Published :-)

I've officially been published...TWICE!

The excitement of receiving the magazines in the mail, knowing my articles were in there were priceless!!!

Ironically, the two magazines aren't affiliated in any way but I was published in the March edition of both of them.  

One is our local magazine.  My sweet friend, Lee Ann, asked if I'd be interested in doing a DIY piece and of course I said YES! 

She wrote the article and I created the Easter crafts (during Christmas...which was very weird).

I made an Easter-y tree, a chalkboard, and a bright, Spring wreathe (my favorite craft- very Lily P. if you asked me!)

  I love the way it turned out and I am so grateful that she asked me to be a part!

The second magazine is Military Spouse Mag.

  I wrote the article and did the DIY projects for this particular assignment.  

The article was about easy, inexpensive ways to decorate your home when you are constantly changing homes. This was obviously geared toward military families.

 I did a chalkboard tutorial, a personalized family monogram canvas, and some framed children's art.

I'm inspired to seek out more writing and crafting opportunities in my future!

  It really is so rewarding to put time and effort into something and then be able to see the finished results in hard copy.  

I'm hooked!

DIY Christmas Art

I wanted something Christmas-y, inexpensive, simple and modern to put on my mantle this year...so I decided to make it myself (surprise, surprise!).

 Let me just tell you, this tutorial is super easy and I have had several people over to the house tell me they think it's so cute.

Start with a blank canvas.

You'll also need some paint...I did bright, Christmas red, but gold or silver or green would also be fun!

Paint your entire canvas, including the sides.

Then you need a paint pen.  I chose white.

Next, I opened up WORD and found three fonts that I really liked. 

 I typed "ho ho ho" in those three different fonts and free-handed the font types onto my canvas...I just used it as a point of reference to help me add diverse fonts for my ho's....does that sound funny to anyone else besides me?

Tip: Make sure your canvas is completely dry before you try to use your paint pens.

I also added a little peppermint stick detail to the sides of my canvas.

 Here is the finished product at night.

Is there anything more magical than Christmas lights at night? Maybe Disney World, but that's about it.

Here it is during the day!

I had fun, it was easy and only took about an hour.

Check out some of these other fun Christmas DIY's:

Cute craft for kids from Life in Motion using your kids feet!

Easy and beautiful candles using double sided tape and glitter from The Ivy Cottage:

Shabby Chic Christmas Trees from Puttin' On the GRITS

Have you done any fun Thanksgiving or Christmas crafts lately?

Share with us!

DIY Leather Cord Bracelet...EASY!!!

This is the easiest DIY I will ever post...so if you like the look of the leather cord bracelets that everyone is wearing this fall, this is a cheap, easy way to DO IT YOURSELF! :)

Step 1: Grab some leather cord and a little bag of these clasps/hooks..you'll only need two of them and I found an entire bag of them at Walmart in the jewelry section for a little over $1.

Step 2: I used about 2 yards of the leather cord (very long) then tied the hooks around each end of my cord, snipping off any excess.

 Step 3: Wrap the cord around your wrist. 

This may take a few minutes to get it at a comfortable tightness.

Now you have your bracelet! 

Squash the cord together to create more of a braided looking bracelet...

Or spread it apart (my favorite way) to create a wide, wrapped bracelet.

I think it would also be fabulous to add a second leather bracelet in an aqua or teal color!

I've also doubled the cord and worn it as a leather necklace.

This is such a versatile project.

I hope you have fun and save money by making your own!

***If anyone is interested in advertising their blog or etsy shop on my blog this month, shoot me an email for details! retrogalusa@aol.com

Finally...a craft! DIY fancy holiday glass candle holders

This DIY is super simple and super CHEAP! How does it get any better than that?  I found the tutorial on pinterest via this blog, so I can't take credit for it but I can share my version with you!

Supplies:

Tall vase from dollar store

Glass candlestick holder from dollar store

Tall glass enclosed candle from dollar store 

Glue gun

Glue sticks

A few bunches of leaves, fake or real

I made two of these, so I have two of everything

Step 1: On the top of your candlestick, squeeze hot glue around the entire lip.  (Ignore my scary looking hot glue gun! That's years of cardboard and fabric build up..ha!)

Step 2: Center your vase on the top of the candlestick and press down good.

I did two of them!

Step 3: Add your white candles and stick some leaves around the candles...you can use leaves, ribbon, beads, glitter...anything! 

So for $3 you can have your own large candle holder that is sooo pretty for the holidays! What a great table topper for Thanksgiving or Christmas or a great addition to a mantle.  I am so excited to use mine!

