DIY Spring: When the weather doesn’t cooperate

DIY

The first of the daffodils are blooming, and I’m inspired!

Puxatony Phil sure failed this year, and according to the “news” reports, he is facing criminal charges and possibly the death penalty!  Wow, really?  No fear, I’m sure it’s a joke, but for this warm weather person, having snow the week before Easter is not funny!

I choose to be pro-active, and after seeing those first spring flowers pop up decide to get busy transforming on the inside in anticipation of what will soon be happening outside!

The first step to welcoming spring is to update my mantel:

I have candlesticks in several places, so I just added a white candle, re-purposed a mason jar and used a plain wreath and added some dried flowers (I spray painted the dried hydrangea blue!)  I did purchase a yard of blue burlap to add little touches:  a bow on the frame, a square of fabric under my tray on the ottoman, and a bow on an existing pillow.

Everything came from another area of the house except the new print I downloaded for free, here:  https://www.box.com/s/h3qvx0n2a0hx255hzvcj

I used Picasa to change the color to blue and crop it to fit a frame I already had.

I have box loads of mason jars from a previous wedding, so I’m thrilled at the possibilities for their re-purposing!

Time to update the pillows…  cotton material covering one, a bow on another and an old king-sized pillow slip on another (pulled each end together and secured with a leather cord):

and the kitchen chalkboard… an ever-changing work of art (well, not art exactly! :0)

I absolutely love it when I can shuffle a few things around, get out the hot glue gun and sewing machine, and transform my home in a fresh way.

I also love Pinterest, and these egg crate flowers were SUPER EASY!!  I just cut them out (it’s three layers), painted them white, poked a hole in the bottom and secured them together with a yellow twist-tie!  Didn’t even use hot glue–the twist-tie held them together and was long enough to make a loop to hang it on my chalkboard sign.  YEP–I’ll definitely be buying cardboard egg cartons from now on!

I’m still looking for front door wreath ideas, but for now I’ll put up the old one (with the nest still in from last year!).  Truth is, if the nest gets re-purposed again, it will be the third year in a row, and it’ll stay until the babies can fly on their own.

Baby, it may be cold outside (SNOW predictions again for this weekend), but seeing those daffodils come up sure put a little spring in my step, and hearing those birds chirping made me want to get my nest ready!

“And whatever you do, in word or in deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.”  Colossians 3:17