Fall Porch Whimsy Mood Board

It takes me awhile to get excited about early fall because it means my favorite season is almost ready to hibernate but it is not quite sweater, apple cider, and cute boot season. It is a little too early to go Halloween crazy with the decorating. I’m not sure what we’ll do for Halloween. Husband and I aren’t in the mood for ghosts and skeletons this year.

I guess we should go with fall harvest porch decorations. Leaves, pumpkins, corn stalks, and country rustic autumn décor is very eco and can stay up until Thanksgiving. I appreciate that style at other people’s homes but it is not something I want to stare at for so long in my own home. I want to hang onto to bright colors and whimsy for as long as I can until the snow flies.

I created a nontraditional modern whimsy autumn porch mood board to motivate me to think fall and spark some ideas for our porch.

Enjoy.

How to Install a Flat Panel TV Wall Mount

We have a TV niche (big, fat hole) above the fireplace. When we moved in, Husband and I hefted our TV into the niche. I bought and configured a set of interMetro shelves to store the components above the TV.

The speakers for the surround sound didn't fit in the niche as I hoped. I bought two CD towers to use as speaker stands and to store CDs. We lived this way for many years.

CDs? The seem so quaint now. 

How to Paint a Gas Fireplace

 A fireplace wasn’t a Must Have when Husband and I house shopped but I secretly hoped our first home would have a fireplace. We lucked out when we found our Condo. It has everything on our Must Have and Wish Lists including a fireplace.

I still like the fireplace but I’m falling out of love with the brass accents. I would love to use the brass as an excuse to buy a new brass free gas fireplace with a clear rock insert that makes it look like fire and ice when you light a fire.

Fireplace Before

However, I can’t justify the resources and expense it takes to replace a fireplace we rarely use. Angie of Country Chic Cottage  and Cara of Moore Craft Time  issued a Craft Lightening challenge – to make something that takes 15 minutes or less, excluding the drying time for paint or glue.

I looked at my 2012 DIY Goal List and took them up on the challenge. It’s time for a quick and easy fireplace update.

How to Paint a Gas Fireplace 

Urban Scrawl Inspiration

Husband and I have the best friends in the world. Our in real life group is so understanding of our devastating loss of Blitzkrieg. We got sympathy cards, personal calls, and condolences from an overwhelming number of friends, neighbors, our family vet, and the vet hospital oncology team. Every single one touched our hearts but none so much as Blitzkrieg's oncology nurse. She made and painted a plaster paw print she took of Blitzkrieg for us on her own. Tears I did not know I had welled up inside me when I unwrapped it.

Many of our friends are calling us for spur of the moment dinners and get togethers too. Thank you friends. Keeping busy helps.

That's how Husband and I ended up at Urban Scrawl. One of our couple friends invited us to join them at Urban Scrawl because they know we like local food and arty things.

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

7 Tips for Buying a Comfortable Backpack

I like to use a backpack when I am traveling because it doesn’t scream, I HAVE AN EXPENSIVE CAMERA IN HERE PLEASE STEAL IT like my fancy camera bag does.

Unfortunately, once I switched to a heavier DSLR camera my current backpacks (I’ll get to that in a minute) didn’t work for me. The backpack straps sit on a knot I have in each shoulder.

The extra weight of the camera plus whatever else I want to carry (water bottle, etc.) rides the knots like a cowboy on rodeo night. I get a migraine. Dealing with a migraine is not the way I want to spend my vacation, or for that matter, a blogging conference.

As a green blogger, I get information about backpacks made from eco friendly materials all the time. I appreciate that but an ill fitting backpack made from eco friendly materials is useless because I will spend more time and resources replacing it with more backpacks that may or may not hurt my back. If I have to go with a  backpack made from not so eco friendly materials I’d rather it be made from material that takes a beating and lasts as long as my backpack from the 80’s that I still have and use.

Brass Drawer Pull Makeover

I am not a fan of brass knobs and drawer pulls, especially the Chippendale style brass drawer pulls. Too much of an old lady with a house that smells like bad cheese and 80's brass everything combo sandwich for me.

