Project |

Ruler Growth Chart

Posted on March 15, 2013 by Amy

While I am slowly starting the purging, organizing and packing process that proceeds a move, one project I had to complete prior to leaving our home was to make a portable growth chart.

Soon after we moved in–it must have been all these plain white walls just calling out to me–we started marking our kids height on the wall next to our refrigerator. They have grown a TON this year, we’ve really gotten a kick out of looking back on how little they were when we first moved in this house not even two years ago.

So, not wanting to leave that precious little snapshot of their childhood behind, I had to move making a ruler growth chart from the “when I get to it” pile to the “today” pile. These abound on the internet, I think Pottery Barn might have originally introduced them but who can keep track these days?

My neighbor Ani has the most fabulous one. I pretty much knocked her version off because it already seemed perfect. Though when I went by to photograph it I realized hers is all cool and muted and distressed…of course it is, she is cool like that! This is hers below…

But for my version, I did this project fast, cheap and easy–the best kind, right? After all, I have boxes to get to packin’! Home Depot sells these boards already cut to size. I went with a 6′ board since my son is already the tallest kid in 2nd grade, so better to be safe then sorry, right?

I spray painted the board with heirloom white, giving it just a few quick coats so a little of the wood grain would still show through. Then, after measuring out the numbers, I used stencils to mark the numbers along the edge. I just used a black sharpie to color inside the stencil, and it worked perfectly.

Because my baseboards take up about the first 4 to 5 inches, I started my 1 foot closer then 12″ from the bottom, that way I could hang it slightly above the baseboard and be 12″ off the ground.

I just marked in pencil my kid’s height and age, matching what is on my {soon to be former} wall and I know we’ll keep going with it once we’re in our new home. They grow so fast, don’t they?

Thanks for stopping by!

Pin It

Posted in Children's Activities, DIY, Projects & Printables | Tagged diy, Kids, Kids crafts, project, ruler growth chart, spray paint | 1 Comment

Easy DIY Frames/Wall Decor

Posted on February 4, 2013 by Amy

DIY Frames Marked

Today I have a quick and easy way to fill up a blank wall in your home. These frames are similar to my Easy Decoupaged Monogrammed Frames, just slightly more involved. I just love how they turned out!

The supplies you will need are:

(1) wood 12×12 board {I got mine at Michael’s}

(1) 12×12 sheet of scrapbook paper

(1) piece of decorative trim/molding {also available at Michael’s, I also bought one at AC Moore}

craft paint in your choice of color {ideally to compliment the scrapbook paper}

a photo {you will need the size before you cut the trim so select this before you begin}

hot glue

sandpaper

double-sided tape

mod podge/foam brush

picture hanger

Start by painting the sides of your wood and the trim with craft paint. Don’t discard the paint, you will want to touch up the trim after you cut it.

step 1 paper and boards Next, using mod podge glue you will paint all over the wood, then attach your sheet of scrapbook paper {make sure it is cut exactly the size of the board}. I put a thin extra layer around the top edge of the paper to seal it but didn’t paint over the top of the paper.

side of board painted with paper

After it dries, tape your photo to the center of the paper. I used double-sided tape for mine.

taping picture on

Once you know the size of the photo, you need to cut your molding. I used a mitre box/saw because the wood is so thin it cuts easily. To measure for the cuts, I found it easiest to lay the molding on the photo then make a mark where the cut would start, knowing it would be a 45 degree cut. Then I cut a second piece in the exact same size so the trim pieces would be equal and square. Do the same for the shorter side of the photo and you are done.

frame molding cut

molding

Once they were cut, I sanded the insides down very well and gave them another quick coat of paint. Then I hot glued them right to the photo on the frame.

gluing molding

glue on molding

I tacked a picture hanger on the back and that was it!

frame hanger on back

done music pic

sideview done

finished 1 tall

I may make a third one for the top, I can’t decide if there is room?But in the meantime, I love how they came out. I will be back soon with a post on this room since these were the finishing touch to the space!

full view

XO,

Sharing at~

Pin It

Posted in Crafts, DIY, Projects & Printables | Tagged decoupage, diy frames, frame, living room, mod podge, monogrammed, project, scrapbook paper, wall decor | 1 Comment

Fearless! Guest Post from Jessica at Four Generations One Roof

Posted on June 20, 2012 by Christy

Welcome to the second installment of our new series, Fearless! We’re excited to have Jessica, from Four Generations One Roof as our guest blogger. Her sofa project truly epitomizes what the Fearless! series is all about. Jessica, take it away!

