Plastic spoon flower

I LOVE flowers! Sadly, I am not very good at growing them.  And those pretty little bouquets from the florist are quickly eaten by my cats.  The little stinkers!  

No worries, I will just make my own cat-proof flowers.  A few plastic spoons, hot glue and spray paint can do wonders.  This was a fun little project that required very little time to complete.  I simply snapped the spoons at the spot where the handle meets the bowl.  Next, I used my handy-dandy hot glue gun and affixed the spoon bowls to an unused plastic lid, making sure I left enough room for the bottle cap lid.  I then spray painted the spoon leaves and lid and left them to dry.  The final step was to glue the lid in the center on the front, and a soda can pop-top on the back.  The pop-top is used as a hanger.  Easy peasy!  

This little flower makes me smile every time I walk by.  So much so, I think I will make more.  Who knows?! I may just cover the walls with flowers.

Gotta love a $2 lampshade!

Our monster-sized puppy struck again!  In her haste to "play" with one of our cats, the clumsy girl slid into a floor lamp ... again.  And broke, or rather cracked, the lampshade one more time.  Sigh.

Time for some creative problem-solving.  I can remove the lamps, buy new lampshades, get rid of the dog or purchase lamps which could be hung from the ceiling.  Quite frankly, I did not like any of those options. Our clumsy puppy may make messes, destroy household items and dig in the yard, but I love her to pieces.  She stays.

Further brainstorming, followed by a trip to Dollar Tree highlighted one more option.  I could make my own inexpensive lampshade. When I say inexpensive, I really mean cheap. As in less than $5.00 type of cheap. Odds are good, our little darling will crash into the floor lamp again.  Even better odds are that I will be making this shade a few more times.

So ... this is what I came up with.  Two plastic salad bowls and a hole saw drill bit.

I checked the diameter of the metal piece that connects the shade to the pole.  Next, I inserted an appropriately sized hole saw bit into my handy dandy cordless drill and got to work.  I placed each bowl on a piece of scrap lumber and gently began the drill.  It didn't take long for me to realize the colored bowl was a little thin as I drilled through.  Thankfully, the UPC sticker on the base of the bowl prevented any cracks while I was drilling.

Once I drilled through each bowl, I stacked them together and inserted the metal ring.  All that remained was to put the shade on the base pole and add a fluorescent light bulb.  We had used an incandescent bulb within the previous (plastic) shade, but I am hesitant to do the same with this one.  Melting plastic is not one of my favorite smells.

As you can see, I tried to photograph the lamp while it was on. However, I do not feel the picture shows how beautifully the lamp glows and sparkles.

Using the colored bowl inside the mock cut-crystal design bowl creates and lovely look.  Let me know what you think.

Garden hose upcycle

Spring cleaning certainly produces many creative opportunities.  Case in point, a blown garden hose.  I have been battling one of my hoses for weeks.  It has twisted and kinked so many times, it sprouted holes. Trying to use the hose for its intended purpose became impossible, but I did not want to throw it away.  However, I had no idea what to do with the thing. 

Thank goodness the Internet is available to help find solutions.  Truth be told, I felt like such a slacker once I saw all of the fabulous things people have made with old garden hoses.  However, I am in constant need of door mats and throw rugs,so I chose the path of need rather than want.

Turning the hose into an oval shaped mat was simple enough.  A little bend here, a twist there and bam, one new outdoor mat!  I admit that it took me a few minutes to realize that I did not want to pull the zip ties as tight as they would go though.  I had to cut several ties off and rework the shape once I realized how misshapen the rug became.  Lesson learned. pull the zip tie securely but not overly so.  

I am super excited to make another one of these little garden mats! There is one more old hose sitting in my backyard as I write, just waiting to be repurposed.  I believe the next mat will be made with colored zip ties.  A rainbow in the round, so to speak.

Homeschool foreign language lessons

I am SUPER excited!  My teenage homeschooled son has taken an interest in learning a foreign language.  I have spent years trying to impress upon him the importance of learning another language, with little success.

We live in Florida where both English and Spanish abound.  Naturally, I tried to persuade my boy to learn Spanish, as I consider it useful for our location.  Granted, he has tried to learn the language but with little enthusiasm or success.  And quite frankly, I have not set the best example for him when it comes to foreign languages.  Shucks, I have a hard enough time working with English.  My southern roots run too deep, making a slow drawl more my speed.  But I digress.

Lucky for me, my teen has reached an age where members of the opposite sex make an impression on him.  A BIG impression!  I consider this fortuitous because I can use this attraction to encourage a new learning direction.  Evil homeschool Mom strikes again!

