Show Your Personality By Customizing Your Bible Cover

 You want to look your Sunday best when you attend church, but your Bible has seen better days. Passed down from generation to generation in your family, the cover has begun to show a bit of a weathered look to it. The edges have creased and the leather has begun to crack and fade.

Since the Bible is a family heirloom, you don't want to replace it with a new one, but you also want to protect it so that future generations of your family can use it. You're stumped on what to do.

Why not use a Bible cover?

Bible covers are great to keep your religious text clean and dry. Many religious stores carry them, or you can find a used Bible cover at a yard sale or a church donation event. If you can’t find any in stores, you can purchase Bible covers online by doing a simple search.

A Bible cover can be as simple as a plain book jacket or a nicer carrying tote. Whatever look you decide, you can give the cover a bit of your personality by decorating or writing down your favorite verses on the cover. You can even make it an entertaining craft project for the entire family.

Clean Your Bible Cover Before Decorating

The surface of the Bible cover should be clean before placing on any decorations. For leather Bible covers, use a dry cloth to wipe away any dust. If the cover is dirty, lightly moisten the cloth to clean the dirt away, then immediately dry off the leather so wet spots don't form. Even if you'll be covering over the entire leather with decorations, it's still a good idea to work on a clean surface so dirt doesn't accidently get on your decorations.

For an ordinary paper cover, simply wipe with a dry, clean cloth. Make sure the paper cover is thick enough to support the weight of any decorations or glue added to it. If you're afraid ink may seep through the paper and set into the Bible's surface over time, attach a piece of clean, flexible cardboard between the paper and the Bible.

Decorating a Paper Cover

The sky’s the limit when it comes to decorating a paper cover. Have the kids draw pictures of what they learned during Bible classes. Glue on buttons and sewn decorations using craft glue. Use stickers or write down your favorite inspirational quotes or poems with colored markers.

The great thing about using paper covers is that you can make several of them and switch to a different cover whenever you want. You can even make seasonal Bible covers such as an Easter cover and a Christmas cover.

Decorating a Leather Cover

Decorating a leather cover can be a little trickier. Sometimes markers can smear and glued decorations can fall off eventually. Your best option is to sew on decorations. Add a bit of lace and decorative yarn to the edges of the bag. You can even sew on a quilt cover that has sentimental value to you.

If you have an old quilt, lay your leather cover open on the material and trace out the pattern with fabric chalk. You'll want to have an extra inch to 2 inches of material along the top, bottom and sides.

Cut out the pattern. Lay the leather cover on the quilt and fold up the extra material along the edges as you pin it in place. Then sew on the quilt cover by hand or use your sewing machine.

Let Your Personality Shine On The Bible Cover

However you want to decorate the cover, always let your personality show. Let it tell people you're truly inspired by the verses and words found in your Bible. Let this become a family project everyone can enjoy. Whether you're adding a few decorations or changing the entire bible cover, having your entire family involved as you share inspirational moments and stories creates lasting memories for a lifetime.

Danielle, who blogs on behalf of Sears and other prestigious brands, enjoys spoiling her niece with homemade goodies. Danielle is particularly fond of needlepoint, working with pipe cleaners and the smell of a fresh box of crayons. Read her work at eatbreatheblog.com

Upcycle old sweaters by felting them in the washing machine

Frugal crafters have found a new use for old garments to create a versatile fabric for hats, mittens, electronics cases and many other projects. Felting is the process of turning knitted wool fabric into a dense, solid piece that's easy to craft without the danger of edges unraveling. While you can felt any wool garment, the easiest method is to use sweaters found in thrift stores or your own dresser drawers. Turn wool sweaters in solid colors or intricate patterns into attractive felt pieces, using a simple method with your washing machine.

Things you'll need:

• 100% wool sweaters
• Sharp scissors
• Old pillowcase
• Washing machine and dryer
• Laundry detergent

The process:

1. Turn the sweater inside out. Cut off all the seams from the body of the sweater. Seams and other pieces will felt, but not at the same rate as basic knitted fabric. Felting is a process of shrinking, so uneven shrinking can result in unattractive felted fabric.

2. Remove all the ribbing from around the bottom of the sweater, the end of the sleeves and around the neckline.

3. Cut off any decorative pieces that may be on the sweater, such as appliqued flowers, stitched-on bows, buttons, zippers or pockets.

