shut the front door

happy weekend!!

i wanted to share a project that i have been working off & on with for the past year. my front door!

it started out all white and normal looking && now it looks like this!!

i made the 'L' out of burlap and order the 'hello' off etsy from:: here! 

the color is the same as our shutters! 

i have been thinking off adding a kick plate {can't decide! what do you think?} && definitely want a new door bell but haven't been able to bring myself to spend that $$$ and we need a new fresh doormat but we were given this one as a wedding gift with our last name so it has some sentimental connection! maybe i can hint for a new one this anniversary! 

{{like the ice scraper accessory?? can't wait til we can put that away for a while!}}

i will post some about the rest of my front porch soon! i decorated the rest to all blend in!

i love the way that it has turned out and hope to give the whole porch a face lift this summer!!

what do y'all think?

vday is here!

happy valentines day!!!

k is going to school today (she normally goes tuesdays & thursdays) but they are having their valentines party today! {{plus she didn't go yesterday because of the lovely snow & ice we had going on}} i made cute little goody bags with bubbles on a card saying 'im bubbling with excitement that you are my friend!' they also had fruit snacks & a sesame street heart shaped sticker!! 

here she is in her dino shirt! she wasn't being SUPER cooperative but still cute for 6:30 in the am...

&& here is my sweet little boy in his onesie!!

my husband is growing a MASSIVE beard so his presents relate to that... random I know but it's his pride & joy!! i got him a cute comb that says 'daddy's whiskers' some beard oil & balm {not sure what it does but he said he wanted some} i got all of that off etsy ... you can follow the links & find them. && then the kids (with my help) made him a love sign with their feet && handprints. they weren't super cooperative so it smeared some but it's still super CUTE!!!

my dad made the wood base {he's a great woodworker so i get him involved a lot!} and got the wood letters at michaels. they were white but i painted them red (of course!) not sure where we will hang it... maybe over the door in our bedroom- not sure yet but i LOVE it!! jealous it's his && not mine!! 

we normally go out to eat with a group of friends every friday but being valentines we decided to skip this week. && my hubby and i decided to stay @ home and i was going to cook our favorite meal 'spicy sausage pasta' but with the lovely ice i hadn't ventured to the store. so we are playing 'catch as catch can' and eat whatever we got on hand. so should be a very romantic night... 

valentine's day DINO shirts

so here goes my 1ST tutorial... this is one of those projects that you see on Pinterest and go... i can do that! so i did! && love them!! i made k & o matching dinosaur valentines day shirts {well o's is a onesie}

i know it doesn't seem very girlie but k loves her some dinosaur train on pbs and figured it would suit o just fine

so... to start you need::

:a printed outline (cut out) of your dino (or any animal or thing for that matter) 

:scrap fabric

:wonder under

:ribbon (if adding a bow)

:heart button (i got a pack at joann's on sale)

:shirt/onesie (whatever your making!)

now what i would & did do was get a square of wonder under roughly the same size as my printed outline and ironed it onto the back of my fabric i was using {there will be a little waste and i hate that but this is the best way i found to do it ((if you know a better way please comment! always willing to learn new tricks!))}
then i traced my outline onto the top of the fabric and cut my little dino out! and that is where we pick up with the pictures - sorry i actually did my dino early january and am just now getting to putting all together!!

::so here are our supplies for k's shirt

::next i peeled the wonder under from the back of my dino and placed it where i wanted it on the shirt

















::next i ironed my dino in place - i left my iron on the dino for about 15 secs
: now this is where you can do one of two things:: i didn't sew around the edges because its a holiday shirt and my kids are only going to wear it once and it won't be washed BUT if you are planning on your child wearing this frequently  and washing it your best bet is to run a line of stitch around your outline to keep it from peeling and/or fraying

::here it is all stuck on
















::i then placed my heart button and bow where i wanted them
::now here is where you can do one of two things and i went the cheaters way again! i just hot glued the bow and heart into place - like i said it won't be washed and will only be worn once but again if you plan on it being worn multiple times then you would want to sew them into place












::and here they are finished!! k && o will be super cute in their shirts!











this was a super quick and easy && possible no sew shirt tutorial that can be adapted for any holiday/occasion/ or just because!!!

HOPE you enjoyed it!! && cut me a break if its not perfect! i promise i will improve as this goes along!!

<3{{alyson}}

the FIRST

OK so here is my FIRST blog post! nothing super exciting - but it is exciting for me to write it!
let me start by introducing MYself::
HI! i'm alyson: i'm 25 and have been married to my best friend and soul mate jay for (3.5) years {together for 8}:: i am the mother to [2] wonderful kids:: kenzie.. 22 months && owen 2 months
&& that is where the name of the blog.. a KO kinda life ..comes from a play on knockout  && my kids initials

we live in a small town in between atlanta && athens GEORGIA::: my husband is a automotive mechanic at a wonderful hometown owned shop in MONROE i am a certified teacher but have never held a full time teaching job... i was pregnant with K when i graduated the university of georgia {{must admit i am a HUGE alabama fan-- ROLL TIDE!!}} & have only substituted here there & yonder to stay in the mix & i love doing it but i <3 being at home with my kids too..

i plan on trying to update frequently on ALL kinds of fun stuff... from my crazy kids, to how i try to save money so i can stay home, && all my fun projects and such i attempt and try to complete!

thanks for stopping by!!