Nesting Box Curtains

After a ton of Chicken Coop research - see my Chicken Board on Pinterest here, I realized that the pretty curtains I'd seen in other photos of coops were more than just decoration.

Here are links to my favorite articles on them:

7 Reasons to Hang Curtains
Chicken Coop Curtains 
&
Breaking the Broody

Now I put up the left side first since that where the majority of our chickens like to lay their eggs. It wasn't until the day after I had put the first set of curtains up that we had any of the stated issues.
One minor pecked at egg - the inner film was still intact so it was edible.
In the week following both sets of curtains being up, we haven't had any issues and I'm praying that continues.

The girls seem to enjoy them and they were a snap to put up!

Materials:
One torn old bed sheet
Staple gun
Staples
Scissors

Time: 5 minutes a side.

I took the material out, measured it by hand, cut, stapled, cut up the center and tied off the sides. Seriously that simple.

Now there are different ways to hang curtains, if you click on my board or even search using the words nesting box curtains you will see a variety of styles.
From what I've read I most likely will need to rehang a new set every spring. Time will tell. So far the girls leave them alone.

I will continue to save old sheets and clothing for random projects such as these!

Footstool - Ikea hack

Padded Foot Stool

Time: 2 hours
Cost: 9.99
(more if you don't have all the extra items on hand like I did)

We recently rearranged our living room. The change is a good thing but it did alter one area of my husbands life - he no longer had a place to rest his feet when sitting down.
For someone who had lower lumbar surgery a few years ago, finding a comfortable way to sit is extremely important.
I started to come up with ideas on how I could get him a footstool that at the same time didn't look like something the horrid woman in Harry Potter would use.
Ikea (like always) had a great garden stool called the Vildapel, you can find it in the garden area for roughly $9.99.
Since its meant to be sat on its durable and made well. It took less than 5 minutes to assemble the original stool.
I added a round board, cut up my daughters old jeans, stuffed it with padding and then secured the jean material to the board using our staple gun.
If you look very closely we lined up the holes in the round board to match the slates in the footstool allowing us to easily attach the newly fashioned cushion to the top of stool.
Saying this project took 2 hours is very generous. That includes finding all the materials, lining up boards and a deep house search of the longer zip ties.

Voila! Easy project! Its the perfect height for him and can easily be recovered when and if the material wears out.

Hot/Cold packs

Hot/cold packs
These are amazing!
Versatile, easy to care for and store. Can be made in any shape and size needed.
If you want a professional, well cut, pre-planned perfectly shaped hot,cold ice packs - Please follow this link to Bee in my bonnet.

Mine are more - go with the flow, use what you have... looser less strict packs.
I cut up a few of my kids old/stained clothes.
First I used a pant leg of my daughters to make my husband a hot/cold pack for putting around his neck.

First off find the material you want to use.
Then cut it to the size you want.
Bee in Bonnet suggested two layers.
The inner one being flannel to hold in hot/cold longer.

I cut off the bottom legs off of shorts, then laid them out over a flannel shirt.
Did I mention that I was just doing a fast, loose version?
Yeah I really did mean that, I didn't do any exact measuring.

I did all the sewing by hand.

Each one took me a day (roughly 2-3 hours)

It would only be a few minutes if you do it on a machine, mine happens to be broken at the moment.

I sewed up the sides and then connected the bottoms.

Then flipped it inside out.

 

Filled it with a cup of rice

Again fill it enough so that when it lays flat the rice fills the whole pack at least

a quarter of an inch high across.

My sons and my daughters new ice packs.

They both love them!

Mine was an odd size.

I used the bottom half of my daughters old shirt.

Then cut out the heart design from the top of the shirt and sewed it on.

Mine is longer than the kids but shorter then my hubbies neck pack.

My reason is simple.

I need an ice pack for whenever I mess up my ankle - which lets face it - is pretty often.

I need the hot pack to be the size of my belly - for when the weight and form of a hot water bottle

just won't do.

I rather like it.

4 days, a few cups of rice and some old clothes and everyone in the house has a new rice pack.

If you have a machine it would be done in one day!

Also for those that follow this blog I will no longer be posting any of my gardening tips, photos, ect here.

All of that is moving over to my food blog, Garris Cooking.

I encourage you to check it out, follow and enjoy!

I post recipes for household cleaners, beauty products, food and now gardening tips.

All dye free.

Growing Up

I bought this dress one month ago. My daughter wore it once and came home, took it off and then pulled me into the bed room.
"Mama, this made me hurt.... here." All women can guess where she meant.
I promised to fix it.

