Monday, September 30, 2013

Salvaging A Tattered & Worn Poster


Project #5
Before our boy's room remodel began, the kids got a little ahead of schedule and decided they would hang their own posters and decorations on the walls.

Did I mention that the posters they decided to use were BRAND NEW! :-/

Initially, I had a few other ideas in mind for these said posters but I was forced to revamp those ideas when I found them in the back of the closet.. Crinkled, wrinkled, ripped and worn. I refused to purchase another poster so I was forced to get creative.

I came up with a SUPER easy solution!


This picture just does not show how terrible the poster ACTUALLY looked. I'm sure you can imagine how bad the visible wrinkles looked in person. The entire poster looked like the boys crinkled it into a ball and spread it out again. 


Edges were ripped and worn, overall the poster looked like it should just go in the trash.

My solution?!

I purchased a 20"x30" black foam board for $1.00 (yay!!). This was a little smaller than the actual poster but that was fine considering I couldn't use the outer most edges of the poster anyway.

I began by laying the foam board over the picture to center it. I then traced the board using a white Stabilo All Pencil. I love this pencil, it wipes away super easy!


Next, I painted Modge Podge over the entire surface of the foam board and using my pencil outline to guide me, aligning the poster just right :-).

I still had the edges hanging off the board... I didn't want to cut the edges off but instead give the picture a more wrapped canvas look. So I cut away the 90 degree angle from each corner...


And secured the four sides to the back of the foam using Modge Podge. (If you can't tell I LOVE Modge Podge! One reason being: I feel it is very durable and more adhesive then plain Elmer's Glue).

Finally, I still had a ton of wrinkles on the surface I needed to address. So to do this, I have learned from previous canvas/paper projects that the more Modge Podge layers you apply the better the end results will be. 

               (See all the wrinkles?!)

I layered the picture with 5-6 coats allowing each coat to air dry until it was barely sticky. I then turned the poster face down and placed something heavy on top of the entire project. I do this because it allows the Modge Podge to harden and dry completely while decompressing any air bubbles or wrinkles your paper may have. 

Apply Modge Podge layers to satisfaction and boom... You now have a brand new poster to display :-)


Unfortunately, I was unable to get a picture that did not reflect a ton of glare but you get the idea! There are no more wrinkles, no more rips and the poster looks much nicer with this super simple face lift!

Be sure to check out my other
Superhero Room Decor projects on the blog now!


Friday, September 27, 2013

A September to Remember


Another GREAT month on the blog! Fans just keep growing and I am meeting some FABULOUS people!

No complaints here :-) 

I have put together a recap of the excitement going on this month for your benefit... Not mine ;-). My little Dylan (2) decided to "help" mommy clean by SOAKING my new laptop in 409 so the blog is being ran from my phone... Have I mentioned how difficult this is?! No?! Well maybe I should blog about it ;-)

Anywho... On with the September to Remember Recap...

#1, #2, #3 & #4: Check out my boy's room makeover.. a work in progress projects! I'm transforming their bedroom right along with you! Superhero Room Decor

#5 When I say easiest: I mean EASIEST!! Don't miss my Fall Wreath DIY! Easiest DIY Wreath Ever

#6 I stepped outside the box and created MY very own award for fellow bloggers i LOVE! The Oh So FABULOUS Award

#7 My first Chevron Stripes project: A Laundry Bin... broken down into easy step by step instructions just for you! DIY Chevron Stripes

#8 One of my most favorite projects YET! DIY Picture Wall

#9 My nephews lost their father this month. The book I found for children dealing with the grieving process and information on purchasing this book for little ones you may now. Children Grieving the Loss of a Parent

Be sure to follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Bloglovin, Pinterest and Twitter!! (You may have to view the web version for details :-/) Did I mention my computer is in technology heaven?! 

I look forward to what October brings! Possible a new computer!! Hope to "see" you soon!

 

Wednesday, September 25, 2013

Children Grieving the Loss of a Parent

I take a lot of paper notes. If something sparks my interest, I jot it down. I have several notebooks I reference frequently.

This week I dug through those notes for information I never fathomed actually needing.

