I get that answer a lot when I tell someone that I use dark wax as a stain for tops of tables, and to stain new wood. It works great. Have you ever tried it? Sometimes I'll add a bit of mineral spirits to it to soften it up a bit (unless it's been in the garage in the summer months and it's happened naturally!) I used it on this project I made for my little guy this week. These were new cedar fence boards that I stained using the Dark wax. I also used it to "age" up … [Read more...]
Baking- Making- Giving
I imagine if you are like us we are all knee deep into the holiday making, baking and giving of our handmade gifts. I am one that usually makes gifts but yesterday I did spend the afternoon baking cookies with my little guy who is 6. We thought we'd bake some cookies to give to teachers, the mailman, the cart boy at the store and our school bus driver. I am not a baker, cook, or even a microwave dinner maker so this was huge to try and pull this off but what a great time we had. See, when I … [Read more...]
Mixin’ It Up with Chalk Paint®
We are mixing it up today at Mama's Happy. I love talking about mixing up the colors of Chalk Paint®. Annie Sloan's colors are beautiful as they are but there are so many more options out there just by adding a bit of this or a bit of that. When I am starting out with trying to find a color I start with a finger dab of this color and a finger dab of that color. That way I know to start out it is a 1:1 ratio. If I go back and add 1 more dab of the first color then I know it goes … [Read more...]
Decorating Trends: Combining Today’s Latest & Greatest with Salvaged Character that has Stood the Test of Times!
Unless you are living under a rock...a big rock...you have probably noticed that the current "thing" in decorating trends, is to take something old & worn and mix it in with all that's new! Worn, weathered, distressed, salvaged, chippy...these buzzwords sound familiar, right? All of them, chippy being MY favorite, have taken over the design world. It is no longer cool to turn up at a big box furniture company and buy everything included in the 7-piece set. Nooooo...our stylish homes of … [Read more...]
The Holidays Are Here!
Wow- is about all I can say about our amazing vendors over at our St. Louis Park store. They sure have been busy little elves- sewing, painting, building, creating to get all the goodies ready. Ready for what you ask- they are putting on a Holiday Boutique and it is sure to have something for everyone! Here is just a glimpse of what will be there. I honestly could have stayed there a few hours looking at all the creations these Mamas + one Papa have come up with but my hubby was with so I … [Read more...]
Your Happy is My Happy!
Don't we all look for ways to sprinkle doses of happy into the hum-drum routine of life? Happy places. Happy people. Happy things. Happy times. And...Happy memories. Because! Happy makes the heart healthy...and hopeful! What a treasure it is to find a place, right here in Minnesota, that sprinkles ALL sorts of this said Happy!!! If your discovery of Mama's Happy was anything like mine...oh...I'm sure it was! The happy bells went off and were ring-A-LINGING!! As you wandered around this … [Read more...]
Holiday Workshops
It is that time of year we pull out boxes and boxes of goodies to decorate our homes. If you are like some of my friends it is half of your storage shelves that are empty when you take those down to unpack. Well, we have some fun workshops planned to help you add to your holiday decorating. Who doesn't like to get their crafting on this time of year. I am talking stenciling, painting, using power tools, recycling or repurposing items, and best of all adding your personal touch to the project. … [Read more...]
Here’s what you don’t want to miss this weekend
Hi friends! What a difference a week makes in Minnesota. We were just commenting yesterday how we had almost an 80 degree swing from a week ago. Yikes! But as we all know, when Mother Nature smiles down on us in the spring, you get outside and enjoy it! I've heard there were a few of our Mamas painting outside in the sunshine this week. Don't you love it?! Well, it's been a busy week around here. Our Occasional Shop in Independence is open this weekend. And if you haven't heard, Amanda has … [Read more...]
Workshops at Mama’s
We've got some fun planned for you!! Everything from Chalk Paint ® workshops to Make-N-Takes for the holiday season. Chalk Paint® 101 Workshop Come for a few hours of fun packed with learning how to use the best paint in the world Chalk Paint®. You'll learn 6 different techniques, the story behind this one of a kind paint and how to prepare, paint and seal your projects. You'll leave with 6 technique boards that you painted yourself! The words we hear the most from folks that have attended … [Read more...]
Meet these vendors for the Artisan Market
Peggy from Dibbydabbles Designs and Finds. Check out her Facebook page at Dibbydabbles designs and finds Vintage On Bridge The next vendor is acutally a bunch of gals who got together to do what they love- repurpose and refinish. It is the ladies from Vintage On Bridge You can check out their Facebook Page at Vintage on Bridge See you in a few days!! Enjoy the beautiful weekend!! … [Read more...]