Charter Your Dream Day at Crab Island with Juicebox Charters

Charter Your Dream Day at Crab Island with Juicebox Charters

(This post contains sponsored links from Juicebox Charters. All thoughts, views and opinions are my own.)

What is Crab Island?

Crab Island is a massive sandbar located on the Emerald Coast in Destin, Florida! It is one of the most popular attractions in all of Destin! With it’s shallow, emerald green waters, dolphin sightings and floating restaurants Crab Island is one of the most favored activities, in the area! Did you know that Crab Island been featured on HGTV and Good Morning America?!

How deep is the water on Crab Island?

On Crab Island, the depth of the water is about 1-4 ft. It’s the perfect place to anchor your boat and enjoy the day! Check out my blog post here to read more about Crab Island and local spots in Destin/Ft. Walton Beach area’s.

My husband and youngest daughter had a blast paddle boarding! My number three daughter and I, relaxed on the 2nd tier of the boat, up top! We also enjoyed walking around on Crab Island, visiting with restaurant vendors and vacationers. These views have blown my mind. I am constantly awe-struck of what an incredible place we live in! It’s absolutely beautiful here on Crab Island!

Floating Restaurants on Crab Island 

There are many floating restaurants on Crab Island! From boiled peanuts, to grilled burgers and pizza or Chick-Fil-A! You won’t go hungry on Crab Island!

The General Store

The General Store on Crab Island has floats, sunscreen, googles, dry bags snacks, drinks and more! I think I even saw that they sold T-shirts!

Gulf Stream Ice Cream & Shaved Ice

Gulf Stream sells ice cream on the water, sort of like a boat ice cream truck! They will drive their boat, right up to your boat, on the water! So fun! They also have shaved ice!

 

Pirate Porky’s Pizza & Grill

For lunch, we did pizza & burgers. We decided to take one of the paddle boards over (included in your charter) to one of the floating restaurants! Such a fun experience!

Reef Burgers

Hungry for a 1/2 pound burger at sea? Reef Burgers did not disappoint!

My husband and I tried a burger a it was great! Their employees are super sweet, too!

Kluge’s Barbecue 

They seek turkey legs, pulled pork barbecue sandwich’s, tacos and more! 

Kick’n Chicken

Kick n’ Chicken sells tenders, sandwich’s, wings, ice cream and boiled peanuts!

Chick-Fil-A

You can even get your favorite chicken out here on Crab Island!!! Chick-Fil-A serves you in a boat and will deliver right up to your boat!!

Juicebox Charters

Sail away to the best sandbar in America with a private pontoon charter, guided by a USCG-licensed captain!

Let’s Plan a Trip

Planning a family outing day, a girls weekend, or a couple’s trip? A cruise through Destin Harbor, is the perfect way to explore the beauty of the Emerald Coast. Book your adventure today and let Captain Justin create a tailored and memorable charter for you!

Why choose Juicebox Charters?

The waters are pristine on the Emerald Coast and with Juicebox Charters, you can experience luxury on the open water. Their expert team is dedicated to providing an unforgettable adventure-whether you’re snorkeling in crystal-clear waters, island hopping, or simply relaxing aboard their comfortable, well-equipped vessels.

With a variety of customizable packages, Captain Justin will cater to your every need, ensuring your time with Juice Box Charters is as seamless, as it is memorable. 

Experience and Affordability 

 With over 5 years experience operating a charter boat, rest assured that they have a track record of success in hosting your group.

Competitive pricing without surprise fees.  The cost of your charter includes a luxurious, modern Harris Solstice double decker slide boat, two paddleboards, a full complement of Bote floats, a large cooler with ice and bottled water, an upgraded Bluetooth sound system, beer pong float, games, snorkel masks, net. You really only need sunscreen and towels! Check out my IG Reel for a complete video of our trip, here.

Beach Weekend Marina

Beach Weekend Marina in Fort Walton, is where you set off for your adventure, to Crab Island! The marina has a wrap around patio, which is an excellent way to enjoy a cold drink and enjoy an Emerald Coast Sunset.

Final Thoughts

Crab Island was a blast with  Captain Justin from Juicebox Charters! The best pricing, which INCLUDES all you need for a trip to Crab Island! The boat is super clean and nice, no worries with being uncomfortable. The team from Juicebox Charters was amazing! Friendly, nice, very accommodating!! Our family loved it so much, we plan to go back again before the summer is over!!

DIY Barndominium Dollhouse

{“This blog post contains paid and sponsored content. It reflects my personal views and opinions on the products.”}

Only Time Will Tell

If you follow us on IG stories, you have probably already caught a glimpse of our finished barndominium dollhouse! And if you know us well enough, we take awhile to finish a project like this one. 🤷🏻‍♀️ I can say our longevity in this project is partly because we are still building our barndominium. Without further ado, we are so excited to share our DIY Barbie Barndominium Doll House!!

