{In case you were wondering, I got these on a final clearance sale at Home Depot — a set of 3 trash cans for $1. Yes, I’m kicking myself for only getting one set! I haven’t seen them there since, but I have seen something similar at the Dollar Store.} So, I snatched up these floral beauties and the first thing I did was rip off the ugly plastic that makes up the “walls” of the trash can. I saw the gorgeous shape of the frame and I was smitten! Along with a few mason jars I already had in my stash, I knew these would perfect for some DIY outdoor hanging lanterns.

Supplies:

• 1 trash can {metal frame}
• mason jar
• 18 gauge wire
• wire cutters
• scissors
• 1 1/4″ cup hook
• small “s” hook
• roman shade clip {that is the pear-shaped thing I used at the top of the lantern… just because it was already in my husband’s tool box!} You could use anything that opens & closes securely

1. Gather your supplies

2. Grab your ugly trash can and start cutting!

3. Peel the vinyl down from each side and cut away from the rim of the can.

4. Now you have your beautiful metal frame ready to go!

5.  Cut 2 pieces of wire, about 8″ longer than the width of the metal frame.

6. Wrap the end of the wire around one corner of the frame. This thickness of wire is sturdy, but still pretty easy to wrap by hand.

7. Cross over to the opposite corner and wrap it around both sides, then a few extra loops to secure.

8. Trim off any excess with your wire cutters.

9. Attach the second piece of wire in the same way, making an X in the middle of your frame.

10. This time, make a loop in the center of the wire before you attach and secure the corner.

11. When both sides are attached, pull the loop up and twist it in the center of the X. This becomes your lantern hanger at the top.

12. Now take your small “s” hook and wiggle it down into the base of the loop.

13. This “s” hook is where you will hang your mason jar.

14. I got lucky and had these really cool jars in my stash that already have a wire handle attached. (But, you could easily make something similar with a regular mason jar, wire, and pliers to bend and shape the handle.)

15. For the hanger at the top of the lantern, I used this pear-shaped thingy I found in my husband’s tool box! I found out it is used for securing roman shades, but any hook that closes would work fine.

16. My new outdoor lantern is ready to hang up! I screwed a cup hook into the ceiling of our front porch. It worked perfectly because there were already a few small screws in place, and I just replaced 2 of them with the hooks for my lanterns!

I added a small white candle in the bottom of my jars, and that’s it! Now I have two new beautiful lanterns for my updated front porch:

I went to my cousin’s house this Memorial Day weekend and she blows my sewing skills out of the water.  This is actually her brainchild not mine.

Supplies:

3 fat quarters – I used Riley Blake Verona Collection:

Damask Gray, Leaves Rouge, and Dots Teal

lining fabric

cotton cording

sewing machine/coordinating thread

scissors

rotary cutter and mat

iron/ironing board

Cut:

Casing fabric: 14” x 4”

Main/Middle Fabric: 14” x 8.5” and 14” x 2.5”

Accent fabric: 14” x 3” and 14” x 4”

Liner fabric: 10.5” x 14”

Cotton Cording 43” (2 of them)

**Please note we will be using a combination of 1/2” and 1/4” seam allowances**

1.  Sew bottom accent piece along the 14” side to the main piece with right sides together, iron seams open (in picture below it is the middle and bottom piece). Repeat for back of bag pieces.

2. Take drawstring casing pieces and fold in short edged sides in 1/4” and another 1/4” and sew down, repeat for back piece.

3. Now take both casing pieces and fold them in half long ways wrong sides together. Set aside.

4. Now to insert the hidden zippered pocket take the pocket pieces and apply fusible interfacing to both pieces.

5. Measure up 2 3/4” up from the bottom of the main piece and and mark a large rectangle 1/2” wide by 12” long. In the very center of this rectangle draw a line from end to end, stopping just 1/4” from each end and mark a little “V”. See picture.

6. Sew around this outer rectangle onto the front of your main panel.

7. Snip down the center line and the  little “v”, making sure not to snip any of your seams.

8. Next for the awkward part, push this entire pocket liner piece through the rectangular hole to the wrong side and iron really well so that it lays flat on the other side.

9. It looks like you must be doing it wrong but just focus on ironing each side and it will work out and look nice and crisp like the pic below

10. Once it’s all ironed and crisp looking, take your zipper and line it up under the opening and pin it in place making sure it’s centered nicely and sew as close to the edge of the fabric as possible.

