love with faith

Office Shelves Makeover

2015-04-11T21:20:00.000-04:00

Before (top) & After (bottom)

When we moved into our house about two years ago, our house had these great built ins in the office but the wood was cheap and the room was really dark. Last weekend we spent about 15 hours (& a lot of paint) doing a total transformation which really brightened up the room. We used bbfrosch chalk paint powder and Valspar wax. I won't lie and say this was an easy transformation... it was a lot of work! We ended up putting 3 coats of white paint on... & even touching up more spots after BUT we love the final result!

Desk Makeover... on the cheap!

2015-04-08T20:15:00.000-04:00

I found a basic white table at a local thrift store for $25 which was perfect for my craft room. I headed to Lowe's, picked up some wood (pre-cut to size of desk) & some light stain. I got a little drill happy and drilled in screws around the left, right, and back of the desk... they're both practical and cute!

Spring Bridal Shower

2015-04-08T18:15:00.001-04:00

It's wedding season again!

But then again, when isn't it wedding season? :) I was able to share in the celebration of one of my best friends becoming a bride and helped host a shower at our house.

We went with a gold and pink glam chic color scheme including a lot of metallic golds, sparkles, and soft pink hues. Before I host a party or shower, I always start my shopping in my craft closet. It's free and oddly enough I like everything in my craft closet (er... maybe that's because I bought it all). I grabbed some of my large mason jars and "glammed" them up a little by taping off a line about 1/3 of the way down the jar, then applyed mod-podge below the tape. Next I immediately sprinkled glitter on the Mod Podge (while still wet), let that dry, then sprayed a coat of hairspray for some extra hold. Super cute & easy.

I found this cute wooden arrow at Michael's and took it home for a makeover. After some white spray paint, I used my projector to get a perfect outline of the letters onto the wood & traced that outline in paint. I hoped that by placing my antique camera by it, the instagram connection would come naturally ;)

The biggest hit of the party? These amazing, detailed cupcakes! My coworker recently retired and has created her own business in Dublin, Ohio. If you're looking for cupcakes, cookies, or any kind of sweet treat, check out her facebook page!

I find the most enjoyment in decorating the small details, like the drink signs. I have a collection of small photo frames leftover from our wedding and I'm always putting them to use. For this shower, I spray painted the frames white, grabbed a cute piece of scrapbook paper, and stamped on the drink names. For the specialty drink, I used a larger picture frame (from a thrift store) and created the sign in PowerPoint using some free fonts I found through Pinterest. I was pleased to discover the paper plates I had bought fit perfectly inside of my World Market plates, dressing them up a little.

I had so much fun decorating the main table, showing off the cupcakes and setting up the drink station.

This cute little guy on the right was under $3 at Lowe's and with some gold spray paint and some tape, he earned a place at the main table.

Now it's time for this sweet friend of mine to get hitched!

Falling In Love Bridal Shower

2014-10-29T21:49:00.000-04:00

Free printout image (right click, save as):

Fall in Ohio is perfect. Seriously, even the rainy days are welcomed by a warm cup of coffee or overpriced cider. A mid-October bridal shower screamed for a fall theme, so “Falling in Love” it was.

There was a lot of running around before the shower, so please bear with the cell phone quality pictures.

Favors

I love the idea of having games at the shower, but wanted to intentionally have games that were truly fun for everyone involved so I went to Pinterest for inspiration.

Game #1: He Said / She said – I sent the bride and groom each 10 questions, and would include only one of their replies… the guests had to match the correct responses with either the bride or the groom.

Game #2: Wedding Ettiquette – This game was more of a hit than I expected. I typed up one question for each guest with a “What would you do if…” scenario. Example questions: “What would you do if you stepped on the bride’s gown & ripped it?”; “What would you do if the person next to you fell asleep at the ceremony?” The bride then tried to match the responses to the guests – and she did a great job!

Game #3: What would the Groom Say? – This game is commonly played at showers, but we added a twist! We began with asking the groom a list of 15 questions about the bride and/or about their relationship. As we asked him these questions, we videoed the responses… and we got some really humorous answers! For example, when asked “What color is the bride’s wallet?” the guests first got to see his look of confusion, then confidence as he answered “She has a purse!”. This game was truly fun and allowed the groom to play a larger role in the shower without being physically present.

What are some other creative bridal shower games you've played?

foyer photo collage

2014-03-22T18:47:00.002-04:00

Our foyer needed a little love...

All of the photos or decorations mean something to us, making this wall an awesome reminder of our blessings every time we enter our home.

