DIY Car Freshener Redo

This project will literally take you about 10 minutes!

 The other day I was admiring a pretty cross hanging from the rearview mirror of the car in front of me in traffic.  I glanced at the scented freshener hanging from mine and a little lightbulb went on... that thing is like a blank canvas!  I decided to take it down and decorate it to make my car a little more personalized and homey.  You can do this with any size/shape you've got.

I knew I wanted a picture of my boys on one side.  I was going to type out my wording for the opposite side of the picture, but my dang printer wouldn't work sooooo, I wrote it by hand copying the fonts that I liked!  If you have a hard time with lettering, by all means print it out, or you could even cut something out of a magazine or old book.

Trace the images you want using the air freshener and then cut 'em out.  I used double sided sticky tape because I didn't want to mess with glue but use whatever works for you.  I went the extra mile and added some glitter because I have a slight obsession with sparkle.  This was a seriously simple project but I'm so happy with the result!!  This would make a great grandparent or Aunt/Uncle gift too :)

I know this next pic is a little tricky to see but I loved the reflections off of the window!

DIY wedding favors

 

 bag of milk chocolate chips
bag of white chocolate chips

bag of  pretzel rods

pearl sprinkles

wax paper

baking pan

metal bowl

pot
jute twine
cardstock
tag paper punch
hole punch
printer

( the amount of bags of chocolate chips and pretzels will depend of how many you are making.
I made 100 pretzels so I used 4 bags of milk chocolate chips, 1bag of white chocolate chips and 4 bags of pretzels.)


Place a little bit of water in the pot. Probably 1/4 of the pot and boil it until it's gently boiling then reduce to low. Place your metal bowl on top of the pot and pour your chocolate chips into it.

With a spatula start mixing the chocolate chips as they melt. * You have to keep mixing and keep the heat on low or else your chocolate will burn and get dry (and will also taste horrible)

While the chocolate chips are slowly melting, cover a baking pan that can fit in your freezer with wax paper.

Then take one pretzel stick at a time and dip the end into the chocolate ( I used my spatula to help goop on the chocolate a little further down the stick) and then place on the wax paper.

OR

another easier way to dip the chocolate is to use Wilton's tall dipping containers. This is what I used this time and it went by so much faster!

Melt white chocolate the same way.
After it is melted in a bowl, place in a small Ziploc bag and cut the tip just a little.
Drizzle over pretzels.

Also, take your pearlized sprinkles and shake a small amount over other pretzels.

 

Once all of them have hardened in the freezer, place one of each kind of pretzel in wilton's clear pretzel rod bags.

Then, tie with jute and put your customized tag on it!

Click HERE for the monogram tag tutorial!



DIY monogram wedding favor tags

 

First design you monogram on any program that you have. I used photoshop.

The font I used was Janda Celebration Script. The P is size 110 and the J&K is size 50.

The date is font Vijaya in size 30.

 

After you design your monogram and date then print them out on cardstock in the color of you choice. I chose ivory for these.

 

 

 I then cut out each monogram in a rectangle around them so that the tag punch would fit.

This tag punch is from Michaels. It is the Recollections 2 3/16in.

It was $9.99 and I used a 40% off coupon.

 

 

 

  Take your tag punch and turn it upside down in your right hand and then take you monogram already cut into a rectangle and place the rectangle with monogram facing you so you are able to see where the punch will cut. Then squeeze your right hand and punch it out.

Then take a regular hole punch and put a little hole for hanging/tying to the favor of your choice.
 

 

And.... this is how they turn out!

 

Next Tuesday I'll be sharing what I used them on!

 

 

Our Thankfulness Tree

The beautiful Miss Kelly posted some ideas yesterday on how to be creative while being thankful this month.  I thought I'd share with you what our family does for the month of November!

