Guest Post Blog Opportunity

Guest blog opportunity!

I am looking for a few crafty, sassy, creative, witty moms wanting to get their awesomeness out to a new set of readers! 

If this sounds like you please send any guest posting ideas to Ourlittlelife13@gmail.com

I am looking for DIY projects, funny parenting advice, crazy kid experiences... Anything family oriented! Just send it over and get started on guest posting :-)

*I reserve the right to reject any post if I feel it does not fit the criteria I am seeking.

However, open to all the fun, interesting, amusing ladies and their ideas!

Lets make this fun!

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The Time Out Chair

This summer, having all three kids home all the time, has brought on a whole new set of challenges. Dylan, my youngest (2), was MUCH easier to handle while the two oldest were at school (of course, I know!) Now he has started picking up, at a very rapid pace, the characteristics of his siblings. Matthew (5) LOVES super heros and pretending. Alexis (8) enjoys swimming and playing outside. Dylan has not only learned how to play right along with them in these activities but also picked up on their bad habits, their bad attitudes at times and most of all their back talking. He's TWO! Not even close to THREE! He is acting TOO old and this has presented a struggle. Does he know right from wrong? Or is this just monkey see monkey do and will blow over when school starts again?! 

After many discussions with my husband about tightening up the ship, a lightbulb went off. I bet when Alexis and Matthew are sent to their rooms for bad behavior (our current punishment), Dylan doesn't get it. He sees them go upstairs and take their punishment then return to playing with him a few minutes later. He doesn't understand why they went to their rooms or what they were sent up there for. So in an effort to correct this learned behavior, everyone's punishment will be the same (in most scenarios). If you misbehave, you get to sit in the TIME OUT CHAIR. 

Everyone including Dylan. He is not too young for small time outs and he will have a better understanding of his brother and sisters punishment seeing them sit in "time out" also. He may even catch on a little quicker! The only thing that worries me - I only have ONE "time out chair" :-)

Now... On to the "Time Out Chair" project!

I happened to already have a chair on hand. I've had it for years and it really hasn't served much purpose, other than a step stool at times :-)

I cleaned it thoroughly with a towel and water to remove any grim that has collected. I then sanded it down a bit with hubby's sander and fine grit sandpaper to smooth out any rough spots.

Cleaned the surface again with a towel and a little water. Now it's ready to paint!

I enjoy using stuff I already have around the house. It also helps my wallet AND my husbands piece of mind when it comes to my crafting :-)

I searched the house and came up with this black paint (pictured above). PERFECT! I didn't have primer so I just applied two coats of black paint to the entire chair. It's BLACK, it shouldn't need primer ;-)

Now I needed to create the "TIME OUT" design for the seat of the chair....

I LOVE to Modge Podge everything so what I dug up was also perfect! I rummaged thru my scrapbook paper and pulled out an assortment of punch out letters (pictured above). I chose my design and applied the letters using Modge Podge. Note: make sure to press each letter firmly to prevent air bubbles! I applied four THICK coats of Modge Podge over the surface of the seat. I wanted to make sure the letters didn't come off while Dylan's little booty squirmed around on it in "time out" :-)

AND DRUM ROLL PLEASE.....

Ta-Dah! Project complete!! Now, who will be the first to use it?!? This should be interesting.....

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DIY Modge Podge Wood Letters

This project came about via a friend/coworker. Discussing crafts at work, I discovered an amazing little shop based out of Utah (My coworkers hometown) called The Wood Connection. This shop is a modge podge, crafters DREAM! Or my crafting dream, whichever :-). I've never been IN the store but have heard about it! Wall to wall craft projects made out of... You guessed it... WOOD! I have not found anything that compares in the local shops such as Hobby Lobby and Michaels. They have quality products, free standing wooden letters great for any artsy fartsy person such as myself :-) and are very reasonably priced!!

At first, I was placing orders thru my coworker to bring back from her visits. Now, they have a website with ready to ship items! LOVE IT!! Their website is www.thewoodconnection.com

Visit the website and fall in love!! 

I bought the wooden "HOME" letters for $9.95 and decided to create something for my entryway that tied into my living room contemporary art I am having a hard time matching.

I chose the colorbök brand scrapbook paper to help tie in my paintings. There are 50 pages of assorted designs for $9.95. You don't need the entire book for this project but I also scrapbook so it was a good price.

I use the glossier Modge Podge and chose Harvest Orange Acrylic Paint for the wood. 

