Anthro-inspired Flatware Wall Art

I recently posted about my laundry list of house projects for 2010. Noting that I'm finishing my Master's, looking for jobs, pregnant and due in April, have a husband, 2-year-old daughter, dog, house and teach dance on the side {I'm really not complaining...my life is AMAZING}, the outlook on completing all these projects is not great. I told myself just to do things as I had time. Today was just such a day! I had some time and a lot of inspiration, a perfect combination for fluffing up our nest!

I posted about some great finds from Hobby Lobby {here}, including this beautiful silver matte frame I scored for $15.



This poor wall in our kitchen has been screaming for help ever since August, when I stumbled onto some amazing blogs and got the itch to make our house a home. Just for giggles, I put the Hob Lob frame up there, as it seemed so cold and bare after taking down my wrapped canvas "present" {here}.

This was number 24 on my {not in sequential or any other type of order} to do list for the great house-home transformation of 2010. Not something I really thought about doing anytime soon, for sure. But somehow today the inspiration struck and I got it done...and QUICK! It was such an easy project - probably less than two hours, which included a quick trip to WalMart to get some supplies, a cranky toddler, and an emergency visit from the plumber!

The Project: Anthropologie-inspired Flatware Wall Art
This great set of antique flatware wallpapers from Anthropologie has been catching my eye a lot these days, and something I thought I could remake for our kitchen {yeah...the $620 pricetag is just slightly out of my budget!}. I got some natural-looking material from WalMart, photoshopped some pics of antique cutlery I found online, printed onto iron transfer paper and ironed onto my material. Easy peasy!



Here's what I did:

Cut a piece of foam board to fit into the 14"x18" opening.




This is the material from WalMart I used. I'm not sure what it's called...it's pretty soft, but has lots of natural-looking fibers and "flaws." I liked the $2.47/yd. price!


Photoshop images:

I thought the flatware images needed a little something more, so I added this phrase at the bottom:
Here are the images printed out onto the transfer paper:



"Action shot" of the ironing process:


And the {almost} final product. I didn't have time this evening to finish adhering the material to the foam board, but couldn't wait to share. I think it turned out pretty well for a quickie project!




Sorry the pics aren't the greatest. My excitement is overtaking my photography skills! If you'd like the Photoshop images for your own personal use, just click on the cutlery and "cuisine d'art" images and right click to save to your computer. They're a pretty large size, so you can really have some fun! Hope you enjoy!

P.S. - I'm linking to the following

Oh, Hobby Lobby

Oh, Hobby Lobby...

How do I love thee? Let me count the ways...

Regular Price
Moss - $5 {some things are good enough to buy full price}



Bargain Price
66% off...

Silver frame - $45 on sale for $15. I was going to use to create a Red Envelope-inspired family tree, but the hubs really likes it here. Sooooo...I think I may try to recreate something similar to Anthro's flatware wallpaper. I also scored the off-white candles for about $2 a piece...can't go wrong with that price!


Faux greens - just under $2 {regularly $5}. A little green goes a long way...it definitely livens up the stairwell {see previous post/rant}! Not sure why this was 66% off, especially with spring coming, but you bet your bootie I snatched it RIGHT up! Also, the little silver box {with some fun French-inspired graphics & postage on it} in front of the basket was $2 if that. The bottom is a little messed up, but I wasn't planning on using it in a functional way, so I didn't care.


{Notice the moss below the candles! Gotta make the most of those big purchases!}

BIG Bargain Price
90% off...

The little silver "arrow"-looking do-dad was a stocking hanger. $1. I bought two.


The other arrow is over on the right by the birds. The center silver do-dad is another stocking hanger. This one was a whopping $2.


For the two arrows I just bent the hooks until they came off {I would have been WHOPPING mad if I'd paid $10 for these babies!}. The big one in the center I just bent up - it wasn't coming off!

This prima ballerina was my priciest purchase at $2.50 {orig. $24.99}. Not quite sure how I'm going to get the hook off, so I may leave it and hang a pretty little something from it...assuming I trust my 2-year-old not to pull it off the bookshelf. This one may need to find a temporary home for a few years! But I love her...that is, my daughter and the ballerina. I probably would have paid $25 for it. PROBABLY.


My other huge bargain was a 90-FOOT roll {yes, FOOT} of 2"-widecandy cane-striped wire ribbon that I will be using ALL over next year. Originally $20, I picked it up for...$2.

All in all it was a great shopping day. Some days I go there and leave depressed I can't do more with what I have, but this trip was a definite score in the cheap-o category, even with a VERY picked over holiday "section" {half an aisle, if that!}. I definitely suggest checking out their leftover holiday stuff on the off chance you find some exciting, drool-sparking deals!

The Former Bane of My Decor Existence

The shelf on our stairwell has plagued me for the past five years {yes, we've lived in our house for five years!}. It's long and narrow, just like the stairwell, and has displayed do-dads of various styles, shapes, and sizes that are ANYTHING but eye-catching.

After my trip to Hobby Lobby yesterday, coupled with inspiration from so many bloggers, I think I've finally found something I can live with. The hubs says he loves it, but knows I won't like it in five months from now {I think he's more worried about the bottom line that anything else!}. I told him that I just need to keep moving things around the house...no more money to be spent {o.k., unless it's a great clearance deal I just CAN'T pass up!}!!!

Take a look:


Good enough for me right now...much improved from anything I had before. Too bad I don't have any pics to verify my statement, but you'll just have to trust me here!!!

House Projects

I've gone through my house and made a list {that continues to grow by the day!} of all the things I'd like to improve, re-do, DIY projects, etc. It isn't too long, but when you think about the time it will actually take to complete each project, coupled with work, school, family, and a new baby in April, it seems a little more daunting.