Do not confuse this with Chippendale Dancers. Those Chippendales I like.

If I got a dresser full of Chippendale drawer pulls in desperate need of a makeover, I'd be out the door buying new pulls before the first coat of paint was dry. Diane from in my own style  has a cheaper, greener, and cuter way to go. She remade the drawer pulls with paint and paper napkins.

The colors she used are to die for too. 

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Tool Test Masking Tape vs Painter’s Tape

My insomnia is visiting and won’t leave like an obnoxious relative (not that I have any experience with obnoxious relatives who won't leave my house. My relatives are lovely.) Putting my energy into a project helps me get through the days I miss Blitzkrieg so much that I want to jump out of my skin because I haven't slept in days.

So instead of packing before I left for BlogHer, I grabbed the low VOC paint I had left over from painting the kitchen and used it to paint an accent wall in the living room as a no cost project.

I have several half rolls of painter's tape in my tool stash (this will teach me to keep the garage more organized.) I also had a roll of masking tape I don't remember buying. I remember my parents using masking tape to tape off windows and molding when they painted my childhood fixer upper but I’ve always used blue painter’s tape for painting projects. I’m not sure why.

Let’s find out.

3 Art Therapy Projects

Ohio State Veterinary Hospital holds a Pet Remembrance Ceremony every year. Husband and I went and were immediately greeted by Blitzkrieg’s oncologist Dr. B. She hugged us and asked how we are doing before the ceremony.  She is such a good person and a caring doctor. I can’t express how lucky you and your pet will be if she is your veterinarian.

We heard words of comfort.

There were tears.

We went to a small corner near the hospital I passed a dozen times before but didn’t know until now it is the Remembrance Garden. We placed stones with loving messages under the tree.

How to Make a Self Watering Planter from a Plastic Storage Tub

Husband and I want to grow bitter melon this year. Unfortunately, bitter melon will not grow next to any of the other plants in our garden.

Fortunately, our south facing patio is the perfect place to grow bitter melon. Unfortunately, we are better at watering the plants in the front of the house than the plants on the back patio.

A self watering planter would solve this problem nicely. Then I priced self watering planters. Great googly moogly! The price is not so nice.

 Pin this easy gardening tutorial for later and to share with your friends!

    

I did some research and saw a bunch of different designs and directions for self watering planters. There were a lot of you musts and you shoulds that contradicted other people's you musts and you shoulds.

I turned to Rob of Rob’s World AKA the King of Building Self Watering Planters and peppered him with a bunch of questions. Who basically said either way is fine on any of number of things I questioned him about.

I went with using a tub from BPA free #5 plastic (polypropylene) I had on hand to keep the cost down. I'd like something that looks a little nicer and won't potentionally tick off the Bitter Betty neighbor to report me to the Home Owner's Association. I’m considering building a wood surround to make it look a nicer. Eventually. It's on my massive DIY List.

How to Build a Self Watering Planter

Taking Risks at BlogHer 12

My personal and unintentional theme for this year’s BlogHer conference was Take a Risk. I am grieving my dear Blitzkrieg and worried about leaving Husband alone.

It took everything I had pry myself from the house, put on semi happy face, and join 5,000 people in New York for the conference. Husband lined up time out with friends so I wouldn’t worry. He reminded me how important it is to thank as many of you in person as I can for your love and support during our cancer journey. He reminded me I paid for my BlogHer conference expenses months before Blitzkrieg got sick and made the investment in myself long ago. I spent the moola. I had to go.

I brought a little security blanket with me. I made and wore a pin with Blitzkrieg on it backed by the canine lymphoma ribbon (red ribbon with paw prints) on my conference lanyard. The American Cancer Society saw it and asked me to add a pledge to their More Birthdays wall. 

Blitzkrieg donated tissue to the vet hospital’s research tissue bank where any researcher in the US can use it. Husband and I feel it is particularly important to donate because Blitzkrieg’s lymphoma did not play by any of the cancer rules. We hope our donation will keep another family from reliving our cancer story.

How to Paint a Color Block School Desk

Friends, I have a massive treat for you today! Carmen De La Paz host of HGTV’s Hammer Heads and one of my favorite DIY gals, is guest posting today on Condo Blues! 

*Lisa falls over and faints in excitement*

Easily transform an old school desk with vibrant colors using a color blocking technique to create a classic diamond pattern with two tones of color. This back-to-school desk refresh could even be a fun project for parents and kids to work on together!

For high traffic furniture I always recommend a fresh coat of Satin Enamel paint – It has high durability, will accept the next layer of paint well and is easily cleaned with a damp cloth.

 Back to School Desk 

4 DIY Twitter Handle Necklaces

When I go to a blog conference or am lucky enough to be invited to a blogger event, I notice several women wearing Twitter handle necklaces. This is a great way to let people you just met to know your Twitter handle so they can follow you after the conference or event.

Between going to Blissdom and prepping for BlogHer, my world turned upside down. I did not have the time or energy to have a Twitter necklace made even though I had paid for all of my BlogHer expenses pre-canine cancer and everyone insists I still go to BlogHer.

A free-to-every-customer-who-walks-through-the-door Mod Podge make and take event at Michael's (AKA not a blogger thing)  gave me the idea to try to make a Twitter necklace. 

Then I made three more. (It pays to tidy up your craft room, you find stuff to make stuff.)

Two of them use reclaimed materials because I gotta be me. 

The History of Glitter

All that glitters is well, usually glitter. At least around here.

After developing a few glitter projects for companies, I now understand why people call glitter the herpes of craft supplies. No matter how well you think you clean up after using glittler, you never fully clean up after using glitter.

What is it that makes glitter so, happy, shiny, and a pain in the tuckus to clean up from a craft room?

Wonder no more. I give you The History of Glitter!


 
All That Glitters: The History of Shiny Things from Etsy on Vimeo.

After watching the video it looks like glitter isn't as green as I hoped. Little pieces of plastic? Bummer.

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Epic AT AT Loft Bed

The first movie I remember having to stand in a line to buy a ticket (instead a walk up ticket counter) is Star Wars. And just like every other kid at the time, I was nuts for it.

Before we proceed with the rest of this post, point of order: Han shot first!

Moving on.

The closest I ever got to themed bedding was a set of Mickey Mouse sheets and Star Wars posters on my wall (a gift with purchase of a fast food kid's meal.) It was probably the most practical thing for my parent to do given most kids have fickle whims on what's hot and what's not in character room decor.

But I would throw that practical decorating out the window if I had a Star Wars loving kid (who because they are my kid and I have passed down the awesome would naturally despise Jar Jar Binks and everything but the Yoda scenes and Mace Windo in the first three movies) and that kid wanted me to build them an At At loft bed like The Dutilly Family did for their son.

Well done, I salute you sir!

Save Money: Use an Electric Razor

Summer is my favorite season! I take full advantage and wear skirts and shorts almost every day.

Learn how I made an Anthropologie knock off skirt from a tablecloth here 

 That means my legs are on display and are in need of occasional deforestation. 

Up until now, I’ve taken care of the fuzz with a disposable razor even though I’m not a great fan of throwaway disposables. Preserve sells a disposable razor they take back for recycling but I haven't tried it.

 Beth of My Plastic Free Life uses a metal safety razor with recyclable blades but I am chicken. I have a gift for nicking the crap out of my ankles and knees with just about every razor I use including the disposable razors that are supposed to be nick free.

Plastic Free How I Kicked the Plastic Habit and You Can Too

When I first stumbled upon Beth Terry’s blog My Plastic Free Life (formerly Fake Plastic Fish), I appreciated her trying to green her efforts and reduce waste but thought she was nuts for trying to get rid of all the plastic in her life because that’s what we have recycling for, right?

Well, four years later, I now know Beth is trying not to bring NEW plastic items in her life via plastic bottle, tube, tub, or bag (and surprisingly more stuff than I realized) and tries to find USED plastic alternatives if plastic is the only option such as a smart phone or a computer. I also now know that recycling isn’t always the answer to our trashy problems, but reducing and refusing may be.

I still think Beth Terry is nuts but now for an entirely different reason. We are friends and share the same sense of humor.

