12 in 12...january's reveal!

My 12 in 12 project for January was to tackle the playroom and I'm excited to reveal the shelves that my husband and I built!

We used my inspiration shelves as a jumping off point and built these to fit the play room and fit our needs. The shelves are made out of 1 x 12 pine (be careful when you're buying wood because the wood doesn't actually measure 12 inches wide!) which we had cut to size at Lowe's and screwed together with wood screws.  We used cleats to hold the shelves in place, which are just 1x2s cut to size and screwed into the sides.  The shelves are then attached to the top of the cleat.

After all of the construction was complete, I sanded everything down and filled the knots, holes, and imperfections with wood fillers.  The edges were all caulked and then I painted 4, yes FOUR, coats of white semi-gloss paint.  I just used Valspar's white semi-gloss paint off of the shelf and loved it!

We attached 2 more 1x2s to the back of the shelf and screwed that into the studs to secure the book shelf to the wall.  It's not going anywhere!

I added the green baskets (from the Dollar Tree) that were on the previous shelves in the playroom, along with the new bins that I bought at IKEA.  I'd like to get 2 more of the white bins to put along the bottom shelf and 3 more green baskets to fill in the middle shelves.

I have a few more projects up my sleeve to "decorate" it a little more, including adding a few more frames to the wall for Grayson's art. The 4 frames are just leaning for now but will get hung back up in the near future.

I think that Scott and I did a pretty good job for it being the first piece of furniture we have built together!  If you have any questions about specifics on the book shelves, feel free to leave a comment!

I will be back tomorrow with February's 12 in 12 project!

Have you ever built a piece of furniture with your husband or by yourself?  What are your secrets? 

**I'm linking this project over at:

handprint valentine hearts...

**this is a post that I published on Worthy of the Prize last year but thought it was a good time to post it here!  And yes, we definitely made these last year even though I dated it 2010!  Ha!**

It’s almost February and you know what that means...time to make valentines! Since Grayson is still small, I love any craft that involves his hand print!       Our valentines are headed to Grayson’s grandparents who all live pretty far away. So, if you’re one of his grandparents, stop reading now. :)

We took advantage of a little down time and made ours a little bit early. Here’s what you need to make these handprint valentines:

• Paper: We used watercolor paper, because we had it on hand and it’s a little thicker than regular cardstock so it might have a chance of holding up in the mail.
  

• 2 colors of washable paint: This is the paint that we used. You could use poster paint if you have older kids, but why take the risk of having red paint stain your kiddos’ cute clothes?

• Baby wipes: it helps to have these handy to wipe the paint off when you’re done with the first handprint.
• Paint brushes

Paint one of your child’s hands and press it onto the paper. (It works best to have your child hold their fingers close together.) Repeat this step for as many valentines as you need to make. Let the first handprint dry!  

Grayson’s handprints didn’t take long at all to dry, using the paper and paint that we did.        

By the time we printed the last of our 8 valentines, the first was already dry.

Using your second color, paint your child’s other hand. Overlap your child’s fingers on the first handprint, making a heart.

Let your valentines dry. Now the possibilities are endless!

• If your child is older, have them write the things he loves about his grandparents around the edge of the “heart”.
• Choose a “love” Scripture to write around the edge.
• Write a little Valentine’s Day message and date it.
• These would also make a cute keepsake if you pop them in a frame like we did.

Hope this helps you get a head start on your Valentine’s Day gifts!Do you have any cute ideas for handmade valentines?

thrift store brass lamp…

Have you noticed the trend among our beloved blogdom to find a cheap brass lamp at the thrift store, add a little spray paint, recover the shade (or buy a drum shade), and end up with a beautiful creation?  Yeah, so have I.  And everyone in Southwest Missouri must have, too, because I have gone from thrift store to thrift store in search of the glorious brass lamp and had NO luck.  Until today…



I was walking around an antique junk store in town and found this little beauty tucked back into one of the antique junk booths.  I was sure that the price tag would read $30, as most of the tags on the lamps had, but I’m pretty certain that angels sang as I read the price tag and it said $4!I said little beauty, but it’s actually about 30 inches tall.



I plan to spray paint the base of the lamp and change up the shade. I’d love to buy a drum shade for it at some point, but recovering the shade will work for now.  My question is what color should I paint it?  I’m thinking that it’s going to go on top of the black dresser in our entry way to replace the too small table lamp that’s currently sitting there.

Turquoise?

Source: akadesign.ca via Mary Jo on Pinterest

White?

Source: 320sycamoreblog.com via Mary Jo on Pinterest

Green?

Any other color suggestions?  Have you made over a sassy brassy lamp?

sensory bins, beans, and a number game…

Another one of Grayson’s favorite things to do at his art center is to make a quick sensory bin.  He picks a tub (this one happened to be one that I recently bought at IKEA) or bin, I dump dried pinto beans in, and he grabs his basket of tractors and trucks to “drive” in the bins. 

