Busy Home Adventures

A Beautiful Mess

2011-07-26T16:23:00.000-04:00

There's a brand new plaque adding some interest above the door in the playroom. I made it in just a few minutes by painting chalkboard paint over some extra wood I had from another project. I had just the saying to write on it, too:

Sometimes, the house just doesn't need to be clean. The baby and I have been sick with sinus and ear issues all week, so I've had to make more than my usual share of compromises in how my time is spent.

I could cook elaborate dinners, or I could sit do some crafts with my oldest.

I could do a 20-minute kitchen blitz each day, or I could sit down with my baby and let him knock down some blocks.

I could put away the laundry during naptime, or I can accept the limits of this human body, and rest too.

I took these pictures just a few minutes ago...what do you think I chose to do with my time this week?

I do love a clean house, but I'd rather be a joyful, rested mom. Now, ideally it is nice to have them both, but sometimes one has to choose. When the mess stresses me out, I think about which I'd rather my boys remember: a messy house, or a crabby mom? It's a lot easier to choose when I think of it that way.

When I was pregnant with my first, a great-aunt of mine made me a sampler with this poem, which I hung in the nursery:

Cleaning and scrubbing

Can wait till tomorrow,

For babies grow up,

We've learned to our sorrow.

So quiet down, cobwebs.

Dust, go to sleep.

I'm rocking my baby,

And babies don't keep.

I couldn't have said it better. It's a little too long to fit on the chalkboard paint board in the playroom, but the sentiment is there.

Are you sometimes forced to choose between playing with your kids and housework? How do you choose?

Getting My Weekend On: Master Bedroom Blitz

2011-07-22T11:29:00.001-04:00

One of my favorite Friday rituals is getting our house "ready" for the weekend. There is just something about a clean, well-stocked house that helps me to relax and have fun on Saturday and Sunday. I tackle every room in the house, from the kitchen, to the bathrooms, to the master bedroom.

I've already showed you how I clean the kitchen in 20 minutes, which I also did this morning, so today I'll briefly describe how I tackle our master bedroom. I know the master bedroom is typically a great place to dump stuff that you don't want guests to see or kids to touch, but when it's a mess, it's harder to rest in there. So I try to make it a priority to keep it spiffed up daily, but especially on Fridays.

Make the bed. Even if you don't do this every day, give it a try today. Really tuck in the sheets. Climbing in there tonight will feel special and luxurious after a long week of work.
Dump out all of those laundry baskets full of clean laundry and sort and fold! Use a timer (I am overly enthusiastic about timers but they WORK!) and race yourself. You'll be surprised just how much can get accomplished in only 5 minutes.
Now that the clean laundry is away, find the hampers and start a new load of laundry. I'm sure you can find some. Why ruin a Saturday with laundry duty?
Do a quick sweep of the floors and surfaces. Find any little bit of trash, stray hairbands, pencils, or other little bits of clutter. If the doodads don't have a "home" grab a little tray or find a drawer to stash them in.
Lightly dust. Our bedroom is one of the most dusty rooms in the house for some reason. I keep an old sock in my dresser drawer just for dusting in here. I turn it inside-out onto my hand and sweep all of the hard surfaces with it. This takes less than a minute if I work quickly!
Close all doors inside the room. This includes the closets, dressers, nightstands, etc. If you get ready in a hurry, like we tend to do, these can be open, always showing off their goods. It makes a clean room look messy. It takes only one minute to make a big difference in how a room feels.

Now enjoy a much more relaxing and comforting bedroom for the weekend!

Do you have a bedroom cleaning ritual? Tell me about it in the comments!

5 Offbeat Indoor Activities for Kids Under 5

2011-07-20T14:56:00.003-04:00

This week the kiddos and I have been sick with summer colds, so we're isolating ourselves from society. Our area is also experiencing a massive heat wave, in addition to staying away from friends, we're staying inside. Left unchecked, this could be a recipe for mama-insanity. But here a few things that have kept our isolated week interesting. Maybe they can spice up your week, too?

Blow Some Bubbles

Who says you can't blow bubbles indoors? Yes, there may be a sticky reside on the floors after, but then the cleanup can be part of the fun. This always puts a light in my preschooler's eye and makes the baby giggle!

Get Out the Sidewalk Chalk

It's not just for outside! A little chalkboard paint on an indoor surface, such as this door in my kitchen, make for a fun outlet for free creativity, minus the hot sun.

Give Them a Bath

Even if they don't "need" it, a bath can be lots of fun. Add some beach toys, bath crayons, or sponges for extra fun. Take an opportunity to clean the bathroom or read a book while you're supervising. Or, if you don't want to miss out on the splashing, put on a bathing suit and play along!

Play With Dominoes

The possibilities are many with dominoes--anything from a modified traditional game of number-matching, to arranging lines of vertical ones for toppling, to just stacking and knocking them down. Use them on a hard floor for lots of kid-satisfying noise.

Host a Dance Party

When all else fails, turn up the music and dance. Model the fun for your kids. When they see you having fun, they will have fun, too. Add scarves or egg shakers for an extra-special experience. We used the kid-classic Raffi today, but any music will do. Jazz, Hip-Hop, or Classical--whatever floats your boat!

So moms, what are your secret weapons for fun on days when you're all cooped up? Tell us about it in the comments!

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Slow Cooker Pot Roast

2011-07-19T10:55:00.002-04:00

Slow cooker meals are the busy mom's best friend! This is especially true in the summertime, so that having a hot meal doesn't mean a hot kitchen. And, it really saves those early evening hours when fussy children would rather that mom pay attention to them instead of the stove.

This pot roast is one of my favorite slow cooker recipes. My mom shared it with me, after another family member shared it with her. I have no idea whose original idea this is, but I'm going to reprint it here because it's so delicious! And best of all it has a deliciously fun secret ingredient: Coca-Cola! It adds sweetness, color, and possibly meat tenderizing ability to the sauce. I love surprising my guests with this interesting fact.

Slow Cooker Pot Roast

Ingredients

A cut of beef with a decent amount of fat running through it (something marked "shoulder roast" or "churck roast" or even "pot roast" should do. If you're not sure, ask your butcher! I get mine at Costco and it's marked "pot roast." LOVE this cut.)
2 T cooking oil (I use EVOO)
Carrots (I used about 1 pound)
Celery (I used 1/2 of a bunch)
Potatoes with a thin skin, such as Yukon Gold
1 large onion
1 can cream of celery soup
1 envelope dry onion soup (such as Lipton)
1 can of cola (I used caffeine-free Coca-Cola)

Directions

Cut roast into 2-3 large pieces for ease of handling. In a large skillet, heat oil in over medium high heat. Brown each piece of roast until a nice dark brown crust begins to appear. Romove from heat.
In the slow cooker, add remaining ingredients and stir. If the vegetables are not completely covered, add water or beef broth. Place roast on top. It should be at least partially submerged.
Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours. About 6 hours into cooking, you should see that the roast has formed a dark crust where is is not covered in liquid. This will be yummy. Turn it over so the other side is exposed to the air and a crust can form.
Serve with biscuits, rolls, or bread and enjoy!

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Good Cheap Eats

Getting Into a Morning Routine with Young Kids

2011-07-15T15:57:00.001-04:00

Do you have trouble "getting going" in the morning? I do! I am a night owl, not a morning person. I prefer to wake up on my own time, sip some coffee, enjoy the peace of the morning and...

Enter my kids. Actually I don't think they are really kids but Energizer bunnies in human form.

They are ready to go in the morning. Eaaaarly. Before 7am, usually. Perhaps this has something to do with the fact that they go to bed at least 3 hours before I do, and also get an afternoon nap?

Before we established a morning routine, my kids' morning energy and my own disorganization had become an unhealthy combination. My morning interactions with my son went something like this:

"Mommy, can I have some juice?"

"Uhh, sure....oh, wait, we're out of juice. How about some milk?"

(pause)"Please can I have some juice?"

"No, dear, how about milk? Or water? Oh, hold on, I'm measuring my coffee out..."

"Hey, look, a bird! Let's go out."

"Sure. Wait, you're not even dressed! You can't go out there! No! Baby! Don't go through the trash can!!!"

"Hahahaha, he's in the trash! Look at that mess! Mommy, let's go play with trains. And have some juice, OK? Please?"

"No. There. Is. No. Juice. Here is your milk."

"OK. Milk."

I sit down.

"Mommy?"

"Yes?"

"How about some cereal? I would like raisin bran. And then we should go out and see that bird."

"Just a minute. Mommy's checking her email."

"Mommy...Mommy? Mommy?"

"AAAAAAaarrrghh!"

And we would go on like this, until eventually I'd turn on the TV, to mute the three year old. Because for Mickey Mouse, he'll sit there and watch and have a good time and not bother me for juice at all. And then I'd have my coffee, read some blogs, and all would be right with the world. And then what seemed like 10 minutes later, I'd look at the clock, realize that it's 10:30 and my son had been watching TV for almost three hours. Guilt would set in and I'd wonder what on earth was I doing to this poor child. Maybe preschool at home wasn't such a good idea.

So, almost a year ago now, I developed a morning routine through trial and error that has worked really well for our family. I'm going to share it with you, not because I think it's perfect, but in the hopes that if you're in the "soooo not a morning person" club, you can know there is hope. If slow-as-molasses-in-the-mornings Susan can get herself and her kids going before 9am, so can you!

Here is our typical morning:

First, I brew some coffee while my oldest son watches a cartoon. Yes, this is eerily similar to what we did before we had a routine. But, I've found that I'm able to be a happier, ready-to-face-the-kids mom if I have a few minutes to myself in the morning, and the TV provides that. However, we limit it to about 1 30-minute show and/or 1 cup of mommy's coffee. It may not be an ideal way for a child to start the day, but it works for us. For now.
After the TV show, my son turns of the TV himself, and comes into the kitchen for breakfast. We have a no-breakfast-in-front-of-the-TV rule, which forces an early end to the Mickey-fest. It keeps the living room clean as well.
Next, we have what has become known as our "morning meeting." We sit in front of a cloth and velcro calendar* and my son gets to tack up the day of the week, date, month, year, weather, and season. This has been a great way for him to grow in his understanding of time (ie, Sunday is the day we go to church, and also the day after Saturday) as well as exposing him to numbers and words without the "pressure" of reading. for example, I'll often ask him, on a Friday, what sound "Friday" starts with, and as he chants "fffff", he'll find the Friday patch and proudly place it on the calendar.

We close our morning meeting time with prayer and a song. We're a Christian family, so this time is important to us spiritually. We ask God for his help for the day, particularly with anything that his been disrupting us during the week. I involve my son in making a list of prayer requests as much as possible. This week, we have been asking for the baby to learn not to grab toys, for my older son to learn to share cheerfully, and for Mommy to be patient. We also thank God for at least as many things as we ask for: the beautiful sunny weather, our comfortable house, and the blessings that each member brings to our family.
Next, we "check the schedule," meaning we look to the magnetic schedule cards which (hopefully) I have arranged the night before. This determines our next steps, which typically involves getting dressed, music time, and "school" time. (More on each of these in future posts.) But because it's a flexible routine, sometimes the cards indicate that my son should play with a special toy (like he's doing now as I write this blog post) or that we should get out of the house for some special purpose. Regardless, it's set in order and we are all happier knowing what to expect of the day. Read more about the magnetic schedule cards here.

So there you have it: a routine that is working for us. It's constantly evolving, and now that the baby is just over a year old, I'm sure it will be changing even more in the coming months.

So what is your family's morning routine? Do you have one? How is it working for you? I'm interested in what this looks like in your homes! Please tell me about it.

*If you're looking for a calendar, I am not sure where to find the exact one I have, because it was a thrift find. However Amazon has this one, which is very similar. (link contains affiliates)

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Thrift Store Mirror Gets a New Life

2011-07-11T21:25:00.003-04:00

I found a little thrift store gem on Saturday. What fun finding a treasure like this is!

It was marked $1.91. I wonder why they always have such obscure pricing? But nonetheless, it was a bagain so I grabbed it!

But it's not going on the wall like that. Oh, no, no, no! First, vee vill need zee painter's tape and zee cardboard....

And zhen zee primer...

Vait! Vaht's dees? Oh, yes, I asked hubby to pick up some spray paint for me. He came back with this enamel stuff, kind of sheepishly. It was all they had in the color I had asked for, so he did great! This is my first time trying an enamel paint. It worked OK, but the drying time is 5-9 hours! I won't be getting it again unless I can think of some particular use for enamel.

It went on fine, but it really did stay wet for a long time like the can said it would. It also developed a few bubbles. I wonder if I didn't let it dry enough between coats?

Next up: chalkboard paint. Too lazy to get a screwdriver out, but this will work.

Gray? No, tt needs a good stir!

I probably should have primed the glass, but it seemed to go on OK!

I used two coats, leaving a little rim around the edge where the mirror pokes through, just for fun.

Finally, some embellishments with acrylic craft paint, because I felt like it:

After priming the chalkboard surface by rubbing on chalk and wiping it off with a cloth, it was ready to use.

It's not going to stay on the shelf, but for now it does just fine here. What a change paint makes! One more time, here's the before:

And the after:

Linking to these great parties:

Chic On a Shoestring Decorating

Happy Healthy Front Porch

2011-07-08T11:48:00.001-04:00

This week may not have been flowing with cute crafts or inspiring activities, but I sure do feel like I got a lot done! Our porch is in great shape now. New door paint, restored ironwork, and even some flowers and patriotic bling to boot:

You may remember what it looked like just last week:

before

I love caring for my home. Spray painting over rust may not be glamorous, but I love knowing that I may have saved us (or at least delayed the urgency of spending) a pile of money on something we already have. It is totally worth the few hours I put in now to save money later.

