Neon Painted Coral

 

One of my favorite things to do on weeks is explore our beaches and hunt for treasures with my daughter. Sometimes it’s for beautiful gifts from the sea, and sometimes we have a craft in mind. This time we were on a mission to collect white coral and rocks so we could put some old nail polish to good use!

Coral Bowl

We piled all our brightly patterned creations into a milk glass bowl, and it makes the perfect centerpiece!

Painting

We had so much fun painting away, it was just what the doctor ordered on a gloomy day!

coral and rocks

Doing Flips for Cartwheel (plus a chance to win $1000 at Target!)

 

I’ve been meaning to check out the Target Cartwheel app for some time now, and I’m glad I finally gave it a go this past weekend. I have to admit, I was a little skeptical that it’d actually save me time and money on the things I need, but I was pleasantly surprised and saved on far more than I originally expected. I didn’t open the app until I was already in the store, so it was a little slow going at first. But, once I nabbed a sales clerk and got the low down, I was ready to shop away!Target CartwheelI started off browsing “All Categories”, which can be a bit overwhelming. And so, I’d recommend checking out this feature during your morning coffee, walk, lazy moment in bed, whatever! Just do it before hitting the Target floor. The app has over 700 offers Continue reading

Creative Kids : Storytelling

DIY Storytelling

 

Good Morning! The last couple weeks we’ve had fun practicing storytelling with Sydney, all thanks to Elmer’s Early Learners Academy. As soon as our fun box filled with supplies arrived, Syd couldn’t wait to open it up and get crafting! Continue reading

Beach Glass Mobile

Beach Glass Mobile DIY

Today’s post is all about sea glass and driftwood.

Beach Glass Mobile DIY

I’ve had a giant bag of beach glass that I’ve collected over the years, and all it’s done is just sit and accumulate dust. I’m so happy that I finally put some of it to good use! The supplies for this project are simple: driftwood/stick, scissors, beach glass, string or wire.

Beach Glass Mobile DIY

You can use either string or wire to attach your beach glass to one another, and to the driftwood. I opted for string since it won’t rust in the salty air. The next step requires patience and time and tying a series of knots. Tie your first knot at the point where you want to insert a piece of glass. Slip the glass in place, and secure with another knot. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat.

Beach Glass Mobile DIY

You can get creative with different shapes, colors, and incorporating shells.
And it’s ready to hang….

Beach Glass Mobile DIY

indoors or out!

Beach Glass Mobile DIY

 

Beach House Birthday

 

It’s already been a month since Sydney’s birthday, and I still can’t believe she’s four years old. My oh my, where does the time go?

Beach House Birthday :: www.thegoldjellybean.com

Being busy back at work, I wasn’t able to be as hands on and crafty as I would have liked, but nonetheless, it was a fantastic party! And, the fact that we threw it at a super adorable beach house set the tone for a great afternoon. Here are a few pics to give you a feel of how adorable it was, including a super cute bathroom that I just can’t get enough of:

Beach House Birthday :: www.thegoldjellybean.com

love, love this artwork idea:

Beach House Birthday :: www.thegoldjellybean.com

… and these concrete succulent planters are adorable!

Beach House Birthday :: www.thegoldjellybean.com

I was most worried about keeping the kiddies occupied, so we set up a pool, had a piñata, opted for a cupcake decorating session vs a traditional cake, filled beach pails with goodies, and finished off the evening with some crab hunting!

Beach House Birthday :: www.thegoldjellybean.com

We were so thankful to have such great family and friends to help us celebrate!

Beach House Birthday :: www.thegoldjellybean.com Beach House Birthday :: www.thegoldjellybean.com

p.s. no crabs were harmed, we set them free the very next morning…

Beach House Birthday :: www.thegoldjellybean.com

DIY Spring Felt Flower Box Craft

Spring Flower Box Craft for Kids, via www.thegoldjellybean.com

 

 

Good morning! I hope everyone is set and ready for a great weekend!  I am really excited to share a DIY feature I did for Delighted Magazine! Sydney and I had so much fun with it.

Spring Flower Box Craft for Kids, via www.thegoldjellybean.com

Spring Flower Box Craft for Kids, via www.thegoldjellybean.com

You can check out the full tutorial in the online publication by clicking here.

Spring Flower Box Craft for Kids, via www.thegoldjellybean.com

Painting Easter Eggs

Painting Easter Eggs, via www.thegoldjellybean.com

 

We finally painted our eggs! Instead of messing with natural dye again, or picking up the boxed kind, I opted to find something around the house to reuse instead. I can never seem to use my nail polish fast enough, and it always ends up goopy. So using some of my bright colors from last year worked perfect! I started by blowing out the eggs, and of course making some omelets.

Painting Easter Eggs, via www.thegoldjellybean.com

Use whatever technique works best, I went with the ol’ pin and aspirator method. A straw can also be very helpful if you don’t have the aspirator.

Painting Easter Eggs, via www.thegoldjellybean.com

Then, once the eggs were washed and dry, a little white spackling paste makes the holes vanish. I also created some little egg stands by cutting up all the sections in the egg carton, flipping them upside down, and adding pins to carefully cradle and hold the eggs in place.

