Wondering what to eat with jerk chicken? Jerk chicken is a Caribbean dish with really unique and bold flavors, and it pairs perfectly with lots of different side dishes. Here are 17 delicious ideas for side dishes that will bring out the best in your jerk chicken and make your meal even more mouth-watering.

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Elevate your Thanksgiving feast with our homemade turkey rub recipe. This blend of aromatic herbs and spices will infuse your turkey with an irresistible flavor and create a mouthwatering crust. With just a few simple ingredients, you can take your holiday centerpiece to a whole new level of deliciousness.

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Bacon Ranch Crack Pasta Salad is a flavorful explosion of crispy bacon, cheddar cheese, and a pop of ranch seasoning; all combined for the perfect side dish. Once you try this easy recipe I'm sure it will be one of your favorite pasta salad recipes, and the hit of every summer potluck.

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Take your turkey to the next level with this easy smoked turkey injection recipe.

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Chicken pot pie soup is a cozy, comforting dish that is easy to make and tastes delicious. It's like a deconstructed pot pie in a bowl. Creamy, hearty, and packed with tender chicken and veggies, this soup is perfect for chilly nights.

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Bacon-wrapped green bean bundles are a delectable side dish that marries the smoky richness of bacon with the crisp freshness of green beans. They are the perfect appetizer for holidays or special occasions or an easy side for weeknight dinners.

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Turkey Pot Pie with puff pastry crust is a tasty way to use up leftover Thanksgiving turkey for the ultimate comfort food meal!

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Cilantro chimichurri is a versatile sauce with countless possibilities! Whip up this effortless sauce for salad dressing, a flavorful dip for grilled meats and veggies, a marinade, and much more. However you decide to enjoy it, this easy cilantro chimichurri will elevate the taste of your dishes in a big way.

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Wondering what to serve with smoked turkey breast? There are so many delicious options! We are sharing 17 of our absolute favorite sides for this tasty meal.

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Wondering what to eat with hummus? From the usual ideas to some surprisingly tasty, we have 15 ideas that pair perfectly with this chickpea dip!

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Wondering what to serve with Chicken Parmesan? This classic Italian dish is made even better with these 13 delicious side dish ideas!

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This oven-cooked beef brisket gives you the taste of Texas-style smoked brisket, without an actual smoker. A juicy beef brisket is coated with a tasty dry rub and then baked in the oven until tender and juicy.

The post How to Cook Beef Brisket in the Oven appeared first on The Happier Homemaker.

Slow Cooker Pot Roast is is a tender comfort food meal made even easier using onion soup mix! Carrots, potatoes, celery, broth, and beer round out this easy crock pot roast recipe packed with flavor.

The post Slow Cooker Pot Roast (with Onion Soup Mix) appeared first on The Happier Homemaker.

Slow Cooker Chicken Enchiladas are an easy, 7 ingredient dinner that takes only 20 minutes to prep. Skip the takeout and make this crock pot Mexican dish at home, even on busy weeknights!

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Looking for ideas of what to serve with bacon wrapped scallops? We have the tasty sides that perfectly complement this delicious dish, from flavorful salads and colorful veggies to soups and starches.

The post What to Serve with Bacon Wrapped Scallops - 10 Best Sides appeared first on The Happier Homemaker.

I come from a long line of savers, which mostly has equated to frantic, jump-inducing yelps on holidays like DON’T RIP THE WRAPPING PAPER, WE CAN SAVE IT and DON’T THROW THAT AWAY, WE CAN USE IT AGAIN and SQUEEZE OUT THE SPONGE!… okay, the last one happened to be a running joke in my …

I’m now accepting guest posts. Below are a few details you should know before contacting me: Topics I accept for this blog include home cleaning, decluttering, organization, laundry tips, smell hacks, DIY beauty, home decorating tips, and DIY home decor. Your article should be original, well-written, and exclusive to my blog. I value creativity, depth,...

What not to mix with bleach? What not to mix with vinegar? Are you following or creating a DIY cleaning recipe but are unsure if it is alright to mix different household products and ingredients? It is wise that you want to be well-informed as it can be dangerous to mix certain household ingredients. So,...

Clean black mold and yellow stains naturally in the shower tiles and bathroom with these remedies Do you want to know how to remove mold from tile grout? I have black mold and yellow stains in the grout of my bathroom and I have been looking for ways to remove them, especially in the shower....

How to add more space to your work desk even if is small Do you have a desk without drawers in need of organization? Organizing a desk is not a difficult task but if the desk has no drawers you need to find organizing solutions that fit well in the available space. I’m in the...

What are the best ways to remove old oil stains from clothes? With home remedies right from your pantry, like baking soda and vinegar. If you’ve got an oily mess on one of your favorite garments, it doesn’t need to ruin the day. There are numerous do-it-yourself methods available to remove these stubborn stains from...

I’ve been meaning to build a jewelry organizer for quite some time, and I finally put something together that works well for me, and I’m happy to share the build plans with you! I’m teaming up with my friends over at Kreg to show you how to build this DIY wooden jewelry stand. Disclosure: This...

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One thing that plagues my home is toy clutter, even as my boys get older. I decided to build a DIY rolling toy bin to corral some of their things, and I’m teaming up with Kreg to share the build plans with you! Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Kreg. All opinions are my own....

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When I first moved into my house two years ago, I built a cute little bench for the end of my bed (you can see it here). Well, my now 8 year-old promptly did a front flip off the bed and broke it. Rather than repair the old one, I decided I wanted a different...

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This week I’m teaming up with Kreg to bring you a fun little woodworking project. I’m going to show you how to build this easy DIY tool caddy! Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Kreg. All opinions are my own. You know I love a good beginner woodworking project, and this definitely fits that description....

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Who’s tired of stepping on LEGO pieces? I know I am! Today’s project is a great solution and also happens to be an easy beginner woodworker project. I’m sharing a DIY rolling LEGO storage tray, perfect for sliding under the bed when not in use. Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Kreg. All opinions are...

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 Sometimes you realize you're heading in the wrong direction design-wise.  And that is a-okay.  Both the realization and the wrong direction.  So today, let's light and paint it up with how to have a fun bathroom!
See, everything that can be done can be undone.  And, as we've discussed many times, a mistake is not a mistake; it's an opportunity to learn and a chance to do it again.  
Don't freak -- I didn't dismantle any of the jet tub cover-up!  I merely made a paint mistake.  Which, now corrected, Mike has proclaimed, "it's your best paint yet."
To say I was beaming is an understatement.  Ahhh, beaming, a pun, you'll see.
See, I had picked up a metallic paint in an effort to create a cool sort of faux finish for the mirror wall but it wasn't panning out the way I envisioned.
I primed over the metallic so here's a new before.You know how when you open a can of metallic paint and the top is swirly and mottled?  That's what I wanted large scale on the wall.  And, after smearing on the color, I lost interest in the steps it would have taken.
Plus too, despite hoping it'd be a refined, sophisticated, upscale finish, that metallic paint, I realized heh, it wasn't me.  I mean, I am those things but I lost sight of fun.  
Fun is what I want this house to be about.
Fun, happy, cheerful, uplifting, colorful, and joyous.  Hence now, light and paint it up, how to have a fun bathroom.
I must mention that my painted wall is part of a Hometalk shoppable tutorial with Feit Electric and while this post is sponsored and I did receive Feit lighting products, these opinions are mine oh mine.
So!  On the Instagrams I spotted this which pounded the fun realization home that I had lost my way.  I required a version of that in our bathroom instead.  You'll even see my comment there.
So that's what I did.
First though, because I was spending loads of time in said bathroom on said paint project:  a pair of Feit Speaker Bulbs.  Have you seen these?  Oh my, they are way super cool.  They are LED light bulbs that have speakers in them and you need to get some, stat.
Where?  Easy!  Pick them up at my second home Menards, or order them for speedy delivery from Amazon* or drop by Ace Hardware* or swing through Walmart.*
No hub, no wires, just pair your phone to them via Bluetooth, open your music app, and atmosphere amplified by one hundred percent.  Pair two together for a stereo effect!  You can use them in lamps plus they have a thirty foot range, too!  A major bonus is that you won't have a clunky speaker hogging valuable space.
It's the details that improve your life, "the details are not the details," and this detail does it.  You'll seriously wonder how you lived without them.
Your bathroom, your kitchen (ooOOhhh!), your office, anywhere in the house, these Speaker Bulbs rock.  Ahh, pun! 
The Feit Speaker Bulbs change the atmosphere of the whole room instantly -- a giant enhancement of our daily life.  Just twist, flip the switch, and pair.For me, some moments were Jazz in 1965 or my friend's O'Rourke's list.  Other times it was the 80"s haha or Jane's or Led Zepplin, and sometimes it was Pure Calm if Finn was lying in the doorway because damn fireworks.
It was exactly what I needed.  Fun life improvement check mark number one!
Ok, so paint!  Definitely not complicated.
After measuring the wall, I drew it all in AutoCAD* (paper and a ruler by hand easily work too) then scaled up the proportions large.  Key to interior design is proportion, balancing small and large, and in a small space, large proportions visually enlarge a room.
With my rectangles and colors mapped out and after priming the wall, I transferred the design using my spiffy level, a long ruler* and tape measure,* and a simple pencil.  And an eraser* of course because I am not perfect.
Time to tape.*  
Following the pencil lines exactly, I tried to do as many same-color-spots as I could but discovered very rapidly an error of my ways....not spacing the colors enough for efficiency.  Doh.  Eh, no biggie, I had the Speaker Bulbs.
Personally, I smooth the tape exceptionally tight to the wall and have at it.  If you paint away from the tape not into it and you're careful enough, you won't have paint bleed.  You can, I hear, prime the tape edges with the base color and let dry then paint to ensure very crisp lines.
My paint needed two coats as most higher-saturation colors do.  Do let everything dry overnight thoroughly before moving ahead with new tape. Oh right, I marked each rectangle with a wee speck of tape noting the colors so I wouldn't get confused and mess up a. the taping and b. the color pattern I hadn't entirely thought through.
Along the way I decided to do the baseboards too to further visually heighten the room.Oh and right, here are my colors:  Spashed Blue, 136-7DB from Dutch Boy; Big Sky Country, 136-4DB from Dutch Boy; plus for a little sheen-y shine, Krylon's Brilliant Metallic in Pearlescent*
All right, then just keep going!  Paint, remove tape, dry dry dry, tape along the edges of the open spots, paint.  And dance to your music.

Once everything was said and done, tape peeled, a gigantic deep sigh of satisfaction, several butt wiggles, it was time for the icing on the cake:  Feit's While Filament LED bulbs.  
Why go to all this effort if you don't have flawless lighting, right?!  I mean, we're enhancing our lives here, this detail brings it full tilt.
The White Filaments, I have to say, are unbelievable.  Seriously the best light I have ever experienced.  It is so crisp, so clean, so true, and holy cow do they make the wall colors pop exactly the way they should which in turn makes me feel so good every time I'm in this room. See?  Beautiful on and off!A major key standout is that the filaments are white, blending into every single decor no matter what your style is, unlike yellow filaments.  That means these bulbs are beautiful whether they are on or off and that they are!  That's what we all want, right?!  After the effort for this painted wall, after any effort to make a space happy and fun, lighting is the jewelry of the room.  Seemingly such a small thing, easy to forget, but it makes or breaks any design.
I am absolutely putting these White Filaments in our kitchen.  And everywhere.  They're dimmable, incredibly efficient, look great, and *chef's kiss,* that light....wow.
So when you get the Speaker Bulbs,* stock yourself up on White Filaments at Home Depot* or from Ace Hardware* because they are jaw-droppingly amazing.
I have to say, between the fun new paint, the Feit Speaker Bulbs, and their White Filament bulbs, the way we experience this room improves our daily existence to the max.  Fun, happy, cheerful, uplifting, colorful, and joyous.

There we have it my friends, light and paint it up, how to have a fun bathroom.  Or any room!  You deserve it.
*The Speaker Bulbs are Amazon, Ace Hardware, and Walmart affiliate links.  The erasers are an Amazon affiliate link.  The AutoCAD link is an AutoDesk affiliate link.  The long rulers are a Joann Fabrics affiliate link.  The tape measures are a Home Depot affiliate link.  The White Filament bulbs are Home Depot and Ace Hardware affiliate links.  The painters tape and Krylon paint are Lowes affiliate links.  Mwah, thanks!  Please see the "boring stuff" tab for more info.

 So to be quite frank, this was the project that originally kicked off the master closet Spring Cleaning design rabbit hole in my wee brain:  how to deepen and extend shelves. 
Specifically, obviously, the main ones in our closet where the stunning WE Cork wall is now.
Because.  Heh.  Because, back when I put these up, I cheaped out on the extra couple bucks for deeper shelves. 
Dumb. 
I have kicked myself ever since.  Near daily.  And near daily, I'd been pondering how to remedy the error of my cheap a** ways.
Because.  Folded clothes droop over the edge of standard depth shelves and it makes me batty.  It’s sloppy, it’s messy, it’s terrible.  Bat. Tee.
So!  I guess thanks to my past cheap a** self for being a bonehead, I now have this excellent opportunity to deepen and extend them.
And really, this is way better than deeper, plain all white boring store-bought laminate shelves.  Especially given this swanky lux spring cleaning design upgrade!
Bonus?  This is reuse; nothing was trashed.
Before all the shelves came down, I did some measuring and found I had a little less than three inches of depth to work with, of add-on shelf space, given the trim around the closet window.  No problem.  It's exactly all I needed.
Off to my second home Menards I scrambled, selecting some one by three finer grade pine, six pieces.  They were maybe four bucks a piece?  Super cheap.  Way way way waaayyy cheaper than buying all new, pre-made deeper shelves at eighteen bucks per.
$24 > $108.  Absolutely.
Right?!  Quite proud of my cost-efficient self there.  Further proud later because this turned out spiffier than I envisioned!  Hang on, patting myself on the back.......
Ok.  So, what was my supply list to deepen and extend these shelves?6 pieces of 1x3x8' nicer grade pine lumberwood glue*pocket hole jig*pocket hole screws*pocket hole plugs*clamps*sanding blocks*wood patch,* optionalWeatherWash Aging Wood Stain, walnutWeatherWash Dead Flat VarnishNow, wait what the heck is WeatherWash and where did that come from?, you're wondering.  I had some left from a wildly cool project that I'll elaborate on soon.  WeatherWash is an exceptionally nifty water-based stain that ages wood as it dries.  *Pew* mind blown, right?!  It is fun, very very fun.
All righty!  Let's continue spring cleaning the master closet and deepen them darn shelves already!
So easy, I almost feel weird making a whole giant post about it.
Grab a shelf, lay one of the sticks of lumber on top then trace underneath the overhang where you need to cut with a pencil.  My shelves are in the neighborhood of six feet long.
With my spiffy miter saw, a quick zip and the lumber is cut to length.  If you don't have a spiffy miter saw, you can use a hand saw and miter box.*   I weirdly seem to be short a few photos, my apologies.
Now, the pine wasn't the exact thickness of the shelf, it was a hair shy so I tried to ensure whichever side was facing up aligned.
My goal was to strategically hide pocket holes as best as possible so about three or so shelves, the pocket holes faced up while on the other shelves, they faced down.  Based on my short stature and eye level.  Yours will vary.
Spread an even line of wood glue along the edge of the pine, smear it even so it coats the whole plane then clamp everything tightly together making sure the top facing sides align.
Run a bead of glue along that short 3/4" edge.With the pocket hole jig, I drilled out holes of random placement and quantity then darted in screws.  Blob some glue into those pocket holes and slip in the plugs.  Then, let everything marry up for the night or so.


