3 Simple Steps to Block Users on Pinterest

Did you know you can block other users on Pinterest now? I found out by chance when Pinterest started rolling out "Related Pins" amidst the regular feed. You know - the pins that are from people you don't follow at all. Simply suggestions based on other things you typically pin or like.

I get the need to slip in an ad and make a little money for a service that is totally free to me, but I also don't want to see all of them. Specifically, there is a big box store where I don't shop and I don't want to see their pins, ads or otherwise which led me to finding out how to block them.

Whether it's a store, other business or perhaps a stranger that rubs you the wrong way - here are the quick steps to blocking on Pinterest:

1) Go to the profile for the user you want to block. Click the flag icon. At bottom of drop down menu, click "block."

2) A pop-up window will double check that you want to block this user. Click "Block Pinner" to continue. A second pop-up window will confirm you have now blocked the user. Click "ok" to finish.

3) Any profile of a user you have blocked will show "Unblock" instead of the "Follow All" button. An easy way to double check you have blocked them and, if you made a mistake or change your mind, just click it to unblock.

Really, it was that easy and you no longer have any interaction from the blocked user. Happy pinning!

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DIY Numbered Burlap Basket

While redecorating our laundry room, I was searching for new baskets/bins to tidy up the look on the open shelf. To give the room a more peaceful, completed feel. I managed to re-use two fabric bins from our old house and quickly found a nice handled basket at HomeGoods to store all our Swiffer products (yes, we have a lot of those!). But I couldn't find another like it. I wanted either a match or something that would coordinate nicely with what I had and tall enough to store all our lightbulbs. Yes, I did just say I was searching for a bin to store our lightbulbs.

My most recent search led me to Marshall's where I discovered a burlap basket in the clearance section for $7.50. The size seemed perfect so I scooped it up immediately with simple plans to alter it.

Going along with the trend of numbered decor and still excited about how easy & well my freezer paper stencil sharks turned out at Halloween, I decided I could do the same to the basket. I already had all of the materials.

First, I measured the distance from the handle to the bottom of the basket to determine a height for my number. I then used Photoshop to select a font and size the '1' (you could easily do this in Word or Google Docs, etc).

After printing the '1' onto regular 8.5x11 paper, I traced it onto freezer paper and cut it out using my X-acto knife. Then determined placement on the basket.

The ironing was a tad tricky only in that the basket has soft sides. I held it carefully and ironed lightly to tack it before moving it to the end of my ironing board so I could press down. I used the cotton setting and pressed it firmly twice.

Once I felt confident the freezer paper was secure, I let it cool and then painted it with fabric paint and a foam brush. I personally like the cheap foam brushes - easy to blot & dab the paint on.

After painting, the directions said to let it dry up to 4 hours. I didn't. I cheated. I was painting it in my bathroom anyhow so I got out the hair dryer to speed things up! After a minute or two, it seemed dry and I pulled away the freezer paper.

Literally, this project took me maybe 15 minutes start to finish. It helped that I had my idea, had experience with the freezer paper stenciling (really, so easy - if you haven't tried, go for it!), and used the hair dryer to speed up drying. The result is a fun new basket for our laundry room.

And, yes, it really was all for lightbulb storage.

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Pumpkin Mums

Fall is my favorite season. And yesterday, I started decorating my house. One of the first things I did last year was add mums up the steps to the front door. Having just moved and with a lot on my plate, I literally just plopped the flowers (thin plastic 'pot' and all) onto the steps and called it done. This year, I'm making a little more effort.

While I could (and probably should for year round decorating) invest in a few nice pots to line the steps, I decided to take a fall twist and use pumpkins for pots. Fake pumpkins. I don't trust real ones to hold up all season and we've had great luck with a carved fake pumpkin for years. It still looks great. So now I'm testing how well they survive the elements + a live flowering plant.

How to make your own? Easy! All you need are 5 supplies - fake pumpkin, mum plant, marker, knife & a drill.

Supplies for faux Pumpkin Mums

Start by marking the top of your pumpkin for where you will cut. I just held the plant over and loosely traced with an orange Sharpie. My thought was the orange would blend in better if the lines ended up showing a bit. Instead, my initial hole was a bit too small so I just kept trimming out slowly until the plant just barely slid in. I wanted a snug fit.

