Summer Crafts

Lemon This and That

July 12, 2018 by VintageMama 2 Comments

Lately we’ve been drinking a lot of lemonade. On these really hot days it seems like meal times are even more difficult to figure out than during any other time of year. We don’t really want to fix something hot (because we are already hot!) and sometimes we don’t even feel like eating much of anything at all. Unless it might be watermelon or ice cream! We also make iced tea to keep on hand for these hot days, but the girls have recently decided that lemonade is now their summer beverage of choice.

So I got to thinking about all of the possible ways to use lemons in summer time recipes, crafts, and even home decor . . . so I put together this fun collection of “Lemon This and That” for this week’s Favorite Things Blog Hop and Linky Party. Lemonade is just the beginning! We’re trying to keep our summer days rather relaxed so I wasn’t looking for anything that was too time consuming or difficult, but just a few fun ideas to do with my family on a summer afternoon.

We’ll be playing around with some crafts later today after I finish work, so these ideas will give us lots of inspiration for some summer fun. Hope you are having a good summer so far, and that you are having fun, taking some time to relax, and maybe even find some time just to play!

Lemon Wreath from We are Wodgrain

Lemon Poppyseed Muffins from The Well-Tended Nest

Citrus Stripe DIY Wall Art from Lake Girl Paints

Clean Naturally with Lemon via Pinterest

Lemon-Theme Entry Table Display from Carolina Cottonwood

Mint-Lemon Sugar Scrub from The Idea Room

Paleo Homemade Lemonade from RecipeThis

“Make Lemonade” sign via Pinterest

Just looking at all of these yummy, gorgeous lemon ideas makes me happy! Enjoy your summer days and come on along for the fun of the Favorite Things Blog Hop and Linky Party . . . hope to see you there!

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Please join us for this week’s

Thursday Favorite Things Blog Hop and Linky Party

Katherine-Katherines Corner

Nina-Vintage Mamas Cottage

Marilyn-Marilyns Treats

Bev-Eclectic Red Barn

Angelina- Petite Haus

Theresa Begin – Shoestring Elegance

An InLinkz Link-up

Picnics – A Relaxing Summer Pastime + HM #191

July 5, 2018 by VintageMama 4 Comments

I remember when I was a little girl taking a basket of sandwiches, cookies, apples, and a thermos jug of water out to the woods behind our house. It seems strange now, but I don’t really remember being too annoyed by mosquitoes. Or spiders. Or snakes. Or any of the other creepy-crawly things that slither and scramble beneath the leaves on the ground out in the woods. But I do remember setting everything out on the little “table” that I made from old boards and rotting tree stumps, and having the grandest picnic with my dolls. So when this week’s theme for the Home Matters Linky Party #191 was picnics, it brought back lots of fond childhood memories. #picnics #summer #HomeMattersParty

Retro Picnic Basket on a Blue chair from DJBazookaJoe

A little bit of nostalgia can’t hurt anyone, I guess, so I started thinking about all of the fun games we used to play, down by the lake, playing with our dolls in the secret shady place beneath the Weeping Willow trees, scrambling down the hill to the rickety old dock, hiding behind the boat houses, and even climbing up the old stone fire places. But my favorite place was always out behind our house in the woods where I had a path right back to my own little “house,” where I had separate “rooms” form my little doll family, separated by logs and saplings, with the branches covering for the roof. I would stay out there for hours, and now I wonder that I wasn’t covered with bug bites by night fall. Well, perhaps I was, but all I remember was the magic of summer days in the cool shade of my little house in the woods.

Vintage White Picnic Basket Display from Vintage Mellie

Nowadays, I have a real house, with a lawn, and flower gardens, a deck, and a garage. And since we don’t do a lot of outdoor entertaining because of my reaction to the heat and too much sun, I thought it would be fun to find some vintage picnic baskets, just for old time sake, and I discovered some charming ways to refashion these retro treasures and use them again for home decor, storage, or for photography props. So, for this week’s party, here is my collection of vintage and retro picnic baskets, given a new lease on life in a modern home of an old-fashioned girl.

Refashioned Vintage Blue Floral Picnic Basket from My Shabby Chateau

Retro Red Plaid Picnic Basket from Vintage Origami

Vintage White Wicker Picnic Basket Storage from The Wicker House

Stack of Vintage Picnic Baskets from TParty

I hope you can visit some of the other bloggers at this week’s #HomeMattersParty and see all of their creative inspiration for our picnic theme! Hope you are having a great summer so far . . .

