Fall Frenzy Craft Project

This project is so easy, it will knock your socks off.

If you are a fan of QOTC on FB, then you may have seen this picture from earlier this morning:

I found these cute socks at Walgreens last night - they were 2/$6. I picked them up because I saw this on Pinterest. I thought it was super adorable and clever. But, I am not ready for winter just yet (it's still 105+ here, people). So I decided to make a gift my son's Kindergarten teacher, now that school is in full swing, and she's acclimated. Perhaps it's an "I'm Sorry!" gift. :)

I opted for the more current fall pumpkin theme.

I literally did my pumpkin in less than 15 minutes, while multi-tasking (listening in on a conference call). Remember, my office & craft room share a space.

I got all my supplies out...and made sure I had what I needed (or worked with what I had).

1) Scissors
2) Socks
3) Needle & Thread
4) Rice
5) Silly Eyes and miniature wooden dowels
6) Glitter Sticky Sheets
7) Wraphia (the brown paper string)
8) Hot glue gun
9) T-Pin or Pushpin

First, I cut off the ends of the socks. The top of one and then the bottom and top of the second one.

Then I used my brown rice to fill the plain sock.

Once I filled the sock up - I moved the rice around a little into the shape of a "pumpkin."

I then proceeded to add a little more rice to the second part of the sock (from where I sewed it shut) to create a stem. Using leftover sock (from the argyle one), I made a little hat. I hot glued the googly eyes on, used a small wooden dowel (dipped in orange paint) for the nose.

To ensure there was no guessing that lil' dude IS IN FACT a pumpkin, I cut out two leaves using the self-adhesive glitter paper and used a t-pin to secure it (to help the sticky stuff stay).

Finally, I wrapped wraphia around his neck and made a bow. That's it. Super easy and super cute. The teacher can use it as a decoration or even as a paper weight on her desk!

I highly recommend you checking out Then She Made... it's a cute blog and there you will find the instructions on how to make the snowmen. You know, for when it's colder out.

Anyone else feel like they have to bribe their students' teachers?!

Martha's Vintage [Chalk Board]

I like quick and easy.
Who doesn't like quick and easy?
No one... ever.

I have wanted a chalkboard in my kitchen for a while. Something where I can jot down notes or perhaps, menu items for a dinner party?


When I finally found the perfect frame at Ross last week, I knew I was one step closer to my dreamy chalkboard. I actually picked up the chalk paint at Michael's several months ago, when they had them on clearance (I think they were resetting the store). I grabbed three. That means MORE chalkboards are in my future, right?!

This project was super easy. I didn't even bother taking the picture out of the frame. I just taped it off and got to work. I love re-purposing Ross' artwork; they have some pretty cool frames.

Sorry... I didn't know what else to christen my chalkboard with... except for "Look at me, look at me..." [name that movie?!]

I think it turned out super cute... and all for UNDER $20. I guarantee you that if I tried to buy it at a store as is, it would cost more. The frame is 16x20!

I think what I love most about this piece is the color of the frame... it goes NICELY with my stainless steal appliances, but still works with the oil rubbed bronze fixtures in my kitchen (house, really).

The kitchen is looking mighty fine, people! Mighty fine.

Spring Mantels

I took some time to put two Spring mantels together.
Actually, it didn't take much time at all.

Everything was on hand, and the glue gun only came out twice.

For the little picket fence (below), I took a garden fence, cut off the two longer legs (just the part that were longer than the others - you know, the ones that get shoved into the ground?!) - and then hot glued them to the back, so that the fence would rest on them.

The picture frames are from the dollar store, spray painted white... and the paint chips are from Home Depot! ;)

Not a whole lot... but a little something for Spring.

This is totally getting me in the mood...

Kimberly from Simply Living recently posted her Christmas Wreath... 

You need to go visit her to see her tutorial.
Did you know that Hobby Lobby sold burlap in different colors?
I didn't even know they sold burlap. Must visit soon.

Now doesn't that just put YOU in the mood, too?!

Woodn't you know it?!?! (The Kitchen Sign Trilogy)

I think I've talked about this sign more often than my own kids.
I am just so excited about it.
About my kids?! Not so much.

Just kidding - you know I am always excited about them especially when it's bed time.

After the torture of hanging the sign (which I just realized I've failed to blog about. You're welcome), I came to the conclusion that hanging it up without some additional wording wasn't very smart (okay, maybe it was the feedback from my family). It needed something.

While at the Wal-Mart yesterday, I noticed they had wooden letters... and the font wasn't too bad.  So I picked up the necessary pieces and in the evening, got to work.  I stained them Jacobean... Love the color. But I felt they needed something a little more. So I used FolkArt Extreme Glitter in Turquoise - covered most of each letter in it... I was trying to be a tad random. After that, I used a copper color... Pueblo (from Folkart again) to be exact. I applied sparingly - going for the aged, patina'd look.

I could have "aged" them for forever, but after about 10 minutes I forced myself to stop. I think they look perfect.

I didn't have an apostrophe, so I improvised. I realize that I don't necessarily need one, but I am going for "The Ayala's Kitchen" without saying as much, and because there is ownership involved, I popped open a Corona. And immediately discarded it down the sink. I wanted the bottle cap.  Using the same technique as the letters, I aged the cap and then hot glued it on.

I can't say it's 100% complete. I've concluded that I would really like to find an old whisk or serving spoon, something old and incredible.

So.... here's the way before:

The second before:

Here it is hung without the extra wording:

And the second to last:

Here is the first post. Here is the second.

I am enamored. I love it. I can't wait to make more.
And seriously... the pallet was free, the stain and paint mostly I had on hand, maybe spent $12 total, and then the letters were $12. Not bad, me thinks!!

What do YOU thinks!?!?

Linking to:
Coastal Charm

Today's Creative Blog

Craft-O-Maniac
Blue Cricket Design

Woodn't you know it?!

I've been wanting to finish the sign I mentioned here....
Yesterday was the perfect day... 


Here's a quick review of what the sign looked like before:

Before, before:

After, before:

I got out all of my supplies and made stencils...
I used Power Point, printed off the letters in card stock and then used a blade to "cut" them out.

I used a mixture of Ivory, Khaki and Cinnamon spray paint... I was going for an "aged" effect.

Then I did the same for our last name.
It's a kitchen sign to hang over my sink - I wanted something clever, but couldn't come up with anything other than "Ayala's" - boohoo.

I had to make one stencil out of many pieces of card stock.
Thank you Blue Painters Tape!

This is where I wish I could have just used vinyl - but I didn't think it would really stick. Plus my vinyl gal is in Montana... I'd have to wait.

I tried to create a shadow...

And this is what I ended up with.

Or should I say...

THIS is what I ended up with?!?!? - below.

The name wasn't working out for me. I though I could have a cream colored picture frame (sans glass) and somehow get the wording in there. I actually thought of a million other things to do...

Isabel was outside "helping" me with something and spilled blue paint on the bottom of the sign.
So I tried to act like it was on purpose and splashed some in other places.

After some heartache, I decided to just spray paint the entire thing, the three colors I had. However, I had already used a gloss over the "Est. 1994" so it stuck out some.

So, finally I decided to try one last thing. Right over the spray paint, not even waiting 30 minutes, I used Jacobean colored stain and applied and then wiped. I then put the "Est." stencil back on and sprayed over it in the cinnamon.

And there you have my completed sign. I may add something later... but for now, I love it.

Now I just have to figure out how I am going to get this sucker up on the wall.