I think it is important that you know I know the author and one of my tips is featured in the book before you read my review of Plastic Free How I Kicked the Plastic Habit and You Can Too by Beth Terry even though I will try to be as objective as I can in this book review.

While recovering from surgery, Beth Terry read an article about the large amount of plastic polluting the ocean – which is practically her West Coast backyard. Beth saw various items from her daily life in the photos. She decided to reduce and later remove those new disposable plastic items from her life. Beth started a blog called My Plastic Free Life (formerly known as Fake Plastic Fish) as she started her plastic free journey and took the rest of us along for the ride. Now her blog is a book and includes more details about the how, when, and whys of living a plastic free life.

Cinderella Coach Playhouse

My best friend's dad built her and her sister a wood playhouse that looks like a little red school house. It had sliding glass windows with bug screens, a locking door, and bench seats that doubled as daybeds for the most AWESOME LITTLE GIRL SLEEPOVERS EVER!

I was more than a little jealous because we rented at the time which meant no epic cool playhouse for me. Instead I made elaborate blanket forts in our rec room.

I've more than a little obsessed with playhouses ever since.

Especially when I see something like the La Belle Au Bois Dormant Coach playhouse. Just look at this thing!

I want one for my backyard

Companion Planting

We have planting more sneaky  vegetables masquerading as landscaping on our 2012 DIY Project List like we did by accident last summer during our porch and landscaping rennovation. The results were delicious!

 This is one of my favorite photos of Blitzkrieg because he did a perfect sit stay while I turned my back and walked away from him to get everything in the photo.

One of the best things about the project is it an US hobby and not either a Lisa hobby or a Husband hobby. We both share in the gardening responsibilities although we like to say Lisa built it and Husband grew it.

Last January, when Husband and I were running errands, we saw vegetables seeds for sale! We let our stomachs be our guide and bought seeds on the spot.

I’m in a Magazine AND a Book!

I had to sit on this exciting news for way too long! The projects are out and I encourage you to run to your nearest bookstore…

…find the July 2012 issue of This Old House Magazine…

…and turn the pages until you find your favorite green DIY blogger featured in This Old House Magazine!

Do You Have an Emergency Weather Plan?

Last week as my next door neighbors and I were outside and commented how the beautiful clear blue sky, quickly turned into a gray-purple-puke colored Tornado Sky.

The winds kicked up unexpectedly, rain, thunder, and lightening pounded down. Over 300, 000 people in Ohio lost electricity as Mother Nature tossed around trees and power lines with the force of a full on toddler kicking and screaming mega meltdown.

Fortunately, we were one of the lucky few that had electricity. This is surprising because if there is a blackout, we are almost always in it. Often for several days at a time. 

We did not experience a tornado because even those some areas estimated 75+ mile an hour winds, there wasn't any rotation. The crazy, unexpected, snuck up on everyone including the weather service experts, was a derecho.

Lantern Hummingbird Feeder

Husband asked me if I was into getting a bird feeder a few weeks ago when we were standing in the checkout line at the garden center.  I smiled to myself because it was yet another sign of Husband getting into our new gardening hobby. I suggested a hummingbird feeder because our lavender attracted hummingbirds until the big fat bumble bees found it and hog all the polleny goodness. 

Husband said we should think on it because a bird feeder is an impulse purchase and we never know what lymphoma side effect Blitzkrieg will have each week with or without an extra expensive expense. We're very conscious about spending money that might look extravagant or  that we are using your generous Blitzkrieg Cancer Treatment Fund donations to buy bird feeders instead of canine chemotherapy. Trust me, everything you donate to the Blitzkrieg Cancer Treatment Fund pays for Blitzkrieg's mounting medical bills. The poor guy keeps getting side effects that require more medical attention than was first estimated. ( Edited by Lisa: The final bill was $4 to $5K in threee months time when we were finished because of the side effects and remissions and extra treatment they required instead of initial estimate of $3K spread over 6 months time.)

I decided to make Husband a hummingbird feeder for Father’s Day or as it is known in these parts, Doggy Daddy Day.

My first five attempts were big, fat FAILs.

