A Kid Sized Makeover

July 11, 2019April 25, 20243 Comments

Mini Park Bench Makeover

Tucked away beside my porch, next to my hydrangeas, was a wobbly, forgotten little park bench.

It had been left out all winter and hadn’t weathered very well.

I picked up the little bench a few years ago at a yard sale when it was still in good shape.

The bench has nice metal frame and a cute jungle theme inset.

I knew with a little tender loving care the bench could be almost as good as new.

I carefully took the bench apart and gave it a light sanding to get rid of the rust and grim.

I painted the frame with Rust-Oleum Dark Gray Paint and Primer*.

*Disclosure: “This is a sponsored post. I have been provided product in exchange for my creative ideas. The views and opinions are my own.” This blog uses ads and affiliate links. If you choose to make a purchase using one of the links, I receive a small commission (at no additional cost to you) that helps offset the costs of maintaining this blog. Thanks for your support!

I had a difficult time choosing which color I wanted to use so I created a color sample board.

In the end I went with white. (bird poop doesn’t show up as much on white)

The wood slats were painted with DecoArt White Americana Decor Color Stain*.

DecoArt Color Stain has a semi-transparent, satin sheen for enhancing wood, concrete, terra cotta, and other surfaces that can be displayed indoors or out. Once cured, there is no reason to add an additional polyurethane or other sealant on top. The water-based formula makes cleanup simple while still offering a durable finish.

And because little details count…I also painted the screws.

Do you like how I used a long reach hole punch to make holes in my box for the screws to sit?

Finished Park Bench (well almost)

The white color stain paint* allows the wood grain to show through giving my bench

a “worn look” with out being worn out. (It’s hard to see by the pictures.)

When my husband got home and looked at the bench he thought the animals looked a little flat.

So…I rubbed DecoArt Champagne Ice Metallic Lustre™ Wax* on the metal to make them stand

out. I added a little metallic lustre™ wax* on the bench frame as well.

DecoArt generally recommends using a Multi-Purpose Spray Sealer* if you plan to keep a piece

with Metallic Lustre outside.

He was right, it really makes a difference.

I placed the bench in the shade under the maple tree in the front yard.

All I need is a couple pint sized buddies to come over and enjoy it with me.

Don’t Miss a Thing…Make Sure to Follow me

If you liked this post you might like to read A Trash to Treasure Love Story

Crafting with Kids…all about bugs

July 8, 2019February 9, 2023Leave a comment

BUZZIN’ BUGS

The summer crafting adventures continue with Nick and Warren and the July Orange Art Box.

This month’s box is all about Bugs and I do believe it was Warren’s favorite box.

The kit came with supplies to make a bug jar, cute little felt bugs, bug stencils, stickers,

paper to make a bug book, plastic bugs, markers and several other fun crafty supplies.

Check out the boy’s video and the July Orange Art Box.

(I’m starting to wonder if I should include their bloopers. Never a dull moment.)

The Orange Art Box is a subscription art box for kids.

*Disclosure: “This is a sponsored post. I have been provided product in exchange for my creative ideas. The views and opinions are my own.”

Dream Create Inspire Wall Decor

July 6, 2019February 9, 2023Leave a comment

Dream Create Inspire Wall Décor

I have been working diligently for the last couple of months on my new craft room.

Moving, purging, organizing and very slowly decorating. (so much stuff!)

I’m almost ready for a “craft room reveal” but not quite yet.

This past week-end I decided to add a little inspiration to my freshly painted closet doors.

I like the look of inspirational quotes on walls and decided to create one of my own.

With the help of my Silhouette Cameo Wireless Cutting Machine* and

Matte Removable Adhesive Vinyl* from Styletechcraft the project was real easy to create.

(getting a good picture of the final project not so easy)

*Disclosure: This blog uses ads and affiliate links. If you choose to make a purchase using one of the links, I receive a small commission (at no additional cost to you) that helps offset the costs of maintaining this blog. Thanks for your support!

I measured the space on the door where I wanted the words to go and decided where the best spacing would be for all three words.
I cut the Gridded Vinyl Transfer Tape* to fit inside the space.
I used the bottom line of the grid and line on the door inset to line up my words.
Once you place your word onto your surface, smooth over word with the vinyl tool.

I found it easier to place the words Dream and Inspire first and then center the word Create in between the two.

I cut two small flowers using dark red removeable vinyl and placed them in between the words.

Did you know that Matte Removable Vinyl will remove cleanly for up to two years?

This vinyl film is great for decorating a kid’s room, a classroom or just about anywhere

you just need a temporary graphic.

“This is a sponsored post. As a member of the StyleTechCraft Design Team I have been provided product and compensation in exchange for my creative ideas. The views and opinions are my own.

You can now find the full line of StyletechCraft online at ATSM.

