Dollhouse update!

We are getting so excited for our dollhouse to be done! Andy has spent many hours on it for our girls. I first shared with you about it here! He ended up going with 4 rooms + a loft! It is all ready for me to paint and personalize the space now.........my favorite part.

This morning, I let the girls play with it. Zion and Zakiyah are going to have a blast with it. I am so excited, just thinking of the hours spent using their imagination with their dollhouse. 

It is going to be Kiyah's first birthday gift (8/20) from us. We thought it would be really meaningful and fun for her. I am going to hide the dollhouse until it is presented to her on her birthday once I start the painting! 

I love the siding. I love how Andy used a organ from our church. It has so much character and charm to it.

I have been slowly collecting pieces for it to furnish it. I am really excited to create some pieces for it!

Do you have a dollhouse? Are you working on any projects for your kiddos right now? I am so excited to share with you the finished project......If you have any ideas for me on design, please share! 

Happy Tuesday!

Nail Art Tutorial

I have been wanting to make a fun nail art piece for awhile now! I thought it would be fun to have a monogrammed "c" in our house for Cass. So last weekend, I made two of them. One for us and one for my sister's bridal shower. I made hers with a "j" for her new last name. it was a really quick project. I took less than 30 minutes! I think it turned out super cute!

Materials needed:

wood (I picked mine up at Michaels) It was a couple of bucks. I got a round and rectangle one. 

spray paint (i chose gold! I sprayed it two days before I needed to use it; so it would dry completely.

scissors

embroidery floss (at least 3 colors) You could use twine/hemp/thread too!

nails

hammer

pencil

 I started with drying the letter lightly with a pencil. I then hammered in the nails.

Once nailed, I started weaving the thread through the nails. You can do any pattern you desire. I did it really random. I knotted the begininng and end of the thread.

Repeat with the other two threads.

With my sister's, I used teal/purple/pink thread. With mine, I used yellow/green/turquiose. I love how it looks! My sister loved hers! 

 I hung mine up downstairs in our family room. I like the contrast against the grey wall. I am working a little gallery wall by the C! Stay tuned for pix on that! 

Tag me on instagram if you make this too! I would love to see it. Happy crafting! 

instagram art + cass house = everywhere

I am so happy that I finally decided to use my instagram pix! They have been just waiting to be played with and displayed in our home! I have been using instagram for over 2 years now on my iPhone. It started out with me using it to tone/filter my pictures and upload on Facebook, but has revolutionized into an explosion! I love it! I prefer IG more than FB. I like the simplicity of it. I have been looking into different websites/apps on my phone for ordering pix. I ended up going with Kanvess. I dump my pictures off my phone frequently, so a photo app was out of the question. I am very pleased with Kanvess. I ordered 100 prints, all 3"x 3". The quality is great. The paper is sturdy and not grainy. I love it. I have thoroughly enjoyed looking through my pictures the old school way, in my hands! Here are some ways I have started using them! 

I started out with an old barn window that I got from my friends, Eric and Danielle! It is from an abandoned barn here in Rochester! My hus screwed it into the wall on the top and bottom. 

I have been wanting to hang this window for a year and a half now. I just didn't know what I wanted to do with it after that. I love how the IG prints look on there. The contrast of the pictures with the paint. So much history.....window + pictures. Memories. Love. Of course, I used washi tape! Oh my word, I am really obsessed with washi tape too. I got the tape from my BFF, Jody for my birthday. She got it on Etsy. They now sell this stuff at Target, Michaels, Hobby Lobby etc. I use it on everything:  gifts, cards, walls etc. It is just decorative tape. I love how mine looks vintage! 

Here is a area shot of the living room! Everytime, I walk by this I smile!

That is what is all about with decorating....making us smile. our hearts overflow. I want my home to be a reflection of our priorities, personalities, style and needs! I love this. It is so fun how watching our home come along........as the days go.....creating a space that reflects my family!

In our main floor bathroom, I used some washi tape and made a mini collage. I am not sold on this space yet...but I am brainstorming of what to do with it. Here is it now.

When I ordered the pictures, I made sure to order ones for the girls bedrooms! I love the fact that Zion can look at her pictures and see people that she loves....her little friends. I used washi tape and added them next to her gallery wall! She loves it! She helped me hang them up!

In Kiyah's room, I put a picture in a 4x4 frame that I had. I just used double sided tape and put it on white paper. I used washi tape on the others and went around her shadow box! 

 Seriously, I have a problem....... I just love IG prints! Do you have a favorite website or phone app that you have had good luck with? Do you have a favorite place that you have found washi tape? Have you done any crafts with IG prints? I love ideas! Please share! 

Don't forget to follow me on Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest! You can click on the icons on the top right of my blog too! 

GLITTER mouse pad and garland Tutorial!

Glitter is everywhere right now! I am a big fan of it! I have been looking for a new mouse pad for about a month now and didn't find one that I loved. Then I saw some homemade ones on my pinterest board here and here. I liked the idea of using materials I already owned! So my love for mod podge was the winner again! 

Materials needed: 

Mod Podge (I used Glossy for more shine!)

glitter (mine was $1.99 at Michaels)

a brush

Cork board (I used a round cork board that I had for absorbing water for my plants.) You can cut a piece to your liking. square. rectangle. circle. oval. I liked using my planter cork board because it was thick! 

First step: put a even layer of Mod Podge down on the cork. 

 Sprinkle a heavy layer of glitter everywhere on top. 

I let it dry for over 2 hours. Then I put 2 top coats of Mod Podge on it to seal it! Allow full amount of time to dry in between layers. It is ready to use as soon as it isn't tacky! EASY!!!!

I liked doing 2 layers of Mod Podge, so it would be more smooth!

Finished Glitter Mouse Pad! I think it looks Fab. Glitter. Red. Sparkles. PERFECTION.

Next, I made some glitter garland! I love all of the banner garland that is everywhere. I am pretty sure I have 4-5 of these in my house! Addicting.

Materials needed:

Glitter Scrap paper (I used cardstock from Hobby Lobby)

Scissors

Ribbon

double sided tape

cardboard/or something to make the stencil

my paper!

I took some cardboard and made a stencil. I just free handed it. I traced out all of my garland pieces before cutting.

 After cutting the shapes out, I folded them in half.

I found some old rose ribbon to use! I think it is fun and vintage like!

I used double sided tape on the card stock to hold it in place. 

When making the garland, I chose to make 5 of them. I like using odd numbers. 

Finished product. I wanted to hang it on a mirror on our mantle. 

So cute!!!! Love it!