Back Story

The photo below is circa Christmas 2014. Baby number 4 was on the way and you can see a peek of the pink kitchen on your right of the photo.

Back in 2012, we designed and built this kitchen set for our number 3 daughter for Christmas.

The photo below is circa 2015.

It has been carried down to her little sister and it has also been a favorite of all of our nieces, growing up!

The photo above is after I chalk painted the kitchen set and matching table/chairs. This is circa 2018.

A Gift From Our Hearts

I’ve learned that over the years, it has been really meaningful for us, as parents, to spend time, planning and working on a gift for our children. Something that comes from our hearts.

So…the idea came to mind, to turn our daughters kitchen set, along with the matching table/chairs set, into a Barbie Barndominium Doll House!! And best of all?! It was going to look just like our barndominium that we’ve self-built! I was so excited that I was like a kid in a candy shop! I couldn’t wait to see the whole thing come together!

The photo below is Christmas 2021. We had just moved into the barndo! It looks a lot different now!

Over the last couple of years, our youngest daughter has loved Barbie dolls. We first gave her, our oldest three daughter’s Barbie dolls. She enjoyed playing with them so much that she began collecting Barbie’s of her own! I am so grateful it was a family effort!

Doll House Sketch

This is my first drawing of the dollhouse. As we built it, it became slightly different!

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The first step was to design the basic build of the dollhouse. I spent a long time searching all the different blogs of how to diy a dollhouse. I chose to do a simple, 4-foot tall house with six rooms and a loft bedroom.

Dissembling Kitchen Set

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The next step to disassemble the kitchen set carefully, so we could repurpose the wood for the dollhouse!

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Design Time

Next, I began designing and decorating each room. We wanted to keep everything similar to the interior of our barndominium.

Below is the dollhouse during the painting process. Circa January 2022.

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After painting a base coat of white, on the inside and outside, it was time to start on the first room! I thought it would be best to start with the hardest room first-the kitchen feature wall, first on the list. Circa March 2022.

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As I began designing and decorating each room, I knew we wanted to keep everything similar to the interior of our barndominium.

Kitchen

My oldest (adult) daughter was kind enough to add the herringbone shiplap, in the kitchen, for the backsplash! She did a remarkable job!! Thank you baby! It looks just like the one in our house!

Below is when Wes and I had just finished the feature wall in our kitchen, here in the barndo! Circa Fall 2021.


The photo below is a current photo of our barndo kitchen! Circa August 2023.

We used popsicle sticks and cut off the round edges for the wood feature wall. You can check out that blog of how to diy here.

Next, my oldest daughter began working on the lower kitchen cabinets. She used thin sheets of craft wood from Hobby Lobby, that she cut with a knife. She even made an oven, stove top, farmhouse sink and fridge! Painted it all with leftover house paint! I did buy gold craft paint to use, as well.

Master Bedroom 

Next, I began working on the master bedroom wood geometric feature wall! First, I made a “boho” wall hanging, just like the one in our master bedroom!

It was super simple to use balsa wood! Easy to cut and I glued on with wood glue! Painted with left overpaint from the master bedroom.

The bed is from Mountain Grove Timber. It comes unfinished and easy to assemble. I spray painted ours black, to match ours in our master retreat.

Loft

For the upstairs “loft” bedroom, I added a feature wall with leftover wallpaper from the girls room. The doll beds are repurposed from left over wood & mirror are from Melinda Lundberg’s shop, Mountain Grove Timber. She has so many beautiful wood pieces in her shop! The rug is a piece of fabric that I bought from Hobby Lobby. I made all of the bedding, mattress and pillows from a piece of fabric from Hobby Lobby. I also used drop cloth fabric for some of the bedding, curtains, pillow, sofa slip cover and table runner. I bought a piece of foam from Hobby Lobby and cut pillows and mattresses with it.

Living Room

I asked my husband to make a L-shaped sofa like ours from scrap wood.

I made all of the cushions, slip covers and pillows from drop cloth fabric, sponges and furniture foam.


The ceiling in the living room is made to match the ceiling in our living room from Barnwood USA. They carry reclaimed barn wood products! We had a couple left over pieces, so I cut them, then hot glued, to the doll house living room ceiling. I made the ceiling fan from a craft paint top and popscycle sticks then used hot glue to stick all of it together. Hot glued straight to the ceiling, to “hang”!

Bathroom

For the bathroom, I kept it simple, for now. I found the toilet from the Dollar Tree. I found the signs and blanket ladder from Hobby Lobby, at Christmas-time. I made the curtains from drop cloth, twine and barn wood by hot glueing in all the right places.

