How to Make a Renaissance Festival Costume

I need a new 16th century English noble costume when Husband and perform at renaissance festivals. Thank goodness I know how to sew. It’s not like I can hop in the car and pick up a new dress at Nobles R Us!

Besides, it allows me to get my inner history geek, costumer, and creative seamstress on.

 

 Pin this post for later!

First you should decide if you want to make a historically accurate renaissance clothing (or as close as to historically accurate as we can get in the 21st century,) a fantasy type costume, or a little bit of all of the above. There are buckets of different opinions on what you should or should not do, all of which are valid because everyone’s purpose, desire, and budget differs.

Friday Favorites Link Party - Week 336

How can it be Labor Day weekend already? Do you have plans? One last BBQ blast? Watching fireworks?  Football, football, and even more football?

I have some DIY projects planned and time set aside to to watch my favorite guilty pleasure and Labor Day tradition streaming the movie Serial Mom on Amazon Prime.  (This is an affiliate link for your convenience)

If you aren't familiar with the movie Serial Mom, Kathleen Turner plays a soccer mom who tries to make the world a better place by murdering people over such trivial  
vile and heinous crimes as wearing white shoes after Labor Day.

Basically it's like if Martha Stewart had a dark side that included bludgeoning the neighbors with a leg of lamb for not sorting their recycling and she got rid of the evidence and murder weapon by having a dinner party featuring an award winning leg of lamb recipe while all of the guests rave over the impressive recipe and think she is kind and wonderful to invite them to impromptu dinner parties.

It is also the reason why I am afraid to where white after Labor Day.

Let's party!

 

Please support and follow our lovely blog party hostesses:

Jerri at Simply Sweet Home - Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst

Christine at Light and Savvy - Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst

Jen at Creatively Homemade - Twitter | G+ | Pin

Dawn at LeroyLime - Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst | BL

Maisy at Becoming Alice - FB | G+ | Pin

Sheree at Stage Presents - Twitter | FB | Pin | Inst | Inst

Lisa at Condo Blues - Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst

Amy at A Day of Small Things - Pin

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Kelly at Under a Texas Sky - Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst | BL

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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!

Friday Favorites Linky Party - Week 335

I started sewing when I was 5 years old. I never owned a new sewing machine. I have a 1978 Kenmore that was very fancy pants in its day. It has a monogrammer and dozens of decorative stitch cams. Sure, new machines can now do those things at the touch of a button, but Bessie the sewing machine is as solid as a rock with her all metal parts. She will sew through just about anything. Every time I think her day is done, my sewing machine repair person makes her run like a top again.

Or mostly. At this point, the buttonhole, cams, and monogrammer are DOA. The  things I need to sew a big sewing project.

Meet Eleanor. My first new sewing machine! She is a Brother SE400 Sewing and Embroidery Machine I bought from Amazon (affiliate link for your convenience.)  The upside is it was significantly cheaper to buy the sewing machine from Amazon than from a local store. The downside was waiting three long and agonizing days for it to be delivered!
 

So this just happened. I've been sewing since I was 5 years old and this is my first new sewing machine! I named her Elenor. She embroiders. 😊 #sewing #diyblogger #sew #crafts #blogcreate #brothersewingmachine #happy #embroidery #HappyMail @brothersews

A photo posted by Lisa (@condoblues) on Aug 13, 2016 at 10:30am PDT

Eleanor will be a fantastic addition to my sewing and serger machine fleet. Bessie will stay in service sewing the construction work - especially when I work with upholstery fabrics. Eleanore will do the detail work. The two sergers will pitch in as needed to do things that only sergers can do.

Let's celebrate with a party!

How to Clean and Replace a Roomba Battery

I like technology. I like a clean house, especially when all the exertion it takes is to push a button. Being the early adopter than I am, I have a Discovery Series Roomba robot vacuum sweeper. Being the 400 series (they are now up to the 900 series), it isn’t the most powerful robot sweeper out there. I still like to use it to sweep our bedroom because I don’t have Superman strength to lift the furniture over my head to vacuum under it.

Until the rechargeable battery died.

As revolutionary as iRobot is to give us the first robot cleaners, the company’s customer service is as backward as you can get. The iRobot people at Blissdom were surprised my Roomba Red lasted so long because they don’t service or replace defective products. If you have issues with your Roomba they tell you to buy a new $800 robot to fix the problem.

Seriously? To fix a dead battery?

