tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-88665841604397118302024-03-14T01:22:03.042-07:00Half Finished HouseKalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12437214064337306779noreply@blogger.comBlogger63125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8866584160439711830.post-36196947637727425912017-11-07T15:22:00.000-08:002017-11-07T15:22:05.572-08:00A Harry Pottery Barn Big Kid Room Before the Kiddo was born, I had a grand vision for his nursery (and WAY too much time on my hands), resulting in a full-room mural of friendly safari animals. <div>
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I was not counting on the safari animals sticking around for 8 years, though. Baseball got added to the design (including an amazing but impossible to capture on camera baseball ceiling fan). The mishmosh was messy and maddening...but nothing was inspiring enough to convince the Kiddo to paint over them. </div>
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BUT THEN...</div>
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PB Teen came out with their <a href="https://www.pbteen.com/shop/new/harry-potter-shop/?cm_re=hpbanner2-_-cataffinity-_-harrypotter" target="_blank">Harry Potter collection</a>. And this year, the Kiddo just so happens to be FULLY into Harry Potter, so he was totally ready to trade sweet safari animals for Hufflepuff Badgers.</div>
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I wanted a good neutral base to accommodate his rapidly changing tastes, so no murals this time. Instead, I went with a cozy grey that's <i>Hufflepuff</i> now, but can be easily be <i>anything else</i> later. Finding the perfect grey is tricky - some are too brown, too dark, too blue... and what looks great in one room's lighting looks wrong in another... we got lucky with our gut-reaction pick of Steely Grey (top row, third from the left).</div>
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The old crowded Ikea Kallax bookshelves weren't working anymore. But the Kiddo's room is really small (like, 8 x 9 -ish small), so finding more shelf space without sacrificing visual space seemed impossible. Happily, I got an infusion of Pinterest-inspiration and decided to take the shelves straight to the wall. Something about still being able to see the floor under the shelves really opens up a room.</div>
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Keeping the standards level and even across 2 walls was tricky - a laser level was very VERY helpful. Also, these standards are going to shoulder a lot of weight, so you really need to make sure they go directly into studs.</div>
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Then I stained some cheapy pine boards to match the dark finish of his bed. It took 2 coats (after the conditioner) to get the color deep enough.</div>
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I always like to elevate a plain white lampshade with a little tracing art that fits the theme - this minimalist Hufflepuff Badger is total perfection.</div>
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jSqckYi4qxg/WgI4xiq-pbI/AAAAAAAAC0c/5sG90FrdoGIVyQx3qW-fs-s815vVf6oCgCEwYBhgL/s1600/IMG_3389.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="200" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jSqckYi4qxg/WgI4xiq-pbI/AAAAAAAAC0c/5sG90FrdoGIVyQx3qW-fs-s815vVf6oCgCEwYBhgL/s200/IMG_3389.JPG" width="200" /></a><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yi3ZV1GBMsQ/WgI4yMad6FI/AAAAAAAAC0c/oCoIdlg2bpsx9EN5WqB1bF-aCximT8BsACEwYBhgL/s1600/IMG_3391.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="200" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yi3ZV1GBMsQ/WgI4yMad6FI/AAAAAAAAC0c/oCoIdlg2bpsx9EN5WqB1bF-aCximT8BsACEwYBhgL/s200/IMG_3391.JPG" width="200" /></a><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-83N3kYvmT78/WgI4yDzJ_OI/AAAAAAAAC0c/VBYFiZqeolcE7Cmfx5GCwiW1J7OOJFSuQCEwYBhgL/s1600/IMG_3393.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="display: inline !important; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="200" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-83N3kYvmT78/WgI4yDzJ_OI/AAAAAAAAC0c/VBYFiZqeolcE7Cmfx5GCwiW1J7OOJFSuQCEwYBhgL/s200/IMG_3393.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>
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The Kiddo's dresser was a hand-me-down from his Dad, and it's so sturdy and perfect. Every time I decide I'm going to replace it with something else, I can't come close to matching the quality, so I just paint it instead. The blue took SEVEN COATS to turn yellow. And I can STILL see some blue peeking through. Primer is your friend, is what I'm trying to tell you.</div>
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Then all the Harry Pottery Barn we ordered started trickling in, giving the room the extra boost it needed.</div>
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I really like the glow-in-the-dark stars. Without the stars, it looked like a <i>young man</i>'s room. Now it's got a little magic back in.</div>
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Check out my <a href="https://www.pinterest.com/rkne/harry-potter-bedroom/" target="_blank">Pinterest board</a> for sources, paint colors and inspiration! </div>
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Kalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12437214064337306779noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8866584160439711830.post-62224289627439797642015-11-28T21:06:00.003-08:002015-11-28T21:06:59.971-08:00Festive Felt <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I know lots of people take the day after Thanksgiving to knock out their holiday gift shopping, but we prefer to stay far, far away from those crowds. We stayed home making cute felt crafts instead.<br />
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My sister-in-law made this amazing DC landmark banner...<br />
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My husband's aunt made this darling ombre tree banner...<br />
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My mother-in-law made this awesome mod Christmas tree banner...<br />
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And I made a bunch of little cute things I saw on Pinterest<br />
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Each of mine have easy tutorials on Pinterest already (links below), but I couldn't find a great one for the woven heart without a video on there. Once I got the hang of it, it was pretty easy, so I thought you guys might want some pictures for when streaming a video is just not an option.<br />
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Fold a piece of felt in half, and cut out 2 same size domes (flat edge is the fold, below). Your 3 cuts for the woven pieces will be deeper than you think they should be. <br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-R6jk4aaZ-eA/VlqDmUEdzII/AAAAAAAACW0/0IHb7K1OJcs/s1600/IMG_6157.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-R6jk4aaZ-eA/VlqDmUEdzII/AAAAAAAACW0/0IHb7K1OJcs/s640/IMG_6157.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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The end of your first row should look something like this:<br />
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Keep repeating, alternating colors until the last row...<br />
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Which should go like this:<br />
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1.<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-plTJQDwQrxk/VlqDq0S7uEI/AAAAAAAACXE/qOh2iUHAzRI/s1600/IMG_6162.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-plTJQDwQrxk/VlqDq0S7uEI/AAAAAAAACXE/qOh2iUHAzRI/s640/IMG_6162.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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3.<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-G3zOWiMda8c/VlqDtrH_p3I/AAAAAAAACXY/ijzguBXH534/s1600/IMG_6164.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-G3zOWiMda8c/VlqDtrH_p3I/AAAAAAAACXY/ijzguBXH534/s640/IMG_6164.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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4.<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Qkr4IGU7RgE/VlqDvbvt2pI/AAAAAAAACXk/J9yT6_vn4XA/s1600/IMG_6165.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Qkr4IGU7RgE/VlqDvbvt2pI/AAAAAAAACXk/J9yT6_vn4XA/s640/IMG_6165.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Flip this upside-down in your mind. Sorry.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-PyAhfPi5vIQ/VlqDzzjSudI/AAAAAAAACXw/r0eNJGo821E/s1600/IMG_6166.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-PyAhfPi5vIQ/VlqDzzjSudI/AAAAAAAACXw/r0eNJGo821E/s640/IMG_6166.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I don't know why this is sideways. Sorry.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pocket!</td></tr>
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Here are the links to the other tutorials/inspirations!<br />
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Twirly Green and Red Cuties: http://www.fabartdiy.com/how-to-diy-3d-felt-ornament-tutorial/<br />
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Little Bear (I didn't stuff mine like she did, and just freehanded the felt cuts and the Kiddo drew/assembled the features, but she has a pattern!): http://liagriffith.com/felt-christmas-bear-ornament/<br />
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Stacked tree (hers are way cuter than mine - 3 colors of felt look better than just 2!): http://www.thisheartofmineblog.com/2013/11/26/felt-christmas-tree-ornament/<br />
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<br />Kalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12437214064337306779noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8866584160439711830.post-11976536692337607082015-11-02T15:51:00.000-08:002015-11-02T15:51:00.492-08:00A New Thanksgiving tradition - Pie PlayoffsWe are a house divided. Thanksgiving is my husband's favorite holiday. I think it's lovely, but crushingly boring, as holidays go.<br />
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So when we hosted his entire side of the family at our house one year, I was determined to make it extra special. <br />
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I came up with the idea of the Pie Playoffs - The Very Sweet 16. 4 divisions, Apple, Squash, Nut, and a Wild Card.<br />
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And because I am an obsessive and delusional person, I decided to make all 16 pies myself, as well as every single dish of regular food. I do not recommend this, though it does cut down on hurt feelings when someone's pie doesn't win, so there was a tiny kernel of logic in my decision to spend 36 hours in the kitchen.<br />
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Each guest got assigned an initial judging division, merging as pies made their way through the tournament.<br />
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This year, the Mr. is using the pie playoff model for his office Thanksgiving potluck. If you'd like to add a little competitive spice to your Thanksgiving, here's a bracket you can use as a model!<br />
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<br />Kalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12437214064337306779noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8866584160439711830.post-14199923750998934142015-10-29T15:40:00.000-07:002015-10-29T16:21:00.920-07:00A Storybook Halloween!A little off topic, but I couldn't resist...<br />
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The Kiddo's school asks that they dress up as favorite story book characters instead of their commercial Halloween costumes.<br />
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Last year, the DAY BEFORE, my sweet child decided he just had to be Paddington Bear.<br />
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I couldn't find a floppy red hat, so I got the closest thing at Party City's costume department, and some red hairspray. The hat was made of wool, and that's kind of like hair, right?<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sorry, Mr. Bear...</td></tr>
