Pinterest Inspiration: Rain Gutter Shelves

I had seen the awesome rain gutter shelves on Pinterest for awhile now. There are several great tutorials including this fun one:
http://www.fairlyfabulousblog.com/2012/01/rain-gutter-book-shelf-tutorial.html

The only thing I did different was I had Home Depot cut the gutters for me. At first they were hesitant until they realized I meant the vinyl gutters, not the metal ones. The gutters come in ten foot sections, so I had them cut them in half since I was using a fairly large wall space (where a bookshelf had formerly stood).

I had to run BACK to home depot to get the brackets because I didn't remember to get them the first time, I am the most un-handy person ever, despite my crafty skills, so I wasn't thinking of how to actually get the gutters ON the wall. Hey, I can only be so many shades of perfect at once...

This is also a two person job because one person needs to find level and hold the gutters while another screws the brackets in. Maybe you can do it alone...I'm not that awesome.

Anyhoo, we got it going, and thankfully the gutters slide while the brackets are up because I didn't factor in our hall door when I put them up, so we slid the gutters down a tad so the door would open fully. Again..not a handy lady...

But it's DONE! It frees up floor space, and is very visually open. The books are facing out so children can see choices, and it's much easier to change up the book selection for seasons, themes, etc. My kids still don't read as much as I'd like them to, but this encourages them to just grab a book whenever. I'd like to make a cozy spot on the floor that folds up so they can just grab a book and settle down.

I have one more gutter and I'd like to put it in the boys room to hold books for nighttime reading, but haven't decided if that's what I want to do. I think they'd also be great cut into smaller pieces for bathroom storage, craft room storage, garage storage and more!

I still have to say, Pinterest makes my life so much easier!!
~~amy

Summer Bucket List!

First off, if you are on Instagram, feel free to find me and follow our shenanigans! My IG username is "mamaslittlemonkeys" of course :)

I was inspired by Pinterest of course to create a Summer Bucket List. We've checked off a few things already since I took this pic!

We've definitely gone swimming plenty, been to The Peacebaker for some yummy Gluten Free goodies,

had playdates, because sometimes Angry Birds just need a tea party...

and broke a pinata!

 CANDY!!!!!

And yet my boys complain of being bored!! I've warned them if they keep up the complaining I would show them what bored REALLY is! But since we only have two weeks left of our "real" summer vacation, I think they'll survive. We start summer session for homeschool June 24th, and I suspect they will wishing they'd been a little bored over their break!! I'm looking forward to August when public school starts again and we will take a month break and enjoy the pool at the gym to ourselves!!!

Not much is "planned" the next two weeks, which is how I like it. We'll definitely go swimming and continue to knock stuff off our Bucket List. The boys have enjoyed it, and I will carry it through all summer, so we don't feel a pressure to finish stuff. Hang out with friends, sleepovers, indoor camping, these kids have no clue how good they have it!

What's on your summer bucket list??
~~Amy

Blueberry Vodka Lemonade

Sometimes mama needs a drink...

I found this recipe on Pinterest last year and I drank more than my fair share of them last summer. Well, it's summer time again so here we go!

Fill a mason jar about 1/2 way with blueberries (either fresh or thawed frozen)
Fill that jar with vodka. (any brand, I used Tito's Handmade Vodka)
Store in fridge for 3-5 days.
Once a day or so, open the jar and squish the blueberries. Not really vital but helps make the vodka taste more 'blueberry-ery'.
After a few days, mix one parts blueberry vodka with two parts lemonade.

Serve over ice, with a few of the blueberries and enjoy!

DELISH! This is a strong drink, if you are not a heavyweight, so drink with caution! But a great drink for enjoying a summer afternoon!
~Amy

Spring Break Plans

It seems crazy to me to be planning Spring Break activities while the kids are just returning to school from a week off because of  Mardi Gras. (It's no wonder they can only get ten days off unexcused...they have too many darn vacations!)

But alas, Spring Break will be here before we know it, and I need to have some plans. So I of course turn to Pinterest to get some ideas!

**Exploding KoolAid Bath Tub Paints. (Could be done outside too.)

Image from: BathActivitiesFor Kids

**Another fun one from the same blog: Clean Mud

**Snowball eating, because the snowball stands are already open now, so I look forward to 1-2 yummy frozen goodies!

**Requested trip to the Aquarium. The oldest had asked to go during Mardi Gras vacation but I was not about to take us to New Orleans during Mardi Gras! Contrary to popular beliefs not EVERYONE down here celebrates or enjoys that season. So we shall check out the fishies, have lunch in Woldenberg Park and watch the ferries and barges go by :)

I don't like to overplan. We'll have plenty of outside time, TV snuggles, walking the dog, riding bikes, playdo, yummy snacks and more!

