How to Make a Fake Vintage Wood Crate

I need more food storage space in my kitchen. I know, I know who doesn't?

In my case we have one three shelf cupboard that holds actual food and the other cabinets hold dishes, mugs, and a bunch of empty mason jars waiting for our garden to ripen.

Replacing the current kitchen cabinets with my dream of cabinets that go all the way up to the ceiling isn't on the 2013 DIY List. Someday, but not today.

 Where can I find space in our small kitchen?

Opinionated? Share Them for Rewards @Yappem

I stumbled upon a screaming good clearance sale while running errands – heavy cotton t shirts for 50 cents each. I snapped up several for future t shirt projects – the holidays are coming up soon. I wanted to get the word out quickly and to my on line social networks since it is an unadvertised sale. I figured now is as good as time as any to share the experience using Yappem (since they asked me to help them get the word out. I figured I better give it a good test!)



I learned about Yappem when I attended the Awesome Party in Chicago last month. Yappem is a new social media network where you can post your retail and brand experiences and share the  information to your Facebook, Twitter, Foursquare, email, and my Yappem followers at the same time using one app. 
As much as I love technology and being an early adopter, I wondered if we really need another social media network to keep tabs on, I mean, isn’t this what Yelp is for?

Well, no.

How to Deal with Allergy Face

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Zyrtec for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

My husband saw me leaning over my desk with my coffee mug pressed against my puffy left eye. "I didn't realize it was ragweed season yet, " he said.

"Yep," I replied.

I wake up most mornings during allergy season with puffy eyes and a hot mug of coffee next to my eye is the only thing I've found that makes it better. If I have to show my face in public, I wear sunglasses to avoid the "what happened to your FACE?!" questions until the Zyrtec kicks in. My introduction to Zyrtec was as a prescription, so I'm happy I can easily buy it over the counter now.

Looks like I am not alone in using the Allergy Face sunglasses trick.

How to Cut a Glass Bottle Perfectly Every Time

After a long work week Husband and I often get our TGIF on by sampling a new to us craft beer or wine – because drinking local is green, right?

Well, that and it gives me empty bottles to use in DIY projects.

 Pin this post to your Pinterest Boards for later! Share it with your friends!

The most difficult part of a wine bottle DIY project is cutting the bottle. The cutting a bottle by lighting string on fire method doesn't work for me. I can’t get a clean break. I also am afraid I’m going to burn down my house starting with my workspace in the backyard because it involves holding a bottle wrapped in string you've set on fire. Yikes!

How to Improve a Room

I want to spiff up the living room.

This will do just fine thank you.

Did you enjoy this post? Get more like it by subscribing to the Condo Blues RSS Feed or to Condo Blues by Email.

How to Make a Front Car Seat Protector

Husband came home from running on the trail in one of our city parks on a recent hot day. I jumped into the car after he used it and OH. MY. GOD.

Now I  understand why dogs hang their heads out of open car windows.

This doesn't happen to Husband because both Lacey and I always smell like flowers after a workout.

To his credit, Husband tries to cover the car seat with a trash bag he has stashed in the trunk. Well, until I toss the fetid mess and decontaminate the trunk and car. Rinse. Repeat.

Old towels don't work either. I need something that absorbs but has a barrier to protect the car seat and is washable. Washable is a MUST. 

I Got My Groove Back at BlogHer13

I spent last weekend at the Big Dance of female blogging conferences – BlogHer. While last year at BlogHer was good, I was determined to make this year even better because I am not grieving this year.

My goals were to learn from my fellow bloggers, network with brands to find ways to thank you for being The Best Community on the Internet, and take advantage of some the pampering and such to help me get my groove back as part of Project Me.

Kelli Edwards from HGTV and I at the La-Z-Boy party, Miss Lori and I living it up at the SocialLuxe Lounge, Kim Moldofsky The Maker Mom and I in my favorite learning space – the hotel lobby. The fabulous Amy from Mod Podge Rocks and I meet in real life! Tamara Rubin of MisLead tests my wedding ring for lead and heavy metals at the Healthy Child Healthy World party, Leah Segedie of Mamavation demonstrates the benefits of healthy diet and exercise by lifting Ted Rubin of Collective Bias. 

