Kitchen Update #4

Things here have been busy.  We are still working on kitchen updates as January comes to a close.  There were some snags this week.  The remaining drawer pulls that I ordered weeks ago still haven't come.  Actually, I contacted the company and they are now backordered for another two weeks.  Ugh.

The one project I have been working on ended up being a craft fail.  The product doesn't work as intended, and now I am in search of something that will.

I've also made more work for us this week, as I went to give the pantry door a fresh coat of paint and realized that that had been done one too many times.  So we took down the door and stripped the coats and coats of paint.  We are almost finished sanding, and then we can paint.

Things that went right this week?  We installed the tile backsplash and even got it grouted.  We still need to seal the new grout and caulk the edges.  I promise pictures soon!

Now that February is beginning we had to evaluate our 2012 plan.  We wanted to concentrate on one room a month, which should mean we would be moving on to a new room.  But with so much left to go in the kitchen we don't really want to move on.  So we compromised.  We are going to continue work in the kitchen.  But we will also work on on our downstairs bathroom.

In November I started a specialty finish product on the walls in our bathroom.  But Home Depot ran out of the product.  We moved on to other projects, and it still isn't done.  But the product is now in.  So we will finish the paint in the bathroom.  We also plan on stripping that door too, as well as changing out the door molding.  Then just some decorative details and that room will be done.

With the short bathroom list, we are hoping that we will have plenty of time to keep plugging away on the kitchen.  The more we do, the more exciting we are about the new look and functionality of the room!  Stay tuned!

Valentine's Day Bubble Wreath Tutorial

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I love all of the burlap bubble wreaths I have been seeing around blogland and on Pinterest.  I wanted to do something for our door for Valentine's Day, and I thought a bubble wreath would fit the bill.  But I wanted to do something a bit more fun than just red burlap.  

I browsed around JoAnn's for awhile and found a fabulous graphic black and white print.  I bought 1 5/8 yards, which ended being enough to cover the front of the wreath (not the back so it would lay flat against the door).

I also picked up straight pins, accent hearts and matching ribbon.

Cut your fabric into 4" squares

Fold the fabric into half to make two triangles

Fold the one side backwards, making a quarter size triangle behind

Fold the other side forwards, bringing the quarter size triangle to the front.

Now puff up to make your bubble.

With this lighter weight fabric, I pull in the two remaining sides.

Then pinned all of the way through your great bubble!

Then just pin around the styrofoam wreath!

Here is the completed wreath covered in the fabric bubbles...

Then I added red glitter heart picks that I got at the dollar store.

It added a little special something!

Finally I used matching red glitter ribbon and hung it on the door!

I love how it came out!

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Tide Coldwater Challenge

We are a family of six, and my biggest challenge to keeping organized as a stay at home mom is the mountains of laundry.  Seriously, my family wears a minimum of 30 articles of clothing.  That does not include sports uniforms, towels, sheets, sweatshirts, throw rugs and all of the other things that keep a family going.  It is a constant battle.

With that much laundry, I only want to have to wash things once.  I don't want to wash things, check them over before putting them in the dryer to see if they still have stains and then wash them again.  That is why I avoid washing in cold water.  I stick by the adage of hot for whites, warm for lights and cold only for darks.

I was happy to be a part of the shespeaks Tide Coldwater Challenge.  I was given a bottle of the Tide for Coldwater to try with my family.  So I took a day or two off from laundry duty (I try to do a load every day).  I then spent yesterday doing laundry.  This is just a few days worth of laundry for my family...

I am happy to report that I washed all of these in cold water using the Tide for Coldwater formula, and none of them had to be rewashed for stains!

It also pleases Daddy D, who has a degree in Environmental Science.  He really enjoys when we can reduce our energy usage.  By washing only in cold water we are conserving energy, as well as saving money in energy costs.  That's a win-win!

Not only that, Daddy D has always been a fan of the Tide scent.  Not only do your clothes come out clean, they also smell great!  We love it!