11. Now flip over the main piece and take the other pocket liner piece and pin them together, right sides facing but make sure to pin only the pocket pieces, do not pin the pocket pieces to the main piece!

12. Next, take your zipper cover piece and fold right sides together and sew 1/4” along the long edge. Turn right side out and place seam to the center back and iron.

13. Now line up the bottom of this zipper cover with the seam of the main and accent piece and sew a line across the very top of this cover hiding the zipper and creating the “secret” pocket. Sneaky, sneaky .

14. Phew, that was the toughest part! The remainder of the bag is a breeze, I promise. Next grab your liner pieces and sew right sides together along the 2 sides and bottom pieces, leaving a 3” hole for turning using 1/2” seam allowance. Repeat with the main bag pieces, except you don’t need to leave a 3 in hole.

13. Now take the cord casing pieces we set aside in step 3 and line up the raw edges of the casing with the raw edges of the main bag and baste it in place, sewing close to the edge. Turn bag inside out.

14. Take liner piece and turn right side out and stick it inside the main bag piece with right sides together, lining up all the raw edges along the top and sew around edge using a 1/2” seam allowance.

15. Pull liner piece up out of the bag and turn bag right side out by pulling bag through the 3 in hole. Now you should have a bag that is lined.

16. Cut 2 cord pieces 43 inches long and thread one end through the right side until you end up back where you started and thread the second cord through the other side the same way. You should have 2 strands coming out of both sides.

17. Seam rip the bottom side seam of the bag )on both sides) with enough room to place the cording into the bag.  Turn the bag inside out and sew the side seams closed with the cording in it.  Turn it right side out and then sew you opening closed.

If you want to skip the hidden pocket to make it easier here is a boy cinch backpack embellished with the boy’s name instead.  This one is made from the Riley Blake Stars & Stripes Collection: Floral Cream, Plaid Cream, Solid Navy

^{Disclosure: Riley Blake sent me the fabric to use for this project.}

Supplies:

Scrap pieces of patriotic fabric (Riley Blake’s Stars & Stripes collection)

I-Top Button Maker

I-Top Brad Daddies (small)

“God Bless America” printable

Hole Punch

Frame

Krylon Cherry Red Spray paint

1.  Print out the “God Bless America” printable on cardstock.  Find some different patriotic fabrics from Riley Blake’s Stars & Stripes collection and cut out little pieces for covered buttons.

2. I used my I-Top Button Maker to cover some small buttons with the I-Top Brad Daddies on the back.

3. I gave an 8′” x 10” frame a quick coat of Krylon Cherry Red spray paint.  I punched holes in the music notes and slid my brad backed covered buttons through and then opened the brads on the backside so it would stay in place.

Then I popped that into the frame.  Instant patriotic décor!

Disclosure: Riley Blake and Imaginesce sent me materials for this project. This post also contains Amazon affiliate links.

The basic premise of this DIY jewelry line is that you can mix and match pieces to create different looks.  There are 4 unique lines: Boho, Glitz, Noir and Glam

Here is a quick video to show you just how easy it is to assemble these pieces with beautiful results.

 

Over the next few months I will be showcasing more of the four different lines and be hosting twitter chats and giveaways as well.

You can check out {styled} by Tori Spelling™ on Facebook,Twitter and Google Plus.

]]> http://www.infarrantlycreative.net/2012/05/styled-by-tori-spelling-2.html/feed 10 http://www.infarrantlycreative.net/2012/05/styled-by-tori-spelling-2.html http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/InfarrantlyCreative/~3/qgD_TFlYhMU/5-ways-to-entertain-outdoors.html http://www.infarrantlycreative.net/2012/05/5-ways-to-entertain-outdoors.html#comments Sat, 26 May 2012 17:00:10 +0000 Beckie http://www.infarrantlycreative.net/?p=9493 {...Read More...} ]]> It’s Memorial Day Weekend…the three day weekend that many of us think of as the kick off to summertime fun.   Summer just isn’t summer without a picnic, barbeque, or some other al fresco dining.  It’s fun and easy to fire up the grill and throw a picnic blanket down on the grass.  Talk about a low-key way to enjoy spending time with friends and family without being stuck in the kitchen all day getting ready!  Entertaining outside can be much more casual and spontaneous than it is indoors, so there’s no excuse not to host a party or two in your backyard sometime this season.  Whether it’s a birthday party for a little one, a picnic with your swettie, a brunch for friends, or a neighborhood barbeque, everything tastes better (and is easier to decorate for) in the great outdoors.  Here are five ideas that you can use the next time you entertain outdoors.