Shelf sandwich.Next day, pop the clamps off and voilá!  Deeper shelves!  I cannot begin to tell you how delighted I was about this.  Something so dang simple yet will make such a giant difference in my daily life.
Given I still haven't mastered the ol' pocket hole jig and plug business, I had some areas to patch with wood filler.  No problem.
This was the very top shelf so eh, no big deal that this wasn't perfect.Once everything was dry, a sanding of the patches, surfaces of the pine, and the corners and edges to make them less severe was in order.
Finishing time!  Here you can do whatever works for you and whatever you've got going on.  Paint, stain, leave the wood as-is and seal it up, whatever look and finish you want.
On went my WeatherWash stain, a couple heavy coats as the more you lay on and soak the wood, the richer the color.  
No need to wipe the stain either, merely let it dry.  Seriously, no wiping!  Stand there and watch it age!  Cool, right?!  It dries super fast too.
Once it was dry, time to seal up my deepened shelf extensions with the varnish.  Easy peasy lemon squeezy.
Now, the scary part:  reinstalling the shelves atop the cork.  Omg, big stressing out through several days of reinstallation contemplation as I did not want to damage the brand new, gorgeous cork in any way.  But, I desperately needed those dang shelves back on the wall.
I had mapped out, I thought, all of the existing wall anchors before adhering the cork panels but only found the first two.  I used dots of painters tape to mark them, a t-pin found them inside the wall and wow, I was hella impressed with myself until I realized I didn't map the rest well at all.My math was off, things are a smidge awry, the shelves aren't in the same spots as they were but, alas, it's close enough and we have shelves again.
One down, five to go!  Waaayyy swanky, yah?But now, nicer, deeper, fancier shelves!
And guess what?  
Nothing hangs over the edge!  Everything lays flat!  It's not a mess!  No flopping, droopy, sloppy stacks of visually chaotic clothes! 
Myyyyy goodness I am so over-the-moon overjoyed about this.  Holy cow.
Seriously, I know, I know, it's a just simple simple project but it has such an enormous impact.  And the stain is perfect with the cork.  
That's right, you know I did a butt wiggle dance or four.
So there ya have it!  How to deepen and extend shelves while spring cleaning your master closet!
Here, a little video might fill in some of my photo gaps....
What's next now that my four main projects in this closet have been accomplished?  Whooo, slow-pat myself on the back and nap, that's what.
But yeah.  Suddenly my project list feels empty.  Ooohh ho ho, we both know it's not though haha!  A lingering one or two left in this here closet but let's get back to the bathroom!

*The wood glue and pocket hole jigs are Lowes affiliate links.  The pocket hole screws, clamps, and wood patch/fillers are Home Depot affiliate links.  The pocket hole plugs, sanding blocks, and miter boxes are Amazon affiliate links.  Mwah, thanks!  Please see the "boring stuff" tab for more info.

 More spring cleaning in the master closet with part III and today I bring you a WE Cork wall.  And holy moly my goodness, oh my word, it is glorious.  Glorious.
Yes.  That's right.  A wall of WE Cork bark panels.  So yes, I took down all of the shelves because I am a loon but it was so worth it.  So.  Wow. Yes, all this came down.As I've mentioned before, I am a fan of cork.  A huge fan, in fact.  Ok, I'm big on materials in general but cork is stupendous, especially these cork bark panels, and I'll tell you why momentarily.
I must mention that my WE Cork wall is part of a Hometalk shoppable tutorial and while this post is sponsored and I did receive the panels as part of it, I would breathlessly cover the whole house in them.  Please note, these opinions are all my own.
To backtrack and catch up a second, here is spring cleaning master closet part I with the Photowall mural and part II with the Stikwood ceiling.
So cork, right?  It's truly an exceptional gift from nature.  And I love it.
Not only do I love the way cork looks, as a uh ahem, child of the 70's or ok let's go with lover of 70's design, cork wins every race.  
Don't get me wrong here though.  There is absolutely nothing dated about cork in the least.  It's unquestionably a modern material, ripe for a zillion modern applications, and as it's sustainable, it fits the times now more than ever.  
As such, I am here to sing its praises from the rooftops.
Go, check out WE Cork's website, you'll see how cork can be used from flooring to walls to even bags.  I want all of those bags.
Cork is, as I said, sustainable, but it's also renewable; it's environmentally responsible.  It provides excellent sound and acoustic benefits, it's soft, comfortable, hypoallergenic, anti-fungal, stable, moisture-resistant, resilient, lightweight, easy to work with, and a major plus for me in the case of our closet, it's insulating.
Every single box is checked in the positives column.
See, given this flipper was brutally neglectful in his insulating duties, this particular shelved wall exemplifies his neglect the most of any wall in our house.
It is downright freezing in the winter and in the summer, you can practically cook an egg on it.  Ok, the latter is a bit dramatic but you catch my drift.  As a perma-cold human, nothing like grabbing a shirt in winter, moving it to another room, and shaking the cold out of it for five minutes.
You can tell where I'm going now, right?  My goal with this wall, as part of the whole spring cleaning master closet, was to not only make it the best wall in the house but also to insulate without having to open up the wall in any way.
WE Cork's bark panels to the rescue.  Check and check.  And check for I looove it too.
Why order from WE Cork?  They are super nice people, oh my gosh.  WE Cork is a family-run business out east in New Hampshire and just the coolest folks.  I probably scared them with my uncontrollable cork enthusiasm but thankfully they trusted me despite my weirdness!
Ok!  First, measure measure measure measure.  I was looking at about sixty square feet for this wall.
The box of ten panels, about sixty three square feet, arrived on our porch along with a quart of WE Cork's recommended contact adhesive, 3M's Fastbond 30-NF* and I was out-of-my-skin excited.
Now, I've used many a contact adhesive in my time, but never the Fastbond so I will admit, I was anxious.  Kind of a bit extra more so having watched a demo of the product on YouTube, but, contact adhesive is contact adhesive.  Right?  This is just stickier.
Ok!  Let's install!  So easy!
WE Cork's cork bark panels are wonderfully large at two foot by three foot so they cover a lot of surface in one panel.  I started at the top left with a full panel.  
I outlined the panel on the wall with a pencil for contact adhesive spreading guidance, that's what the arrow is pointing at.With a chip brush,* I cut in the Fastbond, leaving a bit at the top and side un-glued to make it easy for positioning.  That video did have me mildly paranoid about the stickiness level.  

Next, with a little sponge roller,* roll the contact adhesive on the wall then on the backside of the cork bark panel.  And now we wait.  The Fastbond is good to go at about thirty minutes and you have up to four hours of open time.

When it's ready to go, do a little positioning and then merely push the panel onto the wall.  That is it.  Could not be easier, I swear.  
Grab yourself a rubber roller, like the laminate roller type,* and firmly but not aggressively, no need for the latter, roll the panel to ensure a nice grip.  Voilá!

To cut a panel, which might seem scary but it's completely not, measure measure measure, then map it out on the backside.  Here's a hot tip that helped my temporary forgetfulness:  place a little piece of painters tape at the top of the panel.  This way you won't get mixed up about which end is up, which direction everything goes. 
Grab a cork-backed straight edge* heh more cork and with a very sharp utility knife* (even the cheapy ones are fine) start slicing.  Go slow and do not go through in one pass.  Do multiple slices until it separates.  Too, make sure the cutoff end is on the outside in case the knife slips. Test fit your cut piece, then apply the contact adhesive, and keep going!

Watching this come together, I was seriously weak in the knees bursting.

Isn't it outstanding?  I swear, it's the best wall in the house now.
Already I've noticed that our bedroom is quieter at night which is incredible.  I was expecting a quiet, peaceful closet despite our crappy windows but the whole room is now more peaceful.  I mean, jaw-heckin'-drop. drool....I can't say I am looking forward to winter in any way, shape, or form as a spring/summer lover, but I have to say, bring it and our no longer frozen attire.
Most of all, I am going to exist permanently in this little closet now.  The WE Cork bark panels are so luxurious, they're exquisite, stunning, just stunning.  The coup de gras of my closet design, absolutely.
Thank you, Chad, Tina, and WE Cork, thank you.  *curtsy.*
There are a few more projects left in here, notably the shelves as they get a makeover next so be sure to come back for that!
*The 3M Fastbond 30-NF contact adhesive, laminate roller, chip brushes, sponge rollers, cork-bakced straight edge, and utility knives are Amazon affiliate links.  Mwah, thanks!  Please see the "boring stuff" tab for more info. 

 A Variety Pack!  Yay!  It's been a while!  Boy, I'm getting spotty with my Variety Packs, yikes.
Well I'm back with another one then!
Which is great because I've got hot tips for you, cool ideas, and this post will contain two, yes two, recipes!
Let's hop to it!  Variety Pack!
First, an oh duh moment.  A problem that needled me daily but as soon as I'd walk away, I'd forget to do something about it.
I shared this hot tip over on the ol' Instagrams and it's truly one of those why did I not think of that before's:  adding little motion-activated puck lights* in dark cabinets.  (Or really, anywhere that's light-deficient with no available wiring.)
Yeah!  Right?!  Duh!  I had one of those push-to-turn-on-and-off ones in the abhorrent corner cabinet and switching to a motion-activated one, total boon.  Flips on when I reach in, shuts off on its own.  I tell ya, sometimes it's the little things for the win!
Loathe this cabinet.  Loathe.  Someday, I've gotta hit upon a resolution for this.And it's bright!  Well, definitely much brighter than the push on push off one.
The ones I ordered from Amazon* are a thumbs up.  But.  The magnet and sticker suuuuck.  As we found out recently in the middle of the night, of course, as two fell off the wall in the stair, banging down the wood treads, and it took three hours to peel me off the ceiling.
In the instance of the kitchen cabinet, I used this heavy-duty removable tape* to stick it instead.  This tape rocks by the way, total win.  It's what's holding those DIY Dowel Decor Recessed Can Light Shades up and still going strong.
So are my little 15-minute DIY Pot Lid Racks in there.  Yep!  Three cheers for scrap wood!
Whooo, that was a lot of info already!
All righty, let's keep going.  Variety Pack!
Oh, yes, I finally got to installing another outside a closet rod, this time in the bedroom above my hanging clothes closet.
Left, before.  Right, yay!Yes, ok, yes, we each have our own hanging clothes closets.  I mean, when you've got extra bedrooms and it's just us, you spread out a little.  Hey, what can I say.  I need to do some spring cleaning in this one too, hmph.
I'd been itching to get to this second rod, itching and when that one time I really wanted it there and it wasn't hit, I'd had enough of pokey myself.
Up it went in exactly the same fashion, manner, and materials, hence buying a four-pack of brackets.  Only difference here was I left the brackets white as matching the wall color with spray paint would have been a headache-inducer.
Yep, there are the dowel hooks!  The murder of crows is by John W. Fesken.By the way, Bar Keeper's Friend* cleans copper like a champ.  A bit of the powder and a scrubby pad,* I was able to get that fingerprint smudgied humble plumbing pipe back to a sparkly, shiny clean.
Shiny!Have I tried the curtain rod out?  hahaha, no not yet but I will next week!  I'm sure it'll be awesome.
Mmk, what else do I have on my Variety Pack list?
Ahh, yes.  Cracked concrete.
I happenstance noticed late last fall that the concrete around one of our deck posts ugly cracked in three places.  Yikes.  I was displeased.   Big gaps.  Water.  Getting into the post foundation.  No no no!
And of course, as is my Murphy's Law life, the weather was already too cold to address it.  Soo, I spent the whole entire winter stressing over it.
Finally with warmer, concrete setting weather upon us, I went right at it.
Dashed downstairs for my bag of concrete patch and poured a pile into a zipper bag.*  This will make sense.
Back outside I drizzled some water into the bag, zipped it shut, squished it all around to mix.   Zig zag -- top left, before.  Top right, prep.  Bottom left, mixed concrete patch in a zipper bag.  Bottom right, all patched!Yep, just like a piping bag!*  Snipped off a corner, squeezed the concrete into the offending cracks, and voilá, patched and water-collection-free!  Whew, now I can sleep!
Then obviously, clean up is simple:  there is no clean up -- just wait for the bag contents to harden and dispose.  Maybe not the most eco-friendly but it's easy, mess-free, a controlled application, simple, and stress-free.  I patted myself on the back for that one.
What else on my Variety Pack list for you...
Back inside, ah, the shower glass.  While I absolutely love our spiffy glass shower doors, man, do they get dirty fast.  
Here's what I clean them with and then I RainX* but still, the time between cleanings is oh-so brief and aggravating.  I've got sh*t to do.
As we know, those daily shower sprays* are pricey, the bottle empties way too fast so I did the research for you on a DIY version.  Having run into too many "try this!" or "this works!" or "this is the best!" and they're all untruths, here's a daily shower spray that actually truly honestly works:
Saving Grace Daily Shower Spray:1/2 cup (118 ml) hydrogen peroxide1/2 cup (118 ml) rubbing alcohol1 teaspoon liquid dish soap1 tablespoon dishwasher rinse aid*2 cups (473 ml) waterShake everything lightly in a spray bottle* of choice, squeegee* post shower, spray that glass with this no wipe, no rinse, no residue, no harsh chemical schnizz, walk away and get the heck on with your life!  
Speaking of cleaning, have you guys tried Zote Soap*?  Omg, where has this been all my life?  Mike strew a bunch of chili across one of his dress shirts recently.  The wince on his face when he came home...
I opted to test a bar, see if the praises people sang of it were true.  Holy cats and dogs people, it got that dried chili out of his shirt in one go.  It's a white shirt too and there is zero trace that he made a monster mess of himself.
Zote Soap, 10/10, highly recommend.  There are two types, white and pink and in looking into the difference, there doesn't appear to be much of one so if you find one or the other, either way, you'll be spot-free.
Chili.  Amazing.  I know, right?!
Okey doke, it's not a Variety Pack post without a tasty recipe!  Of course, everything baking is over at The Bake Dept so head there immediately.  Lemme dig through my way-too-big stash...
Mmmmm how about Fresh Pasta!  Love love love this recipe for ravioli.  I know, it calls for cake flour* which seems bizarre but trust me, this pasta is delicate, light, and so so so good.  If you've hit the site's paywall, email me.  Or, if you're new here, subscribe and it's yours!
An update on the Finn-meister by the way:  he's been feeling so fantastic, he's so happy, gained weight, is super playful, loving, his surgery shave is growing in, he needs a bath, and then in unnerving news, had his first chemo dose this week.
To say I'm freaked out is an understatement.  I cried most of that morning.  So, hoping it doesn't hit him like a ton of bricks.  siiiighhhh
Finn enjoying his deck couch* recently.  Sweetie boy, so handsome.  Cedar window frames with floating planters, freshly planted for summer!Please donate to the National Canine Cancer Foundation if you're able.  I'd be so thankful.
Ok!  That's it for today's Variety Pack! 
*The motion-activated puck lights, heavy-duty removable tape, Bar Keeper's Friend, scrub pads, zipper bags, piping bags, RainX, daily shower sprays, dishwasher rinse aid, spray bottles, shower squeegees, Zote soap, cake flour, and outdoor sectionals in wicker are Amazon affiliate links.  Mwah, thanks!  Please see the "boring stuff" tab for more info.

