Birds and Soap, Soap and Birds

Pillow Talk

2013-03-04T07:05:00.000-07:00

We've had a bout of sickness at our house this past week, and after all the flu, and constant whining, and nose-blowing around here, I am getting some serious cabin fever. Praying for some sunny days to get outside and enjoy this weather. We were blessed with a nice, sunny Saturday afternoon over the weekend to hang out at the park and play for a little while.

With spring surely on it's way, I've been getting a little stir-crazy and I'm ready to revamp a few things. The new season brings new design choices for our house.

First, I have to tell the world how awesome my husband is! He works so hard for our family to provide a great living, and he recently received a promotion. You rock, husband! (see my "ode to my husband" here)

Now that leaves me tempted, SO TEMPTED, to throw all our living room furniture on the front lawn and order the new sectional I have always wanted! However, I have restrained myself. We have decided as a family that this is NOT the year for buying furniture, rather, it is the year for financial responsibility.

BLECH!

These are the moments when being an adult is no fun!

We've got bigger plans. Too big for this little place. Our thousand foot starter home has been great to "start" in, but we are having some serious growing pains (which really means, I am a hoarder and we have run out of space for stuff). I have NEVER been good at long-term goals, God just didn't bless me with that skill-set. But this year we are trying,

I. AM. TRYING.
To keep my eye on the big picture.

We want more children. Our two girls sharing a room is great, but a third baby will have nowhere to sleep. I know you can always keep a baby in your own bed when it's a newborn, but a girl's gotta sleep! I can only make it about 5 months before I get delirious. All moms and dads know that feeling when you are laying in bed stiff, wide-awake, not moving, desperately wanting to adjust your arm or roll over. Your arm is asleep. It's dead asleep. But fearfully, you refrain from moving, breathing only shallow breaths, and praying you can maneuver yourself in one flawless motion to get comfortable and go back to sleep without the baby waking up.

Finally, after what feels like an eternity of carefully planning your move, you make your attempt with sloth-like speed while holding your breath and listening to the sound of your sweet little bundle breathing. You turn. They make a noise or inhale oddly and you completely freeze in terror- pausing to wait a little longer for the baby to settle so you can try again. You have to pee? FORGET ABOUT IT. You just lay there till your bladder explodes. And then it's morning and you didn't sleep all night. Oh, the joys of co-sleeping. I don't know how people do it for any length of time. I'm writing this post at 4 am because I woke up with a three-year-old pajama foot in my back. Seriously, we need a lock on our door. They just keep coming in.

I have thought

and thought

about how we could make it work in our house and I arrived at one conclusion: It ain't happenin'. Sure, pioneers did it. People on the other side of the world do it every day. Heck, people in my neighborhood are doing it right now. But seriously, even though I feel a little guilty for wanting a larger home, I think it is necessary for our sanity if we want to grow our family. Children have an insane amount of stuff that comes with them, and I just can't imagine trying to bring the crib and bouncer and baby clothes and everything else out of storage because there is nowhere to put it.

With that one big goal in mind, it makes financial sense not to go making any large purchases and I also want to be able to furnish a new space someday, whatever it looks like. I'm holding off on going all crazy on my living room because I am really hoping my existing living room won't be my living room in two years.

So until then, I am killing two birds with one stone. I am going to slipcover my existing sofa. Again.

I am a sucker for design trends and since I have been blogging and reading blogs, it is so easy to gauge the new design trends because you see them EVERYWHERE. I bet if Gallup took a poll and counted how many front doors had wreaths made out of burlap and how many throw pillows made from chevron fabric, the numbers would be astounding! If there was radar to track how many old dressers have been revamped with chalk paint, the entire United States would be lit up!

One design trend I have fallen victim to was the white sofa. I wrote all about it here. I took the plunge after a lot of research and convinced myself that a white sofa was totally doable...That it would be SO easy to maintain because you just throw your slipcovers in the wash and bleach them, and they come out new every time. So many designers/diyers had gone before me in this giant leap that throws all caution to the wind and common sense out the window in pursuit of the perfect living room. *Key word here is "living" room.

I've got news for you.

THEY ARE LYING.

Big 'ol lies all over the internet! Let me warn you now:

DON'T DO IT!

Don't assure yourself it will be a great idea like I did and then blog about how it's working so well to convince yourself it was a good decision in the end. It's not. I even chose a patterned fabric for the cushions to give myself a little breathing room. Good? Bad.

Don't painstakingly sew a sofa slipcover and cushion covers in white. Save yourself the time and go on a vacation instead.

Don't believe Rachel Ashwell when she tells you how beautiful and carefree white-couch-living is. Don't buy what she is selling. Literally, this girl has made millions on Shabby Chic style everything that all has one thing in common: Pretty floraly pillows that only look good on a white sofa. The subliminal messaging has told you that you need a white sofa. It is in her best interest to push the white sofa.

Just Say No.

Here's why:

1. It will look good at first. It will look so good, you will have an overwhelming moment that a white sofa was the best decision you ever made. And then someone will sit down on it and that moment will turn from joy to sorrow when you realize their grubby hands left a mark.

2. Sure you can wash it. That's the plus of a slipcovered sofa, right? They wash so well. This is true, you can wash them any time you would like. You can wash those stains white as snow and start fresh all the time. It's like the couch actually repents! What I didn't realize is that they look amazing for five minutes and then they don't. You have your beautiful magazine couch for a whole 5 minutes and then it becomes the couch called: "I'm so sorry the sofa is so dirty. I swear I just washed it. I will have to do it again, I guess." You are even telling the truth. You did just wash it. But it's been one day and it is now "that gross" that it needs washed again. It goes from being the showpiece of your living room to a public embarrassment.

3. Kids love a white canvas. This couch will have a magnetic pull that no kid can resist. The left arm of my sofa tells a story. The story goes like this: "Lyla got a ballpoint pen and decided to draw a line all the way from the front of the sofa to the back." Why tempt your children? It's just not smart, folks.

3. Fabric doesn't like to be washed and bleached 24/7. I was so proud of myself for finding white fabric on sale and saving so much money, I just knew it was going to be a match made in heaven. WRONG. The more you wash fabric, and punish it with bleach, it begins to break down. I didn't go soaking my couch in bleach all the time, just washed it regularly (confession: okay. I didn't wash it regularly. I washed it "once in a while," but still.)m and the fabric began to pill. The slipcover would come out clean, but the pilling from washing and really just normal wear and tear from being sat on created a gray haze on my fabric that drove me insane!

4. It will torture your husband. My husband is great. He does anything to please me. And after a long day of work he likes to zone out watching ESPN and take an occasional nap. Please, for the sake of your marriage, just skip the white sofa! It is the source of all uneccessary nagging:

"Get a napkin, please"
"Ahh! Take your shoes off, I just washed it"
"Why is your head so oily?"
"Can you take your pants off before you sit down? Your pants look dirty."

Poor guy, he just wants to relax in his own home.

Alright. You've heard my argument. Now hear my plans. I'm going to recover my sofa in a new fabric that is suited for life. and living. and enjoying.

Here are the qualifications:

1. It has to be a neutral color. I am so tempted to go light! I really like how a light-colored sofa looks in a room, but I know it is in our best interest (and sanity) to choose a mid-range color with the stain forgiveness I have been missing for so many years. I'm looking in the brown range. Something "Tobacco" or "Mocha" in color. Cigarettes and coffee? I don't know.

2. The fabric has to have a nap. I need something with a little bit of texture. Like I mentioned, the existing cotton began to pill. If I select a fabric that is a little heavier, with a nap or texture to it, it should not be as noticeable as it wears. My ideal fabric would be a chenille. Soft to the touch, but heavy in the weave. It usually has a coated underside for durability as well. I am staying away from microfiber. While it has been super popular in the last decade because of it's softness, I think that it's stain hiding ability is a farce. That's right. A farce.

3. I'm looking for pattern. Not a big crazy pattern that will take commitment, but a slight pattern for hiding stains. Something with bits of color to break up the fabric. If there is a drip or a spot here and there, I think I will have a better chance of the stain actually hiding in the pattern, rather than sticking out like a sore thumb. I like tweed. We'll see.

4. It can't be a million dollars. I am a thrifty girl, and I plan on shopping a sale. Home Fabrics is my go-to store for decorator fabric, and this month is "March Madness." They have an annual sale with fabric that is drastically marked down. I've been salivating for days just thinking about it.

In the meantime, I think I just found the best sale on the internet!!

There is no faster way to liven up a living room than switching out the pillows! It's such an easy way to add color or change without drastically affecting your budget or long-term design plans.

I have found myself on Joss and Main's site often lately, usually just to window shop. They have such interesting furniture collections that range in price so drastically. I love everything, but sometimes I am alarmed at what people pay for furniture. Do people really spend that much on furniture? I guess so, because this site is really popular. I almost, ALMOST, pulled the trigger on a rug last week. But then I remembered our goal and lack of floor space. I shared it on facebook and hoped that somebody else could fulfill my rug owning dream.

I was completely shocked today when a new collection released because I found the best deal on the internet on some amazing pillows. This is the French Farmhouse collection and I am in love.

Best deal.

I ordered these:

and these:

But the best part: They came in 2-packs.

Oh wait, that's not the best part: They were $20 dollars for TWO! What?!

I wanted them all. That's right, I got two pillows for $20 plus shipping.

That's like Walmart prices.

Unheard of.

And I noticed that they are having a shipping offer. I paid $10 to ship them, and got thirty days of free shipping. That could come in handy. What if I want to order a French Provincial nightstand to the tune of $3000? riiiiiight. That's not happening. But there are some cute tea towels that I have had my eye on. Anyway, it would probably be in your best interest to GO THERE NOW and grab some of those pillows before they are gone!

Feel free to click here. It's an affiliate link. I may win a prize or something if you order. haha.

I'll keep you posted on the sofa saga.

Feeling A Little Nostalgic

2013-02-13T15:12:00.001-07:00

Today, in honor of Valentines Day, I'm resurrecting an old post. While updating my holiday decor, once again, I brought out the album I made my husband a few Valentine's Days ago.

It's the gift that keeps on giving- makes me gush just looking through it.
I have a sweet life and an amazing husband. Blessed beyond measure, I tell ya! So here it is:

"Love is in the Air"

TUESDAY, APRIL 12, 2011

Well, this one is a little late but....

Sam always complains about the winters here in Idaho. I, however, relish them. I get 7 months a year to be outdoors enjoying the warm weather, and I get five months a year to stay in and work on the crafts I enjoy. Winter is the time for scrapbooking, crocheting, sewing, baking, and whatever else I fancy. I like having a break from yardwork, farmer's markets, and entertaining so I can spend time doing the other things I love.

It's not Winter, it's Craft Season.

Back in February, when it was miserable cold I got a great idea for a Valentine gift for Sam. I planned to make him a mini album of just us. Since our lives are filled with children now, I thought an album of the two of us would be fun and memorable for the Holiday of Love.

Aaaaww, young and in love (and skinny too!!). This was our rehearsal dinner, the night before the big day.

Sidenote: I have no torso. I'm five feet tall and all leg. Weird, I know. I blame my mother.

I went poking around the internet for inspiration. I found a great channel on youtube with this lady who makes fabulous mini albums. Her name is Robyn and she lives across the pond and she gets really excited about her finds. She gives tutorials on techniques and showcases her albums and they are just beautiful. I think this is my favorite one. I just love birds and this one is right up my alley.

If you want to see more (and I highly recommend the slider card tutorial, these made really cool Valentines for the grandmas) she has a website with all of her tutorials. You can find Robyn at www.injoystampin.com.

So I got crackin' on my own mini album. I'm sure you've seen these, they are simple and fun to make using lunch bags and paper. I was really into it too, I finished the album in a couple of nights and all I had left to do was add the pictures.

Well, the album was the easy part. It took me forever to find pictures I could crop and print and put in the album. Just when I thought I had a few, I started to remember all of the pictures that are floating around on my in-law's computer. When you are always the girl behind the camera, it's really tough to find pictures that you are actually in. So by the time Valentine's Day rolled around, I still didn't have it completed.

No sweat I thought, because fortunately for me, Sam's birthday was the following week!

yeeeaaaahhh.

Didn't quite get it finished by then either. I did produce a partially filled album and it pretty much got the response I figured. A half interested "Thanks" before moving on to the next article he was reading on espn.com.

Were my feelings hurt? Nah. I know before I give my husband a "craft item" he can only be about as excited as any other dude. Sure he appreciates the gesture, but I have learned that any expectation of seeing him sit down to pour over each page and notice the carefully selected patterned paper, read every quote and caption, pet the different trims and fibers I chose, comment on the hours of work I must have put into it, and cry over each picture of us isn't happening.

And really, I must give God a big THANK YOU for that one. I think I would be laying in bed at night wondering what had happened if I was a witness to such a sight.

No pressure. No timeline. I finished it when I finished it and put it out on the table and said nothing. I'm guessing that was around the beginning of March.

A few days later he came home from work talking about how he was bragging to his coworkers about how cool I was for making him an entire book. Now if that doesn't make a girl feel special, what does? Knowing that he takes a minute from his March Madness bracket talk to interject a compliment on my scrapbooking skills (to other dudes, nonetheless) makes me want to gush all over him. I love that man.

Even when I think he's not looking, he has already been there and done that.

He's the Man!

