Vintage Valentine Calendar/Frame (Tutorial)

Since today we're officially one month away from Valentine's Day, I thought it would be a good time to update my countdown calendar. 

You don't need to have a countdown calender if you want to make a version of this.  Just find a frame around your house that you're not using, add a vintage print, and a printed paper bunting and you're done.

Simple and FREE! 

The vintage art is from VintageHolidayCrafts.com.  This site is FULL of links to vintage Valentine prints.  It also has a lot of other holiday prints as well.  If you like vintage, you'll love this site!

(My sister gets the credit for this fabulous find!)

You can find the print that I used here. 

The print says:  Valentine Greeting

Ain't it nice to have a Sweetheart?

The Print

• Copy and paste the picture into a document.  (I used Microsoft Publisher.)
• Size your print, then print it onto white card stock or photo paper.

The BuntingHow to make it the colors of a vintage print.

• In Microsoft Publisher (or Word), you first select Auto Shape in your tool bar and insert a triangle into the same document as your vintage print and then size it.  Mine is an inch wide at the bottom of the triangle.
• Click on the triangle to highlight it, click on fill color in the tool bar (the paint bucket), and then select sample fill color.  Once your cursor looks like a dropper, you are ready to select a color.

• Move the dropper over the print that you selected and click on a color that you want to use.
• That color is now the fill color in the triangle.   Repeat these steps for the triangle's line color (the paint brush).
• Copy and paste the triangle as many times as you need for the length of bunting you want. Repeat for any other colors you want to use.
• Print the triangles on a piece of card stock and then cut around them.
• If you'd like to use the same print that I chose, these are the colors that I used.

• For the string, I used a thread from a piece of burlap.   It worked perfectly.  I hot glued the triangles onto the string and then taped the bunting to the back of my frame.

A  bunting would be a fun addition to a Valentine's version of this frame as well.

I've seen buntings around everywhere, but have never made one before.  I see now why they're so popular, they are so fun and easy to make! 

 Today's Fabulous Find...Vintage Valentine Prints 

and Printed Bunting

  I've entered my Interchangeable Countdown Calendar in the Valentine Challenge at the CSI Project.  Go check out all of the fabulous Valentine ideas! 

Linking up here: 

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Featuring: DIY Faux Curled Rosewood Wreath {Made from Rolled Recycled Book Pages}

Every so often I see something that I love so much, and 'find so fabulous'  that I feel this overwhelming desire to drop everything and make it immediately!  Ever had that feeling?  When I first saw this wreath at Under the Table and Dreaming it gave me just the urge.   Stephanie Lynn used old recycled book pages to make this beautiful wreath.  Can you believe it?  What talent!

She also wrote a step by step tutorial that shows in detail how we can make one of these lovely wreaths for ourselves.  (The steps look simple enough that you could turn it into a family craft time and invite your kids to help you too.)

Unfortunately, I have too many projects started (but not finished) right now, so I won't be making the wreath today.  I am however planning on buying an old music book, and using sheet music, to make one to hang near my piano.  I can't wait to start on it!

My thanks to Stephanie Lynn for allowing me to share her creative idea with you today!

Today's Fabulous Find...DIY Faux Curled Rosewood Wreath

***Recently Today's Fabulous Finds reached over 100 followers!  In my attempt to thank you for supporting me, I'm putting together a give-a-way for everyone following this blog with Google Friend Connect.  Hopefully it will be posted in the next couple of days, just gotta get it made. :)   --Thank you!!! 

Also, thank you for all of your kind comments on my printable Thanksgiving Subway Art!   One of the projects I'm working on is a Christmas version so you can just change out the print in your frame.  My goal is to have a print made for every holiday, so be sure to check back.

Have a great day!

Featuring: Closet Door Headboard

If you are looking for a creative headboard idea, take a look at this headboard from Brown Paper Packages. 

Kierste was able to make this for under $30.  Now that's a good price!   Click here, to see how she did it.  I love projects that aren't too hard, don't cost you a lot of money, and yet they have such a huge impact.  This may make you think twice the next time you see a great deal on closet doors. 

 

Kierste and Angela at Brown Paper Packages have a lot of creative, inexpensive, and inspiring ideas.  Go take a look, you won't be disapointed.

 

  Today's Fabulous Find:  The Closet Door Headboard

at Brown Paper Packages

Featuring: Magnet Funny Faces

Fawnda at Fireflies and Jellybeans made the cutest Magnet Funny Face.  I love it and plan on making one for each of my two youngest.  Like she suggests, you could put it on the fridge to keep your kids busy while you are preparing dinner, or for in the car, great ideas.  

Fawnda gathered the face parts through a Google search.  When I gave it a try, I found that the best way to search for each part of the face is to Google them individually, for example, 'eye clipart', 'nose clipart', etc, and then select images.  This site, http://www.fundraw.com/, will give you a head start.  When you open the main menu, look to the upper left under Photo Decorations.

 For a tutorial on how you can make one of these adorable faces too, go visit Fireflies and Jellybeans!

Thank you Fawnda for allowing me to feature your fun idea!

Today's Fabulous Find:  Magnet Funny Faces

I also want to thank House of Hepworths for featuring my Wicked Witch of the West Cookies earlier this week here.  Thank you!

Have a fun weekend! 

Featuring: Creative Planter Ideas

Isn't this Pumpkin Vase Flower Arrangement so pretty?   And fun too?  I love the vibrant colors of the roses.  Did you know that you can buy fake carvable pumpkins?  Go visit Ashley at Little Miss Momma and check out her tutorial, it's actually pretty easy to do.



Picture from Little Miss Momma

When I first saw this Vintage Book Planter at Cottage Hill, I had to take a closer look.   What a creative idea!  A plant growing inside of a book, how unexpected and great is that?  Lindy is kind enough to share how she did it.  Go visit Cottage Hill so you can take a closer look for yourself. :) 

 

Picture from Cottage Hill

 So there you have two very creative ideas for planters!  My thanks to Ashley and Lindy for allowing me to share them with you. The Pumpkin Vase Flower Arrangement and Vintage Book Planter...Today's Fabulous Finds! 

On Another Note: 

A favorite blog of mine is Tator Tots and Jello.  Jen has put together a list of 17 Halloween Costumes and my Train Costume is one of them!  Thanks Jen!  If you need a costume for your kiddo you'll want to go take a look!

Edited to Add:  I just saw that Someday Crafts, another favorite place of mine, has also featured my Train Costume today in another fun post of Halloween costumes, how exciting!  My thanks to Michelle at Someday Crafts for the mention, and also for featuring my Fall Pumpkin Patch here earlier this week!

Blogging Helps and Tips

Blogging can bring you joy and happiness, when you know what you're doing, and pain and frustration when you don't!  If you are learning to blog by trial and error, like myself, then this post is especially for you.  There is a wonderful new resource for bloggers, new and old, called The Blog Guidebook. 

 

 

It's filled with helpful how-to's, that can save you time and frustration, and so much more.  This guidebook is a great resource for Bloggers and has a load of useful information.  Check it out, trust me when I say you'll be glad that you did.

 The Blog Guidebook is Today's Fabulous Find! 

Fun New Sites

 

One of my favorite places to find great new ideas is Ucreate.   It was just posted that Ucreate has expanded and now has; Ucreate with kids, Ucreate Food, and Ucreate Parties.  I'm excited and think they will be great resources. 

Ucreate with Kids, Ucreate Food, and Ucreate Parties are Today's Fabulous Finds!Go check them out.