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Frosted Window

Frosted Windows

There is something about old windows I love...

They remind me of old days gone by, but also where we came from.

Imagine the things that happened in the house it was set in...

There is history here.

We were fortunate to get this window from my husband's aunt and uncle.  It was her parent's home they were going to tear down.  I saw this window and I about died!  I also wanted to have an old window.

For the longest time I didn't know what to do with it.  I cleaned with water really good and scraped off the old wasp nests.  I searched and searched for ideas for vinyl stickers, but I finally decided to give the flower vinyl stickers I found at Hobby Lobby a try.  I had to cut them down to size, but they worked!  I thought I would be able to hang it like it was, and that was before it was pre-frosted.  You couldn't see half the flowers against the colored wall!  I was bummed.... then my husband had a great idea.  Use white behind them.  So we decided to buy a can of frosted window paint and sprayed the back side of the window.  Worked like a charm!  Except the occasional white spray droplet that would splatter on the window..... Oh well... it added more charm to it.

We have thought about added black and white photos to the top window paynes.  That will have to wait though.  I like it like it is for now.

Now I just need to hang it.....

To Do List

I love making a list and checking it off...

I only have one problem.

"Now where did I put my list?"

I started keeping a running list on my IPad, but I forget its there at times.  I like using my list especially since it synchs to my IPhone, I will have it on me so that I will know how many knobs I need for such and such project.  Or, what size do I need that in?  You never know when you will find a good deal, so keeping track of those things on the IPhone is so handy.

I started thinking about some of the projects I want to do around the house.  I have started a couple of them, but have to wait until the weather is nicer to really start working on them.  So in the mean time, I wanted to create my project list.

1. Paint above the kitchen cabinets to add a splash of color to the kitchen.
2. Strip the wall paper in the boys bathroom and paint it.
3. Strip the paint off the old table I have.  Repaint the legs and sides of the table and stain the top an espresso stain.
4. Find 2-3 palletts and make a wall piece out of them.  One for Patrick's room, one for the boys, and one for me....
5. Make and American flag out of some cool wood pieces we pulled out of an old house.  I think they were paneling for the walls and are 3 inch pieces.  Perfect for making flag strips in red and white and painting stars on!  Our downstairs living space is going to be decorated in Americana pieces.  Patrick has the American Flag in a display case that is on our fireplace mantle.  Plus I have a couple other pieces that will look great in there.  Can't wait to put that piece together!
6. {Done- 5/1/13 Post}  I have an old window piece that we pulled out of the same house that will be perfect for some kind of project.  It has still yet to be determined.
7. Low/round table found in the same old house for the boys to play on in the living room upstairs.  I want to paint a road scene of some sort so they can play cars on it.  It also has a dual purpose of playing games on it and doing puzzles.
8. Make curtains for our front entry room.
9. Make coat hangers out of the old window headers from the old house we took trim pieces from.
10. Reupholster the bar stools in the kitchen and downstairs room.
11. Make an herb drying tray out of old frames by adding screen wire to the back and adding chains to link them together to hang from.
12. Done {Post to come} Paint the trim around the boy's bathroom mirrow.  Right now it is a "goldish" color and I am going to spray paint it a brushed oil bronze.

A Place Called Home

What does a home mean to me?

 

To me it means the warmth and comfort a place can give you.

It means having family surround you.

It means the love you share.

Maybe it means security and stability at times.

If you are anything like me, then you probably enjoy putting your own personal touches to your home.

My husband took me shopping this last weekend.  Just the two of us.  It was nice to spend time together looking at things that we both enjoy.  We dreamed and schemed as we walked through 3 different stores.  My husband shared ideas he had, and I have to say, he had some very good ones!

This weekend though we decided to go ahead and shed some more light in our living space.  The chandlier that was hanging in our dinning space looked like it had been there since the turn of the century.  It put off about just as much light as 5 or 6 candles did, which is not much.  We even joked about spary painting the metal at one time, but honestly....  you can't cover up ugly.

I really don't know if you would call it gold or copper. 

Whichever.... It finally came down last weekend! 

My husband worked hard on getting it and 2 gold pendant lights down over the island.

In it's place we put up some new fixtures.

The results....

are amazing!

It changed the look of the place so much.

Patrick and I both like simple designs.  We don't care for a lot of frill.

Maybe it looks a little modern, but Patrick calls it rustic.  I guess that works too.

At least now we have brillant light in our home.

Replacing light fixtures is such an easy way to change a look to a place.

I'm glad we did. 

I'm also thankful that my husband has the ability to do these things.  He even took out 4 dimmer switches in our house on Sunday and replaced those with a normal switch.  We did have to call his dad a few times to ask about the 3 way switches and he ended up coming over to fix one.  But all in all, I'm glad my husband is not afraid to do something he hasn't done before.  What a blessing he is!

