Odd Pinterest 3.0

So this is my third installment of odd pinterest. I slowly collect the weird and confusing things I stumbled upon while pinning some more...useful ideas. ;)

Here is an interesting group.

These are actual chip bags, shrunken down in the oven, then made into keychains. I don't know about you, but I don't want trash hanging around with me all day long.

This is their wedding cake. Yes, that is a cake-version of the bride. Why would you want everyone eating you? Ick.

You know I love silly wreaths. This one is more sad than silly...really sad.

Want to wear a plant around your neck? You are oddly not alone.

More "trash into art" entry, this time soda cans into bracelets.

This would probably hang in the house with the sad wreath; sad, sad light fixture.

When did we start gluing large plastic crap to our nails? Check out that fruit! And the ridged cheese nails just look dangerous...the mouse isn't too cute either.

This is just creepy. Really creepy.

Do you have any odd pins?

M.LEWIS

Bathroom Progress

We making progress in the master bathroom, slowly, but surely.
This past weekend I was able to lay down the new tile. I still need to chalk around the baseboards and door frames, but the shower and the tub have a nice, new chalking strip installed, so no worries on water penetration there. I might try to chalk this week, or be a wee bit lazy and do it next weekend.

So, the list of things to do in there grows a little shorter.

• sand and restain cabinets
• paint (well, 90% done)
• install new tile & rechalk
• install new mirrors
• install new light fixture
• install new shelves and storage cabinet
• buy new linens

All the major, time-consuming jobs are coming to an end (yay!). I have to track down 2 of the same mirrors since no store in the area has more than 1 in stock (boo.). The light fixture will be installed by my dad (*smiles*) and I think Chris and I can handle the shelves and towels. ;)

before

after

before

after

Updates again later!

M.LEWIS

Neighbor Frustration

I have a little frustration to release today. I have had some irritants concerning my neighbors lately. I try not to be bothered by them, I try to be more mellow...but I don't think that comes naturally.

You see, we have new neighbors on either side of us. To the right (the gray house), we have just an interesting and confusing situation. I really don't have any issues with the neighbors themselves, but the fact that they are completely gutting the house and replacing everything you can think of, has ended with fleets of work men and delivering guys crowding our little corner. I am not crazy about all the old carpet and toilet sitting in their front yard, but I know they will take care of it...eventually. They have been doing this for...2 weeks, I think. So much crap in and out, but very little furniture. I don't think they even stay the night.I just hope they finish soon; I dislike strangers loitering around my yard for days on end. Getting the mail is suddenly a spotlight performance. Which ironically brings me to my main issue today.

My issue is my left (the pink house) neighbors. It's a relatively small issue, but one that boggles my mind every week. As you know, once a week, you roll your big trash bin out the the curb for the garbage truck to collect. On weeks when we you also wheel out your recycling, you have to place the two bins at least 3 feet apart. They need to be away from any object that can enable the mechanical arm on the truck from picking up each bin. Common sense. Now, I will remind you that we all have front drive houses, so we also have to place the bins around cars parked on the street and mailboxes...at least most of us do this.
My neighbors somehow think it is perfectly acceptable to wheel out their trash bin and place directly in front of our mailbox. I actually watched her push the bin down her driveway and stop in front of our mailbox, OPEN our mailbox, take a glance inside, then place her trash in front of the box. What?! The other side of her driveway is completely open. No cars, no mailboxes, just wide open space. Why would one purposely block someone else's mailbox (thus not receiving mail that day) when they have another option? This blows my mind. It's been 3 weeks now, and each week I wake up Thursday morning to find her trash in my way...again. I could go on on how illogical, rude, and inconsiderate it is to do this, but I think you understand my frustration.
So today I decided to move the trash away from my mailbox (like we have the past few weeks) and leave a little note in their mailbox. I want to communicate with them that this is not a good plan, but I don't really want to walk up to their house with Lorelai and make some awkward scene over it. It was a polite note, I just asked them if they could please put their trash on the other side so it doesn't block our mailbox from getting mail. I said "Thanks" with a smiley face and walked over to deliver it. I opened their mailbox and...it was stuffed with mail. It looked to be 4-5 days worth of mail, at least. My baffled mind was overwhelmed with confusion. I tried to rationalize their actions: "So you walk over to my yard, check my mailbox, but not your own?" Wh-what...why? *sigh*
I placed the note in there anyway, we'll wait to see if they even find it through the mess of bills, fliers, and magazines. I just hope once they read it, a little light bulb with click on and they will see how insane it is to do what they are doing. I fear my next step if they choose to ignore my polite request. I really don't want to be that bitchy neighbor, honestly, I don't...but I can't let people walk all over me in the process. I don't think I was too annoying with it, not anymore annoying than their actions at least. I just want to keep to myself in my house without any problems.


