Archive for September 2012

Spray Painted Plant Urns, Pumpkin Picking

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We are coming off of one of the best weekends we've had in a long time!  We were consumed with fall fun, friends, and food!  Fantastic!

First, remember the 13 dirty urns I found in someone's recycling?  I spray painted some black and then on a whim I spray painted some a pumpkin color. I wasn't sure if I'd like it but it turns out I love them. Something different!  And they bring a bit of color to our deck.



Before

After


On Saturday evening, some of our favorite friends came by for some fire pittin' and marshmallow roasting.  They have two girls around our girls' ages and they got to watch a movie in their jammies while we hung out outside after the marshmallows were done.  It was the perfect night and the best way I can think of to spend a crisp fall evening!



Today we went pumpkin picking with my sister's family. We are so fortunate to live in an area of NJ that is full of farms and quaint little places to celebrate the seasons. After a hayride and picking some pumpkins, we all enjoyed dinner in a local Italian restaurant. These are the times I hope my girls remember when they think of their cousins. We laugh a ton with my sister's family and I hope Ellie and Molly are able to have the same kind of relationship with their families when they grow up.

Ellie thought she was a lion and kept roaring. It may have been the cutest thing in the history of the world. Puppies everywhere cried with shame.




And lastly, I want to thank all of you that are following my little blog. I am enjoying sharing my life and hobbies here and it is very meaningful to know others are reading and enjoying it along with me. I love being a follower of your blogs too and appreciate being a part of such a great community!

Cheers!
Jenny

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Latest and Greatest Friday Link Party #49

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What a week!  Tonight we went to our school's ice cream social for families and I was working as one of the toppings ladies. It was fun to see so many families enjoying each other on a Friday night! I will say though that the idea of M & Ms, chocolate chips, gummy bears, etc. is not appetizing to me any more. Ick. Like when you work at a pizza parlor and get sick of pizza.  I'm guessing my ick will be short lived and I should be cured of it by tomorrow.  sigh.

So let's get our party on!  



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Link Party Features

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I don't usually do a theme for features but I changed it up this week. We had so many awesome projects and the autumn decor you are all creating is blowing me away!  Look at these examples of beautiful fall decor ideas!

Our Prairie Home created this gorgeous fall tablescape. Aren't those colors wonderful?





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Fall Mantel (Autumn Decor)

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I dolled up our mantel with my newest fall wreath, some white pumpkins, a few candles, and a candy corn garland!  Plus I switched out the candles in my lanterns to be orange and I plan to nest the candles in acorns when I've picked up enough from our driveway. I'm so happy to have fall in full blast around here!





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A Few Useful Tips!

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I've been so busy lately!  I'm getting so many little tired projects finished up and along the way I managed to pick up a few tips I'd like to share with you!  I hope you find something here useful!

Tip 1: Turn your old coffee/diaper/anything from a warehouse store box into a nifty bin with some hot glue, fabric, and embellishments.  Cost = $0.00 if you use scrap fabric.





Tip 2:  Isn't it annoying when your garden flag won't stay put?  I used to watch mine fly down the street each fall.  Instead, use a few binder clips to keep your flag from flying. I like to try to match mine to the flag but it's not a big deal if it doesn't. You can't see it from the street!




Tip 3:  Old homes have wonky walls. When you are putting up molding, you may be left with wider gaps than you'd like. Don't waste caulk. Pick up some caulk filler. It's a soft, pliable spongy material that you squeeze into the space before you caulk. The caulk won't run behind the moulding or wainscoting and you'll save yourself material!


Tip 4:  Hate to press your hands onto the hot Rice Crispy treat goo to get it nice and flat in the pan?  Me too. Gross and ouch. Instead, generously butter the bottom of your cup measure and press it onto the Rice Crispy treats to flatten and spread them. It will be flat and condensed down too so you can cut out shapes with your cookie cutters if you're that type.


Tip 5:  If you have a cute soccer player, take her picture.  Ok, if you didn't know this one I would be surprised!




There you go!  A few of my favorite little tips that make my life a bit easier.  Rocket surgery? Maybe not! Who cares!  Did you see RHONJ last night?  ACK...train wreck.

Ok, see you all later!
Cheers!
Jenny



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Features and Friday Link Party #48

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Sorry I'm so late in posting these today. We were at Back-to-School night last night and then I spent all morning in the ped's office with Ellie. Nothing major, thankfully!  So while Jim is on his lunch break I am manning the 'puter and gittin it done!

Soooo, here we go! Features!  Yay!  So many great ones it was hard to choose but here are some of my faves!