4. Put all the pieces of knitted fabric into a pillowcase. If you want to experiment with felting the seam fabric and ribbing for decorative pieces, put them in the pillowcase along with the sweater fabric. Knot the pillowcase to keep all the pieces contained.

5. Place the pillowcase in the washing machine. Add half the amount of detergent you would normally use for a load of laundry. Wash the pillowcase with sweater pieces on hot for the longest time setting available.

6. Remove the pillowcase from the washer when the cycle is finished and inspect the fabric inside. If it is felted enough for your design plans, lay the fabric out flat and allow it to air dry. If you would like the fabric to felt further, making it tighter and thicker, place it back into the pillowcase, tie the case shut and place it in the dryer. Dry the fabric on a medium-heat setting.

7. If your fabric is still not felted to your liking, repeat the entire washing and drying process to create super thick and sturdy felted fabric.

Many crafters felt their fabrics by simply washing them in the washing machine and drying them. While this method works perfectly well, the process of felting creates a large amount of lint which can clog up your washer hoses and dryer vents. Place the pieces into the pillowcase and the large clumps of lint will accumulate at the bottom of the case.

Use your new felted fabric to create applique flowers to decorate outerwear, to make hats and mittens or to craft soft and protective pouches for cellphones, eBook readers, MP3 players and other personal electronic gear. Felt is soft, tough and easy to work with. Attractive handmade felt may become your favorite new fabric for crafting!

Danielle, who blogs on behalf of Sears and other prestigious brands, appreciates a good wool sweater on a cold, winter afternoon- even more so when it’s one she’s made on her own. Read her work ateatbreathblog.com.

How to make a pool table out of cardboard

Image via Instructables

Children can get tired of toys pretty quickly--especially, dolls, which seem to need a never-ending kaleidoscope of accessories to remain interesting. It's prudent to begin making a few of these components yourself. You can craft an entire dollhouse yourself, but start with just a few objects then work your way up. Follow this guide to make a pool table that dolls and action figures alike would be proud to rack.

Using sharp scissors, cut two strips of poster board two inches wide and four inches long.

Working along the four-inch side, create a fold every inch. This will turn your flat sheets into two square columns. Secure with masking tape. These will be the legs of your pool table.

Cut another section of poster board into a three inch by six-inch piece. This rectangle will be your tabletop. Paint it green or apply green felt with craft glue.

With the tip of your scissors, carefully poke holes in each corner of the tabletop.

Cut out four one by one inch squares of nylon stocking. Flip the tabletop over and tape the stocking square over the holes in each corner. This will create the pool table "pockets."

Attach the tabletop to the legs with the stockings facing down.

With colored clay, roll out 15 balls of even size. They should be small enough to fit through the pocket holes. The balls should be baked at 275 degrees to harden. You could also paint marbles, but they will likely be too big to fit in the holes.

To create pool cues cut barbecue skewers into three-inch sections.

Glue three one-inch pieces of skewer into a triangle. This can be used to "rack" the balls.

Your billiard room set will be the envy of every doll in the playroom, rack 'em up!


Danielle, who blogs on behalf of Sears and other prestigious brands, enjoys spoiling her niece with homemade goodies. Danielle is particularly fond of needlepoint, working with pipe cleaners and the smell of a fresh box of crayons. Read her work at eatbreatheblog.com

Upcycling Wine Corks

Danielle from EatBreatheBlog is sharing tips of how reuse leftover wine corks. This is a great way to reuse them and a fun craft!

Put all Those Old Wine Corks to Good Use!

As the holidays approach, I certainly have gift giving on my mind. My goal is to make as many presents as I can this winter. One of my favorite DIY efforts is making crafts from leftover wine corks. After a friend made me some coasters using small squares of corkboard and Scrabble tiles, I was inspired to make my own set using wine corks that had just been collecting in a jar in my kitchen. The project worked out so well that I looked for other projects I could work on. Here are a few of my favorites.

Coasters/trivets

The best thing about making your own wine-cork coasters or trivets is that you can make the dimensions as big or small as you'd like. It's probably a good idea to have at least 25 corks on hand for trivets (around 10 for coasters). Arrange corks however you'd like – try a border of corks with the others arranged horizontally and vertically within. Glue to the base of your choice using wood glue. Another idea is to stand the corks up inside a frame that can be bought at craft store. It's important to remember that finished trivets and coasters have to be level so that hot pans and glassware don't topple over as soon as you set them down.