~~Happy Spring!

Planning Projects?

Wait, people make plans before they start crocheting? They read patterns, check for correct yardage and yarn type? They purposely sit down and have a vision before they start chaining?

NO. WAY.

Okay, so I'm not a big planner of projects....I pin a ton of projects, save them on ravelry, and buy insane amounts of yarn...but generally when people ask at the checkout, "what are you going to make with that yarn?" My reply is, "You're supposed to have a plan? It's pretty..that's my plan."

I've gotten slightly better...saving color combo boards on Pinterest, experimenting with different patterns...(and I still don't gauge swatch. Sorry, I just don't.) I've been pinning color combo ideas for a year now. One of my favorite blankets is the Sunburst Granny Square I did along with InnerHooker for one of her Crochet A Longs. Well, it made it in the beginning of my hooker career (oh so long ago...in 2011....) and it was before I had learned how to secure ends, particularly the CENTERS of squares, properly. So my beloved blanket is coming undone in the centers and I feel like I want to do a new one..with better yarn.

 My beloved beginner blanket....now falling apart in some centers.

The good thing is Knit Picks has a yarn called Palette, that is, you guessed it, nearly every color you can imagine. I drool over it every time I get the catalog. I'm currently working on a Tunisian crochet blanket, but I want to think long term. (I'm also ignoring the two granny stripe blankets and one granny mandala blanket in progress in the blanket basket...all in good time, dear yarn...all in good time. I burned myself out on the Queen Size granny stripe blanket on my bed.) So I'm plotting...what colors...this is the funnest part I think..the color choosing.

So I've created a Pinterest board of course...just for this afghan color choosing. Yes I'm THAT serious. (and I'm also very happy this is my most pressing current decision. I am blessed.)

You can see the contenders here: http://pinterest.com/mamaslilmonkeys/sunburst-granny-afghan-color-ideas/ but here are a few...I'm sure I'll be adding more.

Please feel free to hop on the board and "like" your favorites, as I am curious on what color combo's others find appealing.

Again....I am blessed. Those of you with the yarn and fabric addiction like me know how this feels though and can appreciate the indecision. Plus aren't the colors just FUN!?

~~Create On~~
Amy

Winter Break Plans

It's Winter Break!! WOOO HOO! This means two solid weeks of no major committments, no plans, no schedule, no alarms (other than full bladder puppy cries). I am so ready. I've been working since August and am way out of my normal WAHM routine. I will get my WAHM life back in January, and I'm excited! So this is a nice taste test....however I have two boys to occupy. If I don't make plans, they may very well meld into the sofa.

What did we do before Pinterest? Oh right...made it up as we went....Thanks Pinterest for letting me a lazy bum but look like I'm totally rocking this mom thing.

Let us collect a set of ideas to start with (and chuckle at later when I achieve only three.) All photo credits should be on pins.

Door Decoration: We don't actually celebrate Christmas, so I love this non Christmas/Winter door decor. http://pinterest.com/pin/266205027946091894/

Snowman Inspired Snack: http://pinterest.com/pin/266205027946104770/

Make Snowflakes from Borax. I've never done this before so I'll have to dig into the directions, but it looks fun! http://pinterest.com/pin/266205027945733681/

Hot Glue Snowflakes. Not so sure on this one...letting my boys loose with hot glue guns??? I don't know if we're close enough to our health insurance deductible for that one...http://pinterest.com/pin/266205027946025108/

And we did this last year and it was a HIT! I'll have to dig it out, find it..but I know it's in the cabinet SOMEWHERE....(boy do I need to purge...) Instant Snow! This is HUGE for us southerners! http://pinterest.com/pin/266205027943710881/

Here are some pics of my boys playing with the instant snow last year..

I'm looking forward to some winter fun again this year!
I'll let you know how it goes!
~~Amy

Three Weeks Left??

There are three weeks until school starts. THREE WEEKS? Perhaps you read that with a sense of dread and the sound of a mother on the edge.

Ahhh, but you would be mistaken grasshopper...I am actually saying that with a sense of disbelief. Summer has flown by so that there are only THREE WEEKS left until school starts!!?? Yes, summer is wearing thin...I'm running out of ideas that I WANT to do, let alone that I CAN do (Pinterest is great, but only goes so far...)

We've done some awesome things just in the past week!

"Magic Doorway" of crepe paper streamers.

Sponge Water Bombs.

Playing with a cheap, huge Frisbee.

But something great happened today...my older one..H, my "glass is half empty, this sucks" kid, said to me, "Mom, I like when you do all the cool stuff for us like the magic doorway and the water bombs and water bed. Thanks." He usually only shows appreciation when he's sucking up. That's when he walks up and hugs me and says, "you're the best mommy ever, I love you." I have to watch myself, I tend to be worn out when he does this, tired of his whining for something he can't have, or just overall "too busy"...and I too often look at this as his sucking up and say, "ugh what do you want NOW?"

How would I feel if I was on the receiving end of that? No matter his motivation, even if it is selfish and he's trying to get something out of me, I am a grown up, I can say no to whatever it is. But before that, because he said those words to me, I should stop, hug him back and say "Thanks buddy, you're a pretty awesome kid yourself." And I do, a lot of the time. But sometimes I don't...I'm human.

So it was nice to hear that he appreciated the time it takes for me to do the fun stuff. He knows I work from home and I cram a lot into one day. He knows he drives me batty but he's glad I try.

So I hope I make the next three weeks the best three weeks of his summer!!

Back in May I wrote a Pinterest Planned Summer. Let's see how I did so far!

Original List:

*Glow sticks in the bathtub

*Balloon tennis

*Plastic sheet cover your homework sheets=dry erase.

*Make an obstacle coarse with crape paper streamers. They crawl and step over all of it while trying not to touch the streamers.

*Go Dollar Store shopping. Give them each 5 bucks and they're in heaven.

*Tear drop volcanoes. Put baking soda on a tray. Fill paper cups with vinegar and food color. Use a dropper to create fizzy foam!

~~~~~~From my head~~~~

*Join the summer library reading program.

*Go swimming.

*Have Pajama Day, complete with blankets, pillows, a movie.

*Have a lemonade and freezie pop stand.  We made four bucks!!

*Discounted movie trips

*Visit the little local beaches on the lake.

*Sculpt with air dry clay

*Make rainbows and suns from paper plates and tissue paper (or crepe paper)

*Visit Culinary Kids

* Eat LOTS of snowballs!


~~~~~From Various Pins and Blogs~~~~

*Cup Race.

*Use pool noodles to hit blown up balloons.

*Nerf Gun Shooting Range

*Craft sticks and vecro for making letters and shapes.

*Tin Foil River

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

So we've done a lot so far! Three more weeks to have a lot more fun!!! Also, a little time to stop and smell the flowers....

~~Amy

Duct Tape Waterbed...Pinterest Idea on Crack..

Time for another Pinterest inspired activity. I swear Pinterest will make me fat and drunk but a crafty, fun mom! The original post is here: http://playathomemom3.blogspot.com/2012/02/redneck-waterbed.html, which is a really cool blog about sensory, play and having fun with your kids.

So, we splurged on the plastic sheeting (18.00 for two, you use only one at a time.) and some more duct tape and turned on the water!

Fold over the 15x25 3.5 mil plastic sheeting so its folded in half and duct tape the three open sides. Now this SOUNDS super easy. It's not. Its a pain in the arse, particularly if you decide to do it alone, without grown up assistance, outside in 90 degree heat. Once I moved the process inside, put on a movie for the boys, and got comfy on the floor, it got easier.

Once you get most of the 3 sides taped up, head outside, insert a hose into an open space, and tape it closed around the hose. Turn on water, mix a frosty cold beverage and wait. And wait, wait, wait, because it takes a REALLY long time to fill up a huge water bed. Check your tape for leaks and get tipsy on your blueberry vodka lemonade.

Once the bed fills up, remove the hose and force your children on it. Why force? Because despite the fact that the older child BEGGED you to make this, he's inside boycotting all outside activities and watching a movie because you implemented a no video game policy. So you let the little one enjoy it for awhile solo.

That's my picky eater....can you tell from the skinny body? Sigh. Feel free to come make him eat...I dare you..come on over.

Then add a hose and force the older child out to have some non electronic fun. Then sit back, drink more, and watch as they realize it IS fun outside and they WILL NOT die from mommy's ideas.

