Eileen

Quick Summer Taco Recipe

August 7, 2017 by Eileen

When we go on vacation, we love to stay at resorts, where we can grill or cook meals. It’s an inexpensive option compared to eating out. Plus it’s healthier, and you know exactly what’s in your food.

For our summer blog hop, our friend Susan over at Crafting a Family is sharing a great vacation meal with us – her quick taco recipe. Doesn’t it look amazing?!

Susan’s taco recipe is easy to throw together, which is perfect for a summer night. And, tacos are always a crowd-pleaser for kids and adults, even when you have picky eaters. If you don’t eat gluten or corn, you can easily use a lettuce wrap or gluten-free and corn-free chips (we are LOVING these chips).

Not only does Susan share her quick taco recipe, but she also gives tips for planning and preparing vacation meals.

Be sure to hop on over to Susan’s blog for her easy summer taco recipe!

To learn a little more about Susan, here are some fun facts:

What’s the last Netflix series you binge-watched? We are currently binge-watching “The Crown.”

Would you rather see the sunrise or the sunset? I would rather see the sunrise.

Every summer Monday and Thursday we are sharing DIY inspiration from 10 awesome crafty bloggers. We’ve shared some great DIY projects so far and have a lot more coming! Be sure to continue to check back though the end of August for more projects, crafts, and recipes.

2017 Summer Blog Hop Co-Hosts:

From Play Dates to Parties
JENerally Informed
Hey Fitzy
Dazzle While Frazzled
Just Measuring Up
Health, Home, and Heart
Crafting a Family
A Purdy Little House
Confessions of a Mommyaholic
The No Pressure Life
Flourish and Knot

If you missed any of our Summer Blog Hop posts, they are listed below! Remember to come back on Thursday for more DIY inspiration.

Making a Simple Back-to-School Washi Tape Chalkboard

August 3, 2017 by Eileen

Well, my friends, August is upon us. Summer seems to always just fly by. Whether you’ve started your back-to-school or not, we have a cute little DIY to share with you today that will definitely help you to get back into the swing of things.

Our friend Janine over at Confessions of a Mommyaholic is sharing how she made an adorable washi tape back-to-school chalkboard. It’s simple, quick, and will make a huge difference in those first day of school photos.

If you haven’t tried washi tape yet, this is a great project to start with. Washi tape is so simple to use and dresses up DIY projects perfectly. Kids could even help make it, as a fun back-to-school project.

Be sure to hop on over to Janine’s blog for her washi tape chalkboard instructions!

To learn a little more about Janine, here are some fun facts:

If you could join any past or current music group which would you want to join? I loved English, especially writing and American Literature.

What is your favorite flower? Lily is it and one of the the reasons why my younger daughter is named after this classic flower.

Every summer Monday and Thursday we are sharing DIY inspiration from 10 awesome crafty bloggers. We’ve shared some great DIY projects so far and have a lot more coming! Even though back-to-school is around the corner, we still have a whole month of awesome summer posts to share with you.

2017 Summer Blog Hop Co-Hosts:

If you missed any of our Summer Blog Hop posts, they are listed below! Remember to come back on Monday for more DIY inspiration.

How to Make a DIY Watermelon Headband

July 31, 2017 by Eileen

There’s little I love more than felt crafts. I have stashes and stashes of felt and have made so many felt activities over the past few years. I’ve done felt Advent calendars, felt hopscotch mats, and tons of felt boards for preschoolers. I have a bit of a felt obsession 😉 And, that’s exactly why I’m so excited to share our summer blog hop post today. Our friend Jen over at JENerally Informed is showing us how to make an adorable DIY watermelon headband out of felt.

The felt headbands are simple to make, kids love them, and they get tons of compliments on how adorable they are. Plus, with all of the back-to-school supplies and commercials, it’s nice to soak up a little more summer with a cute summery craft.

Be sure to hop on over to Jen’s blog for her DIY headband instructions!

To learn a little more about Jen, here are some fun facts:

If you could join any past or current music group which would you want to join? Not Justin Bieber’s posse. Other than that, I would pretty much be up for anything else.

If you could master one skill you don’t have right now, what would it be? I would like to have Ninja skills. That way I could threaten to use my ninja skills if the kids didn’t get into the car fast enough.

Every summer Monday and Thursday we are sharing DIY inspiration from 10 awesome crafty bloggers. We’ve shared some great DIY projects so far and have a lot more coming!

