Clearance Art Turned Photo Art

      
Lately I feel like I am totally overwhelmed with daily life, my to do list and all the ideas floating around in my brain.  Anyone else?  Summer is cray-zay and I feel like I haven’t been productive in anything! I will say my kids are alive and well and have been to all their activities, I guess that counts for something, right?;)
Having said this, remember my {Family Photo Wall } and how I said it has taken me a while to get my family pictures from LAST fall on display?!  Well, I managed to get up a couple more…
 
Back in March on my search for unique, inexpensive frames for these pictures, I found these lovelies on clearance for $9 each.  They were pretty cute, but I knew I wanted to use them for my girl’s pictures.  So I popped off the backs and removed the botanical prints.  Yes silly, of course I saved them! :)
   
I then put in a piece of scrapbook paper and a 12x12 print of each of my girls.  I wanted to antique the tin a little more so I mixed a green acrylic paint with my smoky glaze, painted in on and wiped it off.  Each one turned out a little different.  I like that they did and now I’m thinking maybe I’ll make one look even more different from the other.  See why I feel like I never get anything finished!!  lol
      
I got my prints from Costco.  The quality is pretty good, but I mostly love that you don’t feel so bad about doing things with them like this because they are so inexpensive.  I could totally change this out it a while and not be out a bunch of $.
         
I love all the details in these tin frames and I really am pleased with the end result.  Inexpensive and easy custom look for around $20! Again just another reminder to think outside the box.  If you find something for cheap, you can use only part of it or repurpose it to get the look you are after.
 
Linking up!

 

5 MUST Haves {only 5? really?}

Good morning!  So, Rene over at Cottage and Vine is hosting a fun little party for us to all share the 5 must haves in our beauty bags.  If I were going away for the weekend these would be the top 5 items I would take.  Just so you know, I tend to be a excessive over packer anywhere I go (what if!?), so it was a little tricky for me to pick just 5. :)

First, my face wash.  I LOVE this and so does my skin.  Purity by Philosophy.  It is gentle yet cleansing and leaves my skin feeling soft and fresh even before my moisturizer.

Which brings us to this little lovely.  Philosophy’s Hope in a Jar.  It is so nice and they have one with spf (I think mine is spf30) which is a must for me!  I feels so light and clean, but the perfect amount of moisture for me.

Next, my bareMinerals, or some sort of powder/base.  I have been using this for a few years and I like it, but I am actually in the market for a new one.  Just feeling a little daring and ready for a change.;) So if you have one you love, I am open to suggestions!

 I would have to have mascara and I do love my Stila Major lash.  It works wonderfully and I like the little flowers on the tube…they are pretty. (haha)

And finally, Moroccan Oil for my hair.  It is a super light oil (sounds scary, right?) that conditions, moisturizes and protects.  Don’t let the oil part fool ya, it also give my hair fullness and makes it sooo nice to blow out.

It’s been fun reading all the other “top 5’s” over at Rene’s… You should check them out.  What’s in your bag?

 

Woodsy-Chic Moss Wreath {Tutorial}

Today I wanted to share this fun Woodsy-Chic wreath with you. This is a simple way to customize a basic grapevine wreath to give it a unique high end look.
Materials Needed

• 12” grapevine wreath
• any type of loose vine
• moss
• your choice of silk flowers (approx. 9 stems)
• greenery of your choice
• hot glue
• florist’s wire

 

Start with a 12” grapevine wreath base.  Then take 3-5 pieces of grapevine in various lengths.  I used vine from my gpa’s grape trellis, you could use other types of vine as well.  Simply stick one end of the vine into the wreath and then wrap around and insert the other end.  The tension helps keep in secure, but you could also use glue or wire.  Wrapping them around at different angles gives you the  great 3D effect.  There is no right or wrong, just play with it until you get your desired look.

Next take moss of your choice and wrap or stick in evenly throughout the wreath.  I used moss ribbon along with loose moss and attached it with wire and hot glue.  Next take your flowers ( I used mini Camellia flowers) and insert them into the wreath with hot glue.  Cut them at varying lengths to achieve all the dimension that makes this wreath so fun.  You can also bend the wire stems to move the flower where you want it.  If you are using different colors place them around the wreath in a way that is pleasing to the eye.  You don’t want to get a look that is too uniform or patterned, but you do want to achieve balance.  Next add in some greenery stems to give some more texture.*Use bits of moss to cover any glue or unsightly stems.

          
Although this wreath doesn’t have a ton of foliage, it does have a lot of texture and movement.  It has a very airy feel….this along with the mix of rustic and elegant elements gives it the uniqueness I was after.  A wreath this size makes a great accent piece to add to your table tops or hung over a mirror or on a shelf.  This gives an unexpected element to your home decor.
   
There are so many different options for this type of wreath.  Add your own special touch to make it your own. Happy Creating!! :)
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Cheap - Cheep

 

Last weekend I found this little gem at a garage sale for $3!  Isn’t she sweet? I thought about painting it, but for now I just left it how I found it.

I added in my plates with the candles and pears from my spring table + one more, and I have myself a fun summer centerpiece.  Or……

  

  …a lovely afternoon tea!  There are lots of fun things to do with plate stands. Displaying your collections of plates, bowls etc.  Also functional purposes like holding craft supplies, jewelry or serving food.  I want to find some antique pie tins for it to hold my fruit, so this probably won’t be the last time you see this great find.  Happy Friday!

Let’s get linky :)…

Frugal Friday @ The Shabby Nest

Fleur De Lis Planter

Somehow I found time yesterday to finish up a project I have been thinking about for a few months.  Yes, I know, I could have done laundry…but this was a lot more fun!  Sorry.

I found these garden borders at Dollar Tree back in March when I did my Moss Egg Project.  They were, you guessed it…a dollar each!  Then I found this discarded metal planter in my Grandmother’s garage and they were a perfect fit!  I simply wired them together and then panted the whole thing with spray paint.

I am pretty excited about how it turned out.  I don’t know if you have priced planters like this, but cute ones can be pretty pricey.   I like my $2 one. ;)
   
I think I may line it with burlap and plant some pretties in it, but for picture purposes I stuck in some grapevine and this little planter.
Linking up!!

Custom Wall Art

 

I really wanted to participate in this weeks CSI Project challenge.  This crazy summer has inhibited me from trying a new dollar store creation, so I decided to pull one from the archives.   

 

I made this inspirational art for my daughter’s room makeover back in December.  You can see the whole room HERE.   I bought these cute frames at Dollar Tree for $1 each.  I printed out words to inspire and put them in the frames.  Love, believe, dance, sing, play, inspire, authentic, create, grateful...you get the idea.  Good reminders to live life and love it.  Hopefully she will read them daily.  I simply painted out the board, attached the frames with epoxy and hung with ribbon. 

I hung one on each side of her vanity.  Her room is quite large and has long walls.   These pieces expand the vanity area to take up space on this big wall.    

This was a fun easy project and I was pleased with the results and I think she likes them too! ;)
 
Thanks for stopping by and I hope you feel inspired to think outside the box. :)
Linking up… Check out all the other amazing creativity going on!