Sunday, April 27, 2014

Much Ado About Monday {No. 57}


MONDAY FUN~DAY!!

What a busy weekend! On Saturday I spent the morning with my oldest daughter at the symphony where we enjoyed the orchestra's 'Belle of the Ball'. Music from Beauty and the Beast was featured and the little girls all dressed up as princesses. We had a fantastic time and it was so nice to introduce Jaydn to the world of classical music. A baby shower for a great friend of mine was thrown later in the afternoon and then I hurried a little girl to dance class. Whew..


What were you busy with last week? Over here at Huckleberry Love Lydia was cooking up some deliciousness with her awesome crock pot Lemon Rosemary Chicken. Meanwhile, Emily "finally" finished up her living room with her Simple Gallery Wall.


And lets not forget all the great projects you all linked up last week. We had a hard time picking our favourites, but we managed to narrow it down to these fantastic ones.


Jamie's Pick: Looped Ribbon Birthday Photo Wreath via I Dig Pinterest
Emily's Pick: Audrey's Handmade Nursery via Night Owl Corner
Lydia's Pick: Berry Cream Tarts via Hello Little Home
Jill's Pick: Puffy Felt Flower Headband via Happy, Healthy & Domestic



And as always we have to give a HUGE shout out to our most viewed link... Mocha Turtle Trifle via Pickled Okra!

If you were chosen as one of our features, make sure to grab our 'I Was Featured' button and display it proudly. :)




Now LET'S PARTY!

The rules:


*We love our followers, and always follow back. Please follow us on GFC as well as BlogLovin:
Follow on Bloglovin


*You can also find us at these favorite social media sites: FacebookTwitterPinterestInstagram, and Google+
* Please link back to us in your post. Whether it be through a text link or by posting our super cute button somewhere in your post. We appreciate it!
* If you do NOT link back to us in your post, you will NOT be Featured on Much Ado About Monday. So, link back! You'll thank us later. :)
*Features posts will be pinned on Pinterest and promoted on Facebook and Google+
* Feel free to link up decorating tips, DIY projects, recipes, organizational ideas, sewing and crochet creations or anything else crafty or that you find inspirational.
* Please do not link up giveaways, Etsy shops, or projects that were not made by you.
* You may link up to three posts a week!
* If your post has been featured, please do not link it up again.
* Remember to visit, visit, visit! That's the point of a party, right? Have fun!
Thanks for joining us this week!






Saturday, April 26, 2014

Simple Gallery Wall & Living Room Reveal



 Drumroll, please! I'm excited to say that our living room is *finally* finished! After almost five years of adding things here and there, waiting for just the right item to come along and a few DIY projects, it's complete! I absolutely love this room. Every time I walk in our front door, I smile as I take in the view. To me, it's perfect.

The final touch was this gallery wall that I've been planning forever...


A month or so ago I posted this photo on our Facebook page. I had bought all of the frames from IKEA. (They're the Ribba frames in white.) and finally got around to figuring out how I wanted to hang them. I went a little "frame crazy" and actually ended up with about 7 left over. Whoops! Don't worry, I'm sure they'll all find a  home on a wall somewhere in our house!


Next, I put my hubby to work hanging the frames. He's an engineer, so he actually enjoys things like this. He even uses a level. Me? I'm more of an "eyeball it and hang" kinda girl. He's not a fan of my technique. ;)


 Once he finished hanging the frames, we noticed that they were a bit crooked. We used Command Velcro to keep them straight and secure on the wall- worked like a charm!


And, here is our completed gallery wall in all of it's glory! It's simple, colorful and bright. Exactly what I wanted.
A little rundown of what we hung up:
 1. Custom State Printables from Olive and Birch. (I made the "Home is Where the <3 Is" printable in the middle.)
2. My favorite photos of my boys taken a few years ago by Kiss the Moon Photography.
3. A beautiful pet portrait, painted by LauraKG, of our beloved boxer Charlie who passed away a few years ago.
4. One of our wedding photos taken by Corey Ann Photography.
5. Our wedding "Guest Book Tree" that we ordered from Peachwik.
6. Family beach photo taken last summer at Carolina Beach