So what's up next?

We are currently striping wall paper off our kitchen wall.

We will repaint later when the weather is a little nicer and warmer.

I also have an old table we are going to strip paint off of and restain and repaint.

I love "flipping" treasures!

Have you done any projects lately?

Uncoventional Wreath

Being creative is something I have enjoyed. 

As with each season of life, the creativity has changed.

As for this blog, it is going to change too.

I enjoyed crocheting, but I don't have time to do much of it anymore.

So I decided to concentrate on making my house a home. 

I want to document the personal touches my family is making to the home we bought last November. 

It is now time for a different approach to what I am doing.

Last summer or maybe it was spring...

I visited a flea market in search for unique and cheap frames.

I had this idea that I could spray paint and actually put a family picture in it or something nice,

but it just sat there after I painted it.

This is the finished and forgotten frame. 

I got it out today.

I saw an awesome idea on Pinterest where someone had a round frame

and put flowers on it making it into a lovely wreath. 

Why couldn't I do that?

Even if it is a square....

So today I took my gift card to Hobby Lobby and bought my half-priced flowers.

And created my own unconventional wreath on a budget.

New Beginnings

For the last few years I have been fortunate to stay at home with my children and watch a few kids here and there for extra income.  This last month or so I have not had any kids to watch so money has been tighter then normal.  These last few days I have been wondering what in the world do I need to do.  This has been the first time since I worked for my dad 20 plus years ago that I have not been making any money and I am fully dependent on my husband.  It's been a hard place for me to be.  I have never been a big spender.  I have never loved shopping so much that I just have to have new things all the time, but it is nice to be able to go purchase something here and there and not have to worry.

This last week I have been wondering what I should be doing.  I felt like I did not have a direction in which to go.  Sure I have my Etsy account and I like making things, but selling them on Etsy has been another quandry.  It's hard to get those sells when there are so many other great shops out there.

Recently we had a missions conference and I kept thinking, I wish I had a way to give more to missions outreach.  So I guess I am going to keep going with the Etsy account for awhile but just let God know that from any sells I make, I give him half of the sales to go toward our church's missions program.  The other half will hopefully be used for investing back into new and creative things to make.

If this doesn't work, then God has another purpose for me.  Until then...  Give God all the Glory!

Whimsical Flower Garland

One of my favorite things to do is find an idea and some how recreate it to make it mine.

I'll often look at a pattern and think I like this part of it or that but not the whole thing. 

Taking pieces of an idea and implementing them into a new idea is a lot of fun for me!

I wish I had more time to do it, but I try and find things now that don't require a lot of time.

Try finding something you love and add it to new pattern.

Mixing up old patterns make it fresh and unique and people love it!

At least I do!

I decided to take two different flowers and alternate them using different colors.

The possibilities are endless as you can use one color, make different size flowers or like I did in this case, make a beautiful garland that can be used for girls/ladies of all ages!

How do you revive your craft projects?

Garlands and Ornaments

I had plenty of time to crochet over the holiday weekend.

With a five hour drive, you can't do much else!

Here are some of the projects I completed during that time.

Garlands to decorate walls, windows, fireplaces and your tree!

This garland is 53 inches long with (7) 4" snowflakes.

This beautiful red garland is over 8 ft long. 

Perfect for wrapping around your tree!

Christmas Ornaments to hang on the wall,

windows, cabinets, tree and much more!

Snowflake Garland

It's that time of year again!  It's exciting to think about all the time we get to spend with family and friends.

This week I get to spend time with my family for several days and I can't wait to see everyone!  Well.... almost everyone!

So what I have I been working on lately?  Of course!  Snowflakes!
I'm wanting to do do something different again and this year I am starting on getting more snowflake garlands out there to sell or maybe as a gift item.

Use the garland to decorate your tree, fireplace, windows, doors, cabinets and more!

This garland is approximately 4 ft long.

Each snowflake is 2 inches across.

Additional snowflakes can be added for additional cost.

The next set of snowflakes I am working on will be a little larger ones and dainter looking!  Can't wait until I am done!  See my Etsy shop for more listings available!  www.etsy.com/shop/amykempf

Finding Inspiration

Finding inspiration can be hard at times.  You get busy with your family and it seems like everything else stops.  I recently decided that I wanted to go back to finding the things I love and doing them when time allows.

I used to love going to antique stores and flea markets.  Find that one really cool find and making it over into something amazing.  Last weekend I really wanted to decorate my front porch area to make it more inviting.  So I took off to Hobby Lobby {my favorite store} and found lots of fun and cute things.  I left Hobby Lobby empty handed because it wasn't what I was looking for.  I wanted something quaint and different.

