DIY House-shaped Clay Pots from Say Yes to Hoboken

Oh my word! Have you seen these little DIY house-shaped clay pots created by Claire of Fellow Fellow for Say Yes to Hoboken yet? I think I actually squealed aloud when I spotted them on Pinterest the other day. Not only would they make a great little Mother's Day present, but they'd also be perfect for a housewarming gift, or even a sweet end-of-the-year teachers gift (just fill it with pretty pencils and add a gift card to a coffee or book shop and you're set). Hop on over to Say Yes to Hoboken for the full tutorial. xo Ez

P.S. You are awesome Claire and Liz!

DIY Brushstroke Glazed Mini Bowls

Hi everyone! Today I thought I'd share a tutorial with you all for these easy DIY Brushstroke Glazed Mini Bowls that are ideal for last minute Mother's Day gift giving (they are also dishwasher safe when complete). These painterly little vessels look pretty packaged up as a set of two with a nice canister of yummy Fleur de Sel (perfect for the Mom who loves to cook and entertain)...or wrapped up as a sweet little catch all to hold her favorite rings and jewelry (maybe you can even package it with a pretty little bauble or two that will make her feel especially spoiled). Keep reading below for the simple tutorial.

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This DIY post was sponsored and made possible by Method..."Clean Happy."

Facebook Photo Contest - Chore No More: What to be the one lucky person who will win a year’s supply of Method detergent, or one of 25 people who will win laundry starter kits (two 8-load bottles)? Visit method on Facebook and enter to win by submitting a photo that documents what makes doing laundry a chore - such as using a heavy jugs that are prone to spilling. The top 26 with the most votes from the community will win!

2$ off Coupon for Laundry: Every Thursday for the month of May, be sure to download your $2.00 off coupon for Method Laundry Detergent on the perks tab on the Method Facebook page. The coupon will only be on available to print on Thursdays.

Canadian residents: Instead of printing the physical coupon, you will be able to get $2 off Method products available at http://well.ca using the discount code "WASHME."

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Supplies:

• White Oven-safe glass bowls (plates, trays, etc. would also work) | These mini bowls were purchased at Target for a couple dollars a piece.
• Vitrea 160 Glossy Ceramic Paint by Pebeo (any color you'd like—colors can also be mixed) | I've found these paints at Michael's Craft Stores and online. You will need very little paint per small dish.
• Flat-headed paint brushes | Choose a size that is comfortable for you to work with.
• Oven 

Steps One and Two:

1. Dip the end of your paint brush into the paint, collecting up a reasonable amount of paint, and dab it into the center of your dish. You can always add more paint later, so it is better to start out with a small amount.

2. Place your paint brush into the center of your bowl (in the middle of your paint) and brush upwards toward the lip of the bowl using the flat side of your brush.

Steps Three and Four:

3. Continue brushing paint from the center of the bowl outward leaving some areas bare and some saturated with color for a painterly effect. Add more paint if needed. Be sure that your paint is not applied too thick and/or that is not running. If drips begin to form, just brush them into the design with your paint brush.

4. Once your bowl is painted how you'd like it to be, set it aside and let it dry for 24 hours. Once air dried, bake it in your oven following directions on the Vitrea 160 bottle.

Note: For best results when baking ceramics it is best to place your dish into a cold oven and turn it on to the correct baking temperature, allowing the dish to heat up with along with the oven. When finished baking, turn off the heat and open the oven door. Allow the dish to cool slowly inside the oven (with the door open). Doing this decreases the chance of having your dish crack from sudden heating or cooling.

Here's an example of some of the colors that Vitrea 160 paint comes in. You can also mix colors together to create custom blends that more closely match the colors you like best. I hope you enjoy making your own little assortment of dishes. Just beware that it's hard to stop making them once you start! xo Ez

Prop notes: Gold Glitter Twine from Knot & Bow | Kraft Paper Boxes available at craft stores | Fleur de Sel available at select markets and Williams-Sonoma | Manila Tags available at office supply stores - or download my free printable manila tags | Teapot and Diary - vintage | Uppercase Magazine found here.

Update: I appologize for my earlier note about this paint being food-safe. The bottle does not state otherwise, but Lauren (thanks Lauren) found otherwise on the Pebeo website. Because of this, please use your own discression when applying to surfaces that may come in contact with food items.

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Full disclosure: This DIY post was sponsored and made possible by Method. The project and any opinions expressed are my own. If you'd like to read a little bit more about my partnership with Method, I've posted some more thoughts about it right here.

Pinterest Picks: Blackberry, Citrus, and Pink

Hi friends! I hope you all had a fantastic weekend! Mine went buy a bit too quickly for my liking...but I suppose that's the nature of weekends, isn't it?! In any case, I noticed this unexpected palette of colors popping up in my Pinterest favorites over the weekend and just had to share. I usually associate blackberry and similar jewel-tones with late summer or Fall, but for some reason I'm really loving them now. I hope they perk up your day too!

If you'd like to see my past Pinterest Pick collections you can find them here. Have a gorgeous day y'all! xo Ez

1. Floral Arrangement by Fleur:ology (via Patti) | 2. Zoza Blanket at Lemlem (via Babble) | 3. "Mom" Morse Code Necklaces from Coatt, seen on Cup of Jo (via Marti) | 4. Blackberry Sage Cooler by Scaling Back (via Ruth) | 5. DIY Leather and Wood Trivets on Design*Sponge (via me) | 6. Blackberry Cream Cheese Coffee Cake & Mini Cakes by Amanda's Cookin' (via Jenny) |

Weekend Link Love: 04. 27. 12

We're heading into the final weekend of April, and I can't believe it! How did May sneak up on us so quickly?! Over the next few days I'll be putting a fun new DIY together to share with you all next week (fingers crossed that it works out), I'll also be painting the May calendar page printable that will go out in my newsletter on Monday, and then I will begin prepping for an extended trip I'll be taking later on in May. Phew! I hope your Friday is quick and your weekend is long. Enjoy it! xo Ez

And now I leave you with a few sweet things that caught my attention recently:

1. The new issue of Utterly Engaged is stunning. You can read the entire thing for free right here.
2. DIY Painted Jam Jar Vases spotted over on Diary of a Mod Housewife
3. Blooming Gift Toppers from Stephmodo (spotted via Monica on Pinterest)
4. DIY Gilded Notebooks from Eat Sleep Cuddle (spotted via Jessica on Pinterest)
5. The Icing or the Cake? A topic I've been thinking about a lot lately, and a great reminder to keep life in perspective from Makeunder My Life.

DIY Cross-Stitch Stool from This Little Street

This morning Audrey from the lovely blog This Little Street, sent me over a link to her gorgeous DIY Cross-Stitch Stool project, and I just had to share it with you guys. Aren't the results gorgeous?! If you have a little extra time on your hands, this DIY would make an exceptional one-of-a-kind Mother's Day gift. Don't you agree! See the full tutorial over on This Little Street. xo Ez

Photos by Audrey | This Little Street