a.forte's blog of Spain Hill Farm: March 2015

Monday, March 30, 2015

Something To Talk About Link Party #10

WELCOME! It's Party Time!!

As the school year is nearing the end, my time in "real life" gets busier as planning for the upcoming school year planning begins. I did manage to get in one easy but beautiful craft this week.

Check it out here:

Here are the posts from last week's party that were the most clicked by you!

Most Clicked

Southern State of Mind - Udder Madness Chair Makeover

A Junk Chick Life - The Silver Tuna

Cottage Fix - Prelude To Spring

Canary Street Crafts - Framed Dry Erase Board

White Tulip Designs - Grocery List and Bonus Project

Lilacs and Longhorns - Desk Makeover

Bohemian Junktion - Easter Mantle

The Altered Past is proud to feature:

Pocketful of Posies' Beautiful Open Kitchen Shelves Project

On Crooked Creektt's Welcome Spring Door Decor

We would love to connect with you on social media!

Vicki and Jennifer from 2 Bees in a Pod || Facebook || Instagram || Pinterest || Twitter

CoCo from The Crowned Goat || Facebook || Instagram || Pinterest

Lisa from Concord Cottage || Facebook || Instagram || Pinterest || Twitter

Angie from The Altered Past || Facebook || Instagram || Pinterest

Karen from Karen's Up On The Hill || Facebook || Instagram || Pinterest

Karin from Art is Beauty || Facebook || Instagram || Pinterest || Twitter

Melody from My Passion For Decor || Facebook || Instagram || Pinterest

Party Rules…please don't link and run :)

1 Please link to a specific post on your blog, not your blog's home page. You may link up to 3 posts!

2 Please leave a comment for your host.

3 Cultivate new relationships…visit a couple of blogs and leave comments.

4 No Etsy stores, giveaways or link parties.

5 We would love a link back to one of our blogs with a text link or party button.

6 By submitting a link, you’re giving us permission and granting us the right to feature your project and photos on this blog, website and on social media. Proper credit and a link back to your post will always be given. The Altered Past is not responsible for stolen images or the misuse by others who have found your image through TheAlteredPast.blogspot.com.

7 Each week, a few of our favorites will be featured on all five of our blogs. Features will also be pinned to our Pinterest Party Board for even more exposure! If you were featured, be sure to grab a button!

Thank you so much for stopping by and for linking up with us!

If you were featured last week, don't forget to grab a button!

Let's get to linking!! Thanks and God bless!!

An InLinkz Link-up

Sunday, March 29, 2015

Beautiful Coffee Filter Flowers

I love fresh cut peonies for the home. Problem is...I can't grow peonies! Having 8 acres, you would think I could find a spot that they would love and thrive in. So far, I haven't found it.

However, I came up with this easy to make "peony" using coffee filters and washable markers. They are a quick DIY project. The hardest part is waiting for them to dry!

Here's what you'll need:

1 package of white coffee filters
washable markers in the color of your flower choice
craft glue
natural peat pots
burlap ribbon
scissors
a paper plate
a shallow bowl

To begin, grab about 10 filters (doesn't have to be the exact amount) and cut the ridges off of the filters. You don't even have to be exact in cutting the same amount off of each. Cut some short and some long. This will make the petals of the flower.

Next, take the washable marker that you've chosen for your flower color. Color (like a 2 year old) around the top of the filters. You don't have to separate the stack. Just color the tops of the inside filter and the outside filter. The color will bleed through to the others.

I used a dark pink and a purple for this color. They will bleed into one beautiful color as we go along. No worries ;)

Fill the bowl with about an inch of water. (Ignore the orange color in the photo...took the pic after making the orange flower.)

Now take the stack of filters with the colored edges and dip the tips into the water. Hold it there for about 5 seconds so it will absorb water.

Look at those colors beginning to bleed...beautiful!

Now for the hard part. Waiting. Place the stack of wet filters upside down on a plate and allow to dry. It may take a few hours.

Once they are dry, pull the filters apart and pinch each filter together at the bottom. Do this to each filter EXCEPT ONE in the stack. You will keep the last one to glue the others into.

After you've pinched each of the filters, take the last one and begin gluing the others into the center. I basically just put a glob of glue into the center of the last one and added the pinched filters one by one. Pinch them together once they're all in and you should have your "peony" bloom!

Now, I decided I wanted to use these cute peat pots that I picked up at the DG (less than $2 for 8) to hold my flowers.

Before adding the bloom, let's dress the peat pot up with some burlap ribbon and a bow.

Wrap a length of the ribbon around and glue. Since the pot is tapered, it won't lie flat unless you angle the ends up. Tie a burlap bow and glue to the peat pot. To secure the bloom in the pot, run a bead of glue around the top edge of the peat pot and carefully mash the bloom in.

That's it! Let's see how they look.

Click on any picture to PIN IT for later!

Don't forget to come back tomorrow for the Something To Talk About Link Party!! Incredible projects being shared each week!

