Food

Friday Flair Link Party // Back to School Edition

3 · Aug 30, 2013 · 7 Comments

Friday Flair Link Party // Well… This has been a crazy, exhausting week. Last weekend was the big move and I've been spending a good portion of this week putting the house together and trying to get caught up on some looming deadlines for work. Man wouldn't it be nice is life could slow down a bit for major things like moves. It never seem to cooperate does it? This week I also threw my first little get together at the new place. I had a couple of friends over for a much needed Spa Night! I'll tell you all about that later today. It was part of this super fun Skinny Cow WoCavé program that I've been a part of this summer… so much fun!!

I went through the last Friday Flair and unfortunately I only have time for one feature (I know, I'm sorry!!) I'll be back full time next week!! In honor of back to school, I wanted to feature the cutest chalkboard from Michelle Lea Designs…

img source // diy chalkboard from michelle lea designs

How cute is that? I'm a sucker for a good chalkboard. But, I think you all already know that! 😉

Let's Get the Link Party Started

Antique Farmhouse Floor Lamps Review // Lamps.com Pin to Win GIVEAWAY

8 · Aug 29, 2013 · 22 Comments

This floor lamps reveiw / giveaway post brought to you by Lamps.com // When it comes to decorating, I am all about the statement piece. Building a room is much like building a good wardrobe. When filling your closet, it’s good to invest in some quality staple pieces like a classic white shirt, fabulous jeans, classic boots. Items that are timeless and will also stand the test of time. Then once you have a good selection of these classic items, then you add in the fun trendy stuff. These items you don’t need to invest a whole lot in because they are in one season and then out the next. They same goes for dressing your home. Let’s face it, our tastes change… Well, I know mine does!

When designing a room, it’s also a good idea to invest in good quality anchor pieces that are classic and will look fabulous for years and then accessorize with the fun colors and other trendier items. Sofas, tables, large pieces & lamps are all the types of items that you want to invest in timeless quality. I’ve been recently introduced to Lamps.com and I am thrilled with their selection most definitely their quality.

Lamps.com contacted a little while ago to see if I would be interested in reviewing one of their lamps and for sure, I jump at the chance. I knew that they are known for their huge selection, quality merchandise & excellent service so why not take one of their lamps for a test drive.

Let’s talk about their selection… aaaaamazing! Seriously, you can find any type of lamp that you are looking for at almost any price point. They have lamps under a $100 and then they have some stunning chandeliers that would knock your socks off and almost anything in between. I selected this beautiful Antique Farmhouse Brass Floor lamp to dress up my living room here at the new house. When it arrived I was blown away by the quality of this lamp. I haven’t ever been skimpy when purchasing lamps. Like I said before, quality lamps are an investment and should last a lifetime. I’ve bought my current lamps from Pottery Barn and they are great, but this farmhouse lamp from Lamps.com blows them out of the water.

Each element is solid metal and crafted beautifully. It adds a bit of rustic elegant charm to my new room design. I couldn’t be happier with my lovely new lamp and I can’t wait to find some more treasures at Lamps.com! What treasure would you like? What’s your style? Are you looking for a table or floor lamp, or some fun pendant lights for your kitchen? Come on over to Lamps.com and Pin your favorite lamps for a chance to win a $100 to Lamps.com!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclaimer // This giveaway is sponsored by Lamps.com. I did receve a lamp to review but I was not paid for the review. All thoughts, ideas and opinions are my very own!

6 Tips for Painting with Stencils

129 · Aug 26, 2013 · 7 Comments

This post brought to you by DecoArt // I am a sucker for a good old wood caddy. Even better, is an old caddy that I have dressed up with some paint and maybe a stencil or two. I have a fabulous picnic caddy that I dressed up not too long ago and I have recently found another rustic old caddy to dress up. When it comes to adding some graphic elements to anything, I turn to the Americana Multi Surface Satin Paint and the Americana Mixed Media Stencils for sure. But… I also have a few tricks up my sleeve when it comes to using those stencils. Below you will find 6 tips on painting with stencils.

