With it getting cooler out I started thinking of some fun winter crafts. I don’t celebrate Christmas but I do love decorating for the different seasons. I saw an idea for yarn hats on Pinterest and thought I’d try out a few versions. This is the easier version so I will show you how I made them.
The supplies you need are: yarn, a toilet paper roll and scissors! That’s it! First you will need about 20 12” pieces of yarn. I wrapped my yarn around a ruler and cut it to make it easier but you can snip each piece if you want. Feel free to mix colors, too. I find that thinner yarn works better than thicker.
Next you need a paper towel or toilet paper roll. Measure about 3/4” and cut.
You then want to take a piece of yarn and make a loop. Pull the loop under the roll and take the two loose ends and tuck them under the loop. Tighten the yarn and the top.
Keep going until you make it all the way around the roll.
Next you will take a piece of yarn and wrap it about an inch above the cardboard. Tie a knot and then trim the excess to make a little pom!
Depending on how you plan on using the hat you may want to add a ball of tissue paper to the inside to fluff the hat up. I would recommend that if you are using it as a garland or gift topper. But, on a wine bottle it won’t be needed. Here are a few ways to use the hats!
I added one to a swan in my she shed!Use as a gift topper!
My favorite option is to use one on a bottle of wine! I added it to the top and took some chunky yarn to create a scarf. What a cute hostess gift!! You can also customize the wine bottle if you want. Just soak the bottle in warm water to peel the label off and then add a sticker or a Cricut decal.
These were so fun to make and I’d love to know what you think!
When you love Fall and you love crafting you find a reason to host a Crafternoon! This year I decided to host some cute kiddos. My friend decided to host with me and we had seven girls come over for some food and crafting.
My she shed is always the perfect backdrop and my inspiration for backyard parties. I had thrifted a few tablecloths before and worked with what I had.
Once I layered the tablecloths I grabbed some things from the Dollar Tree. These cute latte and leaf cutouts were the perfect addition. I also cut out a placemat from wrapping paper, added a doily, some paint brushes, a pumpkin, a name tag and a leaf clay dish I had made.
I gave each guest a clay leaf trinket dish. My previous post has the tuturial for these!
My idea was to have the kids paint the wooden cut out, marbleize a pumpkin and create a butterfly with a leaf as a stamp. The party was about three hours for eating, crafting and relaxing and that would be perfect. We had pizza, cupcakes, mermaid popcorn and ice cream.
I made this Mermaid popcorn with the addition of candy corn for Fall!
I also made a virgin strawberry daiquiri and the girls loved it!
I can’t help but add a bit of pink to everything, so Fall always gets a pink twist.
Our first craft was to marbleize a pumpkin. You fill a bowl with lukewarm water and add nail polish in colors you like. Dip the pumpkin, swirl and let it dry.
Next the kids painted the wooden cut out. It was cute, there was more talking than painting. I was loving the conversations.
Lastly we did a butterfly project. They painted a leaf and used it as a stamp to create a butterfly. I had prepared a paper with a stick glued on it so they could just paint and decorate.
The party was so sweet. I hope the girls have some sweet memories, I know I do!
I love a good Fall craft! I have a Fall Crafternoon planned for a few little girls coming up this weekend and I thought it would be fun to make little trinket trays for them to take home. So, I figured I would use some air dry clay and get a little creative and make a leaf version.
Aren’t these so pretty?
This is a very easy project. I grabbed some air dry clay awhile ago at the craft store. Then I grabbed a few leaves while I walked my dog. I did all maple leaves, but it would also be pretty with different types of leaves. Then I grabbed my rolling pin.
First off you want to take some clay and roll it out. You can even stretch it and flatten it without a rolling pin. Next, place a leaf on the clay and press it into it. You want to see the texture of the leaf in the clay. Then you peel off the leaf and take a knife or sharp edge and trace along the leaf. lastly, place your clay leaf in a bowl or glass so it will take on more of a bowl shape. Let them dry overnight to harden.
Once dried I decided to paint them with watercolors. I liked that because I could easily blend a few colors to give some dimension. Keep adding and blending! Once that was dried I added a coat of ModPodge to seal the paint in.
Once they were dried I grabbed a few photos to share. You can use them for rings, clips or even tea light candles. I think they are so cozy and perfect for Fall!
What do you think? Will my guests love them? Stay tuned, I will share the fun details of our Crafternoon!
Well, it’s August! So, for me that means it’s time to get out my Fall decorations! My she shed is so fun to decorate for Fall because I can add all the cute pink things I want! This year I really didn’t buy anything new except two pillow covers. But, I still change things up to keep it fun and fresh!