Jewelry box

Adorning a jewelry box with wine corks was quite simple and can be modified to fit any design I have in mind. I first put together a 'bare box' by hot gluing undecorated and halved wine corks onto the lid of an unfinished wooden box. I'd like to make the same craft using corks that have been cut in half lengthwise. I find X-Acto knives to be good for working with wine corks. They're sharp enough to precisely trim away cork bits and make things level. I next want to make a jewelry box with painted corks that have been sectioned into disks. I'm envisioning a celestial theme that will play off the lavender and deeper purple wine stains on the corks.

Bulletin board

A project that is both fun and useful, a wine cork bulletin board can go anywhere in your home. I've made a couple for friends, one who keeps his board in the kitchen for pinning up a grocery list. Another has hers up in her craft room and uses it as an inspiration board. You'll need a base like plywood, which should be cut to fit whatever project you have in mind. For instance, I used a 24" x 36" piece of board for the inspiration board. (Yes, there were a LOT of corks involved.) I picked up wire and picture hooks at a craft store and attached them before beginning the project. I glued the corks down and let the project dry for a full 48 hours – longer than the directions indicated, but I wanted to make sure the glue was thoroughly dry.

Ideas for wine cork crafts don't have to end there, but those are the projects I've worked on so far. Now I'm keeping an eye out for more ideas by watching home design shows. Upcycling is a great way to make crafts, allowing me to make presents from items that have just been hanging around my home.

Photo source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/lollyknit/2425801440/

“Wine Cork Trivet” By LollyKnit

Thanks for sharing Danielle! Don't forget to check out her blog,EatBreatheBlog. Lots of great information on health, wellness, and life.

Would you like to do a guest post on A lil bird? We would love to have you feature a project, your blog, or anything that strikes your fancy. Email us at bagsnrags3 (at) gmail (dot) com, we look forward to hearing from you!

Giving Lamp Shades New Life

Danielle from EatBreatheBlog is sharing tips of how to dress up your existing lamp shades. Great ideas to use what you have to change up your decor.

Creative and Inexpensive Lamp Shades
A lamp shade can set the mood for any room. A bland, plain lamp shade can set the tone of understatement and boring. Lamp shades should do more than just soften light in the room. It should be a reflection of your personality and style. It should also bring character to a room. There is no need to spend loads of cash on expensive lamp shades, when a personalized inexpensive lamp shade will do just fine. Purchase a plain light-colored lamp shade that matches the color tones in your room. Pick any of the following ideas, or come up with your own to personalize it.

Magazine Articles
Magazines are notorious for having gorgeous pictures. The pictures can be beautiful scenes, funny sayings, cartoons, creative shapes and characters. You can also put all of your to-be-recycled direct mail advertisements to use by cutting out letters and lifestyle images. Simply sort through your old magazines and direct mail postcards, and find pictures you like that suit your tastes and room decor. Cut them out and use

spray glue to adhere them to your lamp shade. Let the lamp shade and article completely dry for a few hours before handling it.

Creative Thought: For a toddler’s room, find a character your child likes and cut them out. Glue them to an inexpensive lamp shade. Let the glue completely dry in a well vented area. Should your toddler get a hold of the lamp shade, you will only have to spend a few bucks to recreate it.

Leftover Trims

Just about every sewing box has leftover trims and notions. Old buttons make great colorful additions to a lamp shade. For a classier look use any lace remnants you have. Simply hot glue the lace trims to the bottom and top rim of the lamp shade. In seconds you have transformed a plain lampshade into a personalized, gorgeous addition to your room.

Creative Thought: Embroidery floss can be used to make patterns on any plain lamp shade. Simply unroll a section of floss. Dip the floss in plain white glue. Use your imagination to create patterns with the floss. You can make swirls, free-form shapes, basic shapes (like squares, circles, triangles) or spell things out (like names, "go team" and more). Do one section at a time so that it can dry without sliding out of position due to gravity.

Flowers
Silk flowers can be found at your local dollar store or craft store. The great thing about silk flowers is you can find them in any color, size or style that fits your room and personality. You can accent a shade with a few flowers or cover the entire shade with blooms.

