Chalkboard Flower Pot

Kate at Centsational Girl created this wonderful chalkboard paint tutorial and I just had to give it a try.  I have had many ideas brewing in my head that I wanted to use chalkboard paint for but it is just so expensive!  Not anymore, and it was so easy!!!

I started out with a pot I already had.  A $5 box of non-sanded grout from Home Depot and 2 small bottles of acrylic paint that were $.88 at Walmart.

I used 1/2 Tbs grout mixed in with a 2oz bottle of paint and stirred it well.

 

Then just painted it on.

Since I was using two different colors I taped off the base so I could have a straight line.

And painted on the second color.

It did take quite a bit longer for each layer to dry.  I waited about an hour and a half for the purple to dry and then another 2 hours for the grey to dry before I removed the tape.

To prep the surface first you sand it to get a smooth surface and then take the side of a piece of chalk and rub it all over.  Take a rag and wipe it off.  Then you are free to get creative!

I love how it turned out!

Now I have even more ideas brewing, closet doors, container labels, personal chalkboards......

Oh how I love pretty flowers!!
 

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Homemade Laundry Detergent

There are some things that I just hate buying.  Laundry Detergent is one of them.  I see why we need it but it so so stinkin' expensive!  About a year ago I started researching homemade laundry detergents and there are quite a few of them out there.  I have always proffered powdered detergents just because I find they are easier to store.  I have tried a couple variations and finally settled on this concoction and it is my favorite.

Start out with a Box of Borax, Washing Soda and Pink Zote Soap.  (many recipes online call for a bar of Fels Naptha but I prefer the cuteness of the pink Zote plus it smells nice too!)

If you have a food possessor it is very fast to make.  (You can go the old fashioned way and use your muscles and a grater but I would rather be blogging then grating soap)   First cut the bar of Zote into 4 pieces so it is easier to guide into the food possessor.

It grates very nicely.  Zote is a pretty soft soap so you shouldn't have to force it into the processor. 

Isn't it pretty! Reminds me of cotton candy.  BUT DON'T EAT IT, IT IS STILL SOAP!!

When grating the Zote I shoot it all out into a separate bowl. Then you put the chop chop (technical term) tool in the food processor and you combine 1 Cup of each the Borax, Washing Soda and the grated Zote soap and mix and chop. It will look like this when it is done.

When it is all done you can put it in a pretty container for the laundry room.
  

 
The scoop I use is from an old oxy clean bucket, I would say about 1/8 of a cup.  I have a front loading HE Washing Machine and it works great.  It does not produce a lot of suds so it is completely safe to use.  I have tried putting it right into the laundry and using the into detergent tray and I don't think it really matters.

I didn't save my receipt so this is my best guess, but...
Borax - $4.00
Washing Soda - 3.50
Pink Zote - $1.00


So for under $9 I have a batch of laundry soap that will last me about 3-4 months and that is about 4-6 loads a week.  A $10 box of tide would only last me about a month.  So win win for me! 

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Tutorial Silhouette Plates

I saw these plates at a friend's garage sale and I knew instantly want I wanted to do with them.

 

First I took a profile picture of each of my kids

I carefully cut out their profiles

I traced their profiles onto the back of vinyl.  I really wanted to do black but didn't have any so decided to do the dark brown and I really like how they turned out.

I carefully cut them out and then stuck them to transfer paper.

I also cut their names out in the same vinyl on my Craft Robo.

Then applied the silhouette and name to the plate and Ta-Daa!

I love how they turned out!

After my friend heard what I wanted to do with the plates she was gracious enough to take her plate hanger thing(do they have an actual name?) off her wall and give that to me as well.  She is amazing!

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Anthropology Inspired Necklace

Stevie at Moore Babies has an excellent tutorial on how to make a Ribbon & Pearl Necklace that I absolutely fell in love with and wanted to make one right away.  While I have gobs and gobs of ribbon my bead selection is kind of blah but I also didn't want to go to the store.  So I made do with what I had.

So this is Stevie's

And this is mine

When I started I wasn't sure if it would work with the supplies I had, but I think it turned out pretty good, and even better it cost me nothing!!

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