Hometalk Famous (sort of)

So you all have heard of Hometalk right?  If not run there and check it out it is THE place to find so many DIY home ideas (I think of it like pinterest but all about the home!)  From the encouragement of a friend she had me start a profile and upload my image transfer video.

Well last week consider myself FLOORED when Hometalk asked little ole' me to curate a board all about image transfers, consider me honored, humbled and freaking excited!  So here you go guys, did you know there are like a million (ok not a million but a lot!) of different ways to do image transfers. No fancy printers, or supplies necessary for most and for some you can easily get what you needed printed at your local print shop if you don't have say a laser printer.

So have fun, and try a few new techniques and share if you do, I love seeing everyones projects!

(click on the image to get to the board) 

Chalk Paint Vs. Milk Paint

I have been painting furniture for a few years now I have stuck with latex paint and chalk paint but I finally got the nerve and tried out milk paint and when I was playing I had a bunch of friends wanting to know my thoughts on it, so here you go, a quick review from a novice using milk paint.  Enjoy!




What should I review next?  Leave a comment or chat with me on Facebook!

Taking lemons and making lemonade

This was not the project I had originally envisioned.  Originally I was just going to make a rectangular sign with my painted mason jar in the middle.  But then this lady here got a little saw happy and cut my plaque too small for the stencil I had already created for the jar!  So then I thought well I will just cut the wood even smaller and make a smaller sign, but then I thought, hey lets play with the jigsaw!

And so that is what I did.  First I white washed the pine board.  I then laid out my stencil and used that as a guide to cut out the jar itself.  Finished it off by painting the jar using Annie Sloan's  Chalk paint and boom a brand new piece!

Is it perfect, not yet but for a big ole "oopsie" I am really happy with this one!  Love it?  Want to see it in person?  If you are near the Madison, WI area I will have this along with lots of other projects I will be sharing soon at an art show called the Craftacular Feb 7th Downtown Madison!  Hope to see you there!

Tutorial! How to create simple image transfers, video included

It all started a few years ago, I had done image transfers when I would do mixed media art pieces.  I hadn't done it in a few years and then while I was brainstorming Christmas gifts this last year I thought why don't I image transfer some photos of the kids I have onto wood for my dad.  Not too girly but a great gift for him to have in the office at work.  It is really a simple technique but gives such a cool effect so I hope you all try it, and if you do please share on my Facebook page or email me I would love to celebrate with you all trying something new!

Here is what you will need:

And since I learn better from seeing and having someone walk me through it, I made a video for you all, hope you enjoy the video!

Need some images/graphics to use?  I really love the site: The Graphics Fairy, its free and there are great vintage images there! 

How to decorate a mantel in between Christmas and Valentines Day.

When we bought our house not going to lie the most exciting part of it was the fireplace and mantel (granted when we bought the house it was bright orange with wood trim but I could look past that!) And so each holiday and season I keep stretching my crafty/artsy muscles to decorate it more and more.  I struggle honestly with the in between stretches.  Like right now its a bit too early for Valentines Day but sadly the Christmas decorations have been put away for next year, whats a girl to do?!?!?!  Well here is what my mantel looked like for Christmas:

Nothing too over the top but it does say Christmas right?

So what to do, well I use a fair amount of the same "staple" pieces in all my displays.  Things like the milk crate (granted I JUST got a hold of that right before the holidays but it will be a staple I can feel it!) , blue mason jars, and my white cake stand.  Then the rest is just fill in and switched out depending on color scheme I have going, vibe, feel etc.  Here is what my mantle looks like right now:

I kept most of it the same, popped up my lucky barn board sign (the New Year should be all about luck right!?) Threw in some pine tree branches, kept one poinsettia (truth time, I killed the other one!) Added a few other art pieces, popped in some silver and I have a display I am happy with until February when I can go all pink and glittery!  

Kept our family name up and added in two art pieces I had made awhile back, look at those sassy vintage girls, I strive to be as stylish as them but alas here I sit in yoga pants!

A few black and white silhouettes pop with the silver candle sticks and really the red of the poinsettia across the mantel.

Do you see, I still kept a snowman in the mix, just because Christmas is over the snow here in Wisconsin is far from gone!

So what do you think?  Do you keep your mantel decorated, what tips do you have, are you like me and can't wait to get it all pretty for the month of Love?  Lets chat in the comments!

New Years Day Traditions

New year new blog sounds like a plan eh? I am sure at this very moment hundreds if not thousands of blogs are getting started today! Im not a stranger to blogging but after having four lovely kiddos (with one more on the way!) well something had to give! But I am back at it, truthfully my first blog (which is still up but hasn't been updated in over a year http://artsymomma.blogspot.com) was the best way for me to document my now oldest two growing up.

 So here we go again! This time around family will be in it but it will be a lot more about the DIY projects I do, tips and suggestions for new antique booth/show owners as well as lots of videos (you will find out fast I like to make videos) so there you go! Since formal introductions have been made lets jump in shall we?

 Happy New Years! I have decided to start a new family tradition so I made "famous in my family" grandmothers pancakes which are a cross between german pancakes and crepes. Super easy to make, easiest way make them in a blender, it you don't have a blender a mixer does just fine!

 Grandma's Pancakes: 

 2 cups of milk 

1 1/2 cups of flour  ( I do a mix of 1 cup white flour & 1/2 cup of white wheat flour)

4 eggs 

1/4 cup sugar 

1 tsp salt 

 (I like to add just a bit of vanilla I never measure just put a couple drops in) 

 Blend. I cook them on a medium low to medium heat in a large frying pan seasoned with a bit of butter. Thats it! My preferred method to eating? Spread with homemade jam (throw in some cream cheese if you want to be fancy) and roll those bad boys up and eat with your fingers. Its a messy delight! The kids ate them up (cut up and with forks, they are no fun I tell you!).  And even though they are really flat they are super filling so 1-2 pancakes are normally enough to fill up the kids!

Added to this years tradition, we ate oranges with breakfast, it might not be Chinese New Year but in my hubby's culture oranges bring luck so I figured it was a good tradition to start! There you have it! Does your family have any New Years Eve or Day traditions, share them in the comments I can't wait to get to know you all!