Source: http://rosyredbuttons.blogspot.com

Creative Thought: To soften a room and add a year-round, spring feeling, find pastel flowers to match your room. Cover the entire shade by clipping the bloom close to the base of the flower. Use a hot glue gun to glue the flowers in place. Add sprigs of silk baby's breath to soften the flowers. Finish by adding a touch of lace (as mentioned above) to the bottom rim of the lamp shade. During the winter try creating a shade using poinsettias.

Lamp shades can add so much character and warmth to a room. Do not settle for a store-bought rendition of what someone else designed, when it is simple to create your own. You will not only save money, but have a personal touch to talk about with guests.

Thanks for sharing Danielle! Don't forget to check out her blog,EatBreatheBlog. Lots of great information on health, wellness, and life.

Would you like to do a guest post on A lil bird? We would love to have you feature a project, your blog, or anything that strikes your fancy. Email us at bagsnrags3 (at) gmail (dot) com, we look forward to hearing from you!

Crafting With Tape Measures: Featuring Danielle of EatBreatheBlog

Danielle from EatBreatheBlog is sharing a crafting tip using old tape measures. A great way to recycle!

Crafting with Tape Measures



I’ve long been interested in incorporating repurposed art into my home – that is, the sort of thing I could make myself out of found objects. I seized the opportunity when I moved to the New York City (NYC) area and moved into a home that needed a lot of attention. As the NYC remodeling expert I hired went through my home with her team, I found myself inspired by the tools of the construction trade and decided to use some of them in my renovated home.



The first room the crew worked on was a workspace where I could work on messy projects, like gardening. I tried to be artsy with screwdrivers and hammers but the result was nothing I was eager to display in my home. I found success, however, when I started working with cloth tape measures. I decided to make something small for a few rooms in the house, wanting to incorporate a design theme through my space. I had hung up photos that spoke to my interest in gardening and decided to replace the thin sliver of matting with sections of measuring tape. All I needed to do was section off the tape and glue it in place. Doing so gave the pictures a unique look and proved to be a conversation starter.



The remodeling crew also worked on the kitchen, which is where I decided to hang a dry erase/corkboard to keep track of coupons, recipe cards, and notes to myself. On the dry erase half of the board, I cut up a measuring tape to form a 1-10 numbered to-do list. I glued the individual numbers down and drew lines with a permanent marker to separate each list item. My initial idea was to use the numbers for a grocery list, but it didn’t take long to realize that would prove problematic when it came time to actually go to the store.



The final project the remodelers worked on was refurbishing a room with great natural light and turning it into a study/library. The crew assembled some bookshelves for me and I created my easiest craft – cloth tape measure bookmarks. My initial idea was to glue tape measure strips along the length of the shelves but doing so made my home’s design theme a little too overwhelming. (I’m glad I taped them in place first to see if I would like it.) For the bookmarks, all I used was a selection of measuring tapes, glue, and a sealant (I used Mod Podge) to protect them from getting grubby. Now wherever my books go, so will the bookmarks.



Ideas for crafting with tape measures abound. I’m glad I was inspired by the work crew that came to my home (and I’m still trying to make that screwdriver art a reality). Working with the measuring tapes was easy and fun to do, not to mention inexpensive. I plan to add a few more details to my home, but for now I’m happy with the projects I’ve completed.

Thanks for sharing this fun project Danielle! Don't forget to check out her blog,EatBreatheBlog. Lots of great information on health, wellness, and life.

Would you like to do a guest post on A lil bird? We would love to have you feature a project, your blog, or anything that strikes your fancy. Email us at bagsnrags3 (at) gmail (dot) com, we look forward to hearing from you!

Making Button Bracelets: Featuring Danielle of EatBreatheBlog

Danielle from EatBreatheBlog is sharing a super fun craft today. Perfect for a hot summer day to break out of the boredom!

Crafting Button Bracelets

Button bracelets are a quick and easy craft. Even if someone isn't the crafty type with tons of supplies, they will certainly have a stash of buttons around the house. Some people even make a hobby out of collecting vintage buttons. Now it’s time to gather up those buttons and put them to good use while making a fun accessory. New buttons may be used too, and fabric and craft stores have some really interesting ones to choose from. They’re inexpensive, but with the right coupons, you can practically get a whole bag for free! Furthermore, the design and color composition ideas are endless.

