New Ideas Tuesday

1

I dig this vintage tie rack turned jewelry rack, via SF Girl By Bay.

2

Have you seen this NYC article about dads taking over as full-time parents? It's an interesting read. Life as a stay at home dad is probably a little easier in a progressive city like NYC. I wonder if it's more difficult in most cities, where men would have fewer connections with other stay-at-homers.  

New Ideas Tuesday

A few things I've been thinking about lately for New Ideas Tuesday.

1

I think I was the last person on earth to read this amazing work-life balance article on Atlantic Monthly. But if you are the last person to read it, do it now. It is a must read article, especially for women but also men who are in management roles and have the power to make some positive changes. I'll probably blog more about this in the future. I can't agree more with the author, I think she read my mind. Take that Marissa Mayer.

2

I kind of dig these tea box planters. It's a cute idea, and I may give it a try for winter. Now that I'm working from home, maybe my plants won't all die on me. I don't know the original source, but I found it on Pinterest.

3

I think this article on making friends after 30 is interesting. What's your experience been with making friends post college? I think I've been pretty lucky and have made some great friends recently. But the article raises some very valid points on the factors needed to make great friends and the things that happen in life that inhibit new deep relationships.

4

Does anyone know where to find these industrial bins? I think they make very cool storage bins for toys. From French By Design. 

New Idea Tuesday - Kitchen Canister Labels

I think this is a really cute DIY idea, although I may use a shortcut with clear labels instead of the entire process described in the blog post. But either way, I love the style, and it would help make my kitchen cabinets much more organized and cute. Great idea, from The Painted Hive. See the original post for the process, more pictures, and the FREE label printables.

New Idea Tuesday - Subway Sign Dresser

I found this great DIY idea over at Brooklyn Limestone, via Lindauer Designs. I'm keeping my eye out for a dresser like this at flea markets this summer and I'm going to try it for sure. Love it!!

New Idea Tuesday - DIY Play Kitchen

A few months back I featured Love and Life Cards in this post for Featured Artist Friday. We ordered our Christmas cards from Love and Life Cards, and they were great. Great quality cards, excellent printing, reasonable prices, and free shipping. I'm always checking back at the Love and Life Cards blog It's The Little Things. Last week they featured a DIY play kitchen, which was made with a flea market side table, a little paint, and lots of leftover scraps from their basement and home renovation.  I love the use of the old hot and cold knobs, the leftover back splash tiles, and the found wood scraps and light switch. Such a creative idea!! See the post and more pictures and directions here. Thanks for sharing Love and Life Cards!

Side Table DIY Play Kitchen Before:

Side Table DIY Play Kitchen After:

New Idea Tuesday: Joy to the World Map

I love this idea for holiday-themed DIY map art from Angela Hardison, inspired by Emily's holiday special. I also spent a good few hours on Angela's blog, she has some really inspiring ideas and links. See the post for more pictures and the FREE printable PDF of the template. Thank you for sharing this fun idea and template Angela!



New Ideas Tuesday

Love this DIY clothesline for a kid's bedroom. It's so easy, even a non-sewer like me could probably do it!! From Rowantree Design

 Funky 3D letter font, from How About Orange

 I love this project idea using an old thrift store painting, some tape or sticky letters, and paint. From Craftzine. I may even have to borrow the quote, since my daughter was born on St.Patrick's Day. This would be PERFECT for her bedroom.

This is totally funky but it's a creative use of all those old VHS tape holders we all still have laying around. A picture frame with a hidden message in it. From Divaani

 This is such a sweet idea, photographing your little girl in your wedding dress for display at her wedding. I think I may try that soon. From Pinfluence

New Ideas Tuesday

Project inspiration via Pinterest

Easy Very Hungry Caterpillar snack idea via Cute Food For Kids

 Paper Doll magnets DIY idea via One Pearl Button

 Fun art supply storage DIY via House to Home

New Ideas Tuesday

A few of my favorites from this week:

Fun with felt, Dress A Pumpkin, from Pinterest

A nice way to display children's artwork, from Isabella & Max Rooms

Fun painted pumpkin ideas, from Whatever blog

I don't know why, but I really like these mini camera stickers, from the PetaPixel store. 

