Butter...blah blah blah...Muffins...

I left and returned to my house approximately 399 times yesterday(Wednesday).

Dropped of Bubbalu at MIL's house and brought Lil Chick to her nine month, 9:00 appointment at the doctor....on 9/09/09. Weird. She really did turn EXACTLY nine months old yesterday. Like I said, weird.

Turns out she is still super stinkin tiny, so much so that the Doctor advised adding butter, heavy cream or olive oil to her meals. Yum Yum, eat up darlin! She hits all of those developmental markers, she's just a pipsqueak. However, a fiery lil pipsqueak. She may be small, but she's mighty.

Lil Chick is a screechy, shrieking aficionado. I sometimes wonder if my neighbors think I lay around all day sticking her with pins. In reality, she screeches when she is holding a toy, looking at her brother, or just because she's bored. You know, maybe she just wants a big bowl of butter.

We had a lovely relaxing afternoon of x-rays, medication, schlepping to the doctor and tears from Bubbalu over concerns of a broken forearm...all turning out to be a dislocated elbow. It was a trying and emotionally exhausting day. I am praising God for Bubbalu's health and intact bones.

Favorite part of my day occurred in the x-ray waiting room. This waiting room was extremely cavernous and seemed to magnify (ha! NPI) every whispered word or sound. Two year olds don't seem to get the whisper concept. At least my two year old doesn't get it. He's busy commenting on everyone's shoes, the man in the wheelchair, the lights, the gumball machine, the blue chairs...you name it. Everyone was politely ignoring him.

Then there was....silence.

Until a certain 31.8lb two year old voice belted out, "DO YOU KNOW THE MUFFIN MAN, THE MUFFIN MAN, THE MUFFIN MAN! DO YOU KNOW THE MUFFIN MAN WHO LIVES ON DRURY LANE!"

We are just the par-tay of the x-ray waiting room. You need an x-ray? Call us, we're quite entertaining. Who knows, we may even bring muffins...

A

Maternity Shirt Renovation Episode 2...

Continuing in the thrifty renovation theme, I cut up some more Maternity shirts and made em all nice and sassy.

First up, you need to meet Mrs. Blah Black Maternity Shirt, sister to Mrs. Blah Yellow Maternity Shirt.

What can I say, I find a style that works and I go with it...should I go ahead and admit that not only did I buy black and yellow, but I also have it in pink and sky blue as well? Hmmm. Yeah, that's FOUR of the same shirts. They looked good, and they were ON SALE!

Internets, meet Mrs. Blah Black Maternity Shirt:



See? BLAH.

Notice the pins running up the left side? That's right, I sliced and diced and un-maternicized it.

However, it was still BORING, BLAH and PLAIN.

I dug around in my fabric stash (one or seven tote bins full) and pulled out two neglected leftover knit sleeve pieces. They are a dark gray with white polka dots on them. PERFECT! Fall is upon us, and gray is still in!

Slice off the edges:



and cut even width lengths (eyeball it, just say no to measuring with this project) and you have:



I got five per sleeve. I tried to quickly baste and ruffle them with my fussy, haven't had a tune-up in five years, sewing machine...which not surprisingly balked at the project.

What to do, what to do.

Craft bugs are a'biting and no sewing machine! NOT ACCEPTABLE.

Send sweet hubby over to borrow MIL's sewing machine (thanks Mom!) and get right back at it.

Quickly basted and ruffled those repurposed sleeves and sewed them onto Mrs. Blah Black Maternity Shirt, which transformed her to Miss Sassy Black Ruffly Shirt, sister to Miss Sassy Yellow Bunchy tank:



Ah, Miss Sassy Black Ruffly Shirt, I believe you and I are going to be long-time BFF's...

A

A Flock of Frames...

I have some very blah walls. They are painted a dark contractor yellow-beige and are quite boring. While searching for something wallet-friendly I found this beautiful wall mirror:



Drool.

But I can't justify the $599 price tag.

I've been digging the idea of clustering empty frames to achieve a simplistic yet eclectic feel:

Apartment Therapy

I think all black or all white create a stunning, pleasing result:


Country Living

So I traipsed down to the local thrift store and lo and behold, picked up about 4 decorative edged frames. PERFECTO! I also had a few lying around awaiting inspiration.

I turned Bubbalu's neglected swimming pool over, threw on a drop cloth and started spray painting.

Frames before:



Can I just say? Get that handy dandy snap and spray paint can handle thingy...I have a massive case of spray can-itis.

I picked up one more large vintage frame at a garage sale last Saturday for $1.50...my kind of price!

Spray spray spray...

Once dry, set out the frames on the floor, rearranging until you feel the look is cohesive and makes you feel all happy.

Enlist hubby's help to hang on wall, as hubby may or may not be the king of centering, leveling and measuring.

Looky there, now I've got something on the wall other than paint!

After:



Really now, this project cost me about $10.00.



Thrifted frames - $6 ish

Black spray paint- $3.99

Lance was doubtful that this would look good. Once I hung them up (and told him I spent only $10) he conceeded that it wasn't a complete disaster.




Off to spray paint more treasures...

A

Check out more DIY transformations at the Thrifty Decor Chick Before & After Party: