Create your very own Button Art ~ Cross

Pin It I’ve been eyeing all of the pretties on Pinterest lately and have come across some awesome button art! I’ve also wanted to make something with burlap! It’s so rustic and shabby chic at the same time. So I figured why not combine all of these lovelies?

I found this awesome frame at a thrift store for $1.00! I love the “art” that was inside of it. So sweet.....I can just imagine my grandmother loving a picture like this and wanting it framed as well.

As you can see, it was from a calendar……I’d love to know what year it’s from!

I love painted frames, so decided to do a faux-finish on this one.

I added some burnt ochre paint to the white, then stippled it on lightly. I think the white paint would have been fine, and would look great with some strategic sandpaper scrapings, but decided to go with this look instead :)

I decided I really wanted a cross, so I hand-drew the outline to the shape of one I wanted. (Just think of the possibilities, if you can outline it, you can create button art! LOL!)

Trace it on your fabric or paper that you want, like I did on the burlap. (This would be pretty done on scrapbooking paper too!)
I have my jar of buttons ready to go!

First, I placed all of the buttons around the outline, that way I knew if everything would turn out ok……

Then I hot-glued all of the buttons in place.

I thought about making the whole cross with buttons, but actually liked the look of just the outline!

Y’all have fun and let me know if you decide to make your very own button art!!!! If you can find a frame at a yard sale or thrift store, you can do this project for under $5.00. It only cost me around $2.00, but I do have a stash of buttons that I've kept throughout the years ( you can also get great buttons for free or close to free when thrift stores have their "free" bin, or fill a bag for $x.xx ). You won't need much of the burlap either, and it's pretty cheap for the piece that I bought at Hobby Lobby, and I have plenty left for more craft projects!

I'm sharing this decorating idea with the following link-up parties:

Be sure to go by and see all of the other great ideas for DIY crafting!

Those of you coming over here from the other Links, be sure to enter my giveaway HERE for a monogrammed set of kitchen towels! Ends 2/26/2012.

Love is.......

Ms. M and I have made a Valentines "tree" for the past two years. Last year we just took pretty scrapbook paper and cut out hearts. We had a pretty big branch, so we had a lot of hearts to fill it!
This year, she found a smaller branch that fit perfectly into a pretty vintage "hobnail" type vase. We made bigger hearts this year and decided to put words on them. She wrote words that described what love is..........

We asked Big Poppa for a word too, but he just kinda laughed {you know, 'cause he's 13, a boy, and really didn't care to help out! }
Then I told Ms. M to go ask Dad for a word {um, should have known}. Yep, this is what he came up with.......

You know the old wives tale, the best way to a man's heart is through his stomach! We all got such a GA-FAW out of this ****snicker****.
Well, did you know that Love is........Fried Chicken??? Hmmm, might need to make some "LOVE" tonight for dinner (does that even sound right? BaaaaHaaaa). Happy Valentines Day Y'all! Here's some more pictures of our "pianoscape". Not too busy, just the right amount of stuff :)

Love this SubWay Art!!!!

I'm sharing this decorating idea with the following link-up parties:


Be sure to go by and see all of the other great ideas for DIY crafting!
Those of you coming over here from the other Links, be sure to enter my giveaway HERE for a monogrammed set of kitchen towels! Pin It

Blessed..........and a Giveaway

Blessed. Here’s Merriam-Webster’s definition of the word:

1 a: held in reverence : venerated b: honored in worship : hallowed c: beatific < blessed visitation>
2 : of or enjoying happiness; specifically: enjoying the bliss of heaven —used as a title for a beatified person
3 : bringing pleasure, contentment, or good fortune

A couple of verses from the Bible:

"Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." (Matthew 5:3).

“ Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ” (Ephesians 1:3).

I feel truly blessed! Here are just some of the reasons I feel this way…

I’m a child of God, and He loves me, even with all of my faults 
My Husband is pretty awesome! He puts up with my craziness and loves me anyway!
My kids…… enough said!
I’ve got a roof over my head
Heat in the winter and A/C in the summer
Plenty of food to eat (too much maybe?)
Great friends and family
Super customers that keep me busy and make me smile!
And so many more reasons……..I could go on forever!

So, because of this, I’d love to giveaway a set of kitchen towels! You’ll have your choice of color, either white, brick red, black, cornflower blue, sage green or tan. With the white kitchen towels, you’ll get two of those with your choice of thread color and font for monogram. With the colored sets, you’ll get one kitchen towel and one matching pot holder! As always, your choice of thread color and font.

For your entry, all you need to do is just tell me how you feel BLESSED!

For additional entries, please feel free to share this link on your blog, tweet, facebook, or pin it!

~ Like my SouthernTraditionsBoutique Fan page (top right corner of the blog) on FB for another Entry.
~ Follow me on Pinterest
~ Pin any of the items in my Etsy Store
~ Follow my blog on GFC
~ Sign up for my newsletter (3rd button on top right hand side of blog)
~ Add my SouthernTraditions2 Etsy Store to your favorites.

PLEASE BE SURE TO DO A SEPARATE ENTRY FOR EACH THING YOU DO! That way you’ll have more chances! I would love to get to 500 FB fans, so if we do, I’ll give another set away as well! The more entries, the more giveaways, so help spread the word!
*****This giveaway is open to US and Canada only please :) ***** Pin It

Giveaway over at TaterTots & Jello Blog.....Mindy's Minute Market

Jen over at TatertotsandJello, in addition to the Friday Link-Up Party

Is also having a $100+ giveaway, sponsored by Mindy's Minute Market. Be sure to go over and find out the many ways you can enter to win the awesome prize pack! I like the ribbon that Mindy has up right now, that would be perfect for my Hooded towels!

Dollar Store craft {{Apothecary Jars}} $4.00

If y'all haven't found Pinterest yet, you really don't know what you're missing! This is the best site for great decorating ideas, recipes, DIY crafts, etc. (Be sure to come by and follow me.....I'll follow you too! LOL!)

This is one of those things that I found and said "Hey, I can make that!" Honestly, they were so super simple and you'll have them to add different decorations to each holiday. The initial investment is only $4.00 for the 2, so this is really super cheap and no one could ever tell that you paid that little (lovin' that!).

All you'll need for this craft is:
2 glasses/votives of your choice
2 glass candlesticks
6000 glue (see picture)

Now wasn't that simple? There are so many different glasses and candlesticks that you can choose from. It would be super cool to have different styles filled with holiday items (I plan on making a super big one and fill it with plastic easter eggs!) Hobby Lobby has some pretty glass items with lids on sale about every 2-3 weeks, so that would make a really cheap decorating item too! Don't forget to check Walmart's candle isle for glass mirrors (still in the candle isle)to glue on top of the candlesticks. Those would be pretty to lift a candle up off of the table!

Please be sure to let me know if you make some of these! Have fun........ Hey Y'all......this craft idea is also linked up to these great link-up parties:

and here:



and here:

You don't know what your missing! Go on over and check out all of the other great craft/food ideas!

New Alabama Applique for Kids Tshirts

When I saw this little applique several months ago, I knew I'd have to get it. But then when I did, I realized I didn't have anyone to make it for :( Well, I finally found someone and here it is!

Y'all come on over to my Southern Traditions 2 Store and take a peek. I can get a couple of others, like Auburn, Florida and Georgia. There are different designs with these colleges along with South Carolina, Arkansas and Tennessee.
Thanks so much for looking and ROLL TIDE!!!

Paper Doily Valentines Banner

I've always loved paper doilies! When I was a kid, these were my favorite and totally got me in the mood for Valentines Day!
On a recent trip to the Dollar Tree, I saw these and immediately had to get them! So, for under $2.00, Ms. M and I were able to make a super sweet, adorable, fantastic banner!

For this project, you'll need just one package of paper doilies {they had both white and pink, so had to get both of them. You'll never know when you'll need a paper doily!}, pen, your choice of another color scrapbook paper or felt, elmers glue, plain white paper and a spool of red {or other color} 1/8" ribbon.

First, I had Ms. M trace out the letters we wanted for our saying. She did it free-hand and think she did a wonderful job! After, just cut out each letter

We had a pretty glitter piece of felt that we both thought would look pretty on the white doilies. So all we did was trace them (backwards) on the "un-glittery" side of the felt. Then cut them out.

All we needed to do was glue one of the letters on one doily heart. Because we had two words, Ms. M decided to put a heart in the middle of the words.....great idea {she's so smart! :) We joined the hearts with the ribbon and tied a loose loop with it. Just be careful doing this because the paper doilies are a little delicate ;)

And here we are! We took this picture outside, but this banner is going above our piano for our "pianoscape". We will do a reveal when we get it all decorated :)

We have a couple of other decorating ideas for Valentines Day, so please stay tuned and come back to see what else we've been up to! What decorating are you doing for Valentines Day?