ADORNit’s Happy Hearts Collection is available in both fabric and paper and includes coordinating ribbon and embellishments. The designs have playful elements like polka dots, chunky flowers, and lots of Valentine color! And of course, hearts everywhere!

ADORNit is a design AND manufacturing company specializing in importing and exporting fabric and paper supplies. It is ran by mom Carolee McMullin, and she’s assisted by her three daughters Georgana, Alison, and Jackie. They are all so sweet and they definitely have fun together!  I got the privilege of meeting them at CHA last year and I will get to see them tomorrow in Anaheim as well.

Allison, me, Jen and Georgana on CHA 2011

Here are a couple of projects made with the Happy Heart Collection

ADORNit is giving one lucky IC reader the Happy Hearts Paper Collection and a Happy Hearts Fat Quarter Stack – retail value $60.00.

Everybody wins! Download their Happy Hearts Papercrafting Sampler for free.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Hello Infarrantly Creative fans (including me!) I am Brook from BeingBrook, and I am so excited to be one of Beckie’s contributors here at Infarrantly Creative.

Today I’m going to show you how to build a super easy wood tray finished with my favorite wood aging technique! This is perfect for a Valentine’s Day breakfast in bed for your sweetie!

Supplies: Two-1″x4″x8′ pine boards

1 inch screws

Vinegar

Steel Wool Pads Tea

Cut list: Four-22″ for bottom

Two-23 5/8″ for long sides

Two 14.5″ for short sides

Take one of the 1×4′s and cut it into four 22″ pieces for the bottom of the tray. Cut two 23 5/8″ for long sides. Cut two 14.5″ for short sides. Use a table saw to cut the two 14.5″ at 1.5″. This will leave two piece 1.5″ and two pieces about 2″.

Now we are going to trace a template for the handle onto the two pieces that are 2″ by 14.5″. I used a square Rubbermaid container. Mark the middle of the container and the middle of the board and place the container 1″ from the bottom.

Cut out with a jig saw.

Use screws to attach the bottom part of the short sides to the bottom pieces. You could also use nails and glue but I think the screws hold better.

Now attach the long sides to the bottom with screws.

Take the two 14.5″ by 1.5″ wood pieces and attach them to the top of the short sides with screws. You might have to really work to wiggle them into place!

Now we are going to use a fun treatment to give the wood an aged, rustic look. First brew a couple of tea bags and brush the tea into the wood with an old paintbrush. The tea won’t change the look of the wood but will react with the vinegar/steel wool. Then mix a few steel wool pads with some vinegar. I put mine in a mason jar and leave it overnight to give the steel wool time to mix with the vinegar. The mixture won’t change color and should be ready to use after 12-24 hours. I rinse the brush I used for the tea mixture and use the same one for vinegar mix. Just brush it onto your tray and then wait! The wood should start changing immediately but sometimes takes about an hour to change.

Different kinds of wood react differently to the mix but the pine turns a nice grayish color.

Finished! You could put some furniture wax or even polycrylic on the tray to give it some water resistance.

All ready for breakfast in bed! I might try and leave my tray like this in my kitchen and see if my family gets the hint and brings me breakfast!

Supplies:

Sewing machine

coordinating thread

cutting mat, ruler and rotary cutter

scissors

pins

2 fat quarters (18” x 22”)

elastic

safety pin

iron and ironing board

1.  Cut your main fabric (the top half of your skirt) in half lengthwise.  You should have two strips approximately 9” x 22”. Next I cut two more strips from a coordinating fabric 4.5” – 9” (depending on length) x 22”.

2.  With right sides together sew the main fabric to the coordinating strip making sure that if you are working with a directional fabric that it is facing the correct way.  Repeat for the second set.  Press open the seams.

3. With right sides together pin the sides and sew.  Press those seems flat.

4. Press the bottom under 1/4” and then fold the coordinating strip in half.  Sew around the edge where the folded fabric meets the seam.  This will create a nice folded band around the bottom of the skirt and also gives it a little more weight to lay nicely.

5.  Press the top under 1/4” and then fold it over one more time to make a casing to accommodate the elastic.  Measure the waist of the little girl wearing it and then subtract 1” and cut your elastic to that size. Pin and sew around leaving a 2” opening.

6.  Using a safety pin thread the elastic through meeting it on the other side.  Pin and sew together.  Then sew your opening closed.

(Left to right: Love Word Play with Simple Dots Hot Pink, Love Birds Yellow with Tiny Dot Red, Happy Stripe with Simple Dots Hot Pink, Cupid’s Love White with Subtle Plum)

Stay tuned for a giveaway from Adorn-It on Friday.

