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

How to Remove Contact Paper

2012-02-22T18:02:00.000-06:00

I always think that if I am struggling with a problem, you probably are too. I am working on a fantastic redo of a vintage cabinet but it had really old contact paper inside. I am talking 70s contact paper stuck for life. I pulled, tugged, wore down my fingernails....then I googled. Turns out there is a super simple way to remove contact paper.

Break out your hair dryer! It removed it like a charm. Heat it up a little bit and it peels right off. Mine came off including the sticky stuff underneath with just a little heat. It appears from my research, you might need some Goo Gone to remove any sticky residue. I had a bunch to remove...

I would say start to finish it took me 15 minutes! Fifteen minutes! Gotta love another great use for a hair dryer. Stay tuned for more details after I get my cabinet done.

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

Love Sign Knock Off -- How to paint letters on a sign

2012-02-21T18:27:00.000-06:00

Voting is still open this week on So You Think You're Crafty -- head on over and vote for my conference tote bag!

Are y'all ready for all the details on my Love Sign Knock Off? I am oh so happy with this project. I searched pinterest for some love project inspiration. I found a sign I fell in love with but...$300!! YIKES! My love project became an attempt to knock off that sign on a pint size budget. I made mine completely with things I had on hand. Yes free to me. My love sign knock off...

Here is the original and my version side by side. My version is almost exactly the same size as the original. However, mine is three boards versus two. By using three boards, mine is made with standard size lumber so that anyone can make one for themselves at home. All you need for the letters is a printer, a pen, a ruler, some paint, and some patience.

I started with a little help from hubby. We used some leftover lumber from building a barn. Cut it to size where it would be approximately square. My version is about 28 inches by 30 inches. Very close to being square but not quite. :)

We added runners on the back. So it basically is assembled like a pallet would be.

I then painted it white. It took about 5 coats as the lumber absorbed A LOT and bled through like this....

But I eventually got a nice even white coat. Now for those letters. This tip came from this source via pinterest and I heart it!! Print out your words with any old printer the size you want them. Lay them on your wood sign and trace around them. For this sign, for example, I would trace the "H" measure and move my paper and trace the "E" measure and move my paper and trace the next letter, etc.

That will leave a slight indent where you want to paint. Genius I tell you! I wanted rustic letters. So I used a very dry brush and left all of those natural imperfections....

Each letter is unique. No sanding required.

To me it looks more worn and less "forced" than sanding...

I loved how on the original the letters landed on the middle of the separations between the boards. So I measure carefully and had mine come out the same way. The measuring for the letter placement was the hardest part.

I am so happy this one got me through one more week of SYTYC! Plus I am beyond thrilled with how this one turned out!

After some thought, I will be selling this sign -- just one time no duplicates will be made. If you are interested drop me an email!

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.
~Thanks for stopping by!~

~Angie~
The Country Chic Cottage

Blissdom Tote Bag -- I need YOUR vote!

2012-02-20T07:32:00.000-06:00

I made it through another week at So You Think You're Crafty...by the skin of my teeth! This all star round has some crazy talent! The theme this week is "For Me". I froze when I got to this week. Completely stumped as what to make. Most of the time I start out making something "for me" and someone else in the house claims it for themselves. What could I make that truly would be for me? I am headed to Blissdom this week and that seemed to be the perfect excuse to make myself something. That is how my Blog Conference Tote Bag idea came to be. Please head on over and vote for my project on So You Think You're Crafty...pretty please!

I started with a tote bag I owned from Nest of Posies. The point is being able to turn any bag you own into your own blog conference bag. A bag that has a place to put all of your gadgets PLUS room for your wallet and some swag to boot. I designed a drawstring camera bag that can literally be thrown into any bag or purse -- not just for blog conferences. It helps to protect your camera while being stylish. I will have a detailed tutorial for it after the voting ends.

Other items in the bag include a stylish laptop sleeve, a small zippered pouch for your power cord, etc, and a ruffled camera strap to show off your craftiness. I will link you to all of those tutorials in a post next week.