 Ah ok, see, heh, this is what happens, SMDH.  I walk into our master closet and ugh it's flipping a wreck.  I should really do some spring cleaning and.....(pause) (slo-mo) oh but what if....what if...(wave of hands) redo!, ooOhh wallpaper!, and this and that and that too and kapow, I've redesigned the closet.
I spy something, it morphs out of control, even if I've already done it once, twice, five times, and off my brain redesigns.  Pew, gone.  Then it has to happen.  
This isn't entirely a redo I should say, more of a do.  All because spring cleaning.
Holy heck this is so embarrassing.  So.  Sooo.  But, as are before's.  Hey, bottom left, the hoodie racks!And I must be pretty you-know-what crazy because just after we moved in, I installed shelves up the wall.  And then installed more shelves, then a couple more.  So two walls are fully shelved, wipes hands, done.
So therefore, anything wall.........yeah.  The shelves have to come down.  And then go back up.
Labeling everything you take down will make putting it back up much easier!Bat.tee.  I am batty.
But!  
When all is said and done, this thirty six square foot space will be a divine design knockout, as in I may move into this lil' room and never come out.  I am that giddy excited.  
Though, it might be a hot competition between this closet and that bathroom, once I finish repainting it for the eighth time.  Either way, man, it's gonna be a helluva Sweet Suite with capital S's.
This master closet spring cleaning event kicks off large with Photowall* and a super swanky wallpaper wall mural on three walls.  Yeah!  I ain’t messin’ around!
Tiny boxes!  Tremendous impact!If you remember, Photowall* so graciously sent me a huge, fancy pants wall mural previously.  And guess what, they did it again.  I need to mention while I was not paid for this post, Photowall* did generously send this wallpaper mural at no charge.  Opinions are solely mine.
Now, I'm not going to blather on about how to wallpaper as, I mean, this is the internet, there are a bazillion zillion tutorials online.  What I am going to do here is share tips for wallpaper that will lead you to success.
Because wallpaper seems fiercely intimidating.  While I can't say it's the easiest thing to do on the planet, it really is not as terrifying as it may seem.  Patience, that's my first and probably biggest tip, have lots of patience.
Wallpaper though.  Love love love it, how it immensely elevates a room, your house, you.  Color, pattern, texture, and if you're lucky, shine.  Wallpaper is delightful, exhilarating, fun, and happy, everything your home should be.
In the case of our previously yawns-ville ol’ master closet here, given it is (ridiculously) packed with clothes, I stuck with subtlety, whites, grays, background pattern otherwise it we’d have a visual cacophony.
Little did I know until the paper arrived that the grays in my Weaving Wood White* mural were actually a checkerboard of cute little animals.  Ha!  Pretty sweet!
Ok, next tip, get yourself set up right for frustration-free installation by collecting every single thing you need upfront to have on immediate hand so you’re relaxed, no frantic searching for anything:ladder*plastic tarp*bucket for mixing and storing the included pastemixing stickkitchen scale* if you’re not mixing the entire bag of pastemeasuring cup*adhesive primerroller and roller cover*chip* or any non-fancy paintbrushX-acto knife* and lots of blades* or similar cork backed metal ruler*lightly damp towel (I prefer microfiber*)level*penciltrim guide*Ok!  We're set!  There are oodles of other tools* you can get for this task but I personally find my hands are my best tools.  Find what works for you though.
Let's do this!  Spring cleaning!
First, and I'm always going to strongly encourage this, a coat or two of adhesive primer on the walls.  This helps in case there's a day you want to remove said wallpaper, making the process way way easier.  Let that dry.
In the case of the Photowall* wallpaper mural, as I mentioned, the paste is included which you apply to the wall.  While the goo stays wet for several days in the bucket, mix up only what you need.  In my case, I needed only half of one bag so weighing the powder paste with the kitchen scale nails the right ratio.
Top, mixing up the paste.  Bottom, getting prepped with tools to prepare for any scenario.Ok!  Key to success is the first panel.  Measure the width of the panel, mark that dimension on the wall, and draw a full floor-to-ceiling straight, plumb line using the level and pencil.  If you start crooked, you end up in wallpaper hell.  
Can't really see the line I drew with spiffy level but it's there.  And then, woot, first panel up!  How exciting!My next tip?  Make sure you skootch the top edge of paper up past your highest point to start.  Meaning, if you’re starting at the juncture of ceiling and vertical wall, push the paper an inch or two above that meeting point.  This covers your rear if walls aren’t true, straight, square, or plumb, like ours.  
The tip means if you’re ordering a mural from Photowall* which you should because they're terrific, the paper is top-notch quality, and their designs are outstanding, order it a few extra inches tall.  Which I did, but forgot my own tip and sorta screwed myself.
Another tip?  Stage your next panel with the top easily reachable.  Here I draped it over the door.Aligning the seams as you go is the next key to success.  Align the pattern then the seams, smush them snugly together, don't overlap.  As you smush the paper to the wall, use the lightly damp towel to push the bubbles out the other side, up and out, down and out.  
Then just keep going!  You're doing it!  Look at you!
Use that cheap chip brush to spread the paste right up to the previous panel edge.Doors and windows will be thorny.  Change out your knife blades wastefully constantly to make sure they are brutally sharp and trim fat of any corner or turn then nip away until the paper is flat.  Try not to stab yourself.  I did.  Of course.
Carefully cut the panels wide for above and below windows so you're sure to match the pattern.Always always always trim on the opposite side of the good side.  Yes, that entails crunching down low at the baseboard.  When trimming, start in the middle and run the knife out to the edge.  Starting at the end runs the risk of tearing, crumpling, and a ratty messy cut.
Take your time with corners and trims!Another important tip?  Work cleanly.  
Clean up errant paste blobs, especially on that tarp you've laid out to catch those blobs.  Clean up paper scraps right away, keep tools in the area of work limited to solely what you need so you're not tripping over them.  Rinse out the towel often.
Schedule several hours for this, more than you'll need so you're not rushing, take deep breaths, don't panic as you're fine, peel and reposition as needed, go slow, re-wet with paste as needed, be methodical and patient, deep breaths, take your time, and don't give up because you can do this.  
Nothin' like leaving a tricky corner for last when you're pooped, whoo.And voilá, spring cleaning has begun in our master closet redo!  Part I in the books!  These tips for wallpaper will position you for the win, I promise.
If you're still super nervous to try wallpapering, order some extra or get an inexpensive roll and practice on a piece of scrap something before giving the wall itself a go.
This closet is rockstar cool already, right?!  Sooo eye-popping excited.  Thank you so much, Photowall!*
I cropped out the messy clothes piles, that's why you can't see the corner.Oh, and Mike?  He was away when I did this, he didn't know it was happening.  He came home, went upstairs, I waited, waited waited waited, nothing.  No response, no nothing.  Nothing!
Hours later, I couldn't take it.  "Hey babe, what about the closet?"  "Oh, the closet?," he said.  Pause.  "Yeah.  Looks good."  
That was it!      ?!?!
Omg.  
That guy. 
I think it rocks.  Woot, go spring cleaning with tips for wallpaper!
Jump to the ceiling next!
*The Photowall links are Photowall affiliate links.  The ladders and levels are Home Depot affiliate links.  The plastic tarps, rollers and covers, and microfiber cloths, are Lowes affiliate links.  The X-acto knives and blades are Michaels affiliate links.  The kitchen scales, measuring cups, chip brushes, corked back metal rulers, trim guides, and wallpaper tools are Amazon affiliate links.  Mwah, thanks!  Please see the "boring stuff" tab for more info.

 You may not be interested in dogs, or maybe dogs having surgery, but Finn did recently, as Hailey did several years ago though hers was different.  I wanted to chat about Finn here today.

First and foremost, nothing can prepare you for when your beloved four-legged best friend, vigilant protector, your Trusty Furry Assistant aka TFA, and literal shadow gets sick, like big sick.  And then, the after part when they come home.
Helpful as always, here with screen repair.Of course coming home is an ecstatic moment but it’s also freakin’ terrifying.  And anxiety-riddled, frustrating, hard, messy, filled with fear, yet more tears, and, well, just plain exhausting.

You can be all big and tough and smart (and you are), but until you pile inside, try to settle in, look at their sweet sad face then start reading the doctor’s lengthy instructions, it hits you.  
Finn on adoption day.You are not a vet, do not know what you’re doing, do not have any answers, things do not go as described, and any slight wind direction change sends you into a (internal) screaming panic…you find out fast how small, helpless, clueless, terrified, and terrible you can feel.

Finn came down with the Big C.  Something was awry around the beginning of the year with a (sorry) runny rear and throwing up.  We went to the vet a couple times, things cleared up but it kept coming back.  X-rays and ultrasounds didn't lead us to answers.
 I have what??We next went to the vet hospital, mainly because our regular vet felt he saw some kind of unknown blob near Finn's abdomen.
More x-rays and another ultrasound later, the blob indeterminate, most likely his spleen folded over for some reason, but that's when they said we think he's got other issues, let's test.

Test they did and cancer it was.  Cancer in lymph nodes around his abdomen and in an (again, sorry) anal gland.  His spleen was mottled but they felt it wasn't cancerous.  Let's operate, they said.  Distraught, upset, scared, we agreed to do so.

The cancer surgery went smoothly, we were told.  Did his parents handle it well?  Hard to say but we managed somehow.  
He’s short a lymph node or more, that gland, and that non-cancerous spleen now.  Bonus, he even got a slight tummy tuck so it wouldn't expand into the now-vacant spleen area and cause (be careful reading this upsetting link ahead but knowledge is power) life-threatening bloat.

Finn is not a normal dog.  The post-op medications messed him up.  He's a delicate flower in his daily existence already so this was hugely unsettling.

As a parent, you're trying so hard to do everything right but life is not a straight line like that.  The unyielding stress, fear, tension, and exhaustion you feel…like an aneurysm is imminent.

But.  Finn is here.  
Pre-surgery several years ago napping on a floor vent.He gave us a few tail wags, a couple kissies, happy-to-see-you ear drops between the what-on-earth-did-you-do-to-me why-am-I-broken yet something-seems-better-but-I'm-not-happy-with-you looks.

We corraled him into his corner in the living room with air mattresses* and slept (ha) surrounding him to be close, reassuring, comforting, and to keep an attentive eye on him.  I spent 24/7 sitting next to him, tending to his every need for a week solid.

Well, Finn was here, I should say.

Things took a turn after that week was up and went downhill from there.  We brought him back in because he was vomiting, not eating, blood present in places it should not be.  We overheard that the surgeon was quite booked that day and they were short-staffed.  Mike and I stared at each other with tense, distressed apprehension.

Several hours later, Finn was released, sent home with some pills.  Stop with the antibiotic, the surgeon said, and Finn's incisions were fine (that wasn't the issue).  But he wasn't fine.  That's why we were there.
He is such a weird dog.Well.  Things turned to sh*t directly.  And by sh*t, I mean sheer hell.

He stopped eating entirely and a laundry list of other concerning things was piling on.  He's a pain in the a** to feed in general but this was not normal.  His breathing was weird, he was lethargic, something wasn't right.  What was missed on his drop-in visit?

Finn and Mike on the shores of Lake Michigan.We didn't know if it was the new medicines causing his problems or what.  Every living minute was harrowing.  We just didn't know.

When you're just a regular person, not a vet, you're constantly second-guessing everything, your grip on reality slips, feel like a rotten mom, drowning in fear, don't know which way is up.  

And yes, we could have gone right back over there but we thought if we waited out this medicine or that one, things would improve.  And absolutely not that money > Finny, but this place is a wallet destroyer too.
How he was greeting me for a while there after I'd been out.  Weirdo.  And the wall organizer too.By the weekend, he was sick.  Very sick.  Scary sick.  His back legs stopped working, he was coughing, his breathing was awry...it was not the medicine.
Look, we are well aware there are risks involved with surgery, absolutely.  We're aware things may or may not happen, that Finn could fall into risk categories.  He did.  Rare ones.

We brought him back in.  He went directly into ICU.

He had septic pneumonia. 

He spent a week in the ICU.

......a week.
On oxygen then onto high flow oxygen, pumped full of antibiotics, a feeding tube, a myriad of tubes, fluids, drugs, things, stuff.  Tests, x-rays, tests, I meannn....

As in, we've got like fifteen pages of invoice stuff.

Every day we thought we were going to lose him.  Multiple times a day, in fact, we felt that crushing terror.  

We frequently called to check in, one or both of us visited him two, three times a day, the doctors and techs called us several times a day.  

Finn made progress at first then took a dip backward then finally, thank every deity that has ever existed, he made a big bounce forward.
There have been bright spots in this darkness.
The critical care team was beyond exceptional.  Beyond.  There are zero appropriate adjectives to describe these astonishing people.  They honestly cared, understood his weirdo-ness, and several of them even had goofy nicknames for him.  They texted each other on their days off for updates.  They were all pulling for him.  Hard. 

As much as Finn dislikes people, he was a good boy for them and he won all their hearts.

Our friends and relatives poured love, support, and good wishes Finn's way.  We could not have gotten through without them. 

My pal Sabrina gave us a pile of towels and a handful of treats.  Strangers on the internet in our local Buy Nothing Facebook group came through with more piles of towels.  The LG washer and dryer set* down in our spiffy laundry room valiantly powered through three to five loads of said towels daily. From Finn's early years with us, hanging in the park.  No, I'm not a Jager fan, just a fan of that hat, heh.Still though, I honestly don't think I've ever been so stressed in my life. 

Everything is a massive blur.  What day what happened, what day it was even, what I even did in a day, days felt like years but also felt like thirty seconds long. 

I have gotten nothing done.  My life went on hold.  Frozen.  Only in moments where I was feeling ok-ish enough about Finn's progress was I able to do something like start repainting the bathroom after I had just repainted it two weeks prior.

I have projects languishing, duh, of course.  I'm now a Hometalk Ambassador which means I'm on the prowl for products for shoppable tutorials.  This means I have some hot damn super seriously cool projects percolating.

But.

This was brutal.  I'm torched.  Emotionally and physically destroyed.  I probably don't realize how so given I have to keep going.  A walking ball of knots.  My hands are drier than the hottest, driest desert from washing them incessantly (please tell me your go-to curative hand lotion, please!!) but also relieved and optimistic.
Just pre-surgery.  With all the attitude of a regal king too, haha.Today he got on the couch by himself which is a very happy leap forward.

