Category Archives: Making a House a Home

I believe I have found the ULTIMATE solution to all of your glassware woes!!!!!! Previously I had posted about how my mother used Mason Jars instead of traditional glassware when I was growing up because 1) They are cheap 2) They are durable 3) They don’t tip easily and 4) You can see how much your kids drank because oftentimes there are measurements on the side of the glass! Well, I went through our glassware cabinet and have completely revolutionized the way we drink!!!!!!! I know…you didn’t think that glassware was that exciting, but it most definitely is!!!!!!!

Mason Jars....ahhhhh!!!!!

1) I decided to pitch anything that wasn’t glass or ceramic (ok actually it got re-purposed to the garage) because let’s face it, overtime plastic just doesn’t hold up that well. I kept a lot of ceramic mugs because we LOVE hot chocolate at this house!!!!! **The one exception to the plastic ban was the Magic Bullet mugs which I intend to keep until it dies on me.

2) I intend on doing A LOT of canning this year, so I needed a place to store LOTS of jars when they are not being used….why not drink out of them for the time being?!?!

3) I also needed different sizes of glassware to represent the different needs of my different family members: really big glasses for David when he is working outside and really little glasses for the kids. Mason jars come in Quart size, Pint size, and Cup size….and you can save old baby food jars (the tall kind) if you need something even smaller for tiny hands!

4) We have recently switched over to non-homogenized milk which means you need to shake the bottle before pouring….so if you put a glass back in the fridge overnight, you will need to shake or stir it before drinking. A lid that fits on the glass would make this exceedingly convenient! (I keep the lids in a bowl in another cabinet with other food storage gear.)

Isn't it sooo cute?!?!?! (Yes I am talking about milk...) And it has a Bible verse on it!

5) You can also use the glasses with their lids for breakfast on the go, packing lunches, storing leftovers, craft projects, and numerous other occasions!!!

6) A Dry Erase Marker….no glassware cabinet is complete without one!!!!!!! You can write each person’s name on their cup and it will come off in the dishwasher!!! I know….you are thinking why didn’t I think of this earlier?!?! I was wondering the same thing!!!

7) I did keep David’s favorite coca-cola glasses and some fancy wine glasses we use for Shabbat/Sabbath (My latest attempt at teaching Jessica about the Bible…I figured “Hey, it worked for God with the Israelites after they spent 300 years in slavery….maybe it will work for us….who knows more about how we learn than our Maker?!?!” ….I also have to admit that I am learning a lot from it as well!)

Finished product!!

Since we moved in 4 years ago, we have slowly been going through the house room by room and making it a home! We already finished the kiddie room, bathroom, and guest room. Recently, we just finished our screened in porch! We spend a lot of time out there since we live in such a mild climate. In many ways it is like our family room or play room!

The half of the porch dedicated to fun things for the kids to do! We have tried to focus on classic outdoor toys that would help promote motor skills and provide a plethora of sensory experiences: balls, chalk, sand/water table, boat, bike, etc. These are beneficial for all children, but it seems to be especially helpful for Jessica. We also have a swing set out in the yard that also promotes motor skills and sensory experiences.

The other half of the porch dedicated to enjoying being together with family and friends. At some point we plan to build a picnic table to go where the camping chairs are currently. We just haven’t found time to get it done yet! I can envision eating dinner with family and friends on that picnic table, planting vegetables on that picnic table, working on science projects with the kids, etc.

Here is a close up of the chalkboard. Having an upright chalkboard is excellent for fine motor skills. It is actually a piece of plywood that we painted with chalkboard paint. David screwed it into the holes left for the hurricane shutters….hopefully we won’t have to take it down anytime soon!

Yet another picture of the boat David built. Great for imaginary play, motor skills, and vestibular stimulation. Best piece of plywood we ever bought!!!

And finally a close up of the sand/water table also great for providing a wide range of sensory experiences and very very popular at our house!!!

As we have been under quarantine, I have been able to get a few things done around the house that have been on my list for ages, such as painting the bathroom door and trim! I had most of this room done before Jessica was born. I just got busy once she was born and never got back to the finishing touches! Here is the only picture I have from before we bought the house:

I did something really unusual with this room….I purchased decorative bathroom items that match….I know, I was a little disappointed with myself! This will probably be the only room where I purchase a set to decorate a room. The reason I chose to do that with this room was because it went nicely with the Noah’s Ark theme I had going in the kiddie room!

