Heirloom End Table

I am very excited to share this project! This old table was left at my grandparent's house. It was so blaw. The one great quality it has is that the top is cut out with a piece of glass sitting in it. It was calling for me to put pictures under the glass. Here is the before:

A Haunted House

I haven't been this excited about fall in a long time. I think it is due to the horrible heat we had this summer, and the fact that I get to make cool fall projects! When I saw this paper mache house I just knew I couldn't wait to work on it!

"It's a New Week" Inspirations

Today I am going to show some of my favorite finds on Pinterest. I hope they spark some ideas for you. Here is to a new week of creativity!

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Wine Cork Ornament

I have to admit that I got this idea on Pinterest. Once again, I wish it was my own. One thing I have learned though from doing projects is that they are still always unique. We all still put our own style into our work so our finished project is still our own! I got this idea from http://liliannagrace.blogspot.com/2010/11/wine-cork-ornaments.html

Here is a picture of one of the finished ornaments:

Supplies Needed;
Wine Cork
Charm
Three buttons that have at least two holes
Jump Ring 9mm
Cord (I found in Jewelry Dept at Michaels)
Glue (I used Goop)
Pliers
Drill and Bit
Scissors
Ruler
I left out a button, ruler, and the Goop in the picture below.

The first thing you do is measure out about 18 in of cord with the ruler. Then you take your pliers and hook a jump ring to your charm. Then thread the charm through the cord just like if you were running it through a necklace. I used a wine glass charm from Michael's. Next you thread each piece of cord through one of the button holes with the front of your button facing down.

Next you drill a hole all the way through the wine cork from top to bottom. Then run your two pieces of cord through the cork. Then take a little bit of glue and glue the bottom button to the bottom of the wine cork.
Next you run two more buttons of choice (I glued the bottom one to the top of the wine cork) through the cord like you did the bottom one.Then make a loop with the cord like you are tying a bow, but do not make a knot. Last take the cord and judge how big you would like your last loop (what you would hang from a tree) and tie a knot and cut off the excess.
You now have an ornament to give to those you love you also love wine! Another idea for these is to turn them into key chains, just buy the large rings at the craft store. I am going to try this next. Here are my finished ornaments! Don't forget to make one for yourself!

Finding the Source

Have you ever found something on Pinterest that you love, only to click on it and not be able to find out more about it. Well, I have GREAT news for you. There is a way to find the source. Say you see this cute light up snowman craft, but when you click on it to find out how to make it you end up at a dead end. The steps below will get you to the source.

1. Right click on the image
2. Click on copy image URL
3. Next go to Google images
4. Paste into the search
5. Go to end of search box and click on picture of camera
6. Paste again in new search box and hit search

You should then have more options to find the source of your image! I hope this helps you find all you need to express your creativity!

Keepin it Fresh

Hello everyone! I am sorry I have been off of the radar for so long. Since my son died two years ago I have time periods where I struggle just to cope with everyday life. I hope you can understand and have patience with me. I am hopeful that I will keep healing and improving with time.
I decided to revamp my blog and add helpful household tips to the information I will provide. I hope you like the addition!
You know those annoying hangers you get with pants when you purchase them. I usually toss them out.

Well, I wish I could take credit for discovering this, but I can't. I found this on Pinterest, but I wanted to share in case you haven't seen it. Another great use for those clips at the ends is to easily snap them off and use them to keep your chip bags sealed for freshness. Simply hold the clip with one hand and brace the hanger with the other. Then just "snap" off the end by bending it forward or backward.

I hope you will keep checking out my blog for other great tips like this one! Now we have an excuse to buy more chips. Ha ha!

IKEA Decor

It has been almost two years since I purchased these items from IKEA. I was not sure what in the world I was going to do with them, but like a lot of things at IKEA I just had to have them! They are the BYGEL Rail, the ASKER containers, and the BYGEL S Hooks.

I finally decided to hang them in the kitchen as decoration. I purchased flowers from Michael's and filled the containers. I think it turned out pretty cute!

4th of July Wreath

I got this project idea from the link below. Thanks to A Night Owl Blog for sharing this project! Really all I changed was the bow which has cute fireworks on it. I made this for my parents. They moved recently, and they have a pretty front door that they needed a wreath for.  I hope you like it!



A Night Owl Blog: {Thrifty Thursday} A Memorial Day Tulle Flag Wreat...: Well I bet you weren't expecting to see something so fluffy and festive on this Thrifty Thursday, now were you? And you might be asking...

