My DIY initial spring wreath!

Hey there ::waves hi:: to everyone reading Linda's fab blog, Craftaholics Anonymous, my name is Jen J. & I am a long time reader of Linda's blog & like to do a little crafting of my own over at the World of Dennifer.  I have a lot more crafts and D&R projects over on my blog, so if you stop over, please feel free to look through my archives for some of my past projects & follow me (even grab my button if it tickles your fancy ;o) if you'd like to keep up with my future projects. I am so excited to be participating in the Craftaholics Anonymous Reader's Tutorial Week & I hope you enjoy my wreath tutorial as much as I enjoyed making it...it was inexpensive to make & is so pretty on my door! Feel free to contact me at worldofdennifer@gmail.com if you have any questions about this or any other DIY project on my blog!

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Sooo I finally got a chance to sit down & do my DIY spring {but keeping it up for the summer because I love it so much} wreath for our front door. I got my inspiration for my wreath from Kari over at Rocky Bella - I loved her spring initial wreath so much that I decided to make one of my own (with a few personal touches)...Ta da:

I pretty much just followed her directions, so first I headed to Michaels to get the supplies I needed:

A grape vine wreath (14"), a mini birds nest, some speckled faux eggs, a couple cream colored butterflies & a pretty good-sized bag of green moss. You will also need wide ribbon, a wreath hanger, a glue gun & several glue sticks for this project - I already had all of these things on hand, so I didn't have to buy any of that. Oh & if you want your last initial on the wreath, you will want to grab a wooden letter from Michaels as well - I also had one of these on hand (if you want your letter white, then grab the kind they have that are already painted white - saved me a step)!

Then, I just plugged up my hot glue gun & got to work gluing on clumps of green moss to cover the wreath. You want to make sure you generously cover the wreath, otherwise it'll look a little bare.

Once the wreath is completely covered with moss to your satisfaction, position your initial letter on your wreath & figure out how you want to mount it on the wreath. I put mine up against my door to make sure that the way the letter was positioned on the wreath looked how I wanted it to. Once you figure out where you want the letter, glue it on to the wreath (use a decent amount of glue so that it holds the letter completely). After that, I just glued the faux speckled eggs into the mini nest & glued the nest on the wreath, and finished it off by sticking the butterflies into the wreath where I wanted them (they had wire backings, so they easily stuck into the wreath).

(sorry - not sure why this pic uploaded sideways, but you get the point, no?)

I hung the wreath on the door with a standard wreath hanger, then tied my ribbon so that it covered the hanger & made a bow in the back (on the other side of the door), so that it stayed put...does that make sense?? And that's it. Very, very easy wreath, although I got 2 pretty bad glue burns on my left thumb & right ring fingers - OUCH! I got small blisters & everything. ::humph::  :o/ Ah, the things we do for our DIY projects, lol. But I LOVE LOVE LOOOOVE the way it came out - exactly what I needed to dress up my front door for the spring!

Dizz likes sitting at the storm door & people watching during the day; I like keeping the door open b/c it lets natural light into our living room, so it's a win-win. Anywho, what do you think of my spring wreath?! You likes!? I hope so b/c I loves & guess what, if you do like it & wanna make your own, you can enter the World of Dennifer's 1st ever giveaway [now closed], win the $25 Michaels gift card & head over to Michaels & buy all the supplies to make it. Here is the cost break down:

Grapevine Wreath = $4

Bag 'O Green Moss = $2.25 (original $4.49, but I used a 50% coupon I had)

Mini Nest = $2

Faux Speckled Eggs = $2

Wired Butterflies = $2

Wreath Hanger; Wide Ribbon; Wooden Initial; Glue Gun & Extra Glue Sticks = FREE (I already had these items on hand)

TOTAL = $12.25

So, you could totally make this & still have a good amount left over to make anything else your heart desires!! Hurry & enter my giveaway [closed] - it ends tomorrow at 10PM (EST). And now that my front door is ready (and my allergies have calmed down at least a wee bit), I can finally say...Happy Spring!!

5 Question Friday - April 9, 2010

Hey there everyone! I must, again, apologize for my blog slacking this week. I have been soooo busy at work this week & by the time I get home, I am so tired that I fall asleep right after dinner! I have bought all the supplies for my spring wreath & can't wait to make it - likely this today or tomorrow - and I'll post the tutorial as soon as I make it! I also have two recipes to post, but I forgot to take pics of them (duh!) so I'll be using random online pics, lol. finally, I still have my spring cleaning list to post - it is quite lengthy, so I'll post it in parts. So, please please accept my apology!
 
