Creative Exchange Reveal

This past month I took part in

 

My exchange buddy was Jade from An Organized Mess. 

We emailed back and forth, studied one another's blog, and then made the other a craft. I learned a lot about Miss Jade during this fun time and I even got to celebrate the news of her new job as a teacher! Congrats again Jade! When it came time to making her a craft I had a major problem limiting myself to one craft - so I made her two :)

Here is what I made for Jade...

~Button Bracelet~

Simple, fun, vibrant! I felt this would be a 

perfect match for her amazing style

and fun personality.

~Mini Bunting for a Wine Cabinet~
I crocheted some jute flowers, cut some rectangle fabric strips,
and strung them all on a long piece of jute. 

Jade made me the most awesome coasters EVER!!!
I love the colors and patterns she chose. 
Pop on over to Jade's blog to see her Creative Exchange post.

Doesn't my iced coffee look amazing on my new coaster?

Thanks Jade for being such a great Creative Exchange buddy!


Also, be sure to go check out all the other 
Creative Exchange link ups at
Covered in Mod Podge
The Grant Life
Covered in Grace

 

my "new" mailbox

You know when you walk by something every day and you keep saying to yourself, "that's got to be painted!" Well, I finally painted that "thing" that I kept walking by - my mailbox!

Before...

After sanding off the rust and removing the 2 plugs from the front, I primed it with this...

A close up of the paints...

After it was primed and then painted, I cut up some craft paper and arranged it where I wanted it to be Mod Podged...

A nice coat of Mod Podge (Matte) drying on top to seal the papers...

 Ta-Da!!!...

Pow - Bam - Zoom!!!
:)

In total, the project took me about an hour to complete.
Now when I walk up to my front door, I stop and admire the project that was just completed - not the project that I kept putting off for another day.

ps...
Want to know where the party's at?
I've linked up to these awesome blogging party hot spots!!

doily earring holder

 I made a very simple earring holder this weekend.

I love the simplicity & beauty of this project. 

The doily adds such a fun depth of design and intricacy, 

wouldn't you agree?

What you'll need...

embroidery hoop

doily (I used a doily my Grandmother crocheted and passed down to me - a special touch that will be a daily

reminder of my sweet Grandma)

ribbon (to hang your earring holder)

Simple ~ Beautiful ~ Inexpensive ~ DIY

Can't beat this easy-peasy weekend craft!!

ps...
Want to know where the party's at?
I've linked up to these awesome blogging party hot spots!!

Clever Solutions!!

Lately I have been trying some of the ideas that I have pinned on my Clever Solutions Pinterest board.
To follow me on Pinterest, Click here:


Here's what I have tried and what I think...

{1}

Source: budandleo.blogspot.com via Janiene on Pinterest

This microdermabrasion recipe is my new favorite daily beauty treatment. My skin feels amazing. It may just be in my mind but I think the small wrinkle lines around my eyes have slightly diminished. This is also a very natural and inexpensive way to freshen and brighten my skin. Clever Solution number 1 is a keeper!

{2}
Cleaning Oven Burner Grates with Amonia

Source: ehow.com via Janiene on Pinterest

This worked PERFECTLY. I put one burner into a gallon ziplock bag and poured in a couple tablespoons of amonia. I sealed the ziplock bags and then let them sit in my sink overnight. In the morning I opened one ziplock at a time, washed off the grate in warm soapy water and then rinsed them off. Everything came off the grates and they were super clean. Clever Solution #2 is also a keeper!!!

{3}
How-to Get Soft Smooth Feet

Source: ehow.com via Janiene on Pinterest

This e-how article is by far the best tutorial on attacking those yucky ugly cracked dry summer feet. No need to get out the jack hammer or to use one those VERY scary Ped Eggs. My feet are looking better than ever and I think that means we have a successful Clever Solution number 3!

{4}
Re-Using Glass Jars

Source: marthastewart.com via Janiene on Pinterest

I am a huge fan of reusing glass jars. I save almost every glass jar or bottle that comes into my home. Some of my jelly glass jars have become juice glasses (as you can see here in my Honeydew Smoothie post). I reused some of my smaller glass jars for individual banana puddings at my daughter's birthday party. Any who, now you know I have a slight obsession with saving (and reusing) glass jars. This has been a clever solution that I have used and reused and shared with others for many years now. Even Martha Stewart talks about the benefits of reusing glass jars here.
Clever solution number 4 is a BIG YES!

{5}
Life Binder

Source: kimmccrary.blogspot.com via Janiene on Pinterest

I have to admit, when I saw this pin on Pinterest I felt pretty stupid. Why had I never thought about putting all my life documents into one simple binder? DUH! So, I decided that I would start looking for a binder at thrift stores and garage sales to make one of these amazing binders for my family. I found the perfect binder last week at a thrift store in Joshua Tree for $0.50! Score! The front inside of the binder has clear plastic pockets for all our SSCards & Passports. The Dollar Tree is selling school supplies right now and I found packages of those nifty sheet protectors (16 total in each package). I bought 2 packages to put into our binder. It feels good to know that my documents are now going to be in one location, and organized none the less!!!!!!! Clever Solution #5, done and successful!!

If you have any clever solutions that you would like to share, please let me know! I am all about getting my life simplified and focused and I feel these Clever Solutions are helping me to eventually get there!

ps...
Want to know where the party's at?
I've linked up to these awesome blogging party hot spots!!

Guest Post by Bethany @ Pitter & Glink

I have had the BEST guest bloggers this week! And today, I have one of my favorite crafty blogging friends, Bethany, here guest blogging. Just do me a favor, go check out Bethany's blog Pitter & Glink and be sure to follow her - she is amazing! Enjoy her guest post!!

