TBT Restoration Hardware Chandelier DIY

July 14, 2016 / TakeTimetoCreate / Leave a comment

Hello Everyone!

I wanted to take a few minutes today to do a TBT. I made this chandelier about 4 years ago and I still love it! Here is the original blog post: Restoration Hardware Chandelier

The DIY took me a while to complete, but it still is one of my favorite projects! I hope you all enjoy the walk down memory lane.

I have a lot of new readers so I wanted to share this DIY with everyone.

When I saw this RH chandelier I fell in love! I mean it is a perfect blend of sparkle and fancy with rustic, industrial elements. But I did not fall in love with the cost.

The Full instructions are in the original post, but here are the abbreviated instructions

I found this old light fixture and added some hoops that I found at the craft store.

After adding the hoops I spray painted everything with Rusteloem Oil Rubbed Bronze (my favorite spray paint)

Then I added all the crystals and light bulbs

Then we hung it up and it looks awesome! People are always surprised when I say that I made it!

What DIY projects have you done that were inspired by Restoration Hardware?

Turn Gift Bags into Wall Art

June 16, 2016 / TakeTimetoCreate / 2 Comments

Hello Everyone!

I have a serious question for you, have you seen the awesome gift bags at the dollar store? They are amazing! So cute and every design imaginable. When I see them I think that these should be hung on the wall and not given away. And that is just what I did.

This one I put in my teenage son’s bathroom. He got a kick out of it. We will see how long it stays there, haha.

This is not the most complicated DIY that I have ever done, but it is easy and fun and you can have new art work for a couple of bucks.

All you need are gift bags from the dollar store (from this picture you can see that I might have a problem collecting too many….. nah, I think I don’t have enough, lol)

And a frame ( I got mine from the dollar store as well)

Just use the glass from the frame to see where to cut and cut out the design and put in the frame and that is it! All done.

Think about all the options, you can switch out for the holidays (the dollar store always had gift bags around Christmas)

You can give a gift in the bag and give them a frame to use after they open the gift. It is like a 2 for 1 deal.

I thought that this one was very sweet, wouldn’t this look perfect in a nursery?

This one would look so cute in a nursery as well.

This one would great for newly weds, or even as a decoration at a wedding reception.

This one would be great for a boy’s room or a man cave. The possibilities are endless.

And the best part is that there is usually an identical design on the front and back so you can get twice as many pictures out of 1 bag. This is great if you have 2 kids that want the same art and you only want to buy 1 bag.

I did save the back of the bag for different projects in the future, so look forward to seeing these designs again.

I hope you can find some really great bags to hang on your walls.

Re-purpose an old window into a shabby chic message board

June 2, 2016 / TakeTimetoCreate / 2 Comments

If you follow my Instagram (taketimetocreate) then I am sure you have already seen the reveal of this repurposed window. For those of you who don’t follow me there here the shabby chic message board!

I have to say I do love the way it turned out! This all started when my friend asked me to paint a window for a silent auction for mental health awareness. At first I wasn’t too interested, not because I didn’t believe in the cause (because this is one cause I totally support) it was because I wasn’t sure I had a design that would work. Most everyone else did a more traditional painted window with flowers on the glass and things like that. Well of course I didn’t follow the crowd. So I did my own thing and hopefully it will bring in a lot of money for the charity!

Here is how I did the repurposing.

Materials:
~ old window (for this to work you for magnets you will need one with a metal screen)
~ sandpaper, tape, cleaning supplies
~ paint and brush
~ cork
~ flowers, magnets, tacks, and clothes pins
~ ribbon and burlap

Instructions:
~ The first thing you will need to do is sand down all the rough edges and smooth it out. Once you like the feel of the window then give it a good cleaning.

~ Now you are ready to paint. I taped around the edges to help cut down on how much paint went on the screen, and this seemed to help.
Paint a couple coats until you get it to how you like it. I used this white acrylic paint that I had on hand.

~ Cut your cork down to size and glue it on to the screen. I just glued the edges with a metal glue and that seems to hold it pretty well.

