It’s easy! And super cheap.

You’ll need:

2 pieces of wood – Use what you’ve got or buy some rods like this from your local hobby store. These cost me $2.49 each. Cheaper, I’m sure, from a hardware store … or you could cut your own. You could. Yes, you could. Also, some clothespin hangers.

And paint. I chose spray paint because I like it. You can use left over paint – in any color you’d like. I have a small store of paint in my basement.

Then I just laid out my wood on some cardboard in a well ventelated area (my garage) and went to town with the spray paint.

I put a couple coats of paint on it – over a day or so … and then brought them inside and powered up the glue gun.

This is me planning ahead. I measured out and marked where I was going to put the clothespins so I didn’t have two very different looking Art Hangers on my daughters wall. Originally I was going to put them both in her bedroom. (Those plans changed though.)

Glue on your clothespins … I did every other one facing up and then down.

Repeat a bunch, until both rods are full of clothespins and wait for them to dry.

This next step is elective depending on your hanging method – I wanted to nail the Art Hanger into the wall so my daughter couldn’t potentially take it down and use it as a princess sword. You think I’m kidding.

I got out my drill. I own one. I bought it for myself all by myself. The folks at Lowes kept saying things like “What does your husband want in a drill?” and I kept on saying … A vagina. It’s for ME.

I digress.

So I got that bad cord-powered baby out of it’s little case, it’s adorable. All tools are adorable. Like little muffin clouds with rainbows and bows. THEY DON’T SCARE ME … any more. How many men did I just assault? Like naming your member Princess Sophia. We all learned that lesson from How To Lose A Guy In 10 Tens, no?

I continue to digress. Any way … I pre-drilled the holes for the nails and then hung it on the wall without breaking anything or ruining the plaster beneath.

And Viola!

I would use super glue instead of a hot glue gun if you have it – one of the clothespins fell off right away and I’ve re-hot-glued it on more than once. And then I decided to only hang one in my daughters bedroom because it was pretty busy with her art on the wall, so the other one proudly hangs above the shelves I built in our basement … ready for all the art projects and proudly displaying a few already.

Life is full right now. Full of wonder and so full of possibility. I mean, it always is, I guess I just recognize it fully right now.

I’m a stay at home but I’ve never worked harder in my life. Two kids at very different ages and schedules, planning a conference is a full time job, writing for this website is a hobby I can’t breathe without and living my life in such a manner to lead us forward. Upward. To keep going, no matter what. To seize it, taste it, carry it and savor it. To cherish everything … it’s the love of my life.

Being busy like this is like salve to a wounded part of me. A part of me that I was so willing to let die in the name of The Motherhood Sacrifice … something I didn’t recognize I didn’t need to bow down too, but something … nonetheless … that I did. Being awake to see the beauty around me is more than a gift to me … it’s a gift to her.

It’s a gift to him.

It’s my gift to them.

And, God, How blessed I am to be aware that it’s a gift I have to give.

I’ve talked about this before, but I’m planning a conference for bloggers for later this year right now. AND! I just confirmed myself as one of the speakers!

Oh the perks.

I’ll be covering the topic of incorporating other forms of media into your blog … video, photos.

Excited yet?

Don’t you worry, we’ll cover all the ticks involved with incorporating your face, live, into your blog … if that’s your thing.

I have a lot of ticks.

One of them being planning this very conference for all you friendlies. I love you all so much.

See?

I’ll have more to say on this topic at the conference … and I’m sure I’ll be caught wide mouthed with something similar in my eyes about something. I’m … emotionally dramatic when I speak … would that be a good assessment, folks who know me?

Anyway, thats how I roll. Completely authentic and open and raw. What you see is really what you get. Even if it’s my booger.

Peace.

Ok, So.

I’ve been holding this in all week because protecting my young is kind of a fierce battle inside of me. I am more aware of my surroundings when the Male is absent because of over night travel. Which is why I haven’t written about him being gone until today, because he is now home. And if you try to come to my doorstep, I’ll be there – you bet, but so will he and that’s just safer.

He left on a jet-plane on the international day of awesome and my daughter and I were definitely partaking in the Awesome of the day but couldn’t tell you about it until now.

When I was younger my family traveled A Lot. My dad was, still is, a commercial pilot so we went places – always on stand by … and always with the whole fam. All six of us. I can’t imagine maneuvering airports with 4 children. If I had to, I would do it, I know I could, but electively? OH HELL NO.

