Silhouette give away

 THere are quite a few giveaways for this FABULOUS machine all over blog land. Listed below are just a few sites that are having them.  A new Silhouette Machine! IF you haven't heard about this new toy for mommies head over to their website to see what all the fuss is about.

Little Miss Momma

Brown Paper Packages

Room to Inspire

Familylicious
Honey We're Home

Huge give a way over at Shanty2Chic

The gals over at Shanty2Chic are having a fabulous giveaway! After seeing some of the projects they have done with their Silhouette Machine, I am having some major wants!
Head on over to their site and check them out and while your there enter to win!

It's a....

Girl!!!!! Another girl will grace our family in December.
I am looking forward to all the fun projects for the new nursery and for the room my son is moving into! It will be a slow process as I have been lucky to get my everyday things done, most days anywho!

Pillow case dress

A few weeks ago I had a "preggie no sleep" night and had some creative juices flowing. I made my little B a pillow case dress and she looks darling in it. I am planning on making her a matching fabric flower for her head.
These dresses are so easy to make, trust me if I can make one in the middle of the night, anyone can. I purchased the pattern last summer but had to modify the length as my little princess has grown.

wow...so I have been neglectful

I promise I haven't died. The last month has been a little tough...nothing bad. In fact great. I'm expecting a baby and have been dealing with first trimester funness :) I know its a good day if I have gotten me and my kiddos dressed. Life will be getting back toward normal in a few weeks.

We did have two 30+ ft tall pine trees in our front yard cut down.. This is the first of many taking out projects in the front yard. Before we even begin putting things back together. All the shrubs are coming out, the front steps are coming out and the current walk way. We will be putting in new cement stairs, facing out, raised flower bed along the longer part of the house, cement walk way to the drive way with large paver stones staggered to the street. a little porch with flowers in front of the living room window. Siding and new windows. Wow what a project.

Before:

chair make over

I

I picked up this chair at the DI a few weeks ago in pretty bad shape. But, I knew with a little elbow grease, spray paint and fabric she would have a whole new life. 

The fabric I had left over from another chair I am re-upholstering which I will reveal later as I am not quite done with her. 

Firday Confessional #2

Starting things off with a little Disclaimer: I love my sweet husband and could not imagine my life without him and have absolutely no regrets of marrying him.

With that said...
I HATE living in the SNOW!

Playing it...love it

But, I hate living in it.
the roads suck
people don't know how to drive (I don't either so I DONT)
it's too freaking cold
and I get super grouchy if I am indoors for a long period of time. 

You must realize I grew up in Gilbert, Arizona My blood is thinner than water and I LOVE being outside A LOT.
I could spend a few months dealing with the snow. But, come on, its April and we still can't go outside and play! Can we say Prozac, people!

The most time I ever spent in the snow was a day or two skiing in the Mountains. Then it was back home where it was nice and warm, ok even hot!

I miss having my AZ tan! The sun just doesn't do it for me in Idaho.
 (which is where my hubby is from)

Everything is so ugly right now...the trees still don't have buds on them, no flowers, no green grass...nothing

but brown dormant yuckiness!

Oh, yes, and I haven't mentioned yet that Tuesday morning we woke up to 6 inches of new snow on the ground. They had to cancel school because they took all the snow tires off of the school buses.. AARRRR!

Sigh,...deep breath... I'm ok

I feel a little better now. That was a much need Friday Confessional.

There are countless beautiful places to visit in Idaho. There really is some beautiful land up here. But, for me, more like the visit it, enjoy it and then go back to my big city, warm weather.

Happy weekend everyone!

fabric flower headband

I have seen these all over the place I love them. My little sister made me a cluster to wear with my Easter dress! They are so versatile and darling! I wasn't able to find any tutorials, I must be blind, so decided to google them. Maize in Montana was were I landed, she has a super easy tutorial to follow (which she did in August of 2007) Wow am I behind!
For step by step instructions on how to make these go over to her tutorial. She did a great job with pic's and commentary. But, here are how mine turned out. I used fabric I already had on hand. The black and white flower is left over from my living room curtains, the red and white from a dress I am making my daughter and the burlap I picked up at the Walmart scrap counter for $0.75 for a yard and a half.
This four pack of head bands (2 black &2 brown) I picked up yesterday at the Dollar Tree.
I used my trusty hot glue gun to attach the flowers to each other and then to the headband. I next took a 1"x3" grosgrain ribbon and hot glued that to the underside of the headband and the bottom of the flowers for some stability.

I am excited to wear it this afternoon to our family Easter party.

NFF

Free hair bow

I found this on craigslist in my area and had to post about it on here. Jessica over at the Ruffle Bottom Bowtique is giving away one free bow to each person who posts about her give away and puts her button on your side bar. Just do that and leave her a comment and wham! you have a free bow on the way!
She has some pretty cute bows. So, hurry over and check it out before the promo ends.

modge podge clothes pins

I was out of town all last week and haven't done any projects. So, I am going to use this one I did two weeks ago with my nieces.
Yolanda over at Monkey See-Monkey Do posted this darling project that was perfect for my two nieces I have staying with me this weekend.

Friday Confessional

• I gained 50lbs during each pregnancy of my two children
• still trying to loose all of the extra weight, but then again aren't we all?
  
• I loved growing up in the desert, but am getting used to the mountains...ssshhhh don't tell my husband.
• I am a tom boy who loves to dress up for a hot date.
  
• during the winter I only shave my legs on Sunday mornings before church...maybe that is why both of my children were conceived in the Spring?!?
• I only get dressed in the morning if I know I am going somewhere that day...other wise its jammie day.
• I love teaching my 9 year olds on Sunday's (would rather do that than teach the adults.

