Chalk Design

Okay Chalkboard fans, hold on to your hats!  This one is really going to get you going!!! 

I needed a place to put my grandson's toys.  A place with doors.  I want them to be basically hidden when not in use.  A few small ones out are fine, the six or so large trucks and dozens of smaller cars and trucks that litter the family room on a daily basis were just a bit much. 

I found a cabinet that was the right size on Craig's List.  Sadly, it was painted a very icky shade of brown.  Not a problem, one can of chalkboard paint and away we go!!!

 

I think it's cute and functional!  Now Joseph can draw on it too.  

Chalk It Up!

I absolutely love the new trend in photography of using chalkboards.  I have been searching for small chalkboards to use in my photography to no avail.  I did, however, find a silver plated tray with a great shape for a few dollars at a thrift shop.  So I just painted the center with some Martha Stewart chalkboard paint.  Check it out!

 

I love it!!!  I also have a few trays from the dollar store that I will be putting some chalkboard paint on as well. 

Wrap Her In Love!

Okay guys, this post is for you!  I am posting my most popular post of all time.  I believe this project is perfect as a Valentine's Day project for men.  It is absolutely no sew!!!  Not one stitch.

If you follow my instructions, and my photo tutorial, you can make this beautiful wrap for your lady.  Won't she be wowed?  Won't she be impressed?  Won't she feel wrapped in your love each time she wears it?

 

You will need a yard and a half of fleece.  that is the only fabric you will need.  the other items you will need are one straight pin and a good pair of scissors, fabric scissors that are really sharp.  

Now your fleece will have some edges on it that have some tiny pin holes in them from the factory.  These edges will be obvious and kind of smooshed down.  

They will be about a half inch wide.  You will need to trim those off and be careful to cut them straight.  

After that, fold the fabric in half lengthwise.  Place a straight pin 27 inches up from one of the short ends.  Cut along the crease up to the straight pin.   

Once that cut is made, you can make your fringe.  One the short ends, cut 2 1/2 to 3 inch long cuts that are about 1/4 wide along the entire length of both ends.

Be sure to cut through both layers of fabric and to keep your cuts even. 

That's it!!!!  You are done!!!  It will take you about an hour, maybe and hour and a half for a newbie with no sewing experience.   

Now this, gentleman, will knock her socks off for sure!  Let me know if you make it (even if it's for yourself) ladies or gentlemen and how you, or the recipient, like it. 

Manage Your Money

all of us have great goals for the new year.  Some of us will lose track of those goals rather quickly.  The number one goal in the new year is to lose weight.  but many of us need to get our budgets under control as well.  Saving money seems like an impossible goals when paying your day to day bills is a struggle. 

We all know that we need to save money.  We all know that saving money for the future is a goal we should have and that we should be doing it now.  But when push comes to shove, we fall short each month.  Here is a way to save in a very pain free way.  It is very small amounts that will add up to a significant amount at the end of the year.  I found this on Facebook and them looked it up on a website called All Things MW.  It is brilliant!  You save $1 for each week of the year.  So $1 the first week, $2 the second week, etc. and the highest amount you will deposit will be $52 the last week in December.  You will see in the chart that it adds up to a significant amount of savings for the year. 

52 Week Money Challenge

Everybody on any budget can do this!  Please comment and let me know if you are doing this and how it works out for you and your family.  Maybe you double the amount or you already have savings and you use this chart to start a vacation account.  Whatever you do, let me know.  

Happy New Year, onward and upward in 2013! 

Ringing in the New Year!

This year has been different.  We have started some new ways to do things.  We exchanged our Christmas gifts at a brunch at my son's new house on the 23rd because my daughter was working on Christmas eve and staying home with my grandson on Christmas day.  We saw my grandson on Christmas morning and then each went our separate ways for Christmas day.  It was less stressful and very enjoyable.

So, to end the holiday season and to give the family one more shot to get together, I had a New Year's Day shindig at my house.  It was delightful!  No gifts to buy, no stress over a formal dinner, just a casual invitation and whoever could make it got to have a great time.

Here is what it looked like:

I did a hot buffet using chafers and crock pots.  We had buttered green beans, buttered noodles, smashed potatoes, rolls with butter, roast beef and roast pork.

I love to put the rolls in the two tier silver tray.  I don't know where it came from, I think my mother-in-law must have given it to me in a weak moment.

My sister gave me this cute snowman dish and I decided to use it for butter for the rolls.  They were also used for sandwiches with the hot meats.

My favorite fake out.  This "silverware" is actually plastic!  I got it at BJ's.  I love it!  I put it in a container that I got with some flowers that was also silver. 

I used masks and noisemakers to decorate the table.  The kids got to take them home, thrilling their parents.

Homemade egg free chocolate cupcakes with whipped cream topping.

Champagne and sparkling cider, neither of which was opened.

My son and his fiance.

My grandson.  

After a while, I lost track of my camera, so there aren't anymore pictures of the rest of guests.  But it was a great gathering and we had a good time.  I think this may be added to the family calendar.