This project is just for me! And ya know what? It feels great to have made something for myself for a change. I think we all ought to take the "for me" challenge occasionally. Please head on over to So You Think You're Crafty and vote! I can guarantee you these crazy talented ladies have a great line up for you this week!
~Thanks for stopping by!~
~Angie~

Doily Curtains

2012-02-19T18:55:00.000-06:00

Originally posted on The CSI Project. Reposted here in case y'all missed it! I made these Doily Curtains around Christmas and am absolutely in love! Are you ready to add some doilies to your curtains?

First y'all need to see what I started with. I have had these blue curtains for over 9 years. That is tragic all by itself. I was so sick of blue. Sick, sick, sick. But these are really nice curtains. Lined, insulated. They are in front of a door and two floor length windows, so lined and insulated is important. I just did not have the money to buy new curtains for the entire window. So I covered my curtains...covered them! Ready to learn how?

I bought 108" wide muslin in the fabric section. It was about $30 to buy enough to cover my curtains. Remember to think of fullness. So buy about 1 1/2 to 2 times the width you need so you can scrunch it up. My plan was to make a whole new valance. That means the top of the curtains will continue to be covered up. Good news. I didn't have to worry about how the top looked. So I used safety pins to pin the muslin onto my curtains...safety pins!!

See...they are truely just pinned up there. I held them up and got the curtain the correct length on the hemmed bottom, then scrunched, and pinned. Right onto the existing blue curtains.

Then to keep the muslin together with the curtains -- I wrapped the muslin around and on the back side I hand stitched up the sides. It might be hard to tell in this pic but I just ran some thread up the sides with stitches every 3-4 inches.

It already looked better and I was beyond excited at this point....

Next came a new valance. I spent about $16 on fabric from Joannes for these curtains. They are just straight...absolutely nothing fancy....

I knew I wanted to add some doilies to the curtains but I really did not know how I wanted them. I have been collecting doilies of various shapes, sizes, colors, etc for some time. I picked them up at yard sales and thrift stores. First I laid them all out on the floor....

I was still unsure. So I pinned each on to the curtains. I would pin them, live with them awhile, move them, take them down, pin some new ones back up, etc...

I finally decided that the smaller pieces looked better. Some of the larger doilies that were not in good shape, I actually cut into smaller pieces. Once I had a configuration I liked, I left it pinned on a while just to be sure it was "the one".

I then hand tacked each doily in place. Right there on the curtain. How many tacks you need really depends on the size and shape of the doily. I just kept tacking until the each looked right. I did this in a series of nightly sewing sessions. I would do a few doilies each night. Leaving the rest pinned into place.

This is a picture of my final configuration. It is simple, elegant, yet rustic -- which is just my style.

I love the new look. For less than $50 -- I love the price too. We have lived with these new curtains since the week after Christmas. They get opened and closed almost daily. I have had absolutely no issues with my method of covering the old ones. This should work for any curtains that are a thorn in your side.

Once my curtains were done, I needed to clean up my view. Luckily, Fish Foam sent me some product to review. I never have been good at cleaning windows. They always have streaks. I really hate it...really, really hate it. Little did I know, it was not ME that was the problem. It was the product I was using. Fish Foam stays put where you spray it. It does not leave streaks behind. In short, I don't LOVE cleaning windows now but at least when I do them they look good!

Product was supplied to me by Fish Foam but all opinions are mine.

