Scrabble Letter Art

Back in October, my friend Stephanie and I went to a cute little vintage goods sale in Pike Road, Alabama.  The Chapel Market was hosted by Layla of The Lettered Cottage, and many other bloggers came to sell their goods.  Miss Mustard Seed, Urban Farmgirl, Thistlewood Farms, At the Picket Fence, and Perfectly Imperfect just to name a few of them.  (You can see my posts about The Chapel Market here and here.) I was in hog heaven!  We had an amazing time!

I picked up some Scrabble letters from Miss Mustard Seed's booth, and they have been sitting in my closet ever since.  (I got all the letters I needed then except the "H." My dear, sweet, giving friend, Stephanie, let me steal an "H" from her Scrabble set. We had to dig to find it. It may have been her last one.  So, if you are gonna play Scrabble with Stephanie, you are out of luck for "H" words.)  You just can't find old Scrabble sets anywhere around here. I have looked at ALL the thrift stores/flea markets in the area. So if you find any, you know who to call. This girl!  I had in mind what I wanted to do with the letters when I bought them, but I just hadn't gotten around to getting the project done. 

Aside: Does anyone actually play Scrabble anymore?  I mean, didn't Words With Friends kind of make Scrabble obsolete? I know my mom and I have sat in the same room before and played Words With Friends. Is that weird?  That's kind of like texting someone who is right beside you, isn't it?  I'm sure there are Scrabble/board game purists out there, but I'm not one of them.  I do enjoy the occasional board game, but I honestly don't think I have ever played Scrabble.  Is that sad? That's really sad. Maybe I should play Scrabble with Stephanie. Stephanie would be fun to play Scrabble with. Note to self....think of lots of words that don't have the letter "H" before I do play Scrabble with her. Who thought of the word "Scrabble" anyway?  Scrabble. That's a funny word.  Maybe they thought of calling it Scramble first.  You know, because all the letters are scrambled up.  Then they decided it would be better to call it Scrabble instead.  I don't know. 

Anyway.....

I knew I wanted to make some framed art so I started out with the best-bang-for-your-buck picture frame....Better Homes and Gardens 8x10 matted frame for only $10 at Wal-Mart. (I have this frame a couple of other places in my home, the girls' gallery wall in their new shared bedroom being one of them. Will be sharing that with you guys really soon.) 

I gathered my supplies: hot glue gun (can't you see how loved and used it is?) and glue, scissors, frame, Scrabble letters, and scrapbook paper I got from Micheal's.  I had a couple different paper options for this project and my friend Jessica helped me settle on the turquoise and white stripes. 

Here's how: (so easy-peasy)
*Cut paper to size.
*Tape paper to the back of the matte.
*Hot glue Scrabble letters to paper.
*Assemble frame. 
*Bam! You're done! 

I originally was going to put this in the living room, but I decided to hang it on the gallery wall in our side entry.  I replaced a framed burlap monogram that was there with this new art and it looks a little more substantial and crisp now. (I moved the burlap monogram frame to the top open shelf of my kitchen....it looks good in its new home behind the milk glass.)

This makes me smile every time I pass now.  Got a Scrabble game that never gets played anymore?  Use the letters to make your own art! (How cute would this be for newlywed or new baby gifts?) Endless possibilities!

Linking up to:

Tuesday's Treasures at My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia
Tutorials and Tips at Home Stories A to Z
Take a Look Tuesday at Sugar Bee Crafts
The Weekend Link Party at Remodelaholic

Wild Spring Adventures

Whew! Spring break is finally over and the kiddos went back to school this morning.  I thought I would never get them ready and out of the door.... I think they got used to sleeping in a bit and didn't want to get up.  

We had an awesome, laid back spring break.  Jared was able to be off of work for the week with the girls.  

We had spend the night company.....

....and lots of friends to play with.  They put on makeup outside while they built fairy houses.......

We worked in our yard and garden.  My friend, Jessica, helped me get our raised beds cleaned out and ready for new plants to go in. (Here we had the first bed cleaned out.)

Here is after I got the second bed cleaned out.

I found that I still had some herbs growing from last growing season.  Chives and parsley. 

And I've still got some onions.  I was surprised that it all was doing so well. I thought all of the ice and cold weather we had would've killed everything.  I've also got asparagus planted in the last bed.  It is already sprouting, too. 

Even our girls wanted to help!  We hooked up our small trailer to our mower so we could take the piles of leaves, sticks and branches (our mature oak trees shed terribly), and weeds from the raised beds to the curb.  

Ashlyn helped me rake between and around the raised beds.  

Katlyn enjoyed her turn on the mower as well. (Don't worry....blades weren't down, it was on  the lowest speed setting, and Jared walked beside them the whole time.)

Jared also got our garden area tilled and ready for planting. 

Then, we took a couple of days in Valdosta, Georgia to go to Wild Adventures theme park.  If you've never been, it is a great place for families.  They have a variety of kiddie rides, large roller coasters, and animals.  And just a hint.....spring break was a great time to go because it wasn't crowded and there were hardly any lines at all.  We were able to do quite a bit without waiting.  The water park isn't open yet this time of year, though.  The summer is much, much busier when they open the water park and start having the all of the concerts.  They have a great concert lineup this summer. 

The tiger must have been an Auburn fan because when he saw Jared's hat, he took it and threw it down on the ground. The girls thought that was hilarious. 

Enjoying the Dizzy Dragons.....

They had this area you could go into and feed the birds.  We loved this!  Everyone but me had birds land on them and eat bird seed.  They particularly liked Jared. 

