Kithen Backsplash

Because of work and family obligations, I haven’t had much time to spend on my hobbies and even less to post about them. I recently finished a project that had me pretty excited and determined to post. I've been thinking about installing a kitchen backsplash for quite some time. Everything I’ve read and heard about this type of project convinced me that it was something that I could handle. During a stop at Home Depot to pick up paint, I decided to browse the tile section. This glass and slate mosaic tile caught my eye and motivated me to finally go ahead with the backsplash.

Before purchasing, the tile my husband and I decided to see if we could find it, or something similar, at a tile  outlet for less. We didn’t find anything that we liked and decided to leave. As we were about to walk out the door, we stopped to take a closer look at this slate tile.

For several reasons – it suited our décor, a better price, it was in stock – we decided to go with the slate tile. At the time I realized that the difference in the pattern was going to make the project more challenging but I felt that it was still within my skill level. It certainly was going to involve more cutting but I was looking forward to learning how to do that. Here’s the wet saw I bought for the project.

Well, as I suspected, the project was harder than I initially thought. I ran into a few obstacles and it took longer than I planned – five days instead of three. Here are my before and after pictures.

I’m really happy with the results. I learned alot and would definitely attempt another tile project again.

Pillows and Cushions

I decided to replace my outdoor furniture cushions this year. The cost to replace them, even for the low end and least expensive cushions, was going to add up fast. I wanted to keep the cost down so I decided to make them myself. I found some outdoor (fabric vs. vinyl) tablecloths in some bright prints that I thought would work well. I struggled a bit with some of the details like getting the measurements right and what to use for inserts. I didn’t want this to be one of those projects that never gets completed so I allowed myself to make mistakes and rip out some seams if I had to.

Here are the dining table cushions:

Here are a couple of the pillows…

 

…and the swing cushions:

I used the old foam from the old cushion, washed it and put snaps in the back seam so that it can be easily removed and washed. The pillow insert is an inexpensive queen size bed pillow.

For the pillows, I cut out felt appliqués and embroidered them into place. I was inspired by throw pillows I’ve seen in the stores and catalogues recently and this project idea from Jo-Ann. Since I was on a pillow-making roll, I had to make this pillow using Ruffles and Stuff’s tutorial. Here’s my version:

I used my die cutter for the butterflies and some of the flowers that I used in the other pillows. I used templates that I found online for the rest of the flowers and for the birds. Also, for the bird pillows, I used a stencil and fabric paint that I already had for the branches. The inserts are from throw pillows that I wasn’t using.

Once I got the measurements right, the sewing was easy and I enjoyed doing the embroidery in the evenings while watching TV.

My Garden and a Visit from the Tooth Fairy

Life has been pretty crazy lately and I haven’t had any time to write about my projects. I want this blog to be something I enjoy rather than a source of guilt so I won’t apologize but hope to get caught up on what we’ve been up to around here.

This time of year, my obsession is my garden. The little spare time I’ve had lately, I’ve been working on various things out there. This season began with me wanting to grow strawberries. I bought one of those upside down things but in  my opinion, they are not the prettiest garden ornaments, so I did a little research and came up with my own strawberry planter.

I found the little buckets in the dollar bin at Target awhile ago and I bought the chain from the hardware section at Wal-mart. Here’s the strawberries ready to be moved out to the garden…or back in the house if the weather is a little frosty or too windy.

Here’s one of the reasons I haven’t had much time to write lately.

Also, Pookie who is soon to turn 7, lost her first tooth.

As soon as I got home from work, I put together her tooth fairy pillow. I’ve been planning this project for quite some time but like so many other things, I procrastinated. I did succeed in finishing it by bedtime though – in plenty of time for the tooth fairy’s arrival.

Polymer Clay Necklace

I finally finished the polymer clay necklace that I started awhile ago.

