That's something to be proud of . . .

There's something about summer, country music and hats that speak to me. This month is my Daddy's birthday month. My Daddy is a man that likes what he likes and my Daddy likes hats. I didn't post it on here, but for mother's day I made a plaque inspired by this project on  Pinterest (My project was shorter, all black, and said 'family' in grey):

As mentioned, this was a gift for Mother's day. After seeing this Daddy said, "I could put my hats on that." That comment in conjunction with a Montgomery Gentry song (Something To Be Proud Of) was the inspiration for his birthday gift (because Father's day came too soon).

Disclosure: The tricks for this project are not my own. They came from this blog. Be sure to check that out for more details, plus some pretty cute crafts. 

I found a black shelf already decked out with hooks and picture frames for 70% off at Hobby Lobby, (plus an additional 20% off your entire purchase coupon for that day as well).  The rest of the supplies were in my stock pile. So it was a very good day for me.

Supplies: 

• Paint Brushes
• Pen
• Painter's Tape
• Paint (leftover from Mother's Day project)
• Printer paper (and ink)

To start, I printed out the quote "A life you can hang your hat on" in multiple fonts and multiple sizes. Cut the words out and placed them on the shelf until I found a combination that made me happy.

Then, I cleaned the shelf and removed the hangers with a screw driver (oops, that should be in the list of supplies). This is where the fun starts. Using the painters tape to hold the paper in place, trace the outline of the letters with your pen. You will need to make sure you leave an impression on the wood below (this technique works best with wooden crafts). It's difficult to see but the arrow points to the outline in this picture: 

Then, fill in the outline with your paint (very carefully). For me it was easier to trace the outline with my brush first then fill in the middle. It took two "coats" to make this even.

Then continue. I finished by attaching the hooks and cleaning the thing once again. Here's a semi-finished picture. Daddy took it home before I could get the finished product.

For the Mother's day project I used stencils. This would have been a better method because not only can you customize the size and font, it was actually a much quicker (and more forgiving) process.

So get out there and start personalizing things! I hope boyfriend realizes this means nothing is safe from personalization anymore (and you all know how I love to personalize).

High Five for Friday

I know what you're thinking. I've fallen off the edge of the blogging world. But only for the week. Tuesday I had my wisdom teeth removed, which means I spent more time this week asleep than awake.  So this is going to be a interesting High Five.
 

1. Monday I made myself a yummy quesadilla as my 'last supper.' Blackbeans, corn, tomatoes, onions, garlic and pepper jack cheese folded into tortillas. Since then, it's been foods that don't require chewing.

 

2. B brought home these yummy Whole Fruit Smoothies for me. They're 100 calories and only 16g of sugar. The major benefit has been that they require no effort on my part. 

3. My parents came to visit/take care of me this week. It's always great to have time to just sit and be with them. It was also nice to get out of the house, if only for a little while. I'm a lucky girl to have some many amazingly loving people to take care of me when I need to be taken care of.

 

4. Audrey has spend all week by my side. She truly is my best friend and companion.  

  

5.  My new phone came this week! It's a HTC Rhyme by Android. Welcome to the 21st century kbunnylove!

Happy Friday everyone!

She wore what?

"The beauty of a woman is not in the clothes she wears, the figure that she carries, or the way she combs her hair. The beauty of a woman is seen in her eyes, because that is the doorway to her heart, the place where love resides.”  -Audrey Hepburn

When it comes to shopping I love to look at all the new, fabulous designs. But when it comes to buying I have a rule: if I couldn't picture Audrey Hepburn wearing it, I don't buy it. Audrey clothes are:

- simple and classic
- form fitting
- black
- sleeveless
- cropped
- kitten heels and flats

The items in my closet that don't met that criteria are usually the unused items in my closet.



This is where coral pants come in. Mine are cropped and skinny fit, but the color is outside of the rules. I was nervous (and excited) buying these. It's been a great purchase because they surprising go with just about everything in my closet.

 Necklace: Maurices, Top: Forever21, Pants: Maurices, Shoes: Old Navy, 

(Polish: China Glaze, "for Audrey")

July Birchbox (Finally)

Well, I'm pretty sure my neighbors think I'm crazy. Everyday for the past week and a half I've pretty much stalked my mail box waiting for my first Birchbox to get here. If you look at the recently viewed history you'll find lots of blog commentaries on this months box.

Birchbox is a monthly subscription, each month they send out health and beauty samples. I've prepared myself to be disappointed at the sizes and the selection. I've read that they don't send out valuable samples until you've been a member for several months. With that in mind, it was a good box with lots of fun things to work with.

