Young and Crafty

Free for All

2012-03-02T20:00:00.003-06:00

I’ve got absolutely nothing planned for this weekend… and I’m pumped!

Here are the fab features from last week:

I’ve seen all sorts of apothecary jars. I just love this one!

I want this cake for my birthday. Yes I may be 24 but man that is cute!

Love this interchangeable St. Patty’s wreath!

And the most viewed link:

Fabulous ottoman redo! Gorgeous color too.

Rules: Link directly to your post of projects made by you, no Etsy shops, no giveaways(Please do not link up a project that you've already linked here before)

A to Z Celebrations Guest Post {Rose Ball Tutorial}

2012-02-29T06:00:00.000-06:00

Today I’ve got Nancy from A to Zebra Celebrations here sharing a super fun tutorial!

Nancy Pfeifer is a talented mom and party planner from Arizona and founder of A to Zebra Celebrations and MyPartyIsOver.com, a place for everyone who loves to recycle and reuse party decor. She loves planning parties for her two daughters!

I have been meaning to write the tutorial for the rose balls I used in my daughter's party.

A little story about these. I was in Los Angeles, CA this past March. I went shopping with my aunt. We walked into this little store downtown and they had some gorgeous rose balls hanging from the ceiling. I asked the clerk if they were for sale and she said "yes". I told her I wanted 3 of the pink ones. She told me "we are sold out, and we won't get any for another month". I was devastated, because my party was in like 3 weeks! I knew these would be perfect for the party. I had no choice, but to try and make them myself.....ha! Here's what I came up with and it's super easy, but you need to know that it took me over 7 hours to make these 3 balls... sooooooo much time!!! Materials: Roses, foam ball and glue gun. (You can also spray paint the foam ball, but I did not)

Take the roses apart and get rid of all the greenery

Take your glue gun and add some to the stem

Stick it in the ball right away before your glue dries. You will need to press hard and hold for a minute or two

Your rose will look like this when you let go

I added some hot glue inside the petals to make them look tighter

Then add another rose, and another, and another....until your ball is full

You want to stick them pretty close together so you have no white spots showing

And here's what your rose ball will look like!!

Here's where I used them for my daughter's party! You can view all the pictures from her party HERE

I also used one of them for this zebra photo shoot and just put it on a candle holder

The possibilities for these gorgeous rose balls are endless! I'd love to hang these in a nursery room, or use them for a wedding, you could also hang them above a desserts table, etc..etc... Let your imagination come up with new ideas for these!! Send me an email with pictures if you decide to make these and use them on your upcoming party! I'd love to see them :) Feel free to ask any questions

Sponsor Young and Crafty in March

2012-02-26T21:35:00.001-06:00

I am now taking sponsors for the month of March. Currently Young and Crafty is reaching 2000+ pageviews per day. This is such a great way to get your business out there! Purchasing an ad space comes with an announcement on Facebook and Twitter.

Option #1 is a 150x150 ad space for $8.

Option #2 is a 150x300 ad space for $15.

If you would like more details or stats please email me at youngancrafty @ gmail.com

Please take a second and visit my sponsor for all of your cheesecloth needs!

http://www.cheesecloth.us/

Great Spring Cleaning Tips {Guest Post}

2012-02-26T08:09:00.003-06:00

5 Spring Cleaning Tips

The weather’s getting warmer, and it’s almost time for everyone’s favorite yearly activity: spring-cleaning. If you’ve spent almost a year watching things pile up in your closets and garage, spring-cleaning is going to be difficult. But there’s nothing you can’t do if you put your mind to it. With a little ingenuity and elbow grease, you can make your house as neat and organized as Martha Stewart’s. Lose the stress, and try out these five, simple tips while you’re cleaning out your house this year:

1. Get the whole family involved.

Ask your kids and spouse to help out. Oftentimes when it comes to cleaning, one person in the household has to do the majority of the work. This isn’t fair. Don’t be afraid to ask for help. If you live alone, you could ask one of your close friends or family members to come over to your place and help you out. Someone probably owes you a favor. Take advantage of it.

