Come, Sit and Sip Some Sweet Tea!

I have always loved the south and the southern ways. One of my favorite is how they sip sweet tea on beautiful wrap around porches (which I will have one of my own some day😊) I decided to set up a tiny little sweet tea area on my back/side porch. It is pretty small but there is enough room for my tiny little red table and yellow chairs that a redid. I love it and have found myself sitting here a ton! Take a look! 

I love this new space! It's like a dreamy get away when I am able to take a quick break for some ice cold sweet tea and fresh raspberries! How bout you? Do you have a spot on your porch or in your yard  that just makes you happy?!  If not, I highly suggest you make one! This didn't cost me a thing because I used stuff that I already had! 

Ave a great day y'all 😉

Chalk Board Art- Our Top 10 Favorite Tutorials

I love all of the chalk board art that I have been seeing lately. I loved it so much that I decided to make my own chalk boards so that I could make myself an expert in chalk board art (what?! I can dream! ;)) I have seen mini and large with chalk board art and I love them all. 

The hubs and I love barn wood. He acquired some from hims mama so we have been making all sorts of projects out of it. The latest is a door sized chalk board that is outlined in my favorite Paradise Blue paint that I distressed. What is really cool is this project cost us next to nothing to make and turned out super awesome. I would pay top dollar for something like this at a boutique or store. I am going to write a huge Valentines message on it for the skiddles, this Friday. I will post it! You can do so much with chalk art. Here are some of my favorites!!

After doing some research, I found some super informative tutorials over at the blogs listed below. Check em' out! You might just find yourself the next most amazing chalkboard artist!

1. The DIY Chalk Board Children's Art display
http://www.babyrabies.com/2011/09/diy-chalkboard-art-display-tutorial/

2. How to dral like an artist on a chalkboard Tutorial
http://inmyownstyle.com/2012/07/how-to-draw-like-an-artist-on-a-chalkboard.html

3. Simple Chalkboard art Tutorial
http://craftysouthernmama.blogspot.com/2012/07/simple-chalkboard-chalk-art-tutorial.html

4. Chalkboard art tutorial
http://antsi-pants.blogspot.com/2013/05/chalkboard-art-tutorial.html

5.Chalkboard Art
http://knockoffdecor.com/chalkboard-art/

6. Tutorial on chalkboard text art
http://craftadon.com/tutorial-chalkboard-text-art/

7. Chalkboard art frame tutorial
http://www.according-to-kelly.com/2012/11/chalkboard-art-fram-tutorial/

8. Chalk Board drawing Tutorial
http://indiecraftparade.com/blog/archives/2370

9. How I letter in chalk imperfect tutorial
http://www.myvintagewindow.com/2013/04/how-i-letter-in-chalk-imperfect-tutorial.html

10. The difference between chalk paint and chalkboard paint
http://www.holy-craft.com/2013/06/the-difference-between-chalk-paint-and.html


And our version of the chalkboard to master all of these tutorials on: 

Items needed for this project: 

Barnwood

Paint-your choice of color

Chalkboard Paint

Tape-To make your paint lines -oh so straight-

Wood Glue

We will post our video tutorial on building this bad boy, next week!

If you do not have a Fireplace/Mantle to hang your stockings with care....

Never fret, just have your hotthubs build you one ;) I got this idea from the oh so darling gal over at Vintagerevivals.com. She has an amazing blog and she is damn hilarious. I loved her fireplace and that is where I was inspired to do mine. 

Now, I told my hotthubs I would not collect anymore "junk" to put in the garage until I started getting rid of some of the stuff I have currently been hoarding. So, I had to do this project with what I had already.

I have a booty load of pallets and barn wood so I knew I wanted to use those up. I also had some scrap pieces of wood/board from a previous piece that was taken apart for another project so I wanted to use those up some how too. I wasn't sure how to build the frame for this thing but that is where my handy dandy man came in :) We started with a pallet, cut it in half, placed slats inbetween empty spaces and made the bottom. 

Like this:

 Then, we took those scrap left over pieces and made the two sides of the fire place and then then we used some of our barn wood for the top and then the top mantle.

I decided I loved the barn wood so we put it all down the back of the fire place. It is exactly what I wanted and pictured in my head. I love working with hotthubbs on things because he cannot see what I am explaining when I am explaining it to him, but he goes with the idea and somehow always creates the picture I was seeing. I wuv him tons :)









So, we are still working on getting it decorated the way that I want it but here it is so far. I love how the lights give it the "fire" feel!  It was so funny when one of my twinners asked how Santa was going to come out of this fireplace! Baha! I told him he would probably just sneak through the window! ;)

Super fun project and we are both super proud of it! 

