Pottery Barn Colors + 2x4 Scrap Wood = Cute Gourd and Pumpkin Trio

The other day I was looking on Pottery Barn's website and saw these. So pretty, and with such beautiful colors. I'm not looking to fork over $75, but I would like to have those pretty colors and I've also been wanting to make some 2x4 pumpkins ever since I first saw some on Sassy Sanctuary and so I came up with these. So , without further ado, Pottery Barn color inspiration, meet 2x4 scrap wood pumpkins.


Here's my favorite. The little "cinderella."

And, the whole gang:

I think they turned out pretty well considering they're made from scrap wood!

From Coat Hangers to Cute Halloween Decoration

What all started as simple coat hangers turned into this super cute boo! I can't take the credit for this idea, as my sister-in-law came up with it, but I would love to show you how very easy it is to make one of these!

Stuff you're going to need:

• coat hangers
• old tee shirts or towels (this part will not show)
• ribbon or fabric
• glue (preferably a glue gun)
• some heavy duty tape
• wire cutters or something to cut the hangers

First get your hangers and take them apart. I used 2 to make my "Boo."

Next, bend your hanger into the "B" shape (and you'll do the other letters too) and when you get it the shape you want, then tape it in place.

Once you're done making your letters then cut your towel (or shirt) into strips and just wrap it around the hanger gluing (is that a word???) as you go. You'll come up with something like this:

Once you've got all your letters wrapped up you're ready to tape them together and put on the ribbon. Just glue the ribbon, wind it and glue ever so often.  It really helps to snack on a super yummy snack while you do it, and I'm going to share the perfect recipe in the next few days.
And there you have it, your awesome new Boo decoration. Thank you so much to my sis-in-law for finding this awesome idea and letting me share it with you all :) My head is just swimming with all the other things you could do with this idea. So I wouldn't be too surprised if you see some other spin offs of this in the future.

Faux Pumpkin Facelift Tutorial

We  all have some fake pumpkins sitting around just looking so shiny and oh so very fake. Blah. Who wants a pumpkin like that sitting on their porch? So I gave mine a simple (less than) 5 minute facelift and it looks so much better now! Here it is post facelift.

And Before: Eek! Shiny plastic screaming out: Fake!

All You have to do is get some brown acrylic paint, and squirt out a tiny bit on the pumpkin (start with less as you can always add more as you go) Get a wet paper towel and rub the paint all around your pumpkin and just keep rubbing up and down going the whole way around your pumpkin until you get the desired effect.

Easy to Make Tin Can Luminarias

I love to make crafts that reuse stuff that I already have around the house, plus then I don't feel guilty if I send them off to goodwill after the holiday is over (I hate clutter!) So, I happened across the idea for tin can luminaries at Better Homes and Gardens Website and I thought that would be a cute way to make some little luminaries, or they could be big if you used something like a coffee can. I decided to paint them off white instead of orange. For some reason that just seemed right.
Here they are in the day:

And at night:

What you need-

• tin cans and water
• hammer and nail
• paper, marker and tape
• little tea lights or lcd luminaries
• spray paint in your color of choice

First fill your tin cans almost full of water and freeze them. That way they won't dent when you hammer in the nails. While you're waiting you can download and print templates from BHG, or just draw your own (what I did for 2 of them) Once, the cans are frozen go ahead and tape on  your templates.

Take one can out of the freezer at a time and take it outside and hammer your nail into all the marked places. If you take out of of them they start to melt and get all sweaty and the paper gets mushy. I'm just guessing on that :)

Now go ahead and remove the paper and then give it a few light coats of spray paint.

Ta da- Neat little free luminaries.

Linking to

Its So Very Cheri

Coasters Tutorial- Simple but Sophisticated for only $1.65!

The other day I was thinking that I wanted new monogrammed coasters and then it occured to me that tiles are pretty much coasters and here is what I ended up with.

I am so pleased with how they turned out and it was so simple and cheap to make. My husband even thought they were store bought. Here's a close up.

Now, on to the tutorial. First thing you need is tiles. I got mine from Lowe's and they were only 34 cents each. Next, go into your favorite word editing program and use your initial and figure out which font you like and what size to make it. My font size was 200. Once I figured out the right size I printed it on old scrapbooking paper and cut out the letter using an exacto knife on top of an old picture frame.

Here is my stencil all cut out and ready to go.

For my paint I used some acrylic I had laying around the house.

