I just love fall...
And fall loves me right back!
Thank you all for liking my facebook page and following along here. The winner of the Halloween blocks is #2 - Kathleen Grace and the burlap banner goes to #11- Stephanie. Email me your addresses and I will get these in the mail to you.
xo, Patty
And fall loves me right back!
Thank you all for liking my facebook page and following along here. The winner of the Halloween blocks is #2 - Kathleen Grace and the burlap banner goes to #11- Stephanie. Email me your addresses and I will get these in the mail to you.
xo, Patty
I put together a little tutorial of the wooden block Halloween sign for you. I had an extra set of wood blocks already cut out so it only took me hour to complete it from start to finish. This is definitely a project you can get done in an afternoon.
To start I had my hubby cut out small wooden blocks (130 of them) from some 3/4 x 1.5 inch scrap lumber he already had laying around. My finished blocks are roughly 1.5 x 2 inches but whatever size you have will work out fine. You could even use store bought wooden alphabet blocks.
Once cut I lightly sanded the sides so that there was no rough edges that might splinter and then I painted them black with some crafters acrylic paint. As you can see, I left one side partially unpainted since I was going to be adhering paper to it anyway.
One light coat is really all you need and it should dry rather quickly. In fact, by the time I finished the last block the first one was dry enough to continue onto the next step.
Cut Halloween paper slightly smaller than your wooden blocks. (I used "Thrilling" by Authentique.) Using a gel medium such as Modge Podge begin adhering the paper to the unpainted side of your blocks. When you modge podge always layer gel/paper/gel being careful to press down firmly and rub out any air bubbles beneath the paper. Nothing does a better job of doing this than your fingers.
I used my Silhouette machine to cut out the letters in black cardstock but you could use stamps, punches or even print them out on your computer. Once you've adhered the paper, attach your letters in the same manner, layering gel/paper/gel. The gel will dry clear but I always rub as much of it off as possible so that it doesn't look gloppy.
Allow blocks to dry thoroughly before distressing the edges with black chalk ink.
Told ya...Easy. Peasy.
I have a set of these blocks and a Harvest banner to give away to two lucky readers. All you have to do is follow me here on the blog, like me on facebook and leave me a comment telling me you did so or already do. Easy as 1, 2, 3. I will draw one name for each item on Monday, 9/23/2013.
Let me know if you make a set, I'd love to come over and take a look.
xo, Patty
To start I had my hubby cut out small wooden blocks (130 of them) from some 3/4 x 1.5 inch scrap lumber he already had laying around. My finished blocks are roughly 1.5 x 2 inches but whatever size you have will work out fine. You could even use store bought wooden alphabet blocks.
Once cut I lightly sanded the sides so that there was no rough edges that might splinter and then I painted them black with some crafters acrylic paint. As you can see, I left one side partially unpainted since I was going to be adhering paper to it anyway.
One light coat is really all you need and it should dry rather quickly. In fact, by the time I finished the last block the first one was dry enough to continue onto the next step.
Cut Halloween paper slightly smaller than your wooden blocks. (I used "Thrilling" by Authentique.) Using a gel medium such as Modge Podge begin adhering the paper to the unpainted side of your blocks. When you modge podge always layer gel/paper/gel being careful to press down firmly and rub out any air bubbles beneath the paper. Nothing does a better job of doing this than your fingers.
I used my Silhouette machine to cut out the letters in black cardstock but you could use stamps, punches or even print them out on your computer. Once you've adhered the paper, attach your letters in the same manner, layering gel/paper/gel. The gel will dry clear but I always rub as much of it off as possible so that it doesn't look gloppy.
Allow blocks to dry thoroughly before distressing the edges with black chalk ink.
Told ya...Easy. Peasy.
I have a set of these blocks and a Harvest banner to give away to two lucky readers. All you have to do is follow me here on the blog, like me on facebook and leave me a comment telling me you did so or already do. Easy as 1, 2, 3. I will draw one name for each item on Monday, 9/23/2013.
Let me know if you make a set, I'd love to come over and take a look.
xo, Patty
I think burlap and fall are a match made in heaven. The nubby texture and neutral color of burlap in ribbon or fabric just kind of lends itself to fall décor.
Whether you lean toward traditional colors or are a fan of whites and neutrals, burlap fits the bill.
