Favorite Flowers

 My mother-in-law recently fell in love with a piece of art that would be perfect for her Tuscan inspired screened in back porch but was not ready to fork out the hefty price for something that would be hanging outside.  So, she asked if I could attempt to create something similar using some pallet wood that we have been hoarding (was holding all the tile that we recently installed).  My husband was more than happy to have a way to get rid of it and an excuse to use some of his tools.  After he created the 'canvas' I got started on the painting.  I intentionally went for a rustic and rough look since it will become more and more weathered over time anyway.  Can't wait to see it displayed on her Tuscan porch (in Florida).

After starting the Sunflower project, I was on a bit of a painting kick (and in need of a few Mother's Day gifts) and decided to keep going and make some smaller pieces for a few other momma's in my life.  The Amarylis was for my grandma-in-law (GG) because she sent me a beautiful one last year when we were living somewhere with very few flowers.  

Black Eyed Susan's are my mom's favorite flower and have been since my Dad first picked some for her 42 years ago.  He occasionally still stops on the side of the road to pick a bunch for her and brings them home in whatever fancy container he has on hand, usually a coke bottle.

Farmer Sam

Here is a sneak peak at the theme for Sam's nursery.  We decided on a farm theme but only have a few elements that are strict to the theme so that we can switch them out as he gets older.  We also kept with the same basic color pallet as his older brother's room in case they ever end up sharing a room in a future house (very likely with how much we move).

The changing table is on loan from my sister, I think it was from Pottery Barn.  Canvas baskets are all  from Target and go great with the buffalo check that we re-used from his brothers room in a few places including the crib skirt and floor pillows (pictures in future post)

The Farm Animal artwork was a personal touch from Mommy and Daddy.  My husband made the plank 'canvases' and I hand painted the cute farm animals. I am thinking about making more to sell on Etsy in the near future.  Oh, and I ordered the minky and chevron blanket from OhSewCutiePie (the back is orange and white chevron).

Spray Paint Crazy for Fall Decor

Metallics are HUGE this season in everything from fashion, to jewelry and of course home decor.  After a recent trip to Home Goods (which is a pretty frequent thing for me) I noticed that I was gravitating towards everything shiny.  Since like most people I can't afford to buy new accessories every time the trends change I went to my favorite DIY fix, spray paint.  I probably drive my neighbors crazy with the spray paint fumes outside our house year round but it is one of my favorite things.  I was having withdrawals after my recent pregnancy made me put the hazardous chemicals away for awhile so I may have gone a little crazy making up for lost time.  

Here are just a few SUPER SIMPLE fall decor updates.  All I did was pick a few accessories from around the house and sprayed them with a variety of metallic paints.  For the wall medallion I used a water downed black acrylic paint over the silver paint to give it an aged look.  

The pumpkins are from a local craft store.  I love this look on top of my China cabinet along with a few of my more rustic accessories. 

Visit mgfinteriors.com for more specific help with your home. 

BABY ROOM PRINTS

As a military family, travel is a big part of our lifestyle and of course we move pretty frequently.  I wanted to incorporate the places we are from, where our son was born and the places we will go into his room.  I found these great frames at Target and created my own custom prints that incorporate some of our favorite quotes and songs.  A very inexpensive way to create some custom prints for Baby Jack's room.  Check out the completed room on my design site mgfinteriors.webs.com.  

mgfinteriors.webs.com

mgfinteriors.webs.com

mgfinteriors.webs.com

mgfinteriors.webs.com

Rustic Dining Room

MGF Interiors has a great new design project to showcase.  Valerie and Ryan displayed their collection of great antiques and furniture pieces from their years of travel together along with a few new, yet still rustic finds.  This great design mixes high end pieces with thrifty finds seamlessly and truly reflects their personal style.     

mgfinteriors.webs.com

mgfinteriors.webs.com

Pirate Party

Harrison and the Never Land Pirates

I had so much putting together the decorations for my nephew Harrison's 1st birthday party.  His older brothers are big fans of the cartoon 'Jake and the Never Land Pirates' so I took the theme chosen by his parents and gave it a more personalized touch.  Such a great theme choice because it was fun for all ages.  

Adorable cake from Publix bakery.

I found a few ideas on Pinterest like the 'Fish n' chips' with gold fish and potato chips.

 Free printable Birthday sign and cake tray template after the Jump...

Turkey Day Centerpiece

I am visiting my sister this year for Thanksgiving and since she knows cooking is not my specialty she put me in charge of the centerpiece. I may have taken the job a little too seriously and came up with a few different ideas for the dinner table, serving table and dessert table. But all are very thrifty!

Dining Table Decor:

I found several old and tarnished brass candlesticks at a thrift store. They ranged in price from $.50- $2! Then I used three different metallic paints to give them a fresh look, gold, bronze and copper. I used Martha Stewarts gilding paints but a spray paint would work just as well and be much easier. (I'm staying away from spray paint right now since I am pregnant)

I just used simple white candle sticks and let the fall colors of the holders really shine.

Ribbon Wreath- GO GATORS

Here is a super simple craft project I did for our friends/neighbors for football season.  Just used a store bought wreath form (this one was straw but foam would work better), you can find them at most craft stores.   I found several different fun ribbons in Gator colors but I guess it would work for any team or holiday.  Secure the ribbons on the back with pins and start wrapping randomly, making sure to keep the ribbon pulled tight and pin periodically.  Would look great in red and green for Christmas!

Baby News

I announced a few days ago that we are expecting our first baby in just a couple months!! This will be the first grandchild on my husband's side so we knew they would be excited no matter how we told them but on my side this will make grand-baby number 12! To make sure the 12th baby was just as exciting news as the first 11 we came up with a clever way to announce the news to my parents.

My husband bought a dozen donuts (and even coordinated a different kind for each family) and I printed a picture of each grandchild to put on them with our little 'sweetie' as the 12th. For the first time ever, we had to force my parent's to open the box (they usually can't resist a donut) and it took them both a minute to process what was happening but the end result was exactly what we hoped for. Tears!! Success!

I would love to hear the creative ways you made a big announcement to your family.

Please ignore the mess in the background. These pictures were taken during construction of my parent's new house (which I will be sharing more pictures of soon)

Grand kids in order- Ella, Clayton, Owen, Isabella, Anna, Caleb, Carter, Charlie, Amelia, Lucy, Harrison and Our Baby (name tbd) - don't ask me all their birthdays.

Tears from Papa!! Very proud of our tear jerking announcement.

Fort Carter- Moving Box Fun

Make the most out of that moving experience for the whole family.  Before you throw out those used moving boxes, have a little fun with them for the little ones in the family.  My nephew really enjoyed his own Fort Carter for a few days.  The best part, it was pretty much a free toy.

Simple Fixer Upper- Burlap Stool

I found this great, sturdy little stool at a thrift store and couldn't pass it up. The finish is a little blah and the fabric was pretty awful but I could see it's simple potential.

First- I removed the legs (just screwed into the bottom) and wrapped burlap right over the existing fabric. Just pulled it tight all the way around and stapled it along the bottom as I went. Just make sure the burlap is smooth as you go but don't worry about the bottom being pretty. I folded another strip of burlap and stapled underneath to give the edge a clean look.

Once everything was secure I simply trimmed the extra fabric.

Next step was painting the legs. I used push pins to hold the legs onto a piece of cardboard and sprayed away. I used a flat black paint from Krylon and highly recommend using a spray paint gun to make it much easier and cleaner for your fingers. (don't worry, I did this before I was pregnant)

The last steps were just to re-attach the legs and add nail head trim to finish off the look. You can find the nail heads in a variety of sizes and colors at your local hardware store. These were in the nail section at Home Depot.

Thanksgiving Care Package

Since I can't send my husband a real home cooked Thanksgiving dinner overseas I had to get a little creative.  I tried to pick some of his favorite Thanksgiving staples and found ways to send them that were not only non-perishable but could also be easily prepared in the microwave.  

Thanksgiving dinner includes:

- Instant mashed potatoes

- Canned cranberry sauce

- Stove Top dressing (can be microwaved)

- His favorite Hawaiian Sweet Rolls

- Mac n Cheese

- Canned yams w/ marshmallows

- Gravy (hopefully they have some turkey for them but if not can be used on potatoes)

- Sweet Tea Mio (just add to water)

- Mini Graham Cracker Pie Crusts with pudding to fill and make his own pies

- You could also add turkey jerky but I didn't bother since I know my husband doesn't like it.  

I would love to hear any other ideas you may have for Thanksgiving Care Packages.  

Pinterest Project

My sweet cousin Rachel just moved into her first post-college home and like the rest of us is addicted to Pinterest!  I know I have a long list of future projects but she has actually gotten started accomplishing hers.  Here is her adorable version of a popular Pinterest project...  

Here is Rachel's simple how to...

"So it is really simple... I just bought a piece of wood from Lowe's and had them cut it to 18 inches.  I spray painted it black.  I also bought 2 dresser drawer knobs, a hook and a pipe clamp from the bathroom section at Lowe's.  I drilled a hole for the knobs, tightened the clamp around the jar and hot glued it onto the wood. Then I just put some rocks and fake flowers as decor.  (these can be found at Walmart, the Dollar Store or any craft store).  Really simple and not too time consuming!"

What a seriously simple project.  She has it hanging by her front door and uses it for keys, puppy leash, jackets etc. but it would also be precious in a bathroom for towels and robes or a kitchen for aprons.  You could customize the colors and knobs to fit your decor and even change out the flowers seasonally.  If you wanted to use fresh flowers I would suggest attaching the pipe clamp with a screw to the board because the water would add to the weight and hot glue may not hold up.  You may have to screw the clamp in before tightening it around the jar.  

Baby Lucy's Room- Part 3

A few weeks ago, I shared a few details from the nursery that my sister is setting up for her new baby girl.  You can check out her DIY wall monogram here and her adorable thrifted pink lamps here.  This week I wanted to share some of her budget friendly ideas.

Didn't she do such a great job?!!  I think it looks so chic.  Every detail was carefully thought out and very affordable.  The changing table was re-used from her first baby boy's room and repainted white to better coordinate with Lucy's white crib (keep an eye out on Craigslist and Yard sales for similar finds).  I love how she used the baskets to keep all the necessities organized and hidden and they really tie in nicely with the rattan barrel chair.  We found that classic chair at a small antique store in great condition for only $60 (we have seen similar in other stores for 3x that).  The Parisian print was a $25 Home Goods find (I love that store), the rug was $20 at Ikea (I had the same one in my old apartment, it blends well with multiple design styles).  The ruffle drapes aren't only super sweet but also very important to Baby Lucy's nap time.  She ordered the drapes from Pottery Barn Kids and hung them on a double drapery rod with a blackout shade behind them to provide total darkness even during the brightest hours of the day (clever mom trick that I never would have thought of).  Finally, the sweet details of Lucy's toys and a handmade blanket crocheted by her great grandma add a personal touch to the space.  The most cost effective part is that most of the staple items will grow with Lucy well into her teen years.

Baby Lucy's Room- Part 1

Baby Lucy's Room- Part 2

Baby Lucy's Room - Part 2

My newest niece, Lucy has the CUTEST room!  I'm a little jealous.  You can see PART 1 here.  

Most of Lucy's room has been designed by my sister but I had to contribute a little something too, so here is my thrifty addition.

I found two of these cute lamps at a thrift store.  They needed a little cleaning up, new wiring an new shades but they were perfect for a baby girl's room.  Lamp re-wiring kits can be found at most hardware stores and the directions are really easy to follow.  The lamp shades were $5 from Ikea, you can find them here. 

I love how she arranged the books and baby toys!  

Check out Baby Lucy's Room Part 3 here. 

TRINKETS FROM YOUR TRAVELS

Make the most of your military moves with the accessories that you display throughout your home. Accessories are a great way to show off the places you have traveled to and lived. They don't only add a great personalized touch to your home but they are great conversation starters. Accessories, artwork, photography, and trinkets allow you to remember family trips and moves in a unique way.

Here are a few fun ways to tell your family story through accessories...

Customized Washington DC Pillow from Christin Morgan's Etsy shop.  Visit Christina's Etsy shop to get a custom pillow from your state or country.

Ikat- Southwestern Prints from Pixie Pixels Etsy Shop.  Visit Pixie Pixels Etsy Shop to order your own prints.
Copyright Pixie Pixels 2012.

Georgia Water Color Artwork from Katie Daisy's Esty Shop.  Visit her Etsy shop to get your own or one like it from your state. 
Copyright Katie - Daisy 2012

Texas style accessory- Cow skull and Vintage Dutch shoes from Joanne's Etsy Shop

Thailand Photography from Kallie Brynn Photography.  You can purchase a print from her here. 
Copyright Kallie Brynn Photography 2012.

Driftwood wreath from MaderaDelMar Etsy Shop.  Click on the highlighted link to order a driftwood wreath.