Dollar Tree Wreath

So believe it or not my new Christmas wreath was pretty much all purchased from the Dollar Tree. I had bought a wreath at the Dollar Tree about a month ago, thinking I will make a new wreath this year and finally got around to it this week!

 I was so happy to walk in the Dollar Tree and find "YARN" yes, the Dollar Tree now sells yarn!!! From the Dollar Tree I bought the 4 different colored spools of yarn, 2 sets of glitter ornaments, and the joy ornaments. From home I used hot glue gun, some yarn, and old ornaments I had from last year.

This wreath is not your typical wreath but now a days they are all pretty much different and there are some really cool ones out there! I had seen one that I wanted to kind of imitate and so that was my inspiration.

1. I already had some charcoal gray yarn and so with that I wrapped the wreath so that it was completely covered.

2. Next I started wrapping the ornaments with yarn, first I hot glued one end of the yarn and then wrapped it til it was completely covered, once it was all covered I hot glued the end of the yarn.

(I found that using ornaments that have some kind of texture like glitter on it made it easier to wrap the yarn around it.

3. Also I had some ornaments from last year that were a lil bigger that I used for the brown yarn.

4. Once all the ornaments were covered I glued them to the wreath.

I even had yarn left over that I decided to change up my ornaments from last year and cover them with yarn.

 Instead of buying new Christams decorations I have been deteremined to make all of them or spend very little money. Along with my new yarn ornaments I made paper bird ornaments.

What you need:

Brown Paper bag

Glue

Newspaper/Old book pages

twine, hemp cord, string

I cut the bag so it was flat and then traced a bird using the inside of the bag where there was no writing or image. Cut the bird out using it as my template and then traced it again on the newspaper.

Then glue the newspaper outline onto the paper bag. Cut some hemp cord for the legs as well as the string and that was it. Also to add some dimension I cut a wing for the bird out of newspaper and only clued one end of it so it was 3D.

That's it for this week, we had to decorate before Thanksgiving because we are going to our parents and won't be home. I'm a traditions girl but I didn't want to stress trying to get our decorations up when we got back since I knew we would be busy, so I had to sacrifice!

Pinterest Projects

WoW! It's been way too long. Let me just say that these last 2 months have been crazy insane all around, now that's not necessarily a bad thing but I feel like I have been running around like one of those hamsters on the spinning ferris wheel..haha ok but really its been busy and honestly I do like being busy but sometimes I love my downtime, my "ME Time"

This week was the first week in awhile that I got to do some personal things that I love. One being cooking, I love cooking and I love DIY projects. So like many people today I have been pinnning lots of ideas to my Pinterest and I finally got around to a few of them. So let me tell you about them.

Pinterest Project #1: Sour Cream Chicken Enchiladas:

Now I love Sour Cream Chicken Enchiladas and any Mexican restaurant I go to I always like to try them. So I found this recipe..on Pinterest and I was a little skeptical..(I always am when I try new recipes) but it turned out AMAZING!

When we try new recipes, theres only one question I ask my husband when we are done...

 WELL IS IT A KEEPER?

My husband's answer: YES

Ingredients: Onion, Cilantro, Sour Cream, Jalapeno Salsa, Green Chile Salsa, Shredded Chicken, Cheese, and Flour Tortillas

Here's the link for the recipe: Sour Cream Chicken Enchiladas

We have a winner, put it on a recipe card and file it!

 Pinterest Project #2: Candlestick 3 Tier Platter

Lately, I have a small fetish for candlesticks. You can find tons of them at thrifts stores for less than $2 as well as used cake pans. Now I wouldn't normally buy used cake pans to bake in but these ones were in good condition and I just ran them through the dishwasher and besides I'm not using them to bake.

I just spray painted the candlesticks and glued the cake pans.

You can use it to put snacks in:

Or you can put jewelry in it:

I love it for less than $6 this was totally worth it!

Pinterest Project #3: Easy Hair UP DO

Here's the link from pinterest: elisajoy

Unfortunately I don't have a picture for this, but so simple and so pretty! Just put a headband on and wrap your hair around it, you can even do it a lil messy!

Pinterest Projects that didn't turn out for me:

Pinterest Project #1: Cajun Chicken Pasta

Cajun Chicken Pasta recipe

Now for the most part it was okay but I thought the sauce was too runny and maybe it was suppose to be that way or maybe I did something wrong. I don't know but I'm not so sure I would make it again... Okay ya I might give it one more try but it wasn't anything special...just my opinion :)

 

Pinterest Project #2: The Waterfall braid

I think my hair is too dark for this I did the waterfall but you could hardly tell and I don't have any highlights so that might be it too..  Oh well atleast I tried!

