The Complete Guide to Imperfect Homemaking

Painting Smocks from Old T-shirts

noreply@blogger.com (Kelly) — Tue, 14 May 2013 19:49:00 +0000

A while back I made some super simple painting smocks out of old t-shirts for my three oldest kids, and today my twins wanted to paint so badly that I had to whip up a couple more, so i thought I'd snap some photos and share the idea with you!

All you need is an old (adult size) t-shirt you no longer want and a clothespin.

Cut a straight line up the back of the shirt.

If you are using a long sleeved shirt you will want to cut the sleeves to an appropriate length for the child too.

Put the shirt on the child and pin the back closed with a clothespin.

Easy, right?

Since it is cut down the back you won't have to slip a paint covered shirt up over anyone's head when they are done making a mess, errr, um, I mean painting their masterpiece.

Thanks so much for visiting The Complete Guide to Imperfect Homemaking.

Felt Tic-Tac-Toe

noreply@blogger.com (Kelly) — Mon, 13 May 2013 22:31:00 +0000

The weather around here has refused to cooperate lately. It's cold and windy and rainy, not the warm spring days we would normally expect in May. I whipped up this simple rainy day activity for the kids out of felt and embroidery thread and hot glue.

I cut the pieces free hand. I debated sewing the squares and letters onto the base piece of felt, but that seemed like too much work. Hot glue is holding it together just fine.

I cut a piece of purple felt just a bit shorter than the yellow piece and sewed along three sides using a blanket stitch. This makes a little pocket to keep the X's and O's in when the game isn't in use. (if you don't know how to do a blanket stitch, here's a youtube video showing you how. It's simple, you can do it.)

My two oldest daughters have been taking turns teaching their little brother tic-tac-toe strategy all afternoon. (I may have played a few times too...)

Cute, right? Also, I love that my kids can play tic tac toe all afternoon without using up a single sheet of paper!

Thanks so much for visiting The Complete Guide to Imperfect Homemaking. Have you "liked" me on facebook yet?

How to Remove Limescale Easily and Naturally

noreply@blogger.com (Kelly) — Mon, 06 May 2013 14:32:00 +0000

If you have hard water leaving limescale and soap scum on your sinks and faucets like I do, you already know how stubborn it can be. Even after cleaning with your ordinary cleaner, the limescale remains. Luckily a simple way to remove it is likely already in your kitchen: a lemon!

Step one: Cut a lemon in half and rub limescale well with lemon. Let sit 10 minutes.

Step two: After 10 minutes has passed, scrub at the limescale with a scrubby brush. The limescale should loosen and flake off fairly easily. You can also try scraping the limescale off with a finger nail instead of a scrubby brush or try a pot scraper if you have one. What ever you use, make sure it won't scratch up your surface too much.

Step three: Rinse thoroughly.

If the lemon and scrubbing doesn't remove the limescale fairly easily, Rub with lemon again, wait ten more minutes, and scrub some more. Easy, right?

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Weekend Graces #8: Yummy Grilled Pizza

noreply@blogger.com (Kelly) — Fri, 03 May 2013 18:57:00 +0000

Weekend Graces is a (supposedly) weekly series around here where I share some simple ideas to make the weekend extra special and bless the ones you live with. They are small acts of kindness to make the weekend shine.

One of our favourite ways to celebrate ordinary life is to fire up the barbecue. Something about cooking on the porch while the kids run in the front yard reminds us of what a blessing our messy, loud, chaotic little life really is.

Honestly, grilled pizza isn't difficult, but it is a little bit finicky. Putting raw dough on a hot grill is a skill that takes some practice to get the hang of. Your first few attempts might turn out funny shaped and ugly, but delicious all the same!

To start, make the dough:

1 tsp active dry yeast (I use quick rise yeast for everything because I am impatient!)
pinch of sugar
1 scant cup of warm water
2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp salt
1 Tbsp olive oil

Combine yeast, sugar and warm water. Let sit for a few minutes to get the yeast going. Dump in the remaining ingredients and stir, then knead until you have a slightly sticky dough. If dough is too sticky to handle, add a tiny bit more flour. I knead mine in my stand mixer with a dough hook, but I've done it by hand too and that works just as well. Let dough rise for 20 minutes while you cut up the toppings.

Roll your dough out into a large rectangle.

Spread one side with olive oil and place, oiled side down, on a hot grill. Cook over medium to high heat until that side has nice grill marks and then oil the other side and flip. Grill until bread is cooked through.

Remove from heat and spread some more oil on one side and top with lots of chopped garlic and other toppings. We used basil and red onion, tomatoes and bacon. And cheese, of course.

Place back on grill over very low or indirect heat until the cheese melts.

Serve and enjoy! I just know your family will love it!

Do you have a special way to bless your family that you want to share with Imperfect Homemaking readers? Why not do a Weekend Graces guest post? Send some photos and a brief article describing a way that you like to bless your family on the weekends to Kelly@imperfecthomemaking.com and I just might feature it one Friday! (Make sure to include your blog URL if you have one so that I can link to you!) I can't wait to find out what little tricks you have up your sleeve to bless the people you live with and make the weekend shine!

Happy Weekend!

Yummy Chocolate Strawberry Smoothies

noreply@blogger.com (Kelly) — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 19:25:00 +0000

Served with a handful of nuts, this 5 ingredient smoothie makes a simple and delicious breakfast or snack. And it's kid friendly, except that it is so yummy that your kids will probably start telling important people like Sunday School teachers and Grandma that you give them milkshakes for breakfast!