This week my sister, my 24 year old sister, will be making funeral arrangements for her husband. 

This week my nephews, ages 7, 4 and 2 will be dealing with something no child is programed for. Something no child is capable of wrapping their little minds around completely... Laying their daddy to rest.

This week I dug through my notes to find the title of a book that helps children deal with these situations. Helps them sort through thoughts they never knew existed. Helps them deal with feelings they never knew they had until something like this happens...This book helps them deal with grief.

As a nurse, I have experienced first hand how difficult it is for many to have the "death discussion." Adults conversing with adults about this topic is hard enough but having it with children is unimaginable for most.

How do you break down the grieving process to a child? Especially when your trying to grieve yourself, in your own ways? 

How does an adult explain to a child that their feelings are OK? Normal? Expected?

How do you define empathy to a little one? How do you know they understand?

Who knows how to relate to a child's feelings better than a child?

The book I jotted down over a year ago is titled: When Someone Very Special Dies By Marge Heegaard. 


Each page is filled with content relatable to a child age 6-12. It allows a child to sort through their feelings the best way they know how: illustrations. 

When I discovered this book, I was in school learning about siblings of children in the chronic hospital setting dealing with terminal illnesses. Heegaards' book is given to children in numerous hospitals across the US to assist in the grieving process when death is imminent, as well as those unexpected outcomes. It can be used in any scenario dealing with children and grief not just sibling death.

I must have jotted this note down for a reason. I definitely wanted to share this book with others as googling "books for children and death" and various other keywords does not bring up this title or anything close to what I was looking for. 

Each page has space for the child to work through their feelings and create their own book. The content is age appropriate and the grieving process is broken down to the elementary level.

This week, I can only hope that this book will give my nephews the tools needed to sort through their emotions.  My hopes are high that they will be guided in the right direction with their feelings, as I'm sure my little sister is no where near the best of her abilities on her own right now.

I have provided a link to Amazon for easy purchasing if this book is something your child or any child you may know needs.

Please feel free to share your thoughts after using it yourself, I would love to know if this book was helpful or not for other children.

Death is difficult for anyone but very complicated for children. I hope you find this helpful.

Facebook Love Blog Hop Week 4

Hi Friends and welcome to the last hop of the month! The Facebook Love Hop won't be back until after the holiday season. It's going dormant for a few months so that I'm able to spend more of my free time with the fam and have more time to bake some holiday goodies :) It's not going away forever, so don't worry! I have gotten alot of feedback from bloggers who say that this has been a great place to meet other bloggers and I love that! So until next time, enjoy this week and make the most of it, link up and meet as many new bloggers as you can.  

First meet and follow this weeks Sponsors by clicking on their buttons.

  Melissa from TwoMiracles.net would like you to follow her on Facebook! Click her button below to check out her blog's Facebook page.
life with miracle babies
My name is Melissa and I am a mommy blogger. I started my blog after I had twin girls 3 months early, weighing 1.4 and 2.7 at birth. I wanted to start this blog as a way to let other parents know that good can come from bad. One was hospitalized for the first year of her life and been through 6 surgeries, 3 broken bones,and several blood transfusions all before the age of 1. I write my blog to share stories of the NICU days, projects I do with the girls, and our life in general.    
Sew Cute Threads
Sew Cute Threads specializes in custom, handmade children’s apparel, accessories and one of a kind personalized handmade gifts. Each design is hand cut and sewn by the owner Priscilla Brill. Priscilla says that her favorite thing to do is to take simple patterns and re-work them to create something unique and sassy.  
Now, let's meet your September co-hosts!
  Meet and 'LIKE' your Host and Co-hosts pages by clicking on their links below.  

Mommy Mentionables (Host) Wife, mom to 2 under 2 & lifestyle mom blogger. Share with me in the joys of motherhood, family-life, DIY, creativity & more. Gilded Sunflower (Co-Host)
Hi!, I'm Rebecca, a beauty blogger/esthetician over the blog Gilded Sunflower. Needless to say, I love all things beauty related and want to share it with the world! Posts you can find on my blog pertain to makeup, hair, nails, and skincare, with a little random thrown in. Stop on over and say hi! :)
Kids, crafts and craziness since 2004. Offering inspiration, advice, learning experiences and all the fun stuff in between based solely on Our Little Life.
 

Now it's time for YOU to link-up, meet other bloggers and gain more Facebook followers.

  Here are the rules for the Facebook Link Party:
  1. Linkup your Blog's Facebook page URL.
  2. 'LIKE' your host and co-hosts pages if you haven't already.
  3. Return the likes of other participants.
  4. Grab a Hop Button below and place it on your sidebar so others can join in.
Mommy Mentionables
<div align="center"><a href="http://www.mommymentionables.com/category/blog-hop/" target="_blank" title="Mommy Mentionables"><img src="http://www.mommymentionables.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/newhopbutton250.jpg" alt="Mommy Mentionables" style="border:none;" /></a></div>
 

Some Things to NOTE:

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  • We highly encourage you to return the like of everyone who has liked your page.
  • We recommend when liking a page, to please leave a comment on their page or send them a message that you are LIKING them from the FacebookLove Hop so you're LIKE is not overlooked.
  • After the Hop, check your Facebook SPAM content - Go to Edit Page, Activity Log and Spam which is over on the left sidebar. Facebook is known to SPAM comments or messages from others if multiple comments or messages are sent in a short period of time.
  Don't forget to Tweet & Pin this Hop! Tweet
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Sunday, September 22, 2013

Boys Room Decor: Superhero Duck Tape Chipboard Letters



Project #4

My son, Matthew, wanted his name on the wall like his sister. My daughters chipboard letters were created with scrapbook paper, Modge Podge and embellishments. SUPER easy! 

Since the boys' theme is Superheros I figured finding paper would be a breeze, WRONG! I couldn't find anything to my liking. So when I came across all the fun Superhero Duck Tape my creative wheels started spinning. 

Of course, I had not seen anything made from Duck Tape like what I created so I was very excited to be original! 

I purchased 8" Chipboard letters from Hobby Lobby. On sale for $.99 each. 


I purchased the Duck Tape pictured below from Walmart.com


And this Duck Tape was purchased online from Amazon.com


To get started, I painted each letter a base color that would blend well with the tape I was using. I just used basic acrylic paint and was sure to cover the edges as well.


Next, take the Duck Tape of choice, begin by overlapping the edge and following straight across the letter. Cut excess just as you would wrapping paper and tuck over the edges with the ends secured to the back.


Like so..


Be sure to line up each piece with the next so that the finished product looks like one nice sheet... Or paper you couldn't find :-)

Finally, you must secure the tape to the chipboard with a layer of Modge Podge. If you don't your ends will look like this...


So Modge Podge it up and viola.. Another inexpensive Duck Tape Masterpiece!



If you missed my other Superhero projects you can view them with this link:

Questions or comments appreciated!

Saturday, September 21, 2013

DIY Picture Wall


Creating a picture wall can be a headache...

If you let it.

One way to prevent the headache is realizing this type of project doesn't need to happen in a day. It's a project that requires time, plenty of pictures, frames and most importantly patience.

You do not want to quickly throw something together and later wish you had added more pictures.

I have a TON of frames I've accumulated throughout the years awaiting a home, so that portion of the project was a breeze for me.

Next, I needed to fill the frames. I wanted to incorporate very recent pictures with my favorites from the past. Deciding on which photos I would go with and which size I needed to order took a little more time.

Once I filled the frames I had a decision to make. Would my picture wall consist of JUST pictures or did I want artwork, plaques, quotes, etc. to fill the area as well?

I found some great pieces on sale at Hobby Lobby so that decision was easy!

Finally, it was time to piece the puzzle together. I found the easiest way to do this was arranging the pictures on the floor... Standing over the arrangement and snapping photos. The visual from the  picture vs. staring at the arrangement on the floor changes your perspective some. It allows you to see the entire piece and helps with placement.


I'm not gonna lie... It was tedious and a little stressful. I snapped 10-20 pictures.. arranged and rearranged... Dug out more pictures and MORE frames... and even sent the pictures to others for advice. 

