Thrifty Crafty Girl

Headed Back to the Office? Let's Make it Pretty.

2022-10-09T07:00:00.070-05:00

The average person spends 90,000 hours of their life at work. One-third of their life... at. work.

Why couldn't I have been born with a trust fund?

Anyhoo, the pandemic sent a lot of the workforce from the office to their homes. And working from home can be amazing! Sitting at my desk, doing my thing, while watching reruns of Vanderpump Rules? As close to heaven as this girl might get.

But now that COVID-19 is starting to ebb, or at least, we have figured out how to better deal with it, a lot of us are being pushed back into the office. Well, that's not the spirit... we are being WELCOMED BACK to the office. Whichever helps you, I suppose.

Going back into the office does not have to be a bad thing. Sure, no more working in your jammies, but there are things we can do to make our office life more cozy, more comfortable, more like home.

Cubicle or office, standing desk or traditional, there are ways to personalize your workspace and make it a bit more like home. I know, you probably aren't looking forward to going back in... but let's at least make it pretty.

**WORD OF CAUTION: BEFORE MAKING CHANGES TO YOUR WORKSPACE, CHECK WITH YOUR SUPERVISOR. IMAGINE HOW UPSET I WAS WHEN THEY TOLD ME THAT WE WEREN'T ZONED FOR THE HOT TUB I INSTALLED.**

In my office, we have your standard modular office furnishings. In the above picture, you can (hopefully) see the fabric panels that line the wall by my desk. This drab fabric spreads the entire length of one wall in my office. I think the designer was like, you can totally pin up pictures on it and view the life that is going on without you because you're stuck at work!

This wasn't going to fly. I gave up pajamas for this. A change needed to be made.

I went to Walmart and made a bee-line for the fabric section. Walmart has upgraded their fabric options in the past few years. You can still get fabric by the yard, but they also have pre-packaged fabrics in so many colors and patterns, it was honestly hard to choose. But choose I did. I bought some straight pins as well, and headed to the office like a good little employee.

The type of fabric wall in my office is pretty flimsy. It can be moved and removed and jostled and flim-flammed. So covering this panel with fabric was pretty easy. I secured it with the straight pins, and like magic, there was prettiness.

Ask me what the pattern is, I dare you.

I don't know. BUT. The brand was Waverly and I bought it at Walmart. These are the hard-hitting facts you as my readers have come to expect. But really, what I like might not be what you like... so go browse your favorite fabric store and find a pretty fabric to cover the sad modular wall.

Once that was done (and really, it made a huge difference!) I decided to add some art. Also at Walmart (I swear, I don't have stock in Walmart or anything, it just worked out that way) I found the greatest 12x12 scrapbook paper collection!

The brand is Colorbok, with an umlaut over the last 'O'. Super fancy. And the collection is called "Conservatory". It is sturdy paper, double-sided, and filled with the prettiest papers! I just love it.

I ordered some frames from Amazon. Here's the link (not affiliate, I have no idea how to do that):

HEART ART 12x12 PICTURE FRAME SET OF NINE, WITH MAT

Simple frames, with mats included, plastic so they are really lightweight and they were a great price. Once those arrived, I was faced with the difficult decision of choosing eight (that's all I had room for) papers that perfectly went with the office ambiance that I was desperately trying to attain.

I just put these up with thumbtacks. A little flower vase (from Walmart again, I swear I don't work for them!) and my wall project was done. A better picture of the whole wall is forthcoming, but I can't show it just yet, because it would show my next office decor project... which I will post about next time!

I love and have missed you all! See you soon!

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2016 Financial Workbook

2016-01-07T14:30:00.000-06:00

Well, hello there! It's been a while, now hasn't it?

Listen, do me a favor... save the lecture about how much of a slacker blogger I am and email it to me instead. If I get enough, I'll turn them into a book.

So, I've been going through some tough stuff... stuff I can't even talk about now because it's still happening. It's so stressful. And since this is all very vague, let me tell you what it's NOT: I'm not getting divorced, I'm not pregnant, and I'm not bankrupt. Really, it's none of those things. I'm almost to the end of it, at which time I'll fill you in. And when I do, you'll be like, "seriously? That was it? She made it sound like she was facing prison time or something." It's not prison time.

Ahem.

Let's get on with our post, shall we? I made a thing!

So, I've shared my budget binder with you before... and it works just fine. I've used it for years and it's great... but I wanted to change things up a bit. So I made a financial workbook that has everything I need.