The top coat is on the ironwork. I spent some time deciding between flat and gloss with two Home Depot employees (each of whom declared one or the other to be what "most people" choose) and finally decided to split the difference with Rustoleum Black Satin. Read more about what I did to fix the rust problem here.

I also picked up a happy perennial to put in a planter that had been sitting empty in our backyard. On sale for $8! Huzzah!

Since the 4th is over, I took down the large flag, but left a little one in it's place.

The results aren't as dramatic as some porch makeovers, but I'm pleased nonetheless. I can continue to play with style as time goes on, now that the "bones" are better taken care of.

What "unglamourous" projects have you tackled (or have been meaning to tackle) lately? Do you finish them feeling satisfied, like I do? Tell me about it!

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First Day of {pre} School

2011-07-07T21:36:00.000-04:00

I'm so proud of my big boy! Today was his first ever day of school outside the home and he rocked it.

This is month is a test of sorts for us--a month-long program of Thursdays at our local preschool. It's a wonderful little place. Although I don't know the specifics of his day, he told me he had a great time, and the teacher said he did well. It was so much fun for me to get him there, all with his little PB&J, brand new bookbag with iron-on letters, and matching lunchbox.

You may be looking back and forth between the title of this post and the little "preschool at home" tab under my header. No, this is not a departure for us. All education begins at home, whether one is officially "homeschooling" or not. How much of it and for how long, well that's got to be a case by case basis for each family to decide. I still consider myself my son's primary teacher, even if he hangs out at school once a week for a while. Besides the "educational" activities we do such as reading, crafting, or pretend play, my son's primary preschool curriculum is simply life. He's learning to wash dishes, to be patient with his little brother, and to go grocery shopping without coming home with every bauble that catches his eye. Good lessons, and I get to learn them again, right there beside him. I'm so thankful that we can take this journey together!

Porch Progress: Restoring Ironwork

2011-07-06T11:43:00.001-04:00

After spending some time primping our front porch, I realized that the color of the fornt door wasn't the only thing that needed some attention. Badly. Our porch is supported by some iron railings, and their rust was getting out of control. I'm sure this has happened over time, but it's been only recently that I've really noticed it. It was time to tackle it and I wish I hadn't waited so long! It wasn't hard at all and made a huge difference. If you have ironwork on the outside of your house, I recommend taking a close look at it and restoring it if needed. This little fix probably saved us a lot of money! Just look at how bad it was getting:

Before: rust central

To restore ironwork in this way, you will need:

gloves
steel wool, coase grade (I used #3)
a drop cloth and cardboard
Rustoleum Rust Reformer
Spray Paint for top coat
Safetly goggles

I started by donning my gloves and rubbing the steel wool all over the rusted iron work. This was pretty tedious with all of the scrollwork, but worth it. Don't be tempted to skip this step! If your iron has flaking, rusty paint on it, it will just chip in a few days and expose more rust. This is the step that you should use safety goggles for. I was a renegade and didn't use them--though I was lucky that there was no wind that day. There were little bits of rust and steel wool flying everywhere, so goggles make a lot of sense. A mask might be a good idea, too.

after a steel wool rub-down

I probably could have done more of this, particularly in the crevices, but my #1 priority was to make sure the supporting rails are preserved.

Before: in need of some steel wool!

Next, I put down a drop cloth and began spraying on the Rust Reformer. This was my first time using this product and I am very impressed with it! It goes on with the consistency of a primer and really does coat very well. (No, I'm not being paid to say this...Rustoleum has no idea who I am...just passing along a recommendation to you!)

The can says that a topcoat is optional, which I'm glad for since I did this a few days ago now and haven't had a chance to put one on yet. It looks pretty nice, though, with a very flat black finish:

I also haven't covered all of the ironwork with the Rust Reformer yet. This is a two-can job. I'll go out and get some more today and show you the finished porch another time.

After some of the Rust Reformer: You can see the top still needs a coat.

It took me just over an hour to do what you see here. I'll probably spend another hour once I gather more supplies. The results aren't perfect, but we really did let this go for too long. Here you can see how corroded certain parts were becoming:

Before: you can see the iron itself is actually bending and chipping

However, I think I just extended the life of this ironwork by at least a few more years! I'd gladly spend the two hours and $6 per can of this stuff to save hundred of dollars for replacement metal!


After: a rust-free finish

So what small fixes have you done in your home lately--especially those that can save hundreds of dollars or more down the road? Tell us about it in the comments! I probably need to look into doing it at my house, too...

Patriotic Front Door

2011-07-02T17:28:00.002-04:00

I had such high hopes for the front porch. It was going to be a complete and dramatic transformation, complete with lush ferns in planters and creative patriotic bling! But alas, life with two little ones keeps things complicated.

It was hard to find time to paint the front door and leave time for it to dry, wide open, and safe from little fingers...so the work went slowly. But, I did promise an after so I'll show you what it looks like even though I don't consider it "complete". Plus, since the 4th is only 2 days away, I'd better show you the patriotic stuff now rather than later. So here it is:

I started by applying some spray paint onto the rusted mail slot. This is Rustoleum's Hammered Metal in gold and I must say I'm impressed with the texture! Recommended. It looks less sparkly in real life than in this pic. It doesn't really look painted at all.

Then I refreshed the red on the door:Behr's Premium in Dozen Roses.

Older son and I planted some geraniums and begonias--on sale since we're so late in the season now. :)

The front door basket, ribbon, and flag were all last minute additions from Dollar Tree. I love that store! Holiday bling for $3!

Even without anything in the basket, this is pretty cute:

I know this scene isn't vying for a spot in BHG, but it's quite a transformation for less than $30 of paint, plants, and Dollar Store items! Remember, here is what it looked like a few days ago:

And as it stands today, in its patriotic garb:

Next up, I plan to restore our rusty metal ironwork. I'll post on that as it happens. I still have plans for improving the porch, so maybe soon you'll see another post on that!

Have a great long weekend, friends!

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Porch Mini-Makeover

2011-06-29T12:15:00.001-04:00

There are plenty of my spaces in my home that need attention. Now that I've finished the playroom and the master bedroom, it's time to find a new project. I have thought about adding some window seating in my living room, as well as updating our dining room....but for now I'm taking a pit stop and focus on the outside of the house:

(house number obscured for privacy)

It's really the stroller that makes it look classy, isn't it? Or is it the dead pansies? Up close you can also enjoy the toddler fingerprints on the glass door!

I'm starting with the door. It's kind of pink. I'm not sure if that is the color the previous owner chose, or if it's sun-faded. Either way, it's got to go.

It's not done yet or I would show you.

So I'll just give you some clues to help you guess what the after will look like.

I've also got some crafty stuff going on.

Come back soon to see the mini-transformation!

Playroom Reveal

2011-06-24T10:10:00.004-04:00

Ready for the grand tour of our playroom? I'm so excited to show it to you!

The painted dresser is still at home under the window with its new curtains and rod. It has also become a resting place for our violins. My son is learning to play (like his mama!) and having the instruments out is so much more conducive to practicing. I realize they have become part of the decor and I'm OK with that. Ours is an active, lived-in home.

I opted not to by a new, white slipcover for the couch at this time. I would certainly prefer the look of the white, but for now, the tan will do just fine. The Happy Pillow Trio adds some pops of color, along with the navy blue pillows I already had.

I decided to just keep the Target lampshade, even if it may be a little small. Really, I can't find a bigger one in this shape, and I think it blends in just fine. I don't plan on spending hours and hours staring at it straight on, and I don't think anyone else will, either.

You may have noticed that I did not prepare a gallery wall as I had intended to. I had everything laid out, but I I just wasn't feeling it. My collection just didn't jive, plus then I still had some other walls to fill. So I hung the spray-painted mirror above the couch. The quick shell frame found a home over the book shelf:

The nautical monograms fit perfectly in this little spot:

And I found this clock at Wal-Mart to fill up the final wall. It says "Main Street Terminal" on it, which I decided was a sign. My older son is a train lover!

The retro kitchen was a very fun present my youngest received for his birthday! If you're looking for a wooden play kitchen, we highly recommend this one. Really sturdy and comes in several colors.

And because this room doubles as a guest room, here it is in guest mode, with the sofa bed out:

You can see here that I have opted not to paint the door at this time. Thank you SO MUCH to everyone who gave suggestions on what to do...nothing really stood out to me as the right thing so I decided to just wait until I'm sure. I'm still open to suggestions, if anyone would like to comment now after seeing the rest of the room.

What I learned

A few shades lighter on the paint card makes a huge difference in the feel of the room!
A power drill is all you need to build your own sturdy shelf!
Camping pads are great for baby-proofing coffee tables.
One should wait about a month before distressing latex paints.
Gallery walls, while trendy and fun, aren't always "the answer" to your decorating question.
It's wise to set a budget after making a list of things to do!
A plan for the ideal craft project may be elusive, so be willing to move on until inspiration strikes.

What I spent

Painting the walls and trim: $58
Building a shelf to hide the built-in AC unit" $12
Adding a curtain and decor to the shelf: $22.75
Painting, padding, and upholstering the coffee table: $25
Creating nautical monograms and seashell art for a future gallery wall: $5 and $1.75
Sewing three new pillows for the couch: $8.50
Sewing new curtains and hung new rods: $54
Spraypainting a thrift store mirror: $5
Replacing a bug-eyed ceiling fan with a sleek white one: $8
Anchoring the bookshelf to the wall for anti-tip child safety brackets: $5
Painting and staining a dresser: FREE!
Replacing the tablelamp shade: $25

Grand total: $230! Over the original $160 budget, but no unreasonable for a room this size.

Recap
Remember what this room looked like BEFORE?

And now AFTER!

And yes, it may be a far cry from the INSPIRATION pictures:

Bet hey, for $230, I think I did OK here!

The best part is that I can add to it and change as I please--it's my house! I'll update as I do so. Thanks for stopping by and reading! I'm looking forward to starting some projects in other rooms, so stay tuned to see what they will be!

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Blogging through Crafter's Block

2011-06-23T11:41:00.001-04:00

I've read a lot of blog advice that advises pushing through "writer's block." But, does anyone out there know a cure for "crafter's block?" I'm dying for the perfect idea for a kid-fun station in our playroom.

You see, I am about 95% done with the playroom makeover now. Well depending on whether or not I decide to keep the Target lampshade, I'm somewhere between 90-98% done.

The final element that would complete this playroom is some kind of kid-fun station. I found oodles of inspiration in i heart naptime's Robins Egg Blue Magnetic Chalkboard:

Isn't it gorgeous? It is so cute that briefly considered making something just like it--I have some chalkboard paint sitting around, begging to be used--but our playroom is carpeted, and truth be told, I do not want to have chalk dust ground into our carpet.

I've also considered some kind of pegboard wall, like this one from The Well-Rounded Woman:

But honestly, with Mr. Toddlerpants getting into wildly inappropriate things, I don't think that pegboard hooks are the way to go, do you?

So I've got a blank wall and nothing to show for it. I would LOVE to put something in place, but I really want it to be the "right" thing...but since Crafters' Block is rearing its ugly head here, I've decided to call it a day with the playroom...for now. So tomorrow will be the "big reveal" and then I will start on other projects. The kid-fun center may come together on another day, so be ready for a fun surprise someday! (I hope!) See you tomorrow!

Adult Supervision Requred

2011-06-21T08:26:00.002-04:00

Yesterday was an off day for us. The boys' naps didn't line up at all, but I wanted to write yesterday's blog post about the lampshade, as well as check my email. I figured I could do both of these safely while my 13-month-old played with his toys. After all, I was only on the computer for about 15 minutes, and our house is relatively child- proofed. After a few minutes, I could hear him playing with the canned food in the pantry, but I thought nothing of it.

That is, until I hit "publish" and moved into the kitchen to look for baby:

What's this? Next I checked the pantry. It looked like a Smurf crime scene.

And then I saw him.

I probably should have been concerned about what all that blue stuff was, but I was way too amused and just grabbed my camera.

It was then that reality hit and I decided I had better find out where all of this blue stuff came from. So I followed the trail...to Big Brother's "project table."

Stamp ink! I was very glad to read "non-toxic" on the label. And yes, people, he grabbed the pad right of the top of the table. This was not big brother's fault. It was all mine.

I leave you with some takeaway wisdom from this adventure:

I should write blog posts only when baby boy is asleep.
Stamp ink is amazing stuff. This particular pad was used to make my wedding programs and invitations seven years ago. And look how much was left.
Formula 409 is great for getting aforementioned stamp ink out of wood and painted surfaces.
Stamp ink does not wash off of skin with soap. We will both have blue bodies for a few days.
It's absolutely, totally, worth it to grab a camera and document messes. I can hardly wait for little bean's wedding reception. These photos will be in the slideshow for sure!

Linking to:

A New Shade?

2011-06-20T15:08:00.001-04:00

Our "tablelamp", which I've shown you before, may have found a new hat. I found it at Tar-jay this weekend. I've been surprised how difficult it has been to find a large enough, round shade. But then Target pulled though for me--and it even has blue trim! Score for $25. One less thing to do.

The old shade was falling apart. Neither it, nor or the fluer-de-lis finial was contributing to the look of the room at all.

