DIY WALL ART

I have had this sign I had painted for our wedding reception (left) last May and it has been sitting behind a door at our home for 9 months now. I didn't want to throw it away because I had used a canvas and felt that I could re-use it somehow. I am so glad I kept it. Devan and I got a new shelving unit from ikea to make the room feel more open since it is glass shelves and open sides unlike our old one. Once this was in place there was a HUGE gap of wall that was empty space and it just looked awkward. I have seen cute abstract paintings and decided to pull out all of my paints. It was so easy and took about 30 minutes total and anybody can do it since it is abstract and unique!

First I needed to make the whole thing white. I decided I wanted a lot of texture so I used Gesso to really build up the white and add tons of dimension. Gesso is what is put on painting surfaces like canvas so that the paint doesn't rot the surface... I didn't really need it here but I used it for the affect it had. Once it was gessoed I painted a thin layer of white so that any black remaining would be hidden and also white paint is just a little brighter and more finished looking. 

For this project I used oil paints and turpentine to thin them, but watercolors would work great too! That is just what I have. I decided on a pink, orange and yellow theme... from there i just painted! I texted pictures to my mom and sister during the process asking if it needed more. We text all of the time! Usually it is me sending pictures of my outfit for the day wondering if I look cute or ridiculous. ha! So they kept telling me more more more. So I went with it! 

Here are some photos of the process and what it looked like as it evolved:

Right when Devan got home from work I asked him to hang my painting and he is so nice and hung it right away. I think he is used to my crazy last minute projects by now... maybe?

My office is definitely my favorite and most relaxing place in the house right now and I love all of the personal touches!

DIY MOROCCAN POUF

Ok guys this is long overdue but I am FINALLY getting the How To for the DIY Morroccan pouf up here. So sorry for the long wait to all of those asking for this! It is kind of long but I decided to err on the side of more information that too little.

So first let me say I have been wanting one of these for a while now. But the prices were  ABSURD.  I mean over $100?? Not happening. Then I set to scouring the internet for a good How-to for making one and COULD NOT find one. Seriously I searched. The only tutorials out there were for cheaper looking ones and simplified versions with only 8 panels. The whole point in making one for me was for it to look like the original (as much as possible) so I set about making one myself.

I went to my local Joann store and bought some fabric using 40% off (you can find coupons all of the time! I have the app on my phone). The total cost for this project was about $35.00 and it took about 8 hours total (over a couple of nights).

I decided on this gold fabric. It has a little more texture than the original but I liked that! They also had a really pretty faux leather that I almost bought but decided I would do gold first. I bought 2.5 yards to be safe and had some extra but not too much. I did have to re-cut a couple of things so this is what I would recommend.

Then I had to calculate measurements. I wanted mine similar to the original so 20" diameter and 14" height. Here are some PDFs of the cut guide for the ottoman. I created them so that they could be printed on normal printer sized paper so there are a couple of places you will need a bigger size.

**save image to your computer and then print**

The inner lines on the PDF are the actual size that your piece should be once it is sewn together. The outer lines will be the extra fabric  which just allows you the sewing room. I made them .5" but you could do less or more if you want. If you look at the second page of the PDF you will see that I wrote you need to add 3.5 inches to the bottom. It is being printed on 8.5x11" paper so it is not long enough. Your sides are 14" tall so add 3.5" and then the extra .5" for sewing- a total of 4" in length to your guide. For the bottom of the ottoman you will cut a 22" circle and then cut it in half. 

total cut pieces:

1 inner circle

16 top outer circle pieces

16 side pieces

1 large circle for bottom cut in half

There will be instructions on how to start cutting below.

MATERIALS NEEDED:

-2.5 yards of fabric. Any fabric will do. pleather, gold, silver, etc. I would just suggest NOT using a really flimsy and thin material.

-exacto knife (scissors will work it will just take longer).

-sewing machine

-18" zipper (it could be anywhere from 15-18 is my recommendation).

-optional: ribbon for the seams

-thread in the correct color. 

Disclaimer: I am not a professional seamstress! I really have just taught myself and probably don't do everything "correctly", but this worked for me. If anyone has any tips let me know and I can add to it.

