Copper Kitchen Scrubby Pumpkins!

 I think this is, quite possibly, the EASIEST crafty idea I've come up with. EVAH.
And it's for pumpkins - go figure :)

This is so easy - I literally made it as fast as I thought of it!

It's got three 'ingredients' and two steps.

Should take you all of... oh, three minutes.... to make.

 Take the copper scrubbies out of the package that you bought for a BUCK at the Dollar Tree store.

 Break a small branch or twig from a tree or bush, and shove it into the middle of the copper scrubby.

Tuck a fall leaf or two into the copper scrubby, right next to the branch.

Tah Dah!
You have a pumpkin!
Or maybe an apple, if your stems are as long as mine shown here ;) 

That's IT.

I ALSO played with one and pulled it apart a bit,
then created a stem by twisting the copper mesh.
I don't like it as much, but that's how crafting is -  Some things work, some don't.

Anyway, that's a truly 'Fast, Cheap & Easy'TM decor project for you!
No fuss, no muss, no stress, and hardly any money. Just good, cheap fun.

Oh, wait... I shoulda' said Good CLEAN fun, huh?
'Cause they're kitchen scrubbies, right? LOL

PIN-ABLE 'how to' IMAGE:

I came up with this idea last week,

when I saw a bag of copper kitchen scrubbies at the Dollar Tree store.
I bought them then, and it wasn't until yesterday morning that I created and photographed them
(in record time, BTW).
After editing my images and preparing this blog post, 

I decided to do a quick Google search for anything slightly resembling these before publishing.

Though I have never seen anything like them,
I've learned to do my due diligence in the DIY/craft industry, 

because being professional, thoughtful, and ORIGINAL is important.
If I'm inspired by someone or something,  or find out they beat me to it,
I'll gladly credit them.

...and if I'm not the first/original, I'll 'fess up to it... 

I found ONE image from ONE blog post, back in 2012.
So, even though I did come up with this idea on my own,

I am not the first person to do so or to put it online. I'm the second :)
Check out Danyelle's version from 2012 over at Life Is A Party -
hers have the addition of wire as a stem, instead of a branch.
You can also see a pretty sweet little wreath made from the same materials,
in a post from 2010 on the Dollar Store Crafts blog.

Want more of my pumpkin ideas?

painted pumpkins
mini clay pumpkins
glass globe pumpkins 
painted pail pumpkins
sweet sweater pumpkins

embellished sweater pumpkins

... and I'll have another one in my next post!

shared online:

One Project Closer | Creativity Unleashed

Cupcakes & Crinoline | Project Inspire{d}

Thank you, MaryBeth, for including my pumpkins in your Project Inspire{d} Feature!

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Nostalgic Back to School Decor

I recently ran across some old photos that brought a past project to mind,
and it's PERFECT for 'Back to School' celebrating!
.

I don't know about you, but for ME, this time of year seems to stir faint memories of 

the smell of sharpened pencils and new paper

the need of a new tote bag, backpack, or lunch pail

wistful reactions to hearing school recess bells ring

and children laughing on the playground

hearing marching bands practice on the field

using typewriter fonts

and other nostalgic impressions.

Whether or not you have kids heading back to school right now,

it's pretty easy to pull together some items in a small display or tablescape

that will say 'back to school' in a whisper of neutral tones.

( If you want it to SHOUT, use bright color! )

I created this vignette in about five minutes,

by simply rummaging through my office and finding some things 

that could pass as 'school supplies':

a metal locker basket

two metal lunchpails

a small metal chalkboard

rulers and yardsticks

a large canvas satchel bag

a small metal memo board, magnet, and sheet music

a vintage vocabulary card that I treasure

 a tin can vase

scissors & pencils

a paperweight

several books in neutral tones
(total disclosure: they aren't school books - or even really old!

Two are Bibles. One is a library book. the other is a paper brochure. ;) )

The thing is, it's about creating a MOOD, a LOOK - by using what you have on hand!
If you have great vintage items, use 'em!

But if you don't, don't fret -

you'll be surprised at what you can create using everyday stuff from your desk, too!

Case in point:
I wish I had more pencils to fill up this vase, but I really don't USE pencils.
So I don't HAVE pencils, and that's ok - 

even though my designer eye wants to see a vase brimming with pencils.
Maybe I'll hit the Dollar Tree store and buy a pack for a buck. Maybe I won't. 

But I'll enjoy this little scene either way!

You can see my fave vocabulary card here, too - the back side says "Embellish". ;)
I've had that for about ten years now.

continue reading for more - in a darling vintage kitchen!

DIY Kitchen Cabinet - to - Shelf Makeover

This time of year, it seems everyone talks about 'Spring Cleaning'.
Well, we all KNOW that 'cleaning' leads to 'makeover' projects, right??

That happened in the kitchen of my former dream house...

 

Stuck in the early 90's, it was really ready for a makeover.

The oak cabinets were ugly and basically non-functional: 

narrow, hard to get access to the back of the corner cabs, 

and the doors were hung to open backward!
Not to mention they were made of orange-stained oak, 

and there was a weird paint job on the kitchen walls. 

One day, I started emptying them to clean and re-organize...

and I was frustrated beyond belief with how little they held.
[ Let's just say I was a bit VERBAL in my frustration, shall we?]

The husband heard my grumbling, walked in, surveyed the mess, and asked

"Ya' want me to just yank those things down and build you some shelves?"

 

In record time, those suckers were off the walls and out the door!
[ NOTE: I do not demolish things. 

No swinging hammers and flying wood like on HGTV and TLC shows.

Those scenes REALLY make me mad, to tell the truth. ]

We removed the cabinets from the wall, hauled them out to the workshop,

then removed the doors from them. 

Those doors became the new shelves for the kitchen, 

and the sides of one corner cabinet were ripped into strips

 to create the brackets to hold the shelves on the wall.
The rest of the cabs were hung on a wall in the shop for storage.

Painted white, the new shelves were ready to go up within a day - 

AFTER the walls were painted.

A fresh tan paint color on the entire kitchen (walls AND ceiling) 

 unified the spaces that had been split by the overhead beam and 'bay' area on the window side. 

Unseen in the photos, a new track light was installed on the backside of the beam. 

White paint on the window trim made it seem much larger and more open than the previous wood tone. 

[BTW, the rest of the plan was to paint the lower cabinets white, unifying the whole kitchen. 

I never got that far before we had to move.]

The new wood shelf brackets were screwed into the studs, 

the shelves screwed onto the brackets, and the project was done.

Then I noticed that the shelves weren't spaced quite the way I had wanted...

but I didn't say a word. 

This was a vast - and FAST - improvement, so I was just grateful to have it done!

 I filled up those shelves and the counter space below them with functional and beautiful elements - 

and those shelves held over TWICE the amount of kitchenware than the cabinets ever had!!

Best part? This project cost us nothing but time:

We had the paint (our whole house was painted that color), 

we had the screws and sand paper and tools, 

and we used the old cabinet wood for the new shelves. 

It turned out so well, we ended up doing exactly the same thing in the laundry room, too.

But of course, I don't have photos of that. :(

 Don't be deterred from making your rooms function and look better

just because you think it will cost money.... it might not cost a cent!

My next post will have a fun re-purposing idea for your bedroom decor

More Spring decor inspiration on Pinterest!

shared online:

Cupcakes & Crinoline | Project Inspire{d}