2. Break your cleaning up.

Don’t try to clean out your whole house in one day. It’s best to break up your spring-cleaning over the course of several weekends. For instance, you could work for a few hours every Sunday for a few weeks. If you clean in small chunks of time, you’re less likely to feel burned out and give up.

3. Work on the most difficult parts of your house first.

Start with the closets and then move to the kitchen and bathrooms. The closets are where you’re going to need to spend the most time deciding what you can get rid of. And you’re going to spend the most time organizing the closets. The kitchens and bathrooms are the areas that you’re probably going to have to scrub the most. Once you take care of the difficult areas, everything else will seem like a breeze.

4. Consider throwing a garage sale.

A garage sale will save you the trouble of having to transport large items like couches and TVs to your local thrift store if you want to get rid of them. And a garage sale will help you make some extra money you can use to treat yourself for being such a diligent spring cleaner!

5. Avoid putting everything that doesn’t fit in your house in the garage.

The garage should only be a temporary solution to alleviate clutter in your home. Try to only keep your cars, tools, and lawn care items in the garage. If you pile all of your unwanted stuff in there, you’re just going to have to clean it all up someday, which will probably be a complete nightmare.

Author’s Bio: Ryan is a guest post writer on the subjects of home organization, home window prices, and interior design trends. He’s also a real estate enthusiast who is specifically interested in homes for sale in Austin TX and Amberwood homes for sale.

Please take a second and visit my sponsor for all of your cheesecloth needs!

http://www.cheesecloth.us/

Free for All

2012-02-24T20:00:00.003-06:00

Wow the weather has been gorgeous! Have you been outside enjoying it? I have as much as possible :)

Here are the fab features from last week:

Wood paneling was about as cool in the 80’s as bead board is now. It’s not really cool anymore. We have it in the living room and I hate it (even though it’s painted). ANYWAY… here is an excellent tutorial on how to add molding to your paneling. It turned out awesome!

I love these tips on how to get ready quick! Doesn’t she look fabulous?!

I love this sign… the colors and the quote are perfect.

And the most viewed link:

This pantry redo came a loooong way. And there is an amazing stencil in the back!

Please take a second and visit my sponsor for all of your cheesecloth needs!

http://www.cheesecloth.us/

Rules: Link directly to your post of projects made by you, no Etsy shops, no giveaways(Please do not link up a project that you've already linked here before)

Nursing Cover & Bib

2012-02-19T10:15:00.001-06:00

A nursing cover and a monogramed bib are my go to handmade gift for new moms. I always find out if the mom is nursing and if she is, I make a nursing cover. I like to throw in a bib to match because they are easy to make and can be specialized.

I used the pattern from A Little Tipsy that I found on the great Pinterest. (Follow HERE)

The nursing cover is a compilation of patterns. I sort of just made up my own. It’s really not to difficult since it’s basically a giant square with a strap. I used Velcro so that it would be really easy to take on and off.

(If you want a tutorial for this, let me know and I can make one!)

And there you have it! A super easy gift for a new mom :)

Please take a second and visit my sponsor for all of your cheesecloth needs!

http://www.cheesecloth.us/

Linking Up To These Parties: Monday- Skip to my Lou Embellishing Life Craft-O-Maniac Its So Very Cheri Making the World Cuter C.R.A.F.T. The Girl Creative Tuesday- Sugar Bee Crafts Topsy Turvy Cakes Night Owl Crafting A Diamond in the Stuff Home Stories A to Z Today's Creative Blog Funky Polkadot Giraffe Wednesday- Trendy Treehouse Fireflies & Jellybeans Saturday MorningsThursday- Somewhat Simple Paisley Passions What Allie's Making Now Christina's Adventures House of Hepworths Friday- Sassy Sites Fingerprints on the Fridge Tatertots and Jello Chic on a Shoestring Decorating Sunday- Under the Table and Dreaming I Heart Nap Time

Free for All

2012-02-17T20:00:00.001-06:00

It’s going to be a great weekend followed by a great week! I’m off of work Monday for Presidents Day. I’m out of school due to Mardi Gras break. (Yes, we do have that down here in Louisiana!) My sister is in town, my best friend is in town, and my brother in law! Can’t get much better :)

Here are the fab features from last week:

OMG is this not the cutest argyle hoody ever?! I want one!