Chocolate Strawberry Smoothies
(makes 2 servings)

In a Blender, combine:

1 over-ripe banana (the browner and sweeter, the better)
1 heaping cup of frozen strawberries
1/2 cup of plain yogurt
1 TBSP of cocoa powder
1/2 cup of milk

Blend until smooth and enjoy. If you try it, let me know what you think!

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The Ultimate Homemaking eBook Sale (97 books for less than 30 bucks!)

noreply@blogger.com (Kelly) — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 18:57:00 +0000

*This sale is now closed*

Okay, I don't normally write promotional posts like this. In fact, when news of this Ultimate Homemaking Ebook Bundle first started appearing in my email, I ignored it. But when I realized what a great deal this is, and that the bundle includes many eBooks I've been wanting to read anyways, I changed my mind! It really is an amazing deal.

Basically, this week only, you can buy 97 eBooks by popular, respected bloggers for only 29.97

That's, like, 31 cents a book!

Here are a few of the eBooks in the bundle I am most excited to sit on my porch and read while the kids romp and play in the yard. (You can find the full list of eBooks available in this bundle by clicking here.)

Easy Peasy Chores by Alina Joy @ The Good Old Days Farm (regularly $17.99) As much as I like to plan and organize, our family actually doesn't have a chore system right now. I can't wait to try this one out!

20-Minute Meals by Leigh Ann @ Intentional by Grace (regularly $4.99)~ Who doesn't need some quick and simple meals ideas!?

Simple Blogging: Less Computer Time, Better Blogging by Rachel @ Small Notebook (regularly $8.00) ~ I love Rachel's blog and I just know I'll love her book to. She has a way of reminding you of what really matters without getting preachy or bossy. I can't wait to learn how to make better use of what little blogging time I have.

Confessions of a Cloth Diaper Convert by Erin @ The Humbled Homemaker (regularly $9.95)~ I am already a lover of cloth diapers, but I've heard that this eBook has a lot of great tips for newbies and cloth diaper veterans alike! I can't wait to read it.

Six reasons to buy this ebook bundle today:

Even if you only ever read a handful of the books, you are still saving money off their regular prices!
You are supporting a bunch of funny, smart, talented and lovely bloggers.
You will discover some bloggers you didn't know you loved!
eBooks save paper and take up no room on a shelf!
Did I mention that there are 140$ worth of bonuses and discounts included in the purchase? (Click here to see everything included in the bundle, the bonuses are listed near the bottom of the page)
I am an affiliate, meaning I receive a commission if you buy the bundle through the links on my site. So not only are you supporting those great bloggers who wrote the books and getting a ton of great reading material for a great price, you are also supporting this blog! (Full disclosure: I'll likely spend the money on something teal.)

If you are confused (like, if you don't know what an eBook is or what to do with it....) you can find answers to some frequently asked question here. You can find a list of everything included in the bundle and the fine print here.

This super deal is only available until May 4th. Click the link to purchase the Ultimate Homemaking eBook Bundle today! *the sale is now closed*

(and thanks for reading my little sales pitch!)

Now back to our regularly scheduled programming...(meaning I'm going to go write today's actual blog post: Chocolate Strawberry Smoothies!)

DIY Reusable Produce Bags

noreply@blogger.com (Kelly) — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 00:28:00 +0000

I meant to post this on Monday for Earth Day, but life happens, right? (Besides, every day is a good day to become better caretakers of this precious earth we enjoy!)

Most of us by now have a decent stash of cloth grocery bags for packing up our groceries at the check-out, but still rely on the plastic produce bags for small fruits and veggies.

These easy homemade reusable produce bags are a simple way to reduce the amount of trash your family generates. I made 8 bags in less than an hour using 4 dollars worth of fabric, and have been using them steadily since last summer!

I purchased 1 metre (a little more than a yard) of sheer fabric. Sheer curtain fabric is often much wider than ordinary fabric, so 1 metre was more than enough to make 8 produce bags. You could also recycle an old set of sheer curtains for this project!

Step one: Cut a square of sheer fabric that is approximately 22 by 16 inches.

Step 2: Fold one edge in and stitch to make a casing for the drawstring.

Step 3: Fold in half and stitch the side and bottom closed. Be careful to stitch only up to the bottom of the casing you just made. You want to be able to get your drawstring in later!

Step 4: Zig-zag stitch around the bottom and side that you just sewed to prevent fraying.

Step 5: Turn the bag right-side-out and use a safety pin to push a piece of ribbon or string (I used scrap pieces of bias tape) through the casing and tie the ends together.

Done! Wasn't that easy? Now for the hard part: remembering to take them with you in to the grocery store!

Frequently asked Questions:

Can I wash my Reusable Produce Bags? I occasionally wash mine and they have held up fine.

Will cashiers and other customers give me strange looks for bringing my own produce bags? Maybe. I've personally never received any negative comments, although a few people have made positive remarks about them! (And a few people have even told me that I have inspired them to make some of their own!)

What if I really really really cannot sew? Well, this would be a great simple project to learn on, but if you really aren't up to the challenge you can buy reusable produce bags from amazon or etsy. (But really, you can do it...I believe in you!)

Thanks so much for visiting The Complete Guide to Imperfect Homemaking. Please consider following me on twitter, liking me on facebook, or signing up for my RSS feed.

Weekend Graces #7: Assemble A S'mores Basket

noreply@blogger.com (Kelly) — Fri, 19 Apr 2013 13:03:00 +0000

Weekend Graces is a (sorta) weekly challenge to find simple ways to bless your family this weekend. They are small things that speak volumes of love. My own family has been so blessed by these small acts.

