An Earth Friendly Pool House

I've been missing in action and to tell you the truth, the reason has been I just didn't feel like writing.  So what have I been doing lately?  I've been actively supporting my son's baseball team.  I've been having fun with my crazy book club peeps.  I've been teaching myself how to sew.  I've been making more projects, memories, wine, etc.  Here's the latest on the home front, a solar pool house.  I love this thing!  It gives us shelter from the sun, much needed entertaining space, storage, and best of all, it powers my entire house!  Isn't that just peachy?!

My husband is in the solar business and much like the dentist with the bad teeth, the mechanic with the broken down car, and the smoking nurse, we were living without solar panels!  Gasp!   My hubs wanted this situation taken care of but we didn't have enough roof space on our humble abode.  As he patiently explained, our electrical needs far surpassed our panel capacity, so our only option was a ground mount solar display.  CAN YOU SAY UGLY?!!!!  I was like HECK NO!!! Not in my backyard.  Needless to say this put a delay in our green goals.  So, I forgot all about it and I thought he did too... until I came home one lovely day in early May to this.

Can you imagine my carnal anger pleasant surprise?  I yelled  called for my husband demanding  asking what this pleasant surprise would some day look like.  He had drawn out plans and everything.  What a GREAT surprise!  (Eye twitching)  I just about cried because my husband is not the type to complete a house project in a timely fashion.  

The structure was taller than my actual house.  Can I just tell you, I can't keep track of how many neighbors came by asking what in the heck my husband was building.  Seriously, it looked like a hotel was being built behind my house.  Some of them shook their heads in concern and others turned their heads slightly as if they felt sorry for me.    

 This stage was not a happy time for me.  I kept thinking it would never be finished by summer and even if it was, it would look awful!

At this point it was starting to come together and some of the height had been taken down.  I actually started to think this would or could work.  You know, if I had a husband that finished home improvement projects.  

The progress was slooooooow!

Did I mention sloooooooooow?

By this point my husband was starting to get cocky.  He was walking around with a sense of accomplishment.  He was shunning the non-believers.  The neighbors were standing out front saying things like, "I had faith in him all along." and "That Dave sure is a stand up guy." 

Remember when I said my husband was crazy and I was really mad at him and I just about hired a lawyer?  Ok I didn't say all of that but I sure thought it.  Now I just love my new pool house!  Isn't it great to go green?!  

My backyard is pretty much complete thanks to that great man!  

Nydia 8)

A Book Club And Hunger Games Party

Hi there folks!  Now, I know it’s been a while but I have an excuse!  If you’ve been following me since the beginning, by now you have collected some facts about my life.  These facts include, but are not limited to, my phobic fear of maggots, my special education teaching background, my travel baseball team playing son, my soon to be in college daughter, my husband’s dog –which by the way just passed away and left me completely and utterly heartbroken, and last but certainly not least, the pursuit of my master’s degree!  Needless to say, I have my hands full!!! So while I have absolutely continued making things, I’ve completely put the blog on a back burner.  Could you blame a girl? 

Full disclosure here though, during this hiatus I have started a book club!  Gah!  I’m so excited about it and it’s been soooo much fun!  Our first book was The Hunger Games.  We did all three books in the series and met twice to discuss them.  It was a really fun read and everyone in the group enjoyed it.  Our last book club meeting included décor and food inspired by the book. I even threw in a parting gift!  The parting gift that I made is what I’ll be featuring today. 

So I wanted my book club members to leave with a token of thanks for participating and I wanted it to be personalized.  This is what I was able to come up with. 

They say Book Club on them.

I found these solid mugs at the local dollar store.  They looked sturdy and were cheap enough that I could afford to pick up a few without busting the budget. 

Aren't they sturdy looking?!  Jeesh, they were heavy too!

So, basically there's no genius secret behind this.  All I did was make a template using vinyl and my handy dandy Silhouette machine.  

Over this template I spread a thin layer of glass etching cream.  I cleaned it off and tada instant thoughtful book club hostess gift.  

BY THE WAY... Here's my Book Club party!

Notice the sleep serum, Prim's goat cheese, nightlock berries, and District 11 rolls.  

Did you catch the bread and medicine parachutes? 

Notice the arrow through the apple and the game maker's pig roast.  

We took care to make a sushi memorial for Finnick Odair.  

Check out the Mocking Jay cake my friend Dana made!

We also included President Snow's white roses, Haymitch's wine, and Effie's bowl.  The banner idea came from here. 

So folks, there you have it.  I haven't quit making things.  I'm just one very busy bee!  

Nydia 8)

Make Your Own Newborn Baby Shoes

Do you want to look like a rock star at the next baby shower you attend?  Do you want your little princess to make all the other baby girls spit up with envy?  Check these out!  Aren't they as sweet as Nutella? My sister came over last night and showed me how to put these sweeties together.  The following is a tutorial with so many pictures that your head will spin!  