This dresser would be so perfect in a beachy room… or any room for that matter!

I have great respect for quilters because it looks incredibly hard. This one is beautiful!

And the most viewed link:

Want to get in shape and eat better? This blog post has some great tips and motivation!

Please take a second and visit my sponsor for all of your cheesecloth needs!

http://www.cheesecloth.us/

Rules: Link directly to your post of projects made by you, no Etsy shops, no giveaways(Please do not link up a project that you've already linked here before)

Dollar General Home Decor

2012-02-17T02:00:00.001-06:00

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Dollar General for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

I just love a good deal and Dollar General is the place to find one. You can't beat a good Dollar Store. They offer a wide variety of home decor, housewares, kitchen tools, sheets and rugs.

These colorful rags come in such fun colors.

And they make me wish for spring. Is it every going to get here?! Everyone can use more rags around the house. For dishes, for cleaning, for bathing. They always come in handy.

Towels are another great option. Especially if you don't want to spend a fortune. Towels can be quite expensive but not at Dollar General!

You can also find some of those everyday household items that you actually use everyday for a great deal. Who doesn't need more measuring cups? I think I use one at least once a day!

I would definitely spend a $1 to buy this measuring cup! What a great deal on something I would use almost every day.

Right now Dollar General is having a promotion until Feb. 19th. You can get a 50% off coupon that can be used in Dollar General stores. What are you waiting for? That would make that measuring cup a mere .50 cents!!

Lucky Clover Specimen Art {Tutorial}

2012-02-12T09:57:00.000-06:00

There are so many cool specimen craft projects out there and I’ve always loved the look of them. I finally whipped one up using a few of my new Lifestyle Crafts products. They have an amazing new line of products that they just released. I just love how easy their products are to use to whip up a quick project!

Now that I’ve finished this little project up, I have exactly 2 St. Patrick’s Day decor items. You can see the clover I made last year HERE.

Here’s how I made mine:

I grabbed an old frame that I’ve in my craft closet for, oh let’s just say a loooong time. I threw the glass out. You won’t be needing it.

I covered the cardboard part with white computer paper and glued it on.

I painted the outside of the frame a nice St. Patty’s day green. I then used my Lifestyle Crafts clovers to cut out all of the clovers and then grabbed my Cricut to cut out the lucky letters. I tried to keep the outsides of the clover where I could lift them up a bit.

And now it sits on my mantle, right next to my pink flowers for Valentine’s Day.

And as always, visit Lifestyle Crafts and get a 20% of discount with the code YOUNG!

Free for All

2012-02-10T20:00:00.001-06:00

My crafty mojo has left me lately. I’m hoping to get it back this weekend and get started on an estate sale find a few weekends ago. Here’s to hoping!

Here are the fab features from last week:

Making some type of menu board is on my “to do” list. I love this one!

This really awkward hallway got an amazing makeover. It looks awesome but I sure would hate to paint those stripes!

Oh my isn’t this the cutest little thing?! GREAT fabric choices!

And the most viewed link:

I actually posted this on Facebook and Twitter to share with you guys to. Looks like everyone was just as curious to learn great tips about thrift shopping to! Go check it out for a great read!

Rules: Link directly to your post of projects made by you, no Etsy shops, no giveaways(Please do not link up a project that you've already linked here before)

How to Hang Molding

2012-02-04T17:28:00.000-06:00

This is one of those projects that I was scared to do. I’ve never hung molding before and was a total newbie.

First of all, don’t be scared to do this! I did it all by myself. Translation: the husband didn’t help. I wanted to give it a shot on my own and I am super proud of how it turned out!

I used Thrifty Decor Chick’s advice a lot. She has a great tutorial too. I’m going to give you my version, which is quite similar. I’m blessed that we have a miter saw and nail gun but this could easily be done with a miter box and an old fashioned hammer!

The hardest part is the measurements. Well, let’s just say it was the hardest part for me. I’m slightly mathematically challenged. I’m going to try to break this down as easily as possible.

So standing in my living room looking at the front door is the left side and the right side. I’ll explain the left side and the right is the same scenario.

First of all, I decided how many boxes I wanted before measuring. I don’t know if this is technically how you should do this but that’s what I did. I wanted 2 boxes on the left and 3 on the right.

