DIY Chalkboard Wall Decor

Boy, spring break has flown by! I can not believe it's already Friday!

Anyway, a few weeks ago I made a trip to the Habitat for Humanity Restore and scored some cabinet doors for $2!

Since then I've been working on a few projects with them.

Last week I made this super cute chalkboard for my next craft show in May.

I started off by sanding the cabinet door and spray painting the edges with some pretty turquoise spray paint.

Next I used my sanding block to rough up the spray paint to give it a worn look.

After that I used some black chalkboard paint on the door inlay. I did the first coat painting from right to let, then the second coat going from top to bottom. Be sure to give it an hour in between coats to let it dry. Next, I gave it 24 hours to let it cure.

After 24 hours were up I used a piece of chalk to cover the chalkboard paint to activate it.

And then I washed it off using a wet washrag and let it dry.

For the last step I attached an upside down cabinet door handle to the door to use as a chalk holder.



Complete, cute, useful and fun. Have you done any fun projects lately? I'd love to hear about them!

I'm linked up over at Craft-O-Maniac! Go join the party!

Happy Spring Break! {Giveaway Annoucement!}

Happy Spring Break all! My girls are on break this week and I took vacation to spend the week with them. I have a feeling I'm going to need a lot of rest after this stay-cation. :)

First and foremost, we have a winner from our giveaway! The winner is (Drumroll please!) Emily C! Congrats Emily and thanks to all for entering! The winner has been notified and she will getting her prizes soon. This was my first giveaway and I had a lot of fun! 

Today has been a pretty busy day. I spent the day cleaning and doing laundry to catch up from my busy work weekend. I did take a quick break to take my cutie girls out to a Chinese restaurant for lunch. 

Why oh why does my 6 year old beg to go out for Chinese and then eat 1 piece of chicken, egg drop soup and jello? Oh well, it was still yummy and worth it to see them enjoy our lunch date!

Tomorrow we will be going SKATING. Oh my goodness, I have not skated since Jr High, and I get to help my 10 and 6 year old girls. Plus, I'm clumsy and awkward, so this should work out well. Prayers would be appreciated.
  
Talk to you soon!

Feeling Lucky?

I have many reasons in my life to feel lucky. I have two beautiful, amazing daughters. I have a husband that is literally my best friend. I have a family that supports everything I do. I have a great job with a fantastic boss and incredible co-workers. And last but not least I have the best group of girlfriends that a girl could ever ask for. 

I have a great group of friends that I can see on a regular basis, but I also have another group of girlfriends that I couldn't live without and they are spread out all over the country.

In 2006, I became a member of TheNest.com, which is a website for newlyweds. Since I had just purchased a home, and had no idea what I was going to do with it, I was automatically drawn to the Decorating and Renovating message board. I never would have guessed that clicking on that link was going to change my life forever. 

The board was always busy and there were always tons of girls on there to talk to about everything under the sun. No matter what dilemma I was facing, from which bedding to choose to how to bake bread, there was always someone there to offer their advice or opinion. In a matter of time, a tightly knit group of friends was formed.

These are the girls that have been there for me throughout the years without fail. 

Together we have shared countless laughs over well... all that dumb stuff that girls laugh about. We have shared excitement over new relationships, pregnancies and career accomplishments. We have shared tears over miscarriages, divorce, lost jobs and just rough patches in our lives. 

Although we are spread out all over the country, and most of us have never met in person, I can't imagine what I'd do without these girls! I am truly lucky to have every single one of them in my life. 

So, in celebration of how lucky we all our to have each other, we are passing on a little luck to you!

A majority of our group has joined together, linked up our blogs and we are hosting a MASSIVE giveaway for one lucky winner! Take a look at the links and the prizes up for grabs! And while you're at it, be sure to bookmark or follow all of the blogs for plenty of reading entertainment in the future!

Because we feel so lucky to be a part of this group, we want to share with you! Please take the time to "meet" each of the 10 wonderful ladies that are participating in this giveaway! Each person shares what they are giving away and a little about themselves below. Once you are done reading about everyone and their blogs or businesses, simply use the Rafflecopter widget below to enter! There is definitely something for everyone! Remember, this giveaway is Winner Take All, so the winner would be receiving something from each person! 