2017 Summer Blog Hop Co-Hosts:

If you missed any of our Summer Blog Hop posts, they are listed below! Remember to come back on Thursday for more DIY inspiration.

How to Creatively Organize Kids Rooms

July 27, 2017 by Eileen

This summer, I’ve slowly been making my way through the house trying to more efficiently organize. Ash and I are all about trying to more efficiently organize things – from the CD rack we installed in our pantry to our sliding garage shelves to most recently emptying an entire closet by utilizing wall space.

We love getting the most out of the space we have – and we always attempt to keep things neater for longer when everything has a place.

That’s why we LOVE the DIY post we are sharing today – from our friend Amy over at Health, Home, and Heart. She recently made over a sweet toddler girl room, and her kids room organization tips are stellar! I love hearing other people’s ideas and tips because it provides more inspiration for keeping our own home organized.

Amy has some awesome ideas for hair bow holders, shoe containers, and toy storage. Isn’t the room just gorgeous?!

Be sure to hop on over to Amy’s blog for her room organization tips!

To learn a little more about Amy, here are some fun facts:

What is one thing you will never do again? Pierce my tongue. Ha! Yes, I actually got the crazy notion to do this in college, and it didn’t go so well…

If you could bring one fictional character to life, who would it be and why? Harry Potter. I think it would be a blast to hang out with him and have fun with all of his wizarding tricks.

Every summer Monday and Thursday we are sharing DIY inspiration from 10 awesome crafty bloggers. We’ve shared some great DIY projects so far and have a lot more coming!

2017 Summer Blog Hop Co-Hosts:

If you missed any of our Summer Blog Hop posts, they are listed below! Remember to come back on Monday for more DIY inspiration.

Easy Pasta Recipe for Quick Summer Night Meals

July 24, 2017 by Eileen

I’m absolutely beside myself that it’s already the end of July! How do the winter months go so slow, but the summer months go so fast?! I feel like I’ve barely put a dent in my to do list this summer. But hey, that’s more motivation to make the most of the next few weeks.

We are about halfway through our Summer Blog Hop, which has been a collaboration that we are doing with other bloggers to bring you awesome DIY inspiration all summer long. It runs until the end of August, so we have lots more coming!

If you are a little behind with your to do list too, save some time with this easy pasta recipe that our friend Tammy over at Hey Fitzy is sharing today. Her recipe for a light and easy pasta is the perfect summer dinner. It’s quick to make and calls for fresh ingredients, including garlic and olive oil.

If you don’t eat gluten, like our family, we are loving this red lentil pasta. It’s a combination of lentil flour and brown rice – and it tastes just like regular pasta. 🙂

Be sure to hop on over to Tammy’s blog for her easy pasta recipe!

To learn a little more about Tammy, here are some fun facts:

What was your first job? Cleaned tables at a local restaurant.

What is the last thing you do before you go to sleep? Kiss my hubby!

Every summer Monday and Thursday we are sharing DIY inspiration from 10 awesome crafty bloggers. We’ve shared some great DIY projects so far and have a lot more coming!

2017 Summer Blog Hop Co-Hosts:

If you missed any of our Summer Blog Hop posts, they are listed below! Remember to come back on Thursday for more DIY inspiration.

How to Make an Amazing DIY Lamp from Anything

July 23, 2017 by Eileen 49 Comments

I love when inspiration strikes – especially when it makes for an awesome DIY project.

When we put my grandma’s house on the market, we did a ton of cleaning, emptying, selling, and donating.

One of the last things left was a homemade fishing lamp that was set aside for my uncle who enjoyed fishing. He wasn’t interested in the lamp, so on closing day, my dad grabbed the lamp on his way out of the door. It was the very last item left.

That’s when the inspiration came.

My dad does not fish – however, he is a model train collector, and he noticed that the base of the lamp would perfectly fit one of his trains.

So, he repurposed the old fisherman’s lamp into a train lamp, rewiring it with a three-way light switch that toggles the main lamp light as well as a train cabin light.

How cool is that?!

My dad’s friends loved his repurposed lamp so much that my dad decided to make one from scratch for his friend’s birthday.

How to Make a Lamp

Today, we are sharing how to make this amazing DIY lamp. Ash made the base, and my dad did the rest. For clarity, we’ll state all the directions in first person point of view. Without further ado, here are all of the details on how you can make a DIY lamp too.

