Snowflake Curtain + FREE Printable Template

I'll be the first to admit, I had literally ZERO Christmas spirit and zero interest in decorating until I got a house and a Pinterest account.  Last year, Dude and I hit up the after-Christmas sales and bought our first Christmas tree, lights, outdoor lights, the whole shebang!  But I put everything up and thought we could use a little something extra in our dining room.

Some of the people I follow on Pinterest pinned some super cute paper snowflake templates and projects (here, here, and here), I got inspired and decided to make a window of snowflakes!

hi everybody, love dude  (see what happens when you leave your laptop on the couch??)

Ok, so let's decorate your windows with snowflakes!

First things first, download and print my free printable paper snowflake template.  It has 6 pages - one page with labeled folding lines and instructions, one page with just folding lines and 4 pages of cut-able templates to help get you started.  For all you perfectionists out there, once you start to branch out and cut your own designs, remember that you can't really mess up this project.

Alright, once you have the template printed, gather the rest of your supplies:

• Cute Junk I've Made 6-Pointed Snowflake Template
• Paper cutter
• Scissors, big and small
• Scrapbook paper (optional)
• Dental floss (yep)

Start with page one of the template and cut out the square just inside the black lines.  I like to start by cutting it out with scissors first and then come in with the paper cutter to get close to the outside lines.

Paper Cutter

Ready to Fold

First fold the square in half, along Line A, keeping the labeled lines on the top.

Now fold the pyramid in half, along line B, again keeping the labeled lines on the top.

Now you're going to fold the triangle into thirds.  It's not essential that your lines line up perfectly here.  Sometimes they will, sometimes they won't, depending on how straight you cut your lines and how straight your folding was.

Fold first along Line C.

Fold for the last section overtop of the Line C section to create a final product that looks kind of like an arrow or a wonky paper airplane.

Flip your arrow over and cut off the tips.

Now all you've gotta do is cut out your designs!  If you're using my templates - I think this goes without saying, but just in case - cut out the grey sections.

If you feel like it, grab some pretty scrapbook paper and print out the template on the back or just eyeball it.  Scrapbook paper is already a square (12"x12"), so that makes it easy to fold without the template.

And now, cut as many of them as you want.  I'll be honest, I cut out what feels like a bajillion of these things and I still haven't figured out the mechanics of the folded snowflake. I can't tell you where your cuts will show up or what they'll look like when you open up the folds.  Think of it as a fun surprise!

When you've got a big old pile of snowflakes

And a big old pile of scraps

Start stringing your snowflakes onto dental floss, fishing line, string, whatever you have on hand. 

 

Now hang it up and admire your handy work!

Hold up, you're not done yet!  Keep stringing snowflakes until you're happy with how it looks or until you run out of cut snowflakes.

Helpful hint:  Once you hang up these strands of snowflakes, make sure to cut off any extra string at the bottom.  Otherwise, your cute little dog may think it's a toy made just for her and rip the whole dang thing down!  This may or may not have happened 4 minutes after I finished this project.

Linking Up To:



Background Noise for This Project:  Buffy the Vampire Slayer - Season Three: Episode 16 & Episode 17

Painted Placemats

This is kind of a combination of a couple of projects I've seen on Pinterest (here and here) and have been putting off for no good reason.  Can I tell you that after completing this project I have so much more respect for all those people who have stenciled quatrefoil on walls and canvases and trays and pretty much anything bigger than a napkin!  It takes FOREVER.  Oh my god FOREVER. 

Alright, so on to the reason you're here, right?  You want to make these bad boys and I don't blame you; they're instant class for your dining room table.

For this project I used some old wrinkly (because someone left them in the washer for 2 days straight after Thanksgiving) IKEA placemats I had taking up space in a drawer in our guest room.  I don't know why we store our placemats in the guest room, just seemed like the right spot when we first moved in and I can't move them now.

In addition to placemats, you'll also need this totally awesome and totally free quatrefoil stencil from Tatertots and Jello.  Can I suggest printing it out on some super-thick cardstock and not flimsy copy paper because that's what's loaded into your printer and you're too lazy to go look for something else?  I can't say for sure, but that may cause headaches and swear words and then giving up and printing it on a manila folder.  Again, can't say for sure.

Alright, so you have your placemats, you have your stencil, get some craft or fabric paint, some paint brushes and something to trace your stencil with.  Also, get some decent background noise for this project, you are going to want something to distract you from the hours of filling in little circles.

Not pictured above is this bad mamma-jamma:

This type of brush is killer for getting in the round edges of the quatrefoil stencil and it saves a boatload of time.
 
Get to tracing!  If this is your first time using a stencil like this, make sure to always line the stencil up from the center.  Take it from me, don't trace this thing end to end or your quatrefoil will not align properly.  This may also have something to do with the fact that I printed this on a manila folder and had to glue it together...

Once you've traced the entire placemat, you can paint!  Start filling in the larger spaces working from the top of your placemat to the bottom.

Don't be like me and think you're being awesome and fill in the tiny, round, plus sign-looking things.  This is not awesome and will result in you getting orange paint all over your arms.

Keep tracing and painting and tracing and painting for what feels like days until you end up with something like this!

If you get sick of quatrefoil and want some instant gratification, you can stencil some letters onto your placemat instead.  I stenciled the word EAT onto the bottom of this one.  This took me all of 45 seconds and that includes rinsing out the brush when I was done.

You get the idea here, don't you?

If you happen to go outside the lines of your quatrefoil or any other stencil, as long as you're using craft paint you can use soap and water on an old toothbrush to remove it. 

Chevron is all the rage these days, so I figured I'd do a free-hand chevron patterned placemat as well.  I know there are ways you can calculate so that every chevron strip is the same, but I was lazy, so I free handed it.

In the end, these placemats are really forgiving and are going to look awesome no matter what you decide to do, so do whatever you think you'll like best.

 Background Noise for This Project:  The Inbetweeners (UK Version):  Season 1, Episodes 1-6

Miracle Carpet Cleaner!

Ok, confession time.  About a year ago, I was dragging a bag of recycling from the utility room in our basement up the stairs and out our side porch.  I dropped the bag outside, closed the door behind me and left.  

Maybe a week later, Dude goes "What the heck is this drippy stain on the steps??"  I go, "What drippy stain?"  He points it out to me.  Yikes.  I know exactly what it is and what it's from.  But being the douche canoe that I am, I deny any involvement and tell him that I don't know and have never seen it before.

  
So for the last 300+ days, I've been ignoring this giant drippy stain.  

Cut to yesterday morning, Pepper, our problem furchild, ate half a pan of zucchini brownies.  These things were on top of the stove, out of her reach.  Lord knows how she got to them.  So anyways, I brought out the peroxide to make her throw up (she did and she's fine, for anyone nervous for the turd).  

Having the peroxide out reminded me of this pin that I never got around to trying, so I figured it was worth a try.  And what better place to test it out than the stairs!

If you're following along at home, you only need five things and you most likely already have all of them.

• Hydrogen Peroxide - the original source calls for a cup, I used maybe half a cup, I don't think it's an exact science
• Blue Dawn (I don't know if the blue part is essential, but I'm a follower not a leader)
• A scrubber
• A mixing bowl
• A towel, preferably white so you can see how dirty your carpet is

Why is that picture taken outside in the grass?  I DON'T KNOW.  Don't judge me.

Mix up half a cup of your peroxide; and add in a couple of drops of the dish soap.  I added about 5.  Not enough to color the peroxide, but enough to know it was there.

 
Stir up the mixture and head to your dirty carpet.  Grab your scrubber, dip it in the peroxide and soap mixture and scrub scrub scrub your carpet.  Scrub hard and work up a lather. 

Whatever you do, don't look at the scrubber afterwards or you will see this and be completely disturbed and want to go out and buy 10 Dysons to clean your carpets.

Gross.

 Blot up the peroxide/soap mixture with your towel.  I used the towel to scrub a little too.

More gross.

Now, go work on another project and try to keep people and pets away from what is soon to be your nice clean carpet.

When your carpet is dry, vacuum up any residue and then sit back and pat yourself on the back because your carpet is as clean as the day you bought it!  

Can I remind you these drippy stains were over a YEAR old.  We've been walking on them (four feet, 8 paws plus Thanksgiving with 20 people) for almost 400 days.  And now you can barely tell they were there!

I know you all love a good before and after so check it out:

 

Background Noise for this Project:  The Inbetweeners (UK Version):  Season 1, Episode 6: Xmas Party

Homemade Sugar Scrub or The Sugar Scrub That Could Create World Peace + FREE Printable!

Is there some kind of blogger rule about how long your post title should be?  If there is, I most definitely broke it.

Listen, in all seriousness, I've seen a million different sugar scrubs flying all over Pinterest these days and I usually blow them off.  My skin is dry year-round and I've never had any results with a sugar scrub until I tried this one.  Please understand that my first blog tutorial would not be some kind of dumb garbage that doesn't work. 

Now, let's make some!! 

First, gather your ingredients.  You'll need:

• Sugar - plain, granulated, $1.99/bag white sugar
• Some kind of oil - Olive oil, canola oil, almond oil, use whatever you have on hand.  I used coconut oil because I like the smell and I've convinced myself that it keeps my skin hydrated longer.  This could be total BS, I don't know.
• Vanilla Extract (or vanilla scented essential oil)
• Essential Oils (the ones in the picture are coconut and honey almond)

The last two are completely optional.  If you like the smell of sugar and oil, or if you don't have any on hand, skip them.

Next up, measure out some sugar.  The ratio of sugar to oil is 2:1.  I'm using a baby jar, so I only measured out 1/2 cup of sugar.

Pour the sugar into your container.  Use a funnel if you're like me and have zero hand/eye coordination. 

Next, measure out your oil.  If you're using coconut oil, remember that at room tempature coconut oil is solid, but when it heats up it will liquify, thus creating more oil.  Here, to stick with the 2:1 ratio, I measured out a 1/4c of coconut oil.

Put the oil in your jar along with the sugar and stir it up!  Stir it until everything is incorporated.  The final consistency should be gloopy (real technical, I know).  It kinda hangs out on the spoon for a second and then gloops back into the jar. 

See what I mean?



At this point, if you don't want to add any scents, you're done!  But, if you do want to add some essential oils, now's the time to do it.  I put in between 5 and 10 drops of coconut essential oil and maybe an 1/8th of a teaspoon of vanilla extract.  Give your scrub a quick stir and go get your shower ready!

The key to using this sugar scrub on your legs is in the process, The Method.  Yes, I'm using capitals.  It's that life-changing.  It's going to sound crazy at first.  You're going to shake your head and say, Laura, you're a frickin idiot, there's no way.  I'm telling you, listen to me, THIS WORKS.  It really, really does.  I didn't take any pictures of this because I sincerely hope you already know how to shave, if you don't, call your mom.

Alright, so, in the shower, do all your normal shower stuff.  Once you've been in there long enough to steam up the bathroom mirror, grab your razor and shaving cream and shave your legs like you normally would.

Once you've shaved your legs and rinsed them off, pop open the sugar scrub and scrub your legs with it.  Rinse it off when your skin starts to tingle from all the scrubbing.  Now, grab your razor and get ready for round two.

See, I told you you'd be shaking your head and calling me an idiot.  Seriously, do it.  I was skeptical at first too.  Shave your legs again, the oil will create a barrier so you don't need to use shaving cream or anything, just shave.

Rinse your razor as often as necessary and try not to look at the yucky dead skin you are shaving off.  

Finish your shower and then before you can get goosebumps FEEL YOUR LEGS.  Seriously, it's amazing, isn't it??  Assuming I don't get goosebumps, my super smooth legs usually last 2 days with no additional lotion or oil; and I can make it 3 or 4 before the stubble gets out of control.  I told you at the beginning this sugar scrub could create world peace!

Now go make some more, wrap it up with a piece of ribbon and a cute spoon and give it to every woman you know.  And since I love ya, I whipped up some super cute labels for you to put on the jars.  Download them here and print using Avery 5163 (or equivalent) labels.

But listen, if you give this stuff as a gift, don't just give them the jar and walk away, or they will throw it with all the other Bath & Body Works rejects in her linen closet.  Tell her The Method.  Let her shake her head and call you an idiot.  Then she will try The Method and she will love you for it.

You're welcome.

Background Noise for this Project:  Breaking Bad: Season 4, Episode 10:  Salud