Motherhood Unplugged

Do you ever have one of those weeks where the thought of cooking is about as attractive as getting a pap smear? I’m sure my bathing-suit-in-4-weeks diet plan has something to do with it but seriously, this is the week I’d give my first born (quite willingly actually) for a live-in cook. And driver. And housekeeper. So instead of feeling guilty for not posting a menu plan this week and eating take-out and take-out leftovers, I’m going to post something I actually really like to do … craft! Well craft with wine but it’s still early so I’ll leave the wine part out.

I happened to run across the coolest picture of a menu board on pinterest, my new favorite time-sucker waster website. I swear I could spend hours on that site and feel more overwhelmed from the list of pins I’ve added to my “must try ASAP” list. See, it’s happening already. Back to the menu board. Like every family with kids, as a mom you’re asked about a dozen times EVERY God-forsaken day… “what’s for dinner mom” and regardless of what you say…one will be happy, one will be disappointed, one will ask for substitutions and the other will just plain refuse to eat it. All of these reasons led me to fall madly in love with a menu board that will put an end to pesky questions about what’s being served as well as alleviate any stress caused from racking my brain each week when coming up with a different meal EVERY God-forsaken day. Ahem…without further adieu…

I love this menu board for lots of reasons but mostly because it’s adorable and I made it from things I had laying around the house. Each clothespin holds a piece of paper that lists what we’ll be having for dinner each night of the week (see menu planning 101 for ideas) and on the flip-side lists the source for where I found the recipe (isn’t that clever). The two little compartments on the right hold the menu cards as well as blank cards for when I find a recipe I love, I just jot it down and write down where I found it on the back (seriously clever). Oh and it’s adorable too, did I mention that already?

Here are the step-by-step instructions for making your own adorable menu board. Continue reading →

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Print Me!

Last month while at a holiday party (and snooping around the host’s adorable house making me wish I could burn every piece of furniture I own), I ran across the most genius idea EVER. It was an old picture frame re-purposed into a unique earring holder. Why hadn’t I thought of this first? My earrings currently reside in a cereal bowl sitting inconspicuously by my bathroom sink where I have to dig for 10 minutes to find a matching pair. I had to re-create this little gem of a find and I have to admit, I’m pretty proud of what I came up with, so much in fact, I’ve made several and started giving them as gifts to friends. Now whose the genius?

I’ve included step by step instructions below to make your own adorable earring holder that your friends will all be oh so envious of…

Supplies Needed:

Wooden frame
Chicken wire
Home decor fabric
Ribbon
Glue gun & glue sticks
Wire snips
Scissors

Step 1: Add chicken wire

Using safety goggles and work gloves (safety first) cut the chicken wire to the size needed to fit along the back of the frame.
Using a glue gun, carefully glue the chicken wire to the back of the frame and let dry completely.

Step 2: Add ribbon

After the chicken wire has been glued down and dried, hot glue a piece of ribbon of desired length to back of frame. Let dry completely.

Step 3: Add fabric

Measure fabric to back of frame allowing 1/2 inch overlay on all sides. Cut fabric with sharp scissors.
With front of fabric facing the chicken wire, glue fabric down with hot glue to back of frame.

Step 4: Finish Back

Fold over the fabric to align with back of frame and hot glue a hem being careful not to burn every finger on your God forsaken hand. Just sayin’.

TA DA…your’re finished! Now hang your piece of work in a place where everyone will be sure to walk by and see inevitably asking “WHERE did you get that, I HAVE to have one!”

Because I can’t get enough “oohs and aahs”, here is another variation of an earring holder
using picture hanging wire stapled to the back of the frame instead of chicken wire.

Print Me!