I was tinkering around my sorority house’s basement and found some old frames. These frames are not just any frames. These frames are HUGE. They used to border the sorority composites from years ago. They have since been trashed in the basement, disassembled into four pieces. With some simple handy work and a fresh coat of paint, these are prime subjects for family room appropriate bulletin boards! That is exactly what I am doing. I work as a personal assistant for a family who is so generous. Cindy and George are wonderful employers and I find it more than appropriate to give them a meaningful gift for the holidays. Cindy is a new Grandma to not one but THREE babies, so you know that her camera has been attached to her hand. As a project, she wants me to store all of her pictures, but I’m going to surprise her with a GIANT bulletin board!
This project is pretty basic and you can refer back to my Thrift Store Frame = Chic Decor Bulletin Board post. The only part that may require some craft coordination is assembling the giant piece of bulletin board to go behind the frame.

You’ll need to measure the frame and trim pieces of adjoining foam board to fit. Using spray adhesive, adhere cork board to the foam board.
After joining the surfaces, you’ll need to reinforce the back foam board with smaller planks of foam board over the cracks. This prevents the pieces from bending.
Then you simply glue your new bulletin into the frame!

I’ll probably paint their family name on the cork board before I gift it!
Because frames this big are impossible to find, If I plan on making another, I’ll probably need to make my own frame. You can go to Home Depot or Lowe’s and buy chair rail as big or small as you want your bulletin board. Simply apply craft glue to the flat side of the chair rail and glue around your piece of bulletin board to “frame” it. This method would probably be much easier than using an actual frame.

Happy hunting and gleeful giving!

A terrarium is a great way to keep the freshness of the spring and summer months in your home all year long. When I told most of my friends and family that I was going to make a terrarium, know one knew what I was talking about. You’ve surely seen them before, just never knew what one was. Here’s a set from the blog, Ohdeedoh. These little gardens are so cool and add a “just so” touch to your home decor; not so sterile.

I wasn’t able to show you how to make a terrarium (The funds are low, as I was a Black Friday victim this past week), so I am going to tell you how to make your own terrarium with some personal touches you can throw in.

1. You’ll need to find a large glass jar (think cookie jar) or vase. If you’re going with a vase, make sure that the opening is small, and if you are using a jar, you’ll need the lid. . The small mouth vase is the work of designer Paula Hayes.

2. Next you’ll need to lay down layers of:
a. rock or gravel (gives the roots something to grab onto)
b. carbon rock (keeps bacterias, molds and fungi out of your terrarium)
c. soil (to grow your plants!)
These should all be about the same amount, and when put together, should fill about one-third of the container.

3. Then simply plant your greenery of choice! High humidity plants do best in a small mouth vase. (Just ask the garden attendant if you’re unsure) You can plant as many as you like as long as they have enough room to grow without touching the sides of the container.

4. Water with 1-3 oz. Remember: Once you put water in, you can’t take it out! So add slowly!

You can add personal fun touches! Stick a bamboo or a stick in your terrarium and glue a little decorative bird on it. Or for the kid in you, stick a toy dinosaur or bugs next to the plants. If you really hop on the nature theme, you can even put a lizard in it!

Just make sure that you keep the terrarium in bright light, but NOT in direct sunlight! You will literally cook your plants!

You can find all of your container and decorative supplies at Hobby Lobby and all of your planting supplies at Lowe’s Garden Center
Enjoy Spring all year long!

Stacie Tamaki got me curious. After writing on her renovated chandelier, I wanted to see what other things she was capable of. Tamaki specializes in personalized weddings. After working in the San Fransisco bridal industry creating bridal accessories, she made it her own, naming it The Flirty Bride, and soon developing her Web site, The Flirty Guide. She has also created a blog for brides-to-be. Here she is!

Tamaki’s site focuses on sharing “fun and flirty” ideas for weddings, receptions and rehearsal dinners, however,her creativity is not limited to those special events. “Many of the ideas and resources on the guide are just as appropriate for a birthday or anniversary party,” said Tamaki, “as well as corporate events and private parties large or small, a BBQ to a gala event.” The Flirty Guide allows you to make your event yours. Tamaki said, “It’s all about being a great host or hostess and personalizing the details of your event in a way that reflects your own spirit and style.”

