Tammy Mitchell Photography » home decor

make this: super cute fabric flowers

Tammy — Tue, 11 May 2010 15:59:42 +0000

I saw these and thought they were too cool so I had to share! Thanks to Blue Cricket Design for the idea!

supplies

jersey knit

tape measure/ruler

scissors

hot glue

cut two pieces of jersey knit about 1.5″x20″. lay them on top of each other

cut 1/4″ wide slits about 1″ down

from one end, start rolling the fabric. use hot glue to secure it every so often.

hold on to the “stem” and “fluff” the flower piece

how easy is that?? and so cute! i can think of a million uses for these! have fun crafting!!!

have a great day!
-t

Make This: Cute Crafty Ideas for Easter

Tammy — Wed, 31 Mar 2010 09:57:46 +0000

Andy has Friday off for his birthday (at least that’s what he thinks…actually it’s for Good Friday, but when you’re 7 it’s more fun to think it’s for your birthday! ) so I’ve been trying to come up with some fun Easter ideas todo that day. Here are a few of my favorites so far:

from Ladies Home Journal the bunny pop…if you don’t want to go through the hassle/mess of making rice krispie treats omit the first four ingredients. Pre-made rice krispie treats make these a breeze!!

Ingredients

Vegetable cooking spray
10 cups Rice Krispies® or any crisped-rice cereal
2 packages (10 oz each) marshmallows
6 tablespoons butter
1 lb semisweet chocolate, melted
1- 1/4 lbs white chocolate, melted
Red food coloring
30 popsicle sticks

Directions

1. Lightly coat a 15-by-10-inch rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray.

2. Place cereal in a large bowl coated with cooking spray; set aside. Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat and add marshmallows. Stir until smooth. Pour over cereal and stir to combine. Spread out in prepared pan and press firmly to flatten. Let stand until cool, about 1 hour. Trim edges and cut into 30 3-by-1-1/4-inch bars. Push a popsicle stick through one narrow end of each bar.

3. Using an offset spatula, spread a thin layer of white chocolate over tops of 15 bars. Repeat, using semisweet chocolate for remaining 15 bars. Transfer to a baking sheet and refrigerate until set, about 20 minutes. Place a wire rack over another baking sheet. Dip the white bars in white chocolate and the semisweet bars in semisweet chocolate; place on rack, allowing excess chocolate to drip off bars. Refrigerate until firm, about 20 minutes. Makes 30 pops.

4. To paint faces on bars: Add 1 or 2 drops of food coloring into remaining white chocolate and stir to combine. Using the tip of a wooden skewer or a paintbrush, dip in pink chocolate, then paint ears and nose on bars. Use semisweet chocolate and white chocolate to make eyes. Refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes. (Can be made ahead. Store in an airtight container, in a single layer, in the refrigerator up to 2 days. Serve cold or at room temperature.)

5. Per semisweet chocolate bar: 280 calories, 12.5 g total fat, 7.5 g sat fat, 123 mg sodium, 44 g carbs, 17 mg calcium, 7 mg chol, 2 g protein, 2 g fiber

6. Per white chocolate bar: 310 calories, 13.5 g total fat, 9 g sat fat, 152 mg sodium, 42 g carbs, 51 mg calcium, 12 mg chol, 3 g protein, 1 g fiber

OK, how adorable is this??? This comes from the brilliant minds over at eighteen25. If you can believe it it’s a tray from the $1 bin at my favorite place, Target, spray painted robin’s egg blue and the bunny silhouette was added. You know how I feel about silhouettes!!!

And finally, Andy came home with one of these today and I was in love. John has a REAL weakness for these things. I don’t particularly care for them, but when I saw this idea I HAD to share it because it’s pretty stinkin cute best of all there’s a free download so you can make your own! Download them here

I’ve got a few more things up my sleeve…stay tuned!

Have a great day!

-t

Hostess with the Mostess: Kids Party Ideas

Tammy — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 17:52:36 +0000

This little shindig is LONG overdue for some blog love. I can’t believe I never shared it! No fear though…it’s perfect timing since it’s pallette is great for spring. You all know I’ve got a weakness for lime green and pink so this was definitely a favorite.

I think these last several years of attending and shooting elaborate parties have taught me that kids are really very happy with the simple pleasures. Sure, they love bounce houses and ponies and magicians, (and I love to plan paties like that!!!) but put a table full of goodies in front of them and let them decorate a homemade cupcake and they are JUST as happy. Just something to keep in mind for those of you planning birthday’s in the near future…that would be me.