It also was the first thing you noticed when you walked into the room:

The old shade was held in place above the lightbulb with a harp, making the whole setup even taller than it needed to be.

The new shade attaches right under the bulb, so it sits a little lower on the lamp. I like this!

I just wish it was a little longer, so it covered more of the stem of the lamp. But I haven't been able to find anything bigger, at least not in this shape.

As you can see in the pic above, I am not convinced enough to take the plastic wrapper off yet. I think I was so used to the old shade that it just looks strange to me now. Or maybe it is to short?

What do you think? Is it a keeper? Convince me please!

Weekend Love: Pillow Edition!

2011-06-18T17:56:00.000-04:00

Happy weekend, everyone! I hope you're enjoying some lazy summer days!

Head on over to Busy Home Adventures' new facebook page to find links to two fabulous pillow tutorials. There are some talented ladies out there--and they're teaching us how to copy their work!

And, while you're on facebook, I'd love it if you "liked" the Busy Home Adventures page! Leave a note and say hi, and go ahead post a link to something fun you've either blogged about or read on another blog. I'd love to hear from you!

PS--I'm still trying to figure out how to get the facebook widget to work with my sidebar. For some reason I only get the FB logo, no matter what code I try. Fellow bloggers, I'd love it if one of you could share the secret with me. I'd be forever grateful!

Beachy Wreath and Mantle

2011-06-16T14:42:00.005-04:00

It's still officially spring (at least until June 21!) but it is definitely time for a summer mantle! I'm still working on the playroom--can't wait to show you what's in the works--but I decided to take a break to update our living room to summer!

The spring wreath and mantle served us well:

But, moss and butterflies, though abounding in the summer, seem more like springtime decor. So, I got to work. I decided to just modify the wreath instead of buying new materials. The wreath is securely mounted the the shutter so I just moved it all to the table.

The moss came off easily, except for where it was glued. I decided to just leave it. A little green is OK.

I also kept the natural wooden flowers from Michael's. I really like them. Maybe I will challenge myself to incorporate them into a wreath for every season?

A while ago I bought some deco-balls and they came in a cute netted bag. I don't usually save packaging but I had stashed this in my craft box. I laid in onto a section of the wreath, tearing a hole for the flowers.

The flowers are leftover from my Dollar Tree seashell frame project. There were some many, and I still have a few left! I used hot glue to attach them.

After letting the glue set for a minute, the new, beachy wreath was ready for the mantle!

The hydrangeas are dried and leftover from a wedding I helped with a few weeks ago. I love how well they've held up! They're in bloom all over in my area and the just sing summer to me.

The cloche is part of a terrarium set from Marshall's and is just resting on a candlestick. Inside is one of the aforementioned deco-balls and some raffia.

On the left is a happy little ceramic vase that used to be my grandmother's. I seem to be the only person that likes this girl, but I think she is so cute. My grandmother kept her over her sink and stored sponges inside (there's a hole in the hat which can't be seen.). I've had this tucked away out of sight, but the green and yellow, along with the straw hat, are summery enough to include.

The mirror is also a Dollar Tree special! I bought it for the playroom, and sat it on the mantle for safekeeping. I like it there, at least for now.

To recap, here's the springy before:

And the summery after!

Linking to these great parties!

Ginger-Citrus Chicken Sandwiches

2011-06-15T08:47:00.002-04:00

Need something to do with chicken breast? Want it to be portable enough to eat outside? I've got a recipe for you! Everyone in my family enjoys this, from my picky husband to the baby. It's also a great use of your herb garden, which is probably ready to harvest right now! I've adapted the sandwich from this recipe on about.com

Ginger-Citrus Chicken Sandwiches
Ingredients

4 chicken breast halves (I used a pound of tenderloins--works just as well!)
3 T orange juice
1 T lemon juice
1 T lime juice
2 T white wine vinegar
3 T honey (this is a great use of any honey that has crystallized in the warm weather, like mine has!)
about 1/4 t grated fresh ginger
dash nutmeg
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh chopped basil
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1/4 cup flour
1 teaspoon salt
dash of fresh pepper
spring of fresh thyme
1 T olive oil
Hamburger-style rolls (I used potato)
sliced green onions

Directions
1. In a small bowl, whisk together orange, lemon, and lime juices, white wine vinegar, honey, ginger, nutmeg, basil, and garlic. Once combined, whisk in corn starch. Make this ahead if you want, so all the flavors have time to meld.

I highly recommend using fresh ginger if you have it. If you're stumbling across this recipe the same day you use it, ground ginger will work fine, but if you have time to go to the store, it's totally worth it. The ginger gives a flavor punch!

2. Using a mallet and wax paper, pound down chicken as thin as possible: 1/2 to 1/4 inch thick.

3. Combine flour, salt, pepper, and thyme in a bowl big enough to dip your chicken into it.

3. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Meanwhile, coat chicken in the flour mixture.

4. Cook coated chicken in skillet, about three minutes per side.

I did my tenderloins in two batches, so I put the finished ones aside in a clean bowl.

5. Once all the chicken is cooked, return it all to the pan and pour over the citrus mixture. Turn the chicken to coat. There is no need to stir, but you can if you want to. The citrus mixture will thicken almost immediately. Cook for 3-4 minutes, until a golden brown crust begins to develop, then turn and cook for an additional 1-2. Remove from heat.

6. Serve on a roll, sprinkling on green onions! You did it!

I served this with an arugula, cucumber, blackberry, goat cheese, and honey-roasted almond salad. I didn't use any dressing because there was already so much flavor in the sandwich!

Let me know if you try this! I hope you will love it as much as our family does. It's a crowd pleaser!

Linking to:

Life as Mom Ultimate Recipe Swap

Recycled Cardboard Lacing

2011-06-14T07:48:00.004-04:00

Although I love doing big crafty projects with my son, I've learned that it doesn't need to be fancy to be fun. Sometimes some old paper, some scissors, and a license to cut is all he needs to have fun. And sometimes, I like to direct things a little bit more. We made these letter lacing wraps the last time I hosted his playgroup, and they were such a hit, I thought I would share them with you today.

All you need is:

yarn
an old cardboard box
scissors

To get started quickly, cut a letter (or shape of your choosing) out of the old box. Make a small snip near one corner.

Have the child pick a color of yarn he would like to use. Cut about an arms length of it (any longer and it may be cumbersome to work with) and wedge the end of it into the snip you made.

Let him go to town wrapping it!

You may need to coach the child to pull the yarn tight as he goes. I told my group of boys to do that before they started. After that, I let them not pull it tight if that's what they were doing and waited for them to notice. It's no big deal if they make a tangle--any rat's next can be snipped away easily. Then, they are much more eager to learn how to make it not tangle.

My son chose to make his letter using just one color. His buddies chose a variety of colors. Just tie new yarn to the old as they go! Then, to finish, make a snip and tuck the yarn just like at the beginning.

Hey it may not be a Picasso, but it kept little hands busy! We rounded out the activity by talking about words that started with "v" after we were done. It was a success--at it only took 20 minutes from start to finish! That is my kind of project.

Do you have a favorite craft or activity that takes about 20 minutes to complete? I'd love to hear about it! If you are interested in being featured or doing a guest post on Busy Home Adventures, please send an email to BusyAtHome ~at~ live ~dot~ com.

Linking to these great parties:

Weekend Love

2011-06-10T18:24:00.002-04:00

I had the privilege of snapping some photos of my friend's newborn boy this week. Aren't baby feet the sweetest things?

Photography is a hobby of mine. Emphasis on HOBBY. But when people see my "big black camera", they often assume that I must know something about taking a good picture. However, owning such a machine does not automatically makes me a photographer. It makes me a camera owner. I'm learning to use it, slowly, but I'm certainly no professional. (For proof, I'll admit that the picture above of the baby's feet is far superior to any snaps I took of his face!)

Today I'm going to highlight some photographer friends of mine who take beautiful pictures, whether they own a DSLR or a cell phone camera. Each blogger is participating in the "365 project", meaning they are taking a picture each day for a year and posting it for all to see. Check out these collections, listed in the order they are currently on my blogroll. You will see that pictures are more the inspiration and skill and less about the price of the camera. There is beauty in all of these pictures!

365 Days of Stacy

Liane's Project 365

Photographer in Kansas City

My Life in 365 Pictures

I hope these blogs inspire you to take some pictures of your own this weekend, no matter what kind of camera you own. If you have a 365 blog of your own, please post a link in the comments! I'd love to see it.

Summer Tortellini Salad

2011-06-07T08:05:00.005-04:00

It's time for another 20-minute Tuesday! Today I'll be sharing a quick recipe with you that is easy to make but full of flavor. My kids eat it too!

I made this salad as a quick side dish for a recent meal of pulled pork sandwiches. I was out of traditional pasta salad ingredients, so I improvised. It took only a few minutes to make, and using the corn and the peas right out of the freezer chilled the whole dish, allowing me to serve it "chilled" right away.

Ingredients:
1 16oz bag frozen cheese tortellini
1 cup frozen corn
1 cup frozen peas
2T pesto
1T olive oil

1 16oz can stewed tomatoes

Directions:
Boil tortellini according to package directions (about 2-3 minutes). Drain and rinse with cold water.
In a large mixing bowl, combine remaining ingredients and stir. Add tortellini. Salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with fresh basil, if desired.

Enjoy!

Linking up to these great parties:

Centsational Girl

Playroom Dresser Redo

2011-06-05T23:02:00.007-04:00

There's a brand new dresser in the playroom!

But, she's not really brand new. This is how she used to look:

Not a beauty, exactly, but lots of fun little details. The large mirror on top was loose, and not in great shape, so I removed it altogether. Since she will live in a playroom, I didn't want to risk any accidents. It was heavy.

A quick coat of primer, left over from my last dresser redo, prepared the sides for paint.

Inspired by this dresser redo by Go Now to Your Dwelling Place, I decided to leave the top in a natural wood finish. I did some light hand sanding then stained it with Minwax dark walnut.

The top and sides got three thin coats of latex paint: Benjamin Moore's Simply White, color matched to Behr premium. This is leftover from painting the playroom trim and shelf, so it blends right into the room.

I just painted right over the keyholes and scratched the paint off with my nail before it dried completely. Who needs tape?

The hardware is original. I love the worn look. Doesn't it pop nicely against the white?

I have thought about distressing the piece, but I read on Miss Mustard Seed's furniture blog that latex paint really should cure for a month before sanding. So I'm going to live with the dresser like this for now. I think I really like it as is! When I make a final decision, I'll give it a coat of polycrylic.

The dresser seems happy in her new home! I think it will serve us well as a combination toy storage unit and bedside table, when the room is being used as a guest room.

One more before:

And after:

What a difference a little paint and stain can make!

Linking up to these great parties:

Weekend Love: Take the Curtains Down!

2011-06-03T10:45:00.000-04:00

How is it June already? I was still figuring out how to decorate for spring, and now suddenly it's summer! I'm loving the longer days. Except for the fact that the sun wakes up the baby at 6am instead of 7am. But in general the extra light is something to love.

Speaking of light, yesterday I was chatting about my house's lack of windows with a neighbor. (Our homes were built in the 1940's, before the time double paned argon windows, so the builders wisely used them sparingly.) We were in my living room, and she pointed to the bay window and said "I always forget that you have that."

How could this window be forgotten? It takes up half the room. Suddenly, I realized the problem was the curtains. They left by the previous owner and were "good enough," so I had left them.

I just took them down, right then and there.

Much more cheerful, isn't it? I may eventually add some bamboo blinds for privacy when we need it, but for now, I like it a lot. Those curtains were really blocking a lot of the precious little light that was making it into the room.

This is the new view from my desk. I'm really enjoying it! And to think all these years I was wasting these windows.

Of course now I have a new project in mind. I saw this collection of window seats on the Inspired Room. Swoon!

I would love to put in a window seat, add some wainscoting around the room, and then paint it all a slightly lighter green...oh my! But alas, I really need to finish the playroom first. But now I've identified my next house project!

What about you? Do you ever get ahead of yourself like I'm doing? Or are you more methodical, taking it one project at a time?

Playroom Progress

2011-06-02T14:21:00.000-04:00

I know the updates have gotten a little light lately, but I *do* promise that I've been working on the playroom/guestroom project!

yikes

Need more proof? Check out this mess!

Nope, no tornadoes in our part of the country, just my junk from inside the dresser.

I'm kind of at the place in the project when I should be really encouraged that I've done so much. But, all I see is that there is so much left to do. However, lucky for me, I have a houseguest coming on Monday night. So I'm working double time to get it all together!

My three year old son complains that I'm taking so long to make his playroom. It's true, I have taken longer than I thought it would. Never mind that he and his brother are big reasons it's going so slowly! :) They are such joys, but they are messy little cuties that take lots of time to care for! But I wouldn't have it any other way.

Mush: It's what's for dinner.

For anyone keeping score, here's what I've done and spent on the project so far. (The numbers vary a little from what I've posted before--I've made some returns, and generally listed things in different groups this time. I'm trying to be accurate as I go!)

1. Painted the walls and trim ($58)
2. Built a shelf to hide the built-in AC unit ($12)
3. Added a curtain and decor to the shelf ($22.75)
4. Painted, padded, and upholstered the coffee table.($25)
5. Created nautical monograms and seashell art for a future gallery wall. ($5 and $1.75)
6. Sewed three new pillows for the couch.($8.50)
7. Sewed new curtains and hung new rods. ($54)
8. Spraypainted a thrift store mirror. ($5)
9. Replaced the bug-eyed ceiling fan with a sleek white one ($8)
8. Anchored the bookshelf to the wall for anti-tip child safety brackets.($5)

Total spent: $205. Over budget much? Hmmm...

