"Souper" Centerpiece

Posted on March 3, 2011 by Jennifer

I am going through one of my phases where I need to change up some of my decor. I get tired of things very easily and these “phases” happen often. This time I needed a new centerpiece for my buffet in the breakfast room. I started with an ivory soup tureen. Get it, “Souper” Centerpiece?

We received the ivory soup tureen as a wedding gift. I don’t use it very often and it’s too pretty to hide in the cabinet, so I thought it would be a perfect container for a centerpiece. I went to Hobby Lobby today in search of the perfect greenery to fill this piece. I searched the entire store {twice} and decided on the garland above. I know, you don’t exactly purchase garland for a centerpiece, but check it out.

I cut that garland into pieces.

I cut it into segments in a variety of different sizes.

Then I used a block of floral foam to hold the pieces in place.

I started around the edges with the longer pieces and then added shorter pieces to fill in the spaces.

And this is what it looked like when I was finished.

And it now sits nicely as the centerpiece of my buffet in the breakfast room.

Of course you know I did it for an itty bitty amount. The soup tureen was a gift and the greenery was $12.99, on sale of course for 50% off. So my centerpiece cost less than $7.

Ballard Inspired Boxwood Topiaries

Posted on February 28, 2011 by Jennifer

Spring is in the air (and I’m definitely feeling it with the worst case of allergies EVER)! I’ve packed up all of my Valentine’s decor and am ready for some bright spring colors around the house.

I love getting my Ballard Designs catalog in the mail. I love the design concepts, but do not like the prices. See the boxwood topiaries above? Love them! $49 – $65! What?! Of course I know I can create a knock-off for a fraction of the cost. And I did.

I found these Better Homes and Gardens fall pieces just last month on clearance at Wally World for just a buck each. Yes, $1.00! They were tucked away in the floral section, leftover from fall.

I bought these because I knew I could use the pots. I removed the fall leaves and pumpkins and put them away for another project. Remember these green boxwood balls from Hobby Lobby? They were originally $4.99, but I got them for half-off. I also used them for a centerpiece on my breakfast table.

You might also recognize this. It’s Krylon’s nickel spray paint and I think I am addicted. I’ve used it here, here and here. Good-bye gold, hello shimmering nickel!

Of course I added a little Distress Ink (another addiction).

And here are my Ballard Designs inspired boxwood topiary domes.

Let’s compare, shall we?

Ballard Designs dome topiaries = $49 each

(thanks for the inspiration)

My boxwood topiaries = $7 for the set!

My Neglected Breakfast Table Shines Again!

Posted on February 16, 2011 by Jennifer

My breakfast table desperately needed some sort of arrangement. It had been bare since I packed up all of my Christmas decor in January. I liked the three candles enclosed in large hurricanes that were there before, but I just got tired of them (as I often do with most decor after a period of time). So the table has been sadly bare, until today.

And of course, as always, it was done on a budget! And of course, as always, I’m thrilled to share it with you!

I found this gold-painted wicker and wire basket last week at my favorite Humane Society thrift store.

$2.50.

A coat of my new favorite spray paint, Krylon nickel in satin finish, and this tray is beginning to take on its new identity. No seriously, it really is my new fave! Click here and here to see my other recent projects involving this paint. I think I might be addicted!

Another of my new favorites, Distress Ink, adds just a little something more to any project.

I rubbed it on the wicker and metal wire, inside and out to give it some character.

Now that the basket is looking good as new, I gotta fill it.

I found these green boxwood balls at Hobby Lobby. As if $2.99 (small) and $4.99 (large) isn’t cheap enough, they were 50% off. Sweet!

They fit perfectly!

And I know just the place to put this new arrangement. . .

It makes a great new addition to my poor, pitiful, bare breakfast table.

Let’s add up the total here:

thrift store basket: $2.50

2 large (4.99 each) and 3 small (2.99 each) balls all @ 50% off: about $9.50

(I already had the Krylon spray paint & Distress Ink)

Grand total = $12.00

From Thrift Store to Valentine’s Decor

Posted on February 3, 2011 by Jennifer

A couple weeks ago I found this great thrift store right here in town. I don’t know how I hadn’t heard of it before. I found it after a Google search for thrift stores in the area. I wasn’t expecting much, but boy was I wrong. I couldn’t believe how much ~~junk~~ I found! It is run by the Humane Society, so the sixteen dollars and fifty cents I spent went to a good cause!

So this is what I got. 2 amber wine goblets (50c each!), antique door handles (that were still in the package), a decanter (because I collect them), white curtain rod holders (which I panted black and used for my hanging buckets), a complete chess/Backgammon set (most of it still in original packaging) and two framed (ugly) pictures. All for $16.50. And yes, it’s probably just junk, but junk can be turned into marvelous things!

