut down the computer fast. It wasn’t till the next morning that I realized that the coward {lol} got a serious virus on my computer! Lost everything.

The second time I wrote this post I lost everything again, only a few short months later, to a bad storm storm in May! ugh

Feeling a little nostalgic and wishing I keep my kids little forever, I was inspired by Sugar Bee Crafts Handprint Holiday Pillow. Of course her pillow is so cute with the little hands and my kids are not so little anymore. Boo hoo

Who doesn’t love to see their name embroidered?

Certainly my kiddos are no exception.

I even embroidered the date on the back.

Oh, look at those mitered corners! It’s all about the details, baby!! ha ha

Teen Lounge Gallery Wall

2011-11-30T09:57:00.001-05:00

I know I should be working on Christmas projects but I am in full swing with this Teen Lounge. The room is surprising coming together quickly (at least by my standards). And I have to admit, it’s a pretty cool space to hang out in. I just finished up a few large painting projects and hope to get on to my Christmas decorations later today.

A few weeks back I posted a gallery wall collage of some ideas that I came up with in Photoshop. I invited you to “LIKE” your favorite and leave a comment. Thank you to everyone that voted and shared your ideas! I really appreciate you taking the time out of your day.

I was thrilled that #6 was the most “LIKE”ed option! Why? because it was my favorite too!! That really shows me that the readers of Dittle Dattle get me! ha ha I guess us like-minded people gravitate to one another.

But Wait!!!!

So why did I choose #4?

Well, I have a couple of reasons.

First my teenage son thought the room was getting too “busy” looking.
Secondly, I have a little something up my sleeve for the adjacent wall and if he thinks it busy now he might be completely overwhelmed if I over do the gallery wall.
Thirdly, my kids liked #4 the best and ultimately it is their room.

I purchased a whole group of frames at Ikea. you know the ones?? basic black with white mats. As I was laying them out on the floor it just seemed boooooorrrrrring! With the oversized clock in black, those black frames weren’t working for me.

Well, I remembered seeing some really awesome frames in a boutique during our summer vacation in Upstate NY, and then I also remember I bought a quart of ASCP (Annie Sloan Chalk Paint) in Providence that I hadn’t even popped the lid to yet. So before I knew it, I had a project in the making.

Just using scrap wood, glass, and paint, I have four amazing frames for FREE! yeah!

The glass and photographs are held by simple square nuts and screws. Look closely…… my glass cutting is not square! LOL That just adds to the charm!

The ASCP Providence was a bit bright for me at first so on the second coat I mixed in a little ASCP Old White. With the sanding and distressing it really gives the frame another dimension.

Don’t you just love them?

Would you like a tutorial?

Honestly they were easy to make and I’m sure I will be making more.

I still may do idea #6 but I’m waiting to see how the other wall comes out first.

And one last update I wanted to show you… the new rug. I showed you an Ikea one that I purchased a month ago that was made of natural fibers, but that had to be returned! You could not walk across it with out it feeling like thousands of needles were poking your feet! ouch!! I have seen the same rug all over the internet and NO ONE mentioned how uncomfortable it was. That’s not me. That’s not this blog. I will always give you my honest opinion. And I always have an opinion!!! he he

While browsing around Ikea, again, I spotted this colorful one, and with my mother’s confidence, I brought it home and was completely delighted! The kids like too, which is also a bonus. The coffee table is something that the Hubs and I had in one of our first apartments. It was actually sitting at the backdoor waiting to go to Goodwill when I thought….. “what if….. I sprayed it black?” It’s not the look I’m going for but it will do for now.

Amaze Me Monday #51

2011-11-27T19:45:00.000-05:00

DIY Book Page Trees shared by I Craft With Love

Thanksgiving Subway Art shared by Sand and Sisal

How to Clean Oven Glass shared by DIY Home Sweet Home

Noel Christmas Banner shared by Sugar Tot Designs

Mercury, Glass, and Burlap shared by Gracious Southern Living

Happy Thanksgiving!

2011-11-23T10:30:00.001-05:00

I don’t tell you enough just how wonderful you all are! Everyday you bless me with your sweet comments and each week you are kind enough to share your creations on the Amaze Me Monday meme. You’ll never know just how many smiles you have placed on my face….

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!

