DIY Anchor wall hanging -Refuse To Sink

I have made this anchor wall hanging as a gift for my cousin who has turned 21! Another reason why I love Pinterest so much is that I was able to stalk her boards and figure out the PERFECT gift. I just cannot wait to give this to her!

My inspiration for this creation was mainly from her pinterest board almost entirely dedicated to anchors.

Using one of the beautiful rustic frames that the hubs made up a while back (that have been sitting, waiting, and BEGGING me to do something with) I followed the same technique used on my deer head silhouette.

1. Find and print an image and cut to size for your frame.

2. Scotch tape the surface area of the frame and press firmly.

3. Stick the image down on top of the scotch tape prepped frame.

4. Using a craft knife carefully trace the image and cut firmly so that the scotch tape underneath is scored. Remove the scotch tape (you can use this technique to paint the outside of the silhouette too by removing the outside scotch tape) and your 'stencil' is now complete.

5. Paint!

6. Allow the paint to dry a bit and then peel off the remaining scotch tape. Voila! You are done!

I added an embellishment to the finished product. A wee sign 'refuse to sink' made from a tea stained old book page.

Emily's beautiful gift then posed in various parts of the house before getting dressed ready for her party tonight.

I am really looking forward to giving this to Emily tonight and I hope that she loves it. I really enjoyed making it and I am now motivated to give the rest of my frames some diy love.

linking to:

Serenity Now

Too Much Time On My Hands

Tatertots and Jello

Funky Junk Interiors

It's Overflowing

Under The Table and Dreaming

Coastal Charm

The Dedicated House

Ivy Cottage

New Nostalgia

Delightful Order

The Shabby Creek Cottage

Easy portable herb garden

The easiest part about this herb garden, is that the other half did all of the hard work for me!

He heard my call and he answered. It was a nice surprise too as he got busy planting it up with the kids and I was none the wiser until I stepped outside for a look. So far we have from the bottom to top: Purple Basil, Coriander  Parsley, Rosemary, and a Chilli plant. Those are definitely my four favourite herbs covered although I may like to add some green basil and mint in the near future.

And in this next view, you can see a corner seat he is building for the back garden.

Yes things are finally happening here again at homemade-ally! We have had a horrible initiation into spring, but the good weather is here at last and the seasonal affective disorder is over. We look forward over the next few weeks to sharing a few updates and some future plans.... especially the next on the list - a salad garden!

Thanks for stopping by!

xx

Linking to:

Liz Marie

504 Main

I don't know how she does it...

Well I did no projects last week! I actually had a surprise visitor from overseas and I enjoyed the catch up with her on Friday (my project day). Every visitor I have at home seems to enjoy our decor which is lovely. Little do most of them know, none of it cost us anything.

I have a lot of projects I would love to throw myself into, but the biggest deal breaker is usually funds. But that's OK, it just means we can plan every detail step by step until we are able to do it. I will be sharing a few of these projects in detail in the weeks to come. It's a little embarrassing, and most blogs would only share the 'before' with the 'after' but this is all part of the story. My one.

It's not that we don't have any money either. In fact we do. However we have set a goal to be debt free by March 2014 - or earlier if possible, and so every cent of 'spare' cash is being thrown at bills. It is a good feeling to see those 'amount due's' diminish. When we have squashed all of our debt, we are going to continue to live debt free. I really can't wait. Although I am very grateful to debt as well, as it enabled us to buy a home. If anything has been learnt though, it is not always in ones best interest to use debt as a way to buy things. House, yes. stuff, no. That sort of thing. The best and most rewarding outcome is to save those pennies and pay in cash. Not all lessons in life can be told though, they have to be learnt. And we have.

In other news, I am adopting a significant change in lifestyle and it starts tomorrow! I won't divulge too much on here as that is not the purpose of this blog, but you may hear about it from time to time. It will require a lot of organisation and prep and some of that might be interesting.

And last but not least, on top of the DIY I have a new quest. I need to find some organisation in my life. I feel like everything is all on top of me and I just don't know how to do it. Baby steps and all I will sort it out. Hopefully learning as I go.

So that's what has been happening and what you can expect to see more of around here in the coming months.

Thanks again of course for popping by and having a read - I am loving writing this blog and you people just reinforce that - you rock!

xx

Ally

Easy DIY Tin Caddy

I whipped up this simple tin caddy this morning. I have been saving these three tins for this little project for such a long time so I am glad I have finally done it!

