Fun Flower Wall Art

This one has been floating around pinterest for a while now as well.  I’ve seen it done with both fabric and scrapbook paper; I chose scrapbook paper to avoid frayed edges.

It was a lot of fun to do, and pretty simple.  Those of you who are familiar with my freehand painting will understand why this was a good art project for me J.  (Remember my weird bird from art night?) 

Materials:

Canvas

Acrylic paint

Scrapbook paper, cut into petals of various sizes

Mod Podge

Paint brushes

Oh! The mantle.  I almost forgot.  Those three candle holders on the left were all thrift store finds- I just cleaned them up a little and sprayed painted them the colors I wanted.   

A little blurry...I should probably stop using my phone and use my actual camera.

Yikes. Even more blurry....but this way you get the whole wall-area.  More than that table later :)

Cookie Sheet Magnet Boards

I’m pleased to report that the new home beautification project is going along swimmingly.  The kitchen was already a light blue/turquoise color, which was fine with me because A) I don’t have the time/money to repaint EVERY room right away and B) I actually wanted a blue/turquoise and red kitchen anyway.  I saw this pin on pinterest a few months ago and made my own version last week. (The button magnets were my only original addition)

Materials:

Cookie Sheets from the dollar store

Spray Paint

3M Command Strips for hanging

Small, round magnets with adhesive backs

Buttons

I won’t bore you with the details; I think you can pretty much tell from the pictures how it is done.  I really like the splash of red in the kitchen!  It was the perfect addition.  I can’t wait to get the dining room table built (did I tell you I’m going to make my own dining room table?.....with some help from my Dad!) and I can throw fun dinner parties for all my lovely friends.

My KitchenAid is one of my most prized possessions. 

DIY Kitchen Mat Tutorial

DIY Kitchen Floor Mat

I haven’t even moved into my new house yet but I’m already working on some fun things to put inside it...despite my internship monopolizing my daylight hours : ) I’ve seen a few tutorials online for floor mats and I have cobbled together some of things I’ve seen along with some ideas of my own to make this adorable little mat!  I wanted something to go in front of the sink, but this would make a great doormat too. This mat has several things going for it: 1. You can use almost any patterned fabric you want. 2. It’s lightweight but sturdy 3. You can wipe it clean 4. It’s fairly inexpensive.

Materials:

2 vinyl flooring squares (I think they are 12”x12”) – mine had adhesive on the back

Duct Tape

1 yd fabric (Mine was a duck cloth type)

Note: I would avoid solids and light colors as the polyurethane will change the color slightly.  Apparently this can be avoided by using water-based polyurethane…but I’ve never tried water-based polyurethane)

Polyurethane

Paint brush

Scissors

Step 1:

Use the duct tape to connect your two squares of vinyl flooring. If your tiles are adhesive on the back like mine were, peel back the adhesive a little before taping.  Tape on both sides to make sure it is secure.  Wrap the tape around the edges. Make sure to make it as smooth as you can.  I’ve seen other bloggers use vinyl flooring remnants at cut it to the size they want.  However, I did not have a remnant handy, and the ones at the store were so big they would have been too expensive (also, what would I have done with all the extra?!)  By using the squares, I had less waste, they were the perfect shape, and they were only about 6 dollars total!

Two Vinyl Squares (look at that lovely faux stone finish :)

Step 2:

Peel the paper backing off completely. If your vinyl doesn’t have the adhesive back, use spray adhesive.  I used both because I really wanted the fabric to stick and I didn’t fully trust the adhesive backing.  Place the fabric right side up (wrong side goes down on the sticky stuff).  Smooth it out and don’t leave any wrinkles!

Yep; That is my hand shadow.

Step 3:

Before you wrap the fabric around the corners, apply one coat of polyurethane.  This way the edges get some of the treatment before you wrap the fabric around.

Step 4:

Once the first coat has dried, flip the mat over.  Cut off excess fabric (leave about 3 inches all around).  Pull the fabric tight; fold the edges over and use duct tape to secure them.  It doesn’t matter that it looks ugly because this is the bottom part.  Fold the corners like you’re wrapping a present.

Step 5:

Flip it back over and give it another coat of polyurethane. Let it dry.  Repeat this process until you’ve done 7-8 coats of polyurethane. At first the mat will feel rough but as you get to the last coats it will feel smoother- this is what makes it waterproof and wipeable. This isn’t exactly a fast project because you have to wait for the polyurethane to dry- I did a coat every day or so (or 2 on a Saturday, how exciting!)

Step 6:

Enjoy your fantastic new kitchen mat!

Did I mention the floors? This house has no carpet.  It's THE BEST!!!

Welcome Home!

Special thanks to my awesome Mom for helping out with the first few steps!

This Might Be My Favorite Chocolate Cake Ever

I've now made this cake twice; Once for my Grandfather's 80th birthday two years ago and once for my Dad's 51st Birthday a few days ago. I was sold the first time, but this cake takes a fair amount of dedication (aka time) so it took me a while to make it again. (Note: The recipes themselves aren't very hard, it is just that making the cake requires 4 different recipes!!) This recipe comes from Southern Living and is called Bourbon Chocolate Cake with Praline Frosting; I found it in the magazine a few years ago but you can find it HERE online. Allow me to break it down and tell you why it is so delicious.

Hello, Delicious Cake.

A. The cake itself.

The layers are fairly thin, with a fine crumb (aka it is fairly dense).  It is usually very moist as long as you don't over bake!  The chocolate flavor isn't as intense as some cakes, but I think it is perfect for this one because you get so much chocolate from the....

B. The chocolate ganache.

The ganache recipe is very simple: chocolate chips, cream, butter. Yum Yum Yum. I love that this cake doesn't have the usual buttercream or 7 minute frosting (or canned store bought frosting). The ganache goes in between the layers and on the sides, and it makes the whole cake feel/taste very rich. True Confession: I have a liberal hand when it comes to frosting-application so I made a double recipe and had some left over.