I received a product sample and gift card as compensation for this review.  All opinions and experiences expressed are solely my own.

Our Sweet Little Hot Dog Makes Us Sad...

Yesterday our dog turned 5. Which isn't that old, except when you are a miniature daschund. Most people know her breed as a Hot Dog. She, being a miniature, is actually referred to as a cocktail wiener by Daddy D. We have had her for almost five years, since she was old enough to be with us. She is a red color, and we named her Ginger.

She is well loved. Lots of little boyz to run around with.

A momma who loves another female in the house. A daddy who spoils her with shoveled walkways in the winter and lets her snuggle up to on the couch.

 On Saturday morning Ginger was slow to wake up. When she did she was hobbling around a bit, and was nippy with the boyz-which is unusual for her. By late morning she was limping a lot. I sat down on the ground and put her in my lap and felt the paw and leg that she had been having difficulty with. Oddly enough there didn't seem to be a sore spot. I sat her on an afghan next to the fire, her favorite place to be in the winter.  But then a few hours later she got up to go outside and she couldn't move her legs.

Phone calls, the vet and more ensued. It seems that Ginger has a spinal injury. She is paralyzed from the mid-waist down. She has something called IVDD, which actually effects 20% of her breed in their lifetime. An astonishing number if you think about it. One in five daschunds will have debilitating damage to their back. That is a crazy number!

We knew all along that back injuries are a risk in this breed. We have been diligent all along with the amount of food she eats so that she did not gain extra weight which would have been more of a risk factor. But despite that, four days before her fifth birthday our dog could not walk. We do not know what her outcome will be at this time.

We are doing conservative crate treatment at this time, meaning that she is confined to her crate for all but pottying for eight weeks. This will give her back the best chance at healing. She also is taking pain meds and supplements to help with the healing process. When she does go to the bathroom she walks using a sling to keep her back aligned.

It is a very sad time. One boy cried on Sunday morning because he was used to her sitting by his feet while he ate breakfast. Eli, who Ginger has been around his entire life, cannot grasp what is going on at the age of 3. He keeps asking why Ginger's legs are broken. It makes my heart ache.

 We will have to see how things progress and if she will ever walk again. But in the meantime we are making sure to shower her with love and kind words as she deals with this. And no matter what happens, we love her and she is a part of our family.

Valentines Day Sead Beed X's and O's Tutorial

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January is starting to wind down, and I am gearing up for a fabulous February!  Of course, all things love are in season right about now.  I wanted to add a touch of Valentines Day flare without spending a ton.  So while browsing the aisles of our new Hobby Lobby (have I mentioned yet how in love I am with that place?) I remembered my uber popular St. Patrick's Day Seed Beed Four Leaf Clover from last year.  Why not make a version for Valentines Day as well?

I didn't want to go that heart route.  What else says love?  The X's and O's at a bottom of a love letter.  I picked up one sheet of scrapbooking paper for 59 cents in a pretty black and white scrolling pattern.  I then grabbed a tube of seed beeds in a deep red, again-bright red seemed too obvious.  That cost $2.99, but I used my 40% off weekly coupon making it--eh, you do the math!

Then we made the traditional Target stop, and I grabbed one black and one white 5 x 7 frames for $1.99 a piece.  I liked that it provided a bit of contrast yet still both matched the paper.

To start, I grabbed the 5 x 7 paper insert of the oh so fabulous fakeo couple smiling and traced two onto the back of the paper.  I then cut them out.  Easy peasy.

Then I printed out a X and and O from my computer.  I went with the default font on my word processor, played with the size until I liked it and printed it out.

I cut out the letter and placed it in the center of the paper and then carefully and slowly traced lightly around it.

This gives you the outline for your pattern on the paper.

Then I just filled it with good old Elmer's School Glue...

And then poured the seed beeds on top.

Shake of the excess...

Then place in frames with the glass taken out and your done!

