TOP 10 UPCYCLE PROJECTS

Hello peeps!! Here is my favorite Top 10 post to date. I absolutely love the idea of taking something useless or "at the end of its life" and bringing it back to SHINE. I've done this myself in some posts from last year, like my Ugly dresser redo and a few more. Check out my Furniture section down the left hand side search terms. This Top 10 List is of some absolutely beautiful projects that you need to have in your life! So, without any further delay, here is this month's Top 10:


1. UPCYCLED FURNITURE:

Ashley @ Edge Designs has a sweet tutorial for an armoire turned in to a beautiful addition to a newborns room. I'm not going to spoil it, you have to go over and check it out.

Mak and Jill @ Makandjill took old chairs and turned them into a beautiful outdoor bench. As well as some other gorgeous projects.

Dana @ Happy Day Vintage posted about an absolutely defunct entertainment center which I'm sure you've all seen (or maybe even had???) over the years. Don't turn your back on it! You can turn it in to awesomeness.

Solana @ Solo Thais has taken a dresser and turned it in to a perfect addition to the kitchen.

2. UPCYCLE ART

Camilla @ Family Chic has a simple but yet totally adorable tutorial for a wire hanger and yarn! Perfect for Valentine's Day, no??

3. UPCYCLE JARS

Chez Beeper Bebe has breathed new life into the jars in my house with this upcycle. No need to use mason jars. Why not use old sauce jars? I LOVE this one.

4. UPCYCLE BOOKS

Cathy @ Trinkets In Bloom has done the near impossible! Turning an old book cover into a designer knock-off! Check out this tutorial.

5. UPCYCLE BAG

Wayward Girls Crafts has claimed "Top Spot" in my Things Im Gonna Do Pinterest Board. Hubby bought me a camera for Christmas and I have yet to find a camera bag that is cute enough. Now, I can just make one myself!!

6. UPCYCLE SHIRT

The Art Zoo took a men's shirt and turned it into an on-trend tech accessory. A little sewing is all it takes.
Better than spending cash on a boring old store bought one..

7.  UPCYCLE WINE BOTTLES

BrightNest has a collection of great upcycle projects for wine bottles. I don't know about you, but my house is coming down with wine bottles after Christmas. This is a great alternative to throwing them out.

8. UPCYCLE SWEATERS

Going a Little Coastal took an old cashmere sweater and gave it a second chance. Take a good look at those old sweater peeps, there are a tonne of possibilities in there!!

9. UPCYCLE JEWELLERY BOXES

We're back with Happy Day Vintage for a post on upcycled jewellery boxes. I have one that I actually hide away 'cause it doesn't fit the decor. Now, I can bring it out and make it my own.

10. UPCYCLE STORAGE

Cheryl @ Nefotlak has taken some jars and a coat rack and made something wonderful and functional. Okay I know this maybe cheating as its jars too but I think her storage-type use for them  is different, don't you??

Try upcycling something soon!!

SHARPIE MUGS - QUOTES FOR LIFE

What's up everyone!?!? Northern Ireland has been finally hit with some snow! Being canadian, I'm totally over it but the locals here are so excited. It's like seeing a bunch of kids everywhere, amazed by it all. Nice really.

For Christmas I had asked for some craft related goodies, Sharpie pens being one of them. I don't know about you, but I've seen a tonne of pins on Pinterest for Sharpie mugs and they look amazing. So simple but really personal. I love that.

Anyhow, I finally decided this week I would give it a go. Im sure you know the score here. Wash the mugs first, use the pens, bake @ 350 for 30 mins and DON'T PUT THEM IN THE DISHWASHER unless you feel like re-doing your work over and over again. Incase you want a little more of an in depth tute, please click here.

So, this is what I started with:

What pearls of wisdom will she inscribe on these white canvases??  you maybe asking yourself...

BEST.QUOTE.EVER

Your beliefs don't make you a better person. Your behavior does

The less you give a damn, the happier you will be

What you think you become - Buddha

Be so good they can't ignore you - Steve Martin

Whenever I get sad, I stop being sad and start being awesome. - Barney S.

 Classic How I Met Your Mother.....It had to be done...

Fresh out of the oven.

So simple, yet so effective. They've already sparked a debate between myself and Theo when he told me that I had "nearly a bad word" on my cup. I simply explained the meaning behind " Do Epic Sh*t" and he was inspired later on to dance his little backside off in an attempt to be EPIC. I think he got the meaning. 

Yes, this is my son upside down on the kitchen floor...

On a different note, I have been working really hard (and by "me" I mean "hubby") on getting social media buttons on my blog. Somethings on Blogger are harder than they need to be *grrrr*. Anyhow, in the meantime, please please please check out my Facebook Page. I love the love!! (I'll love you back too, promise) x

LIEBSTER BLOGGER AWARD

Well guys, this has been an amazing week. Busy doesn't begin to cover it....BUT, there have been some pretty amazing things that have happened this week. I've been approached by a very large publication who wants to feature And Who Says You Can't in their Homes Section!! This is ridiculously huge and I am flattered and scared all at the same time!!! More deets to follow ;-) 

Secondly, the lovely Audra from Reduce, Reuse, Renewed has nominated me for the Liebster Blogger Award. I really appreciate the nomination as it comes from the blogging community itself. Here's what it's all about: 

Don't know what the Liebster Awards are?   It's an fun "award" passed from blogger to blogger as a way to network and acknowledge some of your favourite blogs.  A receiving blog must have less than 200 followers.  
To participate: 1. Thank and link back up to the one that nominated you (Me). 2. Answer 11 question asked to you by me. 3. Tell us 11 things about yourself. 4. Nominate 11 of your favorite blogs that have less than 200 followers 5. Ask them 11 questions.