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Then I cut the ears off a teddy bear (purchased for the express purpose of donating his ears, I'm not a complete monster) and attached them to the brim with some liquid stitch.</div>
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I snagged some brown corduroy pants and a cozy sweater to complete the bear-look while still being comfy and easy to wear all day at school. Of course, Paddington needs a toggle coat, too! I found the entire outfit at a local kid's secondhand store.</div>
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I made some tags out of regular printer paper (tie the "wanted on voyage" to their backpack for extra cuteness), with holes reinforced by some cute tape.</div>
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On the morning of costume day, I drew a cute nose on the kid with brown eyeliner, and he was a perfect Paddington Bear.</div>
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This year, The Kiddo made it a lot easier on me, picking Milo from Phantom Tollbooth.<br />
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Khakis, dark long sleeve shirt, and some white shoes. Boom. Print out a Map of the Kingdom of Wisdom, and wrap a big watch around a stuffed pup named Tock.<br />
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If your pup is too big, you can always use a zip tie to keep it on!<br />
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<span style="text-align: start;">Pup is from Ikea, watch from Target's clearance section.</span></div>
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<br />Kalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12437214064337306779noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8866584160439711830.post-23479039508256317802015-09-27T14:49:00.000-07:002015-09-27T14:49:35.440-07:00Empire DresserI'm still on my slow mission to incorporate more antiques and minimize my reliance on IKEA furniture, but I checked off another piece this weekend - my new old empire dresser.<div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-c5Pz91C2W1A/Vghc4mLcRAI/AAAAAAAACIw/FFOKZlHV4h0/s1600/IMG_5695.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-c5Pz91C2W1A/Vghc4mLcRAI/AAAAAAAACIw/FFOKZlHV4h0/s640/IMG_5695.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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It took me 6 months to actually finish this. There was snow on the ground when we picked this up. I hate sanding a lot, is what I'm saying. </div>
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But a few factors made this project a little easier than it might have been, and you probably want to keep them in mind unless you really like frustrating DIY projects:</div>
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<li>This guy is solid wood. No veneer to match and patch.</li>
<li>I made sure to read the back of my stripper container, and only used it when the garage was within the recommended temperature range.</li>
<li>My new favorite power tool, the random orbital sander. Just kidding, I still hate sanding, but I'd hate it even more if I had to sand this beast by hand.</li>
<li>Some supports had already been added to the drawer bottoms, and they pulled out smoothly. This project was entirely cosmetic.</li>
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Here's what we started with. Not awful, but still needing some love. Which is why I picked it up for almost nothing. And I'm never scared of a little sweat-equity project. </div>
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As soon as I started stripping the old stain off, the wood underneath revealed itself to be gorgeous (if not wholly a consistent variety throughout the piece). Someone asked if I was going to chalk paint this, and...look, I know chalk paint has its lovers, and can transform chippy veneered pieces into something adorable. But if you have an antique, solid wood anything, and it's in great shape, and you chalk paint it, I'm not entirely sure we can be BFFs. </div>
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After 1 round of stripping, I was still working through layers of the thick, gloopy, waxy finish.<br />
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After the second round of stripping and sanding, I finally reached bare wood. It doesn't look like much, when its dry and covered in sanding dust, but if you get your wood a little damp, you can see its true colors shine through...</div>
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I really didn't want to cover any of the natural beauty of the wood, so after one final round of sanding and tack cloth, I rubbed everything down with a generous dose of Danish Oil. It lets the beauty of the wood come alive without adding any unnecessary extra color, and it's really moisturizing.<br />
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The pulls that came with the dresser are obviously not the original pulls (those would probably have been simple wood, given its age), but I think their shape and style really suit the piece. Still, I didn't love the color (and the tarnish), so after a quick Jasco bath and scrub, I spray painted them a metallic oil rubbed bronze.<br />
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One step closer to the dream house...<br />
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Kalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12437214064337306779noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8866584160439711830.post-43341997604556892442015-09-03T15:38:00.000-07:002015-09-03T15:41:21.223-07:00Home Made Height Chart<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Since the Kiddo is now a big first grader (and speeding himself toward outgrowing our old Ikea height chart decal), I thought it was time to finally get around to the homemade height chart I'd been planning.</div>
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It turned out way better (and less expensive!) than I thought. I'd seen cute ones like this for $60-70, but I made mine for about $20. </div>
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We started with this, if you remember:</div>
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I started out with an pine board from Lowes, 6' long, 10" wide. Nothing fancy, not even the stain-grade lumber. I don't mind a knot or two for this project. Gave it a quick sand to get the stamps off and smooth any errant rough bits, and tack-cloth'd the sanding dust.<br />
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Then it was time to figure out the size and shape of the numbers. I thought bigger looked better, here. </div>
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My printer is being cantankerous, so I had to freehand my numbers and cut them out to trace their outlines.</div>
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Then I filled in my pencil outlines with a black paint pen. I had more than enough in one pen to do this whole project. <br />
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I'm not above using the tools within easy reach for all projects. Legos get put to work in this house in some unexpected ways. Like templates for the inch dashes running up the side.<br />
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Then, it was time to address the wood. My inspiration for this project was an old ruler that used to belong to my great grandfather. It's an odd heirloom, to be sure, but I love it.<br />
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I grabbed the Wheat Rust-Oleum wood stain because the pine sample at Lowes was the closest to what I had in my brain. </div>
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Then I used a foam brush and slopped on a coat over everything.<br />
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After a few minutes, I wiped the excess off with a paper towel. <br />
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I'd saved the other side of the board in case as a second-try option in case it didn't come out like I'd planned. Fortunately, it came out exactly as I expected (and I'd say I did pretty well on the color match!), so after an hour, when the front was dry, I repeated the stain on the back.<br />
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Then I transferred of all of Kiddo's height markings and hung up the height chart he won't be outgrowing any time soon.</div>
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Approximate Cost breakdown for this project:<br />
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Pine board - 8<br />
Stain - 5<br />
Paint Pen - 4<br />
Hanging Brackets - 3<br />
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<a href="http://www.pinterest.com/pin/create/extension/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.blogger.com%2Fblogger.g%3FblogID%3D8866584160439711830%23editor%2Ftarget%3Dpost%3BpostID%3D4334199760455689244%3BonPublishedMenu%3Dposts%3BonClosedMenu%3Dposts%3BpostNum%3D0%3Bsrc%3Dlink&media=https%3A%2F%2F1.bp.blogspot.com%2F-OcxUjS5RGQU%2FVejHODw0ouI%2FAAAAAAAACF0%2FgYqgDfVTEqM%2Fs640%2FIMG_5331.JPG&xm=h&xv=sa1.37.01&xuid=d2iqiykUTqnC&description=" style="background-color: transparent; background-image: url(data:image/png; border: none; cursor: pointer; display: none; height: 20px; left: 113px; opacity: 0.85; position: absolute; top: 6901px; width: 40px; z-index: 8675309;"></a><a href="http://www.pinterest.com/pin/create/extension/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.blogger.com%2Fblogger.g%3FblogID%3D8866584160439711830%23editor%2Ftarget%3Dpost%3BpostID%3D4334199760455689244%3BonPublishedMenu%3Dposts%3BonClosedMenu%3Dposts%3BpostNum%3D0%3Bsrc%3Dlink&media=https%3A%2F%2F1.bp.blogspot.com%2F-OcxUjS5RGQU%2FVejHODw0ouI%2FAAAAAAAACF0%2FgYqgDfVTEqM%2Fs640%2FIMG_5331.JPG&xm=h&xv=sa1.37.01&xuid=d2iqiykUTqnC&description=" style="background-color: transparent; background-image: url(data:image/png; border: none; cursor: pointer; display: none; height: 20px; left: 113px; opacity: 0.85; position: absolute; top: 6901px; width: 40px; z-index: 8675309;"></a>Kalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12437214064337306779noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8866584160439711830.post-85701281225282089702015-07-26T16:15:00.000-07:002015-07-27T15:16:10.229-07:00Backyard Putting Green!<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
All the menfolk in my house share a deep and abiding obsession with golf. Like, as an infant, the Kiddo would happily flip through my husband's golf magazines for long, quiet stretches. The Mr. has an official handicap. My dad has probably read every word Mr. Pelz has ever published. It's pretty serious around here. </div>
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So when my big mouth, once again, just couldn't contain a big crazy idea, needless to say they were all on board. </div>
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Backyard Putting Green. Yeassssss.</div>
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We started with a jungle of patchy grass, where the shady soil never fully dries out.</div>
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Then, using a flat (square headed) shovel, we took just the very top layer off. Because our soil has thick clay so close to the surface, the plant roots are all shallow, and get taken off in this step.<br />
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After a lot of sweat, we were left with some fairly level dirt. <br />
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But it's always good to double check. Plus, we wanted to make sure we still had a good drainage slope, away from the house.<br />
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Then, we packed down our soil base.</div>
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Next, we put down the first base layer for the green.<br />
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Evenly distribute it with a flat metal rake.<br />