The left side measured 70 inches. I knew that I wanted 3 inches to be between the middle of the boxes and on the outside where the boxes start.

Helpful hint: When you measure, round to the closest inch. Unless someone has a super trained eye, they aren’t going to notice a 1/2 inch. TRUST ME this will make your life easier!

I subtracted 6 (for the sides) from 70. That left me with 64 inches. Then I subtracted the remaining 3 inches for the middle. That left me with 61 inches. All of those remaining 61 inches would be the boxes. Divide that by 2. That leaves the boxes being 30.5 inches in length (horizontal).

Whew. Are you with me? I hope that wasn’t to complicated!

Now it’s time for the width (vertical). From the bottom of the chair rail to the top of the base board measured 35 inches. This time you just need to subtract 6, 3 inches from the bottom of the chair rail to where the box starts and 3 inches from the bottom of the box to the top of the base board. That leave 29 inches for the width (vertical) of the box.

Ok, so now that we have the measurements let’s start hanging the molding. Each edge of the molding is cut into a 45 degree angle. It’s really easy to cut the angle the wrong way, so make sure you double and triple check. Yes, I did cut 2 pieces the wrong way!

You will want to find something to use that is 3 inches. I used a dowel and cut it down. If you don’t use something then you will have to awkwardly hold up a tape measure. Start at the top and put your dowel up.

While holding the molding in place, move the dowel to the top of the molding. Try your hardest not to move the molding. I then took the dowel and moved it back and forth from the left to the top several times to make sure everything was lined up correctly.

Put a nail in the top. This will hold the molding in place while you grab a level. You will be able to move the piece of molding around until it is perfectly level. AKA straight. Now you can put a nail in the middle and at the bottom.

Remember my helpful hint of rounding to the nearest inch? Here is an example of how it is a little off. No one will notice unless they keep a tape measure in their back pocket!

Now you are ready for another side. Fit your angle together and then grab your dowel. This is just to make sure you’re on the right track. Put a nail in on the side closest to the angle.

Grab that level again and move your molding until the magic bubble is in the middle. Put a nail in the middle and on the other end.

Don’t worry about the gap. That’s what spackle or filler is for!

And there you have it! I sure hope that this helped.

Now go forth and hang some molding!!

Thanks for stopping in :)

Free for All & New Cutting Edge Stencils WINNER

2012-02-03T20:00:00.001-06:00

Hi friends! I sure hope you have all had a great week. Please take a few minutes and answer a few questions in my poll HERE. I’m trying to get feedback from YOU, my wonderful readers.

We have a new winner for the Cutting Edge Stencil giveaway because the last one didn’t contact me.

SMD… follow Cutting Edge on facebook

Congrats! I can’t find your email either SMD so please contact me at youngancrafty@gmail.com within 48 hours.

Would you guys rather me link the picture to the blog or link to the blog name?

Here are the fab features from last week:

I love this art. And the branch is the perfect touch!

Ummm… genius! Gorgeous color too.

Blackberry white chocolate ice cream… yuuummm!

And the most viewed link is:

This beautiful bath art!

Rules: Link directly to your post of projects made by you, no Etsy shops, no giveaways(Please do not link up a project that you've already linked here before)

Guest Posting at Not So Homemade {DIY Wooden Tray}

2012-02-03T07:53:00.000-06:00

Hey guys! You can find me over at Not So Homemade today. I’m showing off an old DIY project. Maybe you missed it and would like to see how to make this super easy tray!

It’s so easy, a caveman could do it. Seriously. It’s that easy!

Reader Feedback

2012-02-02T20:34:00.003-06:00

Yes, this is a post where I beg you to give me your feedback about Young and Crafty. The good, bad, and ugly. I can take it! What do you like, what do you not like? What do you want to see more of, what do you want to see less of? I borrowed some of Christina’s Adventures questions to help me out.

If there are any other questions that you have for me, please feel free to leave them in the comments. Of if you don’t feel comfortable doing that, shoot me an email at youngancrafty@gmail.com.

If you can take a second and fill out this poll, I want to get a feel for you guys!

Create your free online surveys with SurveyMonkey, the world's leading questionnaire tool.

