SPLASH Art Tutorial

The Little Men's bathroom needed a little aesthetic help. In our recent housing face lift this room was left completely bare and white. I just couldn't have that, but I didn't want to do something major that would be permanent or that would take me a long time to accomplish.

Enter my three favorite things...

spray paint

blank canvas

my Silhouette (this project can totally be done without it too, just keep reading)

I had these canvases already. They were different sizes and one was flat.

I picked three colors to pull from the new hand towel above...again thank you Target.

Using painter's tape I marked a 1/2" border. I totally eyeball it...most the time it works out for me...wait till the end to see if it did...

Your shape can be done many ways. I cut out a stencil using my Silhouette.
You could also use white vinyl and just make a sticker shape to adhere, like I did here and here.
You can also simply use a sticker or trace your shape onto contact paper.

Place stickers where you would like them. I added a word on the largest canvas.

Spray painting time. Spray a light coat to start. Then you can go back in about 10 minutes and spray a slightly heavier coat. Continue until it has the coverage you want. Be patient. If you aren't and you go all hog wild with the paint there will be some leakage.

Yes I was a little impatient and I sprayed too heavy, too quickly...have I mentioned I am short on time as of late...

After only a couple of hours you can peel of the tape and your stickers.

I know you will have much straighter edges than I do...poor shark and his crooked edges. Even with his askew border I still love him.

They turned out great for a quick afternoon project. They look great in the bathroom. My Little Men totally love them.

Sharing here:

Blue Cricket Design: Show and Tell Wednesday

Something Beautiful for Free

via Smitten Blog Designs

I found these tags this afternoon while taking a lot little time away from "to-dos".

Aren't they simply lovely?

I thought I would share them.

Have a great rest of the day friends!

Mousepad and Desk Face Lift

You know how yesterday I was talking about cleaning and organizing. Well this was one of the major projects. Our home computer was crammed into our bedroom up until a couple of days ago. We have wanted it out of there FORever.

We even have had this chair for two years, just waiting for us to paint this old small dining room table. It took us long enough and sadly some major motivation to finally get this new desk done and the computer out of our room.

I about love it.

One of my favorite parts is this lamp.

Thank you Target, again.

On top of the desk redo, I also had to give our old nasty mouse pad a little face lift. Doesn't that lovely black and white flowery mouse pad look so delightful?

It was SUPER easy to make. Believe me, if I could pull it off in the midst of all of our WAY more time consuming projects it must be easy.

You just need:

a mouse pad
mod podge
scrap of fabric ( i used a fat quarter)
craft brush

Trace your mouse pad onto the wrong side of the fabric.

Cut out.

Slather mouse pad in mod podge, coating it entirely.

Lay fabric down over it.

Press out air bubbles. Apply another coat of Mod Podge evenly over the entire surface.

Let dry.

Give it a comfy home on your computer desk. In this picture you can see part of the image of the old mouse pad showing through. It is not as visible in person. A non-white fabric would keep this from happening.

I seriously am giddy happy with my new desk. AND this little mouse pad face lift was the perfect cherry on top.

In a Nutshell: Organize, Clean, Clean, and Asthma

This week we have been cleaning. Not just your everyday normal clean...well at least not mine. I am talking taking everything, practically everything, and putting it away.

Surfaces are almost completely bare.

This is the way I have wanted my kitchen to look for years. Clutter free. Paper free.

The top of the refrigerator bare.

It is like a sigh of relief.

We even cleared out our bedroom. Which is saying a lot. I hope I am not the only one who's bedroom becomes the holding room for the house's junk. Sad to say our room is probably my least favorite room in the house. The minimally decorated room is still sad and painfully bare, BUT at least now it is free of clutter. Woohoo.

I could just breathe a sigh of relief every time I see our organized, uncluttered house.

Speaking of breathing.

This Little Man had a new discovery this week. After years of suspecting, and 6 months of a wicked hacking cough, it was finally agreed that this guy has asthma.

Not surprising since there is a family history. So now this device is his very best friend. He uses it twice a day and will for the unforeseeable future.

Thanks to this device/medicine we have not heard a cough in 2 days. Glory be!

I do realize I still have not spilled the beans about 

our surprise. Many of you are probably putting the pieces together 

and are figuring it out.

It will all come out SOON.

Orange Cloud Jello Salad

I hope that the simple use of the words "Jello Salad" did not lose you. I know Jello salad can be a frightening term. Visions of cheese or carrots suspended helplessly in lime flavored Jello come immediately...and quite terrifying... to mind. I will honestly say I always am a little weary of Jello side dishes. However, there are three that I happily make...and happily eat.

This is one of them and it is one of my favorites.

I got it years ago from a friend. In fact the original recipe card she wrote out for me in her so cute handwriting is still in my collection. What makes this Jello so gosh darn special? Well I will tell you. This Jello is special because of the mixture of lemon cook and serve Jello and regular orange Jello. The combination of those two things make the consistency of this Jello thicker and creamier than regular Jello...just take my word for it that is a good thing.

This Jello salad is perfect for a summer barbecue. I made is just recently for Easter. It is altogether quite lovely. So take my word for it, cast your Jello Salad fears aside and make this recipe. You owe it to Jello.

Orange Cloud Jello Salad 

2 3oz pkgs of lemon cook and serve Jello
2 3oz pkgs of orange Jello
1 1/2 cups sugar
frozen whipped topping
1 can mandarin oranges, drained

Combine lemon Jello mix, sugar and 4 cups of water in a saucepan. Warm on med high heat.

At the same time begin to heat 3 cups of water in a separate saucepan.

Stir lemon mixture constantly, until it starts to thicken. It will look similar to meringue pie filling. Remove from heat.

When other water is boiling, remove from heat and add orange Jello powder until dissolved.

Add orange Jello to the lemon mixture, stirring together.

Pour into a 9x13 pan. Whisk together if necessary...making sure completely combined.

Refrigerate until set. Several hours.

Before serving, top with whipped topping and mandarin orange slices.

I promise you will thank me and will fall in love with Jello again.

Just wanted to say that things are still in crazy paint mode over here. Thanks to you all for your patience in the lack of posting. I can't wait to show you all of our progress AND to share with you all our surprise...although many of you have guessed it already...