* THE COUNTRY CHIC COTTAGE (DIY, Home Decor, Crafts, Farmhouse)

PSA Essentials Custom Stamp Giveaway

2012-02-11T12:25:00.002-06:00

I have been working with PSA Essentials for some time and now y'all get a chance to win one of their awesome stamps!

Who is PSA?

PSA Essentials manufactures personalized, self-inking stamps with patent-pending Peel & Stick technology and thousands of stamp designs. PSA has stamp designs for each holiday, occasion, sentiments and licensed designs with Hello Kitty, Smirk, UBU, Peanuts & more.

I have made many projects with their stamps. I really enjoy the peel and stick technology. The custom stamps are amazing with interchangeable middles to fit your mood or project. I have a custom address stamp and use it for everything from my etsy shop to Christmas cards to everything in between. My stamp projects are posted on the PSA Stamp Camp blog before they are seen anywhere else. Plus there are lots more artists on the design team with projects you don't want to miss. So be sure you are following along with the PSA Stamp Camp!

Now let's get to the giveaway!

· Winner will receive 1 custom stamp including shipping

· Open to: US & Canadian residents 18-years or older

· Method of entry: To enter to win, you must visit: www.psastampcamp.blogspot.com and follow by Google Connect or subscribing via newsletter. Then leave a comment in the comments section that you are a new follower.

· Dates of entry: 2/11 - 2/25

· Winner wil be drawn from random.org

Enter today!

~Good luck!~

~Angie~

Sponsor Love -- The Cottage Market

2012-02-10T19:04:00.002-06:00

Time for some sponsor love with The Cottage Market this Friday. Love cottage style? This one is for you! Spend some time getting to know this blog and Andrea -- cause she is super sweet! :)

Andrea runs an etsy shop called The Cottage Market that you will adore.

Clothes Pins
Andrea has these in a variety of colors and styles in pins -- love them!

Paperweights
Amazing paperweights! Head on over and check out the amazing selection.

Cake Plates
My personal fave is the gorgeous cake plates. Andrea has a serious eye for making these!

So follow along with The Cottage Market blog so you don't miss a thing Andrea is doing! :) And maybe order a paperweight or two while you are at it! :)

~Thanks for stopping by!~

~Angie~

Apartment Guide $50 Gift Card WINNER

2012-02-10T11:29:00.000-06:00

I seriously forgot to announce the winner of the Apartment Guide giveaway of a $50 American Express gift card! So absent minded! Without further ado....

The winner is....

CMT
January 29, 2012 8:40 PM
I liked them on Facebook

Congrats! You have 72 hours to contact me before I pick another winner!

~Angie~

Gift Wrap Storage {from an over the door shoe organizer}

2012-02-09T18:44:00.002-06:00

The last pieces to my seasonal items storage closet is the gift wrap storage solution I made for the back of the door. You can take a plain over the door shoe organizer and make a wrapping paper organizer in just a few minutes. Ready to make your own?

I picked up a plain shoe organizer at Wal-mart for this one. These are available at many retail outlets.

First, I have many gift bags. I needed something to hold those. So I made a pouch for the bottom to slip the gift bags into. I gathered up my gift bags and determined a length based on the largest one (be sure to add 4 inches or so for seam allowance at the top). The width is determined by your shoe organizer plus approximately 3 inches. See how it is wider then the organizer...

Now you want one side (aka the back) to be the same width as the organizer and you want the other side (aka the front) to be 3 inches wider. So you have to make an uneven cut on the sides of your fabric.

This will give you fabric to gather in the front once we add some elastic.

About 1 1/2 inches should be on either side like the picture below...

Ready to sew? Pin the sides together flush...

Sew up both sides. Then turn the top under twice to get a nice and finished edge and sew...

Ready to tackle some elastic? This is some I had on hand. I don't think it would need to be this wide. Cut to about 3 inches shorter than the width of your organizer...

Sew to the back of your front piece. Stretch the elastic as you go so it fits the entire width of the front.

See..a perfect fit! Now we are ready to attach it!

I have a Crop-a-dile that inserts grommets and that is what I used on this project. You could just try the holes without grommets or stop by your craft store and pick up a grommet tool.

For the pouch, I installed grommets in the pouch and in the organizer.

Then I just tied it on with ribbon. This pouch would also hold small gift boxes well.

Next step is a way to corral that wrapping paper. I wanted a way to keep it upright and hold it tight so it will not unroll. I used skinny elastic plus my trust grommets again.

Just tie the back of your elastic into a knot on both sides so it won't slip through. So very simple but it works great! Counting up from the bottom, my bottom row of shoe holes is hid by the gift bag pouch. The second row is where the bottom end of your wrapping paper goes. Then between the third and fourth row is where your grommets and elastic go to hold your paper tight.

Want to hold ribbon too? I just put my ribbon on a dowel and put the dowel into one of the wrapping paper slots. You just need to tighten up the elastic piece on that slot.

So now I had two rows left at the top. My tissue paper and folded wrapping paper needed larger slots than the shoes would allow. So I made them larger. Just take your seam ripper and remove the stitches down the center. The plastic goes all the way underneath and you are left with a larger slot.

See the perfect size!

The very top row I left alone. It holds scissors, tape, and small gift bags...