This week's Weekend Grace is to assemble a s'mores basket. I filled a basket with graham crackers, marshmallows, three different types of chocolate, and some moist towelettes for cleaning sticky fingers!

Spring seems to have finally sprung where I live and what better way to celebrate the start of lovely weather than by cooking marshmallows around the backyard fire pit? (Here's hoping the weather cooperates with us!)

If you don't have a fire pit... you could still make a happy little basket to bless your family. Maybe you could fill it with small bottles of bubbles, a pack of sparklers, candy necklaces, a new frisbee....anything that will get your family excited to spend some time outdoors together this weekend!

Thanks so much for visiting The Complete Guide to Imperfect Homemaking. Have a fabulous Weekend!

A Simple Guide to Composting for Beginners

noreply@blogger.com (Kelly) — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 01:45:00 +0000

Aside from creating nutrient dense soil for your yard and garden, composting also helps to detoxify the soil, protect land from erosion and, of course, diverts food waste from a landfill where it won't have the necessary conditions to decompose properly.

I love compost. Just the either day I brought a bag of pineapple peelings home from a friend's house because she didn't have a compost pile and I couldn't bear to throw the scraps in the garbage. Seriously. The fact that I can turn kitchen waste into nutrient dense soil for my garden appeals to my trash-to-treasure heart.

It's also a great way to teach our kids about our planet's beautiful systems of regeneration!

What you need in order to start composting:

Composting is easy and you really only need two things to begin:

1. A place to put the scraps when you are in your kitchen. You can buy fancy lidded compost pails, but those aren't necessary and are generally far too small for a family. We use a white kitchen trash pail and we fill it nearly every day. It doesn't need a lid, because it doesn't stink, because we dump it outside every evening. We keep it next to our garbage pail under the kitchen sink.

2. A place to dump the compost in your yard. This could be as simple as a ring made out of chicken wire, or as complicated as a store bought tumbling barrel composter. We have a three bin system made out of scrap lumber and hardware mesh. At any given time one bin holds fresh compostables, one has compost in them making, and one has finished or nearly finished compost. Whenever we empty out the finished compost we start using that bin for our fresh compostables so that the other two bins can finish breaking down.

(I built my compost bin with my own two hands and my hubby's power tools while he was at work one day several years ago. I built it using the plans from a book called "Crockett's Victory garden", but it is similar to this tutorial here.)

What you can compost:
Aside from fruit and vegetable scraps, here are some of the other things we compost:

coffee grinds and tea bags
egg shells
stale bread
floor sweepings and the contents of my vacuum canister
dryer lint
leftover porridge or rice that didn't get eaten
little paper cupcake cups
nail clippings and hair trimmings
facial tissues
the occasional half eaten pickle found under the sofa (true story)
paper bags, when I have one that would otherwise be recycled (I like to line the bottom of my can with them!)
Lawn and garden clippings

Basically anything except meat or bones. I never, ever, ever compost meat because it can cause a whole host of problems like slow decomposition, pests, and maggots. If there were maggots in my compost I would cry.

What about all this talk of nitrogen rich materials and carbon rich materials?

Some books and websites are going to stress you out with all sorts of talk about nitrogen rich materials (such as vegetable scraps) and carbon rich materials (such as leaves and newspaper) but it is really as simple as this: if the pile smells bad or is slimy, add some carbon. Give the whole thing a little turn with a pitchfork every now and then. Easy, right?

Does it stink?

Compost shouldn't smell unpleasant. Occasionally it smells a bit sweet and citrus-y, but generally it just smells like fresh lovely garden dirt! If it stinks, add leaves, newspapers, or torn up cardboard.

To Recap:

Take your kitchen compost out to the compost heap often. Because composting is great, but not if it's happening under your kitchen sink.
Don't put meat in your compost.
If it smells, add carbonaceous material.
Relax, this is something nature has been doing for pretty much forever without your help...you'll do fine.

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How to Make Pesto (and Ten Tasty Ways to Use it!)

noreply@blogger.com (Kelly) — Mon, 15 Apr 2013 14:36:00 +0000

Homemade Pesto is so easy and delicious and versatile. You can change up the ingredients and amounts to suit your taste and it brings a fresh summer-y taste to almost any dish.

Start by toasting:

1/4 cup of slivered almonds or pine nuts (traditionally pesto uses pine nuts, but we prefer it with almonds)

*to toast nuts, just put them in a pot or pan over medium high heat, giving them a little shake or stir every 20 seconds or so, until they become fragrant and golden in spots.

In a food processor, combine:

1-2 cups of fresh basil leaves.
3 cloves of garlic (if you aren't a mega lover of garlic, use less!)
your 1/4 cup of toasted nuts
A large pinch of kosher salt
2 Tbsp olive oil

Process until everything is chopped, scraping down the sides of the food processor bowl as necessary and taking special care to make sure that there are no large chunks of garlic.

Add:

1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup melted butter

Process until combined.

That's it! If you want a thinner texture you can blend in some warm water too.

10 Ways to Enjoy your fresh homemade Pesto:

1) As sauce on BBQ pizza (oh my goodness it is good)
2) Mix with chopped cooked chicken and diced bell peppers for a yummy pesto chicken salad. Serve in homemade pita pockets.
3) Mix with pureed cooked white beans to make an awesome dip for corn chips!
4) Add a spoonful while beating eggs with milk to make delicious scrambled eggs.
5) Spread on corn on the cob.
6) Serve a spoonful on top of grilled meats.
7) Spread on subs or sandwiches.
8) Stir into homemade soups.
9) Coat raw baby spinach with it for a simple yummy side dish.
10) On Pasta, silly!

