Dog Barn

This summer, I really really want to build normy a dog house. He has never really warmed to the idea of a scorching oven of hot wood with no breeze, but with some weekend trips already planned for the upcoming months, we want him to learn how to camp outside overnight like a big boy.  Since he is too big for a house, he shall have a barn. :)  This barn has to be special and aesthetically pleasing, so I am not going to build just anything...I'm going to build a barn with a roof-top garden. These "Green" dog homes are made from rot-resistant red cedar, and apparently the addition of the garden adds a kind of insulation to the house, which should make it a little more comfortable in extreme temperatures - a must in the hot hot summers of Texas.

Check these awesome designs from www.sustainablepet.com. My two favs are in the top picture - -  I love the distressed color of the red one, and the heart cut-out of the white distressed square house - simply adorable! These designs retail for around $1500 dollars, and if you have read my previous posts concerning DIY projects, you will know that I, as a rule, only craft on a budget.  So I plan to design and build one for a fraction of this cost.

Here is a step-by-step guide for building a sustainable dog barn:  http://www.readymade.com/projects/sustainability_goes_to_the_dogs/next_step#steps

Our Dog Barn will certainly not be "Green" - I plan on using some left over roofing materials for the protection and seal of the roof, and would love to plant some succulents (that I have, amazingly, kept alive these last 6  months!) that were originally in my wedding bouquet, as well as some other cuttings from my potted plants that love Texas heat.

Norms should be happy and healthy in his Dog barn in a few weeks! Stay tuned for updated pics of the project. :)


This project can be modified for just about any animal, and it's especially fun for people like me who love being outside enjoying our home, animal, and gardens.  For those of you who are not doggy people, maybe a garden chicken coup is more your style. :) Happy Building!

http://www.kippenhouse.com/products.html

Homemade DIY Soap

You can't get something for nothin', but if you're savvy, and can get your hands dirty, you can get something for almost nothin'. :)

I love quality & thrifty-ness. And if the item happens to be both, then I'm over the moon and won't be afraid to make it public.  So compliment me on my cute sweater and I'll tell you where I bought it and how cheap it was, and how many might be left in your size. There are so many places to find good deals (Whatahusband does not think the dollar bin at target falls in this category, but you can find some awesome deals in there like candy corn colored baby socks and a sparkly bag to put them in) but my favorite place to see good deals in action is daily use items in my house...and it's even better if I make it myself.  It's a small kind of accomplishment I guess, putting your time and effort into seemingly unimportant items (like soap) but an incredibly meaningful one for a family that spends as much time at home as we do.  We love being together at home, and I want my house to be more than a place we hang our hats...I want it to be a place we can't wait to come back to, and where we dance around in hats we made just for fun...and hopefully I'll have a bedazzler on that craft day because my hat would be awesome.

Anyway,  I have always purchased large bargain buckets of soap from walmart to refill our liquid hand soap, but was never satisfied with the selection. We spend alot of time in our kitchen, and I have a weakness for things that smell wonderful, so I need soap that works, smells good and doesn't irritate my very sensitive skin.The thing I love most about this project is you can make it out of any soap you want!

What you need:

8 oz. bar soap of your choice (I used MrsMeyers this time, which is a great natural soap. You can get lots of great soaps at World Market, many of which are natural)
1 gallon of water
2 T Glycerin (find this in the band aid isle of Walmart or any Drug store)
Cheese Grater

Grate the soap!

On Medium-High heat, stir up the soap, water, and glycerin until the soap is completely dissolved.

Let it cool for atleast 12 hours. I let mine sit overnight, and it was totally hard!

 

Blend the soap, adding water, until you get the consistency of thick hand soap.

I love how it's shiny just like store-bought hand soap! And the basil soap I used smelled soooo good.

 

Done!!!

My batch made a ton, and I had more than a gallon.

Note: This soap project was inspired by a site called pinterest, and if you're not a member, you should join because it is filled these kinds of crafts. All it takes is a fake twitter account and you're in! :)

this one's for you, em

I have crazy dreams. I mean CRAZY.  Many times I will tell whatahusband about what happened in my mind the night before and he always responds with..."where did THAT come from?!?!?"

Well, last night I dreampt that one of my oldest and dearest friends emily and I started our own dog poop-scooping business complete with a company van painted by yours truely.

Our slogan? "Living the dream."

The really sad part? We brought Norman along to all our jobs, and he pooped in all the yards we visited.

today

Here's what I learned today... fake plastic berries look like very delicious berries to dogs.  That's right - Norms eats decorations.

And here's when it gets funny. Eating table foods is a no no in our house, so as soon as I heard the soft crunching sound coming from the studio, I rushed in caught him red handed pawed, after which he quickly sat on his bed (because he knew he was in trouble) and avoided my gaze. No joke - this dog would not look at me at all....

 

still avoiding...

cold shoulder...do not make eye contact.

and finally, the standoff is over. 

girl time

If you have a Movie Tavern in your town, you should see if they have a breakfast show time!  I just had the best time at the 9am showing of a chick flick with a girlfriend - we had bacon, egg, cheese, and jalapeno quesadillas, pancakes, and sipped coffee! it was some awesome girl time.  Next time I may wear my soft pants for the ultimate Saturday experience. ;)

valentines ball-o-fun

found this idea for a surprise ball on a craft blog I frequent, sooo cute! I think streamers are an underutilized party decoration anyway, and this craft makes it multi-functional!!  brill.

and, don't be scared of the dinosaur - he seems harmless. :)

Call for Prayer

My heart is just aching for Amanda and Dan.  I have never met this couple before, but they are good friends with my sister/brother-in-law, and my heart has been moved ever since I heard about their sweet Eleanor. Yesterday, Eleanor was unexpectedly welcomed into the arms of Jesus shortly after her birth.  This was a shock to friends and family, and especially to her parents.  As a believer, I know that in His arms we are complete and there is no better place to be, but it is still unimaginably painful to be asked to say goodbye to sweet babies here on earth far sooner than we ever expected or dreamed.

Please take a minute right now and pray for Amanda and Dan - and continue to pray for this family as the Lord brings them to mind.  Let's surround their house with the only force I know that can heal a hurt of this magnitude.  I pray for them a deep comfort on the long road of healing that lies ahead as they move forward without Eleanor in their arms.

Psalms 147:3 "He heals the brokenhearted, and binds up their wounds."

his and hers

conversations...

me: what's your favorite part about our home now that we have new things and it's decorated?
whatahusband: the bath mats. hands down.


whatahusband: hey babe, I've wanted to ask you something. I am totally fine with you hanging that art on the wall right here, but can we please move it to another wall?
me: yes we can, but why?
whatahusband: well, the jackalope hangs on this wall and this is, well... "his" space


whatahusband: i have the perfect project for this weekend.
me: oh boy, I can only imagine what it is...tell me!
whatahusband:  well, I'm going to take this washer fluid bottle and weld some mounts for it underneath my truck and run a tube to the front of the truck so I can shoot people with water when I'm driving.
me: (pause) ok, well don't come crying to me when I have to bail you out of jail for shooting those dumb bicycle guys that ride down the 2 lane highway with no shoulder - I mean are they trying to get killed?
whatahusband: great target idea babe, thanks.


me: that SCARY DOG has gotten loose and is near our yard again and he runs up to norman and I when we go walking and tries to stir up trouble! i think he bites! I need to take norman out to go to the bathroom right now!! what do i do?
whatahusband: ok, (looking around the house quickly) here's the plan.  let me go get the taser, then you can walk norman and we'll use him as bait to lure out that dog.  we'll teach that other dog a lesson if he comes on our property!
me: use norman as BAIT ?!?!
whatahusband: (engulfing me in a big hug) I'll protect you.


whatahusband: what in the h is this?
me: this is ginger.
whatahusband: oh. are we going to eat that?
me: yep!
whatahusband: i think its dirty babe.
me: well, that's just how it looks, it's a root.
whatahusband: I don't know what we're talking about any more.