~Then I went to work decorating the edge. Shabby chic is all about layers so that is what I did. I put down a layer of burlap, the layered on a layer of crochet ribbon that I had in my stash.

That looked good, but I felt like it was missing something, so I added a ribbon on top and flowers in the corners.

Then I added ribbon to the bottom of the screen and to the bottom of the window. Once that was done it was time to add the flower decorations.

~ For the flowers add a magnet the back of some and tack to the others. For the clothes pins I just added ribbon to a plain clothes pin I got from the dollar store.

And that is it. This is a very fun project that is easy to do and I loved using what I had on hand. I can’t wait for the auction and hopefully they will make a lot of money for their cause!

Turn an Ikea bookcase into a bench

April 14, 2016 / TakeTimetoCreate / 6 Comments

Hello Everyone!

Isn’t Ikea one of the most wonderful places on Earth? I mean they have everything, all in one place!

Well a little while ago I was looking for the perfect bench to put in my kitchen, near the door. I couldn’t find anything that I liked, but I did see people on Pinterest turning an Ikea bookcase into a bench.

It is very simple to do.

Materials:

~ bookcase the is strong enough to handle the weight when tipped on its side. I used the Ikea Expedit, but I don’t think they have that anymore. But check around they might have a suitable alternative.

~ Plywood for the top

~ Foam cushion

~ Fabric

~ Staple gun

Instructions:

~ First assemble the bookcase. They might take awhile and you might need help. If you want to raise the height now is the time to add legs to the bench. I didn’t want them, but you may want something different

~ For the cushion, cut the plywood the size of the bench top

~ Then you make a sandwich of fabric on the bottom, ( I used a strip to help me keep it all in line. The fabric possibilities are endless) then the foam and lastly the plywood. Then stretch and staple all around.

I used this same technique when we redid the entry closet. You can see that transformation: here

And that is it. A very easy way to transform a room and increase your storage.

Is there any Ikea transformations that you have done in your house?

Christmas Mason Jars

December 23, 2015 / TakeTimetoCreate / Leave a comment

Hello Everyone and Merry Christmas!

Do you remember the Fall Mason Jars I made a while back? Here is the link incase you missed it: Fall Mason Jars

Well I updated them for Christmas just by making a new flowery top.

Here is how I did it;

Materials:

~Flowers

~Mason Jar lid

~Hot Glue

~Ribbon

Instructions:

~ Remove the old lid and save it for next year

~ Take a new lid and glue on flowers. For Christmas I used Poinsettias that I found at the Dollar Store

Glue ribbon around the edge

Fill with Candy and you are done. I didn’t use any window clings this time because I thought the red and green candies were enough.

I am loving how easy it is to make these jars and how easy it is to store just the lids. And my boys love the candy in the jars Smile

Easy DIY Scarf Holder

December 4, 2015December 3, 2015 / TakeTimetoCreate / 2 Comments

I know I am way late to the scarf train, but now that I am aboard I am all about scarfs! I love how you can take a basic outfit and dress it up with a simple scarf, and they make your wardrobe so much more versatile!

Well now that I have accumulated a fair number of scarfs I ran in to the problem of where to store them. I wanted the in a location that I could see them so I didn’t forget about them in the morning. Also I wanted the scarfs to hang so they didn’t get too wrinkly (less ironing, which is always a good thing)

So we can up with the solution of finding a way to hang them on the back of the closet door. Please excuse any mess you see in my closet, organization is an ongoing problem in there.

This is a fast and easy way to hang your scarfs

Materials:

~ Dowel Rod

~ Adhesive hooks (I used 3M Command hooks)

~ Level (for hanging)

~ Duck Tape (Used this great purple Prism color)

Instructions:

~ cut your dowel to length. I wanted 2 rows, so I just cut them the length I needed. We had a saw at home, but the home improvement store can cut it for you if needed.

~ I was worried about the wood snagging my scarfs so I decided to wrap it in Duck tape. It also has the added benefit of being purple and sparkly.

~ Attach your hooks to your door, or where ever you want your scarf holder. (My fabulous husband was nice enough to help me hang it up and make sure it was level)

~ Add the dowel rods

~ Add your scarfs and you are done!

