Decorative Clothespin Magnets!

Happy Thursday! I hope everyone has a safe and fun Holiday weekend. Before I head to the cabin, I thought I would share my newest love, clothespin magnets. My fridge is absolutely covered in these because they are so easy and cheap to make, once you start, you won't be able to stop!

Materials: Mod Podge, Scrapbook Paper, Clothespin, Paint Brush, Magnets, Scissors and Epoxy.

The first thing you want to do is pick your favorite scrapbook paper that you'd like to turn into a magnet. For me, this was the most difficult part and partly why my fridge is completely covered in these...I couldn't decide which one I liked best. For this, I chose Sock Monkeys by Recollections.

I measured a clothespin and made a template so that I can trace the template onto the backside of the paper. I have a friend that ways to cut the paper until it's attached to the clothespin but I find you get a cleaner look when you cut before you attach it. I tried using a scissor but I notice that if you can't cut straight, you can definitely tell. So, I use my Cricut paper trimmer for straight lines.

After the paper is cut to size, I coat the top of each clothespin with a layer of Mod Podge and lay the piece of paper on the clothespin. I like to make sure I get a good seal, so I run my finger down the clothespin a couple of times.

While these are drying, I cut the magnets to size. I prefer the strip of magnets that you can buy at any hardware store. I like to make sure that the magnet is thinner than the width of the clothespin so it doesn't stick out.

After the first layer of Mod Podge has dried, I apply 2 more coats to ensure they are completely sealed. After they are completely dry, I attach the magnet strip that I cut in the previous step to the backside of the clothespin with either 2 part Epoxy or E600 permanent adhesive. I've found that these hold the best. I let the dry overnight to ensure they are attached properly.

After they are dry they are ready to be displayed! Enjoy! Here are some ones that I have displayed on my fridge. They hold up really well.

Chalkboard Coasters

Happy Tuesday! I hope everyone is enjoying fabulous weather like us, "Duluthians" are! The craft of the day...chalkboard coasters. They can also be used for name cards/place cards for weddings. These are great for bbq's, camping, cabin trips or just enjoying a drink on your deck! Never lose your drink again. These re-usable coasters are a life saver when you have multiple people drinking the same thing.

So, to start I took just a basic round wooden circle that comes in a package of 4 from Michaels. I lay them all out on a giant piece of cardboard in a well ventilated area.

Next, I prime them. This is important because the wood is extremely porous and will soak up a ton of chalkboard paint if you don't prime them first.

After the primer has dried, I spray them with the chalkboard paint. Make sure to shake the can really, really well! I typically do about 3 coats of chalkboard paint to make sure they are totally covered. You can do more or less but I tend to think more is a waste but to each their own.

The chalkboard paint dries fast so it's a pretty quick process. Afterwards, you have fabulous looking coasters that are sure to be a hit. I know mine have been!  If you're interested in purchasing these, please check out my Etsy Shop link in the right hand column. Thanks!

Backless Frame + Initials = Cute, Inexpensive Decor!

So, after having recently re-done my kitchen, I've decided that I need to add some decor on the bare, blue walls. In my before pictures, there is a green frame hanging on the wall with initials inside. Well, I took that and re-did it to match the new kitchen colors.

Here is a tutorial on what I did from start to finish. Total, this project cost me $1.50!

I took a backless frame that I bought at Goodwill for .99 cents and painted it to match the wainscoting, Sail Cloth is the color. In between coats, I Mod Podged the initials, K & A that I had on chipboard from Michaels. I had purchased them about a year or so ago for around .50. I used some shabby chic floral colors that would match the look I was going for. After the first coat of Mod Podge was dry, I did another coat on top of the scrap book paper to seal it.

Once the Mod Podge was completely dried, I took 2 burlap strips that were scrap from another project (see it pays to save scraps) and hot glued them to the back side of the initials. Once the paint on the frame was dry, I hot glued the top of the strips to the backside of the frame and Voila! A super cute, inexpensive piece of decor that is one of a kind!

Happy Monday!

Wedding Inspiration ~ Tissue Paper Napkin Rings

With our wedding fast approaching (October 8, 2011), I have decided to kick my preparations into high gear. I am doing a lot of my own decor to save on money. I knew since the start that I wanted to splurge on cloth napkins. They really complete the look that I have in my mind. I will admit, I was a little hesitant about spending close to $200 on napkins but I had come to terms with it. One day, while on CraigsList, I found a woman that was selling the ones she purchased for her wedding that were still in the packaging! Turns out she didn't want Ivory napkins, so after a few emails, I was able to get 275 cloth napkins for $50 including shipping. That's roughly .18 cents a napkin! With a deal like that, I couldn't resist.

