Pottery Barn Inspired

I gasped so hard when I saw this, I now have the hiccups.  I am loving that we are taking control over how much we spent on decor.  I’m glad we can see that something is priced too high and we use our resources to get what we want.  When will these high priced decor companies realize we ladies talk and will figure out a way if it’s not within our budget?

Susie Harris {where friends become family}

saw this typewriter key wall art in……..yes, you guessed it.  Pottery Barn.   Love Pottery Barn, but my pocket book turns it’s self inside out whenever I consider a purchase.  She took another approach and thought  “hey!  I could make that!” And she did………Stunning!  And guess what?  She not only sells these in her Etsy shop for about $14,000 less than PB, but she also shows you a step by step tutorial!

Start out with a flat board…….mark your markings…Use a punch cup to draw your circles…..I wonder what Pottery Barn uses?

  Paint your circles black and use tracing paper to trace your letters that you printed off on your own printer.   Paint all the letters.Use the top of a thermos to mark the distressed circle to make it look like real keys……I doubt PB uses a thermos lid…. And you’ve got yourself a great piece of wall art that looks like $14,000, but didn’t cost you nearly as much.

Then she got cocky that thought that if she could do that, she could certainly make herself one of these “fancy” mirrors.  She teaches you the real name for a fancy mirror as well as a tutorial.  But this mirror used to be just a lonely flat piece of wood.  What I also love?  Look closely…….that square wreath and that bunny weather vane.  I want it.  She has gotten SO sure of herself, she paints all kinds of signs and even monograms on her walls.  Because she’s so nice……..she also shows you step by step instructions.  You too can have a monogram on your wall.I love monograms and worry I have too many “D”s around my house.  But I love them.  And so does she…..Monograms on linen?  Holy stars….Sigh!You’ll really enjoy her blog and all the photos of her home.  Her kitchen is looking very french.  She also recently covered her RED couch with white slipcovers……..Hmmmm.  I love that style.

   She has a great etsy shop with thing from signs to tags.  All great things.

Head over and make me look good OK?  Leave her a comment and surprise her that she’s today’s feature!

Have you joined my Blog Frog community yet?  We’re stirring up some conversations.

Get Your Craft On

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Hey all, it’s GET YOUR CRAFT ON! You know the rules.

1. It’s gotta be something you created.

2. Do not link to your own linky party. (yes it happens)

3. Please post my button or offer a link saying you are participating on Get Your Craft On.

4. List as many items as you’d like. (that kind of scares me. I gave my son and his friend the “no popsicle limit” rule one summer. My son ate 3. His friend ate 15. He threw up.)

It’s all about me….

I’ve been asked to be a contributor to the Holiday with Matthew Mead magazine…..shhhh, don’t tell him that I just decorated for Easter yesterday….Thank God Christmas is a few moths away.  I’ve got some time to come up with something spectacular.

They are hosting their very first giveaway today.  

Head over to Holiday with Matthew Mead to find out how you can win the opportunity to have your blog or online shop mentioned in the magazine. Holiday with Matthew Mead is a "book-azine" celebrating and offering inspiration for the Christmas holiday season. To be released in October 2010, Holiday is offered via online orders only - in limited quantities - and will not be sold on newsstands.  But, by simply following the BUY HOLIDAY MAGAZINE link below their banner, you can reserve your own copy of this beautiful magazine, with guaranteed delivery of the magazine straight to your mailbox!  Holiday with Matthew Mead is144 pages of holiday inspiration with well-known and admired designers, bloggers and top-notch features, printed on beautiful paper and not drowning in ads!

Now, head on over for your chance to win!

This is just one of the covers they’re considering.

That’s not all……..there is something BIG coming in the next couple of weeks. What I need from you is to hop over (pun intended) and join my Blog Frog Community.  You can either click here, or on the side bar at the top.  Oh the things we can chat about.

Slip Covers

You may have noticed that it’s Friday and I’m not doing a giveaway.  Yep……I am changing up a few things and will only do giveaways occasionally on Fridays.   Most of you said you could take them or leave them……so I’m not feeling any guilt for not having one today.

 

I love me some Emily.  I see her in blog land, I see her on twitter….and because I’m 48, I thought that I had already featured her.  But I haven’t…….so today is the day!

Remodeling this Life

You’ll get DIY projects, you’ll get some photography stuff………you’ll get some really good writing.

Let’s start with this slipcover.

Why oh why do these sewing slip cover people not live next door to me?  Just tell me why?

Did I ever mention that I used to live in an old 1912 home in the Mt. Tabor area of Portland Oregon?  Yep, I did.  I haven’t always been a suburb soccer mom.  What I loved most about my 1912 home was the tub.  The tub was so big I could lie down completely.  It was an old fashioned tub like this one.  Sigh….Every time I see this photo below on her blog, I think it belongs in a magazine.  I love how the kids are involved in drawing. And I LOVE chalk board paint.Emily is a wonderful mom that doesn’t get annoyed with muddy hands on her white pants……she see’s the beauty in it and captures it.   That photo is worth so much more than clean pants.And because she loves her children so much, she displays their works of art for all to see.  This is a simple idea and it looks really cool.  And she says her wall is not that green. This patio caught my eye right away!  See the plain concrete?   Now look at it…….they tiled it. I have been wanting to stamp our concrete for a couple of years, but it’s going to take A LOT more ads to pay for the $1000’s of $ to do that.  But tile….Hmmmm.  Great idea.  And see that table?  It used to be dark green.  How fun is that red?

OK, you know the drill.  Go to her site and leave her a hearty TCB comment.

