DIY Thursday

I was pregnant with my first baby and found inspiration for her room in a magazine. That was six year ago, and I still have that magazine. I have issues, really I have issues. I loved the scalloped border painted on the walls. I managed to find a plastic two foot stencil from the local craft store, but I couldn't make it work. So after a couple ideas, I finally came up with using contact paper as a stencil.

I choose two shades of yellow, because I didn't know the sex of the baby at the time. I painted the top yellow down about six inches lower then I wanted to start the scalloped border. My thinking was that it was easier to cover over a lighter color with a darker color then vice verse


Then the fun began. I traced the scallop stencil on to the contact paper and cut it out. The contact paper stencil went around the whole room, so I could just paint without having to move a stencil. The hardest part was leveling the contact paper. Our old house is just not level, so we did just eye balled some parts. One of those laser levels may of helped, but they weren't around then. I painted the second color with a small foam roller and removed the contact paper. I didn't have any residue left from the contact paper and very little paint seeped under the contact paper. I didn't leave the contact paper but overnight, just time to paint enought two coats.




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These waves would be cute to do as well. Visit DIY @ SPTL for more do it yourself ideas.

The Junk Mammas

Pottery Barn Fall

These remind me of my favorite time of year- Fall. The weather is cooler, my favorite festivals start. Kids go back to school......

Junk Mammas

Wall treatment

We live in an old house. As many of you old housers know the walls in some rooms can get pretty ugly!

The plaster cracks and chips and once you patch them it is almost impossible to get a nice paintable surface again, short of replacing the plaster with Sheetrock.

Before



Afters

Here is a solution that is cheap, easy and fun to do!

We took a bucket of joint compound(bought at our local hardware store for around $10.00). First, thin the compound out with water to the consistency of pudding. Next, roll it on your walls like paint(you will want to patch any holes or cracks you have first, but they don't need to be perfect). You can pick different napes on the rollers to get the desired texture you are looking for. It's really that simple, and once it dries you can then cover it with your favorite color of paint.

We have done this in several of our rooms and love the way it looks! This treatment would be great in new houses too, giving those flat walls a little more pizazz!

Stop over to Kimba's DYI party and check out some other great ideas!

The Junk Mammas

Hannah Montana Explosion

We survived the 2nd birthday party in a row, Hannah Montana style. My daughter has been obsessed with her since last year. My husband walked into the house and said we must of had a Hannah Montana explosion in here. He thinks the party themes are getting a little more ridiculous each year, but I love that part.

I think the farther a head you can plan for these parties the more you can get for your money. I bought the goodie buckets last year on clearance after Halloween for $.75 each, and have picking up things here and there to fill them with.

The kids decorated poster board guitars, that I printed off of Nick Jr. com. I used HM ribbon for the straps that I bought at Michael's for $1.00 a spool. Most of the art supplies were stuff we already had in our stash at home.

The poster was from a calander we had in my daughers room, the microphones were made from toliet paper rolls, with balls covered in tin foil on top. I bought the fabric for a few dollars at Walmart and the cupcake gutair cake was purchased there as well.

The party was a hit and not so bad on the budget either!

The Junk Mammas

Hello Kitty Birthday Party

My daughter's 6th birthday party was this past Saturday. After many discussions she decided on a Hello Kitty roller skating party. This was the first time we haven't had it at the house. It is way easier, but there is just something I really enjoy about planning the food, games, and decorations. I missed making some decorations, but that doesn't mean we didn't bring some with us.

We used some of the typical party supplies a Hello Kitty table cloth, napkins and plates. But we added a unique floral centerpiece, which I think turned out pretty cute if I say so myself. I borrowed roller skates from a friend and placed a mason jar in the skate then laced up the skate. I added the water to the jar and a simple grocery store bouquet of flowers. Tucked a extra party invite taped to a skewer into the bouquet. I would of picked up some cute laces for the skate but of course didn't think of that until I was putting it all together.

And of course the favor. My favorite part and can add to the budget quickly. So I try to pick up things on clearance here and there during the year.

Each guest received a Hello Kitty bag with candy, stickers, tattoos, lip gloss, back pack clip, and dipped pretzel rods (birthday must at our house) tied with a note thanking each guest for coming to the party. I found the pink bags at Micheal's, 3 for a buck. Ironed on fusible web onto white felt and cut out the Hello Kitty head shapes and ironed the kitty head to bag. I did melt a couple bags because my iron was too hot and I also placed a tea towel between the iron and the bag to make sure I didn't melt the bag to my iron. Cut out eyes and nose out of black and yellow felt and glued them on because they were so small. Added a purchased flowers, I found a Walmart for a "bow". Sewed her whiskers with black embroidery floss. The bags were complete in one afternoon nap time.

Our daughters birthdays are only a day apart, so watch for the next party.

The Junk Mammas

Zucchini Bread

I love to grow a garden each year. And like most years, we end up with way to much zucchini.

One of my favorite things to do with it besides grilling it, is making bread.

Here is a quick and easy recipe that I use to make it.

3 cups flour
2 cups sugar
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
2-3 tsp. cinnamon
1 cup vegtable oil
3 tsp. vanilla extract
3 eggs
2 cups shredded zucchini

Bake 1 hour @ 325 degrees

Recipe makes 2 loaves

*Stir in options that are great with this recipe

walnuts
chocolate chips
pecans

The Junk Mammas

Quick project

We decided to join the fun @ Kimba's "Do it yourself day". Check out all of the great projects your fellow bloggers have been busy working on.

Today, I made over my shelf in the front hallway. Since I put the house numbers on my back door, I have been itching to do another project with numbers.


Above is the before, the shelf had pegs for hangers and they were not very sturdy. As you can see I am missing a peg.


Here is the after, I attached some hooks that I purchased at Walmart for under $10. Next, I printed out some numbers on my computer to the size that would fit above the hooks. Last, I traced them with carbon paper and used a paint pen to fill them in.

The Junk Mammas

The tale of the 3 legged tray...

Sliver trays our a weakness for us and when I found one with those fancy legs on the bottom I just had to scoop it up.

I purchased it for $5.00 at a rummage sale. The tray was extremely heavy and had those cute feet on it. I swear I turned it over before I bought it, but low and behold when I got it home I realized it had a leg missing. While it is still a great tray don't get me wrong, I was looking for one just a little different then the ones I already had.

It was no more then a few days later, Kim and I were at a local flea market and she found a beautiful silver tray with the feet. We looked it over and the feet were intact, we weren't going to let that happpen again! When we got to the car we realized one foot was partially broken off.

We got a good laugh out of the whole thing though. The trays are pretty similar, so now I just need to talk her into giving me one of her legs.

The Junk Mammas