2013-02-11T13:15:00.003-07:00

We're talking men and decorating over at View Along the Way with Kelly today. How do you do this fine dance between decorating and keeping the hubs happy?

Does your big screen TV reside in a purple living room? Does he take his Sunday naps on a floral sofa with a ruffled lace pillow? Or does he decide which color to paint the bathroom?

Come see what myself and other DIY bloggers are saying!

This song just came to mind.

For your listening pleasure:

Funny, mostly not true in this house. But still funny.

Cupcake Purses for My Sweeties

2013-02-10T05:22:00.000-07:00

While I was on Facebook some time ago, an old friend from high school posted these cute little cradle purses that she was selling. I had never seen them before and was completely intrigued. Apparently, I have been living under a rock for all my life, because everyone in the world chimed in on how they all had one growing up...their Grandma made them...yada, yada, yada.- All news to me!

My girls are just the right age for these little purses because they LOVE rocking accessories at all times and the mothering and doll playing stage is in full effect.

This is the perfect storm of crafts. Crocheting + kid stuff + holidays = "You're the BEST MOM EVER!"

I love to crochet, it's one of my wintertime hobbies, so I decided I would make one for each girl for Christmas. To my surprise, these adorable little purses are all over the inter nets, so I had no trouble finding a pattern.

Not to be a hater, but some of these purses are a little too "fancy" for my own taste. All of the variegated yarns, layers upon layers of lace ruffles...too rich for my blood.

Example:

Does anyone else's mind immediately go here when you think of these crocheted creations?

source

Can I get an "Amen?" (like it's a sin to see the roll of toilet paper?)

I was on the search for a ~~current design from this decade~~ simpler design and was pleasantly surprised when I came across this one. Thanks "Champygirl!" I found her FREE pattern posted on Crochetville.com. "Champygirl's" secret identity is also known as Amelia Beebe, if you are a member of Ravelry, you can find an awesome project gallery here. I love the Minnie Mouse versions too.

It's a cupcake.
It's a purse.
It's a baby cradle.
It's adorable.

Photo credit via Ravelry by user BigFunFam.

Love it!

One of my favorite versions. I wish I had seen the little heart earlier. How cute is that?

This is the best of both worlds, in my opinion. Anyone who can incorporate dessert into an accessory is a winner in my book!

I love the crocheted rib pattern on the cupcake "wrapper" for the base of the purse. It was simple to do and turned out looking pretty authentic. It is also nice and bulky, so it gives the purse it's form.

I chose Caron Simply Soft yarn for the frosting part of the cupcake; it has a nice sheen and is super soft. I followed the original pattern for this purse, however I did make a modification to add a scallop border around the frosting edge for a little more sweetness and because I didn't want to have to go back and add it later.

Truth be told- I'm lazy.

On the "Frosting" section of the pattern, I completed Round 1, then inserted 2 rows:

From Amelia's instructions:

"...Round 1: Using size H hook join frosting color with a sl st to any stitch of rnd 12 of the cake part. Ch 1, 1 sc in each st around. Join with sl st to first sc. (48sc)"

*I inserted 2 rounds here:

Ch 1, sc in each stitch around, working in front loops only. Join with a sl st to first sc. (48).

Ch 1, sc in first st, *5 sc in next st, sc in next st.* repeat from * all the way around to create scallop edge.

Join with sl st to first sc. Sl st up the scallop to get back to Round 1. Continue with "Round 2" instructions of original pattern.*

This is what you get. A petite little scallop.

And back to Amelia:

"Rnd 2: Ch1 sc in each st around, through back loops only. Join with a sl st to first sc. (48sc)..."

Please refer to the full pattern instructions here. Thank You Amelia, for posting such a great pattern!

Anyway, this was a simple addition to the pattern, I didn't have to go back and change yarn or try to stitch in my existing work (which is always a pain for me). I thought the little scalloped edge looked sweet enough without having to "add more flair."

I finished the pattern according to the instructions, and for the top trim I chose this fun yarn.

It sells like hotcakes at Christmas time. It's pom-pom yarn. Kind of a pain to work with, but it gives the most luscious soft cupcake "Topping" you'll ever feel. It's like a million little bunny tails all on one string.

With the whipped cream topping complete, all this cupcake needed was a cherry on top!
I just winged it to make a sphere. Started with a ring, increased my stitches a few rounds, then decreased for a few rounds. Just before finishing it off, I stuffed it with a little Polyfil, and in the end, I had a nice cherry. I tied it to a random place along the inside edge; when the purse is closed, it sits right on top. Yum!

Because I was crocheting bootcuffs and headbands (and more bootcuffs and more headbands) for my teenage nieces for Christmas, I didn't get the cupcake purses finished in time.

But you know why that's okay?

Because NOTHING says "I Love You" like a cupcake!!

These gifts weren't late for Christmas, no, no... They were right on time for Valentine's Day!

Let's not forget the best part:

Not only are they purses, but have adorable little baby cradles inside! after I finished the little cradle/awning/bassinet thingy (what's that called?) I trimmed it in more of the pom-pom yarn.

To give support to the purse base, I inserted an old CD into the bottom (You know, when you bought 6000 of them because you realized you could burn all the music you wanted by yourself on your computer and then never did?). I put some batting on top and hot glued a scrap of fabric around it to make a little mattress. And a blanket to match, of course.

Then comes time to find the baby. Walmart has cheapies for a dollar, but I found some slightly nicer ones for three dollars at Target. And their outfits matched the cupcakes! SCORE!

The purse string is one long loop that I doubled around the top. That way, when you pull the ends, it cinches up on itself.

If you like to crochet, this is a fast project that worked up in one or two evenings. It was fun, easy, and I'm sure my little girlies will be dragging them to every store we go to for at least a week!

Happy Valentine's Day, from our family to yours!

Hey Girl...

2013-02-07T02:12:00.000-07:00

In honor of Valentine's Day, we're celebrating our real-life men! Kelly at View Along The Way, along with Ashley at Domestic Imperfection, and a few other bloggers are hosting a Valentine's Day "Hey Girl" Link Party. Link up and join in the fun, I am!

Here's to My Valentine:

Love you, Babe!

Link up here:

Diamond Tufted Dining Bench Part Deux

2013-02-04T13:01:00.000-07:00

If you are just landing here, you can find Part I of this post including a tutorial for building this bench and applying the upholstery foam here:

Diamond Tufted Upholstery Bench

Full plans, materials list, and instructions to build this bench can be found on Ana White's site here.

Where I left off, I had just explained how to build the frame and attach it together. I was rambling on about the seat cushion needing trimmed to make everything fit, so here is a pic of that process. I just used my jigsaw again and then finished trimming with scissors.

Once I got the foam situation under control, I could layer batting and fabric and begin to cover the seat. I picked up some quilt batting with a coupon from JoAnn's. It comes in a large roll, but it is half the thickness of upholstery weight fabric. I just doubled it and it worked great. Cut enough to cover the bench and wrap around the sides. Use your spray adhesive to tack the batting onto the foam. It just helps hold it in place. I flipped the entire piece over and began stapling the fabric to the underside of the bench. Pull everything taut, but make sure you aren't pulling the fabric so tight that the grain is crooked or it will be noticeable with your final product. If your mother ever demanded you learn to fold a "Nurse's Corner" on a bed sheet, that will come in handy here. I used a Nurse's Corner on the front corners of the bench seat. It's difficult to upholster around the legs of the bench; take your time and fold the fabric under carefully. I had a difficult time and the perfectionist in me wants to rip it apart and try again for the ~~second~~ third time- but I'm learning to let go! Trim away the excess batting and fabric making sure there isn't any hanging down on the underside of the bench or those loose threads will beome the cat's favorite thing to swipe.

With the seat finished, now comes the fun part:

Diamond tufting!

I love this look. It is rich, textural, and oh-so-plush. I googled and googled to no avail trying to find a tutorial for this. I found several youtube videos, but they would just show "before and afters." That is, until I found Carrie at Brick City Love. I came across her youtube video tutorial which led me to her blog. She gives excellent instructions for diamond tufting, and after that I got sucked into her home renovations.

I thought about making a video tutorial as well, but then decided I would just be repeating everything she said. Check out her blog to see the whole project and after you've been sucked into her blog for three hours, come back here for the rest.

Beginning with the back frame piece, you will need to cut holes into the foam for your buttons to go through. You will need a pipe that is slightly sharp on the end to cut through your foam. In the video, Carrie used a closet rod. I looked around my house and then this happened:

You know that moment.

The rod from my towel bar was perfect. I quickly dismantled it and let the "Ram-Rodding" begin. If I can give you precise instructions to quickly chew through those 3" of foam, I have to put on my big girl pants and try to keep my mind out of the gutter. Forgive me, friends!

Here goes:

Now, firmly grip your pole/rod. If you make quick, up-and-down motions, while holding the pole straight, it cuts through the foam rather quickly. Turning doesn't help. Trying to "screw" it in just makes the foam bind up on the rod. I'm telling you, up and down, really fast, while gripping the rod firmly, is the most efficient way (blushing).

Ahh! That was tough, but I got through it (that's what she said).

Alright. Seriously. Bathroom humor segment is over.

If you are successful, the foam will come out in little plugs over every hole. You will have a perfect channel to run your needle and thread through.

Next, I used an Exacto knife to cut a wedge around each hole. This will help smooth out the center so there is no abrupt edge near your button. It also cuts some of the bulk so you can pull your button down tight and get a nice deep tuft.

When you have finished all of the holes, it will look like this:

Kind of looks like a small rodent chewed through everything, huh?

You're getting close. Now, you will need to get some Polyfil stuffing. For each button to sink deep and have a plush look, there needs to be a lofty cushion around each button hole. If you skip this step, it will just look like a board with buttons on top. This really makes the difference.

Thus, I have developed what I am calling the "Doughnut Method."

Around each hole, form the Polyfil stuffing in a doughnut shape. I also filled in the surrounding spaces, across the top of the bench, and sides. My daughter walked in the room and said "Time to make the dooooughnuts" and had me laughing. She is way too young for that Dunkin' Doughnuts commercial, but her Dad has passed that one on for posterity.

After the stuffing has been added, it's time to cover the whole thing in batting. This is quilt batting from JoAnn's. It's $20 for a 10 yard roll (used a 50% off coupon). This batting only has a weight of 4 oz., while an upholstery weight batting is 8-12 oz. I just doubled the batting and made 2 layers for this purpose.

With the Polyfil and batting in place, all that's left is to drape the fabric over the top. If you look on Carrie's blog, she explains the extra yardage needed. It is important to note that you will need extra fabric in each direction. She has a chart to give you the correct math to figure it out. Every time a button gets pulled down into the foam, it is taking an inch or two of fabric from each direction down with it. The chart explains that you will need to add several inches for each button in your design. Truly, as Carrie agrees, the chart is a little over estimated. When I laid the fabric across, I measured enough to cover the bench front and sides with extra to staple around to the back, PLUS 8-12" for the buttons on each side. By the time it was all said and done, I had more than enough and ended up trimming off a good 4-6" of surplus fabric. It's better to have too much than too little. Pay attention to the way your fabric print runs when you are choosing fabric for this project and estimating yardage. This will work best if the bolt of fabric is railroaded ( the print runs with the roll on the bolt). Otherwise, you may have to piece your fabric together with a big seam across your bench.

A professional upholsterer will use an insanely long upholstery needle, but I was able to find an extra long (4") "Doll Needle" at JoAnn's to do the trick. I used upholstery thread that is extra strong to tie my buttons.
You will need two sets of buttons; one for the front, and one for the back to bind off the threads.

I took a few minutes and lined up my buttons and pre-threaded them. It makes things go much smoother when you are using both hands and teeth trying to do this by yourself. I also laid out how the colors would look since I had a mix, it helped me visualize things. I strongly recommend doing this part with a buddy. It's helpful to have someone pushing the button in while you cinch it up on the back side. I used a 30" length of thread, folded in half and strung through the button

Then I threaded all four ends through the needle to poke through the front of the bench, past the foam, and through the drilled holes in the wood. This is a blurry shot, but you can see how many threads are through the eye of the needle.

Start in the center of the bench. Middle row, middle button and work your way out. Be careful of your creases as you go, it is important to give a little slack in the fabric to get the plush look. Carefully watch the grain of the fabric to keep it straight.

Every other button, I had a little difficulty with poking the needle in and hitting board. After a few stabs, still no luck. It was helpful to take the needle and push it from the back through to the fabric, just for a visual. I could then see and feel the right place to stitch through the fabric.

Bring the needle and threads through. Drop the needle and thread the loose ends through a button on the back side. Have a helper push the button in on the front while you tighten and put numerous knots in the back threads. Even with several square knots, my thread still wanted to loosen, so take some time here. I ended up tying all of the loose ends together to form a chain across the back. You do not want to do all this work and cover up the back, only to have your tufting come loose.

It's nice to have a good set of eyes on the front during this process to make sure that the buttons are sinking in at equal depths and staying level with the holes. Even with the foam and pre-drilled backer board, if the needle is placed to high or low into the fabric it can look crooked. Carefully crease the fabric on the diagonal, making sure to fold the creases in the same direction.

For my rows of three, I made the creases roll in toward the diamond shape that is created between the spaces. Do you catch my drift?

Once all of your buttons are done, step back and admire your work!