A note about freezing Pesto: Here is the way you are supposed to do it: Omit the Parmesan. Put the pesto in a container with a thin layer of oil on top to keep it fresh and freeze. Add cheese before serving. How I do it: Just freeze it in small zip top bags. Parmesan and all. Easy Peasy.

Thanks so much for visiting The Complete Guide to Imperfect Homemaking. Please consider following me on twitter, liking me on facebook, or signing up for my RSS feed.

10 Things to Do When Motherhood is Stressing You Out

noreply@blogger.com (Kelly) — Thu, 11 Apr 2013 18:49:00 +0000

I don't have it all together, I promise. Some days I want to savour every moment because I know that the days are long but the years are short and before I know it my six little children will be all grown up. Other days I just want to survive until my husband comes through the door with a take-out rotisserie chicken and bagged salad for dinner. Motherhood is a beautiful, messy, terrifying, exhausting, glorious and heart-wrenching calling that requires more from us than we ever knew we had. And we wouldn't trade it for the world, would we?

Here are a few of the ways I pause to breathe deep and remind myself why I chose to raise this sticky fingered army in the first place.

1. Sit down on the floor and let the little ones climb all over you. Cuddle, tickle, colour in a princess colouring book, breathe deep and relax.

2. Light a candle (out of reach of little hands) and give thanks.

3. Take a picture of the mess and maybe the little hands making it. Somehow it's easier to see the beauty and life in the mess through the lens of a camera.

4. Go outside barefoot. (Weather permitting.) Just being in the backyard with your bare feet in the grass while kids run and play around you is refreshing to the soul.

5. Cry.

6. Remove something from your to-do list. Be it a mental or actual list, something can go.

7. Remind yourself that your parents didn't have it all together (really, I promise they didn't) and you turned out fine (we've all had some bumps along the road, but they don't make us who we are.) Show yourself some grace.

8. Resolve not to speak when you are angry. Don't make any major decisions when you are frustrated. Make tea instead.

9. Turn off the computer. It's tempting to tune out and browse facebook or pinterest,, but when I turn off the computer and focus more on my kids I am always glad that I did. (and so are they!)

10. Plan a break. A few weeks ago hubby and I were both feeling overwhelmed and it only took a quiet hour in a book store and a couple vanilla lattes to leave us refreshed and ready to dive back in to our crazy loud busy life.

May you be blessed today in the midst of the chaos with the certainly that it is exactly where you are meant to be.

A Million Great Uses For Binder Clips

noreply@blogger.com (Kelly) — Thu, 11 Apr 2013 03:09:00 +0000

Okay, so maybe they isn't a full million uses for binder clips here, but a million sounded a lot better than 50-ish. I love binder clips, they are an organizational workhorse, a true multitasker! I keep a stash of colourful ones for organizing every room of the house. Here are (nearly) a million uses for binder clips around the home.

In the kitchen...

Use as a chip clip to keep food packages closed.
Or take it one step further and use them to actually hang the snacks on your pantry door!
Place a wet sponge in a large binder clip so that it will dry well.

Use them to hang your rubber gloves under the sink!
Use them to keep garbage bags from slipping down into your trash can.

Use them to close half-used bags of frozen veggies

Use one to keep things from rolling around in your fridge (or anywhere you might have wire shelving....)
Use a binder clip clipped to the side of a pot to hold a candy thermometer. (Oh how I wish I'd seen this one YEARS ago!)
Use one as a recipe card holder.

In the dining room...

Use to keep sets of cloth serviettes together..
Use them as wine charms at your next soiree.
Use as place card holders for a fun tablescape

Use them to attach labels to the foods on a buffet.

In the Bathroom...

Place a binder clip over the blade end of your disposable razor when traveling for safe packing.
Use it to squeeze the last of the toothpaste from the tube.
They can even help you clean the shower head!

In the closet...

Use to hang neckties from an ordinary hanger
Use to hang boots.
Use to label cubbies in hanging closet organizers.

In the office...

Keep hanging files from sliding too much.
Use them to hang a calendar from command hooks.

Clip one to a desk or nightstand to keep USB cables handy.
Use it to add a pen holder to practically anything.

Turn the cover of any binder into a clipboard

Attach labels to baskets or bins
Stick adhesive labels to the bottoms and use them to label shelves
Use them to route cables out of sight.
Use them to sort and organize paperwork, of course!

In your crafty space:

Keep ribbon and notions rolled up and stored tidily.

Use to hold fold-over binding in place while you sew.
And in place of pins when sewing many layers of fabric together.
Make a DIY yarn bowl.
Use them to hang paints from a pegboard hook.
Use binder clips to store gift bags and tissue papers.
Put a clip on the ends of wrapping paper tubes to keep them from coming unrolled.

Use them to hold items together while glue dries.
Use them in the making of some fabulous DIY recycled notebooks

In Your Purse....

Clip coupons you plan to use to your grocery list.
Use a binder clip to keep money in your wallet separate from other funds when necessary. I do this when my kids have birthday money that's been given to them and I don't want to accidentally spend it or when I have to remember to give money to somebody.
Clip a pen to an inside pocket so you can always find it

More Ideas...