Enjoy this gorgeous party!

Mom attended to every gorgeous detail…LOVE the white hydrangeas in a lime green ribbon wrapped box!

the butterflies on the straws…Stunning!

cute little bowls to hold the goodies courtesey of Anthropologie

the darling birthday princess

a finished masterpiece

i LOVE the lighting in these shots…YUM!!! after decorating cupcakes the kids gathered to make bead necklaces on PIPE CLEANERS. Genius!! For little kids they stay stiff enough for them to feed the beads onto…great tip to remember!! You can then twist multiple strands together to make a necklace that’s long enough.

Hope you’re feeling inspired to plan your next event!

Have a great day!
-t

Hostess with the Mostess…Orange Bowl/Fresh Winter Party Idea

Tammy — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 16:56:26 +0000

ok, I CAN post some pictures… I was surfing the web ths morning and found a little party idea that I put together last year featured on one of my all time favorite blogs hostess with the mostess as a fun idea for a winter party!! I am SO excited!! What great start to 2010!!!

I originally did it as a twist on an orange bowl party, and since the Orange Bowl is tomorrow…if you’re a football fan and having a little get together (or if you just want to have a party to get rid of the post Christmas winter blues) here’s an idea for you it’s certain to brighten your day…it doesn’t have to be ALL about the football.

You can find all of these goodies pretty cheaply around town. Orange take out boxes are from Michaels, fill them with clementines that are in season right ow for a fun favor, the orange chargers are from Party City…I believe they were under $2 a piece, white napkins in a 12 count package from Homegoods for under $10, I mixed in some of my silver mercury glass Christmas ornaments and candle holders for fun, white pillar candles from IKEA for like $1 each, you can find the paper lanterns at most party stores for a reasonable price, Izze at Costco, World Market or BevMo, and you’re all set for some last minute fun tomorrow!

Have a great day!

-t

Hope that brings a

Make This: Interior Design Trash to Treasure and a winner

Tammy — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 16:49:31 +0000

Sorry for the lack of posting yesterday. A massive migraine kept me away from the computer almost all day since I couldn’t see. But I’m back in action today with a couple of fun ways to turn vintage finds into fun, useful, beautiful pieces.

I LOVE to go antique shopping. My head is always spinning when I walk through the aisles and see all the treasures. I’m always trying to find the perfect piece. I’m always drawn to old windows and doors and kitchen items. (I have a major addiction to buying kitchen stuff…new or old, probably stems from my love of entertaining) I found these cute ideas and thought I’d share…not only are they cute, but they are SUPER easy!

sorry…the pictures aren’t the best…that’s the only problem with finding them online! :0

The first is an old window used as a frame. I love the addition of a few rub-ons to add words to the pictures. Here’s a better idea of what it looks like up in a room…

so cute!

the second is a vintage serving tray repurposed into a magnetic memo board. Simply add a picture hanger on the back, and hang it on your wall. I prefer it with these silver trays, but the flower one is cute too…

Isn’t that a fun way to use some of your antique treasures?

Here’s a tutorial for you to make it even easier if you want to make the memo board. Wouldn’t it be fun to make one of these for Christmas for the antique lover in your life??

And now for the winner of the adorable Planet Pudge Shirt…drumroll please…

Shanda!!

Congrats!! Send me you contact info so I can get Planet Pudge to send one your way!

Back with another giveaway tomorrow!!!

Have a great day!
-t

Everyday Life: It’s begining to look a lot like….

Tammy — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 14:53:38 +0000

Christmas!!

At least at our house. We have so much going on over the next two weeks with Thanksgiving, and I am hosting a church Christmas get together on December 1st…so I hadto get started with the decorations yesterday. It feels kind of funny, but all the kids on the street think it’s awesome!! We had lots of little people peering in the windows tonight. We decided to get it in full swing. We put on last year’s Christmas jammies, played Christmas music, had a fire and made some hot cocoa. It was fun!!

Don’t forget to enter the giveaway for the ADORABLE Planet Pucge shirt. Drawing is tomorrow night!

Back with a fun shoot of a cute family tomorrow!

Have a great day!

-t

Interior Design: Little Girls Room Full of Whimsy–Do it Yourself!!