Oh, and the goal of not puking in the Expo Hall because I over lactosed myself again. That one is important.

18 Examples of Nautical and Lake Design Style

I'm missing boating and Lake Erie living which is crazy tunes because as soon as you could say, "graduation" I packed my bags and ran screaming from my small nautical home town on Lake Erie. The running joke is everyone in that town is rich and has a boat because of the large small boat harbors downtown and in the neighborhoods near the lake that have boat docks in their backyards. This  isn't entirely true because if you look at the registries on those boats most of them are registered to Cleveland addresses.


The town started as a fishing village and that infulence influence is everywhere. Boat anchors, lighthouses, fishing nets, floats, and the like are so common in garden and home decor it is practically a city ordinance.

I didn't know bathrooms weren't all nautical or beach themed until I moved away. True story.

Craft Room Remodel: Painting Damaged Walls

When the cat's away, this little mouse drags her tools out to play.

While Husband was out of town on a business trip, I painted the guest room/craft room. Good times!

Of course, I want to live in a bright crayon box. Why do you ask?

I'm a wild woman. This is how I party it up when Husband is out of town.

First, I had to unload the room. I ended up stashing stuff in every.single. room.of.the.house.

How to Clean Dog Urine from Carpet and Keep Your Dog from Peeing on the Carpet Again

Lacey piddles, poos, or sometimes vomits when she gets anxious or has a doggie panic attack. Building Lacey’s confidence with our behaviorist will take time and we are ready to take as much time as Lacey needs to conquer her fear demons.

In the meantime, I’m cleaning pet carpet stains and removing dog urine marks on my carpet in a way that the dog doesn't urine mark that spot again.

Hey everyone! Look what I did!

Of course once I take care of one area, Lacey thwarts me and uses a different part of the house the next time she gets upset and we start this song and dance all over again. And again. And again.

I'm an expert on cleaning dog pee, dog poo, and dog vomit from floors and carpeting - be jealous.

Recycled Bottle Suncatchers

"We have too much stuff in this garage!" Husband said as he navigated past my box of empty wine bottles in the garage. I haven't done anything clever with my impromptu bottle collection and the statue of limitations was up. I figured my next rainy day project would be clearing them out of the garage.

But before I could say "recycling bin" DecorArt sent me a very generous assortment of Americana glass paints and reusable stencils. Seriously, like the day after Husband and I had that conversation. Freaky.

I cut the bottoms off the empty flat bottomed bottles, stenciled them, and made recycled glass bottle sun catchers.

  

How to Make a Painted Bottle Sun Catcher

How to Make and Hang Wood Fruit Crate Shelves

The new floor plan and stuff switcheroo for the guest room/craft room leaves me with two vintage wooden fruit crates that won't fit in the room with the new plan.

Yay!

I want a new place to stash this stuff and allow my linen closet to hold linens again. Crazy town, I know.

I have a big boring wall above the toilet in the guest bathroom...

I have two crates and three 2013 DIY Goals: create storage, use what I have first before buying materials, and add personality to the guest bathroom...

Easy Blog Conference T Shirt

Summer is blog conference season. Yippie for meeting on line friends in person and networking and learning how to be a better blogger!

Not so yippie in trying to find your on line friends in the crowd and making sure they can find you. Last year at Blogher12 Laura from Pet Scribbles and I kept missing each other all day every day of the conference although Margaret from Nanny Goats and Panties and I always seem to find each other each year. Do you know why? Because Margaret is as smart as she is funny. Margaret wears a shirt with her blog name on it.

My new Condo Blues t shirt! I'll get to the kooky color hair in a minute.

While I'm a DIYer all the way, most of the DIY t shirt options are not as professional looking as I want when I'm advertising my blogs.

House Tour: The Ohio State House

Follow my blog with Bloglovin Husband and I took a tour of the Ohio Statehouse with visiting German friends. While the ornament style isn't something I consider my personal decorating style and architecture but it is impressive. Especially when you consider they build the Ohio Statehouse before the Civil War. In fact, Abraham Lincoln visited the Ohio Statehouse when he campaigned for President! (which they mention eleventy billion times on the tour.)

Let's get inspired!