Mark an outline of the pot for cutting.

Then (no pictures of this step) I used our drill to make a couple of small holes in the bottom to allow for drainage.

Add the flowers to the faux pumpkin, place and enjoy!

Can you spy why there isn't a wreath on my front door yet? Next project - new paint!

I bought my pumpkins on sale at Michaels and my mums on clearance at Lowes so the entire project cost me under $25 for 3 Pumpkin Mums. I'll update later in the season with how they are holding up. Hopefully, I'll be able to refill these same pumpkins year after year.

Happy Fall!

For more fake (faux?) pumpkin ideas ... our carved Bat pumpkin we've been using since 2006 and Mr Potato Head Pirate Pumpkin.

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DIY Mickey Shirt

In preparation for our Disney trip, I decided to make a t-shirt for myself. Somehow the boys each have Disney tees (ok, so Dylan has enough to outfit him for a week), but I had none. I decided to try a bleach method I had seen on various sites and make my own.

Supplies

• T-shirt
• freezer paper
• Mickey silhouette
• spray bottle with 60/40 mix of bleach & water

I google image searched for the Mickey silhouette. I planned to print it and then trace, but quickly took a lazier easier route - I held a piece of freezer paper to the screen and lightly traced it with a Sharpie. Seriously. It looked the right size and was a lot quicker than scaling & printing.

After you have your design, cut it out and iron it onto the shirt. Then place a piece of cardboard inside the shirt to prevent the bleach from going through. Spray with the bleach/water mix and let dry.

After the shirt has dried, rinse it in cold water to help remove any excess bleach. Machine wash and dry. I washed mine alone just in case any bleach was remaining and used hot water intentionally trying to shrink it a tad since it was a little loose.

Then end result ...

a fun and unique t-shirt.

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Paper Plate Dinosaur

Dinosaurs continue to be a big hit in this house. As part of celebrating Draw a Dinosaur Day at the end of January, we also made a paper plate dinosaur. Here's how ...

Supplies

• paper plate
• markers, crayons or paint to color the plate
• scissors
• brads (glue or tape could also be used)

Start by coloring a paper plate. We used markers, but crayons or paint would also work.

Cut the plate into 3 pieces as shown below by cutting it in half and then cutting one of the pieces in half.

From the one of the quarter pieces, help your child cut a tail. Start at the smooth portion and cut a curve back toward the outer edge of the plate on the opposite side of the piece to create the tail. Don't toss the extra piece. Set it aside. Then take the other quarter piece and cut a neck/head shape. Again, save the remaining portion. Attach the tail and neck/head using brads (glue or tape could also be used).

Take the "extra" pieces left from cutting the tail and neck/head and cut 4 legs. Attach these to the body as well.

That's it - you've made a dinosaur! (How Dylan got his to stand on it's own is beyond me! Preschooler magic?)

A version of this post originally ran on January 24, 2013 for Arts & Crafts Thursday at Notes from a Mom in Chapel Hill blog here.

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"Dad" card

Last year I made hybrid cards for our fathers for Father's Day:

I started with a simple 5.5" x 8" rectangle and added a 5" x 7.5" mask in the center. This allowed me to easily layer two papers to create the background. I printed these onto white cardstock, cut to size and scored it at the 4" line to create the fold.

Next, I opened a pennant flag element from the Give Thanks kit and added "DAD" using brushes. I printed these onto white cardstock as well, cut out and then adhered to the cards with adhesive backed foam to give the design a bit of dimension.

Simple as that and they each had a beautiful handmade card.

Are you making cards this year? I'd love to see. Share a link to the post or image in the comments section. :)

Supplies: Give Thanks & Happy Camper kits by Sara Schmutz; Digi Essentials 8 by Karla Dudley; white cardstock; adhesive backed foam.

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How To: Built-in Shelving

After being asked on my post about the Half Bath Shelving how I made the built-in shelves, I thought a "how to" post might be a good idea. The method I used in the bathroom and in Dylan's room, is very straight forward and simple. Keep in mind, in both cases I ran my shelves from wall to wall and this tutorial follows that design.

