POTTERYBARN-ISH DESKTOP CORKBOARD

so...i know some of you gals might have limited space on your desks or work areas...but you want some kind of way to be able to post small notes or reminders?...well...here ya go...my potterybarn-ish (yeah...i make up my own words) desktop corkboard!...with just replacing the glass with cork...you'll make one super cute note holder that's only the size of a frame!...wow...that sounded a little like an infomercial!...lol...but be honest...is this not something straight off the pages from the pb catalog?...and how about those pushpins?...with help from little birdie secrets...i made those too!...

 

so let's get started!...you'll need...a frame (make sure it's not wall mount and has the little stand thingie)...i used 8 x 10...some cork...a craft knife...and a staple gun...

 

take the paper insert or the glass...put at edge of cork...and cut to size...

 

then...instead of putting the glass back...put the cork in...

 

you want to put the back on now...one thing you'll find...is that you won't be able to use the closures like you normally would...so this is where the staple gun comes into play!...plus...what gal doesn't love power tools?...lol...

 

you'll want to angle the staples...not staple directly into the frame...

 

and voila!...one cute little desktop corkboard!...

 

now to do up those oh so cute pushpins!...

you'll need scissors, a glue gun, thumbtack, scrap paper for the leaves, and a 4" inch square of double sided paper...

 

cut the edges off making it more of a circle...but don't be perfect...the messier...the better!...

 

now...starting at the edge...you'll want to cut in a spiral...go all the way until you reach the center....

 

putting the pattern you want showing facing down...start to fold the edges...going all the way around the spiral...

 

here's what it looks like all done...again...don't be perfect...

 

flip it over...and start rolling...make sure to keep it pretty snug...also...try to keep the bottom edge as even as can be...

 

still rolling...

 

still rolling...

 

done rolling!...now you almost have a finished flower!...

 

see...this little flappie you're left with?...that's what the flower's going to sit on...so...if it's a little bigger than the bud...just trim it up a bit...

 

now slap some hot glue on there!...

 

and press down until it cools!...be careful...they call it hot glue for a reason!...lol...

 

here's what it should look like...

 

now cute some leaves...be free form in your cutting!...

 

crumble 'em up!...

 

attach to the back...

 

put a glob of hot glue down...and slap your thumbtack on there!...

 

and there you go!...one oh so cute flower pushpin!...

 

change up the paper and sizes and you'll have a whole bunch of super cute flowers!...

 

***you know...you don't have to just stop at thumbtacks...you could attach a lapel pin on there...or even a magnet!...

THE BEAN'S ON A BLOG ROAD TRIP!

****there's some technical difficulties right now with the blog...but when it's up and running...part 2 of my interview will be there...so make sure to keep checking back!....


ok...i'm not abandoning my blog...i'm just heading over to olive juice studio for the week....i've been honored with being named "master olive"....and the first one at that!...how exciting!...so get on over there and see what it's all about!...

THE BEAN'S BEING FEATURED!

ok...i'm so super duper excited about this...blue cricket design is featuring me today!...she loved my topiary with a twist tute and wanted to show it off!...insert the happy dance here...so go on over and check it out!...

MACABRE MONDAY CHALLENGE

so...there's a blog i've been stalking for a while...haunted design house...and they have these great challenges every week...macabre mondays...each one to create something delivish and creepy...this weeks challenge...beautifully beastly butterflies...here's my first attempt at a challenge...so be easy on me...

GOTTA HAVE MY COLOR!

i'm not really the white walls type of gal...so when it comes to color...i go all out!...i love love love green...and knew that my living room had to include it...but really wanted to add a little interest...but without giving you eyes too much to look at...so...i grabbed some flat and semi gloss paint in the same exact color...and came up with one pretty cool room!...

now...straight on...you don't see too much...just because it's all the same color...

 

but when the light shines on it...or you hit it at an angle...you see tons and tons of shiny stripes...

 

 

 

want to know how it's done?...well...you gotta get flat and semi gloss in the same exact color...starting with the flat...paint the whole room...then...i wanted vertical stripes...so i grabbed my handy laser level...shot it at the wall...and taped up...i'm a pretty random person...so my stripes had to match...no set pattern...just went with skinny and fat all over the room...and then...you paint with the semi gloss!...when the tape comes off...the jaws drop!...you don't know how many compliments i get on this room!...these pics don't give it justice...guess i'll just have to invite everyone over to see it in person!...lol...

SHRINKY DINK 101

if you haven't been able to tell by now...i love me some shrinky dinks!...i never played with 'em as a kid...so i guess i'm making up for lost time!...lol...anywho...the only problem i sometimes run in to...is figuring out for a finished project...what size do i start out with?...well...came up with this little idea and it's been smooth shrinking ever since!...lol...

here's what you're going to start out with...a piece of shrinky dink (i choose white for this one...and cut it at 1 1/2"inches by 10" inches), a ruler, a hole punch and an oven ( i wasn't able to put it on my craft table too...so i left it in the kitchen...lol)

using your ruler...mark out all the inch increments...make 'em pretty visible...you still want to be able to see when it's shrunk!..

 

now...i like to hang mine...so punch a hole on the end...gotta go with a regular size punch...if you go too small...it'll close up...

 

up to the kitchen for this next step...you'll want to shrink according to directions...and taa dah!...here's the finished product!...i took one of those beaded keychains that i got at m's and put through the hole...that way...it's ready to hang!...

 

wanted to show a side by side...letting you see the difference between pre-shrunk and post shrunk...pretty cool, huh?...now...whenever i'm feeling like shrinky dinking it up...i just grab my little ruler and there's no problem!...

 

****just a note...that the clear and white shrink differently...so if you also use the ruff and ready then i'd suggest doing one of those too!...

{INSPIRATION} {RE-CREATION}

so...i purchased this wire art a little while ago...but only got one at the time...and of course...now i'm wanting another...and it's not available any more...well...got to thinking that maybe i could make my own version...great thing...it didn't cost me a penny!...all the stuff was already in the house!...i grabbed a frame that my dad had whipped up...slapped on some high gloss white paint...found some wire...and got to wrapping!...i think it turned out pretty cool!...the original was 10 x 10...mine was alot larger at 20 x 15...but i really like it bigger!...

{inspiration}

 

{re-creation}

 

****check out my linky party directory on the sidebar to see where i'm linking to this week!...