Glade® Expressions™ Oil Diffuser & Fragrance Mist

2012-02-02T03:01:00.007-06:00

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Triad Retail Media for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

Everyone loves a fresh and clean smelling house. When company comes over, I always want it to smell like I just cleaned. Glade® Expressions™ has two new amazing products to keep your house smelling fresh, like you just cleaned!

The first product is new Glade® Expressions™ oil diffuser. The scents is incredibly long lasting. The oil diffuser lasts for 30 days and you don't need electricity to use it!

The oil diffusers are really chic and would go great with anyone's home decor. Unlike reed diffusers, you don't have to worry about it spilling either.

The second new product is the new Glade® Expressions™ fragrance mist

The mist is really easy to spray. You can also refill the fragrance with any of the other fragrances if you want to try out a new fresh scent.

They have 4 available scents:

Pineapple and Mangosteen
Cotton and Italian Mandarin (Mist only)
Fuji Apple and Cardamom
Spice Lavender and Juniper Berry

If you are unhappy with either of these two products they offer a money back guarantee! Just go here and fill out the form.

Want to try one out? Visit Walmart and take advantage of their everyday low price. You can also go get a new Glade® Expressions™ $1.50 off coupon! Enjoy!

I LOVE Avocados!

2012-02-01T04:00:00.001-06:00

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Avocados from Mexico for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

I used to be one of those people who turned their nose up at avocados. I couldn't stand them. That all changed when my sister made some guacamole. That was seriously less than a year ago. It was AMAZING. And that was where my love and obsession with avocados began.

Now, I try to add avocado into everything I eat. From sandwiches, salads, sushi, and wraps... I try to mix in some avocado. Here is a delicious wrap that I had recently. Turkey, tomato, lettuce, onion and half an avocado. MMMM delish! Another good thing about avocado is that it's creamy so you can leave off the fattening condiments!

I love that avocados are so good for you. They have a lot of fat content in them but they are the good fat that your body needs.

If you want to find some awesome and easy recipes for how to use avocados, visit Avocados from Mexico.

You can follow them on Twitter at @guacgrl and tweet your love of avocados by using #iloveavocados

I visited I love avocados on Facebook and downloaded this awesome I {heart} avocados badge! You can find it on my blog page and can get one for yourself and share the avocado love!

Molding & Stenciled Entry Redo

2012-01-29T06:00:00.000-06:00

Welcome to my house! Of course there are two wiggling weenie dogs to greet you :)

(I apologize for the craptastic pictures. There is ZERO natural light unless I open the door!)

Since we moved into this house, only 2 1/2 years ago, I knew that I wanted to hang molding on the bottom half of the entry. It was one of those low priority items. Hence, living here for 2 1/2 years with it exactly the same.

When Cutting Edge Stencils contacted me about trying out a stencil, I knew it was time for an entry overhaul. There was nothing wrong with our entry. It was ok. It’s small, which we can’t change. But there was definitely no big impact when you walked in. We had a nice chair rail that was here when we bought it.

(I painted the window frame and the wooden squares were put up pre-blog. I got the idea from Thrifty Décor Chick.)

I must say that the stencil was fairly easy to use. The only complaint I have is that it was incredibly hard to bend. Therefore I didn’t stencil the wall’s above the doorways.

Lazy? Yes. Easier? No Doubt. Will anyone notice? Probably Not.

Overall it was pretty easy. Are there tons of mistakes? Heck yeah. But the stencil is pretty forgiving because of the pattern. I can find all of them. If a guest can find even one they can have a cookie. Don’t you be looking Mom!

I haven’t decided what I’m going to hang up yet. So it’s neekkeed right now!

I’ll be giving you a tutorial for how I hung the molding. This was seriously easier than the stencil part!

And here are some Before and After’s:

I just LOVE the impact a simple stencil has given our entry!

Have you ever stenciled anything?

Free for All & Cutting Edge Stencils WINNER

2012-01-27T20:00:00.001-06:00

So I am loving Twitter (follow me HERE)! It’s so easy to update more often. I like Facebook but it’s harder for me to update because I am usually logged into my personal account and it’s a hassle to log in and out.

It’s been a busy week for me. School and work have me busy. I finished up the entry redo and will be showing you guys as soon as I snap some pics!

And the winner of the Cutting Edge Stencils giveaway is!

Staci I love all of their stuff - but I'd probably have to consider either a damask or quatrefoil one!

Congrats Staci but I have no way to contact you! Please contact me at youngancrafty@gmail.com within 48 hours.

So here are the fab features from last week:

This headboard is amazing! I love the hard a soft mix.

This table is made out of pallets. And it’s gorgeous. I love how you can make so many things with them!

Love, love, love the color of this end table! So bold!

And the most viewed link is:

Learn how to organize and create an effective command center!

Rules: Link directly to your post of projects made by you, no Etsy shops, no giveaways(Please do not link up a project that you've already linked here before)

Fleece Blanket {DIY Gift}

2012-01-24T21:11:00.001-06:00

I made this blanket for my nephew for Christmas. I’m sure there are one million tutorials on this.

Welcome to tutorial one million and one. Maybe there is one person left on this planet who hasn’t seen it yet.

Maybe just one? No?

Oh well. Here ya go anyway.

I purchased a panel of fleece from his favorite movie Cars. You can use any kind of fleece though. It doesn’t have to be a panel. Cut off the excess white. It really doesn’t matter if your line is super straight.

Cut 1 in. squares around all four edges. Put on a good TV show or movie because this next part takes forever. Your thumbs will be sore the next day. No doubt.

Tie each piece in knots. If you want to get super creative you can use two pieces of fleece on top of each other and tie them together. I just wanted a light blanket. And I didn’t want to spend a fortune. Cause let me tell ya… fleece cost’s a fortune.

And there you have it! A personalized gift, perfect for a birthday or Christmas. I made one for my husband in Texas Rangers fleece. He loves it. I love it too :)

Have you ever made one of these fleece blankets?

Cutting Edge Stencils GIVEAWAY {$50 Stencil}

2012-01-22T13:23:00.003-06:00

When Cutting Edge Stencils contacted me about hosting a giveaway and trying out one of their products I was SUPER stoked! I knew exactly where I wanted to try one out and what design I wanted.

I chose the Marrakech Trellis Allover Stencil:

Here is a little sneak peak of how my stencil is turning out in my entry:

Cutting Edge Stencils also offers easy to follow You Tube “how to” videos:

After working with their stencil, I must say that it is pretty easy to use. The only hard part is the corners. I couldn’t quite bend the stencil as easily as the instructions said. Other that that, the instructions are wonderful as well as the actual stencil!

Here are a few other designs I like:

Damask is always classy!

Love this fun stencil!

Zinnia’s would be perfect for a little girls room!

Cutting Edge Stencils is giving away any stencil of your choice up to $50!
Here is how to enter (leave one comment for each thing you do):
1. Visit Cutting Edge Stencils and tell me your favorite
2. Follow Cutting Edge Stencils on Facebook
3. Follow me on Twitter

The giveaway will end on Thursday, January 26th at 8 P.M.

Free for All

2012-01-20T20:00:00.001-06:00

I wanted to give you guys a quick update on my advertising prices. You can purchase a 150x150 button for $8 a month. I also have a NEW option of a 150x300 button for $15 a month. For more information, please don’t hesitate to contact me at youngancrafty @ gmail.com!

Well school started back this week. It’s not a bad thing. I’m one of those weird people who actually likes school. I’m cool with being a nerd so laugh all you want :)! I’ve got a few projects I’m trying to finish up around here. If you’re curious about what I’m working on be sure to follow me on Facebook and Twitter. I’ve given a few sneak peeks lately!

Here are the fab features from last week:

I love everything about this lamp! The lace, the ruffles, the burlap… everything!

Have boring old cabinets? Make them look super custom by adding crown molding to the top!

I love the Valentines mantel. I also love all of her other mantels from last year. Be sure to check it out!

And this weeks most viewed link:

I’ve never heard of these Handi Bob things but I MUST have some! They hold your bobbin in place with the coordinating color of thread.

Rules: Link directly to your post of projects made by you, no Etsy shops, no giveaways(Please do not link up a project that you've already linked here before)

Metallic Three Panel Art

2012-01-14T21:31:00.002-06:00

One of my good friends from school, Lauren, asked me to help her paint some art. Of course I said I was down for that!

My other good friend, Carley, was there for moral support and to work on a different kind of painting. (Although she did paint a few brush strokes on the painting!)

Lauren found this picture for inspiration.

Here’s how me made ours:

You will need:

3 Canvases
3 shades of Metallic paint (plus some black)
Plaster of some kind

This art probably cost about $60 for everything. Considering that you couldn’t buy a painting of this size for that, we thought we did pretty good! Another, cheaper, option would be to use wood rather than canvas.

Spread out the plaster on the canvas.

Take a plaster/putty knife and sort of squish the plaster around in a circle pattern. Start from the center and work towards the outer edges.

It will look something like this. Lauren did all of the plaster work for the art but it didn’t seem to difficult. Remember that it doesn’t have to be perfect!

We sped up the plaster drying process with blow dryers. Not sure if this is good or bad but it didn’t seem to hurt anything. We were so ready to start painting!

Start with the lightest color in the very center of the circle.

As you work outwards you will want to start blending the colors. This was probably the hardest part. You just want to make sure the change of colors is gradual rather than a noticeable difference!

Make sure you paint in between the panes and all of the edges.

Doesn’t it look AMAZING!? I absolutely love the metallic paint.

It’s almost like a black hole but a way cooler metallic one.

She loves it! And more importantly we all three had a blast hanging out and painting it.

Free for All

2012-01-13T20:00:00.001-06:00

I get Monday off due to another holiday! Let me tell you, I’ve got a to do list a mile long. In case you haven’t noticed my brand new media buttons above my sponsors, click on them to follow me on Pinterest, Twitter, and Facebook. Thank you to Not So Homemade for doing another fabulous job!

Here are the fab features from two weeks ago:

Great vanity redo!

This is a super cute toy chest. There are also tons of other awesome projects from 2011 rounded up!

This little table looks about 1 million times better than when it started!

And the most viewed link:

Super awesome post with great organization tips!

Rules: Link directly to your post of projects made by you, no Etsy shops, no giveaways(Please do not link up a project that you've already linked here before)

Guest Post: What Meegan Makes

2012-01-11T23:07:00.000-06:00

Today I've got Meegan visiting from What Meegan Makes! She's got a great post on how you can change up anything you've got lying around.

For about a year I have been trying to change the look and feel of our home. I have painted frames, sewn pillows, moved things around, in hopes to get a more cottage/beach home feel.

This is one of the last painting projects to accomplish my goal.

My magazine rack. At one time I really liked this look, but now it's time for a change.

I pulled out the two paints I have used a lot lately. Better Homes and Gardens/Semi Gloss-Teal Lake and Olympic.Satin-Turquoise Mist. My idea is to over lap them for an aged weathered look.

After the coat of Teal Lake. I never coat anything all the way. Then it won't have the weathered look I like.

This is after I brushed over with the Turquoise Mist. It looked really good, but I like to sand the paint after I am done painting. I like my projects to look worn and used. I guess you could say I like them to look old :)

I used a 60-80 grade sandpaper to scratch off the paint. Be careful not to use too much pressure, because you will take all the paint off.

A close up of the two colors and the sanding.

Perfect new home next to my cute blue cupboard.

This was REALLY easy, and took me less than an hour.

Is there something in your home that needs a new coat of paint? Leave a comment and let me know-I would love to hear about it :)

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Make it a great day!

Heart Banner {Lifestyle Crafts Products}

2012-01-10T19:46:00.002-06:00

Valentine’s Day is fast approaching. Lifestyle Crafts sent me some of their new die cuts to try out from their Sweetheart Line. There are so many fun options available!

I chose the Nesting Eyelet Hearts:

I then got some fun pink paper:

I used my Epic tool to cut out the heart shapes and the strung them up with some yarn.

And wa-la! I’ve got a cute little heart banner!

I hung it on my transformed window pane.

Lifestyle Crafts dies cut products can work with any machine that you can run die cuts through! You don’t HAVE to have the Epic tool (but I love mine!) Use the code YOUNG at checkout to get 20% off of your order!