Use them to hang pictures or postcards on a string.
Combine them with thrifted frames to make a simple gallery wall for your children's art.
Hang a tag from one for an easy label for photo albums.
Use them to make baby bib clips.
Store games and children's activities in ziplock bags and hang them from a towel bar using binder clips.
Use them to make a smart phone amplifying speaker out of a Pringles can. Seriously!

What did I miss? Do you have a favourite way to use binder clips around the house?

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Weekend Graces #6: Bake Cookies

noreply@blogger.com (Kelly) — Fri, 05 Apr 2013 11:00:00 +0000

The whole point of these little Weekend Graces is that they are small things. These aren't new and fabulous, pinterest-worthy ideas. They are the little things that speak love in the midst of ordinary life. They are reminders to slow down and serve the people we love most in simple, lovely ways.

Our home needed that this week. It has been a busy week. A frustrating week. A tired week. We needed to celebrate a little bit.

I became aware of just how much my family needed this today as I pulled the cookies from the oven and one by one my kids started to ask questions like "who's coming over?" and "who are those for?"

In the busyness of life I somehow forgot to bake cookies just for them.

So this week's Weekend Grace is to bake cookies. Or something else simple that your family loves. Not because somebody is coming over or because you promised to bake something for a potluck, but just because.

Double Chocolate Chunk Cookies

Cream together:

1 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup white sugar

Beat in:

2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla

Then add

2 1/4 cups flour
1/2 cup cocoa
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp kosher salt
2 cups of chopped white chocolate

Mix until combined. Roll into balls and place on cookie sheets. Bake at 375 degrees for 8-10 minutes until cracked on top and slightly browned on the bottom. Let cool for a minute or two before transferring to cooling rack. Enjoy!

Thanks so much for visiting The Complete Guide to Imperfect Homemaking. Happy Weekend!

12 Things (The Oh-My-Goodness-I-Have-a-Craft-Room Edition!)

noreply@blogger.com (Kelly) — Thu, 04 Apr 2013 16:48:00 +0000

If you are new here, 12 Things is this thing I do every once in a while where I share links I like and questions I have and updates on what's going on around our house. It's a chance to get to know each other a little better, so please do take a moment to comment and say "hi!"

1. As you may have guessed by the title of this post, we've made some progress on my craft room. It's slowly coming together, mostly with paint and furnishings we already had or scored second hand for nearly free. I love this sort of organic decorating, where a room isn't planned out or "designed" but just comes together slowly as pieces are required and found and incorporated.

2. A friend introduced me to these Cooking With Clara videos on Youtube. Have you seen them? It's this sweet old grandmotherly lady cooking depression era meals and talking about what it was like to live through the great depression. Hubby and I like to watch them together.

3. Our sofas are old and broken so we are ripping them apart and re-building them into a brand new (sorta) sectional. Right now our living room is in shambles with pieces of sofa and fabric and foam, but in the end it is going to be so worth it. And shockingly it's not going to be teal. (Well, not entirely.) In fact, you can see my inspiration photo here. (Eeek!)

4. I am part of a great women's bible study and we are working through this book. I like it a lot, and not just because I get to spend four delightful hours with a fabulous group of women every second Thursday!

5. When I'm done that study I want to round up a group of people to study this one at my house. I just love Shane Claiborne, in a he-makes-me-want-to-sell-everything-and-give-it-to-the-poor sort of way.

6. This Honest Toddler blog is hilarious, in a slightly painful sort of way if you currently have a toddler unraveling your toilet paper on the living room floor.

7. We are nearly done reading all of the way through the Laura Ingalls Wilder Little House Series and I don't know what to read next. Any mamas out there have good chapter book suggestions for me to read to my 3,5 and 6 year old?

8. I love this Dear Mom on the iPhone post from 4littlefergusons. It seems to have started a bit of a controversy around blogland as people think the author, Tonya, was trying to shame and discourage people. But I think if you take it for what it is (a reminder to let how we spend our time reflect our priorities and to make sure our kids know that they are immensely more important than our smart phones or any media that can so easily steal our attention) then I think it's a reminder I definitely need. It stung a little, in a good way.

9. I hosted an apron sewing party. We sewed simplified versions of this pattern and ate chocolate and bounced babies and talked for hours. It was lovely. I'm already brainstorming my next excuse for a ladies night in.

10. I love this Hierarchy of Cleaning chart from Small Notebook. When I have people coming over and too much to do and feel like I'm just running around like a chicken with its head cut off it gives me a place to start.

11. I've been making this Garlic Rice Pilaf at least once a week and the whole family enjoys it. I increase the garlic to a whole head (we love garlic!) and I add some toasted sliced almonds at the end.

12. We've been playing outside a lot and enjoying the (somewhat) spring-like weather. We had our first picnic of the year last week and my kids are excavating parts of the back yard in search of rocks to "sell" in a little "store" under the porch. So if I'm not blogging much it's because I'm out back buying rocks from a three year old and eating lunch in the wet grass.

Thanks so much for visiting The Complete Guide to Imperfect Homemaking. Please consider following me on twitter, liking me on facebook, or signing up for my RSS feed.

How to Make a Chalkboard Bunting

noreply@blogger.com (Kelly) — Mon, 01 Apr 2013 19:17:00 +0000

I actually completed this task weeks ago, but our family went through a week with the flu that felt more like an eternity than just one week and we're still trying to get back into the swing of things. Is it just me or does each day you spend ill put you a day and a half behind in laundry, dishes, and life in general?

Start by cutting a cardboard triangle to use as your pattern.

And then cut triangles out of a thick fabric or a canvas drop cloth; two triangles for each chalkboard pennant of the bunting.

