Show Off

Okay, I wanted to show off my Antiqued Family canvas. Here it is in it's permanent home; my mom's house. Look at how adorable her vignette is! The 2 little cup things with straws coming out are from Argentina. They are some kind of cup that the Argentine people drink tea out of. My little brother just got back from a 2 year LDS mission there. For those who don't know, we haven't seen him in two whole years, we only get a weekly email from him and can only hear his voice over the telephone twice a year. 

Anyway, The wreath she has so great, and Springy, I am also a wee bit jealous of her awesome wainscoting.  (My dad made it!)

Everyone keeps showing pictures of their beautiful Spring flowers, and everything looks so lovely. This is what Utah still looks like. Every day. I can't wait for the 68 degree weather expected this weekend, maybe that will help some flowers start, or at least this tree outside my house. I miss green. I want some budding something to bring into my house. Here's hoping that Spring will soon reach us here in Utah.

My Talented Dad

My dad is awesome. He was always DIY'ing around our house growing up. He taught us (my brother, sister and I) how to work hard, and enjoy working hard. Our beds were always handmade. Our home was practically built by him, and he always made use the coolest furniture pieces. He made this tool bench for my little J-man. Complete with drawing station, pegboard, and extra storage. Jude just loves his tool bench, and has to show it to all of his friends when they come over.

I just wanted to publicly thank my father. I look up to him so much, and am truly blessed to be his daughter. Thanks for ALL you have done, and continue to do for me, and my family. Love ya, Dad!

Tool storage, just like a real workshop.

Drawing station, complete with lots
of butcher paper for Jude's creative
little guy mind.

The main surface is a re-purposed butcher
block cutting board that I believe was
my Grandmother's.

The MUCH needed storage!

Aren't fathers (and grandfathers) the greatest?

Linking to: Miss Mustard Seed's Furniture Feature Friday

"Antiqued" Family

Hey all! I am really excited to post this project. I spent a bit of time doing it, but it is totally worth it. I am giving it to my mother, who is a wonderful woman, and she inspired me to be the person I am today. {And I am really great.}

    This is the end product, go through 

           all of the pictures to get the know-how 

to make this beautiful artwork (on the cheap!) for your house!

First, get a canvas. I got mine at Hobby Lobby (hereafter
knows as Hobbs) I got 2 canvases for $8 with coupon.
Then tear out pages from the phone book, and line them
up like so. We don't want any blank canvas showing
through. I put the straight edges on the outside so I
wouldn't have to fold them in.

Use Mod Podge to glue it down.

Love the texture. I ripped up extra pages and placed them
over the seams so you wouldn't see straight edges in
the middle of the canvas.

Fold corners like you would a present. We want it
to look pretty.

Paint the phone book pages the color you want your
words to be. I chose black, obviously.

Cut out your vinyl and place it to your liking. If you
don't use vinyl, you can make a stencil out of cardstock.
You would just do different steps than what I did.

After you've placed your vinyl, paint over the whole thing,
vinyl and all. This color will be the main color you want.

After the paint dries, peel off the vinyl letters.

There may be some areas where the black comes off.
This is okay, just go through with a paintbrush to
touch up the areas that came off. Remember though,
this is supposed to look old, so you don't have to
do every part that came off. Unless you don't want the
letters to look old.

Sand it for some extra antiquing.

I added some more paint to the corners and a bit
throughout the middle to give it a more aged look.

And voile! Your finished project looks
beautifully antiqued.

These words all mean family in another language. I don't remember all that I got, but there is French, Spanish, Italian, Irish, and a few others I can't pronounce. I just used Google Translate, and found the words that fit. There were a lot of different languages that used the same spelling though. 
The total cost of this project for me was $6! Can't beat that. 

Have you made any art projects? What have you done?

