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Showing posts with label DIY. Show all posts
Showing posts with label DIY. Show all posts

Monday, August 08, 2011

I'm Still in Love With Turquoise

I may have run out of turquoise spray paint, but I'm still in love with turquoise, as is evidenced by the following...


(Except I'd wear grey Toms instead of sandals, and I probably wouldn't have the courage to wear polka dots.  So not the sweater.  Especially since it has a bow, which isn't really "me".)


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Beth at Babyette is gorgeous, as is this lovely sling!



Ok, maybe this (and the next one?) is blue.  Whatever.  I love it anyway.

Source: etsy.com via Natalie on Pinterest


Source: etsy.com via Natalie on Pinterest


I have a necklace by this etsy seller with dark brown beads, and I love it.  It's really sturdy, AND when a bead broke (our fault all the way)  the seller was a total dream to work with and fixed it at no extra charge.

So... turquoise.  Just seems like summer to me!  :)  What colors are you loving right now?  Gray seems to be making a big splash right now, especially with yellow...

Friday, July 15, 2011

Pinterest-ing


Home inspiration board...

Style inspiration board...


I've been enjoying Pinterest... such a fun way to collect inspiration pictures and ideas!  :)  You can see my boards here.  I can't decide whether I need to have lots of specific boards - individual rooms of the house, for example - or just big boards of broader things, but either way it's working and I've found some really fun ideas to inspire future projects.  If anyone needs an invite you can email me or leave your email in a comment!

Also, Micah says I can paint our piano. Yesssssss.  But what color? 

Thursday, May 05, 2011

41 Weeks

Accessories are vital to balance the belly! ;)
Well, I've done it again.  Our estimated due date has come and gone and I'm still gestating away over here.  Last pregnancy I went a full two weeks past our estimated due date (which apparently was wrong, based on Miriam's newborn assessment, she looked closer to 39 weeks than 42), and although I'm hoping not to do the same or further this time I'm getting pretty close.  Sunday will mark 42 weeks!

A few people have asked "How long will 'they' let you go?" or "When will you need to induce?"  Happily, in our case those kinds of decisions can be based solely on how baby and I are doing, not our due date or official policies.  In some states midwives' licensing requirements do not allow them to attend births past 42 weeks.  If that were the case I would be more concerned about going to 42 weeks, but thankfully we don't need to worry about that, only about how well mama and baby are doing.

Going by what last time looked like, I'm guessing that at 42 weeks we'll set up an appointment for an ultrasound, have some tests done, and evaluate any concerns that come up.  Last time we went into labor the day before setting up the appointment, so I am not entirely sure what all would be entailed if we did make it to that point.

So, barring any complications, I'll just continue daily life, and keep bouncing on the exercise ball, nursing the toddler, and drinking red raspberry leaf tea. (I may also eat pineapple in ridiculous quantities, take evening primrose capsules daily, start making spicy meals, scrub my floors on hands and knees, take daily long walks, and resign myself to being pregnant forever.)

I was reading this tonight, though, and feeling encouraged about the value of waiting for labor to start on it's own...
"In the last weeks of pregnancy, maternal antibodies are passed to the baby—antibodies that will help fight infections in the first days and weeks of life. The baby gains weight and strength, stores iron, and develops more coordinated sucking and swallowing abilities. His lungs mature, and he stores brown fat that will help him maintain body temperature in the first days and weeks following birth. The maturing baby and the aging placenta trigger a prostaglandin increase that softens the cervix in readiness for effacement and dilatation. A rise in estrogen and a decrease in progesterone increase the uterine sensitivity to oxytocin. The baby moves down into the pelvis. Contractions in the last weeks may start the effacement and dilation of the cervix. A burst of energy helps pregnant women make final preparations, and insomnia prepares them for the start of round-the-clock parenting.
The watchful waiting and the intense wanting of the big day to arrive are all part of nature's plan. When the baby, uterus, placenta, and hormones are ready, labor will start. Additionally, all that preparation sets the stage for an easier labor and a fully mature baby who is physiologically stable and able to breastfeed well right from the start." - from 'Saying “No” to Induction', by Judith A. Lothian
 
On the plus side, I've been finishing up some loose ends in the last few weeks... like this half completed maternity skirt that has been sitting in a box of projects, forgotten, for months.  Oops.  It was very simple to make once I sat down and did it... I took the waistband from a worn out pair of favorite maternity pants, then cut out a simple skirt and stitched them together and hemmed.  Very easy!  And pretty nice to have something "new" to wear at this point. ;) 

Also, I'm enjoying some lovely maternity photos that my awesome sister in law took.  That is a first this pregnancy and I'm so glad that it worked out to have them done!