We started this tradition last year when my oldest was 3.  All it takes is a big roll of brown paper and some colorful leaves!  Last year I found a beautiful dark gold/brown roll of wrapping paper at the .99 cent store and I traced and cut out my own leaves from construction paper (super time consuming to make 30 leaves that way!).  This year I found a roll of brown bulletin board paper for a classroom for just a few dollars at a toy store and bought a package of foam craft leaves from Target for about $5 - not so cheap but waaaay easier!

(You'll have to excuse my funky looking tree - I'm not an artist!)  Every day my little guy finds something that he is thankful for and I write in on a leaf.  He gets to stick it on the tree!  It brings me so much joy to hear what he is thankful for.  Towards the end of the month he really has to think and be creative to find new things to put on his leaves - we don't repeat anything for the whole month!

Here is our finished tree at the end of last November...

We get to practice thankfulness and add some colorful decor to our home!

Easy Fall Gift Jars

Want a quick and easy gift for a teacher, friend, neighbor, favorite kiddo or even a party favor for your halloween party??  Look no further!  These mason jars are the perfect way to package a sweet little gift!

I found these jars for $1.49 each at Michael's craft store.  I already had the burlap and ribbon on hand.  The spider rings are from the Halloween section at Target.  You can fill yours with whatever you want... I chose candy corn, candy pumpkins and peanut butter M&M's in Halloween colors for one jar, and socks from the dollar section at Target with candy corn for the other.

 (Notice the candy bags are NOT full... It took me several days to get to my crafting after I bought the candy and, well, I couldn't keep my hands off of it!!)

For the candy jar I simply cut a circle from the burlap a little larger than the lid and tied it on with my orange ribbon.  I then stuck the spider ring on for a little extra bling.

Tada!  I love how it turned out!

For the sock jar I added a couple of handfuls of candy corn to the jar first, then rolled up the socks and stuck them in.  I added a little more candy corn around the socks as a filler.  I used a twist tie to hold together the ribbon design on top of the lid but it felt a little naked with just the ribbon so... I added some glue and glitter!  If it sparkles I'm happy :)  I used hot glue to attach the ribbon and voila!  I may like this one even better (I think I like cute socks even more than candy).

My "coffee & Jesus station"

I am like the most non artistic person there is, seriously. I think Teryn takes the cake on our blog for the most artsy. Her projects are so adorable. My house is somewhat lacking in the homey touches or the decor.

The other week I saw on Instagram a little coffee & Jesus area in her kitchen & I thought to myself, okay I can accomplish this! So I did.

You know the phrase, "All I need today is a little bit of coffee & a whole lot of Jesus." -- Whoever came up with this, GENIUS.

How true is it that we fuel our bodies with coffee to get us through the day (well for us coffee drinkers)? Our body should be fueled by Jesus, with a side of coffee.

I set off to find a printable & The Yellow Pineapple blog had one for free! So I printed that one off, got a wood frame from Michaels, painted it, & put that print in there! And then I added a little mason jar with some cute little straws to add to my "station". And if you are going to ask if I drink coffee through a straw, the answer is no, unless it's cold & from Starbucks. BUT they do say drinking through a straw helps prevent coffee stained teeth!! Whatever it is, I just wanted a pretty little touch. Not to mention I got some straws for different seasons too :)

printable / straws

I hope you have an amazing Monday & a blessed week!

**Looking for some encouragement from others? Sign up to be a pen pal! Click HERE**

DIY Nautical Rope frame

 

WHAT YOU NEED:

Frame...Mine was from Ikea

Map...I found mine at a thrift store for 25 cents.

Rope...size of your choice. I chose a chunky rope. I got mine from Lowes. You can buy it by the foot.

Glue gun & glue sticks.

 

Cut & insert the map into the frame.

Cut your rope to the right length so it will go all the way around the frame.

Use your glue gun and glue the rope right on the frame.

 

EASY AS PIE!

 

 

 

Remember, life is a journey and the Bible is our map. If we follow our "map" and obey our instructions then we will have a wonderful journey full of blessings and prosperity.

 

But also remember that every journey has their hills and mountians to over come. We may have to tromp through muddy terrain in rain but after the rain has passed there is a rainbow.

