The red and yellow in the wreath were so happy and summery, so I wanted to keep things bright, cherry and fun!

I bought this Moroccan patterned indoor/outdoor rug from Joss and Main a few months ago. It was intended for our bathroom, but it turned out to be the wrong blue. I was about to sell it, until I had my light bulb moment. I knew it would look awesome on our front porch {The other welcome mat that has been out there since we moved in was moved to the back door, since we needed a mat there anyway. Win, win!}.

The rug and wreath look awesome together! The modern, graphic patterns keep the primary color scheme from looking too childish. It just looks fun and relaxed.

I ditched the boston fern that was in the urn {that my Grandma had done a faux finish on} in exchange for an arrangement of succulents. The fern and I didn’t get along very well. I’m learning that the key to having a pretty garden and plants is to learn which plants you do well with. It pays to do a little research about which plants do well in your area, and what kind of light/watering they need.

The succulents are much more “me” than the fern was. They are modern and sculptural, plus they don’t overtake the urn. Oh, and {BONUS!} need very little care.

I still love my rustic chalk board. I enjoy changing up the chalk art with different seasons and events. It’s fun to find new quotes, dig up old favorites, or just add a little doodle. This time, I chose this wonderful quote from Ralph Waldo Emerson {one of my faves as far as poets go}. It’s appropriate for summer time, isn’t it?

I ran a piece of chalk through my pencil sharpener to do this little chalk doodle, but a reader introduced me to the wonder of chalk pencils. Hello! I’m definitely going to have to try these out!

I am so enjoying our summertime porch update! It almost redeems the torturous summer heat here in Texas {almost}.

Is it starting to feel like summer where you are? Are you welcoming it with open arms, or trying to fend it off a little bit longer? 

]]> http://likeasaturday.com/2013/05/21/summer-time-porch/feed/ 14 likeasaturday Summer Time Porch : Like a Saturday Summer Time Porch : Like a Saturday Summer Time Porch : Like a Saturday Summer Time Porch : Like a Saturday Summer Time Porch : Like a Saturday Summer Time Porch : Like a Saturday Summer Time Porch : Like a Saturday Use pencil sharpener for chalk Summer Time Porch : Like a Saturday Summer Time Porch : Like a Saturday Summer Time Porch : Like a Saturday signature Summer Time Porch : Like a Saturday http://likeasaturday.com/2013/05/20/summer-bicycle-wreath/ http://likeasaturday.com/2013/05/20/summer-bicycle-wreath/#comments Mon, 20 May 2013 15:29:41 +0000 likeasaturday http://likeasaturday.com/?p=2458 Continue reading →]]> Happy Monday! I’m running behind today! We spent the weekend in Austin celebrating my little sister’s graduation from the University of Texas {Hook’em!}. It was a fun, exciting, busy, exhausting weekend! You can bet on InstaFriday being very burnt orange this week. This was the first of 3 Austin trips I’ll be making this month….so, yes…coffee will be happening. A lot.

Can you believe Memorial Day weekend is already upon us? The official unofficial start of summer. It’s already feeling good and hot here as we’re already reaching temps in the 90′s, so I felt like it was time to switch out my spring wreath for a summery one.

I started out by wrapping a wreath form in some grosgrain ribbon in a red and white chevron pattern that I found at Hobby Lobby. I’ve made a few yarn wreaths before, but I had never wrapped one in ribbon. Oh my goodness – I am sold on wrapping wreaths in ribbon! It took so much less time!

I also found this metal bicycle at Hob Lob. They were running a 50% sale on metal that week, so I snatched it up with thoughts of yellow spray paint running through my mind.

Once I gave it a few coats of a pale yellow spray paint, I attached it to the wreath with some hot glue. The bicycle is pretty light weight, but I still wanted to reinforce it with some ribbon in case the glue were to come loose with the Texas heat. I had a spool of a thin matching ribbon. I discreetly tied each wheel to wreath. You can hardly see it unless you’re looking very hard.

