Metal Basket to Kitchen Light Fixture

Yes, it's been a Loooong time. You know know I've been keeping myself busy with our new house. I've done LOTS of things. And maybe not so great about documenting them. 

But just the other day I did something that I just L O V E !!!

I took a metal basket that I found at a local furniture and accessories store and turned it into a light fixture over my kitchen table. So easy! I'll show you how I did it.

I've been looking for the perfect basket to do this with.  

Here's how my basket started out, with a handle.

 I paid only $39.99!

 There was a bolt holding the handle on. 

But I wasn't able to unscrew it, so I had to saw it off with my handy Sawzal.

 I then turned the basket over and located the center. With my 13-year-old assistant on hand, 

I drilled a small hole in the center and then used a large bit to make a big hole 

that would accommodate the pendant fitter.

 It isn't the cleanest hole, but I knew it was going to be covered up by the pendant fitter.

 I made a quick trip to Lowes and purchased the 

Pendant Fitter and one of those new cool Vintage Style Lightbulbs.

 I spent $31.06 at Lowes. 

Add my $40.00 basket and I'm gonna have my new light fixture for less thatn $75.00! 

And no one else willl have one like it!

After I attached the pendant fitter to the basket I installed thw whole thing to the electrical wires according to the package directions. Also super easy to do! Just make sure you turn off the power first!

                                               I love the way it looks and I DID IT MYSELF!

Announcing the Grand Opening of my Etsy Shop!

OMG! I've been busy since my last post. 

We moved (just around the corner-but we had to pack and take all our stuff non-the-less) 

and I finally opened an Etsy Shop!

I can't wait to show you some of my home projects, 

but before that check out what I've got in my shop.

I'm selling Subway Art. I've made so many different kinds over the years.

 This can be custom for a new baby girl or boy (and I'd change the color of course!) 

 "Choose JOY" was custom made for a friend. I can do anything for anyone, 

you just tell me what you envison and I can create something for you!

I lived in Cincinnati for a season and created this one to commerate our time there. 

I can create one for any city! 

Clemson Universtiy is the alma mater to several of my friends, 

and may potentially be somewhere that my kids choose to go to college!

Let me create one for your University!

 My family and I have vacationed in Marco Island for years. 

This would be a great idea to create for your "special place."

Do you have a favorite verse for your family? 

This is great to display with a group of photos or to give as a gift!

The University of Illinois is a special place for our family, it's where my husband and I met and where he graduated! So naturally I had to create one for the U of I! All background colors can be changed.

 AND

 I'm teaming up with my good friend Emma Kate and we are making Burlap Door Hangers. 

One for each occassion of the year!

 The Bunny for the spring and Easter.

 A cupcake to celebrate those special birthdays at your house.

 An ice-cream cone for those hot months when you need to cool off!

 Shamrock for March and St. Patricks Day.

 For December and Christmas, a stocking.

 A Valentine's Heart for February.

 For the Fall, October and Halloween a pumpkin.

And this can be personalized just for your door!

This is a small sampling of what we have in the shop.
Please vist Antsi-Pants on Etsy to see everything! Click here.

DIY Mirrored Nightstand IKEA Rast Hack

I have admired mirrored furniture for a long time. I finally had to take a stab at "doing it myself!"

I love the height of these tables and all the storage in the drawers 

(currently I think some of the drawers are still empty! What does one put in drawers beside the bed?)

 I am absolutely in L O V E !!! 

 The family and I made a day of it at IKEA to purchase two of these RAST dressers, $30.00

(perfect bedside table size!)

 I put both dressers together in less than 30 minutes (and no extra pieces either!)

I went to work (along with the help of my brother-in-law) adding trim to each drawer front. 

I used this .25 x 1.5" Lattice for the trim around the drawers and sides (and again on the top piece).

I painted the entire dresser white after sinking the nails and puttying the holes.

The next part was by far the trickiest and most time consuming. Instead of having mirrored glass cut 

(I priced it out and it was way to expensive for my taste and this project), 

I decided to make my own antiqued mirror fronts using the same technique that I did here.

I had the glass cut to size and then spray painted one side with my mercury glass finish.

Ok I lied. The next step was the trickiest! Drilling holes through glass!!! My husband and I read a bunch of tutorials and then used some scrap glass to practice on. Our first two attempts we ended up breaking the glass right before we drilled all the way through.

 Our third practice piece was a success! And the rest is history! The knobs are from Hobby Lobby.

 I drilled a couple large holes in the backs of the drawers for storage like this!

After much debate and a returned board, I went with this Pine-Edge glued panel for the top.
I trimmed it out with the same lattice I used on the drawers.
It looks great with a couple coats of paint. I may end up getting a piece of clear glass cut for the top.
But for now I'm pretty thrilled with the outcome.

We used a piece of "fancy" trim for the bottom and the sides.
If you're planning to do the same thing, you really can use just about anything.
Be warned, mitering edges is so NOT fun! But we did it!

I haven't been this happy with something since the Rustic Farm House Table!

Stacked Wood Frames with Burlap Bow

A couple of things you might already know about me.

 I love painting wood. 

I love burlap. 

And I love photography. 

I combined my love of these three things and came up with this:

A stacked wood picture frame with a large burlap bow!

I gathered the following supplies. 

Two frames, a foam paint brush, paint, wood glue and burlap ribbon (all from Hobby Lobby).

The frames were fairly cheap, and even better when I got them on sale 40% off!

After I painted both frames and lightly distressed them around the edges.

 I added wood glue to the small frame and glued it to the larger frame.

I just love this great big loose burlap ribbon. 

It's so easy to make a nice big bow and hot glue it to the top of my new stacked wood frame.

 I think I might make a dozen of these for various locations around my house. 

And maybe a few for some friends!

**note** 

Wood frames do not include glass. 

However you can find a piece of glass from another frame (Dollar Store) or have one cut.

Personalized Painted Mug

Baby, It's cold outside! Even in North Carolina. 

I got the girls together, along with a couple of their friends 

and we crafted up some new personalized mugs!

 We used the following supplies; Oil-based Sharpie's (I got mine at Hobby Lobby). 

It's very important that you use oil-based paint markers (like these Sharpie's) 

otherwise it may come off when you run it through the dishwasher.

 White ceramic mugs. I found these at Wal-Mart. 

Use of an oven in a well ventilated space.

 I cut jumbo plump letters with my Silhouette. But you can use a scrapbooking sticker too. 

 Apply the sticker to the center of the mug, burnishing the edges. I made sure that I placed the letter so that it would be facing out when I was drinking. You may not prefer to do it this way though.

 I started with the silver pen and placed dots all around (and a little over) my letter.

 Making sure not to go too fast, or you will end up with little lines and not dots!

 After I added the right amount of silver. I added red. And then added a little more silver and then a little more red. Until I was happy with the shape and the amount of dots.

 How cute is that! I think it may even make the hot chocolate taste better!

 We used a different color combination for each person in our family.

 Before you go ahead and boil your water for your own hot chocolate, 

you'll want to bake the mugs in an oven for 30 minutes at 350 degrees. 

This will help the paint to "bake" onto the mug and resist wearing in the dishwasher.

I left them in the warm oven (turned off) for a couple of hours as well.

These would make great gifts, party favors or a craft for a birthday party!
Enjoy and stay warm!