We will also use different measuring cups, spoons, and containers to scoop, pour, and transfer the beans.  It’s a great “inside alternative” to a sand box. Grayson will sit and drive, pour, and scoop for at least 30 minutes!  This is a great activity for the 4-5 o’clock hour when you’re trying to get dinner ready and your kiddos have already played with every.single.toy they own. 

Another activity you can do while you have the beans out is to make a quick “number game”.  I divided a large piece of paper into 10 sections and wrote numbers 1-10 in the squares.  Grayson then counted out the appropriate number of beans for each square.  Such a quick and easy “game”, but it’s a great way to reinforce counting and number recognition.  We’re going to try this with the alphabet, too.

Do you have any “go to”activities when your kids are bored with all of their toys or when they’re stuck inside?  

play dough…

One of the activities that Grayson enjoys doing the most at his little art center is playing with play dough.  While we were playing the other day, I came up with a list of things to do with play dough…for those days that my brain just isn’t quite engaged (meaning I haven’t had a cup of coffee yet!).  I plan to print this list out and put it in the basket where the play dough is kept.  It’s also a good reminder of things to do for dads and baby sitters!

I know that a lot of moms hate to drag the play dough out because of the mess.  It cleans up great off of our laminate floor, but if you don’t have that option, you could put a vinyl table cloth under your child’s chair to catch some of the mess.  I’ve also seen some mommas that put down place mats if they’re nervous about the table getting play dough on it.   Do you have any great suggestions for keeping the mess at a minimum?

Want to know a little bit more about preschoolers and play dough?  Here is an excellent article (it’s a few years old but still applies) outlining the ways that play dough helps to address and reinforce a lot of early learning standards.

**I had every intention of posting this last week (following the art center post) but ended up with a  sick little boy on my hands. He’s feeling much better this week!**

our art center…

Although we’ve had a mild winter so far, I’m preparing myself for the snow (or ice) that’s sure to come our way when we least expect it.  After all we did have 2 feet of snow in February last year! 


One of the things that I’ve been doing is sorting out and organizing all of Grayson’s “art” supplies to make sure that we have plenty of things to do when it’s cold outside.  He loves to draw and color, but it’s nice to have different things ready to pull out at a moment’s notice!  I thought I’d dedicate the next few posts to a few art projects or ideas to do with our kiddos when winter strikes.  First up, our art center…

When we moved in, we had a random little wall just outside of the playroom and just on the other side of the desk area in our kitchen.  It was the perfect place to put this table and chairs that a friend gave us. It’s definitely not the most “decorated” area of our house and it’s not going to earn any design accolades, but we strive to have a very kid-friendly home (after all, it is his home, too). 

This little art center has turned out to be one of my favorite places in the house, at least in terms of practicality.  There’s no worry about cleaning up messy projects because the table sits on top of our laminate flooring. Play dough, paint, and other “messy” items clean up easily.



To make it easier to reach the art supplies but keep them off the table, I hung a little towel bar (found at Ikea) and some little red pails from the Target Dollar Spot.  We keep crayons and markers in these little buckets.  I know it’s a little risky to keep these items out all of the time, but Grayson uses them as they are intended…not to color on the walls or furniture.  If that’s an issue in your house, this might not be the best idea for you!  But it works for us.



It’s amazing how much this little space gets used, simply because the supplies are always out and at the ready.

Here's a little photo of our art center in use.

Do you have a spot in your home dedicated to crafting for your kiddos?  Or is your kitchen table always ready for a little coloring or crafting session?

ikea steals and deals…

My husband and I, along with a  group of college students, left on New Year’s Day to drive 12 1/2 hours to Atlanta.  It was an awesome week that I’ll definitely share about in the future.  One afternoon Scott and I had a quick little date at Ikea.  Ikea is one of my favorite places to shop for home décor but the closest one is in Dallas. :(  I wanted to grab a few storage containers for the playroom update and ended up grabbing a few extra things, too.

MÅLA Drawing paper roll: $4.99

Almost 100 feet of drawing paper for a little over $5 (with tax).  They also have a nifty table-top paper holder for $6.99 which I wish I would have grabbed!

PRUTA Food saver: $3.99

A set of 17 food storage containers!  These aren’t as “thick” as regular Tupperware containers, but they’re heavier than the Gladware-type containers.  They are great for replenishing the cabinet of mismatched lids and containers.

TROFAST Storage box, white: $4.00

I bought 4 of these storage boxes to add to the soon-to-be built bookshelf in the playroom.  They are a little more translucent than it looks in the picture, but they are SO sturdy!  You can find them in several different sizes and colors.  The boxes do not come with a lid, but a lid can be purchased separately for $1.  They were out of lids at the Atlanta location, so I’m planning to pick some up at the DC IKEA when we visit our families in a few weeks.

This was a super quick trip and I didn’t bring my camera along with me.  I’m planning a longer trip at the DC IKEA and will definitely tote my camera along!

Do you have any favorite IKEA finds or must-have items to pick up when you’re shopping there? 

playroom inspiration...

We woke up this morning to a beautiful blanket of snow...not too much, but enough to cover everything and make Grayson gasp in delight as he looked out the window.  What is it about snow that makes me want to simply stay still inside our cozy brick house and drink my coffee while watching the tiny little flakes fall?