 This fun Trick-Or-Treat Paper City Halloween craft from Made By Joel

New Ideas Tuesday

A few of my favorite new ideas from the last week:

This awesome dresser renovation. But more than the dresser itself is the blog and the shop itself, The Modern Cottage Company. If I lived in the Seattle area I would definitely visit them often. She has an online shop so you can see all of her inventory, and make appointments to visit. Brilliant, I totally love it.  You'll probably see a few posts just for them in the future on my blog.

 This fun little project for toddlers that I will be doing this winter, from A Happy Wanderer.

 This little project using the leaves, via Pinterest, original source unknown.

 A One Fish Two Fish sorting game from Oopsey Daisy.

 And these awesome yummy looking pretzel treats from Squidoo

New Idea Tuesday - The Back to School Lunchbox

With it being the back-to-school time of the year, I thought this would be a good time to post about my newest meal time obsession, the Goodbyn lunchbox. I found them on the Bluebird Vintage blog here a few months ago and I totally want one. Sorta for me, sorta for Bean I guess! They're very simple little lunchboxes that come in the larger original size or the smaller bynto size, and they allow for you to set good portion sizes and include several little bites of different things. My kid eats little bites of lots of things, so for us this is perfect. And they're colorful and cute and come with free stickers for the kids (or mommies) to decorate them with. Definitely check out the Bluebird Vintage blog posts on Kiddo Lunches for more about them and more great pictures from this very healthy family. Also check out the Goodbyn website for online and retail locations, and also for links to pictures of Goodbyn lunches for great ideas on how to avoid the boring ham and cheese sandwich lunch rut.

New Ideas Tuesday - Made By Joel

I usually have links to several different sites on New Ideas Tuesday, but this week I found one site that I feel deserves its own post. I recently discovered this amazing website by artist Joel Henriques, madebyjoel.com. The website is a very creative site that shares all kinds of great children's art activities and other ideas for kids for free. For FREE - that's what I love about it other than how awesome the artwork actually is - here is an incredible artist who has spent hours and hours creating such great artwork and activities, and he is totally open to sharing this with the world. What an amazingly selfless thing to do. I personally have already used several of the project ideas, free printable coloring sheets, and free printable paper cities with my daughter. They are the best and Bean loves them, and they are so easy to use with a little bit of cardstock and a printer.

Here's a few of my favorite posts. Definitely check out the Paper City series for several great scenes to print out. I love the Sydney Opera House and Luna Park set.

The latest is the Paris set and I totally love it:

The Duck and Goat coloring sheets are awesome too and so great for an easy toddler activity. There's several great ones in the Coloring Sheets set to check out.

We live near the ocean and we're always finding driftwood at the beach, so I liked this post on Driftwood Fish.

And this one, fleece play squares for babies is great, I'll be using this one for our next baby for sure. 

Definitely check out madebyjoel.com. You'll love it and I haven't even scratched the surface for all the great ideas on the site.

New Ideas Tuesday

A few of my favorites from this week:

Cardboard ideas - TONS of ideas for reusing cardboard for fun toys and games for kids. This will be GREAT for long winter days at home. From Pinterest, via Lil Magooli, via ikat bag

Easy and cheap candle display, which I'll have on my mantle this Christmas from here

Painted tin cans for storage, from here

Framed letter DIY project, and link to an Etsy seller who sells the letters and completed projects here

New Ideas Tuesday

  Mmm, yummy chocolate chip, PB and banana snack or breakfast for Bean from here:

 

 Pretty DIY hook project from here:

 

 Totally love this idea for a party, must try for our next holiday party!! From here:

 Looks like a relatively simple DIY Very Hungry Caterpillar no-sew felt project, perfect for someone like me who can't sew!! From here:

This is brilliant, using an oil drip pan as a magnetic board for those of us who don't want to scratch up our stainless fridge. From here:

New Ideas Tuesday

A few of my favorites from this last week:

Two things here, this post on hosting an awesome wine and cheese party and the chalkboard contact paper they're using!! I found it online on Amazon. So cool. Next time we have an adult only party, which may be in 20 years, I'm trying this!

Colorful DIY pasta for projects. Ooooh pretty colors. From A Little Delightful here
This website also has TONS of other great projects for kids, make sure to check it out.

The darn cutest little Minnie Mouse outfit I've ever seen for newborns. If we have a girl I'm ordering one immediately. From Etsy store Lady Hudd here

I will at some point DIY a dresser with the British flag. Someday I will!!! I like this one from here

Ok this winter I will be trying this out - brilliant, a piece of astro turf and some farm animals and other toys for some indoor green in the middle of winter. This will definitely happen this winter. From here