Crystal from My Ramblings is giving away a $25 Tupperware Gift Certificate! Here's what she has to say about her blog and giveaway item:

Hey y'all! I'm Crystal.  I'm a single girl in my (now late) 20s, who is still waiting for something magical to happen.  My blog is a mish mash of all the crazy fun things that go on in my life, and the random thoughts that just pop in my head! I'm giving away a $25 Tupperware Gift Card.  I am a Tupperware Consultant, and being in this business has changed my life so much. I love sharing our products with other people! 

Holly from When Two Became Four is giving away a doTerra Essential Oils Introductory Kit. Meet Holly and learn about this prize: 

I wear a lot of hats in life. Being a mom of twins, working in educational research, owning my own Tastefully Simple business, being a good wife, daughter, friend, etc. are all parts of me (and the mom hat is by FAR the best!). Sometimes you need a boost. doTerra's essential oils give me that boost for sure!

Whenever the girls or myself feel a cruddy sinus infection coming on, the Breathe blend is fantastic. On Guard is a great immune system booster for us. Eucalyptus feels great sprinkled onto a rice bag for a headache. I'm a big believer that essential oils are so important to maintain our well-being, and doTerra is simply the best.

My contribution to the Lucky Girlfriends giveaway is a doTerra introductory starter kit (full size lemon, peppermint and lavender oils), doTerra unscented lotion to use with the oils, and the very delicious and therapeutic doTerra lip balm with wild orange and peppermint essential oils.

The seasonal change is the perfect time to start a doTerra regimen, and I want to pass these along to a new "girlfriend" of mine! Good luck :)

Hope from The Wino That I Know is giving away a $10 Gift Card to Total Wine.  Here's what she says: 

While I haven't been enjoying much wine as of late, there's no reason you shouldn't! Total Wine is one of my favorite stores for browsing, sampling and purchasing new wines. I'm thrilled to give one lucky reader a $10 Total Wine gift card to experiment with some new wines.

Michelle from Sweet Tea and Tacos is so talented, that she wrote a book! She's giving away a copy of "To Hymn We Sing." Check out what she has to say about her blog and her book:

I'm Michelle, a 30 something music teacher who loves to sew, cook, do crafty projects around the house, and decorate. My blog represents my ADHD self - it's random. Some days you get my pregnancy rants, as we are expecting our first baby in August, and some days you get my favorite recipes, stories about my adorable dog, or the projects I'm working on around the house! Grab a glass of sweet tea and a taco, and swing on over to Texas at Sweet Tea and Tacos!

"To Hymn We Sing" is a devotional book based on the stories behind the hymn texts we know and love. Growing up in a Southern Baptist church, we sang hymn after hymn every Sunday, and they always captivated me. This book digs deeper into the text: what the author was going through when writing and what was going on in the world. It was a joy to research these hymns and tie them together with the Word and a devotion.

Mandy from This Girl's Life is giving away a Vintage Inspired Key Charm Beaded Necklace from her Etsy Shop, Love Squirrels.  Here's what she has to say about her blog: 

This Girl's Life is my personal blog about my adventures as a 30-something working mom of twin boys. I love anything that involves crafts, interior design and fashion, and I'm a bit addicted to good coffee and dark chocolate. Enjoying the journey of marriage, motherhood and lots of crafty projects in between!

Michelle from Dirt Road Damsel is giving away a $25 Gift Card to Hobby Lobby! Meet Michelle: 

Hey all! This is Michelle from Dirt Road Damsel. I am a twenty-something year old mom to two crazy little girls, a blogger, a crafter and a veteran army wife from Northeast Oklahoma. When I’m not working, hanging out with my husband, or chasing after my kids you can probably catch me with a glue gun in my hand. I love all things crafty and I am constantly thinking of new fun DIY projects to try out. So, it only makes perfect sense that my contribution on our BIG giveaway is a $25 gift card to my favorite store... Hobby Lobby! On a regular basis, I visit my local Hobby Lobby at least twice a week. It is my go to place for everything crafty and fun! If I won a gift card from there, I can guarantee you I would make a beeline right to the scrapbooking department to load up on vinyl for my Cricut and cute scrapbooking embellishments! Good luck!

