Gettin' Crafty

May seems to have been a bipolar weather month here - one day it's 88 degrees and we're at the pool, and the next day it's back to 64 degrees and raining...then repeat the cycle over and over again every day and a half. So, we've been taking advantage of being stuck indoors again by doing what we do best - arts, crafts and making stuff!

I found an unused 11x14 picture frame that was taking up space in my office, and I turned it into this handy dandy menu planner! The glass works perfectly with a dry erase marker so that I can plan out two weeks of meals at a time - perfect for making grocery lists (and so that Mitch doesn't eat Taco Bell for lunch on taco night) ;)

Last time Mitch went to So Cal, he came back with a small set of alphabet letters for stamping metal that he snagged from his grandpa's garage (aka a treasure trove of incredibly old tools and miscellaneous "things"). After being inspired by all kinds of metal stamped jewelry that I've been seeing on the internet lately, I dug out the metal stamps, a hammer, a washer and a black Sharpie marker to make this cute little necklace. Not bad for a first try!

(and yes, I just wanted to show off my massive pregnant chest...yikes!) LOL

I thought the mantle could use a little more color, so I gave the clock a bright new coat of red spray paint and created the "K" fabric frame to balance it out a little bit. Now, if only I could convince Mitch that the wall behind the mantle would look SO much better in a darker shade of taupe so that the fireplace moulding and the accessories would really pop!

The frame came from the dollar store, and the K and the white eyelet background are just fabric scraps that I had laying around in my craft room. I guess this time around I'm doing less "nesting" in terms of organizing and more redecorating this place while I still have a few minutes to do it!