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Favorite Things: Simple Sewing Projects for the Beginner

June 28, 2018 by VintageMama 3 Comments

I learned to sew as a young teen, many years ago. Back in those days, I could babysit for the neighborhood kids and make $2.00 and go to the little dime store downtown and buy a pattern and enough fabric to make a new dress. That was how I got new clothes! Through lots of years of trial and error, a few sewing classes along the way, and many opportunities to make clothing for myself and my family, sewing is just part of who I am. So when all of my daughters found other hobbies or interests, it was just part of like, knowing that “Mom will make that for me,” or “Mom will fix that for me.” I suppose when Mom can do it for you, why would you want to do it for yourself?

As my older daughters have become mamas themselves, there has been a bit of an interest in learning to sew, and my oldest daughter now sews beautiful dresses and skirts for herself and her two girls. So when three of our granddaughters expressed interest in learning to sew, that made this Grammie’s heart happy! Last weekend two of the granddaughters were here for a visit and the first thing they announced when they arrived was, “I want to learn to sew, Grandma!”

OK, well let’s work on that in the morning . . . and so we planned to “learn to sew.” Of course, with no understanding of what it really takes to be able to sew something rather complex, one of them said, “I want to make a skirt!” Hmmmmm . . . . . well, let me think about that for a minute. Of course I have tons of fabric for the girls to choose from so that wasn’t a problem. The other one then announced with enthusiasm, “I want to make a dress!” Time for Grandma to give some basic sewing advice: first you have to learn to sew before you can make something that complicated, and that will take a bit of time.

So let’s start by learning to stitch two pieces of fabric together using a needle and thread. We’ll eventually get to the skirts and dresses, but for today let’s just learn how to thread a needle and hand stitch a few seams. They were excited to learn how to do that, and I had a pile of 6″ squares in pretty fabric that I had left over from a previous project, so I got them started. I was surprised at how quickly they were able to master the stitches (especially since one of them is left-handed so I had to kind of wing it with her). So they sat in my sewing room for several hours stitching those squares together until they had several strips that they then asked me how to stitch together to make a doll quilt.

By the time they had to leave they both had stitched enough squares together to make a small “blanket” for their dolls and a little sewing kit each that we put together for them. They picked out three different fabrics and matching thread; we put that in a zip lock bag with a few pieces of ribbon, some straight pins and a couple of needs and a small pair of scissors. They were so excited! I told them that I will be up to see them in a couple of weeks and I’ll bring them each a few more things for their sewing “kits” and we’ll keep practicing. We might even have time to learn the basics of using a sewing machine and then we can really make a skirt or even a dress.

Here are a few super simple, basic beginner sewing projects that I found so that when I see the girls next time we can choose a project and work on it together. Another one of the granddaughters who is just a bit older than the two that came for a visit last weekend, also is interested in sewing. She has had some sewing experience through her participation in 4H, so she is ready for her own sewing machine. I’m planning to buy a beginner machine to take to her when I go visit them all and then we will have a fun day sewing, just Grammie and the Girls. I’ll be looking for more easy sewing projects in the next few weeks, and I’ll take pictures of our projects when they are finished. In the meantime, I hope you can join us for this week’s Favorite Things Blog Hop and Linky Party. See you there!

The 10 Minute Skirt from Make It Love It

DIY Animal Pillows from B-Inspired Mama

DIY Child’s Apron from Sarennedy

Play all Day Dress from Its Always Autumn

Teach Kids to Sew from Seasoned Homemaker

This is the one I’m most excited about! I can teach my girls what I have learned over the years, but it will be fun to get some ideas, advice, and wisdom from another mama who has been doing this for a long time, too. It’s going to be fun putting those sewing kits together! Have you taught your kids or grandkids to sew? I would love to hear about it! See you soon . . . . .

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Please join us for this week’s

Thursday Favorite Things Blog Hop and Linky Party

Katherine-Katherines Corner

Nina-Vintage Mamas Cottage

Marilyn-Marilyns Treats

Bev-Eclectic Red Barn

Angelina- Petite Haus

Theresa Begin – Shoestring Elegance

An InLinkz Link-up

Five Fun Summer DIY Projects for Teen Girls

June 26, 2018 by VintageMama 3 Comments

When the kids were little we could do all kinds of fun summer activities. We could go to the library and then pop into the park and play at the splash pad on a hot summer afternoon. We could go to the park and play and then stop for an ice cream cone on the way home. We could make paper plate windmills decorated to look like watermelons, or make necklaces out of macaroni, or create little play houses for the Polly Pockets out of popsicle sticks. But now that our girls are teenagers, those kinds of summer day activities don’t seem to be quite so attractive.

We’ve tried painting and that was fun, but one of my girls is quite indecisive so she will spend an entire afternoon trying to decide WHAT to paint, and then fearful that she won’t be able to do it “right,” she ends up not painting anything at all. So we continue to focus on the positive outcome, no matter what the actual final product looks like, and just have fun. But still, I’m really searching for a few things that will be of interest without any pressure to “do it right.” But rather, just to do it . . . something . . . anything . . . so that we can have fun this summer!