• My original plan was to buy a glass hummingbird feeder tube, stick it on an empty painted by me wine bottle, and make a holder from copper wire. It would have worked if my craftypaintaphobia didn’t mess up the project. My ready made stencil stenciling attempt bled under the stencil. It made blobs not flowers.

• My punch circles from leftover contact paper to make a stick on stencil attempt bled under the stenicl because the contact paper I used has been rolled up/mashed in drawer since we moved in. I had more bad blobs.

• I liked Round One of using a round stenciling pouncer to paint circles on the bottle. Unfortunately, I hated the other layers and colors I used on the bottle. Can I put out here it is a very good thing Martha Stewart craft paint doesn't cure immediately when it dries on glass and makes it easier wash after five failed attempts of painting?

• I decided to paint the hummingbird feeder test tube that came with the feeding tubes, and add red wire wrap glass stones to it to attract hummingbirds. The glass stones looked like red welts. I hated it.

I was frustrated. I gave up and went with what I knew – power tools.

Blitzkrieg: Forever in Our Hearts

Blitzkrieg lost the war we waged on canine cancer last week. When I try to write about it, all the words and nothing come to mind. 


My page is blank. 


The cursor blinks at me. 


Taunting.

Husband wrote this tribute about Blitzkrieg’s life and our love for him. I cannot find better words than his to describe our boy, his journey, and our heartache. 

I need to explain this because not everyone will completely understand our sadness right now.

Many people who have known Blitzkrieg will understand this, but some will not. But that's okay. It's unusual to experience this much loss over a pet. I just hope I can explain this in a way that will make it easier to understand our grief.

A Plastic Free Picnic

We are staycating, picnicking, and Cooking Food with Fire (you may call it BBQing) at every opportunity as part of Operation: Best Darn Doggie Summer Ever.

We got our original picnic basket, cloth tablecloth and napkins, and dishes as a wedding present. When wore out the first picnic basket from constant use, Husband bought me a new one from Cost Plus World Market  as a birthday gift because he knows I have a thing for baskets, picnic baskets in particular. What a guy! 

A tisket. A tasket. This is my picnic basket.    

We have friends coming over. We don’t have room at our patio table for more than four people. No problem. I’ll pull out the picnic stuff and have the kiddies picnic in the yard while the adults claim the table and chairs. Adulthood has its privileges ya know. 

Blitzkrieg is Losing the Lymphoma Fight

We are losing the cancer fight. We put Blitzkrieg on a different chemo protocol after the our first protocol of the aggressive Kick Cancer's Ass and Take Names CHOP protocol failed to keep Blitzkrieg’s cancer in remission.

I totally play the cute dog with cancer card to convince Lisa to l stay home from band practice and stuff me full of salmon steaks - doctor's orders! Sitting on her practice flag also helps.

If Blitzkrieg responded to the second chemo protocol we were looking at months with him instead of up to a year like we might have had with CHOP.

The second chemo protocol failed.

Design Star 7, Episode 5

This week the designers picked a card, any card and designed a lounge in that style for a Hollywood Chamber of Commerce party. Basically a white box challenge with only a floor to start with.

A few things were abundantly clear from the beginning of the episode:

• Kris says, “Amazing” a lot.

• Rachel complains about pulling the Victorian style card ALL THE TIME.

• Brittany thinks too much about designing a space that is in her professional design style.

And I completely agree with Kris when he said the 1970’s were a time of pure design tragedy. I don’t agree with the last part of his statement when he said the 1970’s were also a time of purse design brilliance. Nope, nay, never, tacky, yuck!

Not that I have a strong personal opinion of 1970's style or anything.

My Craft Wars Audition Video

Finally, finally, FINALLY! There is a new craft show on TV. It is called Craft Wars. The first episode airs on TLC tonight. Now I can spill the beans. I auditioned for it.

Yep. I made a total goof of myself in my audition video. I sound like I have a lisp because of the microphone on Husband's point and shoot camera. Despite that the casting people asked me to reshoot it and add bigger projects to my audition video. That's why I'm wearing different clothes during the last part of my video. I took it as a good sign.

