Receiving Blankets

A couple years ago I had several friends that were having babies. I wanted to get them a fun and unique gift. I visited with my crafty mom and she gave me the idea to make some receiving blankets. I didn't even know what that was, but after she explained it to me and I researched what stuff they were made out of and what not, I came up with a brilliant idea. So, ever since this is what I gift when a friend has a baby!

The first few that I made, I don't have pictures of, but I've made several this past year.

 This one I made for a lady I worked for's daughter. It has definitely some things to be desired, but it's kinda cute! Shelbie's (the baby) room what decorated with these cute owls!

This is my most recent one and is my favorite because it is for my sweet niece. I'm so excited about it and her. She will join us in probably late August!

Bobby and I have a cousin the just had their first child. He was born on April 20, 2012!
Even though his dad is a Massey Ferguson guy, he got a John Deere blanket. We live in John Deere country out here!

 This blanket belongs to a sweet boy of a friend from college. He is due to come in August! This is just such a hard thing because he has an older brother, whom this blanket was originally for, in heaven! They lost him at 3 weeks old. His name is Cooper Wade. I had the "COOP" already done when I heard that he had passed.

So I set it aside. When I found out that they were pregnant again, and with a boy, I was so excited! They are naming him Clayton Cooper, so I got to finish Cooper's blanket for his little brother! Needless to say, I'm so excited for this little blessing to come into this world!!

 

 I think I've posted this before, but I made this one for a friend of mine. I made one for her daughter a couple years ago (the one I don't have a picture of).

So there is my baby gift idea.

Chalkboard Frame

I had started the project a while back, but never gotten it how I wanted it. At first, I used green chalkboard paint, but the chalk doesn't really show up on green.
Finally I decided just to go with the original black.

I just used a regular 8x10 frame and painted right on the glass.
You need:
Frame w/ glass
Paint (preferably acrylic because it's easier to clean up after)
Grout

There is many recipes on Pinterest for chalkboard paint, but I don't really measure I just dumb some grout in the paint and stir it up. (That's Rachel Ray style... "Ah...that looks like enough!")

I also painted the frame. I didn't want just a plain black frame, but if you have a frame that you like, viola... you're set!

I put my frame on some newspaper to spray paint. I came back to see if it was dry and found this! I thought it was picture perfect!

Stick it all together and you get....

I have now filled out this weeks menu! This has never worked for me before, but maybe now I'll have a new motivation!
2 days down!

I hung it with a aluminum can tab. (which I also found on pinterest)

This was super easy and way better then trying to find the ring that always falls down before you get it on the nail... you know what I'm talking about!!

So I just screwed it on and bent it out a little so it is not right up against the frame!

There you have it! A project finished!!