Here's what is left to do:
1. Paint, stain, and clearcoat a dresser (No extra expense! Woot!)
2. Replace and decorate the lampshade on the evil tabelamp.(~$20?)
3. Possibly purchase a new area rug. ($30)
4. Finish collecting items for the gallery wall and hang it up. (?)
5. Possibly buy a new slipcover for the couch.($53--but I think I'm too over budget for this right now.)
6. Pick a color for the door and paint it. (~$20?)
5. Add little finishing touches. (As cheap as possible!!!)

I'm probably dreaming if I think I will get that done by Monday, but it's worth a shot, right? On second though, I think I'll be happy if I finish the dresser and start working on the tablelamp:

It taunts me.

Maybe I can throw a sheet over it? LOL.Perhaps a more mod shade, one that is more cylindrical, sleekly trimmed with navy blue ribbon? That's all I've got. Seriously, any ideas here? I'd love any input!

Quick Seashell Display Frame

2011-06-01T14:58:00.003-04:00

Beachy things go hand and hand with summer. Seashells are a big part of that. The other day I found some cute little basket of seashells at Dollar Tree, but displaying them was a challenge. My playroom shelf is full enough. The living room mantle needs a summer overhaul, but the scale of these small shells wouldn't work there. So, I decided to frame them.

I've had this yard sale frame for a while. I admit that the picture attracted me, since I've been thinking about nautical stuff for the playroom. However, I decided it was a little too cheesy even for my taste. But, I liked the frame and for 50 cents it was a bargain!

So I took it apart and put the picture aside...

...cut some cute vintage map scrapbook paper with my cutter, and re-framed it, this time minus the glass...

...and then hot-glued the shells right onto the paper. It looks to me like one of those butterfly display cases, except for, well, the fact that it's shells. :)

It's also 3D. My 3 year old son thinks it is great fun, and keeps petting the shells. He wants me to glue on some "more" but it is complete. I plan to make it part of a gallery wall in the playroom. It will stay up at least through the summer. Stay tuned for a gallery wall post! It's coming together!

Linking to:

Nautical Monogram Tutorial

2011-05-30T11:33:00.012-04:00

I'm in the midst of creating a gallery wall for my play-guest-room makeover, and I was brainstorming ways to incorporate some kind of monogram into it. I have seen all kinds of beautiful ways to decorate arabic letters, but none in particular were jumping out at me as "the one" for our playroom. I also wanted to keep a kind of nautical theme going in the room, and I was thinking of ways to incorporate that with out going "overboard" (har de har har)...Maybe rope? Some kind of sailboat pattern? Nothing seemed right. And then it hit me...use nautical letter flags to make something!

I had some fun thinking about making a word, a name, or something else...but then I found out that these flags, when used in an actual nautical situation, are not really used for spelling, but more like call letters on a radio station. So, a monogram it was after all. I wanted at least two, though, so I decided to start with my sons' first initials: A and C.
I began with two little wooden plaques from Michael's. ($1.99 each).

Using a little bit of wood stain and a rag, I gave them two quick coats of stain.

I didn't worry too much about getting the stain on evenly.

After they were dry, I painted on two coats of off white acrylic craft paint. Again, I wasn't particularly careful to cover everything.

After about an hour of drying, I used a sanding block to distress the top and sides. Just enough that the stain would poke through.

Enter some scrapbooking paper in nautical colors.

I cut them to match the shape of the plaques using my sliding paper cutter and some little scissors. I didn't get anything exactly lined up so the distressed edges would show through.

Then, the Mod Podge!

This was my first time using Mod Podge and I am hooked. Great stuff.

The plaques are skewing a little patriotic right now, but if I add some more letters, I think that will cure it. The "R", which is the first letter of our family name, might be a nice choice to balance it out with some red and yellow. I'm pleased with the way they turned out!

I put them on the shelf for temporary display, but I plan to mount them and include them in a new gallery wall eventually. They work both horizontally and vertically. Decisions, decisions.

Overall, this was a really easy and fun project! Excluding the drying time, I think I spent about 10-15 minutes on each one! If you already own some Mod Podge, each plaque costs less than $3 to make. Less, if you have a Michael's coupon handy.

If I had one of those fancy Silhouette cutters I keep reading about, I might consider adding an arabic letter over each plaque. What would you think about that? I'm sure I could find the patience to use my scissors for this if I really wanted...

I'm looking forward to making at least one more of these, and then setting up our gallery wall! The playroom is coming together! I plan on having the "big reveal" pretty soon. See you again soon!

Linking to:

Weekend Love

2011-05-27T20:48:00.000-04:00

Happy Memorial Day! I hope you have some good cookouts planned. Anybody doing anything special? We're going out on a double date with some friends tomorrow and leaving the kids at home. With a sitter. I psyched! I'm told the restaurant we're going to is awesome, but really I'm excited to get out!

If you haven't heard about this amazing story about a baby carried outside his mother's uterus, check this out. Pretty amazing, huh?

Have a great weekend, everyone!

Not a Tutorial, But...

2011-05-26T22:22:00.002-04:00

....I wanted to show you anyway.

I know I had promised a DIY bouquet tutorial, but silly me forgot to bring the camera with me to my bouquet-making party! I *did* manage to remember them for the actual wedding, though, so at least I can show you how they turned out.

Makings bouquets is not difficult once you get started. God made the flowers, and they are more beautiful that any of us crafters can make in our garages, so you've got an advantage from the get-go! The secret is to generally use odd numbers of each type of flower in the bouquet, which keeps a rounded look. However, in these particular bouquets the big roses (David Austin Miranda variety) just worked better in 6's so I went with it. The more types of flowers you have in the bouquet, the less important it is. Thes bridesmaids' bouquets contain the English garden roses mentioned above, mini pink calla lillies, and white fresia. The fresia, of course, is very fragrant and wonderful. One of my favorites.

I make the bouquet in my hand and I never put them down from start to finish until they are all tied up. I use plain old rubber bands and, hide them with ribbon, and secure it with pearl-headed corsage pins.

I get my flowers from a local wholesaler (but pay sales tax since I'm not reselling them) the day before a wedding and they are always fresh. These photos were taken at a dinner reception after being used all morning, so can see a little bit of wilting, but after 8 hours out of water, it's to be expected. I order 20-30% more than what I think I need and then the extras get stuck in a vase to be enjoyed at the reception, by the guest book, or in the ladies' room, as seen here:

The bridal bouquet is an ivory version of the girls', but with a few waxflowers added on the outside for accent.

I truly enjoy helping brides with their flowers. It takes up the night before the wedding, but it's a great gift the the bride that saves hundreds or thousands of dollars! I would encourage anyone who is interested in DIY flowers to give it a try. I'm happy to answer any questions if you're trying to get started. You may also want to check out my DIY corsage tutorial for more ideas about what can be done so very simply!

Linking to:

Playroom Coffee Table Redo

2011-05-24T08:53:00.011-04:00

I am so very excited to share my latest project with you! So excited, that I've decided to skip the Twenty-Minute Tuesday feature this week and show you this coffee table redo instead! It took a lot longer than twenty minutes to complete, but I'm so pleased to have a kid-safe table for our playroom now.

Despite it's worn appearance in its before state, this table was loved like an old friend. It's sharp edges, though, were less than friendly. For safety's sake, it had been in the basement since our oldest learned to toddle. Goodness knows I've banged my shins on it more times than I care to remember. I wanted a table for the playroom, though, so it was time for a makeover.

She has good "bones", don't you think?

As with my painted dresser makeover, I started with Zissner water based primer. Great stuff!

I completely covered the legs and sides, but left the top unpainted. I used Benjamin Moore's Simply White, a leftover from the playroom walls and shelf.

Then it was time to address the sharp corners. I had thought about just sanding down the corners, but even then it would still be a hard wood to bump into! So, I decided to try to pad it. I found this in the camping section of Walmart for about $6:

Using a staple gun, I attached it, padding the edges.

You can see I also secured the top with a few staples, too. I really like the consistency of this stuff. Squishy enough to absorb a hit, but not not pillow-like either. It fits tight enough that the curves of the piece still show. Hooray! It seems to be very sturdy, too. I recommend this stuff for your furniture padding needs!

Then I grabbed an old navy blue curtain and stapled that on, tucking the edges under.

Using hot glue and a fun ribbon, I hid all of those pesky staples. Bye-bye!

The paint job got banged up during the stapling, so I decided to distress the whole piece.

Distressed! The fun details in the legs, which faded away after being painted, are a little easier to see now. I'm glad I did it. ***I found out later that latex paint should really cure for a whole month before being distressed, otherwise peeling could result. Fortunately that was not really a problem here, but for my next project I will let the paint cure longer.

Hmmm. Still needs something. How about some fabric paint?

Behold, the magic of stenciling...

Ooh, la la!

As a bonus, it coordinates nicely with the brand-new curtains.

I plan to give the painted parts a topcoat of water-based polycrylic for protection. I'm about to redo another piece of furniture so I'll wait and coat them together. It will be an expensive touch at $17 for a quart, but I'm told it's the only kind of topcoat that won't yellow over time, and it should be enough for several projects going forward.

One more time, here's the before:

And the after:

All in all, I spent $25 on this redo ($17 for polycrylic, $6 for the padding, and $2 for ribbon). Not having kids hurt themselves on our furniture: priceless! Haha!

Linking up to:

Happy Pillow Trio

2011-05-23T11:45:00.008-04:00

My playroom sofa is brighter today! We now have a trio of happy pillows, all homemade. While I show them off, I'll explain how I made them, in a "tutorial light" fashion, since I neglected to take a lot of pictures along the way. Sewing is not my #1 skill so I needed to really employ my energy on the sewing rather than photography! I hope you enjoy reading it anyway. If you have any questions about what I did, I'd be happy to explain more in the comments.

I started with three 18" x 21" quilter's squares. $1.99 each from Joann's. I bought them along with the curtain fabric.

First, I cut each down to 18" x 18" square.

The remaining 3" scrap pieces were used for the bunting pillow. I made a little cardboard pattern and used my disappearing ink fabric marker to trace a few of each.

After cutting a few triangles out, I arranged them into a pleasing shape on an old ivory cloth napkin that I had rescued from my yardsale pile. After pinning them in place, I used my sewing machine, set on a wide stitch, to attach them permanently. With the machine, I traced around each triangle and then made a line over the top, connecting them together.

Then I grabbed a second ivory napkin. Placing the right sides together, I sewed around 3 1/2 sides, then turned it right side in, then stuffed it and hand-sewed it shut.

Ta-da!

For the second pillow, I chose two of the big 18" x 18" sqaures and cut them into three 6" strips each. Then placing the right sides together, I stitched them together across one long side, making two panels of three 6" stripes--but mixed up this time!

The seams are pressed open in "French Seam" style (so I'm told). Then I placed the panels with the right sides together and sewed around 3 1/2 sides.

I stuffed and sewed it shut. Ta-da! A reversible pillow.

For the third pillow, I had only one piece of fabric left. So I folded it in half and stitched around two of the three remaining sides to form a lumbar pillow. Buttons added some extra bling.

Somehow, even though I stuffed it carefully, this one turned out really lumpy. Does anyone know how to prevent or fix this?

I love how these coordinate with the new curtains:

They're reminiscent of this inspiration picture:

I love the classic look of the stripes, but a playroom can handle a little whimsy.

The only bad thing about these pillows is that they are making me want a new, lighter slipcover for the sofa.

Hmm. I am really tempted by this, at only $53. Never mind that I'm already over budget. I wonder if a white slipcover in a playroom would be a disaster, or a great washable success?

Linking to:

Weekend Love

2011-05-20T11:08:00.003-04:00

I hope you all are set for a fabulous weekend! I'm excited to be the {amateur} florist for a wedding tomorrow. Peonies, tulips, fresia, calla lillies, and lots of other beauties will grace the day. I'm looking forward to sharing a DIY bouquet tutorial and pics for you next week!

Thanks so much to Misty and Eve from Bumble Bliss for kindly bestowing me with the Versatile Blogger Award earlier this week. You are so kind. I feel so honored!

The instructions say I'm supposed to pass this on to 15 bloggers, but since I've got to prepare for the wedding and all, I'm going to highlight just three blogs that have caught my eye this week! Head on over to check out:

Joy @ Design It Home, who is in the midst of a fabulous dining room redo!

Beth @ Photographer in Kansas City who is almost halfway through a 365 days of photography project. she's documenting her year with a photo for each day. Also check out a maternity photo shoot she completed this week. Lovely, aren't they?

Good Time Charlie @ Redoux who is able to completely revamp furniture in amazing ways. She's hosting a linky party for furniture today as well. Have fun dreaming about what you can do with your old furniture!

Curtains, and a Confession

2011-05-19T17:46:00.007-04:00

Earlier this week, I showed you the new fan in the playroom, and at the same time, I subtly revealed the newly-hung curtains. So even thought you have already previewed them, I like the curtains so much that I think they deserve their own post. Well, their own post, plus a confession at the end...

They're full-length, but there's a surprise hiding below the window, which you'll get to see another time!

The pattern Joann's HS Courtyard, found in the home section. It wasn't easy picking out the fabric--in fact I had to forgo my first and second choices after driving to two different Joann's in my area searching for enough of any one pattern. But, I'm really glad I ended up with this. I wanted something fun, but not so busy that it would prevent me from someday changing the look of the room slightly.

