Ever wish that you could just get something done? It didn’t matter what it was…just something?
I have that feeling pretty much 99% of my days. It’s the most frustrating because I know that nursing a baby is something, washing the dishes is something, and going to the bathroom (even if it is cut short) is also something. I just feel like we have lived here for so long (three years what?!) and the main living areas aren’t complete (or even near it). So celebrating some of the areas that ARE done is really important. Hence…this super quick and easy porch update.
I wanted to make some cute wreaths for the front doors and do something a little lighter for our plants. That was the plan. Other than that…the plan was to only spend about ten minutes to get it all done.
I began with the wreaths. Last summer I stocked up on some cheap pool noodles (they went on sale at the end of the year for ten cents at Walmart. The only color was pink but I knew that I could bang out some wreaths easily) and I used them to make my wreath form. First you cut off about six inches from the length and then tape it all together. I used the leftover exterior tape from this project and it held great.
I decided to go with chevron fabric in my stash. Who knows when the chevron trend will be over…better use it now, right?! Soon enough it will be the scrunchie of 1992. It didn’t take much…mine was about a half a yard. I just cut it in two inch strips.
I attached it to the wreath with straight pins. Nothing fancy. Just pin and wrap and pin and wrap.
I decided to embellish the entire thing with little parasol umbrellas. These are pretty old…I got them for a shower that I threw way back in the old house. It was actually one of the first things we did in that house – even before ripping out the kitchen, we threw a shower that was luau themed. It was the perfect theme because we didn’t have any furniture so we just threw beach towels down and set up some beach chairs.
Then came the fun part…the stabbing. Latent aggression meet your favorite craft.
Did I mention I had helping with the stabbing? Yup. When they grow up they are probably gonna think it is normal to tell their friends that they stab pool noodles with umbrellas. Sorry boys. I hope this keeps the girls away 🙂
After we had a healthy dose of parasols in a grouping, we hung these bad boys up.
I also popped some of the giant ferns I had bought at the Growers Outlet into large white pots. I don’t remember the type of fern they are but they are actually my new favorite because they tolerate the full sun or the shade. The pots I got at the end of the summer last year on clearance at Lowe’s. I stalk the clearance racks at the end of each season because I know that goodies will be had.
I still don’t love our front doors (I’d much rather have something with giant windows) but they work…so therefore they aren’t on the priority list. And also…I barely have time to make ten minute wreaths….nobody has time for new doors.
In the end, I love the fact that simple updates like this gets my kids excited. Will actually asked me to take his photo with the “pwetty doohs”. I asked him if it felt like summer now that our porch had these summer wreaths and he said “Yes. And because it’s hot out here.”
Thanks kid.
Hopefully we can accomplish a whole lot more this weekend. I have on the to-do list a console table to build, a room and trim to paint, a couple other contributor projects to finish and I need to switch out the boys clothing for the next sizes up. Plus, Jer is talking about helping my sister move and I have to attend one birthday party and a baby shower. Speaking of showers, I gotta buy some heavy duty Draino. Post partum hair loss is real y’all.
What are you doing this weekend?
oh my goodness I love this. I made a fall, winter, and spring wreath last year but couldn’t figure out what to do for a summer one that wouldn’t end up looking to much like my spring one. Some much inspiration! 😀 thanks!
Totally unrelated to the wreath post but I wanted to ask how you like your double front doors. We are moving at the end of the year and some of the houses we’ve seen have doubles and I’m not sure how I feel about them. Am I making a bigger deal out of them then the normal human being does? Thanks!
I love the wreaths! Very good use of things you already have around. And I feel you on the PP hair loss. It is a wonder I’m not bald.
I love your wreaths! Thanks for the idea! Sounds like a busy weekend. I too have a birthday party and shower to attend on Saturday but it should be fun. All the hairs around my hairline fell out when my daughter was about LJs age too. Now I have weird bangs that I don’t want. Ugh! I guess it’s better than the bald spots I was rocking.
I love Will’s smart-alek comment about it feeling like summer b/c it’s hot outside. Smart kid. 🙂 I can’t believe you’re weekend to-do list! I admire your motivation and drive. Do you ever just sit and watch bad tv? That’s my preferred weekend to-do. 🙂
Love the little umbrellas! So cute!
Just wanted to let you know that your posts unfailingly make me smile. I also love your new comment policy…snark is so over rated. Thanks for being real and having a sense of humor!
Hi! We just got Drano for the shower as well! Post partum hairloss IS real! I don’t know how you get all this done with those three adorable boys underfoot! I’m a big fan!
Such a cute idea!
Liz @ http://www.shoppingmycloset.com
Weekly Style Me Wednesday link-up
Not nearly as much as YOU are doing this weekend! Garage sale today–I’m exhausted, wiped out, never gonna do another one tired. One more day of garage sale tomorrow, then going to finish some arts and crafts I’m almost done with. I have lots of other projects to tackle too, but I think I need a nap.
PP hair loss! So real! But worse are the new little baby hairs that replace everything that fell out. I’ve got a full-on hair crisis going on here.
Just want to throw it out there… if you had huge windows in your front doors it would be a security risk…. just smash the glass and you have a person sized hole. It wasn’t something I thought about until I had a house where you could easily smash the back door window and flip the door lock.
Love your new wreaths! Sometimes getting small things done, gives me motivation to tackle something larger.
Oh my goodness, your opening line about wanting to get something done is how I feel all the time. I keep trying to remind myself that these days of very little ones are not forever. I love the wreath. I’ll bet my almost 4-year old would love to help me make something like that.
Very cute!! I agree on the postpartum hair loss! My daughter is 4 months old and I’m beginning to think she is going to end up with more hair than me.
Whoa. That was ridiculously easy & cute. :] // itsCarmen.com ☼
Ok, I first searched around on the blog to see if I could find it before asking, but where are those big white planters from? I need them in my life! Thanks!!
Ok nevermind, apparently I didn’t read the last part as thoroughly as I should have! Sorry!
Absolutely! Bad TV is my nursing partner! And I always aim high but never get it all done 🙂
xo – kb
We like them! It definitely made moving in easier and as long as I get two wreaths I feel like they are just like a single but fancier 🙂
xo – kb
I think I will buy ferns for the front porch too! I need something that can handle full sun.
Cute project… Where did buy those plant pots. They look like ikea’s????
Lowes!
xo – kb
Love the wreaths! Thanks for keeping things real!
Also, I thought the hair coming back in was worse than it falling out — so many hairs sticking straight up! 🙂
Really cute. I’m curious to see how much of your list you got done this weekend, because it seemed impossibly long. Well, unless, you didn’t sleep or take care of your children, ha!
console table to build – started cutting the wood but no building 🙁
room and trim to paint – primed and one coat but not finished
contributor projects – DONE!
switch out the boys clothing – didn’t even try 🙁
helping my sister move – YUP!
one birthday party – YUP!
baby shower – YUP!
Draino – still clogged up 🙁
I love the idea about using pool noodles to make wreath forms! I just bought a few at full price ($2) to cut to size and put inside my tall boots so they don’t fall over and get a crease while being stored. I read about that on Pinterest in the fall or winter but couldn’t find pool noodles during that time of year. Now I want to go buy some more just to keep for a craft like this.
No sad faces allowed; you got a lot done with three young one around. Heck you got a lot done anyway. Good job! 🙂
Cute! Thanks for the tip about using pool noodles. I have a couple in our spare room that I never got around to using last summer. Now I can make wreaths with them since I recently got floaties for the kids this year.
Really diggn the flanking ferns and their pots. That is my weekend goal, I may or may not be copying 😉
LOVE the pool noodle idea – it would have never crossed my mind to use a pool noodle to make a wreath. Pure genius.