Fold the fabric back around the rear of the frame and staple to the edges, keeping the crease from the outermost buttons.

Corners are always tricky. There tends to be a lot of bulk and with fabric running two directions, you want a smooth transition at their convergence. I trimmed away excess batting and even a little fabric that got in the way. I pleated the fabric, starting on the side and working in a wedge up to the bench top.

This took lots of stapling, as it is so bulky on the corner with all of those pleats. Good luck!

With the top and sides done, all that is left is the bottom. I stapled the fabric along the edge of the foam to tighten up the upholstery. Notice I kept the creases going down from the buttons.

Finally, I trimmed the excess and carefully folded the fabric around the angled leg and stapled into place.

With the seat and back cushions complete, I clamped them together and bolted them in place. I did end up countersinking my bolts here so that they would be flush with the rear frame. If you don't do that, your back cover will not fit correctly.

To make the back cover, I measured another piece of plywood half an inch shorter on the sides and top piece, but flush with the bottom frame.

I purchased small tacs (which I had to reinforce with finish nails because they weren't long enough. boo.) and hammered them all the way around the edges of the board about every 6".

After the nails were in place, I laid it face-up on a a piece of fabric with batting cut slightly larger than the board with the dangerous nails spiked everywhere. Be careful, keep the kids out for this part.

Pull the fabric tight and staple it around the board. Pull it over the tacs and try to keep the fabric even.Trim the corners to get rid of the bulk. Staple the fabric ONLY on the top and sides, but leave the bottom hanging. You will need to use that remainder to attach to the bench.

Using a hammer, pound in the tacs centering the board on the back of the bench. You might want to add a block between the hammer and tac so the fabric is not ripped. This took some time, and with some of my tacs not holding well, I had to use reinforcements. Carefully split the threads in your fabric and add a nail into place. Before it is completely nailed in, you can pull the fabric up around it with the tip of your needle and the head will be buried behind the fabric.

Wrap the fabric from the bottom edge around the rear frame to complete the back. Voila! It's done.

The girls love their bench and use it daily at their homeschool table. If I ever get a dining room, I plan to build a large Farmhouse dining table with a set of benches on each side just like these. They really are comfortable and give a nice high-end look.

Diamond Tufted Dining Bench

2013-02-04T13:00:00.000-07:00

Hey-o!

Things have been busy this winter, the holidays never let up! I built this bench last October and finally finished it on Thanksgiving Day.You can find plans to make your own dining bench on Ana White's site here. check out her official plan for your materials list and measurements. Thanks Ana for letting me contribute a project!

Picture this: Me and my husband dragging the bench out onto the street between traffic to take photographs (between basting the Thanksgiving turkey, mind you). I'd snap a few pics, then we would have to pick it up and move it to the curb while a car went by, then back out in the street for more photos. Our neighbors even came outside to make fun of us! I'm taking pictures, Sam's doing the heavy lifting, and our neighbor is across the street yelling "Why don't you leave it out there, (neighbor who shall remain nameless) already parks his car on the lawn!" Good times.

Anyway, I've been wanting a dining bench for some time. Not for dining, but in our little house, we have a room doing triple duty as an office/ sewing and craft room/ homeschool room. I have a large dining table set up for the girls to do their work, and since we officially kicked off Kindergarten this year, I needed to get this space whipped into shape. My girls are little and the bulky dining chairs we were using were so clunky, uncomfortable, and the girls were always falling off and getting tangled in the chair frame (don't ask). A bench was the perfect solution. It's comfy, it's spacious, they can sit right next to each other. Not to mention it's super stylish, and with the design elements I used, it's got sentimental value as well.

This bench is assembled with basic 2x4 and 2x6 boards. Heavy-duty, cheap, and easy to work with. But the big difference you will notice is how super comfortable it is to sit on. That is thanks to the elastic webbing used as a cushion support rather than plywood. It has a little "give" and holds up quite well. After some research online, I found that it is very common in European crafted furniture and has almost replaced the old way of building supports with springs, twine, and burlap webbing.

I found myself flipping furniture at World Market the other day and "Surprise!"

Guess what they use on their chair platforms?

Elastic webbing! (Am I nuts because I went back with my camera and made my 5 year old daughter hold up the chair while I took the picture?)

I chose a simple fabric to cover the bench. A linen-like cotton with tan and orange threads. I think it's the first orange anything I've ever owned, but it's fun and just right for the space. But the best part:

The BUTTONS!

(Piper has given her approval)

These were part of my Grandma's collection. When I was a little girl, my Grandma kept her button collection in large mason jars- I just loved to look at them! So colorful, each one so unique...I would dump them out on the table and look at them one by one, sort them by color and style. She grew up during the Great Depression, you know. Any shirt that was ruined got turned into rags, and every button got snipped off for a future use. Gotta love that green thinking! So when I planned the design for this bench, the diamond tufting was a perfect way to showcase some sweet memories of my grandmother.

I made this build a whole lot harder on myself than it needed to be. I finished the bench and then realized it was too short for my table. Dang it! So I had to remove the legs and make new ones for the frame. Of course, I had already upholstered the entire thing, so I had some dismantling to do. I like to think that I'm just getting the kinks out for the next guy that builds this....so here ya go next guy. It's all ready for You!

Here are a few of my suggestions (more like lessons learned!) before you start cutting:

1. Pick a friendly fabric. If your bench will be used for nightly dinners, choose a fabric that wipes easily. Patterns hide stains better than solids. Look into patio furniture fabric. It's treated, fade resistant, and can take a beating. Now that patio furniture costs as much as a living room set, it is much easier to find fabric in attractive colors and patterns at affordable prices. Also, pay attention to the way your fabric runs on the bolt. You will want something that is "railroaded" if you choose a print. That means the design runs with the roll on the bolt. Otherwise, if the pattern runs the opposite direction, you have to piece it together and there will be seams across your bench. I'm halfway regretting my fabric choice now, because the top of this bench has become a perch for the newest member of our family, Prince. His little claws have not been friendly. He likes to use it as a runway before he launches on his next target.

2. Know your foam. The most frustrating part of building anything requiring foam cushioning isn't the sewing or the stapling- It's the cost! Foam is insanely expensive. I even considered buying a junk sofa from Goodwill to harvest the foam seat cushions. Most foam is sold by the foot in different densities and you can find it at craft and fabric stores and local upholstery shops. I found a great resource online at DIY Upholstery Supply. They sell it in long lengths for church pews- perfect application for a dining table bench. However, as luck would have it, I found the best deal ever in my town. My local Fred Meyer (Northwest Chain like a fancy Walmart) sells it in their sporting goods section. I was able to buy a 6 foot x 30 inch x 3 inch thick foam camping mat for $20- That is unheard of! The same piece would have cost around a hundred dollars at JoAnn's. Shop around and see what other applications this type of foam can be used for; I never would have thought to look in the camping section. It was a happy accident!

3. Measure your table. This bench plan is very simple to make and easy to modify to fit to your table. You can measure the height of an existing chair or estimate an appropriate height to fit your space. Also, making your own bench gives you the opportunity to custom fit the seating. If you've got a "Honky-Tonk-Ga-Donk-a-Donk," then you can build this baby to match. I personally went around and measured all of my favorite seats in the house to get a good average. I made my bench 24" deep, it's very full and has room for a few throw pillows. I have a slight obsession with throw pillows, so this gives me another space to use them. You can also make the bench as long as you would like, however, any more than 60", I would consider adding legs in the center of the frame for support.

4. Dry-fit the bench before upholstering. I added the foam and fabric to my pieces before I drilled and bolted the frame together. That was a dumb move. Check for level and make sure the seat and back are square before you drill and bolt and definitely do that part before you have the bulk of the foam to combat.

So let's get started!

I measured out the angles on the 2x4's for the back frame and cut them out with my circular saw. I used the jig saw to get in the small spaces where the seat mounts to the back. My bench legs were 12" tall. Sanded them fine and gave them a coat of stain. I used Minwax Special Walnut.

While the stain dried, I cut the seat frame. You'll notice in my pics that I just assembled it at a flat frame. Well, I had to go back and fix that part! On the first go-round, the front legs just attached underneath. They ended up being too short and wobbly. The legs really need to be incorporated into the frame for added strength and support. It's also important to use corner blocking to keep the frame square. That was another "oopsie." I added it after I installed the elastic webbing for the tramp.

Next comes the seat platform. Notice that the side frame pieces are angled and the front and rear boards are two different sizes. This makes for comfortable seating and gives the bench a little more style other than looking like a big block. For the center braces, I used 1x4 boards mounted flush with the bottom of the frame. You want a gap between the tops of these boards and the top of the frame because the webbing will dip for comfort. Add corner blocking to keep the frame square.

And last but not least.

My big do-over.

I had to back and cut into the frame to add legs that are incorporated into the frame. The final plan should have eliminated this issue, but we were still in the research and development phase. I notched out a 1 1/2" piece from the front corners of the frame and attached the legs with pocketholes.

Incorporating the front legs to the seat frame for added strength:

The rear frame has two horizontal support pieces to keep things square. The top piece is a 2x2, the center rail is another 2x2 (flush with the rear of the frame),a 2x4 brace that will attach where the seat rests, and behind that, a 1x2 is added to the rear of the 2x4 to give your backing a place to attach. I clamped everything in place while the glue dried. Make sure everything is square. Stand it up to make sure the vertical is level too.

With the two pieces done, this would be a good time to clamp them together and drill for your bolt assembly. Make sure that the bench is square and all four legs are resting firmly on the ground before drilling. Use bolts with washers tighten the two pieces together.

Next is the bench backer board. I cut a piece of 1/4" plywood I had on hand to size, then began to measure and mark for my button holes. I've seen pegboard used for this application as well. It is a great idea because it is firm, yet flexible, and the holes are already there. I measured a 4" border around the top and sides and an 8" border at the bottom. Then I decided how many buttons I wanted. I picked three rows for my diamond pattern and spaced them 4-5" apart. Drill holes on the marks approx. 3/8" wide- Large enough to get your needle in and out, and small enough that your button won't slip through.

Next, I cut the foam for the back cushion...I cannot say how thrilled I was to find another use for my jigsaw! I've seen numerous craft shows where they use an electric carving knife to cut foam. I don't have one, and thankfully the jigsaw worked, otherwise, I was breaking out the Sawzall!

Just line up your board on the foam and use a Sharpie marker to trace around your backer board.

Also, you will want to mark each dot for your button holes. You will need these measurements before you upholster.

It's a little tough when it chews in to the edge, but after that, it's smooth sailing!

Because you will more than likely need to piece a few foam scraps to cover your board, I used Loctite Spray Adhesive to join my seams. I purchased the general purpose vs. the hardcore permanent stuff because I knew I would want to use the rest of the can on something else. It worked great.

Attach the backer board to the rear of the bench with finish nails. Then give the board a nice coat of adhesive spray and stick your foam on top. Press down so it can bond and let it dry. it will stay slightly tacky, so if you need to make any adjustments, you can pull it up and re-stick till your heart's content.

Cut another piece of foam for the top. Since your fabric is going to wrap over the back and you will be grabbing the top to move in and out of the bench, it needs a little cushion up there as well. I added a piece that was 2" high and sprayed it to everything else with the adhesive.

The seat frame comes together quickly in preparation for the seat cushion. Once the frame is done,

now comes time for the elastic webbing. I purchased 10 yards off of Ebay from Victorian-Upholstery to make my 4' long x 2' bench. Elastic webbing comes in different grades; some is more firm for back support, and some has more give for seat support. I chose a mid-grade that would be flexible for any use. I probably used 7 yards to complete this bench. If you look into elastic webbing, there are tools you can buy called webbing stretchers to grip the webbing while you pull it taut. They are around $30, and since I didn't anticipate using it all the time, I tried to find a way around it.

And guess what?

Boom.

That is an undercoat brush for our dog. No kidding. It is almost identical to a real stretcher and it worked great.

The best way to do this quickly is set it up in the living room and make sure your husband is laying on the couch watching Sportscenter.

With your frame and elastic webbing ready, grab a stapler and staple down the first edge. I used five staples to hold each end down with a 1" overhang that I stapled down to the side. Once one side is securely in place you can pull the webbing across to the opposite end. Pull it as tight as you can, then use the webbing stretcher (er, dogbrush) to pull extra tight.

At this point, your husband will witness your act of strength, and not to be outdone, the Shirtless Wonder will hop off the couch and demand that you let him do it. The webbing stretcher is completely unnecessary as he uses sheer brute force to pull the webbing taut while bearing down against the frame.While he is "Showing you how it's done" you are free to staple at will, leisurely walk around, and take pictures of the process.

You tricked him so good, he's now doing all the work!

Until he realizes that you tricked him, that is! Then he's giving you the "Stink-Eye" and saying things like "Are you gonna put down the camera and help me over here?" Ah yes, now I remember why I just LOVE doing projects with my man.

Okay, so you are going to lay all the strips in one direction stapling them on each end with an overhang of 1-2". Each strip is placed 4-6" apart all the way across. Then, when you are finished with one direction, place the next set perpendicular, being sure to weave back and forth (basketweave pattern) between the rows so you end up with one solid support.