A weekly savings log with a place to list my weekly and yearly savings goals...

A place to write down each bill and mark when paid...

The weekly budget sheet I've shared with you before (the same, but colorful!)...

The check register I shared with you (again, colorful!)...

Monthly calendars with a motivational quote...

And pages to list monthly goals and a blank page to paste some vision board stuff to keep me motivated! There are enough pages to get me through every paycheck, with a check register page for each one. There are also a few pages not pictured, for helping pay off debt using the snowball method. We are only a week into the year, but I love it already. I went to Staples to get it printed and bound and when they showed me the finished product, my heart stopped. I just loved it.

Office supply stores do that to me.

Now, I am selling this in my Etsy shop... but if you're reading this and you want one, I'll email one to you for free. Because I love you. And you're pretty. I'll even put your name on the front.

Here's to a great financial year!

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DIY Felt Snowflake Runner

2015-01-09T14:08:00.000-06:00

Hi everyone! And Happy New Year! I know, I know... I'm about a week late. Whatevs, maybe I'll be on time next year.

It's freezing here. No, really... FREEZING. I currently have one frozen pipe in the upstairs bathroom that I'm dealing with and I am kicking myself for not replacing the living room windows before winter. But it's alright. I SURVIVED THE POLAR VORTEX OF 2014, I CAN SURVIVE THIS.

Ahem.

Since it's so cold out, I decided to embrace it with some decor.

First, I found a ton of felt that I bought for a project that I never did. I don't actually do that often, but I have found stashed materials before, so I needed to do something with it.

There's like two yards of it. This project didn't even make a dent.

I cut out a runner, about 12" x 36" and then I laid it out on my grubby ottoman to take this picture:

My children are why I can't have nice things.

From here, I put on a crocheted border. I found this on Pinterest that gave great instructions on how to do it.

After that, I stitched up some snowflakes onto the middle...

This one is my favorite. I named him Chester.

And, viola... I had a runner. I had accomplished something. I AM QUEEN OF THE UNIVERSE.

Ahem. I seem to lose my mind a bit more since I gave birth to Lily. Three children is apparently my insanity quotient.

This project took a few days to put together, but I do just love it. Of course, it's so cold that I would probably love anything that made my lap warm as I worked on it. This laptop is my best friend right now.

I'll try to be back next week to show you what else I made with the never-ending pile of felt... hint, it has more snowflakes on it. I can't escape them.

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Blogging Planner for 2015

2014-12-29T13:00:00.002-06:00

I know, I know, it's been FOR. EV. ER.

I've missed you.

I've been doing the best that I can over here, trying to get out of this funk that seems never-ending. I think I can see the light at the end of the tunnel though, and I love all your sweet emails checking up on me! I love it so much, I made another blogging planner for 2015. And I'm giving it to you. For free. Because I'm generous... also because I know it's not awesome enough to charge for. Whatevs, it's free. :)

I changed it up from last year:

I made the posts columns vertical instead of horizontal and added social media icons so you can check off when you've posted your stuff to Facebook and whatnot. It is a two-sided planner, but the other side hasn't changed from last year. Print it out and enjoy.

Find the planner here! I left the front page blank so you could personalize it... Happy New Year!

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Gravestone Epitaphs for Halloween!

2014-10-15T06:00:00.000-05:00

Hello my spooky readers! We are getting close to Halloween and I can hardly wait! Can't you just smell the candy corn and sugar-buzzed children? I know I can.

A few years ago, I showed you how to make some awesome tombstones for your Halloween display. These are so easy to make and they are so great for the holiday. The hardest part of making these tombstones is figuring out what to inscribe for the epitaph. Really, I had fits about it. So, because I love you and don't want you to suffer like I did, I've rounded up some great sayings for your Halloween gravestones!

Mann Down

Pardon Me for Not Rising

Claire Voyance

She Should Have Seen it Coming

E.W.W.

It Stinks Down Here

Ben Dismembered

May He Rest In Pieces

Izzy Dead

Let's All Hope So

Radio Star

Killed by Video

Lee Ving

He Couldn't Stay

Colin Collect

Please Accept the Charges

Hammond Eggs

Died Over Breakfast

Lee Ning

He Finally Fell Over

Sal Manilla

Died of Food Poisoning

Ron D. Vous

He Met With Death

And of course, the classic epitaph:

I told you I was sick.