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Then, we rented a plate compactor from our local Home Depot, to save our arms and make sure the compaction was a little better than the hand tamper we'd been using.</div>
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We made a bunch of passes over the whole area. The compactor is really good at going in straight lines, but difficult to turn.<br />
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We had some wet spots, which left us with some muddy patches.<br />
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Then, we repeated the dump-distribute-compactor with the next layer - sand. <br />
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Nice and smooth.</div>
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Then, it rained for so long, I thought our next project would need to be an ark. So we tarped over all our hard work and waited for sunnier skies.<br />
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While it rained and rained and rained, we did a little indoor work cutting the PVC for the holes.<br />
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Hand cutting is not recommended.<br />
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Compound miter saws make these cuts much easier.</div>
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We set some caps in to make a clean base for the cups.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ulnul1sI01k/VbVXs8bOuAI/AAAAAAAAB74/g19QCgxMwfo/s1600/IMG_0850.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ulnul1sI01k/VbVXs8bOuAI/AAAAAAAAB74/g19QCgxMwfo/s400/IMG_0850.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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And drilled some drainage holes in the bottoms.<br />
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Then, we dug out the holes for the cups, being careful not to disturb the nice smooth surface surrounding it. <br />
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I left just a little bit of room around the PVC.</div>
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And made sure the top of the cup was relatively even with the ground.<br />
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Then, we set them in concrete, post-hole style. Adding dry concrete mix in the gap...<br />
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Then wetting the mix. It sets up nice and strong.<br />
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Then, we had to turn our attention to the fancy artificial turf we special ordered. This is a lot nicer (and pricier) than the stuff on the back wall with the carpet at the home supply store, so we really wanted to make sure we measured 5 times, cut once.<br />
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We had to move every piece of furniture in our biggest room to roll this baby out to cut it.<br />
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And even then, we used some taped-together cheapy shower curtains to make sure we'd measured everything correctly before we cut the turf.<br />
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As with all carpets, this one was way easier to cut from the back. A white crayon came in very handy in marking our cut lines.</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_ESAFt9k9J8/VbVb-ou9T0I/AAAAAAAAB-M/R9cQbnlw_QM/s1600/IMG_0910.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_ESAFt9k9J8/VbVb-ou9T0I/AAAAAAAAB-M/R9cQbnlw_QM/s400/IMG_0910.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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Sharp utility knife blades are MUCH easier to cut with. Just a little FYI for you.<br />
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Then we took our turf outside for the initial fitting.<br />
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Once we were happy with the placement, it was time to break out the glue. And read the directions carefully.<br />
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We laid down some of the plastic scraps to keep our to-be-glued surfaces clean while we fitted them. Then, ran 4 beads of glue down the seam tape, like our instructions told us.<br />
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Once the seams were nice and tight, we hammered in some seam pins to keep it from wiggling while the glue set long enough to be rolled. We kept these in for about a day to give the glue plenty of time to cure, then removed them.</div>
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There's probably a better roller for this job, but sometimes you go with what you've got on hand to finish the job.<br />
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After the seams were rolled, I made the final edge cuts with a utility knife.</div>
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And hammered in the edging landscape pins every few inches. These will stay in as long as the green does.<br />
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<span style="text-align: center;">We put some of the seam pins in to mark the hole locations. And played the worst game of horseshoes ever.</span><br />
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Then, cut an X over the hole, and trimmed the excess away. <br />
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I ran superglue around the top of the PVC and pressed the edge of the turf to the cup.<br />
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Finally, we had to decide how to edge the green. With the gray stone of the patio, we found the closest shade of small rock at Lowes.</div>
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And ran it around the edges.<br />
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Now, all we need are some pin flags, and we're all set!<br />
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Kalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12437214064337306779noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8866584160439711830.post-58964893063028974512015-07-01T13:50:00.001-07:002015-07-01T13:50:18.167-07:00If it ever stops raining...We're in the middle of installing an artificial turf putting green over the bits of our backyard that are otherwise icky mud puddles. As soon as these summer storms stop, I'll have an actual exciting update for you here. Stay tuned, friends, I haven't abandoned you! Kalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12437214064337306779noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8866584160439711830.post-47465752513146187552015-05-27T09:04:00.000-07:002015-05-27T18:59:05.783-07:00How to get, and stay, organized (even when you have a small person living in your house)A very dear friend came over with her 2 girls the other day, and asked me how we keep our house so organized. I looked around, wondering whose house she was looking at, but realized we are pretty organized, if you just don't peek into some easily ignored corners... So, here are my rules for keeping all our stuff from overwhelming our house.<br />
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Rule 1 - Have a PLACE for EVERYTHING<br />
The still-messy bits of my house are the places that don't have a real, proper place in my home. Random piles of credit card offers that need to be shredded are the bane of my personal existence, but I'm sure you have some blind spots, too. Find them and figure out a better place for them (like the trash, perhaps).<br />
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Rule 2 - Make sure EVERYONE knows where that place is<br />
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so that you can enact<br />
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Rule 3 - EVERYONE is expected to help keep things tidy<br />
Everyone lives here, so everyone helps out. We don't do a chore-reward system for the Kiddo, but have always expected him to help clean up his stuff (with age/ability appropriate expectations, naturally). When he was small, he could do big motor-skill things like put his own books back onto the shelf; now he's older and likes to help by doing the wood cleaning, and is absolutely expected to put his action figures in a drawer and pick up his legos so they don't get sucked up by the vacuum. VERY MONTESSORI. MUCH INDEPENDENCE. RESPONSIBILITY LIFE SKILLS WOW. If a chore chart works for your family, keep it up! I'll just be over here, envious of your ability to keep up with that...<br />
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Rule 4 - Motivation is KEY</div>
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Nothing motivates me to clean everything up (and keep it that way) like visitors. If you're like me, it's a win-win-win scenario - you get to hang out with your favorite people, at your own house so you don't even have to drive, and your house stays lovely.</div>
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Rule 5 - Start with a CORNER</div>
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Like most kids, I had a terrible time keeping my room clean. I would get overwhelmed really quickly, and want to give up. My wise mother gave me a bit of advice that works every time my messes (in cleaning and in life) get too out of control: start with a corner. When that's done, do another corner. Repeat a few times and you're all set. Nothing says you have to get everything organized in a day or even a month. Pick your most frustrating problem area (anyone else stepping on legos?), try something to fix it, and move on.<br />
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Rule 6 - CHANGE is OK<br />
You don't always get it right the first time, and nothing will derail your organization like storage solutions that don't actually fit your storage needs. We tried a bunch of bins for the kiddo's toys, but anything we ever tried that uses opaque containers just serves to make the kiddo not play with it. It's out of sight-out of mind for <strike>the little one</strike> all of us. So they're not always the prettiest, but we discovered that clear storage solutions are the best choice if we have any hope of keeping toys played with and also put away later. Even better if they're out completely in the open.<br />
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Rule 7 - Know where YOU are<br />
Have some reasonable expectations for organizational levels depending on your own unique living situation. Are you studying for a big test? You may want to live with papers everywhere for a little while. Do you have a newly-mobile toddler? Toys are going to be everywhere. (Full disclosure, this rule was added after I spent the afternoon watching videos from the Kiddo's babyhood, when it looked like a tornado hit the toy box, but we were having such a great time). Sometimes, you really, truly have more important things to do instead of organizing. Find a good middle road and try to enjoy where you are in the moment.<br />
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Anyone else have great ideas to keep chaos at bay?<br />
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Kalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12437214064337306779noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8866584160439711830.post-81075608233488381722015-04-07T13:05:00.002-07:002015-04-07T13:05:50.250-07:00Superhero StationWell, that was a winter filled with nonstop illness. Lets both ignore how long I've been away, and get on with the cuteness, yes?<br />
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Like most kids, mine has a healthy imagination and collection of accessories to bring it to life. What he really needed was a way to keep everything at his fingertips. You never know when a villain will drop by, after all.<br />
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The little wall I never know what to do with between the dining/kitchen and living rooms fit the bill perfectly.<br />
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I've already had to patch a million huge holes in this wall after taking down a cute (but ultimately useless) shelf, plus I really wanted the hangers to not be too obvious. The clear plastic 3M hooks pack with multiple sizes was perfect for hanging all the different weights/sizes/angles. </div>