I was seriously doing a dance around the house once I finished. I am IN LOVE. It’s definitely the quirkiest wreath I’ve put together. The colors and the addition of the bike scream summer to me !

Of course, one thing led to another, and I restyled the entire front porch for summer…but you’ll have to wait until tomorrow to see what I’ve done! I’m excited to share it with you!

I hope y’all have a wonderful Monday and I’ll see you back tomorrow for the porch reveal!

Update : Apparently great minds think alike! Check out Jen’s {from Craft-o-Matic} Summer Bicycle Wreath that she made! It is super cute! 

Things are getting busy around here, and you can tell as the amount of times I Insta decreases. Ha – I guess I just don’t think to stop and take a picture when I’m spinning in 8 directions. Oh well.

We’re just a little over 2 weeks out from my sister’s wedding {!!!}, so I’ve been putting together a lot of little last minute things for that. That has, of course, included succulent planting! It’s pretty therapeutic.

I have taken the time to do a couple of little projects, and there is one I am just dying to show y’all next week. I am loving it! In the mean time, did you know you can sharpen your chalk in a pencil sharpener? Game changer. Chalk art just got easier.

Here lies my first selfie….with my dog. Macy and I both got fresh haircuts for all of the upcoming festivities. We kinda let her go for a couple of months, and she looks about half her size now. Girlfriend can have so.much.hair. I’ve been grooming her myself {DIY with dogs?} since we’ve had her, and I think it’s time to send her to a professional. We pretty much end up scowling at each other for a bit after a hair cut.

Dad’s leg is apparently the best place to rest your head when road tripping. I’m currently on trip 1 of 3 this month — this time to celebrate my sister’s college graduation! Woohoo! I’m so proud of her and excited to celebrate!

How has your week been? Are you looking forward to a full or laid back weekend?

Have an awesome one! 

The filing cabinet was beat up and boring, so of course, I decided to attack it with a couple of cans of spray paint. I still wanted it to have an industrial look, but with a modern twist, so I went with a two-toned look.

I painted the drawer fronts with a glossy white, and the rest of the cabinet in a glossy grey. I believe the color was winter grey {Rustoleum} but I already tossed the can. It only took 3 light coats to get good coverage.

This guy now lives next to my desk in my  office nook. It’s awesome to have added a little extra surface space in my corner {especially for when I have the sewing machine out}. My craft caddy lives here when it’s not following me around the house.

Next up on the to-do list is reorganizing our files and coming up with a good system. Do you have any tips you use when keeping your paperwork organized?

Are there any other washi tape addicts out there? It makes me a little nostalgic of my Lisa Frank days. It’s just so much fun.

{side note : I still have my trapper keeper with this dog and cat wedding on it. It does not get anymore 90′s than that. Lisa Frank? Check. Trapper Keeper? Check. Full of my elementary school drawings and hopes and dreams? Double check.}

{source}

I tried washi out for the first time this past Christmas and added a some red and green tape to our Christmas card envelopes. It was really cute and added a little something special to the plain white envelopes. I hadn’t ever really thought much about washi beyond stationary and gift wrapping, but there is so much you can do with it! I bought a pack from Pick Your Plum a while back, and now I’m trying to washi everything. It’s a disease.

I snatched a metal utensil caddy from Target a few weeks back, thinking it would be a perfect caddy for craft supplies {They have them with the summer picnic supplies in the kitchen section. They had a few other colors as well.}. I’m a mobile crafter. Sometimes you’ll actually find me working in our office/craft space, but more often than not you’ll find me on the couch, on the floor, at the kitchen table…whatever works, yunno? I’m also a messy crafter. It’s pretty much incredible how quickly one spot can explode with hot glue and felt and paper scraps and buttons. And then, suddenly, it’s midnight and my eyes will.not.stay.open and the mess stays while I slip off to dream.