Tammy — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 13:15:03 +0000

I have been wanting to do this for a LONG time. The black paint has been sitting in the garage calling my name, but I was afraid!!! Last year when we had some stuff done to the house, I had Ash’s room wainscotted and painted pink and white. I LOVE it…but it has been calling for something else. I saw an idea that I wanted to try from a Lily Pulitzer store in south beach. I have a love affair with all things “type” so I knew I was going to love this. I put my own little twist on it, and here’s what we ended up with…

I took the text from the series of Madeline books. I took a few lines from different books and used them together as I saw fit. It worked out that the text fit perfectly exactly two times. I couldn’t have planned it any better…and no, I didn’t plan it…it was a total fluke! I didn’t worry about super straight lines, I purposely made some of the words bigger so they would stand out more..just to add even more whimsy. The whole project took about a half quart of paint and less than 2 hours. SUPER easy!! You can totally do this yourself!! Pick your child’s favorite book and add some text to your walls.

I have MANY more plans for this room….I can’t wait to get the headboard, dresser and drapes finished. Just think vintage, lime green and polka dots…it’s going to be CUTE I think!! I’ll be sure to share the finished product when it’s done!

You could use this idea for SO many things! Think parties, photo shots, weddings…the possibilities are endless!

Hope you’re feeling inspired!! Go paint something crazy in your house today!!

Have a great day!

-t

Let’s Party: Halloween Party and Decorating Ideas

Tammy — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 14:44:08 +0000

This month is flying by and I’ve barely acknowledged one of my very favorite holidays!! Where does the time go? Here are a few fun ideas I found to help get in the spirit!

How cute is that armchair simply covered with a sheet with some felt eyes and a mouth attached?? I LOVE no sew projects that use things you alreadyhave around the house ina creative way!! And the best part is there is nothing extra to store once it’s over! Just put the sheet back in the linen closet and throw the felt peices away…**Idea**…how cute would it be to actually MAKE some sheets like this though and put them on your kids bed!! So easy to make a mouth and some eyes and stitch them on. The kids would LOVE it!

I love these treat cones for any holiday…here is a cute halloween version from Country Living Mag.

YOU WILL NEED
-11″ x 14″ card stock
-1 yard each cream and black bookbinding or construction paper
-1 yard each assorted ribbons
-spray glue
-1/4″ hole punch
-stapler
-scissors and pinking shears

Cut 10″ squares of card stock and black and cream Japanese bookbinding paper (source: talasonline.com) or construction paper. Adhere the black paper to the card stock with spray glue. Wind black square into a cone and staple closed. Cut across top to even out the opening.

I LOVE these little frankenstiens and the mummy cupcakes. The best part is you DON’T have to be a cake decorating genius to do it! That is NOT one of my talents!!

Witch-on-a-stick how to:

Cut off the tops of pretzel rods and set aside.
Melt one cup of white chocolate chips, 1 Tbs shortening and a few drops of green gel food coloring and stir until smooth.
Dip the cut end of the pretzels into the chocolate, covering the top 2 inches. Place the sticks on wax paper and sprinkles the sides of each with coconut flakes to form hair.
Top each with a Hershey’s Kiss and refrigerate until the chocolate has hardened. Draw on eyes, nose and mouth with black decorating icing (available in tubes) and fisih by covering the Kiss too with black or purple. Yum!

Frankentreats:

Start wtih a packaged (or homemade) Rice Krispies Treat, and push each one into a wooken skewer; set aside.
Melt one cup of white-chocolate chips and one Tbs shortening; stir in green or neon-green gel food coloring (colored melting chocolate is available at most craft stores).
Spoon melted chocolate over all sides of the treats or brush them with a silicone brush then place them on wax paper, upright, to dry.
Embellish them with M&M eyes and ears, gummy worm mouths, Jujubes neck bolts and then refrigerate them until the chocolate hardens.
Top them off by drawing on hair with black icing and doting the eyes.
Finally remove the skewers and serve!

Mummy Cupcakes:

1. Bake regular old cupcakes out of a box…homemade if you wish, but I’m trying to make it easy folks!!

2. Dot icing on backs of 2 skittles for eyes and place on cupcake.

3. use a decorating tip that will give you straight flat lines (available at michaels for about $1, make sure you get a coupler too, also about $1) make straightlines of icing all over the cupcake, overlapping them and just letting the skittles peek out of the “wrapping.” Eat and enjoy!