But one thing I CAN say about my experience is when the arrangement is perfect you WILL know! It's just like a puzzle! The pieces will come together so perfectly.

I attempted to use Pinterest as my guide, I pinned several examples and fell in love with so many of the ideas. The only problem with this was... My frames are MUCH different than those examples. I had to create something completely original.

I did, however, find a great post for others to refer to HERE. There are several examples and arrangements to help with any simple lay out.

To hang my pictures, I chose Command Velcro Strips. These are a great choice for many reasons: no holes (there would be a TON), quick and painless hanging, and if you need to move the picture a bit it's no big deal!


I started from the center and worked out... Referencing my picture of the entire wall I had prearranged on the floor..


30 minutes later, DONE!



The chipboard "C" and key at the top right will be decorated soon.. However the paper I purchased is on back order.. I'm impatient if you can't tell!

I incorporated the Fall wreath I made and plan to change it out with the seasons. You can find the easiest DIY wreath tutorial HERE. 


Tuesday, September 17, 2013

Facebook Love Blog Hop Week #3


Hi Friends! Welcome to another week of our Facebook Love Blog Link Party! If you want to also linkup your Instagram account, see the bottom of this post.  

First meet and follow this weeks Sponsors by clicking on their buttons.

  Melissa from TwoMiracles.net would like you to follow her on Facebook! Click her button below to check out her blog's Facebook page.
life with miracle babies
My name is Melissa and I am a mommy blogger. I started my blog after I had twin girls 3 months early, weighing 1.4 and 2.7 at birth. I wanted to start this blog as a way to let other parents know that good can come from bad. One was hospitalized for the first year of her life and been through 6 surgeries, 3 broken bones,and several blood transfusions all before the age of 1. I write my blog to share stories of the NICU days, projects I do with the girls, and our life in general.    
Sew Cute Threads
Sew Cute Threads specializes in custom, handmade children’s apparel, accessories and one of a kind personalized handmade gifts. Each design is hand cut and sewn by the owner Priscilla Brill. Priscilla says that her favorite thing to do is to take simple patterns and re-work them to create something unique and sassy.  
Now, let's meet your September co-hosts!
  Meet and 'LIKE' your Host and Co-hosts pages by clicking on their links below.  

Mommy Mentionables (Host) Wife, mom to 2 under 2 & lifestyle mom blogger. Share with me in the joys of motherhood, family-life, DIY, creativity & more. Gilded Sunflower (Co-Host)
Hi!, I'm Rebecca, a beauty blogger/esthetician over the blog Gilded Sunflower. Needless to say, I love all things beauty related and want to share it with the world! Posts you can find on my blog pertain to makeup, hair, nails, and skincare, with a little random thrown in. Stop on over and say hi! :)
Kids, crafts and craziness since 2004. Offering inspiration, advice, learning experiences and all the fun stuff in between based solely on Our Little Life.
 

Now it's time for YOU to link-up, meet other bloggers and gain more Facebook followers.

  Here are the rules for the Facebook Link Party:
  1. Linkup your Blog's Facebook page URL.
  2. 'LIKE' your host and co-hosts pages if you haven't already.
  3. Return the likes of other participants.
  4. Grab a Hop Button below and place it on your sidebar so others can join in.
Mommy Mentionables
<div align="center"><a href="http://www.mommymentionables.com/category/blog-hop/" target="_blank" title="Mommy Mentionables"><img src="http://www.mommymentionables.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/newhopbutton250.jpg" alt="Mommy Mentionables" style="border:none;" /></a></div>
 

Some Things to NOTE:

  • Like other FB pages from your PERSONAL profile. This important since Facebook does NOT count likes if you like a page from your PAGES.
  • We highly encourage you to return the like of everyone who has liked your page.
  • We recommend when liking a page, to please leave a comment on their page or send them a message that you are LIKING them from the FacebookLove Hop so you're LIKE is not overlooked.
  • After the Hop, check your Facebook SPAM content - Go to Edit Page, Activity Log and Spam which is over on the left sidebar. Facebook is known to SPAM comments or messages from others if multiple comments or messages are sent in a short period of time.
  Don't forget to Tweet & Pin this Hop! Tweet  
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