Condo Blues: roundup
Showing posts with label roundup. Show all posts
Showing posts with label roundup. Show all posts

Thursday, June 25, 2020

Three Dollar Patio Vegetable Garden Tour and Friday Favorites Linky Party Week 535

Gardening in a condominium can be a challenge given the Home Owners Association rules and compact space. Add a pandemic that doesn't allow for a lazy afternoon wandering my favorite garden center for whatever catches my eye and the challenge levels up a bit more. 

I was happy to find that plants in five of the ten pots I planted last year came back because most of my  perennial herbs (minus my chocolate mint) are decimated by winter weather. The rest of the planters I filled by sprouting vegetables scraps which lead to this year's nickname - Our Garbage Garden. 

 
three dollar patio vegetable garden
Save this small space vegetable and herb garden idea to your Pinterest Boards for later! 
Share it with your friends!


In the photo above we have golden oregano in the front, followed by chocolate mint, winter savory, cabbage and romaine lettuce sprouts. I've never grown romaine lettuce before. It is supposed to look like that? The other romaine lettuce I planted is much lower to the ground.

Thursday, May 21, 2020

Red, White, and Blue Face Masks and Friday Favorites 530

 I've been doing  a deep dive into my fabric stash and sewing reusable cloth face masks for family and friends who do not sew. I've been sitting on some white and blue star fabric someone gave me and figured with the Memorial Day and the Fourth of July just around the corner, it would make a cute mask.


I made this one with ties but I can also make masks with elastic if you like.

After all that sewing, I had to take my workhorse sewing machine in for repair and  my backup sewing machine when it decided it wanted to break too. Oh no!

Thursday, May 14, 2020

DIY Mental Health Jar and Friday Favorites Week 529

While cleaning my craft room I came across the word of the year memory jar I made by painting a recycled salsa jar with stained glass paint (there are several types of glass paint here,) repainted the lid from a project where I broke the jar, and decorative stickers and bits from my craft room. (I am including affiliate links for your convenience.) For awhile I wrote down the little and big moments that made me feel happy, warm, or cozy (the loose English translation of my Danish Word of the Year Hygge) with the intent on reading the contents of the jar on that year's New Year's Eve but it fell by the wayside as the year went on.

After one too many social media conversations about being disappointed about upcoming plans, events, and whatnot being cancelled due to Covid-19 (and then feeling guilty afterward for being sad over something so trivial when so many people around the world are going through much, much worse) I started to think that for my mental health I should try to focus on what little good things are happening around me instead the daily mountain of bad.   


I took the ribbon and label off the jar to repurpose it for my Mental Health Jar.
Photo courtesy of my food blog Lazy Budget Chef

No good or happy event or moment is too big or small for my jar, because let's face it, things are so weird that I road the happy until the wheels fell off the day I ordered Instacart groceries and the original delivery date was a week away until I added my product substitutions and the delivery date changed to later the same day of the order - which hasn't happened in a very long time.  Kinda silly, I know, but at least it points my head in the direction of complimenting rather than complaining.

I showed you my project. Now you show me yours!

Thursday, May 7, 2020

Elizabethan Chemise (Shift) and Friday Favorites Week 528


I'm trying to be productive during our quarantine lock down by sewing the personal historical costume projects that got pushed way down my To Do List when paying gigs came my way and took precedence. My latest Quarantine Costuming project is a square neck linen Elizabethan Chemise which is also called a Shift.



Historically women of all social classes wore a chemise or shift as their first layer of clothing to keep the more expensive to replace and difficult to clean layers (namely their corset and dress) from getting dirty more quickly from sweat and body oils up until the end of the Edwardian area. This is long before washing machines and when Laundry Day took ALL. DAY. LONG. to do. So if you want to take a quick reading break to go hug your washing machine - go for it. I'll wait.

Welcome back!

The necklines and sleeve length of chemises changed with the fashion of the time. In Elizabethan England square necklines where all the rage and arms where covered to the wrist although most historical performers including myself, where a rounded German style gathered neck like the one below because it is easy to make. Last season, after spending fourth months quilting a new jester costume I made do with a shift I already had. The short sleeves aren't period but I can get away with it because I'm a jester and as an ad for one of the faire's vendors. Also it is stinkin' cute!

Thursday, April 30, 2020

3 Quarantine Bottle Cap Crafts and Friday Favorites Week 527

Doing DIY and craft projects keeps me from going stir crazy during quarantine. I figure it was a good time to dip into my bottle cap collection stash and use the time to recycle it into  the trinkets and favors I trade with children on that glorious day when we all will safely be able to gather in groups and my little jester character will once again perform at a renaissance festival.

