Finally, New Nightstands!!!

I’ve been searching for a hardwood set of nightstands for over six months that I could makeover for my bedroom and it’s finally happened!

I found these little babies for $15 for both and in the passed two days they are finally finished and in my room =D

Here’s the before shot:

(I forgot to take the picture until after I start pulling them apart and sanding)

I performed all the regular steps:

1. Sand Down – Most of it was super easy, except the top because there was water damage in a few spots that I had to sand flat (or atleast tried to sand flat).

2. Prime – This was the first time I got to use KILLZ primer and I’m hooked! It’s by far the best primer I’ve ever used =)

3. Spray Paint – I choose the KRYLON Satin Carmel Latte and am soooo happy with the way it turned out!!!

4. Glaze – After letting all the parts dry over night (scattered through the house because it’s still too cold outside) I wiped on my handy-dandy RALPH LAUREN Faux Glaze that I use for all my glaze projects ;)

You can see in this picture, the far right drawer has already been glazed and the others haven’t.

6. Assemble – I don’t think that I waited as long as your supposed to for the glaze to dry before putting the handles back on, but I was just too excited!

Here they are all finished and in their new spots:

TAA DAA!!! I’m oh so proud and feeling more and more like a grown up having two matching nightstands!

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Mandy Jessop
Posted in DIY Projects, Furniture, Home Decoration | 6 Comments

Keeps Me Motivated!

I’m too excited about this new collection not to share! Anybody else out there in the ZUMBA FITNESS® craze?!?

Zumba® Exhilarate DVD Collection

Mandy Jessop
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Inspiration Overload!

So, in trying to get back into the blog world I’ve spent the last 2 days visiting all the old blogs I love and some new ones too… the result has been a HUGE overload of inspiration and, unfortunately, a severe loss of interest in all the work I did on my apartment last year because I’ve found so many amazing ideas that now I want to re-do everything in my whole apartment again!!!

But I’m going to try and not get dragged down by the endless addition of things to my to-do list and just focus on one… this is a solution I’ve been looking for a LONG time and I’m super excited to get started on it.

If you might recall in my couch makeover post last summer…

Well, I think I’ve come up with a solution! Thanks to the gorgeous inspiration over at Delia Creates and her newest creation the Scrappy Flower Spring Wreath! Just look how gorgeous:

So, out come my scraps today to get started… it may take a while to finish, because I’m working now, but I can’t wait to post and show what the final product looks like =D

Mandy Jessop
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I’m still here…

I’ve been struggling with how to breath a little life back into my little blog… a lot has changed since my last post. But I decided to just start up and stop worrying about how to apologize for having a crazy life… cuz I’m pretty sure everyone can relate to that ;)

I have a few craft posts from X-Mas time that I never got to, but instead of wasting them, I’m just going to post them anyways… better late than never!

Last month I started on the ABC’s for Love project from While He Was Napping. It’s such a fun idea! I started the month with a bang, like most things in my life, but because I still have a hard time finishing most all projects I start I did not end it like planned. But it really was the jumpstart that got me out of my rut and into this new phase of my life which I am SOOOO looking forward to =D

Also, just two weeks ago I got certified as a ZUMBA FITNESS® Instructor! It was one of the most spontaneous and amazingly fun experiences of my life! I just started teaching my first classes last week and (even though it’s only been one week) I am having so much fun doing it and every day realizing that this is exactly what I need to get where I plan to be at in my future and the future of my family =)

I’m so glad to be back and hope you all had an amazing winter! Who else is ready for Spring already?

Mandy Jessop
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Momma Got Swag =D

It has been just over 3 months since I started M.C.C. and I thought now would be a great time to brag about some of the totally AWESOME giveaways I’ve won since then =D

My very first win was over at i heart naptime and I won a gift certificate to Janey Mac. They offer the most amazing vinyl wall art!  Here’s what I’ve finally decided to get with it:

My second win was for this tie over at Trendy Tikes and I won it at Dang Gina Giveaways! I really wanted to show you a picture of my little man wearing it, but it’s just a tad too big for him right now.

Next I won another Dang Gina Giveaway for a custom, vintage item of clothing from Clementiny Clothing and this was SOOOO much fun to get! She was amazing at making it just right and I can’t wait to get a good picture wearing it to show it off!!!

Next I won a gift certificate for CSN store from Jenna at The Frozen North and I still have to decide how I’m going to use it =)

Last week I won 2 things!

First a charm bracelet from the Charm Factory of at Lolavie

And then second I won these ADORABLE pumpkins at 504 Main from Crafty Cierra!

*I’m SOO excited to get these in the mail =D*

I’m fairly new to the world of blogging and giveaways, but I think it’s fair to say that this Momma Got Swag =)

Mandy Jessop
Posted in Blogging, Pretty-Fun | 1 Comment

Thankful Blocks and Pumpkins

I got the idea for these THANKFUL blocks from this Summer Scraps post and the PUMPKINS from their other post here.