I made a cylinder bead from the same black clay and lined up eye pins to link it to the square flower piece I made before. The pendant is strung on a mix of glass luster beads and knotted black leather lace. I’ve seen quite a bit of jewelry pieces made with organic material like leather that really appeals to me.

Display Shelf

My youngest daughter has started collecting the dolls her Dad and I have purchased for her from places we’ve visited. She and I decided that she needs a shelf to display them. We’ve been keeping our eyes open for something that will look nice in her room. When I saw this I thought, that’s it! So, the other day when I was at Wal-Mart, I purchased a shelf kit and pink ribbon.

Since I was installing it myself, I didn’t follow the directions exactly. My shelf was 8” rather than 6” so I cut the two ribbon pieces a bit longer and I stapled them to the bottom of the shelf before attempting to hang it on the wall. I used thumb tacks to temporarily attach it to the wall so that I could make adjustments before permanently attaching it with screws.

I removed shanks from some pretty buttons and glued them to the screws to hide them. I didn’t like how the staples looked on the bottom of the shelf, so I covered them with a bit of acrylic paint.

So far, she only has two dolls in her collection – one from Mexico and one from Hawaii. I like the way it looks and it was almost as easy as I thought it would be. I think I’ll use this idea again. It’s definitely more of a display rather than storage solution.

More Polymer Clay

I’m still fascinated with polymer clay and Pookie and I have been having more fun playing with it. Here is a batch of hearts we made for Valentine’s Day.


I was at Wal-Mart the other day and couldn’t help stopping by the craft section. Although I am a frequent visitor, I didn’t realize that they stock polymer clay. I purchased a variety pack of Sculpy III. I read a tip that different clays should be used for different uses and that Sculpy III may not be strong enough for some jewelry pieces but it seems to be more kid-friendly.
  
Pookie made the red and white spirals and the face with the Sculpy III and I made the flower pendant and some beads using Studio clay (also by Sculpy) in Midnight and Sedona from Hobby Lobby. I used a clay cutter for the flower which I placed on a square base that I cut out with my Exacto knife. I strung a glass bead and bead cup on a head pin and pushed it into the center of the flower. I added two eye pins to the top so that the pendant can be strung. Studio glossy glaze was used to give everything a shiny finish. The cured clay has a matte finish before polishing which is also nice.

I’m still considering a few design options for completing the jewelry for these pieces as well as plans for some more jewelry projects.

Valentine Hearts

Several years ago when my older girls were little, I discovered Polymer Clay and was intrigued by how it could be used in jewelry making. I read about it on some discussion boards – there were no blogs then – and promptly went out and got some supplies so that I could begin to play with it. The girls and I spent a fun day creating and baking. I moved on to other projects and haven’t given it much thought until I saw this post on Firefly Hill Style. It’s such a simple and cute project. Here is how mine turned out:
 
I used two shades of pink and red cord. I like the color combination. Now, Pookie is intrigued. I think I’ll pick up some more clay so that she and I can have some fun creating and baking.

Valentine’s Craft

Last year, I had all these plans to do something crafty for Valentine’s Day. Needless to say, time ran out and we ended up only sending the store bought cards to school. I was very disappointed in myself. There are so many simple crafts that can be done for V-Day. It’s such a great holiday for crafty people. A big gift is not required. In my opinion, our loved ones enjoy the fact that we are thinking of them.

I found this project a little while ago and thought it was a perfect craft to do for the grandparents. This project is so easy and only requires a few supplies that may already be on hand – glue, card stock, scissors, some photos printed off of our home printer. I did run out and purchased V-Day muffin liners and a ‘Happy Valentine’s Day’ stamp which were on sale at Hobby Lobby.

Here’s our version for Pookie to give to her Grandmother.


This is a great project to do with the kids.

A Quick and Easy DIY Project

I had heard about the kits that convert recessed lights to pendants awhile ago and forgot all about them until I read this post by Thrifty Decor Chick. I was really excited about these kits for a several reasons. Like TDC, we have a lot of recessed lights in our kitchen and I would really like to change things up a bit.
Also, although I consider myself to be somewhat handy, I’m nervous when it comes to projects involving electricity. Finally, if for whatever reason the kit didn’t live up to my expectations, I could just remove it and end up with the original light fixture with no harm done.

