USA Wreath

Yesterday, I posted on my easy peasy bunting banner that is adding a little 4th of July spirit to our house. Well today, I have my other holiday related project to show you!

This is a minor variation to the burlap wreath I posted about last week. Instead of making a whole new wreath, I just switched out the decoration on it!

I picked up wooden U, S, & A letters at Walmart for around $1 a piece. 

I wanted them to be a little more interesting than just solid colors, so I decided to paint the U blue with white stars & the other 2 in red & white stripes to emulate Old Glory. I started out by painting each with a base coat using acrylic craft paint {blue for the U & white for the S & A}. The white took a few layers to get a nice even coat. Don't forget the edges either!

On the U, I free handed small stars with some bright white paint & a small, precise brush. If you aren't comfortable doing that, then I suggest using a stencil or even stickers. The stripes were a lot easier. I took a thin roll of masking tape & taped off stripes on the last 2 letters, then went over the non taped off areas with red paint. It took 2 layers to get intense red that I was wanting. 

After everything was dry, I hot glued pieces of floral wire to the backs of each letter. 

The last step was to attach them to my wreath! This project only cost me about $4 & just about an hour to make. Now we are truly ready to celebrate Independence Day!!

No Sew 4th of July Bunting

I love holidays. And decorating. And now that I have my own house, I'm super excited about holiday decorating!! I feel like we have a lot of American pride around here {especially since hubs is in the Army}, so I wanted to give July 4th some special decorations of its own!

Being newly married, the only holiday decor we've managed to accumulate are a few things for Christmas. I didn't want to spend a lot of money on something that may or may not make the next move with us. Thus, this cheap and chic bunting banner was born!

I picked up red, white, & blue fat quarters from the sewing/quilting aisle at Walmart for 97 cents a piece.



Using my rotary cutter, I cut each piece of fabric into 3 {mostly} equal strips lengthwise.



Then, I cut each strip into 4 equal squares.



 What's really great about the rotary cutter & cutting board is that you can cut multiple layers at once, making the whole job super quick. 

I didn't want triangular bunting, so I cut an inverted V out of one side of each square with my pinking shears. Using the pinking shears again, I trimmed a little off the other sides of my flags so they wouldn't fray.



Then comes the most time consuming part…. ironing each one. I ironed the creases out of each & then folded a small section of the top down & pressed it. That is where you will attach your string.

I used white craft string that we already had. You could use anything though…. twine, ribbon... you get the picture. I put a thin like of hot glue along the top crease I made, quickly placed my string in it & folded the small flap down.



I kept the string still attached to the spool & just unwound it as I needed. You could use any placement with your flags, but I wanted mine almost touching. After what seemed like a bajillion years, I was finally done & ready to hang it!

The awning of our porch is pretty high up, & we don't have a ladder, so I ended up on Micah's shoulders… Too bad there wasn't someone else with us to get a picture of that huh?! There were already staples where I was planning on hanging it, so used my staple gun & {carefully} tacked it up every so often. I wanted my banner to swag quite a bit, but once again the options are pretty limitless on how you want to hang it. 

I was super pleased with the end result! It is by no means perfect {nor is my hanging job}, but I love the bit of color & whimsy it adds to our front porch. And it was only $3 to make, so you can't beat that!

Sunday Social: Week 3

Its time for another Sunday Social linkup! This time its all about music! 

What is your all-time favorite song?

I'm not really sure if I have an all-time favorite, but my current favorite is "Everything" by Michael Buble. {That's my & Micah's 'song'.}

What is your favorite singer/band?

Oh, there's a lot, & its a pretty eclectic mix. My dad works with a country music singer, & I'm a true Tennessee girl, so country music has a big place in my heart. But, I love lots of others, too! Michael Buble, The Black Keys, Adele, Miranda Lambert, Grace Potter & the Nocturnals, Zac Brown Band, Jason Aldean, The Band Perry, John Mayer, Gavin DeGraw, Carrie Underwood, & Jason Mraz are at the top of my list.  

