SLC Temple Block

I found this beautiful black and white photo of the SLC temple (which is where my hubby and I were married). So I decided to make a temple block of my own. I added the words, "Happily ever after..." in my photo editing software. I got the idea from the blog Lil' Luna.

1. The wood is 1"x 6"plank cut down to 8" in length.

2. I spray painted the entire piece of wood black.

3. When dry, I mod podged a printed out picture of the SLC temple.

4. Tied some ribbon and tulle around it and sanded the edges down a bit.

I bought a small easel at the dollar store. It was gold colored so I spray painted it black.

Monday: Sew Can Do, Graphics Fairy,  Mad In Crafts, It's So Very Cheri, Skip To My Lou, The Girl Creative,  DIY Showoff, Making The World Cuter,  Sumo's Sweet Stuff, Keeping It Simple, Trendy Treehouse, 
Tuesday: Sweet Floweret, Hope Studios,

Wednesday: Sugar Bee,  Silly Little Sparrow, Today's Creative Blog,  
Thursday:Someday Crafts,  The Thrifty Home, 
Friday:Beyond The Picket Fence, Train To Crazy,  733,  Shabby Cottage,  Fireflies and Jellybeans, Somewhat Simple, Thirty Handmade Days,  Shabby Nest, 
Hodgepodge Friday,  Fun To Craft,  Tidy Mom, Finding Fabulous, Fingerprints on the Fridge,  Simply Sweet Home, 
Chic On a Shoe String,  Kojo Designs.
Saturday: Show and Tell,  I Am Only One Woman, The Hungry Hippo, Funky Junk Interiors, Saturday Spotlight @ Craft Envy.   

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DIY Men's Jewelry Valet

My hubby has been keeping all of his man bling in this old watch box. For Christmas, I decided to make something to keep everything organized.


John only wears cuff links and a watch. He was wearing some of the stuff when I took this picture, but the large space at the bottom can actually fit his watch.

The crazy thing about this little valet...it only costed me a buck!

I bought it as a "wood shelf" from the dollar store.

Then I simply painted it, mod podged some scrapbook paper in the bottom, and sanded a few edges! It was so easy and my hubby loves it! Read more

Fall Blocks Craft

I have been wanting to add more fall decor to my collection this season.  My buddy Jenny and I got together to make these fall blocks. I totally love how this lil' beaut' turned out.

The quote says "Autumn is a second spring when ever leaf is a flower."

A closer look...

 -The blocks are 10", 12", and 14" in length.

-I used acrylic paints and sanded the edges afterwards.
-The vinyl was cut from my silhouette machine in three different fonts.

Monday: Sew Can Do, Graphics Fairy,  Mad In Crafts, It's So Very Cheri, Skip To My Lou, The Girl Creative,  DIY Showoff, Making The World Cuter,  Sumo's Sweet Stuff, Keeping It Simple, Trendy Treehouse, 
Tuesday: Sweet Floweret, Hope Studios,

Wednesday: Sugar Bee,  Silly Little Sparrow, Today's Creative Blog,  
Thursday:Someday Crafts,  The Thrifty Home, 
Friday:Beyond The Picket Fence, Train To Crazy,  733,  Shabby Cottage,  Fireflies and Jellybeans, Somewhat Simple, Thirty Handmade Days,  Shabby Nest, 
Hodgepodge Friday,  Fun To Craft,  Tidy Mom, Finding Fabulous, Fingerprints on the Fridge,  Simply Sweet Home, 
Chic On a Shoe String,  Kojo Designs.
Saturday: Show and Tell,  I Am Only One Woman, The Hungry Hippo, Funky Junk Interiors, Saturday Spotlight @ Craft Envy.  

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Boardwalk Picture Frame

I  found this idea at the Family Fun website and I thought it would go well with my son's pirate themed bedroom.
It's a picture frame made to look like a boardwalk on the ocean, made entirely from popsicle sticks!

The base is made of a piece of cardboard with a sheet of sandpaper glued to it. I also folded over a piece of blue cardstock to look like the ocean.

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Toddler/Baby Tie Rack

Here's my idea for a little man's tie rack...

Instead of scrapbook paper, I decorated the clothes pins with security envelope patterns.

What you will need:

-Scrap piece of wood

-paint

-hot glue gun

-clothes pins

-mod podge (not pictured)

-security envelopes

1. Paint your piece of wood and allow it to dry completely. I painted mine red since to go with my son's pirate themed room.

2. In the mean time, you can be measuring, cutting, and gluing security envelope patterns to your clothes pins.

3. Mod Podge the top and sides of your clothes pins for a nice protective coating. I added a little label that I mod podged to the wood as well.

4. Hot glue your clothes pins to the piece of wood.

And here's the finished product!

