diy like a fool.

for the last year i have been making jewelry, but over the last month or so i have really kicked it up a notch and made a lot more.  i also have started to get into watercolor painting.  i have no idea what i'm doing really, but it is so much fun. here are a few pics of some of the things i have been doing.

the jewelry is fun to make.  the hardest part is trying to come up with designs and patterns to create, but sh helps a lot and he is actually very good at making pieces.  he has made several and honestly, i think they are probably better than any i have done.  some of these are his and some are mine. 

i have to say that i do like the painting more though. i set up a little spot on the counter, turn on my edm, and go to town. i tune out everything else in the world and just paint away.  it really is good for my mind and it is therapy for me.  i just wish i had more time to do it instead of like once a week. there are a couple other pieces i have done that i really love.  i think i may frame them and find a spot on the wall.

i bought myself a watercolor book and know i'm getting a beginner thing for christmas, so i hope to actually learn how to do things instead of just trial and error, but regardless, it's fun and i love it (:

tie dye love!

one of my new favorite hobbies is making tie dye.  i hadn't done it since i was little and decided to make a couple things one day and here is what was created:

aren't they fabulous?  i love the way they turned out and it was so much fun to do.  i have worn tie dye things since i was about 16 and unfortunately i have seen that it's become pretty mainstream, but i still like it.  i feel that with what it represents and the colors, it is a part of my personality.  in fact, when i went to the beach in june we used an old, super faded and rather vintage sheet and it was so classic. 

i will be taking orders for custom designs in the future so definitely let me know if you would like one.
next on my agenda is a pillowcase, jacket, and something to frame.  groovy!

homemade dog treats

For the holidays, I didn't really feel like baking cookies since I always do that, so I thought what better thing to make than treats for the dogs.  I normally have treats and chewy bones stockpiled, but I wanted to try my own.  I used cookie cutters that I had, which were a dog bone and a star, and I love the way they turned out.

Essentially we could eat them since they're made with all-natural ingredients, but the combo did not appeal to me.  I used organic ingredients when I could, so I don't feel bad when Dutch eats 3 at a time (:  They're quite simple to make {basically just like baking cookies} but are more fun, in my opinion, except I never tried the dough. 

See the recipe below and make the next time you're in the mood to bake. 
Your pooch will appreciate it.

Ingredients

• 4 eggs, divided
• 1 oz olive oil
• 1 tbsp honey
• 8 oz chicken broth
• 10 oz whole wheat flour
• 5 oz all-purpose flour
• 3 oz cornmeal
• 1 cup peanut butter

Directions

--  Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. In a large bowl, whisk together two of the eggs, the oil and honey. Whisk in the chicken stock.

--  Mix the whole wheat flour, all-purpose flour and cornmeal. Slowly pour in the chicken stock mixture, then add the peanut butter. Mix until the dough comes together, about 1 minute.

--  Divide the dough in half. Roll out each ball of dough approximately ½ inch thick. Then go crazy and have fun with your choice of cutter.  Place on cookie sheet covered with wax paper.

--  Whisk the remaining two eggs and brush the egg wash lightly over the cookies. Allow to dry for 10 minutes and brush with the egg wash a second time (the second wash is optional, but gives the cookies a darker brown color). Bake until golden brown, about 15 minutes, depending on the size of the cookies.

-- A couple of tips:  
* The mixture gets super thick so make sure you have a good mixer to mix.  I don't and it took a bit more manhandling. 
*Also, the first round of egg wash takes longer than 10 minutes to dry, or at least it did for me.  I still used the 2 coats though, but could probably forgo the second next time. 
*Store the cookies in a ziplock bag or in another container, or even leave out {but out of reach for the dogs or they'll find themselves a tasty treat when you're not looking}.  I had some of mine left out on a plate and some in gift bags to pass out.  The ones in the bags were pretty soft and more like a peanut butter ball consistency and the ones outside were pretty hard, and more like a milk bone.  Your choice though.

The dogs loved these, naturally, and I am going to make these a lot more often.  It was pretty fun and they will store up to a couple weeks I'm sure.  Fun to make for yourself or even give out as gifts for doggy bday parties or holidays. 

You may become more popular because of this.  I've had numerous requests for these.  As always, there are tons of variations for these and I found the original here and may stick with it next time or try something with more of beef or pumpkin base.  Either way, the dogs will be in heaven. 

{diy} Sparkle & Light Christmas Present

When I was out shopping a couple weeks ago at Hobby Lobby, an idea popped into my head when I ran across the endcap of glass boxes.  I had always seen the white lights inside of wine bottles and figured I could come up with some sort of Christmas decoration, and I did! 

I love these!

So simple and easy to create this elegant, festive box.