I knew I wanted to attach three tins to a piece of wood. I will be doing another one of these in the future with three cans on each side for the kidlies but this one is for me. I tried to nail the cans on but it was rather awkward with my humongous hammer - I need a girly hammer!! Anyhow, I didn't think hot glue would hold, but it is what I ended up using and it is working a treat so far!!

Here's what it looked  like before...

I could quite easily have left it like this and been happy with it, but I decided to experiment with some kitchen string and PVA craft glue. I found it was easier to apply the glue as a stencil and then stick the string on top. I used a pencil to push the string firmly onto the wood, as my fingertip was too sticky and kept peeling the string off. Here's a progress shot:

And once again the finished project:

I quite like the string text and I will definitely be using the same technique again!

Thanks for stopping by!

linking with:

Serenity Now

Tatertots and Jello

Too Much Time On My Hands

Funky Junk Interiors
It's Overflowing
Under the table and dreaming
Coastal Charm
The Ivy Cottage
New Nostalgia
The Ironstone Nest
Practically Functional
52 Mantels
Live Laugh Linky
The Shabby Creek Cottage

House of Hepworths

Where Home{made}-Ally lives...

The blog that is...

Here is my home computer space. I don't quite have the home office sorted yet however it is a work in progress (yay) but for now here is the mismatched industrial/rustic/romantic work space that I do have and love.

It is quite a simple set up... however it is missing an even work surface.. I will show you how I get around that shortly... We are trying to find a reasonably priced perspex supplier so that we may put a 'lid on things'.
The base is wrought iron and was purchased on good ol TradeMe for cheap as the glass top had been broken. The top is a door. It even came with built in cable holes haha.

Here is my wooden mouse pad. It works well and looks the part.

See my DIY deer silhouette? The stack of wood behind it are more frames of varying sizes that I will get around to decorating soon too.

I even have a matching green chair!

My workspace is once again a mixture of styles smushed together to create something unique and interesting that I love - I hope you like it too!

linking to:

Serenity Now
Tatertots and Jello
Too Much Time On My Hands
Funky Junk Interiors
It's Overflowing
Under the table and dreaming
Coastal Charm
The iVy Cottage
New Nostalgia
House On The Way
The Ironstone Nest
The Dedicated House
Practically Functional
52 Mantels
Live Laugh Linky
The Shabby Creek Cottage
House of Hepworths

Easy deer silhouette DIY

This simple and fun DIY was so easy! It took all of about 30 minutes to make. The hubs is already placing orders for more so maybe I will indulge him and have a few more different silhouette experiments.

I started with a frame that the hubs made by glueing together two pieces of tongue and groove and a simple frame nailed on top. You could make this on any surface at all though. I have no swanky vinyl cutter (although it is on my wish list!!) so here is my method using good ol scotch tape.

Wordless tutorial.....

Instructions go like this...

1. Find and print an image and cut to size for your frame.

2. Scotch tape the surface area of the frame and press firmly.

3. Stick the image down on top of the scotch tape prepped frame.

4. Using a craft knife carefully trace the image and cut firmly so that the scotch tape underneath is scored. Remove the scotch tape (you can use this technique to paint the outside of the silhouette too by removing the outside scotch tape) and your 'stencil' is now complete.

5. Paint!

6. Allow the paint to dry a bit and then peel off the remaining scotch tape. Voila! You are done!

This little guy is just hanging out up here until he has some brothers and sisters for a mini silhouette gallery wall.

Thanks for stopping by!

Linking to:

Serenity Now

Too Much Time On My Hands

Funky Junk Interiors

Tatertots & Jello

It's Overflowing

Under the Table and Dreaming

New Nostalgia

The Dedicated House

The Ivy Cottage

The Ironstone Nest

A bowl full of lemons

Practically Functional

Free Pretty Things

52 Mantels

Live Laugh Rowe

The Shabby Creek Cottage

House of Hepworths

House on the Way

AKA Design

504 Main

Liz Marie

Some one is having a birthday....

My little girl is turning five soon. Seven weeks to go and counting. This kid is truly awesome and even though I AM actually quite sad (my BABY is growing up!!) I am so happy for this little girl of mine. She is so ready for school and this is a time in her life I can tell she is going to love so much.

Here she is with her little brother - what a gorgeous pair of kidlets they are. My little man is going to miss his big sis so much when she leaves daycare. Now it's time to organise school uniforms, lunch boxes, school bag and stationery. Oh and a birthday celebration!!

