I have been writing to this blog for the past few weeks to share my endeavors with pallet woodworking, and over that time I have seen my blog grow exponentially. This is definitely an exciting time for me as I get to share all of these experiences with more and more of you, however, it has been received with some mixed reviews as well.
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Tuesday, July 31, 2012
Monday, July 30, 2012
Capri-Sun's and Polka-Dots
My girl has been saving her Capri-Suns from her school lunches and I finally got around to making something super cute with them. In all it took 28 pouches. Now that school is starting again, start saving them and you'll have enough in no time.Wash and dry pouches and set your sewing machine to zig-zag. When sewing the pouches together, I just layed one on top of another slightly and stitched them in place.
NOTE: Attach the ribbon closures now before fully assembling the bag. I didn't and it was very difficult to sew them in place.
Sew the ribbon to the top flap and attach to bag.
And you're done!
So Cute!
Progress, Progress and more Progress!
Hello Readers!
This past weekend, a major trend took place, it rained constantly and unrelentlessly. That being said, I was able to utilize my carport this weekend to get things moving on the pallet entertainment center, and the recycled lumber crib mobile. So lets dive right into the action!
Read more »
This past weekend, a major trend took place, it rained constantly and unrelentlessly. That being said, I was able to utilize my carport this weekend to get things moving on the pallet entertainment center, and the recycled lumber crib mobile. So lets dive right into the action!
Read more »
Guest Post: DIY Vertical Garden Wall
I have always wanted to make one a vertical garden wall! Thanks to this guest post from Bridgman, I might be attempting this project this weekend! Enjoy!
Create your own vertical garden using a wooden shipping pallet.
If you love nothing more than exciting and innovative home projects, then creating a vertical garden is a fun and creative way of maximising growing space in your home. Made popular by Patrick Blanc, the famed French botanist, vertical gardening is increasingly being used on buildings across the world to bring greenery into urban spaces. However, you don’t have to build a vertical garden on a vast scale, and with only a wooden pallet, some plants, planting soil, and a few tools you can create your own unique garden wall at home.
This project is ideal if you’re short of space but still want to grow flowers and foliage. Succulents and herbs work wonderfully in a homemade vertical garden, as do many flowering plants such as petunias and lobelia. After only a few hours work and two weeks to allow the plants to settle, you can brighten up any wall in no time at all.
If you would like to create your own vertical garden at home, simply follow these simple instructions put together by Bridgman.
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Weekend Recap
Oh my oh my oh my! This weekend was filled to the brim with fun, family and laughter. I'm still a little dazed from it all. We started off the weekend with a Friday night pizza party with family. Then Saturday was a triple header with a 5k obstacle race for me in the morning, a birthday party for a friend's son in the afternoon, and an adult date night in the evening to round out the day. Sunday we zipped to a beachside breakfast with the whole family and I thankfully found myself napping in the afternoon with my little man. I'm amazed at all that was packed into the past few days but wouldn't change a bit of it. Here are a few pictures :) How did you spend your weekend?
My boys have a pretty good life! Just saying :) Looks like today may be a 3 cups of coffee kind of day! Whew! Happy Monday y'all!
Saturday, July 28, 2012
Delayed Grief
I don't know what's going on with me lately, but I feel like the grief of losing my dad has finally caught up with me. It's been almost a year and a half since I received that awful phone call. I hesitate to blog about my dad because I don't want to upset my mom. I've thought about many blogs about my dad for months, but put off writing them for one reason or another. Hurt. Ache. Pain. Longing. Sadness. Tears.
For most of this time, I've been putting off accepting that he's really gone. It's not SUPER hard to do when you live 2,000 miles away. I don't know if I've ever told how it happened. It's very surreal. The last time I heard his voice, was in the background of a phone call when my mom called to say they were driving to Illinois to visit her sister. They had just got back from a Florida vacation, so I told her "Ok, but your NEXT trip had BETTER be to California!!"
My dad had to go back to Ohio to get ready for work and my mom stayed the rest of the week because her sister was having her 50th anniversary party that weekend. After a couple of days (unknown to me because we'd said she would just call me when they were back home) of my dad not answering the phone, my mom had to take further action. Long story short, my brother and his wife had to drive over to their house in the middle of the night in a blizzard, have the police break the door, and found him. He was in his favorite recliner, with the phone still on the receiver right next to him. They assured us that even if an EMT had been sitting on the couch when it happened, there would have been nothing they could have done.
I HATE when I get a phone call from a family member late at night or really early in the morning. It makes my heart skip a beat now. My call came late at night, and I can still hear my brother relaying the news. Just six months earlier I had hugged him goodbye in his hospital bed, one day post-colon cancer surgery. I had no idea it would be my last hug ever.
