My 50

I am a person who loves making goals for myself and I am stubborn and stick to them... that's just how I am! So for those of you who love goal setting, check out My 50. It's a website where you can add the "fifty" things you want to accomplish in your lifetime. It's a lot of fun to do and you can also see what other people have as their goals to get ideas and inspired. Feel free to check out my list as well. Enjoy!

Halloween

Yesterday for Halloween, I went bar hopping with my friend's family & friends. They rented a bus to take us bar to bar and there were about 80 people there. The theme was Frankenstein, but Kurt and I planned to be pirates before we knew we were going to this. So Kurt dressed as Jack Sparrow and I got a pirate costume off ebay for $16.00 and cut the bottom of the skirt to give it a more pirate feel. We had a lot of fun but were very tired by the end of the night. I can't believe Halloween's over!!

Yummy Mummies

Looking for something to hold all of your sweets this Halloween? These super cute Mummy Treat Holders are not only are functional, but they are also great decorations for your home!

Materials:

• Toliet Paper tubes
• White paper
• Clear packing tape
• Roll of 2 inch white gauze 
• Craft glue
• Googly eyes
• Small candies

Halloween Shooters

If you're looking for a creative alcoholic drink recipe for Halloween look no further. The Nest has a recipe for delicious Candy Corn Shooters!

Ingredients:

• Oranje Van Gogh Vodka
• Banana liqueur
• Coconut rum
• Orange curacao
• Cream
• Grenadine 
• Whipped Cream 

Also, check out local wineries for Seasonal Wines. When Kurt and I visited the Door Peninsula Winery in Door County in September, we got their Hallowine, which you heat up similar to cider, before drinking it.

Fun Halloween ECards!

Good Evening!

Looking for a unique way to send a close friend or family member some Halloween fun? Well, look no further because JibJab has an interesting array of ECards where you are able to customize the card's characters with faces from your own photos! It's a lot of fun and a great way to show someone you're thinking about them. I made my own of my Kurt's family and I (below) and they love it!

How to Make Your Own Chalkboard Shelf

Buenos Días!

So this morning at the Y Before School Program I was thinking of what to write about next, but then it came to me...Two words- CHALKBOARD PAINT! I think chalkboard paint is one of the best creations that someone could possibly come up with, as you can use it on just about any surface; therefore, your options are endless!

We were making our own chalkboards at the Y this morning with my left over chalkboard paint from when I made my own chalkboard shelf for my desk. You see, I live in a college owned house with four other girls, and our rooms look as if they're stuck in the 60's so I decided to bring my corner of the room back into the 21st century. My desk was right next to my roommate's and I wanted something that would give us both privacy for studying. I needed some sort of divider so I wouldn't be staring at her while I'm trying to work, that would get a bit creepy! So, Kurt and I came up with a chalkboard shelf solution. So this time, I dragged Kurt to Home Depot with me to get:

• A slab of wood-( I believe we got a 12 foot piece, Kurt was in charge of the measuring, I would suggest obviously measuring your surface first to decide the right amount for you) and had it cut into three parts: 2 equal sections for each side of the shelf, and 1 for the top. 
• A large piece of plywood for the backing & chalkboard (also depends on the measurements of wood you choose)Chalkboard paint (available in the paint section at most stores they have green & black, magnetic and non-magnetic) I researched the magnetic vs. non-magnetic and found that a lot of people had trouble with the magnetic so I opted out and went for the easier and cheaper solution- non-magnetic.
• Paint for my shelf, I went with a pint of a Behr grey/blue color.
• Paint Supplies- roller, brush, tray, primer, etc. 
• Chalk & Eraser
• Sandpaper
• Screws, Power drill, etc. for shelf
• Damp cloth

How to Make:

• Sand all three of your wood sections, make sure to wipe away all access wood shavings with damp cloth.
• Put the shelf together using a drill and screws, make sure the shelf is sturdy and secure. Do not attach the plywood as backing yet, you will do this after you are finished painting.
• Time to prime... I used Kilz spray primer and sprayed 2 coats of primer on the wood and the plywood. It only took about 20-25 minutes for both coats of primer to dry.
• Painting time! For plywood- stir chalkboard paint well evenly apply paint with roller, let dry. For wood- I used 2 coats of the paint for the shelf.
• After about 3 hours, you can re-coat the plywood with chalkboard paint again.Depending on how dark you want your chalkboard to be depends on the total coats, some people use 4 or more! I used two and it worked great; it just depends on the surface, if you primed or not, and your own shade preference.
•  IMPORTANT: After you are content with the chalkboard color, you must wait 3 days before you use chalk on it. The paint needs time to cure; however, after 1 day, when the plywood is completely dry, you may nail or drill it into your shelf but remember do not use it for two more days!!! After you have patiently waited the 3 days you may go to town on your chalkboard! It's a great place for reminders, decorations, storage, etc. Enjoy!

Furniture Facelift

Good Evening Everyone!
 Today's blog is about fixing up that odd piece of furniture that you own that you're not quite sure what to do with it. Before you give it a home next to the dumpster- FREEZE! You can easily give even the ugliest piece of furniture a fresh new look that reflects your style without breaking the bank (mine cost me under $40.00!)

I had this not so pretty, odd shaped dresser that I could not stand looking at any longer! I dragged my apprehensive sister with me to Home Depot and picked up:

•  1 pint of Behr's Cottage White paint (find enamel that suites the project you are doing)
• Primer- there is spray can primer available that dries in about ten minutes, I would recommend Kilz
• New knobs for dresser (you might have to get lock washers to hold in place depending on your piece of furniture) mine were about $2.00-$3.00 each
• Sand paper
• Paint brush or roller
• Paint tray
• Old rag/cloth
• Patience

Directions:

1. First, sand your piece of furniture and remove hardware- knobs, etc. if applicable.

2. Using a damp cloth, wipe away all of the small pieces of wood that the sand paper left behind.

3. Spray or paint piece of furniture with primer (let dry and do at least 2 coats).

4. Apply first coat of paint, if there are drawers- make sure you take them out before hand. Take your time and apply paint evenly as possible.

5. Let furniture dry and paint another coat. You might have to do three coats depending on the paint color.

6. After your second coat of paint dries, you can now screw in your new knobs.

7. Enjoy your new, cost effective piece of furniture!!!

I chose a cottage white paint since I felt that it would go great with my pallet of soft beiges, grey/blues, and whites that I already have in my room. I also have a lot of silver in my room- my lamp shade post, candle holders, etc. so I picked silver knobs to pick up those hues of silver to create a more cohesive look. I love the result and I get many comments on my "cute" dresser! Stay tuned to Shanna's Treasures for more cost effective decor solutions.