 

The rainbow is our reward for staying on path even when it is hard.

 

The rainbow is God's promise to us.

 

Stay on track even when it hard.

 

You will be rewarded for never quitting and being a finisher!

 

PRESS ON TOWARDS THE GOAL!

 

 

How to make an easy pallet flag

 

I can't believe it's almost the 4th of July! Time is flying.

 

Here is my super easy tutorial on how to make a pallet flag.

 

I made this one for an outdoor garden area but it can also be used inside too for décor!

 

One of these suckers retails for $125 at a local shop. Might I say rip off?

 

Why pay that much when you can spend NOTHING if you have everything already or under $10 to purchase some supplies...

 

HERE IS WHAT YOU NEED...

 

1 pallet (I'll be sharing later how to cut up a pallet) Also I found my pallet on the side of the road

2 D rings for hanging

1 can of white spray paint walmart brand $1

1 can blue spray paint walmart brand $1

1 can red spray paint walmart brand $1

a star stencil or silhouette machine to make one

white craft paint

small paint brush

painting tape

 

start with your cut up pieces of pallet. I actually only used 6 slats.

 

spray paint red & white. 3 red and 3 white starting with red

 

cut 2 side pieces of the pallet and then place under the painted pallet slats and nail each board to the 2x4 slats. 6 nails on each side. After all 12 nails are in screw the 2 D rings onto the 2 2x4s. So one D ring for each side for hanging.

 

If you need help understanding check out my detailed reclaimed fence board sign tutorial

 

tape off 3 slats and make a square. spray paint with blue

 

I didn't get a pic of that sorry.

 

Then take your stencil or silhouette and trace a star circle with a pen.

 

Then I used a small paint brush and painted in the stars.

 

Let it dry and you are done!!

 

 

Perfect for the 4th of July or any day in your garden!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Follow Through

I'm a person who loves getting organized. I make lists all the time. Lists for grocery shopping, packing, what projects I want to get done around the house, creative things I want to try to make. I love to create charts like menus, chores, family schedules, etc. I love going shopping for baskets, buckets, and tins to organize my pantry, closets, or baby things.  I love looking up Bible studies and writing about verses that speak to me. I have every intention of getting organized and staying in the Word daily.

Following through... that's a whole nother story.

The most important part of my day, should be the time I spend in my Bible and praying. But let's be honest... I spend more time on the computer, playing with my son (which is important), running errands, cleaning house, or watching TV then I do actually getting into the Word. Here's another thing...my husband feels respected and able to rest when he comes home to a clean house. And let's be honest once again: he works all day and I don't have a full time job. I work at home, but it's not a demanding job and it's something I can choose to do when I want. So I am home all day with my 11 month old son. I know have the time to clean, to get organized, to be creative.  I know have the time to get in the Word and really study what God wants to teach me. And I spend a lot of that time just looking at ways to do these things, instead of actually doing them. I also just want to be lazy sometimes... I'm can be a lazy person. There I said it. It's selfish. Yes, stay-at-home mom's definitely need their rest and alone time too! But everyday, all day laziness? What does God say?

"But you, lazybones, how long will you sleep? When will you wake up?" Proverbs 6:9
"Lazy people want much but get little, but those who work hard will prosper." Proverbs 13:4
"Brothers and sisters, we urge you to warn those who are lazy. Encourage those who are timid. Take tender care of those who are weak. Be patient with everyone." 1 Thessalonians 5:14

So here's something I've started...

1. Set two reminders on my phone
     Both reminders say "Get on Your Knees & in the Word". One reminder is set for about 9:15am, which is just after my son usually goes down for his first nap. Once he's down I can take 20-30 minutes and just dig into my Bible and write in my prayer journal. AND still fit in a shower, hair, and makeup before he wakes up.
     The other reminder is through my Holy Bible app and is set for 8:30pm, after my son is in bed and on most nights I'm just watching TV anyway. I downloaded the app a long time ago and it's awesome! You can read the Bible on the go, get different versions, and even download devotional plans to follow everyday! I'm currently doing a Joyce Meyer one that has a short devotional and Bible verse. I have this time to quiet down, breathe, and just come before God with my heart open. So no matter how my day goes: busy, crazy, lazy, whatever... I have no excuse to "forget" or "be too busy". I'm choosing to start and end my day with Christ.

