"How To" Make a Wainscot Chalkboard

Assuming all chores are done, groceries are put away, babies are napping, and you have nothing to do, here is a FUN FRIDAY project!

Visiting the thrift store is one field trip and adventure I will always look forward to.  It used to be a "hush- hush" kind of a store to frequent, but now it is totally acceptable.  In fact, with some friends, a gift from the thrift store is just as wonderful as a fancy schmancy gift from Nordstrom or from Anthropologie!!!

After making our first wainscot chalkboard {my super talented father-in-law made the cuts and glued the border!} with leftover wainscoting, I decided that since we still had a couple of sheets out in the corner of our garage it may be time for my hubby and I to make another chalkboard for our happy little guest room!

I bought an old picture from the thrift store on sale for $2.99 or $3.99.  Can't remember exactly...anyhoo, it was heavy and made of solid wood, and I really liked the frame on it, so into the cart it went.  It was less than what I would have paid at any local craft store even if I had used my coupon!

 1.  Remove the print and the glass...very carefully!

2.  Sand and paint the frame in whatever color you want.  I chose white because it goes with everything and it looks crisp and clean!  Also, because it was going to be hanging on a green wall.  :}

3.  Measure the wainscot up against the frame if you can't find one of your three measuring tapes!  Be sure to connect your wainscot together for accurate sizing purposes.  This can make the difference in a snug  or sloppy fit.

4.  Cut the wainscot and fit it into the frame. 

5.  Once you are sure that it fits "snug as a bug", remove it from the frame and lightly paint one coat of chalkboard paint on it.  MAKE sure that the paint is well blended.  I shake it and let it sit upside down for awhile.  This stuff is super duper thick.  This will allow for a beautiful chalkboard that is easy to write on!  Let it dry and lightly finish it with one more coat of paint.

TAA DAH!  Easy Peasy.

Another reason I LOVE using the wainscot is that it provides lines to help

 with keeping a straight line.  :}

Happy Friday!

Share

Easter Table Decor with Peat Pots

Happy Tuesday.  Hope those of you are participating in the "40 bags of stuff in 40 days" are having more fun with it than I am.  I had no idea how attached I had become to things.  I will be posting pictures of a sun dress I have had for 20 years.  I have pics with my babes to PROVE IT.  So, some of those things are now off to a new new home. Who knows, it may be a post you may want to skip...but unfortunately this is also our family blog which documents big things for us which may be of no interest to anybody else!  :}

Anyhoo, with our HOME feeling less-cluttered, fresh and the anticipation of Spring, I wanted to share a frugal find if you are hosting Easter in your home this year.  My Momma always brought the inside in.  It wasn't ever just at Christmas or at Easter, but she was always clipping things or picking things up to display in our home.  Although a fresh bouquet of tulips is always welcome, it is not always economical.  We planted rosemary about 15 years ago and it is still my go-to for cooking, year-round bouquets, gift toppers and everything else.  The plants were on sale {less than $10} and they have saved us so much $$. Can I tell you how nice it is to cut a sprig and tie it to a white washcloth for overnight guests?!  :}

I love starting plants for friends and for family.  Once the roots are nice and long, they are ready to plant in soil.

I bought this pack of 12 Peat Pots for $1.49.  I already had the soil outside and I used the rosemary starts I started weeks  ago.  

All you need to do is fill the adorable little pot about half full.

Then, place your start into the soil.

Fill the pot to the top and press the soil down to make sure your start feels packed in and secure.

Water just a tad.  That is it!

I think these are sweet little Easter table decorations.  If you want a simple tablescape:  Line up several pots and place them on a tray for garden row herbs.

There is quite a variety of sizes and styles of peat pots.  The trays are really cute, too!

Happy dreaming and planning!

Don't forget about the giveaway!

Shared with:  women living well, a bowl full of lemons, Titus 2sday, raising homemakers, at the picket fence

Share

Vintage Heirloom Ornament

I am so very giddy giddy this morning!