No, I’m not one to eat my Thanksgiving dinner next to a Christmas tree (except for the year that the Hubs didn’t take care of the tree!). My life is rush, rush, rush as it is now. There is no reason to not enjoy each holiday before jumping onto the next. Maybe I’m getting a little too sentimental as my kids get older and I know that there will be very few opportunities for us to be together.

Last year at the Wood Worker’s Show, I spotted a photo of these napkin rings and knew that I wanted to make some for myself this year. During the big storm back in May, it took out one of the very large Pecan tree in our front yard. I snag a small branch and wrapped it in newspaper (drying the wood without it cracking).

I simply cut the small branch into inch disks, drilled a hole out the center with a spade bit, sanded the center’s smooth, and sprayed with a poly finish. Cute huh?

Recently my mom and I went out shopping ~~where my mother talked me into~~ I snagged a couple of zebra Parson chairs from Kirkland’s! They definitely add a little fun and whimsy to the kitchen.

I also purchased a basic set of white dishware from Ikea and the placemats came from TJ Maxx. TJ Maxx didn’t have enough of one style placemats so I had to mix and match the circles and the squares. The platter is from Wal-Mart and the bowl is custom-made from my dad. I believe it’s made of Pecan, too. The oversized acorn set where purchased from Big Lots.

I have been so crazy busy lately with work, kids, and my so many unfinished projects! This weekend will be the first weekend in 7 weeks that I don’t have something on the calendar! But don’t think for a moment that I will be sitting around with my feet up (at least not the entire weekend!). After I host Thanksgiving dinner and the dishes are done and everyone leaves the house, I have a project for me and the Hubs. No shopping for me, unless it’s at the hardware store! I set a timeline for us so that we can get it done, but still have time to enjoy the long weekend.

Want to know what it is???? Join me on Facebook. Many of the projects that I have done haven’t even made it to the blog yet (sorry I have been soooooo busy), but I always try to keep you up-today with my Facebook statuses.

Have a fabulous Thanksgiving weekend,

Amaze Me Monday #50

2011-11-20T19:45:00.000-05:00

Easy Burlap Knot Wreath shared by Farm House Porch

Pilgrim Shoes shared by Can’t Stop Making Things

DIY Washi Tape for Christmas shared by Funky Time

Faux Throw shared by Blah 2 Beautiful

Good-Bye Orange Minibar shared by Creative Outlets of a Thrifty Minded Momma

Trellis Walls shared by Watch Me Daddy

Thanksgiving Tablescape shared by It’s Over Flowing!

I am grateful….

2011-11-17T10:30:00.001-05:00

Last week Catherina from Catherina’s Creative Corner linked up her {{GRATEFUL}} sign and I just fell in love with it {and her silver turkey} that I just had to do a grateful sign for myself.

This framed started out as a framed mirror that I bought years ago and I don’t think I have ever hung it up. I liked it I just could never find a home for it. I even tried to paint over the cherry finish to black but it still never felt right. That is until I spotted Catherina’s frame. I just knew I had the perfect frame!

I pulled out the Old White chalk paint and gave it a quick coat over top. Ahh yes……So much better!

I wrote all my words of gratitude out on some brown craft paper with a black Sharpie marker.

I found a “I am grateful for” free printable that sparked the idea for the vinyl over at I {heart} Nap Time and found the SVG turkey file at Bea Original. Thank you ladies.

I can’t believe how long it’s been since I have used the Cricut!

It’s my turn to host Thanksgiving dinner this year and as soon as I get the dining room cleared out of all our classroom clutter I’ll share some tablescape photos.

App Magnets

2011-11-15T07:35:00.000-05:00

Hello!

I hope everyone is having a good start to their week. I have an exceptionally busy week ahead of me. So if you have noticed that the projects that I have been showing lately have all been quick projects that’s the reason why. I have a few big projects that I am working on as well but with my limited time they are taking even long to complete.

I forgot to mention that the chalkboard door is also a magnet board! Before painting on the chalkboard paint, I painted a few coats of magnetic paint.

Of course the magnetic/chalkboard door needed some really cool magnets and Pinterest didn’t let me down with supplying a few dozen wonderful ideas. However, the IPhone/IPod touch apps won hands down on the cool factor.

These were really pretty easy to make, but you can purchase them for around $16.00 or here is a tute to make your own with a FREE printable from Infarrantly Creative. Thanks Beckie.

Beckie had some magnets that fit the shape and size of an app perfectly.

