DIY Dog Pod

This dog bed idea came to me from Pinterest, and more specifically Yanko Designs.  As far as I know, this dog pod is not currently on the market; I contacted the designer via email, and while willing to make one for me, it was really expensive.  I don't remember the exact amount, but several hundred dollars.

Soooooo, I decided that I could make one myself!  It was pretty easy, once I figured out how to make it all work AND be able to take it apart to clean the bedding.  If you have any questions, feel free to email me with them.

Supplies Needed:

• 4x4 eight foot board
• 4 sets closet rod holders (8 total pieces)
• Wooden dowel OR closet rod- the length will be determined by the size of your dog pod
• 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 yards fleece- depending how much fluff you want in your bed
• Sewing machine
• Paint/stain (optional)

All of these supplies are easily and cheaply found at your local hardware and fabric store.  

Directions:

1. Either have cut or DIY the 4x4 board into 4 eight inch pieces (I used my miter saw) 
2. Determine the final length of your dog pod.  From this number, subtract 4 1/2 inches.  Cut two pieces of dowel to this size
3. Determine the final width of your dog pod.  From this number, subtract 4 1/2 inches.  Cut two pieces of dowel to this size
4. Attach the closet rod holders to the 4x4 post.  I recommend pre-drilling to avoid spitting the wood.  Put the holders on adjacent sides of the post.  I put mine an inch and a half from the top and centered left/right on the post.  See picture A at the bottom
5. Optional step:  paint the wood
6. With your fleece laying flat in front of you, fold it in half.  Fold two opposite sides of the fleece over to make a pocket for the dowel, ensuring that it is big enough to easily slide the dowel through.  Pin, starting in the center and moving towards the edges.  leave the last  6 inches un pinned.  Fold the opposite sides into a pocket, following the same procedure as before.  
7. In the corners where it is not pinned, you will need to cut a notch in the fabric.  Using fleece or wool will keep you from having to hem the edges.  Cutting the notch will ensure that your corners will be nice and the fabric will fit around the 4x4.   
8. Sew your pinned pockets
9. Once you are this far, it is time to assemble the dog pod.  Run the dowels through the fabric pockets you created.  Insert the rods into the closet rod holders on the four corner posts.  Fluff the fabric in the middle and you are done!

           Picture A

Family Fingers

A super easy, fun family tree of sorts.  We did this this summer when visiting Iowa.  My brother just had his second and last child, so thought it would be a good time.  We contemplated several shapes, including a circle, but determined that this one worked the best.  You could hand write them out as well, but I have AWFUL handwriting, so computer it is.

Make sure you leave space for your prints.  I would highly recommend that you practice as well.  I found that less ink and less pressure on the paper was the best method.  For the frame I used modge podge and paper bags.  Tear the bags into pieces with no straight edges, past modge podge on the frame and the sack.  Apply to frame, making sure to overlap and cover the edges.  The final step I did was to go over then entire frame with a thin coating of the modge podge.   As the bags were done I and gave it a few minutes to dry.  Finially, I used a spray poly urethane so seal it and to make sure that it didn't tear.

Organized Pans...finally

Ok, so I have tried several ways to organize my pots and pans.  I have hung them from the pot rack....that didn't work so well 'cuz I am too short; if I hung them at my height, everyone else would hit their heads.  I stacked them in the cupboard.  Nope, because, invariably the one I needed was on the bottom.  Then I tried to use those plate rack things...nada.

Finally, I stumble onto.  Mostly due to Pintrest.  I love Pintrest.  I try not to spend too much time there, but, well, I love Pintrest.  Anyway, here is the solution I came up with.  Hope you enjoy too.

Super easy, cheap, and best of all, IT WORKS!  Use hooks, inside a cupboard to hang those pots and pans!  You can also use a towel bar attached to the wall to hold the lids, or one of those stacky plate rack things too.  I love this!

Recovering a sling back chair

I copied this from e-how...worked fabulously.  I had to use the fixed-bar method.  I did make a couple of changes, which I included in parenthesis.