Ok, I feel a little better; I'd feel a lot better if you all agreed with me on how ridiculous they are being. ;)




M.LEWIS   

20 Things to Tell My Daughter

A few of my friends have been doing this lately, and I think it is really sweet. So, here is my contribution. 20 Things to Tell My Daughter...


1. Don’t invest in personality descriptions. "Nerd," "diva," "punk," etc. They are defined differently from person to person; They are fleeting, and most definitely useless. Be who you are and don’t worry about the classification.


2. It is unlikely you will keep most childhood friends as an adult. You will change and mature in different rates and quantities. It’s not a “bad thing” it is just how people are. Remember the good times and move on.


3. Songs that you love as a teenager/young adult; songs that talk about heart-break and true love, will suddenly seem melodramatic and annoying to you once you are married and have kids. Smile at the past naïve you and download some classics.


4. Don’t stare too much at yourself in the mirror. Yes, you will be less than thrilled about one feature or two; but you shouldn’t focus on that. You are the combination of your mother, your father, and years of love and experience. You are beautiful.


5. Don't break the law. It's not cool. If the law says wear a seat belt, wear it; if the law says no drinking until 21, wait until you're 21. No good will come from thinking you are above the law, and mommy does not want to bail you out of jail or visit you at the hospital because of it.


6. Homeschooling does not make you weird, socially-inept, or educationally-stunted. Neither public school nor private school is more (or less) beneficial. Do not let others act as if it is.


7. Don’t feel guilty for watching tv, just try to have standards. Tv has taught me wit, sarcasm, empathy, creativity, vocabulary, and most of all, that a good laugh can turn your day around. Watch reruns, you will appreciate the small things more. But always know when to turn it off.


8. Don’t let people pressure you in to “trying new things.” And I don’t mean drugs or alcohol (though don’t do that either), I mean eating fried octopus, singing at a karaoke bar, or traveling to hot-dirty-foreign- Idon’twannabehere. If you don’t want to do something, don’t do it. It will only make you cranky.


9. Do as many projects as you can on your own. I don’t necessarily mean solo, but don’t hire someone if you can do it. Especially painting. Moving a brush up and down is a task you can manage, I promise.


10. Dye your hair a weird color if you want. It’s hair. It grows back. Cut it short, grow it out, add layers, paint highlights…it grows back all the same. Though get the crazy stuff out of your system before you become a parent...that's just embarrassing.


11. Be respectful of other people’s religion. You don’t have to agree with their views, but know they grew up with the principle of “this is the truth,” same as you and your religion; no one has the authority to determine "right" or "wrong."


12. It’s perfectly acceptable not to like summer or warmer weather. Most people will probably think you are crazy, but anyone who likes sweating, sunburns, and high electricity bills are most likely crazy themselves. On the other hand, if you do like summer, I will try to accept that as well.


13. Reading is important, but if it is not your favorite hobby, that’s ok. It’s not mine, and you shouldn’t feel ashamed about it. I rather build something with my hands. To each their own.


14. You may not be strong in math. I am not, but I manage to live a productive life anyway. Some are mathematicians, some are scientists, and some are more art-oriented. The world needs all kinds. You are still important, intelligent, and valuable.



15. Buy shoes. I have yet to find a shoe that is unflattering. But don’t buy expensive ones…they touch your feet and the ground, keep that in perspective. Find reasonably priced footwear, and lots of them. You love wearing shoes, even in pajamas. Though steer away from heels, none of them are comfortable...not one.


16. Prom is stupid…so is homecoming. You are not missing anything. The initial concepts of these events are not stupid, but over the years they have evolved into something else entirely. Wearing large, fake flowers with long, plastic junk dangling from around your neck is not a good look. Spending thousands of dollars on a dress, limo, flowers, hair, nails, and shoes is ridiculous. Your prom is neither the Academy Awards nor your wedding day. It is a party for teenagers. Nothing more.


17. Be silly with your siblings. I know you do not have any yet, but when you are an adult, remember to be kid with those whom you grew up with. Tell stories of the past; remember old vacations and holidays, and hilarious things your parents did. Life-long, genetically-linked friends are one of life’s greatest gifts.


18. Save your money. Use coupons, shop sales, and don't feel bad buying "off brands." This leaves $ in the bank, and you will be happy that it's there. No one wishes they had less money.