I needed some kind of caddy that I could keep items that are often needed, and also my work in progress. This utensil holder fit the bill perfectly! It is a really good size – it  has 3 smaller spots to keep scissors, pens, etc. and then a larger area to keep my masterpiece in progress. I could easily throw my things in here when calling it a night or moving to a new spot.

It just needed a little pizazz! Enter : washi tape. I wanted to add a few stripes of washi around the middle to give it a little color. I started by taping of the top section with masking tape. I did this to help me keep the washi tape straight.

I decided on colors and a pattern and went to town taping, using the masking tape as my guide.

Once I was done taping, I removed the masking tape to reveal my final product.

The entire thing took me no more than 7 minutes, and that was only because I had a dog in my face the entire time. Washi taping is a really quick way to add some quirk and color.

A caddy like this would also work really well for kids’ art supplies or for a homework station. It could easily be stocked with what each child needs and moved out of the way when needed. Colors could be personalized to each child’s preference, and would even be a fun project for them to work on!

Are you a mobile crafter, too? Or do you stick to your desk or kitchen table? 

It’s InstaFriday once more, which means it’s time to dump those iPhone photos! Don’t forget, you can follow me on Instagram @likeasaturday. There’s a fancy little button over there on the sidebar so you can easily find me.

The hubs and I are apparently all aboard the colored pants train. We were looking quite colorful together over the weekend. We always unintentionally match or coordinate. We’ve done it since we were dating. It’s really weird.

Check out this creature we saved from an oil spill. Our Macy is not a fan of bathing. And she is way past due for a haircut. I usually groom her myself…because I’m crazy…and I’ve put it off for way too long. I think she will meet the razor this weekend if I can squeeze it in. It needs to happen. After her bath, she let me swaddle her in the towel and hold her like a baby for 20 minutes…exhaling loudly the entire time. This dog cracks me up.

Y’all…add a little champagne {or sparkling water} to your pink lemonade in the middle of the week. It’s pretty and tasty and fun on a Wednesday.

I had to run into the local school supply store to grab some report covers for a project at work. I had to take a lap around the posters. Going into that store awakens the former preschool teacher in me and I just need to laminate everything. I totally had to fight the urge to buy a bunch of polka dotted library pockets. I’m trying to think up some use for them so I have an excuse. I will totally volunteer to be the bulletin board mom when we have kids.

What have you been up to this week? Any super awesome weekend plans?

For more, you can follow me on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram!

We’ve been doing a lot of work this spring to spruce up the back yard.  One thing we were missing was a place to store the garden hose. It was usually stretched over the lawn until it was mowing time and it got tossed on top of my newly planted flower bed. Not cool. I was definitely in need of a solution.

I had pinned these two ideas forever ago. The first from Thistle House and the second from Mini Manor Blog. I was inspired to build my own garden hose hanger. I loved the idea of having a free standing post. I thought it would be prettier than the usual hose holders you can purchase from a home improvement store, and would take up less space.

I stopped by The Home Depot to gather my supplies. I bought a notched 4 x 4 post and a post holder spike deal {that’s a technical term} to hold it in place, and some white spray paint. I already had some double hooks that I bought on clearance from Ikea. They probably wouldn’t be large enough to hold a standard hose, but I ditched my heavy garden hose and bought a pocket hose! It’s one of those “as seen on TV” deals that is actually completely awesome!

I spray painted the post and top of the spike thing white, and then drilled the hooks onto the front. I hammered the spike into the ground and then placed the post. Voila!

I also hung a small galvanized bucket from the bottom hook to hold all of my small hose attachments. I used to just keep them on top of the a/c unit, but they were always getting knocked off and I’d have to dig for them.

It’s so much better than having to pull the hose out of the flower beds! And the light weight, expandable hose has changed my life! I still just need to find a solution to hide the ugly a/c unit.