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Even better, it makes it VERY easy for the little superhero to hang up his cape at the end of the day. </div>
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<br />Kalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12437214064337306779noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8866584160439711830.post-90665315509902948962015-01-16T13:27:00.003-08:002015-01-16T13:27:47.739-08:00Out of the (Jewelry) BoxI had a really lovely little jewelry box to hold my sparkles and assorted accessories...except, it worked a little too well - my jewelry spent almost all of its time in the box, and not doing its job making me look (more) beautiful!<br />
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Time to bring my modest bauble collection into the light - or, at least, into my sight line.<br />
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I started with a cheap little picture ledge and some cup hooks.<br />
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I flipped it bottoms-up, and marked regular intervals where the hooks should go.</div>
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I alternated the hooks front and back row to make it easier to pick the necklaces out...</div>
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Then, I drilled tiny pilot holes to give the hooks something to grip.</div>
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The treads of these hooks were just barely short enough that they didn't poke through the bottom of the shelf - definitely something to double check next time...</div>
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Once all the little hooks were in, I leveled and hung it up just below eyeball height.</div>
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While it works great for bracelets and necklaces, I had to staple some leftover cross stitch fabric to a wooden frame to make an earring holder.<br />
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And just like that, I can see what I'm working with! And as an added bonus, the jewelry the Kiddo has made me over the years is on display, too, which he and I both adore.<br />
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Kalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12437214064337306779noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8866584160439711830.post-91952240077408568012014-10-20T09:42:00.002-07:002015-04-07T13:11:28.737-07:00One down, one to go (updated)Remember a million years ago when I dragged 2 stray chairs home?<br />
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Well, I've finally finished one of them...<br />
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I loved the wooden base, and loved it even more when I realized it detached from the chair body. While it was loose, I rubbed it down with some beeswax-based wood food/conditioner.</div>
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After detaching the base, I set to work removing the existing upholstery. This took approximately 100 hours, removing all the little staples.</div>
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Once everything was off, I noticed the straps were really, really loose. I probably should have replaced them, but I just pulled them tight and re-stapled.<br />
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The arms came off, too, which I thought would make the job really easy. I sewed some arm covers, and upholstered the back/bottom. Then I realized there was no way to re-attach the arms at the top, which made the chairs wobbly and also looked terrible. So I tore out all my stitches and started over.</div>
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I also wanted to add a little cush to the arms, where I lean into the sides and corners. I found an (unopened) egg crate foam mattress pad in our closet, and set to work chopping it up and attaching it to the arms.</div>
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I wrapped everything in batting, and made a pattern with some pattern paper by pinning it to the chair. </div>
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After many, many battles with my sewing machine, I finally finished, trimmed that enormous seam allowance, slid it over the chair and stapled it tight along the bottom.<br />
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There are no pictures of sewing the cushions, because there was a greater focus on not crying the entire time than I'd anticipated. But they're done, now (yes, my mom came to the rescue, there).<br />
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It is FAR from perfect. And now I have a very serious appreciation for upholstery professionals. I totally understand paying $300 + per chair. <br />
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Now I just have to do it all over again...<br />
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*UPDATE*<br />
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HAHAHAHAAA, oh, man, you guys. After the 5-millionth round of colds/respiratory illnesses that refused to leave my house this winter, I totally gave up on this project. They were great chairs, but I was very clearly in too far over my little DIY-loving head. We've got some ikea chairs in their place now, and while they are not quite as comfy or cute as these guys were, have the benefit of not smelling like wet dog and mold. So, we'll go ahead and chalk this one up as a lesson learned and I'll be planning to take an actual class next time I fall in love with an upholstery project...Kalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12437214064337306779noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8866584160439711830.post-12240084166235338512014-10-16T12:47:00.002-07:002014-10-16T12:47:43.413-07:00Garage WorkbenchAs my project load has increased, I've been pining for a separate work space. Fortunately, while our 1-car garage is too small to keep a car, it is the perfect size for a workshop. Unfortunately, the garage was the dumping ground for stuff that didn't have a proper place in our home.<br />
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After an entire day of cleaning out (including a goodwill donation run that included 5 bookshelves...I have a bookshelf obsession, evidently), I was starting to see some potential.<br />
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I had previously been trying to use the changing table the Mr. and my dad built as my workbench. While they built me a phenomenal changing table, it did not translate well from baby station to project center (that green thing covered in tools and mess in the back corner, is it...).<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Super old picture, taken while still re-doing dining room chairs!</td></tr>
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Clearing out the garage (including saying goodbye to the changing table/workbench) cleared out a long wall for work station goodness. And let me double my pegboard size and wall storage.<br />
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The workbench top is made of 16 2 x 4s, which we glued together (and clamped with some really big clamps until it dried). I considered a lot of other options (hardboard, hollow core, laminate, plywood, etc...), but ultimately making our own laminate out of lumber was the most cost-effective option for making a really strong workbench.<br />
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As leg supports, I used stock cabinets from Lowe's, giving the garage a LOT of small-tool storage. With the heavy, heavy workbench top, combined with the heavy saw and future heavy tools, I knew the particleboard bodies of the cabinet cases wouldn't be strong enough. So I added additional 2 x 4 brace supports on either side of each cabinet, and now it will easily stand up to all the abuse it's likely to see.<br />
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We still need to address the lighting and electrical issues (the only plug in the garage is over by where the old workbench was), and I'll be spending some time with a planer getting the workbench top smoothed out. But for now, I've got a great place to work. The Kiddo has big plans to build his first robot there. For the first time in a while, I can't wait to get to work out there!</div>
<br />Kalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12437214064337306779noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8866584160439711830.post-87838170475767719852014-09-14T09:10:00.003-07:002014-09-14T09:10:16.810-07:00Back to School Homework StationThe Kiddo started Kindergarten, which has re-introduced homework into our house. He'd been getting by with an old ikea desk we'd cut down to size, but that just wasn't enough room for his big-kid work.<br />
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He had a low bookshelf that didn't really hold his stuff in an easy-to-access way, and a chalkboard that didn't have any storage for chalk or erasers.</div>
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So I found this cutie on Craigslist for 30 bucks. I love that it has a higher shelf he can grow into using, and the paper roll holder. I didn't love the medium golden oaky finish or the hard stool seat.<br />
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Kiddo asked for RED, so I sanded and painted it glossy cherry red (ready mixed from Lowe's).<br />
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Then, I turned my attention to the stool. I padded it a little with some dense foam, but didn't put anything thicker down because I didn't want to raise the seat height too high for the desk. I found a remnant of baseball fleece, and stapled it to the seat for maximum Kiddo excitement.<br />
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We also moved his homework station across the room, so we could use a bookshelf that's easier for him to access. I finally found a plastic 3M bin to attach to his chalkboard to hold chalk and the eraser, too.<br />
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I think we're all ready for a great school year!<br />
<br />Kalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12437214064337306779noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8866584160439711830.post-20740481768393648052014-08-13T12:50:00.001-07:002014-08-13T14:03:58.488-07:00Fridge Fix-up<span style="font-family: inherit;">All summer, we've been using some sad calendar printouts to keep our lives and activities on track. And, because we are really very classy, we've kept it taped to the front of the fridge. Obviously, we needed a change.</span><br />
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While I love paper, as plans changed, it got messy really quickly. Fortunately, I had a spare dry erase calendar laying around. Now, I just had to figure out how to attach it.</div>
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Despite its "stainless steel" finish, the front of our fridge is curiously non-magnetic; otherwise, I would have just slapped some magnets on the back and called it a day. 3m strips to the rescue, again.</div>
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Now we have an easy way to keep everyone's schedule up to date and in sight.</div>
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Kalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12437214064337306779noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8866584160439711830.post-54586865162959818952014-08-05T09:33:00.003-07:002014-08-05T15:02:49.905-07:00Backyard BiologyTurns out, our little pop-up backyard pool is good for more than just splashing around.<br />
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Apparently, our local frogs thought it was a pretty nice spot. To lay their eggs.<br />
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I came out this weekend to a few dozen coaster-sized clumps of little round black dots floating on the surface. After fishing them out as best as possible into some buckets, we've been observing their progress. So far, we've got a lot of little apostrophe shapes, and a couple of wiggly teeny tiny tadpoles.<br />
