Chalkboard Frame DIY

It has been awhile since I have been my crafty wannabe self, but lately I have got the "crafty/re-organizey/wanna make my house cute- bug".  I've been visiting my favorite antique store in the area, looking for inspiration, to vamp up our apartment.  We recently looked at a house, quite randomly, and were seriously considering putting in an offer.  But then we decided that it wasn't for us.  So to get myself over my itch to buy a house, I've decided I need to be a bit more creative and re-decorate a little in here.  First project- Chalkboard Frame.  

I've bought this vintage frame from my fave antique spot and have had it hanging in our bedroom since.    When I decided I wanted a chalkboard in our entryway, I decided that the frame would be perfect for the project.  So I took a little visit to Home Depot, bought some Rustoleum Chalkboard Spray Paint, went to my handy Dad and asked him to cut a piece of wood that would fit in the frame, and away I went.  After several coats of Krylon gray Primer, probably way too many coats of the chalkboard spray paint, and 24 hours of dry time, my chalkboard was ready to use!  I went out and bought myself some chalk and thanks to other DIY blogs, I coated my chalkboard with a layer of chalk, using the side of the chalk, erased it and was ready to go.  *This is an important step that keeps your first use of the chalkboard from being permanent.  If you don't do this it will be really hard to erase the first thing you write on the board.* 

I am really happy with the way it turned out!  Chalkboards are underrated- I can't believe they aren't even used in classrooms anymore.  Oh how things have changed!  

Aren't my parents adorable?

Finished product!

My first attempt at Chalkboard Calligraphy

Chalkboards are a great way to bring personality to your home.  Use it to write love notes to your spouse, keep score of the latest game tournaments, or to channel your inner child and just draw!  There are so many unique ways to use a chalkboard these days, just check out Pinterest and you'll find a ton!  I also saw a really cute idea on sisterssuitcaseblog.com  Check it out- and have fun! 

Baby blanket

One of the projects that I have been working on was crocheting a baby blanket for a friend of mine. I knew I wanted to do a Granny Square pattern, but wasn't sure whether I wanted to do patchwork granny squares where you weave them together or a giant Granny Square blanket. As you will see in the pictures, I decided to go with the giant Granny Square blanket. I picked out yarn colors that I wanted, watched a few youtube videos on how to start the granny square and went from there. I had a rough pattern in mind, drew it out on paper, and pretty much winged it! I am really happy with how it turned out. It is about 32" which is hopefully a good size for a baby? I can't wait to hear how my friend likes the blanket. Word on the street is she already received a few homemade baby blankets :/ but what can you do. I made it with love and will hope that it gets some use!

Now I must come up with another crochet project. Have any new ideas of what I could do for a project? Comment and let me know!!

Cheers.

Craft time

Today, as my husband was doing some work in his dining room turned temporary office, I decided that I was in the mood to be a bit crafty.  I am a big crochet fan and so I thought perhaps I would do a little crocheting this afternoon.  We have quite a few weddings to go to this summer which means bridal showers, gifts- all that jazz.  One of the gifts that I received from my mother-in-law was a pack of crocheted dishcloths.  I had never used them before, and now I must say I AM A HUGE FAN.  They are my "go-to" rags; I love them!  This Christmas I made my sister a blanket (it was quite a project, that I was very proud of- perhaps I'll post a pic sometime in the future) and have a fair amount of leftover yarn, so I thought why not make some crocheted dishcloths for the bridal showers I have coming up!? That way not only do I get to share my love for these great cloths, but I also get to give them something from the heart (I mean I'm making them with my own hands!).  So here's what I did this afternoon.  

Final Product Version #1: no edging

Final Product Version #2: with edging

There we have it! I am still debating whether I like the edging?  I might do an edging in the same color as the rag versus the different color just because it would make it a bit more uniform.  Not quite sure yet.  Overall, such a great, easy project for a crafty feeling afternoon.  