I had to sign a contract that I wouldn't tell anyone until after the show airs even if they didn't cast me. I figure it's OK because the first episode airs tonight.

15 Tie Dye Projects

I'm no longer a Girl Scout camp tie dye failure thanks to the tie dye drop cloth shoe project I made for Tulip.

I wear these shoes everywhere. 

Researching and trying different types of tie-dye techniques besides the hippie dippy circle thingies that never came out for me (see Girl Scout camp tie dye failure and mean girl mocking) might have turned me into a wee bit of an addict.

Bandana Tablecloth

When I mention my love of cloth tablecloths and napkins (I never run out of either. I just do laundry!), one of the first objections is usually the expense. Especially if you have children who frequently spill things, which mean you need more tablecloths and napkins while the spoiled set is in the wash.

Photo courtesy of My Insanity

How to Organize Cancer Medications

Blitzkrieg had what the oncologist called a “spa day”instead of a chemo treatment last week. They did blood work, exams, played with him, and feed him a redonculous amount of chicken baby food all day.

I'm a dog. I like food, see?

Blitzkrieg let them because he is kind like that.

The doctors feel Blitzkrieg is responding to the new cancer treatment protocol and sent us home with an oral form of that week’s chemo medication.

We are cautiously optimistic.

This is what it takes every day to keep our boy alive.

The only prescription missing from this photo is Blitzkrieg's prescription dog food.

Tie Dye Drop Cloth Shoes

I lived in black cotton Chinese Mary Jane shoes in high school because:

• I also wore them for my color guard uniform.

• China flats are one of the styles that always fit my weird kid sized feet and don’t give me blisters.

I need some kick around summer shoes.  I figure I’ll pick up a pair of China flats in a cute color since I don’t need black as part of a uniform anymore and I’m trying to stick to my One Small Green Change of only buying shoes that fit.

I dyed these shoes with a Tulip Tie Dye Kit. (affiliate link) 

It was easier and less messy than that  fussy stuff in a bucket.  

I didn’t anticipate how hard it was going to be to find a pair of China flats! I finally bought a new pair off eBay for $2.99. The price is right but the color is a bore.

I'm in a Holding Pattern

It only took a few weeks after Blitzkrieg started chemotherapy to put his cancer in remission. Blitzkrieg still needs to keep his weekly appointments and daily medication to keep the lymphoma at bay. As we deal with side affects, good days, and meh days these last two months I didn’t dare utter the word remission because I thought I might jinx things.

Hi everyone.

Last week I started to feel confident about using the word. I was going to update the Blitzkrieg Cancer Treatment Fund page using Remission as the post title.

After Blitzkrieg’s Monday chemotherapy appointment, the oncologist said she wanted to talk to Husband and I. That’s never good.

Blitzkrieg’s lymphoma is back.

DIY Drop Cloth Grill Cover

If it doesn’t move, grill it. That’s my summer cooking mantra. Vegetables, fruit, meat, and fish are all fair game when it comes to grilling.

Learn how I stenciled this grill cover with help from my friends at Plaid Crafts.

A few Christmases ago, we got a gas grill upgrade and a cover to protect it from Ohio winters.

Two years later the grill looks great.

The grill cover does not. 

Mother Nature is the reason we do not have nice things.

How to Remove Furniture Marks from Carpet

I borrowed a steam carpet cleaner to clean the wet and explosive surprises Blitzkrieg left in his wake on an hourly basis when he had a bladder infection due to the chemotherapy.

Fortunately, Blitzkrieg is now back to his fine and fluffy self. My carpeting is another story. I spent an entire afternoon steam cleaning pet stains on the carpeting by the front door. I couldn’t move on to the rest of the living room or house like I normally do. We lived with the living room in the kitchen for several days. And then our bedroom in the computer room. And then the computer room in our bedroom. And then the guest/sewing room in our bedroom.

This is about the time I was considering maid service.  Or a box of matches. 

Bacon Candles

I cut the top off a beer bottle, ground the sharp edges, and filled it with phthalate free bacon scented soy wax and topped it with a lead free wick. 

Why?