I even like it mixed with formal décor. I think the contrast of burlap and lace look great together.
This cute burlap Harvest banner is the other project we worked on at my fall pinterest party. It was a no sew project that just required a set of stencils, black acrylic paint and some no sew iron on fabric glue.
I love the way it turned out and can see myself making more of these for other occasions in the future.
Even if you're not a fan of burlap, do you use it in your fall decorating?
xo, Patty
Whether you lean toward traditional colors or are a fan of whites and neutrals, burlap fits the bill.
I even like it mixed with formal décor. I think the contrast of burlap and lace look great together.
This cute burlap Harvest banner is the other project we worked on at my fall pinterest party. It was a no sew project that just required a set of stencils, black acrylic paint and some no sew iron on fabric glue.
I love the way it turned out and can see myself making more of these for other occasions in the future.
Even if you're not a fan of burlap, do you use it in your fall decorating?
xo, Patty
I've been having fun researching tips and products for organizing a wardrobe closet and jewelry display. It seems to have ignited my desire to streamline and revamp others areas of my home as well.
I have a to do list that keeps growing by the day which always excites me. For the first time in a while I am ready to feather my nest.
Before I share the guest room progress with you I wanted to show you the two projects we did at my Fall Pinterest party earlier in the month starting with this little Halloween sign.
These cute little block letters were so simple to create thanks to my dear hubby who cut 130 blocks of wood in the week prior to my party.
If I thought he wouldn't run the other way, I would have him cut me another batch for Christmas but right now I think the memory it just a little to fresh.
Have a wonderful Tuesday.
xo, Patty
I have a to do list that keeps growing by the day which always excites me. For the first time in a while I am ready to feather my nest.
Before I share the guest room progress with you I wanted to show you the two projects we did at my Fall Pinterest party earlier in the month starting with this little Halloween sign.
These cute little block letters were so simple to create thanks to my dear hubby who cut 130 blocks of wood in the week prior to my party.
If I thought he wouldn't run the other way, I would have him cut me another batch for Christmas but right now I think the memory it just a little to fresh.
Have a wonderful Tuesday.
xo, Patty
I don't know how the weather is where you are but here in Southern California we are still hovering around the 100 degree mark. Thinking about wearing much more than a T-Shirt and capris with flip flops is a little on the daunting side to me.
I did manage to pull on a pair of jeans and floral top for church yesterday though. I used this collage of floral tops from my pinterest board as my inspiration.
When I pinned these outfits I had no idea I already had something so similar in my closet.
I love how it looks with the little cardigan but we are still at least a month away from sweater weather so I'll have to save that look for another time.
I have been organizing my jewelry and am having fun shopping my own stuff. It's amazing what you can find when you start cleaning things out.
I'm making headway on my guest room/dressing room makeover. I purchased a new shoe rack from Bed Bath and Beyond and have been gathering all the white hangers we have in the house to use in the closet. I'm also repurposing little drawers and storage containers for my jewelry and accessories. I'm hoping to be ready for at least a closet reveal this week.
Happy Monday!
xo, Patty
jeans - Kohls
top - TJ Maxx
Shoes - DSW
Bracelet - Target
Earrings - made by me
I am joining the Pleated Poppy today for WIWW...
I did manage to pull on a pair of jeans and floral top for church yesterday though. I used this collage of floral tops from my pinterest board as my inspiration.
When I pinned these outfits I had no idea I already had something so similar in my closet.
I love how it looks with the little cardigan but we are still at least a month away from sweater weather so I'll have to save that look for another time.
I have been organizing my jewelry and am having fun shopping my own stuff. It's amazing what you can find when you start cleaning things out.
I'm making headway on my guest room/dressing room makeover. I purchased a new shoe rack from Bed Bath and Beyond and have been gathering all the white hangers we have in the house to use in the closet. I'm also repurposing little drawers and storage containers for my jewelry and accessories. I'm hoping to be ready for at least a closet reveal this week.
Happy Monday!
xo, Patty
jeans - Kohls
top - TJ Maxx
Shoes - DSW
Bracelet - Target
Earrings - made by me
I am joining the Pleated Poppy today for WIWW...
What is it they say about the best of intentions? I am the queen of it...
