Cultivate Your Sparkle

    I have always thought it would be so fun to give a housewarming gift in the shape of a castle. Well in the spirit of "don't let you dreams be dreams," I made it happen!      A friend of ours had just bought his first home and was having a party to celebrate. This particular friend we know because he plays Dungeons & Dragons with us, so it only seemed fitting that he should get a housewarming gift in the shape of a castle!       Here is the finished product:      I had a general idea of how to construct the "castle" using a storage bin or two, toilet paper, and paper towel rolls. I went to the store and purchased those items along with other handy household items that he could actually use, which included: cleaning products, microfiber cloths, glade scent items, kitchen spoons, whisk, spatulas, lit roller, toilet brush, sink brush, duster, wood markers, tissues, drawer liners, and hand sanitizer. These I could just use a...

     After I finished the dining room makeover I still had one blank wall. I kept looking for some combo of functionality and décor that would fit the aesthetic and was having a hard time. Then, one day I saw a gorgeous bar cabinet from Pottery Barn that I loved the look of but NOT the price! I decided I would do what I could to make my own. I started by watching Facebook marketplace for a bookshelf or something that I could transform. I got SO excited to find the perfect piece posted for FREE! It had been custom built as an entertainment center and was huge! A very kind neighbor helped me go to pick it up and put it in the garage for the transformation.  The picture from Facebook marketplace.      There were actually three pieces, the large middle section and two smaller side sections. I started by cleaning the whole thing. Then I used a wood filler to fill in any scuffs/ holes I thought might show and sanded everything really well.  Prep work is...

     I have been working to make our backyard a great space for our family and friends to hangout, and no detail is too small. I started looking around and noticed the light fixtures were so rusty and boring. I knew I didn't want to replace the fixtures as I am no electrician, but they needed some love. I decided to grab some Rustoleum spray paint, taped them off, and made a quick, cheap, and easy upgrade!  Before During. I also used some cardboard to block the opposite side as I was spraying. After! It is a small change with a big impact.  Make sure to keep checking in for more small and large projects. I have been busy busy busy and can't wait to share all my creations with you! -Lizzy

Our son turned one this month and we threw him an epic birthday party! Since my husband and I met on World of Warcraft we decided it would be WoW based, and "Four the Horde!" themed (our son's nickname is Four as he is the 4th of his name).      I started by searching for the perfect invitation. I was surprised to find there really was not much by way of WoW themed birthdays on the internet. I was able to find a printable pack from Etsy  here . I used this for the invitation and a start to some decorations.      I enlisted the help of a good friend of mine who is much more well-versed than I am in Photoshop, and he made custom food tents, loosely using the purchased printable, for the foods we would actually be serving. He and I brainstormed food puns and alliterations to make them more special.           Next, I enlisted my husband to 3D print some custom decorations from the game. He printed them and I painted them....

      This is hands down my FAVORITE tablescape I have done. I feel this has a elevated level of sophistication alongside an element of fun. I used a lot of items I already had and added some greenery, flowers, and citrus pieces from Michaels.       Here's the final product:          Have a beautiful Spring & Summer all! Remember to find beauty in every day. C heck out my other tablescapes for inspiration. If you ever have any questions about items used please leave me a comment.  - Lizzy 

     "It's a boy!" Those words translated immediately to "Harry Potter Themed Nursery" in my mind. I began scouring Facebook Marketplace that very night, and the very  next day I gathered materials for my first nursery DIY.       I had pinned an adorable Harry Potter crib mobile early on in my pregnancy, and was now confident I could make something cute enough to display in his future nursery. First, I ordered a mobile base that I could attach my creation to off of Amazon . Unfortunately, at that time, they didn't have one that played the Harry Potter theme song, so I opted for "You are my sunshine."      Next, I decided which characters I wanted on the mobile. I chose Harry, Ron, Hermione, Dumbledore, Hedwig, and Dobby. I gathered all the various color felt sheets I would need. I was lucky enough to have quite a bit on hand, and had a friend who was giving away most of the other colors I needed. I also had a little bit of pillow ...