From the category archives:

crafts

pinterest challenge

September 16, 2011

Okay, I wish I could say that I LOVE Pinterest … but I get overwhelmed whenever I actually go TO the site. But I do like it for the bookmarking function – when I find something I like, or a tutorial, or a paint color, or a super cute pair of curtains that I decided I MUST have for Lucy’s nursery since Ken would kill me if I put them in our master bedroom, then I like the option of “pinning” it for future reference.

See? Cute Curtains for the Cute Baby Nursery That is Still Not Decorated.

Source: target.com via keli on Pinterest

[oh yeah, this is me on Pinterest. holla!]

Anyway, I decided to use Pinterest for good. I’ve saved a bajillion tutorials and ideas and crafts and shops, and I want to actually DO something with them.

I made this skirt out of an old t-shirt I bought at Goodwill using a tutorial I saved on Pinterest …

Okay, confession … Emma originally had it on backwards.

image 1 – me: “Emma, I think your skirt is on backwards.”

image 2 – Emma: “Really? Where?”

image 3 – Emma: “Oh yeah!! hahahahaha!”

Anyway, I am getting off course … I have decided to challenge myself to do or make or buy something off of my Pinterest boards once a week. That won’t be too hard, right?

I mean, this? Lucy would love.

Source: chezbeeperbebe.blogspot.com via keli on Pinterest

And this? Emma would squeal.

Source: makeit-loveit.com via keli on Pinterest

And for me? A photo challenge for my October 365, perhaps?

Source: superbarbs.tumblr.com via keli on Pinterest

So I’m putting it out there. Once a week, I have to post something I’ve done or made from items I’ve saved on Pinterest. And we’ll see how it goes. You guys have to hold me accountable, m’kay?

I think I’ll start with … these pants for Emma. Dude, it was cold this morning, and my girl’s brand new pair of jeans are about 1/2” too short. WHY must kids GROW!?!?!?

Source: dana-made-it.com via keli on Pinterest

Are you on Pinterest? [add me!] Are you interested in joining a weekly Pinterest challenge?

What are some of your favorite tutorials??

{ 29 comments }

apple red gloss

November 9, 2010

in crafts,emma,house

I know most of you have seen these pictures, but here is what I did this weekend.

before:

after:

So super cute, right?

Ken’s had this bed ever since I’ve known him, and I was never a big fan of it. But since Emma’s been sleeping on a mattress on the floor for a few months, we felt it was time to finally give her a bed.

We have been shopping around for months, but neither of us could justify spending money on a new bed when we had this one stashed in a back bedroom. Ken didn’t care what it looked like, but I really didn’t want to put it into Emma’s room the way that it was originally. So when I came across this blog, I fell in love with that color and decided to do the same.

Three cans of Rust-Oleum Painter’s Touch Ultra Cover 2x in Apple Red Gloss later, we had a bed everyone loved.

Well, Emma originally wanted purple, but I talked her into red.

And then she didn’t want it painted at all. And then she wanted a new bed. And then she wanted to sleep in Lucy’s crib. And then … well, she’s three. This went on for a while.

But I painted it and she loves it, so there.

I love winning.

{ 20 comments }

DIY mousepad & coaster set

November 7, 2009

in crafts,DIY

I wouldn’t consider myself crafty – I don’t have a bunch of handmade stuff in our house, and Emma currently has 2 dresses that I’ve made her, even though I have enough fabric & patterns to make her entire wardrobe.

But in doing this office/playroom remodel, I’ve done everything I could to keep it as cheap as possible. I know cheap is often viewed as a dirty word, but I pay for good furniture and electronics and linens and then cheap out the rest. That’s how I roll.

So when I saw this tutorial for making super cute mousepads, I saved it in my delicious bookmarks for the day I would remodel my office.

Lo and behold, that day finally came, and I whipped this mousepad and coaster set out in less than 15 minutes.

And it was CHEAP!

cork boards – 4 for $1.00
fabric – free from my stash*
double-sided fusible web – $2.50

This set was made from one cork board (there were 2 coasters, but I put one on my bedside table) – and the fabric was stuff I already had, but *you could easily do a set of these from a fat quarter. Maybe even 2 sets if you squeeze everything really tight.

If cheap is a dirty word, then at least make something pretty out of it!

{ 5 comments }

21 months ago …

February 16, 2009

in cloth diapering,crafts,emma,family,house,keli,ken,pictures,sewing,video

Twenty-four months ago, I looked like this …

27 weeks along

I loved being pregnant. Now, I was one of the lucky ones – no morning sickness, no obscene weight gain (34lbs), no stretch marks, light heartburn, little to no discomfort (other than my ribs). The only downside of being pregnant was that it couldn’t last longer. Oh, and the restless leg syndrome that had me putting bars of soap at the foot of our bed and doing crazy stretches at 3am.

on our babymoon to disney world

I understand if some of you now hate me and never want to read anything I write ever again.

And that’s okay. I understand.

I mean, you can hope that whenever I have baby #2, I’ll be sick as a dog 24 hours a day.

But please don’t.

Being pregnant for the first time was really amazing. In fact, it was so wonderful that I often think about trying for baby #2 JUST to be pregnant again. But then reality sets in, and I realize that we are paying our bills and that’s about it. Babies just don’t fit into the equation at this point in our lives. We’re okay with what starting our own business has done to our bank account, but we also know that having a baby right now just wouldn’t be smart.

But the actual point of this post was to say that twenty ONE months ago, I looked like this …

And then like this …

And then like this.

Even labor and delivery was a piece of cake …

6:15pm – water broke at our house
7:15pm – arrived at the hospital
11:45pm – got epidural
5:00am – started pushing
5:59am – Emma Grace arrived

Ever since then, life has been anything but easy.

But just as my pregnancy and then delivery was wonderful and amazing, so is our life with Emma.

She’s not the kid that’s going to entertain guests and make everyone laugh. She’s not going to be the kid who screams and yells to get attention. She won’t strive to be the center of attention or the class clown.

Instead, she will be the kid that everyone is drawn to because she’s so quiet. She’ll be the old soul that everyone falls in love with. She’ll be a listening ear and a strong shoulder for her friends. She’ll love everyone, no matter their faults or shortcomings. And she’ll be generous and kind.

Happy 21 months on this earth, my sweet soulful child.

You have brought us more joy and peace than we ever thought possible.

{ 2 comments }

while she sleeps

March 20, 2008

in crafts,pictures,sewing

I really should be working, but I took a night off and made something for myself. It took about 4 hours, but once I start something, I have to finish it.

No, it’s not a piece of modern art. It’s a hanging organizer. It will eventually go on a rod (the top striped section is the rod casing) – but I tacked it up for pictures.

Want to see how big it is compared to the rest of the wall?

4 hours big.

Next project: craft apron. I’m constantly having to get up and hunt for scissors, marker, seam ripper, etc., so I need something to keep it all right there.

{ 0 comments }

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