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Wednesday, March 30, 2011

Entering the Crafting World

As John will attest, I am a huge fan of the Google Reader.  One site where I can quickly view and organize all the news, adventures of Sharkey and Franny, crafts, and, eh hem, wedding blogs I can read?  Sign me up!   And, yes, I proudly follow a blog "written" by two French Bulldogs.

It's probably from living in a beige shoebox, but I love the wonderfully creative and inspirational craft and design blogs out there.  I can get lost in the transformations of rundown thrift store finds.  Due to the temporary nature of my beige shoebox, my outlets for craftiness are quite limited.  But after running across Centsational Girl's jewelry holder, inspiration struck!  Using a few things I previously purchased on clearance and a handy Michael's coupon, I created a dry erase board and a cork board to hang in the pantry.

Supply List and Cost Breakdown
Matching 10x10 frames, Michael's, $5.50 each
Spray paint in French Blue, Michael's, for $3
12x12 cork board tile, Target, on clearance for $1.75 for 4
Sheet of scrapbook paper, Michael's, on clearance for 19 cents
Push pins, dry erase markers and eraser


The whole process was super easy, even for a first-timer like me.  After removing the glass and backs of the frames, I spray painted all of the edges.  I ended up doing about 2.5 coats of paint because I kept seeing spots that didn't have even coverage.  I did okay with the spray painting, but I needed to use thinner, more even coats to prevent dripage.  


While the frames were drying, I cut the cork board and the scrapbook paper down to the correct size using the frames' sunflower picture as a guide.  After about 45 minutes of drying, I popped the cork board in one of the frames and the glass and scrapbook paper in the other before closing both with their original backs.  Finally, using a couple of Command hooks (amazing invention!), I stuck them on the back of the pantry door to serve as a catchall for grocery lists and random recipes (and pictures of dogs).


I'm really happy with how this little project turned out.  At some point, I might get a more subtle piece of paper for the dry erase board, but it doesn't bother me now and it's easy to read what's written. The boards are cute and functional, and I think they are versatile enough to fit in many kitchens or offices. 

Tuesday, March 29, 2011

We Brewed White Lightnin'

The day after our engagement, I finally revealed my folders (and folders) of wedding inspiration pictures to John.  About a year and a half ago, I just "randomly" found my mouse sliding over to wedding blogs.  Collectively, these images reflected, as my mom so perfectly put it, a "theme of love and fun and beauty, love of the land and unpretentious veneration of Southern culture."  The loose flower arrangements in mason jars particularly caught my attention. 


After our little viewing party, John said he knew where we could get a bunch of mason jars, and I thought, "yeah, for $15 each at the antique store."  Oh, was I wrong to doubt my new fiance...

Being a second semester 3L includes a few perks, including just two classes and a single digit monthly countdown to graduation.  Over the winter, John enjoyed being reacquainted with this thing called "free time" by hunting on nearby game lands.  One day he came across hundreds and hundreds of glass bottles and steel drums scattered across the ground. Now, for the Baptists reading this site, we'll just call this the "dumping grounds," and for the Yankees, allow me to direct you to the history of our state's sport.  And since this is a family-friendly site, this is the end of the speculation of why hundreds of mason jars are hidden deep in the North Carolina woods.

So, on a warm February morning, we trek off on our first wedding-related task to retrieve the mason jars equipped with 10 Trader Joe's bags.  We get to the spot, and I'm blown away by the number of jars we find at the dumping grounds.  Many are broken or old applesauce jars, but we manage to fill up our bags in less than 30 minutes with perfect half-gallon Kerr, Lamb, Atlas, and Ball mason jars.  Half-gallon!  Be still my Martha-Stewart-loving heart...

Soon, my heart wasn't beating fast just from the ideas dancing in my head because we had to  carry our ambitious haul out of the woods.  Three-quarters of a mile out of the woods.  Did I mention that the jars were filled with dirt and the glass created a terrarium?  Coupled with ripping paper bags, the trek out was not nearly as quick as my giddy skip into the woods.  We finally got out of the woods and home with our new jars...

... our thirty-eight new jars!  After a couple hours of prying the dirt out and scrubbing them clean, they are as good as new!  


 My wonderful fiance cleaning the jars, which might have to be used as evidence at some future point in our marriage that he does know how to clean.


Beautiful and personal, what better words to sum up our wedding. 


Can't you see it now?



Next week we'll discuss what happens when you take all your suits to the dry cleaners, drag 38 mason jars out of the woods, spend all afternoon cleaning them, and then realize you need to be dressed for a formal event in two hours...

Tuesday, March 22, 2011

Welcome Home!

Welcome to our little piece of internet!  Join us on this adventure as we plan our wedding, move to Charlotte, and begin this new and best chapter of our lives together.  Stay tuned for our first wedding project and some suspect North Carolina history.

Enjoy the ride!
Caroline and John

Riding on the magic carpet (Magic Kingdom, March 2011)