Turning Old Frames Into New

So I took some time off of my personal crafting into making some customized mason jars for sale on Etsy! It was extremely successful BUT my home decor is slacking. And we bought a brand new home that will be ready hopefully by the end of the year. Which means it is time to catch up on some projects of mine. I finally decided on theme colors for each room (yes my OCD and Pinterest obsessions have gotten the best of me.) Right now I am redoing a dining room table but because it is very time consuming, I have started some of my smaller projects. As in... turning some of my old picture frames into something great! 

Turning this ordinary frame into...

THIS!

So I had this plain black 12 piece picture frame I got at Marshalls. Probably, 2 or 3 years ago. Even though it was $10 I couldn't seem to part with it. There seriously wasn't even a scratch on it. So... Being the crafty person that I am, I decided why not paint them to the color that I want? Duh! Anyways here is what you will need.

I love working with Americana acrylic paint. The Craft Smart paint I noticed took more coats and wasn't as thick.

You will need a paint brush (preferably a small one), acrylic paint, and your choice of picture frame(s). Make sure your frame(s) are completely clean. I would recommend using just an ordinary paper towel and water. Be sure to take the glass and if you already have a photo in it out of the frame. You will have cleaner work and you don't have to worry about taping the glass.

Time to start painting! Figure out what pattern you are doing first before you start to paint. This seems like the obvious thing to do but you would be surprised how many people just jump into painting, and then regret their end results. I chose to stick with three solid colors. Sometimes simple is best, especially with a lot of frames put together. I ended up doing three coats for each color. Some of the white frames I had to do four coats. Also, be sure to make sure each coat is fully dried before applying the next coat.

Tada!! So easy and super cute! The turquoise came out vibrant and I couldn't be happier with the end results. Anyone can seriously do this. 

Halloween "Smell My Feet" Kids Decor

It's that time of year again! My favorite season of all.. Fall! With everything pumpkin, all the stores get their holiday stuff out, and everyone becomes a little nicer (so I think). To start off October I made a cute Halloween home decoration using my daughters feet and hands. Okay this is one of my better and cuter homemade projects. I got the idea off (non the less) Pinterest and put my own touches on it. Lets get started! If you have multiple kids use each kid for each of the canvases... It is somewhat time consuming so keep that in mind it might take two days to fully complete.

What you will need

3 8X10 inch painting canvases

purple, black, orange, yellow, green and white acrylic paint

different sized paint brushes

Halloween ribbon of your choice

regular or orange burlap

scissors

glue

...and don't forget you need your little one!

How to

Step 1

Prep time! You need to paint each one of your canvases different colors. Two with a black background and one with an orange background. You may need a couple coats. Let each coat dry fully before adding the next one. Also before going onto the next step make sure it is fully dried. So be patient!

Step 2

The fun part! If your child is really little and doesn't understand to sit still, use a high chair or ask for help to keep from your little one from being a wiggle worm. I had to use a high chair! Make sure the child's feet and hands are very clean. 

To make ghost: Use the white paint on the black canvas. Paint a good layer of white paint onto your child's foot (one at a time) and place somewhat (not too much) at an angle in the center. Then take the other foot and repeat and place next to the other foot. Make sure to press down on their toes. Let dry.

To make spider: Use the purple paint on the orange canvas. Paint a good layer of purple paint onto one of your child's hands. Only paint the four fingers and not the thumb. Place in the center of the canvas with the fingers facing out. Then take the other hand and repeat. The two palms of the hands will over lap making the fingers as the spider's legs.  Let dry.

To make Frankenstein: Use green paint on black canvas. Paint a good layer on to your child's foot (one at a time). Place in the center of the canvas perfectly (as best as you can) straight. Then take the other foot and repeat. Placed side by side but with a little space in-between each foot. Let dry

Step 3

Time to add faces to these beauties. 

For the ghost: You want the toes facing down. Use the heal of the feet for the face. With your black paint add two circles for eyes and then below a bigger oval for the mouth.

For the spider: With your white paint add two circles side by side and then a "U" below for the mouth. Once that is dry, with your black paint add two smaller dots inside of the white eyes to complete.

For the Frankenstein: You want the toes facing up. With your white paint add two circles side by side right below the toes. Mix white and black to make gray and where the eyes are you want to add screws to the Frankenstein. Make a vertical line and then at the end of it make a short horizontal line with your paint brush. Then take your black paint and draw a vertical line below the eyes and then make four small horizontal lines across the vertical line. Once the white eyes are dry add smaller black circles inside them.