2. Prayer/Bible Study Journal
   This has been a big thing for me since high school. I very much enjoy writing, and have found comfort in being able to express my feelings to God in this way. It's awesome to read through some of my prayers and the verses that have spoke to me and see how God has answered prayer. I always date my entries, and hate when I look back and see how long it's been since I've written. It keeps me accountable in a way. Often when I'm not sure what to read in my Bible, I'll start with chapter 1 of a book I haven't read through. Currently, I'm going chapter by chapter through Romans and writing down the verses that speak to me and a short prayer to God about how to apply them. It's amazing what I've missed before or verses I've read, but just are speaking to me in a different way.

3. Get Organized - start somewhere!
    Like I said, I like the process of becoming organized, but DOING it and be consistent is what I'm working on. So with my downtime today, I created my own organizational chart. It took a bit, but it's going to help make the most of my time, keep our family organized, my house clean, and keeps me accountable. Here's how - I created a cleaning list of everything that needs to be done on a daily basis. I'm sure you've seen something like this on Pinterest. Every day I have 3 things to do, that's it. It will keep my house clean, my husband happy, and leave me with more time with my family and with God. I also made a Menu chart. Both of these charts will be framed and put in my kitchen where I can write on them with a dry erase marker... checking off those chores as I go! Sometimes seeing your own progress is enough to make your continue to follow through.

Take time to be on your knees in prayer before Christ. Open your Bible, or Bible app, and start reading the promises and teachings of Christ. And don't be lazy... it's easy to be lazy, but there is little reward in it. Choose to work hard for God, your family, and yourself!

{DIY} Floral Headband..on the cheap!

Lately I have really been into floral print. Floral print everything...bedsheets, jewelry...leggings (which my husband calls my granny pants) I just can not get enough. It makes me feel really girly in this tomboy body. I have worn silk flowers in my hair for years. Recently I have REALLY been seeing lots of people wearing floral headbands. Headdresses, Head wraps...what ever the "proper" name is for them. I want one! I need one! Many...

After pricing them...I was a little thrown off. $77 for one artificial flowered headband. GASP! Being the DIY-er that I am...I made my own. If you are not familiar with the floral headband trend...Flash back a few decades to the 60s. Yep those are the ones!

 

Hey it's cool if "Ke-dollar sign-ha" is doing it, right? 

 

Keep on scrolling if you want to learn how I made my own "tamed down" version for $1! All I purchased were the flowers from Walmart. Everything else I had on hand.

 

Supplies you will need

 

Step 1: I started with the ribbon. I measured from one ear to the other and cut. This will be the portion that is used for the flowers.

 

Step 2: I measured out some elastic to attach to the end of my ribbon to form the headband. I didn't want it to be exact length because I wanted it to stretch some.

Step 3: I hot glued the ends together. You can opt to sew them...up to you.

 

Step 4: Taking a couple small portions of the ribbon I wrapped them around the exposed ends to give it a cleaner look AND added security.

 

Step 5: Remove all the flower buds from the bushel.

 

 Step 6: Using scissors or wire cutters, snip the remaining plastic stem. This will make it easier for your flower to lay smoothly on the ribbon.

Step 7: Most flowers are put together is layers. (pictured above) if you glue the flower without removing the layers...your flower will eventually fall apart.

Step 8: Glue each layer on the headband. Just a small amount of hot glue is needed in the center of each layer.

Continue this process until you reach the desired amount of flowers you want on your headband.

 

 Finished product!

 

 

 

Go my pretties and be creative. Go crazy like Ke$ha or keep it mellow like myself.

Have fun. Mommas...this would be a fun DIY project with your tween this summer.