After the initial several months of grief, the physical symptoms of anxiety (couldn't lay on the couch and watch tv alone at night because that's what I was doing when my brother called; limbs going numb; shortness of breath) went away. I think in the time between then and now, I shut it out. I still realized he's fully gone, I was sad, but for some reason...I stopped crying. Like, ever. You know in the movie The Holiday when she hadn't cried for years, even when she tried? Yeah, that was me. Until now.
I've faced a bunch of challenges lately, just various "not-so-easy" things getting the Etsy shop open, pure exhaustion, and a few other things. The other day I typed "Doobie Brothers" into Pandora. My dad LOVED classic rock music. He was in his 20's in the 1970's so he was all into that kind of music. He recorded hours upon hours of music onto his reel-to-reels and that's what I grew up listening to as a child. He had a dog named Zeppelin before I was born. I guess the dog growled at my brother when he was a baby and my dad got rid of him right away.
Now I've moved into this stage of welcoming the sadness. It's a weird place to be, and I certainly don't welcome the fact that he's gone. Not at all. But I feel like I am finally accepting it, slowly. It really DID happen. I REALLY miss him. But the heartbreaking and heartwarming thing is that my new Doobie Brothers Pandora station makes me feel like I am watching him sing (terribly, by the way) at the top of his lungs. I remember those days he would break out his reel to reels fondly, and I feel connected to him. I realized two things through this station: 1. The aliens must have been working overtime in the 70's because there are a TON of album covers with ufo's and aliens on them (there's a REALLY funny story in UFO's and my dad too...for another time!), and 2. I know more lyrics to Eagle's music than any artist in the last ten years. Miss you daddy, meet you in the basement with the loud music. ;)
For most of this time, I've been putting off accepting that he's really gone. It's not SUPER hard to do when you live 2,000 miles away. I don't know if I've ever told how it happened. It's very surreal. The last time I heard his voice, was in the background of a phone call when my mom called to say they were driving to Illinois to visit her sister. They had just got back from a Florida vacation, so I told her "Ok, but your NEXT trip had BETTER be to California!!"
My dad had to go back to Ohio to get ready for work and my mom stayed the rest of the week because her sister was having her 50th anniversary party that weekend. After a couple of days (unknown to me because we'd said she would just call me when they were back home) of my dad not answering the phone, my mom had to take further action. Long story short, my brother and his wife had to drive over to their house in the middle of the night in a blizzard, have the police break the door, and found him. He was in his favorite recliner, with the phone still on the receiver right next to him. They assured us that even if an EMT had been sitting on the couch when it happened, there would have been nothing they could have done.
I HATE when I get a phone call from a family member late at night or really early in the morning. It makes my heart skip a beat now. My call came late at night, and I can still hear my brother relaying the news. Just six months earlier I had hugged him goodbye in his hospital bed, one day post-colon cancer surgery. I had no idea it would be my last hug ever.
After the initial several months of grief, the physical symptoms of anxiety (couldn't lay on the couch and watch tv alone at night because that's what I was doing when my brother called; limbs going numb; shortness of breath) went away. I think in the time between then and now, I shut it out. I still realized he's fully gone, I was sad, but for some reason...I stopped crying. Like, ever. You know in the movie The Holiday when she hadn't cried for years, even when she tried? Yeah, that was me. Until now.
I've faced a bunch of challenges lately, just various "not-so-easy" things getting the Etsy shop open, pure exhaustion, and a few other things. The other day I typed "Doobie Brothers" into Pandora. My dad LOVED classic rock music. He was in his 20's in the 1970's so he was all into that kind of music. He recorded hours upon hours of music onto his reel-to-reels and that's what I grew up listening to as a child. He had a dog named Zeppelin before I was born. I guess the dog growled at my brother when he was a baby and my dad got rid of him right away.
Now I've moved into this stage of welcoming the sadness. It's a weird place to be, and I certainly don't welcome the fact that he's gone. Not at all. But I feel like I am finally accepting it, slowly. It really DID happen. I REALLY miss him. But the heartbreaking and heartwarming thing is that my new Doobie Brothers Pandora station makes me feel like I am watching him sing (terribly, by the way) at the top of his lungs. I remember those days he would break out his reel to reels fondly, and I feel connected to him. I realized two things through this station: 1. The aliens must have been working overtime in the 70's because there are a TON of album covers with ufo's and aliens on them (there's a REALLY funny story in UFO's and my dad too...for another time!), and 2. I know more lyrics to Eagle's music than any artist in the last ten years. Miss you daddy, meet you in the basement with the loud music. ;)
Gossip Table Transformed
Rob stripped and sanded down all the old paint that was chipping, and then wiped it down with some mineral spirits.
