Family – Page 4 – Love My DIY Home

Dresser Turned TV Stand

It is a new day. I woke at 4:45 this morning and couldn’t turn my brain off. As always my mom pops in my mind and since the stress of her dire condition is ever present, I couldn’t get back to sleep. At least it wasn’t like yesterday. I woke at 2am and didn’t go back to sleep until 6:30 and then it was only for 45 minutes. I had to go to work that morning and by the time I got to the hospital at 2:15 that afternoon, I was dragging. Fortunately they have a nice family lounge and I took a few zzz’s listening to music while Jillian and Taylor continued their vigil. Thank the Lord for power naps and music apps. So, I am delivering my Dresser Turned TV Stand I told you about. It seems so nostalgic to me to tell you about this project. Making … Read more

The Ultimate DIY – Saying Goodbye to Your Mom

While I sit here in the hospital with my mom, I thought I’d share a really great project with you that my daughter, April, did recently – a dresser turned tv stand. But then I decided to just have a chat with you. To encourage you. To let you know what’s up and that it’s all good. I’ll do the Dresser Turned TV Stand another time. At the moment of this writing, I’m doing the ultimate DIY sitting alone in a hospital room I’m tending to my mom who had a major stroke Saturday morning. Let me take a moment here and encourage you. I’ve been through losing a father (30 years ago when I was 26) and now am dealing with a part of life no one wants to – watching a mother decline and trying to figure out how to make her as comfortable as possible, manage all … Read more

Basement Reno - You never know what is behind those walls!

Keeping Up With the Joneses – Three Dozen Mice and MOLD!

Ugh. That moment when you realize the job is bigger than the both of you. But then you realize that the truth is better than not knowing… Enter three dozen mice and a basement full of M.O.L.D. Merrily we roll along, roll along, roll along… “This basement isn’t too bad.” “No biggie.” Right? Typical basement – half done, paneling everywhere, dirty and ug-leee. You wonder what they were thinkin’ when they planned such a space. Come on, paneling, really? Broom and mop here, a little paint there, OK, a LOT of PAINT. It’s doable, right? If people want to get something cleaned in their house, they can get pressure cleaning services from this site. You can click site “We’ll just tear down the paneling and put up some nice new drywall, split the room in half and use one side for a school room and the other for a play … Read more

Are you tired of expensive planting supplies?

Here are two DIY planters you can make with trash. Yep, that’s right. Trash Free, easy, and green – literally. Cut the bottle in half. Remove the cap. Flip the top half and stuff it into the bottom half. Grab a coffee filter and place it in the top half. Fill it with potting soil. Plant a seed and watch it grow! See how the water drains into the bottom but no dirt falls through? Genius! You can cut off the bottom of another pop bottle and place it on top to create a green house affect. We did this back in May when we started our seeds. Here’s the little seedling I transplanted into the pop bottle planter. I used t’paper rolls for my first DIY planter. Yep. I said t’paper rolls. First, collect t’paper rolls for a few months. Pop them into a large planter and fill … Read more

Updated DIY Pantry Reveal

To have an organized pantry makes things so much easier… It wasn’t a terrible mess, but it certainly desperately needed to be organized and pretty. Pretty doesn’t hurt. Seriously. Isn’t it nice to have something that you visit every day look inviting? Here is a “before” picture, Not bad. Functional. It was OK. But OK isn’t good enough for me. This is my Hobbit Hole. I want more than just “OK.” So now you have it. My messy pantry. I did have a door on it, so I could close it off and not think about it. Do you do that? Well, I’m done with it. I’m tired of messy and “unpretty.” I started by taking the door off – I’ve always hated the bifold door. It took up too much of the opening. I plan to get a regular door, though my mom says I will hate that even … Read more

Helpful Websites for DIY Crisis Prep

Since looking into pantry preparedness, I've learned a lot along the way and I'd like to share what I've learned. That led me to ask myself, "Am I negligent in the area of crisis preparedness?" I decided I needed to make a list of the helpful websites I found while investigating the subject of crisis preparedness and share them with you. I might as well put all the hours of reasearch to good use both personally and for others. I will be adding links as I find sites, products, and tips that are helpful. Information/Checklists SB Canning on Facebook – Tons of canning information and tips Emergency Essentials Preparedness Checklist – "By making the necessary preparations, you can have the confidence of knowing you and your family will have their needs met in an emergency, whether it is an economic, man-made, or natural disaster." Be Prepared Educational … Read more

Essential Oils – Amazing Theraputic Value!

Essential Oils ESSENTIAL OILS!!! This has been a very exciting month for us. We invested (don't ya love it when people say "invested"?) in the Premium Starter Kit for the Young LIving Essential Oils. I say "invested" because at first glance, the cost of $150 is enough to warrant the word "invested". It strikes fear in the pocketbook of misers like me. If you know me well it's like trying to squeeze blood out of a turnip to get a buck out of me. But $150??? No way. Well, after I read about the benefits of Essential Oils and saw how they worked on some of my kids and grandkids I became a believer! So my "No way," turned into a "I gotta get me some of them thar oils!" I kid you not, I paid the $150 + shipping/handling and got the kit. … Read more

DIY Designer Desktop

Greetings, my peeps! (Adam, my dear SIL, I said that just for you!) Confession time. My desktop was a mess. Seriously – there were folders and PDFs and files strewn all over my desktop and whenever I've cleaned it up it's lasted, oh maybe, 2 days? I was cruising around on Pinterest (big surprise, right?) and saw this really cool desktop from Moritz Fine Designs. Heather offers a bunch of downloads in different sizes. Heather, I pinned your designs on my Pinterest board – thanks for the idea! After checking out her designs, I said to myself, "Self, you could do that." So I did. I measured my desktop at 14.5" X 9". I opened a new file on Photoshop with those dimensions and placed a scrapbooking background paper on the board. Using the rectangle tool, I added boxes and colored them using the … Read more

DIY Cures? Is it Possible to Live Without Traditional Medical Assistance?

We’ve not had medical coverage for about 7 years. So when I read about alternative methods in strengthening our immune system and well-being like essential oils, I wondered. I also wonder if we have become so dependent on doctors that we forget to look for ways to heal ourselves naturally. Here is my disclaimer – I’m not a medical doctor and I’ve not been to medical school. If you have medical issues, be sure to consult a doctor. 🙂 Is it possible? If this new healthcare dealy actually happens (or “doesn’t work” is more like it) and we find ourselves without doctors, meds, and/or hospitals, what would we do? I think it’s time we explore our options. Ever thought about using Essential Oils? I know, I know. Just another gimmick to have those little girly parties and make money while chatting with friends. Well, I can’t personally guarantee essential oils … Read more

Survival in a Crisis: DIY Prepared Pantry – Meals in a Jar

We need balance. Food Prep. Emergency Kits. Crisis Planning. BOBs. I've spent a LOT of time reading about prepared pantries, pantry design, emergency planning, etc. Though I see the value in "prepping," I'm maintaining my determination to remain balanced. So, what is a prepared pantry? How much is too much? I'm thinkin' many folks go overboard and spend money and time on prepping at the expense of other responsibities. Yet, I realize by looking around me, myself included, most have done nothing in the area of preparedness. I want to change that and develop the mind set that I can't rely on the grocery store around the corner to always have what I need. I want to be prepared. source So, let's strike a balance. I want to challenge you to take a look at the supplies you have in your home, which I'm betting is very sparse, … Read more