Dare to DIY - Week One

I mentioned awhile ago that Kim over at Newlywoodwards was doing a DIY blog challenge, and I joined up.

I went a little overboard, as you will see in the coming weeks.

This first week I decided to "do up" my mantle, and create something extra for it. I saw this and really liked it and thought "I could do better".

Well, I could NOT do better. I created this:

And it's a good concept, but it did not turn out the way I wanted it to. I don't love it.

However, I decided that if I did anything else, it had to involve the MILLIONS of acorns in my front yard. That, dear friends, is where everything got way better, creatively speaking.

Now, before I show you what I made, let me tell you about the acorns. They. Are. Everywhere. We have this huge pin oak outside that showers our house with them. It makes walking in the front yard treacherous because you are literally walking on tons of little balls:


Last week, Cory got out a BROOM (not a rake) and collected about 30 GALLONS of acorns FROM THE NORTH END OF OUR YARD ALONE:


This week I also contributed and collected some myself:

(Using Nora's Happy Meal bucket. This is what you do when you are a momma, folks.)

I was determined to use them this week, and possibly next. And BOY did I.

This week decorated my mantle in a new and different way, using things I already had or had to make. No money was shamelessly spent in the creating of this mantle. All of this is stuff I already owned, I just spray painted the mat of the picture frame, added a sprig of leaves from my yard, and . . . TA-DA!


But wait! There's more!

You will of course notice that in front of the decor is a little acorn army. I did use the acorns for something creative - little acorn people. :) I thought they would be fun and cute and something Nora would enjoy.


I just hot glued 7 acorns together (a head, a body, two arms, two legs, and a "butt") and painted them all different. It was juvenile (and honestly) tons of fun. It's nothing special to anyone else I will bet, but I had a good time making these.

. . . Plus it gave me inspiration for next week. :) Wait 'til you see!!!!!!!

Until next time . . .