All of my summer shorts are too big after I met my weight loss goal. It is a nice problem to have.
Fortunately, I had a couple of pairs of pants lurking in the back of my closet that make better shorts than pants. It didn’t take much time or effort to cut and hem the pants into shorts (learn how I make pants into shorts here.) It is a trick my mom used when I blew out a knee on a pair of pants or jeans as a kid. Boom. I got a new pair of shorts.
Green. Cheap. And most importantly, I had the perfect pair of shorts that weren’t too short or too long.
Showing posts with label kids. Show all posts
Showing posts with label kids. Show all posts
Wednesday, July 23, 2014
How to Fix a Hole in Shorts without Sewing!
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Sunday, July 20, 2014
How to Decorate a Cooler with Mod Podge
I wrote our name on the lid in marker on the lid of our cooler when I first bought it. After many adventures, the name faded and needs a redo.
I want to decorate and personalize our cooler with some personality. Decorative painting is out. The texture on the big cooler will make stenciling and painting it a nightmare.
I want to decorate and personalize our cooler with some personality. Decorative painting is out. The texture on the big cooler will make stenciling and painting it a nightmare.
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7/20/2014 10:13:00 AM
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Tuesday, July 15, 2014
How to Decorate a School or Gym Locker
My tween niece asked me for some design help. Even though it is the middle of summer, she is already looking ahead and planning on how she will decorate her first school locker. I remember how much planning I put into designing and decorating my school lockers to make sure everything was just. right. So I poked around for locker decorating ideas and came up with LLZ by LockerLookz. (I am including affiliate links for your convenience.)
LLZ is the original brand of high fashion locker decorations developed by two moms who started making decorations for their daughters, and later their friends, with the highest quality products.
How to Decorate a Gym Locker with LLZ by LockerLookz
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7/15/2014 08:00:00 AM
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Wednesday, July 2, 2014
20 Super Fun Super Sized Outdoor Games
I played a lot of board games as a kid. Between my friends and I, we had and played all of the major games from Candyland to Ants in the Pants to Stratego. (Disclosure: I am included big bold affiliate links in this post for your convenience.)
That’s why I love this trend of super sizing childhood games and playing them outside. If you want ideas on what outdoor games to play at your next cookout or BBQ, think back to the board games you loved to play as a kid and make it giant size!
That’s why I love this trend of super sizing childhood games and playing them outside. If you want ideas on what outdoor games to play at your next cookout or BBQ, think back to the board games you loved to play as a kid and make it giant size!
20 Big Backyard Games
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Tuesday, June 24, 2014
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!
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!
How to Make an Uncle Sam Fascinator for the Fourth of July
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Sunday, June 15, 2014
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.
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!
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Monday, June 2, 2014
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.
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
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Sunday, April 27, 2014
19 Homemade Gift Ideas to Pamper Mom on Mother’s Day
Mother’s Day almost snuck up on me. It is going to be here before you know it. This year I’m all about the Mother’s Day pampering because I’m gimping around with an anchor on my foot. I’d like some pampering, especially after a physical therapy appointment. I figure all the mom’s out there would like to receive some DIY health and beauty gifts too. It beats a macaroni necklace.
Unless you, dear child reader you made that macaroni necklace for you mother, grandmother, or World’s Most Fabulous Aunt (that’s me.) You have the talent to make macaroni look line fine art and a woman in your life would never dare leave your masterpiece in the car after she wore it out the door on her way to work. Nuh uh. No way.
Let’s start pampering Mom from the tippy top of her head down to her toes!
Unless you, dear child reader you made that macaroni necklace for you mother, grandmother, or World’s Most Fabulous Aunt (that’s me.) You have the talent to make macaroni look line fine art and a woman in your life would never dare leave your masterpiece in the car after she wore it out the door on her way to work. Nuh uh. No way.
Let’s start pampering Mom from the tippy top of her head down to her toes!