We also found a great coloring book that has all of the intricate details of medallions and other geometric designs, and that has been a lot of fun. Along with a new box of colored pencils, that coloring book has provided some creative expression without any pressure for perfection, and it also offers a bit of fine motor skill development. Score one for mama! But the painted flowerpots were a bit too overwhelming, so we’ll wait on that project for another day.

Another thing that we’ve been working on for the past several weeks is finding a few new wall hangings for the girls’ rooms. We’ve picked up a couple of things from Hobby Lobby when they have a 50% off sale (actually yesterday they had all of their “spring” selection at 66% off! “That’s a weird number,” observed on daughter. “That’s 2/3, Honey,” I said. “Really?,” she said incredulously. “Yes, really,” I said. Math isn’t our strong suit, but there was a math lesson right in the middle of Hobby Lobby!). But still, there are a few more things they would like to put up in their rooms now that all of the painting in there is finished.

Every time we walk through Walmart, the other daughter is attracted to those (rather gaudy, IMHO!) sequin pillows that you can brush your hand over the surface and it will be one color, and then brush your hand over it the other way, and it becomes a different color. So when I came across this cute sequin art wall hanging, I thought that would not only be fun and easy (no fear of failure), but she might also love it just as much as she loves those pillows. Maybe I need to break down and buy her one of those silly pillows for her room!

I love this little DIY journal book! We could do this one together and then she might be inclined to decorate the pages on her own. We’ll give it a try and see. Both girls could do this project and we can put pictures from summer camp, friends and family events, VBS at church, the 4H fair, and our local summer festival. Summer memories of everything they do this summer.

And then the painted sneakers . . . . we made a few of these last summer, but I really like these super simple pineapple and banana painted sneakers. If I sketch out the little pineapples and bananas, I’m thinking they could paint them. Easy-peasy on a summer day.

Here’s a paint project that could get us past the “fear of failure” obstacles: a block print canvas design, created using those sponge “pouncers.” Really you could use any size or shape of sponge to make a design. We could use just two colors, or shades of one color, or a whole riot of colors! The round ones look a bit like bubbles, but squares or triangles or rectangles all would work, too. Just pour out some paint on a paper plate, then dip and dot! This is the first one we are going to try, I think this afternoon, because we have a few of the canvas boards already.

One of the other things that the girls really seem to like is the large letters, either just their initials or even spell out their whole name. These yarn-wrapped ombre initials look like they would be easy enough to do, and it would also get some of that fine motor skill therapy going on, too. We’ve got some yarn, and we also have some of the chipboard letters we could experiment with. And we’ve got a bunch of other embellishments that would look really cute on the letters.

So I think we are ready to make something super simple, no expectations of “perfection,” just have fun and create. Together. That’s the goal. Even though the paper plate windmills and the popsicle stick creations are no longer of interest, I’m hopeful that there is something here that we will all enjoy doing together, and it will be fun. And it might even end up being just what they’ve been looking for to decorate the walls of their bedrooms. Gotta give it a try, at least!

I would love to hear about creative projects you have done with your teens. I’m always open to more ideas! Hope you are having a good week . . . . .

Favorite Things: Getting Started

June 21, 2018 by VintageMama 2 Comments

We finally have my little office almost finished. It is painted, the carpeting has been replaced, and my desk is all set up. For now, I really can’t replace the other furniture in here, but that’s OK. I’ll paint a couple of things, and I’m going to TRY to recover the chair. I love this little chair! It is really still solid and in very good shape . . . but it is old and the upholstery is a bit threadbare. There is a smudge of paint on the back from when we were working in this room last autumn that I didn’t notice until it was too late to get it out. It is just a sweet, comfy little chair, just the perfect size for my little corner of the world. I’m just tired of it!

We actually have had this chair since the girls were little, and there was originally a footstool that matched it. But after a few years of toddlers jumping on it, rocking it back and forth, tipping it over, and playing on it, well, it simply was worn out. The legs broke off of it finally after all those childhood shenanigans, but the chair is still solid as ever. I have a few pretty things to hang on the walls, and I have double window doors off of this room out to the deck. Which is also a work in progress, but it is still rather charming to have a view outside, right beside my desk, so I can look out and see my beautiful flowers and hanging baskets.

I would like a few more inspirational quotes to hang on the walls but when I checked what was available at Hobby Lobby the other day, I realized that one or two would be all I could afford. I did have the 40% off coupon so I got one set of two canvases that have my favorite inspirational quote: “She believed she could, so she did.” And another smaller one was on sale at 50% off so I got that one, too. It has pretty watercolor flowers around the saying, “There is sunshine in my soul.”

