Shabby Easter Centerpiece - CHEEP!

Easter is knocking at our doorstep... have you decorated??

Here's a simple DIY shabby chic centerpiece anyone can do!

I purchased a round glass fishbowl from the thrift store for $1 and a piece of knob hardware from our Habitat Re-Store for 25 cents.  I painted the hardware gloss white and distressed it and then used some E6000 craft glue to adhere it to the top to make a cloche (clow-shhh).

 

I took an enamel ware platter I had on hand.  Added some moss from the dollar store and some of the eggs I made from my latest Fox 11 gig.  So simple.  So thrifty.  So pretty!

WLUK Fox 11 - Egg Decorating Tutorial

Decorating Easter eggs is part of most of our Easter traditions.  But what if we could do a little extra and be able to enjoy them year after year?  I ordered a bag of wooden eggs from Casey's Wood Products and used them to try out various techniques to fancy them up!

DUCT TAPE
Take some of the special printed duct tape and cut strips.  Layer the strips vertically as you work your way around the egg.  Smoothing out the pieces as you go.

FABRIC
Using a similar method as the duct tape idea above, cut strips of fabric and use Modge Podge to apply the strips around the egg.  Coat with 1-2 layers of Modge Podge to seal it up.
  

SHABBY CHIC
Get creative in the fabric department.  Look for pretty ribbons, beads & gems to decorate the eggs with a vintage flair!

CHEVRON
Rather than take the time to paint a chevron print on the egg, use ric-rac and hot glue it around the egg horizontally. 



PAINT PEN
Using a paint pen in a fine tip, decorate your egg with images or patterns.  I scoured my magazines to find inspiration for different designs to use.














CHALK BOARD
Chalkboard paint comes in spray cans... did you know that?  I gave my eggs a few coats of chalk board paint and then they were ready to go!  Draw on a cute Easter graphic and it's all set.

GLITTER
Simply coat the eggs with modge podge {white glue would work as well} and, over a tray, generously coat the egg with the microfine glitter.  Once it's dry, you may want to touch up with glue and glitter with a second coat.





 GLITTER DOTS

 Using scrapbooking glue dots, apply glue dots randomly over the egg.  Using a tray, sprinkle on or roll in microfine glitter.  Blow or brush away glitter between the dots.  {if the glitter is stubborn in coming off the egg where you don't want it, use a damp q-tip to wipe away glitter from between the glue dots.}

SHARPIE
Go to town drawing random designs using a fine tip sharpie marker.  The more intricate the better!  Just pretend you're back in middle school and doodling on your folder *wink*








DECAL
Look for detailed scrapbooking decals that are self-adhesive.  Cut sections the size of your egg and apply in the desired pattern.

STEAM PUNK
This one turned out to be one of my fave's.  If you're not familiar with the "steam punk" movement, just google it or head to Pinterest to see what it's all about.  I describe it as industrial meets brothel.  Think black lace, gears, chains & wings.  Use found objects and create something totally punk-tastic!

Basically, think outside the box.  Search your craft closet or a crafting store for objects to use to decorate your eggs.  The skys the limit!

The WLUK Fox 11 THRIFTY THURSDAY story is just below:

Cherry Blossoms & Chickens on Facebook!

Easter egg designs

*Bliss*

 I will admit that this pushes the line of being too distressed, but I must also admit that I have fallen madly in love with her.

Here she is still at the store!

I remember walking into the store and seeing her there... ready to be moved to a back corner of the storage room.  I rescued her immediately - seeing the potential.  It didn't take much to breathe life back into her.  A good cleaning.  A good sanding.  Some coffee glaze.  A few coats of poly.

But she wobbled.

A simple piece of 1/4" plywood wrapped in a pretty fabric made her complete!

I just love all the history that's trapped in the layers of paint, and yes, even stains!  I'm not sure what role she played in the past, but she will now reside in my daughter's room as a book/toy shelf.  And she will be amazing in her new role!

It really was one of those projects that {after sitting in the garage all winter} took so little time to transform that I wondered why it took so long from me to resuscitate her!  And now it's given me the uumph I needed to tackle some of the other lovelies awaiting transformation in my shop!

 

From DRAB to FAB! From HO-HUM to OH YUM!

I hope to add several projects that will fulfill this title in the coming months.  The garage is packed with them, and I keep bringing home more!