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Tuesday, March 25, 2014
Homemade Non-Toxic Floor Cleaner
The four seasons in Central Ohio are: Winter, Still Winter, Mud, and Blazing Hot.
We are now in the season of Mud, although you might call it Spring where you live.
Lacey loves this season. The weather is warmer and allows us to give our girl the long and frequent walks she so desperately needs to drain her nervous energy. It also allows her to create intricate muddy paw print art installations on the kitchen floor when we come home.
As much as I like to support the arts. I like to support clean kitchen floors more.
We are now in the season of Mud, although you might call it Spring where you live.
Lacey loves this season. The weather is warmer and allows us to give our girl the long and frequent walks she so desperately needs to drain her nervous energy. It also allows her to create intricate muddy paw print art installations on the kitchen floor when we come home.
As much as I like to support the arts. I like to support clean kitchen floors more.
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3/25/2014 02:54:00 PM
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Tuesday, March 18, 2014
14 DIY Fabreze Recipes Made with Natural Ingredients
Sometimes life stinks.
Oh, not in the rotten things are happening to me kind of stink. I mean the literal something is making my sofa/car/room smell rotten kind of stink.
In the past, a few squirts of Fabreze in the right direction took care of the mystery funk. Although more often than not, I replaced the mystery funk with overly sweet fake flower chemical concoction funk because that is exactly what I was using. (Disclosure: I am including affiliate links in this post for your convenience)
A fabric refresher made from a synthetic chemical concoction that may or may not be harmful to my family. The companies that make that stuff don’t have to list their ingredients or say one way or the other so they don’t.
Oh, not in the rotten things are happening to me kind of stink. I mean the literal something is making my sofa/car/room smell rotten kind of stink.
In the past, a few squirts of Fabreze in the right direction took care of the mystery funk. Although more often than not, I replaced the mystery funk with overly sweet fake flower chemical concoction funk because that is exactly what I was using. (Disclosure: I am including affiliate links in this post for your convenience)
A fabric refresher made from a synthetic chemical concoction that may or may not be harmful to my family. The companies that make that stuff don’t have to list their ingredients or say one way or the other so they don’t.
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Wednesday, January 29, 2014
I Hate Winter Cabin Fever Indoor Beach Party: Décor
We. Are. Going. Stir. Crazy!
The Winter That Will Not End is giving Husband and I have a serious case of Cabin Fever. We’ve had to cancel a lot of activities due to white out conditions and icy roads.
Even Lacey is feeling it. Poor thing hasn’t had a proper walk in weeks due to the snow and dangerously low temperatures.
Husband decided to spice things up by sharing his cold with me. Now I’m fighting Cabin Fever AND a cold – blah!
We can’t make a quick trip South to soak up some sun because you guys are getting are getting it too.
Complaining about it won’t make the winter blahs go away either.
I’m fighting Cabin Fever the only way I know how.
I’m making fun of it!
I’m inviting your to a n I’m Tired of Winter Let’s Have a Beach Party party on my blogs Condo Blues and Lazy Budget Chef!
The Winter That Will Not End is giving Husband and I have a serious case of Cabin Fever. We’ve had to cancel a lot of activities due to white out conditions and icy roads.
Even Lacey is feeling it. Poor thing hasn’t had a proper walk in weeks due to the snow and dangerously low temperatures.
Husband decided to spice things up by sharing his cold with me. Now I’m fighting Cabin Fever AND a cold – blah!
We can’t make a quick trip South to soak up some sun because you guys are getting are getting it too.
Complaining about it won’t make the winter blahs go away either.
I’m fighting Cabin Fever the only way I know how.
I’m making fun of it!
I’m inviting your to a n I’m Tired of Winter Let’s Have a Beach Party party on my blogs Condo Blues and Lazy Budget Chef!
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Thursday, December 12, 2013
How to Make a Harry Potter House Tie Necklace
Miss 3 of 10 is a magical child. She went to Diagon Alley with her family. Her wand picked her in the Ollivander's show at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. Lucky kid!