Step 4

Decorate time! This is the part where you can use your own creativity and make whatever design you would like. I add spider webs to my spider one and a boarder to my ghost. Do this before you write the quotes on each one and let them fully dry.

Step 5

The stressful part. This part stresses me out because I am a perfectionist and the littlest error will drive me nuts. Time to put the quotes in! In between the ghost I wrote "Boo!", the spider's quote "Happy Halloween!", and the Frankenstein "Trick or Treat, Smell My Feet!". Where you want to place them is up to you but this is where I thought they looked best. Let it dry fully!

Step 6 

Ribbon time! Take your canvases with the ghost on top, spider in the middle and Frankenstein on bottom. Line them up vertically with an inch in between them. Take your ribbon and cut a long enough piece to cover the bottom all the way to the top with a 5 or 6 inches left over. You will need two of these, so make sure they are equal. Take one of your ribbons and glue it an inch from the side starting from the bottom, making your way up. (See photo). Repeat on the other side with other piece of ribbon. Let fully dry before moving onto next step!

Step 7

Flip over your canvases so they are face up. Take the top of your ribbon and make a "V" and glue together. You can make it shorter if you want. While that is drying this is the time to do last minute touches paint wise. I added a couple more layers and added a few designs to the letters. Also if you got some paint everywhere you can use this time to cover it.

Step 8

Take your burlap and make a big bow. Once you perfected how your bow looks glue it onto where the "V" on your Halloween ribbon meet. You may need a hot glue gun for this part depending on what kind of glue you are using. I also used a heavy book on top of the bow while it was drying. Cut off any remaining Halloween ribbon that you see after the bow.

Step 9

Your finished!!! Time to hang up your master piece! Don't forget to show it off!

All-Natural Make Up Remover Wipes

Okay so the majority of us ladies wear make up. Whether you wear a lot or bare minimum it is still a pain to get off! So you head to the local store to pick up a bag of make up remover wipes that cost a FORTUNE, and last a month, at most. Not to mention most of the brands dry out my face or make it too oily. What a waste of money I thought? Since I have been really into a "homemade" kick, not necessarily homemade cookies cakes and buns.. But more along the lines of cleaning supplies, beauty products etc. I haven't gone off the deep end and started making my own shoes or anything like that. The more and more I find myself looking for alternatives to high-priced, over-packaged, chemical-filled stuff. Sure it is economical but I like the feeling of accomplishment. 

After a little research I have found my own DIY homemade all-natural make up remover wipes! Also the cost is nearly more than half of what you spend on the store bought brands. All you need is a sealed tall jar, coconut oil, water and tea tree oil.

Some interesting facts I came across about using coconut oil for make up removers is that coconut oil contains Luaric Acid, which has natural antimicrobial, antioxidant, anti-fungal, antibacterial, soothing, etc properties.

The process is SO simple that I am not even sure you need a "tutorial". 

 

Photo Cred: One Good Thing

All you need to do is take a full paper towel and cut it in half, and place it in a containing soaking in 4 cups warm water, 1-2 cups coconut oil, and a couple drops of tea tree oil. I like to let it sit for a couple hours or even over night before using. Just to make sure the paper towels are very moisturized and soft. 

Photo Cred: One Good Thing

Yup... It is THAT simple! I'm obsessed and in love with these that I even decorated my container to match my bathroom. Soon I'll share on how I did that with all of you, so stay tuned!

*** Tip: mix all your ingredients in a measuring cup first, mix well and then add to your paper towels. ***

DIY Instant Dry Nails

I haven't brought Olivia with me to go get our feet done just yet. Not that I am against toddlers getting their nails painted but because I can't justify spending $15 or more when she will instantly going to ruin them. I have painted her toe nails at home but they last for maybe a couple hours, a day if I am lucky! Lets be honest. After spending a half hour to 45 minutes on getting your nails or toe nails done you want them to last and look perfect. Being a mom I instantly break a nail or my toes get messed up that day. There has to be a SOLUTION!

I have tried the cold water method. Where you put your nails into iced water for a couple minutes and they are supposed to dry. Yes it is true they do try but they peel almost instantly. Finally I came across this gem on Pinterest (of course). 

Pam! You know what you use to spray your pans with before cooking?! I know what you are thinking but it really does work! First clean your foot and paint your toes or nails. Simple right? Then spray the Pam onto your wet nails and let it sit for a minute or two. Wash your feet or hands and WALA! Perfectly dried nails. I ended up using this method on Olivia and after a WEEK they are still perfectly painted! If a toddler experiment doesn't prove it to you, I don't know what will! 

