My family loves doing projects. I have granddaughters, ages 2 and 4 who automatically know if they are coming to grandma's house, chances are we will be doing some sort of project together. I love referring to whatever we are working on as projects because that could be work, play, cooking, cleaning, or just about anything I decide. Creating an environment of learning and service, with some fun sprinkled in, helps us all go away feeling happy, uplifted and encouraged and our time together is well spent.
This weeks "PROJECT" included making Gnome Valentine Cards out of basic simple supplies already on hand. If you don't have these basic items, a stop at your Dollar Tree/Walmart will be the only places you will need to go to pick up the items needed.
The fun is in the doing.
Below you will find some free printable Gnome patterns that when colored in, can create many different master pieces. We chose to make 12 cards. Once they were done, it was time to decide who to give them to. Primary teachers, pre-school teachers, friends, family, neighbors, the mailman, or just about anyone who pops into your mind is a great start. The handmade card is a gift in and of itself. We did make a few sucker bouquets to give to pre-school friends to go along with the cards.
So join in the fun. Make a card, and share this out where you can. Tag a friend who you think would also enjoy making Gnome Valentine Cards.
It's time to heart attach a friend or neighbor. Make a dozen easy hearts and then surprise someone with a note and hearts all over their door. A heart attack is the perfect way to brighten someone's day.
It's been 3 years since I painted my kitchen countertops and I'm still in love with them. This was the best DIY project I have ever done. Love Love Love.
I absolutely love Christmas Box Lights. I made some large ones for my front porch and I will give details of those lights in a future post, but todays light box design came from the knowledge I had from making large light boxes, but I miniaturized them into small boxes that can enhance any bookshelf, table, or shelf. The other part that makes these decorations so fantastic is they can be made from items you pick up at your local dollar store.
The supplies you will need are: Popsicle sticks, glue, paperclips, Dollar Store lights, foil tissue paper and some ribbon. I made dozens of these in lots of different colors but the cost breakdown is under $2 dollars each once you have all the supplies.
I love creating and making my own gifts, but this one came out of a dire need. One day I looked at my bathroom counter, with all my makeup strung about and thought to myself, there has to be a better way. When I put my makeup in a container of some kind, it is time consuming, jumbled up and not very effective. In the morning when I am getting ready I find myself searching to find the perfect brush, or the exact eyeshadow I was looking for. I realized I would prefer to have an entire makeup station where each item had a home. The problem with this logic, is that means my bathroom counter looks like a bomb went off all the time. I finally realized it was time to create a solution to my dilemma. That is when the magnetic makeup station idea came to my mind. I have used the Dollar Tree makeup stands in the past, but they come in little sections so every time I wanted to clear the counter and move them, it is big chore. Also, they tend to get top heavy and tip over and with the brushes standing up, they don't really fit in a drawer. That is when I figured out the best solution would be to create a magnetic makeup station that can be easily moved to a shelf on the wall when not in use. If I blinged out the station enough, it would then look like a decoration rather than a huge mess. So out of necessity, I created the Magnetic Makeup Station. It turned out so beautiful, I decided to make a few extras and give them away as Christmas gifts.
Dollar Tree DIY
Paint Cookie Sheet Black
Glue and Glitter Glam it Up
It's an easy 5 minute craft
Lots of glue and glitter on the bottom
Glue and Glitter on the Sides is also Fun
Beautiful
Portable Makeup Station Can easily be moved to a shelf
My favorite motto is, "focus on the good and bury the pans." I’m sure you’ve got to be wondering what bury the pans could possibly mean. In order to understand what this is all about, I’m going to tell you a little story about my mother. When she was growing up she didn’t learn a lot of the basic skills she always wanted to know. When she first got married she wanted to make a fabulous dinner for my dad as a surprise. Her first try at cooking consisted of meat, potatoes and gravy. Not exactly a beginners meal, but she didn’t know any better. Well not one thing turned out as she planned. In fact all 3 items were scorched beyond recognition and 3 of her pans were ruined beyond repair.
When you don't know how to cook
And you don't know how to
clean a scorched pan
what do you do?
My mom was so sad and upset. The burned pans stunk up the entire house. She didn’t know what to do, but in her embarrassment, she took the ruined pans and ruined food out to the back yard, dug a hole, and buried them.