Pookie and I were out running errands yesterday so I decided to check them out. The first, more conveniently located, home improvement store that we went to didn’t have them so we headed over to Lowe’s. They had two Portfolio kits to choose from – silver or antique bronze I chose antique bronze.
 
Although the white frosted shade the kit came with was ok, I have a preference for colored glass. After some deliberation and advice from Pookie, I purchased this shade:
As soon as we got home, I got started on the installation. Once I took it out of the packaging I thought the finish looked more black than antique bronze and couldn’t resist the temptation to pull out my antique gold Rub ‘n Buff. I considered leaving it as is, or at least holding off on changing the color until I knew I could successfully install the light, however; I don’t have much patience so, in my usual manner, I plunged right in – for better or worse, this kit is mine.

So here it is:
I hadn’t noticed before that that light was not centered. What’s up with that? I think, from the kit directions, that I may be able to change the placement of the cord to make that less apparent. Regardless, I really like the way it turned out.

So Much Fun

I wrote in December about the awesome gift I got for my daughter for Christmas – a sewing machine. In my usual fashion, there were a couple things I had to do before we could actually get started. First, I felt we needed the right book to help me with the lessons. I looked at a few and decided on these – My First Machine Sewing Book: Straight Stitching and Simply Sewing (Kids Can Do It). Second, I realized that she needed a workspace that is her size - there is no way she could reach a foot pedal sitting at the table.

When Pookie was small, I got her a Dora table and chair set. She used it for everything - meals, play, crafts, etc. She has since outgrown Dora and we moved the set to the playroom. Until I find her the right sewing table, I thought it might be a good idea to redo the Dora table. She had some qualms about painting over her sticker collection. I had my own concerns about painting over Dora and my nostalgia. The table was pretty beat up and a nice new paint job could only be an improvement. Since the focus of this entry is on sewing, I'll post my before and after of the table redo another time.

Finally I have my act together enough to sit down with her for sewing lessons. We started with My First Machine Sewing Book. I have to say…she’s a natural. I’m so proud. I’m thinking, pillows will be perfect first projects for her – fun and she has that straight stitch down. I can’t wait to show my Mom pictures of our little seamstress.

I’m Back

I’ve had a lot going on in my life lately and although I’ve had a ton of inspiration and plans for projects, I haven’t had much time to complete them or write about them. The Holidays were pretty hectic and between that working full-time and family, I haven’t had much time for anything else.

Probably the biggest thing that has been going on is the arrival of my first Grandson. Our little man arrived on January 2 and we are all absolutely thrilled with him. He’s such a good sweet baby! I told Teresa that he is spoiling her. She’s going to think this whole motherhood gig is a piece of cake.

So as the title of this entry indicates, I’m back. I have so many plans for projects…I just have to find time to do them. Our plans for a trip to Mexico has me excited about getting out my summer clothes and thinking about some casual jewelry to go with my outfits. It’s been fun getting out all of my jewelry-making supplies. I’ve been hording beads and findings that have caught my eye – most of which I’ve picked up on sale or with coupons.

I recently set-up a craft space in my basement and Pookie and I spent some time there this weekend. I completed this multi-strand glass bead bracelet and a stamped pendant for my little girl last night.

Next, I'm thinking about making a necklace and some earrings.

A Card Display and a Christmas Decor Wrap-Up

So, I was just telling myself that I was done with Christmas projects and holiday decor for this year...but there was a but...but I would really like to do something different with the way I display our Christmas cards other than just sticking them up on the refrigerator. I knew that there just had to be some creative ideas out there and I had intended to do some internet research. I hadn't even gotten around to it when I read this post by Centsational Girl on that very subject. There are several great ideas for displaying cards in her post. 