Here's a more close-up look at our Guest Book Tree. I love how personal it is and that it's out for us to look at all of the time! My favorite "leaf" is the one that my husband signed when I wasn't looking on our wedding day. He wrote, "I can't believe I got to marry the girl of my dreams! So much love, Jason"... He's definitely a keeper. :)



The gallery wall was the last piece of what felt like a never-ending puzzle when it came to completing our living room. It's evolved a lot since we moved in almost five years ago. It's been repainted three times, been furnished with different furniture and has been rearranged more times than I care to mention. But, finally, I feel like it's done! Whew! And I'm so happy with it. :)



Here's the wall across from the couch. We had to hire an electrician to come and run the wiring for us to hang the TV up over the mantel and hide all of the loose wires. It was worth the money. We spent almost a year with wires hanging down from the TV onto the mantel and I couldn't stand it! The brown reupholstered chair was an easy project that turned out beautifully. Isn't it wonderful when paint and/or fabric can breathe life into an object? And behind the chair you'll notice the glass bottle wall sconces that I made last year. They're still one of my favorite projects. I'm looking forward to when the peonies are back in bloom so that I can fill the jars with them!


 None of the furniture in the room was purchased new, other than the IKEA Billy bookcases flanking the fireplace. Everything else was found on Craigslist, a local painted furniture site, or at Goodwill. It pays to wait for exactly what you're looking for. A lot of times you'll get a really great deal out of it! :)


I get a lot of questions about all of the white furniture. I love it. It's bright, cheerful, clean and neutral. The couch and chairs are slipcovered. We've had everything from red wine to coffee spilled on them and there's never been a problem getting the stain out. I simply throw them in the wash with some bleach and they're as good as new! I live with two toddler boys, so it's hard to keep their dirty little feet and hands off of the couch! Our house is lived in, but still looks nice most of the time. If you're on the fence about getting white furniture, I say to go for it! If I can do it, so can you.


 A happy spot by our front door. I made the A-Z bookends, tweet sign, and coffee filter wreath. And I also painted the coral, monogrammed tray and the picture frame. The trunk is from Target and holds most of our DVDs. The curtains you see were a Target clearance find. It took me four years to find the perfect curtains for this space. I'm so happy that I held out, because I absolutely love these! :)


What do you think of my "finished" living room? Are you a fan of white furniture? Is there a room in your home that makes you smile every time you walk into it?
Have a great weekend, friends! Thanks for stopping by. :)
Linking up with:

Friday, April 25, 2014

Lemon Rosemary Chicken {Crock Pot Recipe}

I have no idea how moms made dinner before the crock pot was invented. I seriously don't. Now that I have three kids (and let's be honest--when I just had one!), my crockpot is my best friend in the kitchen. I am always on the lookout for new recipes to try but I have a handful that I keep always in the menu rotation.


This Lemon Rosemary Chicken is one of them. So simple but incredibly tasty, it's one of my favorite recipes to make when I have a large crowd for dinner.  Bonus: this meal will make your whole house smell heavenly, which is also a plus when people are coming over. I found this recipe courtesy of Stephanie O'Dea, crock pot extraordinaire.


A whole chicken is a lot of food for my little clan (if we don't have company). But that's just fine because the leftover chicken is perfect for making chicken pot pie later. The leftover chicken freezes really well. I debone it and save only the meat, which makes it so much easier in the future.


Ingredients:

- Whole chicken, skinned
- Salt and pepper
- Whole head of garlic
- Bunch of rosemary leaves
- 2 lemons, sliced

1. Rinse chicken and rub with salt and pepper, inside and out. Put in the crock pot.

2. Separate garlic into cloves and place inside and around chicken.

3. Place sliced lemons and rosemary inside chicken cavity and on top of chicken.

4. Set on low for 8 hours.

5. Allow the amazing aroma to permeate your house and cause you to salivate until it's time to eat. {This last step is super easy to do.}

6. Enjoy!


 Once you make, you will understand why this recipe is one of our favorites. Simple, healthy and so incredibly delicious!