Amanda from Pixel Perfect Invitations is giving away a Custom Invitation Design! Meet Amanda and learn about her business: 

My name is Amanda, and I'm the designer at Pixel Perfect Invitations.  I have a degree in Media, with an Art minor. I've been designing custom invitations for friends and family for about 7 years, but recently decided to open my business up to a wider audience. Check out my Facebook page, where you can see samples of my work.  The winner of this giveaway will receive a custom invitation design, where you will get a digital copy that you can print yourself. I look forward to designing your next invitations! Every Pixel will be Perfect! 

Rachel from Baby Makes Three...And Now Four is giving away a LeapFrog Discovery House! Meet Rachel and learn why she loves this toy: 

My blog started out as a baby blog to document my pregnancy and raising my son but it morphed. Although I still consider myself a “Mommy Blogger”, I have other interests! I love to knit, cook, read and talk about myself. Enjoy my ramblings about being a mom and about my life.

I recently posted about my boys’ favorite things so in honor of that post, I am giving away a LeapFrog My Discovery House. This is such a fun toy! Yes, even though it has buttons and makes noise, I promise it’s not annoying. Your kiddo will learn all kinds of things while working on their fine motor skills. Each side of the house has a different house related activity (a refrigerator, a doorbell) and there are plenty of knobs, buttons and sliders to keep your little one occupied. Both my 1 year old and 3 year old LOVE this toy.

Crystal is a Tastefully Simple Consultant. Learn about her business and her awesome prize: 

Studies show that 80% of American households have no idea what is for dinner by 4 pm each day. Does this sound familiar, even some of the time? Tastefully Simple is the original in-home tasting party company, and our specialty is offering easy, tasty mealtime solutions that everyone loves! Whether you need a quick dip to take to a picnic or potluck, or you want to make a gourmet tasting meal with time constraints, we can help. Like my Facebook Page, and post a quick hello to me and leave your name, city and state! 

My prize for the giveaway is our new Chillin' Out gift set. This set comes in a lemon yellow gift bag containing our excellent new Dill Pickle Dip Mix and a lovely lime green ceramic dip chiller. Perfect for those hot afternoons! Retail Value: $36.95.

If you would like to try our products, go to my website and place an order! Your order will come directly to your door by UPS and you will receive an additional entry in the giveaway.

Katie from Stumbled Onto The Blogwagon is giving away a $25 Barnes & Noble Gift Card! Meet Katie and find out why: 

KT LOVES books! You can read about her adventures in reading 50 books in 52 weeks in 2011 or check out what she's read this year (and the grades she's given each book). Gift card is good for purchases at bn.com and in-store.

So...
If you've been keeping track, that's over $225 worth of awesome prizes! One lucky person will get them all! Use the Rafflecopter Widget below to enter. The only mandatory entry is that you leave a comment on this post. There are tons of optional entries available. We strongly encourage you to visit as many of the ladies as possible and show them some love for sponsoring this giveaway.  Winner will be announced after the giveaway closes on Friday, March 15 and the winner is verified. Good Luck!

*Prizes are sponsored by the individuals unless otherwise stated. This giveaway is not in conjunction with any company and any information gathered during entry will only be used to verify winners.* 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

New hair and St. Patrick's Day garland!

Happy Thursday! (At least I hope it was happy for everyone!) I had the day off today, so I spent the day being uber productive. 

I got the girls off to school, grabbed breakfast at Quicktrip, went to Hobby Lobby and then ran off to get my hair cut! It's a BIG change, but I really love it!

Before:

 After that I ran to Starbucks for a frappuccino, Goodwill to do some looking around and then back home to make this fun mantle decoration.

I had some foam glittery shamrocks from Dollar Tree and hot glued them on to a piece of gold ribbon. I attached the ribbon to my fantastic faux fireplace! Ta-da! Cheap and easy St. Patrick's Day garland!

Be sure to check back next week for something BIG that you won't want to miss! Like me on Facebook so you are always in the loop!

St. Patrick's Day Wreath

Happy Thursday... no... Wednesday... oh... it's only Tuesday?!

Yes, that's how my week is already going. Last night we were told to prepare for a blizzard, school was canceled and we woke up to find... 2 inches of snow and completely clear roads.  

Which was great news considering the fact that my drive to work was easy, and I'm super lucky to have a great snow day babysitter. 

Speaking of Lucky, I wanted to show off the awesome St. Patrick's Day wreath I crafted up this weekend!

