Glass Etching...who knew I could do this????

So we are attending an engagement party this weekend and, of course, the boyfriend wants to bring a Growler (gallon jug for those of you non-beer drinkers out there) of their favorite beer from our favorite local brewery - which I am totally cool with because this is seriously amazing beer!

However, I am feeling like maybe beer just doesn't say romance the way I think an engagement present should...so I start scanning the web for some ideas and I see some personalized wine glasses etched with the couples new initial.  So of course I am thinking I need these in beer glasses!
But the party is Saturday, and today is Tuesday and they would need to be shipped so that idea is out.....that is, until I find a tutorial on how to do it myself....YAY!

So here is how I did it:
-Bought a set of Pilsners Glasses at Target - on clearance for $13.94 for a set of 4
-Bought a bottle of Glass Etching Cream at Michaels - priced at $12.99, used a 40% off coupon making it $7.79 - and there is enough left over for lots of future projects :)
-Bought a roll of contact paper at Dollar Store - you guessed it, $1

Then, I went on the computer and found a pretty font and tested out a few different sizes until I found the "G" that I wanted for the glasses.
I printed it out on the contact paper with my regular old printer, then cut it out very carefully keeping the negative space intact.

Then I pulled the paper back off and stuck the contact paper right on the glass, pressing out any air bubbles.  It looked like this.....

Then, I applied the glass etching cream in a really thick layer over the letter like this.....

The bottle says to let it sit for 60 seconds but I let it sit a little longer and I'm glad I did because I don't think it would show up well enough otherwise.  Then when I was ready, I washed off the cream under running water and pulled off the contact paper and voila.......

Two personalized beer glasses to go along with some excellent beer!

The glass is really etched too....to make sure, I ran it under water and rubbed at it but it stayed just like that.

Beautiful :)

Homemade Lego Table

We had so much fun making this Lego Table for my 4-year old and she plays with it EVERY day :-)
First, I found an old round coffee table at a garage sale for $10.  It was seriously ugly but it was low to the ground (pre-schooler height) and had drawers....yay for lego storage!

We primed the entire table then painted it black, sounds simple but it did take a while.  Then we took off the old ugly hardware and replaced it with plain drawer pulls that I painted black and then painted cute little designs on.
Then we adhered 7 lego mats....2 blue ones for water, 4 green ones and one more green one cut in half to make it lay out evenly on the table.  In between the mats, we wanted to make roads so the little Lego vehicles and Matchbox cars could drive around.  We were going to paint them but thought it might be difficult to get everything exact so we ended up using pieces of white and yellow electrical tape to make the roads.

It turned out great and she really does love it!  It is so fun to see how imaginative she gets with building the legos and then making up stories of what is happening on each of the mats.  Fun :-)

HOA vs CDD

Considering a home in a community with a Homeowner's Association (HOA) or a Community Development District (CDD) but have questions about which is right for you?

Here is a quick breakdown of each:

A community with an HOA is a group of homeowners with similar interests in their community.  These interests are usually in  the aesthetics of the community and the amenities shared by the residents.  There are usually rules that go along with the HOA that help maintain the aesthetics and there are usually fees that go along with maintaining the shared elements of the community.  Some HOA communities will choose to have a community pool, fitness center, tennis courts, playgrounds, and/or security gates.  Others may have only a entrance sign with lighting and landscaping.  The fees will vary depending on how many common elements the community offers.
The associations are typically made up of homeowners and any rule changes or fee changes are usually voted on by the homeowners or the Board.
There are pros and cons to an HOA community.  If you want the rules of an HOA to maintain the aesthetics of the community you are investing in, an HOA may be right for you.  And if you are interested in having access to amenities such as a pool without having to leave your neighborhood, then an HOA may be a very good fit for you.

-"I've never heard of a CDD before.  What is it?"
I hear this question a lot.  CDDs have become more and more popular in The First Coast.
A CDD is different from an HOA community though and it is important to understand them both so you can decide which is the right fit for you.  CDDs are not usually run by a group of homeowners, however there usually is a Board of Supervisors who are homeowners in the community and they can manage the rules of the communities to maintain the aesthetics and growth of the community.  At the development stage of the community, investors in the CDD provide funding for the infrastructure and amenities of the community.  The CDD fees you pay as a homeowner in the community are working to pay that back.  One of the advantages of the CDD is that the infrastructure and amenities are already paid for so you know exactly what you will be getting.  CDD communities also typically have more amenities than most HOA communities.  CDD communities often have water parks, ball fields, nature trails, and more.  Along with this, there are also typically higher fees.  A CDD is a great option for anyone who wants the security of knowing that everything in the community is already in place and paid for and who wants more extensive amenities than most HOA communities offer.


If reading this gives you a better idea of the type of community you are looking for, message me and I will give you detailed info on the communities in the area so we can find the perfect community for your new home!!