The Girl Creative

5 Ways to Transform Your Furniture

2012-01-27T09:55:00.000-05:00

The latest trend for refinishing furniture is paint, but there's more than one way to paint a piece of furniture. Luckily, there are several tutorials out there so even the beginner can successfully turn something old and boring into something fun and beautiful.

Glazing (Antiquing)

Stacy from Not Just a Housewife stenciled this end table with a diamond pattern and then finished it off with glaze. She has a great tutorial for how to use glaze to give furniture an antique look.

Kelsey from Tattered & Inked also used glaze over bright red paint to make the woodwork pop on this end table. I love how Kelsey and Stacy both used the same technique, but achieved a very different look.

Stenciling

Liz Marie stenciled the top of this end table, but left out the glaze to make it look fresh and clean. What a fun piece!

Chalk Paint

Chalk paint has been all the rave for refinishing furniture recently. I've been wondering what all the fuss is about. Liz Marie talks about the benefits of using chalk paint and she has a fantastic tutorial on how to make your own chalk paint at home.

Painting Laminate

Most of our old furniture at home is laminate and it would be nice to give it a face lift, but paint doesn't stick to laminate very well. Centsational Girl shares a tutorial on how to achieve a store bought look with laminate (and without sanding!)

Oil Based Paint

Natty By Design uses oil based paint for many of her pieces. She share tips on how to paint with oil based paint and what brands work best. I love her high gloss style. It makes each piece have an expensive look.

Good Luck with transforming your boring old furniture into eye stoppers!

love~

Janny

from Que Linda.

Valentine's Day Fabric Wreath

2012-01-26T07:24:00.003-05:00

Hey guys! Can't believe we are almost through January, I am getting really excited for Valentines Day! Here is another project that is super easy, not as quick as some in the past, but can easily be done while watching evening t.v.

Supplies:

Fabric-2.5 yards worked for me with left overs
Wire Wreath Form-18inches
Scissors
Decorative Centerpiece

Start off by cutting your fabric into one inch strips. You can go the length of your yard.

Then cut your strips into 8inch lengths, so you will have pieces of 1x8. Make A LOT of these in all of your fabrics. Make them into piles so you can create a pattern.

I really liked my wreath form because it has two different "levels". Start out with making a knot around the top "level"

Slide it all the way to the end, there are little metal markers that help with this. Second do a knot on the bottom "level".

Again, slide it down. Next do a knot on the middle "level". It is the bottom wire of the top "level" and the top wire of the bottom "level". Gosh I hope that makes sense!

Slide them all the way down to the wire marker. Start again-Top, bottom, middle-repeat. I kept an order of my fabrics, I just went in a row of my piles, so that it had a pattern.

It can be time consuming, it took me about 30 minutes just to cut the fabric, but I was also winging it and guessing sizes so it took a bit longer. About another 30 minutes to get half way around, and having to cut more fabric.

As you keep going, there is a definite pattern of top bottom middle, this is what the back will look like.

Just keep going, don't give up, it is no where as tedious as doing a yarn wrap wreath! All together it took me about a hour and a half to finish.

Add in your decoration. The wire form has some little hooks built in. They are more meant to hold the wires together but they are perfect to hang things from.

You are done!

I plan on making these for each holiday. They are such a great way to spice up the front door!

If you have any questions, like always feel free to contact me!

If you would like to purchase this you can find it in my Etsy Shop!

Thank you so much for following along another tutorial with And I Thought I Loved You Then! I will be back here each month showing you some great Holiday/Seasonal crafts!

~Kalyn~

A Quite Coral Dresser Revival

2012-01-25T03:14:00.003-05:00

Good Morning!

As a before + after lover myself, I have a hard time believing that practically anyone could resist the lure of that slightly breathtaking moment when your eyes slide from the old, grubby "Before" picture to the eye-poppingly bright and clean "After."

But something that's essential for achieving that "wow effect" is being able to spot the "afters" in pieces that would look too-far-gone to the untrained eye in their “before” state.

Many an hour thrifting has helped hone my ability to spot the gems (my husband is skeptical sometimes, but half the fun of a good makeover is the moment when he is forced to admit that I “did it again!” : )).

So, when I spotted this sad, neglected, dirty old dresser at Goodwill (my thrifting haunt of choice) a few months back, I could see that it had major "after " potential.

I fell in love with the floral details, the key-hole plates, and the curvy lines.

(Nothing like an adorable little helper to make a nasty task—see that grimy pink scrunchy from 1973?—a little more fun).

What I didn’t love: the musty smell, the numerous dings and dints, and the drawers that I had to pry open with one foot braced against the wall.