For this project you will need only a few things:
1/4" or 3/8" thick white elastic
An assortment of buttons
Needle and colored thread

Pick a mix of colors and sizes of buttons that is pleasing. Mixing new and vintage buttons gives a funky look. Smaller buttons in pastel colors give a daintier, more feminine look. Use a repeating pattern or all one-of-a-kinds. Stacking smaller buttons on top of larger buttons gives you a layered look for added interest and texture. Pick a thread that matches or complements the color of buttons chosen. Use a pop of color or clear nylon thread that can blend in.

Wrap the elastic loosely around the wrist and place it where a bracelet would sit comfortably, making sure it is not too tight or too loose. Cut to size with 3/4" for overlap and mark the elastic right past the overlap point. Fold the elastic in half and mark this halfway point, too.

Lay the elastic flat on a table to use as a guide for placing the buttons. Take the buttons and figure out the desired layout and how many buttons will be needed. Make sure not to place the buttons past the end mark made on the elastic. The design looks best if the buttons overlap each other a bit, so remember this when laying them out. Reference the pictures for help in placement. After the layout is done, the elastic can be sewn together by hand securely to form the bracelet.
Starting in the middle of the elastic, sew on the buttons one at a time. Knot the thread after each button is attached to keep it secure. To make the knots, thread the needle up under the stitches, pull the string through and thread the needle through the loop that is made and pull tight. Do this a couple of times to secure the buttons. Make sure to have the buttons overlap each other so the elastic does not show through. Keep sewing on the buttons until the bracelet is covered. Adjust the layout if needed to get proper coverage of the elastic. Try the bracelet on for size and admire the handiwork!

Button bracelets are fun to make and the design possibilities are endless. These also make great gifts and items for craft sales. Grab those buttons and make one today!

Thanks for sharing this fun project Danielle! Don't forget to check out her blog, EatBreatheBlog. Lots of great information on health, wellness, and life.

Would you like to do a guest post on A lil bird? We would love to have you feature a project, your blog, or anything that strikes your fancy. Email us at bagsnrags3 (at) gmail (dot) com, we look forward to hearing from you!

Saving Money on Craft Supplies: Featuring Sally of EatBreatheBlog

We are excited to have Sally share some tips on saving money on craft supplies...

Save Money on Craft Supplies

All the inspiration here at A Lil Bird got me thinking about ways to find discounts on craft supplies. I tend to stockpile supplies for later. When I want to work on something, I like to pull supplies from my shelves instead of shopping as needed, because I love to shop online. And that means waiting on my things to be shipped. I've also found that sometimes bargains online are better than they are in-store. But not always. So no matter which way of shopping you prefer, I've put together some tips for saving money on your online and offline craft supply shopping:

Search Google for Bargains

A simple search on Google for inexpensive craft supplies is a good way to begin. This will call up sites that offer various sorts of discounts and sales. The internet is a great place to find the best deals because it is easy to compare a wide variety of different providers on the web. Note whether or not the online store is cheaper than the physical store. Don't forget to include the price of shipping in your calculations. I've found that some retailers are including the cost of shipping in the unit price.

Coupon Sites

You can search the internet not only for sites with inexpensive items but for coupons. You can collect coupons on the types of craft items you need and then use them all at once when you shop for craft supplies.

Retailmenot.com is a site that offers coupons on all kinds of items. You can visit this site and search for coupons of all types. This website offers online coupon codes, printable coupons, and even grocery coupons. Valpak has online coupons available as well.

Shipping

Always pay close attention to shipping cost. Choose companies that offer fast shipping for a decent price or even free with a purchase. The shipping cost should always be factored into the price comparisons you do for online art and craft items. You may be able to save money on domestic or worldwide shipping if you are willing to settle for slow rather than fast shipping. Air freight is often expensive and adds to shipping cost. Different shipping companies have different rates, and online art and craft supply providers may use different shipping companies and even have special shipping service agreement with them in order to offer much reduced pricing.

Craft Stores with Donated Supplies

There are certain art and craft stores that deal with donated supplies. These are often offered at extremely low prices. Though it is harder to select specific art and craft brands from these stores, they can be a great way to save money. The supplies are often good even though they represent a cross section of many different types of craft items.

Thanks for sharing your tips Sally! Don't forget to check out her blog, EatBreatheBlog. Lots of great information on health, wellness, and life.

