Chair Redo

I love being able to recycle my home decor items whether it's through painting, reupholstering or even just switching the room they're in.  For me, a free moment with no children is a free moment to move, shift or redo something in the house (much to my husbands dismay). Now with the introduction of Pinterest into our lives, the desire to constantly change up is stronger than ever.  There is always something bigger and better than I'm longing to try.  Luckily for me, I am very money conscious so the amount of expensive upgrades or changes is limited.  While the girls were gone, I did manage to tackle our guest bedroom.  I'm quite happy with how it turned out and will be posting a couple of inexpensive projects I did for the room.

The first was redoing a chair that's been in my family.  It's not something I would have bought but it's a decent piece I wanted to use as an accessory to the room.  Instead of buying fabric to recover it, I broke out my doilie pillow covers from the consignment shop I talked about a couple of weeks ago and made use of the fabric (mypinterestreality.com/2012/05/diy-doily-transfer-tee).  This wasn't a 'pin' but who cares...I'm proud of how it turned out and wanted to share.

My Results:

Chair
Screwdriver
Chair foam
Heavy duty staple gun
Fabric
Scissors

1. Look at the old chair and know it has potential :)

2. Flip your furniture piece over and identify the clasps or screws that fasten the seat onto the piece (these are often Phillips’ head screws). Use a screwdriver to unscrew the cushion from the piece.

 3. Remove the existing fabric off of the foam cushioning.

4. If the foam needs to be replaced, measure the foam piece or take it with you to the craft store and purchase a new piece in the same size. You can buy a larger piece and simply use the old one as a template to cut out with a utility knife.

5. Cut your fabric to the appropriate size (adding some additional inches for pulling and stapling). I worked with an old pillow cover so needed to be creative with how I cut to make the most of the fabric.

6. Lay the fabric right side out over the foam and wood base. Adjust the fabric to your liking, then begin to pull it from diagonal sides around the sides of the wood base.

7. Pull and fold the first corner and secure it on the bottom side with with a commercial flat stapler.

8. Fold down the remaining corners, fastening them to the underside of the seat as you go with the stapler.

9. Once the fabric is secure all of the way around, flip your seat over and place back on the piece. Firmly pressing the cushion against the wood frame, use your screwdriver to reinsert the seat screws.

10. Sit your piece upright and enjoy your new piece of furniture!

I love being able to recycle my home decor items whether it's through painting, reupholstering or even just switching the room they're in.  For me, a free moment with no children is a free moment to move, shift or redo something in the house (much to my husbands dismay). Now with the introduction of Pinterest into our lives, the desire to constantly change up is stronger than ever.  There is always something bigger and better than I'm longing to try.  Luckily for me, I am very money conscious so the amount of expensive upgrades or changes is limited.  While the girls were gone, I did manage to tackle our guest bedroom.  I'm quite happy with how it turned out and will be posting a couple of inexpensive projects I did for the room.

The first was redoing a chair that's been in my family.  It's not something I would have bought but it's a decent piece I wanted to use as an accessory to the room.  Instead of buying fabric to recover it, I broke out my doilie pillow covers from the consignment shop I talked about a couple of weeks ago and made use of the fabric (mypinterestreality.com/2012/05/diy-doily-transfer-tee).  This wasn't a 'pin' but who cares...I'm proud of how it turned out and wanted to share.

My Results:

Chair
Screwdriver
Chair foam
Heavy duty staple gun
Fabric
Scissors

1. Look at the old chair and know it has potential :)

2. Flip your furniture piece over and identify the clasps or screws that fasten the seat onto the piece (these are often Phillips’ head screws). Use a screwdriver to unscrew the cushion from the piece.

 3. Remove the existing fabric off of the foam cushioning.

4. If the foam needs to be replaced, measure the foam piece or take it with you to the craft store and purchase a new piece in the same size. You can buy a larger piece and simply use the old one as a template to cut out with a utility knife.

5. Cut your fabric to the appropriate size (adding some additional inches for pulling and stapling). I worked with an old pillow cover so needed to be creative with how I cut to make the most of the fabric.

6. Lay the fabric right side out over the foam and wood base. Adjust the fabric to your liking, then begin to pull it from diagonal sides around the sides of the wood base.

7. Pull and fold the first corner and secure it on the bottom side with with a commercial flat stapler.

8. Fold down the remaining corners, fastening them to the underside of the seat as you go with the stapler.

9. Once the fabric is secure all of the way around, flip your seat over and place back on the piece. Firmly pressing the cushion against the wood frame, use your screwdriver to reinsert the seat screws.

10. Sit your piece upright and enjoy your new piece of furniture!

Sweet and Spicy Pork Tenderloin

I've always referred to my second daughter as my Sweet and Spicy child.  Since day one she's displayed these two traits.  My 21 month old loves to cuddle, is always wanting to make someone laugh and has already mastered the batting of her eyes.  This same child also has A LOT of spice in her.  With the flip of a switch she can get angry, has never had an issue telling my husband and I what she needed by screaming and knows what she wants and when.  I remember thinking to myself 'how is it possible a newborn can already have so much character?'.

I found this 'pin' and instantly wanted to try it for a couple of reasons: 1. I had a frozen pork tenderloin in the freezer and 2. I love anything that says sweet and spicy. The dish turned out so tender with a lot of great flavor.

Pinterest Inspiration:

http://www.starnewsonline.com/article/20120130/

My Results:

2 pounds pork tenderloin
¼ tablespoon crushed red pepper
½ tablespoon ground ginger
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. fresh ground black pepper
1 tsp. cumin
½ tablespoon paprika
½ tablespoon onion powder
¼ tsp. cayenne pepper
¼ tsp. thyme
½ tablespoon cocoa powder
5 gala apples sliced into wedges
1 cup honey

1. Preheat oven to 275.

2. Mix the dry seasonings together in a bowl.

3. Rub the dry spices onto the tenderloin coating it. I saved about 2tbsp.

4. Place the pork tenderloin and apples in a 9-by-13-inch pan.

 
5. Coat the pork and apples with the remaining seasoning and honey until everything is covered.

 
6. Cook at 275 degrees for two and half hours, or until the pork is cooked through.

7. Slice tenderloin into one-inch pieces. Serve hot with apple slices and cover with pan juice.

 

I've always referred to my second daughter as my Sweet and Spicy child.  Since day one she's displayed these two traits.  My 21 month old loves to cuddle, is always wanting to make someone laugh and has already mastered the batting of her eyes.  This same child also has A LOT of spice in her.  With the flip of a switch she can get angry, has never had an issue telling my husband and I what she needed by screaming and knows what she wants and when.  I remember thinking to myself 'how is it possible a newborn can already have so much character?'.

I found this 'pin' and instantly wanted to try it for a couple of reasons: 1. I had a frozen pork tenderloin in the freezer and 2. I love anything that says sweet and spicy. The dish turned out so tender with a lot of great flavor.

Pinterest Inspiration:

http://www.starnewsonline.com/article/20120130/

My Results:

2 pounds pork tenderloin
¼ tablespoon crushed red pepper
½ tablespoon ground ginger
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. fresh ground black pepper
1 tsp. cumin
½ tablespoon paprika
½ tablespoon onion powder
¼ tsp. cayenne pepper
¼ tsp. thyme
½ tablespoon cocoa powder
5 gala apples sliced into wedges
1 cup honey

1. Preheat oven to 275.

2. Mix the dry seasonings together in a bowl.

3. Rub the dry spices onto the tenderloin coating it. I saved about 2tbsp.

4. Place the pork tenderloin and apples in a 9-by-13-inch pan.

 
5. Coat the pork and apples with the remaining seasoning and honey until everything is covered.

 
6. Cook at 275 degrees for two and half hours, or until the pork is cooked through.

7. Slice tenderloin into one-inch pieces. Serve hot with apple slices and cover with pan juice.

 

Handprint Keepsake Canvas

The girls are back and more exhausted than ever.  My parents did an awesome job keeping them busy and entertained.  I'm so thankful for my husband who knows me better than anyone.  Sunday I was starting to feel homesick from the girls and had convinced myself we should leave to pick them up.  My husband knowing the girls were more than alright persuaded me otherwise.  I'm so happy he did.  We had a great last child free day/night and the girls equally had an awesome parent free day/night.

Yesterday we went to pick them up which is about a 2 hour drive.  I couldn't contain how excited I was to see them both.  Once we saw each other the newness quickly wore off and we fell back into our family life- making me that much more appreciative of my husband for convincing me Sunday. Over the girls mini getaway to my parents, they celebrated my moms birthday.  We made the gift prior to going so they could hand deliver it to her on her birthday.  I got the idea from a 'pin' and elaborated.  The girls had a lot of fun making it and it's a lasting keepsake.     

Pinterest Inspiration:

 http://www.meetthedubiens.com/2011/06/handprint-sunflower.html 

My Results:

non toxic paint
paintbrushes (I used a foam brush)
canvas
ribbon
glue gun
fine tipped marker

1. Layout the color paint you are going to use for the scene.

2. Paint your child's hand and have them stamp it creating the shape you'd like.

3. These are the hand print designs I came up with:  Sun- 4 overlapping hand prints, Flower- 4 overlapping hand prints, Butterfly- 2 opposite hand prints, Ladybug- Thumb print, Grass- Individual fingers.

Butterfly

Sun

4. Have your child(ren) make the grass, stems and sky with their fingers.

5. Allow to dry before drawing on the details with your fine tip marker. This step is optional.

6. Add quotes, additional details to the creatures with a fine tip marker. I added ants at the bottom with a fine tip marker as well.

 7. Attach ribbon on the back of the canvas for hanging.

The girls are back and more exhausted than ever.  My parents did an awesome job keeping them busy and entertained.  I'm so thankful for my husband who knows me better than anyone.  Sunday I was starting to feel homesick from the girls and had convinced myself we should leave to pick them up.  My husband knowing the girls were more than alright persuaded me otherwise.  I'm so happy he did.  We had a great last child free day/night and the girls equally had an awesome parent free day/night.

Yesterday we went to pick them up which is about a 2 hour drive.  I couldn't contain how excited I was to see them both.  Once we saw each other the newness quickly wore off and we fell back into our family life- making me that much more appreciative of my husband for convincing me Sunday. Over the girls mini getaway to my parents, they celebrated my moms birthday.  We made the gift prior to going so they could hand deliver it to her on her birthday.  I got the idea from a 'pin' and elaborated.  The girls had a lot of fun making it and it's a lasting keepsake.     

Pinterest Inspiration:

 http://www.meetthedubiens.com/2011/06/handprint-sunflower.html 

My Results:

non toxic paint
paintbrushes (I used a foam brush)
canvas
ribbon
glue gun
fine tipped marker

1. Layout the color paint you are going to use for the scene.

2. Paint your child's hand and have them stamp it creating the shape you'd like.

3. These are the hand print designs I came up with:  Sun- 4 overlapping hand prints, Flower- 4 overlapping hand prints, Butterfly- 2 opposite hand prints, Ladybug- Thumb print, Grass- Individual fingers.

Butterfly

Sun

4. Have your child(ren) make the grass, stems and sky with their fingers.

5. Allow to dry before drawing on the details with your fine tip marker. This step is optional.

6. Add quotes, additional details to the creatures with a fine tip marker. I added ants at the bottom with a fine tip marker as well.

 7. Attach ribbon on the back of the canvas for hanging.

Sunday Reflection (on time)

Here are some of my favorite photos from last week. You'll start to see that my daughters rain boots were a very common occurrence even though it was in the 80's all week.

The cousins with their uncle

Queen of the Road

Rain boot obsession

Happy to pose

Done with it

Monkey see, monkey do

Here are some of my favorite photos from last week. You'll start to see that my daughters rain boots were a very common occurrence even though it was in the 80's all week.

The cousins with their uncle

Queen of the Road

Rain boot obsession

Happy to pose

Done with it

Monkey see, monkey do