Us vs. the Leaves

If it were up to Matt, he'd never remove the leaves. He doesn't think he needs to tamper with nature or God. I, however, eventually get sick of looking at them.

We resisted a leaf blower for a long time. I have issues with gassing up lawn tools to take care of nature. Polluting to make a pretty lawn just kind of irks me. But we finally bought an electric leaf blower. Partly because we can't rake the new patio, and we have a long driveway and I hate the sound of rakes scraping concrete. Worse than fingernails on a chalkboard to me. (Yes, we sweep it, but that takes forever, and sometimes you just quickly rake the edges. You know what I mean.)

Matt and I are in disagreement though. I think after using it, that a leaf blower only makes you feel like it's less work, but that it doesn't actually save you anything at all. Matt says, not so! It really is less labor (though he admits probably not less time).

He's wrong of course. :) But what do you think? For me, I can rake faster than I blow the leaves because when you blow them you have to go back and forth and there is not nearly as much control. I also think the blower is heavy and so my back hurt more when I was done. Matt has more upper body strength so he thought it was less achy to use the blower.

The part I like though is the vacuum attachment. You can suck up the leaves and it chops them into a bag. This at first seems like it would take longer, but I raked and put leaves in the wheelbarrow, wheeled it to where they needed to go, dumped it, came back and did this five more times. With the vacuum, it was two trips. Plus the vacuum works better in planting beds and on our patio.

But I have to say, walking around vacuuming your yard just feels weird!

Art Adventure: Play Dough Re-do

Do your kids love the same projects over and over again like mine? With the school year, I've been able to only do about one project a week with them, and play dough was once again demanded. But I have new followers who may not have seen the recipe yet, so it bears repeating. :)

Art doesn't have to be kept forever. One of the best ways for little (and weaker) hands to practice sculpture is with simple play dough. And this is what the boys asked for this week.

So this is the recipe I use when I make it (and the kids can help make it too!):

Play Dough

Combine 1 1/2 cups water with 2 tablespoons mineral oil*; set aside.

Combine 2 cups flour, 1/2 cup salt, 2-4 tablespoons cream of tartar (I typically use 2 tablespoons) in a saucepan.

Over medium heat, add water mixture and stir constantly.

It will seem lumpy, then sticky,

then it will form a ball.

Once that happens, take off heat and cool for five minutes.

When you can handle it, knead the dough with your hands. Separate into as many balls as you desire different colors.

Add several drops of food coloring to your dough ball and knead it through.

We stuck bags on our hands because we didn't have gloves and we were getting pictures done. Didn't want blue hands for that!

And that's it. You are ready to play!

We have several play dough tools. You can use your homemade play dough with your store-bought toys and tools.

Stick it in a bag when you are done to keep for another day.

*I use mineral oil because the dough will then keep at room temperature for quite awhile (we've never tested past a couple months). Vegetable and olive oil can be used, but then you should stick it in the fridge to prevent it from becoming rancid. I happen to think the mineral oil smells better in the dough too.

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Growth!

Before I even begin, I have to say, this is a great project for renters! A portable growth chart.

Honestly, I wish I'd thought of this sooner. Actually, I saw something similar on a blog, didn't mark it, but it stuck in my brain and I could never find it again. If it was you, let us know. :)
 

What's up with all the rambling today? I sure wish I'd just get on with it. ;)

Okay. After we bought the house, Matt wanted to mark the kids' height on the wall. So he did. This is what it looked like.

Um, yeah, kind of messy.

Sort of drove me nuts. But it was in pencil because we were never in full agreement as to where it should be done. That means it was easy to change.

This is jute webbing.

Used in upholstery.

I just held it up and decided how long I wanted it. I think I used about 2 yards. Maybe 2 1/2. I bought 3 to be on the safe side. It only cost $.99/yd. at Hobby Lobby.

On the top edge, I folded it over just a bit and hot glued it down so that there would be a little pocket for the hanging string.

On the bottom, I just folded it over and hot glued it flat.

I suppose you could add trim if you wanted. I like it simple.

I tied my string to a chopstick and threaded it through the pocket.

Untied it from the chopstick, tied a regular knot, then shifted it around so the knot and ends were hidden inside the pocket.

One little nail at the top for hanging, but then the end was all wiggly.

So one finishing nail at the bottom holds it down, and you can't see it unless you are looking.

Other options: use a little dowel in the pocket, or use a pretty ribbon. Instead of nailing the bottom, you could glue metal washers to the back at the bottom to hold it down.

So, then I just transferred the last measurements onto the jute. (We will do new measurements in January.)

We make the mark, then find out the measurement and label the mark with name, date, and height.

I used metal washers. I had intended to use the little tags with the metal edging, but I kept forgetting to buy them when I was out and about.

I love the washers, but I did add a couple finishing nails to the top since they are heavier than paper tags. I used floral wire to attach them.