There is a surprising amount of natural light in the statehouse via skylights. You can tell the architect and designer took pride in their work and wanted to build a grand building for the ages. This domed painted ceiling and windows are one example.

That is gold gilding paint around the windows. All of the lighting is original to the building. 

While I think the gold damask is a little busy for a typical home, it is an excellent example of paint on architecture. They beefed up the look of these otherwise plain windows with a stencil and paint instead of framing the windows with costly molding.

This is the Ohio Senate Chamber. Again, the lighting is original but updated from gas to electric. The carpeting is the same pattern as the original. They have it on file and the company that made the original is still in business.

How to Compost Paper

The clay soil in my garden is so bad,

"How bad is it?!" you say.

That I was so frustrated, tired, and sore from a week jumping on the shovel with my whole body to dig into the dirt and turn it I named my blog Condo Blues.

It took a good long while to amend our soil and get it healthy enough to grow something that didn't die the following year. What is the secret to our now thriving landscape?

Compost.

This is what the compost in my compost bin I built from a storage tub looked like when I checked the bin in last spring.

How to Emboss Ribbon with a Sizzix Big Shot

I forgot to buy a birthday card.

I had a stack of colored paper, a brand new Sizzix Big Shot die cutting and embossing machine and the 10 dies from the Sizzix Big Shot Balancing Act Value Pack (courtesy of  Sizzix and The Balancing Act on Lifetime TV) sitting in front of me on the craft room table.

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

I should be able to whip up a cute card in no time with all of this stuff, right?

Not so much.

I couldn't come up a design I liked and was feeling out of my element because I don't do paper crafts very often. Thanks a lot Pinterest!

Then it hit me. The Big Shot die cuts fabric (my comfort zone), as well as the  paper, card stock, metal (think soda pop can thin type) I tested while I was figuring out how I wanted to make the birthday card.

Fabric got my creative wheels turning. If I can die cut fabric, I wonder if the Big Shot can emboss ribbon?

Let's find out.

11 Pretty Summer Things to Inspire Your Home Decor

While running errands and being otherwise frazzled during one of those weeks, I needed a little Me Time to recharge my creative brain. One way I do that is to look at pretty home decor eye candy. 

That's how I found myself in Homegoods after buying dog food for Lacey. This isn't a sponsored post or ad or anything. It just so happens we buy Lacey's human grade ingredient and only full of good stuff  dog food at a regional pet store that just so happens to share a shopping center with a Marshall's/Homegoods and  sometimes eye candy drive bys happen.

Let's "shop" for home decor and DIY ideas and inspiration!

First up, are mint green shabby chic, pretend antique candle holders. One thing I like about this particular store (other than it is close to home) is they put together some since shelf displays in the dinnerware section. It is hard to tell from my cell phone photos, that the candleholders are displayed with the pseudo jadeite light green dishware and decor. The light green color is what makes this mismatch of items into a pretty display that works. This is something anyone can do to make what you already have look less of a hodge podge of stuff you have and like and more like a purposeful and spendy display of stuff you have and like for zero dollars. Not to mention the whole the greenest thing is to use what you already own thing.

I laugh to myself when I see a ready made knock off made to look like something a DIYer did or found in a antique/junk shop. Although I realize not that everyone has access to those real goodies or  time to redo them. A few fake goodies somehow have found their way into my house for the same reason.

12 Tips for Low Waste Air Travel

I love to travel and have always hated dealing with checked luggage even before airlines started charging for it. Through many trips for pleasure and business I have packing a suitcase down to a science. I can travel almost anywhere – including a week in England – with a carry on suitcase and a backpack as my personal item.

 Air Travel Packing Tips 

Homemade Lavender All-purpose Cleaner

I made a super scum busting and disinfecting all-purpose cleaner that is all natural AND smells like the sweet, sweet smell of all natural lavender.

Lavender is a natural antiseptic. In fact, medics in World War I bound soldier’s wounds with sprigs of lavender to fight infection when their regular medications ran low.

Vinegar is a natural disinfectant, which makes it a great natural cleaner for most things although not everyone is fond of the smell.