I really like the way she used a chain for her display. I had some gold chain left over from another project and since my Christmas decor is gold and red, I wanted to do something similar but using those colors.

It took me awhile to find a good place for the display. I finally decided to hang it on the door to the office which is in our front entryway.

Similar to what CG did, I added some ornaments here and there.

Here is a little tour of some of the rest of our Christmas decor:

Thanks for visiting!

Wall Art

I was in one of my nesting phases in the Fall and would find myself looking at the big empty wall space surrounding the baker's rack. We've lived in this house for a few years now and I really have not done much with the walls. We have a lot of wall space...it's intimidating. So, I decided to do something. What's the big deal...I can always change it, right? How much trouble can I get into...perhaps some misplaced holes in the wall...those can be fixed, right? Of course. What followed was several days of shopping, painting, hammering, etc. I started with tackling the baker's rack wall.
I had seen a big metal wall hanging that I thought would fit nicely on one side of the rack. I considered it and came back to look at it a couple of times. I finally decided that I could make something similar. I purchased three metal tiles for 50% off at Hobby Lobby. I believe they were originally red and green. I wish I would have taken before pictures of my past projects. I used Rub n' Buff and some antiqued bronze spray paint. I applied some of both until I was satisfied. The wall hanging I was tempted to buy, was made up of three connected pieces. I did something similar with some old chain and cup hooks. I resized and painted curtain rods and hung the whole piece on iron hooks from Hobby Lobby. It took some time to put it all together and I remember at one point thinking that I should have just purchased the original piece - it probably would have cost the same if not less than what I had spent on the one I made. In the end, I didn't regret it because I really enjoyed the whole creative process and it makes me happy knowing that I made it myself. Here it is:

I needed to do do something with the other side of the rack for balance. Rather than one piece, I decided on an arrangement of things. Even though we have several clocks in our house and the stove and microwave both display the time, I wanted to include a clock. When I was growing up, we always had a clock in the kitchen so I feel that a kitchen should have a clock. I like the antique keys I've been seeing everywhere so the arrangement I had in mind included keys. Here's what I ended up doing on the other side:

More hooks and a knob were used for hanging everything. I used Rub n' Buff and antiqued bronze spray paint on the keys and hooks. The framed letter D was originally a mirror. I liked the the frame, so I left that alone. I had some black spray paint on hand that I used to paint the back of the mirror. I painted the D  which was originally black, gold. When everything was dry, I glued the D to the back of the mirror and put it back in the frame. I used leather cord to hang the keys and attached chain to the frame to hang the D.
I was a little hesitant when the time came to hang everything but once I got started, everything fell into place nicely.
That was so much fun...but wait I wasn't quite done. On one of my many trips to Hobby Lobby I saw a fork and spoon that I knew I wanted to incorporate somewhere. I spray painted them gold and hung them by the patio door.

A Christmas Gift For My Little Crafter

I want to share a Christmas gift for my 6 year old that I am very excited about. Pookie likes crafting as much as I do and it's one of several ways we spend quality time together. While shopping for her Christmas gifts, I came across a toy sewing machine. I thought about how much she would love it and I almost bought it right then but I thought I had better look at some reviews first.

I couldn't find any toy machines that rated well. How disappointing would it be to get one that would end up being frustrating to operate? My grandmother was a dressmaker and a love for sewing had been passed down from her to my mom to me and I want pass it down to my little girl. I wasn't ready to give up on the idea, so I searched for recommendations for a first machine for kids. There were several suggestions for starting with a real machine. Well, that makes sense, after all my expectation is that sewing is something she will enjoy for a lifetime.

So, what to do? I was sure I could find a simple reliable machine but I am also in need of a new machine. Should we just share one? I planned to hold off on replacing my machine, at least until after the holidays. What a let down...I was so excited about this gift idea. Then I read a recommendation for a 3/4 machine and found this one:

Isn't it cute? I have seen the smaller craft machines but I wasn't familiar with 3/4 machines. I found one for just a bit more than I would have paid for a toy machine. From the reviews, it should be well worth the difference. I can't wait to see my girl's face when she opens this present and I'm really looking forward to teaching her how to sew.