11 Questions to the above Bloggers if they choose to accept: 

1. Are you a Pinterest Junkie? 
A: Does a bear poop in the woods??!?!?! Of course! I have a tonne of pins on my "Things I'm Gonna Do" board. Come check it out here.
 

2. What is your favorite part of blogging? 
A: Well, I guess it would be meeting new people online and sharing projects, thoughts and ideas together. 

3. Which cause is closest to your heart and why?
A: The future is the cause that would be closest to my heart. I am so very conscious of the things we're all doing now and what kind of world we're leaving for our kids. 

4. What books/literature do you like to read most? 
A: For Christmas I got this fantastic book called Doodle Stitching. I can't wait to get really stuck in to some of the projects in there. 

5. Have you had a crafting "epic fail?" Feel free to share a pic. 
A: I guess I have had a few Epic Fails with crafting and DIY but I try to never give up and so I try again until I get it right. However, I did try Nutella cupcakes (recipe that I pinned) with peppermint frosting and crushed candy canes before Christmas. It was the first time in history that I brought something that I had baked into my work and I had to throw them out a few days later. I think they were being polite having one....the rest were thrown away. They look nice though, no??? 

6. Do you have a favorite quote? 
A: Be so good they can't ignore you. -Steve Martin

7. What is your favorite crafting tool? 
A: A toss up between Modpodge and my staple gun.

8. If you could win an all-expenses-paid-trip to anywhere, where would you go?
A: This is really tough. My heart says "back home" to Montreal or New York 'cause I miss my family so much but then there's Italy....

9. Who would you take with you? 
A: Hubbers and Theo

10. Do you use any "green" items in your home? What? 
A: All the lightbulbs are energy savers, we have a compost bin, we recycle and I upcycle furniture.

11. What is your favorite thing about yourself? 
A: I try not to give up....ever. If I can't afford something, I make it. If I don't know how, I try anyway. There is no reason you can't get to where you want. Just don't give up. 

Okay, so now I have to nominate 11 Bloggers on my reading list with under 200 followers. This is the most exciting part. This is how you find new blogs that become part of your reading list. Here are my nominees:

1. Alison at Heavenly Handmades
2. If You've Seen My Mind I'd Love it Back
3. Isle of Tea
4. Annie at AnnieFloribunda
5. Arahbella's
6. Kerri at Mummy and the Monsters
7. Vicky at Rescue and Revive
8. Michele at Sew Sweet Vintage
9. Jude at Pots and Paint
10. Precious Parcels - The Blog
11. Raising Kids and Crafting Too

Go and check these bloggers out, its worth it.

My 11 Questions to my nominees:

1. What made you get into blogging?
2. What is your favorite project / post?
3. What are you most proud of in your life?
4. Do you have any major determinations for 2013 that you would like to share?
5. Who is your favorite person in the world, and why?
6. When is the best time of the day for you?
7. What's your favorite recipe?
8. What is your favorite pin on Pinterest
9. Why is that your favorite?
10. Have you ever used ModPodge?
11. What craft / project is on your "to do list" right now? 

On a different note, I'm working on some kitchen related projects....Proper post to follow.

Thanks for reading peeps x

KIDS CHAIR TO STYLING STOOL - UPCYCLE

HAPPY NEW YEAR PEEPS!!

I hope everyone reading has ushered in the New Year as they wanted to??? We had a quiet one, with just the 3 of us and a little party food. Just the way we like it.

I spend time every New Year's thinking about what it is that I want from the coming year and also taking the time to reflect on what I've done this past year. I write in a journal so it's a little bit easier to go back and re-read your year's determinations and "cross things off" as they're completed. I highly recommend writing one or a least keeping some sort of record of your goals / determinations for your life.

So yesterday, I was going over my determinations for 2012. On the 9th of January, I wrote:

"STOP PROCRASTINATING"

"AND WHO SAYS YOU CAN'T"

The seed of this blog was planted at that very moment.....I didn't manage to actually do anything with it until June but nonetheless, I had the original tiny little thought, back in January last year. How cool is that?!?!?! Look at this blog now! I have 30 posts, followers, beautiful comments and content that I am proud of. By the way, I've just started my Facebook page. I would love and appreciate it if you could "like" it at some point in your travels?? *thanks* 

On that note; I have been battling with my procrastination nature for years. I have these great big ideas but "I'll do it tomorrow" creeps in and next thing you know, it's put off. NOT THIS YEAR!! I sit every night in the living room, in front of the TV and to my left is the coffee table. Theo has a little chair in the shape of pencils that he has been using in the living room for as long as I can remember. Slowly but surely, he's outgrowing it and it's now gotten to the point that he can't even put his legs under the coffee table. Time for a change, right? Well, yeah, I've been meaning/wanting to do something about it for ages. Never actually doing anything though. Tomorrow, I'll do it.....yeah right.

No more procrastinating!!!

I got off my backside and did something about it! Wanna see???

This is what I started with:

It's cute and all but its served it's purpose and doesn't really suit a 6 year old any more.

First, I dismantled the back, then unscrewed the legs, shortened them and put floor saver fuzzy feet on them.

Then, I took the only thing I could find for padding (my old memory foam pillow). Cut it down to size and then positioned it on the base.

Last year, I found this fabric in a store. It was in the remnants section and cost me next to nothing. It matches my couches perfectly!!! *yay*

With my trusty staple gun by my side, I stapled the fabric into place.

I didn't want the little pencil feet sticking out so I decided to make little "leg warmers" :-)

So, this is officially my first project for 2013. I'm glad that this project is finally done. I think the boys liked it too.