• I like candles.
• Husband likes beer.
• Blitzkrieg likes bacon.

I floated the idea of a bacon candle to my foodie friends during a Monday Foodies Nite In Twitter chat (Join us! Please?) They went bonkers for it. No surprise there because bacon always comes up during the chat no matter what the weekly party topic. I don't understand it, but people really love their bacon.  

I made soy beer candles, crème brulee candles, and campfire candles so my bacon candles would not feel lonely in our Blitzkrieg Cancer Treatment Fund booth at the Pet Promise Rescue Run. After the candles cooled, I realized I needed a label. Then I realized I needed something to put on the label. Think. Think. Thinkidy think.

Eat From the Pantry Month Challenge

Husband and I stumbled into May’s One Small Green Change by accident.  I am busy crafting for and building Blitzkrieg’s Pet Promise Rescue Run booth. Add to that Husband’s weekly choir rehearsal, Blitzkrieg’s chemo day, and now my weekly marching band rehearsal it’s been difficult to squeeze time in for grocery shopping except for a quick milk run. Husband goes through almost a gallon a week.

 I relive my high school color guard glory days by twirling flag in two parades each summer. Some things never change. I'm stilled placed by the tubas and am the shortest person in the band.

 

Fortunately, we did a big grocery shopping trip before Crazy Time, which should keep us in fish, meat, and fresh produce for awhile. We really need to work on eating the fresh frozen veggies, 17 cups ofhomemade chicken stock that keep falling out of the freezer and onto my head, and the backup bags of frozen vegetables to make room for this summer’s garden produce. When Husband and I bought seeds last January we bought with our stomachs instead of our heads because this year’s garden will be items I cannot can. I have to freeze whatever we can’t devour in our tiny freezer. Whoops!

DIY Cabinet Door Chalkboard

I’m crafting my tushie off for our Blitzkrieg Cancer Treatment Fund booth at the Pet Promise Rescue Run this Saturday. Please come!

Husband and I will sell Barking Mad Candles for Men (more on that in a later post), braided fleece dog chew toys, t shirt grocery shopping bags, and reclaimed wood signs. The money we raise will help pay for Blitzkrieg’s chemotherapy treatments and extra medical bills we’re having because of side effects from the chemotherapy treatments. You can read an update about Blitzkrieg here.

Thank you for helping me!

I don’t want to spend a lot on the booth itself because we’d have to make that much more money to turn a profit and help Blitzkrieg. Christina from A Mommy Story stepped in and offered us the use of their awning for the event. She crossed a major expense off our list. Thank you Christina!

 

How to Tea Stain Wood

I made a wine box toy box for Blitzkrieg. I wanted to kick up the pale color with a pet safe wood stain. Blitzkrieg already has enough onhis plate fighting cancer; I don’t want to add to it by using a wood stain containing questionable ingredients.
 

Fortunately, I have a lovely honey colored pet safe wood stain in my kitchen cupboard – tea.

I tea stained book pages and used them as wallpaper in my bathroom remodel. Sometimes I tea stain fabric when I make historical costumes.

I also tea stain my pajamas because I am Clumsy Grand Supreme in the morning pre-gallon o' caffeine.

Why not stain wood with tea? Tool Girl experimented with homemade wood stains with interesting results. Let’s try it.

Inspiration Shopping

Some people go to the mall to shop. I go to the mall to recycle. The Easton Town Center service desk takes household batteries, Aveda takes hard plastic bottle caps, and Origins takes plastic tubes for recycling.
 

When I’m in a creative rut, I grab my recycling and go shopping. Not for doodads to perk up my mood – but for ideas. Besides, buying something to perk myself up because I am in a funk never works anyway. I usually regret making the purchase later.

Shopping with my eyes (and camera) is better for me during these times than shopping with my wallet. It's greener too.

Looking at pretty or unusual things gets my creative juices flowing. High-end store, low-end store, new goods or used it doesn’t matter, inspiration can come from anywhere.

On my latest shopping trip, most of my inspiration came from the store displays.

My first stop was Anthropolgie. With a cluster of string spheres, glass balls, and a light kit I bet I can make this interesting accent light.