C. The bourbon glaze

I'm not much of a drinker....and I'm not a liquor drinker at all.  However, the bourbon glaze absolutely makes this cake the best.  It gives it a really nice flavor that kind of cuts some of the sweetness going on.  Besides, you get to light the glaze on FIRE and that is pretty fun.

D. The praline frosting

It doesn't get much better than pralines, and praline frosting may be my new favorite of all frostings.  It is simple to make and completely delicious. When it cools it gets harder, like..um...well, pralines. This simple frosting would go a long way in dressing up a plain chocolate cake even without the ganache and glaze.

Consider this a rave review.  Thanks, Southern Living, for this great recipe!

PS- I have to tell you, this is definitely a special occasion cake.  I can't say I'd recommend this for everyday consumption. I think you end up using close to a pound of butter after the whole thing is said and done.  Everything in moderation!

Big News! (Plus a yummy popsicle recipe)

The last month or so has been Ron-Swanson-style-cRazy. I defended my thesis, started my last summer of internships, and bought a house.

In my opinion, all of these things are awesome and important, but the house part is definitely going to be the most influential change for this little blog.

I have so much to do! I’ve been pinning like crazy (Thank you, Pinterest, for existing) and have already started a few little projects. I can’t wait to share them, but none are done yet.

In order to make my new home as completely adorable as possible, I’ve been haunting all kinds of homegoods and craft stores lately (AKA I’m doing a lot of window shopping).  I happened across some popsicle molds a few days ago and couldn’t resist a nostalgic purchase.  I always loved having homemade popsicles during the summer as a kid! Las night I whipped up a batch of some peanut butter banana popsicles.  So easy, so delicious!

¾ c milk

1 banana

2 tbsp peanut butter

Blend, pour into the molds, freeze, and enjoy

Oh, did I mention the molds are rocket ship shaped? 

A Brief Break from Blogging

I'll be back in May.  My thesis is calling.

Watch out though, because I've got a whole new reason to be crafty coming up.  You won't believe it :)

Happy Birthday, Baby!

Disclaimer: Blogger is being the worst, and taking out the spaces between something like every 15th word.  You know I dislike typos.  This is killing me.

Having a baby niece gives me a perfect reason to buy all sorts of pink ribbon and whatnot. Making things for babies is extra fun becaus eeverything can be colorful, whimsical, and sweet.   My little niece’s 1^st birthday was this weekend, but this time I didn’t make her present because I found something much, much better than the dress I was planning on making her.

You see, a few months ago I was perusing the shelves of a little bookstore in Savannahwhen I found a baby version (BabyLit’s “Little Miss Austen”) of Pride andPrejudice.  I was delighted.  Every girl needs a proper introduction to Jane Austen; the earlier the better.  Thebook is adorable- you can check out a few of the pages on Amazon.  While I was buying the book the owner of the store told me that they had just gotten these books in, and that in the next few months other BabyLit books would be coming out.   I gave my niece Pride and Prejudice forChristmas, and by all reports she loves it. My sister-in-law even sent me picture of her crawling around holding it,which I think bodes well for her academic and emotional success in thefuture…hehe…

A week or so ago I turned my attention to finding a suitable birthday present for the little one.  As previously mentioned, I had been thinking about making her a dress; I’d even already bought the pattern.  However, I suddenly remembered what the bookshop lady said about the other BabyLit books,and I couldn’t resist doing a little online searching.  What I really was looking for was the “LittleMiss Bronte” version of Jane Eyre, which is hands-down my favorite of all theBronte sister’s works.  (Wuthering Heights is just depressing. At least at the end of Jane Eyre Mr. Rochester is still alive).  Unfortunately, the book isn’t coming out until March, and it seemed slightly evil to give a baby a printout of a pre-ordered book for her first birthday. 

I noticed something interesting in the “Customers who bought this also bought…” section, though…a series of books called the “Mini MastersSeries”.  I was intrigued.  As it turns out, they are little board books filled with the paintings of famous artists with accompanying rhyming text.  They have names like Sharing with Renoir, Painting with Picasso, and Quiet Time with Cassatt.  (Let it be known my knowledge of art is notextensive.  All credit for my informal education goes to Whitney, my artist friend) I decided to go with the boxed set, which is all impressionists.  We have Dancing with Degas, A Picnic withMonet, A Magical Day with Matisse, and In the Garden with Van Gogh.  They came in the mail last week, and I was rather impressed.  I fully realize that these gift choices cement me firmly in the “Crazy Aunt” category, but I am supremely unconcerned. 

Anyway, on to the part where it gets crafty.  I wanted to make a card to go with the present, of course.  I know babies don’t really care about cards, except maybe about wanting to put them in their mouths.  I thought I would try to make a card Kayla might at least enjoy touching, and that is why I used lots of different textures and bright colors.  The outside of the card is felt, which will feel soft and be fun for her to touch, I hope.  I used a lighter pink for the elephant body,a little ribbon for the tail, and bigger ribbon for the elephant head.  (I think I’ve discussed the making of ribbonelephants on here before, actually, so I won’t do it again).  The best part is the balloons.  They’re little pink and orange buttons, withribbons for strings.  I used anotherbutton and some elastic to make a little latch to keep the card closed (verysimilar to my ribbon bookmark method) The pictures don’t show it, but inside there are some hearts cut out of different fabric and a little Happy Birthday message.  

Hello, Adorable Elephant.  Has anyone ever told you how cute you are?!

PS- I got the elephant-holding-button-balloons idea frompinterest- but that one was a paper elephant. 

We matched at her birthday party.  Clearly she has excellent taste.