I Hate This Picture

When we were getting our house ready to go on the market last year, I took down a whole long hallway of family pictures and kids’ school awards and certificates.   To fill this long and now empty hallway, I listened to some advice and picked up a couple of scene-type prints from Home Goods in black and white. 

Boats.  We don’t have a boat, we don’t go on boats, I don’t even like boats, but this is what I bought.  Hated them.  After accidentally breaking the glass in one, they were relegated to the garage.

Fast forward to my coming upon a blog called Welcome To The Life of LouLou, where I read this post.   Look at what is hanging over her bed.  I. Loved. This. Idea.

I took the picture I didn’t break and, since the frame was already black, I didn’t have to paint it; removed the picture and grabbed some more of that lineny fabric I had gotten from Joann’s remnant bin and covered the picture insert with it. 

Just hot glued it on.

I contacted A Hint of Chic Boutique, who worked with me on a monogram for the 16 inch by 16 inch glass in this frame.  I originally wanted to get the one big initial for our last name in the middle, and my husband and my first initials, smaller and on each side, in a beautiful scrolly script.  The surface was too small to do that without distorting the letters, so I just went with the “P”.  Here’s the frame all ready for its monogram.

  

I love it!  Except for one thing.  I screwed it up!  Did you ever do that and just want to cry?  The bottom of the circle is out of circular alignment and you can see one of the scrolls on the left side of the “P” is messed up.  Since I put this on the outside of the glass, I may just get paint suitable for glass and paint it on the inside of the glass, using the monogram as my guideline. 

I still love that I didn’t have to keep a picture I hated in the garage for all eternity.  Reworking what you’ve got ~ I’ll always love that!

Dollar Store Pretties

I have to say that sometimes I am surprised at some of the pretty things the dollar store carries. 

Last week I went in to get the prayer candles I used for my post here.  I found a few other things and I still walked out having only spent $10.00!   These are just a few of the items I got that I was surprised to find there.

These really pretty folders ~ 3 pack for $1.00.

I got a matching/coordinating 3-pen set.  {They also had little pocketbook type notepads that also seemed to go with this}.

I found these little fleur de lis pieces in the candle aisle and had to get them ~ $1.00 each.

I’m finding it pays to look in every aisle because you never know what you will find at the dollar store!

Linking up to Frugalicious Friday at Finding Fabulous.

 

Put A Little Love In Your Heart {Or Your Home Decor}

I thought it would be fun to do a post about some out-of-the-ordinary decor for Valentine’s Day.  I’m not just talking heart shaped waffles here! 

What about a heart shaped bed for your fur baby?

 

Photo courtesy of Pawscorp.com

Or this lovely heart back chair?

Grand Coeur Fauteil chair from Pierre Deux

With its matching heart base table.

Le Coeur table from Pierre Deux

Set up before your fireplace with its heart design fireplace screen.

Fireplace screen from Pierre Deux

Lounge on your heart shaped sofa.

And if anyone is sleeping over . . .

Photo courtesy of Classic Furniture

You could eat your meal with heart shaped silverware.

Photo courtesy of Sourcingmap.com

Heart knobs on some drawers or cabinet doors .

Photo courtesy of kijiji

Everything ~ including the kitchen sink!

Photo courtesy of edda

Happy Valentine’s Day!

Don’t forget to enter our black and light co. candle giveaway!  Ends February 6th! 

Pretty Up A Candle

You might remember my last giveaway with the crown hooks and journal.  Well, the shop where I purchased those items also had this:

Pretty, isn’t it?  It costs $24.00.  It looks a little like a prayer candle, doesn’t it?  With some scrapbook paper, glitter and ribbon.  A prayer candle costs $1.00 at the dollar store.  I have scrapbook paper.  I have some glitter.  I have ribbon.  Can you see where I’m going with this?

I went to the Dollar Tree and bought the tall prayer candle.  I went to my craft closet and pulled out some scrapbook papers, Mod Podge, ribbon, tags and glitter.



I cut the paper I chose to size and then Mod Podged it onto the candle ~ leaving some of the glass at the top exposed.  I rolled it on with the candle on its side, and applied the Mod Podge to the back of the paper and the glass.  I did not put Mod Podge on the top of the paper. 

I added some stickers I had, a little bit of glitter in certain spots, and glued a piece of ribbon around the top of the paper. 