Here are the three recycled bottle cap crafts I'm making. They are very easy to make for children or better yet, make them with your children!






I showed you my project. Now you show me yours!

Thursday, April 23, 2020

Mini DIY Ceiling Light Makeover and Friday Favorites Week 526

I've been keeping busy with a bunch of quarantine mini makeover projects.

Because quarantine mini makeover sounds so much nicer than bunch of nagging DIY projects I put off forever and need to do something to keep from going stir crazy in lockdown so I'm finally getting around to it.

Ahem.

My late project is getting rid of one more ugly builder ceiling light in the in our upstairs hallway. I installed this industrial beauty while my husband was making dinner. One more light banished - 2 more to go!

You can buy a similar semi flush mount ceiling light here (Disclosure: I am including affiliate links in this post for your convenience.) 


The thing that made my heart sing "this is the ONE"are the Edison style bulbs (you can buy Edison style light bulbs herebecause they work with tapestry and pendulum clock. Best of all you can buy LED Edison bulbs so I get the energy saving LEDs I like and my husband gets the warm yellow light of an incandescent light bulb he likes. We both win.

I showed you my project. Now you show me yours!

Thursday, April 16, 2020

Friday Favorites Week 525


Time to link up your fantastic and creative craft and DIY projects, recipes, and ideas!


Let's Party!






Please support and follow our lovely blog party hostesses:



Jerri at Simply Sweet Home - Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst
Lisa at Condo Blues - Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst
Penny at Penny's Passion - Twitter FB | G+ Pin | Inst
Kelly at Under a Texas Sky - Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst | BL
Lauren at All About That Mommy Life - Pin | Inst
Jennifer at Busy Being Jennifer - Twitter | FB | Pin | Inst

If you are featured this week, be sure and grab a featured button for your blog!





You can show your love for this week's favorites by going over and commenting on the posts and by pinning or sharing!

And if you love all of this week's favorites, please pin, share, and invite your friends to this week's linky party!

Thursday, April 9, 2020

Homemade Cloth Face Masks and Friday Favorites Week 524

Projects keep me sane during stressful times and while I'm a little grateful for the distraction I wish my latest sewing project wasn't so desperately needed right now. The cloth face masks I'm making are not surgical grade, N95, or medical PPE. They are type the CDC has asked everyone to wear when they are outside to keep our (potential) germs to ourselves.


The Game of Thrones fabric is my favorite.


A family member asked me to make her some and the ball started rolling from there. I guess saving every scrap of leftover fabric has its advantages in an emergency.

Time to link up your fantastic and creative craft and DIY projects, recipes, and ideas!


Let's Party!

Friday, April 3, 2020

Cute Quarantine Dogs and Friday Favorites Week 523

How are adjusting to our new normal of self  isolation and social distancing? 

My husband is working from home again. Lacey got a promotion from Office Manager to CCO - Chief Cuddle Officer.


Lacey really need to work on the distancing part of social distancing though.


Ohio closed pretty much everything down earlier than most. We've had a a stay at home order in place since the first week or so of March.  My spring allergies have had me home and inside for longer than that and all I have to say is thank goodness for  library ebooks, social media, and streaming media while I start that long someday I want to do this project list. I've hit the point when I need to unplug from the 24/7 news cycle in the evenings and focus on something completely unrelated. What about you?

Time to link up your fantastic and creative craft and DIY projects, recipes, and ideas!


Let's Party!

Thursday, March 26, 2020

Friday Favorites Week 522

Hello everyone! How are you holding up? I'm trying to put my nervous energy to better use by doing those projects I've been putting off for far too long like Spring Cleaning (you'll find my bedroom Spring Cleaning checklist post in the link party below) and from the gunk I found when changing our furnace filter,my furnace ducts. Wish me luck!


Time to link up your fantastic and creative craft and DIY projects, recipes, and ideas!


Let's Party!


Thursday, March 19, 2020

A Personal Update and Friday Favorites Linky Party 521

How are you doing? For the most part, other than self distancing and quarantining, we are fortunate that so far life is pretty normal at the Condo Blues World Headquarters and Thunderdome.  My husband's job has everyone working from home and we're grateful since we know so many in the entertainment, bar, and restaurant industry saw their business evaporate in a day and until further notice.