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Necklace Holder

Here is a simple tutorial on how to make a necklace holder. Very useful if your necklace are sitting in a tupperware container getting tangled (like mine!).

 What you will need:

- Peice of wood

-nails

-spraypaint for nails

-paint for wood

-ribbon

-coordinating buttons or flat bead

-hot glue

PS This project cost me a grand total of $3! Most of the stuff I just had on hand!

1. Sand your wood edges and paint the wood. I used acrylic paint and then added a coat of spray lacquer. Spray paint the nails holding the pointy side (since that part won't be seen).

 2. After your wood dries, hot glue your ribbon to the back of your board.

3. Nail your nails in and spaced evenly apart. Hot glue your buttons or beads to the top of each nail.

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Thumbprint Height Board

So today, we have a tutorial on how to make a height board for your kids. This one is for a boy, actually, but you can easily adapt the idea. Your kids can help mark their height by using a thumbprint, and you get to preserve their thumbprint everytime you measure them! I'll show you how...

What you will need:

-1   1x6x8  pre-painted hardboard 

-6  themed foot markers

-self adhesive velcro

-1  ink pad

- scrapbook paper (lamination optional)

-square

-permanent marker

-paint and small brush (feet numbers)

-hot glue gun

1. Get your foot markers out:  I used six ship helms from Michael's. Peel the stickers off the back.

2. Paint the inside where your number is going to be. Once it's dried, paint the numbers in a contrasting color.

3. Have your board cut down to about seven feet or cut it down yourself.

4. Using a square or ruler,  measure and mark each inch with a pen or pencil. I made the inches, half foot, and foot marks progressively larger lines.

5. With your square, go over each inch mark with a permanent marker.

6. I used a peice of tape on the edge of my board to make cleaner marks with the permanent marker. I marked my board to about six feet five inches. No one in my family is that tall so I figure that's safe. But consider your family history when deciding how tall to make your board.

7. Hot glue your foot markers at the appropriate height. I placed one of the helm handles over the foot mark.

8. With your scrapbook paper and a printout of your childs name, create a cover for the inkpad to camoflage it. Laminate the cover since it's going to get touched with inky hands.

9. Hot glue the laminated cover to the ink pad lid.

10.  In order to get my velcro at the same level as the bottom of my ink pad, I cut a peice of wood to glue to the bottom so my velcro would work.

11. Peel the backing from the self adhesive velcro and attach at the top of the height board. This makes finding the ink when it's time to measure up very simple!

12. Have your child use the ink to mark their height (with your help) by creating a thumbprint! My little boy just turned one and so this is his first mark! I plan on measuring him each year so I will know each age by counting the thumbprints from the bottom up.

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How to Stain a Wood Table

I  have never stained anything in my life! So I thought it would be fun to share my learning experience with you! I have to admit I was only able to successfully do this because I had help from my dad who knows his stuff when it comes to staining.

 Before:

I mean, it wasn't ugly, it just wasn't my style. Ya know.

What you will need:

-about 300 and 400 grit sandpaper

-power sander (optional, but VERY helpful)

-Ebony (black) stain, $4

-Polyurethane varnish, about $30

-sponge brushes and 1 disposible paint brush

- rubber gloves

-rag

-plastic scraper

 -paint stripper

1. You will start by brushing on a generous layer of paint stripper to the surface of your table. The stripper will start to dry so you will want to add another couple of layers and then scrap it off with your plastic scraper. This will get the layer of varnish off the table so the stain can soak into the wood.

 2. After as much of the varnish has been removed, you can start sanding the wood with about 300 grit sandpaper. Using a power sander will take most of the elbow grease out of this job, but it's not necessary.

 

 3. After the wood has been sanded and you don't see any signs of old varnish, begin applying your stain with a rag. I allowed a full day for each coat to soak in. Towards to end you will know when your wood has soaked in as much stain as possible because it won't completely dry, but will stay tacky.

 4. After you have the desired stained look, using a sponge brush, apply a layer of polyurethane varnish. Allow 24 hours to dry, sand with 400 grit sandpaper, and add another layer. Repeat.

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LOVE Block

I went to a wedding yesterday and made this to give to the wonderful bride and groom!...

I made this craft for two reasons:

- I found this old hunk of wood
- I wanted to give my friends some advice

 I chose a few words that I think are VERY important things two people need to keep a marriage strong.  Instead of putting them into a card where it will get tossed and quickly forgotten, I crafted something with them!
 

What you will need:

-black acrylic paint and brush

-sand paper

-white cardstock

-print outs of words, monograms, and pictures

1.  I simply took my piece of junk wood and painted it with acrylic black paint.
2. Distressed the edges.
3. Glued on some cardstock with a black and white collaged and some of my "advice words"  to the wood.
4. Sprayed clear lacquer.


Nicholette Read more