How to Paint a Straight Line on a Textured Wall

So I've been in the middle of painting our boys' bedroom and we have these built-in panels that we decided to paint in bright pops of color while leaving the rest of walls gray. In case any of you reading have textured walls like I do, I thought I'd share this helpful tip-if you want perfectly straight lines to separate colors, it really is possible!

First, I'll tell you what NOT to do: Don't expect to apply the tape (I used Frog Tape) to a textured wall and just simply paint your color over it and expect it not to bleed. I did that last spring and ended up having to use a eyeshadow sponge applicator to tediously touch up my dark blue that bled through = no fun!

I assure you, there is a much easier way! This time I read the fine print on the tape package, which tells you for textured walls to go to their website for a technique to make straight lines on a textured wall.

Here's what you do:

1. First apply Frog tape where you want your line to be. Make sure you smooth out any air bubbles.

2. Then, with your original wall color, paint along the edge of the tape. Frog Tape is not like regular painter's tape because it has this Paint Block technology that reacts with the latex paint and gels to form a barrier that seals the edge of the tape to prevent paint bleed. Pretty helpful.

3. Allow to dry completely.

4. Then paint with your accent color all the way to the edge of the tape.

5. After the accent color is dry, it's time to remove the tape.

6. Ta da! For the most part, my line on my textured wall was pretty straight with no bleed through, creating a bright pop of color in the room against cool gray.

No, Frog Tape didn't pay me to write this post, (but wouldn't that be nice?) I just wanted to share a helpful tip so you could avoid the headache of doing it the wrong way.

I've been a little missing in action lately because of all the hard work of painting their room, helping my husband put bunk bed together, persuading the boys to sleep in them,  and working on accessories and stencil accents for the room. It's really looking like a little boys dream and I can't wait till its done so I can show all of you!

(And, in case you've been following along and wonder what's up with my bathroom redo-well the painting is all done, but there's been a little delay in getting the lighting and mirrors-we took a trip to IKEA and I guess a lot of their stock is being stored away for remodeling. I was disappointed but it is a good excuse for us to go there again-I love that place! It is so good for hauling kids along with you with all their play areas and cheap kids meals...)

Anyway, enough rambling! I do think the bedroom will be done before the bathroom-so excited for the big reveal!

Thanks for visiting ReMadeSimple!

Watercolor Hearts {From Kid's Art}

Good afternoon, lovely readers! 

I have another Valentine's Day craft to show you!  This one is fun because it involved letting my kids go a little crazy with watercolor paint--yes, I got brave and let them at ages almost 2 and 3. Good thing floors, walls, and purple-painted beards are washable. (sigh)

In the end, I loved how freely they used the colors and had fun creating these 

pretty works of art!

So, wondering what I did with these paintings after they were dry? 

First, I brought out my heart-shaped cookie cutters and traced hearts on 

them with my white opaque marker.  

Then, I cut them out, leaving the white edge around the border. 

Finally, I took some mini cloths pins and connected them to my...chicken wire frame!

Have you seen these all over the web? I loved them so much that I made one myself the same night I discovered them. (It was really easy to just cut my chicken wire to fit the frame then staple gun it to the inside of the frame that I had painted and distressed--of course! )

I love how I can easily switch out my decorations throughout the year with so many possibilities. So, this is my first display using my chicken wire frame! What do you think?
I love being able to show off what my kids make as well as what I make! And I think I'm loving this chicken wire craze too.

Thanks for visiting today and please make sure to stop by tomorrow--there will be a HUGE and EXCITING giveaway starting!

Linking up with these parties and this party.

Irresistible Chocolate Peanut Butter Popcorn

That's right Poppy Chow. No I didn't misspell "Puppy Chow"-the sweet treat you might be familiar with  using rice Chex. This recipe is even better than that one, in my opinion, because you use popcorn=Pop-py Chow!
 And it is an easy, delicious snack to make and place in a pretty tin as a Christmas gift  or whip up for those hungry house guests.

