Crafts by Courtney

If You Can't Find Em' Make Em'

2011-01-11T22:25:00.000-08:00

I looked forever in the stores and online for boots that I liked. I had no luck, but saw these boots at Target and figured I could add something to make them how I wanted. I used Black Vinyl Leather sewed the bow and then attached it by hand sewing and velcro. LOVE THEM! And the best thing was they were on sale for $20.98 Ahhhhh Yeeeaaaahhhhh
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After:

2010-12-06T19:25:00.000-08:00

Found this idea here
This project was so easy and so much fun to make! I love how cute it is and also has a good purpose!

I have been wanting to make one of these for a long time. It holds the wipes case and diapers, and I put an L initial for my son's name.

Crafts I've been doing...

2010-11-30T20:22:00.000-08:00

Flower Rosette:

My first attempt at making a bib for my little guy:

Some Christmas decorations:

This was a shirt that I received as a present, but added some sleeves to it from an Adult Men's shirt. Another first attempt, which I'm pretty happy with because it is perfect for keeping warm in the winter.

Witch Shoes

2010-11-02T19:29:00.000-07:00

Found this cute idea on http://www.skiptomylou.org/ I LOVE how they turned out!

And this is what I made while I watched General Conference. I found this idea:http://craftycupboard.blogspot.com/2010/09/spider-web-table-runner.html

Halloween Crafts

2010-09-28T18:54:00.002-07:00

I really have enjoyed decorating for Halloween this year, more than any other year. Hope you like!

"Potions"

I found this quote somewhere in "blog land" and decided to just use things around my place to make the sign. I found the broom at the dollar store, spray painted it, and put ribbon around it (that I already had along with the spray paint!)

Found this idea here

Found this idea here

2010-09-28T18:48:00.000-07:00

Here are a few crafts that I've done in the last couple of months. I recovered the pillows for the couch, made the skirt from extra material left over from the shirt I made, saw a necklace similar at Forever 21 and my sis and I each made one, bought the grey shirt for a dollar and tried to "cutify" it, and made a pillow for our bed out of curtains found at goodwill!

Nightstand Makeover!

2010-07-10T09:02:00.000-07:00

We found this beauty on the side of a dumpster! We were so excited to find this and that it was real wood as well! There was paint striping, sanding, priming, painting and drilling bigger holes for the handles. But oh so worth the time and effort! The only things we had to buy were new handles and primer, we already had leftover black paint. We decided to put it in our son's room next to his crib. I think they look really good together! Hope you like!

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Late at Posting!

2010-06-25T12:37:00.000-07:00

Here are a couple of crafts I've done. The pens can is something that I did months ago but forgot to post it. As you can tell our pen holder was pretty ugly before(it was the holder for my silverware when I first came up to college). I really like how the one I made matches my magazine holder that I made previously. I made it by using an old formula can and some twine I got at DI. The basket I also got at DI for 50 cents and with the decorative balls many people use styrofoam balls but I didn't want to spend money on those because they are really expensive. So with the brilliant idea from my Mom I used newspaper and taped it together in the shape of a ball. Then I just used tissue paper to make the roses. I really like the outcome and love that I didn't spend barely anything to make these projects.

New Shirt!

2010-04-30T22:05:00.000-07:00

So I found about 2-3 yards of this striped material at DI for $2 and was so excited because I wanted to make a shirt. I have never sewn any clothing before so I just took a shirt that was the same style out of my closet and just copied it. I'm excited to wear this!! And technically it only cost me a $1 because I have half of the material left over. Woot Woot!

Book Holder!

2010-04-21T12:38:00.000-07:00

(This is the one I found online.)

(This is after it was primed--forgot to take a picture earlier.)

(Finished product!)

I have had no place to put our sons books that we are slowly collecting. I found this book holder online and really liked it, but I saw that they were selling them for $70!!! Yeah right....So my husband and I went to Home Depot to get wood and he made/painted it, as I helped measure,taped and put vinyl on. I really like how ours turned out and we haven't decided if we want to put the round balls they have on the bottom of theirs or not. (found some at home depot for pretty spendy--maybe can find some at a thrift store!) Total cost of project---about $10!!!