But when the manager knocked the price down from $25 to $15, I figured it was worth it to take the dresser on, “issues” and all.

Now, because of the drawers, I wasn’t keen to store anything that I needed to access often, but I had been looking for a unique piece for my fabric collection, and I was sure this one could do the trick.

Sometimes, you don’t have to turn a flower pot into a telephone to “repurpose” an item. Sometimes, it just takes a tiny step outside the box to discover a new but similar use for something with loads of potential.

I took that step and loaded Collette (yup, just decided that now) in my van, scrubbed her down, and gave her a good coat of Kilz oil-based primer.

Then, I sprayed the keyhole plates with Rustoleum’s Heirloom White because I wanted a little contrast and focus on the details:

Next, I hauled out a half-empty can of Sherwin Williams Quite Coral—the same shade that I used to transform a garage sale chandy in a master closet makeover I finished this past summer—and got to rolling and brushing to my little heart’s content (okay, so my heart would have been a little more content with having cookies and milk while paging through the latest issue of Anthro, but none of that would have gotten get the dresser done, so…).

Here she is, all gussied up, better than new, if you ask me:

Just like I’d planned, I put Collette in my craft room and stuffed her full of fabric.

OH, and speaking of repurposing, I also used Collette as a sideboard for all the treats at my daughter, Della’s, 1st birthday party.

Two of the drawers weren’t salvageable, so I made little “drawer curtains” out of Premier Prints zigzag fabric + some clearance lace I had in my stash.

I also bought these fantastic knobs for 1/2 off at Hobby Lobby. 6 of them still cost more than I paid for the entire dresser, but in my opinion, they are sooooo worth it!

Here’s a shot of the whole birthday vignette.

And here’s a shot of the adorable little ladybug that inspired the party-theme.

I couldn’t resist. Can you blame me?

The cost breakdown for the whole project?:

Dresser: $15

Knobs: $27

Primer (I used maybe 1/2): $3

Spray paint (I used 1/4 of a can): $1.50

Paint (already had it): $0

Fabric (already had it): $0

Miscellaneous other supplies: 4.50

TOTAL: $51

So, what do you think? Worth the effort?

I’m pretty smitten, but I’d love to hear your thoughts!

Oh, and I’d LOVE to have you stop by for a visit at:

Here’s a quick peak at a few of my other projects:

You can also join in the fun of the 5D5W Facebook page here

Can’t wait to meet you!

~Abbie

How to Decorate with $0

2012-01-24T09:46:00.000-05:00

You see the shows - they come in and only use what is in the house to make a whole new room and think they could never do that in my house.

Well, I am here to tell you that you *might* be wrong.

For over 7 years now, I have been staging and re-designing homes and rooms and having a zero budget is usually my favorite thing!

With the exception of window treatments in the top and bottom photo, all of these rooms were done with only what the owner had. So while they might not be "trendy" {honestly though, do you want to be a slave to a trendy house or a home that is comfortable?}, they work for the homeowners.

So, how do you decorate with zero dollars?

First, take every single thing out of the room except large furniture items that must stay.

This is the point that I suggest you really clean the room well. No use trying to arrange furniture over old dust bunnies ;)

Now, really think about how you use the space. Is it not functioning because of layout or because the builder told you it was a formal dining, but the only dining you do is at the breakfast table but you are missing a home office? Editing is also key here, taking out extra items and purging can also lighten a room tremendously.

So now with function in mind, start bringing items in. Start with any area rugs (since they are the hardest to add later) and work from there. Once you have the furniture in place it is time for accessories. Shop your whole house, linen closet and storage. You would be surprised what you can come up with if you think outside the box.

This is also the time that calling in a girlfriend, sister (or hubby for the heavy lifting) can be fun!

Good luck with your decorating.

Love,

Bev

PS You can find me here:

Just Something I Whipped Up

2012-01-22T16:59:00.001-05:00

This weekend was a bit crazy and I didn’t get around to posting the Giveaway Directory for this week but it’s up now, so please click HERE if you have a Giveaway that you want to promote {or enter}.

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Last week we had so many great projects linked up! 607 to be exact! Craziness!!! Thanks so much for coming back each week and linking up. And if it’s your first time here, WELCOME!

The top 5 projects from last week were:

Ribbon and Lace Mason Jar Cups from I {heart} Nap Time

Valentine Subway Art from Mom on Time Out

List of 75 Valentine Printables from Crationary

Cinnamon French Toast Bake from What’s Cooking Love?

Classroom Valentines and Decor from Uncommon

Congratulations, you guys!! If your project was featured here, please feel free to grab a featured button below to show off!

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Please add a link to something YOU have whipped up recently. It can be a recipe, a sewing project, furniture revamp, room makeover – pretty much anything goes. NO Pinterest round ups though. As much as we all love Pinterest, we want to see what you have created.

