Buttons and More for Valentine's Day!

These are both pretty simple crafts to do.  This first one is a button wreath.  I just took a round, press board circle from Michaels - sorry, I forgot to take a picture before I started, this is the back of it, but it looks the same on both sides.  Then I painted it a soft pink color.

Next, I used hot glue and glued on some pink and white heart-shaped buttons.  I glued on the first layer, then just started adding layers until it looked full and not too much of the pink underneath was showing.  See all of the hot glue "strings"?  They pull right off though, so not a problem.

Then I just tied it with a pink yarn ribbon.  Here it is hanging on my china hutch:

Next up is a sweet and quick project even the kids can do.  I just took pink pipe cleaners and taped on scrap paper and foam hearts.  Then I put some styrofoam in the bottom of a tin heart that hangs from the Hoosier Cabinet in my kitchen and stuck them in, really quick!  They look so sweet.

I am just about done with Valentine decor here how about you?  Are you almost finished or just beginning?  Do you have any quick little projects you've whipped up lately?

A Few More Valentine Crafts

Here are a few more simple Valentine crafts I've been working on:

This could NOT be more simple - just pick up some inexpensive chipboard letters, paint them pink, and add silver glitter using Mod Podge.  I then sealed it with a clear sealer to keep the glitter from flaking off.  So cute against the turquoise bowl.

Next, I found this little "tree/topiary" craft on Pinterest:

You can find the tutorial for it here

I followed the directions except that I used a flower on top instead of a heart.  I got the flower at Hobby Lobby in the scrap book section.  Here is how it looks sitting on my dining room table.  I draped vintage hankies over the backs of my chairs and also used one as a doily under the grapevine wreath to add to the overall feel of the room:

I love using vintage finds in decorating and these hankies are perfect.  Do you have any vintage hankies?  How do you incorporate them into your decor?

Valentine Heart Garland

This is simple, quick, and cute - 3 of my favorite things.  All you need is assorted scrapbook papers and some yarn.   I chose 6 different papers, three dark and three light.  Cut out a heart template to use so that all of the hearts will be the same size and shape.  I just folded a piece of printer paper in half and cut half a heart shape, then unfolded it.

Next, use the template to cut out a heart shape from each paper.  Again, I just used my template in half and cut around it, I didn't want to mess with pencil marks.

Once they are all cut out, lay them out in the order you want them to be.  I wanted mine to alternate a dark and then a light colored pattern.

Use a hole punch to make holes in the top for hanging.  I put 2 holes on each side of the heart so they would hang nicely.  Then, run some pretty yarn through the holes and hang where you like.  I hung mine in front of my fireplace mantel.

Cute.  I like how big and chunky they turned out.  Have you made any heart garland yet this season?  Do you like your hearts fat and chunky or small and dainty?

"A Valentine From God"

To begin the Valentine season, I wanted to share a sweet poem which takes one letter from each line of John 3:16 and highlights it to spell "Valentine".  "For God so loVed the world; that he gAve; his one and onLy son; that whoEver; believes iN him; shall noT; perIsh but have; eterNal; liFe."

More Valentine crafts coming soon.

"Chair Bench"

This is what I refer to as a "chair bench".  I've seen a few on Pinterest and in magazines.  This is my version.  The three chairs used are all from my mother's aunt's dining room set.  All three were sitting in my dad's storage room collecting dust.  None of them had seats.  I asked my dad if he would cut and attach a board for the seat (you need to remove and reattach the seat brackets, they just screw on and off).  Then a piece of moulding was added to the front of the board to make it look more finished.  I then painted and distressed the board and stenciled on the pink flowers.  I love the look of it, it fits right in with my shabby chic/cottage decor.  I also like that you can see through it because I have a small house and it makes the space look more open.  For this picture, I had my son hold up a blanket behind it so that it would photograph better.  I love it a lot.  I also love pieces with family history.  Have you remade or upcycled any family heirlooms?  I would love to hear your stories.

Window Screen

This started out as a curbside find.  It was originally a wooden picture frame (I think).  It had no back or picture when it was found.  It would have made a nice mirror, or even a great picture frame, but I saw something completely different.  I have a small kitchen and have tried different window treatments over the years.  I've found some I like, but none that I love.  I've seen so many kitchen windows left bare which I really like.  In fact, the window above my kitchen sink is bare and I love being able to hang a grapevine wreath in the window instead of a curtain of some sort.  My back door is made of glass panes which was purchased from Habitat for Humanity Restore and it is also bare of curtains.  The remaining window needed SOMEthing, but what?  I wanted light to come in through the window, but didn't quite want to leave it bare either.  So, I took my curbside find and painted it the same color red as my kitchen cabinets.  Then, I took some fabric that I had stored in my craft supplies and attached it to the back of the frame.  A staple gun would have been great, but I didn't have one, so I just used packing tape.  I told myself that would be better anyway in case I ever want to wash it, sure.  After that, I just simply propped it in the window and hung another picture on top from the window frame.  It turned out very shabby chic and the perfect fit for my kitchen window. 

Here is the view of the window screen alone.

Here is the view of the entire window.

Here is a close up of the detail at the top - so cute.

Have you used some odd creation for a window treatment?  Do you like your windows bare or with curtains?

Before and After - nightstand

A project I did recently was for my youngest daughter's bedroom.  I say youngest, but she is 19 going on 20 so she's not a kid any more.  She just moved into the coveted "basement room".  This one bedroom is the only part of my basement that is finished.  She found the nightstand curbside and brought it home.  I took off the dated drawer pulls and painted the entire thing with Behr Black Suede.  It took 2 coats.  Then I added some much nicer nickel drawer pulls and now it fits right in with her pink, black, and gray room.

Much improved I think.  Do you rescue things from the curb too or is it just me?  Have you found any thing good lately?  Now is a great time of the year to keep your eyes open because people are throwing out the old to make room for the new.  So grab up those old and ugly cast offs and make something fun!

Welcome to Shabby Pink Bungalow

This is the debut of my first blog.  I hope to cover a lot of DIY projects, shabby chic and cottage decor, thrift store finds, before and afters, tutorials and everything in between.  I have been so inspired by the other blogs out there.  They have been such an inspiration to me and I hope to do the same.  I am not computer savvy or a photographer, so I know I have a lot to learn about the technical end of things but I have determination so I'm hoping that will overcome.  I invite you to click on the house tour tab above to get a feel for my decorating style.  I will begin posting this week and will start with showing you things that I have recently redone or created.  From there, I will start fresh with new and fun projects.  I look forward to your comments and interacting with all of you as I embark on this journey.  I ask God to bless this little blog and to make it an encouragement to others.  I pray that I will learn as much if not more from all of you as you do from any posts I create.  I could think of no greater way to start 2012.  So, lets get busy and start making our homes cozy, inviting and unique and doing it all on a budget!