Jul 302012
 

Creative Home Decorating Ideas

I think that when it comes to decorating, sometimes you have to look past the obvious and imagine the possibilities.  And every once in awhile I’ll see a piece and think “Wow, that could be used so many different ways.”

This happened yesterday when I saw this White Wood Potting Bench from World Market.  I was struck with inspiration as soon as I laid eyes on it.  It’s a really nice piece, made from tropical hardwoods.  There is an extra fold-out shelf, and the slats of the main work space lift off to reveal additional storage.

Repurpose a potting bench for the laundry room or mudroom - home decorating ideasRepurposing a potting bench for the laundry room or mudroom - home decorating ideas

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Jul 142012
 

It may only be July, but that doesn’t mean I’m not thinking about and planning for Christmas already.  I’ve done a little shopping, purchased some ornaments today at the Hallmark Ornament Premiere, and I’ve been thinking about holiday decor.  Which, of course, means flipping through magazines and catalogs, plus whiling away nap times pinning things to my Pinterest.

Christmas Crafts for Kids: DIY Felt Christmas Tree Activity For Kids

Pinterest is where I first saw this supremely cute felt Christmas tree by Johnny In A Dress that the author made to entertain her toddler in hopes of keeping her away from the real tree.  With as much as Bubbles enjoys stickers, I thought that she might really be interested in this, so I decided to make my own version of a Felt Christmas Tree With Peel & Stick Ornaments For Kids.  The needed supplies are fairly minimal: felt and a loaded hot glue gun.  Really, that’s it. Continue reading »

Jun 292012
 

I really enjoy crafting and DIY, especially when it centers around holidays.  Now that Bubbles is on a better napping schedule, I sometimes find myself with 30 or so minutes in the afternoon where I can work on some of the projects I’ve had in mind for awhile.  The Fourth of July is less than a week away now, and it happens to rank right up there as one of my favorite holidays, so I decided to make a little something to decorate with.

I had a new set of Elmer’s Paint Markers that I wanted to test out and came up with the idea for a Fourth of July-themed serving dish.  It’s a really easy project and can be as rustic or as finished as you’d like it to be.

DIY Fourth of July Serving Plate Continue reading »

Apr 032012
 

Easter Crafts – DIY Easter Peeps Centerpiece

When I saw the Peeps Topiary on Pinterest (from the post at The Hungry Mouse), I knew I had to try one.  We’re hosting Easter brunch/lunch at our house again this year, and I thought it would be a great centerpiece for our table.  Plus it just looked fun to make!  And other than coloring eggs, I don’t always see a lot of Easter crafts, so it was nice to find something a little different to try.

DIY Easter Centerpieces: Peeps Topiary

To start, you’ll need the following items:

  • Two 6″ Styrofoam balls
  • 1 wooden dowel or stake (12″ long; 1″ thick if using a stake, at least 1/2″ wide if using a dowel)
  • Pointed toothpicks (not the flat kind)
  • 6″-7″ clay flower pot
  • 8 packages of Peeps (5 of the 1st color, 2 of the 2nd color, 1 of the 3rd color)
  • jelly beans
If you would like, you can start by painting your clay pot.  I like the terra cotta look, but if I were to paint it, I might choose white so the colors of the Peeps are still the focal point.  It’s totally up to you, though.
To assemble the topiary, start by cutting the bottom 1/3 of one Styrofoam ball off, and use a knife to shave down the sides.  (You can discard the remaining piece of Styrofoam or save it for a future project.)  You want to be able to fit it snugly into the bottom of your clay pot. Continue reading »
Jan 262012
 

Matter of Cents and I are excited to bring you another week of Pin Me! Pinterest Thursdays.

This week I asked those of you who are following me on Facebook for your theme suggestions, as this week is Reader’s Choice. I’ll be saving the other suggestions for some future posts, but I selected the “Crafts/DIY” option for this week. Here are a few of my faves.

Wedding Invitation Ornament
This one is actually one of my own crafts; I made it for my brother and new sis-in-law.
DIY Projects: Ornament Made From a Wedding Invitation - Great Gift for the Couple

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