All Cooped Up

2014-02-05T10:41:00.003-05:00

As I write this, I'm looking outside at about 7" of snow. Depressing? A little. BUT there is good news! Being cooped up gives me the perfect excuse to get things done that have been on the to-do list for a little too long.

For the first time this year, both of our families had a Christmas gift exchange. Joel had my sister so I thought I would get to work on making her a gift. Once I planned what I wanted to do, I knew I selfishly wanted one for myself too :) I headed out to Lowe's & bought pre-cut wood, then bought stencils from Michael's. With a little stain and some craft paint, this was simple to make. Psalm 46:10 - "Be still & know that I am God"

Over Christmas break, my mom let me take some old books passed on through the family. They are all AMAZING and I'm so excited to be able to show them off in our house :)

A month or two ago, Joel & I bought paint while on sale at Lowe's and I immediately got to work on the hallway upstairs however I needed a little more motivation to paint one of the bedrooms.

All it took was a snowy Saturday to motivate me and by 1pm I had painted my craft room and created this pallet shelf. More pictures will be coming once the room is completely decorated!

Fall in OH-IO

2013-10-30T21:23:00.001-04:00

In the beginning, God created the heaven & the earth... and nailed it! How gorgeous is Ohio this time of year?!

Fall is my favorite season, fresh brisk air, leaves of every color, candles, & warm blankets to cozy up in. Of course, fall isn't fall without pumpkins. Check out some pumpkins & decorations the Swaneys are showing off this year :)

My 2-year old niece wanted to be Mike Wyzowski for Halloween and my sister got the idea of making a Mike Wyzowski tutu from Etsy. So she came to me and asked if I could come up with a costume. I have to say, it turned out pretty cute!

I also don't hate the fact that this sweet boy (my nephew) just joined the world on October 9.

I went with a few friends & checked out the Circleville Pumpkin Show which was dangerous for those who love pumpkin flavored food & drinks. I had a pumpkin spice cappuccino, pumpkin chili, and a pumpkin donut to top it off. I couldn't find it in me to try the deep fried pumpkin pie...

And of course, you can't forget about Ohio State football games!

$10 DIY Shelves

2013-07-17T22:14:00.000-04:00

Since we moved into our house in January, we have slowly worked on projects that have turned our house into a home. These shelves were the perfect addition to the great room and can be easily customized to match your style!

The best part? You will only need to purchase 3 supplies for a total of $20 ($10 per shelf!)

Supplies needed:

2 brackets per shelf - you can find these at a JoAnn's, Michael's, Hobby Lobby, Lowes, or Home Depot (mine were from Hobby Lobby)
1 piece of wood per shelf - Mine was 3/4" tall and is about 7" deep and 48" long
Wood stain or paint - Color of your choice
Wood screws (smaller than the height of your wood)
Drywall screws (count depends on your brackets)
Drill

Directions:

Completely stain or paint your wood, let dry
Paint nail heads to match your stain or paint color
Once dry, measure and mark bracket placement on wood. Make sure you measure the same distance in from the outside of the shelves
Drill screws into wood as tightly as you can
Next, you want to use the drywall screws to secure your shelves onto the wall.

*You can never be too careful making sure your shelves are aligned evenly. I measured from the ground and made a small marking on the wall where I would be drilling.

Congratulations on your beautiful new shelves! Share your success story/picture!

A Nautical Baby Shower

2013-07-13T20:38:00.001-04:00

ahoy!

Angie is having a boy!

Let's celebrate the calm before the storm

Favors: "She's about to pop!" goody bags filled with bubble-gum, blow-pops, ring pops, and popcorn

Guestbook: A funny alternative! Some favorites - "Take cover!", "Daddy does brown"

Gift/Drinks table

I was able to reuse so many items left over from our wedding and previous crafts. These picture frames were also used as our table numbers for our wedding.

My attempt at a diaper boat ;)
Sail is a washcloth, bottom striped area is a receiving blanket

Prizes for the games!
Games played: Measuring Mommy, What's that smell?, & The Price is Right
I forgot to add an "Atta boy!" tag to these... but still cute

My favorite game! I melted 5 different candy bars and had the guests smell the diapers to identify the candy! Only one person got all 5 right... but a couple girls taste tested!

