$5 Friday: Colorful Chalkboards {from Dollar Store platters}

I am really excited for today's $5 Friday project. SO easy, SO functional, SO cute. Oh, and did I mention, SO cheap?? My friend picked up some assorted silver platters from the dollar store, and I knew I wanted to make chalkboards with them. I've seen black ones done, but never seen them in bright colors. I need color my friends! I am truly in love with how they turned out...

 

I started out with these:

 

{spray paint colors: Rustoleum Lemon Grass, Rustoleum Lagoon, and Krylon Classic Gray}

 

Now comes the really cool part:

DIY Babylegs {Guest Post from Courtney}

We are excited to introduce you to one of our newest blog friends, Courtney from Bowdenisms. I found her adorable blog a few weeks ago when I was putting together my Gallery Wall Inspiration, and I have been scouring it ever since for more ideas! We've shared some of our favorites at the end of this post :) She is super creative and fun, and we're thrilled to have her here today, sharing an easy diy project with us...

Hi there! I'm delighted to be guest posting on My Sister's Suitcase today, sharing what just might be the world's easiest {and most adorable} DIY project. Seriously. The cuteness-to-effort ratio is off the charts... And with that statement, so is my dorkiness quotient apparently.

 

Anyway, let me just get this out of the way first-- BabyLegs, or baby leg warmers, or really long footless socks for infants...whatever you prefer to call them, are not exactly new news. They've been around for years, and the idea to make them isn't exactly original either (aren't you glad you're here? Wait...stick around! It'll be worth it, I promise!) When I started making my own, I had no real plans to share my tips with "the masses". But when I posted a picture on Instagram of my daughter Piper rockin' her first homemade pair of 'legs, I got a ton of questions about them. So I figured there might be more people out there who need some fuzzy legged cuteness in their life...and I'm more than happy to assist!

Idaho Bloggers Night {Poppyseed Projects}

One of the best parts of SNAP was meeting this girl. I think we are long-lost design sisters! McKenzie put together a group of Idaho Bloggers so now we have some local blog girls to network and share ideas with! We had our very first meeting in July, sponsored by Poppyseed Projects. Loved hanging out with these cute girls:

McKenzie {Girl Loves Glam} Adrienne {Freetime Frolics} and Ashley {Flats to Flip Flops}

Back to School Printable {at Miss Lovie's}

We are over at one of our favorite blogs today, Miss Lovie, with the darling Allie for her "Back to School Event." We adore her, and we're so glad she invited us to share this today:

Come over to Miss Lovie's to download this tag {plus a customizable one!}

 

 

Find us here:

Glass Cabinet to Custom Art

I have been collecting artwork and pictures for the gallery wall I'm working on in baby girl's room. I found an IKEA cabinet door with a glass inset in their {as is} section and it was the perfect "canvas" to try out DecoArt's new line of glass paints. My idea was to create a beautiful fish scale pattern on the glass in a bright color palette, and I am so happy with how it turned out!

This project was very easy to do, and the possibilities are endless since you can use any printed pattern, fabric, or even wallpaper as a template for your design. Here are the supplies you'll need:

• Picture frame, old cabinet door, anything with a large glass surface
• Pattern {I found and printed my fish scale pattern online}
• Tape
• Deco Art Glass Paint
• Small paint brush {DecoArt has some nice ones specifically for their paint too!}

{1} I started out by cleaning the glass surface on my cabinet door. {Tip: Rubbing alcohol helps remove any residue that might be left by soap or other cleaning products.}

I scored this beauty at IKEA for $2

{2} Then I taped the printed pattern to the back side of the glass so I would be able to see it on the front.

{3} Next, I gathered my Crystal Gloss Enamels Glass Paint {transparent finish} and started filling in the pattern, one color at a time.



{4} I painted two coats of each color to get the coverage I desired. Here are all the colors filled in:

{5} When the first half was complete, I moved my pattern over to the second half of the glass and completed the entire design.



{6} When the paint was dry {it dries pretty quickly} I removed the pattern and my new artwork was finished! I used the Frosted Glass paint for the red color and I like the difference in texture it creates:

This turned out even better than I had hoped! It's like a mod stained glass window :) I can't wait to see it up on the wall in my daughter's room! If you want to see some other beautiful glass paint projects, check out DecoArt. {You can find all the new glass paints at Michaels in the glassware section.} Take a look at this Pinterest Board with even more glass painting ideas from some of your favorite bloggers. I am definitely going to try a few of them!

Disclosure: I wrote this as part of a paid campaign with DecoArt and Blueprint Social. The opinions in this post are all my own!

We love linking to these parties!

                  



12 Ways to Create a Gallery Wall

Last week I promised to share some inspiring gallery walls with you. I am working on baby girl's gallery wall for her bedroom makeover and I am really excited to show it to you when it's all done! I am going for an eclectic look with a collection of frames, art, and other meaningful objects in bright colors. Here are 12 ideas you can use when creating your own gallery wall space:

{1} Use valuable objects or heirlooms to create a more meaningful collection {2} Be resourceful! These renters built a simple wooden frame and attached artwork with pant hangers!

{3} Don't be afraid of color! {4} Use chalkboard paint to create a background for your gallery... so easy to personalize.

{5} Create a classic, monochromatic look by painting all your frames one color. {6} Make your computer monitor part of the design! {7} Take the opportunity to display a favorite collection. These authentic silhouettes are beautifully grouped together in the corner of the room.

{8} Add visual interest to your hallways {9} Display treasured photographs in one size for big impact

{10} No power tools necessary! This entire gallery wall was created with one single screw.

{11} No pictures? No problem. Create a wall entirely of mirrors! {12} Use simple white frames and make your photography the star of the show. I love how she used the architectural trim in her room as an anchor for the display.

Gallery Wall Inspiration Sources:

{1} {2} {3} {4} {5} {6} {7} {8} {9} {10} {11} {12}

*Please go to the original sources if you want to PIN the pictures*

There are so many amazing ideas out there... where do you find inspiration for the walls in your home?

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