I'm No Betsy Ross but...

I made my very first bunting!  I think I was a little too ambitious with this project because I don't sew at all.  I got my inspiration from Heather over at At the Picket Fence.  She just recently posted about a cute little bunting project herself.  She (like me) doesn't sew and wished she could.  Those of us who don't sew are really good friends with iron on tape and of course...pinking sheers.  Thank goodness my MIL gave me her very sharp pair to borrow for this project.  We had a  lot of cutting to do as we put a strand of these on 5 sections of fence in front of the house.

Here you go...here's how I did it:

1.  Pick your fabric of choice (two coordinating fabrics).
2.  Cut them into a double triange (with the seem at the top)  You can cut them with the fabric folded.  My measurements were 20 cm by 29 cm.  You can make a template for yourself using cardboard and then mark on the fabric with chalk or lightly with a pencil (just enough for you to see a straight line to make your cut)

 3.  Put your string of choice in the center fold.

 4.  Fold it over.

5.  Put a safety pin just under the string attaching the two sided piece of fabric together

 6.  Use the other fabric of choice scraps to tie a bow on the safety pin
   (this totally covers up your non-sewing abilities LOL and well, it's just plain cute)

7.  Now do this again a bazillion times and then you are ready to hang it! 

No, it's not perfect and yes, it looks a little non-sewy and does it slide around a little...yes, but do I love it YES! 

This was a fun project and the kids helped cut and attach the safety pins so it was truly a family project.  I love the results.  It may not last past this 4th of July, but that is ok...we are not expecting any rain so that should help keep it perky.

I'm linking up to At the Picket Fence
for Inspiration Friday
Cindy's Romantic Home for Show and Tell Friday
French Country Cottage
The Charm of Home
Common Ground for the Vintage Patriotic Party

Would love to know what you think!

Kristine



Blogger Trouble

When I go to upload pictures, Blogger tells  me that I have met my capacity for pictures...anyone else having this trouble?  It will not let me upload a new header photo...anyone have any advice?

**thank you for all of your help!   I CAN upload pics on my new posts, just not my sidebar or header photo...hopefully, I will come back tomorrow and it will be fixed....I know Blogger is changing some things around so maybe they know???  let's hope so!  that way you won't have to look at that boring header for long..lol

Thanks again sweeties!  Here's a picture of my header that I can't seem to get UP THERE

Kristine

Estes Park, Colorado

Every other year we head to Estes Park for our family vacation.  We love it there.  Just as it is getting REALLY hot here, we leave town and head to cooler Rocky Mountain temperatures...70's in the day and 40's at night.  We like to hike, eat, hike, shop, hike, eat, and did I mention eat?  We also feed a few chipmunks (it is allowed by our cabins so), go horseback riding and of course we always go up Trail Ridge Road even though I am terrified of heights.  It is a very fun vacation...relaxing and peaceful.  The cabins we stay at have no television or phone and there is barely cell phone reception.  Work is turned off and so are the Nintendo DS's!  I thought I would share a few pictures so that you will know why we love this place...so here goes...

 One fun thing we like to do is acquire trail patches.  Just about every trail we have hiked with the kids has a patch that you can purchase downtown. So after the kids finish a trail, we head downtown to eat a great meal and buy the patch.  That evening, I sew the patch onto each of their ballcaps and they think that is so cool!  This is such an inexpensive treat for the kids that they love!

Many times in the evenings, the elk come down from the mountains and bring their herds to large fields like this one.   For some reason, we have video of the elk, but not very many good pictures.

Each time we go to Estes Park, we head to the Alluvian Fan which is a great spot to snap photos of the kids.

We will be heading there in the next few weeks and are anticipating lots of water in these streams because of all of the snow that RMNP has gotten this year.  According to some of the reports I have read, many of the trails we hike are snow-packed still.  Hopefully, by the time we head there, much of it will be melted.

Have you ever been to Estes Park?

Would love to hear from you.

I'm linking up to Snapshop Saturdays.

and

Happy Saturday,

Kristine

Fourth of July Party

Every 4th of July we have a LARGE yard/driveway party with LOTS of friends...

and GOOOOOOOOOOOD food....

The little tea lights are set down in old glass phone bells...which make wonderful table cloth weights by the way...I found a whole box for 5.00 at a garage sale!

this picture doesn't do them justice....but they really glowed when it got dark...

they are great to hold down napkins as well...

Here is my family back in 2009 when we had this party...the kids have grown so much since then.

We are partying it up this year at our new Lakeshore home...we have lots of family coming and friends too.  You can see the fireworks over the lake and we look forward to swimming all day in the hot sun prior to a big meal and lots of fireworks.  My husband turns into a pyromaniac after dark ;) 

He is like a little kid on the 4th of July.  SO FUN!!!

I am linking to Savvy Southern Style for the Summer Decks and Patio Linky Party








  

and at Pink Postcard for her Porch, Patio and Deck Linky Party

Hope you are having a wonderful week,

Kristine

Inspired by YELLOW

Megan at A Life's Design posted these photos a few days ago and I thought they were SO LOVERLY!!!

She always has beautiful inspiration pics that she posts.  If you don't already FOLLOW her, you really should.  I didn't know if you all saw these and they were too pretty to pass over.

LOVE this coffee table...wonder if I could find one like that???