I would love it if you would add a link to The Girl Creative somewhere visible on your blog so that others can join in the fun.

10 Creative DIY Cupcake Stands

2012-01-17T14:02:00.000-05:00

Cupcakes have really come a long way! From cupcake toppers, to creative wrappers to delicious gourmet frostings, they have really become crowd pleasers for any event.

Kole’s first birthday is coming up in a few months and determined to not do something last minute for once, I started looking for ideas to display some cupcakes that I plan on making.

Here are 10 creative DIY cupcake displays that are easy enough for anyone to pull off.

1. Individual cupcake stands displayed on a red polka dot trunk. Don’t have a trunk? Just wrap a box in some cool wrapping paper.

Source: Modern Moments Designs

2. Interchangeable cupcake stands – how clever!

Source: Kirtsy (from The Giver’s Log)

3. Dollar Store Cupcake Stand using glass vases and burner covers. Genius!

Source: The Little Brown House

4. Another take on cupcake stands using burner covers. Love it!

Source: Decor-ganize Crafts

5. Giant cupcake display for larger events – so pretty!

Source: Balancing Beauty and Bedlam

6. Okay, I think this has to be my favorite! I will let the picture do the talking!

Source: Bee in our Bonnet

7. Made from paper (free template too!)

Source: Bird’s Party

8. Cake board, glass candlestick and ribbon – doesn’t get much easier than that!

Source: The Crafting Chicks

9. Flower Pots and Plates

Source: Blog 5 to 9

10. Love this! Aren’t the plates so pretty???

Source: Wedding Wire

Just Something I Whipped Up

2012-01-15T19:43:00.001-05:00

It’s time for our weekly linky party, Just Something I Whipped Up, where you can share projects that you’ve been working on and gain some inspiration from what others have been creating.

Here are the top 5 viewed links from last week’s party:

DIY Dishwasher Soap Packets from Lady with the Red Rocker

Wine Bottle Glasses from Scissors & Steam

Etched Glass Baking Dish from The Creative Imperative

Infant Peasant Dress Pattern and Tutorial from Sew Much Ado

Painted Wood “Eat” Sign from DIY Design Fanatic

Thanks for linking up such great projects! If you were featured in this post, please feel free to grab the button below. (pssst: it’s brand new! just cranked it out today!)

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I would love it if you would add a link to The Girl Creative somewhere visible on your blog so that others can join in the fun.

…………………If you are hosting a giveaway at your blog, please feel free to add it to our weekly giveaway directory located HERE……………….

Giveaway Directory No. 2

2012-01-15T00:00:00.004-05:00

This week's giveaway directory is now live. If you are hosting a giveaway at your blog, please feel free to add your link to our giveaway directory HERE.

Enjoy the rest of your weekend and don't forget to come back for "Just Something I Whipped Up"!

xoxo
Diana

Freebie Friday {Embellished Clothespin Template}

2012-01-13T12:00:00.001-05:00

One of the easiest and popular craft projects out there is embellishing clothespins. I made a bunch HERE for my Christmas Advent Calendar. I made them HERE as part of a gift for a friend. Each time I made them, I traced them onto scrapbook paper and then cut them out. Not really a big deal but the little metal springs that hold the pin together kind of got in the way when tracing them and made for a bit of a pain in the butt.

Having the need to embellish some more for a project I’m working on, I decided to create a template to use and I wanted to share it with you. This template will give you 45 strips of paper to embellish 45 standard clothes pins with. All you need to do is print it out on the back of an 8.5x11 piece of scrapbook paper and cut the lines with a paper cutter/trimmer or even a scissor. If you have a 12x12 piece of scrapbook paper that you want to use instead, just trim it down to 8.5x11 and feed through your printer.

Once you have your strips of paper cut out, just Mod Podge them to the clothes pins. After making a bunch myself I realized that the paper overhangs just a tiny bit on the edges. A little sand paper (or even a nail file!) will take care of that and it will also give you a neat worn out look.

Click HERE to download a PDF copy of the template. You can cut out a bunch on different papers and then keep them on hand for the next time you want to make some. It will save you time when you are in a rush and just need a little last minute gift.

If you make and sell these on Etsy or anywhere else, please feel free to use the template. :)

{Please do not share this template. Please direct people to this post to download it. Thank you!}

How Children Adapt to Change – What do you think?