Nail Fun

So I have to admit that I am a sucker for painting my nails.  I'm not a super girly, prissy, high-maintenance girl, I assure you.  I just have fun painting my nails.  As I was painting them the other day, I wondered to myself "who came up with painting your nails?"  I mean really, isn't it a little strange?  So I decided to look it up. Check out what I found out- thank you to Wikipedia.  

The Incas decorated their fingernails with pictures of eagles, but it is unclear how the practice of coloring nails progressed following these beginnings. Portraits from the 17th and 18th centuries include shiny nails. [1]

By the turn of the 19th century, nails were tinted with scented red oils, and polished or buffed with a chamois cloth, rather than simply polished. English and US 19th century cookbooks had directions for making nail paints. In the 19th and early 20th centuries, women pursued a polished rather than painted look by massaging tinted powders and creams into their nails, then buffing them shiny. One such polishing product sold around this time was Graf's Hyglo nail polish paste. Some women during this period painted their nails with clear, glossy varnish applied with a camel-hair brush. When automobile paint was created around 1920, it inspired the introduction of colored nail glosses.[2]

Interesting, right?  Well thank you Incas- if you are in fact responsible, because it is definitely something that I enjoy taking part in.  I think I have always loved painting my nails since I was little.  I remember painting my nails all sorts of colors- sometimes each finger was a different color and also had a different design on it.  As you grow up, it's not quite as cool to do different designs (or so I thought) so I went with the solid colors.  But now, I feel like the trends have changed and doing different designs on your nails are not just for pre-teens anymore!  I started noticing this when the whole "paint your ring fingernail a different color" thing started becoming popular.  [I would also like to know who came up with this crazy idea?] At first I was like, okay- that's weird.  But now I have totally jumped on the bandwagon- It's fun!  Maybe because it reminds me of when I was younger and put way more effort into making a cool unique design on my nails, but either way- I'm digging it.  

Now that I have joined the world of Pinterest- it's like fun nail designs are all over the place.  I was a bit skeptical about Pinterest prior to joining but now I am thankful because it definitely sparks all kinds of creativity; from making yummy meals, to awesome diy projects, and now to pretty nails!  I have a board on my Pinterest (check out my Pinterest page!) labeled Nails I Need, where I have pinned some of the designs I find intriguing.  I look forward to finding more Nail inspirations and trying them out!  It may not be crafting in a typical sense, but it's another way of pushing myself to be more creative right?

Here are a few of the designs that I have done.  I am thinking one up in honor of St. Patty's day (mainly because I have a minty/turquoise green that I've been wanting to use.  So stay tuned- and check back for more of my creations in the future :)

Essie brand nail polishes- not sure of the pink, but the sparkly is the Essie luxe effects nail polish.

This is the same Essie brand luxe effect sparkle, and OPI Lincoln Park after Dark (has a slight purple tint to it).

This nail art was inspired by thebeautydepartment.com. Check them out, they have tons of great nail, hair, and other beauty tips.

Cute Clutter?

So I have decided that one of my favorite things to do is go antique-ing.  But when I say antique-ing, I am not talking about the kind where you go and spend $175.00 on a mirror.  I am talking about the kind of scrounging through many consignment shops, and antique shops to find a treasure for a great deal.  I have always had a love for "old" things, but it wasn't until recently that I really started to enjoy it.  For the centerpieces at my reception, we gathered silver pieces (tea pots, tea cups, trays, vases, etc.) that were then filled with flowers in different arrangements on each of the tables.  This was actually a lot of fun to do because I got to do a lot of antique-ing.  And now I love to look for items for decorating the home!  My goal is to stay in the range of "cute clutter" and not cross the line to "cluttery crap"- so please do tell me if I've indeed crossed that line.  :)

One of my favorite places to look is Samara's Garden.  It has a mix of both expensive pieces as well as great finds and steals.  I just recently grabbed a few frames from them.  And then- I grabbed one of my latest projects.  It is a door - probably a part of a french door and I got it for $3.00.  :)  I was very excited about it.  The top of the door is open, and the bottom still has the piece of glass intact.  It is a work in progress and I am trying to decide what I think of it at this point.  Here it is! 