These are what they look like finished.  Trust me the pictures don't do them justice.  

This is what you will need.

Make four sole templates out of cardboard.  

Cut out four pieces of fabric large enough for at least a half inch overlap all the way around the cardboard templates. 

To make the box braid ribbon start with two tied ribbons.  We used plain white and another combination of pink and white.  

Make a loop with the white ribbon.  Make a loop with the pink ribbon.  Put the pink ribbon loop through the white ribbon loop and tighten the white ribbon.  Now you will hold a pink ribbon loop.  Make a white loop and put it through the pink loop. Tighten after each loop insertion. Keep doing this until you have the desired length.  

Place the template over the piece of fabric.

Using a glue gun, glue all the seams over to cover the template. 

This is what you'll end up with.

If you turn it over, it will look like this.  Much neater!  You will need two of these.  

Now to the other half.  Take the other template and glue down the middle like the picture. 

Place the stuffing over the glue.  Sorry about the picture quality.  These were done at night. 

You will then drape your fabric piece over the stuffing and turn it over for glue.

Glue all the edges over like this.  

These are the unstuffed piece and the stuffed piece together.  Remember you will need to make two of each for each shoe.  

Take one of your box braid ribbons and place it over the stuffed shoe template piece. You will glue under to attach it.  

This is the underside view.  Be sure to add two small ribbon loops to each side. 

You are now ready to sandwich the two pieces together.  You will take the unstuffed fabric covered template and glue it over the underside of the stuffed one.  Do this matching up the unfinished sides.  This will give your shoes a finished look.  

Use the box ribbon to cover the seams of the sandwiched pieces.  You will glue this all the way around and finish the ribbon in the back.  Don't worry if it's not perfect.  We just added a flower to cover any uneven seams. 

Add accent flowers and lacing ribbon and you have yourself a super cute pair of baby shoes!  

I hope you try your hand at these, but keep in mind that these can be a chocking hazard.  My sister is my hero for teaching me how to create these cuties!  Thanks sis.  

Nydia 8)

Phone Pouch DIY

Warning: The following post has a ton of pictures.

So I've had a bit of bad luck lately.  Yeah, it all started with the day I dropped my iphone in the toilet.  Gross!  Needless to say it was ruined and I had to run out and buy another one.  That was frustrating but it got me thinking about future prevention.  That's where this little phone pouch comes in.  See the reason I dropped my phone in my own pee is because it was in my pocket.  I vowed to never let this happen to me again, so I got to work.  I should say however, that I claim to have absolutely no sewing experience or talent.  I wish I did but I'm just not that talented.  Someday maybe.

I had a bit of left over fabric scraps which were just the right size to sew a little envelope pouch.  All I did was sew around the edges and turn it inside out.  I ironed it out and then I used a grommet kit to put the grommet in.  I already had the supplies on hand.  The only thing I had to buy was the key ring and the toggle thingy.  I don't know what either one is called but you get the idea.  Sorry, I don't have the step by step pictures but this project was fueled by pure hatred of the Apple folks and their lack of waterproofing abilities.  Seriously though, why hasn't Apple made the attempt to create some waterproof merchandise?!

Here's the little iphone pouch. She's kind of cute. No more pee phone!

Here she is hanging off of my work lanyard.

Here she is hanging off of my handbag.  

No more digging through my purse to find this little sucker!

Here she is hanging from my belt loops.  No more back pocket phone slips into pee filled toilets.  Now that this problem has been solved, onto world peace!

Nydia 8)

Recycled Spring Projects

Bare with me folks because I recently busted up my right hand and I am basically one handed right now.  In the interim please enjoy some blast from the past Spring crafts.  I appreciate your following!


Spring time necklaces to wear with pretty pink blouses and such.  


Little butterfly pillow knockoff version of Pottery Barn's.


A really cheap Spring floral arrangement.


Puff paint pillow using stencils.


Seed tape using toilet paper.

Nydia 8)

Fabric Covered Cork Board Message Center

My kitchen had this rinky dinky message board, hanging on the desk wall, that never got any love.  Actually, it was a bit of an eyesore and its only purpose was to make me kind of look like I got my shizz together, if you know what I mean.  The fact of the matter is, it looked a mess with all kinds of things just stuck to it.  Besides, when is cork board ever sexy?  Uhh... never.  So I decided it was time to make it new and improved.  It looks so much better now than before.

Here's what it looks like now.  

Here's the before.  I got it for a dollar.  

So basically, I took it apart and sprayed the cork with glue and applied the fabric.  I did the same thing to the grape thingy.  Then, using my Silhouette machine, I created a calendar out of vinyl and stuck that right onto the backside of the glass.  Now I can pin things on the cork side and write on the glass side using a dry erase marker. 

Not bad for a buck eh? 

I am so darn cheap!  I swear I get giddy over this.  I take my leave.

Nydia 8)


Linked Here:
http://somedaycrafts.blogspot.com/2012/02/whatever-goes-wednesday-105.html