I used my sewing machine to make a double-folded hem. I don't know if that is the technical term--I'm not a real sewer--but I folded the hem over about 3/4 of an inch, pressed it, folded it over again, pressed again, and then sewed a straight stitch right down the middle. All in all, it took about 45 minutes to do each panel, mostly because the length made the fabric a little fussy to work with.

The rod is the cheapie from Tar-jay, the same kind I used in our master bedroom as well as elsewhere in the house. I enjoy having a little bit of black in every room. It's like mascara for my windows. Although, being a redhead, I wear brown mascara. (Love this stuff by the way, for all of my fellow redheads out there!)

(psst...Can you tell I accidentally grabbed mocha ring clips instead of black? It was too late before I realized what I had done, but I don't think anyone can tell...or can you?)

And now, the confession. My original budget for this room redo was the proceeds of my yard sale, "plus maybe $50". Then I did better than expected at the yard sale, bringing home $161, and I had decided to use just that money. I loved a challenge, but I'm already over!

The budget busters:

Paint $65
Ceiling fan $8
Shelf $12
Yard sale decor scores $2.75
Thrifted "octopus" mirror $5
Spray paint for octopus mirror $6
curtain rod and rings $23
Fabric (these curtains, the curtain for the shelf, plus some stuff you'll see soon) $61

Added up, my out-of-pocket is $182.75--and I still would really like to replace the throw rug, among other things. So we're looking closer to $250 at least. The good news is that I have the extra money to use--the money we saved by having a staycation leaves my wallet a little fatter. So $161 of the playroom will come from the sale, and $90 from our regular earnings. I never like going over budget, but I keep telling myself this is still a reasonable amount for a room redo.

So how do you budget for large projects like this? Do you always come in on target, or have you missed the mark completely? Join me in the comments...

Linking up to:

Mirror Redo with Spray Paint

2011-05-18T11:16:00.006-04:00

If you are looking for the blog "Busy at Home," you are not in the wrong place. Busy at Home is now Busy Home Adventures! You can read about this change here. Welcome back!

On Saturday, my dear, sweet, amazing husband took both of our ~~noisy,~~ ~~needy,~~ darling children out to breakfast with some other similarly amazing dads from our church. I took the opportunity to do some Bible reading, to rest, and then to catch up on a hobby of mine: thrifting! It was so lovely to go to the thrift store--All. By. Myself. Ahhh. It's amazing how motherhood changes one's definition of luxury.

Along with other treasures, I came home with this mirror for a mere $4.94. I've been wanting a large-ish mirror for the play-guest-room redo and I thought this might be just the thing!

Not so attractive as is, but I know a good spray paint project when I see one! There was a little damage to some of the detail work, but overall all he needed was some paint. When my husband came home with the kids and saw the mirror he remarked that it looks a little bit like an octopus. He said this in an entirely supportive way, knowing that the playroom is planned to be a bit "nautical." What do you think, is it an octopus, or just a curvy sunburst?

I used some Goo Gone to get the grease marker tag off. (No, they don't pay me to say that, or sponsor me in any way; I just really love the stuff. But, interestingly enough their PR *did* contact me about a promotion after the last time I mentioned them on this blog...there may be a giveaway in our future! Isn't that exciting?)

Then I cut out a circle of strong paper and used painter's tape to seal around the edges. My fingernails came in handy here.

I couldn't resist putting a face on him. Now he's an octopus for sure!

I used several light coats of white primer. Here is what it looked like after the first coat. Already much improved!

When I had finished about 3 coats of primer, I flipped him over and did the back, which helped fill in all of the little nooks and crannies on the sides as well.

For the topcoat, I grabbed a can of the famous Rustoleaum "Heirloom White" and used one very light coat.

Looking great now!

It looked like rain so I bought it back into the playroom to dry under the brand new fan.

But, when I got it inside, I realized that even one light coat of heirloom white was just a little too yellowish. I really had more of a crisp white in mind. It's kind of hard to tell in this picutre, but if you look closely, you may be able to see what I mean.

So back out we went. I didn't have any white topcoat on hand so I used a dusting of the primer again. Don't tell anyone!

I haven't hung it up on the wall yet so above is the "after" pic for now...It's amazing what paint can do for something, isn't it?

Linking up to:

Blog Rebranding: Busy Home Adventures

2011-05-18T09:16:00.002-04:00

If you've stopped by here before, you've probably noticed that the color scheme has changed again, and this time, so has the title on the header.

When I started this blog, I thought I had done a good job of making sure my title was somewhat unique. However, I somehow missed this awesome blog when I was getting started:

http://busy-at-home.com

I have no desire to compete with or be confused with the above blog, so I'm going to let go of "Busy at Home". But at the same time, I'm not willing to change my URL. So, you are now visiting....

Busy Home Adventures

I've googled and regoogled and I'm pretty sure I'm in the clear on this one! So I've got some work to do this week making some new buttons and whatnot. I found the new header by searching for "free blog headers". I may someday pay someone to make one just for me, but for now, this will do nicely. My goal here is not to make money, but just to have fun and grow as I post. So, I'm trying not to spend any money on the blog either.

What do you think? Do you like the title? The color scheme?

Twenty Minute Tuesday: Kitchen Blitz

2011-05-17T10:38:00.002-04:00

Cleaning the kitchen is such an overwhelming task. There are dirty dishes to wash, clean dishes to put away, surfaces to wipe down, and all kinds of other stuff seemingly all over the place. Making the space clean is at best a daunting task.

I recently developed a system that is working for me--and it brings my kitchen from disgusting to presentable is twenty minutes or less. So, in the Spirit of Twenty Minute Tuesday, I'm going to share it with you today!

The key to this process is using a timer. In this instance I used the timer on my microwave but anything that will give you a countdown of 5 minute blocks will work. The timer keeps you on task and moving quickly, which can cut the time it takes to do this in half or more. Make sure everyone else in the house is either occupied or asleep so you don't get distracted; Go ahead and put on some Dora for the kids. Having a clean kitchen will be worth it!

You will be doing four sets of 5 minutes tasks. The rules are simple: if you finish a set of tasks, you may go ahead and get a jumpstart on the next set with your remaining time, or restart the timer for a new five minute block. However, if you don't finish a set of tasks, don't continue with it--push ahead and move on. You can go back at the end or just save it for another time. This is a blitz, not a deep clean.

To prove it can be done, I'll show you the 20-minute blitz I did last night as we go. First, the before pictures:

First Five Minute Set: Empty any clean dishes from the dishwasher and your sink drying rack. This is essential to the process, but my urge is often to leave these for the end since they're not "dirty". But, if you have clean, dry dishes in these spaces, where will the dirty or wet ones go? If you can't put away all of the dishes in five minutes or less, practice with your timer each day until you can. I bet you can do it in 4. Make it a game!

...If you have extra time before the 5 minutes is up, clean the area around your clean dish rack. Gunk can collect under there. Today I already had an empty dishwasher so I had time to give this area a good scrub.

As you can see, my kitchen doesn't really look much cleaner after this step. But the prep will pay off soon!

2nd Five Minute Set: Clear the counters.

Throw out or recycle any obvious trash on the counters. (banana peels, tin cans, little bits of plastic wrap, etc)
Put away any food. (put leftovers in containers and in the fridge, put cereal boxes back on the fridge, etc)
Move all of the dirty dishes right next to the sink for washing, but don't wash them yet.

--If you have any extra time, sweep the floor quickly.

Now, you can start to see the progress. It's less cluttered in here now but still quite dirty:

3rd Five Minute Set: Do the dishes. First, stuff everything you possibly can into the dishwasher. That's what it's for. Stuff it all in! Then, take whatever is left and wash it by hand.

--Don't bother drying anything unless you have extra time. If you do, start with the things that will live on the counter such as a butcher knife--putting it back in its slot will make everything look more put together.

Now, things are really looking better in my space!

I even lit a candle for the occasion.

4th Five minute Set: Clean.

First, wipe down the counters. I use a spray bottle filled win a water, vinegar, and orange oil solution and a microfiber cloth, which is a cheap and environmentally friendly way to take care of kitchen messes.
Next, wipe down the cabinets, starting from the top down. This is an easily neglected part of the kitchen, but if you have little kids running around, I guarantee there is some gunk to wipe off. Again, don't obsess too much. If you start doing this every day, it won't take much effort at all to touch these up.

--If you have extra time, wipe out the sink and faucet with a dry cloth, shining them up!

Here is how clean my kitchen was at the end of this exercise, and how it greeted me this morning:

Again, here is what my kitchen looked like before:

And then twenty minutes later:

Not a bad use of twenty minutes, huh?

So, what are your kitchen cleaning rituals? Do you ever use a timer? Share any tips or links you have in the comments!

Do you have a project that takes about 20 minutes to complete? Would you like to be featured on Busy at Home's Twenty Minute Tuesday? Please email me at BusyAtHome ~AT~ live ~DOT~ com! I'm looking for all types of projects--DIY, homekeeping, kid crafts, anything that will enrich a home!

I'm a Fan Fan

2011-05-16T07:50:00.003-04:00

I finally took the Handy Mommy plunge and replaced our playroom ceiling fan! And I am so glad I did. It took a bit more strength than I had bargained for, but all in all, not a complicated process.

Here's a before photo. Remember this ugly thing?

the Claw!

I can't believe we've asked people to sleep under this!

alien eyeballs coming to get youuuuuu!

You may be wondering why I chose to replace the ugly ceiling fan with another ceiling fan. Why not go for a fun lighting fixture, since it's a playroom? Well, even though ceiling fans aren't hip,we really do enjoy the breeze they produce as an alternative to AC. This is reclaimed living space from the former garage, with no central air at all. so it gets pretty hot in here in the summer.

I'd like to keep the unattractive AC unit covered by the curtain for as many days as possible.

Even if you aren't a ceiling fan "fan", I'm sure you can agree that this one is an improvement?

And even more exciting, I snagged if for only $8 out of pocket! More on how I did this at the end...First, here's how I did it, and what I learned from my fan replacement adventure:

After turning off all of the power to the guest room, I tried to take apart the old fan, which was harder than I thought it would be. It weighed 80 gajillion pounds. and none of the screws on the unit, when unscrewed, would release the shell around the top where the mounting screws. But I finally found them! The first came off easily, but the second one was stuck. Really, seriously, not budging at all stuck.

my Nemesis of the Day

It took me almost 20 minutes of struggling before I realized that the awkward weight of the fan pushing against the lone screw was working against me. I needed to lighten the load so that I could hold up the fan while removing the screw. And this guy was HEAVY. Lesson learned: this is a TWO person job, no matter how handy you may or may not be. Don't be like me and tackle this project while you're alone in the house. Enlist help!

I snipped the light unit off, hoping to lighten the load.

Cutting the lights helped a little, but I still did a lot of lifting, grunting, and sighing. But then finally, it was off! Buh-bye, fan!

Some sweet tea and some pats on the back later, I got back to work.

Installation was MUCH easier. For one thing, this little guy is only a petite 30" across, in comparison with his 44" great uncle lying dead on the floor. I suspect that technology has also come a long way since the late 80's, making even similarly bulky fans less of a workout to hold up.

Before long, I was able to step back and enjoy the breeze!

This is much more in scale with the rest of the room than the old fan:

old, yucky fan!

Before, the giant claw-like-eyeball-lights obstructed my view of my pretty shelf. Boo!

Now the fan disappears into the room a little more .

And now, I'm going to make good on my promise that I would tell you how I only paid $8 for the fan.

I bought the fan for $48 on Amazon (The price has gone down slightly since I bought it, FYI!).

So where did the other $40 come from?

Swagbucks. I'm guessing most of my readers have heard of this already, but if you haven't, here's the lowdown. Swagbucks is a search engine that randomly awards you with "Swagbucks" for using it. Then you trade these Swagbucks in for real prizes--such as $5 Amazon gift cards which currently go for 450 Swagbucks. Yes, this is legitimate. I've been using it since January 2010 and while I've lost count of my exact earnings, I think I've made about $160 in Amazon money by doing a few searches a day. Yes, $160 in real Amazon cards that I have spent on real things. From using the internet.

When I went to purchase this ceiling fan, I checked my swagbucks account first and realized I had $40 of Amazon cards saved up in my swagbucks account! So I applied them to Amazon and got the fan for $8! Not bad, huh?

If you are interested in this, I would encourage you to sign up and give it a try. Then download their toolbar, which is a big reminder to do the searches. This is not a spammy, virusy toolbar. It's a-ok and comes with no added programs. I've had it on my machine for over a year with no problems! I'm happy to address and other questions you have in the comments.

And, if you don't mind, please consider clicking through the banner below so I can get a small referral credit as you start to earn. (If you don't use a referral link, you get nothing extra and neither do I.)

So there you have it, the $8 ceiling fan and the story of how it went up.

Next time I'll tell you more about those curtains! Did you notice?

Linking up here:

Weekend Love

2011-05-14T11:35:00.001-04:00

If you are married, check out this beautiful reminder from Life as MOM:

Advice for Young (&Old) Wives

For parents, this article reminds you to focus on the big things and not get discouraged:

Parenting 001

Enjoy. Then shut the computer down and enjoy the weekend! The internet will still be here on Monday. I promise.