I had to improvise:

I printed out the free printable on cardstock.
Each app measured around 1” square, so I cut some scrap wood to size. (I’m sure that you can purchase tiny wood pieces at Wal-mart or at a craft store.)
Painted each tiny wood square black.
Used Mod-Podge to glue the paper app to the wood and to seal the paper.
I applied a dimensional craft glaze to the seal the top.
Lastly I glued a super-strong magnet (purchased at Michael’s) to the back with E-6000 glue.

Voilà! Super cool and fun App Magnets for the “Teen Lounge”.

**My kiddos think these magnets are really cool! Which make my think they would also make an awesome gift!! Think of the possibilities….. a set of these magnets packaged with a new IPhone/IPod or how about a magnetic board in the shape of a cell phone or IPod custom to fit in a locker!

Amaze Me Monday #49

2011-11-13T19:45:00.000-05:00

Curbside to Kitchen Cart shared by It’s Over Flowing!

Birch Coffee Table Tutorial shared by Love Where You Live

Printing on Paint Chips shared by bles-id

Turkey Menu Chalkboard shared by The Shady Porch

{{GRATEFUL}} sign shared by Catherina’s Creative Corner

Thanksgiving Place Cards shared by 52 Mantels

Custom Design Stationary & To-Do list

2011-11-10T12:53:00.001-05:00

A short while back I ran a giveaway from UPrinting.com. The nice folks over at UPrinting.com were so gracious that they offered me a customize letterhead for myself. Well, if that wasn’t fantastic already, I entered and won a giveaway from another wonderful blogger.

(For the life of me, I can not remember the name of the blog. I feel horrible. If I won from your blog please leave me a comment so that I can give proper credit. Remember…. my poor memory is the reason I blog/journal.)

With a little Photoshop magic…. okay an entire Saturday morning, I designed my two custom stationary letterheads. Then it was as easy as 1,2,3 to upload to the UPrinting site and have it printed!

UPrinting is so flexible with their designs. You have several options to create your own letterheads, use there online templates or create your own in another format (Photoshop is just one option).

I’m sorry I sound like a infomercial. I am just surprised that not many of you entered the giveaway. This is is a great giveaway! If you are hosting a giveaway from UPrinting.com, please leave a link in the comment box.

I hope that I inspired you to enter in a giveaway to create your own or even a gift stationary.

I don’t know about you but I am a major list maker! And as much as I try to stay organized with list on either my computer and/or smart phone (which I also do), I still love good ole’ fashion pen & paper!!!

Now, I need to create a custom holder for my stationary.

Just another thing to add to my project list!

Quick project

2011-11-08T07:53:00.001-05:00

I thought I would add a little fun to the teen lounge and make a mini basketball hoop.

I just need to figure out how to make the net?!?!

Just kidding!

It’s a Chalk Holder to go next to the chalkboard door.

I picked up this cute little metal can at Ikea last week and thought it would be the perfect holder for the chalk.

Now to make a holder for the metal can….

I sketched out on some scrap wood the shape and size of the holder. There are two pieces, the back piece that mounts to the wall and the ring that holds the metal can.

*** To get the perfect size circle I played with my Cricut machine till I found the right size circle, traced the circle out on the scrap wood, and then added about 3/4 of an inch outer circle to create the ring.

What better paint to use for a chalk holder than some Annie Sloan chalk paint. The color is Provence with a little Old White dry brushed on top. This is my third time using the chalk paint and my opinion has not changed. I was hoping with the darker color that I would have better coverage but it didn’t. Like I said before, It’s probably me! I know that so many of you like the paint and I’m not taking that away from you, I just want to tell the readers of Dittle Dattle my honest opinion. When this paint is gone I won’t be buying any more.

Hope you enjoyed this quick little project. I need to apologize right now for any spelling and grammar errors in this post, but I am quickly writing it out this morning before I head out to work a 15 hour day!

Amaze Me Monday #48

2011-11-06T20:43:00.001-05:00

Pet Bed shared by Crafted Niche

Painted Wood Dough Bowls shared by The Old Block House

Clock Cloche shared by Tattered & Inked

Creative Craft Studio Flooring shared by the Ivy Cottage

Grinchy Goodness shared by Crafting Occurs

Buffet turned TV Cabinet shared by Hating Martha

Teen Lounge Updates

2011-11-04T15:24:00.001-04:00

Good Friday afternoon!