After some DIY cleaner experiments with my lavender bush based on last winter’s all-purpose orange cleaner recipe, I came up a super scum busting antiseptic disinfecting all natural all-purpose cleaner

How to Make Lavender Antiseptic and Disinfecting All-Purpose Cleaner

My Father’s Day Gift to the Most Important Men in My Life

I’m lucky gal. When I see something I want or need, I am not afraid to go into my workshop, pull out my tools, and make it. If I don’t know how to do or use what I need to make my idea a reality, I’m not afraid to ask (especially my BFF Google) or take a class and learn how to do it.

I always thought if people couldn’t find what they liked or have a champagne taste on a (craft) beer budget like I do they just build or make over something to fit their vision. Stereotypical Man’s Work and Woman’s Work never existed in my world. It has always been You Have Two Hands And The Job Needs To Be Done So Do It work.

Do you know who I have to thank for this?

My Dad.

My Father in law too.

Collectively Husband and I call them The DIY Dads.  Without these two men in my life, I wouldn’t be the person I am today. This post is my tribute to them and their Father’s Day gift. Well, part of it anyway.

Thanks Dad for not kicking me out of the garage while you worked on something, especially when I was little. For teaching me if I want something and don't want to wait, it usually best if you build yourself like our first DIY project,  the scrap wood step stool we needed so toddler me could reach the bathroom sink and brush my teeth. I’m sure I didn’t help much except maybe to hand you something or stay out of the way but I will never forget that once the paint was dry you said we built it. 

How to Make a Juice Pouch Belt

All of the walking I'm doing to burn off Lacey's nervous energy is paying off. My jeans and shorts are too loose in the waist! I haven't lost enough weight to go down a size yet but I have lost just enough weight to make my current pants droop to I-need-to-do-something-about-this levels.

I recently added more empty Go Go squeeZ applesauce squeeze pouches to my craft room stash (I don't care if they are supposed to be kid food. They are fake sugar, GMO, and artificially color and flavor free,  made from real apples, and a life saver when I'm traveling lactose intolerant.) Then it hit me - why don't I solve my baggy pants problem and clear out the soon to be painted craft closet by making a belt out of Go Go squeeZ packets?

 How to Make a Belt Out of Go Go squeeZ Pouches

I Don't Play the Lottery Because Winning Just Leads to Fights About Faucets

I dreamed Husband and I won the lottery. Then strangers and scammers swarmed our house asking for money for shady reasons. We had to to move so the scammers wouldn't find us and we could donate cheese doodles to our favorite pet charities in peace. Dream logic = pet charities run on cheese doodles or something like that I guess but not really because cheese doodles make dogs gassy. Do you really want to work in a shelter full of gassy doodle dogs? My guess is no.

Then Husband and I got into a huge fight (unusual for us) because I wanted to take the Delta Faucet Company upgrades I made to our condo with us to  the Secret House. Husband said I couldn't take them with us because we could buy new ones BECAUSE WE WON THE LOTTERY LISA!

My Delta In2ition 2 in One Shower head,  and Delta Touch2O bathroom faucet

My Corrente toilet (read about it here.)

Craft Room Remodel Before

I lovingly call my craft room/guest room The Room Where Old Furniture Goes to Die because that's where we shoved everything that didn't have an immediate home after we moved into our condo. For nine years, it looked like this photo from the Pinterest envy busting post I wrote last December. 

You are jealous of this room, aren't you?

Then Miss Lacey joined our family and taught me a new game: The Floor is Lava.

When Lacey is feeling insecure or feels that Husband and I have stared enough at those boxes on our desks, Lacey grabs something I have stored under the guest room bed,  ever so casually carries it into the computer room, and sits near me so I am sure to notice her because in her mind even bad attention is better than no attention at all.

Here's the current post-Lacey guest room/craft room design:

I have no idea why Better Homes and Gardens hasn't called me to feature my beautiful guest room.

OZ China Town Fairy Garden

We have a bare spot in one of the front flower beds that always needs extra attention. We'd like to make lower maintenance this summer. I wasn't sure how to make this happen in a pretty way, until we received an advanced copy of the Blue Ray Combo Pack of the movie Oz the Great and Powerful (Thank you Disney!)

Then I knew.