I have gotten so many compliments on them and have even made some for others.  They put off quite a bit of light, so I don't really need too many of them scattered throughout my house, although with the variety of lights and ribbon, the possibilities are endless.  I have made some with white lights and others with colored, but the color and pattern of ribbon really makes them pop.

You can whip one of these bad boys out in less than 10 minutes and it costs less than $20! 

1.  The supplies are minimal.  All you need is a box, lights, and some ribbon.

2.  Stuff a 20-50 strand of lights into the box.  Fluff them a bit so they don't all sink to the bottom or lay too neatly.

3.  Wrap a ribbon around the box as you would a gift you were wrapping.

4.  Viola!  The box is done so plug it in and look at the pretty, sparkling lights.

Honestly, I think the boxes are beautiful.  The ones with white lights look more clean and neat, where the colored lights give off a fun, festive look. 

Which is your favorite?

{diy} alcohol inked glitter pumpkin

Before I show you the most amazing fall diy, I just wanted to pass along that I'm also over at Janna's blog where I am defining my own perception, and I'm also at Allana's blog where I show you my fall wishlist from Penney's, of all places!  Go check out what I have to say there along with their blogs.  Pretty good blogs if I do say so myself.

So before all of that, I was talking about the amazing diy I created.  I know I'm a bit near the end of fall decor, but still...when I saw this I knew I had to make it and I'm so happy I created it because it was easy & fun.

Alcohol ink is my new favorite diy tool.  I had not ever used it until this project and I cannot wait to try it on something else.  It's super thin paint made from alcohol that has a super fast drying time, but it only works on certain surfaces.  I don't know a ton about it yet, but it worked great with these pumpkins.

This was such a cool fall project to make.  Hopefully I can do this again for a winter project.

{diy} puff paint on canvas.

I saw this idea on Pinterest months and months ago and thought it would be neat to try out.  Mine sure didn't turn out like the one I saw and was actually a bit more complicated, but fun, nonetheless.

It's a cute addition to my decor and it was interesting to experiment with puff paint + canvas.  The idea behind it is to use white on white, paint a solid color, and then have the design show through.

The original directions said to use elmer's glue, then a modification to puff paint on wax paper, let it dry, peel off and use mod podge to adhere the paint to canvas.  Well, I tried that method and failed, so below are the easier steps I took to create this cute painting.

Use the puff paint to directly draw design onto canvas and let dry.  Any pattern will work.  You could even draw in pencil first and then trace over with the paint.

Paint entire canvas with one color.  One to two coats should do the trick.

Let dry for a couple of hours. 

Viola! You have the final project.  This definitely isn't perfect or beautiful by any means, but it's cute.

The total cost for this was roughly $15.

• $5 for the canvas
• $2 for the puff paint
• $2 for turquoise acrylic paint
• $5 for a new brush

I think think next time I'm going to do stars or another curved pattern.  It would be really cute to get several different sizes and colors of canvas and have a gallery on a wall. 

{diy} transplanting a plant.

 

Ever since I got my own place I have been obsessed with plants.  It seems like I'm adding a new plant or two every year and I've got quite a few.  A few months back, I cut off a part of a plant at work because I needed a new one to pot.  I really am running out of space for all of them, but they really are such a part of who I am.  My house is filled with greenery of all kinds. I will save details for another post, but I couldn't wait to get this little gem in a cup of water and watch the roots grow.

Basically what you do when you cut off a stem of leaves is throw it in a cup of water for a few weeks or so {I actually left mine in for probably 6} and roots will grow.  You have to be sure to keep adding water every now and then because some will evaporate. Once it has roots that means it is ok to go ahead and plant. 

Below are the steps you take to transplant this from a piece of a plant to your own....then watch it grow!

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This is how your sprout looks in a cup and where it has grown roots for the last few weeks.

Grab any pot that you want.  I don't like the plain boring ones, so mine always have some sort of design or look nice.  This is probably 9" tall and 7" wide, so I would say it's probably medium in size.  

I always like to get mine with drainage built in, meaning it's got holes in the bottom for the water to drain out of.  This one also has a built in tray thing so I don't have to buy a clear plastic one or find one to add.

Some say since it's got built in drainage then you don't need to add any rocks, but I always do that way it's not just dirt in the bottom and the rocks offer their own drainage system.  Any small rocks will do.  

Just place rocks in the bottom of the pot.

I like to use Miracle Grow that comes in these big green bags.  It's filled with nutrients that keep my plant healthy and living.

Begin adding the potting soil on top of the rocks and continue filling until about 2/3 full so there is still room to add the plant.

Now, it's time to place the cute sprout you grew into its new home.  Pull the roots out a bit so they aren't all connected to each other.  This will ensure the roots will grow downwards as it begins to grow.