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The marine-biology focused Kiddo is OVER THE MOON. I'm just really hoping we were right in our species identification, and trying to make sure they don't die in their buckets. <br />
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So, with all the chemicals, any of these little guys that survive will definitely have super powers, right?Kalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12437214064337306779noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8866584160439711830.post-59612763351278029192014-07-11T11:50:00.002-07:002014-09-02T14:57:57.065-07:00Front Door Fancy (Updated...Again)<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
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I've had my eye on a cute plant holder/object de art at my local craft store for a month or two; ultimately, my patience was rewarded and I snagged it at 70% off. </div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-H_KdgxslVNI/U8AsUWLGbFI/AAAAAAAABts/JjmshYyfCNo/s1600/IMG_3011.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-H_KdgxslVNI/U8AsUWLGbFI/AAAAAAAABts/JjmshYyfCNo/s1600/IMG_3011.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></div>
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Despite its initial high price tag, the wire it came with was objectionably wimpy. It could not stay.</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-d0dmFzGYZL0/U8AsUVsofbI/AAAAAAAABtw/1bYGro9tEfI/s1600/IMG_3012.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-d0dmFzGYZL0/U8AsUVsofbI/AAAAAAAABtw/1bYGro9tEfI/s1600/IMG_3012.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
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I snipped the existing wire, and replaced it with this sturdy stuff from a previous project. </div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-drB_oQhsDcg/U8AsQsaFB_I/AAAAAAAABtk/UBIMnFWn19Y/s1600/IMG_3013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-drB_oQhsDcg/U8AsQsaFB_I/AAAAAAAABtk/UBIMnFWn19Y/s1600/IMG_3013.jpg" height="640" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9liZIaicj_Y/U8AsjAghZ1I/AAAAAAAABt8/so72b83ljhc/s1600/IMG_3015.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9liZIaicj_Y/U8AsjAghZ1I/AAAAAAAABt8/so72b83ljhc/s1600/IMG_3015.JPG" height="640" width="640" /></a></div>
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My early Summer Coneflowers flanking the door burned out over the hot 4th of July weekend, so I needed to get some more living things out there, and this gave me the perfect opportunity.</div>
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I lined the wire basket with Sphagnum Moss instead of trying to find a planter that would fit perfectly.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YtFljVZ2-HI/U8AsrSnu7TI/AAAAAAAABuE/-g7SFd-FHkY/s1600/IMG_3016.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YtFljVZ2-HI/U8AsrSnu7TI/AAAAAAAABuE/-g7SFd-FHkY/s1600/IMG_3016.jpg" height="640" width="640" /></a></div>
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Nothing special about getting this stuff set up, I just shoved it in and hoped it would stay. I added my little plants and shoved more moss in around them.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZDrg8YHtXEM/U8AtEZ5gO1I/AAAAAAAABuU/yYGvZDs8lI0/s1600/IMG_3018.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZDrg8YHtXEM/U8AtEZ5gO1I/AAAAAAAABuU/yYGvZDs8lI0/s1600/IMG_3018.jpg" height="640" width="640" /></a></div>
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I also need to paint my front door (as soon as ONE of the million paint chips I've taken from Lowe's is even close to its existing color - I would love to change it, but hey, HOA...), and I don't want this cute guy to damage the new paint when it goes up. So I added some felt pads I had laying around. They aren't outdoor/waterproof rated, so we'll see how well they hold up.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-C2lKKPMFiTs/U8AtLgc4TpI/AAAAAAAABuc/ao8QxbW1CfY/s1600/IMG_3019.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-C2lKKPMFiTs/U8AtLgc4TpI/AAAAAAAABuc/ao8QxbW1CfY/s1600/IMG_3019.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
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I used an outdoor/waterproof 3M hook to hold it on the door - we'll see if it's strong enough, or if I'll walk out one day to find a splintery mess...</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7fbghHfKoZQ/U8AtTAdFWAI/AAAAAAAABus/2KFh7_FwtjE/s1600/IMG_3022.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7fbghHfKoZQ/U8AtTAdFWAI/AAAAAAAABus/2KFh7_FwtjE/s1600/IMG_3022.jpg" height="640" width="460" /></a></div>
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I even had a couple plants left over to pop into the planters flanking the door, and a little moss to help keep the soil wet in the hot sun. I think they'll look cute and cohesive as they go into full bloom!</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZhizPc-o_BY/U8AtOFD6WsI/AAAAAAAABuk/aEWI-8Umi3I/s1600/IMG_3021.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZhizPc-o_BY/U8AtOFD6WsI/AAAAAAAABuk/aEWI-8Umi3I/s1600/IMG_3021.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></div>
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**UPDATE**</div>
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Turns out, that moss doesn't stay in very well. And that our door doesn't get the benefit of any rain, and plants in a door-attached planter need a lot of extra watering. So, off to the compost pile their remains went.</div>
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I grabbed a long cocoa fiber basket liner, and cut it to relative shape.</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dcvtWGUgRyc/U-O3ixHtc0I/AAAAAAAABvM/z1gwv2A4hlQ/s1600/IMG_3057.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dcvtWGUgRyc/U-O3ixHtc0I/AAAAAAAABvM/z1gwv2A4hlQ/s1600/IMG_3057.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eIvVhRGwQnw/U-O3fxxOp5I/AAAAAAAABvA/QA3uKnfoAdQ/s1600/IMG_3058.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eIvVhRGwQnw/U-O3fxxOp5I/AAAAAAAABvA/QA3uKnfoAdQ/s1600/IMG_3058.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
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In retrospect, I wish I had left the sides a little taller.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-meqOkpMib_U/U-O3fIbTA_I/AAAAAAAABu8/s5tGSCOha9o/s1600/IMG_3059.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-meqOkpMib_U/U-O3fIbTA_I/AAAAAAAABu8/s5tGSCOha9o/s1600/IMG_3059.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
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Then, I added some plants that won't protest too much without a lot of water.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MttFgIFoPg8/U-O3_Han-ZI/AAAAAAAABvk/DhdxRx1nxOA/s1600/IMG_3060.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MttFgIFoPg8/U-O3_Han-ZI/AAAAAAAABvk/DhdxRx1nxOA/s1600/IMG_3060.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
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I like the way the moss/flowers looked better, but got really tired of sweeping moss in our foyer, and never remembered to water. Here's hoping these guys last a while.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0ywJRmhFsFc/U-O38a-p4uI/AAAAAAAABvc/rmHxKXW-BRg/s1600/IMG_3062.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0ywJRmhFsFc/U-O38a-p4uI/AAAAAAAABvc/rmHxKXW-BRg/s1600/IMG_3062.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></div>
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Aaaand, the great crash just happened. Apparently, one big thunderstorm was too much, and weakened the seal of the supposedly waterproof 3M strip - it just fell right off the door... time to find something a little lighter...</div>
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Kalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12437214064337306779noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8866584160439711830.post-90003980555534234602014-07-02T08:25:00.001-07:002014-07-02T08:25:34.017-07:00Wear Sunscreen<div>
Sorry, your daily SPF isn't enough. Even your windows need some sunscreen. </div>
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I recently switched out a sad (once cute) comforter in our guest room, and it was faded terribly. But, only on the side that faced the window. And I'd noticed serious fading on the dark curtains we'd hung elsewhere. I really didn't want that to happen to my fancy new bed, or anything else in our house.<div>
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Aesthetic concerns aside, without any big trees to shade us, our house roasts in the Summer sunshine. Especially the dining room. I LOVE this window bay, but it gets too hot to enjoy, even in the winter.</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kuYLyEAWqGg/U7QfTIUmyXI/AAAAAAAABqk/CAl-CRwuU40/s1600/IMG_8201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kuYLyEAWqGg/U7QfTIUmyXI/AAAAAAAABqk/CAl-CRwuU40/s1600/IMG_8201.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></div>
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Wandering around Lowe's, we found these Gila window films. DIY window tinting? How hard could it be?</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-HGAWj2sBVEM/U7QfWjXowjI/AAAAAAAABq0/Rq14_Wgr7nM/s1600/IMG_8955.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-HGAWj2sBVEM/U7QfWjXowjI/AAAAAAAABq0/Rq14_Wgr7nM/s1600/IMG_8955.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></div>
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Luckily, it's pretty easy, after a little learning curve. Even more luckily, you get to benefit from my learning curve.</div>
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Some tips:</div>
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<li>You will definitely need a buddy for this project. I mean, I'm sure you could figure out a way to peel everything smoothly without the film sticking to itself, but I couldn't.</li>
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<li>The full instructions are wrapped up inside the roll of film. The first window I installed it on did not benefit from my thinking the full instructions were on the side of the package (and yet, it looks just as good as the second one I did, so that should tell you how seriously easy this is).</li>
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<li>Trim to a slightly bigger than glass pane size before you peel off the clear backing.</li>
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<li>If the clear backing is too hard to get off, use a piece of Scotch tape to separate the layers.</li>
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Let's get started.<br />
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Step 1: Gather Materials</div>
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Window (clean first with Windex or your preferred window cleaner)</div>
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Window Film</div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-5ZMR_4879Uw/U7QfifPOO6I/AAAAAAAABrE/5Wo1ulq4umY/s1600/IMG_8956.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-5ZMR_4879Uw/U7QfifPOO6I/AAAAAAAABrE/5Wo1ulq4umY/s1600/IMG_8956.JPG" height="640" width="480" /></a></div>
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Installation Kit</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SKMZxRWNOT4/U7QfVzHHyDI/AAAAAAAABqs/VVSmCctZapQ/s1600/IMG_8954.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SKMZxRWNOT4/U7QfVzHHyDI/AAAAAAAABqs/VVSmCctZapQ/s1600/IMG_8954.JPG" height="640" width="480" /></a></div>
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Scissors</div>
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Paper Towel</div>
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Step 2: Find and Read Instructions</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wHnf5XXP3L8/U7QfgAe4rgI/AAAAAAAABq8/_r8OspmMs5U/s1600/IMG_8964.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wHnf5XXP3L8/U7QfgAe4rgI/AAAAAAAABq8/_r8OspmMs5U/s1600/IMG_8964.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