The last batch of baked goods are in the oven, most of the Christmas presents are wrapped, the house is semi-clean, the kiddies have been dotted on, the doggie is cuddled up on the couch with her "baby" and I have a few minutes to BLOG something new! I kinda feel like a child who has just finished homework and who gets to play for awhile before dinner! :}

Anyhoo, since the metal Holly Hobbie lunch boxes we carried to school in the sixth grade are now considered VINTAGE, it is more than safe to call these ornaments vintage.

My dad saves everything with any value in the memory department whatsoever. I love the fact that he kept our old caroling sheet music from when we were little.



A few years ago, he brought them over to my twinsie's house! We had dinner and then gathered around the baby grand to sing Christmas carols before opening gifts. It was such a fun evening. I will never ever tire of twinsie's amazing talent on the piano! She has her very own style that is filled with all of the extra notes. I guess it was worth listening to the hours and hours of the same ol' scales!

...so, after seeing an idea on pinterest and seeing Kim's creation for a baby shower, I decided to take the old sheet music and make vintage ornaments for family Christmas gifts this year. I already had the ornaments, a mini punch, a glue stick, glitter and the vintage music sheets! TAA DAA!

There is nothing better than using something that you already have and making something memorable to give at Chrismas!

***I took the tops off of the ornaments and placed the white lights sitting on the mantle through the tops for ornament lighting. It looks so festive and is quite the conversation piece! That is what happens when Target sells out of globe lighting in October! Necessity is the mother to invention, right?



Thank you all for reading our little bloggy and for following our family journal this last year!

May this time of year be joyous as we celebrate the birth of Jesus!



Shared with: at the picket fence

Share

Bean Bag Soup

With food prices on the rise {even at Winco, the low price leader!!!} it is really difficult to feed a family on a budget, let alone helping out others. And as easy it is to slide into only taking care of ourselves there are so many ways to continue to bless those around us. It does not need to be spendy.

One of my favorite scenes from a Christmas movie was one where German and American soldiers took over a woman's home to retreat from the snow storm and to rest. It was Christmas eve and with as little she had for her and for her young son, they made a most memorable meal from virtually nothing. There were no trips to Target for new dishes and table decorations and certainly not a Costco to stock up on paper towels, Vanity napkins and pumpkin pie. It was her willingness to share from her heart and to make the soldiers feel as welcome and nurtured under the circumstances.

Buying a variety of dry beans in bulk is still relatively inexpensive and it is a gift your children will love to help with. Remember, it is never too early to teach your children the gift of sharing.

We find such joy when we see our children offer up a meal to a hurting friend or when they take it upon themselves to help someone in need! It does take time and patience to teach, but it is oh.so.worth it!



Dry Bean Bag Soup Mix

2 cups of each:

black beans

large lima beans

small lima beans

pinto beans

lentils

Great Northern beans

red beans

split green peas

pearl barley

navy beans

*Combine all beans into a large container and mix well. Your children will LOVE this!



*Divide mixture into 8 plastic bags...about 2 1/2 cups in each bag

*Tie the bags with twine and attach the Bean Bag Soup recipe


Bean Bag Soup Recipe

1 bag of "Bean Bag Soup Mix"

1 large onion

1 28 oz. can tomatoes

2 tsp. chili powder

2 cloves crushed garlic

juice of 1 lemon

salt and pepper to taste

*Wash beans thoroughly and place in large pot

*Add enough water to cover beans by 2 inches

*Boil for 2 minutes and let stand for 1 hour

*Drain and add 2 qts. water...and 1/2 lb. ham if you must

*Simmer for about 1 1/2 to 2 hours, covered

*Add the rest of the ingredients and simmer for 30 minutes or until the beans are tender.

This serves about 6...but it will vary according to the appetites!

Serve with a salad and crusty bread!


Since we had some fence boards to recycle, mu hubby cut them down and I made a mini food crate to put the soup fixings into. Super easy and rustic looking! I wrapped the can of tomatoes with leftover craft paper to dress the off-brand up a bit! You could use a paper bag if you want. The seasoning went into a pouch and the lemon and onion and almost forgot about the garlic...just sat in the bottom of the crate. I then attached a tag that said, "We are thankful for you". It will be just right for a friend who is sick and has no energy to cook! Don't forget to tuck the soup directions in with the bag o' beans!

