My Homemade Coasters

In the beginning of my blogging days, I posted an entry called "Thriftiness Born of Necessity"
Basically meaning that as a poor grad student I had no choice but to be creative because I couldn't afford new things. Now, I still run into the "need" to be crafty. I now have the ability to buy most of what I want but I can never find it!

Case in point: My coasters.

I looked everywhere for cute coasters and couldn't find any. Even plain and boring ones were $20-$25. Last week I was at my friend Meg's house and checked out her painted ceramic coasters she got from a local artist. I brainstormed how to make some myself...

While on his Black Friday quest for a new tv (got it!) Sean picked up some ceramic tiles from Lowes for me.

He got 6 for about $2. Then I picked up some scrapbook paper for $.60 cents at Michaels.

I already had a bottle of Mod Podge.

The process was So easy!


Just trace your paper to the size of the tile. Cut just slightly inside of your line so the paper is smaller than the tile.

Brush Mod Podge onto the tile. Place the paper on and press it from the middle, being careful to avoid bubbles. Run the end of your brush along the edge to make the edges stick so they won't peel.

Let the tiles sit for 10-15 minutes.

Then, brush Mod Podge over the top in an even coat, drying for 10 minutes between each coat. I gave mine 3 or 4. Then, brush on a clear coat of polyurethane to seal.

On the bottom, I placed felt circles on each corner.

You could cut a full square out of a piece of felt, which is cheap. Or get pieces of cork from a craftstore. Anything that will cushion the bottom to avoid scratching your furniture.

I let the polyurethane set overnight and was so excited this morning to see how they turned out.
I'm so happy with them!

One piece of paper had different license plates with "state of___" on each one. I picked my favorites and placed them on top of the patterned background.

They were so cheap and turned out perfect. You can pick any color or pattern paper and customize them to fit your room.
We used them this morning for coffee.

They would make an adorable christmas gift placed in a set and tied with a ribbon. The total came to about $3 for my set of 6!

XOXO,
Katie

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Fall, Fog, and Friends

The fall season always seems to fade away so quickly...even though I am putting lights on my tree and listening to christmas music while driving around for work everyday, I'm not trying to wish it away. It's so cozy and pleasant and beautiful.

Saturday morning, Sean left at 6:30 for a teaching workshop in Little Rock and although I had no obligation, I was up right after. I hate that I can't sleep in anymore! But if I had, I might have missed the gorgeous scene in my own front yard.

The sun was rising and a heavy blanket of fog hovered over. The air was crisp and everything looked soft and hazy.

That rocking chair never looked so inviting!

The street was still and silent.

It wasn't so beautiful to Sean, who drove through it all the way to Little Rock with minimum visibility. But the pictures speak for themselves!

A week before, I took a couple pictures of the beautiful fall trees in front of our house, knowing that the bright leaves would be gone before we knew it. I wanted to capture it while it lasted.

We've had one Thanksgiving get-together already and I couldn't be more excited for the others. The season could never get old to me. We've stopped by Dad's for chili and cinnamon rolls (NO better combination known to man). We've been enjoying chilly football games with hot chocolate and drinks around backyard fires with great friends.


My friend Franklin wants to wish everyone a Happy Fall!


Soak it in and enjoy...

XOXO,
Katie

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~Laundry Room~

I fell in love with this laundry room photo as soon as I saw it and used it for inspiration for my own.
The soft seafoam walls and all the airy accents look so perfect for a pleasant, enjoyable laundry room. I truly believe that no room is beneath "looking good", least of all a room that is used as often as a laundry room. I wanted to give mine a little attention...

There's still a few things on the list to complete but it's coming along. I want to paint the cabinetry white to lighten everything up a little more but here it is so far...

There happened to be an old can of paint in dad's laundry room that was a perfect color. I had a chrome towel rod from our old house that Sean hung to hang clothes that needed to go straight onto hangers. It's such a time saver instead of folding and then hanging! I found the big tin basin in the garage and put some scrap vintage floral print fabric inside. It holds dirty clothes and is so much cuter than a plastic laundry basket.

I wanted some inspiration for one of the most dreaded and never-ending chores known to housekeeping...something to remind me that even the most mundane of tasks should be done to the best of my ability. I used scrap wood from the garage and gray paint, then sanded down to the bare wood in places and free-handed the scripture.

This garden rack was perfect for everything we need for laundry. Those wavy clear containers are old cocktail bottles I repurposed.

They now hold our laundry detergent and vinegar for color loads. The cute hammered silver tin holds our dryer lint and the tin and cream basin holds dryer sheets.

My mom painted this cute country scene of a girl hanging out laundry to dry. I want to mount it to a larger piece so I can hang it, but for now it is propped inside our pullout ironing board nook.

Joan used the ironing board cover as a pattern and sewed a new cover for it using scrap fabric in a vintage floral. I love it!

XOXO,
Katie Follow @ktgray13

Sean's Coaching Debut

Last night, Sean coached his first basketball game at home! Marion Junior High played Marianna in the new basketball arena. Our families came to support and it meant alot to him to have them there.

He got suited up that morning in his red shirt and tie with a just a little bit of jitters and alot of excitement.

You nervous Coach Gray??

Coach Brown sat back for the B team and let Sean handle it.


And he delivered.

As little as they looked on the court, they've got to be some pretty tall boys next to him!


He's so happy to be doing what he loves and working with someone he respects.

But he might want to pack on some pounds if he'll be sharing a bench with Coach Brown all season!

Sean, I'm so proud of you and happy for you. You get to leave the house every morning excited to spend the day with your passion and it's wonderful and rare to see. Those boys are lucky to have you in their lives. And I'm lucky to get the "coach's wife" card at admission:)
You'll be great, Coach Gray.

XOXO,
KK

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Cozy Guest Cottage

The colder and darker the nights start to get with winter approaching, the more I want to curl up in our little guest room with a cup of hot apple cider, pajama pants, and a good book.

You know me...There is, of course, much more I would like to do in here, but it is presentable enough for a guest to stay, so it must be presentable enough to show you.



The walls in our guest room have a faux suede finish, with rough, stony texture. The room is a little cottage escape with an old wrought iron bed, distressed furniture, and antique candle sticks. It looks so inviting with lamps and candles lit.

The bed was in my room for years after my mom and I picked it up at a flea market. It was white with brass fixtures, and I just gave it a few coats of spray paint in Ivory and Almond.


You've seen the wooden sign I made before here.
I found an old, hunter green decorative shelf in a box at home and spray painted it Almond for the sign to be displayed on.



I painted this little display shelf cream to hold a random beginning collection of salvation army and thrift store candlesticks.


I showed you the dresser makeover already. Here it is with the old mirror I painted. I found the birdcage years ago on clearance at Hobby Lobby the cottag-y clock was my Meemaw's.




The black and white photo is of my grandma and grandpa on there wedding day.


I painted this 2-sided distressed wooden postcard to look antique and romantic. I adore it!


I found the side table at a flea market in Conway for $15. It has a cute round cobblestone top and curved legs. The lamp was brass and I spray painted it glossy cream to match.


I have an envelope full of real vintage photos I found in Meemaw's stuff that I want to get copied and frame for the walls and I still want to find some old shutters or windows for an art piece. Here are some of the photos I had saved that inspired the room...

I love the castle door head frame and the shutter doors!

I would have never put the shutters, windows, and frames together like this on my own. I am in L.O.V.E with it.


This pic made me see what the gaudy gold mirror I had in my garage could be!

So, yes, it is still a work in progress, but how do you think it turned out? Any suggestions?

Stay tuned for the next room:)

XOXO,
Katie

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