Painting Easter Eggs, via www.thegoldjellybean.com

Then I put some q-tips into the polish jars, and let Syd go to town painting. She opted for a drippy paint look.

Painting Easter Eggs, via www.thegoldjellybean.com

I went for my go-to black, white and gold palette, using sharpies & metallic nail polish.

Painting Easter Eggs, via www.thegoldjellybean.com

We cut strips of paper bags to create little nests for our pretty eggs. Here are Syd’s colorful creations:

Painting Easter Eggs, via www.thegoldjellybean.com

Sprouting Eggs

Spring Egg Sprouts for Easter, via www.thegoldjellybean.com

 

For the last couple weeks Sydney has been learning about plants and growth, and sprouting some beans. And now we’ve added the plants to our easter egg centerpiece.

We used egg shells as planters.

We used egg shells as planters.

Spring Egg Sprouts for Easter, via www.thegoldjellybean.com

Added with a little soil….

Spring Egg Sprouts for Easter, via www.thegoldjellybean.com

 

And now Syd’s sprouts have their new homes.

And with a little soil, Syd's sprouts found their new homes.

Springy Spring Spring : Yarn Wrapped Candles

Yarn Wrapped Candles for Spring, via www.thegoldjellybean.com

 

These yarn wrapped candles are the perfect way to add a bright & cheery touch of spring to your table!

And they couldn’t be any easier to make. You just need candles (I picked up mine at Target for under two bucks a piece), colorful yarn, and some glue.

Yarn Wrapped Candles for Spring, via www.thegoldjellybean.com

Start by glueing one end of your yarn to the candle, then get to wrapping. Make sure you wrap tightly, and add a dot of glue every so often. If you’re using hot glue like I did, be sure  to just use a little dot. If the glue builds up it creates bumps under your yarn.

Yarn Wrapped Candles3

Switch up the colors to make different designs.

Yarn Wrapped Candles for Spring, via www.thegoldjellybean.com

Then they’re ready to display! As always use caution when working with hot glue, and make sure you keep the yarn far enough away from the tops of your candles!

Yarn Wrapped Candles for Spring, via www.thegoldjellybean.com

DIY Patterned Name Sign

DIY Patterned Name Sign, via www.thegoldjellybean.com

 

I am so excited to share another fun craft project I made for Shutterstock! Head over to their blog to check out the full tutorial. I used Photoshop for this one, but if you don’t have the program you can simply print out your patterns & use stencils to cutout your letters.
(if you’re liking the neon animal mobile, you can find that tutorial here)

DIY Pattern Name Sign, via www.thegoldjellybean.com

Felt Shamrock Plant For St. Patrick’s Day

DIY Felt Shamrocks, via www.thegoldjellybean.com

 

Good Morning! I have been so busy working with a few different clients, helping them to refresh and update their homes. But, yesterday I finally found some time to break out my glue gun again! I made this cute little shamrock plant to add a festive touch to our window sill. All I used was green & white felt, wire, scissors, and glue.

DIY Felt Shamrocks, via www.thegoldjellybean.com

Cut out some hearts. Use glue to give them a little dimension. Then, glue the heart shaped clover leaves to your wire. I also made larger clovers by turning my hearts upside-down. Get creative with it.

DIY Felt Shamrocks, via www.thegoldjellybean.com

Then stick them all into  a cute little cup or pot with some foam in the bottom. And done! A super quick afternoon craft!

DIY Felt Shamrocks, via www.thegoldjellybean.com

Under-the-Bed Storage Drawers

Using Old Drawers For Storage, via www.thegoldjellybean.com

 

I posted awhile back that we finally got around to taking down the crib in Sydney’s room. Well, we salvaged as many pieces as possible, and that included the drawers. With just a few bucks, and five min, I adapted those drawers to store toys under Syd’s big girl bed!

Using Old Drawers For Storage, via www.thegoldjellybean.com

All I needed was a hammer, and 8 furniture glides (found at the hardware store). You can also use casters, but her bed was too low for those.

Using Old Drawers For Storage, via www.thegoldjellybean.com

Turn the drawers over, and hammer a glide into each corner. Flip over, and…..

Using Old Drawers For Storage_0003_storage

…that’s it! You can do this with almost any drawers. I’m thinking of using some cool vintage ones on casters under our bed!

DIY Driftwood Candle Holders

DIY Driftwood Votive Candle Holders, via www.thegoldjellybean.com

 

I finally got around to using the great pieces of driftwood we collected during our little Kauai getaway. I made candle holders!

DIY Driftwood Votive Candle Holders, via www.thegoldjellybean.com

If you already have a drill, then these are super easy to make. You just need your driftwood, and a drill bit that can make 1 1/2″ holes. I picked one up for about $8.

DIY Driftwood Votive Candle Holders, via www.thegoldjellybean.com

First, I used my tea candles to  figure out exactly where I wanted them to sit on the driftwood. Then I drilled away. Make sure to used extreme caution when handling a drill, work on a safe surface, and wear protective eyewear. I also recommend holding your wood in place with some sort of clamp.

