One of my favorites!

I love this wall! My dear friend Erin did it in her sons room with orange, green and cream and I just had to do it too. I shopped at Roberts and Michaels for the letters, picked 4 colors of paint, and found one drape panel that I loved from Ross. You use the extra fabric to add accents to each letter, making it unique.

I wanted to display my kids artwork in the same room, so I used the same paint colors to match the wood frames (Roberts), then used once again the scraps from the curtain to make ribbon. You can update the pictures as your kids get older (I still have some holes to fill!).

All I needed was some valences here, so I cut and spliced the one curtain that I got and sewed away. It cost me $7 for all the material for the whole room. I even had some left over to make 2 decorative pillow cases for the bean bags!

Dollar store frames, fun stuff from yard sales, and signs from Roberts was a great way for me to accent the top of our book cabinet. All the colors go with the ABC wall.
My favorite thing to see in the morning is all my boys laying on the bean bags reading in their library, waiting for me to get up. I always remember how President Hinckley used to talk about the library he has in his home, and that it gave him a love for learning. I am hoping I can do the same...

Inexpensive Creations...

I am determined to decorate my home on a budget, so I don't go broke and don't cry a river if my kids accidentally wrestle into it - which happens on a consistent basis.

My thoughts come as I sit and stare at empty places and realize I am tired of seeing it so empty. I start my search of the right piece - at my favorite inexpensive places (Ross, Walmart, Michaels, Roberts, Tei Pan, etc...)

This adoreable green vase was at Tei Pan and I fell in love with it. Its a deeper shade than my walls, but in the same color scheme. I had no idea what to put in it but got it anyway. Then I searched high and low for the large Gerber Daisey - which are some of my favorite. Michaels and Roberts are my favorite for these flowers - but you have to be careful cause they only sell these colors in the spring. When I realized what I wanted, it was winter, so I had to wait for them to arrive. But I do love them!

Rounded windows are really tricky. I am still not satisfied with these, but wanted to post how I control the light in here. I purchased from Joanns the light blocker material and a crib sheet (same one that is one the crib) for $10 total. After some ironing and sewing, I matching them up and hooked them to a really simple curtain rod from Ross (favorite place for rods) with the rings that hold them together. Now I have the light blocked when I need it but can open them easy with one arm - and they match as if I ordered them from the same company as the bedding!

The wall above the closet was the hardest for me to figure out. At first I painted 3 canvas pieces for it, but after awhile realized I am no Michaelangelo - bummer. So I came up with this. I covered the canvas (10 for $15 at Michaels) with a coat of paint then cut scrapbook paper to match it. Stamped/chalked the edges of the paper to add some color, then got more of the daiseys (sale at Roberts for $1.50 each) - chopped off the stem - and hot glued away. I was very pleasantly surprised on how they turned out!

This creation was my first one I ever did in our house, finished it before the carpet was in. I used darker shades of the wall paint (Horseradish from Sherman Williams) to paint the grass. I was so nervous cause I never paint walls well. So I ended up using paint tape to create the grass molds, painted them in, then slowly peeled it off when it was alittle wet. This helped the edges leak alittle bit which added to the leaf look. After one coat was dry, I did another layer of grass with an even darker shade. I was going to make my own flowers but found these on www.butterflycraze.com (Heart to Heart) and just love them. I adore this website and am always waiting for their sales. One is going on right now and you can get the flowers for $2 and $4 each - a steal!!!! All their items have the same color scheme so whatever I order matches. Perfect girly website...

Anyway, until next time - happy decorating!!!

Helping Haiti

22 January 2010 The First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints issued the following statement today:

Our hearts are filled with sadness as we have watched the suffering in Haiti in the wake of the devastating earthquake. We turn to the example of Jesus Christ who reached out to “lift up the hands which hang down” and “strengthen the feeble knees.” We are keenly aware that many in America are dealing with economic challenges caused by the recession. However, we are appealing to members to donate to Church Humanitarian Services as their means allow in order to help our Haitian brothers and sisters. Many have already contributed and others are anxious to do so.

Money is not the only need in Haiti. People are frightened, bewildered, and wholly uncertain about their future. In addition to what people can do in helping with food, water and shelter, there needs to be a calming influence over that troubled nation. We invite our people everywhere to supplicate God for a spirit of calm and peace among the people as urgent aid and reconstruction efforts continue.

Another favorite -

its called picnik.com and my dear friend Liza introduced me to it. I am addicted!!! I have photoshop elements but for some reason my senses haven't kicked in and its hard for me to figure out. This sight is so easy and so much fun, you can do almost anything with your photos!

Main services are free, but to upgrade to all services is only $25 a year. If you like messin with your photo's - this is the way to go. My favorite for printing poster sizes is Costco by far ($5.99 for 12x18) and collage prints as well. Walgreens is fabulous for all other prints and services, open 24 hours and prints them in digitally correct format so you don't lose the top and bottom of your print. Inkley's is pretty awesome as well. Happy photoing!!!!

Favorite Website!

Freebies2deals.com is one of my most FAVORITE websites and I wanted to pass it on. I have gotten way too many things for free or extra cheap lately and I love it. Packages seem to come all the time and I feel so loved! I know it doesn't count cause I sent them to myself, but hey, FedEx man doesn't know that.

Anyway, if you are interested, check it out!

My Buddy -

I say it so much, but seriously, I LOVE having this little girl. We are just buddies - best way to describe it.

She loves to come and sit on my lap and just hang out, and I love it too. I am so grateful to have a daughter to play with. She fits right in with the rest of our crew.

January!

Its been weeks since I have posted, I guess I am still trying to recover from the Holidays. Always busy doing something. Some of my thoughts -

Kids are back to school and I miss them. Those boys are growing up too fast. I always challenge them to a wrestling match and so far I can still win. Once I lose I will have to give up the rank "my little boys."

Karly and Joey still adore our little doggy. Almost too much. KC runs from them now and hides under the chair or begs to sit on my lap. Hey, who ever heard of to much love? She's almost potty trained - yippy skippy!

Reorganizing the house, like I always do in the new year. Todays jobs are arranging Karly's bows (I know, shouldn't be a big job but when she has a grandmother like my mom, the bows are never ending. Too bad her mommy is too tired to put one in everyday...) and my make up drawer. So fun! I actually bought tons of new makeup cause Fresh Market is clearancing all their stuff out so I got awesome deals, kind of fun!

Planning our annual Disneyland trip and loving every second of it. Kids can't wait and have almost filled up their sticker chart for extra Disneyland days! We bought 5 day passes but told them they can only "get" 3 days, and have to earn the other two. So far its worked magic in our house...

Well, I am off to check on Karly who is chasing KC upstairs, she might need rescuing (the dog I am mean).

p.s. Just saw Julie and Julia. For some random reason I just loved it! Maybe its the whole blogging thing and you wonder where your words are going as you send them out into the universe, or her love of cooking, I don't know. But its a good watch.