How to Repair a Dead Roomba That Won’t Suck

   

Pin this tutorial for later! Share it with your friends!

Friday Favorites Linky Party - Week 334

Monday, I was invited to a National College Move In Week blogger event by BSM Media and At Home stores. Maria Bailey showed us examples of this year's dorm room and small space decorating trends as we toured this store.  While the focus of the event is college decor, most of what I saw was appropriate for tween and teens too.

They said social media quote pillows are popular for the dorm but I can totally see the Do More What Makes You Awesome pillow in my studio.

Of course, you can use these tips to update and a little zing to adult and family spaces too.

How to Make Wine Cork and Bungee Cord Ties

Messy extension cords are taking over my workshop, power tool cords in particular. I think I wrap them well when I put my tools away only to find the cords are a tangled mess the next time I need to use them. Ugh!

To go along with my upcycled workshop scheme and more importantly I always have a stash of wine corks I use to clean sandpaper (read the tutorial on Condo Blues here) in my workbench I stopped what I was doing and whipped up a set of homemade power cord organizers.

Pin this organization tutorial for later!

This idea isn’t a new one but there are a few tips and hacks I haven’t seen written down and want to share.

Tips for Making Wine Cork and Bungee Cord Organizers: Everything You Need to Know!

Introducing My Friday Favorites Linky Party - Week 333!

I see so many fantastic DIY, home decor and green living projects on the Internet I want to share with you. I do that mostly with the Condo Blues Pinterest, Facebook page, and Twitter accounts (give me a follow, pretty please?) but oh my goodness friends, you have so much awesome going on I could be sharing your projects 24/7 on those channels and barely make a dent in all of the wonderfulness I admire and want to feature.

Not to mention, there are just as many fantastic and creative projects and recipes out there that I haven't found that I would share if I knew about them.So let's have some fun adn fix that, shall we?

We shall!

I'm joining Jerri at Simply Sweet Home   in co-hosting her Friday Favorites Linky Party! Every week you will have the chance to share your favorite DIY, craft, recipe, and creative projects using the Linky Tools at the bottom of this post. The best part of the party is not only are you sharing your creative genius with the Condo Blues blog community but also on the nine other blogs of party co-hosts!


 

How to Make Flamingo Wall Hooks

I needed several decorative wall hooks to organize my craft room. I want something fun, yet versatile, since I have a pile of conference lanyards, craft aprons, and race medals in need of some serious organizing.

I headed to my workshop and made the perfect wall organizer using my all time favorite pieces of kitsch – plastic pink lawn flamingos!

 Pin this tutorial for later!

DIY Pink Lawn Flamingo Wall Organizer

 

15 Lunch Bags and Boxes Men, Tweens, Teens, and Boys Won't Be Embarrassed to Use

It is Back to School shopping time and many of you need to upgrade your child's little boy lunchbox to something that looks more grown up.

I'm finding it is easier to enjoy being out and about with my family if I bring food allergy safe food or snacks with me so I don't ruin our day by getting sick. The best way to do that is put my lunch or snacks in a lunch bag or lunch box. A zero waste option and high fives all around, right?

Well only if you can find a lunch box to buy during Back to School season that isn't covered in cartoon characters. Those are fine for little kids but where are the cute and cool looking lunch bags for adults, teens, and those oh so fickle tweens?

Anyone?

How to Make a Grass Hula Skirt

My husband and I are invited to a friend’s annual August luau.  Last year they had a woman give the party hula lessons. I want to be prepared and wear a grass skirt as part of my Hawaiian party attire.

Unfortunately there is one teensy problem with this plan.

Have you ever tried to buy a grass hula skirt or for that matter any Hawaii themed clothing in August when it is 100% still officially Summer?

You’ll be out of luck because everything in the store is Fall, Halloween, and Christmas is starting to trickle in too. Argh!

Fortunately making a Hawaiian grass skirt is quick and easy with supplies you can find year round!

Hawaiian Inspired Grass Skirt Tutorial

Pin this tutorial to your Pinterest boards for later! Share it with your friends!

Back to School Target Giveaway!

I'm not sure why it is but I always think of Back to School season as The New Year rather than the January 1st. Maybe it is the left turn at Albuquerque carefree summer fun takes to cooler weather and staying indoors. Most likely it is because it is time to shop for everything needed to start the new school year and all of the new possibilities it brings.

