Mod Podge- Baby Monitor

Sorry I am late posting this because my little guy was sick with a fever last night!!

Today I am participating in Xazmin's Mod Podge Mania (a day late!!)

Now, don't make fun of me, but with Mod Podge anything with a semi-flat surface is fair game. I have no idea why I decided to do this but the mood struck me and so I Mod Podged a...

Baby monitor!!!

Before:

They are essential in every home with a baby but not exactly beautiful!!

It is kinda ironic that I waiting for little guy to wake up and I am listening with my latest Mod Podge project. I only did the front of the monitor and everything stills work perfectly! I knew if it didn't I would have back-up plan because I have 2 of them.

Finished and in place. I think it needs a bow but I don't have the right ribbon right now.

There you have it my newest mod podge project!! True Mod Podge Mania!!! Thanks Xazmin!! Next month I won't be a day late!

And now little guy is awake!! Let's hope he is better today!!

Crafting Lesson with Mommy

This weekend my daughter, Lawson, and I did a quick project together to refurbish a decorative box we found at a thrift store for $4. It would have been fine on its own but it had a white matte finish, with some scuff marks, and dirt that made it not quite suitable for displaying. We decided to make it our own for a quick rainy day project (after I had spray painted it a white gloss on Friday).

After spray paint...


Inside

While we were picking out the perfect scrap book paper for the lining it occurred to me there is a lot a child can learn from a simple home project done with mom.

I involve my daughter (3 almost 4) in a lot of projects you see on this blog that end up beatifying my home rather then being hung up on the refridge and my motives could be questionable. However, there truly is no one prouder then my daughter to show a visitor all of the beautiful things she has made with her mommy (and it makes my heart sing with pride).

Note: I am not a teacher just a mom trying to teach my daughter there is lessons to be learned every where!!

The crafting lesson…
1. Picking out coordinating scrap booking paper. Lawson was in charge of making sure the box lining matched. Color coordination is vital to good fashion. (wink)
2. Measuring. I did the measuring but I made Lawson tell me each of the numbers aloud.
3. Once I made the mark I had Lawson cut along the line. Dexterity. Very good!!
4. Shapes. Tell me what shape we cut out.

5. Gluing. Mod Podge is Non-toxic and gluing is just plain old fun!!
6. Finishing a beautiful project that she and mommy can be proud of!!!!!

Lawson would not let me take a picture of her with the box, but she is proud of her creation. It is now in her room filled with lots of Barbie trinkets!!!

Mother's Day and Gifts

I spent my Mother's Day in Northern Virginia to watch my baby sister graduate from nursing school. We are so proud of her and all of her accomplishments!!! It was so nice also to be with my mom for Mother's Day!!

My mom with her kids- me, Lauren, and Ryan

Since it was Mother's Day I needed a gift for my mom-duh!!! Like so many other times in my life I waited until Friday morning to collect my supplies & make my gift!! The wonderful and fantastic thing about spray paint and Mod Podge is you can start and finish your project within an hour (perfect for nap time).

I got this kit at Micheal's with the bottom piece and the pegs. Then you buy the letters you need. I was either going to do "love" or "family" but since I was running short on time I decided "love." Plus, I LOVE my mommy!!!

One hour later here is the finished product. Happy to say she really liked it. I was hoping to take a picture of it in her beautiful home but didn't have the time. We are going to put it on top of a cabinet so you can't see the base.

Then there was my Mother's Day. Here is my family... Love you guys!!


Collins, Wesley, and Lawson went shopping and bought me this....
It is HUGE - 27" X 40" to go in my long hallway upstairs. My friend, Heather, added scrapbook paper to some of the photo holes and it turned out really nice. Here is yet another project for me to complete!!!

Organizing Challenge with a little Mod Podge too!!

I am a busy lady, like so many other women out there. Since I am so busy (some of it self-inflicted) I tend to over look some details in my life that other would CRINGE over. That something is

ORGANIZING!!

It seems to me that every time I organize I can't find anything. So to eliminate this problem I just don't organize. Simple, right??? It just so happens that one of my husband's pet peeves is not being organized (so glad he loves me!!)

On the way to beach this weekend we were talking about home stuff we would like to get done. We were having an open and honest conversation on the way to see his family (could of gone good or bad, luckily it went good). He told me that he would be more inclined to do more home projects for me/us if our home was more organized. I didn't get mad (sometimes I have a tendency too when he questions my homemaking skills) I took this as a challenge. I decided to start organizing our home. The question is will he hold up his side of the bargain!?!?!

Monday: I organized our linen closet in our bathroom. I would show you a picture but it isn't that pretty so trust me it is organized!! I am finally able to get sheets in this closet rather then taking up a dresser drawer!!

Tuesday: Nothing (busy day)

Wednesday: 3 kitchen drawers and a medicine cabinet. Proof Below...

Before:

After: Divided utensils into metal and plastic (bet it doesn't stay like this for a week)

Medicine Cabinet

Before: So embarrassing- I have never claimed to be Martha Stewart

After:

Notice the cool canister on the bottom right?

This now holds all of our band-aids and creams for boo-boos. Nothing can be easy for me so I decided to do a little project while organizing. I made a band-aid canister with the following items...

After: If I had some cool scrap booking stuff I would write band-aids, but this will have to do!!