Ok...that's enough for one day. I don't want to give away too much :)
Happy Spring Ladies!

New Friend Friday

This is a fun way to meet new gals in the blogging world.

Wordless Wednesday

I'm linked up for Wordless Wednesday.

$5 Dollar store challenge

I was excited to read about this decorating challenge in blogland a few days ago. With my brain working in over drive I went to the dollar store a few times and couldn't come up with anything containing WOW reactions.
One night I was blog stalking from some link parties and ran across this project Nicole at It's a Sweet Life did last week.
I had just the right piece of wood sitting in my basement that would work perfectly. A few weeks ago I picked up some moss and pink ribbon at the Dollar Tree. I just needed to venture back to the Dollar Tree to pick up a green wreath! Woot woot!
Nicole used her hot glue gun, but for me it wasn't working very effectively so I switched to the 3M spray adhesive and it worked like a charm.
Here is the wreath completely covered waiting to dry.
Silly me didn't take pictures of the wood process. I painted it a light yellow, lightly sanded it and finished it off with MinWax Dark Walnut stain. Hot glued the ribbon to the back after wrapping it around the wreath. Tied a separate bow and got glued it on.
Voila!
I will be linking it to the 5 dollar store challenge next week. So excited to see all the fun things everyone linked up creates.
Here is the link to Lindsay's blog to go look around:

DI owl

I picked this little guy up at the DI the other day for 2 bucks. He is about 6 inches tall with lots of potential. I started with a butter cream color I scored at Lowes for .50 in the mis-tints section. Next, I wiped on some mixwax stain in walnut with a rag and wiped off with a different rag.

There, perfect!!!

Livingroom curtains

I have seen projects similar to this one but I don't remember which blog I saw this one on. So, I can't give credit where credit is do on the originality of this project. Mine of course is not an exact replica, rather my interpretation of a fore mentioned project.
2 canvas drop cloths purchased at Home Depot for $9.95 a piece and black and ivory damask purchased from JoAnn's with a 50% off coupon for $20.00
A 5 hours total of sewing...1st side took 3 hrs. I am a first timer sewing with the drop cloth and its huge. Keep in mind my living room is a work in progress, the blinds and all wood trim will be changing in the near future. So, without further adieu I give you my first major sewing project...
They were a ton of work, but oh so worth it to me.

metal car

I found this cute little car at the DI yesterday for $1.50 and couldn't pass it up.
I added some cornflower blue spray paint and minwax stain for an antique look and...voila!

Di trip

I love my new finds from the DI yesterday.
Owl: $2
Car: $1.50
Pink knob: $.75 (Had the Hobby Lobby price tag on it for $2.99)

5 dollar challenge

I was doing some blog stocking and found this blog where a $5 challenge is being made. With the party starting on March 25th. I am heading over to the dollar store tomorrow to begin the process of my creations!!

Wordless Wednesday

A true girl...why make a huge mess when you can eat it?
This is my daughter Brynlee's chowing into her 1st birthday cake with my dad in the background. We ended her name with "Lee" after my dad's middle name.

I am linked to Wordless Wednesday over at Experimental Mommy.

mirror

This darling mirror I picked up at the DI (thrift store) has found a new home and out look on life.

vase

My little sis gave me this vase she picked up from the DI (thrift store) .
I love the shape but am not crazy about the color. We all know a little spray paint changes everything...
I think she looks lovely on my milk jug table!

pink flower dish

I saw this darling little dish Nikki over at Nikki's Nifty Knacks I decided it would be perfect for holding my daughter's bracelets. Using a glass candle stick and pink votive dish I picked up at the dollar store on this trip.
I made this...Shelf was a freebie from a garage sale left over pile a few years ago.
Lamb a Christmas gift from my parents
Quilt was made by my mom for my daughter for Christmas. She makes each of her grandchildren one for their first Christmas.
The figurines are Sleeping Beauty and the three fairy's from my Disney collection. Each of the girls in my family have a princess attached to them. Me-Cinderella(I have blonde hair and blue eyes); my sister Ashley-Ariel(she has red hair and brn eyes) and my other sister Veronica-Belle(brn hair and brn eyes)
Book with flower a dear friend of mine made it for my daughter when she was born.

Total cost for shelf and decorations: $2.00

Reciept box

With my husband owning his own business we have to keep track of receipts and we have yet to find a good system the both of us will follow. On to the next...my MIL gave me the box as she was cleaning out her craft room. I had a couple of ideas in mind...but decided to settle on using it as our receipt catcher.
Modge Podge and scrapbook paper later...

Toy chest bench made for a princess.

I forgot to take a before pic (like most times) But, this is basically the idea of where I started. My husband used to work at a Mattress store which was part of a larger Furniture place when he picked this baby up for 10 bucks. (The only thing I miss about him working there was the major scores on quality pieces of furniture.) Anyway, back to the project. This baby has been sitting in my house for a few years with no personality.
Then my baby girl comes into the world and I begin the fun process of decorating a little girls room.
Step 1: sanded down, cleaned off and detached the lid.
step 2: a little 'ballet slipper' pink spray paint and distressing
step 3: I found queen size quilters batting at a thrift store for 4 bucks! When I got it home I measured and cut to size. Layering the pieces together I used 3M spray adhesive between each level.
step 4: Using this darling brown zebra fabric I got the day after Thanksgiving I used the same spray adhesive to attach it to the lid.
step 5: attach lid back to toy box and added two accent pillows (one of which my mom made)...and Voila!
Isn't she darling!?!

P.S. In the process of doing a chair rail...