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DIY Mantle Art

The Back Story:

Last October my family and I moved into a newer and much larger home in the suburbs. The entire house was painted "builder cream" and in my opinion had very little character compared to the 1920s homes I was used to living in.

I set out on the long term project of infusing character into this new home, while still trying to keep it modern and honoring the newer type of architecture. One of my first challenges was how to fill the space above the fireplace mantle in our double story great room. The walls are massive and blank without something there and you need something quite large to pull you eyes up and appreciate the loftiness of the space. Problem was (as usual) I have champagne taste on a beer budget! Hence why I have become an ambitious do it yourselfer!

I flipped through many pages of decorating magazines and websites (houzz.com is one of my favorites!) And was bored by the cliche mirror or random painting. My problem with a painting is this: 1) They are often super expensive, especially at this size and 2) I may like it initially but then get sick of looking at it after a month or so and can't replace it because it was too darn expensive in the first place!

However I did see some for very cool, rustic modern looking wood sculptures....that were like over $1000. Yikes! But this didn't stop my imagination!  I said, "I could do something like that!" So, I did!

Project Directions:

I started by building a box like a flower box out if pine that I purchased at my local home depot.  Get to know the guys in the lumber department there and they can really help you out! Take measurements of your mantle before you go so you know what kind of space the box will sit on. I made my box 8-9 inches high to accommodate the weight of the sticks.

Now, the pine (or birch) wood will come in a sheet and you can have the guys at HD cut it down for you which is much easier than using a saw yourself. You will also need an electric screwdriver (a must have around the home!) And wood screws (ask for a suggested kind at HD). To make it extra solid, you should also use wood glue, but not alone. You will still also need to screw together.  Finally, you can optionally add wood trim to the face and sides of your box (using wood glue) for a more finished look. Then sand (with an extra fine sanding sponge) and stain or paint to match your decor. To keep it simple, I chose a 1" lightweight trim that they were able to make cut for me at HD so I didn't have to deal with angled miter cuts.

At home, assemble your box with glue and screws (every 8" apart should do), first by adding the front and back pieces to the bottom piece and then each end piece to complete your structure.  Add your trim to to the face of your box using glue which will hide your screws. Then sand entire box using sanding sponge followed by wiping it down with a wet rag to remove dust. Let try 15 minutes.  Apply a minimum of 2 coats of wood stain (I used Miniwax in Ebony) plus a coat of clear shiny finish (or paint if you prefer). Let dry at least 24 hours.

Head up to your local crafting store (I shop at Michael's) and pickup some green floral foam. If you plan this project in advance and make several trips you can use lots of coupons (one per item per visit) and save a bunch, but the foam isn't all too expensive anyhow if I remember correctly. Get enough foam to fill the inside of your box about 80-90%. The foam will act as an anchor for the sticks.

As for the sticks, I got mine at IKEA which saved at ton of money.  I got 2 packs and I think each pack was under $15. But if you don't have an IKEA nearby you can purchase sticks at Michael's or even at Home Goods, it will probably just be more expensive. OR if you are feeling REALLY crafty, head on out to the woods and pickup your own sticks! (If you do this please send me a picture,  I am dying to see how it would turn out!)

Once your box is dry, cut and stuff the foam inside the box and begin arranging  the sticks into the foam to achieve your desired thickness. If necessary,  cut sticks from the bottom before arranging to accommodate the height of your room. I suggest varying stick height to add dimension to your piece.
Then lift completed piece to your mantle! Add a spotlight on it in the evening for extra drama and enjoy all the compliments you get from your guests (and the extra satisfaction in telling them you made it yourself!)

Questions?  Just post below and I will respond! Follow my blog for more DIY projects, beauty tutorials and other fun stuff! And don't forget to share the love and inspire someone else by passing this article on!

Help a Girl Out with Some Tortilla Soup!

When I had my first baby, a wonderful "newer" friend from my church set up a "Meal Train" for me and my hubby (Marc).   Basically, what it is is a site where people can go to sign up to bring someone meals when they are going through some life crisis/transition and need a helping hand.  As new parents we found it not only SO HELPFUL to have people bring us food, when we were adjusting to our new life as parents and it was wonderful to quickly visit with the family and friends when they made the food drop off.

Some people just dropped the food at the door, some stayed for dinner themselves. Some made home made or even future frozen dinners and some just picked up carry-out for us.  Regardless, it was a super nice gesture.

