Spontaneous Generation

heartfelt wreath (get it?)

some random stuff (and bobby pins):

a little thanksgiving activity while the tofurkey was in the oven . . .

and - we have a wreath!

wreath form: thrifted last year
sweaters: thrifted and felted for projects last year, these were the scraps
bobby pins: well . . . they actually worked okay!

the only bad thing about this project was the enormous thickness of the wreath.  it wouldn't fit in the hanger, so i had to rip the back open a little bit and jam the wreath hanger up into the straw, behind a wire form inside of the straw.

it's not the most christmasy wreath in the world, but i like it!  and since all the thrifting occured more than a year ago, it was free.  you can't beat that.

help wanted

what to do with brian's music stuff?

(photo credit)

brian has a million guitars, the banjo, the ukulele, various keyboards, drums and electronics.  and accessories.  and amps. 

there are two 10x10 rooms in the basement which are supposed to be his for music and art.  the basement is a mess, by the way.

so i'm trying to figure out if we just need to make the basement more fantastic (and maybe bring down some toys to set up a play area, so it's easier to spend time downstairs with the boys), or concede defeat and let the music stuff come upstairs?  i really don't want that to happen.  for one, i don't want the upstairs to be bursting at the seams.  for another, i think we should use the basement.  (my sewing stuff is down there, too - or, um, it's supposed to be.)

in any case, we need to figure out how to organize his stuff, whatever room it ends up in.  like the guitars (and similar items).  i realize guitar stands and hooks exist, but . . . i'm not in love.  has anyone seen a good diy method for standing or hanging guitars?  or do you have any other good ideas for setting up a music room?

art & craft supplies storage

i didn't think of taking "before" pictures, but i have a couple "during" which are scary enough:

about 10% of what was on top of my fridge - notice the random items like a discman and a twig.

the boys helping me sort.  sonnen does not understand sorting.  transferring, yes.  sorting, no.

art supplies and tools.

craft supplies - not counting all the craft supplies in the rest of the house which should be sorted into here, just what was on top of the fridge.

me: i don't think lip balm is a craft supply.

klaus: yes it is, because the person who wears the dress is also going to wear the make-up.

me: what, the model?

klaus: yes.  we're making a design-dress.  for me.  so i'm the model, so i get to wear the make-up - can you pass me the make-up?  (applies bonnie bell watermelon lipsmakers.) do i look beautiful?

i can't believe i forgot to take a picture of everything (which is more than these two trays) on top of the fridge.  tomorrow - and maybe also the "design-dress" which is actually a zhaina-style tutu . . . sort of.

pom wonderful

new entryway curtains.  i cut them up 1/3 of the way across instead of at the middle - like a hairdo with a side part.

craft night

at our crafty get-together, i started slicing up fabric for a couple of twin-sized quilts.  i didn't get very far, amid the cooking, eating, visiting and parenting that all needed to take place (not that i'd take back any of those things!).  i have a lot more cutting to do.  it reminds me of a project runway moment: "i don't care if you cry and cut, but cry and cut!"

can't wait for craft night, round two . . .

tiny old low tee = tiny new low pillow!

i'm not sentimental and it's usually easy for me to part with something i can't use any more, but this low t-shirt is super special.  art by zak & hollis, sentiment 100% hollis, and it represents a memory of a certain night in a certain place that doesn't exist anymore . . . so i've held on to it.

now it's a cute little pillow.

the boys love it . . .

a lot!

i love chezlarsson for the idea and the awesome instructions.  i mean, anyone can make a pillow cover, but benita makes it easy (and removable for washing!). 

make room!

working on a new play room . . .

 
toy shelf, wallpapered in posters, kid art, photos and a few personal treasures from another time

i found this sad laminate cabinet on craigslist and brian made it beautiful with paint (and help from the boys), and got the lamp from goodwill for $2.  perfect!  the vintage microscope was a gift.

next step: relocate all the toys from the floor of the play room (our previous bedroom) to the shelf & cabinet!

the lady of the house

this is klaus's ladybug, kakke.

he slept next to us last night.  just to make sure he wasn't scared in his new home, and to make sure he would know that his 'new family' loves him, klaus sang him songs and told him stories about himself (yes, kakke) and his brothers (klaus, sonnen, and camus).

i predict a 'what happens when someone dies' conversation coming up in our near future.

deminiblinding my windows

when i saw this tutorial by way of apartment therapy, i knew my days of living with ugly, dirty, half-broken miniblinds were numbered.  check out my new shades.

 

up

and down.

okay, these were askew when photographed, so they're not quite as crooked as they appear . . . but they're not perfectly straight either.  according to jenny (see awesome blog where i found this tutorial), it is possible to make them straight, but for a non-perfectionist like me, with two little helpers underfoot, well, i can live with this.  it's a big improvement.