Spring Mantel

Hey out there!  Hope everyone has had a great Friday.  I finished my spring mantel today and am really pleased with how it turned out.  My husband even gave me some input on the arrangement.  He's awesome!  The mantel actually went through two transformations before I settled on this set up.  Third times a charm!  Here is a picture of the first look:

There were a couple of things I didn't like about it.  The big pink balls for sure.  Next would be the bunnies.  I want this set up to last for awhile, and bunnies just say Easter to much.  At least that's what I thought.  So I put the bunnies back in my daughter's room.  Here is a close up of them.  I have had them for years and they are super cute!

Okay, now here is look number two:

I am close to what I want!  The green tulip vase just didn't go.  I loved my son's art as well, but just not for this look.  I also was not sold on how I had placed the frames.

Now for the final lucky number three:

Yes!  I got it right.  I wanted the ends to be more symmetrical and I think this is pretty good.  I like the height of the frames in the middle too.  Here are some close ups!

I really like this!  The tin vase I got at Target for $2.50.  I had ribbon left over from another project and the floral is from Hobby Lobby.  I got those for 50% off.  So they were $1.50 each.  This look was $10.00 total!  

 The milk glass vases I found in two different shops in downtown Brenham, Tx.  My hometown!  I love strolling all the shops.  I am never disappointed.  These little mice I found in Brenham at the Pomegranate.    It is located in downtown Brenham too.  There is a great little place called the Funky Art Cafe inside the shop.  Great place for lunch.  The total for these four pieces plus the flowers from Target was about $23.00.

Lastly, the butterflies were made by my daughter and myself.  We used coffee filters, watercolors, clothespins and pipe cleaners.  She had a lot of fun making them.  The pictures are of my sweet kiddos!  Their first year frames.  I just felt like showing them off.  

I hope this mantel will inspire you to get ready for Spring!  Have a great weekend.

www.brenhamtexas.com

Stuffed animals galore

I was looking at thesunnysideupblog the other day and saw a post on containing the stuffed animals.  She used really nice plastic comforter bags that she got from the dry cleaners.  That is a really great idea!  But, I don't need to clean any comforters right now and I wanted to get these animals and dolls put up now.  So, I was at the Dollar Tree on Sunday and saw this:

So I spent the dollar and brought it home.  I was super excited to get such a cheap deal to get all these stuffed creatures off my daughter's bed.  I got it out and popped it up!

I started tossing in all the animals and dolls from the bed.

Then I went to pick it up and one of the little cloth handles snapped on one side.  Ah well, it was a buck!  We are still using of course.  I will just stitch it up and hopefully it won't snap again.  I will not buy it again but it will work for now!  And just look at the bed!  I can see it again!

Spruced Up Pantry

 Well, I finally got it done.  It took about 3 days to finish up the pantry.  I learned a few things on sprucing up the pantry.  One, paint does not dry fast enough for me.  I was lucky to get some sunshine and a few breezes to help out but still not fast enough for me.  Two, glue guns are a lot of fun to use!  I have always had one, just have not used it in awhile.  Missed that little glue gun!  Lastly, I have a great husband.  I already knew this actually, but he keeps on proving his greatness time and time again!  Love that guy!  Okay, well, here is the before and after:

I am pretty pleased with how it turned out.  Here is what took place to get to the super end!

I cleaned everything out, wiped down the walls with a damp rag and began sanding and painting the shelves. I thought the paint on the walls looked fine, so I just painted the shelves.  I sanded each shelf just some on both sides, to get off some chipping paint spots.  I used just a white paint with the primer already mixed in.  Super easy and convenient.  Got all the paint and supplies from Home Depot.  I am a Home Depot shopper and they didn't pay me to say that one!  

There is everything out and the glue gun isn't plugged in!  My little one loves to pick up everything.

This is the ribbon I used on the shelves.  Just a little detail that I wanted to see.  I cut the ribbon so it would just fit around two ends of the shelves and hot glued it on.  No reason to go all the way around the shelf where no one can see it.

 Little details.  Got this tray at Hobby Lobby for half off!  Got the
idea from thesunnysideupblog.com.  Awesome!

The cupcake holder jar used to be a pickle jar.  No pickle smell now!  Got this idea at Tidymom.com.  Her jar was nicer than mine!  The cookie cutters are in a vase that I have not been using.  I like it!

 Used Command Hooks for water bottles.  Will hang two more when I get kids new bottles.

 Labeled jars.  I already had the jars, just washed them and put in dry goods.

 Expand a shelf organizer.  I have had this for a long time too.  Still awesome!

 I got the white baskets at The Container Store.

 The green buckets are from Dollar Tree!  Love it!

I made my own labels with leftover ribbon to match shelves, scrapbook paper and my label maker.  

 This idea came from Domestic Imperfection.  I already had the wire baskets, so I just added some paint and my husband hung them for me with an anchor and screw.  The baskets sit on the ledge just enough.  Pretty awesome!

 Here are a couple of pictures taken from the side.  I think everything goes together nicely.

One last view!  It was worth every second!  It does take time to organize, but it is a wonderful feeling to walk by my pantry and see this really pretty view.  Everyday!