2012-01-11T23:04:00.001-05:00

In the community where I live, our school district is made up of 2 Neighborhood Elementary Schools, one middle school and one high school. In December our school board voted to eliminate the 2 neighborhood schools and convert them each to Grade Level Schools. If you are unfamiliar with both terms, let me explain. Neighborhood schools are schools that serve a particular neighborhood. Children who live closest to their neighborhood school will attend that school. The current neighborhood school that my girls attend is Grades K-5. The other neighborhood school in our district also serves grades K-5. After this school year one school will serve all of K-2 regardless of where in the district you live and the other will serve grades 3-5. The school board’s vote was 3-2 regardless of the many parents who pleaded and spoke their heart to leave things the way they were.

Right now there is a huge debate going on within our district. A group of parents have come together to make a legal appeal to this decision. They are circulating petitions and have even filed a grievance to have the decision overturned.

What it really comes down to (and what no one is really saying) is that the parents in one neighborhood don’t want their kids to mix with the children in the other neighborhood. I live in the “other” neighborhood. I’ve been here for almost 10 years and until this year I never knew that an “us vs them” mentality even existed. So, my house is not as big as yours so you don’t want your kids to socialize with mine? So, my school has more under privileged children who attend than yours does and you don’t want “them” to bring your children down? It’s ridiculous.

But, I digress. One argument that parents are using to make to appeal this decision is that children who have to transition to another school between 2nd and 3rd grade do not do well with that change. I have never had to deal with this so I’m not sure how I feel. What type of school do your children go to? Are any of your schools set up like Grade Level Schools? Have your children had a hard time transitioning to another school after 2nd grade?

If I had my way, I’d keep things the way they are and my feelings have nothing to do with the socio-economic status of anybody. I live a half a mile from our elementary school. I wait outside the school every day at pick-up for my girls to come out. I socialize with the parents of my children’s classmates whom I’ve gotten to know and become good friends with because of this daily routine. I don’t have to put my girls on a bus and wonder if anything “off” will take place at any given time. It’s a real sense of community we have because of how the schools are currently set up. I’m bummed it’s going to change but it really doesn’t matter how I feel or what I think. I just wonder how it will impact my oldest daughter who will now be facing this change next year. She’s excited about the change. A new school, woo hoo! lol She’ll get to ride a bus. Double woo-hoo! (in her opinion) I just wonder if it’s in the children’s best interest…….

I’d love any feedback that anyone might have into a similar situation or even any encouragement about it. I know that my daughter’s life and future is in God’s hands and I can find comfort in that at least. :)

Thanks for letting me share something that has absolutely nothing to do with crafting. :)

What I’m Pinning Wednesday

2012-01-11T00:00:00.000-05:00

Welcome to our first (of hopefully many!) “What I’m Pinning Wednesday”! Each Wednesday, if my family life allows it (and when my fabulous contributors are not posting during their week), I will be featuring some of the neat things that I have pinned to my Pinterest boards.

This week I want to start with a recipe that I pinned and even made. Delicious I tell you! It was a big hit when I made it for our New Year’s Eve party.

Pull Apart Pesto Bread pinned to my “Yummy Foods” board.

Source: Our Best Bites

Next up, this adorable Mason Jar Key Hook. This is definitely going on my to do list. This project is pinned to my “For the Home” board.

Source: Shanty-2-Chic

Also from my “For the Home” board, this to-die-for Hall Tree. I want one of these BAD!!! This was made out of an old door and a bench. Love it!!!

Source: Hobbies of a Homemaker

I adore this Love Sign which I have pinned to my “Valentine” board. I love how the ribbon scraps are holding up some of the letters. And I love the pom-pom garland as well.

Source: Snowy Bliss

If you have a little girl and need help planning the perfect party, then this is for you! I have this amazing project pinned to my “Girlie Birthday Party” board.

Source: The House of Smiths

And lastly, I’ll leave you with this yummy treat I just found: Cookie Dough Brownies which is pinned on my “Yummy Foods” board. If I wasn’t trying to lose weight, I would be all over these like white on rice! ;)

Source: Kelsey Bang

Until next time…………….

Just Something I Whipped Up

2012-01-08T22:37:00.002-05:00

Hi Friends! I hope you all had a great weekend! Anyone do anything fun and exciting? My husband worked so me and the kids just hung out. Throw in a play date and church and that pretty much sums up my weekend.

Before we get this party started let me just say……….

NY GIANTS BABY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

and

WAY TO GO TEBOW!!!!!!!

2 totally different teams but still. Very good day for us NY Giants and Tim Tebow fans!

Share your creations with us. We can’t wait to see what you’ve been working on. Have a great week!!!

Giveaway Directory No.1

2012-01-08T00:00:00.003-05:00

If you are hosting a Giveaway over at your blog, please feel free to add your link to our Giveaway Directory located HERE.

