One week down...

I have survived a full week in the condo now!  It can be really lonely and really boring... thank God for Duke, he does a good job of keeping me company.  While I have spent a lot of time watching TV and studying anatomy; I also met about 8 classmates and a had a blast exploring St. Augustine with them.  I am very excited to start classes in about 3 weeks, but for now I am taking full advantage of my down time for some crafting and well needed relaxation.  Here are a few of the projects I have done this week:

Window Table #2:

I finally finished the second window table.  I made this one with a bottom shelf to hold a basket.  The top is 8 inches deep to store magazines, decoration for the season, souvenirs from various trips, or anything else I decide :)  I even added the window locking mechanism for a fun and functional authentic feel.

Here it is all decorated!  Notice some of the other crafts that have been or will be featured :)

While I wish I could have included a more detailed step-by-step instructions of how I built both window tables, I had limited time to finish construction on each table as I did both in one weekend... the weekend before I moved.  If you have any questions feel free to ask!!

Craft #1 - State Art:

I found this adorable project on Lolly Jane's blog here.  They have some great ideas on here and since the boy and I are long distance I thought this was a perfect piece of artwork!  Check out the tutorial on their site.  Some things I did on mine: Florida has some very detailed shorelines, I kept some of the detail but made some of the lines less defined.  Mississippi has some ridiculous state lines so I made the left side pretty straight.  The stickers I used did not pop like I would have liked on that blue paper so I outlined them with white thread by sewing around the heart.  I also stitched the black "+" in the middle of the two states since I had out the needle and thread already.  I love how it turned out and it looks great on my window table.

Craft #2 - Japanese Kusudama Ball

This is a simple but very time consuming project!!  I love origami and this cute little flower only involves about 7 or 8 steps to make each petal and then some gluing is necessary to make each flower and then the ball.  Only half of the ball is done so far, but I plan to finish it soon.  I have made these flowers before, so when I came across a tutorial on StumbleUpon for how to make it into a ball I had to try.  Check out the tutorial Find Inspirations here.  To help with putting it together, I used paper clips at each joint to hold the glue as it dried.   Here is the first half of my Japanese Kusudama ball:

Enjoy!! 

O.M.J.

Day 3

I am now into day 3 of being at the new condo and I love it!  The location is amazing with a back entrance into an awesome shopping plaza that includes Publix, Pier 1, Bed, Bath & Beyond, Five Guys, Panera Bread, and so much more!  There is also a back entrance into Wal-Mart and easy access to all of the main roads.   I have been so busy unpacking, organizing, cleaning, updating, painting, and anything else you can imagine it takes when you’re a new homeowner!  Since I have been busy, crafting has been at a stop.  But right before the move I got into a few projects.  

Project #1: Knot Coasters

I found a great tutorial for this on StumbleUpon and had to try them!  I loved the nautical feel of the rope Design Sponge used but ended up using the teal blue nylon rope because it matched the chalk board perfectly.  To see their tutorial click here.  While the tutorial is for a trivet, I wanted mine to be a little smaller for coasters.  I started out by making one according to the tutorial then tightened it up so it would be smaller.  This is how mine turned out.  

Project #2: Window Table

This was actually my idea.  I love old furniture and pieces that I can make into new things.  I love the idea of upgrading old windows and have been on the look out for old windows for a while.  I finally found some at the awesome boutique I worked at this summer.  I grabbed two different styles with the idea of making side tables out of them.  Currently I have one finished while the other is still in progress.

This is how the window started.  After carefully removing the glass and some scraping and sanding I brought it back to raw wood.  I cleaned the glass and sat it aside for the end.  I bought some legs and hardware from Home Depot, drilled holes and set the hardware to attach the legs.  I then painted the legs and window, attached the legs, and replaced the glass.  Next comes the fun part: window glazing!  It is similar to caulk but specific for windows.  This was a challenge but after four window panes, I got it down.  Here is the final product:

I have more projects coming including a chalk board strawberry pot and the other window table so stay tuned :)

O.M.J.

Chalk Board Frame

I love sweets! Who doesn't? One day I walked into a cupcake shop in Panama City and I saw it! They had their menus posted on chalk boards framed with awesome, bright colors frames.  I love the idea of chalk board paint and all of the fun uses it has, plus I LOVED these frames, so I decided to make one.