Are there any great ones I missed? Leave 'em in the comments!

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Coffin Craft for Under $3

2014-10-02T15:50:00.004-05:00

Hey there, everyone! Missed you bunches. In order to cope with the separation from you, I have been eating vast amounts of chocolate. It has helped, truly.

Today, I'm showing you the craft I spent a whole $3 on. Three smackaroos. Tres buckos. Oh, and it took like, ten minutes.

I bought three little wooden coffins at Michael's for $0.99 each. SCORE.

I painted the sides grayish...

And then I put a little scrapbook paper on the front. I used a glue stick. Hard core crafting, yo.

Aren't they cute? Speaking from experience, it's not easy to craft something for Halloween and only spend $3... I call this a win. :)

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It's October, Baby!

2014-09-30T18:50:00.002-05:00

Is it weird that I call you 'baby'? I mean, I hope it isn't. We're so close and all... You can call me 'snookums'. Totally fair.

First things first: You guys rock my socks. Truly. My last post was really hard to type and hitting the "Publish" button was really rough for me. But, I was trying to keep things real... and it's not always sunshine and roses in my world. You guys gave me some amazing feedback. I got comments and emails from some of you that were really amazing... and I realized that I'm not alone.

To answer a question I got quite a bit: yes, I did see a doctor about this. The answer she gave me was to medicate, but she didn't recommend it until I was done nursing Lily-bean. I really set a goal to breastfeed until she was one year old, and when I set a goal, I'm like a pitbull. Or a rottweiler. Or whatever dog is really good at achieving goals. I promised the hubs that if it got too bad, I would switch Lily to formula and take what the doctor recommended; I'm no good to my kids if I'm a wreck.

The good news? LILY'S BIRTHDAY IS NEXT WEEK. HOLLA.

I think I will make it through this. And honestly, FOR TRUE, I can't thank you guys enough. I wanted to email all of you back for your comments, but all I'm getting lately are no-reply comments. So, if you commented, I totally had a reply for you. And it's the thought that counts. :) If you emailed me, I'm trying to get throught them all... and I know you'll be patient... because you're awesome... and exceptionally good looking.

Anyhoos, IT IS OCTOBER. So exciting! I have done a "31 Days of Halloween" in the past years and really planned on doing it again this year, but time was not on my side. Next year, I've got you covered. To get us through the month, I've got a few Halloween crafts up my sleeve, but I'll also be sharing some of my greatest hits. Because really, who doesn't love the classics?

Thanks again, guys. You guys are awesome-sauce.

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Thrifty Crafty Funk

2014-09-17T18:20:00.000-05:00

OK, what I'm about to share with you is a bit personal. It has nothing to do with crafting or cooking or DIYing and I totally understand if you aren't interested in reading to the end... but I am going through something and I need to share it with you. If you're not in the mood, move on to another, happier blogger, and we'll meet again soon when I have something awesome to share with you.

I am in a funk.

I might even call it depression.

It's definitely anxiety.

I don't know how to get out of this.

It's hard to explain what is going through my head, but it's been boiling up for a few years now. It started as some anxiety... nothing too serious, just some mild panic attacks that seemed to have no cause. And then, they became not so mild.

And then came a bit of sadness. Prolonged, profound sadness that I couldn't escape from. But it would pass after a few days and I would go back to my normal life. And then it lasted more than a few days. And then it got worse. And worse.

Ugh.

So, in the time since this started, I have been prescribed anti-anxiety medication. It really did help, but when I got pregnant, I stopped taking it. I didn't take it everyday anyway, so it wasn't a huge sacrifice. And any anxiety I had during the pregnancy, I chose to tough out... I had huge fears about what the medication might do to my little in-utero string bean. And now, I still don't take anything because I'm nursing. Again, I just don't know what gets passed along in breastmilk. I'm probably being a bit over-cautious, but I really worry about that sort of thing.

I plan to stop nursing when Lily is one, which is THREE SHORT WEEKS AWAY. At that time, I'm planning a visit to my doctor to talk about this anxiety and depression. It is literally crippling me.

I can't do anything. I don't look forward to anything. Everything is overwhelming. I am cranky and irritable and not myself.

I don't know how to get out of this. Did I say that already?