If I could travel to Oz, I would rebuild dear, sweet China Girl's village after the Wicked Witch destroyed it and her people. China Girl stole our hearts, especially after seeing the care they took in creating her character after we watched the extra making of featurette. It must be the magic of Oz because I never was a doll person as a kid and yet China Girl ended up being my favorite character in the movie.

My China Town fairy garden, inspired by Oz the Great and Powerful

OZ is full of wonderful people and creatures. I'm sure if I rebuilt China Town as a fairy garden, the fairies would move in and keep China Girl company.

I also hope the fairies will help me out and tend our garden, because I doubt we can grow anything that comes close to director Sam Rami’s gorgeous OZ visuals but I will try.

Let's journey to OZ!

How to Make an OZ the Great and Powerful China Town Fairy Garden

How to Make a Champagne Cork Cage Chair

Husband opened a bottle of champagne and promptly popped the cork in a little basket we keep on the kitchen counter for wine cork upcycling emergencies.

He looked the wire cork cage over and issued me a challenge, "Can you come up with something to do with this? The recycling won't take it and it seems a shame to throw it away."

I sat down to thinkidy think on it.

Sit down?

There's my idea!

I made the champagne cork cage into a little bistro chair.

How to Make a Chair Out of a Champagne Cork

Socializing Miss Lacey - Our Fearful Rescue Dog

Lacey’s obedience and behavioral training is working! Lacey is consistently walking at our side 90% of the time on a loose leash. Yay Lacey!

We are now able to work on the next layer of Lacey’s behavioral issue onion – meeting other dogs and introducing her to new people and places.

Family time!

First, our behaviorist brought a fake dog into our yard and instructed Husband and I to give Lacey a verbal correction when she acted out. We use the sound AH AH because it has the force behind like a Momma Dog's You-Are-Not-Behaving-Stop-It-Right-Now bark unlike using the word NO.  The only people I knew who forcefully use NO consistently are toddlers and we are a smidge past that age.

On the one hand, it makes perfect safety sense to use a fake stuffed animal in this situation because you don’t know what reaction you are going to get from the real fearful dog. Poor fake dog has been growled at, attacked, and peed on in the line of duty. Sad fake dog face.

On the other hand, and in the crazy part of my brain that is not a responsible adult, it is funny seeing a grown man bounce a stuffed animal on a in leash in my backyard. However dedicated dog people know that sometimes you have to do strange things to help your dog learn how to be balanced and happy. Besides fake dog worked and we were able to work with his real dog on later appoints. Thank you fake dog!

2 DIY No Slip Rugs

Lacey’s decorating again. She doesn’t like my layout of the cotton rugs in the Master bath and puts her own spin on things.

Well, not exactly spin. It is more like a frantic running and sliding the rugs around so she can bark at her reflection in the bathroom mirror kind of thing.

Don’t tell Lisa but it really is a cotton rug slides on the slick floor and it is like surfing kind of thing. We worked on the dog in the mirror thing. I know it is me and I am a pretty, pretty girl!

I need a no slip rug option. It is a miracle I haven’t tripped on the bunched up rugs or slid and fallen flat on my butt while shambling in and out of the shower.  I have nightmares about trying to convince an ER doctor that no, really, I wasn’t beaten by ninjas or anything nefarious, I slipped and fell over a rug and to please leave one hand free in my body cast so I can pet my dog thank you.

I have two bathrooms. I tested two ways to make a no slip rug or bath mat. Both methods and rugs work equally well.

Inspiration Shopping – Guest Bed Edition

I’m still developing a plan for our guest bedroom. I’m not sure if I should keep the current freebie bedframe or replace it. And if I replace it, what should I replace it with?
Since I’ve gone back and forth and then some, Husband and I did a little inspiration shopping last weekend at Havertys  to see what’s out there. Wanna come along?

Of course you do, let’s go!

We walked around Havertys a bit. This double bunk bed caught my eye.

I like the concept of a bunk bed for the guest room since it has a smaller footprint than a double bed but I can’t see either of our mothers climbing the ladder to the top bunk. I like the dark wood though.
I found a double bed that might be more comfortable for our parent guests. No ladders but it has the dark wood Husband and I liked in the bunk bed.

