An easy Ikea hack

This is what I did to make over the ultra-basic LÄTT kid-size table and chairs. I was really tired of cleaning the not-overly-slick surface of the pressboard panels and wanted to do something more interesting with them.



We had a section of very nice decorative vinyl shower curtain lying around (we'd used it for a messy mat for eating or playing on, but I plan to replace it with something more rug-like). After I took apart the table and chairs, I cut the vinyl in appropriately sized pieces with about an inch extra on every side. Then I wrapped it around the edges and taped it tightly over the panels with duct tape and pushed/slid them into their grooves (this took a bit of work and some gentle hammering). The duct tape really only needs to hold the covering in place long enough for assembly, as the essembled items will secure it in place. Finally, I reassembled the chairs and table.

I like this because it requires no paint, no new tools, and can be done with anything, really, as long as it's not too thick (wallpaper, fabric or even clear contact paper laid on pieces of kid art would work great). Also, you can change out the decorative coverings easily if you or the kids get bored with the look.

Blogstalky week 7: Oldest picture of me

 

So there it is.

I look a lot like MrGiantBaby, huh? Yeah, the only reason you can tell this is girl is that I'm wearing a dress.

It's even blue and white. Even dressed in frilly girly clothes, I was a tomboy. Nothing ever changes.

Oh, we're home again, obviously. I had to clean out the frige, and we are very lucky our deep freeze is newish and kicks quite a lot of butt, but things are getting back to normal around here.

Blogstalky week 5&6

First, since I cannot find the photo I want to use for week 5 (statue), I'll just tell you about it. It's a memorial at the Mountain View Cemetary in Oakland, California. Victorian or Edwardian, for a little girl, it's a big white marble block with a little girl lying on it as if she's asleep, and it's not easy to read.

Very sad, but commonplace, right? The interesting bit is that every time I've gone there, to photograph the cemetary (a hobby of mine) or just to enjoy the contemplative beauty and read about the occupants, I've found that someone has left a small stuffed animal in her arms. Sometimes it's been there for a long time, dirty and bedraggled, and sometimes it is new. It's been going on for years, because I've been going to that cemetary since 1986 or so, and as far as I know it still goes on.

It's absolutely the most touching tribute I've ever seen left at an old memorial. Beats plastic flowers hands down.

Now to week 6: a day in the life.

I'm skipping my usual day, because it's boring: I get up, drink coffee, make breakfast, care for my kids, do chores, squeeze in a few minutes of crafting time, brush teeth, pass out, get up and do it again.

Today, it's more exciting than that, because the whole of San Diego County is on fire, or seems that way. We have not evacuated yet, but I've made my list of what we are taking in event of evacuation.

So here's my evacuation packing list:

1. Air mattress, crib mattress, playpen
   
2. sheets/blankets
3. clothes (grabbing 4 bags of freshly done laundry) and shoes (from shoe rack in hallway)
4. Husband's uniforms
5. First Aid Kit
6. Contact lenses/glasses/allergy meds
7. Diapers
8. Plastic File boxes with important papers
9. Flash drive with virtual important papers
10. Key Volunteer Binder
11. Small knitting project (kids' going out toys are already in the car)
12. Digital camera (already took photos of all valuables that will be left behind, including spinning wheel)
13. Water from garage (1 flat sippys, 1 box bottles)
14. 1 pot and 1 frying pan, plastic dishes, cups and 2 sport bottles
15. Toiletries (shampoo, toothbrushes, toothpaste)
16. Storybook for amusing children
17. Stroller and babywrap
18. my computer if I have time (it's not insured).

A lot of this can't really go in the van yet. Other than that, I've been watching the news for evacuation notices, and dealing with hot, frustrated kids who want to play outside and can't. Mr GiantBaby is currently throwing a tantrum because FX brought a toy downstairs that the both wanted, and I took it away because they fought over it.

Yay.

I'm also trying to work out whether I should sort laundry, make dinner, or just get everything packed to get evacuated. The news says we're probably fine for now (two sets of hills between us and the current fire that may cause evacuations), since the fires that are heading for the sea are running along valleys.

The ash fall is getting thicker, but it's still not bad. The smoke made the sun look like a red disk in the sky this morning, I can't open the windows for ventilation due to the smoke and we have no air conditioning. With both fans going full blast, it's about 85 in here.

Crabby hot kids, worried mother. Mr GiantBaby just bit me.

blogstalky week 4: 3 things I love, 3 things I hate

Okay, photoessay time.

I love Guinness. MMMMMmmmmmmm. Beer that eats like a meal!

That's a really shallow thing, but I do love it. I also love coffee, but it's too late to take a picture of it. It's yummy. I like double chocolate stout, too, but I really love Guinness. Some people like wine, but I'm a beer and whiskey girl all the way. I blame my genetics.

Ironically, I don't drink much at all - the occasional beer, maybe once a week at most. I'm such a lightweight. I just finished that one and I'm all warm and comfy now. I expect my typing will suffer.

I love my family. Even on days I feel like eating my own young because they make me crazy, I love them. My husband is intentionally out of focus because he hates pictures.

I took this last week, when the Mr GiantBaby sat at the little table with his big brother and ate a meal for the first time. I was so impressed, but FX couldn't figure out what the big deal was. He thinks his brother should be able to do everything he can.

Okay, you get two images. I love this one. Even if it is the back of my husband's head. It's such a nice image. And he's actually in it. Holding the baby.

Can I get an "Awwwwwwwwww?"

You know you want to.

I love to cook. I love my spices, and I collect them. I have 50 some-odd different spices, and perhaps 60 individual spice jars. It's not a sickness, I actually use them. It just gets weird trying to replace the odder ones, like chervil, when I run out. I've been known to resort to mail order.

You can see something else in this image. I also keep a notebook of favorite recipes, clippings, scrawled "how I'm doing this right now before I forget" ideas, etc. It has a book mark of a kissing couple on the cover.

Now we get to the hatey bits. I hate bills. I'm good at paying them, I can manage our money just fine, but I hate that they eat up so much of our income.
Picture me shaking my fist. Yeah.

If we were millionaires I'd still hate it.



Laundry. Who likes laundry, anyway? I've got a system, but if I get delayed by a day or two, I'm up to my eyes in clean clothes with no hangers and I have no idea what happened.

I'm slowly climbing back out of that hole. Wish me luck.

Blogstalky, week 3: from here to there

Okay, okay, I'm doin' it. I know it's Thursday. I didn't really want to write about this.

This is Martha, my 12 year old, third-hand minivan, in the snow last spring:


She looks evil (like some kind of snowy evil pokemon-car) in the snow, but she's pretty benign. She takes us to the store perhaps once every two weeks, and on the odd family outing in between. Usually she sits in the driveway, resting as old ladies are wont to do.

Mostly, though, I walk around on these:

But they usually have at least flip-flops on when I'm outside, hiking boots if I intend to go far. We have a no-shoe house, so they are always bare at home, unless they are cold, in which case I can be counted on to be ruining some perfectly good pair of socks.

So that's how I get around. I have no pictures of the sleek, black mancar the husband drives, but I get to drive Lucy every once in a while. She's nice, and she'd better be since we now have a car payment again. Meh.