How to Make Your Own Bath Salts

I'm all about a hot bath.  My husband doesn't understand it.  In fact, in the almost 4 years that we've been married, I have never seen him take a bath...he hates them!  I, on the other hand, take a bath every day...sometimes twice.  A hot bath is to me at night what a hot cup of coffee is to me in the morning.  It helps me relax and unwind and sleep better.  So it's no wonder that I really love bubble bath and bath salts and bath bombs and fizzes and bath beads and all those other neat bath things.  I decided to try my hand at making my own bath salts.  I can't take all the credit though.  Back in January when I miscarried, my friend ever since 5th grade sent a box in the mail.  She had made some lavender bath salts for me and topped it off with a Starbucks gift card...the perfect package to help cheer me up...she knows me too well.  These bath salts aren't only great for everyday baths but they are wonderful gift ideas too!

 Sooo, here we go:

You will need a bag or box of epsom salt (you can find it in your pharmacy section at any grocery or drug store and it's inexpensive)

A glass jar with a lid

Some essential oil or fragrance oil (essential oil is great for aromatherapy and for those allergic to perfumes, otherwise, the fragrance oil is usually cheaper and smells just as good)

I found some rosemary mint oil...oooo la la (mint and I have a little thing for each other, especially in the spring time, but don't tell Seth)

 Fill your jar up with epsom salt, add a few drops of oil (about 6-10), put the lid back on and SHAKE!!!

This was a gift for a friend, so I took some glass paint and labeled the front...VOILA!

They smell good PLUS epsom salt is supposed to help with achy joints and bones so it's a win win!

Random epsom salt facts:

Epsom salt can reduce swelling caused by sprains and bruises. It also helps reduce muscle cramps. The next time you experience these symptoms, try adding some to your bath water. According to the Epsom Salt Council, magnesium--one of the main components of Epsom salt lowers blood pressure, increases energy levels and helps digestion.

AND speaking of essential oils, don't forget to enter for your chance at winning some!  Take a look at the website, there's an oil for you or your hubby...or your grandma!  It's a great product and one lucky gal will win :) Click HERE to enter!

Linking up with:

DIY Moroccan Herb Pots

I am such a cheap-o.  I LOVE all of the pretty pots that are everywhere, but I refuse to pay $20 for a POT!  So, I decided to make my own.

Supplies:

One can of spray paint (color of your choice!)

Terra-Cotta pots (I purchase my medium sized ones at Walmart for $1.98 a piece)

Plant

Chalkboard Paint (not pictured)

Lay out your pots, leaving a good amount of space in between.  It's a good idea to spray paint outside because it can be messy and smelly!

Give it as many coats of paint as you would like...allowing the pots to dry in between coats.  I did 2 coats...I liked the worn look of not covering the pots completely.  The terra cotta soaks up paint and creates a neat, rustic finish.

Make your own stencil.  Fold in half to make sure that you have an even stencil.  I did a Moroccan stencil, but you can do any shape...circle, square, polka dots....

Hold your stencil (or if you're not lazy like I am, tape it on!)

Using a permanent marker, trace around your stencil:

Then you paint inside of your stencil with your chalkboard paint.  It took 2 coats for me to cover the pot good.

Let them dry reallllllly good!

Plant your plants (I used herbs) and then label with your chalk.

Last year, I planted a big pot of 3 different herbs.  I used them to make a bean salad when my mom came to visit.  Later, I realized that one of my "herbs" was really a weed that had started to grow in my pot!  If I would've used a pot like this, I wouldn't have added a weed to my bean salad!  Although it makes for a pretty good story because we ate the salad before we figured out what I had done :)

Linking up with:

Play Dough Time

We made play dough!

I have been wanting to get Caleb some play dough for a while and then I decided it would be much more fun if we just made some.

Here is the recipe I used although I ended up adding a lot of flour and a little salt to make it not "gummy".  That's the great thing about this recipe though...you just keep adding more flour or water until you have a good dough.

2 cups flour

2 cups warm water

1 cup salt

2 Tablespoons vegetable oil

1 Tablespoon cream of tartar (optional for improved elasticity)

food coloring (liquid, powder, or unsweetened drink mix)- I used liquid to make brighter colors

We mixed all the ingredients together...adding more flour and salt here and there.  I had a good, ready and willing helper.

Step 4 takes the longest-adding the food coloring and kneading the dough reallly good to get the color a good solid color.

Next I stuck it in the fridge for about 20 minutes to let it get good and set...and then it's time to play!

Caleb had a lot of fun...and for that matter, so did I!  I stuck the playdough in a tupperwear container when we were done and he can play with it over and over!  I am waiting for some lavender essential oil to show up in my mailbox so I can mix some of that in the dough...and then I will let Caleb play with it before bedtime in hopes of it relaxing him.....a mama can dream, right? ;-)

In other news, I found out yesterday that some of my etsy items were featured in a contest on HGTV.com!

Here is the link if you are interested in looking:

http://www.hgtv.com/dress-up-your-design/package/index.html

Scroll down under the photo of the kitchen and click on "See Vanessa's Picks for KellyAnn".

You will see my "EAT" letters, Black and White Peacock Teapot and Shabby Chic Platter.

I am still beside myself about it...very big news for this small town girl...now I am just waiting for the news that someone at hgtv made a huge mistake ;-)