About a month ago I shared an amazing cookie recipe from a great blog called Brown Eyed Baker. This recipe is also hers. She uses my favorite combination of peanut butter and chocolate to make amazing things. It is a dangerous site! Here are the easy steps to follow:

pop a large amount of popcorn-I used a tall stockpot.

{Peanut Butter Chocolate Popcorn} 

Yield: About 8 to 10 servings (possibly more if you’re not chocolate/pb obsessed like me)

Prep Time: 25 minutes

9 cups plain popcorn
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
½ cup creamy peanut butter
¼ cup unsalted butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1½ cups powdered sugar

1. Put the popcorn in a very large bowl.

2. In a microwave (at 50% power) or over a double boiler, melt the chocolate chips, peanut butter and butter until melted and smooth. Stir in the vanilla.

3. Pour the chocolate mixture all over the popcorn. Using a large spoon, stir until all of the popcorn is evenly coated with the chocolate/peanut butter mixture.

4. Sift the powdered sugar over the chocolate-covered popcorn and stir until each piece is evenly coated. Spread the mixture out onto a baking sheet and place in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes or until the chocolate is set.

5. Break it up and serve! Store leftovers in an airtight container.

originally posted by: Brown Eyed Baker

I bet there are lots of variations you could try with this recipe (think melted M & M's, Reese's Peanut Butter Cups....mmmm...)  .

Linking up with these parties and this party.

A Colorful DIY Holiday Garland

A big thank you to Vanessa from Houzz.com for the great write up and feature of this post on 30 Beautifully Inventive DIY Christmas Decorations! 

Don't these cheerful pom poms make you smile just looking at them? I got inspired after looking at the adorable Land of Nod Christmas catalog where the rooms were decorated with this fun pom pom garland. (The same catalog I made my whimsy trees out of.) 

I told you my theme this year for decorating is "childlike and whimsical". My whole family is loving  the bright, cheerful colors. 

And if you have little kids (like I do) they can't break them or really cause much damage. (I have a whole kid-friendly tree up in my house! ) 

And they are so, so simple to make you can do it relaxing in front of your favorite Christmas movie. Or if you have an older child, they could help, too, since yarn needles aren't sharp.

All you need are pom poms in whatever color you like, yarn, and a yarn needle. 

I made a couple of sets-these with fun, bright green eyelash yarn, and another all white strand that looks like puffy little snowballs. My youngest son only managed to yank them off the tree once (so far...)

• Here's what you do: 
• Thread your yarn needle with yarn. 
• Push the needle through one pom pom at a time, spacing them until you have a strand in the length you want. 
• Knot the end. 
• You're done! (See I told you it was so easy-- you barely needed this tutorial! )

So much fun! 

 Next, I'm excited to show you some handmade, cheap,  unbreakable, kid-friendly ornaments I've been making! 

Thanks for visiting ReMadeSimple! 

Linking up with these parties and this party.

Bleach Pen Fabric Art

Have any plain T-shirts laying around that you're bored with? I first saw this fun idea on Pinterest by a blog called Show Tell Share and I couldn't wait to try it.

I think it made me reminisce to my '90's childhood days of designing shirts and canvas shoes with puffy fabric paint. (I thought I was so cool! )

I love that this technique looks a little like batik (and not so '90's).  Here's what I saw:

bleached T-Shirt designs from Show Tell Share

After seeing this idea, I went through some of my kids' clothes and some of my own to see if there were any with little stains on them that I could disguise this way. I also went to the grocery store and picked up my Clorox bleach pen-around $2-3.

I decided on a green shirt for my son that had a bleach mark already on it. This was so simple and fun to do!

Here's what you'll need: 
1. Clorox gel bleach pen 
2. Cotton shirt or fabric of your choice
3. Plastic to line the back of fabric (plastic bag, wax paper, or cereal box liner). 


First, lay the fabric out flat on table. Place plastic liner in between front and back of fabric so bleach doesn't bleed through. Then, draw whatever design you want-I did freestyle numbers for my son's shirt.