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Step 3: Trim Window Film</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-x5OQb2DX1Y0/U7QfnAdd8SI/AAAAAAAABrM/XW66ujh54oU/s1600/IMG_9306.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-x5OQb2DX1Y0/U7QfnAdd8SI/AAAAAAAABrM/XW66ujh54oU/s1600/IMG_9306.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
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Make it a little bigger than the window pane. Too much overhang is wasteful and makes the final trimming more difficult.</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-UgNghETDmaI/U7Qfxh7y85I/AAAAAAAABrU/vnDDyFqPt7Q/s1600/IMG_9308.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-UgNghETDmaI/U7Qfxh7y85I/AAAAAAAABrU/vnDDyFqPt7Q/s1600/IMG_9308.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></div>
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Step 4: Grab a Buddy</div>
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Have your helper hold the cut panel while you peel the backing off.</div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xtPeox2V1ns/U7Qf8SqmKXI/AAAAAAAABrk/CdUqep-piK4/s1600/IMG_9311.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xtPeox2V1ns/U7Qf8SqmKXI/AAAAAAAABrk/CdUqep-piK4/s1600/IMG_9311.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-hgiet-1K4U8/U7QgAgrnJ1I/AAAAAAAABr0/iGpEs93LtV4/s1600/IMG_9314.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-hgiet-1K4U8/U7QgAgrnJ1I/AAAAAAAABr0/iGpEs93LtV4/s1600/IMG_9314.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
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Step 5: Spray</div>
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Spray the window and the sticky side of the window film with the application solution. Don't be stingy.</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3M1Ol54ljjg/U7Qf7-ZL3vI/AAAAAAAABrc/pUkGSYrrzAA/s1600/IMG_9309.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3M1Ol54ljjg/U7Qf7-ZL3vI/AAAAAAAABrc/pUkGSYrrzAA/s1600/IMG_9309.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Uwm1TpzjCm4/U7QgXAMmvSI/AAAAAAAABsI/yAggPyaW9-I/s1600/IMG_9316.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Uwm1TpzjCm4/U7QgXAMmvSI/AAAAAAAABsI/yAggPyaW9-I/s1600/IMG_9316.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></a></div>
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Step 6: Stick the Film On</div>
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Wet sides together.</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-v_LYKgD2iVc/U7QgWtDtGzI/AAAAAAAABsE/GvZlSGoFg6k/s1600/IMG_9320.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-v_LYKgD2iVc/U7QgWtDtGzI/AAAAAAAABsE/GvZlSGoFg6k/s1600/IMG_9320.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-bUzvOqZhR7M/U7QgP7X9ZRI/AAAAAAAABr8/UA3vm6VQzV8/s1600/IMG_9319.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-bUzvOqZhR7M/U7QgP7X9ZRI/AAAAAAAABr8/UA3vm6VQzV8/s1600/IMG_9319.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></a></div>
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Step 7: Smooth </div>
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Get the big bubbles out with the squeegee.</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_5Hf86c7B-w/U7QgZyQBfKI/AAAAAAAABsU/K_L8pXacMsk/s1600/IMG_9321.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_5Hf86c7B-w/U7QgZyQBfKI/AAAAAAAABsU/K_L8pXacMsk/s1600/IMG_9321.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--0KGJecbVQo/U7Qg_8pdjhI/AAAAAAAABs8/ltOuLRJVC3M/s1600/IMG_9323.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--0KGJecbVQo/U7Qg_8pdjhI/AAAAAAAABs8/ltOuLRJVC3M/s1600/IMG_9323.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></div>
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Step 8: Final Trim</div>
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Use the cutter to trim the film to the exact size of the window pane.</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3Btmh5TUlbE/U7QgfoclBxI/AAAAAAAABsc/Ms9C6p3pjO8/s1600/IMG_9324.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3Btmh5TUlbE/U7QgfoclBxI/AAAAAAAABsc/Ms9C6p3pjO8/s1600/IMG_9324.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
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I found it easiest to trim and remove one edge at a time (as opposed to trimming the entire way around before removal).</div>
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Step 8: Final Smooth</div>
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Wrap your squeegee in paper towel to do a final smoothing. The paper towel will soak up excess application solution.</div>
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If you get something trapped between the film and the window pane (errant fly, perhaps), just peel up a corner, get it out, and repeat from Step 5. It takes a few days for full cure, so there's time to play with it. </div>
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Here's the difference - the window on the right is filmed, the middle and left are <i>au naturale</i>.</div>
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These guys aren't perfect, of course. The window film is so thin that, if it does bend, it can leave a little crack that's visible on the window. Also, the Platinum finish turns a little two-way-mirror reflective at night. They do have a less reflective model, but I worried that it wouldn't reflect UV rays as well. Neither of these are huge problems.</div>
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I still have a few windows to go, and then we'll be able to compare our electric usage from year to year. It feels cooler, the instant the film gets installed, though. And for now, that works for me. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Complete!</td></tr>
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Note: Not a sponsored post - this brand was just what we found at our go-to hardware store.</div>
Kalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12437214064337306779noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8866584160439711830.post-59084415671903251062014-06-25T12:51:00.000-07:002014-06-25T12:51:20.632-07:00Hanging out by the Pool<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Summers in Virginia are too hot to go pool-less, and since our neighborhood is still working on selling enough houses to support the neighborhood pool we were promised would be up within a year of us moving in (<i>so bitter</i>), it was up to us to squeeze a little pool into our backyard.<br />
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After relocating some plants, we laid out our soon-to-be pool. I was pretty sure the 12' model would be too big, but it looks like we have a little more room. We'll upgrade from this 10' next year, and gain a whole extra 6" of depth.<br />
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Usually, cheap stuff is harder to set up. Not this guy. All we had to do was inflate the upper ring...<br />
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Attach the filter hoses, and fill... </div>
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Smooth out as many wrinkles as possible, and fill some more...<br />
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And fill...<br />
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It sets up pretty much all by itself, which was pretty neat to watch. It took a few hours to fill up completely, and we have a little bit of a "deep end" because our lot slopes gently and I wasn't about to get a truck full of dirt to level it out.</div>
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It's one step up from a teeny sit-and-soak pool. Not big enough for the grownups to swim, but plenty large for the Kiddo to practice in between swim lessons and splash around. </div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; color: black;">But, it is totally big enough for my floatie. The cupholders are a nice perk.</span></div>
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All that was left was a place to hang wet towels. There are a LOT of cute hook options - whale tails, mermaids, other various body parts of marine creatures. Ultimately, I decided on something a little less theme-y. It didn't have anyyything to do with me happening upon 3 perfectly serviceable hooks at Marshall's for $4 each. </div>
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I just screwed directly into the deck post, and hung these guys on the 3 sides closest to the pool. I made sure to hang them low enough to have some hope of the Kiddo hanging his towel up.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pro tip: Make sure the head of your screws actually fit inside the hangers BEFORE you screw them into the post.</td></tr>
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Anybody else having a backyard Summer? Any words of wisdom/experience with little above ground pools?</div>
Kalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12437214064337306779noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8866584160439711830.post-54125260808377064282014-06-18T11:31:00.001-07:002014-06-18T11:31:33.997-07:00Bed of my dreams<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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When the then-soon-to-be-Mr. and I moved in to our first apartment together, I started pulling dream house/decor ideas out of magazines, and saved my favorites in a cute binder. This started a little more than 10 years ago, and way before Pinterest, but I've saved and added to that binder since then.<br />
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One of my first pulls was this <a href="http://ethanallen.com/en_US/315600.html?start=2" target="_blank">bed</a>. When I figured out where this bed came from, and its price tag, I was pretty sure it would stay in dreamland for me.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pulled from Martha Stewart Magazine</td></tr>
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But, oh, I loved this bed. I have never loved another bed like I loved this bed. All other beds paled in my mental comparison of them to this bed.<br />
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And then there was a sale, and a just-big-enough hole in my budget. So off to Ethan Allen we went.<br />
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We met with the nicest Design Consultant ever (locals - Megan Vogel in Fredericksburg, VA) Which, yes, it's part of her job to be nice to people splashing out nearly $2,000 for a bed; but, when we told her we were there just for the Quincy bed, there was zero pressure to add or even look at anything else. It was really refreshing.<br />
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I didn't need help picking the style, but I had to get a little advice about the multiple beautiful finish options. While the black finish had been in my mind for years, our bedroom is pretty small, and I was pretty sure that would be overwhelming in the space we've got, given the size and scale of the bed.<br />
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After I showed her pictures of our <a href="http://halffinishedhouse.blogspot.com/2014/01/master-bedroom-before-and-after.html" target="_blank">existing room</a>, our Consultant agreed we'd need something a little softer. The Mr. and I had thought grey would be a better alternative, neutral but a little more interesting than plain white.<br />
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Do you know how many greys there are in the world? So many different greys. OK, 5. Still.<br />
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Our Consultant patiently let us pore over the samples, and then suggested one of the shades we hadn't even considered based on its online swatch. She didn't have a sample of it, but there were a few finished pieces in the showroom we could look at. It was really nice to be able to see how the finish looked in different light, and over a larger surface, as well.<br />
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So we wound up ordering it in Dove Gray (which looks NOTHING like its almost tan swatch online), and I love it so, so, so much.</div>