What does this have to do with you or this little blog? Nothing, really. I just felt the need to share it with you. I have no game plan, no 'I'm totally gonna beat this' mentality, and no intentions of planning a pity party for myself. But when you're miserable, you hope for someone in the world to say, "hang in there, I'm here for you".

Maybe I can plan a happier post for next week? Let's all hope so.

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Floating Shelves Art Gallery

2014-08-27T06:00:00.000-05:00

Hi everyone! I'm basking in the awesomeness of 'school is back in session' and can I just say, it's better than I ever dreamed. It's like sunshine and flowers and unicorns and candy. It's like all those things.

Earlier this summer, I was dealing with such a headache: the kids' art projects. You know what I'm talking about, I'm sure... they bring home all this lovely art and you can't bear to just throw it out. I mean, if they see you throwing those projects out after they worked so hard on them, it would just break their little hearts. I cannot bear the heartache.

I've gotten better about picking and choosing what needs to stay and what can go. I'm still a bit shaky about throwing their things out, but I know I can't keep it all. But the bigger dilemma for me was what to do with the stuff I had to keep. I mean, if I'm keeping it, I should be able to enjoy it, right? They did make it for me, after all. Or they didn't. Whatever.

Enter the floating shelves!

By the by, did you know that floating shelves are sort of expensive? For cripes sake, I'm hanging construction paper artwork, not the Mona Lisa... paying $300 for some floating shelves, PLUS SHIPPING, would have been ridiculous.

I found these floating shelves on Wayfair.com. They were around $50 for both of them, and after a 10% coupon code that I found online they were $49 and some change... and would your believe that any order over $49 has free shipping? MEANT. TO. BE.

And now, the artwork hangs nicely for all the world to see.

We're accumulating quite the clay animal collection. It's like a zoo up in here.

So tell me, do you have any trepidation about throwing out your kids artwork?

**I was not compensated for this post. Wayfair.com was honestly the best price for these floating shelves. If Wayfair wants to sponsor me, they should totally contact my people.

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What I Did Over Summer Break

2014-08-25T06:00:00.000-05:00

Hi everyone! It's been soooooo long since we've talked. I hadn't planned on a summer break, but it happened anyway. No one told me that three children under 10 in one house during a summer would be so much work. NO ONE TOLD ME.

But behold, happy days are here again! Noah just started kindergarten (full day, praise the lawd), and Jon's back for fourth grade, so it's just me and Lily-bean until Christmas break! Woo to the hoo... now I can watch all the Dr. Phil I want and there's no one to stop me. NO ONE!

Here's a recap of what I did over my summer break, and there will be some follow-up posts about a few things, because I love to over-elaborate on things. That's just how I riggity-roll.

1. I completely obsessed about how to style a bookcase. OB-SESSED. For reals. I finished it though, and I'm sort of happy with how it turned out. Sort of.

2. The hubs and I put together a swing set, and our marriage survived to tell the tale. IT'S A MIRACLE.

3. Lily started scooting on her belly and then crawling, leading me to contemplate sewing Swiffer pads to her clothes. I'm not kidding, I really thought about the logistics of this idea.

4. I finally figured out what to do with the space above my kitchen cabinets.

5. I found a great website for planning home and gardening projects... and it's FREE. FA-REE.

6. I became a bit addicted to selling things on Ebay. It started with just a couple of things... and then it snowballed. MUST. SELL. EVERYTHING.

7. I found out that Lily is not a complainer, even if she has a raging ear infection. A tough cookie, that one.

8. I found out how to child-proof the dog. It's not easy and not convenient.

9. I almost had a nervous breakdown about meal-planning, due to picky eaters. I found a mini-solution though, which has helped that nervous twitch I developed.

10. I turned 35. HOLLA 40, I'M HEADED YOUR WAY.

Did you do anything noteworthy this summer?

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Using Cash Envelopes

2014-05-30T06:00:00.000-05:00

Hi everyone! It's the weekend! And it's so nice and warm outside, I am just loving it. After the horrible winter we had, I have made a vow not to complain about the heat this summer. I'm going to enjoy it while I can and will resume normal weather complaints around December.

Today I wanted to share a little system I use to budget: cash envelopes! Anyone who has read anything by Dave Ramsey knows about cash envelopes, but just in case you haven't, here's how they work:

You have an envelope for each of your household expenses: groceries, gas, prescriptions, chocolate... you know, the normal stuff. You fill the envelopes with the cash you've budgeted for those expenses and when the cash is gone, it's gone. It makes it nearly impossible to veer off budget, which is a huge relief.