**********************

Hello 11 Magnolia Lane readers! I am Jessica and I blog over at Four Generations One Roof. We are a crew of four generations that all live together under one roof and I happen to be the ring leader of our blog .

I was honored when the girls at 11 Magnolia Lane asked if I would like to be a part of their “Fearless” DIY series. I have to admit, I am kinda fearless. I don’t know why I am, I just am. I figure, how bad can a project turn out? My thought is if it’s that bad, I’ll just toss it and move on. One of my latest projects is probably the craziest thing I have ever done in my 39 years of existence. I cut my couch in half with a sawzall!

I needed a couch for a small space and this one was just about 2 feet too big. I really wanted to buy a new one but a new couch was not in the budget. One afternoon, I said to my dad and husband, “I’m going to cut that couch in half with a sawzall”. They literally laughed and told me I was crazy. That was all I needed, the challenge was on!

This was the end result:

My theory, just go for it! If it doesn’t work out, at least you tried Once I had the couch put back together, I reupholstered it with old curtains that I had. So what do you think? Would you cut your couch in half with a sawzall?

If you have a chance, hop over to Four Generations One Roof and check out the full tutorial post on how I cut this baby in half, as well as meet the rest of my family. It just occurred to me, living with four generations under one roof is also kind of fearless? HA! Would you do it? We are going on four years now!

Thanks so much to the 11 Magnolia Lane girls for inviting me to their home and including me in this fabulous series!

Not so fearless,

Jessica

*****************************

Jessica, thanks again for guest posting. Who would have thought to cut a sofa in half? But it looks amazing–I love that little porch area now.

Want more? Check out previous Fearless! posts HERE and HERE. Thanks for stopping by!

Posted in DIY, Fearless Series, Home Inspiration | Tagged diy, fearless, guest post, project, saw, sofa | 4 Comments

Fearless! Guest Post by Cristina at Remodelando la Casa

Posted on May 21, 2012 by Amy

Today we kick of our series of guest posts for our “Fearless” series that Christy wrote about HERE. As she said, we constantly hear from friends (and I know even I feel this way at times) that they are “afraid” to take on a home project because they don’t know how… or they might mess up… or that its just too overwhelming.

Well, probably the first guest that came to our minds for this series was Cristina from Remodelando la Casa.

Cristina

We are in awe of her fabulous home projects, and definitely think she embodies the “Fearless” DIY’er. She is here today sharing about her projects–and being a girl using power tools!

*****************************

Hi Magnolia Lane! Most of the time the mere words “power tools” makes us think of big, burlier guys doing heavy jobs with them– or at least of something that is mostly used by men.

I used to rely on my husband to do most of the repairs around the house, like changing light fixtures or repairing leaky faucets. But when I asked him about building a simple shelf, installing crown molding or wall frames there was no answer and he didn’t do it!

I wasn’t raised watching power tools in action. I never used them until I noticed my home was looking outdated (like about three years ago), it was then that I decided to take the task of home improvement into my own hands, beginning by giving those somewhat intimidating tools a try.

I began using his tools and to my amazement I began buying more myself. With them, I finished many small projects around the house, and I loved the feeling of empowerment that it gave me! I didn’t have to wait! I didn’t need help! I could do it myself … and it was so much fun!

My biggest project so far has been my kitchen.

With the kitchen, I was afraid I was going to take a bigger bite than I could possibly chew. That is where all those little projects I’ve done helped me realize that yes, it was something I could accomplish.

Like the first task in the kitchen: Building and attaching a shelf to the island, but with the proper tool it was quite easy.

I was ready to continue and I was not afraid to go on building a fridge enclosure or my own range hood.