We built a vanity from balsa wood from Hobby Lobby, then I hot glued everything together, then stained! We added a cut piece of a plumbing pipe, for now, as the sink. The mirror is from Mountain Grove Timber. It came unfinished and I spray painted it black!

I bought the tub from Target. The tub came as a Barbie Doll set.

Laundry Room

I asked my husband to cut me a couple pieces of 2×4’s to Barbie sized washer and dryer. I added “doors” with a cut small piece of barn wood then painted everything to match our Speed Queens! I found the vintage doll laundry items while antiquing with three of my daughters in Waco, TX at Cameron’s Trading. It makes a wonderful addition, if your headed to Magnolia. You can read all about that blog, here.

Dining Room 

I asked my husband to cut a dining room table from a piece of extra wood that I had leftover from Mountain Grove Timber. I used small pieces of scrap wood for the table legs. I painted and stained the pieces then hot glued together. I found the chairs from Hobby Lobby but took out the legs and added my own balsa wood legs. Gave them a quick, spray paint in black! I printed a photo of all four of our girls and made a “frame” from the left over barn wood and “hung” with twine and a mini nail. It looks just like the photo in our dining room! You can peep my IG for all the photos! I even added a barndominium “beam” in our dining room and kitchen area of the doll house.

Exterior Siding, Roof and Windows

The “siding” is just this wood from Home Depot. I nailed these pieces into the doll house.

The roof “shingles” are just these pieces of wood from Amazon. The windows are also made from this wood. I painted the exterior with leftover paint from the build, here in our barndo.

Conclusion 

I really enjoyed being able to repurpose and create a doll house, with the kitchen set and table/chairs set that we built over ten years ago! I want to thank my daughters for all of their help in creating this doll house and making all of our Barbie dreams, come to life! We hope that our family will get use out of this doll house for years to come! If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out! You can find all of my videos under my highlights tab on IG! You will find out how we transformed this kitchen set into the first ever, Barbie Barndo!

A Simple Christmas Table

{“This blog post is sponsored by Inox Artisans. It reflects my personal views and opinions on the products.”}

I will be hosting Christmas dinner this year, so I thought it’d be fun to share “A Simple Christmas Table”! Keeping along the lines of simplicity this year!

Creating a Christmas table doesn’t have to be hard! I started off with this beautiful flatware from Inox Artisians. It is the Jason Flatware in their 5 Piece Place Setting.

This industrial style, showcases raw organic handles contrasts by smooth, mirror-polished utensils. This silverware can go from a dinner hosted for family and friends, which we did at Thanksgiving, to everyday wear! I love it!

I added Inox Artisians Cambria Wood Dessert Stand for height and dimension. I used it to hold my casserole dish on and you could you use for a cake stand or any desserts too! Y’all, it’s under $35!!!

Don’t forget your Jason Salad Serving 2 Piece Set and your Jason Cake Serving 2 Piece Set. Industrial, hand-forged organic look, flows seamlessly with your Jason Flatware! These are essential when hosting family and friends! Budget friendly at under $40!!! These pieces are very well made!!

I also added my classic white plates and napkins! Don’t forget your cypress clipping, from your backyard, to add color with greenery! You could use any evergreen-like pine or even magnolia leaves! I hope you have enjoyed my Simple Christmas Table! Please check out my reel on IG of my Simple Christmas Table with Inox Artisans!

The Vintage Tub and Bath Collections That Helped Revolutionize Our Barndominium


“This blog post is sponsored by Vintage Tub and Bath and reflects my personal views and opinions on the products.”

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BARNDOMINIUM DESIGN DREAMS DO COME TRUE WITH VINTAGE TUB AND BATH

When my husband and I began bringing our design dreams to life, I knew our whole family would enjoy a cast iron claw foot tub! There’s something undeniably comforting about a bathroom that serves as a sanctuary. From the bathtub to the sink, this room has the potential to be a serene escape and one of the most effective ways to achieve that atmosphere is by adding a luxurious claw foot tub! Luxurious is the first word that comes to mind when I think of our claw foot tub. Every single family member LOVES it!!

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BENEFITS OF HAVING A CLAWFOOT TUB

  • Luxurious:  Elegance is always in style, am I right?Clawfoot tubs are classic and have remained relatively unchanged for centuries, plus they are  also comfortable. Many modern clawfoot tubs feature deep basins and heat-retaining properties, which make for one of the most relaxing bathing experiences! 
  • Easy to Install:  Clawfoot tubs have legs so you can simply position them where you like and connect them to your plumbing system. Quick installation!
  • Long-Lasting:  Clawfoot tubs are built to last. Today’s models live up to a standard set centuries ago, with high-quality materials! For a tub that truly stands the test of time, choose dependable strength of cast iron.  