Now you can turn a shoe organizer into a wrapping paper organizer. The entire project probably took me 30 minutes to an hour start to finish. I can finally say my wrapping paper is organized and easily accessible!

Posted at Show and Tell on Romantic Home.

Posted at Frugal Friday on Shabby Nest.

Posted at Frugalicious Friday on Finding Fabulous.

Posted at Feature Yourself Friday on Fingerprints on the Fridge.
Posted at Catch as Catch Can on My Repurposed Life.
Posted at Chic and Crafty on The Frugal Girls.
Linking up to the party on Every Creative Endeavor.
Linked up to the Weekend Wrap Up on Tatertots and Jello.

~Thanks for stopping by!~

~Angie~.
The Country Chic Cottage

Seasonal Items Closet -- the details

2012-02-08T17:57:00.003-06:00

Last week was organization week on So You Think You're Crafty and I entered my Seasonal Items Closet. Time for some more details on how I did it. The original post can be found here.

As you can see from above, I started with a blank slate. Actually, the closet was full of things I never use. So the "before" was after I hauled the mess out and swept. Then I coated the walls and floor with a primer. The walls got two coats of white paint. This closet is so small (under the stairs) that I felt it really needed to be white in order to add in some light.

The floors then got a coat of a dark grey paint. Yes paint. Have ugly sub-floors in your closet? Paint them! I started in the very back and made that my Christmas decor storage area. I added the word "Christmas" in vinyl to the wall. All of the vinyl for this project was cut using my Silhouette.

The tubs of Christmas decorations also received some vinyl words to who off the contents. I really like the vinyl on the containers instead of some sort of tag. It looks good and it is easy to change out if you change your mind.

For the storage for the rest of the year, I went with the ANTONIUS system from Ikea. Cheap, sturdy, and so handy! So much better than stacking up a bunch of those bins.

I decided what I would store in each bin then added on the words with vinyl. Mine starts with winter at the top and moves on through the year as you get to the bottom.

The vacuum and extra table leaf also went in this closet. Those were the only two things that were originally in here that I actually used.

I also added just a touch of vinyl art to the wall. A little something to remind me to keep in neat and tidy in there.

Tomorrow I will give y'all a tutorial on how to turn a shoe organizer into a wrapping paper organizer...stay tuned!

Posted at Transformation Thursday on The Shabby Chic Cottage.

Posted at Show off your Stuff Party at Fireflies and Jellybeans.

Posted at the under $100 party on Beyond the Picket Fence.

Posted at the Open House Party on No Minimalist Here.
Posted at SNS on Funky Junk Interiors.
Posted at the Weekend Wrapup on Tatertots and Jello.
Posted at Sunday Showcase on Under the Table and Dreaming.
~Thanks for stopping by!~

~Angie~
The Country Chic Cottage

My Image Inspiration -- upload your pics

2012-02-07T15:48:00.001-06:00

If you have not already, please take a moment and head on over to So You Think You're Crafty and vote for my Love of Books Bathroom!
Today I get to talk some more about MyColortopia.com. Last time I introduced you to a tool where you could answer a series of questions and get some color choices for your decor. Today My Colortopia has another great tool for you to play around with.

The tool is My Image Inspiration and I love it! If you are looking for ways to kick-start your room redo, My Image Inspiration is a tool that allows you to upload a picture of something you like and think would work for your space—whether it’s a piece of art, furniture, fabric—anything really. You’ll get a selection of color palettes to browse through, print, share and paint!

Let's try it out! I picked an image I love from my latest pinterest board...

I uploaded my image into the tool. Then you get a box that you position to any area of the photo you like. Pick one of the suggested colors and color palette suggestions come up...

I really heart that top color palette! You can move the box on your picture and get a totally different result.

Head on over to My Image Inspiration and upload your photo. Have fun coming up with color palettes that will work in your home!

I have partnered with Glidden/Akzo Nobel Paints to participate in the My Colortopia program. However, all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

~Thanks for stopping by!~

~Angie~

Love of Books Bathroom -- I need YOUR vote!

2012-02-06T11:44:00.001-06:00

This week's theme over at So You Think You're Crafty is Children's Literature. We are a book loving household and I really wanted to use all of my kids' favorite books in a project. Which meant it needed to be a pretty big project! So I made my "For the Love Of Books" kids' bathroom. I took some classics, some favorites, and some that I personally just love. They all became decor in the upstairs kids bath. And my bathroom needs YOUR vote!! So pretty please head on over and vote for me!! More details on the bathroom next week but here is a peak...

I added in some wall vinyl and some inspirational Dr. Seuss prints. Plus I took every opportunity to reinforce the love of reading in our house. Each picture holds a special memory for me and the kids. There are books that reflect each child at different stages of their childhood. It is like a trip down memory lane.

Now don't freak out. I did not rip up any of our beloved childhood favorites. I either printed the images from the net or bought used books from the thrift store for this project. One of those thrift store books became a runner for the dresser I have in the room. Books mixed with some beach themed accessories to create a lovely bathroom for kids of all ages.

I hope you enjoy this room as much as I do. I hope to add favorites to the collection over time and as the kids grow. It keeps the lovely memory of favorite books alive in our house. Which in turn, I hope, will keep the love of books alive!
Again -- please head on over and VOTE!

Posted at Get Your Craft On on Today's Creative Blog.

Posted at Take a Look Tuesday on Sugar Bee Craft Edition.

