Do you know Curbly?

I read several blogs daily. Curbly is now at the top of my morning reading list. What a great mix of DIY, furniture, and inspiration! A MUST to check out. www.curbly.com

Front Porch Re-Paint

I knew our front porch needed to be re-painted. The mat had peeled away the (poorly done) paint job of the previous owners. I had a stencil all lined out, but our vacation to New Orleans found me some unexpected inspiration. At a deli in Midtown I spotted these beautiful distressed floors. Mind you, distressed from years of wear, not a faux job. The graphic pattern made me change the entire scheme of my front porch. I used this stencil paper and cut out the simple pattern. I chose a dark blue, white, and the blue of our door for my color family then sealed it up with a concrete sealer.

Some tips for stenciling your own porch...

• Everyone recommends paint especially for concrete and porches. I didn't have any. I'll report back if it starts to come up.

• Don't put very much paint on your mini-roller. It seeps under the edges of your stencil.
  
  
• Make a grid so you can keep the pattern as straight as possible.
  
  
• If you're rubbish at keeping things straight, go for an all over pattern that can overlap and doesn't need to be precise to look good.
  
  
• Don't want to attempt making your own stencil? No sweat (or guilt). Buy one of these amazing stencils on Etsy!

I recently added some campy flare to a mirror in my hallway using used shot gun shells. To add to the outdoor-hipster-crafty look I decided to paint a small scale pattern on the surface of the door. Red arrows fit the bill and were easy to paint with a small brush and red acrylic paint. It doesn't matter that each arrow is different from the next. I think it only enhances that hand-drawn, craft camp kind of look. If you're looking for something prefab, check out these fabric stickers, scrapbook stickers, and wall graphics all in eye-popping arrows on Etsy.

Okay, I know I've been an Etsy Treasury addict this past week (4 treasuries!). Most of these are a result of working the front desk at an office that allows access to Etsy. This latest collection is inspired by plums. If I had a wedding redo, I just might pick the deep red-purple as my color inspiration. Anywho, I vow to provide more than one post this week not containing any mention of Etsy. Look forward to pictures of my newly painted porch (inspired by a deli in New Orleans) and a hand-painted detail in my hallway.

Here's another nifty Etsy Treasury stacked with pink and yellow octopi!

I'm happy to announce I'm back from vacation and back on Etsy! Check out my shop here to see vintage clothing, housewares, and items hand-crafted by me. I only have a portion of my items up right now, so check back and heart my store to see all of my items in the upcoming weeks!

Just created another Etsy treasury. This one goes out to all the beer drinkers in my life. It's a well balanced list of housewares, accessories, and vintage items that might be the perfect source for a Father's Day gift. See it here!

Planning a garden party or other outdoor soiree? Download one of these four free fonts for invitations, place cards, or entree labels.

• Typo Garden
• Vtks Flowers in our Soul
• New Garden
• Flowers Cube

When I think Summer I think of juicy, pink fading into red, watermelon! I can't wait to sink my teeth into a slice. Watermelon has so much going for it: beautiful colors, sweet taste, crisp fresh texture. My love for this fruit led me to all these wonderful finds on Etsy. See them here.

Wes and I are heading over to 1109 Amy Lane in Ozark on the first day to possibly snag his favorite western style shirts. Looks like quite a manly sale to me and I'm excited to see what we get for Wes and for my Etsy store.

May looks to be a promising month for local estate sales! There are two this weekend in 417 Land.

• 1938 Tanglewood Lane in Nixa looks to have oodles of stuff. I'll be there Saturday.
• A 1 day sale this Saturday in Springfield. Click here for the address after 9 AM Thursday.

At estate sales, I like to go the last day. That's when most companies offer a discount and are more receptive to offers. Bundling can be a great way to take home a lot of items at a great price. I gather up an armful of vintage clothing and make an offer. Most of the time the host is ready to make a deal to get rid of stuff.

I carry cash in small denominations. It seems awkward to offer $5 then hand the cashier a twenty. If you go to sales often you can develop a rapport with the company. It may mean just a dollar or two off an item, but that can make the difference between a sale for me and passing on an item.

Lastly, I consider how much better a piece will look after a thorough washing. It's ridiculous how nice pieces can look after just a bit of cleaning. Keep this in mind to take advantage of great prices. No one else will be able to look beyond a little dust, and that's when you get the steal!

Mystery Item Mirror

Not long after we moved into our house, I hung a large round mirror on a cabinet door at the end of our hallway. It adds interest to a very plain part of our house and gives the illusion of space. I've been thinking of different items to add to the red frame around the mirror and recently thought of a bag of colorful, free items I picked up a few months ago at an event for work. Can you tell what they are?

