I like to grommet, grommet...

You like to grommet, grommet...We like to GROMMET!

I like finding cheaper different ways to do a project. We are getting a pool and want to update our back lanai to a Cabana style area. I first thought about using curtains as decoration when Nester and A Soft Place to land showcased their use of curtains OUTSIDE!

And so the search began...I found ONE PANEL ($49) of an "Outdoor Curtain" at Bed Bath & Beyond. Uh...No, especially when I need four panels to complete the look. I thought about getting fabric, but I don't sew and wasn't interested in finishing the edges with my no-sew glue.

So whats a girl to do?...USE A TABLECLOTH!

I found an outdoor tablecloth (one that wasn't plastic or vinyl) from Target for $14.99! My kind of price.

Next hurdle, How to hang it? Remembering my $49 find and loving how it had grommets at the top; I just needed to add grommets to my tablecloth curtain. I found a package of 8, 1 inch "bronze" grommets at Jo-Anns.

Here is a link from their website that I tried to follow but I ultimately enlisted Hottie to help.Step 1: Measure panel and space an even amount of grommets out...evenlyStep 2: Trace circle stencil (provided in package) to cut outStep 3: Cut outStep 4: Snap grommets together! No tools needed.Step 5: Hang in awkward place, like breakfast nook, because pool is not close to being done and you don't want to stuff it away in some closet.
Viola!

Say it isn't so...

Edited: If you read this post before Sunday June 28th, don't think you're going crazy; I added a few things to the room and took new pictures for this post. Nothing like blogland to get me motivated.

4 months, 22 days, and clears throat THREE paint colors later...it's done! Well sort of...I still want to add a few things to the wall and I'm looking for the perfect lounge/chair. But for now it's done!

Paint: Behr "Oat Straw"
Curtains: Target
Chairs: Pier 1 via Craigs List

Looking into the bedroom:

Looking from the bathroom:

Looking from corner:Looking from other corner:

Here's the before...just because...

Next project:

Hand towels: Target

Happy graduation!

Happy graduation from preschool, kindergarten, 8th grade, high school...you get the picture.

How cute are these!
Go to Bakerella for the how to!

Hoppy Easter S'mores!

I saw these via Tip Junkie:

Linky Love

I followed Hilary's changes but smooshed my dry ingredient mixture behind the bunnies. I also used different colored peeps (only one's that matched the m&m's of course) AND had to try the recipe out before I gave it away ;-).

Before:

After:

Hello, Apothecary lovers!

Lillian Vernon. $24.98 for all 3!

So...can one give a St.Patrick's Day gift to one self? Hmmm...

Happy Valentine's Day

Viola!

A magnetic notepad, antibacterial cleaner, and a homemade banana bread muffin (in the shape of a heart, thank-you-very-much).




I bought some lettering that I thought had multiple sheets, but it ended up having only one. So I had to become pretty creative and think of sayings that used the limited letters I had. Oops!

MUST. GO. BUY. NOW.

I'm not Irish. I don't typically decorate for St.Patrick's day. BUT I saw this and thought I. MUST. BUY. Thank. you. Walmart.

Ok, so my picture doesn't really do this justice. It's shiny, and glittery, and fabulousy. And yes it was $7.84 a yard.

Love is in the air...

I did a little Target shopping yesterday (with two boys at 9:00 in the morning-Thank you very much!) and found some Valentine's Day goodies.


Gift boxes $1, magnetic note pads $1, and whimsical heart place mat $1. I don't know exactly what I'm going to do yet, but it's the start of a few teacher's gifts. I'm thinking about adding some cookies, stealing copying Chris's idea and VIOLA!

And see the heart thingy? That's mine. It's 5 wooden hearts strung together with fabric. I'm thinking Mod Podge and some old Valentine's day pics. Hmmm...

AND HOW CUTE ARE THESE? (Courtesy of Better Homes and Garden) Cute, cute, cute! Add alphabet cookies, sprinkled with colored sugar of course, to your ho-hum cupcakes.