1.  Make a Chevron Picnic Blanket

We all know chevron is the it girl of the pattern world, right now, so why not enjoy that fun trend at your next picnic?  Twig and Thistle shares how to make this pretty chevron picnic blanket from a canvas dropcloth.  I love the color!

2.  Pretty Picnic Accessories

At Snowy Bliss, dining outside becomes super stylish with these amazing accessories.  Not only is it absolutely darling, this DIY picnic caddy is so handy for organizing and toting utensils.  Check out the caddy tutorial and the darling picnic baskets featured aobve.

3.  DIY Picnic Table

If dining on the grass isn’t quite your thing, it might be time to get some outdoor dining furniture.  It doesn’t need to be expensive.  The couple at Colorado Springs Bargains DIY’d this cute table.  The painted planks are such a whimsical touch.

4.  Have S’more Fun

The perfect ending to any evening picnic?  Definitely roasting marshmallows over a fire.  Apres Fete has the perfect solution for those of us who don’t have our own firepits or outdoor fireplaces, with these mini fire pits made from terra cotta pots and tinfoil.  Set out s’more supplies and you are set!

5.  Let them Eat…Pie!

I thought this idea from Moore Minutes was such a great idea for a daytime party: an outside pie buffet.  The pies look delicious, and the decorations are just delightful–perfect for any outdoor occasion.

]]> http://www.infarrantlycreative.net/2012/05/5-ways-to-entertain-outdoors.html/feed 1 http://www.infarrantlycreative.net/2012/05/5-ways-to-entertain-outdoors.html http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/InfarrantlyCreative/~3/4uA8MZk1WPs/how-to-paint-vinyl-shutters.html http://www.infarrantlycreative.net/2012/05/how-to-paint-vinyl-shutters.html#comments Fri, 25 May 2012 13:00:18 +0000 Beckie http://www.infarrantlycreative.net/?p=9430 {...Read More...} ]]> Shutters on windows are kind of like mascara on your eyelashes – it just looks better! I took my vinyl shutters down last June when we put on a new roof.  And sadly they have been sitting in my garage since then.  Yikes! So my naked house was begging for her shutters back.  After talking to a few roofers and people at Lowes the consensus was that spray paint was the best option.  So turning to my trusty brand of choice, I called Krylon to ask which paint they would recommend.  They said Krylon Outdoor Spaces because it has some UV protectant and weather resist properties to it.  The way my house is situated the front of my house gets pounded by the sun daily.  I have a feeling this project will be on the list every few years.

So this is VERY IMPORTANT: Mark the back of your shutters with where you took them down from.  Unfortunately the roofers who took mine down didn’t do this so it was a major pain in the butt to figure out what shutter went where.

Also double check and make sure that the back of your shutters don’t say something like “Do not paint shutters.” There are some shutters that are not paintable and will say so on the back.

With a spray nozzle on my hose, a plastic bristle brush and some Dawn I scrubbed and rinsed the shutters well and then I set them in the sun overnight to dry.  The next day I wiped them with a tack cloth and busted out my spray paint.  12 shutters took about 8 cans of spray paint.

Spraying vinyl shutters with this paint was a little different than I am used to spray painting.  I know watching me spray paint is kind of like waiting for water to boil but if you want great results and you are taking on this project I would suggest you watch the video below.  You need to spray it a certain way to avoid streaks.

You can tell from my mistake on the left that you can’t just attack it with spray paint–you have to be a bit methodical about how you paint them.

The video below shows you how I spray painted them to get superior results. 

 

I love how the black shutters gives my house and little more contrast.  It also is the perfect canvas for pops of color added by flowers or wreaths.

With a large ladder and the sun pelting down on us my husband and I hung them last weekend. 

I still have to paint my front door.  Since it is inset I am not sure if a color would even be that noticeable.  Plus I love my screen door on the front because of the awesome cross breeze we get so I am torn.  What would you do?