Stacie had a lot to say when I interviewed her on her own creativity and businesses. Here it is!
Did you start out your career in the wedding planning industry? Or was there something before that? I worked in retail sales before first at the Limited and then at Nordstrom for a total of 10 years.
You are very crafty and it looks like you make a lot of your own wedding decorations. What sparked you in doing this as opposed to finding them from other resources? I had already been designing custom bridal accessories for clients for 10 years before my wedding in 2007 so it was only natural for me to make everything for my own wedding. For my wedding in 2007 the timing was perfect to use my own wedding to define what I thought a “flirty” wedding should be like on The Flirty Guide.com. So many of the ideas on the Flirty Idea gallery are from my own wedding.
Because of all of your “custom” designs, do you have a lot of “funky” clientele? Or more traditional? I would say in the past with The Flirty Bride.com I had more traditional bridal accessory clients who were looking for delicate headpieces and understated bridal veils. With The Flirty Guide.com resource I think most of my audience is more modern and funky. They are looking for unique and flirty expressions of their personalities to enhance their wedding day.
What is your favorite creation for a wedding? I love to create cake toppers. Each one is like a tiny sculpture.
Do you use any alternate sources beyond the arts and crafts store for supplies? Yes, I also ordered accessory components online, attend bead trade shows and have shopped at fly fishing stores, vintage boutiques and other places for unique elements.
What is it that you enjoy most about your career? The freedom to choose my own company standards regarding both ethics and the level of service I offer along with the types of companies I choose to interact with. By choosing to work only with companies of the highest integrity, who really care about their clients, I remove a lot of stress out of my day to day life that comes from dealing with shady or fly by night companies who are just in it for the money and their own self interests.
What other Web sites/designers do you reference for help with creations? I don’t. I believe by not being influenced by what others are doing allows me to be more creative. Speaking only for myself I believe a pure expression is best when it comes to my own creativity. For this reason I don’t subscribe to bridal magazines or keep up with trends. I simply do what I feel like doing, create the things that I imagine and hope that others will find my work and ideas appealing. That has been one of the other great things about being self employed. The only constraints my creativity has ever had to deal with is a client’s budget but even then I can always make things just for the sake of making them because I wanted to and turn them into samples to showcase on my websites or blog. This freedom to express myself however I want has given me a much more fulfilling life then the one I had when I worked in retail sales.
Give a brief description of your ideal wedding. To me an ideal wedding is one where the comfort of the guests is given proper consideration, where the bride and groom can have as much fun as their guests, and they do all of this while honoring traditions but personalizing elements so that the wedding is a true expression of what is important to them, their personalities and love for each other.

Take my survey so that I can see how everyone measures up! Click Here to take survey. After I get all the responses, I’ll give suggestions to help expand your creative horizons!

Fayetteville has never been as cool to me as it is now. I wish that I knew about the creative hot spots and arty people that exist beyond the University of Arkansas campus. However much I’ve scraped the surface on Fayetteville’s true colors, the city has added something new to the art scene. Fayetteville Underground is a non-profit community organization geared towards promoting the arts and making Fayetteville a lucritive destination to see the arts. The new organization enriches itself by creating an environment where artists can share creative process.

The gallery itself is based out of the basement of the One East Square Plaza building right on the square. Aritists’ exhibits are in and out of the gallery on a regular basis and some artists’ studio spaces are there so you can see them in action! Don’t worry if you missed an artist during their gallery showing; you can see all of the gallery archives on the Fayetteville Underground Web site. I’m especially addicted to Greg Moore‘s paintings (below). He finds things like rusted pans or vintage gas station signs and paints beautiful flowers and other nature components.

You can check out what galleries are currently being displayed at www.fayettevilleunderground.com
The galleries are open Wednesday- Friday, 12 pm- 7 pm, Saturday 8 am-2 pm, and special hours of 5 pm- 8 pm on the First Thursday Gallery Walk that happens the first Thursday of every month.

Thursday, December 3 would be a perfect opportunity to go check out the Christmas lights, grab some hot chocolate from Jammin’ Java and take a stroll around Fayetteville Underground. You won’t be disappointed!

Oh, how I giggle when I look at professional photographs of my family. As if my brothers and I weren’t already identical, my mom wanted us all to be matching, I mean “coordinating”. (read: she made us brush our hair and wear what everyone and their dog wore in their family pictures, khakis and a white shirt. But that family picture can’t top the one in denim jackets…) Too bad we didn’t make it to the beach for a sunset back drop. Here’s a picture of me with my little brothers Jonathan (left) and Max that should have made the Christmas card, Mom!