Posted at Tip Me Tuesday on Tip Junkie.

Posted at Tutorials and Tips on The Stories of A to Z.
~Thanks for stopping by!~
~Angie~
The Country Chic Cottage

Let It Snow Winter Plaque

2012-02-05T17:12:00.000-06:00

A few weeks back I showed off my winter mantle but never gave y'all the detail on my Let It Snow Sign...

A rescued thrift store find became a cute little winter sign.

Ready to see the before?? Ah yes...circa 1970s!

I wanted something sort of dark and snowy. So I started off with black paint. Then layered on white in thin thin coats...

So that there is still black peaking through in areas....

I then painted the edges in white plus the trees and two hills...

I used my PSA Essentials stamps with blue ink to add snowflakes and "let it snow".

I was going for something rustic...

Like a snowy wintery night...

The perfect winter accessory...

Even though I really don't wish it would snow! :)

Posted on Met Monday on Between Naps on the Porch.

Posted at Just Something I Whipped up on The Girl Creative.
Posted at the Sunday Showcase on Under the Table and Dreaming.
~Thanks for stopping by!~
~Angie~

The Country Chic Cottage

Gardening Season is Upon Us

2012-02-04T09:09:00.002-06:00

This post brought to you by Bulbs. Dig, Drop, Done. All opinions are 100% mine.

It is almost spring again. Where did the time go? The time to dust off those garden tools is almost here. One of my go to plants is any type of flower bulb. So I am thrilled to have the chance today to talk about DigDropDone.com.

First let's talk about flower bulbs.

Bulbs are one of the simplest garden plants. You literally dig a hole, drop the bulb, and you are done! (Get it.....dig, drop, done...)
Bulbs come back year after year. The perfect garden plant for all of us less then perfect gardeners.
Bulbs are a great way to get the kids involved. Yes it is so simple even the little ones can do it!
Bulbs also make great gifts. Hint: Mother's Day is just around the corner.
Bulbs can also be used in container gardening and even in your home. Bulbs like paperwhites and amaryllis make great indoor plants.

See why flower bulbs are my favorite? You can visit www.digdropdone.com to learn more. What else can you find? Bulb inspiration videos from Juliana, Evelyn, and Marcy. Who are they? Why they are your bulb inspiration. Each one of us can relate to one of them. The videos are hilarious and educational! So head on over, watch some clips, and decide who best suits you! I relate the most with Marcy. A little blurb about Marcy:

I garden when I have time and know a little about bulbs, but I'm hardly an expert. Honestly, between the kids, the house, the dog and a part-time job, my life is pretty crazy. I'm always looking for simpler ways to take care of the things I have to do so I can spend more time on other things ... like time with my munchkins. To me, bulbs are probably the easiest way to bring some beauty to my life.

Yes that fits me perfectly! Bulbs are my easy way to a beautiful garden.

Bulbs. Dig. Drop. Done. also has a great website called Curbside Chaos. What can you do on Curbside Chaos? Well first of all you can win a $5,000 yard makeover! All you need to do to enter is submit a photo of your yard at Curbside Chaos. I already submitted mine! The lucky winner will not only receive a $5,000 yard makeover, but they will also receive a visit from Taniya Nayak (@TaniyaNayak on Twitter) – Taniya will go through and give you tips on the best way to update your yard! She will give you creative ideas for incorporating flower bulbs into your landscape. Sounds amazing to me!

CurbsideChaos also has a great garden guru tool. Tell them where you live and when you want your bulbs to bloom. The tool will give you bulb recommendations along with a planting guide telling you how to plant your bulbs. PERFECT!

If you are a bulb lover, novice, or expert, DigDropDone.com has something for you! And don't miss a chance at the $5000 yard makeover on Curbside Chaos.

Bonus! For every share on twitter, Bulbs. Dig, Drop, Done. will donate $1.00 to Rebuilding Together -- the nation's leading nonprofit, working to preserve affordable homeownership and revitalize communities. Use #curbsidechaos when tweeting!

~Thanks for stopping by!~

~Angie~

Day in the Life -- Night at the Circus

2012-02-03T18:20:00.002-06:00

Tonight I thought I would post a little glimpse into our life. Last weekend we went to the Ringling Bros Circus while it was in Nashville. We have not been in a number of years. I must say it was just as good as I remembered. Still one of my favorite shows! A few shots for you from the show...

The elephants are my favorite! The kids loved the clowns...

The hour before the show you can go down onto the floor for an up close experience. We were early enough to get very, very close. I could have reached out and touched this elephant as she was walking by....

So what are your plans this weekend? Any fun family adventures?

~Thanks for stopping by!~

~Angie~

Sunburst Mirror {Teen Room Spray Paint Projects} @aptguide @krylondiy

2012-02-02T17:57:00.000-06:00

Continuing tonight with projects from my zebra themed teen room thanks to Apartment Guide. Tonight we are talking spray paint. Yes it is hard for me to believe that we have had gorgeous spray painting weather in January. But I am not going to complain about it. My first project is a gorgeous sunburst mirror...made from a thrift store cast off!

What was it you ask? Some sort of candle holder. I immediately saw a sunburst mirror...don't you?

See it has little feet on the bottom....so I am thinking it was a candle holder in its former life.

But now...silver spray paint, a dollar tree mirror, and some glue.