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CHARLOTTE CAST IRON SLIPPER CLAWFOOT TUB PACKAGE

The Charlotte Slipper Clawfoot Package features Vintage Tub and Bath’s luxurious Randolph Morris Charlotte Cast Iron Bathtub and a full set of elegant fixtures and mounts. The sloping slipper design is perfect for reclining and relaxing and the included British telephone faucet adds a classic touch!

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FEATURES

  • Premium porcelain enamel over cast iron construction.
  • Excellent heat retention.
  • The hard surface is easy to clean, highly durable, and resistant to scratches.
  • Feet are shipped unattached, easy to install and feature adjustable levelers to stabilize the bathtub.

OVERALL REVIEW

Overall, we absolutely love our Clawfoot tub from Vintage Tub and Bath!! I love that I can soak in the oval tub comfortably! Another little feature is that the rims on the sides are flat so a bar of soap will set there, without slipping off. The British telephone faucet and handle are amazing! The quality of the tub and faucet are outstanding!! I did a lot of research before choosing our clawfoot tub to make sure we were getting a quality piece that could withstand the test of time! I know that our tub will do just that in our barndominium!

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CAST IRON FARMHOUSE KITCHEN SINK 

Ahhhh, the classic white farmhouse sink. It’s no surprise, I love the classic look of the farmhouse style mixed with modern finishes. The  Cast Iron Farmhouse Sink was the perfect way to give our kitchen a chic look while incorporating the farmhouse look I love.

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WHY CHOOSE A FARMHOUSE SINK?

Durability: This sink is heavy duty and super durable. The Classic Farmhouse Sink is cast iron, it will not scratch or stain and it is heat resistant.

Size: One of the big perks of a farmhouse sink is that it’s large enough to place large pans and pans into the sink to wash, comfortably.

Timeless: I don’t think you can go wrong with a farmhouse sink. They are timeless. Farmhouse sinks have a classic, timeless look that will stand the test of time–no matter your style. I believe it changes the overall look of the kitchen and instantly adds character and charm!l

Price: Farmhouse are an investment piece for your home, but I believe there is no better place to buy an investment piece is for your kitchen. It really is the heart of the home.

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OVERALL REVIEW

I feel like you can not go wrong with a cast iron farmhouse sink! One of the focal pieces in your kitchen, a conversation piece, if you wish, plays an enormous role in functionality in your kitchen. When I stand here at my farmhouse sink, in a few weeks, washing dishes,  I know I will be feeling grateful for the people in my life that I will be washing dished for; plus, being able to partner with companies like Vintage Tub and Bath, that allots me to share their products with you…well ya’ll, it’s the good life around here! 

Love~Shae 

Antique Pie Safe Makeover



[If you click a affiliate link, I can receive a small commission. It does not affect my opinion as they are all my own.]

Today I’m teaming up with several bloggers to share items that we have found in a thrift shops, estate sales, yard sales or side of the road items and share how we turn them into something beautiful.

44AAEA51-F91F-499F-85C6-73CC4C0E08F3Antique Pie Safe 

I have wanted to find a pie safe for our home for the longest time! I was so grateful when my Father-In-Law offered me one of his pie safe’s! I knew immediately where I wanted to use it in our new DIY Barndominium! I thought it would be gorgeous in our bathroom and we could store towels and linens in it!

Check out our DIY Barndominium here.

Before Photos

We can’t have a diy makeover without the before photos, right?!

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This is the before photo after I’d taken out the shelves and the drawer. The cabinet had several layers of paint, from green to yellow and white primer with a couple layers of really old stain!

Time to Strip & Sand

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I decided to sand the entire piece first, with my orbital sander. Here is a similar one to mine. Next, I used Citri Strip for the entire piece. I like using this stripper better than others as it’s not such a harsh chemical to use and breathe in. Grab it at Home Depot. I stripped the cabinet four times and in between each time, I used my razor to remove the old paint and stain.

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The pie safe also had a sheet of vintage yellow flowered contact paper with  layer of glue on it. It took a lot of tugging but I got it all off! I also decided to remove the old screens from each door. Each screen had a layer of staples that I removed as well.

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The interior side walls were also painted with a bright yellow paint. Here is about 50% through the stripping process on those walls.

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For the shelves, I decided to sand with my orbital sander instead of stripping. Look at those layers of paint and stain.

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On the backside of the shelves, there was an Army printed wording in black writing. It looks like these shelves were made from an old wooden Army shipping crates. It makes me think about all of the families who have owned this pie safe over the years and repairs that were made just like we were doing now!

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The exterior side walls also had a wooden ruler that had been used for trim at one time but was only revealed when the Citri Strip had removed all of the old stain.

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I love being able to think about all of the other people who owned this pie safe before me. It such an honor to have such a beautiful piece!

Time to Seal

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Before I began sealing, I cleaned the pie safe with good ole soap and water! For the wax, I used Minwax Grain Highlighting Finishing Wax.


