Baby Doll Diapers

My 2 year old daughter recently started using all her diapers to put on her dolls. Although it was very cute, she was wasting diapers which are expensive. So to pinterest I went and this is what I found.

Details:
                   So easy!!!! So cheap!!! I do recommend sewing the Velcro on. The sticker Velcro just
                  doesn't hold. Fits almost all her dolls. You can tweak the pattern a little to adjust the
                  size as needed.

Materials:

            
                  Scissors
                           Loop and hook ribbon (Velcro) about $4/yard
                           Felt 12 x 8.5 pieces. Any color you want. $0.24/each
                           Diaper pattern found here     
                           Sewing machine or hand sew

Directions:

                        1. Fold felt squares in half
                        2. Print out diaper pattern on card stock and cut out
                        3. Lay pattern on fold (as shown above) and cut out pattern

        
                      4. Open felt, like above.
                      5. Cut Velcro. Scratchy side into small 1" squares. Soft side into a strip about 1.5".

                        6. Place Velcro as shown above
                        7. Sew the Velcro into place. (my mom did mine)

Now you have cute, cheap and quick and easy baby doll diapers!!

Likes:
              I like that they are cheap enough to loose! I also like that you can have a variety of colors!!
              The Pinterest post I got this from have wonderful prints!!! I looked into it and there is
              nowhere in my county to get printed felt. But I found it online at : Hobby Lobby.
             ADORABLE prints there!!
                       

Dislikes/Changes:
             I haven't had them very long but I think the felt will probably get "pilly". But like I said, cheap
             enough to make more!

Here is the picture I went off of:

    

Homemade Liquid Laundry Soap (safe for top or front loaders)

I was spending a fortune in laundry soap! I wash a couple of loads a day! I had once scene on TV the Duggers (if you don't know who, that's ok) make their own soap. Brillant! I'll give it a try! * The picture above was an after thought after I made my batch so the bar soap is missing*

Details:
                    Easy. Super Cheap!! A little time consuming but worth it. Can be used for top or front
                     loaders!!

Materials: 
                         All bought at Walmart, in the laundry soap isle all next to each other:
                       4 Cups - hot tap water
                       1 Fels-Naptha soap bar about $3
                       1 Cup - Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda about $4   
                      ½ Cup Borax about $4
Directions:
                      1. Grate bar of soap (I used my cheese grader) and add to saucepan with water. Stir
                          continually over medium-low heat until soap dissolves and is melted. It didn't
                          take to long.
                     
                     2. Fill a 5 gallon bucket (I used the cat litter bucket)  half full of hot tap water. Add
                         melted soap, washing soda and Borax. Stir well until all powder is dissolved.
                         Getting a paint stir stick would help, or if your husband has the stir extension for
                         his drill. Fill bucket to top with more hot water. Stir, cover and let sit overnight
                         to thicken.

                    3. The next day stir. It was really thick and hard to mix. It was really chunky but I kept
                        stirring until it was mixed really well. Then fill a used, clean, laundry soap dispenser
                        half full with soap and then fill rest of way with water.

                    4. Shake before each use. (will gel)

- Optional: You can add 10-15 drops of essential oil per 2 gallons. Add once soap has cooled. Ideas: lavender, rosemary, tea tree oil.
- Yield: Liquid soap recipe makes 10 gallons.
- Top Load Machine- 5/8 Cup per load (Approx. 180 loads)
- Front Load Machines- ¼ Cup per load (Approx. 640 loads)

*Arm & Hammer "Super Washing Soda" - in some stores or may be purchased online here (at Meijer.com). Baking Soda will not work, nor will Arm & Hammer Detergent - It must be sodium carbonate!!


Likes: LOVE IT! The clothes come out smelling so clean and fresh!! While making it, the scent was strong and I was worried but the clothes hardly smell at all. Just fresh and clean! I still use my liquid fabric softner but I will soon make homemade softner too! My mom uses white vinager in her rinse cycle for a softner. The clothes feel nice too! Not "filmy". I recently put in a load with chocolate stained clothes (sat and dried all day) and they came out perfectly clean!! The soap will store for a long time!


Dislikes/Changes: None!!

Calming Glitter Jar

I am always looking for ways to get my kids to calm down when they are out of control or frustrated.  Sometimes my son gets so worked up and upset he screams and cries and thrashes about. (He's 6 and currently being evaluated for ADHD). This glitter jar is a way for him to focus on something else and calm himself down for 5 minutes. A calming, "mind jar". I found this on Pinterest and looked into it. One of the many uses is for "processing" kids! To help them focus on something calming for 5 minutes. It also works as a fun timer for kids for just about anything! Brushing teeth, reading time, homework, etc.......

Details:
                  Super easy!! Not too expensive. You might have a lot of this on hand already!

Materials:
           

            Walmart:  Glitter jar, color of your choice . About $5
                                   Glitter Glue, color of your choice. About $3
                                   Mason Jar. I bought a 12 pack for $6.99 on sale
                                   Corn Syrup amount depends on how thick and slow you want it to settle
                                   about $6.99
                                   Food coloring of your choice, a couple of drops
                                   Warm water

Directions:
                            
                       1. I mixed 1 tablespoon of glitter-glue with about 1 cup of hot water, stir until the glue
                           "melts" and mixes. I also added more water to fill the jar once the glue melted.
                       2. Add food coloring and a tiny tub of glitter. The amounts depend on how you want it
                           to look.
                       3. In the original post I got this from, that's all they did. But I found that the glitter
                           settled really quick. Not enough time to focus and gather thoughts. So I added
                          corn syrup, 1 tbl at a time until it was the "thickness" I wanted.
        * you can add glitter and coloring as you want. I just kept mixing and adding until I liked it.*

Likes:
           My kids have really responded to it!! At first when they are upset and I suggest the glitter jar and tell them they can't get up until it's clear, they yell "NO!" but once I shake it and place it somewhere close to them, where they can see it, they stare and calm down quickly.

Dislikes/ Changes:
           I should probably glue the lid on. One day these kids are going to figure it out! Also a smaller jar would work or a plastic jar (empty mayo jar maybe). I know one of them is going to throw it out of anger!!

The original inspiration:

     What I made:

Let me know what you think! Post your ideas, comments, projects!

Entryway Organization for Kids

My kid are 6, 4, and 2. Now that 2 of them are in school we have a lot of stuff that needs to go in and out! I am the kind of person who needs to be organized and have everything ready for the next morning so that it all flows smoothly. It was kind of expensive but but worth it in the end!

Details:
                  Time consuming, needed that second person to help make sure everything was even and that the layout looked ok from a far.

Materials:
                  From Wal-Mart:
                                      Martha Stewart wall organizers $14.99 each
                                      Monkey hooks (the little "as seen on TV" hooks that go through
                                      drywall so you don't need a molly) LOVE THEM!

                           From Staples:
                                       7" x 11" combination white board ( or anyone you like) $15 each

                           Other:
                                         I already had a ton of scrap booking paper to use behind their names.
                                         printed pictures out on my printer
                                         push pins, magnets all junk from around my house

Directions:

                  1. Stand back and picture how you want it to look! It can be any combination
                               you want!
                          2.  I used a laser picture hanger thingy to make sure all the hooks would go in
                               straight.
                          3.  I hung the organizers first and worked my way up. 
                          4. The boards came with 3M sticky squares to hang with, so I used those.
                          5. I use google calenders so I just printed their personal calenders and hung them
                              on there with push pins. Now I only have to print a new one each month!
                         6.  I personalized them with magnets of things that they like!

Likes:

           I really like all things about this! It's functional and the kids like it! It looks nice too!

Dislikes:
           Nothing really. It can get cluttered if you let it.

** This is the one I found on Pinterest that gave me my inspiration:

This is what I did:

Post your comments and ideas for everyone to read! I would like to hear and see what you did different!

                                    
                                    

Little Girls Bed Canopy with Lights

I think this was my very first Pinterest project!! I made this Nov 2011 for my 2 year old daughter. I had 2 boys first so my poor daughter is just consumed with everything girly! I don't think she minds! I will tell you how I made it but you can substitute just about any part. Again, I'm not very creative so you might come up with a better idea! Read the whole blog before you buy anything. At the end of the directions, I add "likes, dislikes, problems, improvements". All the after thoughts of the project. And of course add your comments! Tell others your creative notes about this project! Last note: In the future I will include better step by step photos.

HOW TO MAKE:

Details: No sewing needed. Under $30, some items on sale. Check thrift stores!

Materials: Hula Hoop- Wal-mart about $7-$10
                 3 Sheer Curtains- Wal-Mart  about $5-$10
                 short strand of florescent Christmas lights (it was right before Christmas)
                 8 24" strings of strong holding fishing line- Walmart about $3
                 Hook for hanging- Walmart about $3
                 Spool of 1" white satin ribbon- Walmart about $2

Directions:
                 1.  I wrapped the hula hoop with the white satin ribbon. I didn't attach it anywhere except the beginning and end. I secured the ends with scotch tape because it's clear. I didn't wrap it "perfect". Some areas the ribbon is closer together then others but I have never noticed since I put it up.

                
                2.  If you choose to have lights, wrap them around the hula hoop. Remember to leave enough slack to plug them in or just know that you will need an extension cord. I used florescent lights so that they can be left on for long periods of time, they don't get hot to the touch and they aren't very bright. She can sleep with them on or read a book.

                3.  Tie the fishing line around the hula hoop in about 8 spots, trying to evenly space it out. You can make the lengths of the fishing line as long or as short as you need for hanging it above the bed. I knew I didn't want it touching the ground and I didn't want her to be able to reach and hang from the hula hoop!

              4. Gather all the fishing line, pull and hold them up above the hula hoop and tie them together in a knot close the ends of them. Make sure they are all even. Sorry I don't have pictures. I decided to do this blog long after I did this project. This is where I had the hardest time. I couldn't make mine even enough. It took forever! I'm sure there are easier ways to do this but never having done this, this is what I came up with.

             5. My curtains had a sewn seam at the top and bottom. I threaded a piece of fishing line, about 12" long, through the top seams of all the curtains (together on one string), held both ends of the string in one hand and "pushed" all the curtains together. You want the curtains to gather into a "circle". Kind of like if you had a hard shower curtain ring that you had to gather all the curtains on. Tie the line making sure it's tight.

             6. The gathered 8 pieces of tied fishing line from the hula hoop will go up through the center of the gathered curtain. The curtain will now hang and flow over the fishing line, down over the outside of the hoop!
                

             7. Hang from a hook in the ceiling!

** Now this is where I tell you the things I wish I could change about it and what doesn't work for me.**

Problems:
            It moves a lot! If my daughter opens, pulls, closes or touches the curtain, the whole thing moves. Once it moves, the hula hoop hangs crooked. I do have it in the corner of the room up against the wall so I might take some extra fishing line and tie the hoop to the wall in couple of spots so it can't swing so much.
           Wish I had lights with white wire instead of green.

Likes:
            I can keep the curtains open or close. Also I made it long enough to tuck behind her bed so it doesn't swing into her face.

Extras (after thoughts):
          You can always decorate the curtain, get colored sheer curtains. Or put weights in the seams on the bottom so it doesn't move so much. I also bought princess ribbon to sew onto the bottom of the curtain but never made it. There are soooo many things you can do to personalize it!! Have fun!!

This was like the one I saw on pinterest:

And this is what I came up with:



How different and creative can you get?!?!

Welcome to My Pinterest Madness!!

       Welcome to my madness!! I am a mom of 3: 2, 4, and 6, a wife, home owner, business owner, full time RN in the ER and Recovery Room, my sons cub scout den leader, the organizer for our local mommies group and my sons room mom! I also, like many of you, am addicted to Pinterest! I denied my friends Pinterest requests for months thinking that I'm not creative enough, I don't have time to sit on the computer, blah, blah, blah... I finally decided, after many friends hounding me, that I would look into it. I think I was home sick one day and tired of "stumbling" on the internet so I explored Pinterest. Wow!!! I couldn't get an account fast enough!! It was love at first site! So, after many months of tormenting my poor husband with Pinterest ideas and projects all over the house, I have decided to put it down where others (who might care, unlike my husband) would like to see what I have done and learn from my many mistakes! I am not in any way, shape or form creative, organized or talented! My little sister won that it the gene pool. I am just your average, working, busy, mommy brain, wiping kids running noses and car pooling, kind of mom!
       I will try to keep this blog organized. My plan is to post the Pinterest picture of my project ( say that 10 times fast!) that I am currently working on, as the most recent blog. That way you know what to expect soon. If I can figure out this blog stuff, I will keep a gallery of images of the projects I have done so you can browse them and click to go to it. If you have a request or question, feel free to email me at anytime! I will get back to you as soon as I can.
      I hope you enjoy my adventures and that I might inspire you just a little!
PS. I am in no way a writer either. So there will be MANY graphical errors! Sorry! : )