chair, and back again.

 Further crafting chronicles in the quest to turn everything in our home turquoise:

I'd been dreaming about this project for half a year now...

 Armed with this beauty turquoise ("Catalina Mist") spray paint... some hot glue and rope-yarn, I got busy with it.

While my lungs filled with spray fumes, and my fingers burned with glue... this retro chair inherited from my Grandparents got beautified!

 I'm sure many of you recognise this chair... it often graces the front porch of many retro motels around Ontario.  This one has been my travelling companion ever since I left home.

It's been a funky bucket seat in - and outside - over these years.

Now our daughter loves to crawl on it.. (so she can press her nose directly against the t.v screen where it usually sits).

She wanted to share her drink with the camera while posing in the chair... but don't dare ask her to share the popcorn.

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Note: I vowed after painting this chair that I would never spray paint something like this again.. I hate working with the stuff... fumes, drips, uneven coats.. blech.  

Painting on plastic was also the one thing not on Krylon's list - call me a rebel.

At least now I can sit back and enjoy one more trinket turned turquoise in this nest.

Blue-eyed,

Mel ;o)

D.I.Y: puzzle magnets

Well howdy!

Here's another no-brainer super.fast, stupid.easy project for you today.

I made these for our daughter's 3rd birthday... a way of upcycling those puzzle pieces in to magnets.  (Since 'animal noise' puzzle board found an untimely end.. thanks to daddio)!

 

Just hot glue the magnet to the back of each puzzle piece.

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Or, to show off your inner-pirate... glue a brooch clip to the back of a parrot!

With Christmas around the corner, I've also seen these puzzles hanging from the tree with a drilled hole and ribbon attached.

(Speaking of Christmas.. or gift giving to any child... please remember their parent's sanity and never. no not ever. just don't.. buy toys that make noise! ;o)

 heh.  For reals).

Happy crafting

orange you glad...

...I didn't say 'banana'?

 Speaking of bananas...  it's about to get all crazied-up in here.

You can thank my blogger pal Nicole for this.

She tagged me in one of those "Knowing me, knowing you" quizzes that asks 5 questions for you to answer... and then.. pass on to the next 5 victims friends!

I told her I get grumpy with having to do such quizzes... but, because it's her asking, I will play along.  Just this once.  Got it? ;o)

I decided to answer in video form - less typing/reading for me/you!

 Sorry for that blooper/sloppy exit! hah!

Links mentioned:

Favourite gr.9 song: Jars of Clay - "Flood".

 Blogger bud (now in real life, too) Kirsty - "On loneliness as a 'loner". 

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We'll now return to your normal broadcast blogging post haste here.

(Or, if you really enjoy hearing me drone on.. you can catch up on previous vlog chatter here and here - or just see how my hair is different each time)!

Thanks for getting to 'know' me.. silly bits and all.

Mel ;o)

Colour me: fashionable or frumpy?

I don't know about you... but my wardrobe consists of three sizes of clothing:

frumpy

fitted

funky

The first size I keep around for those days I just want to lounge around, eat sugar, or feel like the post-pregnancy physique has room to jiggle.

The second/third options are for the days of actually 'trying'.. you know, to be fashionable dressed half-decent.

This past weekend I decided to de-frumpify (sure, that's a word) my wardrobe a bit:

 Example 1:  The uber baggy.. two-sizes-too-big navy cordurouy pants.

Turn inside out, pin to fit... sew a new seam up the sides, voila!

The more fitting tapered cords.

 Example 2:  The bell-bottomed baggy mustard corduroy pants.

Tapered in from the knee down.  Hemmed up at the ankle.
I could take them in a bit more... and attempt the hipster 'skinny' jeans look, but I'd likely end up looking like I was riding a chicken.  Yep.

So, subtle it is, but that's enough difference to fit them in my boots.

 Now, a word about fashion.

I believe a woman's beauty goes way deeper than an inch of fabric on the external.

I know I've said this kind of thing before... but I need the reminder.

Seems our mother's always tried to remind us that it's "what's inside that counts"... when we came home crying about how our outfit was teased at school.

Yet, we still find ourselves primping, preening, perfecting the exterior so often.

Looking at beauty/fashion magazines (blogs) and coming away feeling... uglier.

Now, imagine a world where our beauty was determined by the quality of our heart?

Because when the makeup cracks off, and the hair loses it's shimmer, and the clothes are eaten by moths... that's what we'll be left with, our heart.

body

soul

mind

Frumpy or fashionable... doesn't need to be my focus.

Grant me a heart that glows and grows in beauty.

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³ "Do not let your adornment be merely outward—arranging the hair, wearing gold, or putting on fine apparel— ⁴ rather let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God."

1 Peter 3:3-4

Have a beauty-full weekend friends,

Mel ;o) 

elastic heart.

 Motherhood.

If you could only see the stretch marks...

...on my heart.

Nothing prepared me for this.

The way this heart can be pulled to such extremes.

Stretched taut by their

sleeplessness

crankiness

messiness

neediness

...

my rubber-band heart snaps.

But, it always bounces back,

pliable and soft.

by their

sweetness

playfulness

laughter

affection

Nothing prepared me for that.

Azriel and Hudson

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Linking up with Small Style cuties today.

Azriel wears: Lace shirt:: Mary-Kate and Ashley   Charcoal slacks::JOE fresh.

Hudson wears: Blue vest::Old Navy   Plaid Shirt:: George  Grey Corduroys:: G.A.P

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elastic hearted,

Mel ;o)

D.I.Y: painted feather Quill & Journal

Pssssst!  Hey all you fine-feathered tweet.hearts.... guess what?

This do.it.yourself project is being featured over at The Paper Mama's blog as part of her fun.tastic 50 d.i.y days of Christmas!

(Can you guess I'm a bit obsessed with painted feathers around here lately.. and there's more to come)!

So flutter on over and check it out if you'd like another creative idea for homemade gifts.

Thanks to the lovely Chelsey for hosting!

Have a beauty day friends,

Mel ;o)

D.I.Y: country-charm cup o' cuteness!

 I blame Pinterest for this idea.

How many mama's out there face the 'perfect-Pinterest-party-pressure'?

They stress over all the cute and crazy decorating ideas to make your child's birthday the marvel of all the neighbours, and give the appearance of a staged photo shoot.

Ok, I admit the temptation is there for me too.

Any excuse to get creative.. and decorate!

But, I opted to keep it simple this year (apart from all of us dressing up!).

If we had have thrown a party (if our daughter wasn't sick) I would have made these cute drinking cups o' cuteness:

 I like to think of them as a rustic-sippy cup.

I love how you can customize the mason jar with a fun muffin liner (lots of colourful options at craft stores)!

You could wrap twine or ribbon around it, with kid's name tags hanging from them.

I filled it with apple juice and frozen berries.

(Adult versions would be fun too... warmed cider?)

If you have a minute, Azriel's 'review' is pretty hilarious:

 Lots of slurping...

"Make it funner"...

"Gross!!!"...

(maybe skip the twine for kids?!) hehe.

Overall it was a deliciously cute success!

Azriel kept wanting to drink out of her 'fun' cup after that.

You could even dress these up for Christmas themed parties soon too.

Cheers!

Mel ;o)