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Fall Book Page Wreath, Kitchen Rug, Crockpot Kielbasa

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This post is going to be a little all over the place, just like its author. HA!  Can you handle a fall inspired book page wreath?  And a new rug for the kitchen and a decorating question?  How about a very unstaged picture of my dinner (crock pot kielbasa and potatoes)?  What do they all have in common?  um. nothing.




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Fall Front Porches, Yard Sale Treasures

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Have you gotten your porch, stoop, or entryway ready for fall yet? I am trying to hold off buying mums, pumpkins, corn stalks, etc. for a few more days because I'm trying not to rush things. But I can't stop thinking about it! I'm sure you've seen most of these but I thought I'd share some of my favorite fall porches! Pin from the original source please!!

Ok, so I'm shamelessly self promoting my front porch from last year. Guess having a blog is shameless self promoting too.  So now I don't feel badly about showing off my little stoop display.
Days of Chalk and Chocolate


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Features and Link Party

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Here are some features!!  You all amaze me each week with your creativity!  Thanks for taking the time to link up!


Doodles & Stitches
Craft Storage

Flour Me With Love
Nutella Cream Sandwich Cookies
Alderberry Hill
Sweater Pumpkins

And now onto the party!  Wah-hooo!  Can't wait to see what awesomeness you all have been working on lately!  So link up your latest and greatest projects!!


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Making Drapes from Shower Curtains

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I recently found some cool shower curtains at Target and decided to use them in my dining room as drapes!  It was easy and I am so happy with them!  Plus they are sort of a Pottery Barn knock off and that's always a thrill, isn't it?



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Fall Pillows

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It's time to send summer off for a vacation and to usher in fall!  I started by switching up some of our pillows to some DIY fall pillows with the colors and textures of the season.  Think nubby fabrics, dark burnt oranges, and tans.  Ahhh, I can smell apple cider already!





And yes, that is chevron!  I am now officially a DIY/decorating blogger.  It's like earning your wings.

Here are some other fall inspired pillows for you to glean some inspiration from! If you pin it, please pin from the original source!


Spray painted Pillows




Cluck Cluck Sew
Fall Scrap Buster Pillow



Sew Woodsy
Double Sided Fall Pillows


Brassy Apple
DIY Sweater Pillows




UCreate
Burlap Pillow



Refresh Restyle
No Sew Fall Pillow



Dear Lillie
Burlap Ruffled Pillows





Cheers!
Jenny

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Refinished Country Table and Homemade Chalk Paint (Furniture Redo)

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My sister found a crummy old table out on the curb for garbage and she thought of me! um?? I guess that's a good thing? HA! Of course it is! She knows I like to DIY furniture redos and she knows I'm struggling to put my dining room together so I was tickled to get it!  Plus I knew it would be the perfect project to try out a homemade chalk paint recipe! I'm using it as a sideboard right now.


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Latest and Greatest Friday Link Up # 46

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Hi!  Happy Friday!  We got through our first week of kindergarten with flying colors!  Molly is loving it and I'm loving having so much time with Ellie.  I hope your week was good too!

Now it's party time!!!



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Fat Free Pumpkin Muffins

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*9/9/13 update:  Made these into baked pumpkin doughnuts by using a donut pan. Worked beautifully!  Covered them in an apple cider glaze made from a few TBS of cider stirred into powdered sugar. Fantastic!


It's a long story but Molly didn't get off to school with a happy start today.  I left her crying on a crowded school bus.  Anyway, I decided she needed to come home to a soothing and yummy after school snack so I made my favorite pumpkin muffins!  And luckily for me, they are fat free!



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Cinderella? Is that you?

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I've got something on my mind and I need to get it out. So if it's ok with you, I'd like to deviate a bit from my usual blog content.  So I'm not going to talk about crafting, DIY, or anything of the sort. I'm going to talk about princesses, specifically Cinderella.  Let me step up onto my soap box.

Have you seen her lately?  Disney sent her to some fancy plastic surgeon to get some work done. I'm beyond angry about it. 

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Powder Room Beadboard--Complete!

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Well, almost. We finished installing the bead board and trim in our vintage school room inspired powder room yesterday. It didn't take that long since it's such a small room.  I'm so happy with it and now I'm excited to caulk, paint, and move on!



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Guest Blogger: A Button Tufted Life

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Hi Chalk and Chocolate Friends!  I'm excited to have Cynthia here today. She blogs at A Button Tufted Life and she is going to give us some great tips on styling today!  Enjoy!

My name is Cynthia, I am a decorator by trade and a newbie design/ lifestyle blogger. I am so pleased to be a guest today at Days of Chalk & Chocolate. I hope you enjoy my post and please stop by and check out my blog: A Button Tufted Life... I would love to hear from you with any comments or ideas!

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