Aluminum Can Barn Star Wreath

For some reason, I have barn stars on the brain. I notice them everywhere!

Except on wreaths.

Until now.

 I painted my stars red, white, and blue but you can paint your stars whatever color you like!

Husband and I don’t drink a lot of soda, usually as a treat or for some special occasion. Luckily, I came  into a bunch of empty pop cans that I didn’t have to drink by throwing my mom a surprise birthday party. You don’t have to acquire your aluminum cans that way. Call a buddy, ask a friend, or heck, treat yourself to a beverage all in the name of making a Fourth of July wreath.

Who knew patriotism could be so tasty?

How to Make Soda Pop Can Stars

How to Paint a Wavy Side Table

This post brought to you by FrogTape. All opinions are 100% mine.

I needed  to repaint the side tables on my porch. I didn't want to paint them a solid color (again) and call it a day. I wanted to jazz them up with some decorative painting.

How to Make a Tiny Uncle Sam Top Hat

I usually wear red white and blue to  get into the Independence Day spirit on the Fourth of July. My Fourth of July wear isn’t all that creative. I wear a white shirt with a red skirt and my blue star tie dyed drop cloth shoes.

I figure it is time to make my head as festive as my feet. I love millinery (hat making) and have a thing for fascinators. I took those two ideas, rummaged through the recycling bin, grabbed a cup of coffee, and made a tiny Uncle Sam fascinator hat for the Fourth of July!

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How to Make an Uncle Sam Fascinator for the Fourth of July

DIY Personalized Insulated Wine Glass Tumblers

Husband’s family likes to get together in the summer for a family reunion. Grandparents, brothers, sisters, aunts, and uncles gather for good times and good food. Every night the adults open a bottle of wine start a round of Euchre. Playing cards is our excuse to stay up way too late telling stories and busting a gut laughing at each other’s jokes. I’m so glad I married into this family.

I bought a reusable BPA free insulated wine glass tumbler to use instead of a disposable cup for the reunion. I want to personalize my insulated tumbler so I know which one is mine at the party.


Decorated insulated wine glass tumblers: Mommy’s Special Lemonade, Oh No! My glass is empty! It’s an Emergency! Quick, call WINE-ONE-ONE!, Mommy’s Sippy Cup, and If you met my family you’d understand.

Vintage Train Toy Box Nightstand

My grandfather made me this train toy box when I was a little girl. As you can see, he made it with a lot of love.

And skill. My grandfather had mad carpentry skills he learned from his father the carpenter.

My train toy box has tremendous sentimental value. It was also the most difficult item to keep and make work in the new guest room/craft room. This is the only place we have room for my toy box. Husband suggested I repaint it to go with the color scheme I first wanted for the room.

I quickly vetoed that idea.

Every ding bump and scratch on my toy box came from two little girls having a good time pushing each other around their playroom in this train.

This vintage toy box on wheels probably horrifies some kid safety expert because the wheels and vehicle aren’t incased in bubble wrap and the children riding in it didn’t wear safety suits and helmets made from organic feather pillows. Thank goodness we survived!

30 Things to Carry in Your Car for Summer Emergencies

Summer means more road trips and time in the car. We visit family, go to dog parks with Lacey, and outdoor events.  With all of that extra time in the car, we sometimes run into little emergencies (like my car accident last winter.) 

More often than not, it is usually something like giving someone else a jump with our jumper cables, or just requires a band aid to fix. Either way it doesn't hurt to be prepared.

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Most of the items on this list live in our car full time because they are useful to carry in the car in summer and winter. You probably already have most of the items on the list. The 22 basic summer items don’t cost a ton of money. Most are things you can use year round.

22 Things to Carry in Your Car for Summer Emergencies

Duluth Trading Co. Gift Card Giveaway! Closed

I never thought that one of my favorite DIY tools would be a purse.

 

Last summer Duluth Trading Co. provided me with an Oil Cloth Tote Bag for review. While the bag is a little more rugged looking than what I typically go with, I quickly got over it once I used it. 

The tote holds a ton including my DSLR with room to spare so I don’t have to lug a “HEY THIS IS A CAMERA BAG WITH AN EXPENSIVE CAMERA IN IT” bag around and has more thoughtful and useful features than any purse I own. 

It is also large enough to carry a bottle of wine. I found that out by accident after a friend needed a little wine and sympathy after a big breakup.

I carried that bad boy all summer and as far into fall and winter as I could until I had to switch to a purse that wouldn’t get wet in the snow. It looks the same when I switched purses this year for summer. It makes a great Dog Mommy purse for the dog park.

See the leather key strap? That thing is GOLD. Can we make it a law that all purses should have a car key strap?

Minion Cell Phone Holder

I’m famous for asking people to call my phone because I can’t remember where I put it after I take it out of my purse. It’s kind of important to keep track of it since my cell phone is also my home phone.

Stuart (my favorite Despicable Me minion!) offered to help me out and allow me to make him into a Happy Meal toy cell phone stand. Stuart came into my life last summer when Christina from A Mommy Story and I did a Thelma and Louise road trip to Blogher last summer.




Well, we were just like them if Thelma and Louise drove an SUV and the wildest thing they did was stop at McDonalds for lunch and Stuarts and not share them with children. Then yeah, that’s us.

How to Make an Action Figure Cell Phone, Ereader, or Tablet Stand