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I wanted a wax that would highlight the wood’s natural beauty along with give it a slight white matte finish. 

Repair Time

The pie safe drawer needed to replace all three sides of the drawer. It also needed a new drawer bottom. Two of the sides and the bottom were press board.

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I grabbed a 1/4 inch oak craft board and traced the old sides, marked with a pencil and cut with my saw

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I did the same for my drawer bottom. I also traced with a pencil, cut with my saw and used a 1/4 oak craft board.

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My husband made grooves for the drawer sides so that the drawer bottom could slide into.

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Here is a close up of the cut grooves.

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My husband also cut notches out of the bottom exterior of the drawer so that the drawer could slide in and out from the drawer slides.

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He is such a sweetie! ❤️

Finished Piece

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I enjoyed sharing our project of our Antique Pie Safe Makeover with y’all! Did y’all follow along in stories on IG, as I made this piece over? Hop on over and give me a follow, take a look around too! Check out my other fellow bloggers too and see what they’ve come up with for this week’s Thrift Store Challenge!

❤️~Shae

Thrift Store Challenge – Christmas In July

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https://lecultivateur.com/2021/07/15/thrifting-in-July-with-Christmas-in-mind/

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https://www.robynsreverie.com/new-blog/ChristmasInJulyThrift

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https://www.worcesterrun.com/post/whimsical-nursery-decor

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DIY KNOCK OFF LIGHT FIXTURE

I am so excited to team up with several of my blogging buddies for a DIY Knock Off Challenge! My sweet friend, Terrie from Decorating and More with Tip heads us up! The rules were that we had to find a higher end piece and share how we could make our own and on a budget!

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CHALLENGE ACCEPTED

The rules were as follows: We needed to find a piece we loved and be willing to create a similar piece plus make it budget friendly! Challenge accepted! 

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HOME DEPOT LIGHT FIXTURE

Home Depot had this beautiful light fixture, the Windsor 5 Light Antique White Chandelier; however, we did not want to spend $160 on a light fixture that would be outside , hanging in the weather. This light fixture was our inspiration for what we sorta-kinda had invisioned in our minds. 

OUTDOOR “LIGHTING” FOR OUR NEW SPACE

My husband had a fabulous idea to hang a light fixture from this old live oak tree that sits over our new outdoor dining space! Thrift shopping we had to go! And ya don’t have to pull my hand to go! We decided to use one of our Saturday morning’s to go thrifting for this light fixture, instead of working on our pole barn. Heck, we even NEEDED a break from working on our pole barn!  

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THRIFTING WE GO

The first couple of places we went thrifting, we couldn’t find the exact light fixture that we had envisioned in our heads… on the third thrift store, we found a light fixture that we thought might work but it was a little to small for the space.

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We decided to stop at one last thrift shop and we hit the jackpot! We found this light fixture and although I would love it to be a bit larger, we thought it would work for now! At $19, it was definitely a great buy!

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HOME DEPOT & TARGET FOR SUPPLIES

Next, we headed to Home Depot for supplies! I used Rustoleum White Spray Paint in a Hammered finish.  This is my favorite brand of spray paint, evenly coats, no drips when used correctly and under $6!

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TARGET SUPPLIES

I grabbed a 12 count tapered candlesticks from Target for $3.00!

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LET’S GET TO WORK

Head on over to my instagram and you can watch my reel of how I diy’ed our thrifted light fixture! First, I removed the glass globes. Next, I applied two coats of spray paint on all sides, leaving a couple hours drying time, in between.

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Super easy! I just love how it turned out! The hammered finish gives it a rustic farmhouse feel to our outdoor space! 

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I spent $28 total on our diy light fixture! I hope that y’all have found some budget friendly inspiration here and that you will hop on over to the other ladies! I know you will love their DIY Knock Off’s, as well! Head on over to my friend Cindy’s blog at Cloches and Lavender for her DIY!  

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❤️~Shae

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Decorate and More with Tip | Sweet Southern Grace

Cloches and Lavender | Purple Hues and Me

B4 and Afters | Patina and Paint

Blue Sky at Home

CHRISTMAS GIFT WRAPPING IDEAS WITH OLD TIME POTTERY

CHRISTMAS GIFT WRAPPING IDEAS WITH OLD TIME POTTERY

[This post contains sponsored links. The items featured in this post is provided by Old Time Pottery; all opinions and reviews are my own.]

Old Time Pottery is one of my favorite places to shop for Christmas gift wrapping! Come follow along with me, as I share ideas for gift wrapping those holiday gifts!

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CHRISTMAS WRAPPING WITH OLD TIME POTTERY

I was so excited when Old Time Pottery asked me to team up with them, this holiday season! Christmas is my favorite time of year, as I love everything about the Christmas season! I am sure a lot of you have been thinking about what to buy family or friends for Christmas. What about a homemade treat? Nothing says “I love you” like a homemade treat and it speaks straight to the heart!

After spending an afternoon in your kitchen, be sure to give your sweet gift the presentation it deserves. I have gathered some of my favorite, easy to assemble, food packaging ideas for ya’ll! This was all purchased for under $100!

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DECORATIVE BOXES

For mine and my husband’s siblings this year, I decided it would be fun to do one family gift for each sibling and their families. I thought it would be fun to do a box of Christmas Eve goodies for them to enjoy together. Old Time Pottery has so many different sized, decorative Christmas boxes that you can use to wrap goodies in! I decided to go with a red truck theme this year and when I saw these boxes, I knew they would be perfect for our sibling‘s family gifts this year!

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MASON JAR WITH VINTAGE RED TRUCK LID

In the box, I placed homemade hot cocoa mix in a mason jar from Old Time Pottery. The lid even had a vintage red truck on it! Add a cute tag with handwritten or printed directions for the hot cocoa. 

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OUR FAMILY’S HOT COCOA RECIPE

My husband has been making this hot cocoa recipe since our oldest two daughter’s were babies. We have had many years to perfect this creamy, chocolatey goodness! 

Hot Cocoa Recipe:

3/4 C Sugar 1

1/4 C Cocoa

4 and 1/3 C Milk

1/2 TSP Vanilla (optional)

Directions:

Mix cocoa and sugar into a saucepan. Stir in milk over medium heat until all sugar and cocoa is dissolved and cocoa is heated. Do not allow this to boil, as it will burn to the bottom of the pan. Add vanilla.

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FOOD GOODIES FOR THE DECORATIVE BOX

I also added homemade hot chocolate bombs, along with homemade oreo truffles and chocolate covered spoons to stir in their hot cocoa.

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The hot cocoa also needed Christmas themed mugs to drink from when drinking the hot cocoa. I wanted to add a mug for each of our nieces and nephews; depending on age, I added the Santa, snowman or polar bear mugs to the decorative boxes. 

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PACKAGING FOR THE DECORATIVE BOX

To fill the box, I added white crinkle cut shredded paper. It also helps to cushion the mugs and Vintage Red Car topped mason jars. I always make sure to fill the crinkle cut paper well, making sure to fill nicely around all the edges of the box.

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VINTAGE RED TRUCK TINS

I also found the cutest tins with vintage red trucks on them! In these tins, I added mini cupcake holders that held the oreo truffles. The Vintage Red Truck Tins with the truffles will be for our parents, along with our aunts and uncles. You could make something simple for these like boxed brownies and cut them into small squares, then add to the tins. You could also make Christmas candy or divinity for the tins as well.

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VINTAGE RED TRUCK CERAMIC LOAF PANS

I buy these little loaf pans, every year from Old Time Pottery! I love to make my cream cheese banana nut bread and give out to extended family, dance teachers, neighbors and colleagues. I wrap them in cellophane and tie with a curling ribbon! EASY PEASY and everyone loves it! I am so happy to have found these that have the red vintage truck on them!

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OLD TIME POTTERY

You can find so many things at Old Time Pottery from wrapping paper to decorative boxes or the ceramic loaf pans! Old Time Pottery has so many options for this Christmas season! Plus, their prices are budget friendly and I am sure that you can find something to fit your budget this holiday season! If you have any questions or want a recipe, please don’t hesitate to reach out! I hope you and your family have a wonderful Christmas!

Love~Shae


Continue reading "CHRISTMAS GIFT WRAPPING IDEAS WITH OLD TIME POTTERY"

Let the Sun Shine In with Kirklands

Let the Sun Shine In with Kirklands

Let the Sunshine in  with Kirklands

[This post contains sponsored links. The items featured and linked, in this post is provided by Kirklands; all opinions and reviews are my own.]

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Adding a Touch of Sunshine:

With everyone spending more time at home, I wanted to bring a little more sunshine into our dining room space. I am slowly adding more touches of boho to our home. Come along and see what I found at Kirklands that helps just bring a smile to my face every day!

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Large Macrame Handwoven Wall Hanging:

I have been looking for a large macrame wall hanging for quite some time! I fell in love with this Large Macrame Handwoven Wall Hanging  . It gives your wall a bohemian, textured look! I am enjoying its natural appeal because it’s eye catching as you walk into our dining room!

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The Large Macrame Handwoven Wall Hanging can fit many different decor styles from bohemian to vintage to cottage or farmhouse! I love how versatile it is for different types of decor!

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Succulent Arrangement in Clay Pot:

I am loving this little Succulent Arrangement in Clay Pot  . It is so realistic looking and it feels real to the touch!  I am enjoying its hues of white, green and tan!! The Succulent Arrangement in Clay Pot will add a touch of greenery to any decor!!

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Sunshine Well Received:

I am thankful to be enjoying these beautiful pieces in my home from Kirklands. They have decor to fit so many different styles and at great prices too! If you have any questions, please let me know! Which is your favorite item? Let me know in the comments!

❤️-Shae

Pop Up Camper Remodel

Pop Up Camper Remodel

Last year, February to be exact, we bought a 22 year old pop up camper for $500 on Facebook Marketplace. 7232F62F-38D2-4DBB-8DEF-BF3B247FD681We knew this camper was a diamond in the rough! We dreamt of all the family vacations we could take in this little pop up. 

FIRST THINGS FIRST-INSPECTION 

We took the pop up home and popped it up.D24D2384-69E4-4B61-8579-724ED8458C12We knew initially that it had some water damage and after some research, found out that these types of campers with ABS roofs, leaked.
67475424-8AA2-480F-AAC8-AF5D48D0B3DDThe roof  leaked because of the weight of the AC unit on top of the roof.
79088843-12EF-478A-9FA9-9D2050470CE0So right out of the gate, it looked like we needed to find a solution to help the roof not sag, plus we would need to replace the entire roof. 

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ABS CEILING & ROOF REPAIR

CEILING:

My husband found a solution for the sagging roof and it was going to be by placing two, 2 inch u-channels on the interior of the roof.

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We then left the camper popped up on a day when it was raining to make sure it would not leak! It worked! No leaks!

ROOF REPAIR WITH FIBER GLASS:

Next step was to replace the roof. We tore off the ABS roof then replaced it with a fiberglass top and painted it with marine paint. You can find that you tube video HERE . In this picture, you can see two coats of the fiber glass roof material on the roof.

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INTERIER REPAIRS-REPAIRING ROTTED WOOD

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For the interior, my husband needed to replace several sections of rotted wood. One was the top on the small cabinet by the entryway, part of the floor at the entrance, a section of wood beneath the bed, by the shower plus a small section on the seated area.

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PAINTING-INTERIOR

After replacing the wood, it was finally time to paint the entire inside of the camper!

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We painted everything, including the ceiling, in Ibis White  from Sherwin Williams. We took off all of the cabinet doors to make the painting go a little easier. I decided to spray paint all of the hardware and knobs to save cost.

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REPLACING CUSHION COVERS-HOW I SEWED COVERS

Next was making all of the cushion covers for the camper. I decided to use the existing cushions & zippers, since they were in good shape.

5C5AC292-ECB3-4349-9698-3156F055B44FI did use the attachment to my carpet cleaner to clean the cushions and let them dry in the sun. I found all of my fabric on sale at Joanne’s for $50. I used two coupons! I did not have a pattern for the cushions, so I used the existing cushions as my pattern, by laying the fabric on top of the cushions and left about an inch for seam allowance on all sides.
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REPLACING OLD MATRESSES

We could not use the old mattresses that came with the camper but we did find some mattresses at a local discount store for $19.99 each! We bought plastic mattresses covers to protect them at Home Depot for $8 each.

REPLACING BEDDING

We purchased our bedding from Beddy’s and they are an absolute dream! Absolutely perfect for campers! Ours is the Modern Gray All Cotton. Beddy’s has given me a coupon code for y’all to use! If you use SSG20 at check out, you can get 20% off your purchase! Thank you Beddy’s!

CURTAIN ALTERNATIVES

We have not replaced our pop up camper curtains with the typical camper curtains.

8177E0D1-EFF8-49AE-B934-78F300E0225DWe did use a few sheers from Wal-Mart that we attached with double sided adhesive strips, just to give a more “at home” feel to the camper. I bought two sets, as each set came with two.
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CAMPER BATHROOM-SHOWER REPAIRS

The shower only needed a cleaning and a new faucet.

3FF31442-B55B-4DF2-A637-A682E598EEFASome of our paint has chipped by the shower area but it’s not a huge deal to us since this is a camper.

F1E1A5C9-4E17-49DD-8C69-9035F7D6FF51We ordered the new shower faucet from Coleman Pop Up Parts.

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REPLACING FLOORS

4D5039D0-85D1-4F1D-AAE9-F68A9EF38AE7I decided to use stick down floor “hardwood” vinyl “planks”. I even staggered it to make it look like hardwoods. I bought two boxes for $15 each, at a local discount store called Ollie’s.