  Something inspiring. 

I decided to stop in at a flea market in town and browse quickly through it to see if there were any goodies there.  I found something that set my mind spinning!  I found a baby doll cradle that was so cute.  Even if the color wasn't what I was wanting I still had high hopes!  I checked it out to make sure it was sturdy enough and it was.  Now, I wonder what it's price would be??  I was almost too scared to look!

$9.99.

Can you believe it!?!  I couldn't.  I snatched that bad boy up and left happy!! 

The idea I had for this cradle is simple.  I wanted to use it as a flower planter for my front porch.

So instead of having a screaming red baby cradle, I stopped by Menards and grabbed 2 cans of Chestnut paint.  Perfect!

Added to my list were 3 gallon sized yellow mums with a little hint of red in them.

After spray painting my cradle a beautiful chestnut color, it sat a day or two to dry.

Next....

Accessorize it.

I really didn't have a big plan in mind.

I picked up some leaf branches at JoAnns and attached them to the side posts with floral wire.

Added a little raffia.

It didn't seem complete so I added a little rake "Welcome" sign to the left side and attached it with floral wire in 3 different place.

While I would like to add more props around my cute little planter, I am stopping for now until I find the next great steal. 

It's easy to get stuck in a rut of creating new things.  My encouragement is this.  Find what you LOVE.  Look around at Flea markets and ask yourself how you could re-do something into something really amazing.  Pick up a few accessories that go well with it and pull it together with things you might all ready have.  You'll be amazed at the end product!

It is the planter I didn't know I was looking for!

Happy creating!

*Linked to

Fourth Of July

I have two reasons to celebrate the Fourth of July. 

Two very special reasons.

One, I never want to forget the reason our ancestors came to this country. 

Religious freedom.

Two, my son was born two days after the Fourth! 

He will be one in another week.

While time flies and it's easy to forget what is important to us, take a minute to stop and appreciate all the blessings God has put into your life.  If it's hard to be thankful, find something to be thankful for each day.  Never forget that we have what we have because of God and because of the men long ago who fought for our country.

My Fourth of July Cozy Cuddle Bunny Blanket

Free shipping on the Cozy Cuddle Bunny Blankets

now through July 4th!



Free Shipping through July 4th on Bunny Security Blankets!

Now through July 4, 2011, I am offering FREE shipping to the United States!  You have your choice any of the Cozy Cuddle Bunny Blankets in my Etsy Store and pay no shipping and handling!

Security Blanket with Velvet Chocolate Flower

How about a cream colored bunny with a beautiful Crimson Flower?

Or maybe Velvety Hot Pink is your perferred choice?

Just Visit my Etsy Store by clicking HERE!

Fun Times!

I feel like giving a lucky winner a half off discount for one of my Cozy Cuddly Bunny Blankets!

All you have to do is help promote my Etsy Store.

What do you have to do to enter?

For each below action, I'll give you one entry.

Please comment on each entry you participate in.

1.  Blog about my give away to your readers

2.  Leave a comment about my etsy store: www.etsy.com/shop/amykempf

3.  Facebook

4.  Twitter it

4.  Buy something from my store

5.  Follow Me on this blog

I'll create a discount through my Etsy Store especially for you!

Deadline ends July 3rd!

Good luck!

Little Girls Hand Bag

I made this little hand bag sometime in the last 6 months.  What I love about it is the beautiful colors in it.  Especially the tangerine.  The tangerine is a recycled cotton yarn.  I actually like using it for the purse that I made, as it seems more durable.

I thought the rabbit cuddle blanket I made was super cute in it!

I used a button to attach the strap to the bag. 

The button adds a little fun to the eye catching bag!

Up close and personal! 

I want people to be able to see how tight the stitches are on here.

Cozy Cuddle Bunny Blanket

I decided to list this on Etsy!

It's been a long time since I have made something I feel like blogging about.  I really enjoy making something new to show others, but I am afraid since it's been so long since I posted last, I may not have anyone read this. 

Growing up I had a blanky that was my favorite.  I used to take it everywhere I go and I wouldn't sleep without it.  I always think that it is so sweet to see little one attach to something special.  I hope that this Cozy Cuddle Bunny Blanket will find a home soon.  I might become attached!

The original pattern I had gave directions for making eyes and a mouth, but I thought it was sweet without it.  I did think it needed something special to it so I stitched a flower to it.  The pattern I used was from Lion Brand.  It was alot of fun to work on! In fact it turned out a lot cuter then the pattern picture!

So what projects do you work on during the summer to pass time? 

Usually summers are much busier for me, but my son is in Summer School for a month so I am enjoying picking up my hobby again while my other one sleep.