There are four items that I did not purchase with the set: 1) the pictures hanging on the wall were a gift from my sister when Jessica was born 2) the stuffed animals came from my sister-in-law 3) the wooden shelf that was on clearance for 3 dollars and 4) all of the hardware/fixtures (when the house was built the builder installed the cheapest hardware and fixtures they could find).

I expect at some point we will update the bathroom once the kids get older, but the jungle theme should last for quite a while. Also at some point, I may paint the shelf. The shelf and the toilet seat don’t quite match (I never could find a perfect match), and it just kind of bugs me….but that may wait until I decide the kids have outgrown the jungle theme! Total cost for this room: I have no idea! I did this so long ago I don’t remember….either way it was probably the least frugal room in the house!

It’s nice to know that my daughter is already getting a good grasp of what REAL Southern hospitality is all about, as evidenced by this picture of her Little People she played with during nap time:

I love the fact that she didn’t put a single piece of furniture or decoration in her “house” except a table and chairs. (I am not sure why she used the hospital….she has a house….perhaps because the hospital courtyard is more spacious?) I also really love how she crammed 8 “chairs” around the table, and that when she ran out of real chairs, she used the x-ray machine!!!! There is always room for one more!

It doesn’t matter what kind of structure you call home, how it is decorated, or what you have (or don’t have) in it. What matters is that you find opportunities to open your home and always make an extra seat (even if it is an “x-ray machine”) to share whatever it is you have…even if it is just a smile, a laugh, or a hug!

My husband has been very busy as of late making some upgrades around our house! Remember the new knife he bought me while I was out of town? Well that has turned into knives, and he decided that I needed a nice cutting board as well! He has made several cutting boards for family and friends using this project from The Wood Whisperer. This is the one he made for my mother (or you can check out my husband’s post about making cutting boards at his blog):

Isn’t it gorgeous?? It is made with walnut and cherry. What’s really great is that it will always look that nice because it is made using the end grain of the wood. Imagine you have a straw broom. If you take a pocket knife and cut down into the straws, it will not leave a mark because the knife goes between the straws. However, if you cut across the straws, then you are going to mar your broom. It is the same with wood. An end grain cutting board will not leave unsightly cuts that would need to be sanded away. All you have to do is occasionally apply a little mineral oil so that the wood will not dry out, and it will always look as good as new! We’re talking heirloom quality here! This is the cutting board he made for me with the pieces of walnut and cherry he had left over:

I think my favorite part is that it is a one of a kind! If you enjoy woodworking….or think you would enjoy woodworking, you should really check out The Wood Whisper! Marc is entertaining and makes fine furnishings accessible at any level! (And yes, I think I can safely say that I may have watched a few too many of my husband’s favorite woodworking podcasts since I was able to explain all of this while he was at work without looking anything up!)

Today I did two things to help provide more structure for Jessica. Most of the time when we talk about providing structure, we are referring to rules, schedules, and consistency, but providing structure can also come in the form of organization! Today I finished a project I have been meaning to get around to for months: organizing Jessica’s toys! Jessica LOVES toys with small pieces. She has since she was 18 months old. I always keep all of the toys with small pieces in the closet though because I don’t want John to accidentally choke on them. I am also very careful to make sure that all of the toys that come out of the closet also go back in because again I don’t want John to accidentally get a hold of a toy that was left out. However, having that many toys with that many small pieces can get very disorganized very quickly!!!!! So this is what I did…..

I found these boxes on sale for $1 each (and the lids actually stay on unlike the ones I found on sale at Lowes). Then I took mailing labels and labeled each box with what was in it. Last I put a sticker or placed a picture printed out from my computer on the label. This way not only do we know what goes in each box but so does Jessica! This makes it much easier for her to help clean up! Once she is done playing, we pick up the toys and put the boxes back on the middle shelf in her closet! Organization is usually something that has to be taught. It is even more important the more people you have sharing the same space, and it has always been especially important for me!

The other thing I did today was make Jessica a calendar. She is still not quite grasping the concepts of today, tomorrow, Monday, Tuesday, etc. However, she is VERY exciting about a Tea Party she is going to on Monday, and I thought it might help to have a calendar to show her when the party is.