Disclaimer: Krylon sent me this paint to use for this project

]]> http://www.infarrantlycreative.net/2012/05/how-to-paint-vinyl-shutters.html/feed 17 http://www.infarrantlycreative.net/2012/05/how-to-paint-vinyl-shutters.html http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/InfarrantlyCreative/~3/9oDdjyHw8_g/giveaway-silhouette-cameo-tote.html http://www.infarrantlycreative.net/2012/05/giveaway-silhouette-cameo-tote.html#comments Thu, 24 May 2012 13:42:00 +0000 Beckie http://www.infarrantlycreative.net/?p=9465 {...Read More...} ]]> It is Silhouette giveaway time!!! But before we get to that….this month’s promotion is for the rolling travel tote.  I actually travel quite frequently with my Silhouette.  In fact, I am going to Chicago for Memorial Day weekend so my Silhouette is all packed up ready to go with me. If you are going to make the investment of buying the Silhouette and you plan to use it outside of your home I highly recommend the rolling tote.  $54.99 is an awesome price for this.  I paid $60!

Using this link you can purchase the rolling tote for $54.99 or the Silhouette Cameo and the Tote for $309.99.

But one lucky IC reader will get one for free! 

Giveaway details below…

Some of my other friends have a Silhouette giveaway going now too hop on over and enter them all:

Tatertots & Jello

Skip to My Lou

Tip Junkie

UCreate

Sew Dang Cute

Shanty 2 Chic

Brown Paper Packages

Crap I’ve Made

 

 a Rafflecopter giveaway

]]> http://www.infarrantlycreative.net/2012/05/giveaway-silhouette-cameo-tote.html/feed 2 http://www.infarrantlycreative.net/2012/05/giveaway-silhouette-cameo-tote.html http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/InfarrantlyCreative/~3/y4BGJPg8peU/adding-curb-appeal.html http://www.infarrantlycreative.net/2012/05/adding-curb-appeal.html#comments Wed, 23 May 2012 17:08:00 +0000 Beckie http://www.infarrantlycreative.net/?p=9457 {...Read More...} ]]> As one of the Lowe’s Creative Ideas bloggers I get the opportunity every month to receive a gift card to do home projects.  Each month we are challenged with a specific area of our home.  This month’s challenge is adding curb appeal.  I was so grateful for this challenge because I have lived in this house for 4 years and we have not done a single thing to the outside of our house.  All of the time, energy, effort and money went into the inside.  It is time to match the exterior of my home to the beauty of the interior.

The Plan:

1. Upgrade light fixtures

2. Repaint shutters

3. Add some flower pots

4.  Trim back shrubs

The exterior light fixtures on our house were the builder basic brass lights.  Over the years the sun has burned them and the wind had loosened them, not to mention, we were too lazy to replace the bulbs so they weren’t working.

With my gift card I purchased 4 new black lantern type lights (Brand: Portfolio $29 each) and changed out the old brass light fixtures.  That made a huge difference.

Up next was repainting my shutters.  After a terrible Indiana hailstorm our roof needed to replaced.  So last year while I was getting a new roof I had them take down the shutters for me to paint.  Umm….yah…that was last June.  Yikes!  So our house sat naked without shutters for almost a year.  I finally got around to painting (tutorial soon!) the faded purple vinyl shutters to black.

I purchased a barrel planter, potting soil and some flowers to add some color to the front.

Then we trimmed up the shrubs in the front.

I want to rip out these three large shrubs and add some prettier landscaping.  But, to be honest, I know nothing about landscaping and plants so I might have to get some help on this one.

But I think the few changes I made really ramped up our curb appeal.  What do you think?

Just like the interior of my house the projects are never done.  I would like to repaint the front door, add a tree ring around the little tree with some flowers inside of that.  I would also love to rip out the shrubs and add some more color there with some flowers and maybe some hostas.

Do you have any advice for that front bed?  I would love to learn from those who are more knowledgeable about landscaping.

Disclaimer: I received a Lowes gift card to do these projects.