I also made up a few bags to keep on hand without the fixings. They will be great to grab on a busy day when I would like to do something for somebody and am short on time...!


ENJOY!























Can you think of anyone who needs mercy and compassion?

THIS IS WHAT THE LORD ALMIGHTY SAYS..."ADMINISTER TRUE JUSTICE, SHOW MERCY AND COMPASSION TO ONE ANOTHER" Zechariah 7:9














Shared with: raising homemakers, crafty scrappy happy, simple country life, comfy in the kitchen

Share

Bird Bowls and White Slip Covers

Happy November!!

Hope you all are well and are looking forward to the holiday season! Can you even believe it is already here?

I think November is my favorite month of the year! Do YOU have a favorite month?

Sooo, we are back to rambling about whatever today. No agenda, no theme. just Y.O.U. and me...chatting. AHHHH!


THIS...

I am always curious what other people set their tables with or what they keep on their tables at all times. It could be a bouquet of flowers, old salt and pepper shakers, a seasonal table runner, Grandma's old butter dish etc. I think it tells a story. My Grandma Metko was extremely prim and proper. Nothing and I do mean nothing went on the table without being decantered. So, if we were having burgers, the mayo would go into a seperate dish. She kept her ketchup in a cute tomato squeeze bottle that was decantered from the ketchup bottle. Got the idea? BUUUT mealtime was always extra special because she took the time to do what she considered special and "acceptable".

Most meals include our bird bowls. Do you love the name? To get our babes to take bites of food when they were learning to eat table food, we would have them say "tweet" "tweet" and then we would give them a bite. Our momma did that with us and so we carried it on with our "little birds" so, we keep bird bowls on the table for small portions of side dishes that may be extra soupy like baked beans or for applesauce, salsa, dips etc. They are so much fun in the different colors. We also keep a small glass jar with bird spoons. It is just the little things at mealtime that can add a bit of whimsy and tradition. Guess what my children will be getting for shower gifts when they fly away and start their very own families??? Bird bowls and spoons!...


THAT...

We needed a chair in the corner of our bedroom. I don't know why...but we have always had a chair or couch in our bedroom. We bought one that we LOVE, but it was too big...so it is now taking up residence in the family room. It dawned on me that our outdoor deck chair would be perfect, but the terra cotta cushions were NOT moving into our bedroom. So, I bought a set of two white {actually not quite white and not quite cream, kinda in between} curtain panels at IKEA. They are GREAT! I just tucked it in to see how it would work and I LOVE it. They are nice and thick which means there is no need to double up on the fabric. It looks great! All I need to do now is wash the fabric, iron.iron.iron and for $15.00 we have the "just right" corner chair in our cozy, little bedroom!

Outdoor furniture usually goes on clearance in July and it is much more affordable than regular furniture and it is just as comfy with the big ol' cushions they are sold with!


BEFORE:




AFTER:



THE OTHER...




Have you thought about making mini pies for THANKSGIVING? I thing they are the cutest!

Share

French Theme Week: Pretty Parisian Posies

As women, most of us LOVE our homes and have the desire to create a warm and relaxed atmosphere...but as we all know, that is way easier said than done. We are easily distracted by LAUNDRY, dishes, messy garages, pantries that are so stuffed to the brim with coupon finds and bulk bags of food with twist ties lining the pantry floor, couch crumbs from movie night cheesy popcorn and gnarled up hand braces that have been salvaged from a hungry dog...however,it IS possible to take a few minutes to freshen up our homes with pretties!

Vintagy Posies:

A small bit of burlap...I had leftovers in the garage.

Leftover fabric...I used leftovers from when my curtains were hemned

*If you don't have fabric sitting around, you could purchase a pillowcase at the thrift store and not feel bad about cutting it up...pretty napkins work, too.

A glue gun

Twine...Still leftovers from Grammy's stash


{DIRECTIONS}

Cut circles of fabric. Not perfect. Just eyeball it. You want them to be a bit shabby looking.



You will nedd three fabric circles for each posie and one burlap circle pinched in the middle and tied for the "leaves".



