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DIY Pallet Frame {Poster Size}

August 19, 2013 By Erica Deuel 10 Comments

build_your_own_pallet_fame


I have been wanting a rustic, vintage United States map for in our home. We love to travel and are constantly talking about different states and who lives there, what grows there, what its known for, etc. It would make it so easy to be able to point the states out to our kids as we talk.

I found this cool map for $5 and was pumped. I knew I wanted to make a cool frame to go with its look, and so once I got my Ryobi Sliding Compound Miter saw to review, I knew it was the perfect project to try it out on. You can read all about what I think of my new saw here.

My first step was to pick four pieces of wood from our pile of old collected wood. I chose four pallet pieces that I loved. Each one has either a huge knot or nails in it. They look old and have an edge. They were perfect.

Old_wood_pileI laid them out around my poster to measure how much they needed cut. I placed each one carefully to figure out how the bent, warped wood would look best on side and placement. I didn’t want to have to make a cut where nails were, so I took all those things into consideration when I figured out which board would go where.

making_a_frame

Next, I rotated my saw to make 45 degree angles. The laser on my Ryobi Sliding Compound Miter saw helped me make these accurate cuts for sure!

conquering saw fearsI also used a pencil and drew a line for the direction of the angle each piece would need to be cut. Otherwise, I kept going back to my frame to figure out if that 45 degree angle needed to go to the right or slant to the left.

measuring_wood_cutsI did one board at a time and went around clockwise till my whole frame was completed.

making_a_pallet_wood_frameI then cut four small 90 degree triangle pieces from other scrap wood we had on hand. These I used to hold the actual frame together as well as hold the plastic protective cover, poster, and backing of another old poster frame in place and create the frame. An important tip at this step is to have big wood clamps that can keep your pallet poster frame in place while you get the other three layers in place.

wood_clampI then used wood glue and screws to hold the 90 degree triangles in place.

DIY_Poster_frameI added a little hanging bracket at the top in the center and my new pallet frame was almost done!

DIY_poster_size_frameI sanded the edges to get rid of some of the obvious splinters and used wood stain to stain the 90 degree triangles on the back. This way when my new art hangs on the wall, they will not stand out as eye sores. I didn’t end up staining the front pallet wood though because I loved the natural color of the wood. The old nails and knots still are my favorite pieces of this frame. Take note in the picture below how it was important to measure the cuts before I went to cut the boards. I was very close to getting nails.

45_degree_anglesHave you ever created anything with pallet wood? It is strong treated wood that makes for great projects!

make_your_own_pallet_fame

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It’s Time For A Vacation!

July 11, 2013 By Erica Deuel 1 Comment

Did you know that July is National Vacation Rental Month? I just learned that from my new friends at Wyndham Vacation Rentals.

 

If you’ve spent anytime around here, you know that we love to travel as a family. We’ll be packing up the ole mini van pretty soon for a trip to Indiana for a dear friend’s wedding. I think if we’ve learned anything about traveling is that there are plenty of deals to be had. For so long I was afraid to dream about taking vacations-fearing that we could never afford it. I’ve found it just takes a little work to make it affordable. 7 quick traveling tips to use

Here’s a few quick tips we’ve learned along the way to make things more affordable and fun:

    1. Pack food for the car. This saves money and cuts down on stops. It also gives you healthy options. Trust me, when you are cruising along I-40 outside of Albuqureque, NM your choices are gas station beef jerky or Big Macs.
    2. If traveling with kids, try to get them to play really hard before typical nap-time or bedtime, load them up, and roll! On our last trip to Arkansas, we did this and got 7 hours of drive time in with the kids totally asleep. No extra food, potty, or stretch breaks needed. Of course, you need to keep coffee on hand and rotate your drivers to stay safe, but it can really help for long distances.
    3. If you can rent a place that has a kitchen, do it. Again, it’s another huge savings than going out for every meal. This is where a rental can work out to be better than a hotel. You’ll often find a lot of conveniences of home and more ways to save.
    4. Being on the beach is awesome. Being 1-2 blocks from the beach is still awesome and often times 30-50% cheaper. We’ve found that if you have to load the car up to hit the beach, find parking, load back up, etc., it can be draining. But if you are staying at a place that is less than a mile from the beach, it’s perfect. You can walk back and forth easily and enjoy the same beach access at a fraction of the cost as the folks on the beach front.
    5. Have realistic expectations for your kids. They don’t normally sit in the car for hours. They don’t usually hike around an amusement park all day in the hot sun and stand in line for hours. They rarely spend all day getting hot and sandy at the beach. Bottom line, you are going to have some meltdowns. Be prepared. Don’t push them too hard. Just realize that they don’t need to do everything in the park or be on the beach for 6 hours straight to have fun. Be willing to adjust to their level and needs and everyone will have more fun.
    6. If you are going to a prime time spot for vacation, try to stock up on supplies or groceries before you get there. Vacation areas charge a premium even for simple things like eggs, milk, and bread. Pack a cooler and hit up the last town before your destination. Same goes for gas. Fill up away from the hot spots.
    7. Relax. Think simple. Don’t miss your vacation by over scheduling it. The most important part is being together and creating space to rest.

What are some of your travel tips? Are you going anywhere on vacation this month? Screen Shot 2013-07-10 at 9.28.06 PM If you haven’t booked your trip yet, consider trying Wyndham Vacation Rentals.  They are offering summer deals at up to 35 percent off nightly rates on bookings made throughout July at www.WyndhamVacationRentals.com. Also, for peace of mind, Wyndham offers a “Vacation Rental Bill of Rights®” service pledge ensuring quality standards (vetted rentals with accurate images), comprehensive customer service and real-time payment and bookings. In the U.S., their properties range from private homes, resorts condos and villas in beach destinations such as Florida, South Carolina, Delaware and Alabama’s Gulf Coast to mountain-side condos and luxury cabins in Colorado, Utah, Tennessee and Idaho.

Take a look at a couple of their beautiful properties. Wyndham Vacation Rentals_ Hilton Head Island, SC

Hilton Head, SC

Wyndham Vacation Rentals_ Charleston, SC

Charleston, SC

I can’t wait to hit the road again for our next trip. I hope you’ve got some fun travel plans ahead too! Make sure to chime in and tell me where you are going and things you’ve learned about traveling along the way.

To connect with Wyndham Vacation Rentals more be sure to visit them online, twitter, or facebook!

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I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls Collective and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

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Hair bows for “Our Hearts. Our Love.”

September 8, 2012 By Erica Deuel 1 Comment

I had intentions of starting my Friday Project Spotlight back up yesterday, but you see the day got away from me.  What I wanted to share with you are some hair bows I made for a sweet friend.

My friend Kendra just had a beautiful baby girl about three weeks ago.  Kendra already had one sweet little girl, Isla, and she waited to find out the sex of this baby at birth.  She had Gracie while I was on the road, and I have been itching to make these cute girls some hair bows since she was born!!  Now that I am home, and reunited with my craft supplies, I finally got to make them!

Kendra is one amazing girl!  I have loved her since I met her, but the closer we have gotten…the “cooler” she gets.  You might know her as “Our Hearts. Our Love.”  She has a blog, and it is my favorite one to read!  She is real, personal, open, and so relate-able.  I feel like every one of her posts leave me “wanting more”.  That is some good writing.  To top it all off, she takes the most gorgeous pictures (two of which I yanked and are using here).

This week I read Gracie’s birth story, and I promise you it is one of the best reads out there.  Kendra opted for a home birth…in which Gracie beat the midwife to the birth (if you get what I am saying!)  There are promises of surprise, toilets, and poop in the most simple, natural “gorgeous-ness” all in one post!  You must read it!

I am so excited for Kendra and can’t wait to see her girls in these hair bows!  Incredible job Kendra!!  I’m so proud of you!!  You did it!!  Thank you for sharing your story with us!  (I had permission to point you to this intimate, amazing story!)

Thank you so much for checking out my hair bows!  I hope you are having a relaxing weekend! 

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Summer Stuff (with pictures)

June 16, 2012 By Erica Deuel 1 Comment

Highlights from our summer so far (literally the last few weeks)

*legoland: Our boys are obsessed with legos right now! They have been wanting to go for weeks, and they loved it!

*zoo: I took the kids for a few hours before picking Matt up from the airport the other week. They wanted to do the playground more than seeing the animals:). Do you think we go too often!?! #seasonpass

*aquarium: We got season passes! The kids loved going! We’ve already gone twice now!  Plus, Centennial Park is right next door!!  It’s so nice to let the kids run there (after having to stay close and not run in the aquarium) before driving home!

*my sister, Joni’s high school graduation: I’m so proud of her!! She’s going to UGA in the fall!

*time with my sisters in town: Annie and Olivia came in town for Joni’s graduation. We literally were at the my mom’s pool five days in a row to hang out! So fun!

*hanging with my nieces: Two of the cutest girls I know!! I can’t believe they are both turning one so soon!

*our air conditioner broke: There were a few really hot days around our house, but God so graciously provided us with a replacement!!  There were a number of pool days in there too 🙂

*I think there’s been six family member birthdays!?  Haha I feel like I am always trying to think of a gift to buy or make that would be sweet and special.  Coming from a big family definitely keeps me on my “deal” look out while shopping!

*running: since a bird, her nest and four eggs have taken home in my jogging stroller…I’m getting to enjoy some runs without pushing my cute kids! Haha although the run is easier, I kind of miss that time with my kids!?!  Here are some pictures from my Memorial Day run with my sis and niece.  We might have bought tanks from Old Navy to be our “race shirts”…cause we are fun like that! 🙂

*the pool: the kiddie one and my mom’s pool, have both been enjoyed!! Caleb is obsessed and would swim all day everyday if he could! I love it!!

*water spray grounds: I love that this is right by our house! I should probably get a membership there too!:)

*sewing: I have been working on two rag quilts! Here are a few pictures of one I made for Emily’s Reese.

*playmates with new MOPS friends: I have been so blessed by this group in the last few months!!

*two college students coming in town for the summer to work with us and Broken Voices: there’s a team atmosphere and our kids love, love all the excitement of people coming and going all day.  One of Katie’s first jobs was organizing the office!  What a horrible task, and she did an amazing job.  She’s incredible!

*we got new floors in two rooms! They are gorgeous! No more dog “accident” stained carpet!  Here are two of my cuties dancing together on the new floor!

*we went to the lake for a day/night with some close friends who live in Iraq: It was so good to see them and get extended time to catch up!

*Traveling:  Matt and I both have been traveling!  Our poor kids are all out of whack from having solo parents on duty at different times.  Matt was gone for a week, I was gone for five days, and now Matt is gone for another week.  Can’t wait till Matt is HOME and our next trip will be a FAMILY trip all together!!  Whenever one of us leaves, we write each family member a note and hide it somewhere in the house.  The kids literally run looking for their letters.  It is so sweet.  The person leaving usually finds hidden letters in his/her luggage too.  It’s so good to know you are loved and missed:)  We usually put a recent picture of us with that child/spouse at the top of the letter.  Plus, we write about whats going on and any new milestones we are so proud of.  I guess these letters could be like a collection of love letters that are like our family diary?!  Here is our sweet set of letters from Matt’s first trip away.  I save all these in a shoe box…one day I hope to make a book with them!!

Whew, that is a lot and I couldn’t be more excited that it’s only the beginning of the summer and there is more fun to come!!  I hope you are all having a wonderful summer too!!

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