Done!  I made my own for about $3.00! 

I’m putting together some items as a donation for a local school’s fashion show/auction and I think the pink candle will be one of the items.  I’m also doing an altered mini-composition book to match.

These mini-composition books were 4 for $1.00 at Dollar Tree. I’m planning on covering the blue geometric design one next with the paper and fleur de lys tag you see here.


Throw in another item or two and I think this would make a nice gift set!

Linking up with Make It Yours Day at My Backyard Eden with Carolyn 

Frugalicious Friday over at Finding Fabulous hosted by the fabulous Jane!

Creative Spirit Link party at Cindy Adkins Whimsical Musings.

5 Things You Didn’t Know About . . .

This edition of 5 Things You Didn’t Know About . . . takes us to North Carolina for a visit with Dena of Sweet Pickles And Chocolate.  Dena wears many hats and is so very creative!

Favorite music at the moment: As shocking as this may be, I'm really liking the Black Eyed Peas.

If you didn't live where you do, where would you live: Honestly, I would want to live right where I am! I grew up in MD-but visited relatives in SC all the time. Every time we drove through NC I said that's where I'm going to live when I grow up and that's where I live!

Favorite cocktail: Frozen Margarita with a salted rim.

Best advice you ever received: Someone once told me-"you already have the strength inside you to overcome" based on something I had overcome!
I have not let anything keep me down (for very long) since!

Person you most admire: Jesus

Thank you, Dena!  Dena has a wonderful blog and I hope you will pay her a visit!

Until next time, when we find out 5 Things You Didn’t Know About . . .

I’m including the link to the main post here, where I’ve listed everyone who has told us 5 things, in case you want to backtrack and read past posts.

 

Blog Of The Week ~ Brambleberry Cottage

Quite by accident last week, I came across this week's Blog of the Week ~ Brambleberry Cottage.  I was so glad that I had!  Liz is a new blogger and I love the name of her blog. 

Liz is a Southern Belle who married a Yankee and they complement each other so well.  The first project I came across that they collaborated on together was this one.  A lovely piece that just needed a little TLC.  You will absolutely love what they did to this piece!  Here it is before.

Then, I came across this post.  Romantic dining spot or field of whatever this is?  I think you should check out the post and find out!

Liz recently started a linky party for the Fourteen Days of Love.  Her first post and linky are up today.  Wouldn't you love to share one of your stories?

There are a lot of interesting things to see over at Brambleberry Cottage!  Won't you stop by for a visit and say hello to Liz and her Yankee!

Let’s Throw Some Pillows Into The Mix

I thought that I would use this weekend to put together some pillows as part of my living room redo. 

I had bought this great large-sized lumbar pillow on sale at Joann’s {originally $24.99 on sale for $10.99}, and I had two smaller existing accent pillows from my sofa.  I decided to use the black and white chandelier curtain panel I got at Goodwill {for $2.99} a few months ago for the lumbar pillow.  For the two smaller pillows I decided to go with something else.


Karen at The Graphics Fairy offers free images for anyone to use in their projects and this time I decided to use a couple and make them iron-on transfers to be used for the two accent pillows I had.  I chose these graphics to work with.



I haven’t used iron-on transfers in I don’t know how long and even then they were already prepared for me.  I just had to iron them on.  I bought iron-on transfer paper at Michaels and with no clear directions on which side to use, just kept my fingers crossed that I had printed in mirror image on the right side.  {Note: This no-name brand is crap; try and get Avery or one of the better known names}.


I decided to use a remnant of canvas fabric I had gotten at Joann’s {love their remnant bins} that had a tea-stained look to it, but chose a red and white toile that I already had for the backside.  This way I get two pillows in one!  Maybe in the Winter I’ll want the red and white toile as a warmer look and in the Spring/Summer I’ll use the canvas side for its lightness.





Because I just couldn’t stop torturing myself, I made the little guy below and stuffed it with fiberfil.  I put a robins egg blue colored piece of sample fabric I had on the back of this one.




I still have to sew them closed, but wanted to get pictures in daylight.  I’m pretty happy with them!

Linking up with:
Brag Monday at The Graphics Fairy
Metamorphosis Monday at Between Naps On The Porch
 DIY Day at A Soft Place To Land

It’s So Very Cheri
Don’t forget to enter our current giveaway from black and light co.  Ends Saturday, February 6th!