Keep filling with more soil until it's almost full.  Also, make sure your plant is centered in the middle because you don't want it to grow crooked or be contained to one side of the pot.  I have done that before and although it's not real harmful, it looks weird. {at this point a light bulb went off that told me the cup that held the plant would work nicely for adding the remainder of the dirt, to save time}

After the sprout is planted, dirt is filled in, and it's ready to go...now is the time to water it.  This is a very important step.  Although the roots have been soaking in water for weeks, the soil around needs to be wettened to provide a nice environment.

When you're done with that and you let the excess water drain out, place the pot in your favorite spot because you're all done.  You now have a plant of your own that you grew from a little baby.  

This is such a fun and cheap way to get a new plant.  I have done this several times so I've got several of the same family of plants in my house.
This is a type of philodendron in case you're wondering.
They are very easy to grow, adapt to medium light, and need a good watering about once a week or when the soil becomes pretty dry.

Let me know if you have any questions or anything (:

{DIY} picture frame revamp.

Before we moved, I had found this large picture at Goodwill for $7 that I couldn't leave without.  I loved the picture itself, but I thought the frame was very drab and boring.  I knew I had some blue/green paint at the house for another project and decided to give it a go with a color change. 

I knew the color wouldn't be an exact match or probably look the best, but I'm not really one that likes things to match perfectly, and this actually turned out better than I had hoped.  I think the new color really makes the picture pop and it fits perfectly on the big, bare spot I had on my wall.

It was so easy to do.  All I did was buy a few cans of white primer, sprayed them on to dry, and then painted on a few coats of paint.  It definitely doesn't look professionally done because I had to do this in my garage on a box, in dim light, but it looks good to me.

I wish I had time to do projects everyday, but sadly, I don't.  This was so much fun and totally easy.

my pretty, sparkly keys.

When we moved in, I can't tell you how many different keys we went through to get the right one to work.  It was so annoying.  They all got mixed up.  As I was thinking about something else, my sisters, parents, and us all have the same generic key.  [Well, I purchased a turquoise hibiscus one for myself, selfishly.] Which one goes to which house?  Again, very annoying.

This is nothing new with people jumping on the DIY bandwagon, but I decided that our new keys were going to be different so people knew whose place it went to. 

I introduce you to my pretty, sparkly keys.

Super easy to do.  Paint with whatever color nail polish you wish and when that dries, add a bit of sparkle polish.  I know my Dad isn't going to like carrying this one around, but when he sees it, it will just remind him of his little Diva.

An easy, quick DIY you can knock out in less than 20 min.

time to deep clean

I had an awesome Saturday day/nite and we just got home from our adventure, but now I must start cleaning.

To me, cleaning can be pretty fun & relaxing.  Call me crazy, but I know there are others out there like me.  It's like a stress reliever in that it keeps the mind active and off other things.  I guess it's a compulsion really.  You clean to relieve anxiety.  Oh well, whatever it is, my house is in dire need.

We have a ton of cleaning and packing up things in the next few weeks, so I was looking around for a guide that told me exactly what I needed to do for my house to get in tip-top shape and I found a list here. 

Hopefully this little list [well now that I look at it, it's quite large] will help you on your cleaning spree also.

Kitchen

1. Wipe down the freezer. Clear out the contents, and clean it with a solution of one to two tablespoons of baking soda and one-quart hot water.
2. Soak all oven knobs, burners, burner covers and spill catchers in hot water with dish soap. Clean the oven and stove, then rinse the soaking items and replace them.
3. If possible, pull out the stove and refrigerator and sweep and mop behind them.
4. Clean all small appliances like toasters, blenders and coffeemakers.
5. Clean refrigerator coils. It will boost energy efficiency, saving you money in the long run.
6. Sweep and mop the floor.
7. Throw out any expired products from the cabinets and refrigerator.
8. Pour hot water down the sink drain to clear out any drain sludge.

Bathroom

1. Take medicine cabinet inventory. Throw away anything that's expired.
2. Clean the fan and vent.
3. Wash the shower curtain.
4. Donate old and worn towels to your nearest animal shelter, like the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA).
5. De-scum the showerhead. If you can easily remove the head, soak it in a pot of one part-vinegar and one-part water and bring it to a simmer for 20 minutes. Then, brush off any deposits with a toothbrush. If your showerhead is not a removable fixture, pour hot water and vinegar into a zip-lock bag and secure it around the showerhead with durable tape, like painter's tape. Let it soak for eight hours, then brush off any remaining deposit particles with a toothbrush.
6. Scrub the sink, toilet and tub.
7. Clean mirrors and any windows using our streak-free tips.
8. Pour boiling water down the drain to clear out any sludge.