I did have time to post the most important post this week - my 1st Ever Giveaway on the World of Dennifer! If you haven't entered yet, there's still time - giveaway closes Sunday night at 10pm! And if you are a new follower - welcome & thanks for following my blog - I hope that you stick around & find the tutorials, makeovers, recipes, and anything else I post interesting!

I'm here for my 2nd edition of 5 Question Friday (5QF) from Mamma M. over @ My Little Life. It's really fun to post all these Q&A's...and fun to read everyone's responses over on her blog. If one of my followers joins in on this blog party, please let me know - I'd love to read your responses!

1. Who would you want to play you in a movie of your life?

Hmmm, I like Stacey Dash & I think as far as looks goes, she could probably come closest to looking like me (or I guess me looking like her, lol). I mean, she's definitely way more glamorous than I am, but we have some similar features. That & I think she'd do a great job playing me, lol.

2. Did you ever go to summer camp?

Nope, but I did go to a week-long  theater camp when I was in middle school. My mom thought it would be a good idea & I actually had a blast!

3. What sends you running and screaming in the other direction?

Bees & spiders...ewww. They just creep me out. If I see a spider int he house, I start screaming & make my hubby come get them for me, lol. A little dramatic, no?!

 4. What is something you do that drives your spouse nuts?

Leaving the kitchen cabinets open after I put dishes away or take them out, lol. He says it's not even just the kitchen cabinets - he says it's the bathroom ones too. He says it drives him insane! IDK why I do it, just habit I guess, haha.

5. What is currently your favorite song?

 I really like the Drake song, "What Am I Doing?" It's catchy! :o)

That's all for today - don't forget to enter my giveaway! And look out for my spring wreath tutorial this weekend! Plus, I think a new Mood Board Monday will be posted on my blog friend - Sarah's blog pewter+sage, so I'll be participating with that. Menu Planning Monday may or may not be back on Monday - just depends if I'm making anything new next week. :oP 

Blog Parade Giveaway + Interview!!

I read about Rear Window's cute blog party & giveaway on a blog friend's blog & decided to link up! You all know I'm a sucker for a good giveaway & Abigail is giving away some cool items to a select few people who join in on the fun. So, I decided why not?  I'm off right now & this will be a good way for some of my followers to get to know me! Enjoy & please feel free to leave a comment if you have any follow up questions. :o)

1. What's your favorite time of the day, and why?

 

Hmmm, I guess I like 6pm (during the week), when I get home from my 12- hour days (I work 9 hours & commute 1.5 hours each way, so I'm away from home from 6am-6pm every day I go into the office, which is only 3 days a week!). My hubby, puppy (okay, maybe he's not a puppy anymore, but still a cutie) & I just get time to spend with each other & to have dinner together - very relaxing part of my day. I love my guys so much & can't wait until we add to our family & get to spend this time with our children as well!

 
2. If health wasn't an issue, what food could you live off of?

 This is an easy one! Chipotle. I freakin' love that place - it's quick & sooo yummy. If you have them in your area & you've never been, definitely head over & try it out. My fav is the Chicken Burrito Bowl w/ rice, black beans, fajita peppers & onions, corn salsa, lettuce, a teeny bit of cheese & sour cream on the side; served with their yummy homemade tortilla chips. ::drool::

3. If you could have one wish granted (besides wishing for more wishes), what would it be?

 To add to our family with a little bundle (or two, possibly three eventually) of joy! I can't wait to experience pregnancy, deliver our children & raise my children w/ the most wonderful man I know - my husband - who I'm sure will be an amazing dad!

4. What's one thing that you get teased about a lot?

Well my hubby likes to tease me about my retainers. I had braces for about 3 years from 2006 until right before our wedding in 2009, and still wear retainers in the evening. So, he likes to tease me by calling me 'tainer all the time or if I mention tater tots...he calls them 'tainer tots! LMAO, no worries though, I tease him equally as much!

5. If you could choose one movie, book, or TV show to spend your life in, which would you pick? What type of character would you be?

 OMG, this is an easy one for me!! I'd be on Desperate Housewives...I LOVE that show & have been a fan since it first started. I could totally see myself being good friends with all of the "girls" on the show. I think I'd be kinda a mix between Gabby & Bree: I'd be a career woman & working mom (like Bree), but I'd be glamorous, sexy, witty, funny & have killer style when it's time to dress up (like Gabby). 

