Category: Create
Celebrate, Create

A House Full of Birthdays

August 8
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I can’t believe the first week of August has ended already!  Where has the summer gone?  And even though this month brings with it the return to school…in our house it also brings plenty of birthday celebrations!  So this year I decided to create something festive on my chalk mantle, which had been neglected lately due to all of our summer activities.  Normally I would create a seasonal chalk drawing, something that I could leave up for at least a month or two!  But while trying to decide what to put up there for the late summer, or even if I should paint over it, the idea came to mind of displaying a birthday message for all who celebrate!  And bonus, the birthdays are all spread out so I can still leave it up for more than a few days!  Why not make it a prolonged party?  So if you have some celebrations that are within reach of one another…go ahead and extend the festivity!

let’s celebrate!

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Create

Pretty as a Box of Rocks?

August 3
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You know how much I like to create displays without spending money, right?  You also know by now that most of my projects are ones that you can create with the help of family members…if you want!  Sometimes you can kill two birds by keeping your kids busy or just creating family togetherness AND turning the outcome into a beautiful addition to the home!  Well today I’ve got a good one…a project that potentially can cost close to zero and requires minimal supplies that you may have at home!  Interested?  If so, have the kids go find some simple rocks, grab some tape and a little paint…and turn a box of rocks into something wonderful!

the beauty of a rock…

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Celebrate, Create, Garden

Paint and a Pineapple…

July 25
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I LOVE paint!  It can transform any ordinary item into something special!  It’s really one of the easiest and most inexpensive ways to make a decorative change…and in my opinion, there’s not much that’s off limits!  Summer is one of the best times of year to have some fun with the colorful stuff…you can spread out the drop cloth and have at it outside!  I’ve got a long list of items that I’d like to change with a can or two of paint…patio chairs, stools, some metal trays, and flower pots.  But the other day I decided to try something unexpected…a pineapple!  I’m sure you may have seen similar ideas before…if not painted pineapples maybe pumpkins or gourds, but I’ve been on a pineapple kick lately so I thought I’d give the tropical fruit a new look! Even though it’s a temporary display if you use fresh produce, it’s completely worth it…and in many cases, you can still eat it after!  See how easy it is to create something wonderful with paint and a pineapple!

unexpected paint job!

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Create

Sand Art Centerpiece

July 20
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Do you remember sand art projects as a kid?  Simple containers filled with whimsical layers of color in soft, beach-swept patterns!  Sand art creations are so intriguing and very easy to make, which is why they’re a top pick for crafting with the kiddos!  And bonus…they’re still as fun to create as an adult as it was as a kid so why not make a grown-up version!?  Today I’d like to share a really fun and easy project that can be turned into a unique centerpiece for any room…all inspired by craft sand!  I decided to head to the craft store to grab some sand supplies to make something fun for my table and was also thrilled to discover how inexpensive the jars of colored sand actually were!  So I grabbed a few of my favorites and came straight home to complete my crafty task!  I adore projects that are quick and easy…see how simple it is to make a summer inspired centerpiece!

mini sand dune sculptures…

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Create, Savor

Party DIYs, Hacks, & Recipes!

June 22
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Today I’d like to share some of the simple DIY projects that I used for my pink party last week.  It makes entertaining so much easier if you have some little things done ahead of time…leaving you with less prep work so that you can relax once your guests arrive and enjoy the company!  I love to pass along helpful hints and ideas that I use to make entertaining so much easier!  I hate to think that a party might never happen due to the stress of planning it…and let’s face it, there’s always a little stress!  But the end result far outweighs the apprehension…friends and family spending time together is why we have gatherings, not to show our party planning skills!  And though I love the planning part too, it comes secondary to the people I plan it for!  Creating a party theme can also be done with very little money, time, and artistic talent–and will still make your guests feel special!  The simple projects I did ahead of time were obviously geared toward my pink flamingo theme, but you can take the general ideas and cater them to any event…whether it has a specific theme or not!  I’m also sharing some of my other time & money saving tips that make it possible for me to entertain often!  I hope you find some inspiration for your next celebration!

pre-party preparations!

