tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-68591595888395105332024-03-11T19:26:10.628-05:00The Dabbling CrafterTheDabblingCrafterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09887107946361368583noreply@blogger.comBlogger499125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6859159588839510533.post-36961989530039595902022-04-25T15:44:00.000-05:002022-04-25T15:44:51.919-05:00How to "Hack" the Peloton Bike Experience Using the App<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY06eFazr4z1P-HEZMCGju7pP7IM_vSk21oBcv2Vv3NvdK-2myHbIemHqtrrbVmILkkecQDHB8YycFkemIs91E9ZVwz5FPBQeDZccO211xNFBGPXiJkaz6hN6RWuXfMT3ywNa1TdGj1oV11CiSP8yCtOzhMgm2bAhINZQ9I8CzEwq9IbaOiCAFAgnD/s4032/IMG-1625.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY06eFazr4z1P-HEZMCGju7pP7IM_vSk21oBcv2Vv3NvdK-2myHbIemHqtrrbVmILkkecQDHB8YycFkemIs91E9ZVwz5FPBQeDZccO211xNFBGPXiJkaz6hN6RWuXfMT3ywNa1TdGj1oV11CiSP8yCtOzhMgm2bAhINZQ9I8CzEwq9IbaOiCAFAgnD/w480-h640/IMG-1625.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><p>Like many people, when COVID hit, I was struggling to find a fitness solution that didn't involve a gym. When we moved to our new home, we were about a half-hour to the closest gym, so even in a post-pandemic world, I needed a closer-to-home option. </p><p>We looked at getting a Tonal initially, but our middle of nowhere internet wouldn't support their interface. In fact, since there is no hardwired option, even with our new fiber internet, it would be questionable. (Tonal equipment designers....I would love a LAN input option!)</p><p>The other option is Peloton. I looked at investing in the bike. I couldn't justify that purchase for a couple of reasons. First of all, is the cost of the bike itself (starting at $1,500 up to $2,500 for the Bike+) plus the ongoing charge each month ($39.00). That's a pretty big purchase for something I've never used before. I actually perfer weightlifting, so that's a large portion of my budget on one activity. </p><p>I started researching Peloton "hack" solutions. Solutions that would give me a similar experience as the bike, but at a significant price reduction with the app. After a couple of months using my setup, I think I have tweaked it so it's pretty darn close to the actual Peloton experiance. </p><p>Before I go into all the equipment, I do want to point out what you're missing in the app experience v. the bike. You will not be able to get your total output score since that's a measurement of speed and cadance. The app only has access to the cadence if you have a sensor. Since you do not have an output score, you can not partipate in the leaderboard during live classes. (Yes, you can join live classes on the app and you have access to an extensive on demand library). You can not use the scenic ride option available on the bike. I believe you still can get a call out for a milestone since the app does track how many rides you've taken, but I think bike users get preference. Also, instructors will call out numbers for resistance and you won't be able to set your resistance exactly how they instructed. I don't find this an issue because I want to adjust the resistance to match my own effort and fitness level. After a few classes, I got the hang of how many times to turn my own resistance knob to make the ride more challenging. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh88SwrFJSwmwtC0OUrM3sKfXkNxut1F5xXpo3_2JFhoBmJJLON3DSUsQ_Co3_BgNO9Xogxfg4kZ2n729U7Jo19lO8FlbYqK4nvCD1fsHBbH12pvT--Ipf1N1Pv4BMkZsw3ZJ4qmxefQQx1Y2YD2IGlMic9FNB2sokK-wI63Vq7sBmEXgiUBn7CjovR/s4032/IMG-1634.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh88SwrFJSwmwtC0OUrM3sKfXkNxut1F5xXpo3_2JFhoBmJJLON3DSUsQ_Co3_BgNO9Xogxfg4kZ2n729U7Jo19lO8FlbYqK4nvCD1fsHBbH12pvT--Ipf1N1Pv4BMkZsw3ZJ4qmxefQQx1Y2YD2IGlMic9FNB2sokK-wI63Vq7sBmEXgiUBn7CjovR/w640-h480/IMG-1634.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><h3 style="text-align: left;">Bike: $244.00</h3><p>A popular option with app users is the <a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0140JN7D8/ref=syn_sd_onsite_desktop_6?psc=1&pd_rd_plhdr=t&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUFSWFg1RDlESFNLQ1EmZW5jcnlwdGVkSWQ9QTAzNTQyNjEzQ0ZZODRVNks1RU8zJmVuY3J5cHRlZEFkSWQ9QTEwMjg5NTEzQk5RU1M5SU9MV0pJJndpZGdldE5hbWU9c2Rfb25zaXRlX2Rlc2t0b3AmYWN0aW9uPWNsaWNrUmVkaXJlY3QmZG9Ob3RMb2dDbGljaz10cnVl" target="_blank">Sunny Bike</a>. I considered it, but ultimately went with the <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07S3YWSNM/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&th=1" target="_blank">PooBoo bike</a>. First of all, it was on sale as part of Prime Day for only $244.00. It has a magentic fly wheel so it's a smoother quieter ride than bikes that use felt pads for resistance. I liked the color of the bike (obviously not a huge factor but a bonus). So far I'm happy with the bike. The only negative thus far is the components aren't the strongest I've seen. There is some give when adjusting the seat and handlebars. I do have to tweak the seat every couple of weeks. </p><h3 style="text-align: left;">Cadence Sensor: $39.99</h3><p>In order to get your cadence to appear on the screen of the Peloton app, you will need a remote bluetooth cadence sensor. The most popular option is the <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00L9XNFPY/ref=ppx_od_dt_b_asin_title_s01?ie=UTF8&th=1" target="_blank">Wahoo sensor</a>. The only querk I have found is you must pedal a few minutes before you try to pair the sensor with the Peloton app. I attached it to the inside of my pedal using the sticker provided and it hasn't budged. </p><h3 style="text-align: left;">Peloton App: $12.99 per Month</h3><p>Currently the monthly subscription to the Peloton app is $12.99. I say "currently" because bike users just experienced a price increase last week. I haven't seen a price increase annouced for the application, but I wouldn't be surprised if one is coming soon.</p><p><b>These are all you need to get started cycling. The total cost of this set-up is only $283.99. The monthly cost going forward is just the app fee of $12.99.</b> </p><p><b><u>These are the additional accessories I added to enhance my experience:</u></b></p><h3>Bike Seat: $43.00</h3><h3><p style="font-size: medium; font-weight: 400;">I upgraded the bike seat for a more comfortable riding experience. The <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B089CRVRSF/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&th=1" target="_blank">YLG bike seat</a> was recommended by Rosey Beeme and is fantastic. It may not be completely fair to consider this in the final cost since I would have purchased it for the Peloton bike either way. </p></h3><h3>Heart Rate Sensor: $40.00</h3><p>If you would like to see your current heart rate on the screen during a class and use Peloton's heart rate metric "Strive Score," you need something to measure your heart rate. I have an Apple watch, but as of now, the connection between the two interfaces is unusual. If you start a Peloton workout, it will start a workout on the watch and will count your exercise minutes. You can see your heart rate on the watch, but it will not appear on the app screen. The Apple watch will not record your heart rate for your Strive Score. I bought <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07H3QN6JC/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1" target="_blank">this heart rate sensor</a> for another fitness class, but it pairs well and works great with the app. Now I just look like a crazy person wearing two watches, but oh well. That's a bonus of being at home.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-uS0PyM0v5yHh6ZkDHDbzPROrS2ncsGJufhFhi0RLpJyyx6DQmACf_2fIqqF27Lrz48lYzQwNjrLAkOeKMyUjDGv_k4RTwD3FmQj7qx_M2aukxUZxy0_LKDkVvCR5y5cL359h_81Ryxfdk1JdR3_YU3-C0FHHYewLh7fNcQzuN5Sx3p44QN6nPtSp/s4032/IMG-1632.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-uS0PyM0v5yHh6ZkDHDbzPROrS2ncsGJufhFhi0RLpJyyx6DQmACf_2fIqqF27Lrz48lYzQwNjrLAkOeKMyUjDGv_k4RTwD3FmQj7qx_M2aukxUZxy0_LKDkVvCR5y5cL359h_81Ryxfdk1JdR3_YU3-C0FHHYewLh7fNcQzuN5Sx3p44QN6nPtSp/s320/IMG-1632.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><h3 style="text-align: left;">Television: Free</h3><p>There's many ways you can view the classes. I've used an iPad and my phone with no issues. The bike I listed above has a built in stand that works for both. There was a free tv available to me, so I decided to use it in our little gym. I do like having a large screen that works great for both cycling and weight lifting classes.</p><h3 style="text-align: left;"><b>HDMI Adaptor: $41.92</b></h3><p>If you use the Peloton app on a streaming stick, you will see the class and hear the music. However, you will not see your cadence or heart rate on the screen. It's pretty simple when you think about it. Both the cadence or heart rate connect to the app via bluetooth. If you use an app straight from the streaming service (not your phone), the bluetooth sensors can't pair with the streaming stick. You must mirror the app from your phone. </p><p>If you have a device that does a direct mirror from your phone, then you can view the cadence and heart rate. Due to that slow internet issue I mentioned above, I connect my phone to the TV via a HDMI cable and <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Apple-Lightning-Digital-AV-Adapter/dp/B009WHV3BM/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=apple+HDMI+cable&qid=1650918938&sr=8-3" target="_blank">this adaptor</a>. This set-up also has the added benefit of having two screens to view the class on. I have found this especially really helpful with yoga classes. I have my phone on the mat for lower poses. This adapter also allows you to charge your phone at the same time. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR2aa-pvqSekHUTGi6Cm8-_2Ppyd6MJUxgxHW9jXjg-L88-eDepyGRggoGzx4IJ4BQWC2B65cnD4pE1GjnZOjJd6_B4KVeDYJpug3RLzwWMOyV4U5DmXZ0SlFA7TRi6sNyyDGnEjTB600HNekzzVx7YmSeGtA8H7bDMlNyotou12lkavfNw_OkRQpV/s4032/IMG-1631.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR2aa-pvqSekHUTGi6Cm8-_2Ppyd6MJUxgxHW9jXjg-L88-eDepyGRggoGzx4IJ4BQWC2B65cnD4pE1GjnZOjJd6_B4KVeDYJpug3RLzwWMOyV4U5DmXZ0SlFA7TRi6sNyyDGnEjTB600HNekzzVx7YmSeGtA8H7bDMlNyotou12lkavfNw_OkRQpV/w300-h400/IMG-1631.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><h3 style="text-align: left;">Clip In Pedals: $70.00</h3><p>After using the cage pedals that came with my bike for a few months, I decided it was time to upgrade to clip in pedals. I bought <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B081ZXWR8L/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1" target="_blank">these pedals</a> and so far have been happy with them. It only took about 15 minutes to install them with a simple wrench. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqlLWZ3uda8e_4TlMN8uNjMzetiSkly9zdiYtEhJv-GVLSho-TygwJBkKtkLaXZkvtY8BzbZIbFoe8jpVSQ6fLr8OVPFMzrdNfsUd96Eox2sc6sptSOJfxxv4dCgkbAHt3TVo8ob4d3GoWdLSZiXfyBt8ac_MxWlCCbev9lZ1yzbtuUeBmhp-ST9Ow/s4032/IMG-1957.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqlLWZ3uda8e_4TlMN8uNjMzetiSkly9zdiYtEhJv-GVLSho-TygwJBkKtkLaXZkvtY8BzbZIbFoe8jpVSQ6fLr8OVPFMzrdNfsUd96Eox2sc6sptSOJfxxv4dCgkbAHt3TVo8ob4d3GoWdLSZiXfyBt8ac_MxWlCCbev9lZ1yzbtuUeBmhp-ST9Ow/w300-h400/IMG-1957.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><h3 style="text-align: left;">Clip In Shoes: $100.00</h3><p>This is a pretty subjective cost. You can find cycling shoes starting at $30.00 up to hundreds. I picked <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B086P6FQ6P/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&th=1&psc=1" target="_blank">these particular shoes</a>, because they are knit and breathable plus they have good reviews. This cost is much like the bike seat. Even if I decided to go with the Peloton bike, I would still need shoes. </p><h3 style="text-align: left;">Rolling Cart: $28.99</h3><p>The last thing I added to my set-up was <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B088FHJ3ZR/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1" target="_blank">a simple rolling cart</a>. I used the cart to hold the remote, ear buds (I use those when the kids are sleeping), water bottle and light weights. The square design of this one means it fits nicely behind my bike when I'm not riding.</p><p><b>If you're still reading this ridculous long post, the final cost for my set up with all the added enhancements is $607.90 which includes the $143.00 for my seat and cycling shoes . The ongoing cost per month is $12.99.</b></p><p><b><u>Non-Cycling Classes</u></b></p><p>Since we have already covered everything in such detail, here's even more equipment you can consider. I enjoy the non-cycling classes Peloton offers as well. For the strength training, I have free weights in 5lbs, 10lbs, 15lbs and a set of adjustable weights that go from 4 to 70 pounds. I have mats on the ground to absorb shock. For yoga classes, I have a yoga mat, yoga blanket, bolstor (<a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01DDB7R7G/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1" target="_blank">this one is awesome </a>and the company has been amazing with follow up education), and yoga blocks. We also go a treadmill second hand, but honestly I haven't tried the tread classes yet.</p>
TheDabblingCrafterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09887107946361368583noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6859159588839510533.post-26216877665031901422022-02-28T21:57:00.000-06:002022-02-28T21:57:55.794-06:00Chicken Chapel CoopAt Oakwood Acres, we love animals. It was only a manner of time until we added chickens to our homestead. If you know anything about me, you know that we can't just add a simple coop. Well, we could. There is certainly nothing wrong with a practical coop. I find joy in making crazy plans and working with my husband to execute those plans. I spend a huge amount of my day just dreaming about the next project. <div><br /></div><div>So the thought process went something like this. We want a coop. We live in the country. We got married in a country chapel. Let's build a beautiful country chapel on a hill. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgpWNX7FDXScNxE_ULScYOPuPBK2-4AY51YJ1FWRV2kYF7R7iV5AnBHDcQ0U85ZpUo1Zg-ICylL2C6VWuNodzqH9IKBRn1Y6HYNHB1nJHFIwNkdu9or5wRmo1pb2AIS3LrOEzJZgXOcsNNwZq-xr1bkMVfyLu0f-52sWXOLnVMiSNlGgrI-x62LSTjp=s1440" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="1440" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgpWNX7FDXScNxE_ULScYOPuPBK2-4AY51YJ1FWRV2kYF7R7iV5AnBHDcQ0U85ZpUo1Zg-ICylL2C6VWuNodzqH9IKBRn1Y6HYNHB1nJHFIwNkdu9or5wRmo1pb2AIS3LrOEzJZgXOcsNNwZq-xr1bkMVfyLu0f-52sWXOLnVMiSNlGgrI-x62LSTjp=w640-h640" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>I had a plan. Then as plans usually go, I started to add to it. A chapel has stained glass. If I'm going to make stained glass, maybe I should go ahead and add a chicken theme. </div><div><br /></div><div>So may I present our masterpiece, The Chicken Chapel. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgBg1YlJ5JHmjlV9Ho4MY_uvq7QMfd7RS-Rnh041cVDaCVIa4DplZy2I4F_QSTkW--GwiKVyos-GwiSbrNvaNaf6XNZIHkO2lBy-9qgw7BU26hmFNAv4jGUFl_OF_nHgZBiyiQiK0W1TouckhsJ0yWQRZLdYgWgXczO81cdiXgBpGCOCI2nyuZcq9ZN=s4032" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgBg1YlJ5JHmjlV9Ho4MY_uvq7QMfd7RS-Rnh041cVDaCVIa4DplZy2I4F_QSTkW--GwiKVyos-GwiSbrNvaNaf6XNZIHkO2lBy-9qgw7BU26hmFNAv4jGUFl_OF_nHgZBiyiQiK0W1TouckhsJ0yWQRZLdYgWgXczO81cdiXgBpGCOCI2nyuZcq9ZN=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></div><div></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhLgMG9CjOdJXiPenXfK03vjll9G9aFCTJXFSJGcNWr2j97jbhBVV9gQYHvq4WPFbVxsUJBzAynMAmwRLxBJSNzS-ymVog7GJgFgNaFlxkuxc4M8q1vfaqnhJQqVf3W8I9-IIyyCzNPqNUTwEqlJDfixM0yJ3_MvmbRqGDB0F-Nn7qSRFryTZ8BhRx_=s4032" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhLgMG9CjOdJXiPenXfK03vjll9G9aFCTJXFSJGcNWr2j97jbhBVV9gQYHvq4WPFbVxsUJBzAynMAmwRLxBJSNzS-ymVog7GJgFgNaFlxkuxc4M8q1vfaqnhJQqVf3W8I9-IIyyCzNPqNUTwEqlJDfixM0yJ3_MvmbRqGDB0F-Nn7qSRFryTZ8BhRx_=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><div></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjGk2ovC8CQR1vZVToqo9_F40D6g21lRndX_16REXxoyDrGH--hV7I0NMzOHq438AQ9rjUZgUz0wGk2deMiYd9Ti6hJT66w2L6-DIx5XLJA02WJY-YRCfFfNwYIStaRkNuLIzGVrZG_TyJ9j5RKoK1zHQlaeUA2u_vrLUGaHr2w1RjNG2E3ce0bKsUB=s4032" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; 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text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjbQdVlQaP8gk27vSjxdT-asffCIiGWrNeGtJAYdN-SxCLjOqWNE5y-6K-5co3jrI-DgjIz0dC82wiWOC29vKC1eFwNH2RWE-T_cmGf0-m-OKaWhphDH1CNnXvHc4e6Kuj5V12N-1S5Kl1u3mvMAcIYb4qNmLPzqsUE9qHDA3t0vbCyjQgbqXwgHq45=s4032" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjbQdVlQaP8gk27vSjxdT-asffCIiGWrNeGtJAYdN-SxCLjOqWNE5y-6K-5co3jrI-DgjIz0dC82wiWOC29vKC1eFwNH2RWE-T_cmGf0-m-OKaWhphDH1CNnXvHc4e6Kuj5V12N-1S5Kl1u3mvMAcIYb4qNmLPzqsUE9qHDA3t0vbCyjQgbqXwgHq45=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><div></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhtDM4kDHjy4R2ja_nDYVyI32c02sVDoh_Woi4m7xjzCAdRMiB28FdjE_0bdKPz2yXThke1uunQB2X8adsOnDZ3-F5Zxslvi-mGiwyQIgnTG8jlPxSEyabiXAdHMJLMXqRv_3FfwGCpvjlIyISHsva1PFybIcVB8IunrAS55yEgWP4JnXBU_0voxlnq=s4032" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhtDM4kDHjy4R2ja_nDYVyI32c02sVDoh_Woi4m7xjzCAdRMiB28FdjE_0bdKPz2yXThke1uunQB2X8adsOnDZ3-F5Zxslvi-mGiwyQIgnTG8jlPxSEyabiXAdHMJLMXqRv_3FfwGCpvjlIyISHsva1PFybIcVB8IunrAS55yEgWP4JnXBU_0voxlnq=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><div></div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi2Iwj-C2x27mqCExhr1r3RXDt8usCGy2rUUPLdBeJuMDVaOnFdCQHz-S3NKnCKSpfoeg3vliLi4fiuYsSAxjdoK92RgRNvkwWs9SqvBZVhqCT2I4ehqgQGqZCTW2610SsYB_2wwhG9jqu7dOSvzS6uUWlcYctmynNZcLhg34_iB6_ObofwarcNhZeQ=s1440" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="1440" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi2Iwj-C2x27mqCExhr1r3RXDt8usCGy2rUUPLdBeJuMDVaOnFdCQHz-S3NKnCKSpfoeg3vliLi4fiuYsSAxjdoK92RgRNvkwWs9SqvBZVhqCT2I4ehqgQGqZCTW2610SsYB_2wwhG9jqu7dOSvzS6uUWlcYctmynNZcLhg34_iB6_ObofwarcNhZeQ=w640-h640" width="640" /></a></div>TheDabblingCrafterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09887107946361368583noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6859159588839510533.post-33294379401117640912022-02-28T21:07:00.002-06:002022-02-28T21:08:58.862-06:00DIY Electric Fireplace with Built-InsElectric fireplaces are trending in the world of DIY. I'm going to share how we built our setup and try to give tips on planning your own fireplace built-ins. <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjxdGzpC4UPq45q643YVv-DHN5N0jKRi4rnnh7sXtls_Wr3592SqoSeE_GEcBfNPPeTUE-UWtdXmpPqmtbN0Pwzr83Itk9kF97lDlrfe2vteU3JWZIpPNwdaARknJ96GZwUNX-9vgsEV4y-_1b0oc1ByuQiY2xeVjA9YmPsStZDYFRDMvHrq7mPH2Gj=s4032" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjxdGzpC4UPq45q643YVv-DHN5N0jKRi4rnnh7sXtls_Wr3592SqoSeE_GEcBfNPPeTUE-UWtdXmpPqmtbN0Pwzr83Itk9kF97lDlrfe2vteU3JWZIpPNwdaARknJ96GZwUNX-9vgsEV4y-_1b0oc1ByuQiY2xeVjA9YmPsStZDYFRDMvHrq7mPH2Gj=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>This idea certainly isn't new. It's been going around Pinterest for maybe a year or so. I saw the idea originally on <a href="https://nestingwithgrace.com/fireplace-reveal-our-electric-brick-fireplace/" target="_blank">Nesting with Grace</a> (a fantastic home decor account to follow) and decided to really go for it in our new home. Our home is beautiful, but it's lacking some custom cozy touches. I thought a huge statement piece in our living room would be a good place to start. Plus the idea of sitting by a fire watching snowfall on the lake sold me. </div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgx4P8nV_q89JIk-YN5ct8L_kI5sIKmihdUoSnCDYred57hJT5BADUvtAf9_kdD9TnGaf1cHO0LoOIl371fFmEikNnsoaMJshLPSmXvF7pr2qH0eHoSV3ACNWXrbe-sfth3BK-weI3JiAKv1MUXVz-RppuaIqahaChO6iGlbTHJD2j-7XEIqeqZB9rY=s4032" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgx4P8nV_q89JIk-YN5ct8L_kI5sIKmihdUoSnCDYred57hJT5BADUvtAf9_kdD9TnGaf1cHO0LoOIl371fFmEikNnsoaMJshLPSmXvF7pr2qH0eHoSV3ACNWXrbe-sfth3BK-weI3JiAKv1MUXVz-RppuaIqahaChO6iGlbTHJD2j-7XEIqeqZB9rY=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>The first thing you're probably wondering is why we didn't just get a gas fireplace put in when we built our house. It was certainly an option. However, it was a 30k option. I like fireplaces and all, but not for that price tag. Electric fireplaces have really come a long way from a picture on a screen. Even a top-of-the-line one with real sound and heat will be substantially less than the gas fireplace quote we were given.</div><div><br /></div><div>I can't give you exact measurements on what to do with your fireplace setup because the piece has to be built specifically for the space you have. However, I can explain how we came to our measurements. </div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEie4RDbSZdkEhseboINwK_G6YxEtej_SPmwcII9_fYS1O1oWV3Pgv5jh8q-jz93dMjy6aAs8KKzOLTn6XpuqBNHRVdbQigYwI_TQk4EqqsVyrQXTkyc2X4uQ264sUaWflhSU3FO49giCn0IToAKqMIYAalMnRfGLcQsbOt49kU5qddz7ec5eA9Y09D9=s1280" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="720" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEie4RDbSZdkEhseboINwK_G6YxEtej_SPmwcII9_fYS1O1oWV3Pgv5jh8q-jz93dMjy6aAs8KKzOLTn6XpuqBNHRVdbQigYwI_TQk4EqqsVyrQXTkyc2X4uQ264sUaWflhSU3FO49giCn0IToAKqMIYAalMnRfGLcQsbOt49kU5qddz7ec5eA9Y09D9=w360-h640" width="360" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Graph paper is your best friend. I start all my projects on graph paper (or on the iPad with a graph notebook page and my iPad pen). Measure out your space. To determine the size of the fireplace, I measured our TV. My husband is not going to part with his big TV. I went fireplace shopping online. I found a fireplace that was slightly bigger than the giant TV. I graphed out a fireplace surround that was about 6 inches bigger on each side of the fireplace. The mantle is about two inches wider than the fireplace. </div><div><br /></div><div>Once I knew how big the fireplace was going to be, I had to decide on the cabinetry around the fireplace. I knew I wanted narrow-depth cabinets so the fireplace stuck out further but wasn't too far into the room. I looked at pieces of individual furniture like a credenza or hutch. (Faux Farmhouse has a piece that's built-in, but looks like a piece of furniture and it's beautiful) In the end, upper cabinets were the ticket. I could get stock upper cabinets in white from Home Depot that were almost exactly the correct size. I have small filler pieces to make them perfect, but it very close to the perfect measurement. Four 24 inch uppers were ordered and shipped to our local store. I did this early on because it's was a month lead time at the time. That was back before COVID. Now you might be waiting much longer. </div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj-uxZVVw0DcLoKEq6GQJSBCH9zSEJfE7PUTsrKcvpoQNhAWA020dCVqOhgW786KuMCGcUYAYxeCcyAyymB6-9FrGO5VjAnxT9rduK_TTT1IERG7wSpDVOSFKnPbRuUjxibaenu_BvDc0vAvys6RyCOr9YPYJFtAFL9M4n8wJkbVqTI32Bx78LQDAq9=s1280" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="720" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj-uxZVVw0DcLoKEq6GQJSBCH9zSEJfE7PUTsrKcvpoQNhAWA020dCVqOhgW786KuMCGcUYAYxeCcyAyymB6-9FrGO5VjAnxT9rduK_TTT1IERG7wSpDVOSFKnPbRuUjxibaenu_BvDc0vAvys6RyCOr9YPYJFtAFL9M4n8wJkbVqTI32Bx78LQDAq9=w360-h640" width="360" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>My husband went to work building the 2x4 framework for the TV and fireplace. You have to frame out the fireplace box and supports for the TV. He also worked in a "secret" door on the side so if we need to plug or unplug wires, we're able to get access behind the fireplace. The secret door is simply held in place with a sliding lock. One thing I would change about this project is the space behind the fireplace. It is VERY narrow. My husband can fit (barely) and the children can. I would probably add a couple of inches if I did it again. This framework was attached to the ceiling and wall studs and is SOLID. </div><div><br /></div><div>Once the framework was done, the fireplace is attached to the framework. My husband added a whole lotta shiplap. Shiplap is definitely a trendy thing right now, but you could easily use plywood and then add brick or stone if that's more your jam. I wanted something dramatic so the shiplap cut on an angle was perfect. </div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgwDgE1pUIBMh4cpCjKrvJowXREUUyRYAIQonPZDhdzN8ejXuCnbJzrQO1YHN-dL4zJeBwvavkeTPpWxR80tnTf8-soHg8-cPHv_gmLsFlc3e9uxAWfeZDZC9HQS-I5vY0ZTZFw3NrgdXFOVER5QUItFSK2Rm9xkEM3lZQlrvoPYqVCEDZBee55PBSC=s4032" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgwDgE1pUIBMh4cpCjKrvJowXREUUyRYAIQonPZDhdzN8ejXuCnbJzrQO1YHN-dL4zJeBwvavkeTPpWxR80tnTf8-soHg8-cPHv_gmLsFlc3e9uxAWfeZDZC9HQS-I5vY0ZTZFw3NrgdXFOVER5QUItFSK2Rm9xkEM3lZQlrvoPYqVCEDZBee55PBSC=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I used a company called <a href="https://samplize.com/" target="_blank">Samplize</a> to get paint sample sheets for the fireplace. I loved this service. I imagine for walls it's even more convenient because you can move the sample around the room and sample different lighting situations. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg3lt-vt4DYOz34Mwtg3cmdqDbrGWAtreEJann-eUEhMiXNFbT3psX1v2QfLLabxASZPbeAqvb6g682tXtDkpWE313Nml_CsIeGmCY4_vrZrwGdXd0gCtqbc_KqqFk6MqqFOWcgsUdWOZm_vk1OM3JanJbwzCLRsN7r4GiFuIXWIiHvn4odLB7UsWbM=s4032" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg3lt-vt4DYOz34Mwtg3cmdqDbrGWAtreEJann-eUEhMiXNFbT3psX1v2QfLLabxASZPbeAqvb6g682tXtDkpWE313Nml_CsIeGmCY4_vrZrwGdXd0gCtqbc_KqqFk6MqqFOWcgsUdWOZm_vk1OM3JanJbwzCLRsN7r4GiFuIXWIiHvn4odLB7UsWbM=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Once the fireplace was painted and the cabinets installed, it was time to add in a mantle and floating shelves. We are a handy family and my husband created the mantle and floating shelves using solid slabs of ambrosia maple (the floating shelves) and spalted maple (the mantle). They are attached to the walls using metal rods welded to a metal bar. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjz124ket1_bRsHhuMFPp_PuwwOhmdeDrSYB-xX_R9NoSt7ltlPppMhsrYNxt4Brx06UFjcXpSEiUFIZr9uV605qQ2JzXMp6X5zCrWXk9kK7HQblOoDeDWZ2CJzK6c7GA-GMdT1k8UDZsmAxoKs0ojF76_f9HZTc8M6tMPHYEbCoW5tLb7N3cWNpOIt=s4032" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjz124ket1_bRsHhuMFPp_PuwwOhmdeDrSYB-xX_R9NoSt7ltlPppMhsrYNxt4Brx06UFjcXpSEiUFIZr9uV605qQ2JzXMp6X5zCrWXk9kK7HQblOoDeDWZ2CJzK6c7GA-GMdT1k8UDZsmAxoKs0ojF76_f9HZTc8M6tMPHYEbCoW5tLb7N3cWNpOIt=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi5QGRR_W8exhi0pAvF2N3tF8haRf3481_GRIQqdGMb7UwruFIUeQk-9FcUU5ueWr-C0u7kCSsOhoeTpXzC4QAsdGRzcqULsbGPJuwMerrMZvd6bcC5lTxnoW4lqjFYV7jKdh94soPx0PPU-npaljkZsHFUE4dnjrBzM1lPE6Muy7ZltTFiXWzv0uc9=s4032" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi5QGRR_W8exhi0pAvF2N3tF8haRf3481_GRIQqdGMb7UwruFIUeQk-9FcUU5ueWr-C0u7kCSsOhoeTpXzC4QAsdGRzcqULsbGPJuwMerrMZvd6bcC5lTxnoW4lqjFYV7jKdh94soPx0PPU-npaljkZsHFUE4dnjrBzM1lPE6Muy7ZltTFiXWzv0uc9=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I finished them with a new product. The name of it is and it's a poly wax hybrid finish. I used a matte finish because I wanted the wood to look raw without actually being raw. My kids will definitely leave wet cups on it, and I wanted to avoid watermarks. I liked the product. It did slightly change the color of the wood, but it was definitely better than poly. Overall we've lived with the fireplace for over a year now and don't have any complaints. I've upgraded to a Frame TV which is the perfect piece over a fireplace and the electric fireplace does a great job putting out heat on cold evenings.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiRNB_NlFCaWnpJRhipkDysCt598L_9j4zrmO1Krj02-0yCczak-RlmxWAjGUn27GP47qSevjwAf8JrXj6pYHLjAT1HkAjZRnIqg7OO7Q9pdAEzcEB1hzNHhkgYwZBoHNQYhfn-kpnMOSSm2rM9ByQpTCtOrAYJrk0Hf0CYHbWd_lK1adC1hgh7FdXO=s4032" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiRNB_NlFCaWnpJRhipkDysCt598L_9j4zrmO1Krj02-0yCczak-RlmxWAjGUn27GP47qSevjwAf8JrXj6pYHLjAT1HkAjZRnIqg7OO7Q9pdAEzcEB1hzNHhkgYwZBoHNQYhfn-kpnMOSSm2rM9ByQpTCtOrAYJrk0Hf0CYHbWd_lK1adC1hgh7FdXO=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div>TheDabblingCrafterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09887107946361368583noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6859159588839510533.post-20193964390268099572021-04-24T01:48:00.123-05:002021-04-24T02:37:32.795-05:00Buying a Factory Built Off Site Custom HomeSurprise! We recently moved and built a new home. It was a year and a half adventure. I will try to give a honest review of our experience with building a home off site. This was a long process, so sorry for the length.<div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXCVrHd2GgYGc30XrBKgAx4UYd1HsRt-oF1rcNe3WroJIUAgIfD4NaQbKVcW0fZWSikk-82WMVLXFnR7vTZYIWTo96GnQlJxDjVrzu_yDwv5vVVe7syQ_EqMxHgcGE0V2QfpFs5LgRSTs/s2048/IMG_5932.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXCVrHd2GgYGc30XrBKgAx4UYd1HsRt-oF1rcNe3WroJIUAgIfD4NaQbKVcW0fZWSikk-82WMVLXFnR7vTZYIWTo96GnQlJxDjVrzu_yDwv5vVVe7syQ_EqMxHgcGE0V2QfpFs5LgRSTs/s16000/IMG_5932.jpeg" /></a></div><br /><div><div><br /></div><div>We weren’t going move again. The plan was to eventually build on to Ugly House and to retire there. I honestly loved all the renovations we made to the home and was excited for the next phase of renovations we had planned. <div><br /></div><div>One April weekend I was out of town buying supplies for a bathroom renovation we had planned, and my husband called me with an interesting offer. We had to been contacted asking if we wanted to buy an acreage. My husband had often commented to the owners that their acreage was his dream property, and as they retired and move into town, they had remembered his comments. I came back from my trip early, and we headed out to take a look. As we drove down the half mile winding tree-lined driveway and the lake came into view, it was game over. Ugly House had been beat by 20 acres of once in a lifetime lake front property. Land like this doesn’t come available in our area.<div><br /></div><div>A week later the paperwork was being drawn up to buy the property. Our future plans were thrown out the window. Ugly House was a project to be finished by another family.</div><div><br /></div><div>Initially we hoped to salvage the original farmhouse. We love historic homes. Well okay, I love historic homes. However, the cost of renovating, moving and, adding on was prohibitive. We decided to build. </div></div><div><br /></div><div>Anyone who has built before knows that building a house is not for the faint of heart. We found a floor plan we loved and had four different contractors give us estimates. They were expensive. Like a 100k over our budget expensive. We could have made them work, but we would have been stretching ourselves to stay in Ugly House until the home was built. Not to mention on-site builds take time especially with the unpredictable Midwest weather. Each minute we were in Ugly House was time were paying two house payments. Not to mention we didn’t want to show and sell while living in Ugly House. I worked from home, we have 5 dogs and 3 kids. The house would be a nightmare to keep clean and leave for showings. (We couldn’t have known then, but COVID changed the housing market completely. We had 10 so people inquire about buying our house the minute we announced we were building. We sold it directly to a couple we knew and never had to list it.)</div><div><br /></div><div>At this point, we had officially owned the property for 6 months and had been pursuing building for 9 months or so. My husband had a client recommend a company that builds the homes off site and moves them on a foundation. We started working with that company. From the first interaction, we were very clear. Budget was our #1 concern. We could jazz up a house down the line (we do love DIY) so a floor plan in our budget was paramount. We had plans drawn up, and walked through another build they did. We worked with this company from October 2019 until March 2020. We (finally) got an official estimate. $100,000 over the budget they had promised to stick to. We walked away and a week later the world shut down. <i>(Fun fact. Apparently their company was sold and decided to stop building off site and never told us. Their current operation couldn’t handle the plans they drew up for us so they were calling around trying to subcontract the entire job to another contractor including one of the contractors we had already got an estimate from directly.)</i></div><div><br /></div><div>On a random day off, I stopped by Custom Touch Homes in Madison to tour their homes. After an hour with a sales associate, I had plans drawn up and an official estimate to take to the bank. It was incredibly fast. Everyone else took weeks to draw up plans then weeks for get bids and create an estimate. The reason everything goes quickly with their operation is because they have everything in house including the architect. One of the biggest hold ups during a build is the scheduling of subcontractors. Especially in a COVID world, this was helpful. This particular business basically went on lockdown. They kept their workers safe by keeping everyone else out and doing a ton of safety checks. We didn’t even get to see our house in person until it was almost done. </div><div><br /></div><div>Once we had the bank paperwork done (which took a couple of weeks even with preapproval) and contract signed, our house was scheduled. Honestly, the process was so quick and well organized that I sometimes had to step away and take a breath. I had a notebook full of what I wanted in the floor plan and all the finishes (I had after-all been planning this for a year now and I am very much a type A person). Even with all that pre-planning, I felt overwhelmed at the speed of everything. I think if you aren't prepared, you could get put on the spot and pick something you don't love. </div><div><br /></div><div>After the contract is signed but before building starts, you customize and finalize your floor plans. You have a choice day where you pick all your finishes. They do have a set of materials to pick from, but you can deviate from those. For example I had a particular flooring picked out for my bathroom in Ugly House. I gave them the information, and they ordered it for this house. I also had a dream bath tub picked out, so that was special ordered as well. Something that I found VERY helpful on choice day was my mood boards. Before choice day I had created a vision/mood board for each room with the finishes I wanted. I had made lists of what color tile, cabinets, floors I was looking for. So instead of feeling overwelmed to make all the house decisions on one day, I could just find the finishes that matched what I had carefully picked out over the past year. I also could look at the house as a whole rather than in pieces. I would recommend this for anyone that is building. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkgxOmETMn-ASYiRwO5wQLE0mNq0SyuLK9z9gRB8x3qXNEsfjXqaNWsWIQ5td4tRB9lR-M9gSrMXFF7P7PnfhUtPlYzzBJ77j7vhyphenhyphenVX1y_B8vro_mYINHRko5tVXMr9eI0A4lqYccSAXE/s2048/IMG_4764.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1534" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkgxOmETMn-ASYiRwO5wQLE0mNq0SyuLK9z9gRB8x3qXNEsfjXqaNWsWIQ5td4tRB9lR-M9gSrMXFF7P7PnfhUtPlYzzBJ77j7vhyphenhyphenVX1y_B8vro_mYINHRko5tVXMr9eI0A4lqYccSAXE/s16000/IMG_4764.jpeg" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Once building starts, our sales associate sent us weekly updates and pictures on the progress. Their set-up is basically 4 lanes of houses inside a massive building. The first houses in each lane are getting framed. Second house in the lane is getting electric and so on. So each department basically goes down the line and does their job. Slowly the house makes it way down the lane until it’s the last house. Then big warehouse doors open and the house is slid on a truck to be delivered. You have one contact person through the entire process. The house moving day is really quite easy. The house movers do all the work with getting power lines moved. You just wait for the house to show up and they handle placing it on the foundation. It's pretty remarkable to watch (and very unnerving). I have a video of the process on my instagram.</div><div><br /></div><div>Here's the progress of our house in their warehouse:</div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEMFUiTHtG-JTzRloYDrx7MPDVRjQ-ec0gKT8GE7kn4_wjr7aVeaRU5uPvM1-Sq4Rx2Fg34YojjyS_Vu6qCLK-vPkL_PWqy5LB03ZN38OeksjUDkwuhs4Gii8sc-lIMBxMfxxPgKQaAM4/s2048/IMG_5059.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEMFUiTHtG-JTzRloYDrx7MPDVRjQ-ec0gKT8GE7kn4_wjr7aVeaRU5uPvM1-Sq4Rx2Fg34YojjyS_Vu6qCLK-vPkL_PWqy5LB03ZN38OeksjUDkwuhs4Gii8sc-lIMBxMfxxPgKQaAM4/s16000/IMG_5059.jpeg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNXQD-6k0ws0gDEq_X9ML-wrm9AYeP92qNL-vRliCK4iJlgr1KWbhiBSpWx2QSuf07ey_WxjS5dTldAZ2DxmbAZJs_jbGL3b2XGpRoiSMzCDKjM0Jm0Gt-_-26ZGhwJ48IxTKnrUSzhto/s2048/IMG_5062.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNXQD-6k0ws0gDEq_X9ML-wrm9AYeP92qNL-vRliCK4iJlgr1KWbhiBSpWx2QSuf07ey_WxjS5dTldAZ2DxmbAZJs_jbGL3b2XGpRoiSMzCDKjM0Jm0Gt-_-26ZGhwJ48IxTKnrUSzhto/s16000/IMG_5062.jpeg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiZeEKOHCn5VcjS3aUlnF4CUoq-MOVmKeSmN0yncI0mCaeuXHf42Vzn0ozbGsA9x1X7mJzlQJwYNs_0B9LygGz0QeNJ_NUMpeTIfa34z8EteyM2_RnMI74wMfaHYYspq8x661cHc0Otwk/s1333/IMG_5355.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="1333" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiZeEKOHCn5VcjS3aUlnF4CUoq-MOVmKeSmN0yncI0mCaeuXHf42Vzn0ozbGsA9x1X7mJzlQJwYNs_0B9LygGz0QeNJ_NUMpeTIfa34z8EteyM2_RnMI74wMfaHYYspq8x661cHc0Otwk/s16000/IMG_5355.jpeg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2iRcB3AQwy-bPy6av6GIIoayx_hI_1qV0dAZIiPebGmUAaSBEyfbdcKXK9MpdCYtzfADOUPrJw4uhejNlckR_QekW9AAm76VgiujOkOZEavEH1wvH1EuS-3qFrbzyzwXy6H4cgM8-f1Y/s1333/IMG_5357.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="1333" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2iRcB3AQwy-bPy6av6GIIoayx_hI_1qV0dAZIiPebGmUAaSBEyfbdcKXK9MpdCYtzfADOUPrJw4uhejNlckR_QekW9AAm76VgiujOkOZEavEH1wvH1EuS-3qFrbzyzwXy6H4cgM8-f1Y/s16000/IMG_5357.jpeg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_JlEvCwV6EEp9miEP6WJ4KFOX4IOoAiilSMqqNEl5yx2vjJzaTfeheGfZk_Md_scfUINzY3AABh79NYrIjzVg3nPKA-KBVCiS2X_emxFy9nWoilTB_Qj9YyHVxPM_VbCkGUXKzI2O4oc/s2048/IMG_5735.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_JlEvCwV6EEp9miEP6WJ4KFOX4IOoAiilSMqqNEl5yx2vjJzaTfeheGfZk_Md_scfUINzY3AABh79NYrIjzVg3nPKA-KBVCiS2X_emxFy9nWoilTB_Qj9YyHVxPM_VbCkGUXKzI2O4oc/s16000/IMG_5735.jpeg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjRYK55vvyfrUXuwcnI9YwaAYnIq4_0aaG-gK9CAalDFpDjkiH0IDXjDclIYxR06T76X8LtVIerX95FZTZKtnSIJupLepK15iSqJp4cFw9ubISaFtcw35wYSuF-IdBmeppOWzi6xc2BRo/s2048/IMG_5901.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjRYK55vvyfrUXuwcnI9YwaAYnIq4_0aaG-gK9CAalDFpDjkiH0IDXjDclIYxR06T76X8LtVIerX95FZTZKtnSIJupLepK15iSqJp4cFw9ubISaFtcw35wYSuF-IdBmeppOWzi6xc2BRo/s16000/IMG_5901.jpeg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG3f0T45nfHQj4BhQw3Hsw5eJMxGAwjrOmdTF1sG64wZa_iK7IuteBVLyEe_ltZwGqaFzI4bwTkl1TaPgi74MC_hkpAmqw7mIuVzhBXxu-aXh-aiguAAhoMRvFQvO1TzdUeKtKADO_KrU/s2048/IMG_5932.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG3f0T45nfHQj4BhQw3Hsw5eJMxGAwjrOmdTF1sG64wZa_iK7IuteBVLyEe_ltZwGqaFzI4bwTkl1TaPgi74MC_hkpAmqw7mIuVzhBXxu-aXh-aiguAAhoMRvFQvO1TzdUeKtKADO_KrU/s16000/IMG_5932.jpeg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_GQPGHLO700LhNjGH4JLOuA66F7M9EfWnpcYSpRXBpHywWT2UmljjbQamvEqBq-_AJqqS8fqqV0f8hZwIIiG_cAqSQGpzBkNCtY2cxdwXhR9yCnYoe4vsXrTJruvRYeaMSC-nIMMJW-8/s2048/IMG_7914.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_GQPGHLO700LhNjGH4JLOuA66F7M9EfWnpcYSpRXBpHywWT2UmljjbQamvEqBq-_AJqqS8fqqV0f8hZwIIiG_cAqSQGpzBkNCtY2cxdwXhR9yCnYoe4vsXrTJruvRYeaMSC-nIMMJW-8/s16000/IMG_7914.jpeg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>I think one of the misconceptions I run into when I tell people we used an off site builder is that this is a mobile, manufactured or modular home. There’s nothing wrong with those homes, but this home is 100% stick built. It’s framed all in one piece like your on-site homes. It wasn’t pieces when it was delivered. They make the house strong enough to be easily moved as one unit. There’s some preliminary research by FEMA that these types of homes actually are stronger than on-site homes based off post hurricane damage data. </div><div><br /></div><div>Over-all the process was easier than the traditional contractors we were initially dealing with simply because there were no subcontractors. They didn’t need to get bids from them or schedule them. The process took 2 months from the date they started. The moving of the house took about 12 hours to get on the foundation (more on why that was longer than expected to come). Also our house didn’t go over budget because they don’t have to worry about a subcontractor bid not being accurate. The inspections are done just like an on-site build, but because they can do them as part of their assembly line, they are also faster. </div><div><br /></div><div>In the spirit of transparency, there are two things to talk about. First of all, while they make all kinds of modifications based on whatever your heart desires, their homes do have some limitations. There are size restrictions since it does have to fit on a road. Our home is rather large at around 3,700 sq feet with the basement, but it had restrictions on width, length, and height. So I could make all the floor plan edits I want, but it still had to fit in that footprint. You also have to stick to a ranch style which initially I did not want. However, with a walkout basement, we don’t have a traditional ranch. I would have pitched the vault in our living room higher if I could have. Also, there are some truly beautiful custom homes out there that my house can’t hold a flame to. There is a reason some builders are more expensive. The materials and craftsmanship is worth their asking price. You also don't get to see and tour your home as often since it's on their premises, not yours. We didn't have any issues with something being done wrong, but that's not uncommon during a build. We also decided to wait on a big deck on the front and a garage and do those separately. The cost on those two items seeemed high compared to other contractors.</div><div><br /></div><div>Second, <span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; display: inline; font-size: 12pt; text-size-adjust: 100%;">there was one aspect of the house build that was a sore point and added a couple of months to the build. We used the off site builder’s sister company to build the walk out basement. We weren’t going to finish the basement initially, so it was just the foundation, walls and some electrical/plumbing. We thought since they worked exclusively with these off site builds, they would be better equipped to build the foundation and coordinate with the house builder's specifications. Also, in theory, they are doing all the basement work while the main house is being built so they finish about the same time. Not so much. </span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; display: inline; font-size: 12pt; text-size-adjust: 100%;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbvMH2GKdR6DFbIjdbOWOwLnkxjvVD38M-t5e9xwhfoUcdUSbS7awBICz4hu9nvLSreiIsl3m22G1v_d7c1b2j7DTp0dMJvITZLXuiLRK93gCFuvSCKTphqaVvdFd2VOjMlv-lMtdvN6k/s2048/IMG_5505.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbvMH2GKdR6DFbIjdbOWOwLnkxjvVD38M-t5e9xwhfoUcdUSbS7awBICz4hu9nvLSreiIsl3m22G1v_d7c1b2j7DTp0dMJvITZLXuiLRK93gCFuvSCKTphqaVvdFd2VOjMlv-lMtdvN6k/s16000/IMG_5505.jpeg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT6cb5vpvGi7G5zpC-jc-5QqOAHUF5DmWGtUrpRjDus9lD43wWLjnA3depv7mcY_hwAWjwOu-eFDls8rVKA4G1Z9oRH2YUSzJrK6NNEA8RCHMuNisqRUEwYL-1D5ImCAQVxbffVF1daco/s2048/IMG_5881.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT6cb5vpvGi7G5zpC-jc-5QqOAHUF5DmWGtUrpRjDus9lD43wWLjnA3depv7mcY_hwAWjwOu-eFDls8rVKA4G1Z9oRH2YUSzJrK6NNEA8RCHMuNisqRUEwYL-1D5ImCAQVxbffVF1daco/s16000/IMG_5881.jpeg" /></a></div><br /></div><div>That relationship was tough. The sister company was hard to work with because they lacked communication. Sometimes I would hear nothing and see no one for weeks. As an example, the day of the house move, the house moving company had to get on the phone and very sternly talk with the head contractor to get him to our property, because the basement wasn’t ready. The house movers had to spend several hours moving dirt so the house could be moved up the hill...something that should have been done well in advance. I noticed after we closed that all the windows in our basement are the wrong color. I’m still missing a screen for a window because they brought me the wrong one. They put the stair railing into the drywall with anchors and it came out within a month. The construction site wasn’t kept clean, and I had to clean up cigarette butts and spilled spoiled milk when we moved in (yeah...not ideal on closing day). They did come and fix the railing within a couple of weeks. I didn’t bother pushing back on the windows because honestly I just wanted to be done with them. </div><div><br /></div><div>After we moved in and closed, we realized that building a home isn’t really done when you move in. We decided pretty quick the unfinished basement wasn’t going to work for us. So we hired an awesome general contractor to do that work (which is still ongoing). We also hired a landscaper to hopefully do something with the mud pit around the house. Five dogs and three kids do not do well with a dirt yard in the spring. Also, the bones of our house are pretty standard, so I'm wanting to add more custom touches here and there.</div><div><br /></div><div>Feel free to message me any questions you may have. I would recommend the process especially if you are on a time crunch or need to stick to a budget. </div><div><br /></div></div></div>TheDabblingCrafterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09887107946361368583noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6859159588839510533.post-62444632477001781022018-06-08T22:58:00.000-05:002018-06-08T22:58:37.242-05:00Electric and Water in a Vintage CamperHello!<br />
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This week's post is for all those people out there with a vintage camper, thinking of getting one or just curious how we deal with two of the main concerns/components of a vintage travel trailer: electricity and water.<br />
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When we got Myrtle, the water had already been removed (apart from the toilet...I guess. The previous owners said they had used it, but we never even tried that out.) The electrical was the original 1963 electrical and hook-ups and according to the previous owner "We didn't get it checked out, but it seemed to work fine."<br />
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Hmm. Does that make anyone else feel a bit uncomfortable? The walls had been recently replaced (including all the supporting wood) and the exterior resealed. So, the last thing I wanted to do was dig into the walls and replace electrical. Also, I know nothing about electrical. This would have been a project heavily supervised by my more handy relatives.<br />
<br />
So, what to do? We did use the original wiring for 1 camping trip for a light. However, the previous owner had hardwired a window A/C unit in, and I can not imagine that the wiring system was designed to take on that kind of load.<br />
<br />
After a couple of camping trips, I decided it was time to figure out a solution. The number one thing recommended to us as we started renovating our home was to wait renovate until we had lived in it for a few years. Its an excellent way to figure out exactly what your family wants and needs.<br />
<br />
We do not use a refrigerator while camping. Our trips are just a couple of days, so a heavy duty cooler does the trick. (FYI: We also have a separate one for drinks which really helps keep the ice in the food cooler) We discovered through a couple of camping trips we only need electricity for: (1) lighting in the camper, (2) charging our phones occasionally, (3) a small single serving coffee maker, and (4) *<i>maybe</i>* the A/C. However, to be honest if it's hot enough to use the A/C we generally aren't going to be camping with young kids.<br />
<br />
Once we knew what we needed to the electricity for, it was pretty clear an extension cord would be enough power. (With a separate A/C power cord if we were going to run that). I created a solution from a problem. What I mean is, the previous owners took out all the original windows. (I have recently acquired some "new" original ones that will slowly make their way back into the camper). On the front windows they just covered up the area with insulation and sheet metal. While that's less than ideal aesthetic wise, it does make it much easier to create some sort of pass though for an electrical cord.<br />
<br />
Using PVC pipe, a hole cutting drill bit, screws, butyl tape and glue, I created a way to pass through the extension cord into the camper without having to prop and window or door open. I have a threaded cap that goes over the opening when we're not camping or using it so there's no issues with bugs or mice getting in.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFNvO0OTLt2W_4aPnXOGKpvGeXB8qQc4qCZLzpkE12nmpzeTCFXt2eQcHBznH2hsa11xVtgYg-d-sRyvkKd5fsINFk15Ly_b8QOXG1sRq88aW-r1neGTEToH7SKGY7rJeQNg8OD62K7CE/s1600/DSCF0684.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFNvO0OTLt2W_4aPnXOGKpvGeXB8qQc4qCZLzpkE12nmpzeTCFXt2eQcHBznH2hsa11xVtgYg-d-sRyvkKd5fsINFk15Ly_b8QOXG1sRq88aW-r1neGTEToH7SKGY7rJeQNg8OD62K7CE/s640/DSCF0684.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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I hide a power strip and all the cords in a vintage luggage case when not in use. Also, in order to create a "switch" for the lights, I used a simple remote outlet on the overhead lights. The remote is attached to the wall with a command strip.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWwDAez7KViEw9CuBMkM2vKkWXpUAqby6UHguwP6hgGO-ILX4r5ntU1O17l_K0RAIGrfSTJjB4U9_a3ZI_ApiCIlVuqMyGtQqFnxEMlbabNyepugEiXZRjY4QG58BdD1TPhusTln-jwBs/s1600/DSCF0688.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWwDAez7KViEw9CuBMkM2vKkWXpUAqby6UHguwP6hgGO-ILX4r5ntU1O17l_K0RAIGrfSTJjB4U9_a3ZI_ApiCIlVuqMyGtQqFnxEMlbabNyepugEiXZRjY4QG58BdD1TPhusTln-jwBs/s640/DSCF0688.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGp3gq3Wbq0j7lzSccQVKT4-0-xgQTy4lqtb5S_e4AuujAaHhTeJkZ250QYlC-Pmkd7OMnq2hZ8Q1oSoi-lE2ffrxdcCcH4hX0JdftLSD56lTSyQttf09LDJdrnSYXZz85qtU5abfbvv0/s1600/DSCF0689.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGp3gq3Wbq0j7lzSccQVKT4-0-xgQTy4lqtb5S_e4AuujAaHhTeJkZ250QYlC-Pmkd7OMnq2hZ8Q1oSoi-lE2ffrxdcCcH4hX0JdftLSD56lTSyQttf09LDJdrnSYXZz85qtU5abfbvv0/s640/DSCF0689.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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The second issue is water. We buy our drinking water in separate gallon jugs (and keep in the drinks cooler), but we still need water to clean dishes, wash hands and brush teeth. Our solution for this problem was the original sink (which will get a paint job in the future) with a bucket underneath and a 5 gallon water tank over the sink. I made a stand for the tank so it could hang over the middle of the sink.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_qrLCx1fn38TCxaF6EeV947XSwJ41nM9cX6PbFdh-6tPH_TBz_0XAGucqe_i9VutGb2pzgT7TpwugSBlS_ZDbJilqYuM8IBvCPPHhmHqK7D2nKmOqJWCv_FkGJV70Z_LVAONTBr7PboQ/s1600/DSCF0698.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_qrLCx1fn38TCxaF6EeV947XSwJ41nM9cX6PbFdh-6tPH_TBz_0XAGucqe_i9VutGb2pzgT7TpwugSBlS_ZDbJilqYuM8IBvCPPHhmHqK7D2nKmOqJWCv_FkGJV70Z_LVAONTBr7PboQ/s640/DSCF0698.JPG" width="426" /></a></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdm-v5yWptQNLDMSsk49DmTrHkAaoUS_bVlhiNtcCek-GvAtWFUiN_VRlFlA9CEVxlHvK96KBiQ_CmeQ3NLrSvSTyL2YlpwAMzOtaONRKhimYZJ2SfnxRZrKJPn7oquSLlFXq1qtRoBRI/s1600/DSCF0699.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdm-v5yWptQNLDMSsk49DmTrHkAaoUS_bVlhiNtcCek-GvAtWFUiN_VRlFlA9CEVxlHvK96KBiQ_CmeQ3NLrSvSTyL2YlpwAMzOtaONRKhimYZJ2SfnxRZrKJPn7oquSLlFXq1qtRoBRI/s640/DSCF0699.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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We use biodegradable soap while camping so the waste water won't hurt the environment. The only complaint I have with this system is that it's a bit hard to wash large dishes in the small sink. I wish we had a tank that was less deep and was taller. (So, I'm on the hunt for one that fits that criteria). The 5 gallons lasts our family two full days with a bit left over.<br />
<br />
It's not luxurious per se, but we're people that really just wanted something that was one step up from tent camping with a bit of style. I think Myrtle perfectly fits the bill. (And no grey water tanks to deal with!)<br />
<br /><img align="right" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi71IDcZvtDIZryz7noARjVno4NxfspW2pB_StieJrGs7qEc9XZOkhkctWBAKtE3ML0gNpPz3tIWAx-w4-PBELfOa6D9nDnsw_fh5g7jf9m86eHWUKSPDjap3jFLESQTg9Me_FhbJbU/s1600/signature-thedabblingcrafter.png" style="border: 0px;" /><a href="http://www.pinterest.com/dabblingcrafter"><br /><br /><br /><br /></a><a href="https://imgbb.com/"><img alt="watermelon pinterest" border="0" src="https://image.ibb.co/gU8ZMa/watermelon_pinterest.png" /></a> <a href="https://imgbb.com/"><img alt="seagreen facebook" border="0" src="https://image.ibb.co/gL2GZv/seagreen_facebook.png" /></a> <a href="https://imgbb.com/"><img alt="blue twitter 1" border="0" src="https://image.ibb.co/dj8ZMa/blue_twitter_1.png" /></a>TheDabblingCrafterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09887107946361368583noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6859159588839510533.post-86153303246392065062018-04-06T10:00:00.000-05:002018-04-06T10:00:25.391-05:00DIY Dog Water & Food Dish StandHello!<br />
<br />
Since my last post was for the cat people, I decided it was time to share one for the dogs.<br />
<br />
Something we have discovered with four dogs (!) is that we need large dog dishes for water and food. Otherwise we find ourselves refilling them every couple of hours. <i>Nobody got time for that!</i> We also found out early on that they like to dump their water dish all over the floor. Which is especially problematic with a little one that thinks it's really cool to spread wet foot prints throughout the house. (<i>Okay</i>...they are <i>really</i> cute wet foot prints) A stand/holder for the dishes is a must.<br />
<br />
However, they don't make stands for large dishes. About 10 years ago, my husband made a stand for our large dishes, but that was starting to look pretty darn rough. It was time for an update. I decided I wanted something that was open on the bottom so we could clean up any water drips. I also wanted something that looked nice. It was a pretty easy process to make this stand, so read on, grab a couple of supplies and get it done!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghZaixyFVL2mY1cJ5Mx5G5g6L3lNQE3nwGtaIyLDBDprE7GGtFprNlyfGAho2nnaIwu-3xXyKltFlscOgHtxv4czUvUuBzVWG1B0DlGKF85zJMBBBPQA2tc_KH_OeYIa7RrHyJ62mSbiQ/s1600/IMG_5306.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghZaixyFVL2mY1cJ5Mx5G5g6L3lNQE3nwGtaIyLDBDprE7GGtFprNlyfGAho2nnaIwu-3xXyKltFlscOgHtxv4czUvUuBzVWG1B0DlGKF85zJMBBBPQA2tc_KH_OeYIa7RrHyJ62mSbiQ/s640/IMG_5306.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: center;">
<b>Supplies</b></blockquote>
Piece of plywood <i>(Long and wide enough for both dishes to fit. Most home improvement stores have pre-cut wood so you don't have to buy a large piece of wood if transportation or cutting is an issue)</i><br />
<br />
Table saw/circular saw <i>(to cut the wood to length as needed)</i><br />
<br />
Jig Saw <i>(A jig saw with the ability to do some scroll sawing is helpful because you can adjust your angle as you go along)</i><br />
<br />
Drill & Drill Bit <i>(The big should be big enough that the jig saw blade can fit through the hole)</i><br />
<br />
Sandpaper<br />
<br />
Table Legs<br />
<br />
Stain or Paint<br />
<br />
Sealing Layer (Polyurethane)<br />
<br />
Dog Food/Water Dishes<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: center;">
<b>Directions</b></blockquote>
<br />
1. Cut Wood to Length<br />
<br />
The first thing was getting the piece of wood a correct length. You will want a couple of inches around the dishes so you don't compromise the wood as you cut the circles.<br />
<br />
2. Trace and Cut Circles<br />
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Once you have the wood cut to the correct length, you will need to flip the dishes over to trace around the lip of the dishes. Once you have traced around the dishes, you will need to account for the lip. Make a second circle within the larger circle to make a smaller hole so the dish will be held up. Erase the larger circle to avoid confusion.<br />
<br />
To cut the circles, first drill a hole on the smaller circle towards the inside. This hole needs to be big enough that a jig saw blade can fit within the hole. Cut on the line in a circle. You may need to take it slow in order to make the curves. Repeat with the second hole.<br />
<br />
3. Sand<br />
<br />
Use some sandpaper to sand off the rough edges around the circle you cut out. Also sand down the rest of the board so it's smooth and ready for finishing. You can also use the sandpaper to round any sharp edges.<br />
<br />
4. Stain or Paint and Seal<br />
<br />
You can stain or paint the board/legs (which ever is your preference). Once you are done, you will need to seal the board and legs several times over. This surface is going to get some major moisture either from drool or water. Follow the directions on the label which usually includes a light sanding between layers.<br />
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5. Attach Legs<br />
<br />
Using the appropriate hardware (the package will indicate what hardware to purchase) to attach the legs you purchased to the board. You're done!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjnMK2Z5dEcjCt-LvGvCmgswZ54_tlEEwk7y5UVZsXM8EzaFWi3OK6nPxOiTyAtWA8246aTL_wVmuqVW7YJAdsQf1ZVxTuLt71UVmHnCdBO6-JW1CbvKkkbHnOg3si8-vmz7uBg2I7boU/s1600/IMG_5307.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjnMK2Z5dEcjCt-LvGvCmgswZ54_tlEEwk7y5UVZsXM8EzaFWi3OK6nPxOiTyAtWA8246aTL_wVmuqVW7YJAdsQf1ZVxTuLt71UVmHnCdBO6-JW1CbvKkkbHnOg3si8-vmz7uBg2I7boU/s640/IMG_5307.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghZaixyFVL2mY1cJ5Mx5G5g6L3lNQE3nwGtaIyLDBDprE7GGtFprNlyfGAho2nnaIwu-3xXyKltFlscOgHtxv4czUvUuBzVWG1B0DlGKF85zJMBBBPQA2tc_KH_OeYIa7RrHyJ62mSbiQ/s1600/IMG_5306.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghZaixyFVL2mY1cJ5Mx5G5g6L3lNQE3nwGtaIyLDBDprE7GGtFprNlyfGAho2nnaIwu-3xXyKltFlscOgHtxv4czUvUuBzVWG1B0DlGKF85zJMBBBPQA2tc_KH_OeYIa7RrHyJ62mSbiQ/s640/IMG_5306.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<img align="right" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi71IDcZvtDIZryz7noARjVno4NxfspW2pB_StieJrGs7qEc9XZOkhkctWBAKtE3ML0gNpPz3tIWAx-w4-PBELfOa6D9nDnsw_fh5g7jf9m86eHWUKSPDjap3jFLESQTg9Me_FhbJbU/s1600/signature-thedabblingcrafter.png" style="border: 0px;" /><a href="http://www.pinterest.com/dabblingcrafter"><br /><br /><br /><br /></a><a href="https://imgbb.com/"><img alt="watermelon pinterest" border="0" src="https://image.ibb.co/gU8ZMa/watermelon_pinterest.png" /></a> <a href="https://imgbb.com/"><img alt="seagreen facebook" border="0" src="https://image.ibb.co/gL2GZv/seagreen_facebook.png" /></a> <a href="https://imgbb.com/"><img alt="blue twitter 1" border="0" src="https://image.ibb.co/dj8ZMa/blue_twitter_1.png" /></a>TheDabblingCrafterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09887107946361368583noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6859159588839510533.post-7921300724058021632018-04-03T23:51:00.000-05:002018-04-03T23:51:06.718-05:00DIY Cat Camper HouseHello,<br />
<br />
As a self-proclaimed dog person, I do get the occasional inkling to make something for the cats of the house. I mean, at least one of them is nice. (The other one lurks around corners waiting for the best opportunity to commit homicide.)<br />
<br />
I started to look at some small gift to give the cats for Christmas, because, yes, we are one of those families. I found an adorable vintage camper house for cats. If the cats are going to have something, why <i>wouldn't</i> it be a cute vintage camper? But the Amazon one was around $30.00. Um. I love my cats...well strongly care for...but that seemed a wee-bit over priced for a bunch of cardboard.<br />
<br />
Speaking of Amazon...you know who gets lots of cardboard? This Amazon Prime addict. Also, I've got all this free time from not running into town for TP, so I could use those skills to make one bomb diggity cat camper, no doubt.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF6313USuq9wVXStuJQjUtDoIh-SbhfgqwQhg8Co1Y_LAxXL8VDmCGUGA06R-qgJJ11FMFxQB03aoc8cDbNU2tjvJffgPFw9Zoit_1AbbbMABVSVVeq9Y_sGFzqI538vo77l1c8e5yYLw/s1600/IMG_5539.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF6313USuq9wVXStuJQjUtDoIh-SbhfgqwQhg8Co1Y_LAxXL8VDmCGUGA06R-qgJJ11FMFxQB03aoc8cDbNU2tjvJffgPFw9Zoit_1AbbbMABVSVVeq9Y_sGFzqI538vo77l1c8e5yYLw/s640/IMG_5539.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: center;">
<b>Supplies</b></blockquote>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1kIJuxg2IC9KckoCDmPbkzIGxuTLXe6J6o0bgJKMOGdQ0h4jQsz6J1TdlWeI45K16WUqhjJlfHlDJnlooQew2LCheZbpyErNlEmKN5rAfpCt5_jdfNu5ky1g8n_k4z0Hkxdx9eGdOTco/s1600/IMG_5500.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1kIJuxg2IC9KckoCDmPbkzIGxuTLXe6J6o0bgJKMOGdQ0h4jQsz6J1TdlWeI45K16WUqhjJlfHlDJnlooQew2LCheZbpyErNlEmKN5rAfpCt5_jdfNu5ky1g8n_k4z0Hkxdx9eGdOTco/s320/IMG_5500.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<a href="http://www.xacto.com/" target="_blank">X-Acto</a> Knife (New blades really work best)<br />
Cardboard (Keep an old box, or grab a new one or foam board from the store)<br />
Pencil<br />
Paint & Brush (I used acrylic and house paint..whatever I had around the house)<br />
Packing Tape<br />
Ruler (if you want to make sure your lines are straight and measured accurately)<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: center;">
<b>Directions</b></blockquote>
<br />
1. Draw Outline of Front of Camper<br />
<br />
You can make your camper whatever shape you want. Of course I had a wonderful example with Myrtle in our front drive. (Check out Myrtle's Journey <a href="http://www.thedabblingcrafter.com/search/label/Myrtle%20the%20Turtle" target="_blank">here</a>).<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdmIRXhEwokGghbXk4yn6sBaapnA-gHuNpO6vn12N33TU2jQKMBT-3tDt5qNjJ1QT4QgdV3oOjyxrgjO5vaW428g2BqobgxPLAMT2_5CPILRQS-0NmETQlJwYv6LqsfG2AcszoPkg1EQw/s1600/IMG_5501.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdmIRXhEwokGghbXk4yn6sBaapnA-gHuNpO6vn12N33TU2jQKMBT-3tDt5qNjJ1QT4QgdV3oOjyxrgjO5vaW428g2BqobgxPLAMT2_5CPILRQS-0NmETQlJwYv6LqsfG2AcszoPkg1EQw/s640/IMG_5501.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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2. Cut & Draw Outline of Back of Camper<br />
<br />
Using your <a href="http://www.xacto.com/" target="_blank">X-acto</a> knife, follow the line you have drawn. Hint: When using an X-acto knife, it's much easier to pull the knife towards you, not push it away.<br />
<br />
Once you have your outline cut out, you will need to make an opposite side. Use the cut out side as a pattern to transfer an outline to another piece of cardboard. Cut out this piece with your X-acto knife.<br />
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3. Draw Details<br />
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I decided my camper needed windows (the lever ones and jalousie, <i>obviously</i>). I also needed a door as well. Using a system of scoring (not cutting all the way through the cardboard, but rather just the first layer so the cardboard bends freely), I created a door and windows.<br />
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4. Paint<br />
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Before you can tape anything together, you'll need to paint the camper. This is the one step where I thought I might have picked the wrong material. A white foam board would have already been colored. Cardboard also sucks up paint like no other, so you'll have to do multiple coats. I didn't find the paint made the cardboard soggy by any means, just time consuming between coats. I used a <a href="http://www.elmers.com/products/paint-pens-and-other-supplies?filters=paint-markers" target="_blank">Painter's</a> pen for the dots.<br />
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5. Create Base<br />
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Using the side as a guide, I marked on another piece of cardboard how long the front was. I made the camper about 10 inches wide. Big enough for a cat, but not too big. You will want to add about 2 to 3 inches to the width and length in order to have a side to tape the front and back to. (See the pictures for a better idea of what I'm describing).<br />
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Score at the line of the extra "over hang." You are basically creating a box bottom. Tape up the corners to create the box shape.<br />
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You may need to trim the bottom box where the door is going to hit if you don't want the base showing. (<i>Doubt the cats mind much</i>)<br />
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6. Using the packing tape, tape the front and back to your bottom base. Tape from the inside so it's hidden from view.<br />
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7. Add Structure to the top<br />
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Cut strips of cardboard as wide as your camper (around 10 inches in my case) and tape them to the top and sides of your camper. This will add some stability and make it easier to attach the top/side piece.<br />
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8. Create Roof and Sides<br />
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Using one long piece of cardboard as wide as your camper, you will want to create your roof. This is the longest of all the steps. Each time there is a curve (for example, when you are going from the roof to the side), you will need to score the cardboard to make it curve.<br />
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9. Paint the Roof & Attach<br />
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This is is pretty self explanatory. You'll need it to be painted before you tape it on. (Paint won't stick to tape well, if at all) Finally, using the packing tape, attach the roof. You probably will need this tape to be on the outside of the camper, so it will show a bit.<br />
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10. Enjoy!<br />
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Here's the nice kitty enjoying his fancy new camper. The other cat is probably googling "How to Get Away with Murder."<br />
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<br /><br /><img align="right" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi71IDcZvtDIZryz7noARjVno4NxfspW2pB_StieJrGs7qEc9XZOkhkctWBAKtE3ML0gNpPz3tIWAx-w4-PBELfOa6D9nDnsw_fh5g7jf9m86eHWUKSPDjap3jFLESQTg9Me_FhbJbU/s1600/signature-thedabblingcrafter.png" style="border: 0px;" /><a href="http://www.pinterest.com/dabblingcrafter"><br /><br /><br /><br /></a><a href="https://imgbb.com/"><img alt="watermelon pinterest" border="0" src="https://image.ibb.co/gU8ZMa/watermelon_pinterest.png" /></a> <a href="https://imgbb.com/"><img alt="seagreen facebook" border="0" src="https://image.ibb.co/gL2GZv/seagreen_facebook.png" /></a> <a href="https://imgbb.com/"><img alt="blue twitter 1" border="0" src="https://image.ibb.co/dj8ZMa/blue_twitter_1.png" /></a>TheDabblingCrafterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09887107946361368583noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6859159588839510533.post-34975027971078198142018-02-24T10:17:00.001-06:002018-02-24T10:18:04.442-06:00DIY Couch Cushion Fix<div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: small;">
Long time, no talk huh? Life has been crazy especially with cold and flu season upon us. I feel like I’m one more sick kid away from making my children leave the house in hazmat suits with a Purell shower waiting at home. </div>
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Anyways, all those sick kids made it woefully apparently our couch wasn’t equipped for long days watching Netflix. Some background on our furniture. We bought a couch and two accent chairs from a local furniture shop about three years ago. The couch and one chair are the “Best Furniture” brand and the other chair is a “Pallister” This post has nothing to do with the Pallister chair. That thing looks amazing apart from cat induced thread pulling. (Cats are dicks) </div>
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However, the other chair and couch did not fair as well in our home. After about a month of owning them, the cushions looked all sorts of lopsided. I contacted the local furniture shop and apparently the long time owner had decided to retire, and they were in the middle of some ownership changes. Translation: no one had any advice or offered any solutions to the lopsided cushions. I supposed that’s one downside of locally owned (although I feel like it’s really the exception not the rule).</div>
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Flash forward one year later, and the couch has pretty much fallen apart. The springs in the main part of the couch fell out completely. At that new development, I call the the local furniture shop, and they offered to come look at it. They had completed the ownership change and seemed to have their act (kinda) together at this point. So, they came over, flipped the couch over to look at the bottom, and the frame literally fell apart in their hands. They picked up the pieces and took the entire thing with them. </div>
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They ended up completely rebuilding the frame and brought me back a like new couch....except for the cushions. Those pesky cushions were now out of warranty. I decided before we bought a completely new couch, it was worth trying some DIY on the cushions especially with a completely new frame and fairly nice upholstery. </div>
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The fabric covers were in pretty good shape. The spring cores were surrounded by a foam cover which also seemed to be in pretty good shape. Once I opened up the foam cover, it was pretty clear why they were so uncomfortable. (And every single cushion was like this!)</div>
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So each spring has a "pocket" holding it in place which are attached with one another to create a grid of sorts. However, the material that was used to make these "pockets" is the same fabric as those $1.00 reusable shopping bags. In what world would that fabric decision make <i>any</i> sense? Some brilliant guy was like, "Hey, let's save some money and make this with fabric that is $0.01 per yard. I'm sure that cheap fabric will do great under high tension from springs." <i>(Imagine that I am rolling my eyes high enough to make myself dizzy)</i></div>
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At this point I had a couple of different options I considered. I could completely scrap the cheap fabric and attempt to make my own pockets from a much higher quality fabric (I was thinking some sort of home dec fabric I had sitting around). I didn't love this option because it would mean extra sewing and I wasn't real confident in my ability to make them look uniform. I could just try to mend the current crap fabric, but I knew that would only last so long. After playing around with everything, I decided to do a hybrid approach. </div>
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The first thing I did was get all those tangled springs back into a pocket. I used some upholstery thread (translation...higher strength) to hand sew each pocket in order to keep the spring in place. I stabbed myself with a needle about 200 times, but I got it done. </div>
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After each spring was in the correct place, I took a heavy duty corduroy fabric I had sitting around to wrap the springs. Good thing about them being inside the cushion is the color and design of the fabric doesn't matter. My thought was this fabric will keep the springs in place by not allowing them to pop out the top nor out the side. So, I saved myself from making a completely new fabric structure, but still had the entire spring form wrapped in much higher quality fabric. </div>
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After I had the spring forms fixed, I had to put them back into the cushion foam structure. I quickly found that the fabric and foam had been stretched far enough out of shape that the spring form wasn't enough to fill the space. I grabbed a bunch of batting and shredded foam to refill around the spring form. I put the batting around the spring form so you wouldn't feel the springs and then used the shredded foam around the sides of the spring form to fill out the cushions. </div>
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Over-all the project wasn't too bad. I only had to buy the batting and foam which was around $50.00. I had the thread and fabric already. It took me about one night of three or so hours of work to get one cushion done. I had four cushions total to fix, so in about a week I had the couch in tip top shape. </div>
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<img align="right" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi71IDcZvtDIZryz7noARjVno4NxfspW2pB_StieJrGs7qEc9XZOkhkctWBAKtE3ML0gNpPz3tIWAx-w4-PBELfOa6D9nDnsw_fh5g7jf9m86eHWUKSPDjap3jFLESQTg9Me_FhbJbU/s1600/signature-thedabblingcrafter.png" style="border: 0px;" /><a href="http://www.pinterest.com/dabblingcrafter"><br /><br /><br /><br /></a><a href="https://imgbb.com/"><img alt="watermelon pinterest" border="0" src="https://image.ibb.co/gU8ZMa/watermelon_pinterest.png" /></a> <a href="https://imgbb.com/"><img alt="seagreen facebook" border="0" src="https://image.ibb.co/gL2GZv/seagreen_facebook.png" /></a> <a href="https://imgbb.com/"><img alt="blue twitter 1" border="0" src="https://image.ibb.co/dj8ZMa/blue_twitter_1.png" /></a>TheDabblingCrafterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09887107946361368583noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6859159588839510533.post-7213143528020791022017-08-29T00:14:00.004-05:002017-08-29T00:15:17.602-05:00DIY Walking RopeLast spring I was lucky enough to chaperone a preschool field trip. Do you want to know what it's like to chaperone a group of 3 year olds? Go to the humane society and try to get all the kittens in the cat room to line up in a perfect line and wait for instructions.<br />
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Yeah. It was interesting. Our preschool teacher is awesome and tries to get the kids outside as much as she can. After my experience with chaperoning, I had a new found respect for the teacher. I wanted to make her walks with the kids just a little bit easier.<br />
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You may have seen the walking ropes that daycares, schools or large families use. The idea is if younger children have something to hold on to, they are easier to wrangle.<br />
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I decided the concept was something that could easily be made with materials around the house. So, one afternoon I start messing around with the idea. After playing around with some rope and ribbon, I figured it out.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi64UI94KYKXXZZMyF9tzA29puHoXsHWamOVPLdMAMlzG5AyRtOYImTKrzgg_ay0UrV7nrwrKUryCf97oGqjaU9wdo00VFbKGzyN6wFhuZVoIzN2O_BhskSLW7O4i57zfJAVbF8BoiuI4o/s1600/IMG_3114.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi64UI94KYKXXZZMyF9tzA29puHoXsHWamOVPLdMAMlzG5AyRtOYImTKrzgg_ay0UrV7nrwrKUryCf97oGqjaU9wdo00VFbKGzyN6wFhuZVoIzN2O_BhskSLW7O4i57zfJAVbF8BoiuI4o/s640/IMG_3114.JPG" title="Child Walking Rope" width="480" /></a></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: center;">
<b>Materials</b></blockquote>
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Ribbon (I used thicker ribbon I had in my scrap bin)<br />
Rope<br />
Sewing Machine (I suppose you could knot the ribbon into loops or try hand stitching or hot gluing..options for those who are sewing machine adverse)<br />
Scissors<br />
Optional: Hot Glue Gun<br />
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<b>Step One: Cut Ribbon</b><br />
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You have to decide how many loops you need for your rope. I decided to make 6 loops which allow 12 children to walk on the rope. One big loop will end up being tied off to make two smaller ones. Once you figure out how many loops you want, you need to cut the same amount of strips of ribbon. All the cuts of ribbon should be the same length. Now, my ribbon strips were quite long. I think they were around 24 inches long each.<br /><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE5UcDwBHctBU9OGODE2yHJW5Dl6x9ts0QzFyIIK3yVITW5sde25RhqnO3uCHePD4vi0EB7Nt8DHVRpRpmtmkKIxbzRKVwe3SzCONp-7YkY0Kosc07pbAZYQi6vQ0aL9CyK0X1uBL-SqU/s1600/IMG_3100.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE5UcDwBHctBU9OGODE2yHJW5Dl6x9ts0QzFyIIK3yVITW5sde25RhqnO3uCHePD4vi0EB7Nt8DHVRpRpmtmkKIxbzRKVwe3SzCONp-7YkY0Kosc07pbAZYQi6vQ0aL9CyK0X1uBL-SqU/s640/IMG_3100.JPG" title="Ribbon Cut for Walking Rope" width="480" /></a></div>