My plan is to work on these throughout 2010, NOT all at once as I seem to expect these types of things to happen. This will be the year of patience...I hope! ; )

Here's my running list as of today:

1. Pottery Barn-inspired typewriter key wall decor for dining room {like this one seen on Susie Harris's blog} to go here {I think I'll do the background antique white}:
2. Dining room light fixture - spray paint
3. Office chair - spray paint and recover
4. Office bulletin board {possibly similar to this one at Ballard Designs...a magnetic, burlap-covered one}
5. Office - cover crate that printer is on {and organize the cords!!!}{looking at it from this picture, I think I may even just skirt the desk or something like that...this is pretty BAD!!!}
   
6. Office - paint dresser {?}
7. Office - new comforter/sheets {also serves as a guest room}
   
8. Office - new curtain
9. Family room - new curtains
   
10. Family room - recover Grandma's old chair
11. Family room - book wreath inspired by Living with Lindsay {will go over chair above)
12. Master Bedroom - paint dresser {white/cream with black hardware?} {image courtesy Pottery Barn}
13. Master Bedroom - Add molding to headboard
14. Master Bedroom - rearrange layout
15. Master Bedroom - decor for empty wall {it's big and BARE! Inspiration & ideas welcome! Our bedroom is small, so I want to keep it S.I.M.P.L.E.!!!}
16. Master Bedroom - new comforter & sheets {Pottery Barn ??? - or something similar}
    
    {images courtesy Pottery Barn}
17. Anna's room - light blue paint to replace red
18. Anna's room - white "A Child's Year" silhouettes {my mom has a Cricut Expressions machine and I want to put up vinyl silhouettes around the bottom color...think the pink bunnies in Michelle Tanner's room on "Full House"...for you 80s/90s sitcom fans}
19. Anna's room - wall decor
20. Dining room - chair covers {?} Ballard Designs' latest catalog had an embroidered parson chair slipcover that I love and think would be great for our dining room {photo courtesy Ballard Designs}
21. Living room/Dining room - CURTAINS
    {Ugh. They're awful. They came with the house and we just kept them becuase they were great at blocking the light. Now that I'm trying to beef up our decor from hand-me-down-chic to actual "grown-up" decor, they're just not working for me. That, and our living room/dining room is WAY too dark. I need to brighten things up!}
22. Kitchen - mail organizer for side of fridge {something like this one on Craftzine, but I don't sew. We'll see!}
    
23. Kitchen - replace linoleum
24. Kitchen - wall decor
25. Kitchen - new curtains
26. Two thumb back chairs - paint {add covered seat to black one} {pretty rough, huh?!}

I'm linking to A Silly Little Sparrow

Shelf FREE-Do!

This shelf, as with most of my house since getting into everyone's blogs, has been bugging me. Christmas decor was anything left over in my tubs...it was the last step before finishing the decorating (see below).


UGH. Seriously. It was nothing spectacular and actually made me angry to look at!

However, after a FANTASTIC trip to Hobby Lobby yesterday that left my head spinning with inspiration I came right home to revamp and rev up. Interestingly enough, everything here on the shelf are things I already had at home, nothing from the Hob Lob trip!

Not the greatest shot, but the two that follow show some detail.



Old pic of me and our 2-year-old. Spray painted tray, flower, vase & {WRESTLING} book are all from $ stores in town. We have this great $ store in town that has just a few in its chain and you can get the GREATEST finds in there. Love it!


The folded book was inspired by the latest PB Kids catalog I received. They had books with folded pages hanging from the ceiling in a playroom. Too cute - had to "lift" it!


So, a work in progress I guess. But I'm SO much happier with it than before. And, the hubs even commented that he really liked it so it's a keeper - for now!

I'm linking this post to the DIY Showoff's Show & Tell!

Homemade Christmas

I try to be economical, creative, and fun when thinking of gifts for our nieces and nephews, whose ages range from 2 - 6 years old. I ran across these 16" x 20" (or so) canvases at the Christmas Tree Shop for just about $3 each and knew I could do something fun with them for the kids' gifts this year.

{Please don't mind the background...these were taken in our basement laundry room!}


These colors are in Emma's bedding, which our daughter also has. It's the Shabby Chic Fairytale Bedding line at Target. Emma is a cutie-patootie and while she's not known for eating ice cream (although I'm sure she likes it!), this silhouette definitely reminded me of her!


Chloe is the oldest - 6 years old - and just got her hair cut like this over the summer. I have a wonderful picture of her hula hooping on our deck and just had to do this silhouette for hers! I tried to Mod Podge for the first time, and poor Chloe's picture kept puckering. Thank God for good old glue! Needless to say the Mod Podging ended there!


Zachary - or ZackAttack as we call him - has a golden retriever named Duke. Zach is 4, is known for jumping on beds, and this soooo reminds me of him!


Sweet Alexa is the youngest of the group...for now! She's almost two - just two months younger than our daughter. We're expecting another in April. Anyway, she's a sweet and quiet little thing she's ZackAttack's sister!..enough said!


Ben falls in line just behind Chloe and is also 6. His father is a fire fighter, and his bedroom has old firefighter helmets and other such things in it. He's such a sweet boy and wants to be just like his daddy. {sniffle}

My wonderful mother shares her Cricut machine with me and helped me cut out all the silhouettes from "A Child's Year." The kids will be getting these tomorrow...I am so nervous they won't like them! In the very least, I had a GREAT time making them and am glad I can give them something unique and not just another toy. : )