My Summer Finale

My Summer Finale was amazing!

My husband and I went to California for my lil brother's wedding and it was so much fun! We got to see all my family, and I enjoyed every minute of it, especially seeing my gorgeous niece!

Isn't she cute!

My brother Jake and his wife Tristin

 

Me and My Sistas

The Wedding colors were pink and silver and all the girls wore pink glitter toms, how fun is that!

That was just the start to a great Finale, we stayed a couple days longer and went to San Francisco. Since my brother and his wife couldn't take a honeymoon due to schools, they came with us. We stayed downtown right by fisherman's warf, ate great food, the weather was perfect, and of course there was some shopping involved!

As we left my family in Cali and came back to Dallas, some of our very best friends who are practically family came and visited us for a week, amongst the busyness it was definitely needed to have some close friends around and I got to meet my nephew Bax for the first time! He is so handsome!!

Oh and I'm so excited to finally get around to my Pinterest Projects! I decided to start one of my projects in San Francisco. I saw this on Pinterest and thought it was a cute idea to start doing as a souvenir, since I love to travel.

Pressed Penny charm bracelet

I use to do this with a penny and you stick a quarter(these days its 50 cents) in the machine and it presses out a significant artifact or design of something popular that place is known for. So I did the trolley cable trains and the Goldent Gate bridge!

 

That's all folks!
Hope everyone had a great summer, I guess theres still a few weeks left til fall, live it up and enjoy what you can! I'm so excited for Fall its one of my favs!

Transformation

Well summer is almost over and it seems as though I have been procrastinating a little. I have a big "To Do" list of projects that I wrote down at the beginning of the summer and well I didn't get to them til NOW but hey I'm not a quitter and I want to be a Woman of my WORD.

This week I finally transformed my vanity, I got this vanity when I was in 8th grade and wanted to keep it around (so glad I did). Here's what it looked like before:

Ok so this is not my vanity but a picture of my vanity if that makes sense, I didn't take a before and after pic but randomly I saw my vanity on Craig's List lol so I copied this picture. So if anyone wants this vanity I think its still for sell!

Yes its old looking but I have memories... getting ready for prom at this vanity (sniff sniff)

Some things you just can't let go! So with a lil paint and new knobs, she's a new woman!

The pics are little blurry, I didn't put the mirror back on not sure if I will as far as the bench...Well my husband broke it, he's suppose to fix it :)

My favorite thing, was not so much the vanity although I did feel quite accomplished but what's on top of  my vanity. My friend Becky was moving and getting rid of stuff and she gave me the jewelry tree which I love, she already has these really cute jewelry trees that she made and didn't need this one, so I spray painted it white and its benefiting me a lot! Also the candlesticks, I'm sort of becoming a candlestick hoarder I just love them, and you can get them for an inexpensive price...Thrifting. these beauties cost me under $2 . I'm beginning to have them all over my home, they are so cool!

Well that's it for this week, need to keep the motivation going.. In 2 weeks I will be going home to California, my lil brother is getting married.... again (Sniff Sniff) I really am so happy for him, I called his fiance
"My future sister in-law" long before they were engaged so she's been a part of our family for years and I get to hang out with my beautiful niece Aubrey Joy!!! Then one of my best friends is coming down to visit me with her newborn baby, I'm so excited to meet him! Great adventures are coming, life doesn't slow down and I'm kind of liking it that way!

"Look at Life through the Windshield not the rear-view mirror."-Byrd Bagget

 Have an amazing weekend!

Lots of pictures to come....

Summer Lovin

Wow its been awhile.... but I'm still here just took a lil break from the blogging. I have really been loving this summer. It's been refreshing and I feel like I'm learning so much about myself and life in general. Some things I have been lovin:

1.  I have been enjoying my morning coffee dates with God it's like a special time I have that I really do cherish.

2. Dates and hang out time with my hubby, what can I say he's my Best Friend, we went to the rodeo last week it was my first one, it was pretty fun! My favorite thing to watch was the little kids that ride the sheep lol so funny

3. Making my own lattes! I have an espresso machine that I got for my birthday last year I didn't really get to use it that much so these past few weeks I have really broke it in! Carmel Macchiato is my fav to make!

4. Thrifting, Projects and of course NEW recipes

Pineapple Cupcakes- These were so delicious def a keeper!

Well thats just a lil update, I have one more month left til I get to do what I love doing; Masters Commission, discipleling college aged students! So this time I have left I have just been reflecting on my summer and some things I still want to do! I'm really excited for this next month, some beautiful babies are gonna be born, my brother is getting married, and I get to see my family in California!!! Wohoo, time is of the essence people lets seize the day!

