Pinspiration.

Hi!  Can you believe that its already Wednesday?  I'm super excited for this weekend because Caleb and I are actually staying home.  I can hardly wait to get started on finishing off some last minute projects around the house before Thanksgiving...

I'm on a role with actually making the pins that I pin on Pinterest!  This pin is another that I saw a loooong time ago and have been dying to make.  Cute, right?

Funky Junk Interiors via Jodi on Pinterest

Here is my version.

I just realized that my white linen is totally caught in the door...

I found the frame at an antique shop for $5.00 and used some picture handing wire and a staple gun to finish it off.  I'm not super crazy about the wire so I may eventually switch it out for something else... any suggestions??  Twine maybe?  I also didn't have clothes pins so I punched a hole in my pictures and used some jute to attach them to the wire.  Not super crazy about that either, but I wanted to use items I already owned.  I have since purchased some clothes pins at dollar tree so I can't wait to hang up more pictures using those.

I may repost this in a couple weeks after I make some changes.  Kinda a work in progress, but I have already gotten several compliments from guests.

Oh, and guess what?!  My Pinterest project from last week was featured on Fortune Favors the Brave by Sarah!  Stop by and check it out.  Stay a while and check out the rest of her blog too.  She's a crafty, amazing cook who likes to read.  Pretty good combo!

Today I am linking this post up with Sarah, Amber, and Melissa for The Pinspiration Project.  The goal is to actually try out some of those pins that you've been drooling over!

& Michelle at The Vintage Apple for Oh, How Pinteresting!

Craft Quicky: Fabric Covered Canvas

Framed fabric seems to be a pretty popular decorating staple right now.  My friend Lauren over at LA Stitch recently posted about how she used framed fabric to decorate her new apartment and I loved how it looked! 

I have never framed fabric, but something that I have done several time in the past that is pretty similar is covering a piece of canvas with a piece of fabric that I wanted to incorporate into the room.  I'm not a seamstress by any means so this is a way to use fabric and easily incorporate color and interest into a room.  Its also really inexpensive!

In the guest bedroom that I recent finished I wanted something cheap and easy that would have a big impact and take up a big chunk of wall space.  I didn't have a picture frame, but I did have a large canvas that I had started a project on and never finished (imagine that...).

You only need a few supplies:

A canvas

Piece of fabric

Scissors

Hot glue gun 

** I also recommend ironing the fabric well so that no wrinkles show.

After ironing your fabric, place the canvas face down on the material.  Its easiest to do this on the floor, but my little kitten wouldn't let me get any work done.

Put hot glue along the back part of the canvas where the canvas is stapled to the wood frame.  I staple gun also work really well for this project and enables you to stretch the material tighter.  I don't have one so hot glue worked just fine.

Be sure that the fabric is pressed into the hot glue securely so that it stays in place.  Also be sure to stretch the fabric tight so that the look is clean on the front of the canvas.  The corners are a little more difficult to maneuver, but make sure that the fabric doesn't bulk in these areas.

The last step is to hang the fabric on the wall to enjoy!  Done!

Easy.  Cheap.  Big Impact!

Happy Crafternoon.

Only a few more days until vacation!  Woohoo!

I've been keeping myself busy with housework and spending time with dear friends.  Alice, Chad, and Lauren joined me to make some new decorations form an idea that we found on Pinterest.  Lauren christened the day with the name "Crafternoon."

We had brownie batter dip!  You can find the recipe here.

Don't worry.  There was wine.

Our finished products were pretty impressive.  Mine is the one that looks Valentine's Day-ish.  Oops.  This project was easy and it looks great on my door!

Crafting wears Splinter out!

Sometimes the simple things are the best things.

Craft Quicky: Valentine Heart Paper Chain Garland

I LOVE Valentines Day.  Okay, I love any excuse to decorate.    Keep in mind that I live in the teeny tiniest little loft apartment and don't have a mantel so the top of my bookshelf serves this purpose.  Since the decorations are supposed to be for Valentine's Day I had to add some pictures of my Love Caleb.  I especially love the one of us from Freshman year of college.  Caleb's hair makes me smile.  :)  The other is one of our engagement photos.

I picked up the little angel and the paper doilies from Dollar Tree.  I strung the doilies through ribbon to hang them up and then added my Mason Jars with some carnations.  Carnations just happen to be my favorite flower... I'm a cheap date.  I dug out an old scrap of fabric to put underneath.  It's almost like a game to scrounge around through all my junk to try and see what I can put together!  

I knew that I wanted to add a homemade touch and once again, I saw this idea on Pinterest and knew that it was something that I was going to try.  It was really easy and only took about a half an hour to make a chain that was long enough to drape over the bookshelf.  

All you need is some scrapbook paper, a ruler, a pencil or pen, and a stapler.  I put the ruler down on the paper and made the strips the width of the ruler so that they would all be uniform.  I cut the strips, then folded them in half to make them the right length.  The pictures below do a better job at explaining how to put the chain together than I think I could do trying to put it into words.

And there you go!  Totally Valentine worthy!

Three Homemade Christmas Gift Ideas.

Oh my gosh people!  There is snow outside!  Not just flurries.  Not just a smattering.  Ground covering, white and fluffy, beautiful snow!  This is the first year that I have had a job where I don't have to drive around in the snow.  But you know what I love more than that?

Homemade Christmas gifts! 

There is something special about receiving a gift and knowing that time was put into it just for you.  I've been keeping a lookout for some great gift ideas to recreate and share with family and friends.  Here are a few of my favorites!

Sallie at Texas Cottage compiled a list, complete with links to the instructions, on how to make ten different Christmas presents in a bottle.  I know that everyone has seen ideas similar to this, but have you ever received one of these gifts?  So much fun.  I have a ton of Mason jars in my cabinet and I can't wait to try some of these!

Source: Texas Cottage

Does anyone read Enjoying the Small Things?  Kelle posted about my favorite idea yet!  She made smores kits with her girls to hand out as gifts.  I love love love this!!!  Who doesn't like smores?!

  If any of you are finding it difficult to get into the Christmas spirit just check out her blog and you'll be singing Deck the Halls and Jingle Bells the rest of the evening!



Source: Enjoying the Small Things



Another clever craft that I have been working on are these cute little hand warmers.  So easy and inexpensive to make.  I first spotted them on Etsy, but decided to give it a go myself.  All you do is cut out the shapes from felt, fill with rice, and sew them shut.  You place them in the microwave for 20 to 30 seconds on a chilly day and put them in your pocket!  Love.

Source: Etsy

These are just three out of about a gazillion that I like.  I've obviously been using Pinterest to keep all of my ideas organized.  Obsessed I tell you.  Obsessed! 

So now that I have ruined Christmas surprises for several of my family and friends I think its time to go drink some cocoa.  :)