And if you're using cash envelopes, you might find this handy:

Now sure, you could just take a regular ol' envelope and write on it... but this is more fun and I've already done the work for you!

I made a little something in Microsoft Word...

And then I printed it out onto full-page labels. I cut them out and stuck them to some legal-sized envelopes!

Now, I have spaces to write what the envelope is for, how much is budgeted for that envelope, and lines to write where I've spent the money.

Dolla bills, ya'll.

If you would like to have some for your very own, here's the link! Have an awesome-sauce weekend!

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A Thrifty Project for Lily

2014-05-28T06:00:00.000-05:00

Hi everyone! I have a great little project to show you today... it didn't cost much and it was done in an afternoon! Of course, the supplies for this project have been sitting in my house for months. And I think I moved them from the old house before that... WHATEVS, I HAVE TO DO THINGS IN MY OWN TIME.

Ahem.

I made a thingy for Lily! Yes, it's a thingy.

I found this great frame at Goodwill for $4.99. As soon as I saw it, I knew what I wanted to do with it, so I bought some wood letters from Michael's too...

I found some pretty scrapbook paper and measured some to fit behind the frame mat.

I just cut it and taped it to the back of the mat... easy-schmeasy.

And then I painted the letters and the frames. I matched the paint to some of the colors from the scrapbook paper. This was not easy for me because I never know what colors will look good with what. Really, I'm color-challenged.

And once the paint was dry, I put the frame back together and hot glued the letters to the glass.

So, funny story: When I put the whole thing back together, the hanging holes on the back of the frame were upside down. And apparently I'm a moron, because I decided that I needed to remove the letters and hot glue them the other way.

Or, I could just TURN THE GLASS AROUND. Luckily for me, those letters were really stuck on there and in the time it was taking me to try to remove them, I figured out that I was a moron.

I hung it above her door and I just love it! It's so much fun to decorate a girl's room!

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Magnetic Chore Charts

2014-05-26T06:00:00.000-05:00

I love a project that gets stuff done.

Trying to keep the kids on track with their chores is serious work. I mean, I can't keep track of everything we're supposed to do in a day, how can I expect the kids to remember all their chores? And I can't tell you how many times they couldn't remember if they had completed the chore or not... which means they sometimes do the same one twice for no good reason. I had to do something!

I bought some metallic cookie sheets (for $0.97 at Walmart)...

And bought some wooden discs at the craft store along with some magnets...

And then I got to work. I found some clip art for the kids chores and printed them out on adhesive paper:

Next, I cut them out, stuck them onto the wooden discs and glued a magnet to the back... so far, so good.

I painted the cookie sheets...

And then added a little vinyl! Their names are up at the top of the cookie sheet and the line near the bottom lets them know what they've done: if it's above the line, they've finished that chore!

As you can see, baby Lily doesn't have any chores yet. Mostly she just eats all day and that's not a chore. But I have extra magnets for when she gets old enough to help out!

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Teacher's Gift Redux

2014-05-12T13:40:00.000-05:00

Hi everyone! I hope you all had a great mother's day! I got to see my grandmother for the first time in a few years and it was really nice. Also, there was a buffet that wasn't too shabby. You've gotta love grandmas and all-you-can-eat.

A while back, I made a teacher's gift for the first day of school:

That was before I had a Silhouette. Vinyl has changed my life.

I made a new one for Jon's teacher's gift. BEHOLD:

OK, so it's not so different. It's just a craft case, with vinyl on top, and goodies inside:

Included in the goodies are Extra Strength Tylenol, lotion, band aids, paper clips, binder clips, rubber bands, gum and chocolate. Sweet, sweet chocolate. Everything a stressed out teacher needs to make it through the day!

Enjoy your Monday everyone!

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Storing Your Manuals and Warranties!

2014-05-05T06:00:00.000-05:00

Manuals are a thorn in my side. Honestly, every time I buy something, I dread taking that little manual out of the box because I can't bear to throw it out and I hate having to find a place for it. And without fail, when I need that manual or the warranty, I can't find it.

I needed to get control of this whole thing. I bought a 2-inch binder and some heavy-duty sheet protectors.

And then I rounded up every manual and warranty I could find around the house. I put them all in a sheet protector and put them in the binder. Quick and easy!

I used my Silhouette to cut some colorful tabbed dividers...