I hope you are all having a wonderful weekend!

xoxo,
Diana

New! Weekly Giveaway Directory

2012-01-07T00:00:00.000-05:00

Back in my earlier days of blogging I used to have a Giveaway Directory. Each month I would update it and bloggers could add a link(s) to giveaways they had going on at their blog. I just recently started to get into doing some regular giveaways and when I went to go find giveaway listings to help spread the word, I couldn’t find many. The only one that I knew of was the one every Thursday at Someday Crafts {which by the way is terrific and you should take advantage of it if you are hosting a giveaway}. I tossed the idea of starting one back up around and decided to go for it!

So, starting this Sunday, January 8 (and the Sunday’s following it) I’m going to open up a Giveaway Directory located right HERE.

Everything is all set up and ready to go for this Sunday. Please help spread the word and share this post either via any of the methods at the bottom of the post.

Do you know these peeps?

2012-01-06T00:00:00.000-05:00

I hope you’ve noticed a bunch of new sponsor ads gracing our sidebars over the last month or so. We have a bunch of really great businesses and blogs that I want to tell you about. Some of them you may already be familiar with and some may be new but I hope that you would take some time and check them out. You never know, you could stumble upon your newest crush!

Children’s Bookstore is an online bookstore that caters to juvenile readers ONLY! They have books like Junie B. Jones, Fancy Nancy, Curious George and other favorites. Keep your eyes opened for a giveaway soon from Children’s Bookstore!

PopaliciousToo -- A fun supply shop that is filled with tons of buttons/cabochons...flat back, pin back or holllow with fabulous images of all genre's from kids to vintage we have it and if we don't...we will find it for you and do a special order! They are perfect for your jewelry making needs...perfect for those special hair bow centers...scrapbooking...party favors or a million other things your imagination dreams up! An ever growing line of resin flower cabochons...jewelry findings...hair findings...millinery flowers...ribbons and much more to come!

The Cottage Market -- A Little Cottage Style boutique with a bit of Shabby Chic style! If you are looking for the perfect cake plate for a special occasion you can find it here...many new vintage cake plates are on their way soon. Looking for a special little gift...how about some Marie Antionette magnets...glass paperweight...paris style clothespins and more. We have banners and buntings...cake buntings and even frames with buntings! We even have some cool things for me including a vintage dictionary mustache paperweight...drop by...new hand made stock is being added almost every day now...hope you enjoy!

Seamingly Smitten sewing patterns was created to help beginner sewers not only sew trendy and boutique items for their children, but also for themselves! We create chic sewing patterns for women that help women feel confident while they are sewing and while they are wearing what they made!

Use code SEWCRAFTY to save 25% off entire purchase. Ends January 20th

Mary Kathryn (MKMathews) is a mom of 3 + full-time music teacher + theatre director who blogs about her family, crafts, and renovating her 50+ year old house with her husband. Her etsy shop is full of accessories and home decor items that are perfect for gifting to friends, family, teachers, babysitters, and yourself!

Use coupon code GIRLCREATIVE to receive 25% off of orders through the end of January.

blog- www.mathewsfamilyhappenings.blogspot.com

shop- www.mkmathews.etsy.com

Get Sewing sells simple patterns for first time sewers that are very easy to follow. Projects can usually be completed within a 2 hour timeframe. Barbara, owner of Get Sewing, has been teaching sewing for 3+1/2 years to students ages 8 through older adults. Coupon code TGIRLC gets 25% off at check out, through January 15. Web site is www.getsewing.com. Patterns are in the SHOP section.

Keeping up with the Cantelmo's is about faith, family, life, some cooking and some DIY projects. Join us in our journey.

Sabina, handmade artisan of sewing, crochet, knitting and Hand embroidery is the owner of Sbb1 on Etsy where she sells clothing, fiber items and her line of reusable cloth menstrual pads and wet bags. She also has an active sewing blog called Slip Stitches & More.

Jessica, owner of Happy Pretty, is a mama, a wife, a former beauty queen, magazine editor and author who is a survivor and a champion for the well being of children every where! She tries to bring a little happiness into people lives, homes and hearts in the small ways that she can through her blog, and every now and again I throw in some awareness about the causes that are close to my heart! Her etsy shop, Happy Pretty, sells decorative clothes pints, signs, wall art and more! Use code FREESHIP to get free shipping on anything you order from her shop!

GiGisPetals is a daily deal site that offers affordable handmade goods
from jewelry to home decor to hair and clothing accessories to iPhone
accessories to monogrammed items to vinyl. In addition to finding
great artisinal products at fabulous prices – they also offer
giveaways once a set amount are sold – allowing you to have a chance
to actually win yours for FREE!