I had never installed a backsplash or set tiles before but again, with the right tools that job was not that hard to complete.

Now I know that I can do most of the things I want to if you give me the right power tools!

I have continued updating my home, taking my time to learn, trying to get a new tool with each project, because I treat them like investment pieces that get paid for through doing the job. I also recently updated my Laundry room, where I had to put many of my tools at good use.

My latest “investment” has been buying a router, a tool I needed to complete a small bathroom makeover project. Here I am trying it out! As with any new tool, the excitement is enormous! Reading the instructions, being safe, and just putting it into action are the sure ways to go.

But the most important thing after safety I would say is …practice, practice, and more practice! Some power tools are surprisingly similar to things you use in the kitchen. That’s why I think any woman can handle them!

I am by far not an expert and I have a long road to keep on learning but in my opinion I like to leave you with the five most important power tools that every woman needs to do home improvements on her own.

Power Drill. You use it to install curtain hardware, to change door knobs, and in general the possibilities are endless– you must have at least one!
Power Sander. Us women like to finish furniture pieces and working with this power tool will shorten your work.
Compound Miter Saw. If you have follow me, you know I love moldings. Having a miter saw is just part of working with molding. It is also good for cutting narrow pieces of wood and very easy to handle.
Power Nailer. Talking about moldings, have you try to install them without having a power nailer? Just with simple nails and a hammer? I tried once and I couldn’t complete that task. A power nailer makes that job super easy.
Power Stapler. Again, we love decorating our homes and yes, we can see ourselves working on upholstery projects, right? This is the tool for that!

You can begin building your own set of tools, and at the same time you’ll begin building the confidence that you can tackle any home improvement because you have the right tool.

Not so fearless,

**********************

OK, we think she is pretty fearless. Thank you so much Cristina for stopping by Magnolia Lane today–and for all your inspiration. Make sure to visit her at Remodelando la Casa and see more of her amazing projects.

Posted in DIY, Home Inspiration | Tagged diy, fearless, guest post, power tools, project | 7 Comments

Easy, Sanity-Saving Craft Idea: We Can/Can’t Play Door Hanger

Posted on April 30, 2012 by Christy

{Enter our current giveaway for a printable party package HERE}

A few weeks ago, I went on a personal mission to find a cute door sign that would easily telegraph to the neighborhood kiddos whether my two were available (or not) to play. Some days it’s just easier to hang up the sign than to answer the door multiple times, right?

Remembering that I used to have a darling door sign when my kids were little that warned visitors away from ringing the doorbell while Baby was sleeping, I told Amy what I was looking for in regards to play time and asked her if we could put our heads together and create a cute sign. But, as sometimes happens, before we could get to work, I found the perfect sign at Positively Splendid and figured, why reinvent the wheel when I can just follow a tutorial? I loved what Amy (Positively Splendid’s Amy, not our Amy ) had done with the idea, as well as the colors she chose. Please head on over by clicking {here} and let her know that I sent you! Here’s what she came up with:

How cute is that? Don’t you just love the Tiffany blue paint combined with the black and white striped ribbon? Can you see why I chucked the idea of coming up with my own concept and just followed her easy tutorial? I got to work right away because I had everything I needed in the house already to make this project. Here’s what I did:

1. I painted wooden plaques I had from the craft store (they were 80 cents apiece). I used regular acrylic paint and did two in robin’s egg blue and one in light green. I’m going to do hot pink next time!

2. I used my Silhouette Cameo to cut out chalkboard contact paper for the sign. I used chalkboard contact paper because I had scraps of it left from my North Carolina pantry makeover. Silhouette makes chalkboard vinyl, which I’ll be buying and using from here on out, but the contact paper worked perfectly. I just used the cutting mat because I had only a few small scraps left. If you don’t have a Silhouette or other craft cutter, why not use chalkboard paint (spray or brush-on) to paint your sign? You can use tape to tape off the edges and do those in a bright color; or, chalkboard paint now comes in some gorgeous shades!

3. I screwed a small ring hanger on the back of each plaque (eye screws would work, too, but I just used what I had) to hold the ribbon.