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Hey, y'all!  I'm Bethany.

I'm a wife, English teacher, and life-long crafter.  I started a blog about a year ago to share my crafts with the web.

You will find lots of different crafts and home decor projects at Pitter and Glink, along with the occasional post about life in general.  Today, I'm going to show you how to make a super inexpensive and fashionable ring.

First, you need to gather a few supplies.

You will need a ring blank, a pendant tray, a cabochon, and E-6000 glue.  (I got my pendant trays and cabochons from Pick Your Plum for a steal.)

Choose a cabochon to fit in your pendant tray.

Glue the cabochon to the pendant tray and the pendant tray to the ring blank following the E-600 directions.  Be sure to glue in a well-ventilated area, as the directions call for.  Then let your ring dry for the required time.

The last step is to simply enjoy your ring!

You can make different colored rings using different colored cabochons or ring blanks and pendant trays with different metal finishes.

If you're a beginning crafter, this is the perfect project for you.  The ring is SO EASY to make, and once you get your first compliment and are able to say, "Thanks!  I made it," you'll be hooked on crafting for life.I'm so glad I got to hang out with y'all today.  I have to thank my blogging buddy Janiene for inviting me.  If you like this tutorial, I'd love for you to take a minute to explore my other projects in my project gallery over at Pitter and Glink.
Happy crafting!

Guest Post by Kelley @ The Grant Life

Hello Bunch of Bishop fans!  My name is Kelley and I blog over at the Grant life.  I share recipes, crafts, bloggy tips, life with two kids and a whole lot more.  I also have a little online store called loveables.

Recently Ive teamed up with the lovely ladies from Ma Nouvelle Mode to bring an awesome new series to the bloggy world.  We are calling is 'Closet Copy Cat' and heres how it works and how you can get involved!

Each week Natalia will email a new style inspiration out to everyone on the 'Closet Copy Cat' mailinging list.  The email will show an outfit including hair, makeup and shoes.  Now the fun part starts!  You'll have a few days to shop your closet and created a similar outfit.  You can then write a post about your outfit and how you put it all together.  [Not required but we would love to see what you came up with!]  Every Thursday we will have a special link party just for your closet copy cat posts!  How fun, right?!

So heres my out from last week.  Natalia sent out an dressed up version of shorts with a pompadour hairstyle and natural makeup.  [Which is perfect because most days I dont even put makeup on!]  I love how this look turned out!  It really was fun to shop my own closet and create a new outfit that I never would have put together.  

Now let me be real with yall for a minute.  Most days [like 4 our of 7 days] I dont get dressed up and Im defiantly not a fashion blogger.  Those days Im in yoga pants and a tshirt chasing around my two monsters and loving life.  But it is nice to put together a fun outfit and feel girly every once and awhile.  

If your ready to get some amazing style inspiration sent to your inbox all you have to do is put your email address in that little box below.  I promise you wont regret it and youll look at your closet in a whole new way!

Subscribe to our mailing list

Thanks Janiene for allowing me to share this awesome new series with your readers!  If yall get a chance stop by and say hi!  I love new friends.  :)

Yogurt Pops

We had a blast making (and eating) these Yogurt Pops.

1-1/2 cups organic whole milk yogurt
1/4 cup chocolate chips
2 tbsp brown sugar
popsicle sticks
ice cube tray

Mix, Pour, Insert the Sticks, Freeze - ENJOY!

ps...

Want to know where the party's at?

I've linked up to these awesome blogging party hot spots!!

Guest Post by Amy @ While Wearing Heels!!!

I am SUPER excited to introduce you all to 

Amy from While Wearing Heels. 

I am honored to have her as my awesome, amazing, and incredibly talented guest blogger today! I know you will adore her 

as much as I do. Enjoy!!!!

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Supplies:
Felt
Scissors
Needle and thread
Spare change

Using the pattern below {or cut out your own little piggy pattern}, cut 2 pig bodies out of the same color felt.

Using only one of the felt pieces of piggy, lay the largest coin you have roughly where you think the slot should be placed. This should help you determine how wide your slot should be. I marked mine with a water soluble pen.

Using a pair of scissors, I cut out the slot {you will only need to cut a slot on one of the 2 pigs you cut out}. With my needle and similar colored thread, I reinforced the slot with a straight stitch.

Grab the remaining felt pig and line it up with the slotted piece you just finished. Using either a straight stitch or a stem stitch, sew both pieces of the piggy together.

Then, find some spare change...

and enjoy.

Rumor has it, she likes him for his money...

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Amazingly cute, right!!!!???

I cannot wait to make this for my kiddos. I seriously squealed with delight when I uploaded her post and saw what she had to share with us all today. I hope you'll click on over to Amy's blog While Wearing Heels and check out her amazing posts. My favorite posts of hers include Gnome Sweet Gnome, Interactive Nesting Fire Puzzle, and her Freezer Stencil Bunny Shirt tutorial. Now go on over and show Amy some love (and be sure to follow her too!).

Thanks for Guest Blogging Amy!!!!

crocheted bow holder

I love all the bow holders online and I am a huge fan of anything crocheted - So when I made my daughters bow holder I decided to use a long crocheted chain instead of the ribbon that most bow holders are made with. Here is what I came up with...

Her room colors are raspberry pink, apple green, dark browns, and I am highlighting with pops of yellow and blue - hence the yellow crocheted chain. 

I simply hotglued the long crocheted chain 

to the frame in a zigzag pattern.

SUPER EASY!


I am not 100% sold on the zigzag pattern, but that is the beauty of hotglue, I can rip it off and try another design if I decide :)

ps...

Want to know where the party's at?

I've linked up to these awesome blogging party hot spots!!