Wooden Floor Mat

{Pinterest Challenge}


Have you seen this project from Lowe's Creative Ideas.  I think it's a popular pin on Pinterest which is where I first saw it {and subsequently pinned it.}  {I wish I could figure out how to put a picture of it here.}


The fun colors first captured my attention but it was also a unique idea.  I thought it would be a nice cheery addition to my front patio.  So it immediately went to the top of my project list.  And I completed it just in time for summer.

I love it!

Because making it involved power tools, I had to enlist the help of my dad so I owe him a big thank you.  {He gets roped into a lot of my projects but I think he secretly enjoys it.}  This also means I have to do some planning as far as when to make the project since we live a couple of hours apart.  Easter was going to be the perfect weekend to start this project so on Good Friday, I made a trip to Lowe's to get my supplies.

I started in the paint department and after consulting with the very helpful Maurice, I picked out the following paint colors from Valspar {semi gloss}:


Montpelier Peach
Fresh Basin
Iris Reverie
Jekyll Crane Cottage Green


I really loved the colors on the inspiration piece but I didn't want to buy that many cans of paint.  {Maurice told me that the exterior paint did not come in sample sizes so I would have to buy a quart of each.}  I decided to make my mat with five colors.  I had a can of yellow - Fresh Pineapple - exterior {satin} Glidden paint from this project {I just painted the chair and footrest, it was handmade by a friend of my aunt.}:

Then the very helpful Marvin helped me get the rest of my supplies.  He even cut the boards in half for me so they would fit in my car.  Next stop - my dad's workshop.

My dad cut the boards to size and drilled the holes while I manned the sander and my nephew {he was spending the weekend so we forced him to help} handled the air hose and cleared the dust while the holes were drilled.  {He enjoyed the air hose a little too much!  We couldn't get him to turn it off.}  After laying out the pieces, we decided to make a design change.  I didn't like the exposed rods on the ends.  We had extra boards {I may or may not have purchased too many boards.} so we decided to add a 2 1/4" piece in each of those open spots.

My dad cut the rods to size and sent me on my way to finish the project.  My next step was to paint all the pieces.  Boring!  The two coats of paint I added meant that the rods were now a little too short.  But my dad had considered that and had a solution.  So back to Iowa to finish the project.  The solution - sink the nuts into the ends.  {I'm not sure if that is the right term but what he did was make the holes a little bit bigger so the nuts sat into the piece a little.}

After admiring our work, my dad suggested putting some sort of sealer on it so I'm not quite done yet.  I just have to figure out what that sealer should be.

I am sharing this project at my favorite link parties.

Birthday Bash at eLRBe - 41% off!

Happy Birthday to me!

Get 41% off your entire purchase excluding shipping at my Etsy shop eLRBe when you use coupon code IAM41TODAY.  Today only!

eLRBe, Etsy shop sale 25% off

I'm celebrating my birthday month with a sale at my Etsy shop - eLRBe.


Use coupon code BDAYSALE25 and get 25% off your entire purchase excluding shipping.

Dr. Pepper Chicken

I very rarely drink soda pop - like maybe once every three months or so.  But that doesn't mean I don't like it.  I just don't think it's good for me so I don't drink it much.


When I do have pop it is usually Root Beer or 7-Up.  {Why am I suddenly craving Cherry 7-Up?}  But I do like Dr. Pepper too so when I saw this recipe by Thirty Handmade Days I knew I had to try it.  {Because I really like chicken and finding new ways to fix it.}

It was great!  I loved the sweet barbecue flavor.  The recipe was super easy with only a few ingredients.  I mixed the brown sugar with the other ingredients and baked it for 40 minutes or so.  {One hour just sounded to long to me.}

Lynn's recipe rating [keep or toss]: Keep!


I also recently made these Baked Chicken Meatballs from Tracey's Culinary Adventures.  There were super good as well and I was surprised at how quick and easy they were to make.


Lynn's recipe rating [keep or toss]: Keep!

Prosciutto, Asparagus and Parmesan Spaghetti

Happy Mother's Day!


My mom is the person who taught me how to sew and cook.  My mom is an awesome gardener as well.  Every year she plants a vegetable garden.  {Which she has done forever.}  Every year she grows asparagus.  {or maybe it is the asparagus grows every year.}  Despite growing up with asparagus in our garden every spring, I tried it for the first time last year.  My mom roasted it and it was delicious.  I guess it's never too late to try a new vegetable.


{Pinterest Challenge}


Yesterday I made this recipe {excluding the red pepper flakes} which I found on pinterest.

It came together really fast and it was very yummy.

I had some strawberries with it.  My mom also grew strawberries in the garden {and I remember picking them - not one of my favorite things when I was little.} but I don't think she does anymore.

Lynn's recipe rating [keep or toss]:  Keep!


I love you mom!

eLRBe, Etsy shop sale 20% off

I'm celebrating my birthday month with a sale at my Etsy shop - eLRBe.


Use coupon code 20BIRTHDAY and get 20% off your entire purchase excluding shipping.

Ruffled Kitchen Towel

I whipped up this cute little ruffled towel just in time for my Norwex party last weekend.  {Check out my sisters Norwex website.  Believe it or not, Norwex makes cleaning go faster.  And it's better for you and the environment.}  I mostly followed this tutorial from Craftaholics Anonymous to make it.

I used the Moda Bliss fabric that I bought while on the Spring Across the Border Shop Hop with my mom.  Aren't they so fun and cute?  {you maybe seeing more of this fabric on an upcoming project.}  Finding the right towel turned out to be the highest part.  Can you believe that Target doesn't have regular white kitchen towels?  I did finally find something at Bed, Bath and Beyond.  Then a couple of days later I went to Homegoods and found a set I liked just a little bit better.  {This was my first visit to Homegoods.  I was looking for a clock and found the towels and something for another project.  I am currently working on that other project and let me tell you - it is awesome!  I can't wait to finish and share it with you.}  The towels came in a set so I'm already making plans for a Christmas version.  And they have these goofy dots on them but I figured I would be covering them up so it didn't matter.

The instructions use a ruffler foot but I don't have one of those.  {Frankly, I didn't even know such a thing existed.}  So I went old school to make my ruffles - the gathering stitch.  I also cut my fabric shorter.  I choose to use 32 inches instead of the instructed entire length of the fabric.  Why 32"?  Well, I wasn't sure how much but felt 44" was too much so I just doubled the width of my towel which was 16".  I think I will make the next one 30 inches.  I decided to hem the ends of the strips before folding them in half.  Just personal preference.

I made two rows of gathering stitches on the first strip but got lazy after that and did just one on the other three.

I then pulled the bobbin thread to bunch up the fabric and slowly eased the fabric to the length I needed to go across the width of the towel.

I sewed it in place and pinked the unfinished edge.  The ribbon I used to finish was just a litle bigger than the instructions but only because I was just using what I had on hand.

The tutorial had great instructions for sewing on a towel leash but since I don't have kids or pets to pull it down, I didn't bother to add it.

I love my new fun and flirty kitchen towel.  Don't you think it adds a nice girly touch to my kitchen?

I am linking to these parties.

Earth Laughs in Flowers Tray

Did you know yesterday was National Scrapbooking day?


I was hosting a Norwex party so I didn't get a chance to celebrate and scrapbook.  I really should be putting together my scrapbook from last years vacation to Yellowstone.

A couple of years ago I made a rule goal for myself to finish my vacation scrapbook before I went on my next vacation.  I am not going to reach that goal this year.  In a month and a half I'm going to Niagara Falls.


In honor of National Scrapbooking Day, here is a scrapbook related project I made this winter.

The tray is from Archiver's as are the papers and stickers.  {I don't remember what line the papers are from.}  I'm always looking for new ways to display the photographs I have taken of my mom's flowers.  {This quilt is my favorite so far.}

I'm not sure what I am going to do with this.  I might give it away as a Christmas gift.  Or sell it in my Etsy shop.  I am very happy with how it came out.

P.S.  Does anyone have any suggestions for my trip to Niagara Falls?

eLRBe, Etsy shop sale 15% off!

I'm celebrating my birthday month with a sale at my Etsy shop - eLRBe.


Use coupon code BIRTHDAY15 and get 15% off your entire purchase excluding shipping.