And I labeled each one. And then I sighed with relief...

A giant binder filled with endless amounts of paper that I can't throw away... and a binder like that needed a label. I used my full page shipping labels and printed out a little something...

And now, I never have to worry about losing another manual or warranty. I just love a good binder!

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Installing Plastic Garden Edging

2014-05-01T13:10:00.000-05:00

Hi everyone! It's cold out today. I thought we were out of the 40 degree weather for the season, but I guess not. But the forecast for next week shows temperatures in the 80's, so I'll break out my bathing suit in preparation.

And speaking of warmer weather, have you guys started planting anything yet? There wasn't much in the way of landscaping at our new home, so we have a pretty blank slate to start with. I decided to get some garden edging to begin with and go from there.

I bought some rolls of plastic garden edging, like this:

It's relatively inexpensive and super easy to work with, not to mention that I like the way it looks in a lawn. I set the husband to work installing it.

I spray painted a line in the grass where I wanted the edging:

And then had the ol' hubster dig a wee trench to put it in...

The edging was put in the little trench...

And stakes were pounded in at a 45 degree angle to keep it in place.

The dirt was raked over, back in place and that was that. Boom. Edging installed. We added some plants and mulch, too:

And now we're just waiting for more warm weather to plant some more. I would love some more hostas and some pretty flowers too... but I need temperatures above 60 degrees... not for the plants, but for me. Priscilla does not bloom below 60 degrees. There's a fun fact for your Thursday.

Have an awesome day!

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My No-Cost Door Makeover

2014-04-28T18:24:00.000-05:00

Hi everyone! It's been a little while since my last post, but it wasn't intentional: my life is awfully busy with diapers and spitting up. And that's just my husband.

I'm back to show you my awesome door makeover... and it didn't cost me anything!

When we bought our house last fall, one of the things I wanted to change pretty quickly was the color of the door. You can sort of see in this picture, it's a plum color:

I know it's a fuzzy picture, it's from the MLS listing photos... but trust me, the door was a plum color. I wasn't crazy about it, and even if I was, the paint job wasn't terrific. It needed to be painted desperately, but there was no dealing with it until warmer weather came along.

And then the warmer weather did come along and I needed to make a move. But, as is evident by my blog name, I'm a thrifty gal... and any sort of makeover needs to be budgeted appropriately. And then, I opened my latest issue of HGTV magazine.

There was a coupon in the magazine for a free sample of Valspar paint. I cashed that sucker in and chose a shade for the door.

The color is Indigo Streamer. I love names they give colors... it's Indigo Streamer to the guy that is paid to name it... to me, it's navy blue. Go figure.

That sample (which I think is 6 oz) was more than enough for two coats of paint. There's even enough paint to keep for touch ups... and if I want to paint the backdoor with the same color, a sample without coupon is less than three dollars. That's a deal and a half, in case you were wondering.

To give it a little extra awesomeness, I added some vinyl... I already had it in my craft stash, so I didn't buy that for this project either. I made out like a bandit!

If you'll notice, the deadbolt got paint on it... it doesn't work and needs to be replaced. I wasn't going to waste the painters tape on something that I need to replace anyway. I'm lazy like that. :)

One more item off the to-do list!

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Keyboard Tray Turned Charging Station

2014-04-08T16:13:00.000-05:00

Hi everyone! It is 60 degrees here and it feels like a miracle. It's so sunny and warm, I think I'm imagining it. Even if I am imagining it, I need to take advantage of the bright sun and take a million pictures before the opportunity for good lighting leaves me.

I showed you my new desk a couple of weeks ago:

And I wanted to show you one more thing I did with the desk...

It has a keyboard tray. You know, for keyboards. But I don't have a keyboard... so what do I do with the tray?

Everything in life needs purpose... otherwise depression sets in. Have you ever seen a depressed keyboard tray? It's not pretty, people.

I'm using it to charge my stuff! I used a really high-tech method of securing the cords: I scotch-taped them. I know, totally revolutionary. I love having a designated place for charging things and the tray loves having purpose again. Win-win. :)

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Adding Hover Text to Your Blog's Photos

2014-04-01T06:00:00.000-05:00

Hi everyone! This is probably a blogger-specific type of post, but I just had to share it: how to make hover text over your blog's photos!

Don't know what I mean? Take a look at this photo... put your cursor over it.

Did you see anything next to your cursor? No? OK, try this one:

Did you see the text? Is that not super-awesome?! And really easy to do!