6 Quirky and Colorful Retro RV Remodels

Summer season is camping season! Or as we call it around here, Husband-isn't-always-a-happy-camper-so-buying-one-isn't-even-a-question-but-I-want-to-renovate-a-vintage-RV-anyway season.

I like the quirky retro RV remodels because you have to be a new reader to not understand why. Hi new reader!

In all seriousness (bear with me), I like the colorful and a little bit kooky campers because I spent almost every summer of my childhood camping in a brown and beige RV with my family. Although to be fair, with kids, a dog, and trips that included more rain and mud than we would like, I'm sure my mom was OKfine with a color scheme that looked decent no matter how much dirt we tracked in because small children are allergic to wiping their feet on the doormat in front of the trailer door.

6 Quirky Campers

I think I found my happy place. This is it.

And it is a lemonade stand! I'll take one please.

Have You Tried Shaving Soap?

Husband has sensitive skin. Unfortunately the only type of shaving cream he can use is full of synthetic ingredients - because of course.

Husband could ditch the synthetic ingredients by growing out his beard and not shaving at all but I don't like to go through the bushes to get to the picnic, heh, heh.*smooooooch!*

12 Red, White, and Blue Patriotic Summer Decor Ideas

Memorial Day kicks off my favorite season - summer! Woo hoo!

Husband and I have an even better reason to celebrate this year. Good friends will visit us from Germany that weekend. What better way to welcome our friends to the United States and celebrate Memorial Day (and pre decorate for the Fourth of July) than with patriotic red, white, and blue decor!

I like to hang banners and garlands on my porch rails. I like the texture of Uncommon Designs burlap flag banner and how it will work in a variety of decorating styles.

Photo courtesy of Uncommon Designs

I also like the stripe detail on Sweeter than Sweets star garland. Can you believe she made it out of paint chips?

Photo courtesy of Sweeter than Sweets

I'm tucking Better Homes and Gardens red, white, and blue bunting into the Idea Center of my mind (AKA Lisa's Kooky Idea Center if you listen to how Husband describes it which you probably shouldn't because Condo Blues is not his blog. It is mine.) Every summer when I finally remember to buy porch bunting it is too close to the Fourth of July and the stores are sold out. Their project is an incentive to use some of the fabric in my stash to make it.

Make a Yardstick Drawer Organizer in 15 Minutes!

Welcome to the most disorganized drawer in my kitchen.

It drives me crazy!

  

 I'll teach you how to build an easy drawer organizer that will 

take you from cluttered to calm in 15 minutes tops!  

This drawer is just small enough that every drawer organizer on the market won’t fit inside the drawer - or at least it seems that way.

One day, I got fed up with my disorganized drawer and decided to do something about it. I built a quick custom kitchen drawer organizer from what I had on hand – yardsticks!

Project Me

Our ongoing lesson with Lacey is to teach her Husband and I are her leaders to help build her confidence and help her with her fear issues.

  

The big difference between Dog World and Human World is to be happy, a dog needs a good leader. Not someone who leads by yelling or hitting but the type of leader who stays calm in a crisis, like an ER nurse. If a dog doesn't think you are doing the job, it is going to try to take over. Human World considers this bad behavior but Dog World considers this the way stuff gets done. 

Lacey is trying to be the boss of this pack. It is stressing her out because she knows she isn’t a strong leader. Unfortunately Lacey isn’t cluing in that I am her leader either.

The Dog World Leader always goes first. Lacey knows her humans walk through doors and up stairs first. She now knows sit, stay, down, and is pretty good on shake with both voice and hand signals. Husband and I use these tricks as a way for Lacey to earn positive things (for example she has to sit so I can put her leash on her for a walk) or to give her something positive to focus on (and the treat reward) when she thinks something is scary.

We are having a heck of a time teaching Lacey to walk by her human’s side and not pull on the leash! This is something we started working on as soon as Lacey came to live with us and before we started working with our behaviorist.

We are on Technique #3 to teach Lacey how to walk on a loose leash. *sigh*

I now understand why some people claim their dogs are dumb and can’t learn. I don’t think that is true with Lacey. Lacey walks well with our behaviorist. Lacey doesn’t yank Husband around (unless she sees a bird) with our new teaching technique but not with me. At all. Lacey, what is wrong with you?!