One is a lonely number

So, did you all see this little project from A Soft Place to Land?


Here's my attempt at the easy no-sew pillow cover. (I got the fabric at Michael's a while back. It was just two small squares that I really didn't have a plan for.)



I like how it turned out especially since I no sew . Here she is in her new home.



And what's that you ask...What is going on with your walls?


Well that is-the goodbye to Tiffany blue-supposed to be replaced with the perfect brown, that has not been found even after 1 gallon and 2 quarts-so we're priming all the walls white- even Hottie doesn't finish EVERY project in one day-walls!

Wood you?

Here is our New Year's day (I have a talented Hottie) work in progress.


Before:






Don't let the lighting fool you. With two labs, two projectile children, and four years; this carpet was as lovely as it looks!

After:

The clicking of doggie nails will take some getting used to but is SO WORTH the dust bunnies instead of the NEVER-truly-hair-free-carpet!



We still have to change the paint color (goodbye Tiffany blue) and finish the molding but in this house that's as good as a finished project!

My aHa! moment...

Do you have an area/place/spot in your house that you were/are constantly fidgeting with until....FINALLY you got "the look you wanted"? It may have taken minutes/hours/days, or like for me weeks, until it was just right. And then along game a glorious holiday and that area/place/spot had to be decorated for the holiday.


Anyone with me?


Well my mantle is that place. After we painted the walls I took quite a bit of time arranging and re-arranging it trying to get the look I wanted but not knowing what that look, looked like. phew! So before I started decorating for Christmas I took a picture (not because I had this grand scheme idea) but because I was going to post a before and after Christmas picture.


Well Christmas is disintegrating (into the attic) here in sunny 78 degrees+ Florida and as I'm trying to put my mantle back together I think, aHa!, I have a picture of my very own mantle.


Earth shattering, I know!


So ladies and gentlemen (do men read blogs?), here is my before...


and after...


Did you notice any changes? There are a few..


Previously, ordinary candles that were attacked by Mod Podge and Martha Stewart red glitter to be transformed into fancy schmancy Christmas candles.


Now, white Christmas candles on sale from Target plus a little scrapbook paper and tie thingy.




New, holder thingy. I know you bloglanders know what it's called.




I almost forgot my whole purpose for this post: Take a picture of something before you go messing it all up and Viola! you can refer back to it for your own inspiration (or, like me, for copying it exactly if you aren't always so creative).

Christmas ideas...

So, I have seen several variations of this idea on different blogs. Some people used vinyl lettering but I used scrapbook paper and mod podge.


Your basic glass block (courtesy of Home Depot $4 and change):



add initials (I printed out letters, traced them onto the paper, and cut out. Viola!):


or silhouettes (Ditto):


or multiple layers:

These are a few of my favorite things...

BooMama, Tip Junkie, AND Kimba are all having Christmas tour of homes.

Welcome friends!

I don't have much horizontal space for decorating so my TV hutch gets most of the attention. I love putting up previous Christmas pictures (I'm always searching for red frames).

Love these blocks that I got from Lillian Vernon. (Six sides: six different holiday messages)

My Willow Tree nativity. It's taken me several years to collect all the pieces.



How cute is Mr. fuzzy reindeer (and cautious 3 year old with Santa)?

My mom made this wall hanging for me. I no sew :-).

And what would a party be without some yummy cookies? Enjoy!

• Peanut butter cookie dough (in the cold section of Publix)
• Chocolate chips for eyes
• Red m&m's for nose
• Chocolate covered pretzels (Snyder's brand, in the chip aisle) for antlers. A little bit of white icing to help them stick.

Christmas. Christmas. Time is here.

Time for toys and time for cheer.

Can you hear the chipmunks singing? Yesterday while I was out shopping, a guy (driving a minivan with no kids) was blasting the chipmunks song throughout the parking lot. I guess it's just that time of year!

Thanks for coming by. Sorry, no cookies this time. here's your link back to BooMama, or Kimba, or Tip Junkie...