My happy place!
I do have new twinkle curtain lights that I hung on one wall. They add the perfect amount of sparkle and look so pretty at night!
I have collected various pumpkins over the years. The pink velvet ones are from Dollar Tree. I also love this painted and Mod Podged pumpkin I made a couple of years ago. I think it looks cute with my pink swan full of pumpkins.
I found these cute striped and ruffled pillow covers from H&M on clearance for $8.00 each. I think the colors are so cute for Fall or even Spring!
I also got a new print and added it to a frame I had thrifted for .99!
I brought out all the cute pink accessories I could find!
I also got a cute puzzle from Galison puzzles and all the cozy Fall vibes made me so happy!
I have found that using what I have and just moving things around makes things feel new. It’s so therapeutic for me to clean, organize and redecorate a space! I hope you have enjoyed this tour.
I have been on the search for some vintage plates to do a fun DIY project. I wasn’t having any luck but my friend messaged me saying she was having a yard sale and had some dishes she thought I might like. I jumped in the car and headed right over! She had some beautiful ones and for $1.00 each I couldn’t resist!
I had a few ideas for updating them and giving them a modern twist. So, I headed into my she shed and started working on a couple of ideas. I used my Cricut machine to create some vinyl decals and grabbed a couple of things at the craft store, too.
I found this mini chair at Hobby Lobby and wanted to add my parents wedding photo to a plate so I grabbed a bag of clips, too.
I knew I wanted to make a plate that said “Please leave by 9.” All my friends joke around that they know it’s time to go at about 9pm at my house. I also wanted a fall themed plate so I cut the vinyl on my Cricut for that and added a little pumpkin.
I also cut vinyl that says “ I’ll save you a seat.” I thought it would be cute with the little chair. So, I painted the chair and attached it to the plate with hot glue. I love it so much!
Lastly, I attached ribbon to one plate that I thought was pretty without much more. Then I added a clasp and my parents wedding photo to the last plate!
Now that they were finished I had to decide where to hang them. I opted for a spot around the hall closet. Fortunately the plates also came with hangers so I just I had choose a layout!
I will use the Fall is in the Air plate for my Fall decor….which I hope to do soon!
I still have more plates and more ideas, I am thinking of making some as gifts for friends! What do you think? Tell me below!
I love planning parties and making special memories. We wanted to celebrate my parents anniversary and I decided to plan a dinner party for them. They love the coast and spend their summers in Maine. So, I decided to create a coastal inspired table. I found a driftwood candle holder for a gift for them and decided to use it on the table and jump off that!
I didn’t want to have to buy much, so I shopped my house for things I had. The only things I bought were plain white plates from the Dollar Tree and the sea shell vases from Walmart.
I used a thin blanket I had as a tablecloth. Since it wasn’t long enough to cover the whole table I layed it down on an angle.
I really love the tablecloth that way. Now that I’ve done that I think I like it better than the traditional look!
Next up I had made some paper lobster napkin holders on my Cricut machine. I had lots of blue scrapbook papers and used a mix. I then tied some twine around the lobster and napkin . I think it’s such a fun touch! I also found the little starfish clips at Dollar Tree and made name tags on cork board with a stamp.
I filled the seashell vases with peonies and added some votive candle holders to the driftwood centerpiece and then put a little sailboat to the top. I added in my gold candlestick holders with taper candles. I then added some drinking glasses I had thrifted that had a coastal vibe and some cocktail glasses to dress it up a bit.
I’m not a fancy baker so I just made a quick and easy cake and topped it with hydrangeas from my yard. I put the stems of the flowers in a straw so the flowers would stand up on the cake.
I know you would think I planned a lobster dinner, but I went with something easier. I decided to make Marry Me Chicken , pasta, Caesar salad and bread.
Marry Me Chicken
I also decided to make a cocktail. I made a Jam Cocktail. It was so easy and delicious! I used one tablespoon of strawberry jam, 2 ounces vodka and 1/2 fresh lemon juice. Shake with ice in a shaker, pour and serve.
We had a lovely evening celebrating my parents! I hope you found some inspiration or ideas for your next dinner party!
It has been almost two years since my she shed project has been completed! Seasons have come and gone and I have loved every minute of it! Of course, there has been some learning along the way. Regulating the temperature in the heat and cold has been a challenge, but the new insulation has helped quite a bit. The inside roof has not been insulated so some heat/cool air does escape. But, I am not too concerned about dealing with that now. I don’t spend long hours inside so I don’t think the time and money is worth it right now.
Overall, this project has been a dream come true! I thought I would share a few photos of memories of each season. I hope you find some inspiration!
