I'm A Pinner

Like everyone else who's discovered Pinterest, I've become a self-admitted addict. I've found everything from recipes (and if you know me, you know I'm not into cooking or baking) home decorating, travel, inspiration, and even DIY projects for everything you can imagine. Like my sister-in-law said, Pinterest is every good magazine on every topic, rolled into one website. So far I've done several recipes and DIY projects. And here they are for you to enjoy and maybe try for yourself.

First up, the Hula Hoop Canopy Tent

I saw this tent from a friend's pin and I followed it to this blog and just knew Maisey would absolutely LOVE this for her 6th birthday. Not being much of a seamstress (and not even owning a sewing machine) I had to enlist the help of my mother, who not only sews well (she made many costumes, clothes, and even my wedding dress), she enjoys it.

So if you don't count the cost of her airfare to West Virginia from Florida, this project was a mere $125 to make. Extravagant, probably, but we had a lovely visit, bonded over the course of the project, and Maisey (and Evie too, I imagine) will have a handmade reminder of her Nanny forever. I'm actually learning patience in a new way with this project too. We are waiting to give it to Maisey for her birthday, which is still a month away. Can I even stand it? I will post a finished picture once it's hung, and then you will see and be inspired by the love, craftiness, and the ingenious draw of Pinterest.

Update: Canopy Tent a HUGE Success!

Maisey loved the canopy tent. Here are the photos to prove it!

Next up, St. Patrick's Day Hair Bands

I saw this on Pinterest and thought how easy it looked, I should try this myself. (This one is mine though.)

Especially since my mother was sewing a masterpiece canopy right before my eyes, and the most I could offer in the way of help was fetching things for her. Though she did teach me a few things about sewing, like how to read a pattern, and taking your time--too many mistakes happen when you rush headlong and excited into a sewing project and you haven't thought through all the details. But I was feeling very crafty and very left out of the process (thankfully so, I would have ruined it in my haste to be done.)

Here is the inspiration and of course, the pictoral how-to. So, on an expedition to Michaels, I came across some real green felt (not the polyester version that passes for felt now) and decided to give this hair band thing a try. Maisey received a hair band decorating kit for Christmas, so I selected the green headband, and found an old alligator hair clip and began making these beauties, and voila! A beautiful hair band for Maisey for her St. Patty's Day party at school, and a hair clip for Evie, whose hair is eternally in her beautiful blue eyes. I know they look more like flowers than shamrocks, but that's the best part. They can wear them year round with anything green!

And Now, Onto The Food

I hate to cook. Besides cleaning, it's one of my least favorite things to do, and yet I have to do it at least three times a day, every day (or almost every day). So, how do I make it more enjoyable? Experiment! I love bread, and when I bought a bread machine years ago I thoroughly enjoyed my passion--warm bread right out of the oven with melted butter. Yum! But, I guess I was overzealous in my spring cleaning last year, because I lost the bread machine recipe book, and hadn't been able to use the bread machine all winter. That was depressing.

But thanks to Pinterest, I found my bread machine recipes and this--yummy beautiful crusty bread right out of the oven recipe (this one is mine). And the best part, it only takes four ingredients. The downside is you need an enameled cast iron pot with a lid to make it. The author uses Le Creuset, which are so expensive. So being the genius I am, I found a used one in great condition, and in my favorite color for a fraction of the cost on eBay, I snapped it up and tried this recipe. And YUM! I'm in doughy heaven. The only downside is the wait. As you know most breads must be proofed--left to rise--and this takes 12-18 hours. I've discovered I'm more likely to want to make/bake things in the late afternoon, and that's enough time to mix the dough and cover it and let it rise overnight. The next morning after dropping Maisey at school, I pop it in the oven, just as the Simply So Good website author says, and oh, I have the best crusty bread to go with my coffee.

Next up, Going Amish, Making My Own Laundry Soap

Yes, and it was actually easier than making dinner. It's just 3 ingredients and it takes about 15 minutes to make. The ingredients: 1 bar fels-naptha soap, 1 cup borax, and 1 cup super washing soda. I found all three of these ingredients in my local grocery store. Grating the fels-naptha soap took the most time, but it smells nice and went quickly with the new grater I got for $1 at the Dollar Tree.

After grating the soap, mix in the other two ingredients, and store in a container with a lid. It only takes 1 tablespoon of this soap to wash a load of laundry. Imagine how much LESS soap you'll use, not to mention how CHEAP this is! I have to give props to the author and inspiration for this project here.

Oh yeah, and the Family Rules, those were inspired by Pinterest too. Whatever did I do with myself before Pinterest?

Free Time

Everyone told me that once the kids were in school I would have more time. I liked that idea, considering how behind I am in just about every responsibility I have as the COO of the Harvey Household. I was looking forward to the day Maisey would start Kindergarten, albeit with a slight twinge of sadness that my baby was starting school, but also with a sense of accomplishment: I could catch up on all the things I let fall by the wayside on a daily/weekly/monthly basis.Here was six hours a day I could spend one-on-one with Evie, I could get caught up on housework, I could work on some home projects, take care of things I had neglected, like my garden, my horse, myself.

But since the first day of school August 18, I don't feel like I've had any free time. Granted, I still have a two-year old at home, who requires more time than I remember the first time around, but the mountain of laundry and dishes awaiting my attention, the toys and endless collections of stuffed animals stickers, beads, and rocks--the newest collectible of the Harvey children--strewn throughout the house, which is always in need of a vacuum and mop, and repairs lately, all these things and more just linger on my to do list, making me feel like a hamster in a wheel. Where was all that "free time" I was supposed to have while Maisey is in school? I spend more time now preparing Maisey for school with lunch, clothes, homework, projects, parties, and paperwork than I ever remember being responsible for myself in college. And I remember I used to work 3 jobs in college and still made the dean's list.

Any idiot can face a crisis - it's day to day living that wears you out. --Anton Chekhov

So I guess I'm right where I should be.