Go to the html for your post and find your picture text.

And just after the width and before the /, you type title='whatever text you like'.

THAT'S IT.

Yes, it's totally unnecessary. But so neat-o!

Oh, and Happy April Fool's Day! I'm too tired to think of a prank, so just give yourselves a wedgie for me, would you? Thanks so much.

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Make Pirate Props for Under $3!

2014-03-27T07:00:00.000-05:00

One of the most important things we mommies do is encourage our children's imaginations. Every week, my kids are pretending to be something else, sometimes an animal and sometimes a desk lamp. We're a strange family. But what is a thrifty crafter to do when her youngest son is begging to be a pirate? I thought you'd never ask.

If your kids are anything like my kids, they are constantly dressing up like characters. I mean, I know on my blog there are several pictures of the kids wearing Halloween costumes even when it wasn't Halloween. Playing pretend is a timeless tradition, I suppose!

I love to encourage their little imaginations, but I don't want to spend a ton of money... and if I can help it, I'd like to not even leave the house to make it happen. And so, I present to you, pirate props for under $3!

I took a sheet of newspaper and folded it in half...

Folded the top into a triangle...

I cut a few inches off the bottom...

And then I folded the bottom on both sides. Voila, a pirate hat!

Total cost: $0.00.

Next, I grabbed a plastic hanger and a styrofoam cup:

And then I cut the top off the hanger...

Cut a hole through the cup...

And then I put the hanger top through. I taped it in place like so...

And then added some foil to the hook.

To finish it off, I pulled an old dress sock over the cup. Boom. Pirate hook.

Total cost: I bought the cups, a 16-pack was $0.97. So far, we're at less than a dollar!

And what pirate costume would be complete without an eye patch? Some foam and elastic, and I was in business:

I cut out a patch shape...

And then strung the elastic cord right through...

Total cost: $0.38 for the foam sheet and $0.97 for the elastic.

Of course, if you have these supplies on hand, you'll pay nothing at all and you'll bring happiness to your children. ARRRRR! (That's 'awesome' in pirate-speak.

Fun was had by all! Until they made me walk the plank, that is. This is a brutal family, I tell you.

And check out this great new movie from the world of Peter Pan, an all-new Tinker Bell movie: Disney's The Pirate Fairy. Own it on Blu-ray™ and Digital HD April 1!

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My Desk Makeover

2014-03-26T06:00:00.000-05:00

Hi everyone! I've been working on a thousand things over here, which have led to some late nights. I suppose it's true what they say: "You'll sleep when you're involuntarily committed because you've gone crazy because you haven't slept". They do say that, right?

Anyhoo, I wanted to share my new desk with you all! Actually, we finished the desk just before Thanksgiving, but it wasn't ready for pictures until January... and then I had a million things to do and didn't have time. NOW IS THE TIME.

The desk did not look like this when I bought it.

So, you've heard me ranting about how office supplies are ugly. I mean, is it so hard to make a pretty router or pretty hanging file folders? No. It really just... isn't. I wanted a white desk. A white desk that was big enough for my needs. A white desk that was big enough for my needs and didn't cost a billion dollars.

Oh, and I was nine months pregnant at the time, so this desk became an emotional white whale, that I would be so close to capturing before it dove into the ocean and was never heard from again. Here is the desk I found, that matched almost every criteria:

I thought this one was almost perfect! Except of course, that it isn't white. So I told the husband what I wanted to do. He winced. And then closed his eyes and sighed.

I wanted to paint the whole thing. A week after we had moved into our new house. While I'm nine months pregnant. While we were still living out of boxes.

My timing is awesome.

The hubs got to work, diligently sanding each piece of this desk. By the way, there were like, a hundred pieces or some nonsense.

You have to get all the shine of these veneer pieces or the paint won't stick. Sanding all of these pieces was such a chore, for realsies.

Look how happy my husband is to be helping! Of course, he's always making this face, so what do I know?

Once the sanding was done, I went to the priming and painting: Two coats of each. This took FOR. EV. ER. because I had to prime one side of all the pieces, let it dry, flip it over and prime the other side, let it dry, REPEAT, and do it all again with the painting. Sweet Moses, it took a long time. And I had a newborn by this time, so it was super-awesome in this house.