Also, there are some killer sales on fall clothes and house hold items you can take advantage of even if you don't have kids going back to school and have a need. But there is one thing you need to take advantage of those sales and do you know what that is?

MONEY.

And I want to give it to you!

  Enter for your chance to win a $100 gift card in our Target Back to School Giveaway!

How to Find Bathroom Storage Space When You Think You Don’t Have It

Disclosure: This post is brought to you by MomSelect  At Home Stores. All opinions are 100% my own. @AtHomeStores #collegemovein  #athomestores

Husband and I need to temporally move into our guest bathroom while we remodel the master bath. The guest bathroom is half the size of the master. I eked out what storage space I could by building shelves  over the door and on the wall over the toilet.

I thought I already maxed out my small bathroom storage space.

Or have I?
 

 Pin these storage ideas for later!

21 Unique Bottle Cap Crafts to Inspire You!

I remake and makeover a lot of things using bottle caps but as our collection grows I need new recycled DIY ideas.

If you look at my Pinterest Crafts board you will see I have bottle cap projects on the brain. It seems like after I complete one bottle cap decorating project I see and pin a bunch more. (Follow me @condoblues on Pinterest pretty please?)

I can’t be the only one that doesn't this, can I?

Pint this post for later!

I thought I’d share the bottle cap craft love and show you some of my favorite recycled bottle cap projects from around the web to inspire you.

You can just drool over them like the bottle cap house. I doubt my Home Owner’s Association will let me do that or Husband for that matter.

How to Make an Outdoor Chalkboard Paint Table

My outdoor mosaic bistro table and chairs developed so much dry rot mushrooms grew in the table and chairs. I decided to repair it rather than replace it for a greener, cheaper, and more personalized patio table and chair set.

Also, I didn’t find a replacement that I liked in the store. That’s the real incentive for this project.

I got my reused bottle cap craft on and made four coordinating recycled bottle cap mosaic chairs. Read the bottle cap chair tutorial here on Condo Blues. Now it is time to turn my attention to making over the outdoor bistro table with chalkboard paint.

Outdoor Game Table Tutorial

 

Pin this tutorial for later!

10 Ways to Reuse Plastic Food and Laundry Measuring Scoops

Even though Husband and I try to run a low waste home with careful shopping and find new reuses for what we can't recycle through our city's recycling program, there is one thing we are swimming in and loathe to regularly send to the landfill: plastic laundry and food measuring scoops.

 Pin this list of ideas for later!

How to Make a Bottle Cap Mosaic Chair

Ewwww!

The cute little mosaic tile bistro set on our patio has lived outside in the rain sleet and snow for a very long time.

How long?

Long enough for the elements to take their toll and dry rot the wood base of the table and all of the chairs.

 

The thing I like best about the current set is the size and design of the metal ice cream parlor style chairs (minus the mushrooms.)  I wasn’t in love with anything I saw in the stores as a replacement.

Well, when I can’t buy I DIY!

Recycled Bottle Cap Craft Tutorial

 

   Pin this recycled bottle cap craft idea for later!

How to Keep Your Dog From Being Scared of Fireworks

Fireworks are fun for the family to watch but are torture for your dog.

Big bangs, sizzles, and firecracker pops in Dog World mean “Panic! Run away from the noise! It is something that will hurt you! Run!”

In Human World, we stand there and stare at gunpowder exploding over our heads and say, “So pretty!” Which probably isn't very smart Human World.

How to Desensitize Your Dog to Fireworks

 Fortunately, there are several methods you can use to keep your dog from crying, whining, barking, and freaking out during a fireworks show on the Fourth of July.

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How to Install a New Doorbell Chime and Button

Normally I’m a fix it instead of replace it kind of gal but neither Husband nor I have any great love for our builder basic doorbell. When our doorbell wouldn’t chime even after I replaced the transformer, we took the opportunity to upgrade it to a door chime we can actually hear from upstairs as well as down.

I wanted a pretty doorbell button to replace the plastic builder grade monstrosity we had. Husband thought the door chimes that played different music and tones are more fun than the faint, “ding dong!” that bit the dust.

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So of course we acted like two dorks testing all of the doorbell chimes in Lowes multiple times to find one we liked.

Sorry Lowes fellow shoppers.

Sometimes we are 12.

We bought the Utilitech Wireless Doorbell and Utilitech Antique Brass Doorbell Button (affiliate links for your convenience) to coordinate with the front doorknob and lock. This particular doorbell comes with a bunch of chimes (we are currently using the Westminster chimes setting.)