Such wonderful sponsors, yes? I know it’s a lot to take in but take your time. These fabulous people will be here for awhile. :)

How to Respond to Comments via Email

2012-01-05T00:00:00.000-05:00

In the blog world, who doesn’t love comments, right? And what’s even more fun is when you get a response in an email form from one of your favorite bloggers. Ever wonder how they do that? I know for the longest time I had no idea how in the world all that worked. Well, somehow I found out (probably by reading a post similar to the one I’m writing) and now I want to share that information with you in just a few easy steps.

(These instructions are for the New Blogger Interface)

……Step One……

The first thing you want to do is to make sure that you have your email address linked to your blog profile. You can do this by editing your profile in Blogger. To do this you will click on your blog name in the top right hand corner of your Dashboard and click on “Blogger Profile”. Then you are going to click on the little orange button to the right that says “Edit Profile”. Make sure the little box next to “Show my email address” is checked off. Scroll down and click “Save Profile”. Now when someone receives your comment on their blog via email, your email address will show up and they will be able to respond to your comment. Before you did this, this is what they would see:

noreply-comment@blogger.com

And that’s no good! And frustrating to the blogger who would like to respond to you.

With me so far? Okay, now if you would like to be able to respond to the comments on YOUR blog via email, you will need to follow Step Two.

……Step Two……

You will need to set up a little thing called “Comment Notification”. To do this you will login to your Blogger dashboard. Next to your blog name (towards the right of the screen) you will see a little grey box with a white arrow (triangle). Click on that and scroll down to “settings” and click on that. Over on the left you will see a column. Click on “Mobile and email”. In the “Comment Notification Email” box, type in whatever email address you would like to receive your comments at. Click “Save Settings” at the top right of your screen and you are done.

Now keep in mind, if your blog gets a lot of comments, your inbox is going to be flooded with emails for every comment someone makes to your blog. This can be very overwhelming and there is a good chance that important emails may get lost in your inbox. My recommendation is (and this is what I do) to set up an email address either via Gmail, Yahoo, Hotmail or any other free service that will be just for your comments.

I hope this post helped some of the newer bloggers who are still trying to figure everything out in this sometimes overwhelming, but oh so addicting, world of blogging. ;)

xoxo,

Diana

Valentine’s Subway Art {Free Printable}

2012-01-04T00:00:00.001-05:00

For the longest time, the walls in my living room were pretty bare and I just kept drawing a blank as to what to do with them. Over Christmas break, my husband mounted our tv which got me in the mood to start decorating. Doing that one thing really made a bit difference in our living room. We bought a media console to go under it and our living room was finally starting to come together.

On Thanksgiving I had asked my dad to build me a mantle shelf for the wall opposite the tv. I know that it was easy enough to do ourselves but knew that we wouldn’t have the time before Christmas to do it and well……….I kind of wanted it like yesterday so my dad came to the rescue. “While you’re at it………….could you bring me an old window if you happen to have one?” (which I knew he did! He built my mom a greenhouse with a bunch of old windows he collected and I knew he had to have a few kicking around. I was right!)

Here’s what I got Christmas Eve (I was like a little kid on Christmas morning!)

The candle sticks I picked up at Burlington for $9.99 (total bargain). Finally a place to decorate for the holidays (yeah!!!!!!!!!!!) and for everyday stuff as well. I decided to do a little something for Valentine’s Day. I didn’t spend any money to do this. I just did a little shopping around the house and in the basement.

The text on the subway art is from 1 Corinthians 13, the love chapter. I love this because I can keep it up throughout the year because God’s Word is for everyday, not just for holidays. I had the frame downstairs and I had that bouquet of red roses in the basement also. That thing is so old! lol But I’m glad I held onto it all this time.

And how about another view….

{i since removed the “laugh” sign after looking at these pictures but I’m loving the look of this shelf.}

I’m sharing this “Love” printable with you so all you have to do is right click on the subway art below and “save as”. It will print on regular 8.5x11 paper.

UPDATE: A few of you had trouble when printing. I'm not sure why but I've added 2 links for you to use instead of doing "save as". If you had trouble with the original file, but had success with either the download files below, please let me know which worked for you. Thank you!!

PDF*

*You may need to resize when printing. Not sure why this is happening.

JPG

Please do not share this freebie once you have downloaded it. Feel free to direct people to this post to obtain their own copy. :) I'm linking up at The 36th Avenue party!

Fabric Paint...the Stain Fighter!

2012-01-03T00:00:00.003-05:00

With three small kids it can be a challenge keeping all of their clothes looking nice and new. I am always coming up with ways to cover up stains, whether it be upcycling the look completely and turning it into something new...or something as simple as adding applique.

