Shabby Chic Turquoise Mirror

Mirror, mirror, on the wall...

I wanted a vibrant color of mirror to finish off my mom's living room. I was also aiming for a shabby chic look. However, I was too frugal to find anything I loved within my price range. I finally stumbled upon this gold mirror at Big Lots for $12.

I taped off the frame as you can see in the picture above and then got to work with some turquoise paint.

To achieve shabby chic squash your inner perfectionist. I went ahead and allowed some of the gold to continue to show through on the detailed trim which helped give some added dimension. 

This technique can be used on any mirror or frame to achieve your dream color. 

Nightstand Table Trash to Treasure

I was driving to a friend's house who is on bed rest with twins when I discovered this little treasure of a nightstand or end table. This is not what it looked like at first of course.



I elected to bypass the traditional habit of hanging mirrors and pictures and displayed them on the table instead. Books with colorful bindings, a little blue bird, and a flower arrangement helped add to all the vibrant colors.



Here is the original nightstand or end table. Lovely as you can tell. Lol!

I picked this up for my mom's living room so she helped out. First we took the drawer out and the doors off. I sanded down the really rough spots noted above so they would not be as significant. Next we applied a coat of primer with a paint brush. It took a full day to dry. Then we applied a gorgeous red apple paint.

We wanted more of a rustic charm so I took a t-shirt and dipped it in walnut wood stain. I lightly went over all the paint. Warning: Stain on paint will take about three days to dry.

The stain does not have to be perfect when you apply it over paint because it helps add to the rustic charm. I hope you find a treasure to redo for your own home. Here is my mom's living room redone...

The Before Picture

The After Picture

I will post the shabby chic turquoise mirror project next so come back and visit later this week.

Parties I linked to:

 

Transform Child Crafts Into Cards

If your child's preschool is anything like mine, your children bring home crafts on a daily basis. Our fridge has only so much surface area but my three year old is very proud of his works of art and wants to display them all. I finally started transforming his crafts into cards.

These personalized cards are a hot commodity with the grandparents. I just quickly back the art work on a piece of scrapbook paper and I try to do several at a time. Then my son can color inside while I am getting dinner ready and it is a win win situation for everyone.

This is a tissue paper Easter egg he made at school last week. We ended up making two more at home so we could send one to all three sets of grandparents.

We turned this colorful hand print into a birthday card with all its vibrant colors.

We completed this St. Patty's Day card a little late but it will still be perfect to send out next year.

This adorable snowman foot was from last Christmas. I made color copies of it and used the multiple cards we created to send out thank you notes for all the presents. (Yes...my son does a lot of hand and foot art in the three year old class. Luckily, neither one of us tires of his adorable prints.)

Time Flies...Easter last year

This was Reese last year at Easter. He was only five days old at our family celebration. He will probably not be very happy with this picture when he gets older!

I hope you all have a wonderful Easter!!

Carrot Easter Treat Sacks

I was out shopping to fill Easter baskets yesterday when I saw those precious carrot sacks filled with orange candy. However, they were $3.99 each. Are you kidding me!! I decided I could make my own for pennies.



Jellybeans for my oldest son




Cheerios for my youngest son

I started with some clear vinyl I had at home and cut out two matching triangles. Then I stitched down the two sides with orange thread. This literally took me three minutes at the most.

Next I filled up the treat sack and stuck some green rafia out the top. On one I used a bread clip to shut it and the other I used a twist tie. These would even be cuter with personalized name tags. If I had thought of this earlier they would have been great treats to bring to preschool. They were such a fast and inexpensive craft.

Will we have Easter chicks?

This is Gertrude II. Please don't ask where the original Gertrude is. We are so excited because she has been setting on her eggs for over two weeks. In hens they call it going "broody." Much nicer then the term we use for humans. Hatching usually occurs around 21 days. We just might have chicks by Easter if they hatch successfully. We have yet to have baby chicks on our farm that we have not purchased. Cade and I check on her everyday.



If you look closely you can see one of her brown eggs sticking out up front.

Easter Bunny Cupcakes

I originally saw a version of these cute cupcakes in an All You magazine several years ago. I thought they were precious.

