Making Mt. Everest

I homeschool 2 of my kids this year. We make decisions year to year about school. They really like homeschool and really like public school. Next year I will only have a kindergartner and a preschooler. Anyway, I am doing 1st and 3rd grade this year. We usually do science and social studies together in reading or projects. This past week we talked Geography and about Mt. Everest. I found this kit several years ago on clearance at Target and we finally put it together!

I made them keep it in the box til it dried. That white stuff was thick and sticky like concrete! But it was fun and now they know what Mt. Everest is and where it is!

If I go into town and drive by Goodwill I stop. You can go there 10 times and find nothing and then bam! you find things. So I will take 5 minutes and run thru once a week. I have been collecting this particular swirl pattern of Johnson Bro. ironstone and was happy to find more saucers.

This cute little pitcher is really heavy glass and I just imagined it for lemonade this summer.

Ok, I have NO Easter decorations. We color eggs and the Easter bunny comes but I just don't normally put out decorations. But I saw this big ceramic bunny and he was pretty cheap. (Kim K. I thought of you!) So I grabbed him and he is sitting on my table but might move to the mantle this weekend. I am just crossing my fingers that he doesn't lose his ears from a flying ball or a swinging golf club before Easter! Have a great day!

Spring is nice, but I like summer

These are my 2 youngest last summer. I was trying to find some pics of my garden last year and couldn't really find any. I just miss summer. The kids play outside til dark and then chase lightening bugs. It's so green out here because of all the farming around us. Spring in Indiana is wet and usually cold. There are very few days of true lovely spring weather anymore. I love summer.

This was one day haul of veggies last summer in my wagon! And we are doing triple the size this year! I have had smaller years so I am crossing my fingers that all goes well this year.

This was one year that we were out of town and so busy in July that I couldn't do anything in the garden for 2 weeks. Yes, those are tomato plants that I planted too close together that first year. They grew into a hedge! They were taller than me. But I did still get a lot of tomatoes that year. I am hoping to stay on top of it this year with my hired farm hands ( my kids). Have a great day!

Around my house

I forgot to show you this cute picture I got at our thrift store for 50 cents. I know geese aren't the in thing anymore but silhouettes are, so I thought this was cute. And I have 3 girls so I was drawn to it.

This could be nominated for the worst blog picture for 2011. But I didn't have time to upload another so just work with me! About a month ago my husband went out of town and the front hall was looking reallly bad. Think 2 million fingerprints and dings all over everything. So in one day I went to Lowes had them cut all this wood (this was furrow strips used to hang drywall), nailed it up there and painted. My kids thought I had went nuts.

I found this vintage picture at the thrift store for $2.00. I painted the frame black and that's it! It kinda looks like a paint by number but it's not.

Here's around the corner in the front hall. All the wood for this project cost me about $25.00. It was strips used to hang drywall so not the best quality but hey I haven't freaked about the kids riding tricycles into yet. If it was really good wood I might be more freaked about that. We took the bi-fold doors off the closet and hung curtains because the doors got used so much they kept coming off the tracks. Yes that is more of that oops paint. The same color I used in my daughter's room. She liked it so much she asked for it in her room. I got a 5 gallon drum for $34.00 so I had some left over :) Have a great day!

I'm still terrible at before and after pictures

I'm really terrible at taking blog pictures. I have no patience to make things just right. I want it done and ready to move on to the next thing! I need to slow down and do it right. But you won't have to worry about me staging anything. I don't have the patience to make every detail perfect. I have learned to let that go because a person would drive themselves crazy with everything being perfect with 7 kids. It can't happen. Just as soon as you make it perfect someone spills something, breaks something, throws up or something. It's true. I swear.

So, my blog pictures are very generic. I am working on that. But I am always hurrying along to get things done. I love pictures so I will work on it. Pinky swear. Anyway, here is the bed before. I had to prime that thing because it had a little bit of shine to it. But I think it looks much better white.

Madison (my oldest) got home Saturday night at midnight from her trip and ran up the stairs to see her room. She loved it! I was so happy. Then I warned her to mess it up would bring the wrath of MOM after her. Yeah, we'll see how long that lasts. Glad I got pictures of it clean anyway.

Here is that cabinet before I painted it white. I know, boring right? But it does look better. One thing I am proud of that this whole makeover was very frugal. My total cost : mirror at goodwill-11.00, blinds-11.50, headboard lamp-9.00, wall paint-(oops paint)6.00, just got a bed skirt at consignment shop-5.00 and a quart of primer-6.00, craigslist bed-30.00 $79.50! All the white paint was left over from other projects so I could count that in the cost but I didn't. Not bad for a room makeover. She still loved her bedding so that saved me a bundle. So on to the next project and back to school today. Have a great day!