New Curtains

2010-04-07T20:32:00.000-07:00

In our apartment we have the blinds that go down to the floor and with a soon to be toddler I was expecting that he would break them all down. So I found this idea on the blog Make it and Love it here. I like how it makes our place have a more "homey" feel than an apartment. I also got these really cool hooks at DI and didn't know what I would use them for, but they work perfectly for the curtains during the day.

New Shirt!!!

2010-04-01T19:17:00.000-07:00

So I saw this shirt tutorial on Tea Rose Home here and I loved it, so I decided to try and make my own. I just took a shirt I had that I didn't want anymore and a t-shirt my husband had that he didn't want. I really like how it turned out!

Improved Basket

2010-03-29T21:20:00.000-07:00

I really wish I had a before picture of this basket. Basically it was different colors of brown and it was ugly. I use this basket to hold diapers in and I keep it in my living room so I don't have to keep going into my son's room to get them. I spray painted it and sewed some fabric to go inside and am happy with how it turned out. SOOOOO much better than before!

Another Sweater Revamp

2010-03-27T14:06:00.000-07:00

I made this last night and actually just hand stitched this because I thought it would be easiest. I love how it turned out. My inspiration was from the store forever 21, picture below.

Clothes I've Redone

2010-03-26T15:26:00.000-07:00

It is really hard taking a picture of yourself and I couldn't wait for my husband to get home to take them for me because I wanted to post them! These are my first time sewing clothes, I've only sewn blankets and quilts. Anyways, sorry for the bad pictures!

Some Fun Projects

2010-03-18T10:05:00.000-07:00

Here are a couple of projects that I just forgot to post for a while. The first one is the felt heart that I saw on The Idea Room. I loved making this and it was so easy! It is officially staying in my kitchen all year round because I like it too much for just having it up for Valentines day and my kitchen color is red!

The second project I found Here. This was such a great idea and so easy to make! I love how it turned out and am grateful to have a place to put my Ensigns now!

Amazing Deal

2010-02-22T13:08:00.000-08:00

I got this in December and just haven't posted it yet. Thought you'd like to see the sweet deal I got. $2.DI.WORD.

Subway Art

2010-02-10T21:25:00.000-08:00

I found this idea here and I LOVED IT!!! But....I didn't want it just for Valentine's day so I decided to use words that are meaningful to my marriage. My friend and I had a BLAST doing this and I think they turned out great! I of course would like to have used canvases but those can be a little spendy....well spendy for me....but I still wanted the depth. So I decided to buy gift boxes at Walmart and 2 came in a pack for $2!! Then I painted them black and did the rest the same as the above tutorial. To hang them I used an idea I saw a long time ago, which was to put a tac up with the back of the box and then just put the top of the box on just like you would if you were putting them together. Hope you like!

I'm linking to these parties:
Dollar Store Crafts

Dry Erase Calender

2010-02-04T10:06:00.000-08:00

I have been wanting to do this project ever since I saw it on Somewhat Simple. Such a great idea!!! So I did similar to hers except I only put a "grocery list" and "to do list" because I wanted more room for my actual calender. I LOVE how it turned out!

Whole New Wall Look

2010-01-27T18:53:00.000-08:00

So at my apartment we have this really long wall and didn't have anything up in the middle of it because there was nothing I had that I really liked to put there. I found these shutters and mirror at DI for .75cents, the mirror was $4, the picture frames were from Walmart and were only $3 each, and the canvas picture was free off of this website: http://www.canvaspeople.com/ They have this AMAZING deal going on right now. Thanks to this blog: http://thecreativecrate.blogspot.com/ I found out this great deal!

All I needed to do was spray paint the shutters and mirror. I don't have a before picture of the mirror, but it was blue. I love how it turned out and how the mirror looks like a window. I especially love not looking at a bare wall anymore!