You can use any item or model that you’d like 🙂

DIY Lamp Materials

Model for lamp
Piece of 2 x 10 for base
2 x 1 ¼ wood for lamp pole
Electrical lamp components (3 way 2-circuit socket switch and threaded lamp pipe)
Lamp wiring, shade and bulbs

How to Make the Base of the DIY Lamp

First I started with the base of this DIY lamp. It is 15 ½” by 9.” Depending upon what model that you are putting on the lamp, it can be larger or smaller. I used a train that was nearly 12″ long so these measurements worked out perfectly.

To make the base, I started with a rectangular block of scrap wood (cut from a 2×10 board). My plan was to shape it into an oval, route a groove around the top perimeter and sand it smooth.

To get a perfect oval, I used the computer. I created an oval in software, printed it and laid the cutout on the scrap wood. I then outlined the cutout with a pencil.

With a perfect oval outline on the wood, I made a rough cut with the jigsaw. Then, I used an orbital sander to smooth the edges.

When I was happy with the result, I used my plunge router with a quarter round bit and cut a groove around the edge to give the oval a professional touch.

To finish the base, I used the orbital sander once again to smooth the flat surfaces.

Here is the completed base:

How to Make the Lamp Pole

Next was the lamp pole. The pole was 2 1/2″ by 1 1/2″ by 8 1/4″ high upright. So, 2″ by 1 ¼ ” wood could be used. When choosing your model to go on the base, keep in mind the height of the pole, as it might need to be greater to allow room above the model and below the shade in order to reach lamp switch.

First, mark the center of each end of the upright wood pole. Then carefully drill from both ends. Use a level, so that holes drilled closely align in the middle.

A small round file is helpful if the holes do not align.

I used 3/8″ drill, as it perfectly allowed for a standard threaded lamp pipe to fit snugly in the hole.

Here’s the threaded lamp pipe inserted into the pole.

Applying Finish

After that, stain and then polyurethane both pieces of wood. I did two coats of stain on the base and it was perfect.

I let the stain, and then polyurethane each dry overnight.

Additional Lamp Pole Work

Returning to the lamp pole, on the side that is to be the back of the lamp, I drilled a 5/16 hole. This hole was made at a 45 degree angle about 1” from the bottom. I drilled until it connected with the existing ⅜ hole.

Then, on the front side of the pole, drill a very similar hole, about 2″ from the bottom.

Here’s one of the 45 degree holes I made:

Assembling the Electrical Parts

Next, I threaded the electrical lamp cord (stranded) into both holes until there are a few inches of each above the top end of the wood.

Next, I aligned the electrical lamp components.

Note that the socket has to be the type with a three-way switch. This way it will work both it’s own socket and a remote one sequentially.

The spacer and the socket bottom will thread into the threaded lamp piece that will be inserted into the wood.

Attaching the Lamp Pole

Once that is done, I centered the upright wooden lamp pole at the rear of the base.

Then, trace the outline with a pencil. Divide that shape in two, and locate the center of each of the two halves.

Afterward, drill pilot holes through the base at those spots.

Next, turn the base over, and enlarge the holes. However, they should be a diameter less than that of the screws to be used. So, use a countersink drill bit so that the wood screw heads will be recessed.

Then, insert the screws until they protrude slightly from the top side.

Afterward, set the post in position so that the screw tips mark the underside of the post where the screws will enter the bottom of that post.

Next, drill screw holes in bottom of the post where marked, and hold the two pieces of wood together tightly while screws are tightened.

I used 2 1/2″ wood screws due to thickness of the base. If post is not level due to any warp in the base, insert a shim under the post or remove post and trim its bottom surface.

Assembling the Lamp Parts

Next, you want to very carefully read the instructions that came with the socket.

With both wires extended through the threaded lamp pipe and the socket base, push the pipe down into the wood base. If it doesn’t fit tightly, put some wood glue on the threads first.

Next, very neatly wire the socket exactly as the instructions state, noting which wire will go to the wall outlet and which to the model.

After, put the metal cover on the socket, and slowly pull the excess wires at both small holes at the base of the posts.

Then, I snapped the socket cover into its base. Make sure that the lamp switch is to the right side.

Customizing the Model

Next, I disassembled the model I was building into the lamp. I used the mounting holes in the small socket as a template for drilling holes in the floor of the model for screws to attach the socket.