They both have the perfect color combination for this room! The walls are light gray with soft white trim and ceiling, so I wanted to go with light colors but not completely boring with just the white and gray in the accessories. The color combination in the wall hangings is soft pink and navy blue on a white background. Perfect for bringing together some soft pastels and a deep vibrant color to compliment the light gray.

As I was wandering around Hobby Lobby I noticed that there were lots of wall hangings that were mounted on simple canvas backgrounds. More than just the sayings written on canvas, but actual paintings and other designs on that very simple foundation. No frames, just the plain white art canvas. That got me thinking . . . . why can’t I make my own printable with digital designs, add my own quotes (which is something I already do and have great fun creating them) and then have them printed out as a poster or on a photo board, and mount them on my own plain white art canvas?

So that’s what I am going to do! It will be less expensive to finish up this project and it will be quicker than if I wait until I can save up a bit for a few more ready-made wall hanging. Here’s the first one I created. It has the right color combination, and it has a quote that I think is a great reminder to get up and get going, even if the project sometimes feels overwhelming. I’m going to get this one ready to hang in my little office, and I’ll show you pictures of it all, just as soon as it is totally finished.

Eventually, I hope to have pictures of my amateur attempt at recovering my favorite little chair. Of course, in a soft watercolor fabric with an off white or gray background with pink and dark blue flowers. That’s the next project on the To Do list now that we have the big outside projects completed. Summer days are for creating, don’t you think? What are you creating on these beautiful days? I would love to see YOUR creations. In the meantime, be sure to join us for this week’s Favorite Things Blog Hop and Linky Party. See you there!

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Please join us for this week’s

Thursday Favorite Things Blog Hop and Linky Party

Katherine-Katherines Corner

Nina-Vintage Mamas Cottage

Marilyn-Marilyns Treats

Bev-Eclectic Red Barn

Angelina- Petite Haus

Theresa Begin – Shoestring Elegance

An InLinkz Link-up

Summer Heat Survival Tips

June 19, 2018 by VintageMama 3 Comments

Does the summer heat bother you? I’m not complaining, that’s for sure! It is wonderful to look out my windows and see the green grass all around the flower gardens, and the baskets filled with bright red and pink flowers on my deck. It’s just that, for me, the summer heat wears me out. I’ve always been like that, even as a kid. Too much sun, and I was toast. Literally. Having been blessed with very pale skin, freckles, and limited heat tolerance, if I go out in the sun for more than 15 minutes, I get a sun burn. And it never turns into a tan. It just burns, blisters, makes me miserable, peels, and then goes right back to my (un)fashionably pale, freckled skin tone.

I know that lots of people LOVE to go to the beach or the pool on these blistering hot days. Some people can even work, exercise, run / job, go for a hike, picnic, or any number of other “active” activities when it is 98 degrees in the shade. I can’t do that. I’ve tried, and it never turns out good for me. I really do get physically ill from being outside in the sun and heat for more than just a few minutes at a time. I guess I wouldn’t have been a very good pioneer. I’m pretty sure I would have been one of those ladies who had to drop the piano by the side of the trail and then a little further down the line, they would have stuck a stick in the ground to remember where they buried my body.

Even inside, with air conditioning, if the humidity is too high, I simply wilt. Some days it is just too hot even to think! The past few days have been like that around here. The mornings are the best, before it gets REALLY miserable outside, so I get as much work done as possible. I teach my online classes really early, and then try to get all of the plants watered so they don’t die out there in the scorching heat. Sometimes I eat breakfast, but when it is this hot, I’m usually not even hungry. Well, except for ice cream. That’s what we did yesterday late afternoon, and that’s about all we had to eat all day long. Lots of water, iced tea, and lemonade, but eating anything hot or heavy just sounded really unpleasant.

So . . . . what to do on days when it is too hot to do anything, but there is much to do? You can’t just STOP and do nothing (usually), but it is just too hot and miserable to tackle those big projects on the To Do list. Here are a few ideas that helped us get through the past few super hot and humid days. I still have a lot of other stuff that needs attention, and it looks like the rest of this week is going to be a bit cooler, so I’m hoping to get to the other tasks soon. But when it is just too hot even to think, much less actually DO anything, take a deep breath, and remember that it’s OK to slow down once in a while and rest. Or do something quiet and peaceful while you keep yourself and your home and family safe and cool. Here’s what we did, or are planning to do the next time it’s a scorcher out there.

10 Ideas for Surviving the Summer Heat

READ A BOOK: This one, of course, is a “no-brainer.” Go to the library (before it gets TOO hot out there) and check out a pile of books for your summer reading list. Even if you aren’t the kind to sit on a sandy beach, under and umbrella, with sand between your toes, reading a good book is the perfect way to enjoy a summer day. I’ve never enjoyed going to the beach. I know, that seems rather strange, but it’s true. The idea of getting hot and sweaty, and then sitting in the sand, having it stick to my body and then having to wash it off AFTER I have a sunburn – sorry, but that just is just a miserable experience for me. Even in the shade, unless there is a pretty good breeze, my body temperature goes up to the point of giving me a headache and making me feel rather nauseous. Need a few good ideas of books to read this summer? Check out my blog post HERE with some books on my summer reading list.