The easiest way I have found by far is fabric paint. This 'magic in a bottle' does wonders for any old clothing!!! And the best part for all of you non-sewists out there - No sewing is required to fix it!

Ever since I discovered all that fabric paint can do, I have never looked back. I always have a few bottles on hand - and we have learned to have so much fun with it! Just like the watercolor fabric we made a while back. And now I don't worry as much when I put a plate of spaghetti in front of the kids for dinner :).

Fabric Paint...the Stain Fighter!

And just like that I have 2 brand new shirts that my kids love, that don't need to go in the 'play clothes' drawer. And my husband thinks I am a genius because I am saving money...woot woot!

Be sure to hop on over to Me Sew Crazy where I have a month long New Years ReSewLution Series going on. Some of our favorite bloggers will be visiting and sharing their resolutions with us!

Thanks so much for stopping by, and until next time...

Happy Sewing!

{Just Something I Whipped Up}

2012-01-01T22:22:00.002-05:00

Happy New Year guys!!! I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas and holiday season! I’m super excited for 2012. I have high hopes for a lot of good things. 2011 will be hard to top though because it gave me this little guy:

But, I am looking forward to making this year a good one. :)

So, this is the first linky party of the year. That’s pretty exciting. I wonder what the trends of 2012 will be? Anyone want to take a guess? In recent years we saw a lot of burlap and chevron……………hmmm……..what will it be this year??

We have a giveaway from Lilac Lane going on this week. Please go HERE to enter!

:::::Let’s get this party started:::::

Please grab a button and add it somewhere to your blog. It doesn’t have to be on your project post or even on your homepage (although those are the best places for them) but as long as it’s somewhere on your blog, that’s cool with me.
Add a link to a project that YOU have created. Sorry, NO PINTEREST Round-Up Posts
Thanks to all of you who leave me a comment and don’t just link and run. lol I appreciate each one of them!

Have a GREAT week!!!

{Guest Post and Giveaway} with Lilac Lane

2012-01-01T15:45:00.001-05:00

Thank you so much to The Girl Creative for letting me be your guest today! I'm Melissa Stramel, a pattern and fabric designer and am so happy to be here. I wanted to let you know a little more about me and my business, Lilac Lane.

I'm a mother to three beautiful children, ages 7, 6 and 4. They're close together and because of that they're also very close. It's so nice. You don't often see my oldest, Nathan, on patterns because, well, he's a boy. And my things are so very, very girly. He doesn't mind.

When I went to college, I finished up with a Doctor of Pharmacy degree. It's a nice thing to be able to do now and then. But at heart, I've always been an artsy person. I love anything involving domestic and fine arts including cooking, photography, painting, decorating, gardening and sewing. You can find a little bit of all of this on my blog.

It's been a dream come true to see my patterns available in print. To date, I have five out, all from last June through the present. I hope to be able to do this for many years to come. I also hope to someday see my fabric designs on fabric! That is a much slower adventure.

I would love to give one of my patterns away to one lucky winner. Here’s the ways that you can enter:

{Giveaway is opened to followers of The Girl Creative only}

::::::MANDATORY ENTRY::::::

Leave a comment on this post telling which pattern you’d like to win.

::::::ADDITIONAL ENTRIES WORTH ONE EXTRA ENTRY PER EACH THING YOU DO:::::

Follow Melissa’s blog, Make Life Beautiful
“LIKE” Lilac Lane on Facebook
Follow Lilac Lane on Twitter
Subscribe to The Girl Creative via RSS or email

I’m offering 30% off at my shop, Lilac Lane, by using code THEGIRLCREATIVE if you do not win.

**Winners will be chosen using Random.org and will be notified via email by Diana so please make sure you have an email address linked to your blog. If you do not have a blog, please be sure to add your email address to your comment.

A Post on Style {A Girl Creative First}

2011-12-28T13:18:00.003-05:00

Hi ladies! My name is Amy, my blog is Sugar and Spice. I'm the sponsor on the right side of the screen with the pink button with the cupcake. I blog about 5 topics. The same 5 topics every week, actually. They are: 1) Being a momma to two adorable little girls 2) Recipes that I love to make and think you should know about 3) Books that have really made a significant impact on me and why 4) Being a Christ-follower and reflections on faith 5) Style

Each week I post about one of those 5 topics per day, (Monday through Friday). Today, I'd like to feature two outfits for you today that represents my (newly inspired) sense of style. I have recently begun a journey of discovering all of the new creations I can make with clothing that (a) I already own, or (b) I buy secondhand.
When I get dressed these days, a take a minute or two to think through my outfit, thinking of what might layer really well, or what would give the outfit some visual interest. Mixing and matching in a sense. When I wear clothes that flatter me yet are still modest and just plain fun to wear, I tend to feel great which makes me feel confident other areas of my life. Here are two great examples of my newfound love for modest, cheap, and beautiful style.

