IKEA hack

Wanna see how I transformed two ugly and scratched LACK coffee tables from IKEA into a functional and fun coffee station? Side note, this is not my original idea, I originally saw it on pinterest from apartment therapy. See the original post here.
This is how it started:

You can buy these tables form IKEA for about $10 a piece and they come in a variety of colors. Why we choose to get the fake dark wood I have no idea! But I was completely over them and was about to donate them to Salvation Army when I saw the idea to transform them into something else.
I started by giving them a light sand and priming them white:

After they dried I gave them two coats of a super light grey paint that we also have in our living room and bedroom. Once they had dried over night I used wood glue to stack them on top of each other. I still find the paint to chip really easy and am planning on sealing them somehow (dad, any ideas?). I am still on the lookout for a butcher block or any piece wood really to attach to the top, but it's good for now, and I am so happy to have a designated coffee station in our kitchen. Here's a closer look at the bottom and top:

Total cost of this project:
2 coffee tables: 0 - rescued from heading out the door
Primer and paint: 0 - leftovers from painting earlier
Wood glue: 0 - already had
Green mats: 4 - these are simply to protect the paint

Total: 4 - not bad at all!

christmas blessings

This Christmas was unlike any we have had before, tradition wise anyways. But you know what, it was great. I am so so so blessed to call these people my family and I couldn't be happier!

It's not about the gifts, or whose house you're at, it's who you're with that matters. It's about remembering that we are here to celebrate the birth of Jesus our Saviour and the joy we have because of that very fact.

I hope that you and your loved ones had the very merriest of all Christmases!

christmas diy: tree skirt

I have been wanting a tree skirt since the day I bought our Christmas tree two years ago and have yet to find one in a store that I have liked. So, when the shops fail, it's christmas diy to the rescue! It's simple and repetitious, with a hint of whimsical charm, just the way I like it.

The pattern is from 'Charm School' which is a great book that features multiple small quilts all using charm squares so everything is quick to put together. It doesn't really take a rocket scientist, but if you are new to quilting and like step-by-step instructions, the book features this pattern in a quilt form and also a tree skirt form.
The green swirl print will be the backing and the navy with the tiny polka dots which I love will be used for the binding. The charm squares I used for 'Share the Joy' by Deb Strain for Moda.

I can't wait to decorate!

new home inspiration

I grew up hating white or any sort of neutral. My dad is a professional painter and my mom has a real knack for interior design so we never had white walls in our house growing up. I always thought it was so boring, so cold, and so uninviting. Recently though I have found that I have really been drawn to white spaces and loving the look of white on white. Also, and very much to my own shock, I have also been drawn to the color yellow, I don't even know who I am anymore!

With another move on the horizon into another rental I will once again be embracing the rental white and builder's beige. This time I'm not so wary of it though and plan to use the color (or lack thereof) to the space's advantage. Here are some of my home decor inspiration pictures found on pinterest:

source

source unknown

source

week in the life: part two

As a continuation from my last post, I wanted to share some more pictures of the latter half of documenting 'A Week in the Life'. I am happy I stuck with this project throughout the week and I think it will be fun to stick it all together next weekend at National Scrapbooking Day. Read some of my thoughts on the process below...

Total number of photos taken this week: 138 (plus a few duplicates and garbage ones)

I think that today was the hardest day for me to have the ambition to take out my camera. It's been raining the past few days and everything seems a little gloomy. Sunday's are super low key here usually so I was at a bit of a loss as to what to photograph. Like I mentioned earlier I am really happy I stuck with this though and when I look at all the pictures together I love how they capture a little glimpse of our life right now.

My plan for the album is to use an 8.5" x 8.5" and do a two page spread for each day. I am also planning on printing the pictures to be 2" x 3" and do a similar grid layout on each spread. I have quite a bit of supplies left over from my project life album and I am hoping on incorporating those into this album as well since the theme goes so well.

simple bunny diy

My house was seriously lacking in the spring/easter decorations. Even though we are going to be away for easter I figured we needed some spring-y cheer!

This was super simple to make, and only took me about 5 minutes start to finish! I found a piece of striped paper that I liked and cut it to size for my frame. I also found a piece of textured white cardstock and cut it the same size. I drew a simple outline of a bunny on the back of the white paper and used a craft knife to cut it out. I used some blue ink on the inside edges of the silouette, but that step isn't really necessary. I then stuck both pieces of paper in my frame and voila, instant easter crafty goodness!

I think it would be a neat idea to switch out the paper and silouettes depending on the season. I'm thinking flowers for summer, pumpkins for fall, and a christmas tree for winter. I'm excited!

home tour: craft room

This post is a little bit later than I was expecting, but I hope you enjoy the little peek into my crafting space nevertheless. I still don't feel completely satisfied with this space, and I think some curtains would definitely help. One thing I've come to realize though is that a lot of things will never really be done. I'll always be tweaking different things in our home and trying to make them more my style as I continue to learn about what my style really is. I've been thinking about doing a post on overcoming the fear of white in a house, but more about that later.

This first picture is of my desk where I do all my sewing. It is actually an old computer desk that we bought at a garage sale for $5. The handy thing about this is that my small cutting mat fits on the pullout keyboard tray so I can cut smaller pieces while sewing.