WATCH A MOVIE: another simple but great way to spend a hot, scorching summer afternoon. You could go to a movie theater, but depending on the kinds of movies you like to watch, you can also pop a DVD into the player or find something on Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime, or any of the other movies-on-demand sites that are available these days. I’ve never been one to spend a lot of time watching TV or movies, mostly because I have so many other things I would rather be doing, but sometimes I need to stop being busy for a while and slow down – so I am always looking for movies that are historical fiction or documentaries. I guess I feel like if I am going to invest my time that way, that I want to be learning something! HERE is a list of some of my favorite movies that I put together back in the winter for a snowy day, but they will work great for a blistering hot summer day too!

TAKE A NAP: This is one of those things that I always feel guilty about. I guess because I was brought up with the old saying, “First you work and then you play,” I tend to work all the time. If I’m not working on something productive, I feel like I should be. My own idiosyncrasy, I know, but there it is. So it was difficult for me to allow myself to STOP and just rest, even on a really, really hot day. I’m getting better, but I would rest for 20 – 30 minutes and then think “I should be doing something. Anything!” so I’d try to start a project and completely wilt in the heat. This went on all day long, and eventually I got through the day, but it was not an easy thing for me to do. But sometimes that’s just what you need . . . an afternoon nap!

MAKE LEMONADE: This is the best way to cool down on a super hot day! Lots of ice and lemonade, made from scratch or a mix or a can, it doesn’t matter. Just make the lemonade and then sit down in the shade with the fan blowing gently across your face and drink that lemonade!

DRAW A PICTURE / COLOR:

DO A PUZZLE

WORK ON YOUR ART JOURNAL

MAKE YOUR OWN POPSICLES

WRITE A LETTER TO A FRIEND

ORGANIZE YOUR PHOTOS

Actually, some of these ideas are projects I want to work on anyway . . . . so making the best of a super hot day to accomplish one of those tasks that keep falling to the bottom of the TO DO list sounds like a good plan to me! I think we’ll make some lemonade, maybe try some of those strawberry limeade popsicles, and work on organizing our photos. I’ll let you know how it goes! How about you? What do you do on these really hot, humid summer days? If you like to go to the beach, have fun!

Favorite Things: Handmade Happiness

June 14, 2018 by VintageMama 2 Comments

Summer is finally here, and we are hoping to do lots of fun stuff this year. It seems like the past couple of summers, things have been rather busy with all kinds of house projects, working, and generally just getting through a day. This summer, however, we want things to be different! Of course we still have to do the regular ol’ necessary things like clean the house, do the laundry, cook (occasionally), mow the lawn, and work. But we are planning some fun times, too, and one of the biggest fun activities we’ve got planned is lots of crafts and DIY projects. Some just for fun, but some for cheering up our house.

Since we have been in the process of updating, painting, and redecorating our house for the past year (or more!), we have several rooms that need some bright, cheerful decor. Especially after the flood we had in our laundry room last autumn, things have had to be replaced because they were damaged from the water or just from having to be moved very quickly from one part of the house to another, where it was still dry.

Also, another consideration for our family is that we have two teenage daughters . . . . one is old enough to have a semi-regular job (which is a very good thing!), but one isn’t quite old enough to have a serious job. She does help our neighbors out with household chores every week, and she loves to read, so we will be heading to the library every week. But I’ve been looking for a few fun DIY projects that we can do together, and here are a few that I found. We’ll be working on something later today so I’ll post pictures of our crafty creations.

Happiness truly is handmade for our family! We would much rather hang out at home and make stuff or play games or read or just talk to each other than go anywhere, so even though we might be considered “boring,” we do have fun! I hope you can join us this week for the Favorite Things Blog Hop and Linky Party. You’ve find a TON of interesting and creative ideas from all around the blogosphere, and you might even make some new friends along the way. Hope to see you there!

Pretty Embellished Journal Notebooks from Better Homes and Gardens

Girls love to keep secret diaries! Here’s a fun DIY project for a hot summer day, or a rainy day, or any other day. Check out the complete tutorials on the Better Homes and Gardens website.

Puffy Painted Bottles from Embracing Creativity

Here’s a new “twist” on the painted and decorated bottle and jar design. Use puffy paint to create designs before you spay paint your bottles and you’ll have these adorable summer vases for the pretty flowers that come from your garden. Find the complete tutorial at Embracing Creativity.