• 1.  Examine the chair construction. Note whether the head and seat bars detach to enable you to slide the old sling off the frame.
• 2.  Remove the fasteners that attach the header and seat bars to the chair frame, using a Phillips or flat-head screwdriver, Allen wrench or star driver, depending on the type of fastener holding the chair frame together. Use a power drill to remove dowel pegs if needed.
• 3.  Remove the head and seat bars from the casings. Lay the sling fabric flat. Measure its length from casing seam to casing seam and add 8 inches. Measure its width and add 4 inches.
• 4.  Cut a new piece of fabric to the dimensions from Step 3. Cut a piece of fabric 48 inches long and 34 inches wide, for example, if the original sling measures 40 inches long from casing seam to casing seam and 30 inches wide from left to right.
• 5.  Lay the fabric right-side down on a flat work surface and spread a damp cotton bath towel over it. (I used a steam iron, no towel).The right side of the fabric is prettier, shinier or smoother than the wrong side.
• 6.  Turn the iron to the synthetic setting if you are using recycled PET fabric. Use the high or cotton setting for cotton or hemp fabric.
•  7.  Press the newly-cut piece of sling fabric using a smooth motion, beginning in the center of the fabric and working out to the edges.
• 8.  Remove the towel and fold the sling fabric down 1 inch along each short end. Spread the towel over the sling fabric again and press along the folds.
• 9.  Fold the fabric down 3.5 inches at each end to create the casings for the head and seat bars. Lay the damp towel over the fabric again. Spray the towel with tap water if needed.
• 10. Press along the folds in a smooth motion, beginning at the center and working to the left side of the fabric, which creates the first casing. Repeat to press from the center to the right side, which creates the second casing.
• 11. Face one of the long sides of the fabric, with the casings at your right and left. Raise the needle on your sewing machine to its highest position and lift the presser foot.
• 12. Make sure the fabric is still laying right-side down. The right side is the prettier, smoother or shinier side of the fabric. Move the new sling until the casing on the left side is under the presser foot.
• 13. Stitch along the right side of the left-hand casing -- which is the side with the most layers -- leaving a 1/4-inch seam allowance between the position of the needle and the open edge of the casing.
• 14. Repeat to stitch along the left side of the right-hand casing, leaving the same 1/4-inch seam allowance. Turn the sling fabric right-side up.
• 15. Slide the head and seat bars through the casings. Have a helper hold the seat bar in place, if needed, while you attach the head bar using the original fasteners. Attach the seat bar.

Fixed-Bar Slings

• 16. Slide one point of the scissors between the head bar and the casing. Cut the casing from the head bar.
• 17. Slide one point of the scissors between the seat bar and the casing. Cut the casing from the seat bar.
• 18. Lay the old sling on a flat work surface. Face one of the long sides of the sling, with the casing folds at your right and left. Measure the sling from casing fold to casing fold and add 4 inches. Measure across the short side and add 4 inches as well.
• 19. Cut a piece of recycled PET, cotton or hemp fabric to the dimensions in Step 3. Lay the fabric right-side down on a flat work surface so that you are facing one of the long sides.
• 20. Fold the fabric over 1 inch along each short end. Press the fabric using a damp towel and a steam iron on the low or synthetic setting for PET fabric. Use the high or cotton setting for cotton or hemp fabric.
• 21. Fold the fabric over 1 inch at each end again and press the fabric as stated in the previous step. (I also sewed the long and short ends after pressing them.  Thought it would hold the shape longer/better).  Mark grommet positions every two inches, beginning 1/2 inch from the left corner closest to you and working toward the left corner farthest from you.
• 22. Use a hole punch or the point of a pair of scissors to make a hole for each grommet. Sort the grommet tops, which have a longer tube sticking upward, from the bottoms, which have a shorter tube or none at all.
• 23. Push a top-half grommet through the first hole. Position the top-half grommet cloth-side up in the groove on the grommet anvil.
• 24.  Place a bottom-half grommet curved-side down or tube-side down over the tube of the top-half grommet. Place the grommet-setting tool in the hole of the bottom-half grommet. Strike the grommet-setting tool firmly several times to set the grommet.
• 25. Repeat until all grommets are set. Position the fabric so you are facing one of the long sides, and the right side of the fabric still faces the table.
• 26. Measure 6 inches from the center of each grommet at the left side of the sling and make a mark. Repeat for each grommet at the right side of the sling.
• 27. Set grommets at each marked position, as described in previous steps.
• 28. Turn the sling so that the right side of the fabric faces the ceiling. Cut two lengths of PET or cotton rope twice as long as the width of the sling, plus 6 to 8 inches.
• 29. Tie a large knot of your choice in one end of each rope. Have a helper drape the left end of the sling over the head bar of the chair frame, and line up holes in the two rows of grommets.
• 30. Working from the back of the chair frame, push the rope through the first pair of grommets. Pull until the knot is tight against the back of the sling.
• 31. Weave the rope back through the second pair of grommets, up through the third and all remaining pairs. Knot the rope after pulling it as tight as you can.
• 32. Repeat Steps 14 through 16 to attach the sling to the seat bar