6. If you could have one talent that you don't already have, what would it be?

Sewing...like being able to sew clothes, items, pillows, etc. I follow lots of blogs where there are sooo many talented young wives & mothers who make such cute things for their homes & kids! I wanna learn how to do that....waaaaah...it is on my list of things to try & learn this year.

7.If money were no object, where would you go on vacation?

I'd go on a Mediterranean luxury cruise of Greece, Spain & Italy, where we docked in each country for at least a few days & were able to travel around to major sites/places of interest in each country.

8. If you were an awesome singer, which genre would you sing?

Probably R&B/soul - like Mariah! I love how she sings & she's beautiful to boot!

9. If you could have a $10,000 shopping spree to one store, what would it be?

Hands down - Pottery Barn & PB Kids (for when I have children. I LOVE their stuff, but usually can't afford any of it, hehehe.

10. If you could live in any point in time, when would it be?

Hmm, I kinda like living in the time we live in now. I can't really imagine living in another time, and of course, there is always good & bad about each time period.

11. If every outfit in your wardrobe had to be one color, what would it be?

Some form of blue - I love aqua blue especially! My bridesmaids wore aqua/Tiffany blue for our wedding & my reception theme was "Something Blue"!

12. If you were one of the seven dwarves, which one would you be?

 Happy! He was always so cheerful (hence, the name) & I'm a pretty happy person so he fits best for me!

13. What's the last album you listened to?

::runs to check iPod:: TI vs. TIP...love TI - he's just so smooth when he raps!!

14. What's something we'd be surprised to know about you?

I am a BIG time worrier & (attempted) perfectionist - another way I'm like Bree (from Desp. HW). The funny part is, I have NO clue where that part of my personality came from - my mom (who I was raised by) is the furthest thing from a worrier - or maybe she is & I just never noticed it?! I hope I don't pass that trait on to my kids...life seems so much easier when you can go with the proverbial flow!

That was so much fun - hope you got a chance to learn a little more about me. Head on over to Abigail's blog, check it out & enter yourself! But hurry, the party ends on March 8th! If you decide to enter, please leave a comment on this post, along with the link. Since you guys show me so much, I'd love to check out the survey questions for my followers! And, since I have been on this recent kick of winning blog giveaways, I think it may soon be time for my own. I'm going to start brainstorming a nice giveaway item & let you guys know about it very soon!

Menu Planning Monday, maybe Tuesday + furloughed. :o/

So a couple of weeks ago, I won this really cool Really Crafty Studio meal planner download from Linda over at Craftaholics Anonymous!

It's so easy to stay organized & on top of the week's meals with this planner! It's only $5 in Kim's Etsy Shop & it's totally worth it! I haven't quite nailed down everything I'm going to make this week, which maybe defeats the purpose a bit, but I'm going to try & stay organized & plan this out every Sunday from now on. I usually try to make new dish each week, then a few classics that I always make - spaghetti, pork chops, baked ground turkey & ziti, stir fry, etc. We also usually have an "every man for himself night", a left overs night & usually end up eating out 1-2 days per week. The eating out thing will likely change once we have kids, but since it's just the two of us now, we can afford to still eat out a couple times a week - that & I'm not too fond of cooking on weekends, lol. I am going to attempt to take photos of the meals I make & do a re-cap at the end of the week. Hopefully this will give some of you ladies in search of new meal ideas some good ones! I'll be working on this week's plan tonight & hope to have it up by tomorrow morning.

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Also, IDK if any of you know about the funding stuff going on with parts of the US Department of Transportation, but some craziness has been going down in Congress. The basic gist is - several Federal DOT sub-agencies were funded by the Highway Trust Fund Legislation & it basically expired last night at Midnight. Congress attempted to pass an extension, but it was blocked by Senator Jim Bunning (R-KY), so the funding for my agency lapsed & all non-essential employees (ahem...me) are being furloughed until Congress can reach a decision (read full story here & here). This means that several important state & federal highway projects have been halted across the country; just an example of how "politicking" affects regular people every day. I have heard that in the past, when the government has furloughed employees, Congress usually passes some measure to pay employees retroactively, so I'm hoping that's what happens in this case. For now, I am going to stay optimistic & just look at this as a few extra days to sleep in, clean my house, run some errands & maybe get a St. Patrick's Day craft done...maybe one from the Craftaholics Anonymous St. Patty's Day link party!