Supplies

• wood shelving - I used 10" deep Eastern White Pine
• 1x2 wood - these are for the supports. I used Eastern White Pine that matched the shelf piece.
• 1x3 wood - this is for the front of the shelves. Knowing I was staining the wood in the bathroom, I did buy 2 smaller pieces here that had a nicer finish. I wanted to be sure they were nice, straight smooth pieces since they would be the most visible. 
• drill
• level
• screwdriver
• screws and wall anchors - I used some we had on hand. Keep in mind your wood thickness and wall type when making a selection.
• stud finder
• hammer
• nails
• nail setter
• wood filler
• stain (I used Minwax Red Mahogany in the bathroom and stained before installation) or paint

Start by cutting a piece from the 1x2 and shelving boards that match the width of your space. Next, measure the depth of your 1x2 board. Then measure the depth of your shelf board. Now subtract the depth of the 1x2 from the depth of the shelf. This will give you the length of the two side pieces to cut from the 1x2 board. Cut those pieces (you will want your shelf to fit cleanly on top of these pieces - see illustration 2).

Illustration 1: 1x2 shelf support pieces

Attach the longer 1x2 support piece to the back wall at height desired using screws at each end. Start by screwing one end loosely, then place a level on the board to align other end. Secure screw at opposite end and then tighten first screw completely. Add additional screws in the center as needed. For the bathroom, I added one extra screw directly in the center. Use a stud finder to help locate studs to screw into or use wall anchors. In my case, I had studs at each corner and one at the center.

Next, place the side supports so one end butts the back support. Add a screw at this end, but, as with the back piece, don't tighten completely. Use a level to align the board and then screw in the other end. Tighten both screws. (Tip: If you predetermine you screw locations, you can mark and predrill holes on one board then use that as a template for the opposite side. Just remember to flip the second piece so the holes are mirrored. Then you will quickly and easily have all your screws in the same place without extra measuring.)

Illustration 2: Shelf should fit cleanly over 1x2 support pieces

Measure the back wall again over the back support. Then pull a measurement from wall to wall at the front of the side supports. These may or may not be the same depending how squarely your home was built. Mine was slightly off. Cut your shelf board based on these measurements. Then place the shelf board on top of the support pieces. Use a small drill bit to start holes along the back and side edges. Then hammer nails into each of these holes to attach the shelf. Sink the nails slightly below the shelf top using a nail setter.

Illustration 3: Add front piece making sure to align the top with the shelf.

Add the front piece to the shelf and supports already in place. The top of the front piece should align with the top of the shelf. Again, use a drill to start small holes to nail into and recess each nail slightly using a nail setter.

The shelf is now fully constructed! Add a bit of wood filler to each of the nail holes and follow directions for drying time. Sand lightly and touch up with stain (or paint). Allow to dry and enjoy!

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Homemade Puffy Paint

We are currently in a phase where anything mixable and where Dylan can 'help' makes for a good project. Homemade puffy paint fit the bill. It was very easy to make. He loved helping me measure & dump each ingredient. We used the recipe shared on sandy toes and popsicles blog:

Supplies

• 1 tablespoon of self rising flour
• 1 tablespoon of salt
• food coloring
• water

Add the first 3 ingredients into each spot in a small muffin pan. Then add enough water to create a paste and mix it all together.

Use q-tips to paint designs onto stiff paper or cardboard. I cut up an old cereal box for us to use. (And, yes, the painting on the right was mine - Dylan isn't quite advanced enough to paint shapes on his own!)

After your designs are complete, microwave for 5-10 seconds. Admire your artwork!

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Dinosaur Snow Globes

Dylan had a friend over on Monday and, after some time playing in the snow, we came inside for hot cocoa and a little fun. I found an idea for a snow inspired craft over the weekend - a little handmade snow globe ornament. Using supplies I had on hand, we created dinosaur snow globes! The boys were very excited.

Supplies

• clear plastic cups
• cotton balls
• sturdy paper for bottom
• small toys
• glue

I started by pulling out all the supplies and tracing the cup lip onto a small paper plate. I cut just beyond that circle to create the bottom of the globe. I happened to have snowflake plastic cups and silver plates left over from the baby shower in January and used those, but plain clear cups and white paper plates (or cardstock) would work also.

