Mini-Mantle Makeover + Front Closet Fun

You might remember my recent mantle makeover HERE.  Once Halloween had pasted I wanted something a little more Autumn feeling and did a quick switch up.

I moved a few things around and took off a few things.  I found the silver frame on the left at Goodwill for $2.99... it was brown and hideous so I spray painted it silver.  I eventually want to put the glass back in it with a photo or a piece of art but until then it's framing the vase and flowers I stole from my dining room table.   

The picture frame on the far right was one I just had laying around, so I found a free printable that is a countdown to Thanksgiving and has a place to write what we are thankful for each day.  My kids have loved this!  They enjoy taking turns choosing what we will be thankful for each day and it's nice to see what they come up with.  We just write on the glass with a expo marker... think I'll be saving this for next year.  

Yesterday, I randomly decided I was going to make over the front coat closet.  It's a place that never gets much attention and always seems to be a mess.  I recently found a small shelf at Goodwill for $2.99... seriously I think I'm addicted to Goodwill shopping I've been to 4 different ones this week!  Anyway, I found this shelf that I wanted to use for the shoes and then I picked up a cute hook rack thingy to put up for the kids to hang their coats on.  Because honestly what 3 year old actually hangs their jacket back up on the hanger?  So before I hung that up I wanted to paint the closet.  The final product was great and it was nice to start and finish a project in one day.  

I decided on a dark color because the wall was covered in black scuff marks from the kids throwing their shoes in the closet, and because I had a whole gallon from a previous project ;) .  I added the stripes for some color, that happened to perfectly match the color I spray painted the hook rack.  

Here is the BEFORE: 

And the AFTER: 

The rack is tucked inside and is a perfect height for the kids to hang their jackets. 

I didn't plan on a makeover on the shoe shelf, but after painting I realized I wasn't gonna be happy with the plain wood.  I ended up spray painting the edges and sides of the shelf.  On the shelf I Modge Podged on some fabric I dug out of my basement.  I like how it adds a pop of bright color.

Overall I'm really happy with the changes... and thinking I might have to give the upper half some love down the road.  

Fall Decorating on the Cheap

I love the idea of holiday decorating but I hate the idea of spending money on something that is only going to be up for one season.  After a few too many hours on Pinterest I was dying to make something festive happen.

I decided the mantle would be the perfect place to start, this is what I started with. (pretty much... I had replaced the "C" with a new one, and added the candle sticks)

I started with the garland.  I've seen so many fun tutorials on making these and I wanted to give it a try.  I started by searching the house for any scrap fabric or felt.  I ended up using felt to hot glue the candy corn triangles together.  I kept the triangles uniform my making a paper pattern to cut out all the flags with.  The black triangles were also felt and the polka dot fabric was from an old curtain.  To connect them all together I ripped a piece of scrap grey fabric about 1.5" wide, then glued down all the triangles on the bottom half of the strip.  After they were all glued on I went back and folded and glued down the fabric.  It was fast and simple and I didn't have to get out my sewing machine :)

I wanted to stick with a black, white, with hints of color scheme.   I stole the tree picture from my bedroom and pulled my other black and white canvas out of a closet.  Then I headed outside to gather some branches.  I just snuck those into the empty white frame and taped them down on the back inside of the frame.  I printed out a crow silhouette and laid it on some black felt to cut out.  Then taped it to the branch and a little tape on back to the glass on the frame.  The branches really added a nice touch of dimension that I liked a lot.  Not too bad for FREE. 

After feeling successful on the mantle I decided to spice up my dining room table.  This is a room we don't use very often but I have to walk by it all the time.  With 4 kids running around decorating has to be strategic... well, unless you like cleaning up glass.  I decided to try something that I normally wouldn't do in a more high traffic area in my home.  

I used a curtain that I folded under to make the table runner.  For the "tree trunks" I wrapped a few vases and a straw dispenser with some white paper and then used a black marker to make it look like an Aspen tree.  Then, back outside for some more branches.  The flowers were left over from a wreath I made so I thought they might add some nice color.  

Total cost for this... $3 if you count the flowers that were used for a different project.  

Change

change

  [cheynj]  Show IPA verb, changed, chang·ing, noun

verb (used with object)

1.

to make the form, nature, content, future course, etc., of (something) different from what it is orfrom what it would be if left alone: to change one's name; to change one's opinion; to change the course ofhistory.

2.

to transform or convert (usually followed by into  ): The witch changed the prince into a toad.

