How to Make a Love Pallet Sign

I am completely obsessed with Cricut’s font cartridges.  There are so many great things you can do with these cartridges not only for your scrapbooking and card creating, but you can also use these cartridges for many home decorating projects.  Today I am going to share with you one of my latest projects I created using some of these cartridges.

This project was created using some old pallets my neighbors were getting rid of and really didn’t cost very much money to make at all.   I knew after the Holidays were over I would be changing up the decorations in my house and wanted something with Mustard Yellow in it.  I came across a picture of this design while browsing the internet and knew I had to try it.  I love how it turned out and could not wait to share it with you today.  Here is how you can make one of your very own.

What You Will Need:

• Old Pallet(You can usually find this for free at a warehouse or local retail store.)
• Sander
• Nail Gun
• Wood Stain
• Cricut
• Cricut Cartridges
• Vinyl (2 Different Colors)

To Create:

First you will need to get your pallet wood ready to be turned into a sign.  Cut your Pallet to size using some kind of saw.  You can make your sign as big or as small as you would like.  It would be a good idea to measure the area you will be placing your sign before cutting your wood to size.

After you have cut your wood, take your electric sander and sand each piece.  Be sure you don’t leave any rough edges that could cause slivers.

Once your wood is completely sanded, take your pallet pieces for the front of the sign and lay them face down on the ground in the shape of a sign.  Then take to scrap pieces of wood and place them on the back of your face down pallet pieces going the opposite way.  Next, use your electric nail gun to attach the sign together.  You can view a tutorial on how to do this here.

Once your sign is attached together it’s time to add some wood stain.  You can use whatever color or style you would like.  Apply a layer of wood stain and let it dry completely.  Over night is typically best.

Once your stain has dried take your sander and sand over it again to give it a more vintage look and feel.

Then, take your Cricut machine & cut out the word love with your favorite cartridge.  I used the cartridge Lyrical Letters from https://www.craftdirect.com/cricut/cartridges/font.html to create my “Love”.  I then used a different cricut cartridge to create the heart shape which goes on the front of the sign.

After you have created the text and heart for the front, attach it to your sign.  Be sure to rub any bubbles out that formed when you stuck the vinyl to the wood.

Once your vinyl has been attached, attach a hook on the back of your sign and hang it on the wall.

This sign is easy to make and seriously goes great in almost any room in your house.  Enjoy!!

How to Organize Your Home for the New Year

With the New Year coming it’s time to start coming up with New Years Resolutions.  Something on everyone's to do list is getting organized.  This is something I am totally obsessed with.  There is nothing I love more than a clean house.  I love the feeling after a long busy day to come home to a nice and neat house.  It’s seriously one of the best feelings in the world.  Today for my blog post I have come up with some tips to help my readers get their home organized for the New Year.  Here is what you will need to do.

Make a List

This is probably one of the very most important steps.  Each January my husband and I sit down and create a list of all the things which need to be cleaned in our house.  One week at a time we tackle that list until it is completed.  Making a list not only makes it fun to keep track of what needs to be done, but gives you a reason to complete your tasks.  There is nothing more rewarding then checking an item off the list when you have completed it.

Work on One Item at a Time

Many people make the mistake of trying to tackle their entire house in one day.  This couldn’t be any more of a mistake.  When you put your focus on one area at a time it’s much easier and less overwhelming to get the job done.

Buy Cleaning Products Ahead of Time

Nothing is more frustrating than when you are in the middle of a deep clean and you don’t have the right cleaning agents that you need.  Before beginning your deep cleaning process, go out and buy all the cleaners you think you will need.  Not only will you be excited to use all your new cleaners, but you will have everything you need the moment you need it.

Cleaning your house can be an overwhelming task, but by following my simple tips above you can have one in absolutely no time at all.  You will love the feeling you get when you walk into a nice and neat house.

To read more tips on organizing check out http://www.hgtv.com/design/topics/organization

How to Make 2x4 Believe Blocks

As Christmas time approaches I find myself wanting to make a bunch of new decorations for my house.  My latest project was these Believe blocks.  Believe is one of my very favorite Christmas words and I wanted to create some kind of design with it for all to see.  I came up with these blocks.  I totally love how they turned out.  They were simple to design, easy to create & completely added to the home decor in my family room.  Here is how you can make some of your very own.