Summer Shelf Update

2011-05-13T13:34:00.012-04:00

I've been working on several projects for the play-guest-room redo, but sadly none of them are quite finished enough to show you yet. However, I'm happy to show you the updates to the shelf I built and then installed and decorated earlier this week:

Do you recognize the little crate and hydrangeas from my yard sale finds? I think they look very at home here, don't you? When I bought the crate, I had thought I would stain or paint it in some way. But, I think it works as is. At least for now.

I also added the old wooden frame and moved the mason jar to be part of the pitcher vignette. I like the next balance of color throughout the shelf now.

I realize I may be teetering on the edge of the dreaded cluttered look, but I prefer the current scheme to what I had before:

And before that:

And let's not forget this ugliness, from before I started:

And because I don't want to leave you with that image, here's one more look at the new setup:

I can't wait to show you what else is going on in the room! Stay tuned!

Linking to these great parties:

20-Minute Tuesday: Chicken and Dumplings Recipe

2011-05-10T08:11:00.001-04:00

Today I'm excited to introduce a new feature here at Busy at Home. It's called Twenty Minute Tuesday and it will feature projects that can be completed from start-to-finish with about 20 minutes of hands-on time. I'll be sharing recipes, crafts, preschool activities...you name it!

As a mom, there are times when I feel like it's so hard to see any tangible rewards for my labor. Noses are wiped, dishes are done, floors are swept...and then minutes later they're all dirty again. I'm making a difference in the lives of our family and friends but there's not always a result to show for it, at least not that very same day. Know the feeling? My hope is that these Twenty Minute Tuesday projects will serve as a resource for when we desire to work on a project--and then have something immediate and tangible to show for it!

For our very first 20-minute Tuesday, I'm sharing one of my go-to recipes for my busiest days. I keep the ingredients for this on hand and when it's one of those days, it's what's for dinner.

Slow Cooker Chicken and Dumplings

Ingredients
2-3 boneless chicken breasts(or any boneless chicken)
2 cans cream of chicken or cream of celery soup
1 empty soup can of milk
1 16-oz bag mixed vegetables
1 can refrigerated buttermilk biscuits or 1 recipe drop biscuits

Directions
Cut chicken breasts into bite-size pieces and line them in the bottom of a slow cooker. Combine soup, milk, and vegetables and pout over chicken. Cook on low for 5-6 hours or high for 2 1/2 hours. About 1 1/2 hours before serving, place biscuits on top of the mixture in the slow cooker.

Comments
This is a *very* forgiving recipe. I've never paid too much attention to timing and it always comes out wonderfully. The chicken always ends up being very tender, and the vegetables are covered in so much yummygoodness that even the pickiest of children will enjoy them. It's a one-dish crowd pleaser!

If you want to cut back the calories a bit, you can substitute skim milk, low-fat "cream of" soups, or make the drop biscuits with white whole wheat flour.

Let me know if you try it and tell us all how your family liked it!

If you have a 20-minute project to share and are interested in being featured on Busy at Home, please tell me in the comments or email me: BusyatHome ~AT~ live ~DOT~ com.

Playroom Makeover: Shelf Reveal

2011-05-08T21:43:00.006-04:00

The $12 custom shelf is on the wall and all decked out with summer blues and whites! I love how this simple shelf has become a focal point for the room, almost as if I have a second mantle in my house. I can barely recognize the playroom now.

Getting this guy on the wall was a bit harder than I had originally thought it would be. What I thought was a cement wall behind the drywall was actually a mix of empty space, studs, and cement, it was not so easy to find a place for the nails to grip into. I made many more nail holes than originally. But isn't that how it always is with these things? Thankfully, I eventually figured it out. And then once things seemed really study, I added some extra 3" screws for additional support. I don't want this shelf to come crashing down on little heads!

Lucky for me, as one of my readers commented on the $12 shelf post, "wood filler is the white out of wood projects". Easy peasy. After some sanding and white paint, these oopses are no biggy.

Are you wondering about the "skirt" on the shelf? Can you guess why it's there? Could it be hiding something? Something unsightly?

Peekaboo!

Yes, the air conditioner is hiding underneath the curtain!

Remember that weird wall-mount AC unit?

I made a trip to Joann's on Saturday and came home with two yards of burlap (as well as a few other goodies which I'll reveal at the end of the post). Using my sewing machine on a zigzag stitch, I made this simple rod pocket curtain with a fun texture in about five minutes. It's held in place with a tension rod. My hope is that the tension rod will be sturdy, but give way before the shelf if any little hands pull on the curtain. The curtain is sure to be a fun feature for the children who will play in here.

Yes, the cord bothers me too, and I will find a way to hide it better. I think I will just find a way to hang it up, since the curtain will be removed when the AC is in use.

I shopped the house to turn this shelf into a decorative mantle. In keeping with the "slightly nautical" theme of the room, I thought the ship in the bottle belonged here. It was handmade by my husband's grandfather. He was Norwegian and this is a Norwegian ship. A fun little piece of history. The elephant was a gift to us from a friend who recently visited India. I think he's quite happy here.

Remember this flower from my spring wreath? They came in a pack of three and I just knew the third one would have a home someday. The branches in the background have been sitting in my craft room for ages. I've never known what to do with them, until now.

Here's a shot of the shelf with fewer tchotchkes on it. Does it look cleaner? Or emptier?

~OR~

Which look do you prefer? Clean, or a little fuller? It's always my tendency to keep piling things on surfaces, but I'm trying to cut back. I don't want to go so minimalist, either, that there's nothing there. I think an oval mirror, mounted horizontally, could be a nice touch for behind and tie everything together. I'm on the lookout for one!

The whole arrangement will likely change again and again before the room is "done." And, I'm sure this will be one of those decorative spots that will evolve with the seasons.

If you're keeping score, here's what I've spent on this room so far:
Paint: $70
Shelf: $12
Burlap curtain: $8

Total spent so far: $90
Budget (yard sale proceeds): $161

And finally, here's a bonus preview, of the rest of stuff I picked up at Joann's. I can hardly wait to start working with this stuff! Stay tuned to see what it becomes!

Linking up to these great parties:

Simple Corsage Tutorial

2011-05-06T11:36:00.011-04:00

A fresh flower corsage is a traditional and fun way to honor a woman you love. And, you don't need to hop over to a florist to do it! All you need is floral tape, pins, kitchen shears, ribbon, and of course, some fresh flowers.

I usually get my flowers for small projects like this at my local grocery store. I recommend getting a bunch of mixed flowers that you like the look of rather than picking out individual flowers. You can get more variety this way and it lets you get a flavor for how your arrangements will look before you start. Right now the prices are jacked up for Mother's Day, but at $8.99, this bunch will be plenty for several corsages, and I'll still have some left to arrange in a Mason Jar.

Oh, don't forget the secret ingedient: coffee!

I start by picking 4-5 blooms I like and cutting them out of the bunch with 3-inch stems.

These yellow spray roses are so sweet! I'm going to use the floral tape to join them together, with one sticking up a little higher than the other.

Floral tape is amazing stuff! It sticks to itself when you apply a little pressure with your fingertips. No pins are needed! It's also waterproof. I bet MacGuyver would be able to build a jetpack out of floral tape and clothespins.

Next, I'm going to add in this green pom in the gap, and then add in the filler. I always include some kind of berry, greenery, or greenery for texture.

There! I don't even think it needs the daisy.

Now I'm going to cut the stems to a more reasonable length and wrap a little more floral tape around the bottom.

Let's finish it with a ribbon. Lately I've been doing just a simple bow which looks very chic. If you want a more traditional ribbon with "foof", see instructions here.

Now that we've got a finished corsage, how in the world will we get it on the lovely lady? That's where to corsage pins come in.

I use two pins. First, I push one straight down into the fabric I'm pinning it to and then into the floral stems covered in tape. (And, when pinning it on a lady, I ask if I can put my other hand behind her collar to protect her from stray pins. Everyone always answers an enthusiastic "yes please!")

Then, I push one in at a 45 degree angle. This will help keep the corsage from tipping forward. If you want extra security, use a third pin on the other side, also at a 45 degree angle.

Making corsages are not hard at all with a little practice. Remember, God made the flowers and they are beautiful already. You just have to make them stick together. You can do this! It's a great way to honor a mom, grandma, or other awesome lady for many occasions. Think weddings, birthdays, anniversaries, etc.

I made a set for my grandparents for their 60th anniversary. That's 60 years of marriage, folks! I can barely wrap my head around this! (And, these two celebrated 61 years last month!)

You can use pretty much any kind of flower that you love for this project. The possibilities are endless. Here are some more tips to get you started:

If you want to include a large flower such as a full-size rose or carnation, use only one of those types of blooms and two smaller flowers or fillers. No one wants a garden growing out of their shoulder!
Try contrasting colors to make things POP!
If you want to make a boutonniere for a gentleman, use only 1 flower and no bow. You may also wish to keep the stems longer so he can push it through his buttonhole to help balance the flower.
If you make your corsage ahead of time, store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours. Keep it away from rotting fruits and vegetables, which can cause flowers to spoil prematurely.
If you are afraid of corsage pins, elastic wrist corsage bands are available at craft stores like AC Moore and Michael's, along with the floral tape and pins.

Finally, dear readers, because it is Mother's Day this weekend...I'd like to take the time to remind you that while many are celebrating, there are like also many women around you who find Mother's Day to be one of the hardest days of the year. Perhaps they desire children but battle infertility, have endured miscarriages, or haven't found a love to even contemplate such things with. Our society often doesn't know how to address this kind of pain so it often goes ignored. I personally am blessed with two wonderful boys. I also lost a child to miscarriage almost three years ago. I cannot imagine the pain of those who have experienced that kind of a loss and also have empty arms, especially this weekend.

So, if you take time to honor a mother this weekend, please also consider writing a note to someone who longs to be a mother, letting her know she is not forgotten. If you make a corsage, drop of the rest of the bouquet on her doorstep for her to enjoy and let know that you are thinking of her! It may mean a world of difference to another sweet woman.

Fondly,
Susan @ Busy at Home

Linking up to:

$12 Custom Shelf

2011-05-05T12:32:00.006-04:00

Lookee what I made! And I did it for only about $12. I know you could make one of these, too! All you really need is a power drill and a screwdriver.

Part of my grand plan for my play-guest-room makeover includes a shelf with some specific dimensions. It needs to be pretty wide (about 4 feet) and about 8 inches deep and sturdy. Rather than waiting to find just the right thing, I decided to go the Home Depot route and just make it myself. And I am so glad I did! It really wasn't that hard and now I have just what I want, even down to the paint color.

Here's how I did it:

First, I went to good old Home Depot and selected a 8' x 8" x 3/4" board. Since I planned to paint the finished product, I got a basic board for about $8. (The premium lumber, I've learned, is knot-free, which was not necessary for this project.) I asked the lumber pro to cut it into two 4" boards. (Home Depot will cut lumber for free!). After some measuring, and learning that 8' boards aren't exactly 8', I came home with two 4' 1/8" boards and two shelf brackets which cost just under $2 each.

The edges were a little rough so I smoothed them out with a sanding block. I made sure the corners were rounded so ~~the hubby and I~~ the kids don't bump into them and get hurt.

I only rounded out the corners that would be exposed. Why make more work for myself?

Once the pieces were sanded, I labeled them. I didn't need to spend extra mental energy keeping track of which was which.

I measured 6" from the edges and marked eight spots: two for attaching the top piece to the side piece, two for attaching to top piece to the bracket, and two for attaching the side piece to the bracket. Then the fun began:

vrooooom!

After predrilling four holes, I hand tightened the screws, and then finished them with the drill to make them flush with the wood.

When everything was together, the angles weren't exactly 90 degrees. Hmmm.

So I did a little unscrewing and pushing and rescrewing (don't you love my technical terms?) until it was more flush. I never got it perfect but it was close enough, considering I could fill in some of the tiny gaps with paint. I would have used some wood filler if it had bothered me, but ultimately I got it close enough for jazz.

Wood filler was just the thing for filling in the screw heads on top!

Then I slopped on two coats of the color I'm using for trim in the playroom: Benjamin Moore's Simply White from my Pottery Barn paint palette.

And there you have it! I know this guy would look more impressive installed on the wall but the paint is still drying and I just couldn't wait another minute to show it to you. The next time you see him, he should be in his new home, and decked out with some bling. And I'll show you why having a 4' shelf was so important to my design!

Building stuff is so rewarding and much less daunting than it seems. I'd even say it was fun!

So, what have you built lately? Tell me all about it in the comments, and link to your project if you have a record of it!

Linking to:

More Thoughts on Choosing a Paint Color

2011-05-03T09:02:00.001-04:00

Paint! My play-guest-room makeover is in full swing. I've been working on painting the moldings this week. Painting the trim is like giving the walls a French Manicure. I love it even more when the walls have the right color. Which, this time around, I think I do!

During my Master Bedroom Makeover series, I confessed to you my inability to choose paint color, and showed you my new "cheat sheet" of sorts-- a Pottery Barn paint palette.

Pottery Barn doesn't have the corner on the market on paint, either. In the last week or so, I've read some shout-outs on Restoration Hardware's more muted and limited palette, which also looks absolutely lovely. For more on those, see these fresh and fabulous posts:

Favorite Paint Colors by DebbieDoos Blogging and Blabbing

What a Pain(t) by A Soft Place to Land

I've done a lot of painting in the last three homes I've lived in. Lots. I'm still not a color expert. But I'm learning some principles and getting better each time I choose.