Master Bedroom Pallet Bed Re purposed Pallet Furniture

I love pallets! I have always wanted to make something fun out of them and this summer I finally have! I have researched so much on the web and Pinterest and blog world and I have seen so many AMAZING things built out of pallets. I have listed my top 10 favorites at the end of this post! And below is how it ended up! I really love it. I have always wanted a bedroom that wasn't like everyone else. I have the big black bed frame from RC Willey etc. It just didn't make me as happy as this does! Yay for being different! The Quilt is a knock off from the Pottery Barn and I am going to do a tutorial on that, very soon. It was pretty easy and i LOVE this quilt! The bunting says LOVE and I just used some burlap I had sitting around. I picked up the the old suitcase at a yard sale and I love it! I picked up the globe from a garage sale and same with the night stand. So, this whole project really cost next to nothing. I love it!

It's about Fall Y'all

So its getting a bit chilly and you know what that means. Fall is in the air! I, like so many others, love this time of year. I decided to start on the Fall porch decorating and here is what I have so far. Note: This is the first year that I have actually ever decorated my porch(although I have always wanted to for years) I am a beginner so be easy on me! ;)

I don't so much love Halloween like I do the actual Fall browns and oranges and leaves and such. But, being that I have boys that love all that Halloween gore I thought that I would add a few "scary" things to the set. I will post close up pics of all the items that I have collected over the years as soon as I can. Lots of cute stuff! My little sign says "The wicked witch and her little monsters live here" hehe... Exactly right! 

The last big huge thing that I am doing is the backdrop for the ceremony. I have googled my heart away looking for inspiration and can only find really extravagant, clothy, drapes everywhere, not my style at all stuff. So I am really diggggggin on this one.... Some ideas I do like below:


Image Source: Pintrest/pin/192106740324534513

Back drop ideas are floating around in my head. Hopefully I can put them together and make something amazing this weekend! Wish me luck :)

I want to utilize the big beams that hang over the tables in the pavilion. I was inspired in many ways for this. I am not sure how I will do it but I am thinking maybe just over the from tables where the bride and groom and parents will sit. Here is some of the inspiration for this idea....
Image Source- Click Here


I really love, love, love this! It looks the most like what I am picturing in my head minus the flowers because we are doing a little bit different on the flowers.
How would this this look with roses?  We are tight on money for decor so I am trying to do what I can with what we have.

I have a gorgeous bird cage so I was inspired to use it when I saw this:
The birdcage I have is a an off white, vintage looking piece. I am excited to use it.

I  also need to figure out what to wrap the poles that go up the stairs.  I found some red tulle, I know my sis (deco partner) is not a fan of tulle but I think wrapped tight like this, she may accept it

My soon to be sis in law had said she liked the sign idea... it wasn't this pic exactly but something like it
Image Source: Country living.com

Trying to figure something out that I can do to use this and grant her wants/wishes.......

So, my baby brother is getting married on the 26th if this month. I was asked to head the decor for this sweet day. I am really starting to get nervous now that it is getting closer! I have a ton of ideas in my head but I haven't quite done the "mock" set up of the centerpieces, the welcome table or the back drop-I plan to do that this weekend with the the help of my sister. To prepare myself and really get pumped I am dedicating this post to all my favorites out there for centerpieces, floral, and back drops. This will definitely help me get all my ideas together in one area to then process! The only specification the bride had was that roses be the main flower. I decided to go roses and vintage.

I have been inspired by a ton of different images and ideas I have seen throughout blog land as well as stores and shops. Here are some of the ideas I will be using:


These chalk boards are being sold on www.onekingslane.com. They are actually all sold out. When I saw these I was reminded that I have about 15 chalk boards with unfinished wood frames. I am going to use these on the tables. Not sure about number the tables but probably just for "love" words. Or I might label the cake table, bride and groom table, guest book, etc.... I will be posting pics of all "acutal" uses of these ideas I am being inspired by.


More centerpiece inspiration:www.greenweddingshoes.com


I follow this next blog. I love the author of the blog. She is so cute and down to earth. She also has alot of the same style as I do with different things. This is the inspiring image:
www.missmustardseed.com...awesome and amazing blog!

I have a huge frame that I picked up from a garage sale. The frame is big and bulky like this one. So I am going to be painting in gold with dark stain detail. I am going to use chalk board paint as well. I think I will use this as the "sit all together" sign that will greet guests as they go to take their seats for the ceremony. I did not know this but I guess it is custom for the brides family to sit on one side and the grooms on the other. We will not be doing this. We will be mixed together as one BIG family. The way I think it should be :)

Picnic Basket Makeover

I have an obsession with picnic baskets. I think there is something so dreamy about a park, a tree with shade, a cozy blanket and a picnic basket! I love to take my boys on picnics. Getting ready for the picnic by packing the basket is always fun too! Some days you only go for a quick bite and so a smaller basket is fine and some days its a full on 5 course meal and you need a big ole basket! So I like to have one of each on hand. I think giving them as wedding gifts is a neat idea too because usually people forget things like this! So, I was out hunting for stuff on my normal Saturday morning garage selling adventure and I found 2 picnic baskets that were still in great shape but just needed some TLC on the whole design and look of them. 

