planning a special valentine’s day dinner, luncheon or dessert? why not take it up a notch with some (really cute!!) painted plates? jessica from how about orange made this ‘paint’ from water, powdered sugar and a little bit of food coloring, so it’s perfectly edible. head on over to how about orange for the full diy instructions!

wrap up: {decoration} {edible} {ideas} {paint} {party} {plates} {valentine's day}

today i am simply captivated by these painted leaves by bicocacolors (discovered via sense and grace). i think it may call for a leaf gathering adventure!

wrap up: {autumn} {chevron} {fall} {leaves} {paint} {painted}

{scratch off save the date cards by martha stewart via how about orange?}

this diy project instantly took me back to my childhood. i used to love (ok, still do) scratch off cards. there’s just something about the unknown, and the excitement of scratching off that silver paint to see what’s revealed underneath.

“DAD! do you have a quarter?”

now thanks to martha stewart, we can make our own diy scratch off cards- right at home! how fun would this be for save the dates, baby announcements and all sorts of surprises? with simple steps and common materials i can’t wait to use this for my next big announcement.

click here for the full how to. do you have any ideas on how to use this technique?

wrap up: {announcement} {cards} {craft} {diy} {paint} {project} {scratch off} {silver}

you might remember that i’ve done this same project before at our last home, and i just couldn’t resist doing it again. it’s such a simple, cheap and effective way to spruce up your kitchen! you can find these unfinished wooden knobs at your local hardware store for under 50 cents each.

to achieve the look i have here, i painted the knobs white (let dry) and then put a coat of this sea green on top. after drying, i roughed up the edges with a sanding block and used a clear gloss spray paint to finish them off. what do you think? to get a more detailed outline of my instructions, you can read about the first i did this project here. now that’s what i call design on a dime!

in this photo: berry photo by wren and chickadee, color me vegan cookbook, espresso cups by ikea

wrap up: {before and after} {diy} {hardware} {kitchen} {knobs} {paint}

isn’t this a happy project? i ran across this simple diy drip planter over at old brand new (originally found via the lovely papernstitch) this morning and have already written it down on my project’s-to-do-list! i actually have this exact type of tree hanging out in a totally drab planter by my couch as we speak. i’m going to say that by the weekend it will have some much needed added color. click over for more pics and instructions!

wrap up: {decor} {diy} {drip} {paint} {planter} {yellow}

I’ve been having a lot of fun lately experimenting with chalkboard paint. As one who loves to organize things, it’s too tempting to turn everything into a writable surface, from glass, wood, walls, paper, and more. These are some small-scale projects that can be done in a couple of hours. For all projects you must follow these steps for painting:

Paint two coats an hour apart, one layer horizontally, the other vertically. After painting the two coats, let the project dry completely for 24 hours. Lightly shade the entire dried surface with a piece of chalk, and then erase it. The chalkboard surface is now ready for use!

Bonnie has also posted in the past about creating custom DIY chalkboard colors, have you seen it?

First I made a mini desktop chalkboard, perfect for little notes or ideas. To do this project you will need:

• a picture frame
• chalkboard paint
• a paintbrush
• wood veneer, cardboard, or thick card stock

Cut the wood veneer down to fit in the picture frame. Sturdy card board or card stock will also work for this project. Follow the directions for painting above. Once veneer has been dried and conditioned with chalk, just pop it in the frame, and it’s ready to go!

Next, I went a step further and painted the inside of a cabinet. I’ve always wanted a little place to leave notes in the kitchen, especially in my baking and spice cabinet. As another wood surface, I followed the same directions for painting with chalkboard paint above.

My next favorite project has been to paint little clothespins with chalkboard paint. These are a wonderful way to organize papers, coupons, stamps, bills, invitations and RSVPs, etc. They can be perched up on a wire or string on a wall; backed with magnets for the fridge; hot glue thumbtacks on the back for cork boards; or, just left out on the desk to organize, like I do.

Out to find ways to make life simpler, Ashley is tackling life one DIY project at a time. Learning as she goes, she also spends her days writing Indie Pretty Projects and creating for her Etsy shop.

wrap up: {ashley pahl} {chalkboard} {clothespins} {craft} {diy} {indie pretty projects} {kitchen} {paint}

today i’m loving native vermont. the scenes that these muted colors paint make me just want to plan a visit.

wrap up: {animals} {art} {native vermont} {paint}

happy friday, lovelies! even though i’ve been back since monday, i still feel like i’m trying to get back in the groove of things from our break. do you? or, is it just me? i still have a few bags to unpack and things to do around the house, of which i plan to get to this weekend, but in addition to that, i hope to get a little creative.

photo by heather hackett.

i found this easy recipe for making your own watercolors over on heather hackett’s blog, lilac silhouette. made with ingredients that you most likely already have in your pantry, this recipe goes together quickly and will have you painting in no time. you can head on over to lilac silhouette for the full how-to and recipe.

what do you plan to do this weekend? i’m hoping to paint a little. :)

wrap up: {diy} {paint} {recipe} {watercolor} {weekend}