Thanks for stopping by and God bless!
Angie

I'm linking here:

RAIN ON A TIN ROOF   THE STYLE SISTERS   JENNIFER RIZZO   HOME STORIES A TO Z
FROM MY FRONT PORCH TO YOURS   COMMON GROUND   HAVE A DAILY CUP OF MRS. OLSON
COASTAL CHARM'S NIFTY THRIFTY TUESDAY   FRIDAYS UNFOLDED FEATHERED NEST FRIDAY

ONE MORE TIME EVENTS TWIRL AND TAKE A BOW SAVVY SOUTHERN STYLE STONEGABLE

UNDER THE TABLE AND DREAMING A DELIGHTSOME LIFE DIY SHOWOFF ART IS BEAUTY
CLEVER CHICKS BLOG HOP IT'S OVERFLOWING THREE MANGO SEEDS ELIZABETH JOAN DESIGNS

WEEKEND CRAFTS PRETTY PINTASTIC PARTY THOUGHTS FROM ALICE HYMNS AND VERSES

MISS MUSTARD SEED CONFESSIONS OF A PLATE ADDICT

Monday, March 23, 2015

Something To Talk About Link Party #9

It's party time!! Let's go!

something to talk about link party awesome blog party

I've been somewhat busy with life "stuff" this past week and have missed getting to post much. I did, however, manage to pull together this Burlap Flower during a bout of spring fever!

Here's the posts from last week's party that were the most clicked by you:

Most Clicked

Canary Street Crafts - How To Paint Graphics on Furniture

Lehman Lane - Spring Mantel Decorating - Inspired by Yellow

Patina Paradise - DIY Faux Enamel Tags

247 Mulberry Lane - Sneak Peak of Spring

My Salvaged Treasures - Jewelry in Progress

Brepurposed - DIY Stencil Letter Quote

Sadie Seasongoods - Card Catalog Drawer Condiment Set

The Altered Past is proud to feature:

Muchmore Creative: Burlap Bunny

Be Fed Again: A Grown-Up Easter Basket

We would love to connect with you on social media!

Vicki and Jennifer from 2 Bees in a Pod || Facebook || Instagram || Pinterest || Twitter

CoCo from The Crowned Goat || Facebook || Instagram || Pinterest

Lisa from Concord Cottage || Facebook || Instagram || Pinterest || Twitter

Angie from The Altered Past || Facebook || Instagram || Pinterest

Karen from Karen's Up On The Hill || Facebook || Instagram || Pinterest

Karin from Art is Beauty || Facebook || Instagram || Pinterest || Twitter

Melody from My Passion For Decor || Facebook || Instagram || Pinterest

Party Rules…please don't link and run :)

1 Please link to a specific post on your blog, not your blog's home page. You may link up to 3 posts!

2 Please leave a comment for your host.

3 Cultivate new relationships…visit a couple of blogs and leave comments.

4 No Etsy stores, giveaways or link parties.

5 We would love a link back to one of our blogs with a text link or party button.

Thank you so much for stopping by and for linking up with us!

If you were featured last week, don't forget to grab a button!

Let's get to linking!! Thanks and God bless!!

An InLinkz Link-up

Thursday, March 19, 2015

Easy Burlap Flower Wall Decor

Like most of us, I was seriously having spring fever last week. Changing up decor, packing away the winter items. That's when I came up with the idea of making a large burlap flower to hang on my mirror in the family room.

This is like crazy-easy and you may have the supplies on hand. Here's what you'll need:

11 feet of burlap ribbon in the petal color of your choice (mine's white)
3 feet of burlap ribbon in the center color of your choice (mine's yellow)
(can be found here in various colors on Amazon) Jute Ribbon 4"X 10 Yards-Red
glue gun
glue sticks
9 inch cardboard circle or 9 inch disposable plate for the backing
paperclip for a hanger
scissors

For the petals, cut the ribbon into 6 inch strips. You should have a total of 22 strips. Next, fold a strip in half so that the finished edges of the ribbon are together. Beginning at the bottom, cut a curved shape to form a petal (much like cutting a heart from a folded piece of paper).

Once you have the petal shape cut out, use the glue gun to make a gather at the bottom of each. Pinch the bottom (straight edge) of the petal and put a dot of glue into the fold to make it hold.

Once you have all 22 petals finished, you can begin gluing them to the paper plate or cardboard. Make 2 rows of petals, 13 petals on the outer row and 9 on the inner row.

For the center of the flower, begin by gluing down one end of the 3-ft. ribbon. Then, every 4-6 inches glue down the ribbon again. Seriously, you're just sort of wadding it up and gluing it down where it touches the plate. It's easy and pretty forgiving so don't worry about mistakes.

Here's the finished flower before I hung it on the mirror.

I used a small Command Strip hanger on the mirror and glued a paperclip to the back of the plate to hang the flower with. (Sorry the photo is grainy. It was late when I finished!)

The burlap flower is very easy and very quick to make. I think these would be great for a party, shower, or even a rustic themed wedding. Imagine the color combinations...yellow petals with brown center for a sunflower, bright colors with yellow center for a zinnia.

Thanks for stopping by and God bless!!
Angie

*Amazon link is an affiliate link to help bring The Altered Past to you :) Thanks!

I'm linking here:
RAIN ON A TIN ROOF   THE STYLE SISTERS   JENNIFER RIZZO   HOME STORIES A TO Z
FROM MY FRONT PORCH TO YOURS   COMMON GROUND   HAVE A DAILY CUP OF MRS. OLSON
COASTAL CHARM'S NIFTY THRIFTY TUESDAY   FRIDAYS UNFOLDED FEATHERED NEST FRIDAY

ONE MORE TIME EVENTS TWIRL AND TAKE A BOW SAVVY SOUTHERN STYLE STONEGABLE