Chalk Couture Fun

I really do love Chalk Couture.  I don't sell it but should just to get a discount.  I love decorating with it.  On most surfaces, you can just wipe it off with water and put something new on the surface for the  next season.  I then can reuse the transfer again the next year.  I also love letting others use my transfers.  I had a get together before Christmas with some girls.  We had so much fun.  I'll post pictures of our creations at the bottom of this post.

Today, I wanted to do a burlap craft.  I had bought some actual coffee bags years ago with a coffee bar idea in mind.  It never happened, but I didn't want the bags to waste so I cut a piece from them.  No extra money spent, yay!  I had a large piece of chicken wire ready to take to the trash since getting rid of my daughter's enormous bow holder.  I had an idea.  

I cut my piece of burlap.

I got my chicken wire ready.  I took it outside and rolled lots of paint on a section of the chicken wire.  I then very quickly laid my piece of burlap on it and pressed down.  I wanted a very obvious chicken wire print, but I got a very so-so finished product.  Oh well.  I tried.  I thought about going over it with a small paint brush, but was worried I would mess it up.  If my friend Mimi EVER comes to visit me, I can let her artistic expertise brighten it for me.

To do my "grateful," I just laid down the transfer, pressed it down really well, smeared chalk paste on it and used a squeegee to make sure it was perfect.  Then I pulled it off and washed it.  Now, if I was a great DIY blogger, I would have pictures of that activity.  But, I'm not, so I don't.

Eric got a new miter saw for Christmas.  He was excited to make me a frame.

I love it!  

I also did this one to go on top of the fridge.  

I'm hoping it will stop people from putting things up there.

Here is the Chalk Couture art we did before Christmas.

This one had a distressed look.

I added some color to the branches.

We had so much fun making these.

Before Christmas, I had put a typewriter on this chalkboard.  It had originally been a mirror.  

I wiped off the typewriter, and added a Christmas countdown using two different transfers.

I put "Hallelujah" on this one.

It says "so blessed."

Eric and I made this chalkboard.  It hangs above the tv in our living room.

Eric doesn't think we need anymore chalkboards in our house.  He may be correct, but I can keep wiping off the chalk paste and changing the ones I have. 

Here is where I get my Chalk Couture.

Kitchen Clean Out

I've been working on an organizational challenge from Bowl Full of Lemons.  This is the first week and it was for the kitchen.  I kept forgetting to take before and after pics.  Here are some things I did though.

This was the only before pic I could find.  It is from Christmas Day.  I blurred my face because I think I was talking.  I was making a weird face.  Lydda snapped pictures all day of random things.  The kitchen was clean before we opened gifts.  This picture does show two areas that have improved greatly from the challenge.  The top of the fridge and the soffits (area above cabinets) were horrible.  They were a catch all area.  After rearranging things in my cabinets and purging a few things, I was able to make room for all of those things.  Pretty much everything in the soffits was just sentimental stuff that I'll probably never use, but I want to keep them.  I used the cabinet above the fridge for those items.  It was basically empty anyway.  

I also bought some baskets to hang on my cabinet doors to hold my cutting boards and dishwasher detergent, so that freed up some space.  

After!

We are still remodeling our kitchen a little at a time.  So far we have painted, built a new island, put on drawer hardware, and updated the appliances.  We purchased an antique farm sink that is a single basin with a drain board.  It is classing up my bedroom at the moment.  Countertops are next. 

Then it will be backsplash and new pantry to complete.

I wouldn't let Emogene cook her lunch until I had finished cleaning and taking my picture.  The poor child was about to starve.  She did get the dishes done quickly though.

Notice my strategically placed book.  I just started reading it.  

I want all my kids to also read it.

This is my favorite spot right now.  I bought some curtain tieback hooks and used them to hang my very large rolling pin that was brought over from Italy.  My mother in law gave it to me.

Love!!!!! Everything has a spot and nothing is in the back hidden away.  

This one is great too.  You just have to be sure the inside of your cabinet 

has an empty spot when you close it.  I smooshed some stuff back.

 Here is what the baskets look like on the outside of the cabinets.  

I still need to tackle my pots cabinet.  I'm adding some more shelves in it, so it isn't done yet.

Have you been decluttering for the new year?