Turquoise is hot for 2012!

 My boyfriend and I wanted a DIY project for the weekend so we got inspired to paint an old armoire of ours that was sitting in our living room. Turquoise is hot for 2012 so we decided to paint it a fabulous color called Lagoon from Martha Stewart paint collection at Home Depot. Total cost of restoration was about $40 for primer, paint and hardware.

Before

After

Here is how to change an old piece of furniture from drab to fab!

Step 1 -Remove Hardware

Step 2 -Sand it down

Step 3- Prime it ( 1 coat)

Step 4- Paint it (2 coats)

Step 5- Add new hardware

Color Game for Preschoolers

This was an idea I came up with when my one year old son starting digging in my craft box and began pulling tissue paper out piece by piece.

On the fridgorator I keep colors clipped up on  a magnet and when he decides to pull them off we talk about each of the colors. 

Well now we have added matching tissue paper squares. We sit on the kitchen floor and match up the color of the paper to the color of the card. While doing this I make sure to use several learning modalities. We had a teachable moment and so I rolled with it! YAY!

We use visual (seeing), auditory (hearing), kinesthetic (moving), and tactile (touching) as part of our leaning styles.  While he krinkles the paper I say, "Yellow, Yellow, Yellow" and then I will say, "Orange, Orange, Orange." Then, I will lay them out and say, "Where's the orange?" (he picks it up) Then I say, "Where's the yellow?" (he picks it up)....and so on.  He gets it right 4 out 5 times and he is only one! YAY! He gets so excited and it's fun for him! We only do a couple of colors at a time but mix up which colors we use. We plan on doing this atleast twice a week now.

Here is a great website from education.com that talks about how to use different modalities! 

Valentine's Day Centerpiece

If you plan on having a Valentine's Day party why not offer your guest DIY arts and crafts. Load up a table with different materials to spark their creative side.  Your guest will have fun choosing from a variety of arts and crafts to make and take home.







Here are some different ideas to get started with.

To make a valentine bouquet include :

Half pint size mason jars
Sucker Sticks
Valentine Candy
Valentine Embellishments
Gumballs (pink, red, white)
Ribbon
 








Here are a couple more options for crafts on your Valentine's table.

This is how I made my heart garland.
Fold craft paper in half and draw half of a heart.
Cut it out and and open it up. You will have a whole hart that is symmetrical. Punch two holes in the top to lace the ribbon through.

Valentine's Wreath

Valentine's Day Wreath

Valentine's Day is just around the corner and if your looking to jazz up your entry way this a great way to do it! I got this fun idea from Homemade Ginger. I added ribbon and a bow to mine to set the mood for a romantic Valentine's Day Wreath. It's super easy and fun to make! Here is what I used. You can also purchase this wreath from me on Etsy.com

Materials:
Felt
Scissors
Pins
Styrofoam
Ribbon
Glass of Wine (optional, those are a lot of circles)

I cut out 150 felt circles using the spool from the ribbon as my outline. Once you cut the circles fold them in half and then fold them in half again. Pin the point of the felt into the Styrofoam to makea a nice little ruffle.

Only cover the front of the foam so that it stays nice and flush against the door. Pin each end of the ribbon into the foam and tie a knot to hang on the hook.

 This is a simple and fun craft to do any time of the year. Just change the color of the felt to match the season. So DIY crafters, grab you a glass of wine a pair of scissors and start cutting! Have fun! Happy Valentines!

Jack's First Birthday!

Happy Birthday Jack! My son turned one and we through him a simple yet cute family party. We went with a ball theme and I think it turned out very cute. This party theme is a simple and great way to keep a party on a small budget. I did get my inspiration from Tip Junkie and added my own creative twist.

Everything was homemade, Even my delicious Cake Pops and Cookies!  My best friend owns an embroidery machine and was able to make Jack a onesie and an awesome chair with his name on it! You can see her work at Little Monkey Gifts. The chair makes an awesome back drop for pictures while they are opening their gifts!