So I bought this ~~lovely~~ cherub picture with a gold frame because I liked the size of it. It was tall with a thin frame and I thought it would look nice (minus the picture and blue matting, of course) on my new shelves hubby put above my buffet (tutorial to come soon).

When I removed the insides, I was surprised to find a perfect ivory matte hiding under the hideous blue one. SCORE! I found this nickel spray paint in a satin finish by Krylon.

I sprayed two light coats on the frame and was in love with the color!

While the spray paint was drying I printed this Valentine’s subway art from While He Was Napping. It was fine just black and white, but I wanted to jazz it up just a bit so I used regular old Crayola markers to add a touch of color.

I traced around the outside and inside of the two largest words on the page.

Then I cropped the paper with just a small 1/2 inch boarder around the words and mounted it on a piece of scrapbook paper which I bought in a pack at Target’s Dollar Spot.

Remember that ivory matte I found underneath the ugliness? Worked perfectly in my new frame!!

It’s hard to see in the photo, but the word love is outlined in bright-light pink.
And for less than $5, it’s a nice start to my Valentine’s shelf!

“LOVE” it!

Scrap Wood Becomes Valentine’s Decor

Posted on January 25, 2011 by Jennifer

Hubby has tons of scrap wood in the garage. I was feelin’ kinda crafty one day and decided to go dig through his pile to see what I could fine. I came across these two pieces. Hmmmmm, what if I (well, hubby actually) cut them into blocks?

I had hubby cut them into 3″ cubes.

I painted the blocks with semi-gloss white paint which we always have in the garage.

Then, using really large grit sandpaper, I rounded the corners. After that I used a finer grit to distress the paint a bit.

I rubbed each block with some distressing ink.

Using my Cricut, I cut 3″ rounded-edge squares from scrapbook paper. I applied Mod Podge directly to the wood to adhere the paper then sanded the edges and corners of the paper to blend it. Then I applied one coat of Mod Podge over the paper.

Close up of the blocks after sanding. The one on the right tore a little, but once I applied the MP on top, it smoothed and wasn’t noticeable.

While the first coat of MP was drying I used my Cricut to cut the letters “I” and “U.” I placed them on the block and applied one more coat of MP. I glued a painted wooden heart I bought at Michael’s on the other block.

And. . .

here they are! My cute little Valentine’s blocks!

Renewing an Awkward Space in an Awkward Place

Posted on January 24, 2011 by Jennifer

My Little Nook Makeover

Do you have one of these? Since moving into this house 4 years ago I’ve struggled with decorating this little wall nook. I’ve changed it several times. From flowers to candles to photo frames, this space has been changed so many times but each time there has been one thing in common. I never really loved it. It’s just an awkward space in an awkward place. But, I’m happy to announce that I re-decorated (AGAIN) and this time I like it! I really, really like it!

First I cleared the area for a fresh start. This makes it easier to see the space and envision what I want to do.

Then I chose frames to fit and fill the space. I love these black square frames. Very inexpensive at Garden Ridge.

These are nice frames, but kind of plain so I added some ribbon to jazz them up a bit.
Click here for the tutorial on making these frames.

Next, I used my Cricut to cut vinyl letters to stick above the frames. For a tutorial on how to cut and stick the vinyl, click here.

I started with “family” but after placing the word I felt like there was too much wall space leftover. So I cut more letters using a different font to create “Our family est. 2004.”

So the wall was finished, now I needed to work on the shelf.

I started with my monogrammed apothecary jar (which I made in my fabulous MOPS group) and a framed 5×7 photo of hubby and I with Little Man #2 in the belly.

Liked it, but didn’t love it. So. . . .

I added our wedding photo (circa 2004) and changed the preggy photo frame to match the other (a little wider than the first so it fills in a little more space). Finished!
I have to say that, for the first time in four years, I really love this awkward little space!

Frames Go From Drab to Fab!

Posted on January 19, 2011 by Jennifer

A simple DIY project to freshen up any frame!

Two 8×8 square frames purchased from Garden Ridge for $6.99 each. There is nothing wrong with these frames. They have a nice white matte and a decorative trim. But there is a very simple and very inexpensive way to make these simple frames look fabulous!

I got two yards of basic black silk ribbon from Hobby Lobby. Cost was just over $2.00. A whole roll of this ribbon wouldn’t have cost much more, but I could only find it by the yard at this store.

Tie a bow at one end of the ribbon and trim ends to suit. Cut the remaining ribbon into equal strips. You will need one more strip than you have frames. In other words, I had two frames, three strips. Fold one strip in half and snip one end at an angle to create “V” shaped edge. .

Flip your frames glass-side down. Using a hot glue gun, glue one cut ribbon to the top of the first frame with the excess ribbon hanging above the top of the frame. Glue a second ribbon strip to the bottom of the frame with the excess hanging below the frame. Do the same for the bottom of the second frame. Attach the excess ribbon from frame one to the top of frame two. *These frames are fairly light-weight. If you have a heavier frame you will need to secure the ribbon a little better.