DIY Savings Jar

Everyone has bank accounts now including a savings account. On Pinterest I came across this lady who turned an old shoe box into a secret savings account. Whether she found loose change or put extra cash at the end of the month in this box. She sealed it shut and couldn't see inside of it. In a year she opened it and had over 5 thousand dollars saved up! On top of her normal savings that she had going. I love this idea! You can make one for a future vacation or DIY project you have been wanting to do. I made one 4 or 5 months ago and opened it last week and we had almost $500 saved up! Now I'm making a new one and wanted to share with all of you! This is great to teach your kids to save too.

 

Supplies

Krylon all purpose spray paint (pick a color that isn't see through)

Plastic or glass jar from the dollar store (make sure it has a lid you can cut through)

Tissue paper of your choice

Glue

Ribbon

Construction paper

Emblems (like jewels or flowers etc.)

Instructions

Take the lid to your jar and cut a good size hole on top. Be careful! Mine was plastic so using my scissors worked. Not the most beautiful job but it did the trick. Then take your tissue paper and you want to double up. Meaning, cut your square to fit your lid but fold it in half so that way you can't see through it. Apply glue around the edged of the lid and neatly fold over the tissue paper. Don't forget to cut the center too! 

 

Next, spray paint the bottom part of the jar! Make sure you are in an open space, no need to breath in those chemicals. Keep your distance while spray painting to avoid paint streaks. Let it dry, both lid and jar. Once they are both dry, glue the lid and jar together and again wait for it to dry. (You want to make sure you can't access this on the daily bases. Hence gluing it all together.)

Time to decorate! Take your ribbon and trace the top rim of he jar. Here is where you can add your own touches like flowers or jewels etc. Get creative and make it your own!

I then added with my construction paper a label. (I like to label everything!) I wrote what it was and when to open it. These were the colors I chose for my savings jar. I keep it in our laundry room with my cute bright teal theme. Hopefully this sparks the creativity in you! It's a lot of fun for kids to put coins in it too. Olivia loves to help me!

Personalized Mason Jars For Organization

Hey everyone! Another easy DIY project that helps with storing things. I use mason jars for EVERYTHING! I'm obsessed with these jars. They are cute and I know they are sealing whatever I am trying to store. You can use any size mason jars for this project but I personally used mini ones for the project that I am doing. (Which is organizing and storing all my homemade beauty body products.) 

Supplies

Arcylic paint

Paint brush

Mason jar (Walmart is cheapest. I got a 12 pack for $5!)

Glue

Pen

Instructions

1. Because the lid on the mason jars are separate (see photos below) you need to glue them together. You don't have to do this, but I recommend doing this if you are going in and out of the jar a lot. Just makes it easier and less work. Carefully glue around the part where the two pieces fit together. Tip: I glued on the rim and then placed the center piece on top of it.

 

2. Once the lid is fully dried flip it over. Time to paint! Mine came with a cute circle design on the lid and I wanted to keep it. So I carefully painted only the center circle part. I ended up doing two layers and it only took about 30 minutes to dry. Make sure you wait for it to fully dry until moving onto the next step.

 

3. Take out your pen (which ever color you want.) And write what it is that you are storing. Simple right? Your finished! I love little cute touches like this for storing and organizing. Gives it an extra touch and you can choose colors to match your decor. Also, if you wanted to do different designs, add ribbon or bling to it, it would still turn out great! I kept this one simple since no one really sees it but me.

DIY Cellulite Scrub

The dreaded word cellulite that us ladies NEVER want to hear. Well I hate to be a negative nancy but every woman will have cellulite on their body by the time they reach 40. Having a 'mom' body (where I actually have hips now) I joined the cellulite club. I've tried a couple expensive creams but they haven't done much improvement. I hate when people will just say to you "go work out." Um... I run 5 days out of the week on top of yoga multiple times a week. Guess what?! It is STILL there! Being in my mid 20's I was mortified but after doing some research I found it to be quite the norm.

Back to the store bought creams. First they are expensive. Second you go through them super fast! Third it doesn't work! It did reduce the appearance but as soon as I stopped using them it came right back. I wanted something that would permanently work to help at least minimize the appearance, or if it couldn't fully get rid of it. Then I came across this DIY cellulite scrub with simple ingredients and let me tell you, AMAZING! Ladies this works! And you can find these ingredients in your house. Cheap and effective, just how I like it! First I'll tell you how to make it and then afterwords I'll explain why it works.