My mom took the ruined pans and ruined food out to the back yard, dug a hole, and buried them
Then she just sat down and cried. Oh, how this breaks my heart to think about. We all have times in our lives when metaphorically speaking, we burn the food and the pans. It’s not a matter of if, but when. The question is, what are we going to do about it? My mom decided the only way to learn how to cook, is to humble herself and admit that she didn’t have the skills she so desired. When my dad got home from work, she confessed that the meal she was trying to make didn’t turn out. She asked him if he knew how to cook. Turns out he did. They spent the night bonding and cooking. He taught her how to cook delicious mashed potatoes, and gravy.
Mashed Potatoes and Gravy
Later on in life, my mom’s gravy became the most coveted commodity. In fact she learned how to cook up masterful meals out of basic ingredients. But in her pride, I don’t think she ever admitted to my dad, that she had buried the pans in the yard. I feel like that is A OKAY. Everyone doesn’t have to see when things don’t go right, but it is a good idea to not give up.
My mom’s willingness to try and try again has really rubbed off on me. In fact, I’m sure that is why I am such a DIYer.
diyismyhappyplace
My mom learned how to do everything that needed to be done around the house. She took my little brother to a barbershop and told the barber, she only had enough money for one haircut, but she had a lot of children. She asked the barber if he would teach her how to cut little boys hair.
I can still remember sitting out in the car
watching through the window
as my mom learned how to cut hair
I can still remember sitting out in the car watching through the window as my mom learned how to cut hair. From that day on, with one little lesson, my mom cut all of our hair. She eventually had 9 children and we all were blessed that she knew how to cut our hair.
She also realized in order to cloth 9 children, she would need to learn how to sew. Similarly she took one sewing lesson and then worked and tried and failed but eventually became a master seamstress. It didn’t happen overnight.
In order to cloth 9 children, my mom learned how to sew
Some of our haircuts and some of our clothes were not top notch, but eventually, in time, her efforts paid off. In fact, she made all the bridesmaid dresses for her daughter’s weddings, and sewed or reimagined 3 wedding dresses.
If an appliance quit working, she would go to the library, check out a book, and learn how to fix it.
Aberdeen Public Library
Checked out a book to learn how to repair the vacuum
She started with a vacuum cleaner and over time, she became mechanically minded and even fixed some of our vehicles over the years.
One day I asked her how she knew how to paint, do electrical, building projects, plumbing, so many other things. She told me, if she didn’t know how to do something, she would find someone who did, then ask them to show her how. Then she would just try and try until she got it right. I’m sure many attempts at projects got buried along the way, but she kept trying. Her, GIVE IT A TRY spirit really rubbed off on her kids. I guess that is why 3 of my siblings have actually built their own homes. I’m not that ambitious, but I will admit there isn’t a single surface inside or outside of my home that I haven’t updated, remodeled and changed. I guess that’s where I get my DO IT YOURSELF ambition.
I too will try just about anything. If I want it, or like it, I try to figure out how I can build it, create it, reimagine it, or make it, but on a tight budget, just like my mom used to do, but she didn’t have the luxury of youtube how to videos, or home improvement stores or even the Dollar Store. She lived out on a farm, far from stores. She did almost everything on what she could grow, trade, or muster up on her own.
There is a movie called Apollo 13. It reminds me of my mom and myself. The rocket malfunctions while on a mission. They have to figure out how to fix it based on what they have on the rocket.
So now you know my type of DIY. If you would like to follow me and my progress, please follow my blog and my youtube channel. And remember “Focus on the Good and Bury the Pans”
My granddaughters love working on “Projects” so that is what we do. They helped me make rice filled pumpkins, paint some Dollar Tree wooden decorations and paint a large pumpkin pink. It’s so fun to DIY with them. Any one of these items would be a perfect craft for Halloween night instead of trick or treating. Then go trick or treating from room to room in the house!
As soon as the weather starts to cool down, I start craving soup and chili. This is my all time favorite recipe.
We had the entire family over for Sunday dinner this past weekend. I made up a big pot of chili. It was a hit.
We had extra containers so everyone could take some leftovers home as well.
You can even freeze some for later if you have leftovers. You will be glad you did!
Feel free to download and save it for your recipe book. It's free!
Share it out where you can. Enjoy!
