Friday, June 28, 2013

Week 3 KIDS CAN DO- Squirt Gun Curtains Made by Kiddos for Kiddos

Hey Friends here is my post for kid's week! This was so fun and really pretty easy. 

A few tips: put them in some old clothes and SHOES! Unless you live somewhere where being naked is an option. Also, having more guns then colors of paint is a great idea, they clog up pretty fast. The boys favorite colors to use were the glow in the dark, which they sell in a multitude of colors and also the shimmer, metallic paint.

Armed with a photo of their bedspread I picked up various colors of acrylic paint and a pack of 8 squirt guns for $2.99.  Little boys + paint + squirt guns you're guaranteed a great and really messy time! I hung up a sheet outside and they went to town. We even used a glow in the dark paint!


When they were all done squirting, we left it out to dry while we cleaned off with the hose. I took the sheet home and turned it into two curtain panels, added some fun double zigzag stitching on the edges in blue and red thread. 

How did I do this you wonder... Once the sheet is painted and dry through it in the dryer on high heat to seal in the color. Now you're going to cut the sheet down the middle, like you're dividing the bed in half foot to head. The key to cutting is you want the top of the sheet where you put your head to be where the rod goes through so it will be at the ceiling when hung. Choose your stitch for the top and sides. I used a twin needle zigzag in two colors: red and blue. First I stitched the top right along the existing stitches in the sheet. Then I stitched the already hemmed edge just for the color effect, again right along the existing stitches. Lastly hem the raw edge, I folded mine over about half an inch. Repeat with the other panel! DONE--Easy right. You can do this with any sheet you find. I have striped ones in my living room :) Pending on your window you'll need to decide on the size sheet to buy. My living room has a wider window so I used 2 twin sheets, for the kids' room I used the queen size.

To allow the rod to go through the top portion of the curtain, cut a little slit next to the hem on either edge. Make sure you only cut it as wide as the rod and ONLY CUT THROUGH THE BACK OF THE FABRIC!!!! You don't want to be able to see your slit in the front. I suppose you could hand stitch reinforce the slits, but I haven't and they work great!

The next day I delivered their curtains for their room and they were SO excited!  


When you hear, "Wow, that's great! I love all the colors!" from a 4 year old you know you've done something right for kids week. I said, "You made that!!" Little man said, "I know!" with a giant smile! The curtains are so fun for their room and the glow paint adds the "stars" element! They kept saying, "Turn off the lights!!" The total cost for this project was $10 for the flat sheet, $1.57 per paint color and then a rod if you don't already have one. I'd suspect most of you have all the supplies on hand already.
 

Now go gather up the supplies and release the kiddos to make their own room decor. Pillow cases  to match would be super fun too! That's next on our list for the boys :)

Thank you to my friend Cassie for letting me borrow her cute kids! And a big THANKS to her parents for letting us paint their yard and still feeding me! Oh and her dad for getting the rod hung up. {Normally I would do that myself, but I had surgery 10 days ago and am being a good girl and following the doc's instructions, much to my dismay!}

<3 Melissa Delight

Friday, June 21, 2013

Week 2- UPCYCLE- Roadside Treasure


Upcycling is one of my favorite concepts in crafting! I LOVE the thought that something has been given a new life. That's exactly what happened to this dresser and mirror we found on the curb a year or so ago. I've never featured it on my blog, but it deserves to be seen! 

 

 The original was found looking like it belonged in Pirates of the Caribbean, which is cool for theme parties, but our bedroom doesn't really fall into that theme ;) It had black metal knobs all along the top, sides and around the mirror. 


We popped them off and sanded and sanded. Did I mention we sanded for weeks!! The mirror and dresser top got a new life with stain and the rest a fun color. We added new knobs to the drawers. One day I plan to give it another new job as a changing table, but it's not quite ready for such a big job...yet!

Wednesday, June 19, 2013

Week 1 PAINT- Be an Overnight Van Gogh!

It's true I wish I could say I am the best painter in the world, but much to my dismay I am not.  I, however, love the look of oil painting, but am petrified of actually attempting it. So, this week I went for it, I became an OIL PAINTER...kind of!

Here's the scoop {some of it} I combined my love for transferring photos to wood with a cool free photo website added some paint to give it my own spin and ta-dah... I AM a painter!!


All the necessary supplies...


The photo on the LEFT is the original photo and the photo on RIGHT is my hand painted version


My guy has now requested I do more paintings for the house--SUCCESS! P.S. this is not my puppy, but he is pretty precious! 

The final tutorial will give you all the insider tips and the step by step instructions on How to be an Overnight Van Gogh!

Hope you had a wonderful weekend!

Wednesday, June 12, 2013

Pretty Big News-Warning it's LONG!

I was 13 years old when my cousin gave birth to a handsome little boy. I could have caught him. The joy I felt as he took his first breath and let out that first cry! He just turned 14 last week. What the heck, how did that happen!? I knew then that I wanted to be a labor and delivery nurse. I wanted to witness miracles every day! What a blessing that would be! I remember being told it would be difficult to get into nursing school, even more difficult to survive in one piece. I did that.

I got a job, not where my dream world wanted, but I learned from the best nurses I know. They hand molded me into a strong, vivacious, outside-the-box critical thinker. I wore my running shoes to work, held the hands of couples married for 60+ years, quizzing them on the secret to a long, happy marriage. I reminded my short term memory patient a thousand and one times why he could not safely return home. I put out "fires" with my big pail of "water" so my patient could rest easy. I engulfed a freightened man in a bear hug to return him back to bed while he cried worried he had missed Christmas, "don't worry it's July" I repeatedly quizzed a doctor insisting my patient was very sick to finally find out she would require emergency surgery to save her life. The stories go on and on, but what I know for sure is I would not be the person I am today and certainly not the nurse I am without building my foundation on 5G.

Shortly before my career turned 3 I made a leap of faith and love. I quit my job and joined my incredibly wonderful man in Phoenix, Arizona. I remember walking out of my manager's office after giving her my two weeks, tears in my eyes and a "Holy Sh**" what am I doing feeling. This was not the plan. JOB-->MOVE. Pretty sure my parents were wondering what to do with me. They did what they do best, they said ok, how can we help?!

A month after being a stay-at-home girlfriend I landed the first job I interviewed for since moving. I would start in two weeks as a resource RN at Banner Thunderbird hospital. When every day feels like you're new all over again you get really good at introducing yourself. I can thank my dear friend Laura for the "Hi, I'm Melissa" skills she taught me our very first day of nursing school. But I started to miss having a team, the kind I could bring cookies to. Don't get me wrong I met TONS of people and a handful that I consider friends. I still knew that my heart belonged with moms and babies and so began my quest to get there! I started going to their education days on my own time. I met wonderful people who introduced me to more great people, who said hey get this and do this. So I got some more letters behind my name. Little ones like NRP and STABLE. I had to be marketable :) I knocked on the director's door enough times she said, "I posted a new learner position, apply!" SUCCESS!!!!

My manager in resource knew my heart's desire and released me early to begin in the world of postpartum. :) I have been their for 8 months. There is something special about being the first person to teach a new dad how to bundle his precious baby girl or the aw-ha moment a first time mom has when her baby latches at the breast. I'd call it pretty darn wonderful! And my team, well, I was blessed again! They welcomed me with open arms and I must say have secured a special spot in my heart. Yet, all the while I can't get that picture of my first labor experience out of bed. Not the bloody, gross part, but the miracle part!

With the incredible support of so many people I leaped again! This time it's a little smaller, but yet pretty HUGE! I have accepted a night shift position in labor and delivery at BTMC. That was really long winded, sorry!!! There are just so many moments and people that have made this dream my new reality. I feel like I'm thanking the "Academy" or something. haha. But in all seriousness, to all the people who believed I would get there...THANK YOU!!! Here's to learning to be a night shifter, bringing new life into the world and planning my dream wedding to my dream man all in one year!

Wow, I am blessed.

<3 Melissa Delight





Tuesday, June 4, 2013

Next Week on SYTYC

Hey Gang,

I'm pretty excited about next week's entry for paint week on "So You Think You're Crafty!"

Wouldn't it be fun if I could tell you what my craft is?!
...

.....


...

HA! I can't!

Head on over MONDAY to see all the entries and vote for your favorite 1-10! If you vote any day other than Monday click the button on the LEFT side of screen that moves along with you as you browse to see the current contest entries.

P.S. I can't use any crafts I have already posted here on my blog therefore I'm not giving you much in the way of craft posts just in case I decide it's THE one I want to use.

Throughout the 10 WEEKS you will be seeing the following categories in no particular order...

Upcycle
Kids Can Do
PVC pipe
Outdoors
Around the World
Summer
Ruffle

Final Week: WILD


See you on SYTYC on Monday! VOTE!!