I love you my princess! xx

Magnetic Spice Rack and easy DIY labels

I am amazed I am functioning today, as one who does not cope well on inadequate sleep... last night I was awoken by the loudest thunder and brightest lightening I have heard/seen in a long time! It must be the amazing about turn in weather, as the sunshine is pouring into the house today and I am loving it.

Last week I was dreaming about my soon to be magnetic spice rack, and this week I have it! I found a very well priced supplier of magnetic spice tins on good ol TradeMe, so I purchased and a day later they arrived!

It took me all of 10 minutes to create my very simple spice labels. They may not be fancy or complicated but I like them, and they suit me.

Here's the before piccy:

and here is what it looks like now:

it is very much my style to just plonk things into arrangement

here's my wordless tutorial on making the labels

easy peasy!

and because christmas is just around the corner...

I am LOVING my new magnetic spice rack for it's simplicity, ease of locating spices, accessibility, and utilization of space off the bench, to free up that prime real estate!

Thanks for dropping by!

linking up to:

Serenity Now

Too Much Time

Tatertots & Jello

funky junk interiors

Under The Table and Dreaming

New Nostalgia

The Ironstone Nest

A bowl full of lemons

Practically Functional

52 Mantels

Live Laugh Rowe

The Shabby Creek Cottage

aka design

504 Main

Liz Marie

freckled laundry

Four favorite things in the kitchen

In the lead up to a few kitchen updates soon to be in progress, I thought I would share my four favorite things in the kitchen, that are making the cut, and defining the 'look'.

1. I love my Typhoon retro storage tins. The bread bin is used for storing all of my packet mixes for puddings, sauces and recipe bases. I think the other three speak for themselves... And the sign, that is actually only placed there to hide the ugly power outlet that sits just behind the tins. The sign was purchased at Farmers and  I purchased the entire storage container set on TradeMe* for $18.50! A good bargain if I say so myself. Here are links for stockists in NZ and the US.

2. I love this rustic key holder that the hubs made. It is convenient in the kitchen as the first thing we do when we get home is usually put the jug on for a cup of tea! The hubs and I don't agree which key looks best in the frame, so I have included a pic of my choice below.

I think this old antique key suits the rustic frame, and hubs thinks the stainless key stands out a bit better. Which one do you like?

3. The next on the list is this recipe holder, another Trade Me* purchase! It came with a gorgeous Gordon Ramsey cook book which I gifted to my brother as he has a wee collection of Mr Ramsey's cookbooks.

4. Last but not least is this simple antique loaf tin that sits on the window sill. I added the blackboard paint label, and I will share a tutorial of how I did this without any sort of vinyl cut or purchased stencil. I love having this in the kitchen, because it stores all of those itty bitty odds and ends that have no real 'home'.

So there you have it... four favorite things from the kitchen... and before I leave, here is a 'before' of the first area I plan on tackling in my kitchen upgrades. My spices sit in that rack on the bench, taking up valuable limited bench space. I can't wait to add a magnetic spice rack, which will conveniently live on the side of the fridge.

I will be aiming for something similar to this above. Can not wait!

*TradeMe is an online trading website, which I use way too much!! I will post a Trade Me house tour in coming weeks to show you just how much I am addicted.

linking with

Funky Junk Interiors

Natasha in Oz

Mahlimoo me and three

Too much time on my hands

Tatertots and Jello
Under the Table and Dreaming
Coastal Charm
New Nostalgia
Knick of Time
The Ironstone Nest
Live Laugh Rowe
Practically Functional
The Shabby Creek Cottage
504 Main
Freckled Laundry

Would you like to know where this lives?

I would love to show you where this rustic beauty of a key rack lives at my place...

At the moment it turns out there are not enough hours (of daylight) in the day for me to photograph everything! Full reveal will come on Saturday...

And just because teasing is fun... here's a little something else that is up and coming in the wood works...

linking with

Hubby Made Me
Common Ground
AKA Design
504 Main
Freckled Laundry

Upcycled window pinspiration

As you may have seen in this post, I have a few old windows filling up space in the lounge until I find the time and the right idea to upcycle them. They are just three old windows of about 5 that I have.

The glass is not ideal... so I am looking at taking it out and leaving the frames empty, or maybe even replacing with clear glass... 

Here are my window's in the corner.

Here are my favorite upcycled old windows, all oozing with chippy paint and character of their past lives.

via The Painted Home

I can't wait to take the plunge and see what I can do with my old windows. And then find them the perfect home in my house.