When my kids were toddlers I made them “busy bags” to keep in the car in case we ended up in waiting rooms or places where I needed to keep them quietly occupied. Now that the kids are older, I find it’s usually me who needs to be kept occupied during their activities so I made myself a Mom’s Busy Bag, full of all the things I like to spend time on while waiting. And waiting. And waiting. Now that it’s back to school time, we’re back on our usual schedule which means lots of sitting at piano lessons, watching gymnastics class, or waiting in the Dr’s office. I don’t… Keep Reading
Pug Palette and the Dog Days of Summer
I have a thing for dogs. There’s just something about their happy spirit that makes me smile. And their soft furriness doesn’t hurt either. I love all breeds and all mutts, but when it comes to goofy cuteness, there’s no comparison to pugs. Pug Palette When I saw this photo, it just made me smile. If you’re wondering, that’s often how I pick the photos that serve as inspiration for my color palettes. Sometimes I start with a subject matter or color idea in mind, but most of the time I just scroll through one of my favorite free photo sites until I see a picture that catches my eye… Keep Reading
How to Repair Luxury Vinyl Plank Flooring
Luxury Vinyl Plank flooring is one of the best things since sliced bread. It comes in amazing colors, styles and finishes. You can get commercial grade versions for high-traffic areas. It’s waterproof and virtually indestructible. And it’s affordable. What more could you ask for in a flooring product?! We put luxury vinyl plank (LVP) in our latest flip house, which also functioned as an AirBNB property, and it performed amazingly well. The only problem was a few pieces were not installed correctly, and they started lifting up after several months of wear and tear. So naturally I wanted to know how to fix it myself rather than calling our handyman…. Keep Reading
ModPodge and Cocktail Napkin Easy Candle Makeover
I love this easy and fun candle makeover that takes cheap glass candles, and turns them into colorful centerpieces, for about $1 a piece! OK, show of hands, who else is obsessed with Dollar Store crafts? Whenever my daughters ask to go to the Dollar Store, I secretly jump for joy with anticipation of slowly walking the aisles, looking for crafty inspiration one dollar at a time. Also, on a related note, why is it that I can never seem to spend less than $25 at the Dollar Store? This project first debuted as part of my Patio Makeover series, where I updated our backyard for summer. I whipped these… Keep Reading
13 Easy Camping Hacks for the Perfect Outdoor Adventure
Camping is a great way to spend time with the family, and you can make it even easier and more fun by using some of these camping hacks we’ve picked up over the years! Every year I think I’m going to get organized and write this camping hacks post before the camping season begins. And every year I recall that goal as I’m sitting around a campfire or using one of my camping tricks, and I realize that it’s already the middle of camping season and I spent all my time and energy getting packed to go camping, rather than writing about it. (Priorities, people!) So this year, I’m… Keep Reading
Summer Cherries Palette
Few things embody summer like the taste and color of fresh cherries. This summer cherry palette reminds me of simple pleasures and living in the moment. This past weekend we got an unexpected visit from out-of-town friends. Their family was passing through town and stopped at our house for a couple of days. To entertain the kids, we walked to the neighborhood park. As we were getting ready to head home for lunch, my daughter noticed a single red cherry laying on the ground in front of her. She looked up and realized we were standing under a huge old cherry tree, laden with perfectly ripe cherries! The kids (and… Keep Reading
Summer Patio Makeover Reveal
Our Summer Patio Makeover is finally finished! We started a month ago, and I’m so glad we finished all our projects before the weather got too hot. Now we can sit back and enjoy our patio in the shade all summer long. As with any big project, this Summer patio makeover was made up of several smaller projects, so I’m breaking this down into all the pieces and parts. Hopefully you’ll get some ideas along the way for your own outdoor oasis! ~ This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase I may receive a small commission at no additional charge to you. ~ Summer Patio Makeover The… Keep Reading
Bring the Indoors Out with an Outdoor Rug
Designing a comfortable patio starts with function, but it doesn’t have to end there. To truly create an outdoor living space, you need to add a few touches of comfort, like an outdoor rug. And I’ve got just the place to find one! This month marks the beginning of outdoor living in our part of the world, and I’m jumping on that bandwagon by making over my back patio, just in time for summer. Last week we painted our concrete block wall, which made the whole space feel more inviting and lived in, and now we’re moving on to decorating the space under our gazebo. I want my outdoor dining… Keep Reading
How to Unwire an Old Chandelier for Outdoor Lighting
This month we’re giving our patio a makeover, and today’s mini-makeover is how to unwire a chandelier to make it suitable for outdoor use with no electricity. We’ll be taking an old, dated chandelier and reworking it to turn it into a cool candelabra to hang over our outdoor dining table. I don’t know about you but I find electricity to be a little scary. I do a lot of DIY projects, but one thing I don’t touch in our house is wiring and electrical fixtures. So when I decided to turn this old chandelier into a functioning non-electric one for candle-lit dinners in our backyard, I felt a little… Keep Reading
From Boring Concrete Wall to Pretty Painted Patio
This patio makeover gets a kick start from a fresh paint job on an ugly concrete block wall. Further proof that paint really does fix everything! This month I’m tackling a patio makeover that all started last year with our new gazebo. We installed the gazebo, loved how it looked and functioned, and immediately wanted to fix up the rest of the backyard but got distracted by summer activities with two kids. (The best kind of distraction!) Now that the weather is getting nice again, my husband is planning several sprinkler and landscaping upgrades, and I’m looking for ways to get out of digging ditches with him. So I’m painting… Keep Reading