Amazing cupcakes & mini apple pies made by Danielle Davis - Sweet Dee's Delightful Treats

4 Generations of awesomeness ;)

$10 DIY Throw Ladder

2013-04-13T23:11:00.000-04:00

What have I found to be the best part of being a home-owner? Knowing that there is no rush to get projects done, because no matter how hard we work, there will always be another project waiting for us when we finish.
Being a new homeowner, I've had SO many craft ideas running through my mind. Unfortunately, other projects kept taking precedence and I was denying myself my therapy -- errr... craft time. For 4 months, I had a laundry basket sitting in the corner of the room to store blankets and to "fill up space". I was inspired by Pottery Barn decor (link here) to create a ladder to hold throw blankets. But was definitely not inspired by the pricetag of $179.
So how can you make one yourself for 5% of the cost? You'll need the following supplies:

2 - 2x2s ($2 each)
2 - 1" dowel rods ($2 each)
Saw
Drill
Screws
Paint of your choice (I used a sample-sized wood stain for $3)

Step 1: Measure your dowel rods (mine was 48") and mark the rod at both 1/3 and 2/3 of the total length.

Step 2: Saw through dowel rods at marked areas.

Step 3: Paint dowel rods, 2x2s, and top of screws with paint of your choice.

Step 4: Measure total length of your 2x2s and divide by the amount of rungs you would like to use +1

e.g. 78" in length/(5 rungs+1)=13"

Step 5: Line up your dowel rod perpendicular to the 2x2 the appropriate distance from the end of the 2x2 (e.g. 13").

Step 6: Using a drill-bit, drill through the 2x2 into the dowel rod (from the outside in). Next, use the drill to place screws into the 2x2, holding the dowel in place.

Step 7: Repeat on all dowel rods, and again on the other 2x2, connecting all pieces of the ladder.

Step 8: Find a cute location and enjoy!

Decorative Coin Letter

2012-09-16T16:18:00.001-04:00

As we're getting ready to move soon, the only room I seem to have decorative ideas for is the pup's room. Black & white pictures of Bauer and all of his doggie friends will surround the walls in his bedroom.

Cute, right?

I found this picture on Pinterest and used it as motivation for this craft. I tried covering the "B" in pennies but it had awkward spaces between coins and didn't look clean. There are so many options for decorating letters with coins: filling, outlining, designs, etc. I happen to love the copper color pennies provide but you can use dimes, nickels, or quarters if you prefer silver. The different sizes of the coins allow you to have some flexibility with the shapes and sizes of the letters.

The best part about this craft? All you need is hot glue, coins, and a base letter!

Godfather's Dessert Pizza

2012-09-12T21:09:00.000-04:00

Dessert pizza. This stuff is gooood. It was always a Sunday treat to go to Godfathers Pizza and eat as much dessert pizza as my 7 year old stomach could handle. 16 years later, I've got a larger stomach and my own oven... dangerous, right?

Ingredients:
Pizza Crust: I used store-bought refrigerated but if you're feeling adventurous, make your own!
1 1/2 tablespoon melted butter

Streusel Mix:
1/2 c. + 1/3 c. flour
1/4 c. brown sugar
1/3 c. sugar
2 tablespoons Crisco
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon melted butter

Icing:
2 c. powdered sugar
2 tablespoon milk
1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions:
Spray pan with Pam. Flatten dough to 10-12" , Preheat oven to 450'. Spread melted butter across crust. Sprinkle cinnamon on crust.
Mix all streusel ingredients together and evenly distribute on pizza crust.
Bake pizza at 450' for 6-8 minutes depending on the thickness of the crust. Meanwhile, mix icing ingredients.
Once pizza dough is cooked through, remove from oven and top with icing. Let cool, and enjoy!

Peanut Butter Fruit Dip

2012-06-15T23:45:00.000-04:00

Yum.
This dip only requires 3 ingredients and 5 minutes. Is that even possible?

Ingredients: (yields 5 servings)

1/2 c. Natural creamy peanut butter

1/2 c. Fruit flavored yogurt

1/4 c. Powdered sugar

Optional Ingredients:

1/2 t. vanilla extract

Sprinkles of cinnamon

So tasty it's hard to believe how easy the prep work is!

Step 1: Measure out ingredients for dip.

Step 2: Mix all ingredients together in a medium mixing bowl.

Step 3: Prepare fruit tray and serve! Some food that goes well with the dip - bananas, apples, strawberries, chocolate, graham crackers, etc. Be creative - everything tastes better with peanut butter!

Please note: If you're serving more than 5 people, I would suggest making 2 servings.

Enjoy!

No-Sew Ruffle Wreath

2012-04-12T09:09:00.000-04:00

Of course I would find a way to make a ruffle wreath without sewing... but it was so easy and only cost me about $7!