I had planned to take plenty of pictures of my fall pinterest party last week but as the time grew near and the details remained undone, time just got away from me.
I did manage to take a few to share with you today but you will just have to take my word for the rest.
It was such a fun night. I never grow tired of women discovering, or in some cases rediscovering, their love of crafting.
I ended up butting up a long folding table next to our farm table and managed to squeeze eleven of around it. I love listening to women tell their stories to other women they just met and finding a common bond between them. The table never fell silent as the women encouraged each other and took turns sharing supplies to create the two projects I had planned.
Amazingly amongst the chatter and the food, everyone managed to leave with a couple of holiday decorations made with their own hands.
I have filed away the lessoned I learned this time and will be tweaking a few things for the Christmas party I am already planning for November.
I'll be back soon to show you the two projects we made this time around.
xo, Patty
I had planned to take plenty of pictures of my fall pinterest party last week but as the time grew near and the details remained undone, time just got away from me.
I did manage to take a few to share with you today but you will just have to take my word for the rest.
It was such a fun night. I never grow tired of women discovering, or in some cases rediscovering, their love of crafting.
I ended up butting up a long folding table next to our farm table and managed to squeeze eleven of around it. I love listening to women tell their stories to other women they just met and finding a common bond between them. The table never fell silent as the women encouraged each other and took turns sharing supplies to create the two projects I had planned.
Amazingly amongst the chatter and the food, everyone managed to leave with a couple of holiday decorations made with their own hands.
I have filed away the lessoned I learned this time and will be tweaking a few things for the Christmas party I am already planning for November.
I'll be back soon to show you the two projects we made this time around.
xo, Patty
Good morning. I finally took a moment to list a few original mixed media pieces in my Etsy shop. I am much better at working in my craft studio than I am at listing what comes out of it.
These pieces are the originals from classes I have taught in the last few months. They are filled with lots of distressing and doodling for extra texture and detail.
If you like what you see but would like one redesigned to fit your colors or style, go ahead and leave me a comment and I would love to consult with you and design exactly what you have in mind.
Thanks for taking a peek and for your support and encouragement.
Now I am off to do a little studio clean up so that I can get busy on my next project...
xo, Patty
These pieces are the originals from classes I have taught in the last few months. They are filled with lots of distressing and doodling for extra texture and detail.
If you like what you see but would like one redesigned to fit your colors or style, go ahead and leave me a comment and I would love to consult with you and design exactly what you have in mind.
Thanks for taking a peek and for your support and encouragement.
Now I am off to do a little studio clean up so that I can get busy on my next project...
xo, Patty
I am finally feeling back to normal after my fall pinterest party on Friday night. I spent most of Saturday eating leftovers, taking cat naps and suffering from the after party blues.
But today, I am definitely ready for Monday. I am headed upstairs to begin changing our spare bedroom into a combination guest room/dressing room. We live in an older home and the closets are dinky, so for years I have been hanging a few things in three different closets.
With my youngest out of the house I had planned on turning her room into a guest room but now I have decided to also make it a dressing room for me. I don't know why I never thought of it before.
I have so many ideas for hanging my jewelry on the wall, reorganizing the closet and maybe even a little vanity area for applying makeup. I can't wait to get started.
Today I will be emptying out the closet and deciding what to do with all thejunk valuable stuff that's being stored in there. I am so excited, you know how I love a new project. I promise to take pictures as I go.
Happy Monday all!
xo, Patty
But today, I am definitely ready for Monday. I am headed upstairs to begin changing our spare bedroom into a combination guest room/dressing room. We live in an older home and the closets are dinky, so for years I have been hanging a few things in three different closets.
With my youngest out of the house I had planned on turning her room into a guest room but now I have decided to also make it a dressing room for me. I don't know why I never thought of it before.
I have so many ideas for hanging my jewelry on the wall, reorganizing the closet and maybe even a little vanity area for applying makeup. I can't wait to get started.
Today I will be emptying out the closet and deciding what to do with all the
Happy Monday all!
xo, Patty
Thank you for your sweet comments on my post yesterday. I agree with those of you who are frustrated with the fashion industry not focusing on those of us who are not twenty something and a size 2. You have made me brave enough to make the fashion at 50 posts a regular thing.
Now on to a sneak peak of some party details from my get together this Friday.
