Lemonade anyone?

There's nothing better than a cold lemonade on a hot summer day. It brings to mind warm nights on the front porch swing chasing lightning bugs. So, to remind me of my childhood summers, I created this chalk art.

To make this I enlarged the image of an antique lemonade stand sign to the size of my blackboard and printed it. Next, I rubbed the back of the printout with chalk. Then I taped the copy to my board and traced over it. Now that the image is transferred to the blackboard, all I had  to do is fill in the letters and erase stray marks.

I placed my finished sign over my cabinets in my kitchen. 

Apron Curtains

Here's a great idea for a window treatment in the kitchen, use an apron. Our kitchen window is the focal point of the room and I want it to be interesting. So, instead of going with a traditional window treatment, I used an everyday apron. I took a brightly colored apron I had on hand, wrapped the apron strings around the top of the blinds and tied them in a bow. It was the easiest installation ever!! It looks great and I get so many compliments on it.
 

Upcycled Patchwork Jeans

 After long years of wear and tear, I unfortunately developed tears in the knees of my favorite jeans. I couldn't bring myself to throw them away, so I decided to give them a little TLC and add some cute patches to extend their wear.

So how did I do this? Well, first I sewed up the hole to deter further damage.

I looked through my scrap fabrics and found some colorful pieces that complemented each other.

More "Teddy Beans"

I loved the "teddy beans" I made for my son so much, I made another for my niece. "Teddy beans" are basically a bean bag chair, but instead of filling it with styrofoam pellets, you use your childs stuffed animals. I loved how this one turned out. For detailed instructions on how to make, see my previous post on January 26th.

A Valentine Treat

So easy. Take a cake mix for a 2-layer cake, bake one layer in a square pan, the other in a round. Cut the round layer in half to make the heart shape, then frost.

A touch of love

Valentine's Day is just around the corner. I'm not one that decorates much for this holiday, but small touches here and there can make a big impact.

This simple garland was made from construction paper and ribbon. I cut out the hearts in two sizes and strung them through a sparkly ribbon.

"Teddy Beans"

We love our stuffed animals, but hate the space they take up. I wanted to figure out a way to keep them contained. I had seen organizing options like hammocks, but for my toddler, those kept them out of his reach and therefore unable to be played with. So, I designed my own.

The concept is simple. Its a bean bag chair, without the beans. Instead, you fill it with stuffed animals. Your teddy bears are the "beans".

I'm am not a seamstress at all, and I was able to do this. I chose a simple bean bag chair pattern; Simplicity #5105.