Bedroom

1. Flip over your mattress. This will even out the weight and maximize its lifespan.
2. Wash the pillows. Most pillows, whether they're down or polyester, can be cleaned in your washing machine; just double-check the label. Place two pillows maximum per wash cycle and use a mild detergent. Make sure to thoroughly dry down and feather pillows using, since dampness can lead to mold. Dry synthetic pillows on low heat and add a couple of tennis balls covered in cleans socks to refluff the pillows.
3. Empty dressers and cabinets and use a vacuum attachment to suck up any loose particles.
4. Wash bedding you don't normally wash like the mattress pad, bed skirt, and comforter. Most bedding can be machine-washed with cold water and mild soap and dried on low heat in the dryer. However, some down comforters need to be professionally dry cleaned. This will be indicated on the care label.
5. Wash the window using warm water and few drops of dish soap.
6. Clean blinds by using a vacuum attachment and sliding it across the blinds from top to bottom. Then, dip a clean cloth in soapy water, wring it out, and spot clean any stains. Dab with a clean cloth to dry.
7. Machine-wash, or, if necessary, dry clean, window drapes and panels. Also, consider switching out thick window treatments with a lighter fabric. 

Closets

1. Take closet inventory. Go through each article one by one to determine if you should keep, donate or toss something.
2. Store winter clothing to make more room for spring and summer wear.
3. Label storage boxes.
4. Organize your clothing by the most efficient method for you, i.e. by function, style or commonly worn.
4. Dust the shelves.
5. Sweep and mop the floor. 

Living room

1. Dust display shelves. Remove everything from the shelves, dust the surface, and then dust each item before replacing it.
2. Shampoo or steam clean the rugs. No matter how much you spot-clean and vacuum, there still might be stained fibers that can make your carpets look dingy. A deep clean will brighten it up. But because antique and Oriental rugs have delicate fibers, they require professional cleaning.
3. Machine-wash or dry clean the drapes as instructed on their care labels. And, keep in mind that many natural-fiber fabrics can be washed at home.
4. Vacuum and, if necessary, spot clean all your furniture and chairs.
5. Dust inside of lamps.
6. Clean off the TV screen by simply wiping it down with a microfiber cloth lightly dampened with distilled water -- you'll be surprised at how much clearer the picture will be!
7. Remove any item that shouldn't be there -- i.e. shoes -- and place back into the rightful place. 

General

1. Clean the air conditioning filter. Simply pull out the filter, rinse it off in your sink or tub and use a little dish soap and a toothbrush to clean any grime. Give it another rinse, let it dry and snap it back into place.
2. Polish your wood and metal hardware, from doorknobs to towel rods.
3. Dust around all wall art and photographs.
4. Wipe down every light switch. 

What do you think of this list? What's your favorite room to clean?

A new hobby, perhaps?

A couple of days ago I went over to my Grandma's so she could teach me how to crochet.  The only thing I knew about crocheting is that it uses only one needle, whereas knitting uses two.  I was handed a cute little needle with a hook on the end and told how to begin.

I can definitely tell this is going to be a slow process - bummer.  I was hoping to be able to catch on quickly and be making sweaters by next week.  Not really, but I was hoping I would be able to get a little farther than what I have.  I can make a chain with a second row on it and that's about it.  Fail.

I will have to go back in a couple days and try again.  It doesn't help that I have absolutely no patience for anything, so that's going against me.  Grandma sent me home with a book, so I may take a look at that to see if I can get any further.  In the meantime I will just sit and stew about it :p

A scarf I would love to be able to make in the future; my chain and me; my chain and needle; a basket full of scarves that my Grandma has made for me.

There are a lot of cute things that can be made from crocheting and I really hope that I can figure this out!  It's frustrating to say the least, but I know it takes time and I will have to learn to be more patient with it.

Do any of you crochet or knit?  Was it hard for you to learn?

Organizing makeup brushes

Remember when it was like 1990 and everyone had a Caboodle?  Well I still use one that I purchased a few years ago.  It works well for storage, but it's definitely overflowing to the point it won't really close anymore.  I then had no place for my brushes so I decided to make my own organizer and wanted to share with you in case you have yours thrown in every which way with no place to put them. 

This is a super simple and cheap method to organizing and having your brushes easily accessible.  Here is what you need and how you do it ....


Buy some sort of clear glass or plastic vase.  Mine is glass because I think it offers more stability than plastic, plus looks a little nicer.  Get some sort of small rock or sand at a craft store or someplace like Target, enough to fill about 3/4 full; I think I had to use two packages of sand.  Then, stick your brushes in.  My sand is pretty compact so my brushes that have flat ends are harder to stick in than the ones with pointier ends, but it still works.

I think it's a really pretty idea, and looks good in my bathroom, too.  It cost me around $9 or so to make.