Have you ever thrown a home-based party? Do you go to those parties? I must admit I have never thrown one before. So I enlisted the help of my friend Becky to co-host a PartyLite party with me. Translation: She does all the work and I show up and pretend to have done something.

The PartyLite representative came armed with some of the candles and home décor that Partylite has to offer. I will be the first to admit I am not a huge candle person. I like them – I just always forget to light them. But everyone I know is in love with those Scentsy warmer things so I thought I would try those. The nice part about the PartyLite warmers is that it has an LED light in it so you don’t have to replace the bulbs. This is the one I got, which was actually on sale for $12 and from the PartyLite Simple Pleasures Holiday Sweepstakes. The Partylite representative had been with the company for 11 years I think she said. She was well versed in all things candle although I felt like her spiel was a tad long taking up about an hour. Even though their products are quite pricey I was really impressed with the host package. We had $360 total sales and received $175.00 in FREE merchandise, that is a pretty good cut if you ask me. Plus they also had a hostess deal that I could take advantage of and get a twelve dozen tealights for $12. So this is the freebie stuff we earned by hosting the party… The Miranova Hurricane – this thing is beautiful and it takes on different colors as the light hits it.

Large Tealight Tree to go inside the Miranova Hurricane2 of the Change O Style Ceramic Warming Dishes…

Partylite also has some food items that they carry from Two Sisters Gourmet. I got the Garlic Parmesan Vinaigrette, Southwestern Kick Seasoning Blend, Racy Wasabi Raspberry Mustard, and Banana Bread.

Plus 5-sets of Scent Plus Melts and 144 tea light candles in my favorite scents! I tend to lean towards the fruity scents so my favorite were Cherry Blossom, Strawberry Rhubarb and Mango Tangerine. If you are interested in earning free product or hosting a party Like the PartyLite Facebook page to find out about special monthly offers online for party hosts and guests.

When I was doing my monthly creative segment on the show he issued me the challenge of making over an old pair of wood crutches that he himself rescued from a dumpster. I would never stoop so low to jump in a dumpster…{giggle}.  Actually they were propped up against a dumpster so he able to rescue them without infection or disease.

So I thought…and I thought…and I thought some more and came up with a fun, quirky, modern floor lamp to go in my coral and gray guest bedroom.  Even if this isn’t your style I hope you will appreciate the “think-outside-the-box” idea I came up with.  Check me out on today’s Indy Style.

Supplies:

Wood Crutches

Cotton Poly Rope

Chop Saw

Black Rit Dye

1/2 metal conduit

hacksaw

drill with long 1/2” drill bit

drill

clamps

wood glue

lamp kit

lampshade

hot glue gun

Krylon spray primer

Krylon Satin Ivory spray paint

measuring tape

1.  The first thing I did was cut the top of one of the crutches in half with my chop saw (#1).  On the other crutch I drilled a hole through the top of the crutch (this will be where the bottom of the lamp cord threads through) Crutch #2.

2.  Then I asked a friend (thank you Tim!) who is a contractor to drill a 3/8” hole down the width of the wood where you adjust the height of the crutches (I will now refer to this piece as the “leg”).  I didn’t have a drill bit long enough and I was nervous to attempt it myself.  Then I screwed the threaded nipple that comes in the lamp kit onto the tip of the leg.  This will also be where the lamp cord runs through.

3.  I measured about how tall I wanted the lamp to be and adjusted the leg to that height.  Then I measured from the bottom of the leg to the top of the base and cut a piece of 1/2” metal conduit piping (about $1.75 for 12 feet) to size with a metal hacksaw.

4.  Next I sanded the entire crutch lamp down with a medium grit sandpaper and washed it really well to prep it for paint.

5.  I strung the lamp kit through the bottom of the base, through the metal conduit and up through the adjustable leg of the crutch using fishing line and a little weight to thread it through.  I also screwed the threaded nipple onto the top of the leg of the crutch.

6.  With the bottom of the base together and the metal pipe in place I adjusted the middle wood part to make sure it was a tight fit with the pipe.  I used Gorilla Wood Glue and clamped the entire piece together overnight.

7.  In the morning I took the clamps off.  It was starting to look like a lamp.  I taped off both ends of the cord and spray primed the entire piece.  After it was dry I gave it a quick coat of Krylon Satin Ivory spray paint.

8.  Meanwhile I took the cotton poly rope (50 feet of it) and dyed it a Driftwood Gray using the color formula guide on the Rit Dye site.

9.  Once the entire piece was dry I attached the light bulb socket according to the directions on the package.

10.  Then I started wrapping the dyed rope around the base of the lamp hot gluing as I went.  It just looked naked and boring without the rope.

11.  I picked up a large shade at Target and popped it on and added a light bulb.

And there you have it.  I bet no one else has a lamp like this in their guest room.  {Giggle}.  I still need to add some art to the right of the lamp to tie the entire corner together. It took a little time to fall in love with, but now I can say I am quite fond of it.