STEP-by-STEP

YIKES!

Time flies! I can't believe I have been married for a month already. Now that life isn't quite so hectic anymore I figured I should start blogging again. It has definitely been too long... so where to begin?

1. We got married! Surprise! This is us right after we exited the temple. I just love how happy we both look here:) (photo cred: Mckay Pier- although she won't see this since she is on her mission now!)

2. Devan and I went on our honeymoon to Park City, Utah. It was so nice not having to travel very far, yet it definitely did not feel like home. This is a picture of Dev and I riding the Alpine slide and the Alpine coaster. My sweet grandpa was so sweet and gave us $100 to spend towards doing something we wouldn't have done otherwise and we decided this would be so fun! We also went and got a really good dinner:)

3. The week after our honeymoon Devan's parents took the whole family to Disneyland! 16 of us in all. It was SO much fun and so nice of them. I really have the greatest in-laws.

All of us at the airport ready to go!

Devan wanted to wear this to the beach... I made him change his shirt

Devan is a great uncle! walking to Disneyland

The Boys

The day after the wedding the family went to eat and when Olivia found out we wouldn't be there she started crying... How cute is that? 

Olivia is darling. I have a new nickname: Jon-tree

Kaitlynn is only 7 years old and decided to go on Tower of Terror... she didn't like it too much.

4.  So after two weeks of traveling we came home and it was time to unpack everything. Now two more weeks have gone by and we still have SO much to do! We are putting together thank you cards, organizing, decorating, getting jobs, figuring out school and more! It is so fun combining our lives.

I love getting to decorate:)

Devan's second half marathon!

5. My sister Mckay also just left on her mission this past Wednesday. Going to miss her!

Zach LOVES Mckay. He wanted to be in every picture... he said she is his best friend.

goofballs

WOW! So much has happened. I am working on a blog post right now with all of our bridals. They are amazing and I can't wait to share:)

NO REST FOR THE ENGAGED!

WOW! so much has been going on. With the wedding less than 3 weeks away (YAY!) I have had so much to do. Needless to say blogging got put on the back burner for a bit. So today I am feeling a little under the weather and with nothing to do while lying in bed I am taking this opportunity to catch up a little bit:)

This past month's highlights:

It's been taking me FOREVER to make the bridesmaids bouquets. Probably because I get bored and want to move around a lot, but still. I have three more to bust out and they'll be done. Aren't they pretty though? I loved the idea of making them from old books that I found for 50 Cents each! :) (Devan likes to point out all of the iffy words he finds on random petals. ha!)

Devan has been so helpful with putting together decorations. We built a big 15 foot long hanging device that we will hang lots of ribbon and pom poms from (bottom center picture).

We have gone on some fun dates with some of our best friends:) I seriously don't know what I would do without them. Here we went on a date to a ropes course... I didn't think it would be scary.. and then I got up there and I was terrified. By the end my courage had gone up a little bit though and I wasn't holding on for dear life.

 My birthday was a couple of weeks ago. We went to the Melting Pot for dinner:)

And Somebody really handsome graduated from College:)

Devan and his younger brother Cameran

Always a goofball!

This is Devan on his first day of kindergarten and then at his college graduation. What. A. Stud.

 This is the cute balloon his parents got him. Devan got an ipad from them for graduation. Needless to say he was very excited:)

 I moved out of my last college apartment with roommates! It was so much fun living with so many girls over the years and they have all become some of my best friends. Gonna miss them, but excited to live with my new best friend soon:)

Now I am living with my sister Taylor for the next couple of weeks until I get married. :)

I picked up my wedding dress!! It is SO beautiful and everything that I had hoped for:) I can't wait to wear it!

And last, but CERTAINLY not least. My fiancé everyone. Isn't he hot?

I hope everyone has a fabulous week:)

By the way if anybody needs a little laugh just follow this link:

http://littlewhitelion.com/mom-asks-son-to-clean-bathroom-like-the-queen-of-england-is-visiting-21454/

I personally couldn't stop laughing the first time I was it. :)