That being said, a woman from my church MOPS group (Mothers Of Pre Schoolers) just had a super pre-term baby (like at 24 weeks!) and I just signed up to bring her and her family a meal. Through this experience I have been introduced to a new coordination site for this kind of thing: www.carecalendar.org .  It is free to sign up and set up a "meal train" and coordinates a calendar of who is bringing what meal when. It also has maps and directions to the persons home, meal ideas, etc. And it is super easy to use!

So based off the food preferences listed, I have decided to make Chicken Tortilla Soup! Now my favorite version of this soup is the one from Max and Erma's and I am pretty sure I have the recipe for that somewhere... Yes! Here it is: http://www.food.com/recipe/max-ermas-chicken-tortilla-soup-sues-original-clone-158138 . But largely the best part of Max and Erma's soup is the deep fried crispy chips on top! (Of course they are the best part!)

Max and Erma's Tortilla Soup from foodspotting.com 

However, if I am lazy, another version I have made in the past is tasty as well (and waaaay less fattening) which is always a bonus. It is a dried mix made by Bear Creek that I can pick up at most major grocery stores for between $3-$4... FYI: I shop religiously at Kroger!

Package of dried Tortilla Soup Mix by Bear Creek (Just add water and meat!)

I either grill up chicken and add it to the mix OR pan fry up some ground turkey meat and it does the trick as well, to make this soup more of a meal than an appetizer.  It also freezes well so it is perfect if you make a big pot and freeze the left overs.   I also recommend topping with some lite sour cream and cheddar cheese and dipping tortilla chips. The coldness of the sour cream is so yummy contrasting the hottness of the soup. Are coldness and hottness words? LOL!

Confessions of an Overzealous Visionary

So I have recently been inspired by Pinterest and several fabulous bloggers to start my own blog. I absolutely LOVE collecting ideas and best practices in the areas of fashion, beauty, decorating, DIY and parenting and am so excited to share my adventures with you all!

Now here comes the confession - I often get ahead of myself! I dream of this huge successful blog with thousands of adoring readers and me actually having the time to post daily with professional photos, videos, give aways and more. Yeah right! NOW is not exactly the time for me to take on such a HUGE responsibility.

Why you ask? Well I am 38 weeks pregnant with my second son (my first, Briggs is  just 15 1/2 months) and needless to say I have a ton of other "life" on my plate. However,  I am somehow inspired by this time in my life. Not only am I birthing another baby but I feel a re-birth of myself.

You see all through high school and college and even my early twenties I was very conscious of my image. I had fun playing with style and invested time in my health and fitness.  Around age 25 I had a bit of a quarter life crisis and kind of fell off the deep end. I packed on some lbs, quit my job, even questioned my marriage.  An that is where Christ found me... broken on the floor.



This was me just before my "quarter life crisis" or maybe I should just call it an "awakening!"



Ever since then I have been a Christian and redefined myself in Christ's image. I used to hold so many material things in a tight grip, and define myself by them. Now I find my value in serving God as he created me. As a wife, mother and philanthropist. HOWEVER, God also gave me a passion for girly (and not so girly) things like makeup, skincare, hair, fashion, interior decorating, crafty projects, construction, discount shopping and more! That being said, although I might talk a lot about these topics on this blog, it is important to point out that I don't find my identity or value in these things.

So back to "why now?" Well, I am ready to start investing in myself again. I feel like the last two years my body has been on loaner to my children...and really it has! I got pregnant in August 2010 and ever since then I have been either pregnant or breast feeding!  I haven't shopped for clothes because I always planned on getting pregnant again and let's be honest, these days I am lucky to get a shower in twice a week. So my hygiene is not exactly my crowing glory!  So, needless to say, with the birth of this baby, I am READY to get ME BACK!

Additionally, last October we moved into a new (and much larger) home for our growing family. The house is 12 years old but the former owners never decorated so literally every wall of the house was painted "builder cream" and the floors are either light grey tile or cream carpet. What a pallet to start with!  This really spurred my creativity and had brought out the "power drill" in me. I have taken on quite a few decorating, DIY and light construction projects and learned a ton over the past year. I have tons more projects up my sleeve and I look forward to documenting my journey and sharing my lessons, and mistakes with you all.



Alrighty! That's it for my debut post. With only 2 hours of nap time per day from my son, I have to type speedy and get straight to the point. As I mentioned before, my vision is HUGE, but my reality is pretty small right now for the blog. So I promised myself to just take it one day at a time. To write this blog for me, and if anyone takes notice, great. If not, I cannot let myself feel defeated.  This is an experiment to see if anyone out there is as crazy as I am! We shall see! :)

Ciao for Now!

Kelly