A Missed Opportunity

Living in the suburban midwest, occasionally we see articles about coyotes and missing pets. With two dogs of our own, it has crossed our minds that we need to be careful. Having a fenced yard has perhaps given us a false sense of security.

Pookie and I were on our way back from breakfast with hubby recently and had just entered our subdivision when she pointed out a dog. This is in no way an unusual site, however; this was not a dog - it was a coyote!

It was still early and foggy and the neighborhood was  quiet. He had just crossed the street, barely spared us a glance and headed across the middle of a frozen pond. He paused to take a drink off of the ice and then continued on his way. I've heard we have them in our area and even have seen them from a good distance, but this was so close. Later that day Pookie and I were doing some Christmas shopping for her daddy at Bass Pro Shops and were able to confirm, that yes indeed, that had been a coyote.

My full-time profession has given me some experience with internal web applications however, I have only recently ventured out onto the internet. Being a new blogger, I'm trying to learn as much as I can in order to be a good and responsible blogger. One tip I've come across is to keep my camera handy. This was a perfect example of why...darn it, I wish I had my camera.

Christmas Trees

When decorating for Christmas, I used to replace the potted plants on top of my kitchen cabinets with artificial poinsettias. Last year I decided to do something different. I found these iron Christmas trees at Hobby Lobby:

Originally they were a plain brownish color. I had recently discovered one of my favorite things - Rub 'n Buff - so I knew I could make them prettier. I thought they were still a bit plain so this year, I added some garland and picks. Here they are after:

Christina (daughter #2) put the outdoor lights up on schedule just before Thanksgiving. The front porch still needed something and I had some vague ideas for what I might add. I needed some inspiration so Pookie(daughter #3) and I stopped by a nearby garden center. We both really like to browse around in that store. As I suspected, we found plenty of holiday decor but the prices were pretty steep. That's ok though because I left with an idea for my porch pots that I could create fairly inexpensively. I picked up a couple of wire forms that are used for making topiaries at Hobby Lobby for $11.99 each. I spray painted them gold and wrapped them with berry and pine garland that I picked up at Jo-Ann's for 50% off. For convenience reasons, I had wanted to top them with ready made bows. I was surprised to find that much of the holiday merchandise was already gone from the stores and could no longer find any bows that I liked so I was left with having to make them myself. A few years ago, I made the bows that I use to decorate the garland on my banisters. I did a search for bow making instructions to refresh my memory. They were much easier to make than I had remembered and I ended up needing several so I'm glad I didn't spend extra money on ready made. Here are the new front porch trees:

I hung some more of the garland around the door with Command hooks. I also decorated a grapevine wreath to go with the garland but when I went to hang it, it wasn't quite working so I hung a welcome sign with one of my bows attached instead. I put another bow on the bell (another 50% off find from Jo-Ann's) that is hanging from the light fixture.

Here's the wreath which is hanging in the front hall instead of outside:

Christmas Chandelier

I've never been crazy about the chandelier above my kitchen table. I have some vague ideas of changing it. Perhaps I'll paint it and/or replace the shades or maybe I'll replace it completely. So far, no clear plan has formulated and other home projects have been higher on the list of priorities.

While decorating for a previous Christmas, I asked Teresa (daughter #1) to wrap the chandelier in some berry garland that I picked up at Jo-Ann's. She did a great job and since I have red accents in my decor year round, I left it. I recently took it down to decorate for her baby shower - it didn't go with the blue tissue paper pom poms.

Recently this craft caught my eye and since the berry garland was way beyond it's expiration date, I thought I'd give it a try. I used various red glass ornaments, Christmas candle rings and beaded garland which were all 50% off at Hobby Lobby.

Here's what my version looks like: