Crafting space: Part 1

It's happening! I'm getting a space that's dedicated to my awesome craft projects! 

I haven't really had this before so I feel like a kid on Christmas!

Stay tuned!

The Wall Unit

This wall unit has been idolised in Jay's family for many years.

There's not much about it, really. It's a long bookcase that's from the 70s. 
It's dark brown, with many spindles and shelves, so it's actually made to last.

Both Jay and his sister have been debating over who holds the adoption rights of this shelving unit.

Until now.

Their grandmother's friend was getting rid of her unit that was pressumed to be the same as the original shelving unit in question.

So, I went to see Grandma and picked it up, just in case.

I was very delighted when I saw it in person because I knew it was the unit.

I brought it home and immediately put it together in The Professor's room.

I thought that there should be baskets or boxes to hold the smaller things, and the things that are on their way out, either to a friend or Value Village.

So I started with an old drawer that I have kept for many years.

Ok - it was given to me in college by an ex-roommate because the drawer unit was broken, but I haven't been able to part with this pink drawer! I'm sure she will get a good laugh at seeing this!

I used an old baby blanket that was given to me second hand, so it's not particularly sentimental to me, and works really well in the jungle themed room. 

I layed it out and started hot gluing it in place, then cut the excess.

I was very lucky that The Professor was entertained throughout the hot gluing process!

This one is for toys with wheels (roues) and since Xavier can reach it, he just takes out the cars he wants and the box stays on the shelf! 

I made another one, using a diaper box, but of course as soon as it was seen, there was a marker taken to it. 

It's nothing that the wall can't hide though!

I also covered a bigger diaper box with an old Winnie The Pooh sheet, to use for donations. I was inspired by Amy's idea, and while I don't have the need for many boxes, I do have a need for somewhere to coral stuff that I want to get rid of. 

So that's it! 

I managed to empty a large toy chest because of organization and getting rid of an entire box of clothes and toys! 

Yay purging! 

{Daily Odd Compliment: daily odd compliment: If I had to pick between being friends with you or being friends with Sir Patrick Stewart, I would pick Patrick Stewart. But I'd talk about you all the time.}

DIY Nails and Yarn Card Holder

The change table is gone. 

It was time. 

When we took down the change table (above), we were left with the 1x4's and a big space. I debated what to do with that space for a couple of weeks when today,
 it dawned on me - nails and yarn! 

It's the perfect custom piece that is functional, compact, easy to do, and fun to look at! 

I put in my first nail, then I used a random nail file (different nails but equally useful) to measure the distance between 2 nails. I marked it at the end of the file with a pencil, then moved it to the mark and did the same thing, for the rest of the board. I used 7/8" finishing nails so they are only in the board, not the wall.

Then I tied some yarn to the top left and circled all the nails. I wrapped the yarn a couple times around the nail to keep the tension. Then I hit hammered the nails in a little more, so they aren't going to hurt anybody. 

See?

It was simple, quick and pretty! I call that another DIY win!

{Daily Odd Compliment: Sometimes when I see you, I want to run and hug you. But I don't do that, because it actually happens all the time, and I don't want to run that much.}

Puppy Love

I haven't always been a dog person. But, once Draco shoved his way into our lives, I was hooked. I now know that dogs are one of life's necessities. 

We have pretty much always had pets growing up, but nothing too serious. 

A dog is a fair amount of work and while I was pregnant and we were talking of getting a dog, there is no way I was going to get a puppy. We love to travel and the idea of having a dog seems like a hassle. I wasn't convinced until I saw picture of the black hair ball and long tongue sitting in the grass. 

Of course, if they had properly represented his size, I may have hesitated, but he is the perfect dog for us! 

This past march break, I took care of many dogs and I absolutely loved it! 

So a dream was born - A doggy daycare. 

Who wouldn't want to be surrounded by dogs all day?! 

I want to take a personal dog trainer course, to be able to understand and work with dogs a little better. But if there is 1 thing I have learned from dogs, it's that love is most definitely the way into anyone's heart! 

Currently, besides randomly dog sitting, I work for the Government. 

Ottawa is a Government city, so it's really no surprise, I'm sure. However, every time I walk into the office building, I feel a part of my soul die. 