The perfect touch of glam mirror for a teen room! Heck I would even take this one if she decides she does not like it!

Oh so lovely!

This little table was also on my spray paint list. It was a $2 yard sale find many years ago and needed a new life. I chose my beloved Krylon dual spray paint in black.

Sanded down a little and a few light coats. We have a winner!

That is all for my teen room makeover. I hope y'all enjoyed! Next week we will talk more about the Seasonal Items Storage Closet and you will get a bathroom makeover reveal! It has been busy around these parts!

Apartment Guide and owner Consumer Source, Inc. partnered with bloggers such as me to participate in their monthly blogger programs. As part of that program, I received compensation. They did not tell me what to purchase or what to say about the products used, and believe that consumers and bloggers are free to form their own opinions and share them in their own words. Consumer Source’s policies align with WOMMA Ethics Code, FTC guidelines and social media engagement recommendations.

Posted at Show and Tell on Romantic Home.

Posted at Frugal Friday on Shabby Nest.

Posted at Frugalicious Friday on Finding Fabulous.

Posted at Feature Yourself Friday on Fingerprints on the Fridge.
Posted at Catch as Catch Can on My Repurposed Life.

~Thanks for stopping by!~

~Angie~.
The Country Chic Cottage

Zebra Jewelry Organizer with @aptguide and @plaidcrafts

2012-02-01T18:23:00.005-06:00

If you missed my zebra themed teen room, head on over and check it out now. Also don't forget to enter the giveaway for a $50 American Express gift card from Apartment Guide.
Now do you want to see how I made the zebra jewelry organizer?

It was actually pretty simple. The trick? Finding some of these goodies at the goodwill....

They are wooden trays that are meant to grip onto your couch arm. I just saw solid wood jewelry organizer...

I just removed those brackets from the back. Spray painted them black. Then added on a zebra print using the Martha Stewart pearl paint from Plaid...I love that shimmer!

I actually took the zebra print lamp and roughly copied the zebra print on it. It took two coats of the Martha Stewart paint to get it to look like this...

Zebra print is extremely forgiving to paint. Trust me...no one will see your mess ups. Don't be scared. Jump on in and paint on some zebra stripes.

I picked up a set of hooks at the dollar tree for $1 and spray painted them in silver.

Then just screw them into the wood...

A couple of saw tooth hangers on the back of each one and you are ready to hang...

The frame for earrings above it I made almost two years ago...

I think these pieces will transition well to the college dorm. Plus now her jewelry is all organized and where she can see it! Come back tomorrow and I will talk about a few more teen room details.

Disclaimer -- I received the Martha Stewart paint from Plaid for free. However, the opinions and project are all mine.

Posted at Transformation Thursday on The Shabby Chic Cottage.

Posted at Show off your Stuff Party at Fireflies and Jellybeans.

Posted at the under $100 party on Beyond the Picket Fence.

Posted at the Open House Party on No Minimalist Here.
Posted at SNS on Funky Junk Interiors.
Posted at the Weekend Wrapup on Tatertots and Jello.
Posted at Sunday Showcase on Under the Table and Dreaming.

~Thanks for stopping by!~

~Angie~
The Country Chic Cottage

Zebra Themed Teen Room

2012-01-31T20:56:00.001-06:00

I am participating in the Apartment Guide “New Year, New Style: Decorating on a Budget” Blogger Challenge. I am tackling my teen's room as she prepares to head off to college. See our planning process here. I wanted to update her space with items that will transition well to college. The challenge was to take $150 and refresh the space. You will have to read all the way down for the budget breakdown.

The place to start is bedding. We were adding zebra touches to the room so we had to have zebra bedding. First, I had my teen pick out the bedding she wanted. It was zebra with pink cheetah touches. (Cheetah!!) I then scoured the net for the best price. Would you believe that JCPenney had the best price by far? As in 1/2 as much as the other guys. $55 for whole bed in a bag set. The best part of this deal? She had gotten zebra sheets a few months back. I was able to use the cheetah sheets as fabric for other elements in her room. BONUS! The art above her bed I made over a year ago. It is just black and white fabric with the "peace, love, and happiness" added on with heat n bond. I then stretch the fabric over the top of an oversize frame. We collect "E's" whenever I find them at at thrift store. The ruffle pillow cover was from group dealz a few months back and it was actually given to me by a great friend.

Now for the desk area. She already had two memo boards. I used my own tutorial for covering memo boards and recovered both of them. The zebra desk lamp came from Big Lots for $15. I will be talking specifics about some of the elements more this week...so look out for more on that mirror on the left.

My daughter loves quotes of all types. I had purchased some quote art for her for Christmas this year. We had not hung it up so this was the perfect excuse to use it. I will be showing you more about that white and green covered memo board in a few weeks.

The other memo board got covered in zebra. The fabric came from Hobby Lobby and was clearanced at $5 a yard. That tone on tone black ribbon also came from Hobby Lobby at $2.99. The roses are from the boyfriend so free to me. :)

Some of that cheetah sheets ended up recovering a pillow that she already had. The colorful crochet is courtesy of my teen. Yes she is a crocheter. :) The storage ottoman was $14.99 at Big Lots and will be making the college trek. Perfect to hide things in. There was also a pink hamper that I failed to get a pic of and it was $5 at Big Lots. Do you notice a trend? My fave stop for budget decor is Big Lots!