One thing I've come to understand that is critical is this: If your home is like mine, then you do not have a lot of natural (sun-only) light coming into your home. Sure, you've got windows, perhaps even wide open windows, but very few people are blessed enough to have a room that is mostly windows.

image

This is going to do two things to your paint colors:
1. The colors are going to look yellower than on the card.

2. The colors are going to look darker than on the card.

Now, let me unpack these briefly. By yellower, I don't mean every color will look like yellow. Of course not. But your browns that look like cafe au lait in the Home Depot lights may look a little more like orange sherbet on your walls. This the nature of incandescent lighting. Or, even if you have the greener CFL bulbs in your home like I do, you are still going to get a bit of a yellowish cast.

Ain't nothing like the good old sun.

Photographers deal with this phenomenon all of the time. It's called color temperature. Different kinds of light create a warm (yellowish) or cool (bluish) cast on thing. And most indoor lighting is the former--warm, yellowish light. Our brains (and our cameras) adjust for this most of the time--for instance we see an object such as a blue plate under an incandescent light, and although under the light it appears a little greenish, we know it is blue, so our brains tell us we're seeing blue. Digital cameras adjust for this phenomenon automatically, and when they don't do as well we have lovely photo editing programs that can help us with this. (if you are a Picasa3 user, you can see this under "auto color" or "color temperature").

Even though my brain is supposed to be compensating, I find that when I have a color covering a big wall, and I live with it for a while...my brain stops filtering and I start seeing yellow. This is especially apparent with the beige, neutral, and golden tones on my walls.

Take, for instance, the play-guest-room I'm in the process of painting. The color, according to Benjamin Moore's Website, should look like this:

image via Benjamin Moore

Here is that same color in the Pottery Barn catalog. (And, notice how PB homes have all of those beeeautiful windows?) Even still, it looks a little warmer here than it does above.

image via Pottery Barn

And here it is in my little playroom, with as much natural light as I can get into the room.

Here it is again, with much less natural light, and the overheads on.

Now your monitor might be different from mine, and again, my camera is adjusting for the light a bit. If anything, though, it should be making the second picture less yellow because it's compensating. Notice how much darker the second color seems, in addition to having more yellow tones. Artificial lights just aren't as bright as the sun!

So, is yellower, or darker, bad? Not necessarily. It depends what you're going for. I for one disagree with the popular adage that a dark paint color makes a room look smaller. My master bedroom looks every bit as much the same square footage to me as before I painted it a rich, medium blue.

Smaller? No. But it does look cozier. And that is the look I wanted for my bedroom.

So for all of you with typical homes with a moderate number of windows, just be aware of the yellow & dark principles. If you're not certain about what to choose, err on the side of slightly cooler (more blue) and lighter (farther up on the paint card). I think you will be glad that you did.

Oh, and, do get those $3.99 paint samples. Then you can see for yourself how the color looks in your home's conditions. Worth. Every. Penny. I'll tell you sometime about my living room adventure. Let's just say I learned this one the hard way. ;)

A Blank Slate

2011-04-30T17:17:00.013-04:00

The paint is on the wall and WOW what a difference in the room.

It's amazing what paint can do! And I haven't done the moulding yet, and when I do, everything should be even crisper.

Even Mr. Tablelamp looks happier now.

Of course it doesn't change the fact that most of the outlets in the room look like this. It's this way because the room used to be the garage and was wired after the fact. If I were a hip chick, I would find a way to use the industrial element to my advantage. But, I'm not sure if that will work with the rest of our style. I'll keep thinking about this one.

But, dear readers, now that everything is painted, what should I do with this door?

It's not our front door. It's just an extra door. A remnant of when the previous owner used this room as a home office. Should I leave it unpainted? Match it to the trim (white) or to the walls (Ben Moore's Manchester Tan)? Or something bold? Any thoughts on this? I'm completely drawing a blank on this one.

In other great news, we had our yard sale this morning!

You might remember that I had decided I would spend what I made on the sale plus about $50. I had guessed that the total play-guest-room budget would then come to $150. Well I made $161 today! So if I followed my plan I would now have a $211 budget for this room! But, I'll try to keep it under $161. I like a challenge. Oh, and did I mention it was a multi-family yard sale? So I got to shop thrift-style while earning money for my deco fund.

That's a Homegoods lamp, and Peir 1 hydrangeas. The crate was just too cute to pass up as well. A little paint or stain could make that really fun. I paid $8.75 for all three! At least two of them will be part of the play-guest-room remake. Possibly all three.

I also spent about $10 at Home Depot. I can't wait to get to it so I can show it to you. I'm so excited to do a little bit of construction! With lumber. I feel so handy! Stay tuned to see what I make!

And, please weigh in on the door before you go!

Linking up to:

Peppy Painting Prep

2011-04-28T23:57:00.003-04:00

The playroom makeover has officially begun! I am so excited to get the new shade up on the walls. Hopefully it will be done by the weekend so I can share some pics with you all on Monday! I had fully expected to be done by now, since I had painted my much larger bedroom in one day flat.

The main reason the job has been off to a slower start is that this particular room needed a lot of prep work. And I was so excited to get the color on the wall that I tried to rush through my prep, and ultimately that has slowed me down.

When I do take the time to do things right, the painting part goes so much smoother and I'm always glad I did. So here, for your enjoyment, is what I should have told myself before ever touching my paint can:

First, take off all of the switchplates and outlet covers. Don't try to paint around them--you'll either get paint on the covers, not get close enough to the edge, leaving a gap, or probably, if you're like me, both. So get thee to thy toolbox and find a screwdriver! (And a gold star for me, I actually followed my own advice on this one!)

Next, pull out your ~~muppet~~ duster thingy and banish all of the cobwebs from the room, high and low. I do dust my home pretty regularly, but when it's time to paint, I'm always amazed by what I find lurking in the corners. You don't want this mixed in your paint, nor do you want get that close to it anyway. So take a few minutes to really swab everything down.

Do they remind you of Muppets, too? Or is it just me?

When everything is de-cobwebified, grab a wet paper towel and wipe down all of the mouldings and windowsills. Even if you vacuum your baseboards, there is probably some buildup of debris in the corners. You'll be surprised what's in there when you go over it with your paint brush, so better to get it now.

After the cleaning, go nuts with the spackle. Go ahead and spackle every little divot in the wall. Let it dry overnight, and then lightly sand in the morning. You'll be so glad you did when you have a nice, smooth surface to paint.

[Side note on spackle: I LOVE this canned stuff. I know it's not the cheapest or greenest thing on the market, but I love that it never dries out on me. I have lots of dried up cans of spackling paste in my basement all telling me it's better to use this than keep wasting spackle.]

So, there you have it. Everything I knew I should have done but didn't exactly do. At least, I didn't do it the night before and all at once. I'm happy to report that I am all caught up with these tasks now and the rest of the painting work is ready to be done! Now if I can just figure out a way to entertain the kids so I can get to work again...

Linking up to:

Play-Guest-Room Inspiration

2011-04-27T11:44:00.000-04:00

We're taking a bit of a rest from our staycation activities today to just loaf around the house. Meaning, the kids are getting their regular naps at their normal times and in their own beds--and me, well, I'm back to work on my transformation project!

In case you missed my first post about this room, here is what I'm working with. And, the goal is to turn it into a dual-function room: playroom and guest room.

Thank you to everyone who left comments there! It really helped me get my wheels turning to get that feedback. Now I've got a solid plan in my head and I'm excited to share some of it with you.

The May Pottery Barn catalog arrived the other day and it only took me a few minutes to zero in on a photo that I loved. I really helped me solidify some ideas for our play-guest-room:

photo by Pottery Barn

Isn't it cute? This picture has a lot of the elements already present in my room--dark woods, navy blue, and several neutral shades on the wall, floor, couch, and accessories. I love the distressed shutters in the corner. And the navy stripes are kind of reminiscent of the bedding that will be used when we're in guest room mode.

The bedding, and the inspiration photo, are both subtly nautical. And while we're not really "beachy" or "nautical" people, I think that will really work in this room. We have a few boat-themed knick-knacks around that will probably make their way into this room before I'm finished. Now they will have a place to belong.

Seeing the Pottery Barn picture also convinced me (and my husband, who has been a little skeptical) that I absolutely must paint the room. I'm going to go with Benjamin Moore's Manchaster Tan from my fall 2010 PB paint palette. Here's a sneak peek:

You might wonder why I'm going to the trouble of painting to turn one nuetral into a slightly lighter one--but I think the difference will be amazing. There is almost no natural light in my room (which is one reason that PB's pics always look so good--there are more windows than walls in those vignettes!). This should lighten things up significantly! I even thought about going lighter--but the trim is one thing this room has going for it, so I wanted to preserve a little bit of contrast between the walls and the trim.

And that's not all that Pottery Barn has given me! Just a few pages later in the catalogue, I saw this. Isn't it gorgeous?

image from Pottery Barn

Now obviously I am not going to have an outdoor space, but I love the punches of lime on that couch. I think lime will make it into the room! But none of these actual PB wares will make it into my room--my $150 budget isn't going to allow for that. I'll either sew some up of keep my eyes open at other places.

We're headed out to Home Depot today for me to gather a few materials! I'm really excited to get into this room! I've got a few other exciting plans for this room stewing in my head that I can't wait to share as they come to fruition. Stay tuned!

Getting Out with the Youngin's

2011-04-25T19:36:00.003-04:00

Today our family started our first day of "staycation," meaning, we're on vacation, but staying in our own home for the week and enjoying the sights of our own hometown. Originally, we had planned on renting a cabin in the mountains, but ultimately we decided that our upcoming housing expenses (hello, gutters!) warranted something even more modest. This presents its own unique challenges, since we'll be traveling each day of the week. Our boys are aged 3 1/2 and 11 months, so their needs are a big consideration in our staycation plan. I'm happy to report that our first day went off with flying colors, so I'm going to share some of our kid survival tips with you while they're in my mind tonight. They will probably seem obvious to most of you snazzy readers but it has taken me a few years of mothering to put these thoughts in order! So here goes:

1. Bring a good stroller. We have a collection of strollers in our home, but our favorite right now is a Sit-n-Stand that we snagged for $5 from a yard sale. We like this one because it allows both boys to ride, but my 3 1/2 year old, who loves to walk on his own, but lacks the stamina to walk all day, a chance to get up and down. (Note: I have read elsewhere about parents having strong opinions about the ages at which a child is "too old" to ride in a stroller. I have no thought on the matter except each family should do what works for them. My 3 1/2 year old would probably choose to walk if given the choice, but for the sake of the day we made the decision to bring the double. It was the right choice for us, today: he wasn't burnt out at the end of the day but was able to get up and bop around at least half of the time. Moral of the story: Do what works for your own family!)

2. Start early in the day. Our kids woke us up at 6 this morning. That's unusually early for them, but we decided to roll with it. We were out the door by 7:30 and rode on the train with the commuters. In my pre-kid days I would have laughed in your face if you had told me I'd be starting a "vacation" day at 6am. But since we were up, it made sense to just grin and go with it. Kids are fresh in the morning, so we have to learn to be morning people, too! One bonus of this is that we got to do a lot of sightseeing before the crowds were in!

3. Aim for off-peak travel times. Little did we know when we showed up in town this morning, that our destination was one of those towns where Monday is the "day off" for many of the smaller shops. I was really disappointed about missing out on some antique gazing until my husband gently pointed out that the upside was that we wouldn't be working against as many crowds--giving our honkin' stroller more space on the sidewalk, and our preschooler more room to bop around when he was out of the stroller without attracting the hairy eye from fellow visitors. Enough of the shops were open that we got a flavor for the place without missing out on anything--except the crowds!

4. Work in plenty of down time. It's work for kids to do something even as simple as riding in a stroller and using a reasonable tone of voice. This was especially evident when we stopped at a large park for about 30 minutes today. As soon as we gave him the go ahead, my 3 1/2 year old blazed a trail around the park in curvy lines and shouted gibberish like a baboon. He was really holidng it in while we were window shopping! Likewise, the baby had been cooped up in the stroller seat and was happy to just stretch his legs and enjoy picking up pieces of dirt. Mostly, we kept the dirt out of his mouth.

5. Pack snacks! Snacks are a natural pick-me-up for anyone, but they are simply a necessity for little bodies. Nutri-grain bars and fresh fruit go a long way with little bodies, especially those that are out in the sun. Today we packed about twice as much as we thought we needed but brought only one little pack of fruit home. Yum!

6. Stop before burn out. We started to head back to the train station a little after 1 pm, but didn't get home until about 3pm. There was some fussing involved by the end. And the kids were cranky, too. But we were home early enough for everyone to nap. The evening agenda will be simple: dinner and a family movie. Why pack too much into one day and ruin a good thing?

So what about you? What are your survival tips for a day out with the little people in your life?

Linking up to:

Playroom/Guest Room Challenge!

2011-04-22T10:30:00.004-04:00

We call it "the den" or sometimes "the room that used to be the garage". But really we should call it "the disaster room". It's hideous. Don't believe me? Check it out:

The previous owner of our home had the attached garage made into living space, which she used as a home office. We have no need of an office, but we do have need of a playroom and a second guest room. So that is what that room must become.

This room is going to have lots of design challenges. Some are structural.

Do you see the air conditioner above the little play washer/dryer? It's mounted right into the wall. And since this room used to be the garage, and doesn't share the HVAC system with the rest of the house, it's here to stay. It only gets used about 20% of the year, but it's really, really needed in the summer. The room isn't that well-insulated.