I love how great they look.  A little bit of love, not an in your face kind of thing.

I put them in the shelves in my living room.  I love the contrast against the blue background.  And I added the "d" from our collection of "d's" on our shelves for our last name.  I kind of love me some typography, and   putting the D for my hubby's last name that he gave to me added just a tad bit more awww for me!

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Zeiss Lenses and Educational Tools

I was asked to take a look online at the Zeiss lenses and the educational tools that were created to enable eyeglass wearers to better understand their vision correction needs, ensure they get the most out of their next eye exam, and receive the best lenses to regain sharp vision.  


I was reading through the education tools on the Zeiss site, and having been a glasses wearer for seventeen years now I didn't think there was much I would garner from the information provided.  I have to say I was surprised!  


The first thing that peaked my interest was a run down of the different types of coatings that can be applied to your lenses.  There were standard ones like the Anti-Scratch and Anti-Reflective coatings.  But I was surprised to learn about Anti-Static coating that repels dust and dirt to keep the lenses cleaner longer.  Or what about Hydrophobic?  This makes dirt and moisture slide off of the surface making it easier and quicker to clean and dry the lenses.  


My favorite of the educational tool was the Questions to Ask at your Next Eye Appointment.  I truly think I'll print out this list and bring it with me for not only my own appointment, but that of the boys.  There are questions I never thought to ask, like will one pair of glasses meet all of my vision needs?  Or does Gabriel, my 7 year old who wears glasses, need different lenses for sports?  


I also really liked the suggestion of getting a copy of your new prescription to keep for yourself in case you were to lose or break your glasses on vacation or visiting relatives.  Just like I need to know all of the boys prescriptions for medications that they take, I should know Gabriel's prescription for corrective lenses!


It didn't take a long time to read through these clear, concise educational tools.  By doing so I do feel better informed and better able to participate in my families eye health!  I highly recommend them!


I have been compensated for this post, but as always, all opinions expressed and experiences portrayed are my own.

Kitchen Progress Update- Week #3

This week it finally happened!  My mis-matched white hood and stainless stove was remedied.  I now have a matching set of a microwave hood and oven!  Wohoo!  So much excitement in the D household.  Especially since our old microwave was received as our first Christmas present from my mom and stepfather the year Daddy D and I got married.  Yep.  12 years old.  Older than our sixth grader!

I know you want to see pics, so we went from this...

To this...

But not without a tad bit of a hiccup.  The microwave hood we ordered came in right on time last Thursday.  We started installation prep and took down the old hood.  It was hardwired.  Then we took out the shiny new pretty thang.  And there was a plug.  Hmmm.

I am very lucky indeed that Daddy D is a handy guy and experienced in many a home repair.  Yes, he even knows electrical hoozamawhatsits.  So our bit of an issue was nothing a trip to the store for a junction box, some cutting through a wall and running some new wiring couldn't fix.  Again.  Lucky girl, I know.

So by Sunday afternoon we were basking in our new micro glory.  It is like twice as big and even has a shelf so that we can microwave two plates at once.  Feeling mighty fancy now!

I am also super excited that these are sitting on my microwave-free counter-top now...

Tiling is about to commence!

What else is happening you might ask?  Well, today I purchased this...

And I fixed this debacle...

It is mighty organized and spiffy under that shelf now, but you'll just have to wait and see!

Other things happening in the kitchen this week:  I ordered a new cartridge for my Cricut to add a little something special to the pantry shelves.  I am also still waiting for my drawer knobs that match the new handles that went on two weeks ago.

I might or might not be lost a midst a pile of fabric for faux roman shades.  And there is still that super cool, yet pesky, project I keep hinting about.  Only problem being that I need another set of hands, and Daddy D is working on the doors for the media console we built last month.  I keep telling him that it is kitchen month. He keeps measuring and drilling.  Harrumph.  I know, I know.  Something is still getting done in our DIY house.  I shall be grateful.

What have you been up to?