DIY Dried Flower Display...

A few nights ago my friend Emily and I made these super cute dried flower displays and I can't help but share them with you! They're perfect for any space in your home and have the ideal blend of old and new. Most of the items can be found around your house or thrift store. 

So here's what you'll need to get started...

• A drawer knob---here's the one we used for our display, but any old knob will work!

• Small or medium sized vase or wicker basket. The vase can be glass, ceramic, or metal. Emily's wicker basket was actually purchased at Oh, Hello Friend's brick and mortar shop in Downtown Fullerton, so if you're local to Southern California, check it out! 

• Wood. It doesn't have to be salvaged but it makes for a nice look. If you're working with new wood, try choosing wood with imperfections at any hardware store. You can even stain it to get the "salvaged" look, I suggest these tips by DIY Network. ***Try to have your vase or basket picked out before you cut your wood so that the wood piece is almost double the size of the length of your vase or basket.***

• A piece of leather string or twine, anything to tie the vase or basket to the piece of wood

• Dried flowers for a wicker basket display, or fresh flowers/plants for a vase display

To put it all together you'll need...

• A drill 
• A saw
• A pencil
• Measuring Tape
• Scissors
• Picture Hanging Kit (I found mine at the 99 Cents Only Store)

OK, let's get started!
Don't pay any attention to my crazy hair...

After you cut your wood piece, 

find the center and mark it so you know where to drill your hole for your knob...

Drill a hole about 2 inches from the top of the wood...

Attach your knob to your wood piece...

It should look like this :)

Next, using your leather string or twine, tie your basket or vase to the knob...

Almost done!
You can also add the hanging hardware to the back of the wood at this stage---see bottom photo.

Add your flowers, and voila!
So easy, right?!

Here's the dried flower display sitting on my friend Em's piano...

SO GORGEOUS and a perfect autumn look!  

And here's mine hanging in my home :)

Hope you have as much fun making these as we did!

xo, 

Ana 

DIY Bat Tree...

This is a re-post from last year, but I thought I'd share it just in case anyone wants to make it! If you do make one, let me know, I'd love to see yours!

~~~

Halloween is next week! So here's a fun little activity I modified from Martha Stewart Living to decorate your home, create with your babes, + put you in that ghoulish spirit!

1)Trace these bat templates onto black card stock (I used black construction paper) + cut them out following the template instructions. 

2)Using a tack, punch a small hole in the center of each bat. 

3)Poke a piece of thread (I used floss) through each hole and knot it. 

4)Tie the bats to a few branches (painting them with black acrylic paint is optional). 

5)Then place the branches in an old vase and fill with autumn leaves (real/plastic), or hang one branch from two pieces of thread secured to a window frame with flat thumbtacks. 

6)Have a happy Halloween! 

Life Happenings /// Smash Book...

Hey there.

Well, it's been almost a month since my last post. To start, my last day at Starbucks was last week. I know. Crazy, right? I didn't want to blast the news all over social media because it was kind of a tough decision for me. I saw the bux as a safety net, and since that net has been removed, I feel a little exposed and am totally trusting in Him that everything will be alright :)

Also, James + I went on a little adventure together last week. It was a little crazy, but we did it! I'll post more about that tomorrow or Thursday! 

Also, Portland has a new home. She went to live with our good pals Donnie + Jenn who are beyond head over heels for her! We couldn't have chosen a greater family to love her. We realized it might get a little too overwhelming training a pup and caring for a newborn at the same time. Maybe we'll get another sweet canine pal for Teddy one day, but for now we will continue spoiling him as the only furry baby around here. 

Also, have you heard of Smash books? Yes? NO!? I love mine. I don't feel the need to make it perfect the way I do with scrap books (even though it's essentially the same thing), with my S.B, I just throw stuff on the page, write out some quick notes or detail, and voila! A page is done! Mitch gave it to me a few months ago as a "just cuz" gift, but I've recently been journaling and pasting in it. 

Here's a little preview of mine: 

I recently created a board on Pinterest for my smash book /// scrap book. Check it here if you fancy. 

Still don't really "get it"? 

Watch this video...you'll get it :) 

His room...

is finished!

We had such fun looking for vintage decor at the goodwill, antique shops, and especially the Rose Bowl Flea Market! So please enjoy the photos of his 1950's inspired cowboys + indians nursery! 

What would a cowboys/indians room be without Frederic Remington artwork? 

 A horseshoe above the doorway...

 Vintage toy gun...

 our chair...

 his blanket (made by my dear friend Cristina)...

a shadow box with: handkerchief, Roy Rogers book, Indian head nickel, & Sheriff James' badge... 

 shelves (and dream catcher)...

 the crib & bandana pennant his daddy made for him...

 his bookshelf...

 closeup of his Bullseye next to a photo of daddy + uncle Vince...

 changing table and dressers...

 Finally, fun wall art of a lil' buckaroo...

T-minus 6 days and counting! 

Take your time son, but please know mom + dad can't wait to see you! 

Craft Nite...

My dear friend Erin hosted all the ladies from our life-group to come over for dinner + a craft.

Craft: do-it-yourself floral hair clips

Materials: fabric (satin/silk); buttons, pearls or sequins; scissors; hot glue; alligator clips or bobby pins

1. Start cutting circles out of the fabric. It helps to start with a small circle, then work your way up to bigger circles. You should have about 5-8 circles, and your table will look something like this:

2. Next, burn the edges of the cut circles:

3. Then glue the petals together with a hot glue gun, and place a button, pearl or sequence in the middle like this: 

4. After the petals + center piece are glued together, glue a bobby pin or alligator clip to the back, and voila! You did it yourself! 

Work it, girl.

DIY photobooth fun...

So last Saturday our life group threw a "back-to-school" BBQ for the Richman neighborhood in Fullerton. It was a lot of fun! There were over 150 hotdogs, chips & water bottles given out to the community, as well as face painting & free photobooth pictures for the kiddos. 

I originally saw the idea on "You Are My Fave", & loved it! Here are the details on how to make your own photobooth for events like birthdays, weddings, BBQ's or any type of shin dig!

p.s- hip hip to my 200th blogpost!