I found another great caddy from Antique Farmhouse (they also have a sister site called Decor Steals)…

… And I thought it would look fabulous with a fun geometric design on the floor of the caddy using the new Americana Multi Surface Satin Paint.

This paint is fabulous for all kinds of surfaces. Wood, glass, metal, plastic… You name it, it will look wonderful. I recently had a chance to travel to Kentucky to the home of DecoArt and learned all kinds of goodies about all of their different paints. It’s amazing how so many of us just grab a bottle of craft paint at the store without really thinking about what surface we are going to use as our canvas. Sometimes… the paint we pick just won’t work with our desired surface. With the Multi-Surface Satin, you won’t have to worry about that!

For this project, I used a mixture of Coastal Waters and Cottonball. I wanted the blue to be a little lighter, that’s why I added a little white. I used one of the new Americana Mixed-Media Stencils called Busy Bee and some painter’s tape as well.

I taped down the stencil on the surface of the caddy, just so I didn’t have to worry about it moving around.

How to Paint with Stencils

Next, using a Dual-Sided Paint Pouncer, I carefully paint the surface of the caddy. Now, here are a few tips when it comes to getting good stencil lines. It’s important that you know how to use stencils if you’re doing this for the first time.

Load your stencil pouncer or brush carefully, A little paint goes a long way. Never just dip your brush into the paint and then go directly to your surface. Always dip your brush into the paint and then have another surface like a paper plate to work out all the paint kinks before you start working on your surface.
Light, up and down movements are best when it comes to working with stencils. Never brush side to side or press down firmly. This is just asking the paint to slide right under that stencil and create muddy, unattractive lines.
Work in layers. If you want a light weathered look, you may only need one coat. But, If you want a strong vibrant stenciled image, work in light layers. This way you are slowly building your image and will have cleaner lines and a professional-looking finish.
Secure your stencil with painter’s tape so that you don’t have it moving around while you are trying to work with it.
Don’t let the stencil dry for long before you remove the stencil. This will help keep the lines sharp. More on this below.
Use a good brush and stencil cleaner to clean and preserve your brush and stencil for future use.

Should You Remove The Stencil When The Paint is Wet or Dry?

You should actually remove the stencil it’s wet. This may seem backwards but it always turns out better in my experience. When you do it this this way, the paint cannot bleed underneath and ruin the crisp lines. It can be a bit more difficult if the paint dries to the stencil too. This is how you keep the paint from peeling when removing vinyl stencil

For this project, I wanted a light weathered look so I carefully loaded just a tiny bit of paint, prepped my brush on a paper plate, and then with careful up and down strokes started covering my surface.

Because I was only going to do one light coat, the paint dried within just a few minutes. I removed the stencil and then waited for a couple of hours before I distressed the paint. The paint needs time to cure and ideally, I should have waited overnight but, it turned out fine this time. You just gotta love painting with stencils!

I used some sandpaper to lightly distress the paint so that the graphic design matched the patina of the piece itself. When you are distressing, think about how you want the finished product to look. Do you want to work in circles, up and down, side to side, or criss-cross, there are so many ways to create 100 different looks for your finished product. I chose a simple side-to-side motion to match the grain of the wood.

Here is how the caddy looks finished…

Isn’t it fun?! A perfect addition to my picnic caddy collection. You bet we are going to be picnicking in style here at the WhipperBerry house!

You can find all of the products that I used for this project at Michaels, A.C. Moore, Hobby Lobby, and other fine craft retailers. To sweeten the deal, DecoArt has even offered a fabulous rebate offer to each of you!!

Disclaimer // This is a post sponsored by DecoArt. I have received payment along with the product to create this project and post. However, all thoughts, ideas, and opinions are my very own!

Instagram Photo Frame

0 · Aug 22, 2013 · 4 Comments

Hey Whipperberry fans, it's Jenn from My Fabuless Life and today I'm going to show you a super simple way to actually take those beautiful life moments sitting in your Instagram feed and put them to good use!