One of the hardest hit communities are Renaissance Festivals. There are many performers, food and craft vendors who make their living traveling and working all aspects of the faires and festivals that have shut down with no idea if they will reopen this year. To help, here is a Facebook group called Faire Relief 2020 that is full of  shops and performers from all over the United States and selling everything imaginable. You can search the group so if you need something like a chainmail potscrubber for your cast iron skillets or a crocheted hat you can do so since people are adding their shops to the group daily. I suggest trying the Facebook group before searching Etsy as many of these stores don't have one. (

If you want to keep or start exercising and no longer have access to a fitness center or gym (all are closed in Ohio) I highly recommend the At Home Workouts Lead by Circus Performers Facebook group here from my friends who performed in the Cincinnati Circus (it is a people only circus with trapeze and aerial classes/performances, jugglers and such) until all of their bookings for the year were cancelled in one horrible half of an hour. Here's the group description: "At this time when so many people are stuck at home, we want to raise their spirits and help them stay healthy. Since we too are stuck home out of work, we will be asking for a $1 donation per person per workout. It is not necessary since we know others are having financial difficulties as well, but if you have the capabilities we would really appreciate it." There are several classes throughout the day to fit your schedule. (Neither of these two links are affiliate or sales links. I'm just trying to help out some folks who need it by spreading the word.)

I'm trying to keep the writing ship afloat despite Facebook's glitch marking the urls of Condo Blues and Lazy Budget Chef post to our Facebook page here   as spam but will let me post memes about cakes that look like toilet paper all. day. long.  Weird but a minor thing I'm sure will be sorted out eventually.

Since I also have some extra time on my hands, I'm attempting to relearn how to crochet. I haven’t crocheted since my grandma taught me as a little kid to keep me out of her hair when babysitting. I figure it is time relearn. Good to know my technique is still that of a six year old’s.

Hopefully it will be a cotton dishcloth. 

I showed you my project, now you show me yours!

Thursday, March 12, 2020

Friday Favorites Linky Party 520

The Governer of Ohio just closed all K - 12 schools for three weeks and prohibited all gatherings over 100 people - which includes a concert my community band scheduled to give in two weeks. A bummer given everyone's hard work but better safe than sorry.

Take care of yourselves. Take care of your neighbors. Be kind.


Time to link up your fantastic and creative craft and DIY projects, recipes, and ideas!


Let's Party!



Please support and follow our lovely blog party hostesses:



Jerri at Simply Sweet Home - Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst
Lisa at Condo Blues - Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst
Penny at Penny's Passion - Twitter FB | G+ Pin | Inst
Kelly at Under a Texas Sky - Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst | BL
Lauren at All About That Mommy Life - Pin | Inst
Jennifer at Busy Being Jennifer - Twitter | FB | Pin | Inst

If you are featured this week, be sure and grab a featured button for your blog!

Thursday, March 5, 2020

Friday Favorites Linky Party 519

Time to link up your fantastic and creative craft and DIY projects, recipes, and ideas!


Let's Party!



Please support and follow our lovely blog party hostesses:



Jerri at Simply Sweet Home - Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst
Lisa at Condo Blues - Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst
Penny at Penny's Passion - Twitter FB | G+ Pin | Inst
Kelly at Under a Texas Sky - Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst | BL
Lauren at All About That Mommy Life - Pin | Inst
Jennifer at Busy Being Jennifer - Twitter | FB | Pin | Inst

If you are featured this week, be sure and grab a featured button for your blog!




You can show your love for this week's favorites by going over and commenting on the posts and by pinning or sharing!

And if you love all of this week's favorites, please pin, share, and invite your friends to this week's linky party!

Lisa from Condo Blues chose
Welsh Tea Cake from Our Sunday Cafe


Jerri at Simply Sweet Home chose
Pistachio Jar Dessert from Miz Helen's Country Cottage

St Patricks' Day Pudding Shots 
Penny at Penny's Passion and Amy at A Day of Small Things 


    Jennifer at Busy Being Jennifer chose Golden Bee Card from Paper Seedlings


Friday Favorites Button

Thanks so much for partying with us this week! Please add your links below.

All family friendly posts are welcome, including recipes, crafts, decor, household tips, and more!

And please support your fellow party goers by visiting other posts linked up to the party!


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Thursday, February 27, 2020

Friday Favorites Linky Party 518

 Time to link up your fantastic and creative craft and DIY projects, recipes, and ideas!


Let's Party!