“Time is free, but it's priceless. You can't

own it, but you can use it. You can't keep

it, but you can spend it. Once you've lost it

you can never get it back.”

 

Muffin Tin Organizer

Yay project time!!! It's been way too long!!! This week I'm in organizing mode!!!!

Some inspirations

Muffin Tin(more ideas here to use muffin tins)

desk organizer

Isn't that a neat idea, wished I would have come up with it. Well it definitely inspired me and I thought it was perfect for my organizing frenzy.

This is great if you have an old muffin tin that you don't use or you can do what I did and go to a thrift store and pick one up for less than $2.

Run it through the dishwasher, get some spray paint, and TA DA... a brand new "Organizer"

I used my muffin tin in my bathroom, I thought it would be really needed there:

Before

Kind of embarrassing but yes, this is my bathroom drawer

After

I love it, everything is so neat and tidy...and yes it will stay that way too!!

Well one mess down...on to more organizing....

what i wore wednesday

I'm back, last week was my first wiww with Lindsey from the thepleatedpoppy. I love getting inspired to try new looks and this is a great place to check out what other gals are wearing, so hop over there!
 It was a lil awkward taking pics but I guess you get over it, it really does help you see what goes and what not to wear...lol.

I don't consider myself vain or the least bit shallow, actually I used to be really insecure in my looks....don't feel sorry for me, it's something I had to go through to find my worth and confidence...and I DID in God! He created me and made me just the way I am!!

This was a fun and busy week and I loved it, so here we go:

Bachelorette Party!!!
I haven't been to one in awhile so it was fun to get out and hang with the girls. We went to dinner at Taco Diner(it was delicious, I tend to stick with enchiladas and I'm so glad I did!) Then we went to a friends house for sundaes and games

Button down-F21, jungle skirt-Victorias Secret, Belt-stole from another dress, hair-spin pin, clutch-thrifted

Date Night with my Hubby
I love date night we usually make date night a weekly event, but with work schedules and busyness we just haven't found the time...shame on us! It's my favorite thing, I'm a quality time person!! We went to Cheesecake factory and shared the "Thai Lettuce Wraps" so good!!! Then we saw "Larry Crowne," I liked it. I like Julia Roberts and Tom Hanks so I thought it was cute!

Maxi Dress- TJ Maxx, Beaded Scarf- homemade 


Church
At church we have been doing this series called "The Blessed Life" life-changing, really its so good and today just sealed it all! I wore my blue dress for pre-Freedom day

dress-ross?, shoes-target, ring-


 Independance Day!!!
RED, WHITE, and YELLOW???

Okay so I didn't exactly get all my Freedom colors in for the 4th of July, but it was represented in Spirit! We had some friends over for a BBQ and games

Yellow tank-American Eagle, white crops-American Eagle $12, Red necklace-homemade

40's day...lol jk but with my headscarf that's kinda what i felt like

Green Shirt-F21, Cutoffs-Gap, shoes-Toms, Headscarf- homemade
Happy Wednesday!!!

Thursday Latelies

Hey guys its Thursday Latelies, we are linking up with Bex from bexastylediary, to share the things that have been bringing us joy! So jump in!!!

$6.29? I think at Target
 

Summer Flip Flop Exchange!

Have a Safe and Happy Fourth of July!!!

what i wore wednesday

today i'm linking up with lindsey from thepleatedpoppy for What I Wore Wednesday, my first time! She has a cute blog and I always read them, look at the different styles, and get inspired with so many great looks and it really does challenge you to go the extra mile with your what you wear!  So i thought i would join in this week. So here we go:

Loving the stripes!

striped shirt-Marshalls, cutt off skinnys-Gap, mustard sandals-steve madden, fedora-american eagle, watch-clearance/Target

There was a storm last week and it broke one of the lights outside, that's why there is shattered glass by my feet! I will get around to cleaning it up... I promise!

This was a Lazy day

yellow shirt- F21, Striped trousers-gap, toms shoes

One of my fav colors to wear: Mustard yellow

Mustard dress- Target, beaded necklace-homemade


My thrifted outfit

Red trousers- Thrifted, Plum shirt-F21, Necklace-Thrifted, flats- ?, clutch- homemade



Something about white that makes you feel so summery (don't think thats a word)

White jeans-$4 Ross, Sandlas-Jamaica, Scarf-marshalls, green tank-Target

well that was fun and interesting its kind of awkard taking pictures of yourself but now that I'm looking at how I style myself it kind of helps me out lol...(ok so im trying to make myself feel better about taking pics of myself but really it does help)