Modern and hip, a “real life” portrait showing every wrinkle or uneven freckle is much more personal than a flash of pressed pleated pant. A true portrait catches its subjects when they are doing things that make them them. Catching quirks in a print is the best part of aging.

A NWAland photographer , Chris Stinson, doesn’t miss a beat when it comes to making memories. He prides himself on a good eye and his ability to capture a “just so” shot. I work with Chris as somewhat of an office assistant so I get to see all of the work that he does! Kids are his favorite subject. Whether it’s his new baby boy Liam wrinkling his lip up in confusion or a hazel-eyed-8-year-old looking over at her mother right as the flash goes off, Stinson’s poses, or lack thereof, are completely inimitable upon request. But after having a photo session with Stinson, parents begin to notice the simple, signature quirks that this artist is able to capture in a printed form.

Working with Stinson is relaxed and I get to sit in an uber-comfortable chair while I edit material for his Web site. We work together on keeping his brand fresh and youthful. It’s a lot of fun and I get to work on building a brand! His photo sessions are just as comfortable. He’s learned to be flexible while working with kids. “As unpredictable as they are, you don’t have the option of being inflexible,” said Stinson, “but with unpredictability comes day-to-day reactions and quirks and that’s the whole style of my photos.”

Stinson started taking interest in photography when he realized he despised redundancy. “I love how things are never the same,” said Stinson, ” I have a new face and a new feel in front of my camera every time I shoot.” Personal meaning is an aspect of photography that Stinson says he just wouldn’t get out of any other job.

Whether it’s at a shoot or sitting next to the mom-mobile in traffic, Stinson’s work is inspired by kids. “Kids are pure and don’t worry about how their hair looks or how straight their smile is. They just open up and are themselves,” Stinson (below) said.
Stinson has had no formal training but has acquired his knowledge with a “grab-and-go” technique. “Most jobs require some sort of thought process but I just find a moment and shoot. It just flows,” he said.

Here’s a picture of Ms. Stella enjoying a book (and the breeze!)

You can see the rest of Stinson’s portfolio here!

For the future of Stinson Photography, a cool staff and its own building are on the wish list. “I’m pretty cool with where I’m at right now but I would really like to expand into music/concert photography,” Stinson said.

This isn’t Stinson’s job; it’s his hobby. If you want memories to be tangible, Stinson is a great artist to have in your phone book. If you just want smiles, go get some whitening toothpaste and your white shirt and khakis from the dry cleaner. Don’t forget the plane ticket to your beach background!

I recently came across a new crafting Web site, the Spotted Canary. It has basic craft how-tos and lets you submit your own crafting ideas too! I also found some basic paint and other media techniques that are pretty user friendly even for those just starting their crafting hobby. Whether you are an “experienced crafter” or a party planner, the Spotted Canary has a blog site for you.

I usually visit the best Web site in the world, Design Sponge, twice a day. I check it like I check my e-mail and it’s getting a little ridiculous. But now that I’m starting to look for Christmas ideas for family and friends, I’ve upped my frequency to four times a day. Before I blog, this is where I usually go and I of course spotted something new that I wanted to talk about!

Vermont Designer, Jen O’Neill, has a business in designing modern geneology charts that don’t look like grandma cross stitched them. Here are a few that were shown on Design Sponge:

She began creating these family trees after her first child was born and she realized the beauty of a historical storyline. It looks as if she creates her pieces with a giclee printing technique that uses high resolution digital images. (Do we have any other kind of images these days!?)
I’m thinking that I will start to research my own family tree at a Familysearch.org, a FREE family history Web site! This will make a great gift for my parents and grandparents, as well as my newlywed cousin!

A couple weeks ago, I had mentioned a find from Precious Cargo, a 1970′s wall lamp. Here is the lamp before tweaking it to fit in with the rest of my bedroom:
Though the red shade and base were pretty versatile, I opted for a royal purple base and a silver shade. Both were completed easily with spray paint. I didn’t need to prep either one! I thought that the best place to put it in my bedroom was in with my picture frame collection on the wall behind my bed. Now it’s my reading light! As you can see, I still don’t have all of my frames filled, but like I said, it’s a work in progress!