Then, hold down your stencil and use a paintbrush to paint in the letters. Make it kind of thin so it won't run under the edges of your stencil. You can always do a second coat if you need to. If you get any little imperfections just use a wet q-tip to fix it.  If you accidentally mess up your stenciling you can wash if off in the sink and then dry your tile and start over, not that I am speaking from experience or anything :)

Once your stenciled letter is all dry paint over the top of the whole tile with a clear satin varnish to help protect the paint job. And, if you're feeling extra industrious you can add some little pieces of felt to the back of the tile if you are planning to set it on a surface prone to scratching.

Here are my finished coasters. I am so pleased with how they turned out. There's nothing like a thrifty project that turns out great to make a girl feel good :)

Halloween Mummy Tutorial Using Stuff Around the House

I keep seeing mummies all around blog land and I thought I'd try my hand at making a little mummy candy holder. I really like decorations that are more cute and nice instead of nasty or whatever. 

 This one is made from a water bottle, an old white undershirt and some googley eyes. Its pretty cute to set out with your pumpkins or whatever on the counter filled up with some candy and it definitely doesn't look like its made from stuff you just had laying around the house :) And, I could totally picture making this using a big old coffee container so it would be like a huge mummy bowl.

First, cut the top off of your bottle using a box cutter or knife.

Now get that old tee shirt and cut the bottom off. Then cut around the shirt making one long strip. My strip was about 85 inches long and about an inch wide and I hardly used any of the shirt at all. I used pinking sheers because I thought it would add more interest. Now eat a few handfuls of candy corn.

Start at the bottom and put dabs of glue and just work your way up the container. I used hot glue gun because I want instant gratification but you could easily use regular glue. Decide where you want your eyes to go before you get too far up the bottle.

Cut a little bit of the fabric and glue a strip where the eyes will go and then glue on the eyes. Now just work your way around the rest of the bottle.

Get some candy corn or whatever candy and fill up the container. Eat some more for good measure.  Now you can sit back and admire your freebie creation, or go on a house cleaning spree from your candy corn sugar high :) Enjoy your weekend everyone! Its finally starting to feel like fall!

Linking to:
Under the Table and Dreaming

A Childs Gift from the Heart

I know we all have that person that has everything and its so hard to find something that won't just be more clutter around the house. I always like to give gifts from the heart.  This idea is a super simple idea to say I love you to that special someone. All you need is are fabric markers and a canvas tote bag and a cute kid :)  Let your little artist have carte blanche and your gift recipient is sure to treasure it.

Pottery Barn Inspired Halloween Luminaries

I was thumbing through a magazine the other day when I saw these cute little Pottery Barn  battery operated luminaries from Pottery Barn Kids. I can't find them on line, but let me tell you that they are caautte! But, they start at $8 each!!! So, I decided to make my own. And, here they are! I am so pleased with how they turned out!

All I used were old food jars from peanut butter, jelly or canning, tiny tea candles (or your could even use those little battery operated luminaries that are like 2 or 3 for a dollar at $ Tree). Then, I made and found some images and printed them out and cut them to fit my glass jars. Then tape or glue it in place on the back and enjoy your FREE luminaries. If anyone wants them I will try to see if I can upload the images I made for you all to print and use. Or, I'm sure you could easily find your own too.

Here are the images:

Parties I'm linking to:
Today's Creative Blog
DIY Showoff
I Heart Naptime
Under the Table Dreaming
Its So Very Cheri

Anthropologie Inspired Headband Tutorial

Katie over at Bower Power made this awesome flower headband. It is so cute and so simple to make.

So head over and check out her tutorial and make on for yourself!

Simple, Chic Upholstered Headboard

We all have a budget these days and our old 80's headboard had to go. So I didnt' have much to spend decided to get creative and upholster a headboard. I don't have a before picture since I try to block out the memory of that ugly headboard, but just imagine the ugliest most 80's black metal headboard with an odd shape ever and you pretty much see what we had.

Ahhh. The bed feels like a much more welcoming place now!

If you're interested in making your own headboard it is so simple. There are lots of links out there to show you how. Centsational Girl has a great tutorial to show you how. Go check it out!

Sweet Little Bird Craft

Have a wreath you want to dress up, a cat you want to make a toy for? This cute bird pattern from Spool.

All you need is some fabric scraps, a needle and thread scissors and some batting to fill it.

Next cut out the patterns and pin them to your fabrics and cut them out.

Once you have your pieces cut out make sure that you mark the dots for sewing.

Now pin the pieces (right sides facing each other) and sew between the dots leaving the tail open.

Sew together the top part of the head, turn the bird inside out and stuff it to suit. Once you have turned the bird inside out turn the raw edges to the inside, pin it and stitch the opening shut.

Ta da! You now have a cute bird that you can attach to a wreath or let you imagination go wild with what you can use it for :)