He’s going to be ok.  Well, the pneumonia part.  The cancer is going to come back though, as the surgeon and ICU doctor no-holds-barred made upsettingly clear. 

I know, I was leading you toward a happy ending there but there won’t be.  All we can do is our best, give Finn even more Best Life Ever, and love him like mad in every moment because we don’t know the future.

In the meantime, I'm sedentary.  Back on 24/7 Finn Duty.  Keeping a keen, tight, and very watchful eye on him.  Working on getting him back on his giant feeties, back to his independent, shadow-of-me, Trusty Furry Assistant self.  I can't guarantee regular posts or any fun projects yet but I'll give it the ol' college try.
Trying to help me paint the stair, or, mad that he's not allowed to.In the meantime too, please delve into more posts, rifle through the Flippin' Topics in the right sidebar there, hit up the search bar for specific topics, shop my links, shop my in-the-works revamped shop, get inspired to make, do, fix, and create the life and home of your dreams.  
Back home on his deck earlier this week, breathing in all of the warm spring outside air.Most of all, slow down.  Be like Finn and sniff the flowers then love on your furry ones with reckless abandon.  xo

*The air mattresses are an Amazon affiliate link.  LG laundry machines are an Abt affiliate link.  Mwah, thanks!  Please see the "boring stuff" tab for more info.

 Does this take the cake as the longest blog post title I've composed to date?  So yeah though, come join me back in the bathroom with this Controversial Master Bath Project:  Jet Tub Cover Up Part III, Towel Bars and Shelves.
Heh.
Last we left off, the bathroom took a dramatic turn with the cedar walls.  
Right?  Drama!
If you're just joining me or need a refresh on this doing-everything-backward bathroom adventure, you can check out Part I here!
Ok so back at that boxy jet tub cover up shelf unit area there, I had plenty more work to do.
Since I am doing everything backward and totally out of order, I realized after I (we, I needed Mike’s help) put a big slab of plywood up to enclose the soon-to-be shelf area and hide the shower head/tub filler stuff that oh dang it, I didn't want to put that up just yet.
Here's how I attached this large piece by the way -- I screwed a 2x4 down to the jet tub plywood cover, a piece near the top, slid the vertical piece up against it, nailed it into the 2x4 and 3/4" edge of the other vertical plywood.Why?  Towel bars!  DIY red oak towel bars.  Gahhh.
So, heh, I yanked that big plywood panel back off.  Because, planning, or doh, all my lack thereof.  This is the way.
Some projects are, just, ya know, like this.  As I shrug and hang my head in embarrassment.
All right, towel bars.  Back over at my second home Menards in the fancy pants wood aisle, I grabbed two sticks of one by two by eight foot red oak.  
How we're not all on first name basis' by now is confusing.  I do see some folks there who look at me like ah, there she is again.
Anyway.  The two sticks of red oak were definitely less expensive than purchasing two ready-made towel bars.  And, you know me, I like unique-to-me.
Real simple here:  I made rectangles.  Of course my first go-around, yes first, I made the depth too short and it was a super stupid struggle to get bath towels in and out.  
Not prepared to admit defeat in the error of my ways, this took me a bit to re-address.  Because...
Yeah....based on my installation....you know where this is going....I had to take that big plywood panel off a second time, uninstall the towel bars, rebuild them, and then reinstall everything.  Hence my hesitancy, you see.
Surely no surprise there are lots of this is how we learn and SMDH's goin’ on over here.  Never a dull moment.
But right, the towel bars!  I cut four pieces at thirty inches and in the end, the wood block spacers to a depth of two and three quarters .  Just glue* and nail.*  I used pole barn screws* on the front to add a lil' jazzy pizazz and well, because I have nearly a full box left.

Sure I could have gotten grandiloquent (what is that word, thesaurus?!) and cut the ends at forty-fives and not do lame butt joints.  Maybe another time.  To be honest, I was pressed for towel bar completion and forty-fives on such small pieces made me skittish.

 Back upstairs, I measured the towels* folded in half then oy me, math, I then calculated where to attach the towel bars based on what I shorty can reach and what tall-y Mike can reach, along with sort of aesthetically spacing them on the plywood panel.
Yeah.  Ouch.
From the inside side of the plywood, I pilot drilled* holes and yes this was challenging with a large flopping piece of plywood, me on a ladder measuring and drilling* and holding things with insufficient-for-this-project arm length.
But, that's when resolve kicks in because I did not want to see attachment devices from the front good side.  
Rawr.
I have no photos of this for now-obvious reasons.
So I screwed the towel bars from the hidden inside onto the front side.  Mike says his bar is a bit loose now, likely due to my temporarily insufficient arm length so now, with everything since assembled, stained, and sealed, I need to uh figure that out.  Hm.
Ah backward.
Right, ok, so the towel bars are on and they look darn cool if I do say so myself.  Right?  Custom oak towel bars!  They're not perfect but still, custom DIY oak towel bars.  Right?!  Look at me go.
You would if I had taken pictures then too but alas, I suck.
Ok!  
So once the towel bars were on, it was time to finally reattach that darn plywood panel.  Which I did.  With my spiffy Bostitch air compressor and nail gun.*  Sweet.  
Since that was a go, I was able to take steps forward instead of backward!  Whew.
Time for shelves inside my newly shaped err reshaped and reshaped boxed out unit!
Here I cut down a one by twelve better-grade pine into four pieces.  Why pine and not matching plywood?  I was essentially out of the plywood, one-by is solid wood, and since I figured out how to stain pine nicely, I opted to save money.
No harm no foul, you’d never know.
Ok, so on the underside of two shelf pieces and the tops of the other two, I drilled out pocket holes* then dashed upstairs to install.
The two pieces with pocket holes facing up (yes I know there was no difference between any of them until installation thank you) were for the upper shelves and then, well, holes down, the rest is obvious.  This way no holes of any kind would be seen.  
Get the idea I like hidden stuff?  Yeah.
For the upper shelves, I did glue in pocket hole plugs* just because why not.  Mike’s tall enough; I didn’t want to fire up any OCD-related hackles.
I know, not the whole view as I was really spacing on the photos overall but more will come, you'll see.And voila, with two small seemingly insignificant concoctions, I finally advanced this controversial master math jet tub cover up project with some rockin' functionality!  
The devil is in the details, and as Charles Eames astutely stated, “the details are not the details.”
Clearly I'm posting this project backwards and totally out of order too as this is several steps ahead by this photo!
*The PC Universal glue, bath towels, flip drill bits, and pocket hole plugs are Amazon affiliate links.  The Bostitch nailing and air compressors are Lowes affiliate links.  The pole barn screws, Dewalt cordless drills, and pocket hole tools are Home Depot affiliate links.  Mwah, thanks!  Please see the "boring stuff" tab for more info.

 Shockingly, so quickly, we have updates to updates:  Joybird and Interior Define!  And exhilarating ones at that!
I'm not gonna lie, and as it's well established that my life generally rolls as a textbook version of Murphy's Law, I, despite not doing it, normally have to keep my expectations and hopes in check.  I know that sounds grim and dismal; it's not meant to.  I merely have that kind a' luck.  *shurg*
Catching back up with this Joybird and Interior Define update today though, as last we left off I chattered on about how aggrieved we were with that Joybird Hyland sofa.
When it first arrived, it was disappointing off the bat and as such, Joybird sent us a replacement which was fine enough and appreciated but over time, it was not.
While I had no ulterior motives behind communicating our couch status three-ish or so years in on social media other than to inform others about our experience, wildly, Joybird saw my Instagram post.  And emailed me.
I know.  I was completely surprised.  
Even more surprised when they wanted to make it right.  Wow!  Iiii know!
First, under their warranty policy, they offered to send a repair person to figure out the squeaking.  The busted zipper wouldn't be repaired.
Mere moments later though they sent a follow-up email saying they wanted to send us an entirely new replacement couch.
Whaaaaaat......?  They volunteered that.  Yeah, I know, I was stunned too.
I should qualify:  a replacement couch within their specified budget which is fine and very generous.  Perusing their website with that budget parameter, there wasn't anything that would work for us plus everything would be smaller than what we already had.  
Have you seen the size of our couch loving dog?
But regardless and more importantly, we had long moved on by this point.  We ordered our Interior Define Tatum sectional back in March 2022, stilllll awaiting its arrival that December.
Huh.  Generous offer from Joybird indeed and I absolutely appreciated it.
Got to thinking though, so I asked if they would be willing to send something else within that budget range though I had no idea what.
First they said ehhhhh that's not normally our policy but what would you be interested in?
Perusing their site again, I landed on two Catalina patio chairs, under budget.  How 'bout that, I inquired.
In yet another incredible twist, they said yes, we'll do a one-timer exception and send you two of those chairs.  I kinda really couldn't believe it.
Within two weeks, the chairs arrived and wow holy cats and dogs, I had not checked the dimensions of these chairs which is very atypical of me since that's something I always do and wow, they're huge, ha!
Don't let this photo fool you, this chair is huge!But they're actually pretty cool. Mike even gave me a hearty nod of approval.  
They're exceptionally roomy, heh again because I hadn't checked the size but they'll be terrific on our patio once warmer weather hits.  Great for games and firepit time!
The cushions are, as par for the course, a bit firm and stiff but for outside, that'll be fine.
In the biggest astonishing twist of all, Joybird offered to come pick up that old Hyland couch and haul it away at no charge.  ................Right?!  
And they did!  We didn't have to move it, didn't have to figure anything, and best of all, we didn't have to resort to the worst option of hauling it out to the alley (where it would not have disappeared so easily) or have it go to a landfill.
Wow.  So in the end, while we did not enjoy our Joybird Hyland sectional and we regret that purchase, Joybird did bend over backward to make things right with us which I deeply respect.  They stepped up to the plate.  Thank you, Joybird!
Now we'll see how the Catalina chairs work out!  It was a trick finding patio furniture covers* in a large enough shape to fit them but *bow,, wink* I got it.
In yet another big startling twist, I am so dizzy with all these twists, the Inteiror Define Channing Tatum couch arrived.  Un-freakin'-believable.  
I mean, if you're gonna name a couch Tatum, naturally Channing, right?
I had been following the on-the-ground saga in Facebook groups which was terrible for my mental stability as duly noted by Mike who looked at me side-eyed anytime I mentioned anything Interior Define.
If you read some of the articles I shared in the previous post, you'd know that Interior Define had a monster meltdown, aspects of their business were purchased by Havenly, and the rest went to liquidation.  
Meltdown.  
Meaning too, many people who placed orders and paid in full were not getting their orders, maybe not their money back either.
Panic consumed me.  We weren't hearing much of anything though I did have one elusively vague contact who was trying to assist as best he could given the situation.  Every Interior Define employee who was left was left out of every loop and I was stressin' hard.
But it showed up.  It's here.  I think I'm still in shock.
It's been here a couple weeks now and I'm still in shock.  Finn's not, he love love loves this Tatum sectional.
And it's beautiful.  The color is rich, deep, luxurious, glorious, and gorgeous.  Mike picked it, Cobalt.  He wanted their green velvet but I uh, it was a lot of green for me.  Very pretty but mm, a lot of green.  The velvet fabric is lush, plush, and super soft.
How 'bout that Tumble washable rug too?!(Oh, is it a dog fur highlighting, dog slobber magnet, this Cobalt?  Yes, yes it is.  Is it already covered in defensive blankets?  Yes, yes it is.)
Thankfully there was zero damage, no moldy mildewy smell as some others had reported since all the furniture had been held hostage in unconditioned shipping containers for four, five, six or more months.
And while I definitely measured our space, the old Hyland couch, and made sure to note the Channing Tatum dimensions, I forgot how expansive it was.
That storage ottoman is freakin' enormous.  Gigantic, omg.  And I think we ended up with foam instead of the down-lined cushions like the rest of the couch.  But, it's ok, Finn's very into it.  That's all that matters as that corner spot with the ottoman is His Spot, his home base.
Seymour raawwrrr, hahaha.Have I stored anything in the ottoman yet?  Nope.  I'll get there.
But I do have that Chom Chom* at the ready and I highly highly recommend you get one too.  Couches, rugs, people, that thing is magic.  That's almost a Channing Tatum movie reference.
I will note, just like the new vacuum,* Finn abhors the Chom Chom and flies into a murderous rage when either comes out.  Gonna order me some of them knife gloves* and maybe a chainmail suit to protect myself.
In the end, despite the horrifying sh*tshow with Interior Define, and trust me, I know we're one of the very very very lucky ones despite waiting ten and a half months for our sectional to arrive, I love it.  
That tv wall is so blank, sigh.  Still love the console though.It's so comfortable.  The deep cushions are enveloping.  The couch feels sturdy and well-built.  Now Mike and Finn er we, torture the poor thing and see how it stands the test of time.
And it better stand a good long test of time because I am utterly drained from four years of couch stress.
Would I recommend ordering from Interior Define?  No, absolutely not now.  Maybe Havenly will straighten things out, do right, we'll see, but I will absolutely be removing myself from keeping tabs for, fingers crossed, a while.
This living room has come a long way but c'mon it's me, it's never done.
Other projects to read about:  the DIY foyer light fixture, the painted wall, and the 99 Cent Shelf!
In the meantime, find me napping with Tatum.
What?!  No, ha, please, are you kidding?!  I've got sh*t to do.  See you next time with another project!
*The patio furniture covers, Chom Chom rollers, Dyson vacuum, and knife gloves are Amazon affiliate links.  Mwah, thanks!  Please see the "boring stuff" tab for more info.

 All righty, joining back up with the recurring Dollar Store DIY Decor segment:  A Skewer House.  This thing is dang quaint and cute and adorable and dang easy to make too.  Make one, make a few, make different sizes or shapes, use different bits and parts....ahhh you get the idea.
You can hang it/these on a wall.  You can set them on a surface like a shelf or a mantle or piece of furniture.  Versatile home decor, yep. 
And so dang cute.
I mean, even Mike likes it.      ........Right?!
Riffling through my way-too-big stash of project supplies for something else...I've really gotta get to using up this ridiculous mountain of project supplies...I inadvertently came across wood house shapes I had picked up at Dollar Tree* a good while back with no premeditated use and tada, voila, new idea hatched.  Hatched idea!Maybe I've really gotta stop buying bits, pieces, and parts of project supplies.  Cannot help myself though.  It's that buy-it-when-you-see-it thing as the it-most-likely-won't-be-there-next-time issue routinely plagues me.   
Or the buy-it-when-you-see-it-otherwise-you're-gonna-regret-passing-this-up-at-some-point thing.
Now, I realize I purchased these wood house shapes from Dollar Tree so long ago that they may not have them currently.  To replicate this idea without the dollar store house shapes, you might have to assemble a little house on your own.
Don't panic.  It'd be real easy: 
Just use some flat stock wood trim for the sides, or some balsa strips and some balsa wood for the back.  Balsa* is easy to cut with a utility knife.*  Make sure you use a sturdy metal ruler, preferably with cork* on the back to avoid slipping and slicing up your hand.  Ouch.  Yeah, don't do that.
I realize making this base shape takes more time and makes this project more expensive but now you'll have extra wood to create more house shapes or other cool projects.
Ugh, see?  I clearly have a project supplies problem.  Among many others.
It's not my fault, ahem, I don't know what's happening when it happens.  I have too many ideas and too little time.
Moving on.