Also, I drilled a hole for the electrical wire to enter the model.

With the small socket attached to the model with screws, washers, and nuts, use a pair of 5″ or longer twist ties to securely fasten the model’s axles to the rear rail of the track.

Next, I installed the small frosted light bulb into model’s socket. You could also consider taping thin yellow plastic sheet pieces over the insides of the model’s windows to dim glare.

Finishing the Lamp

After, install the lamp cord plug for wall outlet, allowing about 6′ of cord.

Then, reassemble the model, adding the lamp shade and a standard light bulb.

Here is the finished DIY lamp, featuring a model train.

Here is the finished DIY lamp along with the repurposed lamp that was previously a fishing lamp. Not bad, right?! The best part is that now that you know how to make a DIY lamp – you can make one with any kind of model. The sky’s the limit!

Making Homemade Popsicles for a Summertime Treat

July 20, 2017 by Eileen

With summer in full swing, we LOVE making homemade summertime treats. One of our favorites is homemade popsicles – they’re fun to make and kids love them!

Last summer, my Aunt gave us an awesome popsicle-maker that freezers popsicles in minutes! It’s great because you can use whatever ingredients you like and avoid all of the frozen stuff in the supermarket.

Today for our Summer Blog Hop, a collaboration that we are doing with other DIY bloggers, our friend Janine over at Confessions of a Mommyaholic is sharing a fun recipe for homemade popsicles with gummy bears. It calls for only a few ingredients and makes for a fun, colorful treat that her kids love.

Be sure to hop on over to Janine’s blog for her watermelon mojito drink recipes!

To learn a little more about Janine, here are some fun facts:

If you could change any of your physical attributes, what would it be? When I was younger I would have said a smaller nose. But I inherited my nose from my grandfather, who I grew up so very close with. So even though he is long gone, having passed on in 1999 this small part of him lives on with me.

Did you love or hate school when you were a kid? I loved school so much that I wanted to become a teacher when I grew up.

If you are just joining us for our Summer Blog Hop, every summer Monday and Thursday we are sharing DIY inspiration from 10 awesome crafty bloggers. We’ve shared some great DIY projects so far and have a lot more coming!

2017 Summer Blog Hop Co-Hosts:

If you missed any of our Summer Blog Hop posts, they are listed below! Remember to come back on Monday for more DIY inspiration.

Refreshing Watermelon Drink Recipes

July 17, 2017 by Eileen

We finally joined our crop share (a little late this year) and have been loving all of the fresh fruit and veggies. One of the things we love about this farm is that they include fruits, and not just vegetables, in their share baskets. So, we have been enjoying fresh blueberries and strawberries – and their melon has been amazing.

Seriously, there is nothing better than fresh fruit in the summertime. One of my favorite things is to juice fresh fruit – especially oranges and watermelon. So, when I saw my friend Sue from A Purdy Little House was sharing her watermelon drinks recipes for our Summer Blog Hop today, I was super excited.

On her blog, she is sharing watermelon mojito recipes – an alcoholic and non-alcholic version. The drinks look amazing and are garnished beautifully.

Be sure to hop on over to Sue’s blog for her watermelon mojito drink recipes!

To learn a little more about Sue, here are some fun facts:

What was your favorite food when you were a child? Strawberry shortcake.

What story does your family always tell about you? OMG! So, one time when I was about 8 or 9, I opened up some of my christmas gifts. I then tried to re-wrap them, but did a terrible job, so my mother realized what I had done. It was literally 3-4 presents that I opened and re-wrapped, but my mother tells EVERYONE that EVERY year I opened ALL my gifts, blah blah blah. It sucks because it was literally only that one time, but not the way she tells it.

I hear ya, Sue! My family seems to tell stories differently than I remember them too 🙂

2017 Summer Blog Hop Co-Hosts:

If you missed any of our Summer Blog Hop posts, they are listed below! Remember to come back on Thursday for more DIY inspiration.

Beach Printables for Summertime Decor

July 13, 2017 by Eileen

We are in the midst of a heatwave over here – it’s hot, muggy, humid, and I’m trying to spend as much time as I can indoors – blasting the air conditioning. A better idea would be to head to the beach, as it’s perfect beach weather.

Today for our Summer Blog Hop, our friend Victoria at Dazzled While Frazzled is sharing her love and her printables for the beach. She created gorgeous summertime beach printables that she’s giving away on her blog that capture the true essence of beach season in the summertime.