Recipe from Grandma

Today I am missing my grandma terribly. I can't think of a reason to miss her more today, but I just do. I decided I would share a recipe of hers that I love to make this time of year. It is her Benedictine Spread recipe. My grandmother was a wedding caterer for many, many years. She made what we called "fancy" sandwiches, which consisted of benedictine, pimento cheese, and chicken salad along with some others. Her benedictine is still my favorite!
 Here is Wikipedia's definition of Benedictine spread: Benedictine or Benedictine Spread is a condiment made with cucumbers and cream cheese.[1] It is used to make cucumber sandwiches and was invented around the turn of the 20th century by Jennie Carter Benedict, a caterer and restaurateur in Louisville, Kentucky.[2] Benedict opened her restaurant in 1893.[2] It was there that she invented and originally served benedictine. Originally used for sandwiches, benedictine has in recent years been used as a dip for chips and filling for potatoes.  I hope you enjoy this recipe.

Alice's Benedictine Spread:
1 Large Cucumber
2 Pkgs Cream Cheese (softened)
2 Tbsp yellow onion (finally chopped)
Salt to taste
Green Food Coloring
 Cut the ends off of cucumber and peel off all skin with a peeler. Cut down the middle and cut out all of the seeds. In a food processor or chopper, mix the cucumber until fine. Strain juice from cucumber and reserve a couple of tablespoons of the juice. In a medium mixing bowl mix cream cheese, finely chopped onion, cucumber, reserved juice and salt until blended well. Add drops of food coloring until light green color and blend again. Serve on bread or with crackers. White bread with benedictine is my favorite! It is the one time I will buy a loaf of plain white bread. Oh how this makes me miss my sweet grandma Alice.

Outside Wall Decor

I got this great idea from another blog at www.inmyownstyle.com. The link to the post is http://inmyownstyle.com/2012/05/how-to-make-outdoor-wall-art.html. I loved the idea so much I made some of the art and hung them on our screened in back porch. I used thick poster boards I got at Hobby Lobby for $1.99 each. I left one whole and cut the other one in half for two pieces. I then purchased two color coordinating vinyl table cloths at Walmart. I cut them and taped them around the boards with packing tape. I then hung them with 3M poster sticky strips.

I decided to take it a one step further, since it will be in my protected porch and thumb tacked pictures of us at summertime, or doing outside things to the front of the boards. I am thrilled with how they turned out! I am one step closer to my back porch makeover reveal!

Check out www.inmyownstyle.com for this and other great project ideas!

Back Porch Cabinet Redo

When the back porch was emptied after my grandma died this cabinet was suppose to be put in the dumpster brought on site, but I put a not on it to leave it for a redo. I have to say this is not much of a "redo" in the traditional sense, but it is pretty much what I had in mind. We have redone the porch with mostly "nature" decor. The cabinet was in really bad shape, so I decided to do very little to it other then paint it. It was missing a glass door on the front. Most of the shelves were all bent from the weather and the back and top were caved in because they are made of that very thick cardboard. Paint was chipped off almost completely and the handles are rusted. Every part of the cabinet would have to be replaced and to me that would mean we weren't really keeping my grandparent's cabinet, so I left it almost the same.

All I did was took the other front glass door off, sanded off the rest of the excess paint and then cleaned and painted it. I even left the rusty handles. I think it actually looks pretty good considering the shape it is STILL in. Ha Ha! 

I know my grandparent's would be so happy to see all of the items we are still using in the house! I have only three small projects left in the back porch and I can show all the room makeover pictures! I can't wait to share!

More Barrettes

I decided to make more barrettes today for some of the cute little girls I love! I was feeling patriotic and thinking of summer. I wanted to make a gift today to post on my other site at www.lovelyactsofkindness.blogspot.com. Here they are......

Mini Succulent Gardens

Hi everyone! I have really missed your company. This post is all about my mini gardens. These are just a few of the ones I made today. I am thinking about selling them. There are endless possibilities to making them adorable!
Here is how I assemble them:
Choose succulents and container
Add layer of pea gravel to bottom
Next add layer of sand (These are both to help with drainage)
Then I place a small amount of potting soil (cacti soil) is best. This is found at garden centers.
I then place the succulents (some stepables will work as well. I prefer short plants)
Last but not least I add the mini decorations

Succulents need a lot of light, but they need little water. If placing your succulents outside, water about once a week or when soil is completely dry. Also, bring inside when outside temperatures are below 40 degrees. If keeping your mini garden indoors, water only about once every three weeks or so, and keep in the sunlight. I love miniatures, so I believe one of the best parts is finding all of the tiny decorations to place inside.
If you decide to make your own succulent garden please share pictures on my blog!