You are Special Plate

Well hubby is on vacation and we are home this week so no new projects for a couple reasons-we are busy with the kids and I am on a bit of probation for last month's spending on craft materials. Can you blame me? I am so excited about this new hobby and I am pretty much starting from scratch on the materials. So anyways-he has my credit card :-(


But I did want to share a project I had done in the past that I am quite proud of. For Christmas last year I received a gift card to a paint your own pottery place and before Chase was born I went with a friend. I wanted to paint a you are special plate to use for job promotions, good report cards, birthdays, or really any reason to make the kids or family member feel special. We had one growing up and I have many fond memories from it. So here is mine: The glare is pretty bad but on the top it says, "We thank God every time we think of you" And the bottom says Phillippians 1:3.
I am participating in www.asoftplacetoland.blogspot.com DIY DAY

Halloween costumes

I don't know how much longer I will be able to have a say in the Halloween costumes with Natalie-I am surprised this year she didn't insist on being a Princess! Last year this is her as a peacock-my first homemade costume venture-and this year I went with another bird-a flamingo. You would think I have a thing for birds-but I don't-I just like costumes that aren't so ordinary. Here is Natalie last year as a Peacock and her costume this year as a Flamingo.

Little brother Chase I made as a Palm tree to coordinate-it's definitely different and a little corny-but I wanted him to be her little sidekick. Steven (my husband) is not thrilled about his costume-and neither was Chase!! He is pulling the fronds out of their places and trying as hard as he can to get this darn thing off! Note to self-don't try and make kids wear things above their neck--Natalie didn't wear her beak and Chase wouldn't even wear his hat for a picture.

Kitchen Chairs Receive a Facelift!!!

Before: (disregard the mess!)

After: I took it from a different view so you could see the other furniture tying into the room

Yay!!! Another item marked off my checklist! The kitchen table and chairs was given to us by my husband's dad when he moved--it was definitely a step up from our cheap butcher block table and chairs (which now serves as my crafting table in the basement). There are many things I love about this set-including it is extremely solid-great for small kids, having the bench to accomodate extra guests, and having two leafs so I can seat 10-12 people. However, the farm style wouldn't have been my first choice and there was so much buildup and wear and tear on the chairs and table. So I decided they needed a facelift--I was trying to figure out how in the world I would be able to paint in between the crevices--then it hit me--spray paint!! So I used TSP to clean off the residue, let it dry and spray painted away. After drying-I applied two coats of a semi-gloss polyurethane to protect it. I am so happy with how it looks and I love the contrast of the black/brown and how it ties in with all the other black furniture I have painted. I want to keep the tabletop brown but refinish it and was thinking of doing the legs of the table black-what do you all think?

*This is my first time participating in Kimba's DIY Day at A Soft Place to Land

4 projects $10 and under!

Here is my console table that was a light wood (when I first got married I really liked light wood-but now I prefer a darker more sophisticated wood-or black) Can you believe how cluttered it was? Well I painted that black (using some outdoor Behr black paint that we had) to coordinate with the china cabinet and bench and decluttered it to make it simple and stand out more. I really like the topiaries on the table. I just spray painted the knobs silver and added the candles and holders that I already had just sitting in a closet. I am starting to remove some picture frames around the house-I think I had too many up!

I bought this bucket at Hobby Lobby on clearance for $4! I have been looking for something to hold the toys in the family room-and while the blue would work nicely in my son's room-not so much in the family room. So first I spray painted it a dark bronze but I didn't like it so I went with a espresso brown-much better! I recently decluttered my fireplace mantle-I wish I had my before pics-it had a huge Monet picture on it with about 6 silver picture frames and the candlesticks that are still up there. What do you all think? Any suggestions for it now? I want to paint the brassy part of the fireplace to an oil rubbed bronze finish--I don't think I have any readers yet :-)--I wanted to at least have a few entries before I share with others-- but am looking for an oil rubbed bronze finish that people like to do the door hardware and this with.

I took a Dollar Tree serving tray and spray painted it with chalkboard paint and hung it in the garage to welcome guests-most of our friends come in this way and I want to make it more inviting--still have a long way to go! But not bad for $1. (I forget which blog I saw this on to credit the person)

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And finally for the day I did the monogrammed wreath that I saw over at http://www.yourcoolfriendcheryl.blogspot.com/2009/10/mossy-monogram-wreath.htmlryl.blogspot.com/2009/10/mossy-monogram-wreath.html. The monogram was purchased for 50% off at Hobby Lobby for $5 and the moss (I only actually needed one bag was bought for $2 (also got 50% off)--my rule never buy things full priced at Hobby Lobby or Kohls--they both always have such great sales! I just used my trusty glue gun and only suffered a few minimal burns! I gluegunned the ribbon to the back of the letter that way I can change it out. I might be moving this to the garage door and put back my original wreath. Not sure yet-but I am happy with how it turned out. FYI-if you get Super Moss like I did-I would put a disposable tablecloth or paper bags under-because it does get messy!

I just bought this----

I am so excited--I just got a fantastic deal!!! I just bought a $200 sewing machine on Overstock for $54!!!! It should be coming in the mail in the next couple of days! Now I just need to figure out how to use a sewing machine since I have never sewn before!

My first sewing project this weekend is an oversized baby blanket for Chase for Christmas-I bought the fabric before I bought the sewing machine (go figure) but it's waiting for me to work on this weekend while hubby is away on men's weekend! I can't wait to make Natalie some cute dresses as I gain a little more experience.

To-Do Lists

Since discovering this blog world I have come across many ideas that I have wanted to tackle and my "favorites list" is ever growing. My husband said that before I tackle another project I need to finish changing out all the outlets first--we had beige outlets and I wanted crisp, white ones-so he is leaving that up to me. But here are some of the things I really want to do:

-Spray paint the door hardware and brassy part on our fireplace to an oil rubbed bronze finish

-Add a shutter to the second floor (they were green we have recently painted them black)

-Paint our powder bathroom something a little warmer

-Refinish the kitchen table and chairs which are in desperate need of some TLC

Some of the crafts that I have come across that I would like to attempt are:

Cafe shelves at

www.beneathmyheart.blogspot.com/2009/10/i-made-it-without-my-hubby.html

She gives a great tutorial in this Ballard Designs look a like that makes a novice like myself confident in trying this task

A Family Rules Canvas-so cute, easy to personalize and a great reminder to everyone in the family www.lindseycheney.blogspot.com/2009/09/family-rules-canvas.html

This mossy wreath-in which I just bought all the supplies for! www.yourcoolfriendcheryl.blogspot.com/2009/10/mossy-monogram-wreath.html

There are more that I have bookmarked-but these are what I wanted to get started with first!