Cute & Simple DIY Bulletin Board

Well, this post is looong overdue. But, I think this project turned out too cute {and too easy!} not to share.

I'd been looking for a bulletin board of some sort to hang in the pantry for notes, grocery lists, etc. I just could never find one that wasn't too plain or wasn't waaay overpriced. I just wanted simple.

I was at IKEA before the holidays and found cork bulletin boards for $5. Too plain and boring, I thought. And then it hit me -- just paint it! {Don't laugh. I'm sure you more creative folks are 10 steps ahead of me with this!} When I got home, I went through the paint samples I had bought when I was deciding on wall colors for the house. I tell ya, I have quite the collection as I'm so indecisive. One of my favorites is Organic Garden from Home Depot -- so I used a foamy paintbrush and it went from this ...

To this ...

I love how the color turned out! I tried to make the edges look like aged wood with different shades of brown acrylic paint.

I still thought it looked a bit plain, so I started painting swirls using a small brush and white acrylic paint.

I love how the little swirls came out! But, the bigger ones look a bit ... odd ...

Ohwell. It came with small metal rings that I sprayed bronze, then screwed in to the top. A little brown ribbon and a bow, and this project was done!

I hung it on the inside of the pantry door with one of those bronze removable hooks. Seriously, the project took no time once I figured out what I wanted to do. So, I made one for my mom, too. For her board, I used a spray paint from Hobby Lobby {color: Oregano}. Honestly, hand painting was waaay easier and surprisingly faster as I had to do several coats with the spray paint. But I think hers turned out cute, too.

I finished it off with a bow like mine, and it's now hanging on her pantry door. So simple ... yet so darn handy!

{Linked to the DIY Showoff Project Parade -- check out the other awesome DIY links too!}

Wish List: Hunter Boots

This rainy, cool weather definitely put a slight damper on the weekend. If only I had a pair of these beautiful Hunter rain boots to splash around in ...

I'm just drooling over the glossy purple, but the other colors are cool too. Wouldn't they make grocery shopping in the rain 100x more fun?

ReStore Treasures

To those close to me, it's no secret that I L-O-V-E my local Habitat for Humanity ReStore. Why? Because you can find cool treasures like this 5ft wrought iron wall hanging for a mere 16 bucks.

And, all the money goes directly to support Habitat for Humanity's rebuild efforts. How cool is that?

There's No Place Like Home

We have a spare bedroom that has become quite the catch-all room. From the weight machine {aka, dust collector} to boxes of photos that I've been trying to organize for months, to clothes I can't find a place for to other odds & ends that I love but I'm not quite sure what to do with -- this room has become one where I just shut the door and forget about it for weeks.

Until this morning, when I went searching for a couple of books. As I started looking around, I realized how much I actually enjoy the things in there, and how many memories are attached to each object. Later, as I was dreaming about what color to paint our spare bathroom, I started looking at the tulip wall hanging I have up.

Sure, I bought it from Target six years ago, but it was hung in my first apartment, then in our first home after we got married, and now in our current house. I just love the clean, creamy color. And tulips? My favorite.

Sometimes I get soo caught up in the lovely things in stores and magazines, that I forget about some of my favorite things right here at home. Some that I've bought over the years, some that were gifts, others that were inherited from family.

So, I thought I would start sharing some of those things from time to time. As the old saying goes, "There's no place like home"!

Trapped in the Real World

Yes, I fell into the vast trap of the real world -- work work work and no play. Okay, maybe a little play, but nothing creative that I've had time to share :). Perhaps things will slow down here soon ...

I did want to share a {very} belated thanks to the wonderful Bridget for sending along my awesome give-away prize! It's super cute, and I still haven't decided where to hang it. The photo doesn't do the color justice -- it's such a beautiful shade of chocolate brown ...

Until next time -- Happy {almost} Friday!

My, How Time Flies

I didn't mean to neglect my blog for this long ... guess the time monster found me again. Work has been pretty crazy lately, but J and I did manage to sneak away for some snowboarding last week. I survived Angel Fire and Taos with only a bruise, which is saying a lot for my clumsy self :).

I was very excited to see new followers and to read all of your wonderful comments on my last few posts. I've got a lot of reading to catch up on! And definitely looking forward to it -- my brain could use a creative break.

Also, very special {belated} thanks to Wendy for featuring my blog a couple of weeks ago. Can't wait to skip over there and see what she's been up to!

Happy Friday -- look for fresh project posts coming soon!

Bridal Shower Napkins

I never did post the Bridal Shower napkins I did for a family friend. Her colors were red and black, so it was pretty easy to find the flowers to match. I got the cream cocktail napkins at Party City for less than $3 a package, and found the ink, flowers, and Mr. & Mrs. Stamp 1/2 off at Hobby Lobby.

I also had plenty of various-sized rhinestones leftover from other projects. I just wish I was a better photographer -- they looked waaay cuter in person!

Have a great Valentine's! {Or, as I like to call it, happy Chocolate Day!}