Use your hot glue gun to attach the bow to the excess ribbon hanging from the top of frame one.

Results. . .

Do NOT hang your frames by the bow at the top! Use the hooks provided to hang the frames. This will take some measuring and leveling. Then after the frames are hung use a straight pin to secure the bow to the wall. Just hide it under the loop.

I’ve done this with several frames in my house. You can often find small square frames at the dollar spot at Target that come in packs of three. Adding ribbon in between each one makes such a difference in the appearance when they are hung on the wall. Check it out. . .

Little Man #2′s room. I bought the Peter Rabbit plaques

off Ebay and attached a silk ribbon. Over his crib are three frames which all are “hung” by the same silk ribbon.

These are the frames I got at the dollar spot. They were white and I painted them red and attached a basic red ribbon.

Put a Ribbon on It!

Posted on December 15, 2010 by Jennifer

Christmas is the only time of year you can put a bow on anything and it’s considered acceptable. So if you’re looking for an easy way to add a little holiday spirit to your everyday decor, just put a ribbon on it! Seriously!

Check it out. . .

I bought this photo ornaments for $1 at Target (Old Navy had them last year, I bought several after Christmas for el cheapo). Tied a pretty glittering bow, hot glued it, used glitter stickers to add the year and WOW! A nice gift!

This is the one I made for my own tree last year. I think I’ll add the stickers for the year.

Tie ribbons that coordinate with your decor around each limb of your chandelier. Add some greenery and a few ornaments for added flair.

Thread a ribbon through a glass ball ornament and place them on a plate or charger to decorate your dining room table. You could also tie a place card to the ornament to use for a holiday dinner party.

A Mason Jar + a ribbon = a cute candy dish!

Another plain glass container. Add a ribbon and some M&Ms. Cute!

And by the way, candy dishes are a great way to add a little holiday flair to any table in your house. I have them all over mine. Not so good thing is that my hand reaches in each one every time I walk by!

A cute, but plain initial ornament purchased for 50 cents at a craft store. Tie a cute green glittering ribbon on it, add small Christmas ball, and it’s a great little gift!

Run some pretty ribbon through your garlands.

Tie a ribbon around an accent pillow.

So there you have it! A few simple ideas to spruce up your home for the holidays.
Happy decorating!

Holiday Centerpiece Makeover on a BUDGET!

Posted on December 8, 2010 by Jennifer

If you’re on a budget this year (most of us are) and think you can’t go buy new holiday decor, think again!

First of all, look and see what you already have. Any wreath, centerpiece, etc. can be taken apart and the pieces recycled. Next, check out discount stores like Wal-Mart and Target. Their Christmas decor is pretty nice (and pretty cheap). Third, look around for ideas. Use that little camera phone to snap photos of pieces at friends’ houses, stores, etc.

Check this out. . .

When I saw this box at Wal-Mart, I knew that what was on the “cover” was not what the actual item in the box would look like. So I opened it up to take a look. It wasn’t bad. . .

In fact, this little piece actually had the potential to be something fabulous! Especially for only $10!!!

So here is what the original looked like, and there really wasn’t anything wrong with it, It was just the Charlie Brown version of a centerpiece.

So here is what I pulled out of my stash. Mercury glass balls, 2 silver eucalyptus branches, 2 pine branches, and one small pine ring.

I started with the base that was included in the box and added my pine ring that I got from the Dollar Tree.

I wanted a larger hurricane, so I used one from my everyday table scape. This I got from IKEA for 12 bucks, I think. It fit perfectly inside the pine ring and base. I added the ornaments which I purchased at Hobby Lobby last year for a different centerpiece. I think they were about $2 each.

I decided not to let the ring that came with the original piece go to waste, so I cut off the pine needles and pine cones. And the berries? They went in my stash for another project! Then I cut the eucalyptus branches into smaller pieces. These branches were a couple bucks each from Micheal’s.

I placed the snow covered branches and pine cones around the pine ring and secured using a hot glue gun.

After experimenting with the eucalyptus in the greenery, I decided to stop here with this piece.

Pretty nice, huh? Similar to the original, but adding the extra greenery, ornaments and larger hurricane takes a $10 piece and makes it look more like a $30-40 piece. But I’m not finished yet. . .

I put one pine branch (purchased at Micheal’s for $3 each) on each side and added a few eucalyptus branches, securing with a hot glue gun. I then stuck my mercury glass candle sticks on each side of the hurricane.

And there is the final product! A holiday centerpiece for about $20.

I had a few silver eucalyptus branches leftover, so . . .

Before

I cut them into even smaller branches and stuck them in this little piece that I have on my counter (which, by the way, I bought at Target last year after Christmas for like, $4).

After.

I know it’s not much different, but it just adds a little something extra and it now ties in with the centerpiece on the kitchen table.

You can do it too!