Items Needed:

• 2x4 Wood(Cut to the size you will want your blocks)
• Christmas Colored Paint
• Vinyl
• Silhouette Machine
• Scrapbook Paper
• Embellishments
• Paint Brush
• Sander

To Begin:

Take your 2x4 piece of wood and cut it down to size.  These blocks usually look the best if they are stacked and not all the same size.  You can see in the picture above that the blocks I created were all different sizes.  Some were 3.5 inches tall, some were 4 inches tall, and some were even 6 inches tall.  This step is totally up to you.  Cut your blocks to the size that would look best in your home.

Next, Take each of your cut 2x4 blocks and sand them.  Be sure and sand each side until it is completely smooth.  If you leave any rough edges it will make it extremely difficult to paint your blocks.

Once your blocks are completely sanded it is time to add some paint.  I painted my blocks a Green color, but you can seriously do whatever.  You could paint the blocks Gold, Red, or even Silver.  It’s up to you!

Be sure and do a couple layers of paint on your blocks.  I let my blocks completely dry between coats which made it easier to paint a second layer.

While your paint on your blocks is drying you can pull out your christmas scrapbook paper that you want to attach to the front of your blocks.  I went through all my paper and pulled out the designs that I thought would go together best.  I then layed each paper out in front of me to design the order I wanted my paper to go in.  

Once I had my paper order picked I measured each block and cut the paper to size to match the block which it would be going on.

After you have your paper cut to size apply a thin layer of Mod Podge on the back of it and attach the paper to your blocks.  Be sure to rub out any extra bubbles & make sure that each corner is attached properly.

Next, get out your Silhouette machine and your Vinyl to make the word “Believe”.  I’ve found that for projects like this, Vinyl is usually the best and easiest type of paper to use, that way it’s already sticky for you and all you have to do is apply.  At CraftDirect I found this Vinyl Bundle with every color that I needed, if you need some vinyl for your project you can find some here, https://www.craftdirect.com/silhouette/starter-kits.html

Once you have cut out the word Believe on your Silhouette machine it’s time to attach it to your blocks.  Peel off the back layer on your vinyl so that the sticky side is exposed & place it on your blocks.  Smooth out any bubbles that form when you attach the letters.

Lastly,  add any ribbon or embellishments that you would like to finish off your project.

These blocks are always a hit and are very simple to make.  You will love this simple addition in your home.

How to Make Gold Glitter Mason Jars

I recently put together a huge Christmas party for my Relief Society.  It was a rather large event to put together, but couldn’t have turned out any better.  The centerpieces I made for the tables were also a hit and very easy to make.  Today I’m going to share with you how to make these centerpieces for a party of your very own.  They would be the perfect addition to your holiday party decor, Christmas, New Years, etc.  They can also be used throughout the year for various parties and events.

What You Will Need:

• Gold Glitter
• Gold Paint
• Tape
• Scrap Paper
• Mod Podge
• Sponge Brush
• Mason Jars

To Make the Jars:

To begin, make sure each jar is completely clean.  When working with jars it is so very important to properly clean and dry them before beginning your project.  If you leave this step out, you will find dust flakes and other materials in your paint.

After your jars have been washed and dried it’s time to beginning painting.  For this step I painted each jar with one layer, let each jar completely dry & then painted with a second layer.  I continued this process over and over until my jars were the desired color I wanted them to be.

Next, Once your gold jars are completely dry it’s time to add the glitter on the bottom.  I had a little trial and error with this step.  The first time I did it I just placed painters tape all the way around the bottom of the jar to get a straight edge for my glitter.  However, when I took the painters tape off, it also took the rest of my paint off with it since the paint was stuck to glass.

To make things easier, I placed a scratch piece of paper all the way around the jar to create a straight line.  I then taped the paper together and didn’t place any tape on the glass.  This I found was the best way to get a straight line without ruining your paint job.

After I had my paper attached to my jar, I then applied Mod Podge all the way around it.  Just do a thin layer of this.  Immediately after your jar has been covered in Mod Podge pour your glitter all the way around it.  Be sure to have a scrap paper underneath where you are pouring so you can reuse your glitter that falls.

Once your jar has been completely covered in glitter on the bottom set your jar aside and wait for it to dry.

After your jar has dried it is ready to be used for the party!! I made 9 of these jar centerpieces for my party and seriously did them in no time at all.  You will not only love how easy they are to make, but will love how beautiful they turn out.