This is what it looked like in the mailbox: 

This month Birchbox teamed up with Glamour magazine. Glamour's summer theme is the five senses: 

This is what it looks like when you open the box:

 In my box came;

Ada Cosmetics bronzer (in the front right), it's got a little shimmer to it but it blends pretty well with my skin so I'm looking forward to giving it a shot. I think I can get a few uses out of this sample. ($12.45 for the full size).

dirt. salt scrub (front left), I'm really looking forward to attacking the heels of my feet wit this stuff. It smells like the spay, kind of a citrus note to it. (Full size, $45)

Harvey Prince Eau Flirt perfume (back right), it says this scent "layers fresh citrus and jasmine notes over a base of lavender and pumpkin" not sure I'm getting all those layers but B approves.

theBalm cosmetics Stainiac in Beauty Queen (middle front), it's a lip and cheek stain. I'm very excited about this but a little nervous. When I tried it out on my hand, it was dark and seems to attach itself to whatever you spread it with.

LARABAR uber bar (left side behind the dirt), it's a roasted nut roll (gluten free - hollar to my sister in law!) Going to stick this baby in the pocketbook in case of emergency.

Earbuds (back left) these buddies were designed by BB for this box. It looks like they came in every box. I'm pretty happy about it because mine are broken. 

That's my Birchbox, better late than never right?

High Five for Friday!

I'm linking up with From My Grey Desk blog for the top five things from this week.

1. Spending some time working on my Dad's birthday present. Shh! Here's a hint, I'll post the details later this week.

2. Q.T. with this dude on the golf course this week. Wish I had a picture of me actually hitting the ball (not the grass).

3. Watching Mary Poppins (for the first time) under the shelter at church.

4. My very first Birchbox is in the mail (I'm waiting impatiently).

5. Fresh garden veggies. Did you know the jars could be used for more than light fixtures, vases, and craft storage?

 What did you do this week? Leave me you comments and thoughts.

The view from my bedroom (aka Confession Pt 2)

Finally, after way too long, I have a spectacular view from my bed! Last night we finished the window frame picture. This is pretty much how it went down. If you're looking for the context of this project check out this post.

First, we (this means B and I) marked the photo with a sharpie . . . really high-tech methods here

 

I cut the photo along the line 

Monkey Man was there for support

Then, we did the same thing with white, foam poster board (marking and cutting) 

Once again, Monkey was the Project Manager

With everything cut (and a couple edges re-cut) we taped the photo to the window, just for some added stability until we got the poster board in place.  (Imagine B saying "get a picture of this")

We (mostly B) nailed the four corners of the board to the frame. Then the middle of each side . . . just to be sure.

There's a pretty bad glare on this photo, but he added a large saw tooth thingy (the tech. term). Note: I actually hammered one of these nails!

Finally, we mounted this baby to the wall with a Command picture hanger (that holds up to 5lbs, about 4lbs more than we needed). 

Now, in my dream bedroom the wall would be grey and the cream frame would pop. It would also have a fancy vanity/dresser/desk under the 'window.' But we're taking baby steps (and B keeps reminding me this is a rental house and we wont be here forever) so this is what we have today and I am pretty happy with my efforts. It's in the perfect position to wake up in the morning and see Santorini.

So here's the cost run down:

Frame: FREE! (plus I still have another one to use)
Photo: 12x18 (mistake) $ 8.86  16x20 $12.86
White Board: $7.86 (for 2)
Tiny Nails: $0.97
Saw Tooth Thingy: $0.97

Total: $ 27.59 (only $18.73 if I could read my measuring tape! you know, measure twice cut/buy once)

She wore what?

Happy Sunday! I figured that while you're waiting so see how my Pinterest Challenge went I'd show you my outfit for the day.

Glasses: Maurices
Top: J.Crew Outlet (a few years ago) I'd buy this today from Forever21
Necklace: Forever 21
Belt: from an old Lucky Penny dress
Shorts: Old Navy
Shoes: Marshalls

I did have some sweet, seersucker pants on. Unfortunately they got a big ol' spot on them from my juicy hamburger lunch.  Rocking navy on navy may seem strange considering I wear navy scrubs all week long, but it's such a classy color. Plus, adding pops of pink helps to break up the monotony.

Tomorrow look for a post on the Pinterest Challenge. Like I warned you, I've waited til the last minute :) But you're going to love the final results and I already have plans for my second window frame (did I tell you I have two?).

Clean up! Clean up!

I don't know about y'all (yes, y'all), but my house duties have been neglected this week. With VBS and work everyday nary a item of clothing or dish has been washed. Guess what I'm doing tomorrow? So, in preparation for the day ahead here is the cleaning schedule. Bear with me, it's a lot of words.

As I’ve said before, it takes me about 2 hours to clean my entire house. Don't roll your eyes, I'm being serious. So I decided to post my schedule.The key to the plan is not to sweat the small stuff. Don’t linger! Seriously, you will be back soon enough, if you miss a spot, you can get it next week. I promise, life will continue to move forward.

Step 1: Get the dogs outside! (and set the dvr to record The Pioneer Woman)

Step 2: Strip the beds and get the laundry going.