I wanted to give her a Christmas gift that helped her remember that day (besides the wand souvenir her parents bought her in the gift shop.) Miss 3 of 10's favorite Hogwarts house is Ravenclaw. I made her a Hogwarts house tie necklace for Christmas.
I wanted to give her a Christmas gift that helped her remember that day (besides the wand souvenir her parents bought her in the gift shop.) Miss 3 of 10's favorite Hogwarts house is Ravenclaw. I made her a Hogwarts house tie necklace for Christmas.
How to Make a Hogwarts House Tie Necklace
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Tuesday, November 19, 2013
37 Doctor Who Crafts
I am a big, big, big Doctor Who fan. When I needed more USB ports on my computer I bought a Doctor Who TARDIS USB computer hub (if you need more USB ports on your computer you can learn more about it here.)
(Disclosure: I am also including affiliate links in this post for your convince)
I write notes at my desk with a Sonic Screwdriver Pen (check out all of the Doctor's sonics here!)
I bought a bought a Tom Baker Era TARDIS Key Keychain here shortly after I discovered the classic Doctor Who episodes playing on public television and carried it for years until it wore out.
I bought a bought a Tom Baker Era TARDIS Key Keychain here shortly after I discovered the classic Doctor Who episodes playing on public television and carried it for years until it wore out.
For those of you who don’t know your Who, Doctor Who is a British science fiction show about a Time Lord named The Doctor who travels through time and space in his ship the TARDIS (Time And Relative Dimensions In Space) which looks like a police box and saves the universe from bug eyed monsters.
The show first aired from 1963 to 1989 and took a little break until they made a Doctor Who TV movie in 1996. The BBC brought Doctor Who back in 2005. This year marks the 50th Anniversary of Doctor Who.
I put together a collection of Doctor Who DIYs and crafts to celebrate the geekiest week of the year. On November 22, 2013 the BBC will simulcast the Doctor Who 20th Anniversary Special around the world and, if you are lucky, in 3D a local theater!
Allons-y!
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11/19/2013 09:01:00 PM
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Thursday, October 24, 2013
Topsy Turvey Bookcases
I was beyond happy when we bought our house and replaced our mish mosh of overflowing bookshelves with one wall of matching bookshelves in our computer room. Seeing all of our books in one place made me giddy.
Then we bought more books.
And a few more.
And a few more.
We could use more shelves.
I started poking around for arty book shelves because it is way more fun than sorting through and donating our old and outdated books. Yes, yes. I’ll get to it. It is on the punch list for our computer room revamp project.
In the meantime, let’s have some fun and check out some crazy fun bookshelves. For what they don’t hold in the amount of stuff, they make up for in the amount of whimsy they add to a room.
I can’t help but look at the Woodcurve Curved Bookshelf and smile. This piece was inspired by the Dr. Seuss books as are several of the pieces in Woodcurve’s Etsy shop.
Then we bought more books.
And a few more.
And a few more.
We could use more shelves.
I started poking around for arty book shelves because it is way more fun than sorting through and donating our old and outdated books. Yes, yes. I’ll get to it. It is on the punch list for our computer room revamp project.
In the meantime, let’s have some fun and check out some crazy fun bookshelves. For what they don’t hold in the amount of stuff, they make up for in the amount of whimsy they add to a room.
I can’t help but look at the Woodcurve Curved Bookshelf and smile. This piece was inspired by the Dr. Seuss books as are several of the pieces in Woodcurve’s Etsy shop.
Warning: Curves Ahead!
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Sunday, October 20, 2013
21 Ways to Decorate Real Halloween Pumpkins
Husband suggested I bump up my Halloween décor for Lacey since it is her first Halloween with us.
That’s right. He said for Lacey.
It’s not like the guy likes Halloween or pumpkins or manipulating me into doing something he wants for Lacey (and I certainly do not do this on him because it works 100% of the time on both of us.)
ALL of these are for me to eat?!