I want to give all the love back and that's not happening here. 

I'm not exactly sure of who I am (does anybody?) but I know I don't like the person I am becoming by working in this glass building. 

So, on weekends, I clean up dog leavings, to get me a little closer to my dream.

This week, I am taking care of Cleo and Xander again and it's heavenly. 
Cleo even let me cuddle with her! Seriously, that never happens! 

Here's to the future being even more dog filled!

{Daily Odd Compliment: Your smile is proof that the best things in life are free}

Awesome Foundation Birthday

Awesome Ottawa was having their third birthday and they were looking for someone to make some cake so I volunteered.

The Lego cake I envisioned was more like what would happen if Martha Stewart walked into my kitchen and took over, but the result was pretty good, for an amateur!

So, Martha can keep her skills - I have plenty!

I used Satin Ice fondant and it worked really well! Also, very delicious! (I got a few compliments about the fondant at the party) 

I learned from my past experience with using fondant for my wedding cake, that my counter needed to be generously coated with icing sugar! 

I bought a container of white fondant, and a container of pink fondant, and dyed some of the white fondant blue. 

Once all the cakes were leveled and covered in fondant, I cut pieces out of a smaller cake, to use as the top pieces of the Lego. I coated them, along with the rest of the cake, in butter cream icing, then fondant.

Yum.

It was actually a lot of fun to make! (Besides the first cake layer that had too much butter cream icing and cracked fondant. Eek!)
But yes, I would totally do it again!

 (the cake all ready to be enjoyed)

It should be noted that I don't normally do this, but it was just a fun way to try something new and promote myself at an event :)

Nostalgia Overcomes Me

Nostalgia: a wistful desire to return in thought or in fact to a former time in one's life, to one's home or homeland, or to one's family and friends.

Being an army brat meant many moves.

I was slightly more lucky than some, moving every few years or so, unlike my husband (who moved a few times in the same year). As I got older, the moves got fewer and farther in between. And yet, every house we never returned to, is a house I want to go back to. 

I managed to make friends everywhere we went because I'm pretty social, but I would say the hardest place to step into as "the new girl" was the one where I wasn't just "the new girl" anymore - I was the 16 year old Canadian, in an American high school, in grade 12. Awesome. 

I met Kris when I started working at Moto Photo the summer we moved to Virginia and it was the beginning of a few awesome American summers!

Thank goodness for the wonderful girl who took me under her wing! 

Since then, we have both gotten married (hers was a week ago), moved countless more times, and started our careers but we are still pretty close and that's the best part.

Having friends across North American sometimes annoys my husband, but each person has gotten to know me at a different part in my life, and that's pretty cool to me. 

Especially when I stay in contact with them and watch them all grow along side of me.

But what about the people you lose along the way? 

Even though I have left many people behind, I know this is not an uniquely an army brat phenomenon. What if you could see anyone you wanted again? 

What would you say?

Where were you when I needed you? Maybe.

I miss you? Probably.

Do you ever think of me? Most likely. 

So if you're reading this and we haven't spoken in a while, what are you waiting for? 

I miss your face. 

Nostalgia: a sentimental yearning for the happiness of a former place or time

{Daily Odd Compliment: Hanging out with you is more fun than playing with a coloring menu at a restaurant. And sometimes those menus have a maze.}

Upcycling is Priceless : DIY Fabric Bracelet

Is there anything better than turning something old into something new - for free?!

I made myself this braided bracelet (try saying that 5 times in a row quickly) to match a dress I am in the process of making.

I bought the cute clip with a bow at my latest Value Village trip and it cost me a whopping $1 for an entire bag of these suckers! And there must be at least 50 of them in the bag!

I used the seams of the scrap pieces of material from my husband's shirt that was destroyed in the great dog attack of 2013. 

Once I get my sewing machine in running order, the dress will be done in no time! I'm keeping all the scrapes so I can make other accessories! 

Reduce, upcycle and make your children be the models for your latest creation because they don't have hairy arms!

{Daily Odd Compliment: You have one of the brightest minds I've ever known. It's as if the sun looked at da Vinci and was like, 'Sup, playa?' And then da Vinci was all, 'You wanna do this?' And then they created your mind.}