Paint the triangles on one side with 2 coats of chalkboard paint. Let dry for a day or two.

Give the triangles a slight sanding and then rub all over with chalk and wash the chalk off. This preps the chalkboard-y surface to accept chalk better.

With painted sides together, sew two triangles together on two edges. Leave the top edge open.

After doing a few of these I learned to cut the very tip off the bottom of the pennant so that when I turn it right-side-out it will be flatter and sit nicer.

Turn triangle right side out. Continue until you have your desired amount of chalkboard pennants.

FYI: The chalkboard-y-ness isn't super erasable, meaning that you need a damp cloth to erase it, not just your hand or a chalkboard brush. But that's no big deal.

Make some ordinary fabric pennants for your banner by cutting triangles from pretty fabrics using the same template and sewing them right side together just like you did for the chalkboard ones. Press them flat with an iron. (But don't iron the chalkboard ones....that might be messy...)

Use fold-over-binding to string your pennants together. Just fold it over the tops of each pennant and stitch it closed.

I've hung it in my little girls room....

...but not before I used it as decoration for a sewing party I hosted!

And I whipped up another one as part of a baby gift for a beloved friend expecting her second bundle of joy! I just love these little banners. I might just have to think up some excuses to whip up a few more!

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Weekend Graces #5: A Happy Little Welcome Message

noreply@blogger.com (Kelly) — Fri, 22 Mar 2013 11:00:00 +0000

On Friday mornings I share a small act of love and hospitality to bless the people we live with this weekend. I call them Weekend Graces, little acts of love to make the weekend shine.

This week's weekend grace is to greet our loved ones with a welcome message upon returning home from work or school or errands or wherever. Because it's nice to be missed, right?

For me, that meant helping the kids make a greeting for daddy with dry-erase markers on the window of the front door. But construction paper or a simple post it note would work just as well.

Have a fabulous weekend!

Loaded Potato Soup

noreply@blogger.com (Kelly) — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 16:54:00 +0000

If any dish can be thrifty and decadent at the same time, it is this loaded potato soup. We like to serve this as a special treat whenever we have guests for lunch. It is filling and rich and delicious without being too fancy for a simple lunch with good friends.

This is a very forgiving recipe. I don't make it with the exact same proportions of ingredients every time, but I've probably made it a hundred times from memory and it always turns out de-lish!

Peel enough potatoes to fill your soup pot just over half way. (If I'm using nice new potatoes with nice skins I just wash the skins and keep them on) If they are large potatoes, cut them in half.

Add enough chicken broth to cover all of the potatoes. Sometimes I thin the broth out with some water if I don't have enough. Simmer until potatoes are soft.

Meanwhile, cook six slices of bacon in a large pan. When cooked, remove bacon slices and add

2 onions, diced
half a head of garlic, minced

Cook unions and garlic in the bacon drippings until fragrant and well coloured. Crumble the bacon and set it aside for later.

Scrape onions and garlic into the pot of simmering potatoes and let them all simmer together until the potatoes are tender and mashable when you stab them with a fork.

When the potatoes are ready, puree your soup with a stick blender or a potato masher.

Remove from heat and stir in enough milk to make the soup your desired consistency, 1 or 2 cups depending on the potatoes you used and how thick you want it. Sprinkle with a couple pinches of kosher salt and some fresh ground pepper to taste.

Serve with crumbled bacon, grated cheddar cheese, and sliced green onions. It's also great topped with salsa and sour cream, if you have them (we didn't!).

Loaded Potato Soup

lots of potatoes
4+ cups of chicken broth (or a combination of broth and water)
6 slices of bacon
2 onions, diced
half a head of garlic, minced
1 to 2 cups of milk
kosher salt and fresh ground pepper
desired toppings such as cheese, green onions, sour cream or salsa.

Peel and cut enough potatoes to fill your soup pot just over half way. Add enough chicken broth to cover potatoes. Simmer until soft.

Meanwhile, cook bacon in a pan until crispy. Remove bacon from pan and set aside to crumble and serve with finished soup. Cook onions and garlic in bacon drippings until fragrant and well coloured. Scrape into pot of simmering potatoes.

When potatoes are fork tender, remove from heat and puree with a stick blender or by hand with a potato masher. Stir in enough milk to reach desired consistency. Sprinkle with a couple pinches of kosher salt and lots of freshly ground black pepper.

Serve with desired toppings and enjoy!

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Newspaper Seed Starting Pots

noreply@blogger.com (Kelly) — Mon, 18 Mar 2013 15:07:00 +0000

For years we have been making our own seed starting pots from newspapers. We start our tomatoes and peppers in them in a bright window and later the plants can be planted directly in the garden, pot and all, because the newspaper breaks down quickly and the roots can spread out into the surrounding soil.

To do this you will need some sheets of newspaper and bottle. (A wine bottle works great!)

Fold a sheet in half and roll it around the bottle with some sticking out past the bottom of the bottle.

Fold the newspaper into the divot (it's actually called a "punt") in the bottom of the wine bottle.

With the seed pot still on the bottle, put the bottle on a table and push down firmly while moving the bottle around on the table surface. This will help the seed pot to keep it's shape.

Voila! A simple decomposable seed pot. Made for free from items in your recycling bin!

We like to reuse plastic spinach containers to hold the seed pots.

When it's time to transplant the seedling into the garden, just plant the pots directly in the soil. Peel back any newspaper that will remain above the soil line so that it doesn't wick moisture up out of the dirt.