I am so sorry for being so quiet this week, both here and on Facebook. I have been very busy this week with projects, kids, and work. I’m sure your story is much like mine, in it that I have very little time to actually do the things that I need/want to do, let alone, write, post, or tweet about it! But you can be certain that if I’m quiet…. it just means that I’m up to something. he he

Here is that latest updates for the teen lounge.

The lighting in this hallway was less than desirable.

In the middle of this week I took a day for myself and went on a shopping spree! It was fun to go by myself and to have an entire day of nothing but clear thinking without interruptions. I could probably count on one hand the days that I have had to myself since having kids! I wasn’t looking for a light for this hallway but at Ikea I spotted this curvy track light at a phenomenal price and had to give a try.

Because there is this awkward ceiling/wall junction that accommodate the stairs leading to the attic, there isn’t a lot of room to fit a light or a straight track lighting. This curvy track lighting fit the need perfectly!

Added bonus… it adds a touch of coolness!!!

I sewed a few pillows from some remnant fabric that I had in my stash. The fabric on the large cream pillow is so soft!!!

A few things that I have learned from making pillows over the years is… 1. pull apart and pre-fluff the filler before stuffing and 2. Don’t over stuff the pillow.

And you may see a little bit of the new area rug that I also picked up from Ikea. The kids and the hubby are less than excited about it. They think it’s boring! I told them that they need to trust me and that when everything comes together we won’t need or want the extra pattern on the rug. Let’s hope that I am right!

*I finally hung my Ballard Theater Ticket Plaque!

When I decided to convert our classroom into a “Teen Lounge” I knew I wanted to add a chalkboard. In our old classroom setting, we had a dry eraser board that ALL the kids loved to write on. Like I mentioned before in a previous post, there isn’t a lot of wall space to work with.

I thought about painting the entire wall with chalk paint, but then a few months back I “spied with my little eye” the perfect solution over at the fabulous Becca’s blog. She was showing one of her many fabulous decorating tips when I spotted way off in the distance a chalkboard door. I knew in an instant that it was the perfect solution! (In fact in Becca’s most recent post she shows the chalkboard door close up!)

I’m not sure how Becca created her chalkboard door, but here is what I did.

1st- I cut a thin board to cover the moulding details on the door. I think it is called Masonite. (Dad, correct me if I’m wrong) It’s both light weight and has a smooth finish.

2nd- I painted the board with chalkboard paint.

3rd- Hung the board to the door using 3M Command adhesive strips. I used a total of 6. If I ever want to remove the chalkboard I can without destroying the door!

4th- I added moulding to the board using Liquid Nails adhesive. I debated over this step. I didn’t want the chalk dust to collect at the bottom or at the edges of the moulding. (It’s just going to be one more thing that I’m going to have to clean). In the end, I did add a very simple quarter-round molding with the curve facing in. I am really hoping that the round edge of the moulding will clean easier than if I used the square flat edge of the moulding.

When they are not using it I just love to write little quotes and motivation phrases for the kids! Pinterest is great for finding new saying.

Thank you everyone for voting and sharing you opinion on the gallery wall. I also picked up some supplies for that wall at Ikea this week!

Gallery Wall of Ideas

2011-11-01T07:35:00.001-04:00

Hello!

I thought I would show you the planning stage of my next project.

The Teen Lounge has only one wall available for artwork. That is because it’s just a loft that sits at the top of the stairs in between the two hallways. I had an idea to add photographs and floating shelves around the Pier 1 knock-off clock.

As you’ll see below, I was busy playing around in Photoshop. Boy is this ever helpful! Especially when you are a very visual person as I am, plus, it helps get my ideas across to the kids.

As I explained to them, this is just a jumping off point. Any idea could still be tweaked and adjusted……

As in the case, that a few family members liked #5 but thought the photos were too large, or idea #1 could have three floating shelves on each side instead of 5, or even photo #3 and #4 could have more space between the shelves.

The only problem that I can see is that I may have given them too many options to choose from! Everyone has selecting a different option. That is something I didn’t expect.

So how about a little fun? Let’s see what you, my very talented Dittle Dattle readers, would choose.

Click on the “like” button under the one that you like the best and leave a comment with any tweaks that you would make.

EDIT: Thank you for your all your help and great advice!! Remember the spacing and the amount of crap (for a lack of a better word) can and will vary. I am just looking to narrow down the best over-all wall composition.

