Quick Fix: Chandelier Makeover

We've had a winter full of surprises. Many of them were not good. Like the furnace breaking twice in the coldest February on record, leaving us with no heat for a month. Or the the day the second floor toilet flushing into the stud space one morning, and a short in a wire causing half the house to lose power in the afternoon. Or the day shortly after that when we woke up smelling gas in the kitchen (easy fix) and ended up with our water heater tagged because it needed a new chimney.
I have spent most of the winter hating my new house, and spending the reno budget on emergency repairs.
But I am trying to like it. I really am. So I am tackling the dining room on a shoe string budget-starting with that fabulous 1980's chandelier.

Quick Fix: Large Designer Toy Bin

I have been looking for a large, crushable, (you know, to reduce the toddler minor head injury screams) moderately good looking toy bin for ages. Then I saw it on Boo and the Boy...

Adorable boy's room. Adorable Blog. You should totally check it out...but later.

It was perfect for Camp Bed Room! Or the playroom, or maybe even the livingroom! Clear floors here I come!

It was $27. For a brown paper bag. I kid you not.

You know I can do better right?

Kid Crafts: Easter Window Clings

It's hard to find activities that challenge my 4 year old and engage, but are not hazardous the Mr. Baby (he will eat ANYTHING). This easy peasy no mess craft was great for both of them.

 

Gates Galore

I do not love baby gates. I mean, I love that they allow me to take a shower with the kids safely contained in their play room and keep the baby from falling down the stairs, but they are not pretty. And they rarely fit at the bottom of the stairs. And the good ones are $60 each and they still break quickly. Only two of my gates survived the move-plastic parts broke and I had to salvage parts from two gates to rebuild the gate at the top of the stairs. Boo. I decided to build something a bit more fun (and stylish and cheap) for the first floor gates.

Kitchen update

The mighty mighty Hubster cleaned the kitchen and polished the countertops this weekend. Didn't he do a great job? I figured that this was the perfect time to snap a few progress shots (even though not too much has changed).

Kitchen Renovation

Ever get to that point with a project where the finishing touches are taking forever and annoying you, and the pictures need to come off your device to make room for the new ios update? I hit that point this week with the kitchen.

I was promising my self that I would wait to do one big kitchen reveal post, but it's time to remind myself just how far we've come before I get too annoyed at how far we still need to go.

Behold the before in all it's water damaged 1950's glory:

You can't see the water damage, but I assure you, it is there.

Quick Fix: Baby Food

We make most of our own baby food here. It's easy, fresh and cheap, but I think the main benefit is knowing exactly what your baby is eating. Not because I don't trust baby food companies, but because it's just easier when you are introducing new foods. (Also because CSID. But that's a whole other conversation.)

At Christmas the Hubster gave me a Black & Decker smoothie blender. At the time I was all "oh, gee...thanks?" But later I figured out all that it could do and thanked him properly. The best feature of this blender is that it fits on mason jars-which is great for so many reasons. Especially baby food.

 

Frozen smoothie treats for teething babies

Most teething treats are starchy and out of bounds for us. Lots of yogurt drop baby finger foods have added sugar or are made with sucrose containing fruits and veggies, so again-out if bounds. But I wanted to make some yummy teething treats for Mr. Baby, and decided to try making frozen yogurt drops. He loves them.

Quick fix: Starry Night Mobile

Camp Bedroom: Chalkboard mural

Oh my goodness! I am so super excited about this one...
I may not have Kim K's behind, but I'd like to think I could break the Pinterest with this post.
It's a how to...
Make a mural...
Make chalk paint...
Make a mural in chalk paint...

Make a chalk board mural with custom chalk paint!

I'm pretty impressed with myself. This was really, really super fun.

 

Just keep moving forward: Boy's CAMP Bedroom

One of the most challenging things about being a Mom to two little ones is juggling their very different needs and schedules. Mostly the schedules. It feels like I am still unpacking and not a single room is 'done' and it is now officially months (plural) since we moved in. I am learning to be content with progress-no matter how minor. That said, today I made a tent!

A much needed slipcover (under $60)

So, I have been a little behind for, um...the last 9 months or so. Between kiddo's diagnosis, baby brother's arrival, selling our house, and now moving into a fixer, it's been a little busy. I realized just how negligent I've been about blogging this morning when I started hunting for photos to list this couch for sale on Craigslist.

Supermom.

I'm not gonna brag or anything, but I'm pretty freakin' awesome at this Mom gig. I mean, I turned an old t-shirt into a superhero cape and mask in no time flat. Who does that? Supermom. That's who.

Quick fix: Play Dough Revival

 Is your play dough lacking luster? Are the sensory spices you added just not sniffable any more? Here's your quick fix. And I mean really quick. These photos are from dinner prep time sometime in late December.

Baby it's cold outside: Quilt-As-You-Go Sweater Quilt

The response to my last post has been humbling and overwhelming. The personal notes and kind words left me speachless at times (I know you don't believe me, but it is true,) and I thank you. You all forced me to see that even though I don't like to hear praise and encouragement when I am angry at the universe, I need to accept that knowing that people are strangely, (and possibly irrationally) confident in my abilities is a life line I am in no position to reject.

I will probably write more about CSID in the future, but for now, it is back to DIYville for some happy happy denial time. I am going to show you how to make a truly easy sweater quilt.

Zen Entertaining and the art of faucet repair.

I hosted my first Christmas this year for my family, because my brother just wanted everyone together, and I am too pregnant to travel comfortably. It was going to be great. Perfect. Beautiful. The menu was set, much was preped ahead of time so I could relax instead of cooking, the decorations were beautiful, the house was clean, so what if the paint wasn't all touched up, and the closets completely cleaned out, faucet was a little loose, it's an old house. I could get to all of that later.

Christmas Greens: Simple secrets from a former florist.

Have you ever wondered how florists and decorators put together those beautiful displays of over the top holiday greens?

Turns out it is easy, and cheap! Follow along to learn how...

DIY little boy stocking stuffer round up

Christmas around here is a DIY fest, and I love it. I might be crazy, but I grew up getting DIY gifts made lovingly by my parents and I think it is a great tradition to carry on. We have a rule that Santa gifts should be conceivably hand made, if not by us (me) then by some one else. It is a great way to support local (and ot so local) artisans and give simpler toys to our kiddo that leave lots of room for open ended creative play-the kind that builds imagination and inquisitive minds.
That said, stocking stuffing can get pricey fast! A little DIY spirit can also stretch the Christmas budget with out skimping on fun! Follow the jump for my picks for toddler friendly stocking stuffers any boy is bound to love!

Quick Fix: Super Easy Slate Trivet

Want to make a super easy, super quick rustic trivet? Are you Craft-Impaired? Can you apply a sticker? Well then. grab a slate roof shingle, some felt furniture pads and follow me!

Quick Fix: Flowers

Flowers make everything cheerier, but sometimes keeping them alive is a challenge. Especially plants that must be watered from the bottom like African Violets. They do sell special pots for this, but I have an easy, cheap fix that I used to use when I worked as a florist during grad school.