BIRTHDAY PARTY CART.

I'm just wrapping up some last minute DIY's for the husbands birthday,
I really love hosting things at our house because it makes me get things done!
And trust me I need to get things done, seriously garden beds cleaned out, mums planed,
pergola stained, fence stained, umbrella up, lights up, phew, just stuff that needs done.
I found this little bar cart in the little thrift store a couple towns over from mine.

Remember this summer party cart? Yes, same one, just modified to be a little more "manly"
There's a cute little photo of the before, and do I mean cute!
We're having the party outside, since our cute little house can't quite accommodate
both of our families! I spray painted the outdoor lights gold, put up our outdoor umbrella,
made a red striped table cloth from a drop cloth, little washi table flag toppers, these cute
little dishes, that I scripted on with a permanent marker....

I just need to fill the mini white scripted dishes with succulents!

We'll be having it outside like this BBQ we hosted a couple months ago

I'll be sharing photos after this weekend, and a very Happy Birthday to my kind sweet husband!

DIY TUFTED HEADBOARD.

Hello!
So honored to be featured over at Apartment Therapy's website!
We finished this headboard in about 2 nights, note this was our first tufting experience
and since then we found a super easy way of tufting! I'll share that at the end of this post!

Its been a couple month and our headboard is holding up fabulous-ly!
Here's the tutorial on how we made out headboard, and here's a tip at the end
On how to get that tufted look so much easier!

Thank you again Apartment Therapy for sharing the tutorial!



We just finished this headboard last week, and this tip from Jen is a huge time saver!
The secret is screws + washers, right screwing fabric who would have thought?
You can read the step by step over here, here are a few photos of how to!
This is a HUGE time saver, so much better than sewing the buttons!

Here's the rest of the tutorial !

Happy tufting, next up on our list in an upholstered bench! 

ANCHORS AWAY.

hello!
or should I say alo-h-aaaa
today I'm over at Mom's Best sharing my tips + round up
of a nautical themed birthday, I love a themed birthday but the key
is not getting "too theme-y" be sure to pair some plan pieces
and, of course have fun!

Meanwhile I'm still party prepping for my husbands birthday +
finishing up some house DIY's before we have guests over!

DIY GOLD STRING LIGHTS.

Oh, still party prepping around here...
Let me tell you that I love outdoor string lights,
But I hate the nasty green color, so I picked up a bottle of gold spray paint
and sprayed till my little gold heart was content, everything is better in gold, right?
So this maybe the easiest thing ever, but sooooooo worth it
Here's how I spray painted the lights

Supplies:
Outdoor String Lights
Rustoleum Gold Spray Paint
Cardboard (to spray on)

Directions:
I removed all the bulbs, just set them off to the side
Than spray one side of the string, let it dry, spray the other
Let it dry, ta-da!

BIRTHDAY PREP.

Sometimes I wonder here the weekends go?
I swear it's Friday than before I know it, it's Sunday night!
I'm trying to finish up like 10 projects all at once around the house,
and party prep for Mike's 2-4 birthday, whoop-whoop!

But party prepping is one of my favorites..
I'm just finishing up little scoops, little washi tape drink flags,
and these little cookie take-home party favors,
I downloaded the printable over here, 
 Aren't they just the cutest thing you've ever seen?
I can't wait for our guest to take home some yummy treats.

Here's the post for inspiration for his party,
To keep things on the affordable side everything will be DIY
I'm just finishing up a red striped drop cloth table cloth for $6

TUFTED HEADBOARD.

Today I'm over here at Mom's Best sharing my DIY tufted headboard.

This has been the easiest headboards we've made yet! 

We conquered his bad boy in 1 hour, it's a personal record for us,

Since the last headboard took 6 hours of tufting, drilling, pulling, tieing, cutting,

The secret is screws + washers, right screwing fabric who would have thought?

After reading Jen's post we gave it a shoot! Amazing. 