Another budget friendly idea is to frame fabric and hang it on the wall....

I had the frame on hand. I just added in the fabrics and a piece of the ribbon in between them. Instant art with things I already had on hand...

Spray paint was also my friend for this makeover. Those wall boxes were already on the wall and they are filled with momentos. Around the mirrors are post its with quotes on them. I told you...the girl loves quotes.

I just had to make a zebra jewelry organizer. I will talk more about that tomorrow night. This is definitely something that can go with her to college. Plus it makes a bold statement!

She has also became the scarf diva. So we took a scarf hanger and an over the door hanger and used it to display her scarves....

Ready for the cost breakdown?

Bed in a bag $65 (shipped)
Lamp $15
Hamper $5
Ottoman $15
Spray paint $10
Zebra fabric $10
Ribbon $6
Scarf Hanger $3
Craft Paint $2
Hooks $1

Button Kits $6

Thrift store finds $7.50

GRAND TOTAL $145.50

The best part is that every single item can transition to her dorm room and beyond. Gotta love that! Stay tuned as the rest of the week I will let y'all in on some more room details!

If you’re ready for a whole new space or are looking to move, Apartment Guide has the photos, floor plans, features and tips to help you find the perfect apartment community. Be sure to “like” Apartment Guide on Facebook at Facebook or follow them on Twitter @AptGuide for real-time tips and updates on making the most of your space.

Are you ready to redecorate your home but short on cash? Apartment Guide can help you find inexpensive decorating ideas for how to update an area or room without spending a lot of money. Apartment Guide has tips for how to decorate your apartment on a dime. Those tips can easily apply to any space whether it be your house or dorm room. Whether you're living, looking or moving Apartment Guide offers how-to tips for making the most of your space on a budget. Apartment Guide provides ideas for people in any sized home on Moving Today and the Apartment Guide blog.

Apartment Guide and owner Consumer Source, Inc. partnered with bloggers such as me to participate in their monthly blogger programs. As part of that program, I received compensation. They did not tell me what to purchase or what to say about the products used, and believe that consumers and bloggers are free to form their own opinions and share them in their own words. Consumer Source’s policies align with WOMMA Ethics Code, FTC guidelines and social media engagement recommendations.

Posted at Show and Tell on Blue Cricket Design.

~Angie~
The Country Chic Cottage

My Seasonal Items Closet -- I NEED YOUR VOTE!

2012-01-30T07:06:00.002-06:00

Time for the All Star season of So You Think You're Crafty. And I need YOUR vote! This week is organization week and it could not have came at a better time! My project for this week is my Seasonal Items Storage closet. I will give you all the details next week after the voting ends. Along with a tutorial on how to make your own over the door wrapping paper organizer! Keep reading to get a sneak peek and head on over to to So You Think You're Crafty blog to vote for me!
We received our themes for SYTYC and week one was organization. It was around Christmas time and it was time to haul all that Christmas decor BACK UP to the attic. I think most of us have this problem. Too many seasonal decor items and no where to store them to be easily accessible. I decided to think of a new storage solution. I had a closet under my stairs that was full of...well...junk. Literally the only thing in it I used was the vacuum. The rest either got donated or the sentimental things went up to the attic. So an easily accessible closet was now EMPTY! I made myself a Seasonal Items Storage Closet! As you can see from the BEFORE pictures, the closet was unpainted drywall and sub-flooring. This house is 15 plus years old and no one ever bothered to paint that closet. After the junk was hauled away, I began painting. I painted the walls all white to try to bring in some light. Yes I even PAINTED my sub-floors a dark grey. A perfect solution for sub-floors. Cheap and easy. Plus they really look great!

The area in the back became my Christmas storage area. I added some vinyl to spell "Christmas" on the wall. I added vinyl on all containers to identify the contents. This closet if full of vinyl. I cut each one on my Silhouette then applied it. The vinyl was an easy and attractive solution. I think the idea of adding "Christmas" to the wall really made that back area of the closet stand out. The stacking storage unit is from IKEA and is perfect for this space. It allows me to sort out my seasonal items into easy to access bins. Each one slides out so no stacking and unstacking boxes or bins. Each bin is labeled by season or holiday. I am going to try to keep my seasonal decor to within these bins. So if the bin is overflowing, it is time to declutter. I also could not resist adding a little organizational art to the wall with some vinyl. Keep Calm and Organize On!

But I couldn't stop there! I made a hanging organizer for my wrapping paper. I took an over-the-door shoe organizer and modified it to work for wrapping paper, tissue, ribbon, gift bags, tape, plus so much more! The back of any door can become a wrapping station for minimal money and time. I will have a tutorial on how you can make your own after the voting ends. It is very quick and easy. Yet works perfectly for those odd to store wrapping paper rolls.

Now I have an easy to access, organized area for all my seasonal decor. You could even add storage for seasonal dishes, wreaths, the possibilities are endless!
Pretty, pretty please go vote for me! Pretty please with sugar on top!
Plus stay tuned as next week I will take a couple of days and give you all the details on this closet!

Posted at Get Your Craft On on Today's Creative Blog.

Posted at Take a Look Tuesday on Sugar Bee Craft Edition.

Posted at Tip Me Tuesday on Tip Junkie.

Posted at Tutorials and Tips on The Stories of A to Z.