Supplies:

I was definitely going for the texture of the frame here!

Chalk Board spray paint, primer, color, and a glossy top coat.

For the chalk board I bought particle board which is really smooth on one side and is light weight.  

Step 1: Prime the frame to cover the previous colors and help the new color stand out.  Paint the board with the Chalk Board paint as directed, about three coats.

Step 2: Spray paint the frame the desired color, 2 coats.

Step 3:  Prepare the chalk board as directed on the paint can (rub a piece of chalk over the entire board).  Place the chalk board inside of the frame and attach the back of the frame.

This whole project cost about $30.  The frame was $18,  the paints were each about $3 to $5 and the board was $2.  I have the perfect place to hang this inside my new condo!  It will be great to leave notes or make shopping lists on.  One addition that would be fun to do is either use a piece of metal for the chalk board to make it magnetic, or spend about $20 on the magnetic paint available at Home Depot and paint that under the chalk board.

OMJ

Happy Birthday to me

My birthday was a week ago and following the tradition Kenneth has started (I hope he knows what he has gotten himself into!) we went on a trip! This time we went to Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. As usual, Kenneth booked the hotel through Travelocity's Top Secret Hotels (great rates on great rooms... most of the time). Monday we set off to TN and 10 hours, one trip to Starbucks, three tanks of gas, a Chick-fil-a meal, and many bathrooms breaks later we arrived. Let me tell you, Kenneth was not prepared for what we would see next. For those of you who have not visited the heart of Pigeon Forge think Panama City Beach meets the mountains! He was shocked at how touristy it all was. As we drove down the main strip looking for our hotel, we sat in awe of all the tourist attractions feeling as if the trip was a waste of time, for if we drove down "The Strip" in Panama City we would have seen the exact same things. Riley's, Wonder Works, slingshots, goofy golf, and countless souvenir shops. Finally we were approaching our hotel, thankful to get out and stretch our legs. Looking forward to our "three star" hotel, we pulled into the Vacation Lodge. First off, just the name put us on edge, but we wanted to give the place the benefit of the doubt. We checked in, went up to the room, and were semi-shocked with what we found. While it was clean, the bed was hard and it was in no way a "three star" hotel. We sucked it up, went out on the town and found a cool local brewery, the Smoky Mountain Brewery. After enjoying the wings, onion rings and a beer sampler, we turned in for the night. To cut this story short since I know this has been a long post, we did not sleep! The next morning we got up and got on the phone with Travelocity. My parents have taught me a lot over time but one of the most useful things has been how to fight a company until things are corrected, and the best way to do this is ask for a supervisor. And that is just what I did, four times! I have been on the phone everyday this week with Travelocity's customer service trying to get a refund for he two nights we did not stay at the Vacation Lodge. At this point I guess I should say we left the Vacation Lodge that morning and got a nice room at the Holiday Inn down the street. Other than fighting with Travelocity, we have enjoyed a Moonshine tasting, three wineries, and the brewery. We went to Dollywood, spent a few hours at The Apple Barn Cider Mill where we got cobbler and icecream, apple muffins, apple butter, apple pies, and apple wine (we really like apples) walked around the Old Mill Village and I bought two pieces of Pigeon Forge Pottery for my condo, and even gave into our anti-tourist ways and played goofy golf. Needless to say, this was a wonderful vacation and I am so thankful I had this opportunity before starting PT school and losing any form of free time. As for the Travelocity thing, we are working on a refund and I will let y'all know what happens.

Next time your in Pigeon Forge or Gatlinburg check out:
Smoky Mountain Brewery
Apple Barn Winery
Mountain Valley Winery
Hillside Winery

OMJ

In the beginning...

On St. Patrick's day I found out I got into Physical Therapy school. Last Friday I bought my first house. This blog is a description of the adventure I am about to embark on. Follow me as I decorate my home (this and every one in the future) and fulfill my dreams of becoming a Physical Therapist. I hope you enjoy all of the creative projects I bring forth (I'm sure my mother will be glad those private art lessons are going to good use), the day to day antics of my life, and the shout outs to all of the people who inspire me.

O.M.J