I think this one is my favorite.  :) 

Now, I'd better get to bed.  Just in case I (hopefully!) go into labor in the middle of the night.

Tuesday, August 17, 2010

paint it turquoise! paint it turquoise!

It wouldn't be fair to Martha to blame her for my recent spray painting spree, but I do just love this cover and since it has turquoise in it it seemed a fitting photo to kick off this post!

My husband recently bought me two cans of turquoise spray paint.  So far I have painted two lamps, two dinner plates, a glass bottle and lid, a few clothespins, a disposable diaper box with the flaps cut out (they make great storage bins, they even have handles!) and the lid to a kitchen canister.  :)

I had forgotten how relaxing it is to watch something transform with paint.

How refreshing it is to create something that will stay that way... unlike the good dinner or carefully made bed or folded laundry or clean dishes, all stacked in place.

Those things all have their own unique sense of satisfaction and accomplishment, but there is an added satisfaction, for me, in knowing that unlike many of my tasks which are done over and over and over, this will stay and look good (hopefully) and not revert to it's previous state.

 Although sometimes an undo button might not be such a bad thing, like when I accidentally did not cover quite enough of the sidewalk while painting the second lamp.  A friend suggested I spray paint it grey over the turquoise, but my husband objected that it might look as if I had covered up graffiti on our sidewalk.  I refrained from saying that technically he would be within reason to consider my spraying the sidewalk turquoise as graffiti, but I think he has enough reason to roll his eyes at my liberal use of spray paint without that, thankyouverymuch.

Anyway. Without further ado, here is one of my projects that I'm particularly pleased with.  I purchased a set of two of these lamps at a garage sale for $3 quite a while ago, and we've been using one as our office lamp.  I didn't like it, though, and I had originally planned on spray painting it all white... but then I had the turquoise... and I thought it would be really cheery and fun with it.

I have a quick tip for you if you're spray painting a lamp... if you have a dead light bulb (the one in our office lamp was dead - thank you procrastination!), then put it in/leave it in before painting.  It will save you the trouble of masking the round hole there to keep from gunking up the light bulb socket! I saved the turquoise bulb from the first lamp and used it on the second.


I love it.  :)  It makes me smile to see it, especially since I switched out the (rather staid) shade that had been on it with this funky one.  It seems to fit with the turquoise better.



Have you revamped anything lately?  :)  Do you think one can ever have too much turquoise?  And do you know of anything that needs sprayed turquoise?

'Cause I'm looking around my house persuading myself that everything I see does not need to be turquoise... or does it...



Also, if you haven't seen House of Turquoise... :)


Wednesday, February 10, 2010

Valentine's Hearts

I am not very good at crafts, but I did a very simple one recently, and it turned out, so I'm excited to share it with you all! :)

I basically did this, but punched two holes instead.  The salt dough is easy- just 1/2 cup salt, 1/2 cup warm water, 1 cup flour, then mix (I added red food coloring!) and bake at 250 for around two hours (until hard.)

Here is the proof are the pictures...

The baked hearts...
My beloved ball of twine... perfect for so many things, and cheap, to boot!
That funky looking heart there was what I did with the leftover dough. :)
I threaded the twine through the holes of the hearts... 
I made those with a straw, and it was easy since the dough stuck in the straw and it punched it out nicely.
Then pull it through the other side, and take a picture of your feet.  This step is essential. ;)
Decide how long you want your hanging loop to be.  Then tie it, trim your ends...

... and hang it somewhere fun!
Or quirky... ;)

Happy Valentine's Day (a little early...)!