]]> http://www.infarrantlycreative.net/2012/05/adding-curb-appeal.html/feed 21 http://www.infarrantlycreative.net/2012/05/adding-curb-appeal.html http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/InfarrantlyCreative/~3/S0lBXN-utNo/planting-a-raised-garden-bed.html http://www.infarrantlycreative.net/2012/05/planting-a-raised-garden-bed.html#comments Tue, 22 May 2012 01:12:20 +0000 Beckie http://www.infarrantlycreative.net/?p=9390 {...Read More...} ]]> I have had gardens in the past.  In fact every year since we moved to Indiana until I had Kayla I had a garden.  Isaac loved gardening with me.  Here is a post kicking way back showing Isaac with some of our garden treasures.

 

That year I had Kayla I was too tired to do a garden.  But now she is at the age where I knew she would love gardening with me.  So I decided to do raised cedar beds.  I started out small with only 4 cedar boxes. I figured if I set myself up right even if I had to take a break for a year the beds could sit empty and still look halfway decent in our yard.  Or I could always do a fresh cut flower garden the next year.  We will see.  The key is I wanted flexibility.  Doesn’t it look pretty?

I followed Ana White’s plans for her Cedar Raised Beds.  And this is what I learned – I am not a builder.  I can repurpose with the best of them but building something from scratch kicks my butt.  BUT I AM DETERMINED to grow in this area.  I finally understood how when I tell you something “is so easy and takes 20 minutes” why it takes you 4 hours to do it.  When you don’t do it for a living there is a huge learning curve.  So while it takes Ana 20 minutes to build these it took me about 4 hours.  So after the first one I literally cried!  But I put on my big girl panties and started again.  I will say the 4th box probably took me only an hour to complete.  And I felt such a huge sense of accomplishment when all four were done.  Anywho…

I got all of my cedar fence posts at Lowes.  They were $1.95 each at mine. So each box cost about $11 in wood.

If you decide to make these I highly suggest using a nail gun to tack a few nails in to temporarily hold them in place while you drill the screws in. It was my saving grace.

How to Make a Raised Bed Garden

Step 1: Rent a rototiller to loosen up the soil and get the ground level. Our Ace Hardware rents them for about $26 for 4 hours.  My honey helped put my garden in for Mother’s Day.  He even had a good attitude – bonus!

Step 2: Lay down some black landscape cloth to keep any weeds from growing through.  Make sure to overlap the cloth.

Step 3. Edge your garden in cedar posts.

Step 4: Measure your boxes to make sure they are evenly spaced.  Then add pea gravel or bark dust around the boxes and then add some garden compost mix to the boxes. (Note: I recommend using a little larger of a shovel for this…giggle!)

Step 5: Grab a little garden beauty girl (see above picture) and plant your fruits and vegetables.  We added a little Whitney Farms Organic Plant Food to each bed as well. 

I got all of my plants and seeds from Lowes.  And here is my garden plan:

So I am still a newbie gardener do you have any advice?

What did you plant this year?

Disclosure: As part of the Lowes Creative Blogger Team, Lowes provided me a with a gift card for purchasing my garden supplies.

]]> http://www.infarrantlycreative.net/2012/05/planting-a-raised-garden-bed.html/feed 18 http://www.infarrantlycreative.net/2012/05/planting-a-raised-garden-bed.html http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/InfarrantlyCreative/~3/kPv7C8M11Xc/whitney-farms-organic-gardening.html http://www.infarrantlycreative.net/2012/05/whitney-farms-organic-gardening.html#comments Mon, 21 May 2012 21:31:34 +0000 Beckie http://www.infarrantlycreative.net/?p=9403 {...Read More...} ]]> This post brought to you by Whitney Farms. All opinions are 100% mine.

Recently I showed you my new raised cedar garden beds.  I love not only the way it looks but also how functional they are. My daughter has really taken a liking to gardening with me this year. I love sharing this experience with my daughter and the awe in her eyes when a seedling emerges. I also love the little bit of responsibility it is teaching her to water and care for the plants.

Before we planted our plants this year we used some Whitney Farms® organic plant food and fertilizer.  Now I must admit I am a newbie to “all things green” and really had no clue what I was doing.  I did hear through the gardening grapevine that a good fertilizer was important.  So I was thrilled when Whitney Farms sent me theirs to try out so that I could add it to my organic soil.

All I had to do was sprinkle the right amount into my soil.  My little garden cutie helped out.  Then I worked it into the soil and I planted all my fruits and vegetables.

Try out Whitney Farm organic products with a $3 off coupon .

.

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