We wanted to put this in a room that already has gray colored furniture, so we were able to reuse paint we already had. This saved some money, and it turned out great. The color is by Valspar and the name is Woodlawn Colonial Gray. Here is the chair seat painted after the first coat.
Or you can leave it put together and have it as an occasional table or night stand.
Megan
We enjoy linking up to the following parties:
http://www.thetaylor-house.com
http://www.niftythriftythings.
http://www.flamingotoes.com/
http://twiggstudios.blogspot.
http://blissfulanddomestic.
http://www.jamscorner.comhttp://www.flamingotoes.com/
http://twiggstudios.blogspot.
http://blissfulanddomestic.
http://www.natural-nester.
http://adventuresofadiymom.
http://www.
http://romanceonadime.com/
http://thewinthropchronicles.
http://funkypolkadotgiraffe.
http://adventuresofadiymom.
http://www.
http://romanceonadime.com/
http://thewinthropchronicles.
http://funkypolkadotgiraffe.
http://www.thekurtzcorner.com
htt://www.theshabbycreekcottage.com/
http://www.livelaughrowe.com/
http://www.aglimpseinsideblog.
http://www.
http://www.momnivores-dilemma.
http://kadie-sevenalive.
http://www.
http://www.momnivores-dilemma.
http://kadie-sevenalive.
http://raisingoranges.blogspot.com
http://www.504main.com/
http://redoux.blogspot.com/
http://thirtyhandmadedays.com/
http://www.craftionary.net
http://www.simplysweethome.com
http://redoux.blogspot.com/
http://thirtyhandmadedays.com/
http://www.craftionary.net
http://www.simplysweethome.com
http://www.classyclutter.
http://www.iheartnaptime.net/
http://lollyjaneboutique.
http://www.iheartnaptime.net/
http://lollyjaneboutique.
Fun Dealz on a Saturday~
Just wanted to pop in for a minute and let you guys know about the Christmas in July deals going on right now on Groop Dealz...
Personally, I'm LOVIN' those bib necklaces...they're only $19.99! Oh! and those cute chalkboard labels...they're only $4 for a set of 12!
There are a bunch of other great deals available right now as well. You might want to check it out!
Have a great Saturday!
Drum Table
I picked up this drum table for $35 at a local thrift shop. It was in pretty good shape, just had a little damage on the top of it. Rob used stripper on the top of it, sanded it, and cleaned it up. The major transformation is the top is a lot brighter now. It is the perfect height next to our sofa. Here are the before pictures:
Megan
We enjoy linking up to the following parties:
http://www.niftythriftythings.
http://www.flamingotoes.com/
http://twiggstudios.blogspot.
http://blissfulanddomestic.
http://www.jamscorner.comhttp://www.flamingotoes.com/
http://twiggstudios.blogspot.
http://blissfulanddomestic.
http://www.natural-nester.
http://adventuresofadiymom.
http://www.
http://romanceonadime.com/ http://thewinthropchronicles.
http://funkypolkadotgiraffe.
http://adventuresofadiymom.
http://www.
http://romanceonadime.com/ http://thewinthropchronicles.
http://funkypolkadotgiraffe.
http://www.thekurtzcorner.com
htt://www.theshabbycreekcottage.com/
http://www.livelaughrowe.com/
http://www.aglimpseinsideblog.
http://www.
http://www.momnivores-dilemma.
http://kadie-sevenalive.
http://www.
http://www.momnivores-dilemma.
http://kadie-sevenalive.
http:raisingoranges.blogspot.com
http://www.504main.com/
http://redoux.blogspot.com/
http://thirtyhandmadedays.com/
http://www.craftionary.net
http://www.simplysweethome.com
http://redoux.blogspot.com/
http://thirtyhandmadedays.com/
http://www.craftionary.net
http://www.simplysweethome.com
http://www.classyclutter.
http://www.iheartnaptime.net/
http://lollyjaneboutique.
http://www.iheartnaptime.net/
http://lollyjaneboutique.
Friday, July 27, 2012
Loggerhead Sea Turtle Release
About a month ago a young sea turtle was accidentally hooked by a local fisherman. Thankfully the beach community we live in has an incredible aquarium and a team dedicated to helping injured animals. After removing the hook and making sure he was completely healthy they were able to release him back to the wild and the community was invited to come watch!
I knew there would be HUGE crowds so we left an hour early and it paid off. The boys were able to get a spot all the way at the front and had the perfect view to watch all the action. What an experience!
I knew there would be HUGE crowds so we left an hour early and it paid off. The boys were able to get a spot all the way at the front and had the perfect view to watch all the action. What an experience!
Happy Friday!
Working with Pallets - The Difficulties.
Hello Readers!
Working with pallets can be fun, it can be gratifying, and it can keep you busy... These are all good things, but there is a dark side to the madness that is; Pallet Craft!