  Hope this is helpful!  

What to knit today

So I'm not a huge knitter.  But I like it.  And more importantly I like, or rather love, yarn. All colors, textures, kinds.  I know two stitches.  Knit and purl.  If you can do a knit stitch, you can do a purl; they are opposites of each other.  However, this is not a knitting lesson.  If you want to learn to knit, use youtube.

I have discovered the square.  Yes, the square.  If you can knit a square, you can make all kinds of cool things.  Two squares together and you have a bag.  Two squares with a rectangle between them and you have another bag.  Take a square and fold it in half and you have a hat (after stitching up the sides)..I would recommend it for a child... take the same square (well actually a different square, but whatever) and fold it in half again and stitch up the sides leaving a hole and wa-la you have fingerless gloves.  Several squares together and you have a blanket.  Use one square and sew it to fabric and stuff in a pillow. Heck, use two and forget the fabric.  Seat cover, book cover, glasses case, Nook case, laptop case.  A really long one into a scarf.  Sew the ends together and it is an infinity scarf.  Make a skinny one and you can put it around your Starbuck's coffee to keep your hands from burning.

The possibilities are endless.  Now get knitting!

Coldmeal

This is apparently NOT a new deal.  For me it is.  I found the original recipe on Pintrest, but have since branched out.  We call it coldmeal at my house, (Cold Oatmeal) and I know there are several other names for it.  We made blueberry and maple syrup, chocolate and banana, and craisen.  The blueberry and craisen we by FAR the favorites of the group.  The chocolate was *gasp* too chocolaty.  Next up is chocolate and peanut butter.  Sounds yummy.

Anyway, these are super easy, inexpensive and fun to make.  Great, fast, awesome breakfast for busy families.  And whose family isn't busy?!

1/3 cup milk
1/4 cup regular (Not steel cut or instant) oatmeal
1/4 Greek yogurt (I used vanilla)
 Shake up these ingredients in a 1/2 pint mason jar.  After it is mixed, open the lid and add either a tbls of maple syrup and blueberries, or craisens, or bananas and cocoa.  Re-lid the jar, put in the frige and enjoy in the morning!  Super Yummy!

Mouse in the house

Here's hoping that I have discovered my inner muse...or perhaps I should say mouse?  I really would like to try and blog regularly and about crafty things that I care about.  So, here goes.  I decided that today was the day.  I am going to be crafty for me and no one else.  I love to make stuff, see my creations come to life, get hot glue on my fingers (a little creepy, I know) .  

Why should a doorstop just be a doorstop?  Ugly and clear, or worse yet, uglier and brown.  Yucky.  So, I busted out the leftover wool, and covered my door stopper with it.  In fact, I turned it into a mouse.  Now, I know we generally don't invite mice into our homes, but I thought this was a cute little mouse complete with whiskers and a sparkly tail.  And he is not going to get into my food.  Or leave little surprises in the pantry. 

Give it a go, it is super easy.  

1.  Find a door stop

2.  Gather some left over fabric

3.  Hot glue fabric to stopper

4.  Wa-la you are done and your plain, old, boring door stop is now spruced up!