DIY Driftwood Votive Candle Holders, via www.thegoldjellybean.com

Now clean them up with a vacuum, drop in your candles, and…

DIY Driftwood Votive Candle Holders, via www.thegoldjellybean.com

… light!

DIY Driftwood Votive Candle Holders, via www.thegoldjellybean.com

Not only do my driftwood candle holders make the perfect addition to our coastal navy bedroom, they’re also a great keepsake from our trip!

DIY Driftwood Votive Candle Holders, via www.thegoldjellybean.com

Updated Mantel… Errrr…. Buffet

Updated Mantel, Buffet, via The Gold Jellybean

 

Even though it still feels like winter outside, it doesn’t mean it has to feel like it inside! My mantel, or buffet rather, has been feeling lonely ever since taking down our Christmas decor. With a few new elements, some knickknacks from around the house, and a springy decorative oregano plant, the buffet has a new life!

Updated Mantel, Buffet, via The Gold Jellybean

 

I quickly updated my snowy scene apothecary jars with stacks of polaroid photos. Simple and free transformation. You can use old photographs, or really any collection of items. Matchbooks, shells, vintage toys, etc.

Updated Mantel, Buffet, via The Gold Jellybean

Here’s a closer look at two new pieces I absolutely adore. I love a little quirkiness, and these photographs add just that.

Updated Mantel, Buffet, via The Gold Jellybean

I also added a couple succulents, my animal photo holders, and gold striped candles.

Updated Mantel, Buffet, via The Gold Jellybean

 

DIY Neon Animal Mobile

 

Last week I made a fun mobile to add to Sydney’s new reading corner!

DIY Neon Animal Mobile, via www.thegoldjellybean.com

I’m so excited to share it with you. It’s a very easy and inexpensive DIY. The first thing I did was pick up some toy animals at the dollar store.

DIY Neon Animal Mobile, via www.thegoldjellybean.com

I drilled a small hole in each animal, all the way through, (closer to the head to help balance out weight).

DIY Neon Animal Mobile, via www.thegoldjellybean.com
Then I painted them different neon colors. I used acrylic paints, spray paint, and nail polish.

DIY Neon Animal Mobile, via www.thegoldjellybean.com
I then added a glossy clear coat for extra protection.

DIY Neon Animal Mobile, via www.thegoldjellybean.com

Next, using a needle and thread, I strung each animal onto a string, and secured them tightly with hot glue.

DIY Neon Animal Mobile, via www.thegoldjellybean.comI created the base of the mobile by simply using two wooden dowels, glue, and lots of string. Then I tied all of my threaded animals onto the mobile.

DIY Neon Animal Mobile, via www.thegoldjellybean.com

And that’s it! Sydney loves the fun, bright colors. The mobile is the perfect addition to her brand new reading nook!

DIY Valentines Featured On Shutterstock Today!

DIY Image Transfer Valentines, via www.thegoldjellybean.com

 

Check out how to make these fun Valentine’s I made for Shutterstock! My tutorial is featured on their blog today. With this DIY tutorial you can make personalized homemade cards, and there are no special talents required! It’s a super easy way to create custom Valentines with printed artwork or photographs.

Click Here for the full tutorial.

 

DIY Frames

DIY Art Frames For Kids, via www.thegoldjellybean.com

 

We finally trust that Sydney won’t use her paints, crayons, and markers to decorate the walls, floors, or furniture. So, we moved her workstation into her bedroom. In doing so, it was totally necessary to hang some masterpieces on her wall. I made a few quick frames using cardboard, markers, and twine. It’s super easy. Check it out!

DIY Art Frames For Kids, via www.thegoldjellybean.com

Cut a frame shape out of cardboard.

DIY Art Frames For Kids, via www.thegoldjellybean.com

Decorate it with markers.

DIY Art Frames For Kids, via www.thegoldjellybean.com

Attach some twine to the back.

DIY Art Frames For Kids, via www.thegoldjellybean.com

And hang!

DIY Finger Print Valentines

DIY Fingerprint Valentines, via www.thegoldjellybean.com

 

Valentine’s Day is fast approaching, and this year is Sydney’s first Vday at school. So, we have been hard at work on some DIY Valentines!

DIY Fingerprint Valentines, via www.thegoldjellybean.com

All we used was an ink pad, card stock, pen, and her cute little fingers.

DIY Fingerprint Valentines, via www.thegoldjellybean.com

Syd tackled the first step, using two thumbprints to make a heart.

DIY Fingerprint Valentines, via www.thegoldjellybean.com

Then, I added some black ink to create a heart balloon and sweet greeting.

DIY Fingerprint Valentines, via www.thegoldjellybean.com

I wrote Sydney’s name in pencil, then let her trace over it in pen.

DIY Fingerprint Valentines, via www.thegoldjellybean.com

Now these cute little cards just need some candy and they’re ready to give!

DIY Fingerprint Valentines, via www.thegoldjellybean.com

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