4th of July Blocks

Even though it's a few days late, here are the blocks I've made for the 4th. I can use them all summer and year long if I wanted, too! I love being a patriot and love my freedom!

Of course this is something I found on Pinterest, so I have to give credit where credit is due. If you would like to make one, go check it out!

And thanks to my wonderful husband who helped me cut them out!

Have a wonderful July! (my favorite month!! :))

M

Frame on Board

The latest project I made was a picture frame. I found this on Pinterest, of course! It worked out really well because Bobby had a couple pieces of plywood in the garage. I snagged one of them and away I went. I'm not really a 'tute' girl, but I'll give it a try. Usually I forget to take pictures during, but got a couple of this project.

The steps to making this are really simple.
You need:
2' square piece of plywood
paint
painters tape
picture frame
glue

I started with my board and cut a hole in the middle. I used our handy dandy  jigsaw and a drill with a big enough bit to fit the jigsaw blade into. Make sure and measure so that your picture is centered (I learned the hard way!). You'll want this to be a little bit bigger then the size of the glass so that you have no problems getting the glass in or changing the photo. If you don't want to ever change the photo, you can just skip this step.
I took the board and painted it my back ground color, or you can paint it a base color. You can see from the picture that I didn't have my hole quite big enough and so I made it a tad wider.

Next you will start painting your background. I like the Chevron, so I got out my masking tape, ruler and pencil and started drawing my pattern. (Quick tip on a chevron pattern: cut a square and then make 2 triangles out of that. You can place these in a pattern to make the zig-zag) I marked it off and painted.

After that paint dried I took off the tape and got ready to set my frame on it. Several options at this point. 
1. stick the frame on and viola, you're done.
2. set frame and mark what you want to write on the frame.

I have seen several ideas where you write down the lyrics to the song you and your husband 's first dance. I decided that I would put the chorus on this frame.

 There she is. The complete version of my board and frame!

M

Felt Flower

A felt flower that I stole from Pinterest. It is super easy!

Cut out 6 circles and a smaller one for the back. Glue or sew the pin onto the piece for the back. Fold the circles in half and the thirds, making an "S" shape. (Fold one to the front and one to the back.)
You will have 6 pieces to the pie. Glue those onto the base piece.

Here is what the back will look like.

Fluff the edges up and glue button on top. My finished product. 

Can use as a brooch or on a hat or headband!

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!!

Crafty jars and Moss Wreath

I pin stuff on Pinterest all the time, but rarely get any of the ideas done. I finally got a couple projects done. My inspiration to finish this was playing with my nephew a couple weekends ago.
He always want me to play with him... and I always do. This past time was, "Let's go play with Bobby's toys!" So, upstairs we go and drag out and dump all over the floor, TOYS!

While going through these toys there were some little farm animals. I stuck a couple in my pocket for this project. I saw another lady had done this and it was so cute.

Here is my version:

I just hot glued them to the lids

Spray painted the flat black

And Viola!

Also, I made this wreath last week!

Supplies

Not Great pictures, I know!
But it turned out pretty cute.
I like it plain, but I also like that I can add different stuff for each season!

Cyprus Lumber

When Bobby was in high school he accumulated some lumber that his great uncle and Great Granddad had put in their horse barn in Katy, Texas. When Bobby and I got married we took some of that lumber to make furniture for our house. Bobby and my dad made a table top and we had a guy make legs out of Cyprus lumber he had cut. It made a beautiful dining room table!

We also took remaining lumber to make a bench and a "John Wayne" gun rack!

Bobby and the bench

John Wayne Gun Rack

We have thoroughly enjoyed having these pieces in our home and have just enough left over for a coffee table. Oh how I can't wait for that!

Have a great day!

Mandie