Remember the placemats you made in elementary school with construction paper? This is a larger version!
I ended up adding a row here and there, so my pattern is off, but you get the picture:

Once the webbing is finished, the cushion is cut for the top. I sprayed down the frame with more adhesive and stuck the foam right over it. Remember, my picture below is incorrect from the actual plan because this was a "before" when I had not added the front legs to the frame. Where the rear of the seat meets the back of the bench, the foam will touch and it was nearly impossible for me to get the frame pieces bolted together.

(This was where my Rage-a-hol kicked in and no matter how hard I clamped and squeezed I could NOT get the frame to align. After I calmed down and "regrouped," it really was a simple fix. Time-outs are not just for kids.)

I had to trim the rear of the cushion at a 45 degree angle so that the bench would bolt together. If I were you, I would trim the back cushion instead, this way, the seat cushion will rest under the back cushion. If that makes sense to you, you will see what I am talking about in the final pictures.

Next, it's upholstering time! Follow the link for part II.

Upholstering Your Dining Bench

Linking up and Partying here:

The Forum

2012-11-30T12:32:00.001-07:00

THE FORUM

Prepare to be SCARED!

2012-10-18T19:13:00.002-06:00

Here's a funny story...so last year when Beth at Home Stories A to Z had her annual Halloween Mantel linky party, I had all the best of intentions of joining in. I was really excited to participate!

yep.

But, by the time I finally had my decorations up, I was beyond fashionably late. That's how I roll, and it doesn't always jive with the rest of the world.So, I told myself, "I'm not late, I'm just super early for next year!"

I had tweaked my little vignette over and over last year till things looked juuuust right, and I felt I had reached Halloween decorating perfection. I mastered the art of spider web stretching, thanks to some great tips from my neighbor Cherri:

1. Just keep stretching.
2. A little goes a long way.
3. Stretch.
4. Stretch.
5. And stretch some more.

I mean, I really outdid myself! I thought I had reached the scariest type of Halloween table decorating enlightenment possible! That never happens in my world of perfectionism.

I blew my own mind.

Rarely do I throw out decorations and quit messing with them. I'll be walking by and it's "this pumpkin to the left" or "adjust the spider web a little," "it needs more rats...definitely more rats." On and on...

This year, I'm just going to copy the same set-up as last Halloween. It turned out great, and I don't want to mess with a good thing.

As soon as I get out to the shed and dig out my decorations, that is. No, I don't have an actual mantel, but the console near my entry works just the same. It's super spooky alright, and I even scared the crap out of MYSELF a time or two.

The best part...many of my decorations were from Dollar Tree and Target's dollar section. Take this skull for instance:

I leeeerve me some glitter, but I don't like the mess it makes. I picked this guy up at Target for only $2.50 (they have them again this year). His glittered face came shrink-wrapped in plastic and I just left it that way. No glitter trail, no sparkling on every surface, on my skin, in my food, on the cat...the glitter stays in place and no one is the wiser with it placed under the glass cloche.

Next, I filled my existing picture frames with scary Googled images. I just printed them in black and white and popped them in front of the family photos. I used one from Mel Brooks' classic "Young Frankenstein" (which always reminds me of my dad, he used to make me watch it), and the other- well, that witch SERIOUSLY creeps me out! That's the stuff nightmares are made of.

BWAHAHA HA HA!

Here is the link to her scary face: Super Creepy Witch Face
Do not look her directly in the eyes (thank goodness it's only a mask)!

I also covered a large book with newspaper (it's Strong's Concordance...shame on me!) so it fit in with the aged feel.

On a sidenote: If you jumped on the blog crafting bandwagon and fashioned one of those book page wreaths everybody was posting about (guilty), now would be a good time to put a spider on it and work it into your display. You can see mine in the mirror reflection of the last pic, I've since given it away but I'm kinda wishin' I had it back in moments like these. It would look great with some spiderwebs on it too. sigh of regret.

The little skeleton garlands are from dollar tree. They are super spooky. I cut them apart and tied them to a black wire tree that I had to make them look like dead men hanging.

The potion bottles I have setting on top of my wall mirror are from Michael's, I got them the previous year on clearance for less than a dollar each after Halloween. It pays to plan ahead.
And don't forget the bag of spiderweb with cheap spider rings; they are a necessity.

Even the little raven perched on the lamp is from the dollar store. Now you know I LOVE birds, but not these guys- They give me the Heebie Jeebies!

Why, you ask? Do I even need to explain?

That's the stuff childhoods are made of, right there! I can remember watching this is a kid and being especially traumatized.

True story: a couple of years ago, we stayed overnight at my mom's house and when we woke up in the morning, we had an eerie "Birds" experience. Just like the movie, THOUSANDS of blackbirds had settled on the ground surrounding the house in my mother's pasture, on the telephone lines, roofs, you name it. We sat at the windows and watched for-e-ver just waiting for something to happen. And then all at once, they flew away.

Moving on:

Don't the jack-o-lanterns give off the best glow at night?

We love a good Halloween scare around here, but I promise, no nightmares for the kids! Look at my Ava, I can't believe how fast a year goes by!

I am excited to FINALLY be linking up today. I've only been waiting 364 days. Go check out the Halloween Mantel Linky Party at Beth's place next:

Sweet Pea Garden Bed II

2012-10-11T03:58:00.001-06:00

I'm back with more Sweet Pea Garden Bunkbed Sweetness!

I have a few more details regarding the plan for your viewing pleasure. In case you just landed here, you can find out more about this build in the saga called

"The Bunkbed to End All Bunkbeds." Check out the previous posts:

Here:

Get Ready!

And Here:

Sweet Pea Bunkbed

And here we are now.

Okay, last I left off, I gave some info for the bed build and threw in a few pictures of the front panel. I was all intense at first, taking pics of what seemed like every board until I made a mistake with the frame and had to rip apart half of the front panel. Boo!

At that point, after I corrected my errors, I dug in to finish the whole bed. This level of bed building intensity derailed my over-photographing ways. I had no pictures of anything past the front panel. Well, as luck would have it, I happened to unload a memory card recently and few more pics of the rear panel popped up.

Yay!

So here you can see how the colorblocking came together on the rear panel. I just painted up my scraps, distressed the edges, and used the Kreg Jig to assemble the small scraps into long boards. I laid them out on the driveway, screwed them together, measured out the length at 77", and cut the pieced together board to the correct length. I burned through a ton of screws here. Each board had two screws pocketholed into the next. Lots of gluing, lots of screwing.

Not only were the scraps screwed together horizontally, but these boards were also screwed together vertically to make them into solid panels. I laid the boards face down on the ground and "Got Jiggy Wit' It" with the Kreg Jig once again. Glue along the board edges, and screw all of those boards together. Right after you have assembled these panels, flip 'em over and wipe all the glue drips. Gluing these boards edge to edge can get messy. Since I pre-painted all the pieces, I didn't want to ruin my pretty paint job.

I had my husband help me insert the panels. He held up the frame and I fit the panels in place. These kinds of chores always make me laugh. I'm out in the driveway building furniture in the summer heat...sweating...next to the trash cans...and my husband is inside watching Lifetime Television for Women and ESPN. He comes outside to hold things while I pound them into place with the hammer. Haha!

Use a block! The panels were nice and tight and I just started pounding away and dinged up the boards a bit before I realized I needed something between my pretty boards and the hammer. Use a scrap of wood to take the beating so your finish doesn't.

There is a small gap on the lower panel near the frame. No biggie, the mattress will cover it up.

I used my nailgun and glue to attach the shelf brackets once the panels were in place. I just lined them up flush with the top of the board they are nailed to and toenailed them in place. Then I nailed the shelf on top of the brackets.

I LOVE how it turned out! I didn't want the inside of the bed to be boring and all of the bright colors jazz it up. The shelf is so great too. The girls put all of their books and stuffed animals up there. I love how sweet they look displayed.

That's our new kitty "Prince." Why do I let the kids name things? He loves the bed. It's like a giant cat condo that he thinks is just for him.

While you are painting the other million boards, consider painting the slats that go under the upper bunk as well. I figured that my youngest was going to have to stare up at the underside of her sister's bed for her entire childhood and it might as well be fun too.

Did you ever have a bunkbed? I was an only child (minus my stepsiblings that visited once in a while) and I missed out on all of that. Building this bunkbed was just as exciting for me as it is for my girls, I think! I would have loved to have had a buddy to bunk with.

This is where I quit taking pictures of the panel assembly. The sides are very simple. A couple of horizontal frame pieces and the siding panels built to screw into place upon assembly. This bed can move with you. The side panels are glued to the trim pieces, but the trim is simply screwed into the frame. It comes right out so that you can take this bed down and move it with you.

When I put the bed in the girls' room, we put three sides together, then inserted the slats and the lower mattress before putting the last side on. I'm sure if you really had to, you could try to fold the lower mattress in through the front opening, but it is so much easier to just throw it in before the final wall goes on.

I attached the pergola to the bed after I put it in the room. I think you could easily put it on before you moved it around, but I didn't want to take the chance of breaking it as I moved it inside and through the house.

After I cut out, primed, and painted the pieces, it was time to assemble the pergola brackets.

I assembled these brackets using scraps to keep them even. One underneath the lower piece to keep it level and one on the right to keep the ends flush. They are glued and nailed together where they intersect. The scrap piece on the right in the picture has a measurement of 4" marked. There needs to be a 4" gap between the pieces for the brackets to go around. The top of the bracket rests on the front frame piece and 4" allows the bracket to hug the 2x4 frame.

I placed pocketholes on each bracket piece to screw directly into the front panel. Then I predrilled holes for 3" screws to attach to the front panel as well. I countersunk these quite a bit to make them work.

These attached to the bed easily. One on each side of the opening frame and one on each end of the bed. Be especially careful not to strip the pocketholes so these will fit tight. After the brackets were attached, I pieced the horizontal 2x2 sections one at a time. I screwed them between the brackets with pocketholes and it was finished!

For decoration, I purchased faux vines at Michael's Craft Store and intertwined them in the pergola. I also bought an extra long patio light set from World Market. The little paper lanterns are long enough to hang on both stories and then some. They have the best glow at night and now we don't need night lights. Another thing I noticed with this bunkbed is that I don't need heavy shades on the windows either. The walls block out the light, and nap time is fine any time of the day!

It's so magical! I love this bed! It's not stuffy in there either. It feels like a cozy little cabin but the air circulates through the windows and openings just fine. We have an old house with no central air and we were late putting in our window conditioners this summer; I thought for sure the girls would by dying in their beds, but they were just fine.

I'll be posting more later, but it's late and I have to go to bed. Stay tuned!

Features

2012-09-26T16:00:00.000-06:00

Click here to see where I've been featured!

A SWEET Giveaway!

2012-09-24T04:30:00.000-06:00

This Giveaway has ended.

I'm really excited today because this is my FIRST EVER blog giveaway!

If you are here because you are checking out my girls' new bunkbed, thanks for stopping by! Take a few minutes and look around, that is, AFTER you enter to win a new light from my friends at DLights!

A little background on Dlights- My friend Kristin and her husband Michael are the owners of Dlights. Kristin and I go waaaay back... I'm talking childhood friends here. I've known Kristin since I was 4 years old! We grew up together jumping on trampolines, riding horses, riding bikes, fighting over boys, playing in ditches, having slumber parties, burning our foreheads with curling irons, and everything else that entails a childhood in Idaho in the late '80s. She and I have so many great memories of growing up together, I can't be more excited to do this giveaway with her.

These lights are so amazing, they are made of sturdy plastic that is folded into an origami pattern. They offer various shapes including a sphere, pendant, or cylinder design- the configurations and sizes are all custom too. Lots of colors to choose from.

They now offer themed lights, perfect for football season:

My girls have a Dlight in their room. It rocks! Ours is white and it came with a color changing LED bulb that is operated by remote control. My girls love it! It hangs over their bed and it is reminiscent of a full moon. That is, until the party gets started and it fades in and out from one shade to the next!

Can you hear the club music?

My kids think it is SO COOL that they can operate their light via remote. Check out these lights in action:

How about having a DLight of your very own?

To enter to win this SWEET GIVEAWAY:

1. Like Birds and Soap on Facebook

2. Like DLights on Facebook and

3. Go to www.origamidlights.com and find your favorite light. Leave me a comment below telling me you are a Facebook fan and which light you will choose if you win!

Giveaway ends on October 24th at Midnight, MST. Winner will be announced on Facebook!

Sweet Pea Bunkbed

2012-09-24T02:57:00.000-06:00

After a long summer, I'm so excited because

TODAY IS THE DAY!

I know I posted way back when about the exciting reveal that was coming your way but then the kitchen debacle happened and it kind of derailed my plans by a couple of ~~weeks~~ months.

It has been a busy summer of building and I am excited to finally reveal my girls' bunkbed! This isn't your average bunkbed; no, no.. this bed is the stuff dreams are made of! I'm so excited to share it with you, because not only do I have pictures of this beautiful bed:

I have FREE PLANS for you as well!!

What? That did not just happen.

Oh yes, it did! Thanks to Ana White for helping make this dream bed a reality.

Earlier this summer, while I was in the middle of this build, I was doing my usual perusing of www.ana-white.com, and told my husband "Check out these people, Ana has folks contributing on her blog now, that would be so fun." Sam said, "You could totally do that, Jenny!" and he suggested I email Ana right away and ask to be a contributor on her site (alright, he didn't say "totally," but it sounds better when I retell the story). So with his urging, I attempted to muster up the guts to message Ana...I would have to think on it for a little while. I'm kind of a wimp like that.