Ice Cream Bookmarks from Artsy Craftsy Mom

For the summer reading program at our library, we are frequently reading more than one book at a time. That can get confusing! One thing that seems to help is having fun bookmarks for each of our books, so I think we’ll make a few brightly colored and embellished bookmarks this week. We could make ice cream cones, cup cakes, kitty cats, puppy dogs, butterflies, kites, watermelon, or . . . pretty much anything we want!

Doily and Lace Dream Catcher from Happiness is Homemade

I’ve seen a similar technique used for creating flags, and I’ve been wanting to give this a try for a while now . . . . so as I’m sorting and organizing things out in my sewing room, I’m going to set aside all of the bits and pieces of lace, ribbons, and fabric scraps that I could use to make something like this. Isn’t it pretty? The colors are so summery! And that number 5 – adorable all covered in pretty summer flowered fabric. Gotta give that a try, too!

Button Heart on Canvas from Crafts by Courtney

We’ve done some painting on canvas, and I have lots of pretty beads in the sewing room. This might be the perfect combination of painting and gluing to keep us out of trouble for an afternoon. The heart is cute, but we really could do any design we want. We could do flowers or butterflies, or kites, or cupcakes . . . . you get the idea! We could make some cute wall hangings using this technique and it will be a lot of fun in the process!

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Please join us for this week’s

Thursday Favorite Things Blog Hop and Linky Party

Katherine-Katherines Corner

Nina-Vintage Mamas Cottage

Marilyn-Marilyns Treats

Bev-Eclectic Red Barn

Angelina- Petite Haus

Theresa Begin – Shoestring Elegance

An InLinkz Link-up

Rainy Day DIY Projects

June 5, 2018 by VintageMama 2 Comments

It’s raining here today, so instead of working outside again, we are going to work on some creative projects indoors. Looking for fun DIY project ideas is a lot of fun, especially now that I have teen age daughters who like to make stuff, too. I’m always looking for creative ways to fix up our old house, so when I came across some of these ideas using old picture frames, drawers, books, and a vintage chest, I decided that this is where we are going to start.

I have accumulated so much cool stuff over the years, and I don’t always know what I’m going to do with it but I can’t bear to part with it. No, I’m not a hoarder . . . . I’m pretty selective when it comes to keeping stuff around. But I do have some pretty old picture frames that were getting rather shabby looking, and some old books that really are outdated, and we have a big old wicker chest that I was trying to figure out what to do with – and now I know.

Those little drawers are so cute, too! I’ll have to see if I have anything like that to work with, and I also came across a few cute ideas for painting and fixing up a couple of the old chairs that are sitting out in the garage. The biggest problem . . . TIME! It seems like I just about get started on a project and then BAM! it’s time to cook, or eat, or clean, or work, or something else that interrupts my creative adventures.

But the girls are out of school now, and I’m kind of caught up on a bunch of other projects, so I think I’m just going to go out in the studio and MAKE STUFF today! I already worked my morning teaching job, so the rest of the day is open until the orthodontist appointment at 4:00 p.m. We made a lot of progress on the outside projects this past weekend and finished up some things yesterday – still lots of things I want to do out there, but the BIG projects are done. Well, almost done. We planted some grass so we’re waiting for it to start growing, but at least it’s planted!

Before I get started today, I wanted to show you a few of the projects I’m going to attempt over the next few days. I’ll post pictures of my own creations as soon as they are finished – these are just for inspiration. What are you working on when you have a rainy day?

Lace Covered Books via Pinterest

Vintage Photo Frame Wall Hangings via Pinterest

Painted Vintage Chest via Pinterest / Shabby Home Dreams

Painted and Embellished Drawers via Pinterest

Shabby Vintage Frame Wall Hanging via Pinterest

Shabby Painted and Reupholstered Chair via Pinterest

Vintage Picture Frame with Keepsakes via Pinterest

I’ll be back to post pictures of my projects later this week . . . in the meantime, I would love to hear all about your summer / rainy day DIY projects. See you next time!

Favorite Things . . . . . Watermelon!

May 31, 2018 by VintageMama 1 Comment

Well . . . I’m getting this weekly blog post up really late today. I’ve been working five mornings and two evenings a week for several weeks now, and I think I’m either tired of simply running out of time to do everything that I want to do with my days. Probably both! So I started this blog post a few days ago, you know, so I would have it ready to go for Thursday morning. But then one thing and another (mostly family and WORK) interfered with my plan. And here we are Thursday afternoon!

It rained here yesterday afternoon and evening, with a bit of wind, so I was concerned about the plants that we have set out. We also tore up the front flower garden (jungle!) that was here when we bought this house that was way overgrown. We tried for the past two summers just to clean it up and keep it kind of the way it was . . . I’m sure it was beautiful when it was first created . . . . but there were so many roots and vines and everything was entangled and growing in, over, around, and through everything else that we couldn’t even get the weeks pulled out.

