Toilet Troubles Tackled: We Did It Ourselves

photo credit: Doug Noon My husband and I have never been big on home improvement or repair projects around the house. It's not an interest of either of us, and we certainly don't have much aptitude for these types of jobs. And we do not always work well together. We once got into a huge argument just putting together a tool to do a job. Yes.. just the tool... not the actual job. We often joke that it is better for our marriage to pay someone else to fix things for us. But with our most … [Read more...]

How to Make Graham Cracker Houses

By Justin Weinger Leave a Comment

One of our favorite family traditions during the holidays is to make graham cracker houses. It's far simpler to make little houses out of graham crackers than it is to bake gingerbread or to shell out for those expensive gingerbread kits. And the kids love being able to be messy and creative. Making graham cracker houses isn't hard, but it does take time to decorate them, so you'll need a good block of time, some great holiday tunes, and a sense of humor. How to Make Graham Cracker … [Read more...]

Homemade Gift Idea for Kids: Felt Crayon Pouch

By Justin Weinger Leave a Comment

Do you need a quick, inexpensive, yet homemade gift for a child? Consider making one of these crayon pouches. Not only are they cute & practical, but also thrifty and thoughtful. Supplies Needed: 2 felt squares of contrasting colors (usually 25 cents each), 1 pack of crayons (I bought mine during the back-to-school sales for 25 cents), DMC floss (usually 25 cents each and you could do this with one color strand if you want), scissors and a needle. Did you add that up yet? It's only 75 … [Read more...]

Make a Pair of Mittens From an Old Sweater

By Justin Weinger 3 Comments

Remember the monster stuffies I made as Christmas gifts for my children? This is more of that 100% cashmere sweater that I am recycling. It is just so soft that I knew I wanted to make a pair of lightweight mittens for myself. As I was cutting out the fabric pieces, my daughter felt the fabric and commented on how soft it was and how she wished the mittens I was making were for her. So, guess what! I still have more sweater left and am planning to make a pair for her and a pair of baby mittens … [Read more...]

Making Christmas Gifts: Doorway Puppet Theater

By Justin Weinger Leave a Comment

Most kid love puppets. I know mine do and have quite the collection of puppets. My daughter even has a wooden tabletop puppet theater that my parents made her, but she isn't fond of sharing it with her brother. Plus, it can tip easily if a toddler bumps in to it the wrong way. My solution was to design a doorway puppet theater using items I had around the house that were leftover or not in use. I chose to sew my project, but you could easily do this without any sewing at all and you may just … [Read more...]

Making Christmas Gifts: Monster Stuffies

By Justin Weinger 2 Comments

I don't think October is too early to be thinking about Christmas gifts. To be honest, I shop for presents for Christmas, birthdays. etc year round when I see something I look for a really good price. But once fall hits, I start thinking about those presents I will be making for others and begin creating so that I have enough time to get my projects completed. So, I thought that for the next couple months I would share how to make some of the gifts I will be giving away this holiday season … [Read more...]

DIY Hair Treatments for Pennies

By Justin Weinger 2 Comments

My daughter and I both have this thick hair with natural curl that dries out and snarls easily. With the summer sun and pool chlorine, we need a little help in keeping our hair manageable without breaking the budget. The two treatments we tried at home and WORK! that I will share with you are vinegar rinse and a detangler. Vinegar Rinse Gather your supplies of a quart jar, vinegar, hot water, and an herbal tea bag (optional, for fragrance.) Pour 3/4 cup of vinegar in to the quart … [Read more...]