REPLACING CANVASES

F06D3A41-E0B3-414A-B776-2E5CAC539A8FOur biggest expense in our makeover was new canvases but we felt like it was a must have! We ordered them from Bear Creek Canvas . Their site is so easy to use! All you have to do is select the camper manufacturer, ours is Coleman, select the model year, 1997 for us, select if you want a complete canvas replacement or partial canvas replacement, ours was a complete replacement, then select your camper style, such as a no wing model, 1-4 wing model or a pickupper, ours was a 2-wing model. Once you have all of that selected, it will give you your price for the replacement. Our total was $1,050.00. The customer service was also wonderful!

CHALKBOARD PAINTED MENU BOARD

9172C203-98C6-4DC5-A985-9FBA13113C9CI even painted the inside of the door with half of black chalkboard paint so we could have a menu board. We already had this paint on hand!

PAINTING-EXTERIOR 

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The exterior also got a paint job from head to toe! We painted the exterior with a marine paint in Repose Gray  from Sherwin Williams. (We only use SW for all of our painting needs!) We had lots of helpers that wanted to help remove the old vinyl from the exterior of the camper and help paint!

FIRST TRIP

Leaving out for our first trip in the camper! 

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REPLACING CAMPER TIRES & SPARE TIRE 

We also replaced the tires on the pop up and purchased a new spare tire. The old tires were in good shape but we just wanted to make sure we had new tires, since we were driving so far away on our first trip. The best deal we found on tires were at Wal-Mart on sale for $26.99 each.

THE SUNSHINE STATE

Fort De Soto, FL

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ACCESSORIZE 

Most all of our accessories for our pop up came from a local Five and Below store- from our little stool, to the rug, to our outdoor mat.

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TROUBLE BEFORE PARADISE 

About 3 weeks before our first camping trip, our pop-up would not stay popped up so we had to order a Coleman Wiffle Tree Alternate. We were praying it would come in before our trip and that it would be the only issue and be resolved quickly with this new part! Thank God it worked and in just about 3 days before our trip! We purchased that part from Popuppaarts.com .

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TALLY UP

We spent a total of around $2,300 on our pop up makeover. Here is a breakdown of the costs:

$500-Pop Up Purchase Price

$1,050-Canvases

$80-Paint

$45-Mattresses

$60-Wood

$125-U-Channels

$125-Fiberglass Roof

$81-Tires

$20-Shower Faucet

$50-Fabric for Cushions

$30-Vinyl Flooring

$5-Wood Colored Caulk for floors

$144-Wiffle Tree Alternate-Part for lifting camper up

EGMONT KEY, FL

Wesley & I in Egmont Key at the lighthouse.

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SUMMARY


It was a lot of work but we are so glad to have little pop up to travel in! Definitely a bucket list item! Our two adult daughters helped us so much and we could not have done it without them! Definitely a family effort! You can read about some of our travels here . If you have any questions, please email me! What is your favorite thing about our renovation of the camper?

❤️-Shae

Beddy’s  Bedding COUPON CODE: Use SSG20 at check out for 20% off your purchase! Perfect bedding for a camper, bunk beds or any bed really!!

DIY Grapevine Magnolia Wreath

DIY Grapevine Magnolia Wreath

DIY Grapevine Wreath:

It’s always a pleasure to team up with my friend Terrie from  Decorating and More with Tip for one of our decor challenges! This week we are challenging ourselves along with several other bloggers to make our own version of a grapevine wreath!

Gather Your Supplies-

I started off with a plain grapevine wreath that I found from a local thrift store, back a few months ago. You can also order online from any craft store. Micheal’s has this one for $4.99!

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Next, I purchased these magnolia leaf bushes from Hobby Lobby for $8.99 when they were half off. Just wait for the sale!

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I also decided to paint a few of my leaves to take away some of that brighter green in the wreath and just tone down the overall look of the leaves. I purchased three paints colors from Wal-Mart in the Apple Barrel brand acrylic craft paint, in the colors, Melted Chocolate, English Ivy Green and Kings Gold. These colors are just fifty cents each.

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Creating Your Wreath-

To create my wreath, I began taking apart the magnolia leaves and hot gluing them to the grapevine wreath, angling the leaves in different directions, to give dimension to the wreath.

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After I had all of my leaves placed into my wreath, I went around the entire wreath and painted a few leaves of the Melted Chocolate  ,  English Ivy Green  and Kings Gold .

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This is the wreath with just the Melted Chocolate brown leaves painted.

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This is the wreath with the Melted Chocolate brown and the English Ivy green painted on the leaves.

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For the lighter green, I mixed Kings Gold and English Ivy Green, both with equal parts.

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After painting the leaves, here is the finished product!

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Now to style in my home!

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I decided to style on my antique door in my dining room! I love how my wreath turned out!! It’s perfect for my space!
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Please hop over to my blogging buddies to check out what they designed for their grapevine wreaths!! My friend, Mary from Shady Oak and Sassafras  has the cutest wreath so please check her out! I am also loving my friend Pamela from DIY Vibing  .

❤️-Shae

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