Here are a few beauties from Linda's party:

Linda's own "Lucky" Pillow:

Unfortunately, I CAN'T sew anything that requires a sewing machine, but that's on my list of things to try this year. :oP

Traci's really cute "Lucky" Blocks:

Patricia's adorable DIY gift tags:

Michelle's c-u-t-e Lucky Clover:

Head over to the party to see all the other very creative St. Patty's Day projects - so cute! And a perfect distraction since I'm not working for the next couple of days!

Great giveaway over at Making Lemonade!

By now you know I'm a sucker for a great giveaway, no? Well, I just had to tell each of you about my bloggy friend - Carrie's Stork Report Giveaway over at Making Lemonade! It's a full month of baby + other giveaways!

Carrie is the proud momma of one precious special needs little girl (she's on the button above - so cute :o) & has another on the way - she's due this May! So, IHO her impending bundle of joy, she is hosting this month-long giveaway that will include weekly giveaways for a "parent, a grandparent, an aunt, a someday-parent, a like-a-parent, or are expecting your own baby"! Here's a little look at the giveaways that have already begun:

Beautiful bird prints from Belli Ucelli:

 

Cute custom onesies from Lee Marie:

And since I have major BOTB (babies on the brain), I'll be entering every single one! Head on over & check it out!

Awesome Blog Giveaway!

I know I am always talking about the cool giveaways that some of the ladies from the awesome blogs I follow are doing. Well, Jaime over at the Dress Up Drawer is having one starting today!!

It runs through January 29th & every day she is giving away several items that are her follower's favorites!! Just feast your eyes on a few of the items she's featuring today:

Cute laptop skin from Groovy Lids

A pretty floral necklace from Flora Bond

Cute baby items from Sweet Ruby

And so much more! Head on over & check it out...I know I'm entering for everything!! Good luck. :o)

My [ReDeemed] Unique Art prize!!!

I am admittedly late in posting this, but I wanted to receive my prize & take a picture before posting about it.

Over the holidays, an awesome blog friend - Steph, over at Somewhat Simple hosted a really great  giveaway...and I'm a sucker for a good giveaway, so I played along!  It was called the 12 Giveaways of Christmas (I had the button up on my blog side bar for a while) & she was giving away multiple prizes every day for 12 days straight!! She posted the list of winners on Christmas Day!! And what a Christmas gift it was to see that I won a $25 gift certificate to the very talented Noel's [ReDeemed] Unique Art web store!! Noel creates beautiful pieces out of recycled or re-purposed materials - so everything is environmentally friendly in addition to being beautiful! It was so hard picking just one item, but I did it & lay your eyes on my lovely prize:

It's beautiful right?!?!?! Ok, no jumping to conclusions, but I got it to put in my child's future nursery...one day! Noel even included a pretty necklace free as an additional gift!! :o)

I love them both sooo much! Thanks Steph for holding the giveaway & thank you Noel for creating the lovely "green" art that you do & for my free gift! If you haven't checked out Somewhat Simple or Noel's [ReDeemed] Unique Art shop, then click on the links above - they are both awesome sites!

Packages on my doorstep make me happy!

Sorry this is a little delayed. I got home last week & saw a nice shiny (okay, not so shiny...but definitely exciting) package on my doorstep! I love getting packages - even when I order it & know what it is. But this was different, I wasn't expecting any packages.

It was packed up sooo pretty & even came with a cute little note from Danielson Designs...

 
It's even better when it's a prize I won (my first ever!!) from a blog friend's giveaway!! The sign came out so beautifully & I have the perfect spot for it...

It's actually going right above my entryway table on the wall - now, if I could only get my hubby to actually hang it up! We are working on some finishing touches for our newly decorated LR. I just brightened it up a bit, but it's looking awesome & I can't wait to show you guys the difference!

Woo hoo, I'm a winner!!

I follow a lot of amazing blogs, but one of my favorites (and I'm not just saying that because I won ;o) is Making Lemonade. Carrie is so creative & has the most adorable little girl!

At the beginning of this month, she posted about an awesome giveaway from Danielson Designs. And guess what...I WON!!!!!!!!!! Yippie!! I have never won a blog giveaway before & I'm so excited that I won this one - I really wanted one of the beautiful plaques over at Danielson Designs. So here is what I picked (the quote is what I will get, but that is not my last name):

I can't wait to get my prize - I have the perfect place for it in my house! Danielson Designs has a lot of beautiful plaques, frames & other decorative stuff for your house, it was sooo hard for me to pick just one thing, but I will probably be ordering more stuff from them in the future! You should definitely check them out too, I bet you will also find something you love! Thanks again Carrie for the awesome giveaway & if you have never visited Making Lemonade, head on over & check it out!