It was time.  I've been drooling over turquoise shoes for a while. They were following me everywhere...

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They were everywhere, and then I found these links...

http://thisthriftyhouse.blogspot.com/2010/09/spray-painted-shoes.html

And similar links, and since I love spray painting I decided to take my black shoes and make them less practical but more fun!!

The materials: shoes, amazing turquoise spray paint, cardboard to paint on, and (not in photo) painters tape and old rags to cover surfaces not painting.

Covered the sole- well the part that touches the ground

Stuffed with rags, and more tape, ready for PAINT!!

After first coat of paint, decided for a 2nd coat just to be sure.

Ta Da!!!

I'm very happy with them, I like that the black stitching stayed black, contrast is always good. I'll see how they hold up, I have some wedding dancing plans for them.  

Pinterest Weekend!!

I have been really enjoying Pinterest. and this weekend I decided to get started on my Holiday presents and actually make some of the projects on my "To Make (for others)" board.

Let there be light

solo thais: DIY LIGHTING {hemp pendant light}

I don't know how long ago I saw this plan, but I was thinking that it would be perfect for our master bathroom. But after much discussions and an IKEA trip, decided that we wanted a funky chandelier for the bathroom and the pendant light would work well in our too dark living room.

I gathered all the supplies: hemp, table covering, tacky glue, (later mod podge too), large rubber ball.
And set to work, in the beginning it went really well, smearing the glue on the hemp with my hands, then letting it stick to the ball. But then the glue was getting harder to use, so I added water - which helped, then I began laying the hemp on the ball and then putting the glue directly on the hemp. Finally the ball string was such a sticky chaotic thing that I just put the hemp on without any glue. When I got to a stopping point (11:30 pm on a work night), I began to dump on as much glue as possible, and got the mod podge out too.

Next morning I did and extra coat of clear spray paint, just because.
I waited another day to take out the rubber ball, to let the glue completely cure.

Door Decoration, finally

I had to try this!

The Plan

The means - Corn starch goop

I got it looking nice mostly everywhere except the bottom.  And then I realized that I could remove the kick plate.  And then, of course, I could spray paint the kick plate.

Close enough...

And finished!!

Chairs Prettified

Ombre Dressers

Ombre is "in"
And I needed an easy weekend project.  These dressers my parents got in California in the 70s before they moved to AK, and then I had them all growing up and they moved from AK to WA with me.  So they have definitely been used, and the light blond wood isn't matching.

I need to get better at my before pictures but here they are...

I decided that I wanted the paint to last so I sanded and primed before starting the real painting.

I then mixed white with the brown to make 3 different tints.  I painted the top of the dressers and the top drawers the lightest brown shade. I painted the sides of the dresser the original brown, and the other 2 drawers the other 2 tints.

I let it all dry overnight, did a coat of clear spray paint, waited another day and then moved them back into the house.

Birthday Present for a 3 year old on the CHEAP

My cousin turned 3 and I wanted to get her a present, but her mom required that I spend no money on her kid.  So I decided to make her a personal chalkboard.
I had:

• Chalkboard Paint
• Ugly picture frame (with glass)
• Paint
• Tissue Paper
• Chalk
• Fleece
• Rope
• Sewing Machine

And this is what I did:

The fleece was for a bag for Erin to carry the chalk in.

Bike pannier research

Ok, full confession. Road biking really freaks me out.  All the cars, and then there is me on a bike...  But trying to save gas money/the environment/get in shape, I have started to bike to work more regularly.
I've been using all of my hubbie's "old" gear, but after being especially frustrated trying to go grocery shopping with the old gear, I'm starting to look into a new pannier.
And as usual, I will put my research on my blog...

#1 - Definitely fun looking, sounds like it will hold a lot too, worried about the weight...Juice-Box Panniers

#2 - Also cute, sounds durable and easy to carry around stores, but the reviews didn't go over well, REI is easy to return to...Koki Bagaboo

#3 Basil sounds great, not quite as cute (maybe I should go see them in person). It sounds like it can carry a lot and has a rain cover (very important in the PNW!)

This is what I have currently. Well, not exactly, but close to it.


I'm wondering how the pannier on just one side goes...

Baking with Juice Pulp

I made strawberry, beet, sweet potato, carrot juice this morning. Actually yummy. Deciding what to bake with the pulp now, muffins are my usual. We're going backpacking this weekend so some high fiber snacks would be good.

Goals for baking = yummy, portable, snackable.

The internet research begins...

http://www.thekitchn.com/thekitchn/green-ideas/7-ways-to-use-juicer-pulp-131801

led me to http://www.choosingraw.com/choosing-raw-juice-pulp-crackers/

apparently I need to a "teflex dehydrator sheet" for my dehydrator.

http://www.all-about-juicing.com/cookie-pulp-recipes.html

Cookies are yummy. The Oatmeal cookies sound good (obviously with chocolate chips added).

More ideas http://www.thebestjuicerreviews.com/juicer-pulp-recipes.html

Not sure what I'll end up with, but thought I'd share the process. 

These sound yummy, but I can't figure out where they put in the chocolate...http://www.wildfloursgfg.com/2011/04/15/gf-seed-pulp-brownies-scd/

http://cathyshambley.blogspot.com/2010/05/almond-butter-cookies-simple-saturday.html and I have a plan now... add the pulp to the almond butter cookies, add some nutella too, because... why not...

Furniture Redone...

Prepped

At first I thought I would save the fabric topping I had used, later decided to just spray paint the top as well.

Green spray paint layer = done!

I only had "plastic" spray paint, but it seems to be holding up,

There it is all glazed and prettied!

And in place with fish tank.  Need to figure out what to put in the space under the fish tank (that Penguin won't eat.)