It’s my one month blogiversary! Yay! I have had so much fun so far sharing my projects with you all, and I can’t wait to see where it will all go next from here. When I started Dwelling in Happiness a month ago, I wasn’t really sure what to expect. In fact, go back even a couple months before that, and I wasn’t even sure I could do it at all. Enter: Abby’s “Building a Framework: Everything I Learned My First Year of Blogging”, at Just a Girl and Her Blog.

I was poking around on Pinterest one day, looking at all the pretty home binder printables to help get myself organized. I came across Abby’s beautiful printables, so I went to her blog to check them out. I happened to see her add on the right side of her page about this new e-book she had just published. I clicked on it and was reading what the book was about, and it was like it all just fell into my lap. I had always thought about blogging, as I’ve seen so many DIY amazing projects on Pinterest come from really awesome blogs. But, I had NO idea where to start or what to do. Like, at all. I didn’t even think I could  maintain a blog, and to be honest, I really didn’t think anyone would like or want to read about my little projects or ideas.

I decided to e-mail Abby and ask her a couple questions, not really expecting to hear back since she’s so popular and busy with a family. I was shocked that this amazing popular blogger responded a few days later! She was SO encouraging and sweet, and answered all my (silly) questions. So, I decided to try and give this blogging thing a “go.”  I bought and downloaded her book and went from there.

You guys, this book is SO incredibly helpful. I read it all within a few days, soaking up all the different aspects that I had no clue went along with blogging. Abby starts her book with the very basics, with which web hosting sites to use and how to choose a domain and a theme. She goes step-by-step with pictures and screen shots of how to go about everything, which was so great to have when I was getting everything set up. I didn’t even know there was a difference between wordpress.com and wordpress.org! I’m so glad I do now though, and made the best choice for myself (with her help!).

Abby really stresses building relationships with other bloggers in her book, which isn’t something I honestly thought I needed to do. In my mind I thought, “so, if I want to have a DIY blog, aren’t I in ‘competition’ with other DIY bloggers?” That’s honestly what my mindset was before I got started. But, after reading Abby’s book and actually getting into the blogging part, my mind has completely changed! Oh my goodness, the blogging community is AMAZING! We are in no way competitors, as I’m learning everyone has their own style and piece to bring to the “DIY blogging” table. Every single blogger I have connected with is so incredibly sweet and supportive. Abby talks about the importance of collaboration with other bloggers, as well as sharing contacts and connections, which has been extremely beneficial so far. Their success is my success, which I had never realized until I started!

Abby mentions connecting with other bloggers through social media, which has been how I’ve met almost all the bloggers I now follow. I never would have thought to go searching for Facebook groups that are about blogging, but they have helped me tremendously!! I also had no clue what a “link party” was before I read Abby’s book. Boy, if I hadn’t, I’m pretty sure my only reader would still be my husband. They really help to get your name and projects out to the “world.”

Another important aspect of her book is how to make money with a blog. Along with everything else I didn’t know, this was also news to me! Make money while blogging? Sounds too good to be true. I’m nowhere near ready for that, but Abby gives step by step instructions for not only setting up Google AdSense, but also how to work with different affiliates and brands. If I hadn’t read her book, I don’t think I’d even know that working with brands and affiliates was an option! She gives more step-by-step instructions with pictures in setting up Google AdSense. She breaks it all down for you, leaving no room for error, thank goodness!

If you’re thinking about starting a blog (or already have one!) and want to read more about Abby’s book or purchase it, you can do that at The Landing page on her blog Just a Girl and Her Blog. It’s super easy to download,  and she’s SO passionate about helping us all get started. I’m so glad too, because I really have her to thank for giving me the encouragement to get started. Her book is like a cheat sheet – she really gives you everything she has learned so we can get started and be ahead of the curve; even when she had to learn some things the hard way! Even for you veteran bloggers; this book has something for you, too!

A month later, I am so thankful for not only Abby and her amazing e-book, but also for all the other sweet and supportive bloggers I’ve met along the way. And yes, I know, it’s ONLY been a month. But still, I certainly would not have even come this far if it weren’t for all of them. I’m so excited each day to meet new bloggers and see all that they have offer. I’m always so inspired by their ideas, and love getting to see a little bit of who they are.

Here’s to many many more months of this wonderful little thing called blogging!

Have you read Abby’s book? How did it help you get started?

 

I link up at these fun parties, as well as Friday Favorites,

Hello! I really won’t be posting a lot of recipes, but this one just came to me and I had to share (by the looks of this picture, aren’t you glad I did?!).

You know that place between being half awake and half asleep? Sometimes I randomly come up with my best ideas during that time. I really should start keeping a notepad next to my head, because most of the time those ideas are gone by the morning. But this time, it stuck and I woke up thinking about it!

I must dream about chocolate lately, because as I was falling asleep the other night, I was thinking about ice cream. I was also thinking about how not so good it is for my waistline. All you other mama’s out there know what I’m talking about. Things just aren’t the same post-baby, which means I really can’t (and shouldn’t!) eat the same, either. Oops! Anyway, I was thinking about how frozen bananas make a good ice cream base, and of course, I needed to add chocolate in the mix. That’s when I put together (in my mind) a few ingredients, and bam – out came Dark Chocolate Banana Split ice cream, using only 4 ingredients! The next morning, I got to work trying it out.

All you need for this delicious treat are very ripe bananas (the ones I used above still weren’t really ripe enough, they need to even be more brown to get it more creamy!), honey, dark chocolate cocoa powder, and peanut butter. Sooooooo easy.

Dump everything into the food processor (or blender), and blend on high for a minute or two. Then just scoop it into a freezer friendly bowl. It’ll look like the above picture, almost pudding-like. You can by all means just eat it like that, too. But since it’s summer and it’s been HOT out, I wanted cold. You can also add nuts or chocolate chips as garnish. Just do it.

It’ll need to freeze for a few hours, but once frozen pull that baby out and stick a big ol’ ice cream scooper in it and eat it directly off the scoop, not sharing it with anyone put it in little bowls to share. 🙂

You can even add a few more choco-chips and nuts if you wish (as if there wasn’t enough on there already, right?). Remember, this is actually pretty GOOD for you, so don’t skimp on those scoops!

If you don’t add any chocolate chips, this dessert is gluten and dairy free, too! Even better!

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Dark Chocolate Banana Split Ice Cream

• 3 very ripe bananas
• 1/2 cup peanut butter (or any type of nut butter)
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1/4 cup dark chocolate cocoa powder
• Optional garnish: Dark chocolate chips, nuts

1. Put bananas, peanut butter, honey and cocoa powder in a food processor (or blender). Blend until completely smooth, 1-2 minutes.
2. Pour the mixture into a freezer friendly bowl, and freeze for 2 hours, or until completely frozen through.
3. Add optional garnish, scoop, and enjoy!
4. Keep covered in the freezer for up to a week. (That’s an estimate, ours didn’t last longer than 1 day!)
5. Serves 2 people, but you could easily double or triple the recipe to make more!

 

I  hope you all have a fabulous week, filled with a yummy chocolate-y banana-y dessert! 🙂

Do you have a favorite healthy ice cream?

 

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The weekend is upon us. Yay! Do you have any fun plans? We’ve had some crazy thunderstorm activity the past few days, and thankfully that has caused it to cool down a little. Sweet relief!

So, I don’t know about you, but a lot of times when I’m in the shower, I’m thinking of all the “to-do’s” for the day. Sometimes I’m thinking of things I need to do in weeks coming up, things I need to remember to get at the store, or what the heck to get David for Christmas and his birthday (which fortunately is still 4 months away!). By the time I  get out of the shower, dry my hair, and get ready for the day, I’ve basically forgotten all I’ve thought about whilst showering. Super annoying!

I came up with a way to not only help me remember things I thought about while showering, but also to move our towels closer to the shower. If I forget to grab my towel from the hook behind the door, then I have to quickly run from the shower to the door and back at lightening speed to make sure that I don’t drip everywhere, and more importantly, don’t get freezing cold.

I accomplished these tasks by creating a pretty “shower thoughts” whiteboard-towel-holder-in-one. I think it turned out super cute, too! And so easy.

I started out with a thrift store frame. I wanted to try out a new chalk paint I saw at Joann‘s, so I bought the Folk Art chalk paint in White Adirondack. They have a TON of gorgeous colors, I might have to try more later!

I sanded the frame a little, even though the directions said I didn’t need to. They’re probably right, but the frame had some weird spots where there were bumps. I brushed on two coats of the chalk paint, letting it dry in between. The paint went on super smoothly, and covered the frame beautifully. It was super easy to clean out the brush, too! The paint came right off.

After it was totally dry, I distressed the frame a little by rubbing sand paper along the edges. The sanding left behind a pretty dark blue/gray color which was absolutely perfect! I didn’t have to sand very much to achieve the look, either. I’d totally recommend using the Folk Art Chalk paint! (and they aren’t paying me to say that!) 🙂

I had found some fabric in the scrap bin at Joann’s as well for $.83, and cut it to fit the frame. I hot glued the fabric down in the back. Our bathroom is beachy/nautical themed, so I wanted a pretty blue fabric. I had bought a few different fabrics, but unfortunately they were too dark and patterned, not letting the black marker show through on the glass.

David then screwed in a couple of robe hooks from Target, and boom! Instant whiteboard towel rack. Not only can you write down your thoughts from the shower, but you can also leave cute little love notes to your spouse as well for them to read! I hung this on the wall next to the shower, so I could easily just grab my towel without having to get out and drip everywhere!

So, the fabric reminds of those Magic Eye books we had as kids, but oh well. It also has a ocean wave/beachy feel to it, too!

I wasn’t sure about how to attach the dry erase pen (because if I didn’t, it’d be gone forever and we’d never actually use the thing!). I finally decided to add a few sand dollars I had collected at the beach a few years ago to the top, which also holds the pen if we place it on top from rolling off. Sooo much better than David’s idea, you guys. He said what every male says to use to attach something: duct tape. Uh, no.

I love how functional this will be right next to the shower. Folk Art also makes a wax sealer, and I’d recommend that as well. Since the frame is wood and it’s next to the shower, it’s going to be in a lot of steam, and you want to make sure your paint job stays pretty!

Have a great weekend, friends!

Where do you do your best thinking?

I like up at these fun parties! As well as Thursday Style Link Party, The Creative Exchange Link Party, Thank Goodness it’s Thursday, Friday Favorites, Pretty Pintastic Party, Link Party Palooza, Weekend Wind Down, Say G’Day, Motivation Monday,

Hello! I hope you all had a fabulous weekend!

The summer is slowly coming to a close, which I still refuse to think about. However, I have a few parties to plan in the next few months which I’m excited for! At the end of this month, my sister and I are throwing a baby shower (or, “sprinkle”) for our cousin’s second baby. In November, my sweet little Jade will be turning one. Ah! That means I have some planning to do!

I really love chalkboard anything. Obviously, based on my Thriftstore lamp revamp. I’ve also made several other chalkboard items throughout my house. I recently just made this cute magnetic chalkboard for Jade to use when she’s a little older.

When David and I got married, I asked my grandpa to make me this cute bottle holder box, to which I added a chalkboard on the front.

I’m definitely no stranger to chalking, well, anything. (Aaaaand now you can see I lack the cute “chalkboard writing.” I better practice!) I’ve been wanting to incorporate chalkboard into the decor of the parties coming up somehow, and I’ve been throwing around some different ideas. In my Pinterest quest, I have found a ton of really helpful and easy tutorials on different chalkboard ideas for parties. Whether you have a wedding, a cocktail party, or a children’s birthday party coming up, here are 15 DIY chalkboard party ideas to get you inspired:

This super cute and super simple serving tray would be perfect for any kind of party. The tutorial is easy to follow, too! Find it at Live Laugh Rowe.

Here is another incredibly easy DIY party tray from Shanty 2 Chic.  I’m in love with the handles that they glued on the ends. This would be perfect for that girls wine and cheese night!

Chalk wine glasses. Why didn’t I think of this?! So much easier than putting on wine charms. AND bonus, it’s adorable! You could just have a set for yourself if you have a lot of wine drinkers over, or use them as favors at a party. This DIY tutorial literally couldn’t be any easier. You just dip the end of the glass in chalkboard paint! Find the tutorial at Sarah Hearts.

How neat is this chalkboard table runner? Not only would this be perfect for a kids table, but adults could join in on the fun, too! When you’re done, just erase and it’s ready for the next party. You can also just write the guests name above their plate instead of using a name card. Brilliant! This DIY runner is from Hey Look.

Did you know that the Silhouette has chalkboard vinyl you can buy? I didn’t! Then again, I still need to get a Silhouette. Crafterhours has a great tutorial on how to make these awesome chalkboard party cups. These would be perfect at a bachelor or bachelorette party!

These monogram chalk slates are the perfect party favor for a young kids birthday party. Attach some chalk, and the kids will be busy for awhile! Such a cute idea. Find the tutorial at Maison De Pax. They are so easy to make! (And while your there, check out the adorable chalkboard party that these monogram slates were for!)

How adorable (and genius!) are these chalkboard think bubble props? Not only is this cute for a gender reveal party/picture, but for any party photo booth! Such a great idea from Elle Belle Creative!

Any dinner party will need a menu. This big chalkboard menu is perfect to tell your guests what delicious food they are about to partake in! Easy peasy, too. Just a big board painted with chalkboard paint! From You Could Make That.

These DIY Chalkboard pedestal frames are the perfect center piece for a wedding, or as small menus for tables. The tutorial is super easy to follow, and uses wooden candle holders glued together for the pedestal part! Find the tutorial at Mud Pie Studio.

Okay, this is probably my favorite party idea! How creative are these? Totally perfect for any kids party, and will probably keep them entertained for awhile. Think of all the cute photos you can capture! And, PS, am I the only one who didn’t know they made chalkboard foam board?! This changes the game. Find the DIY tutorial at Sugar Bee Crafts!

Another fabulous favor idea are these little chalkboard clips from DIY Showoff! An easy and quick project for any party. Washi tape makes the perfect little accent on the clips, too!

What about these pizza pan magnetic chalkboard favors?! The pizza pans are from the Dollar Store, as well as the magnetic numbers. Talk about an inexpensive, cute, and functional party favor for the kiddos! And educational, too! It doesn’t even have to be for kiddos, this would look cute in a kitchen as a menu planning board! Tutorial from Lansdowne Life.

This tutorial wasn’t exactly for a party, but these could be a great party favor. Clipboards are always practical, for anyone! A Little Kick Knack has the Tutorial.

Pure genius. That’s all I can say about this party idea. An old school retractable map is transformed into the most clever backdrop ever! I think I most definitely need to make this for future parties. Check out the DIY tutorial from Your Home Based Mom.

I am in love with these chalkboard embroidery hoops! Chalkboard vinyl and embroidery hoops are all you need to make them, too! They make perfect little signs for food displays. You can see the tutorial at Hostess with the Mostess.

 

Are you inspired to get your DIY chalkboard party on? I hope so!

Do you have any chalkboard party ideas you’ve created or seen before? I’d love to hear about them!

 

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Hi friends!

I wanted to share with you today something that David and I have started this year. I don’t know about you, but David and I are big greeting card people. For holidays, birthday, anniversaries, etc, we like to buy cards for each other and write special meaningful notes inside. However, if you haven’t noticed, cards are expensive!! For pretty decorated ones, they are upwards of $4 or $5! Seriously, for a piece of cardstock with words someone else came up with. Just think of how much that is when added up for all the special occasions each year. Plus, for us, greeting cards make it too easy to just sign your name and be done. They have nice poems and such inside, making it much easier to not have to share your heart to another. Not really as special, wouldn’t you say?

We like to be more personal with our cards and what we write inside, so at first, we decided to start making our own cards for each other. David is a wiz at Photoshot, so he would make me the most amazing cards that were completely personalized. That was SO much more meaningful to me than a store bought card!

Because we are so sentimental, we both have saved ALL the cards we’ve ever given each other. That’s 5 years worth of cards! I love to go back sometimes and read the ones he gave me when we first started dating. It’s so special to see our love for each other evolve and grow over the years.

But, I’m running out of room to put them, and I can’t imagine having to store another 5, 10, 15+ years worth plus any cards from our kiddos!  Also, I have no idea how to use Photoshop, and my “handmade” cards weren’t as great (because how do you really make a manly card?!) so we then took it one step further.

We came up with the idea of having a “family love journal” for each other, where on each special occasion, we’d take each others and share our hearts and feelings. I bought a journal for him, and he picked a beautiful one out for me.

Not only are we writing in them for each other, but we are also going to have Jade and any future kiddos write in them their own special notes as well, for our birthdays and special occasions. What’s so great about having a journal is that each and every special little personal note is in ONE place to stay. There are no loose pages! You can look back throughout your journal at any time, and cherish those written sentiments from your loved ones. I can’t wait for Jade to be able to contribute and share a little scribble or stick drawing! I’d much rather have that than a card David quickly picked out and put Jade’s name on.

Father’s Day this year was fun because it was David’s first with Jade being here (last Father’s day I was still pregnant!). So, I  found this adorable poem and got Jade’s footprint for her daddy’s journal. He loved it!

AND, another huge bonus of these family love journals: you save money! Who doesn’t like to save a buck? I do! Besides, adorable written notes from your husband or child are so much more special and memorable, like this one that David wrote to me on my birthday last month:

So precious!!

Jade will be 1 in November, and we also are going to buy her a journal and start writing in it every year for her birthday and special occasions as well. As she gets older, she will have a special place of notes from David and  I that she can read and look at whenever she wants to remember just how loved she is. What a cool keepsake to have for when she gets older and has kids of her own! Yikes, that means I’ll be older too.

I also love that you can add pictures or other keepsakes in the journal. We celebrated our 3rd wedding anniversary this year in May, and David added some great little pictures of our life together so far:

While greeting cards can of course still be a special thing (we still get them of  course for other family members and friends), we treasure our heart-filled messages in our journals more. We love being able to have a space to gush over how much we love each other. The best part will be years from now when I can look back at this journal (and other subsequent ones after this is full) and see just how much my husband loves me, and how much my children have grown. And, we will probably have saved hundreds of dollars on greeting cards. 🙂

Do you have any special family journal or tradition for holidays and special occasions? I’d love to hear what you do!

 

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This thrift store lamp revamp is not only easy, it’s super inexpensive, too!Happy Monday! If you cringed at that statement, I hope you have your coffee in hand. 🙂 If you follow me on Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter, you probably saw my little “tease” shot of the before lamp. If you didn’t see it, then hurry and go follow me so you don’t miss another project teaser! I’m slowly redoing my gallery/entry wall area, and I needed a new lamp for the table. I bought this thrift store lamp base for $4.99, and the plain white lampshade for $2.50. A steal! The lamp base was an ugly brownish marbled gold/brass color. It definitely needed an update! I wanted the lamp to be simple, yet still stand out. So, I opted for a silver and white base. I spray painted the whole base silver first, and after it dried, I taped off the silver parts above and below the middle section and spray painted that white. I wasn’t sure I was going to like how it turned out and was fully prepared to repaint the whole thing silver again, but I really like the white section! If you know me,  you know that I can be indecisive about things. And if you’re my husband, you know I can get bored quickly with decor items. So, I wanted something fun for the shade rather than just a plain solid color, and something I could easily change. I decided I’d try a chalkboard shade, so I could easily match the design with different seasons. That way, I wasn’t “stuck” with a plain solid shade.

I didn’t know how it’d turn out, but I tried Krylon’s chalkboard paint and it worked surprisingly well! I gave it a couple coats, primed it by rubbing a piece of chalk all over it on its side once it was dry, and wiped it off with a damp towel. I then added a fun design for some flair. I LOVE how it came together!

Now, if I get bored of decide I want to change the shade, I can easily wipe it off and do something else, without having to buy a new one or repaint.

The only small negative with using the chalkboard spray paint is it leaves little black fabric specks all over the shade. It got better after I primed it with chalk, but it really doesn’t bother me too much. It gives it some more texture! And I’m really not going to be changing the design on the shade that often. If you were, I’d go with a chalkboard paint that you can brush on.

I love looking at the transformation. Here’s the before again:

Bleh! And after:

So. Much. Better. It’s so easy to find something old/used and give it new life. It makes me feel more invested in my belongings when I can personalize them, rather than always buying something new. And, the best part is – It’s CHEAPER! Yes, please.

So, run out to your nearest thrift shop today, find an ugly lamp (or any item!) and revamp! I promise it’s so much fun.

Have you revamped any thrift store items lately?

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Happy Friday, all! Boy, do I have a treat for you.

A few weeks ago, one of David’s childhood friends came over for a visit and dinner. He is gluten free, and we aren’t, so I had to do a little research. And, naturally, we had to have something delicious for dessert, too. I found these amazing no-bake cookies that I changed up a bit, and bam. We were all “wow’d.” They are almost fudgey-like, which is obviously welcomed. They are incredibly easy, too!

I know it’s mid-summer and NO one wants to turn on their oven. Especially me, since we have zero AC meaning it’s already an ungodly temperature in our house.

Basically, you start with these:

Ahhh, let’s revel in their beauty for a minute, shall we? Salivating yet? I am.

Here’s everything else you need:

At first I thought it was a weird mixture of chocolate, peanut butter, coconut, nuts, etc. But then I realized that of COURSE they are a delicious mixture, hellllllo! What isn’t good mixed with chocolate and peanut butter?

Okay you guys, these seriously couldn’t be ANY easier. You literally dump the peanut butter, coconut oil, honey, and chocolate chips into a saucepan and melt over medium heat.

Then take the saucepan off the heat and mix in the nuts, coconut, cinnamon, vanilla, and salt. That’s basically it.

This next part is killer. You’ll want to start eating the “dough” by the spoonfuls, but you must refrain. Well, maybe not, go ahead and take a bite. So. Delicious.

After everything is all mixed together nicely, you just spoon it onto a parchment paper covered pan and refrigerate. (Or, if you’re super impatient like me, you put them in the freezer. Cuts the “baking” time in half!)

You must do yourself a favor this weekend and make these. They’ll probably be gone by Sunday Monday though. Don’t say I didn’t warn you!

What’s great about these cookies besides being no-bake and gluten free, is they are super versatile. You can sub any kind of nut for the walnuts, and use any kind of nut butter instead of peanut butter. Yay!

They may not look like a super pretty cookie, but who says a delicious chocolaty treat has to be pretty? Did I mention just how obsessed I am with chocolate? Maybe I should reiterate.

I hope you enjoy these as much as I do!

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No-Bake Dark Chocolate Coconut Cookies (gluten free!)

• 1 1/2 cups coconut flakes (I used sweetened)
• 1 cup dark chocolate chips
• 1 cup walnuts (or pecans, or any nut you love!)
• 1/2 cup peanut butter (or any other nut butter)
• 1/3 cup honey
• 1/3 cup coconut oil
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt

 

1. In saucepan, melt dark chocolate chips, peanut butter, honey, and oil over medium heat. Stir until it’s a smooth consistency.
2. Mix in nuts, coconut flakes, cinnamon, vanilla, and salt. Make sure to stir until everything is coated and combined.
3. Drop by the spoonful onto parchment lined cookie sheets.
4. Refrigerate (or freeze!) for about 30 minutes or until set.
5. Devour and enjoy!

Yields about 16-18 cookies

(Recipe adapted from Sweet Treats by Shayna)

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Have a fabulous weekend!

What easy no-bake recipes are your favorite?

 

 

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Hi, friends! I decided my gallery wall needs an update. I want to add a few things here and there and change out some pictures, so I thought I’d also make a simple printable as well. I’ve been really digging ampersands lately, and have been looking around for one I liked. I had a specific look in mind that I just wasn’t seeing. So, when all else fails, make your own! Since it’s just no longer just the two of us, I wanted to add a little something to signify the 3 of us. So, I simply added an “us”! I said it was simple, didn’t I? 🙂 My gallery wall is bright. The wall is green, and some of the decor is orange. What can I say, I love color! I decided to make the “&” part black, and the “us” part green. Would you like one, too? I’ve got you covered! You can choose from red, purple, green, or aqua. Click on the links below and start printing!

Click here for RED “&”

Click here for PURPLE “&”

Click here for GREEN “&”

Click here for AQUA “&”

I didn’t quite put it on my gallery wall yet, I have some more work to do with placement of everything. I also have in mind another fun “art” project coming soon. It may or may not be some sort of string art.  Stay tuned!

I hope you enjoy!

What other free printables would you like to see?

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Happy Sunday, all! We finally have had a great break from the HOT streak the past week, but alas, it’s back to about 90 degrees today. Boo!

I know it’s already mid summer, but I’ve been really wanting to change out my front door decor and just haven’t had time. Well, I finally made time.

David and his family introduced me to sailing 4 years ago. Never had I been on a boat in my life (does a huge ferry count?) until then. I know, pathetic. But boy did they open a can, because now every summer I look forward to getting the wind in my hair and feeling the wet breeze on my face in my in-laws sailboat. If you’re curious about the beautiful sight that is sailing, pop over to my about me section and check out the first picture of the lake. A. maz. ing. Sadly, this summer we haven’t gone because Jade just isn’t big enough. So, to try and help my longing, I made this nautical knot door decor. I think it turned out so cute! And it’s easy, too!

Because David is such a sailor himself, he even put his two cents in and said I should use some kind of nautical knot to hang it with. He’s so smart! And because he’s so smart, he got to model just how to make a nautical figure 8 stopper knot. Such a supportive hubby! Ok, here’s what you need to make this cute door decor:

• Frame (Mine is 8×10 & from Goodwill)
• Blue and white spray paint
• Painter’s tape
• Twine and/or rope
• Burlap
• Sharpie
• Hot glue gun
• Scissors
• Starfish/or other embellishment (starfish not pictured)

First, I spray painted the frame white. I decided I wanted navy blue and white stripes, so I used my painter’s tape to tape off stripes on the frame. Unfortunately, when I measured my frame, it was not an even number so I had to play around with the strips of tape to get it fairly evenly spaced. Also, my frame had some weird metal embellishments on the front that I didn’t want, so I used the back. But, this made it harder because I had to put the tape down in the little indented part, making the paint leak through a little. Normally my OCD self would have to fix this, but it’s really not super noticeable. You wouldn’t have that problem on most plain square frames if you use the front.

I spray painted the taped frame blue, and let it dry. I then cut out little triangles in burlap. I decided I wanted my little banners to say “Ahoy Sailors”, so I used a sharpie and wrote the letters. It really doesn’t matter if the triangles aren’t all exactly the same size. I like it better if they aren’t!

Next I hot glued each triangle down on some twine. After the glue dried, I hot glued the twine ends to the back of the frame.

Now I was ready to tie my knots for hanging, so this is where David came in. I had found some really great white and gold rope at Walmart for $1.87 a yard. We tied two nautical knots on either side of the top of the frame. David will show you how!

For picture purposes, we did not tie this knot below onto the frame. You will want to do this on the frame, as if the loop in the picture below was around the top of the frame.

First step is to make sure you have at least a yard and a half of rope (or twine, whatever you choose to use!). Start about a foot in from the end of the rope so you have enough slack. Then, take the end of the rope and overlap it over itself like shown below, around the top of the frame. .

Then take the rope and loop it back under itself like shown. (Side note, David wanted me to make sure you know these are NOT my hands, but his. He didn’t want you thinking I had man hands. He’s always looking out for me.)

Pull rope end up through the loop.

And gently pull to create part of the knot.

Don’t pull it too tight, as you will need to loop the rope back through the same course, ultimately making the same knot again over itself.

Now take the top end and bring it down and around, and up through the knot (where the arrow is pointing), following the same figure 8 pattern, as shown below.

Pull rope through a little, getting ready to go through the next loop.

Take the rope end and bring it down and under the rope where the arrow points, again following the same figure 8 knot you already have.

Once end is through the loop, pull rope down a little and get ready for the next loop.

Continue to follow the rope back underneath.

Take the end of the rope (shown by the arrow on the left) again and bring it up and push it through and under where the arrow is pointing, continuing to follow the previous knot’s figure 8 pattern.

The end of the rope should now be at the very top.

Gently pull both ends to tighten to knot.

And, that’s it! Now you have yourself a figure 8 stopper knot. Do the same with the other end of the rope.

Don’t forget, the big loop above is what would be around the frame.

Once both knots are tied, just hot glue on a starfish or other nautical/sea related embellishment.

You’re done! Hang this pretty thing on your door, and be reminded of sailing on a beautiful lake.

Ahhh, can’t you feel the breeze flowing through your hair?

I can almost fee the sunshine on my face. If I can’t actually be at the lake, this will have to do.

The spray paint I already had on hand and it was glossy, meaning the frame is quite shiny. I’d recommend using a flat spray paint so it doesn’t reflect as bad.

Well, even though summer is half over, I can still enjoy this for another 2 months! Hope you have a fabulous Sunday!

 

Have you created any new summer door decor this year?

 

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Hello, friends!

I really wish I had this blog a year ago when I was preparing for and decorating Jade’s room. I had SO much fun creating personal touches to add to her room decor. Did you know that babies are expensive? Did you just laugh out loud? If so, you must be a parent!  But still, we didn’t have a lot to spend to get her room ready for her. Even though her room has been done for quite awhile, I thought I’d share my 2 cents about nursery decor, on a budget! But first, here’s a few pictures of what her room looks like.

I really wanted a peach and mint room. I decided to paint the walls peach, with accents of mint and gray throughout the room.

I just couldn’t cut that little peanut out of the picture! She counts as decor too, right?

The adorable tree picture above this shelf was a gift from the hostesses at my baby shower. All the guests used their thumbprint and signed their name as the tree leaves! I love how it turned out.

My favorite part of the room, the dresser! I’ll go into more detail on that in a minute.

This teething rail guard on the crib is amazing. Not that she’s using it yet, but is it weird that I’m actually excited for her to? Mainly because I made it and for cheap! It’s just fleece cut and tied on. I used this tutorial at Jane Marie Photography. Incredibly easy! I saw a cute rail guard that matched my bedding that I wanted to get, but for $30! No thank you, I’ll make my own for $5 instead. I still need to make ones for the crib sides, but I’ll cross that bridge when we get there. I fear that will be way. too. soon.

Ok, so the dresser. Isn’t it pretty?

 I had seen so many cute colored dressers on Pinterest, and I had to have one. I got onto Craigslist and found an old sturdy wooden dresser for $50. I brought it home and got to work! Since I was pregnant and really didn’t feel like putting any time or energy into sanding, I found this amazing primer. No sanding required!

It’s called Zinsser Cover Stain Primer, and I found it at Home Depot.  If you were being lazy like me, seriously use this primer. Just be careful, it’s oil based so it’s messy. Use a brush you can throw away, there’s no point in trying to save it! I think it was $8 for the quart. Well worth it!

I decided to keep the old looking handles, as I thought it gave the dresser character. This minty dresser probably cost me about $65 total (with paint and primer), which is FAR less than some I’ve seen for a few hundred! And because it was old, it’s super well made with sturdy wood, which I wanted since it also doubles as our changing station.

Finding cute wall art can sometimes get expensive. So, why not take advantage of free printables on Pinterest?

 I found a couple sayings, a couple Bible verses, and some butterflies that I printed on card stock. Then, I went to one of my favorite places, Goodwill, and found these 7 frames. I spray painted them all white and, voila! Wall art that cost a total of about $18. The spoon on the bottom was a gift, and it has Jade’s name and birth date.

Jade’s mobile is a little different than most mobiles. We didn’t really have a “theme” or “animal” per say for her decor, so we decided to have a few butterflies around the room.

 This was actually a wind chime that I found on clearance at TJ Maxx, for only $7.99. Score!  It had bells hanging on the butterflies, but I took them off. It was originally a copper color, so I painted the chains and ring silver, and  the butterflies mint. We used a sturdy hook in the ceiling to hang it from.

Jade loves to touch the butterflies when we’re getting ready for naps. Who says a mobile needs to play music and wind up/rotate? As long as it’s visually interesting, it still gives the baby something to look at!

I love this wall art hanging above her crib because it’s so simple. Can you guess where the frame is from? Yep, Goodwill! This frame has gotten a ton of use – we used it in our maternity pictures, and I use it to take Jade’s monthly growth pictures as well! I just spray painted it white.

I had also found a pack of three new canvases at Goodwill for $3, so I used one and found this gray chevron fabric to cover it with. I then cut a “J” out of cardboard, and wrapped it in pretty mint yarn. The orange butterfly I found in a 4 pack at Michael’s for $2 on clearance. Not only was it easy, but it’s cute! (And cheap!)

I am in love with these gorgeous coffee filter flowers! They were really cheap and easy to make, too. Coffee filters are under $2 for 200+, so you really can’t go wrong. I followed this tutorial from U Create to make them.

Then, I painted the inside of a mason jar with mint paint, and added a piece of leftover chevron fabric to make it a little more exciting. I also glued on one of those cute little butterflies! this probably cost me $3 to make, since I had most of the materials. The little tray was a Goodwill find, too!

Banners are amazing and easy decor. And, they’re super cute! I made these using a free banner printable from Shanty 2 Chic. I printed the letters out on a peach colored paper, then cut larger triangles in a pretty gray fabric to glue behind. Clothes pins from the Dollar Store are a great way to hang it from twine. I added another one of those butterflies for a little extra excitement, and done!

I just used wooden push pins to hang it on the wall, and tried to cover them a little by tying a bow with the twine.

Books are another great decor item for cheap. Chances are you’ll get plenty for your little one, so stack them flat for a more fun way to store and display them.

Have you seen those beautiful Pottery Barn wooden ruler growth charts? They are amazing, but spendy. I think I saw them for $60! I really wanted one for Jade’s room, and I had the perfect little wall to put it on. However, I wasn’t about to pay that much.

SO, like any good DIYer, I made my own! You can find the tutorial to my growth chart here and make your own, too!

There are so many ways that you can decorate a nursery (or really, any room!) on a budget. It just takes a little creativity and time, but in the end, it’s so worth it! I think it makes you appreciate the room more too, because it’s  your OWN handiwork! Maybe someday Jade will appreciate it too. 🙂 Hope you all have a great rest of the week!

Do you have any nursery decorating tips for a budget?

(To see more fabulous kid’s room decorating ideas, visit HERE!)

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