If we move, we can take these memories with us. All we have to do is hang it up again, checking that one of the heights mark is at the right level.

And lest you think I get things right on the first try:

Front and back, lots of mess ups until I was satisfied.

This post may be linked at the following parties (for their Blog Buttons see my Link Love page): (M) C.R.A.F.T., Amaze Me Monday, Sumo's Sweet Stuff,  (T) A Little Birdie Told Me  Stories of A to Z, The Blackberry Vine, How To's Day , Type A, Amaze Me August, , Show Me What Ya Got,  Our Country Road (W) Wow Me,  Blue Cricket Design, What I Whipped Up, Wicked Awesome Wednesday, Sweet Peas & Bumblebees (TH)   Creative Juice, Thrifty 101 , Smilemonsters , Everything But the Kitchen Sink, Shabby Chic Cottage, Thrifty Thursdays, House of Hepworth's,  (F) Fingerprints on the Fridge, Furniture Feature Friday,  Lovely Crafty Weekend , Remodelaholic, For the Kids Fridays, , Craft Goodies, (Sat) Tatertots and Jello , Anything Goes , Funky Junk Interiors (Sun) Creative Blog & Hop, Sundae Scoop, Under the Table and Dreaming

Pinterest to the rescue!

So, I really thought we were going to need to go out and buy a new dishwasher. My first clue was the fact that after a cleaning cycle, the dishes were coming out completely dirty.

I was not happy about this. We plan to upgrade our appliances someday, but it was a bit down on the list. And, we just bought Karl (our sofa). I didn't need another big expense. Grr.

But, after seeing a bunch of "fix your dishwasher" pins on Pinterest, I looked up a couple of the sites and figured it was worth a shot. We mainly went by The Family Handyman.

Apparently, the filters, float, and spray nozzles all get clogged. Did you know this? 

I have never before cleaned a dishwasher like this. Okay, let's be honest. I don't like gunk. I made Matt clean it. :) Pretty sure there was something about gross gunk cleaning in his vows.

It's like magic. I kid you not. My dishes are coming clean again! Having Matt clean all that out is going on the spring cleaning list. So, if you dishwasher is not cleaning well, seriously, try cleaning it first.

I wonder, now, how many people throw out their dishwasher without ever realizing it just needed to be cleaned? 

This post may be linked at the following parties (for their Blog Buttons see my Link Love page): (M) C.R.A.F.T., Amaze Me Monday, Sumo's Sweet Stuff,  (T) A Little Birdie Told Me  Stories of A to Z, The Blackberry Vine, How To's Day , Type A, Amaze Me August, , Show Me What Ya Got,  (W) Wow Me,  Blue Cricket Design, What I Whipped Up, Wicked Awesome Wednesday, Sweet Peas & Bumblebees (TH)   Creative Juice, Thrifty 101 , Smilemonsters , Everything But the Kitchen Sink, Shabby Chic Cottage, Thrifty Thursdays, House of Hepworth's,  (F) Fingerprints on the Fridge, Furniture Feature Friday,  Lovely Crafty Weekend , Remodelaholic, For the Kids Fridays, , Craft Goodies, (Sat) Tatertots and Jello , Anything Goes , Funky Junk Interiors (Sun) Creative Blog & Hop, Sundae Scoop, Under the Table and Dreaming

Art Adventure: Leaf Rubbing and Watercolor

Let's mix two fun things together to make fall pictures.

Leaf Rubbing and Watercolor

Supplies:

• paper
• leaves
• crayons
• watercolor paints
• brush

First gather a few leaves to make your rubbing. It helps if they are not competely dry and brittle so they are easier to handle.

Lay a leaf on the table so the ribs are facing up. 

Lay the paper on top of that and color across the whole leaf with a crayon. This creates the leaf rubbing.

Do this several times. It's okay if they overlap.

Then get out the paint. And these don't have to be fancy, just the kid's watercolor pans are great. Just paint across the whole picture with one or more colors.

The crayon resists the paint because it is made of wax, so even if you paint directly on the crayon, the watercolor will pull away and you will still see the crayon in the finished product.

It becomes even more prominent when it is completely dry. (I was a bit impatient when I snapped these pictures.)

Kitchen Crashing: Almost there!

Well, color is done and it looks great. Floors, cabinets, new sliding doors are all in. They have a contractor that is helping install all the big stuff. Considering they revamped the whole layout, it was probably a good idea to have some professional help.

There is so much natural light now! So much in fact these pictures are overly bright.

Appliances are still to come, but they will be going stainless (last I heard anyway).

The counters will be granite.

It has a little more variety than Diana first wanted, so I'm super excited that she branched out. :)

By the way, Diana keeps telling me that I'm too nice describing all this to you, and that I should tell you that she is crazy and wants everything very boring. 

Yeah, except with only minor prodding she painted her kitchen purple, picked a non-rectangular tile, and on her own went for the granite with more variety. Boring? Nah. Definitely tasteful and classic though.