Winter!
Well, this image is edited! The snow is a filter from an app, but you get the idea! We don’t get much snow here in North Carolina, but I wanted to imagine my shed with snow. The inside has some cute winter touches, though.
I love adding lots of cozy pink touches. Turning on the electric fireplace makes it even cuter! Next up, my favorite season….FALL!
Fall!
For Fall I add lots of textures! Painted pumpkins, velvet pumpkins and pink mums, of course!
Spring and summer are always fun, I fill my flower boxes and this year I grew zinnias on one side of my shed. I also have hydrangeas that make me so happy. I plan on adding more blooms in the future.
Spring!I was so happy to grow zinnias this year!Summer!
This picture was taken before we added a new paver patio to the entrance of the shed. What an upgrade!
This year I updated my corn hold boards for some backyard fun! And I love relaxing inside.
I have so enjoyed this fun space and decorating for each season. Adding cute touches just makes me happy and I’m happy you’ve followed along. Make sure to check back on previous blog posts and details!
I have had Utah on my travel radar for awhile now. When my family and I were discussing Spring Break plans I brought it up. Everyone looked at me like “Utah, what will we do there?” I shared lots of outdoor activities and hikes and they were on board! My husband searched for flight deals and we found one to Las Vegas for a good price (it’s about a three hour drive from where we wanted to be) so we booked it! And I started planning!
So, a little about me…I love making travel plans! I research, read blogs and make lists like a maniac! Then I tell my husband my ideas and he searches for deals on flights, hotels and Airbnb’s! We make a good team. I knew I wanted to go to Zion National Park and Bryce Canyon National Park so my husband read that Kanab, Utah was a great spot to stay near the parks. And he found an Airbnb that was beautiful, affordable and only 30 minutes-one hour from the parks. We booked it!
So, once we had lodging and flights booked my husband booked a rental car. We knew we would need that. The rest was up to me. So, I started researching and making lists. There are actually lots of great hikes to do in Kanab so that was a bonus! And since we were flying into Vegas we thought we would spend one night on each end of our trip and show the kids the hotels and catch a show.
We arrived in Vegas late so we checked into the Sahara and the next morning we explored the city.
The weather was perfect. We went the first week in April so it was pleasant. The Bellagio gardens were beautiful. I also found a flower wall in the Venetian so I made my son grab a photo!
After exploring we headed to Kanab. It was about a three hour drive and it was nice to get away from the crowds. Kanab is a small town. We grabbed some groceries and settled in for the night. The following day we were going to do some exploring.
My best friend had recommended that I download the AllTrails app. I highly recommend it! You can add trails you want to go on or search an area and make a favorites list. Then it will give you directions, reviews and conditions for the trail. It was a game changer.
Our first day we decided to go to the Moqui Caves. It is a fairly easy hike and takes you up to a man made cave. It has a beautiful view!
Later in the week we met a local that said her and her friends used to bring a generator and movies up there and hang out. It was a fun spot.
Our next stop was the Toadstool Hoodoos. This was such a cool hike. It kind of felt like you were in a Star Wars movie. The hike was just under two miles but it was so fun to roam around and check out the views.
The following day we headed to Bryce Canyon. That was about an hour and fifteen minutes from Kanab. It was absolutely beautiful. There was snow on the ground, too. But it was so comfortable to hike in.
We hiked the Queens Garden Trail, Sunrise Point to Sunset Point and the Mossy Cave Trail. All were fairly easy and beautiful! After a full day we headed back to Kanab and grabbed some dinner.
The next day was Zion National Park. The day we went was beautiful weather. Unfortunately we circled and looked for parking for two hours! It was a frustrating start to the day. I had heard Zion gets busy but I had no idea it would be that busy! Once we found parking we had to take a shuttle. Zion only allows cars to a certain point and then you have to take the shuttle. The line for the shuttle was long…we waited well over an hour. Let me just say, Zion was worth the wait! Our first stop was to hike the Narrows. This is a long hike, 8 miles. We had no intention of doing that, and once we got in the water we knew we would not last long! The water was FREEZING! I later looked it up, it was 39 degrees that day.
Yup, we are cold.
Most in the water had rented suits and boots. We obviously didn’t. So we walked as long as we could handle it. It was beautiful, but the rocks were slippery and it wasn’t easy.
Next we did Zion Canyon Overlook Trail. I think this was my favorite hike of the trip! We went right before sunset and it was amazing!