We had such a great time!  The girls already want to go back! But I am kind of glad spring break is over.  Back to the grind this week!  I have lots of fun things to share with you this week, including a giveaway!  Be sure to check back. 

Spring Break

Happy Spring!  I am sooooo glad it is finally here.  This week is my kiddos' spring break.  AND, my hubby is off work as well.  I'm going to take some time to enjoy my family this week....you know, making memories, camping (if the weather cooperates), theme parks, and lazy spring days.  I will get back to my regular posting schedule next week!  I have some new projects to share with you as well as a giveaway you won't want to miss!

Also, let me take a minute to invite you to become a Cultivate Create follower!  Don't ever miss a post.  Join this site with Google+ or by email (sign up on the right side bar), or you can follow on Bloglovin. Also, check out Cultivate Create on Facebook and Pinterest! I would love it if you would!

I hope you have an awesome week!  

Frugal Spring Decor: Shop Your Home

With spring approaching, I was getting a little impatient to see some blooms and spring color in my home. I wanted a new, fresh look, but didn't want to break the bank to get it.  I love my home to look pretty and inviting, but I have to keep budget in mind while bedecking our home seasonally. It just seems frivolous to spend a ton of money on seasonal decor that we can only enjoy for a short period of time each year. 

So, I decided to shop my home and yard and see what I could come up with without spending a single penny.  I wanted to show you that making your home look festive and pretty is attainable on a small budget.  You can do it, too.  You just have to get a little creative. 

I looked around my home and yard to see what I could use to create a fresh look. I used items like bird cages, books, vases, ribbon, and fresh cut blooms. I came up with six spring looks for my foyer without spending anything. 

1. Flower Power

I started by going outside and cutting blooms from one of my Camellia bushes, then snipped some branches from what I think is a Bradford Pear tree.  An old vase, tied with ribbon left over from Christmas, holds the branches, and a milk glass vase holds the Camellias. 

A bird cage sits atop a stack of books on one side, and a smaller bird cage and a bird figurine flanks the vase of pear blooms. 

2. Star Studded

This was a simple swap out.  I traded for the milk glass vase of Camellias for a mirrored star votive holder I got over a year ago at Z Gallerie. I only changed one thing, but it made for a different look. 

3. Middle Height

For this look, I cleared off the dresser and added two stacks of books symmetrically on each side. I put the height in the middle instead of on the side.  The books are topped once again with the bird cage on one side and an antique glass float on the other. 

4. Poetry Rules

Once again here, I put the books with bird cage on one side and the vase with branches on the other.  I added more elements this time; the star votive holder, the bird figurine, and the smaller bird cage all made an appearance along with a framed spring poetry printable in the center. (You can download the free printable here.)

5. Elegant Pairing 

For this look, I took away the bird cages and added the glass float, the milk glass vase, and a convex mirror.  I really love this pairing.  

Isn't it so pretty how the mirror reflects the the flowers?


6. Mirror Mirror

For this last look, I kept it simple.  The framed printable was put away and the convex mirror takes center stage.  I left everything else how it was in the previous look. 

So there you have it. Six spring looks without spending a penny.  

Here's what you need to keep in mind to get a new look for your home:
1.) Fresh cut flowers and branches are an easy way to brighten up a room. Look around your yard.  Look around your neighborhood.  I'm sure friends and neighbors wouldn't mind you getting a snip or two if you just ask.  Add your flowers to any existing vases you have. Freshen the look by tying ribbon around it.  Don't have a vase?  Use an empty tin can. Cover with pretty paper and you've got an inexpensive way to display your blooms. 
2.) Look in all the rooms in your home. Look for things like books with bright, spring colors, framed prints, figurines, or decorative candle holders.  By borrowing from other spaces in your home, you can get your new look without breaking the bank. 
3.) Play with it.  To get the look you want using your existing items may take changing things out a few times before you like it.  Do like I did and see how many looks you can come up with. Then, leave the one you like best. (I left #6.)

Go check these out! Linking up to:

Make it Pretty Monday at The Dedicated House
Metamorphosis Monday at Between Naps on the Porch
The DIY'ers at Homecoming
Tuesday's Treasures at My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia
Tip Me Tuesday on Tip Junkie
Tutorials and Tips at Home Stories A to Z
DIY Spring Crafts at SITS
The Weekend Link Party at Remodelaholic

Freebie: Spring Printables

Spring is in the air. Can you feel it?  The birds are chirping, the sun is shining, and the temps are finally starting to rise a little.  (I just hope they stay that way.)  There is just something about Spring. I love it. It's more than just the weather. It's the promise of new birth, of growth, of life bursting forth from what was dormant or dead. Just like me. And you. 

I created some free Spring Printables for you to enjoy.  If you are anything like me, you like to change your decor a little depending on the season.  One of the easiest and cost effective ways to do that is utilizing free printables. There are tons of blogs and websites that offer them, so they are generally easy to find, especially on Pinterest.  (You can go check out my Printables and Fonts board here.)

I found these quotes from E.E. Cummings and I knew I had to use them and pair them with bright, fresh colors.  I made one a bit more muted and one a little more bold. I hope you enjoy! 

To download, right click and save to your computer. Then print. Easy, huh?  For personal use only. Copyright 2014 Cultivate Create.

Linking up to:

Anything Blue Friday at The Dedicated House
Fabulously Creative Friday at Jen Rizzo
Spring Linky Party from At The Picket Fence