Gray is the new black

Oh my goodness, I'm so sorry it has taken me so long to post the pouch giveaway winner.  I've been working on several projects.  Thank you so much to all of you that participated.  I was really bad about not advertising my giveaway this time.  NO TIME!  My little bubba is getting more and more active everyday so it's hard to get time in front of the computer for more than a couple minutes.  Anyway...without further ado...

Congratulations to Gracie from GracieBellaButterfly!!! 

  

She is a super sweet girl and if you haven't already been following her, you really should.  She does these great gift swaps and it really makes me want to participate.  When I get more time I definitely will. :)


I've been on this DIY kick as of late.  Wanting to decorate our new home without breaking the bank.  I saw these amazing zig zag (chevron) patterned pillows for $50 on the internet and thought to myself, why not just make them myself?!  So, I found the same exact fabric for $7.95 and made 2 cases from it.  And instead of buying the inserts, I used the matching pillows that our sofa set came with.   

I also made one from linen and a designer white textured fabric as well.  Don't you just love them?!

*side note, this is not how I set them up on the sofas.

Oh and here is the duvet cover we bought from West Elm.  Our headboard is not arriving until next month so I'll wait till then to take a photo of our bedroom.  But here's what it looks like...

photo courtesy of west elm

I LOVE GRAY!!!!!!!

I'm not sure if this is really gray, because they call it "mink" on their site... ASOS and this is the first time I'm ordering this color from them.  But, it sure looks gray.  I just ordered it for one of the many weddings we're attending this year (4 so far).  It's in June at a winery and our June weather is usually still a little chilly.  I thought the long sleeves were a good idea.  Plus, isn't it so pretty?!?!?!  You can't tell from the photo but the sleeves are open all the way to the wrists. 

trapeze dress with slash sleeves | asos

Still trying to figure out what style and what color shoes to wear with this. 

Outdoor, some concret, some grass.  I was thinking maybe pink or purple?

Any suggestions???

DIY Linen Ribbon Board

I've done several DIY projects and I always forget to share the process with you.  So, I thought now would be a good time to do that.  Sharing is caring right? 

So, we bought a frame from Ikea to put one of our wedding photos in and during a past move my hubby stepped on it and broke the glass.  Great.  Well, I held on to it for the last 2 years trying to think of something to do with it.  I spotted some cute ribbon boards at Pottery Barn for $55 (board plus rod) and thought why spend all that money when I have all the supplies at home?! 

Supplies:
1 - frame - any size
1 - hot glue gun
4 - glue sticks
1 - pair of scissors
1 - ruler or tape measure
ribbon - any color or size (I used 3/8" in light pink.)
fabric - slightly larger than frame (I used an old linen scrap I got on sale.)

First make sure bubba is secure in swing.  Check.

Get your frame.  This is an old one without the glass.  You won't need the glass anyway.

Take it apart.  Put the mat aside (if it came with one).  You'll be working with the board.

Cut out the fabric slightly larger than the board.  Don't bother measuring.  Just eyeball it.

Get your hot glue gun ready.  I use the smaller one on high. 

Also, invest in the silicone pad.  It catches all the drips and the glue just peels right off!

Pull the fabric taut and glue into place.

Cut the corners so you get a nice edge.  You can skip this step.

But if you do it, it looks nice.  No one will see this so it doesn't really matter.

If you did it nice and taut it will look smooth like this.

Check up on bubba and see what he's up to.

Cut and place your ribbon out on your board where ever you want it. 

Some people go vertical and horizontal. 

I wanted to go diagonal at 3" apart.

Hot glue the ribbon to the back of the board.  Pull it really tight to get a good fit.

VERY important.

Cut and place ribbon again going the other way.  Weave it in and out. 

Meaning, go over, under, over, under.

When you're done it should look like this. 

If your frame came with a mat, go ahead and glue it to the back to just make it even more secure.

You don't have to do this, but I had the extra mat so why not.

Put the frame back on with no glass.

Tada!  You're done.  Now put your favorite cards or photos in there for a nice decorative look.

And there, using stuff I already had, I just saved myself $55.  You can buy the same frame at Ikea or I bet you could find some really cheap ones at a garage sale, antique shop or Goodwill.  They even make spray paint that will cover just about any material out there.  Have fun!

Don't forget about my pouch giveaway!!