Re-vamping with Monograms!

I know that I didn't do much to "re-vamp" this old pink lap-desk, but it's the monogram that I am really doing this short post for. When taking something from drab to fab, I think monogramming is a great choice! No, it's not just for sorority girls; it personalizes your own personal items. The reason monogram is so versatile is because there is SO many different styles. You can google the different monogram typography and you'd be amazed! The way I did mine on the lap desk, I took a six inch circle top and traced and painted it. Then, I just free-handed one of the typography's I saw on the internet. It's very simple and makes an item cuter! I suggest trying on like this, in basic print, before doing the elaborate, cursive ones. (I also added Lilly print to the top pen holders on the lap-desk). Now get to personalizing and re-vamping your items with monograms! :)

Homemade Cereal Bars

So I forgot to take a picture of the final product for this post, so just visualize in your head if you can :) If you're anything like me, you're in a rush in the morning and don't have time to sit down eat a bowl of cereal. If so, then you're going to LOVE this idea. The look and taste just like store-bought breakfast bars! All you need is 3/4 cup of cereal (I used Dulce de Leche Cheerios), 2 jumbo marshmallows, and butter or sugar if you want to make it sweeter. However, I am trying to watch the extra calories, and I think they taste perfect without extras added. Chex, Special K, or Kashi cereal would also be good for this recipe, but if you wanted someting sweeter you could use Cap'n Crunch or Cinnamon Toast Crunch. Ok, directions:
      1. Microwave 3/4 cup of cereal and two jumbo marshmallows in the microwave for approx.30 seconds.
      2. Let cool for another 30 seconds and then begin to form the marshmallows/cereal into a long  rectangular shape.
      3. Let them cool on a cookie sheet. You can add dark chocolate pieces or craisins to add more flavor and healthy calories, as they cool.
      4. When they are dried, put them into plastic baggies to preserve. They become very hard after they've dried, so I definitely recommend microwaving them for 10 seconds before eating.
These bars go perfect with morning coffee and the possibilities are endless! I make seven at a time, so I'm stocked for the whole week! I'm definitely going to experiment more with different flavors and toppings! Enjoy! Xo.

Homemade Lilky Pulitzer iPod Case

Ok y'all, I wanted to share this picture with you really quick because I am  beyond proud of myself here! I just unintentionally took crafting to a whole new level!! So I love Lilly Pulitzer's print and printed a few offline to put on whatever... Nothing really in mind. Well I was doing some mindless online browsing at different items on the website (it's all very expensive) and saw the iPhone cases. Well, I have an iPod, and Lilly doesn't make cases for iPods :( Taking matters into my own hands, I took an old white iPod case and cut a cute print out and pasted it to it. All in all, it took about 30 minutes and I saved roughly $25!! This is just an example of why I do this blog, because there are SO many ways to get what you want in a cheaper way ;)

Great Date Night - Elizabethtown, KY

 Some of the best dates that my boyfriend has ever taken me on were something that was very out of the ordinary. Going to Chili's, the movies, or out to get icecream really gets old when you go regularly. Therefore, we decided to try something new and different! We drove about 30 minutes to Elizabethtown, KY and ate at BackHome Cafe. It was so ridiculously delicious with the home-cooking and the gift shop was incredible. (I definitely recommend the fried pickles and the chicken salad ;). The cozy resturant is in an 1800s Italian-style home and is so welcoming! The prices aren't to shabby, either. Next, we walked 2 blocks up to the historic State Theater for an Andy Griffith tribute, showing 5 episodes of the Andy Griffith show. I can't even begin to describe the massive and historic theater on the inside, but it was such a cool experience. They're a non-profit theater and only classic, old movies/television shows. You can also rent it out for parties, reunions, etc. I highly recommend this dinner and movie combination. The weather was beautiful and we had such a fun night at these historic attractions!

Fabric Bookmarks!

This craft was inspired by my new (and exepensive!) college books coming in. Instead of folding papes or stickering them, which depletes re-sale value, I decided to sew my own fabric bookmarks. This picture is of the first one I made (the photo doesn't do it justice - the fabric is pink and green floral), but the possibilities are endless. I'm working on a fabric flower to put atop another one. I made mine about an inch in width and 8 inches in length. Sew each edge and add a little batting inside to give it some width. Last, I stitched a bow on top for a cuter look. Each bookmark takes about 20 minutes to hand-stitch, and the outcome is perfect for back-to-school book style! Enjoy! Xo.

Back-To-School!

Even though my classes begin in a week, my younger sisters have been going back to school for about a week now. When I was younger, mom would always do some sort of craft day with a theme for us, once a month. I decided to take matters into my own hands and did a day for my younger sisters with a back-to-school theme! Two very simple things I did for the day, were a Pinterest-inspired pencil craft, and used a back-to-school printable via Google. The pencil is very simple to make. You'll need about six Rolo's and a Hershey Kiss for each one. After you line the Rolo's up, cut out a yellow piece of construction paper and fold about a quarter of an inch until the end. (The picture doesn't do the folds justice, but once the folds are finished, it looks identical to a real pencil!) Glue the yellow paper around the Rolo's and glue the Hershey Kiss in. Next, cut a round piece of pink paper to fit on top, and a strip to go around. Glue the two together and then onto the yello paper at the top. Finish up by glueing some aluminum foil at the base of the pink strip. This is so adorable and only takes about 5 minutes to make. Kids love it! Enjoy! Xo.