Friendly Feature: Super Easy Chalkboard Plate

Today I am featuring Emily from Not So Idle Hands and her oh-so-very-creative blog.  It was hard to choose a favorite project, so here is one of the highlights for me, that I am just dying to make. Don't tell anyone in my family, but I think this just solved my Christmas Gift dilemma for this year! 

Emily Says:

I got these beautiful plates on clearance from Target some time ago and knew they would be perfect! I like the way they have a wide edge around them.

You will also need:

• Chalkboard paint
• Primer
• Blue tape (painters tape)

Start by taping off where you want the chalkboard area to be.....making sure to cover the rest of the plate to keep it splatter-free. See how I used the tape to make curved corners....it's easy :)

Spray a layer of primer first. This will help the paint to stick to the slick surface of the plate. Then, spray 2-4 thin layers (thin layers will keep it from getting drips) of the chalkboard paint till you are happy with the thickness. 

After you are happy, take the tape off (before it dries), just in case your painters tape pulls off the paint once it's dry.

Yay! 

Now you have something to use for your daily menu, instructions to hubby & kiddos, shopping list, etc.......

Thanks again, Emily, for sharing your project with us.  Don't forget to hop over to Not So Idle Hands to see her other creative projects!

Dressing-up Dry Erase Markers

Hello my friends!  Some of you may know that I am a person obsessed with list-making.  The more hectic my life, the more lists you will find spread all over the house.  Which is why I LOVE, love, LOVE dry-erase boards.  They are one of many ways to make a task list look creative and fun, thus motivating me to actually do the things numbered on the list.  However, I am fed up with the ugly markers that are always attached to the side of my adorable-crafty-dry-erase-board.  So here's my easy solution...

 Dress-Up that Oh-So-Very-Unstylish Marker

Materials Needed:

Dry Erase Markers

Fabric Scraps

Mod Podge

Glue Gun

Cut out a piece of fabric about 3" X 3" around your marker.

Spread some Mod Podge on the fabric and wrap around the marker.

Add another layer of Mod Podge over the top to secure the seam and keep it from fraying.

Add a little bit of ribbon...

A glue gun works well for attaching any embellishments.

Go crazy and dress-up all the dry erase markers in your house!

 

I love the way these turned out, and it's a quick 5-minute project. I'm planning to also do some of these with my kids as teacher gifts this year--wouldn't that be cute??

Horsey-Lovin' Hair Accessory Organizer...

For several months now, I've been wanting to get my girls' hair accessories in order, but could never seem to find the time.  Now that school is starting in a few weeks, I figured it was time to get down to crafty-business!  We had so much fun making it together, and I feel like it represents their personalities and something they 

really. truly. LOVE--

 HORSES!!

 Hair Accessory Organizer

 

You will need:

1. Canvas board (I got mine at Walmart for about $5)

2. Cute Fabric (fabric is mandatory, cuteness level is relevant)

3. Coordinating Ribbons (3-5, depending on the width) 

4. Brads

5. Hot Glue Gun

 Lay your canvas board over the fabric and cut around, leaving about an inch for wrapping around the wood frame.

Wrap the fabric around and glue down to the wood.

Layout and cut your ribbons, again leaving a inch or so on the ends for wrapping around. 

I put a brad near the ends so that it created a little loop to thread headbands through.

Glue ribbons to back of frame, then trim off with scissors.  ('Course you can skip this step, because no one will see the back!)

Glue some ribbon to the back, tie a bow, and hang it up!

Now when we're in the mad rush getting ready for school, I don't have to waste time searching all over the house for something to put in my girls' hair. I love that they can see them and easily choose which one they want to wear that day. Every minute saved in the morning really counts in our hair-brained house!