For that someone special ....

You know it's almost someone's Super Special Day... 

Well and everyone knows there is NO excuse...

not in this world or any other world...

to not have something special to give on that day!

Sooo, 
here is another neat idea that wont rip a gigantic whole into your wallet!

Check out this gorgeous "Handmade Jewelry Box", isn't it just too cute... 

***

Well and here is how you make it:

• First you have to take a trip to your local Lowe's or Home Depot. Go to the "Lumber department / Picket fence section" to find a couple classic Fence post caps - You will need two Fence post caps per jewelry box.... 
• Next apply the primer to the wooden pieces - let it dry 
• Once the primer has dried take your pain and apply one coat of paint - let that dry as well
• Now take the brass hinges and connect the two post caps by affixing one  pair of hinges to the back side of the box - make sure they are about two (2") inches apart (per the manufacturer’s instructions)
• Next attach the brass box catch to the front side of the box - Make sure you secure the upper portion of the catch flush with the box surface and install the lower portion leaving a small space between it and the box. This will compensate for the curved edge of the post caps. 
• Take a hot glue gun and secure a piece of fleece inside the box (bottom only) 
• Next add your fabric - Again take the hot glue gun and secure the fabric... But be careful some fabric may show stains of the hot glue, so I recommend that you test the fabric first just to be sure. Of course it is your choice to only add fabric to the bottom of the box or if you like to cover the entire inside.... 

                      Voila all finished, 

what a perfect little gift...

________________________________

Shopping list (per jewelry box):

- 2 Fencepost caps

- One pair of 3/4- by 1-inch narrow brass hinges

- Primer

- Paint (so many colors to choose from) 

- One brass box catch

- Small piece of fleece
- Small piece of fabric, velvet or silk would look very pretty

Tools:

- Hot glue gun

- Scissors

- small hammer 

- Paint brush

Giving you a reason to hang it up.....

Check out this awesome little hang out up spot ...
You know we all could use one of those neat corners, 
if anything at least we would never have to search for our key's again because they finally have a place where they belong...

Of course as far as I'm concerned with all of our cool DIY projects there are no rules as far as what colors or theme's you prefer this or any project to be .... 
Our general rule of thumb is "whatever floats your boat" 
However just to give you some ideas I figured why not list a few really unique fabrics and hooks that I found on Etsy and I think would work really well with this project....

Fabric - Landmarks in Europe on Linen (Etsy)

Fabric - Vintage Paris Cotton Blend (Etsy)

Toile Fabric Antique Landmarks (Etsy)

Antique Pink Paris (Etsy)

Toile Fabric Blue European Landmarks (Etsy)

***

While searching up and down the "Etsy coast"...

I also happened to come across some really cool hooks 

that would work perfect with our little project...

So what do you think...

You ready to rock n' roll with this awesome project???

If so then here is everything you will need:

- Three (3) Natural Wood Particle Board (12" x 4' - Lowes/Home Depot)
- Decorative Fabric preferable with a Theme of your choice (1.5 yards)
- Solid Fabric (1/2 yard - preferable matching the background of your other fabric)
- Printable Iron on Fabric sheeting (JoAnn's or Michaels)
- Batting
- Three (3) Decorative Hooks
- Scissors
- Screws & Screw Driver
- Staple Gun
- Iron
***

This is how you do it:

• From your decorative fabric cut out one of your most favorite scene or building 
• Take it to your closet Kinko's/Copy shop and ask them to copy the design of the small fabric piece onto the larger printable fabric sheet (8" x 11")
• Now take one of the wooden particle boards and cover it with a thin layer of  batting material
• Next take your decorative fabric and place it on top of the board (&batting) 
• Fold the fabric neatly over the edges of the board and staple it in the back When pulling the fabric over the edges make sure you keep the design straight and without wrinkles...
• Repeat the same process with the second wooden board...
• Take the third board and cover it the same way as the first two except this time use the solid fabric
• Next take your previously printed iron on fabric sheet and place it close to the bottom center of the board - then take your pre-heated Iron and carefully go over the sheet several times until it completely sticks to the solid fabric 
• Finally screw the decorative hooks into the board (center/top) 
• Now find a good spot in your house for this awesome creation...

          Voila... all done
Happy hanging....

Most of us have one of these....

 

...who is about to have a extra special day!

So here are a few neat & nifty idea's to make that special Mommy Day even more special....

Hearts & Roses 

One pretty "Mommy Day Centerpiece"
Quick and of course super low budget...

Squeaky Clean Hearts...

All Mommy's like cute smelly things...
but remember it has to smell good not!

                           

            

  

                               Flaming Hearts ...

Just set her heart on fire.... 