Here's a little summary collage so you can pin it and remember if you want:

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Free Printable Spring Cleaning Checklist

noreply@blogger.com (Kelly) — Tue, 12 Mar 2013 01:19:00 +0000

A couple years ago I was pregnant with our twins and in crazy nesting mode. Unable to find a checklist that embodied my enthusiasm for spring cleaning, I made my own very thorough spring cleaning checklist. I decided this year to revamp it a little and share it as a free printable.

For me, spring cleaning is not an onerous chore, but a treasured opportunity to throw open the windows and celebrate spring by making my home reflect the freshness and newness of the season.

And crossing things off lists is, well, fun!

Please don't be daunted by the size of the list. Many of the tasks are small ones that take very little time to complete, and not all of the items will be applicable to your home/life. I also left some blank spaces for you to add in items specific to your home and divided the tasks into the basics (like cleaning the kitchen table) and extras (like putting some fresh flowers on the table!)

You can print the file by going here.

(Note: Please enjoy this list without selling it in any way or passing it off as your own creation. But feel free to "pin" this post on pinterest. I love seeing my own projects on pinterest!)

Happy Cleaning!

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Weekend Graces #4: Breakfast Notes

noreply@blogger.com (Kelly) — Fri, 08 Mar 2013 12:00:00 +0000

Every Friday morning I post a small act of hospitality to bless the people we live with this weekend. I call them Weekend Graces, little acts of love to make the weekend shine.

This week's Weekend Grace is to set the table before bed for tomorrow's breakfast, complete with little notes of love or encouragement.

Even the toddlers get one...

Happy Weekend!

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How to Make Time for the Creative Life when your Kids are Little

noreply@blogger.com (Kelly) — Wed, 06 Mar 2013 16:28:00 +0000

One of my goals for 2013 is to do something creative every single day. It doesn't need to be a big project, in fact it can be as small as arranging some flowers in a eye pleasing way or taking pictures of something I wouldn't normally think to photograph. Here are some ways that I am learning to incorporate creativity into my busy diaper-filled days.

1. Make it a priority. When things get stressful it's easy to start eliminating the non essential things on our to-do list. We think that we don't have time for the tasks that refresh and rejuvenate us. But it is exactly when we are overwhelmed that we need those things the most. So choose to make room for creativity.

2. Surround yourself with beautiful materials. Buy a stack of pretty papers of fabrics or paints or whatever and put it where you will see it often. Let the colours and patterns inspire you and spark your imagination.

3. When you are excited about a project, tackle it right away. So often when I dream up a project I put it to the bottom of an already long list of ideas. By the time I get to it, my vision and excitement for the project is gone. Put projects you are excited about at the top of the list!

4. Leave the dishes undone. I can't tell you how many times I've intended to work on a project after I got the kitchen tidied up from dinner and the kids bathed and off to bed, and then when it was all said and done just collapsed on the couch instead. Leave the dishes in the sink once in a while and create something beautiful.

5. Kill two birds with one stone, so to speak. Get creative and crafty with the things that need to be done anyways. Sew your daughter a dress instead of buying one (It may actually take less time than it does to take kids to the mall!), arrange dinner artfully on the plate, decorate a birthday cake with some flair.

6. Involve the kids. Sit down at the kitchen table with some art supplies and let the kids come and experiment and create and learn. We show our kids an immense amount of respect when we let them freely create.

7. Make it an event. Later this month I'm having some ladies over for a sewing night. I can't wait!

8. Stop doubting your own creativity. Embrace your own style. Give yourself the freedom to make mistakes. Experiment with materials that are new to you. You are created in the image of a Creator, so create something beautiful today!

What ways do you make time for the creative life?

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How to Paint your Cabinets TEAL! (or some other colour, I suppose.)

noreply@blogger.com (Kelly) — Wed, 06 Mar 2013 00:05:00 +0000

If your a regular around here, you already know that I have a thing for bluish-green colours. Teal, turquoise, aqua, whatever you want to call it, I love it. So this weekend we took the plunge and painted all of our laminate base cabinets teal. And I am in love.

Seriously, when I am in my kitchen I just want to put my arms out to the side and swing around in happy circles.

How we did it:

The laminate on our cabinets was peeling, so we were forced to just rip it off in some places, bringing the cabinets right down to the MDF underneath. This step isn't really recommended and probably won't be necessary for you. Apparently I just have extra destructive children.

We let our kids help peel it off since they've been working at it slowly for years anyways...

At this point we were obviously pretty committed to the project and I was freaking out a little.

Next, we sanded. We sanded all of the remaining laminate surfaces with 150 grit sandpaper. (my husband wants me to tell you that he ought to have been wearing a dust mask in this photo and you should too!)

Then we primed with Zinsser Bullseye 1-2-3 primer. This stuff is great for bonding paint to hard to paint surfaces (like cabinets). We've used it on a number of projects and are always happy with it.

We did two coats of primer, sanding lightly after each coat with 220 grit sandpaper.

Finally it was time to paint! We chose Benjamin Moore's Advance paint in "Majestic Blue". The paint was pricey, but it is a fabulous paint. It smooths well and gets great coverage and cures to what so far seems like a very durable finish. We are very pleased with this paint.

We did two coats of paint, sanding with 320 grit sandpaper after the first coat.

We also added new draw pulls and knobs that we bought at the ReStore for only 2 dollars each!

Oh my...why didn't we do this YEARS ago?

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Weekend Graces #3: Build a Blanket Fort. {Seriously.}

noreply@blogger.com (Kelly) — Fri, 01 Mar 2013 12:00:00 +0000

Every Friday morning I post a small act of love, service or hospitality to bless the people we live with this weekend. Because it's the little things that speak volumes of love, isn't it?