Supplies:
1 12oz can vanilla or cream cheese frosting
12 cupcakes
1/4 cup pink decorating sugar
12 marshmallows
24 thin pretzel sticks
12 mini marshmallow
24 M&M minis
12 pink candies (for noses)
6 black licorice laces
Coconut (optional)

1. Frost the cupcakes. Roll tops in coconut if desired. I opted to delete this step.
2. Place pink sugar in a small bowl. Using scissors, cut large marshmallows in half crosswise. Press cut side of each marshmallow into pink sugar to make ears. Insert a pretzel stick into marshmallow ear. Insert other end of pretzel stick into cupcake to make ear stand up.
3. Cut small marshmallows in half. Use small dot of icing to stick them on as cheeks. Use the same technique to apply nose and eyes. Cut licorice in 1 1/2 inch pieces and insert as whiskers.

This poor bunny did not stand a chance!

Please feel free to be creative. I use whatever candy I have on hand and any color I have available. Eat and enjoy! The kids at our family Easter gathering always love these!

The Ugly Ducklings...Not for Long

These once were really ugly ducklings...

I found this pair which my son and I refer to as Matilda and Ollie at a garage sale for 50 cents. With Easter around the corner we decided we could use some festive decor.



Ollie and Matilda...The Ugly Ducklings

They needed a serious makeover in the form of yellow and blue paint. Ollie got a bow tie and Matilda received a pink boa. Then they weren't ugly ducklings anymore!

Antique Alley in Texas

This weekend was antique alley in Texas. It is a three day shopping fest that encompasses 25 miles of country road from Cleburne, Texas to Grandview, Texas (About 45 minutes from the Dallas/Fort Worth area). It is every April and September and I love it! There are so many treasures to be found. The vendors set up booths all along the road in pastures and driveways much like this.

I saw so many unique craft ideas, antiques, and clever  ideas to repurpose every day items. I want to share some with you.



Baby Block Table



Dresser with Burlap Bag Drawer Covers

John Deere Tractor Bed



Front John Deere Bed

Vintage Quilt Top I Purchased



Antique Baby Riding Toy



What Clever Wheels and Noise Makers

These are just a few of the items I saw and some I purchased. Don't miss antique alley this fall! I am sure there will be more treasures to find!

Easter Themed Lunch

I always enjoy packing something special for my son's lunch. I am sure we both get tired of the same old lunch.  I started off with a peanut butter bunny sandwich.

I placed two pieces of bread on top of each other and cut 1/3 off. I looped each piece to make an ear and then filled some peanut butter in the middle. The other 2/3 I had remaining, was then cut into the bunny face. I used a little extra peanut butter to stick and press down some m&m's for eyes and a nose.

Next, I used some miniature Easter themed cookie cutters to cut out rabbits and ducks out of cheese. (He got a few other snacks too.) I hope he enjoys his lunch!

Rustic Western Suitcase

This is a western suitcase I made last year that is such a quick and easy home decor item. I picked up an old suitcase at a garage sale. The one I found happened to have a warm yellow/tan color to it already. You can always paint one to any color you like. 

I found some faux western tool print and cut out four triangles for the corners (any size you like). I picked up some brass brads/tacks at Home Depot. They were hard to push in with just my thumb so I ended up tapping them in with a hammer to speed up the process.

 Last I nailed on a rustic cross. Please note the cross is not very secure but it is not necessary since I have mine up high on an old armoire.

Cardboard Train (Locomotive)

Choo Choo! All Aboard the cardboard train...



The front light even turns on for an evening train ride.



This project started with three boxes of the same size and one a bit larger. They were all the same width. I first used an exacto knife to cut off the top flaps of the boxes. All it took was 1 1/2 cans of black spray paint to cover three boxes.

I used my flap scraps to help create the front of the train. I cut off a small triangle on one side. See below. I then used that triangle as a pattern to cut the same size off the other side of the flap.

I cut four of these out and taped them together. The easiest way to describe the finished product is it looks like a lampshade.

I carefully taped it to the front (larger) box starting at the top.

A few more cardboard cuts and a little more black spray paint later...the front grill...

To make lines on the front grill I spray painted tape silver and then pressed the tape on at even intervals. I also took an old battery operated push light and painted it black.

I used hot glue to help attach the grill and light to the front.



I also cut circles out of the cardboard and painted them silver. I attached them on the sides as wheels with glue. Almost done...but then I decided it would be so much cuter if there was a front window to peek out and a cardboard box seat inside. Luckily, I had a little helper testing it all out as I went.

The party is over and my boys are still having a great time playing on the train.

Ok. Apparently the fun is over! Lol! Time to get off the train...and fast.