It’s not like the guy likes Halloween or pumpkins or manipulating me into doing something he wants for Lacey (and I certainly do not do this on him because it works 100% of the time on both of us.)
I usually keep the pumpkins plain because I bake, puree, and freeze our pumpkins after Halloween. Cute but not as festive.
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Sunday, October 6, 2013
How to Make Halloween Zombie Skull Bath Bombs
Fall brings corn mazes, jumping in leaf piles, hay rides, and other good dirty fall fun.
Why not extend it into bath time and give your little monsters an incentive to scrub a dub dub in the tub with a Halloween bath bomb?
Don't worry, your tub won't really explode after you plunk them in water. We are making Halloween bath fizzies!
Why not extend it into bath time and give your little monsters an incentive to scrub a dub dub in the tub with a Halloween bath bomb?
Don't worry, your tub won't really explode after you plunk them in water. We are making Halloween bath fizzies!
How to Make Exploding Skull Bath Bombs for Halloween
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Wednesday, March 6, 2013
Washi Paper Easter Egg
Spent more than two seconds on Pinterest (give me a follow please?) and you will find a super cute washi (pronounced wah-shee) tape something or other. I learned about washi when I visited Japan.
My hostess made and gave me a washi paper Easter egg because I spent Easter break in Japan. Fun fact: I had two Easters that year because I flew over the International Date Line on the flight home.
My hostess made and gave me a washi paper Easter egg because I spent Easter break in Japan. Fun fact: I had two Easters that year because I flew over the International Date Line on the flight home.
What is Washi?
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Tuesday, February 5, 2013
I Marched in the 2013 Presidential Inauguration Parade
My feet hurt. I was tired. My hands in their
it-was-supposed-to-be-colder-than-this fleece gloves were starting to overheat.
My frustration grew. I could not always hear the cadence from my band to stay
in step due to the drum corps in front of us, the echo from the buildings, and the parade announcers over the loudspeakers. Out all of the parades I have ever
marched or will ever march, this parade had to be perfect.
Then I saw it. I sucked in my breath like an excited child seeing
for the first time what Santa placed under the tree on Christmas morning.
The Presidential box.
I am marching as an ally in the Lesbian and Gay Band
Association (LGBA) marching band. Two hundred and fifteen people strong we are
the largest civilian marching band in the 2013 Presidential Inauguration
Parade.
Everything I was feeling vanished except patriotism, pride
in my band, and the profound responsibility that I am there for something
greater than myself.
Photo courtesy of MSN
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Monday, November 19, 2012
20 Cute and Eco! Christmas Ornaments
I think my love of tree ornaments comes from Grandmother
making me ornaments each Christmas of my teenage years so I’d have a set when I
went out on my own. My favorites will hang on our family Christmas tree. It
feels like she is still with us during Christmas.
I carry on the Christmas tree ornament gift tradition. I
give each of my nine nieces and nephews a Baby’s First Christmas ornament on
their first Christmas. Santa always puts a new ornament in Miss 3 of 9’s and
Mr. 7 of 9’s Christmas stocking since those are the only kids who do stockings
(besides my house.) I usually buy those ornaments so I don’t tip them off that Santa
sometimes has help filling their stockings from this side of the North Pole.
Not to mention, I get to satisfy my ornament addition, um fascination, by
spending a lot of time browsing for their perfect yearly ornament.
Let’s check out some Christmas tree ornament eye candy!
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Sunday, August 26, 2012
Salt Resist Tie Dye T Shirt
I didn’t check a white thrift store t shirt carefully enough
in the store. I brought it home and realized it has a stain I can’t remove. Bummer.
Not really.
I tie dyed the t shirt and made it better than new!
Once upon a time, a booth at the Viking Festival sold tie
dyed Scandinavian flag t shirts. I wanted a Danish flag tie dye t shirt, but
they were out of my size. They haven’t been back to the festival since. This
idea inspired my t shirt design.
Make a Danish Flag Tie Dye T Shirt
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