This week's Weekend Graces idea is to build a blanket fort with your family. Seriously. Play board games, read favourite stories, hang party lights, and show your kids that an ordinary day is absolutely something to celebrate.

We did this last Friday and loved it so much that we've decided to make it a family tradition. Every Friday night is now pizza/blanket fort/board game night and we've been looking forward to it all week long.

So I dare you... Gather up your extra sheets and blankets. Fill a basket with some of the things you might need like clothespins and rope, elastics and command hooks. Drag the mattresses into the living room, round up some flashlights, pop some popcorn.

And take lots of pictures, because this season of life you are in, whichever season that is, is fleeting. And so very precious.

Thanks so much for visiting The Complete Guide to Imperfect Homemaking. Please consider following me on twitter, liking me on facebook, or signing up for my RSS feed. Happy weekend!

Our Cloth Diaper Routine

noreply@blogger.com (Kelly) — Tue, 26 Feb 2013 22:48:00 +0000

If you are considering cloth diapering but haven't made the plunge yet, do it. Seriously, you won't regret it. The cloth diapers on the market today aren't your grandma's nappies. They are cute, absorbent, and (in the long run) very affordable. I know they sound like a lot of work, but once it's part of your routine you'll hardly even notice the laundering. And you'll never have to run out to the store just for a box of diapers again!

There is a wealth of information around the web on cloth diapering, and I don't really have anything new or profound to add to it, but I do feel that sometimes a glimpse into another person's life and routine can be helpful. So here it goes...

The Diapers

If you are confused by all the different types of cloth diapers available, here is a great article detailing the pros and cons of each.

We use mostly Charlie Banana One-Size Pocket Diapers. They are adjustable in the leg gusset, so we are able to use the same diapers on our 3 month old as we do on our 20 month old twins. They don't require a diaper cover and are easy enough for babysitters and nursery workers to figure out.

We also have Bummis Organic Pre-folds that we use with some adorable diaper covers from this etsy shop.

For my three kids in diapers I have a total of about 30 pocket diapers plus 6 diaper covers and some pre-folds.

The Wipes
Once you are washing diapers anyways, there is little point buying disposable wipes. Our cloth wipes are mostly just unhemmed squares of flannel from extra receiving blankets.

When we originally started using cloth wipes we had a spray bottle of homemade wipe solution and a basket of wipes at the changing table, but now we just keep a basket of cloth wipes in the bathroom and wet one when we're on our way to change a bum. Plain water works great and doesn't cost a penny!

The only down side to cloth wipes is that I always forget to take some with us in the diaper bag. I keep meaning to buy a pack of disposable ones just for the diaper bag, but I always seem to forget!

Diaper Rash Creams
Most diaper rash creams aren't recommended for cloth diapers because they will destroy the absorbency of the diaper. I now use a small amount of coconut oil to treat diaper rashes and have found it to work quite well without destroying the diapers. Plus, it smells great and is a safe, natural choice!

The Routine
When I change a diaper I immediately flush any solids down the toilet and place it in a giant wetbag that hangs on hooks behind the bathroom door (I bought it from this etsy store.)

Originally we hung the wetbag on the bathroom doorknob, but that broke the doorknob. You'll want to screw your hooks into wall studs, the bag gets quite heavy once filled with wet diapers!

We don't own a diaper sprayer. I know some people swear by their diaper sprayer, but we manage fine without one. Once, when my grandmother was visiting, she saw me struggling to shake some stuck-on solids off of a cloth diaper and she took it from my hand, plunged the thing into the toilet water and flushed. The swirling water took away the mess easily and quickly.

I wash our diapers almost every day, but not always at the same time of day so it really kind of works out to every day and a half. I wash them in 3 basic steps:

Rinse Cycle: Dump the contents of the wetbag (and the wetbag itself too if it's starting to smell funky!) into the washing machine and run it through a cold rinse.
Hot Wash. Wash everything in a hot wash cycle with half the regular amount of laundry detergent (I use Nature Clean detergent). I know a lot of instructions say to wash in cold, and if that works for you it will certainly prolong the life of your diapers, but ours just weren't getting clean enough without the hot water. Make sure that the water level is set to it's highest setting so that there is lots of water to wash the suds away.
Dry. If the weather is nice I hang everything out on the laundry line to dry. If it's raining or below freezing I hang all of the covers and pocket diapers on my indoor drying rack and put the liners for the pocket diapers,the pre-folds and the wipes in the dryer. Occasionally, if I'm in a real hurry I dry everything in the dryer. And then I slap my own hand and promise to never do that again....until next time.

Also, on Saturdays I run the diapers through a second hot wash, without soap, after the regular hot wash cycle is done. This is to make sure that I'm not collecting a soap build-up in the diapers.

I love my cloth diapers! If you have any questions about cloth diapering that I didn't address, please ask them in the comments below.

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A Simple Tip for Tidy Board Game Storage

noreply@blogger.com (Kelly) — Mon, 25 Feb 2013 21:33:00 +0000

I know I've said this before, but we are a board game sort of family. We love board games! But I hate storing board games. Different size boxes, lids that don't stay on, a bazillion little pieces... in a small home it's a recipe for frustration. But then I had an epiphany...

Inexpensive headbands. They are just the right size elastic to wrap around the average board game box so that you can stand them up in a closet without fear of lids coming loose.

Tidy, organized board games on a shelf! Easy peasy!

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