Read more »
Working with pallets can be fun, it can be gratifying, and it can keep you busy... These are all good things, but there is a dark side to the madness that is; Pallet Craft!
Read more »
Bloglovin Blog Hop
If you're looking for Whimsy Wednesdays you can find it here.
I am super excited to be hosting a Bloglovin' Blog Hop with Cari and Courtnee from Two Sasters, Amy from While Wearing Heels, Pam from Pam's Party Planning & Practical Tips, Kristy from Cup of Jo, Carrie from My Favorite Finds, Megan from Our Pinteresting Family, Barb from Second Chance to Dream, Jacqueline from The Detox Diva and Megan from Shaping Up to be a Mom for the month of July.
What's Bloglovin' you ask? Well, only the greatest way to keep track of the blogs that you love. With the discontinuation of Google Friends Connect, I decided that I needed to find another way to keep up with all of my favorite blogs that are not hosted by blogger. I signed up for Linky Followers and I've had great success with gaining new followers, but I’m finding I don’t get any traffic to my site from Linky. I also do not enjoy reading my favorite blogs from there. I stumbled upon Bloglovin' and I am in love! It is very similar to Google Reader, in that you can see the beginning of the post and the first picture attached to the post. Plus, Bloglovin' automatically updates your posts, unlike Linky Followers, which you have to manually update each time you write a new post. I don't know about you, but I just don't have the time to do that every time. Another added bonus is there is a Bloglovin' application for IPhone and Android devices. Woohoo! Like I don't spend enough time reading blogs. Now it's a simple touch. Love it!
***These are the complete instructions for sign up, so skip to the rules if you already have Bloglovin'***
I am super excited to be hosting a Bloglovin' Blog Hop with Cari and Courtnee from Two Sasters, Amy from While Wearing Heels, Pam from Pam's Party Planning & Practical Tips, Kristy from Cup of Jo, Carrie from My Favorite Finds, Megan from Our Pinteresting Family, Barb from Second Chance to Dream, Jacqueline from The Detox Diva and Megan from Shaping Up to be a Mom for the month of July.
What's Bloglovin' you ask? Well, only the greatest way to keep track of the blogs that you love. With the discontinuation of Google Friends Connect, I decided that I needed to find another way to keep up with all of my favorite blogs that are not hosted by blogger. I signed up for Linky Followers and I've had great success with gaining new followers, but I’m finding I don’t get any traffic to my site from Linky. I also do not enjoy reading my favorite blogs from there. I stumbled upon Bloglovin' and I am in love! It is very similar to Google Reader, in that you can see the beginning of the post and the first picture attached to the post. Plus, Bloglovin' automatically updates your posts, unlike Linky Followers, which you have to manually update each time you write a new post. I don't know about you, but I just don't have the time to do that every time. Another added bonus is there is a Bloglovin' application for IPhone and Android devices. Woohoo! Like I don't spend enough time reading blogs. Now it's a simple touch. Love it!
***These are the complete instructions for sign up, so skip to the rules if you already have Bloglovin'***
In order to participate in this hop you need to sign up for Bloglovin’. Go to Bloglovin'. Hit the green sign up button in the right hand corner. Next enter an email address and create your password. You will get a confirmation eamil that you will need to follow a link back to Bloglovin' to continue the process. Once you click on the link you will be brought to a page where it says to choose blogs to follow. You don't need to do this. Click next in the bottom right hand corner. The next screen let’s you know about the mobile app so just click next again. This screen will show that you are not following any blogs. Click on Account in the upper right hand corner and toggle down to widget. Choose the widget you want displayed on your page. Put your url into the search query and it should pull up your site. Click on your site and it will say display this icon. The next page should bring you to a screen that has you display it into your layout. Once you hit publish you’re done! If you view your blog you should see the icon and now your followers can add you to their Bloglovin’ feed. Seriously, so simple. So let’s get to the blog hop. This is a party so make sure to have some fun and mingle.
There’s only a couple of rules:
There’s only a couple of rules:
1. Please follow your host – The NY Melrose Family
&
Your co-hosts Two Sasters, While Wearing Heels, Pam's Party Planning & Practical Tips, Cup of Jo, My Favorite Finds, Our Pinteresting Family, Second Chance to Dream, The Detox Diva and Shaping Up to be a Mom.
&
Your co-hosts Two Sasters, While Wearing Heels, Pam's Party Planning & Practical Tips, Cup of Jo, My Favorite Finds, Our Pinteresting Family, Second Chance to Dream, The Detox Diva and Shaping Up to be a Mom.
If you're interested in co-hosting next month shoot me an email at russej10@gmail.com. I also have some sponsor spots still available for August, which you can find here. Alright, so let's have some fun and mingle! Please link up your bloglovin profile.
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