I'm not certain what I will do about this air conditioner yet, but I have two ideas so far. I've thought about hanging a curtain over it. I've also considered going back to the place where I got my vintage shutters and hanging a set over it. I would love to have some of your feedback on this! Please!

Also, we've got a funkadellic brass ceiling fan! Woohoo! It is U-G-L-Y ugly.

I've thought about spray painting it, but I think if I actually get it down off the wall, I'm going to want to replace it. I'll have to see how it fits into the budget.

Some of the other challenges, well I really can't complain too much because they are self-inflicted. There is stuff in this room that is in here because it has to go somewhere in the house, and that somewhere ended up being here.

For example, behold, the tablelamp, in all of its retro evil awesomeness.

Did you have one of these in your house growing up? I did. And I remember when my mom sent it to goodwill and I was so happy. This little number, however, belonged to my husband's family since before we were married. It's here to stay, with no negotiation. Could I pester him about this? Maybe, but I don't care to. It's far more important to me that my husband feels like that this is his home and castle than it look like my idea of fashionable. So, basically, my choices are to put a new shade or it, pile it over with stuff, or hide it. Or any combination of the above. And, it may not be painted. How's that for design challenge? Ideas, dear readers?

Next, remember this?

It's baaaa-aaack. Actually I don't hate this quilt at all. It's still in good shape and will work well both as a snuggle blanket and as guest bedding. So whatever my color scheme is going to be, I want it to work with this quilt. I'd also like to continue to utilize the sofabed slipcover which you can see poking out underneath. It's in great condition and also neutral so I'd rather not buy another.

I also have a bookshelf which I will not paint. Can't blame this one on the hubby. It's a lovely piece and was made for me by my grandfather. But, next to it is a vintage dresser that I most certainly will paint. I'm thinking a creamy white.

Oh, and, I'd like to keep the budget to whatever I can make at my garage sale next weekend plus about $50. I don't have a whole lot of stuff to sell, so I'm thinking about $150? No, I'm not kidding. I'd like to spend more, but the house needs new gutters and some plumbing work, and that will suck up all of my home budget for quite a while. This will be an exercise in working with what I have.

I'm thinking I will start with new curtains and some paint (I have a gallon of a lighter neutral beige from my Pottery Barn palette left over from another room). Then I will move on to the dresser and the tablelamp, and then maybe add a coffee table. I'm thinking a gallery wall with white frames would work on the blank wall around the air conditioner. Then I'll see about replacing the ceiling fan if there is any budget left.

I have some color ideas, which I'll share in a future post, but until then I would LOVE to hear from you about any ideas to make this room more beautiful!

Linking to Debbiedoo's

Quick Frame Fix

2011-04-20T22:00:00.000-04:00

I love reading blogs for inspiration...but I especially when I find little nuggets of info that I can use right away! The folks at Young House Love shared a great idea in their post about their newly-completed gallery wall. They mentioned that when their baby learns to stand up, they would use velcro command strips to hold the bottom frames in place from any little fingers that might go grabbing.

I immediately thought of the frame collection I just started hanging up our stair wall:

The frames haven't stayed straight on the wall since the day I hung them. And I can't blame it on the kids. They've been knocked around by everybody! Most especially, yours truly, when I'm carrying my laundry basket on my hip.

As soon as I read their tip, I busted out some sticky velcro from my stash.

The Young House Love folks did mention command strips, which are probably a better idea in the long run that this sticky back stuff I had on hand. I am betting on this stuff being removable by some Goo Gone if I ever want to move the frames! I just didn't want to wait another minute to fix this nagging problem.

I cut it into one inch chunks and stuck one side on the bottom back of the frame and the other on the wall. The best thing about the velcro is that if I didn't line it up correctly the first time, I just pull the sides apart and try again.

What a difference! And child-proof to boot. I really should go back through with a level and check each one, but for now I'm much happier with it. And so is my littlest one, as you can see below.

The wall is far from done. I've got piles of thrift store frames and other little fun items to spray paint and tack in place. I'll post a picture when I'm done!

Master Bedroom Makeover: Reveal & Wrap-Up

2011-04-19T16:24:00.009-04:00

I'm excited to finally be wrapping up my Master Bedroom Makover series today! Hooray! First I want to send out a huge thank you for everyone who has been reading and commenting along the way. I love your comments!

If you haven't already seen the previous posts about this makeover, you might wish to start with the before, my adventures in choosing paint colors, window treatments, dresser redo, or this 20-minute craft project.

Now, onto the little details...Remember the ugly white trash cans, with broken lids that we were using as our laundry hampers? Shudder.

Well, they're gone now! I found these wicker hampers at Bed Bath and Beyond for $39.99. They also came with a matching wicker trash can. The large basket was a little damaged, so I spoke with a manager and he knocked 10% off the price. (I trimmed it when I came home and you can't tell at all!) Tip #1: It never hurts to ask for things like that. they worst they can do is say no--and if they say yes, well you can save $4 off hampers you would have bought anyway. Then I stacked a 20% coupon on top of this. Tip #2: Bed Bath and Beyond will take expired coupons. I keep a stash of them in my car. you never know when you might need a new vegetable peeler. ;)

The sconces came from Ross for $7.99 each and the candles are from Dollar Tree. When I don't know what to decorate with, I use candles. And there are candles all over my house. I'll show you sometime. Maybe some of you can help me decide what to replace them with. But I like these candles here in this room, at least for now. So, that's $10 out of the budget for my candle addiction.

Next, I finally got some pictures up on the wall. The frames look a little off center here, but they look great from the bed. And that's where I look at them from, so that's where they go. :) All of the pictures in the room are of my husband and I having fun. He found this a little disconcerting at first, but I love that this room is all about us. There is plenty of room in the rest of the house for our kids, parents, and other dear ones. As I put them up, I was ashamed to realize that all of them are at least four years old. Hmm, what happened four years ago? Oh yeah, we had kids! We still have fun together, I'd say even more fun, but it's just different fun now...less...photogenic fun now. Note to self: find someplace to get dressed up with hubby and get our picture taken.

Ah, there's something on the wall that isn't a picture of my man and I: a mirror! Mirrors are my other fallback decor item. And yes, I've got those all over the house, too. I picked up this little guy at the thrift store for $2.90:

I also found the shadowbox of our wedding invitation and flowers that my mom made for us after our wedding almost seven years ago. A little bit of ivory craft paint brushed on over the oak frame brightened it up a little:

My painted dresser, formerly sitting unused in the basement, is now happy in his new home in the corner:

My Happily Ever After sign went over the closet, because I wanted something to draw the eyes up. to what otherwise would have been a boring space.

Also in this pic, you can see out new $4 closet knobs, in black to match the curtain rods.. When we moved in, the closets didn't have any knobs at all. And we lived with them like that for almost four years. It was time, don't you think?

Remember the ~~ugly~~ country nightstand?

I lightly sanded it all over and brushed on some cherry stain and satin poly to help it match the wood in the rest of the room. The hardware was easy to replace, all in brushed brass to match the rest of the room. I couldn't get all of the wood burnt design off of the door, so I searched high and low at many stores before finding the shell applique for. It doesn't make much sense as is, but it kind of matches the headboard now:

So, the little nightstand won't be winning any awards, but it was an improvement. I spent $12 on hardware, $5 on the applique, and $4 on stain. So $21 for the nightstand. I also invested $8 in an under-the-bed plastic drawer for my husbands medical supplies.Tupperware: $8. Not having a constant reminder of chronic illness in our bedroom: priceless.

A lot of designers recommend against a laundry center in the bedroom, but the reality is, that is the best place for it for us. And, it doesn't stress me out at all. Better yet, I feel more motivated to keep on top of it because dirty laundry ruins the design. :) And it helps that our IKEA ironing board works with the other colors in the room.

Once I pulled up the carpet in the room, we really enjoyed the hardwood underneath. The only time we missed it was first thing getting out of bed in the morning. There's nothing like a nice squishy rug under your toes when you're half awake. But, my budget could not accommodate an area rug. So instead, I found a pair of 3 x 5 shag rugs at Home Depot for $20 each. We put them on either side of the bed. Love the shag!

Soooo, that's everything! So once more, here's some before shots:

And after:

Some of you may be noticing the ceiling fan in some of these and wondering if I'm going to "do anything" about it. As much as I would like to rip it out and replace it with more romantic lighting, we really do love having a ceiling fan. I'm considering spray painting out the brass and changing the glass light covers, but for now it's staying put. I've got bigger fish to fry...

So, did I stick to my $555 budget? Let's add it up:

duvet- $84 (with tax)
sheets $37 (with tax)
bedskirt $25
shams and monogrammed pillow $92
2 gallons of Valspar paint in Santorini Blue ($5 off/each) $36
1 gallon of ceiling white $14
trim paint (on hand)
curtain rods and clips $47
curtain panels $52
two rugs $40
mirror $2.90
replacement frame for one of our pics $2.50 (AC Moore 50% coupon)
hampers and trash can $28.79
nightstand re-do $21
happily ever after sign $7
painted dresser redo $40
closet knobs $8
under-bed storage $8

Total budget: $555
Total spent: $545.19

Woohoo! I did it. Next up, I plan on making a downstairs room that will serve as both a playroom and an extra guest room. Stay tuned!

Linking up to these great parties!

Reasons to skip the Housework

A Diamond in the Stuff

DebbieDoo's
Chic on a Shoestring Decorating
Funky Junk Interiors
Thrifty Decor Chick

Master Bedroom Makeover: Happily Ever After (but not the end)

2011-04-14T11:29:00.007-04:00

I know I promised a Master Bedroom wrap-up today, but as I was preparing it, I realized I had waaaay to many things to describe in one post. And, I love this little sign and I think he deserves his own post.

I started at Home Depot, with only a vague idea of what I wanted. I had both kids in tow and was wandering around the lumber aisle. The very nice Home Depot guy came right over and offered to help me. after confirming that they would indeed cut a board for free, I told him I wanted a board less than an inch thick, and about "this long" holding up my arms. " How long?" he wanted to know. I hadn't thought about that, so stammered a little, grabbed the board in front of me, and asked him to cut it into four equal pieces. He repeated his question, "How long, ma'am?" looking a little confused. I told him it was just for a "craft project" but he still seemed to be eyeing me, wondering why on earth someone would not have a measurement in mind. Note to self: When going to Home Depot, always have a measurement in mind, even if it doesn't seem important! You'll feel like less of a dolt when talking to the pros.

Anyway, I found out that the board I had selected was eight feet long, so I asked him to cut it into four 2' lengths. The Home Depot guy liked that answer much better. $7 later, I was out the door and on my way home with 4 boards measuring 2' long by 4" high by 3/4" thick. Hooray!

I came home and painted one of them with the flat black paint I used in my Painted Dresser Project:

I like that you can still see the knots and woodgrain.

After the black dried, I raided my craft paint drawer:

And ended up with this:

It's no Picasso, but it's a fun addition to the bedroom. It belongs there! Since of course, now that my husband and I are married, we live happily ever after and never argue or have any trials of any kind. Life is pure bliss.

HeeHee, I had you going there, didn't I? I didn't? Oh well. I tried. Our marriage is great and I wouldn't trade it for anything, even with all of the bumps along the road!

Here the sign is in it's new home. It gives us something to look at at what otherwise would have been a blank wall:

Linking up to these great parties!

Chic on a Shoestring Decorating

504 Main

What Allie's Making Now

Tatertots & Jello

Funky Junk Interiors

Master Bedroom Makeover: Curtains and Rods and Ring Clips, Oh My!

2011-04-12T09:26:00.003-04:00

While shopping for my duvet, I fell in love with the Pottery Barn cast iron curtain rods. I needed two rods, and the one over the bed had to span at least 120". I love the look and durability of something so well-made, but there was no way I could get that into my budget. and frankly, that's not where I would want to splurge anyway. Tar-jay to the rescue! $17.99 for a 120" plastic rod and $9.99 for 48" rod. So, $27 for both of them. I hung them high and wide to make the windows look bigger. The window shown here is also about 6 inches off-center, so I fudged a little to correct for that as well.

This was my first time using ring clips and I am addicted to them now! I love being able to open and shut the windows. They're only $4.99 per bag. And, in case you ever try to really skimp like I did, FYI you really do need one bag of seven per panel. I tried to get away with buying just 3 bags for my four panels and it just didn't look right. It was worth a try, though. So, $20 for the ring clips.

I slipped the ring on the end of each panel just beyond the mounting bracket, to keep them from sliding all the way over.

The curtain panels are also Tar-jay. They're the Eclipse blackout energy saving curtains. They really do work and I recommend them! Even the ivory color blocks out a lot of light. I bet the dark colors do even better. It's amazing how dark the room gets when we shut the curtains. They come in two lengths and lucky me--each of them worked exactly right for my rod height and I didn't need to hem! Only $12.99 each. So, $56 for curtain panels. Deep sleep in a dark room, priceless.

So for a recap, here are our curtains before:

Ugh.

And after:

Ahh!

So, how am I doing with my $555 budget?

Let's look at the totals:

duvet- $84 (with tax)
sheets $37 (with tax)
bedskirt $25
shams and monogrammed pillow $92
2 gallons of Valspar paint in Santorini Blue ($5 off/each) $36
1 gallon of ceiling white $14
trim paint (on hand)
curtain rods and clips $47
curtain panels $52

Total budget: $555
Total spent: $387
Total left in budget: $168

I know I'm not being good about including tax in all of this, but I think I'm doing OK! 'll wrap up all of the odds and ends in my next master bedroom post!

Linking to:

DebbieDoo's
Serenity Now