No joke, two hours later, I check my email, and guess what was in my inbox? A message from ANA WHITE, herself, asking ME if I would like to be part of her contributor program?!

Okay, I don't know about many of you out there, but Ana's "Kind of a Big Deal" around my house. Like celebrity status. I <3 her. I talk about her and her site, the"Momplex,", and my latest to-do list from her plans all the time- you'd think she was my cousin or something. I'm surprised my kids don't ask when she's coming to visit, haha.

I knew I was crafty, but I didn't know I could BUILD until I found Ana. She is absolutely inspiring, and really gave me the confidence to jump into the world of furniture making. I know I've gushed about her before on my blog, but seriously, if I could put her in my pocket and carry her around all day, I would do that. Is that weird?

Back to the story. I immediately responded to Ana and when she asked if I had any projects in mind I just happened to mention that I was right in the middle of a bunkbed build that was super fantabulous and I would love to share it if she could help me make it into a plan.

You see, I designed the bunkbed on Google Sketchup. It is an awesome and FREE program for building. It lets you design from the ground up; making boards, keeping track of dimensions, but most importantly, it gives you a great visual for how your project will come together. I loved this program over the winter, because it gave me an outlet for all my creative juices; I was able to design all of the projects that I couldn't build outside in the crappy weather so they would be ready when the sunshine came.

Getting the Sketchup file into a plan is a whole other story. I am new at this program and there were many times I just wanted to throw my computer out the window because the learning curve was killing me! What took me over a month to design on Sketchup took Ana only days to break down into easy to read diagrams that went along perfectly with my instructions. I could have cried when she sent me the final draft.

Ah-Mazing!

So check out the plan- I've titled it "Sweet Pea Garden Bed." "Sweet Pea" is an endearing term I use with my girls because they are just that sweet. My bed has a cottage garden feel to it, but it could easily be altered to suit a little boy. Less sweet, more rustic, and this could be one awesome hunting lodge! Ana even mentioned turning it into a firehouse- there really are endless possibilities when it comes to our kids. I hope that you will find the instructions easy to understand, and please don't hesitate to ask should you find yourself knee-deep in a bunkbed build all lost and confused.

Here are the details of the build, you can find the full plan instructions Here.

When I started the bed, it was early spring. I was battling windstorms, rain, and snow. My garage is old and detached and has a flat roof (who does that?) so it leaks. My "workshop" is also known as my "driveway" and it's only open when the weather cooperates. You know the neighbors gotta love that. If they're not trying to eat dinner over the sound of my sander going or the air compressor refilling, then it isn't a normal day on my block. I truly wish I had thought about blogging my build at the time, because I am a little low on pics for part of the construction process.

First, I purchased all of the wood at once. I WOULD NOT recommend this if you are building between raising kids all day. If you can bust this project out in a week or so, then it is no issue. However, for me, I could only work on it when I had free time during my kids' naps or my husband's days off. The wood sat in a pile on the side of my house through rain, direct sun, and all types of weather that are not friendly to lumber. I would suggest just buying materials for the bed first, then the stairs, storage boxes, etc. The storage boxes were my last project and it was three months before I finally got to them. By then, the wood was warped and problematic for construction.

There is a lot of wood here, and with it can come a pretty hefty price tag. I purchased some of the wood as "culled lumber." This is wood that is slightly damaged, either warped, gashed, or split.You can find this in your lumber department of a big box store. My local Lowes has this out front. The culled lumber is banded together and you get what you get. You don't get to pick pieces; sometimes it is just what you need (like a whole mess of 1x material), it is worth looking out for. I asked for discounts on several individual boards that looked great except on one end or a couple of feet that were in bad shape that I knew I could salvage. The cashier obliged and I got a deal- it never hurts to ask!

The board that I cut arches in on the upper front panel was warped pretty bad, shouldn't have been so cheap on that one. I found that it would have been better to use straight boards on the long sides of the bed. You can see the warping at the top (however, the adorable shutters cover it right up!).

I recommend pre-cutting, priming and painting as many pieces as you can ahead of time to make assembly go much smoother. Except for the 1x2 trim, which you will want to cut to fit (you can paint it, though!), the majority of the pieces can be cut ahead of time. I had my nieces come over one afternoon and help me paint- it was a lifesaver!

When it comes to paint, I have to say, Lowes has revolutionized my DIYing, furniture-crafting self! I absolutely L-O-V-E their sample-sized paint jars. I find that one or two little jars is often enough for a small project and I don't have to buy a whole quart or gallon. For this project, it really allowed me to add a lot of color to the design without spending a fortune on paint. The jars are 7-8 ounces and will run you $2.97 each (For the record, the cheapskate in me has to share: There are 32 ounces in a quart. My local Lowes charges $12.97 for a quart of paint. It is slightly cheaper to buy four sample-sized 8 ounce jars @$2.97 than purchasing a quart. boom.)

And yes, my husband does work at Lowes, but they certainly aren't paying me to plug them. I just love their paint!
*Lowes, if you want to pay me to plug you, send me an email! Haha.

Just in case you are wondering, the colors I chose for the bed are as follows:

Frame: Valspar's Parsley Sprig. 6008-8B It's a vibrant, punchy green.
Siding: Valspar's "Sea Wave" 5006-9C this is a perfect shade of "Tiffany Blue" I also used it on my niece's bedroom makeover.
Shutters and Stair Railing: Valspar's "Raspberry Sorbet" 1001-1B
Storage Box Fronts: Valspar's "Organic Garden" 6005-6B with a little "Twilight Meadow" 5007-8A (pictured above) added to the mix to paint the grass.

The white trim is my go-to shade of Antique White. I use this everywhere in my house on moldings, wainscoting, and also on furniture. It's my fave. It's called "Heirloom Lace" by Olympic (also from Lowes). It's fresh and crisp, without the cold starkness that makes you feel like you are in a hospital.

The rest of the colors I used were mis-tints I purchased at a discount.

I chose a distressed finish for the bed. It fit with the look I was going for, and honestly, you'd be a fool not to distress anything that goes in a kid's room. They are rough on furniture! I lightly sanded the edges and knots to bring out the character of the wood.

When it came to assemble the bed, I made several mistakes along the way. I found myself having to rework the plan as I went. For instance, my stair railing was put together completely different than the official plan. That's because I made it way harder for myself than it needed to be. I had to redesign that part so that you poor unsuspecting folks wouldn't throw it in the trash because it turned out looking like junk when you were all through.

Starting with the front panel, it was a little tricky figuring out how to cut the arches from the window frames. Then I got looking around my driveway and found the answer:

I used the bottom of a plastic flower pot I had laying around to trace the arch. I marked my board for the window opening and lined up the edges of the pot with my marks and traced the arch. Once you cut out your first arch, use the scrap to trace the next one. I did NOT do that and my arches ended up different sizes. Not too noticeable, but it caused problems when I built the shutters. One set was larger then the other and I had to fit them differently to make them look even. Learn from my mistake and trace the second arch off the first!

Once I had the top board in place, I lined up my boards along the edges of the frame and nailed them to the trim. This pic is the view of the rear of the front panel as I was assembling it. On the two boards below the windows, I glued them together and used my nailgun to toenail them in place. You could also add a few pocketholes here to make the panels solid. I noticed that with the boards spanning the entire length of the bed, they could use a little reinforcing so they wouldn't sag or bow.

The window sill notches are cut with a jigsaw too. If your notches are a little choppy looking when you are done, don't fret, the window trim will hide any unevenness when it is finished out. Glue them into place and nail to the panel pieces.

Here is a better shot of how the panel pieces are attached to the frame. As the trim is attached to each frame piece, it creates a lip to lay the panel pieces across. This is a lower window section. When your pieces are pre-cut and painted, it assembles quickly like a puzzle. All of the nails are on the backside giving a nice, clean look to the front.

The front panel pieced together quickly, but the rear panel went even faster! The entire panel is essentially siding. I did go through a million pockethole screws piecing it together, however. When you have these long running boards, they tend to want to sag and bow beneath the weight of themselves. To remedy that, I screwed them together on the back sides with vertical pocketholes and glued them along the edges to make one large upper and lower panel to affix to the rear frame.

For the upper portions of the panels (above the shelves), I pieced them together with scraps. This saved on cost and also waste. Instead of a large scrap pile, I painted my scraps, distressed the edges, and pieced them together on end with pocketholes and glue. I ended up with a great color-blocking effect using several random colored boards to create each row. This added some fun to the inside of the bed providing a nice contrast from the main body of the bunkbed. The rear panel is very heavy, don't give yourself a hernia trying to move it yourself. I jest, but this sucker weighs a ton!

Check out the ledge in the picture above. I designed this bed with wiggle room around the entire mattress. This is the upper bunk, and when you scoot the mattress back all the way, you will get about 4" at the foot of the bed. I slid one of the mattress slats all the way to the edge, it makes a nice area to step when you are climbing in the upstairs bunk.

The cat loves it in there.

And this is where I stopped taking photos! Ack! Be sure to read through the full plan, and message me if you have any questions. Thanks for stopping by!

Stay tuned for detailed posts on the roof, pergola, stairs and storage boxes.

Linking up and partying over here:

An Awesome Thing That Happened in July

2012-08-11T00:25:00.000-06:00

So yes, the last month has been rather uneventful around here, but there was one awesome thing that happened to me in July.

A couple of weeks ago, I got an email in my inbox and I was so IMPRESSED, inspired, and flattered when I read it that I had to share! First, I called my husband at work to tell him the news, then I shed a tear of awesomeness for this newlywed couple, and finally, I chuckled to myself a little bit when I thought about the "Marriage Bed" comment I made in my Farmhouse Bed post (sometimes I crack myself up). And now I have to share it with all of you:

Hi Jenny,

I just wanted to say thank you for your blog and great ideas. I recently got married but before we got married, my husband sent me a link to your site of your farmhouse bed and in the header of the email he wrote "do you like it? I can make this."

I was somewhat skeptical, but as soon as we got back from our honeymoon, our first stop was to Home Depot to get all the supplies to make the bed. Sure enough, just a short time later, my husband got started and made the bed for us. It really didn't take him that long, waiting for the coats of paint to dry was the longest part. Here is a picture of our bed.

So anyways, I just wanted to share that with you. Thanks for your blog and thank you for being partially responsible for me having the coolest bed ever. We love it!

Sincerely,

Angela D.

Check out their beautiful bed (and the bedding- isn't it great?):

How cool is that? You totally made my day! Thank you Angela for the email, I hope you don't mind I shared your awesome bed with the entire world! It turned out lovely, you should be very proud.

Props to your new groom for a job well done!

Prayers for a blessed marriage and may Christ abide in your hearts and in your home forever.

Yes, I have a pulse.

2012-08-10T02:24:00.000-06:00

Hey there, it's been forever. I always tell myself, I am going to post _ many times per month on this little blog, and I swear, the moment those words are off my lips I seem to disappear for awhile. I should try some reverse psychology on myself and maybe I will get better results!

We've been working on our kitchen project of course, and I can't believe that it's been almost two months since I've posted anything! I look back and honestly, can't say I've accomplished a ton. I tiled and tiled until my hands were sore and blistered and bleeding, then decided to give it a rest. This is what happens in the world of "doing it yourself," I'm afraid. Trying to save money on the labor is a good thing, however, there is no contractor to call and complain to when the work doesn't get done. I understand how people who build their own homes end up living in a construction zone for 10x longer than they planned.

We had a ton of progress on our place before the 4th of July. So close to "finished," but just couldn't get it done. Every year, we host a barbecue and have our neighbors and friends over for fireworks and good food. We have about six neighbors who do the same, so it makes for a great 4th of July. This kind of derailed my kitchen renovation, as I wanted to focus on the party and menu planning- I love a good party! We took a few days off and had a great holiday.

Ava, Lyla, and Ashtyn baking patriotic treats

I love the 4th of July!

Always have.

I love that my husband loves the 4th of July. It's second to Christmas for him, I think. You should see his eyes light up when he recounts his ten-year-old self...saving up his money, riding his bicycle down to the local stand, counting out change and buying all the "Pop-Its" he could, carefully choosing each little firecracker. He would take all of his bounty home, dump it on the floor, and arrange every firework in the order they were to be set off. This ritual would go on daily for a week leading up to the Fourth. On the big night, it would take so many hours to set them all off, eventually he just had to give up and go inside to bed.

He still gets like that. Before we had children (and disposable income) we would drive 45 minutes out of town to the "Fireworks Superstore" and load up. Rockets and mortars, mortars and rockets; less fountains, more shells. I have certain fireworks I have to get every year. The "Bumble Bees" are my fave, and also the ground blooming flowers.

source

They are the exception to the "Bigger is Better" rule. And again, this starts about a week before the Fourth; you can pin-point the exact moment "the fever" sets in when Sam gets that look in his eye.

Ahhh...the smell of sulfur is in the air.

He's passing down this passion to his children too. Check out four-year-old Ava with her very own, kid-sized backpack, chock-full of fireworks.

And who doesn't love the 4th of July when it includes a Glowing Lantern just like Rapunzel in "Tangled?"

Sam and the giant glowing lantern. These were everyone's favorite.