What is your theme song/song that best describes your life?

Hmm, this is a toughy. I don't know if I have a theme song per se. Maybe "Footloose"? I've danced since I was 2 up until this past December. I'd be happy as a little lark if I could dance everyday for the rest of my life. Also "I Can't Help Falling in Love with You" which was our wedding first dance song. 

What songs put you in a good mood?

Yikes… once again I think there's too many to name! Pretty much every song from the Footloose soundtrack {the old & new one}, & any song by any of my favorites listed above. "Hip to my Heart" by The Band Perry never fails to put a smile on my face.

What is your favorite roadtrip music?

Pretty much anything by my favorite singers. If its a girls roadtrip {as opposed to just me by myself}, I love oldies… as in classic N*Sync, Christina Aguilera, ect & 80's rock like "Pour Some Sugar On Me", "Cherry Pie", ect. 

What song are you embarrassed to admit you love?

I'm not exactly embarrassed to admit this… & its not just a song… but I am still completely obsessed with Hanson! All of their CD's, not just the "Mmm Bop" one. I even got to meet them one time when I was in elementary school, & that solidified my love for them. I was convinced that I was going to become Mrs. Zac Hanson at one point in my young life. 

Can't wait till next Sunday!!

Chevron Monogram Burlap Wreath

Today I wanted to share with y'all the burlap wreath that I made for our front door! A wreath was one of the 1st things on my to do list after we got all settled in {the outside of our place definitely needed a little sprucing up}. After one failed attempt that involved a vine wreath, I found this tutorial on Pinterest & knew it was just what I had been looking for. 

I got the burlap, floral wire, & "K" at Walmart, then picked up the wire wreath form from JoAnn's {I got the medium sized one}. 

I loosely followed this great tutorial to create my burlap masterpiece. Its very easy, you just have to play around with it until you are satisfied with how it looks. 

I previously painted my "K" for the failed vine wreath disaster…. I'm completely & utterly obsessed with chevron, so I knew that was what I wanted for my wreath. I used a straight edge & just winged it a bit. I chose a bright & summery color palate, but then after some complaining that it "looked Jamaican" from Micah, I distressed it with my antiquing gel, & I actually like it a lot better.

Once my wreath was done, I hot glued a piece of wire to the back of the "K" & attached it off center on my wreath. There were already screws in our door from a past resident, so I just popped it up there & voila! All in all, this took about 30 minutes to make, some patience, and about $10. Not too shabby, huh?

Table Re-do

Today's post is all about the end table {at least that's what I think it is} that I painted for our guest room.  This table was completely FREE. Which is the best kind of table if you ask me! We picked it up off of the side of the road in our neighborhood. I know that sounds sketchy, but our waste management people pick up furniture, appliances, etc on Saturdays, so people throw out stuff that they don't want anymore on a regular basis. And you know what they say… one man's trash is another man's treasure! My dad calls it "garbage chic."

The face of the bottom drawer was broken {hence the reason it was tossed to the curb, I'm guessing}, so Micah did a quick repair job on it. It was two toned, which I love right now, but it was yucky thin laminate that was peeling off in areas. So, of course, I decided to paint it. There are a lot of colors going on in our guest room, so instead of doing a pattern on the table like I had originally wanted, I stuck with a solid color. I was leaning towards a very light turquoise, but Micah hates that color {& he threw a mini hissy...}, so I went with a pretty green called Apple Orchard. 

I'm not sure if I went about painting the "right" way, but it worked for me {this isn't a valuable piece of furniture that we are planning on keeping}. I wiped it down & then just went to work. I was afraid that if I sanded it the veneer would rip off, so I didn't. It took quite a few layers to get an even coat. You have to make sure each layer is completely dry before you put a new one on. Once it was all dry, I reattached the drawer pulls back on & put the drawers back in. And ta da!

This isn't a paint job that's going to last for a long time or be super durable, but it works for us! And I love the way it looks in the room. 

{Sorry the pictures are a little blurry…my iPhone failed me on these!}

To Etsy or Not to Etsy?

Hey y'all! So, I have a question….

 I have been tossing around the idea of opening up an Etsy Shop to sell personalized painted signs & possibly some sewn things. Is that a good idea? Does anyone have an Etsy Shop? Do you like it? Dislike it?

 I'd really love some feedback & opinions!

Sunday Social: Week 2 {My 1st!}

This past week, a fellow AOII blogger, Meghan at Shine On, suggested that I participate in The Social Sunday link up. I've been looking to expand my blogging network & connect with more of the awesome bloggers out there, & Meghan suggested that this was a fun way to do it! 

So here goes….!

Favorite movie of all time?

Too easy. Steel Magnolias. Others have come & gone, but since the 3rd grade, it has always been a constant favorite. Its got it all: love, laughter, tears, completely quotable lines, amazing actors, & true Southern sass!

{Others that I l-o-v-e: Anastasia, Chicago, Footloose, Dirty Dancing, A Knight's Tale, The Family Stone, Marie Antoinette, My Fair Lady, Swiss Family Robinson, The Aristocats, Pearl Harbor, Little Women, Tristan & Isolde, D2: The Mighty Ducks}

Favorite movie quote?

Its so cliche, but…. "Nobody puts Baby in a corner."

I mean, who doesn't love Patrick Swayze as Johnny Castle?!

Best movie to watch for a girls' night in?

Baby Mama. Ooooooh ooooooooooh!!

Best breakup movie?

P.S. I Love You. I think its physically impossible to sit through it without ugly face crying. 

Favorite celeb eye-candy?

Charlie Hunnam. More like Hun-yuuuuuum {sorry, I couldn't resist!}. He plays Jax Teller on Sons Of Anarchy: a gun toting, totally hot, motorcycle riding bad-a. And in real life, he's British. Gorgeous & with an accent. Swooooooon.

Ian Somerhalder. This hunky guy plays Damon on The Vampire Diaries. I've always had a total soft spot for vamps {fictional ones at least}… & he's the best it gets. Broody & dangerous, the bad boy with looks that could kill. He's got my vote to play Christian Grey.

What star's closet would you like to raid?

Princess Kate! Not so much for everyday wear, but I love her sense of style. So classy. 

I'm already looking for to next Sunday's link up!! I hope everyone had a great Father's Day!

Fur Babies

WARNING: This post contains an extreme amount of cute. Proceed with caution. 

So this doesn't really pertain to home decor or DIY-ing, but I also want this blog to be a place where I can share ideas & things I love about my home in general... including family, entertaining, possibly even a bit of fashion... And one of the things that I love about our little nest, that really makes it feel like a home to me, is our pets! Plus, what Southern girl doesn't love her fur babies?! 

I grew up with dogs only. I come from a long line of cat haters {sorry to the cat lovers out there}. In my defense, I asked Santa for a kitten every year from approximately the age of 3 until I was 10. {Guess what bit of reality slapped me in the face that year!} Anyhoo... like I said, I grew up with dogs. And I LOVE them. Like whole heartedly love. Cried hysterically the first time one died {I was 16 by the way...}. So when I got to college, I was super homesick for Izzie and Lulu, our Australian Shepherds. I had also always wanted a small dog. So I started browsing PetFinder.com & BAM! I saw her. And I was in love. It was a Maltipoo that was at a foster home type shelter in McMinnville, TN, about 3 hours from my hometown. I begged and pleaded with my dad. He said no. I sobbed. I was mad. I gave him the silent treatment. And he gave in. 

I'll never forget the day we got her. It was Good Friday of 2009... the day that middle Tennessee got ravaged my tornadoes. And where were we, you might ask? Oh, just out in the middle of it all picking up my sweet baby. 

I decided to name her Ella after one of my favorite books when I was a kid, Ella Enchanted. For those of you who are unfamiliar with that book... shame on you!... its an excellent. The real reason I thought it was cute for a dog was that Ella gets "blessed" with the gift of obedience by a well meaning fairy when she is born. Of course it ends up being more of a curse than a blessing. However, I thought it appropriate for a dog, plus Ella is such a cute name in general. Little did I know that I was adopting one of the most stubborn little dogs on the planet. So much for obedience!

The above picture was taken the on our ride home after I picked her up. This was after the tornadoes & before she got carsick all over me. Twice. It really was love at first site. She's my baby. Micah thinks I'm ridiculous. She's my little shadow & has been right from day one. We were meant for each other, right down to our unruly curly hair. 

She has a about a million nicknames, too. Her formal name is Ella Belle {because she is tres belle!}, but she more commonly gets called Ella, Ell, Ells, Bella {thanks, Trisha}, Bells, Ellie Wellie, Bellie, Ellie Bellie, Ells Bells {my mom's fave}, & my personal favorite, Lovey. And now Micah calls her a little ewok, like from Star Wars. 

Her favorite things include going on long walks, getting lots of attention, & most importantly, having her belly rubbed. I know... she's spoiled. 

Now for our 2nd fur child… my very first cat! Finally, after years of wanting one {kinda}, I have a little kitty. It was Micah's idea to get him, actually. Of course, he refuses to admit that to anyone, but it really is the truth. I searched for a bit on Craigslist, & we went to every shelter in the area {this is while we were in Virginia}, but we weren't having any luck. Then, BAM! a post on Craigslist pops up with a picture of the cutest little kitten in Richmond, about 30 minutes from us. I was actually a little hesitant, but Micah was like "let's do it!" so I set up a meeting time & before I knew it we were headed home with a precious little ball of fur!

His name is Bazinga, after The Big Bang Theory, a must see if you've never experienced it. HILARIOUS. Actually, we thought he was a 'she' at first… Good thing we picked a unisex name! Usually, we just call him Zinga. Or Zingy. Or "The Zinga." Yep, he's that cool. I mean look at that face!

 He was super clingy when we first got him! I was expecting a snobbish cat, but he loves being around Micah & me. Now that he is a bit older, he likes to roam around outside {chasing & killing lizards has become his favorite past time, eek!} & nap in odd places so you can't find him. But, boy, does he love a good cuddle. I always thought Ella was cuddly… she has nothing on Zingy! He's the sweetest, most mischievous little dude, & I have to say I am quite attached to the little booger. Micah likes him, too; although that is another one of those things that he would never admit!

It was not love at first site with Ella & Zinga though. My nerves were on edge for days. I just knew I was going to come home one day & one {or both} of them were going to be dead or injured. A little irrational, I know, but I'm a protective mama, what can I say?! After about a week, though, they were just fine & starting to be best buds. They don't quite sleep together, but they play & get along like good little siblings. 

I took this one Saturday morning. I got up to go get some coffee & came back 5 minutes later to find my spot completely taken. I just thought it was precious. And then, when they wouldn't move to let me back in the bed, I thought it was a little less precious…

So here we are, one big happy family! Do you have fur babies? If so are you as obsessed with yours as I am with mine??

The Sparest of Spare Rooms

Hello, all! I know I promised after pictures of our place & now I am delivering! Instead of showing you thing whole thing in one huge post... I thought it might be better {& a little less overwhelming for us all} to go room by room & show you that way. So here is my first complete {ish} room.... our upstairs guest room, or as I like to call it, the spare room! 

If you are an Anne of Green Gables fan like me, then you will understand the importance of a spare room. Mrs. Barry told Diana that we might sleep in the spare-room bed.  Think of the honour of your little Anne being put in the spare room bed. Anne idealized spare rooms & after accidentally jumping on Diana's rich old aunt, Aunt Josephine promises to put Anne in her very sparest spare-room bed to sleep. So when I had the chance to decorate my own spare room, I knew it had to be special. 

I wanted a cozy & fresh space that made people feel welcome. And, I have to say.... I think I've accomplished it. 

Pretty much everything that is in there is from my college apartment, my room at my parents', or things that I DIY- ed. The bedding is the only new thing in the room. I am very happy with how it looks so far, but there are a few things that I am still looking to add {like a head board}. And, I am not completely, entirely happy with the arrangement over the bed.... but it works for now. I recently had a few friends visit for a night, & I got the best compliment on this room... She said it was Southern casual... Perfect. 

Embroidery Hoop Monogram

I know I promised an "after" reveal of our house.... but I have a few projects in the works, & I don't want to show you a half done place. So, instead, I'm going to go room by room. I think that's going to be much less overwhelming for me & everyone else! Today, however, I have a glimpse of our living room! I wanted to create a gallery wall behind our couch, & what gallery wall would be complete without a monogram?! {I told you I became a bit monogram obsessed after getting married!}

My first idea was for a framed monogram, but then I wanted something a bit more original. After browsing through JoAnn's for a while, I saw some embroidery hoops & genius struck!

I grabbed the medium sized one & hurried home. The hoop was raw wood, so I decided to paint it white. Then, I cut a piece of fabric left over from my button pillow project, fitted it, trimmed the edges & secured it to the back with hot glue. 

I'm obsessed with ombre right now. Obsessed. After seeing this project done by Mandi at Vintage Revivals, I decided to do a modern ombre on my K {which I picked up from the craft section at Walmart}.  I don't think all colors look good ombre.... but blue is one of the ones that do {at least in my opinion}, & I really love navy blue right now. I divided my K into 3 horizontal sections & painted the bottom section with a navy acrylic paint. Then mixed in white until I got the medium & light tints of blue that I wanted & painted those next. After everything was dry, I hot glued the K to to the fabric on my hoop & voila!! Custom, unique monogram.

Our New Nest: The Before

Hey y'all! I'M BACK!!!!


We survived the move & have gotten settled into our little place. However, we just got internet TODAY. Can you imagine no internet (or cable) except your smart phone for 2 whole months? Anyone?? Yeah, I didn't think I could do it, but we survived, & honestly, it was kinda refreshing. Hubs & I had a lot of great time together... Scrabble, Jenga, Uno Attack... those have been our favorite games... And we've even been crafting together! Weekends at our house are like "joint project" days.
I'm going to be posting a few of Micah's creations soon... he's pretty darn good!

Now for the fun stuff... our house!

As far as rental houses go, this place is a little gem. The owner recently recently made some cosmetic renovations. All of the rooms are painted the same neutral light brown (much better than all white walls or some crazy neon color!) with bright white trim & doors. The main floor has hardwood laminate, the upstairs has new carpeting, & the bathrooms have real tile flooring. The only things not updated (unfortunately) are the kitchen & bathrooms, but everything in them mostly works, so I can't complain too much. There is a pretty sizable fenced in backyard, which is a huge plus because we have a small dog & our kitten loves romping around outside, too. And, did I mention that there is a fireplace?! An actual wood burning fireplace! Pretty awesome, huh?

These pictures were taken right after we got here. We only had the few things that we brought with us from Virginia. Everything else was still in storage in Tennessee.

Here is it!

I had to get a close up of our rug!

My flowers. 

Our white picket fence! I have a feeling that its going to need some Ella proofing. 

View of the living room from the front door.

The living room again.

Our teeny tiny kitchen

The downstairs bath & laundry.

The upstairs guest bedroom. (The mattress topper is where the bed is going to go!)

Yes, that is a KING sized bed! We are obviously Vols fans!

My closet...

Micah's closet!

Let it be known that this horrible shower curtain was here when we got here.

Well, there you have if folks! We love our little abode! I CANNOT wait to show you guys the "after" pictures. We've put a lot of time into making our nest into an actual home. But of course, it's still a work in progress! Check back soon for another post!