Homemade Dry Erase Board

I will start off by saying I LOVE dry erase boards!!!  I feel that they are great for staying organized and communicating as a family.  And when they made dry erase calendars, I fell in love even more!  I used them when I was teaching and they were wonderful for the kids to learn to write on without wasting a ton of paper.  The only thing that I don't like about them is that they are not too attractive to have hanging around the house.  The ones with nice wooden frames around them are really expensive, and I just don't want to pay that much.  So when I found out that I could use a regular picture frame to create a really nice dry erase board, I couldn't wait to try it out. 

I went to Walmart and purchased an 11 x 13 frame for only $5.  I then used scrapbook paper I had around the house to make a background for my new dry erase TO DO board.  I wanted something that would coordinate with my kitchen so I could hang it in there. 

This project literally took me 10 minutes to make and looks pretty good.  And the best part is that I can switch things out whenever I get bored with it!

Here's the result, hanging in the kitchen:

And here is my list of TO DO's for today:

Now it's your turn to make a cute scrapbook-ish dry erase board for your home!  Good Luck!

Today's Big Project

Well, I was pretty busy today.  Feeding the baby, entertaining the three year old, making sure the house was still standing, and........making my first homemade diaper!  It took some planning, and a bit of fabric, but I got it done without too much yelling at the sewing machine. 

I started by looking at my current diapers and taking the things I like about each diaper and trying to create it with my diaper.  Then I made a pattern from the "bests" of the diapers.  I used one flannel receiving blanket, one fleece baby blanket, a scrap of flannel, and a new microfleece towel to make it.  Everything was upcycled or on-hand at home.  I also used an elastic hairband for a better fit.  I didn't have any thin elastic, so I improvised.

It took some experimenting and creativity to do this for the first time.  When I "finished"  with the diaper, I realized that I made the "wings" too short and it didn't fit around the baby.  She's pretty petite, so I knew this would be a problem.  I ended up making extentions on the wings.  It made it a little bit cuter (in my opinion) and much easier to put on.  Since it isn't waterproof, it is just a fitted.  I think that after I practice a bit, I will try to make an AIO out of PUL. 

So here's the finished product:

THE FRONT

THE INSIDE

ON THE BABY

I am testing this diaper out as I type and I'm hoping for absorbant results!!!

Welcome!!!

As the first blog on this site, I will just introduce myself.  My name is Kari.  I am married to a wonderful husband.  We have two beautiful girls that I stay at home with.  My oldest is Aubrey.  She is so smart and wonderful.  She is a great help around here and keeps us entertained with all her antics.  Lena is my little angel.  She works hard at everything she does and surprises me all the time.  You will hear all about both of them here. 

We live on a small farm with three horses, five goats, two cats, one dog, and a fat guinea pig.  Our family and friends call us the funny farm, and I completely agree!  I love all our animals and can't imagine our life without all of them.

Before I stayed home, I was a preschool teacher for eight years!  I loved working with kids and watching them grow and learn everyday.  I now enjoy teaching my own daughter at home.  We love to do crafts and play games together. 

On here, I will write about our everyday life.  From clothdiapering to crafts and sewing, to the challenges we face with our little girl, everything will be right here!

Well, welcome to my blog, I hope you enjoy it!