Monday, September 20, 2010

Procrastination Party!

Is there a project around your house that you have been putting off doing until 1) the kids go back to school, 2) waiting for a rainy day or 3)you wanted to blog about it?  Well here is your chance!  I am hosting my first link party this Friday.  Now is the time!  Take those before pictures, roll up your sleeves and show us what you've got.

My project is my overwhelming craft room.  As embarrassing as they are, here are some "before" pictures.




While the rest of my house can stay maintained, this room tends to be the catch-all.  "Kids, will you run this up to my craft room?"  "Does this need mending?  Run it up to the craft room and set it next to the sewing machine."  What do I do with the gift bags from the last birthday party? Run them up to the craft room!  Things get put in here and then forgotten.

In a perfect world, this room would look like something from the pages of Ballard Designs.

 In my world, I use the big hunk of glass left from a tenant, placed upon 2 file cabinets as my desk, and I use the desk I found on the side of the road with a "free" sign on it which I painted and cleaned up for my sewing desk.

My bows, tissue and gift bag drawers is an old filing cabinet which is not strong enough to hold files.


I use a shoe holder to hold all the yarn I never use.

Lastly, I keep my kids schoolwork, pictures, awards, etc in labeled binders.  I am 2 years behind in putting these together.

By Friday, I hope to have this room whipped into shape.  I am searching Craigslist for potential furniture or shelves - we'll see if I get lucky.  I am also planning on getting a few more storage solutions, so I'll be hitting Staples and Fred Meyer for organization ideas.

Post your project!  Let's share our ideas and inspire each other!

~Heather

Tuesday, September 14, 2010

Hanging a hammock!

I was inspired the other day by my second cousin.  She is a photographer, and in one of her photos she shows a beatiful hammock with pillows, kids giggling, and a candle chandelier overhead.  I remembered a hammock that we had tucked away in storage at our cabin which was never used.  I recently brought it home and was excited to hang it quickly before summer ended.
Here is the hammock - ready to hang!


I drilled a starter hole in the tree


Then I screwed in a hook.  Hindsight, I should have put in an eye, not a hook.  I'm going to have to swap it out as the hook is widening.  Live and learn!


I did the same on both sides and connected it with some chain.
Ta da!!


The hammock is hung!


Here is what you see when you are laying on the hammock!
Ahhhh


I hung it on the same tree as our tire swing.
Not sure if you can see it behind the tree, but it's there.



I love the tire swing and the hammock.  They both just scream summer!
I had a tire swing as a kid and spent MANY hours on that swing.
I'm glad my girls get the same joy out of theirs.