Materials needed:

A 10"-14"Styrofoam wreath (I used flat edge since round wasn't available... either will work)
A hot glue gun
1 yard Linen fabric
Decorative ribbon or fabric (optional)
Scissors

Step 1: Cut 3 2"x1 yd strips of your linen. Using hot glue, wrap tightly around your styrofoam wreath. It doesn't need to be perfect since this area should be covered by the ruffles. However, this step is necessary as the base of the wreath may show through under some ruffles.

Step 2: Cut 20 2"x12" strips of linen (you may need more or less depending on the size of your wreath base (mine was 14").

Step 3: On the back side of the wreath, place hot glue on the base fabric and attach one end of your 2"x12" fabric.

Step 4: Place a small strip of hot glue on your initial wreath base along the fabric line. Pinch together the fabric before pressing into the hot glue, creating the ruffle effect. Repeat this step, always placing the glue on the wreath base and overlapping the loose end of the linen over the last ruffle by about 1". Optional: If you want to add a little more decoration, use a different fabric pattern or wide ribbon repeating the same ruffle steps.

Step 5: Hang wreath from a ribbon and place on metal wreath hanger. Voila - you're done!

Raspberry Cinnamon French Toast

2012-03-17T16:46:00.001-04:00

Fresh raspberries pretty much taste good with any breakfast meal... but this meal was just delicious!

Ingredients:

12 slices cinnamon bread (we chose no raisins)
5 eggs, beaten
1-1/2 T Oil, for frying
1-3/4 c milk
1 c brown sugar
1/4 t ground cinnamon
1/4 t ground nutmeg
1/2 t vanilla
1/4 c butter, melted
Powdered sugar
2 cups fresh raspberries

And from there you just follow your standard french toast instructions!

Step 1: In a medium mixing bowl, mix together eggs, milk, 3/4 c brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, & vanilla.

Step 2: Warm oil in frying pan.

Step 3: Dip pieces of bread in egg mixture just long enough to soak both sides.

Step 4: Fry french toast until lightly browned on both sides.
Step 5: Drizzle with butter and remaining brown sugar

Step 6: Top with fresh raspberries, powdered sugar, maple syrup, and enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Taste of Home

DIY Jewelry Holder

2012-03-11T17:12:00.000-04:00

As my best friend's birthday approached, I had no idea what to get her... so I (of course) turned to Pinterest for an answer. I scoped out things she pinned that I could possibly make and landed on this cute idea! But rather than paying $35 + shipping, I thought I'd hit up the 50% off Hobby Lobby deals and make it a DIY project.

Supplies Needed:

Wood with sawtooth hooks on back (or you can add those on yourself)
5 knobs (depending on length of wood)
Hacksaw
Drill & drill bits

Make sure you find knobs that compliment each other well and the more they "pop", the better :-) Hobby Lobby had a huge selection of knobs!

I must admit, this project is not for the faint of heart! I had to seek out the assistance of my coworkers since I didn't have the necessary tools (and didn't want to drop $150 on a drill). Luckily, I work with some perfectionists who did a great (dare I say perfect) job.

So once you have the materials, here's what you need to do...

Step 1: Measure out the height of the wood

Step 2: Using a pencil & a ruler/yardstick, draw a horizontal straight line across the center of wood (height divided in half)

Step 3: Measure out the length of the wood

Step 4: Divide the length by the number of knobs and mark a circle at each evenly spaced distance

Step 5: Drill a hole just large enough for the bolt to go through at every circle

Step 6: With the bolt all the way pushed through, use a permanent marker to mark the bolt where it hits the back side of the wood

Step 7: Pull the bolts back out of the wood and use the hacksaw to cut at the marked area on the bolt

Step 8: Drill an inset hole through the back of the wood deep enough for the nut to rest inside the wood

Step 9: Place knobs through holes, screw the nuts onto the bolt

Step 10: Admire your new jewelry hanger because you're done!

No Sew Tutu Tutorial

2012-03-04T20:38:00.003-05:00

I work in a hospital that always has the cutest items in the gift shop window. During Valentine's Day season, they had a tutu for a little girl that one of my coworkers just adored... for $38. Yikes! Well this month, her daughter is turning 1 so I decided to have a little DIY project (which I always love).

The tutu is super easy to make and just turned out so great that I'm going to have to make another for my niece ;-)

Supplies Needed:

2 rolls of tulle (6" x 24 yds)
3/4" elastic
Flower pin (optional)
Scissors
Needle & thread

Step 1: Decide what size waistband you will be working with, and how long you want the tutu to be. I decided to make the waistband 17" at first but cut it down to about 15" after I got to working on it.

Step 2: Sew waistband ends together.

