Lampshade mobile

First of all, let me introduce you to our Gracyn

She took her first breath on Jan. 10th weighing in at 7lbs and 2 oz. We are having so much fun with her, she definitely brought the pink into our blue world!

I've been working so hard to get her nursery just right and girly, searching for the perfect mobile for above her crib. I found this off of pinterest

So I decided to try it myself....go get yourself a cheap lampshade at the thrift store for .99

From Drop Box

1. I tore off all fabric and liner from it
2. get it to the bare frame
3. collected all my favorite fabric scraps
4. tore tons of strips (you can cut 1/2 in strip in the fabric and just tear) I like rustic edges, but if you don't you can just cut it straight all the way.
5. I just started with a dot of hot glue and just started wrapping the fabric really tight, and when one strip ended I started with another strip...this is the part where you get to make it your own. I added the little bows after with leftover strips. I would hot glue a dot every couple of times I wrapped around to keep it from unraveling, but you can do whatever you want.
6. I cut out some circles and birds from scrapbook paper. I duplicated everything so that you wouldn't see the back of paper. I glued 2 circles back to back with the string in between.
I LOVE how it turned out, it's the best kind of craft.....it doesn't have to be PERFECT! Its original
meanwhile when I craft my kids tear the house up

Eli rode this around the kitchen and living room chasing Gage, all I could get was the back of them!

I hope you find time in your day to do something fun for you that doesn't consist of wiping butts and changing diapers....cause that's what I do to keep sane!:)

Abbs

SO CUTE!

First off I did not make these....yet!

From Drop Box

I have always wanted some of these types of things to fill my vase....who would have ever thought Styrofoam balls, thumbtacks, and spray paint was all I needed!?
you can check out the tutorial over at Landeelu's blog.

I think I might go with a red..hmmm? thoughts?

She also did some fabric ones...so creative right? I'm JEALOUS!

From Drop Box

Go here to find out how to do these.

If you like that elegant classy gold or silver look try these using just ductape and solid silver thumbtacks!
On a side note, I'm so happy I got TWO boys in underwear!! no telling how long it will last.....being a mother means you will feel accomplished over the silliest of things:
when they go ALL day without peeing in their underwear
when they eat their first cereal bar
sleep all night without waking you up or coming in your room
the sight of their first tooth

the key to the whole potty thing for me was yesterday, when while changing Eli's diaper I almost threw up on him just from the smell of it! that was it!! I had it, I dragged his butt to the closet and said "YOUR WEARING UNDERWEAR TODAY, because I'm through changing your dirty diapers"....(I really didn't mean it, that would be cruel!) but hey it worked and that's all that matters! right?! I mean reality is I change Gage's everyday without a threat to him, but sometimes you have to take drastic measures with a 3 year old...

anywho the craft was free, but that advice cost you! jk, who wants to take my "tough" love advice?! how RUDE!

Have a great Wednesday!
Abbs*

where have you gone motivation?!

Okay so I'm so aware that I have not posted in a week, but I think my excuse is legit...I haven't had motivation to do...well...ANYTHING! I seriously have clothes, dust, and dirt piling up in my house. ALL I want to do is SLEEP! I normally do not require more than 6 hours of sleep to function, but lately I've wanted like 10 hrs... I need serious help! my husband has suffered, my kids have suffered and THIS blog has suffered. (maybe I'll do a giveaway to the first person to guess what my problem is.) (JK, I don't DO giveaways silly people)
I want to be back so bad! I hope that I am, but I can't make promises...I REFUSE to make a promise! My camera has not suffered though:)

From Drop Box

Gage will always come find you if you have food, I love the moment/bond that happened for these two over this sharing of the cereal:) HA! So sweet!

So to get rid of these cobwebs in my brain, I'm going to show you a smorgasbord of things to keep you people happy and then I'm going to tackle this crazy house.
In my defense I was asked to do a powerpoint/video of a end of the year party with 400 photos and 5 songs!! crazy I know right! what the HECK was I thinking, but I got it done in a week:)

If i did Giveaways this is something I would give away for a giveaway (that was too many words, but you get the point),one of my favorite paintings I did...

From Drop Box

and also this week I got a little creative, and when I say a little I mean it!

I took some scrapbook paper, cut it to fit and some in strips
and taped it behind some glass candle holders that I had.

From Drop Box

Well that is all for today, peeps!
Abbs*

Strawberry Pickin'

Well apparently blogger messed up yesterday and deleted everybody's post made yesterday...So that is why no one is able to see my post about Brainwashing anymore.

Anyway Yesterday morning my mom, my boys, and I went to a local Strawberry farm where they grow fruits and vegetables. They spray the strawberries with peppermint and Basil to keep the bugs away and they sell to Whole foods..So I felt pretty good about getting a whole bucket of organic strawberries for only $10.

my mom and I were determined to prove to the boys that strawberries don't grow on trees...and they were determined to show us strawberry trees. We had so much fun!