What you'll need:wood house shape (buy it or build your own)wood skewers*various wood dowels* orwood balls* or other shapesstrong, sharp scissors* or snips*hot glue* or other gluedrill bits*hanging hardware* or twine or leather cord* if wall mount or hanging is desiredThat's it.  Oh, and any flora you'd like to display which in my case, snippets snitched while on a walk with Finn through Humboldt Park in winter.  
Yes.  I brought scissors with me on a walk in the park with Finn.  I am that person.
The general idea came from something I spotted on Pinterest.  It's adorbs.  Just a cutout of plywood in a house shape (as in the kind we drew as kids) with a sort of shelf at the bottom, wood beads and flora as decor.
So you could do that if you're not interested in building a shadow box house shape.  Great way to use up some scrap wood which huh....I might do too.
Ok, let's get started on this dollar store DIY decor skewer house.  
Generally speaking, this entire project is completely flexible; this here is merely a guide to unleash your imagination.
Fire up the ol' hot glue gun.
Grab a skewer, set it on your house shape frame to measure, and just snip it to trim to fit.  Try to get moderately close to the angle.
Here I started in the center and worked my way out.
A few itty bitty teeny tiny dabs of hot glue on the skewer will hold it in just fine.
Once you get one side done, fill in the other side.
Could not be easier, right?  
Skewers!  They're artful, who knew?!  Yay, haha!
It's a dollar store skewer house, ha!Now, decorate your little skewer house any way you see fit!  You could paint this, stain it, gold leaf it, ya know, whatever.  I opted to leave the blonde wood as-is mostly as a point of reference for you and well, it was my preferred look anyway. Trim up some dowel pieces, hefty diameter ones, into various lengths and gather up whatever other shapes you plan to use.  Do some test arrangements in there before you hit the glue to see what composition you like best.
In some cases, like the dowels and my other wood shapes, they needed a small hole drilled in order to stick in the flora.
Easy peasy, use a drill bit in a screw gun* then gently and carefully, don't go hog wild, drill holes as desired.
Next, simply glue your prearranged arrangement of wood pieces into the skewer house shape.
Lastly, glue your flora into the holes of the wood pieces and you are set, my friend.
Look at that!  How cute, right?!
Such an easy, and mighty quick, maybe fifteen minutes, piece of home decor to fill that one spot that's missing something.
Tada, Dollar Store DIY Decor, it's a Skewer House!
Ok, I should really head off to the basement and use up more of these darn project supplies.  Until next time, happy creating!
*The Dollar Tree link is a general Dollar Tree affiliate link.  The balsa wood is a Michaels affiliate link.  The screw guns are a Home Depot affiliate link.  The utility knives, cork backed metal rules, skewers, dowels, wood balls, scissors, snips, hot glue, drill bits, hanging hardware, and leather cord are Amazon affiliate links.  Mwah, thanks!  Please see the "boring stuff" tab for more info.

 Moving ahead with the controversial master bath project, jet tub cover up, onto part II here.  Cedar!  Kind of in a slight holding pattern as I sit here but, let's catch up regardless!
Because, as I mentioned last time, this has been a uh, how shall I say, a design on the fly adventure.
I'd designed and redesigned and redesigned and designed this space in my head sooo many times, the trash can in my brain is drowning in crumpled papers.
But I arrived upon this partial idea to work with, hoping the remaining pieces *waves hands around room* would fall into place around it.  And they are.  
Slowly.  
Surely too slowly for Mike.
I've gotten the "when's the bathroom..." and the "maybe work on the bathroom....?"'s here and there.  I'm tryin' babe, I'm tryin'.
That's the thing about home interiors, home decor, etcetera etcetera though.  They take time.  And taking time is a-okay.  There's no need to ram through a design, clamor to get every last piece and part together a flurry.  Taking time ensures you get it right.
Or, if you don't get it right, it's not the end of the world.  Anything that can be done can be undone.  And as I've said before, mistakes aren't mistakes, they're opportunities to learn.
In this case, as I go along, hitting the occasional trouble for not having a full-on plan, things shake out in ways that create other dilemmas so there's oodles of problem-solving happening too.  
*shrug* it's fine, I don't mind.  This is how we learn.
So right, continuing this controversial master bath project jet tub cover up with part II.  Cedar!
Last we left off here, I had a piece of ritzy plywood covering the unworkable jet tub itself, ritzy plywood panels up for a shelf unit, and masonite on the walls covering the (gag) tile.
Progress!  And lots of it.  Albeit confusingly awful and very questionable, but progress.
Next was math.  Oyyyy me, a lot of math.  I wish I knew where math and I veered from each other!  Thank goodness for AutoCAD* to save my math-addled a**.
Math as I was making a wood purchase and we all know we don't want to goof up a wood purchase.  
Cedar wood to be exact, one by two strips of sweet smelling cedar.  For as long as I can remember, and that's a mighty long time, I've loved the scent of cedar.  These pieces don't smell much though, sadly.
First was laying out the cedar slat wall design shown above which is a long-standing mid-century pattern, and ok, seeing quite the resurgence these days.
For such a trend-avoider, I know, it seems I incorporate a few trends.
But as I've mentioned, while trends come and go, get dated fast, it's quite all right to thoughtfully choose a trend or aspects of a trend that you know you'll love a long time.  
Designing and decorating a home is all about personalizing it for yourself, not the Jones', so if you love something, go for it.  Thoughtfully, heh.
Riiight, bathroom, topic at hand.
First the masonite and drywall bump outs got a lovely coating of my perennial favorite paint, black.  Of course.  Shocker.   It's always darkest before the dawn....bear with me, I know this looks horrifying.  And oophh, cannot stand acrylic latex paint which is what this black unfortunately is.All right.  Time for the sweet sweet cedar.
Oh riiight, yeah, no, I did not stain or seal the cedar by the way.  It's naturally moisture resistant so in a humid condition like this particular bathroom, it'll be fine as-is.  And if it changes color?  Cool.
Ok, so based on the real dimensions of the cedar, after several math attempts let's be real, I planned the gap spacing between them and made a little template of sorts to squish between the slats as I was installing so I wouldn't be measuring each individual gap space. A screw or two in the spacer template worked as handles.For the area above the toilet which is the actual wall, the math came out differently but not too much so.
Smaller handheld spaer.Hauled my handy dandy Bostitch air compressor up from the basement, ugh whoo, plugged it in and it was go time.
With just-long-enough brad nails,* I started tacking the cedar into the drywall starting in the righthand corner facing the toilet wall.  Not too dissimilar from the hall bathroom lath wall install, I know.
Slipped the spacer next to it then tacked the next piece of cedar up.  Repeat, rinse, repeat, turn a corner, two walls covered.
The shelf may be a little bowed.  It could be the camera.  Sorry for the continued shots of our dang toilet.When I got to the areas where the masonite was covering over the tile, I obviously couldn't and did not want to nail into the tile itself so I tacked each piece twice up top, once near the ceiling, once just above the tile, and then toe-nailed once into the plywood covering the tub.
More images to come once I get to the full room reveal. Little bit of trimming here to meet the tub wall.In the end, well, not the end per se as I'm clearly not done, this, as a result, has now evolved into a sort of whole room overhaul.  
Can't do just one thing and expect everything to work around it, haha.  
Next share on this jet tub cover up project, wrapping up the shelving unit, a spiffy towel bars DIY, and staining.  OoOooh yay!

On tap currently though?  Repainting is next (can't help myself with the paint) and a new vanity light fixture because of uh, the new paint.  While I love the one we have, it'll look peculiar with its pending new surroundings.

I am taking a chance with the paint so we'll see.  
Much like designing it, I’ve repainted this wee room in my head about twelve hundred times before settling on this forthcoming choice.  It'll be its own post as, if you know me, it won't be just a slap-some-paint-on-the-wall deal.
Then, haha, hopefully this controversial master bath project jet tub cover up design will stick around for a bit, right?!  That's my goal anyway!



 *The AutoCAD link is an Autodesk CAD affiliate link.  The brad nails are an Amazon affiliate link.  Mwah, thanks!  Please see the "boring stuff" tab for more info.

 So, yeah, it's been a stitch since I mentioned the ol' DIY Stair Project I see.  Time to update with part three, the risers!
It's not quite done, this DIY Stair Project.
Of course.  
Maybe someday I'll start and complete a project in a timely fashion.  But, *shrug* seems to be how things roll around these parts:  in parts.  World's longest reno here.
But!  Most parts are done with the landing yet to be installed, (mmm, started) along with touching up the damage I wreaked, plus one last riser to finish.
So frustratingly, things a'-linger along still.
Last we left off, I was hard at work working on the spiffy, gorgeous, old-growth 1890's pine from a church in Bridgeport that I bought at Great Lakes Yard.
Here and there on the internets I've been given a small raft of sh*t for planing the surface to reveal the wood, in that I've erased history.
I get it, but, giving this wood a new life, resurrecting it, where otherwise it could have been destroyed thereby completely lost to history, is not only worth the effort but worth scraping off a smidge of timeworn, and in some cases burnt, outer shell.
Please don't give me any more sh*t for it.  Thank you.
Soooo, ok.  
Part of the hold-up with installation for this stair project was the risers.
A good while back, Mike and I dreamt of an open stair so I re-floated the idea to him.  Having yanked up a couple a' treads, it was revealed that there was no middle stringer which meant an open stair was whooo, totally a viable option.
*gag,* the stair before I started ripping it apart.  How did we live like this?!In the end, while an open stair so tugs at me, we decided eh, let's not.  And in the end, further into demo, I discovered there would have been some minor odd spots and bits and such to hide, complicating a streamlined look.
Not to mention the patching, fixing, the sanding patching sanding and overall (albeit temporary) mess.
Having settled that, which I know is gigantically disappointing, risers were back on the table.
And I cannot tell you how many images of risers, DIY risers, riser inspo, riser options, modern risers, riser this riser that, that I scrutinized online.  Days, months, years worth.  
Because, I'm me, annoyingly, and slathering on a lick of paint, brush-mic drop, was not an option.  
Especially white paint...I can't understand that infatuation -- risers get kicked and dinged and beat up.  They'd be destroyed, dirty, and beaten up in an hour between Mike and Finn.  Holy cleaning nightmare to keep it looking sharp and pristine yet I see it everywhere online.  Do not get it.
Anyway.  
After too many images, magically a plan formed.  Really truly, magically.  But, finally.
What did I do?  
Took some eighth inch thick Masonite, cut strips, glued on some bits, painted them black, sealed them up, and bam, done.
What were the bits?  Screen mould and skewers.
I'll give you a second.

...

Yes.  Screen mould trim (screen mold, whatever) and skewers.  Yes, skewers.
Hear me out.
I was looking for texture, a hint of pattern, and a third.  A third meaning that oft-trotted-out design theory that things harmonize best in threes.  Along with the color, pattern, texture, and shine theory.
One is of course the pine itself and I obviously did not want to detract from or compete with it.  Two is the gloriously rich paint color in the stair.  So three was the risers.  
The screen mould and skewers add an itty hint of texture and pattern, a tiny lil' nod to mid-century modern, all without competing with anything else.
Why the F skewers though Becky I mean c'mon that's just absurd, you're thinking still.
The thin line, the round shape, and the pointed end, I say to you, for that mid-century nod.
Ok.  Just truuust me, you're gonna love it.  
Or hey, if you don't and you still think I'm a total nut job, so be it but hopefully you're inspired.
I didn't go with the round dowels.Real easy to pull these risers together for this here DIY Stair Project.
What I used:1/8" thick Masonite (aka pressboard, fiberboard maybe, hardboard/tempered hardboard*)1/4" x 3/4" x 8' strips of pine screen moulding*wood skewers*glueprimer*black paint*Floetrol*matte finish water based polyurethane*Now, I used that PC Universal Glue* which I had attempted to use on the foyer light fixture as I desired its supposed extra grippy-ness but regular wood glue* could work.  Gorilla glue,* while it obviously would work, I suspect you'd find cleaning up the foaming outbursts to be a royal pain in the a**.
First I did several tests including testing the Classic Teal* stair color before settling on black.
It's always darkest before the dawn -- what a mess.Next was measuring the existing risers.  Here I opted to cut the strips of Masonite taller than the exposed area, thinking ahead to installation.  Somehow magically they were pretty much all the same width.  Very bizarre.
Once the strips were cut to size, about seven plus inches tall by about forty two-ish wide, it was time to lay out the screen mould and skewers which I did so randomly.  Randomly cut lengths, randomly trimmed the skewers, just random random random. Oh, right....why Masonite?  Because if you scroll back up and look, the existing risers were pretty rough with staple holes, dings, what-have-you, and Masonite was a swift, easy route to a smooth surface, to avoid patching, sanding, eh all that junk.
Ok, so when everything was laid out, which I did before gluing anything despite not marking riser pieces for designated spots, I then began gluing everything down.  
Just a tiny bead of glue, cleaning up squish-outs and blobs as I went to ensure a tidy finish.
A day or two later, back down to the basement I zipped and primed everything with two coats.
See how easy this is?
Next was the black paint.  Given that paint is paint and I opted to brush the paint on, I was concerned about brush strokes, hence giving Floetrol a whirl, see if it stood up to the rabidly rave reviews.
Oddly, in my zillions of years of painting things, I have never tried it once.  I went with a tablespoon of Floetrol to eight ounces of latex paint which may not have been enough.
Did it help?  I think so?  Sorta?  Not really?  Would I go out of my way to use it again especially as I have essentially a whole bottle left?  Eh, not sure?  I might try it again but can't say I'm a Floe-head. 
So, I did three coats of black paint, let that dry up and then two coats of water based polyurethane.
Can't show ya too much, ya know.Then voila, tada, The Stair Project Risers!  A DIY!  Woot!

Am I still nutso?  Maybe.  But hey, Mike and I love love love it.
*The wood skewers and PC Universal Glue are Amazon affiliate links.  The tempered hardboard, screen moulding, primer paint, Floetrol, and Gorilla glue are a Home Depot affiliate links.  The black paint, water based polyurethane, wood glue, and Classic Teal from Valspar are a Lowes affiliate links.  Mwah, thanks!  Please see the "boring stuff" tab for more info.