My original plan was to go with a colored napkin so now my task is finding a way to spruce up the ivory a bit. After some research, I found the perfect way to do this. I'm going to be making tissue paper pom napkin rings! They are very easy to make and I think they really look great!

Here's what you need:
~Tissue Paper
~Scissors
~Floral Wire (I used white, cloth wrapped floral wire from Michaels)

The first thing you're going to want to do is cut 4 pieces of tissue paper in approximately a 10"x5" rectangle. Then, stack the 4 pieces on top of eachother. They don't need to be cut perfectly or line up exactly, it will work out just fine if they are off a bit.

After you have your 4 pieces, you want to fold the paper, accordian style going the 10" way down the paper. I like my folds to be about 1/2 inch, it makes it easier when you're fluffing the flower. Fold the paper back and forth until your at the end.

Once you reach the end, fold the accordian in half, this is where you'll put the floral wire. I use about a 6" piece for the small poms, I fold it over the accordian and twist at the base to form a secure hold on the paper.

Once you've attached the floral wire, you want to trim the ends of the tissue paper. You can do a rounded edge, a square edge or even a pointed edge. Each type of end creates a different look for your flower. I prefer the rounded edge look. Try to cut of the same amount on each end so the sides of your flower aren't off.

After you've cut the ends, you fluff! There are different ways to do this but I like going one layer at a time starting at the top layer. I pull the layer up towards the center on one half. Then, I go to the next layer of that half and so on until all 4 layers are seperated. Then I go to the other half of the accordian and do the same. After all of the layers are seperated throughout you can tweak the fluffing. Sometimes the edges get folded over or bent, just tweak it to your liking.

It's that simple! In my case, I will repeat these steps about 250 times! When I put it into numbers like that, it's kind of scary. Ha-Ha. Have a great day! :)

Kitchen Makeover!

Lately, the weather in Duluth has not been all that great! Instead of focusing time and energy on my flowers, I decided to tackle my horribly dated kitchen. Little did I know when I started, how big of a project it was going to be. Looking back though, I'm so glad that I decided to go through with it. I couldn't be any happier with the results. Well, I could if I had new, fancy appliances and new flooring but that will come with time!

Here are some before photos. It may not look all that bad, but trust me, it was gross! The walls were super beat up, the wall paper was peeling, the wainscoting was dirty and the cabinets really dated the whole look.

The first thing I tackled was removing the wallpaper boarder and what I thought was the wallpapered ceiling. I used DIF gel and a scraper for the boarder. Much to my surprise, after about 5 minutes of spraying the boarder with DIF gel, the boarder fell off. I figured since the boarder was so simple to remove, the ceiling would be the same. Not so much. Turns out, the previous owners used contact paper on the ceiling. Why, I may never know. For any of you that have dealt with contact paper, you know that it's not easy to remove. I was able to remove the entire first layer but after about 5 hours of spraying and scraping, I only had about a 6" area down to the original ceiling.

After screaming and cursing, I decided that it would be best to leave the glue layer up. Boy am I glad I did that! I did end up mudding the seams and sanding it down to give a smooth look. I painted the ceiling the same color as the wainscoting and cabinets (Sail Cloth). I figured that way, I wouldn't have to worry about getting the cabinet paint on the ceiling when I got to that point!





The next thing on my list was the wainscoting and oak trim work. It took 3 coats of Ultra paint from Menards. I wish I would have primed it first but there's no sense in going back now. I used an eggshell finish, the color is Sail Cloth. I also removed some decorative, curvy boards above the stove and sink to open the space up some. Then, I tackled the top half of the walls. As you'll learn, I'm not a fan of shiny finishes...at all! So, right, wrong or otherwise, I used a flat finish for the top portion of the walls. I'm ok with this because I have no children and don't anticipate many hand prints or smudges. I used Ultra, flat finish in Mineral Blue.

Then, the hard part began, the cabinets! We have 40 cabinet faces in our kitchen, a lot of small ones! I took down all of the cabinet faces, sanded them down, primed then and applied 3 coats of the same paint I used on the ceiling and wainscoting. I also replaced the cabinet pulls with some new, simple brushed nickel pulls. I wanted to replace the hinges as well but it just wasn't in the budget. So, I cleaned them all with water, soap and a toothbrush, primed them and painted them with Rustoleum Metallic Finish Brushed Nickel spray paint. It was a lot easier than I anticipated and saved me about $150!

It took me a little over a week, a lot of blood, sweat and even some tears, but I finally finished what I started. I'm so thankful that my fiance is patient and didn't mind that our kitchen was a disaster for as long as it was! I love the new look so much, instead of going on the computer in the office or on the deck, I sit in the kitchen now. :)