I usually start surfing the blogs at this time of year, looking for easy projects to do with my kids,ones that look good hanging through thanksgiving. I do love the projects that come home from school, but lets be honest... the glued feathers and pine cones to paper plates usually fall off and start looking shabby a few weeks in. :) (not that I don't LOVE them)







What you will need: (I know...can you believe this is all???)

~1/2 yard of burlap- you can get this at Joane's fabric for around 3 dollars a yard!



~any color of neutral craft paint and foam brush



~black sharpie (Lindsay will have to buy a new one since these are stricken from her new home!) ;)



~Jute or black ribbon



~glue gun



You can make these for your kids rooms with their names, or for birthdays, holidays, or even weddings!.. so fun and easy!



Mindy is giving away a Joannes Fabric gift card for $10 for one lucky Earth monkey mom reader so you can buy the supplies to make this project!!   It's simple to enter...1) "like" her  Pretty in Paint FB page, "like" Earth Monkeys FB page (if you don't already)  and leave a comment below that you did, and one lucky random reader will be chosen to win!!!

For those of you that don't know Mindy...  she is the mother of two children, a wife and creator of all that is beautiful~along with her business of making any piece of unloved furniture amazing, she inspires others to try their hand at adding character to their own homes. Her blog "Pretty in Paint" is a fun and inspiring look into her world. You can also find her on facebook at www.facebook.com/prettyinpaint

Mindy from Pretty in Paint made this little doozie!

I saw this idea of a blessings board on another blog somewhere and I knew I had to do it. Usually sweet flowery things make me want to throw up a little in my mouth, but this little crafty poo is a sweet kick in the teeth.  So... I am writing a blessing on  post-its and sticking them to a board in my room ... so every time I want to have a pity party or complain... wham... it can kick me in the teeth and say, "Hey selfish, annoying, whiny lady... look at all of the amazing things you have in your life." Today I posted 7 to the board and here they are:

1. {Sibling Rivalry...} I guess I'll I just need to repeat costco, costco, costco... over and over in my head  so I'm not tempted to pull a Thelma & Louise during what seems to be NEVER-ENDING-FIGHTING! (costco)


2. {School Clothes...} My amazing big sister took all three boys shopping today and got them shoes and pants and shirts and socks... who does that?? My big sister!! That's who!:) I love you Abbers!


3. {Great Friends...} I swear I have the best friends ever... they love me for me and put up with my non-stop verbal vomit... they are some pretty darn amazing women (and some guys too:)) and I am so beyond blessed to be surrounded by such amazing people!


4. {COFFEE!!!} Seriously... this needs no explanation!


5. {God's Amazing Grace...} woops maybe I should have put this first... I was a little caught up in my costco moment... But He is so good... all of the time...


6. {The right words, when I need them} My hubby just has a way with words... this is what he texted me the other night while I pulled a mini Thelma & Louise at Costco (well I guess it was just a Thelma because Louise was at the coast) ... "You are beautiful... this is the life we GET to live." reminding me that we are so incredibly blessed to be parents to these special boys... even on the rough days. 


7. {An Amazing Family...} How amazing is it to have a HUGE and by HUGE I mean GINOURMOUS group of relatives that we would actual choose as friends even if we weren't related. We have the best family and don't take any of them for granted for even one second. 

{Even Drying Towels Can Be Cute With A Simple DIY}

I found this hook plaque in an antique store and paid way to much for it, but i wanted to copy it and make some of my own!! (is that bad?) I knew these would be perfect to hang out on the back patio to dry my kids towels! I hate when I find them in wet wadded up balls on the floor after they have been running in the sprinkler!! So this is a cute way to let them air dry outside!



{Materials}

1 piece of pine from lowes or a discount store like your local builders bargain center about 3 ft long or

     I always walk through stores like Pier1 or even Target and all the cute pillows are like 20-30 dollars!!!  Who can afford that when you know they are gonna get ruined by the kids or the dog or my husband, plus you need at least 2 and $40 is an investment!!. Recently I have converted my house into a Shabby chic kindof style. The best part of this is, it can be shabby!!!  As in not perfect, a little lopsided, mix and matched!!!

     Which means I can sew and my lines don't have to be totally straight and it wont matter!!! How great is that.  I'm a fast sewer (because I have no time or patience to take my time), I don't have time to cut straight lines or use those annoying pins.. I just wing it! I'm not kidding!! If you look really close at the lines on the pillow they are not straight. and it doesnt matter. yay! But recently after walking through Pier1 I found these napkins for $2.97 each and a bag of Polly-fill for $3.00 so for a total of about $7.00 I made this fabulous shabby white pillow.  So for that price if it only lasts a few months, I'm fine with that!!            

                                                       And here is how you can do it!

Step 2: Lay out the napkins good side out on both sides. 

I wanted the cute trim on the outside to show, 

so I sewed them on the good sides out 

instead of the conventional inside out

Step 3: Sew the entire 3 edges of the napkin fabric, 

leaving about an inch for the trim to not be sewn

*Leave about 6 inches unsewn so you can stuff your pillow

We are so jazzed that Mindy is giving away this adorable pillow that she showed us how to make!  Simply "like" her Pretty in Paint FB page and of course Earth Monkeys too then come back and "comment" below...a winner will be chosen at random!  Oh Oh Pick me!!!!



And one last thing...please take a quick second and click the "about 2011" link to the right and vote for Earth Monkeys...it's easy and we need every vote!  Thanks friends!!!!