From Drop Box

It is so rainy here today, so now we are trying crafts...Remember those little hairbows that I wanted to make for HK from my last post? Well I decided to make a few.
so I gathered some scraps and ribbon to choose from.

I cut it the length I wanted it to be, nothing special....

then used a needle and thread to sew it tight in the middle

there was this loop that was on the fabric (this was something that came wrapped around a burp cloth I got from a boutique.) so I used a seam ripper to pull it off because it was the perfect size for the piece that wraps around the front!

Cole's got pretty hair:) One day he will hate me for this!

I also took this and cut two strips one a little longer.

I stacked them one of top of the other and used hot glue to put them together.

Cole was my model on this one too, nobody else' hair is as long:)

I hope in this rainy weather you are able to get your craft on....maybe nap time? maybe...

Abbs

furniture redo

Well I have been just awful this last week with a post! My Mother in law has been in for the week and when she comes we play:)
So anyway I painted my bedroom a soft cream and LOVE it!
also here is the chair we talked about before and after....booya!

From Drop Box

it looks great in our room with my red chicken wire frame (finals pictures to come soon)
But here is my chalkboard door that I painted (spray painted, if you will)
Brent was the first to break it in!

Also most of you know Brent and I went to Sips and Stokes ( a place where you bring your own beverage of choice and a teacher shows you and others how to paint a picture)
here is ours:)

Mine is on the right....You can go ahead and admit it looks better, B already did! lol jk....I think his looks just as good.

Have a great Easter Weekend......I hope everyone understands that God loves them so much he sacrificed his own son for you! Have fun and enjoy the day and remember to thank Him.

Abbs*

THE big reveal!

WELL WELL WELL.....It is time! The dresser is all done, and personally I think Anthropology would sell it!
Okay so quick recap..go here to see the old one.
to catch you up after we scraped all that yucky stuff off, we sanded it.

then I put two coats of "springfield" on it.

full body shot picture if you will, I think you will..

next I took a block sander to all the corners and sides that I wanted to, I also to a nail and scraped down the top to give the stain something to grab hold of

and Here is the finished product with me in the mirror..HI!

a couple more close ups...

(We have two different types of knobs on them because I like the circles and Brent likes the rings) maybe after a year of looking at them one of us will lower our pride we will decide which one looks better.

I'm VERY happy with it, I think it will go perfect in our "New" room

...AND... for those of you who don't know I will be the big 27 in just a short 10 days. My Sweet friend, Michelle all the way in Cali sent me these mugs as a early bday present, (chelle, I'm drinking coffee in them, well one, right now!)

and there you have it! My first piece of "distressed" furniture...I think I'm addicted. $75 dollars for a dresser at goodwill, that you could probably buy at Nadeau for $1200...It's definitely got SOUL!
Have a great weekend!!
Abbs

fabric flower tutorial

I put together a little step by step for ya... You can put these on a headband, pillow, anything you want. I chose to put them on a picture frame I had.

choose your coordinating fabric, and you won't need very much for these.
Also a glue gun...

cut or tear a 1 in strip of the fabric

fold the fabric in half by length and tie a small loose knot in the end

twist fabric around knot keeping it folded and put a dot of glue every once in awhile to keep it sturdy.

keep twisting and gluing until there is about 1 in left of the fabric

glue the fabric down on the back

you want them to be tight in some spots and loose in others, that's what gives it character (I like character).

next I took the green and cream polka dot fabric and laid it pattern down, I cut it about 4 inch in diameter

then I took white thread and a needle and started a small stitch, going around the whole circle

last pull both sides tight and tie a small knot. then just work it til it is even and looks the way you want it to. Like below...

I then glued my flowers to a picture frame of my husband and I on our honeymoon...

I have to go now though because this baby wants his mommy:)

I hope this gave you some inspiration to try this easy flower on your own!

Craft Tuesday, (or would it be crafty Monday since I made these yesterday?)
oh well Have fun!

Abbs*

weekend happenings

Well we went dresser hunting on Saturday morning for a piece we could transform an old one to look like "us".....for those of you just now joining me, we are slowly redoing our room. I took three "know your style" quizzes online and they came back as, Scandinavian antique, country classic, and vintage modern (go here to learn more about these quizzes or take them yourself!)

So here is the dresser we found at a thrift store ($75)

It had 2 or 3 coats of paint on it, So we dunked that sucker (painted heavy) in paint stripper, waited 15 minutes and shaved it off

We then sanded it down with a hand sander, and while we worked on this Eli played with luggage that I forgot to drop off at goodwill (WHY do we buy our kids toys again!?!)

And....Cole thought it would be sweet to give Gage a handful of dirt to play with....It only seems fair! (I took a picture Quickly before I ran into the house and completely washed his mouth out)

Oh well we are almost done, you will have to come back to see the big dresser reveal! That's my way of hooking you, HA! (that was an evil laugh).

On another note,
I created a mood pallet to show you my ideas about our room

I hope everyone has a great Monday!!
Abbs*