This was a simple project I took on over the past few days.  The only reason it took days, is due to allowing paint to dry.  Because, really... it was super-d-duper easy!

I found some cabinet doors at our local ReStore for only 50 cents a piece.

Step 1:  Lightly sand.
Step 2: Paint desired base color.
Step 3: Tape off and paint with chalkboard paint.
Step 4: Sand to distress.
Step 5:  Seal the base coat - NOT the chalkboard paint though!
Step 6:  Add some fun knobs for hanging keys or coats or purses.

And you'll go from this:

To this:

Layers of Ick

It's no secret that I love looking at houses that are on the market.  All the potential and possibilities.  Knock down that wall.  Paint that room that color.  Add a bigger window.  With a husband as a carpenter, the possibilities are virtually endless.

I remember going into almost every home we could afford and finding one area to peek to see if there were hardwood flooring under the carpet.  You know you've done it too - any of you who've looked at character homes!  That small moment where you hang in the balance between bliss and blech!  You carefully peek in a closet corner and ..... it's hardwood!  The world can rejoice!

I found myself thinking about this as I dozed off last night and knew I had to share my revelation.  I am like that flooring.  I've got a lot of nasty, yucky, filthy ick that needs to be stripped away to reveal the protected perfection that I could be.  The bad news:  it takes work.  Lots of work.  But the potential is there, and my Creator sees it.  He's waiting for me to ask him to put on his workin' gloves and help me rip away at the layers of ugly that cover up what He has always known was there.

The good news:  while it might be hard, it's do-able.  Not on my own, obviously.  Nor would I want to try and restore myself alone.  But that silver lining that can imagine a more perfect me drives me to continue pulling up and tossing out what should not be there.

I am a work in progress.  And like the hardwood flooring in a character home, even after I'm restored (per say) there will still be nicks, dents & scratches that remind me of where I've been.  And that's how I would want it to be.  Because not remembering where you've come from, won't allow you to praise Him for the blessings of where you are today.

And just to show you how nasty the "stripping away" can be... here's a picture from when we gutted our upstairs bedrooms.  

Capturing 2013

 

Go to Walmart.

Fill out the envelope.  One for each roll.

Seal it up.  Put it in the slot.

Wait.....

Does anyone remember doing that?  You know what I'm talking about.  Right?

FILM

PICTURES

MEMORIES

Today, it's so incredibly easy to snap a photo of whatever or whomever you want... whenever you want.  Digital cameras & smart phones give you instant gratification and what you used to take one or two photos of, has now become sixty-seven.  { C'mon, I'm not the only one who photographs like a paparazzi rock star, am I? }

Now that we have that out of the way, there are NO EXCUSES as to why you cannot accept this challenge!  What better way to document your 2013 than with pictures.


There are a few ways to do this.  One a day, equaling 365 photos... One a week, equaling 52 photos... or one a month for 12 photos.  When you go to do your documentation, make it of something that stood out to you in your day.  Did you try a new recipe?  Clean under the fridge?  Read a good Bible verse?  Shovel for a neighbor?  Photograph it!  Then create a folder for those pictures and give the photo a name & date to remind you of the event.

There are loads of ideas like this online if you Google it.  So, are you up for the challenge?

My friend did this for the last few years.  The longest she made it was 6 months straight of photo taking.  Not too shabby!

And one last challenge.  I want you to think of one WORD that describes what you want to accomplish in 2013.  For me that word is:

What's your word?

Confessions of a Joyous Mom

Have you ever seen this book?

We own it.  And I love listening to the kids read the absurd choices all the while giggling with hysterics and what the other chooses.  

Things like... "Would you rather eat a cup of worms, or have crickets pop out of your nose when you sneeze?"

Really?  

I have to choose one of those?  Well, if I had to pick one..... and laughter ensues.

Why am I bringing this up today?  Because I feel like I've been having thoughts like this with regards to my vertigo & dizziness!  I find myself saying.... "I would rather have a week of the flu, than 6 weeks of dizziness."  Or, "I would rather have chronic headaches, than feel like this all the time."  But then I remember... I don't have a choice.  This is what I've been asked to endure, and I will do it with as much grace and strength as He gives me!!

So, while I cannot wish this away, or trade it for another affliction, I can choose my attitude through it all.  And I choose...