4. Using the Silhouette again, I cut out the words “We” and “Play” from white vinyl. I used the free font “Boyz R Gross” and I love how playful it looks. I like Amy’s idea of using a white chalkboard marker (or chalk) to write “Can” or “Can’t” in the middle, but you could certainly write the entire message out with chalk, and that way you could use the sign for other things (like “We’re Around Back” or “Shh…Baby Sleeping!”).

5. I cut a length of 2″ ribbon and fashioned a loop and bow. I have a ribbon addiction so I had lots to choose from, but I just loved Amy’s black, white, and blue color combination so I made mine out of those shades. The green one I gave to a friend as a little birthday gift, and I gave another one to my neighbor (so my kids know when to stay away from her house, too!). So cute and easy–and inexpensive! Amy, thanks for the great idea–we all need one of these before summer!

Thanks for stopping by!

Pin It

Posted in Children's Activities, Crafts, Projects & Printables | Tagged can, can't, chalkboard, door, front, hanger, Kids, play, project, sign, tutorial | 4 Comments

Bright and Fun (and Incredibly Easy) Springtime Wreath

Posted on March 14, 2011 by Christy

Bright and fun ribbon wreath--it's that time of year!

It feels like forever since I’ve posted–thanks to the other gals for picking up the slack. Our house is officially on the market, and I’ve been spending FAR too much time online looking at houses in Tennessee. If you know the Nashville area, let me know if you prefer Brentwood to Franklin. We’re torn!

The grass is starting to get green and spring is definitely in the air here, but Easter is so late this year that I didn’t want to put my decorations up until the end of March/beginning of April. Still, my door needed something cute and fun to get us in the springtime mood.

I’ve seen similar ribbon wreaths in the stores here for over $100 each. That wasn’t in the budget, and it’s always more fun to make your own. I apologize that I didn’t take lots of pictures along the way, but trust me when I tell you that you don’t need them!

Here’s what you need:

6-8 rolls of bright ribbon (the more patterns, the better). Most should be 1-1/2″ width, but I threw in one that was 1″ and one that was 1/2″. I bought mine at Hobby Lobby during the 50% off week.
grapevine wreath–again, from the craft store when they were 50% off.
glue gun and glue sticks
4-6 faux Gerber daisies–Michael’s had the best colors and they were $1 each; they even have cute polka dot and zebra striped ones.
initial letter (mine is from Hobby Lobby)

All you do is cut lengths of ribbon and tie them on one side of the grapevine wreath . You can use varying lengths, just be sure that your ends are cut on the diagonal to keep them looking nice. Some of your ribbon might need a bit of glue or fray-check to keep it from unraveling. In hindsight, I probably would have used wire-edged ribbon so I could have made it stand up more. The idea is to tie the ribbon on thickly; I used almost all of the ribbon on this wreath. Keep reading to see what I did with the leftovers!

The letter was white when I bought it, and I put the polka dots on using a Sharpie only because I am all about immediate gratification. One of our local gift shops sells vinyl polka dots for just a few dollars, and I would use those if I had to do it over again. However, I ordered a metal curlz letter from a guy online (I’ll tell you who he is later if I wind up liking his work!), and this is a placeholder until it arrives. Just tie the letter on using a couple of different kinds of ribbon.

Last, when you like how everything else looks, glue gun on several flowers. Obviously you can play around with the number and colors, but I wanted it BRIGHT and from the street, the brighter the better. You want this wreath to POP, after all!

Total cost, under $20, although I did spend another $15 for the curlz B that has yet to arrive. Still WAY better than $100-plus!

Here’s how it looks on my porch. I already have been working the polka-dot theme with my cushions, as you can see.

Check out that wind today--Old Glory is flying horizontally!

And here’s what I did with the leftover ribbons and flowers:

Tiny little wreath for my daughter's playhouse--how fun!

I already had the little curlz “B” from Hobby Lobby (they’re about a dollar on sale weeks); I just spray painted it purple and made her wreath the exact same way I did mine. I didn’t have all the colors of ribbon left, but I had enough, and the flowers are bright enough to make up for it. It’s maybe 10″ in diameter.

Happy Spring!

linking up to: