Laundry x 3 - An Ikea Rast Makeover

I gave you an iPhone in-progress photo of the laundry basket dresser that is seriously changing my day-to-day life. It's actually allowed me to stay up on washing, drying, folding, and dare, I say it, putting away the clean clothes. This is a first. I have wondered for several years now how people keep up with laundry (I think I could write my own rendition of Loretta Lynn and Conway Twitty, and it would go..."Every time I get ahead, it's taking off another dirty shirt....").

Well, now I know the secret. You have to find an organization system that works for you and your laundry needs, and then have a little bit of diligence. This revelation came just in time, too, since we will have a third little one's clothes to add to the mix any day! Now that I have all of these neatly folded clean clothes, we needed a place to put them.

So we picked up 3 Rast dressers from Ikea, which look like this:

And I gave them a little makeover. Now they are housing THREE little ones' clothes.

I really like how accessible they are to little ones; Dmitri and Damon put away all of their own clothes when we fold laundry together. Dmitri has been dressing himself for a while now, and this little dresser makes it super easy for him to get his clothes.

They were reasonably priced and they are solid wood. However, they are pretty small, so as the children grow, we will probably have to find something a bit bigger. But for now, they are perfect.

Sources
Dressers x 3 - Ikea Rast dresser - $34.99 each
Knobs - Hobby Lobby (18 knobs cost me $30 with tax)
Stain - Minwax Dark Walnut (leftover)

I also put a beeswax polish on top. I originally planned to paint the light wood part bright yellow, but now I am second guessing myself - I really like the wood on wood tone. I will give it a little bit more time and decide. (Opinions?)

The wall above these dressers is the last uncharted territory in the playroom. More playroom photos will be coming soon; I'm ridiculously excited about how it's turning out.

And there is still time to guess whether dresser # 3 will be housing little boy or little girl clothes!

Make It and Hoard It...

There is something about nesting that leads me to stockpile household and personal items. As if, when I have a baby I suddenly need to have two years supply of deodorant, toothbrushes, and toilet paper. Maybe I fear not leaving the house for months. (As if I won't be looking for any excuse to get out of the house within the first few days). I suppose I don't want to feel like I HAVE to leave the house because I am out of something essential when it's inconvenient to me.

Whatever it is, I have been filling my shelves with some of my favorite DIY products. So I thought it would be a good time to share some of the things that I like to make myself. Pinterest and the blogosphere are full of homemade product recipes, and over the last few years I've experimented with numerous recipes for everything from toothpaste to dishwashing detergent.

My love of doing-it-myself merged with using natural ingredients only takes me so far, though. So I have some criteria for things that I make myself.

1. It has to work as well as or better than store bought products. If it doesn't work well, then I think it's a waste of my time and I could just buy some from the store instead of going to the trouble of making it. Who wants to use deodorant that only works when you are in air conditioning? Not me. And I'm not saving any money if I have to wash the dishes twice.
2. Ingredients must be inexpensive, easy to come by, or something I have on hand.
3. Simple to make. It should make my life easier and better. Not more complicated.
4. Saves me money. I'm not going to make it myself and then it end up being more expensive than store-bought.

With that being said, here are a few recipes that I mix up myself that I think are totally worth the effort:
Deodorant:

Recipe. 

I use baking soda, tea tree oil & coconut oil (and I'll throw in some shea butter if I happen to have some.) I use whatever essential oils I have on hand- my favorite are lemon and lavender. I add more baking soda to make it thick, and I stick it in an old deodorant tube.

Cloth Wipe Solution:

Recipe.

I used the ingredients above because it's what I have on hand. It smells AMAZING. I cut up an old stained flannel receiving blanket to make extra cloth wipes. Not only is it much cheaper than buying wipes,  they smell better, work better, and have less harmful ingredients. The "Gentle Baby" essential oil blend is from Young Living - it's a bit expensive, however, it works wonders on diaper rashes. I store it in peri-bottles. Easy to squirt and portable.

Vanilla Extract:

Two ingredients: vanilla beans and vodka. Steep for 3-4 months. Bam. Amazing, homemade vanilla extract at fractions of the cost. Also makes a great gift... ; )

Bathroom Spray:

Witch hazel + essential oils in a spray bottle. Took two minutes, smells fantastic, and is all-natural.

So there you have it. A few things I like to make; I have tried making other products, but none that I'm crazy about like these. Have you found any DIY products that you love?

A/C Cover DIY: Or How to Accessorize a Giant Eye-Sore

Nearly everyone has some sort of A/C or heating unit. If you live in a house, then you probably have one sitting somewhere in the back or side. I've never paid them much attention, since all houses have one somewhere, that is until we bought our house. The layout of our house is a little strange, because we have a circular driveway in the back. Because of this, our back door functions as our front door. Which means, the back of our house is fully visible when we park and come into the house.

This also means that the giant air compressor sits right where we, and everyone who comes to our house, parks and enters our house.

And I think it's ugly.

If you had one sitting in the front of your house, right by the front door, you might feel a bit self-conscious about it too. And that's how I felt.

So, thanks to some Pinspiration, I devised a plan to make ours a little easier on the eyes. It is a part of my grand master plan to make the entire back of our house, and yard, and porch quite pretty. One of these days.

Here are the before shots, from forever ago.

Ick. So devoid of charm...but don't worry. I have a plan.

AND after our mini-makeover:

 This is what you see now when you drive up to our house.

Better, no?

We still need to hang shutters, and I would like to add a window box. And did I mention landscaping?!

There is hope yet, for the giant box that is the back of our house.

And, it's embarrassing how long we have had the supplies to do this- yet another "in progress" that we can check off the list! I'm loving this New Year's Resolution. And the early stages of nesting. It's pretty fantastic.

Our Farmhouse Table Reveal

We finally finished our farmhouse table, which has been built for quite some time, but not finished.

And we are so in love. I have dreamed of having a giant table where all of our friends and family can gather around and share a meal. I love food and cooking, and I especially love sharing meals with those who are closest to me - and with our own growing brood, we needed quite a bit more space to be able to have everyone eat together. The past few nights, we have sat down to eat dinner, and it's hard to eat because I can't stop smiling.

The table measures 8 feet, and can sit 12 people comfortably - although, we could probably squeeze a few little people together to seat more, if necessary.

We still need to build benches for either side, and paint the end chairs. But the table is DONE.

And without further ado, here are some photos of the table. I cannot wait to set it for a meal.

Plans here.
Stain: Minwax Dark Walnut
Finished with Howard's Beeswax and Orange Polish.
Total Cost: < $150

Don't mind the after-Christmas bare. Or the rubbermaid boxes where I haven't finished putting away the Christmas lights. I'm really dragging my feet this year. I'm still sad and in denial that the holidays are over.

Finishing Projects

One of my New Year's "resolutions" was to finish a project. We are taking that very literally at the moment.... there should be an after photo at the beginning of next week. I'm ready to be done with the sawdust and plastic all over my house.

Grey Scale Ombre Wall: MyColor™ inspired by Pantone® Painting Party

I am very excited to be participating in the MyColor™ inspired by Pantone^® Painting Party that begins today at noon EST.

 About the Paint Party:

A group of DIY bloggers, including myself, have completed projects using MyColor™ inspired by Pantone^® paint. Now we are revealing our work and giving you the opportunity to win some paint for your own DIY projects! I painted a grey-scale ombre wall, which was a little crazy and challenging, but a lot of fun. You can check out more details below. Be sure to jump to the other blogs in the party for even more inspiration - there are some really talented people taking part!

Win Some Paint:

If you’d like a chance to win a sample of MyColor™ inspired by Pantone^® for your own project, simply comment on my post and share how you’d use MyColor™ inspired by Pantone^® in your next project. Feel free to comment on the other blogs in the party too – they’ll all be giving away samples! For a second chance to win, tweet your project ideas to @MyColorPaints using hashtag #PassItOn. You can also like the MyColor™ inspired by Pantone® Facebook page to get access to the schedule for today’s parties as well as more paint parties going on this month! For another entry, share your project ideas on the Facebook page!

Participants that You Won't Want to Miss:

·  Kristen @ Kristen F. Davis Designs *Go Back to the Beginning!*

·  Caroline @ The Feminist Housewife *You Are Here!*

·  Julie @ Belle Maison *Continue to this Blog Next!*

·  Denise @ Pink Postcard

·  Suzan @ Simply Vintageous

·  Shannon @ Shannon Berrey Design Blog

Without further ado, my ombre wall!

While I love grey, our playroom is a large room, and the grey on such a large scale was a little underwhelming. I wanted to add a focal point to add definition and interest to the room. Here is a before shot of the wall that I painted, after I had cleared away the furniture:

And the after:

And the process:

1. I taped off the trim, fireplace, and the corners of the wall with painters tape.
2. I measured the wall and marked with a pencil where I wanted what colors to go.
3. Cut in! I ended up painting the entire wall with a brush. I started at the top with my lightest color.
4. Paint color number 2 below color number 1.
5. Blend, blend, blend. I used a mixture of a dry paint brush, and a dry rag to blend the two colors together. I went section by section, painting the second color, then blending, before moving on to the next section.
6. Repeat. And again. And again.
7. Touch up any spots that are uneven. You can always paint back over it with lighter or darker!

-I used the paint colors Lunar Rock, Cloudburst, and Phantom by MyColor inspired by Pantone. I also blended Cloudburst and Phantom for the second darkest shade of grey.

Total Time Spent: ~ 6-7 hours

I was really nervous about how this would turn out. I really went out on a limb, and there were moments when I had my doubts. But it looks really awesome, and I'm very happy with how it turned out. It's dramatic, but that is what I was going for.

I really liked the MyColor paint. It was very low odor, and I got amazing coverage. I couldn't believe that I could paint part of the wall black with only one coat! Not to mention, I was painting on plaster.
MyColor™ inspired by Pantone^® reached out to me to participate in the MyColor™ inspired by Pantone^® Painting Party. My post represents my honest experience with MyColor™ inspired by Pantone^® paint. I am not being paid for my answers, but I did receive MyColor™ inspired by Pantone^® paint to use for this project.

 And this is what I look like painting on a 10 foot ladder at 1 AM....

Don't forget to enter the giveaway and visit the other participants!

Swing, swing, swing from the tangles of...

Our pecan tree.

I swapped for this swing:

Gave it a little spray paint, and now it the beginnings of our pecan tree playground.

I hope to add a tree swing, tire swing & climbing ladder soon.


And did I mention, the weather is perfect here in Georgia?!

DIY Nesting Buckets

For Labor Day, we spent the day just the four of us (plus two kittens and a dog) laboring on a few projects that have been on the list for a while. It was a very relaxed work day, and we got to play, and sit around, and eat (homemade chicken & dumplings if you are wondering). My kind of day.

I don't pull my sewing machine out very often with all of the curious little fingers that live here, but since I had parenting re-enforcement, I worked on a nesting bucket (pattern by Maya Made) for my closet re-organization project. And I loved the pattern so much that I made a second one. I first saw the buckets on Amanda Blake Soule's blog, Soule Mama. Buying storage baskets gets really expensive - and I was able to use leftover materials for these, making them very inexpensive. ($3 or something.)

I love that they coordinate with the curtains in my bedroom too. (Fabric from Tonic Living).

 What's going to go in it, you say?

 My growing yarn collection now has a home.

I loved it so much that I made a second one out of burlap.

I have a feeling that many more will be joining the collection soon. And there will be closet before & after photos soonish.


How was your Labor Day?

Personal Goals: June 2012

With the beginning of a new time in my life as a stay-at-home mom/part-time doula, I set some personal goals for myself. Things that I wanted to accomplish, ideas and direction for those moments when I could not think of anything that I wanted and "needed" to do. I started this list in January, and for accountability and to remember my journey, and for when I feel like "I'm not doing anything," I want to chronicle what I have done during my first six months since graduation, and outline what I would like to do in the future.

Here was the list that I created for myself and printed and placed in my organizer. I have added my progress and notes in italics and parenthesis.

Caroline’s Project List

House

-Paint back door/replace door knob (Well, I did paint the back door. But it's going to have to be replaced I do believe...still need to replace door knob too).

-Hang hooks in closet

-Paint mirrors and hang in library

-Pack away toys in playroom/living room (I am constantly re-organizing toys. I just don't know where all of these come from! There is always more, and so many that aren't played with. I'm very much a minimalist at heart, and if it's not played with in the last few months, I pass it on!)

-Finish playroom

            -bird mobile (You can see it here!)

            -Dmitri’s collage wall

            -Damon’s collage wall

            -play kitchen (In Progress!! FINALLY! It will hopefully be done in time for Dmitri's 3rd birthday!)

            -paint ceiling?

            -artwork

-Finish brown sofa (It needs a few touch up stitches...but I'm calling it done!)

Personal

-Update Damon’s photo book (I finished Damon's 1st Year, and I'm almost done editing it. Have I mentioned, I love Blurb!)

-Take laptop to Peach Mac for file removal (But they couldn't retrieve them. To get the files and photos that we need off of it is going to cost around $400-$650....we wouldn't normally do this but it has all of Dmitri's baby photos on it. = ( So, one day, when we have the money, we will do that...)

-Dmitri’s 1^st year photobook (Cannot do until we get photos off of laptop. One day, one day...)

-Dmitri’s 2^nd year photobook

-Dmitri’s 3^rd year photobook

- Scrapbook (2009-2011)

Homestead List

-Build chicken tractor (90% done. But we didn't finish it since I got rid of the chickens. = / )

-Build chicken coop

-Prepare garden beds for spring garden   = )And when I get a weed-eater, I will show you photos. Haha!

Reading List

-Folks This Ain’t Normal (Read first 1/2....)

-Animal, Vegetable, Miracle (Read 90%....I should really finish it. Loved this book! Barbara Kingsolver is such a great author.)

-Wild Fermentation

-First Lessons in Beekeeping  This really made me fascinated by beekeeping!

-Raising Our Children, Raising Ourselves (Read first 2 chapters...would like to keep reading!

So, I still have a lot to do, and there are plenty of things I would like to add to the list. And I'm really bad about starting a lot of books and not finishing them...I'm currently reading Radical Homemakers and absolutely LOVE it.

For the second half of 2012, I would like to add in addition to the above:

-Build new dining table
-Remodel kitchen (oh please, oh please...)
-Make enough jams & butters for our family for the year and a few extra for gifts
-Have a 100% homemade Christmas!
-Finish Radical Homemakers
-Landscape the front yard to look like an English cottage garden (I might not be realistic, but at least I'm specific, right?)
-Potty train Dmitri. Or more like, hope that he potty trains himself with a little guidance.

And who knows what else I will get myself into.... Do you find yourself getting antsy about projects in the summer, or does the heat slow you down? I find myself oscillating between the two.