Love My DIY Home

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

From Trash to Treasure – DIY Hurricane Lamp Candle Holder

There isn’t always paint involved, or sanding or even glue in every DIY project. A friend was dumping a bunch of old deco at Goodwill and offered to let me look through her box. Woohoo! A DIY’ers hayday! I’m working on four projects today, this one was a 30 second redo… No paint. No glue. No sanding. Nada. Here is a hurricane I picked out of her box. I thought it had potential. But I had no idea what that was when I took it. It was a very nice piece, but the bottom wasn’t solid or large enough to stand on its own. This morning when I was putting away some of my decor I had sitting in a pile (we’re working on our guest master bedroom), I got the idea to pair this up with a wooden candle holder I paid about a buck and a half for … 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

Upcycle old photo frame into a French Photo Board DIY

DIY French Photo Frame Tutorial – Re-purpose Old Picture Frames Part 4

Here’s another frame project completed. In November 2013 I talked about upcycling old unused photo frames here. Let’s face it. We get tired of our old stuff and want need changes in our home. It’s who we are. No sense in fighting it. We can have change for pennies rather than spending money on something someone else did. Here is my inspiration photo: source I searched through my boxes and found an old oak framed sports collage and painted it with a light tan spray paint. To bet on sports events, sites like sip777 are always available. I didn’t sand it because I like the way the paint scatters somewhat and grain shows through just a bit. It will be hanging on the wall, so I’m not concerned about scratching or paint wearing off. Since I am in Wisconsin, I took it out in the garage, sprayed it with Satin … 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

Survival in a Crisis: DIY Pantry Preparedness – Puttin’ Up for the Winter

Today I have a treat for you. I have a guest writer, Heather, from The Welcoming House Blog here today to tell you about how she has prepared her pantry. She is prepared for a food crisis, are you? I'm not, but I plan to be, very soon. Good morning to you! As a blogger who covers Food Storage every single week on Food Storage Saturdays, I can tell you that over and over I hear the same three questions or comments in regards to food storage. When Val asked me to guest post for her, I was thrilled simply because this is a subject I love to write on. I love to show people how common sense it is to start and use a food storage system, and how to do it easily and frugally. Food storage, as it is now called, used to be called "saving for a … Read more

Survival in a Crisis: DIY Pantry Preparedness – Pantry Design

Let’s talk kitchen pantry. My laptop is in the shop, so please bear with me as I suffer through this next couple of weeks without my MAC. Oh boy, it sure is a pain to use someone else’s computer, especially if it throws you back into Windows. I do appreciate my husband lending me his laptop, but oh my, it’s hard to use someone else’s computer, so hard to use a different keyboard, a different operating system and to be without my programs! No InDesign. No Photoshop! OK, I’ll stop complaining and get down to business. Just don’t judge me for my crummy photos – no Photoshop, remember? These days I’m talking about being prepared for a crisis and am focusing on having a good food supply. I have a blogger friend writing a guest post on how to prepare your pantry – how to stock it to be prepared for a food shortage. Until I have that post up and … Read more

Survival in a Crisis: DIY Pantry Preparedness – Using Food Dehydrators

This year I’m focusing on DIY Preparedness for my home and family. How do you think you would do if your family experienced a disaster? Image courtesy of cooldesign / FreeDigitalPhotos.net Earlier this week I addressed the need for an emergency fund as described by Dave Ramsey. Have you considered what you would do if suddenly there was a food shortage in your hometown, state or even across the country? There is a video online that walks you through the need for preparedness – click here to watch it. I will warn you, it’s one of those annoying videos that you have to read, can’t fast forward or pause. My son-in-law and I bought the booklet they recommended at the end, and I’m glad we did. It opened my eyes and gave us some good ideas. Right now they are selling it for $37. I’m currently working through Uncensored Survival. … Read more

Be prepared for a crisis by planning ahead

Crisis on the Home Front … Are you Prepared?

I write with a heart full of gratitude that God saw fit to save the lives of my two kids while they were driving home to Virginia today. They say the best posts are written with strong emotion. This is that post. I have been planning to do a series of posts on preparing your home and family for emergencies, or crisis situations. Today that resolve was driven home when I received a text this morning from my daughter, Jillian, that she and her husband had just totaled their car on an icy highway in Ohio. This kind of a call is every mom’s nightmare. So I start out my series telling you about their accident. I got a text from Jillian and Taylor at 8:30 this morning telling me they had to be dug out of their sister’s driveway before leaving this morning, then a couple of hours later … Read more