Once you choose your color, theme and wood to decorate all you need is time and a paint brush!

Materials Needed:

Wooden letters of choice 

Modge Podge

Acrylic Paint

Paint brush

Scrapbook paper

Embellishments of choice (optional)

Hot glue gun and glue

Pencil

Scissors

•To get started, choose a page or two of scrapbook paper per letter. (Each of my letters have two paper designs per letter)

•Turn paper over, white or back side up. Lay wooden letter BACKWARDS or face down on paper and trace with pencil.

•Cut out paper letters with scissors

•Next, paint each letter with acrylic paint of choice and allow to dry.

NOW IT'S TIME TO BE CREATIVE!

Lay out each letter design and cut scrapbook paper to fit before glueing. As you can see on my letters there are two designs cut to fit together on each letter

•Apply Modge Podge to your first letter and place scrapbook paper. Press firmly to prevent air bubbles. Allow to dry and on to the next letter!

•After adding scrapbook paper apply another coat of Modge Podge to the front of paper and letter to seal in your perfection ;-) allow to dry

•Place embellishments of choice to letters using hot glue and voilá! You have another project completed to make your house a HOME!

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Any questions?! Don't hesitate to ask!

Playroom Canvas Paintings

My daughter told me recently, "Mom, when I grow up, I want to start craft classes and teach people how to make fun things like what you have taught me." That made my heart melt! She enjoys our time together and loves doing projects as much as I do! If she's bored she asks, "Mom are you feeling crafty?" 

Last week, when family was in town, there wasn't much time for being bored! We had so many projects and shared great memories with her, my brothers, my stepmom and my boys! Another playroom project we completed involved all the kiddos. Sonya and I even got our hands dirty and painted as well. 

Materials needed for this project:

7 12x12 blank canvas

Masking tape (1 inch wide)

Assorted acrylic paints (I chose vibrant colors)

Sponge paint brushes (easier for kids)

And the kiddos creativity!

Before painting, prep the canvas with masking tape. There is no right or wrong way to do this. Place masking tape vertically, horizontally, short pieces, long pieces, making triangles or squares! 

Make sure the tape drapes over the edges to continue the effect. Don't allow any air bubbles at the edges of the tape or it will get painted!

Once you prep them its up to the kids to make the art!

Allow to dry, remove the tape and you have beautiful kid inspired artwork for any room!!

We chose to hang this art in the playroom and hang it in a "hopscotch" fashion. We also threw around the idea of adding numbers in the center to complete the hopscotch look but didn't want to take away from the beautiful masterpieces the kids created!

I hope you enjoy! We all did! It even allowed family that isn't in town often to leave a piece of their art work behind, not to mention great memories shared! 

Any questions don't hesitate to ask!

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Fun DIY Playroom Decor

One of my most fond memories growing up was crafting with my family. I say family because I didn't get my "craftiness" from a single person. Every one contributed, my mom, my grandparents and even my dad.. Just to name a few! 

Growing up my parents owned a small Christian gifts and books store where they also sold their own handmade items. My dad made our furniture around the house and my mom would add her personal touches. I remember being my daughters age (8) and staying over at my great grandmothers house to stay up late making different projects and holiday decorations. Everyone around me was creative so it's no surprise I love to craft! 

Now that I have my own family, I love coming up with new projects around the house and involving my little ones in turning this house into OUR home. 

The area of focus last week while my step mom, Sonya, was in town was decorating our playroom, hence the title :-) 

This project was my favorite so far: Turning kids games, that the kids have lost pieces to over the years into art!

Materials needed:

Game boards

Game pieces (what's left anyways!)

Hot glue gun and hot glue

1"x2" scrap wood for mounting ( I used scrap pieces from previous projects, they won't be seen anyways.)

Wood screws

Small finishing nails 

The rest is really up to you! 

I positioned the game pieces with hot glue to give a 3D appearance when hung on the wall. 

Playing cards and Monopoly money are glued together in a stack to also appear 3D

Once the game board was complete, I mounted the scrap wood to the wall with wood screws. Since they are scraps I chose each piece based on the size of the board, no specifications really just small enough to not be seen and long enough to support the fold in the game board.

I then placed the game board to the scrap wood mounted on the wall with tiny finishing nails.

I completed the project with painted 1"x6" wooden signs with fun sayings (also scraps)

The kids LOVE the new decorations and this project added so much fun and color to the room! 

If you have any questions don't hesitate to ask!

I hope you enjoy this project as much as we did!

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