If he wasn't bad enough on his own, there's Robert, our next door neighbor who likes to stoke the fire as well. The camaraderie that kicks in between these two and their bottle rockets is hilarious! There is something about grown men and fire that brings out their inner child; before you know it we find ourselves making several trips back to the stand because it's July 1st and we have no more fireworks.

Since we don't have the enormous budget we once had, it has forced the guys to become more inventive. Instead of mortars, the boys watched youtube videos and learned how to make sparkler bombs. Does that sound scary, or what? So that's how they spend their Saturday afternoon; taping sparklers together in assembly-line-fashion and testing out their handiwork. It's a little nerve-wracking, and I'm usually yelling "Don't blow your hand off!" out the back door a couple of times, but that is what summer is made of around here.

He's so proud of himself.

It kind of makes me think of the movie "Steel Magnolias" when the men are trying to get rid of the birds for the wedding reception...that would be them.

Well, we made it through the Fourth with all body parts intact. We had a good time with family and friends.

Manuel's "Secret Recipe" chicken

The food was awesome ( I think I have to dedicate an entire post to my neighbor Manuel's chicken, it is amazing!), Sam made his award-winning smoked ribs and pulled pork, my bro-in-law followed suit with his own version of meaty goodness as well.

The kids had lots of fun eating cookies and candy for dinner, washing it down with Sprite, and vibrating their sparklers till the sugar wore off.

Ava and her buddy Isaac

Our little block put on a great show, and I think this year's was the largest display to-date. Some Fourth-of-July-Loving-Freaks like us must have moved in down the street because we witnessed an amazing fireworks show!

Ashtyn and Kaetlyn yucking it up

And the rest of July? I don't where that went. I can say that it's been around 100 degrees every day in this Idaho high desert, and I am just not the trooper I used to be. There have been a lot of days spent doing N-O-T-H-I-N-G. I've really wanted to finish my kitchen, but haven't mustered up the energy to do it.

I am really struggling with having 1,987,234 projects going on at once. Can any of you relate? This seems to be my pattern; I pile 'em on heavy and I function well enough until I just don't anymore. Most of July has been the "not functioning well any more" part of the cycle. But guess what? August is now TEN days in, we are officially starting our first year of homeschooling in September, and I've got a house that needs whipped into shape!

Rally the troops! Give me some tips! And pray for my sorry self because I need it!

Kitchen Progress

2012-06-14T22:33:00.001-06:00

Well, I can't say much for "progress," but I can say the room looks bigger. On Monday, our countertops (Ah!), our cabinets (No!), and our floor (Double No!) were removed. Thankfully, the crew saved the backsplash. I was mentally exhausted thinking about what I would do if I had to tile that all over again.

There has been a remediation crew in here checking on things for three days now, and we've been running fans and dehumidifiers night and day. We've got dirt, what looks like old soot from a past fire on the walls, some mold, some rot, and maybe a little asbestos from a few patches of old linoleum mixed in there too.

Needless to say, we've been spending a lot of time outside.

There have been lots of park days.

What is that half-mullet hairdo on my two year old, you ask?

This was Lyla on Good Friday.

Look at those big eyes. Awwwe.

Let's just say it wasn't a "Good Friday" for her. While Sam and I were watching Justin Beiber videos on Youtube, something horribly quiet was going on in the other room. Dang you, Justin Beiber! Why do you have to be so smooth? I went around the corner to discover Lyla, post "scissor rendezvous."

Sam and I laughed hysterically for a couple of minutes, then tried to pull it together and act mad. It took me back to when Ava tried to cut her own hair for the first time. She was the same age, and I acted hysterical and fake cried hoping I would traumatize her enough to never, EVER cut her hair again. That was all it took with Ava. I don't think it worked with Lyla because I've caught her "taking a little off the top" two more times.

I did my best to blend it out... but is there really anything you can do at this point other than shake your head and give her a big squeeze? I just love her. We are crossing our fingers and hoping there are no more self-induced haircuts.

Anyway, back to this post. Yes, we've been outside A LOT.

Sam and his softball team, "Smackin' Pitches," played the other day. My husband is AH-MAZING at sports and I love watching him when he is in his element. That's him with his two buddies, doing a "Little League" pose.

It gets better:

That's my man, such a dork.

We went swimming at the YMCA (yay for showers!), spent another afternoon at the park, and we have been eating out like crazy. I'm about done with ALL restaurants; last night's "Shari's" was the last straw. I think I will make sandwiches or something from here on out.

If things fall into place, the repairs will start soon. We are gathering estimates and will be dealing with the insurance side of things before we can get a crew in here to rebuild our kitchen. I've done well up until this point, but I can tell my husband is getting crabby; I'm trying to focus on how nice it will be to have a new kitchen floor and my sink back again.

Until then, while you are in your hot, steamy shower, scrubbing down with your bath pouf, getting in there "real deep-like" (name that movie), and lathering in your conditioner- think of me.

On second thought, no, don't think of me (I need a shower just after reading that).

It All Started With a Cracked Tile

2012-06-06T00:13:00.001-06:00

Oh the joys of being a homeowner. First you sign your name on a million pieces of paper, then you get to paint the walls any color you want, play the music loud, and mow your own lawn. It's all fun and games until the unexpected crisis occurs.

We bought our sweet little home when we first married, and it has been a labor of love from the get-go. We've been able to make it ours over the years and one of the largest improvements we made was on our kitchen. When we moved in (NINE years ago, HOLY COW!), the original 1950's cabinets were painted Off-White, so were the walls, and the Formica countertops to match. Being my first house, I was determined to flip every room upside down with color!

Our family room was painted a bold Red, the dining room, a bright Periwinkle, and the kitchen- well there was a lot going on in there by the time I was through with it.

I went for a Tuscan vibe at the time, so I repainted the cabinets a dark Olive Green, and the walls got a "I-don't-even-know-what-you'd-call-it" treatment.

It started with a base coat of soft Buttery Yellow, then I rubbed some watered down Burnt Sienna paint onto the walls with lamb's wool. The end result was a soft Orange with a Venetian Plaster/Faux Marble finish that was just plain cool. It was not for the faint of heart, but I loved it!

You know that old saying, "It's like putting lipstick on a pig"? Well, beneath that fancy paint job were broken handles, drawers without gliders (they made that horrible wood-on-wood screeching sound when you opened them, and they were just asking to fall out and break a toe), gashed up linoleum, and eighties appliances.

Then, one day the stars aligned and my husband found a killer deal on brand NEW kitchen cabinets. Lowes had discontinued their in-stock Alder wood cabinets and they had been marked down considerably. We jumped on it, and in one afternoon, we had the entire kitchen measured and designed with cabinets to fit!
They were beautiful, we just couldn't pass them up, so with the addition of new tile countertops, free floor tile from a friend, and scratch-and-dent appliances, we dug in for a full renovation. It was crazy fast the way things fell into place, but exciting too.

Goodbye old cabinets!

Ava was a baby, only six months old, but she slept through the sound of a sledgehammer crushing cabinets- well, like a baby.

The best way to cut tile is in a rain poncho and garden gloves!

Wet saws are no fun unless you get to wear a dorky costume.

We were so excited, Sam even made a video to show my in-laws. We couldn't wait for them to see our progress, so he sent them a link!

Check out those graphics! lol. I love how the last half of the video is a black screen with music.

The old went out, the new came in, and after a few months of slacking, I installed a Tumbled Marble backsplash with Slate mosaic tile accents. We've loved it ever since.

Then this happened.

Which made me think "Someone's not been too careful putting away the cast-iron pots." (not me, of course). Then I noticed the tile next door had a new crack in it as well. Then I noticed that the grout lines seemed a little darker than usual and not just from living in our own filth. Something was definitely wrong!

Ack! (My floors are really that gross?! I don't know what's more alarming, the broken tiles or the closeup of my nasty floors).

It was my worst fear come true. I started having flashbacks of our home inspection, then I started thinking about what Mike Holmes would say if he was here. Panic set in.

When we bought our house, being the super-excited, 21 year-old, first-time homebuyers that we were, it never occurred to us that our home inspector made no mention of the condition of our water heater. Why is that so important, you ask? Because he never found it! We never found it. It was like we had magic hot water and never questioned where it was coming from.
We didn't think about it, that is, until we started demolishing our old kitchen and discovered it behind the cabinets. That was a nice surprise, "Oh look, there's our water heater. Hmmm." So then what? Well, we inspected it, things were in good condition, and we just went on with it and took note.

Note to self: the water heater is small and weird and is hiding behind the kitchen cabinets and will be extremely difficult to replace when the time comes.

So when I saw the signs of what looked like water damage, I immediately thought of Mike and his show "Holmes on Homes" on HGTV. Have you ever watched it? It's awesome. He rescues homeowners from their carpetbagging contractors and worst-nightmare homebuying scenarios. You know, the people who bought their dream home and then discovered it was covered with toxic mold? The folks who paid a guy to renovate their basement and nothing was done to code and he leaves with all of their money and the job half done?

Mike Holmes is a true rescue hero, he comes in with his crew and "makes it right." Not only that, but he is Canadian, and I enjoy listening to his accent. This guy is a building genius. He can look at any structure and tell you exactly what is wrong. The second I realized we had water damage, I was really wishing I had him on speed dial.

When I installed the kitchen cabinets (Yes, me. My husband is a lot of things. But a builder is not one of them. I like him to sit there and "look pretty" and just hand me stuff. kidding. He's perfectly capable, but he's just one of those burly lumberjack guys with no patience that doesn't know his own strength. He'd rather force something in place simultaneously breaking it, and then get all worked up and mad he broke it and proceed to throw tools or something. At the risk breaking things, I would rather he cook dinner and leave the building jobs to me- it's win-win. Haha.) I built a removable panel so that when the water heater did need replaced we would have room to work without tearing up our countertops and removing the cabinets.

See, that was me thinking ahead. But what I didn't plan for is what we are dealing with now. Not only is our water heater broken, but it is/has been leaking, and because it was hidden, we had no way of knowing until the tile floor started to lift up.

This is where we are now:

Cracked, lifted tiles. Wet underlayment. Surface Mold. AND an insurance claim on our hands. So gross. *insert barf sound here*

It will be two weeks before the replacement water heater arrives, and in-between estimates, tearing out our cabinets, replacing the floor, and praying that this is the extent of the damage; this has really thrown a wrench into my summer building plans.

But the good news is our insurance company is working with us, and they even provided us with a nice hotel room last night. Our kids loved it. Indoor pool, ice machines, continental breakfast- they were living it up, I tell ya!

We're back home tonight. It's manageable. Living without hot water for awhile just feels like camping. No showers, no dishes, and no laundry (I'm secretly rejoicing about no laundry, don't tell my husband I can still wash in cold water). And see that hole there? That's where my stove goes. It's out of commission too.

I wish the picture of this dehumidifier and fan had sound, because it feels like I am living inside the engine of a jumbo jet. Four more days of this, the disaster cleanup crew says- and after that (if there is any hair left on my head), we will begin the task of salvaging what we can and replacing what is lost. In the meantime, please contact me via email, because I am too deaf to hear your voice over the phone.

Tonight I'm thankful for the roof over my head (even if the floor is falling out from under me), Fifty-cent wing Tuesdays at Buffalo Wild Wings, and homeowner's insurance.

Here's to having plenty to blog about!

And please keep our family in your prayers, we need them!

The Saga Continues...see more of my kitchen nightmare.

Get Ready!

2012-05-30T19:35:00.002-06:00

If there's one project I seem to keep finding myself into knee-deep lately, it's building beds!

First, it started with a new bed for my husband and I, then a new bed for my niece, and now, it's my girls' turn!
Ever since the twenty week ultrasound gave away the addition of baby girl number two, I've been hatching a plan for a bunkbed. I'm sure I've mentioned before that our house is tiny. A thousand square feet and two bedrooms tiny.Thankfully, God knew we weren't moving anytime soon, so another daughter was a welcome blessing (considering any children we have under this roof will be sharing a room).

With daughter number one came the sweet baby nursery... soft colors, vintage floral, custom sewn bedding. I laugh when I think about it because it was my first pregnancy and toward the end, Sam and I kept looking for signs that I was "nesting." You know, all the books tell you that instinctively, the mommy gets an ungodly amount of energy, cleans like crazy, and prepares for the impending arrival.

Well that never happened.

Anyone who knows me knows that cleaning is not my strong suit and that I'm just a trinket away from being on "Hoarders."

In hindsight, my nesting came in the form of sewing. For two weeks, I sewed like the wind! I had my own personal sweatshop. Day and night, night and day, you could hear the sound of the Singer sewing machine in overdrive all the way down the street. There was no time for eating, no time for sleeping, and no time for talking either.

I made Ava new crib bedding, slipcovered my Grandmother's old glider, sewed new window treatments, lined baskets, and whatever else needed done.

Ahh, ready for baby (For the record, 12 hours before labor, I did find myself lifting the fridge because it just wasn't "clean enough" back there).

We enjoyed that room for two and a half years. Then came the big news that we were expecting again. All of the excitement got my creative juices flowing.

But this time, I had bigger plans.

A new house! Because after all, we couldn't have two kids in this place.

Riiiight.

You can read all about how that worked out for me here: The Day I Got My Mojo Back. Let's just say I'm glad God is in control because my way of doing things usually ends in an overwhelming mess.

So here we are. In the same house with our two girls sharing a room. Fortunately for me, my kids are little, they could sleep in a crib until they are in braces if need be.