19. It’s ok for your kids to be your world. What else could be as important? They are your greatest gift and your longest legacy. Spoil them some, but too much. Give them rules, but nothing too strict. Be their mom and their friend…yes, you can be both, don’t believe otherwise.


20. Talk to me about anything. No matter what. I could never be ashamed of you. I could never love you less due to any action. Don’t be afraid to be yourself around me, or tell me exactly how you feel. Be independent, confident, and strong. Oh!...and I have dibs on your birthday. It's only fair.




Love,
Mom




M.LEWIS

Old is New...With Some Work

Ok, I will start off by saying, this project tired me out. It was probably the fact I had to do 70% of the work in the disgustingly hot garage, but there were definitely other aspects that added to my frustration. Though, I can say now, as I sit in the house with the AC going, it was worth it.

So my "guest room":

  Sage walls, light bedding, and white headboard and curtains. It is a calming room, and it needed furniture that matched that. Currently, we have a nightstand (pictured) and a dresser that belonged to Chris from years ago. The nightstand was black with large wood knobs; it was also dented and scratched up. The dresser was faux wood with dark brass-like handles; it also was a bit scratched up. They did not go, so, I had to changed them.

Dresser Before

Nightstand before

I hand-painted them both with primer. I filled in the holes on the bottom half of the nightstand and all the dents with wood filler, sanded them, and primed again. (I filled in the holes because I decided I wanted handles instead of knobs to better match the dresser.)

I then moved the furniture to the garage to spray painted them white to match the room. I bought 2 cans, but apparently needed 3. So, at 9am this morning, I went for some more paint...even then I probably needed a total of 4, but oh well. I also looked at their hardware. I wanted both pieces to have matching hardware so they looked more like a set. The dresser had previously had handles, 4in handles, but guess what? They don't stock 4in handles. Anywhere. So...do I special order handles or install a new size? I'll decide that in a minute....

I go back to Lowe's after I have lunch with my family and pick up some groceries. I stood in the hardware aisle for a bit...I am not special ordering anything. I have furniture spread across my garage and I want this to end today. So, I buy larger handles. I go home, measuring and level the new holes and drill them. The dresser worked fine. The nightstand, not so much. The bottom drawer is one large drawer that just looks like 2 drawers, it's fine, but it's off the track and I could not for the life of me get it out to fix it. So, sorry guests and future Lorelai, the bottom drawer is a little wonky. Deal with it. The bottom drawer also had a random, non-structural piece of wood glued and screwed in on one side of the drawer. Why? I have to drill a hole there! My new matching handles are quite a pain in the booteh. I grab a flathead and a hammer and knock most of it out, but not all of it. I then go in search for a longer screw to reach the handle through the extra chunky space. I find one. Some of the holes did not drill through straight, or aligned exactly, but I get all the handles installed. I then fill the previous handle-holes in the dresser with more wood filler, sand, and paint them. I used just white wall paint, but that's what I had, and it worked fine.

Now, they are not as smooth as I envisioned them (thanks garage dust) but they are done, they match the room, and I am tired...but accomplished. ;)

Dresser After

Nightstand After

After 3 cans of paint and 12 pieces of hardware, we have new-looking, and matching furniture. All under $50...in case you were wondering.

M.LEWIS

The "Eh" Post

I feel like I should blog, but I really don't have much to blog about. I hate that. It's times like these when I think "Man...who wants to read anything I write? My life is pretty uninteresting." This sounds more emo in writing than the actual thought in my head, so no need to boost my pride, I'm alright. ;)

I will say this: Fourth of July was a little different this year. No Kaboom Town (I missed it a lot!) but we did catch a local fireworks display that was nice. It was a rough day in general though, due to Lorelai's recent epic meltdowns, aka "teething." It always reminds me of the one scene I liked in Eat, Pray, Love.

Julia Roberts – What’s he doing?
Infant is screaming in pain. Ketut is applying a liquid mixture to his gums. 
Balinese woman – He’s casting out the demons.
Julia Roberts – It looks like teething.
Balinese woman – Yeah, same thing.

I wish I could do more, but nothing helps her. So I just try not to pull out all my hair. After all said and done, it was a nice holiday, and not too hot. Now I am ready for fall. I even saw Halloween things in BabiesRUs today. Mocking me. Eh.

At least I get to see my good pal, Maggie tomorrow!!! It's been months! I've missed her!

Alrighty...my motivation for writing has evaporated already. Hopefully I will be more inspired in a couple days. I do love writing a good blog...when I can.

M.LEWIS