I got the opportunity to pick out a prettier doorbell button. Most importantly this doorbell lets us hardwire it to our current doorbell wiring although you can also install it as a wireless doorbell if you like.

We wanted to stay with a hardwired doorbell so we didn’t have to play Where are the rest of the rechargeable batteries? Did you recharge them? game on a regular basis but that’s just us.

How to Replace a Hard Wired Doorbell

Summer $150 IKEA Gift Card Giveaway!

Many, many, many people take on decorating and DIY projects during the summer because you can work in a big outside space of your yard with wild abandon. Let's hear it for spray paint weather! Woo hoo!

Of course, if you want to decorate with, paint, or hack a piece of furniture or five you need a place to start and everyone knows IKEA is the just the place for that.

Besides supplies, time, and warm weather to work outside, you do know what else helps when you want to start a DIY or decorating project?

MONEY.

And I hope to give it TO YOU!

  
I figure why not spread some summer sunshine you by getting together with a group of fabulous bloggers and give away to one lucky reader a $150 IKEA gift card so you can shop your little heart for something to hack, decorate, or DIY for your most fabulous abode!

How to Make an Iron Throne from a Lawn Chair

Everyone and I mean EVERYONE wants to sit upon the Iron Throne.

If you watch Game of Thrones you know exactly what I'm talking about. If you don't I'll give you a quick rundown:

• There is a very uncomfortable chair they say is made from 1,000 enemy swords but it is really more like 200 forged by some guy named Shemp. Instead, they say it was forged by a Dragon because that sounds more majestic than A Guy Named Shemp and His Anvil. 

• If you sit on the pointy sword chair you can brag you rule all of the Seven Kingdoms in this made up Dungeons and Dragons kind of world called Westros where everybody hates everybody - eventually.

• Each Kingdom has their own ruler who has a Special Chair or Bench which is more comfortable than the Iron Throne. 

• All of the Comfy Chair Rulers (or their conniving relatives) want the Uncomfortable Sword Chair and will do anything to get it. This usually involves killing people at weddings. So mean!

• No one is smart enough to upholster the Iron Throne so the swords won't cut the person who plops their tush on it.

And I want one.

How to Make a Power Tool Battery Charging Station

It’s funny how one little project like hanging a DIY chalkboard above my workbench quickly turned into a reorganize the workshop project. Well, actually, it was more like an ACK! I can’t find the bench top and the mountain of STUFF is driving me crazy project but why quibble over details?

I made an easy sandpaper organizer and a quick woodworking clamp rack. My latest project – a power tool battery charging station and organizer is the last workshop organizer I need to keep my bench top clean and my power tool batteries charged and organized. Woo hoo!

I built the workbench from reclaimed materials too.

Read my Recycled Cabinet Workbench Tutorial here on Condo Blues

How to Build a Hanging Power Tool Battery Charger and Organizer

Father's Day Gift Ideas to Buy or DIY

 Father's Day is just around the corner. Do you know what gift you will give Dad this year?

Me neither.

We better get to it then!

 I put together a Father's Day gift guide of Father's Day gift ideas while scouring the Web for something fun and unusual to give the DIY Dads (my Dad and Father-in-law) for Father's Day. Some you can buy (time crunch, yo) others you can DIY. All are awesome!!

 Scoot on over to my food blog, Lazy Budget Chef to read:

 18 Unusual Father's Day Gift Ideas Dad Will Love!

 
 Dad will be glad you did!


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How to Install a Delta In2ition Showerhead with H2Okinetic Technology

Replacing the current showerhead with a hand shower shower head in the guest bathroom was always in the plan.   I like how the hand shower in our Delta Faucet Company In2ition showerhead makes it easy to clean the Master Bathroom the soap out of Lacey’s fur.

Being kind of a geek about showerhead and faucets, I wanted to know what the difference is between the Delta In2ition showerhead I have and like and the new Delta In2ition Showerhead with H2Okinetic Technology provided by Delta Faucet Company to facilitate this test and tutorial.

 

 Keep reading for a chance to win a Delta In2Ition Shower with H20kinetic Technology Showerhead sponsored by Delta Faucet Company!

 Each type of Delta In2ition showerhead is supposed to give you a different shower experience while saving enough water to earn the Watersense label -  using less than 2.0 gallons of water per minute (gpm.) Although truthfully after using both of these showerheads, you would never guess less water is coming out of either one. It feels like I'm taking a shower with more water not less!