This project made me laugh out loud because I remember reading some one's blog about how they mod podged a metal canister and when they tried to open it up the next day it wouldn't open (that so stinks). I made doubly sure I didn't put paper under the lid!!

Back to organizing...

I still have lots of drawers, closets, under beds, cabinets, pantry (YUCK!) to deal with, but I am getting there S L O W L Y. Maybe this will make my life simpler OR maybe it will make me even more crazy because I can't find CRAP!! Who knows....

Dining Room Mod Podge Corner is Done!

This weekend is going to be a gorgeous here in NC. I got my act together and made myself complete some indoor projects so I can work/play outside all weekend!!

I have finished the arrangement in my dining room. It was a little challenging to make this perfect, a couple too many holes, but they are covered and no one will ever know!!

Click here to see the before.

Here are the finished results...

Thank you so much for all of your input- I really appreciate it!! I like this corner of the dining room now- it looks designer-ish to me now (don't bust my bubble). What a difference Mod Podge makes!!

On second thought I am wondering if this is all too high. We are TALL (I am 5' 11", hubby is 6'4") so I tend to put things too high **sigh** Oh well, until it really bothers me this is the way it will stay.

Have a great weekend everyone!!

Mod Podge Mania- I am hooked!!

EDIT:
I am adding this to Thrifty Decor Chick Goodwill Party!! This is one of my favorite projects and had to add it!!
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I just started using Mod Podge last week and now this week I think it is the GREATEST invention EVER!!! It is so much fun using this stuff, my mind keeps on racing on all of the wonderful things I can make.


This week I am participating in Xazmin's Mod Podge Mania. I wanted to something other then my "F" and I couldn't do my eggs because I stole that idea from Xazmin. Last week I saw at Jen R's Sanctuary's Art Home Make-over this wonderful project from Blue Castle. I was immediately in love with the sconces. She did an awesome job and they are on sale at her Etsy store. Inspired by Blue Castle, I knew what I was looking for when I went thrifting (first time doing this in years).




What I wasn't expecting was to find the EXACT sconce she had made-over. I was as GIDDY as school girl. It was $1.99 and in perfect condition. I couldn't wait to get home to start 'creating.' I also picked up a long narrow black frame. I am ashamed to say my daughter picked it out and said "Mommy, this is black, it will look good in our house" She knows me too well and she is 3!!


So that evening, I disassembled the sconces using my husbands ratchet set, I had never used that before (I am woman hear me Roar!!) and spray painted both pieces a flat black.



Then added the remaining scrapbook paper from the "F" to the back of the sconce. I had a candle 'thingy' I bought at Target for 75% off (about 3 years ago),because I had to have it. Here is the finished results.


CAN YOU SAY LOVE!!

For my third Mod Podge Experiment this is perfect!! Thank you Blue Castle for the inspiration.


Now I have decided the sconce and the "F" are going in my dining room. I just need to figure out how to arrange things. Please help!! Here is the dining room area.


Before I start putting a bunch of holes in the wall (& tick off my hubby) I thought I would arrange things on the floor.

Arrangement #1:


Arrangement #2: (with the black long frame my daughter said would be nice in our home)



Arrangement #3



Arrangement #4


If the only thing you noticed is all the fingerprints please scroll back up and look past my imperfections!! Now tell me which one would look best!! I will post the results later this week.

Costs: $1.99 Sconce , black frame $5

Pack-Rat: The Candle 'thingy' no idea what that is called.

Verdict: I LOVE MOD PODGE!!

EDIT: I picked arrangement #4. Go here to check it out!!

Thanks Xazmin for hosting Mod Podge Mania. This was fun!!!

A Week of Trial- Mod Podge

I have not been as "crafty" as I would normally like to be. My son was sick on Monday with an ear infection. Then my daughter, the best helper in the world, was sick yesterday, so everyone needed some extra attention. Not that I mind at all, it just made it harder to getting my work (that pays me) done, then my crafting time or "me time" was very limited.

This is one of the things I made this week.

I was very inspired by some wonderful crafters this week and I thought I would try to decoupage a wooden letter this week. Katie's Nesting Place has a wonderful tutorial on how to Mod Podge scrapbook paper to wooden letters. I have never done this before and it was a good thing my "helper" was asleep, because there were some curse words used & some blood shed. I was persistent but wow, these are harder then they look.

My first attempt bubbled, ripped, and just looked awful. (Edit: COMPLETE USER ERROR not because of the tutorial, Katie's instructions are wonderful) I got out the razor blade and ripped it all off (hence the blood shed). I sanded it all down and started again. Thank goodness these sheets were 5/$1.00 at Joann's this week or I would of been even madder!!!

Costs: $1.99 for Letter, $0.40 for paper (should of been $0.20, oh well) = $2.50

I am happy with the results. I had planned to put this on the wall going up the stairs above the large signature frame, but now I am not so sure. I am now thinking my black and white dining room. Once I decide I will post pictures.

Kudos to all the women who Mod Podge all of the time because there is an art to it, and it takes plenty of patience. Two things I seem to lack!! As the old saying goes "Practice Makes Perfect" and I am not giving up because I plan on making a "W" and "L" for the doors of my kids room. Then with the extra scrapbook paper from this project I am going to make some more eggs!! I love that project from Xazmin.

Also, I wanted to share with you one of my best friend's post on her home projects. She did 4 projects for $6. They look wonderful!! I am going to steal her collage idea. Go over to see the wonderful projects Heather has completed!!