A house made of pallets

I have never jumped on the pallet wagon. I would like to think it was because I avoid the trendy. However, I squealed like a little girl when I noticed an empty pallet laying in the yard. Where, oh where, did this piece of blank canvas come from??
"Can I have this?"
"What in the hell are you going to do with that?", he replies.
"Do you have any idea all of the amazing things that can be done with this piece of crappy wood??"
So much for seeking out the esoteric.

Since many of you may also be pallet virgins, I have rounded up some cute ideas to wow all your friends with. This is just the beginning of pallet madness though. You can literally find thousands of ways to use this utilitarian object.
Home Depot, be warned.

Clockwise: 1) Signs 2) Coffee Table 3) Wall 4) Bookshelf

Clockwise: 1) Christmas Trees 2) Stick Pics 3) Flower Display 4) Wooden Star 

Snakes on a Wreath

This is a super simple project that has a lot of impact. I love the way it turned out!

You will need rubber snakes (I used four but if you are using a larger wreath, you will want more)
Black spray paint
Grapevine wreath
Floral wire
Wire cutters

Spray paint the snakes black.

Spray paint the wreath black.

Affix snakes to wreath using the floral wire and hang.

You could fancy this up even more by using black ribbon or tulle, spiders, whatever. Looks pretty cool as is though :)

Canvas Fabric Art

You will need:

-Stretched canvas frame
-Disappearing ink marking pen
-Your choice of fabric (large enough to wrap around your canvas)
-Mod podge
-Staple Gun
-Acrylic Paint
-Paintbrush or foam brush
-Scissors
-Template of object you are painting on canvas (or you can free form it, which I found easier).

Lay canvas frame in the center of the fabric. 

Tightly wrap fabric around frame and staple in place. 

The fabric should be taut.

Using a paint brush or foam brush, coat with a layer of Mod Podge.

Let dry completely.

While your canvas is drying, draw your template on cardstock or posterboard.

This is where you would use the disappearing ink pen to draw in your design. If the darn pen works.... which mine didn't. So I just improvised at this step so don't be eyeing my crooked cone.

I put on a couple of coats of paint in order to cover up the fabric print. 

Here is another canvas I made. Hurry up Spring!

I love the contrast between the feminine fabric and the bright paint. This would have been pretty cool in a neon pink or yellow too! I am planning on making one for my oldest with chevron print fabric and a big S. The possibilities are endless.

Chair Renovation

I have had this ugly dining room chair since we moved into our home over 10 years ago. I am a bit embarrassed to admit that I hung on to it with the intention of giving it a face lift. It took me 10 years to start it and only one hour (minus drying time) to complete it. I hate to think of all the things I could get done if I would just quit procrastinating or waiting for the perfect time. 

Ugly chair.

Start by removing the chair cushion from the frame. Then using a flat screwdriver, pry up the old staples in order to remove the ugly, faded fabric.

Here are the components of the chair seat: sturdy board base, layer of cushion, fabric. Replace any of these as seen fit. All of mine were in good condition.

This is the cushion pad.

Beautiful piece of gray fur I had hanging around. Because who doesn't have a random piece of gray fur?

Lay cushion in center of fabric. Lay chair board on top of cushion.

Pulling fabric tightly, staple the fabric to the board. Wrap corners of fabric like you would a Christmas present. Don't be scared of going a little staple crazy. You want the fabric to stay put. And there is something seriously satisfying about the ker-pow of a staple gun, No??

Paint chair frame. Let dry.

Finished seat cushion. (Well, almost finished. I went back and fixed that little bulge in the front. Blasted thing.)

Secure seat back onto chair frame. 

 

Finito! What a beauty!!All my girls are fighting over who gets it. It is mine, I tell them with a small maniacal glint in my eye. Mine. 

How to make ButterBeer

If you know me at all then you know I am a HUGE Harry Potter fan. Like one of those creepy robe wearing adults with authentic wands that have movie-viewing parties complete with a Nagini inspired cake and ButterBeer. Did I just admit that? I'm just kidding.

Anyway, I had ButterBeer at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter in Florida and it was rich and made me a bit queasy. Kind of like real beer.
I ask myself, who doesn't like ButterBeer?? How can you be a fan and not like ButterBeer? So, I set out on a quest to find a recipe that delivered. Folks, I was successful. Is it still rich? Heck yeah people. Anything called BUTTERBEER is bound to be a bit cloying. But I found that I could drink this is small doses and pretend like I was sitting at The Hog's Head Tavern with my crew.

I'm gonna quit now before you all think I am a horrible dork. What's that you say?? Oh. I thought you said something.

Here it is (from BakeMeAway.wordpress.com)

1 liter cream soda
1 cup heavy cream
butterscotch sauce to taste 

Pour the soda into a large shallow dish.  Place in the freezer for 30 minutes.  Remove from freezer and if the soda has started to freeze around the edges, break up and rake the frozen bits to the center with a fork.  Put the container back in the freezer for another 30 minutes.  Keep repeating this process until the soda is very slushy.  You’ll want to be able to drink it through a straw.  This took about 3 hours starting with room temperature soda, but could take less if your soda is chilled and if you have a colder freezer.

When the soda is almost ready, make the topping.  Beat the heavy cream until it is lightened, but still loose.  (Think beer foam instead of whipped cream.)  Whisk in enough butterscotch to give the cream a definite butterscotch flavor.

To serve, spoon or pour the slushy soda into clear cups or glasses.  Spoon the foamy topping on top.

You could also make this as an unfrozen version. 

If you make this, let me know what you think readers!

Too cold to do anything but organize....

We have about 20 cans of half-used paint in our basement threshold. Every time I open the door, I vow to do something about all those cans. Finally, I have.




Simply gather all of your paint cans, some mason jars in various sizes, a funnel (mine is homemade), and some labels.




Use funnel to get paint into jars mess free.



Isn't this beautiful!

Label jars with name of paint. You may also want to put the brand name of the paint so you can get more if needed. 

Hope everyone is keeping their sanity on these frigid days. I am not gonna lie, mine is questionable. BUT I am grateful and blessed to have a warm place to stay with cabinets full of food and people to share my blanket-laden couch with :)

Found Joy

Pictures of things that make me smile at home.

Little sparkling rings

An old friend that I miss

Evergreen throughout the house

Our next family vacation plan

Bows for every occasion

A stack of books needing read

My three daughters

Birchbox surprises

More evergreen

My tree

Wedding Memories

An old colander from Europe

Cookie trays

My little kitchen tree

TWINKIES.

My two obsessions.