Doesn't this look so dreamy? Found this pic on an AWESOME photo blog featherandbranch.com

http://featherandbranch.com/2011/05/pretty-as-a-picnicphotography/

I purchased both of them for like a dollar each. They were both the regular brown wicker color that baskets usually are. I was thinking that I needed to change that up first off. 

I had picked up some spray paint on my last Home Depot trip in springy colors. I had no idea what I was going to use them for but I just loved the colors so I had to get them.  Well I am glad I did! They are perfect for the basket makeovers. I started with the green as you can see below. 

I started out by taking off all of the straps and buckles. It was easy, they were only hooked on with brads that you bend on and off. 

I then started spray painting the basket. I started with the bottom of the basket, let that dry and did the top-inside.  I noticed that I needed to do another coat because not every nook and cranny was covered. I ended up spraying it about 4 times total. It dried nicely and looked great!

Next up I need to add some cuteness to the basket.... So to do this I went to the fabric store and picked up the 2.00 squares of fabric. I chose a fun springy pattern with spring colors. I measured the top of the basket and I cut a piece of this thin board that I had left over from another project. I then covered that with the fabric. I drilled a little tiny hole in each of the 4 corners. I then used brads to connect the board to the top of the basket. BACK PEDAL: I did also drill holes in the middle of the board for the handle to be attached. 

So top was done and looked so cute. It is a basket, so of course it was not a perfect match as far as the measurements or dimensions went. But that is what is great about this project, it does not need to be perfect! That is part of the character of the basket. 

The inside needed some love too. I had seen a few baskets at the store that had straps on the top of the inside of the lid. They were used to hold silver ware and plates or whatever. So I sewed elastic for these straps right onto the fabric that I then glued to the top of the inside of the lid. 

I added some utensils and that was that.... I think it turned out really cute! I realized that you could also use this as a sewing basket, make up holder, car kit box, the possibilities are endless really!

Linking up at:
 

Entertainment Stand Makeover

I have been working on a project these past few weeks that I am absolutely loving so far. I found this cupboard/bookshelf/nowmyentertainmentstand on the side of the road by my house with signs on it that said (my favorite word) FREE! I made my son and my good friend, Brent, go down the road with me to get this thing. It was HUGE and HEAVY! B had the brilliant idea to take the two scooters down and use them as a pull along deal. So they lifted the heavy cupboard part onto the scooters and scooted that baby on home. I shoved the book shelve things in my back seat and truck and drove down the road a wee bit way to my garage. I was SOOO excited about this find because I had gone garage selling all day trying to find something to use as my new entertainment stand. I found her and she was FREE! Heck yes!

So here is a crappy picture of her before the start of the makeover:

So you can kind of see how it looked....all dusty but in great shape. The shelves are not in the book case but it had like 4 shelves with it. So I will be showing this in two separate posts because I have the bottom half finished and I just cannot wait to show how it looks. 

Now I know that these pics are not the best and I plan to take better ones this weekend but you can kind of get an idea of how she is looking so far! I love it so far! I will be posting a tutorial as well on how I did everything once she is all done.

Side Table Makeover

This next project is definitely one of my favorites so far. I know people may get sick of seeing the blue paint I am currently obsessed with but that’s okay. Just pretend is your favorite color instead! I will list out some questions and answers below that will help explain the process and make for an easy to follow tutorial. Please feel free to let me know any tips you might have or ways that might have been easier than what I have done, as I am still a newbie and I need all the help I can get!

Where did you get the table that you are remaking?
I went out on a Saturday morning hoping to find a garage sale (still a bit chilly for garage sales) and I did not find any. So I decided to take a quick trip to the thrift store where I found the table. It was marked $9.99 and I thought it was worth that so I had my handy helper load it up in the cart for me. We went to the front to check out and the guys says “$5.09 please.” Oh yes, it was on sale for half off. Bomb.com

What did you do first?
I got this bad boy home and I sanded her up a bit. Then I washed her all off (why am I calling it a her?) I also removed the doors and hinges with a drill.

 

I was then ready to begin painting. I had never really painted anything before so after doing a little research and feeling halfway ready to conquer the world, I started slapping on some paint. It went on nice and easy and I did one coat then let that dry and then proceeded with the second coat. It looked nice after it was all dry. I then got the stain that I used for the last projects and I wiped that on and wiped some off, really concentrating on the cracks and leaving them covered in stain. I went down to the Home Depot and picked out some new fixtures to go along with this new look. I attached those. This process was not the easiest. I learned the hard way that you have to read the measurement on the package. So if it says 3” that means there is 3” between each hole for you to screw the handle in. I got the wrong size and had to make adjustments(lets just say- I need more Macgyver lessons) As I was doing this I was falling in love. By the time I was finished I was head over heels. 

 

















  

How did you feel about this as a finished project?
I loved the way this table turned out. I loved that I learned a ton while doing this project. I cannot decide quite where to put her but the thought is in my room with that makeover that is in the works. We will see :)