Ingredients

1/2 Cup of Ground Coffee
1/4 Cup of Sea Salt
1/4 Cup of Brown Sugar
1/4 Cup of Olive Oil (Not coconut oil because at low temperatures it hardens)

Directions
Mix all the dry ingredients first. Then add slowly, while stirring, the olive oil. Put your scrub in a clear container; I used a mini mason jar (Click Here). Works out great! While you are showering, apply some of your scrub onto your upper thighs and bum in a circular motion. Then rinse with warm water. Do this about twice a week and you will see a huge improvement fast!

The importance and why fresh ground coffee works so well. Caffeine in the coffee reduces the redness of the skin. It also firms and tightens the surface of your skin through constriction, that is why it reduces the appearance of cellulite. Coffee even is effective for promoting circulation, preventing from cellulite to form. A lot of spas use coffee as apart of regiment. It is highly effective! TRY IT, what do you have to loose? Beside that cellulite!

Recipe credited to paluaparrish

DIY Children's Learning Book

Olivia has been so fascinated with books. Honestly she would prefer to have her book than any other toy. Which is great! But I noticed we had a lot of story time books and not really learning books. Which gave me a fun idea. I love doing crafts and now I can share that passion with my daughter. Instead of buying a normal learning book, I decided why not make one? It is a work in progress but I wanted to share with other moms a fun idea, super easy/cheap, and keeps the child entertained. Also, it makes it personable and super cute!

Here is Olivia's Learning Book.

Here is the inside of the book, this is all I have gotten done so far. Eventually I will add a color page, animals, fruits, veggies (you get the idea). Simple for a toddler. I put the print paper in a 3 ring page protector from 'opps' that kids have.

For The front page of it, I wanted it to be creative and personable for Olivia. So I stripped her down to only her diaper, gave her paper and some blobs of paints. At first she was very unsure about this paint (make sure it isn't toxic, she did eat some...) but after a few touches, she LOVED it! Once it dried I added some sparkly letters for the title. 

To keep the pages from sliding out, I sewed the corners and it works perfectly. To bind the pages together, I found some cute ribbon and just doubled knotted it. Easy, cheap, and down right adorable!

This seems so simple, almost too simple, but my toddler is obsessed with this book. She constantly brings it over to either my husband or I and points to everything. The best feature is that she is learning but having fun! If you aren't artistic, find some photos online to print or cheap kids magazines you can cut and paste. Use your imagination and make it your own! Don't forget to have fun!

Chalkboard Kitchen Menu

Well I'm on the bandwagon of the 'chalkboard' making. I really wanted something creative and matching our kitchen. I've been looking into kitchen menu boards for decor and nothing was quite what I was looking for. So, of course, I made one myself! Super cute, cheap and easy! Kind of time consuming; definitely a project when the kids are at a play date or napping. I found all of my supplies at the local craft store (Micheals). I'm sure you can go to Walmart or Target for these supplies as well. Remember that this is what I choose, color wise, but please be creative and make it your own! Doesn't have to be exactly like mine.

Supplies

A medium size white painting canvas

Small bottle of chalkboard paint

Paint brush

Acrylic tiles

Chalkboard markers

Stencils

Hot glue gun

Regular chalk

Wash cloth

Instructions

Take your white painting canvas and start painting (simple right?)... Do one layer of the paint vertical, let it dry fully. Then paint another layer horizontal, and let it dry fully. I only did two layers, if you feel like it needs another layer do the opposite way you left off. Example if you did horizontal last then do vertical, vica versa.

Take your chalk (not the markers) and you are going to condition your board. Which means cover it ALL in chalk. Don't leave any space open. Get a damp wash cloth and whip it off fully. When you are conditioning it, all it means is now when you use the markers it won't stain. Again, make sure it is dry before continuing.

Get your hot glue gun and acrylic tiles. Figure out your pattern before hand and make sure it all fits before you start gluing. One by one glue the tiles around the boarder. Careful not to burn yourself (which I did.) If all your tiles don't fit and you have a small gap, find a cute flower to cover it with an emblem. See the finish project to know what I am talking about. I had to do this.

Yay! You are almost done! Time to decorate. Get your stencils and chalkboard markers and get creative! This is the fun part. If you don't like it wipe it off with a damp wash cloth and start over. There is no right or wrong here. It took me a couple times to be completely satified with it. I'm in love with this! And now my husband stops asking what is for dinner tonight (haha).