Example No. 1:

Collared Shirt = TJ Maxx at least 5 years ago, around $10, Sweater = Juicy Couture from Plato's Closet, $17. Skirt = Goodwill, $3.99, Boots = DSW ( I cannot find the brand name on them and I bought them at least a year ago, so I can't remember the price. $50 is my guess) If you consider that I wear the boots with almost everything in the fall and winter and I don't buy new shoes to go with every new outfit I create, then the cost of the outfit without the boots was $31.

Example No. 2:

I bought this top from Plato's Closet - a secondhand store in my area. I love it because it not only has a great print, it also has perfect colors for pairing with so many of the cardigans I own. Brown, green, orange, and red all go great with this and I have them all in my closet! (Three of the four of them I've owned for 3+ years!)

I can't see cardigans going out of style, can you? I would hang on to them even if you get rid of other pieces of your wardrobe over the years, because you will probably find yourself wearing them in the future even if you haven't worn it for some time.

******

Thank you so much, Amy, for showing us how to use things we already have in our closet to create a variety of outfits. I myself purchase cardigans quite often and I hardly ever get rid of them.

My Top 10 Blog Crushes of 2011

2011-12-27T11:23:00.001-05:00

With 2011 coming to an end I decided to pay some tribute to my blog crushes of 2011. Some of them will be very familiar to you. Some of them will be new finds. They are all top notch in my book and I visit them regularly. And if they have a Facebook presence, I will follow them there too!

…..In Random Order…..

::::::Two Shades of Pink::::::

::::::Lolly Jane::::::

::::::The Tomkat Studio::::::

::::::Tatertots and Jello::::::

I just want to interject here and tell you a little bit about my experiences with Jen from Tatertots and Jello. I’m sure you are all familiar with her and her amazing blog. Yes? Okay. Her blog is hugely popular, she has an incredible following and yet she still takes the time to comment on blogs. My blog. That alone blows me away because I don’t have anywhere near her following and I struggle to leave comments. Then, THEN she said “yes” when I asked her to guest post during my Creating Christmas event. You definitely want to hang around her blog. :)

::::::Love the Day::::::

::::::Little Lucy Lu::::::

::::::The 36th Avenue::::::

::::::Confessions of a Cookbook Queen::::::

{Just found this one today and this chick is funny!}

::::::Fingerprints on the Fridge::::::

{Okay, this last one is NOT a blog but I’m incredibly in love with this site}

::::::Shop Sweet Lulu::::::

I’m looking forward to discovering some new crushes in 2012. :)

Just Something I Whipped Up

2011-12-25T22:08:00.001-05:00

Merry Christmas to you! I hope everyone had a great CHRISTmas day and was able to spend it the way they wanted to. My husband, kids and I spent the day at home just hanging out. We went to church this morning and then just chilled out for the rest of the day. And I even got a 2 hour nap in there too! Woo!!

The kids are off from school for a whole week…….I’m not sure if I (or they) will survive but here’s to hoping. lol I’d love nothing more than getting my laundry under control this week but…………that’s another topic!

Well, it’s time to link up. Share projects that YOU have created and then go run around from blog to blog making new friends and getting inspiration. :) I hope you all have a blessed week!!!

p.s. If I don’t post again this week it’s because my kids have taken over and are holding me for ransom.

My 5 year old is crazy!

2011-12-22T16:37:00.001-05:00

This is my 5 year old, Gracie. I was telling her a story this morning about when she was little and she colored on her face with pink marker. Deciding to reinvent herself, she did this. Does this child want me to have a heart attack right before Christmas??? lol Thankfully it was washable (it was all over her other cheek but I waited to get the camera out until after I made sure it was not permanent!) but C’MON!! LOL

I may not get to post again before Christmas so I wish you all a very MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

{Creative Blog Roll – Please add your blog!}

2011-12-19T21:52:00.004-05:00

If you have a creative blog, whether it be DIY, Home Improvement, Furniture Restoration, Recipes, Sewing, Needle Point, Knitting, Crocheting, Before & After, etc, I’d love for you to add a link to your blog’s HOMEPAGE in the linky list below.

::::::This how you should fill in each blank when entering::::::

Link Title or Blog Title: Your Blog’s Name goes here. Example: The Girl Creative – DIY, Recipes, Sewing Tutorials (use several keywords that best describe your blog content)
Link: www.thegirlcreative.com (YOUR BLOG HOMEPAGE LINK)

Once you add your link, I would LOVE it if you could add this button to your blog somewhere to help spread the word. :)