<br /><b>Step Two: Create Loops</b><br />
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Turning the design to the inside, make the ribbon into a loop (aka circle or whatever fancy word I should be using instead) and sew the two ends together. I did several stitches, because I assume kids are going to be rough on them pulling and such. Do this with all the ribbon strips you have cut.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQdxt4h-q6jgvR9deXXHGEb-10Bw_x9-_C76HXFTUJEA6ChY270MId2QqURZh58E2Gu79IwSBaGFdSWWKFnFjD1_fno669BG6_pRIKHYVmQCj9Q67h4h5pwUXNkGHJa3QE7AumG5sBU-Q/s1600/IMG_3106.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQdxt4h-q6jgvR9deXXHGEb-10Bw_x9-_C76HXFTUJEA6ChY270MId2QqURZh58E2Gu79IwSBaGFdSWWKFnFjD1_fno669BG6_pRIKHYVmQCj9Q67h4h5pwUXNkGHJa3QE7AumG5sBU-Q/s640/IMG_3106.JPG" title="Sewing Ribbon for Walking Rope" width="480" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv9ZqzdojuzltJcWsqyPVBHBD8EJN6AaxZOTaucBEwEKX2RcwLRGa95Ft5jaZFPxaf82rZ-SzF2ACGNeFSWkmKou0-qeH7RX2rYe0k9Uf628P8TuQ2NN9amgCOcNzORxhiMMDW5FRFK7I/s1600/IMG_3108.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv9ZqzdojuzltJcWsqyPVBHBD8EJN6AaxZOTaucBEwEKX2RcwLRGa95Ft5jaZFPxaf82rZ-SzF2ACGNeFSWkmKou0-qeH7RX2rYe0k9Uf628P8TuQ2NN9amgCOcNzORxhiMMDW5FRFK7I/s640/IMG_3108.JPG" title="Close up of ribbon for walking rope" width="480" /></a></div>
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<b>Step Three: Attach Loops</b><br />
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Once you're done, lay out your rope. I put my loops across the rope so I could see how close they should be together. Then I cut my rope about 2-3 feet longer than how I had it laid out.<br />
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To attach the loops, you can't simply tie them to the rope. They would slide all around, and you'd have a 5 child pile up. How I knotted everything is a bit hard to explain (and to show for that matter) but I'll do my best.<br />
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You will want to get one ribbon loop fully knotted on before you move on to the next ribbon loop. First, slip the rope through the loop.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzkKyseuPBvWkb97sBYVnfuyuEPAz_OY68lPMXSFf0mLNNPG-XCz-zrOh19uKlhff_r-x1ZafuZUX055lO5Ll5tHQDaLnG-P0-v-sNHQGAIz7d_cf7p7CpoNkIBrqVwpBfz14nUMYeh_U/s1600/IMG_3110.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzkKyseuPBvWkb97sBYVnfuyuEPAz_OY68lPMXSFf0mLNNPG-XCz-zrOh19uKlhff_r-x1ZafuZUX055lO5Ll5tHQDaLnG-P0-v-sNHQGAIz7d_cf7p7CpoNkIBrqVwpBfz14nUMYeh_U/s640/IMG_3110.JPG" title="how to knot walking rope" width="480" /></a></div>
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Once you have the rope through the loop (or the center of the circle), tie the rope to one side of the ribbon loop. I tied the rope close to the sewn ends just to conceal them, but it shouldn't matter where you tie the rope.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJmkTrPmpi7Q5Kb-7g_N_UduBf_0w-xjcO0Bd_JKty3DnifUrANS1AyrVvTdAeTY1rWhvHmLfoOq9nEnGvRtONCIhl-ZrXbjPK373JFn-Su1wcUingoVUoo9DdBzEoDmgz5pu_sdiw6og/s1600/IMG_3111.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJmkTrPmpi7Q5Kb-7g_N_UduBf_0w-xjcO0Bd_JKty3DnifUrANS1AyrVvTdAeTY1rWhvHmLfoOq9nEnGvRtONCIhl-ZrXbjPK373JFn-Su1wcUingoVUoo9DdBzEoDmgz5pu_sdiw6og/s640/IMG_3111.JPG" title="Knotting ribbon to walking rope" width="480" /></a></div>
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Next, while keeping the rope knot in the center of the ribbon loop, tie the ribbon loop in a knot around the rope. Having the rope knotted this way will ensure it doesn't move around on the rope.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_RBF2E3xwl6ttsFXXslkZiGvbeDgsYjoyyUZcy0JtLgzOU1wLFtFx72GSNUuN9hYlxWOyl5NMPWwU8QEGzp4eYTd1sb8OhUA_A9LS14pK-SBpbDNxdlAvyRd1CZ-NvrSqXFYJ56Dz9YI/s1600/IMG_3112.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_RBF2E3xwl6ttsFXXslkZiGvbeDgsYjoyyUZcy0JtLgzOU1wLFtFx72GSNUuN9hYlxWOyl5NMPWwU8QEGzp4eYTd1sb8OhUA_A9LS14pK-SBpbDNxdlAvyRd1CZ-NvrSqXFYJ56Dz9YI/s640/IMG_3112.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkB6KvRsgGkZcAYR8xFDFanjAr8L8cKVIFB-gry4Y70AVcCuwkA5Z6o2arIUcgGkFnIvcFW9C0L4Vdqh4UeyZZSM209z8888GthhkgnA7Sr6x-K0Y0kuGJ6AxUJASDVCxZPpdDYIFEon8/s1600/IMG_3103.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkB6KvRsgGkZcAYR8xFDFanjAr8L8cKVIFB-gry4Y70AVcCuwkA5Z6o2arIUcgGkFnIvcFW9C0L4Vdqh4UeyZZSM209z8888GthhkgnA7Sr6x-K0Y0kuGJ6AxUJASDVCxZPpdDYIFEon8/s640/IMG_3103.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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<b>Step Four: Finish</b><br />
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I did a couple of finishing steps on the walking rope. I made a loop on the front of the rope so the teacher can hold it the rope. I wrapped this front loop with ribbon as a bit of padding and then hot glued everything in the place. I also knotted a loop at the very end of the rope for another child to grab. I also secured this knot with some hot glue.<br />
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I don't know if any of you use Photobucket for blogs or forums, but without notice, they decided to just turn off all embeded images. So, my 10 years worth of blog posts now have a bunch of broken signature blocks. Argh. So frustrating. Anyways fellow bloggers, I feel your pain!<br />
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This year the Easter Bunny brought my oldest daughter her own pair of Converse high tops. The Easter Bunny got a really good deal on them. However, I, ahem..the Easter Bunny...didn't realize high tops are extremely difficult for kids to get on and off. The laces didn't have any give. Every time she had to take them on and off you practically had to unlace them. My daughter has many pairs of lace shoes that she wears with no problems, but these shoes weren't cooperating.<br />
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After a couple of soccer practices trying to get them on, I knew we needed a different solution. I thought about buying those lace free alternatives they now make. The reviews weren't great, and they could be expensive especially if they broke frequently. I was going to rig something up with plain white elastic when I saw a pile of my daughter's elastic ribbon hair ties. Why go with plain white when you can make something unique?<br />
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Each set of holes used one hair tie. I didn't have enough to do all matching elastic ribbon, but I did have enough to match the two pairs of shoes. Using a needle and thread, I would thread the ribbon through the hole and sew the front and back of the elastic with white thread. I tried to match the stitching that was already on the Converse. The first side was easier than the second simply because there was a bit of tension as you pulled the elastic ribbon across and threaded it. I left the top two sets of holes empty so it would be easier to pull them on. I am happy to report after a {very} active summer, they are still holding up quite well.<br />
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<img align="right" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi71IDcZvtDIZryz7noARjVno4NxfspW2pB_StieJrGs7qEc9XZOkhkctWBAKtE3ML0gNpPz3tIWAx-w4-PBELfOa6D9nDnsw_fh5g7jf9m86eHWUKSPDjap3jFLESQTg9Me_FhbJbU/s1600/signature-thedabblingcrafter.png" style="border: 0px;" /><a href="http://www.pinterest.com/dabblingcrafter"><br /><br /><br /></a><a href="https://imgbb.com/"><img alt="watermelon pinterest" border="0" src="https://image.ibb.co/gU8ZMa/watermelon_pinterest.png" /></a> <a href="https://imgbb.com/"><img alt="seagreen facebook" border="0" src="https://image.ibb.co/gL2GZv/seagreen_facebook.png" /></a> <a href="https://imgbb.com/"><img alt="blue twitter 1" border="0" src="https://image.ibb.co/dj8ZMa/blue_twitter_1.png" /></a>TheDabblingCrafterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09887107946361368583noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6859159588839510533.post-27703994228620311612017-06-30T00:56:00.002-05:002017-08-05T01:01:51.255-05:00DIY Outdoor Painting StationIf your weather has been anything like ours, your family is probably spending a ton of time outside. A couple of weeks ago, I was wandering around Lowes and saw some plexiglass. I got an idea to create a painting station for my children in our yard. The inspiration for the project came from our local children's museum. The painting window is one of my children's favorite rooms.<br />
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So, this project is actually pretty simple and inexpensive. We use washable fingerpaint for ours, and let the rain or squirt bottle do the cleaning afterwards.<br />
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<b>Supplies</b><br />
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Piece of Plexiglass <i>(Lowes has precut ones available, but will also cut the glass for you)</i><br />
Two boards the width of the Plexiglass <i>(I had some left over plastic composite wood which has worked well in the elements)</i><br />
Two or four bolts and locking nuts (<i>Long enough to go through both boards with room to spare)</i><br />
Two brackets/eye screws <i>(to hang from your fence or other surface)</i><br />
Rope<br />
Cup Hooks<br />
Drill, Clamps, wrench, pliers and (maybe) a Saw<br />
Painting supplies: brushes, buckets, squeegie, squirt bottle<br />
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<b>Step One: Drill Holes and Attach Bolts</b><br />
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Start by clamping your boards in a plexiglass sandwich. I didn't have to cut my boards to be the same length since they already were, but you might if you get a new board.<br />
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Going slowly, drill a hole through the boards and plexiglass sandwich. You will want to use a drill bit that is wide enough to have the bolt slide through easily. I did four holes/bolts in my boards. Using a wrench and pliers, secure the bolts through the boards and plexiglass. Make sure they are firmly attached but not too tight. You don't want to crack your plexiglass.<br />
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<b>Step Two: Attach Hangers</b><br />
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I had some of these metal brackets hanging out from a previous project. It was rather easy to add them to the back of my board through the top set of bolts, but you can easily attach them using a set of screws as well. I added some washers just so they wouldn't wear into the boards over time.<br />
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<b>Step Three: Add Hooks</b><br />
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You can now remove the clamps. I added a set of cup hooks to my boards to hang these small buckets for paint. The buckets are from Target. I might also add additional hooks for the squeegie and spray bottle. I slipped some rope through the the brackets and hung it on my fence.<br />
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<img align="right" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi71IDcZvtDIZryz7noARjVno4NxfspW2pB_StieJrGs7qEc9XZOkhkctWBAKtE3ML0gNpPz3tIWAx-w4-PBELfOa6D9nDnsw_fh5g7jf9m86eHWUKSPDjap3jFLESQTg9Me_FhbJbU/s1600/signature-thedabblingcrafter.png" style="border: 0px;" /><a href="http://www.pinterest.com/dabblingcrafter"><br /></a> TheDabblingCrafterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09887107946361368583noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6859159588839510533.post-78799191957966541922017-06-18T01:42:00.001-05:002017-08-05T01:02:21.097-05:00Myrtle Gets a FaceliftHello!<br />
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I have one of those compulsive personalities that requires many (many) lists, properly labeled plastic bins and planning. I like things a certain way and in a certain place. Owning Myrtle has taught me that despite all the lists I make of what order the remodel will go in and what I want to accomplish, she has much different plans. I suppose remodeling her is much like motherhood in that respect.<br />
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When she was all shut up for winter, I made all these detailed plans. This year I was going to tackle the windows, roof and paint her one of those Pinterest worthy paint jobs. I spent all my snow days reading about how to properly seal windows, how to DIY paint on a vintage camper and how to coat a roof. I was anxious to get started the minute the tulips started peeking up.<br />
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On the first stretch of nice weather, I pulled out the first window. I was going to clean it up, seal it up with butyl tape and put it back in. Easy peasy. I wanted to complete all the windows so I could move on to painting. The framing was still solid around the window, and with a lot of elbow grease, the old caulk was gone and the window was ready to go back in. Except it wouldn't. At least not to the point where it was sealed properly. I realized after much cursing and wiggling, that these replacement windows weren't going to cut it. So, despite all my plans, I learned the lesson Myrtle keeps telling me...I have to be willing to be flexible. So, I started hunting for original windows to put back into the camper (still searching by the way). I decided to leave the old windows, buy some new metal door awnings to go over them to keep the rain out (thanks <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008BSPGTS/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1" target="_blank">Amazon</a>!) and move on to resealing the sheet metal pieces and j-rails.<br />
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I pulled the first piece of sheet metal that was covering a hole that used to be a vent. I didn't need the vent, but to make it look nicer and ready it for painting, I did paint the sheet metal white. I was pleasantly surprised the caulk came off really easy and there was minimal wood to replace. I got that project done in just a few hours. Fresh off this good news, I removed a piece of j-rail. It also came off easy and didn't seem to have any damage to repair. Heck, why not keep going? So, I removed the next piece of j-rail by the cab over bunk area.<br />
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Myrtle started laughing at me. And by laughing, I mean the skin practically fell off her because the bunk area is all rotted away. Son of a gun! I should have known that this was going to happen considering the cab over bunk area is the only part of the camper with the original birch wood which is a strong indication that it's the only area the previous owner didn't reframe. So, this is what Myrtle looks like in the front right now until the Hubs and I take off the front skin to see what we're dealing with. (Here's hoping it's just a couple pieces to replace by the j-rail)<br />
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So, that brings me back to that paint job. The cool eye catching paint job that I've been planning since before I got her. It would seem that isn't going to happen this summer. In fact, with the search for windows and the slow moving resealing, there's a chance it will be a couple of summers away. I was bummed. I know it's superficial and the paint has little to do with her ability to take our family camping, but dang...I wanted that eye catching vintage look now.<br />
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Late one night as I cut vinyl for a father's day gift (blog post coming soon), I pulled out some vinyl from an outside project a few years ago. Then I think an actual light bulb came on as I had my epiphany. If I couldn't paint Myrtle yet, that didn't mean I had to forgo decorating her. I ordered some vinyl, and now I have the pleasure of introducing Myrtle's mini-face lift.<br />
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The supplies you need for this project are quite simple. Two 5 yard rolls of Oracal 651 outdoor vinyl did the trick for me (I buy all my vinyl from <a href="https://expressionsvinyl.com/gloss-vinyl-rolls.html" target="_blank">Expressions Vinyl </a>and have been very happy with their pricing and quick shipping). I put the rolls through my Silhouette paper cutting machine. I made a very simple cut file with 2 inch wide circles with a couple of rows of half circles for the top.<br />
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While my machine was cutting all that vinyl, I prepped the surface for the vinyl. I gave Myrtle a bath and then wiped all the blue areas (where my dots were going) with rubbing alcohol.<br />
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Once all the vinyl was cut, I used a old school ruler to measure out the top row. I did half circles every 6 inches. Once the top roll was done, I just eye balled the rest of the rows. The aluminum skin is a great way to keep the circles level. I just used the horizontal lines in the skin as my guide. I didn't use transfer paper. I just peeled the circles off and placed on the skin slowly to avoid bubbles. I would use a spare credit card to get any extra bubbles out of the vinyl and to stick it to the skin. When I got to an obstacle, I would place a circle over the skin and obstacle and use a dull Exact-o knife to cut around the obstacle.<br />
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I am extremely impressed with how this turned out considering the amount of time it took (just a couple of hours over several days) and the amount of money (around $30.00). The Oracal 651 is rated for around 6+ years of durability outdoors. I really hope it doesn't take that long to get to painting or I might go completely crazy. The vinyl should come off with some heat and scraping. Since it will only be removed when it's time to paint, I won't worry about any scrapes it may leave in the surface of Myrtle. <br />
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<img align="right" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi71IDcZvtDIZryz7noARjVno4NxfspW2pB_StieJrGs7qEc9XZOkhkctWBAKtE3ML0gNpPz3tIWAx-w4-PBELfOa6D9nDnsw_fh5g7jf9m86eHWUKSPDjap3jFLESQTg9Me_FhbJbU/s1600/signature-thedabblingcrafter.png" style="border: 0px;" /><a href="http://www.pinterest.com/dabblingcrafter"><br /><br /><br /></a> TheDabblingCrafterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09887107946361368583noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6859159588839510533.post-65168287567926123972017-05-30T14:53:00.005-05:002017-08-05T01:02:39.192-05:00DIY Watercolor Scratch Off MapA couple of weeks ago I saw a sponsored post on Facebook that featured a scratch off map of the United States. As you visit a state, you scratch off the state to reveal a pretty watercolor underneath.<br />
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I was about to purchase one when I thought to myself, "I think I can make this with what I already have in my house." I watched some videos, read some blogs, and I decided to give it a try.<br />
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I tried a couple different methods I found online so I could give the best recommendation and directions. <b>I would first recommend a quick reading through the directions, because I do give many alternatives to listed materials. So even if you don't think you have or can find the supplies listed, you might have an alternative option available.</b><br />
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<b>Materials</b><br />
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Heavy Card Stock <i>(I used 100 lb, 8.5 x 11)</i><br />
Watercolors <i>(I used basic Crayola watercolors from my daughter's leftover school supplies)</i><br />
Paint Brush<br />
Water, Cup and Paper Towels<br />
Carbon Paper <i>(or another method to transfer the mock up to the card stock)</i><br />
Printer Paper<br />
Computer <i>(with word or photo editing software)</i><br />
Self-Sealing or Heat Sealing Laminating Sheet <i>(or Contact Paper or Packing Tape)</i><br />
Large Chalk Pen<br />
Sharpie<br />
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<b>Directions</b><br />
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1. <u>Create Mock Up</u><br />
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Using a simple map image, fonts I've downloaded, and Photoshop Elements, I created a mock up of what I wanted my map to look like. I hand lettered the state names, but you could easily add that to your mock up as well.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6UEZtfZwpqeQe25wxHPEPqQyEWLThGLR2i04USP9uwBJt3DLHk8s5Ba5XCn3xygY8ryZpkdGCveDOdNv6pHQMgn_3OQfJciQllJUVM61O_rlTMcV2nmzWxrVaTl7xWNv-VhcWYj3sbZk/s1600/Screen+Shot+2017-05-27+at+5.08.25+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6UEZtfZwpqeQe25wxHPEPqQyEWLThGLR2i04USP9uwBJt3DLHk8s5Ba5XCn3xygY8ryZpkdGCveDOdNv6pHQMgn_3OQfJciQllJUVM61O_rlTMcV2nmzWxrVaTl7xWNv-VhcWYj3sbZk/s640/Screen+Shot+2017-05-27+at+5.08.25+PM.png" width="640" /></a></div>
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However, there are alternatives if you don't have these resources available to you. Instead of Photoshop Elements, you could easily use Microsoft Word or Paint to create your mock up. If you don't have a computer, you could free hand draw the map right on the card stock.<br />
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If you wanted to make a larger version of the map, you could also use these programs and print on several sheets and tape together. Instead of card stock, you could use foam board or poster board.<br />
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2. <u>Transfer Mock Up</u><br />
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Now, I thought about just printing my mock up right on to the card stock and moving on to the next step. However, the more I thought about it, I thought it was likely the watercolor would cause the printer ink to bleed. Really, graphite (i.e. pencil) would be a better option. If I wanted to get really crazy, I suppose I could have hooked up my Silhouette to draw the image with a pencil.<br />
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What I did was grab some carbon transfer paper and sandwich it between a printed version of the document (on regular printer paper) and the card stock. I kept everything in place using a clipboard (but you could easily just tape everything down to the table or desk). I just traced the image with a ball point pen, and it transferred the image over. If you don't have carbon paper (it's inexpensive, reuseable, and available at craft stores), you could also try using your laptop as a light box, pushing hard enough to make an indent in the card stock or even just trying to print straight on the card stock.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhetcVz0zlbPA5pj2RuZDWh7cVWTAifwEH5yuFilu0b8Z9aJ7FOvIGuiaptkWMCuKzqkUI2ufCMQhm521uo44By0MBYGhXMn0-grIko1nvr8R40pGVGtPZRfFYpicuK2GFnERdBL-uLzYA/s1600/Scratch+off+map+diy+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhetcVz0zlbPA5pj2RuZDWh7cVWTAifwEH5yuFilu0b8Z9aJ7FOvIGuiaptkWMCuKzqkUI2ufCMQhm521uo44By0MBYGhXMn0-grIko1nvr8R40pGVGtPZRfFYpicuK2GFnERdBL-uLzYA/s640/Scratch+off+map+diy+3.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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3. <u>Paint</u><br />
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I'm no artist, but blending two colors is something I can do. I did each state separately. To blend the colors, I would start on one end of the state so the color was bright and then lightly move towards the center. I would then clean my brush in some water and blend the other color from the opposite side towards the center. Sometimes the colors would mix on their own beautifully. Other times I had to add a bit of water or dab up excess water with a paper towel. I worked around the entire map until each state was painted.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9Ro_YlwY-0VLe8ks8a7HYcRAVGDNKWg75t2hpsrHAZATC7HLwwFjn3_uD92LRL8vlHVOAt70aPY2pBM1vbJWpVwKsVK18JdZmMfgaGezXl3kzV-3mCT5LEXqpPRc0Gmu8HCPKUQA3qKw/s1600/Scratch+off+map+diy+6.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9Ro_YlwY-0VLe8ks8a7HYcRAVGDNKWg75t2hpsrHAZATC7HLwwFjn3_uD92LRL8vlHVOAt70aPY2pBM1vbJWpVwKsVK18JdZmMfgaGezXl3kzV-3mCT5LEXqpPRc0Gmu8HCPKUQA3qKw/s640/Scratch+off+map+diy+6.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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4. <u>Sharpie</u><br />
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After the map was all painted, I waited for it to dry. If you happen to have a mistake (I had a couple), you can clean it up with some White Out or even try to wipe it away with a clean damp paper towel. Since the card stock is heavier, the watercolors shouldn't bleed through or distort the paper. Once the paper is dry, you can color in the lettering with a Sharpie. I also took the Sharpie marker and traced the outline of all the states. I then added the names of each state with a Sharpie.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmIcihbA354v64l2L8j1GuUFr8fx3KkHRyMGKUJvz8zFnbK3oylqnnZE5-guKIWx_FDU_J5i1yqwOCuKjATIGekPqcEyUiCABXzCig5NbrbrD881tRl2rEEkXtz_Ob15IuDLplQsN9EhE/s1600/Scratch+off+map+diy+4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmIcihbA354v64l2L8j1GuUFr8fx3KkHRyMGKUJvz8zFnbK3oylqnnZE5-guKIWx_FDU_J5i1yqwOCuKjATIGekPqcEyUiCABXzCig5NbrbrD881tRl2rEEkXtz_Ob15IuDLplQsN9EhE/s640/Scratch+off+map+diy+4.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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5. <u>Laminate</u><br />
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After I was done with all the painting and was satisfied with my map, I needed to laminate the paper. I have a heat laminator, so I simply put the map through my machine to laminate it. You can use many different methods to laminate the paper. You could use contact paper that's clear, self adhesive laminating sheets, or even packing tape.<br />