One day (yesterday, it took me a while to find a whole afternoon that I could sew)

Technical babble - a few months ago I organized my bed sheets, by placing the fitted, top and extra pillow case inside of one pillow case. That way the whole set is there on hand, easy to grab. No more digging.
Also no more extra sheets - I found I had 3 extra top sheets.
Instead of throwing them away, I saved two for a quilt that I will be working on come fall/winter time.
The third I saved for random bit of this and that.

This was one of those random bits!

The main problem with my girl developing is that certain parts are tender - thankfully not growing - but still preparing for womanhood to bloom. (Crap - way to flippin soon!)
The dress was crinkly in the front and the folds rubbed her the wrong way.
I added one soft layer of cloth - stitched it on.
Praying that when I pick her up in an hour she will still be happy with her new summer dress!

On another note - CRAP, my girl is growing up! I can't believe that I grew up that fast either! Its sad but true, I just wish she could stay my little girl for a while longer!

3,4,5 - Anniversary Week Continues

For first time readers - Today is our 10th anniversary. To celebrate my hubby took 10 days off, to see the full idea and read about the first 2 days please visit here.

Day 3: Start the kids playground together, also family movie night.

Day four: Innuendo day (thus the flowers above - really hard to photo twisting words)
Out of all the days thus far, four was the funnest!

Day Five: Stared one way and became another.

First I got a super cool box from my sister.
A b-day present for Littleman & a green cleaning set for me - she's noticed on my recipe blog all my home made cleaners and wanted to support me.

I made a huge batch of home made laundry soap see recipe here.

Made dinner then sat down and as a family we watched, We bought a zoo. (cute show)

After that we were going to watch old home movies - our wedding, kids baby videos and so on.
That was cut short by a massive storm front that moved in. Hard rain and 70 mph wind.blew out our power.

Luckily both my husband and I love candles - so we are always prepared when the lights go out!
After losing power we lite all the candles, grabbed a few blankets and found an old abbot and costello program to listen to on my hubby's cell phone.
The kids fell asleep on the couches, and my hubby and I walked down memory lane.
All in all a beautiful night.

10 days for 10th anniversary

Wow!
I have a lot to say so the shortest is - THANK YOU JESUS! Last night I went down stairs to turn off the lights and I smelled a awful smell, a few minutes later I found one of my son's shirts bundled up INSIDE his bedroom light about to catch on fire - really huge burn marks all over it!
So grateful I went down there! We could have lost our home last night!

Our tenth wedding anniversary is Friday. To celebrate Hubby took off 10 days. Ten days to celebrate 10 years.
Each day I have an envelope full of things for us to do - we pick one a day and voila! That's our special family time. Some days are family days - other days are couple days. To mark the difference I wrote, "need babysitter." on the special day envelopes.
This is very important as I wrote them all out a month ago when I had the idea, but didn't know when people would be available to watch the kids.

Day One:

Water balloon fight with our kids and all the neighborhood kids!


Day Two:

Family game night & Fondue!

We had a very yummy cheese fondue with two sausage's and a garlic bread
Then games! Lots and lots of games.
Then finished the night with Chocolate fondue, served with grapes, angel food cake & banana's.
Strawberries would have been nice, but the store didn't have a good selection.

I don't know what tomorrow's envelope will bring, but I know that it doesn't have to cost a lot to mean a lot.
I will try to keep up on photos and ideas.

However before I leave you I will offer one marriage advice tip:

When you fight (all couples fight) finish it to the end. I don't care how many times you have to say - that's not what I meant. I said this but meant this. I feel this about ----. I need you to hear....
Don't just get frustrated and quit. It's important to be heard and understood - you may need to breathe, start over and try again, but don't let it drop.
Any time you let something drop - as a peace keeping tool - it can fester.
You can finish an argument without coming to agreement.
You can calm down and finish a fight without heat.
Remember marriage is all about the long game.
You picked this person to marry because you wanted to grow old with them - to share your life with them.

Rewards and Barbies

Most parents want the best for their child. The most for their child. For their child to be amazing - somehow in someway.
Each parent/child relationship is different and built on different wishes.
Some want smart children, others well dressed and well styled, nice, sweet, obedient, calm, street smart, open, talented... this list I am sure never really ends, it just changes as they grow older.

Scrap Quilting

Quilting is one of the most versatile things in the world - there is a style out there for everyone!

Mine however, does break many rules. Most quilts you attach all three layers together with some form of pattern or stitching.
The front is going to be a compilation of needle point & my children's clothes - the ones that are beyond reusing or handing down.

