Thrifty Chic in Canada

Remember the post about my dough bowl with the blocks? Well, Janice from Canada emailed me and told me she was inspired to do the same under her coffee table. How sweet is that?Don't you just love the whole room? I really like the mix of rustic with white. I really enjoy seeing what other people do on small budgets. Their "beadboard" is actually beadboard wallpaper, which surprises their guests. Could have fooled me too. Almost everything came from thrift stores or Kijiji, which is Canana's version of craigslist. Of course, the dog is one of my...

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X-RAY JOURNEY

X-rays and their ilk were my thread of the week. Sometime the thread pans out into something useful. Sometimes not.  Stephan's Quintet in 60 Seconds from cxcpub on Vim...

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Singing by the Stairs

Remember our bench seat? It used to sit beside the stairwell. That is, until Sparkle and Blue came along.They were the much anticipated, saved-up-for pets by Paris, our oldest daughter.She bought the birds, and we bought the birdcage.Because I found one in a distressed gray finish. I thought beside the stairs would be the perfect spot for it. For them.As did Blackberry, one of our four cats. The table lends itself to a superb spying spot.They are used to each other by now though and co-exist peaceably,by the stai...

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Homeschooling never looked so good

Number 2 way to cheat the Dave Ramsey system? Find amazing pieces like this for my home and take it out of the "homeschooling category".It's in the budget after all. beautiful images above: Reading My Tea Leavesimage: Raven MapsAren't they just beautiful? Pieces of art, really. I think we'll be learning a lot about Alaska this year:Based solely on the shape.These gorgeous maps are made by Raven Maps. Their philosophy: "Maps must be accurate, but they should also be beautiful." Yes, plea...

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No Shop Time – BOO HISS and Grumble even

I am sure I am not the only woodworker that feels this way, but I feel like I don’t get enough shop time.  Actually I don’t get enough consistent shop time.  I will go through phases where I will be out there most every night for a week or so and then guess what happens life gets in the way again and I have a slump.  My wife and I started a project together that I mentioned in a previous blog.  This was a momentous occasion for me finally something that I am interested in that we can share together.  I mean I...

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5 Steps Before Purchasing (from now on)

My husband and I have been attending a Dave Ramsey Financial Peace Class every week, and last night's lesson was on Buyer Beware. In it, Dave lays out the five wise and worthy steps to walk through before making a purchase:Step 1:Waiting overnight before making a purchase.Step 2:Carefully considering your buying motives. No amount of stuff equals contentment or fulfillment.Step 3:Never buying anything you do not understand.Step 4:Considering the "opportunity cost" of your money.Step 5:Seeking the counsel of your spouse.The foremost thought running...

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DIY X-RAYS

Pictures spoke to me louder than words today. This image came from a fascinating article in Wired Science about a 19th-century DIY X-ray craze:In 1895, Wilhelm Conrad Roentgen discovered the X-ray, a form of electromagnetic radiation with a very short wavelength. To the common people at the time, this was astonishing. Within three months, DIY X-ray kits were available on the market. The rich and famous had their hands X-rayed, their skeletons draped in rings. Photographers, who had access to most of the tools needed to make the images, began to...

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