And once that was done, I polyurethaned the whole works. Oh, and then HAD TO PUT IT ALL TOGETHER. AND ADD FABRIC TO THE BACK. Luckily, my sister came over to help me and the hubs with that. She is awesome at stuff like that. The three of us managed to get it all done the night before Thanksgiving, which was great since we were having family over for the holiday. Nothing like doing things in the nick of time!

The desk organization isn't completely done, there are a few things I've been meaning to do, but for now I am thrilled. I will share some little organization things I did with this desk in a future post because I am tired and must have that rest before they do have me committed.

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Contributing at Reasons to Skip the Housework!

2014-03-25T14:15:00.002-05:00

Hello my bloggy friends! Check out my contributing post over at Reasons to Skip the Housework! I'm showing how to make this easy wreath for Easter!

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Hanging File Folder Makeover

2014-03-24T06:00:00.000-05:00

Hi everyone! Spring is here and it actually feels like spring outside! FINALLY. Good gravy, I thought the winter would never end.

If one of you even thinks about telling me that more winter weather is headed my way, I'm going to smack my head against my desk until I lose consciousness.

Today, I'm going to show you how I took some hanging file folders and made them... not ugly.

Hanging file folders are ugly. And the ones that aren't ugly are a million dollars. You heard it here first. So, I grabbed my stoopie (that's how I say stupid) green hanging file folders and some white cardstock:

I used a very technical method of updating these folders: I used double-sided tape. I hope that wasn't too complicated for you.

I could have raided my stockpile of patterned papers, but I really wanted something plain and clean... white was just the go-to choice for me.

And then, because Martha Stewart doesn't have enough of my money, I bought some pretty file folders to match my not-so-ugly-anymore hanging file folders...

Aren't those cute? I know, adorbs.

And then, I added my labels and stuffed 'em in their drawer. They are so much prettier now!

In order to stay organized, we must make our organization tools look appealing. That's the motto I'm using for today. :)

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A Gift for the Poor Planetarium Director

2014-03-21T06:00:00.000-05:00

Allow me to set the scene for you:

It's the day of my oldest son's birthday party. After weeks of planning, the day had finally arrived, and we were headed to the Planetarium for an awesome show. What could possibly go wrong at the Planetarium?

NINE-YEAR OLD CHILDREN. THAT'S WHAT CAN GO WRONG.

I'm a firm believer in the theory that a child's behavior is mostly determined by the behavior of those around them. If one child starts behaving like a monkey on Pixie Sticks, the others follow suit. Unfortunately, one of the children at the party behaved like a monkey on Pixie Sticks.

The director of the Planetarium put on a great show for the kids and they all loved it. They just behaved like heathens and I'm fairly certain that he needed a strong drink or three after we left. To show my thanks, I made this for him:

I used an IKEA Ribba frame, some vinyl and a trial pack of Aleve (which, by the way, I could only find at a gas station. Weird.). I'm hoping that he appreciates the gesture and doesn't ban me from the Planetarium for life. :)

I'm also thinking that, since my son's teacher has these same children in her class, she might need one of these as a teachers gift!

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National Craft Month with Jo-Ann's!

2014-03-19T06:00:00.000-05:00

The following review is part of the Jo-Ann Fabric and Craft Stores® National Craft Month campaign. I received compensation for this review; however, this is my personal, honest opinion based on my experience.

It's National Craft Month! That means that we need to stop what we're doing, and craft it up! Jo-Ann makes spring crafting easy during National Craft Month with a $5 off $25 or more purchase coupon and a spring crafting inspiration website.

Disclosure: I am constantly stopping what I'm doing and crafting it up. I am constantly living in National Craft Month. That's my dedication to this, ya'll.

To celebrate my never-ending craft month, I decided to do something I've always wanted to try: DIY canvas art. I'm not sure if I've shared this with all of you, but the truth is I'm a terrible artist. I can't even draw stick people, for reals. But I wanted some canvas art to hang over my desk that would match the decor I've got going on... so I was going to have to make it myself.

This project is so fool-proof, even I could do it! First, I bought some canvas and used painters tape to make some triangles. Easy-schmeasy... I put a quick coat of white paint over it all, to help prevent bleeding:

Next, with the tape still in place, I painted the triangles in pink and gray.

And then, once it dried, I pulled off the tape and held my breath.

I made art! I'm an artistic genius! Future people will study me in art books!

Perhaps I'm making too much of this. But I do love it! What are you doing to celebrate National Craft Month?

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