Take each circle of fabric and fold into half. Pinch it together to form a bud, and then glue gun it. Once you have all three buds done, nestle them together and glue gun. Then glue gun the bud to the burlap leaf. OOOH LA LA. Perfect for everyday or simple enough for le bebe shower in Autumn!

Here are a few things I did to add a bit up Parisian charm to our HOME for our French Theme Week.

{They will also serve as simple decorations for a family birthday party!}

If all else fails and you've had a hectic day, find your local classical station or tune it in on PANDORA, light a few tea lights and serve store bought French onion soup with a bag o' salad and a fresh loaf of warmed Artisan bread. The dust wont show and you may just feel like you are in Paris for the dinner hour!



Happy Monday!





Shared with: freckled laundry

Share

Anniversary Picnic with Vintage Home Designs

Such patient girlies you all are...well, some of YOU, anyway! Maybe I will take pictures of wrapped gifts more often just to keep you guessing and on your toes, but I know that a few of you peeked...because you told me. Anyhoo, for the rest of you who love surprises...

TODAY is our 21st wedding anniversary and my hubby gave me the most beautiful handmade bread boards ever...





Aren't they adorable? They were packaged in burlap and tied with jute. They come in a set of four different styles and sizes.

My sweet friend, Diana from Vintage Home Designs makes every one of these mini bread boards by hand. Not only do I love her blog, but I love how she and her hubby enjoy life together! They have fun and live a simple life...and her love is a firefighter, too! I know her blog will soon be among your favorites as well! Thank you, Diana for my treasured anniversary gift!

As soon as I opened them and smelled the fresh wood, I knew since it was my year to plan our anniversary, I was going to pack a picnic and the bread boards would serve as plates. They were perfect!

Anniversary Picnic Menu:

Anniversary Champagne



BBQ Shrimp Baguettes



Our very favorite KETTLE CHIPS



Orange Infused Nectarines with Fresh Blueberries from our Neighbors



Champagne Frosted Cupcakes





{BTW, thanks to this, the cupcakes arrived in tact!}


Picnic Details:

The blanket we used was an engagement gift from hubby. He bought it for me along with the salt and pepper shakers while he was on a missions trip to Portugal. It is still so special and he still is so touched that we use it...even on the GRASS!





The sandwiches were wrapped in white recycled parchment paper from the shrimp purchased at the deli...then placed in a brown sandwich bag to keep it cool.



Decorations were kept simple: I used a paper bag to punch out tags for our food and also for the banner I made which was his card!





The napkins were wrapped with recycled jute from the gift-wrapped bread boards



The burlap that the bread boards were wrapped in served as a liner for our picnic basket and was used as a runner. My hubby loved it!




I packed a canning jar our candle, bur since it was breezy on the hill, we popped it into a champagne flute and shared a glass, which was by far more romantic!

Before we were married, he was working at a camp. He would send me a letter almost every day and it said: To the future Mrs. Pearson...I loved seeing my new last name! So, instead of anything else, the banner had to be PEARSON!

MUSIC...we love music. Very seldom do we NOT have music on in our home. SO, thanks to Pandora, we had lovely music for the evening.




ANNNND even though we did not meet in Paris, we had the most fun sitting on Chapman Hill taking in the fresh air, sounds and sights. We laughed and talked and dreamed about the future while looking at the Montgomery Park sign! "Our Spot" holds so many fun memories with promise of many more memories to come...like grand babies rolling down the hill while watching the vaux's swifts fly over head!



ANNNNND aside from our "Come to Jesus Meetin' " with our children it was a wonderful day. They blessed us with a gift certificate to GUSTAVS! ALL on their own. We were overwhelmed!

ANNNNNND...after we picked up from our picnic, we took a stroll around the neighborhoods and went house paint shopping and met the.nicest.people!

A special night with the love of my life!







I LOVE YOU, 2, Mr.Pearson



Thank you for choosing me to be your Mrs. Pearson!



Happy Happy August 11th to YOU!

PS. Have any of you made your candle light dinner, yet? Just checking!

Shared with: Picket Fence

Share