Sparkle! Laundry room makeover & tutorial

I need a home makeover. I didn't want anything too dramatic, time-consuming, expensive.
I wanted instant {or close to it} gratification.

I can't believe I didn't take a before photo, but if you saw my laundry room "before," you would know how different it looks!

Gray paint
Plum & Lime accent spray-paint
New shelf
New Decor
Fabric
Elastic
Nails
Hot Glue
& finally stacking the washer & dryer

DiY artwork...found a fabric photo print & used Picnik for the font,
editing and printing. 

Of course there are Mason Jars! Kept one clear and added some
clothes line and clothespins.  I spray painted the other one and added
pretty pink fabric flowers.

My favorite part...made this artwork out of things I had around the house, spray paint and hot glue.
{see tutorial below}

                    This is a simple & very inexpensive way to make unique and pretty laundry room art.

                                                  I hope you get the chance to try.

Love my new laundry room. I think I could hang out in there all day. 

{hopefully I'll keep up with the laundry more} ;) 

XOXO,
Kate

Linking this up here: 

               
& here! {updated my pages to list all link-ups}. 

MIA

Yup, been pretty MIA recently.  My sweet baby boy has been one sick thing.
Pretty sure it was one of three viruses.  They never really can tell with babies, I swear.
Fever, sore throat, rash, & a bunch of teeth cutting at the same time.  It has only been a week,
but feels like a month of this.
It sure does put you in a slump.  I cannot imagine how people with really sick kids do it. {prayer for you}.

My mom came in town to help.
{hallelujah}!
I was losing my mind.
I think Ander-man is on the mend....
well minus the teeth that have not cut yet.
{sigh}.

XOXO, 

Kate

You think you've been 'Pinned?'

Through the lovely and talented Jennifer, I found yet another amazing blog 
Seriously I cannot get jealous of amazingly talented {mainly women} who have these blogs, b/c its so rewarding to know that we all create for therapy, love, admiration, etc.

Anyways, long story short, this blog did a lil lesson on finding out if you have been "pinned" on Pinterest 
To sum it up  {I am totally copying her easy instructions} you type the following in your web browser,

http://pinterest.com/source/and then add your blog address info.


My example would be: http://pinterest.com/source/avery-anderson.blogspot.com 


Sooo...of course I did it, not to think there would be a single thing on there, but there was! & the comments made me smile so giddy.  Like, really, really giddy.  As designers, creators, bla bla bla, we work so hard to make something, then take the hour or so to "blog about it," & here our stuff is really out there?

So here is mine....

then I thought, why not search some other people....

like Mandie of Millie Morgan Media

Yup, she has been "pinned" too 

& then my girl, Emily's pumpkin is ALL OVER Pinterest...

So, just when you think your "blogging" is only getting noticed by your parents, Facebook friends, etc., do continue to believe in yourself-----because you are getting "Pinnned" baby! 
XOXO, 
Kate 

Fall Decor' Part 4: THANKS be to upcycling wine bottles!

I really have no idea how my mind works.  Most of the time I have a project completely planned, materials purchased, etc. However, for the most part, I see one little thing in my house {in this case an empty wine bottle I 'ahhh-emm' may have just finished}.  & seeing this wine bottle got my non-stop mind going.  Here is how you can turn your empty wine bottles & {oops, one almost empty Jack Daniels bottle from the freezer} into some amazing art...I did the whole "thanks" for Thanksgiving, fall, etc., however, you can do just about anything---family last name? HI? Welcome? Initials? You get the point..

..and if I don't say it enough throughout this tutorial--DO NOT USE INTERIOR PAINT.  IT DOES NOT TAKE AS WELL.  STICK WITH ACRYLIC--the cheap Jo-Anns kind to be exact. 

I decorated mine with a variety---painted letters, twine, clothes line, and buttons.  You can pretty much do whatever you like.  

I sorta wish I would have just stuck with the clothes line and the twine---those are my FAVORITES! 

What an embarrassing "after" photo.  Please ignore my television in the background, thanks.  

Do you notice how much better the acrylic paint took over the interior?  When a girl has a project in a mind---guess she's gotta do, what she's gotta do.  Next time, I will be patient & go get the proper paint.  

