Kitchen Towels are Great for All Occasions

I had hit a dry spell last month I did not need to make any gifts and I got a little lazy. Now it seems like every time I turn around there is another gift to make! I love this challenge but the only problem is...it is against my nature to be ahead of schedule. I am normally a procrastinator but with all homemade gifts, you really can not be. However, I have found one gift that is easy to make, people LOVE them, and I can knock it out an hour before the party!! **My husband loves it that I am a procrastinator...NOT**

This weekend my sweet neighbor, Nancy, had a birthday this weekend. I will not tell you her age but she is over 25. There is nothing she really wants or needs, but I had to get her something.


I whipped up these kitchen towels really fast for her. Every woman can use new kitchen towels! I printed a letter off of the computer. I used black felt for the letter and appliqued it on.


Then as an added bonus gave her a bottle of wine!!

I have seen these hanging up in her home and she has instructed everyone entering her kitchen "Do NOT use these or you will have to deal with me!!" I think her protectiveness over them tells me she likes them...

A great gift for any woman, or for a House Warming Party, Administrator Day, Bosses day, Teacher Appreciation Day (don't send the wine) or any other Hallmark Holiday. You pretty much can't go wrong!!

5 Year Old Princess Birthday Invitations

My daughter turns 5 years old in less then one month!! I can not believe it, this for some odd reason just blows my mind!!! I have made it a priority to make my daughter's birthday extra special this year.

It all starts with the party plan. The plan is to go on a Princess Magical Horse Ride!! Seriously, we are going to a farm and the children are going on a 20 minute horse trail ride. Doesn't that sound like so much fun!! I have to say children's birthday parties have come a long way since my day, but that is another story.

Next the invitations. Of course, I am going to do them myself.

I decided to do a Princess Dress Invitation. I made my template on Microsoft word. Editing to make sure it fit a dress silhouette I had in mind. Then cut out a dress template and traced it on a 5"X7" card stock. Then I cut out the dress from the card stock.

I used scallop edged scissors from my daughter's scissor collection at the bottom. Then I punched two holes at the waist band for ribbon. I had my daughter apply the glue and the glitter on the sleeved. SHE LOVED BEING INVOLVED.

Pink, glitter, satin and scallops. Does an invitation get any more girl-y?

For privacy issues I blurred it, but you get the point. My daughter was THRILLED to pass these out to her friends! She was so proud!! I was thrilled because they were homemade and fit my daughter's personality to a T and my budget at $5.00 total!!

I am so excited about my daughter's 5th birthday. I have a lot of other ideas stewing in my little brain for her big day so stay tuned!!

Old World Lamp Make-Over

Happy Monday!! I am not sure why but today is the first day in a long time I feel like I have got my head together. This will probably be short lived so let me brag! I dropped my daughter off at pre-school, went to the grocery store and then had NOTHING else on the agenda. How wonderful!

I worked on another super hero cape for a friend, curtains for a customer, started on some of the pieces of a canister make-over, and made over some lamps that have been collecting dust in my garage for almost a year! It was a great day! Plus, play with my children. Does it really get any better???

I have to share with you my new lamps for my living room.

Oh-la-la!! I love them!!


It started out like this from Salvation Army at $2.99 each


Then it was time to spray paint. My little helper (always involve the kids within reason) helped me protect the non-paintable parts.


After I spray painted it with Rust-Oleum Black Satin. I Mod Podged the bottom with scrap-booking paper.


I purchased a new lamp shade from Ross for $5.99 each and the lamp harp for $1.99 at Wal-mart.

I think it is funny that I have a $12 lamp next to a $150+ antique box I inherited but it works, right?

TIP for the right lamp shade: The bottom width of the lamp shade should NOT exceed the height of the lamp base. For example my base is 18" tall and the width of my lamp shade is 15" Perfect match!

For 2 lamps I spent $23.00. Finally, after 4 years I have lamps in my living room. I am so HAPPY!!

Update an Old Table Runner with Burlap & Hot Glue

My mom recently gave me a box of "treasures" or nicely referred to by my husband as "a box full of crap" of stuff I could transform, recycle, or use in my home. One of those items was a Table Runner. I am pretty sure she thought I would just use it in my kitchen "as is" but the colors and design are just not me. While my sewing machine was at the spa (repair shop) I took on a "No Sew Project" with this table runner.