Renewal and is Pinterest for you?

For those new to my blog if you want the full story please read the links under - The Path to Me - page on the page bar of my blog.

Why? Well because that is where the story starts for me. I went into deep depression and then it became a habit. Not thinking, feeling, focusing or caring is a very dangerous apathetic habit.
Only with the help of depression meds (that all sorts of studies say don't work, I say after six years of trying to pull my self up - Oh Hell Yes they do!) was I able to start to wake my brain back up. To fully sleep at night, and truly awake in the morning.

At first the task is daunting. I am so behind in everything. The whole house must be cleaned, organized, sorted and redone. Things that have been long put off are finally caught up on - many times I want to return to numbness as the ever growing list of things to do, and people who are watching, continue to grow.
The pressure I am sure would crush many, for me it only serves to make me angry.
For me though, that's a good thing - I clean better when I am angry.

For six months I battle before I even feel like I am finally getting ahead of things! Its a very long slow process.
Being awake again, has brought new things to my attention and has again sparked my creative side!
I started making and fixing more things at home (darning, repairing, reusing & Home Made products) and then I joined pinterest.

Where I found a new organizing tip! Instead of shelving your sheets like grandma did, you fold the whole set top, fitted & extra's INSIDE the matching pillow case!
Brilliant! I only wish I had done this when the kids were younger! Night time bed changes would have been so much easier!
No digging or searching just add them into piles - boys, girls, king, queen & twin. Voila!

Also going through my linen closet I was able to determine which sheets were loners - extras - leftovers.

Instead of throwing these away 

I'm going to start a scrap quilt.

Now a scrap quilt is much different then the beautiful quilts you see with patterns.

However, I will save all of that for another post ;).

Also I made our family a chore chart - I keep getting in trouble for NOT being a mind reader! I do a ton of work but because it's NOT what HE wanted done - he's not happy. I know, I feel his pain too - boo hoo!
Now he can write down one thing and I can write down one thing! Brilliant!

Now on to Pinterest and if it's for you!
First off many wonder what pinterest is and if its for them.
Here are the basic questions I have to help you.

1. Do you often find recipes, blogs, tips, hints & good ideas and say - That Rocks!
2. Do you do, How to - Do-It-Yourself or crafting projects?
3. Do you like gardening? cooking? scrapbooking? -------- fill in any hobby right here!
4. Do you like to keep up on certain products or items?
5. Have ever found something (online) that makes you say OMG! That is amazing! 

If you have answered a loud yes to more than 3 of the 5 questions and you don't have a pinterest YOU NEED IT. If you answered with a mild yes to 3 or more, you would like pinterest and get on every few weeks as needed.
If you only said yes to one or two - pinterest may or may not be for you - you should give it a try and decide then.
If you shook your head No, or didn't even understand half the questions -Pinterest is not for you - most possibly neither is the internet.

Valentines Day Pampering

First off I stated by taking the kids to school - if you want a nice morning of pampering getting rid of the kids is a MUST!
Next I made my version of Lemon Sugar Scrub, substituting Lime for Lemon - you can also use a scented oil - I wouldn't I really like the acid of of the citrus it gets rid of all sorts of smells - including garlic.

I cleaned the bathtub - I know most people already have a clean tub - but if I am going in for a nice long soak I like to double check.
Made the water as hot as I could - added some bath salts, soaked, shaved, relaxed, inhaled my scentsy and just was.
After washing my hair & adding in the conditioner I emptied out the tub (I know you wondering where all this detail is going - be patient) then I grabbed my new scrub and rubbed it every where decent you can apply it.
Here's the thing. For those of you out there that like salt scrubs - they dry out your skin. The do exfoliate - but they also damage.
Using salts in your bath is a good way to prep your body to shed skin - without drying out your skin.
Sugar scrubs are just as exfoliating (I think they are a little better due to smaller granules).

Then of course I washed off under hot - then warm water. Ending the shower on a colder tone help to re-close the pores.

Also side note: another bonus to using a sugar scrub instead of a salt is if you end up accidentally liking your fingers it isn't that gross.

After then I pat dried and sat in my towel allowing the rest of the oil to soak into my skin for at least half an hour.
My skin hasn't felt this great in years - why? - because I rarely take time to take care of myself.
Take a moment figure out when you can pamper yourself for just a little bit - turn one regular part of your routine into something extra special.
This is cheap - easy and WONDERFUL!