Quick and Easy Golfer Gift

June 29, 2019June 25, 2019Leave a comment

Monogram Golf Towel

Make something special for your favorite golfer using

Joy® embroidered iron-on monogram letters!

To make the Monogram Towel you will need:

Joy® Monogram Left Letter
Joy® Monogram Center Letter
Joy® Monogram Right Letter
Plain Golf Towel
Iron and pressing cloth

Instructions:

Check care label of towel to check heat tolerance.
Heat iron to cotton setting 300-350°.
Position letters onto towel, heat seal side down, threads up.
Carefully cover letters with a clean cloth.
Using firm pressure, iron over the letters in a circular motion for 30 seconds.
Turn towel over and iron the back for another 30 seconds.
Let cool for a minute before handling.

Joy® iron-on embroidered letters and appliqués can be found at your local craft stores!

“This is a sponsored post. As a member of the Joy® Design Team I have been provided product and compensation in exchange for my creative ideas. The views and opinions are my own.

Gnome Gardening with Kids

June 26, 2019July 13, 2021Leave a comment

Gnome Gardening with Kids

One of our favorite Summer traditions is creating our annual Gnome Gardens.

The boys and I look forward to making them every year.

I started the tradition of Gnome Gardening several years ago when Nick was only 3.

You can see our first garden here.

To create our gardens we use a variety of containers and objects we’ve picked up along the way.

For the plants, we use succulents and flowers that won’t grown too big.

I like using Asparagus Ferns to mimic trees.

As mini gardens grow in popularity… there several places you can find accessories

for your gardens. We like to get something new for our gardens every year.

This year we added items picked up at Dollar Tree*.

This is Nick’s 6th year making Gnome Gardens so he’s pretty proficient with his garden.

Check out last years garden. (always an adventure)

This is Warren’s 3rd year making a Gnome Garden.

He lets me help him. (maybe that’s why his is my favorite)

His garden is all about the house placement.

You can see Warren’s first Gnome Garden here.

I love seeing how much they’ve grown from their first gardens.

The extra credit award goes to my daughter-in-law (the boys mom).

She found this little gnome house at Dollar Tree* and repainted it with a Mario inspired look.

The tiny Camper and firepit was from last years garden and is available at Leisure Arts, Inc.

Leisure Arts Mini Garden Supplies… (*affiliate link)

This year was Emerson’s turn for his first Gnome Garden.

He always wants to do everything his big brothers are doing.

Water bottles are a great item to have when Gnome Gardening.

It helps the boys control how much water goes on the garden, and they’re fun too.

This little stinker sprayed me as I stuck my head out the window for a quick pic.

(I may have sprayed him first.)

Creating mini Gnome Gardens is a fun and memorable project to make with kids.

We always have a good time.

It gives them something to take care of all summer long.

And…it adds a little whimsy to my front porch.

To create a Gnome Garden you’ll need:

Container for your garden. I like finding unusual items like the top of a broken wagon. It adds a little extra whimsy to the garden.
Good Potting Soil
Small Garden Tools
Gnome or Fairy Figures
Rocks, Twigs and other found objects
Store Bought Accessories such as the gnome houses
Succulents
Annuals that won’t grow too big or tall
I like to use Asparagus Ferns to mimic trees
Water Bottle

Start the Gnome Garden by adding potting soil to your container.
Allow the kids to loosen up the soil before adding plants.
Small gardening tools are also fun to have.
Add plants to the container before adding accessories.
I like to add the largest plants first near the back of the container.
Allow the kids to add their special pieces to the garden.
Give the garden a good spray of water using the water bottles.

A Special Thanks to Leisure Arts, Inc. for providing the Mini Garden Supplies.

Creating a Summertime Essentials Bag

June 18, 2019June 13, 2019Leave a comment

With Summer and Vacation time here…

it’s a good idea to make a Safe Travels Essentials Bag to pack in the car.

There are so many things to remember when taking a vacation.

So…whenever we take a road trip I like to pack a few essentials to have handy.

When you have kids you never know what can happen.

For my Safe Travels Bag I used:

Joy Iron On Embroidered Letters
Black Vinyl Bag*
Beacon 3 in 1 Craft Glue*

If you use a fabric bag… cover with a soft clean cloth and iron on cotton settings for 30 seconds. Turn bag inside out and iron for an additional 30 seconds.
Because I used a leather bag… I glued the letters onto the bag using a craft glue.

There are so many items that you might need to have on hand this summer.

These are just a few:

band-aids or first aid kit
sunscreen
anti itch spray
bug spray
rain poncho
scissors
small sewing kit
tweezers
toilet paper?

“This is a sponsored post. As a member of the Joy® Design Team I have been provided product and compensation in exchange for my creative ideas. The views and opinions are my own.

Look for Joy® iron-on embroidered alphabet letter sheets at your local craft store.