Would ya just look at the glass/mirror in that door!  What a wonderful idea!

Srumptious, I tell ya!  Doesn't it make you wanna go to TJ and find everything yellow and throw it in your cart?  or maybe eat a nice piece of lemon cake with iced tea with leeeeeemon?  (can't do that...I am on a diet...bummer...maybe some of you skinny chics can...LOL)

I hope you are inspired like me.  She got all of these pics from Style At Home.  Another great site. Oh and be sure to read the Friday Funny link in the below post...well, only if you want a good laugh ;)...a REALLY good laugh....like pee your pants funny.

XO,

Kristine

Friday Funny

I don't know how many of you read The Bloggess, but  I have just discovered her via a friend's posting on Facebook.

You gotta read this...you will laugh until you cry.  Please excuse a few naughty words, but it is SO worth the time to read:

The Bloggess

or here is the direct http:  if you want to share it

http://thebloggess.com/2011/06/and-thats-why-you-should-learn-to-pick-your-battles/

You will love it, especially if you have recently had a disagreement with your hubby over items you would like to purchase for your home.  Did I mention it's FUNNY?

Happy Friday!

XO, Kristine

Did you happen to see...

this table in the pictures taken at closing?

Well, we gave the chairs to a couple who had an auction

and we found two leaves that go to it...AND decided we might be able to do something with it thanks to the help of Marion at  Miss Mustard Seed who graciously took the time to look at pictures of the table and give me some advice and also Kim at Savvy Southern Style who helped me find a supplier for chalk paint.

Yes, I    well, I mean we.....ok, who am I kidding...my husband has agreed to paint the table for me.

He has sanded most of it and tried to get it to a point to stain the top, but this table has been tricky...so we are going to paint the entire thing.  Kim helped me to decide how many coats of paint and wax would be needed for the top...she suggested 3 coats on a heavily used table.  The blonde white-washed wood just doesn't match anything in our house.  We have dark wood antiques...I am a dark wood gal...or painted wood...and I don't really have too much of that, but I was willing to give this table a try.  After all...it is sturdy and it was FREE.

I ordered my CHALK PAINT today, with wax and brushes from

Classic Wall Finishes

or here is the http

 http://shop.bestfurniturepaint.com/

They were super helpful and even called me back to answer some questions after I had left a message.

I am very excited to get all the supplies and put my sweet husband to work.  I can't wait to show you the after pics...and I will take some along the way to show you how we did it.  I don't think we are going to do any sanding or distressing....just simple thick coat of paint.  We are going conservative.  I am going to try to find a full set of antique chairs to sit around the table...I think it will seat 10-12 with both leaves!

I am thinking something like this for chairs...

 

I have already located 3 at an antique store for a good price...just 7 to 9 more to go...LOL

I think these may get painted too...trying to decide on the color.

Can you believe someone would just leave all of this stuff?

Thanks again to Marion and Kim and to all of you who I have totally stalked while you went before me with your chalk paint brushes.  Let's hope this turns out!

I'm linking up to

The Shabby Chic Cottage for Transformation Thursday!

Miss Mustard Seed's Furniture Feature Friday

Kristine

Estate Sale Finds

Recently, I went to an estate sale here in town and found some really fun items.  One of them I posted about in my sitting area reveal...the table that matched my chairs perfectly!

Here it is again.

this little mirror was a perfect fit for my sitting room wall as well...it was just the right size and snatched it right up for 8.00 when I saw it...

I also found these little stools...aren't they cute?  I think they will be great for many things, but right now I really like them in my living room...please excuse the poor picture quality.

they are just perfect just the way they are with a few worn edges...no paint going on these babies...

I also found this other side table and really loved the legs on it...still trying to decide if this one will get painted...I know painted furniture is really "in" right now...but I love the look of wood...I think it gives my already light background some depth, especially with the ivory curtains, all the sunlight and the lighter floors and walls.

One of my favorite finds was out in the sunroom of the home tacked up to the wall..an old horshoe coal sack.

I have it hung now in the half bath and I just love all of the worn edges, water stains and character.  Isn't it fun?

Yes, that is a Pottery Barn magazine you see...I like to keep books and magazines handy to grab when I head out to the pool to watch my sweeties swim.

I do love a good estate sale...I think this lady and I could have been friends...she had many, many really great things.  She was obviously a traveler.  You should have seen all of her posters and sea shells...and the house was amazing with all of its woodwork, charm and character. 

I hope you are having a wonderful Wednesday!

I'm linking to The Nester...make sure you go and see the other finds that folks have posted!

Kristine

Zoom In On Flowers

One of my favorite things is gardening.  I really enjoy getting my hands in the dirt and right now my new neighbors would think I was lying if I told them that.  My yard is a mess!  I have spent so much time lately getting the inside of the home situated that I have neglected the outside and boy can you tell!  It is so hot now that I am certain now is not the time to go and plant a bunch of new trees and bushes so I guess it will have to wait until fall....but in the meantime,  I would like to share with you a bunch of pictures I have taken of different flowers.  I really like to get up close to take these shots and zooooooom in.  Every now and then I am surprised by what I find when I pull them up on the computer.  I'll let the flowers speak for themselves.

I am linking up with Susan's Outdoor Wednesday and I hope you will go over and check out all of the wonderful Outdoor Wednesday posts.