Enjoy & go try it out 

XOXO, 

Kate 

Oh yeah---update, while I decorated, Miss Avery made her a cute little turkey {with a little of mama's help}

Linking this up here: 

 & here  today's creative blog & here:

Fall Decor' Part 3: Wreath

About a month ago, I made this wreath.  I wanted something that would carry all through fall until the Christmas holiday came---perfect Ikea fabric.  I also had this $1 pearl "A" from Michael's from years ago---perfecto!

While visiting my parents in North Carolina, I was BLESSED to be joined with all the wonderful women in my life!  My Grandma {most talented sewer, quilter I know}, my older sister, Heidi {who is WAY more crafty than she thinks she is} & the ultimate crafter aka baby sis, Mandie of Millie Morgan Media 

They wanted to do a craft project and I knew the best one---my fabulous, easy, rewarding wreath.  

So here we go.  I hope my steps are easy to follow. 

My poor little sis, Mandie is in her first trimester of her pregnancy and is very sick so you won't see how she used her end result.  {I am sure once she is feeling better, she will share on her blog} 

I cannot tell you how much this project meant to me.  I have been waiting a very long time to do a craft with not only my sisters, but my Inspirational Grandma too.  She was the best darn tracer I know--we couldn't keep up with her quickness! 

I hope you get the chance to make one of these yourself.  Its sorta addicting...like, "hummm, where else can I hang one of these." 

Thanks ladies for such a fun night.  I love you more than anything! 

XOXO, 

Kate 

10/18/2011 update: Here is my little's sister's wreath & blog post.  Thanks for the shout out on being featured, sis! 

Mandie of Millie Morgan Media 

Link ups: 

and here: 

Fall Decor Par 2: DIY w Kids Halloween Banner

3

Well, if anyone knows me, they would assume my fireplace banner would be cute little triangle or circle fabrics stitched up with biased tape to match so pretty.  However, this year, I opted to let Avery do most of the work because she loves "decorating."

Supplies Needed:
1) Cardboard
2) Traceable images {or just a good sketch hand}
   a) With a pencil, trace your images on cardboard and cut out carefully
3) Scissors
4) a variety of acrylic paints
5) Felt
6) Hot Glue/glue gun
7) Clothes Line
8) Clothes pins
9) Patience :)

Thanks to Avery's Micky for her handmade art smock--she remembers to wear it anytime we do art.  :)

                   3 1/2....such an "in-between" age, but I honestly think that Avery is very proud of this one 

& it doesn't hurt that she is obsessed with Halloween.  She knew every image she wanted! 

PS this was umber cheep-o!

XOXO, 

Kate

Linking this up here: 

The Belle Brigade: New tunes

We are huge Raising Hope fans and if you saw last week's episode, you would have heard an awesome tune at the end; Losers by The Belle Brigarde.  These two are right up my musically ally. {love}
I love the words of this song and think its something we all need to work on.
{despite if you are on the top or on the bottom}. I will be buying more. & more.

There will always be someone better than you
Even if you're the best
So let's stop the competition now
Or we will both be losers

And I'm ashamed I ever tried to be higher than the rest
But brother I am not alone
We've all tried to be on top of the world somehow
'Cause we have all been losers

I don't wanna be laid down
No I don't wanna die knowing
That I spent so much time when I was young
Just trying to be the winner

So I wanna make it clear now
I wanna make it known
That I don't care about any of that s*** no more

Don't care about being a winner
Or being smooth with women
Or going out on Fridays
Being the life of parties
No, no more, no

There will always be someone worse than you
Sister don't let it get to your head
'Cause you won't be on top of the world so long
In constant competition

This ain't about no one in particular
But I could list a few
I'm removing myself from the queue

Don't care about being a winner
Or being smooth with women
Or going out on Fridays
Being the life of parties
Don't care about being harder
Or being Daddy's favorite
Or if you think I'm a mimic
Or if I am a loser

Don't care about being a winner
Or being smooth with women
Or going out on Fridays
Being the life of parties
Don't care about being harder
Or being Daddy's favorite
Or if you think I'm a mimic
Or if I am a loser

& now off to jam to my new Indigo Girls Album, 'Beauty Queen Sister." 

Cannot wait to share my thoughts and faves of my favorite musical & lyrical artists ever created. 

XOXO, 

Kate