I sort my laundry into 4 baskets:

1.     towels

2.     whites

3.     colors

4.     B’s REALLY dirty stuff.

I sort everything from the start. (B has a different method . . . as in none). I have two baskets in the house (bedroom and bathroom), so throughout the week I just let it gather in those two places. If I need to do a load during the week I do, but generally with just the two of us we do ALL the laundry on the weekend. 

Step 3: De-Clutter

If you do nothing else, do this step, it will change your life. Seriously it has the biggest effect on cleanliness. But it takes the longest to finish. As I’ve said before, with this small house just as a little bit of cleaning goes a long way. But a little bit of clutter goes even further. So put up the junk, put up clothes, fluff the pillows, wash the dishes (if you have hot water), etc. Resist the temptation to scrub and wipe down . . . all in due time. 

Step 4: Talk some trash

You’ve probably accumulated some trash after your de-clutter madness. Now it’s time to get mean, kick that trash to the door. I put my bags at the back door because if I step outside, the puppies will know and have to remind me how much they love me. With a sound I’m pretty sure they used in Star Wars for Chewbacca. 

Step 5: Surfaces

Spray and wipe down all of your surfaces, yes ALL. The bathroom counters, the kitchen counters, stove, fridge, table. Clean the mirrors. Do all the dusting. Be sure to keep moving. If you miss a spot you can come back next week and get it.  (and most of the time, you end up wiping these down during the week anyway) Don’t linger.

Step 6:  The stuff we don’t like to talk about

This is pretty much part of surfaces, but attack the toilet and shower. Now, I do take some time in these areas because well, they do the dirty work.

Step 7: Floors

Vacuum, sweep, mop.  This is last for two reasons: 1. It stinks, 2. You’ve done everything you need to get the floors ready and dirty. Again, don’t linger . . . you’ll be back all too soon.

Step 8: Naptime

Okay, this is the every Saturday, no frills, no fuss way I clean. As for the extra jobs (cleaning out the fridge or organizing) I try to do that on Tuesday while I’m off work or Thursday eve right before trash pick up day. Trust me you do enough Saturday to deserve a nap with these guys. 

When it comes to keeping a small house clean and organized: think vertical! How do you clean your house?

Confessional

I have a confession to make . . . but I'll wait and make it later, you know, at the last minute . . .

In other news, one of my favorite blogs, Young House Love, is doing a Pinterest Challenge. You can click the link to get the rules, but basically it's a challenge to actually do one of the things you've pinned on the site. I'm cheating because we've been working on this project for a while. But this will be a good excuse to finish. We're a little behind, because the challenge only last a week and started last Tuesday, July 3rd. Oops. Hopefully this afternoon and Monday will be fruitful. (Did I mention I don't get a day off this week . . . I shouldn't complain because I've had 12 in the past three weeks . . . but I'm going to complain any way)

First, the inspiration: http://pinterest.com/pin/167829523583816344/

I will use a photo from Greece, making it look like you're looking out a window onto the Caldera in Santorini.

 

 After the trip, there were so many to choose from but this was the winner. It's been a minute since I did this, but the window was 16x18 inches. When looking at the different places to buy the large print from, Walmart actually turned out to be the cheapest and they delivered to the store. The only problem, I ordered the wrong size. Instead of going for the larger option, 16x20 inches, I bought 12x16 inches it was not even remotely okay. If anyone is looking for this picture in 12x16 inches, I'm your girl. 

What about the frame? Well, a coworker had a couple of window frames hanging around her house. Which turned out to be extra fabulous after I spent about $9.00 on the extra photo I didn't need. Took out the glass (unintentionally, it started falling out), sanded this sucker down, and spray painted the bad boy with some Krylon. 

Before:

After sanding (this would be pretty enough for a wall by itself):

After some cream/white paint:

I didn't distress it after the paint, it had some natural cracks and crevices that did the job for me. For the same reason, I didn't seal the paint. Down the road, I might find this to be a mistake but so far so good. Hopefully, by the end of the week we'll have this big baby up on the wall. 

Oh yeah, that confession . . . I'm a procrastinator! 

My Day Off

Each week I get a day off. As with most days 'off,' the entire day is spent running the weekly errands rather than sitting around eating bon-bons. With this week holding the Fourth of July, I got an extra day off. So it will be a double post, hopefully the first of many that will give you an insight into my day. I will try to do something remotely interesting each week, but I can't make any promises.

As you know, we just got back from the beach. So the first day off was spent inside doing 'chores'

Like washing the bed sheets:

And other general laundry duties, if you want to know how I manage this cramped space check out this post:

Spending time with this girl. Yes, she always looks timid in photos:

And, a little down time:

For the second day off, we thought we'd be on the lake. We did head that way . . . for 10 minutes . . . before the truck died . . . It.was.traumatic. (I don't want to talk about it). It got better after dark, because I got to spend the evening with this golf hot-shot:

 Oh, wait . . . this guy (that's the boyfriend):

and watched my favorite things:

 Fireworks!

How did you spend your day off?