diy

  • diy,  the kids

    infinity scarf.

    This was going to be a very hip, Pinterest-y post about my first crocheted infinity scarf. But real life is funnier. me: Hey Amie, want to do a fashion show and let me take pictures of you? Amie: Ok sure! me: You have to wear what I say. Amie: No way. I want to wear my flower girl dress and sparkle shoes. me: No, I want you to wear your blue dress and tights and boots and your new scarf. Amie: No. That won’t look good. me: Yes it will. I know about fashion too you know. Amie: Not as much as I do Silence. me: Will you do it…

  • diy,  food,  school

    pinterest.

    I’ve had a Pinterest account for over a year now but I could just never get into it. Pinterest seemed to me like one more temptation to waste my time. While it definitely can be that, I’ve had several friends urge me to use it as a way to get organized. And lately I’ve been asking for and dispensing lots of recipes and homeschooling advice, so I’ve begun to realize how nice it would be to have one place to keep all of that information. I adore researching topics that interest me (natural house cleaning, food, homeschooling, etc.), but sometimes I don’t do a good job of documenting the helpful…

  • diy

    no more shampoo.

    As a result of countless allergist appointments this past year, I’ve been on a mission to reduce/eliminate chemical products from our home.  My allergist makes a big deal about this and says she’s seen lots of success from patients who follow her advice and start using natural products, from everything to household cleaners to make-up to toiletries to laundry detergent. It only took me a couple of grocery store trips buying “green,” natural products to realize I needed to find an alternative if I wanted to spare our family budget, so I began to research homemade solutions.  This opened up a new and fascinating world to me.  I had no…

  • diy,  our house

    roman shades: the process.

    Soon after we decided to buy our house, I began thinking about living room window treatments (yes, I’m weird like that). Here are my three favorite websites for home design ideas: Young House Love  Apartment Therapy Houzz I’ve spent way too much time on all of those blogs in the past months, but it’s been so fun. I love curtains, but just wasn’t feeling them for our new living room.  The windows are big and the walls on either side of our picture window so narrow that I felt curtains would look bulky and cover up too much of the window.  You might remember the faux-wood plantation blinds on the…

  • diy

    the one about moving.

    Well, it’s been just over a week since our move, and I feel like there’s no time like the present to write a Moving Post.  As in: here’s my advice about moving (but hopefully it’s also a moving post).  I don’t have a lot of experience in many areas of life.  But one area I do have experience in is moving. We’ve now officially lived in ten houses in nine years of marriage.  We’ve also, as you know, moved to a different continent.  So yep, I’ve got some experience. Mostly I’m writing this blog post because I’m entertaining the fantasy that It’s going to be so long before we move…

  • diy,  guest posts

    microgreens.

    A guest post by David . . . I had a sudden urge to plant something edible this past weekend.  With a few conditions.  We don’t have any sunny yard space to speak of and really don’t want to put too much fuss into our rental.  And we’re on a budget, want quick results, and would like for our kids to join in. Enter microgreens. Microgreens are not their own species.  Yes, I asked our local feed store if they carried “microgreen seeds.”  In my defense, he said, “No, we don’t, but we should.”  Actually, microgreens are simply the very young seedlings of edible vegetables and herbs harvested 5-14 days after planting.  So a radish or cabbage…

  • columbia,  diy

    wooden wine stoppers.

    My dad has been at work in his wood shop making some gorgeous wine stoppers, so I had to post a few photos.  He’s beginning to sell them, and I think they’d make fantastic host or wedding gifts . . . or any occasion, for that matter!