Sunshine Art

Images of the sun and sun shine always makes me feel happy.  So when I saw this beautiful piece of sunshine art that Cheri made at IAmMommaHearMeRoar.net, I added it to a monstrous list of things I want to do...someday.  She in turn was inspired by this post by InspiredByCharm.com.  I loved both pieces.  Simple, sweet, and heart-warming.

Now, again this was on my list-o-things I would love to do, but not particularly on my radar, until my son who started kindergarten this year wanted to make something for his old preschool teacher, Miss LaTonya.

We found Miss LaTonya at our second preschool experience.  She was/is a Godsend.  Our son didn't care to learn his letters or numbers until he met Miss LaTonya.  After he joined her class, he wanted to go to school.  He didn't cry when he had to go to school.  He made friends.  He grew exponentially both mentally and socially.

Union Jack Jeans

One of my favorite bloggers, Ashley at makeit-loveit.com, who is very talented with her sewing machine, found these fabulous jeans at Gap (that's her picture to the left) with a Union Jack patch made out of jean material.  She also provides a tutorial on how she duplicated this look.

Now I loved this look so much, that I did my own.  The only difference, is that I didn't cut a hole in perfectly good pair of jeans to sew my union jack patch on.  I used it as a patch on a knee that my son had blown out.  So another pair of pants saved!  Give him a few weeks (sometimes days) on a pair of pants and the knees are shot.

Lucky me, my husband was ready to toss 2 pairs of jeans that he had worn holes in awkward places that just weren't repairable anymore.  Score for upcycling!

Coat Rack with a Cubby

Our mud room/laundry room is very busy with 2 boys and 2 adults.  Scarves, gloves and hats are generally tossed here or there, usually far and wide when it comes to my boys. 

"Where is my hat, Mama?" is a very common question at my house when the cold winter wind is blowing. 

Also common is me thinking to myself, "How should I know?!  You wore it/them/whatever last." but responding with the calmest tone I can produce in whatever our situation is at the time, "I don't know.  Where did you put it?" 

Those of you with children will likely know the response that many younger children produce when faced with this question.  "I don't know," or "I don't remember." 

So, what do I do?  A hat (or whatever) hunt ensues with my child following behind and asking me where their lost item is, and "What did you do with it, Mama?"  If I am stressed, this usually results in me sternly reminding him that I didn't do anything with it because if I did, I would know where it is.

Shoe Crates and the Shoe Problem

While I have always been crafty and despite the fact that my own father, Grandpa, makes furniture, I have always been afraid of woodworking myself.  I have helped sand wood, glue wood, clamp pieces together, screw things, nail things, saw things.  You would think I can't be afraid of wood working.  I guess I was afraid of failure, afraid that I didn't have the necessary tools to actually accomplish my ideas or that I would not be able to do it without my Dad's help.  And let me tell you, we have fairly different ascetics and ideas on how things should be done.

Well, thanks to Ana White I am no longer afraid.  Around Christmas time last year I found this brag post on Ana's site based on her step by step plans.  It was an answer to a prayer: what to do with all the shoes? I have 2 boys and a husband.  I am the girl, so I should have more shoes, right?  Not so.

My husband is German.  So like most Germans we leave our shoes at the door to minimize the dirt that is tracked into the house. (We do a lot of things like the Germans...) We used to have 2 of these very useful shoe wracks from IKEA, but we just had too many shoes.

Score! 80s Cool Vintage Fabric

Is the 80s vintage yet?  It makes me feel old, but that is what I am going to call it.

My family and I ate dinner last night with my parents, a.k.a. Grandma and Grandpa.  While they are still settling into their house coming up on a year now in November, Grandma discovered some fabric that she wanted to give to Good Will.  Lucky me, she asked me if to take a look at it first.


This blue knit with matching crazy mesh pattern fabric is the real prize!

Bucket List

Here is my DIY Bucket List: a list of all the crafts and projects that I want to complete.  I expect it to grow exponentially, but I will link to all my posts when I accomplish one.  Many of my projects will be an attempt to solve storage space in our shrinking home (~1600sq/ft).

• Flat bookcase inspired by Ana Whites wall rack to go behind my kid 1 bedroom door.
• Flat bookcase inspired by Ana Whites wall rack to go behind my kid 2 bedroom door.
• Bunk beds for my boys.  I am going for a combo of these 2 ideas:
  
• Daybed for our living room.
• Over door storage basket in bathroom that is actually small.
• Gut master bathroom
• Gut second bathroom
• Craft cart on wheels that I can roll out of the way - imagine this only smaller
  
• Cool upcycled denim potholders
• Cool upcycled denim floor mat - image this on your floor