But that's no fun, right?

Growing up as the only kid in the house, oh, how I longed for a sibling. The idea of sharing your days with a sidekick, through thick and thin, tears and joy, was something I always wished to experience. My girls are blessed. I love seeing them together. They have a bond I will never know, and I hope that it will continue as they grow through childhood and into adulthood.

And what's cooler than an actual bunkbed when you've got to bunk with your little sister?
Nothing, that's what.

THERE'S SO MUCH MORE ROOM FOR ACTIVITIES!

"Stepbrothers."

Bwahahaha! That movie makes me laugh so hard!

So came my plan for a bunk bed.

I stalked Ana White for months. I read over any and every plan I could find on the net. I paid close attention and scrolled over every comment left by every mom and took note of every important consideration. I Googled pics, searched high and low, and then somewhere in the middle- Pinterest was born. Ahh, thus became my board for the girls' room. I found thousand dollar dreambeds built for NBA Players and Rapstars' daughters (Check out the photo gallery, those beds are Ah-MAZING!). I found basic bunkbeds that were so creatively designed, the "wow" factor was taken up to eleven. Storage bunkbeds with clever stairs and cubbies galore- I loved them all.

And then I found the winner:

source

This adorable little bunkbed designed to look like a house. It had everything a little girl could want: Windows, stairs, a cute little roof- even a picket fence!

I stewed over this Google pic for weeks and when I tried to find the source, it was nowhere to be found. I started to wonder if the builder of this bed had joined the Witness Protection Program and changed their name (I am watching WAY to many episodes of "The Firm" these days.). It was one of those elusive pics that had been posted everywhere in cyberspace, but no one knew where it came from. After a month, I tracked it down to an old article in "Architectural Digest" magazine. I looked up the publication date (2007) and finally had a name. This bed is by www.ronwilsondesigner.com.

It is glorious.

Along with my other pinterested beds, it is the inspiration behind what will be known from this point forward as:

"The Bunkbed to End All Bunkbeds."

And I wouldn't be a good blogger if I didn't give you a little teaser now, would I?

So stay tuned. I've got exciting news ahead.

I'm freaking out!!

She Moves Like Sea Breeze

2012-05-24T16:40:00.001-06:00

Every once in a while, I play this song and it takes me back. I <3 this song.

Years ago, before I was married, I met the man of my dreams.

And then he moved away.

We tried to keep a long distance relationship going. It was tough.

Here I was in Idaho, and there he went to attend school in Southern California. We emailed, we burned through phone cards like they were going out of style.

One night, over a scratchy telephone conversation, he played me this song. He had gone to a little coffee shop and watched this guy sing. He was inspired.

He said, "This is for you." As I listened, I felt like the most special girl in the whole world.

We made it through five months of a long distance relationship. Then there was talk of another semester away. Heartbreaking, but I was a fool for this guy and would have tried my best to make it work.

But I didn't have to.

Secretly, one day he drove straight through from Huntington Beach, California all the way to Boise, Idaho. He stopped at a gas station for a burrito and to bathe in the sink before he got into town. He surprised me with a card and roses. And shortly thereafter, a promise ring. And very shortly thereafter, an engagement ring.

Things moved quickly.

Best decision I ever made.

...Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes

2012-05-23T04:42:00.000-06:00

What a loooong night!

I've been up late tweaking my little blog. Check it out! I've got a new background and a new header designed by yours truly- and on Microsoft Publisher, if you can believe it!

This has been a daunting task, I know nothing about html coding (and I still don't), but thanks to some lovely blog women out there, I am slowly beginning to put things together.

It's been a challenge to learn, and even though it's 4 am, I'm feeling pretty accomplished at this point, I've even got my Facebook page all Timelined out with some pictures. Feel free to "like" me if you haven't already!

If you are looking for some blog design tips, there are a few tutorials I found along the way that were extremely helpful:

Teresa Belle Designs has a great tutorial for designing and uploading your own background. I don't think I would have made it without her!

I am now officially a ".com," thanks to Amy Lynn Andrews from Blogging With Amy. I found her tutorial on creating a blog button which led me down a rabbit trail of all things blog. Definitely a place I will be returning for more help when the time comes.

And, who got me started with this task?....Renee at Living, Laughing, and Loving, of course. She has an entire series called "Beautify Your Blog." I enjoy her writing, she has a great personality and a wealth of knowledge.

So there you go, good luck with your blogs, ladies! Hopefully you will learn some new tricks and put them to use. Let me know what you think of the "New and Improved" version of Birds and Soap!

Seriously. Leave me a comment, I seem to have lost my comments again. Blogger is switching things up! poop.

Save The Plants!

2012-05-17T02:02:00.001-06:00

If you are a mom, then chances are you just received flowers over Mother's Day weekend. My husband surprised me (more like I sent him an email a month ago to plant a little bug in his ear) with some potted plants, birdfeeders, and a couple of hanging baskets for our backyard. He rocks!

I've had a few metal hanging baskets with cocoa liners that we've used on our patio for several years now. I love them, and every year we plant new flowers in them and they look awesome till mid July and then it gets really hot outside and I get lazy and everything dries up and dies.

So, as I'm planting my new flowers this spring, I remembered this tip that I came across somewhere last year. I only wish I had found it BEFORE I planted last year's flowers. There's something self-defeating about planting flowers in cocoa liners and expecting them to make it through a hot summer. Every time you water them, the water just drains out the bottom!

So here's what you do:

This year I purchased new liners for my hanging baskets and a few plastic party plates. If you go looking for flower pot drain pans at a garden store, they are over $1.00 each, and the price goes up depending on size. I found clear plastic party plates on clearance for $.75 for 9. They are the same material, and are about an inch deep from the base of the plate to the rim.

Place a plate in the bottom of your cocoa liner.

Add some gravel for a little bit of drainage. I just used some landscaping rock that I took out of the flowerbeds that line our driveway. This way the water will pool between the rocks when you water. It will create a wicking system for the plants to draw up moisture when it gets hot. Also, you won't feel like a fool watching it drain out the bottom while you water the top.

Then, plant on! That's it. Two easy steps to save you some grief. You still have to water your plants, of course. I'm going for a record this year; let's see if they are still green by August!

With helpers like this, I should have no excuse!

Linking up and partying over here:

"Breakfast At Tiffany's" Inspired Bedroom

2012-05-09T03:40:00.001-06:00

Last fall I had the opportunity to makeover my niece's bedroom. My sweet niece Brooke was turning fifteen and having one of those "my room's not cool" teen moments. With her parent's permission, I got to work on a surprise room redo just for her. After some pinteresting (Check out my board for Brooke's room) and covert spy operation by her sister, Ashtyn, I was able to get a design tailored just for her. Brooke loves fashion and Audrey Hepburn, so a "Breakfast At Tiffany's" inspired bedroom was the perfect fit. There were several times along the way that I thought I blew it, fishing for information and trying to ask questions without giving away the surprise was tough. Then there's my sister-in-law. Lia! You tell everything! I totally thought she would blow the surprise.

Here's what we decided:

1. A shade of "Tiffany Blue" for the wall color
2. Bright pink and black for accent colors
3. Damask prints for a "frenchy" feel
4. A new bed with lots of storage
5. A giant sofa made from a clawfoot tub (yeah, right!)

Since I missed Brooke's June Birthday, I was shooting for fall. I thought if I could have her room finished as she was going into a new school year, she would feel ready to take on her sophomore year. August was an insane month, let me tell ya. I had 30 days, start to finish, I had to be super sneaky, and figure out a time to makeover her room while she was away.

Last summer, I built myself a brand new bed.

It rocks.

I love it and I thought I would share the love too. So I planned a twin-sized version of the "Farmhouse Storage bed with Hinged Footboard" just for Brooke. It's such a simple design, I knew it would work great for a teen room, especially with all of the cubbies. It took about a week to build, I was in a hurry and didn't give as much detail to my work as I could have, but when you're on a time frame, sometimes that's what you've got to do! As long as it can hold her up and there are no stray nails hanging out, I figured we would be good, haha.

With the bed complete, I moved on to my next objective- accessories! Since I had a budget of $0.00, I did what I do best.

Thrifting! I found some cast-off items at Goodwill that could get a little makeover themselves.

First were these:

Gross, old picture frames.

They just needed a coat of black paint and some fun Audrey Hepburn quotes to a lift a girl up when she's feeling down.
I also used one and lined the canvas with a black damask fabric, and one with a bright pink paper to show off her student letter she received for Basketball (I don't know how you letter in Basketball when you are only 4' tall, but in small schools it can be done.).

Next was this chair that I found. I absolutely love how it turned out! It's got those frenchy curves that suit the style of the room and a fun fabric. The caned back was in excellent shape too, not so fun to paint though. All of those little nooks and crannies took some time.

Between the building and projects I was keeping in constant contact with my sister-in-law, Lia. Trying to plan excuses to get the kid out of the house for a few days and put the room together "Extreme Home Makeover" style was a little crazy.

I made a memo board using fabrics to go with the room.

This is an awesome idea that I found on another blog called Laura Thoughts.

It's a fabric covered magnetic board that you use for storing cosmetics. I purchased another frame at the thrift store and cut sheet metal (hardware aisle, Lowes, $10) to fit. You just hot glue magnets to the back of your makeup and they are in plain sight. What teen wouldn't want this? (apparently this teen- she has let me know that she now stores her makeup in a case, but still uses the board for photos and jewelry. Go figure.) I think I need one of these. My kids are always trying to get to my makeup, and I have it in a mini tote hanging on a nail on my bathroom wall- I know, classy. But if it is within reach, I'll be scrubbing blush out of my rugs for days. My two year old is constantly rubbing lip gloss wands over her eyelids and my four year-old begs for "sparkles." (I swear they have radar, the SECOND I go to get ready, they are in there asking for eyeshadow and blush).

Nothing greater than finding a toddler trying to give herself a "smoky eye."

I found this little plaquard/hook thingy at Goodwill too. It had one broken hook, so I got it for $.99. I removed the hooks, got out my scrapbooking supplies, and a little Mod Podge. I had no idea what I would do with it in the room, but with a little Cricut magic, I had a cool monogrammed wall hook. After I readjusted the hooks and gave it a quick clear coat of spray sealer, it was finished. My niece found an ingenious use for it. Storage for all of her hair stuff. She has a large mirrored closet, so she just sits in front of it on the floor to do her hair. This is a great idea to keep her heat tools from burning the carpet.

I searched high and low and found a great bed set from Walmart.com. I couldn't find anything locally in my price range, and Walmart had this one on sale for $60. Yay! It was just what we were looking for. I sewed a quick pillow to match the other fabrics in the room and we were ready to go.

Finally the day came. My sister-in-law calls and lets me know that Brooke will be gone for the weekend with a friend! Wouldn't you know, it's the same weekend my husband plans a draft party for his Fantasy Football league! I've got 48 hours to makeover a room, plan a party, and not lose my mind!

Two things I love to do, throw parties and decorate...just not in the same 24-hour period.

I was able to tweak my schedule and convinced myself I could pull an all-nighter, decorate the room, finish by morning, and set up the party by afternoon. Doable, right?

Uh-no.

Well, I enlisted the help of my niece and sister-in-law. Ashtyn and Lia were painter extraordinaires. While the girls painted the bedroom, I repainted all of Brooke's furniture to match her new bed. Her desk, hutch, and dresser all got a fresh coat of white paint. The walls were painted a beautiful Tiffany Blue, or what Valspar likes to call; "Sea Wave."

We were finished by 2 am.

I went home and got some sleep! My all-nighter was unbelieveably short. I came back in the morning, we brought all of the furniture into the room, set up her things, and then I left to go set up the "Snackadium" at the Fantasy Football draft party. Done and done.

My niece came home to a new room, totally surprised. She didn't see it coming at all! So what was the first thing she did? Well, she had to call her best friend, of course...and rub it in a little.

Linking up and partying over here:

Don't Fear The Reefer

2012-04-29T00:27:00.001-06:00

Hi there!

It's been a while since I've posted. I'm missing the fun in the blog world and I've been gearing up to get back at it. After a winter spent indoors, I've had cabin fever and have been anxiously awaiting some warm weather to start on all of the projects I've been dreaming up on those cold winter days. Between the rain and wind of spring, I broke out the power tools and got started on my to-do list.

First came the fish tank stand. Yep. after six months of trying to convince me we needed a fish tank, my husband succeeded in swaying me of his dream to become a "reefer." He wanted to get a freshwater fish tank for our house, and no, not a little ten gallon for a goldfish or two. He's wanted one of those "showpiece" tanks that come between the marriages of so many, haha. Anytime he would bring up the word "aquarium," my mind instantly went to flashes of bachelor pads with black leather couches, giant TVs, and tacky looking fish tanks. I couldn't do it.

This is SO not working with my decor:

(source)

or this:

(source)

I literally googled "ghetto aquarium." Sorry if this is yours.

It was a battle of wills for several months. Sam trying to convince me that the fish tank would add to the aesthetics of our home. His reasoning that we could have a pretty tank, one with a fancy stand that matched our decor, and of course he pulled out the biggest excuse- "Our kids will love it." Well, he finally wore me down and I agreed upon one condition: that I could build the stand to my liking and he had to to all of the maintenance.

