Welcome Sasha from Lemonade Makin’ Mama to the blog today! She has a great blog, full of beautiful words and eye candy galore and a shop that will quickly become one of your favorites. I’m so excited about the project she’s sharing today and I can’t wait to make one for myself! I know you’re gonna love and welcome her!
I’m Sasha and I blog over at lemoandemakinmama.com. I was so thrilled when Edie asked me to come hang out over here today, as she’s been a long time inspiration for me in so many aspects of being a wife, mother, friend and godly woman! (Always awesome when you can partner up with your blog crushes.) Edie asked me tell you just a bit about myself before I share a great DIY craft with you. I’m a mom of two kids- a son Joe, who is becoming a teenager next week. (I’m seriously dying on the inside) and a daughter, Ava who will be eleven next month. My son has Asperger’s and I keep that mostly private on my blog for his sake, but it’s a big piece of my heart as a mom, as we navigate tricky waters. I blog once a week, with a group of other moms for a Seattle radio station, here, and love the collective wisdom I get to glean from all these other mamas doing life. I sell my artwork and a few other random items at my etsy shop here, and I’ve been married to my high school sweetheart for going on nineteen years! I love painting things white, but I also love color. I love hosting overnight guests, campfire time in the backyard, and deep talks. Life is too short for small talk. (I’d love to get to know you better so stop on by my blog sometime and say hello!)
As moms, it’s often easy to lose ourselves in the very daily (and often mundane) tasks of life isn’t it? This year I’ve taken a good look at areas I want to improve in my own self, some deep inside my heart, others a bit more surface level. The goal is to be a balanced wife, mother and woman so they all have their place. One of the surface areas I’m trying to make more of an effort in, is my outward appearance. Just the basics of putting together an outfit that looks intentional (and clean) with a few accessories- because, raise you hand if you’ve ever been a member of the “I wore yoga pants all day because they were easy, but never actually worked out in them,” club. (Um. Guilty.)
Instructions for this DIY:
I found a balsa wood craft dowel (7/8″) at JoAnns for $2.49. Then I grabbed a thin strip of wood (sized 1/32 x 3 x24″) for $2.99 but I used a 40% off coupon. This was so thin I could cut it with a pair of scissors. I went to Lowes next and bought a pack of gold assorted screw hooks for $3.97. I had self leveling hangers at home, along with some antique gold paint that I planned to use but neither of those items would break the bank if you needed to purchase them. I drew a simple triangle for one end of my arrow hanger and then just did an end piece that wasn’t too complicated. That’s the best way that I can really describe it for you. The first time, the wood split when I cut it but I had plenty of extra wood and finally got both a front and end piece for my arrow. I borrowed my man’s hack saw and cut grooves into the ends of the dowel. The grooves don’t need to be very deep and the thin wood I used for the arrow ends fit perfectly into the grooves, with no glue needed. (Make sure the grooves both go the same direction.) I choose the smallest screw hooks for this and decided to place them 3″ apart. It turned out that the dowel wood was so soft I could press it into the marks I’d drawn, then screw them in all the way with my fingers.