Bugs Be Gone!

For some unknown reason, I have been learning how to make stuff MYSELF - instead of just buying it.

Not that there is anything wrong with buying various items...I think I just have to challenge myself with strange and obscure projects because it keeps different parts of my brain alive.

Case in point:  Citronella Candles

Yes, you read that right - I decided to make my own citronella candles. And why not? If somebody else can make it, then certainly I can too!

This is where the internet is a blessing/curse. Because you can find step-by-step tutorials and YouTube videos to walk you through mostly anything. 

And then you feel like you can/should do mostly anything.

Side note - why do the tutorials/video people feel the need to say "just" so much? Especially when it completely does not apply....i.e:

"First, you just feed you 50 silkworms 7 times a day, for just 2.5 years. Then, you take the silk they've spun and you just weave it in a dainty pattern that was designed by a neurophysicist. And there you go, a marvelous scarf in just 2 easy steps!"

Riiiiiiiiiiight.

Thankfully, my tutorial  (and video step-by-step) was better than that.

And it actually was pretty easy to make the candles! (Albeit rather time-consuming....primarily because I have a shortage of pots in my home, so I didn't have the right size.)

Here's how I kept my "melting container" from getting wet....a cookie cutter!

Fill the pot with as much water as you can - without having it touch your melting container.

Place shaved wax (definitely makes it melt faster!) and coloring agent (crayon) in a container with a candle thermometer. 

**Side note - 

Crayons work great as a coloring agent for CITRONELLA candles. But not other candles. 

Why? 

Because they make the candle smoke more when it burns.****

Turn on the heat, and wait.

Be sure to wait for the wax to hit 140 degrees....or the consistency of olive oil. 

You can stir it with a paint stick or a spoon - but don't plan on using it EVER again for anything but candle making.

While waiting, (and waiting, and waiting) prep your jars! I saved money by using old glass jars that I would have recycled anyway - an olive jar, a gifted jam jar, and a salsa jar.

Place a dab of hot glue on the bottom of the wick and push it down in the middle of the bottom of the jar.

I kept the wick steady (and in the middle) while pouring, by pinching it with a clothes pin. Not very fancy - but it worked!

It was extra fun because the Beans helped out as well - always an entertaining time. They took turns picking the color for the wax....and then deciding where their color should go. So we ended up with 4 very colorful citronella candles!

All 4 were ORIGINALLY in jars - the one sitting in a bowl had an unfortunate altercation with the Boy Bean (see his determined face above) and lost its leftover-salsa-jar-casing. 

Oh well. The shattered jar only left 3 children in tears, one with a thumb slice, and one with glass in her foot.  Thankfully, no harm came to the candle.

They work BEAUTIFULLY. 
Not a single bite...and I'm pretty sweet.  :)

~Whitney
 Copyright 2012

Flight Suit Diaper Bag...

So, my poor Boy Bean has been getting picked on because his diaper bag is too girly.

(I mean, it totally IS girly...but it doubles as my purse! )

I had meant to make him a little messenger bag from handed down camo a LONG Time ago - but somehow never got to it. 

However, I have never been so glad that I am a lazy procrastinator, because if I had made that camo bag....I wouldn't have needed to do what I did this week!

Courtesy of My Love - I had 2 old flight suits in my fabric stash. I had mainly kept them for scraps...there are a lot of zippers-pockets-velcro-hardware on those things!...but last week I was struck with the extremely exciting idea of converting THEM into Boy Bean's diaper bag!

Garnering inspiration (and ballpark measurements and theoretical directions) from Delia, I embarked on my second sewing project of the summer. Hoping against hope to not have an epic fail.  (My first project was a tent I made for Bitty Bean's 3rd birthday - WILD Success!!)

Also courtesy of My Love, the bag became exponentially cooler....and exponentially more difficult. :)  He suggested the use of all his old patches to liven up the all green bag - pure genius!

I'm excited about a bag so full of Daddy hand-me-downs. 

Mainly for sentimental reasons, and partly because every last item was free. 

Please don't look closely at the stitching. I'm not very good. I'm definitely getting better with all this practice - but that puts me solidly at the "okay" level. 

The finished product! 

The best part is - I had made this bag so Boy Bean would have one manly thing in this house full of pink...but while I was taking pictures...he was off on a hot wheel.

A HOT PINK HOT WHEEL!!!

I guess I could worry about him and wonder if he will be able to find his way surrounded by all of us women.

But I'm pretty sure this little man, the one with the crazy hair, and laughing eyes, I think he'll do alright.

Even surrounded by our sea of pink My Little Ponies - he still knows how to roar.

~Whitney
 Copyright 2012

Little Things....

So you know those little things that need-to-be-done to complete a project that just kind of hang around and annoy you like an ingrown hair on the back of your thigh?

I mean seriously, how annoying are those things?! 

You have to get into insane positions to cause pain to yourself so they don't continue to be a bother. 

Oh?

 You don't know what I'm talking about? 

Well fine then. 

You lucky-no-excessive-hair-person. I probably shouldn't be blogging right now anyway.....I need to pluck something.

Whatever.

Those little 5 minute things that would just finish out a room or a baby book or a project, DRIVE ME CRAZY.  So, since I stuck (mostly) with one of my two New Year's resolutions last year.....1) floss everyday.....2) finish each project before I start a new one....I decided to go through the house and be sure all loose ends are tied up.

As the daughter of a dentist, you would think I would take excellent care of my teeth, right? I mean flossing and cleanings and mouthwash and.....nope. My poor father. 

I brush every day - twice! 

And have altered that resolution to flossing once a week. 

My last cleaning was in 2006. 

Mouthwash makes me gag.  

Thankfully, my Dad loves me anyway.  

I guess he can think of it the same way we think about driving a Suburban:  Job Security.

And I digress again.  Bad Whitney.

So this week I finished up some stuff that has been annoying me like....oh wait. I already told you about my hair growth issues.

BOY BEAN'S Room.  It is done. I'm just waiting on the pictures I ordered to fill his frames....and I will not be messing with the stuff in there anymore....in theory. As soon as all  those are loaded with pictures of the correct child - I promise to take you on a tour of the room.  From the-totally-pink-nursery-for-Bitty-Bean....to the totally-blue-nursery-for-Boy-Bean. Should be fun!

Then I found a frame at the thrift store in my utter-bliss-Saturday-morning-solo-treasure-hunt.....

Don't you love a sale?

Poor little guy had to go. 

and turned it into this.....

a spot for my Favorite Artist's Artwork. :)
Jumping Bean -

"Look! (Holding it vertically) It's a BIRD!  And if you do THIS (Turns it horizontally) it's a GUN! BANG BANG!"

"An alligator ate the rainbow."  I love that girl.

String Bean -

(Who takes concentration on art to a whole new level.)

"Mommy, this is a rising sun over the mountains while the clouds part softly." 

 Direct quote. 

And "A rainbow resting on two dark clouds....I love how rainbows always come right after it is yucky out."

She is a warrior poet I tell you.

I've been up to other things....which I know you are dying to hear about....but I can't sit down any longer.  I need to get rid of a particularly annoying growth...and separate my eyebrow.

Copyright 2011

The Sky is Falling!!

Well, not really....but crazy things are happening because I still am sewing and crafting daily! And I'm definitely NOT pregnant. (A few people posed that question after the last crafty post)

My most recent project?

Boy Bean's glider cushions.

First, a bit of history....

This glider was purchased at a yard sale in March of 2008.  Yep. Almost 3 years ago. And for the past THREE YEARS I have hated the cushions. Abhorred them. In fact - when we bought the glider, the only caveat was that I would get to replace the cushions.....immediately.

Apparently "immediately" is defined as "almost 3 years."

Good to know.

Why did I dislike the cushions so?

Because they were dirty, aged, and purple. And an ugly purple at that. See?

I think I've clearly stated before my lack-of-skill with a sewing machine...but just to be clear...I've only recently been able to use it without having to throw out whatever I was working on.

However, I had a leftover king fitted sheet from the material pile for Boy Bean's bedding...I purchased it on clearance at Target for $3.50...and I thought why not try to make a matching cover for the glider?  I mean, it couldn't possibly look worse than it has for the past 3 years!

So, with my trusty scissors, sewing machine, and staple gun.....I sewed a completely removable slipcover for the back of the glider....and recovered the ottoman......

:)

and it sat that way for a week! Totally tacky. But now I have finished the seat as well.....So, here's the finished product.....

I know it isn't perfect - but for practically no $$, I think it turned out well!

Even though I broke out in a cold sweat of fear each step of the way. 

Copyright 2011

Confession.....

Okay people. It is time for me to lay down some honesty for ya'. Brutal honesty. About myself.

Brace yourselves.

I really, really, really like to shop.

There. I said it. Whew.

The problem is this....I have some very good reasons for NOT shopping....

String Bean...

Jumping Bean...

Bitty Bean...

And Boy Bean.

(String Bean and Jumping Bean were all dressed up as Middle-Easterners for Missions night at AWANA....I felt left out....so I had to get in a picture. Boy Bean pretty much has the most adorable feet ever...and I wanted a picture of them. So there.)

While they are great reasons for purchasing things...they kinda suck the fun out of browsing.  Shopping is a mission - I prep: Snacks, bathroom, drinks, diapers, feed Boy Bean, time it post-nap; I list - must know exactly what I'm looking for....and then stay on target; I get the item....and then get out.  Hopefully all of this occurs without a melt-down.

From me.

Because I like to browse. And meander. And let the clothing/decor/item speak to me.

In an effort to hinder my shopping desire - I've decided to try and re-work my girl bean's clothes....and even give mine an up-cycle shot.

You know - make something feel new...even though it isn't. If I am successful - that will mean my Jumping Bean and Bitty Bean (especially) will enjoy the hand-me-downs they are almost 100% clothed in.  Because it will be customized for them.

If I'm not successful....you will get a funny blog.

Sounds like a win-win to me!

My first attempt at up-cycling was with a pair of String Bean's pants.  She has a serious vendetta against the right knee of her pants.

Currently she has 6 pairs of pants/leggings that fit her....

4 have a hole in the right knee.

So, I took this hand-me-down dress-up dress...

(chosen primarily because it was corduroy)

and patched the knee. (Please do not closely inspect the hand-sewing. It is HORRIBLE.)

Thankfully, my 5 year old style maven didn't seem to mind the uneven stitching with two different color threads.  Oops.

I have since been made aware of some products that will help the "repair the pants project"....so the future repairs should look much better!

One can hope. ;)

Copyright 2011