Scale Makeover

2010-01-20T21:03:00.000-08:00

So I was in my bathroom today and I looked at our scale and thought to myself "Geazzzz, that is ugly!" So I immediately thought that I should recover it with scrapbook paper. I told my husband, who loved the idea and actually helped me with ideas and helped take the plastic clear piece off to make it easier for me. He suggested I should use plastic to cover it (so we would obviously not ruin the paper) and had an old binder I could use!! He is the BEST. So I tore off the ugly looking creamish/yellowish "Paper" that was on their and traced out the scrapbook paper. Then I cut the clear plastic off the binder and attached it on the ends with hot glue. (I would have rather used double-sided tape for this part, but didn't have any). Put the plastic cover back on and there ya go! Looks like a whole new scale and matches our black/white bathroom! And the best part is I had everything at my house for it already! And I am so happy to not have to look at the ugliness anymore.

Fun Project

2010-01-09T10:43:00.000-08:00

I wanted to make something for my nephews and found this sign at DI for only $2 and found this cute quote to put on it. It worked out great that it was already painted white so that once I painted it blue I could sand down the edges to bring the white back out. They liked it, but especially because it is BYU colors....THEY ARE SO CUTE!

Christmas Crafts!

2009-12-04T23:27:00.000-08:00

I made this sign from just a plain piece of wood and turned it into this!

I decided to spice up this little gift box to make it festive for the season.

Another Before and After!

2009-11-04T11:58:00.000-08:00

Most of the crafts I've been doing are for a bazaar that I will be hosting with my Mom and sister, so we've been pretty busy!
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After:

Jewelry Box

2009-11-01T23:01:00.000-08:00

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After:

I spray painted the knobs silver and the jewelry box black, added some ribbon, and mod podge to some scrapbook paper to put on top. I LOVE how it turned out!

Pumpkin Carving

2009-10-30T19:03:00.000-07:00

My husband and I have a tradition every year (we've done it 3 years now, so that makes it a tradition) to carve pumpkins and invite some friends over to do it with us. My husband did the pirate ship, tiger, and hummer and I did the Witch, Monument of Abe Lincoln and the Statue of Liberty. We find our templates free online at an amazing site. I don't have it on me right now but if anyone wants it let me know!

1st Year

Last Year

This Year

Thrift Store Finds Over a Long Period of Time

2009-10-28T22:46:00.000-07:00

I love going to garage sales or DI and getting great deals! It just makes you happy inside....Anyways, I thought this would be fun to post so you can see the befores and then once I get the project done it will be a more anticipated reveal! The following are the prices of these steals:

$2 (This is NOT getting redone because its already so cute!)

$1.50

75cents Each

$1 (took off ugly vinyl, forgot to take pic before that)

25 cents

25 cents (There were SO many beads on this strand I couldn't believe how cheap it was!)

Baby Shower

2009-10-26T22:54:00.000-07:00

I was in charge of planning a baby shower and had so much fun planning it. The theme of the shower was "She's about to Pop!" So I tried to base everything around the word "pop." I had popcorn, soda pop, popsicles; for prizes: bumble gum, pop rocks, ring pops and did the invitation with a tootsie pop in the middle. I found this idea off of My Insanity (I LOVE that blog) and happy to get such great ideas from there.

I got the popcorn container and bags (placed underneath where I put the popcorn in for our guests) from the Dollar Store (love that place!)

I got these party favor boxes at the Dollar Store as well and just cut the design off of my Cricut. (Love my Cricut machine, it comes so handy for so many things!) I filled them with white chocolate covered popcorn.

I saw this idea online to use winter green mints and jelly beans but I used spice drops instead. I just used white frosting to connect the candy together.

This is the invite which you can't really see because I didn't want to give out all the personal info. So basically, I cut out little steering wheels, attached a piece of paper with the info with some ribbon, and stuck a tootsie POP in the middle to match the theme. Then on the invite I said "Steer on over...."