One of my favorite aspects of the door is the keyhole!!  I used to love collecting old keys when I was little, so I absolutely loved this.  

What I did was buy "wire nails," pretty much the smallest kind, and some thin wire.  Then I tapped the nails into the back of the door and strung the wire across and wrapped it around the nails.  

Here you can see one of the nails with the wires wrapped around.

And here's the final product!  I actually staggered the wire, so that every other row is a little bit in front of the other.  This allowed me to fit a few more pictures on the wire.  My goal is to eventually find some smaller clothespins so it doesn't take up as much space, but this will do for now.  

I am looking forward to doing other projects around the home- Pinterest is very inspiring for this.  But for now, here are a few more of my cheap antique-ing treasures!! Enjoy.

I found this mirror for $8.00- isn't it stunning?

Okay, so I might be obsessed with random frame/photo walls- but I just love them!  I love the look of the empty vintage frame, which I got for $10.00!! (And yes, I do need to still fill that other frame, but you get the picture...hah get it?).

Until next time... 

Photo Collage Wall- reconnecting with my love for crafts

When I was little, I used to love "crafting".  My sister and I would have our friends over- I remember crafting most with two sisters Carolyn and Monica- and we would ask "what do you want to do?"  We would then go through the list; we could play a game, we could build a fort, we could play hide and seek, or we could craft.  In the basement we had a box or two FULL of odds and ends for crafting.  Candle making kits, wooden little boxes to paint, thread to make bracelets (which we did often), or googley eyes to glue on who knows what.  Crafting was GREAT!  But as I got older and busier with playing instruments or sports or hanging out with my friends, learning to drive, all that fun stuff when you grow up, I started to craft less and less.  

I'd like to say that now I am returning to my roots with my love for being crafty.  I am always envious of people who are super creative- and come up with awesome ideas of things to make.  Pinterest makes it super easy these days to find really cool ideas or helpful DIYs to make the crafting easier.  And yet for whatever reason it is just way easier to be lazy- think of a cool idea and not act on it.  

My goal is to change my ways- and when I find, or think of, a cool idea- to actually DO it!  My Photo Collage Wall was the first of my creative attempts and I must say I am very happy with the end product.  A friend of mine had shown me a wall that she had done and so one day I decided to go for it. 

I am the type of person who if I get an idea in my head, I have to act on it and FINISH it right away.  I don't like to drag it out; I am not sure if that is my impatience acting up or my desire for instant gratification.  Who knows.  Anyways- my point is, I finished this project in about half a day.  

Since I just got married 3 months ago, you will notice that a lot of what I'm going through, or the pictures that I put on here have to do with my wedding.  I was so happy with the photos we got and well, I'm still a newlywed so I decided that's what the wall would consist of.  

I suppose I can just stop blabbing and show you what I did.  

Step 1: buy frames from Goodwill- approx. $11.00

Wipe down the frames Clorox wipes.

Step 2: Pick the pictures to put in each of the frames, and arrange them according to measured space above the couch.

Step 3: Nail them to the wall.

Step 4: Enjoy and be proud :)

When I got finished, I was seriously SO proud of the work I had done.  It might seem a bit silly- but it's like when you are little and you finish a project at school and what's the first thing you do when you get home?  "Mom!!  Look what I did!!"  That's how I felt- only now I was saying, "Chris, look what I did!"  

What I learned from this little project? I am totally capable of being crafty and handy and being able to achieve the cuteness level that I so desire for our apartment.  I am hoping this will be the beginning of many posts that will fall into the Crafty Mindy section of my blog.  [In fact, I just recently picked up and started a project with a french door, bought some more old frames, and even found a super cute vintage-looking mirror (for $8.00 might I add) for our bedroom.  AND I found a really awesome idea for some wall art with an old door; I am super excited to get started on that!!]  

So cheers to our inner child with the desire to be creative and then show off what we've done.