It was that easy!

I am tired

November 6, 2015 / TakeTimetoCreate / 1 Comment

I will give you all fair warning that this post will contain swear words. What a way to start this blog post. So if you don’t want to read those naughty words then stop right now. If you don’t have a problem then let’s continue on.

I am tired of the BS

I don’t mean for this to be a complaining post, I did want to share what I was going through and how I handled it.

Like I said, I am tired. What I mean by that is, I am tired of all the bullshit that is going around. Whether it is from family, friend, coworkers, customers, or vendors I am tired of all the bs. I hear a lot of complaints without solutions, whining without anyone doing anything about it. People just like to carry their bs around and spread it all over the place, and I am tired of it. I don’t mean to be a “complain-a-saurus” so I am surrounding myself with people who are not spreading the BS, but people who are trying to make the world a better place.

I have been calling people out on their bs, which might not leave me with many friends, but that is ok.

By now you are probably wondering what this is all about, and how does it relate to creating and crafting. Well, I will tell you. I was talking about how tired I am of the BS to my husband and he jokingly suggested that I stitch that up some way and display it. I thought that was a fantastic idea! So I decided to make a cross stitch pattern with my new saying. I have never made a pattern before and I have to say it was a lot of fun. I know it is not perfect, but it is my first try. If you have any suggestions on making patterns I would love the help.

I decided this was not complaining it is taking a problem and making something from it.

For this pattern I just used an Open Office grid template and made a grid in the spreadsheets and put and X where I wanted a stitch. Pretty easy to create. I am not sure I will actually make in the colors I picked, but it was fun to play around with the colors.

I am attaching a pdf of the patterns on the blog so that you can print one up and make a cute decoration with the saying “I am tired of the bullshit”. I made 3 versions, so make the one you like best and be sure to share it with us when you are done. I am planning on making one as soon as I am done with some other projects.

Thank you for listening to my rant. I love my readers, you guys are the best and I truly appreciate you. I will try not to do this too much. But I am glad that even with my frustration I was able to create something new.And while I was making the pattern I couldn’t stop laughing. I giggled and laughed the entire time, and to me that is the best part of the whole experience.

And that is what this is all about, taking a deep breath, and creating something new.

tired of the BS

tired of the Bull

tired of the bullshit

Wake Up And Be Awesome

October 29, 2015 / TakeTimetoCreate / Leave a comment

Wake up and be awesome is my motto. Everyday you have a choice of what you want to be and awesome is my answer. It is not always easy, but I do try.

So what better way to show my love for awesomeness than to make a wall hanging? It is fun to look at first thing in the morning and they day is always better when you start off with a smile.

Materials:

~old painting that you are willing to cover up. I found mine at Goodwill

~ paint (I am using acrylic paint that I found at the craft store)

~ Alphabet stickers, I was looking for big stickers and I found mine at Target near the poster board section

~ Rhinestone (of course I need rhinestones! I think this is a prerequisite for all my crafts Smile )

~ Glue to glue on the rhinestones (I am using Aleene’s Jewel-it glue)

~ Foam paint brush

Instructions:

~ Take your old painting and wipe clean. A damp paper towel should do the trick. I found this painting at Goodwill. It is not an actual painting but a print on canvas. The style doesn’t match my décor but the colors do. So I thought it would be perfect for this project.

~ Gather your supplies

~ I cut out the letters and laid them out to make sure everything fit.

~ Stick the letters on the canvas. Really press them down to make sure no paint seeps under the letter

~ Start painting. Cover the entire canvas. Take your time and make sure it is all covered and looks good.

~ Before the paint completely dries take the letters off and throw them away. Check for sections where the paint might have seeped under the letter and clean it up. I used a Q-tip to make the letters look crisp.

I am not sure how anyone gets anything done without a little cat help. Smile It seems like every time I start a project Starlight has to be in the middle of it. But she makes it more fun.

~ Then I started adding rhinestones. I think everything is better with a little sparkle. I just added a few to the left edge of the each letter in the word Awesome. I think it added just the right amount of sparkle.

