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3.31.2014

Last Minute Pet Barrier for SUV

Our (almost) 2 year old German Shorthair Pointer loves us. A. Lot.

She always wants to be close to us, especially in the car.  Imagine car rides with 3 boys in the back seat arguing over who has to endure 55 lbs. of hot, shedding love on their lap.  She must climb on top of you like a small puppy:


 Last week I needed to take her to the vet alone and had to come up with a "love wall" between us.  I looked at the pet store for a gate to install in my car and walked right out the door when I saw price tags of $69.99 and up.

What to do???

Enter our old bed rail from days gone by...wait, I need to be sad for a minute...

I could see that the part that slides under the mattress moved in a channel on the leg, so using a hack saw, I cut a piece out of the channel so the anchor could be removed.

See where what I mean?  The piece of the channel is cut out here:


After that the perpendicular piece of the anchor slid right out of the channel:


I was left with a flat side with mesh in the middle that I attached to the head rests with bungee cords:



It's practically see-through when driving!  Here is the view from the front seat:


Here is our GSP safely behind the mesh:


On Thursday I will share another pet barrier solution that is more customized for size and an option for dogs that might just claw their way right through the mesh. So, meet you back here in a few days for a Custom Dog Barrier Tutorial!

3.25.2014

Tutorial Tuesday!

10 Nice Things for a New Mom:


DIY Blog Photo Backdrop:


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Hope Studios



3.20.2014

Why I Won't "Bring It Down a Notch"

Things travel like wildfire in the land of Facebook.  The latest is "Can We Bring it Down a Notch?" , a mom begging other mothers of the world to bring down their celebrations of holidays.

The author, Kristen Howerton, complained that there is too much hoopla (did anyone else just hear Spongebob when you read that word?) surrounding the small non-holiday-holidays like St. Patrick's day for her to keep up with in her home.

I'm going to admit it...I'm one of those moms.  I "do it up" whenever I can - the leprechauns trash the house and leave chocolate coins, the Elf makes it's rounds every December,  I have mailboxes filled with notes and surprises on Valentines Day, the tooth fairy leaves elaborately folded dollar bills filled with fairy dust under pillows...

Why do I go to all the trouble? Is it to make other mothers of the world feel inadequate? Is it to create work for myself? Is it because I'm bored?

I do it because I'm a junky.  My drug of choice is elusive and strong.  It's WONDER.

Seeing wonder on my kids' faces is priceless and addictive.  I've seen it when I take them to Disney, but I have also seen it when they find an elf sleeping in a tissue box after a rough night with a head cold.  It's rare and beautiful and I'm hooked.

Childhood is so fleeting, as I look at my 11, 12, and 15 year old I know it is gone in the blink of an eye.  I have worked hard to create circumstances to create wonder, I had to get one more hit. I am hooked on trying to create traditions and memories for my kids.  I want them to feel things, I want to experience surprise and delight and wonder. I can't apologize for that, I'm an addict.

They don't believe in all that "hoopla" anymore, but I still do it because now that wonder has evolved into tradition.  It is our common family "thing". It's the knowing smile, the wink, the eye roll, the "you remembered" I get when they see the elf dangling from a wrecking ball (ala Miley Cyrus).

We just recently spent $300+ transferring all our VHS home videos to CD so I could relive their moments of wonder and they are so priceless to me.  I still cry when I hear an exclamation of surprise or wide eyes of wonder. I move close to the TV and soak it in, I remember, I smile, I cry. I feel their childhood slipping through my fingers like sand, I'm grabbing at it trying to hold on for a few more precious seconds.

I didn't always feel this way when I was in the thick of it with potty training, spoon feeding,  and sleepless nights but I tried to hold on to even those moments when I realized how fast time was passing.  I'm no expert, but my best parenting advice is to just be present in all the moments of childhood, the good the bad and the poopy.  Try to create memories and moments you can pull out of your pocket when you need them 10, 20 years down the road when you need a "hit". 


...blink...


3.18.2014

Tutorial Tuesday!

How to Make a Diaper Cake:


Hide Wall Mounted TV Cords:


#1 Clicked Link?




Please... (this is the part at the end of the commercial when the announcer talks real fast)

* Link up using the link to your actual post (not your general blog 

address) using the subject of your tutorial to generate  interest.

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Hope Studios




3.14.2014

Trader Joe's Faves?


Well, I just got word that the lease has been signed and a Trader Joe's is finally coming to my part of town!

It's Feedback Friday...

What are some of your Trader Joe's faves I should check out?

3.13.2014

Sweater MIttens and a Yummy Piece of Cake

 (Maripan, Treat Girl, & Joy)

The Soul Sisters were back in action for another crafty afternoon of mitten making...Sweater Mittens, that is.

We all arrived at Marzipan's house with bags of old sweaters, fleece in a rainbow of colors, and old wool suits.  We printed out the pattern from a tutorial on Make and Do Girl Blog and started to cut...


Pretty soon we had a pile of tops and bottoms and insides and outsides ready to assemble.


 Cake break... (recipe on Marzipan's blog)


Here is a complete pair of mitten liners...

 (Joy)

Getting a little silly as we sampled some Kombucha while wearing pot holder sized mittens...


Check out the cute little SCOBY babies used to make the tea...

(baby SCOBY)

So, we cut the sweaters, sipped the tea, sewed the mittens, ate the cake, and laughed and talked and screamed in between.  Another great afternoon with girlfriends...

3.11.2014

Tutorial Tuesday!


Quick Car Trash Bag:

Lucky Charms Bark:


#1 Clicked Link Last Week?



Please... (this is the part at the end of the commercial when the announcer talks real fast)

* Link up using the link to your actual post (not your general blog 

address) using the subject of your tutorial to generate  interest.

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Hope Studios



An InLinkz Link-up

3.07.2014

Picky Eaters


If I hear one more complaint about what's for dinner this winter I just might lose my mind.  I need help, people!  Share your favorite recipe that everyone in the family actually likes...pretty please?


3.06.2014

Turkey Horror Show


So, you know how we all tend to use our blogs and Facebook to brag about our cute kids, our superior craftiness, our cooking skills?  Keeping it real here folks...

This is what happens when your husband brings home a skinless wild turkey from a hunt. He was so proud of his catch and presented it to me to prepare for dinner so he could feel like he had truly provided for his family.

Fast forward to a Christmas Vacation-like silence around the table as I presented this sad looking turkey. Wish you could be a fly on the wall as we tried to eat it?  Here you go:


3.04.2014

Tutorial Tuesday!

Bacon Cinnamon Donuts:


Felt Succulents:


This Heartwarming Story was out #1 clicked link from last week's party!

Please... (this is the part at the end of the commercial when the announcer talks real fast)

* Link up using the link to your actual post (not your general blog 

address) using the subject of your tutorial to generate  interest.

* Add my button or a clickable link back to this post so everyone can join in.

* Visit and comment with all our friends. Show them some love! Meet some new friends! Learn something new!

Ready? Teach Me Stuff!




Hope Studios




3.03.2014

Coolest School Ever

I'm pretty proud of the students at my son's school and am pretty sure it's one of the coolest schools
ever:

 

 Every student in the school participated in some way, they included lots of funny things that are part of the "common language" at our school (like the administrators riding the roller coaster, the pencil putt, the "I Believe" chant at the end...)

Doesn't it just make you smile??

How to Avoid Stress At Work