IKEA is Getting Crafty

Have you been to Ikea lately? Most of it looks the same. It still takes a year to walk through, the furniture is still uncomfortable and the Sweedish meatballs are still filling. But it's the new section that caught my eye. Holy smokes. I was in a gift-givers paradise!

They have TONS of coordinating wrapping paper, ribbon, gift tags, paper lanterns, party supplies, and more! It was such a nice little treat and I got to explore the new paper crafts section with my friend Maryann which made it that much better (the hubs wouldn't appreciate it like my lady friends. That's the gospel truth). AND, the best part? Christmas trimmings and wrappings a-plenty! Go check it out!

Paint Nite

Who knew that as an inexperienced artist you could paint a snazzy little canvas like a pro? And in two hours or less, may I add. The lady friends and I had a fun evening at Paint Nite in Phoenix and our cityscapes were pretty impressive, if I do say so myself. Some had a little help from wine and others from Coke (the cola, not the other), and a fabulous time was had by all!

Paint Nite provides you with all the tools you need to create your masterpiece and you just show up and have a good time. And maybe you'll be lucky enough to win a drawing or game like I did. Yup, a pass for a free paint night and green smock were mine for the taking! Visit their website HERE to find a class in your neck of the woods. And take someone fun along. It makes the evening so much more enjoyable!

Extra Credit: Frame your painting and hang it on the wall. There is something about a frame that makes the art look like it came from a store and you paid big bucks. Really.

DIY Gilded Vases

In case you haven't heard, gold is in right now. I really like the shape of these Mama Chia glass bottles and couldn't bear to part with them so I had to find a way to repurpose their use. Enter Gilded Vases. With some tape and gold spray paint I turned these bottles into beauties!

DIY GILDED VASES

1. Dampen a cotton ball with rubbing alcohol and wipe the expiration date and other writing from the surface of the bottle. Light pressure should remove the ink fairly easily.

2. Remove the label from the bottles by soaking them in warm, soapy water. Use a hard, flat edge (like a Pampered Chef scraper) to help remove the sticker in one piece. If sticky residue is left on the bottle use Goo Gone to wipe it from the surface. Wash and dry bottles throughly.

3. Using tape (painters tape, masking tape, round stickers, etc.) create designs on your bottle. The area under the tape will be left clear when the tape is removed. Be sure the edges of the tape/stickers are adhered strongly to the surface. Any lifting will cause the paint to creep in on the edges.

4. Prepare an area to paint the bottles. I prefer Rustoleum spray paint with primer already in the paint. Spray 3-4 light coats of paint over the bottles, leaving about 3 minutes between coats for the paint to slightly dry.

5. After drying the bottles for 1+ hours, remove the tape and allow the paint to dry for an additional 24 hours. Add water, flowers, and voila! Enjoy your beautiful new vases.

For another glass jar project, read HERE.

Fall Decorating Ideas

I'm going to pretend it wasn't 100 degrees last weekend in Phoenix. I'm so ready for the fall and miss the cool weather and the changing leaves. Since traditional fall weather isn't coming to the Valley of the Sun I will find a way to bring it here, at least in spirit.

I found some great fall decorating ideas while out and about this weekend. I also ran across this amazing photo of my mom, her siblings and friends from Halloween back in the late 1940's. It's a gem! I'm so excited to get this picture printed, framed, and displayed along with the rest of my holiday decor.

Review: Ryobi Hybrid 18-Volt Weed Eater

Say goodbye to gas and cords forever ... unless the battery dies. Yes, this is a review for the ONE+ 18-Volt Lithium Hybrid Cordless or Electric String Trimmer/Edger, but let's just call it a weed eater.  After calling some landscaping companies and exploring other economical lawn care options, we decided to man-up and purchase a weed eater. Because our yard isn't large, we wanted something light-weight and inexpensive. Most gas weed eaters are long and heavy (that's what she said), so we started researching battery-powered tools.

That's when we found the Ryobi Hybrid 18-Volt Weed Eater/Trimmer/Edger or whatever it's called. Seriously though, can tools have more concise names, please?

Reliability: It's been 6 months and everything is working fine. The battery lasts for an entire trim (about .25 acres) and hasn't lost any juice. It charges in less than an hour. And guess what, even if it does run out, this little dandy doubles as an electric tool. Plug it in, plug it in! Oops, wrong tagline, different product.

Ease of Use: OK, we have some issues with it here. First, the edger option isn't great, but we don't use it to edge much. It's the stock string that sucks. It's too thin and the auto-feed doesn't work well. As a result, the string sucks into the spool and gets lost. It's an easy fix, however. Just get some thicker gauge string, viola!

Overall, we like it! In fact, we just ordered the Ryobi 18-Volt Hedger. Stay tuned for that review. As far as the weed eater: 4 out of 5 stars.

-Scratch

Cupcake Wrapper Keeper

I've mentioned before I have a thing for collecting jars. One of those wonderful glass cylinders came in handy this weekend. I found some cute cupcake wrapers at +Cost Plus World Market, (I also have a thing for that store ... like I probably single handedly keep them in business kind of thing), but the problem is the wrapers are stored in plastic so they are bound to get smushed in my baking pantry. A little crafting day unfolded.