I lead a Moms group at my church and at our last meeting we had a round table discussion on a few topics -one of which was organization.  One of the moms suggested a filing box for all the household papers.  I pondered it for about a week imagining if it would work for me and where I would store it, etc.  Well I decided to give it a whirl and see if it will get me any closer to have a system that works.

I bought a cute teal file box from Target for $13.39. There were only 6 folders in it so if you don’t have any hanging (pun totally intended!) around you will need to purchase more.  You will need hanging file tabs too.  I chose this one because a) it was cute b) I liked the color c) because the top of the box flipped up to store pens, pencils, highlighters and things to make organizing easier.

I created a Silhouette studio file for the file tabs and “{organize}” vinyl for the front.  I did this because you can’t tell which is the front or the back since they look so similar.  If you want the files, click here to download them.  Keep in mind you will need to install Lobster Two font to view it.

I have a tab for the kids and myself – my hubby doesn’t seem to have papers I guess.  One for bills, to do, receipts, coupons/ads and taxes.  I may add one for mail and medical reimbursements, we shall see.  But I think this might work.

So have you tamed the paper clutter?  I would love to hear what you have found to work for your family.

1.  Create a backdrop

You’ll find a great list of tips and ideas for creating delightful photo booths for events of any size at Chickabug Blog.  Learn just how easy it is to use colorful fabric for a backdrop, and find out how to make your own fun frames.

2.  Make it work for your theme

Let’s Explore shows off the photo booth she made for her daughter’s Toy Story themed birthday party.  She incorporated Toy Story elements in everything from the backdrop to the darling Etch-a-Sketch frame to all the other props.

3.  Go outdoors

There’s a great tutorial for building a photobooth wall at Ruffled that can be used outside at any event.  The vintage wallpaper and frame combined with the gorgeous outdoor setting make for a lovely mix.

4.  Provide props

Great props are the key to success when it comes to photobooth fun.  At A Little Tipsy, you can see some great ideas for providing easy, DIY photo props. I love all the glasses and colorful mustaches!

5.  Add personality

Over at No Biggie, Kami shows us how to make chalkboard speech bubbles.  These are the perfect element for letting your guests add their personality (and personalized messages!) to the photobooth.

Do you have a favorite way to get your friends and family to say cheese?

Earlier this month I went to Lowes and made over a television cabinet complete with see through bins and game storage.  This addition to the playroom has been monumental in keeping all of our media in one organized place. Here was the process…

Step 1: Construct a new top and paint it blue

Step 2: Bling out the inside with clear bins and cloth organizers from Lowe’s

Step 3: Create DVD and Wi Game organization insets into the doors

Now it’s your turn! Lowe’s has offered to give one lucky reader a $100 gift card.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Supplies:

12” x 12” board (I used MDF)

5/8 paddle drill bit

sandpaper

spray primer

Krylon Cherry Red Spray Paint

Silhouette machine

vinyl

Scrapbook paper of your choice

printer

Glue Dots

Hershey Kisses (Valentine’s edition)

Mod Podge (I used Gloss)

Foam Roller or brush for Mod Podge

Easel

1.  Cut your board 12” x 12” – Home Depot or Lowes will do it for you.  I eyeballed where to start the holes for the kisses it looks like the top of the holes are about half way down the board. Measure out every 1.5” and make a mark.  This is where you will drill your holes. Using a 5/8” drill bit– drill your holes but do not drill all the way through the board. The top of the bit will poke through the back but don’t drill the wide part of the bit more than 2/3 of the way. This will allow the Hershey kisses to set in there and stay.  This is what the bit looks like.

2.  Lightly sand the board especially around the holes.  Spray prime and paint it.  I used Krylon’s Cherry Red Spray Paint.

3.  Using my Silhouette machine I cut out “KISSES” out of a piece of patterned paper (it was a Love Notes pattern) in the Pharmacy font found at dafont.com.

4.  Using gloss Mod Podge I adhered the letters to the board and then sealed the whole board with a coat of Mod Podge as well.

5.  Then I printed and cut out the numbers 1 through 14 (with my Silhouette machine) and adhered them to the back of the Hershey Kisses with a Glue Dots.

6.  Then I cut out the vinyl using the Premium White vinyl from Silhouette and adhered it to the board (font: Freehand 521 BT).

7.  Set it on an easel, I got mine from the Dollar Tree, and you got yourself a fun countdown time!

Here is another version of it in pink.

P.S.  If you have a Silhouette and would like the files for this project click here to download them for free.

Click here to purchase the vinyl from Say it on the Wall.

Click here to see more Hershey Kiss boards.