CHALKBOARD TUTU-TORIAL

so...i needed to make a little something for my niece's dance recital...you know...to go along with her balloons...yeah...i don't do flowers...lol...anywho...i had done one of these chalkboards a little while ago...and thought how perfect!...why the purple and green?...well...those are the colors of the dance school...see...i do pay attention...lol...and...thought while i was at it...i'd do up a little tutu-torial for ya!....

you'll need an 8 x 10 canvas...foam paintbrush...ribbon (1" or 1 1/2")...plastic baby hanger...

also grab...chalkboard paint (i like the brush on better)...staple gun...2 yards of tulle...and i totally forgot it in the picture...but you'll need a glue gun...

slap on two coats of chalkboard paint...

taking enough ribbon to go along the bottom...staple to the back...wrap it around...and staple the other side...

here's what it should look like...

then...take two smaller pieces of ribbon and staple those on the front to start forming the straps...they're about 3/8" from the side edge of canvas...

flip the canvas over...then putting the plastic hanger along the top...put the ribbon though and bring to the back...

staple those into place...and trim the excess ribbon...

now...grabbing the tulle and just pulling it together with your hands...kinda form a tube...

 

on the bottom of the canvas...start at one side...and staple the end of tulle...

making about a 3 inch loop...you'll staple again...putting it pretty close to your other staple...

doing another loop...staple again...

you'll keep making loops and stapling until you get to the end of the tulle...your last bit of tulle will need to be stapled at the very end of the canvas....

flip it over...and start to fluff...pulling the ends of the tulle...this gives the tutu it's poof!...

do up two bows in the same ribbon...

attach with hot glue...covering up those staples on the front...

and there you go!...one tutu cute chalkboard!...

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

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...