Point is, since we were traveling stand by and my mom was smart, she knew she’d need something to keep all of us busy so we weren’t bothering her with “I’m hungry!” or “I’m bored” all day, sometimes all night. So she put her genius on and made each of us our own bag for traveling. It was usually a brown lunch sack filled with home made treats, some candy and something we could do (those puzzles you push around with your thumbs? Oh yea.). She continues to do this for grandchildren who travel and she’s done it for us as grown children on occasion.

I now do this for my family when we travel. And my daughter and I did something a little different for Aaron for this trip.

We wrote him letters for while he was away.

Most of them were from our daughter – she wrote things like “I miss you!”, “Have a good day!”, “Have fun!”, “Come home now” and “We’re praying for you” all in her own handwriting – and then I would write a little something underneath her message – something to let him know we were thinking about him while he was away, that we were proud of him and all his hard work. That we loved and respected him and couldn’t wait to see him again.

You know. Flowers for a guy.

But there was one that was just from me. I bought it from this etsy shop about 2 years ago thinking I was going to give it to him some other time. Well, any way, I’m trying not to give details so let’s just say this was the right time.

So, our day of awesome stretched into a week of love for Aaron. And we do love him so much.

He’s kind of our favorite.

Wordless Wednesday.

Baby Lettuce peeking through the soil. Welcome, Spring, your growth and promise of a bounty excites me.

You can see more Wordless Wednesday Awesomeness at 5 Minutes for Mom .

You know I need to blog when I start writing stories in my Facebook status. Shall we, then?

Good.

The air just got popped out of my balloon. I hate when that happens.

So, less of me talking and more of me showing you cool stuff.

Faux Ostrich Ice Bucket

Martini Shaker Ours.

Martini Shaker Recipes.

Number glasses so you don’t have to keep track.

Shaken, not stirred Simple.

Yellow Ice Bucket For Molly.

Gingham decanter/glasses in case the picnic booze-fest ends up in your living room.

Parquet Tray Multi-functional awesomeness here. Decorative? Check. Something to set your soakers on? Check. Double Duty.

I have given myself til the end of this month to actually write this post so here goes.

Life List item Ten is to Lose 30 pounds. The deadline to write about this was not the deadline to lose any weight … the weight is gone, has been for a while I just do not want to write about this.

This is me Oct 10, 2009

This is me March 14, 2010

So the weight is gone and I’m still dealing with blood sugar woes, although it’s manageable with a strict diet. Losing the weight was something I wanted to do for me – I want to feel good. But saying all of this makes it sound like I wasn’t happy before and I so totally was. Everyone has body issues.

Bla bla bla.

Accomplished!

Now – in a few months I’ll be jumping off the pier in my wedding gown, right after having a massive food fight. This I will write about. Who wants to have this food fight with me? I kind of have a fantasy where we’re throwing spaghetti and meat balls at each other. Is there a restaurant out there that wants to sponsor this one? Any one? It’ll be fun.

Let’s break from the madness of bedrooms, thrifting and photos for a sec, k? I need to clear some air.

In most of the Life List posts lately I bring my parents into the picture. My childhood. I feel like I paint it to be rocky, or worthless. Which it is very much was not.

I talk about being spoiled because there was such a rift between my siblings and I over this very issue – I am the baby, and I was very close to my step dad, more so than any of them, so I was just very aware of the differences between us. Not differences like – we’re just not the same – more like, the comments that were always made about how spoiled I was.

I get it now. I understand. I’m working through it. I’m figuring it out. I was spoiled, but I have always been ambitious – I just lacked follow through in a lot of the “grown up” areas of my life that I’ve had to earn and learn the hard way. And there’s nothing wrong with that.

For instance:

After moving out on my own I would do laundry after it piled up and when everything was done and put away I would, literally, think I was home free. As in, I’d have at least 2 months before I had to look at my laundry room again. I’ve never owned that much underwear, so I was delusional. Naive. I just thought I put my time in, now it’ll just work out.

Minimal effort for maximum outcome.

But whatever, now I know better and I’m learning and trying to teach my kids work ethic and all kinds of things I want them to grasp early. But that’s not because I wasn’t taught those things. I was … and then I wasn’t.

It varied.

Pretty much what I want to say is, my parents did a great job, and now when I’m writing about them or making it sound like I lacked some kind of growing up lesson or skill … some times that’s exactly what I’m saying, because it’s true, but most of the time I’m just being honest about how I was seeing the world back then … and how I see it now.

