Not just a Bento

Bento is a Japanese word for home packed meal.

My daughter is turning 2 next month and I want to prepare something light and cute for her Sunday school's friends.  She likes Elmo so much but I had no luck with Elmo bento.  I want the Bento to be an  individual serving, or at least in a box so I don't have to deal wit serving and cleaning.

Source: Design Swan

Source: Adventures into Bento making

For the adults, I am thinking an 8x6x3" box

Christmas Ornament with old paint brushes

I didn't make these.  I bought them at Michaels.  They are inspiring DIY craft next Christmas, aren't they?

Snowman with clay hat and brush hands.

Why haven't I thought of this?

Till next years guys.  Thanks for being a part of my Christmas this year.

{Christmas Decor}: Chandelier makeover

This chandelier has gone through many transformations.  The original color was gold and I painted bronze.  Then I added string of crystal beads, which looked OK.  I have been meaning to take the beads down and Christmas is the best time.

The struggle with this chandelier is to find the right garland.  I want it to look airy with some thought of vintage.  I came across one at Joann for $24.99 with 50% off.  The garland has vintage decoration on it already, such as small gift boxes, berries, pine cones and old mittens with snow man face on it.

The $ 12.50 garland from JoAnn

Felt Poinsettia with wooden buttons.  Try to stay away from plastic products when decorating vintage.

Pine cone with berries and leaf you can make yourself.  I bought mine, removed the golden string and replaced it with jute. 

Lantern from Ikea

This is the best lighting I can capture that represent best what I see above me while having dinner every night.  Very magical.  I don't know who started the Christmas color with red and green, but it is Brilliant.  Just totally changed my mood and feeling.  I wanna have Christmas all year long.

This is my Christmas Chandelier.

{Christmas Decor}: Wreath journey from Trash to Treasure

You've heard the 'Happily Ever After' story about child adoption.  Kudos to those people who has a big heart to open up their house to the needy kids.  My version of adoption is getting stuff from consignment store and transform it into a master piece in my house.  Due to super excitement I had to finish this project, I didn't take pictures of before and during transformation.

It was my lucky day to find all cone wreath with vines at Goodwill store.  I am not sure what I was gonna do with it but I bought it anyway.  Then one thing lead to another...

From $ 2.92 old looking wreath,

These vines was on the wreath.  I removed them.

To trendy yet cozy looking wreath.
I've added only one berry branch that I cut into pieces $ 0.99, 1 branch of wooden buttons $ 4.99, 3 Snowmen that I purchased from Michael's a while ago $ 1.29 each and 2 Poinsettias at $2.20 each.

I am still working on this wreath so come back again to see the final master piece.

The story under my Christmas Tree

These pictures will let your imagination meandering of what has been and is till going on under my Christmas Tree.

Three little snowmen climbed up the ladder.  Hmmm what were they up to?

Someone caught them in action.  Were they trying to get on the tree?

Aha....they wanted a piece of Santa's cookie and milk.

The cookies and milk for Santa are not there yet until the Christmas Eve so up to disappointment, they climbed back down.

Happy Holidays everyone.  We are on the 21th day till Christmas.  have a safe and joyful Holidays.

What is the story under your Christmas Tree?

Old {broken} window in lieu of picture frame

I am so excited to finally finish my mantel decoration.  After visiting garage sales, consignment stores and my favorite flower supply vendors....
Here is my mantel :)  I want it to have a little vintage touch, but on the cleaner side.  Also something that I can add on to reflect the occasions.

Need to put family picture behind the window frame

 The wrought iron basket on right is a place to put TV remote control etc.
I re-painted an old broken window since I saw inspiration from a local store.  They put different printed card stock paper behind the glass window but I am planning to put my daughter's picture instead.   The original design didn't have the ducks, instead it was a black and red picture frame.  Now the frame is on the table underneath the mantel.  That table will be my next project :)

Still have the missing red candle to put inside the candlestick.  We can add  little decorations on the topiary too to reflect the Holidays.

Books from Goodwill store for $ 1.25.

This pine cone can be replaced with stack of mini pumpkins for Halloween and Thanksgiving

Hope you are inspired with my design. 

Bringing {Vintage} to your home

All furniture in my house were bought from IKEA so there's no vintage looking to it.  We just hang on to it until we find a perfect house we call home. Then, I will do my yard the way it supposed to be, decorate the house with vintage and shabby chic style, have a real working studio etc etc.  For now I just create and adding vintage stuff to my house.

The best place to find 'vintage' stuff is Goodwill and other consignment stores, also garage sale.

This is what I plan to add in the dining room:  Burlap place mats and a rattan basket to store the place mats.  If I make my own place mats, it will cost me less than $ 10 for 10 place mats.  The rattan basket will range from $ 10-20.  I suggest to invest a good one, not the cheap looking one.

Tutorial

Basically you need burlap, stencil, acrylic paint, brush and blue painter tape to make these burlap place mats.

For the kitchen, I made a mason jar soap dispenser and threw away all the plastic dispense.
You'll need mason jar, spray paints, soap dispenser, drill and nose pliers. 

Tutorial

Tutorial click here

I am making these Wall Terrarium too, but with artificial plants :)  and paint the jars white and the clams black.

I am hoping to post my creation soon, hopefully by next week.  Till then....