Handmade Wedding Gift Idea: Mr and Mrs Pillowcases

I gave a few hints about the handmade embroidered wedding gift I was making on my Instagram (follow @condoblues please?) and Condo Blues Facebook page (click here to follow and get my latest updates!) Now that the Bride and Groom are happily Mr. and Mrs. I can spill the beans.

 If you are looking for a thoughtful handmade wedding gift idea, that’s fairly simple and quick to make then this hand embroidered personalize pillowcase idea is for you!

 In all honesty, I would embroider a set for myself if they came in King size.

 
I wanted a project I could work on during our evening Cuddle with Lacey on the Sofa Time. Embroidery fits the bill and I wanted a project to get back in the swing before I start a massive costume embroidery project.

How to Make a Small Space Sandpaper Organizer

It's amazing what you find when you decide it is time to clean and organize a workbench or workshop.

In my case it is sandpaper.

Lots of sandpaper.

Like embarrassing amounts of specific grits I bought because I though I didn't have it, when not only did I have it, I have epic loads of it because I kept losing it in my messy and disorganized garage and workshop.

I'm sure all of you organized crafters and DIYers cannot relate at all to this. (Although I'd feel less like a slob if you do.)

Dollar store sandpaper organizer!

That's what happens when I get tired of storing a mount of objects on my workbench top after creating a motivational gallery wall above the workbench in the garage.

So I started poking around Pinterest (follow me @condoblues pretty please?) looking for workshop sandpaper storage and organizers and coming up empty because I work in a small space.  I'm too short to reach all of the organizers I saw hanging on the wall over a workbench.

Funny thing, I found the inspiration solution on the Craftsman website when I was on there dreaming about lawnmowers. Sorry about the weird stream of conscious thing but our lawn service has given us so many excuses about not cutting our grass (that I'm allergic to) that  is almost as tall as Lacey. Grrr!

But that is a different story for a different day.

How to Make Motivational Chalkboard Art the Easy Way!

I learned in my garage organizing post Organize Your Garage in Three Simple Questions that hanging and storing items high on a wall doesn’t work well for a short person like me. If I can’t easily reach it without a step stool I won’t put it away in its proper place.

That’s why the wall above my recycled cabinet workbench (read the tutorial on Condo Blues here) is blank. All of my tools and DIY supplies are stored low to the ground – like me! – in the workbench.

Since that area is pretty much dead to me for tool storage, why not fill it with some motivational DIY décor?

 Pin this post for later!

I read several interviews from local resident Kelly Harris when she was on Face Off. (Which is the only reality show I watch because it is all about creating cool movie makeups and not about manufacturing drama between the contestants and judges.) When asked in interviews how Kelly learned to how to do  makeup special effects, Kelly always says her personal motto is, “Try. Suck. Get Better. Repeat.”

I immediately scribbled her motto on a Post It Note and slapped it on my computer stand because she summed up how I go about doing just about every project you read about on Condo Blues. My plan was to hang Kelly’s motto above my workbench for DIY inspiration when I hit a spot in a project that makes me sing the blues.

How to Make a Pallet Wood Clamp Storage Rack

The small downside to insulating the garage walls is I lost my free wood clamp storage organizer. I can’t store my clamps on wall stud like I used to now that they are filled with insulation.
Currently my wood clamps are stored in a pile of stuff on top of my workbench. At least I think they are. There is too much junk on top of the workbench to tell. Sigh.

During Operation: Clean and Organize my Workbench and Clear My Recycled Materials Stash, I added a woodworking clamp storage rack is a quick and easy wood pallet stash bust project that took practically no time and with very few tools to make to my punch list.

Quick and Easy Workbench Woodworking Clamp Rack

 

Pin this for later!

You will need:

Mega $200 Pioneer Woman Giveaway!

This spring’s big giveaway to thank you for supporting all we do here on Condo Blues is inspired by my butter dish. I’ve been looking off and on (mostly off) for a cute and fun casual butter dish. I wasn’t having much luck because they were either plastic (no thank you), ceramic plain Jane, or cost more than the bone china butter dish I use when I set a formal table.

I added affiliate links to this post for your convenience.

