Projects, projects, projects...

I don't know if it is the unusually cool August temperatures, or what, but lately I've really been feeling like fall is right around the corner. Trust me, I am not trying to wish summer away...by any means, but fall is the favorite season in this house.

I adore the crisp air, the cozy sweaters, the beautiful leaves, and pumpkin EVERYTHING!

Last fall, Max was so little (sigh), that it was pretty tough to do many of the fall activities that I normally enjoy, so this year, I decided to be a little proactive, and create a fall bucket list...you know, to ensure that Max will love the season just as much as his Dad and I do.

What are some activities that you and your family enjoy in the fall?

On top of the many ideas for fall activities I have swimming around in my head, I've also been working on a number of craft projects and items for my Etsy shop

I sort of have a crafter's ADD problem... You know, I start one project, and before it's completed, I'm already on to the next one.  I really need to work on this. Anyhow, I hope to have a bunch of new items listed soon (some are already).

In the meantime, here are some of the things I have been working on/completed, in the very little spare time Max is allowing me these days!

Happy Friday!

Chalkboard Paint Herb Pots

I love fresh herbs... I also love chalkboard paint. We decided to grow most of our herbs in pots this year for the sake of saving room in our garden for other things. So... I thought to myself, what a fun way to combine two of my favorite things! I picked up some inexpensive terra cotta pots at Lowe's, as well as a can of chalkboard spray paint! A couple of coats of paint and a few hours later, I broke out my chalk pen (which I found at Joann Fabrics), and labeled each pot with the type of herb I planned on putting in each pot! Ta-dah... Chalkboard paint herb pots! 

Painted Wooden Spoons

I told you I had some catching up to do... This is a project I actually did a few weeks back and just had to post about! Of course, it is yet another Pinterest find, that I just knew I had to do the second I saw it.

Most of us already have a collection of wooden spoons at home... A couple of mine are actually pretty beat up, but I love them and still use them all the time! When I saw this pin, I thought it was a great way to spruce up something I already had!
So I started by wrapping some painters tape (you know, the blue stuff you use to tape off trim when you're painting your house) around the handle of each spoon. I did this at varying positions on each spoon, but you can do yours however you'd like. I used Martha Stewart Multi-Surface High Gloss acrylic paint, and I really like the way it gave the handles a shiny, enamel-like finish.

These are the only colors I actually purchased, and I mixed them until I came up with more colors that I was happy with. The paints were purchased at Joann Fabrics, and I never buy anything from there without a coupon... So I'm pretty sure I got a few of them for 40% off.  Either way, they are less than $2.00 each, so this does not have to be an expensive craft.

I did one coat of paint and then set each spoon in its own glass to dry so they wouldn't rub off on each other.  Once they were dry, I went back and added a second coat. After letting the second coat dry, I took all of the spoons outside and gave the handles a good spray with a clear finishing shellac.  I used Zinnser Bulls Eye shellac, which I found at Lowes, and is totally safe to use on items that will be handling food.
Once the shellac was dry, they were ready to use... And I can't express enough how much I love the 
way they came out! I have them proudly displayed right next to my stove, where they are handy for cooking and I can admire them!

A Fun (and free) Easter Craft

Oh thank goodness for Pinterest. Without it, where would I spend all of that free time I have at night when the boys in my house are fast asleep, and I am wide awake?  While pinning recently, I stumbled upon the most adorable, and FREE, Easter craft. I am newly obsessed with paint chip crafts. They're fun, cheap, and they give me something to look forward to when my husband drags me along to Lowes to get more materials for our ongoing home renovation project. I am also obsessed with decorating our mantle with garlands... I have been trying to make one for every holiday.  Festive colored yarn pompoms for Christmas, hearts for Valentine's Day... You get the hint.  So of course I needed one for Easter!

To do a so-called tutorial for this project would be a little ridiculous, because it was just so easy,  but I will list the materials that I used, and also give you the link to the original pin that I found on Pinterest!

Materials:

Paint chips (in whatever colors you'd like)

Scissors

Needle

Dental floss or string

Pencil

***you can freehand the shape of an egg for your template, I just happened to have this egg timer handy and it was the perfect shape and size to trace.

Click below for tutorial:

Pinterest link for Easter egg garland