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

{More} College Talk

2012-02-18T13:01:00.000-06:00

If y'all have been around here anytime at all, you know that I have a senior in high school. College is on my mind...well...all the time. I tend to blog about what is happening in our life at any given moment. So college prep posts have become common place around these parts. I hope someone out there gets some benefit from my experiences.

image source

As a senior in high school, my daughter is already taking some college courses at the local community college. I must say, I remember books being expensive but inflation has definitely taken over! Right now we are only purchasing books for two classes. In the fall, when she is attending full time, I cannot imaging what our bill will be. So of course I started doing some research and thought I would list here a few ways I have found to save money on college textbooks. Plus I need to ask for you experienced moms to help me out and put some more ways to save in the comments below. I am going to need every tip I can get. My tips:

1) Used books -- scour the local college book store, amazon, and any other internet source for a used version of your book. This tip was what I used to get through college so of course I went to it first. You run into the same old problems where you can't find the particular version of the book you need. Plus I can totally remember getting stuck with a book that I couldn't resell at the end of the semester because a newer version was available.

2) Books on Kindle -- I was shocked to see that some college text books are now available electronically. I am sure there will come a day when all of them are available and that is all you have to carry around with you during the day. But alas, we are not there yet and not all books are available this way.

3) Renting college textbooks. Yes books are now available for you to RENT. Entire websites are dedicated to your book renting needs. An example is CampusBookRentals. A 40-90% savings off of purchasing a new book. Free shipping both ways. And you can even highlight in the book you receive! I must say that we will be scouring CampusBookRentals in the fall for all of our textbook needs. One example book is $192 new and you can rent it for the semester for $71. Yes y'all might be shocked at the $192 original price that is quoted. But trust me, that is the new prices on books these days...crazy. But the renting price is amazing (okay amazing in comparison). Plus you get to clear that clutter at the end of the semester and send all of your books back.

So far those are the strategies we are using to save a little money this fall. Any other tips for me? Ideas? Please HELP! I feel so inexperienced when I even think about sending my daughter to college. This is my first college aged child and I am winging this one as I go!

CampusBookRentals paid for a mention in this post. However, all opinions and ideas are my own.

~Thanks for stopping by!~

~Angie~

Blissdom Bound

2012-02-17T20:06:00.000-06:00

I am going y'all! I am headed to Blissdom next week. This time next week I will be live tweeting from sessions for your enjoyment. (Psst...be sure you follow me on twitter!) Are you headed to Blissdom? Pretty please leave a comment below so I can "meet" you right now!

So I am going to post a little ice breaker for those I am going to meet at Blissdom. A little get to know me and what I am about. Course even if you are not going to Blissdom and want to know some more about me...feel free to read all the {not so} juicy details below.

First of all I am a Tennessee girl. I will be staying at home during Blissdom and commuting everyday. Straight up honesty -- that is the main reason I choose to attend Blissdom. A blog conference package with hotel, airfare, etc does not appear to be in the budget this year. Blissdom however is an opportunity for me to learn tons, network, and be close enough to sleep in my own bed! Win-win-win!
Next think you need to know about me -- I have red hair. We are usually the minority. So when you see a red haired girl at Blissdom, come on over and introduce yourself!

A little about my life. I am a full time working wife and mother to three kids. Yes I work full time. I am actually an engineer (any other engineers out there??). I am taking a couple of vacation days to attend Blissdom. I feel that if I am going to continue down this road with my blog, I need to sharpen up some of my skills. My children are 17, 11, and 6....yes you read that right! My oldest is graduating high school this year and will be starting college. So if you have a high school senior and want to share war stories...I am your girl. I can also share war stories of mothering a 6 year old boy...cause well boys are a new frontier when you have been raising girls.
Now a little about my blogging life. I started The Country Chic Cottage over 2 years ago. I made a new year's resolution to spruce up my home. The CCC was a way to keep me on track and accountable. Two years later I am still plugging away. My focus is still home related -- DIY, crafts, vintage finds, home decor, all mixed into one. My favorite projects are ones that cost little to no money...cause well I am a girl with a tight budget. I love knocking off something I find in a Pottery Barn catalog. Or scouring The Home Depot or Big Lots for discounted home decor items. Thrift stores and Goodwill are where you will find me at least once a week. I also blog over at One Month To Win It. A craft competition blog where you have....one month...to win it. You did not see that coming did you?
My goals for Blissdom are pretty simple. I plan on meeting some great bloggers (I am making a list cause I am anal like that). I also plan on learning all I can. Specifically I will be taking quite a few photography classes. So if you are a regular reader and made it this far, expect better pictures from me cause I am going to expect better pictures from myself!
I hope any of you that will be in Nashville next weekend will leave me a comment below with a link to your blog or twitter. Let's talk, have fun, and learn a little bit along the way.
~Thanks for stopping by!~
~Angie~