Recently, my boy has taken a shine to a young lady who speaks both French and English.  Wouldn't you know, he is far more receptive to learning a new language now? Time for a stroll through Amazon; foreign language instructions, please.

Thankfully, Amazon offers daily deals.  And I happen to have unused gift card balances earned through reward apps and earning websites.  Talk about a perfect combination!  Sales plus gift card balances equal one very inexpensive foreign language course.  A whopping $25 out of pocket for me for Rosetta Stone - French - Level One.  Happy dance time!

Walking to rewards

I just bought a FITBIT Zip Wireless Activity Tracker through Amazon. Thanks to reward apps and earning websites, I was able to order this little cutie with zero cash out of pocket.  One complete order, including an extended warranty - paid for with gift cards earned from apps like Perk and websites like Swagbucks.  I just LOVE placing orders without having to pull out a credit or debit card!

Once I receive my order, I will link this fitness tracker to my credit union and Walgreen's reward accounts.  My credit union offers a program that will deposit funds into my savings account based on the number of steps I take.  Walgreen's offers a similar program with a slight difference.  Where my credit union will make cash deposits, Walgreens offers points to use in the store.  Just think, I will earn money by walking!!  Sweet!

Swagbucks

Perk

Monster puppy destroys couch!

One monster-sized puppy can do a lot of damage!!  She is as sweet as can be, but destructive as the day is long.  My poor Ikea couch is exhausted!  It has served me well; ten years of use, tons of dinner party guests and countless kids and teens.  But one little 50 pound puppy was just one too many.  And I even covered it with a thick quilt, with hopes of extending its life.  No use though, she digs, romps and naps atop the backrest cushions.  Shucks, she even leaps over the back of the couch in pursuit of one of our cats.  It is time to get creative. Well, more so than simply masking the problem with a quilt.  

Considering I would cry if I purchased a couch that was immediately destroyed by a rambunctious puppy - it is time for an "outside the box" solution.  Namely, one new, low-cost or free,  couch - with removable covers - that can withstand the abuse of an over-sized puppy.  

I haven't decided if our new couch will be made from pallets or plywood, but it will be made soon. And I do know one thing for certain, it will be made in a way that allows me to wash the covers quickly and easily.  I am leaning towards a twin size sofa with sheets aplenty!  As you can see, she makes a mess wherever she goes, just as a toddler should.  :)

Learn Something New!

I love YouTube!  And Pinterest!  And learning new things!  There are so many video tutorials available, a crafty gal can't help but love seeing all of the ideas and demonstrations.  This year, I wanted to focus on handmade gifts for friends and family.  Although my mom taught me a basic crochet stitch years ago, I never really did anything with that knowledge.  Until now.

Thanks to a gift from the crafting universe, namely a very large bag of yarn, I found myself overwhelmed by possibilities.  Limited skills granted, but endless ideas.  However, a few minutes searching both Pinterest and YouTube brought both inspiration and instruction and saved my sanity. I have been one crocheting fool since!!  From scarves and ear warmers to chevron rugs and pot holders; you name it, I have tried it.  Some projects have been more successful than others, but that was due to my mistakes, not the video tutorials.  I can be a little slow on the uptake, so to speak. However, none of these projects would have been possible were it not for the generous YouTube and Pinterest posters who have shared their brilliance with the world.

For those who may be hesitant to try a new craft, take a look at my first crochet projects.  Obviously, I have much to learn, but feel these projects turned out reasonably well.  If I can learn to crochet, anyone can learn, as I am not the most patient person.  This process has been so much fun!  I even went out and bought more yarn.  Not because I needed it but rather because I wanted specific colors.

I am so thankful for the Internet and all of the wisdom it brings!  Since beginning this quest for knowledge and instruction, I have learned so many wonderful techniques.  I never knew how soothing and exciting it could be to create something with yarn and a hook.  Not only have I learned how to crochet with a variety of stitches, I have also realized what a great project this can be to have on hand.   Many hours a week, I am transporting my teenager from one activity or class to another. I spend a lot of time sitting in parking lots, waiting for my boy.  Now I have projects to work on while I wait.  It makes the time pass much more pleasantly.  And I feel as though I am doubly productive. Not only am I providing my homeschooled boy with a variety of activities and classes, I am also able to create while doing so.  That is a win-win situation, in my opinion.

Vanilla Bean Scarf

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0pw9IXKbAqk

Corner to Corner pattern
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PDGd-prTJes