How to hide an (ugly) thermostat

The (Ugly) Thermostat is the 2nd picture from top on right side.

This was one of those projects that sprang to life on its own.  I wanted a picture wall in our last flat to showcase framed B&W family photos, childhood art, etc.  Unfortunately, I didn't know how to address the thermostat.  It took up such valuable picture-hanging real estate.  Even worse, since we were renting, there was no chance of moving/removing/changing it.

When I started building the photo arrangement, I initially ignored the bulging fixture.  I thought I could disguise it by placing frames in the vicinity of it.  Around the time I couldn't ignore the Ugly anymore, a perfectly sized, square frame was empty on my floor.  It screamed to be put up!  By chance I tried it, popping out the glass.  I loved the result.  Oddly enough, it made a great conversation piece.  I was almost always asked, "that's so creative.  How did you think of that?"  Oh how I wish I could take all the credit.

How to store kids artwork

A recent posting on OhdeeDo (Link) brought up the question of how to store kids artwork.
Here's what I took from the readers' comments and will apply to my family:

• Weed through the masses and save the most meaningful, creative, those that reflect a milestone, etc
• Note on the back of the photos a description from the child.  
• Save hard copies of the absolute favorites.
• Scan (or take digital photos) of those worth remembering. You can also take a picture of the child holding the artwork.
• Create a photo book with the digital files. 
• Create a bond book, frame or store the chosen hard copies (portfolio, boxes, etc).

My addition: Don't forget the artist's name and date created. Within my family we have so many "unknown artist" prints circulating around from my childhood.  My brother and I still fight over the creative rights of several pieces.


Here are two of my favorite childhood creations that I framed:

Ok, the horse picture isn't exactly from childhood.  It is a charcoal drawing created around age 13-14.  The watercolor is from my "abstract period," around age 8-10.  (See what I mean about the importance of noting dates people!)

A "Straight Edge" Gift

An X-cellent gift!

These gloves were semi-homemade gifts for my music fanatic brother and sister-in-law.  No, they do not consider themselves "straight edge".  However, I (jokingly) feel they have enough attributes to at least rock these gloves.  What better way to keep warm during a midwinter's punk concert?!

Supplies: felt, thread, needles and homemade "x" templates

This was an easy project once the concept was developed.  Knit gloves were purchased from Target.  "X" templates were made out of scrap paper.  Once the "X" shapes were satisfactory and trimmed, they were traced onto felt.  The felt cut-outs were pinned to the gloves then hand-sewn into place.  The hardest part was not stitching too deep thus sewing the inside of the gloves together. 

The Finished Gifts: For Him (Left), For Her (Right)

Fresh as a daisy

Recently, our bath towels fell victim to mildew. It's an unfortunate fact of life at our casa. Our master bath is an interior room with no windows or natural light. After several unpleasantly stinky toweling off sessions, my husband begged me to toss the towels. I however had faith that they could be saved. To the internet I scurried. After some searching, I learned of these key de-mildewfying ingredients: sunlight, borax, vinegar and tea tree oil.

The towels have been successfully mildew stink free for 2 weeks now. Here's how we got there:

The towels hung on our porch railing for a Saturday afternoon sun bath.
After a few hours of fresh air, heat and light, they shimmied over to our laundry room for a hot water wash. This bath was prepped with 1 cup of borax and a light amount of laundry detergent. 1 cup vinegar and about 10 drops of tea tree oil were added to the fabric softener dispenser.

That's it. The mildew smell is undetectable now. Repeating these steps once a month should keep the towels smelling fresh.

New post, New Year

Throughout my life I've always had trouble committing my pen to the first page in a new journal. My mind stresses, "What if I mess up?" "What if I write something stupid and it sets a stupid tone for the rest of the book?" It seems I can never think of a subject wholely worthy of the first page of a newly purchased, incredibly stylish journal.

Sadly, my New Year's resolution to start a blog conjured up the same fears. No written submission it seemed, could completely encompass my vision. (I have my mother to thank for the inherit perfectionism. I love you, mom!)

Inspiration does strike willy-nilly, though. At the base of my tea cup yesterday, a gift from Good Earth tea. A nugget of insight, a ghost from presidents past beckoned:

"Always bear in mind that your resolution to succeed is more important than any one thing."
Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865)

In other words, get over yourself and get on with it Rach. Enough said. Thank you honest Abe.