I love the look of mirrors with shapes outlining the frame. I've seen great ones using spoons, popsicle sticks, and crayons. My shapes are made with used shotgun shells. (Surprised?) I picked up a whole bag for free at (of all places) a shooting range. I think the colors are interesting. Some have rusted ends and worn in colors. I stuck to the warmer tones and mixed in some greys and blues. I simply use hot glue to affix these shells to my cabinet door.

For everyone local there's an estate sale
Saturday only at 1106 Glenoaks in Nixa.
It doesn't look that hot; I think I'll pass and save up
for the better looking one next weekend.

Cupcake Fondue from Bake It Pretty

If you've never browsed the pages of Bake It Pretty, you should. One part store, one part blog, and all parts sugary goodness. Cupcakes have been en vogue for the last several years. Why not add a spin on this favorite and bake them mini to use in a cupcake fondue? That's exactly what Bake It Pretty did for Pint Size Social. This idea is great for kid and adult parties alike. Who wouldn't enjoy dipping and decorating their own cupcakes? I can just imagine a beautiful table laden with mini cupcakes, sprinkles, and gooey icing...

My First Etsy Treasury!

One of my Etsy goals is to create one Treasury every week this summer. I started tonight and just completed my first set! It's chock full of 12 lovely items all to do with aqua bows.

See it right here!

Vintage Coffee Table in the Works

I recently saw a great idea from Design*Sponge for turning vintage luggage into a practical and stylish coffee table. I've only been on the hunt for a few weeks. Today I visited my family for Easter and happened to tell my mom about this project. She's the kind of mom who has furniture stashed in her basement, so we popped down for a look. Voila! Just the suitcase I needed for my project. It's sturdy and has straight edges (unlike the kind that taper toward the handles). I'm looking forward to having a smaller coffee table that does double duty as storage.

Baby Music?

Perhaps one of the worst kinds of music is (most) children's music. Having listened to a looping DVD of The Wiggles on a drive many years ago to Colorado (yes, Colorado, which is quite a drive from Missouri) I appreciate music for children that sounds great for adult ears as well. Take a listen to the songs on Rockabye Baby!, a site devoted to albums of rock music transformed into lullabies. What a perfect gift for the mom or mom-to-be in your life who listens to more AC/DC, The Beatles, and Queen than Barney.

Folded Fabic Necklaces

I just happened to be troweling my suggested Etsy shops* and found these incredible fabric necklaces from Homako, an artist from Los Angeles. I love to wear necklaces (I already have a few different bow items), but often find the weight of the jewelry makes them uncomfortable, especially in the heat of Missouri summers. These pieces are the perfect solution: handmade, beautiful, and lightweight.

*Don't have an Etsy log in? You're missing out! Once you begin "hearting" shops and items, Etsy will provide a list of suggested shops. I find some of my favorite things from this list!

Glass Pitchers

I have a soft spot in my heart for things of yesteryear, including storing goods in glass containers. One of my favorite and most used Christmas presents from last year are these glass jugs from King Arthur Flour Company (I'm brewing some tea in one as I type!). I mostly use them for tea, but since the lid seals so tightly, I can transport juice to a picnic and know it won't spill on the way. Both sizes are compact enough to fit inside my fridge door. The glass is thick and heavy and fills me with nostalgia. Sometimes I even pour juice or milk out of their plastic cartons and into these jars. It just looks so special and wonderful, even if I'm the only one who seems them inside my fridge. Crate and Barrel has similar jugs, but I cannot vouch for their quality.

PS. Upon reading the King Arthur website, I see they don't recommend using these containers for brewing tea because "the boiling water may cause the glass to crack." I haven't had any troubles.

Easy & Cheap Artwork

Bare walls, while at times can be part of the design plan, often look like you ran out of oomph to finish a room. One reason why? Art is expensive! D*S recently offered up some excellent examples of DIY wall decor, which prompted me to share my homemade art with you. Frankly, if you frame something up, it will look like art. Seriously, take old newspaper or feathers or gum wrappers and put them in a frame. Looks pretty nifty, doesn't it?

1. Rows of cardstock bulletin board edges found in my mom's basement. Lined up they look like a continuous piece of art.
   
   
2. Wrapping paper purchased while studying abroad. A useful keepsake.
   
   
3. A yellowed US Flag from a newspaper taken from the break room at my office.
   
   
4. Scraps of fabric pieced together to look like a quilt block.
   
   
5. An empty frame around a picture simply taped to the wall. Adds depth and interest.
   
   
6. If you craft and don't have a jar of buttons laying around you're crazy (or maybe just organized). Glue buttons onto cardstock or whatever and place in frame. Stick to a cohesive palate or go crazy.

IKEA and thrift stores are my favorite sources for frames. You can easily get a new piece of glass or mat cut to fit, so don't worry about finding a frame by itself.