~Thanks for stopping by!~
~Angie~
The Country Chic Cottage

I am an all star! Plus the fair ivy WINNER!

2012-01-29T18:27:00.000-06:00

A little announcement! I am on So You Think You're So Crafty this season. It is the all star season and should be amazing! It starts in the morning. This season our projects don't have to be a secret. So I will be back in the morning to show you my project and beg for your vote! I am not entirely sure how I became an "all star" but I am rolling with it. :)

In the meantime, let's get a winner for our fair ivy giveaway!

The winner is:

Jen the CraftinCowgirl says:

January 21, 2012 1:09 PM Reply

I follow Fair Ivy on Pinterest :o)

Congrats Jen! You have 72 hours to contact me before I pick another winner.

~Thanks for stopping by!~

~Angie~

$50 Gift Card GIVEAWAY with @aptguide #budgetdecor

2012-01-28T09:53:00.000-06:00

Apartment Guide is generously giving away a $50 American Express gift card today! Do y'all remember when I posted about redoing my daughter's room on a budget? Well I will be posting my review and details next week! For now, let's enter a giveaway shall we?

First of all, let's learn a little more about the Apartment Guide...

Whether you're living, looking or moving Apartment Guide offers how-to tips for making the most of your space on a budget.

Ready to redecorate your home but short on cash? Apartment Guide can help you find inexpensive decorating ideas for how to update an area or room without spending a lot of money.

If you’re ready for a whole new space or are looking to move, Apartment Guide has the photos, floor plans, features and tips to help you find the perfect apartment community.

Want to find even more decorating tips for your home? Apartment Guide provides ideas for people in any sized home on http://www.movingtoday.comand http://www.apartmentguide.com/blog/

Now let's enter a giveaway!
The rules:
1) Open to US residents only
2) Open until February 3rd at 11:59 pm central time.
3) Once the winner is posted, they have 72 hours to contact me before I pick another winner.

How to enter:
1) Check out this article on Apartment Guide about what you favorite colors say about you. Leave a comment below telling me what you fave color to use in decorating is.
2) Like Apartment Guide on facebook and leave a comment below telling me you do.
3) Follow Apartment Guide on twitter and leave a comment below telling me you do.
4) Blog, tweet, or facebook about this giveaway and leave a comment for EACH thing you do.

Up to FIVE entries per person.

Apartment Guide and owner Consumer Source, Inc. partnered with bloggers such as me to participate in their monthly blogger programs. As part of that program, I received compensation. They did not tell me what to purchase or what to say about the products used, and believe that consumers and bloggers are free to form their own opinions and share them in their own words. Consumer Source’s policies align with WOMMA Ethics Code, FTC guidelines and social media engagement recommendations.

~Good Luck!~
~Angie~

Shopping for a Senior Prom Dress

2012-01-27T14:48:00.000-06:00

Yes my oldest is a senior..my baby...a senior! YIKES! The catalogs have been arriving in the mail. If you have a high school age daughter, you know the ones I am talking about. Page after page of designer dresses. My daughter has spent hours pouring over them and dreaming. I started doing some research after my teen fell in LOVE with a gorgeous dress (and I saw the price tag). I ran across Promgirl.net -- they have prom dresses with a price match guarantee!! Did I get your attention? I googled the dress she wants and the lowest price is in fact Promgirl.net. I think I have found MY source for formal dresses! The selection is amazing. Everyone of those designers that you will find in those catalogs are on Promgirl.net.

But the first thing that came to my mind was how in the world would I get the right size? I clicked around some more on the Promgirl site and they have GREAT sizing charts -- by designer! I love that the sizing charts are specific to the designer. That way you know that the dress you are getting will fall within those measurements. The charts even tell you how and where to measure. Cause let's face it...I really did not know. Really all you need to know to get the proper size is on their website. I believe that no matter where I buy the dress, I will probably have to alter it or have it altered to fit exactly. I might was well save a little on the dress itself up front since the alterations are a given. Here is an example of the great sizing charts...

I believe I have found my source for prom. A bonus is that Promgirl.net also has a wide selection of other dresses as well. So if you just need a cocktail dress they have that too. I mention that because we still have to shop for a graduation dress and I will have my teen look on Promgirl.net first. I did just now notice that they have a free shipping code on their website also. A price match guarantee AND free shipping! I don't know what I am waiting for...I better head on over right now.

Of course if you are feeling lucky, they have a free dress giveaway on their facebook page once a month. You might enter there and get your teen a FREE prom dress! The price match guarantee is NOT a free dress but it is the best price on that special dress. Quite frankly, senior year is the time for special dresses. I can still remember my prom dresses, can't you? It is a memory that stays with you for a lifetime! This year is going by way too fast for me. I can't believe I am shopping for senior prom and graduation. I might need to lean on y'all sometime for support....

This post is sponsored by Promgirl.net but all opinions are mine. I do love their site and am thrilled to write this post!

~Thanks for stopping by!~

~Angie~

Spray Painting in January and some WINNERS!

2012-01-26T19:17:00.000-06:00

Can you believe we have had spray painting weather in January? I have been taking full advantage of it. I am still working on that upstairs bathroom....

I really needed a towel holder for that room. I almost bought a standard "hang on the wall" variety. Then I spotted this at the thrift store and it was perfect!