I get some grief about what an Instagram addict I am, buuutttt…this is why! It's such an easy way to capture those day to day moments, when you wouldn't normally be carrying your camera or you just don't want to mess with getting it out. Basically, for me, Instagram is a photo journal, and I don't have to mess with editing all of those pictures at once, because I've already done it, easily, before the pictures are posted, which also makes them perfect for displaying. This is one of the ways I decided to display mine and it's super easy.

I picked up a large frame at a local home decor store (it was on crazy clearance because it was missing the glass) and spray painted it with Krylon's Gold (I also love Valspar's gold spray paint). Then, I actually picked up the "chicken wire" from the trash pile at a house being built in my neighborhood–it's the wire mesh they put under stucco. I'm pretty sure my neighbors think I'm nuts, because I can be seen on a regular basis pushing a stroller and carrying handfuls of scrap wood, tree branches, and other treasures. Am I embarrassed about it? A little (my husband a lot), but I can suck up a lot of pride for free stuff ; ). Anyway, if you don't have a local construction site to borrow from, I think you can buy chicken wire at any local farm supply. And it probably goes without saying, but don't go stealing the stuff. I pulled this out of a pile that was clearly trash–no one wants to see you on an episode of Cops. Now that the legal stuff is out of the way back to our regularly scheduled project: Lay the mesh over the back of the frame. Don't cut it down to size yet! It's much easier if you do it after it's attached.

With a staple gun, just staple the mesh on around the back of the frame. If you don't have a staple gun (it's totally worth the $10 purchase) you can use brass thumb tacks and some hot glue. Put some glue on the back of the tack and then press it into the frame to hold the mesh (the glue will keep the tack from popping out). Then go around and cut all of the excess off with some wire cutters. BE CAREFUL! This stuff is sharp! And that's about it. Time for hanging.

I hung my pictures with some embellished paper clips, and some Basic Grey cards I scored at SNAP!.

Then to add a little more variety and color, I added some free Project Life-sized printables I found here & here, and a miniature version of one of my own prints.

I know Instagram printing can be pretty pricey, so as a bonus, I've created a few templates and a tutorial on how to print your own at home, or wherever you normally have your photos printed. You can find the free downloads and tutorial over at My Fabuless Life.

Embellished Picture Clips // Repurposed Kitchen Cabinet

The Perfect Strawberry Cupcake Recipe

6 · Aug 18, 2013 · 20 Comments

Strawberry Cupcake Recipe by Creative Team Member Jesseca from One Sweet Appetite // I have been on the hunt for the perfect fresh strawberry cupcake for years. It seems like almost every one I try has turned out dense, sunken, or dry. Luckily I never gave up and found a recipe that was intriguing enough for me to give it another try! These little cakes are to DIE for amazing. Light, moist, and full of strawberry flavor. I think the secret is keeping your berries diced nice and small. It spreads them out and keeps t hem from sinking to the bottom of the cake. Strawberry Cupcakes 2-3/4 C. flour 1 Tbsp. cornstarch 1 Tbsp. baking powder 1 tsp. salt 1 C. butter, at room temperature 2-1/4 C. sugar 1-1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract 3 large eggs plus 1 large egg white 1 cup buttermilk 2½ cups finely diced strawberries Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Line two muffin tins with paper liners and set aside. Whisk together the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt in a small bowl. Set aside. Cream together the butter and sugar. Add your vanilla and eggs + white, one at a time. Mix until fully incorporated. Slowly stir in the flour mixture and buttermilk. Fold in the strawberries. Fill each cup 3/4 full with batter. Bake for 25 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely then top with your favorite frosting! Super simple, and delicious! I topped mine with a Strawberry Swiss Meringue Buttercream that is out of this world amazing! The flavor of the cake combined with the silky frosting is perfection. Great for a sweet snack on these warm summer nights. The great thing about this recipe is how easily you can change the flavor! Substitute the strawberries for blueberries, raspberries, or blackberries!