button letter art: Pinterest inspired

Millie and I had been inspired by some images and tutorials we've seen on Pinterest such as

this:

source:American Crafts Studio

and this:

source:Pinterest

so we decided to make our own. She actually did most of it

herself.

I helped pick out buttons, mostly vintage, that would match her

room.

Millie did all the placing of the buttons herself.

We repurposed an old print and frame that I'd bought a long time ago

from Bed Bath & Beyond and we had a ton of  buttons from 

Grandma's 

stash.

Gma would love what we'd done with them :)

ruffled burlap wreath

this is a ruffled burlap wreath that I made for a sweet high school girl

and a charity auction that she was gathering items for! The beneficiary is 

Oklahoma Project Woman, an organization that helps all women, 

despite financial ability, have access to breast health care.

Oklahoma Project Woman

Her high school chose this organization for their annual service project.

torn linen bow with robin's egg blue seam binding

love this bird's nest! I wove some shredded vintage sheet

music through it...

I hope it helps bring in lots of money for this wonderful cause!

up for air...

It's been a LONG time since I've posted much content with any substance. 2011 was a tough year, one of those periods of time where everything just keeps happening and piling up to the point where you feel like you're drowning. We lost Grandma in May, after just two short months of finding out she had stage IV pancreatic cancer. Grandma was pretty much my mom, my best friend, and a part of our immediate family, all in one. I am so thankful to have had her here in my life and even more thankful for the eternal life she and I both have through the loving grace of our Savior, which means I'll see her again! Now that 2012 is moving on, I feel like I can finally tread water and get a breath. God has taught me so much during this season of life and I'm thankful for it. 

I want to try to have posts with more substance, ones that can help others in different ways. Things that I've learned  that have helped my family and I. One way, and something I get asked all the time is 

"How do you find such awesome stuff at the thrift store?!"

So I thought I'd begin a series of posts on that topic. Anyone can learn to do it! For all you impatient girls, well, you're gonna have to get some patience first! I'll give you a couple days to find it before we begin. While we're waiting, ask me some questions, specific ones on thrifting that you'd like me to try to answer and I'll do my best!

The Blog Guidebook 2012 calendar

Have you heard of the The Blog Guidebook?

 If not, you must go there now! 

They're a great resource for blogging with tons of tips and resources for blogging and you can have your blog listed in the guidebook and search for other blogs by category! 

Last year they had a calendar for 2011 available for download, that I LOVED and this year, they've done it again! It is so pretty! You can either download it or order a printed copy. 

Check it out here: The Blog Guidebook 2012 calendar!

My shirt dress was featured!!

 

my cute dress tutorial

as seen here in this post!

Every Thursday she has a link up party to show off all of your diy fashions!

Go check it out!

I was featured!

Millie's bulletin board that I made using vintage sheets

http://vintagesheets.blogspot.com/2011/06/vintage-sheet-cork-board.html

frame memo boards

These are going into the booth at Serendipity Market next week!

vintage frames turned memo boards, painted by moi'...

I used aqua paint and whitewashed this one

allowing some of the antique-y gold to show through

each has a few clothespins stamped with vintage script...

now I need to make one to keep!

"pillow of the week" at BeColorful!

My pillows and Etsy shop were graciously featured on BeColorful!!

 How awesome is that to have a "pillow of the week"! She also paints amazing furniture, not to

mention she's a cute little, sassy girl!! Thank you so much!

You must go there. now.



snowed in projects

with all this cold weather & snow & having to stay in (because of  the

weather and taking care of two sick girls-blech!), I've been able to get

some things done. This is one of them...

I spent hours dying and drying coffee filters in the oven.

{my family keeps asking why are we having filters for dinner}

trying to achieve the perfect shades of blush-y pink and coffee-stained cream

hung with off-white vintage-y looking seam binding

I think it was worth the effort...

love it

I'll be adding one to my shop

& putting one in Millie's room

feelin' the LOVE

are these cute or what?! Yes, I know they are...I love them.

I made a set for the booth at Serendipity Market and I'm making a set for my Etsy shop...

and I think I'll have to whip up a set for my 13-year-old's room(they look pretty 

cute on her bed, don't ya think? :) 

an old project

this is a project I LOVE that I did a long time ago but have never shared.

The chairs were found at Curb-mart (i.e. fancy way to say the curb) via my mom. Good eye, Mom!

I set them up and took a picture to give you the visual...

oooh! Someone's throwing away those chairs!

My amazing daughter could do something sweet with those!

Thanks chair-throwing-away-people!

I'll take 'em!

I put them side-by-side & gave them a light coat of matte mod podge

to keep the paint at just the right chippy-ness.

I found the perfect board/door thing combing the my grandma's attic

I added some padding and fabric to the board and finished it with black braided trim.

I bought this great black & white houndstooth suiting fabric at a

garage sale and covered a rectangle pillow form.

I love the way this pillow turned out.

Is this not the cutest little bench?!

check out the Blog Guidebook!

I hope you had a blessed Christmas like I did, spending time with family & friends!
I can't believe the year is nearly over, can you?! Where did it go?? The start of a new year means it's time for a new calendar as well. I happened upon the cutest blog and calendar!

 They offer a free listing to all bloggers!

They are also offering a beautiful FREE calendar that you can download & print out!

go here to download!

Thanks so much, Blog Guidebook!