It's fun to watch the bleach slowly lighten up the fabric until you see your design. Be prepared for a bleachy smell in your house. Opening up windows might help!

The nice thing about the bleach pen is that it comes out as a gel, with two different ends for flow options.

Allow the gel to dry completely onto fabric for a few hours. Then throw in the wash and dry!

my son happily holding up his shirt

I'm glad my son liked his shirt! (I know my time is limited with them willing to wear what I make for them...) I'm excited to try this technique on some of my shirts, and maybe some pillows, curtains or a table runner. Does this inspire you to go color with bleach like it did for me?

Linking up with these parties!

Simple Thanksgiving Felt Garland

I love Thanksgiving--it is such a simple season of gratitude--and life may be hard at times for many of us, but I think it's important to remember the ways we are blessed. I always think it's a shame that this holiday often gets overlooked by the rushed Christmas season ahead.

This year, I decided to celebrate a little early and decorate with a simple reminder to "be thankful". I have been loving all the machine sewn together felt garland I've seen around different blogs and on Pinterest.

Since I don't have a sewing machine yet,  I decided to put an old-fashioned spin on designing my own by hand stitching the garland.  I was excited to find some recycled felt made from Eco-Fi-made from 100% post-consumer plastic bottles by the brand Creatology. Plastic bottles never felt so soft!

Follow along with my tutorial if you'd like to make this project! This is so simple I would consider it a kid-friendly craft. Here's what you'll need:

1. Yarn needle
2. Felt in various colors
3. Fabric scissors
4. Yarn-I used two types of textures, but used the smooth kind for the lettering
5. Glue gun or tacky glue
6. Small circular containers in different sizes to trace-try a spice jar or medicine cup.
7. Pen or pencil 

First, I traced my circles around the containers-I alternated between two different sizes.

Then, I cut out each circle until I had enough to spell out my words. I used 11 circles.

Next, I threaded my yarn needle with the wavy yarn and stitched loosely through the center of the first circle.

I repeated the process, leaving about an inch between circles, until I ended up with a long chain of circles, like this:

To make the words, "be thankful" I cut small pieces of straight orange yarn and just looped and connected the pieces to form each letter. I then glued each letter to the center of the circle.

keep in mind that I formed the letters first before trying to glue them!

forming the letters while one of my sons curiously watches

Are you ready to see the finished product? Here it is!

a shot from below, the garland is held in place by the gourds.

a side shot

I love how this garland adds playful charm and an old-fashioned homemade feel to my mantle! And, of course that it reminds me to "be thankful".

Linking up with these parties: The Girl Creative, Life Made Lovely, C.R.A.F.T, and I Heart Nap Time), Skip To My Lou, Todays Creative Blog, http://funkypolkadotgiraffe.blogspot.com// House of Hepworth's, and these.

Pretty Paper Leaf Display

Robert Frost's famous poem says "nothing gold can stay". Just like autumn-but that's what makes it so special. It is my favorite season for being outside, for decorating, for warm smelling candles and food. 

Here is a simple fall display I made on a key hook board to celebrate the golden colors of fall a little longer. Here is what I used: 

• scrapbook paper in pretty fall-like colors
• permanent markers
• low temp glue gun
• glue stick
• crinkle safety scissors
• packing tape
• buttons
• small hole punch
• small strip of lace

-My 3 year old got in on the leaf cutting fun with some safety crinkle scissors and a glue stick to paste the leaves together. We hole punched the tops and they were ready to hang on the hooks. 

-I made the "FALL" sign by writing letters with the permanent marker onto the paper.

-I placed packing tape around the front and back of the letters to "laminate" them. 

-Then I cut the letters into neat squares.

-I glued the squares to the strip of lace with a low temp glue gun.

-Attaching little buttons to the ends finished the project and I hung them onto each hook across the board. 

Here is a larger picture of my keyhook-picture board along with a glass hurricane lantern. 

My fall display

I added some real leaves around the base of the lantern that are still staying gold for me...at least for a little while. 

-Thanks for reading! 

Linking up with these parties.