Happy Mother's Day

Enjoy the beauty of your creations...

NO Cost Chandelier Makeover

We recently made a major move from Florida to Texas.  We decided to rent a house so that we could check out different areas before we purchase a home.  A rental house certainly has its challenges.  Two of those challenges are the chandeliers in the breakfast room and dining room.  Yes, I believe they are the original 1980's generic box store builder grade variety.  Need I say more, they were ugly in 1980 but needless to say they are here.  We will temporarily replace the dining room light with another that we brought with us.  But I didn't want to buy a new one for the breakfast room at this time.  Let me tell ya, I have been racking my brain trying to think of what I could do with it, besides burying it. LOL  Well, today was the day that I couldn't take it anymore.  A light bulb went off and I got busy rummaging through the house and garage.  To the linen closet I ran to dig through fabric and then a bee line to garage to find some decorations and beads.  The Christmas decoration box in particular, I know they're in here somewhere.  The garage must have been 100 degrees but determined I was in trying to find them.  Alas, there they are, but the one I want is on the bottom, go figure... Anyway, I think I turned an ugly duckling into a graceful swan in no time flat.  The best part is that it didn't cost a single penny.  Gotta love that.

                                              BEFORE

                                               AFTER

To see more creative projects, visit Susan at Between Naps on the Porch for another installment of Metamorphosis Monday.

Decorate with all your heart,

Bee hive cupcakes inspired

Sandra Lee has the most amazing and easy recipes.  Not only are they mighty tasty, but they are beautiful for the eye to behold.  These little cakes would be the perfect finish for a simple down home picnic.  The bees are the cutest and so easy to make.  Just makes me want to pluck one off and pop it in my mouth.  I may just have to whip some of these up for my next informal dinner party or just to snack on while relaxing on the deck. 


Enjoy!!!

 

 

Ingredients

• 1 package (18.25 ounces) butter recipe yellow cake mix, Betty Crocker®
• 11⁄2 cups (3 sticks) butter, softened
• 3⁄4 cup water
• 1⁄2 cup plus 3 tablespoons honey, Sue Bee®
• 3 eggs
• 1 cup vegetable shortening, Crisco®
• 8 cups powdered sugar, sifted, C&H®
• 5 drops yellow food coloring, McCormick®
• 1⁄4 cup heavy cream
• 1 tube (4.25 ounces) yellow decorating icing, Cake Mate®
• 48 black jelly beans, Jelly Belly®
• 96 sliced almonds, Planters®

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line twenty-four 21⁄2-inch muffin cups with paper bake cups; set aside.
2. In a large bowl, beat cake mix, 1⁄2 cup of the butter, the water, 1⁄2 cup of the honey, and the eggs with an electric mixer on low for 30 seconds. Scrape down side of bowl; beat for 2 minutes on medium. Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups, filling each about two-thirds full.
3. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the centers comes out clean. Cool cupcakes in muffin cups on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Remove cupcakes from muffin cups; cool completely on rack.
4. For yellow frosting, in a large bowl, beat shortening and the remaining 1 cup butter with electric mixer on medium until fluffy. Add powdered sugar, the remaining 3 tablespoons honey, and the yellow food coloring. Beat until combined. Add cream, 1 tablespoon at a time, and beat on high until desired thickness.
5. To create beehives, insert a large round decorating tip into a large pastry bag. Fill pastry bag with yellow frosting. Pipe a small cone of frosting in the center of the top of each cupcake. Starting from the outer edge of each cupcake and working inward and upward, pipe frosting to form a hive shape.
6. To create bees, pipe yellow decorating icing in thin horizontal lines on black jelly beans. Let icing stand for 30 minutes. Insert two striped jelly beans on each frosting hive. For wings, insert an end of a
   sliced almond on each side of each striped jelly bean. 
   
                             Yellow Inspired\
   
   Sunny yellow makes for a perfect combination for summer fun.  A little or a lot makes you just want to smile.
   
   This dress was made for a fun and flirty afternoon. 
    
   
   
   
   
   
    These chairs are the perfect pop of color.  I think this would be outstanding for a roof top deck.
   
   
   
    Yellow can be too lively a color for a bedroom but a little can go a long way.  Choose accents of soft buttery yellow with lots of white to promote sweet dreams.
   
   
   
   Decorate with all your heart,
   
   Kathleen

Crochet School of Fish Afghan

I have had a hard time putting down my crochet hook lately. I finally completed my school of fish afghan last night. Crocheting the strips went fast and then I got bored with weaving the strips together and it sat around unfinished for a few months. Since I am trying to tie up lose ends (so to speak) and unfinished projects, I decided that a cold Florida day would be the perfect time to have a large afghan on my lap while sewing it all together. So, I am happy to say that it is complete, and also very warm to snuggle up in.

Blessings,

Crochet Flower Granny Squares

I taught myself to crochet at a very young age. It's amazing that some of the older crafts are in style again. I have wanted to teach myself how to crochet a flower granny square. So, yesterday I spent some quality time poolside and whipped up a few with left over yarn. I wasn't sure what I wanted to make but I think this pretty tote will be the winner. The squares work up quite fast so it shouldn't take too long. Looks like I may need more time by the pool to finish em up.

Happy New Year

May the cares of 2011 be washed away and the prospect of new beginnings unfold in the coming year,,,

Blessings,

Finding myself again

This is my source for inspiration. Living this close to the Gulf of Mexico is truly a blessing. In times when I need to find some quiet time, this is where I go, In times when I need to quiet myself and pray, this is where I go. In times when I need to find inspiration for my art, this is where I go. Listening to the sounds of the beach quiets my way too busy little head. For those that have followed my blog, you have probably noticed that I have been absent for a very long time. It has been both a very long 2 years but then again it also feels like it flew by. Going back to school, working a full time job and balancing a design business has been quite an undertaking. But I am happy to say that it is finally over. I sat for my board exams 2 wks ago and am very happy to say that I passed on the 1st try. It has been months and months of studying and I'm so happy it paid off. The test was 5 hrs and 40 min long and let me tell ya, it felt like it went by in minutes. I have to say that when it was over my brain turned to mush. I couldn't even put a thought together, couldn't even figure out where the car was parked So, guess where I headed? To the beach to watch the sunset and sip some wine and try to get my groove back. It felt so good to be able to not think... So, now that it is over, I am finally back to my art. Wow, did I miss it. I just escape when I am painting. I spent most of the holiday in my studio, painting, drinking lattes and just relaxing big time.

Recently I have been thinking that it would be so cool to spend some alone time in a little beach cottage on the Gulf. Maybe just a week or two. I would love to have a big table to work on that is directly in front of a large window overlooking the water. Think about all the inspiration I can gather, OH heaven..... The seahorse that you see in my new blog header is a watercolor painting that I completed over the weekend, I am currently working on a watercolor sea turtle. Just having a blast and finding myself again.

I am linking to A Southern Daydreamer, Outdoor Wednesday, jog on over and have a look. Blessings,