Here’s how I threw them together =)

*After cutting blocks at different heights from scraps at Papi’s wood shop, I took them home and used some leftover primer I had to start*

*I started by painting the blocks orange for the pumpkins … it took two coats*

*Next I painted the word blocks cream and then glued the dry orange blocks together with gorilla glue*

*I used Ralph Lauren dark glaze that I had leftover and glazed all the pumpkins and blocks*

*Once the glaze was dry I painted stems of the pumpkins brown*

*After all the paint was dry I cut out scrapbook paper for the face of the word blocks and then cut out the letters, glued it all together and waa laa!*

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Mandy Jessop
Posted in DIY Projects, Home Decoration, Pretty-Fun | 1 Comment

Enchilada Soup For A Rainy Day

This is SUPER simple recipe, especially if you use a rotisserie chicken =)

This particular time I bought one of the ready-to-bake whole chickens and baked it earlier in the day, allowing it to cool so that I could shred the meat.

After that just take anywhere between 6-10 dry enchilada chili’s and boil them in about 3-4 cups of water for 15 minutes, or until they are softened. Then remove the stems and blend with the water you boiled them in. (I usually take the small lid insert out and cover with a towel BEFORE you start blending, because the hot water will pop the lid off when you start and splash everywhere).

Next strain blended chili’s into a pot, add shredded chicken and simmer. Season to taste (I usually only use salt and maybe a little garlic powder).

I usually serve it with some finely chopped fresh onions, bell peppers, cilantro, radishes, mozzarella cheese and a dollop of sour cream!

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Mandy Jessop
Posted in Recipes | 3 Comments

Fresh Garden Bruschetta

The other day I decided to take a crack at making french bread for the first time. I used a recipe I found at food.com and here it is:

Ingredients:

Directions:

  1. 1 Dissolve yeast in warm water (110 degrees) and sugar in large bowl; allow yeast to proof or foam (about 10 minutes).
  2. 2 Add salt, oil, and 3 cups flour; beat for 2 minutes.
  3. 3 Stir in 2 cups flour to make a stiff dough.
  4. 4 Knead until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes.
  5. 5 Place in oiled bowl, turn dough to coat all sides, cover and let rise until doubled.
  6. 6 Punch down and divide in half.
  7. 7 Shape dough into two long slender loaves.
  8. 8 Grease and sprinkle with cornmeal either a french bread pan or large cookie sheet.
  9. 9 Place loaves in pan and cut diagonal gashes on top of each loaf (I use scissors).
  10. 10 Cover and let rise until doubled.
  11. 11 Bake at 375 degrees for about 30 minutes.
  12. 12 Note: You can sprinkle or spray water on the loaves during baking if you want a really crunchy crust.

Here’s how mine turned out:

After it was all done I decided to use some of my herb garden basil and make some bruschetta =)

I didn’t use a recipe for the tomato mixture, but here’s the ingredients that I used:

I put a big spoonful of tomato mixture on a 1″ slice of french bread and topped it with mozzarella cheese then backed in on broil for 3-5 minutes.

DELICIOUS!

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Mandy Jessop
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Furniture I’ve Built & Re-Vamped!

I’ve been on a carpentry hiatus the last month so I thought I would make a post highlighting the furniture pieces that I made this summer (all of which I am oh so very proud of)!

My first was this adorable kid’s table and chair set inspired by Ana over at Knock-Off Wood.

{HERE is my post about building this set}


Second was my green coffee table! I still LOVE how this turned out and it’s my hubby’s favorite piece =D I got the plans/inspiration from Ana as well, on this post!

{Here is my post on building it… PS. isn’t really this bright}


Once I realized that I can make real furniture and it was a little less intimidating for me I decided to try something with drawers. Enter my beautiful red entry table! Again inspired by Ana White in this post.

{Post about this building it HERE}


While I was making this console table I threw together a small shoe rack for under the counter next to my front door. I think we’ve used this more than anything I’ve made so far= )


Next was my first official re-vamp! My sister-in-law found this little decorative table at our local thrift store so I decided to see what I could make of it. It was also my first time using a glaze and I learned a lot about what to do and not to do with it.

{See post HERE}


After that I made an amazingly cheap find (and EXACTLY what I had been needing) at out local thrift store again! These two simple stools for my kitchen!! So I did another small re-vamp on them too =)

{Here is their post}


This technically wasn’t building a furniture piece, but it was an amazing makeover on my couch that I’m still in love with, so I’ll show it off too!

{See my sewing tutorial on these pillow’s HERE}


This is one of my thriftiest projects to date and I use these drawers A LOT!

{Check out how easy they were to make HERE}


With help from my brother I also made this desk, but I haven’t finished the doors for it so there isn’t a post yet (coming soon).

I have a growing to do list of furniture pieces that I still need to tackle, but for now these are my finished and oh so loved pieces =) What a fun summer it was!

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Mandy Jessop
Posted in Furniture | 2 Comments

Mexico Family Memories =)

Papi posted these pictures on facebook and it brought back so many memories to my childhood life in Mexico. 1996.


*Papi and Brandon*


*Our big family =)*


*My first lil sis Mimi – what a cutie pie*


*I was constantly taking pictures of her since she was born!*

ShutterLoveTuesdays

Mandy Jessop
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