    

  Sweet Hearts of Sugar...

Would you like some sugar with your tea.... 

Well like I said... pretty "nifty and neat", don't you agree
What are you waiting for - "Special Mommy Day" is right around the corner, then again it really should be every day... either way here are the instructions and all the things you need ->

***

Hearts & Roses:

• Floral Foam - White & Pink
• Heart shape cookie cutter
• Big Glass Vase
• Small Roses in White and Pink
• Knife

This is how you do it:

1. Take the Pink floral foam and cut them into several 2" inch thick pieces and then with your heart shaped cookie cutter cut out the hearts
2. Out of the White floral foam cut several small 1" x 1" cubes
3. Soak the Pink hearts and the White cubes in water
4. Take the Pink hearts and the White cubes and stack them into your vase, you may want to add a bit more water
5. Then take your pretty small Roses and arrange them neatly in your vase, don't forget to cut the steam with your knife

Squeaky Clean Hearts:

• Glycerin Soap & your favorite smelling left over soap pieces
• Soap perfume (optional)
• Heart shape cookie cutters
• Flat Soap dish

This is how you do it:

1. Take the soap pieces and melt it either in hot water or in the microwave
2. Add about 3-4 drops of your favorite soap perfume
3. Pour the melted soap in a flat dish and let it cool down
4. Then take your cookie cutters and cut out little heart shape soap pieces

Flaming Hearts:

• Old pots or cans
• Heart shaped Cookie Cutter
• Candle Wick
• Toothpicks
• Flower Petals
• Big Glass Bowl or a Etagere with a high edge
• Aluminum foil

This is how you do it:

1. Melt the candle wax in hot water - use separate pots/cans depending on your colors
2. Place your cookie cutter on top of the aluminunm foil, press down hard so the wachs doesn't leak out of the bottom
3. Pour the melted wax into the cookie cutters
4. Let it harden just a little bit then place the candle wick in the center of the cookie cutter - use the toothpick in order to keep the candle wick in place
5. Let everything cool down
6. Push the wax out of the cookie cutter
7. Fill your large glass bowl with water and arrange the heartshaped candles with your flower petals 

Sweet Hearts of Sugar:

• White Sugar
• Green Food color (or Pink ,.... or Red)
• Heart shaped ice cube tray (Silikon**)
• Spoon
• Small Bowl

This is how you do it:

1. Mix the sugar with a small amount of water, just enough so it is sticky but not too much so it will melt the sugar (for 200 g sugar ca. 1 tsp water)  mix throughly
2. Take part of the sugar and add a few drops of the food color, keep stiring until you are happy with the color  - Remember: The color will be lighter once the sugar is dry 
3. Take the Sugar "sauce" and pour it into the Ice cube tray - push everything down really well
4. Let it dry over night

* Happy Super Mommy's Day *

It's Summer Summer Summer time ....

I am sure you are about as ready as I am.... and you can hardly wait for this years relaxing beach summer fun time  to start. 

So I thought... while we are waiting we might as well get a  head start with a little bit of the beach fun stuff right here at home with some of these gorgeous...

Ocean themed candle lights

What a quick and easy deco idea... and all you need is:

• Tall Drink Glasses 
• Glas coasters or dessert plates 
• Some pretty Ocean theme pictures or post cards 
• Transparent or Tracing Paper (Printable kind) 
• Superglue
• Tea lights 
• Sand 
• Sea shells 

Easy does it...

• Copy your Ocean theme pictures onto your transparent paper 
• Take the super glu and dap a little onto the back edge of your transparent picture 
• Place the glued side of your picture onto the glass then add a little more glue to the second back side of your picture 
• Wrap it tightly around the glass and wipe off any access glue 
• Place the now pretty decorated glass onto the coaster or dessert plate - sprinkle some sand and a few decorative shells around it.... 

                 Voila all done....  

                             Quick and easy as always

Summer + Sun + Fun + Friends = Party time

Guess what... It's almost Summer Sun Fun time....

Which means you are probably going to have a few super awesome summer fun party's over the next several months or at least I hope you will....

So I thought I could throw you a few unique and outstanding decorating ideas for your next summer fun gathering ->

So how about it.... here are a few "cool" ideas that most likely are going to be a "Named Hit" ..... 

Hello & Welcome from the Deep Sea's  .....

  

Tonight we are making Memories ......

 

Pasta anyone....

Isn't this cute.....

For the Sushi Lovers .....

Lemony fresh.....

Ice Cold Summer Blues ....

Well and here are the things you will need for each "Summer Cool" Plate settings....