(via pinterest)
First off of course is one of the inspiration photos from my Halloween fun pinterest board. I love so much about this room and table setting and will be incorporating a couple of things into my party décor this Friday.
I will be using orange and black but I want to soften it a bit with creamy whites and burlap. I made up some tissue paper flowers to hang out of plain orange and a fun black and cream polka dot I found at Target.
I love the paper straw craze and have been using them for my quilting group gatherings so I went on Etsy and ordered a few more. I am crossing my fingers that they make it here before Friday...
The miniature paper cupcake liners will be used in a way you aren't expecting but that's all I can say about that now.
I finished the goody bags for my guests and will be working on little recipe holder books for them today. This is too much fun to be called work. I am one lucky lady.
I will be back soon to let you in on how this qualifies as a job...wink, wink.
Happy Tuesday!
xo, Patty
Now on to a sneak peak of some party details from my get together this Friday.
(via pinterest)
First off of course is one of the inspiration photos from my Halloween fun pinterest board. I love so much about this room and table setting and will be incorporating a couple of things into my party décor this Friday.
I will be using orange and black but I want to soften it a bit with creamy whites and burlap. I made up some tissue paper flowers to hang out of plain orange and a fun black and cream polka dot I found at Target.
I love the paper straw craze and have been using them for my quilting group gatherings so I went on Etsy and ordered a few more. I am crossing my fingers that they make it here before Friday...
The miniature paper cupcake liners will be used in a way you aren't expecting but that's all I can say about that now.
I finished the goody bags for my guests and will be working on little recipe holder books for them today. This is too much fun to be called work. I am one lucky lady.
I will be back soon to let you in on how this qualifies as a job...wink, wink.
Happy Tuesday!
xo, Patty
Before I begin this post I wanted to make sure you understand how extremely, extremely, extremely hard it was for me to take pictures of myself. I am one of those people who is always behind the camera and rarely in any photos but I knew for this segment to be authentic I had to show myself in all my 50+ glory and not just pretty pictures of my clothes arranged in a flattering way. Plus, it's just hard to take pictures of yourself from a photographers standpoint. I have knew admiration for fashion bloggers who do this on a regular basis. I am hoping I will get better and more comfortable with it the more I do it. Okay, with that said, on to the post...
I have been on the lookout for a cute, flowing black polka dotted blouse ever since I pinned these to my what to wear board on pinterest. Working on a limited budget and having little success I was to the point of buying the fabric to make one. Then I discovered this black and white printed blouse in my closet with the tag still on. I have no idea when I bought it (probably while I was still a working girl) but I thought it made a pretty good substitution and I couldn't beat the price.
Having just found these cute yellow sandals on clearance for $5.95 at Target, (thanks for the tip Elaine) I decided to go with the black and yellow inspiration photo. The yellow bag was already in my purse collection and I love the pop of bold color it added to the outfit. Do people still say outfit or is there a more hip word now? Do people still say hip?
Since I was wearing this to church, I opted for black capris pants but think it could easily be switched to jeans for a more casual look.
So there you have it. My first 50+ fashion Monday post. A few things I learned for next time...make sure your floor is well swept before shooting. Get a pedicure if your going to wear sandals. I have my moms hands, I hope they show as much love with their age as hers do.
Have a wonderful week and remember you are worth the effort it takes to look nice no matter what your age.
xo, Patty
Blouse - Kohls
Capris - Dressbarn
Sandals - Target
Purse - Kohls
Necklace - Kohls
Having just found these cute yellow sandals on clearance for $5.95 at Target, (thanks for the tip Elaine) I decided to go with the black and yellow inspiration photo. The yellow bag was already in my purse collection and I love the pop of bold color it added to the outfit. Do people still say outfit or is there a more hip word now? Do people still say hip?
Since I was wearing this to church, I opted for black capris pants but think it could easily be switched to jeans for a more casual look.
So there you have it. My first 50+ fashion Monday post. A few things I learned for next time...make sure your floor is well swept before shooting. Get a pedicure if your going to wear sandals. I have my moms hands, I hope they show as much love with their age as hers do.
Have a wonderful week and remember you are worth the effort it takes to look nice no matter what your age.
xo, Patty
Blouse - Kohls
Capris - Dressbarn
Sandals - Target
Purse - Kohls
Necklace - Kohls
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