Easter Table Ideas

Thanks so much for taking my survey.  I’m learning some interesting things about you all.  You can still take it if you’d like.  Just click here.

Easter is fast approaching! FAST!  I bought some new Easter decor at Roberts in Orem last July and dang it, I need to get it out. 

With that said, you all may be looking for some Easter ideas too.  I received an email from this bloggers husband.  HUSBAND!  He wrote to tell me about his wife’s blog and that she has 30+ projects she created herself.  HER HUSBAND!  I just think that is the sweetest thing ever.  Now if she really wrote it and only made it seem like it was her husband…….I don’t want to know.  My world of thinking her husband loves her and her hobby that much is a much brighter place…..know what I mean? 

Actually, Creative Stirrings was the idea of her husband.  He thinks his wife is the most creative person ever and suggested she start a blog.  I love that.   He’s dubbed The Other Half and will chime in on her blog from time to time.

She’s got lots of table ideas, but lets look at Easter first. 

Starting with this cute table runner……..Darling way to make little chicks!This looks like a kids or extra table.  Would you look at that bow on the side?  This is an Easter table from a few years ago.  This is not expensive….this is not something that requires a special supplies……..just a great vision of course.  You gotta have an eye for sure……..but this is so cute and simple.  My favorite kind.But wait a minute…….she got my hopes up for a simple display that looks like a million bucks…..then she springs (no pun intended) this fancy bunny napkin fold.    Now she’s playing dirty……  :)

While visiting her site, I realized she loves to have little dinner parties.  She has many tablescape ideas.

This below is from her mothers birthday. But she named it “Happy Bird-day”. Darling.  You could even change the colors and use this idea for Easter.For her husbands birthday, at least that’s what I think she said……she was a bit more playful.    I LOVE the cake…….well I like the way it’s decorated too.  :)

Seriously, she has the best ideas that leave you with the DUH feeling.  I love them. Something I could do, I have most the items she uses…….simple.  Nothing fancy to buy to create this creative party.  Did I already say I loved that?    I thought this was darling too.  Yea, I know I say darling a lot……get over it.   This is a ……..you guessed it…….a Mickey Mouse Party! Look at the plates….look at the little mickey heads made with finger prints.  You know what I think is the best thing ever?  There is not ONE registered trademarked Disney item on the table.  Once again, this did not require you to run to the store and buy a bunch of stuff you’ll never use again.  You know what else I love?  She’s using paper plates and cups……..but made it look fancy!  My girlfriend Val is going to be all over this. She is a table maniac. OK, now she’s just showing off.  She had an Aztec Party for educational purposes.  But if it makes you feel any better, she used paper products again. Before you think that would be too ordinary…..look how she transformed them.  Feathers on a cup?  See……showoff! Of course a Mexican food theme to go along.  She actually has LOTS of recipes on her site. And a few crafts too……….Laurie from Tip Junkie would be ALL over this head band.  She’s from Texas and LOVES those big flower headbands.So no more sweating over the Easter table.  Head over to her blog and pick up all kinds of ideas.  Leave a comment for her husband while you’re there.

Give it up!

Get Your Craft On

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Just when I think it can’t get any bigger or better…….it does.  This link up is one of the best in blog land…..don’t you think? 

If it’s creative and it’s yours…….link it.  Please place a link or my button in your own post. 

If you’re in the Arizona area, I’d love to meet you.  Come see me here.

Also, if you receive my blog via feedburner and suddenly you don’t….come check on me.  I’m switching to wordpress in a couple of weeks and rumor has it, it can be a feedburner nightmare.

Play Kitchen

Happy Monday!  Did you win the giveaway?  Scroll down to see.

I got an email from Sharla a few days ago wanting to know exactly what it takes to get featured on Today’s Creative Blog…..so I let her in on my secret.  It’s Chocolate.  If you send me chocolate, you’re in.  Easy as that.  :)  She said her favorite was See’s….whaddya know….so is mine. 

Her blog My Little Gems is full of all kinds of little gems.  With a house full of little boys, she still wanted a kitchen…….and seriously…….kitchens are still boy toys if you ask me.  My son played with his until he was at least 5.  But his kitchen wasn’t nearly as cute as this one below.   Can you just believe it?  What a darling darling kitchen.  I just love it.  I hope her boys do too.  Now a sure why to get my attention is to have something with burlap on your blog.  It’s like seeing something shiny for me.  Ohhh, BURLAP!  She made cute magnets using foam stamps……Hey! I have those foam stamps…..whheeeee.Because she’s a good momma……..she also has other alphabet stuff…..she made fabric ones.  These are darling and I wonder if she’ll make a quilt or something with them after the little gems play with them for a while.Why…….why do so many of you know how to sew?  And why didn’t I keep trying after that horrible attempt in 7th grade home ec?  Then I could have tried making things from placemats…….These would make such great gifts too…..I wonder if she has an etsy shop?     For those of you that like doing science experiments at home……this looks like a great one.  Simple….fun.  Create Rain….What kid doesn’t want to know how it rains?Because Easter is coming up…..April 4th.  We’re going to be in the throws of decorating eggs too.  Or maybe some of you need some ideas for decorating….if you haven't already.  Why not take some of those old plastic eggs and decoupage some……the kids could even help you with this.  You may even just get out of coloring eggs if you do it this way.  :)

Another great blog to visit!  Have fun!

Come back tomorrow for Get Your Craft On link up party.  We have been flooded with great ideas.  You can also head over to Cindy’s Skip to My Lou link up today.  Made by you Monday’s.