Condo Blues

Wednesday, June 25, 2014

How to Paint a Wavy Side Table

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

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

how to paint a wavy side table with Shap Tape


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!


 Pin this post on Pinterest! Share it with your friends!


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

Thursday, June 19, 2014

DIY Personalized Insulated Wine Glass Tumblers

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

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

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

Sunday, June 15, 2014

Vintage Train Toy Box Nightstand

traintoyboxnightstandMy 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.

woodtraintoybox
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!

Sunday, June 8, 2014

30 Things to Carry in Your Car for Summer Emergencies

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

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


 Pin this list of preparedness ideas to your Pinterest Boards for later! Share it with your friends!


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

22 Things to Carry in Your Car for Summer Emergencies

Thursday, June 5, 2014

Duluth Trading Co. Gift Card Giveaway! Closed

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

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

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

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

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

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