Victoria used these summertime beach printables to create a seasonal gallery and even gives a few tips on how to create a theme wall. I LOVE her ideas – especially the baking tray one. Head on over to her blog to check out the printables and tips.

Be sure to hop on over to Victoria’s blog for her summer printables!

Here are some fun facts about Victoria:

Who is the most intelligent person you know? My husband is pretty street smart and has a great way of dealing with people. I admire his ease of making conversation with anyone and remaining calm in the face of *junk*.

If you could time travel, would you go to the past or the future? I’d love to go back to the Roaring ‘40s. I absolutely love how the women dressed.

2017 Summer Blog Hop Co-Hosts:

If you missed any of our Summer Blog Hop posts, they are listed below! Remember to come back on Monday for more DIY inspiration.

10 Ways to Save on Amazon Prime Day

July 10, 2017 by Eileen 16 Comments

Over here, we a little Amazon-Prime-obsessed.

Our mudroom always has Amazon boxes in it, waiting to emptied or waiting to be recycled.

I mean, when you have two little kids in diapers with nap times that span the whole day, there’s no easier way to shop for what you need.

Not only that, we’ve gotten some pretty cool tools and DIY-related things on Amazon.

So, Prime Day is like our birthday.

And what better way to celebrate than to share with you 10 ways to save on Amazon Prime Day.

Be Prepared

Amazon Prime Day starts on July 16th at 3pm. Mark your calendar!

Think About How You Can Save

Think about things you need to buy now or in the future, so you can get the most out of the discounts. Is there a tool you’ve had your eye on? Are their Christmas present ideas that could help you with early shopping? Think about how you can best benefit from the deals.

Become a Prime Member

If you aren’t a Prime Member, you can sign up for a 30 day FREE trial. You can’t beat that!

Download the Amazon App for Automatic Discount

If you’ve never downloaded the Amazon app before (and you are a prime member), you’ll get a one-time $10 discount off your purchase.

Use the Amazon App to Unlock Discounts

If you’ve already downloaded the Amazon app, you won’t qualify for the above discount. However, there are more ways to save. For example, if you use the Camera Search within the app, you’ll get a $5 discount.

Take Advantage of Sneak Peeks

If you download the Amazon app, you can get sneak peeks on the deals and set up alerts ahead of time.

Install Amazon Assistant

If you’re a Prime member and you install Amazon Assistant (to get desktop notifications on deals), you’ll get $5 off your purchase of $25.

“Watch” the Deals

Once Prime Day starts, you’ll see tons of deals – some will be advertised before they start. You can click “watch” and then you’ll get notified right before the deal goes live.

Don’t Forget About Whole Foods

Not only will Whole Foods be offering some exclusive deals, but Prime members are getting 10% off their entire purchase at Whole Foods on Amazon Prime Day. Whoa!

Check Other Stores

Other big stores like Home Depot or Lowes tend to also run sales on Prime Day, so don’t forget to check out what they have to offer too, especially if you’re looking for a particular item.

There are definitely some awesome ways to save this year, so definitely try and take advantage of them. I know that we will be! And, come back to our blog on Amazon Prime Day because we will be sharing the best DIY deals with you!

Click here for even more Prime Day shopping tips.

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Eileen

2017 Summer Blog Hop Co-Hosts:

2017 Summer Blog Hop Co-Hosts:

2017 Summer Blog Hop Co-Hosts:

2017 Summer Blog Hop Co-Hosts:

2017 Summer Blog Hop Co-Hosts:

How to Make a Lamp

DIY Lamp Materials

How to Make the Base of the DIY Lamp

How to Make the Lamp Pole

Applying Finish

Additional Lamp Pole Work

Assembling the Electrical Parts

Attaching the Lamp Pole

Assembling the Lamp Parts

Customizing the Model

Finishing the Lamp

2017 Summer Blog Hop Co-Hosts:

2017 Summer Blog Hop Co-Hosts:

2017 Summer Blog Hop Co-Hosts:

Be Prepared

Think About How You Can Save

Become a Prime Member

Download the Amazon App for Automatic Discount

Use the Amazon App to Unlock Discounts

Take Advantage of Sneak Peeks

Install Amazon Assistant

“Watch” the Deals

Don’t Forget About Whole Foods

Check Other Stores