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After the order went in, we got a lovely, personal, hand written note from our Consultant thanking us for our purchase and complimenting our Kiddo. I can say I have spent way more (cumulatively) at Ikea, and nobody ever wrote me a note to say thank you. It was a very nice touch, coupled with the status updates she emailed us regularly. Undeniably, these are the keys to my heart and loyalty forever. </div>
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The delivery guys came early this morning. They had it all set up and beautiful in less than an hour.<br />
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I've never had someone else put together a piece of furniture for me, or carry pieces up 2 sets of stairs (Mr. and Dad excluded, of course). It feels fancy.<br />
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Now I finally have a good place for these shams - which looked too big on our smaller metal bed. They were part of my great-grandmother's trousseau, hand stitched and full of love.<br />
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But I have a new first world problem - nearly everything else in the bedroom looks sad and cheap (because it is!) The bedside lamps are too small. I think the rest of the bedding could have a little more interesting texture, and probably needs a little decorative pillow in the middle there. The drapes hang strangely. My cyclist print needs a new frame and a relocation at least a few inches higher (or to another wall). </div>
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It's going to be a slow process - I'm not letting ANYTHING into that room unless I love it as much as that bed. Which is a tall (and probably expensive) order, but I'm going to do my best to make sure everything else in that room is so perfect I feel like I can't breathe.</div>
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What's been your biggest splurge, or item you've pined for longest (this was definitely mine, on both counts!)?</div>
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Kalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12437214064337306779noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8866584160439711830.post-21958403980601700472014-06-16T10:29:00.000-07:002014-06-16T10:29:43.116-07:00It's the little things...switch cover switchI always think it's the little details that make a house beautiful and interesting - things your eye registers, but not always the conscious part of your brain, that give just a little extra finishing touch. Things like the outlet cover plates.<br />
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This weekend, I finally finished switching over the last of our builder-basic outlet/light switch covers for a little bit of fancy.<br />
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The regular sized plug covers are really easy - unscrew the existing plate, remove, and replace and screw in the new one. <br />
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Cable and phone jacks are a little more difficult, because the fancy plate makers don't make fancy plates for those. And when they're right next to each other, it's hard to ignore how sad one looks next to the fancy new one. So, you have to improvise a little.</div>
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I'll start with the cable jack. </div>
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You'll need:<br />
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<ul>
<li>A new plate cover - rectangle/rocker switch opening</li>
<li>A screwdriver with Phillips and Straight blade ends</li>
<li>An inset cable outlet </li>
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Unscrew the existing plate from the wall. It'll be directly attached to your cable wire. Unscrew it.<br />
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Then, simply screw wire to the new plate inset.<br />
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My packet came with long and short screws. You'll want to use the long ones to attach it to the box. Throw the little ones away or hoard them - either way, you don't need them for this project.</div>
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Then, use the little pretty screws that come with the new plate to attach it to the insert. These screws are a little bit bigger than the plate opening anticipated, but with a little bit of force, they go in just fine. <br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EYXX2onEswA/U58dN_on9YI/AAAAAAAABlI/ztcqsjpx5DE/s1600/IMG_8737.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EYXX2onEswA/U58dN_on9YI/AAAAAAAABlI/ztcqsjpx5DE/s1600/IMG_8737.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-kQQ01o6IhME/U58dNQRadiI/AAAAAAAABlE/vr9QQc-z9pk/s1600/IMG_8734.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-kQQ01o6IhME/U58dNQRadiI/AAAAAAAABlE/vr9QQc-z9pk/s1600/IMG_8734.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></a></div>
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Isn't that so much better?<br />
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Now, on to the phone jack (yes, we are dinosaurs who still have a landline). <br />
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You'll need the same supplies as above, just with a telephone inset instead of a cable one.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-h9bjhGJPrcE/U58dseP8QwI/AAAAAAAABmI/ZcJqibKcq5I/s1600/IMG_9169.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-h9bjhGJPrcE/U58dseP8QwI/AAAAAAAABmI/ZcJqibKcq5I/s1600/IMG_9169.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
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Same deal here - unscrew the plate from the wall, and all the wires/connectors will come with it.</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-v07GqP350s8/U58dpVjwDyI/AAAAAAAABl8/v9YunakhgSI/s1600/IMG_9172.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-v07GqP350s8/U58dpVjwDyI/AAAAAAAABl8/v9YunakhgSI/s1600/IMG_9172.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yellow is top left, Black is top right, Red is bottom left, Green is bottom right</td></tr>
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My insert plate has colored screws, but my existing plate didn't. So you'll have to look at the wires coming out of the middle to tell which goes where.</div>
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Here's your basic step-by-step</div>
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<ul>
<li>loosen all screws</li>
<li>disconnect one existing wire</li>
<li>wrap wire around matching colors screw</li>
<li>tighten screw</li>
<li>repeat until all wires reconnected</li>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Z8Ad7f28K6A/U58d22nazxI/AAAAAAAABmU/aQ_aDVR-RaE/s1600/IMG_9174.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Z8Ad7f28K6A/U58d22nazxI/AAAAAAAABmU/aQ_aDVR-RaE/s1600/IMG_9174.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6vI8MqDcAG8/U58dr_LQXyI/AAAAAAAABmE/7eS7W5OPRM4/s1600/IMG_9173.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6vI8MqDcAG8/U58dr_LQXyI/AAAAAAAABmE/7eS7W5OPRM4/s1600/IMG_9173.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></a></div>
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When all your wires are connected, use your long screws (again, toss or stash the little ones) to attach the insert to the box.<br />
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Once it's attached, install the fancy plate with its fancy screws. Remember that you'll have to give it a little oomph to seat the screws initially. <br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lfC9nbDn6TQ/U58eJc9zNvI/AAAAAAAABnE/ZhBXMqfYQpg/s1600/IMG_9179.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lfC9nbDn6TQ/U58eJc9zNvI/AAAAAAAABnE/ZhBXMqfYQpg/s1600/IMG_9179.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-agG22nK6p8g/U58eGdWwNNI/AAAAAAAABm0/38oBfBJVylY/s1600/IMG_9178.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-agG22nK6p8g/U58eGdWwNNI/AAAAAAAABm0/38oBfBJVylY/s1600/IMG_9178.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></a></div>
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<i>et viola</i> - so fancy, so simple.<br />
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<br />Kalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12437214064337306779noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8866584160439711830.post-51847752219122510822014-06-09T11:56:00.000-07:002014-06-09T11:56:04.655-07:00Lights, Ceiling Paint, Action!This weekend was all about getting around to those little projects I've been meaning to do forever - getting the UV film installed on the Kiddo's bedroom window, replacing his bookshelves with something larger, fixing the backyard gate latch, and <i>finally</i> dealing with the upstairs hallway ceiling situation.<br />
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You may recall, here's what we were working with before.<br />
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Step one is paint. I just used the same paint as the walls so I didn't have to worry about taping or accidental bumping. With the stairwell, this paint job was difficult enough, I didn't need to make it worse... And, keeping it the same color has the added bonus of making the ceiling look 9 miles high.<br />
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I took down the sad boob light so I wouldn't have to worry about the new light's diameter being too small. Of course, that meant I was painting in the dark.... so there were LOTS of missed spots. Plan on 2 coats of paint, even when you're using the stuff that says it covers in 1 coat.<br />
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I really didn't want to have to take down the gallery wall or scrape little paint mist dots off everything, so this cheapy little roller cover was vital. I was skeptical, but it worked GREAT.<br />
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After the ceiling had plenty of time to dry, I turned to Step two - lights. The As-Is section at Ikea had a cute glass pendant and flush mount light for $10 each. They came with no directions, but Ikea's iPhone App had them easily accessible. I also picked up a recessed light conversion kit at Lowe's a few months ago in anticipation of this project. These, some electrical tape, and wire nuts are all you need. </div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-WPwOXEmhNps/U5XFZB4u92I/AAAAAAAABfc/tM2-Bh7osmU/s1600/IMG_2439.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-WPwOXEmhNps/U5XFZB4u92I/AAAAAAAABfc/tM2-Bh7osmU/s1600/IMG_2439.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
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They were an easy install - white to white, ground to ground, black to black for the flush mount light - easy as pie. The conversion kit was not quite as easy as they promised, but careful reading of their directions made it all work out. </div>
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Here's what they look like all lit up - much prettier than the boring boob light and forgettable recessed can. </div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JKvgtDEdViI/U5XGitl1SOI/AAAAAAAABiA/-U4kIyMuj6M/s1600/IMG_9159.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JKvgtDEdViI/U5XGitl1SOI/AAAAAAAABiA/-U4kIyMuj6M/s1600/IMG_9159.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rFmU2Kx53XI/U5XGiVqnm5I/AAAAAAAABh8/S6PbvLKfvt0/s1600/IMG_9158.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rFmU2Kx53XI/U5XGiVqnm5I/AAAAAAAABh8/S6PbvLKfvt0/s1600/IMG_9158.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></div>
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And here's a shot of how they look with the gallery stairwell, too. </div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-VgxtPJ263ks/U5XGWPg6nVI/AAAAAAAABhU/Ff3wKiw_zVI/s1600/IMG_9153.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-VgxtPJ263ks/U5XGWPg6nVI/AAAAAAAABhU/Ff3wKiw_zVI/s1600/IMG_9153.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></div>