I found the perfect size glass jar in my cabinet that I kept from a jar of green olives. After a few washes you can get rid of the stink. To get the sticky label off I soaked it in warm, soapy water then used one of those Pampered Chef scrapers to remove the sticker from the jar. It came off fairly easy with a little bit of elbow grease, but if you have an extra sticky label try some Goo Gone.

I like gold, but I didn't like the expiration date glaring at me so I painted the lid with some spray paint and it added a little color. I would suggest using primer first, without it it took a few extra coats to cover up the writing. I put my fun, new cupcake liners inside and it's just oh so cute! Add a bow and this would make a fun gift for a baking friend.

Re-Purpose your Birchbox

I gave away most of the items in March's +Birchbox to friends and family members, so this isn't a review. But I can tell you I have an obsession for collecting glass jars and Birchbox boxes. For what? To re-purpose so they don't go to waste!


1. Gift Box. Naturally, I like to use the box for what it's meant for- packaging new, fun items for someone to enjoy. I used a few boxes for Christmas Gifts and birthdays to give a pretty presentation. This polk-a-dot packing tape from +Target  adds some flair, and BTW, you can re-purpose boxes within the Birchbox (now we're getting deep) like this Liz Earle teal box with washi tape. Perfect!

2. Organizing. Everything has its place, and sometimes that's in a Birchbox. Personally, I like to keep crafts in mine, like card supplies -- envelopes, stamps, blank cards, etc. I have minimal sewing supplies so they fit perfectly, too!

3. Drawers. The guy's BB is perfect for a little drawer. I like to use it at work for things like snacks, nail polish, lotion, calculator, and stuff I I don't need in my face all the time.

Space Savers from Pinterest

Pinterest is full of ideas for everything! Here are three ideas I utilized in our apartment, and now our home, to maximize space. Strange it all has to do with clothing ... what's a couple who likes apparel to do?
1. Put these ideas into action.
2. When you buy a pair of shoes, sell or donate a pair. Same with jeans, shirts, dresses, etc.
3. Make an effort once per week to organize, put away, refold clothing to keep your space clean.

Follow me on Pinterest HERE.

I purchased curtain rods from Ikea and lined the bottom of our apartment closet to fit shoes above and below the rods. This made a huge difference in floor space! Luckily our new home has a closet with more shelving but I still keep this idea handy just in case.

The inside of a closet door is an under utilized space. I used our coat closet as pictured for scarves. For the inside of your bedroom closet consider putting in hooks for belts, purses, swimsuits, etc.

Why did I not think of this sooner?! Folding your t-shirts and putting them on the side rather than flat opens a huge amount of space, lets you see what's available to wear, and stays folded longer. I use this tactic for my drawer of workout clothes with tanks, shorts, and sweat towels.

Click on the photos to visit the original blogs these ideas came from, and even more organization tips! 

Send A Card.

I happened upon the website Treat.com. It's owned by Shutterfly, the digital photobook website. Treat's concept isn't brand new, but it's got unique aspects to it. Treat is a personalized greeting card website. Pick a template for a birthday, holiday, or congrats card and add personal photos, messages, or gift cards and send it to your friend or family member.

As someone who sends cards regularly this is a dream come true and I wish I would have come up with the idea myself. You can purchase a package for better deals on cards, the best being 24 paper cards for $1.99 each, with each card shipped for free and an additional 24 digital cards. By creating a profile you can start and save cards, and set the delivery date for the future. This way you never forget an occasion. Seriously? It's pretty much genius. #sold

Kitchen Counter Containers

Simple. Affordable. Handy. We found these jars at Ikea for under $5 each. The silicone gasket keeps everything fresh and they look great on the counter top.

The labels are from Etsy. They weren't the cheapest, but the font was the best out of everything I saw online (they aren't over the top and gaudy). The stickers were fairly easy to apply, although I wish I would have taken some measurements and placed the labels perfectly because they're not easy to adjust. Overall, I'm pleased with our new kitchen counter containers. Mission accomplished.

Creative art idea for your home

I found this art at The Farm at South Mountain in the little gift shop. I thought it was a unique, creative art idea and easy to make on your own! Although I may just purchase the original art because it's fabulous and done right. I love the message and look forward to having our own garden VERY soon!

They used a page from a dictionary, then put the phrase and illustration over the top. You could use a different phrase, or just a picture, and feed it through your printer. The possibilities are endless! The simplistic look is great and with a plain mat and a frame you have wall-ready art.

Clothespin Christmas Ornaments

It's not the holiday season until you've watched the Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer claymation movie. I found these cute, little ornaments with characters from the movie a few years ago. You're suppose to hang them on a tree with metal hooks, but those never keep an ornament facing the right way. This year I decided to try clothespin Christmas ornaments. Here's what I did:

1. Use super glue and attach the small ornament to the wooden clothespin. Let it dry overnight.

2. With a small paint brush, paint the clothespin in sections with modpodge around the ornament and sprinkle with glitter. Continue to apply glue and glitter until the pin is covered to your liking.

3. Apply a last coat of modpodge over the glitter to keep it in place, then put the clip on a surface to dry (I used the edge of a glass).

4. Allow the glue to dry completely then attach the finished ornaments to the tree!

Ornaments were purchased from Wal-Mart a few years ago, but I found these similar ornaments on eBay. Glitter, clothespins, and modpodge were purchased from Hobby Lobby.