A little antique brass spray paint and it is ready to go!

I will be showing off my bathroom week after next! Y'all stay tuned to see this one in place!

Now for some winners! The winner of the $25 shopping spree to Jesse Anne Designs is....

Great flower lady says:

I love the owl necklace they are my new LOVE.

I also need to redraw the Fish Foam winners...

The Bargain Babe says:

I have never heard of it but with little kids and a dog we certainly could use a good glass cleaner!

The Polka Dot Closet says:

I would love some fish foam...wish they were throwing in someone to wash the window too LOL!

Carol

Tricia Hicks says:

4 yr old house, never properly cleaned all windows...need I say more? :)

Y'all drop me a line! You have 72 hours to contact me! :)

~Thanks for stopping by!~

~Angie~

Recovering a Memo Board

2012-01-25T20:56:00.000-06:00

Do your kid's love memo boards? Or maybe you do? You can easily recover them with a different fabric. Ready to see how?

This was the memo board before...

Um...yea...needs recovered right?

Materials

about a 1/2 yard of fabric depending on the size of your board
contrasting or matching fabric to cover buttons (a scrap is enough)
covered buttons kit
spool of ribbon (will take almost entire spool)
glue gun and hot glue
upholstery tacks
needle and thread

Begin by stripping your entire board. Remove all old fabric and buttons. I left the sawtooth hangers on the back. I cut the old fabric off around them. Then cut around the new fabric so I could reuse them.

Lay out your fabric and cut to allow for at least 2 inches of overhang. Begin wrapping fabric around board and using hot glue to secure. Lots of hot glue all around. You could use a staple gun but this one I tore apart had been up for years. All it had was hot glue securing the fabric.

Hold up your ribbon corner to corner and cut to size leaving enough to wrap around. Secure with hot glue.

Then use one upholstery tack on each ribbon end to further secure. Don't leave these out!

Continue with ribbon. Corner to corner first to create an "x". Then the middle of each side to the middle of the adjoining side. Cover your buttons according to instructions in kit. I had never used a kit like that to make covered buttons. It was sooo easy! Don't be scared of fancy covered buttons!

Secure buttons where ribbons cross with needle and thread. Either go all the way through your board (should be holes already there) or at least grab the fabric. That way when you add your pictures and momentos they will not slide down.

After you buttons are secure, you are ready to hang.

It really was simple! I have already completed a second one and have a third one in process!

Posted at Transformation Thursday on The Shabby Chic Cottage.

Posted at Show off your Stuff Party at Fireflies and Jellybeans.

Posted at the under $100 party on Beyond the Picket Fence.

Posted at the Open House Party on No Minimalist Here.
Posted at SNS on Funky Junk Interiors.
Posted at the Weekend Wrapup on Tatertots and Jello.
Posted at Sunday Showcase on Under the Table and Dreaming.

~Thanks for stopping by!~

~Angie~
The Country Chic Cottage

Valentines Vignette

2012-01-24T19:33:00.004-06:00

The finals are up on One Month To Win It! Don't forget to vote for your fave project!
Time to show off where I put my Valentine's crafts. My Valentine's Vignette...

I wanted a slight rustic touch to Valentine's Day. But with some traditional aspects...like hearts!

My love banner and rustic love sign started this "love fest"....

I wanted a unique table cover. So I grabbed this feed sack from my stash. It has touches of red and fit in perfectly...

Sheet music rolled up and tied with twine is a perfect filler for milk glass...

I took a ceramic squirrel and spray painted it white. A pile of shabby rosettes sits beside him. He is sooo darn cute!

On the other side, is a owl I got off of etsy with some more milk glass...

My daughter made this bowl in art class. I thought it was perfect for Valentine's decor. The hearts all came from clearance last year...

So there you have it...a simple, rustic Valentine's vignette!

Maybe I should call this one my Chicken Feed Valentine's Decor!

Posted at Show and Tell on Blue Cricket Design.

Posted at Whatever Goes Wednesday on Someday Crafts.
Posted at What I Whipped Up Wednesday on Sugar and Dots.
Posted at Good Life Wednesdays on A Beach Cottage.
Posted at the party on Organize and Decorate Everything.
Posted at DIY Under $5 on A Little Tipsy.
Posted at the Mantel Party on Home Stories A to Z.
Posted at the Vday party on Hoosier Homemade.
Posted at the Vday party on Someday Crafts.
Posted at the Vday party on Decor Chick.
~Thanks for stopping by!~

~Angie~
The Country Chic Cottage

Repurpose Your Food Containers

2012-01-23T19:30:00.000-06:00

Let's get organized today! What is better than getting organized? Getting organized for FREE. Today I am going to show you how to repurpose your food containers into organizing bins like these...

What do you need?

Empty Food Containers -- mine were from corn meal and oats.
Spray paint or craft paint
Stamps
Scrapbook Paper
Tape
Labels
Chalkboard Paint
Chalk

The bottom of your food container will show in the finished project. So, let's paint that first. I used spray paint on mine. Anything to make it look pretty will work just fine.

Cut your scrapbook paper to the height of your container. Wouldn't you know that the scrapbook paper was not long enough to make it all the way around the container? So I added another piece to lengthen it just a smidge....just tape it on...

I used my stamps from PSA Essentials to make a pattern on my paper. I took one circle stamp plus two different colors of ink...