Linking to: Anything you Want Wednesday at Free Pretty Things For You, and Common Ground's Vintage inspiration, Chic on a Shoestring's Flaunt It Friday

Vintage-Inspired Art

Hey all! I finally got the canvases done! WHEW! Who knew that having an extra kid around would really impede my crafting? Anywho, I bought two packs of canvases from Hobby Lobby that came with 2 canvases. I also used a %40 off coupon. The 2 pack canvases are $8 but with the coupon and 2 packs I spent around $12 for 4. Not a bad deal, if you ask me. My idea was to make vintage-y looking flash cards. I did a car, truck and airplane. 

So, I found a few images from the internet that were perfect: A car and truck from the 1930's, and an airplane that is from... a long time ago. I taped the printed out image onto the back of the canvas and held it up to the light. If I thought that the image wasn't big enough, I just enlarged it by eye-balling it. 

I am a texture fiend so of course I had to take a close
up of the canvas' texture.

Here they are!

I have been trying to figure out which is my favorite, but
there are just so many things about each one that I love.

Well, there you have it; my vintage-inspired DIY very cheap canvases. Every time Jman walks into his room, he loves to point out the plane, car and truck. I hope you enjoy them as much as we do! 
What art projects have you done for your house?


Edited to add: I am linking up to this party Chic on a Shoestring, Freckled Laundry, and Common Ground's Vintage inspiration, Jennifer Rizzo

Awesome & Awkward

Okay, I recently discovered a blog called Little Miss Mama. She does an interesting weekly post called Awesome and Awkward. I thought that I will do the same thing on my blog, because, who doesn't like to laugh at other people? I do. I am pretty sure I am not the only one out there. I don't think a ton of interesting things happen to me. But, here's hoping you can relate to what I have to say. I would like to think that life will be more interesting than the same-old, same-old routine. Maybe I'll pay more attention to the little things now.




My so awkward moments:


Every morning I wake up around 6:45, around 7 is when the little girl I am watching for a short while comes over. When her daddy knocks on the door, I always realize that I am still wearing yesterday's makeup, I have morning breath, and I am not wearing a bra. It's cold outside too, so you can imagine what happens.


Realizing that your child is too old to see you naked when he asks what your boobs are. And you reply with: "Go find your father..."


Being at church and sitting in your pew, and you see someone a few pews ahead of you turn around, smile, and wave. You do the same to said person, and see some movement out of the corner of your eye. It is now that you realize it is the woman sitting behind you to whom the wave was meant.


This photo: I just don't like it. I don't normally do full-on straight pictures like that.

My so awesome moments:


Listening to what my church leaders have to say about Jesus Christ, and feeling the wonderful Spirit that comes with listening to the truth with your family.


My husband sending me a text that says "I love you." exactly when I needed to hear that.


This photo: Jude eating cereal, watching Cars, and wearing my heels.

My son holding me tight when I am about to leave him in his room for the night, then he says {voluntarily!} "I love you!"






What's your so awkward/awesome from the recent past? Or, not recent. You decide. Don't be shy!

Frayed Flower Tutorial

I came up with this idea a few days ago, while I was trying to do something else for a pillow cover that ended up being a total fail. So I went with plan b. I didn't have a plan b so I just started messing around until something came to me, and GLORY! HALLELUJAH! something did.

Start with about 10-15 strips of fabric, folded in half.
I ripped mine because I love the shabby-ness.

Make a small-ish loop, then a bigger one around it.

The strips I did were kinda short, so I would add them
frequently, the loop by itself is an added strip.

Sew sections of loops together to make
them easier to handle. (or glue them)

Keep adding and sewing...

When you feel like you have enough, arrange them
in a flower shape so you really do have as many as
you wanted.

Arrange it to look pretty...

Use one strip and roll it up tight for the center.

Hot glue the center onto your pillow cover fabric, and
then the petals. Make sure to arrange them in even
spacing (if you are OCD like me.)

What wonderful texture this makes!

The end result, I think is fab-tabulous. Right along with my bolster pillow behind it! Here is the link on that tutorial. My husband even said he liked that, so I know it's good!


Linking up to these parties:
Freckled Laundry's Textile Party
Chic on a Shoestring's Flaunt It Friday