Please support and follow our lovely blog party hostesses:



Jerri at Simply Sweet Home - Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst
Lisa at Condo Blues - Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst
Penny at Penny's Passion - Twitter FB | G+ Pin | Inst
Kelly at Under a Texas Sky - Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst | BL
Lauren at All About That Mommy Life - Pin | Inst
Jennifer at Busy Being Jennifer - Twitter | FB | Pin | Inst

If you are featured this week, be sure and grab a featured button for your blog!




You can show your love for this week's favorites by going over and commenting on the posts and by pinning or sharing!

And if you love all of this week's favorites, please pin, share, and invite your friends to this week's linky party!

Thursday, February 20, 2020

Friday Favorites Linky Party 517

A day without power tools is like a day without sunshine.

I used a wet tile saw for the first time and didn't lose a body part. Go ME!
(And a nice little shout out for tool rental companies. Woot for quality and budget friendly tools!)


Well, almost.

It gets pretty gray and overcast around here during the winter, power tools or no.

Thursday, February 13, 2020

Friday Favorites Linky Party 516

We are celebrating a super huge big fantastic day in the Condo Blues household!

It isn't a birthday.

It isn't' Valentine's Day.

It is Lacey's 7th Gotcha Day!

Seven years ago, this little anxious girl came to live with us from an amazing act of love when her former people rehomed her with us because they couldn't help Lacey with her behavioral issues.

Lacey then.

We worked and worked with Lacey on her issues and here she is now!

Thursday, February 6, 2020

Friday Favorites Linky Party 515

I am more likely to keep my New Year's Resolutions if I make them sometimes during the year when I need or want to make a positive change. If feels more meaningful to me and more often than not I keep them.

Which means I rarely if ever make a resolution on New Year's Eve because they end up being pretty generic and easily broken no matter how big or small.

Last year was the exception. I got a succulent planter as a Christmas gift and bought an aloe plant to be its plant buddy in the kitchen. I jokingly said my New Year's Resolution for 2019 was Don't Let the New Plants Die.

Not only do I often forget that plants need water but we get very little sunlight through our windows during the winter. Who knew water and sunlight where so important?

You can read how I hung this plant shelf on the side of my kitchen cabinets here.
If you're wondering I bought the plant which I left in the nursery pot and the planter at Ikea. 

I am happy to report that not only did I keep the succulents alive but the aloe plant grew so much I recently repotted it. Yay me!

That means if you have a plant that thrives on neglect and no sunlight - I'm your gal!

Time to link up your fantastic and creative craft and DIY projects, recipes, and ideas!


Let's Party!

Thursday, January 30, 2020

Friday Favorites Linky Party 514

It's been an overcast and gloomy winter so far this year and we've been having more impromptu movie nights to cope and enjoy some of our family Christmas presents.



Hi everyone! Lacey here! My plan of constantly laying on Lisa's sewing projects so she will give up and have Family Movie Nights is working! I love it when my people to pile on the sofa and pet me while they watch a movie. A dog's gotta do what a dog's gotta do to get the attention she deserves!


And all of those movie nights, including a couple of deep dives into our movie collection and a trip to the library for more obscure titles, influenced my favorite pick from last week's Link Party. 


Time to link up your fantastic and creative craft and DIY projects, recipes, and ideas!

Thursday, January 23, 2020

Friday Favorites Linky Party 513

Time to link up your fantastic and creative craft and DIY projects, recipes, and ideas!

Let's Party!



Please support and follow our lovely blog party hostesses:



Jerri at Simply Sweet Home - Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst
Lisa at Condo Blues - Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst
Penny at Penny's Passion - Twitter FB | G+ Pin | Inst
Kelly at Under a Texas Sky - Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst | BL
Lauren at All About That Mommy Life - Pin | Inst
Jennifer at Busy Being Jennifer - Twitter | FB | Pin | Inst

If you are featured this week, be sure and grab a featured button for your blog!

Thursday, January 16, 2020

Friday Favorites Linky Party 512

 Time to link up your fantastic and creative craft and DIY projects, recipes, and ideas!

Let's Party!



Please support and follow our lovely blog party hostesses:



Jerri at Simply Sweet Home - Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst
Lisa at Condo Blues - Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst
Penny at Penny's Passion - Twitter FB | G+ Pin | Inst
Kelly at Under a Texas Sky - Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst | BL
Lauren at All About That Mommy Life - Pin | Inst
Jennifer at Busy Being Jennifer - Twitter | FB | Pin | Inst

If you are featured this week, be sure and grab a featured button for your blog!