Browsing Category: Celebrations

Happy Holidays!

I just wanted to drop a quick little note to say Happy Holidays to you all!

This year flew by… so much so that I wasn’t quite able to complete everything on my 2014 hit-list.  But not to worry, ’cause there’s always 2015!!

Here’s a small project that I did a few days before the kids got out of school that you can totally do too!  I found a broken frame at HomeGoods for $8 and turned it into a fun sign!

IMG_0025How cute is that?!  Well, the pool man liked it!

I just painted right over the old artwork…

DSCN3427Using this as my inspiration for the background…

http://www.dreamstime.com/royalty-free-stock-photos-white-winter-scene-image10289088No need to get all caught up in perfection because you’re going to write something over it.  I just love when I can have fun with a project and not stress about messing up!

Then I used metallic gold paint for the letters.  They really pop!  And it’s hard to tell here, but they shine.

IMG_0026All that was left was to glue the frame back together – Easy stuff peeps.

I love how it makes the front door so welcoming!

And (if it couldn’t get better) I was finally able to put that awesome easel to good use!  I found it about a year ago at a thrift store and just haven’t been able to find the right spot.  Phew, finally!  My $3 dollar investment paid off!!

Of course, you could also do this with a scrap piece of wood or even a sturdy piece of cardboard!

There’s still time for a Happy New Year sign!

I hope you all had a great Christmas, Hanukkah, Holiday, Day-off!  Enjoy those last few days of the dreamy music – I know I will!

Happy Creating!  Jessica

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Happy (late) Halloween and a bit on the 6 Week Challenge!

Hi Friends!

So, so, so sorry for going a tad silent this week.

Will you forgive me if I was finishing up these little ditties, for these super cuties?!?

IMG_2881They are my Lego Super Hero’s!

I’m sure that if you have kids, you know that Halloween is a BIG ‘OL Production!  There are parties, festivals, trunk-or-treating, trick-or-treating, cookie decorating, pumpkin carving, face painting, and on, and on, and on.  It’s like it’s own force of nature…luring children in one Snicker’s bar at a time.  My cousin, who is 9, even asked “Why do we have to go to school on Halloween if it’s a holiday?”

I’m feeling a bunch of head nods and “seriously’s” over the web.  It’s a bit of a pain, but WOW, it IS SOOOOO MUCH FUN!  I can’t help shoving a few Snicker’s into the ole piehole myself.

So, now do you understand what happened to me on Thursday morning?  But here I am, and definitely ready to get back to the family room action.  And I’ve got a few updates…

First off, the fabric.  Here’s what I’m thinking.

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Do you likie?  I found that pencil drawing fabric in a box from a scrap store!!  I have just enough to get 1 pillow.  It’s so cool and I feel like I won the fabric lotto.  The stripe and the textured weave should inject a bit of modernism.

What about this for a surprise?  It may turn out to be my secret weapon… it’s like your hip grandma’s sweater.  So soft and pretty.  The hub is politely saying no (Grandma’s are not cool, in his opinion)… but I’m still debating.

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The room maybe feeling a little too tribal.  I’m crossing my fingers that art and those chrome chairs will fix that up… and possibly the secret weapon.  (Is it that I like the fabric or I just want one $%#^& feminine thing in this room?)

Speaking of the chairs!!  Does anyone know a trick for fixing up chrome?  It’s a bit more beat up in the back than I originally thought.  I NEED SUGGESTIONS, PLEASE.  Spray paint just seems like a no-no here.  I ended up purchasing a strie black fabric that is coated for stain protection at $14 a yard at Michael Levine’s in downtown LA for those.  Such a deal!!  Now I just need to get to work.

Art?  Well, you’ve seen a few pieces, but what about some black and white photography ala

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More flowers!  Buahhhahhhaahhhhaa!

My Crate and Barrel tables are out of the boxes and … hmmm… I’m just not sure.

DSCN3353Do you see those dark lines on the edge?  That’s how the table came out of the box.  Weird.  And then while I carefully lifted one out, I scratched it.  Oops.

I’m still torn whether it’s a neat used look or it’s a bad look.  The good news is that it’s really sturdy – a must in this room for sure!!

Oh!  And the flea market gods smiled on me last weekend.  I found two of my favorite things ever!!

DSCN3348 DSCN3349Yes, that is a handwoven wool rug.  OMG, amazing, right?!  The fringe makes me want to squeal. And that table?!  I could literally put it anywhere in the house and it would work.  I just love pieces like that!

Anyhoo, that’s what’s going on here.  Only a few days left to pull it all together!

Wish me luck!

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And please check out all the fabulous updates at Calling It Home!  Linda has invited great designers and they’re killing it.  Not to mention the other 90+ bloggers strutting their stuff!  It’s a definite cup of coffee, weekend reading treat.

Happy Creating!  Jessica

Ninja Piñata!

Happy Monday to you!

I wanted to share how I made the Ninja Piñata for my son’s birthday party.

You might be thinking, “I’m never going to do this project!”  And seriously, I hear you.  But never say never!  I’ve found that the techniques I used here can be applied to lots of other projects.  You’ll see!!

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Here’s what you’ll need:

-Newspaper or butcher paper cut into strips

-Vessel for water

-A few cups of flour

-A balloon

-A small box

-2 paper towel rolls or 4 tp rolls

-Tape

-Rope for hanging

-Paint

-Crepe Paper *Optional

And obviously, you need some inspiration!  I found this during a google search – I loved the cartoonish look of it!

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1.  Tape your box shut and make a bunch of slits in it.  You don’t want it too secure or else it will be difficult to break…use your judgement for the age group.  Tape the rolls where the arms and legs would go.  Blow up the balloon and secure it with tape.

You’ve got a little body!!

DSCN3058With some extra newspaper, wad up balls and attach them to the ends of the rolls with tape.

DSCN30612.  Secure the Rope to the body.  I used tape to make it super easy!  Just remember that eventually the balloon with deflate and you’ll have a lot of slack on the top.  Also, don’t just tape it to the balloon, secure it around the body.

DSCN30593.  Make the paste!  With a little flour and water your newspaper will dry quickly and strong.  Is your mixture runny?  It should be!  You don’t need much flour, so don’t go for a full paste consistency… think more creamer-like.  Promise!

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4.  The fun part!!  Just start dunking your newspaper strips and laying them on the ninja body.  Try to do 2 vertically, then 2 horizontally.  On the limbs, do a few going from body to toes, and then wrap a few strips around, overlapping the strip on itself.  This will smooth all the seams and keep the body from falling apart… before anyone whacks it, of course!

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I actually did 3 different layers on this piñata.  I kept my flour water mixture in the fridge, so I didn’t have to start over each time!  Yay, for avoiding dishes!!

Can you see that the ninja’s nose got a little concaved?  When I opened the back, I simply pushed it back out with a knife.  Sometimes solutions are that easy.

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Now, paint it up!  For fun, I added a few loops of crepe paper around where the bandana would tie and the sash of the robe.

Cut the back open and fill it with dulce!  Stay away from candies that melt in the sun!  And try to add in a few light toys.

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Hang and Enjoy!  Or should I say, smack the heck out of it!

My friend said it was very therapeutic for her.  Maybe I’ll make one for my next birthday…. or bachelorette party?  That would be an interesting one to explain to the kids…why there’s a huge “talent” on the table.  I think I’d rather take the birds and bees conversation over that any day!!

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Piñatas are just fun!!  I love ’em!  I even had one at my rehearsal dinner – ’cause I’m dope like that… or a big lush.  Same, same.

Just don’t get hit with the stick.

Happy creating!  Jessica