Enjoy and I mean really enjoy your "Summer Fun Party Times"

Seashell.... Plate setting:

• One large Shell
• Clear Tape
• Pretty Plate
• Napkins
• Silverware 

Making memories... Plate setting:

• White Paper
• Small Wooden Bowl
• Small Rocks & Sea shore finds
• Feathers
• Blue Ribbon
• Blue Marker

Pasta anyone... Plate setting:

• Small Laboratory Glass
• Colorful Pasta (uncooked)
• Colored Poster board

Isn't this cute.... Plate setting:

• 2 Pages of natural Poster board (medium size)
• Pen (Calligraphy)
• Zick Zack Scissor
• Needles & Silver Floral Wire
• 1 Bag of Doll House Silverware

For the Sushi lover... Plate setting: 

• Large Leaves (at the Asian market)
• Chinese Sticks
• Toothpicks
• Permanent Marker

 Lemony fresh... Plate setting:

• Lemons
• Yarn
• Colored Paper
• Black Permanent Marker
• Small Wooden Clothes pins

 Ice Cold Summer Blues..... Plate setting:

• Clear Foil (for Gift baskets)
• Silver Permanent Marker 
• Paper clips

Don't show up without one...

Without a awesome gift that is!
I mean we all like to receive pretty little tokens of appreciation so therefore we also can't show up without one...
But I know times are tough for everyone and no one has any extra cash to spare these days, therefore in order to stay within that tight budget why not make a pretty gift ourselves....
Well and if you ask me - I think there is really nothing more amazing then a handcrafted gift and believe me it will bring so much more joy then a store bought one...
So how about a bottle of some real yummy good smelling...

Bath Oil  

You will need:  

Pretty glass bottles with cork top

Beads - in any colors your heart desires

Wire

Decorative Paper (scrap book paper)  

Hole Punch

**You can find all these things at "Michael's"

Bath Oil: (easy recipe)

2 cups of Olive oil 

3 tea spoon's of shampoo (the more liquid'y kind)

a few drops of your favorite perfume' or any good smelling perfume'

Here is how you do it:

• Take your beats and string them onto decorative wire 

• Take your pretty scrap book paper and either print or hand write i.e. "Relax - take a bath"!

• Cut the label out. If you like your label to have a neat edge you can use one of those zick-zack scissors

• Punch a hole in one side 

• Take your pretty beated string and wrap it around the bottle and place the label on one end. Secure everything by twisting the wire.

Bath oil: 

• Mix everything together real well and fill the individual bottles

• Take the kork and close all bottles tightly....

               ..... as always - 

"Voila, all done"

** Groovy Flower Power Retro Re-Do **

I always loved the 70's style, I am not even sure why...well ...  
minus the awful poison Green & Orange wall paper of course and some of the strange looking fashion styles ... 

Then again never mind about that because those flared hip hugger jeans and little funkydelic t-shirts somehow took over my closet yet once again ;P
Anyway ... 
I love how all this Retro Decor style is slowly but surely making a come back into everyone's home and I noticed that more and more of my customers are going back to that cool retro look, which I think its great because it makes me have even more fun with this business of mine :)

Of course many people believe that they absolutely have to dive into one of the modern high priced furniture stores just so they can be "groovy" with style! 
Perhaps there are times that you should check in the high end shop first, especially when you are planning on purchasing a larger furniture piece but for all the other things I recommend a couple other places, 
like your local flea market or your neighborhood yard sale, 
because those are some of the best places to find retro stuff ...

It's just like the say -->
"One Man's Trash Is Another Man's Treasure" 

and trust me I know because that has been the truth for me several times while hunting for special treasures...

- NC State Surplus  - Furniture for under $10.00 -

However several years ago I learned that our local "NC State Surplus" office (or any State Surplus office) is "the" place to go if you are looking for some nice well made retro furniture pieces - for your next flower power re-do project!

I can assure you that you will have absolutely no problem finding some real pretty but funky looking fabric. As far as I know it is on sale everywhere or at least with my favorite fabric vendors ...

Anyway long story short - 

Just check out the beautiful pieces below ... 

Amazing what can become of a ugly duckling piece of furniture after just a few hours of well deserved TLC ....

> Before <

> After <

Or how about this beauty .... 

 

Now this fabric pattern is the absolute, and I mean absolute hit this year! You MUST have something in your house with this style or you are simply not "hip" ....

 If you ask me - yellow never looked more beautiful ...

                           Estimated found at a State Surplus for $10.00 ea + 5 yard of yellow Fabric ....

Now let's say ... 
You suddenly remember that you actually have an old chair hidden in that back corner room and think that with a little "Re-Do Magic"
it would make a great added furniture piece .... but you not sure about doing this yourself ... well just contact us 

               We are more then happy to do the Re-Upholstery job for you :)