~Hang it on you wall (mine is in our bedroom) and get ready to wake up and be Awesome!

DIY Mason Jars for the Fall

October 22, 2015 / TakeTimetoCreate / 2 Comments

Mason jars are the best. What is not to love, they are the perfect storage container for just about anything. Also, when I get a jar from my mom there is a good chance that it might already be filled with yummy jelly or jam or salsa or something else equally as good. And that makes the jar that much better.

But for this DIY I am using empty jars that will be filled with candy corn. For us the candy corn season is a major event. And yes, we celebrate the candy corn season very enthusiastically, from beginning to end.

I decided to make a festive mason jar that can hold our yummy candy corn and look cute at the same time. Also, we live in a very small house and any decorations need to be small, or very versatile. These mason jars are easy to switch out with the various seasons. In Dec I will show you my Christmas mason jars. So lets get to the tutorial.

Materials:

Mason jar. I pick up some at the dollar store and used ones from my mom. Any jars will do as long as they have the lids with them.

Fake flowers, I picked mums for the fall, but any will do

Hot glue
Ribbon
Window clings. Here are the ones that I found at the dollar store, I love how it looks fall and festive, with out being over the top.

Candy Corn, or any candy you want to fill your jar with

Instructions:

~ First cut off the stems to your fake flowers. You still want the green part under the flower to hold everything together. I used 3 flowers per jar, but depending on your flowers you might use more or less on your jar.

~ Using hot glue, glue the flowers to the top of the jar.

~ using hot glue, glue your ribbon to the ring of the jar. by only gluing things to the jar lid and the ring and not the jar you are able to switch out the lids (rather than switching out the entire jar) for different holidays.

~ add a window cling to the jar for more festivity. Window clings are non permanent and reusable making them perfect for this project.

~ Add your favorite candy and enjoy! That is it! Enjoy this easy DIY for fall!

If you want to know how I made the lanterns you can go to this blog post.

And if you want to know how we made the fireplace mantle you can go to this blog post.

Paint a Plastic Dollar Store Vase with Nail Polish

September 29, 2015 / TakeTimetoCreate / Leave a comment

First I have to tell you about the free arm knitting class I took last night at Michael’s. It was awesome.

I am was excited to finally learn how to arm knit and check out the infinity scarf that I made!

So much fun, and the instructor was wonderful and very patient! Once I got the hang of it, it was easy to do and very fast. I can’t wait to make other things with arm knitting. You can be sure I will feature arm knitting projects in the future Smile

Anyway, on to the other project I did this weekend….

I was wandering around the Dollar Store this weekend and I saw this plastic vase. It looks like it could be a cut crystal vase from a distance, I am talking about way distant, like a mile or so. But up close you can really tell that it is plastic. So I thought I would help the vase out and give it sparkles and color.

Here is the vase in all its glory.

And here is an up close to of the “cut crystal” part of the vase. I like the design and it is pretty enough to use.

Materials:

~ Vase you want to paint

~ Nail Polish. Any color will do. I used this copper color called DS Glow from OPI, I thought it was perfect for fall and the holidays. This vase will work for a variety of holidays, which is a good thing. But at a dollar for each vase you can make a new one for each holiday.

Instructions:

1. Paint a first coat over the parts you want colored.

2. Add a second coat, more if needed. I just added color in a few strategic parts on the vase. Now I know that my painting is not perfect, but I am convinced that it adds to the charm of the vase. Perfection can be overrated Smile

3. Let dry then add flowers, candy, marbles,or anything else you thing would look good in your new vase.

I put mums in the vase for the fall.

Here is the vase with poinsettias in it rather than the mums. Ready for Christmas.

Take Time to Create

Taking a few minutes in our busy lives to create new and wonderful things

home diy

TBT Restoration Hardware Chandelier DIY

Turn Gift Bags into Wall Art

Re-purpose an old window into a shabby chic message board

Turn an Ikea bookcase into a bench

Christmas Mason Jars

Easy DIY Scarf Holder

I am tired

Wake Up And Be Awesome

DIY Mason Jars for the Fall

Paint a Plastic Dollar Store Vase with Nail Polish