 Right, there are a bazillion tutorials online about how to DIY wood dowel hooks quickly and easily, say in 15 minutes, or I suppose in this case these are more like wall display pegs, but this DIY is different. 
How so?
Well, maybe not technically different and no doubt the process is nearly the same but these specific DIY wood dowel hooks/display pegs hold something extraordinary. 
Spottily I’ve mentioned in extreme passing, and more directly, that I had something special, that something special was going to happen.  And it did.  
So ultimately this post is briefly about these wood dowel wall display pegs, heh, but mostly about what’s on them:  a wood barrel stave piece. 
Huh?  What’s so exciting about this wood barrel stave piece?  It came from Glenfarclas Distillery in Scotland and I was there and brought it home. 
Top, outside.  Bottom, burnt inside.  It still smelled of whisky when I got it home.What's a wood stave?  It's a piece of the wood barrel used to age whisky.  In this instance, barrels made in Spain used for sherry then used for whisky in Ballindalloch.
See, back in the 1940’s, my great uncle Wesley Polk was the Chief State Highway Engineer downstate there in Springfield, Illinois.  I discovered in my research that he even worked on a portion of Route 66.  
Anywhoo, he passed away in 1965; I never met him. 
My parents went down and collected items from his home and brought them up north.  For some unknown reason, they grabbed some of his liquor collection.  
As it turns out, people would stop in to visit him, bottle of liquor in tow, um, seeking.........ok, they bribed him for contracts.  And he didn't drink so he just held onto them.
My parents are not interested in liquor either, so, odd they grabbed them, therefore the bottles sat and sat and sat.  For decades. 
Until their big move when one day they offered Mike and I two crates filled with old bottles, "take them otherwise we’ll toss ‘em".  I am so happy we brought them home. 
After poking around online, I came to understand one bottle in particular held interest:  
Photo credit:  John Paul PhotographyWhat makes this particular bottle special?  Initially I was told because a.) it's old and b.) it's a single malt.  Additionally, I suspected it might have been part of a small shipment back in the 1930's to East St. Louis but wasn't positive.
Online, people were offering me attractive monetary sums for this bottle, one even going so far as to not reveal the name of the interested buyer (pretty sure I figured it out).  
This got me thinking.  These are random people and I don't think I like knowing that some rando' will have a part of my family history....lemme just drop an email to Glenfarclas, see what they say.
I heard back from the Chairman of the distillery himself, Mr. John Grant.  Yes.  I about fell on the floor.  
He said yes, this looks good, thank you for contacting us, we are interested.  We'll pay you what you've been offered.  
I said terrific (all the while thinking to myself holy sh*t, ok this is outstanding, the bottle will go where it's cherished, where it originated; I like this way better) and I'll use the funds to come visit someday, hopefully meet you, see the bottle on display.
Oh right the DIY wood dowel hooks.  Here's my supply list:
wood dowel pieces, any size and shape you'd likedowel screws* or hanger bolts*wall anchors* (if going into drywall)
John Grant writes me back and says all right, we'll buy the bottle from you but too, we'll fly you out and take you around Scotland for a week, all on us.  
..............................Whaaaaatttt.....??!
Now.  This kind of thing does not happen to me.  I am the walking definition of Murphy's Law, as we've well established.  My jaw hit the floor.  I about passed out.  I could not believe it.  I still cannot.
We emailed back and forth for about five years.  First Mike and I tried to find someone who could watch mean ol' Finn.  Impossible.  Then the pandemic hit and still no help on a dog sitter.
Then Mike said, babe, you should just go, go without me.  That broke my heart in THE Worst way.  I really wanted him to go.  My cool woodworking friend Scott went in his place.  Lucky Scott, right?!
Needless to say, the hardest part of the trip was Mike not going.  That and next to it, packing the bottle to go in my checked baggage.  Dammit, TSA.
Additionally special about this bottle is that at the time, back then, no one was really making single malt whisky, it wasn't popular so it was made mostly for blending.  To find a single malt of this age, that is rare.  Talk about extra paranoid packing it.
So off I went to Scotland.  
I'll continue the story in another post as I should really get to these DIY wood dowel hooks, these display peg thingies.  In the meantime, please buy lots of Glenfarclas whisky.*
Right!  DIY!  Ok!
First I measured up my piece of barrel stave then measured how far it would stick out from the wall by holding it up against my workbench.  
Based on that, I cut three pieces of 3/4" dowel:  two at 1 1/2" long and one at 2 1/2" long.  When you cut these, you can cut them straight up and down as I did or in the case of a hook, cut them on an angle.
Yes, more dowels.  They're great, what can I say?!
Using a ruler,* find the center of the dowel by drawing an X, meaning connect opposite corners to form the X which finds you center.
I tried dowel screws first, the only size Menards had at the time, and they were too fat for wall anchors so I went with hanger bolts eventually.With a drill bit just barely matching the diameter of the dowel screws* or hanger bolts* you're using, drill out the holes.
If you can drill straight, I am cheering you on but I used my drill guide.*  Tip:  measure the end of the hardware going into the dowel and tape off your drill bit* with painters tape* so you know how far to drill.Twist one end of the dowel screw or hanger bolt into the dowel.  Feel free to paint the dowels, stain them, seal them up, what-have-you.
Back where you want to hang your item, do some measuring and ugh some math.  In my case, I found center of the wall.
Drill out the hole in the wall and pound in your wall anchor.  As my wood stave piece isn't heavy, I went with just regular wall anchors, and in this case #12 to hold the #10 end of the hanger bolt.  
After putting the middle in, I whipped out the laser level,* skootched it down to center of the dowel then measured equal distances in from the wall sides for the remaining wood dowel hooks/display pegs.
Then just screw in your DIY wood dowel hooks!
Due to the lip of the wall anchor, they'll unfortunately sit a little proud of the wall.Set the item you're displaying on your new display pegs and voila!  Super cool!
Now I get to wake up every morning, see this wood barrel stave...
The murder of crows is by John Fesken.....and think of my great uncle Wes, the bribes.....
....how the bottle came to us....

....the adventure of learning more about the bottle, the emails back and forth, planning the trip...

...going to Scotland...
...John and Ishbel Grant, Debs, Douglas, Callum, John, Chloe, Donna, and Steve, to name a scant few of the exceptionally remarkable people I met at Glenfarclas.
What a way to wake up, huh?!
*The Glenfarclas whisky link is a Drizly affiliate link.  The dowel screws and hanger bolts are both Amazon and Home Depot affiliate links.  The rulers, drill guides, drill bits, painters tape, and laser levels are Amazon.  The wall anchors are a Lowes affiliate link.  Mwah, thanks!  Please see the "boring stuff" tab for more info.

This week’s Creative Haven project is going to be a simple Standing Neutral Pot! This will be a fun, simple, and affordable decor DIY perfect for your home! I’m always...

The post Standing Neutral Pot appeared first on The Makers Map with Amber Strong.

This week’s Creative Haven project is going to be a fun Mop Head Girl Ghost! This will be a fun, simple, and affordable decor DIY perfect for Halloween! I’m always...

The post Mop Head Girl Ghost appeared first on The Makers Map with Amber Strong.

I had so much fun transforming some Dollar Tree wooden leaves into adorable decoupaged decorative leaves for Fall! This was a project I did in September of 2022, but it...

The post Decoupaged Decorative Leaves for Fall appeared first on The Makers Map with Amber Strong.

I’m excited for the Layered Wall Decor that we’re making this week in the Creative Haven! This project is going to be simple yet be a great feature in your...

The post Layered Wall Decor appeared first on The Makers Map with Amber Strong.

I’m excited for the DIY Decorative Pillars that we’re making this week in the Creative Haven! This project is going to be simple yet be a great feature in your...

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I’m excited for the Decorative Standing Fabric Flowers that we’re making this week in the Creative Haven! This project was inspired by my Pinterest scrolling, and I’m hoping you’ll see...

The post Decorative Standing Fabric Flowers appeared first on The Makers Map with Amber Strong.

I’m excited for the DIY Market Shop Painting that we’re making this week in the Creative Haven! With this project, I’m going to show you how to use a simple...

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The macrame standing highland cows craft kit comes with three different highland cows that you get to customize, assemble, and decorate with! I went with very neutral colors because I...

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I’m excited for the Cardboard Hanging Planter DIY that we’re making this week in the Creative Haven! I was inspired for this project by a video I saw on TikTok,...

The post Cardboard Hanging Planter DIY appeared first on The Makers Map with Amber Strong.

I’m excited for the Decorative Picket Shelf Sitter that we’re making this week in the Creative Haven! I want this to look like the tops of a picket fence, but...

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Hi all! This week’s post is going to be something quick and simple for my garden, Thrifted Items for the Garden. The past couple weeks have been a little chaotic so I haven’t gotten much done in the way of crafting. My little fur baby has been sick and had a procedure done where she [...]

The post Thrifted Items for the Garden appeared first on Mixed Kreations.

Hi all! Today I am sharing a finished project instead of a craft tutorial, some rustic farmhouse décor made from thrifted items. This past week I have been getting ready for a plant and craft sale. And was in so much of a rush the last two days before the sale getting my crafts ready [...]

The post Show and Tell Rustic Farmhouse Décor appeared first on Mixed Kreations.

Hi all! Today I am going to share some funny face tin can planters. One of my favorite items to upcycle is tin cans, their free and I always have some on hand. And there is so many things that you can make with tin cans. I’ve made pencil holders, patriotic décor, wind clankers, pumpkins [...]

The post Funny Face Tin Can Planters appeared first on Mixed Kreations.

Hi all! Today I am sharing a quick repurposed tea tins project. These tea tins are from Harney & Sons fine tea. LOVE their Hot Cinnamon Sunset tea! It is sooo delish, very cinnamon. Had several tins saved and decided to repurpose them into planters. For a plant sale I’m having with a friend in [...]

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Hi all! Today I am sharing another fun Easter Craft, and Easter Door Knob Hanger. Made from wood beds and a wood slice with a hand-painted Easter Bunny. Perfect for hanging on a door knob. ***This post contains affiliate links… We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, and affiliate advertising program [...]

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Welcome to Friday DIY & Finds.  I love being able to share some of the amazing projects you guys create each week.  Check out these that I found last week. Little Things Make A Big…

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Welcome to the 698th Inspire Me Tuesday party.  So many pretty links last week.  Check these few out. Farmhouse Style – $5 No Sew DIY Curtains. Easy Flannel Shirt Pumpkin Pillow DIY Mini Bundt Pumpkins.…

The post 698th Inspire Me Tuesday appeared first on A Stroll Thru Life.

All week 25+ wonderful ladies opened the doors to their homes to share their amazing Fall Home Decor.  Each of these homes are so different and so full of tons of inspiration.  I know you…

The post 2023 Fall Home Tour Review appeared first on A Stroll Thru Life.

Welcome to the Thursday lineup for the 2023 Fall Home Tour.  We have 6 of the most beautiful homes to show you today.  These ladies have gone all out and are opening the doors to…

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Welcome to the 2023 Fall Home Tour – Tuesday Lineup.  Today we have 5 beautiful homes sharing their fall decor.  I know you will love each of these home and will find some amazing inspiration…

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Two years later, back at the Trevi Fountain! Ever since my first trip to Italy in 2021, I’ve been dreaming about going back! I was over the moon when Judy Gruen Travel asked me to partner with her on a  Busy in Italy trip this summer and I counted down the days to my return. Those of you that followed...

Ever since I had dafina at the home of Moshe and Titi Haliwa in Marrakesh a few months ago, I’ve been dreaming about it. Unlike bean-heavy Ashkenazi cholent, dafina is a Morrocan stew that’s loaded with meat, bones, chickpeas, rice, wheat berries, potatoes and eggs! I love that the components are cooked separately in little packets and that there’s something...

Well hello there old friend!! I’ve been busier than ever in Brooklyn – well, everywhere really! It’s been a whirlwind tour ever since the book came out in March and time just got away from me – but here I am, HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS. (Well I’m not actually home, but home is where the heart is, and it all...

I’ve been on quite the cruciferous kick these days, and I thought I’d have given up by now, but no! I’m having fun challenging myself to new cabbage creations, and thankfully my body loves cabbage as much as I do, so it works for me! Growing up, my mom always made cabbage knishes for Shabbat and the holidays. She would...

I love cereal. I can hoard cereal day and night but the cost of cereal these days…are you kidding me?! $7.89 for Corn Flakes at my local kosher supermarket! I took to Instagram with my shopping woes recently, talking about rising food costs and what we can do to save money on groceries. The feedback came pouring in strong! I...

Welcome to the third installment of the Sew DIY Eva sewalong. In today's post, we will sew the Eva bodice, from start to finish. This pattern has three views, a crop top, a peplum top and sundress. If you are making the peplum top or sundress, you will need to come back for the next installment when we sew the peplum, skirt and patch pockets. If you are making the crop top, you can follow along with this video, then hem the bottom, add the lacing and you will be finished.. Let's get started.

Welcome to the first installment of the Sew DIY Eva sewalong. Today, we’re going to be talking about fabric, notions, tools and supplies. We’ll share our favorite fabrics to use with this pattern, the fabrics we used in the samples and a few of our favorite online fabrics picks. Plus, we’ll talk about the notions needed to sew the Eva and tools and supplies we recommend having on hand to make sewing the Eva easier.

Hello sew-friends! Today I have a quick, summer-friendly finished make to share with you. I made this caftan at the end of last September, and now that summer is officially here, I think it's time that I finally shared it! This project was one of those last-minute, before-a-trip projects that so many sewists get stuck in to. My memory is a little hazy but I think I saw the fabric at Joanns and thought it would make a great caftan to match the animal print swimsuit that I made. We can call it a case of unexpected inspiration striking. And honestly, the swimsuit plus this caftan made in black double gauze, is a match made in heaven.

Hello sew-friends! This jumpsuit is the SECOND time I've used the Rowena Jumpsuit pattern by Victory Patterns. Using a pattern more than once is a very good sign that it's an awesome pattern. I loved my first Rowena Jumpsuit (blogged here) so when found yards and yards of this fabric, I couldn't resist making it again.

Today's post is all about a personal project, a DIY evening gown. I share all the details of making the dress, from inspiration to pattern drafting, fabric shopping and sewing. Plus, I made a matching clutch. Obviously, I could have gone to the mall and bought myself a dress but I'm a sewist through and through and that means when a big even comes up I have to, or rather get to, make my own dress. Plus, I've always found it challenging to find clothes that fit me well. In part, it's because I'm taller than average but it's also because I have a larger bust. Sewing my own dress is more fun and I know that I'll end up with a style and fit that I really love.

Hello sew-friends! Today we're talking about how to make a shoulder slope adjustment to your sewing pattern. This is a simple adjustment that makes a BIG difference in the fit of tops, blouses and dresses with a shoulder seam. I didn't discover this fitting adjustment until many years into my sewing journey and now I'm kind of obsessed with it. I have rather square shoulders, meaning my shoulders extend from the neck at almost a 90 degree angle. Most patterns are built with some downward slope to the shoulder seam so on my shoulders, tops would jut up at the neck. There was one shirt in particular that would stand up away from my body when I sat down that made me realize how ill fitting it was at the shoulder.

Hello sew-friends! Today's video is taking a deep dive into marking tools for fabric. After you cut out your fabric, the first thing you need to do is transfer all the pattern markings from the pattern to the fabric. Trust me, you don't want to skip it! In this post, I'll chat briefly about pattern markings and why they're important. Then, I'll share a variety of tools that can transfer marks to fabric and the pros and cons of each. Plus, I'll demonstrate how to mark a dart using a tracing wheel and transfer paper and how to mark a dart using a hole punch and chalk. Let's get started!

Hello sew-friends! It’s the start of a new year, which as usual has us thinking about starting new projects, learning new skills and maybe even venturing into new hobbies. So, for those of you who are just starting your sewing journeys, I thought it would be helpful to roundup some of my most helpful posts for beginners.

I’ve been sewing for about 25 years. And with all of that practice, I’ve learned a lot about what works, what doesn’t and some techniques and tricks for making sewing easier, happier and more fun. Scroll down for excerpts and links to my top blog posts for getting started sewing with ease. I hope that you find these posts useful. For more sewing tips and tutorials, check out the Learn to sew page for LOTS MORE.

Hello sew-friends! It’s hard to believe that we’re nearing the end of another year. It wasn’t an easy year for me, between struggles with migraines and the loss of my cat. But, there were a lot a great parts too. I was really busy with my freelance work. I got to work with a lot of great people and I had some really interesting projects. (Both of those are worth mentioning, because it’s not always the case.) And, I got to do a lot of traveling and to visit friends and family that I haven’t seen in a long time. If the pandemic has taught us anything, it’s that we need to cherish our time together, to cherish the hugs, the intimacy and breathing the same air as our loved ones.

Today, is the second post in my series showing how to sew a patchwork star block and add it to the Quilted Slippers or the Sew DIY Stocking patterns. In yesterday’s post, I shared how to sew the two-color patchwork block and today I’ll be showing you how to add it to the Quilted Slippers.

Spooktacular Fun for Your Little Monster

Are you looking to celebrate a memorable birthday in the enchanting month of October? Embrace the spirit of the season with a captivating Spooky One birthday party! Grab your broomsticks and jack-o'-lanterns, because it's time to celebrate a very special milestone with a Halloween-themed first birthday party! This eerie and enchanting event will combine the joy of a first birthday with the spooktacular essence of Halloween, creating a memorable experience for the whole family. Shop our favorite invitations, signs, cake toppers, favors, favor tags, cookies, party hats, outfits, high chair banners and more!

Spooky One Halloween Ghost Birthday Party Invitation

Everyone will love this spooktacular first birthday party invite template! Can edit for any age! The perfect theme for your October first birthday. Add your favorite photo to the back of the template. Try it before you buy it.

SPOOKY ONE HALLOWEEN BIRTHDAY COOKIES

The perfect treat for your spooky one halloween birthday! Cookies are vanilla sugar cookies topped with vanilla royal icing. Each cookie will be individually wrapped and placed in a bubble wrap sleeve before being placed in a sturdy shipping box.

SPOOKY ONE 1ST BIRTHDAY PARTY WELCOME SIGN

This adorable spooky one halloween birthday sign is the perfect way to welcome your guests to the birthday party! It’s easy to edit and print at your local copy shop. Four sizes Included: 8" x 10", 16" x 20", 18" x 24" and 24" x 36".

Spooky one halloween birthday 3D letters

Add a fun backdrop to your Spooky One Halloween Birthday party desert table. These pink 3D letters are decorated with spiders, ghosts, bats and pumpkins are made out of cardstock paper. Each letter is 6 inches tall and about 2 inches in thickness.

spooky one halloween birthday evite and thank you

Don’t have time to mail your Spooky One Halloween birthday invitations? Email or text this spooky invitation template to all your family and friends. Then after the party email or text a matching thank you!

Spooky one halloween birthday party hat

Mini light peach glitter party hat with a fun ghost accent and light pink trim. Attached with black 1/8 in skinny elastic to be worn behind the ears (not under the chin!) Perfect for cake smashes and birthdays! Hat measures 2.75" x 4.25". Each purchase also comes with a free matching gift as my way of saying THANK YOU!

Halloween Spooky Ghost Birthday Cupcake Topper

Your Halloween birthday guests will love these cupcake toppers and the delicious cupcakes! Easily create beautiful 2" round or square cupcake toppers! No special software required! Easy to edit and print!

SPOOKY ONE BIRTHDAY HIGH CHAIR BANNER

This Spooktacular Little Boo is Turning One Halloween themed ONE first birthday high chair banner is sure to be a hit with your guests. It is so incredibly cute with its satin ribbons and tulle accents. It includes beautiful shades of lavender, baby pink, black and peach in both tulle and ribbon cuts. Perfect for a “the Spooky One”, First Boo Day Party, little ghost or Halloween Birthday themed first birthday party.

100pcs White Pumpkin Candle Favors

This is a cute favor for your birthday party guests. The candles are 100% handmade and produced specially for you in the scent you choose. Each one is packaged with the label of your choice. Their length is 3 cm. Packed in 4x4cm boxes. The boxes contain colored scraps of paper. All candles are produced with 100% vegan Soy Wax. Cotton wicks are used. 

Spooky Ghost Halloween Birthday Party Tags

Send your halloween birthday party guests home with a spooky treat. Quickly and easily create as many favor tags as you need with this great template! No special software required! Easy to edit and print!

spooky one birthday cake topper

Put the finishing touch on your spooky birthday cake with this topper. This cake topper is made from glitter cardstock. Cake topper will be attached to a clear acrylic stick with food safe adhesive. Size: 7.5 inches [width] 4.2 inches [height].

Halloween Spooky Ghost Custom Sign Template

Create all the table signs you need with this spooky halloween birthday party editable table sign template! 5x7 and 8x10 sizes included!

Spooky One Birthday Outfit in light pink and black

Celebrate her birthday in style with this Ghost outfit!! She will be the center of attention all day in this cute pink and black birthday outfit! Choose either Gerber size 12, 18 and 24 months from the drop-down menu when purchasing. Please be aware that Gerber does run a little smaller than average. Tutu bloomers have a diaper cover underneath and are approximately 15 inches around with a stretchy waist. 

We love to suggest other products that can help make your event more fun. Recommended items contain affiliate links. We may receive a small commission for purchases made through these links.

The first day of school is an exciting and memorable moment for both parents and children. One way to mark this special milestone is through the use of first day of school signs, which have become increasingly popular in recent years. These signs provide a creative way to capture the emotions and anticipation surrounding this important day. From preschool to high school, these signs showcase the child's grade level, age, and other fun details to preserve the memory forever. Whether it is a colorful chalkboard, a personalized wooden plaque, or a printable template, first day of school signs serve as a tangible reminder of the child's growth, both academically and personally. Parents proudly share these photos on social media and in family albums, cherishing the journey of their child's education. As the years go by, these signs become cherished keepsakes, evoking a sense of nostalgia and pride. So on that much-anticipated first day back, don't forget to grab a first day of school sign and capture the excitement for years to come.

Back to School printable photo prop template

Get everyone in your class excited for their first day of school! Kids will love taking photos with this fun Back to School photo prop! Print at your local copy center on foam board and cut out the center square. Use year after year for your students!

first day of school pennant template

DIY your own first day of school pennants! 14 page pdf file with instructions (2 Back to School Styles, Hooray for the First Day, First Day of School, Daycare, Homeschool, Preschool, Pre-K, Kindergarten, plus 1st-6th grade). Digital flags each approximately 7.8" x 5.5". Add wooden dowel or straw & ribbon or embellishments for fun!

Personalized First & Last Day of School WHITEBOARD Sign

Very cute reusable personalized first day and last day of school sign. This first and last day of school sign will make a great prop for your back to school photos! Can be reused year after year and make endless memories. Approx. 5.5” x 8”. Laser cut and Engraved from 1/8” Maple Wood. 

First Day of School Pennant Flag

Commemorate the first and last day of school in a special way! You never want to forget those special moments in time and these pennant flags will help you not to. Each kit will include a "First Day of School" and "Last Day of School" Pennant Flag as well as a wooden dowel and ribbon bundle. Once the first day of school is over, switch out the flags by replacing it with the last day of school flag and reattaching the ribbon so it is all ready to go when you need it again. Flags are printed on high-quality canvas and hand stitched to create a flap to secure it to dowel, ensuring long lasting use if you wanted to keep it for all children!

First Day or School Chalkboard Sign

Our First Day Last Day of School chalkboard sign is perfect for your school photos! This can be used for more than one kid and throughout the years! These signs make the perfect gift, keepsake and yearly photo prop. 1/4" Thick, 11” x 14”, High Density PVC that will not crack, fade or splinter. Weather resistant

Back to school reusable interchangeable prop

Are you looking to announce and show off your child's school milestones? How cute are these? We are loving these interchangeable kits to let let you use them over and over. The apples and pointer are all applied with reusable tape to interchange easily. back piece (notebook paper) is approximately 12x10 and total size including the add on pieces is approximately 13x11.

first day of school reusable chalkboard sign

Enjoy picture perfect memories with our reusable First Day of School Sign! It is a real reusable chalkboard that can be personalized and quickly shipped right to your doorstep. Crafted with a premium chalkboard surface and adorned with a charming wooden ruler, it's the perfect prop for adorable photos that will make your heart swell with pride. This sign can be used for any grade including Preschool, Kindergarten, First Grade, Second Grade and beyond!

Hello first day of school customizable tshirt

Back to school photos will be a snap with this fun shirt! Customize with your grade number, school name and colors for an extra special touch. Order for all your kids for a fun family photo.

Reversible First Day and last day of School circle Sign

Our printed reversible First Day of School/Last Day of School sign is perfect for your school photos! These signs make the perfect gift, keepsake and yearly photo prop.
Each piece in our collection is unique and one-of-a-kind, just like you. We craft every sign carefully, with love. 8" Diameter, 1/8" Thick and Premium Birch Wood.

First And Last Day School wood Sign

This back to school sign is the perfect photo prop for your child on the first and last day of school. To capture those important memories and details! This sign comes with interchangeable names, Interchangeable first/last day of school attaching with magnets and is reusable every single year for their entire school years! Just use a dry erase marker on white acrylic and wipe off with a tissue when done! Also, Customize colours of name(s) with lots of different colour options. Choose your design, from plain, western, rainbow, smiley and peace signs or daisies!

First Day of School Photo Prop

The customizable back-to-school sign is designed to be easy to personalize and reuse year after year. The sign comes in two sizes, 10"x8" and 12.5"x10". It serves as a great photo prop for various school-related milestones such as the first day of school, 100th day of school, and last day of school.

First Day Last Day of School Double Sided Sign

No need to keep track of multiple boards, our double-sided design allows you to photograph the first day of school in August, then simply flip it over for the last day of school in May. 12" x 7.9" sign boasts a sturdy construction so you can use them for multiple kids every year. A simple dry erase finish works great with standard liquid chalk markers, clean up with an eraser or damp cloth

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Are you ready to assemble the ultimate superhero celebration? Look no further than an Avengers-themed birthday party! Transform your space into a world-saving headquarters, complete with heroic decorations and thrilling activities. From Hulk-sized balloons to Amazing Spiderman shaped piñatas, every detail will transport your little heroes into the Marvel universe. Invite your guests to dress up as their favorite Avenger and watch the excitement reach new heights as Iron Man, Captain America, Black Widow, and the rest of the gang mingle and share their superpowers. With a delicious spread of superhero inspired snacks and a cake adorned with the Avengers logo, this celebration is bound to be remembered as an epic battle against boredom and a marvelous triumph of fun. It's time to call upon Earth's mightiest heroes and create memories that will last a lifetime!

MARVEL AVENGERS BIRTHDAY PARTY BALLOONS

Jump into action with our amazing Avengers Super hero balloons set which is a hit for any super hero theme birthday party, you will have their favorite superheroes at the birthday party with Marvel's Avengers. 9 pieces Avengers Balloon Set includes (4 super hero balloons, 1 shield balloons, and 4 star balloon)

Amazing Spiderman BIRTHDAY Pinata

The Amazing Spiderman Pinata is the perfect addition to your party. Available in 18 inches tall (18"length, 14" height, 4" width). Decorate your tables, give them as party favors or break them open!

AVENGERS PLAY TRUNK COSTUMES

Officially licensed Disney and Marvel Studios trunk set. Have your birthday party guests take turns dressing up in their favorite characters: Hulk, Black Panther, Iron Man and Captain America.

Avengers Inspired Cake Topper

This Avengers Cake Topper is the perfect addition to your cake and to your birthday party. Cake topper is a shaker and it lights up! Measurements (approximately): Cake topper: W 6.5 X H 6.5.

superhero birthday cookies

Add these sweet cookies to your superhero birthday party desert table. Order includes 12 cookies, with a max of 4 super hero characters per dozen.

Marvel Avengers Birthday Party Invitations

Avengers assemble for the party of the century with these cool birthday party invitations! Get ready to party with Iron Man, Thor, Hulk, Captain America and friends! Customize with your child’s name and details and order as many as you need for your birthday friends.

superhero birthday balloon garland kit

Easily create an insta-worthy centerpiece or backdrop for any milestone event with one of our DIY Organic Balloon Garland Kits. It includes everything you need to make a beautiful balloon garland - No helium required. 

Avengers Birthday Party Paper Plates

Throw a spectacular party with fully customizable paper plates to match your theme! Dimensions: 7" diameter. Each set of eight paper plates is printed on durable paper stock.

24 Piece Superhero Birthday Party Gift Bags

Send home your birthday party guests with these fun superhero gift bags filled with superhero themed treats. Made of high quality 150gsm kraft paper, strong enough to hold toys, cookies, chips, candy and any other gifts.

Marvel Ultimate Protectors Figure, 8 Pack

This a great gift for your child or to add to your birthday favor bags. This pack of eight Marvel figures that includes The Incredible Hulk, Iron Man, Ant-Man, Black Panther, Captain America, Spider-Man, Marvel's War Machine and Marvel's Falcon.

Black Panther Disney Gift Card

Every Black Panther fan will be excited to get their claws on this Disney Gift Card. Featuring the Marvel super hero in a dramatic stance set against a night cityscape, it's available in a choice of denominations.

We love to suggest other products that can help make your event more fun. Recommended items contain affiliate links. We may receive a small commission for purchases made through these links.

Let’s Go Girls!

Plan a memorable bachelorette weekend in Nashville, Austin or your local bar with a mechanical bull! Our Last Disco Rodeo Bachelorette Party theme is full of fun invitations, signs, itineraries, printable games, gift bags, pins, shot glasses, cowboy hats, disco balls, cowgirl boots, bandana’s, beer can cooler cozies, t-shirts and more!

LAST DISCO RODEO BACHELORETTE INVITATION TEMPLATE

Easily create this bachelorette party invitation on your computer, tablet or phone! Perfect theme for a Nashville or Austin bachelorette party! No special software required! Easy to edit and print! Try it before you buy it.

last disco rodeo bachelorette party gift bags

Desert cactus burlap totes make cute gift bags for bridesmaids, bachelorettes, destination weddings, or any girl who likes pretty things. Each tote comes with a cute desert cactus design. Add a custom name for an additional charge. Size: 12" x 12" with 7.75" gusset.

LAST DISCO RODEO BACHELORETTE PARTY WELCOME SIGN

This great sign is the perfect way to welcome your guests to your disco rodeo themed bachelorette party! Sizes Included: 8" x 10", 16" x 20", 18" x 24" or 24" x 36".