Shortly after I met Ree Drummond at BlogHer, she launched the Pioneer Woman collection of cookware and dishes that look like she picked them up at a country flea market. Her butter dish was just what I was looking for and the price can't be beat. I by passed the big box store and bought my happy polka dot Pioneer Woman butter dish from Amazon.

Win a Naturepedic EOS Standard Organic Mattress Giveaway!

Welcome to the Naturepedic EOS Standard Queen Organic Mattress Giveaway ($2599 Value), sponsored by Naturepedic and hosted by Happy Mothering and the Green Moms Network.

   

Shopping for a new mattress can be an intimidating experience. It seems like there are so many mattress brands to choose from, and it can be dizzying to find the one that's right for you. Before you go mattress shopping, let's talk about why most mattresses on the market these days are toxic. Did you know that most mattresses are full of lots of toxic chemicals?

How to Make a Colorful Year Round Wood Wreath

I found a bag of round hole saw scraps in the reclaimed wood stash in my workshop.  I’m not sure why I kept them. Most of the “wood holes” in the bag were cracked, split, and otherwise wonky because that’s how hole saws work.

A hole saws is designed to cut a round hole in wood and not for cutting a piece of wood into a perfectly round shape.

I could blow it off as part of a being DIYer who works with recycled materials but the fact of the matter is, my reclaimed wood stash is starting to outgrow its storage area. I need to either use it or start making up gift boxes of scraps for friends to use as kindling in their fire pits. Which I may or may not have gotten puzzling looks when I may or may not have tried to pass off a box of wood scraps for a fire pit as a hostess gift in the past.

 Hole saw scraps!

Fortunately, there were a few wood rounds that were in good enough shape - or could be with a smattering of wood filler and some sanding - that I decided to use them to make a scrap wood wreath. And you can too! Read my step by step tutorial to learn how!

How to Make a  Wood Wreath

7 Dog Owner Hacks: Number 3 Makes Life So Easy!

This blog post is part of a paid Megan Media and Petco Repeat Delivery blogging program. The opinions and ideas expressed here are my own. #PetcoDelivers 

Being a rescue dog with a truck load of fear and anxiety issues makes living with Lacey sometimes a little difficult. That’s why I try to make the day to day dog owner stuff as easy as I can as we work with Lacey on her issues.  Here are a few of my favorite dog owner tips and tricks.

Pin this post for later!

1. Use two plastic bag dispensers to collect extra plastic bags for doggy duty. Keep the empty disposable bag dispenser in the kitchen to fill with plastic bags. When it is full of plastic bags hang it by the door next to your dog’s leash and put the empty grocery bag holder in the kitchen to fill with empty plastic bags.  That way you’ll always have potty where you need them - before you walk out the door with your dog.

How to Make Rosemary Mint Salt Scrub

I recently declared a Treat Yo’ Self weekend after buying a massage special from Groupon (so much cheaper than going to the massage school and I got a much better massage too!)

A fun little family adventure with Lacey, dinner and drinks out followed. Sunday, prompted by the desire to wear a skirt on a gloriously warm day, and the state of some winter skin in desperate need of exfoliation, an in home spa day was in order since everything was closed. Otherwise - you guessed it - Groupon time.

Fortunately, everything I need to make a fantastic nontoxic and natural exfoliating skin scrub is sitting right here in my kitchen. I bet you do too!

Exfoliating Rosemary Peppermint Salt Scrub: The Step by Step Tutorial

 

  Pin this post for later!

April Cricut Explore Air $250 Cash Giveaway!

 One of the things I cherish most is just like my in real life condo, my virtual condo is full of  super fantastic awesome people. You, yes you, the one reading this right now, makes making Condo Blues not just a blog, but a community.

I'm always looking for giveaway opportunities to thank you for being part of the Condo Blues community.


A bunch of my blogger friends want to find a way to reward their readers in the same way. We got together and thought what would people like? Warmer weather makes us want to get out there and start a creative project. Unfortunately spring rain often keeps us inside and looking for an indoor creative project. Hey! We thought....

What would you do with your choice of a Cricut Explore Air die cutting machine or $250 Paypal Cash to spend this spring?!

That's right friends, if you win you will have your choice of accepting 250 dolla, dolla bills or your very own Cricut Explore Air! Sweeeeeeeeeet!

 

Enter the April Cricut or $250 Paypal Cash Giveaway!

How to Make Vintage Wall Map Decor

I like big maps and I cannot lie.

I cannot tell you how many times the room I fall for in a decor magazine or on a blog features a big vintage map hanging  on the wall. Swoooooooon!