The last weekend of spring break activities

I bet not knowing what this picture is looks pretty gross. I am making laundry detergent today. Yes I do tons of laundry everyday. This helps keep costs down. This is the bar soap melting down.

You just grate it up and melt it in some water. Add the other cast of characters, add more water in a 5 gallon bucket and you have cheap per load laundry detergent.

Here is the cast of characters. I am sure you have seen the recipe floating around blogland. I have been making it for about 4 years. If I can get detergent super cheap, I buy it. Otherwise, I make it. So many people ask me how we make it on one modest income with so many kids and with our kids so active in sports. We don't do it perfectly and we are still learning. But, we make choices. No, making your own detergent won't put your kids thru college or pay for travel soccer, but all pennies add up to dollars. It's a bunch of small decisions that can add up to paying for something else. Priorities I guess. And God's hand in all of it. And shopping at garage sales...speaking of...

Garage sale season started here today. It is cooold but the churches usually start off the season and they are held indoors. They are the best because you go to one place for lots of stuff! Went to 2 today and found a box full of white federalist ironstone! My oldest comes home tonight from her trip and will see her room makeover. We are going to enjoy the rest of the weekend with the kids because next week starts 2 million practices and running around crazy. Have a great weekend!

Good Enough room makeover!

Isn't this vintage headboard lamp the cutest? I got it at a consignment shop for about $9.00 and it works great! I put it on my oldest's headboard of her new craigslist bed that I got for $30.00. The bed was the 80's color brown (I'll find a pic tomorrow of it before I painted it white). I think she will like it.

Before she left on her spring break trip, her only request for her room was something sophisticated. She saw ruffles and lace dancing in my head and stopped me cold right there. She is 15 and wanted something grown up. I found the new vanity mirror at Goodwill that I painted white. The matchstick blinds were at Lowes on clearance for 11.50 for both sets!

Here's another corner. I will have more before pics tomorrow. I painted this cabinet white. It was in her room before just wood color. My hubby gave it to me our first Christmas we were married almost 19 years ago! The color of the walls looks a little different on the pictures. I need a better camera. It's hard to capture at night too.

I just touched up the white desk and moved this end table in from another room. The cute glittery lamp was hers before too. All the bedding was there before except the "M" pillow that I just threw together. Be very afraid if messiness makes you crazy. Here is the before picture.

Yikes! She had a old day bed before that was on it's last leg. She was over the pink and wanted something else. She comes back in town Sunday from her trip. Do you think she will be happy? I hope so! Have a great day and hopefully some other before and after pics tomorrow.

Another Goodwill post to stall for awhile

Garden season has snuck up on me a little this year. My farmer that tills for me is coming today and I have been playing catch up on getting ready because we made the decision to expand our garden dramatically. I am not sure if that was smart considering how busy we are right now but we will see.

I actually got this at Goodwill about a month ago. It was my first set that is heavy and stamped so I know it is vintage. I love it! The leg on the coffee pot is chipped but it's in my china hutch and I smile when I see it. I feel all fancy even though I am washing dishes and whiping hinies.

I have no idea why this picture is turned again. Don't hurt your neck looking at it! But it is a super cute soup toureen that I got for 98 cents! It has some chips but that makes it fit in around here.

I got 4 of these plates and 5 matching bowls. They say Memory Lane ironstone 1965 on the bottom. They are all in perfect condition and I paid $5.00 for all!

Very 1970's but I love owls and this candle holder was only 50 cents. Ok, I am still trying to finish up my daughter's room. I need to pick up some bedding pieces I think and I promise to show you tomorrow! It won't be perfect but we are talking about a very messy teenage girl that I decided that will be happy with her room and then will throw about a million clothes on the floor. So I have decided to quit stressing about it and just finish it today. Have a great day!

Goodwill hot streak

Don't you love when you get on a thrift store or Goodwill hot streak? It seems lately I have been getting lucky. At least for things I like! I am sensing a collection I am starting here and didn't even realize it! I love Madonna statues in white and these 2 I found at different places. One is a planter that I put a little ivy in and the other a flower vase. I just think they are so sweet and lovely.

I have no idea why these pics are turned and no idea how to turn them once they are loaded. But I got these books for a quarter a piece and the vintage pictures are so cute.

This is a newer publication of old advertising and magazine pictures about pets. It is hard back and so sweet. 25 cents!

Aren't these triplets the sweetest? They are taking care of their sick little brother I think. This book was actually published in 1950. It's in great shape. I love vintage children's books.

Here's the cover. Flicka, Ricka and Dicka. Wow on those names lol. I am sorry about the pictures. I am still learning to navigate this blog and fix things that I am obviously not getting right! It's been a good week and I am slowly finishing up the bedroom makeover and have lots more thrifty finds this week too that I will be showing! I can't figure out how to upload more pictures per post? It's probably something really easy but if any of you veteran bloggers could let me know I would be grateful! Have a great day!