Amaze Me Monday #47

2011-10-30T19:45:00.000-04:00

Happy Halloween!

For this week’s party, I’ve gathered a few amazing Halloween ideas from Amaze Me Monday #26 to help add a little fun to your festivities!

Wishing everyone a fun yet safe Halloween night.

Caught Red Handed shared by Sugar & Spice in the Land of Balls & Sticks

Teeny Tiny Witches' Hat shared by Sweet Little Smoothie

Pumpkin Butter Mini Pancakes shared by A Mom not a Professional

Candy Corn Cones shared by Simply Designing

Skeleton Décor shared by All That Glitters

Water Art Canvases for Kids shared by the Life of Jennifer Dawn

Phase 1- Teen Lounge

2011-10-27T10:09:00.001-04:00

Good Morning good looking! Yes… I’m talking to you!!

Oh, what a beautiful morning it is! It’s going to be the high of 80 today and I hope to get outside to enjoy every bit of it while I can, because tomorrow it’s only going to get to a high of 52!

Yes, I believe I mentioned before the crazy weather here in the Carolina’s BUT I love it and wouldn’t want to call any other place on earth home!!!

What have I been up to lately??

Well, months and months ago (like way back in April) I mentioned that I wanted to create a “Teen Lounge” area for my kiddos. As my kids have gotten older the friends have become CO-ED and this mama is not wild and crazy about them hanging out in their bedrooms!

Yes, I may be old but I was teen once too….. I’m down. I got the 411. No one is getting jiggy in my house I don’t care how dope my pad is!! (my teen’s are rolling their eyeballs at me right now. ha ha)

Anyways, I got a bit distracted by my foyer, but my daughter has gotten me back on track.

I have been collecting ideas for months (click to see just some of the inspiration in my Pinterest folder).

I spent a great deal of time looking for inspiration for making a daybed for this room using the twin mattress that I already had. The problem is…. this room is small! A daybed would take up a lot floor space in this room. I was stuck and had a total mental block for what I wanted to do. That is until my son and I spotted a brand NEW (with tags still attached) matching sofa and loveseat that just came in at the local flea market!

It was hard to tell the color of the sofas under the florescent lighting. I didn’t buy them that day, however, I went back the next day (in search of something else) when curiosity got the better of me and asked for the going price. I was shocked at the low low low price tag!!! Of course, I had to forward a photo to all the kiddos and get the thumbs up before bring them home.

I still can’t tell what color it is. In different light it sometimes looks gray, a little grayish-aqua-blue, or even a grayish-green color.

Side-tables.

I created a pair of side-tables using pallets left behind from our new roof. I used this photo below, found on Pinterest, as inspiration.

The side-table in the inspiration image is just two apple crates stacked onto top of one another.

I didn’t have a lot of space to work with so it was a great solution to customize my own side-tables.

For the top I used different widths, shortened the space between boards, and added a small ledge.

I really love the mix of styles between the rustic side-table and the modern mercury glass lamp (purchased from TJ Maxx)!!

My son is not a huge fan of my creation. I have been thinking about adding some cool stenciling to the sides and my Dad had a great idea of staining them a light weathered gray!

Stay tune…. I might not be done with these Crate Side-Tables.

Here’s a quick over view at where I am now with this room.

The draperies are custom store bought. Because of the high ceilings, I can not use draperies straight from the store AS IS. I bought a few cream panels for each side of the window and sewed them together down the length. Then I removed the hem off each cream panel and added the extra length needed from another curtain panel in brown.

This wasn’t the look I wanted. I wanted to have cream draperies from floor to ceiling, but my son happened to be with me and said that he loved his curtains so much that he wanted to do the same in this room.

OH, and the Pier 1 knock-off clock was from a few months back. Click here.

There is still a lot on the T0-Do list for this room but it’s coming together nicely.

Thanks for stopping by today,

Tick-Tock, It’s all about Clocks!

2011-10-25T08:16:00.000-04:00

It’s the first ever Dittle Dattle guest post!

Jenn, a writer for Arcadian Lighting, has kindly offered to share her knowledge about decorating with clocks! I am so delighted to have her stop by.

Hi everyone!