And finally one of my favorites…

Sorry for the fuzzy pictures…I found this on the internet and the picture quality is TERRIBLE!! I LOVE white pumpkins!! Unfortunately they are usually the most expensive…so why not paint a few?? A cheap bottle of white acrylic paint and you’ve got yourself a great set of white pumpkins!! Take them a step further and once the white paint dries, have a little fun with some black paint. I LOVE the spiderweb and zebra stripe idea!! And you know I’m loving the polka dots…I LOVE anything with polka dots!!

Hope those ideas help to bring a little extra fun to your holiday!

Have a great day!
-t

Denise, if you’re reading this, this one’s for you…Let’s Party: Halloween Ideas

Tammy — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 15:49:17 +0000

It’s official everyone!!! My favorite time of year is here!! Can you believe it’s October already??? CRAZY!! There will be no halloween party this year, which I’m totally bummed about, but I am just too crazy busy with shoots and trying to get the online classes finished for January. I seriously started planning this year’s party last year before last year’s even happened! I guess it will just have to wait until next year.

But, I can still share some fun ideas that I find for parties here, right??? Ok, warning, this is a little gross looking but I thougt it was an AWESOME idea for a little snack at your next party. I found it months agoand have been waiting for the perfect moment to share, i thought it was that funny…

Doesn’t that just look wrong??!! LOVE IT!! Simply take mini marshmellows on the end of white sucker sticks and dip thm in caramel or peanut butter. Yum.

I thought this was a fun idea over at Country Living Magazine (my FAVORITE mag!!) This is a total DIY project.

To make:

1. Print a black and white copy of a portrait on printer paper and cut out. (If you don’t want to use your own portraits I like to find old pictures on flickr, just search for antique or old portraits)

2. TO “age” the picture, brush it lightly with a sponge dipped in a solution of a few drops of black acrylic craft paint and water. Let the paper dry.

3. Cut a piece of cardstock the same size of the photo and glue to the back of the photo to make it a little more sturdy.

4.With an X-Acto knife cut out the eyes of the picture’s subjects piercing through the cardstock and creating holes about 1/4 inch in diameter.

5. Remove the glass from your frames and stick the pictures in there.

6.Insert mini red LED chistmas lights through the back of the eyeholes. It works best to group these frames like in the picture, since you’re dealing with a strand of 25feet of lights! Then you can use more of the lights. Replace the frame’s backing securing with tape if necessary to help hold the lights in place. Drape with cobwebs and you’re done! You can add paper fangs to a few of the pictures if you want to for a little extra fun!

Hope this gets you in the halloween spirit!! There are many more fun ideas to share, but I have to pace myself!! I LOVE halloween!!!!

Have a great day!

-t

Eye Candy Design: Sugar and Spice

Tammy — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 16:36:20 +0000

We are fortunate to have some VERY good friends in vegas. You know, the kind that feel like family. SO, needless to say, no matter how crazy things got with IU this weekend a trip to vegas is never complete without a visit. Especially since they have added to their brood since the last time we saw them. This sweet family has been waiting a long time for some sugar and spice in their house. It’s been full of snips and snails and puppy dog tails for a long time. Mom definitely needed a little princess in her life. ;) She had dad wrapped around her little finger before she ever even made her debut. I think that’s probably how mom was able to talk him into this….

Does it get any more girly than this??? I about died when I walked in. SO cute. Every little detail was thought of…

The thing I MOST love about this darling nursery is that ANYONE can do it! One thing that has always amazed me about Skye is her amazing ability to turn garage sale treasures into beauties like these. I remember years ago in college hearing the term “garage sale-ing” john and I both thought it was hillarious and we consider Skye to be the one who coined the term and made it a verb. Seriouly though, you too can find these treasures and make them look amazing and it won;t even cost you a fortune. She found the furniture and distressed it to her liking, painted vintage frames and added fabric and bling, her mom made the bedding and check out this fun and inexpensive trick to add some drama to the bed…

simply take a frame and some super soft sheer nylon fabric and you have major drama!

My favorite part of the whole room though, was the lamp. You all know about my affinity for old books and paper, well this took it to a new level. Feast your eyes on this!

Again, an old lamp that she painted, drilled some holes in to add the crystals and then the shade…THE SHADE. YUM! There are SO many possibilities with this!! I LOVE it. This beautiful idea was the genius of an artistic friend of Skye’s, Miss Kim Johnson. It’s my understanding that if you live in the Las Vegas area you too can have her work some magic on your place.

I wish you could all see this in person. It is truly inspiring and makes you want to come home and find something fun to do to your own place!

Hope you’re feeling inspired!! Thanks Skye for sharing your home with us!!

Have a great day!
-t