Across from the desk is a pull-out couch which is probably older than me, but it's nice to have a little bit of seating. These two guys are the only stuffed animals I still have and they both have very special places in my heart so they hang out with me here. On the back of the couch is a lap quilt I made a few years ago using assorted browns and Amy Butler fabric. I think the pattern is called broken dishes.

Directly above the couch is several embroidery hoops using different vintage fabric that I really liked. I think it would be really cute to get some vintage enamel flower brooches and stick them on there.

One last thing to show you before I go - Behind the door there was an existing towel rack (?) that I now use to hang large pieces of fabric, or quilts I have on the go. Right now there are 4 quilted place mats, which I will share soon, and some fabric I cut out to make an apron. You can see more of my craft room by looking at my inspiration board post.

I hope you enjoyed looking around!

new year/new board

Lately I have been feeling really tired and uninspired with my crafting space - it was time for a change. One of the first things on my list to do in there was take everything off my bulletin board and add new inspiring images for the new year. As luck would have it, Kaylah from The Dainty Squid posted her bulletin board re-vamp right around the same time I had this idea. I was so inspired by it that I quickly ran to re-do mine. You can see all the wonderful little treasures on her board here. Make sure you check it out, it's so cute!

As you can see, my board is not yet full, but I like the idea of adding to it as the year goes and seeing what new things inspire me throughout the upcoming months.

On here you will find:
- My "Happy 2012" banner
- A picture of J and I taken in the Spring
- A pretty skeleton key
- My angels in the corner
- The Vegas sign as motivation to save money for my trip this year
- A 5x7 print that use to be in my shop
- A crochet yellow flower
- A quote that was on a card from my sponsor child

I'm hoping to do a full craft room tour soon, so you can expect that in the next week or so!

right now

i saw this idea on the pleated poppy today and thought it looked like fun!

right now I am...

watching: Australia's next top model, it's such a guilty pleasure of mine. actually, never mind, I don't feel guilty about it at all!

eating: just finished eating home made skor bar that I stole took from the freezer after I literally warned Jordy that if he broke into the Christmas baking there would be serious consequences

drinking: my coffee once it is done brewing, yum

wearing: my jeans with a newly acquired hole in the leg, polka dot socks, with an over-sized sweat shirt, and messy hair to top it off :)

avoiding: showering, the clock, my last paper of the semester, the mess that I am afraid to say is all mine

feeling: nostalgic - it's my last day of Briercrest classes, probably ever

thankful: that another $10,000 was donated to the Hunger in Moose Jaw campaign this last week bringing out total up to $28,845

praying: that I get the job, and thanking God for opportunities. I read a quote yesterday that talked about only waking up with the things you thanked God for yesterday, I made sure I included everything and everyone that is important to me last night, even my little katie cat made it in

needing: two packs of raspberry jell-o and I really do not want to make another trip into Moose Jaw just for that!

loving: the Christmas decorations, twinkle lights above our bed, feeling less stressed by papers and assignments, having a tv date night with Jordy tonight, hot apple cider with whipped cream and caramel sauce, lap quilts that are just the right size, the prospect of something new

a picture a day: 1st

So this december I have made a little goal for myself to take a picture a day. I am notoriously bad for taking Christmas pictures, and I don't want to miss a thing this December! I probably won't share them all but I will do my best to show at least one or two a week.

Happy first day of December! Here's to documenting life, and loving every minute

good-bye fall

It's official, winter is here and it is time to say good-bye to my favorite season of the year (insert sad face). Before I break out the Christmas decorations (yay!) this weekend I thought it was only fitting to show some of my favorite house decor from Fall...

Good-bye pumpkin spice lattes and hello gingerbread lattes!

fall inspiration

i have been getting really really excited lately about doing some decorating for fall, it's my most favorite (bad grammar yes I know) time of the year. i have the cutest owls to bring out and i would love to make something to hang on our door for the season. here is some of my inspiration, enjoy!

source

source

welcome to summer

Welcome to the first day of summer! Here where I am it has been wet, wet, wet. In fact as I type this a heavy sheet of water is falling right in front of me.  It makes my work a little bit difficult since I am supposed to be the community gardens coordinator. Rain or no rain, growing flowers and vegetables are so beautiful in their own way. Hope you enjoy some snapshots of where I work :)

Ok I lied, this first picture is actually looking out my front patio, but the rest are from the gardens!

home tour: kitchen

I am in love love love love love with my new kitchen! It is so bright and cheery that it just makes me smile every time I go in it :) I love to sit at the kitchen table and look out the window while eating my breakfast. It is just amazing what a little sunlight can do to really brighten up a room! I will be posting more rooms as I get the finishing touches just right, so stay tuned!

on valentines day...

...I wore this pretty pink sweater

... and these pretty pink slippers

... with buttons in my hair

... and made a heart shaped cake with sprinkles

... all while smelling these pretty flowers!

the birthday boy

Yesterday was my sweetie's 25th birthday and although he turned down my idea of party hats I still did my best to make it special!

Chocolate Fudge cupcakes with chocolate icing and red sprinkles, yum!

For a special birthday dinner for just the two of us I made lemon meringue pie and lasagna, but lasagna just isn't pretty so there's no picture!

Happy Birthday Birthday boy, I love you!