Today is a perfect day for a little playroom inspiration.  The colors that we are using in the playroom are:

Here are some of the ideas that I have "pinned" as inspiration.

Source: nineandsixteen.blogspot.com via Mary Jo on Pinterest

I showed you these fabulous shelves from Nine & Sixteen the other day. I love how they are used to house the toys and books but are still definitely functional for a piece of furniture in the future.

Source: nineandsixteen.blogspot.com via Mary Jo on Pinterest

Here's a wider shot of the same bookshelves. I love the orange lamps and the art above the shelves.  I am on the look out for a pair of lamps that I can spray paint orange.

Source: hollymathisinteriors.com via Mary Jo on Pinterest

I love everything about this playroom by Holly Mathis. The colors she used are similar to my "inspiration" colors. Definitely going to incorporate a pennant banner somewhere in the room. Don't you love the chipper fabric she used for the curtains?

Source: ashleyannphotography.com via Shawn on Pinterest

I'm thinking of adding chicken wire to the wall that the art display frames are currently hanging on. It would be a great way to continue to add Grayson's art to the wall without being constricted by adding more frame.  Maybe hang the frames on top of the chicken wire to add that pop of color, too?

 

We already have all of Grayson's toys sorted into baskets and buckets, but they are lacking labels. I am definitely going to create some like this with pictures of the toys that belong inside.

Source: christaquilts.com via Mary Jo on Pinterest

I'd love to make curtains for the play room out of this fabric, and even had it in my cart on fabric.com several times, but never could commit to it.  Being a former teacher, I love the alphabet but I'm wondering if there isn't a better "long term" option.  Maybe some type of stripe?

There you have it!  Scott and I are planning to work on the book shelves this weekend...I'll let you know how that turns out.

Do you have any great playroom inspiration or suggestions?  I'd love to know your thoughts!

finding the source…

Do you have a photo saved on your computer but can’t remember the original source?  Did you find a pin on Pinterest that you love, but the pin doesn’t take you back to the original blog post?  Have a pre-Pinterest inspiration folder on your computer that you’d love to pin but have the foggiest idea of where you found the photos?

In my 12 in 12 post, I posted a photo that I loved and am using for inspiration for Grayson’s playroom – but I couldn’t find the original source.  Well, I got a fabulous tip from a reader, Jennifer of Sweet Pea Stitches blog.

How awesome is that?

Here is a little visual “tutorial” for you…start off by going to www.google.com.

 

Many thanks to Jennifer and her awesome tip!

12 in 12

I recently saw this idea on the London Reid blog and thought it was such a twist on New Year’s resolutions.

Amber explained the 12 in 12 idea like this:

“…this year instead of making 1 New Year's resolution, I will be making 12.  One for each month in 2012.  On the first of each month, I'll post about that month's resolution and also share how I did with the previous month.”

Don’t you love that idea?! 

January’s project for my 12 in 12 is going to be to update and organize the playroom.  It’s one of the first rooms that you see when you enter our home and I’d love for it to be a place that Grayson loves to play (which he already does!) but also be organized and avoid looking like the room threw up toys.  Anyone else have a playroom like that?



Here is what the room looked like before we bought the house.  We removed the wallpaper, painted, replaced the carpet, and took down the spindly half-walls which opened the doorway up a lot more.  It’s a great room with great potential.



This is what that same wall looked like last month – before we sold the couch and book shelves. 



I made some “alphabet flash card art” last year for this wall.  I still love how it looks, so it’s staying!
The plans right now are to build a 9 foot long book shelf unit for the wall that the couch and shelves were previously on. This is my inspiration:



Sadly, I do not have the source for this picture!  I came across it on a blog and e-mailed it to my husband without saving the address.  If this is your picture, please let me know!


Thanks to an awesome blog reader, Jennifer of Sweet Pea Stitches, who pointed me to the source:
http://nineandsixteen.blogspot.com/2010/10/our-house-playroom.html

I love that the shelves will hold lots of toys and books, but is definitely useful after we are out of the playroom stage of our lives. 

I’ll be back in the next few days with more inspiration for the play room!

find joy in the journey…

I wanted to share a little printable that I designed for my friend, Erin.  She blogs over at Worthy of the Prize and is a fellow pastor’s wife.  Our husbands were on staff together for a few years and they are dear friends of ours.  Erin is an amazing writer so I wanted to share an excerpt of the words she posted along with the printable:

Sometimes it is incredibly easy to find joy in the journey, isn't it?

Love. Engagements. Weddings. New jobs. Healthy babies. The list goes on.

But what about when the journey gets tough? When you just cannot take it anymore and you want to quit.

Anger. Break-ups. Divorce. Lost jobs. Miscarriages. Sickness Death.

It is during these times that you must "choose joy." And believe me, sometimes you have to search for it. And sometimes the holidays can be the hardest. Find God in the little things. Count those blessings that you usually take for granted.

Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. {James 1:2-4}

May you find joy in your journey in 2012.