Crafting with Nick…Under the Sea

June 12, 2019February 9, 2023Leave a comment

Nick’s back with a fun project using the June Orange Art Box.

I think this month’s kit has been our favorite Orange Art Box so far.

The theme for the June Box is “Under the Sea” and Nick had a really fun

time creating his fish inspired Shadow Box.

Check out Nick’s video below.

The Orange Art Box is a subscription art box for kids.

*Disclosure: “This is a sponsored post. I have been provided product in exchange for my creative ideas. The views and opinions are my own.”

Nick’s finished project.

I think the Shadow Box would make a great vacation memory project with a cute beach

photograph included inside the frame.

The Ugly Planter Box

June 7, 2019May 13, 202513 Comments

It’s true…I have a soft spot in my heart for sweet old gentlemen.

(and apparently, so does my husband)

While on a call, my husband met this nice older gentleman.

The two began to talk and one thing leads to another and my husband walks away

with this wood planter box that the gentleman had made.

“This is a sponsored post. I have been provided product from Wagner and DecoArt in exchange for my creative ideas. The views and opinions are my own.

As he unloaded it from the car he actually apologized. (it’s like he doesn’t know me at all)

It was a little unique with the hand drawn pictures on the side.

But, I thought it was great.

All it needed was a couple coats of Farmhouse White Curb Appeal Paint from DecoArt*.

Earlier this year… I received the HomeRight Super Finish Max Extra Power Painter*

along with the HomeRight Large Spray Shelter* from the awesome folks at Wagner.

I’ve been wanting these for a while now and have been eagerly waiting for the weather to turn

nice and the rain to stop so that I could use them.

With the exception of trying the sprayer at the Creativation Trade Show,

it was the first time I’d used a power sprayer. It was super easy to use and clean up.

And…it comes with three sprayer tips for different uses.

The portable spray tent is great to use on days with a little breeze or even indoors.

I can’t wait to use it on even bigger projects.

Ok, I’ll admit, because of the marker drawings on the side it took more than a couple coats.

It really was easy to use and the Curb Appeal Paint dried really quick.

After all the coats of paint were dry I gave the box a light sanding to make it smooth.

The box looked a little too plain, so I decided to stencil a design on the sides.

DecoArt Americana Classic Jacobean Floral Stencil
“Dolphin” Americana Multi-Surface Satin Paint*.

To stencil the design…

Position the stencil onto the box and tape down the edges with removable painter’s tape to keep the stencil from moving. Use stipple brush to apply paint inside open stencil areas.
Carefully remove stencil from box. Make sure there is no excess paint that’s seeped under the stencil before moving the stencil to the next area on the box.

I painted the edges of the box with a thin layer of “dolphin” paint.
After everything was completely dry I lightly sanded the box with a piece of extra fine sand paper. The sand paper gives the box the worn and weathered look I was going for.

Now onto the fun part, the fruits of my labor.

I picked soft pink geraniums, vincas, pink coleus and vinca vines to fill my flower box.

I put the box on an old white bench and sat it in front of my window.

It’s one of the first things I see as I come down the stairs in the morning.

I love how soft and delicate the flowers look inside the box.

It’s a great addition to my front porch.

And to think my husband apologized for bringing it home. (I think it’s lovely.)

If you liked this post you might like to read A Trash to Treasure Love Story

Simple Summer Vase

June 5, 2019February 9, 20231 Comment

Create a Simple Summer Vase using Transparent Adhesive Vinyl from StyleTechCraft.

Transparent vinyl is great when you just want to add a subtle touch of color.

It’s great for using on windows, glassware and just about anywhere else you want a unique look.

To create my Simple Vase I used: (*affiliate links)

StyleTechCraft Transparent Vinyl in Sky Blue and Teal*
StyleTechCraft Vinyl Transfer Tape*
Styletechcraft Vinyl Tool Kit*
Inexpensive Cylinder Vase from Dollar Tree*
Silhouette Cameo Wireless Cutting Machine*
Flower SVG file from the Silhouette Store

Directions:

Cut several flower shapes using the Silhouette Cameo* and the Sky-Blue Transparent Vinyl. Don’t have a electronic die cutter? The transparent vinyl can be cut using various metal dies.
Cut leaves out of the teal vinyl.
Using the weeding tool, I carefully removed the negative spaces in and around the flowers and leaves.
Place a piece of Vinyl Transfer Tape* over the flower image. Apply transfer tape onto the cylinder vase and rub over the vinyl using a vinyl scraper tool to eliminate bubbles.
Remove transfer tape.
Repeat with the leaves.

Allow vinyl to cure for several days. (Hand washing is recommended.)

I added a piece of white paper inside the vase so you can see the pattern better.

It’s hard to see in this picture the variation between the sky blue and teal vinyl.

“This is a sponsored post. As a member of the StyleTechCraft Design Team I have been provided product and compensation in exchange for my creative ideas. The views and opinions are my own.