The paper itself has a shiny appearance. The stamping is super subtle. That is what really made me fall in love with these containers. They are pretty but subdued all at the same time.

Once you are done stamping and your ink has dried, wrap your paper around your container and tape on the back. Here you can see the back and the front. From here you can tell just how short my scrapbook paper was...

For the chalkboard labels, my pal Gina posted a tutorial on her blog a while back. You just need to spray your chalkboard paint right on a sheet of labels. It works wonders!

The containers themselves are slightly different. Different stamps and ink colors were used. So they match...but not perfectly.

Grab your chalk and write whatever your contents are. That is after you have sorted and organized everything!

Who will be saving their food containers now? Or at least looking at them a bit differently!

For a look at where I used my containers, head on over to this post.

PSA Essentials supplied me with the stamps but the project and opinions expressed are all mine.

Posted at Get Your Craft On on Today's Creative Blog.

Posted at Take a Look Tuesday on Sugar Bee Craft Edition.

Posted at Tip Me Tuesday on Tip Junkie.

Posted at Tutorials and Tips on The Stories of A to Z.
~Thanks for stopping by!~
~Angie~
The Country Chic Cottage

Doily Curtains on The CSI Project

2012-01-23T09:41:00.000-06:00

My doily curtains are over on The CSI Project today!

Head on over and check out how I made these!

~Thanks for stopping by!~

~Angie~

$25 handmade GIVEAWAY from fair ivy #giveaway #handmade

2012-01-21T10:31:00.000-06:00

Today's giveaway comes from fair ivy. I had never heard of fair ivy until they contacted me. Y'all know I love to support handmade business. Well fair ivy offers monthly handmade surprise packages to your recipient! A gift of the month club for handmade gifts!! Yep I was so excited to share this with y'all.

A surprise for yourself or for a special someone in your life! Yes they have packages suited to a wide range of people. Gifts for girls or those young at heart....

All the pictures included in this post are examples of gifts. Your handmade gift package will be a surprise of course! There is a category for women....

We all know how hard men are to buy for. What about a handmade surprise package geared toward men...

Oh yes they even have packages for Fido!

So what can you win...

a 1-month mini surprise package! {$25 value}

The rules:

1) US and Canada only.

2) You have until January 27th at 11:59 pm to enter.

3) After I announce the winner, you will have 72 hours to contact me before I pick another winner.

Ready to enter?

MANDATORY ENTRY: Go to the fair ivy website, sign up for the newsletter (link is at the very top of the page) and leave a comment telling me you did.

EXTRA ENTRIES:

1) Leave a comment below telling me who you would send a fair ivy surprise package to.

2) Follow fair ivy on twitter and leave a comment below telling me you did.

3) Like fair ivy on facebook and leave a comment below telling me you did.

4) Follow fair ivy on pinterest and leave a comment below telling me you did.

5) Tweet, facebook, and/or blog about this giveaway. Leave a comment below for EACH one of these that you do.

So up to EIGHT entries per person!

~Good Luck!~

~Angie~

Blog Swap -- Potentially Beautiful

2012-01-20T17:25:00.000-06:00

Hi everybody! I'm Gloria from Potentially Beautiful. Thank you so much, Angie, for having me over today. This is actually my first guest post, so be gentle with me. ;-)

So, here's a little about me and what goes on over at Potentially Beautiful.

I've been a single mom of three for the last 12 years. Two are in college now and one a senior and all are still at home. Being a single mom, broke all the time and loving to redecorate my home, I have learned how to DIY and decorate on the cheap. My moto over at PB is to "Love where you live." I'm also a renter and that throws some challenges in the mix too. I love sharing ideas and tricks with my readers so that they too can love where they live.

Probably one of my favorite and most popular projects was my $20 bathroom makeover. Yep...$20.

Come on over and see what magic I worked in that horrible 1970's half bath.

I also L.O.V.E. thrift shopping and yard sales and I've shown my readers many projects on how I saved some thrifted furniture and repurposed other finds.

This is my most recent furniture save. It was a beat-up dresser from Goodwill that got a brand new life with just a little paint.

I love what a change in lighting can do for a room and I've made over several lamps and light fixtures that I picked up thrift shopping. So easy and a it makes a big difference. Come see how I made this one here.

Well, I hope you all come on over and visit and of course would love for you sit and stay a while. You can also find me on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest. I really enjoy talking and sharing ideas on all these mediums. Don't you just love social media? :-)

Thank you again, Angie for having me over. See y'all soon!

New Blog Design -- I knocked off a Word Press design!

2012-01-19T19:44:00.000-06:00

After I saw the lovely blog redesign over at Madigan Made...I have been OBSESSED!! I mean a word press theme while staying on blogger...count me in. So I took Shannon's advice on this post and emailed her a few times. Viola! A brand new blog....

Well it was not all VIOLA and it was done. But it is done now! I even tweaked all my search options. Go ahead and browse around that bar up top. You will find lots of goodies...

One of my goals was to make my blog easier to navigate and I think I have succeeded. Plus we have a GORGEOUS slider on the front page that will change from time to time...

If you are on the front page you just have to click "read more" to continue reading the post....

I still have a few tweaks and I won't guarantee that I don't have some broken links right now. But we are getting there! And I am so darn happy with it!!

What do y'all think?

~Thanks for stopping by!~

~Angie~