Another option that I could have worked with is to find fabric to cover the shade. It is a simple shape (a basic cylinder) so all that you would need to do was measure out a rectangle of fabric (leave about a one inch excess on all four sides), spray adhesive onto the outside of the shade and “roll” it onto the fabric. Then fold the edges of the fabric over the rims of the shade and hot glue them. And then you have created your custom lampshade!

My Crafty Companion Claire Crisp (say it five times fast!) put another lighting idea in my head. She has access to old chandeliers and wants to renovate them! I did some peeking on Ebay and found a few vintage chandeliers that could use a makeover. you may be better of looking at a flea market or antique shop for a vintage chandelier because shipping for something that oddly shaped can run higher than the item itself!

Renovating a chandelier is simple and can have so many things added to it! Spray it a funky color, wrap some beaded strands around the arms, hang crystal prism drops, coordinate small lamp shades, whatever you choose to do with yours, just make sure that you keep up with a color scheme or theme so that the look stays cohesive. Here is an example of a renovated chandelier created by Stacie Tamaki from the Flirty Guide

Revamped vintage lighting fixtures and pieces are the best way to give a room a “homier” feel but still keep it looking modern and fresh. Have fun!

Sad to say, but fall is coming to a close as the cold months of winter start to push us all indoors. My favorite thing about Fayetteville is the fall trees! Our campus can surely not be beat with its rolling hills and trees-a-fire. I was up at the University of Missouri this past weekend and though they have some awesome architecture and rich historical buildings, their campus doesn’t even compare to the beauty that we have here at the U of A that we take for granted!

In case you haven’t noticed, the leaves are beginning to fall. You should definitely take these last few enjoyable temperatures and stroll around outside, especially around Wilson Park or take a mountain bike ride up Mount Sequoia. I grew up in a historic neighborhood in Springfield, Missouri. The streets of my neighborhood were lined with 100-year-old oak and maple trees that formed a canopy over the streets. My neighbor, Miss Joyce, was a crafty lady who got into leaf pressing. When I was about 7 or 8-years-old, you could find me over at her house most weekends learning how to press my own leaves! Start collecting fallen leaves to get crafting!
Here’s a picture that was taken in Bella Vista this past weekend by Lacey Kohl:

The best way to preserve your treasures is to press them. It gets rid of moisture that can cause mold and decay in the leaf so that you can have your leaves to admire forever! Here are simple steps to pressing leaves at home without having to spend money. According to the directions, you ideally want to press these leaves for up to six weeks. But I’m too impatient for that so make it one week. When you remove your leaves from the press, start thinking about a display for them.

From the Queen of Craft herself, Martha Stewart, here is an easy project for creating a pressed-leaf butterfly. And here’s a link to creating an easy table decoration for Thanksgiving by simply sticking the leaves under your glass table top!

I used to always dab the back of my leaves with glue and paste them onto card stock for my mom to use as stationary. It’s an easy way to show off your findings! Get out and enjoy the fall colors ASAP!

There is also an idea from Design Sponge that can be used on leaves that are around any time of the year. They showed the project with fern leaves that can give wall space a botanical and earthy feel. Don’t forget to keep checking out Design Sponge for project inspirations!

I would say that I’m pretty Zippy on a sewing machine involving everyday stuff. I make decorative pillows, hem my own jeans and fix buttons when needed and I’ve been doing little things here and there for my friends and family. We’re all trying to save money where ever we can, including basic alterations! a $15 hem doesn’t “seam” like much, but hey, it adds up, especially when I get to my Winter shopping! (at thrifty places, no less!)

So not only will I be showing you how I’m making my own Halloween “craft”ume later this week, but I helped one of my sorority sisters out with an easy fix to give her costume some extra flair…Flapper flair! (PLEASE excuse my camera- I had to order a new one so my phone had to suffice!) She bought a dress at Forever 21 earlier in the year, knowing she’d use it for something. Here’s a picture of the back of the dress before we tweaked it:

She wanted something that was going to be different from any store options. So I split the back down the middle about 6 inches and pinned the flaps under to form a deep “V” in the back. Then I sewed the seams shut and trimmed the excess underneath.

With basic sewing skills, you can change tons of things that are in your closet already. For a vintage-feel v-neck t-shirt, grab an old T-shirt that is a bit roomy on you.

Here are the steps to creating your own deep V-neck T. Get crafty and add embellishments like zippers, buttons or letters. Enjoy!!!