I'm Jenn and I'm a writer for Arcadian Lighting, an e-commerce website that specializes in the top lighting fixture trends from across the globe. I just purchased my first house and thank my lucky stars that I've been writing about home decor for so many years - there's so much to know! I also thank my lucky stars that I have inspiring websites like Dittle Dattle - Carrie's posts are always beautiful and lots of fun. Thanks for letting me guest post here today Carrie! One of the most overlooked decor elements is the trusty clock - today there are countless styles and sizes to choose from, and not only can they up the style factor of a room but they're also functional. Hung near a staircase, in a kitchen, or added to a home office, and then paired with a great light fixture, decorating with clocks is a straightforward way to add character to any space.

An entryway always looks great with a traditional wood clock that matches the furniture - this model is simple yet refined.

While many people wouldn't think to put a clock outside, this oversized antique clock looks particularly pretty propped over an exterior setup.

It could be said that this entire kitchen was designed around the playful pink cupcake wall clock seen here - all of the other accessories, from the to the linens, match in pretty pink.

This shabby chic sitting area has clean, crisp furniture and an oversized dated clock, creating the perfect juxtaposition of old and new.

A fireplace is always a classic fixture in a sophisticated living room, and adorned with traditional accoutrements such as a clock and artwork, it emanates timeless elegance.

This mod take on a clock incorporates geometric shapes and lines and instantly updates this transitional space, which also features a shapely table lamp and a rich mixture of colours.

A home office is infused with style and practicality with this flower-shaped clock - it matches the built-in custom cabinetry to create a seamless look.

This massive antique clock helps tie the dated look of this themed space together, from the one-of-a-kind lighting fixture to the rustic table and textured walls. I hope this guest post paid good homage to the trusty old analog clock. If you liked this guest post, feel free to drop by Arcadian Lighting Blog for more inspiration for your home. We'd love to see you there!

Image Credits: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8

Wow! Thanks Jenn. You provided so many wonderful and inspiring photographs. I am crazy about the clock in this last photograph, as well as, the clock in the outdoor setting. They remind me of the Pier 1 Grandiose Wall Clock Knock-off that I did a few months back. With clock this large you will never have to worry about finding your glasses to tell the time. ha ha

Oh and what about that flower-shaped clock?!?! That could totally be a DIY project!

Well, this was fun. I should have guest over more often. Anyone interested in being a guest on Dittle Dattle?

Arcadian Lighting is the best source for lighting fixtures and accessories at discount prices. Arcadian Lighting has been in the lighting industry for over 15 years selling decorative home lighting fixtures and lamps online, and has become one of the top Internet retailers for home lighting products.

Amaze Me Monday #46

2011-10-23T19:45:00.000-04:00

Hello You Par-Tay people!!!!

Thank you so much for coming here week after week and sharing your wonderful creations! I love see all you wonderful creations, fabulous finds, and AMAZING recipes!!!

You ladies are so inspiring!

I am happy to report that I am finally making some progress on our “Teen Lounge” that I first mentioned WAY WAY WAY back in April! Okay, so I got a little side tracked with the foyer, but don’t think for a moment that my kiddos let me forget that I promised to create a room just for them to hang out in. The room is coming together pretty quickly (for me, that is)!!!

I will be sharing a few projects from the “Teen Lounge” this week.

Have a great week,

“Batty” Napkin Ring tutorial shared by Uncommon Design Online

Potter Barn Inspired Buffet Lamps shared by My Covered Bridge

Redesigning Using Parts shared by Villabarnes

Ruffled Felt Garland shared by Sweet Little Smoothie

Ballard Designs Inspired Spool Side Table shared by Cafted Niche

Salted Caramel Sweet Square shared by A Mom Not a Pro

Halloween Countdown Block Calendar shared by Crafty Lady Lindsay

Fall Powder Room

2011-10-20T12:24:00.001-04:00

Here are few snap shots of our powder room with a few touches of fall.

Carrying on with the “POP” of orange.

The wall color is all hand painted without a stencil!

Crazy I know. One winter day I woke up and thought it would be fun to spend NOT hours but DAYS hand painting a diamond pattern all over the walls. In my mind I was sure it would only take the better part of the morning. Psssh….

I have wanted to repaint this bathroom for some time now.

Maybe I will repaint on the first cold winter day.

This cute little sconce came from Michael’s.

Super cheap décor…. Dollar Store fall leaves and raffia!

I hope you enjoyed this tiny tour of our powder room.

Have a great day,