A little November Mantel Update

I decided to give the mantel just a few tweaks for Novemeber. Mostly I changed the banner and put little pumpkins to use. You too can create this cute banner with a free printable download from TomKat Studios. They have a great Thanksgiving printable set here, complete with cute labels for leftovers! Who doesn't love that?! 

And just in case anyone was wondering, the things holding the banner are iron claw feet that I rescued from salvage in college. Remember those cool cast iron tubs with claw feet? That's what they are, flipped upside down here. I repainted them and have used them for years as book ends or other decor. They're definitely a fun piece to own. 
 This is just an iphone shot, but you get the picture. Inspired?! Good :) Happy Friday!

Hydrangea Wreath

So once in a while I get to feeling crafty! I saw my beautiful hydrangeas in our front yard changing into their pretty fall greens and reds and it inspired me to do a wreath. It is very simple and homemade! It also only cost me $2, because the foam ring was $1 and the spool of wire was $1 at, you guessed it, the dollar store! I cut the blooms and let them dry for a few days first before creating the wreath. I have to say though that between further drying and gravity it has a little bit of a lumpy shape going on after a week of hanging...oh well, ocassionally it's good to celebrate the imperfect :)

All the goods...

The wreath after a week of hanging on my back door...

Happy Tuesday friends!

Bitten by the Craft Bug

A few girlfriends and I had an impromptu crafting party on Saturday morning (thank you LEAH! She even got a babysitter - she's the best :). It was so great to drink coffee, chat, and craft together! I made a rag wreath while I was there because I still had the Christmas wreath up. I knew I definitely had to do something about that Christmas wreath since it's half way through January. It was super easy, little scrap fabric strips tied around a wreath frame, thanks Leah for the inspiration. 

But it didn't stop there! A few of the other girls were creating beautiful valentine inspired crafts that I decided I must try for myself. The ideas and "how tos" on these are on the Idea Room Blog, if have never visited, definitely take a peek. She always has fun and generally easy ways to decorate and celebrate holidays!

I definitely made some rookie mistakes on some of these i am sure, like running out of the same red felt and a WICKED glue gun burn....I know, I know how silly at almost 29 years old to burn yourself with the glue from a glue gun but hey- crafting isn't necessarily for the faint at heart :)

Here is a few of my own interpretations around my house - 

In my powder room...

In my dining room...

And also the girls over at eighteen25 blog had up some great subway type posters for Valentines day that I took full advantage of! It's definitely brightening up my house on these cold snow days!  

Again the powder room...

And living room...

(Family photos in frame are by the gifted Rae Barnes)

Happy crafting friends, hope you got a little inspiration!

Crafting!

So I was bitten by the craft bug this week and I did a couple of projects tonight. One is a tutu for Macy & I got the "how to" on this from another blog (Idea Room). I think it turned out great and can't wait for a photo session with her in it! BTW, if you are local to where I am, Walmart has all of their fabric half price. This is a fabulous $3 tutu :)

And on another note, I decided to create a special birthday hat for our friend Cody who is turning one next week! I wish it had some more embellishments but the twins were OVER being in Walmart, and to be honest so was I! I need to refill my stash of crafty fabric...oh and did I mention that a sewing machine is coming my way?! Can't wait to create :)