And the rast dresser from ikea got a little makeover, 

but more on that later, go check out this post because after this headboard,

I'm 100% sure everyone needs gold pillows + white velvet in their life.

Also so excited for KC to open their ikea, now only 2 hours away!

ITTY BITTY SUCCULENTS

This weekend I put together these little DIY succulent planters,

I picked up the succulents over at home depot, & last year I planted Hen & Chicks

Seriously love these little hardy plants, plant them, I promise they wont die!

Grab a little soil, a little ceramic container, and some succulents

Supplies

Soil

Water

Succulents

Little ceramic containers 

Add some soil to the bottom of the dish, and pull the succulents out of the pots,

gently break up their little roots, and add them to the dish, add more soil around succulents.

Water once a week, these are perfect for a night stand, kitchen table, or kitchen counter plant!

STRAWBERRY TART.

Nothing says summer like this tart, so yummy.
So maybe perhaps I had two slices, I made this a while back,
But with summer coming to an end I better enjoy this one last time.
Enjoy, because nothing says summer like fresh strawberries!

p.s. be sure to make sure to eat this treat outside on the patio!

I found the recipes via Martha Stewart.

For the Crust

• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled), plus more for handling dough
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

For the Filling

• 1 bar (8 ounces) reduced-fat cream cheese, softened
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 to 2 pounds strawberries, hulled and halved
• 1/4 cup seedless red currant jelly

Directions

1. Step 1
   
   
   Make the crust: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a food processor, blend flour, butter, 1/3 cup sugar, and salt until moist crumbs form (this may take up to 1 minute). Transfer dough to a 9-inch round tart pan with a removable bottom.
2. Step 2
   
   
   With floured fingers, press dough evenly into pan and up sides. Dip a dry-measuring cup in flour, and use it to press dough firmly into bottom and against sides of pan. Freeze crust until firm, 10 to 15 minutes.
3. Step 3
   
   
   Using a fork, prick crust all over. Bake until golden, 25 to 30 minutes, pressing down gently once or twice with a spoon during baking if crust puffs up. Cool completely in pan.
4. Step 4
   
   
   Make the filling: In a medium bowl, mix cream cheese and remaining 1/4 cup sugar until smooth; spread mixture evenly in bottom of baked crust (still in tart pan).
5. Step 5
   
   
   Starting from outside edge, arrange strawberry halves, stemmed side down, in tight concentric circles on cream cheese.
6. Step 6
   
   
   In a small saucepan, heat jelly on medium-low until liquefied. Gently brush strawberries with jelly; let set at least 20 minutes. Chill in pan at least 1 hour (and up to 6 hours); remove from pan just before serving.

BIRTHDAYS.

 1. / 2. / 3. / 4. / 5. / 6. / 7. / 8. / 9.

I never understood why my parents stop celebrating birthdays,
Ahhhhh but not I get it, so clear.. I'm now approaching my middle twenties something.
tiny sobs in my brain just thinking about it.....

My sweet husband is turning 24, practically a baby I tell ya!
So to celebrate this year right I'm throwing a little birthday party.
Be prepared for some DIY's + photos coming soon, I've got some ideas.
We're having a manly party, ya know, cause boys don't have parties, ha.
So a manly party we're having, good food + good conversion.
Here's a board of party inspiration + supplies I'm gathering,

And be sure to head over to Mom's Best to check out
a fun & easy back to school breakfast +DIY apple garland

MANTLE ART.

So I kind of have this white fetish you know?
Lately I've bought everything white, or painted it white.
I'm working on remodeling out guest bedroom & the white fetish is taking over
So it was getting a bit out of hand, than I decided to add this painting to our mantle.
I love a good piece of artwork, but I hate the price.

So I went out and bought a canvas $10, and some paint $6
And painted this little gem for the fire place, best part about this it's  "abstract"
Aka that means when I was painting it I didn't really have a rhym or reason,
just slapped some paint on a canvas, trust me when I tell you
you can't do this project wrong, so grab some paint!
Easiest most affordable DIY

Happy painting!