The above recipe is normally for Hand Scrub - do not use to often on your body or you will also hurt your skin!

Tea Patio Dreams

We all have hopes and dreams.
My simple dream for the longest time, was to have a home.
A home with a fenced yard, with space for a garden and a play area for the kids.
God rewarded our waiting with more than we had hoped for.

Gosh Darn it!

I have a confession to make.
I hate darning
Ironically though
I'm good at it.

See first it's there and then its gone!

Crafty Feelings and Eye Masks

Now I know you are all wondering just what I was up to yesterday ~ I have changed all 3 of my blog looks (again) and have been somewhat hyper lately what with cleaning and all...add to that this post title and you may be wondering if I have knocked over a bank.

Art & Free Advice!

My little girl (Prissy) is an artist - very much like her papa and auntie. So today we bought her a new art set.

My son (LittleMan) seems to have acquired my artistic talent - meaning I am GREAT painting ceramic Christmas houses - coloring in between the lines.... and writing, did I mention I am a really good writer?

So far he is taking after me - as in the can not draw my minds eye for ANYTHING! Praying that he will grow into more of his fathers talents as he ages!

So far the best part is that just like me - he doesn't care. Painting in and of itself is fun! Love the heart and the joy he brings to his art work!

This is the new art work gracing the walls of the kids down stairs living room. Why the previous owners used dark paneling in a dimly lit basement is beyond me, however, we are trying to lighten it up until the time we can afford to re-panel. (not very high on our to do fix it list)

Anything and everything we can do to bring some brightness and cheer to their area we will do - we want them to WANT to be down there!

Tomorrow I will post pictures of my newest obsession - organizing!!!

Did I mention that finally after several years I feel awake? Oh yeah - I am cleaning (amazing I know) don't get you hopes up though my bedroom is still a disaster!! (working on it tomorrow - or just crying thinking about working on it) I am organizing, cooking, helping with homework and keeping pace with life in general!

So glad that I took time - real time - for me and my problems this summer. Its funny but I kept putting it off because my family needed other things - "they" were more important ect ect ect....
Now, however, that I am ME again and my mind and body are fully awake, I can tell you that putting off taking care of me hurt them far more then it helped them.
They needed me - not the zombie drone barely awake, barley functioning me - the real me.
After I took a small amount of time I knew I should have taken care of my issues so many years ago. I can never make up to my family the years my putting "me" off cost them.
If you have depression, exhaustion, no motivation, lack of caring - please seek help!

Dogs and Dragons!

I bought this set of dragon fly mirrors the other day at Target

My BFF helped me add them to my wall!

They are tiny mirrors and they look amazing!

Also my doggies before and after shots!

Girls, Dress and Sewing!

 

There are days when good ideas aren't good

Like when I thought I could whip up a dress in one day

out of things I had lying around.

Two sewing machine break downs later and a sore thumb

I had the dress finished save the ribbon sleeves.

A few days later I begged my step mom to help

And voila! one dress!

and possible help on fixing my sewing machine!

She LOVES pink!

Project needs

material

velcro

thread

TIME

and general know how to do a basic stitch!

Helping my BFF!

Here was our list

Faucet - done

(signs and trees I didn't take photos of but they are done)

Threshold does not need to be fixed yet - so next time!

My BFF and I actually put this together in a matter of minutes!

Hubby did the swing (love it!)

Then he fixed the playground bench

As for the brownies you will need to follow the link!

Brownies!

Today is better than yesterday only due to having such great friends

To Read how my Birthday went click HERE!
Its a major rant!

New love found!

The Shabby Nest is offering a giveaway for one of the coolest new toys!

Its called the Silhouette, it can cut magnets, vinyl, paper, almost anything and it does it! Like a printer only it cuts out the items you need!
If I wasn't scrapped for cash buying our new home I would buy this without trying to win it!

Run on by check out the blog, check out the site. If anyone has ever used these please let me know what you think of it.

Great furniture ideas!

I would love so many of these in my home!
Furniture video link

Sorry I am not sure how to post the video to the blog - have not done that here before.

I've redone the chairs again!

My kitchen chairs before

New material
New staple gun
and a great helping family

After!

I just love the new sleek look, they flow great from our blue and cream living room into my cream and going green kitchen.
Shiney!

Best part of the redo no one got hurt! I know amazing right!
Now I have to finish cleaning and tidying up the house for the party on Sunday, and yes when I say party I mean just a family get together.
This year we are keeping things simple for right now, we may throw a summer party later to celebrate the weight loss.
 I am only down ten but Hubby is down 63 pds!