Happy Friday!

I have a fun post to share with you today. If you've been reading this blog for a while you might remember that Molly from Specs and Wings included me in her summer featured artist series last year!

Molly is a talented artist, and she's re-opening her etsy shop today! And to celebrate she's throwing a blog party. Yay! I'm honored that she's featuring two diy onsies that I made last week. Go visit Molly's Blog Party and check out the step-by-step instructions to make the cute outfits below.

She'll be posting new DIY projects and giveaways all day!

We have one piece of furniture that I really hate. I guess in the big scheme of things, one is not too bad. The problem is the size and location of this piece. It's a huge black box and is prominently displayed in our living room. In fact, I think I could go as far as referring to it as the focal point of our home. And I can't just get rid of it, because it's the only thing that Anderson picked out. And even though it's old and we could probably go out and get a nice sleek one, he loves the big black box. So my project this month was an attempt to make the area around it look a little more cheerful.

Before-How many boxes do we really need on top of the tv?
After-I gathered some fun, random pieces and tried to stay with a candy-colored theme!

This was another easy project, but it brightened the room up a lot!

A few details (left to right):
The big frame once held a hideous family portrait that hung in my Grandma's dining room. I painted it sea foam green and hung E - 2008 (for "Established 2008") in it. A modern take on the signs we've all seen in people's homes over the years. I used a wooden letter and numbers and covered them in magazine clippings with Modge Podge.

Below that is a framed vintage camera manual.

To the right is a framed "A" and a ceramic cow head from the thrift store.

The pink metal square is from Hobby Lobby, but it was a yucky rust color. I sprayed it cotton candy pink and attached a deer head cut out of scrapbook paper. (This is the picture I used in case you wan to make your own!)

I found the pink cuckoo clock on eBay and painted the canvas under it a long time ago!

I'm back at the OPAM projects! Style School was the reason for my two month break, but since that's over now; I'm ready to jump back into the fun world of random monthly decorating projects! Here goes...

This is the second bookshelf I've revamped since starting OPAM. I really like bookshelves, because I can display so many cute things on them. In other words, they are clutter collectors...and I love clutter!

This one came from Target a few years ago. It fit perfectly into the beach décor at my old apartment, so I bought a whole matching set when I moved in. But since I'm not into this color wood anymore it never made it into our house. It was in the garage in the i-don't-know-what-to-do-with-this-stuff-but-don't-want-to-throw-it-away pile. Then I decided what it needed was a little bit of pink spray paint. Ya'll know I like spray paint! Once I got the idea to paint I knew exactly where I wanted to put it and started collecting little goodies to display.

Before: Sad little shelf. After: Two cans of pink spray paint later!

Now it has a home in a little corner of our living room. Isn't it happy?!

Here's what I put on it...

On the wall: This clock from IKEA, this print that my sweet brother-in-law and sister-in-law gave me for Christmas and a yellow "A" from the thrift store.

On top: An old typewriter that someone was throwing away (gasp), a Polaroid camera and my Great-Grandma's book about how to read and write short-hand. Ha!

On the shelves: Books (including Bibles, legal thrillers by John Grisham, Amy Vanderbilt's "Complete Book of Etiquette" and old Reader's Digests), mini yellow vases from the thrift store, a light bulb full of confetti and an old hatbox top.

Completely unrelated...but thanks so much to everyone who sent me emails about where to go in Hawaii! I now have a list of fun things to see and do-yay!!!

About a month ago, a photographer-friend, Jenn, sent me a link on facebook and said "I saw this on Martha Stewart and thought of you!" I quickly clicked on the link and fell in love with the bib necklaces Martha was making. Then I got an idea. (Don't you love when that happens?!) I have a large amount of costume jewelry from my Grandma's stash. A LARGE AMOUNT! And have been trying to think of something fun I could make out of her old jewels. A bib necklace sounded perfect, because all the pieces would be unique and it would remind me of her when I wore it! So, I loosely followed the easy Martha tutorial. But added my own spin to make it a little more fun and funky...okay, and a little over-the-top!

Here's what I used to make it:
Necklace Template- I didn't actually use this, but it would have probably made things easier!
Buttons, Stones, Gems, Pins, Beads (Whatever you want.)
Super-sharp Scissors
Felt
Fabric glue
Ribbon or chain- I used an old gold necklace
Needle and thread

I just followed the instructions from the tutorial above-there's even a video if you need a little extra help. :)

If you make one, let me know. I'd love to see it!

PS-Style School starts this week. How exciting!!!

Between taking down my fall decorations, replacing them with Christmas ones, buying and wrapping presents and processing print orders I didn't have time for a true OPAM in December, but I did make some fun decor and thought you might enjoy it. Maybe you can save an idea or two for next year!

I love wreathes-and when I saw these yarn ones I was excited to try making one.

It wasn't hard to make, but wrapping the yarn around the foam wreath 5,000 times was NOT my favorite part. Once it was wrapped I added the pom poms, felt leaves and a little fabric yo-yo for accent!

Presents!!!

Paint sample gift tags.

Left: A big tree limb Anderson swiped for me from the little patch of woods in the middle of our neighborhood. I spray-painted it and stuck it in an IKEA flower pot.
Right: Oh, Christmas Tree!

More of the white tree.

I found this old record at the thrift store. Isn't it fun?!

Pom pom garland.

Left: A fun pillow I made out of fabric that has flamingos and motor homes on it-ha!
Right: The stockings hung by the TV with care. :) When we built our house Anderson didn't think we needed a fireplace. I agreed. I mean, it is Florida! But now his ridiculously large TV is the only place for our stockings to hang...sad.

The dining room.

Left: Little pink tree in the kitchen.
Right: A couple of the many crystal trees in the dining room.

I looked for bright green cloth napkins everywhere but couldn't find any. So, I bought these bandanas instead (for $.99).

Left: Crystal trees and a pink feather wreath that I made...on the dining room table.
Right: Some of the cards we got from family and friends. I loved them ALL!

Left: The frequently updated chalk wall!
Right: Merry and Bright

Oh, and can you believe the birthday celebrations are still going on? Anderson and I just can't let it go-ha! We're going out to celebrate his birth with my parents tonight. Of course he requested a buffet...seafood. It seems like a lot of our celebrations involve eating!

I like Maggianos, so we went there for my birthday.

Mom and Dad.

Anderson and Me.

Anderson wanted to see Avatar on his b-day, so we did. In IMAX 3D!

We ate at Gypsy Cab Company in St. Augustine on my actual day of birth. It's my favorite restaurant! Then we had to swing by the Fountain of Youth for some pictures.

Doesn't he look youthful?!

And yet another night of celebration at a Yummy Mexican restaurant. Yeah, I haven't really cooked much lately!!!