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Celebrate, Create

Hen Party

June 20
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My family and I have been trying hard over the last year or so to make a point to have small groups of friends in as often as we can!  Everyone is so busy these days it’s practically impossible to see all the people we love to spend time with…and while the timing doesn’t always work for everyone, we’re going to keep right on trying until we’ve gotten to everyone!  So during a week when my husband was traveling I decided to open the doors again…but for girls only this time!  Not only did it provide me with a perfect opportunity to see some of my pals for some girl-time but also allowed me to decorate the patio with a color I don’t get to use often…PINK!  Living in a house full of boys isn’t conducive to decorating with girly colors…even though I find ways to sneak some in from time to time!  But an all out Pepto Bismol fest just doesn’t happen around here…until recently!  So, needless to say, I had a little fun.  Have a peek at my summer inspired, pink and girly gathering!

when the rooster’s away the hens will play!

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Create, Holidays

Red, White, and Boom!

June 15
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I was out shopping yesterday…not the fun kind of shopping but ordinary, necessity type shopping.  But while I was out trudging I spied a really cute idea and the inspiration for a holiday craft was born!  So instead of heading home, I detoured to the craft store to grab a couple inexpensive supplies so I could try and recreate this adorable idea for a patriotic centerpiece!  And you may be wondering what it was that I saw that got me so inspired?…oversized firecrackers!  I thought this fun stick of dynamite might make a festive decoration for our Fourth of July celebration…and I knew I could make one for a fraction of the price tag on the ones in the shop!  I love DIY projects that are easy, inexpensive, and relatively quick to create…especially for those holidays that seem to come and go before you blink an eye!  But patriotic celebrations kick-start all the summer fun and I just can’t help myself from decorating the patio with some red, white, & blue!  So let me share this festive DIY…there’s plenty of time to grab some supplies and have some~

firecracker fun!

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Create

Second Tier

June 8
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There’s something about pedestals that make everything look better!  You could put just about ANYTHING on one and have it look like a million bucks…or at least a hundred anyway!  A few years ago it was hard to find them in stores at affordable prices…but today you can find pedestals and tiered servers just about anywhere!  They can be plentiful in an array of shops, offered in multiple styles & colors, and often times for very little green!  And if you feel inclined, you can also easily make them yourself!  Today I’d like to share how simple and inexpensive it is to create a tiered server for any occasion.  I use my pedestals and servers all the time and not just for entertaining…even afternoon snacks for a bunch of hungry kids can somehow look fit for a party just by piling them up on a second tier!

two-tier server–DIY style!

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Celebrate, Create

Sunday Sundaes

June 6
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Today I’m going to share a fun treat that I made some time back, not only to dish out to my family but to prepare my first article for our local community magazine Village Life & Home!  I’m so thrilled to share crafting, entertaining, and decorating ideas every now and again in this monthly publication…so if you’re local you’ll see some of my ideas from time to time!  Now that we’ve had some warm weather over the holiday, and the publication arrived in the mail over the weekend, I decided to finally share this simple idea for summer entertaining! Summertime is definitely a season to enjoy frozen treats!  I love serving up cold snacks on a hot, steamy day…and I also know some boys who love eating them!  Several weeks ago when we had the very first glimpse of the heat to come, I decided on a Sunday afternoon to break out the ice cream and create a sundae bar on the patio.  It’s really a very simple thing to do…you can make it as elaborate or minimal as you want.  All you really need is a carton of ice cream and some of your family’s favorite toppings…and I bet if you raid the pantry you’d find plenty of goodies to pile on top without even setting foot in the grocery store!  With plenty of long, summer days ahead and the Fourth of July coming at us soon, a sundae bar would be an easy and festive treat for any celebration!  Get ready to cool off and let your family and friends have some yummy fun creating the perfect…

custom made ice cream sundae!

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Create

Smile-Maker!

May 18
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What’s better to brighten a dreary day than a yummy treat that reminds us that summer is REALLY coming…it is coming, right?  Since spring and summer temperatures are taking their sweet time getting here, I decided to pretend a bit!  Yesterday was rainy and cold, but a fun find at the store was just perfect to be served as an after school snack to remedy the weather!  My boys really enjoy ice cream on a hot, summer day…but they still won’t turn it down even if it’s chilly!  I found some cute waffle cone bowls while shopping at the grocery store…and a couple days later I found more in a miniature version!  Knowing they’d go over well in my house, I bought them both!  So yesterday might have been rainy and cold…but it felt like summertime in our kitchen!  We had some fun experimenting with some traditional ice cream toppings to embellish the edible bowls…not only did they look cute & were easy to make, but they tasted good too!  Check out the simple snack-time project that had us dreaming of summer!

ice cream toppings aren’t just for cream!

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