For the Love of Books Bathroom -- the details

2012-02-16T18:11:00.000-06:00

Head on over to So You Think You're Crafty and vote for my Love Sign Knock Off if you haven't already. The last day is tomorrow and the voting is close!!
Last week the theme on SYTYC was Children's Literature. I submitted my For the Love of Books Kids' Bathroom. Here are all the details in case you want to copy any of the items I used....

We will start with this wall grouping. The frames are a hodge podge of ones I owned and ones I purchased at the thrift store. I picked a color scheme and started painting the frames in a variety of colors. The picture "mats" are all scrap book paper that I had on hand. All of the vinyl quotes for this entire room I cut with my Silhouette.

I tried to incorporate a variety of my kids' favorite books. Some classic and some newer titles. I started by scouring the net and pinterest for any printable book quotes and pages. I also stalked the thrift store. I did not want to tear any pages out of the books we owned and loved to read.

The above Dr. Seuss picture and quote came from 364 Quotes in 2011. I picked this particular version because I adore having the cat in the hat on it! If you search around, that quote is available in tons of options.

The above printable came from my friend Michelle on The Scrap Shoppe. She even has it in different colors if you want another version. I fell in the love with the colored version. I also added quite a few other elements to the bathroom to remind my kids to read...

This was a thrift store sign from the 80s. I painted over it in that pale yellow. Then covered up with the letters R E A D and painted a dark grey around them.

My oldest daughter loved pooh when she was little...okay so she still does at almost 18! So I could not leave him out. The above picture was found on pinterest but alas had no original source. I did not find a source but here is my pin if that helps.

Last but not least is a page out of a beloved book. My son LOVES this book! I picked up another copy at the thrift store and used it for my framing. The book is called Easy Street in case you are interested. Next up is the bathroom shelf...

Again lots of framed book pages. I had to include Arther....

Plus more Winnie the Pooh (he has the best quotes). Some starfish and some kiddo painting also got added to the shelf...

Oh yes, I also added READ to a little container in scrabble letters. Scrabble letters definitely belong in a book themed bathroom, don't you think?

For this little arrangement, I stole a page from a Corduroy book and added some vinyl to the wall...

Why yes I do have a chest of drawers in the bathroom! This lovely jewel actually holds all my tablecloths, linens and things. I don't have a place in the kitchen and this works just fine.

I took a Mickey Mouse book from the thrift store and made myself a runner for the chest of drawers. Just torn out pages and tape. Absolutely nothing fancy but it is oh so cute...

The towel holder that I spray painted ended up on this chest of drawers. A few book stacks and some beach themed accessories...

See that old Horton Hears a Who book?? That one was in the free box at the thrift store. They were going to RECYCLE it!! Seriously. They throw out vintage books that are not in the best condition. I rescue as many as I can....but it is hard....

That is all for my bathroom tour. I hope you enjoy my bathroom redo as much as we do! It is a great improvement. So bright and cheerful now! Plus, I hope it encourages the love of reading to continue to blossom in my kids...

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

Hello Spring Wreath with @momitforward and @plaidcrafts

2012-02-15T13:24:00.000-06:00

I am teaming up with Mom It Forward and Plaid Crafts to bring you a project today! Plaid sent me some fabulous glittery paints to try out and I had a blast coming up with this one. Head on over to Mom It Forward to read the full tutorial and make your own Hello Spring Wreath!

Plaid sent me products in compensation for this post. However all opinions and ideas are my own.