Cowgirl Mini Piñata bachelorette Treat Box

Saddle up and get ready for the hottest theme of the year! These mini piñata style treat boxes can be filled with all the treats your gals could ever need. From candy and mini liquor bottles to gift cards or lip gloss, fill them up to make sure everyone walks away with a smile on their face! Amazing welcome bag or hangover kit idea!

bachelorette party printable games bundle

Have a blast with these printable bachelorette party games! Download the PDFs and print as many as you want for your party. Play “Dirty Minds”, “Drink If”, “How Well Do You Know The Bride”, “Over or Under”, “What’s on Your Phone” and “Scavenger Hunt.”

Cowboy Hat Disco Ball bachelorette party Cup with straw

If you have been searching for some fun party props, look no further! Each cowboy hat disco ball cup includes clear straw! Get the party started with these groovy fun disco tumblers! Size: 9 " x 4.5" 16 oz, Clear Acrylic Straw and BPA free!

Cowgirl personalized bachelorette Bandana

Personalized bandana's are the perfect addition to your pre-wedding bash! Add your girls names to our bandana's for a fun gift at your next bachelorette! 22 x 22 inches - 100% cotton bandana | Has a soft feel and is a thinner not heavy fabric. Lettering adhered with vinyl, not embroidered.

BACHELORTTE PARTY ITINERARY TEMPLATE

Easily text the itinerary to everyone with this great editable weekend itinerary! Great for bachelorette parties, girls weekends or a fun getaway with friends! No special software required! Easy to edit and print!

WHITE BRIDE COWGIRL HAT WITH VEIL

This white pearl cowgirl hat is just screaming to be taken to your Nashville or Austin bachelorette party! The perfect party hat for the bride to be and a great statement piece for photos or a night out on the town. 

Let's Go Girls Can Cooler Cozies

The perfect can cooler coozies for your last rodeo disco bachelorette party. Keep your favorite beverages cold in style. Choose your can cooler color + text color.

LAST DISCO RODEO BACHELORETTE PARTY ACCESSSORIES

Finish of your last disco rodeo bachelorette party planning with these fun accessories. Shop buy the bride a drink fans or pins, shot glasses and gift bags on Zazzle. Have these fun designs printed and shipped to you!

Cowgirl Bachelorette Party Shirts

These comfort colors bachelorette shirts would be perfect for a Nashville or country themed bachelorette! Choose from the white bride shirt or the violet bridesmaid shirt.

Let's Go Girls 12 pack bachelorette party cups

The party cup package includes 1 white "man, I feel like a bride" cup, 11 "let's go girls" pink cups, which are exclusively designed with star and cowgirl hat. These groovy party favors will give your bachelorette theme party a big hit.

We love to suggest other products that can help make your event more fun. Recommended items contain affiliate links. We may receive a small commission for purchases made through these links.

Sweet Little Peach Is On The Way Baby Shower theme is the perfect option for parents-to-be who want to celebrate their little one's arrival with a cute and fruity twist. This theme is inspired by the sweetness of peaches, featuring soft peach hues, playful peach designs and cleverly combined with other fruit elements. With Sweet Little Peach Is On The Way Baby Shower theme, it's guaranteed to be a fun and sweet celebration to welcome the newest addition to the family.

Shop our favorite peach themed invitations, thank you cards, printable games, welcome signs, favors, tableware, cookies, baby gifts, outfits, nursery decor, banners and more!

Two ways to shop!

Shop Zazzle for printed/shipped designs or DIY printable designs on Etsy.

Shop Zazzle SHOP ETSY a sweet little peach is on the way baby shower invitation

Invite friends and family to celebrate your sweet little peach on the way! This invitation design features a painted bunch of sweet peaches hanging from a branch. Along with a lovely combination of modern and rustic fonts.

12 peach is on the way baby shower sugar cookies

The cutest sugar cookies for your sweet peach baby shower! Cookies are bubble wrapped upon bubble wrapped. Then carefully nestled in a bakery box within a shipping box. 

Sweet Peach Baby Shower Foam Board Welcome Sign

Greet your baby shower guests with this sweet peach themed foam board welcome sign! 3/16" thick white foam board. Several sizes available. DIY and hang your sign from a copper pipe like shown or place on a wood easel.

peach Stretchy Swaddle Blanket baby gift

This is an ultra-soft, single layer stretchy knit baby swaddle, personalized with your baby's name in thin black script letters with light colored peaches and greenery scattered around an ivory background. Measures 42 x 38 Inches Wide and Tall.

sweet peach baby shower welcome yard sign

Place this sweet peach sign in your yard to greet your baby shower guests! Easily edit with your baby shower information. Several size options. Choose your stake stand.

Peach Baby Mobile Nursery

Peach baby mobile is a versatile, reusable, and beautiful decoration that will add a fairy touch to your nursery. Best present for a baby shower. The nursery crib mobile includes 7 peaches and 3 flowers. They are strung on a strong white cotton thread.

sweet peach baby shower lip balm favor

Create a unique baby shower favor with our DIY eos lip balm template! No special software required! DIY instructions included.

Baby Peach Top and Bloomer Set

We love this basic baby doll top because it is easy to fit and comfy to wear! This set looks so cute together and is the perfect out for a spring or summer day. Perfect for everyday use! These watercolor peaches are so fresh and looks cute on everyone! The back had elastic and makes for an easy fit. This dress is made of organic cotton poplin and is lightweight and breathable-it gets softer with every wash!

Sweet Little Peach is on the Way Baby Shower

Add more matching sweet little peach designs to your baby shower theme. Shop books for favor signs, gift & cards signs, favor stickers and baby shower bingo cards!

Sweet as a peach plastic party cups

Add the perfect touch to your peach theme celebrations! Use for favor cups or to hold cold drinks. Disposable, BPA free, 12 ounces, Peach strip straws and Straw slot lids.

Peach Baby Shower printable Games Bundle

Get all your baby shower guests interacting and having fun playing these printable games! It’s easy to download and print as many as you need for your peach themed baby shower! Play BINGO, emoji game, predictions & wishes, who’s my mama, the price is right and baby ABC games!

Sweet As A Peach Flag Banner with Peach Pom Poms

This handmade "Sweet as a Peach" banner is the perfect decoration to hang for your little one's sweet peach baby shower or in their nursery! Made with 4" x 3" white felt pennant flags, white cord, peach letters, and peach pom poms with olive leaves. Sure to make any space special. Easy to hang with loops ends.

Sweet Little Peach is on the Way Baby Shower

Finish your sweet little peach baby shower decor with these matching thank you cards, favor bags and paper plates!

We love to suggest other products that can help make your event more fun. Recommended items contain affiliate links. We may receive a small commission for purchases made through these links.

A strawberry first birthday party theme is a delightful way to celebrate your little one's special day. This theme revolves around the sweetness and vibrancy of the beloved fruit, making it a perfect choice for a spring or summer birthday party. To set the tone for the party, start with the invitations. Decorate your party space with vibrant red and green accents. Use strawberry-patterned tablecloths, cups, and napkins to create an eye-catching table setting. You could also include red and green balloons, hanging streamers and other decorations that complement the theme. As for the food, offer a variety of strawberry-themed dishes to delight your guests. From strawberry shortcakes, cupcakes, and milkshakes to strawberry tarts and fruit salads, the possibilities are endless when it comes to incorporating this delicious fruit into your party menu.

Shop our favorite Strawberry Themed Birthday Designs and decorations!

Shop berry first invitations, banners, signs, cake toppers, paper plates, headbands, outfits, cups, balloon garland and birthday treats!

Berry First Birthday Invitation Template

The sweetest invitation for your berry first birthday party! No special software required! Easy to edit and print! Two sizes included: 5x7 & 4x6. Try it before you buy it!

Strawberry Gingham Double Bow Nylon Baby Headband

These strawberry themed nylon headbands are the perfect headband for your little one. These darling headbands are one size fits all are ultra-soft and stretchy to grow with your newborn to any age. This darling nylon headband has a strawberry print throughout. Each bow is 3” and tied on.

Berry Sweet Editable High Chair Banner Template

Create the cutest berry first high chair banner with this easy printable template. 5x7 editable banner. Can be set up so 2 cards print per 8.5" x 11" sheet of paper. You can edit using your computer, tablet or phone.

Pink Strawberry Romper Bubble Birthday Outfit

The perfect outfit for your berry first birthday party! Your little one will look adorable taking photos in this romper bubble! 97% Cotton, 3% Spandex.

Berry Sweet Editable Birthday Party Welcome Sign Template

This beautiful berry themed sign is the perfect way to welcome your guests to your event! Sizes Included: 8" x 10", 16" x 20", 18" x 24" and 24" x 36". Print at your local copy center. Try it before you buy it.

Berry First 9 oz. Clear Birthday Party Cups

Celebrate your berry first birthday with these cute strawberry party cups! Use them to serve beverages or fill them with candy, party mix, trinkets, coloring pages, and stickers for the kids! Quantity: Sets of 4, 8, 12 or 24.

Editable Berry First Birthday Milestone Sign Template

Easily create this keepsake milestone birthday sign for your child's birthday! Easy to edit and print! Sizes Included: 18" x 24", A1 (59.4 x 84.1 cm) and 24" x 36". Try it before you buy it.

STRAWBERRY ASSORTMENT EDIBLE cupcake toppers

Dress up your favorite cupcakes, cakes and desserts with these ready-to-use strawberry sugar decorations! The subtle colors of these edible sugars will add a little pop of color to your delicious treats. Made of finely granulated sugar and painted with edible food color. Choose 12 or 24 pieces.

Berry Sweet Strawberry Cupcake Toppers TEMPLATE

Your guests will love these cupcake toppers and the delicious cupcakes! Easily create beautiful 2" round or square cupcake toppers! No special software required! Easy to edit and print!

Strawberries Balloon Garland

We love this berry themed balloon garland to set the perfect backdrop for your first birthday party. This will definitely make your guests say WOW! he garland can be hung, draped, etc for a party backdrop. Each kit includes everything needed to create your very own balloon garland.

berry first birthday party paper plates

This berry sweet paper plate design features a basket of freshly picked watercolor strawberries. These plates are perfect for serving dinner, appetizers, or salads. Dimensions: 9" diameter. Fully biodegradable; printed with vegetable-based inks.

Strawberry Cream French Macarons

Don’t these macarons look delicious! Add them to your berry first birthday desert table! Choose boxes of 6, 12 or 24 strawberry cream french macarons! Free shipping. 100% gluten free.

We love to suggest other products that can help make your event more fun. Recommended items contain affiliate links. We may receive a small commission for purchases made through these links.

Planning a baby shower? Start with the cookies!

If you are like me, cookies are the main attraction at any party! They are a great desert, favor or gift to the mother-to-be. We put together our favorite baby shower themed cookie ideas from some of the best cookie designers on Etsy. You won’t find cuter sugar cookies in baby shapes like strollers, cribs, rattles, bibs and onesies. Shop fun themes like “moon and stars”, “little cutie on the way”, “we can bearly wait” and more!

baby girl pink lace and gold baby shower cookies

These are the most adorable cookies to help celebrate your baby girl on the way! The details are amazing! Order includes: baby onesies, crib with blanket, stroller, baby shoes, abc blocks and “baby” wording. Color can be changed.

Boho Baby Shower Sugar Cookies

Love the color palate of these boho baby shower sugar cookies! 12 or 24 cookies comes in each set. Cookies are personalized to name and color palette of choice.

Moon and stars mini baby shower cookies

The perfect treat for your moon and stars themed baby shower! Each order comes with 12 Mini Cookies- 4 of each design. Each cookie is approximately 1.75-2" in size and are individually wrapped and placed into a reusable food safe pouch for easy sharing or storing.

Teddy Bear Baby Shower Cookies

The cutest Teddy Bear Baby Shower Cookies! Look at these bears, bottles, carriage, onesie and bib! 12 or 24, 36 cookies comes in each set. Cookies can be personalized and you can pick different colors.

Oh Baby! Sage and Gold baby shower cookies

This cookie set is perfect for your Oh Baby Sage and Gold baby shower! Highlighted by hand brushed gold or silver details set against a sage and white background. Designs include rattle, "Baby" in script, jumper and bib with eucalyptus accent, hexagon with text and eucalyptus branch (2 each, per dozen). An elegant, statement dessert to serve at your party or as a take-home favor for your guests to enjoy later. 

boho ray of sunshine baby shower cookies

Love the colors of these ray of sunshine boho baby shower cookies! 2- Sunshine 2-Name Cookies 2-wooden bead pacifiers 2-knotted gowns 2-rainbows 2-Floral BABY cookies. Choose solid or rainbow/sunshine knotted gowns. Gluten Free (Rice Flour) and Dairy Free options available. Sugar Mama uses plant based food coloring.

Blue Elephant it’s a boy Baby Shower Cookies

Love these cute blue elephant sugar cookies! Order is for one dozen. All cookies are made from scratch. Each cookie is 3.5-4 inches. Customize for boy or girl and color options.

NEUTRAL GREEN BABY SHOWER COOKIES

These are great cookies for a boy or girl baby shower. All cookies are a large 3-4 inches in size. Made to order and individually packaged, heat sealed. Cookies are customizable.

LITTLE CUTIE ON THE WAY BABY SHOWER COOKIES

You will get so many compliments on these cute orange and green “little cutie” baby shower cookies! Handmade and sold by the dozen. Standard size 3” to 4”.

greenery and blush floral baby shower sugar cookies 

This cute blush floral cookie set would be a great addition to your baby shower as a treat or even favors! This listing is for MINI decorated sugar cookies. Cookie size: Rattle-2.5”, Romper- 2”, Greenery leaves- 2.5” and Circle- 1.75”.

We love to suggest other products that can help make your event more fun. Recommended items contain affiliate links. We may receive a small commission for purchases made through these links.

She Found Her Main Squeeze

Planning a bridal shower in spring or summer? We have the perfect, colorful, tropical citrus theme full of oranges, lemons, limes, grapefruit and papaya! Shop matching bridal shower invitations, signs, favor tags, favor stickers, favor bags, plates, napkins and more. Complete your citrus theme bridal shower with tropical drink dispensers, dried citrus garland, citrus cocktail favors, toasting flutes, citrus soap favors and more!

Two Ways To Shop This Collection

Printed/Shipped versions available in Zazzle. Printable versions available in Etsy.

SHOP ETSY SHOP ZAZZLE She Found Her Main squeeze bridal shower invitation

Everyone will love this beautiful editable tropical citrus bridal shower invitation template! This design features a lush arrangement of oranges, lemons, limes, grapefruit and papaya! Two sizes included: 5x7 & 4x6.

tropical fruit everloom dress

This dress has such a fun print to match your citrus themed bridal shower! Midi length with v neckline with tie feature.

1-Gallon Glass citrus fruit Beverage Dispenser

Serve your favorite citrus beverages in these 1-gallon glass beverage dispensers with stainless steel spigots. Contained in the package are two hanging wooden chalkboards for naming your homemade drinks especially when you have special recipes.

Citrus bridal shower welcome sign

Greet your friends and family with this beautiful bridal shower welcome sign. Four sizes included in this template: 8" x 10", 16" x 20", 18" x 24" and 24" x 36".