Would you like to do a guest post on A lil bird? We would love to have you feature a project, your blog, or anything that strikes your fancy. Email us at bagsnrags3 (at) gmail (dot) com, we look forward to hearing from you!

Mother's Day Kid's Craft featuring Sally of EatBreatheBlog

We are so excited to have Sally sharing a fun craft with us today. We will let her introduce herself....

My name is Sally, and I am a sucker for a great infomercial or flashy advertisements. When it comes to dieting and fitness, I spend way too much money each month on massages, hair products, diets, food, fitness equipment, personal trainers, and gym memberships. Read my musings on active lifestyles, parenting, and green living on EatBreatheBlog.com.

Making Mother’s Day cards with potato stamps

When you were a kid – or, you know, in your early 30s – you might’ve experienced the joy that is creating art with potato stamps. Yep – a raw potato cut into a design and then dipped in color. A simple, cheap, and easy craft that generates delightful results, especially considering Mother’s Day is rapidly approaching and we’re in a recession. To make your stamps, you’ll need:

Enough potatoes to accommodate your designs. If you purchase more than a truckload, you might want to let Hallmark know they have competition.

A knife that can cut through a raw potato. You can probably use a plastic knife from a fast food restaurant but… don’t.

A pen or marker to sketch out your masterpiece. It’s tempting to get all Picasso with your spud but keep in mind that you need to carefully cut out your design, so start simple. If you end up with a design you didn’t intend, just call it abstract art.

Paint (poster, acrylic, or fabric), ink, or food coloring.

Construction paper, blank notecards, grocery sacks, the backs of window envelopes – whatever you want to stamp your design upon

Ok, let’s do this:

Wash your potato to keep dirt out of your artwork.

Cut the potato in half and blot away the resulting potato juice. (Don’t worry – the potato isn’t crying. It wants to be a part of your opus.)

Sketch out your design on each potato half. Get creative! It’s a little labor intensive, but consider cutting out an “M” and an “O” so you can spell out “MOM” in semi-ransom-note style. You can also sketch flowers, a jesus fish, geometric shapes, or something that will result in a Rorschach print. The world is your…okay, let’s move on.

Cut around the shape you created, no more than ½” into the potato, so that your design is raised from the rest of the potato surface. If you mess up, put your starchy buddy aside and make soup later.

Dip your tater into your color and then get stamp happy. Rinse with water and dry thoroughly when switching colors. Or, again, don’t – it’s your artwork and “abstract” is a nice, broad definition.

This craft will obviously work well for any occasion. Try your hand at birthday cards, design the border of a handwritten letter (another lost art), or create a piece of art to hang in your home. I recommend making the fridge your personal art gallery.

Thanks for sharing such a cute idea and fun craft Sally! Be sure to check out her blog, I love it! I have found tons of great tips to incorporate in my daily life.

Would you like to do a guest post on A lil bird? We would love to have you feature a project, your blog, or anything that strikes your fancy. Email us at bagsnrags3 (at) gmail (dot) com, we look forward to hearing from you!

Pretty Little Projects: The Master Bedroom

My good friend Liv from Liv(e) is sharing some of her projects from around her pink house. I love a good project, the little things always make a big difference!

Take one master bedroom. Add pale sunshine and coffee beans. Mix it up over Labor Day weekend. Here's what happens.

This is the quick, two-day transformation Kev performed in our Master Bedroom a couple of years ago. I still love this room and how it keeps progressing.

Thanks for all your hard work Kev.

Simple, yet such a big difference.Warmed the room right up! Thanks so much Liv for sharing your fun projects, we love them!

Do you have a pretty little project you would like to share? Are you interested in doing a guest post on a lil bird told me? Email us at bagsnrags3 (at) gmail (dot) com.

Pretty Little Projects: DIY Bird Bath

My good friend Liv from Liv(e) is sharing some of her projects from around her pink house. I love a good project, the little things always make a big difference!

Kev and I collaborated on a project this month for the PH. I saw this teacup bird feeder/bath on a blog or random website (I honestly cannot remember where) and I thought it'd be a great addition to the front yard.


I mean, I had the idea, so I can still claim to be involved, but since I couldn't find sandpaper or glue when I was home alone one day, Kev ended up doing each phase of the project. And then he finished it and I saw it planted in front of the PH last Friday when I came home.


