Chevron Summer Wreath

Last week I bought some great outdoor pillows from World Market and Target.  I'm trying to spruce up my front outdoor patio area.  So I decided I needed a new wreath to match.  Today I'm sharing my Chevron Summer Wreath with you.

Supplies I used:

*  Wreath Form

*  Chevron Burlap Ribbon

*  Chalkboard Paint

*  Small Canvas or Paintable Surface

*  Felt

*  Scissors

*  Foam Brush

*  Small Pins or Glue Gun

Here are the pillows I bought from World Market & Target that I used as inspiration for my wreath.  The red & orange pillows are from World Market and the long teal pillow is from Target.

I gathered a few pieces of felt from my stash and got busy cutting out some leaves.  I made a quick template with some card stock so all the leaves were the same size.  I then took a couple of the colors and created some notches in the leaves to give them a different look than the others.

Once my leaves were cut I wrapped my straw wreath {a total upcycle from a previous wreath I removed the decorations from} with my chevron burlap ribbon.  My ribbon didn't completely cover the wreath but that was okay because I knew I wanted to cover that area with the felt leaves.  If you have a large wreath form I suggest two rolls of the ribbon if you want it covered completely.  I used small pins to secure my ribbon to the wreath so I could reuse it somewhere after the season is over.  

I also used pins to attach my felt leaves to the wreath.  You can lay them out first to see the pattern you want to make, then pin them.  Once I had all my leaves pinned to my wreath it looked like this picture below.  

I then took an old canvas that I've had since high school, it's about 3 x 5" and it was the perfect size for a small welcome sign.  I painted it with my Americana Chalkboard Paint and seasoned it with chalk.  I then used a chalk marker to give it a nice clean look.  I'm hoping that it holds up well with our summer monsoon weather, but I can always just re-write the message if it washes away.  I attached my sign with hot glue.  I also used some hot glue and attached a soda pop tab to the back of my wreath for a hanger.

I really love how this wreath turned out, the colors really pop and go great with my new pillows.  Now I just need to add some accessories and potted plants to my area and it will be summer ready!

Hand Stamped {Schoool Principal} Keychain

Happy Friday Friends!  Today I thought I would show you the gift I made for our son's school principal.  He is retiring this year after 20+ years of service at the school.  I wanted to give a gift that was masculine and memorable.  So I gathered supplies to make this Hand Stamped {School Principal} Key Chain.  

Mr. C made a huge impression on our hearts in the past two and a half years that we've been at the school.  We transferred in to the school more than half way through our son's 1st grade year.  We went from a charter school with a terrible experience and decided to give public school a shot.  I'm so glad we did.  Mr. C went out of his way everyday to see how our son was adjusting, he knows every child's name by heart, and really encourages the students to succeed and do their very best.  And let me just tell you about the line everyday before and after school to give him a hug.  It's amazing to see the dynamic he's had with these kids.  

Here's what you need to make your own key chain:

-  Metal Stamping Letters

-  Hammer

-  Rubber Mallet

-  Bench Block

-  Pliers

-  Sharpie Marker

-  Rubbing Alcohol

-  Paper Towel or Soft Cloth

-  Dog Tag Charms

-  Large Jump Rings

-  Key Chain Ring or Clasp

Here is a run down of where I find supplies:

Harbor Freight Tool Store, Hobby Lobby, Beaducation.com, Artbeads.com

I'm not showing you how to actually hand stamp on metal today but here are some excellent tutorials on metal stamping.  

Easy DIY Hand Stamped Jewelry @ Lil Blue Boo

Jewelry Stamping @ Happy Hour Projects

Stamping on Metal @ Beaducation.com

Mr. C loved his gift and it's something that he can carry with him for a long time.  We are thankful that he has made our son's school experience just a little more special. 

30 Citrus Sweet Treats

Since Summer seems to be already here is Arizona I thought I'd get in the mood with some sweet Summer flavors.  Today I'm sharing 30 Citrus Sweet Treats.  These treats are sure to please anyone.  

Orange Dreamsicle Pound Cake

Lemon Meringue Pie

Lemon Raspberry Muffins

Incredibly Easy Cherry Cobbler

For Mother's Day I was asked by mom Mom to provide dessert.  She's not a huge fan of cake, and neither is my oldest son.  So I asked what she'd like and she asked for a cobbler.  I've not made a lot of cobblers before so this was a first for me.  I'm so glad I made it because this Incredibly Easy Cherry Cobbler was a hit!  

Ingredients:

- 1 Box Yellow Cake Mix

- 1/3 Cup Softened Butter

- 2 Large Eggs

- 2 (21 oz) Cans Cherry Pie Filling

- 1 (8 oz) Bar Softened Cream Cheese

- 1/3 Cup Sugar

- 1 Tsp. Vanilla Extract

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.  In a large bowl combine your cake mix, softened butter, and 1 of your eggs.  Mix the ingredients thoroughly with a fork until it forms a crumble like mixture.  Reserve 1 cup of the mixture and put aside.  Spray a 9 x 13" baking dish with non-stick spray.  Press crumble mixture in to baking dish to create a crust.  Bake for 10 minutes.  While the crust bakes combine your cream cheese, sugar, remaining egg, and vanilla in a small bowl.  Beat with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy.  Remove baking dish from oven and pour the 2 cans of cherry  pie filling over crust and create an even layer.  Next pour your cream cheese mixture over the cherry filling.  Smooth out with the back of a spoon so the cream cheese layer covers the whole dish.  Grab your remaining crumble mixture that you reserved and sprinkle evenly over the top of the cream cheese mixture.  Bake for 30 minutes.  Remove from oven and allow to cool for at least 30 minutes.  Serve with vanilla ice cream or a whipped topping of choice.  This dish can be made with any canned pie filling.  (Serves 8-10)