I wanted to make a diaper cake but those can be really expensive to make, so I saw online a little diaper motorcycle. I loved it and tried to make my own version. Just if wondering, the yellow bottle in the middle represents the headlight.

This is the banner I made for the shower and it was great as well for the Mom to be to take with her so she can put it up once the baby arrives!

My New Diaper Bag!

2009-10-23T14:58:00.000-07:00

I saw this diaper bag on etsy and I fell in LOVE! It is exactly the type of diaper bag I wanted, one that didn't look like a diaper bag! I love the inside of it because it has a separator, and I can also put stuff in the separator like my wallet and cell phone so they are more secure! It was more than what we wanted to spend, but as my husband said, we will be using it for a long time and its exactly what I want. So Sweet! Plus, we are both sick of trying to find things in the bag we have now. Anyways, go check out all of the cute bags she makes. And another little add on is she lives in Italy, which means I can say that I have a purse from Italy!!!! Never thought in a MILLION years that I would ever be able to say that!

A Little Halloween Decor

2009-10-12T22:41:00.000-07:00

My sister got this at a garage sale and ending up giving it to me! Thanks Sis!

It was a whole 50 cents....So I took off all the stickers (thank you goo gone) and added some ribbon to the top and bottom, and of course some candy! I thought about putting some vinyl Halloween saying on it but I think I like it how it is for now!

More Bow Holders

2009-10-03T17:31:00.000-07:00

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Bow Holders!

2009-09-25T16:13:00.000-07:00

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BOOYA

My Next Steal At DI-Love Love Love That Place!

2009-09-20T23:49:00.000-07:00

So first of all I want to say that I was so excited for my first comment!! Yay! Hopefully I can put my blog out there more and get more readers!

So for this project I was just randomly looking at DI and was looking in the "wood" section they always have. And I think that even though I wasn't looking for something specific I was in one of those "moods" where you just really want to find a good steal. Well behind all of the wood I found this green boat. Now I have seen these kind of boats before but they are ALWAYS SO expensive! I was so happy to see that the price of the boat was only $8!! Yup that's right, ONLY $8! Anyways, I loved it and knew that my husband and I could redo it and make it look awesome. It came with 2 kind of shelves (just pieces of wood, but wasn't attached). So I cleaned the boat up, we glued the shelves on the boat spray painted it blue and then I thought that it would look so much better if we put a strip of white right down the middle. We both LOVED how it turned out and the whole thing cost maybe a total of $10 (cuz you can find spray paint at Walmart for like only 97cents. So then the real question was what we were going to use it for, we knew that we wanted to put it in our new baby boys room, and then my husband had a great idea! Use it to hold/store diapers!!! Our cute cute Diaper Holder for our little nursery! LOVE IT!

And this is how it looks hanging up on the wall with diapers!

2009-09-15T12:20:00.000-07:00

My husband and I were looking at DI for a lamp and we found this beauty. It was only $4 I think (it's been a while) and we spray painted it and added material in the sides. We love it and can't believe that someone would throw this away!

Free? Heck Ya!

2009-09-14T15:16:00.000-07:00

A woman didn't want this basinett anymore and was willing to give it to me for free because there were a few dents in it; as you can see in the picture below. My husband and I looked at that like no problem, and my husband glued some wood in the inside to make the dent pop back out. I went to DI with my Mom and she found some sheets for only $2 and it was the exact kind of material I wanted! (I had looked at many fabric stores and couldn't find anything I liked) I guess it ended up being a good thing I couldn't find any material I liked because this way was way cheaper! With the help of my Mom I was able to redo the inside and add a skirt to the bottom, which I wanted to cover up because it wasn't the best looking thing. We were so excited how it turned out for the new addition to our family!

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Love Love Love to Craft!

2009-09-11T14:21:00.000-07:00

I thought I would start a blog of all of the fun crafts that I've done and are currently doing. I love to read others blogs for ideas and hope that my ideas can be inspiring! Happy Crafting!