Part of me also wants to prove, so badly, to my siblings that I’m not that girl anymore. Judgmental, harsh, mouthy. There’s a bitch inside me that has seen too much light already, in my life. But I was protecting myself from rejection and hurt.

I feel like, in the past year or so, I’ve gained compassion in a way I’ve never experienced it before. Now when I hear conversations about families from friends and how they’re stressed out or don’t think somethings fair I just want to warn them. So often we talk about emotions and feelings as they affect us THIS INSTANT, but what about when those tables turn? What about the time when your family is having this same conversation, only it’s about you that time?

I don’t know. Am I making sense?

Any way. My parents are great. They did awesome things for me as I was growing up – and none of it had to do with being spoiled. I guess I bring that up now, more often, because we’re in a position to have spoiled children. Not with wealth … but with stuff. And I already see the effects of it and it grosses me out. Seeing a grand parent is not about a present and Christmas is not about the gifts … yet that’s what they expect because that’s what they’ve been modeled.

And I’m just done with being spoiled.

(I’m kidding, I still want flowers and massages. Please. Thank you.)

I went THRIFTING today. I love thrifting. Especially after months and months of staring at Inspirational clip outs I’ve hung on the wall to motivate my inner decorator.

I got some amazing deals.

This mirror was marked $5 but I wasn’t willing to pay that, even though I REALLY wanted to get this mirror (5 year old calls is a Meer-Air) for my daughters bedroom, as we’re redoing the decor and taking it from nursery to big girl this weekend.

So I offered $3, they said $4 and I said, I’ve got three. Then I paid and walked out a happy girl.

When I got home, I did this to it.

Then we went to another thrift store and there happened to be a bookshelf in the corner that caught my eye. It was for sale however I couldn’t buy it because they were using it for display. You can imagine my confusion. And then I said that outloud. No, really, I want to buy this bookshelf today. I’m willing to give you cash for it. How much is it?

Then she said, $20 … probably $14.99. And I pressed harder. NO, Really, I want this book shelf.

This is why:

She finally said I could buy it (for $20) and let me take it home, when I got it there I did this:

Better photos coming in the daylight. I was too excited about these not to show you tonight.

Some other great finds I had I took home were this awesome little cast iron skillet. I love cast iron, so much. But I only have one skillet that I use Every. Single. Morning and some times 2 or 3 times a day. This one is smaller but I think I’m going to like that for when the kids just want some sausage for a snack or I need a quick pick me up fried egg at 3 pm. (Only paid a quarter, even better!)

These “bar glasses” were a set of 10 for $6, I only needed six so I split the set with my mom.

And this SAHWEET stock pot (think LOBSTERS!) was marked five bucks, I paid two.

This light fixture is going in my daughters bedroom after I paint it and find matching globes for the lightbulbs. (Etsy here I come!) Now, I could paint this the same color as the mirror, or go with a an ivory … or even dark purple. I don’t want to go crazy with the color in her bedroom, as we’re trying to stay away from the childish theme … but shout out some good accents. Maybe this is where I incorporate yellow?

At the same store that I bought the light fixture we found some fun stuff but didn’t purchase, here’s a looksee.

These light bulbs were $2 a piece and I almost bought three of them to make a light fixture over our dining room table (when the kitchen remodel is done … and it hasn’t started yet, and won’t this year … so I was thinking way ahead) but then I talked to one of the men working there and apparently they burn more than 300 watts a piece … so, bad for the environment in a little dining room. I put them down, but they’re SO cool.

This filing cabinet is only $50 – I can see this in a crafting room. A room that I do not have. But if you do, you should totally make use of this!

Molly, my sister, found a potential new front door. I love it! I’m a sucker for mission type furniture – and those windows? In love.

Now, to round out the fabulous day here’s my inspiration for my daughters bedroom … and photos of the transformation are coming soon … but here’s a sneak peak:

What have been some of your favorite thrift store finds? What about the best steal of a deal?

My house is a little crazy right now – kids are hither and yon – naked from showers and baths, over taking laundry bins as their personal traveling systems and littering my hallways with dirty socks and pants.

My son learned the word Boobie this morning and then proceeded to pee on my carpet. My daughter, with a double ear infection and sinus infection, is sitting quietly reading her books … she requested that we keep the TV off this morning.

And we’re painting soon!

Can’t wait to show you the results. I’m off to tape the room.