Kcup Hookup

I know this isn't a DIY or remodel post, but I wanted to quickly share a website with y'all that has the best deal on kcups - One Cup Connection. They have a wide selection of K-Cups.

Y'all know that I absolutely love my Keurig and use it everyday, as does my hubby - thanks Holly for buying it for me! And I am always hunting for a great deal on kcups. Well, one cup has a super deal going on right now - buy three and get one free...plus free shipping - use coupon code KCUP4! I was happy to take advantage of the coupon code and snatched up four boxes for myself:

These are 24 count boxes, not 18. The grand total for the 4 boxes was $35, which makes the price per kcup about .37 each. Not bad, not bad at all.

*I was not paid or perked for this post. I just wanted to honestly let y'all know about a great deal* And I also want to say that blogger is rebelling against me today and not cooperating when I try to edit - so ignore the bad editing and just look for the coupon code.

Art Trio

With the new bedding in the master, I finally decided it was past time to DIY some art to go above the bed. And with all the materials already on hand, the art was F-R-E-E, which makes it even better. Here are the supplies to make this super-easy 3 piece ensemble:

Canvas, Fabric, Staple Gun, & Scissors

Yes, one of the canvases is previously used. My five year old niece painted it with items from outside. Since I hadn't found a spot for it in the house, I used it for this project. The fabric is only stapled to the wood frame on the back side of the canvas, so it is removable and won't damage the precious art underneath.

This is so easy. All you do is staple the fabric to the back of the canvas - just like upholstering a seat cushion. Repeat the process for each canvas and you are done. I know - cheap and simple...can't get any better.

To hang the canvases, I placed them on the top of the headboard to measure the spacing. After some easy math, I measured down from the ceiling and marked in three places. Then I used a level just to make sure that my marks are level. (You never know, I might not be able to read a tape measure. I once called out a measurement as 2/8...more commonly known as 1/4.) With my marks level, I stuck in three gorilla hooks and hung the art. Almost as easy as making it.

Finished project pictures:

Best part - the fabric can be easily changed out when I change the bedding.

You might have noticed that the bed wasn't made when I was hanging the art. That is because I don't make the bed anymore. I tried to make the bed, but I have two little scoundrels that like to un-make the bed. Witness them in action:

Master in Disaster

Dearest Blog Friends,

I promise I am not ignoring you intentionally. You might not know this, but my real job is a safety officer/emergency manager and I coordinate anything transportation related during disasters and emergencies. This includes moving people and supplies, clearing debris, evacuations, damage assessments, etc. for road, air, rail, and water. It can get a little hectic sometimes. Sometimes I question my college degree choice - don't read that last sentence mom and dad.

Yes, I play decorator and DIY-guru on the side, but this is all for fun and free. When there is a disaster or emergency, my real job takes precedence. And with the recent floods, tornadoes and storm damage in the natural state and surrounding states, I have not had the time to play in the DIY sandbox.

In light of the severe weather, I wanted to post a few tips to keep everyone safe - you know, because this is what I talk about everyday.

• Make a Plan and Get a Kit - If severe weather effects your life, what do you do? How would you communicate with family and friends? Where would you take cover or evacuate to? Do you have enough supplies? All of these questions, plus many more need to be answered before disaster strikes. Here is a great site to visit with a detailed kit list and this link helps you develop a family emergency plan.
• NOAA Weather Radio - Get one! These radios broadcast official Weather Service warnings, watches, forecasts and other hazard information 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. They also broadcast warning and post-event information for all types of hazards – including natural (such as earthquakes or avalanches), environmental (such as chemical releases or oil spills), and public safety (such as AMBER alerts or 911 Telephone outages). You can get a weather radio at any hardware store or department store.
• Training and Info - The American Red Cross offers a wide variety of CPR, first aid, and disaster preparedness training. And you can take some free online courses at this site to learn about preparedness. Also, the CDC has some training which is geared more towards the health side. And if you are feeling really helpful, jump right in and volunteer with a local agency. They will love your help.

When I catch my breath and a few extra minutes, I will jump right back into decorating and DIYing - hopefully by this weekend. Until then, stay safe!

Garden Update

It has been a little over a month since I planted my garden, which is actually a container garden on the back patio. And to my complete surprise, everything I planted is growing and actually producing vegetables. Woo hoo! So I grabbed my camera and snapped a few pictures to document this monumental moment.

On this side of the patio I have 4 pepper plants, broccoli, and eggplant. And the squash seems to be taking over:

That squash plant was so small when I got it. Now I have 5 little squash growing:

I used to be able to fit everything along the same side; however, with the monster squash plant, I moved the cucumber bush and tomato plants to the other side of the patio. There are about 7 tomatoes growing right now!

Pardon the finger in the way

 We will be dining on fresh veggies in no time. I am excited that my first garden is actually still alive and growing. One final picture and a question. These little guys popped up in the back corner of the yard. Do you think it is pumpkin or some sort of melon?

Guess grandma was right about that Saturday being a good day to plant.

Easiest DIY Fix - Caulking

Hello everyone! This is going to be a brief post about the easiest DIY fix...caulk. It is one of my best friends. I use caulk for everything...even before duct tape. And after doing a little wall/window work in the Man Cave, the window needed to be recaulked. So I grabbed my camera to snap a few pics of the in-progress-how-to caulk process.

Here is my go-to caulk - clear silicone - and a glimpse of the massive crack I'm filling:

All you do is squirt some of the caulk along the crack. And you can be generous with the caulk, especially if the crack is large. Go ahead and glob it on there. Then you take your pointy finger and press it along the crack at about a 45 degree angle to smooth out the caulk.

Wipe the excess caulk onto a paper towel. And you are done. That's it. The easiest fix.

The best thing is that the caulk is clear. And if you happen to not be the neatest caulker, like me, then you have no worries because no one will ever see it.

Now go out there and caulk all those cracks around the doors and windows.

Baby Birds, Take 2

For some unknown reason to me, blogger decided to eat my baby robin post for breakfast the other day. Well guess what blogger…you can’t stop me that easily. I am writing another post on the babies, and I promise that this will be the last one…maybe.

Just to bring you up to speed quickly – we had 2 robins hatch in a nest by our back door. I was upset when they flew the nest less than a week old.

However, we (my hubby and I) have seen a baby bird twice now. And I was lucky enough to catch one of the times on video:

And snap a few pictures:

I don’t know why I am so interested in some birds. There is a bird that lives inside my house and I am never interested in him. Anyways, this ends the baby bird posts on the blog.

Oh – sorry I have been MIA lately. My real job has had me working 14+ hour days, and then I worked nights this week. Hopefully all disasters and flooding will stay away from the state for awhile and I can use my evenings for remodeling instead of real job work. And I will be able to post some quality DIY posts.

5 Upcycled Remodels

This one's for you, mom and dad, so you can see what I have been working on. All of these pictures are after I have worked my magic on them. However, I don't have any before pics.

$6 stool from the ReStore that had some nasty fabric. I kept the legs as is and only recovered the top.

Free chair we dug out of the tornado house. I painted it with miss matched paint from the Restore. Then I stenciled it and distressed it. I still need to poly it.

Free nesting tables, also dug out of the tornado house. Remember how the glass was chipped on one of the tops? I cut out pieces of wood and then wrapped them in batting and then chevron fabric. I also spray painted the metal bases.

$3 side table from Goodwill. It was cheap looking. I spray painted it gray then stenciled and distressed it. I can't decide if I should leave the legs gray or paint them black - and the spindle thingys too. Opinions?

$7 floor lamp from the ReStore. I splatter-painted it (and got white paint all in my hair). I also recovered the shade with houndstooth fabric. I like it, but don't know if it should have a different color shade...maybe red?!

I need to come by your house and pick up some of the other tornado house freebies since I have already finished the two I kept. I've been on a roll lately.

Roadside Freebies - Ultimate Jackpot

I spent Saturday shopping at flea markets and thrift stores with my parents. And while on the way back to my house, we spot something that looks like a yard sale with a large "free" sign in the middle. Free?! We had to go back and at least look. And guess what the sign really said.... "free, inside and out." What? The house was wide open and there were two other people there gathering up a few items. So, we just make ourselves at home and take what we want...inside the house too.

Now let me explain this free-for-all house. It was damaged by trees and a tornado during the recent storms. The family that had lived there took the items they wanted and then opened up the doors for what was left. It wasn't the cleanest or safest house, but it was a free-for-all, inside and out house. There were a few items that were no-takers, like the stove, refrigerator, or anything attached to the house - windows, hot water heater, etc. Why were they no-takers? Because that is what we were told and we follow the rules.

I am just like my parents - I'm a digger. We all got inside the house and moved trash, opened cabinet doors, dug through piles of stuff, and even had to move some tree branches out of the way. And we came away with an entire truck load of free goodies. It was the ultimate jackpot!

Now for the freebie run down:
1 round dining room table in perfect condition
1 coffee table with fold-down sides
1 fish tank (for my niece)
1 head board
1 foot board
3 wood chairs - none of them match
Water hose
Numerous spindles
Set of dining room table legs - just the legs
Pair of metal nesting tables
1 brown belt for me
Soccer ball (also for my niece)
Victoria's Secret Pink lotion - brand new

I think that is all, but I'm not sure. I would almost bet that my mom or dad found some other things and stuffed them into the truck too. This was the best free pick ever and far surpassed our flea market and thrift store finds from earlier in the day.

Out of respect for the family, I did not take any pictures of the house.

$3 Side Table Makeover

That title makes me happy - $3 for a total side table makeover?! Yes please! And the finished table will probably make you smile too...especially if you are a girl that loves fuchsia-pink and zebra print, like me. As you probably know, I have this strange addiction to thrift stores. I visit them all once a week. And it is a super time for me when I find something cheap in need of a little love. I am always up for the challenge. So, this time it was a $3 side table just screaming for a makeover.

First I lightly sanded the surface so the new paint would stick. Then I painted the legs a bright pink color. The paint was actually a sample bottle I had stored away in the garage, waiting on the perfect project to use it on. And this seemed to be the perfect table for some punchy pink legs.

After two quick coats of pink paint, I used some polyurethane on the legs to protect them. And this poly was free since it was left over from the hardwood floor refinishing project. Bonus points. Then I had to wait an entire day while the poly dried. I hate waiting! Oh - notice my furniture makeover area. It is two large tote tops in the guest bedroom floor. The weather had been ridiculous around here lately and I wasn't waiting on it any longer to get sunny outside. So I improvise and make do with what is on hand.

Final touch to the table was some zebra fabric for the top. This fabric was also free since it is the left over from another project. (The lime green lamp which I have yet to show finished pictures of.) I covered the top of the table just like you do for any other project - line up the fabric and then staple in place on the underside, making sure the fabric is tight. Then I gave the fabric a good dose of Mod Podge to make it more durable.

Done. One three dollar table, a few supplies already on hand, and a little time. This table is so much fun now!

Take That Sewing Machine

I finally have triumphed over the sewing machine. Go me! You might remember the first sewing machine post - the one where I made a dress. Well, I wore the dress, but it wasn't the best made and I knew I needed to practice more. So, what is the easiest thing to make? Pillows. Four straight lines = easy. A few pillows down and I started feeling confident and wanted to spice the pillows up a little.

Enter felt. I used stencils and cut out a few sayings and objects to add to my pillows. I also made my own stencils from coloring pages.

To get the cut outs to stick to the material, I used a little spray adhesive. I easily could rearrange the cut outs into the perfect pattern. Then I got to sewing....very tedious sewing. I made sure to use the same color thread as the felt to help blend in any mess-ups, which there were a few.

And after about 15 minutes, I had a Later Gator pillow:

I was so smitten with my handiwork that I continued to make pillows for the next two hours. And I actually had fun making them.

I sure hope you can tell what the pillows are...but just in case there is any question I'll spell it out - hunt, bike, mustache, hog fan, and 2 later gators. Aren't they darling? And the best part is that I got lots of practice.

P.S. - Dad, make sure that mom sees this post. I want her to know that I have been practicing.