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6. <u>Paint Over Map</u><br />
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So this is where I did some experimentation. I found many tutorials online that suggested using acrylic paint in a 3 to 1 ratio with dish soap. So, I thought I would try that out with some paint I had sitting around.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYGWFKhXWKU5dsghpNxTSAQWs3AdjMo-uCEU7IzXswnsVVethEX-XHDV30RDCAQxRCSBznFRVuRcLBYc_OEl85Mir__ukwBoMlulLP_owEtVHGCWF3rhfxY84rKbr6bKbbkR4B4ktewrw/s1600/Scratch+off+map+diy+5.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYGWFKhXWKU5dsghpNxTSAQWs3AdjMo-uCEU7IzXswnsVVethEX-XHDV30RDCAQxRCSBznFRVuRcLBYc_OEl85Mir__ukwBoMlulLP_owEtVHGCWF3rhfxY84rKbr6bKbbkR4B4ktewrw/s400/Scratch+off+map+diy+5.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU39Z-npy2kWddq9bh0z53S0SLurIS-0Q6AfRkMJHuSrVMCLMg4jnrlxvxRxhWshV_r1kMWBeBy-gsT3Blpa25gddN4iveRkToxO44oS30xA50BZ8rPukBZHuA9xY2dWaixJAfKpbtBkY/s1600/Scratch+off+map+diy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU39Z-npy2kWddq9bh0z53S0SLurIS-0Q6AfRkMJHuSrVMCLMg4jnrlxvxRxhWshV_r1kMWBeBy-gsT3Blpa25gddN4iveRkToxO44oS30xA50BZ8rPukBZHuA9xY2dWaixJAfKpbtBkY/s640/Scratch+off+map+diy.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV5JDRKOc2oiH979tIiuEGTtGwVT7lRyK4hDleX7COtsMNnlmwYvzZxF01GK6TmrVe-133VQgifvOlST_msTyFJVIXOGjwqvsjQfT0JSvY8TGLLfdlU5AtF1gfje5cC_YvoFbK2CV3Vb4/s1600/Scratch+off+map+diy+10.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV5JDRKOc2oiH979tIiuEGTtGwVT7lRyK4hDleX7COtsMNnlmwYvzZxF01GK6TmrVe-133VQgifvOlST_msTyFJVIXOGjwqvsjQfT0JSvY8TGLLfdlU5AtF1gfje5cC_YvoFbK2CV3Vb4/s640/Scratch+off+map+diy+10.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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I wasn't overly impressed with the result. The paint wasn't smooth. Perhaps I was just too impatient and the paint wasn't quite dry yet or maybe I had the wrong type of paint, but it didn't scratch off so much as rolled off in big sticky bunches. The left behind paint was a wreck as well. I tried a paint pen, but it didn't have that soap addition so it didn't work well either.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEHL78_dz6a5Fso3IZfwZz1itgMI6H43s-RAbHjZdjWkrp8-4IFjxG4CRVxdRBt5C0k2tkm2SwfKEekF2RSfA5eG7TbiRYVExui3aOdr8nk44YMpRphD6PvyHtuX9XY9WpyGeavLynzzc/s1600/Scratch+off+map+diy+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEHL78_dz6a5Fso3IZfwZz1itgMI6H43s-RAbHjZdjWkrp8-4IFjxG4CRVxdRBt5C0k2tkm2SwfKEekF2RSfA5eG7TbiRYVExui3aOdr8nk44YMpRphD6PvyHtuX9XY9WpyGeavLynzzc/s640/Scratch+off+map+diy+2.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHxJEe-fsxrx-QHF0_DoHFMDq-8YDHQ1ST5qKH851YBgGThLVeYjP3apJmNaH7eQOTiVFPk1CwRNdYScgugvPopuMBV_ymrQTmOqUtI62xMjyt7MSBOc0t5Ue_1XzVw7CygbVjKd3urPU/s1600/Scratch+off+map+diy+14.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHxJEe-fsxrx-QHF0_DoHFMDq-8YDHQ1ST5qKH851YBgGThLVeYjP3apJmNaH7eQOTiVFPk1CwRNdYScgugvPopuMBV_ymrQTmOqUtI62xMjyt7MSBOc0t5Ue_1XzVw7CygbVjKd3urPU/s640/Scratch+off+map+diy+14.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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However, the paint option did allow me to put on multiple layers. With each layer, the top layer got less and less opaque. I decided not to get too caught up in staying within the lines since 1) it was a pain and, 2) it was fairly easy to scratch off where I went outside the lines.<br />
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I found a blog that suggested using a chalk marker as the top layer, so I tried that as well. The chalk marker worked fantastic. It's not as solid as the paint and it scratches off easily enough that you can't add a second layer. However, I actually liked that it wasn't as solid so you could see where the states were underneath. I also liked that if I made a mistake and scratched off something I didn't mean to, I could easily go back and recolor in that section with the marker. The gold chalk marker isn't quite as metallic looking. Since it's chalk, it's matte finish.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbjnt-_ZxzpguSiH2a6J7KtGBKojzHbxkJ09KLg0olnakWFi9fNv6734DfLgIG6jV3wDFs71Iib9y951BNyc0RVAxGIrY81HPnj5K5_mFBFl7D6qPJH9Ns16r29bijKH_Umd8qFKTMnL4/s1600/Scratch+off+map+diy+9.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbjnt-_ZxzpguSiH2a6J7KtGBKojzHbxkJ09KLg0olnakWFi9fNv6734DfLgIG6jV3wDFs71Iib9y951BNyc0RVAxGIrY81HPnj5K5_mFBFl7D6qPJH9Ns16r29bijKH_Umd8qFKTMnL4/s640/Scratch+off+map+diy+9.JPG" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJGC1gyWjHEO1FOmHNG60kD8gw945CSWUTTLwV8BjH0n7Ad0rE5ztT8Zt8HUZGYGpQG-TeNznCWi8T1WQcaxqnQ4M6ph6HE_16JqcCq3Zegxks-EDDFxfpsdgG_pAd70VyWCHr7tWvms4/s1600/Scratch+off+map+diy+11.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJGC1gyWjHEO1FOmHNG60kD8gw945CSWUTTLwV8BjH0n7Ad0rE5ztT8Zt8HUZGYGpQG-TeNznCWi8T1WQcaxqnQ4M6ph6HE_16JqcCq3Zegxks-EDDFxfpsdgG_pAd70VyWCHr7tWvms4/s640/Scratch+off+map+diy+11.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDzYR84qmGCf9_H2QNKZxgg7KtnEEff6aQ29JYLHpb1RD-HEwZHO6A0KWV7hAAPQdHSUP9HYkQi-0RRoBs-ftPMnsaxtd7ENQviSdjNqgs8NEVXlUpHPLDIH26hQffD5K9dlzcjx8nEf8/s1600/Scratch+off+map+diy+12.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDzYR84qmGCf9_H2QNKZxgg7KtnEEff6aQ29JYLHpb1RD-HEwZHO6A0KWV7hAAPQdHSUP9HYkQi-0RRoBs-ftPMnsaxtd7ENQviSdjNqgs8NEVXlUpHPLDIH26hQffD5K9dlzcjx8nEf8/s640/Scratch+off+map+diy+12.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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7. <u>Mount or Hang</u><br />
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If you chose, the final step is to put the map in a frame. A document frame works well since the card stock is the same dimensions as most certificates. Take the glass out of the frame so you can scratch off states as you visit them.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkQDVoUIDPFRwXygHjFlHA5Rrjq7mrm7v95qx0fDr0F9XDajolUcOlbF4p1r0vRxAbEz9_ppBUYI32SDpY_yzdWJPzPqk4B8UnbwPdQ0z6nvZqD6vFhP-XYs_VRRAk_lkEIRiRXQ06yzw/s1600/Scratch+off+map+diy+13.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkQDVoUIDPFRwXygHjFlHA5Rrjq7mrm7v95qx0fDr0F9XDajolUcOlbF4p1r0vRxAbEz9_ppBUYI32SDpY_yzdWJPzPqk4B8UnbwPdQ0z6nvZqD6vFhP-XYs_VRRAk_lkEIRiRXQ06yzw/s640/Scratch+off+map+diy+13.JPG" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlZntufHOIqaSYNErIAAjt-rliqr1LwlA6q6l5VDD6oGKdCDghDJ96K_eOLdl3qWHkVILgKT4m3q4I5DhnU6EA4eusDIMNQbdW32mA-GBGT_TrD1PLx9b655V5GGm7y7ZGCxr1bhRqU7A/s1600/Scratch+off+map+diy+15.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlZntufHOIqaSYNErIAAjt-rliqr1LwlA6q6l5VDD6oGKdCDghDJ96K_eOLdl3qWHkVILgKT4m3q4I5DhnU6EA4eusDIMNQbdW32mA-GBGT_TrD1PLx9b655V5GGm7y7ZGCxr1bhRqU7A/s640/Scratch+off+map+diy+15.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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I hope this tutorial worked for you, and please let me know if you have any questions or comments below!<br />
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<img align="right" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi71IDcZvtDIZryz7noARjVno4NxfspW2pB_StieJrGs7qEc9XZOkhkctWBAKtE3ML0gNpPz3tIWAx-w4-PBELfOa6D9nDnsw_fh5g7jf9m86eHWUKSPDjap3jFLESQTg9Me_FhbJbU/s1600/signature-thedabblingcrafter.png" style="border: 0px;" /><a href="http://www.pinterest.com/dabblingcrafter"><br /><br /><br /></a> TheDabblingCrafterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09887107946361368583noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6859159588839510533.post-57196846994493706472017-05-26T14:00:00.000-05:002017-05-26T23:35:23.622-05:00Girl Scout Three Cheers for Animals Journey in a Day<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Good Afternoon,</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />A couple of weeks ago I tried my hand at my first Journey in a Day. It was quite the learning experience as a new troop leader, but I think over-all it went well. I found it difficult to find information beyond the "Making Friends" kit that many use, so I thought a blog post might help other troops out there who are looking into completing the Daisy journey "Three Cheers for Animals" in just one day. </span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />To give you an idea of how I came to this schedule and activities, I'm going to explain the process I followed. I found it worked well for me and will probably do something similar in the future. First of all, I went ahead and bought the leader guide for the Three Cheers for Animals journey. I wanted to get an idea of what the requirements are, look for activity ideas and see what the traditional journey plan would look like. I decided early on that I didn't want the journey to have to much coloring. I had found that the kits available to purchase had mostly coloring and not enough movement. Not to diss coloring. I love to color. However, if I wanted a group of 6 and 7 year olds to be engaged for hours I didn't think coloring was going to do the trick. </span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I also decided early on that instead of focusing on domestic animals, I was going to focus my journey on local wildlife. This was actually a hard decision for me because my husband is a veterinarian, and I could have used him...<i>I mean</i> use his "expertise". However, after looking at badges to come in Brownies and Juniors, I decided there was going to be enough pet focused activities that it made sense to focus this journey to something different.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">To get on my soapbox for a second, my personal mission with my troop is get them engaged in the outdoors as much as possible. My personal experience when I was a scout was when our troop was more engaged in outdoor activities and education, I got more out of the scouting experience. The results of my completely unscientific survey of all my friends who were Girl Scouts as kids was they all lost interest in scouting once they ended up in a troop that only did more home based activities. I had one friend that point blank that said as a little girl she was quite peeved when she learned what her male friends were doing in Boy Scouts compared to what she was doing in Girl Scouts. So, my personal mission is to give my girls a well rounded experience. Sure, we'll do crafts. Obviously, judging by the title of my blog, I love crafts. However, I think it's important to also give them exposure to the outdoors (and STEM and leadership for that matter). It's entirely possible some of these girls come from families that aren't able to offer those kind of experiences due to a multitude of factors. While I do camp, I'm still going to have to step out of my own comfort zone as well and learn some new skills to pass along. I think that's an important part of my journey as a scout leader. Just my two cents. Back to my planning process. </span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />After I had a focus and did a preliminary read of the guide, I wrote down the different awards associated with the journey. In the Three Cheers for Animal Journey there is the Bird Bath Award, Red Robin Award and Tula Award. I then wrote down what the ultimate goal of each of these awards was. I read through the sample plans in the leader guide for each of these awards and noted what activities and stories I wanted to use in the journey. </span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Once I did that, I then looked to see where I needed to add more content/activities. I took into account that I didn't want the girls getting all hyped up with three high energy activities in a row. So I tried to balance activities that got the girls up and moving with more passive activities. I also wrote down what the goal for each activity was. I found this helpful when I needed to keep the girls on message. </span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I found this a fairly effective way to draft up my plan for the Journey. However, I knew from the start I was going to have trouble with timing. I have found through Girl Scout events and birthday parties, I don't really have any idea how long activities are going to take. It's hard to know with younger girls how long the attention span will hold before you need to shift direction. So, since every group of girls is different and you'll have to account for that, I would suggest having some back-up activities in case you speed through activities like we did. On the converse, maybe your group is really into one activity and wants to take more time on it. I would make note of what activities you can skip if you're running behind time wise.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">
One other note. we did have some Brownies that decided to join the Journey. Since they didn't need or had already earned the Daisy Journey badge, I looked through current Brownie badges. I didn't find a current badge that matched what we were doing. I could have done a fun badge instead, but I felt like the girls were doing a ton of work not to earn an official badge. So, I did a bit of research and found the requirements of the retired Brownie Animal Try-It badge. One little known fact is that girls can earn the retired badges and display them with their other official badges so long as they meet the badge requirements. Many local libraries and online libraries have the old badge requirement books. So, I tracked down two retired badges on eBay and ordered them for the Brownies.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />Here is the schedule we followed: </span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Session One<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Discover</i> – Bird Bath Award<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">12:00-12:15<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Check-In<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; text-indent: .5in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Game</i>:
Animal Guessing (pg. 9 of leader guide)<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; text-indent: .5in;">
<i style="font-size: 11pt;">Goal: Allows
girls to discover local wildlife through acting and movement</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 2;"> </span>Supplies:
Notecards and hat or sack<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 1.0in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Preparation: Print pictures of local wildlife and paste on notecards. <o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 1.0in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Directions: Put notecards in a sack/hat. Girls take turns giving hints
about the animal and the other girls try to guess what the animal is.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">12:15-12:20– <span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Girl Scout Promise</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 1.0in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Welcome girls to the journey. Explain that a journey is a trip. We’re
going to take a journey where we learn about local wildlife/animals, how to
take care of them then teach other people how to take care of wildlife. We’re
going to finish up our journey will making some things to help care for
wildlife in area.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">12:20-12:40 – <span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> S</span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">peaker</i>:
Local Wildlife Expert<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 1.0in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Goal: Give girls an overview of how taking care of our environment
helps take care of local wildlife and also ourselves.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 1.0in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Preparation: Line up speaker<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">12:40-1:00 – <span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Discussion</i>:
Decision Making Scenarios (pg. 48 of leader guide)<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 1.0in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Goal: Girls take the information they have received from the guest
speaker and the animal guessing game to make good choices to care for local
wildlife.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 1.0in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Supplies: Notecards<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 1.0in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Preparation: Create scenarios and put on notecards <o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 1.0in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Directions: Read the scenarios and girls give answers on what they
would do. <o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">1:00-1:45— <span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Snack & Red Robin Story (pg. 17 of
journey book)<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 2;"> </span>Meal: Sunshine
in a Bag or Bird Nests<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 1.0in;">
<i style="font-size: 11pt;">Preparation: Purchase food</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 1.0in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Directions: Read Red Robin story during snack<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">2:00-2:20—<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Game</i>:
Fly Fly Away (pg. 47 of leader guide)<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 1.0in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Goal: Through movement and discussion focus on how each girl is unique
just like each animal. <o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 1.0in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Supplies: Streamers, iPhone, Speaker<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 1.0in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Preparation: Playlist on phone<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 1.0in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Directions: Each girl takes 3 streamers in each hand as their “wings,”
Play music while each girl tries to fly around. Call out other birds to have
girls act them out (Penguin, Hummingbird, blue bird, eagle, pheasant, ostrich,
goose, and Flamingo). After dancing, have girls sit down to rest and have a
discussion about what makes each bird special and what makes them special. Ask
how they learned/got that characteristic that made them special. <o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Session Two<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Connect</i> – Red Robin Award<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 1.0in; text-indent: -1.0in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">2:20-3:00—<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Discussion</i>: Wildlife Video <o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 1.0in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Goal: Girls learn about how wildlife take care of themselves and what
we can do to help them.<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 1.0in;">
<i style="font-size: 11pt;">Supplies: TV Screen or Projector</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 1.0in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Preparation: You Tube Playlist<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">3:00-3:20—<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Activity</i>:
Animal Care Books<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 1.0in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Goal: Girls create books to share with community how to help local
wildlife. Allow girls to lead the discussion on where to donate the finished
books. <o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 1.0in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Supplies: Printer paper, crayons, pens<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 1.0in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Preparation: Pre-print</i></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Session Three<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Take Action</i> – Tula Award<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">3:35-4:00--<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Activity</i>:
Bird Nesting Material Hanger<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 1.0in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Goal: Girls create a hanging basket with bird nesting materials to take
home and help birds in their own community<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 1.0in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Supplies: Yarn pieces, leaves, twigs, dry grass, pine needles, Whisks<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 1.0in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Preparation: Gather supplies<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 1.0in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Directions: To read: "Most birds build some kind of structure to contain their
eggs and nestlings. A bird’s nest may be as simple as a nighthawk’s or Killdeer’s
depression on the ground, a hole in a tree excavated by a woodpecker, or an
elaborate pouchlike nest woven by an oriole. The most familiar nest type is a
cup made of vegetation and sometimes mud. Often, the outer layers are of coarse
material, and the inside is lined with softer or finer material. Depending on
the species, cup-nesters may hide their nests in trees or shrubs, build them on
the ground, or place them in nest boxes or tree cavities. Fallen leaves and
twigs left unraked make excellent nest materials for many birds. Providing
nooks in your backyard where this untidy debris can collect provides a variety
of material for the birds to check out when they are building nests. They may
even pick through your compost pile looking for suitable nest material. You can
also put out concentrated stashes of nest material. If your yard has safe nest
sites and adequate construction material, it will be more attractive to birds,
including those that don’t visit feeders. Where would you put the nesting
material hanger?" </i><i style="font-size: 14.6667px;">(Source: Cornell Department of Orthnology)</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 1.0in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Explain how we’re going to use the whisks to pack with nest
stuff and how they can hang it up at home in a tree. <o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">4:00-4:45--<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Activity</i>:
Make Bat Boxes<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 1.0in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Goal: Girls work as a team to make a bat box for local bats. Discussion
on why bat boxes are needed and relate it to the needs of each girls.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 1.0in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Supplies: Wood, nails, wood glue, saw, router, black paint, hammers,
white paint<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 1.0in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Preparation: Precut wood, predrill all nail holes<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 1.0in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Directions: See handout<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">4:45-5:00—<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Clean up and Friendship Circle<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background-color: white;">
</div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #222222;"><b><span style="font-family: inherit;">Bird Bath Award</span></b></span></blockquote>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="index 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="index 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="index 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="index 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="toc 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="toc 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="toc 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="toc 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="toc 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="toc 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Normal Indent"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="footnote text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="annotation text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="header"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="footer"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="index heading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="35" SemiHidden="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="envelope address"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="endnote reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="endnote text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="table of authorities"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Number"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="10" QFormat="true" Name="Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" SemiHidden="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="11" QFormat="true" Name="Subtitle"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="E-mail Signature"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Acronym"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Cite"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Code"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Preformatted"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Sample"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Typewriter"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Normal Table"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Outline List 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Colorful 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="Table Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" Name="Placeholder Text"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" Name="Revision"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" QFormat="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" QFormat="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" QFormat="true"
Name="Subtle Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" QFormat="true"
Name="Intense Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" QFormat="true"
Name="Subtle Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" QFormat="true"
Name="Intense Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="Bibliography"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="41" Name="Plain Table 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="42" Name="Plain Table 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="43" Name="Plain Table 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="44" Name="Plain Table 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="45" Name="Plain Table 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="40" Name="Grid Table Light"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46" Name="Grid Table 1 Light"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3"/>
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<!--StartFragment-->
<!--EndFragment--><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /><span style="color: #222222; font-family: inherit;">The first activity we did was the Animal Guessing Game. It's a pretty basic concept. You have pictures of local wildlife, and the girls have to act out the animal while the other girls guess. Some local wildlife is easy to guess like rabbits or skunks, but surprisingly, the girls even got some of the harder ones like badgers and weasels. I found a great <a href="https://www.nrc.gov/docs/ML1224/ML12241A402.pdf" target="_blank">handout</a> from the South Dakota Department of Game, Fish and Parks which had a list of all types of local wildlife. I found corresponding pictures and printed them out. I would recommend pictures over names since some girls probably aren't the strongest readers yet or a picture is easier for them to identify. Once the girls guessed the animal I read a couple of facts from the handout I found. </span></span><br />
<div style="background-color: white;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: inherit;"><br />After this activity, we had a professor from our local university come and speak about how to take care of local wildlife. She spoke about maintaining habitat and sustainable practices. She was really great with the girls, and they seemed genuinely interested.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUXZ94GM-GUBD1SsSID2P3qbs5cwoajN33QscEmvRaDKGtrvPyzplxWxNMDnO3vh33q51-rN4r3rsAP4XNaeilpTeNvl4WekfkUNtQHj3FvSwFXxdXtsIYPKwSWTAKLWv9BmMoWq8Uyq0/s1600/IMG_2921.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUXZ94GM-GUBD1SsSID2P3qbs5cwoajN33QscEmvRaDKGtrvPyzplxWxNMDnO3vh33q51-rN4r3rsAP4XNaeilpTeNvl4WekfkUNtQHj3FvSwFXxdXtsIYPKwSWTAKLWv9BmMoWq8Uyq0/s640/IMG_2921.JPG" width="640" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: inherit;">I took notes during her speech and came up with some quick scenerios to ask the girls to give solutions on. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">We had a quick snack while I read the story about the red robin and flower garden flowers telling how they got their colors. After the story we did the Fly, Fly Away game found in the leader manual. This was a favorite in the group probably because it involved moving and music. </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyAcniLNTBCfGC6YXaqPcLN1_lBLHkTJYdum7SS61GN8-e483MW59oH50vHBjdrQveepc8Sm1ArFtZC1CkNOiDHal1eUOT29LIkHzImqX98FU7YB1Z8RwUwdqoqSvtMEd6F4OZNktFcIg/s1600/IMG_1175.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyAcniLNTBCfGC6YXaqPcLN1_lBLHkTJYdum7SS61GN8-e483MW59oH50vHBjdrQveepc8Sm1ArFtZC1CkNOiDHal1eUOT29LIkHzImqX98FU7YB1Z8RwUwdqoqSvtMEd6F4OZNktFcIg/s640/IMG_1175.JPG" width="480" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="background-color: white; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: inherit;"><b>Red Robin Award</b></span></blockquote>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">The first part of this session was a video playlist on YouTube that covered local wildlife. I thought this would be a nice </span>reprieve<span style="font-family: inherit;"> from all the activity, but to my surprise this was the least popular portion of the journey. If I were to do this again, I would either just do a quick 3 minute or so video with an activity mixed in or just cut it all together. To see my You Tube playlist, click <a href="https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL_SqHNAvbYFLPmAOSF2G2N1fekWpgvEug" target="_blank">here</a>. (Note: we only watched the first 5 minutes or so of the last video)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
After we watched these videos, the girls had to take what they learned on the videos to make one page of a book. The book was supposed to inform the reader about local wildlife. I found a printable book page where there's a portion for a drawing at the top and then a lined book page at the bottom. There was a small amount of discussion about where we should donate the book for people to read. Eventually it was decided that we would donate the book to the local doctor's office for kids to read. After the journey I compiled all the pages into a book, laminated it, added a cover and donated it to our local doctor's office for other children to enjoy in the exam rooms.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_-HYUYSaCgKZfSaodSzjsW-zvHRB2GYH8Tm0-0Y6aDEQYCfz8VSRcclclyLEBUhdx99r7lXvleSDge2a3y9c-jHY-vLndy6DnKEUfLxbFfnOTQvEmJd2PNXuxERT2tqt2SRvtquy79jQ/s1600/IMG_2954.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_-HYUYSaCgKZfSaodSzjsW-zvHRB2GYH8Tm0-0Y6aDEQYCfz8VSRcclclyLEBUhdx99r7lXvleSDge2a3y9c-jHY-vLndy6DnKEUfLxbFfnOTQvEmJd2PNXuxERT2tqt2SRvtquy79jQ/s640/IMG_2954.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Tula Award</b></span></blockquote>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
We did watch one video regarding how birds make nests which helped us with our next activity. The girls made nesting material hangers. I did a bit of research on these before we made them. I've seen them all over Pinterest, and I wanted to make sure they were actually safe for bird before we made them. The Cornell website was very helpful with what is good to put into the nesting material hangers. Dryer lint is a no go. It dissolves in the rain and therefore harms nests instead of helping them. It's no shock that natural materials are better. I did use a bit of yarn (that was a mixed recommendation on several different websites I visited). I made sure each piece of yarn was cut very short..less than 2 inches to keep it from tangling in the feet of birds. Rather than use suet cages (which can get expensive for a large group), we used dollar store whisks. They actually worked pretty well once the girls got the hang of how to pack everything in. This was one item the girls got to take home with them.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUH_s0Bz9AZm_MWOmUPIdmFeBtL4w0zRti9lktPrxCNfEhf2cEvirw5nWuLQeqVa4ILy2f0qxT50DEKKTCkm8hv3RRdFsOyL_HvAmkMBnBzHI57QGtHZlDRys2yackjZQ_qUyC1HM11IQ/s1600/IMG_1273.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUH_s0Bz9AZm_MWOmUPIdmFeBtL4w0zRti9lktPrxCNfEhf2cEvirw5nWuLQeqVa4ILy2f0qxT50DEKKTCkm8hv3RRdFsOyL_HvAmkMBnBzHI57QGtHZlDRys2yackjZQ_qUyC1HM11IQ/s640/IMG_1273.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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The final activity was the big one and probably took up the most prep time. The girls got into teams of two or three and made bat boxes. Instead of bog this post down with all the details of how to make them, I did a separate blog post. You can check that out <a href="http://www.thedabblingcrafter.com/2017/05/diy-bat-boxes-for-kids.html" target="_blank">here</a>. I pre-drilled all the holes so the girls could build them easier. The girls had a blast hammering at them. Prior to handing out hammers, I did remind each girl about how to properly hammer, and all the girls did a great job with small taps on the nail head. I had several small person hammers (how I have five of them I do not know) so they didn't have to worry about the weight or the huge claw on one end. After the Journey, I did take their boxes home and give them a bit of TLC before donating them to a local nature park.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3LeOgWTUGzlwf36FcyKUBnoJg6XsSDnl5RnJQ1OnJZQdw2NWIfqsnMoy1BcHI83uwATC5FmlkGyPU1fxlaR5Dgu5Cht6pyeDDYSvXglmClC6f0saKPRKW7RlGUjdy_E3eZ1LR_j7mMKs/s1600/IMG_1181.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3LeOgWTUGzlwf36FcyKUBnoJg6XsSDnl5RnJQ1OnJZQdw2NWIfqsnMoy1BcHI83uwATC5FmlkGyPU1fxlaR5Dgu5Cht6pyeDDYSvXglmClC6f0saKPRKW7RlGUjdy_E3eZ1LR_j7mMKs/s640/IMG_1181.JPG" width="480" /></a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmv1OB8gR0yX-NPnYCd8zRIbomuzV1HJsYXVspqsa3i7-N2DQrQoVtXRHbyit_CnIQKSVyBJbZwBkqQr8iQD8hzZyldBzCEKspm9TV0r2VCIy6ZBAlfXHA4iSs0FglOyhLNMlbgJlhDos/s1600/IMG_2656.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmv1OB8gR0yX-NPnYCd8zRIbomuzV1HJsYXVspqsa3i7-N2DQrQoVtXRHbyit_CnIQKSVyBJbZwBkqQr8iQD8hzZyldBzCEKspm9TV0r2VCIy6ZBAlfXHA4iSs0FglOyhLNMlbgJlhDos/s640/IMG_2656.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Since we were running about an hour ahead of schedule, we took the opportunity to get outside and do some geocaching. We held our journey at a great local resource, a large nature park. I was actually surprised by how much the girls loved it. My own daughter has asked to go several times since.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYgZItQS8LYulGU-M9B9pGua7GwOHE1ahCGpmABTRQQ8V4bdnCb5vVUrHJcxM6h1uivfrHlYhgN-zXrtZl8ifg3cu-Uqp5TsCdSuNXeBPxaKInLjyHHQCkGb27HeNwzugRRXIrylmJMmw/s1600/IMG_2920.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYgZItQS8LYulGU-M9B9pGua7GwOHE1ahCGpmABTRQQ8V4bdnCb5vVUrHJcxM6h1uivfrHlYhgN-zXrtZl8ifg3cu-Uqp5TsCdSuNXeBPxaKInLjyHHQCkGb27HeNwzugRRXIrylmJMmw/s640/IMG_2920.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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That's the story of how we put the entire Daisy Three Cheers for Animals journey in one (long) day!<br />
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<br />TheDabblingCrafterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09887107946361368583noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6859159588839510533.post-28080265628322924542017-05-24T00:41:00.001-05:002017-08-05T01:02:55.465-05:00DIY Bat Boxes for KidsA couple of weeks ago I organized a Daisy Journey in a Day for our local Daisies and Brownies. I'll have a full post on that experience here in a few days, but one aspect of the project that deserves it's own long winded explanation is how we built 4 bat boxes with 6 and 7 year olds.<br />
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First of all, I used <a href="http://7474fab53f1b6ee92458-8f3ac932bad207a00c83e77eaee8d15c.r12.cf1.rackcdn.com/BAT%20BOX-WAG-2016.jpg" target="_blank">this</a> handout from Wild About Gardens as the guide for building the bat houses. One caveat is the measurements are in metric. I decided not to convert them and just grabbed an old fashioned meter stick and ruler. <u>You will want to print off the handout to get your supply list and cut list.</u><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidJ1bmbR7StfgrV_QvMw7jjKo-wPZ4V6FOff724SDIAcn5Sih5JfwkphWygzgJ1ZtzeGrQ2MLYI5IlmYf3HvxGz0gA48N8AGCE3Tc45aG_cUonOVsexvyRjLOHkR-wm7UGGuWbEw6e13M/s1600/IMG_2615.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidJ1bmbR7StfgrV_QvMw7jjKo-wPZ4V6FOff724SDIAcn5Sih5JfwkphWygzgJ1ZtzeGrQ2MLYI5IlmYf3HvxGz0gA48N8AGCE3Tc45aG_cUonOVsexvyRjLOHkR-wm7UGGuWbEw6e13M/s640/IMG_2615.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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While I bought all the supplies at once, I didn't make all the houses at once. I wanted to cut and make one sample one before I started cutting boards for the other boxes. Couple things about the supplies. You will want to make sure the wood is not treated. Treated wood has all sorts of chemicals that wouldn't be good for bats. Also, before you search the entire store, the rubber flaps you need for the hinge are in the plumbing section. You could use a nail gun if you're doing this for personal use. Otherwise you will want to pick up some nails. You will see I used huge roofing nails which aren't the ideal type of nails. This was a conscious decision since the large head on the nails would be easier for the young girls to hit. Also, I did bring wood glue, some small bowls and a bunch of q-tips and had the girls glue each piece before nailing it together.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdhiRjMEXo5u2O4mtuVWMfj4a3I_e_VK-_kCGtIOlwSgVK9SPS2wtC8L9BsQwgUDqeXH5d-NBZmGCly9JjL58Yd0qJxK_qEm1vAPQuctP5edR3sPYC1xYkLX7anytyGFIJGBO_n4pyvpw/s1600/IMG_2564.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdhiRjMEXo5u2O4mtuVWMfj4a3I_e_VK-_kCGtIOlwSgVK9SPS2wtC8L9BsQwgUDqeXH5d-NBZmGCly9JjL58Yd0qJxK_qEm1vAPQuctP5edR3sPYC1xYkLX7anytyGFIJGBO_n4pyvpw/s640/IMG_2564.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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I made all the cuts for the first sample box. If you're making extras for little kids to build, you will want to take a moment between attaching all the different pieces to measure and record where the nails are going in. That way you can predrill all the holes on the other bat houses. If you have older girls, you can skip this step because they don't need to be predrilled.<br />
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Also, if you plan on painting the outside of the box, it might be easier to paint the pieces prior to building the box. I painted all the pieces that would be facing out but left the inside a natural wood. I used black since the color adds extra heat.<br />
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First step: Attach the front piece to the side pieces. The front piece will sit inside the side pieces. Please see the handout or pictures for examples. The side pieces and front piece will slant towards the front.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_Vc7soQiEnetTOgGAb6Ojb_nb0CiHYTqlzGQl_AvyA6cRPEMkwx6n_3vO9uXMnyxZouKl64No5yZTZ9y4vqZxUZy-PsfgnP6MvBIqmLBRO0sGpHSSuazq9JUL71wMBfICtiD0w-oetNE/s1600/IMG_2563.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_Vc7soQiEnetTOgGAb6Ojb_nb0CiHYTqlzGQl_AvyA6cRPEMkwx6n_3vO9uXMnyxZouKl64No5yZTZ9y4vqZxUZy-PsfgnP6MvBIqmLBRO0sGpHSSuazq9JUL71wMBfICtiD0w-oetNE/s640/IMG_2563.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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Second step: Attach the bottom piece to the bat house. This piece will also be set inside the side pieces. It will sit flush with the front piece leaving a 10 cm gap in the back for the bats to enter the bat house.<br />
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Third step: You need to rough up the back piece. I did this by using a sharp nail and pressure. Then attach the bat house to the back piece.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTEvwVL3hYGJ7TPYBirwnDebF_qBPCDQxUzOjrtxENWQ-rpu8bAfXhHuByzyZu5tbMGhvF5LGtZ4hO8pWjsYVh3q5n8ZEaiQmhrXLBpN_jxoRIRn8eMtZ4cDTEojLGaQGAGU-yipmgHsM/s1600/IMG_2565.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTEvwVL3hYGJ7TPYBirwnDebF_qBPCDQxUzOjrtxENWQ-rpu8bAfXhHuByzyZu5tbMGhvF5LGtZ4hO8pWjsYVh3q5n8ZEaiQmhrXLBpN_jxoRIRn8eMtZ4cDTEojLGaQGAGU-yipmgHsM/s640/IMG_2565.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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Last step: Attach the rubber flap to the top piece. The angled portion will go towards the back. Then attach the top to the back piece.<br />
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Ta-Da! You have a wonderful bat box to make the local insect eaters happy. Mount the bat box at least 10 feet from the ground in a sun location facing east or south. Bats are happiest when there's at least 6-8 hours of direct sunlight.<br />
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<img align="right" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi71IDcZvtDIZryz7noARjVno4NxfspW2pB_StieJrGs7qEc9XZOkhkctWBAKtE3ML0gNpPz3tIWAx-w4-PBELfOa6D9nDnsw_fh5g7jf9m86eHWUKSPDjap3jFLESQTg9Me_FhbJbU/s1600/signature-thedabblingcrafter.png" style="border: 0px;" /><a href="http://www.pinterest.com/dabblingcrafter"><br /><br /></a> TheDabblingCrafterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09887107946361368583noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6859159588839510533.post-530119911547359132017-05-18T10:24:00.000-05:002017-05-18T10:35:12.537-05:00Featured on Wayfair!Hello!<br />
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The rain has finally stopped, and I have 100 projects to complete outside before it starts again. So logically, I'm sitting inside writing a blog post. I just had to share that my home office was recently featured on Wayfair. (Click <a href="https://www.wayfair.com/Workbenches-C421474.html?expand=1#more" target="_blank">here </a>for the link) My home office was a labor love. We took space that we had nothing but a bunch of random toys sitting in it and made it a 100x more functional. For all the DIY projects, including the amazing countertops my husband made from scratch, check out my blog post <a href="http://www.thedabblingcrafter.com/2016/08/ugly-house-new-office-reveal.html" target="_blank">here</a>.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj-vCy-DlzvxavZyouXrpEsT4MJmc6Wn5oB06C1trWf2cc6VQc-__KYldYfSmF4-NmMgyPz_-Kwg_4nEWkd7f7LztQ8nOClNDqB33N7p9nMgjo66ISflVy9J-gRuffIrn2mnzi7W0GgM8/s1600/Wayfair+The+Dabbling+Crafter+Office.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Screenshot office featured on Wayfair dot com" border="0" height="352" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj-vCy-DlzvxavZyouXrpEsT4MJmc6Wn5oB06C1trWf2cc6VQc-__KYldYfSmF4-NmMgyPz_-Kwg_4nEWkd7f7LztQ8nOClNDqB33N7p9nMgjo66ISflVy9J-gRuffIrn2mnzi7W0GgM8/s640/Wayfair+The+Dabbling+Crafter+Office.JPG" title="Feature on Wayfair.com" width="640" /></a></div>
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I've got lots of goodies scheduled over the coming weeks including all the projects from my Girl Scout Journey in a Day, an outdoor art center, and the completion of two huge projects on <a href="http://www.thedabblingcrafter.com/search/label/Myrtle%20the%20Turtle" target="_blank">Myrtle </a>the vintage camper.<br />
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Thanks for tuning in! <br />
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<img align="right" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi71IDcZvtDIZryz7noARjVno4NxfspW2pB_StieJrGs7qEc9XZOkhkctWBAKtE3ML0gNpPz3tIWAx-w4-PBELfOa6D9nDnsw_fh5g7jf9m86eHWUKSPDjap3jFLESQTg9Me_FhbJbU/s1600/signature-thedabblingcrafter.png" style="border: 0px;" /><a href="http://www.pinterest.com/dabblingcrafter"><br /><br /></a><a href="http://www.pinterest.com/dabblingcrafter"><img src="http://i672.photobucket.com/albums/vv86/kristamariephotography2/watermelon_pinterest.png" /></a> <a href="http://www.facebook.com/thedabblingcrafter"><img src="http://i672.photobucket.com/albums/vv86/kristamariephotography2/seagreen_facebook.png" /></a> <a href="http://www.twitter.com/dabblingcrafter" target="_blank"><img src="http://i672.photobucket.com/albums/vv86/kristamariephotography2/blue_twitter.png" /></a>TheDabblingCrafterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09887107946361368583noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6859159588839510533.post-45974065162489011232017-05-01T00:02:00.000-05:002017-08-05T01:03:19.622-05:00Spring Junk Jam 2017Happy Sunday!<br />
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Hubby is out on a calving call and the kiddos are finally asleep. I figured it was a good time to blog about the super fun Junk Jam that was held in Brookings, South Dakota yesterday.<br />
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I did a review of Junk Jam last year (Click <a href="http://www.thedabblingcrafter.com/2016/09/gone-junkin-brookings-junk-jam-2016.html" target="_blank">here</a> for the post), and this year's event was even better. The event is hosted and organized by <a href="https://www.facebook.com/funkyjunksd/" target="_blank">Funky Junk</a> in Brookings, South Dakota. There was many (many) more vendors with unique items either handmade or curated. The addition of the food trucks was particularly nice as well. I had to take in the event while my oldest was at a birthday party, while Sweet Cheeks was strapped to me, so it was a rush and crazy but still a blast. Sweet Cheeks pretty much has this look the entire time.<br />
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Rather than try to show you all the vendors (there was just too many great ones), I'm going to show off the pieces I picked up from some of my favorite vendors. I didn't get any furniture simply because I have no room in my house. That's part of the reason you haven't seen any furniture upcycling posts lately. There's no room in our house for upcycling. Maybe I should sell everything off so I can start over. If I didn't think my husband would lose his mind, that actually sounds like fun.<br />
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The first items I picked up were from <a href="https://www.facebook.com/ooal.sd/" target="_blank">Out on a Limb</a>. This home decor boutique is located in Willow Lake, South Dakota. I loved the items she curated for her shop. I saw this shirt and despite my entirely too large graphic tee collection, I just had to add it. As a reader, you will know this shirt is pretty much the <a href="http://www.thedabblingcrafter.com/search/label/Ugly%20House%20Renovation" target="_blank">Ugly House Renovation</a>. Of course, I can't turn down cute tea towels either. The kids are always ruining the ones I have, so it's good to keep a new supply on hand. <i>(How do they always find the whitest towel when they have the darkest most permanent messes? It's a talent I tell you.)</i><br />
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The second item I picked up is one of my favorites. I think it's a planter (?). It's a hot air balloon that spins with the wind. I'm so freaking excited to find somewhere to hang it. Right now it's just in a tree with like 5 bird feeders waiting for a new home some where else in the yard. The hot air balloon came from Rustic Designs in Mitchell, South Dakota.<br />
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The third item are these magnets from a vendor called <a href="https://www.facebook.com/honeybdesignco/" target="_blank">Honey B Design Co</a>. The star of their booth, however, were these AMAZING screwdriver flowers. I'm so in love with them. They were a bit outside my budget this year, but I'll have to plan on them for next year because they are just so colorful and clever.<br />
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The fourth booth I loved was <a href="https://www.facebook.com/rockmemamaboutique/" target="_blank">Rock Me Mama</a> from Astoria, South Dakota. Well, it would be obvious for anyone who was there why I was drawn to their booth. They have a traveling boutique in a vintage Shasta camper. Uh, love! <a href="http://www.thedabblingcrafter.com/search/label/Myrtle%20the%20Turtle" target="_blank">Myrtle</a> the Aluminum Turtle would totally be jealous of their aqua paint job. I left with this cute teething necklace. Sweet Cheeks has already put it through a workout, and I love how cute it looks when I wear them...not so obviously teething related. They also have some serious adorable kids clothes.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_xNXdaK5qUHckgAAiX3VqcnwkwBDwbja71MAyD0r9pnDygd6hZbaAGkv4pF531oFQuNiumQ6_QEUUEk49LAG71XxTDtGgDXvXClQ5ruoy8HiOl9LHb0VGgx9HuHQuZmUEvuP-cJnS-BU/s1600/IMG_2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_xNXdaK5qUHckgAAiX3VqcnwkwBDwbja71MAyD0r9pnDygd6hZbaAGkv4pF531oFQuNiumQ6_QEUUEk49LAG71XxTDtGgDXvXClQ5ruoy8HiOl9LHb0VGgx9HuHQuZmUEvuP-cJnS-BU/s640/IMG_2529.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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All in all, it's a great show that is totally worth the cover charge (and probably the early bird one at that...if only I could have made it!) Did you attend? Share your finds on my <a href="https://www.facebook.com/TheDabblingCrafter/" target="_blank">Facebook</a> page!<br />
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<img align="right" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi71IDcZvtDIZryz7noARjVno4NxfspW2pB_StieJrGs7qEc9XZOkhkctWBAKtE3ML0gNpPz3tIWAx-w4-PBELfOa6D9nDnsw_fh5g7jf9m86eHWUKSPDjap3jFLESQTg9Me_FhbJbU/s1600/signature-thedabblingcrafter.png" style="border: 0px;" /><a href="http://www.pinterest.com/dabblingcrafter"><br /><br /></a> TheDabblingCrafterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09887107946361368583noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6859159588839510533.post-28536218640418820312017-04-27T00:34:00.002-05:002017-04-27T00:39:27.938-05:00Doll Clothes ClosetHello!<br />
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Our kids each have tablets they get to use sparingly. In fact, I refuse to charge them, so they are dead about 90% of the time. I *might* take a little pleasure in saying "It's not my responsibility" every time they complain they aren't charged. I thought the You Tube Kids app would be full of interesting educational content. Uh no. It's full of strange videos of people opening toys up. (Why?!?!?) I deleted the app after a torturous week of hearing people opening surprise whatevers. I downloaded Epic instead. (Great app..requires a small monthly subscription but it's totally worth it FYI)<br />
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During the You Tube week, my daughter saw a craft video of someone making a Barbie clothes closet out of a shoebox. She asked if we could make one together, and I decided that was certainly a better idea than the other junk on there. When we were at a local general store, we saw a box on clearance and snatched it up.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpELHCVlAHR1elR-9ozvjbX1joUeqabnOGi30WeCbq428KiQaqEAprwbice0j0urU-yTLKWNaDkm_39OIE5cSl6V3j-jod8dnDv-hZH8RsMeHkxfjilySO7jc5BakI-YXmIqTJ6sL7kkU/s1600/DIY+Barbie+Closet+12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpELHCVlAHR1elR-9ozvjbX1joUeqabnOGi30WeCbq428KiQaqEAprwbice0j0urU-yTLKWNaDkm_39OIE5cSl6V3j-jod8dnDv-hZH8RsMeHkxfjilySO7jc5BakI-YXmIqTJ6sL7kkU/s640/DIY+Barbie+Closet+12.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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So, let's get one thing straight. Do I honestly think my daughter will suddenly start hanging all her doll clothes neatly on the mini hangers and organize all her shoes by color? HA! HAHAHAHA. No way. It will never happen. I will continue to pull tiny shoes out of my baby's grasp and step on them in the middle of the night. </div>
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However, that isn't the point of this project. What is the point you ask? Why would I help create a tiny closet that's more organized and pretty than my own sad miserable closet? The act of making something. Would I have picked this particular project myself...probably not. However, I love when my daughter asks to make something rather than go out and purchase it. I love sitting in my office/craft room and brainstorming how we're going to take her big idea and use what we already have in the house. At this point I have to help to some degree. The hot glue gun is a bit scary in her hands, but she is perfectly capable of gathering supplies, cutting and placing items. (In fact my son insisted on creating his own version from a box we had sitting around. He uses it to hide things I need on a daily basis)</div>
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We had to make some modifications from what we saw in the video to match what we already had on hand. The closet rod is a pencil that we pushed through the cardboard and then cut off the sharp end (hot glued to keep it from moving). The shelf is a simple piece of cardboard with scrap paper glued to it (with a glue stick...all her doing) then secured with some hot glue. </div>
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Once we had the rod and shelf done, my daughter wanted to add some items to the door. She came up with the mirror idea with a random box we had sitting around and aluminum foil. We used some left over clothes pins to make hooks. The final touch was four beads, a cut up chop stick (yes...I keep chopsticks for projects) and hot glue for a shoe shelf.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdYmFiJk9D86qEpF4rbGDEPYJohaXGDEVA6suvYaEtpCiRZ6I-gSShemKdft1rcF_rOEXt_z44HM61meXNSM2A3QstFTIgpAT3T10_KoqiiISmHrSIpfVYXCZ_f-GdS43BlnuGXf6bNbA/s1600/DIY+Barbie+Closet+11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdYmFiJk9D86qEpF4rbGDEPYJohaXGDEVA6suvYaEtpCiRZ6I-gSShemKdft1rcF_rOEXt_z44HM61meXNSM2A3QstFTIgpAT3T10_KoqiiISmHrSIpfVYXCZ_f-GdS43BlnuGXf6bNbA/s640/DIY+Barbie+Closet+11.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPwTrgVKU7GoM42cmT_c2FikaFKWIJOqHXHKAvIqMx8SAVAuszaWScOqqC6nyXuNDQYh6mlSHllwh1K8yMLuUBdDYJRisp_hduCI8opmk4fj2GOwu1r_EeVPBuXapp8MrAiquLVhIYXac/s1600/DIY+Barbie+Closet+10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPwTrgVKU7GoM42cmT_c2FikaFKWIJOqHXHKAvIqMx8SAVAuszaWScOqqC6nyXuNDQYh6mlSHllwh1K8yMLuUBdDYJRisp_hduCI8opmk4fj2GOwu1r_EeVPBuXapp8MrAiquLVhIYXac/s640/DIY+Barbie+Closet+10.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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After all that work, my daughter asked if we could make hangers. I wasn't really sure where to start, but Pinterest showed me that it was pretty easy to make some hangers out of paperclips. I used a pair of pliers and made a dozen or so in a few minutes. My daughter hunting down baby food containers, cleaned them out and used them for shoes and other accessories.<br />
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All in all, it was fun way to spend an afternoon together. She always tells me way more when we're working on projects like this ("OMG...a boy and girl almost kissed under the slide Mom!"). I hope that trend continues into her teen years. Hey...a mom can wish, right?</div>
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The blog has been a bit slow due to the new baby and winter months, but I can promise that is going to change in the very near future. I have a HUGE to do list once the weather decides to stay above 50 for more than 12 hours. So, keep an eye out! Until then, check out my social media for pictures of projects, dogs and cute kids.<br />
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<img align="right" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi71IDcZvtDIZryz7noARjVno4NxfspW2pB_StieJrGs7qEc9XZOkhkctWBAKtE3ML0gNpPz3tIWAx-w4-PBELfOa6D9nDnsw_fh5g7jf9m86eHWUKSPDjap3jFLESQTg9Me_FhbJbU/s1600/signature-thedabblingcrafter.png" style="border: 0px;" /><a href="http://www.pinterest.com/dabblingcrafter"><br /><br /><br /></a><a href="http://www.pinterest.com/dabblingcrafter"><img src="http://i672.photobucket.com/albums/vv86/kristamariephotography2/watermelon_pinterest.png" /></a> <a href="http://www.facebook.com/thedabblingcrafter"><img src="http://i672.photobucket.com/albums/vv86/kristamariephotography2/seagreen_facebook.png" /></a> <a href="http://www.twitter.com/kristambenson"><img src="http://i672.photobucket.com/albums/vv86/kristamariephotography2/blue_twitter.png" /></a>TheDabblingCrafterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09887107946361368583noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6859159588839510533.post-61096070610481710442017-03-24T14:48:00.000-05:002017-03-24T14:48:03.726-05:00Daily Goodie Box ReviewHello!<br />
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I was contacted by the friendly people at Daily Goodie Box to review one of their boxes. Their boxes are unique because they are completely free. No shipping, no credit cards ever. You just have to give your opinion of the products.<br />
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The box I happen to get was more health conscious than I normally gravitate towards. That being said, it was a good introduction to products I may not have tried on my own.<br />
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Even if the products are free, the presentation of the box is much like other subscription boxes. It was fun to get the box in the mail and open it up.<br />
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While they contacted me to review their box, all the opinions are my own.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBH0_R46BdNy5vzKWedMihcUV4iDZFr8piTnQmv1Ud3AS7rHg-THJyLYg_Z3Rn6RH_hUS2iiEX0RU6rMkxrcv47pdQZff566D3v5GaVyLUTuYAuXVI77y9GC4dnG3GSEUhyphenhyphenzt-YeE_xHc/s1600/Daily+Goodie+Box+Review+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBH0_R46BdNy5vzKWedMihcUV4iDZFr8piTnQmv1Ud3AS7rHg-THJyLYg_Z3Rn6RH_hUS2iiEX0RU6rMkxrcv47pdQZff566D3v5GaVyLUTuYAuXVI77y9GC4dnG3GSEUhyphenhyphenzt-YeE_xHc/s640/Daily+Goodie+Box+Review+2.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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The first product was <a href="http://www.herrsstore.com/heallnapochn.html" target="_blank">Herr's Popped Chips</a>. They were very good. I would definitely grab these again if I saw them in the store. They had good flavor, and I liked how light they were.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6fFOgnd8t2288gxjuBVjlQh2ivJBlVPQG9k8Vhn0T4GjqtbQbJULu2IBvYuuSo3WP1BOf7qGbplhIOAkyyg2D7wvfNOSBLsTom5NiR-KCh20XdhWjxjCVO9Pa28k2QFhj324V9BYXF8k/s1600/Daily+Goodie+Box+Review+4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6fFOgnd8t2288gxjuBVjlQh2ivJBlVPQG9k8Vhn0T4GjqtbQbJULu2IBvYuuSo3WP1BOf7qGbplhIOAkyyg2D7wvfNOSBLsTom5NiR-KCh20XdhWjxjCVO9Pa28k2QFhj324V9BYXF8k/s400/Daily+Goodie+Box+Review+4.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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Okay, so I'm a coffee snob. Like I only drink one kind of coffee I order online. So, I tried <a href="https://coffeeblocks.com/" target="_blank">Coffee Block's</a> butter coffee when I ran out of my go to coffee (which, if you're wondering, is Cameron's) Err. Not a huge fan. Now, to be fair I don't drink butter coffee normally, so I can't compare it to that, but compared to regular coffee it was too gritty. It was better warm, but once I let it get cold (I often drink cold coffee because I'm a mom...and life happens around here)....yikes.<br />
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The <a href="https://shop.drinkjustchill.com/products/rio-berry" target="_blank">Just Chill</a> Rio Berry was pretty good. I liked how it was slightly sparkling, and I could taste berry and maybe a bit of lavender? It was really cold since the box sat outside for a couple of hours. I think it was even better, because it was really cold.<br />
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This <a href="http://xylichew.com/" target="_blank">Xylichew</a> gum was very very popular with my kids. I thought it tasted like typical gum, but without that other junk.<br />
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The <a href="http://www.vermontsmokeandcure.com/?gclid=CjwKEAjwwcjGBRDj-P7TwcinyBkSJADymblTTm5PAc89Yymowea2_h38K0aOFuM787aoX1Q1xfFhERoCylnw_wcB" target="_blank">Vermont Smoke and Cure</a> Beef Sticks are delish. I have seen these at check outs before, and I'll definitely grab them again.<br />
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Just like the beef sticks, I'm a big fan of these <a href="https://www.gorillygoods.com/" target="_blank">Gorilly Goods</a> nuts. They had a curry taste which was just the right amount of spice. It also kept the kids from stealing them. Double win!<br />
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These <a href="https://aloha.com/" target="_blank">Aloha </a>greens were okay as far as powder goes. I've dabbled in these types of powders before, and this one tasted about on par with those. I might not purchase them again just because I don't generally use powders.<br />
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The <a href="https://drinkdreamwater.com/" target="_blank">Dream Water</a> sleep powder was tried by my husband because I am nursing and try to avoid anything like this. He said it was pretty good and did help him sleep...but to be honest, he doesn't have a problem sleeping. Even when a baby is crying in the room next door.<br />
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I was a bit scared to try this. I like Fig Newtons, but was afraid that a "good for you" version would just be really gross. (Not a fan of the Naked brand for that reason) I was pleasantly surprised by the <a href="https://naturesbakery.com/" target="_blank">Fig Bar</a>. Now, my kids weren't so sure about it. They also haven't tried Fig Newtons, so maybe it's just a taste thing in general.<br />
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I am a big fan of the <a href="http://www.nelliesallnatural.com/" target="_blank">Nellie's All Natural Laundry Soda</a>. I have used other all natural soaps in the past, because I cloth diapered my oldest and normal detergents are really hard on the diapers and baby bums. Nellie's worked quite well and I like not putting chemicals into the ground.<br />
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The last item I got was the <a href="http://jackandjillkids.com/usa/" target="_blank">Jack n' Jill Natural Toothpaste</a>. It actually worked out pretty good, because my son doesn't like mint or bubble gum flavoring. That seems to be the only flavors available in main stream toothpaste. So, he's been using this toothpaste off and on again since we got it. I was afraid it wouldn't foam up or do whatever it is toothpaste does. I've tried all natural soaps in the past that didn't bubble up so it was hard to spread them around. This toothpaste actually does a pretty good job.<br />
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<img align="right" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi71IDcZvtDIZryz7noARjVno4NxfspW2pB_StieJrGs7qEc9XZOkhkctWBAKtE3ML0gNpPz3tIWAx-w4-PBELfOa6D9nDnsw_fh5g7jf9m86eHWUKSPDjap3jFLESQTg9Me_FhbJbU/s1600/signature-thedabblingcrafter.png" style="border: 0px;" /><a href="http://www.pinterest.com/dabblingcrafter"><br /><br /><br /></a><a href="http://www.pinterest.com/dabblingcrafter"><img src="http://i672.photobucket.com/albums/vv86/kristamariephotography2/watermelon_pinterest.png" /></a> <a href="http://www.facebook.com/thedabblingcrafter"><img src="http://i672.photobucket.com/albums/vv86/kristamariephotography2/seagreen_facebook.png" /></a> <a href="http://www.twitter.com/kristambenson"><img src="http://i672.photobucket.com/albums/vv86/kristamariephotography2/blue_twitter.png" /></a>TheDabblingCrafterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09887107946361368583noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6859159588839510533.post-30069853009460415892017-03-22T13:49:00.003-05:002017-03-22T15:16:35.343-05:00Mommy Blog: Embracing the Shouldn'ts<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">I am writing this post at 3:00 am on my phone while Sweet Cheeks sleeps on my chest. I was just so moved by the moment that I had to put pen to paper, or rather, finger to touchscreen. </span><br />
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Today I had a chat with a coworker who has a daughter 6 months older than mine. She is a wonderful mother. She was telling me about her daughter, her first child, has been sick recently and throwing their routine off. I laughed and said that a routine would be nice since my daughter is up all hours. That led to a discussion about first and last children. </div>
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Sweet Cheeks is our last [planned] child. I entered parenthood with the same careful plans I have made my entire life. I wanted three children, I wanted to have them semi young and I wanted them some what close together. Those were the last plans I made because children have a way of making their own. We had a miscarriage initially and were shocked with the news of being pregnant with our rainbow baby. Our second child had to enter the world a few weeks early and hasn't slowed down since. Sweet Cheeks was delayed by all sorts of life decisions, but has perfectly completed our little family.</div>
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I think there are many mothers out there that know what it's like to grab on to each moment with the last child. This desperation has caused me to commit my fair share of "shouldn't"s. </div>
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I feel like with my first child we did everything by the book (or rather, by many books since I feel like I read them all). Our daughter slept exclusively in bassinets and cribs. She was bottle fed on a schedule (pumped and donated milk since I didn't produce enough and she refused to latch). Probably within a month or so, she was sleeping through the night. We didn't rock her to sleep because she simply didn't need it. You would say prayers with her, read a book and simply set her in the crib. She would just lay down and go to sleep. It was amazing. (By the way in case you think I'm some sort of baby whisper, I am certainly not. My second did the exact opposite no matter what I did.)</div>
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Then there's Sweet Cheeks. The books are gone. Life is crazy. Her siblings are hyper and overly attentive. I should be a stickler with a schedule. She might sleep better. Maybe I should have started solids earlier so she wouldn't have nursed as much. I should pump and let my husband take her over night. Maybe I should let her play on the floor more. Maybe I should offer the pacifier more. I should let someone else watch her so I can go on a date or get work done or have some girl time. </div>
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But I could care less about the "should"s. Today Sweet Cheeks almost crawled. She's probably a week if not days away from crawling. And it's terribly bittersweet. Each milestone has great joy mixed with deep sadness. You are hyper aware that no matter how many videos or pictures you take, you won't be able to recall the feeling of your baby sleeping in your arms, nursing, or smelling like she came straight from heaven. All those sensations will be gone. Then they will be replaced with different just as amazing ones like your son trying to tell his first joke or your daughter's delight at losing her first tooth. There's many things I should do that would make life just a bit less hectic than it has to be, but each snuggle, laugh, and nursing session is fleeting. </div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.8px;">I recently hung a reminder in our living room that's says "The days are long, but the years are short." I can't think of a better way to describe being a mother. I end a day thinking about how frustrating it is answer 3,852 "why" questions from my 4 year old in a single day, only to remember when our 6 year old used to ask the same questions and now informs me how things work. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.8px;">Parenthood is an awesome job that no one can fully describe to you until you experience it. So while I should put the baby soundly sleeping in my arms back in the crib, I'm going to enjoy this "shouldn't" just a little bit longer. I just know I should enjoy her before she grows up just a little bit more.</span></div>
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<img align="right" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi71IDcZvtDIZryz7noARjVno4NxfspW2pB_StieJrGs7qEc9XZOkhkctWBAKtE3ML0gNpPz3tIWAx-w4-PBELfOa6D9nDnsw_fh5g7jf9m86eHWUKSPDjap3jFLESQTg9Me_FhbJbU/s1600/signature-thedabblingcrafter.png" style="border: 0px;" /><a href="http://www.pinterest.com/dabblingcrafter"><br /><br /><br /></a><a href="http://www.pinterest.com/dabblingcrafter"><img src="http://i672.photobucket.com/albums/vv86/kristamariephotography2/watermelon_pinterest.png" /></a> <a href="http://www.facebook.com/thedabblingcrafter"><img src="http://i672.photobucket.com/albums/vv86/kristamariephotography2/seagreen_facebook.png" /></a> <a href="http://www.twitter.com/kristambenson"><img src="http://i672.photobucket.com/albums/vv86/kristamariephotography2/blue_twitter.png" /></a>TheDabblingCrafterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09887107946361368583noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6859159588839510533.post-17388210438725067732017-03-14T16:38:00.000-05:002017-03-14T16:38:18.282-05:00DIY PostcardsYou may have noticed there's an uptick in postcards being sent lately. They are one of the ways you can reach your elected officials and go through less security since postcards aren't in a closed envelope. However, buying postcards can be a bit tricky. I tried ordering some blank ones online, but realized quickly they are more expensive than I wanted to spend especially when you factor in postage stamps.<br />
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So, I decided to make my own. Postcards are basically just heavier paper cut to a certain size. I've seen some creative ideas on Pinterest using cereal boxes. However, I wanted more room to write on my postcards.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNCzu89d3zfIrq5NJZuHp67_y7obbwHsNI-MweIMnKlNg6Twwpq1WVzFOmcK_vlwthE-h07HWzuxlCJKztxRdpogA65rlPGJbTZbcOW1cffPVj0WvdmEKUJanRbNZKJYCEF8clQp0OKH4/s1600/DIY+Postcards+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNCzu89d3zfIrq5NJZuHp67_y7obbwHsNI-MweIMnKlNg6Twwpq1WVzFOmcK_vlwthE-h07HWzuxlCJKztxRdpogA65rlPGJbTZbcOW1cffPVj0WvdmEKUJanRbNZKJYCEF8clQp0OKH4/s400/DIY+Postcards+2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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So I bought a package of card stock on Amazon. (I'm confident you could find paper local, but I live in the country and utilize Amazon Prime regularly). The paper was $12.95 for 50 sheets of 100lb extra thick white card stock. Each sheet makes 4 postcards. So for a little work I got $200.00 postcards for $12.95.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk9kRSpkApLsToRBlkp1tVDuuFKR5NIU96nM74m4lw4nCa3nxL-vAmEts8VUaRgjz2PCwUn4OCXaZvYD9m03UJIgbMSlecnxmKOrYALyNjcF2t4f4UnqR_Jc0H8dSyX4-e-7fm5sxdAA8/s1600/DIY+Postcards+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk9kRSpkApLsToRBlkp1tVDuuFKR5NIU96nM74m4lw4nCa3nxL-vAmEts8VUaRgjz2PCwUn4OCXaZvYD9m03UJIgbMSlecnxmKOrYALyNjcF2t4f4UnqR_Jc0H8dSyX4-e-7fm5sxdAA8/s400/DIY+Postcards+1.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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Once I had my paper in hand, I tried to print on it. My ancient printer wouldn't feed the paper. So I decided I could hand decorate the postcards instead of print on them. So, I first measured out the size of the postcards. Standard postcard size is 3.5 inches to 4.25 inches high and 6 to 6 inches long. Postcards need to be approximately 0.007 and 0.016 inches thick. Obviously thicker postcards are less likely to be eaten by the postal sortation machines.<br />
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Once I had measured everything out, I used a paper cutter to cut the the card stock into the correct size. I used a ruler to make the line on the back where you put the address . Finally I did a small decoration on the front. Something to keep in mind is the bar code sticker may go along the bottom or top (they don't always end up on the back), so you might want to move your decoration away from the edges.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNCzu89d3zfIrq5NJZuHp67_y7obbwHsNI-MweIMnKlNg6Twwpq1WVzFOmcK_vlwthE-h07HWzuxlCJKztxRdpogA65rlPGJbTZbcOW1cffPVj0WvdmEKUJanRbNZKJYCEF8clQp0OKH4/s1600/DIY+Postcards+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNCzu89d3zfIrq5NJZuHp67_y7obbwHsNI-MweIMnKlNg6Twwpq1WVzFOmcK_vlwthE-h07HWzuxlCJKztxRdpogA65rlPGJbTZbcOW1cffPVj0WvdmEKUJanRbNZKJYCEF8clQp0OKH4/s640/DIY+Postcards+2.jpg" width="640" /></a> </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtvJzKq5NHA0mGTNwcQezOJNq64IA9w2KfE3BewiO3Druc654L9alNAiH-gDT1TTHEUGcFjHqnWEInTsjOHMaInURnXyz44sZYkqsqAoILHTTxMfPSKCNOQ6ZYE3x1HCcgkPwVouOZEkQ/s1600/DIY+Postcards+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtvJzKq5NHA0mGTNwcQezOJNq64IA9w2KfE3BewiO3Druc654L9alNAiH-gDT1TTHEUGcFjHqnWEInTsjOHMaInURnXyz44sZYkqsqAoILHTTxMfPSKCNOQ6ZYE3x1HCcgkPwVouOZEkQ/s640/DIY+Postcards+3.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<img align="right" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi71IDcZvtDIZryz7noARjVno4NxfspW2pB_StieJrGs7qEc9XZOkhkctWBAKtE3ML0gNpPz3tIWAx-w4-PBELfOa6D9nDnsw_fh5g7jf9m86eHWUKSPDjap3jFLESQTg9Me_FhbJbU/s1600/signature-thedabblingcrafter.png" style="border: 0px;" /><a href="http://www.pinterest.com/dabblingcrafter"><br /><br /><br /><br /></a><a href="http://www.pinterest.com/dabblingcrafter"><img src="http://i672.photobucket.com/albums/vv86/kristamariephotography2/watermelon_pinterest.png" /></a> <a href="http://www.facebook.com/thedabblingcrafter"><img src="http://i672.photobucket.com/albums/vv86/kristamariephotography2/seagreen_facebook.png" /></a> <a href="http://www.twitter.com/kristambenson"><img src="http://i672.photobucket.com/albums/vv86/kristamariephotography2/blue_twitter.png" /></a>TheDabblingCrafterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09887107946361368583noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6859159588839510533.post-61743659549060949862017-03-09T10:32:00.001-06:002017-03-09T10:32:49.972-06:00DIY Girl Scout Cookie Booth AwningHello!<br />
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Any other Girl Scout moms or troop leaders out there? If you are included in this category, then you know full well why the blog hasn't been hoppin' lately. Girl Scout cookie season just wrapped up last weekend. First of all, I would like to thank all the troop leaders out there (including our troop leader Wendy) and all the cookie directors out there (including our service unit's, Penny) for what they do. These ladies basically give up two months of their time to organize cookie drop offs and cookie booths, and lend entire portions of their houses for storing cookies. Cookie sales for Girl Scouts do more than just raise money for troops, they also teach girls valuable lessons about goal setting, managing money, running a business and in my daughter's case, teach her how to interact with the community in a professional coherent manner. Her confidence with public speaking improved with basically every door we knocked on.<br />
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So, one of the staples of cookie season is a cookie booth. If you do one search on Pinterest, you will see some booths that are pretty darn sweet. Kudos to those moms. With the little one and a 100 other things to finish, I don't have time for that. However, I did have time to make an awning for our cookie booth. The plan in my head is every year to do something to add to the booth so we can reuse the pieces year after year. So this year it's an awning and maybe next year it's a durable sign. Maybe we get crazy and the girls can hang some sort of giant cardboard decoration from it.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLk2Ka65kUfp32Wtn64FaQ70e30V7As5tcgPy6wVn7gcAYzoLVebVff62jnvJw1z_QN34UHpqAwBJucEfmIn_EGvmDAg7ckF24npKsplx1h897cc2aGpaYn36_5hVJ1DGd1fim3x80JtE/s1600/IMG_1741.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLk2Ka65kUfp32Wtn64FaQ70e30V7As5tcgPy6wVn7gcAYzoLVebVff62jnvJw1z_QN34UHpqAwBJucEfmIn_EGvmDAg7ckF24npKsplx1h897cc2aGpaYn36_5hVJ1DGd1fim3x80JtE/s640/IMG_1741.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Making this awning is actually really simple and even if you don't have a DIY bone in your body, you can make this is just an hour or so. It's fairly inexpensive and you can reuse it year after year.<br />
