Decorating Cents

For those that saw my Thanksgiving Printable , this is a refresher tutorial.  For those that are new to making printables, welcome. Start by opening Picnik.com .  T here is no way to open a blank document here so you have to upload any photo.  Click upload a photo.  Since I wanted my document to be portrait, I uploaded a photo that was already in portrait view. Once your picture is uploaded, select Stickers from the Edit tab.  Under the Geometric shape section, choose the rectangle.  The sticker is automatically horizontal so you may have to rotate it if your picture is portrait.  Enlarge the sticker to cover your uploaded photo and change the background color to your choice.  My sticker is white so it may be hard to see here. You can now begin to add your words.  Select Text from the Edit Tab.  Type in your word, choose the font, and click add.  You can change the color and size of the words also. Continue to add words of your choice changing up the colors

Thank you to those who entered the Cutting Edge Stencils giveaway. Random.org says the winner is:  Nandini who wrote... I would love to win the Anna damask stencils. Congrats to you!  I will be in touch with you to get your stencil on its way.  Can't wait too see what you choose.

Now that I'm all full of turkey and dressing, I can focus on the BIG HOLIDAY ahead...Christmas!  I can't wait to decorate.  My daughter is really into Christmas this year.  She spots every Christmas tree when we're out and is asking for every toy she sees on TV.  Since this is the first time she seems to be interested in the holiday, I wanted a way for her to count down the days.  I decided an advent would give her something to look forward to each day. Supplies used: foam core board scrapbook paper glue stick scissors 1. Cut scrapbook paper into 4 inch squares.   2. Fold 1/2 inch on 3 sides.  The pocket ends up being 3x3.5". 3. Glue pockets onto foam core board. 4. Cut 1 inch circles, label with numbers, and glue onto squares. Fill your pockets with activity cards or small gifts for each day.  This is an easy way count down the days with the family. Some activities to include in your advent: Make

**This giveaway is now closed** I have a special treat for you today.  My friends over at Cutting Edge Stencils are offering one of my readers $50 to spend on any stencil of their choice.  Cutting Edge Stencils has a huge variety of stencils to choose from.   Here are some of my favorite stencils . Harlequin Trellis Missing Link Nadya Damask They have some How To videos to get you started: How to Stencil a Feature or Accent Wall How to Stencil With a Roller How to Stencil a Border with a Reusable Wall Stencil How to Clean a Reusable Wall Stencil PRIZE : $50 to spend on any stencil you choose with free shipping in the lower 48 states TO ENTER : Leave a separate comment for each entry.  There are 5 chances to win.   1. Must b e a follower (or become a follower) of Decorating Cents .   2 . Must visit Cutting Edge Stencils and leave a comment telling me what stencil you would choose and where you would use it.  Optional entries:  3 . Like Cutting E

We're having guests over for Thanksgiving so I thought this would be the perfect time to start putting the formal dining room together.  People will actually be eating in there so it has to look somewhat presentable.  I love the look of stencils so I thought I would give it a try.  I ordered the Moroccan Dream from Cutting Edge Stencils .  The process was fairly easy, but took a few hours to complete.  The stencil is made of sturdy 12 mil clear plastic.  It is very large and was easy to work with.  I taped the stenciled to the wall and used the clip on level to make sure it was straight.  Very important to use the level.  If the first stencil is un-level, the rest of the wall will be crooked.  I worked in rows from the wall out to the edge.  I started by painting the room in Behr Brown Teepee like the rest of the downstairs.  After it dried overnight, I stenciled the left wall using Behr Decorator White in Satin.  Ignore the tape still up.  I started snapping pics before

I normally don't decorate for Thanksgiving.  Since we're having guests over, I wanted to add a few items to make the place welcoming.  I've seen subway art around so I decided to give it a try at making my own. Start by opening Picnik.com .  Since there is no way to open a blank document, you need to upload any photo.  Click upload a photo.  Since I wanted my document to be portrait, I uploaded a photo that was already in that format. Once your picture is uploaded, select Stickers from the Edit tab.  Under the Geometric shape section, choose the rectangle.  The sticker is automatically horizontal so you may have to rotate it if your picture is portrait.  Enlarge the sticker to cover your uploaded photo and change the background color to your choice. You can now begin to add your words.  Select Text from the Edit Tab.  Type in your word, choose the font, and click add.  You can change the color and size also. Continue to add words of your choice changi

I've noticed the new trend of Drum Chandeliers.  I knew I wanted an updated fixture over the breakfast area besides the ugly one that we acquired with the house.  I hadn't changed it yet because I wasn't sure what I wanted to go over the table.  After seeing a couple versions of it by Jackie and Carrie , I thought a drum chandelier would be a great modern and casual update. I went to Lowes to grab the Portfolio Mini Pendant Light Fixture .  The had a good selection of shades to choose from, whether it be glass or lamp shade.  I ended up choosing an off white shade after searching several other stores. The pendant was pretty easy to put together. 1. Gather your supplies: light pendant kit, shade, nipples, and couplings. 2. Dis-assemble the light kit by unscrewing the rods and canopy from the socket. 3. Screw on a coupling and nipple.  This lengthens the piece on which your shade sits on. 4. Slide your shade onto the cord and rest it on the coupling.