Dylan taking apart my unglued demo snow globe

I showed each boy the general idea and gave them their supplies. Truthfully, this took about 3 tries to get both to complete the project in between free play. I quickly discovered the best glue method was for me to squirt a few thin lines around on the interior of our base circle. Then encouraged them to stick their dinosaur toy.

Next we pulled apart cotton balls to make smaller "snow" mounds and they stuck snow around the dinosaur's feet.

When they were finished adding snow, I put a thin line of glue around the lip of the cup and placed it over the entire scene. Then set aside to let dry.

The final step - enjoy your dinosaur snow globe!

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Valentine Envelope Chair Backers

Inspired by cute Valentine's envelope chair backers at Pottery Barn Kids, I pulled together a few supplies to make a pair for Dylan's Ikea LÄTT table & chairs set. I changed the design of mine slightly for a more "masculine" look by leaving off the scallops and replacing the large heart with a button.

Supplies

• white felt (I used a packaged 36" x 36" sheet; smaller sheets would also work)
• white & red thread
• velcro
• red embroidery floss
• 2 red buttons

Start by measuring the chairs you want to place the envelopes on to determine your envelope size. I made my envelopes 11" wide by 8" high. Since I opted not to add scallops, I was able to cut each envelope as one large piece. With help from my assistant, I drew out the design using fabric marker and traced one of our china dinner plates (Pottery Barn, fittingly!) to create the curve at the opening end:

After cutting out the envelope shapes, I measured the top of the chairs to determine the size for the straps. To do this, use a tape measure to go all the way around the top of the chair where the envelope will attach - remember to overlap for where the velcro will affix. My straps were 9" long by 1.5" wide.

I folded my large cut piece into the envelope shape and held it to the chairs to determine strap placement. Knowing I wanted the straps at the outermost point and near the top, I decided on 1" in on each side and 1/2" down. Pin straps at the desired locations and sew onto the envelope piece:

Add a strip of velcro to the top end of each strap. Add the second piece on the opposite end & opposite side to secure to chair later. I literally took the envelope to the chair again after sewing on the first piece and used my fabric marker to note the location for the second piece ensuring a good, snug fit:

Fold the front up, pin and sew along both sides and the bottom at 1/4" in from edge:

Sew along the two angled edges of the flap, also at 1/4" in, to add definition, if desired. Next, hand stitch the red embroidery stitches just inside the lines you sewed by machine - all three sides of the flap and the sides and bottom of the envelope. I used DMC floss #321.

Finally, add button holes to the flaps. I used my sewing machine's button hole option to do this (tip: use fusible interfacing on the backside of the flap to stiffen and make this process easier). Hand stitch a red button on each envelope to create closure.

Finally, place on chairs and enjoy! If you create your own, let me know - I'd love to see. :)

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Trick or Treat: hybrid cards

Sara Schmutz has a new release today - Trick or Treat - featuring 16 papers and 20 elements:

I used the kit to create a couple of Halloween cards. If you haven't tried using digital kits to make cards, you should! It's such an easy way to get more use of a kit and make several of the same design with minimal effort (of course, don't tell any of my recipients that I said these were minimal effort!).

To start, I created an 8.5x11 blank page in Photoshop and set it up with masks for 2 card faces sized at 5.25" x 4" to match the white cards I planned to decorate. I then chose my papers and clipped them to the mask, rescaling as desired. For example, I wanted to be sure to get the spider on the orange card so I scaled the digital paper down accordingly.

I did the same thing with the elements i wanted to use. I placed them on each 'card' as I wanted them. Scaled them to size and, in the case of the larger tag, decided where to trim it as well as added the text. I then shifted the elements off to the side to prepare for printing. I could have left them on the 'cards' for a single print but wanted that little extra depth added by physically layering the pieces.

After printing the sheet, I used my x-acto knife to cut out each of the pieces. I used a black stamp pad to ink the edges of the tags. It helped cover the white edges and give a little more of a spooky Halloween look.

I adhered each card front to blank white cards. The larger tag I glued directly to the blue web card. I used foam backed adhesive to attach the smaller ribbon label.

Supplies: Sara Schmutz's Trick or Treat kit; Stamp Act Jumbled font; Recollections white cardstock & cards; foam backed adhesive; black stamp ink; adhesive.

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