Goodwill Art Turned Chalkboard

When I started to decorate the dining room, I knew I wanted a big chalkboard.  I suspected however, that finding a big, chunky framed chalkboard in my budget would be pretty difficult.  Enter Goodwill and spray paint!  I found a great piece of art at Goodwill for around $15.  I don't have any before pictures since it was pre-blog, but think dark frame with a sad, faded print.  To transform the frame and glass, I bought white spray paint and chalkboard spray paint.  After I separated the glass from the frame, I spray painted the frame white and the glass with chalkboard paint.  The glass took many, many coats.  I think I went through almost two cans of spray paint!  It was wet for a long time, and since it was outside, I picked out many an unfortunate bug who'd wandered there.  Painting the frame white was much easier!  Once everything was dry, I put it all back together.  The frame is attached to the wall with Museum Putty which is one of my favorite products!  

Sometimes the chalkboard displays our dinner menu but it works just as well for quotes or holiday greetings!

Linking up to...

Domestically Speaking PoPP

Adorable Felt Hearts

I love Valentine's Day!  Actually, I'm not sure if it's the day itself or just the hearts, but I've always loved making hearts!  I also love any sewing project that doesn't require the use of my sewing machine (because it scares me!) so this project is perfect!  The idea for these came from a tutorial for a partridge ornament I made at Christmas. I used a blanket stitch to sew these together, but I am by no means a blanket stitch pro, so there will be no thorough tutorial here.  There are a few vague pictures though, so maybe that will help.  Otherwise, if you are unfamiliar with the blanket stitch you should probably google it. :)

Supplies:

- felt

- fabric

- cardboard heart stencils (I cut mine from a cracker box)

- embroidery floss and needle

- Heat n Bond lite and iron

- scissors

- poly fill

- buttons and/or ribbon for embellishment

This is what I started with:

After cutting out the hearts, I ironed on the fabric so it would stay put while being sewn.

I stitched on the fabric heart, buttons and ribbon before sewing the two hearts together.

Here's what a blanket stitch looks like.

If you have a little helper, you can let them put in the stuffing. 

After stuffing, finish stitching and voila!  Adorable Valentine's decorations!  I added the ribbon in case I wanted to hang them somewhere, but the I kind of like them in the basket. 

Linking up to...

The Shabby Creek Cottage

Homemaker in Heels

Lolly Jane

Six Sisters Stuff

Mama Mia's Heart 2 Heart

I Heart Naptime

Michelle Paige

Decor Chick

Valentine's Day Burlap Banner

I can't get enough of the pennant type banners, or buntings if you prefer. Not to be confused with baby buntings, which is what I thought a bunting was until recently.  Anyway, I made one for Thanksgiving based on this inspiration, so I decided to make a similar one for Valentine's Day.  It's easy, doesn't take long to make, and is so cute!

Here's what I used:

Burlap

Triangle Stencil

Pencil

Scissors

Printed Letters

Red Paint

Paint Brush

Glue Gun

Hemp Rope

Use a stencil to trace the triangles and cut them out of the burlap.  Use the printed letters as a guide to paint the letters onto the burlap.  Once the letters are painted, glue them to the hemp rope.  Easy!

Linking up to ...

The Shabby Creek Cottage

Homemaker in Heels

Positively Splendid

Hoosier Homemade

Uncommonly Yours

I started a blog!

So I started a blog. I think this will be a craft/DIY/decorating/tales of a stay at home mom type blog, but we'll see. My husband said something about my blog needing direction. I don't know about that, but I do know that my mind is constantly pin balling ideas and that a few of those ideas materialize into a pile of supplies hovering in the dark corners of closets (or on my kitchen counter, whatever) and a few of those piles become an actual creative masterpiece. I'm hoping this blog will be a vehicle for accountability (I can't disappoint my loyal followers!), but I'm not sure I'm willing to limit my creativity to one "direction." Plus, a blog sounds like a great New Year's Resolution. 1. Start blog 2. Update blog regularly 3. Attract at least one reader other than my mom... So jump in and enjoy the ride! I think I'll head North, or maybe Northwest...