On Sunday afternoon I sat down on the couch with these supplies:

Four styrofoam hearts from Hobby Lobby ($2.47 each), green yarn I picked up from Wal-Mart for about $3 or so, and some brown ribbon, scissors, and a hot glue gun.

Also, a sugar free Redbull.. because that's SUPER important.

I used the green yarn and completely wrapped the outsides of the styrofoam hearts in yarn. Since the hearts weren't HUGE I had to unwind yarn, cut it from the rest of the ball and then wrap long pieces of yarn at one time. I started each piece by trying a knot around the heart form, and I used my glue gun to hold the yarn in place every few inches. 

While I worked on this, I watched the entire Daytona 500 and like 3 episodes of Shipping Wars. Yeah, it took quite a while. I did take some breaks to hang out with my hubby when he come home for lunch and to feed the children. But still, this was not a quickie craft. If I was to do it all over again, I would try green ribbon. It would cut the amount of time down dramatically. I still don't mind though. It was a great way to relax after a long week. :)

After I finally finished wrapping the hearts. I found a paint stirring stick and painted it green to match the hearts. 

I hot glued the sides of the hearts together and then hot glued them to the paint stick.  And Ta-Da! I have a shamrock!

I hot glued brown ribbon to the back of the shamrock, but then felt like I was missing something. So, yesterday I ran to Hobby Lobby during lunch and picked up some small unfinished wood letters. I painted them yellow and hot glued the word "Lucky" to the shamrock. 

Even though the weather outside has been horrible, I now have a fun wreath on my front door that just makes me think Spring!

Also, speaking of LUCK. You are going to want to follow my blog if you aren't already and be checking back throughout the month of March! There is something HUGE planned and you are going to want to be part of it! ;)

Also, Like me on Facebook at: http://www.facebook.com/DirtRoadDamsel so you can up to date on new posts and just everyday happenings in my world! 


Linked up over at http://www.craft-o-maniac.com/2013/03/craftomaniac-monday-link-party.html

Miranda Lamberts Mom's meatloaf

OH-MY-LANTA. Last night, I made the most A-freaking-mazing meatloaf ever. This is Miranda Lambert's mom's recipe so I knew it had to be good. I mean, Miranda kind of has amazing taste (Blake Shelton, need I say more?).

I found this recipe via Southern Living and made it as listed. The Southern Living link will take you to the recipe on Myrecipes.

Bev's Famous Meatloaf
2 lbs. ground beef
1 lb ground pork sausage
18 saltine crackers, crushed
1/2 bell pepper, diced
1/2 onion, finely chopped
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 Tbs. Worcestershire sauce
1 Tbs. Yellow mustard
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar, divided
1/2 cup ketchup

Preheat oven to 350. Combine beef, sausage, crackers, bell pepper, onion, eggs, Worcestershire sauce, mustard and 1/4 cup brown sugar. Place mixture in an 11x7 baking dish.

Bake at 350 for one hour. Remove from oven and drain the grease. Mix together 1/2 cup ketchup and remaining 1/4 cup brown sugar. Bake another 15 minutes or until meat temperature is 160 at the thickest portion. Let sit for 20 minutes.

The girls, hubby and I all loved this meatloaf. This will definitely be my new go to meatloaf recipe! Here are my goobers enjoying their dinner. :)

 

Mason Jar Utensil Holders

Happy Sunday All! I hope everyone had a great weekend! Our weekend was crammed back with not only Fish's 6th Birthday party yesterday, but my nephews 6th Birthday Party today. 

I don't know about everyone else, but I'm all partied out. Since I was going and going all weekend, I didn't accomplish much housewise (like the laundry I just realized I didn't do, GO ME), but I will show off something J did for me last week: Mason Jar Utensil holders! (Please feel free to go ahead and ignore the ugly range hood and cooktop... we will replace them one day, I swear!)

We just used took three wide mouth mason jars and screwed them to the wall using metal strapping and filled them with some of our random kitchen utensils. Now I have more kitchen drawer room AND I don't have to walk across the kitchen to get a spatula... because that would be EXERCISE and who has time for that? (Kidding, mostly).

Do you have any amazing tricks for using wall space for storage? I'd love to hear them! 


I am linked up at: http://www.craft-o-maniac.com/2013/01/party-time-please-come-link-up.html 

Go join the party! :)