So began the craiglist searching and reading online forums of the fish world. We found a great tank on craigslist that my mom chipped in for Sam for Christmas. Shortly after, he decided that freshwater fishtanks were lame and that we were going to grow corals and dive into saltwater. Ugh!

Well, I have to say that saltwater tanks do appeal to my artsy side. Who wants to stare at boring old fish when you can be seduced by the gentle swaying of exotic corals!

(source)

I started my research and came across ReefCentral. Great online forum for saltwater enthusiasts, and I've been gleaning ever since. I think I'm actually more invested into the fishtank project now than my husband. I love to read, and I love to learn. There is so much to know about the saltwater hobby that I never knew. Like this gem:

It will cost you a small fortune to maintain one of these suckers!!

I had no idea! This is one pricey hobby (I can't complain too much because I have a wall of scrapbooking supplies sitting behind me. You know, for all that scrapbooking I do all the time, haha). I have to keep some perspective here, there are many folks who take this hobby to eleven; giant tanks, top of the line everything, all kinds of gizmos and electronic monitoring devices. And then you go on youtube and watch a guy dump a bucket of salt in some tap water, followed by a fish or two, and he gets along just fine. After months of reading, I'm realizing that these saltwater geeks are just as into their gear as every Northface-wearing, Chaco-strapped, Kivu-hat-clad, REI gearhead on the planet.

I've also found that saltwater reefkeeping appeals to the DIY side of me because there are so many people who find ways to recreate equipment at home for a quarter of the price of the stuff that is on the market. From building a tank stand to LED lighting to an automatic top-off system (don't ask), there is great pride in doing things yourself. I've been slowly gathering equipment here and there. I've been a diligent ebayer, finding the off-brand, direct-from-China items that have saved us a ton. Who knows if they will work yet, the tank is still sitting there empty, but I have faith we will get there.

It has taken me over a month to build the stand. That's in-between snow storms and frigid temperatures. Idaho weather is crazy! One day it's pleasant, another can make you want to stay in bed all day. Our old house has an old detached garage with a leaky roof so I am forced to work outdoors at the mercy of this weather. But, I have made some progress and hope to post about it soon.

Until then, stay tuned. More fishy talk to come.

"She's About to Pop!" Part Deux

2011-10-28T03:39:00.000-06:00

This October marked the second baby shower I've thrown. This time, instead of my BFF , I put on a shower for another friend and family member. My husband's little brother will be expecting his first child any day now, and we wanted to give that little baby's mama a shower she would not forget!

So, my sis-in-law and I got to work. Since I had already pulled the "She's About to Pop" theme off pretty well the first go-round, I thought why not give it another spin? Because I'm so trendy and green and way big into upcycling, repurposing, and reusing (that's all code for "thrifty," which is really code for "cheap," haha) I saved the decorations from the previous party. I chose bright, punchy colors that would serve any type of party, as long as it was fun. Mommy-to-be is young, and I think the vibrant colors were a compliment to her youth.

I loved these paper garlands that I found after a late night of pinterest trolling. Simply made by running paper shapes through a sewing machine, they have an ethereal effect the way they just seemed to float in the air. Light, colorful, and feminine.

This time I designed all new invitations, labels and such. I wanted to incorporate brown into the scheme, so I used it as the base for the set I designed on Publisher. I also added the bunting design into the party details. I love how festive a bunting looks, and planned to add one to the table for height. Check out my inspiration photo from my pinterest.

The design set was printed on 4x6 paper. I designed ALL of the cards and invites to fit on 4x6 paper because all I had to do was load it to Walgreen's photo site, order as a photo(I used a coupon code for half price prints), and pick them up at my local store (no shipping fee, ready in an hour, and I used a $5 register reward to pay toward the cost). Printing everything as a photo gave the invites a nice glossy finish and they looked professionally done. The invitations were printed on the 4x6 paper, glued to cardstock, and sent out like a postcard. I saved around .15 cents each on postage which shaved about seven dollars off the postage cost. All of the food labels were designed to be 3x4 (two to a sheet, 2x6 to go around the bottled water) and all of the round labels were printed as photos too. I just punched them out with my scalloped circle. As long as I saved the Publisher images as high quality jpegs, they came out just fine. I had a couple of reprints because I didn't do that the first time, however, the total cost for invitations, thank-you notes, and food and drink labels was fifteen dollars!

The home where we threw the shower had a nice patio entry. We placed a table outside to greet guests and left a few instructions.

A grand prize drawing for filling out your name and address on an envelope.

This way someone gets a prize, and the mommy-to-be has return envelopes ready to go for Thank-You notes!

We also made a memo board as a gift to mom and part of our decoration. Instead of buying new materials, I bought a memo board second-hand, removed the old fabric, stapled new fabric, ribbon, and rosettes over the existing board and batting. It added color and height to the table and created a moment for sentiment. The colors are matched to the baby's nursery, so not only was it a great party prop, but something that can be enjoyed down the line too. I outfitted the board with a few ultrasound pictures, a pregnancy photo and a note encouraging folks to leave a thought or prayer for mom and baby. I used a paper punch to make scalloped circles for writing on. This whole project was less than ten dollars.

Placing the table outside wasn't the greatest idea. The entry area was smaller in the house, so I thought putting it outside would be good for traffic flow. I think several people walked right by without giving notice. It probably would have been better inside the house for people to meander to during the par-tay.

Leading up to the big day, we sent out the invitations, planned the menu, picked up prizes, and gathered materials for games.
Like the last party, with the "Pop" theme on like Donkey-Kong, I duplicated most of the treats and added a few more including:

Tomato Basil Bruschetta
Pear Bleu Cheese Crostini
Chicken POPpyseed Salad.

These were easy to make ahead and they all assembled the same way. Toasted sourdough baguette slices topped with each of these, and they were done!

(horrible pic, I know!)

We found the cutest mini water bottles at Big Lots; a full case was three dollars. Add some fancy labels for a custom look.

And the cake pops....

I. don't. even. want. to. talk. about. the. cake. pops.

Of course, a "She's About to Pop" party requires a cake pop, but MAN!

Talk about a disappointment!

Let me just say, this isn't my first rodeo when it comes to cake pops. I went all out on my daughter's second birthday and made the cute Bakerella Cupcake Cake Pops and they turned out adorable. However, they taste like a big ball of sugar.

Don't get me wrong, kids love 'em, but they do leave something to be desired for the adult palate. I scoured the internet for gourmet cake pop recipes and decided I just didn't want to go through that much trouble. Decorating is already a time-consuming process. So here's what I came up with:

I picked up a Babycakes Cake Pop maker during a trip to Kohls. I love this thing. It's quick, easy, makes perfectly round balls of cake, and best of all, I can go to town with the decorations and still end up with soft yummy cake in the middle that actually tastes good.

My sister-in-law and nieces are the greatest! Two days before the party, my nieces came over to help with the final plans. I've got one niece who gets down and dirty with a glue gun, ergo the clothespins for our first game:

That one's a classic. Don't say "baby" or don't say "cute" are instant winners. I take that game seriously, as I am a self-proclaimed baby-shower-clothespin-collecting-freak.

Back to the cake pops. My other niece had cake pop duty. You will see that we chose three kinds of cake pops. The first was a confetti cake pop, made from funfetti cake (one of my all-time faves) and decorated with POP rocks.

The second recipe used was for Oreo cake pops. This is a no-bake recipe requiring a bag of oreos crushed and mixed with a package of cream cheese. It comes out looking like black play-doh. You roll it out, cut with a cookie cutter, and chill to firm up. I made little flower shapes. These looked and tasted great, anything with cream cheese is heavenly in my book.

The third recipe was chocolate cake in the middle and baby on the outside. It sounds bad when I say it like that, right? I came across these cute little cake pop baby heads and wanted to copy them for the shower. These little babies looked so adorable so we got candy necklaces, cupcake liners, curling ribbon, and an overpriced edible pen to do the detail work.

All the pops turned out fab. Fab that is, until we put them in the freezer for safekeeping. I don't know what we were thinking! I guess for being in a rush to get 150 cake pops finished and for lack of space, I thought the freezer would be a good place to keep them cool and out of the way.

Well, as soon as they started to thaw, the Pop Rocks started popping and the babies started to sweat!

We were left with some sad looking kids and sticky Pop Rocks.

Note to self: Don't EVER, upon ANY circumstances, EVER put the cake pops in the freezer AGAIN!
The condensation was a killer! That edible pen was junk too.

Lets just end the food section on a good note: We had my favorite drinks! Once again, I picked up that delicious soda from World Market, slapped on a few labels, and there you go, instant cute!

Alright, now on to the games. We picked 5 games for the shower, anticipating around thirty guests, dividing the teams into groups of five-six (that way, everyone wins a prize). My mother-in-law is awesome at throwing parties and she is great at fun things like planning games, she threw me my first baby shower, and I have used the same games from my baby shower time and again.

First, to get people talking and break up the room a little bit:

Everyone draws a song title out of a bucket (lullabyes for a baby shower) and has to hum it aloud to find their teammates. This mixes up the crowd and kind of forces people to talk to people they otherwise might ignore.

Once the teams were established, we broke right into the play-doh baby game.

Each team gets 2 cans of play-doh and has three minutes to make a baby.

My niece Brooke's team killed it at this game! They made their baby complete with a carriage and blanket!

On to round two! This is a word game. You put a phrase at the top of the posterboard and each team must come up with as many words as they can from the letters in 5 minutes.

We chose "Sophia Marie" as the title since that will be our adorable little niece's name.

Game 3 was the BEST!

I assigned Brooke to come up with two different games that we had never played before. She scoured the internet and came up with this gem.

It's called "Tinkle in the Pot."

Reminiscent of the constant need to empty your bladder during pregnancy, each player must put a balloon under their belly while holding a quarter (there is NO WAY I could have done it with a quarter, so we went with a ping-pong ball) between their knees. The player must waddle down the line and drop their coin into a pot (again, we used a ping-pong ball dropped into a canning jar and it worked just fine).

This game was hilarious! Definitely going on the list of future baby shower games.

On a side note: I don't think I've ever seen a cuter pregnant girl in my life!

Game four: We came back inside for a round of price is right. I covered six baby items and revealed them one by one, just like the show, and each team had to guess the price. Frankly, this game kinda sucked. Just wasn't as fun as I hoped it would be.

Lame.

And Game #5:

Ending it with a bang! The old toilet paper diaper game, another winner! These types of games are fun and silly and take a group effort.

Again, have you ever seen a cuter pregnant girl?

Group picture!

And of course, we made them strut:

I'm Bringing It Back!

2011-10-27T18:44:00.003-06:00

Remember these guys? The stuffed animal hammocks of our youth? I loved mine and I think every kid's bedroom in America had one too.

So where did they go? Is it just me, or is this just one of the few brilliant things that came out of the eighties like Popples?

I'm totally waiting for Popples to make their comeback. Forget my kids, I want one in every color!

Well, I've been cleaning my kids' room.

Which made me crabby.

And got me thinking, "I need one of those stuffed animal net things that I had when I was a kid!"

So I went on a mission to find one, and guess what? Nowhere to be found (except ebay, which I wasn't willing to pay for a "vintage" stuffed animal net. The eighties are vintage now? Really?

So, I got to thinkin' and decided I could make my own. It took about one hour and the total cost was...drumroll please...

$1.00!

So here's what I did. I got in my car and drove to DollarTree and I bought one of these:

Then I took it home, laid it out on the floor, and cut the bag on the side and bottom seams so I had one large rectangle.

Get the baby off of it.

Then, fold it back in half and make a diagonal line from the top right corner to the bottom left. Fold is on the lefthand side.

Now that I'm thinking about it, you probably don't have to cut the bag open at all. Just make this diagonal cut. I set the drawstring cord aside for another project.

Since this fabric is mesh, stretchy, and full of holes, I made a double-fold around all three edges about a half inch wide, pinned them in place, and ran a zig-zag stitch over the top on my sewing machine.

This gave a nice clean edge and reinforced where I would be binding over the mesh.

For the binding, I used several yards of 1" grosgrain ribbon that I had hanging around. The ribbon is made of strong nylon and can support the weight of all the junk I planned on throwing in it. I started on one side, folded the ribbon around the edge of the mesh (just like when binding a baby blanket), and sewed with a wide zig-zag stitch.

I made my way around the triangle. When I got to the corners I did this:

I pulled out a couple of inches of ribbon and formed a loop. Repinned the ribbon back to the edge, then pivoted my zig-zag stitch around the corner and continued on my merry way. The result was a loop on each corner that I would use to fasten to the wall. When you get back around, overlap the ribbon end, folding under the raw edge.

I happened to have little bunting hanging in my kids' room from an earlier project. It was just the right length, so I stitched it over the long side to add a little flair.

This is the minimum amount of flair- I want to encourage you to express yourself by adding as much or as little flair as you would like.

It's up to you (name that movie).

I attached it to the corner of the walls with finish nails. I added wainscoting trim to my girls' bedroom last year and was able to pound a few finish nails right into the wood ledges. If you only have drywall to hang your hammock, I would use some small screw-in hooks with a wall anchor to keep it in there, or why not go for a stud? Then you can really load up on carnival prizes!

I'm happy to report that my kids have not used it as a hammock or tried hanging from it. They love that they get to keep their special stuffed animals and I love that I don't have to pick them up off of the floor anymore.

Linked up and partying over here: