Zoomba

And we’re back with the next installment of “How to Conquer the World Pregnant and Raising Twins “.  Miss the first installment?  Probably.  That’s because it doesn’t exist.  It’s all a lie and a ploy to get you back and reading.  It’s just not possible folks.  What is possible though is spending the week at the beach with family like we did all last week.  It was wonderful…besides the 40748 minutes it took to lather up the twins with sunscreen and bathing suits before every pool/beach outing and all the sand they consumed like it was candy.  Sadly, at the end of our little beach excursion, Daddy had to skip out and take a bus load of teenagers to a Steubenville conference, leaving this mom and her three under two a.l.o.n.e. for a whole five days.  Know how tough that is?  You don’t want to, trust me. 

But moving on to greener pastures, we’re back, Daddy’s back, the twins are asleep, and the laptop is cracked open.  It’s about time we get back to sharing our personal lives via zee blog.

There hasn’t been much action in the DIY department due to our recent absences but I do have a post all about rugs coming up this weekend and I’m praying for some motivation to start sewing or or painting  or something cause the line is getting long. 

Today though, let’s skip back a couple of weeks to that lovely day our eldests turned the big “ONE”.  They’re both mesmerized by animals so what a better way to foster that mesmerization and turn their excitement up a notch by taking them to the New Orleans Zoo.  The fab Party of Five came too!  Four adults, five kids (well, technically six)…who knew being outnumbered by little people was so much fun?  :)

[Four out of eight eyes where they’re supposed to be…]

[Who wants to look at seals when Mr. Stud Muffin is near?]

[Ooh, ooh, ah, ah!]

 
[Personal chauffeur.]

[I asked for a feather.  He (she?) declined.]

[OMGsh!!!!]

[Completely different reactions to the howler monkeys – completely unsure and fascinated beyond her wildest dreams.]

[We did manage one nap.]

[At the end of the day, we decided to take our animals home.]

It was lots and lots of good, sweaty, stinky fun and we can’t wait to go back!  Two and under are f-r-e-e so we’ll be milking that for the next two summers.  #cheapatheart

X, Y, Zipper

Zippers scare the he** out of this amatuer sewer (maybe seamstress would be less of a stink?) but I finally put the fear aside and whipped up (and when I say “whipped up” I mean turtled through because it took me a few hours more than I had over a couple of days) a couple of pillow covers for the pillows on our porch that were in dire need of clean ones.  Plus, I found this amazing outdoor fabric at JoAnn’s and had to have it so have it I do. (Stolen from our Instagram feed)

I’m not here to give a full tutorial however, after a little more pillow practice maybe I’ll type out all the teethy ‘tails but if you’re hankerin’ to make your own zippered covers, I recommend this tutorial.  It got me through and has really good visual aids and my resulting pillow covers are functional and not falling apart (yet).  There are a few spots where I could’ve used a little more explaining but, like I said, it got me through. 

(Our wicker is in obvious need of repair and our porch in obvious need of a sweep but let that glorious geometric take you to better thoughts.)

I’m a sucker for being able to change my mind on a whim so of course one side is one fabric and the other, the other.  They’re not the most coordinating when it comes to the relative science of fabric marriage but they’re both super-cool, geometric, and invisible when the other shines.  Today it’s the navy, yesterday was the yellow, tomorrow?  Well, let’s just hope this pattern doesn’t continue because the girls scream and cry when I walk out the front door and I really don’t want kids with PTSD so…

What’s your fave side?

Anyway, like I mentioned above, the fabric is from JoAnn’s.  I happened upon it during a 50% off outdoor fabric sale with an extra 10% coupon in my hand so when all was said and done I walked out the door with two half-yards of each for a total of 10 beans.  The zippers cost me $1.50 at Wal-Mart bringing my grand total to $13.  Just like I like it…small and virtually unnoticeable to the budget nazi, me.  I love that the covers can easily be removed, washed, and replaced.  My relationship with zippers is still “complicated” moving towards “like” but you know I’ll keep you updated on that one.  It’ll be better than the Bachelorette right now, I can tell you that much.



So, about pesky zippers.  What’s your relationship status?  Do you prefer them only pre-inserted and from stores, is your fear holding you back, or have you mastered them?  If you’re a zipper master, what’s your fave tutorial or are you one of those greats that just figured them out all by your lonesome?  Let me in on it and then go out and have a great weekend! 

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P.S.  I’m still planning on pounding out a whole series on twins and how we’ve survived along with a few other things (beware or come read and have fun) – a day in the life, cloth diapering, you know, I’ve mentioned it before – so if you’re up for that sort of thing, stay tuned.  :)

It’s Not Just For Wrapping Meat

My household sister, Jerilyn, recently introduced me to the wonderful world of freezer paper .  In particular, the wonderful world of freezer paper stenciling.  Way back when, when we announced sprout numero three was on his/her way, I used this technique to get the numbers 1, 2, and 3 onto some onesies and a tee.

 

First, I traced the numbers by placing a piece of freezer paper over a Word document on which I had picked out a 1, 2, and 3 in a font I liked.  I trace really, really lightly so as not to damage our ancient computer’s screen (heaven forbid) and I also lay the screen back and flat so that I wasn’t tracing while holding the paper up.  Make sense?

Then I cut out each number and number sign with an exacto knife.  Remember that any pieces that are unattached/floating, like the inside of my number sign or the insides of a’s, e’s, o’s, etc, will need to be saved and set in place before ironing!!

Next up I whipped out the ironing board and it’s kin, laid the stencil over each article of clothing I was doing (a onesie in this case), and ironed it on by pressing on each area of paper for about 7 seconds or so.

Oh yeah, and I made sure to stick some wax paper in between the front and back of the onesie/tee so the paint didn’t seep through!

Once the paper cooled, I made sure it was completely stuck to the onesie and sponged some gold paint (Martha Stewart from Home Depot – the same paint I used on this mirror) onto the stencil.

I did all three numbers at once and ripped the stencils off right after I was done sponging the last one, while the paint was still wet.

The marvelous thing about freezer paper stenciling is that the options are ennndlesssssss…  For real yo.  And, the finished product is washable (assuming you use permanent paint).  So cool.  I’ll never use iron-on designs again.

Here are some outtakes of our little announcement photo shoot just for a giggle and to show-off those freezer paper wonders:
[What that “sexy” toss of the hair looks like mid-action.]


[Somebody forgot to tell C she was supposed to be involved in a staring contest.]

Turns out that pressing the self-timer button while holding a baby and then running to the scene of the pictorial in a maxi skirt in time to make a lasting shot isn’t my strong suit, Cecilia has two…nope, one facial expression (getta loada those cheeks!), and lighting DOES make a difference.

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So, anyone else have some freezer paper stencils goin’ on?  If so, on what?  Clothes, curtains, bags, hats…the medium and design options are endless and that my friends, is awesome.  :)

P.S.  The twins are ONE!!!  We went on a birthday excursion to the zoo because they are absolutely enamored by animals and it was oh-so-fun!!!  I’ll get a post up all about it asap!

Multiple Personalities?

Self-contradictory?  Hypocritical?  Mood swings?  Liar?  Just plain crazy?  Apparently it’s any and all for me since today I felt AWESOME (sing it)!  But didn’t I just get down and low with my woes and complaints to you all yesterday?  Yes, ‘twas me.  Funny thing is, that girl isn’t this girl today.  I’m owing it all to plain greek yogurt because that’s the only explanation this 360 degree spin has.  Maybe I’ve stumbled upon a new pregnancy sickness remedy?  Or maybe you all knew greek yogurt was key and just forgot to tell me?  Or maybe it’s all in my head but either way, today I could’ve conquered the world.  Let’s see, where to start…

I got up at the usual hour of seven-ish, awoken from slumber by one and then two girly cries coming from down zee hall.  Anthony was the martyr this morn, getting up first to change and out the girls from their white cages.  I lumbered in a few minutes later, put the tots in the living room amidst their pile of toys always strewn about, and sipped up the coffee Anthony brewed up.  It’s all pretty boring from there – breakfast for us, breakfast for them, more playing and making toy messes, dot dot dot.  Before he left for work, Anthony helped me carry our massive filing cabinet outside so I could give it a spray paint thrice over and during nap time is when all the motivation appeared, just like that.  I gave myself a goal to at least get the thing halfway painted but here I sit with it fully d.o.n.e  in our living room.  Not only did that get done, we’re having VIP company in next week and some furniture movage is necessary so my 14 week old womb mate and I moved one large club chair approx. 20 ft, moved a desk from one end of the house to another, disassembled a large box filled with a new desk, cleaned under our bed, purged our closet, messed around with blog design, did the girls laundry, washed cloth diapers, ate two more meals and various snacks in-between, made four pint-sized meals for the offspring, and I’m now sitting down to write a blog post.  What now?  Repaint the house?  Sheesh.  Pregnancy is a crazy thing it is. 

I don’t know why I feel the need to type this all out but maybe I’m hoping that spilling my brain guts will ensure that tomorrow and the next day will be the same.  Here’s to hoping, right?

Either way, I’ll keep you posted because I know you want to know ALL about my life. 

And just because I don’t believe in blog posts without pictures, even blurry ones:

In process:
 

The palette I’m envisioning for a forthcoming master mini-makeover:

A pow-wow we three had after nap time today:

Cheers to tomorrow!

Bleh

Blogger, me? I suppose so although lately the last thing I feel like doing is making things and painting things and then writing about the whole process-shmocess lest this damn (you know I'm serious when I utter one of "those" words) nausea, tummy-ache, whatever it is, plague me like it does starting around noon each day and coming to a nice head around nine at night. Morning sickness? Nope. My sickness is afternoon and night and basically during all times of the day when I could get something done because that's when nap times and bedtimes fall. Woe is me. I could write about the fact that yesterday was the first day I actually got dressed and let my hair down in days or I could write about how we're finally starting to purge away some of our "double" baby paraphernalia. You might love to know that Cecilia's taken to playing hide-and-seek behind any and all curtains she can reach in this house which has led to two (so far) curtain rods being almost pulled down. I know you're dying to know that we deeeep cleaned our living room this weekend and after that I didn't have the energy to do what I wanted to do which was spray paint a filing cabinet. Let's just hope that happens tomorrow however if I don't get started at the crack of dawn, I know it won't. Ugh, I thought first-trimester woes were supposed to stay in the first trimester. 

Anyway, I could complain to you all all day in some sing-songy writing but I'll stop and just tell you that I'm sorry if my blogging presence is a little limited for the next few weeks (dare I say months...no, I can't). I loved pregnancy with the twins and with this little one, well, I can't wait until he/she is here because my paint brush called and it'd really like a dip. Bear with me folks. I'll be back in the swing of things as soon as I possibly can. I've got a to-do list as long as a mile and I'm bound and determined to make some check marks. Until then, feast your eyes upon those which are driving me crazy and fall in love all at the same time: 

(P.S. Sorry the video is sideways...I'm too tired to figure out how to rotate it.)

Nice and Clean Clean

Well I celebrated the entrance of trimester dos of this pregnancy by snatching up a wonderful stomach bug (possible food poisoning?) which left me lurching over a bucket at the beginning of this week.  It was great and made the nausea I experienced during the first trimester seem trivial and minute.  I know it wasn’t pregnancy-related, but I truly empathize and am so sorry for all you women who have nausea enough to make you throw-up during pregnancy.  I wouldn’t wish that upon even my worst enemies.  Yuck, yuck, yuck! 

Anyway, on to bigger and better things now that I’m back to my usual self…Praise God.  I washed the kitchen rug!!!  It’s still just as snazzy as it was before it’s washing too!

Here’s what it looked like in the few days after I painted it:

(taken from the original posts – patterned side and striped side)

And here’s what it looks like now, after it’s first wash:

The only difference, except it being much cleaner, is that the washing fluffed up the fibers a bit causing the stripes to appear aittle lighter.  To avoid this next time, I’ll probably pre-wash any rug I’m planning on painting first so that it’s nice and fluffy when the paint goes on.  That way, the paint will hit every fiber while it’s at it’s perkiest.

Since it’s made of cotton, all I did was throw it in our washer on a warm cycle with some regular old detergent (Era in case you want all the deets) and let it air dry.  Easy peasy.

Anyway, I’m hoping to check in tomorrow with progress on the next project.  It involves a filing cabinet and some spray paint.  Fun stuff as usual!  TGIF!!!!!

In Sight, In Mind

I’m one of those people that NEEDS to have a to-do list to get anything accomplished.  I don’t know if it’s an OCD list tendency or just a love of the satisfaction of “checking” something off, but I work so much better and get so much more done when I have a list to look at.  For this purpose, I grabbed the cutest gold striped calendar notebook on super clearance at Target a couple of months ago but guess what happens?  I write my to-do list out, lay the notebook down somewhere,  forget to check it, little gets done, things get forgotten, “outta sight, outta mind”, yadda yadda yadda…

So I finally got smart and made a dry-erase board to-do list this week. 

Here’s da story:

I grabbed a picture frame (I think it’s “document size”) that I bought from the dollar store several years ago.  It was originally wood but I spray painted it white right after I bought it.  After being moved and stored, it needed a touch-up coat so I quickly gave it a light sanding (fine grit sanding block) and gave it a thin coat of white spray paint I had on hand.

Next, I cut a piece of scrapbook paper I snagged a couple of months ago at Michael’s to fit inside the frame and be a background.

Then, using regular ‘ole super glue, I glued four semi-strong magnets (Lowe’s) to the cardboard backing of the frame.

Like dis:
 
I glued them right to the cardboard knowing if I ever wanted to, I could simply rip them off and reuse them else, albeit probably with a little cardboard residue on the backs but no big deal, right?

The glued dried within minutes so I happily scribbled down my jobs for the day (top) and week (bottom) with a dry-erase marker and pranced over to stick her on the fridge.  A full dose of motivation, coming right up.  Seriously.  It took me from lazy pregnant with a side of sleepy to crazy with a stick of a few magnets and the squeak of a marker…miraculous I tell ya. 

 

It was the perfect addition to our little “organization station” – a calendar (I made it on Microsoft Publisher…such an easy DIY), the to-do list, keys, a magnetic notepad we use for making grocery lists (I loathe grocery shopping btw), and invitations (No, we’re not that popular.  Most of those are old and we just hang on to them for sentimental purposes).  I might have to grab a little vase or something, stick a magnet to it, and stick it to the fridge to hold pens and dry-erase markers.  For now though, they’re tucked away in the drawer below.  As for the magnetic hooks holding everything on,  I got those on clearance at Target awhile ago and they’re awesome.  I know they still sell them.  I’m still dreaming of a way to disguise this black side of the fridge (bead board?) so we’ll see if that ever comes true too!  A piece of bead board and some more magnets shouldn’t be so hard to whip up someday. 

(Ack!  Sorry for the fuzzy pictures…there is not one but zero DSLR whisperers in this hizouse.)

Anyone else a do-er only with a list telling them what to do?  What about grocery shopping?  Anybody willing to do mine?  I’ll feed you…  Oh but wait, I hate to cook too… 

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Have a great weekend!! 

P.S.  I washed the rug!  The number one asked question that came up after it’s YHL debut was if it was washable.  Yes it is.  Yes I did – yesterday.  Yes, it still looks like it did the day I painted it.  Stay tuned for a whole post on it next week!

Bear E-Hugs

You guys!  This might read so darn cheesy but I’m gonna write it anyway – BIG E-HUGS to you all!  Our stamped rug got the honor of being featured yesterday at one of my favorite blogs, not to mention one of theee most amazing blogs on the planet – Young House Love – and my heart melted the entire day through with all the sweet comments on their feature post and on our post and in our inbox.  You guys rock! 

The feature couldn’t have come on a better day than yesterday as I was home alone alllll day into the night with the young’ns (two teething babes, one extremely fussy and kickin’ her act up terrible-two’s style, more #2 diapers than I cared to change, the song-o-the day was a little v-tech diddy…you know the mom drill) while my hubs was on a “business trip” to Six Flags with his youth group.  As I wiped away excrement I could hear the excited screams haunting me from super-fast roller coasters and the smell of caramel apples filled my…ok, so maybe I was being a little dramatic and woe-is-me but, the feature chased any thoughts of some far away theme park right out my head.

So, once again, thank you, thank you, thank you!  Y’all are the best!  

Wood and White

Here’s the story about the wood and white.  You might remember the girls’ hand-me-down dresser:

We went back-and-forth, from option to option, thinking of a bajillion ways we could update it.  We’re not huge fans of it’s ornate, curvy make-up so something needed to be done.  I even begged for your opinion of our final option(s) via Instagram, Facebook, and this post.  Well the landslide slid toward painting the drawers white, giving us a two-toned dresser.  Here’s how it all went on.

First we had to fill in some hardware holes with wood filler.  Put some tape over the backs of the holes, overfill, sand, fill a little more, and sand again for a nice flush finish.  We used Elmer’s wood filler from Walmart and a fine grit sanding block for the sanding. The two doors needed new holes that were centered between the door edge and the decorative groove and the two small drawers were just going to get knobbed instead of handled. 

Next step was more sanding.  I gave each of the doors/drawers a quick go over with a medium grit piece of sandpaper.  I seriously spent 30 seconds rubbing each door/drawer.  No big deal…thank goodness because sanding is not how I like to spend most ‘o my days. 

The drawer 0n the left isn’t sanded; the drawer on the right is.  See the difference?  I roughed them up just the littlest bit to make sure the paint would stick.

Then it was time to protect.  I was planning on using spray primer and paint so I had to tape off and cover the insides of the drawers.  I also made sure to stick a little piece of tape behind each hardware hole to make sure no spray got inside the drawers through those.  The prepping was probably the most time-consuming part of this whole project because all we had on hand for me to cover with were magazines.  So I tape page-by-page-by-page…

Then it was outside with them where the real fun began.  

I used Valspar spray primer in white, spraying two thin and semi-even coats.  I’m not too picky on how the primer goes on as long as every inch is covered and it’s nice and smooth.  That being said, my prime jobs are usually a little splotchy albeit smooth.

Here are the drawers all primed:

Next up, the real stuff.  I scored big with the spray paint for this project.  While picking up some landscaping plants a couple of weeks ago at Lowe’s, I found this can of white satin Rustoleum paint-and-primer-in-one.  (Side note:  I still used primer even though I had a p-and-p-in-one so I didn’t have to use as much paint and because I had it on hand anyway.)  It was marked down to $1 because it was missing a nozzle. 


Vvell, if you know me you know I’ve got a stash of spray paint therefore a stash of nozzles.  I simply borrowed a nozzle from another can and away I sprayed.  HOWEVER, even though I grabbed a nozzle from a can of the same exact brand, I still managed to get paint allllll over my right hand as it dripped from the nozzle.  I learned that I had to press and hold the borrowed nozzle perfectly straight or paint would drip.  A little annoying but still totally worth the $1 investment.  I might also mention that this Rustoleum paint and primer-in-one is theee BEST spray paint I’ve ever used!  It sprayed smooth and covered so well!  I’ll definitely be using this kind next time!

Beside the paint all over my right hand (which I donned for two days afterward despite a shower), I had one more minor happening.  While I was inside waiting for the second-to-last coat of paint to dry, the wind whipped two corners of two covering magazines up and onto the wet paint.  Grrr…  When I went out to check for dryness, I found them and ripped them off only to have a little paper left behind.

So, adding another step to my almost-done process, I had to sand the area where the magazines had stuck after the paint was completely dry (I was so annoyed I actually called it quits for the day and did the sanding and re-painting the next day) just enough to remove most of the paper.  I didn’t sand all the way to the wood because I didn’t want an obvious dip in paint nor did I want to re-sand the entire drawer.  So, I sanded until smooth and put an extra coat on the drawer while doing the last coat on the other doors/drawers.  All good.

After letting the drawers dry for a full 24 horas, we stuck hardware on them and admired our new beauty.
 

Cost breakdown:
Dresser:  f-r-e-e (hand-me-down)
Primer:  already had
Paint:  $1
Sandpaper:  already had
Total:  One Dolla…Holla!

The hardware won’t stay, it’s only temporary.  I’m on the hunt for some so I’ll be sure to update y’all when I find it.  Until then, we’re loving the white-and-wood combo despite the needs-to-go hardware.

So what about you?  Painted any dressers lately…or any furniture for that matter?  I’m always all eyes for pictures!  What about clearanced/oops paint?  Anyone ever score any?  I’m gunning for the “oops” paint section first thing next time I’m in Lowe’s to hopefully find more!

Two-Toned ‘Tis

Ugh.  Nausea.  It kicked my butt all day.  Riddle me this – how can a person (me) can go through a twin pregnancy without one hint of that tummy-churning junk but a singleton pregnancy with more than enough.  Weird and not wanted.  I’m really putting all my eggs in this this upcoming second trimester basket that’s supposed to be the end of all things nausea.  The percentages better be right.

I had high hopes to have a two-toning tutorial up today but all I have for you is an after, as promised.  Here’s the girls dresser via an Instagrammer I shot last night (This morning?  It all blends together.):

It’s 90% done.  We have to find new hardware for the thing.  The ornate handles just aren’t ding dingin’.   And the knobs, we need some of those too.  For now, we’ve got cheapo knobs we had lying around place-holding until those knobs are found.  My friend Jesse (who really should start a blog because she’s ah-mazing!) got these green ones from Hobby Lobby stuck in my mind and now I might have to have them.  Hopefully we’ll get that all updated this week.  But, even if we don’t, be sure to look for the tutorial this week.  It’ll be nice and detailed, you’ll see.  :)

Have a great weekend filled with nary a hint of nausea and lots of productivity everyone!  I hope to see you back this week!

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P.S.  The twins are turning ONE in less than a month!!!  For real?  Somebody pinch me!  In honor of their first year, I’m going to churn (no pun intended considering my current sitcheeation) out a whole series of posts just about them over the next month – a cloth diaper how-to, how we made our own baby food, the story of their conception (long, long, long), a day in the life (crazy, crazy, crazy), how we save the green with twins, and whatever else comes up.  There’s lots to talk about – double the crazy, double the fun.  Stay tuned!

Hot and Sour Soup

Let’s get one thing straight.  I am no cook.  I will nevereverever turn this into anything even close to a foodie blog.  My diy stops at mixing paint, not ingredients.  Maybe I’ll share a recipe or two that I’ve found somewhere that’s really good and always easy but I’ll never be showing off my cooking skills because, well, they are nonexistent.  The hubs on the other hand, he’s another story. 

So, with that out of the way, I recently found a recipe to the best soup ever in the history of soup.  Hot and sour courtesy of those culinary geniuses, the Chinese.  Hot and sour soup is my fave soup ever and quite possibly my fave food.  A little hole-in-the-wall Chinese restaurant in Steubenville, Ohio (miss you Hong Kong…tear) makes thee best h & s I’ve ever, ever had and down here in Mobile, well the Chinese have yet to get it right.  But, whilst in the mood for it the other night, I invoked pinterest and found a recipe that looked pretty easy and pretty good.

Ready for it? 

Here ‘tis.  Click for it.

I made a couple of tweaks to the recipe however - instead of the fresh gingerroot, I added a 1/2 tsp. of ground ginger, I skipped the scallions because I forgot to grab some, I used black pepper instead of white (Google told me the only real difference is looks), and I added a tid bit of extra soy sauce to my bowl de jour before I downed it.  I might also mention that letting the soup sit for an hour after cooking is better than eating it right away.  That way, the flavors mingle and soak into each other and ohhhh, it’s so much better.  This recipe doesn’t make the ‘hottest’ hot and sour so to add a little more kick you might want to add some hot pepper oil or flakes or something of the sort.

Update:  I was wrong-o about the no-difference between black and white pepper.  As it turns out, a wise commenter informed me that – “The heat actually comes from the white pepper. Give it a try, it is really different than black pepper and believed to have many curative properties. Sometimes you can find small pre-filled grinders of white pepper in the spice section. It "makes" the soup.” 

Here are the Chinese ingredients I used:
 
I found all of them in the “International Foods” section in our grocery store.

Here’s what my hot and sour looked like right before I inhaled it:

So good.  So very good.  It was gone in a day and a half because I had it for dinner the day I made it, and lunch and dinner the day after.  I’ll be making it again in less than 24 hours only to have it gone just as quick.

If you try it, let me know what you think!

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P to the S…Lily told me that she’s positive hot and sour soup helped labor commence for both of her boys so if you be of child-bearing age, take note.  I know what I’ll be drinking in t-minus six months.  :)