What's awesome about adding a hose is this turns the waterbed into THE.BEST.SLIP.N.SLIDE.EVER. Because not only is it squishy and jumpable, it's now SLIPPERY. You cannot resist the awesomesauce.

I don't know why it's so hard to get my older son's photograph...he either makes a weird face or turns right before I snap. I think it's a conspiracy.

And this is why I love my husband. Because after a hard day turning wrenches, he is willing to throw on his bathing suit and water slide in the front yard without questioning WHY there is a giant waterbed in his front yard.

It was a ton of fun. I'm glad we have one more plastic sheet left, which we'll use again after the front grass grows back from our two days of watersliding. We made such a mess that the water ran into the neighbors side of the yard, and he had to put on boots just to go fetch his trashcan. But he's such an awesome neighbor, he just smiled, and after I apologized for the water, he replied, "Kids have to have fun, it's hot out!" I love retired, grandpa neighbors. (Did I mention he's done plumbing work for me? I'm going to miss him when we finally sell our house.)

I bet we were a site for people passing by, and I know I probably turned into Scary Mommy once or twice on this day but I hope they remember the sliding and the water and the fun.

I know I will.

Imbibing and Debauchery....Summer Style

I saw this fabulous recipe on Pinterest and knew I HAD to try it. Originally from this blog, Keep It Simple Foods...I had to give it a go.

It was DELICIOUS!

                                                   ©Amy Dutsch 2012

Pinterest Inspired--Colorful Sprite

I saw this super cute idea on Pinterest about putting Kool-Aid ice cubes in Sprite. I saw this post pinned and had to replicate!

Instead of mixing up Kool-Aid (because the only reason I buy Kool Aid is to dye yarn, so I'm not using it to DRINK!) I used PowerAde ready to serve. I poured PowerAde into ice cubes, and once frozen, put in a glass of Sprite for the munchkins. Add a crazy straw and it's perfect!

Best part is, as the ice melts not only does it flavor the Sprite but you can crush it up and eat it, slushie like!!

Enjoy!!!

Poppy Chow---Pinterest Inspired

I've been slowly working my way through the awesome things I find on Pinterest! Today I was in a mood. No real reason, just bleh, meh, uninspired, feeling whiny. No real reason, just a case of the meh's.

So I decided to make something yummy for a treat. The recipe came from HERE and someone had pinned it of course. (If only I got paid to use pinterest....)

It was messy but not hard to make, and I just happened to have a giant box of popcorn on hand! Apparently you only need 1-2 bags to make 9 cups of popcorn, so I now have an extra giant bowl of popcorn to let the boys make art with...

I used Kettle Korn because that's what I had on hand. But let me tell you, DELISH!! Totally worth the mess!!

It was awesome! I could eat it til I puke....

~~amy

Meanie Mommy Cooking

That's IT. I'm DONE. I'm tired of attempting to please the masses. I think I live with one of the pickiest families on the face of this earth.

The youngest, HAH, I'd do better listing what he DOES eat than what he doesn't.
The oldest, he's slowly learning but still dinner is a battle.
The oldest, who-should-know-better-and-should-be-legally-obligated-to-like-what-I-cook-no-matter-what-because-he-married-me-damnit, is pretty picky himself. As a good friend says, my husband has an "untested palate."

So, perhaps I should not try to appease them anymore. I find tons of great recipes and I don't bother because I know they won't like them.
NO MORE. I am the one buying the groceries, putting them away, planning the menu, cooking, prepping, storing, blah blah blah, it's MY turn to cook what I want. (deju vu again, I feel like I've written this post before...oh well...if I can't remember, surely you can't...)

Since I am addicted to Pinterest, I'm going to continue to try more of those recipes. Now, if you know me, or have read this at all, you realize I am NOT a huge cook. I LOVE to bake, but hate to cook. Like I say, it's way more fun to do it when the end results has chocolate. But, we do need to eat and eat relatively healthy. So, here's the new rules:

*You have two choices:
1. Eat it and be grateful there is food on your plate.

2. Don't eat it and be grateful you were offered food on your plate. Then leave the room without complaint. Kitchen is closed after you leave the room.

That's it. Plain and simple. I may very well just write these rules on a sign in the kitchen.
Now I admit sometimes even the stuff I make, *I* don't like. That's cool. When it's an epic fail we can all eat cereal. But for the most part, it's not half bad.

So eat it, or get out my kitchen and shut up.

Meanie Mommy Menu is ON like donkey kong.

~~mama

Fruit Rainbow--Fun Snack for Kids

I saw something fun on Pinterest the other day and wanted to recreate. My kids do NOT eat enough fruit, so I thought I'd give this ago. The original idea pinned was for St. Patrick's day, a fruit rainbow with a pot o' gold (bananas) but it's neither March, nor do we celebrate St. Patrick's Day in our house.

So today I decided on a whim, at the grocery store, to grab the required fruits to make this little cutie.

Want to make your own?
Grab fruits in all shades of the rainbow and some whipped cream. Cut them as needed and arrange on a tray lined with wax paper (for easy cleanup!). I also grabbed some cream cheese dip for the grownups! :) I added some whipped cream clouds too.

Get some toothpicks and enjoy!

Our friend's kids were over and enjoyed the rainbow with us!

Happy eating!~~mama

Gluten Free Oreo Cheesecake Cupcakes

Yes...you read right! I am slowly working my way through my "to cook/bake" category over on my Pinterest.
This week I tried the Cookies and Cream Cheesecake Cupcakes found here.

Since I'm gluten free, these kind of recipes would have previously depressed me.....I would have chalked it up to yet another recipe I couldn't eat because it wasn't gluten free. But, AHA! They DO make Gluten Free Oreo style cookies! Both Kinninnick and Glutino companies make them!

So I took the above recipe and tried it with the GF oreos! Viola....

DELISH!!! Sooooooooo good. Unless you have a large group to feed, I highly suggest cutting the recipe in half or you may suffer death by cupcakes. Seriously...I need restraints to keep me away from these things.

Go for it....enjoy!

How To Use Pinterest

I am in love with the site Pinterest. Seriously,  I could forgo all work for hours and just surf the net "pinning" things.

But how do you pin, you ask? First, get invited. If you want an invite, message me at www.badgereels.etsy.com with your email address and I'll invite you! :) Find my board at: www.pinterest.com/mamaslilmonkeys

Okay, so you signed up, now what?

**Fill out your profile and privacy/email settings just like you would on any social site. Now to pin!

**First off, add the "Pin It" button to your browser bar. (I use firefox.) To do so:

Go to your Pinterest.com.
Click "add a pin"
See the little thing tell you to drag that "pin it" symbol to your browser bar? Do that, literally, dragging it up into your browser where your most visited sites are.

Now the "Pin It" bookmarklet is in your browser. So any time you are on a website with any images, you can just click "pin it" and it will automatically lead you to pin the item.

(nice swagbucks I got there, eh?)

Okay, now what?

**FIND YOUR FRIENDS!! Pinning is most fun when you connect with your friends and repin what they find awesome.
From Pinterest.com, look at "people" in the top right sidebar and find friends. Connect your facebook or twitter accounts and find your friends. You don't have to do this, but I find it fun.

**Organize your boards. Pinterest gives you some automatic boards but I found them boring so I created my own.

When you pin something to a board, think of it as a bulletin board for online life. You can click my Organize board and see all the links I find interesting. Keep clicking til you get to the actual pinned item and it will eventually take you back to the original site, whether I pinned it or RE-pinned someone elses find.

**Give credit where credit is due when pinning!! There is a space for a description, use it! If you find the tutorial on a blog, or the item on etsy, credit the artisan!! This makes it easier also should the original post disappear, if you have written "blog.mamaslittlemonkeys.com" under the pic, the reader knows to go find my blog at least if they are faced with an ugly Server 404 or "your stuff ain't der no more" sign.

**Think outside the box when creating boards. What makes you happy? Sad? What do you want? Need? What do you have that is great and you want to share with others? Self promotion is fine but try to keep it to one board and don't forget to share the love!!

**Update who you are following. I don't know if this is a glitch, or just the way it works, but it seems, for example if I'm following my friend Merry. I follow all of her boards. But if she ADDS a board later, it seems it won't automatically show me those pins unless I "unfollow" and then "follow all" again. This could be a glitch, could be I'm not noticing the new boards, I dunno. Either way, just for kicks, from time to time, I go unfollow friends then follow all again just to be sure I'm getting everything they pin. Because, well, my friends are awesome, and I wanna see what they love!

**Pinterest is growing. I do find from time to time the servers are busy. Hang on and bear with them. I get the feeling they never knew this site would take off as it is.

Enjoy and happy Pinning!!!~~Amy