So, a couple of weekends ago we tore everything out and saved the “good” stuff to replant somewhere else. Then last weekend we finished the much smaller circular planting area in the middle and set a large planter filled with red impatiens right in the middle. It looks really pretty, but we had to plant grass all around it where we pulled out everything else, so now that area is covered with grass seed and a layer of straw. I was hoping the rain didn’t wash out all the new grass seed, so we’ll see, but today it still looks OK. I’ve got a few pictures of the project, so I’ll post them next week.

Working outside in 90 degree heat and humidity might also have contributed to my exhaustion this week. But never mind, I’m finally getting to some of my weekly projects, just a few hours late. When I was thinking about all of the yard and garden projects we have going, as well as the inside jobs still needing our attention, I was thinking about a day, hopefully soon, when we can just enjoy our little corner of the universe and not have to WORK every weekend. We might just take time to sit out on our deck with a pitcher of iced tea or lemonade and one of our favorite summer treats . . . watermelon!

That’s what got me thinking about other fun and creative ideas with a watermelon theme. Here’s what I found, and as soon as I get caught up with the other projects that are waiting for me, I am going to make a few of these cute DIY projects for our house. Be watching for pictures as soon as I get something finished! In the meantime, here’s my watermelon collection for this week’s Favorite Things Blog Hop and Linky Party. Hope you can join us!

Watermelon Wreath from The Scrap Shoppe Blog

I was kind of surprised at the limited DIY projects for a watermelon wreath. I didn’t actually find very many at all that I like, so I guess that means I’ll have to come up with my own idea! There were lots of beautiful wreaths in various shades of red, pink, dark green, light green, and black but most of them were really “fluffy” and loaded with lots of embellishments. I was hoping to find one that was rather simple and this was the only one I found. Looks like an easy to create project, so I’m going to give this one a try this weekend.

Watermelon Planters from Cool Crafts

We have quite a few smaller planter pots from previous summers, but they are all so boring! Guess I better round up the red, green, and black paints and get started! Wouldn’t these look cute with white flowers?

Watermelon Mason Jar from The Country Chic Cottage

Of course, no DIY collection would be complete without a Mason jar project! I kind of like the way this one is translucent instead of completely covered with paint. It would be cute to create a whole set of these for a summer picnic of party and then fill them up with lemonade or iced tea. On my way to pull out the rest of the Mason jars in my studio!

Watermelon Banner from Empty Nest Home Goods on Etsy

You could hop on over to the Empty Nest Home Goods shop on Etsy and buy your very own adorable watermelon banner . . . . or you could make one of your own! I think you could make this from card stock or fabric, or even wooden cutouts that you paint and then string together with ribbon. This is so cute! Wouldn’t this be adorable hung on our gazebo?

Watermelon Door Mat from Cool Crafts

Perfect for our deck, especially once I get that watermelon wreath hung on the door! Check out the tutorial at The House that Lars Built for all the details on how you can make this sweet watermelon door mat for you deck or porch.

Watermelon Canvas Art from Spot of Tea Designs

And inside we can dress it up with more cute, cool watermelon creations. This watermelon canvas art would be a fun project to do with my girls, so I’m thinking that we will give it a try next week, after school gets out. Check out the tutorial at Spot of Tea Designs.

Simple Summer Decorative Watermelon Pillows from The Real Thing with the Coake Family

One more idea to brighten up your deck or porch, or even inside your house. These cute watermelon decorative pillows are super simple to make. The complete tutorial is available at The Real Thing with the Coake Family. Perfect combination with the watermelon canvas art . . . . this will be so adorable in our entry way! Have fun with your summer DIY projects!

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Please join us for this week’s

Thursday Favorite Things Blog Hop and Linky Party

Katherine-Katherines Corner

Nina-Vintage Mamas Cottage

Marilyn-Marilyns Treats

Bev-Eclectic Red Barn

Angelina- Petite Haus

Theresa Begin – Shoestring Elegance

An InLinkz Link-up

Memorial Day Weekend Ideas + HM #184

May 17, 2018 by VintageMama 4 Comments

As we are in the process of updating lots of areas in our yard this spring, I’m always looking for new ideas that we might actually do, and the upcoming holiday had me searching for Memorial Day weekend ideas for this week’s Home Matters Linky Party #184. It is fun to scroll through Pinterest (when I don’t have anything else that is demanding my immediate attention!) and see all of the amazing, creative projects that people do, but I have to find things that are not so over-the-top that it would take me a month and a half to figure it out. So I stick with relatively simple, but creative, and easy to do DIY projects. #MemorialDay #HomeMattersParty

I also like to find home and garden DIY ideas that have a bit of lasting value. You know, things that we could create now that we can still use on our deck or patio throughout the summer and not just for one weekend. And since we are really “party” people, I wasn’t looking for food or party decorations, but more of the kind of decor that will brighten up our yard all season. Of course, there is always the patriotic wreaths that can be made in about a gazillion different ways, and the ever-versatile Mason jar projects, but I did find a few other fun ideas that I think we will actually be able to do here in our little corner of the world.

I hope you are finding some creative inspiration for your home and garden this spring . . . . if you want to pop on over to my Pinterest page and check out my boards, come on over: https://www.pinterest.com/vintagemamashop/boards/

Here are a few ideas I collected that seem like fun, easy, and practical kinds of patriotic yard and garden DIY projects. What do you think?

Let Freedom Ring Front Porch Display

via Pinterest

I love this rustic, primitive front porch display featuring bright red geraniums in metal pots with the “Let Freedom Ring” saying on the vintage chalkboard. This just says “summer time” to me!

Stars and Stripes Pillow

via Pinterest

Patriotic Theme Mason Jar Vases

via Pinterest

Ribbon and Lace American Flag Banner

via Pinterest

Red, White, and Blue Front Porch Decor

via Pinterest

Stars and Stripes Painted Flower Pot

via Pinterest

Red, White, and Blue Painted Planter

via Pinterest

Patriotic Printables

via Pinterest

Well . . . did you see anything that might work for you and your family this summer? I’m on my way right now to pick up a few patio blocks, a couple of flower pots, and some red and white impatiens. I’ll show you what’s happening at our house soon! In the meantime, I hope you can join us for this week’s #HomeMattersParty where you will find TONS of inspiration for your home and family. See you there!

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Check out this week’s features below.

How To Make Your Own Sprinkles from Michelle @ Queen Bee Baker

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Berry Yogurt Breakfast Pops from Erin @ My Mommy World

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Tin Can Flower Garden from Kristi @ I Should Be Mopping The Floor

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10 Fridge & Freezer Organization Hacks To Save You Time from Nadine @ The Kindest Way

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How To Paint Tile Floors With A Stencil from Christina @ The DIY Mommy

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Let your patriotic spirit shine with some awesome Memorial Day weekend ideas. Find loads of fun and good food to celebrate and remember. Plus, link up at Home Matters with recipes, DIY, crafts, decor. #MemorialDay #HomeMattersParty Click To Tweet

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Thank you for joining in the fun and excitement at the Home Matters Linky Party. We hope you enjoy it as much as we do. We look forward to chatting with you in the comments.

Just looking at all of these yummy, gorgeous lemon ideas makes me happy! Enjoy your summer days and come on along for the fun of the Favorite Things Blog Hop and Linky Party . . . hope to see you there!

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Please join us for this week’s

Thursday Favorite Things Blog Hop and Linky Party

Katherine-Katherines Corner

Nina-Vintage Mamas Cottage

Marilyn-Marilyns Treats

Bev-Eclectic Red Barn

Angelina- Petite Haus

Theresa Begin – Shoestring Elegance

Welcome to the weekly Home Matters Linky Party. A great place to come, share your blog posts, and make new friends.

Hosts

Co-hosts

Check out this week’s features below.

Are you ready to Party?

The linky party starts when Friday begins and closes when Monday ends, EST.

Home Matters Linky Party Guidelines:

Link Up!

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Please join us for this week’s

Thursday Favorite Things Blog Hop and Linky Party

Katherine-Katherines Corner

Nina-Vintage Mamas Cottage

Marilyn-Marilyns Treats

Bev-Eclectic Red Barn

Angelina- Petite Haus

Theresa Begin – Shoestring Elegance

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Please join us for this week’s

Thursday Favorite Things Blog Hop and Linky Party

Katherine-Katherines Corner

Nina-Vintage Mamas Cottage

Marilyn-Marilyns Treats

Bev-Eclectic Red Barn

Angelina- Petite Haus

Theresa Begin – Shoestring Elegance

10 Ideas for Surviving the Summer Heat

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Please join us for this week’s

Thursday Favorite Things Blog Hop and Linky Party

Katherine-Katherines Corner

Nina-Vintage Mamas Cottage

Marilyn-Marilyns Treats

Bev-Eclectic Red Barn

Angelina- Petite Haus

Theresa Begin – Shoestring Elegance

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Please join us for this week’s

Thursday Favorite Things Blog Hop and Linky Party

Katherine-Katherines Corner

Nina-Vintage Mamas Cottage

Marilyn-Marilyns Treats

Bev-Eclectic Red Barn

Angelina- Petite Haus

Theresa Begin – Shoestring Elegance

Welcome to the weekly Home Matters Linky Party. A great place to come, share your blog posts, and make new friends.

Hosts

Co-hosts

Check out this week’s features below.

Are you ready to Party?

The linky party starts when Friday begins and closes when Monday ends, EST.

Home Matters Linky Party Guidelines:

Link Up!

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