I cut out Burlap for the top (covering the design side) turned over the edges and adhered it I using Hot Glue. I love the look with NO seams.


I decided to use the table runner to lighten up a table in my living room.

Before:


Once I had it on here I was unhappy with it's simplicity, but I loved the texture.


I printed out letter and used a Magic Marker to fill in the letter.


My table runner is complete.


After: I think the table now has a fresh new look with my new table runner!


Thanks Mom for your throw away treasures!

I would guess 90% of the population does not sew. However, with hot glue, Heat'n Bond, and sewing glue, sewing projects are possible!!!

Gifts From the Heart Party & Super Hero Cape

It is time for Gifts From The Heart Linking Party!! I have made it my personal goal to make all gifts homemade this year. I know I am not the only one who loves to give homemade gifts. I figured why don't we all share what we have made for friends and loved ones. Inspire each other and keep on giving Gifts from the Heart, because they are the best types of gifts!!

I first wanted to share with you my most recent project for a 4 year old boy birthday.

I made him a Super Hero Cape!!! Here is the finished gift!


I do not have a tutorial because I was rushed for time (like making this Friday night and the party was Saturday morning) Remember, I did not have my machine last week!! However, I am a procrastinator and I would of probably still would of waited until Friday even if my machine didn't break. I like the pressure (or being stressed and kicking myself for always being such a slacker.)

You get the idea.. I made the pattern and all the designs. This was all truly HOMEMADE!!

I can't give you a tutorial, but I can share with you my children "testing" the cape.


Even my daughter has requested a Super Hero Cape.


Kid Tested, Mother Approved.


This is a FANTASTIC gift for boys 2+. My friend has already requested a cape for her other son so they will match. How cute is that going to be???

Now it is time for you to show off your Gifts From the Heart!! Anyone with Mother's Day Gift Ideas...PLEASE LINK UP!! I need some inspiration!! Melissa from Those Northern Skies has given us some wonderful ideas.

Grab my button and Link up!! I will have this linking Party open for a week (Thanks, Tasha!) I can't wait to see all the wonderful gifts you have made!

EDIT: I am not sure what is going on but your links are not showing up immediately. Please know they will post... SORRY FOR THE INCONVENIENCE!!

Thumbnails: 11 entries so far... you're next!

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50+ Yr Old Trunk Make-Over

This trunk did not always look like this...


My in-laws recently cleaned out their storage unit and most of their unwanted goods are now in my garage. Here is one of the beauties that was left. Doesn't it just scream...HELP ME!?!?!


It gets better. Look at the inside... Yikes


This was my first "beautiful weather day, let's spray paint something, project." I wasn't sure what I was going to do but I knew it was not going to be ALL black.


All black would be too much for my son's big boy bedroom (and way to easy) so I decided to do something different. I got Kraft Paper (you know the brown stuff in a big roll) and Mod Podged the Kraft Paper it on to the leather parts of the trunk. Here are my supplies.


I am not even going to lie. This was a mod podge nightmare. I numbered each piece and made a diagram so I would know where each piece went. Then making a piece of paper that wants to roll up, go flat...made me say a few choice words....but it got done and I like the outcome. So it was worth it! Like my smoothing tool?


I then decided the metal pieces should kinda look like metal. I made a mixture of bronze, teddy bear brown and black and I painted all the metal.


Then it was time to rip out the inside. Once I ripped out the inside kinda looked like the outside. Hmmmm....


1 roll of Contact paper from Target and it now it looks really snazzy.


I made over this trunk for $5.44. Now it says "Thank you for making me beautiful again"

I was thinking about adding numbers or bumper stickers to this, but I will let me son have the honor and so he can make it his own!! But numbers would be cool...

One more small piece of the puzzle complete for my Son's Big Boy Bedroom.

Here is another project, a Jute Cardboard Letter, I completed for his room. 2 projects down...LOTS more to go.

PS- Still no sewing machine....It is like a member of the family is not here. Sniff, Sniff!!