~Thanks for stopping by!~

~Angie~

Keep Calm Sign -- Trends Challenge

2012-02-14T21:09:00.000-06:00

Tonight I am participating in the Crafterminds Trends Challenge. What is that you ask?? Use as many current blog "trends" in one project as possible. We all know about blog trends right? I mean how many chevron projects have you seen? (Yes I added that too!) I thought the challenge sounded like fun so I jumped on board. Are you ready for it? My oh so trendy sign....

Let me start by listing the trends I used in this one:

sheet music
dictionary pages
maps
chevron
bunting banner
keep calm and carry on
antlers
ombre
brackets (in the watermark cause that is important too!)

I started by layering tons of different ephemera on a spare board. Since I have YET to use antlers in a project, I just had to add TWO to this one!

I printed out the "Keep Calm and Carry On" with an ombre feel. It did not photograph as well as I had hoped. But it goes from gray to white.

Chevron AND a bunting banner?? Oh yes! I did....

Lots of paper and mod podge later, I had myself one very trendy sign!

What else will be linked up at the Crafterminds Trends Challenge? How many trends can one girl use in ONE project? Come on over and find out. There is sure to be some hilarious projects linked up!

~Thanks for stopping by!~

~Angie~

The Country Chic Cottage

Love Sign Knock Off -- I need YOUR vote!

2012-02-13T07:12:00.004-06:00

Yep I made it through last week on So You Think You're Crafty. So I am back with another project and another plea for your vote! This week is love week. I searched pinterest for some love project inspiration. I found a sign I fell in love with but...$300!! YIKES! My love project became an attempt to knock off that sign on a pint size budget. I made mine completely with things I had on hand. Yes free to me. My love sign knock off...

I will have a full tutorial on how you can make your own love sign on my blog after the voting ends. Including the painting details on these rustic letters....lovely rustic letters that prove it does not have to be perfect to be beautiful!

Head on over and vote for me...pretty please! Then come back next week for all the details on this project.
UPDATE: A full tutorial can be found here -- ENJOY! :)

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.
Linking up on the party at The Nester
~Thanks for stopping by!~
~Angie~
The Country Chic Cottage

Chocolate Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Frosting

2012-02-12T18:09:00.000-06:00

Time for some sweets for your sweet this Valentine's Day! Chocolate cupcakes with peanut butter frosting. I don't generally post recipes and this is certainly not a food blog. But I always make something sweet for my four valentines on Valentine's Day. I thought I would share with y'all tonight. I do love to bake and I can just call this one a "food craft" right?

This is a store bought cake mix dressed up with some super simple homemade frosting. First bake your cupcakes according to the directions on the package. I made regular size and mini ones.

I found my peanut butter frosting recipe in a magazine years ago. I scoured the net and could not find this exact recipe. It is super simple and oh so good! So let's get started:

Peanut Butter Frosting

1/3 cup peanut butter (you can use chunky if you desire -- I did not)

2 cups confectioner's sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 teaspoons honey

4-5 tbsp milk

Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl with the electric mixer on low speed. Add just enough milk to make an acceptable spreading consistency. Yield: 2 1/2 cups.

(recipe courtesy of August 2008 edition of electric coop magazine)

Easy right? Just spread it on. Then I took some melted chocolate and free handed some piped hearts on parchment paper. Let them dry and add them to the top. Oh so yummy! All of my sweethearts like them too!

What are you making for your valentines this week? Anything extra special?

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

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.

~Thanks for stopping by!~

~Angie~.
The Country Chic Cottage

Seasonal Items Closet -- the details

2012-02-08T17:57:00.005-06:00

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! UPDATE: The tutorial for this one can be found here.

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.
Posted at Show us Your House on Thrifty Decor Chick.
Linking up this Small Space at The Inspired Room.
~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!

2012-01-30T07:06:00.003-06:00

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!
UPDATE: All the detail on this closet can be found here along with a tutorial for the wrapping paper organizer here.

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