I'm standing with my back against the fridge when I took this. It's sitting in the living room at the moment. The crazy arrangements you have to make to get through a remodel!

It's so close! Back splash and counters need to be installed and the new sink along with the counters and then the appliances.

This post may be linked at the following parties (for their Blog Buttons see my Link Love page): (M) C.R.A.F.T., Amaze Me Monday, Sumo's Sweet Stuff,  (T) A Little Birdie Told Me  Stories of A to Z, The Blackberry Vine, How To's Day , Type A, Amaze Me August, , Show Me What Ya Got,  (W) Wow Me,  Blue Cricket Design, What I Whipped Up, Wicked Awesome Wednesday, Sweet Peas & Bumblebees (TH)   Creative Juice, Thrifty 101 , Smilemonsters , Everything But the Kitchen Sink, Shabby Chic Cottage, Thrifty Thursdays, House of Hepworth's,  (F) Fingerprints on the Fridge, Furniture Feature Friday,  Lovely Crafty Weekend , Remodelaholic, For the Kids Fridays, , Craft Goodies, (Sat) Tatertots and Jello , Anything Goes , Funky Junk Interiors (Sun) Creative Blog & Hop, Sundae Scoop, Under the Table and Dreaming

 

Adventures in Ridiculous, Or Our Trip to Ikea

Sure, let's drive two hours and buy a couch at Ikea in our seems-big-but-not-that-big Ford Freestyle. What could possibly go wrong?

When I think assembly required, I think of relatively flat boxes. Not so, dear readers, not so. Hmmm. Let's back up one step.

I needed furniture in the basement, but I didn't want to buy brand new stuff for the room no one sees when my living room furniture is 8 and 9 years old. 

So we took the loveseat and moved it downstairs. And had to get rid of the green couch because it wouldn't fit downstairs (and it was my least favorite of the two anyway).

That meant, I needed an affordable solution to get that much seating back into the room. Enter Karl. 

Whose full name is KARLSTAD, but we just call him Karl. (It's just necessary to call furniture from Ikea by its name. It just is.)

Packing him into the car involved taking most of the pieces out of their boxes. 

It was a bit like playing Tetris knowing you were given pieces that will never fit together.

Gabe's seat belt could not have been re-buckled if we took him out for any reason on the way home. We had planned to stop for lunch. Then Matt started to go through a drive-thru when I pointed out we won't fit with the stuff on the roof. 

I don't want to say Matt was a bit testy, but at this point his response was, "Fine, then I guess we just can't eat anything!" Or, we could send someone in to buy the food to-go. Which, of course, he came to his senses and that's what we did.


Then we got home and all the pieces in the house.

Someone told us they'd never buy a couch from Ikea because it's just all bolted together and that's cheap. Um, what do you think is holding together any piece of furniture you buy? You just don't normally see it. We've been happy with Ikea's quality.

It went together really easily and things just lined up right. 

The slip covers are nice and tight. Though, wow, it took a lot of muscles to get the cushions into them. They are made to fit perfectly! We picked the Sivik Dark Gray color. I really like it.

Of course it means I need to get to all the other updates in the room now. :) One thing at a time, right?

Here's my advice. If you are going to get a couch (especially a sectional) from Ikea, take a truck!

But, welcome home, Karl, welcome home.

This post may be linked at the following parties (for their Blog Buttons see my Link Love page): (M) Mad Skills , C.R.A.F.T., Amaze Me Monday, Sumo's Sweet Stuff, Singing Three Birds,  Masterpiece Mondays, Making the World Cuter,  A Little Birdie Told Me (T) Stories of A to Z, The Blackberry Vine, How To's Day , Type A, Amaze Me August, Ten Buck Tuesday, Handmade Tuesdays, Anything Related, Tuesday's Treasures, Strictly Homemade, Show Me What Ya Got, Time to Shine,  (W) Wow Me,  Workshop Wednesday, Whassup Wednesday, Blue Cricket Design, Look What I Made, What I Whipped Up, The Trendy Treehouse, Wicked Awesome Wednesday , Good Life Wednesday, Inspiring Creativity, Sweet Peas & Bumblebees (TH) Beyond the Picket Fence  Creative Juice, Somewhat Simple, Thrifty 101 , Smilemonsters , Everything But the Kitchen Sink, Shabby Chic Cottage, Thrifty Thursdays, House of Hepworth's, Thrilling Thursday, (F) Fingerprints on the Fridge, Furniture Feature Friday, SevenThirtyThree , Lovely Crafty Weekend , Simply Designing, Creative Corner, Tickled Pink 504 Main, Inspiration Friday at The Picket Fence, Friday Flair, Remodelaholic, For the Kids Fridays, Frugal Friday, Craft Goodies,  Flaunt It Fridays , Thirty Handmade Days (Sat) Tatertots and Jello , Anything Goes (Sun) Creative Blog & Hop, Sundae Scoop, Under the Table and Dreaming