You can see that Friday we are going to Chickfila (after the dermatologist appointment), Sunday we are going to church and then to see Beauty the dog, Monday we are going to a Tea Party, the dentist, and having a Valentine's day dinner, Tuesday we go to Occupational Therapy (that is supposed to be her yellow weighted blanket I made her), Wednesday we have preschool, and Friday we go to Speech Therapy (where we always get a cookie)

I printed out a blank calendar from Preschool Printables and drew a picture of what we were going to do on each day for about a week. We talked about what each picture was, and then placed a star sticker on today. I am hopeful that this will help provide a little more structure. I had meant to create a daily schedule as well….probably should have tried to do that first…..oh well….perhaps I will get around to that this next week….

David and I did not get each other anything for Christmas this year, but while I was out of town, David made some modifications to a room in our house that I enjoy spending a lot of time in: my kitchen! He bought me a nice chef’s knife that he found for a good deal at TJ Max — mine just put a dent in tomatoes!! (He has also been researching the “correct” way to cut with a knife….I didn’t even know there was a “correct” way!!!) He also bought me a knife block for $3 at a thrift store to keep on top of the fridge! (We had been keeping the knives in a casserole dish in a locked cabinet after Jessica came running at me with the chef’s knife one day wanting a piece of cheese!!!!) I am not sure if I was more excited about his thoughtfulness or his shopping skills! And…..drum roll please…….he built me this gorgeous spice rack!!!!!!!!!!!

Previously, my spices had been sitting on top of the upper kitchen cabinets (because Jessica enjoyed opening and dumping my spices all over the counter top)! I am so excited about all of the surprise improvements me made to the kitchen while I was gone!!!!!! I love practical gifts that show that the giver is really paying attention!

Well, I was going to do the next post in our Susie Home Maker series (inspired by my cousin Susie who is moving into her first apartment this year!!!) about bathrooms, since they can be rather challenging to decorate in an apartment. However, I realized that I had neglected a few other essentials…one of which is floors! The floors of most apartments are not that great. They typically have stains, holes and frayed edges in the carpet, chips in linoleum (or tile if you are lucky enough to have it), etc. I have no earthly idea when the floors in our apartment had last been redone but they were pretty gross!! The best thing you can do to hide these eye sores outside of being careful how you place the furniture is to use lots of rugs! You may be able to find some cute rugs for a good deal that match the other things you already have, but in the event that you don’t, here are a few different ideas I have seen for making some really cute rugs!! (I have been really wanting to try some of these! I just have not had the time! Maybe when I start working on our bedroom…)

When I think about homemade rugs, one of the first types that comes to mind is a country braided rug! My parents used to have some of these in their home, and I have seen them in several relatives home. You can make them in almost any shape or size! To make them you just braid long strips of fabric (usually from a durable fabric like old jeans) and then stitch them together into the shape you want.

However, if minimal handstitching sends you into panic attacks, I have also found a pattern that has absolutely no sewing involved!!!

Along that same vein, if you are looking for something that involves fairly minimal sewing/needlework skills, you might also find these ideas pretty neat!

This is a pom-pom rug. You make lots and lots of pom-poms (very easy), and then you sew them (or potentially knot them) onto a rug canvas (or you could use some type of durable fabric like denim or burlap). I personally really like this rug because you could use yarn scraps instead of buying specific types of yarn!

This is a hook and latch rug. While it is another no-sew option, I do NOT recommend it! I have had one of these since I was in elementary school and I still have only completed a couple inches of it! It just takes a really long time to knot each little piece of yarn onto the rug canvas!

While this rug will involve a minimal amount of crocheting, it would make up much quicker than a hook and latch rug!

This rug would require a minimal amount of knitting, but once again would make up much quicker than a hook and latch rug!

Another option that would require minimal sewing would be a Recycled Shag Rug. The only sewing involved is straight stitches on a machine. The instructions recommend bunching the material; however, if you wanted to leave out that step, I think you probably could. It just might be a little less shaggy!

The other kind of homemade rug I typically think of is a woven rag rug. My grandmother has one in her house that I have always loved! If you ever managed to use one of those potholder loom kits as a child, you can probably manage this!

There are several different sets of instructions you might try depending on what sounds easiest to you: 1 and 2!

Finally, there is what we refer to as “Floor Clothes.” Basically, you sew anything you want on a durable piece of fabric and place it on the floor! You could attach it to a rug canvas or use some of that carpet tape they sell at Lowe’s to keep it in place better.

If you want more ideas to get you started, then you might take The Rug Tour. The great thing about making rugs is that you can 1) Make exactly what you want or 2) Use scraps of what you have so that it doesn’t cost you a thing!