We decided the next day we’d sleep in a bit and shop around in some local shops. We also decided to go about 20 minutes out of Kanab to The Coral Pink Sand Dunes. This is a spot you can rent sled or sand boards and go down the dunes. When we arrived the Ranger told us it may be too windy to sled. And as we walked we saw a family leaving saying they wasted their money renting sleds because it was too windy. So, we decided to just walk around and hike the dunes. The wind was wild!
Next we went back to Zion. What a different experience it was! I’m not sure if because it was cooler and had more wind but the crowds were much less. We found parking quickly and the shuttle was only about fifteen minutes! We went to Emerald Pools Trail. It was such a gorgeous hike!
Our next adventure was to Peekaboo Canyon. Since you need four wheel drive to get there we decided to book an ATV tour. We booked through Kanab Tour Co. They were awesome
My husband and oldest son were the drivers. They had fun!
Once we got to Peekaboo Canyon our tour guide taught us about the Canyon and took pictures for us, too.
I wanted to go to Antelope Canyon but it was much farther and you had to pay 95.00 per person to get in there. So, I feel like we got the same vibe and got to take an ATV adventure!
Lastly, we checked out The Belly of the Dragon. This was in Kanab and easy to get to. You really drive up to it but can take more of a trail through it . It’s short and cool to see.
The Belly of the Dragon
The next day we headed back to Las Vegas. We had bought tickets to a Cirque De Soleil show so we did that and flew out the next morning.
This vacation was so memorable and we all had a wonderful time. Being in nature and spending time together was amazing! We also had plenty of time to relax, unwind, eat out and my husband and son even went to a local barber shop for a haircut! It was the perfect trip and I highly recommend visiting Utah if you have the chance!
Thanks for coming along! Comment below if you’ve been or what you’d love to see!
Once the temperature starts warming up I start switching over Winter decor to Spring. In North Carolina that starts happening in February. So, I was excited to make a few changes inside the she shed. I have lots of planting and some paint touch ups to do outside, but I will have to wait a bit for that.
First up, I added some faux flowers to a pink thrifted vase. I bought the pink blooms at Michael’s but had the white ones already.
I had thrifted that pretty butterfly a few years ago and attached it to the vase. I added a few candles to my thrifted brass candlesticks. One of them I had painted. I love painting candlesticks and am thinking I will have to share a bit more about that in another post!
Next up I added a fun new book I had bought on EBay. I layered a few fun pieces I already had on hand.
I can’t forget to mention my pink swan planter! I found that thrifting and made a heart trellis out of a metal hanger.
Next up I wanted to update my wreath. I have been wanting to try to make yarn flowers and had a blast making them! I added some to a wreath I had used last year and attached a few to a pillow with a pin. I think they are so whimsical and fun!
Here are my yarn flowers on a beaded wreath.I pinned a few flowers on a pillow, too.
I couldn’t resist using my pink truck and adding a little peach to it! In the Fall it has a pumpkin, winter a pine cone and now it’s hauling a peach!
I just love rearranging things in here for each season. This space has been so much fun for me. I’ve even made a wreath for a repeat customer this week! Sometimes I forget that’s why I started wanting this space…my Etsy shop! Unfortunately things have slowed down in that area, but my creativity is still flowing in here.
This was a fun custom wreath I made! Perfect for Spring!
I can’t wait to get working on the outside…stay tuned for an update!
I started collecting swans this past year and my collection just keeps growing! My mom gifted me two wooden swans and I knew I just had to incorporate them for a cozy winter mantle.
I braided some yarn and made them scarves and from there I gathered some inspiration and ideas.
I ordered some new prints from Desenio along with some new frames! I love all the options but once I saw the swan print I knew it would be perfect! I also ordered the muted rainbow and the Forest print.
These prints from Desenio are perfect! I also added some thrifted gold candlesticks I tied with ribbon.I was thrilled to find this candlestick holder for $2.99 while thrifting. It’s perfect for a bottle brush tree!
I found the rounded ornate frame at Marshall’s and did a quick and easy DIY. I had thrifted a swan book and took one of the photos to add to the frame. It was a bit small so I tore out a page about swans in winter and added it to the bottom. I think it gives some texture and I loved what it said in the book! (that the male swan works in winter and protects while the family feeds and puts on weight!)
This is an easy way to update art! Find a pretty photo from a book and tear out another page and add it to the photo! My thrifted photo holder is also perfect for a narrow mantle.
I also made a garland to add a bit of whimsy! I found a white beaded garland at Walmart for $6.98! I added some dried oranges and wrapped a bit of yarn. Then I added some command strips to hang it. I think it adds a great touch.
My new mantle gives me all the cozy vibes for winter. I love layering the art, textures and some thrifted pieces. I hope you’ve found some inspiration!
The Happy Door 