It was a simple project that we did in about a week- Kev found the awesome teacup and saucer at DI and used silicone to secure them together. He let it dry for a couple of days before using extra PVC from the basement as a post on the bottom of the saucer. He even went so far as to use a fitting slightly larger in diameter than the post so we can slip the saucer on and off when we want to relocate the post.


Whenever it rained I noticed that the birds are very interested in drinking from the small puddles that collect on the sidewalk and driveway. That's when I decided this project was right for us. Now the birds can perch on either handle of the teacup and take a sip from the cup rather than from the sidewalk. It's the least I can do to thank them for NOT eating the grass seed Kev spread last spring.


I loved seeing the little birds right outside our front window enjoying the seeds on their little yellow perch. I can't wait for this winter to end so Aspen can join me and Maddie in our birdwatching from the living room.

I LOVE this project!! So simple and cute, it makes me wish I had a yard. Thanks so much Liv for sharing your fun projects, we love them!

Do you have a pretty little project you would like to share? Are you interested in doing a guest post on a lil bird told me? Email us at bagsnrags3 (at) gmail (dot) com.

Pretty Little Projects: In The Nursery

My good friend Liv from Liv(e) is sharing some of her projects from around her pink house. I love a good project, the little things always make a big difference!

My step-dad Marc came into town about a month after Aspen was born and worked around the PH almost non-stop. Kev made a chore list and Marc diligently got a whole lotta things done for us.


My favorite chore was the one that got the art work up on Penny's wall. Soon after she was born I reorganized her room for the tenth time and it left me with a big wall space that needed to be filled.

Marc did an awesome job, especially since Kev had all his levels with him at work. I told Marc that as long as everything looked level from the nursing chair we'd be good. Wouldn't it be awful to be staring at crooked frames in the middle of the night with a baby attached to your chest?


Many thanks to my parents for all the help last Fall!

Thanks so much for sharing Liv! I LOVE Aspen's room, it is so bright and fun! Stay tuned for more pretty little projects from the pink house.

Do you have a pretty little project you want to share? Would you be interested in doing a guest post? Email us bagsnrags3 (at) gmail (dot) com.

Guest Post Tuesday Featuring: Liv of Liv(e) & Liv's Favs

We are SO excited to have our first guest blogger today, Liv of Liv(e) & Liv's Favs. I will let her introduce herself.....

I'm a self-proclaimed blogaholic, so I'm happy to be posting here today! Before I share my project with you, allow me to share a little about myself.
My husband Kev and I live in a Pink House with our two girls- our dog Maddie and our daughter Aspen. I blog over at Liv(e) and Liv's Favs because, y'know, I'm addicted to blogging. I worked in real estate before Aspen was born, and now I spend most of my days with her when I'm not teaching Yoga or Pilates.
I also run an Etsy shop, Liv(e) and Love, where you can find my hand-crafted jewelry, custom-made picture frames, and sometimes an amazing vintage piece.
I met the ladies of A lil bird... through the blogging world. SueAnn and I have since met in person so our babies can smooch on each other (we actually have friends in common as well, so that makes it easy to get together in real life).
Today I'm sharing a little project I did on a Saturday afternoon while Aspen shoved toys in her mouth for an hour. I used a $1 wooden frame from a craft store and covered it with ancient (seriously, from Kev's grandpa's basement) contact paper.
The contact paper had gridlines on the back, so it was easy to trace a piece slightly larger than my frame to cut out with a blade.

Once I had my piece sized, I slowly peeled the front from the protective backing and smoothed it out with my cutting board. After the contact paper was stuck onto the front of the frame, I flipped the whole thing over again and cut off the excess paper with my blade.
For extra shine and protection, I coated the front of the contact paper with mod-podge and voila! Done.

I cut this feathered friend out of a birthday card I received a few years ago and thought it was a perfect fit (especially for this website!). Since I already had all these supplies on hand, this project cost me nothing and I didn't even have to leave the house.
Thanks to the ladies of A lil bird told me for letting me visit today!

THANKS so much Liv for the AMAZING project! I am seriously in love with that frame! Be sure to check out Liv's blogs, ESPECIALLY her Etsy shop, I wish I had unlimited funds to buy so many of her cute creations!

Would you like to do a guest post on A lil bird? We would love to have you feature a project, your blog, or anything that strikes your fancy. Email us at bagsnrags3 (at) gmail (dot) com, we look forward to hearing from you!