Step 3: Measure out tulle to 2x the desired length. I used 28" for a tall 1 year old. Cut strips of tulle at the proper length. I measured and cut all of the tulle, but had some excess strips after that I will use to make another tutu for my niece.

Step 4: Fold tulle strip in half, wrapping around waistband by pulling the fabric through the loop. Pull the knot tight. Repeat this step alternating colors

Step 5: Add pin to waistline and voila - you're done!

Storage made cute - for free!

2012-03-03T09:58:00.001-05:00

Chip clips... we all have them but why is it we can never find them when we need them? A few weeks ago, I found the perfect storage solution for them - almost. I used an old Quaker Oats oatmeal container (18 oz.) but was unhappy with the look of an oatmeal container sitting on my counter. All it took was 20 minutes and supplies already on hand to have a cute container that matches my kitchen.

Supplies:

18 oz oatmeal container (empty)
Hot glue gun
Mod Podge
Paintbrush
Scissors
Scrapbook Paper (2 patterns if preferred)
Ribbon (Optional)
Pen or pencil

Step 1: Lay the oatmeal container on its side. Line the bottom of the oatmeal container up with the edge of the back of the scrapbook page. Trace a line to determine where to cut, roll the container and continue this process across the paper. Cut scrapbook paper on dotted line.

Step 2: Place 5-7 hot glue strips surrounding the container

Step 3: Wrap scrapbook paper around container.

Step 4: Because I was using scrap scrapbook paper (pun intended!), I had some space left. So I chose a scrap of a matching pattern and glued a strip over the gap.

Step 5: Mod Podge the whole thing for a gloss finish and to make the container more resistant to stains & water. It was important to Mod Podge the strip very carefully so it lays down on the larger scrap with no space or bubbles. Mine had a few bubbles that I left for effect... you may or may not choose to do this.

Step 6: Let dry!

Step 7: While drying, trace the outer circle of the lid onto the back of the paper (I used the same pattern as the strip) and cut the circle approximately 1/4" in all the way around so it will fit inside the lid. Next, put hot glue on the lid and fit your circle right inside. Cover with a layer of Mod Podge.

Step 8: Tie ribbon around the container & voila - you're done!

Money Saving March

2012-03-01T18:01:00.003-05:00

Happy March!
My husband & I have decided to challenge ourselves and see how little we can actually spend this month. If you're looking to save money, you may be pleasantly surprised with how much pennies saved can add up! Here's some things we're trying out:

Set a goal. When my husband decided he wanted a MacBook Pro, we decided to work for it. Since we don't have spare money lying around, I challenged him to help in the budgeting process. Any irregular income (selling items on E-bay, mileage reimbursement for work, birthday money, etc.) will go toward the MacBook fund, and until we can gather all of that money (tax included!) we will wait.
Coupons, coupons, coupons! There are so many coupons we get in the mail, and living in a big city gives us many options where we choose to buy our products or get our service. Other websites I frequent for coupons include:

Smart shopping.

One of the tricks to smart shopping is time management. Leaving enough time in your schedule to save money will be worth it. We have chosen 3 grocery stores based on pure savings, fuel perks, and convenience. I shop at Aldi for all things canned, bagged, and available. On the way home, I swing by Meijer which is practically in our backyard and pick up all other items (using Meijer perks). Lastly, I go to Giant Eagle for gift cards to restaurants, clothing retailers, and much more earning fuel perks along the way!
Every week, I write a shopping list & stick to it. By only buying those items you need, you will really impress yourself with the $ total at the checkout.
Plan your recipes wisely by finding multiple meals using the same ingredients.

Set a budget. We looked to Dave Ramsey's site for a few budget worksheets and ideas but ultimately, it's up to you and what your family's expenses are. For example, we're trying to save for a house so we have decided to spend much less on housing now and increase our savings for a down-payment.

I'll be sure to keep you updated throughout the month to let you know how the savings add up!

I challenge you to find new ways to save, and share them with me!

UPDATE:
March Grocery Trip #1 -- Saved $8.38 shopping at Aldi
As you can see, I bought all my canned and packaged items from Aldi and saved! Because Aldi only offers one brand for each item, I was in and out of the store within 25 minutes and finished my grocery shopping for the week in just over an hour (including price comparison hunting)... definitely worth the savings! If I can save this much each week, in just 6 weeks I'll have saved over $50 in grocery store selection alone.

Believe it or not, I don't just eat canned tomatoes for lunch every meal - my 13 canned tomato purchases will serve to make spaghetti sauce and lasagna soup this week... yum!