In my made up fantasy world I would find the perfect old school wall map at a thrift shop for 10 bucks, merrily dance with it all the way home, and after a rousing game of Not It Won't Fit Yes It Will with Husband, hang it on a well deserving wall in our house. Where it fits perfectly, of course.

Photo courtesy of Blesser House

Aquaponic Gardens for Lazy Gardeners

Husband and I are on again off again gardeners.

Why?

Because gardens, especially vegetable gardens, are needy. You can’t just plant some seeds and walk away until harvest time. Nope. There is the watering, the fertilizing, the watering, the thinning, the watering, the staking, the watering, the pest control, the watering…and did I mention watering the garden?

With all of our summer and warm weather activities it would be nice if there was a way to grow fresh vegetables on auto pilot or inside during the winter when we have more time for more involved projects like gardening. I’ve been thinking about growing vegetables in an aquaponic garden ever since Husband and I saw a display on aquaponics last summer at the Ohio State Fair.

 Pin this post for reference!

In both hydroponic and aquaponic gardens, the seeds and plants are not planted in traditional soil but some sort of growth medium suspended above a pool or tank of water. We saw examples of plants growing in clay pebbles, stones made from recycled glass, foam baskets, and on a floating raft.

How to Hang an Old Window From the Ceiling

On sunny afternoons, the sun hits the kitchen window just right to make a prism on the ceiling.
Lacey thinks this dazzling array of luck and science is a formidable threat to our house and home. She barks her head off all. afternoon. long. no matter how many times we try and fail to shush her.
Apparently light theory is lost on dogs.

A window treatment will solve the nefarious prism problem. I want something that lets in light, is easy to clean, and won’t wrinkle like my DIY cardboard corner window cornice and curtains I made that brought out the haters on Hometalk.

Call it shabby chic, Fixer Upper, or my own Mid-Century Modern-Bauhaus-Contemporary-Found-and-Funkified-Retro-DaDa-Danish decorating style. I repurposed an old flea market window as a kitchen window treatment.
 

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Here’s how.

DIY Old Window Window Treatment

How to Test for Lead Paint on Flea Market Finds

We are the first owners of our condo built long after the US 1978 lead paint ban. We don’t have peeling paint and my family doesn’t lick the walls (which in my opinion would mean we have a bigger problem!) As far as any scaremongering about lead being everywhere in every home, we figured we’re good.

Except.

Maybe not.

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I like to upcycle and recycle found, salvage, and old stuff in my DIY projects. Swap meets, antique shows, and flea markets are my playgrounds. Some of my favorite transformations started out as thrift store finds or from the side of the road. I didn’t think I had to worry about lead in my project materials because I generally steer clear of chipping paint because it is a pain to sand smooth.

I recently discovered chipping paint does not mean an item is covered in lead paint. Neither does the color of the paint. Actually  bare wood or stained items can test positive for lead because of something in the stain or varnish.

Recycled Pallet and Pot Planters

A big wood barrel planter is so welcoming at the end of a driveway,  on a front porch, deck, or patio. Unfortunately those expensive buggers start to crack and rot a few years after you buy them.

If only there was a way, to get a lasting  wood barrel planter look for less. Then we can get down to the business of buying and growing pretty plants and not replacing their planters every other year.

There is something to say for a lasting rustic garden like this one.

Photo courtesy of  Make the Best of Things

Zipper Yoga Mat Tote Bag Tutorial

Yoga is my favorite form of exercise. Husband thoughtfully gave me a better and slightly thicker sticky yoga mat so I didn’t have to borrow his mat anymore.  Awww. What a guy!

He offered to buy me a new yoga mat bag too. I told him I had all of the materials I need in my craft room to make a yoga mat bag.

Three months later I finally got around to making it.

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My bloggy friend Jen Goode from 100 Directions asked me to be part of her National Craft Month celebration.   Jen’s blog collaboration was the kick in the seat I needed to design and sew the yoga mat bag I planned from recycled and stash bust craft materials.

Felt Peep Easter Bunting

You know it is Easter season when Peeps start peeping their wee little face at you from rows upon rows of packages in the candy aisle. Love them or hate them - their seems to be no in between - it is full on Peep Season.

I like marshmallows but for some reason, eating marshmallow Peeps is not my thing. But decorating with Peeps? That's something I am into.

Photo courtesy of Make