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The supplies I used for this project were PVC pipes, <a href="https://www.quikrete.com/" target="_blank">Quikrete </a>(just one bag), two buckets and various connections for the pipes. I also bought some colored duct tape to cover the pipes so they wouldn't be white, but that's completely optional.<br />
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For the pipes, I bought the lengths I needed so I didn't have to cut anything. If you're willing to cut some pipes, you're probably going to save some money buying longer pieces. I also made mine with several smaller pipes rather than one long pipe, so it would be easy to transport and store. So, the sides are made up of 3- 2 foot long pipes (I used 1 3/4 diameter pipe). The top is one solid piece of 6 foot long pipe. I then bought the various connectors needed to keep everything together.<br />
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Once I bought everything, I covered everything in duct tape being careful not to tape where the connectors would fit on the pipe (otherwise the pipe wouldn't find inside them). The last step was to dump some <a href="https://www.quikrete.com/" target="_blank">Quikrete </a>into a bucket, put one of the side PVC pipes in the bucket and adding some water in. Once you have added the water, take a moment to make sure the PVC pipe is standing straight up and not leaning to one side (you can tape around it to keep it from leaning if you need to) After everything is dried, the awning is ready to go!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlEOTY1JsJFYeRqK-VUpKtXs0tt4LXFbd3SNlI7o6W82MXekCWw4L6Giip1-WrzkralfGtsWMySY_2hyphenhyphen3EB6UXIw161NmTznipsYdAg-B-rpHhy60uAoTQMApwvXbu4dnjusyYQlJ2Ul4/s1600/IMG_1185.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlEOTY1JsJFYeRqK-VUpKtXs0tt4LXFbd3SNlI7o6W82MXekCWw4L6Giip1-WrzkralfGtsWMySY_2hyphenhyphen3EB6UXIw161NmTznipsYdAg-B-rpHhy60uAoTQMApwvXbu4dnjusyYQlJ2Ul4/s400/IMG_1185.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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While we used this for a cookie booth, there are many other possibilities. You could keep with the selling theme and use this for a lemonade stand. Or you could use it to create a stage with a curtain, photo backdrop..really anything that would require you to hang something.<br />
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<br /><img align="right" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi71IDcZvtDIZryz7noARjVno4NxfspW2pB_StieJrGs7qEc9XZOkhkctWBAKtE3ML0gNpPz3tIWAx-w4-PBELfOa6D9nDnsw_fh5g7jf9m86eHWUKSPDjap3jFLESQTg9Me_FhbJbU/s1600/signature-thedabblingcrafter.png" style="border: 0px;" /><a href="http://www.pinterest.com/dabblingcrafter"><br /><br /><br /><br /></a><a href="http://www.pinterest.com/dabblingcrafter"><img src="http://i672.photobucket.com/albums/vv86/kristamariephotography2/watermelon_pinterest.png" /></a> <a href="http://www.facebook.com/thedabblingcrafter"><img src="http://i672.photobucket.com/albums/vv86/kristamariephotography2/seagreen_facebook.png" /></a> <a href="http://www.twitter.com/kristambenson"><img src="http://i672.photobucket.com/albums/vv86/kristamariephotography2/blue_twitter.png" /></a>TheDabblingCrafterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09887107946361368583noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6859159588839510533.post-31818452402234615852017-02-14T12:20:00.003-06:002017-08-05T01:03:38.888-05:00Kitchen Island Before & AfterGood Morning!<br />
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I finally finished painting and caulking the support beams on each side of our island and thought it was a good time to reveal the finished island. Other than a bit of trim to finish up (I'm slowly but surely making my way around the room) and some trim on our plank ceiling, the dining room/kitchen/living room is fully remodeled. Sure, there's some changes we want to make down the line (replacing the banister, a garage/mudroom addition, and french doors in the dining room out to a new deck), but the main ugly parts are fully gone. To see individual tutorials and more before & after pictures, click on the "Ugly House Renovation" label on the right hand side of the screen or click <a href="http://www.thedabblingcrafter.com/search/label/Ugly%20House%20Renovation" target="_blank">here</a>.<br />
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So, let's take a walk down memory lane to what our house looked like in all its 1979 glory when we first moved in.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX4NVjuuPtBD8rSa3K1x7qP8yIC_68McOTX70KPd-UoMU8nesPxYmKo_11QdFlS3kQZO_jVhpKTKxoY0irXsMSIO1plciRhm31gS-k-QXdVxxBhA5SqB3tTmgoFYWFkLT19TOWuOwCa7o/s1600/Kitchen+Before+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX4NVjuuPtBD8rSa3K1x7qP8yIC_68McOTX70KPd-UoMU8nesPxYmKo_11QdFlS3kQZO_jVhpKTKxoY0irXsMSIO1plciRhm31gS-k-QXdVxxBhA5SqB3tTmgoFYWFkLT19TOWuOwCa7o/s400/Kitchen+Before+2.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit_f5HdikbJCYwyCNsbVpfCHAj7fgmP-dIA5J5Q_6JPDqNMttWU3CyWDBgpJL41HQcqW8E9DnAink49-ObZ_chhUjGa_Nz3J7QcZKe70jrwmJh5Ik22y65HoG4RXN6uVNadZzl8On_Ig4/s1600/kitchen+before.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit_f5HdikbJCYwyCNsbVpfCHAj7fgmP-dIA5J5Q_6JPDqNMttWU3CyWDBgpJL41HQcqW8E9DnAink49-ObZ_chhUjGa_Nz3J7QcZKe70jrwmJh5Ik22y65HoG4RXN6uVNadZzl8On_Ig4/s640/kitchen+before.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<b>And Now...</b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilsQRvsVNBRxjyM8LmSD3AaMFhSIsyj_zaX5YirkVac-LfPJwMoCElgECpBWXNygyMC3YlmKkBzCI-Q-bAlsa2WoMA43uL6vAt8uzYRn_mi640CnPLP6CJeIDfLZxMfFY5VmyhbHdOQ10/s1600/Framed+Support+Beam+After+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilsQRvsVNBRxjyM8LmSD3AaMFhSIsyj_zaX5YirkVac-LfPJwMoCElgECpBWXNygyMC3YlmKkBzCI-Q-bAlsa2WoMA43uL6vAt8uzYRn_mi640CnPLP6CJeIDfLZxMfFY5VmyhbHdOQ10/s640/Framed+Support+Beam+After+2.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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Pretty great huh? It's so much brighter in our house now. Here's the progression so you can see how we ended up here. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit_f5HdikbJCYwyCNsbVpfCHAj7fgmP-dIA5J5Q_6JPDqNMttWU3CyWDBgpJL41HQcqW8E9DnAink49-ObZ_chhUjGa_Nz3J7QcZKe70jrwmJh5Ik22y65HoG4RXN6uVNadZzl8On_Ig4/s1600/kitchen+before.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit_f5HdikbJCYwyCNsbVpfCHAj7fgmP-dIA5J5Q_6JPDqNMttWU3CyWDBgpJL41HQcqW8E9DnAink49-ObZ_chhUjGa_Nz3J7QcZKe70jrwmJh5Ik22y65HoG4RXN6uVNadZzl8On_Ig4/s640/kitchen+before.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbv3-DEq6_wBQsrpdJ1n0DE4kOYabN0gBCW7bip9CSnhU0rY3Of9bXqtP8G22zgbEgki_eSuCMYj_O4rEwuvQYDkaTuMlM8GsY-VdHGpogSs75K5_dqMUzHh0BoXpvu_1AdCQU2dBXo-0/s1600/Support+Beam+Before+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbv3-DEq6_wBQsrpdJ1n0DE4kOYabN0gBCW7bip9CSnhU0rY3Of9bXqtP8G22zgbEgki_eSuCMYj_O4rEwuvQYDkaTuMlM8GsY-VdHGpogSs75K5_dqMUzHh0BoXpvu_1AdCQU2dBXo-0/s640/Support+Beam+Before+2.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ4mm1-EycH_98gHdpBk4lWv5pxZIbXwNrxchg6Y-k8KsA-NXnjBjlHhlTyzCv_HbcYocCxwW2ynM7xXyn8FX54-0PMxmUW4zkXhTG8gauQmMXbTDJk0csbokOlOWamsJDEO6GzesW52Y/s1600/Support+Beam+Before+1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ4mm1-EycH_98gHdpBk4lWv5pxZIbXwNrxchg6Y-k8KsA-NXnjBjlHhlTyzCv_HbcYocCxwW2ynM7xXyn8FX54-0PMxmUW4zkXhTG8gauQmMXbTDJk0csbokOlOWamsJDEO6GzesW52Y/s640/Support+Beam+Before+1.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAiFNBCMsAC0voOnBPguzRF1RlVxb6DALrm_2KlwhnCZBr49taiW5as99x_pR6Sj-Xim-rW5us_IFQc-MKtoK89QrMuqqC7QfPiwt6lpjKCKugF0twPSnyGgUPP2ddHKc0D70jiIXCkHc/s1600/Support+Beam+After+Barn+Wood+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAiFNBCMsAC0voOnBPguzRF1RlVxb6DALrm_2KlwhnCZBr49taiW5as99x_pR6Sj-Xim-rW5us_IFQc-MKtoK89QrMuqqC7QfPiwt6lpjKCKugF0twPSnyGgUPP2ddHKc0D70jiIXCkHc/s640/Support+Beam+After+Barn+Wood+2.JPG" width="640" /></a><br />
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We trimmed out each vertical support with pre-primed white boards and lattice trim pieces. Once my husband had them nailed around the 2 x 4 supports, I wood filled each nail hole and caulked everything to make the trim nice and clean. Everything got many coats of white paint to complete the look.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJh2EvWf3y3G5KYyTXc1pcKKklMP8Yr2Z-lwNPnaqv91mUeYnsT63Dh0D002pCoGomMX4cenRHT8uPDwFz_-sfHJM4dbV8_1OvBHUvKFYfnFVVaJot1jdDRJMYGluuiNnGAJYTDBec3Lo/s1600/Support+Beam+After+Barn+Wood+3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJh2EvWf3y3G5KYyTXc1pcKKklMP8Yr2Z-lwNPnaqv91mUeYnsT63Dh0D002pCoGomMX4cenRHT8uPDwFz_-sfHJM4dbV8_1OvBHUvKFYfnFVVaJot1jdDRJMYGluuiNnGAJYTDBec3Lo/s640/Support+Beam+After+Barn+Wood+3.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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I have individual posts for much of what we've done (Click <a href="http://www.thedabblingcrafter.com/search/label/Ugly%20House%20Renovation" target="_blank">here</a> for the collection of Ugly House posts), but here's a quick run down. First we removed everything from the kitchen (cabinets, countertops, that red back splash, sink, soffet) and replaced with subway tile, Ikea cabinets, butcher block countertops (that I stained and finished) and an apron front sink. After that, we painted everything including the pantry door and stair railings. New doors throughout the upstairs. The wall came down, new lights were added/changed, floors were removed, new island built, horizontal beam wrapped in barn wood and vertical supports wrapped in trim, drywall patched up, ceiling covered in plank and new floors installed throughout the upstairs. Final step is putting new taller trim throughout the upstairs and trim around the ceiling.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg54P7aQqf6EDLue9b-A30GfW8gq6CS152ZwXa_Rn4hF5qPgZb4LpcFQtmA1oAmX_4lcTrZPB2cprRI0K5D_lrE4Dd3Y3zbCKmx6Z-O0BA578w2GD8bhs8gTdN3xx2O0DSUvbklDoghq-U/s1600/Kitchen+Island+After.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg54P7aQqf6EDLue9b-A30GfW8gq6CS152ZwXa_Rn4hF5qPgZb4LpcFQtmA1oAmX_4lcTrZPB2cprRI0K5D_lrE4Dd3Y3zbCKmx6Z-O0BA578w2GD8bhs8gTdN3xx2O0DSUvbklDoghq-U/s640/Kitchen+Island+After.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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<img align="right" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi71IDcZvtDIZryz7noARjVno4NxfspW2pB_StieJrGs7qEc9XZOkhkctWBAKtE3ML0gNpPz3tIWAx-w4-PBELfOa6D9nDnsw_fh5g7jf9m86eHWUKSPDjap3jFLESQTg9Me_FhbJbU/s1600/signature-thedabblingcrafter.png" style="border: 0px;" /><a href="http://www.pinterest.com/dabblingcrafter"><br /><br /><br /></a> TheDabblingCrafterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09887107946361368583noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6859159588839510533.post-86779146892989945452017-01-04T17:22:00.000-06:002017-01-04T20:08:45.909-06:00FabFitFun Box ReviewHello!<br />
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We're finally past that grey week between Christmas and New Years, and it's time to get back to work! Back in November I saw a sponsored ad on Instagram for the FabFitFun Monthly Subscription Box and was actually intrigued. Normally I find sponsored ads irritating, because they ruin the steady stream of cute puppies and cute babies on my Insta. (Is that the proper usage of slang? I'm trying to be hip and cool, but a mom of three that loves Harry Potter is bound to struggle.)<br />
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I went searching for reviews and there was tons of positive ones, but they were all from people that had gotten the box for free. I don't know about you, but no matter how many times a blogger says that free stuff doesn't influence their decision, I don't really believe it. Free stuff is always better, right?<br />
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So, here's my review of their new Editor's Box, and I paid for it, so you know I'm telling the truth. <i>Well</i>.....I did use a coupon code since it was my first one, but you get the idea.<br />
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I had a couple of friends ask what this was. The FabFitFun is a subscription box like others you may have seen (BirchBox, Ipsy, Sock of Month, BooklyBox, Bark Box, Nerd Box...there's literally a subscription box for everything) As the name may suggest, it's full of items that are either beauty related (the fab part), health related (the fit part) or just fun. Instead of doing a monthly subscription, they do a box every 3 months (each season). The box I got was the Editor's Box so it was a mixture of the "favorite" (aka leftover) items throughout the year's other boxes. So it wasn't quite as seasonally themed as some of the other ones are. Nothing in the box is a sample size..it's all full size. Also, they promise each box has a retail value of at least $200.00. So, for $49.99 (or $39.99 with a coupon), it's a pretty good deal.<br />
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I decided to try it out because 1) it's a pretty good deal, 2) I thought it would be a fun treat for myself every couple of months, and 3) I'm no longer getting Christmas card mail and I need something to fill the hole left in my heart from not getting cheerful happy mail.<br />
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Now that I have broke down what this box is all about, let's take a look at what I got in my 2016 Editor's Box.<br />
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Here's what the box looked like when it arrived. OoooAhhhh.</div>
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Opening the box it was all nicely wrapped up. I'm a fan of a good packaging job. </div>
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Yeah...I'm not going to use that gift card for Hello Fresh. Please see last post about my utter disdain for all things cooking related.</div>
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The first item was a dainty gold necklace that said "dream." I'm a sucker for a dainty necklace so I'm happy with this.</div>
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I'm also a sucker for a blanket scarf. Just ask my husband about the scarf rack behind our bedroom door. Blanket scarves are the best. It's like you're lounging around in your house with a blanket over you except it's fashionable and hides the food stains I have created down the front of all my shirts. </div>
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Although I never know what to wear these scarves with. Just solids? Mix with stripes? I'M LOST PEOPLE. HELP.</div>
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Hair oil stuff. I have no idea how to use this. I shall use the Google machine to figure out this mysterious ointment.</div>
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Lip gloss. I don't wear lip stuff like ever (except my one tube of Lipsense that I really do like) Hopefully this isn't like a neon green color.</div>
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Ooo..it's kinda dark. The color is "Lucky" It's actually very very nice. See obligatory selfie below.</div>
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Lotion. Smells good. It fulfills what I require of lotions.</div>
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Coffee cup. Ah. I love coffee cups. I would dedicate half of the kitchen I rarely use to coffee, and its associated drinking apparatuses if I could. Husband hates my ever growing cup collection. He's just jealous of my affection for coffee.</div>
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Mineral Peel Face stuff. I do have to say out of all the things I got out of this box, this is surprisingly my favorite. I don't do a whole lot face cleansing wise (I also don't wear make-up...I'm trying to be authentic. <i>Ha! Mostly just lazy and cheap</i>) so this was a surprising favorite. It smells good and it seems to really work. <i>(Oh and please don't comment about how I should try R + F. I don't have the money, time, or interest for that. I don't want to waist your time pitching to me.)</i></div>
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Nail Polish. I have nothing witty to add here. It goes on your fingers or if you're my son, you're entire foot.</div>
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I have to admit, when I saw this color, I was kinda like, "Welp, there has to be some things I'm not going to like in the box." So I tried it out on my daughter. It's actually surprisingly neutral on, and I was digging it. My daughter, however, did not because it was neon colored with sparkles. </div>
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Coloring book. I have like a million of these, and I am still happy to get them. They are really great for vacation or camping when I'm avoiding technology.</div>
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So here's the lip gloss. I'm actually really liking the color. I've thrown it into my purse to put on when I remember. </div>
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Selfies aren't really my thing. Don't I look half asleep? Ah, I probably was half sleeping...you know. Baby and all. Here's the scarf. I like it. Still...send help on how to wear it. Please. </div>
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<img align="right" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi71IDcZvtDIZryz7noARjVno4NxfspW2pB_StieJrGs7qEc9XZOkhkctWBAKtE3ML0gNpPz3tIWAx-w4-PBELfOa6D9nDnsw_fh5g7jf9m86eHWUKSPDjap3jFLESQTg9Me_FhbJbU/s1600/signature-thedabblingcrafter.png" style="border: 0px;" /><a href="http://www.pinterest.com/dabblingcrafter"><br /><br /><br /></a><a href="http://www.pinterest.com/dabblingcrafter"><img src="http://i672.photobucket.com/albums/vv86/kristamariephotography2/watermelon_pinterest.png" /></a> <a href="http://www.facebook.com/thedabblingcrafter"><img src="http://i672.photobucket.com/albums/vv86/kristamariephotography2/seagreen_facebook.png" /></a> <a href="http://www.twitter.com/kristambenson"><img src="http://i672.photobucket.com/albums/vv86/kristamariephotography2/blue_twitter.png" /></a>TheDabblingCrafterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09887107946361368583noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6859159588839510533.post-352333353521227792016-12-30T13:33:00.003-06:002016-12-30T13:34:19.989-06:00DIY Barn Wood Ceiling Support Beam2017 is almost upon us. Thank goodness. Although this year hasn't been a great for many people, we have much to be thankful for in our house. Sweet Cheeks came into our lives, and she's a constant reminder of what is good in the world. We were able to make great progress on Ugly House. Work was pretty great for both my husband and I. On the flip side, I lost an aunt, a dog, and two cats. Then there's that election. Ugh. No other words are needed.<br />
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Since December 1st, I've been reflecting on how I can make 2017 better, and it mostly comes down to action. Taking action on the house, in my children's lives, in my work, in the community and of course, on this blog. So, buckle up because 2017 will be a good year even if I have to bend it to my will.<br />
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One big project we're still finishing up at our house is the kitchen, living and dining room remodel. We tore down the Indiana Jones Lost Tomb wall at the beginning of the summer. (Click <a href="http://www.thedabblingcrafter.com/2016/04/removing-great-wall-of-ugly-house.html" target="_blank">here </a>for that amazing before and after) We've added in a island, <a href="http://www.thedabblingcrafter.com/2016/05/finishing-drywall-for-beginners.html" target="_blank">fixed drywall</a>, removed all our floors & replaced them (post forthcoming on that odyssey), framed in the vertical support beams, replaced light fixtures, built a new countertop, and <a href="http://www.thedabblingcrafter.com/2016/07/diy-plank-farmhouse-ceilings.html" target="_blank">added a plank ceiling</a>. We are working on trim on the floor, on the support beams and ceiling right now. One big project was figuring out how to wrap the new large support beam in the middle of the room.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRLNWlacKQY3vOMuQBGR-Gpzz0XmwUUlzbbvCPsX5Btmh_0YQtx1k6deOxvZc8pv1m2lRt082WwtI_Ov9XymzgrjUo8IimhSvMIWwth9hTdzu0xOR4n1ydfdQ4Lvp3RCvfo4ypmxeXgHE/s1600/Support+Beam+Before+1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRLNWlacKQY3vOMuQBGR-Gpzz0XmwUUlzbbvCPsX5Btmh_0YQtx1k6deOxvZc8pv1m2lRt082WwtI_Ov9XymzgrjUo8IimhSvMIWwth9hTdzu0xOR4n1ydfdQ4Lvp3RCvfo4ypmxeXgHE/s640/Support+Beam+Before+1.JPG" width="640" /></a><br />Support beams after wall remove and new light fixtures. </div>
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<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0xEPisBrEU2a4Tg6qXMY7DcG8IDKThO7qYTT5GBTwmS-gade8BhQgZFR1rir7uCAH_GvN88v8-g4KLMnYNE2ZSPmuVhYAIhrM-zG2GmRch33Ut2-Mxh65ncFmQbpSYJ1pyai1a5U95UY/s1600/Support+Beam+Before+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0xEPisBrEU2a4Tg6qXMY7DcG8IDKThO7qYTT5GBTwmS-gade8BhQgZFR1rir7uCAH_GvN88v8-g4KLMnYNE2ZSPmuVhYAIhrM-zG2GmRch33Ut2-Mxh65ncFmQbpSYJ1pyai1a5U95UY/s640/Support+Beam+Before+2.JPG" width="640" /></a><br />Support beams immediately after wall removal.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-lWzwL07nLExzkaZU7ajUoFT5F-v4hjSGCZ1eUHl4dRit0Dww1Lqgu4VPu9itmc7Yfu1W0AlScSozW_JLVScqdu_zz4vN80XFyXNUL9llWn3oTlK_9J5b3ntn7H1hFM-llKQWx_P7KrA/s1600/Support+Beam+Before+3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="444" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-lWzwL07nLExzkaZU7ajUoFT5F-v4hjSGCZ1eUHl4dRit0Dww1Lqgu4VPu9itmc7Yfu1W0AlScSozW_JLVScqdu_zz4vN80XFyXNUL9llWn3oTlK_9J5b3ntn7H1hFM-llKQWx_P7KrA/s640/Support+Beam+Before+3.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Support beams after new lights and new ceiling</div>
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I would like to go on record that I liked barn wood before it was cool. Before Fixer Upper made everyone want to put barn wood or ship lap into their house (including myself because I want to force the Gaines to living in my house and do work for free...just kidding..kinda). I have always loved old stuff. I collect vintage Pyrex, collected antique books growing up, and of course, I have <a href="http://www.thedabblingcrafter.com/search/label/Myrtle%20the%20Turtle" target="_blank">Myrtle</a>. So, while my house is probably more on trend now than I ever thought it would be, I hope it also has some staying power. When we bought Ugly House, it was my vision to make it fit into the farmhouse idea since we live in the country. She might not be old, but I wanted to make sure she felt like she was.<br />
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Now that barn wood is all the rage, it's very difficult to find it! We were going to to try to salvage some barn wood from the barn we got our <a href="http://www.thedabblingcrafter.com/2015/11/diy-sunday-rustic-barn-door-headboard.html" target="_blank">headboard</a> from, but the wood was too brittle. We asked around (one plus of having a large animal veterinarian as a husband), but no one had a piece that would be long enough to go down the entire beam.<br />
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My husband was over at his parents one day to cut some boards and noticed their large shed had long pieces of wood along the bottom. He went in to talk to his dad and asked if it would be possible to remove some of the wood if we replaced it with new wood. He didn't have a problem with it, so suddenly we had wood. <i>(That's what she said..he..he..he)</i><br />
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I was about 6/7 months pregnant, and the husband thought we could put this 20 foot piece of wood up ourselves. Nope. That was a whole lot of nope. First problem: he decided he would hold the entire piece of wood while I drilled it in. Second problem: at the time we didn't have an impact drill, so to get through the wood, we had to use quite a bit of force. I wasn't quite tall enough, so I was drilling above my head. (Why didn't we get the bigger ladder you ask? I don't know. Don't ask obvious questions.) So picture this...6/7 months pregnant, I was leaning in trying to drill above my head while the husband is channeling Hercules holding 20 feet of thick solid wood. What could go wrong with such a safe smart plan?<br />
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Of course I slipped and tried to drill a six inch screw through one of my fingers. He knew better to ask me to try again, as I was ugly pregnancy crying and cleaning my wound in the sink. He called his dad over to help, had him bring over the impact drill and ta-da, a couple hours later, it looked pretty darn amazing.<br />
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Oh, there's another thing to be thankful for. Father-in-laws that give you free wood, bring over the proper tools and dedicate an afternoon to helping remodel your house. Just like my dad and uncle that helped install an entirely new kitchen and our neighbors that helped bring in our countertops at 8 o'clock at night. As my new secret best friend Jen Hatmaker would say, "Love People. Love God. The End." I have many people to love in my life.<br />
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Almost done with the trim around the support beams. Just need a coat of paint! :) </div>
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