Linking up here:

Sunday, April 20, 2014

Much Ado About Monday {No. 56}

 
 
We're so glad that you stopped by to party with us this week!
 
 
How did you celebrate the holiday? We had our neighbors over for dinner and an egg hunt, which the kids just loved! Earlier this weekend we headed out in search of bluebonnets! We found a beautiful field and actually managed to get a few decent shots of the kids. (It is HARD to get pictures of toddlers actually smiling AND looking at the camera, y'all!) There was also a bit of egg dyeing, shopping and visiting with the Easter bunny, too. Let's just say we had a very busy weekend. The best part that my Mom was in town visiting as well, so the kids got to spend a lot of time her. :)
 

It was also another busy week here on the blog! Jill shared her beautiful DIY Hoop Art for our monthly contributor post over at From G2B. She also gave us a look at the adorable Easter Applique Dresses that she made her girls, while Jamie shared a fun Easter Bunny craft project that the whole family would love to make together!


We also had  a record number of partiers last week for Much Ado About Monday! Thank you all SOO MUCH for stopping by each week and sharing your creations with us. We're so grateful that you choose to share your ideas here at Huckleberry Love. :)
 
Now, onto this week's features!
 
 
Emily's Pick: Peep Popping Easter Cupcakes via Jodie Fitz
Jill's Pick: Lemon and Honey Tart with Salted Shortbread Crust via Simply Suzanne's
Lydia's Pick: House Number Sign via The Happy Scraps
Jamie's Pick: Burlap Bunny Easter Treat Bags via Put a Bird On It


And, the most popular post from last week's party was this delicious Amish Egg Bake shared by Grandparents Plus!

If you were chosen as one of our features, make sure to grab our 'I Was Featured' button and display it proudly. :) 


Now LET'S PARTY!

The rules:


*We love our followers, and always follow back. Please follow us on GFC as well as BlogLovin:
Follow on Bloglovin
*You can also find us at these favorite social media sites: FacebookTwitterPinterestInstagram, and Google+
* Please link back to us in your post. Whether it be through a text link or by posting our super cute button somewhere in your post. We appreciate it!
* If you do NOT link back to us in your post, you will NOT be Featured on Much Ado About Monday. So, link back! You'll thank us later. :)
*Features posts will be pinned on Pinterest and promoted on Facebook and Google+
* Feel free to link up decorating tips, DIY projects, recipes, organizational ideas, sewing and crochet creations or anything else crafty or that you find inspirational.
* Please do not link up giveaways, Etsy shops, or projects that were not made by you.
* You may link up to three posts a week!
* If your post has been featured, please do not link it up again.
* Remember to visit, visit, visit! That's the point of a party, right? Have fun!
Thanks for joining us this week!

Friday, April 18, 2014

DIY Hoop Art {Contributor Post}

I’ve been having so much fun putting my littlest one’s big-girl room together. We bought an antique bedroom set, and while my husband is busy refinishing it, I've been working on her room décor. One of my friends posted this super cute idea, to hang embroidery hoops with coordinating fabrics above the bed.  It was a perfect match to the vintage feel of Miss Emeline’s room, so I went in search of coordinating fabrics and various sized embroidery hoops.



Head on over to From G2B to see how I created this beautiful DIY Hoop Art!


Linking up with these great parties:
Craft Frenzy Friday
That's Fresh Friday
Get Crafty Friday

Thursday, April 17, 2014

Easter Basket Bunnies {from Garden Gloves}






























As Lydia said last week, when she shared her Easter Bunny Project Round-Up, Easter just wouldn't be Easter without cute, cuddly bunnies. Well, that just so happens to be how my mom feels about Easter and Spring; bunnies are her thing. You could basically say she is a bunny hoarder collector. ;-)

My mom also happens to be a bit of the crafty type {the old apple doesn't fall too far from the tree I guess} so when I was about 9, she got this fabulous idea to make a basket with little bunnies made out of gardening gloves. I remember we did the project together and it was by far the most fun I'd ever had getting crafty {who knows, maybe that was the pivotal moment that set me on my crafting journey}.

Here is our original creation!