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Finally, here's my ceiling's after look - so, so much better.</div>
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<br />Kalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12437214064337306779noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8866584160439711830.post-33732200151751187212014-05-26T07:20:00.001-07:002014-05-26T07:20:46.289-07:00Captain America Chair The Kiddo has a favorite outdoor just-his-size Adirondack chair from last season. After the year outside, it was looking a little sad.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-IUI2ehRSXYE/U4NExdogegI/AAAAAAAABag/_oQTbqcdMkQ/s1600/IMG_9014.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-IUI2ehRSXYE/U4NExdogegI/AAAAAAAABag/_oQTbqcdMkQ/s1600/IMG_9014.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">To quote Lighting McQueen, "Now it matches the rest of the town."</td></tr>
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I mentioned it needed a new paint job, and the Kiddo suggested "Red, like Captain America!"</div>
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"Oh, what if we kept it blue, but painted Cap's shield on it?" I countered. He LOVED that idea.</div>
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I need to learn to shut my big mouth.</div>
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I gathered my supplies - paint tins, tape, and concentric circle models.</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pzpKBIEY6fE/U4NEnAa2giI/AAAAAAAABaQ/VkFHVnww7c0/s1600/IMG_9016.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pzpKBIEY6fE/U4NEnAa2giI/AAAAAAAABaQ/VkFHVnww7c0/s1600/IMG_9016.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
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I did a quick sand to knock the big paint flakes off, and coated everything with Royal Blue.</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ImrO0cH6IzY/U4NEuFKXZpI/AAAAAAAABaY/XXlkwqKai5U/s1600/IMG_9015.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ImrO0cH6IzY/U4NEuFKXZpI/AAAAAAAABaY/XXlkwqKai5U/s1600/IMG_9015.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-TUMggCHbErI/U4NE5s5mhII/AAAAAAAABao/WhJzT7jJoCo/s1600/IMG_9017.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-TUMggCHbErI/U4NE5s5mhII/AAAAAAAABao/WhJzT7jJoCo/s1600/IMG_9017.jpg" height="640" style="cursor: move;" width="480" /></a></div>
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It took 3 coats, but it was eventually ready to go.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BFN43WS2S_U/U4NFBitvltI/AAAAAAAABa4/ZnutKyn-I0w/s1600/IMG_9018.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BFN43WS2S_U/U4NFBitvltI/AAAAAAAABa4/ZnutKyn-I0w/s1600/IMG_9018.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></div>
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Giotto di Bondone could reportedly paint a perfect circle, but I am (clearly) not an Italian Renaissance artist. So I used old frisbees and abandoned Easter baskets as my models for my concentric circles. I traced them with a sharp pencil, which scored the fresh paint just a little bit.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Ft1xDbPMFCU/U4NFM8us1HI/AAAAAAAABbA/ELlXM4xCogM/s1600/IMG_9021.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Ft1xDbPMFCU/U4NFM8us1HI/AAAAAAAABbA/ELlXM4xCogM/s1600/IMG_9021.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></div>
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Then, it was time to model the star. Frog Tape worked great (for this part...foreshadowing...). I made a little 5 pointed star, then just cut out the interior bits.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yRz80ZSSSJs/U4NF8e3nAgI/AAAAAAAABcI/6keCGQValtQ/s1600/IMG_9029.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yRz80ZSSSJs/U4NF8e3nAgI/AAAAAAAABcI/6keCGQValtQ/s1600/IMG_9029.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></div>
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Today's no-kidding tip is that the type of brush you use makes a HUGE difference in coverage. I used a foam brush on the left, and an art brush nabbed from the Kiddo's easel for the second coat on the right. <br />
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Then, I freehanded the white circle, reasoning that it didn't need to be even close to perfect, since I'd be taping up prettier circles. I had faith in the Frog Tape.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5fshF1Yw7ls/U4NGkSJaPjI/AAAAAAAABcw/89u09_M6Ex0/s1600/IMG_9034.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5fshF1Yw7ls/U4NGkSJaPjI/AAAAAAAABcw/89u09_M6Ex0/s1600/IMG_9034.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qAnFVM_hlcE/U4NGbwODR-I/AAAAAAAABco/wXlra9vHkp0/s1600/IMG_9033.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qAnFVM_hlcE/U4NGbwODR-I/AAAAAAAABco/wXlra9vHkp0/s1600/IMG_9033.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></a></div>
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So much faith, I taped over the whole thing, and re-did my circles. I scored and cut out where I wanted the red to go.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-5frFnjylgQQ/U4NHDQLKBII/AAAAAAAABdQ/CwqS4qkIf9U/s1600/IMG_9037.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-5frFnjylgQQ/U4NHDQLKBII/AAAAAAAABdQ/CwqS4qkIf9U/s1600/IMG_9037.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-NpBkI5kBbGA/U4NGtMi12EI/AAAAAAAABdA/eU9T1Z3v3WY/s1600/IMG_9036.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-NpBkI5kBbGA/U4NGtMi12EI/AAAAAAAABdA/eU9T1Z3v3WY/s1600/IMG_9036.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></a></div>
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Then, painted and hoped.</div>
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The first bit of tape I peeled off did not bode well. <br />
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And it just got worse from there. I was so frustrated, I had to remind myself to be a good role model and not hurl that Frog Tape into the woods.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5a48tK7p8qs/U4NHX3IoJeI/AAAAAAAABds/1_24ZF1B2tk/s1600/IMG_9041.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5a48tK7p8qs/U4NHX3IoJeI/AAAAAAAABds/1_24ZF1B2tk/s1600/IMG_9041.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tape didn't protect the finish underneath, and pulled off the red paint as an extra bonus.</td></tr>
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So, I wound up freehanding everything with a tiny brush anyway. <br />
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At least the Kiddo is happy. And hey, Cap seems to like it, too.</div>
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<br />Kalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12437214064337306779noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8866584160439711830.post-87199836219584025322014-05-25T08:29:00.001-07:002014-05-25T15:24:50.811-07:00Books on CD StorageThe Kiddo loves books on cd after bedtime, because he gets to stay up just a little later without us bugging him to go be in his room. We love them because they help strengthen his reading skills and we don't have to bug him to go be in his room after bedtime.<br />
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But they make rather a mess. And the Kiddo is only 4, so it's a little tough for him to get the cds out of the plastic pocket in the front of the book.<br />
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So, simple solution time. I found these little letter sorters at Office Max (I've looked but not found them at any other office shop in my area).<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-EZ36EartjQY/U4IGHipsD4I/AAAAAAAABZQ/f4EC_0DLS_4/s1600/IMG_2404.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-EZ36EartjQY/U4IGHipsD4I/AAAAAAAABZQ/f4EC_0DLS_4/s1600/IMG_2404.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
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They hold the cds perfectly, and the Kiddo can take them out and put them back without a lot of effort. It helps that the CD player is on the top of his tiny bookshelf, so he can take get them started himself, too. <br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4OnxKtCJFv4/U4IGGmy7O0I/AAAAAAAABZI/Lubyrlbf4ik/s1600/IMG_2403.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4OnxKtCJFv4/U4IGGmy7O0I/AAAAAAAABZI/Lubyrlbf4ik/s1600/IMG_2403.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
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We have a LOT of these books, so I separated them into 2 of the boxes of his bookshelf. This way, there's less of a book tornado in the morning after he's searched for the book he's looking for.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_JbfIZacMJA/U4IGJhcUGTI/AAAAAAAABZY/n1atAeOxpR0/s1600/IMG_2402.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_JbfIZacMJA/U4IGJhcUGTI/AAAAAAAABZY/n1atAeOxpR0/s1600/IMG_2402.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></div>
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I'd love to hear about your simple solutions, too! Come up with anything particularly clever lately?</div>
<br />Kalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12437214064337306779noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8866584160439711830.post-69627156369185024552014-05-25T08:18:00.002-07:002014-05-25T08:18:39.566-07:00Small Fixes: Entryway edition<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
When the Mr. gets home, he drops everything into this basket at the door. This was an improvement from dumping everything in a pile on top of the shoe cabinet, but still a bit of an eyesore.</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oOVxiolHpJQ/U4IFbRy6lsI/AAAAAAAABYc/3qamQXYwpqY/s1600/IMG_2398.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oOVxiolHpJQ/U4IFbRy6lsI/AAAAAAAABYc/3qamQXYwpqY/s1600/IMG_2398.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></div>
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Especially since things in the basket tended to get abandoned there. Out of sight, out of mind, I guess. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I don't have any idea why there's popcorn in there, either.</td></tr>
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The last straw for this sad basket came when I bonked my head on it getting some shoes for the Kiddo. No, I don't have any idea how I did that, either.</div>
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I finally found a small wall hanging basket at Homegoods that didn't cost an unseemly amount for something that would be holding a dog leash and outgoing mail. It's a really little space, and I thought one of those multiple-basket setups would be visually overwhelming.</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Nfv3qDRX_No/U4IFs8bTR8I/AAAAAAAABY8/o471fpwVNlo/s1600/IMG_2401.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Nfv3qDRX_No/U4IFs8bTR8I/AAAAAAAABY8/o471fpwVNlo/s1600/IMG_2401.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></div>
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The hangers on this basket are really visible, so regular nails wouldn't be great here. I considered the clear 3M hangers, but none of them were strong enough to hold more than a pound or so. </div>
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Then, I found these guys at the hardware aisle at Target. They turned out pretty perfect, and disappear right into the background.</div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bjdxc7LQwjg/U4IFfr75bKI/AAAAAAAABYs/FeVSccp1_F4/s1600/IMG_2395.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bjdxc7LQwjg/U4IFfr75bKI/AAAAAAAABYs/FeVSccp1_F4/s1600/IMG_2395.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></div>
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Here it is filled up with stuff - hopefully the wire will help prevent the odd-reciept/ephemera buildup the basket allowed. Either way, I won't be bonking my head anymore, so I declare victory.<br />
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Kalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12437214064337306779noreply@blogger.com0