Julie's 50th Surprise Luau

 My mom and I were commissioned by my Uncle Randy to throw a surprise Luau party for my Aunt Julie's  50th Birthday. We had a budget of 100 dollars and this is what we came up with...

 The birthday girl getting surprised!

Whooooo wouldn't love some little owls?

There is actually 2 more of these but they are in my son's room where he is sleeping right now. Sorry. But these owl cuties were so easy to make. I saw some on Pinterest and was able to make my own pattern very easily. The eyes and nose are just iron on. They came together really fast. And they were so easy that my friend Jen ( she's my crafting buddy so I'll be talking about her a lot) who doesn't sew was able to throw them together with really no help at all. I let Patton play with them but sometimes I'll use them as decoration too.

The Menu Board

This is not a super original idea but it is the most commented on thing in my house. people love reading what we are having for dinner! I don't know why but they love it. I have to say this has been one of the best and easiest crafts I've ever done because it has really helped me organize and save money. It's more fun to plan meals when you get to put it up on a cute chalkboard. Also, people keep you accountable by asking... "did you actually have zucchini pizza on Monday?" ( I was asked this today) Also, it is super nice at dinner time to look up on the wall and know what you have ingredients for and just start making dinner. I no longer have to run to the store every day and I shop where it's cheap (Winco, which is 20 min away) just once a week. So we save money that way but also we dont say, " I don't know what to make let's grab Taco Bell". Don't get me wrong we do say that sometimes but it's not because I'm unprepared, sometimes a girl just needs Taco Bell. Anywho, I think everyone should make one. It works great for us!

My Kids Measure Up!

I love our giant ruler. I stole the idea from my friend Jen who has one. Mine is not as fancy, I just painted mine and drew on it with sharpe but I still like it. This is ruler for marking my kids heights like people do on door jams normally. This solution works great for us because we move all the time and don't have immediate plans to settle down. This way we can take out memories with us where ever we go! It's simpily a precut 7 ft. board from home depot, spray paint and sharpe and I used a sawtooth frame hanger on the back. also I used duct tape behind it to keep Patton from swinging it from side to side and knocking it down. It works like a charm. I got it done the day after his birthday! So we were able to get his first birthday height :)

Lamp Shade

Yes, this is one of those hideous 5 dollar lamps from Walmart. I hate them but they are a cheap way to light apartment that don't come with any built in lighting. Then it dawned on me that i could trade out the lamp shade and make it cute. So that's what I did. 

Before:

  
                                                  After:

I tore stripes of white canvasy fabric and hot glued them on to a plain lamp shade that I just got at Target. I love how it turned out.
 

Window Frame redo

 I found this old window at an antique junk shop near my house. It is from a historic building from my home town. I thought it would be so easy to remove to glass but it was really hard and messy! In the end I got it out, painted it and put chicken wire behind it and now it holds more pictures of Patton. I mean if we don't have his picture on every wall something isn't right!

Before:

                                                  After:

I do change things up in my house constantly so it moves from wall to wall. Here the wall paint hadn't finished drying yet but you get the idea. 
 

Here it's in the office with different pictures.
 

The Cat Bench

   

       This was a fun before and after for me. My Grandma Wright had this cute little bench in her house for a really long time. I have so many memories of my little cousins loving to have a seat their size and having room to share with another little cousin. SO cute! Unfortunately, her house burned down several years ago and this bench was one of the surviving pieces. It was covered in ash and spider webs and dirt and the quilted seat cover had mold from water damage. Grandma gave it to me to give it new life and I am so happy to have it my house now.                          

 Before:

      

After: 

  We went with 5 stars for our little General.

Patton just started to enjoy sitting on it with his cousin Presley and now climbs on it all day.