Today's main project

Today we are having fun at chuck e cheese. My little guy Ryder is driving a train like his daddy here!

I never see Bob the Builder on tv anymore! Why not, it's so cute! Anyway he had lots of fun.

Merritt had a great time too. Actually all the kids had fun but ofcourse the place is geared towards the little guys. I am still painting in between cooking, running, shopping, and practices. Trying to fit in fun for the kids too! Have a great day!

Total randomness for a Monday....

Remember my girl's that share a room have that large dollhouse in there? I love it because my grandfather built it. I can't get rid of it. I have had this saved on my computer F.o.r.e.v.e.r. so I am sorry not to give credit where I got it. If it's yours, please don't turn me in. I love it and one day I might do something like this with that doll house.

It's spring break this week for us. Still a few practices going on, but really the calm before the storm. We will have 4 different baseball teams and a travel soccer team going for the next 2 months. So this week, we are trying to get lots done and spend lots of quality family time in between my husband's work schedule. (he drives a train and is gone a lot)I know this picture is random, but I told the kids that this is the Sound of Music week for us. Watch movies, eat snacks, stay up late go to Chuck E Cheese tomorrow! I know, we are high rollers. No fancy smancy vacation this year. Maybe next year.

I am working hard on my oldest child's bedroom and promise to show pics soon. But this morning I am sore and tired and too lazy to walk upstairs and get my camera. (sore from painting, how pathetic is that?) But another image I have had saved on my computer forever is this one I think from Country Living. We are doing triple the size of our vegetable garden this year. A farmer comes every year and tills the ground for me and he is coming this week! Mine never looks like this picture but a girl can dream right? And did you see the price of green peppers right now? $1.33 a piece? Really? Yeah, I 'll be growing a bunch of those. Room pics coming soon! Have a great day!

Craziness took over this week!

This week has been CRAZY. Baseball, soccer, cheer, school, laundry, dishes blah blah. You get the picture. No time for any projects other than cooking 24/7 because they eat like locusts.But next week I am hoping to get the bedroom makeover completed and some other small things. But when I see their shining, smiling faces I smile and it's all worth it!

But keeping it real, this is more reality :) Have a great weekend!

Some new vintage finds and makeover next week

I got this at the thrift store for 68 cents! It's metal and in really great shape. I thought it would look cute displayed for Christmas. It looks all campy and homey. It's doesn't take much to make me happy.

I told you I'm obsessed with silver plate. This set is cloudy? I am just getting into silverplate and I am not sure what this is? I have a Williams Rogers set that I got really tarnished and it cleaned up fine. But this set is not stamped and a lot lighter so probably a cheaper version but still silverplate. I scrubbed some of the cloudiness with baking soda and water and it seemed like it came off but it took a lot of elbow grease. The set only cost me $7.00 so I figured I could work on it. Next week I am planning a makeover of my oldest child's room. She is going to the beach for spring break with a friend and their family. While she is gone I am redoing her room. How lucky is she to be lying on the beach while I clean and paint? Anyway, I will be showing before and after how that is going next week. Have a great day!

New favorite sign..

Sorry for the short post today but we are soo busy getting everybody signed up and trying out and done with school this week. Next week is spring break for us! I thought I would show you a cute new sign that I got at a flea market a few weeks ago that I hung in my dining room. We have a small side wall in there that is chalkboard and I hung it at the top. With 7 kids, I don't have time to be a short order cook so I put that up there as a reminder. I have some other cute signs that I will show you around the house soon. We've had this chalk board wall for about 4 years and we still like it. I did it because we had a toddler that colored on this wall not once but twice with permanent marker. Now chalkboard walls are the in thing so we fit in! I just painted that quirky trim but would like to trim out the wall someday. Probably won't happen since it has all ready been 4 years since I painted it! Have a great day!

Kid's bath thrifty decor that actually worked!

Last fall I did a quick fix on the kid's bathroom because it was looking pretty sad. We still would like to do a major overhaul but that's not on the radar right now. I bought a new shower curtain at Target and decided that I would paint to match something on the main wall. I drew a big tree and used leftover white paint I had leftover to fill it in.

The pictures are not good. It's a small bath with no window so not ideal for taking pictures. Anyway, I didn't want to paint all the details on the tree because I am not the best artist. I decided I would use scrapbook paper. I just cut them out from a pattern I drew and glued them on the wall with Elmer's school glue! I figured if they started falling off I would buy wallpaper adhesive. Not one has fallen off! Yeah for you elmer's glue! I figured they would because of the humidity but not one leaf! Sorry about the pics but it's the best I could do in that room. Have a great day!

A new use for all those vcr tapes...

Did you know that vcr tapes make great little people and action figure cities?

I didn't know it either, but now you know what to do with all of those! Have a great day!