3.

to substitute another or others for; exchange for something else, usually of the same kind: Shechanged her shoes when she got home from the office.

4.

to give and take reciprocally; interchange: to change places with someone.

5.

to transfer from one (conveyance) to another: You'll have to change planes in Chicago.

Life is overflowing with change these days.  It is filled with highs and lows, happiness and sadness.  I am very excited about our new adventure in Virginia, but it doesn't quite seem real yet.  I am in Utah while Andrew is there and it is very reminiscent of the Army deployments.  I find myself striving to be strong and make things happen all in the midst of being sad to leave friends and family.  I want to jump and cheer about things to come and new places, and I can cry at the drop of a hat at the thought of leaving people I love dearly.  I can be overjoyed one moment that we got the rental house we really wanted, and then completely frustrated that my bathroom and laundry room has been overtaken by a very large family of ants. It is such a challenging time, but I am so grateful for the people that have been here to look after me.  Whether it be taking care of my kids so I can work, pulling me away from the daily chores for a chat and a cup of coffee, just asking me how I am doing.  I am so grateful that I am blessed with true friends and a loving family.  

I'm PREGNANT?!?!

 Today my sister left her Facebook account logged in on my computer (after I lovingly invited her over for a deliciously healthy lunch).  After she left I saw what had happened and that's when I did the above.  That is a photo from our childhood of her favorite hair cut (insert severe sarcasm HERE).  I also added a lovely poem, it being Valentines and all that said,

"Roses are red

Violets are snooty

When I had a boy hair cut

I was such a cutie."

An hour or so later she had discovered the changes to her page and threatened my car with a good egging and asked me to change it back.  From the comments it seemed like everyone loved the young vivacious picture of my sister so I had a hard time finding the time to change it back.  

Not shortly after that I started getting multiple notifications from Facebook, when I went to see what was so exciting about my life I discovered this.... 

I opened up my Facebook to discover that I WAS PREGNANT! How exciting!... Oh wait, I'm not pregnant.  Even funnier than that was the fact the my husband mentioned about 16 comments in...

"But I'm fixed, how did that happen?:/"

After a ton of comments of congrats and many many likes I decided to post a response before I started getting showered with baby items.  I truly appreciate all of my friends and family that commented such encouraging words on this post that was filled with a HUGE LIE. 

So, just so everyone is clear.  

I am NOT PREGNANT.  

I do have to say my sister gets the points on this little war... I don't believe I was logged in on any of her devices maybe because she has hacked me before.  I also have to give her props for putting something on my page that got such a huge response. And as her reward I am posting the entire picture that I cropped her above photo out of... because honestly I make her look cute.

 

I am also adding this current photo to encourage all awkward slightly gangly children everywhere that you won't always look like that... there is hope. 

 

Time for some color!

I had my hair done yesterday and was super excited how it turned out.  I've done the red before but we or should I say she -> (Melissa Wiebe) tried a different shade and it is super fun! 

I just pinned up the layers so you could see the awesome color... and I put make up on the one eye so I would look cool. 

See... told ya. 

Then some pinterest inspired ideas or should I say, "Pinspiration".  Yes I tried 2 different ideas to see how they compared.  

The Best White Elephant Gift EVER!

Here it is, after 15 minutes of cutting and sewing a pair of yoga pants... I created (with inspiration from THIS VIDEO).... the JOG STRAP!

This was my first one that I made for our Crossfit Christmas party. 

I assumed that most people had not seen the video so I included some instructions... 

 

Today my friend called in need of a white elephant gift... so I told her to bring over a pair of yoga pants  and we would make another jog strap.  This time I took some decent pictures to show you ; )

Flash Mob Philosophy

Last year on Thanksgiving me and my sister got a grand idea to do a flash mob for the black Friday shoppers at Target.  This was the result...

This year we decided to continue our tradition of crazy outfits and bad dance moves to a ridiculously catchy/popular song.   I posted an invite on Facebook for my friends and family to join me.  I was so excited and surprised at how many fabulously fun people I have in my life.   

After a few hours of creating choreography with my sister, an hour of last minute practice and prep, we had 22 people for our flash mob this year.  THANK YOU to everyone who came out to make this year even bigger and better! 

This was the result of this years fun... 

 We spend lots of time making sure we look good in front of other people by the way we dress and how we act.  Many times we believe that people will think we are silly or ridiculous when really they love when people are silly.  Why do we love kids so much?  They are silly.  Life is so short and we often take it very seriously.... take the time today and maybe just do something silly that puts a smile on someone's face.  You never know it might change their life.