Ok – Now it’s your turn! What have you pinned that you need to get on already? 

For the containers, I used rounded votive holders. I bought mine from Hobby Lobby for about 50 cents a piece {on sale}, but I’ve also seen packs of these at the dollar store.

Anytime I’m working with succulents, I always start with a little bit of gravel to help with drainage. They don’t need or like a lot of water, so proper drainage is a must. You can also buy soil specifically for cacti to help with drainage.

Once you’ve got your base, the fun part begins. Ad your tiny succulents, moss, marbles, or other trinkets. Get creative and have some fun with it!

In what ways are you bringing the outdoors in this spring? If you like this, be sure to check out my large scale terrarium and soup can succulents! 

I hope your Tuesday is fantastic!

1) DIY Ironing Table : 

If the mom in your life is crafty or loves to sew or quilt, why not makes things a little easier on her with this DIY ironing table made from a TV tray? This table makes it easy to tackle ironing quilting squares or other sewing projects without having to haul out the ironing board. It’s perfect for having next to your crafting area.

2) A Terrarium

There are so many ways to customize a terrarium to fit your mom’s personality. Get creative with the container you use, or try adding small trinkets. If she loves the beach, add a few seashells. These little worlds are sure to please, and will last much longer than the usual bouquet of roses.

3) Chalkboard Menu

For the mom that loves to cook : help her stay organized with a chalkboard menu.

4) DIY Jewelry Hanger

This DIY jewelry hanger is simple and inexpensive to make. It’s a beautiful way to hang jewelry – art and organization in one!

5) Bake a Cake 

As Pedro said, “Build her a cake or something”. Every celebration calls for a little cake! Make her favorite flavor and celebrate how awesome she is! You can find my strawberry cake and cream cheese frosting recipes here.

6) Cupcake Bouquet

Bump that cake up a notch and create a cupcake bouquet! -Stephanie at 52 kitchen adventures has an awesome tutorial on how to create one, and also a great video showing how to frost in a rose pattern.

7) Chocolate Dipped Pretzel Rods

If you’re wanting to make her a sweet treat, but cake isn’t her thing, try these chocolate dipped pretzel rods. These are super easy to make and the perfect mix of salty and sweet. Sprinkle on her favorite colors before the chocolate dries to add a personal touch.

8) Teacup Candle

I have loved these DIY Teacup Candles that I’ve seen all over Pinterest. These would make a great gift for the mom in your life! Thrift shops, like Goodwill, often have pretty, neglected tea cups that are perfect for a project like this. Createlive has an awesome tutorial on how to make these candles out of old ones!

9) Framed Printable 

If you’re looking for a more sentimental gift, take advantage of all of the free printables out in blogland. Print out your favorite, and stick it in a pretty frame. Lovely Living has this sweet Mother’s day subway art available in 4 colors.

Yesterday on Tuesday also has a vintage-inspired printable set for Mother’s Day, including a banner, gift tags, and an “All About My Mom” printable to get the kiddos involved.

10) Yarn Wreath

Make something beautiful for your mother’s home. Create a yarn wreath with felt flowers to brighten up her entry way. There are so many ways to customize these to fit any decor.

For more great ideas, you can visit my Mother’s day Gift Ideas pin board here! 

Have a great Monday!

Last weekend was a busy one. It started with another shower for my sister and future brother-in-law. So much good food. So much.

Then, I helped throw a baby shower for a church friend. It was one of the cutest baby showers I have ever been to! I have a lot of creative and talented people in my life!

Then later that night we went to an adoption benefit concert. Whew! It was a full, exhausting, wonderful weekend! We kept things pretty low key throughout the rest of the week.

A pedicure with a sweet friend…

Late night chocolate almond milk…

Succulents…

And flowers…

I’d say it’s been a great week! I’m very much looking forward to this weekend. Tomorrow I’m attending my first blog boot camp! I’m nervous, but definitely excited!

Have a good one!