Anyways, when she was planning to come down here to visit last month for my newest littles' arrival we got talking about that bunny project we had done so many years before. That was the moment that we decided that we needed to re-create 'the basket' with my girls.

I was at Hobby Lobby that same afternoon dragging my very pregnant behind through the aisles looking for the treasures I would need for my basket. And now, because this project is sooo fun to do, I want to share it and how you can make your very own with you all :)

Can't Get Started Without:

~gardening gloves
~a basket {I used a pink wicker one}
~fiber fill
~googly eyes
~pink and cream felt
~black and pink sewing pins
~moss or faux grass
~glue gun and glue sticks
~miscellaneous decorative embellishments
I USED:
~curly craft hair
~mini craft hats
~mini birds nests
~mini plastic eggs
~silk flowers
~wire


This project is great because although there are a few 'must have' items, there is also a lot of room for creative license by adding any embellishments that suit your fancy.

I started by stuffing my gloves. Stuff each finger and the top third of the hand part but don't stuff the thumb.It is really important to make sure that the gloves are stuffed really full, especially where the fingers meet the rest of the glove. This is to make sure that each finger stays standing straight up and doesn't fall over. We don't want any floppy bunnies. ;)


Because you didn't stuff your thumb, just glue it down and out of the way.


Next, I had to decide which bunnies I wanted to have hats. It is important to place the hats first so you know how far down you want the eyes to be. If your bunny is going to have hair though, then you'll need to do that before the hat.

Take your craft hair and cut it to whatever length you want your bunny to have. For my bunny I cut the hair about 2 1/2" long.


Once I had all of my hair cut. I pinched it in the middle and glued it to the top of the finger.


I then glued on a craft hat.


Next came the eyes. I found some really cute 'girl'ones that had little eyelashes on them.


Glue those babies on and get ready to add those cute little bunny cheeks.


To make the bunny cheeks, we just rolled bits of fiber fill into little balls.


Glue two of these just below your bunnies eyes.


Next, add your bunnies nose by gluing your sewing pin in between each cheek.


The last thing your bunny needs is ears.

We made our ears by first drawing out a template  for the outer and inner portion of the ears. We traced out each outer ear portion onto the cream felt and did the same with the inner ear portion onto the pink felt. We then glued the inner ear onto the outer ear.


Once your ears are completed, glue them onto the back of your bunnies head (for bunnies with hats, glue the ears onto the outside of the hat).


Continue to create the rest of your bunnies on each finger of both gloves. Each can be as different as you want. For one of my bunnies, I chose to add some wire glasses.

To make these glasses I used a pliers and pen to shape two circles with a little bit of extra wire on each end.

They look so cute on this little Grandpa Bunny don't they?
Once each of my bunnies was finished I realized that they were a little too close together so,


I took an elastic band and tied it just under where my glove was stuffed to. This helped to spread out the fingers and gave each bunny the space it needed.


Once my bunnies were 100% finished, it was time to put them into the basket.


Fill your basket almost all of the way full with moss.


Dig out two little holes where you want your bunnies to sit and place your bunnies in each one. Add some more moss in between each bunny to make them all look like they are individuals.


This is an optional step, but I added some additional, more natural looking moss on top to give the grass some depth.


At this point, the girls were able to step in a really help out. We used all of our additional embellishments to decorate our basket. The girls were really excited because I basically gave them free reign and let them put whatever they wanted anywhere in the basket.

We started by making a nest filled with eggs.


The girls liked the nest so much that they wanted to put eggs all over the basket!

Our last step was to add our silk flowers. I just cut off individual flowers from a bouquet that I had gotten. I let the girls decide which flowers I should cut and where each flower should be placed.


They had so much fun!


And then we went outside to pose with the great new Easter decoration we made together.


This project is such a special one to me. It was so fun to recreate the basket I made with my mom almost 20 years ago with my little girls. I really hope they enjoyed making this basket with me as much as I enjoyed making it with my mom. :)


I hope you like this 'Easter Basket Bunnies' project as much as I do! What embellishments would you add to your basket? I would love to see pictures of any 'Easter Basket Bunnies' you create. :)

Linking Up With These Fab Parties:
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Weekday Mixer
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